The Grandi Marchi Institute returns to Rome for its annual event dedicated to international recognition of leading figures in wine communication. The award, established by the 18 families of the group, recognizes those who, with passion, respect, and profound expertise, have contributed and continue to contribute to the spread of Italian wine culture worldwide as ambassadors and promoters of this segment of excellence. Following Burton Anderson, Jens Priewe, Monica Larner, James Suckling, and Isao Miyajima, this year's recognition goes to an Italian for the first time, Daniele Cernilli, for his commitment, professionalism, and dedication to disseminating and promoting the uniqueness, potential, and territorial excellence of Italian wine.
Co-founder of Gambero Rosso and head of the DoctorWine editorial project since 2011, Daniele Cernilli is a key figure in journalism in this diverse sector. His career, spanning over forty years as an internationally renowned wine expert, has been intertwined with some of the most important developments in Italian wine, as evidenced by the numerous awards he has received. Cernilli was inducted into the Wine Writers' Hall of Fame of the Wine Media Guild of New York in 2015 and has also been included among Decanter's 50 most influential people in wine for three consecutive years.
"Awarding this year's award to Daniele Cernilli means paying homage to a figure who has written and continues to write the history of Italian wine," explained Piero Mastroberardino, President of the Istituto Grandi Marchi. "His extensive professional experience is closely linked to the evolution of Italian wine communication, where he stands out for his remarkable ability to interpret changes in the sector while maintaining an authoritative and attentive perspective, thus demonstrating how quality storytelling is an integral part of promoting our country's productive heritage."
"I am particularly happy and honored to receive this award. Over the years, I have had the fortune of reporting on the world of Italian wine, which I have seen grow, change, and gain ever greater recognition on the international scene," said Daniele Cernilli, journalist, wine critic, and founder and director of DoctorWine. "It has been a long journey, filled with meetings, travels, tastings, discussions, and, above all, with so many people who have dedicated their lives to quality. Receiving this recognition today from the Grandi Marchi Institute has a special meaning for me. The member companies have been and continue to be protagonists of this story and have contributed significantly to building the image of Italian wine worldwide. I therefore consider it a reward for the work accomplished over many years, but also an acknowledgment of the profession of wine journalist: narrating, explaining, delving deeper, and striving to convey to readers, in the most serious way possible, the complexity and beauty of a heritage that is part of our history and culture. I sincerely thank Piero Mastroberardino and all the companies in the Institute for thinking of me."
"The value of Italian wine today is measured not only by the quality and identity of its products but also by the ability to communicate them in conjunction with their territories of origin," continued Piero Mastroberardino. "It is precisely from this consideration that the award dedicated to the sector's signatures takes on ever greater importance: in a scenario in which our country is the world's leading wine producer and boasts the most biodiverse winemaking heritage in the world, the dialogue between producers, communicators, and dissemination professionals allows us to offer new insights to defend and strengthen the value of our products through the construction of solid and lasting relationships."
