Bibenda, the most authoritative Italian wine guide, lands on the web in 98 countries on five continents. Disseminated 4.500.000 digital guides with scores, prices and suggestions on pairings with food. Recommended restaurants with a sommelier
It's the biggest Italian wine webmarketing operation never done before. Bibenda, the most authoritative national drinking guide, drawn up by FIS, the Italian Sommeliers Federation, and directed by Franco Maria Ricci, has decided for the 2016 edition to completely abandon the paper - a real revolution for a world closely linked to tradition and to the territory – and land exclusively on the web. And he did it in style: in a few weeks they have already been delivered to the world 4.500.000 digital edition guides. And when we mean world we mean well 98 countries on five continents which from today can open a direct and privileged window onto one of the most important and internationally envied food and wine landscapes, that of Made in Italy.
"A choice dictated by the times and by the awareness, through the new technologies available, - says Franco Maria Ricci with unconcealed pride - of being able to offer even more to our readers, with direct links to the websites of the wineries, oil mills or restaurants , with access to Google maps, as well as with almost infinite search possibilities ranging from grape variety pairing, through winemaker, wine, appellation, etc. as well as other features that will literally glue everyone to the screen of a PC, tablet or smart phone”.
Given the premises and the production chains involved, the Opera is for large numbers. The wine companies reviewed for the 2016 edition of Bibenda are 1.900 and 25.000 wines tasted by the army of Sommeliers headed by the FIS with about 900 finalists and 591 awarded with the 5 Grappoli, the assessment of excellence.
The importance of this operation is destined to mark a fixed point for the expansion of one of the few driving sectors of the Italian economy which this year was able to record a success never reached before, the European production primacy. With a production of 48,9 million hectoliters - official data from the European Commission - Italy, with the 2015 harvest, in fact surpassed France, which did not go beyond 46,6 million and Spain, third with 36,6 million hectoliters. In fact, in contrast to the economic stagnation that has gripped our country for years, even if domestic consumption has contracted, the wine sector is experiencing only positive signs thanks to exports that fly without brakes. Since 2008, employment has recorded a +2,7%, the wine index travels on 225,7% against 61,8% of the price lists. A study by Mediobanca attests that in the wine sector 2013 closed with a turnover of 5,6 billion euros, recording an increase of 4,8% (and the previous year had already recorded a +7,7%). President Renzi, the first Prime Minister to inaugurate Vinitaly, the largest world fair in the sector, last year, was keen to underline that "wine is not a divertissement, it is not an opportunity to have some fun" but "a significant piece of culture, lifestyle and the economy", thereby making due recognition to a sector that is worth 12 billion and employs 1,2 million people.
And that wine represents a pride of our production and of our cultural identity has in fact translated into the decision of the Prime Minister to include in the ceremonial of state visits abroad and in that of welcoming world leaders visiting Italy the gift of a box of fine Italian wines proposed and prepared by the president of the FIS, Ricci.
Bibenda 2016 therefore describes a varied panorama of the two thousand best wines of this year assigning the value of excellence, the 5 bunches to 591 labels throughout the national territory. (see Attachment)
Among these Italian sommeliers have chosen and suggested 10 that represent excellence within excellence:
Derthona Timorasso Sterpi 2013 – Massa Vineyards – Monleale (Alessandria)
Gattinara 2009 – Mauro Franchino – Gattinara (Vercelli)
Barbaresco Asili 2012 – Ceretto – Alba (Wedge)
Terzavia 2012 Classic Method – Marco De Bartoli – Marsala (Trapani)
Bolgheri Sassicaia Sassicaia 2012 – San Guido estate – Castagneto Carducci (Livorno)
Tignanello 2012 - Antinori – San Casciano Val di Pesa (Florence)
Brunello di Montalcino 2010 – Le Potazzine – Montalcino (Siena)
Custoza Superiore Amedeo 2013 – Cavalchina – Sommacampagna (Verona)
Frappato 2013 – Occhipinti – Vittoria (Ragusa)
Dut' Un 2012 – Streets of Romans – Mariano del Friuli (Gorizia)
For lovers of statistics and to decide where to travel without fail to taste or buy wines of excellence, from the five bunches awarded by the FIS sommelier platoon, Piedmont, with 142 citations, remains firmly anchored at the top of the national ranking for the quality of its wines. They are followed, at a good distance, by Tuscany with 105 awarded bottles and Veneto with 41. Sicily is placed with honor in fourth place with 35 awards followed by Lombardy with 32 and Friuli with 30. Molise closes the ranking with only one label.
Despite the great web novelty, the structure remains the original one with a space dedicated to the story of the wine companies and the detailed tasting of each label produced; with the usual indications on the denomination of origin, the production numbers, the vines used, the alcohol content, the indicative selling price in the wine shop, the cellar techniques and the combination.
All the regional territories, the tasting method, the Denominations of Origin of the wines and food products are thus described. The information entered in the spaces dedicated to wineries also represent indications and suggestions for the wine tourist reader. drink in fact, it does not only offer wines and cellars to the global public, but also the places where they can be tasted, i.e. the restaurants. And in the guide, 1.900 were reviewed, of which 24 deserving of the 5 Baci, i.e. the highest recognition of the quality of their cuisine, together with the quality of the welcome and the range of wines, while 17 are the establishments that have been awarded the title of Restaurant of the Year, reserved for those realities that have amazed for the significant evolution encountered over time. Obviously, dealing with wine and food, Bibenda, in addition to providing information, also promotes food and wine culture for the Italian and foreign consumer proposing the right combinations. AND however the presence of the Sommelier in the restaurant is adequately indicated.
