Vinitaly USA 2024

历经八个多小时的转机与飞行，我终于到了芝加哥的Vinitaly USA(义大利酒展)。

非常难得的机会，上了许多振奋人心的大师课程，受益良多。如果有在研读葡萄酒的朋友们都知道义大利算是一个大魔王，有着百种的原生葡萄品种之外，每一块的区域也有着不同的风土民情，我依稀记得，那时候攻读WSET diploma的时候义大利是边哭边念的⋯
这次去的最最大心得就是，真的是需要实战的经验去观看与品尝现在酿造者们的趋势。

如果你对Prosecco 还是停留在便宜，没什么风味，无聊，但很多DOCG的印象中，让我跟大家报告一下，这次酒展我品尝了很多摊高品质的Prosecco，他们除了更改了酿造的方式（甚至有酒庄尝试着使用瓶内二次发酵法的方式制作）使泡泡更为绵密之外，在葡萄品种方面也下了一番功夫的混酿，不再只有Glera！

红酒与白酒也不在只有Pino Grigio或是Sangiovese。这次让人惊艳的是就算不混合国际的葡萄品种，整瓶酒所展现出来的酸度，单宁或平衡度与香味都非常的多元化与集中。

当中喝了一瓶是用贵腐菌所酿造出来的白甜酒，令人惊艳！葡萄农是用再续农业的方式种植葡萄，当中的浓厚果味与贵腐菌再加上不那么独占的桶味（非常的优雅）让我当下快速了再要了一杯！但是，因为酒法的原因，酿造者只能在瓶子前面使用「appasimento」的酿造方式，而「贵腐菌」只能放在瓶后一行小小的字。法律或许是在保护人们，但重点可能是法律也要跟着时事移动，我们几个爱好者凑在一起为这葡萄农感到可惜，要不放在市面上一定会有新的话题感（少卖了很多酒啊！）

这次参展的酒，百分之八十都是走中高等级的品质。着实颠覆了我从教科书与在美国市面上可以购买到的义大利酒。

时差，长途的旅行，但是很值得，我好好的重新学习了好多义大利的地区与跟上了现今的趋势，这是这趟旅程中最为珍贵与感谢的！
谢谢给我这个机会，谢谢所有用心中种植与酿造的爱酒人士，谢谢一路碰到的所有新朋友，谢谢让我重新认识了义大利的葡萄酒！

After over eight hours of layovers and flying, I finally arrived at the Vinitaly USA (Italian wine expo) in Chicago.

This was a rare opportunity, and I attended many inspiring masterclasses that I learned so much from. For those studying wine, you know Italy is considered one of the most challenging countries to master. With its hundreds of indigenous grape varieties and diverse regional terroirs, I vividly remember studying for my WSET Diploma—it was Italy that I studied through tears…

One of the biggest takeaways from this trip is that real tasting experiences are essential to understanding the current trends among winemakers.

If you still think of Prosecco as cheap, flavorless, or bland, with lots of DOCG labels, allow me to give you an update. At this fair, I tasted many high-quality Proseccos. Not only are producers experimenting with new winemaking techniques (some are even using traditional secondary fermentation in the bottle for finer bubbles), but they’re also blending other grape varieties along with Glera to elevate the flavor profile.

As for the reds and whites, it’s no longer just about Pinot Grigio or Sangiovese. This time, I was amazed by wines that, even without blending in international varieties, showcased diverse and concentrated acidity, tannins, balance, and aromas.

One standout was a white dessert wine made using noble rot—an incredible surprise! The grower used sustainable farming practices, and the wine had intense fruit flavors and an elegant hint of noble rot without an overwhelming oak influence. I immediately asked for a second glass! However, due to wine regulations, the winemaker could only label the bottle as made with “passito” on the front, with the mention of noble rot hidden in small print on the back. Perhaps the law is there to protect consumers, but it might also need to evolve. Some fellow enthusiasts and I gathered to express our regret for the grower, as this wine could have stirred up more attention (and probably sold a lot more!).

About 80% of the wines I tasted at this event were of medium to high quality, which completely overturned my perception of Italian wines from textbooks and the typical selection available in the U.S. market.

The jet lag and long journey were all worth it. I had a chance to revisit and deepen my knowledge of Italian regions and stay up-to-date with the latest trends—this was truly the most valuable part of this trip.

Thank you for this opportunity, to everyone passionately growing and crafting these wines, to the new friends I met along the way, and for allowing me to rediscover Italian wines!