“IT'S TIME FOR WINE”, GREAT TURNOUT FOR THE ITINERANT FORMAT IN UMBRIAN WINE SHOPS

The 2024 edition of " It's Time for Wine ", the traveling format dedicated to the promotion of quality Umbrian wine, organized by UmbriaTop , has ended successfully. Insights, storytelling and tastings have animated eight wine shops scattered throughout the Umbrian territories, involving experts and enthusiasts in a unique journey through the flavors and winemaking traditions of the region.

With 34 participating companies and as many wines to taste , the initiative - already successfully tested last year by MTV Umbria, this year's partner of the event - recorded a significant turnout: the two largest wine shops in Perugia welcomed up to 50 people each and even the smallest ones gathered a large audience, confirming the crucial role of the wine shop as a place not only for purchasing but also for a conscious approach to wine. The eight wine shops involved , distributed in the main territories, this year saw the entry of Todi, a second wine shop in Perugia and one in Terni, where about forty people were present, thus expanding the initiative's range of action and attracting new visitors.

Each wine shop offered 4 or 5 wines for tasting, with a particular focus on native vines such as Trebbiano Spoletino, Grechetto, Sangiovese and Sagrantino, presented in different vinifications. There was no shortage of bubbles and, to the delight of enthusiasts, several new labels and company productions were previewed.

The presence of producers was one of the key elements of the format: about 25 producers participated, representing the 34 leading companies . This direct contact not only fostered an authentic dialogue with consumers, but also the birth of interesting commercial opportunities. Several companies in fact started new collaborations with the host wine shops, creating growth prospects for the future.

The tastings were led by the food and wine critic Antonio Boco , who therefore draws a balance: " The event was extraordinarily interesting and also successful, there were certainly many but also significant attendances: during the events, which took place in precious places where you can breathe the culture of wine, the story became a dialogue with wine enthusiasts. We therefore paid tribute to Umbrian wines, it is naturally essential that they are known in the world but it is important that they are also known within the borders of the region, especially in light of the transformation of the sector in recent years, which we have discussed at length during the events: Umbrian wine has evolved and stratified a lot: today the territorial reading, especially thanks to the traditional varieties, has been greatly enriched. This arouses curiosity and talking about it makes Umbrian wine lovers the first ambassadors of regional wine ". "We will reschedule “It's Time for Wine” also in 2025", says Gioia Bacoccoli , director of Umbria Top. " The interest shown by the public and operators and the concrete results for the participating companies - she continues - confirm how important it is to further support activities that promote regional wine in the same territory. The wine shop review was placed under the umbrella of Umbria Wine Academy, a format created by Umbria Top that took shape in 2024 and is increasingly taking shape as an informative tool to be declined through various activities, both in the local territory and in national and international contexts, for information and training on quality Umbrian wine with a view to promoting conscious and cultural consumption of wine. See you next year, then! " The UmbriaTop initiatives are included in the initiatives to promote certified Umbrian production promoted by the UmbriaTop Wines Cooperative as part of the measure of the CSR Umbria 2023-2027 - intervention SRG10 "Promotion of quality products".