SUCCESS FOR THE SECOND EDITION OF REGINA RIBELLE - VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO WINE FEST

The second edition of REGINA RIBELLE – VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO WINE FEST ended yesterday, the event that the Vernaccia di San Gimignano wine consortium strongly desired and conceived, dedicating it to the vine symbol of an entire production and wine-growing area, and which it created in partnership with the municipal administration of San Gimignano. The two-day event enlivened the historic center of San Gimignano, recording the presence of around 1000 wine lovers who had the opportunity to taste the great white wine of Tuscany, the white queen in a land of red wines. As many as 6,880 tastings among the stalls of the 37 local companies that took part in the event. The program was enriched not only by the traveling tastings around the historic center of the city but also by the wine tastings , the food-wine pairing workshops with typical Tuscan products, and the entertainment for the little ones. The novelty this year was the presentation of the new vintages of Vernaccia di San Gimignano in the two days preceding the opening to the public - 16 and 17 May -, to the Italian and foreign press and to sector operators . Over 90 Italian and foreign journalists , hosted by the Consortium, explored the nuances of the Denomination through moments dedicated to technical tastings and took part in the visits organized at the companies, visiting the entire production area of Vernaccia di San Gimignano and capturing all the particularities of this unique territory in the world. The days dedicated to the press concluded with a gala dinner set up in the spectacular Cloister of Sant'Agostino and catered by the San Gimignano restaurants Linfa and San Martino 26 . During the evening, the artistic dishes of the 2023 and 2024 editions dedicated to Regina Ribelle – Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wine Fest created by the local ceramist Silvia Berghè , dedicated to the combination of wine, craftsmanship and gastronomy, were also presented. A novelty that will also be repeated in future editions, where every year the dish will be signed by the chef who will take care of the dinner. The President of the Consortium, Irina Strozzi , officially opened the event in the evocative Dante Municipal Hall, in front of the public and authorities, retracing the long history of this ancient vine, cited by poets and writers, but without forgetting the challenges of the present and the future, starting from climate change. The 2023 vintage was presented to the sector press, particularly complex for all Italian denominations, but precisely in this difficult climatic trend, caused by spring rains and dry summer heat, Vernaccia di San Gimignano has once again demonstrated of its incredible ability to adapt to the territory to which it belongs. Speaking of numbers , in 2023 3,592,700 liters of Vernaccia di San Gimignano were placed on the market (against 3,475,300 liters in 2022), recording the best result of all the Controlled and Guaranteed Designations of Origin of Tuscany, and a increase of over 3% compared to 2022 in bottles placed on the market. The synergies with the world of Tuscan wine are also important: the inauguration of Regina Ribelle hosted the prestigious Gambelli Prize , awarded every year to the best winemaker under 40, promoted by Aset Toscana (EnoGastroAgroAlimentare Toscana Press Association) in memory of the master taster Giulio Gambelli . The prize was awarded this year to Ovidio Mugnaini, a young Tuscan winemaker, judged to be the best in exalting the typical features of each vine, the characteristics of the territory and the harvest year. The event concluded on Sunday with the competition for the Best Sommelier of Tuscany by Ais , which saw Ilaria Lorini excel. The President concludes: “There is great satisfaction with the great public success achieved, which confirms that Vernaccia di San Gimignano is a loved and appreciated wine. We thank the producers who took up this challenge by supporting the Consortium, a challenge which turned out to be successful and which contributes to the celebration of the Denomination, so ancient with its 800 years of history, but projected decisively towards the future of wine: the Vernaccia di San Gimignano is increasingly the iconic white of our region. Even the choice of the period for the event proved to be the right one, appreciated by the trade press who tasted the new vintages and who found the wines to be in a favorable moment of expression". The next edition of Regina Ribelle – Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wine Fest will be held from 14 to 18 May 2025 in San Gimignano.