THE 3RD EDITION OF THE BEST WINE SHOP IN ITALY COMPETITION KICKS OFF

A complex and constantly evolving figure, who has been able to evolve to respond to ever-changing needs, capable of recommending the perfect bottle for an important occasion but also of estimating the value of collectible labels or studying wine lists for restaurants.

He is the Professional Wine Maker, a job that knows no crisis and which sees increasingly trained and multifaceted professionals. The Best Winemaker in Italy Competition is aimed at them, created by AEPI (Association of Italian Professional Winemakers), whose registrations open today 9 November.

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Competition

The competition is open to all professional winemakers, wine shop owners, employees or consultants, collaborators or freelancers. There are two competition categories: the first dedicated to wine sellers who work in bottle shops exclusively with takeaway sales and the other dedicated to those who work in public establishments with sales and serving such as wine bars, wine shops and taverns where it is possible to taste and purchase wines and spirits. Finally, there will be two special prizes: the Best Wine Shop Under 30 (under the aegis of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium) and the Best Wine Shop in Italy Abroad (under the aegis of the Consortium for the Protection of Friuli Colli Orientali and Ramandolo Wines).

Registration will be open from 9 November 2023 to 31 January 2024. Three tests will follow, the first and second online in February 2024, while the final will be held in person in November 2024 in Rome.

The competition will test competitors on complex topics, which will require analytical and reasoning skills as well as technical knowledge. A jury made up of five experts will evaluate the preparation in three consecutive selections: in addition to the jury president Stefano Caffarri there will be a professional sommelier, a journalist, a communicator and a trainer.

The finalists will also have the opportunity to participate in two training courses, the first organized by the Enoteca del Barolo on the most prestigious Piedmontese wine and, for the first time, also focused on the best-known Piedmontese gastronomic DOP products (the Piedmont IGP hazelnut, Murazzano DOP and Prosciutto Crudo di Cuneo DOP), from 17 to 21 March 2024. By October 2024, the internship in Épernay will be held for the third consecutive year, organized by the Comité Champagne, the body representing all the Maisons and all the Vignerons of the most famous denomination in the world. Along with this special visit program reserved for finalists, the Comité Champagne will also offer two training sessions open to all candidates. Knowledge about Champagne will in fact be the subject of evaluation both in the online tests and in the final.

The competition takes advantage of the patronage of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (Masaf) and is organized in collaboration with Vinarius Associazione Enoteca Italiane.

Who is the Professional Winemaker

The wine shopkeeper is increasingly a complex figure. He is first and foremost the person to turn to when choosing a wine but his work is not necessarily aimed at selling the bottle.

It holds introductory wine courses for enthusiasts, organizes private tastings, even at home, guides customers who wish to be assisted with a service that they otherwise would not be able to find and manages private cellars.

The catering industry also sees a reference in this figure. The economic crisis and the lack of specialized personnel have led many establishments to give up the figure of the sommelier and turn to the wine shop for the management of the wine list and/or the training of the dining room staff responsible for serving the wine.

The Professional Winemaker therefore becomes the consultant capable of responding to needs with flexibility and competence.

The consultant for wine collectors

The wine dealer is also able to advise on the purchase of collectible wines or estimate the value of an important bottle when the owner wants to sell it. A sector, that of collectible wines, monitored by the LivEx index, which evaluates the most sought-after collectible wines in the world, the subject of a real market that holds up even in times of crisis.

Finally, the wine shopkeeper is a communicator: he can collaborate with online and offline magazines, be an influencer on social media, be part of the juries of wine competitions.

With Law 14 January 2013, n.4, the Italian State regulates and provides for professions that do not refer to orders or colleges. It also provides for a list published on the MIMiT website, in which AEPI is present, where the Associations that issue certificates of quality and professional qualification of the services provided by members are listed, and supervises on behalf of the State compliance with the Statute, the Code mandatory ethics and continuous updating