The Grandi Marchi Institute honors Japanese journalist Isao Miyajima.

After their trip to the Far East, which saw the 18 families of Istituto Grandi Marchi participate in a double meeting in Tokyo and Seoul, the group stops in Rome for the presentation of the international award reserved for the most important names in wine journalism. The recognition, established to recognize those who contribute every day, with their passion and professionalism, to the spread of Italian wine culture, has been awarded over the years to prominent figures such as Burton Anderson, Jens Priewe, Monica Larner, James Suckling, and Wine Spectator magazine.

This year's recipient was Isao Miyajima, one of Japan's leading wine experts, who received the award for his valuable work in disseminating and promoting the country's entire food and wine heritage. It's no coincidence that in 2014, Miyajima received the honor of Commander of the Order of the Star of Italy from then-President Giorgio Napolitano, demonstrating his active interest, which, since 1983, has made him one of the country's leading experts on its excellent terroirs and products.

" It is with great pleasure that we, as an Institute, present our recognition this year to Isao Miyajima ," said President Piero Mastroberardino . "Besides being the leading expert on Italian wine and food in Japan, he is also, above all, a dear friend of ours and of the Italian producers whose secrets he knows. Over the course of our twenty-plus years of activity (and again last June in Tokyo), he has led the many masterclasses we have held, always with great skill and dedication ."

“This recognition is a great honor for me,” he declared. Isao Miyajima - I lived in Rome from 1983 to 1989: it was the time of the so-called Italian wine Renaissance. I was fascinated by these wines born from a new philosophy of high quality, innovative and modern yet respectful of a great tradition. These wines changed my life, and I began to write about them. The producers of the Grandi Marchi Institute were all protagonists of that enthusiastic era: I am deeply grateful to them, of course, for this recognition, but also for introducing me, with their products, to the wonderful world of Italian wine.

The award ceremony also provided an opportunity to reflect on the most appropriate strategies to adopt, given the current state of the sector, confirming Istituto Grandi Marchi's commitment to promoting the excellence of Italian wine in dialogue with the most authoritative voices in national and international journalism.

"The world of wine is undergoing significant change that requires vision and targeted strategies on multiple fronts ," explained Piero Mastroberardino, President of the Istituto Grandi Marchi. "From language choices to production methods, to internationalization strategies: every decision must take into account the changing context. Our companies are aware of this and have always played a leading role in anticipating trends, interpreting expectations in terms of stylistic evolution, while remaining consistent with their historical, family, and territorial roots. Innovation processes are never-ending and allow us to remain custodians of our roots. Our commitment to markets continues, taking care to invest, as per the Istituto's tradition, both in mature markets, where there is already a strong awareness of the value of Italian wine, and in developing markets. This is a direction we have been pursuing for years and of which we have been pioneers, as demonstrated by the growth of those once emerging countries that today represent an integral part of the global success of excellent Italian wine."

The next leg of the Grandi Marchi Institute program will be held in Mexico from October 20th to 22nd, with masterclasses, walkaround tastings, and meetings with HORECA professionals and the press in Mexico City and Cancun.