The winner of the 5th edition of the Master Romagna Albana Docg comes from Tuscany for the first time. More precisely from Livorno, where he leads a local. His name is Massimo Tortora and last Sunday (October 3) in Bertinoro he defeated everyone and won 2 thousand euros from the Consorzio Vini di Romagna and the title of ambassador of Albana, the prince vine of Romagna, the first DOCG of a white in Italy in 1987.
The Master is organized by Ais Romagna, Municipality of Bertinoro, Consorzio Vini di Romagna, Consorzio Vini di Bertinoro.
Master, 17 to 4
The competition that in the morning compared 17 sommeliers from seven Italian territories in the written test was very hard fought. The response led to the final four between Luca Matarazzo (Salerno), Natalia Mochi (Montecatini), Costanzo Benedetta (Arezzo) and Massimo Tortora (Livorno). Three Tuscans, one from Campania and no one from Romagna on the podium: it was the first time .
The four ventured into various tests in front of a large audience in the Church of San Silvestro: tasting, presentation in front of two hypothetical customers, communication, service, pairing with some dishes, history of the vine. The sommeliers will be judged by a jury of experts from the world of wine and sommeliers: Roberto Giorgini (president of Ais Romagna), Antonello Maietta (president of national Ais), Simone Loguercio (best sommelier of Italy 2018 and member of Ais national competitions), Giancarlo Mondini (Ais Romagna), Andrè Senoner (Master 2020 winner), Mauro Sirri (Vice President of the Romagna Wines Consortium), Pierluigi Zama (President of Assoenologi Romagna).
Tortora wins by just one point
The national president of Ais (Italian Sommelier Association) Antonello Maietta communicated that it was a comparison played on a woolen thread when announcing the winner "prevailed by only one point". And adding: "I congratulate all the participants, I witnessed a very high level of preparation, so much so that the work of the jury was not easy".
The response in fact saw the success of Massimo Tortora on Luca Matarazzo at the end of a very close confrontation. Ex aequo podium for Costanzo Benedetta and Natalia Mochi. The winner was awarded by Mauro Sirri together with Antonello Maietta and Roberto Giorgini
The Special Award went to Benedetta Costanzo for the best communicator Sommelier of Romagna Docg Albana chosen by a jury of journalists and producers.
The fifth edition was dedicated to the memory of Terenzio Medri from Romagna , national president of Ais from 2002 to 2010, as well as trustee of Ais Romagna. Disappeared two years ago, Ais Romagna donated a special plaque to his wife Luciana present at the event.
Speak the winner
Best sommelier in Tuscany (2016) and recently best sommelier in Sagrantino (2020), his path had already crossed three times with Romagna. Not with the Albana, but with the Master del Sangiovese, with two second places and a third. The top step, on the other hand, came with Albana. Tortora has been a professional sommelier since 2011, he runs a restaurant in Livorno.
"I must say that I did not expect to win - he said hotly - I discovered Albana in the Ais courses, I was intrigued by being the first Italian DOCG of a white. on paper in my restaurant in Livorno. It is one of the great whites in our country, it is a growing variety thanks to producers who know how to enhance its versatility in the different versions ".
Regarding the role of ambassador: "I will make you known in Tuscany and I will organize themed events in my restaurant and around the territory. I am also available for initiatives by Ais Romagna and the Wine Consortium. What will I do with the 2 thousand euro prize? I will invest them in wine. And above all, I will expand the Albana menu of my restaurant ".
The Albana Master was hosted as part of the "Wine in wine" event promoted by the Municipality of Bertinoro, the Consorzio Vini di Romagna, the Consorzio Vini di Bertinoro and Ais Romagna.
The winners of the Master Romagna Albana
2017 Edition: Marco Casadei (Romagna);
2018 Edition: Carlo Pagano (Molise);
2019 Edition: Gilles Coffi Degboe (Romagna);
Edition 2020: Andrè Senoner (Trentino Alto Adige).
2021 Edition: Massimo Tortora (Tuscany).
