It seems as if I had just returned (14 December, 2019), and yet here I was, planning my next trip to Italy’s wine regions (Feb-Apr, 2020). This was three weeks ago; my flight departs later this evening.

While I don’t like the idea of quickly cobbling together a post, I think it important this trip to make more regular updates – there’s so much that happens each day, finding the time isn’t easy. So, I’ll make the time, instead. At least that’s the plan today, we’ll see how it goes.

So far I have (as I do every year) registered for:

• Chianti Collection, in Florence. This multi-day event is one I genuinely look forward to each year. It’s the introduction of the new release wines of Classico, Riserva, etc. This event begins in just a few days.
• Anteprima Vino Nobile (in Montepulciano), and Anteprima Vernaccia (in San Gimignano). These two events focus on the new (red, white, respectively) release wines for these smaller, but important growing regions. These two tastings will occur about a week from now.
• Benvenuto Brunello – a four day event in Montalcino center that showcases the newly released Brunello di Montalcino wines; this year the 2015 vintage will make its world debut.

Following Benvenuto Brunello, I’m moving to Marche, then Abruzzo, then Lazio, then Umbria, and finishing that brief, intensive road trip in Chianti/Florence.

Immediately following that road trip, I’ll begin another; two days later I’ll be in Puglia. My fascination with the red soils, significant history, growing/farming (e.g. albarello) techniques, etc. in the regions of Manduria, Salento, etc., haven’t waned since my first visit there several years ago; this will be my third intensive visit to the region(s).

I’ve not yet planned how I will fill the space in between my visit to Puglia, and the beginning of ProWein in Dusseldorf (14-17 March), though it will likely involve time in either Liguria, or Alto Piemonte. Maybe both.

Following the great ProWein event in Dusseldorf, I’ll take 7-10 days to visit farms/taste wines in the Langhe valley, with planned visits in Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, and Monferrato.

What follows my time in Langhe (I return for another 7-10 days in April, prior to the start of VinItaly in Verona) hasn’t been decided yet. Considerations are: Valle d’Aosta, Liguria, or Umbria. Again, maybe all of them, I’ve got the time.

During the VinItaly days, I’ll be making a side trips to Alto Adige, and Trentino. I’ll also have a chance to attend two important, and enjoyable, natural wine fairs – ViniVeri, and Vinnatur.

The time will pass too quickly, it always does. But, this year, I’m going to try and post a thing or two while on the road – something I’ve been too reluctant to do in years past as my schedule is pretty much 3 months of 6am -11pm with nearly every moment already programmed.