Upon return from the wonderful week of the Anteprime Toscane, I am struck at how much amazing wine we tasted from just one region of Italy. I truly believe that country offers more amazing and individual wines than all others. I know people think I’m biased but I’m okay with that. I am going to be writing about all the great wines I tasted but I wanted to remark on how this year differed from the past starting with what I noticed in the first four intense days of the tour.

1. Chianti Classico was front and center in everyone’s minds
2. Wines from Elba did not come to the PrimAnteprima which was a great shame nor di Terre di Casole.
3. Morellino di Scansanogot double bidding during the Chianti Collection tasting which was a pleasant surprise
4. Many of the regions were speaking a lot about the differences in the terroir within their areas, i.e. Classico Berardenga promoting itself as it’s own area.
5. Nouvelle cuisine is all the rage in Italian restaurants.

It was an incredible week and one that needs to be slowly described but general impressions are also useful I find. There were journalists from all over the world and it seemed 100+ Italian journalists as well. There seemed to be a lot of camaraderie which was great and was reinforced by so many occasions to interact. I learned much from all of my foreign colleagues and got to spend time with some great American writers whom I rarely see. All in all, it was a wonderful trip and will be the font of many posts in the coming days and months.