VERONA, Italy, June 19, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The
Native Grape Odyssey (NGO) project presented its forthcoming NGO
Maestro Course at a press conference on June
18th at the Enotria Wine School in Moscow, Russia. The NGO Maestro Course,
scheduled at the end of October 2019,
will train participants through a focus on the native vines of
Europe, culminating also with a
scaled-up Walk-Around Tasting. This course is part of the NGO
project's mission and initiatives under the aegis of the European
Union's Enjoy it's from Europe
label and aimed at creating spokespeople that can spread the
culture of indigenous European vine varieties and the wines they
produce.
The NGO Maestro Course will consist of four days of teaching
activities, with a final exam on the fifth day. Through classroom
style lessons and Tasting Labs, students will be able to build
expansive knowledge and understanding of native grapes, as well as
their potential expressions. Stevie
Kim, General Coordinator of the NGO project, explained that
what makes the NGO Maestro Course so innovative and unique: "The
NGO Maestro Course follows a regional approach, so as to
demonstrate the way that indigenous grapes are tied to the climate,
terroir and winemaking traditions of the areas where they
originated." The NGO Maestro Course's Tasting Lab will be held each
day after the theory lectures. These sessions of group tasting will
allow for a deeper understanding of territories, wineries and
wines. Kim also explained that these labs have a community building
component to them: "These informal tastings encourage engagement
and discussion between students, building a community that
continues beyond the course."
On the fifth and final day of the Moscow edition of the NGO Maestro Course,
special VIP guests, NGO course participants and professionals in
the Russian wine sector will be invited to take part in an
impressive Walk Around Tasting that will take place in conjunction
with Vinitaly Russia 2019, the Russian edition of the largest wine
exhibition in Europe. The
availability of wines in this period will be an incredible learning
resource, providing course students with the opportunity to put
theory into practice.
In addition to carrying out training activities for wine
professionals such as the aforementioned tastings, the aim of NGO
is also to produce educational materials that can become a
reference guide for wine enthusiasts who want to expand their
experience of the world of European wine. Although official
European wine designations are essential for distinguishing between
higher quality products, they can sometimes be confusing,
particularly to foreign consumers. In order to provide a schematic
and exhaustive explanation, the NGO project has planned the
publication of six volumes within the three years of the project
(2019-2021) written by leading experts in the field of Italian
oenology and viticulture. Like the course, these books will trace a
learning itinerary through the history and culture of the Italian
wine territories, their geological origins, microclimates, grape
varieties, viticultural techniques, as well as leading and emerging
denominations of origin. Each volume will also feature a map of the
itinerary and of the wine regions, and a glossary of technical
terms.
Once press event speeches had concluded, Veronika Denisova, Deputy Director and Lecturer
at Enotria Wine School, took the floor and began to lead the
afternoon's tasting. As a Vinitaly International Academy Italian
Wine Ambassador, Denisova took guests on a journey through the
regions of central Italy employing
the signature NGO regional teaching approach. The seven wines
selected included:
1. Plenio Verdicchio dei castelli di Jesi Classico Riserva 2016
Umani Ronchi
2. Campirosa Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOC 2018
3. Santa Maria Morellino di Scansano DOCG 2017 Frescobaldi
4. Poluce Nero Buono Lazio IGT 2017
5. Cesanese Lazio IGP 2012
6. Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 Felsina
7. Collepiano Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG 2013 Arnaldo Caprai
The selection of these wines, both by region and by grape
variety used, allowed guests to have a taste of the multiplicity of
products that central Italy has to
offer. The experience also helped illustrate the importance of the
designations. Guests were impressed by the presentation and it has
been hailed as a success all around; this was a definitely a win
for Europe. Quality. Wine.
The press event held in Moscow
has also laid the ground work for NGO's bigger picture for 2019,
outlining similar events in Canada
and Japan. The two key countries
taking part in the NGO project will also be NGO Maestro Course
destinations.
Applications for NGO Maestro Course in Russia are already open; people interested in
participating can apply on NGO website. Deadline for applications
for Moscow is 13th September.
About: Native Grape Odyssey is a project financed by the
European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and Zante
Agricultural Cooperatives Union for the promotion of PDO and PGI
European wines abroad, in particular in three countries:
Japan, Canada and Russia. In order to achieve this, the Native
Grape Odyssey educational program will organize wine seminars,
workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Verona,
Italy, inviting wine experts and
influencers from these countries. These events, realized in the
span of three years (2019-21) aim at creating awareness about
European native wines abroad, in particular Italian and Greek
wines, which share a long tradition and a high standard of
quality.
SOURCE Native Grape Odyssey