It's called Amphora Revolution, and it's the first joint venture between the Merano WineFestival and Vinitaly. An event dedicated to the best Italian wines made in amphorae, which will be held in Verona on June 7th and 8th at the Gallerie Mercatali of Veronafiere.
The goal for both is to relaunch an ancient technique as a revolution in support of the naturalness of the product and sustainability, as well as a challenge against climate change.
Two Days in Verona Dedicated to Amphorae
The event will bring together producers, winemakers, and opinion leaders through scientific conventions, symposia, round tables, and masterclasses. Amphora Revolution aims to position itself as the first national and international reference thanks to the presence of amphora producers from all over Italy, along with a series of technical-scientific conferences and symposia that will aim to tell the fascination of these ancient winemaking techniques, which are incredibly current.
"Man has been producing wine in amphorae for at least 8,000 years, as archaeological excavations in Georgia demonstrate," says Helmuth Köcher. "We wanted to create this event to valorize this ancient tradition, which today more than ever proves to be an innovation, a real revolution. That's why Amphora Revolution: an ancient heritage that can guarantee the naturalness of the product, in line with environmental sustainability, and that can represent a challenge against climate change."
The official presentation at Vinitaly
The new event will be presented at Vinitaly (April 14-17) through a masterclass conducted by The WineHunter Helmuth Köcher, which aims to preview the excellence of wines produced through the ancient technique of using terracotta jars.
"It's an initiative that fits into Veronafiere's strategic development plan for the next three years and explores new b2b and b2c areas closely connected to the wine sector, which has in Vinitaly an international promotional platform capable of proposing wine in all its variations and possible commercial projections," highlights Maurizio Danese, CEO of Veronafiere.
The Return of the Amphora
Fermented, aged, and stored wine in clay amphorae is a practice that originated in Georgia 6,000-8,000 years ago and is experiencing a resurgence worldwide, offering new opportunities to viticulture today. In Italy, there are several examples of a return to the amphora.
According to supporters, the modern use of this technique allows for slow micro-oxygenation, naturally controlled temperatures, pure expression of the fruit, and softening of acidity—or, if fired at very high temperatures, preservation of acidity. Additionally, the amphora offers an environmental and financial advantage, with a lifespan of decades if not centuries.
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