Chengdu – “China is a complex market but full of opportunities, one that must be carefully studied and consistently engaged with vision. There is a growing number of Chianti enthusiasts who appreciate it not only as a wine, but as a landscape, culture, and lifestyle.” With these words, Giovanni Busi, president of the Consorzio Vino Chianti, summed up the consortium’s participation in Vinitaly China, held from March 22 to 25 in Chengdu. At the consortium’s institutional stand, alongside individual company booths, 42 wines were offered for tasting, including Chianti DOCG and Vin Santo del Chianti DOC. One of the most popular moments of the event was the March 24 masterclass, “Chianti: An Ancient Land for a Modern Wine – Wine Landscapes and the Skilled Hands of Its Winemakers,” which guided participants through six representative labels, highlighting the unique characteristics of the subzones and the producers’ work. In addition to the fair, the consortium took part in the forum “Italy’s Wine and Spirits – Italian Wine in China’s Large-Scale Retail: What Prospects?”, organized by the Beijing office of Italian Trade Agency. Saverio Galli Torrini, director of the consortium, contributed Chianti’s perspective in discussions with industry operators and stakeholders. The debate also featured Italy’s Deputy Consul General in Chongqing Francesca Celi, Francesco Pensabene, director of the ITA Beijing office and coordinator of its China and Mongolia network, and Lamberto Frescobaldi, president of Unione Italiana Vini. “Our presence in Chengdu,” Busi explained, “allowed us to showcase the variety and quality of Chianti, promoting the denomination as a whole. Institutional stands, company booths, and tastings turned our space into a reference point for operators and professionals, strengthening the visibility of our producers and the reputation of Italian wines in the Chinese market. Events like this are essential to reinforcing Chianti’s presence in emerging markets such as China.” (9colonne)