London, UK (Gastrosofie). The Volcanic Wines Seminar & Tasting will be held in London on February 11th. Over 80 Masters of Wine from around the world will gather to discover more about this phenomenon that has fascinated man for thousands of years.
Soave will take the podium on Thursday February 11th to present the Volcanic Wines Seminar & Tasting before over 80 students and members of the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine. The seminar and tasting will be held at Chandos House in the heart of London. Among the speakers present will be Giovanni Ponchia, the Consortium of Soave’s oenologist, Charles Frankel, geologist and author of Vins de Feu and Bernard Schoffit from Domaine Schoffit in Alsace.
According to a number of Masters of Wine, the wine produced from soils of volcanic origin share characteristics like freshness, acidity, savoury “minerality” and an important potential for longevity. This will be the beginning of an in-depth discussion by the speakers chosen by the institute, which will demonstrate the interaction between vine and soil, through the analysis of factors such as altitude, microclimate and water availability.
After the seminar there will be a tasting with 50 wines from wine-growing areas of volcanic origin from around the world: Soave to Santorini, Kaiserstuhl and Etna, passing through Vesuvius, Madeira and Mount St. Helens in Oregon.
To be present at this seminar is a particular satisfaction for the Soave Consortium, which has dedicated several years to analyse the “Volcanic phenomenon” in oenology, and has created Volcanic wines, the international forum of white wines from volcanic soil.
In preparation for the February seminar, the Soave Consortium has published an easy-to- read illustrated volume entitled “Volcanic Wines” in Italian and English. The book will be launched in London and will serve as a leitmotif throughout the seminar. The publication will then be used throughout 2016 for Soave Anteprima, Vinitaly, Soave Classico in May, as well as for promotion abroad.
There are currently 314 Masters of Wine and in the last ten years, only 78 candidates have obtained the title. The training, lasting an average of 5 years, provides seminars and master classes around the world, blind tastings, term papers to be written in English, shuttling between London, Napa or Sidney, not counting the cost of books and bottles. The annual tuition fees are also quite expensive. The title awarded to those who pass this challenging program is extremely prestigious within the international wine market, particularly in the world of trade, auction and wine marketing.
