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Riccardo Cotarella receives honour from Meloni
Famed consulting winemaker Riccardo Cotarella was presented with the Master of the Italian Wine Art medal by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at a ceremony in Rome yesterday. The post Riccardo Cotarella receives honour from Meloni appeared first on The Drinks Business.
Famed consulting winemaker Riccardo Cotarella was presented with the Master of the Italian Wine Art medal by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at a ceremony in Rome yesterday.
Cotarella, national president of Assoenologi and a consulting winemaker with more than four decades of experience in the sector, received the medal from Meloni and Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida at a ceremony at Palazzo Chigi in the Italian capital yesterday. "I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition and I thank the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida," commented Cotarella. Among the recent winemaking projects which Cotarella has undertaken was his partnership with former Police frontman Sting on his Tuscan Il Palagio brand, and a collaboration with French consulting winemaker Michel Rolland on a trans-terroir wine for private wine club Domus Artium Reserve, announced last year. "Wine is not just a product, but it is an iconic asset, it is culture, it is history, it is an expression of the territory," he continued. This award is not only mine, but of all Italians who love wine, in whatever capacity involved. We oenologists are an army of 5,000 people always in the trenches for producers and with producers." In his statement following his receipt of the prize, Cotarella also drew attention to the challenges the sector is facing at this very moment – especially US President Donald Trump's announcement of a 20% tariff on European Union products imported into the US, a decision also announced yesterday, just hours after the ceremony in Rome. "I dedicate a special thought to producers, who are experiencing a difficult moment due to a general situation that does not facilitate the markets. But I am sure that we will be able to overcome even this complicated moment, because Italian wine has been and always will be stronger than any adversity". According to the latest data from the Unione Italiana Vini (UIV), will lead to an annual loss of US€323 million. Others to receive awards included acclaimed chef Massimo Bottura of Modena's Osteria Francescana, who was rewarded with the medal of Master of the Art of Italian Cuisine, celebrated pizzaiolo Franco Pepe, and pastry chef and TV presenter Iginio Massari. The award for Cotarella comes on the eve of the 57th edition of leading Italian wine trade show Vinitaly. Among the numerous new products which will be unveiled at the fair will be two new white wines Cotarella has made in partnership with wine group Argea for its Poderi dal Nespoli estate in Romagna.
