VALPOLICELLA CONSORTIUM WELCOMES 21 NEW CANDIDATES FROM 11 COUNTRIES TO THE VALPOLICELLA EDUCATION PROGRAM, JANUARY 28-30 AT LOCAL WINERIES

VALPOLICELLA CONSORTIUM WELCOMES 21 NEW CANDIDATES FROM 11 COUNTRIES TO THE VALPOLICELLA EDUCATION PROGRAM, JANUARY 28-30 AT LOCAL WINERIES
MARCHESINI (PRES.): A FUTURE-FORWARD EDUCATION INITIATIVE. WITH THE EXPANDED CERTIFICATION OFFER, 700 VALPOLICELLA FANS CERTIFIED WORLDWIDE

(Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella – VR, January 24, 2025) – A diverse group of 21 aspiring wine specialists from 11 countries will gather for three days of intensive training at the "Valpolicella School." These participants are enrolled in the 2025 Valpolicella Education Program (VEP), taking place from January 28 to 30 in the Verona-based DOC area. Created by the Consortium, the VEP offers a comprehensive learning experience that includes lectures, study sessions, winery visits, and guided masterclasses. The program concludes with both a written exam and a blind tasting, which candidates must pass successfully. Since its inception in 2018, 61 individuals worldwide have been certified as Valpolicella Wine Specialists, a select group of sommeliers, journalists, influencers, and other high-profile professionals.

“The Consortium’s decision to develop a specialized education program was a visionary one,” says Christian Marchesini, President of the Valpolicella Consortium. “It has enabled us to build a community of experts in key markets for our denomination. Over the past three years,” he continues, “we’ve expanded the VEP by adding two levels of training: a beginner course for consumers and an advanced one for local professionals. These courses can be taken either locally or remotely, and the response has been overwhelming. Since 2021, we’ve certified more than 700 Valpolicella lovers globally.”

A precursor to Amarone Opera Prima (January 31 to February 2), the 2025 VEP will be held across several wineries, including Zýmē, Pasqua Vini, and Villa Canestrari for the educational sessions, and I Tamasotti, Talestri, and Villa della Torre by Marilisa Allegrini for the winery visits. The training for the 21 candidates (from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Latvia, Malaysia, and the Netherlands) will feature five lectures by experts such as Maurizio Ugliano, Professor of Oenology at the University of Verona; Alberto Brunelli, Oenologist at the Consortium; Paolo Veronesi, a lawyer appointed by the Consortium to protect the denomination worldwide; Giambattista Tornielli, Professor of Viticulture at the University of Padua; and Marianna Fasoli, Professor of Viticulture at the University of Verona. The tastings will be led by Filippo Bartolotta, Sommelier and Wine Educator.