L’Assaggiatore

The next edition of L’Assaggiatore (The Taster), the quarterly house organ of the National Organization of Wine Tasters (ONAV), will be come out with President Vito Intini signing on as editor-in-chief and yours truly as managing editor. The publication has been totally revamped in regard to both graphics and content and, in view of Vinitaly’s upcoming 50th anniversary, will include interviews with many leading figures in the Italian wine world and national wine scholars focusing on a host of pressing issues. There will also be a slew of tastings including a complete vertical tasting of Sassicaia which I carried out personally, sacrificing some bottles from my own collection, dedicated to the memory of Giacomo Tachis. The quarterly will available to all of ONAV’s some 10,000 members and will be on sale during Vinitaly (April 10-13) at ONAV’s stand as well as DoctorWine’s very new one. It will be a lovely and surprising publication full of content designed for both wine lovers and sector operators. The editorial staff includes Alessandro Brizi as chief editor, who joined the team after leaving Bibenda, and Flavia Rendina, who has worked with him for many years. Among the collaborators and those being interviewed for this edition are professors Vincenzo Gerbi, Mario Ubigli and Giuseppe Meglioli, along with Sandro Boscaini, Giannola Nonino, Giovanni Mantovani and many others. There may even be an interview with Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina, who has not yet sent us his replies to our questions but will certainly do so shortly. One last and important thing, L’Assaggiatore will not have any advertising from individual wineries only ads from established producer associations and non-sector companies in line with a precise policy decision by ONAV itself.