This is the most difficult article for me to write. Difficult because I wouldn’t want it to come across as self-congratulation. Wine, for me, is a passion—not a business—so “growing” and taking part in something like this is about nurturing that passion, not about finding clients.
Difficult because I believe a turning point like this brings very intimate emotions, the kind that perhaps should remain private. And yet, telling the story is also a beautiful emotion in itself.
Difficult because I genuinely want to thank Maurizio Valeriani and the friends from vinodabere.it for their involvement, their hospitality, and their spirit of sharing. With them, every experience becomes a compelling blend of enjoyment and culture. But even here, I’d like these words to be received as sincere feeling, not flattery (also because they certainly don’t need it). And I’m happy to mention them all… Riccardo Margheri, Luca Matarazzo, Carlotta Salvini, Franco Santini, Marco Sciarrini, Paolo Valentini, Maurizio Valeriani.
The emotions? So many.
They begin the moment I receive the e-ticket from Sophie—Rome–Paris–Montpellier (so, this is serious…). Then they continue: from the badge with my name on it, to the approach to my first judging table. From the satisfaction of realizing that my evaluations were aligned with those of my highly experienced fellow judges, to the trip among the oyster beds. From the “endless tastings” of Aragonese wines with Riccardo Margheri and Paolo Valentini—who taste like they’re from another planet—to the pleasure of sharing my judging table for two days with Carlotta Salvini.
…And even the little jump of joy when I received the result of my PCR test (negative).
I tried to sum it all up in a video. Informal, with little wine and a lot of emotion.
But the best of what I felt… will remain mine.
