2011 Wines of Italy Hall of Fame Award

The Italian Trade Commission is pleased to present the 2011 Wines of Italy Hall of Fame Award. The acknowledgement is being presented to persons who have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to advancing the appreciation and sales of Italian wines in the United States. Each of these people have played a key role in creating the thrust behind the success of Italian wines in America. In many instances, these professionals traditionally took issue with the popular mainstream notion of what constituted a “world class wine” and instead fell in love with the one of a kind, unique flavor characteristics of Italian products, which they enthusiastically promoted to others. This devotion to the wines of Italy has, in some instances, been passed on from generation to generation in the same family business and the seeds sown by the parents are now being reaped by their kin, each of whom has chosen to pick up where their elders left off.

The award ceremony, which will take place on Monday, January 24th at 6:00pm, will be hosted by Master of Ceremonies Fred Plotkin. On this night, we will pay tribute to the vision, determination, and hard work of these true visionaries, which led to more people becoming lured into the Italian wine business. In breaking new ground, and inspiring numerous others to follow, they have shown the utmost selfless devotion and appreciation for the country of Italy and for the Italian way of life.