Years ago, just about a year or so before before the word ‘Covid’ became known to the world, I was asked by the management of the Vinitaly fair in Verona to come up with an idea that might offer something novel to both wine producers and wine lovers alike. Those were tough days for the fair, in which the competition from other wine fairs from Italy and the rest of the world was particularly strong and much feared. Therefore, developing something new that might help the fair grow further while doing something positive for Italian wine was not just a meritorious idea, but one that was useful and helpful for all the parties involved. Necessity does make for strange bedfellows: but in the end, this was really but one more example of how human beings pull together and work for the common good when their backs are up against the wall (yes, even the wildly individualistic Italians!).
