The ongoing international activities of the Ian D’Agata Wine Culture saw Ian and his team at the Ian D’Agata Wine Review spend four days in Taipei and Kaohsiung  organizing educational masterclasses and wine dinners. From May 15-19, Ian was in the beautiful island city leading educational afternoon and evening masterclasses but also creating easier-going, fun moments aimed at broadcasting the quality of wines made by some of Italy’s best wineries.

The event proved a spectacular success in observance of a simple truth, that applies to all topics, not just wine. That events led by a recognized world expert on a specific subject will always do better and outperform any event organized with individuals who might have all sorts of titles after their name but that have never been involved with Italian wine much. Ian has been writing about Italian wine for over twenty-five years at the highest level, has close to thirty books and guides to his name many of which multi-award-winning, has been the Italian wine staff writer or editor for what are among the four or five truly world’s leading wine magazines and newsletters, and is an authorative figure who isn’t just jumping on the Italian winery bandwagon because it’s either cool or remunerative to do so now. He has been there from the start, he has believed in Italian wine when few others did. For example, he first talked and educated about Italian wines in Taipei back in 2005. How many “wine experts” do you know who can say as much?

And so Taipei went well, and some of the participating Italian wineries will have undoubtedly more than just good memories to show for it after all is said and done. Things started off with a bang in Kaohsiung on May 16, a large metropolis on the southern coast where Ian did a book signing of his Italy’s Native Grapes Terroirs book (University of Berkeley Press) and also led a tasting of ten different wines from some of Italy’s higher-quality but little-known wine estates. The wine shop was packed with eager wine lovers wanting to know more about Italian wine and the evening a real success. The next day Ian was in Taipei where he met up with local educators and events organizers to discuss future cooperations and events, and we’ll have more on that at later date for you, so stay tuned! Then on May 18, an afternoon and evening at the Taipei Mandarin oriental devoted to the wines of nineteen (19) different Italian wineries and a big wine dinner featuring still more of their wines. From 2-5.30PM, Ian sat with a power point presentation and discussed 38 different Italian grapes, wines and territories to another packed house, this one crammed with Taiwan’s top educators and somms, many of whom came from neighbouring cities by fast train. It was an unprecedented turnout: locals were amazed, and blunt in their assessment that they could not remember anything vaguely similar in terms of successful turnout. It was a huge honour and compliment for all of us at the Ian D’Agata Wine Review and our parent company, the Ian D’Agata Wine Culture, a heartfelt recognition of Ian’s immensely important role and hard work on behalf of Italian wine over the last twenty-five years. Wines from Antinori, Bindella, Bocale, Bozen, Cadgal, Castello del Terriccio, Castello di Volpaia, Cogno, Di Meo, Dolfi, Frescobaldi, La Serena, Monte Zovo, Muni, Sandrone, Tedeschi, Tiberio, Valle Reale and Zenato were the object of the masterclass, with more wines from featured during the long dinner in the Mandarin Oriental Bencotto restaurant, completely booked and filled to capacity just for this evening. A few different wineries were highlighted in this occasion, with Bindella/Tenuta Vallocaia, Cadgal, Castello del Terriccio, Castello di Ama, Cogno, Dolfi, Frescobaldi, Jermann, La Serena, Monte Zovi, Muni, Sandrone, Valle Reale, and Zenato.

This Ian D’Agata Wine Culture event on the island finished with the spectacular dinner of May 19, organized by Taiwan’s leading Italian wine importer, and featuring thirteen different of Ian’s top-scoring wines at the Ian D’Agata Wine Review: a truly unforgettable dining experience with twenty invited guests (the importer’s best customers) and wines that were: Argiano Solengo Toscana 2019,  Argiolas Nasco Iselis 2022, Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto 2016, Capezzana Vin Santo di Carmignano 2014, Cave de Mont Blanc Blanc de Morgex et La Salle 2023, Cogno Barolo Riserva Ravera Vigna Elena 2016, Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino 2016, Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2015, Radikon Jakot 2018, Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana 2021. A magical evening of truly magical wines.

Evenings such as these are meant to teach about Italian and all world wine and educate while being placed in a fun, informative context that will help further the cause of fine wine everywhere. Salute!