The innovative educational project co-designed by RENAIA (National Network of Hotel Institutes) and Oleificio Zucchi was presented today in the presence of Prof. Giuseppe Valditara (Minister of Education and Merit)

Today at the IPSEOA (Professional Institute for Food and Wine Services and Hotel Hospitality) Vincenzo Gioberti in Rome, RE.NA.IA (National Network of Hotel Institutes) and Oleificio Zucchi SpA presented the educational project entitled “EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL “EVO Masterclass” – NEW EDUCATIONAL COURSES IN HOTEL SCHOOLS FOR EXCELLENCE IN ITALIAN CUISINE” . The result of co-design between state professional institutes and one of the leading international companies in the oil sector, “EVO Masterclass” aims to train catering and hospitality professionals capable of making the most of that Made in Italy excellence that is extra virgin olive oil in different contexts, to the advantage of both the competitiveness of our olive sector and the quality – already widely recognized – of our catering and hospitality system. Speakers included Giuseppe Valditara (Minister of Education and Merit) ; Mirco Carloni (President of the Agriculture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies) ; Luigi Valentini (president of RENAIA) ; Carla Parolari (head teacher of IPSEOA Vincenzo Gioberti) ; Alessia Zucchi (CEO of Oleificio Zucchi SpA) ; and Giorgio Donegani (Food technologist, expert in food education) , moderated by journalist and mass media expert Klaus Davi. At 11:30 a.m. there was a show-cooking by students of IPSEOA Gioberti, supervised by the famous chef Igles Corelli. “EVO Masterclass” offers an innovative educational path on extra virgin olive oil (EVO) to be developed within the curriculum of Professional Institutes for Food and Wine Services and Hotel Hospitality . It is aimed at the three-year classes (3-4-5 years) of the institutes, which for simplicity we will call hotel institutes, involving primarily the Food and Wine address and that of Room and Sales Services. Open to all the hotel institutes belonging to RE.NA.IA , it was created with a three-year duration , foreseeing the development of the same number of teaching modules in the three years, to compose a complete and in-depth path of knowledge and skills on Italian extra virgin olive oil. Knowledge and skills useful to students in their future professional practice, as promoters of a widespread culture of Italian extra virgin olive oil.

Why “EVO Masterclass”? To enrich the students’ educational path and open up new professional opportunities . With “EVO Masterclass” students acquire advanced technical and cultural skills, such as to make them ambassadors of EVO oil (extra virgin olive oil, ed.) in the international context. First of all as chefs capable of making it the protagonist in the kitchen and as competent dining room staff in the service of EVO oil, but also as oil sommeliers, expert blenders (i.e. the future “oenologists” of oil, ed.) and storytellers of its tangible and intangible values . Since Italian cuisine is the most loved in restaurants around the world and given that Hotel Institutes train future operators in the sector, the students who participate in the “EVO Masterclass” project will be able to contribute to promoting Italy by linking it to the culture of oil , and creating immersive experiences that combine cuisine, territory, innovation and tradition . To enhance Italian EVO oil in all its characteristics . Pillar of the best Mediterranean diet, Italian EVO oil is characterized by a biodiversity that has no equal in the world, representing a key sector of our agri-food economy. In Italy there are in fact more than 500 olive cultivars, which are the basis of a unique heritage, all to be discovered and capable of linking the pleasure of taste to that of well-being, as only the best Made in Italy food can do. The educational project “EVO Masterclass” was also born in the awareness that investing in training means strengthening the competitiveness of the sector and preserving a unique heritage for value and identity. To promote sustainability, connecting tradition and innovation . Sustainability, the fight against food waste and the promotion of healthy eating are central themes in the educational and agri-food policies of the European Union and Italy. It is in this context that “EVO Masterclass” aims to raise awareness among young people of sustainable practices of production and use of EVO oil, integrating historical and cultural knowledge with that of the most modern gastronomic and commercial applications of EVO oil. An educational path on EVO oil can thus contribute to making young people aware of cross-cutting issues, such as respect for the territory, the importance of proper nutrition and the need to preserve the national agricultural heritage.

The structure of the project – In line with the best practices of school autonomy, the contents of the project are curated by RE.NA.IA. teachers in collaboration with experts selected by Oleificio Zucchi . – The core of the project is the dedicated WEB site, www.evomasterclass.it . – The registrations of the classes participating in the project refer to the site, online from 1 February 2025, and the teaching materials are distributed through the site and relationships with the participants themselves are maintained , in a dialogic communication functional to the continuous enrichment of the educational path. – For each of the three planned years, an educational module is proposed focused on a specific aspect relating to the professional culture of extra virgin olive oil. – To encourage the participation of the classes and to give maximum visibility to the initiative, a competition is organized every year that sees the participating classes engaged on a specific theme, relevant to the path taken.

The words of the protagonists <> declared Alessia Zucchi, CEO of Oleificio Zucchi SpA . <(headmaster of IPSEOA Vincenzo Gioberti) and to my friend chef Igles Corelli, without whom it would not have been possible to realize this educational project.>> declared Luigi Valentini (president of RENAIA – National Network of Hotel Institutes) .

Alta Langa DOCG opens the doors of knowledge with a new section of the site dedicated to the in-depth study of the Alte Bollicine Piemontesi.

The Alta Langa Consortium launches a new educational section on its website, accessible at: https://academy.altalangadocg.com/.

This platform, with an attractive and innovative design, was created with the aim of sharing with the public the wealth of knowledge on the denomination of Alte Bollicine Piemontesi.

The new section of the site is the result of a long and meticulous research and study work conducted on the denomination for the twenty years since its recognition.

The Consortium, with the Alta Langa Academy, makes available highly valuable content not only for wine enthusiasts, but also for students, industry professionals and journalists who wish to broaden their knowledge of this jewel of Piedmontese enology, the oldest classic method in Italy.

The Alta Langa Academy offers a comprehensive journey through multiple aspects of the denomination, with content created by:

Edmondo Bonelli (“The soils of Alta Langa”);
Maurizio Gily (“Viticulture in Alta Langa”);
Carlo Casavecchia (“The production method”);
Pierstefano Berta and Giusi Mainardi (“The origins and development of the classic method in Piedmont”);
Giancarlo Montaldo and Teresa Baccini (“The 90s, the Spumante Project and the birth of the denomination”);
Armando Castagno (“Analysis of the sensory profile of wine”);
Vincenzo Donatiello (“How to best appreciate a bottle of Alta Langa”);
Piercarlo Grimaldi (“Imaginary peasants, rites and myths of the high hills”);
Antonio Degiacomi (“Alta Langa and White Truffle of Alba”);
Mauro Carbone (“Travelling in the lands of Alta Langa”).

” Through this new section of our institutional website, we wish to open the doors of knowledge of the Alta Langa to all those, and they are increasingly numerous, who wish to learn more about our denomination – says Mariacristina Castelletta , president of the Alta Langa Consortium – We believe that sharing knowledge is essential to fully appreciate the quality and uniqueness of our Alte Bollicine Piemontesi. We have chosen to do so with a product in line with the essence of the Consortium and the denomination itself: a rich, curious website, with attention to detail, and a contemporary layout “.

Cocchi Vermouths are confirmed as among the favorites of great international bartenders, conquering first place in the Best Selling Brands and Top Trending Brands categories of the Annual Brands Report, edited by the British magazine Drinks International.

The Annual Brands Report, based on the preferences of the most influential professionals in the beverage industry, is considered one of the most authoritative rankings in the world. The research is conducted on 100 establishments chosen from those that have appeared in recent editions of The World’s 50 Best Bar (1-100), the Spirited Awards of Tales of the Cocktail, as well as national competitions such as the 50 Best Bars of North America and Asia and other competitions such as the Class Bar Awards similar competitions around the world.

This double recognition replicates last year’s success and consolidates the historic Asti-based company as an essential reference brand for the best bartenders in the world.

Cocchi proudly celebrates this milestone, which testifies to the constant appreciation and uncompromising quality of its products, undisputed protagonists of international mixology.

THE INVESTIGATION METHOD

The annual Drinks International Report draws up top ten rankings for product categories (not only Vermouth but also Gin, Bitters, Whisky for example), according to a double ranking: the Best Selling one, which takes as indicators the sales volumes in the specific channel of high-level bars, and the Top Trending one, which rewards the trendiest brands.

The rankings are compiled based on the feedback of a panel of industry experts (restaurant owners, bar managers and bartenders) on the three best labels of their restaurants for each of the two rankings.

“The consistency of quality and service over the years: these are the levers with which Cocchi has conquered and maintained this leading role. A great result for the brand but also for the denomination “Vermouth di Torino”, brought here to the top of the charts – says the CEO of Cocchi, Roberto Bava -. We were also very pleased by the statement in the Sunday Times by Jane MacQuitty: « Cocchi Vermouth di Torino is a festive negroni essential from the gold-standard vermouth producer ».   Our Vermouth confirms itself as a classic in the category”.

President Noal: “A result that is the merit of all the producers. Proud to be ambassadors in the world of a unique territory”

Asolo Prosecco sets a new historic record, reaching 30 million certified bottles.

An extraordinary result for the Consorzio Vini Asolo Montello and for the denomination, which shows constant growth not only in quantity, but also in quality, with a progressive increase in the value of the product, an objective that the Consortium has long set itself and will continue to pursue.

“We are proud of the goal achieved – explains the President of the Asolo Montello Consortium Michele Noal -, thanks to the work of our producers, who have been working for years to grow the denomination. An important choral effort, the result of the numerous initiatives that over time have made this result possible. In fact, Asolo Prosecco has been able to win the interest of national and international critics, who have assigned our wines excellent scores thanks to the commitment of the companies that have believed in the projects to promote the territory and have invested in quality”.

An important factor in the growth of the denomination is the consolidation and development of foreign markets : the United States remains the leading country for exports, but Asolo’s bubbles are also arousing increasing interest in Japan , where the Consortium brought its labels for tasting last November, during the Tokyo stage of the Slow Wine World Tour.

“Our wines – continues Noal – tell the world about a unique place, a territory of which we are proud ambassadors. Through the glass we have the opportunity to make known the village of Asolo and its charm, the wonderful hills that surround it and the food and wine excellences of our places. These are the lands of Canova and Palladio, in the Abbey of S. Eustachio Giovanni Della Casa wrote the Galateo. This is also where the red wines of Montello and Recantina are born, a variety grown locally for centuries and saved from extinction thanks to a long research work”.

After a 2024 marked by change, with the renewal of institutional positions and the establishment of three Commissions – agronomic, technical-legal and promotion – the Consorzio Vini Asolo Montello faces 2025 with confidence: “We will take part in the main trade fairs (Vinitaly, Vinexpo and ProWein) and the SloWine Tour in the United States. Not only that: we are also planning to strengthen the activities of protection of denominations at an international level. We want to continue with ever greater incisiveness in the actions of protection and surveillance, without forgetting the strong training and information activity aimed at operators and institutions that deal with food and wine and tourism in our territory”, concludes President Noal.