Siena confirms itself as the location for the first major wine event in Tuscany thanks to Wine&Siena which returns to the city at the end of January ‘23, as per tradition, to kick off the wine year: from January 27th to 30th are the dates of the event, which will see the 28th and 29th of January the tasting stands open to everyone, while the third day will be dedicated exclusively to professionals in the gastronomic and tourism sectors.
The event, created by Helmuth Köcher, Patron of the Merano WineFestival, and Stefano Bernardini, president of Confcommercio Siena, immerses producers and visitors in Siena, where the city’s cultural heritage is paired with the best award-winning food and wine productions from The WineHunter Award. Valuable collaborations are in place with the Chamber of Commerce of Arezzo Siena, the Municipality of Siena, and Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena. An itinerary among unique locations such as the Palazzo Comunale, the Grand Hotel Continental Siena – Starhotels Collezione, and Palazzo Squarcialupi at Santa Maria della Scala, which for the third year is once again the main venue for food and wine tastings.
“Wine&Siena is the food and wine event that combines the quality of wines selected by The WineHunter with the history, tradition, and culture of Italy’s most renowned wine-producing region,” says Helmuth Köcher, The WineHunter and president of the Merano WineFestival. “We are back here for the eighth edition – having moved past the pandemic emergency – once again at the best time for the event that kicks off the entire season of wine events by The WineHunter and beyond.”
“We return to an edition that will feature normal frequency and setups. After the digital edition, distancing, and Covid, this is important as it truly marks a restart that, in terms of visitors to this area, we already began to experience this past summer, and we really hope to see continue over the holiday period and into the new year,” notes Marco Tansini, president of Confcommercio Siena’s Siena Delegation. “Wine&Siena opens the season of wine events in Tuscany, coming even before the previews. This, in a region as renowned as ours, means starting the year for wine tourists and wine lovers who can come here, attend the event, and travel throughout the area. We are certain that this provides additional motivation for the exhibitors that Gourmet’International and Enotrade Italia are already contacting to continue making this event a major wine occasion.”
“Wine&Siena is an event dedicated to excellence, to wine, to food and wine traditions that enhances the history and traditions of our city, itself an excellence among Italian art cities, as also confirmed by the recent data on quality of life,” stresses Luigi De Mossi, Mayor of Siena. “So for the whole Sienese community it is an honor to host this eighth edition at Santa Maria della Scala. My thanks go to Helmut Kocher Wine Hunter and Confcommercio Siena, who have carried this event forward for many years now, as well as to all the Sienese public and private organizations that support this event and help make it a success. I would also like to remember once again this year Andrea Vanni, a truly missed friend and the creator, together with Helmuth Kocher and Confcommercio Siena, of the event, with the participation of Gianpaolo Betti, co-organizer and member of The WineHunter tasting commissions.”
“An event dedicated to our great excellences, welcomed in an exceptional location that will have a major impact in terms of tourism and food and wine,” notes Stefania Fattorini, Councillor for Commerce, Tourism, and Productive Activities of the Municipality of Siena. “A unique opportunity for our area to be recognized. And I’m not just talking about our products, but about the whole city with its history and traditions. It is an opportunity for visitors and for the companies featured in the event. When the entrepreneurial world manages to create a network, development is guaranteed for the entire community.”
“Wine&Siena is an event by the city of Siena, for the city. From the beginning, we have sought to focus on a multi-level cultural concept to harmoniously blend history, culture, art, landscape, in short a sense of good living, which also comes through food and wine excellence,” says Gianpaolo Betti, Enotrade Italia. “With the spirit in which the event was created, we strive to act in synergy with local realities. Wine&Siena was the idea of Andrea Vanni, who sadly passed away last year, together with Helmut Koecher and Confcommercio Siena and thanks to the valuable collaboration of the Municipality of Siena. This event was wanted in a city whose territory is undeniably suited to wine production. Just consider the presence of excellence not only of national relevance, but recognized internationally. To name a few: Montalcino, Montepulciano, Chianti, San Gimignano and so on. Finally, I want to underscore that since the event moved to Santa Maria della Scala and Palazzo Squarcialupi, the Monday has been added—a day dedicated to professionals in the sector who can access for free by registering on the Wine&Siena portal.”
