It isn’t enough to simply produce an excellent wine, you have to sell it, too! Every producer is familiar with this iron-clad law of economics. Over the decades, and especially in recent years, sales techniques have changed and become more sophisticated. The marketplace is now a global market and the only way to survive is to be innovative, to use new tools and strategies, otherwise there is the risk of being left out. The first step in selling a product is Communication. And just how does one communicate the Verdicchio wine product in the Web era? The Casalfarneto Winery in Serra de’ Conti decided to “pop the cork”, virtually, and organized an encounter with speakers, journalists and communication experts. The outcome of the meeting was a series of important ideas and concrete proposals which are relevant for our territory, as well. We at Verdicchio & Conero News fervently hope that this initiative is but the start of a general awakening among all producers, as well.

The grape harvest ended considerably ahead of schedule this year because of the long, hot and dry summer. Work is in progress in all of the wineries and everyone is certain that this year’s crop will yield excellent quality wine (albeit in reduced quantities) to send out onto the market. In the meantime, we can continue to taste the wines from previous years in the various categories: Verdicchio, Rosso Conero and Lacrima di Morro D’Alba. Check out our Taste tested for You page for a review of the results of our sipping.

Our “Info” page in this issue of V&C News has been taken over! Would you like to know more? It’s a lovely surprise. Click and find out: we have nothing but the greatest admiration for this group of friends.

For thousands of years, our diet has centered around the Pig … history repeats itself and we once again bring you the story of another typically Marchigiano product, a type of salami. It is the Ciauscolo di Muccia, made by the Bartolazzi farm business; this delicious specialty is produced in the mountainous Apennine area in the Province of Macerata, between Visso and Muccia. Although not very well known by people outside the area, in recent years the number of passionate enthusiasts and connoisseurs is on the rise. It’s a nice tale and a nice tradition of this land of ours, Le Marche.