Amarone, Verduzzo, Aleatico, Greco di Tufo, Cannonau, Verdicchio. If you are wondering who these Italians are, then you should open your calendar and mark the date of October 25. These are actually Italian wines, and they are just a few of the hundreds of different denominations and labels that make up the Italian wine landscape, which goes well beyond the better known Chianti or Barbera. Italian wine is what will be celebrated on October 25.

Mirroring the incredible variety of the Italian wine scene, Vinitaly [2] is the biggest wine show in the world, held in Verona every Spring. Its commitment to spreading knowledge about good wine (and related food) beyond the borders of Italy was the spring that triggered the organization of Vinitaly World Tour, this year in its 12th edition. This itinerant event visits the main cities of the world every fall. Last year it took place in locations such as New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore and Moscow. This year the American leg of the event has been expanded to include a stop in Philadelphia on October 27, and a grand finale at the Italian embassy in Washington DC on the 28th.

However, the expansion of the American tour is not the only addition to the Vinitaly World Tour 2010. The previous editions were marketed toward the beverage, specifically the wine trade and the press. This year, for the first time ever, the expo will be open to consumers.

And what better setting for this event than the new Italian food megastore “Eataly [3]”, on 23rd Street and 5th Ave? This Monday, from 6 to 9 pm, Eataly will open its doors to wine enthusiasts who, at the price of 55 dollars, will be able to immerse themselves in the world of Italian wine with tasting sessions of the best enological products Italy has to offer. It will be a one of a kind opportunity to discover some of the nearly infinite declinations of flavor and aroma found in this industry, from the intense Amarone to the sweet Muscat.

This change of pace from the previous editions of Vinitaly comes in aid of two different needs: on the one hand the organizers of the manifestation want to bring new excitement to the American wine industry which is getting used to, and maybe even bored by the way enological shows are presented and marketed; on the other hand Vinitaly feels the need to involve consumers in the expo, making this the first strategic attempt to target a broader audience.

The Italian food industry has always been about healthy products and, in tune with this commitment to quality and health, all the proceeds from the consumer event will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

The partner of Vinitaly for the show is The Wine Enthusiast [4], an American publication devoted to spreading wine culture throughout the United States. Ettore Riello, President of Veronafiere – the company that organizes Vinitaly – commented on the partnership: “The event in New York at Eataly marks the first time we have ever had a consumer tasting component as part of the Vinitaly World Tour. Given Wine Enthusiast’s popularity with both wine trade and American wine drinkers, we think they are a perfect fit to help us achieve our goal: promoting Italy’s best wines to American wine lovers”.

I-Italy is going to cover the event, and if you are intrigued by the world of good wine you should do the same. You will have the opportunity of tasting the best the Italian market has to offer, and maybe the next time you hear “Est! Est!! Est!!!” in a restaurant you will not mistake it for some tipsy Italian fighting with his iPhone’s compass.