Italian fine wine is taken so seriously these days in the UK that it has led to the demise of the Definitive Italian Wine Tasting. Once a permanent fixture on the London wine-trade calendar, this joint effort of UK importers showing their Italian portfolios together in one single event has ceased to exist because importers feel confident enough to hold their own tastings and people come in droves. Last March London importer Armit organised theirs under the slogan Chi sa bere sa vivere – he or she who know how to drink knows how to live.
Since the recent arrival...