ROME - On Tuesday, more than 1,500 buyers, importers and distributors had the chance to get to know 1,650 labels from in excess of 230 wineries based in seven regions of Italy – Calabria, Campania, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Latium, Sardinia, Umbria and Veneto. The event took place in Chicago and was organized by Veronafiere and Fiere Italiane in collaboration with ITA-Italian Trade Agency. The event at the Navy Pier - which closed yesterday evening – focused exclusively on meetings between international demand and suppliers of Italian products that represent one-third of total US wine imports (1.5 billion dollars out of a total of 4.5 billion).

 The President of Veronafiere, Federico Bricolo declared the event a major success saying that: “We achieved all the objectives we set ourselves for this first step in the USA: number and quality exhibiting wineries … Everyone worked closely with us in the same direction to attract qualified professional operators in the exclusive interest of exhibitors."

 Adolfo Rebughini, General Manager of Veronafiere, added: “We chose Chicago because it is a crossroads for a great deal of business in the USA - a complex market given different import regulations. The response to the first edition, developed based on experience at last year's preview edition, went beyond expectations.”

 Other influential speakers at the event include Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, and the Italian Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Franceso Lollobrigida.

 Organisers hope to replicate the success of this event in another exhibition soon.

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