The cities of Friuli Venezia Giulia have seen foreign languages and have met distant cultures and religions from across the globe. All of this has contributed to the region’s local traditions which have been influenced throughout the centuries of rule by many civilisations; Celts, Romans, Huns, Lombards, Venetians and Austro-Hungarians. Thus, the region’s diverse historical past has resulted in – Trieste “dressed in Habsburg clothes” and Pordenone, titled the painted city, alternating between Roman, Baroque and Gothic influences. The region’s capital of Trieste still carries its cosmopolitan soul of a place where different cultures, languages, religions and traditions can meet. Continuing its historical importance as a port city that connected the East to the West and vice versa. Within the city one can visit many of its traditional historical cafés, a legacy of the ancient Central European tradition. A short bike ride away lies the Miramare Castle, situated on the Gulf of Trieste. It’s a 19^th century castle that was built as a residence for the Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg and later Charlotte of Belgium. The castle grounds include and extensive cliff and seashore park, which was mostly re-landscaped to feature numerous tropical species of trees and plants.

The city of Udine holds Giambattista Tiepolo’s treasures, Venice school’s last great painter. His art works can be seen in a number of historical buildings throughout the city. Towards the eastern border lies Gorizia, a city that crossroads three European cultures – Latin, Slav and Germanic. It was also the last city to tear down the wall of the Cold War between Eastern and Western Europe in 2004. The city’s climate was popular among the Habsburg bourgeoise and earned itself the nickname of the “Adriatic Nice”.

Lastly, the city of Pordenone boasts a charming historical centre with diverse architecture from the Romanesque churches, porticoes and frescoed façades – to the Baroque and Gothic buildings. Throughout the year the city hosts international art, music and literature festivals.

Article: Jethro Swift

The IWINETC 2020 two day conference and one day B2B Workshop will take place from 24 – 26 March at Stazione Marittima Conference Hall, Molo Bersaglieri 3 – 34124 Trieste Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy) and is supported by PromoTurismoFVG. Registration open. For more information, visit: www.iwinetc.com

The city of Trieste, the capital of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, sits snugly between the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia. The city was formally known as Tergeste under successive Venetian tribes, Gauls and Celts. In the 2^nd Century BC the city grew under Roman rule s as a port and trading centre, however, the city fell into decline with the construction of Aquileia in the West. It was not until the 18^th century did the city regain its former status as a trading centre. Under the Habsburg rule, the empress of Austria-Hungary saw Trieste’s potential as a port. Its medieval architecture was quickly substituted by homogeneous neoclassical architecture. The city once again declined when it joined the Italian State in 1918 due to competition from the southern Italian ports. In 1945, the city was occupied by the Allies pending settlement of Italy’s border dispute with Belgrade. They remained there until 1954 and acted as a UN state.

The venue where the International Wine Tourism Conference 2020 will be held is called the Stazione Marittima of Trieste Congress Centre. The venue overlooks the sea and is located in a strategical position as it was the old customs house during the 18^th and 19^th century. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, its entrance opens onto the city centre, a few metres from Piazza Unità d’Italia. The city of Trieste is full of other historical buildings, some notable places include; the Colle di San Giusto, a castle built in the 1400s by the city’s Venetian rulers. The Basilica di San Giusto, another building from the 15^th century, a basilica that blends northern Adriatic and Byzantine architectural styles. Culturally the city is slightly different to the rest of Italy as the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia was ruled by many distinctive nations – all adding their mark to the city’s architecture, gastronomy and of course winemaking. Furthermore, the city of Trieste hosts a high number of Slovenian-speaking inhabitants due to its close proximity to Slovenia but also due to the city’s historical past. Therefore, it commonplace for people in Trieste to speak both Italian and Slovene.

To get to this historical and culturally diverse city one has many options to take. The airport of Trieste lies 40 minutes north of the city with some international and domestic flights to Rome and Milan with Alitalia, Munich and Frankfurt with Lufthansa, London with Ryanair as well as several other airlines that fly to smaller destinations. The city is also well accessible by rail with the central station located right in the city centre in Piazza della Libertà. Trains to Trieste can be taken from Rome, Milan, Florence, Bologna and Venice as well as trains from Zagreb and Slovenia.

Article: Jethro Swift

The IWINETC 2020 two day conference and one day B2B Workshop will take place from 24 – 26 March at Stazione Marittima Conference Hall, Molo Bersaglieri 3 – 34124 Trieste (Italy) and is supported by PromoTurismoFVG. Registration open. For more information, visit: www.iwinetc.com

The region of Friuli Venezia Giulia is located on the north-eastern tip of Italy and was one of the last areas to join the Italian State after reunification in 1918. Engulfed between the Adriatic coast to the south and the pine-covered alps in the north, the region bolsters the Friulian plains and Giulian plateaux. The region borders its Latin culture to those of Germanic and Slavic nations. Originally settled by the Roman Empire, the region has seen many kingdoms arrive into its lands all leaving their cultural and architectural mark which still thrive today. Those include the Goths, Huns, Lombards and Franks. During both World Wars, the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia was heavily involved as it acted as a front for Italy. This can be evidently seen in the town of Gorizia, located on the eastern border, which saw it divided by the ‘Iron Curtain’ between Italy and Yugoslavia under the Eastern Bloc. Today, signs can still be found in Slovene as well as monuments of Yugoslav partisans. South of Gorizia we find the regions capital and host for the International Wine Tourism Conference 2020; Trieste. It is nested between the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia within the regions southern tip. Originally it was a minor roman and medieval town with little importance until the 18^th century. In the 1700s the Empress of the Austria-Hungarian Empire saw the city as an opportunity to construct a port. The faded and grandeur of its homogeneous neoclassical architecture is owned completely to this decision and saw the end of its medieval architecture. The port became a trading point for many bordering nations, however in 1918 the port city fell into decline once more upon reunification with the Italian State. Its government saw the city as no match for its southern ports. Today the city and its port are growing with many oil tankers unloading there to supply a pipeline to Austria.

Although the region is relatively small compared to the rest of Italy, it ranks among the best for producers of white wines. There are 11 DOC and 3 DOCG areas that grow some thirty different grape varieties with nearly 62% of wine produced falls under a DOC designation. Having mentioned above, the region’s historical ownership and trading status has influenced its winemaking history. During the Middle Ages, merchants brought grapevines from Macedonia and under Habsburg rule, the French varieties were introduced. However, winemaking did not garner much international attention until the 1970s with the growing popularity of Pinot grigio. The region’s soils are diverse, varying from the calcium rich marl and flysch sandstone in the hillier areas to clay, sand and gravel in the valley. That is why most vineyards are located in the southern half of the region. Finally, there are several wine regions within Friuli Venezia Giulia with the predominant ones being – Collio, Goriziano, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Isonzo and Carso.

Article by Jethro Swift.

The IWINETC 2020 two day conference and one day B2B Workshop will take place from 24 – 26 March at Stazione Marittima Conference Hall, Molo Bersaglieri 3 – 34124 Trieste (Italy) and is supported by PromoTurismoFVG. Registration open. For more information, visit: www.iwinetc.com

IWINETC 2020 early bird registration is now open!

That’s right…you can now register online to attend the International Wine Tourism Conference (IWINETC 2020), the leading global event for the wine and culinary tourism industry, taking place from the 24^th  – 25^th March in Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy.

EARLY BIRD IT & TAKE your place at IWINETC

But hurry early bird rate ends 30 June!

We have so much to offer this year and there are some exciting new enhancements too… all to be revealed soon! As well as networking face-to-face with over 300 wine & culinary tourism professionals from across the world, the IWINETC conference programme will be bursting with inspiration and ideas to help you enhance your career and transform your business.

Call For Speakers

If you would like to submit a talk proposal for the International Wine Tourism Conference. This should include a title and short abstract outlining the main aspects of your presentation and its relevance to the field of wine and/or culinary tourism.

Submit your talk proposal

Exhibit at IWINETC & Show your grape escape destination to the World

For IWINETC 2020 there will an exhibition area for conference delegates to discover grape escape destination and wines from around the world. Participating as an exhibitor will ensure you reach the 300+ delegates expected to attend as well as connecting with wine tourism professionals from around the world.

Exhibit

Participate in the B2B Wine Tourism Workshop as a Trade Provider

Connect, Sell and Grow at the IWINETC B2B Workshop. The 12th annual IWINETC B2B Workshop is the leading B2B and networking event focused on wine and culinary tourism, and a must-attend for all wine tourism experience providers wishing to grow their business. There is no comparable event in terms of focus, size and opportunity anywhere in the world.

The IWINETC one day B2B Workshop is the most comprehensive and cost-effective way to extend existing networks through meeting international outgoing agents specialised in wine tourism face-to-face in one convenient location.

Find out more

Sponsorship opportunities now available to consider 

Whether you’re looking to gain a prominent branding position before, during and after the event or you want to promote your brand through our digital channels or publications, IWINETC can offer you a multitude of opportunities that will put your brand front and centre.

Peruse the sponsorship opportunities

Invited Agent applications are open

The tailored programmes offered to agents earlier this year in Spain received high praise for their focus on buyer’s needs and encouraged quality appointments with exhibitors and Workshop participants. For 2020, these programmes will offer buyers even more flexibility on their attendance and key education and networking opportunities relevant to their role and business.

Find out more

As the team work hard to make next year’s IWINETC the best yet, make sure you keep up to date with the latest news and important information on LinkedIn, Twitter & Facebook.
I hope to see you at IWINETC 2020 in Friuli Venezia Giulia for another successful year.

Need more information?

Get in touch with the IWINETC team who are on hand to answer your enquiries about the many ways of participating.

IWINETC has announced that PromoTurismoFVG, the Functional public economic body of the autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia- will be its Premier Partner and Premium Sponsor for IWINETC 2020.

This is the third time in IWINETC’s 11-year history that it has taken the decision to hold the event in Italy. The agreement will allow PromoTurismoFVG and all of its supporters the opportunity to leverage their relationship with one of the wine tourism industry’s best-known and most respected events, giving it access to a highly engaged global audience of wine and culinary tourism professionals.

Commenting on the news, Anthony Swift, IWINETC Director, said: “We were extremely excited to announce our return to Italy during the closing plenary session at IWINETC 2019 Basque Country. Lucio Gomiero (Direttore Generale Promoturismo FVG) together with Brenda Lee Fabbro (Area Congressuale) and Lara Persello (Area Prodotto – Enogastronomia) delivered an inspiring introduction of the wine and culinary highlights to expect during IWINETC 2020 and left the audience very excited to discover the grape escape destination of Friuli Venezia Giulia”.

The IWINETC 2020 two day conference and one day B2B Workshop will take place from 24 – 26 March at Stazione Marittima Conference Hall, Molo Bersaglieri 3 – 34124 Trieste (Italy). Early bird registration is now open. For more information, visit: www.iwinetc.com

For all media enquiries, additional comment and request for interview please contact:

Sandra Harris (English) or Caterina Longhi (Italian) T. +34 897 70 48 [email protected] & T +39 347 6785162 [email protected] respectively.

IWINETC 2019 has been great! A whole year of planning resulted in a truly memorable event for all involved. We wanted to thank delegates, speakers, exhibitors, agents and media for taking the time to attend, and a special mention goes to our sponsors (El Gobierno Vasco, La Diputación Foral de Alava, El Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz y la Ruta del Vino de la Rioja Alavesa) for their continuous support.

Here are a few highlights:

Check out our photo gallery – you might spot yourself or someone you know feeling the Basque and embracing the #iwinetc

We look forward to seeing you at IWINETC 2020 in Trieste 24 & 25 March!

Here are a few highlights from the IWINETC 2019….

We had some fantastic sessions taking place in the Palacio de Congresos Europa, giving delegates plenty of food for thought not only for professional development but also valuable business ideas and tips. Keynote speakers Judith Lewis, Alicia Estrada, Felicity Carter, Paul Richer, Andre Morgenthal, Robin Shaw, Sarah Jane Evans MW together with 18 more world class speakers gave sessions to inspire us to get to grips with wine and culinary tourism issues under 5 key content themes (Research, Professional Development, Branding and Marketing, Grape Escape Destinations and Networking

The Grape Escape themed talks provided tour operators and agents with several diverse grape escape destinations to consider such as Croatia, Italy, Greece, Hungary and of course hosts Basque Country.

The exhibition area proved once again a popular spot to discover grape escape options while simultaneously networking with fellow professionals over wines from Armenia, France, Hungary, Priorat, Rias Baixas, Rueda and of course Rioja Alavesa and Txakolí.

The closing plenary session saw Lucio Gomiero reveal Friuli Venezia Giulia as the 2020 destination for IWINETC and this was immediately applauded by the audience.

And finally…

We wanted to say a personal thank you for attending IWINETC this year, and to key sponsors: The Basque Government, The Diputación Foral de Alava, the Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz and the Ruta del Vino Rioja Alavesa and to the numerous supporters for supporting the IWINETC winery visit programmes and the Sarah Jane Evans Grand Tasting Wines of the Basque Country.

Before you get busy with the wine tourism season, have a look at our pick of the highlights from this year’s IWINETC. Check out our photo gallery – you might spot yourself feeling the Basque and embracing the #iwinetc

See you in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy in 2020!

BYOB (or TTPB – Traer Tu Propia Botella)  is back by popular demand at IWINETC 2019. A small group of IWINETC-goers will meet at El Portalón for a unique evening of wine sharing, conversation, and tasting delicious Basque tapas – picoteo!. Here’s the idea … delegates bring a bottle of wine that is special to them – whether because it’s from their country, they just absolutely love it (and want others to know it), or they are just curious about it themselves. Upon arrival bottles will be opened and shared! El Portalón will provide delegates with a beautiful room and lay on a selection of local tapas to accompany their wines. It’s a great networking event and conjures up some great wine stories!

About the venue: El Portalón, named after its large entrance door is a 15th century building which was built as an Inn for merchants. It used to have a ramp to access the basement or the stable, where merchants stored their goods and carriages to protect them from bad weather and thieves.Since then and throughout its history the building has had several purposes.The building was restored in 1957 and nowadays houses one of the city’s best-known restaurants.

Further info and tickets here>>

Register here to attend IWINETC 2019>> 

The 2019 and 11th edition of the International Wine Tourism Conference will take place in the Basque Country at the Palacio de Congresos Europa, Vitoria-Gasteiz on  the 12th and 13th March 2019. It’s the perfect setting to gain knowledge, improve business connections, network and discover Rioja Alavesa and Txakolí wines and the Basque Country as a grape escape destination.

In this fascinating Masterclass IWINETC conference delegates will have the unique opportunity to discover the wonders of the Basque Country and taste a variety of fines wines from 4 different designations of origin namely DOC Rioja Subzone Rioja Alavesa, Arabako Txakolina (Álava), Getariako Txakolina (Getaria) and Bizkaiko Txakolina (Bilbao). Excellent vintages will be showcased from 9 different estates:

• Hiruzta Berezia 2017 (85% Hondarrabi Zuri. 15% Gros Manseng) Hiruzta Bodega (Getariako Txakolina)
• Berroja 2016 (80% Hondarrabi Zuri  20% Risling) Bodega Berroja (Bizkaiko Txakolina)
• Malkoa 2015 (Hondarrabi Zuri) Bodega Astobiza (Arabako Txakolina)
• Viña Real Rosado 2018 (Garnacha, Tempranillo, Viura) C.V.N.E – Viña Real (DOC Rioja Subzone Rioja Alavesa)
• Martelo Reserva 2014 (95% Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha, Mazuelo and even Viura) Torre de Oña (DOC Rioja Subzone Rioja Alavesa)
• El Ribazo 2014 (Tempranillo) Viñedos y Bodegas de la Marquesa (DOC Rioja Subzone Rioja Alavesa)
• Baigorri de Garage 2014 (Tempranillo) Bodegas Baigori (DOC Rioja Subzone Rioja Alavesa)
• Ysios Reserva 2012 (Tempranillo) Bodegas Ysios (DOC Rioja Subzone Rioja Alavesa)
• Gloria de Ostatu 2010 (Tempranillo) Bodega Ostatu (DOC Rioja Subzone Rioja Alavesa)

“I’m really excited to be presenting to IWINETC delegates a delicious taste of the diversity of the wines of the Basque country.  From the windswept Atlantic, there will be the unique, refreshing wines from the Txakoli denominations. Then from Rioja, Spain’s most famous wine region, there are fine wines to discover and enjoy. I’ve also chosen these particular wineries as they are excellent for wine tourism, definitely worth putting on your ‘to visit’ lists.” Sarah Jane Evans, Master of Wine.

Whether you’re a dedicated wine enthusiast or simply want to learn a bit more about wine, IWINETC’S Masterclass offers conference delegates a truly unique experience,

The 2019 edition of IWINETC is supported by the following institutions: Departamento de Turismo, Comercio y Consumo del Gobierno Vasco; Departamento de Fomento del Empleo, Comercio y Turismo de la Diputación Foral de Álava; Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz y Ruta del Vino de Rioja Alavesa.

Register here to attend IWINETC 2019>> 

The 2019 and 11th edition of the International Wine Tourism Conference will take place in the Basque Country at the Palacio de Congresos Europa, Vitoria-Gasteiz on  the 12th and 13th March 2019. It’s the perfect setting to gain knowledge, improve business connections, network and discover Rioja Alavesa and Txakolí wines and the Basque Country as a grape escape destination.

This year’s International Wine Tourism Conference (IWINETC) Basque Country, Spain is fermenting nicely, with a world of incredible new ideas to set your imagination alight. This year’s programme includes:

AI, IOT and All That – A Future Perspective on Tomorrow’s Wine Tourism Technology
Paul Richer, founding partner of Genesys Digital Transformation explains how are technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and the Internet Of Things going to impinge on wine tourism

The Importance of Media in Wine Tourism
Felicity Carter, editor-in-chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International will discuss with case studies low- to no-cost ways to get media attention, from crafting a perfect pitch through to leveraging media relationships.

And much, much more.

See the IWINETC Conference programme>>

The 2019 edition of IWINETC is supported by the following institutions: Departamento de Turismo, Comercio y Consumo del Gobierno Vasco; Departamento de Fomento del Empleo, Comercio y Turismo de la Diputación Foral de Álava; Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz y Ruta del Vino de Rioja Alavesa.

Register here to attend IWINETC 2019>> 

The 2019 and 11th edition of the International Wine Tourism Conference will take place in the Basque Country at the Palacio de Congresos Europa, Vitoria-Gasteiz on  the 12th and 13th March 2019. It’s the perfect setting to gain knowledge, improve business connections, network and discover Rioja Alavesa and Txakolí wines and the Basque Country as a grape escape destination.