“A Taste of Italy”, sponsored by seven excellent names in Italian food and wine, will usher in March as part of the Year of Italian Culture in the United States, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Massimo Bottura, S.Pellegrino, Frescobaldi, Masi, Donnafugata, Berlucchi, and Alma unite to take you on a journey through the lands and products of Italy with three unforgettable fine dining ‘experiences’ planned in New York, Washington and Los Angeles

It will start on Monday March 4^th 2013 the first event of “A Taste of Italy”, the project included in the program of the Year of Italian Culture in the United States, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Embassy in Washington and by our Consulates in USA. A Taste of Italy by seven excellent names on the Italian food and wine scene – S.Pellegrino, Frescobaldi, Masi, Donnafugata, Berlucchi, Alma and Chef Massimo Bottura – will bring the magical flavors and artfulness of the Italian lifestyle to the United States.

A series of three events will be held in three very important American cultural centers – New York City, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles – to celebrate Italian cuisine, with some of the most beloved and renowned products in the world interpreted by one of the most distinguished Italian chef on the international fine dining scene.

These representatives of excellence are coming together in the United States for the Year of Italian Culture, bringing their different qualities and heritage to the table – as masterfully reinterpreted by Chef Bottura – for a unique culinary experience that takes us on a journey dedicated to the Italian territories. The dinners tell the tale of the Old Country through its traditional flavors, authentic ingredients and typical Italian taste.

The first event will take place in New York on March 4 at the ICC, International Culinary Center, and will be attended by Italian Consul General in New York, Natalia Quintavalle, as well as members of the press and other illustrious personas. The second event will take place in Washington D.C. on

March 6 in the elegant setting of Villa Firenze, Residence of the Italian Ambassador to the USA. The master of the house – the Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero – will host outstanding men and women from the public and social services sector. The last of the events will be held on March 10 in Los Angeles – in the exclusive community of Bel Air – where Giuseppe Perrone, the Consul General to Los Angeles, and John and Joan Hotchkis will host important names from the world of food and wine, art and cinema.

“The Year of Italian Culture in the United States is an exciting journey of discovery through beauty and creativity. It couldn’t be done without food and wine,” explains Ambassador Bisogniero, who adds: “Our cuisine is an expression of flavors and inherent knowledge, taste and memory, ancient practices with a touch of experimentation. Those who find within themselves the desire to sample different cultures are people of good cultural taste.”

The partners

• S.Pellegrino is the official water of the Year of Culture, with its unique flavour and elegance that have made it an emblem of fine dining. S. Pellegrino perfectly interprets the Italian style of living through conviviality and regards the culinary experience as an occasion for finding oneself and sharing emotions. This passion knows no boundaries, geographical or cultural: whatever language you speak, you can “live in Italian”.

• Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi has produced Tuscan wines of excellent quality for 700 years, boasting a profound sense of identity and territorial uniqueness. From the Chianti area to that of Pomino DOC, from Montalcino to

Maremma, from Mugello to the province of Livorno, Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi exercises its passion, experience, ability and love for the territory of Tuscany.

• Masi Agricola vineyards are part of a long family history in Verona, Veneto. The name comes from the “Vaio dei Masi”, the little valley purchased at the end of the 18^th century by the Boscaini family, who remain the owners today. Masi produces highly acclaimed wine, and is anchored in the values of the territory; it uses mostly local grapes and methods, with constant technological upgrades. Today it is a world leader in the production of Amarone and is recognized everywhere for its expertise in the technique of Appassimento, the drying of grapes, which it uses in the production of its five Amarone labels and its Supervenetians like Campofiorin and Masianco.

• Donnafugata, in Sicily, boasts 160 years of Rallo family experience in the production of quality wines, always according to the potential of the territory. Donnafugata wines are born in Contessa Entellina, in the heart of Western Sicily, and on the volcanic island of Pantelleria, a daring location for the vineyards that produce Ben Ryè, Passito di Pantelleria DOP, a naturally sweet wine that is a symbol of Made in Italy excellence.

• Guido Berlucchi, located in Franciacorta, in Italy’s Lombardy region, created in 1961 that area’s first classic-method wine, Pinot di Franciacorta, which changed the future of that growing area, today one of Italy’s most highly-respected sparkling wine producers. From the youthful dream of winemaker Franco Ziliani, winery’s cofounder with noble gentleman Guido Berlucchi, to its present international renown, Guido Berlucchi’s history has been one of widespread popularity, prestigious testimonials, and joyous toasts.

• Alma, the internationally renowned training centre of Italian Cuisine, trains cooks, pastry chefs and sommeliers from every country of the world, making true professionals of them through high-level programs run by the most eminent teachers.

Public Relations:

Baldo M. Palermo [email protected] tel. 0039 0923 7242267

Laura Ellwanger [email protected] te. 0039 0923 724258