The Tre Bicchieri event presents many fabulous Italian Wines that are runner up for the greatest wine award possible in Italy.  The event in San Francisco, held at Fort Mason on March 5th was a spectacular event!  The Best of the Best producers along with the industries greatest wine critics, sommeliers and restauranteurs to give their input.  This event is only open to the press and trade. 

Some restauranteurs would argue that the responsibility of educating the consumer on Italian wines falls solely on them.  Some believe the event should be open to the public as a tool to educate and excite the consumers in the bay area.  I think this is a valid argument.  If the consumers could come to this event and learn for themselves by meeting the producers and tasting the best wines of Italy in one forum, it may contribute to the education and sales of these Italian greats. 

There is definitely a market for Italian wines in northern California, but education is crucial, especially since the wines of California are drastically different from the Italian wines.  The California pallet is conditioned to the California wine making process which makes it difficult to appreciate the differences between Italy and California without understanding why those differences occur.

We must learn to appreciate each other's wines for what they represent rather than comparing them to each other.  They are truly two different animals for historical reasons.  Appreciation without  judgement is the goal.  Wine is diverse as the American population.

 There are factors of the grape, the landscape and climate and well as the culture.  For example, the greatest cultural difference between the United States and Europe is the way wine is consumed.  In the United States, we drink wine by itself without food.  In Europe, they make and drink wine to go with food.  They wouldn't think of opening a wine bar so consumers could come have a glass of wine after work without food. 

How does this make for different tasting wines?  California makes its wines much heavier with fruit and oak.  It tastes great all by itself when made correctly.  Europe makes its wines much lighter without a lot of oak.  Their goal is to present to the consumer a reflection of the land and climate it grows in, therefore making it compatible with the food grown in that area.  To drink the wine by itself is not always the most pleasant experience.  To drink it with compatible food is an amazing dining experience!! 

I would love to hear the Bay area feedback about making the Tre Bicchieri open to the public…what do you think?