Vinitaly International Academy, the prestigious Italian wine education institute, held the 30th edition of its immersive Italian Wine Ambassador certification course for the first time in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on November 16-18, 2024, certifying 12 new Ambassadors.
VERONA, Italy, Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Course
Following the 29th Chicago edition held in October 2024 at Chicago Navy Pier, on 16-18 November, 24 candidates from all over Central Asia attended the first Italian Wine Ambassador certification course held in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Expertly guided by VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW, the course involves two intense days of lectures and the tasting of 36 Italian wines in preparation for a challenging two and half hour exam scheduled on the last day of the course. Marco Alberti, Ambassador of Italy to Kazakhstan, Federico Bricolo, president of Veronafiere, Adolfo Rebughini, General Manager of Veronafiere, and Margherita Maimeri, Event Manager Vinitaly, officiated the pinning ceremony.
Twelve students successfully passed and were officially appointed Italian Wine Ambassadors. This edition of the Vinitaly International Academy was part of the inaugural Vinitaly Roadshow Kazakhstan, a B2B event organised by Veronafiere to connect italian producers with wine professionals in Central Asia.
The VIA Community
The Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) certification course is recognised as the gold standard of Italian wine education. The VIA community comprises over 1400 members, of whom 421 have now achieved the title of Italian Wine Ambassador and 17 of those are qualified as Italian Wine Experts. The VIA Community, composed of all students who have studied the program since its inception in 2017, welcomes wine professionals and wine enthusiasts from all over the world, forming a supportive and professional network that extends far beyond the limits of the classroom and includes lasting friendships, an open forum for sharing wine information, and career opportunities. Members continue to participate throughout the year in events such as field trips across Italy, gathering in Verona to judge at 5StarWines – the Book, attending OperaWine and wine2wine Business Forum, and continually increasing their knowledge and expanding their network across the wine sector.
The Italian Wine Ambassadors
The certified Italian Wine Ambassadors are:
Darya Nagornyak
Yaroslav Gunov
Sergei Kudriashov
Ilia Sakharov
Denis Salimzianov
Antonina Sergeyeva
Anastasia Palferova
Valentina Kirichkova
Timur Aliahmetov
Ekaterina Vislinskaya
Elena Krutova
Eugen Gabriel Axinte Szakacs
VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW says: "The first edition of VIA in Kazakhstan was met with a remarkable level of enthusiasm from the students - it is clear from their knowledge level and dedication that Central Asia has a great appetite for wine culture and that Italian wine has a special resonance, particularly the unique native grape wines. To be able to participate in this inaugural effort was such an exciting and gratifying experience."
Upcoming VIA Italian Wine Ambassador Courses
The annual flagship course of Vinitaly International Academy will be held in Verona from 27-31 March 2025 in the days leading up to Vinitaly International Wine and Spirits Exhibition and will involve the participation of 65 candidates. Applications will open on the website in December 2024. Satellite courses in other locations around the world will be announced later in the year through VIA social media and the VIA website.
Media Contact
Vinitaly International Media Dept., Veronafiere, +39 045 8101447, [email protected], https://www.vinitaly.com/academy/vinitaly-international-academy/
SOURCE Vinitaly International Academy
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