Taste of Italy

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  • Exhibitors 2024 (Houston, February 26).

    Exhibitors 2024 (Houston, February 26).

    The following producers and food and wine groups will showcase their products at this year’s Taste of Italy Houston, February 26. This year’s fair is the first where the organizers will be partnering with the Simply Italian Great Wines Americas Tour, whose exhibitors will present their product in the same ballroom making the event more magnificient!

    The Grand Tasting will take place at the Hotel Hilton Post Oak by the Galleria. More to come, stay tuned…

    Taste of Italy

    Simply Italian 

      
    ABRUZZOABRUZZO
    Fantini Group ViniMarramiero
    Marcotullio LucaCantine Strappelli
    Castelsimoni 
    Tenuta PescarinaFRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA
    Tenute ValerioTenuta Stella
    Castel CamponesciConte d’Attimis Maniago
    Dietro il MonteBorgo Salcetino
    Citra 
    CiavolichLAZIO
    CAMPANIACantina San Marco Frascati
    La GuardienseGotto d’Oro
    Levoni Latticini 
    EMILIA ROMAGNAPIEMONTE
    Cantine CampanaBersano
    Molino Denti 
    Acetaia GuerzoniTOSCANA
    Monte delle VigneProvveditore
    Delizia Estense Acetaia 
    Fabbri 1905TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE
    LAZIOCesconi
    Principe Pallavincini 
    Parvus AgerUMBRIA
    La GiannettolaChiorri
    San MarcoGoretti
      
    LIGURIAVENETO
    Meriggio 1924Tenuta Mosole
    Olio RoiCantine Bertoldi
    Il MonticelloCastello di Uviglie
    LOMBARDIACantina del Castello
    Cantina Sociale di QuistelloRuffino
    Cantine Vitea

    Botter

    La MontinaEcco Domani
    LE MARCHEEnoitalia
    Serrapetrona – Tenuta Stefano GradiGruppo Martellozzo
     Masottina
    PIEMONTEConsorzio Tutela Prosecco D.O.C.
    Cascina LanzarottiAntonutti
    TrevitisTosti 1820
    La RachilanaPerlino
    Vite ColteFiorotto 1934
     Tre SecoliCantina Montelliana
    SARDEGNAValdo Spumanti
    Pansardo Deliziosi LLC 
    Azienda Agricola Santandre’MULTI-REGION
     Freschi&Bufano
    SICILIA 
    Gusta la Sicilia – Tasting Sicily 
    Agricola Vernera 
     Madaudo 
    TOSCANA 
    Tenuta Pietramora 
    Cavisa – Castelsina 
    Le Farnete 
    Cencioni 
    Le Stradere 
    Tenuta Casteani 
    Terre dell’Etruria 
    Valvirginio 
    Villa Santo Stefano 
    UMBRIA 
    Bocale 
    Briziarelli 
    Duca della Corgna – Cantina del Trasimeno 
     Chiorri 
    VENETO 
    Balan 
    Lorenzon 
    Import 39 
    Tenute Falezza – Corte Fornello 
    MULTI-REGION 
    Dr. Delicacy 
    Gruppo i vinai 
    Scuderia Italia – V21 Selection 
  • Pinot Grigio delle Venezie seminar 1/26 (sold out).

    Pinot Grigio delle Venezie seminar 1/26 (sold out).

    We regret that the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie seminar is currently sold out. If you’d like to be added to the waiting list, please contact us via email here.

    Seminar and tasting: Delle Venezie D.O.C a wonderful journey into the world of Pinot Grigio

    Simply Italian Great Wines Americas Tour – Taste of Italy Houston
    Hilton Post Oak by the Galleria
    Monday, February 26
    10:30-11:30 a.m.

    Pinot Grigio delle Venezie is one of the world’s most popular wines. But that popularity, it’s also one of the wine world’s most misunderstood and underrated categories. On the occasion of our February 26 seminar, we will dive into its terroir and tradition, including a discussion of soil types and growing conditions.

    Please join wine writer and educator Jeremy Parzen as he leads guests through a tasting of the following wines:

    Botter Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022
    Piera Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2021
    GIV Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022
    Vitevis Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022
    Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022
    Ruffino Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022
    Gemma di Luna Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC 2022

    This seminar is presented by the Consorzio del Pinot Grigio delle Venezie and it is part of the Simply Italian Great Wines Americas 2024, in conjunction with Taste of Italy Houston 2024.

  • Simply Italian Great Wines – Prosecco seminar (Sold out) with Federdoc and Italian wine educator Jeremy Parzen at Taste of Italy, Feb. 26.

    Simply Italian Great Wines – Prosecco seminar (Sold out) with Federdoc and Italian wine educator Jeremy Parzen at Taste of Italy, Feb. 26.

    Please join us on Monday, February 26, as Houston-based wine educator Jeremy Parzen leads through a guided tasting of wines from Prosecco.

    “Prosecco DOC: Passion in the bubbles, with an introduction by Federdoc presenting Traceability and regulation of Italian DOC wines” will be held on the occasion of the 10th-annual Taste of Italy trade fair, from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Hilton Post Oak Hotel in Houston.

    This exclusive class arrives to Houston thanks to the exciting collaboration with Simply Italian Great Wines Americas tour 2024.

    Click here to reserve.

    Click here to see all available events at this year’s gathering, including the Texas BBQ and Italian Wine seminar, the grand tasting, and much more.

    Not only is Jeremy a major fan of Prosecco and its wines. But he lived in the land of Prosecco when he first traveled to Italy as a student. Later, his first feature story for the magazine of La Cucina Italiana was devoted to Prosecco.

    As he and attendees taste through the wines together, he’ll lead a conversation on history, traditions, and new trends in the appellation.

    About Jeremy:

    Jeremy Parzen is a widely published wine writer and educator, a professor of wine and food communications at the Slow Food University in Italy, and author of the popular blog on Italian wine, DoBianchi.com. Jeremy also has a Ph.D. in Italian literature.

  • Italian Wine and Texas BBQ seminar (Sold Out)

    Italian Wine and Texas BBQ seminar (Sold Out)

    When one of the IACC team members traveled to Lombardy, Italy, last year, he was surprised to learn that young chefs there are regularly serving their guests barbecue. But not just any smoked meats, no: Across Italy, classic dry rub “Texas BBQ” is the word of the day. You won’t find any mention of “Kansas City BBQ” or “Memphis BBQ.” For the Italians it seems, only Texas BBQ will do!

    (See this article on Texas BBQ in Italy by longtime Houston Chronicle columnist Chris Reid, a frequent IACC partner and founder of the Houston Barbecue Festival.)

    On Monday, February 26, on the occasion of the 10th annual Taste of Italy trade fair and festival, the IACC will once again be presenting the “Italian Wine and Texas BBQ” seminar with leading Houston pit master Ara Malekian (in the picture above), owner of Harlem Rd. Texas BBQ, and Italian wine writer and educator Jeremy Parzen, author of DoBianchi.com.

    The event begins at 2 p.m. and will be held at the Hilton Post Oak.
    To pair with smoked wagyu brisket marinated in red Italian wine, smoked Pork belly, both items served with creamy polenta – prepared by Chef Ara – we selected the following 6 wines, featured in the Seminar:

    Langhe Nebbiolo, Cerrino, Piemonte  (available at Spec’s)
    Aglianico del Sannio, La Guardiense, Campania (available at Spec’s) Ferzo Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Citra, Abruzzo (available at Spec’s)
    Cabernet-Merlot, Carlo Scala, Puglia     New to the marketChianti Riserva DOCG, Castelsina, Toscana New to the Market
    Chianti Governo, Il Risveglio, Valvirgino, Toscana (available at Spec’s)

    Please note that this event will sell out quickly! Please reserve at your earliest convenience to ensure availability.

    And for those who register before January 31, there is an early bird discount.

    We look forward to seeing you at one of the most popular Italian wine events of the year!

  • Taste of Italy Houston (February 26) buyers registration now open!

    Taste of Italy Houston (February 26) buyers registration now open!

    Taste of Italy Houston returns on Monday, February 26 — now in its 10th year!

     

    Taste of Italy Houston is the largest trade fair in the U.S. devoted exclusively to Italian food and wine. After a decade as the leading trade resource for Italian products in Texas, the gathering is one of the best attended culinary events of the year, with over 40 exhibitors, more than 300 products, and between 400-500 attendees, including trade and media. Guests attend from as far away as El Paso, Dallas, and New Orleans.

    This year’s fair is the first where the organizers will be partnering with the Simply Italian Great Wines Americas Tour. And one of this year’s seminars (at 11.30 am) will be devoted to the wines of event sponsor FederDoc – Prosecco DOC, one of the exhibitors who is part of the tour.

    The event will be held at the Hotel Hilton Post Oak by the Galleria (2001 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056) on Monday, February 26.

    Program

    11 a.m. – 4.30 pm – General admission at the Walk-around tasting – Click here to register to the Grand Tasting. The registration to either seminar will automatically allow the access to the Walk-around tasting.

    11.30 a.m. -12.30 p.m. Masterclass – “Prosecco DOC: Passion in the bubbles, with an introduction by Federdoc presenting Traceability and regulation of Italian DOC wines” (SOLD OUT).

    2-3 p.m. Our Signature Seminar on pairing Italian wines with Texas barbecue. Click here to attend this Seminar.

    The Houston Italian Wine Ambassador Competition also returns to Taste of Italy Houston this year, with new leadership and a new format, realized with the support of the Consorzio del Pinot Grigio delle Venezie. Click here to learn more. Registration is closed for this event.

  • A Taste of Italy Success Story: Winemakers break into the Texas market thanks to IACC member Beviamo International.

    A Taste of Italy Success Story: Winemakers break into the Texas market thanks to IACC member Beviamo International.

    For those of us who work at the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce Texas, there could be no greater reward than to know that our efforts have connected Italian businesses with partners here in the U.S.

    For more than 10 years, our Taste of Italy trade fair and festival, the largest in the U.S. devoted exclusively to Italian food and wine, has helped Texas-based importers to discover new wines to bring to our market.

    One such case is that of Beviamo International, a Houston area importer and distributor of fine Italian wines.

    Over the years, Beviamo International’s owner Angelo Ferrari has expanded his Italian portfolio by adding wineries he’s first encountered and wines he first tasted at the fair.

    And we couldn’t be prouder to share the news that he has recently placed brands like La Guardiense, Coali (introduced by our proud member Sebastiano Bazzano with B.Connected), Silvestri, Madaudo, and even Citra, one of Abruzzo’s most important producers, at Spec’s locations across the state.

    Our mission is to create community between Italy and America. And there could be no better example of our mission fulfilled than Angelo’s recent placements at one of the biggest retailers in the U.S., with nearly 200 stores in Texas.

    Congratulations to Angelo, Beviamo International, and his wonderful portfolio of Italian wineries!

  • Thank you for a great Taste of Italy Dallas 2023!

    Thank you for a great Taste of Italy Dallas 2023!

    Thank you to all our exhibitors and participants for making Taste of Italy Dallas such a wonderful experience for all involved!

    The second annual Taste of Italy Dallas (Nov. 9-10, 2023) included:

    – 40 exhibitors from Italy and the U.S.
    – 150 buyers in attendance from across the state of Texas.
    – A sold-out master class on the wines of Rome.

    The next day, our exhibitors took part in a public-facing event hosted by Eataly, “All You Can Eataly,” where food and wine lovers had the opportunity to experience:

    – 25+ tasting stations.
    – 50+ Italian wines.
    – 25+ Italian and local craft beers.
    – Light bites from local restaurants.
    – Italian cocktails.
    – In-person chef demos.
    – Line dancing and live music.

    The organizers would also like to thank sponsor Haynes Boone who hosted our exhibitors and the mayor of Reggio Emilia, Luca Vecchi, for a welcome reception and expert panel. The law firm’s New York-based partner Giorgio Bovenzi and Dallas associate Joanna Pearce delivered excellent talks on new U.S. rules for the importation of food and wine. Warm thanks also to associate Colin Cox and partner Larry Pascal for putting such a great event together for the visiting Italians.

    To see more images of the events and exhibitors by Dallas-based photographer Claire Giroux, please click here.

  • Houston Italian Wine Ambassador Competition to be held Monday, February 26, 2024.

    Houston Italian Wine Ambassador Competition to be held Monday, February 26, 2024.

    IACC welcomes new competition director Sergio Valladares!

    Formerly known as the Houston Sommelier Competition, this year’s sommelier faceoff has shifted gears and changed names:

    The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce Texas is thrilled to announce that the “Houston Italian Wine Ambassador Competition” will be held on the occasion of the 10th annual Taste of Italy Houston trade fair and festival (Sunday-Monday, February 25-26, 2024).

    This year’s exams will take place on the second day of the gathering (Monday) and all sessions will be administered on the same day (so as to allow more wine professionals to compete).

    Sergio Valladares, the incoming director, has made the theme “100 percent Italian” this year. Both the theory and blind tasting exams will focus on Italian viticulture and wines. The service exam has been eliminated (this was also done in the spirit of making the competition more accessible; in previous years, the examination process covered two days, not one).

    The candidate with the highest combined scores will become the IACC’s official “Houston Italian Wine Ambassador” for the period of 12 months. Beside the title, the candidate will be invited to travel to Italy on a government-sponsored wine education trip. They will also receive a scholarship to be used for their wine studies. Scholarships for lesser amounts will be awarded to the candidates with the top and runner-up scores in each exam category.

    The winners will be announced at the trade fair’s Monday afternoon seminar.

    The competition is open to any and all wine professionals from anywhere in the city, state, country, or world. Houston-based sommeliers are encouraged to compete.

    Sergio Valladares is longtime veteran of the Houston wine scene, a top sommelier and wine educator, one of the most beloved wine professionals working in the Houston community today. He has worked in every aspect of the industry and has “worked the floor” at some of Houston’s leading fine wine destinations. But his number-one passion remains wine education. Beyond his work as a sommelier and consultant, he is also a leading member of one of the city’s most active study groups. Sergio is excited to build on the work of his colleague Jaime De Leon, co-founder and director of the Houston Sommelier Competition.

    Now a national manager for Kroger, Jaime works today out of the supermarket chain’s Chicago area office. The IACC cannot thank him enough for his precious contribution to the Taste of Italy trade fair over the years. We are pleased to keep the competition and its legacy alive.

    Click here to reserve a spot to compete. To learn more about the competition, please send an email to Sergio by clicking here.

    Taste of Italy is the largest trade fair in the U.S. devoted exclusively to Italian food and wine. Now in its 10th year, the event has now also been held multiple years in Dallas (at Eataly) and for the first time in El Paso earlier this year.

  • Taste of Italy in Dallas, the fastest growing city in the U.S. and home to one of the world’s leading luxury dining scenes.

    Taste of Italy in Dallas, the fastest growing city in the U.S. and home to one of the world’s leading luxury dining scenes.

    On the heels of the success of Taste of Italy Dallas, held last October, we are pleased to announce that Taste of Italy will return to the city on November 9-10, 2023 (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.). Are you a professional in the Food or Wine industry? Click HERE to register!

    The IACC Texas is also pleased to announce the title for this year’s Taste of Italy Dallas at Eataly’s featured seminar: “Fit for a Pope: The wines of Rome’s volcanic hills.”

    Wines grown in the volcanic soils in the farmland and hills that surround the capital have been favorites of Popes for centuries.

    But they have garnered scarce attention in the U.S. where wine professionals are just beginning to appreciate their depth, nuance, and longevity.

    For our Taste of Italy Dallas at Eataly wine event this year, we’ll feature products by Roman wineries Parvusager and Principe Pallavicini, two leading producers:

    Parvus Ager, Roma DOC Bianco – Eterna, 2022
    Principe Pallavicini, Frascati, 2022
    Principe Pallavicini, Malvasia Puntinata, 2022
    Parvus Ager, Roma DOC Rosso – Eterna, 2022
    Principe Pallavicini, Syrah, 2021
    Principe Pallavicini, Cesanese, 2022

    We hope you can join us for what is sure to be an extraordinary tasting. Wine writer and wine educator, Jeremy Parzen, will be on hand to guide us through the wines.

    Wines Fit for a Pope!
    Thursday, November 9
    12:30-1:30 p.m.
    Eataly Dallas
    Google map

    Click here to register and to purchase your ticket ($15, light bites will be offered), seats are very limited; the registration to the Seminar will automatically give you access to the walk-around tasting, taking place right outside the main entrance of Eataly Dallas.

    The list of producers that will be at Taste of Italy Dallas keeps growing. Currently, the following ones have already confirmed their participation:

    FOOD PRODUCERS :

    Cerreto Bio (Emilia Romagna)
    Ferrarini Salumi (Emilia Romagna)
    Grissin Bon (Emilia Romagna)
    Harvest Burger (Emilia Romagna)
    Industrie Montali (Emilia Romagna)
    Italian Coffee for Espresso Lovers (Veneto)
    Molitoria Denti (Emilia Romagna)
    Montanari & Gruzza (Emilia Romagna)
    Pastificio Piccinini (Emilia Romagna)
    PreGel (Emilia Romagna)
    Reire (Emilia Romagna)
    Vero Traditional Italian Food (Multiple Regions)

    WINE PRODUCERS :

    Citra (Abruzzo)
    Torri Cantine (Abruzzo)
    Tenuta Venturini Baldini (Emilia Romagna)
    Tenute Villanova (Friuli)
    Tenuta del Morer (Friuli)
    Parvus Ager (Lazio)
    Principe Pallavicini (Lazio)
    Cantina di Casteggio (Lombardy)
    Gruppo I Vinai (Multiple Regions)
    Cascina Baràc (Piedmont)
    Vini Bosco (Puglia)
    Jerzu Antichi Poderi (Sardinia)
    Madaudo (Sicily)
    Le Farnete (Tuscany)
    Solaria – Cencioni Patrizia (Tuscany)
    Tenuta Cantagallo (Tuscany)
    Valvirginio (Tuscany)
    Viticoltori Senesi Aretini (Tuscany)
    Villa Bucher (Umbria)
    Duca della Crogna – Trasimeno (Umbria)
    Balan (Veneto)
    Domini Veneti (Veneto)
    Vinum Italy (Veneto)

    Check back soon for more participating exhibitors.

    And as last year, it will be held at Eataly, one of the “anchor tenant” retailers and restaurants at the landmark North Park Center luxury shopping mall.

    There couldn’t be a better backdrop for this year’s event. As the New York Times reported earlier this year, not only is Dallas the fastest growing city in the U.S. It is also being hailed as America’s “new Dubai” (“For Diners With Deep Pockets, Dallas Is the New Dubai,” May 2023).

    “The area is home to 92,300 millionaires and 18 billionaires,” write the editors of the Times, “according to a 2022 report from Henley & Partners, a London investment firm, that ranked Dallas the 18th wealthiest city in the world. Several Fortune 500 companies, including AT&T and American Airlines, are headquartered in the area.”

    “The Dallas-Fort Worth area has… about 15,000 places to eat. In 2022, the average Dallas household spent a larger share of its income on dining out than those in New York, Miami or San Francisco, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

    “Some demographers predict that by the 2030s, Dallas — now the largest metropolis in Texas — could replace Chicago as the third-largest metro area in the nation.”

    Please contact IACC deputy director Maurizio Gamberucci to learn more about exhibitor opportunities.

    Click here to read more about all of the IACC’s upcoming events in Texas.

    Image via the Eataly Dallas Facebook.

  • Taste of Italy Dallas seminar Nov. 9: “Wines fit for a Pope” with wine writer Jeremy Parzen.

    Taste of Italy Dallas seminar Nov. 9: “Wines fit for a Pope” with wine writer Jeremy Parzen.

    The IACC Texas is pleased to announce the title for this year’s Taste of Italy Dallas at Eataly’s featured seminar: “Fit for a Pope: The wines of Rome’s volcanic hills.”

    Wines grown in the volcanic soils in the farmland and hills that surround the capital have been favorites of Popes for centuries.

    But they have garnered scarce attention in the U.S. where wine professionals are just beginning to appreciate their depth, nuance, and longevity.

    For our Taste of Italy Dallas at Eataly wine event this year, we’ll feature products by Roman wineries Parvusager and Principe Pallavicini, two leading producers:

    Parvus Ager, Roma DOC Bianco – Eterna, 2022
    Principe Pallavicini, Frascati, 2022
    Principe Pallavicini, Malvasia Puntinata, 2022
    Parvus Ager, Roma DOC Rosso – Eterna, 2022
    Principe Pallavicini, Syrah, 2021
    Principe Pallavicini, Cesanese, 2022

    We hope you can join us for what is sure to be an extraordinary tasting. Wine writer and wine educator, Jeremy Parzen, will be on hand to guide us through the wines.

    Wines Fit for a Pope!
    Thursday, November 9
    12:30-1:30 p.m.
    Eataly Dallas
    Google map

    Click here to register and to purchase your ticket ($15, light bites will be offered), seats are very limited; the registration to the Seminar will automatically give you access to the walk-around tasting, taking place right outside the main entrance of Eataly Dallas..

    Image via the Principe Pallavicini Facebook.