FIVI Market 2023: a celebration of Independent Wines

From 25th to 27th November, the "Independent Winegrowers' Wine Market" took place, as every year since 2011. This event, now in its twelfth edition, is organized by FIVI, the Italian Federation of Independent Winegrowers, a non-profit organization that aims to promote and protect the figure, work, interests and needs of the independent Italian winemaker, understood as the person who implements the complete wine production cycle, from the cultivation of the grapes to the bottling and marketing of the final product. There are over 1,500 winemakers from every region of Italy associated with FIVI, and 1,000 of them were in Bologna on the last weekend of November, to tell their stories and make their wines known to sector operators and enthusiasts of the world of wine. This is the first year that the event leaves Pavia, its original home, to move to Bologna, in larger and brighter spaces. BolognaFiere has in fact made available 30,000 square meters spread over four pavilions, two of which are entirely dedicated to winemakers, the other two to catering and other services related to the Market. A small space was also dedicated to a representation of 30 olive oil producing companies, associated with FIOI, the Italian Federation of Independent Olive Growers. The location has changed, but certainly not the spirit of the event, which in addition to an opportunity to meet with the customer, is above all a great celebration of winemakers, who have the opportunity to share experiences, discuss and support each other.

Pagus at the FIVI Market

We at Pagus also took the opportunity to take a tour, to greet some friends and collaborators, and to meet small producers from all over Italy and taste their wines. Unfortunately, a single afternoon was not nearly enough to be able to greet all the companies we collaborate with and discover new realities, but many were present: Coali, Corte Quaiara, Corte Sermana, La Marega, Le Fraghe, Mizzon, Novaia, Pieropan, Bellaveder. We managed to steal a few shots from some of them, with others just a greeting and a toast.

Visiting the FIVI Market means literally getting lost among the producers: the layout of the stands is random, and next to the Trentino sparkling wines it is more than likely to find a Sardinian Cannonau or an Apulian Primitivo. The best way to discover as many wines as possible! To be honest, given the limited time we had available, we got advice on around thirty wineries, and we tried to visit as many as possible.

We were very fascinated by the South Tyrolean wines produced in the Salurnis winery, a very young company born in 2019 from the passion of Andrea and Nicolò. In particular, we were struck by the very fragrant Müller Thurgau Unterstein and the Fateni amber Pinot Grigio, macerated on the skins for 36 hours.

We also had the opportunity to have a chat and drink a glass of Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG with Dante, from Cantine Garrone, a historic company from the Asti area.

Mention of honor also for the sparkling wines from the Ferraretti winery (Modena), the Scherzo (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot) from Terra Quercus (Siena), the Malvasia from the Le Favole winery (Pordenone), the Vermentino and the Cannonau from Tenute Rossini (Sassari), the Passito Bianco Pompeiano from Cantina del Vesuvio (Naples).

It was certainly a unique and special event, which allowed us to meet our collaborators even in a context different from that of our tours, and above all to discover many other small realities that will certainly remain in our hearts. By now you know, small independent producers are the ones we prefer, because they always give us an opportunity for comparison and a different point of view from the general market trends. We can't wait to introduce you to these wines and these stories, which tell of our territory, its flavors and its traditions.

Consult our website to discover our proposals for group tours or private tours: we are waiting for you!