Garda Classico Ambassador Award Highlights in Gardone Riviera
Everything is ready in Gardone Riviera for the fifth edition of a highly significant traditional event in the Gardesana wine sector: the ceremony for awarding the title of Ambassador of Garda Classico, which will take place on Friday evening in the halls of the Grand Hotel.
As always, the event is organized by the Consorzio per la tutela dei vini Garda Classico Doc, which a few years ago conceived this recognition to reward the awareness-raising efforts carried out by tourism operators, but also by personalities from the worlds of culture and journalism, towards Garda, its tourist attractions, and its typical products.
Over time, this idea has grown into the most important promotional event for the Consorzio: a way to establish privileged contacts with representatives of the tourism and cultural sectors potentially valuable for spreading Garda wines worldwide.
Franz Gerstmayr will be elected Ambassador of Garda Classico 2001, a prominent figure in the German tourism industry, director of Ins Reisen, and a member of the board of Teambus. Founded in 1927 and since 1952 specializing in bus trips from Bavaria to Lake Garda.
«It is an organization that brings thousands of tourists to our lake every year,» explains Alessandro Redaelli De Zinis, president of the Consorzio. «And for us, it is essential to promote an increasingly comprehensive integration between tourism and the enjoyment of local products.»
Prizes and Recognitions
On Friday evening, as tradition dictates, the awards for ‘Amico del Garda’ will also be handed out. This year’s recipients are Roberto Vitali, a Bergamo-based journalist and director of the magazine «Lombardia a Tavola»; Gerda and Bernard Fischer, owners of a famous wine shop in Munich specializing in Garda wines; and Paolo Benvenuti, director of the «Città del Vino» association, which unites hundreds of Italian municipalities distinguished by their strong wine-growing character.
The evening will certainly feature an especially meaningful moment with the awarding of the ‘Vignaiolo Galantuomo’ recognitions, which aim to honor the work of the pioneers of Garda viticulture—those whose efforts and insights have allowed sectors like Garda Classico to grow to today’s levels of excellence.
This year’s awardees are Pierino Colosio, 74, from the Raffa wineries of Raffa, and Gaudenzio Romano Turina, 72, from Moniga. Both are well-known and respected producers who deeply understand the territory and have contributed to its development through their activities.
