The ACCADEMIA DELLA VITE E DEL VINO nominates IAN D’AGATA “ACCADEMICO ORDINARIO”

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 “A huge honour, like nothing that’s ever happened to me before” was Ian D’Agata’s first comment upon hearing the news of his being named in 2018 as a new member (Accademico Ordinario) of the prestigious Accademia della Vite e del Vino. Founded in 1946 by decree of then President of the Republic Luigi Einaudi, the Accademia della Vite e del Vino has its main office in the beautiful historic building in Florence that houses the Accademia dei Georgofili. Ever year, at the beginning of the new school year, the Accademia announces its new soci emeriti (emeritus mebers),soci ordinari (ordinary members) and corrispondenti (correspondents). L’Accademia della Vite is the most important association of researchers, university professors and scientists in the field of wine in Italy. In his welcome speech, President Antonio Calò noted that the Accademia“… distinguishes itself from  all other so-called Italian wine academies as it was founded thanks to Italy’s president and has sixty years of history under its belt. Another distinguishing feature we are proud of is that numerous Nobel prize winners have held talks and presentations within its walls”. The new academicians were welcomed into the fold at the opening of the academic year on June 9 in the main lecture hall of the Centro di Ricerche per la Viticoltura e l’Enologia di Conegliano. “I will do my absolute best to be worthy of this new title” said D’Agata.

A new award from Canada to Ian D’Agata

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From Ontario the prestigious  VQA PROMOTER AWARD, Out of Ontario section

2018 VQA Promoters award winners (from left to right): Tim Coons, retail; Andrea Kaiser per la famiglia di Karl Kaiser’s, lifetime achievement; Jim Willwerth, education; Magdalena Kaiser, promoter-at-large; Brittany Gregory, LCBO; Sarah Scott, hospitality. Absent from the photo: André Proulx, media, and Ian D’Agata, out-of-Ontario promoter. (photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Little)

On May 2, 2018, Ontario’s Vintner’s Quality Alliance assigend the VQA Promoter Awards that have been honouring Canadians who have helped forward the knowledge and culture about Ontario’s great wines in Canada and the world. This year, Ian D’Agata was awarded the “Out of Ontario” section award, reserved for those who live outside of the province. “I absolutely love Ontario’s wines and have been following them closely ever since my adolescent days. Thanks to John Macdonald, Don Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser, I was one of the first individuals in Canada lucky enough to taste the very first Icewines ever made by Inniskillin back in the late 70s and early 80s and have held a deep love affair with Niagara’s and Ontario’s wines ever since. From the first great Rieslings, Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs made by the likes of, for example, Angelo Pavan, Tom and Len Pennacchetti of Cave Spring, by Jim Warren at Stoney Ridge and then other wineries, or the unforgettable early Gewurztraminers of Malivoire, moving right through the great wines of the Lenko family to the world class wines made by Hidden Bench, Henry of Pelham and so many more today, I am a true and huge believer in We the North’s great great great wines, the producers have faith in me and I in them”.

This is the second year in a row D’Agata wins an important wine-related award from Canada; last year he was awarded the  Cuvée Award of Excellence 2017 for his work on behalf of Canada’s wines