Corporate Member Profiles
Banfi Vintners- www.banfivintners.com
Banfi Vintners, an international wine marketer, has ranked as one of America's leading wine importers for more than three decades. It is an arm of the privately held Banfi Products Corporation, a family-owned and operated firm founded in New York in 1919 by John Mariani, Sr. He named it after an aunt, Teodolinda Banfi, a woman of eclectic tastes who supervised his early education and greatly influenced his views toward fine wines.
Podere San Luigi- www.sanluigi.com
Podere San Luigi is a boutique winery nestled in the hills of Tuscany, Italy, a few kilometers west of the ancient hill town of Colle di Val d'Elsa. Blessed with a southwestern exposure, San Luigi produces close to 2,000 cases of award winning wines every year. The estate also produces high quality extra virgin olive oil and grappa. From April through October, the two villas on the estate are available for rent.
Domaine Select Wine Estates- www.domaineselect.com
Domaine Select Wine Estates was founded by Paolo and Allison Domeneghetti. The company now operates as an importer of fine wines throughout the United States, and as a wholesaler for the Domaine Select Wine Estates portfolio in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvannia.
The partners involved in Domaine Select Wine Estates have each been working in the wine industry for many years. Paolo Domeneghetti has had an extensive career in the restaurant and wine & spirits industry, spanning a period of more than twenty five years of progressive and successful experience in marketing, sales, management and ownership. Paolo began in this industry in his native country of Italy. Looking to expand his experience and career in wine, he moved to the United States 15 years ago. Throughout his career, he has been involved in projects in the epicenters of food and wine including Venice, Italy and in the U.S., San Francisco, Seattle, Miami and of course New York City. Founding Domaine Select has been a lifelong ambition, and one borne with a very clear identity and philosophy, which Paolo strongly upholds today.
Allison Domeneghetti has been a wine enthusiast for more than 10 years. After working for several years in fine arts institutions in New York City (galleries, Museums and auction), her interest in wine on a professional level was sparked while working for Sotheby's New York. From that point, she has not looked back and has worked alongside Paolo to build a company where passion for wine comes first. Having lived and worked in Manhattan since 1989, Allison is very well connected in the industry on a whole. She maintains direct relationships with many accounts and wine buyers in the New York City area.
Consorzio Tutela Formaggio Asiago- www.asiagocheese.it
Based in Vicenza, Italy, the Consorzio Tutela Formaggio Asiago was set up in 1979 to control the quality of Asiago cheeses and to ensure the correct use of brands, markings and seals. In addition, it develops awareness-raising activities in Italy and abroad. The regulatory board now represents over fifty cheese makers and cheese-seasoning workshops. The Consortium has implemented and maintains a Quality Management System which fulfills the requirements for the production of the cheese. The cheese is produced with methods which respect the age-old traditions of cheese-making in the typical zones established by law with milk collected in the same areas. The Consortium also ensures that the pasture and feeding of the cows is controlled.
Consorzio Tutela Speck Alto Adige- www.speck.it
Quality, brand protection and promotional initiatives are the objectives of the Consortium. Regulated by precise directives found in the laws of the EU (Reg. 2081/92), the State (Law 526/99) and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano in Northern Italy. Established in 1992 with 17 member companies (2 of which are imported to the U.S.), the consortium obtained Protected Geographic Indication status for its members' products.
The Consortium is authorized to represent the interests of the entire sector by the Ministry of Agricultural Policies. A specific system ensures that the interests of the community as well as the producers are protected. The producers have a voice in the decision-making processes.
Protecting the brand and the denomination and promotion of it are the principal goals of the consortium. Members of the consortium pay association fees in proportion to the quantities produced. The funds are used to promote the brand and product, including television, print and radio campaigns. Public relations and a continual presence at main trade fairs are ensured by the consortium.
Regione Friuli-Venezia Giulia- www.turismo.fvg.it
Sea, mountains and hills. wine and food products, culture and events. Cities of art and history. Active tourism, discovery and wellness. These are the added-value aspects of a region that is rich and multifaceted. To enhance them is part of the mission of Turismo FVG. Friuli-Venezia Giulia is a unique and fully-fledged destination at the heart of the renewed European context. Located in the Northeast of Italy, this region's language, culture and history and cuisine have all been influenced by other surrounding cultures. With mountains and sea and everything in between, this region of Italy has everything a tourist could possibly want.
The mission of Turismo FVG, officially established in 2006, is to develop the regional tourist system in order to make promotional activities consistent and increase resources. Above all Friuli-Venezia Giulia wants to share with the rest of the world, that which it has enjoyed for centuries.
In an increasingly more demanding market sector, Turismo FVG is a destination management organization which pursues its objectives planning and organizing through specific tourist products. Territorial design and quality plans, advertisement, information to the media, fairs, websites, market researches and analyses are just a few of the initiatives that the region takes to offer the best stay to its tourists.
Vignaioli Selection- www.vignaioliamerica.com
Located in
Shaw-Ross International Importers- www.shaw-ross.com
Based in Miramar, Florida, Shaw-Ross is dedicated to importing fine Italian wines for the American consumer.
Urbani Tartufi- www.urbani.com
Founded over 150 years ago in Umbia, Italy, Urbani Tartufiis the preeminent player in the rarefied world of truffle production controlling more than half of the global truffle business. The company is still run today by the Urbani family, with brothers Paolo and Bruno at the head of the next generation of Olga, Giammarco and Carlo Urbani.
For the Urbanis, truffles are an all-consuming passion. They are dedicated to providing nature's bounty for the culinary pleasure of appreciative fans across the world. The genius of the Urbani legacy has been their ability to create a systematic network of truffle hunters- or 'Cavatori'- who spread throughout Italy and parts of Europe to source fresh truffles as soon as they are unearthed. Today, Urbani has a network of over 180 Cavatori who work diligently to source the best truffles available and get them to market under the Urbani Brand.
The Urbani line of products is vast including white truffles, black truffles, summer truffles and bianchetto (little white) truffles. Products include popular items like Champignon and Summer Truffle sauce, Black Winter Truffle Juice, jarred Summer Truffles, Truffled Tagliatelle, truffle oils and many more.
In 2006, Urbani opened the Academia Tartufi, dedicated to teaching culinary professionals about truffles and how they can best be used in various cuisines. To celebrate its opening, the company created the first annual Urbani Grant program (www.urbanigrant.com) in 2007 to increase the knowledge of truffles and cuisine among chefs and food professionals.
Zardetto Prosecco- www.zardettoprosecco.com
Coming from a long line of oenophiles and winemakers, Fabio Zardetto was destined to continue the business. The Zardetto family produces 5 different expressions of prosecco alongside a grappa.
In 1969 Fabio's father started to produce wine himself which had to be, of course, prosecco. He produced first a still version of prosecco that was probably the first on a national level in Italy. Then, thanks to market demand and his ability as a winemaker, he started to produce sparkling wine.
Fabio Zardetto is also an oenologist and entered his father's company in 1982 after 2 years of training in Friuli. Now, 35 years later, Zardetto Prosecco, which was known in Milano, Bologna and Rome, can now be enjoyed in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Smeraldina - www.acquasmeraldina.it
Smeraldina starts its journey in the pristine Limbara region of Mediterranean
Harmony and balance are the main characteristics of Smeraldina Artesian Water. Smeraldina water has a pleasant flavor, thanks to the effect of the granite natural filtration that allows a natural balance of dissolved minerals and gases. As a result, Smeraldina Artesian Water is extremely pure.
Besides its pleasant flavor, the natural filtration and enrichment processes confer to Smeraldina Artesian Water properties that are vital for our body. Smeraldina water is recommended by health experts for its diuretic properties, due to balanced and low levels of minerals (calcium and magnesium). In addition, the high potassium content in Smeraldina promotes well-toned muscles.
Smeraldina pure artesian water comes from an underground aquifer 1000 feet under the
For hundreds of years the region has been known for the freshness and purity of its waters
Vintage Finishes LLC - www.vintagefinishesllc.com
In the late 1990's, Dorita Pawlikowski was professionally trained as a Faux Painter at The Finishing School in Floral Park, N.Y. In March of 2000, she started her own business, Vintage Finishes LLC.
In early 2006, she was asked by a representative of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce in Manhattan if she would like to work closely with family owned business, Mariani-Affreschi, in Brescia, Italy.
The Mariani-Affreschi Company is one of the oldest established companies supplying authentic frescos throughout the world, adding a new dimension to the interior design trade. Their frescos are created using the ancient techniques of "strappo da muro," which adorn private homes, restaurants, hotels, churches, chapels and shopping centers throughout the world.
Dorita has advertised her frescos in La Cucina magazine and did work for Vino e Cucina last year.