The twelfth edition of the Meran International WineFestival and the seventh edition of the “Culinaria· gastronomy festival takes place in the magnificent Meran spa from the 8th to the 10th November 2003.
This year, almost 300 grape growers participate in the WineFestival with more than 700 classes of wine, as well as 68 producers within the framework of the Culinaria festival. A journey of the senses for wine lovers, gourmets and lovers of good food. A great variety of the finest wines present in the festival, a selection of more than 3500 wines from the throughout the world, and the best Italian products, can be tasted and compared. The special attraction of the event, nevertheless, is the personal contact with the producers who will be present throughout the WineFestival and Culinaria.
The 700 wines in the WineFestival have been brought together thematically in several sections: “the one hundred” best known Italian wine-growers, “rising wines”, which bring together unknown wine-growers “International top producers” from the whole world and “Wine consortiums”, which groups together the most important Italian consortiums. This year, the presence of 40 wine producers from the Union Grands Crus de Bordeaux is unique and extraordinary. Other sections are “Dulcis in fundo” with the best sweet Italian wines, “100% Italia” with indigenous Italian wines and “Primitivo di Manduria”, a special class of wine from southern Italy.
The Culinaria is the gastronomy festival. An encounter with the most interesting Italian producers: Aceto Balsamico tradizionale, Lardo di Colonnata, salt pork from South Tyrol, olive oil, cheese and sausages, right up to cakes and pastries. Here, direct contact with the producers also gives an outstanding incentive.
“Seven committees have tasted all the products and wines with the aim of being able to present only the crème de la crème in the WineFestival”, states Helmuth Köcher, president of Gourmet’s Club International and organizer of the WineFestival.
Other gastronomic encounters with gastronomy, art and... the heart are organized around the WineFestival program,  .
In the Palais Esplanade, the regions of South Tyrol, Abruzzo, Basilicata and Marches will present the best of their cooking and wine cellars within the framework of the “Italia in gusto” event. Well-known chefs will serve both traditional food and specialities.
In the “Casa del Arte Meran”, there is an exhibition of bottles and labels parallel to the WineFestival. The examples displayed are those that have participated in the “Premio de Cristal” (Glass prize) competition. This prize, whose winner will be revealed on the 7th November on the occasion of the WineFestival opening, will be awarded to the producer who has attained the ideal combination between the design of the bottle, the graphic representation of the labelling and the quality of the wine.
On the occasion of the WineFestival and the Culinaria, UNICEF will auction special bottles of wine each day (generally magnum bottles) donated by the producers. A nice way to take home a reminder of the WineFestival and, at the same time, do a good deed. The fundraising from the auction will this year go to the “Zambian AIDS orphans” project.
A great novelty is the South Tyrol “Gourmets Festival”, which is organized in collaboration with Südtirol Marketing and the St. Hubertus Hotel Rosa Alpina Restaurant in St. Kassian. Six-star chefs, among them Heinz Winkler (rated with three Michelin stars), will present six-course meals in two exclusive places, The Sissí Room in the Trauttmansdorff Castle and the rocky wine cellar of the Laimburg Research Centre.