For Riccardo Cotarella, wine is not just a beverage: it is a living entity, capable of “feeling” and “speaking.” Considered one of the most famous enologists in the world, Cotarella has crafted wines in every corner of the globe—from Japan to California—while maintaining a humble and profound vision: wine is guided, but not commanded.
In his autobiographical book “Wine, My Life” (Rizzoli), Cotarella retraces an adventure that began almost by chance, when his father encouraged him to enroll in the Faculty of Agriculture. From that moment, his relationship with wine transformed into a lifelong love story. From his first experience in a Vaselli winery, Cotarella has taken Italian wine—and the culture that accompanies it—around the world.
For him, wine is never just technique: it is science, soul, and identity of a territory. His numerous experiences have also become a bridge between cultures: in Japan, where vines are covered with snow to protect them, or in Georgia, the ancestral cradle of viticulture. Wherever he goes, Cotarella adapts, listens, learns—as if it were always the first time.
According to him, tasting wine is an intimate and cultural act, almost ritualistic. Every sip tells a story made of terroir, hands, seasons, and choices. “You eat, or drink, what you are,” he states. And could you ever conceive of a wedding celebrated with water?
Read the full article on Italic-us magazine Riccardo Cotarella and Wine, a Love Story | Italic-us Magazine
