Barolo triumphs at Harvard

Extraordinary success for the first Italian masterclass at the prestigious University

Cambridge, MA, March 27, 2025 – A historic moment for Italian wine in the United States was celebrated on Thursday, March 27 at Harvard’s Boylston Hall, where for the first time a masterclass dedicated to Barolo captured the attention of professors and students of the prestigious American university. The sold-out event marked an unprecedented milestone in the promotion of the excellence of Italian wine in the American academic world.

The masterclass, the result of the collaboration between the Order of the Knights of the Truffle and the Wines of Alba, the Consortium for the Protection of Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani and the Harvard Wine Society, featured the President of the Consortium and Knight Sergio Germano together with Maestro Peter Salerno of the New York Delegation of the Knights.

Participants were guided on a unique sensory journey through four exceptional Barolo DOCGs with Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva Comunale from the 2021 vintage, just released on the market. The tasting thrilled the audience, made up of young talents destined to become future leaders in the world of international business and finance.

The event highlighted the uniqueness of the Piedmontese territory of the Langhe, a UNESCO heritage site, and the importance of the role played by the Order of Knights and the Consortium in safeguarding and promoting this Italian cultural heritage.

Peter Salerno, Maestro of the New York Delegation, commented: “It was an extraordinary experience that exceeded all our expectations. The enthusiasm and curiosity shown by the students confirm how much Italian wine, and in particular Barolo, is conquering the new American generations. As Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba, our goal has always been to create cultural bridges through the excellence of our territory. Today, in the prestigious Boylston Hall, we witnessed a historic moment: Barolo was not simply tasted, but became an ambassador of Piedmont in one of the temples of world culture. These brilliant Harvard students, future leaders in the world of business and finance, will be able to become extraordinary promoters of our wine in the most important international contexts.”

The President of the Consortium Sergio Germano underlined how this collaboration represents a fundamental step in the expansion strategy of Barolo, the flagship of Italian wine from Piedmont, in the American market.

The interest shown by Harvard students and faculty highlights the growing recognition of Italy’s cultural and gastronomic value, with a particular focus on Piedmontese traditions in the United States, a market that already absorbs 19% of Barolo exports.

It was a distinct privilege to welcome representatives from the Barolo Consortium and the Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba, and will forever be remembered as one of the Harvard Undergraduate Wine Society’s most unforgettable moments. The profound expertise and comprehensive presentation from Sergio Germano and Peter Salerno offered extraordinary insight into the noble traditions of Barolo, and I have utmost confidence that our members discovered their newest favorite wines. We are eager to continue fostering this valued relationship in the years to come – says the President of the Wine Society of Harvard

The Harvard masterclass could mark the beginning of a new era in the relationship between the excellence of Italian wine and the American academic world, paving the way for future collaborations with other prestigious US institutions:

“This Masterclass once again underlines the important work that the Order of Knights and the Consortium for the Protection of Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe and Dogliani are carrying out to promote our excellence abroad. An important goal not only for our territory and for our wines, but at a national level for all wine production of which, on this occasion, we have proudly made ourselves ambassadors with the King of Piedmontese Wines first in the halls of the esteemed American University” says the Grand Master of the Order of Knights Tomaso Zanoletti.