The 333rd Summer Solstice Chapter in Pollenzo: Memory, Wine Culture and International Friendship in Honour of Carlo Petrini
There are places that preserve the memory of a territory and others that tell its future. Pollenzo is both.
For this reason, there could have been no more meaningful setting for the 333rd Summer Solstice Chapter of the Order of the Knights of the Truffle and Wines of Alba, held at the Albergo dell’Agenzia, in the heart of one of the most symbolic places of Italian food and wine culture.
In the 59th year of its history, the Order gathered at one of the 16 Royal Residences of the House of Savoy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a day that brought together culture, history, international friendship and the promotion of the Langhe region. The occasion was made even more meaningful by the tribute paid to Carlo Petrini, whose vision profoundly shaped the relationship between food, wine, territory and culture.
Opening the Chapter, Grand Master Tomaso Zanoletti paid homage to the founder of Slow Food:
“Being here in Pollenzo today inevitably leads us to remember Carlo Petrini. His vision transformed the bond between food, wine, territory and culture into a shared heritage recognised throughout the world. We owe him projects that have brought the Langhe far beyond the borders of Piedmont and Italy, educating new generations and promoting a culture of food based on respect, knowledge and sustainability.”
Joining the Italian Knights were the Swiss Delegation, the Masters of the Austrian, Brasilia and Lithuanian Delegations, together with a group of Brazilian Knights. Their presence once again highlighted the international vocation of the Order, which continues to promote the Langhe, its wines and its gastronomic traditions through an ever-growing global network.
Holding the Chapter in Pollenzo was no coincidence. It is here that history and innovation have met for nearly two centuries. It was here that King Charles Albert laid the foundations for the development of modern Piedmontese viticulture, and it was here that Carlo Petrini’s vision gave birth to projects that transformed the way food and wine are understood and promoted around the world.
This journey was explored by Federico Piemonte, Director of the Bank of Wine, during his lecture “The Pollenzo System: From the Agenzia to the Bank of Wine.”
“Pollenzo represents a unique model in the world. From Carlo Petrini’s vision were born institutions such as the University of Gastronomic Sciences and the Bank of Wine, two projects that successfully combine education, research and the preservation of our wine heritage. Preserving the memory of wines, telling the stories of territories and educating conscious professionals means building the future of Italian gastronomic culture.”
The cultural programme continued with actor and writer Paolo Tibaldi, who presented Lives of Langhe and Roero, the book he co-authored with Carlo Petrini, born from a shared friendship and a common vision.
“Three years ago, I received a phone call from Carlìn, who invited me to create ‘If Langhe Is What It Is…’, a public meeting designed especially for young people to explain the turning points that have shaped our territory over the past two hundred years, and to remind us that if the food and wine culture of Langhe and Roero is so central to our lives today, it is because those who came before us experienced hunger. The event attracted such an extraordinary audience that we repeated it here in Pollenzo during the twentieth anniversary of the University of Gastronomic Sciences. It was on that occasion that Carlìn, to everyone’s surprise — including mine — announced the idea of writing this book together. Through it, we wanted to tell the stories of people before places. Langhe and Roero have become what they are today thanks to the women and men who preserved a culture, a landscape and a community. Telling these stories means ensuring they are not lost in the mists of time.”
As tradition dictates, the Chapter also marked an important moment in the life of the Order with the investiture of four new Knights, including wine producers Catrina Burzi of Alberto Burzi Winery and Francesca Valente of Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Winery, representatives of a new generation deeply rooted in tradition while looking confidently towards the future.
The day concluded with the traditional convivial gathering prepared by Chef Daniel Zeilinga of the Garden Restaurant at Albergo dell’Agenzia, accompanied by wines from the 50th Selection of the Order.
A Chapter that reminded everyone that wine is much more than a product: it is the expression of a history, a community and a culture passed down from generation to generation. These are the values the Order continues to promote in Italy and around the world, making the Langhe an international reference point for wine, gastronomy and hospitality.
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