Lions Club Arezzo Host and District 108LA (Tuscany) are pleased to announce that in 2009 the 5th edition of  International Oenological Competion for wines produced and bottled by Lions’ members from all over the world will be organized. The previous edition was a great success both for the high number of national and international participants, the funds raised and for the important prominence given by press and TV. The competition is under the protection of Italian Sommeliers Association (AIS), the Province of Arezzo and the Chamber of Commerce.
Red, white, rosée, sweet and sparkling wines are admitted to the competition.
The competition intends to reunite Lions’ Members and to consolidate their friendship. Furthermore we would like to give visibility to the many Lions’ producers who aim at excellence even in this field. Funds raised thanks to wine tastings will be destined to an International Service. In 2007 they have been devolved to Sight First. In 2008, a project against juvenile alcoholism has been financed in collaboration with Itallian Sommeliers Association (AIS)
Lions’ members, Leo’s Members and their families who wish to partecipate  will have to send twelve (12) bottles for every wine tipology within February 15 2009. For white wines only the deadline is put off to March 15 2009. Wine technical sheets and personal information about the member will have to be e-mailed within January 30 2008. Wine have to be sent at the following address:
Strada del Vino Terre di Arezzo
Via Ricasoli 38
52100 Arezzo
Italy
All the wines with an ex-cellar price inferior to € 4.00 will take part also to the wine competition of Convivial Lions which will be awarded on regional basis. The application form gives right to present up to 6 wine labels and to be on LionsWine web-site. The application fee is € 100.00 to be paid into the account 1967, BNL  Via Guido Monaco 74, Arezzo, SWIFT Code IITRR ,registered under the name A.P.S. LIONSWINE, IBAN code: IT 73 O 0100514100 00000000 1697
To submit the wine tasting participants have to enclose the following documents:
- filled in form
- a short description of the estate (max. 1,000 strokes)
- a photo of the estate or of the producers
- a photo of the most representative label
The above documents will be used for the LIONSWINE GUIDE, to be published in 2010. The FORM and the photos will appear on the web-site www.lionswine.org
Wines will be tasted by a jury of National and International experts. Last years in the jury were important names such as Bill Nesto, Burton Anderson, Lorenzo Giuliani, Cristiano Cini and Luca Maroni. This year, during the final stage of tasting there will be Michéle Shah (Decanter journalist) and Helmuth Koecher (Meran International Wine Festival Director)
Finalist wines will be presented at Vinitaly and the winners will be at Meran International Wine Festival. Winners will be announced on May 17 2009 in the wonderful Medici Villa “La Ferdinanda” of Artimino, at the presence of the Governor and the Vice-Governor of District 108LA. All the Governors will be invited.

There will be awards for the Winners and the results will be published on Lions’ and general press. Soon afterwards both in Arezzo and in other Tuscan towns tastings open to the public will be organized in order to promote wines produced by Lions’ members. If interested, producers can take part to the tastings to explain their products.
Lions Wine Guide is to be published in 2010. It sees the descriptions of the participating wineries and the book will be sent to all the Presidents of Italian Lions Club. It will be available at wine-bars, book-shops and news-stands.

In order to organize the competition, we would be grateful if you could notify to us the wine producing members (if any) and their e-mail so that we can contact them. In the meantime we would like to ask you if you can inform your Members about the competition. In case you know Lions journalists or importers who work in this field it would be great if you could let us know.

Further information on the contest: www.lionswine.org and www.lionsarezzohost.org

Saverio Luzzi
Lions Club Arezzo Host
District 108 LA
Italy
e-mail: info@lionswine.org