Emiliano STRATICO is now Valpolicella Educator

The WiSP team is proud to count a Valpolicella Educator among its instructors, but what exactly is it? We had a discussion with Emiliano Stratico, who was recently awarded this prestigious title! Emiliano is from Argentina and holds a WSET Diploma. He graduated from the Sorbonne in Foreign Languages and holds a Master’s degree in education specialized in wine. He worked for 10 years at the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, promoting Argentine wine and culture across Europe and Asia. In parallel, he served as a trainer in top hospitality schools and participated in international forums dedicated to wine and gastronomy.

In 2014, Emiliano moved to Monaco where he directed Les Grands Chais Monégasques, the main distributor of fine wines and premium spirits in the Principality. He now works as an independent consultant and trainer. He is accredited to teach WSET, French Wine Scholar™, and Spanish Wine Scholar™ courses. He is also a certified trainer for Cognac and Sherry. Pedagogy holds no secrets for him!

Emiliano, for those discovering you in this article, can you tell us more about yourself and your professional background?

I specialize in teaching modules concerning Italy in the WSET Diploma courses and Wine Scholar Guild’s Italy courses. I hold dual Italian-Argentine nationality and have worked in service, sales, distribution, and now I am focusing on teaching.

You’ve just been named a Valpolicella Educator. Can you tell us what that means?

This is a very difficult certification to obtain. First, there is a selection process where candidates from all over the world are shortlisted based on their applications. This year, 17 candidates were selected to attend the training in Verona, and only six of them passed the certification exams. I am proud to be among them. This certification allows me to gain in-depth knowledge about the wines of this region, and I will be able to organize specialized training sessions on Valpolicella wines in the future.

What are the requirements to become a Valpolicella Educator? How do the exams work?

After the courses, we have to pass five theoretical tests and one tasting test. The five theoretical exams cover the following subjects: viticulture, winemaking, specific characteristics of Valpolicella wines, the law and regulations, and trade. You must score at least 80% in all five subjects. The tasting exam involves a blind tasting of four wines, and you must correctly identify at least three out of four (AOP, style, winemaking methods, etc.).