Above: Legendary and most beloved Italian winemaker Giorgio Grai turns 80 today. Photo by Franco Ziliani.
From Friuli to Trentino, from Piedmont to Tuscany, and even as far south as Apulia, there is perhaps no one more respected and beloved by Italian winemakers than Giorgio Grai, who turns 80 years old today.
Check out what Mr. Franco Ziliani had to say about Giorgio in this post over at VinoWire today.
I only met Giorgio once, introduced to him by my good friend Charles Scicolone, many years ago in the library at the old Le Cirque in the Palace Hotel in Manhattan. Before introducing me, Charles, who seemingly knows everyone in the business, turned to Giorgio and said famously, “It’s always a pleasure.”
Do Bianchi 
I was first introduced to Giorgio Grai and his wines
by the late Sheldon Wasserman.Sheldon called Giorgio
“La Ombra” In Wasserman’s land make book “Italy’s Noble Red Wines” he is The Legendary Giorgio Grai and that is back in 1985. Pages 348-351. I will always remember the great white wines of Grai and the ones I drank with Sheldon and his wife Pauline will always be special.
we tasted his Cabernet that day at Le Cirque, if I remember correctly.
When Tracie P and I tasted at Giacosa, Giorgio Lavagna talked a lot about what an interesting personage Grai is and how his tutelage has been so important to so many younger winemakers in Italy. So glad you introduced me to him that day!
Always a pleasure!
Jeremy,
Georgio Grai made one of the greatest wines I have ever tasted. It was a 1961 Pinot Bianco. Better than just about any white Burgundy I have tasted,a 100 point wine. Complex, rich, and complete. The late, great Andre Tchelitscheff, when tasting this wine in Gerorgio’s presence, knelt down in front of him and bowed.
One sad note: Georgio’s wife died of breast cancer at the age of 39, leaving behind twoyoung children.
@Ed thanks so much for the comment. What a moment that must have been when Tchelitscheff knelt before him!!!
One of these days, I need to interview you (and Charles) so I can document some of these great anecdotes.