Above: Gabriele Gorelli tasting in Chablis (image via his Facebook).

Last week, the Institute of the Masters of Wine announced the names of its 10 newest members, including Gabriele Gorelli (above), the first Italian Master of Wine.

The qualification was conferred after Gabriele presented his thesis on “Quercetin precipitation in Brunello di Montalcino. What are the organic fining options to prevent this phenomenon occurring in bottle?” (Quercetin is a flavanol that can cause wine to become hazy when it takes solid form.)

Born and bred in Montalcino, Gabriele comes from a family steeped in grape-growing, winemaking, and the culture of wine.

He is also the co-founder of one of Italy’s highest-profile marketing and branding firms whose clients include some of Italy’s top wineries.

According to his biography on the institute’s website, he also has his own wine- and restaurant-focused marketing consulting company.

The fact that Italy has its first Master of Wine is not insignificant. Many wine industry observers and trade members have lamented the under-representation of Italian wines and wineries in the curricula adopted by institutional wine educators. It’s no secret that Italy is often considered — wrongly — to be a second-class citizen in the commonly embraced caste system of international wines.

The fact that he is a favorite son of Montalcino, home to one of Italy’s most highly regarded luxury wine brands, has many Italians cheering for him and his new title.

The news of his qualification was first reported in Italy by WineNews.it.