Cinzia Benzi

I was born in Canelli in 1970.  Although I dearly love the Piemonte Region and the Monferrato area, I have always had the desire to go beyond the region’s borders and explore the world.  I have a passion for reading.  I have always applied myself to learning all that is humanly possible on wine using a spirit of observation.

Bacchus’ nectar is one of my reasons for living.  My father transmitted this overwhelming passion to me.  He was the one who guided me in the makings of such a complex and fascinating product.  My investigation has been precise. I have always tried to add a personal touch, too, by evaluating its appearance and identifying its nuances, often complex just like the passionate personalities of those who produce it, promote it and communicate about it.

I divide my time between Milan, the city that adopted me and allowed me to assess my professional skills, and I’m often at Cesenatico, the small sea town that still strongly supports a quality life-style.  I escape to Romagna where I meet many affectionate friends again.  Canelli is always a sure layover in my continuous moving around.  Since 2020, in fact, it has returned to being the home I share with the love of my life, my husband, Daniele.  We chose my origins, the heart of a medieval village that is a Unesco World Heritage Site, as the place to share the warmth of family and long-time friends who have supported and put up with me.

France is my adopted home, the place where I studied the science of wine most seriously.  At the same time, France is easygoing, always because of friendships.  If our most memorable trips are done with the heart, then my heart preserves unforgettable days during my stay in the Bordelaise area that I have tried to put into words in books.

My having studied psychology is fundamental to what I do today.  I often ask myself what would have happened had I not met up with “wine”.  What would I have become and where would I be today?  In reality, I am a very lucky woman because my passions have been transformed into professions.

The gastronomic galaxy kidnapped me (my innocent “foodie” nature was an accomplice) after I met Paolo Marchi, journalist, creator and curator of Identità Golose, the international cooking and pastry congress. I have been working for Identita Golose for years by now.

Food is therefore an obsession, equal only to wine.  I wrote my first book, “Moreno Cedroni”, published by Giunti, in 2011 as a consequence of this passion.  I’m attached to this book because it was shared with a fantastic team – the photographers, Francesca Brambilla and Serena Serrani – and the same Cedroni family who became unique friends.

We wrote “Sushi più che mai” (“Sushi more than ever”) in 2014 with the same chef and editor.  The book is enhanced by Gianluca Biscalchin’s highly imaginative illustrations.

Two years before I had co-authored “Sauternes. Viaggio alla scoperto di un vino dolce leggendario” (Sauternes.The discovery of a legendary sweet wine) for Gribaudo-Feltrinelli.

The year 2017 is, instead, the year for “Vino: femminile, plurale”(“Wine – feminine, plural “), once again published by Giunti in its Piatto Forte book series.  Fourteen important female Italian and French wine producers are interviewed.  They narrate stories regarding both their private and professional lives.

Giunti published “Cedroni: il pensiero creativo che ha cambiato la cucina italiana” (“Cedroni – creativity that changed Italian Cuisine”) in 2019.  This volume narrates the past and present of the chef from Senigallia, his philosophy of research and the new future of his cooking.

I regularly collaborate on Identità Golose’s web site with articles and a file sheet for the Guida Identità Golose.

I love cooking and I like to dare unusual combinations with wines, obviously, with wines I enjoy.  I collect fountain pens and often write at night with jazz in the background to keep me company.