American Launches Multimedia Project to Help Save Italy’s Historic Vineyards on Kickstarter.com, Appeals to Global Wine Lovers

Colorado Springs, CO, March 22, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Michael Loos, an American art director and photographer, born in Dayton, Ohio, living in Italy for the past 23 years, has created a multimedia project called “20 MONDI” to help save Italy’s autochthonal (indigenous) winemaking grapes. Launched on Kickstarter.com, the largest social funding platform for creative projects, 20 MONDI invites global wine lovers, and anyone interested in preserving Italian regional diversity, to pledge a donation to support its efforts.

20 MONDI is a multimedia, 10,000-mile journey through Italy’s “20 worlds” (or regions) of Italian wine culture. “I believe one of the best ways to get to know Italy is through a glass of good local wine and the conversation it starts with the local people. It is a genuine way to get to know the land, the food and the folk,” says Michael. To share his experiences and stories about life in Italy, its culture, and its distinctive wines, Michael created the 20 MONDI project to share his preservation passion with a network of curious followers.

Michael and his team will travel to all 20 regions of Italy in a wine-colored camper (the team’s mobile office, video production studio and home for two years) in search of authentic artisanal wines. Michael will engage the people who craft these unique wines, talk to them, eat and drink with them, listen to their stories and share these experiences with supporters and followers of 20 MONDI.

Italy has over 600 autochthonal grapes. The term “autochthonal” means indigenous and refers to grapes known to have originated or been cultivated in Italy for hundreds or even thousands of years. Many of these are the stars of some of the world’s most delicious and renowned wines. Unfortunately, many of these grapes and wines are on the verge of losing their identities, and even extinction. 20 MONDI’s objective is to shed light on, educate, and preserve and support the Italian alternatives to the ubiquitous international varietals like cabernet, merlot, and chardonnay.

Among Italy’s autochthonal grapes used to make world class wines are: Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Arneis, Corvino, Prosecco, Aglianico, Trebbiano, Croatina, Fiano, Sagrantino. These represent less than two per cent of grapes currently cultivated in Italy.

Kickstarter.com is a crowd funding website for creative projects ranging from indie films and music productions to journalism, solar energy, environmental technology and food-related projects. More than a million people have pledged over $125 million USD to these projects since 2008.

The 20 MONDI project (www.20mondi.com) explores Italian cultural and enological diversity from the point of view of an American from Ohio. Michael Loos has been living and working in Italy for 23 years, and has become fascinated with the variety of Italy’s people, landscapes, cuisine and of course, wine.