Gambero Rosso Wine Travel Food n.172 by Gambero Rosso

NEW LIKE FOR SMALL VILLAGES THE FLIGHT OF SIMPLICITY: AN INTERVIEW TO GIANCARLO PERBELLINI

Dreaming in the vineyard

10 not to be missed experiences in Italy

5 >Editorial

Lessons in serenity by Lorenzo Ruggeri 6 >Cover Story

Dreaming in the vineyard

14. New life for small villages by Antonella De Santis

18. Cuddles by water by Francesca Ciancio

26 >Wine

48. Gambero Rosso on the silk road by Marco Sabellico

50. Kazakhstan drinks...Italian by Marco Sabellico

52. The Italian Wines Guide returns to Canada by Marzio Taccetti

56. Worldtour Mumbai by Lorenzo Ruggeri

60 >Food

The flight of simplicity. An interview to Giancarlo Perbellini by Lorenzo Ruggeri

Spring Schiava by Raffaele Nosca

32. Stubbornly Classic. San Leonardo: a thrilling vertical tasting by Giuseppe Carrus

36. A great red in the land of contrasts. Duca Enrico di Salaparuta in 8 vintages by Gianni Fabrizio

40. Vermut-Chianti round-trip. Torre a Cona in 6 vintages by Giuseppe Carrus

44. The Vini d'Italia tour also conquers Miami and Washington by Giuseppe Carrus

66 >Travel

Venice in 10 cicchetti by Valentina Marino

Editor Gambero Rosso S.p.A. via Ottavio Gasparri, 13/17 - 00152 Roma +3906551121 - fax 0655112260 gambero@gamberorosso.it

Director Lorenzo Ruggeri

Editor-in-chief

Stefano Polacchi and Sonia Ricci

Editorial team Clara Barra, Mara Nocilla, Marco Sabellico (correspondent)

Translation Eleonora Baldwin

Graphic Project Tina Berenato - TB design

Layout Maria Victoria Santiago, Chiara Buosi

Contributors

Giuseppe Carrus, Francesca Ciancio, Antonella De Santis, Gianni Fabrizio, Valentina Marino, Raffaele Mosca, Marco Sabellico, Mirko Strozzega Marzio Taccetti

Photos and drawings La Raia (cover), Associazione turistica Caldaro al lago Marco Di Donato, Dario Fusaro, Paola Licciardello, Pierpaolo Metelli, Helmuth Rier, Benedetto Tarantino, Francesco Vignali, AdobeStock

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Lessons in Serenity

Lorenzo Ruggeri

The vine has good taste. It doesn’t grow just anywhere, and it doesn’t adapt to everything. It needs exposure, wind, temperature swings. And a lot of love. And it always chooses the most beautiful places in the country. From the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna to the hills of Barolo, from the heroic terraces of the Amalfi Coast to the woods of Umbria, Italy’s wine map is an open-air lesson in landscape, culture, and slowness.

That might be why Stern, the historic German magazine, recently ran the headline: “Italy teaches us serenity.” With postcard images of Rome, of course. But the real lesson - if you want to understand where that Mediterranean sense of peace that seduces half of Europe comes from - isn’t just in the capital. It’s among the vines, where the relationship between humans and nature gains complexity and depth.

Those who wander through vineyards aren’t just after bottles. They’re after stories, silences, gestures. They find winemakers who seem plucked from a Fenoglio novel: gruff and generous, allergic to trends, yet capable of pouring you the meaning of life in a single glass. People who have chosen to live and work outside of time, on ridgelines where cell service drops - but your breath returns.

Italian wine tourism - which we explore this month through ten unforgettable experiences from north to south - isn’t a format. It’s an antidote. To overtourism, to rush, to superficiality. It’s the most sensible - and sensual - way to discover Italy: sleeping in the vineyard, dining by lantern light on products from the farm, tasting wine straight from the barrel, listening to a harvest story while the sky changes color - or a winemaker curses at an unexpected hailstorm.

In the cellar, you learn things no travel guide will ever tell you: that living well isn’t about consuming more, but choosing better. That flavors have roots. That time, when respected, gives back everything. In a world obsessed with speed and spectacle, vineyards offer a rare kind of intimacy. Here, nothing is rushed - neither the seasons nor the conversations. You walk, taste, listen. You learn that nature sets the pace, not the market. And that serenity is not an escape from reality, but a way of being fully present within it.

Wine as a lifestyle is not a slogan. It’s a sentimental education. And Italian wineries, more than destinations, are schools of slowness - where each glass is an invitation to pause, breathe, and smile. A lesson we’d do well to listen to again. And protect with all we’ve got.

Dreaming in the vineyard

Wine tourism is the key to rethinking the identity of wineries: 10 not to be missed experiences in Italy

Before Covid, there was a huge gap between North American and Italian wineries in terms of hospitality. For over 20 years, the former have been offering all kinds of packages, from tasting tours to actual shows among the barrels, including screenings, wellness treatments and suites nestled among the vineyards. The latter started later but are quickly rethinking their idea of hospitality. Today, all over the peninsula, you can enjoy a range of highly original, educational experiences offering pure relaxation and taste. We have chosen 10 very different ones, well distributed throughout the country: they symbolise a renewed sensitivity that places wineries at the centre of a leading tourist offering. Not just hotels, but also different levels of catering,

tailor-made packages and a series of events to fuel tourism not only during the three summer months: this is where the real challenge lies. Because many wine-producing areas are semi-deserted for long periods of the year, only to be overcrowded for a few weeks. Where do we need to work? For too long, given the nature of Italian wine production, hospitality has been managed on a family basis without any real managerial planning. The data reported in Professor Simonetta Pattuglia’s book “Food in Italy” speaks for itself. In 2022, 44% of sites are still difficult to access without a reservation; as many as 63% do not allow online booking, when over 50% would like to purchase wine tourism products through company e-commerce.

Wine tourism in numbers

Despite the shortcomings, the turnover is significant. We refer to the statis-

>Usa-Italy

The gap between the two countries is enormous: for 20 years in the United States, vineyards have been working with wine tourism. In Italy we are starting: and the sector is already growing exponentially

tics provided by the “Report on Italian Food and Wine Tourism” 2025 by Roberta Garibaldi, professor at the University of Bergamo at Vinitaly 2025, presented in Verona. Food and wine tourism in Italy has an impact on the national GDP of over 40 billion euros and is a sector that counts 14.8 million Italian food and wine tourists, or 72% of total Italian tourists, with the number of visitors to production sites rising from 60% in 2021 to 77% today. Forty per cent of Italian tourists say they have visited at least one winery during their most recent trips, compared to 32% in 2024 and 29% in 2021. Among Italian food and wine icons, wine ranks first with 38.1% of preferences, with visits to wineries with wine tasting considered by Italian travellers as the most memorable food and wine experience during their travels (26% of preferences). With this in mind, we offer you 10 places that leave their mark.

Above, Il Borro Facing page, Foresteria Planeta in Menfi (AG) (photos by Paola Licciardello)

La Raja - Rossi Cairo

Gavi (AL)

Between Novi Ligure and Gavi there is a small paradise that makes a still underrated area an exciting destination worth the trip. The Rossi Cairo family estate is set in 180 hectares of vineyards and arable land surrounded by wild pastures and woods of chestnut, acacia and elder. The Rossi Cairo family have restored and enhanced the ecosystem, drawing inspiration from the philosophy and practices of biodynamics. They have restored several 19th-century farmhouses and opened Locanda La Raia, converted from an old post station recovered using the canons of raw earth bio-architecture, a technique typical of the lower Piedmont region. The restaurant’s proposal is signed by chef Tommaso Arrigoni, who creates a dialogue between Piedmontese and Ligurian cuisine. In 2013, the La Raia Foundation was created by Giorgio Rossi Cairo together with gallery owner Irene Crocco: artists, philosophers, landscape architects, photographers and architects live and narrate the spaces of the estate.

Il Borro

Loro Ciuffenna (AR)

Salvatore and Vittoria Ferragamo are the protagonists of this dream that was started in 1993 by their father Ferruccio and that has its roots in the late Middle Ages, with the first evidence of this castle in the most rugged Tuscany named after Alessandro dal Borro. After various vicissitudes, the property passed to Duke Amedeo d’Aosta in the 1950s and then to the family of stylists who still run it today following biodynamic practices and with maniacal attention to the natural environment that hosts this important settlement. Il Borro is a world, a microcosm in the territory of San Giustino, a small town in the municipality of Loro Ciuffenna, which stands on the southern flank of the Alpe di Santa Trinità on the slopes of Pratomagno, along the Setteponti road that connects Reggello to Arezzo. Here, experiences range from wine to cuisine, from trekking to handicrafts and art workshops.

Roccafiore

Todi (PG)

Treat yourself to a break of pure wellbeing in a country hotel, with a spa of excellence, pamper yourself with the luxury of hospitality down to the smallest detail and the pleasures of gourmet cuisine in a refined location surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and hills in the heart of Umbria. This is beauty according to Roccafiore Wine Resort & Spa. Land - according to Leonardo Baccarelli, the soul of this agricultural world - is not just soil: it is inspiration for a development that has beauty as a fixed point, a tangible sign of respect for the community. Making wine the propulsive barycentre of a noble countryside means giving strength to aesthetics with logic, in the conviction that the goodness of the fruit can only arise from the harmony of the place. In nature we trust, says the homepage of the Roccafiore website. And further on, Baccarelli reiterates the philosophy of this little big world: ‘Today, to create wines of excellence, in addition to the indispensable quality of the raw materials, you need vision, innovation and courage. Here we find all three ingredients.

Borgo San Felice

Castelnuovo Berardenga (SI)

We are in a super-diffused hotel with 29 rooms and 30 suites in a fully renovated hamlet in the heart of Chianti Classico. The structure, part of Relais & Chateaux, is enchanting: it retains its old-world charm among loggias and courtyards overlooking the vineyards and the Sienese hills. The company manages 150 hectares at 400 metres above sea level in the San Felice area; then the 14 hectares of Tenuta Campogiovanni in Montacino; and finally 15 hectares in the Maremma of Bolgheri with Tenuta Bell’Aja. Tasting these different wines means getting to know the facet of a region where wine is history, cultural background, identity. The culinary experience, on the other hand, has its peak at the Poggio Rosso restaurant where the flair and talent of chef Juan Quintero offers ‘his’ Tuscany, told with passion and love and with the lightness of his Latin-American soul. An example of this is one of the chef’s representative dishes: wild boar risotto flavoured with Tuscan cypress fruit.

I Cacciagalli

Teano (CE)

The grey tufa walls of Teano and the original chestnut beams are the first calling card of this fascinating 18th-century masseria in the heart of Campania Felix, run biodynamically by Diana Iannaccone and Mario Basco, who have recovered its crops and ruins. Its eight rooms, on the three floors that once housed the granary and agricultural warehouses, enjoy a marvellous view of the vineyards and the garden bathed by the biolago. Today, it represents the path of life that Diana and Mario have courageously embarked on together, driven by the dream of bringing the farm that has belonged to the Iannaccone family for generations back to life: the protection, respect and enhancement of the rich biodiversity in which the masseria is immersed. Not to be missed is the experience at the Humus restaurant, where in the spirit of ‘caught and eaten’ modernity and tradition come together in a land rich in precious ingredients and rich flavours.

(photo by Dario Fusaro)

Cirelli Wines Glamping

Atri (TE)

Between the Gran Sasso and the sea, amidst cultivations, woods and gullies - striking and spectacular geological formations - here one experiences the deep silences and slow rhythms of an Abruzzo suspended in time and space. Here Francesco Cirelli and Michela Palazzo Adriano have given shape to a part of their dreams with a glamping born not long ago in which to breathe in all the best atmosphere of the deepest Abruzzo. The glampingtwo well-kept and tastefully furnished lodge-tents - is reached by passing through vineyards and olive groves in the middle of the gullies of the WWF reserve; two other guest rooms are in the main farm building. The family also offers dinners for guests and wine-making experiences with a visit to the underground amphora room: emotions, sensations and simple but intense tastings, ideal for rediscovering oneself in the flow of nature.

Dattilo – Ceraudo

Strongoli (KR)

We are immersed in the countryside, in the middle of 60 hectares of olive groves and vineyards... and yet you can feel the sea. You can smell it in the morning breeze, breathe it in the summer heat, hear the echo of the surf. Here, in a 17th-century farmhouse in the heart of Calabria, the Ceraudo family cultivates the raw materials that Caterina uses in her restaurant Dattilo and brings one of the most distinguished wine companies from indigenous grapes grown organically since 1990: 25 hectares of vineyards, 37 of olive groves and 3 of citrus orchards and vegetable garden. The place is full of history, in the heart of ancient Enotria (from the Greek oinotron, meaning vineyard pole) where - according to Greek historians - the adventure of wine in Italy began. The rooms, all independent, tell of the simplicity and at the same time the richness of the Calabrian countryside: local ceramics, resin, marble, all played out in the colours of grey, white and dark red like the earth surrounding the estate.

Masseria Amastuola

Crispiano (TA)

The garden vineyard (all organic) designed by Fernando Caruncho is its identity card bringing it into modernity: it is inspired by two ideals, functionality and aesthetics. The espaliers of the vines draw harmonious, parallel waves that follow one another for about 3 km: ‘waves of time that have crossed this place since antiquity’, the great landscape architect defines them. All embraced by 1,500 olive trees, some of which - whose diameter reaches 2.5 metres - are almost a thousand years old. The history of Masseria Amastuola has ancient and deep roots: the first evidence dates back to the 1400s. But it was in 2003 that Amastuola found new life, when it passed into the Kikau Group of the Montanaro family of Massafra. The structure is immersed in the green of woods, fields, olive groves and vineyards. Situated 210 metres above sea level in the area of the 100 masserie of Crispiano, Amastuola is a closed-court masseria with a large courtyard that reveals a suggestive view of the gulf. In this evocative setting.

A mosaic of different shapes and vibrant colours. A positive mood that becomes yours. A new Franciacorta wine.

Miglior Cantina Bio emergente 2024

Eleonora Bianchi

Baglio Sorìa – Firriato Trapani

Salvatore Di Gaetano and his wife Vinzia Novara have projected this beautiful family business into the international empire for the high quality of the labels and for the attention to wine tourism that has brought them to build a reality full of suggestive atmospheres that has in Baglio Soria the heart of hospitality between Etna and the sea. The baton of this vision has passed into the hands of their daughter Irene, who has in her curriculum important experience and studies in wine knowledge management: she is the one who continues the important business action aiming at sustainability and carbon neutrality. On the hillside overlooking the vineyards and olive groves, Baglio Soria offers a 360-degree view: Trapani and its countryside, the western coast of Sicily from the Stagnone to Marsala, all the way to Mount Erice with its medieval village. In the centre of this magnificent vision are the Egadi Islands, with Favignana and Levanzo in the foreground and the island of Marettimo in the background.

La Foresteria – Planeta

Menfi (AG)

Planeta’s wine resort is immersed in the vineyards and olive groves of Menfi, a stone’s throw from the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento: an oasis of peace in the deafening silence of the Sicilian countryside. The Foresteria has 14 rooms with private terraces and sea views: their names are inspired by the botanicals that enrich the resort’s gardens. Indoor terraces and gardens, belonging to the old renovated farmhouse, alternate and have an outlet to an evocative panoramic infinity pool. Wine is the protagonist: you can choose between wine experiences in the atmospheric tasting room or a visit to Ulmo, where the family’s first wine cellar was born between the shores of Lake Arancio and the estate’s 16th-century baglio. A couple of years ago, the marvellous Insula Beach Club also saw the light of day, a lounge by the sea at Menfi, at Lido Fiori: a wild beach with reddish hues where wild vines grow among the dunes, a place of extreme beauty to be experienced from morning until evening.

(foto di Mario Mele)

New life for small villages

Alberghi diffusi (scattered hotels) – which first appeared in the 1970s – are reviving uninhabited villages and boosting the local economy.

by Antonella De Santis

Golferenzo has a few dozen residents, and its historic centre even fewer. It is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy: a handful of stone houses perched on the hillside of the Oltrepò Pavese, full of charm and with few inhabitants. A few years ago, Luigi Brega and Paola Calonghi launched Borgo dei Gatti, a scattered hotel occupying old rural dwellings that have been restored to preserve their most authentic features. Once the doors reopened, the houses soon came alive with guests who encouraged the couple to continue: in 2020, Corte del Lupo opened, a restaurant that reinterprets local products with a contemporary spirit; the following year, it was the turn of La Bottega del Lino, which brought a shop back to the village after 40 years; six months later, the historic restaurant and pizzeria L’Olmo reopened. «The Borgo dei Gatti relais is a major project in the making,» they say. But above all, it is a project of rebirth and respect that is injecting new energy into the area. Not unlike that of Marisa Raggi and Giani

La Bottega del Lino, a new shop that the Borgo dei Gatti has brought to Golferenzo in Oltrepò

local cuisine, all about fermentation and wild herbs) and his wife Ulla. The Biblioteca dei libri, a free bookshop, has reopened yet another disused shop.

Alberghi Diffusi - “scattered hotels”

Cameli, who left Milan in 1975 and went to Portico di Romagna in search of a different lifestyle, with the idea of opening a restaurant and adding a few rooms outside the village. Then they found an old house for sale in the centre and decided to renovate disused dwellings and turn them into accommodation. Today, there are about twenty rooms and less than 300 permanent residents in the village, with a dozen or so involved in the Vecchio Convento (Old Convent) owned by the Cameli family, which over time has also acquired Palazzo Portinari (the very same owned by the family of Beatrice, who has her own super-luxury hotel of the same name in Florence) to better organise the cooking school, which is one of the most popular activities among guests, along with excursions, truffle hunting and Italian courses for foreigners. The restaurant, converted from the old barn and kitchens of the manor house, is now run by Matteo Cameli (who trained at Noma and Frantzén for contemporary

«This is precisely the spirit of “alberghi diffusi”,» explains Giancarlo Dall’Ara, who invented the concept. In the early 1980s, he was a young tourism professional when Leonardo Zanier, a unique figure who was both a poet and a trade unionist, called him to Carnia to change the fortunes of the area affected by the 1976 earthquake. «When I arrived, I found houses that had been rebuilt but were empty, and a community that wanted tourists». Reopening the houses meant bringing life back and creating a new economy in an area at risk of depopulation. «They had the ideas, I had the experience», he says. They quickly defined the concept of a hotel that would develop horizontally, occupying several buildings in close proximity (the current statute stipulates no more than 200 metres between common areas and residential units), and regional regulations followed in quick succession. This created a model for a new form of hospitality based on a specific

Grotte della Civita in Matera, the “twin” of Sextantio’s albergo diffuso in Santo Stefano di Sessanio in Abruzzo

philosophy: that of slow living, which some now call Jomo – Joy of Missing Out – the joy of missing out on something, of escaping the obsessive frenzy of participation and the obligations of a social life that generates stress and a loss of meaning in everyday life. In some ways, it is Columbus’ egg: a return to the relaxed lifestyle of small villages, which meets the need for disconnection. «It is a model designed for small villages», explains Dall’Ara, «where four neighbouring houses can create a community between residents and tourists». Community is one of the key words, along with proximity, sharing, and architectural, cultural and social regeneration.ivisione, recupero architettonico, culturale, sociale.

New life

In scattered hotels, existing buildings are given a new purpose, reopening doors and windows that would otherwise remain closed, thus saving entire communities from extinction. No new buildings, no individual homes rented out on a short-term basis: ‘That’s not what we had in mind,’ he says clearly. The paradigm is that of small villages where everyone knows each other and tourists quickly become familiar with and integrated into the community. It is no coincidence that visitors often prefer to have breakfast with the locals rather than in their rooms (as in the Colazione Diffusa at the hotel in Scicli). The small size allows guests to interact with

the inhabitants (the presence of a lively community and a town centre are essential conditions), intertwining the life and cultural background of the places. Although the services are those of a hotel, the management must be an expression of the local cultural background. Just think of Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita in Matera (twin of the hotel of the same name in Santo Stefano di Sessanio), which has enhanced the Sassi, once a “national disgrace” and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, transforming cave dwellings into exclusive suites, an incredible example of the preservation of minor historical heritage, increasingly attractive for post-Covid tourism (as highlighted by Roberta Garibaldi in the Food and Wine Tourism Report). Small towns also account for 92% of certified products. And this has its own weight: typical food is a very strong lever, even when interpreted creatively, as in the case of D.One, a restaurant in the Montepagano 1137 hotel. It is one of over 60 establishments belonging to the Italian Association of Alberghi Diffusi, founded in 2005 on the initiative of Dall’Ara. A model that, as they say, «has been imitated countless times»

D.One, restaurant of the Montepagano 1137 albergo diffuso in the province of Teramo

Cuddled by water

Holidays in a mill: along rivers and streams, restored buildings offer food, accommodation and experiences

The image of the mill in Italy is now inextricably linked to Barilla’s Mulino Bianco family. Fifty years have passed since the launch of the country’s most famous biscuit and snack brand, and in the late 1980s, a commercial by Giuseppe Tornatore gave physical form to the logo, finding a perfect match in the Mulino delle Pile di Chiusdino, in the province of Siena (which had been up for sale for some time). That image became familiar even to those who had never seen a mill before. Yet Italy is full of them, even if there is no real census. The Italian Association of Friends of Historic Mills (AIAMS) has done a great job of cataloguing just over four hundred water mills (which is only a small fraction of those that were in operation until the 1960s). Most of the structures surveyed by the association are still in operation: some have returned to milling, there are a few sawmills, and there are several museums and educational experiences. Others have transformed these buildings into places of hospitality with restaurants and hotels. ‘The mill was not only an ingenious factory but also a meeting place, an agora, where the miller was a bit like the “philosopher” of the square’. Gabriele Setti, president of Aiams, highlights the social value of the mill, but he does not do so with nostalgia. On the contrary, he is certain of the contribution that these

by Francesca Ciancio

realities can still offer today: «If an ancient structure, even one that is a thousand years old», explains Setti, «continues to produce and welcome people, it means that it is a living, contemporary place, a repository of knowledge deeply linked to a territory». And indeed, from this perspective, the mill’s ecosystem seems to be an important opportunity for ‘intelligent’ tourism, which has nature, silence and slowness at its heart. .

Beneath the Alps

Alessandra Ingenetti is chef and proprietor of the Locanda del Mulino in Valcasotto, a village restored in the Cuneo area by the Beppino Occelli cheese company. The mill, built in the 19th century, was moved from Pamparato to Valcasotto, now known to all as the “village of cheeses” (it is here that Occelli has its cheese ageing rooms). The small square has become the starting point for many outdoor activities: trekking, cycling, winter snowshoeing and visits to the Savoy castle in Valcasotto. Afterwards, you can return to the village to enjoy Alessandra’s dishes: «Corn flour is the basis of many dishes», says the chef, «from polenta to meliga biscuits, to my own invention, the Valcasotto cake: it is made with three types of flour ground here, corn, buckwheat and spelt, and filled with wild blueberry cream». To enjoy the old-world atmosphere of

the stone-roofed houses, you can stay in one of the eight rooms of the inn.

At Molino Maufet, on the other hand, the focus is also on the lake view: a 13th-century structure restored by a couple from Colico, in the province of Como, who were literally enchanted by the place: «We had bought some land a few metres away», explain Claudia and Lorenzo Bettiga, «to build our house, and when we were offered the adjacent ruin, we discovered that it was a mill. From that moment on, we immersed ourselves in the cultural background of the subject, reading books and visiting dozens of mills throughout Italy». All this studio work has brought about the creation of a guesthouse with six modern rooms, but within a well-preserved historical setting. It is a multifaceted sustainable tourism project that includes an eco-museum – also a FAI (Italian National Trust) site – a bread oven that the couple wants to make available to the municipality, and a future micro-hydroelectric power plant that will once again harness the power of water. ‘We are on the Sentiero del Viandante (Wayfarer’s Path),’ says Claudia, ’which has always been dotted with dozens of mills that are gradually coming back into operation.’ Colico is the widest shore of Lake Como and is therefore known for water sports, but there are

The last mill of the Balestrieri family in Bannia di Fiume Veneto, in the province of Pordenone

many other things to do in this area: excursions to Lake Mezzola, the cycle path that leads to Bormio in Valtellina and, to stay on theme, a tour of the mills of Villatico.

Between the Lessini Mountains and Valpolicella, Agostino Sartori had made a pact with the last miller of the Mulino dei Veraghi, promising him that he would not let the place go to ruin. A wine producer with the Terre di Molina winery, he has also reinvented himself as a miller in Molina di Fumane in the province of Verona: «It would be great to get the mill back up and running at full capacity», explains Sartori, «but health regulations complicate the process, so I grind a little flour to make polenta and keep the millstones turning. In 2018, I opened the B&B with five rooms and also focused on glamping, with two tents – one for couples, the other for families – surrounded by greenery and next to the Veraghi spring. We are a stone’s throw from the Parco delle Cascate, with over fifteen spectacular waterfalls».

The Mulino de Renzetti in San Giustino in the province of Perugia: owned by Stefano Piergentili, the last generation of a family of millers

Discover Friuli starting from a mill that has been converted into a hotel and restaurant. This was the desire of the Balestrieri family, who became the owners of a 17th-century building in Bannia di Fiume Veneto, in the province of Pordenone: «Back in the 1980s» says Corinna Balestrieri, «we were interested in slow tourism and a place that was equidistant from the sea, the mountains and cities of art. That’s how L’Ultimo Mulino came about». This charming relais with eight rooms and a restaurant serving traditional cuisine – cjarsons, a typical Friulian stuffed pasta, and tagliatelle with farmyard ragout – is accessed via a

Mill days

The European Mill Days are back on 17 and 18 May, and to mark the occasion, the Italian Association of Friends of Historic Mills (AIAMS) is organising the 14th edition of Historic Mill Days. The participating mills will open their doors to the public and organise various events, including guided tours, milling demonstrations, cooking classes, lunches and aperitifs. The list of participating mills can be found on the association’s website: aiams.eu

stone bridge: the building stands on a small island surrounded by the River Sile, which still turns the three ancient wheels.

Mills along the Po River

Forty years dedicated to the community of Polesine gathered around a mill. This is the story of Giuseppe Marangoni and Donatella Girotto, a couple of visionary entrepreneurs who fell in love with the Po Delta Park and the Mulino al Pizzon mill in Fratta Polesine, built at the confluence of the Scortico, a tributary of the Adige, and the Canalbianco, a tributary of the Po. The mill has been converted into an eco-museum and is a place of great vitality: «Here you can sleep in one of the six rooms in what was once the miller’s house», says Donatella, «and eat in our restaurant. In essence, we are building the present and future of this area. In fact, we have set up a shipyard for repairing river boats called Squero, there is a landing place for boats and canoes on the Scortico canal, while on the Canalbianco there is a landing place for boats that travel along the Mantua-Venice waterway».

The Tidone stream also flows into the Po and is the waterway that gives its name to the valley of the same name. Here, in the Piacenza area, is the Mulino del Lentino in Nibbiano: «It is also one of the rare examples of a fortified mill», says owner Stefano Borghi, «because it was used to collect tolls and warn of the arrival of enemies. We have five apartments, which are managed by my daughter Sara. Our clientele consists mainly of walkers. The village is located at the crossroads of several historic routes, from the Via Francigena to the Via degli Abati, from the Via dei Celti to the Via del Mare, which connects the Po Valley to the Ligurian Sea».

In the Bolognese Apennines, Eugenia Pesci and Armando Ballotta chose a mill as their home and, to share the beauty of a place they love, they renovated two adjacent apartments and turned them into B&Bs. We are in Rocca Pitigliana and the mill takes its name from the village. Still bathed by the waters of the Marano stream, the structure dates back to the mid16th century. The common thread running through the landscape is undoubtedly water: «You can hear the sound of the stream flowing», says Eugenia, «the swimming pool is made from the water collection tank that was used to move the millstones, and the stone wash house has been converted into a nymphaeum».

The ways of water

Nine uninterrupted centuries of flour. Since the Middle Ages, the Mulino dei Renzetti in San Giustino, in the province of Perugia, has never stopped and continues to be a place of production but also of hospitality thanks to three apartments on the upper floor of the

building: «It is a continuity linked to the human factor», explains Stefano Piergentili, the latest generation of the family of millers. «We produce wholemeal flour and also select seeds from the Valtiberina. We have a shop selling pasta and courses on how to make bread and pizza».

Nestled at the confluence of the Salice and Frido rivers, the Mulino Iannarelli is in the heart of the Pollino National Park, on the Lucanian side. Formerly owned by a prince and then a military officer, today the structure has a hotel and restaurant, all built in stone and wood: eight rooms and a kitchen that speaks the language of the area with lamb, cheese and Carosella wheat flour. «Those who come to us», emphasises the owner, Daniele Conte, «want to relax or enjoy sporting activities thanks to the adventure park in the Magnano woods and the river trek along the Frido. It is worth coming here just to admire the centuries-old Loricato pines, symbol of the park and a UNESCO natural heritage site».

A quiet evening in front of the fireplace is what Gerardo De Maffutiis promises in the 17th-century mill that bears his name. Auletta is a small village alongside the Tanagro River. We are in another park, the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. A single B&B apartment has preserved the stone millstone in the fireplace room. The tranquillity is absolute, but if you want to explore the surrounding area, there is plenty to do: «The Certosa di Padula is just 40 kilometres away», says Gerardo, «the Pertosa Caves are less than ten minutes away, and if you prefer the sea, you can head to Paestum for a swim and a visit to the archaeological excavations».

The Ragusa plateau in Sicily is marked by deep canyons where water has never been scarce, even in recent years of drought, and it is not unusual to find a valley of mills here. There were nine along the Santa Domenica stream: the Mulino della Timpa was the first to be restored by a private individual. Today, it is part of a farm that produces both flour and extra virgin olive oil. A few weeks ago, the first B&B apartment was inaugurated, and the second will arrive by the end of the year. After the long restoration, the owner, Annalisa Di Benedetto, also tried to restore the milling activity, but the need to capitalise on the investment convinced her to turn to tourism: «We have brought Sicilian arts and crafts to the estate with hands-on experiences: there are master cartwrights who teach decoration, a tarantella dance troupe, a cheese maker who prepares ricotta, and ladies who weave baskets. We also have a room for cooking classes where we use our own flour. We continue to make it for internal use, about 40 kilos a day, two or three days a month».

Molino Maufet in Colico in the province of Como: an eco-sustainable tourism project

VACATIONING IN MILLS

Locanda del Mulino

PamParato (CN) – fraz. Borgo di ValCasotto Via saNta liBera, 13 – 0174 351 007 –loCaNdadelmuliNo it

Molino Maufet ColiCo (lC) – fraz. VillatiCo – Via foNtaNedo, 33 366 740 4948 – moliNomaufet Com

L’Ultimo Mulino

fiume VeNeto (PN) – fraz. BaNNia – Via moliNo, 45 0434 957 911 – lultimomuliNo Com

Mulino Pizzon

fratta PolesiNe (ro) – Via PizzoN, 915 347 340 2463 – 393 954 1500 –loCaNdaalPizzoN Com

Mulino Borgo Lentino

NiBBiaNo (PC) – loC leNtiNo 389 467 6243 – muliNodelleNtiNo it

Antico Mulino della Rocca gaggio moNtaNo (Bo) – fraz roCCa PitigliaNa loC. BeNtiNa, 264 335 833 9246 – aNtiComuliNodellaroCCa it

Mulino Medievale dei Renzetti saN giustiNo (Pg) – loC reNzetti 075 858 3023 – 327 704 770 –muliNoreNzetti it

Mulino Iannarelli saN seVeriNo luCaNo (Pz) – fraz mezzaNa saliCe 0973 570 205 – 340 792 8821 –muliNoiaNNarelli Com

Mulino De Maffutiis

auletta (sa) – C da PoNte – s da ProV le ex statale 94 335 181 7431 – gedemaff@gmail Com

La Timpa ragusa – C da moNsoVile 335 655 3960 – 339 411 4236 –latimPatemPoeNatura it

Smeraldina, pure Sardinia

Smeraldina, the name already says a lot. All of us, when we hear the name or see an emerald, we immediately think two things. First of all, a precious stone. One of the most precious gems in the world, endowed with that unmistakable green colour. The other thing is, precisely, its colour, which is why it is called emerald green. Emerald conveys just that. A precious, pure, natural water. A high quality water not only for its organoleptic characteristics but above all for its purity values. A purity that the granites of the Monti di Deu, dating back some three million years, give us.

Gallura, where everything is born

We are in Gallura, in the north-east of Sardinia. One of the many sub-regions of the island that enjoys a unique microclimate and environment. Granite rocks alternate with Mediterranean scrub and, from time to time, there are olive groves, vineyards and pastures. From the inland areas, you reach the sea, in an indented and therefore varied, unique stretch of coastline. Small inlets, coves, tiny beaches, lots of rocks, reefs and a

sea that clearly recalls the colour already mentioned, emerald.

It was in this veritable paradise on earth that Smeraldina was born, a good forty years ago. It was the year 1985 when the brand was first imprinted on a bottle. We owe its creation to Giovanni Maria Solinas, the founder, who, thanks to his vision and entrepreneurial skills, gave life to a water that we can drink today in Sardinia, in Italy, in the world.

Its source is about 300 metres deep, in a unique granite vein, and it is bottled directly. This is what guarantees its purity and naturalness, implemented thanks to a state-of-the-art automated system.

The guarantee that the bottled water reaches consumers intact, guaranteeing the characteristics we find at the source, is provided by more than one hundred daily checks carried out in the company’s internal laboratory. All this has led to several international certifications, such as ISO:9001 (System Quality), ISO:14001 (Environmental Quality), ISO:45001 (Safety) and the FDA Certificate of Excellence for the USA, BRC and Kosher. But all this would not be possible without the natural “filter” par excellence of the granite

stone of the Deu Mountains. This is why, we can say without fear of being contradicted, that Smeraldina is a water that best expresses the territory, just as it does with great wines.

Another strength: sustainability

Smeraldina water is available in several formats, made using Pet, glass and tetrapak. For each of these there is a strong thought linked to sustainability and respect for the environment, so much so that the company is an ambassador of the Ethical Packaging Charter, for the attention it has always paid to the choice of sustainable materials. Let’s start with Pet. Between 2023 and 2024, Smeraldina, together with the benefit company Alberea, has planted 859 trees to offset the co2 emissions released into the environment to produce Pet in the year 2021. In addition, a major investment was made in glass, both with the bottling of the half-litre format, but above all with a solid campaign on returnable glass involving the entire catering industry. In addition to Pet and glass Smeraldina is also Tetrapak: a fully recyclable half-litre pack. All this is now appreciated in Italy and worldwide. In fact, the company, not so much out of a spirit of competition but to test itself, has opened up to international markets. In 2005, the Smeraldina Corporation was founded in New York, giving rise to distribution in America and several other countries.

Acqua Smeraldina partners with Gambero Rosso International

From February 2025 to January 2026, Smeraldina water will be the main sponsor of the Gambero Rosso international tour, thanks to which, through the Tre Bicchieri, Top Italian Wines Road Show and Vini d’Italia tours, the best Italian wines, those reviewed in the Vini d’Italia Guide, will be presented and promoted in more than thirty stops around the world. Following this agreement, we report the words of the President of Gambero Rosso Spa Paolo Cuccia: “This collaboration confirms our historic and constant commitment to make known and strengthen the value and quality of local products to our readers and our public, especially the particularly demanding target of our international events. These carefully selected products represent the excellence of the territory, such as Smeraldina Water bottled, packaged and distributed with full respect for resources and the environment”.

All this is leading Smeraldina to become the absolute protagonist of an important international expansion: after arriving in the United States, Monti di Deu water can be found on the tables of the best restaurants in Spain, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, France, Malta, Japan, South Korea, Australia and many other countries. An achievement made possible by the excellence of the product and a strategy that combines innovation, design and a deep connection with the Sardinian territory.

A.L.B. S.p.A. | Loc. Monti di Deu Tempio Pausania (SS) +39 079 631486 acquasmeraldina.it

Smeraldina

wine

Spring Schiava

A journey and tasting tour around Lake Caldaro, home of the South Tyrolean grape variety that is making a comeback thanks to its freshness and tourism

by Raffaele Mosca - photos by Associazione turistica Caldaro al lago

Coming from Bolzano, you cross a narrow valley with steep terraces topped by farmhouses, small churches and medieval manors. A few bends and then the landscape begins to open up, but Lake Caldaro is barely visible until you are a stone’s throw from the shore. It is surrounded by an ocean of vineyards that wind their way down the sloping hillsides. It is the largest lake in the region and the unusual appearance of its surface, which seems to reflect the light, is due to its shallow depth of no more than 5-6 metres. This makes it the warmest

lake in the Alps: in summer, the water temperature can reach 28 degrees. The thermoregulating effect shapes the climate throughout the surrounding area: in the afternoon, a breeze similar to the Ora del Garda rises, creating a microclimate that is less torrid than that of the nearby Bolzano basin.

Amid woods and streams

The climate is an essential element for viticulture, but this is only one of the many attractions that have made the village one of South Tyrol’s main

tourist destinations, with an average of 700,000 visitors per year. Even teetotalers won’t get bored with mountain biking, walks along forest trails nestled between the mountains, trekking at 1,400 metres above sea level on the Mendola Pass, which is connected to the valley by one of the steepest and most picturesque chairlifts in the region. There are also excursions along streams and waterfalls in the Rastenbach gorges, swimming and canoeing, concerts on the shores of the lake in summer, spas and wellness centres in panoramic locations that blend Italian and Central European design, and both traditional and creative cuisine. Yet without these old pergolas with their twisted branches - a drop of red wine in an increasingly white wine-producing area - the place would not have nearly the same charm.

A melting pot of winemakers

While wine sparked the tourism boom, today it is the influx of visitors that

The stone wine cellar at Tenuta Dominikus in Caldaro photo by Mirko Strozzega)

shapes production in the municipality of Caldaro and its surroundings, creating a buzz of tiny winemakers – sometimes almost garage winemakers – that is not found in many other areas of this region. Not that there are no wine giants here: after merging with Erste + Neue in 2016, Cantina Kaltern (the Caldaro cooperative) became the largest in South Tyrol and manages more than half of the municipality’s 700 hectares of vineyards, accounting for around 14% of the region’s total area.

«Tourism has encouraged many winemakers to set up their own businesses, relying on direct sales», explains Sarah Filippi, head of the Wein.Kaltern association, which brings together producers in the area: 26 members, two-thirds of whom cultivate less than 10 hectares. The share of organic and biodynamic producers exceeds 30%. They all offer many different labels, including whites and sparkling wines, but the common thread is always Kalterersee Klassisch or Classico (Lago di Caldaro classico in Italian), a red wine made from Schiava (Vernatsch) grapes, light by definition and extremely popular in the area and in German-speaking countries until the mid-1980s. The Schiava grape

variety paid dearly for the success of heavy, muscular wines in the following decades, losing ground to white and red wines made from Bordeaux grapes. Today, however, it has all the right credentials to make a comeback, but it is struggling to resist a trend that, at regional level, has brought about the uprooting of hundreds of hectares of Schiava in just a few years. «It is a very fragile grape variety with thin skins: it needs places that are neither too cold nor too hot. It is right to replace it with other grape varieties where it is not suited», explains Thomas Scarzuola, oenologist at Cantina Kaltern.

While Schiava produces pleasant wines in many parts of South Tyrol, Caldaro and the eight neighbouring municipalities that fall within the Classico designation for Kalterersee –distinct from the generic Caldaro DOC, which covers an overly large area –are where it most frequently succeeds in overcoming the stereotype of an extremely light red, to be sipped carefree at vineyard picnics. ‘Subtraction’ does not necessarily mean banality: the delicacy of the tannins is an asset at a time when anything too astringent is problematic with increasingly light cuisine. The obstacle may

The Schiava vineyards overlooking Lake Caldaro (photo by Helmuth Rier)

be its tendency towards low acidity, which can cause a certain flatness of taste. However, producers manage to overcome this problem by harvesting early, selecting carefully or planting the vine in higher positions. While in the past, the areas at the same level as the lake – i.e. 200-300 metres above sea level – were considered the best, today great results are also obtained by growing the vine between 400 and 500 metres, above which it still struggles to ripen.

A question of pairings

Lightness is synonymous with versatility at the table. Its gentle acidity and almost imperceptible tannins make Kalterersee suitable for many dishes, even vegetable-based ones, which other reds struggle to pair with: from simple spaghetti with fresh tomatoes to risotto with asparagus, as well as various dishes with sour cream and horseradish

typical of South Tyrolean cuisine. It also works well as an alternative to white wine with hearty fish dishes, especially when served at 14-16 degrees.

The traditional pairing in Caldaro, however, is with Kalterer plent, a local polenta made with corn grown in the fields south of the lake and usually served with sausages, speck and gorgonzola. The fresher, less fatty Kalterersee wines also go well with the traditional version, which is very rich, but local restaurants tend to offer a lighter or revisited version of the dish, for example with mushrooms or vegetables, or in the form of canederli (dumplings) or chips.

Eating in Caldaro and surroundings

The Wein.Kaltern association does not only bring together winegrowers: it also includes various artisans, including a butcher who uses Kalterersee to flavour his

salami. Then there are the restaurateurs, who are often also wine producers (or vice versa). For example, the Ritterhof winery has a restaurant with a view of the lake that serves revisited South Tyrolean dishes, with a focus on local products such as freshwater fish and wild asparagus. In the centre of Caldaro, Spuntloch occupies the historic premises of the Peter Sölva company; it offers both vegetarian cuisine and a large fridge from which to choose South Tyrolean meats to cook on the lava stone grill. The wine bar at Castel Sallegg serves simple dishes and aperitifs with platters and tapas. Outside the cellars, Seehofkeller has a beautiful terrace overlooking the lake and an indoor dining room converted from an old wine cellar. The menu includes stuffed pasta, canederli (dumplings), venison goulash, but also some proposals from outside the area and seafood. A few kilometres north of Caldaro, in the village of Appiano on the wine route, chef Herbert Hintner is one of the pioneers of zero-kilometre cuisine in the region. He runs two establishments: the fine dining restaurant Zur Rose, which has a Michelin star and two forks in the 2025 Italian restaurant guide, and

the Osteria Plantzegg on the market square, where he serves simpler dishes that combine South Tyrolean and Mediterranean ingredients.

Not just young wines

Producers are divided on the ageing of Kalterersee: some think it is at its best just after release, while others argue that it improves with bottle ageing. The truth lies somewhere in between: of around 20 wines with a few years under their belt tasted alongside the preview wines, none showed any signs of oxidation, but only half were really more interesting than the latest vintage on the market or the 2024 barrel sample. Among these, we would highlight Der Keil 2019 from Manincor, Plantaditsch 2021 from Klosterhof and Vigna Bischofsleiten 2021 from Castel Sallegg: more capable than the others of shaking off their vinous exuberance without losing freshness and gaining something in aromatic definition. They would probably also lend themselves to more challenging pairings... but they worked very well with a slice of wine salami on bread and a view of the vineyards around the lake at dusk.

The wine cellar at Cantina Puntay (photo by Mirko Strozzega)

Schiava 8 shades of Caldaro

>Kalterersee Classico Plantaditsch 2022 94

Klosterhof

From vines aged between 25 and 85 years old, vinified with a small percentage of whole bunches, it offers captivating aromas of wild strawberry, rose water and a hint of oriental spices. The stalk and carbonic maceration sculpt a sip of rare persuasiveness and freshness, with juicy fruit at the centre and a vibrant finish that invites you to take another sip. Try it blind in a Pinot Noir tasting to be pleasantly surprised.

>Kalterersee Classico Superiore Leitn 2023 92

Thomas Unterhofer

Very few bottles are produced of this original wine, which is haematological at first, then balsamic and peppery, perfectly evocative of the high altitude (450-500 metres) of the vineyards from which it comes. Light, slender, with a very refreshing acidity and a salty vein that lengthens the finish and makes it easy to pair with rich, fatty dishes.

>Kalterersee Classico Superiore Quintessenz 2023 92

Kaltern

From vineyards ranging in age from 40 to 100 years old, the selection made by the region’s largest cooperative winery focuses on elegance, with floral, balsamic and freshly picked blackberry aromas. Soft and relatively light, it pairs well with both freshwater and saltwater fish.

>Kalterersee Classico Peterleiten 2023

Peter Sölva

A dark profile of chinotto, blackberries and spices is followed by an above-average mouthfeel in terms of incisiveness and structure, with a slight tannic perception that gives depth and peppery returns that enliven the precise finish. Roast chicken or tagliatelle with speck and cheese.

>Kalterersee Classico Superiore Vigna Bischofslaiten 2024 90

Castel Sallegg

Due to be released in autumn 2025, the preview version of this wine from one of the area’s most historic private wineries has a simple, appealing nose of strawberry and red flowers, followed by a soft, composed palate with a precise, smooth finish. Soups and tomato-based pasta dishes.

>Kalterersee Classico Arthur Rainer 2023

Seeperle

Currants, peony, aniseed and a few wild brushstrokes define a surprisingly complex nose. The palate has more body than others, but also good freshness and a slight hint of tannin that helps it pair well with classic South Tyrolean dishes, polenta in particular. The 2022 tasted on its own shows that it also evolves very well.

>Kalterersee Der Keil 2024

Manincor

Currently being released, it undergoes brief ageing in large barrels and has a classic nose of liquorice, herbs and geranium. With its acidity and almost herbaceous freshness at this stage, the 2019 vintage tasted immediately afterwards shows that in a few years’ time it will settle down and gain a little more volume, becoming a gastronomic passe-partout.

>Kalterersee Classico Prey 2024

Oberpreyhof

Wild currants, pepper and herbs make up a simple but particularly refined bouquet. It is light, immediate and highly enjoyable in its simplicity, with a citrus and salty finish that evokes the image of vineyards above 400 metres above sea level. It passed the test of pairing with Kalterersee salami with flying colours.

Stubbornly Classic

San Leonardo is an example of how the concept of ‘classicism’ can also be applied to the future

by Giuseppe Carrus

«The land is the soul of our craft», Marquis Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga likes to say. His son Anselmo, who took over the reins of the company in 2012, adds that it also has a soul: «What makes San Leonardo unique are the people who have lived here for generations and lovingly care for this land». That’s right, the individuals. The people who meet in San Leonardo today, just as they did yesterday, and who, thanks to the strength of the surrounding area, convey energy, pride and positivity. The village of San Leonardo is located at an altitude of 120 metres, within an estate of about 300 hectares facing Monte Baldo. This is today. But the company has deep roots: documents show that San Leonardo has been producing and selling wine for 300 years, since 1724.

Yesterday

In 1978, Marquis Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga had an intuition and a vision that proved to be more than accurate. The idea was to produce a great red wine in San Leonardo, in Vallagarina in southern Trentino, which would write a new chapter in Italian winemaking. Merlot and the rarer Carmenère (mistaken at the time for Cabernet Franc) had already been planted in these areas since the late 19th century. Cabernet Sauvignon was added to these two varieties, giving rise, thanks to the 1982 harvest, to the first vintage of San Leonardo. After more than forty harvests, things have not changed and that wine has remained true to itself, above all true to the land where the grapes grow and bear fruit.

Today

Carlo and Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga, father and son. In the opening, the 300th anniversary celebrations at Villa Gresti

If there is one adjective we are not afraid to use for San Leonardo, it is Classic. If we take one of the many definitions of Classic, we read: ‘the language and artistic taste that a civilisation expresses in a given period and which will remain typical and exemplary of that civilisation, taken as a model and imitated for a long time.’ This is how we see San Leonardo today. Something that has been an example in the past, is an example in the present, but we also see it projected very well into the future, once again as an example to follow. An example that does not come only from mere organoleptic goodness. Here there is a concentration of what we mean by great wine. First of all,

there is a deep respect. A respect for nature and what it gives us. The soils, the plants, the climate. But also respect for the work of men over the centuries. Respect that is reflected in minimal intervention in the cellar, aimed solely at enhancing everything that this magical piece of land has to offer. And then there is drinkability, never excessive alcohol, elegance, a slender and graceful structure, but at the same time character and complexity.

Tomorrow

Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga tells us: «At San Leonardo, we have never changed our vision of wine. Since my father began creating San Leonardo in 1982, we have always stayed the course. We have never bowed too

much to the fads of the moment. The wine of the future is the most classic product that grapes can give us... Without exaggerating with technicalities, but using them where they are necessary and inevitable. We must always remember that wine is the wonderful fruit of cooperation between nature and man. The wine of the future must be a joy to drink. I will never forget when, over dinner with Aubert de Villaine, he said to me: “un grand vin doit enlever la soif” – a great wine must quench your thirst. At San Leonardo, we have always combined the concept of great wine with great drinkability. Excessive concentrations do not bring drinking pleasure. And even if less wine

is consumed today, that does not mean it should only be tasted. We create wines for true enthusiasts, people who enjoy drinking a good glass of wine with a good meal. The wine of the future is simple to understand, but it must offer great emotion. Just as a great piece of music must go straight to the heart without too many explanations».

The Vertical

So, could San Leonardo, with its classic style, be a wine of the future? We are absolutely convinced it can. This conviction comes from tasting older vintages, which confirm what Anselmo told us. Here are our impressions of eight vintages of San Leonardo. We start with 2019, the latest on the market,

by the peaks of the Dolomites

and go all the way back to 1988, the first vintage to be awarded Tre Bicchieri in the early 1990s. But first, a little curiosity about the history of this winery and its Tre Bicchieri awards. Since the first year of publication of Vini d’Italia, San Leonardo has won 25 Tre Bicchieri awards. There have been two “exceptions” over the years: in 2007, Villa Gresti ‘03 took the top spot, while in 2014, Carmenère ’07 climbed to the top of the podium.

The Tenuta San Leonardo Estate in Avio (Trento), overlooked

San Leonardo, a thrilling vertical tasting

>San Leonardo ’19

Elegance, finesse, precision, an authentic and frank character: this is San Leonardo. Despite its youth, its complexity on the nose is textbook, as is its harmony: a sip that is difficult to forget. The aromas are joyful, ranging from fruit to flowers, with a delicate spicy touch and an intriguing undergrowth. The palate is smooth, the tannins caress the palate and there is no lack of freshness. The finish is surprising: the savoury vein pushes towards a very long finish.

>San Leonardo ’16

Compared to 2019, we immediately notice a more intense colour despite the extra years. The same sensation on the nose: a darker bouquet with hints of juniper and black berries that give a background of great complexity among earthy, resinous, almost haematic notes. The palate is powerful, with tannins that are well present but always in harmony with the body. The finish is full of strength and character, which comes from the freshness but above all from the savoury kick.

>San Leonardo ’13

After more than 10 years, the colour is still very bright and lively. Intense on the nose, although it appears to be very closed and tight. It slowly opens up, revealing hints of ripe black fruit, a touch of black pepper and nuances of bark and undergrowth. On the palate, it has a great entry, truly powerful, enveloping and warm. The hard parts still dominate the palate, which is very severe and tight, although the finish is not lacking in savouriness.

>San Leonardo ’11

Deep, bright ruby red: promises excellent ageing potential. The nose is initially reduced with notes of blood, leather and ink. It then opens up to beautiful red fruit that seems fleshy and fresh. Great complexity and character on the palate: powerful and dense with well-present tannins but above all with a pulp linked to the hot vintage. However, the freshness balances the palate, and the sapidity gives depth and harmony.

>San Leonardo ’04

The ruby colour with garnet reflections reveals that it is over twenty years old, but when we put our nose in the glass, we can still sense its vitality. Intense, with a distinct vegetal note (reminiscent of Cabernet wines from northern Italy), it still has hints of red fruit, spices, mint and a touch of truffle. The palate has good structure, the mouthfeel is enveloping and pulpy, and the finish is flavourful, albeit slightly less deep than previous vintages.

>San Leonardo ’00

The ruby colour persists, although garnet hues are clearly evident. Intense and complex on the nose, reminiscent of a great mature Bordeaux, with prominent fruity notes and a refined, complex, elegant hint of green: in short... a marvel! The palate is also harmonious, with perfectly balanced fruit and tannins that lead to a fascinating salty sensation that carries the wine towards a deep finish.

>San Leonardo ’97

The colour is dense and concentrated, and the nose also brings to mind denser, more full-bodied vintages such as 2016 or 2011. It is austere yet refined, with notes of ink, ash, noble resins and tobacco. On the palate, it offers great complexity and character: convincing in structure, with a finish that remains among the most intense and complete, but perfectly harmonised by dense, never aggressive tannins. Masterful freshness and sapidity complete the taste spectrum.

>San Leonardo ’88

This is the first Tre Bicchieri, and we are tasting it again 27 years after harvest. The colour has evolved but is still vibrant, ruby with hints of garnet. The nose has undergone a more marked evolution: metallic notes, but also a magnificent complexity of herbs and tobacco and a hint of undergrowth and cinchona, in a very elegant combination. The palate is still lively thanks to its tannic texture, delicate freshness and slightly savoury finish.

A great red in the land of contrasts

Duca Enrico was born from the foresight of the Sicilian winery that gave birth to some of the most innovative wines on the island

by Gianni Fabrizio

photos by Benedetto Tarantino

Only last year, Duca di Salaparuta celebrated its 200th anniversary, a birthday that rightfully places it among the oldest wineries in Italy. Certainly, these two centuries of history have seen a succession of family, industrial and even political realities at the head of the winery; what has fortunately remained unchanged over the course of the various managements, however, is the desire to carry forward a real image of Sicilian wine and its territories, with all its contrasts. And to follow the wind of innovation that has not yet died down since then.

The origins take us back to the Alliata family, one of the oldest of the Sicilian aristocracy, and more precisely to Giuseppe Alliata VII Prince of Villafranca and VII Duke of Salaparuta: having abandoned his political ambitions, Giuseppe decided to devote himself to the family property, including the lands brought as a dowry by his wife Agata La Grua, descendant of the Princes of Valguarnera. After a few years, Alliata decided to bottle a white and a red that stood out for their elegance among the Sicilian production of the time. His passion then led him to create the Corvo del Duca di Salaparuta winery in 1824 with vineyards in Casteldaccia, not far from Bagheria and Villa Valguarnera. Passion, intelligence and curiosity, combined with a marked managerial spirit, allowed Edoardo Alliata 10th Prince of Villafranca and 10th Duke of Salaparuta to give the company started by his father a new entrepreneurial dimension. In the wake of his frequent trips to France, he built a wine cellar in the baglio of Casteldaccia, equipping it with the most high-performance French presses of the time and concentrating all the processing phases there. Edward, however, was also a careful winegrower: he understood in advance the dangers of phylloxera and grafted indigenous vines onto American vines taken from beyond the Alps. Thus,

The vineyards and masseria of Tenuta Suor Marchesa, in Riesi (CL), where the Nero d’Avola for Duca Enrico is born

Corvo wines at the end of the 19th century were among the best on the market.

It was then his nephew, the very young Enrico Alliata, who earned the nickname “Lord of Wines”: he led Corvo to be the first Sicilian winery thanks to continuous innovations. With him, the Casteldaccia winery multiplied its products and labels, its wines grew in quality and spread internationally: it supplied foreign embassies and the Holy See, and collected awards and recognition all over the world. And he, Duke Enrico, ranged in his interests from wine to philosophy, so much so that he wrote a Manual of Gastrosofia, a book that pioneered vegetarian and cruelty-free cooking. Enrico Alliata’s worthy daughter was Topazia: painter, writer and gallery owner, she married a Florentine intellectual: Fosco Maraini. From them was born the writer Dacia. In the difficult post-war period, Topazia Alliata tried to revive the fortunes of Corvo: it was she who baptised the famous Colomba Platino, a white wine from Inzolia grapes that was very innovative for its time. With Topazia, however, the long link between the

Alliata family and its winery was broken, which in 1961 passed into the hands of the Region of Sicily, which by the end of the 1970s had brought it to produce 7 million bottles a year. But in those years another innovative spirit entered the company: Ezio Rivella, a young Piedmontese oenologist who understood the potential of the winery and the island’s wines.

In the early 1980s it was Franco Giacosa who led the company: it was he who was charged with creating a new red rich in personality capable of competing with the sacred monsters of world oenology. It was an arduous task, but he, as courageous and stubborn as the Alliata family, began to experiment and in a few years gave birth to the new red. At that time, there were no more vineyards and Giacosa did not ask suppliers to plant international grapes, but focused on autochthonous grapes and sought out the most suitable grapes and vineyards: an innovative and experimental project that required a lot of work and the help of many collaborators. Once again, the Duca di Salaparuta confirmed its modernity

and innovative spirit by supporting the oenologist in the myriad selections and microvinifications necessary to reach the objective, and five years later (and after 120 experimental vinifications a year using the most varied techniques) the new wine was born: Duca Enrico, in honour of the man who had given the Alliata family’s enterprise its true turning point. In the Sicilian wine scene of the early 1980s, this powerful and refined red wine burst onto the scene: made only from Nero d’Avola grapes, it told the whole story of the character of the island and its people. The 1987 vintage also saw the birth of Bianca di Valguarnera, a complex Insolia vinified in barriques. These were Duca di Salaparuta’s two outstanding wines: they won wide critical and market recognition and are the true starting point of modern Sicilian oenology.

At the end of the 1990s, the situation began to deteriorate. The Region of Sicily decided to sell the Corvo and Duca di Salaparuta brands: the transfer to the Illva group of Saronno, controlled by the Reina family and already owner of the Cantine Florio of Marsala, was formalised in 2001. At that point, the three historic Sicilian wine brands Corvo, Duca di Salaparuta and Florio were united in a single entity, the Duca di Salaparuta Group, which is now the leading private wine group on the island. In order to indissolubly link the group’s most prestigious wines to Sicily, in 2001 the Reina family purchased three different wine estates with strong territorial peculiarities in order to best meet the pedoclimatic requirements of the grape varieties chosen for its labels. Tenuta Risignolo occupies 35 hectares of vineyards in Salemi (Trapani): here,

the grape varieties that express themselves best are Insolia and Grillo. The Zibibbo-based wines are also good. The grapes from which Bianca di Valguarnera is made come from here. The Suor Marchesa Estate occupies 127 hectares, 93 of which are planted with vines at Riesi (Caltanissetta). Nero d’Avola has always found its ideal habitat on these ventilated hills with a good temperature range, and here 52 hectares are dedicated to it, 5.5 of which are cultivated with alberello vines (at 350 metres above sea level): from them comes the famous Duca Enrico, aged for 14-18 months in French oak barriques. The Vajasindi Estate occupies 21 hectares on the northern slope of Etna in Castiglione di Sicilia, in the hamlet of Passopisciaro: here the indigenous Nerello Mascalese and Carricante thrive alongside Pinot Noir.