Gambero Rosso Wine Travel Food n.163 by Gambero Rosso

Wine Travel Food

Year 25 ∙ number 163 november-december 2023 gamberorosso.it

ITALY VS

FRANCE

the bubble derby

Wine Travel Food

Year 25 ∙ number 163 november-december 2023 gamberorosso.it

ITALY VS

FRANCE

the bubble derby

106 >Wine

What are we looking for in the glass?

“Le vin c’est moi”

>Editorial and column by Lorenzo Ruggeri

93 . We're fried by Beppe Monelli

6 >Cover Story

Truffles vs. Barolo, the strange war in Alba

48 . Michel Rolland by Marco Sabellico

56 . World Tour Asia by Marco Sabellico

66 . China is back on track, and at full force! by Marco Sabellico

by Marco Drago

16. >Chrystmas Special 17

That dish teetering between war and peace by Sonia Ricci

22 . The best sparkling wines under 20 euros

26 . Champagnes that bewitched us by Giuseppe Carrus and Lorenzo Ruggeri

32 . 38 Italian must-try bubbles 40 . Recipes. Peppe Guida by Peppe Guida

74 >Food

75 . The Revenge of Vecchia Milano by Maurizio Bertera

82 . For 7 days, the world gets a taste of Italy by Marzio Taccetti

Editor Gambero Rosso S.p.A. via Ottavio Gasparri, 13/17 - 00152 Roma +3906551121 - fax 0655112260 gambero@gamberorosso.it Director Marco Mensurati Senior Editor Lorenzo Ruggeri Translation Eleonora Baldwin Graphic Project Tina Berenato - TB design Layout Maria Victoria Santiago, Chiara Buosi Contributors Maurizio Bertera, Marco Drago, Giuseppe Carrus, Peppe Guida, Beppe Monelli, Stefano Polacchi, Sonia Ricci, Marco Sabellico, Marzio Taccetti, William Pregentelli Photos and drawings Africa Studio - Adobe Stock, Alessandra Farinelli, Freepik, Bruno Murialdo, Michela Rossi (sonno), Unsplash Copyright © 2023 Gambero Rosso S.p.A. All rights reserved. Administration via Ottavio Gasparri, 13/17 - 00152 Roma Advertising Class Pubblicità S.p.A. via Marco Burigozzo, 5 - 20122 Milano +390258219522 - e-mail: kanchieri@class.it Gambero Rosso is a Registered Trademark Copyright by GAMBERO ROSSO S.P.A. 2023

How to find us via Ottavio Gasparri, 13/17 00152 Roma +3906551121 gambero@gamberorosso.it www.gamberorosso.it filgamberorosso $gambero_rosso

The world of drinkers is split in half Lorenzo Ruggeri «Have you noticed, yes / That all this calculated risk /

Takes away the taste even from chocolate», sings the Italian

singer-songwriter Brunori Sas in one of his most intimate songs, “La verità” (The Truth). We listened to the voice of the Calabria native singer in the company of a friend, a serial wine taster, and two bottles of wine. He played it safe, bringing a bottle of Dom Pérignon 2010, that yellow label that makes millions of drinkers dream all over the world, the latest unofficial estimate (the maison does not release this type of information) speaks of a production of 5 million bottles only for the cuvée inspired by the famous Benedictine monk. Yours truly places on the table a bottle of Cuvée Irizée Meunier 2013 by Regis Poissinet, a parcel product in the Marne Valley, bottled in 1702 specimens. We had fallen in love with his Rosé, and we try our luck with one of his rarest labels. We taste David first, leaving Goliath the task of closing the evening. The Meunier (disgorged in 2017) appears very mature in its tones of apple, helichrysum, and tamarind. The mouth is dense, pulpy, richly spiced with white pepper and sandalwood. A bit soft and static, it confirms that the variety does not age with the same grace as a Serralunga Barolo. The finish is short and leaves a curious note of carob and rhubarb. We go back two or three times in the glass to try to understand it. The person writing this almost feels ashamed to admit that he paid over 100 euros for it, but the perlage also lacks compactness, and the acidity is a memory. His drinking companion smiles and uncorks the Dom. The fresh vintage gives a nose even more fragrant than usual, after the citrus peel, there is the classic note of sponge cake, white chocolate, and coffee. The mouth is incredibly precise, velvety, the tasty red fruit, a round of sweet spices accompanies the drink well supported by a great acidic thrust. Everything is in its place. Everything is perfect. Without a doubt, one of the best bottles of Dom Pérignon tasted in recent years. We both agree: there is no match. The Poissinet bottle remains half empty, the Dom evaporates. In short, the world is divided into two types of drinkers. There are those who seek confirmation, cuddling, certainty, and those who uncork to feed doubt, to take risks, for the taste of unpredictability. Here, disappointment is part of the experience, it is also a calculated risk. In the first case, one looks for the safe bottle, the brand, the big producer; in the second, the small producer, the artisan, praying for the slight imperfection capable of opening another world. These are two types of drinking, two types of people. Occasionally, they meet. In this issue, we had fun talking about these differences, immersing ourselves in Champagne and in all the Italian territories where we found fertile ground. It’s our way of wishing you happy holidays.

Truffles vs. Barolo, We spent a day in Langhe with the trifulau and discovered their secrets "Going out at night and stalking the elders The enemy? The vineyard invasion. The product is good even if it comes from outside" by Marco Drago photo by Bruno Murialdo

the strange war in Alba Stefano Pio turns towards the valley floor of Canale, the capital of Roero, and says, «Today is sklinto, you can see the mountains.» It might seem like good news (sklinto is an untranslatable Piemonte term that roughly means ‘clear’), but it’s not. It’s 24 degrees in the middle of autumn, and searching for truffles in the absence of humidity, mist, temperatures appropriate for the season, breath that looks like smoke when you speak, can be frustrating. The environmental conditions of this 2023 haven’t been favourable for the Piemonte truffle hunters, the seekers of white nuggets priced at 500 euros per 100 grams. Little snow in winter, little rain in spring: it’s hard to find them. And, indeed, it can be frustrating. But not for the big dog Kyra; she runs and sniffs, sniffs and runs, for her, it’s a game, her favourite game, for Stefano, 33 years old, it’s a job. «From October to December, I only do this, I go looking for truffles. Every day I go around my ten or twelve places, and I go every day because if today I haven’t found anything in one place, I might find something tomorrow; with truffles, you have to seize the moment.» The same thing was told

to me a few hours earlier by Antonio De Giacomi, an authority on the matter. He showed me the 500 square metres of the newly born and remarkable MUDET (Museum of Truffles) in Alba, and he also paraphrased Horace. «When the dogs smell

truffles, it means it’s the right time to extract them. Just two days of delay, and you can find them rotten or full of insects. The whole truffle business is a matter of balance, a very delicate balance.»

Stefano, the trifulau (truffle hunter), observes Kyra, encourages her not to get distracted («Female dogs get much less distracted than males. Now I have a male and a female, but from now on, I only want to have females»). Kyra seems to ride up the

forest slope, among walnut trees, hazelnut trees, oaks, and shrubs, puts her nose to the ground, and at a certain point starts to dig with her front paws, then comes back to Stefano, as if to call him, and returns to the same spot as before. «It’s there,» says Stefano.

Head in the dirt We crouch down where Kyra insists on pointing, Stefano pulls out the sapìn (the truffle tool), and explains to me: «First, we start digging with our hands. As long as the soil is soft and comes off well, we continue like this, then we use this tool, but we have to be very careful; I once broke a truffle weighing four hundred grams into nine pieces. And if you can sell a whole truffle of that weight for two thousand euros, nine pieces weighing the same, you sell for less than half.»

Extraction can sometimes take an hour; the truffle is never too deep but hides well, you have to go by

trial and error, taking handfuls of soil and sniffing them, like dogs. Luckily for us, after not even five minutes, Stefano points to a piece of soil and says to me, «There she is.» He uses the feminine because he means, the truffle. I don’t see it. He says, «Smell.» I put my head into the small hole dug by Stefano, and indeed, what looked like a brownish clump of soil has a strong truffle smell. With care, Stefano leverages around the exposed part and extracts an almost spherical ball, modest in size but sufficient to garnish a couple of plates of tajarin. He takes a cloth bag from the pocket of his hunting jacket and throws it inside. Kyra gets the reward: a piece of ham sandwich.

Alba is not Piemonte

Alba, to the eyes of a local, is not Piemonte. It flaunts too much. It lacks the humble aspect of the most authentic Piemonte; here, the streets of the city centre are opulent, the scent of truffle fills the air, the displays of delicatessens look like jewelry showcases, the greengrocers compete for the best display set-up, the restaurants, trattorias, wine bars, and lounge bars (whatever that is) are one after the other and are all full of tourists, the staff always smiles and speaks English and German, and the prices are higher than in Milan. On Via Maestra, on Friday evening, the eve of the weekly opening of the Truffle Fair, you hear people speaking all

the languages of the world. At dinner at Enoteca Petricore, I count three out of eight tables occupied by American girls, in couples. They taste everything with genuine enthusiasm and photograph each dish before eating. The next day for lunch, we go to La Piola, which has nothing to do with the top scorer football player in the Italian Premeir League. In local dialect, the "piola" is a humble place, an inn where you drink simple wine and eat what the cook prepares. In Alba, however, La Piola is a super chic place, owned by the Ceretto family, the wine family. Waiters in white coats present guests with the bottle and tell the story of the wine you are about to drink. The Milanese dining with me? Enchanted. Instead, I get a little nervous: I'm used to drinking wine, and that's it; the whole context always seems like too much to me, but I’m the odd one out. However, La Piola is so chic that in the bathroom, instead of hand dryers like the "Fumagalli" brand (those used by ordinary mortals and present in 99.9% of public places), there are Dyson ones.

The trade fair market Nel In the Maddalena courtyard, the venue hosting the Truffle Fair, it's difficult to even move; it has the same dnesity of people as an indoor rock concert from the 1980s, everyone is pressed against each other, practically moshing, it's a flurry of "I beg your pardon," an "entschuldigung." Some wander

through the central aisle dedicated to the truffle market, others through the side lanes reserved for other typical products (cheeses, fresh pasta, and hazelnuts above all), some hurry not to be late for the cooking show, and some ask you in a hurry where the truffle sensory analysis is taking place. The eye is struck by the grandiloquent designation of the "World Truffle Market" that distinguishes the area dedicated to the sale of fragrant jewels. The truffle hunters have their stand and display the goods, first evaluated by a committee of 14 neutral judges. If the truffle does not pass the judge's exam, it cannot be sold. A guarantee of absolute quality for buyers, especially considering that once, when truffles were sold as if they were illegal goods, when the name of the one who had them was exchanged in a hushed voice, it was easy to be deceived by overpaying for truffles that were too ripe, if not rotten: those unfamiliar with it could easily misunderstand certain notes of cheese or glutamate as positive. The judges at the Fair, on the other hand, cannot be fooled, and they allow only perfect truffles to be exhibited and sold. The International White Truffle Fair of Alba is in its ninety-third edition and takes place over nine weekends from October 7th to December 3rd. «With climate change, it would make sense to move it forward, just like the truffle search, which follows a schedule set years ago and no longer

corresponds to reality,» says the director of the

Fair, Stefano Mosca. As a good Monferrato native, I immediately try to spark controversy over the name "White Truffle of Alba" by telling him that in Alba and the Langhe, with the prevailing monoculture of the vine, truffles are no longer found, and if it weren't for those from Monferrato and Roero, the Fair couldn't even think of having it. Mosca bursts out laughing and explains what I already knew: «Now the brand is established this way, you can even try to sell your truffles as White Truffle of Cisterna d'Asti or Castelnuovo Calcea, but people will always ask for those from Alba, so you might as well, for your sake, call them that. The issue of competition between winemakers and truffle hunters, however, is real; in certain areas of the Langhe, the trees have disappeared, and without trees, there are no truffles.»

Truffle vs wine The truffle is, in fact, a hypogeous fungus, meaning it grows underground, in symbiosis with the roots of certain trees: lindens, poplars, holm oaks, turkey oaks, and a few others. In certain areas of the Langhe, there are no longer forests or meadows; the promise of hyperbolic profits has prompted the inhabitants of the area to plant vines everywhere, and besides the landscape (captivating at first glance, distressing at the second), the entire

environment is affected. In theory, the vine is one of those plants that could contribute to the birth of truffles, but since the truffle is a fungus, and fungicides are abundantly used in vines, it is clear that in the proper Langhe, truffles will never be found again. So, we ask Mosca where the truffles are in the Alba area. «In the lower valleys, where forests still exist, near streams, or smaller watercourses, sometimes even in the tree-lined avenues of the towns. But we are trying to push the authorities to implement reforestation incentive programs, and the so-called 'truffle orchards' are also increasing in number, private areas where owners plant mycorrhizal trees and hope that the marriage between roots and white truffle spores works.»

Il gas e il sapore Truffles cannot be grown on command; the French are investing millions of euros without managing to achieve anything, and the highly fragrant white truffle known as Tartufo Bianco d'Alba has very limited distribution (Langhe, Roero, Monferrato, Acqualagna in the Marche, and very few other places). The molecule that makes the truffle's scent unmistakable is called bis(methylthio)methane. The truffle releases it in the form of gas to warn insects and snails: these are the animals responsible for spreading the spores, and even wild boars are fond

of truffles. Truffle hunters, therefore, have quite a few competitors. The truffle hunter 2.0 treats his dog well and does not poison those of rivals. Just a few years ago, in the villages of southern Piedmont, there were rumors that truffle hunters were very harsh with dogs, bordering on mistreatment, and that it was common practice to leave poisoned bait in the woods with the aim of getting rid of the dogs of other hunters. Times change, and that's a good thing. It should be noted that without dogs, you won't find truffles.

Dogs with telescopic sense of smell The most suitable breed for truffle hunting in theory is the Lagotto Romagnolo, but its curly fur is not very suitable for romping in woods full of bushes and brambles. In the Langhe and surrounding areas, long-nosed hunting dogs are more commonly used, equipped with that "teleosmatic" ability that allows them to detect truffles even from a distance of a couple of hundred meters. These strange seekers of white gold primarily move at night and follow a complicated schedule that combines data on rainfall in the preceding weeks with lunar phases and the temperature fluctuation between day and night.

«At night, dogs are more focused, fewer distractions, fewer noises,» says Stefano, the trifulau from Canale. «And then at night, you don't risk being seen.» Secrecy is the most

fascinating aspect of truffle hunting. Truffles are cyclical - if you find a truffle in a certain spot, you'll find it there the next year around the same date. It's easy to understand why every truffle hunter jealously keeps their locations secret. «Some people use GPS and have all the data stored on their smartphones,» Stefano continues. «Even though I'm young, I prefer to do it the old-fashioned way: I keep a diary. I note the date, lunar phase, temperature when I found the truffle, and, of course, the location. To do this, I have a mental map of the forest and various places, and each plant, shrub, and rock has a name. The notes in my diary only I can understand. However, to figure out if it's a good day to go hunting, I don't rely solely on the diary. The best method is to go to the coffee bar.» Stefano notices from my expression that I didn't understand. «Go to the coffee bar and see if there are the cars of the three or four eightyyear-old truffle hunters from the village outside. If there are cars, it means they're inside playing cards, so I can spare myself the hunt. If there are no cars, it's time to go.»

Colli Orientali del Friuli Monviert, elegance in a legendary terroir

A young brand, born from the change of image of a company that has contributed to writing Friuli's wine history, Cantina Monviert now stands on the market as a player capable of providing a different and more modern interpretation of the territory in which it operates, the Colli Orientali del Friuli. At the heart of this wine project dated 2019 is the enhancement of the mineral aspect that has determined the fortunes of the wines produced in that specific DOC area. A concept, that of minerality, understood extensively - as verticality and olfactory fragrance and linked to an extreme cleanliness of execution and taste - that strongly characterises Monviert wines, making them elegant, never banal and with a proven pleasantness. Constant observation of the market and its changes, as well as obsessive attention to production goals in respect of the company's values and the optimisation of environmental resources, characterise the modus operandi of this convincingly green winery, which has become one of Friuli Venezia Giulia's excellences. «In order to offer balance and

cleanliness, we need winery procedures aimed at preserving the naturalness of the wines and the varietal character of the grapes used, but also a rigorous management of the 91 hectares of our vineyard based on the principles of maximum ampelographic respect and the least possible

intervention to allow the grapes to arrive with maximum integrity and identity," explains Riccardo Isetti, Monviert's Sales Director. «And this is why the winery adheres to the SQNPI protocol (National Quality System for Integrated Production). The eco-friendly soul of the company is also expressed through the adoption of a vast system of solar panels that make it almost totally autonomous on the energy front, and of a special woodchip boiler thanks to which the wood residues from processing are completely reutilised.»

Out-of-the ordinary wines The winery now produces 400,000 bottles: terroir wines made from indigenous grape varieties, some reserves and a long Charmat Method sparkling wine. Within the Monviert brand there is a range of selections and reserves as well as a series of monovarietal wines whose ageing takes place in steel tanks only. The style aims at complexity, structural harmony, extreme balance and overall equilibrium. Characteristics that give the wines marked connotations of minerality and elegance, while at the same time offering remarkable structure and an intriguing capacity for preservability. The result is wines outside the usual production canons, the fruit of the inexhaustible quest for "beautiful quality" and durability.

Monviert via Strada di Spessa, 8 Cividale del Friuli (UD) +39 0432716172 – monviert.com

Christmas Special

>Ottoleghi That dish and Tamimi’s teetering between hummus

war and peace

Tamimi, Palestinian chef tells his friendship with Israeli colleague Ottolenghi by Sonia Ricci - illustrations by Michela Rossi (sonno) Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with cold water (double their volume) and let them soak overnight. Drain the chickpeas. Place a medium saucepan over high heat and add the chickpeas and bicarbonate of soda. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Add water and bring to a boil. Cook, skimming off any foam, for 20-40 minutes (depending on the chickpeas) until they become very tender but not completely mushy. Drain them. Blend them until you get a smooth cream, gradually adding and blending in the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Slowly pour in the iced water and let it blend for 5 minutes. Transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes. Keep it refrigerated until needed. Make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. As a child, one of the tasks assigned by Sami Tamimi’s mother, Naama, was to go to the trusted shop to get hummus. The small store was not far from their home in the old city. Young Sami would bring an empty plate and little else. Once there, he handed it to the shop owner, who filled it with the creamy sauce. Sami retraced his steps, sometimes running, sometimes walking. He would bring it home, placing it on

the table - a precious task performed with great dedication so that his family could have hummus, a blend of chickpeas, tahini made from sesame seeds, and garlic for breakfast. These were the 1970s, and the old city was Jerusalem. For Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi, hummus was likely a symbol of family unity. However, for others, it is a source of contention and claims. Among the dishes commonly labeled “Middle Eastern” and popular in the West, hummus generates debates. Even today, amid the renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas, discussions arise about the cultural ownership of this dish. Who invented it, how it was created, who was the first to mash chickpeas and mix them with sesame paste, and when. It’s a topic filled with references to sacred texts, traditions, and myths. Hummus has forcefully entered our popular gastronomic culture: it’s ordered as an appetizer, made at home, found in supermarkets, and comes in dozens of variations. It’s a dish both widespread and contested.

A formidable collaboration Two decades ago, Sami Tamimi, alongside his friend and colleague

250 g dried chickpeas 1 Tbsp. sodium bicarbonate 1,5 litres of water 270 g creamy tahini paste 4 Tbsp. lemon juice 4 garlic cloves, crushed 100 ml iced water ½ tsp salt

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with cold water (double their volume) and let them soak overnight. Drain the chickpeas. Place a medium saucepan over high heat and add the chickpeas and bicarbonate of soda. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Add water and bring to a boil. Cook, skimming off any foam, for 20-40 minutes (depending on the chickpeas) until they become very tender but not completely mushy. Drain them. Blend them until you get a smooth cream, gradually adding and blending in the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Slowly pour in the iced water and let it blend for 5 minutes. Transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes. Keep it refrigerated until needed. Make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. Yotam Ottolenghi, managed to find common ground in the kitchen, setting aside their respective claims, even on hummus. Tamimi, a Palestinian, and Ottolenghi, an Israeli, are the architects who brought Middle Eastern cuisine into the spotlight in the Western world. Their recipe book, "Jerusalem," released in 2012 by Ten Speed, became a publishing phenomenon, partly due to their seemingly conflicting origins. Ottolenghi, a Londoner but born and raised in West Jerusalem, a columnist for the New York Times and The

Guardian, collaborated with Tamimi, originally from East Jerusalem, a chef and Ottolenghi's partner in seven restaurants in London. In their successful endeavor, cuisine became a paradigm of how a meeting point is possible. «We were two chefs and best friends, both from the same city and country, and we realized we had a lot in common,» says Tamimi to Gambero

Rosso. However, this gastronomic synthesis took place outside their country of origin: «The reality of our cultures in Jerusalem would never have allowed a Palestinian and a Jewish Israeli to become friends, start a business together, or even publish a cookbook on the city's gastronomy.»

Nationalistic and political discussions around this dish have been almost compulsive over the years. According to Harriet Nussbaum's book,

The writing on the separation wall in Bethlehem, near Banksy’s murals against violence

"Hummus: A Global History," a writer who often delves into ancient food, there is no specific date or place of its invention. Hummus bi tahina, or hummus with tahini, is believed to have been first prepared in the Levant in the 18th century, during the Ottoman Empire period, before many of today's national borders were drawn. Another theory, attributed to Meir Shalev, an Israeli writer, TV host, and humorist, suggests that hummus was mentioned for the first time in the Old Testament. In the Book of Ruth, entirely dedicated to the story of a pagan woman, a precursor to the contested dish is mentioned: as Ruth is in a field to get some food, she meets Boaz, the field's owner. He offers her food, saying, "Come over here and dip your bread in the vinegar." The term "vinegar" is a translation error, says Shalev. The original word in ancient Hebrew would be "hometz," which sounds a bit like "hummus" but also recalls the word "himtza," the Hebrew name for chickpeas.

Union and discord Hummus stands as a culinary cornerstone, with regional variations in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and Egypt. It's also enjoyed in Turkey and Greece, sparking spirited debates about who makes it the best. Everyone knows where to find the finest plate, the best spot within markets (for Israelis, the top "hummusiya"). When it comes to Israel, food becomes a symbol of political conflict. The ubiquity of hummus can either designate it as a symbol of unifying force or, conversely, cast it as a focal point for cultural appropriation. Palestinian writer Reem Kassis, renowned for her cookbooks, argues in an article published in the bookmagazine "The Passenger" (Palestine, the volume's title) that Israel has appropriated Palestinian gastronomic culture: "In an attempt to create a state for the Jewish people and a new Jewish identity in the historical territory of Palestine between the early and mid-20th century, food was

among the elements used to evoke an Israeli nationalist sentiment - Kassis wrote. Presenting dishes of Palestinian origin as 'Israeli' not only denies the Palestinian contribution to Israeli cuisine but also erases our own history and existence." Yet, Israelis also see it as part of their gastronomic culture. Hummus, with pita and falafel, takes a central place on the menus of many restaurants, like Hakosem in Tel Aviv, owned by Israeli chef Ariel Rosenthal. He dedicated an entire book to hummus, titled "Hummus. On the Hummus Route," co-written with Orly Peli-Bronshtein and Dan Alexander.

If the kitchen finds common ground The kitchen has the extraordinary ability to bridge cultural divides in times of conflict. «Through food, individuals can engage in meaningful conversations, breaking down barriers and finding common ground, even in challenging situations,» says Tamimi. Unfortunately, however, «it's not the case for Israel and Palestine,» he is keen to emphasize. «When Israelis claim that hummus is their dish, we must question how a nation that has only existed for 75 years can genuinely claim a dish that has been prepared and consumed for hundreds of years by many Middle Eastern countries."

Certainly, his experience with Ottolenghi remains a flicker of that idea, at times romantic, of how cuisine, of a dish like hummus, can be unifying and not divisive; of how the history of the Levant, a crossroads of geographies, has been characterised by a mix of cultures that have shaped a rich and sensational cuisine, making it even difficult to pinpoint the origins of each dish. Lebanon has also claimed the paternity of hummus. In October 2008, some Lebanese entrepreneurs sought recognition for protected designation of origin, but without success. The "Hummus War" prompted filmmaker Trevor Graham to respond with the

documentary "Make Hummus not War," to bring attention back to the unifying and non-divisive aspect. It is undeniable that in recent decades hummus has achieved global success. There's even an International Hummus Day, on May 13. And the market is now enormous. In 2020, sales reached $2.62 billion, with a forecasted growth up to $6.60 billion by 2028, according to the Market Research Report 2021. One of the most relevant factors influencing its global consumption is its nutritional aspect: it's considered a healthy dish, rich in vitamins and proteins. It has spread throughout the West, especially in the last two decades, even packaged in plastic containers. The classic recipe from West Asia has been accompanied by various variations: hummus is made with sweet potatoes, beets, peas or carrots, lentils or beans. American nutritionist Makenzie Marzluff invented a sweet version during a Super Bowl party, leading to the creation of her company, Delighted By. On the Gambero Rosso website, you can also find the version by our own Giorgione.

Tamimi and Ottolenghi’s hummus, featured in the collaborative book “Jerusalem,” released in 2012

Is Lina’s or Taami’s better? Sami is now an adult. He is 54 years old, living between London and Umbria. The times when he used to fetch hummus on behalf of his mother are long gone. But when he returns to Jerusalem to visit his family or for work, he still finds the time to explore a hidden corner in one of the neighborhoods of the old city's market. There, amidst the scent of spices and dates, in an area where walking the streets has become dangerous and distressing, there's an old family-run restaurant managed by the second and third generations of the family that founded it. «I always make a stop at my favourite hummus place called 'Lina' to savour a portion of this creamy delicacy,» says Tamimi.

There's also debate on this matter whether the best hummus in Jerusalem is from Taami, a restaurant closed four years ago when its owner passed away, or from Pinati, or from Abu Hassan, or the muchloved Lina.

Castello Vicchiomaggio Ripa delle More their first 40 harvests From Sangiovese, Cabernet and Merlot, it enhances the grapes and terroir of this noble corner of Chianti RIPA DELLE MORE ’10

One has to go back more than a century to understand the history of the Matta family, owners of Castello Vicchiomaggio. John Matta, the current owner and family oenologist, focuses on Sangiovese to obtain fresh, elegant, fine wines. Cabernet and Merlot also grow between the rows. Here we present Ripa delle More: a wine that was born in 1980 (first vintage) from Sangiovese grapes alone and that is designed to highlight the extraordinary complexity of this grape. Today, it is a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon with a balance of Merlot. Here are 10 vintages, from the first (1980) to the last (2020).

RIPA DELLE MORE ’20

(50% Sangiovese, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot) Nose between iridescent red fruit and spices, slight earthy sensation, savoury mouthfeel, ripe and soft tannins. Great wine with a great future.

RIPA DELLE MORE ’18

(50% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot) Another wine that does not fear time. The nose is still about red fruit and dried flowers. Then, an elegant, graceful mouthfeel, marked by beautiful freshness and great sapidity.

RIPA DELLE MORE ’06

(50% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot) An excellent version that reveals a more concentrated and full-bodied appearance than the vintages that came later. On the nose black fruit, leather, balsamic; rich and full-bodied on the palate; excellent acidity.

RIPA DELLE MORE ’03

(60% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot) Great warmth reflected in the wine. On the nose is a clear sensation of blackberry jam and cherries, while the palate is silky, enveloping, soft and pleasantly savoury.

RIPA DELLE MORE ’95

(80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon) Cabernet peeks out here. A wine of absolute quality and still in full vitality. Great on the nose, even better in the mouth.

(50% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot) The product of a fresh vintage, it still shows signs of youth. Spicy notes, a hint of wood sensation and a stiff mouthfeel, between tannins and freshness.

RIPA DELLE MORE ’88

RIPA DELLE MORE ’16

(100% Sangiovese) One of the best of the decade: thoroughbred Sangiovese, vinified to perfection. Violets, tobacco, very long mouthfeel and still energising freshness. The best of the battery.

(50% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot) Ideal vintage: enormous complexity, between primary notes of red fruit, mentholated hints and a beginning of tertiary sensations. Mouth is elegant, very fresh, very deep.

RIPA DELLE MORE ’80

Bottle not in perfect shape. Cleanliness and drinkability are not in question, but age can be felt. The second bottle was perfect as far as evolution, but it was corked. It happens, it is the beauty of wine, of artisan wine.

Castello Vicchiomaggio Castello Vicchiomaggio Greve in Chianti (FI) Via Vicchiomaggio, 4 +39 055 854079 vicchiomaggio.it fvicchiomaggio $castellovicchiomaggio

21 CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE N. 2021/2115 CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG. N. 2021/2115

i centesimi94 the best sparkling wines under 20 euros We will never tire of saying it: in Italy, we have the opportunity to drink very well without spending a fortune. This also applies to sparkling wines: of course, Conegliano and Valdobbiadene take the lead, but there are also some interesting Metodo Classico options, not only from the usual well-known areas.

>Valdobbiadene Rive di Colbertaldo Asciutto Vign. Giardino '22 Adami Vidor (TV)

The 2022 harvest has brought a rich fruity expression that resonates clearly and invitingly in the Giardino Vineyard, a Dry Prosecco that, on the nose, dances between yellow fruit and exotic nuances. Meanwhile, on the palate, the sweetness appears perfectly fused with salinity and acidity. 19,80

>Conegliano Valdobbiadene Rive di Ogliano Extra Brut '22 BiancaVigna Conegliano (TV)

Nestled at the foot of the Ogliano hill, the winery of Elena and Enrico Moschetta is the focal point around which all the activities of Biancavigna revolve. The grapes used to produce the wine we are reviewing come from here - an Extra Brut characterised by notes of white fruit and flowers that unfold in a dry, savoury sip of exquisite harmony. 15,00

>Valdobbiadene Rive di S. Pietro di Feletto Brut Ai Boschi XXIII '22 Andreaola Farra di Soligo (TV)

Stefano Pola tends to vineyards that stretch across various parts of the historical denomination. Grapes of great fruity richness come from the vineyards of San Pietro di Feletto, in the eastern area of the DOCG. Stefano transforms these grapes into an immediate sparkling wine with a varietal expression, featuring a dry and harmonious palate that enhances the drinkability typical of this type.. 18,30

>Asolo Brut FM333 '22 Montelvini Volpago del Montello (TV)

The Brut FM 333 '22, where FM indicates the Fontana Masorin vineyard and 333 the vineyard's average altitude, undergoes the sparkling process directly from the must, thus preserving greater aromatic expressiveness of fresh fruit and flowers and further limiting the use of sulphur. In the mouth, the wine's creaminess is perfectly balanced by a tangy acidity. 19,30

>OP M. Cl. Pinot Nero Brut '17 Ca' del Gè Montalto Pavese (PV)

Broad, deep, and enticing. The Classic Method Brut of the 2017 vintage exhibits clarity and personality, thanks to a rich aromatic profile and surprising gustatory verticality. Mature scents of yeast and raspberries precede a fleshy and dynamic palate, guided by a fine and persistent effervescence. The finish is long and juicy: a classically refined Pinot Noir. 17,00

>Conegliano Valdobbiadene Rive di Ogliano Brut R.D.O. Ponente '22 Masottina San Fior (TV)

From the Ogliano vineyards of the Dal Bianco family comes this Prosecco Superiore Brut. It follows a scent profile of fresh and crisp fruit with a sip of great precision. Here, the bubbles blend seamlessly with low residual sugar and acidity, resulting in a combination of character and immediate drinkability. 13,80

>Perfranco Terrevive Gargallo di Carpi (MO)

This wine is dedicated to Gianfranco Bergianti and is the result of an ancient clone of Salamino di Santa Croce. The highly artisanal craftsmanship of the company delivers a particularly unique pink version that presents enchanting aromas of raspberries, citrus, and currants. A beautiful touch of floral and slightly spicy notes is also present. The palate is dominated by perfect carbonation (resulting from bottle refermentation), integrated acidity, and a savoury, clean, almost spicy finish. 17,00

>Valdobbiadene Rive di Collalto Extra Dry '22 Borgoluce Susegana (TV)

From the most beautiful vineyards of Collalto come the grapes for this selection, an Extra Dry that knows how to enhance the fruity richness brought by the beautiful 2022 harvest. On the nose, the apple stands out clearly and crisply against a backdrop of wildflowers and Mediterranean scrub. In the mouth, it impresses with the richness and fullness of the sip, revealing all the sunniness of the vineyards. 18,10

>Valdobbiadene Rive di Refrontolo Extra Brut '22 Santa Margherita Fossalta di Portogruaro (VE)

The Rive di Refrontolo Extra Brut is a Prosecco that expresses the character of the vineyards from the Mire area in Refrontolo. It is slow to reveal its aromas, but then it unfolds in a dry and slender profile. The classic bouquet of apple and flowers develops in a mouth that perfectly blends acidity, structure, and bubbles. 16,10

>Conegliano Valdobbiadene Extra Brut Ponte Rosso '22 Conte Collalto Susegana (TV)

The range offered by the Susegana company is extensive, both among the Prosecco and still wines. Standing out this year is the Ponte Rosso ‘22, a Prosecco Superiore from a single vineyard with a strong clay composition that offers aromas of white fruit and flowers. The richness of the harvested grapes is translated into a particularly dry and lively interpretation, highlighting the more modern profile of the denomination.. 13,30

>Franciacorta Brut Contadi Castaldi Adro (BS)

This Brut is truly on point, a blend of Chardonnay with a balance of Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero. It provides very fresh scents of grapefruit and lemon peel, along with enticing tones of bread crust. The palate is very taut, crisp, with hints of green apple sensations and a balsamic undertone. It has a steady and vertical progression; the finish is sharp, dry, and very precise. 18,50

#MORE Ready for more in 2024?*

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* Più regioni. Più paesi. Più affari. Siete pronti per molto di più nel 2024? L’abuso di alcol è pericoloso per la salute, consumare con moderazione.

FÉV. 2024 PARIS EXPO PORTE DE VERSAILLES

>Trento Brut AlpeRegis '19 Rotari Mezzocorona (TN)

A Classic Method of great versatility and equally persuasive taste, a prototype of the finest Trentino sparkling wine, crafted with Chardonnay grapes to achieve a sparkling wine with a fine effervescence, fragrant, and soft. It is appreciated for notes of lemon and brioche, with a light, harmonious chalky sensation; precise on the palate, with citrus harmonies, beautiful depth of taste, and a long persistence. 20,00

>Valdobbiadene Extra Dry Casté '22

>Gavi Brut M. Cl. '18 La Smilla Bosio (AL)

Led by Danilo Guido, La Smilla has consistently offered a range of homogeneous quality, from reds based on Dolcetto and Barbera to the more recent Nebbiolo, to various whites made from Cortese grapes. However, what caught our attention is the Gavi Brut '18, which has aged on lees for more than three years. Complex aromas (white fruit and saffron) and a harmonious, persistent palate are its strengths. 17,00

Graziano Merotto Farra di Soligo (TV)

>Valdobbiadene Brut Campofalco '22 Canevel Spumanti Valdobbiadene (TV)

>La Matta Dosaggio Zero '22 Casebianche Toschiara (SA)

The range offered by Betty Iurio and Pasquale Amitrano's winery is built on wines with an extraordinary drinkability, while also expressing a faithful adherence to the territory. The Madwoman (La Matta) doesn't deviate from this pattern, a Fiano Ancestral Method that exhales citrus peels, cedar, hay, and mountain herbs on a savoury palate, with a lively and characterful progression. 16,00

>Ribolla Gialla Brut Perté '22 Castello di Spessa Capriva del Friuli (GO)

The Merotto family's winery can rely on around thirty directly cultivated hectares, supplemented by another thirty managed by trusted grape growers. Sunny and fruit-driven, the Castè '22 reveals the perfect fusion of carbonation, sweetness, and bubbles that gives this sparkling wine a juicy and satisfying drinkability. 19,50

Derived from the grapes of the Monfalcon vineyard, the Campofalco ‘22 is a refined Brut expressing white fruit and flowers that captivates gradually. In the mouth, the presence of a bit of Verdiso, a historic grape of the region, provides greater acidity and gustatory agility for a result of great harmony where bubbles, acidity, and sugars blend perfectly.. 17,60

Great precision in the Perté cuvée offered by Castello di Spessa. The Ribolla Gialla grapes come from the vineyards in the Cormons area and create an Italian Method sparkling wine with delicate and fine aromas of straw, anise, and white peach. On the palate, the effervescence is graceful, engaging in a beautiful interplay between fruity notes and subtle vegetal undertones. Pleasant and harmonious to drink. 11,90

>Vigna Le Prata Dosaggio Zero '20 Collestefano Castelraimondo (MC)

In 25 years of history, Collestefano and Fabio Marchionni have left an imprint on the Matelica denomination, setting a standard with a style defined by freshness and tension, verticality, and notable drinkability. These characteristics are found in the still Verdicchio and are not lacking in this Classic Method: the Vigna Le Prata '20 is sharp, and the absence of dosage allows the vibrant nerve of acidity to be perceived. 19,30

>Valdobbiadene Rive di Vidor Dry Tittoni '22 La Tordera Vidor (TV)

From the old Guia vineyards come the grapes for this sparkling wine from the Vettoretti family, the Dry Tittoni, which best expresses its sunniness and warmth with aromas ranging from ripe yellow fruit to floral nuances reminiscent of helichrysum. In the mouth, the sweetness is never overpowering, and the fusion of sugars, acidity, and bubbles provides pleasantness and harmony. 15,10

>Valdobbiadene Rive di San Pietro di Barbozza Extra Brut '21 Valdo Spumanti Valdobbiadene (TV)

From the most beautiful vineyards in the San Pietro di Barbozza area, where the vineyards seem literally clinging to the sky, come the grapes for the homonymous Prosecco Superiore '21, a glass with aromas of white-fleshed fruit that intertwines with notes of dried flowers and almond. In the mouth, it is solid, supported by a pronounced acidity and a slender profile. 15,30

38 Champagnes that bewitched us Here are the best Champagne labels tasted at Modena Champagne Experience 2023, the largest event on French sparkling wines in Italy. We present you with 38 good reasons to toast among renowned cuvées and new discoveries to keep an eye on with due attention

by Giuseppe Carrus and Lorenzo Ruggeri

>Champagne Sapience Enoteque 2010 Marquet Imported by Les Caves de Pyrenne

Peat, oyster, cardamom. Down on the olfactory plane, it doesn't go unnoticed; on the palate, it's a rocket in terms of flavour, progression, and depth. The salinity is overwhelming, the acidity vibrant, presenting complexity with maritime hints, chalk, and a smokey undertone that tantalises the palate. It evokes emotion and finishes very long. Impressive evolutionary potential. 350

>Champagne Chaillots 2016 Lacourte Godbillon Imported by Teatro del Vino

The Lieu-dit Les Chaillots is a Premier Cru from the Montagne de Reims, a plot of Pinot Noir yielding 1658 bottles. The aromas are extremely refined and symphonic: violet, anise, and a gentle spiciness. The palate is a cloud in terms of tactile sensation, with darker nuances that evolve along with a significant saline progression. The finish is exceptionally balanced, pure, and multifaceted.120

>Champagne Au Fil du Temps 2016 Domaine Lagille Imported by Première

A gem from the Ardre Valley. This is a cuvée of Chardonnay, 90%, with a balance of Pinot Noir, and an extra brut dosage. It presents itself as nothing short of inviting with mature and fragrant notes of yeast, peach, and hazelnut. The palate is full, finely crafted, rich in enveloping sensations and counterpoints, with a wonderful delicate spiciness, white pepper but also helichrysum. What harmony! 65

>Champagne Cepages Blanc 2011 Fleury Imported by Teatro del vino

An awakening from Courteron, we’re in the Aube, practicing biodynamic cultivation since 1992. This Chardonnay has a distinctive boldness; it reveals itself with ‘wild’ notes of oriental spices, cedar, and almond. The palate has a remarkable grip, momentum, sharp but integrated acidity, leading to a long and persistent citrusy burst. The finish is incredibly fresh but also expansive and articulate. 80

>Champagne Cuvée n. 746 Extra Brut Jaquesson Imported by Pellegrini

Such finesse! The reference vintage is 2018; it is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier from the parcels of Dizy, Avize, and Ay. It presents itself brightly and precisely with notes of white flowers, citrus, and wheat. A touch of white pepper and coriander enriches a plot of great drinkability and enveloping character, leading to an overwhelming, incisive, and light drinking experience. A magnificent version. 75

>Champagne Meunier Jean-Philippe Trousset Imported by Massucco

>Champagne Blanc des Blancs Brut Solera A. Bergère Imported by Champagne A. Bergère Italia

So much character. The grapes come from the village of Les Mesneux, on the Montagne de Reims. Twenty percent is from the 2018 vintage, combined with 80% of reserve wines preserved in large oak casks, very low dosage. It presents itself with typical notes of bergamot and licorice, is a substantial and juicy cuvée. The palate is dry, with zesty notes of apple and grapefruit propelling a finish of great power and very long-lasting flavour. 70

A perfect blend of maturity and freshness. Solely Chardonnay from the Vallée du Petit Morin, with 50% coming from a perpetual cuvée started in 2013 and the remaining 50% from 2021. Inviting and delicious with its tones of linden flowers, citrus zest, and saffron. The palate is rich, flavourful, full-bodied, yet rhythmic. The finish of medlar and apple, with a delightful twist of rhubarb. What a satisfying drink!. 40

>Champagne Entre Ciele et Terre 2015 Francois Bedel Imported by Sarzi Amadè

>Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Rouge ‘19 Gonet Medeville Imported by Cuzziol

Like walking into a pastry shop. You are greeted by notes of cream, wild strawberries, and citrus zest. The drinking experience is joyful, indulgent, with a flash of lemon and salt to add rhythm to a full and dense structure, well-supported by lively acidity. More neat compared to some past releases, it offers a compulsive pleasure.70

The intruder. Among many Champagnes, we tasted a still Pinot Noir of exquisite craftsmanship from the legendary cru of Ambonnay. Dark scents of ink and graphite, followed by currants and wild strawberries. The palate is fleshy, savory, dynamic, marked by fresh bursts of pomegranate and blood orange. It has depth, breadth, and a world-class tannin. 70

>Champagne Longitude Extra Brut Larmandier Bernier Imported by Teatro del vino

A great classic from the Côtes de Blancs, the Chardonnay comes from the crus of Vertus, Oger, Avize, and Cramant. It presents itself crisply with tones of lemon, almond, and ginger. The palate has notable progression and freshness, with drive and breadth thanks to fine and creamy effervescence. Dry and prolonged finish. Leave it in the cellar for a few years. 65

>Champagne Blanc de Blancs Grand Reserve De Sousa Imported by Sarzi Amadè

We wander among old vines in the Grand Cru villages of Avize, Cramant, Oger, and Le Mesnil. Such full and inviting aromas, of toasted bread, citrus, and coriander. The palate is succulent, delicately vinous, rich and indulgent with notes of peach, anise, and licorice. It pairs well with white meats. A truly well-chosen purchase. 60

>Champagne Victor Mandois Vielles Vignes 2012

Mandois Imported by Cuzziol

The Chardonnay grapes come from old vines in Vertus and Chouilly, partially matured in oak to provide complexity and structure. It opens with notes of mountain butter, sponge cake, and toasted almond. It has mature tones of apple and chalk, with hints of sandalwood and anise for a delicately toasted, soft, and enveloping finish. 65

>Champagne Blanc de Blancs Vielles Vignes 2019

>Champagne Shaman 2020 Marguet Imported by Le Caves de Pyrene

>Champagne Zero Tarlant Imported by Teatro del Vino

The deep copper colour betrays the majority of Pinot Noir (Ambonnay), with a balance of Chardonnay. It is appreciated, above all, for a very indulgent, succulent character of apple and peach, which marries well with yeast tones and light spicy undertones. It has opulence but also a lot of freshness, for a drink of great immediacy but also excellent depth. 70

The base is 2014, the blend is a classic combination of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier. Initial sensations emphasise tones of almond, cumin, and lime. The palate is downright citrine, extremely dry, with a sharp and compelling acidity: a sword that cuts and stitches. Still very young, after 7 years on the lees. For many, but not for everyone.. 60

Francis Boulard Imported by Vite & Vini

>Champagne Dosage Zero 2018 Larmandier Pere et Fils Imported by Trimbol Wines

>Champagne L’Arbre 2019 Vincent Cuillier Imported by Parcelle B

In recent years, there has been a significant stylistic change. The Chardonnay grapes come from the Montagne de Reims, with clear and neat aromas of green apple and lemon, rigorous and austere. The palate has a significant saline kick, with a tannic edge providing dimensionality and contrast. A very dry and progressive finish. No dosage. 70

The territorial accent of Cramant is clearly perceived. This is an inviting Chardonnay with brisk tones of green apple and chamomile, of notable integrity and tension. On the palate, it is fine, pure, lively in its acidic character, with a slight spiciness in the finish and delicately vegetal notes adding complexity. The effervescence is finely woven. 70

The Meunier grapes come from Pouillon, a village in the Montagne de Reims. This is, to say the least, an artisanal cuvée, entirely matured in wood. It presents itself softly with sensations of apple and peach, has a velvety palate, light in development but flavourful, with a typical note of bergamot on the finish. It has a lot of pulp and a finale that is both complex and long. 1240 bottles and no added sulphites. 55

>Champagne Prisme 2018 Guiborat Imported by Pellegrini

The Chardonnay grapes come from 4 Grand Cru parcels in the Côte des Blancs. The olfactory profile is very “white” with tones of chalk, flowers, and pepper. The palate is super-vertical (malolactic fermentation is not carried out), with a citrussy character embellished with notes of ginger and mint. Still early in its evolution, but it has drive and articulation. 75

>Champagne Blanc de Noirs Gonet Medeville Imported by Cuzziol

We are on the chalkrich soils of Bisseuil; the colour is a full copper, characteristic of true Pinot Noir. The aromas are autumnal, with hints of dried leaves, flowers, marine echoes, and balsamic essences. The palate is distinctive, punctuated by a touch of tannin and delicate bitter sensations that weave through a full and succulent texture with tones of berries and licorice. Gratifying. 55

>Champagne Brut Reserve Charles Heidsieck Imported by Philarmonica

This is the outcome of a traditional blend that sees the three main grapes used in equal parts. 60% vintage wines and 40% reserves of at least 10 years for this Brut rich in aromas ranging from pear to citrus and marked by a clean, fresh, clear sip with perfectly balanced effervescence and a rich finish with some boisé notes adding complexity to the drink. 50

>Champagne Monts de Vertus 2016 Veuve Fourny Imported by Pellegrini

What a beautiful nose. It opens with sensations of chalk, well-managed oak, with a wellcontrolled oxidation that gives a spicy and toasty character. The palate is full, mature, enveloping, with smokey undertones, a very creamy effervescence, and sensations of nuts. It has plenty of flavour and a charm from another era. 80

>Champagne Extra Brut L’Autre R Grand Cru

Jacques Rousseaux Imported by Premiere

A Champagne house producing since 1700, now led by Céline and Eric Rousseaux. Located in Verzenay, and we highlight this Grand Cru made exclusively from Pinot Noir grapes. The aromas are distinctive, ranging from briny and oyster notes to hints of cigar tobacco. The palate is full of character, powerful structure, but everything is softened by freshness and salinity, providing a lot of elegance. 75

>Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Rochet Bocart Imported by Massucco

The Champagnes from the young Mathilde Devarenne are always very stimulating. The Chardonnay grapes come from the Montagne de Reims, and the dosage seems much lower than a Brut. It has a nice rocky profile, then notes of saffron and orange zest. The palate is very tense, with hints of grapefruit and lemon, for a lively, salty, and rhythmic drink. 40

>Champagne Brut Blanc des Blancs Le Mont Joyeux ’17 Monmarthe Imported by Cuzziol

100% Chardonnay for this Premier Cru, which benefits from 60 months on the lees before disgorgement. A super classic nose marked by notes of sponge cake, custard, oven fragrance, and bread crust. Then, there's a glimpse of white fruit that anticipates a rich but laid-back palate, a nice development that finishes leaving the palate clean. 60

>Champagne Extra Brut Terre d’Irizée Regis Poissinet Imported by Premiere

Seven total hectares in the heart of the Marne Valley where Meunier takes the lead. The cuvée we tasted also includes a balance of 20% Chardonnay and a very low dosage, around 2 grams. Disgorged about a year ago, it offers a beautiful coppery color and a nose rich in golden apple, quince, and a touch of rhubarb. The palate is slightly marked by oak but charming in the finish where the iodine note emerges. 55

>Champagne Brut Reserve Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Guy Charlemagne Imported by Premiere

A maison born at the end of the 19th century and now led by Philippe Charlemagne. Located in the heart of the Côte de Blancs, and this Grand Cru, made from Chardonnay grapes only, smells of white flowers and toasted bread, citrus, with a slight touch of malt. The palate is delicate, subtle, perhaps a bit slender, but still excellent in its progression, capable of depth and leaving the mouth fresh and clean. 40

>Champagne Millesimé ‘13

Gautherot Imported by divisionevini.com

70% Pinot Noir and a balance of Chardonnay for this vintage 2013 that comes from the Ource Valley in the Côte de Bar. The very long aging on the lees, which can last up to 70 months, offers an incredible olfactory kaleidoscope, with Asian spices, tangerine, candied orange peel, and hints of dandelion. The palate has nice structure, with good salinity, and the finish provides a slight sensation of pseudo-sweetness. pseudo-dolcezza. 58

>Champagne Brut Reserve Grand Cru Dom Basle Delavenne Imported by Première

60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay sourced from the finest crus of Ambonnay, Bouzy, and Cramant. Embracing an oxidative style, it undergoes at least 60 months on the lees, resulting in a mature nose where raspberry is complemented by plum, enriched with lemongrass and chalky undertones. The palate, despite its structure, flows smoothly, and the finish is characterised by flavour and freshness. 55

>Champagne Brut Nature Istinct Jeaunaux-Robin Imported by Vite & Vini

A very small production, not exceeding 2000 bottles for this 100% Meunier Champagne. Zero residual sugars and a captivating nose that provides hints of resins, pipe tobacco, yellow apple (an unmistakable Meunier note), and spices. The palate is smooth, very well-crafted, with a nice length despite its fullness and maturity, and the finish is marked by herbal tones and a slightly spicy touch.75

>Champagne Collection Privée Edition n°08 Sylvie Moreau Imported by Passion France

Very small productions for this winery born in the 1960s and now run by Sylvie and her husband Olivier. The cuvée we present is bottled in 665 bottles, the base of the wine is from 2003, while 40% is the result of a Solera starting from the 1964 harvest. For half Pinot Meunier, it offers tones of truffle, raisin, and resin. The palate is rich, evolved but not oxidized, and the finish is peppery... it just lacks a bit of rhythm, but the sip is guaranteed.120

>Champagne Brut Grand Rosé Chateau de Bligny Imported by Terroirs Ceretto

Thirty hectares of vineyards for this Chateau in Champagne that can count on 8 different parcels. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for this cuvée, but above all, a 15% still red wine that characterizes the drink considerably. The aromas unfold with pomegranate, watermelon, orange peel, then the palate is tasty and flavorful, not very long in depth but always clean, fresh, and succulent. 55

>Champagne Extra Brut Terroirs Agrapart Imported by Pellegrini

When tasting a Champagne from Agrapart, expectations are high, and we don't hide that the Terroirs did not fully satisfy us. The company operates in Avize and owns about 10 hectares, all on the Grand Cru of the Côte de Blancs. Lemon, grilled bread, mint, and a light, almost ethereal palate that doesn't linger for long, but is clean and clear. 75

>Champagne Brut Nature Holystique Th. de Marne Val Frison Imported by Les Caves de Pyrene

70% Pinot Noir and balance of Chardonnay for this Champagne with a minimum ageing period (24 months) on the lees. The nose is characterised by fruit and flowers, with notes of Annurca apple, geranium, lavender, and potpourri. The palate starts well, with a nice initial momentum and freshness dominating the sip, while the finish has flavour but is slightly played on more evolved notes. 75

>Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Millesimé 2015 Frank Bonville Imported by Philarmonica

100% Chardonnay sourced from the finest Grand Cru vineyards in the Côte de Blancs. A remarkable 60 months on the lees for a cuvée of great complexity that surprises, especially on the nose: rhubarb, white pepper, peach, and again candied notes and herbal sensations. The palate is mature, expansive, enveloping, and the final part is all

>Champagne Brut Rosée de Saignée M. Hostomme Imported by Tannico

Half Meunier, half Pinot Noir for Hostomme’s bleeding process. The nose is all about crisp fruit, with raspberry standing out and followed by a lovely ripe cherry. The palate is of great simplicity, but not for this reason banal; on the contrary, it is very enjoyable, with a relaxed and laid-back drinkability, where the effervescence sets the rhythm and the sapidity provides a satisfying and flavourful finish. 37

>Champagne Brut Vintage 2015 Louis Roederer Imported by Sagna

Maison that needs no introduction, given its prestige and history dating back to 1776. We present to you the vintage 2015, made from 70% Chardonnay and the balance of Pinot Noir. Low dosage for a brut and aromas ranging from green apple to balsamic hints, from candied notes to pastry. While the nose is convincing, the palate is less interesting: it starts well, but the development fades into a touch of excessive sweetness and softness. 90

>Champagne Extra Brut Grand Vallée R. Puoillon &Fils Imported by Pellegrini

Classic cuvée, with the three main grapes present and a very low dosage, around two grams of sugar. The nose immediately exhibits tones of red fruit, then gives way to toasted bread and hints of violet. The palate starts with a nice momentum provided by acidic freshness, while the finish settles a bit on notes and sensations of coffee and cacao. 60

>Champagne Special Cuvée Bollinger Imported by Gruppo Meregalli

Another maison that needs no introduction, but a version that doesn’t fully convince. The nose of the Special Cuvée (classic blend with the three main grapes, with Pinot Noir as the protagonist) is citrine, green, without too much complexity and persistence. The palate is also more focused on green, citrusy notes, but the structure is a bit too light and lean. 55

38 Italian must-try bubbles We propose a well-thoughtout selection of the best Italian sparkling wines tasted in recent months. Not only Franciacorta, Oltrepò, Trento, Alta Langa, or the historic hills of Prosecco, but excellence also comes from territories never thought of for the production of bottle-fermented wine

>Franciacorta Nature Millesimo '16 Gatti Erbusco (BS)

It is our Special Sparkling Wine of the Year award, and we can't help but start with it. This is the Franciacorta Nature '16 from the Gatti family: fine and very fresh aromas of citrus peel and white peach; on the palate, it is a burst of flavour with vertical development; slightly smokey and flinty undertones enrich the profile. The finish is pure and very long. 40,30

>Farfalla Dosaggio Zero M. Cl. Cave Privée '16 Ballabio Casteggio (PV)

The Nevelli family is increasingly a protagonist in the production of excellent Italian sparkling wines. This year, the Cave Privée '16 impressed us. It would take a whole page to describe all the aromas that emerge from the glass: yellow flowers, saffron, star anise, a balsamic undertone, and a full, elegant palate that is long and supported by a splendid acidic backbone. 65

>Franciacorta Dosage Zéro Annamaria Clementi Ris. '14 Ca' del Bosco Erbusco (BS)

A version to remember for the Anna Maria Clementi. The 2014 is a complete and captivating cuvée, scented with coffee, helichrysum, and mountain butter. The spiced and savoury phrasing is perfect, rich in juice, the evolution is perfectly controlled, and the saffron and flint finish closes pure and very long. A great version. 150

>Franciacorta Rosé Dosaggio Zero Bagnadore Ris. ‘11

>Trento Brut 976 Riserva del Fondatore '12 Letrari Rovereto (TN)

The sparkling wines by Lucia Letrari blend power, elegance, and equal gentleness. Diverse in character, pleasing to the palate, distinctly Dolomite, they exhibit alpine fragrances infused with Mediterranean nuances. The Reserve of the Founder 976 is a great version - deep, equally elegant, fine in texture as it is dense in taste: the subtly toasted touch in the background is textbook. 120

>Trento Extra Brut Giulio Ferrari Ris. del Fondatore '12 Ferrari Trento

Barone Pizzini Provaglio d’Iseo (BS)

In a feature on the best The first release of the new Italian sparkling wines, Rosé from the Pizzini estate one of the labels that is impressive, the result of has made history in an excellent vintage and this category cannot be long aging on the lees. Only missing. We are talking Pinot Noir grapes from the about Giulio Ferrari, Roccolo vineyard. It opens an impressive Trento clean and fragrant with bursts of pomegranate, water- Riserva with a broad aromatic profile, melon, and a hint of iodine. The palate is rich a regal presence with a silky bubble caressing the palate, and a sip that in contrast, tense and creamy, with delicious raspberry sensations meeting notes of regains energy through the tension of almond. It has rhythm and great depth. A verycitrusy acidity. Deep, like few wines know how to be.190 long finish on orange zest. . 85

>Franciacorta Rosé Pas Dosé Parosé Riedizione 2023 Mosnel Passirano (BS)

The Franciacorta Rosé '07 Riedizione '23 is enchanting; it's challenging to find a cuvée capable of articulating so many nuances in such a light and symphonic context. It offers a whirlwind of spices, tones of coffee, capers, and sun-dried flowers. The effervescence is intricate, and on the palate, you rediscover various essences and nuances, including spicy notes, leading to a subtle and very long finish. 81

>Alta Langa Blanc de Blanc Pas Dosé Sessantacinque mesi Ris. '16

Ettore Germano Serralunga d'Alba (CN) Sergio Germano is a meticulous and attentive wine producer who offers wines with a precise, almost surgical style in seeking the depth of each individual vineyard and each cultivated grape. The Alta Langa Riserva does not disappoint: the fine and harmonious effervescence is followed by all the finesse of the Chardonnay, with aromas ranging from white fruit to bread crust, for a rich finale, full of great personality and length. 51

>OP M. Cl. Pinot Nero Pas Dosé Riva Rinetti '18 Calatroni Montecalvo Versiggia (PV)

We were impressed by the new entry presented by the brothers Cristian and Stefan Calatroni. It is the Riva Rinetti '18, a Pinot Noir from a single parcel in the highest area of Rocca de' Giorgi. It is a sparkling wine rich in fruit and flavour, rhythmic and sapid, with an overwhelming drink. 35

>Franciacorta Dosaggio Zero Ris. '16 1701 Cazzago San Martino (BS)

Chardonnay with a balance of 10% Pinot Noir, the Franciacorta Dosaggio Zero Riserva ‘16 is a little gem offered by Federico and Silvia Stefini, leading one of the liveliest realities in the Franciacorta area. It has broad, enveloping aromas, with a perfect use of wood and hints of hazelnut, pepper, and mountain butter; the palate has a change of pace, rhythm, and a lot of gustative depth. 60

>Franciacorta Extra Brut Boschedòr '18 Bosio Corte Franca (BS)

The viticultural creation of siblings Cesare and Laura Bosio is experiencing a golden moment. Located in Corte Franca, in Franciacorta, a few metres from the shores of Lake Iseo, on a vineyard that extends for about 30 hectares. We recommend uncorking their Franciacorta Extra Brut Boschedòr ‘18, an equal blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it is of remarkable purity and aromatic precision, delicately smoky, with great expansiveness and progression. 40

>Trento Extra Brut Rosé '18

Moser Trento The patience to wait for the slow evolution of wine is Francesco Moser’s latest winning strategy: he has applied the insightful suggestions of his son Carlo, in synergy with the winemaking choices of his nephew, Matteo, the oenologist. All of this materialises in this Extra Brut Rosé, a pure Pinot Noir that is intense and light at the same time, caressing on the palate and equally wonderfully lively. 32

>Trento Brut Altemasi Graal Ris. '16

Cavit Trento Achieving great numbers while maintaining high quality is possible. Cavit demonstrates this once again, a cooperative structure that produces millions of bottles with an excellent qualityprice ratio, while also offering peaks of extreme excellence. Like this Graal Riserva '16, a Trento Brut obtained from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, where the right oxidative notes make the sip precious and creamy, with a decidedly refined aromatic complexity. 47

>Alta Langa Extra Brut Millesimo 2Mila19 '19

Marcalberto Santo Stefano Belbo (CN) The Cane family's winery is undoubtedly among the best sparkling wine producers in Italy. The Alta Langa Extra Brut Vintage 2019 confirms this with a splendid version: it has a very fine and persistent effervescence, aromas of bread crust, white fruit, and lime, while the palate is full of good fruit, fresh and dynamic, truly enjoyable. 27

>Franciacorta Dosaggio Zero Francesco Battista Ris. '13

Dal Maso Montebello Vicentino (VI)

I Barisei Erbusco (BS)

The best ally of the sparkling wines proposed by the Bariselli family is time. It is felt throughout the range but especially in this cuvée, the Franciacorta Riserva Francesco Battista '13. It offers a deep and layered drinking experience that starts with intense toasty tones and has a well-controlled evolution; the palate is full of flavour and richness, thanks to the extremely fine effervescence; the finish is rich in nuances and chiaroscuro. 100

>Franciacorta Nature 61 '16

Guido Berlucchi & C. Corte Franca (BS)

If today Franciacorta is a renowned sparkling wine region, it is thanks to Guido Berlucchi and Franco Ziliani. Carrying on the historic brand today are the children of the latter, Arturo, Cristina, and Paolo, with the new generations already ready to take the reins. The entire range is brilliant, but the striking, zesty sip of Nature 61 stands out: pure in the register of white flowers, citrus, and mint, it has character and a lively, rhythmic gustatory vitality, accentuated by a fine effervescence. 60

>Lambrusco di Sorbara Brut Rosé M. Cl. '18 Cantina della Volta Bomporto (MO)

Christian Bellei is one of the leading figures in Modena for the production of Metodo Classico sparkling wines. He creates them with the "classic" Pinot Nero and Chardonnay but doesn't overlook a territorial approach with the use of Lambrusco di Sorbara. As demonstrated by the excellent Rosé '18, it has great charm, a complex but very fine and subtle bouquet, and an elegant, graceful, deep palate with a savoury finish. 30

>Lessini Durello Pas Dosé M. Cl. Cuvée Serafino Ris. '16

The Dal Maso family, Silvia, Anna, and Nicola, manages the family estate increasingly involved in the three denominations of Vicenza: Gambellara, Colli Berici, and Monti Lessini. The Serafino '16 is a sparkling wine that finds the balance between the acidic and almost brusque nature of the Durella grape and the pleasantness of the sip, resulting in great precision and harmony. 40

>Valdobbiadene Rive di Col San Martino Brut Cuvée del Fondatore Graziano Merotto '22 Graziano Merotto Farra di Soligo '(TV)

Graziano Merotto’s estate can rely on around thirty directly cultivated hectares, with an additional thirty managed by trusted local grape growers in the historic Prosecco region. The Cuvée Graziano Merotto ‘22, produced from the finest estate vineyards in Col San Martino, delivers its usual classy performance, featuring mature aromas of white fruit and flowers. It offers a lively, creamy, and extraordinarily balanced taste, making it a precious result. 25

>Valdobbiadene Rive di Farrò Extra Brut Particella 232 '22 Sorelle Bronca Vidor (TV)

Ersiliana and Antonella Bronca have adeptly navigated the challenges that led to the success of Prosecco worldwide with great clarity, specialising in high-profile labels rather than chasing trends. The Particella 232 presents a broad aromatic profile on the nose, where white fruit gains freshness from subtle vegetal and floral notes. In the mouth, the robustness of the sip is supported by a vigorous acidic and savoury thrust. 22

>Alta Langa Pas Dosé Zero Sboccatura Tardiva '17 Enrico Serafino Canale (CN)

The Krause family acquired Enrico Serafino in 2015, and since then, the results have justified the new ownership. With a fine and very persistent perlage, the Alta Langa Zero Sboccatura Tardiva Pas Dosé '17 flaunts a sip of great character, with aromas ranging from red fruit to spicy and plum notes, closing with delicate and refined hints of bread crust. 50

>Lambrusco di Sorbara Brut Rosé del Cristo M. Cl.

Cavicchioli San Prospero (MO) Sandro Cavicchioli doesn't fail to demonstrate his skill in the production of Metodo Classico sparkling wines. Truly exemplary for the type is the Rosé del Cristo '20, with a composite aromatic profile, featuring notes of dog rose, currant, and raspberries that alternate on the nose. In the mouth, it has a well-defined body, creamy effervescence with a very pleasant final extension, and an inviting aftertaste of strawberry. 22

>OP Cruasé Roccapietra '17 Scuropasso – Roccapietra Pietra de' Giorgi (PV)

In this solid reality in the Oltrepò region, Flavia Marazzi is increasingly close to her father Fabio in leading the company with determination. Great strides have been made in Metodo Classico, where they prefer long stays on the lees. The Cruasé Roccapietra ‘17 has clear citrussy notes, with hints of maple and Granny Smith apple, fine bubbles, and very sustained acidity: truly excellent. 25

>OP M. Cl. Pinot Nero Brut 1870 Cuvée Storica '19 Giorgi Canneto Pavese (PV)

>Lambrusco di Sorbara Brut In Purezza Silvia Zucchi

If you're looking for a rich, full-bodied Metodo Classico that is at the same time elegant, long, and deep, we highly recommend turning to the 1870 Cuvée Storica '19 by Giorgi, a Pinot Nero in purity with coppery reflections that provides great satisfaction. But it's just one of the arrows in the productive quiver of Fabiano Giorgi and his family, specialists not only in Metodo Classico but in everything that the Oltrepò Pavese wine region can offer. 25

Exceptional drinkability. The In Purezza Silvia Zucchi '22 is superb, with a beautiful intense pink colour. A bouquet of raspberries, currants, and wild strawberries, followed by a balanced body, well-integrated effervescence, and a fresh and engaging final length. 16

>A. A. Spumante Brut M. Cl. Athesis '20

Zucchi San Prospero (MO)

Kettmeir Caldaro/Kaltern (BZ)

It should not seem strange to find a sparkling wine from South Tyrol among the best Italian bubbles. Especially if it's from Kettmeir, a historic regional brand that has been part of the Santa Margherita group for some time. For several years, they have been working diligently on sparkling wines, and the Brut Athesis '20 is further confirmation that the path taken is the right one: great freshness on the nose, a dry and juicy sip, and of great finesse. 28

>Cartizze Brut La Rivetta '22 Villa Sandi Crocetta del Montello (TV)

The Cartizze La Rivetta, even with the 2022 vintage, does not fail to assert the importance of the most significant subzone in the entire appellation. Bringing the glass to the nose reveals fruity suggestions reminiscent of apple and pear, surrounded by subtle floral notes. On the palate, the salinity of the sip stands out, allowing for a rich style with a low sugar content that makes the sip agile and refined. 38

>Il Pigro Dosaggio Zero M.Cl. Romagnoli Vigolzone (PC)

At the top of our regional tastings is Il Pigro Dosaggio Zero '20, a Metodo Classico with fresh citrusy notes on the nose, fragrant with hints of bread crust and berries. On the palate, the effervescence is rich and creamy, integrated into a round and ample body. The finish is flavourful, long, and appetising. 28

>Lessini Durello Brut Nera Ris. ‘15 Fongaro Roncà (VR)

Tanita Danese has been leading the historic Roncà winery for a few years now. The standout is the Brut Nera ‘15, a glass with a fine and continuous effervescence that introduces aromas of Golden Delicious apple, intertwined with the characteristic mineral notes of the grape and a curious saline hint. On the palate, it is dry and possesses great drive, underscored by the typical and incisive acidity. 38

A country house in the heart of the Valdobbiadene Hills: six double rooms overlooking the Pradase vineyard. For more info and reservations please write to i n f o @ c a s a v a l d o . i t

>Franciacorta Brut Millè Ris. ’12 Muratori Adro (BS)

In a very solid lineup, the maison once again confirms its adept handling of long lees ageing. The Millè Reserve fully leverages the time factor; the effervescence is extremely fine, supporting an elegant tapestry of mint and licorice, with hints of apple and peach. It is well-structured, crisp, and persistent. 57

>Trento Brut Rotari Flavio Ris. ’15

Rotari Mezzocorona (TN) Among the Trento Alpe Regis wines, there is a great performance from the Pas Dosé and the Extra Brut, both very dynamic and lively in their delightful drinkability. However, it is with the Flavio that Rotari demonstrates its strength: an impeccable Brut Reserve with an unparalleled effervescent structure, aromas and flavours of golden apple, plums, wisteria, and freshly baked bread. 50

>Franciacorta Dosaggio Zero ’18 Corte Fusia Coccaglio (BS)

The Franciacorta Dosaggio Zero ‘18 easily conquers our palates, a cuvée played on purity and harmony rather than power and structure. It opens with notes of lime, anise, and white peach; the effervescence is fine, and the finish is marked by white flowers, light and continuous, showing great harmony and drinkability. Don’t miss the new single-vineyard release: few bottles, big character. 37

>Mattia Vezzola Grande Annata M. Cl. Rosé ’17 Costaripa Moniga del Garda (BS)

Costaripa is Mattia, Nicole, and Gherardo Vezzola, perfect interpreters of the new contemporary identity of Valtènesi Rosé. The results are extremely interesting with the classic method; in this cuvée, there is a blend of Chardonnay with a balance of Pinot Noir. It presents itself elegantly with tones of yeast, faded flowers, and white pepper. On the palate, it is creamy, delicate, with a caressing effervescence. 35

>Franciacorta Extra Brut ’16 Ricci Curbastro Capriolo (BS)

Riccardo, an agronomist, is currently assisted by his sons Gualberto Jr., Daniele, and Filippo, with a deep and comprehensive commitment to sustainability. The Franciacorta Extra Brut '18 prioritizes finesse over structure, detail over richness. It has aromas of medicinal herbs and citrus, while on the palate, it is subtle and penetrating, savory, and harmonious. 35

>Franciacorta Rosé ‘18 Bellavista Erbusco (BS)

The Moretti family continues to embrace new challenges: it's worth noting that since 2022, the renowned oenologist Richard Geoffroy is among the consultants. The Franciacorta Rosé '18, with hints of tangerine, flowers, and licorice, exhibits little colour and a lot of finesse; on the palate, it is particularly creamy, airy, and progressive. 65

>Franciacorta Dosaggio Zero Ris. 33 ‘15 Ferghettina Adro (BS)

The Franciacorta Dosaggio Zero Riserva 33 is appreciated for a sunny profile of wheat and tangerine; on the palate, it is particularly creamy and enveloping, more horizontal than vertical. It presents itself pulpy yet continuous, with a multifaceted finish of spices, acacia flowers, and candied citrus. 50

>Chiaromonte Brut Ancestrale Rosé ’18 Chiaromonte Acquaviva delle Fonti (BA)

It enchanted us: 48 months in the bottle, salmon colour. The aromas are nothing short of fragrant, with watermelon, violet, and pomegranate, clear and direct. In the mouth, it is vibrant, tense, progressive, with a beautiful balsamic undertone. The effervescence is a whisper, truly very fresh. It closes in an essential and very elegant way. 72

>Sergio Mottura Brut M. Cl. ’14 Mottura Civitella d’Sgliano (VT)

Sergio Mottura is considered, by all means, the "master" of Grechetto, the indigenous grape of Alta Tuscia. However, for years, he has successfully experimented with the Metodo Classico using Chardonnay grapes. The 2014 vintage, aged for 96 months on the lees, presents itself elegantly with tones of fresh almond, anise, and lime. On the palate, it is very taut, with citrussy bursts and delicate balsamic sensations. 40

Tenuta Luisa: story of a past that looks to the future

The grave and unbridgeable loss of the patriarch of the estate, Eddi Luisa

Tenuta Luisa, a winery located in the Corona locality in Mariano del Friuli (GO), in the heart of the Isonzo DOC region, suffered a serious and unbridgeable loss a few months ago. The patriarch, Eddi Luisa, who had taken over the estate in the 1970s, transforming it into a modern company, known and appreciated worldwide, passed away. An entrepreneur or more simply - as he liked to call himself - a far-sighted farmer, he was able to set himself new goals and stimuli every day, always looking beyond. An exemplary husband, father, father-in-law and grandfather, he has left a great void, but his wisdom, determination and communication skills will serve as an example for the whole family. Picking up the baton, continuing along the road he had traced, are his two sons: Michele, the oenologist who takes care of the winery, and Davide, who as agronomist takes care of the vineyards. Together, they guide the company, bringing together ancient farming knowledge and innovative oenological techniques, working in harmony with the environment and the landscape, and combining their shared passion and knowledge acquired over the years with the pleasure of welcoming those who wish to discover the Estate and its wines. Wine tourism is growing and expanding rapidly, and for the Luisa

family, the winery has always been not only a space dedicated to production but also a place of hospitality, where enthusiasts can be received in an atmosphere of sharing and conviviality. The guided tour of the Estate is a “ritual” moment during which guests, accompanied by the producer, can observe and touch the way grapes are handled and winemaking is conducted. A walk that transforms the vineyards, the cellar and the wine into precious tools to tell the story of the family, starting from its origins, and to promote the wonderful territory in which the Estate is immersed. A few excellent glasses of wine and a delicious tasting of high quality local products, even better if in company, become an opportunity to disconnect from the daily routine, relaxing in nature and “recharging the batteries”. But the Luisa family is ready to welcome its guests to offer a series of activities that go even further, creating various moments of encounter between man, nature and the land, such as picnics in the vineyard and dinners at sunset among the rows. An oenotourism that allows guests to proudly display their work and its fruits, with the intention of sharing not only information and notions to help them understand what lies inside and behind the bottle of wine, but also, and above all, passion and emotion.

Tenuta Luisa Via Campo Sportivo, 13 Mariano del Friuli +39 0481 69680 - tenutaluisa.it

This land is my land The great Mediterranean flavours

Immediately recognisable flavours and aromas: Peppe Guida is the legendary owner of Antica Osteria Nonna Rosa in Vico Equense

PEPPE GUIDA

>Antipasto FRIED BACCALÀ 1 kg baccalà, deboned ∙ “00” flour and semolina ∙ salt ∙ seed oil for frying

Cut the cod into bite-sized pieces, flour and deep fry in seed oil at 160-170°C. Drain on blotting paper and season with salt.

CHRISTMAS BROCCOLI 1 kg broccoli and their leaves ∙ 2 garlic cloves ∙ juice of 2 lemons ∙ chilli pepper ∙ salt ∙ evo oil

Cut the cod into bite-sized pieces, flour and deep fry in seed oil at 160-170°C. Drain on blotting paper and season with salt.

INSALATA DI RINFORZO 1 boiled cauliflower

∙ 200 g assorted picked vegetables (carrots, peppers, cauliflower, spring onion, etc) ∙ 100 g green olives ∙ 2 tender escarole hearts ∙ 60-70 g oil-packed anchovies ∙ 1-2 papacelle vinegar peppers, julienned ∙ salt ∙ vinegar ∙ evo oil

Mix all the vegetables in a salad bowl. Season with salt, very little vinegar and olive oil. Allow to stand for a few hours before serving. Garnish with anchovies.

ESCAROLE PIE (sweet & savoury) pie dish 30 cm ∙ 1 kg sweet pastry crust ∙ 2 heads of escarole ∙ 1 garlic clove ∙ 2 anchovy fillets ∙ 1 handful black olives ∙

1 Tbsp rinsed capers ∙ 2 Tbs sultanassoaked and wringed out ∙ evo oil ∙ salt ∙ 1 egg

Boil the escarole in salted water, drain and wring out any excess water. In a frying pan, brown the chopped anchovies, olives, pinenuts and capers. When the anchovies become a paste, add the escarole and cook for 10 minutes. Add the sultanas. Line the pie dish with the first disc of crust, distribute the escarole and cover with the second disc. Seal the edges well, brush with beaten egg, and prick the surface with the tines of a fork. Bake at 200°C for about 50 minutes.

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 MEATBALLS: 300 g ground meats ∙ 100 g stale bread revived in water, and squeezed ∙ 2 eggs ∙ 750 g tomato passata ∙ 1 minced onion ∙ Parmigiano Reggiano ∙ salt ∙ pepper ∙ breadcrumbs ∙ evo and seed oil PEAS: 300 g chelled fresh peas ∙ 1 minced spring onion ∙ 150 g minced pancetta ∙ evo oil ∙ salt BOLOGNESE: 300 g ground beef and pork meats ∙ celery ∙ carrot ∙ onion ∙ 200 g tomato passata ∙ white wine ∙ salt ∙ evo oil RICE: 500 g Carnaroli rice ∙ vegetable broth ∙ 250 g chopped fiordilatte/mozzarella ∙ basil ∙ Parmigiano ∙ breadcrumbs ∙ onion ∙ butter ∙ salt ∙ evo oil

>Sartù di riso Make small meatballs by combining minced meat, squeezed bread, Parmigiano, eggs, salt, and pepper; coat them in breadcrumbs. Fry them in seed oil without letting them brown. For the sauce: sauté the onion, add the tomato passata, and season with salt. When it boils, add the meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes. The sauce should remain fairly liquid. Peas: in a pan, sweat the spring onion and pancetta; add the peas and salt; add a little water and stew. Bolognese sauce: sauté the chopped vegetables, brown the ground meats, deglaze with wine, and add the tomato passata. Adjust seasoning. Cook until it boils. Rice: proceed as making a classic risotto, cooking it 2/3 of the way with broth, then finish with the tomato and meatball sauce. The rice should be creamy and the grains al dente. Add a generous handful of grated Parmigiano cheese and fresh basil. Butter a mould and dust it with breadcrumbs. Proceed to fill it in layers: rice with a central indentation to contain the peas, meatballs, mozzarella, Parmigiano, and again the rice, continuing to fill. Finish the top layer with rice, olive oil, and Parmigiano. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes. Serving: place the sartù upside down on a plate and let it cool slightly, then unmould. Serve in slices with Bolognese sauce, Parmigiano, and basil.

DUCA DELLA CORGNA Cantina del Trasimeno

Via Roma, 236 - 06061 Castiglione del Lago (PG) ducadellacorgna.it

>Pork belly INGREDIENTS FOR 4/6 2 kg pork belly (left whole, rind removed) 6 potatoes 6 vidalia onions 6-7 garlic cloves 6 sprigs rosemary lard salt and pepper

Trim the piece of meat (the scraps can be used to make ragù). Rub it with lard on both sides and season with salt, pepper, chopped rosemary, and garlic. In a baking dish, place the potatoes and onions whole (or in large pieces) with a few sprigs of rosemary. Place the meat on top and bake at 170°C for about 2 to 2½ hours. After about an hour, even less, remove the vegetables, which can be warmed up later, and continue cooking the meat: it should brown evenly. Once cooked, put the vegetables back into the baking dish, cover the meat with aluminium foil, and leave to rest until ready to serve.

>Tortanetti INGREDIENTI PER 6/8 PERSONE 500 ml water ∙ 375 g flour ∙ 50 g butter ∙ salt ∙ 1 teacup of anise ∙ 1 orange ∙ 1 lemon (plus zest) ∙ seed oil for frying FOR THE HONEY GLAZE: 300 g honey ∙ 2 levelled Tbsp sugar ∙ citrus peels (oranges, clementines, lemons, tangerines) rinsed and white pith carefully removed ∙ 1 Tbsp anise ∙ sprinkles

Tortanetti: Bring water with butter, salt and citrus peels to the boil, then remove

from the heat and add anise and sifted in the flour all at once. Return to the hob and stir until it thickens and pulls away from the pan. Off the heat, place the dough on a work surface and crefully knead it until it becomes smooth. Prepare little buttons a few at a time and deep fry them in batches in the hot seed oil. Glaze: In a saucepan, slowly melt the honey, sugar, and thinly sliced citrus peels to caramelise. Allow the honey to thicken. Off the heat, add the anise and stir well. With this, glaze the tortanetti one at a time, still warm, and arrange them on the serving dish. Complete with sprinkles and citrus peels.

Puglia Igp Olive Oil meets Italy On tour with Gambero Rosso

"Olio di Puglia Igp on Tour" is a project born within the framework of the Programma Radici Virtuose "Virtuous Roots Program," funded by Masaf, and involves collaboration between Gambero Rosso and the Consortium for the Protection and Enhancement of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Protected Geographical Indication "Olio di Puglia." The project includes a series of dinners between 2023 and 2024 where the green gold of Puglia takes center stage with unique pairings created for the occasion by renowned chefs and pizza chefs. The olive tradition in Puglia makes the region an absolute protagonist, contributing to about half of the national olive oil production. «At a time when extra virgin olive oil takes on a leading role, even on television," explains Maria Francesca Di Martino, President of the Consortium, "we aim to promote the production

of the highest quality to introduce consumers and restaurateurs to the excellence of Puglian olive oils. The Igp Olio di Puglia was recognized in 2019, and the slogan - and philosophy - that accompanies us is: “Igp Olio di Puglia is good because it is fresh and good for you.” The certified quality of our oils ensures exceptionally high nutraceutical content. Furthermore, our companies commit to placing them on the market within a year of their production. Those who choose Igp Olio di Puglia must be certain of the certified quality with our label. Our logo depicts an ancient Roman coin dedicated to

A series of dinners bring together Puglia's green gold with the proposals of great chefs and pizza makers for unusual pairings the Via Traiana, a road that traversed our entire region: it must be synonymous with the highest quality in Italy first, but also abroad.»

PIZZAS AND FINE DINING, SAVE THESE DATES IN 2024

The pizzeria 400 Gradi in Lecce, awarded Tre Forchette by Gambero Rosso, was the first stop on the Olio di Puglia IGP on Tour. The owner, Andrea Godi, created seasonal pizzas with carefully selected local ingredients, where the protagonist was Puglia’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Following this, the tour moved to Rome at the 47 Circus Roof Garden, featuring chef Michele Giovannini, who elevated the typical Coratina and Ogliarola cultivars in extraordinary pairings - an added value, especially in the context of fine dining. The third stop brought Olio di Puglia to Enosteria Lipen in Triuggio, where the master of the culinary arts, Corrado Scaglione, demonstrated how Puglia’s green gold could enhance the pleasure of some of his historical dishes. For 2024, 7 dinners are scheduled in some of the best restaurants scattered throughout the Peninsula. More details can be found on www.gamberorosso.it

INIZIATIVA REALIZZATA NELL’AMBITO DEL “PROGRAMMA DI RIGENERAZIONE ECONOMICA, SOCIALE E AMBIENTALE DEL TERRITORIO JONICO-SALENTINO COLPITO DA XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA, RADICI VIRTUOSE”, FINANZIATA A VALERE SULL’AVVISO MIPAAF N.10900 DEL 17.02.2020 “CONTRATTI DI DISTRETTO XYLELLA”.

Consorzio per la Tutela e la Valorizzazione dell’Olio Extravergine di Oliva a Indicazione Geografica Protetta “Olio di Puglia” radicivirtuose.it

wine

Le vin c’est moi

From the Bordeaux crisis to no-alcohol wines: Michel Rolland, the most famous (and controversial) oenologist in the world speaks about himself

Let’s start from home. You are the most famous oenologist in Bordeaux. But the Bordeaux model seems to be going through a crisis... In recent times, not very reassuring news has been reaching us, there is talk of overproduction, of plans for substantial explantations of vineyards...

Bordeaux is one of the most important appellation territories, if not the most important in the world. We are talking about 115,000 hectares of vineyards. Obviously in Bordeaux there are problems. In Bordeaux, there are “haute de gamme” wines, which have no difficulties, on the contrary... there is more mass production and here we are talking about 6 million hectolitres - the mid-range wines, then the wines for mass consumption. For medium and low-medium range wines, there is not a big clientele today, because the commercial marketplace in Bordeaux is not interested in them. The maison de négoce, the traditional intermediaries between producers and the market, are more interested in wines like Masseto, Ornellaia or Sassicaia because they make higher margins on these, they sell more expensively, and the négociants are not interested in wines where they cannot make a high profit, unlike in the past when even these wines went through the négoce.

French oenologist Michel Rolland: «Argentina is my second home».

The second problem is that nowadays wine is made all over the world, and the average quality has grown enormously on a global

by Marco Sabellico A genius for some, a mere "taste homologator" for others, Michel Rolland is a charismatic figure in the fine wine market. From Bordeaux, his homeland, his influence has spread to all continents. Today, Rolland Consulting is a structured company with state-of-the-art laboratories and a team of top technicians that enable him to brand hundreds of great wine labels in every wine region - or almost every wine region - in the world. But his success began in the United States in the 1980s, with the enthusiastic reviews of his Bordeaux wines by a young critic, Rober Parker Jr.

From Bordeaux to the Andes

The French oenologist, 76, owner of five wineries between France, Argentina and South Africa, and consultant to some 80 in 23 countries, left the majority of Rolland Consulting in Bordeaux in 2021 scale, so Bordeaux’s spaces have shrunk... In the past, these wines benefited from the image of Bordeaux, of the great Chateaus, but today this is no longer enough because Italy, Spain, the United States, South America, for example, make many good wines and have entered into competition. It’s not a question of Bordeaux style or Burgundy style, then?

No, I don't think so. Perhaps international wine critics have also played a role in all this, in recent years, there has been much more talk about Burgundy than Bordeaux, don't you think? Is Bordeaux still at the centre of the wine world?

Critics' tastes have evolved; critics - who have a direct relationship with consumers, and influence their choices - are moving

In Italy you work mainly in Tuscany. Perhaps because there is something in common with Bordeaux?

Yes, of course, even if there is Umbria... Anyway, the Tuscans were the first to come looking for me; the first was Lodovico Antinori for Ornellaia. After that, I worked for Ruffino for a long time, with Ambrogio Folonari, where I made Cabreo, then Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale. Today, with Julien Viaud, we are working with Biserno. Then came Monteverro. The Rolland style: is it designed for the American palate, for consumers in the New World? Soft, round, fruity, rich wines?

Yes, I get that a lot. I don't know if there is a "Rolland style". I can say that Rolland is a professional with fifty years in the business. Five decades. And Rolland is in full swing. I believe that if his style was not good, professionally he would have died (laughs) a long time ago... So, "style or no style" is definitely not the issue.

Rolland blending wines at Château Fontenil, along with daughters Stéphanie and Marie, both involved in the family business

towards wines that can be drunk young; nowadays, people drink faster, and the market of collectors who put wine in the cellar to age, and can wait, is shrinking. This is a trend we see in France with Burgundy, but also in Italy, where wines like Barolo and Barbaresco are emerging, thanks to the expressive lightness of Nebbiolo. I believe that an evolution in the taste of critics rather than consumers is taking place. The consumer's taste, and I see this when I present my wines around the world, remains more conservative. You have made wines

in all or almost all the winegrowing areas of the world. Have you never tried making wines in Burgundy?

No, I could have, but the problem with Burgundy is that they are very small estates, and then there are also logistical problems; between Bordeaux, where I live, and Burgundy, there are 600 kilometres. Making the journey to visit a small Domaine that has a few dozen barrels and then five hours back is not a viable option. For me, wine production is a profession, it's my business, I have to optimise my time. I would like to, but I have no open dossiers on Burgundy. When I come to Italy, for example, I pass by four to five wineries in a row: yesterday I was at Biserno, today at Ornellaia, tomorrow at Caprai and then I'll be at Monteverro, for us they are important customers. This is, essentially, the motivation.

Probably your reputation is linked to the reviews of Robert Parker, who has written several times that Michel Rolland is the greatest winemaker in the world?

He was really very kind to say that... (laughs). Of course, but this has had consequences for the French, European and international wine scene. The US market is the most important in the world. So your choices have been geared to indulge the American palate.

The second part of my answer is that when I make a wine - and I love all the wines I make - I believe that you have to make wines that then sell. The best wine is the one that sells! Wine is an economic commodity, it is produced to exchange it. And the company that produces it must prosper. It is true that when I started, in the 1970s, the market that was about

to explode was the American market. And it is true, I made wines that would appeal to the American palate, but these wines today appeal to the Chinese and Europeans as well. So, where is the truth? I don't know, I only know that thanks to positive criticism, such as that of Robert Parker, certainly based on his personal taste, the world of wine has progressed enormously in terms of quality. The world wine proposal today is infinitely better and more interesting than what was on the market forty years ago. For some you are the guru of oenology, the scientist who changed the face of modern oenology, for others a kind of great Satan, the homologator...

But here, it is like in politics, you cannot have unanimous consensus. I know that some people see me as the devil, others as a saint... (laughs) I try to be a bit of both...

For many, the role of the cynical winemaker in the film MondoVino brought you more approval than negativity.

Ah yes, of course! There is a French adage that says "good or bad, the essential thing is that people talk about it". For me it was a great success... Can you make original wines in California or in the case of Harlan, Araujo, Screaming Eagle, is it just a matter of applying classic Bordeaux protocols?

Well, they're not bad, are they? (laughs) However, when we taste California wines alongside wines from Bordeaux, it is clear that they are not similar. They are all cabernet sauvignon-based wines, but they are totally different expressions of the grape variety. And then the percentages of cabernet sauvignon in California are higher. In Bordeaux, there are wines with 80% cabernet sauvignon but they are rare, here most are

between 65% and 75% cabernet sauvignon, then there is merlot, some cabernet franc, some petit verdot. And finally there are the white wines from Bordeaux. In California you can make those as well, but the big Californian reds like the ones we mentioned are 90% cabernet sauvignon. So we have different percentages and a different expression of the grape variety. We are not on similar soils and we have a different climate; certainly, the work in the vineyard and in the cellar is similar, but the origins are different and therefore the wines are different. For you, how has the consumer's palate changed over the last 20 years?

Château Le Bon Pasteur, in Pomerol, where Michel was born. The company was sold to the Goldin group in 2013 but is still run by the Rollands

For me, not much has changed. And I say why. I receive a lot of people in my house, and people from all over the world, and also people who are strangers to the world of wine. Well I have a cellar - I would say an important cellar - and I have a lot of old vintages. So the average consumer today no longer has a wine cellar, and that's because it has become too demanding to manage, even financially. Then there are the thefts... Even in Paris many of my acquaintances have had their most precious bottles stolen. And so people no longer put wine in the cellar. If they have guests for dinner, they go down to the wine shop or go to the supermarket and buy wines for the evening. As a result, people drink wines that are two or three years old, and they no longer drink old vintages. When I organise tastings at my house, I let people taste wines that are fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five years old. I have never found anyone who says they

don't like old vintages. People love them, but they can no longer afford them. Taste has not changed then, only the consumer has been forced to change his habits. Today there is much talk of alcohol-free wine, will this be the future of wine?

Dear Gambero Rosso, wine without alcohol cannot exist or we have to change the definition given by the OIV at the international level. Wine without alcohol is not wine.. Has viticulture or oenology changed more in thirty years?

Both have changed, but oenology has progressed before viticulture. Oenology started earlier. In the 1970s, when I started, the main thing was to have clean cellars. It seems strange today to think that people made wine in rooms that were not clean, at that time it was essential to clean the wine vats, the pipes, you had to make the tools and equipment in the cellar aseptic. At that time, many wines had major

Biodynamic malbec vineyards in the Val de Flores in Argentina. Vinification takes place in the nearby Bodega Rolland

defects, excessive volatile acidity, bacterial and abnormal yeast attacks; therefore, we first worked to improve the winemaking conditions. Then we realised that if you didn't have a level of raw material, you couldn't make important wines. So we concentrated on the vineyard to improve the quality of the grapes. Today we are at a very good level in both the technical and oenological aspects, but this is a process of continuous improvement. Every day we discover something new and move forward. Today there is a lot of talk about natural wines, ancestral practices, and a return to the origins of the history of wine.

A return to the origins? Yes and no.

Is it a form of protest against oenologists? No, I don't think so, the problem is that there is always a need for change, for telling new stories. So let's separate the speeches. What is natural wine? By definition all wine is natural, it comes from a natural phenomenon of the fermentation of sugars by yeasts. Grapes ripen in vineyards naturally, fermentation is a spontaneous process. The Greeks used to add aromas and spices to cover the defects in their wines, and to prevent the wine from turning into vinegar. If we did that today, what would people say? That it is natural wine? These are all nice stories to attract the consumer. It is another thing to make wine from sustainable viticulture, which thinks about the environment and the future. Because it is certain that in recent decades, viticulture, like all agriculture, has tended to use too many treatments. Even preventive treatments were used when there was probably no need for them. Today, treatments are much more reasoned. The climate has changed. Let us take note of this. Global warming has naturally brought us a drastic reduction in treatments as vine diseases are less aggressive. But there are vintages like this 2023 where the situation is different: rain and humidity, then sunshine. We call it a fungal year, so there is a need for treatments. But by now, a collective conscience has awoken in all producers, and there is no longer anyone willing to do treatments if they are not strictly necessary, unlike in the past. What about biodynamics? What do you think?

Biodynamics uses other techniques, it rests on different concepts, which I do not criticise at all. I have many friends and several clients who work in biodynamics. It is a difficult technique to master; you have to have a lot of knowledge

and people who are genuinely passionate about the subject. When you have to intervene in the vineyard, you have very narrow windows, and you may have to enter the vineyard at seven o'clock in the morning on a Sunday: more than technical difficulties, in the end it's about human problems... That's the most complicated aspect. Sometimes the practices are a bit curious, like burying manure horns in the four corners of the vineyard, but I have a lot of respect for those who practice it. Cement vats, amphorae, macerated white wines... Are these the new frontiers of contemporary oenology?

Complicated question... Let's start with cement: I am very much in favour. Wood is an excellent container for wine, but it is expensive, difficult to keep healthy and clean, and after a few years you have to change it. Technically and economically it is a complicated story. But it cannot be eliminated, or at least not completely. After wood comes cement, because it has excellent thermal inertia. And temperature constancy in fermentation is a crucial aspect for quality. Cement in this respect is excellent. The third material is stainless steel, which has gone through two eras in history. In the first, that of the thin-walled vats: it was almost impossible to control the temperature, the outer part was always colder than the inner part, and there were problems with stuck fermentations... Today we have vats with double walls, refrigerated cavities, which allow perfect temperature control at all stages. What about the amphorae?

Amphorae? I have nothing against them (laughs), it's just that sometimes they are difficult to control, sometimes they are too porous and let a little too much oxygen through. You have to know them well and handle them well; it's

An oenologist with a degree... in the field Born in 1947 into a family of winemakers in Libourne, Michel Rolland grew up on the family estate, Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol. He enrolled in the School of Viticulture and Enology at La Tour Blanche and the Faculty of Enology at the University of Bordeaux, where he met his wife Dany. They both graduated in 1970. Among his teachers were Pierre Sudraud and Pascal Ribèreau-Gayon, the fathers of modern oenology. In the early 1970s, Michel and Dany began working at an oenological laboratory, which they later acquired. While Dany focused on this, Michel became a field oenologist, understanding that great wine originates in the vineyard. In the 1980s, consultancy became a full-fledged profession. Michel produced significant wines, with an awareness of the importance of terroir and the influences of climate, grape variety, soils, and vineyard installations. Wines from over 250 companies worldwide have passed under his nose and bear his signature. Over the years, he has developed various projects around the world: in Argentina, “Clos de los Siete,” “Mariflor,” and “Val de Flores,” and in South Africa, “Bonne Nouvelle.” These are personal projects that often became fields of research and experimentation, allowing Michel to test new techniques to accommodate different terroirs. As both an owner and consultant, Michel Rolland became the first Flying Winemaker and the oenologist of these transformative years who contributed to the evolution of viticulture and oenology as we know them today.

Yes, certainly, and there are some territories where it is a widespread practice, some are even awardwinning, they are very interesting wines.

Ah, well, I'm curious to taste them.

Tell me three wines you love but haven't made yourself, maybe a white, a red and a sparkling wine.

Among whites I really love Chardonnay, so I would say the Meursault of Comtes Lafon, is really good. A red wine that I didn't make, and that I like? There are so many! Excluding the obvious big names, I would definitely say LéovilleLas Cases in Saint Julien. A truly elegant red. A foreign wine? Well, there aren't many really good ones (laughs again)... Maybe Colgin in California. And for bubbles?

Michel Rolland and his wife Dany at Château Fontenil in 1986, the year they bought the most famous estate in Fronsac

them. But let's be serious. Anyway, I have nothing against amphorae. As long as you choose the right earthenware and the right capacity for each wine.

complicated but interesting. But it is often a marketing argument. In a winery that makes 800,000 bottles, having four amphorae means having a minimal and unnoticeable impact on the final product. It's often just talk.

You don't make any wine in amphorae?

Aren't there wineries that only have amphorae?

I only know of one: in Pauillac there is Chateau Pontet-Canet, which matures 50% of its production in amphorae. So here we can talk about influence on the final result. Otherwise, it's just talk. There are those who put an amphora in the four corners of the cellar to say that they have

I have amphorae everywhere, at least two per cellar (laughs)... if you come to Chateau Fontenil, in Fronsac, you can see two concrete vats and two dolia. Visitors are enthusiastic about them (laughs) and love to take selfies near the amphorae. Here we make 50,000 bottles, and we have two amphorae. which is equivalent to 0.01 of production. The macerated whites? I have respect for those who make them (laughs). Orange wines are not in my league, so I haven't felt like making them so far. Do you review them in the Wine Guide? Do any earn Tre Bicchieri?

I love sparkling wines. I don't know the Italian scene very well, but I see that Prosecco Doc is doing well in France, over 40 million bottles. A figure that really struck me. I love Champagne. Good red wines outside France are produced all over the world, from Italy to California, and I like a lot of them. But when it comes to bubbles, Champagne is unrivalled. I drink them all with pleasure, and if I want something special, I pop a Salon or a Clos du Mesnil. I like Blanc de Blancs. The New World: you make wine in Chile, in Argentina you make wine from malbec, which in Bordeaux is certainly not an important variety, but in Argentina this grape has become a star.

It is a grape that originated in Bordeaux, where it has almost disappeared (there is still some left) and for very simple reasons: malbec has never perfectly adapted to the Bordeaux climate, because it does not like rain and is very susceptible to rot. It is a very complicated grape if you want to make top wines.

Argentina is the only country in the world where great wines can be made from malbec, and this is due to its 'hypercontinental' position where the vine-growing areas are close to the Andes cordillera, and therefore there is no oceanic influence, neither from the West nor from the East. Here, Malbec has found its ideal location. In France, the most interesting Malbecs come from Cahors, which has a much more continental climate than Bordeaux, we are 250-300 kilometres from the coast, the influence of the ocean is minimal.

the powerful impetuosity of this particular grape, its rusticity. Last month I tasted a bottle of 2006, the first vintage we 'touched', even though we did not make the wine ourselves. It was a rich, elegant complex wine, but it took 17 years to tame it. Sagrantino will never be a subtle, threadlike wine, but I believe we managed to give it a more modern edge, to make it more enjoyable and seductive even with a relatively shorter maturation, despite its richness and tannins. We sought a new elegance and balance but without distorting its essence.

We are in Montefalco. A particular wine is made here, Sagrantino. You have totally rethought the production process. Was it a real challenge?

What are your plans for the future?

Yes it was, I have been working here for years, and we managed to make an elegant red that blunts

Keep working but take it easy. The thing I am most passionate about in a company is making wine cuts, tasting barrel by barrel, barrique by barrique to arrive at the final amalgam, which changes every

Bodega Rolland in Mendoza, Argentina. Clos de los Siete, Mariflor, Yacochuya and Val de Flores wines are born here. (photo Federico Garcia) year. I sold the majority of Rolland Consulting and the laboratory to my collaborators, Julien Viaud, Mikael Laizet and Jean-Philippe Fort. Now the company is called 'Laboratoire Rolland & Associés' and includes the consulting business (250 in more than 15 countries, ed.) and the analysis laboratories (more than 500 clients, where we analyse everything from musts to wines and soils). My wife Dany and I only have a small share. I have companies in Bordeaux and Argentina, which is my second home. I will devote more time to myself and family but... I still enjoy working!

World Tour Asia Tokyo is the city with the most restaurants awarded by Gambero Rosso - Seoul celebrates the Italian Way of Life by Marco Sabellico The Far East has made a strong comeback and is back to planning on a large scale. You can see it by looking at the skyline of major cities, with new skyscrapers, increasingly taller, and a widespread desire for luxury and lifestyle-centered events. A sector where Italy truly shines. The Gambero Rosso tour in Tokyo and Seoul has confirmed this for us.

Tokyo Japan, with its refined gastronomic culture, has always been in love with Italian cuisine and wines. The event on October 26th once again confirmed this. On a bright autumn Thursday, a crowd of wine professionals and enthusiasts (more than 1000!) gathered

in the grand ballroom of the Ritz Carlton hotel in Midtown to celebrate the 37th edition of the Vini d’Italia guide with over 60 excellent producers and their finest labels. «It is the great celebration of Italian oenological culture that we eagerly await every year,» said Federico Fanelli, owner of Swirl Wine Import in Tokyo. «A great opportunity to taste the best of Italy and find new wineries to add to our portfolio. The Japanese consumer loves Italy. There is incredible enthusiasm, and the many new openings of Italian establishments - restaurants and specialised wine bars - testify to this.»

The award ceremony for the Top Italian Restaurant in the World guide

Above left, Peppe Napoli sta’ ca’ (Tokyo), awarded three slices, and Il Ristorante - Luca Fantin Bulgari Hotel (Tokyo), awarded three forks. Above, Isao Miyajima, expert on Italian wines in Japan and translator of the Vini d’Italia guide into Japanese language. Above: the tasting at Ritz Carlton Tokyo

saw a massive presence of Japanese Italian restaurant professionals. Tokyo

boasts a record: for the Gambero Rosso guide, it is the most awarded city in Asia. Bar Enoteca Implicito, with

its impressive selection of great Italian labels, won the prestigious Villa Sandi Best Contemporary Wine List Award and also earned Due Bicchieri. The guest of honor for the day was the Prosecco Doc Consortium, with a special Masterclass.

Seoul Doràwaseo bangàwoyo Gambero Rosso! Welcome back, Gambero Rosso: «It is the greeting that many Korean wine lovers extended to us on October 30th, and to the over 40 top Italian wineries that animated the Top Italian Wines Roadshow at the Ambassador Hotel in the Korean capital. «Our relationships are strengthening,» said Emilia Gatto, the

lifestyle of the Mediterranean Diet.» «I believe in this market,» said Clemente Zecca while pouring his excellent

wines from Puglia. «It is growing again, and at a sustained pace. Koreans are increasingly willing to visit Italy to discover more about our culture and wine.»

In Seoul, the Top Italian Wines Roadshow also distributed its awards: Ciuri Ciuri, owned by the Olivieri couple, received Due Forchette and the Villa Sandi Best Contemporary Wine List Award for its rich and unconventional Italian wine list. The Italian Way of Life day in Seoul

was once again a success. This is confirmed by the sold-out sessions of our masterclasses, such as the workshop with cheeses from the Asiago Dop Consortium, the official partner of the event in Seoul. «A great

Taste experience,» commented Sunjoo Choi, sommelier, and wine educator. «It indicates a trend: that of pairings, which we are starting to delve into. There is always something to learn with Italy in terms of food and wine.»

Prosecco Doc could not be missing: styles, history, terroirs, and types fascinated the audience of the masterclass. «Prosecco Doc has now entered the hearts and habits of Koreans. And it pairs wonderfully with many of our dishes,» said Mi Young Ahn, editor-in-chief of wine21. com. «I foresee significant growth in consumption.»

Above left, Emilia Gatto, the new Italian ambassador in Seoul; some Korean wine lovers at the Top Italian Wine Roadshow tasting. Opposite, the Top Italian Restaurant awards ceremony in Seoul

newly appointed Italian ambassador during the opening ceremony. «The ties that unite our two countries are increasing, and food and wine culture is one of the most important.»

The wave of new openings of Italian restaurants is clear evidence of the renewed enthusiasm in this market. And the numbers, after difficult years, promise to rise. «Elegant diversity is the slogan,» says Hyeon Tae Choi, a wine journalist based in Seoul. «What Italy can offer in terms of originality and excellence in the food and wine sector has no equal elsewhere. And we are fascinated by the healthy

PROSECCO Doc looks EAST!

Prosecco Doc, the most widely appreciated sparkling wine of the world doesn’t rest on its laurels… Consorzio del Prosecco Doc represents the entire production chain of the denomination, and with the associated wineries is increasingly involved in international promotion activities. With the partnership of Gambero Rosso two important international events were recently held, in Japan and in Korea. «Japan is a crucial market – says Stefano Zanette, President of Prosecco Doc - it is the first export destination in Asia - it does not yet have the numbers of the most important markets, such as USA and Germany, but is very promising. The Japanese are very attentive to Made in Italy, and consumption has been growing in recent years. We have decided to invest in this market to consolidate our success. We strongly believe in it.» Today the country of the Rising Sun imports 2.5 million bottles a year (2022 data), and the

prospects for more ambitious goals are excellent. Confirming this, the presence of the Consorzio with numerous producers at the classic Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri event in Tokyo on October 26th attracted enormous interest, which translated into an uninterrupted flow of visitors in the space dedicated to Prosecco Doc and in the whole sold out at the masterclass held by Marco Sabellico, editor in chief of Vini d'Italia, Isao Miyajima, well-known food &

Two successful events, in Tokyo and in Seoul, highlight the growth of Prosecco Doc in Asia. Where events and investments are crucial to expand the export. wine journalist and wine-writer, and Tanja Barattin, Promotional Department Manager. They, alongside with the wineries, entertained a selected audience of professionals, wine experts and influencers, telling the story of the most loved - and consumed sparkling wine in the world, its terroir, production technique and styles. One of the key factors of success of Prosecco is that this fresh, elegant and fruity sparkler is deliciously versatile. Excellent if paired to the Italian cuisine, is demonstrating that combined with Japanese cuisine can create a delightful dining experience. While traditionally, sake or beer might be more commonly associated with Japanese food, the crispness and effervescence of Prosecco Doc can complement the flavors found in Japanese dishes. Here are some considerations: with Sushi and Sashimi the clean, refreshing taste of Prosecco pairs well with the delicate flavors of

raw fish. Its acidity can cut through the richness of fatty fish like salmon or tuna. With Tempura, the

lightness and the creamy effervescence in Prosecco can complement the crispy texture of tempura, whether it's vegetables or seafood. With Miso-based dishes Prosecco's effervescence and acidity can contrast and cleanse the palate between bites of rich dishes like miso soup or soy glazed dishes. When pairing Prosecco with Japanese cuisine, it's essential to consider the sweetness, acidity, and texture of both the food and the wine. In general, the lightness and acidity of Prosecco often work well with a wide range of Japanese dishes, providing a refreshing contrast to various flavors, while you can choose a style from Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry, Demi-sec for a perfect pairing. «Taste is subjective – says Isao Miyajima - so experimenting with different combinations is a great way to discover what suits your palate best. It's always a good idea to try different styles of Prosecco to find the one that complements your favorite Japanese dishes perfectly».

Few days later, on October 30th Prosecco Doc and Gambero Rosso were in Seoul, «The Soul of Korea», at the Ambassador Hotel. The success, experienced in Tokyo, has repeated in the Far East capital. Korea is another country which has growing cultural and economical ties with Italy. It is one of the strongest economies in the world and one of the most technologically advanced,

and the Italian gastronomic scene in the capital is burgeoning, so (after two difficult years) is wine import, and Prosecco in particular. «The growth rate is extraordinary, from 250,000 exported bottles in 2020, we reached about 750.000 bottles in 2022, and we hope to soon exceed one million. - says Stefano Zanette - It means that this is a key market in the Far East. And we are investing on it». Again the special guest at Top Italian Wines Roadshow by Gambero Rosso – at its 10th edition in the «City of Lights», a nickname that well

emphasizes Seoul's vibrant and lively atmosphere, especially at night, with its bustling nightlife, neon lights, and entertainment districts - was Prosecco Doc. This is probably the most important wine event of the year in Korea. Marco Sabellico and Tanja Barattin led again a crowded masterclass which explored at large terroir, history and styles of Prosecco. Mi Young Ahn – editor in chief of wine21.com - joined them in the tasting, where 8 excellent Prosecco Doc were poured to illustrate the denomination. Special guest of the day Jay Wine King, Asia’s most influent personality of the wine world, friend of Prosecco DOC and Gambero Rosso Network.

«It’s amazing to see how quickly Prosecco is becoming part of the Korean lifestyle – said Laura Dassiè from Valdoca winery – the rite of Aperitivo it’s more and more popular in Seoul». «Prosecco Doc goes very well with Korean food – echoed Milena Billi from Villa Sandi – and of course with Italian food, from pizza to pasta dishes, to quote the most popular. From Brut Nature to Dry you can make the perfect choice. It’s light, fresh, elegant.

Koreans are fascinated by Prosecco». «Great event, qualified visitors, excellent prospective for sales and vibrant enthusiasm for the Prosecco DOC Rosé typology» - adds

Gabriele from Viticoltori Ponte winery. While Elisa Montuori and Ugo Freschi, respectively from Giusti Wine and Le Rughe wineries, agree on the fact that, approaching for the first time the Korean Market and looking for an importer, the feedbacks received are already good. But a good match with the local cuisine can be the key to success. Pairing Korean food with Prosecco Doc can be an interesting culinary adventure! The effervescence and slight sweetness of Prosecco Doc can complement a number of Korean dishes really well. «The spicy, tangy flavors of Kimchi can

be balanced by the slightly sweet and effervescent nature of Prosecco – says Sunjoo Choi, sommelier and wine educator at 21.com - and of course the bubbles help cleanse the palate between bites. Bibimbap (mixed rice dish with vegetables, meat, and spicy sauce) can be nicely complemented by the slight sweetness of Prosecco, especially if the dish is spicy. Japchae (Stir-fried Glass Noodles), often made with vegetables, beef, and a savorysweet sauce, can be enhanced by the lightness and subtle sweetness of Prosecco». «When pairing Prosecco with Korean food – adds Mi Young Ahn consider the overall flavors and spices in the dish. Prosecco's light, fruity, and slightly sweet profile can complement spicy, savory, and umami flavors commonly found in Korean cuisine». Prosecco Doc,

the wine that knows no boundaries!

Consorzio di Tutela della Denominazione di Origine Controllata Prosecco www.prosecco.wine fproseccodoc $proseccodoc #ProseccoDOC #ProseccoDOCRosé #TasteProsecco #ItalianGenio

The Consortium for the Protection of Asiago Cheese flies to South Korea with Gambero Rosso

From October 30th to November 2nd, the Consortium for the Protection of Asiago Cheese visited South Korea, meeting with the press, opinion leaders, and the restaurant industry in collaboration with the partner Gambero Rosso. If you think the East is not an ideal destination for cheeses, you are greatly mistaken. In recent years, Southeast Asia has truly discovered this product, which historically was not consumed by these populations. The protein support that has been derived from dairy in these areas comes from soy and its derivatives, such as tofu. However, in an increasingly interconnected and communicative world, realities change rapidly. An important consortium like Asiago, the fourth most important among Italian PDO cheeses, is determined to explore these markets with extraordinary potential.

The Consortium for the Protection of Asiago Cheese has thus arrived in South Korea, the initial stage of a broad plan that will lead to long-

range promotional actions in various countries in Southeast Asia in the coming years. In the nation that, since 2011, with the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed with the European Union, recognizes and protects Asiago cheese, the Consortium seizes the opportunities of renewed attention to Italian cuisine. Therefore, to meet the press, opinion leaders, and buyers, Asiago PDO joined forces with Gambero Rosso on October 30th at the Top Italian Wines Road Show, held at the Ambassador Hotel in Seoul. The Asiago cheese was the Official Cheese of the prestigious event presenting Italian gastronomic excellence in South Korea, along with a selection of the finest Italian wines curated by Gambero Rosso. It took the spotlight in an exclusive masterclass pairing with a selection of premium wines led by journalist Marco Sabellico, curator of the Gambero Rosso Wine Guide. «It was a fascinating journey of taste, a true

workshop,» said Marco Sabellico. «We had four types of Asiago available: Fresh, Fresh Reserve, Mezzano, and Stravecchio. Different maturation, different textures, and flavours for four excellent products. And the game was fun, with over 20 great wines available, from the Veneto's Cartizze to Brunello di Montalcino, to the great reds of Puglia, and the wines of Etna.» «It was a real workshop, participants were able to experience the concept of food and wine pairing, which has always been part of our tradition but is somewhat of a new concept in the East,» added

Flavio Innocenzi, Director of the Consortium for the Protection of Asiago PDO. «In South Korea, as in other countries, dishes are usually placed on the table simultaneously and are usually paired with tea, rice wine, or maybe a distilled spirit. Those who participated in the masterclass were enthusiastic, they learned the concept of flavor sequence and how a wine can enhance the taste of food, in this case, our different Asiago. It was a fascinating journey, thanks also to the high quality of the wines proposed by Gambero Rosso. An experience we will repeat in other countries!»

The Asiago tasting counter in the Grand Ballroom of the Ambassador also enjoyed great success, with a continuous flow of visitors throughout the event. In short, the prospects are excellent. As an emerging economy, South Korea has become the third

destination for Italian exports in Asia, growing by +17.3% in volume in 2022 compared to the previous year. The Italian cuisine, serving as an ambassador for certified origin products, was acknowledged by the Consortium for the Protection of Asiago Cheese, which awarded a special prize for the restaurant with the best selection of Italian PDO cheeses on this occasion. The recognition went to the "Paolo De Maria" restaurant, led by

the eponymous executive chef, known in Seoul for its careful selection of ingredients. The Consortium promotes awareness of the value of the product of its origin throughout the world and enhances the work of chefs who use this high quality raw material in their creations. Precisely through these collaborations, the chefs become the first ambassadors of this production, its natural values, its millenary history, its workmanship closely linked to its territory and, for this reason, unique.

Great succes for Asiago PDO Cheese in Seoul

Consorzio Tutela Formaggio Asiago Via Giuseppe Zampieri 15 36100 Vicenza (VI) - Italy asiagocheese.it $formaggioasiagodop

China is back on track, and at full force!

Enthusiasm, a desire to go out and socialise: it’s a new boom in Italian wine consumption in China

by Marco Sabellico If the pandemic period was tough for everyone, it was even more so for the Chinese. In this country, the lockdowns were the longest and most numerous. All of this has weighed heavily on the world of wine and dining. But that's all in the past now. Today, in Beijing and Shanghai, the cities visited by our Tour, enthusiasm and optimism are in the air like never before. The Imperial City couldn't have been more welcoming and polished when, finally, on November 2, on a wonderful sunny day, Gambero Rosso made its return to Beijing, presenting a unique selection of wines awarded with the Tre Bicchieri. In the opening

ceremony, Cristina Carenza, Deputy Head of Mission at the Italian Embassy in Beijing, addressed the producers and the media. Then, from 1:30 pm to 6 pm, a continuous flow of visitors - many of whom were professional sommeliers - gathered in the Grand Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel in the heart of the city. We found a well-prepared and curious market, ready to regain ground and fill their glasses. «It's the first major wine event organised in the city after the pandemic,» says Rocky Zang, importer of fine Italian wines. «Gambero Rosso always presents an excellent selection of wineries and wines. We are starting fresh. The Chinese market has

Second photo from the top: Villa Sandi Best Contemporary Wine List Award to Da Vittorio Shanghai On the next page: Top Italian Restaurants Awards ceremony in Beijing

suffered a lot in the last three years, but now there is great enthusiasm. There are many new restaurant and wine bar openings in Beijing and in the most important cities. And most of them focus on Italian food and wines." "If we look at the recent numbers of our exports, there has undoubtedly been a decline, but now the market is growing again," adds Giampaolo Bruno, director of the Beijing office of Ice, the Italian Trade Agency. «We need to do more for this market. Being present and organising events like this is crucial for building future success. I came because I believe in this market,» says Massimo Setaro, owner of the family winery on Mount Vesuvius. «I am happy. My schedule is full of contacts with potential importers. Our wines satisfy the Chinese palate. I will come more often!»

During the event, the awards ceremony for the Top Italian Restaurants in the World Guide also took place. Gambero Rosso awarded seven excellent ambassadors of our gastronomic tradition. For the pizzerias, La Pizza Napoli 1 Solana by Gennaro Miele won 1 Slice, and Daniele Salvo with Bottega was recognized as one of the

best artisans outside Italy, receiving Three Slices amid thunderous applause. The owners of the restaurant Fiume, Omar Maseroli, and his wife Yuan Kun Yuan, were awarded One Fork, while Two Forks were assigned to Chef Marino D'Antonio of Giada

Garden and sommelier Jonathan Wong. Two Forks also went to the ingenious Tavola, with Chef Bernard Wong and Albert Zhao, the manager. The excellent performance of Mio Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel received great acclaim and Two Forks, handed to Greg Yu, F&B manager, and Ann An, restaurant

manager. The highest recognition of the Guide, Three Forks, was awarded to Opera Bombana, for the quality of the offer, the continuous search for precious ingredients, and service. The young and brilliant Chef Andrea Susto received a long applause along with Vincenzo Stratoti, manager, and sommelier. Their wine list also won the prestigious Best Contemporary Wine List Award from Villa Sandi.

«We can expect significant growth in the entire Italian wine sector in Beijing,» said Flavio Geretto, Export Manager of Villa Sandi. «Now, after the pandemic, it is increasingly important to safeguard and protect future crucial markets like China. Thanks, Gambero Rosso!»

And if Beijing had impressed us with the vitality and dynamism of the food and wine sector, surprising for a city with a somewhat conservative nature and more attentive to the Chinese food and wine scene than the international one, Shanghai, the most international of Chinese metropolises, seemed even more vibrant, brighter, and proactive than ever.

Worldtour

CALENDAR 2024 JANUARY

APRIL

15 STOCKHOLM - Sweden

trebicchieri 2024

14 VERONA - Italy

trebicchieri 2024 - Vinitaly Special

17 OSLO - Norway

trebicchieri 2024

25 MEXICO CITY - Mexico

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

19 COPENHAGEN - Denmark

Vini d'Italia

29 DALLAS - USA

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

30 NAIROBI - Kenya

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

MAY

FEBRUARY

1 MIAMI - USA

05 ZURICH - Switzerland

Vini d'Italia

07 MUNICH - Germany

trebicchieri 2024

14 PARIS - France

trebicchieri 2024 - Vinexpo Special

21 CHICAGO - USA

trebicchieri 2024

23 NEW YORK - USA

Vini d'Italia/Top Italian Wines Roadshow

3 VANCOUVER - Canada

trebicchieri 2024

6 TORONTO - Canada

trebicchieri 2024

8 OTTAWA - Canada

trebicchieri 2024

15 ALMATY - Kazakhstan

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

27 LOS ANGELES - USA

trebicchieri 2024

HO CHI MINH - Vietnam

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

29 SAN FRANCISCO - USA

trebicchieri 2024

SINGAPORE

trebicchieri 2024

28-30 HONG KONG

trebicchieri 2024 - Vinexpo Special

MARCH 09 DUSSELDORF - Germany

trebicchieri 2024 - Prowein Edition

21 LONDON - U. K.

trebicchieri 2024

JUNE 10 PRAGUE - Czech Republic

YOUR PASSION IS OUR INSPIRATION www.gamberorossointernational.com GamberoRossoInternational

Vini d'Italia

in the last three years," says Alberto "Bebo" Camuso, manager of Interprocom, an important wine

import company specialising in Italian wines. «Many places closed during

What a sparkling return to Shanghai! On November 6, after three years of interruption, our Tre Bicchieri Grand Tasting took place at the hyperglamorous Wanda Reign at the Bund hotel, captivating an enthusiastic crowd of wine professionals for the most anticipated wine event of the year, not only in the city but also in the greater bay area, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Guangzhou, to taste over 100 award-winning wines from all over Italy. Here, there are truly countless new openings, and there is a particular focus on Italian flavours, whether it be food or wine.

hand in hand with attention to your

«I attended the event in Beijing, but

with 10 proud producers from this beautiful wine region and its special area. From 1 pm to 6 pm, there was a continuous flow of wine

today I'm in Shanghai,» says Bruce Li, sommelier and F&B manager of

several hotels in Beijing. «There is a new generation of consumers in the spotlight,» he adds, «and while

cuisine, which, along with Chinese cuisine, is also experienced as a healthy choice, as well as one of class and taste. And, finally, they pay a lot of attention to the Chinese wine scene, which is growing significantly and will be heard about abroad. For now, they are small productions, excellent but expensive wines that do not satisfy even a small part of the market demand, but the vineyard hectares are growing.»

The special guest was the

Consortium of Abruzzo Wines

lovers, sommeliers, importers, and

distributors, journalists and food and

most will continue to consume beer

wine influencers, and restaurateurs.

and spirits, let's not forget that many

It was a unique opportunity after the pandemic, and the Gambero Rosso event meant a signal of rebirth, a new beginning for the effervescent food and wine scene in Shanghai, also known as the Paris of the East. This city is the most cosmopolitan and international in China, with about 25 million inhabitants and the most conspicuous expatriate community in all of China. «It's been complicated

affluent family kids now study abroad. Upon their return home, they bring attention to quality wine that was not seen in their age group before, around 22-26 years old. They are attentive to quality, country of origin, have visited wineries abroad, and have an excellent palate. They have a great curiosity for the complexity of the Italian wine scene, which goes

the pandemic, and people couldn't buy wine from home. So we had a significant drop in sales. But now there is an enthusiastic atmosphere; the city is vibrant, and consumption is growing to an unprecedented level. It's a magical moment, with dozens of new restaurant openings every month and a growing interest in high-quality Italian wines. And the Tre Bicchieri from Gambero Rosso is just what we needed now. The event had a great media impact, as you can see today. We had numerous visits from restaurateurs and wine lovers, and we are considering expanding our already rich portfolio.» «The taste of Chinese consumers is growing steadily,» adds Sophie Liu,

a wine writer, wine educator, and appointed Italian Wine Ambassador by Gambero Rosso in 2014. «The young consumers turning to wine are well versed and curious, interested in quality wine, classic denominations, but are exploring the world of “natural” and “orange wines,” which, by the way, pair very well with Chinese cuisine, be

scene, awarded Una Forchetta (but it's only the beginning…). Da Marco by Marco Barbieri is one of the classic Italian venues in Shanghai, with a successful twenty-year history. “Da Marco means home…” is a popular refrain among lovers of Italian cuisine in the city, and it also won Una Forchetta. Due Forchette were awarded to the Shanghai branch of the famous Otto e Mezzo Bombana, managed by Chef Gianluca Fusetto, creating an elegant Italian atmosphere in flavours and style, with an impressive wine list. The restaurant of Niko Romito in the luxurious Bulgari Hotel on the Bund is run by the acclaimed chef Mauro Aloisio, along with Giuseppe Borrelli, sous chef, and Kevin Leonardo Santini, manager. It is a glamorous venue that well interprets Niko's gastronomic philosophy and was awarded Due Forchette. A brilliant new entry in this prestigious ranking is the New Wave Bistrot, an emanation of Da Vittorio. It's a modern and sophisticated interpretation of the bistro concept, where Chef Francesco Bonvini expresses his undisputed talent aided by the passion and knowledge of Camilla Mora, a sommelier, who has created an impressive wine list focused on Italian labels.

Top Italian Restaurants Awards Ceremony in Shanghai

it the classic styles of Shanghai or Cantonese, or the modern Haipai style influenced by Western crosspollinations. Since the mid-19th century, we have had a strong international community here. And this makes Shanghai something unique in China.» «Excellent wines, excellent innovations from Italian wine regions,» confirms Bruce Li. «It was worth the trip from Beijing.

I had the opportunity to taste more wines, get to know more wineries. It's a magical time for Italian wine in China. In short, a day to remember!

Very few cities in the world can boast as many excellent Italian restaurants as Shanghai. And this

was evident during the opening ceremony when the awards of the Gambero Rosso Top Italian Restaurants in the World Guide were presented. An attentive audience filled the room to salute the seven award-winning restaurants. We started with one of the best pizzerias in the world, the Shanghai branch of the award-winning Bottega in Beijing by Daniele Salvo, a new entry that lived up to the parent company and once again earned Tre Spicchi. Another newcomer was the delightful Bambino by Stefano Giovanelli alias Lucky Lasagna - a charismatic figure in the Shanghai restaurant

The grand finale saw Da Vittorio of the Cerea family back at the top, further confirming that this is one of the best Italian restaurants in the world. Thanks to the talented executive chef Stefano Bacchelli, it offers a brilliant blend of classic Italian tradition with elegant Chinese contaminations, supported by an impressive wine list worthy of the Villa Sandi Best Contemporary Wine List award. A place not to be missed when visiting Shanghai.

Born to be together live in Germany. A tasty trip with Grana Padano cheese and the wines of Lombardy

A new roadshow has kicked off on October that sums up so many great excellences of the Lombardy table: as part of the Born to be together project, Ascovilo, which brings together Lombard consortia for the protection and promotion of DOC, DOCG and IGT wines, and Grana Padano, the world's most consumed PDO cheese, launched together with Gambero Rosso the Restaurant Week Germany. More than a tasting, a journey through some of the most refined restaurants of Germany, awarded in the Top Italian Restaurant guide of Gambero Rosso. Each restaurant has created a unique menu that for 5 weeks has been paired to a special selection of Lombardy wines. The first events were focused on Lugana wines. Berlin hosted the first dinner on October 17. Antonio Bragato, owner of Enoiteca Il Calice, arranged a proper menu based on Grana Padano (Aged 18 months and Riserva over 20 months) well paired with Lugana wines (Lugana Doc and Riserva). Among the top match, we noticed the safran risotto with a supple Lugana Riserva. Gallo Nero, three bottles award in our Top Italian Restaurants, managed a great dinner in Hamburg on October 18. The wines of Lugana based on turbiana grapes matched a stylish menu cooked with 4 different Grana Padano vintages. Highlight? A fantastic parmigiana with a fresh, and vibrant

Lugana Doc. On October 19, the tour moved to Casa di Biase in Köln. Mario, owner of the place, proposed a 4-course menu, mixing classic recipes and adventurous combinations. Lastly, on October 20 the show moved to Piazza Saitta in Düsseldorf. Giuseppe Saitta paired crispy and fresh Turbiana based wines with a classic menu for a tasting experience focused on different vintages. The second series of dinner highlighted the wines of Lake Garda. Saittavini in Düsseldorf, a proper wine sanctuary, prepared a special cheese and wine combo on November 22. One of the best wine pairings featured on the menu? Homemade gnocchi served on a pumpkin cream, with Grana Padano foam and the Garda DOC Cabernet Sauvignon. Simply delicious. Munich Time. On November 23, Dal Cavaliere restaurant, with its cozy and warm atmosphere, created a threecourse menu, paired with two sparkling wines and fruity, elegant Rosso Garda Doc. The fassona beef tartare with radicchio and Grana Padano found an ideal pairing with the Metodo Classico Garda Doc. Each premiere evening was led by the editors of the Top Italian Restaurants guide and wine experts from Gambero Rosso in order to offer not only a taste-related experience, but also an enrichment on the heritage of Lombardy's most prized traditions and arts.

The European project "Born to be together" unites two top products of European taste: the Grana Padano PDO and the wines of Lombardy, united under the aegis of Ascovilo. An essential component is the quality: the Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indication products belong to the top in Europe Find out more on social media or at www.borntobetogether.eu

food

The revenge of Vecchia Milano Saffron risotto and breaded veal cutlet. The craving for traditional dishes explodes in the city. Also in fine dining

by Maurizio Bertera Crunchy on the outside, soft inside, perfectly intense. Made with handpulled meat and accompanied by a light saffron mayonnaise, the mondeghili at 10_11 (the restaurant & bar at Portrait Milano) tell the story of the return of Milanese cuisine from the Bastions to the Circovalla. Off the beaten path wouldn’t make news: dozens of establishments – a few excellent, many mediocre or fake – thrive with residents under the Madonnina seeking “authentic” experiences. Yet now the typical meatballs are a trend, served both as a complement to luxury fivestar cocktails and in the heart of the city. Finger food dating back to the Middle Ages, offered to people who like and indulge themselves: local, Italian, foreign. Unthinkable until a few years ago, as Diego Abatantuono recalls, who created a chain of venues around (non-classic) meatballs. «With my grandfather, I used to go to the usual Trani in Giambellino (as the Milanese of the time called the simpler bars

Dal Milanese’s proposed breaded veal chop: unorthodox cherry tomatoes and a small salad To the right, Berti’s signature risotto

because of the owners and the bulk wine, almost always from Puglia, note): bulk red for him and a big plate of mondeghili for both. It was my happiness and that Milan that I have always loved,» he says with

passion. It may seem paradoxical but it is not: in the city that has regained, after the silence of the pandemic, its role as an international hub, also for food, the desire for Milanese dishes has returned strong. Starting with the eternal Milanese triumvirate: the aforementioned mondeghili, the saffron risotto (risot giald), and the veal cutlet. Recipes that carry stories and legends not confined to the territory, confirming that contamination – currently expressed by ethnic restaurants at the European level – has always existed here. Mondeghili arrived in the 16th century with the Spaniards, who were in turn influenced by the fried meatballs of the Arabs. Saffron in risotto is instead the result of the intuition of a glassworker from Flanders who worked at the Duomo – it is said – although more easily it comes from Arab and Jewish cuisine. As for the cutlet (veal, of course), there is still debate as to whether Milanese cooks ‘improved’ the Wiener Schnitzel brought here by

>World

Risotto, ossobuco, and panettone are the most loved Milanese dishes in the world: a ranking where Italian cuisine fares well with margherita pizza in 11th place in the global ranking by TasteAtlas.com. Among the most beloved Italian dishes worldwide, risotto ranks second, while ossobuco is in the 57th position, two places behind the quintessentially Milanese panettone.

the Austrians or if they copied it. It is a fact that Field Marshal Radetzky had it prepared (strictly) in the “high” version by his last lover, the beautiful former laundress Giuditta Meregalli. A surname proof of Lombardity.

The past returns This is the past. That returns: «Because, in general, there is a renewed desire for classic cuisine, starting

with regional specialties that do not find space on the menus of important establishments as they would break the creative philosophy,» explains Alberto Tasinato, owner of Alchimia and

Locanda della Scala. In both places, with different audiences and prices, saffron risotto and cutlet are always present: «As a tribute to the city and because they work, 50% of those who sit order them,» he adds.

Looking at it closely, it is a return that owes its favourable humus to

Ratanà’s Risotto Vecchia Milano. Chef Cesare Battisti has also written a book on contemporary Milanese cuisine

the 2015 Expo: there it began to be understood that the abandonment of everything that was Old Milan, between the 80s and 90s, had proved to be a big mistake. In that period, even newly opened trattorias did not venture into tradition but pursued creativity, perhaps with local ingredients but dare to mention cassoeula or ossobuco. Stuff for old people, stuff for suburbs. Then the Expo brought back the desire to tell what we were, also favoured by a different type of tourism: not always has lucid work been done, dialect has even been used for signs where the existence of Milanese cuisine was not even known, and dim sum and beers are served. One of Milan’s great patrons, Luca Guelfi, who has opened 25 venues in his career (not only in his hometown), could not

hold back: in 2021, he launched Dal Milanese, a format with two locations in Milan (in Viale Premuda and at the Teatro Arcimboldi) and a very recent one, no less, in Los Angeles. No grandmother’s furniture but a Milano da Bere atmosphere, meticulously curated in detail. «It is a reinterpretation in the soul more than in the form of the spirit of the trendy trattorias – he says – so along with traditional dishes such as risotto al salto or the standard ossobuco, the menu also includes vitel tonné or fillet with green pepper. I have a trendy audience that travels the world and loves good food, but wants to feel good first and foremost by seeking the right mood and the right people. Never forget that Milan is not only this but will always look for this too.»

The turning point in the last decade Reviewing the past decade dispassionately, there is no doubt that a turning point is represented by the opening of Ratanà, in the Isola area. A splendid Liberty-style villa that marks the boundary between the Porta Nuova skyline and the new structures of an old neighbourhood in an almost completed gentrification. But when it opened in 2009, in a half-deserted area, it seemed like a provocation far from the centre, almost madness. «In fact, we had our doubts too,» says Cesare Battisti, a very Milanese chef-owner, «but everything worked because we respected tradition by using the best ingredients, but we didn’t ‘lock ourselves in’: our cuisine fifteen years ago was less evolved compared to today’s. That’s why I always tell collaborators that it is necessary to study the past and present it at its best, especially in historic dishes like risotto or cutlet.» Not surprisingly, Battisti -

together with journalist Gabriele Zanatta - ventured into a cookbook - Contemporary Milanese Cuisine -

released in 2020. Davide Oldani, who at D’O in Cornaredo painted dishes such as Saffron and Risotto alla Milanese and Costoletta and Milanese al Cubo, in which the reference to the first Maestro emerges, agrees on the study. «Marchesi taught us that it makes no sense to play on pure Milanese, in defence, but rather one must intelligently and classily handle iconic recipes. A beautiful challenge for young chefs, especially if they were born in the area,» underlines

the chef

The spirit of the trattorie

One of them, Federico Boni, manages the current trendy place in Milan: Trattoria Sincera, which, in just a few months since its opening, has become one of the symbols of the lively Lambrate district. He had no mentors, nor does he come from a restaurant family, and he created a place with a strong identity. «Preserving recipes is a goal, but then there is the spirit of trattorias that we must not lose. Contemporary ones do creative cuisine, serving the idea of a chef, of a product. Instead,

Luca Guelfi’s risotto at his restaurant Dal Milanese, which has two locations in Milan I want to remake my grandmother’s recipes that certainly didn’t use saffron pistils and made sautéed kidneys.» Trattoria Sincera also has

that atmosphere (and location: on the outskirts) that favours substance over the glamour of osterias in Isola or Porta Romana. Proof of this is the constant success of Trattoria del Nuovo Macello, a historic and excellent venue between Circonvalla and Viale Mecenate: a suggestive place that will celebrate its centenary in five years and has been in the same family since ‘59. It is the barometer that indicates the passion for local cuisine: recently introduced a tasting menu at 50 euros focused on classic dishes including the ‘half’ cutlet of Nuovo Macello, a cult for those who love it. «We have always had a loyal audience for our specialties, but there is increasing interest. Our tasting menu is also popular because it follows a concept of lightness that is not

typical of Milanese cuisine but more necessary than ever, considering climate change. 20-30 years ago, it was cold for at least four months a year, so there was a need for intense dishes, more ‘hearty’ like cassoeula or rustin negàa. This year, for example, autumn started in early November, and you can already feel it in customer orders,» says Giovanni Traversone, chef-owner of the

trattoria in Via Lombroso.

The relentless end of an era Certainly, despite the great interest, the era of classic restaurants and the good bourgeoisie, where Milanese cuisine was at the heart of the offering with recognition from guides, will not return. Places like Boeucc, La

Scaletta, Alfredo Gran San Bernardo (where the legendary chef Alfredo Valli sought advice from Gianni Brera) have taken a back seat or become eclectic. It was inevitable, perhaps. «It’s a matter of different times but also of location,» says Francesco Mascheroni, executive chef of Armani

Ristorante. «We propose risotto and cutlet at Bamboo Bar, successfully, and not at the restaurant because they would be unlikely in the fine dining philosophy we are following. It’s not snobbery but a clear reasoning considering the places and the clientele.» Luca Sacchi, head chef of Cracco in Galleria, essentially agrees. «As a Lombard from Abbiategrasso, I am delighted with this return of dishes I have loved since childhood,» emphasises Carlo Cracco’s right-hand man. «But

it is evident that by their nature, they will be a heritage of bistros and trattorias, while acknowledging that in our menu, we have risotto with saffron-flavoured marrow and veal Milanese. Looking to the future, I think there is enormous potential in the best Milanese gastronomy: that of aspic, pâtés, and terrines. It’s not an easy theme, from a technical and historical point of view, but fantastic that we have started to revisit the restaurant.»

A risotto by Federico Boni, Trattoria Sincera: the Milanese eatery of the moment, which has become a symbol of the lively Lambrate district

That people appreciate the new trend is evident from the numbers. The Abruzzese brothers Dante and Beppe Di Paolo, at the helm of the A’ Riccione group, had the merit of reopening the historic Berti, a few metres from Palazzo Lombardia, with excellent renovation, and they serve around 300 covers a day. «It was a tribute to the city that welcomed us in the '90s, but also a vocation for the typical meat of our region of origin: so alongside a proposal with the best cuts grilled or served raw, we decided to give space to Milanese dishes, with surprising success. It's beautiful to see families, young and very young people who especially on weekends rediscover the flavours of the past together,» says Beppe Di Paolo. The widespread

feeling is that there is further room for growth. The Trattoria del Ciumbia is ready, the third venue of Triple Sea Food, the group with Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio Jr. as the majority shareholder. A place to rediscover Milanese cuisine but also enjoy a drink, amidst blue velvets and carpets, at 32 Via Fiori Chiari. «After opening Vesta and Casa Fiori Chiari, places of immediate success, we chose Brera again because we fell in love with the neighbourhood, the only one in Milan that is residential and tourist at the same time. Then, in a street that hosts a variety of different cuisines, a proposal of a local and traditional nature could not be missing,» explains Davide Ciancio, CEO, and Co-founder of the

group. There's a fresh breeze, after all, Milan has always been and will always be the opposite of a dusty museum. «Se te se moeuvet mai, spetta minga che te rusen»: if you never move, don't expect a push. That's it.

Trattoria Sincera, the table with risotto, breaded veal cutlet and ossobuco. Right, the mondeghili offered in the Dal Milanese restaurant of the great owner, Luca Guelfi

ADDRESSES Where to eat only (or also) Milanese Osteria dell’Acquabella via San Rocco, 11

02 58309653 acquabella.it

Premiata Trattoria Arlati dal 1936 via Alberto Nota, 47

02 6433327

trattoriaarlati.it

L’Alchimia

v.le Premuda, 34

02 82870704

ristorantelalchimia.com

Osteria Brunello

c.so Garibaldi, 117

02 6592973

osteriabrunello.it

Casotell

via Fabio Massimo, 25

02 57403009 casottel.it

Classico

via Marcona, 6

02 49449135 classico-bio.com

Ciz Cantina e Cucina v.le Premuda, 44

02 23189915

cizcantinaecucina.it

Al Garghet

via Selvanesco.36

02 534698 algarghet.it

Osteria alla Grande

via delle Forze Armate,

455 02 48911166

osteriaallagrande.com

Trattoria al Laghett

Dal Milanese

v.le Premuda, 16

02 76280457

lucaguelficompany.com

Trattoria Madonnina

389 9299 450 osteriaserafina.com

La Pobbia 1850

Trattoria Sincera

02 38006641 lapobbia.com

389 8741 577 trattoriasincera.it

02 8693273

Trattoria del Nuovo Macello

v.le Umbria, 80

02 55184138

masuellitrattoria.com

Osteria Serafina

02 62695105

Locanda alla Scala

Trattoria Masuelli San Marco

02 72093709 rovello18.it

flamadonninamilano

02 89409089

02 86451991 fTrattoriaMilanese1933

locandaallascala.it

02 36514525 trattorialapesa1902.it

via Tivoli, 2

Piazza Repubblica

Trattoria Milanese dal 1933

via dell’Orso, 1

via G. Fantoni, 26

Rovello 18

via Gentilino, 6

via Sant’Arialdo, 126

02 5691717 allaghett.it

Trattoria La Pesa dal 1902

via Santa Marta, 11

via C. Lombroso, 20

02 91576587

trattoriadelnuovomacello.it

Antica Trattoria della Pesa v.le Pasubio, 10

02 6555741

anticatrattoriadellapesa. com

via Manuzio, 11

via Gallarate, 92

via L. Sacco, 9

via A. Porpora, 154

Ratanà

Testina

02 87128855 ratana.it

02 4035907 testina.eu

via G. de Castillia, 28

via Abbadesse, 19

Antica Osteria Il Ronchettino

via Lelio Basso, 9

342 5643 955 ronchettino.it

For 7 days, the world gets a taste of Italy 13-19 November The “Settimana della Cucina Italiana” event brings the flavours and quality of the Italian lifestyle to the global village by Marzio Taccetti

A week condensed in a year: graphic novels, video lessons, events, and original pairings: everything is ready for the eighth edition of the Italian cuisine week in the world (Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo) from November 13th to 19th. This year marks the start of an exhibition that aims to boost the excellence of Italian gastronomy, from wine to olive oil, passing through recipes that are increasingly appreciated worldwide, and the most identityaffirming agri-food products. A week full of events is announced: in-depth seminars, meetings with industry personalities such as chefs, operators, and producers, demo classes, and multimedia materials to comprehensively enhance the Italian wine and food reality. This effort is shared by many companies and institutions coordinated under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for the eighth edition of the event.

The birth of Settimana della Cucina Italiana, the Italian Cuisine Week The integrated promotion event of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, born in 2016, has seen the realisation of over 9,200 events in more than 100 countries from its first edition to present day. The first edition of the event was created to continue the work started in 2015 with Expo Milano when the first forum of Italian cuisine was held, followed by the signing of the Food Act - the first agreement between institutions and the world of cuisine. Every year, the boundaries of the country have been crossed, making wine and food a powerful tool for culture and promotion, focusing on current themes of the Italian wine and food supply chain year after year, emphasizing recipes, typical agri-food products, as well as raising awareness among the public about the sustainability of production processes, technological innovations, and the values of inclusion and collaboration that our country adheres to. A real

team effort that has produced events and initiatives to increase knowledge and awareness levels, promoting not only the export of products and ideas but also tourist flows and the internationalization of companies.

underlined and conveyed through the connection between the Mediterranean Diet, as a model of healthy, highquality eating regime, and wellness, understood as a correct and healthy lifestyle.

The excellences of Made in Italy

A lifestyle that is increasingly trendy

A wide-ranging synergy project among various stakeholders in the world of Italian cuisine (chefs, pizza makers, gelato makers, pastry chefs) and the key players in the production sector, but not only: in addition to the agrifood sector, the worlds of design, sport, and tourism are also involved to outline a modern and faithful Italy. Through the foreign network of the MAECI, which includes embassies, consulates, and Italian cultural institutes, there are scheduled initiatives that aim to directly engage citizens in various countries, emphasizing a shared thematic agenda: "At the table with Italian cuisine: wellbeing with taste" is the leitmotif of the 2023 edition. Conviviality, sustainability, and innovation are the guidelines on which the various activities that focus on people's health and environmental protection converge. A message is

Awarded the Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco in 2010, the Mediterranean Diet is a benchmark for a healthy and balanced diet. Enhancing it means drawing on a past that still has much to teach and is very up-to-date in its gestures and teachings. A look back to project ourselves towards a better and more conscious tomorrow.

Flavour & Health The starting point is the well-known food pyramid. The base is formed by all those foods that we should consume several times a day, such as fruit, vegetables, pulses, and extra virgin olive oil; going up towards the tip, we find milk and its derivatives, fish, white and red meat (preferably consumed no more than twice a week), and finally sweets. A mapping of foods and quantities

that does not place prohibitions but illustrates the proportions and frequency of consumption The benefits are manifold, with a significant effect on long-term health. By following the parameters, the risk of some of the most common Western diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, is greatly reduced. The important thing is to be able to get back to an ancient, seemingly simple model that we increasingly tend to forget but which possesses undisputed timeless validity. A proper diet is not simply associated with weight control but is a way of keeping fit while eating well and without giving anything up. A model, in short, that aims to experience food, the act of eating, and the table as a moment of sharing and joy, without forgetting precisely the fundamental role that food plays in health.

Diet or actual lifestyle? Relegating our gastronomic and culinary model to a simple list of rules for a diet is simplistic: in fact,

it is a more comprehensive lifestyle in which physical activity, the revival of traditions, cooking methods, and rest all contribute to outlining the key points for staying in shape. Alongside this discourse, there are important points of reflection concerning the true Made in Italy, the places and excellence of Italian food and wine, along with its history and culture. Quality certainly stands out in the foreground: for this reason, great visibility is ensured to products certified with protected and controlled designation of origin. Central in this sense is the fight against the phenomenon of Italian sounding, i.e. the fight against labelling that makes products around the world look Italian that are not even remotely so: a fundamental battle of transparency towards the markets and consumers that must be conducted tenaciously, starting with the member countries of the European Union. A path to increase knowledge and awareness on the part of European citizens

that also aims at proposals and tourist packages in Italy that bring consumers directly into contact with the production realities and to taste the dishes and food where they are made: to discover the great heritage of Italian villages and their typical and traditional culinary products. The great protagonists of the 2023 edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World are the chefs and sommeliers, the maximum interpreters of concepts such as "craftsmanship" and "innovation", and the main players of that Italian training offer in the cooking and hospitality sector that presents itself as a beacon for those who aim at quality. A multiform event in which there is room for parallel projects that speak of the interconnections between history, food and wine, and transmediality.

Pairings and connections around the Mediterranean With the support of Gambero Rosso, wine and oil play a central role in the event, the protagonists of an initiative aimed at making known and promoting in Africa two of the most globally recognised Italian excellences, in view of the vast spaces and potential for Made in Italy exports offered by that continent. A series of video lectures describe the main Italian grape varieties, the most important olive cultivars and the territories of origin in the different countries involved. Many of the contents are then associated with as many recipes of typical African dishes – from countries on the other side of the Mediterranean basin – for unusual and surprising pairings with Made in Italy oils and wines. Two peoples and two cultures can meet at the table. Also of note is the collaboration with the Casa Artusi foundation, which has signed a series of popular videos translated into eight languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, English, Portuguese, Spanish and German) illustrating "gastronomic Italianisms"

around the world, telling of the network that forms between history, culture and food and wine, and retracing the journey and transformation in time and space of some Italian food and wine products and the words connected to them. It is also a way to explore the themes of food and language fakes and to take stock of the importance of the scientific reconstruction of the history of Italian food words.

Our table and its history in graphic novels Another noteworthy project is the one carried out with the Accademia Italiana della Cucina: the “History of Italian cuisine as a graphic novel. From Etruscan tagliatelle to Tiramisù”. A journey through time and the history of Italian cuisine that traces, stage by stage, its evolution with an eye on the younger audience. The work will be distributed in print and digital format and will be available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Chinese and Arabic.

Most popular dishes in the world The Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo is part of a particularly vital context for our flavours on an international level. Italian catering continues to experience a golden moment in terms of openings, variety of formats and the level of professionals who are increasingly deciding to go abroad, bringing with them talent and a love for the unique products of the Italian boot. Italian restaurants outside Italy have become outposts of Italian cuisine: not only a reproposal of traditional recipes and styles, but, in the most virtuous cases, also true culinary avant-garde. In the foreground is the appeal of Made in Italy in large hotel restaurants: in the most important chains, Italian restaurants can never be missing and often take the space left by important names in French cuisine. The most popular dishes abroad? In a typical menu,

A tavola con la cucina italiana: il benessere con gusto

#italiantaste 13 | 19 novembre 2023

one starts with vitello tonnato, an appetiser beloved at all latitudes for its immediate and universal appeal. Then, we continue with the unfailing spaghetto al pomodoro, icon of the Mediterranean Diet and of an attentive and healthy lifestyle; the presence on the menu of Cacio e pepe, also in fine dining establishments, emerging Italian dish abroad in 2023 according to Gambero Rosso, is also on the rise. Incredible is the appeal of Cotoletta alla Milanese - in the two versions, on the bone or without which is often echoed by saffron risotto that accompanies the cutlet in a one-pot dish that is also appealing in latitudes with tropical and super-humid climates. The sweet conclusion? It is entrusted to Tiramisù, an evergreen that unites adults and children alike, proposed in infinite variations and interpretations. Not all tradition, however, manages to consistently cross geographical boundaries and embrace the tastes of the locals: recipes linked to the fifth quarter struggle more, and in general our inexhaustible repertoire of soups

and broths has yet to break through. On the other hand, to say the least, the spread of products such as Burrata and Tartufo is extraordinary: the white of Alba in particular is increasingly valued on prestigious tables all over the planet and it is now easier to find it in capitals such as New York or Hong Kong than in many Italian cities.

Top 10 Italian chefs in the world Antonio Mermolia Fiola Miami (Usa)

The elegant Fiola restaurant owned by chef and entrepreneur Fabio Trabocchi can boast the skills of Antonio Mermolia on board. For over ten years in the United States, but a native of Gioia Taro, Mermolia manages to combine a creative style with Mediterranean flavours. Lots of technique at the service of a cuisine that makes, in America, a tricolour flag. Chef of the Year 2023 in the Top Italian Restaurants guide.

Pino Posteraro Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca

Vancouver (Canadà)

Among Vancouver's modern glass skyscrapers, there is also room for the centuriesold tradition of Italian cuisine. Pino Posteraro, owner and chef since 1999 of Cioppino's Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca, has become a benchmark of Italian flavors. Aided by a selection of quality raw materials and a wine list built to give an exhaustive overview of Italian production, Giacomo Amicucci.

Giacomo Amicucci Ristorante Niko Romito

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

In Dubai, the team at Niko Romito's signature restaurant - inside the Bulgari Resort Dubai - is led by the talented hands of Giacomo Amicucci. With a great deal of experience in Italy and abroad, a great deal of skill and technique succeed in offering Italian cuisine that is fine, elegant, and faithful to the flavours of its identity. In a refined ambience.

Luca Fantin Ristorante Luca Fantin Tokyo (Japan)

Tokyo is another great capital

where Italian cuisine has found fertile ground and a very high profile. Here the credit is due to Luca Fantin, at the Bulgari restaurant in Ginza, who has been able to bring back the baggage of Italian flavours, with a highly original touch and lots of research. Chef of the Year 2022 in the Top Italian Restaurants guide.

Emanuele Pollini Ladbroke Hall London (UK)

The newest opening in the heart of Notthing Hill, amidst installed art and good taste, bears the signature of one of the most surprising Italian chefs abroad: Emanuele Pollini.

Young, innovative, and ambitious, he has carved out a leading role for himself in Moscow's restaurant scene and is now focusing on other articulate and refined projects. Romagna accent, international vision.

Mario Gamba Acquarello

Munich (Germany)

Mario Gamba is a true master of Italian cuisine in Germany. A Bergamasque transplanted to Munich, he opened the Acquarello restaurant in 1994. For more than twenty years, the menu has been a collection of regional recipes, revisited with a creative spirit in the sign of tradition. A fine

dining register that takes the classicism of Italian cuisine and makes it the secret of his success.

Umberto Bombana 8e½ Hong Kong (China)

He is an institution in Asia: Umberto Bombana has brought sincere, high-level Italian cuisine to Hong Kong and beyond. His great technique and in-depth knowledge of the subject matter have enabled him to offer dishes of great pleasure and balance, representative of a cuisine of tradition and flavours that reduce the distance between Asia and Italy.

Valerio Serino Tèrra

Copenhagen (Denmark)

Young and talented, Valerio Serino is one of the most original, inspired and creative Italian chefs working outside Italy. With Lucia de Luca he pursues a zero food waste philosophy with clean and innovative flavours. Research, study and a creative flair are the ingredients of a disruptive and capable personality.

Giovanni Passerini Passerini Paris (France)

Contemporary and identitybased cuisine. Giovanni Passerini succeeds in conveying a contemporary and high-quality Italian cuisine. The

Italian spirit is perceptible in the dishes, thanks to a great selection of raw materials and a particular attention to taking the best of tradition.

Stefano Bacchelli Da Vittorio Shanghai (China)

Stefano Bacchelli leads this restaurant with great leadership and team spirit. Italian cuisine is filtered through the culinary style true to the Cerea family's style, where the seasonality of ingredients and a philosophy centred on conveying the identity of Italian cuisine characterise each dish..

The 10 best Italian pizzerias in the world Raffaele Tromiro Napulè

Giuseppe Errichiello Napoli sta ca’

Alessandro Leonardi Futura

Paolo e Daniele Salvo Bottega

Raffaele Tromiro, the fourth generation of pizza makers, has travelled the world, experienced difficult times and then found his place on the shores of Lake Zurich. Today, with Napulé and Zollikon, he sets the benchmark for the Neapolitan tradition and pizza a la portafoglio. There seems to be no end to his neverending quest for the highest quality ingredients. Pizzeria of the Year 2023 in the Top Italian Restaurants guide.

Giuseppe Ericchiello resets the distance between Naples and Tokyo to zero. Raised in Afragola, he has crossed the borders of his city to arrive in the capital of Japan. Here he has been able to ‹forge› one of the best margherita pizzas that can be found across borders. Neapolitan rules are slavishly followed, materialising the aromas and flavours of the city of Campania in the restaurant.

Futura in Berlin is a bastion of Neapolitan pizza that has few equals in Europe. Alessandro Leonardi travelled from Naples to Berlin carrying the Neapolitan pizza recipe in his luggage and made it the cornerstone on which the success of his German restaurant revolves. Together with a constant respect for the Neapolitan tradition and continuous updating, he remains a reference point for Italian pizzerias in Europe.

The Salvo brothers are the sons of a family that has been churning out pizzas for generations, handing down a craft and passion to Paolo and Daniele. A careful selection of raw materials and a respect for tradition have allowed the two to open Bottega, the name omen of the pizzeria where the pizzas are the product of authentic, artisanal know-how.

Zurich (Switzerland)

Tokyo (Japan)

Berlin (Germany)

Beijing (China)

Andrè Guidon Leggera Pizza Napoletana

São Paulo (Brazil)

Andrè Guidon with Leggera Pizza Napoletana wanted to recreate the Neapolitan taste of pizza in his restaurant in São Paulo. A goal achieved together with Fabio Muccio and Bruno Caccavale, who manage to churn out and serve tradition and authenticity thanks to imported Italian ingredients.

Daniele Cason The Pizza Bar on 38th Tokyo (Japan)

Daniele Cason has succeeded in combining fine dining with pizza, a popular dish that becomes

an exclusive experience in the Japanese capital. The restaurant is located in the luxurious Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo's Nihombashi, where at the counter you will find Daniele, executive chef of the entire establishment, who personally takes care of this little gem and churns out pizzas that never betray the tradition of good, genuine pizza.

Ciro Salvo 50 Kalò

London (UK)

Naples, Rome and London. Ciro Salvo has followed a long path since 1996, the year he decided to take up the profession of pizzaiolo, succeeding in becoming one

of the great interpreters of authentic Neapolitan dough. Talent, skill and study have earned him the opening of three restaurants and resounding success.

Ciro Iovine Song’ e Napule

New York (Usa)

Song' e Napule, more than a venue, is a true statement by Ciro Iovine, who has opened a restaurant in New York. A renowned pizza maker, he started his career very early. Since the age of 13, he has staked everything on his greatest passion, which has led him to conquer a part of the United States with his authentic Neapolitan-style pizza and his dedication to

the selection and research of ingredients.

Gianluca Legrottaglie Montesacro Pinseria San Francisco (Usa)

Gianluca Legrottaglie is among the pioneers who imported pinsa romana to the United States and in his case to San Francisco. A dish that carries a strong influence of Roman tradition. Guanciale, pecorino cheese and other imported or local ingredients are the highest quality ingredients to tell the story of this dish of Capitoline origin.

Wine List. Top 10 Italian labels Sistina

New York (U sa)

Giuseppe Bruno is the owner of this solid New York restaurant with an excellent wine list. It is worth coming here just to have a look at the wine list: almost 60,000 selected bottles to uncork. An encyclopaedic and almost inexhaustible collection.

A16 San Francisco (U sa)

Shelley Lindgren promotes Italian wines in this San Francisco venue. A truly amazing selection of

Italian wines, especially in this area, with a focus on southern Italy and its vineyards, with small and large producers creating a wine list that is both enjoyable and enjoyable.

1889 Enoteca

Brisbane (Australia)

1889 Enoteca, opened and led by Dan Clark in Brisbane, Australia, is an authentic wine place, where a list compiled with love and passion combines handcrafted Italian wines with brilliant by-the-glass offer that gives the opportunity

to learn more about the territories of origin.

Italian jewel on French soil.

TentaziOni

Hong Kong (Cina)

Bordeaux (Francia)

TentaziOni is a bistro in the alleyways of the historic city centre of Bordeaux: a few tables, vintage furnishings and creative cuisine prepared by Sardinian chef Giovanni Pireddu. His wife Johanna is the creator of an extensive wine list, with great personality and character, full of artisanal producers entirely devoted to the territory. Consistent, brilliant choices, with many little-known producers: an

Giando

Giando's wine list in Hong Kong is the result of the work of Emanuele Berselli one of the greatest greatest wine connoisseurs abroad. The filter used is a research and selection that has few comparisons, great depth in the vintages, it even goes back to the 1950s and, above all, brilliant and courageous choices rarely seen in Asia. brilliant and courageous choices rarely seen in Asia.

Osteria del Becco

Mexico City (Mexico)

In the Polanco district, Rolly Pavia strongly wanted a vault of only Italian bottles to enrich the offer of the Osteria del Becco. It is one of the largest and deepest collections in the world, with 30,000 labels from the post-war period to the present day. The study of vintages is surgical, the depth impressive and rare.

Gallo Nero

Hamburg (Germany)

Corrado de Falco has managed to put together a cult cellar in his Gallo Nero in Hamburg. Masseto, Sassicaia and other historic

labels are available with an incredible depth of vintages and a variety of bottle sizes. Present almost everywhere in his premises, wine almost seems to take the form of a protagonist in his restaurant.

SaittaVini

Dusseldorf (Germany)

SaittaVini was opened more than 20 years ago in Dussedorf by Michelangelo Saitta, combining the soul of a wine bar with kitchen with the availability of a wine shop. Over 1,000 carefully selected bottles, with Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto and South Tyrol as protagonists, but also labels

from other regions offering an overview of all wine production in Italy.

Enoteca Turi London (UK)

Giuseppe Turi's is an extraordinary wine list, very well laid out and described, with valuable, usable and very extensive notes. Great classics and more modern wines stand out in a vast, encyclopaedic offering of only Italian labels. A small temple of Italian wine production in London.

boast a collection of 12,000 bottles. This is thanks to the ambition of Roberto Galetti, chef and owner, and Antonio Valentini, Wine Director and Restaurant Manager. A duo that has created a wine list not only remarkable in terms of the number of labels, but with a depth of vintages that allows one to order wines from 1937, or to venture into a vertical of over thirty vintages of a great wine such as Sassicaia.

Garibaldi Singapore

Garibaldi in Singapore is a historic venue that can

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we’re fried

by Beppe Monelli

You deserve pink Himalayan salt We’re fried, let’s admit it, and a bit boiled too. We think we are the protagonists of the gigantic gastronomic banquet that’s laid out on Italian tables every day, but often, we are the main dish. We are the scrambled eggs, the breaded cutlet sizzling in the pan, overcooked, scorched; we are the dripping fat. We let ourselves be fooled by restaurateurs and marketers because we know nothing. Let’s face our responsibilities, and admit: we are ignorant, illiterate. Sheep, we are sheep. We are unable to distinguish precooked pasta from fresh, the aroma of white truffles from truffle-flavoured chemical oil. We buy air fryers that are little ovens (you can’t fry without fats) and even thick recipe books about the “air frying” technique. We season our potatoes with rust sold as pink Himalayan salt. We are fooled by fake pasta grannies in shop windows who torture the same piece of dough for hours. We let ourselves be bamboozled by this ridiculous story of tradition, which is a black and white scam, an excuse to pass off old and badly made stuff, as if a doctor used a stethoscope from the 1920s, a rusty scalpel from age of yore. We are scared of Frankenstein-grown meat and then happily ingest gigantic

steaks from sick animals dripping with antibiotics. We complain about ten cents more for coffee and then happily drink burnt low-cost rubbish. We can’t distinguish a zebra steak from a beef one, and we need the “Iene” exposé (TV show) to realise it. We don’t know how to recognise a boxed San Crispino or an aged Monfortino, but then we scowl at the waiter if he doesn’t decant a twoyear-old pinot noir (what’s there to decant, you wretch?).

Know to savour, as an Einaudi of food would say. But this illiteracy that ruins our dinner is pampered, coddled, fuelled by a ruling class that knows it can buy us with populist, national-sovereign, fake traditionalist jibberish. A political class more ignorant and vulgar than us, filing their mouth with expressions like, “excellence,” “quality,” “food safety.” We are what we eat, that guy said, but perhaps the opposite is true: we eat what we are. Wellplated nonsense, patriotic lies, star-studded nonsense. We spend too little in sanitation-like osterias, or too much in lounges for idiots, where “travertine duets with ebony boiserie” and where there is “a new concept of hospitality.” We deserve all the lies and stupidities they serve us because we’re not equipped to defend ourselves against them, to unmask them. Because we are victims of that mix of pride and ignorance that makes us perfect targets to be swindled.

Radici Virtuose year II, falling in love with Salento

Radici Virtuose (Virtuous Roots), funded by Mipaaf (Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry), is aimed at the regeneration of territories affected by "Xylella fastidiosa." It is a multi-year programme where Gambero Rosso supports four Consortia for the promotion of the splendid Puglia and Salento lands. Among the many activities planned by the project, both in Italy and abroad, an increasingly important event is emerging, where the world of Salento wine meets the international press. Last year, eight journalists from around the world spent several days exploring Manduria, Brindisi, and Salice. This year, the group of invitees expanded to nine, including journalists from South Korea, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Kenya, China, Japan, and finally the United States of America. Radici Virtuose is a programme started by the Jonico Salentino Agri-Food District (Dajs) and funded by the Ministry of Agriculture in support of the Consortia for the protection of Primitivo di Manduria DOP wines, Salice Salentino DOP, Brindisi DOP, and Puglia IGP Olive Oil.

The Puglia landscape has been changing in recent years. The green sea of ancient olive groves, the pride of Salento along with its great wines, is suffering due to an untamed bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa, carried by an insect, the meadow spittlebug. Within a few years, hundreds of thousands of plants have withered, and while science explores remedies for the Rapid Olive

Decline Complex, the plague advances. However, Puglia agriculture has found the strength to react. Hundreds of companies between Lecce, Brindisi, and Taranto are betting on innovation and diversification from the olive groves affected by Xylella. Investments in the sectors of horticulture, viticulture, animal husbandry, and grain farming are changing the face, but not the essence, of this land. Simultaneously, an international promotion plan has started, with Gambero Rosso at the forefront, telling its readers worldwide about the uniqueness and excellence of Salento. Meanwhile, new olive groves resistant to Xylella are reappearing, though it will take years to leave all this behind, a new era has already begun.

FALLING IN LOVE WITH SALENTO

Take nine journalists from around the world (who are passionate about wine) and bring them to Salento for a 5-day tour among wineries, typical restaurants, and artistic beauties. You will have created nine ambassadors of a magical land that they will always hold dear in their hearts and share with the world. That's what happened with Jay, Pilar, Gail, Petra, Roland, Victoria, Johnny, Goto, and Ellen, who gathered in Puglia from the four corners of the globe with Gambero Rosso for the second edition of Virtuous Roots. They visited the territories of Primitivo di Manduria, Brindisi, and Salice Salentino.

"During the welcome dinner on October 8th, a special atmosphere was created – stated Victoria Mulu-Munywoki, the most well-known Kenyan wine expert – we were all wine professionals, but after the first glass, a sense of camaraderie emerged, which accompanied us throughout our stay in Salento and beyond... We became nine friends who lived an unforgettable experience, filled with meetings, tastings, memorable lunches, and dinners. A beautiful country that we will continue to tell the world about when we return home!" The schedule was demanding, but the desire to meet people, see, and taste the beauties of this land was strong. During those days, hundreds of videos were posted describing "the magic of Salento," and we, the Gambero Rosso team, were extremely pleased to have organised such a challenging event that ultimately translated into a unique experience for the participants. And the ripple effect of this tour has not yet subsided... Every week, articles, posts, and videos continue to be released on various social media platforms. With Puglia in our hearts... In light of the success of the previous edition, Radici Virtuose has become an important event for Salento oenology and international press. For five days, from October 8th to 13th, the guests could visit a series of important wine-producing entities of the three Consortia, explore the territory, delve into its history, appreciate its artistic and landscape heritage, meet the protagonists, and, last but not least, savour the specialties of the regional cuisine. The program was quite demanding but truly fascinating.

The journalists Jay Lee - Korea Pilar Meré - Mexico Gail Nugent - Canada Petra Hammerstein - Germany Roland Poschung - Switzerland Victoria Mulu-Munywoki - Kenya Johnny Jiao - China Goto Shigenobu - Japan Ellen Clifford - United States

and buyer for the catering industry. "More and more wineries produce high-profile wines from high-quality grapes from their vineyards. It was fascinating to visit these three Salento denominations, where autochthonous grape varieties like Primitivo, Negroamaro, and Susumaniello, to name just three, are bringing Southern Puglia into the international spotlight."

Terroirs and grape varieties of the three denominations were illustrated through a series of visits to companies, vineyards, and guided tastings. In essence, Gambero Rosso takes the lead in telling its readers worldwide about the uniqueness and excellences of Salento, the "peninsula within the peninsula." There were continuous meetings, lunches, and dinners with the protagonists of the Puglia food and wine scene, from small gem-like wineries to the most modern cooperative structures, from typical restaurants to cellar dinners, without forgetting the "fine dining." And all this through the tasting of the best Brindisi, Salice Salentino, and Primitivo di Manduria wines and the sampling of creative recipes and traditions based on the typical products of this magical territory. "It was my first time in Puglia," commented Jae "Jay" Hyoung Lee from Seoul, a wine expert, journalist, and successful YouTuber in South Korea, Japan (where he collaborates with Goto Shigenobu, a journalist and blogger from Tokyo, also part of the tour), and the USA. Also, an extraordinary polyglot who was, in a way, the glue of the group. "The territory is beautiful, but above all, I discovered a series of great wines and visited prestigious wineries with their protagonists. An inspiration for a thousand stories... And then, the Salento cuisine, a real discovery..."

"Puglia is a fantastic wine region, and its reputation on the international scene is rapidly growing," says Gail Nugent, a journalist from Vancouver, the author of the Vitis website and a columnist for numerous magazines, as well as an oenological consultant

"It was an engaging tour," adds Petra Hammerstein from Munich, owner of a renowned enogastronomic bookstore, an artist, author of enogastronomy books, and a widely followed blogger. "I believe the most interesting thing, with a glass in hand, was witnessing the growth of these territories. We visited state-of-the-art cooperative wineries, highly profiled traditional and traditionalist producers, young and ambitious realities with absolutely top-notch productions, a fascinating mix that reflects the territory and these extraordinary denominations. Great wines that wonderfully complement the flavours of Salento cuisine, another great discovery. Thank you, Gambero Rosso. Physically demanding tour, but unforgettable scents, scenarios, and flavours..." "Many great reds, rosés, and even fascinating whites," adds Pilar Meré, a chef, sommelier, and highly followed wine and lifestyle communicator from Mexico City. "Excellent wines to accompany holiday menus, from Primitivo di Manduria (from which Zinfandel, very popular in Mexico, derives) to Susumaniello from the Brindisi Doc (a real discovery) to the classic and full-bodied Salice Salentino. An unforgettable journey filled with encounters with high-profile producers... And then, Salento. A magical place for a dream vacation, with baroque art, archaeological sites, splendid farmhouses, the sea, the vineyards... What can I say? I will return for a vacation!" Many other initiatives, both domestically and internationally, will follow in the coming months on Gambero Rosso media and during international events organised by Gambero Rosso worldwide. "I want to thank Gambero Rosso on behalf of our three Consortia. Once again this year, it brought our wines and our territory into the international spotlight," concludes Damiano Reale, president of the Consorzio del Salice Salentino. "Our wines and the Salento territory are appreciated worldwide, but initiatives like these, which bring wine, travel, and lifestyle communicators to “experience firsthand” and savour our beauties, are fundamental. Those who come to Salento become our ambassadors forever!”

“PROGRAMMA DI RIGENERAZIONE ECONOMICA, SO RADICI VIRTUOSE", FINANZIATA A VALERE SULL'AVVIS

Iniziativa realizzata nell’ambito del “Programma di rigenerazione economica, sociale e ambientale del territorio jonico-salentino colpito da Xylella Fastidiosa, Radici Virtuose” finanziata a valere sull’Avviso MIPAAF n.10900 del 17.02.2020 “Contratti di Distretto Xylella”.