Wine Travel Food n.147

WINE

T R AV E L

FOOD

SALINA DREAMING THE MAGIC WINES OF VALTELLINA

NATSUKO SHOJI, THE QUEEN OF CAKES

year 23 - number 147 - march-april 2021 - gamberorosso.it

ANDREA ANTONINI SIGNATURE DISHES

SOMMARIO WINE

T R AV E L

FOOD

SALINA DREAMING THE MAGIC WINES OF VALTELLINA

NATSUKO SHOJI, THE QUEEN OF CAKES

3

Editorial

6

News

8

The Wine to Buy

9

Seasonal Cocktail

 11 

My Export. Antonio Michael Zaccheo - Carpineto

 16 

The Tre Bicchieri Tour Web Show runs at full spead

 20 

Survey: Machismo in wine in Brazil

 24 

Among the terraces of Valtellina. Here the Nebbiolo of the mountain has found new life

ANDREA ANTONINI SIGNATURE DISHES

 38 

Salina. The island that’s teaching islands how an island should behave

54 

Natsuko Shoji, the Queen of Cakes

 60 

Great chefs: Andrea Antonini

year 23 - number 147 - march-april 2021 - gamberorosso.it

9

54

24 38

16

60

WHEN YOU TOAST, BE ORIGINAL! Only authentic Prosecco DOC has the government seal on the neck of the bottle and it’s never sold on tap or cans. Always produced within the nine provinces of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, in Northeast Italy, its unique taste expresses the essence of the Prosecco DOC Dreamland.

Drink responsibly

EVERY BOTTLE OF PROSECCO DOC IS THE RESULT OF GREAT PASSION, KNOWLEDGE, AND CREATIVITY, BUT ONLY IF IT’S AUTHENTIC.

How will the experience change?

Heck, it’s been a year now. One year! And so I have been a “victim” of the infamous digital experiences of the food world for a year. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the fact that big and small wine, food and product businesses must communicate. Before, they did it abundantly in-person, inviting journalists, organizing events or large collective tastings, involving influencers in the company. Now, and for a year in fact, they have been forced into virtual mode.

Among other things, with a lot of creativity, commitment, self-denial. They have invented all sorts of things, sometimes too much. And so the victims, as I said jokingly above, were overwhelmed with kits, packs, shipments, bottles, express couriers bearing all kinds of delicacies to be tasted live on Zoom, Teams or Meets. We connected, we uncorked, cooked, tasted, commented live.

Good. And now? What will remain of these months of emergency, quarantine and communicative confinement?

The world has carried out a gigantic collective training on digitalization and on the ability to carry out at home a part of the activities that were usually held outside the home. This means that something will remain, boy and how. But what must remain? Are immersive experiences at home sustainable? Will they make sense even when you can move freely again? Will companies continue to invest in shipments and projects aimed at involving targets confined at home?

I believe that targets will have to be carefully segmented. More playful and engaging experiences can remain only for a segment of fans. I am quite certain, however, that even professionals and trade specialists will continue to receive goods at home to be tasted at a distance, however I hope and believe that these tastings will change radically. How? They will be more oriented towards teaching, the transmission of technical skills, and training.

In short, for a professional target, the experience will always remain only the in-person visit to the company HQ. Especially when we talk about artisan realities to be understood and properly told. In the place of origin to breathe the scents of a field or the naughty smells of a stable, to deal with the geographical difficulty of reaching the destination, listening to the noises, looking into the eyes of a cheesemaker at work rather than watching a marketing employee of the dairy do a presentation. I don’t want to be rhetorical, but every time I went to visit food producers, I took away an enormous value from the “other things,” from the unexpected: chatting with marginal figures, exchanging glances with the employees of a company, or the rapid confrontations with passing customers that day. All this is not and will never be replicable with any digital device because on that kind of platform the value of distraction, the unexpected and the constructive plan change cannot be reproduced.

Food and wine companies pay attention and tailor their digital experiences to segments starting from the second half of the year. Wrong targeting can cause a huge waste of energy without getting the messages across correctly to those who must then divulge.

- Massimiliano Tonelli

GAMBERO ROSSO

5

MARCH-APRIL 2021

NEWS

Made in Italy agri-food export. The US suspends duties USA DUTIES. THE NEW AGREEMENT. There is no talk of a definitive victory.

Rather, for the moment, a parenthesis that bodes well. Four months of breathing space for Italian agri-food products destined for export to the United States; as long as the period of suspension of customs duties ratified at the end of 2019 by the Trump government will last, as a consequence of the Airbus-Boeing affair, which has been in effect for eighteen months now. The announcement is entrusted to the words of Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, who in recent days has reached an agreement with the new President of the United States Joe Biden, and speaks of an “initial suspension period,” reporting the joint commitment “to resolve these disputes.” For Italy, the agri-food export market in the States is worth 500 million euros, and to breathe a sigh of relief, albeit momentary, is primarily the made in Italy PDOs, IGP and the Protection Consortiums, which have found some MEP Paolo Di Castro an important ambassador in settling the controversy. In fact, Di Castro was the first to present a proposal for a moratorium, later supported by the EU Agriculture Commission, and now speaks of excellent news, even though he is aware of having to negotiate a definitive solution to the Boeing-Airbus dispute: “I believe, however, that in a moment like this of pandemic and decline in international trade, we can afford to be optimistic and think about a definitive elimination of duties.

USA DUTIES. RELIEF FOR ITALIAN CHEESES. Rejoicing above all is the dairy sector, the most affected by US duties, which benefitted local competition inclined to play on the concept of “Italian sounding.” The satis-

faction is shared by the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortia – a cheese which in the USA has its main export market, with 12,000 tons of product shipped overseas every year – as well as of Grana Padano. Since autumn 2019, Parmigiano was hard-hit – like other cheeses – with additional duties of 25%, and the shelf price has gone from 40 to 45 dollars per kilo, causing a drop in demand aggravated by the last year of the pandemic.

Therefore, President of the Consortium Nicola Bertinelli declared today, “we are optimistic for the future: we hope that the Biden administration will put an end to this commercial dispute that is no longer sustainable.”

Optimism also expressed by Stefano Berni, director of the Grana Padano Consortium: “For some time we have been waiting for a change of course

GAMBERO ROSSO

6

MARCH-APRIL 2021

in relations between the US and the EU that the new Biden administration had already hinted at. We are pleasantly surprised by the rapidity of operations, just forty days after taking office. We are extremely satisfied.” In the Consortium’s calculation, the four-month truce will relieve 65 million worth of product, guaranteeing a “savings” of 16 million euros for distributors and consumers (American consumers themselves, penalised on the purchase of made in Italy products). The entire sector of Italian dairy exports to the United States is worth 350 million euros (figure for 2019), but in 2020 the market collapsed by 21% in value, bringing a shortfall of 50 million, to the detriment, over Parmigiano and Grana Padano, also Provolone, Asiago, Gorgonzola.

NEWS

Egypt: a 5,000 year old “industrial brewery” discovered in Abydos

by Lucia Facchini

EGYPT: ABYDOS MAY BE THE OLDEST BREWERY IN THE WORLD. That beer occupied a privileged place in the list of the most popular superfoods of Ancient Egypt was already widely known to experts. Used since 4500 as a medicine, a religious symbol and – if properly diluted – even as a substitute for breast milk during weaning, the popular alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermentation of spelt tasted very similar to our white wine (due to the presence of date cider in the yeast used as a “starter”) and had a fairly high alcohol content, between 10 and 12 degrees. Where was it produced? and how much was consumed? Thanks to excavations at the Abydos archaeological site by Matthew Adams (a lecturer at the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University) and Deborah Vischak (a lecturer in art history and archaeology at Princeton University), it is finally possible to discover it.

Researchers have uncovered the re-

mains of a huge brewery in the heart of Sohag Governorate (west of the Nile River and about 450 km from Cairo). According to local authorities, it may be the oldest brewing centre ever found in Egypt.

WHAT WERE THE FIRST “INDUSTRIAL BREWERIES” IN HISTORY LIKE? The discovery was announced by Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, who also put forward the first dating hypotheses. According to the conclusions of the investigation published by The Guardian, the brewery was built under the regime of the “warrior king” Narmer (31502613 BC), an enlightened sovereign to whom we owe the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt and the foundation of the residential nucleus that in the following years would see the city of Memphis rise. It is not excluded, therefore, that the structure was built for celebratory purposes, given the prestige acquired

GAMBERO ROSSO

7

MARCH-APRIL 2021

by the sovereign and the size of the structure, comparable to a large multinational beer company. Confirmed by the production volumes estimated by Adams, which reach 22,400 l per batch, and the optimisation of available space, divided into 8 large rooms equipped for the preparation of bread. Yes, you read that right: Egyptians made the drink from a dough very similar to that of the loaves of bread for daily consumption, which, after being baked at low temperatures in earthenware containers, was broken up coarsely, covered with water and fermented with the addition of dates and honey.

Then, from time to time, women or children would trample on the cereal mash so as to encourage mashing.

A rather complex process (we’re still talking about 5000 years ago!) from which at least three types of beer were obtained: light (zythum), dark (curmy) and high nutrient, for the pharaoh (sa). with a single trip.

NEWS

THE WINE TO BUY

Chianti Classico Lamole 2018 I FABBRI Greve in Chianti (FI) www.ifabbrichianticlassico.it Average retail price: 16 euros

For Sangiovese purists only. I Fabbri, a name that goes back to the workshop of the estate’s ancient hamlet, has been making wines since 2000, thanks to the efforts of sisters Susanna and Maddalena Grassi. Situated in the unique subzone of Lamole, in Greve in Chianti, the winery avails itself of organic management. The resulting wines exhibit a definite style, one that’s honed and recognizable, not always immediately intelligible but certainly coherent with a territory as unique as Chianti Classico, and capable of withstanding the tests of time. We’re in one of the most fascinating and difficult subzones in all of Chianti Classico. The vineyards grow at 650 meters elevation, grapes ripen late and temperature swings are sometimes dizzying. The style is stictly traditional and charming, marked by acute and ferrous scents, lean structure and generally austere but elegant quality. We stronlgy suggest the Chianti Classico Lamole 2018 which aged in cement vats for 12 months. The Lamole subzone, in our humble opinion, is captured perfectly in the bottle. It’s a wine that subtly whispers its elegant scents, calling up earth and flowers, with some intriguing whiffs of iron. In the mouth it unfolds subtle but not skeletal, with a truly fresh, rhythmic and enticing palate. A mesmerizing food-friendly wine!

GAMBERO ROSSO

8

MARCH-APRIL 2021

SPIRITS

SEASONAL SEASONAL COCKTAIL COCKTAIL byPaola Paola Mencarelli Mencarelli by

MELI pre SPRING Tommy Colonna - Gran Caffè Gambrinus, Gravina

in

Puglia (Bari)

3 cl Casta 2 cl mallow and marjoram extract 1/2 fresh squeezed tangerine Fill-up sparkling S. Pellegrino water 1 teaspoon Cynar 2 spritzes of Sweet fennel fragrance by Antonella Bondi

Glass: Tall tumbler Technique: Build Garnish: Rim with powdered beetroot and a sprig of lemon balm

M

arch is the month of change, which opens the doors to spring: the time of year dedicated to purification, in which bitter tastes play an important role. In nature it's the season for wild bitter greens such as the Cynara genus and, among the fragrant plants, marjoram and lemon balm. Marjoram stimulates digestive and bronchial activity, lemon balm extract has antiviral, antioxidant, soothing and relaxing properties and enhances cognitive abilities. In Greek mythology, the original name Melissa can be traced back to the nymph who purportedly generated the art of beekeeping and its flowering, which marks the beginning of spring.

The extract from this field bouquet is combined with the aromatic power of Grappa Casta and a few drops of Cynar, half a mandarin squeezed into a glass filled with ice, all diluted with sparkling water. The drink is embellished with a rim of beetroot powder on the edge of the glass and a sprig of lemon balm; misting with two spritzes of sweet fennel fragrance as the final touch.

BARTENDER: Born in 1978, Tommy Colonna is the alcoholic soul of Gran Caffè Gambrinus in Gravina in Puglia, in the province of Bari. First bar in town and the cornerstone of Apulian hospitality, Gambrinus is a family business founded in 1920 and handed down to Tommy’s father, Michele. From an early age Tommy breathed in the scents of pastry, gelato, rotisserie and pizzeria, conquering a place behind the counter at age 20, after working as a delivery boy, waiter and glass washer. He was trained by travelling and participating in domestic and international competitions, almost always ending on the podium: from Aibes competitions to I.B.A. (in Singapore in 2010 and in Prague in 2013) and in contests for brands such as Nikka Perfect Serve, Beefeater, Cointreau-Hennessy, Campari, Martini and finally World Class, of which he is the Coach for the 2021 competition together with great professionals and friends of the trade. The experiences matured, even as a consultant and trainer, have not removed him from the counter of his beloved Gambrinus, flanked by his siblings Linda, Maria Giovanna and Innocenzo, and by his mother Rosa in the kitchen, with the common aim of preserving traditions, but always with an eye open to contemporaneity.

GAMBERO ROSSO

9

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Winemakers in the Most Prestigious Areas of Tuscany www . sanfelice . com

NEWS

MY EXPORT Antonio Michael Zaccheo – Carpineto 1 What is the percentage of exports on the company total?

We export 90% of the production. In the last months we reached 94% because of the collapse of the domestic consumption. Our top 5 destinations, in descending order, are Canada, USA, Switzerland, Germany and Australia.

2 Where do you sell the most and the least?

Right now, we are selling very good in the large-scale distribution, wine chains and monopolies. Of course, we’re suffering as much as the restaurants do, but I’m sure this segment will recover soon.

3 What has changed? How are exports performing after the lockdowns?

In the countries where we are prevalently Horeca, things are going very badly: in Italy we lost 45% of our revenue in 2020, with a similar performance in Asia. Fortunately, we now know that wine is a fundamental part of family life. It is no longer drunk at restaurants but at home. We have also understood that wine is immune to the pandemic, thank goodness!

4 How are things going with bureaucracy?

In one word: very bad. Let me give you an example. Is it possible that on a OCM program that starts on April 1st we still do not know if we are in the ranking list, which foreign countries get the funding and how much money we could spend?

How can we plan with the big world organizations that run promotions and marketing activities a year in advance, if we don’t know how much money is in the tank?

5 Tell us an anecdote related to your experiences abroad.

Late autumn, I’m inside a big hotel in a huge Chinese city. I’m dining at an Italian restaurant for a winemaker’s dinner.

Everything goes very well. At the end of the meal, the sommelier takes me to meet the owner of the place, which owns the restaurant, the hotel and some other skyscrapers in the same area. At the table there are 6 people and they are eating their second ‘ball’ of white truffle. It was a hot and dry year, the truffle market was close to 5,000 euros per kilo...in Italy. While entering the room, the Chinese tycoon offers me a glass of wine of an exceptional vintage, served in a beautiful crystal glass from a magnum bottle (which costs over a thousand euros). He asks me if I would like to drink it as they do, that is, with a nice grating of truffle inside. I reply that maybe at the first round I take it ‘natural’ but then with the next glass I have to try their version as well...no comment! This example shows how Italian cuisine has an neverending appeal, but the sensitivity and culture to appreciate its intrinsic quality is still lacking: this should be the focus of information campaigns around the world for the next few decades.  Carpineto | Dudda | Greve in Chianti | Firenze

GAMBERO ROSSO

11

MARCH-APRIL 2021

GAMBERO ROSSO X PROSECCO DOC

The soul of Prosecco DOC is in the spirit of Carnival 1

The mask to reveal the deepest part of oneself, the hidden that takes over at least one day a year to expose one’s essence. And on the other hand, the most genuine authenticity, the guaranteed purity of a monument of the territory and a symbol of Italy in the world. The essence of the Venice Carnival and Prosecco DOC. Antithesis? Only in appearance. And on the calendar, because harvest and Carnival are 5-6 months apart from one year to the next.

But it’s an inviting calculation, if you think about it carefully. Year after year, the fervent activity of late summer and the rest along the autumn guarantee the time necessary for the oenological alchemy to work its magic. Simple chemical reactions, of course. But in the ritual and expert

GAMBERO ROSSO

12

gestures of cutting the grapes, in the toil of the stacked crates making their way towards the cellars, in the deep and intoxicating scent of the moist underground in the dim light, something escapes the rigidity of the chemical formulas. Prosecco DOC is a product to be valued, respected and protected. From the composition of the soil on which the twisted branches of the vines rest, to the labelled and certified bottles, the story of Italy’s most iconic bubbles in the world is a true love story. Love for the territory, for the quality of drinking well, for the artisans who work to create the myth. Analogies between worlds that tell the structure of a country’s culture in gestures and rituals, gathered around the concept of atmosphere. The one that is created in the expectation of the Carnival, watching the painstaking work of the costume designers and artists take shape, or admiring the bottles in which the yeasts enliven the grapes after harvest, making the Tranquillo first, while the Frizzante and Spumante are processed with the Martinotti method and rest in a tank for a few extra weeks to obtain the traditional, amazing bubbles. Which water, forty days after Christmas, the most liberating party of the year: Carnival. From the mountains of Udine, Gorizia and Belluno, shielded by a curtain of rock against the Siberian winds, it descends towards the soft hills, from Trieste to Vicenza crossing Pordenone and Treviso to Padua, and down perpendicular to the sea. The map incorporates the gentle curve of the Gulf of Trieste and the deep, wide one of the Venice Lagoon with its surrounding province. And right in the streets of the city where the oldest masquerade party in the world has become a magical institution, the definitive bond takes place.

The Prosecco DOC feeds the Carnival, the Carnival finds its perfect complement in the Prosecco DOC. Not only because of a geographical link, but because of the common goal they set for themselves: escape from the everyday, the suspension of reality, the granting of personal freedom. A sip of Prosecco DOC, artfully poured into the tulip to best savour its aromas and perlage, is a treaty of non-belligerence with one’s own discontent and diplomatic respite from the fatigue of the day, but above all it works as a lifeline for the near

MARCH-APRIL 2O21

GAMBERO ROSSO X PROSECCO DOC

1. A glass of Prosecco DOC in Venice 2. Carnival in Piazza San Marco

2

future. In the case of the Venice Carnival, these two become the precious complement for getting lost in a unique atmosphere that has now adapted to the world situation, overturning every paradigm once more. The 1,600th anniversary of the Venice Carnival did not take people for a walk, but entered their home through digital streaming that allowed curious, passionate and nostalgic folk to retrace all the traditions that made it

GAMBERO ROSSO

sublime: the twelve Marys and the Flight of the Angel, the most famous masks, manicured costumes and disguises that anyone would like to have the privilege of wearing, at least once. Masks confuse, elude differences, cancel social classes, release tensions and inhibit restraint as only a generous sip of Prosecco DOC can do.

by Caterina Franceschini

13

MARCH-APRIL 2O21

IN SHORT

BOOKS

by Antonella De Santis

ITALIAN CUISINE: WHICH ONE? Big restaurants or small trattorias? Neither and both: the new Italian cuisine is a movable universe, made up of chefs who interact with tradition with a free spirit, rock ‘n’ roll attitude and precise techniques. They are the ones who define the coordinates, having taste as their North star. An all-Italian taste. One that Laura Lazzaroni reveals to an international public still not up to date on what is happening in our best restaurants. She does it by intercepting heterogeneous strands, trends and groups.

The new cucina italiana What to Eat, What to Cook & Who to Know in Italian Cuisine Today Laura Lazzaroni photos Alberto Blasetti Rizzoli New York 256 pp. - 55$/30£

WHO IS THE NEXT? Twenty great international chefs present 100 emerging chefs, told through essays, photos, recipes and menus: well-known names - from Pía León of Kjolle to Jeremy Chan of Ikoyi in London, by Jeremiah Stone & Fabián von Hauske Valtierra, of Contra and Wildair in New York at Manoella Buffara in Brazil - and others still to be discovered such as Carla Perez-Gallardo and Hannah Black of Lil’ Deb’s Oasis in Hudson. They are sponsored by chefs such as José Andrés, Yotam Ottolenghi and Daniela Soto-Innes. A volume that allows to find direction in a vast and constantly evolving scene in which fashions, styles and orientations constantly multiply.

Today’s Special Phaidon 440 pp. - 49.95€

GAMBERO ROSSO

14

BLUE TRAIN

KITCHEN IMPROV

A guide to local tourism, which is born from the mix & match of the contents of the Slow Food guides with data collected by railway stations to create itineraries enjoyed over the course of a weekend, pursuing artistic, landscape and gastronomic destinations, all within a train’s reach. In addition to the fast lines that connect the bigger cities, in fact, our railway network is made up of smaller regional routes that touch villages, real hidden gems that hide places and specialties that are worth discovering. For a relaxed, healthy, tasty, clean journey and respectful tourism and in harmony with the places

From the popular The New York Times website (and related What to Cook newsletter and NYT Cooking app), 100 non-recipes, informal and tasty, in which precise quantities and long lists of ingredients give way to the freedom to change, substitute, approximate.

100 proposals - well told and well photographed - ideal for improvising a meal at any time of day using what’s available in the fridge and pantry. A brilliant and no-nonsense approach, created by Sam Sifton of The New York Times, which allows everyone to approach the stove with satisfaction.

Weekend Slow Food in Treno - Slow Food - in italian 512 pp. - 19,90€

MARCH-APRIL 2021

The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes - Sam Sifton Ten Speed Pr 256 pp. - 26,41€

THE TRE BICCHIERI WEB SHOW RUNS AT FULL SPEED

I

by Lorenzo Ruggeri

n March we guided an extensive amount of web tastings. Righ now we can’t travel, but we can do so thanks to wine. Marco Sabellico and Lorenzo Ruggeri hosted several masterclassed, from Tre Bicchieri tasting to deep focus on specific denominations. In particular, thanks to a special collaboration with Banville Wine Merchants, a fine wholesale in New York, New Jersey and DC, on Tuesday March 16 we organized a seminar featuring the Tre Bichieri winners in the portoflio of the distibutor. Other tastings brought our deep wine biodiversity into Switzerland, US, Canada, and Japan. We will restart our tours as soons as we can.

GAMBERO ROSSO

16

MARCH-APRIL 2021

WORLDTOUR

PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA LIVE IN THE US On Tuesday March 23 we arranged two deep wine seminars for the Nort-American wine professional in cooperation with the Conrorzio Primitivo di Manduria. Marco Sabellico holded two extensive tasting in order to explore this special corner of Apulia. If you’re planning to reach this zone, be ready to get lost in bumpy dirt roads, you’ll forget the highways, you’ll be charmed by the intense colours of this countryside, the red soil, a sea that needs no filters, exaggerated scent of wild herbs, flavours that know no compromise: real, direct. This is Manduria, this is the land of Primitivo. In recent years few wine territories, like this one, have grown so much in regards to local businesses, bringing new life to a wine area that extends across 18 municipalities between Taranto and Brindisi, for a total of 57 wineries. The primitivo grape, declined in the three denominations Primitivo di Manduria, Riserva and Dolce Naturale, pulled a sprint. Equally in the cellar, quality has had a great surge, thanks to the arrival of the generations and many new companies that increasingly focus on the characteristics of the individual sub-areas.

GAMBERO ROSSO

17

MARCH-APRIL 2021

EVENTS

THE NEW GAMBERO ROSSO/ITALIA OLIVICOLA EXPERIENCE: QUALITY OLIVE PRODUCTS. TWO COUNTRIES, ONE TRADITION On 29 March, through a real interactive online tasting session, an audience of media and traders from all over Europe gathered in a webinar dedicated to the training and recognition of quality extra virgin olive oil. The deputy director of the Gambero Rosso Oli d’Italia guide Indra Galbo and the panel leader Pasquale Costantino led the audience in a tasting of some samples from Italy and Greece to explain how to appreciate a proper “evoo”.

The initiative stems from a ten-year traceability project of olive oil and table olives carried out by Italia Olivicola, the main organization of Italian olive production (with more than 250,000 members in 15 Italian Regions), and numerous Greek producer organizations. This traceability system guarantees the geographical origin of 100% Italian and 100% Greek products. In this regard, the president of Italia Olivicola Fabrizio Pini told us: “For several years we have started an important project with the Greek cooperatives, represented by Axion Agro and Agron, aimed at improving the quality and traceability of extra virgin olive oil, defending the work of producers and giving guarantees to citizens who in the world always appreciate plus the symbol of the Mediterranean Diet. We needed a serious and reliable partner to continue our battles to protect the product more effectively, because the commitment of many countries to olive growing based on quantity and not quality is strong. We absolutely need to multiply, even at a national level, the initiatives of dissemination and education for conscious consumption, because it is essential to explain the real and priceless nutritional value of quality extra virgin olive oil, a real natural drug capable of giving immense benefits to the body”.

GAMBERO ROSSO

18

MARCH-APRIL 2021

WORLDTOUR

NEXT TASTING: LUGANA ON THE SPOTLIGHT T for Turbiana. In the south shore of the Garda lake thrive some of the most celebrated Italian whites of Italy, we’re talking about Lugana wines. The aging potential of this wines is still not fully explored, try to stock the bottles in your cellars and you’ll be amply rewarded. Turbiana is the result of centuries of selection by grapegrowers who planted and trained their vineyards to get the best from their land. The vines, for example, are customarily arranged on a north-south axis to take advantage of the breeze and to favor the flow of rainwater. Since the soil is clayey, it absorbs little water, and vineyards are wavy, that is, built up with five and six meter rises so that rain can gather and flow away. Turbiana can thus nourish itself on the best from a soil that confers rich, full structure and a tasty, nervous character. Turbiana most resembles verdicchio and trebbiano di Soave, and has little to do with trebbiano toscano. The ripe bunches have small, well-spaced berries that develop a handsome amber color when perfectly mature. The wine is fresh, fruity, floral and easy to drink when young, with an elegant range of aromas. With age it develops expressive depth and a fascinating, complex mineral character. Follow the live streaming with Marco Sabellico and the Consorzio on March 31 from 5pm to 7m (ECT).

GAMBERO ROSSO

19

MARCH-APRIL 2021

SURVEY

SURVEY: MACHISMO IN WINE IN BRAZIL

by Marcelo Copello

I

Figures show that female dissatisfaction is large and justified.

Machismo is particularly evident in the wine business

n October 2020 the New York Times reported a sexual harassment scandal in one of the most respected entities in the world of wine, the United States’ Court of Master Sommeliers. According to the newspaper, 21 women reported cases of sexism, which culminated, last December, in the change of the entire direction of the entity. Of the 11 new board members, three are women, with two identifying themselves as gay, two

Asian-Americans and seven white men. It was informed that there are no blacks due to the fact that there are no eligible people at the moment. It is worth mentioning that the Court of Master Sommeliers of the United States since 1997 has already granted 155 titles of Master Sommelier, of which 131 are men and only 24 women. With all this dust raised, I decided to put a thermometer on the wine market in Brazil, through this survey, to see how we are in terms of machism, in the opinion of those who suffer it, women.

What is your profession or area in which yo the WINE market (you can check more than

What is your profession or area in which you work inthe WINE market (you can check more than one option)

Som 43%

Wo

Jou

Wo

Win 20% 18%

18%

Ma

16% 11%

Wo

11%

9%

8%

8% 2%

r r e er er te ie or nc t el or ak e S p u m m e fl e im m in in /In W So an st W i l n i as na s ks ur rk or o o J W W

g

er

in

et rk

a

M

s rk

in

a

o W

in W

r ce

y t

en Ev

u od

Pr

r ye

Bu

a

at ks ant r o r W tau es R

Buy

2%

ur nt ne ma de e u r o St ep w tr ess n E sin u /B

ce

Pr

s es

fi of

S

ER

TH O

THE SURVEY- HOW IT WAS DONE The survey was carried out between January 18 and 25, 2021, among Marcelo Copello’s followers and contacts - 30 thousand on Instagram, 67 thousand on Facebook, in addition to Twitter, Linkedin, Youtube, WhatsApp groups, website (www. marcelocopello.com) and radio program on CBN radio from Paraná.

Dates: January 18-25, 2021

Participants: 500 women Location: 18 Brazilian states represented

Profile: professionals working in the wine market in Brazil

GAMBERO ROSSO

20

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Eve

5%

5%

Wo

Pre 

Ent

Stu

OTH

SURVEY

Do you think the world of wine is sexist ?

Do you think the world of wine is sexist ?

YES NO

If YES, can you describe why? Always remembering that we If YES, can you describe why? Always remembering that we only talk about the world of wine only talk about the world of (You can check more than (Youwine can check more than one option) one option) 1

8 7

1

6 2

5

I’ve heard of women who have been harassed or discriminated against in their jobs

Resp

%

I've 2 heard of women who have been harassed or 273 20,4% It is moreagainst difficult for women to reach senior or managerial positions discriminated in their jobs It3is more difficult for women to reach senior or managerial I’ve been harassed or discriminated against

208 15,5% posiAons 4 There are fewer opportunities for women than for men I've been harassed or discriminated against 199 14,8% 5 earn less than for men

ThereWomen are fewer opportuniAes women than for men 185 13,8% Women earn less than men 180 13,4% 6 It is more difficult for a woman than for a man to get a job

4

It7is more difficult for a woman than for a man to get a job 127 9,5% I find the world of wine more closed to women than other means I find the world of wine more closed to women than other 124 9,2% 8 means OTHERS

3

OTHERS

45

3,4%

20,4% 15,5% 14,8% 13,8% 13,4% 9,5% 9,2% 3,4%

If NO,If can you describe why? Always remembering that we NO, can you describe why? Always remembering that we only talk about the world of wine only talk about the world ofcan wine canonecheck (You check(You more than option) more than one option) 1

7

8

6

2

1

There are as many opportunities for women as there are men

Resp

I wasare never harassed or discriminated There as many opportuniAes for womenagainst as there

4

2 3

65 29,1%

29,1% 19,3%

3 are men The difficulty of being employed in the area is the same

I was never harassed or discriminated against for men and women

5

%

43 19,3%

The difficulty of being employed in the area is the same 32 14,3% 4 for men and women I think the world of wine is much more open to women than other means 5 I think the world of wine is much more open to women 27 12,1% Women just like men than otherearn means 6 Women earn just like men The difficulty of reaching senior or senior positions is 16 the 7,2% same The difficulty reaching senior or senior posiAons is for men andofwomen 16 7,2% 7 the same for men and women I never heard of women who were harassed or discriminated against 8

I never heard of women who were harassed or in their jobs discriminated against in their jobs OTHERS OTHERS

16 7,2%

GAMBERO ROSSO

8 3,6%

22

MARCH-APRIL 2021

14,3% 12,1% 7,2%

7,2% 9,2% 3,6%

WORLD

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS The first, expected and obvious conclusion, is that women are very hurt by men and that they feel harmed in the wine labor market. About 80% replied that they think the professional environment of wine is a sexist environment.

Conversely, conversations with some interviewees point to wine as a less sexist environment than that of beer or spirits.

Other conclusions:  Women work in all areas within the wine market, sometimes in more than one activity. We have from students to prominent and successful businesswomen. I had about 60 different answers and many multiple answers to the question “What is the area that operates in the wine market”.  Women work with wine in most of the national territory, as I have been interviewed in all regions and in 18 states  The participation of women is recent and growing, since of the interviewees the greatest participation is of women who work with wine for less than 5 years  The causes of this proven female dissatisfaction are multiple. In the question of “why” they think that the professional environment of wine is sexist, there were 7 multiple-choice options (with the option of checking more than one) and the possibility of adding other causes. Virtually all participants scored more than one answer, and about 40 had added other causes.  Women who think that there is no sexism in the professional environment of wine (about 20%), have as main reason to think so the fact that they think that the opportunities and difficulties to be employed are the same for both sexes and never been harassed or discriminated against.

GAMBERO ROSSO

23

MARCH-APRIL 2021

AMONG THE TERRACES OF VALTELLINA. HERE THE NEBBIOLO OF THE MOUNTAIN HAS FOUND NEW LIFE A territory that is difficult to describe and visit, broad and harsh, welcoming and direct.

Like the Nebbiolo that here acquires its own personality and backbone. A heroic wine, vines cultivated by force and effort from the shores of a valley parallel to the Alps, protected by the reliefs and supported by the basin of Lake Como.

Grapes that risked succumbing to progress, to intensive orchards, but which for the last fifteen years has found new strength. A world, all to be discovered. And to be tasted words by Emiliano Gucci - infographics by Alessandro Naldi

STORIES

C

ertain terraces are so rough that following a wine grower in his vineyards, in Valtellina, is like trying to follow a chamois in the woods: he goes on, with a straight look and sure footing, you stagger and waver, in the difficulty and in the wonder that opens around you. And you enjoy it. While you risk breaking your neck.

It is very difficult to describe Valtellina. For the way it welcomes you, for the way it is articulated and colored, for the way it magnetizes and strikes the senses, with those peaks that pierce the sky, those vineyards unthinkable even for the most eclectic artist. It has two thousand five hundred kilometers of dry stone walls: a functional monument, indispensable, to create terraces of cultivable land where the mountain was once only a rocky wall, while the Adda formed marshy areas, downstream,

at most good for grazing. Ermanno Olmi called them Rupi del vino (cliffs of wine), dedicating a documentary to this land that fully captures its drama and poetry: "Good, fertile soil and stones: everything was carried on the shoulders of men and women in baskets. This heroic culture was born there, necessity dictated it". Parallel to the Alps, Valtellina is a sort of lucky corridor, with the Rhaetian Mountains protecting from the northern winds, the Orobie Mountains from the humidity of the Po Valley, the breeze that dries up blowing from Lake Como; the booty of sun, caught from the first to the last drop, is comparable to the one that rewards Pantelleria: a perfect microclimate for viticulture. The Rhaetian side, looking south, hosts 850 fragmented hectares planted with Nebbiolo - Chiavennasca in loco - but there were 5,000 at the beginning of the 1900s and 3,000 in the 1970s. Then the trend 1 VALTELLINA IN NUMBERS

BORMIO, WITH ITS EYES ON THE 2026 OLYMPICS The Olympics, those of 2026, will take place between Milan and Cortina. But if by saying Cortina you immediately think about the mountains, if you say Milan you don't think of ski slopes. Instead, it will be just like that, because the nearby Valtellina will be directly affected by the Winter Olympics to be held in 5 years in Italy. In particular, the ski resorts of Bormio and Livigno will respectively host men's alpine skiing on the legendary Stelvio slope, while the latter will become the capital of snowboarding and freestyle. And yet rumors (not confirmed) speak of a possible snatching by Cortina of the male alpine ski competitions planned in Bormio due to modernization works, it seems instead completely confirmed the calendar of competitions in Livigno where will rise also an Olympic Village. In any case, the mayor of Bormio - Roberto Volpato - announces that everything will be ready in time: among the requested interventions, there are also the enlargement of the parterre and the realization of an underpass, a new lighting system and a cableway connecting the Ciuk to the Rocca of the Valtellina alpine town.

GAMBERO ROSSO

D.O.C.G.

the Consorzio di Tutela dei Vini di Valtellina is born

Valtellina Superiore Sforzato di Valtellina

VINEYARD AREA

820 ha

2.500 km

totally terraced

dry stone walls

altitude: 270-700 meters above sea level GRAPE VARIETIES

5-10%

90%

Rossola nera, Pignola valtellinese and Brugnola

Nebbiolo (Chiavennasca)

26

MARCH-APRIL 2021

GRAPE PRODUCTION PER ha

Valtellina Superiore

8 tons

Rosso di Valtellina

10 tons

THE NEBBIOLO OF VALTELLINA

10 MUST TRY BAKERIES AND FOOD SHOPS IN SONDRIO, THE CAPITAL OF VALTELLINA Known as the “capital” of Valtellina, Sondrio is the least extensive and populated city among all the Italian main towns. There are so many things to visit: the Museo Valtellinese di Storia e Arte (History and Art Museum) in the old Palazzo Sassi de’ Lavizzari, the Collegiata dei Santi Gervasio e Protasio Church, the Torre Ligariana, Palazzo Pretorio (seat fo the municipality), Villa Quadrio and its library.

1 Cattaneo dal 1904 Trento, 8 – 0342218542 – pasticceriacattaneo.it Historic bakery which boasts a production of via

traditional specialities and the best sweets and treats of

Valtellina.

2 Criollo piazzale G. Bertacchi, 77 03421900327 – pasticceriacriollo.site123.me A contemporary bakery bar with fine foods made with excellent ingredients.

3 Antica Drogheria Motta C. Beccaria, 16 – 0342514677 Run by the Motta family since 19858, the Drogheria offers high quality wines and food. via

4 Sala Cereali-Il Saraceno Stadio, 24 – 0342214068 – salacereali.it Stone-ground flours and buckwheat specialties, but also a lot of local products: this is the key to success for Sala Cereali-Il Saraceno. viale

The Doc Rosso is the youngest flag, while the two Docg standard-bearers are Valtellina Superiore (with the Riserva) and Sforzato, harvested and left on mats for months to dehydrate. of abandonment, the expansion of apple orchards and woods. But little by little they recovered, restored, replanted; new companies were born, sometimes led by the grandchildren of those who already took care of the vine, decades ago, maybe to give to some big winery.

Doc Rosso di Valtellina is the youngest flag, Nebbiolo for at least 90%, while the two Docg standard bearers are Valtellina Superiore, with the possible Riserva version, as well as Sforzato, or Sfursat, Chiaven-

nasca harvested and left on racks for months to dehydrate concentrating sugars, character, aromas, for dry wines of great thickness. "There are no wines like this in the world," as the late Olmi said.

DROCCO, A LANGAROLO FOR NINO NEGRI The thread of local winemaking history is held by companies like Nino Negri, founded in 1897 by a pioneer from Aprica, who in Chiuro "bought the castle and organized the cellars 

5 Il Salumaio Trieste, 64 0342218226 – ilsalumaiosondrio.com People can come here to find the best local artisanal products: taste and satisfaction are guaranteed. via

6 L’Arte della Pasta via Bonfadini, 7 – 0342200024 – lartedellapasta.com

Various locations – outside town, too – for this shop dedicated to fresh handmade pasta.

7 Parolo Trieste, 64 – 0342212833 @Panificio-Pasticceria-Parolo/ A famous bakery known for its delicious bread and cakes. You can also find all the traditional local sweets. via

8 Terra Vino Cavour, 5 – 3405700262 – @terra-vino/ This is the right place to enjoy a good aperitivo or to buy a nice bottle of wine, especially from Valtellina. piazza

9 Trattoria Olmo Cavour, 9 – 0342212210 – iolmo.it A traditional restaurant with a nice outdoor area: it offers the typical Valtellina’s cuisine, with local wines and craft beers. piazza

10 Grand Hotel della Posta G. Garibaldi, 19 0342200397 – grandhoteldellaposta.eu An elegant hotel with a spa and a good restaurant, where you can find both traditional and creative dishes. piazza

GAMBERO ROSSO

27

MARCH-APRIL 2021

STORIES

NUMBERS OF PRODUCTION 2015

402k 4k

2016

452k 4,7k

2017 487k

2018 450k 6,4k

3,6k

2019 405k 5,8k

675k

2015

365k

633k 715k 3,3k

6k

5k

643k

2017

2018

20k 271

187

259 10k

7,4k 7k 654k

576k

600k

ROSSO DI VALTELLINA 319k

5,9k

5,5k

6,4k

4,4k 452k 3,6k

Q.li

468k

4,9k 3,2k

4,6k 550k

157 4k Unità

7,2k 5,9k 661k

539k

562k Unità

6,4k

382k 4k 298k Q.li

4,7k

3,9k

3,2k Q.li

261k 187k 4,7k 3,4k Unità

358k

3,3k

310k 4k

371k 300k 4k 3k

INFERNO

Unità 4,3k

3,4k

Unità

220k 4,3k

172k 492k

390k

IGT ALPI RETICHE

612k

7,7k

GRUMELLO

236k

Unità 600k

6,6k

4,3k

3,5k

SFORZATO

Q.li

281k 3,8k Q.li

6k

4k

260k

323k

262k

257k 5,5k

Unità 318k

189

2020

328k

4,2k Q.li

2019

SASSELLA

Q.li

5,6k

8k

MAROGGIA

Unità

744k 7,2k

2016

13k 195

5,5k Q.li

VALTELLINA SUPERIORE

Q.li

2020

109k

VALGELLA

4,1k

4k

3,3k 128k

129k

117k

138k Unità

ONE VINE, A THOUSAND SOULS After travelling for a long time to work in the restaurant business, twenty years ago I returned to my valley and took over the historic restaurant Osteria del Benedet di Delebio, where I started a new business with wines from all over the world which I got to know during my trips. Although I was born here, I didn’t really know much about the wines from Valtellina. Over time I started to visit more local wine companies and I began to add their specialties to my wine list. This opened up a totally unexpected world to me: unique mountain Nebbiolo, a single and yet multifaceted grape; they are not easy or standardised wines, but elegant and recognisable, the kind of products that never get old. In Valtellina, wine makers minimise the work in the vineyard and the cellar, so that the wine can develop its own personality. These are the essential particularities that characterise top quality wines. Traditionally, the grape harvest and all the works on the vines are done manually, because of the peculiar lay of the land made of terraces with dry stone walls built stone by stone, the pride of Valtellina that might also become Unesco heritage. A single vine but with different characteristic according to the subzone: these wines can be paired with several traditional dishes: the Valgella, a soft wine that goes well with bresaola, the tannic Inferno with the pizzoccheri, the dry Sassella Riserva with game, and a vertical tasting of Bitto d’alpeggio paired with Sforzato, the first passito red wine Docg in Italy: it is the perfect meditation wine to end the evening, possibly in front of a fireplace with our guests, that most of the times are nothing but are closest friends. This is our identity in a world where time seems to be going too fast.

– Vittorio Citrini, Osteria del Benedet a Delebio (SO)

GAMBERO ROSSO

28

MARCH-APRIL 2021

THE NEBBIOLO OF VALTELLINA

dug into the rock", which are worth the trip. “He began making wine from his own grapes," says Danilo Drocco, the current manager, "and later established relationships with dozens of winemakers: if so many terraces are still standing today, it is also thanks to those who made wine with the support of Nino Negri’s company". A purely Valtellinese heart, "as well as the workforce, the know-how", for a company acquired in 1986 by the Gruppo Italiano Vini, which relaunched it at the highest levels, while Drocco is a Nebbiolo player from Langa who arrived after years at Fontanafredda. "Making wine in the middle of the Alps is a unique experience," especially for those who love mountains as he does; "we have peaks of 3,000 meters looking at the Orobie, of 4,000 toward the Retiche: a mountainous crown that protects from the cold, from the rains, and rocky, draining soils. As well as a Nebbiolo with a thicker skin, used to extreme climates,

meters. The trick for quality is to follow nature, harvest and vinify separately".

For Vini d'Italia, Lo Sforzato 5 Stelle '17 is worth Tre Bicchieri, territorial and pulpy with notes of tobacco and spice, a very long finish. "It is the result of a delayed and meticulous harvest, of drying at very low temperatures. A true son of the rock and the wind."

so fascinating to interpret". Today there are 35 hectares of property, divided into the subzones Grumello, Inferno, Valgella (the others are Maroggia and Sassella): a complex mosaic, "considering that the average vineyard measures 2,000 square meters". From the oldest vineyard comes Vigneto Fracia, a very expressive Valtellina Superiore Valgella, while two other crus will be released this year: "Ca' Guicciardi has the warmer ripeness typical of Inferno, while Sasso Rosso is a Grumello from a vineyard very poor in soil, with silky tannins and hints of roses: a little brother of Pinot Noir from Burgundy".

Drocco likes to go back to the parallel with Burgundy, for this marked differentiation between areas, even between one terracing and another: "The differences of the parent rock, from which the wines draw minerality and freshness, affect the slope, the availability of water, the altitude, there are vineyards that start at 300 meters and end at 700

ARPEPE, THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME TO WAIT Pelizzatti Perego's family boasts five generations of viticulturists, the notes on which Arturo was formed before the unification of Italy, who in 1984 came back in possession of his vineyards and used the acronym ARPEPE to found one of the most representative realities of Valtellina.

He was a visionary, Arturo, but very concrete, he aimed at exalting the potentialities of the terroir supported by his wife Giovanna, who "used to go around with a bottle in her bag" in or-  2

1. Nino Negri, the wine company acquired by Italian Vini group in 1986 and run by Danilo Drocco, who trained in Langa 2. Emanuele, Isabella and Guido Pellizzatti Perego, owners of ARPEPE, founded in 1984 by their father Arturo In the opening, Clos San Lorenzo, in the Sassella sub-area, owned by the Mamete Prevostini winery

GAMBERO ROSSO

29

MARCH-APRIL 2021

STORIES

5 DISHES FOR 5 WINES FROM IL CANTINONE DI MADESIMO Stefano Masanti is the chef and owner of Il Cantinone di Madesimo, in the province of Sondrio. Together with his right hand man Stefano Ciabarri and the sommelier Raffaella Mazzina, he suggests 5 dishes to pair with 5 local wines from Valtellina, from bubbles to whites or high resistant PIWI wines.

1 Merette crayfish carpaccio with Andossi venison tartare, confit porcini mushrooms, juniper, fir buds and mountain flowers Magy M. Cl. ‘18 – Hermau Pianazzola di Chiavenna (SO) – agriturismo capianazzola.it A wine with fresh and delicate scents: lemon, honey, thyme, bread crust.

Elegant and dry, easy to drink: it is the perfect pairing with this complex dish.

2 Soft-cooked free-range chicken egg with chestnut cream from Samolaco, Sforzato di Valtellina vinegar caramel and Casera dop foam Valtellina Sup. Sassella ‘16 – Terrazzi Alti di Siro Buzzetti Sondrio – terrazzialti.com Red fruits, violet and vanilla are the main aromas of this dry and persistent wine, extremely fine and elegant. It is a full-bodied wine with a refined tannin: the perfect contrast with the fatty cheese foam and the richness of the egg.

3

Wild partridge ravioli (the bird was hunted here) with madesimini cranberries Valtellina Sup. Inferno Ris. ’15 – Nicola Nobili – Tresivio (SO) – vininobili.it Hints of spices, berries and aromatic herbs: it is a dry and elegant wine with a good structure, the perfect pairing with a wild partridge.

4 Pike perch from nearby Lake Como cooked at low temperature, with Jerusalem artichoke and Mezzola smoked eel sauce Vagabondo bianco ‘18 – Marcel Zanolari – Bianzone (SO) – marcelzanolari.com A very aromatic wine, with scents of peach, apricot, pineapple, hints of flowers and citrus fruits. The taste is fresh and mineral: the ideal marriage with the delicate pike perch and the smoked eel sauce.

5 Slow cooked black pig cheek from the Alps of San Pietro di Vera Capelli, with Gordona mashed potatoes and mustard Valtellina Superiore Le Prudenze ‘18 – Alberto Marsetti – Sondrio – marsetti.it Berries, spices, vanilla: here are the scents of this leathery and full-bodied wine, a generous, dry and sophisticated drink. A great wine for a great product, the rare black pig from the Alpi di Vera Capelli.

GAMBERO ROSSO

30

MARCH-APRIL 2021

3. Mamete Prevostini: the one who changed the approach and method in the vineyards of Valtellina in the mid 80s 4. Fay family: Sandro and his wife on the left, with their children Marco and Elena, who currently run the company born 50 years ago in San Giacomo di Teglio, in the subzone Valgella

der to let restaurateurs try how elegant their wine was. In 2004 his children took the helm, with the "right amount of time to wait" that remains the company's axiom: Emanuele is in charge of the wine production, Guido of communication, Isabella of promotion, spending her time "to transform this valley into a small Alba, where people come all year round: those who discover it, end up falling in love with it".

ARPEPE's headquarter is in Sondrio, the winery is perfectly integrated in the Grumello slope. Here is the core of the 15 hectares of vineyards, with other plots in Inferno and Sassella, for "a cyclopean work of recompacting, therefore of relationship", says Isabella, "started by renting small plots and continued with acquisitions, recoveries".

We have always followed Arturo's teaching, that is "not to ruin the qual-

THE NEBBIOLO OF VALTELLINA

8 BEST PLACES TO STAY IN VALLE 1 Terra del Sole Albosaggia (SO) – via Caselle, 25 0342211043 – alloggiterradelsole.it 2 Maloia Dubino (SO) – via Spluga, 43 0342687936 – hotelmaloia.it 3 Sport Hotel Alpina Madesimo (SO) – via A. De Giacomi, 41 034356120 – sporthotelalpina.it 4 La Fiorida Mantello (SO) – via Lungo Adda, 12 0342680846 – lafiorida.com 5 Cà Rossa Montagna in Valtellina (SO) – via Cà Rossa, 336 3398622006 - 3495258247 – carossa.eu 6 Wine Hotel Retici Balzi Poggiridenti (SO) – via Panoramica, 2 0342382092 – hotelreticibalzi.it 7 Albrici Ponte in Valtellina (SO) – via Sant’Ignazio, 8 0342484420 – hotelalbrici.it 8 Curt di Clement Eco Mobility Hotel Tirano (SO) – via Porta Milanese, 11 0342990256 – curtdiclement.com

3

ity produced in the vineyard"; turning points, the harvesting in small boxes and the introduction of modern technologies to preserve the integrity of the grapes, as well as the vinification in wooden vats, "for macerations that allow the maximum expressiveness of Nebbiolo delle Alpi, which means floral, sapidity, minerality, structure but also freshness, drinkability". ARPEPE's wines are so beautiful and vertical, time in those vats seems to flow more and more accomplice. Examples are the Sassella Riserva Nuova Regina, now out with the 2013 vintage awarded by Vini d'Italia, or the iconic Ultimi Raggi, "from the highest vineyard of Sassella, at 600 meters, harvested last: more structure and sugar content but also acidity, for our best compromise in the direction of Sforzato".

As vice-president of the ProVinea

foundation, Isabella claims the conquests of the territory as well as those of the company, such as the recognition of Historic Rural Landscape for the Terraced Vineyards, while insisting on the consecration of the muretti among the monuments of Unesco, now that their art of realization is an intangible heritage of humanity.

THE TURNING POINT OF MAMETE PREVOSTINI Mamete Prevostini is a turning point in the transition to the new viticulture of Valtellina, thanks to the generational change that accompanied his debut: "Since my arrival, the approach has changed, in the vineyard as well as in the cellar, but above all we have become aware of what we have in our hands: a priceless potential. We passed from the abandonment to the vineyards

GAMBERO ROSSO

31

MARCH-APRIL 2021

recovery, this means that the territory is healthy and responds".

His grandparents had already started to take care of the vineyards, producing cold cuts and cheeses stored in the crotto, a cavity in the rock where the wind preserves like a refrigerator. "Among the scents of my childhood, I have never forgotten the must’s smell in the autumn months," but the wine was sold in the family restaurant in Mese, and above all sold in bulk, "because here, as elsewhere, the focus was more on quantity than quality". Since the mid-90s, the pursuit of excellence, the maniacal care of plots pampered as gardens, but on the cliffs, and since 2013 a new winery in Postalesio, integrated and designed on three floors to process the grapes by gravity. "But environmental sustainability is in the DNA of those who cultivate the mountain, 

8 RESTAURANTS IN VALTELLINA RECOMMENDED

BY THE PRODUCERS

STORIES

1 Il Cantinone Masesino (SO) – via A. De Giacomi, 39 034356120 – stefanomasanti.com «At the court of the award-winning chef Stefano Masanti, a traveler who never tires of experimenting, with a real valtellinese heart».

2 Altavilla Bianzone (SO) – via ai Monti, 46 0342720355 – altavilla.info «A real trattoria, with traditional dishes such as sciatt and pizzoccheri, polenta, mushrooms, game and more than 400 different bottles of wine».

3 Fracia Chiuro (SO) – via Fracia 0342482671 – ristorantefracia.it «Surrounded by the vineyards, in the hands of chef Luca Cantoni, a restaurant with high quality and elegant dishes».

4 San Carlo Chiuro (SO) – via Stelvio, 48 0342482272 – ristorantesancarlo.it «In an old building the history of valtellina’s cuisine, from chiscioi with cicorino to pizzoccheri and tagliatelle with chamois».

5 Castel Grumello Montagna in Valtellina (SO) – via Sant’Antonio, 645 – 0342380994 – ristorogrumello.com «a refined atmosphere, a great position, a modern cuisine by chef Gianni Testini: happiness here is guaranteed».

6 Trippi Montagna in Valtellina (SO) – via Stelvio, 297 0342615584 – ristorantetrippi.it «Gianluca Bassola is an illuminated young man: his cuisine is versatile and very traditional. there’s also an excellent food shop in the restaurant».

7 Il Poggio Poggiridenti (SO) – via Panoramica, 4 0342380800 – ilpoggioristorante.it «A fascinating place surrounded by the vineyards from the inferno subzone, with

lots

of typical products but also something new, run by the

Gianola

4

after all you are willing to climb 600/700 meters daily to bring down a few quintals of grapes." A territory that is more complex than difficult, "and it is precisely this complexity that gives us a richness that we can only have here.

We see that today people prefer finesse, elegance, therefore it will not be difficult for us to appreciate our characteristics in a glass of wine".

family».

8 Parravicini Tirano (SO) – piazza Parravicini, 1 0342704515 – ristoranteparravicini.it «In a historical building in tirano, a nice atmosphere and a fine cuisine with fish and meat dishes, but also a few vegan and gluten-free options. a great passion for wine».

MORE RESTAURANTS FROM RISTORANTI D’ITALIA 2021 GUIDE BY GAMBERO ROSSO La Preséf dell’Agriturismo La Fiorida Mantello (SO) – via Lungo Adda, 12 0342680846 – lapresef.com An elegant and rustic structure where you can taste fine dishes made by chef Gianni Tarabini. it is also a farm and you can stay overnight. Food shop and spa included. 

Elegance is a messianic comet, in the oenological history of Mamete Prevostini, the hinge of the whole production. A lot of work has been done on drying techniques, "in a time in which it is being abused, in too many places, with results far from ours. Nebbiolo della Valtellina remains fine even in its concentration, thanks to its skeleton of tannins and acidity". Evidence of this is the Sforzato Corte di Cama

GAMBERO ROSSO

32

MARCH-APRIL 2021

2018, Tre Bicchieri per Vini d'Italia del Gambero Rosso, with aromas of licorice and red berries, intense, textured sip, as well as the Sforzato Albareda, equally complex and multifaceted. We would like to say a word about Sommarovina, a historical wine: "The first one we produced, a Sassella which embodies the change of Valtellina Superiore by clearing it to the world, in the name of freshness, pleasantness, finesse". And undoubtedly elegance, we can say that.

FAY, ALTITUDE AND FINESSE Sandro Fay began to build his winery fifty years ago, in 1971, in San Giacomo di Teglio, in Valgella, where his grandparents already cultivated vines just like many other families who made their living from them.

The area has grown up to 15 hect- 

THE NEBBIOLO OF VALTELLINA

ADDRESSES NOT TO BE MISSED Piz da l’Acqua Albrici

Il Cantinone

Luca Faccinelli

Il Poggio Mamete Prevostini

Madesimo

Trippi Castel Grumello

Crotasc

San Carlo

IZZ ER A SV

A ER

ZE RA

Cepina Scima da Saoseo

Dirupi

IZZ SV

SV IZ

Bormio

Fracia

Ar.Pe.Pe.

Mese

Al Filò

Aldo Rainoldi

Cà Rossa

Sport Hotel Alpina

Vecchia Combo

Nino Negri

Wine Hotel Retici Balzi

Curt di Clement Eco Mobility Hotel Parravicini

Pizzo Cengalo

Grosotto

Somaggia

Lag od i

Maloia

m Co

o

Piz Combul

La Fiorida

Tirano Villa di Tirano

Dubino

Tresenda Caiolo Sondrio Chiuro Berbenno di Valtellina La Perla

Traona

Andalo Valtellino

Altavilla

Sandro Fay

Terra del Sole

Osteria del Benedet

Tenuta Scerscé

F.lli Bettini

La Preséf dell’Agriturismo La Fiorida

10 km

100 m

SONDRIO Terra Vino Trattoria Olmo

Antica Drogheria Motta

Piazza Campello

Grand Hotel della Posta

Largo Cipriano Valorosa

Piazza Garibaldi

Largo Pedrini Il Salumaio

Parolo Sala Cereali-Il Saraceno

Piazza Merizzi

L’Arte della Pasta Criollo

Cattaneo dal 1904 Dormire Ristoranti Cantine

o

er

all

M

GAMBERO ROSSO

33

MARCH-APRIL 2021

STORIES



Crotasc Mese (SO) – via Don P. Lucchinetti, 63 034341003 – ristorantecrotasc.com This is a temple to valtellinese cuisine tradition, run by the Prevostini family for several generations.

Vecchia Combo Bormio (SO) – piazza Crocefisso, 4 – 0342901568 In a typical mountain chalet, a good choice of traditional dishes, such as pizzoccheri or polenta taragna.

Osteria del Benedet Delebio (SO) – via Roma, 2 0342696096 – osteriadelbenedet.com Not only traditional cuisine: here you can also find creative mediterranean recipes. at the entrance, there’s a wine bar and a shop, while the restaurant is on the first floor. .  Al Filò

Bormio (SO) – via Dante, 6 0342901732 – ristorantealfilo.it In a cozy ambience you can find the great classics from valtellina, plus a few contemporary recipes. besides, the wine list offers a wide choice.

5

ARCHITECTURE OF AN EXTRAORDINARY VITICULTURAL LANDSCAPE About ten years ago, we were involved with the Italian School of Vine Pruning in a long training activity in Valtellina, and as first thing we started a study to understand the environmental dynamics related to climate and pedological, varietal and even social characteristics. We wanted to know more about Chiavennasca, which has the same genetics but a different biotype than the Nebbiolo of the Langhe. I was very enthusiastic about the whole thing, starting with the way the vines were cultivated, their own precise identity, with that typical multiple Valtellina bow. It is a method of great intelligence that starts from an assumption: the vine is a vine and in order to express itself it needs space, its own freedom. In Valtellina, therefore, they had devised an architecture that would support Nebbiolo, which has unique genetics, also in terms of morphological and behavioral characteristics: it is a thoroughbred, not an easy horse to tame, and with rigidity one risks causing damage. Now the Valtellina bow has been almost abandoned in favor of more modern forms, such as the guyot, and we were there to witness the transition to the new model, at the same time as a generational change among producers, with new companies on the scene. These new generations give me hope. They are talented, sensitive people, they understand that plants need space, time, and know that they have to be dynamic, not rigid, in order to support the development. To do so, they are able to take inspiration from the old Valtellina archetto, without neglecting quality. In my opinion, the viticultural landscape must have an identity, a district must also be recognized for the architecture of the vineyards: I find the fact that this architecture can be dynamic, in movement, both current and futuristic.

– Marco Simonit, co-founder of Simonit&Sirch Preparatori d'Uva

GAMBERO ROSSO

34

MARCH-APRIL 2021

THE NEBBIOLO OF VALTELLINA

ares of vineyards, "on a variety of sandy and loamy soils, derived from the crumbling of granite", which makes the fortune of Nebbiolo di Valtellina: "Every producer makes unique wines because he has something unique in his hands, here every terrace is different from the other". Their children Elena and Marco take the floor, they have been in the company since 1998, "but we had seen the winery being born, we had seen the vineyards being worked and we always thought our future would be here: dad was doing something important, we would never wanted to dedicate ourselves to anything else".

Elena tells about "a style that does not want to hide the character of the vineyard, but to exalt it", Marco studied in San Michele all'Adige and takes care of the production, "putting something of my own, as every winemaker does". Great attention is paid to the plant and to the altimetrical differ-

entiations, those that the Fay were the first to value, "but it is an ancient concept, whose centrality had perhaps been lost. Boundaries and place names have historical roots, and we are recovering them". At the same time, modernity travels, with measures to "preserve the floral character, the lively notes of mountain Nebbiolo, which has complexity but also acidity and finesse," says Marco. "For someone like me, a fan of Pinot Noir and Nerello Mascalese, it's perfect."

Indeed, Fay's wines are all so fresh, precise. Forerunners for the appellation, the first two crus were born "mirroring the gustatory varieties we can express", Elena raises: "the Carteria embodies elegance, balsamicity", and is worth Three Glasses; "the Cà Morei is more muscular, more tannic: two Valgellas from two vineyards at the same altitude, two souls of the same land". The Sforzato, from a single vineyard at 750 meters above

6

GAMBERO ROSSO

35

MARCH-APRIL 2021

sea level, does not escape this philosophy, and "despite this, not all the vintages are bottled, because the heat can be hostile even at high altitudes", and here over-ripening is not welcome: intense, powerful, structured, Ronco del Picchio does not renounce the verticality typical of Fay, and has the only drawback that you would never stop drinking it.

THE NEW WIND OF DIRUPI Known as Birba and Faso, for Pierpaolo Di Franco and Davide Fasolini this vine-covered, orderly countryside was nothing but a green crown over their heads: a daily presence,  leaving for school, or a place to take refuge in their first love escapades.

"And it was the scene of memorable grape harvests - says Faso - because every family has a friend to help and fatigue always turns into celebration". Then they studied enology in Milan, "in a real faculty, with books but also visits to winer-

THE BEST WINES FROM VINI D’ITALIA 2021 GUIDE

BY GAMBERO ROSSO

STORIES

 Valtellina Sforzato Corte di Cama ’18

Mamete Prevostini  Valtellina Sfursat 5 Stelle ’17

Nino Negri  Valtellina Sup. Grumello Ris ’17

Dirupi  Valtellina Sup. Sassella Nuova Regina Ris. ’13

Ar.Pe.Pe.  Valtellina Sup. Valgella Carterìa Ris. ’16

Fay

 Sforzato di Valtellina ’15

F.lli Bettini  Sforzato di Valtellina Quattro Soli ’15

La Perla  Valtellina Sforzato Infinito ’17

Tenuta Scerscé  Valtellina Sfursat Ca' Rizzieri ’17

Aldo Rainoldi  Valtellina Sup. Grumello Ris. ‘5

Aldo Rainoldi  Valtellina Sup. Sassella Ris. ’16

5. Marco Simonit, founder of the Italian school of pruning together with Pierpaolo Sirch 6. Davide Fasolini, founder of Dirupi with his friend Pierparolo Di Franco 7. Aldo Rainoldi, president of the Consorzio di Tutela and promotor of sustainability 7

Aldo Rainoldi  Valtellina Sup. Grumello Tell ’16

Luca Faccinelli  Sforzato di Valtellina Vino Sbagliato ’18

Dirupi  Valtellina Sup. Inferno Guast ’17

Dirupi  Valtellina Sforzato Albareda ’18

Mamete Prevostini  Valtellina Sup. Sassella San Lorenzo ’18

Mamete Prevostini  Valtellina Sup. Costa Bassa ’17

Sandro Fay  Valtellina Sup. Valgella Ca' Morèi ’17

Sandro Fay  Valtellina Sup. Grumello Buon Consiglio Ris. ’13

Ar.Pe.Pe  Valtellina Sup. Sassella Ultimi Raggi Ris. ’13

Ar.Pe.Pe.  Valtellina Sup. Grumello Sassorosso ’17

Nino Negri  Valtellina Sup. Vign. Fracia ’17

Nino Negri

ies in Italy and France. The more we went around, the more we realized that at home we had a crazy unicum: great territory, great landscape, unmatched Nebbiolo". I Dirupi began in 2004, without vineyards or cellar, "but with enthusiasm and ideas that we introduced in a somewhat closed environment. In a short time there was a good change of gear, also due to the generational renewal". A few squabbles arose with those who rented them the tiny plots of land that they still use today, overlooking the rock. "From the elders we got a few earfuls, but they were the ones closest to our needs: those who knew the needs of the plant, rather than the artifices of modernity”. And so Faso and Birba, less than fifty years old in two, found themselves working with secular plants, very ancient clones, "a fortune, because in there you can read the past of this land".

GAMBERO ROSSO

36

MARCH-APRIL 2021

The winery is located in Ponte in Valtellina, the work of zoning can be traced in the label, organic is certified.

The wines are strongly expressive, clean, see the Dossi Salati 2017, a Grumello Riserva which is worth Tre Bicchieri, or the Gess, "a tender memory of the two elders from whom we acquired the plot, bewildered but sensitive to the proposals of us bizarre youngsters". The mountain character is also sought in the Sforzato that was perhaps born too powerful, from a vineyard too low, and was set aside. "It was Stefano Masanti, chef at Cantinone, who fell in love with it and took it for himself, starting to spread Sforzato that didn't exist."

Over time, the name Vino Sbagliato has been corrected but not changed: pulpy but refined, not at all weighed down by the drying process, it is now a Dirupi in all respects.

THE NEBBIOLO OF VALTELLINA

ÜBER ALLES VALTELLINA The praiseworthy work of Aldo Rainoldi, now President of the Consorzio di Tutela, already ambassador of Valtellina with his expressive labels, his "style projected into the future, designed with the values of sustainability", deserves more than a mention. Let's remember Fratelli Bettini Winery, with its round Sforzato, prone to meditation, or the structured and gentle wines of Luca Faccinelli, standard bearer of Grumello, and the impossible recoveries of Siro Buzzetti for Terrazzi Alti.

But what is most striking, meeting the single ones, is how they all put Valtellina before themselves, the narration

of the territory before the one of their own company. The group photo is striking, with the generational change that marked the turning point, as well as the propensity for comparison, recovery, protection, inherent in the younger subjects.

On Valtellina Superiore Docg we feel the strength of awareness, on Sforzato a kaleidoscope of interpretations, in continuity but also in break with the past. To claim a uniqueness that today is inherent in the facts, without the need to chase anyone: this is Valtellina, this is its Nebbiolo, these are its people, with their heads held high and without any fear. 

What strikes most in Valtellina is the fact that all the wine makers put their territory first; the amazing group photo shows the generational turnover that has determined the turning point of this terroir VALTELLINA AND ITS VINEYARDS

VALTELLINA SUPERIORE DOCG

SFORZATO DI VALTELLINA DOCG

GRUMELLO

MAROGGIA

SASSELLA INFERNO VALGELLA Tir

an

Bia

nz

Ar

de

nn

o

Be

rb

Tre v

en

SO no

ND

RIO

GAMBERO ROSSO

37

isio

Ch

iur

MARCH-APRIL 2021

o

Te g

lio

on

e

o

SALINA. THE ISLAND THAT’S TEACHING ISLANDS HOW AN ISLAND SHOULD BEHAVE The island of Salina – 2,500 inhabitants divided between the towns of Santa Marina di Salina, Malfa and Leni – is the second largest in the Aeolian archipelago after Lipari. And it has long ago elected the sea as its main wealth: the administrative decisions taken in recent years all revolve around the immense expanse of water in which, however, is reflected a lot of green

words by Francesca Ciancio – photos by Stefano Butturini

STORIES

T

he sea as a resource, the frightening sea, the sea obsession. To think of it, islands are mostly this. Randomly placed pieces of earth that interrupt the continuous surface of the waters. If this order of things fails, the sea, from an ally, can quickly become an enemy. Rethinking life on islands means above all respecting the blue that surrounds them. The island of Salina made this choice and aims to become the pilot island among all the islands of the European Union in terms of ecology, respect for the environment, sustainability, and circular economy.

The actors involved are many: hoteliers, fishermen, restaurateurs, wine and caper producers, inhabitants as well as tourists. What you will read in the following pages is the account of many of these voices, each of which, in its own way and with its own means, is making this change.

SANTA MARINA SALINA, THE “CAPITAL” It is the eastern part of the island and the arrival for those coming from the mainland. Here the welcome is modulated with other Aeolian colours: no black from Stromboli's volcanic sand; white pumice of Lipari or sulphurous yellow of Vulcano. The striking colour here is green. Salina, seen from the bottom up, brings your gaze to the two mountains that overlook it, Mount Fossa delle Felci and Monte dei Porri, former volcanic craters, of which they retain the conical shape. The municipality of Santa Marina is right there, on the slopes of the Riserva Naturale Orientata nature reserve. So at the port the clear water of the moorings is enchanting, but at the same time the pine and chestnut forests up to a thousand meters are fascinating. It's

the town with the most kilometers of beach and was the first tourist port to discover the holiday soul of Salina in the mid-Nineties. Mayor Domenico Arabia is a supporter of the tripartite division of municipalities: «We are not just three administrative entities: in fact, we have different peculiarities in terms of history, culture and productivity. This is where the tall ships left from, for the export of Malvasia wine. The nature has always been more commercial, the greatest wealth expressed in the urban planning of the stately buildings of the main street and still today the main road is full of posh boutiques, a bookshop and a cultural association, Amaneï, which organizes readings, musical and theatrical events, also manages an art gallery that has created "authorial residences" with installations scattered on the island. Clearly, services such as public transport or waste collection are common and Santa Marina is making its contribution to projects such as the "Clean Energy for EU Islands," to 1

WHAT IS CLEAN ENERGY FOR EU ISLANDS To facilitate the transition process towards sustainable energy in the smaller islands, the European Commission launched the Clean Energy for EU Islands project in 2018. From March 7th, 2019 the island of Salina, in the Aeolian archipelago, was chosen as one of the first six pilot islands in Europe. The plan in full sees the involvement of twenty-six islands. It started with the Aran Islands (Ireland), the archipelago of Cres-Lošinj (Croatia), Sifnos (Greece), Culatra (Portugal), Salina (Italy) and La Palma (Spain). The second phase involves Hvar, Brač and Korčula (Croatia), Kökar (Finland), Marie-Galante and New Caledonia (France), Crete and Samos (Greece), Cape Clear (Ireland), Favignana and Pantelleria (Italy), Azores (Portugal), Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca and A Illa de Arousa (Spain).

As the Commission points out in the data, more than 220 European islands are inhabited and despite the abundance of renewable energy sources - such as wind, solar and wave - many depend on expensive fossil fuel imports for their energy supply. The transition to clean energy can help islands not only become more self-sufficient and prosperous, but also create new job opportunities.

GAMBERO ROSSO

40

MARCH-APRIL 2021

SALINA

make the whole island a truly green one.

The road map that we have set ourselves and which has 2030 as its deadline - aims at zero CO2 emissions and energy selfsufficiency.» Born in Messina but in Salina for the past 55 years, Marcello Saija, aka the professor, is instead the supporter of the administrative union, city councillor for twenty years, event organizer and island scholar, currently director of the Aeolian Museum of Emigration in Malfa. He is also hotel owner of Hotel Santa Marina Antica Foresteria, the oldest on the island, already active in the mid-1800s as an inn for Malvasia merchants travelling to the island. «I consider Salina a unique place and this should also be from an administrative point of view. We have an incredible history that risks being trivialized by municipal squabbles.»

HISTORY OF MALVASIA Saija, when he wears the role of the historian, makes the tale of the salty

THE TRUE STORY OF MALVASIA DELLE LIPARI If you are a lover of Aeolian passito this is the book for you. The author is Marcello Saija, a great connoisseur of the island of Salina and an expert in migration issues. He founded - and directs - the Aeolian Emigration Museum in Malfa which is above all the story of the success of the salt workers in the world through Malvasia wine and the sea. It starts with the Venetians who bring grapes to the island in the mid-17th century and continues in the narration of a prosperity worthy of a big city, thanks to the trade with the English, followed by the scourge of phylloxera and departures towards other continents to escape from poverty, then becoming wealthy in the United States thanks also to mutual aid societies. In short, wine as a magnifying glass on a very Italian story, made up of stubborn and courageous people in a time when everything seemed possible: even being successful in New York but dreaming of returning to the island.

past look like a cinematic epic: «Let's start by saying that the idea that the Greeks brought Malvasia grapes must be refuted Attilio Scienza, ed). She arrived on the island with the Venetians in the seventeenth century who in turn had known her in Crete. Expelled by the Ottomans, the Venetians bring this grape to many Mediterranean ports. In Salina, Malvasia managed for a couple of centuries, but became an economic resource in the 19th century thanks to the English stationed in Messina. These were the years of the war against the Napoleonic troops and for ten years ten thousand Englishmen drank the wine made from this grape. The golden age of Salina - which has the flavour of aromatic malvasia - lasts about eighty years. The Neapolitan shipwrights arrive to build the great sailing ships, the vineyards 2 are planted beyond the slopes of the 

GAMBERO ROSSO

41

MARCH-APRIL 2021

STORIES

3 1. A suggestive glimpse on the sea of ​​the Aeolian archipelago 2. A bunch of Malvasia, the symbolic grape of the island 3. The Lingua lighthouse 4. Via Massimo Troisi, the path dedicated to the leading actor of Il Postino near the beach of Pollara, where several scenes of the film were shot It the opening, the locality of Santa Marina Salina, seen from the sea coming from Lipari

4

GAMBERO ROSSO

42

MARCH-APRIL 2021

SALINA

mountain, the local ladies are described as bejeweled ladies with gold and coral.

The success of the island is such that it gains autonomy from Lipari. An exciting beginning of the century is expected, but the phylloxera, the destroyer aphid of the whole European vineyard, will ruin everything. All that remains is emigration, especially to the United States and Australia. Salt communities abroad are growing, thriving and migrant remittances help the island's economy. We will return to talk about Malvasia delle Lipari - this is the name of the Doc with the tourist boom of the Aeolian Islands.» A wine that since the times of the Venetians has been both dry and sweet, but which since the 1970s has been linked above all to a foreign surname, the Bohemian one of Hauner.

The company is still in Lingua where it was born thanks to the passion for the island of Carlo Hauner, the designer, architect and painter from Brescia who did what so many want

to do: give up everything and live by the sea.

His son Carlo Jr followed in his footsteps: «My father put together plots abandoned by migrants, the land and the houses cost nothing, he had the farmers of the area explain everything about the drying of the grapes, but he also introduced techniques which were then unknown like that of cooling.» Success comes thanks to an assist from Luigi Veronelli and Hauner senior also adds capers in the first shipping packages. Today the cellar house has a beautiful terrace for tastings: «We have been organizing them for fifteen years and for the same number of years all the material used has been compostable and recyclable. However, sustainability starts from the vineyard, where we do a maximum of one or two treatments a year.» Here in Lingua there is the real reason why the island is so called: a disused salt pan in the early twentieth century with its lighthouse

(which has become a lovely museum of the sea and salt). Then there are the granita and the cunzato bread by Alfredo and for a while the pizzas by Giuseppe Mascoli, aka Franco Manca, the most loved pizzeria brand in the United Kingdom which, as in a dream, landed here with the only 'branch' Italian. Eclectic character Giuseppe, originally from Positano, globetrotter entrepreneur, ends up in Salina driven by the search for the perfect caper.

Mascoli is in love with the island, its biodiversity and the intelligence of its inhabitants: «If I wanted, I could only make pizzas with ingredients from here and from the rest of the Aeolian Islands, the basket is so rich. I work directly with producers of wine, capers, cheeses, tomatoes, fishermen and I also draw from the natural reserve of the mountains for woods and herbs.» An example of a circular economy that starts from one of the most emblematic and identifying  dishes of Italian cuisine.

CINEMA AND THE DREAM OF A CINEMA CONNECTION Immortalised in the film Il Postino of the unforgettable Massimo Troisi (but there are many directors bewitched by the charm of the archipelago), Salina has always cultivated a special bond with cinema and culture. Clara Rametta, mayor of Malfa and mother of the Signum boys, made it a mission: «In the nineties we founded the cultural association Didime, to give our children a meeting place. At the time it was just a music school, then we bought a piano and started involving musicians and artists.» Step by step, the association has landed at Palazzo Marchetti. The building, donated to the Municipality by the heirs of Antonino Marchetti who built it, has been restored with the utmost respect for the original 1930s environments and atmospheres and here rooms have been created that house the artists who stay and perform on the island. But spaces are always lacking and Malfa's cultural objectives are many and in continuous development. Hence, two years ago, the project signed by Giusy Vinci for a structure with an underground cavea and retractable roof moved by lamellar wooden beams that trace the profile of a boat pulled dry, completely openable if necessary and costing around 500 thousand euros. The choice was not to count on public funding, and the birth of the Salina Cinema is entirely subordinated to donations: everyone can contribute even with a small offer by bank transfer or Paypal (all details are on the website). When completed - it will take a year from the start of construction - the structure will accommodate up to 200 people, celebrate the history of the island and attract a new audience to Salina..

palazzomarchetti.it

6

GAMBERO ROSSO

43

MARCH-APRIL 2021

STORIES

MALFA, THE ISLAND'S INTELLECTUAL MEETING PLACE The village of Malfa is a hotbed of ideas that in recent years has become a gourmet reference point for many enthusiasts. The cuisine here, however, is not only the fulfillment of the senses, but also a manifesto of sustainability: behind each product there is the profound story of a Salina native. If it were a book, a large chapter would be dedicated to the Caruso family, owner of Signum boutique hotel with spa and Michelin star restaurant. Martina Caruso is the chef, Luca Caruso is the sommelier, their father Michele Caruso is the peasant-sailor soul of the project and their mother Clara Rametta is the centripetal force of this hotel which in reality is a splendid, complex, labyrinthine and articulated house, the most welcoming on the island. Clara was also the mayor of Malfa for three years, a cheyenne-looking woman who

is a beacon figure for the island. Her green soul fights so that Salina can also have one: "We have recently moved to a municipal house powered by solar panels, renovated thanks to the energy efficiency funding provided for the island, there will be the renovation of the municipal library, there are 19 million euros destined for the port of Malfa, to free it from the rubble accumulated in thirty years, we continue to buy electric scooters and replace diesel cars in town, there is already a self-driving electric van that tours Malfa and we are embellishing the urban centre with corten vases. We are also, together with Santa Marina di Salina, a totally plastic free town. Covid permitting, we want to also restart with crowdfunding for the cine-auditorium at Palazzo Marchetti (now home to musical and theatrical initiatives and the Aeolian Emigration Museum, Ed.), not only to give Salina a cinema, but to offer a creative and professional opportunity to our students. Then there is the great

PROTECTED MARINE RESERVE FIRST STEP TAKEN For 40 years we have been talking about a marine protected area for the Aeolian Islands but, although several Ministers of the Environment declared themselves in favour over time, blocking everything was always the obstacle of the four different municipal administrations (three in Salina, one in Lipari which governs Lipari and all the other islands). On the other hand, 2020 marked a turning point. The novelty is the birth of a civic committee on the island of Salina supported by the Blue Marine Foundation and the Aeolian Islands Preservation Fund. Franco Cavallaro is the chairman of the committee: «We needed an instrument not lent from the higher echelon, which could gather the commitment of those who live on the island and those who work with the island and have joined all categories. We did not include the mayors in order to be free subjects. We will now proceed to develop the economic, social and scientific studies to be presented to the Ministry.

The goal is to be entrusted with a governance of the maritime as well as land territory.» Giulia Bernardi, on the other hand, is the BMF project manager on the island: «The situation in the sea of Salina is as critical as it is throughout the Mediterranean. This is why we are working with fishermen who must be spokespersons of sustainable fishing aimed at restoring the marine resource, reducing pollution and protecting vulnerable species. There is an association that deals with it spearheaded by Salvatore Follone, a fisherman for the past 70 years. Many restaurants on the island have joined and display our logo of responsible fishing. The message is that the care of the sea goes hand in hand with the abundance of fish in the net.»

GAMBERO ROSSO

44

MARCH-APRIL 2021

project that is close to my heart, that of the marine protected area, which places the sea at the center of the island again, which is no longer the case because there is less and less fish. An initiative that should have a unanimous consensus and that instead creates various contrasts. In the meantime, the promoting committee has been activated for two months» (see box).

But what is it like down there? What do the waters of Salina say? An exceptional fisherwoman is precisely Martina Caruso who, after turning off the kitchen stoves, goes fishing in her spare time: "It's a recent passion that made me observe the product from another point of view, and therefore its preciousness, because yes it's true, there is less fish, and so I dedicated myself to fish soups and broths, more and more intense and rich in flavour. The same argument I adopted for the vegetable garden and wild herbs: I work on plant concentration, so that nothing is really wasted." 

5

SALINA

6 5. A dish made

by Martina Caruso of the Signum restaurant 6. A view of the Signum hotel, owned by the Caruso family, in Malfa 7. Sea view from the Signum hotel 8. Martina Caruso, who together with his brother Luca manages the restaurant in the family hotel

7

8

GAMBERO ROSSO

45

MARCH-APRIL 2021

STORIES

9

"ECO-FRIENDLY" HOTELIERS Hoteliers in Malfa have teamed up and the playing field is sustainability.

Giuseppe Siracusano is the owner of the Ravesi hotel, one of the most beautiful aperitif terraces on the island: cocktails, sunset and the islands of Panarea with Stromboli in the background. He is also the President of the "Salina Isola Verde" association founded in 2007 with the aim of promoting ecological and ethical development of the place starting from tour operators. «We spent the months of the winter lockdown looking for partner suppliers of bikes, mopeds and electric cars. Next summer my hotel and the Punta Scario hotel will be equipped with solar panels for energy autonomy. They will have little impact because they are not inclined and with less performing panels but more in line with landscape needs. From now to

2030, the agenda of the EU Salina Pilot Island project for Energy Transition provides for the total transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The leader is Enea which, together with the CNR and the Universities of Palermo and Messina, is helping us to really understand what's more appropriate. As an example, wind power offers the best results, but would disfigure the island landscape. Instead, we are considering the use of sea turbines that derive energy from wave motion. For 2025 we want to reach 40% of electricpowered mobility, also reduce noise pollution, another way could be implementing small biomass power plants with which to work pruning waste and wood from the Nature Reserve. As for the Ravesi, we are focusing the dining offer - including aperitif - on our own organic production thanks to 3,000 square meters of vegetable garden, 4,000 square meters

GAMBERO ROSSO

46

MARCH-APRIL 2021

of orchards and a citrus grove, we collect rainwater thanks to three tanks and we treat wastewater with UV technology.»

The environment is worth it, is the catchphrase of another hotelier, Emanuele Vitrano, owner of Punta Scario hotel, in the trade for over thirty years with several hotels in Milan (today he owns the new Ariosto Social Club). A visionary in terms of bio-architecture, so much so that in 1990 his Ariston in Milan won several international sustainability awards. «We used German paints with bergamot essence to give the rooms a good smell, the insulation panels were made of hemp, the furniture was all interlocking without any metal components. For Salina I will do better and more, starting from a building from the 1970s. Here, too, I used hemp panels, the pool has a self-cleaning anti algae system, there will be a drinking

SALINA

and a small yet enchanting museum, set up in the lighthouse. «A place to work and relax can only have zero impact - explains Giulio Bruni, manager of the estate - we adopted permaculture, that is the perennial grassing of the sub-row which, despite being beautiful to look at, creates many problems during pruning and harvesting, but at the same time offers great vitality to the soils. We do not have irrigation and we are well below the threshold for the use of copper and sulfur included in the organic certification that we do not adopt. We preferred the Sostain protocol which consists of ten requirements of good agricultural and social practices.»

100% Salina native like his wines: Antonino “Nino” Caravaglio. Winery in Malfa and vineyards scattered around the island, including one in Stromboli. He proudly reiterates that he was the first organic winemaker on the islands and one of the first in Sicily: «It was 1989. A few years earlier 

fountain for free water in the garden, the restaurant will be equipped with a digester for organic waste. We private individuals can do a lot but the energy transition is an expensive process, in which politics must play its part. Take the question of drinking water brought by tankers from Salerno. Why don't you invest in desalinators? Perhaps because it's convenient for institutions to tell their citizens that water is affordable.»

WINE AND CAPERS ALSO PART OF THE TOURIST OFFER Green island also means productive island and Malfa boasts among the most interesting reference points in terms of wine and capers. All the companies are equipped for guided tours and the preferred time is, of course, at sunset.

The wine resort par excellence Capofaro by the Tasca d'Almerita family which is called "Locanda & Malvasia" because most of the estate's land is 10 dedicated to the grapes of the island

9. A beautiful suite in the Ravesi Hotel in Malfa, one of the three municipalities of the island 10. Sea View from the Hotel Punta Scario, also in Malfa 11. The bunches of Malvasia put to dry on the racks in the terrace of the Caravaglio winery, who grows the grapes in the land sandy beaches around Malfa

11

GAMBERO ROSSO

47

MARCH-APRIL 2021

STORIES

12

there was the cooperative of wine producers wanted by Sergio Zani, who also promoted the oriented nature reserve. There I made my bones on environmental issues and sustainability. Making wine on an island means taking into account the fact that you will always be small, so it makes sense to focus on quality.» And we could also say that about innovation, because Caravaglio has given a significant boost to the sales of Malvasia, no longer making wine exclusively as a passito wine, but also dry: «Infatata was born in 2010, the first ever White Salina of the island, a way to get to know our grapes in a new and contemporary way.»

The other wealth of the island is capers, of which nothing is thrown away. With a little creativity and old grandma and aunty recipes comes a collection of proposals was born around the green

bud. In full Covid alarm then there was the news that an antioxidant present in the caper, quercetin, had inhibitory capacity against the virus. There was a boom in sales from September onwards with the consequent exaltation of the producers of the Cappero delle Isole Eolie Dop consortium. Daniela Virgona of the company by the same name in Malfa, however, continued to work at a good pace without being distracted by the news: «The capers and cucunci (the fruit of the shrub, Ed.) that my company makes are not part of the Eolie Dop consortium. Those from Salina are another thing, they have nine layers and this makes them more crunchy and flavourful. It is no coincidence that we have had the Slow Food presidium for fifteen years.» Daniela and her husband Calogero - also wine producers - boast a highly respected caper-based cata- 

GAMBERO ROSSO

48

MARCH-APRIL 2021

12. The narrow vineyards between the mountains and the sea owned by the Nino Caravaglio winery; in the background the Fossa delle Felci and Monte dei Porri 13. Nino Caravaglio nestled among its plants 14. During the harvest of Malvasia di Salina

SALINA'S 6 MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES

SALINA

(all with 5 Legambiente "sails")

1 Spiaggia del Cimitero in Santa Marina di Salina In the direction of Malfa this quiet pebble beach also offers a pleasant green oasis thanks to the proximity of the Mediterranean scrub

2 Spiaggia del lungomare a Lingua Shallow waters and outcropping rock for snorkeling and located practically along the village promenade.

3 Spiaggia del faro a Lingua Here the sea becomes more open - careful, there's strong currents but also richer in fish and posidonia seaweed (of which the whole island is rich).

4

13

14

NUMBERS AND ISLAND TRIVIA Stromboli ARCHIPELAGO OF THE EOLIE Panarea Salina Alicudi Filicudi Lipari

Formed by 6 volcanoes

MALFA

Vulcano 3 municipalities in the metropolitan area of Messina

monte dei Porri (860 meters) third for height of the Archipelago

SANTA MARINA DI SALINA LENI

Rinella di Leni

mount Fossa delle Felci (962 meters) first for height of the Arcipelago

SalinaDocFest 2 docking ports

26,4 Km2 2300 inhabitants

international Narrative documentary festival

Il Postino MareFestival (Premio Troisi) last movie by Massimo Troisi spiaggia di Pollara Museo Civico di Lingua Caro diario by Nanni Moretti Palazzo Marchetti a Malfa

GAMBERO ROSSO

49

MARCH-APRIL 2021

Spiaggia di Punta Scario a Malfa Accessed from a small road that runs alongside the hotel by the same name. It's small but very suggestive and with large stones. The rocky bottom with cracks and inlets to explore are very beautiful.

5 La Balate di Pollara The journey to get to the beach is worth the effort: you follow a path that crosses the fragrant Mediterranean scrub. Once down you will find the "balate," old boat shelters that form the proscenium. The seabed is enchanting thanks to the ancient volcano lava flow that gave birth to ravines and underwater tunnels.

6 Spiaggia del porto di Rinella in Leni The only black sandy beach on the island. It is located to the left of the port and behind it has several caves carved into the rock. Here it's also possible to witness the only volcanic phenomena still existing on the island, the so-called "sconcassi," puffs of gas that rise to the surface.

STORIES

VIEWS AND BEAUTY. 5 BREATHTAKING RESTAURANTS 1 Hotel Mercanti di mare Salina – piazza Santa Marina,7 0909843536 – hotelmercantidimare.it A few steps from the Port of Santa Marina, the terrace of the Hotel Restaurant Mercanti del mare is a perfect spot from morning to night. Starting from breakfast with homemade products until the aperitif by candlelight.

2 Hotel Ravesi Malfa – via Roma, 66 0909844385 – hotelravesi.it The most researched seats are those next to the infinity pool that seems to dive into the sea.

At the Hotel Ravesi in Malfa the

highlight is undoubtedly the aperitif, which can also count on a proper

Gin Bar and

local products from the hotel's garden.

3 Hotel Signum Malfa – via Scalo 15 0909844222 – hotelsignum.it The icing on the cake of the Hotel Signum di Malfa is its refined bar: home-grown herbs,

15

16

spirits and the skill and passion of bartender michele caruso, one of the first to make caper-based cocktails.

The view is symply

memorable.

4 L’Oasi Snack Bar Pollara – via Chiesa 3490059127 – @OasiPollara The homage to the movie il Postino in Pollara is a must, but alessandro alizzo, owner of l'oasi snack, does it in the most delicate way possible, projecting every evening from 18 the film starring Massimo Troisi. All around aromatic herbs and photos of the sunset of pollara, according to many the most beautiful of the island.

5 Agritourism Al Cappero Pollara – via Marina, 8 0909843968 – @Agriturismo-Al-Cappero At the Caper they are all kidnapped by the sun disappearing into the sea. Then the chatter resumes outdoors in front of typical aeolian dishes and a glass of dry malvasia.

log: capperonata with large capers and onions, candied capers, caper and malvasia jams, pesto with almonds and mint «and – Daniela adds – the leaves can be pickled or fried, while the tops are added to salads to make them very fragrant.»

LENI, VOCATION ALREADY IN THE NAME Leni comes from the Greek lenòs, or press. Immediately the town discovers its peasant soul. The smallest part of the island is also the most distantly inhabited. Remains preserved in the small museum of Rinella, in fact, show settlements dating back to the late Neolithic and tell about the importance of obsidian. The town is a very fertile terraced soil that rises from the sea towards the mountains. The meaning of the claim "Salina isola verde''

GAMBERO ROSSO

50

MARCH-APRIL 2021

above all takes shape here, in the hamlet of Valdichiesa, a valley constantly crossed by the wind and the vibrant colours of bougainvillea and hibiscus.

Rows of vines and capers are iridescent green. Surely the merit is of the volcanic soil, but here there is no dormant and disturbing lava flows, the profiles are more gentle and reassuring. Two adjectives that fit perfectly with Francesca Cincotta, who has a true passion for everything that is fruit and vegetable transformation.

Her breakfast is talked about all over the island. First of all, because she can serve it "in paradise," or on the terrace of her Hotel Belvedere which encompasses the Sicilian coast from Etna to Tindari, Alicudi and Filicudi on one side, Lipari and Vulcano on the other. Then there are 23 jams, including pumpkin and cinnamon, vanilla

SALINA

5 INSTAGRAMMABLE MUSTS 1 Language Museum Circuit Three museums, one archaeological, one ethno-anthropological and one dedicated to the sea and salt, to understand the life of the island from the neolithic to the lighthouse inhabitants.

2 Museum of Eolian Emigration of Malfa You will fascinated by paper and visual testimonies the migratory processes that began at the end of the

1800s. Among

the many photos, you’ll find those of the salinari workers in new york at the time of prohibitionism.

3 Caves Of The Saracens Along the route n°5 of the oriented natural reserve we come across these fascinating structures composed of communicating environments that served the people of salina in the period of the arab raids in viii century d.c.

17

4 Amaneï Santa Marina di Salina – via Risorgimento, 71 Amanei is a multiple place where there is a library dedicated to travel, islands and sicilianity. plus an art gallery with some of the most beautiful names in the contemporary

and lemon, red mulberry and pear, cakes that mix dried fruit and vegetables such as zucchini and hazelnuts, organic fruit juices so thick that they feel like you can chew them. «All the ingredients - says Francesca - come from our garden and orchard. We are lucky because the products here are a concentrate of colours and flavours. The south side is drier and sunnier and according to the seasons the smells in the air change: broom in June, jasmine in August, grape must in September. And then we can go to the mountains to collect chestnuts in autumn.» Simplicity and opulence that also Salvatore D’Amico, a winemaker from Leni with his agro-organic company, believes in. «The soils I cultivate in Valdichiesa are layers of lapilli from old volcanic eruptions, they are therefore active, living soils. Even the olive oil I make from my 1,500 olive trees is intense, 

15. The flower of the caper 16. The buds of a caper salted, ready to be preserved and used 17. The small port of Rinella and, under the Monte dei Porri, the town of Leni 18. The cliffs of Pollara, overlooking the beach where some of the scenes of Il Postino, Massimo Troisi's last movie, were shot

GAMBERO ROSSO

51

MARCH-APRIL 2021

italian and foreign scene who take turns every summer working on their works on the island.

5 Alice Attonita Santa Marina di Salina – Magazzini del Porto @LoredanaSalzano-Artepensierodesign Loredana Salzano is a neapolitan artist who lived and worked for many years on lipari. since last summer she has moved her atelier to salina. her unmistakable sign, the astonished alice, is on the material canvases, sculptures, jewelry and ceramics. unique pieces to admire and to buy.

STORIES

ADDRESSES Where to eat Ristorante Signum Malfa – via Scalo. 15 0909844222 – hotelsignum.it The name has never been so apt, because "il mare in cucina" is a bistro with a tiny kitchen and tables direclty on the beach, surrounded by boats. giovanni giuffré has the enthusiasm of a self-made chef with a great talent for fish dishes. last summer he was a hit.  Il mare in cucina

Santa Marina di Salina – via M. Bianchi, 4 3279367605 halgoduriaffittacamere.it/il-mare-in-cucina The name has never been so apt, because "Il Mare in Cucina" is a bistro with a tiny kitchen and tables direclty on the beach, surrounded by boats. Giovanni Giuffré has the enthusiasm of a self-made chef with a great talent for fish dishes. last summer he was a hit.  Agritourism Galletta

Leni – via Ruvoli, 5 0909809192 – gallettasalina.com Salina boosts a culinary tradition also beyond fish and the kitchen of the farmhouse galletta fully satisfies lovers of meat and vegetables. homemade pasta, simple cooking, vegetables and tasty vegetables from the garden.

 A Quadara

Malfa – via Roma 88 0909844000 – aquadaratrattoria.it New address in Malfa on the main street, a trattoria where you can taste the dishes of the eolian and sicilian tradition starting from genuine ingredients. excellent wine list with ad hoc suggestions for pairings

 Gastronomia Rundo

Santa Marina di Salina – via Risorgimento, 150 0909843476 – @gastronomiarundosalina The gastronomy rundo is a street food address or a take-away sport to grab something on a boat, with a laboratory that valorizes the sicilian tradition, both on the salty and sweet side: arancini, scacce, parmigiana and, of course, cannoli.  Bar Rosticceria Malvasia

Malfa – via Roma, 33 0909844006 - @BarMalvasia The malvasia bar-tavola calda is a proper address at breakfast with excellent granitas. at lunch you’ll find the traditional sicilian dishes while in the evening you can walk in for a creamy ice cream.

18

full and I press it in my own olive press, the only one on the island. It's a tradition that began with my grandfather, a man of the 20th century who has always talked to me more about the mountains than the sea.» In fact, the pride - and a record in the archipelago - of Salina are the peaks, with Mount Fossa delle Felci reaching almost a thousand meters and Monte dei Porri just below that. They are almost twin cones, with an even deeper underwater and volcanic life. Leni is one of the gateways to the thirteen trails that offer the opportunity to discover the other island, the one that passes from the Mediterranean scrub of broom, heather and strawberry trees to woods of alders, holm oaks, pines and centuries-old chestnut trees in the mountains. In spring, it is all a grassy carpet dotted with ferns. The ideal companion is Elio Benenati, head of the park

GAMBERO ROSSO

52

MARCH-APRIL 2021

rangers of the Nature Reserve. He knows by heart its 1,500 plus hectares and enjoys naming as many endemic species as possible - 535 are surveyed: «You can find yourself in the thick fog and refresh yourself in the shelters, but a few steps are always enough to look at the sea - says Elio - where the Queen's Falcon goes to nest, which has its favourite place in the cliffs of Pollara. Then in spring it's a riot of bright colours thanks to the Aeolian cornflower, Vedovina delle scogli, the two-coloured Senecione.» In short, a gem for birdwatching and hiking lovers. Meanwhile, Elio fills the Reserve's social profiles every day with thousands of breathtaking photos captured from sunrise to sunset. Sometimes there are a few centimeters of framing difference but, look at them, no one is identical to the other: hundreds of angles of paradise. 

SALINA

ADDRESSES NOT TO BE MISSED.

Virgona Hotel Punta Scario

Antonino Caravaglio

Hotel Ravesi Bar Rosticceria Malvasia A Quadara La Balate

Capofaro Locanda & Malvasia Resort

Ristorante Signum

Colosi Winery

Spiaggia di Punta Scario

Sapori Eoliani

Malfa Virgona

Pollara

Spiaggia del Cimitero

Fenech

Michele Oliva

Museum of Eolian Emigration Agritourism Al Cappero Spiaggia del lungomare

Valdichiesa

Agritourism Galletta

Grotte dei Saraceni

Santa Marina di Salina Leni Alice Attonita Hotel Belvedere

Amaneï

Rinella

Hauner

Azienda Agrobiologica Salvatore D’Amico Spiaggia del porto di Rinella Franco Manca Salina

Spiaggia del faro

Lingua

Museum Circuit Il mare in cucina Where to eat/sleep

Gastronomia Rundo

Wine/foodshop Sights

Hotel Mercanti di mare

Beaches

Porto Bello

1 km

GAMBERO ROSSO

53

MARCH-APRIL 2021

NATSUKO SHOJI, THE QUEEN OF CAKES

After one year from the accolades, the Asia’s Best Pastry Chef Natsuko Shoji encourages the next generation été: a 6 seating restaurant in Shibuja, Tokyo

Words by Kyoko Nakayama

STORIES

1

I

t was last March, Natsuko Shoji, the Owner Chef of “été”, got the world’s recognition by receiving Asia’s Best Pastry Chef at The Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. Accolades follows, such as Bvlgari Avrora Awards presented to the inspiring females, and most recently, on 22nd March, her restaurant was ranked at No.83 in Asia. Été is 6 seating hideaway restaurant in Shibuya neighborhood, known for her signature rose-shape mango cake in the box. “This is just a starting point” model-worthy chef dressed in high fashion declared. “I would like to be the Asia’s Best Female Chef and get all the possible titles”. Unlike the world’s stereotyped impression of Japanese female, the young talent doesn’t hide her ambition. The star twinkles most in the darkest night. Actually, being

successful is her obsession, since she lost her father and need to earn the money for her mother and young sister who has an intellectual disability.

Although, clue of her carrier was as sweet as a fairytale. She was caught by the culinary world when she made chou-a-la crème at the cooking class in school. After the graduation of high school majored cooking, she worked for several restaurants, such as two Michelin starred French restaurant in Tokyo, Florilege.

EVEN IF IT COSTS MY OWN LIFE But the fairy tale doesn’t last long.

During she was busy, but happily working at Florilege, her father passed away. “I was very much devoted to the cooking, so I didn’t realize my father was hospitalized, even I was living with my

GAMBERO ROSSO

56

MARCH-APRIL 2021

family”. It was morgue, when she finally saw him. “I touched him, and he was ice-cold”. Ironically, the freezing tactile suddenly melted and released all the feeling she had kept behind the work.

“I don’t want to do the same thing to my mother” she left the industry.

Even though, the years of the devotion brought her back to the F&B scene.

Ex-diner who loved her pastry asked her to make a bespoke cake. Gradually, by word of mouth, her cake, inspired by jewelry box filled with Japanese premium fruits gained great reputation. It didn’t take much time for her to recognize how much she missed culinary world, which led her to open her own place. But before she took action, she made a cool-headed, and heavy decision. “Still now, being as a female chef

NATSUKO SHOJI: THE QUEEN OF CAKES

2

3

is not easy, but 7 years ago, it was much more difficult for a 23-years-old female to get the money to open the restaurant.

Without any accolades nor credibility, I couldn’t even find the staff ”. She recalls.

To start the restaurant with lower burden, she determined to start a small bespoke cakeshop first, and managed to borrow 10 million yen (approximately 76980 euro) from governmental funds.

Immediately, she took out the policy which death payout is the same amount as she borrowed. She determined to kill herself if she failed, not to shoulder her debts to her beloved mother.

For staff recruiting, she convinced the high school she graduated to hire her as a visiting lecturer. By teaching directly to the students, she got credibility and eventually the staff works for her.

It was a part of her strategy, but at the

same timing, she would like to raise the future generation.

THE WORLD WHERE THE LIGHT IS BRIGHTEST, THE SHADOWS ARE DEEPEST “Like a ‘haute-couture’ fashion industry, culinary world might look fabulous, but

GAMBERO ROSSO

57

MARCH-APRIL 2021

actually, behind the scene, tireless efforts and craftsmanship are required, and the people could judge the skill from the creation. It’s a tough, but rewarding world I have been spellbound”. She also pointed out, the number of the young generation steps into the world is decreasing.

“To sustain the industry, we need to ››

STORIES

4 1. Sanma 2. été 3. Natsuko Shoji 4. Strawberry 5. Grapes 7. Chestnut 7. Mango Top

In the opening, MilleFeuille

5

GAMBERO ROSSO

58

MARCH-APRIL 2021

NATSUKO SHOJI: THE QUEEN OF CAKES

7

CHANGE PERSPECTIVE, EVEN COVID-19 CAN BE THE OPPORTUNITY Her strong belief, passion and the strategy brought her the success. Soon the small cakeshop turned into a luxurious membership restaurant, and in December 2019, she relocated her restaurant to the larger space nearby the original space. Just after that, COVID-19 strikes all over the world, but she takes it as the opportunity. “Usually, artists are always traveling around the world for the exhibition, but this time period, everyone is staying in Japan” Like planting the seeds, she sets the meeting with many artists for the future collaboration. Her collaboration is not only with the artists.

Like-minded culinary talents, too. Chef Daniel Calvert, 33 years-old British, who trained at world’s top restaurants, such as “Per Se” in New York and “Epicure” in Le Bristol Paris. In 2016, he moved to Hong Kong and ranked No.4 at The Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2020. He moved to Tokyo to open his new French restaurant ”Sézanne” in Four Seasons 6 Hotel Tokyo Marunouchi in June. She finds many things in common with him. make it attractive, younger generation “We both love the detailed handwork and would dream to be the part. Recently, craftsmanship. I adore his culinary style, gender equality is gathering the worldlight, precise, and strong backbone of claswide attention, but especially in Japan, sic techniques”. They will hold the collabnot much female chef role models are oration event together in April. available”. That’s the reason why she always appears the media dressed BEING THE ROLE MODEL IS SHAto the nines with perfect make-ups, RING THE EXPERIENCE works with high-fashion brands, such “I look forward to working with chefs in as Fendi, Cartier and Hermes, also overseas, too”. It is not only for herself, well respected modern artists like it is also for the next generation. Even Takashi Murakami. During the collabbear the flight tickets and accommodaoration period, the artists’ creation is tion by herself, she always brings her displayed at her restaurant. By using two female cooks, to let them have the culinary technique, she’d like to draw wide perspectives. “My standard in the the large-scale fantasy world together restaurant is always high and requires with the artists. On the other hand, it them hard working. I know it isn’t easy for can be said, she’s adding substantial the early 20’s girls. Still, it’s very much reaspect, such as flavor and aroma to warding job. I want them to feel that and proud of what they’re doing.”  the artists’ creations.

GAMBERO ROSSO

59

MARCH-APRIL 2021

top italian restaurants www.gamberorossointernational.com/restaurants/

b GamberoRossoInternational x GamberoRossoInternational sponsor

PORTRAIT OF A CHEF IN THREE DISHES - ANDREA ANTONINI

ANDREA ANTONINI RESEARCH AND… FIRE Born in 1991, Andrea Antonini "schooled" in the best Roman avant-garde kitchens and then in Spain by the Roca family and again by Enrico Crippa from whom he took his love for vegetables. Having recently landed on the sixth floor of the Hotel Hassler in Rome, he is one of the most talented young Italian chefs.

«Mine - he explains - can only be defined as patriotic cuisine! I create cuisine based on research and construction, linked to the purity of flavours: few, but all rigorously recognisable and conceived to express pure pleasure. And highly personal."

WHERE IMAGO DELL’HOTEL HASSLER Roma p.zza Trinità dei Monti, 6 0669934726 hotelhasslerroma.com RATING 2021 GUIDE Kitchen 44 Wine Cellar 18 Service 27 Bonus 1 Total 90 YEAR OF OPENING 2003

byStefano Polacchi - photos by Alberto Blasetti

GAMBERO ROSSO

61

MARCH-APRIL 2021

RECIPES

GAMBERO ROSSO

62

MARCH-APRIL 2021

PORTRAIT OF A CHEF IN THREE DISHES - ANDREA ANTONINI

“

PUNTARELLE ALLA ROMANA, CAVIAR AND ANCHOVIES. «I'm from Rome and, as a true Roman, I can't help but use puntarelle. This dish comes from the heart, it required little testing and required very few doubts: a salad made slightly "nobler" thanks to caviar and anchovies from Cetara.»

GAMBERO ROSSO

63

MARCH-APRIL 2021

RECIPES

“

PIGEON, CHAMOMILE, LARD AND BORAGE «Yes, we find pigeon dishes on many menus everywhere, and I did think of replacing it for some time, but there is a particular story that binds me to this dish. Since 2005 (I was working with Andrea Fusco) I have been studying and trying this dish and, finally, after years, the idea takes shape.

After working for years in kitchens where sous vide cooking was everything, I decided to make a change by definitively eliminating the roner, relying exclusively on express cooking, in a pan. Pure fire: it suits me more!»

GAMBERO ROSSO

64

MARCH-APRIL 2021

PORTRAIT OF A CHEF IN THREE DISHES - ANDREA ANTONINI

GAMBERO ROSSO

65

MARCH-APRIL 2021

RECIPES

GAMBERO ROSSO

66

MARCH-APRIL 2021

PORTRAIT OF A CHEF IN THREE DISHES - ANDREA ANTONINI

“

SPAGHETTI, SMOKED SEA URCHIN AND PECORINO «As soon as I arrived at Imàgo I was constantly thinking of new ideas to improve my cooking, trying, in every way, not to think about the responsibilities that a young cook, not yet thirty years old, can have when placed at the helm of this particular "spaceship." I tried this dish twice... something was missing, so I smoked the sea urchins on the grill and BINGO! Fire is always one of the central elements of my cuisine...»

GAMBERO ROSSO

67

MARCH-APRIL 2021

GAMBERO ROSSO www.gamberorosso.it SENIOR EDITOR Lorenzo Ruggeri PHOTO EDITOR Rossella Fantina LAYOUT Chiara Buosi, Maria Victoria Santiago CONTRIBUTORS Stefania Annese, Gianluca Atzeni, Francesca Ciancio, Antonella De Santis, Lucia Facchini, Emiliano Gucci, Kyoko Nakayama, Stefano Polacchi, William Pregentelli PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS Alberto Biasetti, Stefano Butturini, Marcelo Copello, Alessandro Naldi GR USA CORP PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT Paolo Cuccia Advertising Class Pubblicità SpA Milano, Via Marco Burigozzo, 8 - tel. 02 58219522 For commercial enquiries: mprestileo@class.it Advertising director Paola Persi email: ufficio.pubblicita@gamberorosso.it

Gambero Rosso and are registered trademarks belonging to Gambero Rosso S.p.A. GAMBERO ROSSO is a Registered Trademark used under license by GR USA CORP Copyright by GAMBERO ROSSO S.P.A. 2021.

All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher.

GR USA CORP is not responsible for loss, damage, or any other injury as to unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork or any other unsolicited materials. march-april 2021

a www.gamberorossointernational.com ✉ international@gamberorosso.it f GamberoRossoInternational