Gambero Rosso Wine Travel Food n.149

WINE

T R AV E L

FOOD

LITTLE ALCOHOL NEW MIXOLOGY TRENDS FORESTS IN THE VINEYARDS

WORLDTOUR. GERMANY AND RUSSIA

ALL THE FLAVOURS OF PALERMO IN 3 MARKETS

TISCHI TOSCHI. SICILY ON THE PLATE

year 23 - number 149 - july-august 2021 - gamberorosso.it

SOMMARIO WINE

T R AV E L

FOOD

LITTLE ALCOHOL

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Editorial

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News

 12 

The Wine to Buy

 13 

Seasonal Cocktail

 17 

My Export. Stefano Cinelli Colombini – Fattoria dei Barbi

 18 

World Tour. Germany and Russia

 28 

Less spirit, more taste. Alcohol-free cocktails is the newest trend

 48 

Forests in the vineyard. Trees and woods around and in the rows once again fill the countryside and improve both

 66 

All the flavours of Palermo. The movida and gastronomic history of the city in 3 markets

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Tischi Toschi. Sicily on the plate

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Tasting Notes

NEW MIXOLOGY TRENDS FORESTS IN THE VINEYARDS

WORLDTOUR. GERMANY AND RUSSIA

ALL THE FLAVOURS OF PALERMO IN 3 MARKETS

TISCHI TOSCHI. SICILY ON THE PLATE

year 23 - number 149 - july-august 2021 - gamberorosso.it

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CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO (EU) REGULATION NO. 1308/2013

essence of elegance

The summer to come “Under the sky of an Italian summer...”, we all remember the 1990 World Cup anthem in Italy. A winning Italian summer is what we all hope for the recovery of the catering and hospitality industry, mainstays of the Italian economy. A summer in which Italy can rightly return to being a leading player in the tourism sector, both domestic and international, thanks to the long-awaited vaccine passports. A tourism that we would like to enjoy outdoor. The appendix to this issue of Gambero Rosso recounts with passion and great depth the food and wine delights of the major National Parks and UNESCO sites.

Our journey of discovery continues with the markets in Palermo: Vucciria, Ballarò and il Capo.

Soul of the city, they represent its wonderful gastronomic tradition, now also protagonists of the city’s nightlife and tourism scene. We will then take you to Porto San Giorgio, a place that sums up the history of taste between sea and land in the stunning Marche region. Other “open” places in our country are the forests in the vineyard: trees and woods contribute to the environmental protection and the quality of wine production in the name of an increasing popular agroecology.

But the coming summer is also the season in which we all look for fresh dishes and drinks. That’s why we are taking you on a journey into the extraordinary world of cocktails: we’ll show you the history, the evolution of mixing techniques and the new growing trends that bring us closer to no- and low-alcohol choices.

A summer dedicated to sustainability. Sustainability that Gambero Rosso has always been committed to supporting, raising public awareness through its publications and concrete actions as well. We are indeed founding members of Equalitas, a company set up to promote the certification of environmental, economic and social sustainability in the wine industry, that sees its membership widening year after year. We also joined ASviS, the alliance for sustainable development promoted by Enrico Giovannini, the current Minister of Sustainable Infrastructure and Mobility. We have always paid attention to the immense agricultural and agri-food heritage and to all the chain processes: territories, products, sales channels, HORECA and wine and food tourism. Thanks to its unique geomorphological structure, extremely favourable climatic conditions and historical events, Italy is a unique land in the world and naturally suited to sustainability.

An extraordinary underlying biodiversity which leads to a successful agri-food system, boasting strong international recognition. We therefore remain committed to promoting the strength and beauty of Italian territories through increasing eco-friendly proposals, ready to welcome the most discerning visitors from every corner of the globe.

- Paolo Cuccia

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NEWS

Pasta mania. Italians can’t do without it Is there a dish that Italians just can’t do without? Our passion for pasta is not just a joke on Made in Italy folklore. Data in hand, the latest research by Doxa/Unione Italiana Food explains the relationship of Italians with spaghetti & Co. as part of a survey on the change in eating habits during the pandemic. Pasta is confirmed as a central food item of the Italian daily diet: for 4 out of 10 Italians it is the most cooked food in the last year, and it is also the queen of dinners with friends.

Eight out of ten Italians always eat pasta with someone, triggering re-

laxation and fulfillment (44%). The most popular recipe, in this sense is spaghetti with tomato sauce (33%), followed by carbonara (26%), rigatoni al ragù (22%) and pasta with

tuna and olives (16%). The notion to avoid pasta at dinner (23% of the interviewees are still convinced that eating it in the evening makes you fat) today is denied by science.

In the words of the nutritionist Michelangelo Giampietro, “Eating pasta for dinner is a right choice and promoted by science. The presence of tryptophan in carbohydrates, combined with amino acids, increases the production of serotonin in the brain and the consequent state of psychological well-being, facilitating falling asleep and increasing the quality of sleep.”

The Maranello rampant horse restarts with Massimo Bottura The “Cavallino’’ is the rampant black horse that worldwide identifies the automobile manufacturer founded by Enzo Ferrari. And the restaurant, situated opposite the historic production plant in via Abetone Inferiore, renews the spaces of the trattoria where the owner himself, since the 1940s, received his collaborators, customers and closest friends for lunch, in the private room where he loved to watch the Grand Prix. Object of a deep restyling, entrusted to architect India Mahdavi, now the Cavallino crosses the path of another ambassador of Emilia in the world, Massimo Bottura.

The Modena native chef joins the team to guide the history of the restaurant towards an approach that is respectful of the glorious past of the place, and enhances the tradition of Italian cuisine, however freeing himself from the nostalgic filter that too often, in Italy, prevents from reading the present and project towards the future. So Massimo Bottura arrives in

Maranello to do what he does best: to exalt his origins, the “ m o d e n a i s m” that binds him to the Ferrari brand and grand Italian cuisine; but with the creative flicker that is the fuel of his incessant work of interpreting reality, the territory and those who live it. On the table he looks at the cornerstones of classic Italian cuisine: the Rossini-style fillet inspires a Rossini-style cotechino, with truffle and Modena sour cherry sauce. Fried gnocco, accompanied by Zivieri salami, is a must of the territory, lightened here thanks to the chef’s technique. Bollito misto (assorted boiled meat cuts) is cooked at a low temperature, while the tortel-

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lini are produced in the Tortellante laboratory, cooked in capon broth and served with Bottura’s iconic Parmigiano cream. The offer ranges from carpaccio of salted tongue and tagliatelle with meat sauce, pasta rosettes stuffed with cooked ham and béchamel foam and Mora romagnola cutlets with saba. Sweet finish with paciugo with mascarpone, coffee and cacao.

ristorantecavallino.com

NEWS

RUSSIA. The Champagne war Champagne will now be sold in Russia under the name spumante, while Russian sparkling wine will be called champagne. It’s a paradox, but it’s really happening. It all started last July 2nd with the launch of a law by Vladimir Putin according to which the champagne exported into the Federation will have to renounce the term “champanskoe” written in Cyrillic characters on the label (while keeping the wording in Latin letters), leaving this name only for bubbles produced in Russia, or to the so-called “sovietskoïé champanskoïé”. A real downgrading that undermines a protected designation of origin product linked to a very specific place of origin: the Champagne region. The Comité Champagne, whose official website reads “it is not Champagne if it is not from Champagne,” stated that what is happening in Russia “is scandalous” and appealed to French and European diplomacy to find a solution, while asking member companies to stop all shipments to Moscow. Just as the LVMH group - owner of brands such as Dom Pérignon, Moët et Chandon or Veuve Clicquot - would have done, although this could only be a temporary suspension pending adaptation. “The Moët Hennessy Champagne Maisons,” reads a statement released last Monday “have always respected the legislation in force wherever they operate and will resume deliveries as soon as possible by making these adjustments.” For its part, the Comité Vins has already raised the issue of the hierarchy of legal sources to ask for confirmation whether the technical regulation of the Eurasian Economic Union will prevail over the wine law once it comes into force, in line with Russia’s international obligations.

Kiwi vinegar created in the Agro Pontino area Since the 1970s, the territory of the Agro Pontino has been characterised by the cultivation of a fruit that has its roots in the Far East, actinidia deliciosa, better known as kiwi. And since 2004 the Kiwi Latina has acquired IGP certification. Today, there are about 9,000 hectares planted with kiwifruit in Lazio and the Agro Pontino area has been nicknamed “little New Zealand,” even if it alone produces more kiwifruit than the Pacific homeland, making a big contribution ranking Italy as the first world producer of the fruit. Agro del Kiwi is an innovative start-up born from a family farm established in the Pontine lands in 1987, whose philosophy is based on respect for tradition and, at the same time, on attention to innovation. Thus the company has managed to create a unique, new and original product: the first ever Kiwi Vinegar, made with 100% kiwifruit, produced on Italian soil with a patented and sustainable process, respectful of the quality of the raw material and the environment. “Made using a patented slow fermentation process, without preservatives, slightly filtered and unpasteurized, which preserves the starter culture made up of enzymes and minerals, kiwi vinegar contains live nutrients that are very useful for our health,” explains Federica Ferrari, owner of the company.

– Francesca Masotti

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Pugliawineworld. The new digital showcase of Apulian wine Pugliawineworld is the new digital platform designed to enhance and promote Apulian wine in Italy and abroad, making good use of the web and its tools. A path in progress, which by 2021 aims to implement digital visibility and sales channels for wineries throughout Puglia, with the support of the Regional Agriculture Department.

And wine, in this process, will be the forerunner and then lead the other sectors of the regional agrifood supply chain on the path of digitalisation, supporting the now widespread need to establish direct contact with consumers thanks to the opportunities offered by the world of the web. At the same time, it will assemble all the valuable content that Apulian agri-food can boast, networking companies, distributors, dining activities and artisanal productions.

– Paolo Cuccia

THE NEW SUMME

produttoridimanduria.it

W SEASON R 2021

top italian restaurants www.gamberorossointernational.com/restaurants/

b GamberoRossoInternational x GamberoRossoInternational sponsor

GAMBERO ROSSO X ZENI1870

Zeni1870: an original invitation in the wine cellar

CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE N. 1308/2013 CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REGULATION N. 1308/2013

The Wine Museum and Olfactory Gallery The Wine Museum is open every day and can be visited free of charge, without reservation and without a guide, for individual visitors and for small groups of up to 10 people.

For updated timetables, visit the website www.museodelvino.it For information on guided tours for groups larger than 10 people, contact the Tours & Events office +39 045 6210087 lora@zeni.it

cellar opens to the digital world and Info and reservations thanks to the innovafor the Olfactory Gallery: tive company Storybottaia@zeni.it book Zeni1870 now offers an anthropological experience: not just a story about the cellar but a historical tribute to the Garda production area, to resume the drive to share the values of the vineyard, something that has always characterised the vision of Nino Zeni, father of Fausto, Elena and Federica, the fifth generation today at the helm of the company.

So tasting a fresh glass of Chiaretto or Lugana, or more opulent and structured wines such as Cruino or Amarone della Valpolicella goes far beyond the pleasure of the palate: it becomes a pure act of love along the path of beauty.

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87 i1 Zen

 Zeni1870 - Bardolino (VR) – via Costabella, 9 – 0457210022 - zeni.it

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For Zeni1870, the historic boutique winery located on the moraine hills of Bardolino (Verona), tasting a glass of wine is not simply a pleasure that involves sight, smell and taste, but also (and mostly) an experience that binds mind, soul and heart. It is an invitation to approach the world of wine, the cellar, the vineyard, with a new, almost rediscovered spirit, to fully understand the essence of this generous soil, cultivated with passion by the Zeni family for the past five generations.

It is the value of hospitality that makes the difference.

Zeni1870 was among the first wineries in Italy to have an actual wine museum and today it’s the only Italian winery with an Olfactory Gallery exclusively dedicated to wine, which gives tourists and visitors the opportunity to wander around back in the time to past decades or to travel with the mind in search of a particular unique and evocative scent.

Today, with the completely renovated Wine Museum, the

NEWS

THE WINE TO BUY Franciacorta Berlucchi ’61 Nature 2014 GUIDO BERLUCCHI & C. Corte Franca www.berlucchi.it Average retail price: 35 euros

Franco Ziliani and Guido Berlucchi, a partnership that began more than 60 years ago, changed the destiny of Italian enology. In fact it was they who invented Franciacorta in that magical year 1961, which is now commemorated on the bottles of an entire range of wines. Berlucchi went on to became an internationally renowned brand, and for the past 10 years Arturo, Franco’s son, an enologist and president of the group, has practically refounded the business, thanks in part to the fundamental contribution of his sister Cristina and brother Paolo. Recently we had the experience to taste the entire production, the overall quality is impressive.

Our Wine to Buy is the Franciacorta Berlucchi ’61 Nature 2014. It stands out for its exemplary focus and stylistic cleanness. It’s a rigorously styled Dosaggio Zero, though it also exhibits an appealing elegance and drinkability. It has fragrant, fruity pulp and a touch of complexity that enlivens its linear purity. The perlage is creamy, fine, and velvet. We love the great backbone, which displays impressive freshness annd a sophisticated mineral notes with hints of iodine, driving though to a long citrus and mineral finish. We suggest it to pair with a red shrimps tempura and a friend with a taste for irony.

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SPIRITS

SEASONAL SEASONAL COCKTAIL COCKTAIL byPaola Paola Mencarelli Mencarelli by

A GOOD NOSE Antonio Ferrara - The Bar, Aman Venice - Venice 6 cl London N°3 London Dry Gin 9 cl fermented “Pomodoro Nasone del Cavallino” tomato 3 cl apple and raspberry Shrub Extra virgin olive oil by Azienda Agricola Annatonia Ramundo Wild fennel pollen aroma by Podere Santa Bianca

Glass: Goblet Technique: Throwing Garnish: Sprig of wild sea fennel

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uly is tomato month par excellence: in the lagoon area of Cavallino Treporti, between Venice and Jesolo, we find the Nasone tomato, a native ecotype rich in pulp and very tasty, whose name derives from the particular shape that recalls a large nose. Thanks to the brackish soil of the lagoon, Nasone has an intense marine flavour. Accentuating the umami taste, it was decided to use lactic fermentation with 2.5% dry salting with cloves and nutmeg for a period of three weeks, at the end of which the tomato is ready to be extracted. Add a fat-washed gin infused with EVO oil, an apple and raspberry shrub and ice; the right dilution is then obtained through the throwing technique. It is served with a sprig of wild sea fennel, a lagoon grass with a savoury and slightly spicy taste (also called "rock splitter" since it grows on stone banks).

(photo by Andrea Di Lorenzo)

BARTENDER: Born in 1983, Antonio Ferrara is originally from Loreo, in the province of Rovigo. Fascinated by mixology while working at a friend’s hotel in Sottomarina, he attended hotel management school in Adria and decided to make this his profession. His first real job was at the Suvretta House in St. Moritz, then at the Westin Europa & Regina - the current St. Regis - in Venice, where he had the good fortune of meeting Giorgio Fadda, his undisputed master.

From the Romagna Riviera to Leeds, passing through the most luxurious Venetian hotels such as Hilton, Cipriani and Danieli, since 2014 he has now landed at the Aman Venice, a super exclusive destination overlooking the Grand Canal inside the fascinating Palazzo Papadopoli. This is where Lord Byron live, and to whom The Bar is dedicated.

In recent years Antonio has been dedicated to training in schools and companies and is the founder of the digital platform Hospitality Innovation with his colleague Diego Alejandro Caiafa, F&B of Aman. Minimal and elegant, he proposes a refined mixology that does not disdain modern techniques but uses them in a measured way, always placing the guest at the centre of the experience.

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GAMBERO ROSSO X D’ALFONSO DEL SORDO

In the land of Nero di Troia Rediscovery of a great southern wine According to legend, he landed near the Gargano and then sailed up through the Ofanto river. “More likely − Gianfelice explains − here we are dealing with Troia, the Daunian town where the vine is said to have arrived from Spain with the D’Avalos family (originally from Rioja), which created a principality here in 1639. In the vineyards, there are mainly two expressions of this variety that for lack of research cannot be defined as clones: the variety with small berries and loose clusters called Canosina and the tight-clustered variety with large berries called Ruvese. The former is presumed to be the oldest manifestation of the variety, not very productive and therefore not widespread today. On the other hand, the latter is the one on which major research and attention is focused: “Although it is often thought that the ‘Ruvese’ quality of Nero di Troia is less prized, thanks

Also known as Uva di Troia, Nero di Troia is the third native Apulian black grape variety in terms of number of hectares cultivated after Negroamaro and Primitivo. In recent years, it has been drawing a lot of attention from wine critics because of its characteristics, which make this variety unique in the Apulian wine scene. “Nero di Troia is the oenological emblem of our territory,” tells us Gianfelice D’Alfonso Del Sordo. “Thanks to the rediscovery of this important grape variety, we were partly involved at the beginning of 2001 when, together with the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Foggia, we set out a research and promotion strategy aimed at highlighting the potential of the variety”. Some think that Nero di Troia derives its name from the ancient and legendary city of Troy on the Dardanelles and that the vine arrived in Apulia with the Hellenic Diomedes.

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GAMBERO ROSSO X D’ALFONSO DEL SORDO

1. Gianfelice D’Alfonso Del Sordo in the wine cellar of Cantina di San Severo 2. Tenuta Coppanetta’s rows of vines, in the heart of the Apulian winery

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D’Alfonso Del Sordo, 2 centuries of vineyards The D’Alfonso Del Sordo family’s winegrowing roots date back to 1800, when a few members began cultivating vineyards in San Severo. Always managed directly by the D’Alfonso Del Sordo family, Gianfelice took the helm in 1993: together with his wife Celeste, he manages the 35-hectare vineyards, divided into two estates. In the Tenuta Coppanetta, where the business centre is located, the vineyards face north at an altitude of about 80 metres (262 feet) on clayey-calcareous soil: here the white grapes are Bombino Bianco, Falanghina, Moscato and Malvasia, while the red ones are Montepulciano and Nero di Troia.

In the Tenuta Cotinone, a few kilometres from the first one in a semi-flat area, among the rows we can also find Verdeca, Chardonnay and Sauvignon, besides Bombino Bianco and Moscato.

With a clayey-sandy-calcareous composition, the soils are exposed to the north-west and located at an altitude of around 120 metres (394 feet) above sea level.

it shares many characteristics with varieties from the to the mixture of soils in which limestone prevails, in our north of our country. The complexity and density of the area it expresses itself at its best, allowing this variety to tannins, along with the acidity level, result in very fruity make the most of its characteristics, especially its aroand above all long-lived wines. matic ones. Unlike the other two Apulian black grape And from a commercial point of view, how are things govarieties Negroamaro and especially Primitivo that ripen ing for the variety? “In recent years, an increasingly curivery early (end of August for Primitivo and mid-Septemosity has been generated around this ber for Negroamaro), Nero di Troia is grape, another face of Apulian winea late-ripening grape (even as late as IDENTITY CARD growing, in addition to the already October). From an oenological point hectares/ well-known and explored Primitivo. of view, Nero di Troia is characterised 86 acres of vineyards The north of our region is creating by a bright colour, an elegant and more and more interest thanks to fresh bouquet with typical hints of bottles/year Nero di Troia, which has always violets, not particularly acidic on the been grown here, and today palate, but rather rich in polyphenols etichette we can say that we were and tannins that lend complexity to right to focus on this the wines, usually aged in wood: “Allabels variety”. though it is a southern grape variety,

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 Cantine D’Alfonso Del Sordo

San Severo (FG) - c.da Sant’Antonino - 0882221444 - dalfonsodelsordo.it

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NEWS

MY EXPORT Stefano Cinelli Colombini – Fattoria dei Barbi 1 What is the percentage of exports on the company total?

It varies according to year, usually about half.

2 What has changed and how was export before and after the lockdowns?

We’ve seen an increase, we are now close to 60% and growing.

3 How’s the bureaucracy?

As usual: complex, frustrating and stupid.

4 How has the attitude and interest of foreign consumers towards Italian wine changed?

They are buying more and this certainly has a positive return for us. Unfortunately, in this period, we cannot go abroad and foreigners struggle to come to Italy, so it’s not possible to have that direct feedback, which is instead important and which has always completed our knowledge of the market, beyond the stats.

5 How did you normally promote your wines abroad and how are you doing it now with the Covid-19 emergency?

In many ways. With continued contact with the media of the countries where we sell, with an extensive presence on the internet, with a lot of support for our importers from our staff on all markets and by participating in events of the Brunello Consortium abroad.

6 Tell us a (positive/negative) anecdote related to your experiences abroad.

I remember the first Wine Spectator Wine Experience in 1984, when my mother, Franco Biondi Santi and myself were representing the two Montalcino farms included among the 100 most prestigious wineries in the world. There were 11 Italians. It was all new, no one had ever invited Italians to great events and we were not used to being considered part of great myths. We were the exotic natives who happened to be, no one knows how, at the royal court. The French were not interested in either our names or our wines, while the American producers, Australians and all the others were enthusiastic and very curious but had no idea what a Sangiovese or a Nebbiolo were. Or where Tuscany was from, for that matter. There were embarrassing moments, like the group photo in which the French found it perfectly natural to occupy the first rows and Marvin Schanken had to explain with great diplomacy that it was more appropriate to mix us up.

But it was still beautiful. At the gala dinner, they served incredible food and wine in Windows on the World at the top of the Twin Towers, with the lights of New York as far as the eye could see. Yes, the very ones that the terrorists tore down in 2001. I was young, I was on the roof of the world in a tuxedo and I was king. For a night.

Fattoria dei Barbi | loc. Podernovi – Montalcino | Siena | fattoriadeibarbi.it

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EVENTS

Willkommen Italia: Gambero Rosso resumes touring starting with Berlin

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he Gambero Rosso world tour resumes its energy from the historic centre of Berlin.

The first in-person Tre Bicchieri event of 2021 was held last Friday in the historic Hotel de Rome overlooking Bebelplatz, the square in the Mitte district, where on May 10, 1933 Nazis burned about 25,000 books they considered dangerous. Approximately thirty Italian wineries participated, amidst enthusiasm, curiosity and

by Lorenzo Ruggeri a newfound optimism, supported by the last months of good sales.

EXPORT. Despite Covid, in fact, Italian wine is gaining market shares. Overall, German imports fell by 2% to €2.5 billion, with a volume reduction of 4%. In this context, Italy recorded an increase of 4% to 1011 million euros, compared to a 9% decline in French wine. Italy performed better than France in all categories: in bottled wines Italy grew by 7% to 778 million against –8% in

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France, 361 million euros. In sparkling wines it dropped by 2% to 84 million against –9% to 238 million in France, according to data from Un Comtrade, elaborated by I numeri del vino. Confirming the preference of German consumers for Italian wines is additional data from the German wine institute, according to which in 2020, after German products, Italy represented 15% of total wine purchases, followed by France with 12% and from Spain with 11%. 

www.sanmarzano.wine

WORLDTOUR

RESTAURANS REOPEN Compared to Italy, restaurants have been closed for an even longer period and tourism has not yet fully resumed, according to Franco Fasulo, historical sommelier at Bocca di Bacco restaurant in Mitte, recipient of Due Forchette in the Top Italian Restaurants guide. “We reopened only 10 days ago, we were used to working with big companies, our clientele was mainly celebrities, especially American and Russian, for the moment we are working mainly with locals. We have kept a large part of the wine cellar and now we are looking for some new references to support the offer.”

“The foreign market has restarted even better than Italy, where for the moment no one wants to stock up and is only ordering what will be consumed in a short time.

Here in Germany, on the other hand, we are building a new network,” commented Arber Shabani, commercial director of Cantina Ridolfi.

“There’s an increasingly strong polarization created on this market, we are looking for extreme and highly sought-after references or top-priced labels. Berlin is historically a poorer and less culturally evolved market in the world of wine, but it is growing significantly, with many special requests that were not there until a few years ago. Hand in hand, the crisis has made many old Italian restaurants disappear, Asians are very strong. The challenge, therefore, is precisely to intercept that tier, perhaps offering a Verdicchio precisely where a Riesling once was strong,” commented importer Paolo Pozzolini who has lived in Germany for many years.

SEMINARS. In addition to the tasting, divided into two tiers to respect capaci-

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ty limits, Lorenzo Ruggeri, vice-curator of the Vini d’Italia guide, held two seminars, the first dedicated to the special prizes of the Vini d’Italia 2021 guide, the second was a veritable tour of Italy through its vineyards, with producers at the forefront talking about their wines, between emotions and rhythm being recovered and regained.

“Enough! We’ve been sequestered at home for too long, now there is all the enthusiasm to begin again. All the customers I met told me that Italy and what it represents have been greatly missed. For us, Germany has been one of the key markets for a long time, and we need to cultivate and be present in it,” said Camelia Lazar, marketing manager of Panizzi, who proposed a “vertical” of Vernaccia di San Gimignano in Berlin.

“I travelled around a lot and I must say that Germany restarted strongly, they seemed to be behind but they started ordering again very strongly, also because the warehouses were empty. During the lockdown restaurants here also sold a lot of wine, now they are rebalancing,” added Dario Pennino, Germany export manager for the Velenosi winery.

EVENTS

Russia, the Tre Bicchieri rekindle the love for Italy Between QR codes, the desire to return to travel and a restaurant industry that’s been able to resist like few others. And now looking to the future

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he desire to leave collected during our first events in presence abroad is difficult to quantify. Italian wine rekindles curiosity, enthusiasm, long dormant emotional outbursts. During our seminars we rediscovered even more intense sensitivity and attention than a few years ago, with the denominations making an audience of journalists, sommeliers and importers–who for a long time could not move–travel to Italy. After the stage in Germany, we moved to Russia with the Tre Bicchieri World Tour. On 6 July it was Moscow’s turn,

by Lorenzo Ruggeri the event was held in the huge World Trade Center complex, in the shadow of the financial district’s skyscrapers.

Two days later, on July 8, wineries moved to St. Petersburg, between the two large rooms of the historic Hotel Astoria, right in front of the famous St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Despite the difficulties, including work visas and mandatory Covid tests (Russia does not recognise any of the vaccines authorised by the European Union), forty wineries reached Russia to experience firsthand the excitement confirmed by the latest economic data. After 2020 that closed with only –3.6% in value, the ex-

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port of Italian wine to Russia returns to growth in the first quarter of 2021.

In quantity export went from 8.2 to 10.4 million litres, recording a rather staggering increase (+26%). In values, the progression between January and March was 17%, from 21.78 million euros to 25.44 million, according to the Istat data on foreign trade. Overall, Italy, France and Spain occupy over 60% of the shares of imported wine.

Italy dominates in the ranking of supplier countries, with around 30% of the shares, compared to France and Spain which have around 17% and 16%. At the same time, consumption

WORLDTOUR

to Italian tradition, Il Matto, while with also grew in 2020, according to data Mollusca we will also open in Dubai and from the Russian federation analytiNew York in the next 6 months. Here cal center, about 11 million hectolitres in Russia they pay merit well, you have of wine were drunk, with an increase to work hard but you can get enormous compared to 2019 of 13.4%. And it’s satisfaction in return. They really appresufficient to take a quick look at the ciated my free and bold, self-taught apwine lists of the restaurants in Mosproach.” Antonio Fresa, one of the best cow and St. Petersburg to understand Italian chefs in Russia, echoes. During the huge leap in quality. Markups too the lockdown, he are no longer the WINE EXPORT - ITALY-RUSSIA bought shares of monstrous kind FIRST QUARTER OF 2021 his Jerome and last of a few years ago: January-March 2021.

Saturday he celewine is increasVOLUMES in litres brated the opening ingly a central elof a very ambitious ement, especially 2020 project, Sea Signoamong the young2021 re. “We took the coner generations. cept of the Italian The average age January-March 2021. fish market, with a in the wine bars of VALUE in Euro nice counter as welSt. Petersburg and come, then 5 cooking Moscow is about 2020 stations, the island half of what it is in 2021 of handmade pasta, Italy. And places Italian marbles and a continue to open, wine cellar that focuses strongly on Italy and the restaurant sector here has sufof course. It’s a good time.” During the fered less. “In fact, we were closed much two seminars in each leg of the tour, less than in Italy or the United States, dedicated respectively to the special we continued to work well, now only the prizes of the guide and a veritable restaurants with terraces and outdoor tour of Italy from the Alps to Trapaspaces are making bigger numbers, beni called ‘Italy in a Nutshell,’ we asked cause for a few weeks only people with a participants to comment on Putin’s QR code were allowed to eat inside bars choice to call with the term Chamand restaurants,” says Emanuele Monpagne only locally produced bubbles. gillo, chef at Balzi Rossi in Moscow.

We only collected minimising comAnd getting that QR code, we have ments and some smiles. The wines of seen it first hand, is a real undertakAntonella Lombardo, Winemaker of ing, not only for foreigners, but also the Year, uncorked for the first time for those working in the sector. Still, in Russia, were incredibly successful. many are relaunching. This is the case “We need stories like these, of a young of Gianluca Sapia, whom we met at lawyer who returns to the soil, of an area the Moscow event. Hired via instalike Calabria little known and of native gram by a Russian entrepreneur, he grape vines that make us travel with our has opened 4 restaurants with an unminds,” sommelier Luba Yakimova usual and innovative format dedicated tells us. Now the tour breathes ahain to mussels and over 100 of his combifor a few weeks, and will resume from nations and condiments branded Molthe United States, on August 30 we lusca. “It was an instant success, now we tune in to Los Angeles.  are about to open a restaurant dedicated

8.241.340 10.397.447

21.785.174 25.442.076

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TOP ITALIAN RESTAURANTS, AWARD WINNERS During the events, the best restaurants in Russia were awarded. The Villa Sandi Best Contemporary Wine List Award in Moscow went to Café Aist, belonging to Mirko Zago, now a star in the city, thanks to a rich selection of classic Italian labels, well supported by a brilliant by-the-glass offer. While in St. Petersburg the award went to Jerome, Antonio Fresa’s restaurant, with a precious wine cellar, supported by many small artisanal producers with organic and biodynamic approach, traditional producers and a very accurate and innovative by-theglass offer, with honest markups.

As for pizzerias, La Bottega Siciliana was awarded in Moscow, while in St. Petersburg it was the turn of Pizza 22 cm, with Neapolitan-style pies. In Moscow, new entries for Sartoria Lamberti, a project that straddles art and cuisine inaugurated inside the Ritz Carlton a year ago; additionally Butler, also awarded with Una Forchetta, while Due Forchette go to Semifreddo, Nino Graziano’s historic venue, and Balzi Rossi.

Due Gamberi instead, went to Uilliam’s, thanks to the true talent of Luigi Magni, former chef at Pinch, one of the most innovative and rightly sought-after restaurants in Moscow. Completing the picture of the Italian restaurants in St. Petersburg is Francesco, with Una Forchetta, Path, with Due Forchette, and Il Milanese and Jerome, awarded with Due Gamberi.

PHOTOGALLERY ST PETERSBURG

EVENTS

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WORLDTOUR

PHOTOGALLERY MOSCOW

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GAMBERO ROSSO X TENUTA LUISA

Sustainable care for the vineyards.

Tenuta Luisa wins the “Green Flag”

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Tenuta Luisa is a splendid agricultural-tourist reality that tells a story of fathers and sons, of knowledge and passion, of a wine that has been bearing the family name for more than a century: Luisa. Leading the company today are Michele and Davide Luisa, with the help of an indispensable guide: their father Eddi who, at the age of thirteen, began to devote himself to the vineyards and the cellar, transforming them into what has now become a company that makes tradition and innovation coexist. The winery represents an actual home for the family: the spaces are organised to carry out transfor-

mation of the grapes and the processing of wines as efficiently as possible in a welcoming and familiar environment, surrounded by lush 110 hectares of owned vineyards.

In recent times the company has paid particular attention to the care of the vineyards, following practices that respect the environment and the territory. This contributed to the achievement of a great milestone: the “Green Agriculture Flag 2020 - Agri-farmhouse Section” award, organized by the CIA, Italian Farmers Confederation, now in its 18th edition. It is a recognition that rewards farms, and not, particularly

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distinguished in the policies of sustainability, environmental protection and landscape, promoting the territories on a touristic level, rationally using the soil and operating with targeted actions; plus the improvement of the living and labour conditions of farm workers. Essential requirements for obtaining the award – bestowed on July 7th – are the investment plans aimed at safeguarding, enhancing and promoting agriculture, environmental sustainability and agricultural and food and wine quality and typicality. “This award honours us and encourages us to continue in this direction and

GAMBERO ROSSO X TENUTA LUISA

1. Aerial view of Tenuta Luisa 2. Davide, Eddi and Michele Luisa 3. The winery in Mariano del Friuli, in the province of Gorizia 4. The courtyard of the guesthouse: experiential wine tourism is one of the objectives on which the Luisa family has been strongly focusing for years: not only tastings, but actual moments of life in the vineyards and among the rows

Experiential wine tourism, picnics and dinners among the rows

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to do our best to enhance the role of family farming in the beautiful context in which we find ourselves,” commented Eddi Luisa, who added: “Today, with the fifth generation at the helm, we can only look to the future with optimism and with the desire to carry on our history made of passion, courage, commitment and sharing.” With this in mind, among the many activities undertaken, the Estate has decided to introduce a new addition to the Luisa line with

the 2020 vintage: Malvasia. A very ancient variety, which arrived in the Adriatic at the time of the Maritime Republic of Venice, this grape has found in Friuli Venezia Giulia the ideal conditions to give life to a wine of great elegance and balance. Together with Ribolla Gialla, Friulano and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, it enriches the ‘Autochthonous’ native grape family, capable of expressing the potential of a territory of great vocation.

 Tenuta Luisa - Mariano del Friuli (GO) - fraz. Corona - via Campo Sportivo, 13

048169680 - tenutaluisa.it

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Since 2010, the first ancient family wine cellar has become a guesthouse, which has made it possible to implement the offer by creating relationships and cultural exchanges even with other nations bordering our beautiful Friuli. “Wine tourism is certainly growing rapidly and we are aware that the offer must also include experiences that go far beyond the classic wine tasting in the cellar,” said Davide and Michele: “Today a whole series of other activities are contemplated, such as extended visits to the entire estate, to the wine cellar, with more convivial tasting experiences such as picnics in the vineyard or dinners at sunset between the rows. The future lies in experiential tourism, which has the great advantage of promoting the most genuine and healthy part of the territory, and we are happy to be witnesses of this.”

LESS SPIRIT, MORE TASTE. ALCOHOL-FREE COCKTAILS IS THE NEWEST TREND. WHAT ARE THEY? BY WHO AND HOW ARE THEY PRODUCED? What's for sure is that less alcohol is being drunk.

But what does this mean? Is it possible to reconcile health, lightness and taste with tradition? Apparently yes, and it is precisely this that in the world of mixology is illuminating the trend of Low and No Alcohol Cocktails. This is a new perspective of taste that has already changed large and prestigious brands of spirits into creating new labels and proposals, but also new adventures in the world of mixology at both industrial and artisan level. Here is what's happening globally, with Italy in the forefront

words by Federico Silvio Bellanca – photos by Michele Tamasco

STORIES

T

’here is an old adage, a joke played on students in bartending schools when they first start attending courses. To the question: what is the most drunk cocktail in the world? the teacher's provocative answer is: cappuccino.

If, of course, the answer aims to surprise, it should not be considered completely inaccurate and strictly provocative. In fact, starting from the assumption that cocktails are beverages obtained through a proportionate and balanced mixture of different liquids, a cappuccino can in effect be considered as a hot non-alcoholic cocktail, made with two ingredients (milk and coffee). Beyond pure provocation, however, none of us would seriously classify cappuccino among cocktails, no one would read it as such in daily consumption habits; but the question, at this point, is: why not?

Non-alcoholic cocktails are born to resemble alcoholic beverages with two objectives: provide a valid substitute for those who don't imbibe, and to block the growth and spread of its consumption WHAT DEFINES A COCKTAIL? AND THUS ITS ALCOHOL-FREE VERSION To make a cocktail, it's not enough to mix two liquids, there needs to be context, technique and dexterity of not just your average "daytime bartender," but of a professional. If all this seems obvious, it is because we automatically apply the defining criteria to the world of alcoholic cocktails, for which the perceived quality in recent years has risen significantly.

However, let's try to shift the reflection to the non-alcoholic category which remains linked to a concept of commodity product, relegated to drivers and pregnant women and usually made with sweet juices and syrups. Instead, in a silent but constant way, this sector is

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also experiencing a veritable revolution: and it does so in a progressive crescendo of technique, ingredients and also of requests from increasingly demanding and curious customers.

THE BIRTH OF ALCOHOL-FREE DRINKS One of those strict rules that are usually used for matching intrinsically different worlds (for example wine and food for pairings, or, as in this case, alcoholic and non-alcoholic) establishes that one can choose to do so "by similarity or by contrast." Non-alcoholic cocktails have their historical roots by following these two main trends: to resemble the most famous alcoholic drinks and provide a valid substitute for those who cannot take advantage of them, or to counteract the spread of alcohol and block its growth and spread. If we look at the historical recipe books, in fact, almost all of these contain some hint of drinks or syrups, but without particular attention, more as a complement of information than as an independent element. Paradoxically (but not so much, really) it was precisely Prohibition that encouraged the creation of recipe books and public spaces dedicated to non-alcoholic drinks and their diffusion. In fact, between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the fight against alcoholism, especially in English-speaking countries, caused the birth of the most varied solutions to restore "righteousness" to the habits of consumers (and counter the issue of alcoholism) such as the Gin Acts issued by the British government between 1729 and 1751 to limit the consumption of gin among the working classes. If American Prohibition is famous, which ended only in 1933, earlier initiatives in this sense had become increasingly numerous and not only in the United States.

ALCOHOL-FREE BARS Even if by now historical memory appears lost on the topic, England had, between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, so-called Temperance Bars 

ALCOHOL-FREE COCKTAILS

ALCOHOL FREE: 4 DIFFERENT PRODUCTION METHODS Since this trend of "non-alcoholic spirits" is still in its infancy stages, there is no single production technique. Furthermore, for the moment no one openly declares the techniques it employs: companies limit themselves to narrative hints.

Speaking with the technicians, however, it's clear that there are various methods to obtain alcohol-free products for mixology.

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Distillation in water by steam current This is the technique commonly used to obtain hydrolates. The still, loaded with water instead of alcohol, produces steam that passes through the membranes of plants (typically placed in a perforated container). The steam extracts the aromas of the botanicals and condenses through cooling producing essential oils on the one hand and aromatic waters on the other. It is a technique similar to the one used for centuries in perfumery, herbal medicine, or proto-pharmaceuticals.

Blend of pre-distilled hydrolates Blend of pre-distilled hydrolates It is the one closest to the first hypothesis: pre-distill different elements and then combine them in a blend to create the desired product.

4 Infusions and mixtures We can't exclude that a product suitable for mixology can also be obtained with the same techniques with which any soda drink is obtained, or with the use of aromas and dyes in water, even if in this case it would be necessary to give up label definitions such as "distillate."

A similar discourse can also be extended to "liqueur-like" without alcohol (bitters, amaros, etc...). In this case we can suppose that there's an initial infusion of botanicals in water, hot or cold, obtaining infusions with very marked bitter notes, and therefore usable in substitution of the original products.

2 Dealcoholization Reading interviews with manufacturers and official sites, there are those who claim that they dealcoholise their product through membrane filters with which alcohol is physically removed. Although this technique appears unnecessarily complex and above all extremely expensive.

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STORIES

(synonym at the time for sobriety, moderation), also known as Alcohol-free Bars, Sober Bars or Dry Bars.

This type of establishment did not serve alcoholic beverages, and it is precisely in places like these that many recipes for Mocktails developed: here there was fertile ground for the development of soda drinks, such as Coca Cola (which saw its first European market in these very bars) and for lesser-known drinks such as Cream Soda, Dandelion and Burdock, and Sarsaparilla.

These places, also thanks to the support of some religious groups such as the Methodists, had great development and popularity at the time and became a symbol of a lifestyle. If all this seems to be part of the distant past, it may be interesting to discover that the Fitzpatrick Herbal Health in Rawtenstall, one of the first and most original temperance bars, has survived to this day. The Lancashire venue, firstborn of a reality that in its heyday had come to count as many as 24 family-run shops throughout the region, is still offering soft drinks, herbal remedies and bottles of cordials.

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RECIPE DECODING If these movements already began to lay the foundations for the codification of certain recipes which then entered the collective memory (for example, the birth of Pussyfoot, which we will talk about later, around 1920: a mocktail that owes its name to William E. Johnson, famous anti-alcohol activist, nicknamed Pussyfoot because of his feline stealth during investigations he carried out during Prohibition in Oklahoma), we have to wait until 1986 with the second IBA (International Bartender Association) cookbook of the coding of cocktails) to have a first structured attempt to clarify what at the time were called Virgin Cocktail, as Giorgio Fadda, President of the prestigious international association tells us: «Non-alcoholic cocktails that entered that edition were the Florida, made with lemon juice, orange juice, grenadine; the Preloister, which is still interesting today as a recipe due to its particularity as more relevant as an energy drink than as a simple non-alcoholic drink, made with egg yolk, ketchup, Worcester sauce, vinegar, salt and celery salt. Then there was the Pussyfoot always with egg yolk, lemon juice, orange

ALCOHOL-FREE COCKTAILS

juice and grenadine, and perhaps the one that most of all has established itself in the general imagination is the famous Shirley Temple simply made with ginger ale , grenadine, ice and candied cherry to garnish. These recipes - explains Fadda - also remained in the following recipe book, which was from Vienna in 1993, with the exception of the Preloister, replaced by the Parsons Special, always made with egg yolk but with grenadine, orange juice and soda instead of the various sauces and seasoned salts.»

This series of non-alcoholic recipes was also confirmed in the fourth official IBA cookbook, published in Las Vegas in 2004, which was very discussed and then made official only in 2010, and then disappeared in the last two official cookbooks published (the fifth and sixth in 2011 and 2021). There is actually no particular reason for the elimination of mocktails from IBA cookbooks, except perhaps what we could define as the Spirit of Time: «The recipe books somewhat follow historical trends, and over the last decade, until the current rebirth, non-alcoholic drinks were almost forgotten, so we didn't think it necessary to include them.» As President Fadda explains, a new comeback could however be around the corner: «Now the trend is returning to careful drinking: especially being attentive to calories, but also to alcohol content. And so just recently we thought of not including them in the official IBA list, but rather to create a separate section.»

And what about Italy? We talked about this with Paolo Ponzo, cocktail bar historian and researcher of lost Italian recipe books. «Already Mazzon in 1920, in what is recognized as the first recipe book in Italian, dedicated a section to "non-alcoholic beverages" proposing a number of recipes made with fruit and syrups, and served with ice. We can define them in all respects as non-alcoholic cocktails. In the two subsequent texts, by Pietro Grandi and Elvezio Grassi, there is not the same attention to the subject, while in the Tuscan recipe book by Elio Cavallari, dating back to the 1940s, which I rediscovered a few years ago, a section on non-alcoholic cocktails, largely linked to the sponsor of the book, Roveta water, appears in almost all 

MINI GLOSSARY Barista Anyone who works at the coffee bar, generally this word indicates one who works during the day and specialises in coffees and cappuccinos and in the service of generally non-alcoholic or ready-made beverages.

Barman ord - which in the feminine is barlady or barwoman or barmaid - which indicates he or she who works at the bar generally in the evening and at night and who specialises in drinks and mixed beverages.

Bartender Indicates who runs the bar. A flair bartender specialises in acrobatic-style mixology, while the mixologist is more specialised in the art of mixing and in the in-depth knowledge of labels and ingredients.

Cocktail The etymology is uncertain. In ancient times it was known in Italy with the name of "harlequin drink" or "polybeverage." A cocktail can be defined as a 'beverage obtained with a proportionate and balanced mixture of alcoholic, non-alcoholic ingredients and aromas.'

Craft spirit Distillates and/or artificial liqueurs: this is the current trend in the world of spirits and alcohol-based mixology.

150 years ago with bartender Jerry Thomas (aka The Professor), the technique was made famous by the film "Cocktail" starring Tom Cruise.

Highball Cocktail Long drinks that combine precious and long-aged distillates with sodas.

The classics are whiskey and soda, gin and tonic, Cuba Libre and even the Mojito.

Iba International bartender association: the world bartender association that represents them and that periodically encodes the names of recognised cocktails (currently 77).

Low abv Expression used as an abbreviation to indicate the realm of low alcohol, i.e. that of low alcoholic drinks, precisely at least below 21 degrees alcohol.

Mixology The vast art of mixing applied to drinks and cocktails, more serious and less acrobatic than Flair (see above) of which it represents the contemporary evolution: less acrobatic and more elegant movements, with a return to the origins, based on different methods of pouring the ingredients and a refined and fascinating explanation of the beverage.

Dealcoholize Remove alcohol from a spirit or alcoholic drink while retaining its flavour and aroma.

Mocktail The word, which was the union of mock and obviously cocktails, asserted itself at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries when the campaign against alcohol abuse started.

They indicate alcohol-free drinks.

Flair It is the unity of acrobatic techniques for the preparation of drinks. Born

Pairing The art of pairing a drink (alcoholic or not) and different types of food.

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STORIES

recipes.»

THE EVOLUTION OF TASTE f we look at the evolution of non-alcoholic cocktail recipes over the years, we note that the gustatory trend tends to follow hand in hand with what develops in regards to alcohol. In fact, if in the mixology of the '80s and '90s sweet tastes were predominant, the world of mocktails was no less: it is no coincidence that any of us, imagining a non-alcoholic drink, imagines nothing but the stereotype of a tropical glass with a mix of coloured juices and syrups in it. With the evolution of taste, however, and with the growing trend towards a greater technical level common to all the bar counters in the world, even non-alcoholic cocktails have begun to go in the same direction: giving more importance and evidence to bitter and botanical notes, and abandoning the overly sugary accents.

At the same time, the use of homemade preparations and fresh products has grown.

Furthermore, the concept of No Alcohol has been joined by another: that of Low Alcohol, which could transcend ethical considerations

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and become increasingly influential in mass consumption. All this was possible not only thanks to the greater professionalism of the bartenders and the greater attention of consumers, but also thanks to the development of a series of new products and techniques that have helped to turn the spotlight on this segment. As always, however, when the spotlights are turned on, both lights and shadows emerge, even with respect to a market trend that seems to go well beyond expectations.

THE NO-LOW ALCOHOL TREND If driving under the influence has always represented a danger to oneself and to others, since 2008 the punishment and tolerance for this type of misdemeanor has undergone an even more severe push with a series of changes to the rules, including law n. 125 dated 24 July, 2008 and law n. 120 dated 29 July, 2010. This tightening has led many of us (also in Italy, because it has been in use elsewhere for years) to insert new terminology such as "designated driver" in their vocabulary and to evaluate as normal, for example, the need

ALCOHOL-FREE COCKTAILS

WHERE TO FIND THE BEST NO- AND LOW-ALCOHOL DRINKS IN ITALY Londra

Parigi

China Tang

Little Red Door

New York

The NoMad Bar Hong Kong

Barcellona

Caprice Bar

Paradiso

Bangkok

Bamboo Bar Lima

Dubai

Carnival

Bulgari Hotel Maldive

Blu at Four Seasons Resort Maldives di Landaa Giraavaru

for a non-alcoholic alternative in the places of drinking, and not limited to the offer of a simple pre-packaged beverage. Human action is not dictated only by the fear of punishment, but also by the desire for the "reward," in recent years there has been an increasing attention to health, well-being and therefore to the search for products that are compatible with a healthier lifestyle. In this sense, all market research shows a growing demand for products with a lower alcohol content. It is no coincidence that one of the most used claims (and referring to alcoholic cocktails) in the Bar Industry in recent years is "drink less, drink better." However, the most important revolution seems to be the one concerning the type of consumers: our society is increasingly international, inclusive and transversal, and consequently tends to expand the moments of consumption. The imaginary according to which the consumers of aperitifs are young people, or the drinkers of spirits are men, now seems to be antiquated, and it is increasingly easy to find families with children or pregnant women at bar tables. Fur-

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thermore (as in the rest of Europe) also in Italy the second generations of migratory flows are conquering an increasingly active role in society, without this necessarily leading them to deny their origins and cultures. The integration process passes therefore also through accepting that there is a significant and important part of the population that chooses not to imbibe for ethical or religious reasons.

If we move to the other side of the bar counter, however, we immediately realise that focusing on non-alcoholic beverages is not only a choice that expands the offer, but also an economically advantageous move: the drink cost of a non-alcoholic cocktail is significantly lower, especially if made with homemade ingredients, as explained by Tommaso Sarti, consultant and controller specialised in the world of bars: «Let's take for example a Shirley Temple prepared with a premium syrup; it means that in terms of cost, a cocktail will be composed as follows: 0.17 cents of grenadine, 0.10 cents of lime juice and 40 cents of Ginger Ale. About 0.67 cents per drink. To make a comparison, an Americano is about

STORIES

A MOVEMENT FROM BELOW THAT'S CHANGING THE WORLD A first interesting challenge is trying to understand if the industry is aiming to create a trend in the bar world, or if on the contrary it has created a movement that started from the bottom and therefore tries to follow its development with the proposal of ad hoc products. Based on my experience, I would be more inclined to embrace this second hypothesis: the bar world in fact for many years, step by step, has been advancing in the direction of non-alcoholic beverages. I think it's interesting in this regard to underline the role of Hotel Bars, especially those linked to establishments that include a Spa: quietly in these places new ideas for Healthy Cocktails have been developed for years, whose techniques (for example fruit and vegetables extracts) can also be found today in the laboratories of trendy cocktail bars. In fact, it is precisely the growing attention of customers to wellness issues, especially in countries such as the USA, that has driven the research. It is also interesting to note how in every country in the world mocktails reflect the local taste: at Carnival in Lima, where there is a large section dedicated to soft drinks, herbs and fruit are the at the core of the drinks proposal. At Bamboo in Bangkok the role of spices is fundamental. Italy, with occasional exceptions, is now addressing the issue in a structured way: when in 2018 we launched the idea of a "Family Friendly" cocktail at FCW's participants, we did not receive an enthusiastic response. In subsequent editions it has become more common to find non-alcoholic drinks also in the main Cocktail List. In conclusion, even if some of the most important Cocktail Bars in the world, such as the American Bar of the Savoy in London, have a dedicated section in their menu, it means that regardless of time and place, now in every country it's possible ask for a mocktail without the fear of being pointed out as "non-drinkers." And not only once you arrive at your destination, but also during the journey: the most famous airlines in the world, in fact, alongside the great classics have a Mocktail List dedicated to those who choose to drink alcohol-free.

– Paola Mencarelli, Florence Cocktail Week

0.88 cents and a Margarita about €1.45.»

Paradoxically, however, it is not the bars but the producers who have the greatest income from non-alcoholic drinks. Sarti explains: «Alcoholic products and especially spirits have a fixed taxation, aka excise duty, which greatly affects the final cost of the bottle: a liter of Gin has on average more than 4 excise duties, while a distillate non-alcoholic doesn't pay any.»

CURRENT CONSUMPTIONS AND FORECASTS The growth forecasts for the alcohol-free cocktail sector are very auspicious. In fact, the estimated growth is 400% by 2024 for a value that could reach 500 million dollars globally. But to understand how much the phenomenon is already among us, just think that last April Google searches for the term "non-alcoholic cocktail" in Italy recorded an increase of 115%. To better understand these numbers, consider that the current market share is minimal, equal to 0.6%, and that therefore each shift leads to double-digit growth in percentage values. However,

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this does not mean that in the last two years the + sign has led to excellent results, with a 32.7% increase in demand and an average annual growth forecast of 14% for the next five years to reach the 120,000 liters of NoLow Spirit estimate that will be consumed in Europe alone in 2024. Another interesting fact evidenced from market research is that the majority of consumers of these products (about 58%) declare that they drink alcohol normally and therefore choose these drinks as an alternative at certain times and occasions of consumption, while only 14% declare that they never consume alcohol and therefore choose this type of cocktail by exclusion.

WHAT ARE THE ALCOHOL-FREE PRODUCTS Let's start from a methodological premise: what we are about to illustrate cannot be called "Non-Alcoholic Gins." If on the one hand the world of beer has accustomed us to think that there may be various versions of a beverage, including one containing 0% alcohol, the same mechanism is not ap- 

ALCOHOL-FREE COCKTAILS

SET FIRE TO ALCOHOL: IT KEEPS FLAVOUR AND HEALTH INTACT There is a very easy way to create non-alcoholic cocktails starting from alcoholic ingredients: it's the same one used in the kitchen. If you want to keep the taste of a certain bitter or vermouth, in fact, you can easily de-alcoholise it at home: just put the bitter or vermouth over very low heat, let it heat up and then set it on fire.

That's how it's possible to eliminate alcohol present inside a product. When the flame goes out, you have to try to set it on fire again: when the flame no longer forms, the product is dealcoholised; at that point you work as you would to prepare any other drink: to bitter and vermouth the soda is added and the non-alcoholic Americano, completely homemade, is ready.

– Marco Macelloni, bartender of Franklin’33 in Lucca

FROM CAMPARI SODA TO BACARDI BREEZER: THE HARD SELZERS AND THE EVOLUTION OF A LOW ALCOL CATEGORY In the low alcoholic ready-to-drink beverage category, Italy was an unwitting pioneer. It is in fact undeniable that an iconic product like Campari Soda is in all respects a precursor of what companies are launching on the low-alcohol market today. The other product that in this regard we could now define as "historical" is the Bacardi Breezer, launched at the beginning of the 90s: it has all the characteristics of what was the drink of the time (sweet and colourful) and which, despite being rum-based, has only 4 degrees, less than a classic beer. But the great revolution of the second millennium are Hard Selzers, products that are becoming popular in the United States and are trying to make a name for themselves on the European market as well. These moderately alcoholic drinks contain sparkling water, often a fruity flavouring and an alcoholic component obtained by adding wine, liqueurs, spirits or barley malt. Giants such as Corona, Molson Coors, Heineken and Coca-Cola have already launched into this category, as well as media figures such as Chef Gordon Ramsay, who presented his own line of products called Hell's Seltzer.

plicable to spirits. As an example, as we said, Gin, a famous botanical distillate made with juniper whose production is regulated by the EU Regulation 2019/787 on spirit drinks.

Here, in the section dedicated to Gin, we find the following wording: "Gin is a juniper spirit drink obtained by flavouring ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin with juniper berries (Juniperus communis L.) ... The minimum alcoholic strength by volume of gin is of 37.5% vol."

Here, this last regulatory definition clarifies why it is impossible to call Non-Alcoholic Gin a drink that has zero or little alcohol: a problem common to many of the ingredients used in mixology. The term that is therefore most often used (for journalistic and commercial purposes for this category of products) is "non-alcoholic distillates," even if - as we will see later - at a regulatory level, they are technically hydrolates or flavoured waters. The other reason for using the term "non-alcoholic spirits" is that in recent years, zero-grade blending products have extended to almost every product category, like bitters and alcohol-free reproductions of great aged

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distillates.

THE BOOM OF NON-ALCOHOL INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD The pioneer in this sector was undoubtedly Seedlip, a line of products created in England

by Ben Branson inspired by the ancient methods of distillation found in a late 17th century text. The ingredients used to flavour these drinks all come from the English countryside and are partly self-produced in the estate owned by Branson himself, the protagonist of a research spanning over 2 years that led him to create the first non-alcoholic distillate in the world. The production process lasts almost 6 months as each botanical needs specific maceration times and distillation temperatures. The success of this line of products (not surprisingly acquired and becoming part of the portfolio of the Diageo distillates giant) has led to a flourishing of companies that all over the world have focused on the production of non-alcoholic spirits for cocktails. Just to name a few brands and their innovations, Australian company Lyre's was among the first to create a complete range of substitutes

STORIES

that allows to faithfully recreate the classic cocktails in non-alcoholic versions. Of the thirteen labels, five are already available in Italy, namely those designed to replace Amaretto, Vermouth Rosso, Bitter, Spiced Rum and of course Gin. A success also witnessed by the 2020 report of Drink's international magazine, from which Lyre's is the second best selling brand sans alcohol globally. The palates of South America also quickly established on this market, with the launch of the Colombian Caleño, while in the Netherlands the classic Jenever (which we could define the ancestors of modern Gin) are reinterpreted also in a non-alcoholic key, as in the case of Hooghoudt Zero Zero from the independent Hooghoudt distillery (1888), which created a completely natural and non-alcoholic herbal infusion, for the creation of which each botanical component is distilled individually in copper kettles. Fluère, which has been on the Italian market since 2019 thanks to Pallini, is also positioned along the same historical lines: this non-alcoholic distillate is created with the same technique used by master 

THE IRREPLACEABLE ROLE OF TEA I run a Chinese-inspired cocktail bar: it was therefore natural to work a lot with tea, both employed for alcohol and soft drinks. The teas in our mocktails also enhance the other ingredients. First rule: use a good quantity and very good quality, in leaf form. At ChinaTang we started experimenting with them in the preparation of sodas: they were designed to accompany an alcoholic base, but then we discovered that they were very pleasant as non-alcoholic sparkling teas. Wanting to increase the complexity, we add a syrup: it all depends on the teas, for example with Lapsang or Oolong (smoky notes) a grenadine is interesting while a green tea goes very well with mint. There are teas that also combine very well with juices, for example the aforementioned Oolong goes perfectly with fresh green apple juice: the fructose of the juice combines well with the bitter tannins of the tea. So it's also possible to use tea as a known bitter for non-alcoholic cocktails, making reductions and adding it in drops or as spray, thus offering a spectacular presentation to the guest and also a beautiful aroma. Then there are teas that go very well with lime and can be used for example for a Virgin Mojito using a base of sweetened tea instead of rum. A final rule for those wishing to try their hand at this game: not all teas are extracted at the same temperature; there are some that need only 70 degrees C, others need to be extracted at 90 degrees C. In short, to do things right you need to study and carry out lots of experimentation.

– Giulio Amodio, ChinaTang at The Dorchester in London

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STORIES

perfumers for perfumes and the recipe is inspired by medicinal herbs and spices collected by the legions in the different areas of the ancient Roman Empire campaigns. In France, the JNPR project (pronounced juniper) created by Valèrie De Sutter in collaboration with the barman-entrepreneur Flavio Angiolillo, who with his Family group has contributed to the realization of the recipes of the range, recently enriched by the arrival of BTTR N° 1, non-alcoholic alternative of the bitter category, made with sweet orange, bitter orange, lemon, gentian, rhubarb, licorice, cinnamon and sugar. In Italy experiments are also becoming increasingly numerous. The pioneer was undoubtedly Tuscan Memento which, inspired by the centuries-old knowledge handed down in the Florentine Cookbook published in 1498 by the Order of Doctors and Apothecaries, created its own mix of botanical essences to create a non-alcoholic product with a clear territorial imprint. Last but not least, even an exquisitely Italian sector such as bitters is looking in the direction of no alcohol. The non-alcoholic version of

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Amaro Venti deserves a mention, created with botanicals from each of the regions of Italy and available in both non-alcoholic and alcoholic versions. However, what could really get this market segment off the ground is the growing interest of the giants of spirits: after the acquisition of Seedlips by Diageo, in fact, the other big players also seem interested in making their move. The latest cases in chronological order were the launch at Christmas of 0.0% Gordon, created by distilling the same botanicals used in the namesake London Dry Gin; the acquisition by Pernod Ricard of the majority stake in the non-alcoholic spirit brand Ceder's, and the launch of Martini of two references for non-alcoholic aperitifs under its own brand to replace the classic vermouths of the Turin company.

THE ISSUE WITH PRESERVATIVES IThe main problem of the thriving category of non-alcoholic bar products is not a secret, it's actually written (by law) on all the bottles on the back-label: preservatives. The problem is preservation in the absence of alcohol,

ALCOHOL-FREE COCKTAILS

above all because in principle these are products designed to replace alcohol in the storage of bars and clubs, or at room temperature.

The only way to guarantee these products a life of 6 months after opening is therefore use of preservatives. Taking a quick tour of the labels, we therefore find the use of E202 (potassium sorbate, an anti-fermentative) and sometimes E242 (dimethyl dicarbonate).

These are substances commonly used in the food industry, but they seem out of tune in reference to bottles that play all their communication on health and transparency, and that use effective phrases such as "no dyes, no sugars, vegan." Furthermore, as the biggest paradox, the use of E242 in water leads to the spontaneous formation of exogenous methanol, or alcohol, making products of this kind unsuitable for those not drinking alcohol as an ethical choice. However, if this market segment is destined for significant growth in the coming years, it is inevitable that sooner or later producers will have to ask the question regarding preservatives. If technically this challenge seems enormous and in some ways unsolvable, there are already alternative solutions and hypotheses that could change the market. Recently, the position of Fulvio Piccinino, one of the leading intellectual authorities in the realm of bars in Italy, has been discussed a lot: «Here in Italy, since the Fifties, non-alcoholic beverages have always been at home in bars with iconic products such as Crodino, S.Bitter or Gingerino Recoaro. The new non-alcoholic spirits are not carbonated and are not single-portion, but when tasted they are very similar to our classics, inspiring their bitter and citrus tones. In Italian non-alcoholic single-servings, however, carbon dioxide acts as a preservative, while in the new non-alcoholic distillates it doesn't since they are not single-serving and do not contain carbon dioxide which, in any case, hard to store for long in larger, long-lasting bottles.» So Piccinino goes so far as to propose, even abroad, single-serving sizes such as our classics in a smaller bottle, sure that they would be a pleasant and intriguing novelty now that bitters are fashionable in a world

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A FRUIT-BASED COCKTAIL A non-alcoholic cocktail is not just a mix of fruit and industrial glucose-based syrups. Our Sexycolada, also available in a non-alcoholic version, is made with the freshest pineapples. For the type of cocktail I propose, we use approximately 110 pineapples per week. But there is another fruit that really makes the difference here: coconut, without a doubt, which we can pick directly from South Florida coconut trees which are very close to the sea and provide greater flavour than the coconut you find in the city. We use every part of the fruits: for example, we use coconut water for ice while the emptied pineapples become glasses. We like to create, we also have an orzata (barley water) and homemade grenadine. But hark! In the choice of fruit, geography is fundamental. I would never recommend in Italy to use fresh exotic fruit if this involves importing it from very far away: quality is lost and the environment is polluted. At that point it's better to choose a packaged product and find a good one. I myself use natural frozen fruits that come from Peru and Colombia, because they allow me to have quality and taste without forcing anything.

– Daniele Della Pola, , owner of Esotico in Miami and icon of the international Tiki movement

where until recently only sweet beverages were used. Especially since a little carbon dioxide, in addition to preserving, would also be able to push the flavour. Not to mention that in a small and closed bottle, pasteurization could probably be enough.

Along the same lines of the rediscovery of our tradition is also the birth of products such as BelliNO, by SeiBellissimi, a non-alcoholic Bellini that uses the same ingredients as the alcoholic version, but with a different production process: Muscat grape must and peach pulp, without preservatives precisely because designed to be consumed on a single occasion. Finally, for everything related to Gin, the approach of the Toscana Winestillery appears revolutionary. It has decided to go in the opposite direction, producing a 100ml bottle with dropper that contains 70% Full Proof Gin, called Hyper Low Gin, distilled with an intensity of botanicals 100 times higher than the classic product. The method of use provides a dose of 1ml per glass to be diluted in 200ml of tonic thus having a drink grade of 0.35%, (below 0,5% is by 

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STORIES

DOVE TROVARE I MIGLIORI COCKTAIL NO E LOW ALCOL IN ITALIA Torno (CO)

Lobby Bar dell'Hotel Il Sereno Milano

Carico Surfer Garden Drinc Gardone (BS)

Grand Hotel Fasano

Venezia

Certosa Il Mercante

Roma

COSO Drink Kong Latteria Garbartella Pisa

Jeffer

Bisceglie (BT)

Contrabar Firenze

Locale Floreal

Lecce

Laurus

Napoli

Laboratorio Folkloristiko

Salerno

Gravina in Puglia (BA)

Cinquanta Spirito Italiano

Gran Caffè Gambrinus Salina (ME)

Signum

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law a non-alcoholic) and legally defined as non-alcoholic Gin Tonic, and keeping both the body and the extraordinarily aromas unchanged. In short, we wanted to achieve the same result (a cocktail at zero alcohol volumes) without betraying the original raw material, but only by recalibrating the doses. Back in the day, in ourgrandparents' homes there was often a small bottle of Fernet extract: the bitter base to add to alcohol in a certain measure to obtain classic Fernet. Here, on the other hand, it would be the alcohol as dosed and inserted into other mixing liquids.

“ALCOHOL SOUNDING” SOFT DRINKS: AN INTERNATIONAL TREND If the bar world is moving in the direction of No Alcohol, the industry equally seems to be up to speed. In Europe, for many years now, the soda market has seen the potential of products that reproduce on a palatal level the typical flavours of aperitifs consumed at home and that could in some way exploit the success of some of the most popular drinks for the creation of new products. It is no coincidence that among the pioneers of research in this sense are the two global beverage giants, Pepsico and Coca-Cola, which have been offering "cocktail-flavoured" drinks on the international markets for years. An example in this regard is the great success of 7Up (Pepsico group) with Mojito flavour which in certain markets (such as the French one) has quickly become the best-selling reference, surpassing even the classic flavours. By the same token, the intervention of Coca Cola with its Finley brand offers (in addition to the Mojito) also a Piña Colada version and a Spritz. The success of these projects helps us understand how consumers have now internalised certain taste combinations, transforming a "recipe" into a flavour, and making it an object of desire even just for the pleasure of the palate, thus excluding the alcoholic component.

HOW MANY ALCOHOLIC DEGREES 

ALCOHOL-FREE COCKTAILS

AND IN THE WORLD OF SPIRITS EMERGE THE BITTERS, CRAFT AND INTERNATIONALS If low-alcohol cocktails can be made using any Spirit as a base, with the right proportions and dilutions, it's more than legitimate to ask what are the most important trends in the bar world in mixology made instead with liqueurs and spirits. We are certainly in an important moment of trend reversal in taste and customer requests.

Years of sweet cocktails have switched to increasingly bitter flavours. An international trend that favours Italy, however, which has always been a producer of bitters and basic products for this type of mixology. If it is undeniable that we are just at the beginning of the great boom of Craft Spirits, it's also evident that the market has quickly filled up with new Gin labels with a strong territorial imprint, made with local botanicals, which encapsulate the best of their native territories, giving the customer not only a refreshing drink but also an experience to remember. However, if with its average 40 degrees Gin may appear unsuitable for Low Alcohol Cocktails, it may be interesting to experiment with craft Vermouths, which outside the Piedmontese historical context are now increasingly less conventional (obviously always within the rules and golden botanicals to use the name).

Experiments don't end on herbs, but also on the basic wines used, combining two Italian excellence products in one bottle. If we go to see the foreign spirits it's interesting to discover that Italian bartenders never tire of experimenting and discovering: alongside the big names such as Vodka (downhill in preferences) or Whiskey (uphill and increasingly transversal to the young public and feminine public) in the bottles of Italy we discover more and more labels such as Peruvian Pisco or Brazilian Cachaça, alongside names never heard before even by insiders such as the Haitian Clairin, the Awamori of Okinawa or the Russian Polugar. Undoubtedly however, among all these products of foreign international origin, the one that is most up and coming in the Italian cocktail list (and in the tastes of customers) appears to be Mezcal, brother of Tequila, which lends itself in an exceptional way to the creation of cocktails and manages to appeal to most palates. In short, the assortment of bottles produced and imported has never been as vast as in the second millennium, all that's left now is to choose and experiment

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ISLAMIC COUNTRIES ARE ALSO DISCOVERING COCKTAIL STORIES BARS "In a complex and plural reality like the one we live in, where, beyond secularisation, there is still a strong need for a God and where, in addition to the many consolidated religious traditions that meet and clash in globalization––everyone fills the need for transcendence in their own way––it's difficult to speak unequivocally about the rules and precepts of a specific religious tradition. We know that traditionally alcohol in some religious cultures is considered a privileged vehicle to overcome the condition of the here and now, but we also know that in the prevailing Islamic religious tradition, its use is prohibited. This was not the case at the dawn of Islam: the precept dates back to the times when Mohammed, who moved from Mecca to Medina, became a political leader, as well as a religious one, and consequently responsible for the order of the city. The need to maintain control of a people and an army that had to be efficient at all times and for any eventuality, required that the use of substances that could limit lucidity and prowess be abolished. It's in the Medina Sura that the first references to the prohibition of the use of alcohol appear with a series of intermediate passages, up to the total prohibition: "In truth, with wine and gambling, Satan wants to sow enmity and hatred among you and move away from the remembrance of Allah'' (Koran, Sura al-Ma'ida 5,90-91). It's important, however, to point out that the Islamic tradition is not unified and that there are various expressions. Just think of the classic differences between Sunnites and related numerous Koranic schools that dictate different rules of behaviour, Shiite and Sufi. In the latter environment, of mystical nature, wine is considered a symbol of the ecstatic experience as can be seen, for example, in some verses of the Persian poet Umar Khayyam (1048-1131).

The needs of everyday life, as well as those of work, have led to the emergence of legal opinions that make it possible to handle, transport and sell alcohol. There have appeared certification bodies for halal products, i.e. "permitted," also for alcoholic products used not only in edible products, but which have extensive use in the world of cosmetics and in the important segment of the perfumery market. On closer inspection, these entities also belong to specific schools of thought. In general, since it is indicated in the Koran, the ban on the consumption of alcohol tout court remains.

New trends affecting the world of mixed drinking see the emergence of alcohol-free products in response more to the need to improve health standards than to satisfy religious demands, but they could certainly pave the way for new markets. In reality, these are techniques that orthodox Islam does not accept, continuing to consider forbidden the use of substances resulting from any fermentation. In the plural reality in which we live, further complicated by the phenomena connected with globalization, the differences in the behaviour of single individuals have however intensified. What really makes the difference in actual personal conduct - therefore also with respect to the trend towards alcohol-free mixology - concerns, as in any other religious tradition, the level of observance or, on the contrary, the liberation of the individual from his own religious tradition prevalent in one's own residential or family context. A tradition that is sometimes reinterpreted and adapted in relation to the needs of the moment.

– Simona Scotti, sociologist of religions and author of the book “Spirito & spirits. Religions and lifestyles"

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DO COCKTAILS HAVE? SWe are about to venture out to discover the other great world: the realm of Low Alcohol cocktails: but we must first define what the alcohol standard is for a drink to be called low. In fact, the alcohol content of cocktails is extremely variable, depending on the type of drink (short, long or cup), depending on the dilution applied and the proportions between the ingredients, as Daniele Cancellara, Rasputin's bar manager in Florence explains: «You can range from 17° for an Americano to 34-35° for a Martini, but it's the hand that changes everything, and obviously the dilution due to ice.» So let's try to understand it with a concrete example, taking an extremely simple and much loved cocktail, made of only two ingredients such as Gin & Tonic. In this case we have one alcoholic ingredient and one not. «Gin has on average 40°, while tonic water by definition has 0 - explains Cancellara - if we take a proportion of ¼ and ¾ on a 20cl cocktail, we will have an average drink that is around 10°.

By comparison, on quantity and alcohol content (and excluding factors such as the body's absorption of different types of alcohol), we could say that it is roughly equivalent to a couple of glasses of wine or a pint of beer. And all this without considering the further lowering due to dilution, which can affect 30-40% in the case of a shaken cocktail, or 15% if working with a mixing glass.»

In short, the starting point for a comparison is not easily definable, but we can start from the assumption that the average of alcoholic cocktails is safely below 30°.

THE WORLD OF LOW ALCOHOL DRINKS At this point, let's examine the world of Low Alcohol - often referred to as "Low Abv" by abbreviation - which together with No Alcohol is the other great international trend currently taking place. In a nutshell, we are talking about the low alcohol content cocktail proposal: everything and nothing, because many other historical drinks could fall into this category. To better understand, we must refer to the law (EU Regulation no. 2019/787) which lists the characteristics of alcoholic

ALCOHOL-FREE COCKTAILS

cocktails and sets the alcoholic strength at a minimum of 15° in order to use the term "spirits," while above 21° the term "super spirits" is used. Art. 1 of law n.125/2001 explains: "Alcoholic beverage means any product containing drinking alcohol with an alcohol content greater than 1.2° of alcohol and for spirits any product with alcohol content greater than 21 percent by volume."

First of all, therefore, Low Abv mixology offers cocktails certainly below 21° alcohol.

But, to be even more consistent, we should specify that there is a whole current of thought that is not limited to trying to have a final alcohol content of around 21, but that even chooses to use mixology products that are below the decreed threshold.

Finding the year zero of this movement (as often happens with global phenomena) is not easy, but being a relatively recent phenomenon, we have reliable information that marks the birth of the low ABV cocktail trend to around 2017-2018. Obviously there had already been many pioneers, and

Italy should certainly be mentioned in this sense, where the first important steps in this direction were already taken in 2014 at the Rotonda Bistro in Milan. Here, Diego Ferrari laid the foundation for what would later happen globally.

The process of affirmation of this new way of drinking was also accompanied by a rediscovery process that led to re-analyse the old recipe books of the late 19th and early 20th century, to rediscover existing and popular low ABV recipes more than a century ago that are still up to date and pleasant for today's palates. In recent years, it has become increasingly common to find a section dedicated to low alcohol content in cocktail recipe books, which consequently also appear in cocktail lists all over the world. One of the positive side effects of this trend is that more and more indications on the gradations of cocktails are appearing on bar menus, and this is for both Low Abvs and the rest of the offer, thus bringing greater clarity and awareness for customers.

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GAMBERO ROSSO X TENUTA OLIANAS

Tenuta Olianas.

Biointegrali wines of Sarcidano fano Casadei’s experience, skill and sensitivity led in 2013 to the study of an internal disciplinary, with the help of a technical committee, then registered with the brand ‘Biointegrale’: “We started from organic to switch then to biodynamic practices – tell us Casadei –and we felt the need to put some key points down on paper that would go beyond the appellations. From there, we drew up the Biointegrale 10 points, a real philosophy of life. Each point in the handbook is crucial, such as the importance of human-animal interaction. We work with the horse traction, thus avoiding soil compaction and allowing the roots to go deep.

Having animals on a farm not only increases biodiversity, but also leads to a daily experience of the estate, whatever the weather. ‘’Another important issue to tackle is doing something for the land, starting with the redistribution of wealth: we set up the perimeter with a virtual compass

For everyone it was the dawn of the new millennium, while for Stefano Casadei and the Olianas family it was the dawn of a new winemaking project. Olianas was founded in 2000 in Gergei, a small village in the Sarcidano area, 60 km (37 miles) from Cagliari. An inland area bordering on several subregions of Sardinia: Marmilla, Trexenta and Barbagia. A land where unspoilt nature has always left room for vineyards, where real ampelographic gardens with native varieties dominate the scene and many winegrowers, who have always been working between the rows. The farmland abandonment and the vineyard uprooting did not spare this area either, but the vision and farsightedness of the founders with the establishment of Olianas revived viticulture in a place with a high vocation. The project was clear from the start: producing wine with respect for the environment, the land and the people who live there. Oenologist and owner of two important estates in Tuscany, Ste1

Three projects of great personality under one name Famiglia Casadei represents three different wine projects. One identifies with Castello del Trebbio in the Chianti Rufina area, that focuses on the most authentic tradition and on the production of Sangiovese and its enhancement. On the other hand, located in Suvereto, Tenuta Casadei focuses on international wines with Cabernet Franc playing the leading role, for which several excellent results have been achieved for the allochthonous variety. Last but not least, the Sardinian project of Olianas is based entirely on the regional native grape varieties, starting with Cannonau. It is no coincidence that the company is planning on adding two real crus from completely different soils, to the two Cannonau wines already produced. In addition, the three realities of the Casadei family are united by the amphorae, a working tool that has become over the years a fixed project that led to several lines (also commercial), both in Tuscany and Sardinia.  Castello del Trebbio - Pontassieve (FI) via di Santa Brigida, 9 - 0558304900 castellodeltrebbio.it  Tenuta Casadei - Suvereto (LI) - loc. San Rocco 05651933605 - tenutacasadei.it

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GAMBERO ROSSO X TENUTA OLIANAS

1. Stefano Casadei and Alfredo Figus working on the amphorae 2. One aspect that catches Olianas visitors’ eyes is the presence in the vineyards of many free-range geese to clean the plots.

3. An overview of Tenuta Olianas

The Biointegrale handbook 1

Respect the cardinal principles of biodiversity.

2

Minimise the raw material manipulation to preserve the naturalness of the finished product.

And goodness.

3

Favour traditional agronomic practices supported by modern technologies.

4

Preserve the link between the organoleptic characteristics of the products and their territory, without compromising quality.

3

within 50/60 km (31/37 miles) radius from our winery,’’ continues Casadei. Everything must come from our territory, from the workforce to the suppliers. Lastly, we are working hard to become soon carbon neutral.” The vineyards are located at 400 metres (1312 feet) above sea level and up to 600 metres (1968 feet) in the Isili area, not far from Gergei. The estate boasts a total of 30 hectares (74 acres). “The beauty of Olianas,’’ – says company’s technical manager Alfredo Figus – ‘’lies in its location, an area with different soils, from sand to limestone, from clay to the volcanic soils in Isili. The varieties behave differently and our native grapes, Cannonau, Bovale, Semidano as well as the aromatic Nasco and Malvasia, give different sensations depending on the vineyard. In the cellar we keep it simple, acting in a non-invasive way: we use steel, wood and amphorae that the company has always been betting on and therefore many experiments have been carried out: here too their use varies according to the wines and grape varieties, since the main objective remains the enhancement of the individual territories.”

5 Conceive eco-friendly architectural spaces, powered as much as possible by renewable energy sources.

6

Employ local labour, use local products, distribute wealth throughout the territory and maintain it over time.

7

Reduce the use of mechanical means on the land, favouring animal-drawn vehicles.

8 Till the soil to enrich its vitality, not the plants.

9

Ban synthetic chemicals.

10

Limit human activity on the plant, favouring rational agriculture.

 Tenuta Olianas - Gergei (SU) - loc. Purruddu - 3442369837 - olianas.it

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FORESTS IN THE VINEYARD. TREES AND WOODS AROUND AND IN THE ROWS ONCE AGAIN FILL THE COUNTRYSIDE AND IMPROVE BOTH Improving the life of the vineyards thanks to the presence of trees is possible. Research, studies and above all a lot of practice recognize the benefits brought by tree species in wine-growing areas. Hypotheses that go in the direction of increasingly cooperative environmental agriculture.

Farmers are approaching the idea, in Italy and around the world words by Francesca Ciancio – infographics by Alessandro Naldi

STORIES

E

verybody wants to plant trees.

It's discussed in condo meetings, as well as on the web, with youtubers and even with people like multi-billionaire Elon Musk - inventor of Tesla - who have become new champions of reforestation.

They are the latest in a long list that’s due to grow, which also includes Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, and Tobias Lütke, head of Shopify.

TREE: THE TOPIC OF THE MOMENT So is reforestation against global warming an Internet tycoon thing? Or a radical chic move? Not at all. The tree is the topic of the moment: it's a source of energy, an example of resilience, sometimes mystical element, illustration for hundreds of book covers and essays that speak of the need and desire for a more conscious contact with nature. In this intimate and salvaging dimension, the tree risks losing, in the eyes of those who observe it, its true function, which

is being a part of a whole. If this pertains to all agriculture, let's start by saying that trees cannot be planted anywhere, neither randomly, nor without taking into account the tree species. Nature is not a selfish and self-centered organism.

On the contrary, it draws its strength from the relations between species. Like it happens among trees and grape vines: on the one hand large arboreal entities, including monumental species; on the other, territories of great prestige for fame and also for real estate value. Each with its own needs, and where the hard part - and the skillfulness - is making these to coexist to help the environment.

Always passionate about trees, Francesco Ferrini is Professor of General Arboriculture and Tree Cultivation at the University of Florence. Much appreciated in the sector for his studies on urban arboriculture, he has been extending his research for years also to the rural landscape: «It's often the story of a conflict - the teacher starts - between farmers and

ICONOLOGY OF THE MARRIED GRAPEVINE The association of grapevine and tree, over the centuries, has given life to a myriad of allegories and symbolisms. Let's see a few of them  The link between the grapevine and the tree, linguistically related to a marriage, indicates an inseparable and sacred bond  In Christian literature, the union of grapevine-tree is often taken as a symbol of mutual help between Christians, or as an allegory of the wood of the cross (the part of the training system) that supports the Tree of Life (the vine supported by the training system)  The married grapevine enters fully into the literary and figurative imagination also as a symbol of indissoluble bonds such as friendship or love  In Cesare Ripa's Iconologia, published in Rome in 1593 with the intention of providing painters, sculptors and writers with the personifying images of abstract concepts such as virtues or feelings, the married grapevine is proposed on two occasions: in the allegory of Friendship (see image) and of Benevolence.

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foresters, where the former have for long time considered the tree as a nuisance. The dominating idea of agricultural landscape is monoculture fields, boring in colour, lines and especially in the cultivated species. Today we are starting to look at trees as landmarks, places - and therefore not isolated organisms - that contribute to an all-round ecological function, thanks to countless benefits. But let's focus for a moment on the news: Chinese farmers have deforested their lands to such an extent that bats have been found in food markets. It's the humans who have sought out the virus and not the other way around.

This health emergency, which we are still fighting in, has a lot to do with deforestation.

This is when trees, also thanks to or because of the pandemic, have returned to show their curative value.»

Beyond the psychophysical well-being they offer, scientifically recognised by countless researches, trees are increasingly protagonists in agriculture and particularly in viticulture: «It's equally appropriate to talk about care 1. The Dedno vineyard that Gravner planted in 2010 with ribolla cuttings 2. The Runk. Gravner says: "I owe a lot of my experience and love for Ribolla to this vineyard" (photo by Alvise Barsanti) 3. The vineyards of Villa Papiano

In the opening, Gravner's Hum vineyard (photo by Alvise Barsanti)

FORESTS IN THE VINEYARDS

MINI GLOSSARY Farming ecology Consists in the application of ecological principles to the production of food, fuel, fibers and drugs as well as to the management of agricultural systems. An approach that has different methods and theories and that began in the late 1920s.

Mycorrhizae The symbiotic association between a fungus and a superior plant, located within the root system of the plant symbiont, and which extends into the surrounding soil. Both organisms generally benefit from this association.

1

here too - continues Ferrini - and there are many examples. Trees improve local weather, for example, thanks to the fact that wooded areas keep the air humid which in turn creates more rain clouds helping agriculture and the supply of drinking water. They furthermore "sequester" CO2, i.e. they absorb carbon dioxide, especially in the development phase, because they grow rapidly and use carbon to reach new heights, helping to remove air pollutants and improve the microclimate. In terms of figures, fifteen trees absorb 100 kg (220 lbs) of CO2. They constrain the land thanks to their root systems, avoiding hydrogeological instability. Both hot and cold winds break thanks to trees, creating thermal barriers to the advantage of crops. Then there are types of trees that are "perfect machines" for the benefit of environmental balance.

Think of the oak tree for example, which supports more life forms than any other

tree genus by providing food and protection for birds, insects and larger animals. There are about 430 species in the world, but the genus quercus is characterised by size and longevity. Their importance lies in an endless series of "fascinating interactions."

An oak can produce three million acorns in its lifetime - tons of protein, fat and carbohydrates - and a mature tree can drop up to 700,000 leaves a year. The litter that is created constitutes a habitat for beneficial microorganisms that fight parasites and crop predators. Decaying leaves and pruning wood bring nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and calcium back to the soil. This dark and humid world - called humus - is the true beating heart of nature and is fundamental both on a local scale, as a regulator of soil fertility, and on a global scale, because it determines the carbon accumulation potential of ecosystems.» 

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Permaculture Developed in the seventies by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, it's a set of practices aimed at designing and managing man-made landscapes that meet human needs (food, fiber and energy) and at the same time have the resilience, richness and stability of natural ecosystems.

Resilience Term used in physics to indicate the ability of a metal to absorb shock without breaking. In psychology it indicates the ability to react to adversity in a positive fashion. Additionally, it also indicates the ability of a system (human, natural, economic, social) to react positively to stimuli and negative events and find opportunities in moments of crises.

Rittochino Processing system: elimination of steps and terraces in a slope to improve the passage of mechanical vehicles.

STORIES

WHY TREES ARE GOOD FOR GRAPE VINES (AND MAYBE FOR WINE, TOO) Much more prosaically, for peasants oak trees - and all the trees with extensive foliage - were the place to have a snack and a nap. This is why they are historically widespread in the fields: they were a place of shade and refreshment. Then they turned into hindrances to mechanical field work and into unprofitable occupied spaces. Viticulture has greatly changed the appearance of the Italian rural landscape. One example out of many is "rittochino" processing, a "classic" of Tuscan viticulture - replacing preexisting terracing. These techniques have the drawback of causing severe erosion and the reduction of soil fertility which must then be reintegrated chemically. According to a research carried out in an area of Chianti, in Tuscany erosion in the period between 1954-1976 increased by 900% and

in the rittochino vineyards it reaches levels of about 230 tons per hectare, compared to values between 2 and 12 tons per hectare which are considered acceptable.

THE TASTE OF “TREES” Lorenzo Costa lives and works in the Gaiole area of Chianti. A self-taught farmer, designer farmer in permaculture, and agroecology scholar. Lorenzo's origins are Piedmontese but his choice for where to start his company fell on a fairly inaccessible area of Tuscany, La Scoscesa. One hectare of woods where his vegetable garden was born between stones, marl, slopes of over one hundred meters made practicable by dry stone walls. In short, fruits and vegetables in the shade of the foliage: «Among the trees - says Costa - we grow berries, fruit trees, perennial spinach, rhubarb, horseradish, black cabbage next to raspberries.

Observing nature in its untamed form pushes you to experiment with a different

THE SITUATION ABROAD France is a pioneer in this aspect. For some time we have been dealing with agricultural forestry. The Restinclières research company, in southern France, has arranged rows of grenache and syrah alternating with pine trees to understand whether ripening can be delayed by shading, windbreaks and evapo-transpiration of the trees. According to agricultural forestry, to which the estate inspires, in addition to the pines, also cypresses, pear trees and rowans have been planted. Another experimental farm La Bergerie de Villarceaux, in the Vexin region in northwestern France, has been the biggest supporter of agricultural forestry since 2011.

Ten years ago they replanted hedges where there was only intensive growing, and in 2011 it houses more than 600 trees in 23 hectares of farmland.

California is still doubtful. A study by the California Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources focused its attention on several wineries in the region with oak trees on the property. The study aimed to understand whether bats used for research purposes were attracted to the trees next to the vineyards. The outcome was positive because the oaks were attracting bats between the rows, thus increasing the biodiversity of the vineyard and also decreasing the amount of insects among the grapevines. For years - at least since 2016 - California citizen and environmental committees have been protesting against the advance of vineyards on the hills to the detriment of oak forests. Several times the votes for "Napa County Watershed and Oak Woodland Protection" have been rejected due to the lack of majority vote. After all, the Californian wine business has a turnover of over 50 billion dollars.

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and regenerative agriculture, so the winter cabbage becomes a perennial, changes appearance, but also has a more intense flavour.» Lorenzo in Gaiole is a privileged observer in terms of viticulture and therefore we asked him: are the thousands of hectares surrounding La Scoscesa good or bad for the vineyard?

«Actually, many wineries, even large ones, have been working organically for some time, using little or zero pesticides and you notice this from the significantly increased bee population. In my winery I have three swarms that come here every year. Then there is the cultural and educational factor: producers advise their visitors to get to know me or the entrepreneurs themselves who attend my courses on soil fertility. In this functional biodiversity the forest is a collector of fertility, despite there not being any human intervention and here, on the margins, I have added almonds, cherries, peach, apricot, red currant, gooseberry and twelve varieties of raspberries and strawberries, I have created flower beds

FORESTS IN THE VINEYARDS

for leaf crops even in the summer (when it's too hot and would be wiser not to consume lettuce that needs a lot of water) and I am experimenting with a gluten-free flour obtained from acorns. In the olive grove, on the other hand, we grow grains, legumes and other vegetables. The more varied the environment, the less strong the pressure of parasites. The olive fly, for example, is confused by the presence of other trees and shrubs, just as the nesting of insects creates a healthy antagonistic environment. In a forest, temperatures are more constant, without excessive fluctuations, which in functional terms means avoiding the danger of hailstorms.

These are all practices that would also benefit viticulture.» Turning around La Scoscesa you can see puddles and rivulets: these are interventions carried out by Lorenzo himself, who created micro channels and water basins to retain rainwater: «Chianti, like other areas, has a very bad management of wastewater, while exploiting the slopes

I managed to reuse 1,250,000 liters of water.»

IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS THE “MARRIED GRAPE VINE” There are two main forms with which the cultivation of the grapevine has spread in our country: one involved training the plant with the shoots resting on a live stake, the other "alberello" grape vines pruned low with shoots resting on the ground or a dead support. The first was by far the most widespread training system in Italy, probably present even before the Etruscan period: "labrusca" was the term used for the wild grapevine with long shoots that intertwined with the foliage of elms, maples and poplars.

The tree was married to the grapevine and the "planting" of grapevine trees mentioned by various Roman authors, was widespread north to south, from the regions crossed by the Po river to the countryside of Capua. On the contrary, the alberello grapevine was present mainly in the South and where 2 hot-arid soil situations persisted. The viticultural landscape we are used to today is very different from the one that existed until the 1950s. Pergolas, tendone, alberate: they were the rule rather than the exception and at the base of these training systems other products grew according to the rules of mixed or associated agriculture. In fact, the Latin authors, in addition to maple, elm and poplar, report the use of species such as dogwood, hornbeam, hornbeam, willow.

«If the field maple was so widespread as a tutor structure it's also because it housed an antagonist mite of the grapevine pest.»

Giuliani Dragoni, agronomist for forty years of the Montalcino Col D'Orcia company, remembers well the "married grapevines" and shares their technique: «I believe it's a great way to combine ecology and agriculture - explains Dragoni - so much so that I started a personal 

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8 TITLES TO READ ABOUT TREES

1 Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering Suzanne Simard

2 Mythology of Trees Jacques Brosse

3 Bäume. Betrachtungen und Gedichte Herman Hesse

4 The Maine Woods Henry David Thoreau

5 Da te solo a tutto il mondo Jared Diamond

6 La terra salvata dagli alberi Francesco Ferrini e Ludovico Del Vecchio

7 Oak. The Frame of Civilization William B. Logan

8 La Pianta del mondo Stefano Mancuso

STORIES

FOREST ECOSYSTEM: HOW IT WORKS arboreal layer beech, fir, chestnut, oak...) up to 50 m formed by trees with a long woody trunk of various sizes from which branches grow

Grassy layer (moss, grass, flowers) up to 20 cm formed by grass whose flexible part is called “stem”

Shrub layer (holly, heather, strawberry tree ...) up to 5 cm made up of plants whose woody branches grow at terrain level

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experimentation, marrying Sangiovese to tree stems directly in the nursery. In this way it's possible to control the double root growth. There will be about fifty potted plants in all and hopefully they will yield a maximum of 4-500 kilos of grapes. I did the same in Col D'Orcia but only for ornamental purposes. It's an operation that fascinates me. Given climate change, it would be an interesting way to shade the grapevines, with the clusters hiding under the canopy.

In addition, production would also increase by having a greater number of buds and the alcohol content would naturally decrease, while it would be easier to preserve aromas thanks to the shade.» The agronomist of the winery, the first in Tuscany to have 150 hectares of organic vineyards, also carries out research on the importance of mycorrhizae: «The goal - explains the technician - is to create conditions for more appropriate life of grapevines and in this process mushrooms play a fundamental role. It's a very ancient symbiosis - we are 3 talking about at least 400 million years between plants and fungi. The hyphae, the filaments of the fungi, come into intimate contact with the thinnest parts of the taller plants forming an apparatus which is called mycorrhiza. In this way the two organisms exchange minerals, water and nutrients. In fact, this relationship must also be considered a communication hub between individuals and different plant species (see box). So, a vineyard close to so much complexity can only find benefits.»

Hence the choice of not only preserving the already existing patches of forests, but also to plant new trees without changing the topography of the soil: «Poggi (hills) and rittochini have already done enough damage, because they are not hospitable environments for biodiversity, unlike flat terrains. We therefore prefer to work on small plots and have a holm oak or an oak present every 15-20 meters.» Col D'Orcia has one that everyone knows in Montalcino, the oak of Poggio al 

IN CALV IGNANO DAL 1868

VINEGROWERS IN CALVIGNANO SINCE 1868.

TENUTA TRAVAGLINO LOCALITÀ TRAVAGLINO 27040 CALVIGNANO - PV ITALIA

lat. 37°36’57.0” N long. 15°05’56.0” E TEL. +39 0383 872 222 info@travaglino.it www.travaglino.it

CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG. N. 1308/2013.

STORIES

5 WINES BORN AMID TREES 1 Gravner Ribolla ’12 Don't call it "orange

wine," as this

wine has the colour of amber as josko gravner himself likes to say. the resinous stone does not resemble it merely in colour, but also in brightness and iridescent reflections. first note impression? the iodized one. then there is chestnut honey and wax. clear references to the forests

2 Col D'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino Docg Riserva Poggio al Vento ’13 We could only choose "the wine of the oak" among the first crus recognized in montalcino. it comes out only in the best vintages and respects all the wishes of a demanding brunello consumer: balsamic, spicy and fruity tones that chase one another with great harmony and that close on a graphite finish and a fragrant mouth.

3 Villa Papiano Romagna Sangiovese Sup. Le Papesse di Papiano ’18 100% sangiovese, just "soiled" by a touch of balsamina, a recovered grape variety, in whose research the bordini family has been involved for a long time. there is all the balsamic nature of the woods that embrace the vineyards and then violets, in the smells and in the colour, the fruit of the brambles and the fragrance of the cherries of the high hills.

4 Poderi Colla Langhe Bricco del Drago ’15 There is no definition of "super piedmont" but if there were bricco del drago would be the forerunner of the category. almost all dolcetto d'alba and a part of nebbiolo, this wine is liked precisely because it confuses, as it has always done, since the beginning. it was born on a windy hill where a centuries-old almond tree dominates. and also the label is like this, austere but also fresh and inviting in the drink thanks to that softness typical of dolcetto.

5 Villa Saletta 980 AD ’15 It is the company cru,

the one to

which the most beautiful hill has been reserved.

Only Cabernet Franc

for this wine that chooses the dark colours of blackberries, blueberries, black pepper and licorice.

Then

Vento which has shaded the workers for over forty years: «In 1974 - remembers Dragoni - I planted a vineyard near this tree and there it became the birthplace of one of the first important crus of Montalcino, the Poggio al Vento precisely. Today our oak is an object of historical interest and could be included in the list of monumental trees thanks to its 350 years.»

Another winery in Palaia, Villa Saletta in the province of Pisa, also boasts an estate surrounded by more than 700 hectares of land, largely dedicated to the forest: a fantastic landscape which, not by chance, the new English owners fell in love with, the Hands family. As the oenologist and director David Landini explained to us, here too they've focused a lot on the protection of green areas, woods and tall trees: «The forest improves the vineyard, the poplar grove at the bottom of the valley changes the microclimate for the cultures of low hills and helps the production of truffles.

Furthermore, the presence of olive trees, meadows and wild plants has considerably increased the presence of bees.»

LESS VINES, MORE TREES, EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELDS There is a special bond between farmers and the trees born before us and that will probably survive us. Even Tino Colla has his own particular tree, an almond tree on the Bricco del Drago hill, in the Langhe of Alba. It has a spiral trunk, twisted by winds that blow continuously. The tree's age is a mystery. Perhaps as old as those of the Piedmontese company Colla, in the world of wine since the mid-18th century. «And I can assure you that the trees were already here, half vineyard and half forest.» Tino Colla himself speaks, one of the patriarchs of Langa who in 1994, after a disastrous flood that hit the whole of southern Piedmont, saw entire pieces of forest slip into the mud. Many added other vineyards with

in

the mouth it lashes and rises on the aromatic notes of

Mediterranean

scrub that refresh the heart of the glass.

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4. Arborists at work: they deal specifically with tall trees and climb on branches with safety harnesses to intervene where needed (photo by Gilberto Bertini) 5. Harvest in Poggio al Vento, in the shadow of a splendid, immense oak

the reconstruction, the Colla family planted 1,200 trees at the beginning of the 2000s on an extension of three hectares: «Which translated into grapes is equivalent to about 150 quintals jokes Tino - which we gladly do without.»

In Bricco del Drago since the 1950s, the forest has been a real treasure trove of truffles and has also been an experimental field for the quality of these tubers. «Obviously I can't say this attention translates into a better wine, but I want to think of my company as a balanced place where there are badgers, foxes, fawns and that, due to the presence of different trees and shrubs, has bees almost year round thanks to rotating blooms. The same goes for trees that bear fruit in several periods: the fruits that remain hanging are food for birds and insects that in this way will not disturb the vineyard.»

FORESTS IN THE VINEYARDS

ARBORICULTURE PROFESSIONALS: USEFUL ADDRESSES SIA (Società Italiana Arboricoltori): The Italian Society of Arboriculture, established in 2002, descends from the Italian section of the International Society of Arboriculture. It aims to spread the message of proper tree culture thanks to training initiatives for specialists and citizens alike..

Monza – v. le Cavriga, 3 isaitalia.org Associazione Arboricoltori: gathers arboriculture professionals with the aim of enhancing the skills of the members and ensuring compliance with ethical rules, facilitating the choice and protection of users, also thanks to regional mapping of the operators present on the national territory.

Monza – via Monte Cervino, 2 associazionearboricoltori.it 4

THE DEFORESTATION OF WAR The deforestation in the hills between Friuli and Slovenia is the result of a much more dramatic event. World War I required clear horizons and visible combat fields and for this reason these areas were "shaved," as well as for the need for wood. In Oslavia Josko Gravner tried to recreate a more harmonious habitat: «My father - says Mateja Gravner - relies on his instinct when choosing the trees and shrubs that count for the beauty they give to the landscape. But beauty is a balanced environment and so we went with the idea of a company-garden, with rows interspersed with trees - olive trees, cypresses, apple trees, ash trees, rowan trees - and small ponds that attract insects and animals useful for balancing the ecosystem and for quenching the thirst of birds which, in this way, do not seek the juice of the

grapes. Artificial nests have been placed everywhere to increase the presence of birds.

With a group of young people from the area we are replanting old varieties of cherries, for which the Collio of Gorizia was once famous.»

BALANCE BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT AND INCOME A conscious agricultural act must find balance between respect for the environment and profitability. A harmony that is increasingly difficult to identify in monocultures and intensive systems. Farming industry - what a tragicomic oxymoron! - led to the redemption of peasants from the postwar period onwards, but at too high a price. It is therefore time to rethink a complex agricultural ecosystem. Enrico Togni, a winegrower in Valcamonica, started from this assumption. With

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his three terraced hectares he's trying to build a virtuous circular economy system also thanks to shrubs and trees: «Thinking of eliminating insects, parasites, fungi is impossible - explains the owner of the Togni Rebaioli winery - they have better evolutionary skills than we do. The only solution is to learn to live with them.

Polyculture - and not just vegetables - helps to balance everything. I started with sheep, perfect ruminants in the vineyard, and with goats that are among the rows during winter but I am trying to include them also in summer for mowing. Rubbing against the bark of the plants they remove parasites and then they provide me with organic fertilizer.

My goal, however, is to create a different vineyard, raising the training system height to two and a half meters. I would have the same production and between one row and another I can plant wheat which is a perfect association with the grapevine. 

STORIES

5

More air, more light, more distance. Covid taught us that, didn't it?» Where there are no grapes, between the empty spaces of the dry stone walls, Enrico has created truffle grounds around hornbeams and oaks. The very black truffle that's quite well known in the area is paid between 500-600 euros per kilo: «Where it's easier to walk, I planted cherry trees, pear trees, apple trees, for family needs and for some gifts to give to customers instead of discounting them wine. My company can consider itself liberated only when it will no longer have to rely only on wine.»

APPENNINO ROMAGNOLO LABORATORY An interesting laboratory-territory for all these activities is the Romagna Apennine, very rich in endemics, but also populated by non-native plant species. In addition, the wine, especially Sangiovesebased, has increasing accolades and

supporters. Rigorous and passionate cantor of these places is Francesco Bordini, owner together with his family of Villa Papiano in Modigliana.

From the subsoil to the air, there is no argument that Bordini doesn't approach in a functional and interconnected way: «Simply because we listen to the elements of nature - begins the winegrower - same as the grapevines and trees. The vineyards of Villa Papiano grow at the edge of the forest and the ratio is one hectare of grapevines per ten hectares of woodland. Only in this way can truly organic farming be carried out. Starting from the soil, whose sterility is the great problem of modern agriculture, the forest instead has all the organic substances it needs and in addition it is the place together with the forests - where the purest water can be found.» The list of benefits doesn't stop and Bordini brings up global warming: «Tree species - explains Francesco - are like air conditioners thanks

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to the evapo-transpiration of the foliage; hot and cold winds slow down with trees such as cypress or eucalyptus. Even the sand dunes on the coast have shrubs to thank if they are still in existence, as in the parts of the Ferrara area, where, despite being mobile, they manage to anchor themselves through the tamarisks.»

TREES HEAL US, BUT HEALS THE TREES? Architects and landscape artists are not enough. Arboriculture is a technicalscientific discipline and as such has its specialists, arboriculturists, dedicated to the care and management of trees in urban, peri-urban and rural environments. Knowledge of biology, plant pathology and agronomy is required, as well as practical mastery and qualifications. Stefano Lorenzi is a long-time arborist. He started out as a gardener with a great passion for

FORESTS IN THE VINEYARDS

WHERE TO ADMIRE FORESTS AND MONUMENTAL TREES IN THE VINEYARDS OF ITALY

trees and rock climbing that led him to become a tree climber: «In Italy, due to a lack of culture and legislation, it's common practice to only contact a gardener.

Unfortunately, however, not all gardeners, albeit experienced, have the skills to properly take care of trees. This is where we come in, together with agronomists and agrotechnicians, to study the optimal situation for each species, evaluating consolidation, planting and transplants. Taking the tree down is the last of our options.» There is a European circuit, the European Arboricultural Council (EAC) which has the task of obtaining regulatory recognition and raising the status of the arborist profession. «I have been a European Tree Worker for years - continues Lorenzi - that is, an expert in pruning and tree climbing and as such I have to respect tree health, environmental protection and workplace safety regulations.» To these two passions he combined love for wine - he is an AIS sommelier - and for some time he has been dealing with tree species within wineries: «In Italy we have beautiful wine territories, but the real estate value of some of these is grown to such an extent that producers sacrificed trees to make room for rows. Fortunately, there is a countertrend and greater ecological sensitivity now. My job is to recommend native trees suitable for the climate and the altitude of the vineyards, leaving out species that could be more scenic, but harmful perhaps because they bring unknown pathologies to the area. The real challenge is with the more monumental trees, the Italian vineyards are full of them, true patriarchs, sources of inexhaustible biodiversity. In actual fact, in the portion of soil explored by the roots of large trees, the activity of microflora and fauna is very high and this favours exchanges, the development of mycorrhizae and other symbiotic fungi.

Everything translates into an active, everchanging terrain which is important for making great wines.» 

Località Lenzuolo Bianco, Oslavia (GO)

Gravner

gravner.it Alba (CN)

Poderi Colla podericolla.it

Palaia (PI)

Villa Saletta villasaletta.it

Gaiole in Chianti (SI)

Modigliana (FC)

La Scoscesa

Villa Papiano

facebook.com/lascoscesa

villapapiano.it

Montalcino (SI)

Col D’Orcia coldorcia.it

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GAMBERO ROSSO X ENEL GREEN POWER

Enel Green Power launches its green revolution “Sustainability and culture of the environment” 1

2

The “green revolution” is having a huge impact, not only in the way people think about environmental issues, but also on companies themselves. One example is Enel and Enel Green Power (Enel’s renewable energy business), which have made sustainability and protecting the environment a strategic priority. “When it comes time to design a new station or redevelop an existing one, the creation of shared value with the community that hosts us is a priority”, explains economist Carlo Ferrara, an expert in clean energy who’s heading Enel

Green Power’s CSV and Sustainability project.

Shared value What does “shared value” mean for Enel Green Power? It means that both the multinational company, whose headquarters are in Italy, and the communities of the territories where it operates derive tangible benefits from the presence of renewable energy plants. These are often small, remote rural communities where environment plays a key role. “Our approach aims to evaluate what medium and long-term

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benefits the presence of a power station might bring to a community”, says Ferrara. “For example, as areas that have great environmental value are often affected, we try to implement strategies to encourage quality, sustainable tourism, which can also create employment opportunities, especially for the young, and value in cultural terms”.

Patagonia An example? “Of course”, Ferrara smiles, “the hydroelectric power station in Argentina, El chocon, on the border with Patagonia and

GAMBERO ROSSO X ENEL GREEN POWER

1. An aerial view of the Taccani power station in Trezzo sull’Adda 2. The interactive exhibition inside the Acquoria station (RM)

Enel) to identify and map out new trails. Then we marked these trails with signage that offered historical information about the place, as well as how the station integrates with it. All informational materials were made by a local company using recycled plastics collected

by EGP from the waters of the hydroelectric plant. A series of trails have been marked out so that they can be enjoyed in total safety, offering views of the entire reservoir and structure but without the risks.

Now the tourism infrastructure that grew up around the station following its construction has made the area popular with those traveling to Patagonia. It’s also an economic driver, to the great satisfaction of the local community and ours.”

at the center of the popular trekking routes that cross through this splendid part of the world. There are areas around the station’s basin that aren’t accessible for safety reasons, due to the high and sudden variability of water levels. Yet despite bans and fences, many go picnicking in this area. We thought about what needed to be done to make the station an opportunity rather than a risk, so we decided to work with the community, the Municipality and the regional Ministry of Tourism (forming partnerships is another important principle for

A new approach Carlo Ferrara has long managed innovation and sustainability in Argentina. “The experience in Argentina is just one of many that we have built in the world of Enel Green Power. Often the stations, hydroelectric in particular, are immersed in natural paradises”, he explains. “As a result, in various parts of the world where Enel is present, we form agreements with research institutes to study local flora and fauna, monitoring the impact of climate change. We also implement training programs for professional figures, such as park rangers and nature guides, oriented towards the future development of sustainable tourism.

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Statistics on alternative power stations and Enel Green Power Enel Green Power is the Enel Group company that operates in the renewable energy sector. A world leader in clean energy, with a managed capacity of over 49 GW and a mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectricity, Enel Green Power is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies in renewable energy systems.

Technological diversification is accompanied by geographical diversification. EGP is present today in 29 countries on 5 continents (almost double compared to 10 years ago) with more than 1200 power stations, from fully developed economies like Italy, Spain and the United States, to large emerging countries such as Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and India, and smaller countries with great potential, like Greece and Panama.

And expansion continues, as is made evident by a recent push into new markets, including Germany, Russia, Australia and Ethiopia.

For this reason, we needed to develop a standard, universal model for evaluating how to integrate sustainable tourism projects with new and existing stations. Our aim is for the communities involved to share this methodology with us, and take advantage of it. The spirit is not paternalistic or one of ‘welfare’. Our goal, rather, is to develop the local populations’ innate qualities together with the potential of the environment so as to create added value”.

GAMBERO ROSSO X ENEL GREEN POWER

Enel Green Power launches its green revolution “Sustainability and culture of the environment”

3

Enel Green Power in Italy The world of renewable energy in Italy is not well known to most. The power stations, however, are there and they represent a treasure that should be made known to everyone.

This is where Filippo Rodriguez, Enel Italia’s Head of Sustainability, comes in. “Our hydroelectric stations are generally located in beautiful natural settings. Hydroelectric energy is currently one of the primary sources of renewable energy production, one through which we aim to achieve, together with new wind and photovoltaic plants, the objectives set by our country’s Energy and Climate Plan”.

In addition to being wonderful works of hydraulic engineering, hydroelectric stations are often quite interest-

ing from an architectural point of view. “One example could be the ‘Luigi Einaudi’ power station in Entracque, in the province of Cuneo”, explains Rodriguez. “It’s a power station built entirely inside the mountain, and accessed through a 700-meter-long tunnel which, at a certain point, has a curvature. This peculiar feature goes back to the Cold War. For fear that a Soviet missile could hit the station, an elbow was created to mitigate the impact of any explosion. In short, it’s a piece of history!”.

But there are also older and more evocative power stations. “My favorites are Piero Portaluppi’s hydroelectric stations in Valdossola (in the province of Verbania), which

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date back to the early decades of the 20th century: Crevola Toce, Verampio, Crego, Cadarese. Real gems of architecture and design, they skillfully combine art deco and rationalist features typical of the style of the famous Milanese architect”.

Portaluppi’s Pearl of Crego The Crego power station is a real gem. “Of course, not all stations are always accessible to the public, as they are active industrial sites and, therefore, not designed to welcome visitors. And yet, here it is possible to build shared value with local communities”, says Rodriguez.

How? “Well, if it can’t be visited inside, it can still be admired from the outside! That’s why we thought up a lighting system that brings out the beauty of the pipeline running from the loading tank above to the turbines in the engine room. Moreover, the spaces have been artfully illuminated, so that during hours of darkness they create an original atmosphere. Thanks to these interventions, the Crego plant, which is located in the center of an area rich in natural landscapes and just a few kilometers from the Alpe Veglia and Alpe Devero Natural Park, will soon become an important attraction those visiting the area. It’s all been done synergistically, using lighting technology designed by one of the group’s companies. Obviously we studied all the necessary precautions so that the light doesn’t disturb nocturnal animals or negatively impact the road network”.

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GAMBERO ROSSO X ENEL GREEN POWER

3. A fumarole: steam is the basis of geothermal energy 4. Inside the cooling tower of a geothermal power station 5. Steam from the bowels of the earth in the Tuscan Mining Park 6. The Monteverdi Marittimo geothermal power station

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An ad hoc strategy for each power station “Power stations are created to produce electricity”, says Rodriguez, “and if we were only thinking of our business we would stop there.” But when, thanks in part to requests from municipalities, schools and universities, we understood that we could help develop local tourism, we tried to find a system to enable that. Though we always operate in close contact with the community, local administrators and associations. For example, at Entracque, one of the largest pumping plants in Italy and in Europe, we’ve entrusted station visits to the management of the Alpi Marittime Natural Park, which oversees two natural parks (the Maritime Alps Natural Park

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and the Marguareis Natural Park) as well as eight nature reserves”.

It follows that it’s important for Enel to preserve the integrity and identity of these places. “This is why we believe in sustainable tourism, because we believe a different, more respectful, inclusive and shared way of doing tourism is possible, one that shines a light on the attributes of the territories and our own resources. Then there was the pandemic, which pushed us to relaunch local tourism so as to entice people to visit nearby places that were, as of yet, still little known”, concludes Rodriguez.

Interactive power stations The “Taccani” hydroelectric power station in Trezzo sull’Adda, on the

GAMBERO ROSSO X ENEL GREEN POWER

Enel Green Power launches its green revolution “Sustainability and culture of the environment”

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near Tivoli, are two pieces of history, as well as splendid examples of industrial architecture. As far back as 1892, the water of Acquoria produced the alternating current that illuminated Rome. “Yes, they are beautiful and they are close to two important cities”, says Eleonora Piolo, head of Branding and Advertising at Enel Green Power. “Here we’ve created permanent multimedia installations that aim to help visitors and young people, in particular, understand what energy is, how it is produced, what clean energies and renewables are. In collaboration with Dotdotdot, we’ve thought up itineraries that will capture visitors’ attention, convey concepts and notions (though I would call them more experiences than notions) through play and interactivity”.

A third interactive power station is underway in the province of Caserta, between the Roccamonfina-Foce Garigliano and Matese natural parks, precisely at the Presenzano hydroelectric power station. But what is actually being done inside these installations in the power stations? “The itinerary”, explains Piolo, “begins by showing the energy that’s in each of us. A camera with sensors detects the movement of visitors and converts that movement into Watts, thus quantifying the energy produced by the body”.

The effect leaves a lasting impression and teaches visitors how we too are made of energy. We also gave ample space to historical aspects and technological discoveries, which are experienced through an interactive lens so as to facilitate learning. The visit culminates in an

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GAMBERO ROSSO X ENEL GREEN POWER

8. The Acquoria power station, on the Aniene river in Monterotondo, near Rome 9. Interactive panels made by Dotdotdot, at the Acquoria power station

6. Trezzo sull’Adda power station: turbines 7. Geothermal Museum in Larderello

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immersive, circular space where a 360° projection relays the functioning of the five energy sources through video and animation. At the end there’s a game in which the children have to plan how to produce energy for a city, deciding which sources to use and how many stations are needed to meet the city’s needs. Obviously, it’s not enough to calculate the necessary power. To win the game, energy requirements must be met while also respecting certain sustainability criteria”.

To sum up, what should remain after a child has an experience in one of these interactive stations?

 enelgreenpower.com/it/paesi/europa/italia/luoghi-energia

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“Beyond the technical knowledge, the thing that’s most important to us is that young people develop an awareness of issues of sustainability, of the future energy choices that await us, and of respect for our planet”, comments Eleonora Piola.

Interactivity and communication “Setting up the Interactive Power Stations presented us with the great challenge of conveying intangible concepts, like energy, and making them something that could be experienced; that is, how to transfer, through Interaction Design, complex topics such as the production of energy or its relationship with the geography of the world”, explains Laura Dellamotta, co-founder and general manager of Dotdotdot. “The experience allowed us to experiment extensively with technology and exhibit design. The project for the Acquoria power station is a followup to Taccani in Trezzo sull’Adda, something that can be scaled and duplicated with other Enel Green Power stations”.

ALL THE FLAVOURS OF PALERMO. THE MOVIDA AND GASTRONOMIC HISTORY OF THE CITY IN 3 MARKETS Vucciria, Ballarò, il Capo: these are names and places that in Palermo encapsulate the true souls of the city: the gastronomic one, the popular, the artistic, the folkloric and the tourist soul. With ancient origins, these places have been many things in the past: today we shop in them, but above all we eat there, in a thousand different ways. And the city aims to rearrange them and organize them better

words by Clara Minissale - photos by Giacomo De Caro

STORIES

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lready early in the morning, Nino's is one of the most crowded stalls. Located in Piazza del Carmine, in what was once the covered market square of Ballarò, it is dedicated to the sale of fish. Nino and his stall have been there for sixteen years, always in the same spot, on the corner in front of the pharmacy, always with the same gastronomic offer: panini con la frittola. This particular veal offal (first boiled then browned with lard and then placed in a special basket covered with pieces of fabric to keep everything warm) doesn't scare away Palermo residents and tourists who queue up to grab their portion. A few words exchanged, three decisive movements - uncover the basket, extract the right amount to fill a sandwich or to offer in a paper cone and serve - and there is no gender, social class, age or religion gap. Nino's panino con la frittola is just one of the rituals 1 that can be celebrated in the historic markets of Palermo - Ballarò, Capo and Lastly, from Segeballarath, which means Vucciria - places of a pagan cult that for "fair, or market." Originally the core of the Palermo people first and for tourists the market extended from Piazzetta Baland visitors later includes both sourcing larò to via Albergheria. Further on, in ingredients and eating a meal on-site. the square, there was the covered marVisiting markets is perhaps increasingket dedicated to fish which was then ly becoming an opportunity to nibble, dismantled and that the Municipality taste, have a more or less quick meal, now wants to restore. Wandering among rather than to actually source ingredithese stalls is like traveling around the ents. world in just under a kilometer, a journey made up of typically island smells THE MANY FACES OF BALLARÒ and flavours mixed with spices and vegBallarò is the largest and oldest market etables that were totally unknown until in the city and extends from Piazza Casa a few years ago. Thus the heart of this Professa to the ramparts of Corso Tumarket, where once upon a time people kory. There are various theories on the who came from the nearby countryside etymology of the name: the first is that to sell their products used to meet, today it derives from Bahlara, a village near sells long courgettes and tenerumi (its Monreale, where the goods sold came leaves), eggplants and onions, prickly from. Another attributes it to Ag-Valpears and local oranges but also planlaraja, the title of the sovereigns of the tains, okra, tindora karella, kakrol or Indian region of Sindh, since the spices taro root. Many souls and moods popuhailing from Deccan were sold there. late it, from historical to occasional pres-

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ences, a mixture of flavours and aromas that also becomes a mix of "abbanniate," the typical hollering invitations of sellers promoting their merchandise.

Francesco Battaglia in via San Nicolò all'Albergheria has his restaurant, Il Bersagliere enclosed in walls that have existed since 1904. «This place was once a tavern. I took it over seventeen years ago, transforming it into a place to enjoy local cuisine.» Among its patrons there are neighborhood locals, workers on their lunch break, tourists, Palermo residents who love authentic cuisine. «We offer typical dishes of Palermo cuisine such as tripe, boiled meat, swordfish or sardine meatballs. We sell from Monday to Wednesday only for lunch and from Thursday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Sunday is our day off».

«I was practically born in this market,» says Alberto Napoli who inherited from his father Ferdinando one of the his-

THE HISTORIC MARKETS OF PALERMO

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toric shops in Ballarò that today bears his name and which in 2016 also earned the diamond eagle, a recognition reserved by the Chamber of Commerce to activities with more than fifty years of history. The strength of his shop are the olives that he sells whole, crushed or scored: «We started from precisely those he says - we had ten, twelve different types, depending on the period, but our forte was the Castelvetrano olives, the Nocellara del Belice variety. These are the one and only olives that must be used to have a state of the art caponata,» he recommends.

There are about ten historic shops like Alberto Napoli's in the market, all marked with a plaque specially made by the Municipality. A way to give due recognition to those who have always worked here in Ballarò. Like the Cannatella family that since 1848 has been managing "I frutti del sole", an emporium of dried fruits, spices and herbs.

THE THOUSAND WAYS OF ENJOYING STREET FOOD «There is an important urban regeneration process underway,» says Giacomo Terranova, president of the Ballarò Historical Market Association and owner of the Terranova candy factory, another local historical excellence. «After so many years, finally - he says - we are trying to regularize this market, to bring everything up to standard, to give everyone their own space.» In addition to the colors of the stalls and those of the splendid dome of the Carmine Maggiore church that stands out in Piazza del Carmine and is the monumental symbol of Ballarò, today we add those of the murals made by local artists to outline new paths. «We believe in this relaunch - says Terranova and we want it to be a boost for tourists but also an incentive to bring all the people of Palermo back to go shopping.» This is why we are creating purchasing consortia 

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THE CITY OF PALERMO FOCUSES ON ITS MARKETS For the past few years, the City of Palermo, has decided to invest in the city's historic markets, first of all by drafting regulations prepared by the council and today examined by the City Council which also concerns the city's historic shops. The first step was pedestrianization to allow better access to markets. This means they were connected with the ArabNorman route which since 2015 has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is of great tourist interest. «The entire path - says the Municipality - will be affected by 90 million from the Cultural Heritage Ministry recently made available with already defined projects of regeneration and recovery of old post-war badly asphalted paving.

Furthermore, the covered market in Piazza Carmine in Ballarò is also nearing completion, rebuilt after the senseless demolition after the war. It is the intention of the administration to include the characteristic Flea Market among the historical markets as well.»

1-4. Images of Ballarò 5-8. A day in the life of Mercato del Capo 9-11. La Vucciria, historic market and symbol of Palermo's true flavours and bright colours In the opening image, the vibrant Ballarò Market

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THE TERRANOVA CANDY FACTORY IN THE HEART OF BALLARÒ The history of Terranova candies goes back a long way, precisely to 1890 when one of the ancestors of the family, who for his knowledge of herbs and infusions was called the alchemist, started a long journey into researching carob and sugar. The fame of this company, in fact, is mainly linked to carob candies, the fruit of which the alchemist knew all the properties that he thought of "capturing" inside sugar and thus be made available to everyone. Since then, at the via Albergheria in Palermo location, in the heart of Ballarò, they have never stopped producing them.

Today the management of the company is entrusted to the fifth generation of Terranovas who treasures the family history and looks ahead. «We try to find as many ingredients in Sicily because being in this land is a source of pride for us - says Giacomo Terranova - Our candies are made with only three ingredients: glucose syrup, sugar and fruit concentrate.»

Today, as more than a hundred years ago, carob candies are the company's workhorse, appreciated by adults and children, the most popular together with ginger and prickly pear flavors. But their offer is wide, from nougat to country style gelato, to the latest arrivals, the dragées made with single-origin chocolate. Thanks to e-commerce these products ship all over Italy, Europe and even New Zealand.

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and working on an interactive website that will allow you to have your shopping at the market counter at home.

Meanwhile, waiting for the 4.0 version of the market, in Ballarò there is a succession of stalls of fish, fruit, vegetables, spices and street food of the purest local tradition such as panelle (fried chickpea flour) and potato crocchè, stigghiola (entrails of lamb seasoned rolled around a spring onion and cooked on the grill), boiled octopus to be consumed prêt a manger. Among the merchandise of the greengrocers there are boiled potatoes, baked onions, in winter boiled artichokes and in summer roasted peppers and boiled green beans, all ready to eat.

And to quench your thirst with a good beer, a few meters from Piazza Ballarò is Ballarak, a brewpub opened in 2016 by four friends, united by their passion for beer: Marco Altamore, Michele Cata-

THE HISTORIC MARKETS OF PALERMO

THE HISTORIC MARKETS OF PALERMO CAPO

Dainotti’s Apericapo

ADDRESSES Ballarò

VUCCIRIA

Pescheria Sampino

 Trattoria Il Bersagliere

Aja Mola

Taverna Azzurra

Chiesa dell’Immacolata Concezione

Fontana del Garraffello

Le Angeliche

Genio del Garraffo

Gagini

via San Nicolò all’Albergheria, 38 3331263444

 Alberto Napoli Alimentari piazza

Bocum

Ballarò, 11 – 3394376929

 I frutti del sole

Chiesa della Madonna della Mercede

piazza

Rocky Basile

Ballarò 14 – 0916161966

 Terranova Maestri Caramellai via

La Pupaccena Bona Dolci Trattoria Mafone

BALLARÒ

100m

 Moltivolti

Moltivolti Complesso Museale di Casa Professa

Ballarak

via

Palazzo Conte Federico

I frutti del sole

 Al Fresco giardino e bistrot

Cooperativa Terradamare

Brugnò, 1 – 3280038372

 Cooperativa Terradamare

Torre San Nicolò

VUCCIRIA

Saladino, 7 – 3440108559

vicolo

Al Fresco giardino e bistrot CAPO

via Giuseppe Mario Puglia, 21 0912710285

 Ballarak

Trattoria Il Bersagliere

Chiesa dei SS. Quaranta martiri alla Guilla

Albergheria 87 – 0915081619

via

Nunzio Nasi, 18 – 3928888953

Chiesa del Carmine Maggiore

Capo  Pescheria Sampino via

BALLARÒ Terranova Maestri Caramellai

Alberto Napoli Alimentari

 Dainotti’s Apericapo via

lano, Alessio Cutrò and Eugenio Ricca. A real treat within the market.

From the typically Palermo to the Sicilian-ethnic it is a moment, or rather a few hundred meters. It is enough to cross the threshold of the Moltivolti restaurant to find yourself catapulted into a meeting space where the kitchen is managed by people of five different nationalities, able to make clients go on a culinary journey through Italy, the same evening. Greece, Senegal, Gambia, Afghanistan.

IL CAPO: ALL FISH AND STREET FOOD About a kilometer and a half further on, heading towards Teatro Massimo, is the city's other historic market: il Capo. It's located in the ancient district called Seralcadio, which dates back to the Muslim era, when it was born as a place for pirates and slave traders. It extends along via Ca-

rini and Beati Paoli, via di Sant’Agostino and via Cappuccinelle. One of the main entrances is at Porta Carini, one of the historic city gates, rebuilt based on the original 15th century gateway. It seems that the Augustinians were the first to populate this area, since they had their headquarters in the convent adjacent to the 14th-century church of S. Agostino.

Today this market is the fish market par excellence for the people of Palermo, even if, of course, you can find all manner of foodstuffs. The fishmongers with their huge stalls are also a great attraction for the tourists who pass by in large numbers.

THE (MAYBE) BIRTHPLACE OF SFINCIONE That inevitable intersection of history and legend that every tradition comes with, says that sfincione was born here thanks to the nuns of the Convent of San Vito 

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Porta Carini, 36 – 3440108559 Porta Carini, 52 – 3408703497

 Le Angeliche vicolo

Abbadia, 10 – 0916157095

 Trattoria Mafone via

Judica, 22 – 3388862268

 La Pupaccena Bona Dolci vicolo

Abbadia

Vucciria  Taverna Azzurra via

Maccherronai, 15 – 091304107

 Rocky Basile corso

Vittorio Emanuele, 213

 Gagini via

Cassari, 35 – 091589918

 Bocum via

Cassari, 6 – 091332009

 Aja Mola

Cassari, 39 3341508335 – 0917296599

via

STORIES

which once located along the city walls.

Originally it was shaped like a cream puff and was seasoned with entrails that the nuns obtained from the butchers - here called carnezzieri - among the leftovers of the sales counters.

To complete the dressing is a cream of milk similar to modern bechamel, 7 peas, toasted breadcrumbs and almond flakes. Far from today's versions with onion, tuma cheese and breadcrumbs in the white version, and with tomato in the red version.

In the alleys of this market everything is about food, even the houses and churches. Here lived the most famous producer of donkey milk in Palermo, Don Gaetano Vitale, known for his generosity in giving this precious milk to lactose intolerant children. Shortly after the entrance of Porta Carini, on the right, past the stone arch, you can find a plaque dedicated to him.

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9 MONUMENTS IN 3 MARKETS BALLARÒ 1 Chiesa del Carmine maggiore

via Giovanni Grasso, 13a It is the large dome that dominates the market, symbol of the sumptuous Baroque church. The original building dates back to the 13th century.

2 Torre San Nicolò

via Nunzio Nasi, 18 Attached to the church of San Nicolò, it originally was the 14th-century civic tower built by the University of Palermo to defend the Cassaro walls.

3 Complesso Museale

It is one of the most important Baroque churches in Palermo restored thanks to conservative efforts completed in 2009.

In 1606 the nobles colony built a church dedicated to the forty soldiers of a Roman legion, who in 320 refused paganism and were drowned in a swamp.

4 Palazzo Conte Federico

piazza Conte Federico, 2 0916511881

6 Chiesa dell’Immacolata Concezione

It is one of the oldest and most prestigious buildings in Palermo. Located between Piazza Conte Federico and Via dei Biscottari above the walls of the Punic city, it is a few steps from the Royal Palace, the Palatine Chapel and the Cathedral.

CAPO

via Porta Carini, 38 Triumph of Palermo's floral baroque, the church was built in the early 17th century.

7 Chiesa della Madonna della Mercede

via Cappucinelle In 1590 a group of laymen founded the Compagnia Santa Maria la Mercè to spread devotion to the Virgin.

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di Casa Professa

Chiesa dei SS. Quaranta martiri alla Guilla

piazza Casa Professa

via Gioeni, 3

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VUCCIRIA 8 Fontana del Garraffello

via Garraffello Since 1591 it has been located in the square of by same name. The water has long been considered capable of having healing powers.

9 Genio del Garraffo

piazzetta Garraffo Also known as the Genio di Palermo, it is part of a sculptural group in a niche in Piazzetta del Garraffo. It is one of the seven main representations of the "Genius of Palermo," the ancient patron deity of the city.

THE HISTORIC MARKETS OF PALERMO

THE CHURCH OF BACCALÀ On via Porta Carini, the main street of the market, there is the Church of San Gregorio Magno. In ancient times the warehouse to the left of it was used for the preservation of salted cod, which led to it being given the nickname "the baccalà church" with difficulty in frequenting by the faithful due to the penetrating smell of fish. Among the stories and legends of times past, nowadays there is also space for street vendors who offer passers-by the typical specialties of Palermo street cuisine: "sfincione" and "sfincionello," plus bread with spleen, bread with panelle or with potato croquettes. Fishmongers fond of Trilussa who recite all his poems by heart like the Sampino brothers, present in this market for the past sixty years. Also jewels of the Palermo Art Nouveau architecture such as the historic Morello bakery which houses the mosaic of the "Pupa ru Capo," Demeter depicted on the wall next to the shop, closed since

2013 for renovations in the building above. The mosaic was made as a wedding gift from the father of the bride to Salvatore Morello, the original owner of the bakery. The authorship of the work is controversial, Salvatore Gregoretti according to some scholars, a member of the workshop of Pietro Bevilacqua or Ernesto Basile according to others.

PASTRY SHOPS AND FRYERIES, THE MOVIDA IN PALERMO Among the alleys of the market there is also an ancient pastry shop, La Pupaccena Bona dolci in which, since 1977, the Bona family has been making classic sweets such as cassata and cannoli but above all Martorana fruit made with almond flour and their sugar puppets, hollow statues of coloured sugar typical of the feast of the dead, which by now in Palermo very few people craft as they once did, following a tradition handed down from father to son.

Arianna Dainotti of Dainotti's Aperi-

LE ANGELICHE, WOMEN-OWNED ETHICAL BISTRO They believed in the potential of the Capo market making it their daily source of inspiration and chose to open their bistro in it. Veronica Schiera, Floriana Lo Bue, Barbara Napolitano and Chiara Sposito have left nothing to chance to give shape to their dream: a place of their own in the heart of the historic city centre.

A "place of craftsmanship" where the furnishings were made by local carpenters and blacksmiths and all the objects on display serve to define their identity. «To give life to our bistro we all questioned ourselves, leaving our previous professions,» they report. Veronica has a past in the world of cooperation, Barbara was a psychologist and psychotherapist, Floriana worked in the world of communication and fashion and Chiara was a medical student. The kitchen is the realm of the first two, Floriana and Chiara instead welcome guests in the dining room. All four, through attention to detail, hospitality, choice of ingredients and historical research on recipes, claim their being 100% Sicilian. A coherence of identity that also transpires from the menu, updated every three months following the seasons with mainly island dishes and particular attention to those now forgotten. Fruit, vegetables and fish are purchased at the Capo market, the rest come from companies of which Le Angeliche share ethics and production methods. Among the most representative dishes is the amaro pantesco ravioli with ricotta and mint, served with a fish soup that harks back to an ancient recipe of the Trapani tradition.

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capo, on the other hand, deserves the credit for having first opened her fry shop in the evening, clearing the use of the market streets at a time that did not belong to her until then. «Six years ago business at the market was not going well, it was a period of decline due to large-scale distribution - she says - We had the family butcher shop that dad had opened more than fifty years before and then the fry shop opened in 2011 and we worked less and less: so, despite everyone telling us we were crazy, we decided to open also in the evening and shortly afterwards the turning point came.» Il Capo has become one of the places of the Palermo nightlife for citizens and tourists and Arianna's fry shop is a solid point of reference for street food lovers. Their arancine, baked pasta or caponata are famous and in the evening also dishes of the ancient city culinary tradition such as tripe, caldume, artichokes with the egg, that is stuffed and capped off with a mixture of eggs and cheese. «From 

8 STREET FOOD MUSTS

1 Frittola Veal offal first boiled, then browned in lard

2 Panelle Chickpea fritters seasoned with parsley, salt and lemon.

3 Crocchè Potato croquettes seasoned with parsley or mint. Often served in a sandwich as an accompaniment to panelle.

4 Meusa Spleen, trachea and lung, first boiled and then browned in lard, served in a plain sandwich, seasoned only with olive oil and lemon, or with the addition of caciocavallo or ricotta cheese. 

STORIES

that moment the market was no longer just the place to shop but also the place to eat - she says - and after us many other places were born. In the streets and alleys near the market today there is a line of trattorias, taverns and restaurants, from the most pop soul to the most trendy.» The renaissance of il Capo has also led young entrepreneurs to invest in its alleys such as the four members of Le Angeliche, a delightful bistro opened in vicolo Abbadia in 2019.

Veronica Schiera, Floriana Lo Bue, Chiara Napolitano and Barbara Sposito believed in the potential of this place and their choice was rewarded by the public and critics.

FOOD AND CULTURE TOURS TO DISCOVER THE CITY Since 2016, the Terradamare Tourist Cooperative, founded by Eleonora Lo Iacono, Marco Sorrentino and Rosalia Ceruso with the aim of promoting network systems to support tourism, has brought groups of Italian tourists and visitors around the markets of the city. Their tours in Italian are on reservation and travellers can choose between various proposals that include tours in the historic shops, among the monuments and tastings of typical local products. But not only. Their proposal also ranges between courses, workshops and events, always with the aim of enhancing the historical, artistic and cultural heritage. “We have been working in Ballarò for eight years - says Eleonora Lo Iacono - and for five we have been offering our tours. We have combined the monumental aspect with the characteristic one of the market and of contact with the merchants. We try to tell the groups that we take the soul of these places around and then we conclude the tour in the garden of Al Fresco." The bistro is located inside Casa San Francesco and is managed by the social enterprise Cotti in fragranza, a project born in 2016 as a laboratory for the preparation of high quality baked goods, inside the Malaspina juvenile prison in Palermo. An oasis of peace in the historic centre, where you can sit down to enjoy a moment of relaxation and conviviality and to savour the dishes prepared by their lkitchen. Terradamare also organizes a tour to il Capo market which ends at the Cathedral and one called "Genius of Palermo '' which also passes through the Vucciria.

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PICTURESQUE VUCCIRIA. OPEN-AIR GRILLING Halfway between Ballarò and Il Capo is the Vucciria market which extends along via Argenteria to Piazza Garraffello. In ancient times it was called the "Bucceria grande" to distinguish it 9 from other less important markets. It was, in fact, the most important food market in the old Palermo. The word "bucceria" derives from the French "boucherie," which means "butcher," since the market was initially intended for the sale of meat. This same term, over time, has become synonymous with noise due to the great shouting that is usually made at the market. Over the centuries, the Vucciria was enlarged and modified several times. In 1783 the viceroy Caracciolo wanted to give an organic arrangement to the square, the heart of the market, which was called Piazza Caracciolo. Porticoes were built all around to form a square loggia which housed the vendors' stalls. In the centre was a fountain with four lions pouring water arranged around a small obelisk.

At the beginning of the last century the neighborhood was redesigned and the square narrowed, taking on the current appearance. Over the years it has also

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THE HISTORIC MARKETS OF PALERMO

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Quarume or Caldume Literally "hot dish." Composed of various parts of veal tripe boiled in the typical quarara, a large pot.

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Stigghiole Lamb entrails most often, skewered or rolled around a spring onion and cooked directly on the grill.

7 Sfincione A sort of thick spongy pizza topped with a tomato sauce with onions, anchovies, oregano and pieces of caciocavallo cheese.

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lost its vocation as a market proper and is more of a meeting place, especially in the evening, where people congregate to drink and eat typical inexpensive products. This is where the famous Taverna Azzurra is located, a historic place in Palermo, founded in 1896 and taken over in the 1980s by the Sutera family. Low prices and open until late at night have made this place an unmissable meeting point in the Vucciria.

Typical of the nocturnal panorama of this market are the fumes that arise from the grills in which meat and fish, stigghiole and octopus are roasted, to be eaten at tables set up in the square with paper tablecloths and paired to wine sold by the glass. A true institution of these places is the spleen sandwich by Rocky Basile, a historic meusaro known in Palermo as "the king of Vucciria" who with his stall takes position every day at the corner between Corso Vittorio Emanuele and

the entrance to the market. He often entertains customers with traditional tales and songs while preparing his unmissable offal sandwich with spleen (actually containing spleen, trachea and lung first boiled and then browned in lard) "schietto" that is straight, only with oil and lemon, or "maritato" with the addition of caciocavallo or ricotta.

But Vucciria is not just street food. A hundred and fifty meters from Piazza Garraffello, in via dei Cassari, the road that connects the market with the Cala, opens up a gastronomic universe with cosmopolitan traits. This is the reign of Franco Virga and Stefania Milano, farsighted entrepreneurs who gave life, in the short space of a few meters, to three venues with exclusive proposals.

Gagini is the oldest and most refined, fresh from a splendid recent restyling, located within the 16th-century walls that were the laboratory of the greatest sculptor of the Sicilian Renaissance,

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Boiled octopus Octopus cooked in water and left to cool in its cooking water.

It can be enjoyed warm or cold with the inevitable squeeze of lemon juice.

Antonello Gagini. The kitchen, «a contemporary laboratory in the center of the Mediterranean,» as its creators like to call it, is entrusted to the Brazilian Mauricio Zillo, who arrived in Palermo after prestigious domestic and international experiences. In his hands, Sicilian ingredients take on strong flavours and long-lasting traits. Opposite Gagini is Bocum, another creature of Virga and Milano, the pioneer place for mixology par excellence, today a fusion restaurant in which to try international cuisine that looks to the Mediterranean, paired with cocktails, natural wines and a large selection of gin and brandy. Closing the trio is the seafood cuisine of AjaMola, a seafood restaurant with a fishmonger on site.

Ballarò, Capo and Vucciria represent the soul of Palermo: multicultural and layered, lively and colourful, strongly anchored to tradition but open to new horizons. 

RECIPES

TISCHI TOSCHI SICILY ON THE PLATE WHERE Taormina (ME) vico Paladini, 3 3393642088 tischitoschitaormina.com POINTS IN 2021 GUIDE THE TEAM Fervently passionate for cooking, chef and owner Luca Casablanca is now the soul of Tischi Toschi. In 2005, he began his exciting adventure putting his Sicilian character at the centre of his cuisine. With the same care of an artisan shop, he chisels traditional dishes through a careful search for ingredients, strictly respecting the seasonality and territoriality of the products. The comfortable and welcoming environments exude an all-Mediterranean warmth, accompanied by an impeccable welcome from Luca and his entire staff.

THE PRODUCTS Here we select mainly short supply chain ingredients, from small dairy producers, farmers who pay attention to sustainability, growers of tiny plots of land as well as fresh fish from the island. All this gives life to a refined but substantial menu, with dishes that represent the gastronomic history of Sicily in contemporary form.

THE HIGHLIGHT DISHES Do not miss the caponata, the wild fennel meatballs, the stocco fish salad, the ravioli "alla carrettiera," the spaghetti with tuna roe, the swordfish with salmoriglio, the Messinese chops, the ricotta-filled cannoli, and the gelo di limone.

CAROB TAGLIATELLE

ingredients for 4 people For the tagliatelle 250 g Timilia flour 150 ml water 25 powdered carob pulp 8 g salt 1 egg

For the sauce 200 g fresh sardines, deboned 150 ml water 80 g spring onion 60 g cherry tomato concassé 50 g wild fennel pollen, minced 40 g salt-preserved sardines 10 g passolina raisins (AKA nera di Corinto) 8 g capers 6 g pine nuts Extra virgin olive oil from Tonda Iblea DOP Toasted breadcrumbs black pepper

Prepare the pasta dough for the tagliatelle by mixing all the ingredients and kneading into a ball. Let it rest for 2 hours in the fridge wrapped in cling film.

Finely chop the spring onion and sauté it over very low heat with the extra virgin olive oil. Add the cherry tomato concassé, capers, raisins, pine nuts, chopped wild fennel and sardine fillets (previously soaked in water to remove the salt).

Continue cooking for 3 minutes and then dilute everything with boiling water, raise the heat a little, add the fresh deboned sardines and cook over low heat until cooked through.

Roll out the pasta dough to medium thickness, cut into tagliatelle and cook in plenty of salted water, drain and gently sauté in the sauce.

Garnish each plate with toasted breadcrumbs and a pinch of black pepper. .

PAIRING CANTINE SAN MARZANO WINE SUSCO ‘19 iMade with 100% Susumaniello, a historic grape of Salento, this wine has a floral and fruity nose, spiced with delicate balsamic notes. A good tannic texture also predisposes to aging. In the mouth it is structured and elegant thanks to the interesting acidic note. Pairings: succulent pasta and main courses, grilled meats and oily fish, aged cheeses.

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TISCHI TOSCHI

by Clara Barra - photos by Gianrico Battaglia

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VINI D’ITALIA GAMBERO ROSSO

NG TASTI S NOTE Cantine Astroni

Tre Bicchieri and Due Bicchieri Rossi are the pride of Vini d’Italia. Small productions up against prestigious best sellers, in a review that involves the best labels tasted from our experts: we share them in this new column with our tasting notes licious nuances of pepper and friggitello, on the palate it is savoury, delicately smokey, with a fresh, long and citrusy finish.

Batasiolo loc. Astroni via Sartania, 48 - Napoli 0815884182 - cantineastroni.com Cantine Astroni enhances the unique territory of Campi Flegrei, thanks to a centuries-old tradition and a park of terraced vineyards clinging to the external slopes of the Astroni Crater.

In total, 25 hectares are tended to under the careful supervision of Gerardo Vernazzaro, his wife Emanuela Russo and his cousin Vincenzo. We are in an extraordinary setting, kissed by the sea, made up of layers of lapilli and ash, capable of yielding wines of great authenticity. The range is increasingly articulated and complete and this year, in addition to the historic parcels, we report a new entry: Campi Flegrei Tenuta Jossa, a limited edition white made from Falanghina and Fiano grapes vinified in amphora.

CAMPI FLEGREI PIEDIROSSO COLLE ROTONDELLA ‘19 Winning the Tre Bicchieri recognition is Piedirosso Colle Rotondella ‘19, produced with grapes from the Camaldoli Estate, at an altitude ranging from 230 to 300 meters above sea level. Delicious in its fragrant tones of pomegranate and de-

fraz. Annunziata, 87 La Morra (CN) 017350130 - batasiolo.com Nine farmhouses owned by the Dogliani family come with a vineyard area that extends for 120 hectares, of which about half are cultivated with Nebbiolo; five excellent Barolo crus: Briccolina, Cerequio, Brunate, Bussia and Boscareto, the latter gives its name to the resort by the same name. Elegant, equipped with a spa, high-quality restaurant and a dreamy view of the vineyards. But not only Barolo, the range includes Barbaresco, Barbera d’Alba, Dolcetto d’Alba in regards to reds, while among the whites we find wines from Cortese grapes, arneis, sauvignon, pinot bianco and moscato.

BAROLO BRICCOLINA ‘16 The Barolo Briccolina ‘16, the historic flagship of the company, is quite valid for its gustatory definition, in balance between balsamic and spicy nuances with depth.

It presents an intense

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bouquet between black fruit and vanilla notes and with a solid and well-rounded mouth in the tannic texture.

BAROLO CERQUIO ‘16 Within an articulated proposal, further enriched by crus of absolute value, Barolo Cerequio ‘16 stands out, the creature of an excellent vintage and fully representing the varietal, and the elegance and harmony of an extraordinary terroir. Raspberry, strawberry, fresh rose, licorice and anise open to a mouth in perfect balance between austerity, pulp and elegant tannin.

Ca’ Viola

b.ta San Luigi, 11 Dogliani (CN) 017370547 - caviola.com Beppe Caviola is a great winemaker, as evidenced by the results of the companies he is a consultant for throughout Italy. But above all he remains a committed artisan of wine. More than the data obtained in his well-equipped analysis lab, he relies with certainty on his exceptional skill as a taster.

The fame of his winery has gradually grown for Dolcetto and Barbera d’Alba made in very old wine cellars in Montelupo Albese, which then cross the ocean with the arrival of his Barolo Sottocastello di Novello, the true

TASTING NOTES

quintessence of the Nebbiolo grape refined with fine class.

BAROLO SOTTOCASTELLO DI NOVELLO ‘16 The Nebbiolo grapes that give life to this Barolo come from a vineyard of just under two hectares planted on soils facing south-east at 450 meters above sea level. After two years in large oak barrels and one in concrete, the Sottocastello di Novello sjows a very fragrant fruity bouquet on tones of berries, enriched with balsamic nuances. In the mouth it is harmonious in the tannic texture, with good substance, great balance.

Camigliano

loc. Camigliano via d’Ingresso, 2 Montalcino (SI) 0577844068 - camigliano.it It was the end of the 1950s when the Ghezzi family decided to renovate the centuries-old village of Camigliano, making it the beating heart of their production activity. A bond witnessed by a long series of Brunellos capable of surgically restoring the Mediterranean atmosphere of this enclave located at the western end of Montalcino close to Maremma. Aged in medium and large French oak barrels, the wines are offered in three declinations since the Paesaggio Inatteso selection joined the “vintage” version and the Gualto Riserva.

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO ‘15 Brunello ‘15 prevails in our finals and brings the second trophy to Camigliano. It is a Brunello with structure and fullness but which manages to conceal elegance and balance - and a cleanliness of fruit - from other latitudes. Harmonious, long, irresistible mouth.

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO PAESAGGIO INATTESO ‘15 This Brunello comes from a selection of the company’s best grapes, identified in a single vineyard of about two hectares. After 30 months in Slavonian oak barrels, and further refined in the bottle, the Paesaggio Inatteso in the glass is fragrant of red fruit and spices, slender and elegantly soft..

Castello di Querceto

via Alessandro Francois, 2 Greve in Chianti (FI) 05585921 - castellodiquerceto.it The Castello di Querceto has been the home of the François family for over a century and represents an important step in the history of the Chianti Classico appellation. Located in the sub-area of Greve, for vineyard extension and number of bottles produced it is undoubtedly one of the most significant wineries in the area. The vineyards occupy a hilly front with a climate that can be defined as continental: freshness therefore becomes a distinctive component of the stylis-

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tic code embodied by the main wines, which mature both in small and in large oak barrels.sia in legno piccolo sia in botte grande.

CHIANTI CL. ‘18 95% Sangiovese, with a small balance of Canaiolo, the Chianti Classico ‘18 shows a beautiful sylvan character in the well-defined aromas of small red fruits and spices to introduce a tasty, crisp and continuous progression of vigour.

Cesarini Sforza

fraz. Ravina via Stella, 9 0461382200 cesarinisforza.com The recent corporate synergy with the giant Cavit does not in the least affect the autonomy of the historic Trentino sparkling wine company. The contribution is greater on all fronts and so the careful selection of wines destined to transform into the all-Alpine vivacity is increasingly authentic.

The Trentodocs - flanked by some excellent versions of the Italian method sparkling wine variant Nereo Cavazzani - are confirmed as archetypes of a solid sparkling evolution, increasingly aimed at elegance and extreme drinkability.

TRENTO BRUT AQUILA REALE ‘10 Once again a confirmation: the Trento Aquila Reale easily wins our Tre Bicchieri title.

Thanks to the rapacious agility of the gustatory texture, great precision and aromaticity, with hints of 

VINI D’ITALIA GAMBERO ROSSO

pastry and mountain herbs in the forefront, the wine has elegance and harmony and a very long finish.

Fattoria di Magliano CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE. N. 1308/2013.

CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG. N. 1308/2013.

loc. Sterpeti, 10 Magliano in Toscana (GR) 0564593040 fattoriadimagliano.it Having concluded his career as an entrepreneur in the footwear sector, in 1997 Agostino Lenci started an oenological project in the heart of the Maremma, a few steps from Magliano in Toscana. The first labels came out on the market in 2003 and immediately impressed with their modern style, precision of execution and personality. After a period of partial production adjustment, the company range today seems to have found its niche, smoothing out some expressive excesses and relying on a more sober and conscious style, which favours balance over power.

s.da per Custoza, 35 Sommacampagna (VR) 045510490 - montedelfra.it Literally immersed in the vineyards that lie on the rolling hills of the Custoza, the cellar of the Bonomo brothers is one of the absolute reference points of Veronese oenology. A close bond with the land, so much so that even the adventure in Valpolicella, which began a few years ago, saw the family committed to acquiring the most beautiful vineyards available in the classic area. Today the vineyard park covers about 200 hectares, destined for a production that has elegance and refinement as its beacon.

Monte del Frà CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE. N. 1308/2013.

CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG. N. 1308/2013.

Splendid results come from the Pora cru: the modern Riserva di Barbaresco ‘15 offers enveloping aromas of roasting together with clear hints of fresh ripe fruit, while the palate is full and pulpy, even velvety, very long and inviting. Good already today, it will improve over time.

Panizzi

CUSTOZA SUP. CA’ DEL MAGRO ‘18 The 2018 harvest brought an aromatic outfit dominated by ripe and pulpy yellow fruit, which in Ca’ del Magro finds support in notes of dried flowers and citrus fruits. In the mouth the wine stretches with grace and consistency, resulting sapid and very long.

Musso

MAREMMA TOSCANA VERMENTINO PAGLIATURA ‘19 Maremma Vermentino Pagliatura ‘19 combines intense aromatic baggage, which mixes a slight touch of hay and citrus sensations, with a lively and continuous gustatory progression that focuses on herbaceous memories, well characterised by a particular saline note.

BARBARESCO PORA RIS. ‘15

via D. Cavazza, 5 Barbaresco (CN) 0173635129mussobarbaresco.it The company was born in 1929 thanks to Sebastiano Musso, in a certainly difficult period for wine making, and the great turning point took place in 1968, when his son Augusto decided to vinify and bottle all the fruit from their vineyards and, even more, to acquire the plots in Pora and Rio Sordo. Today, the capable Valter Musso takes care of all the activities of the winery, with the important collaboration of his son Emanuele and grandson Luca Accornero.

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loc. Santa Margherita, 34 San Gimignano (SI) 0577941576 - panizzi.it Un’azienda simbolo a San Gimignano. Fondata da Giovanni Panizzi negli anni ‘80 e ora di proprietà di Simone A symbolic company in San Gimignano. Founded by Giovanni Panizzi in the 1980s and now owned by Simone Niccolai, it was certainly the first in the area to enhance Vernaccia, also exalting its aging capacity and pushing many other producers on the road to quality. Today, while the white of the territory continues to be the solid base on which to work, the company is engaged in new directions with labels that experiment with different techniques or that use less common grapes for this area, such as pinot noir.

VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO RIS. ‘16 The company returns to conquer the Tre Bicchieri with their Vernaccia Riserva ‘16. It is a wine with a complex and articulated bouquet, with floral nuances of broom and chamomile, followed by notes of apricot and peach, fresh hints

TASTING NOTES

of mint and citron peel. On the palate it shows good weight, the right density, significant acidity and a prolonged finish, with great aromatic coherence.

VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO V. SANTA MARGHERITA ‘18 lThe place that gives its name to this vineyard is the one where the Panizzi company was born, a real cru in San Gimignano. The aromatic profile is mostly played on white flowers and citrus fruits, to which the mass fermented in barrique also brings elegant sensations of sweet spices.

The mouth is articulated between a calibrated softness and a fresh acidic vein.

Polje

loc. Novali, 11 - Cormòns (GO) 047160660 - polje.com Polje is the brand created by brothers Luigi and Stefano Sutto when they had the opportunity to acquire, in Novali di Cormons, a winery whose foundation dates back to 1926. In choosing the name they were inspired by the dry sinkholes that characterize the area, called polje, formed as a result of the erosion of the Julian Pre-Alps. Successful entrepreneurs in nearby Veneto, the Sutto family ventured into the Gorizia Collio in the early 2000s, fell in love with it and decided to leave their mark on this land.

COLLIO PINOT GRIGIO ‘19 Pinot Grigio is one of the latest labels to join the Polje range. The splendid version of 2019 is reminiscent of wildflowers and white peaches and on the palate it is soft, fresh, savoury and progressive.

Cantina Valtidone COLLIO SAUVIGNON ‘19 Polje Sauvignon ferments and ages exclusively in steel.

The result is a white that teases the nose with intriguing notes of magnolia, sage, green pepper, citron peel and passion fruit, while in the mouth it is clear and vibrant.tido e vibrante.

Terrecarsiche 1939

via Maestri del Lavoro, 6/8 Castellana Grotte (BA) 0804962309 - terrecarsiche. it The Insalata family has been working in the world of wine for four generations, but it has only been ten years since they founded the winery. Terrecarsiche 1939 has its operations center, and its owned vineyards, in the areas of the Gioia del Colle appellation and in the Itria Valley, but also offers labels from other territories, thanks to the collaboration with trusted grape growers throughout the year. The wines have a purely modern definition, with particular attention to expressing the richness of the fruit..

GIOIA DEL COLLE PRIMITIVO FANOVA ‘18 This year too the Gioia del Colle Primitivo Fanova is among the best wines of the Denomination and conquers our finals. Produced with primitivo grapes grown with Apulian alberello training system, the 2018 version with aromas of red fruits and sweet spices follows a pleasant palate, of good length and resistance, played above all on notes of ripe fruit.

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via Moretta, 58 Borgnovo Val Tidone (PC) 0523846411 cantinavaltidone.it Founded in 1966, this winery has grown in numbers (from 16 to 220 members), in size and, especially in recent years, in the desire to do more and better, focusing on the selection of the best grapes to obtain traditional wines of solid depth, as part of the 50 Vendemmie line, by grapes planted in the 1960s. The new challenge, also launched thanks to the oenologist Francesco Fissore, is the Classic Method.

ARVANGE PAS DOSÉ M. CL. This is the novelty of this year: Arvange (“revenge” in Piedmontese dialect of the young winemaker Francesco Fissore), a Pinot Noir-based Pas Dosé with 44 months of permanence on the lees of beautiful evolution, savoury, sharp, powerful in the mouth, very fine in the bubble: a really nice Classic Method that wins the Tre Bicchieri.

PERLAGE BRUT M. CL. This version of Perlage, 80% pinot noir, with a small percentage of chardonnay is truly very good: after 30 months in contact with lees it appears in the glass with aromas of herbs, peach and lime. On the palate it is savoury, with a nice tension and at the same time fragrant and deep..

VINI D’ITALIA GAMBERO ROSSO

TASTING NOTES Bel Colle BARBARESCO PAJORÈ ‘17

fraz. Castagni, 56 Verduno (CN) 0172470196 belcolle.eu In the summer of 2015, Bel Colle, the historic winery founded 45 years ago in Borgo Castani, a hamlet of Verduno, by brothers Franco and Carlo Pontiglione and Giuseppe Priola, became part of the Bosio Family Estates group. The wines denote a truly admirable stylistic precision, both on the Barbaresco and Barolo front, relying on wonderful crus such as Pajorè or the legendary Monvigliero.

In the cellar the work is very respectful of the grapes with measured extractions for wines with an excellent tannic balance.

BAROLO MONVIGLIERO ‘16 Barolo Monvigliero ‘16 is sumptuous with aromas that are fragrant and complex to say the least, ranging from raspberry to rose, pepper and licorice. In the mouth it is majestic for volume, character, finesse and long finish.

Pajorè ‘17 is fine and airy, which comes from a vineyard in Treiso of over 40 hectares, composed of calcareous marl and clay. Classic in its fruity and balsamic traits, in the mouth it is velvety and has an ethereal and feathery closure.

CHIANTI CL. RISERVA ‘17 The interpretation proposed by the Chianti Classico Riserva ‘17 is nothing short of authoritative: aromatically defined and intense both in the fruitiness and in the smoky hints, in the mouth it offers incisive, solid and great flavour articulation.

Castello di Volpaia

Colombo-Cascina Pastori

loc. Volpaia via Pier Capponi, 2 Radda in Chianti (SI) 0577738066 volpaia.com The company owned by the Mascheroni Stianti family combines the management of the vineyards under organic conditions with impeccable precision of execution. Volpaia wines tend to be elegant and possess an impeccable “modern” stylistic trait, but this doesn’t mean they lack personality and character. A well-established balance that confirms with reassuring continuity the Castello di Volpaia range among the reference labels of the Radda in the Chianti sub-area.

reg. Cafra, 172b Bubbio (AT) 0144852807 colombovino.it The Cascina Pastori project took shape in the early 2000s from Antonio Colombo’s passion fro wine. As an internationally renowned cardiologist he then strongly wanted to be supported by Riccardo Cotarella. The vineyards of the property are located in the hills, in a suggestive south-east facing amphitheater and that insists on marly-calcareous soils, ideal for the cultivation of pinot noir, chardonnay and moscato, interpreted with a virtuously modern style starting from parcel vinification.

CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE. N. 1308/2013.

CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG. N. 1308/2013.

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TASTING NOTES

ALTA LANGA BRUT ROSÉ 60 MESI RIS. ‘16 Alta Langa Brut Rosé Riserva 60 Months ‘13 is the witness of a significant growth in sparkling wine. With a fine and persistent perlage, with tones of berries and pastries, rich and balanced, it is fresh and full of character. A well deserved Tre Bicchieri.

Ferghettina

FRANCIACORTA BRUT It is a great classic of the Adro company: for its production, blending wines from over 50 plots cultivated throughout Franciacorta. Chardonnay with 15% pinot noir, 36 months on the lees. The result is a fresh sparkling wine with elegant citrus and white fruit nuances, captivating on the palate where it is endowed with good energy. All at a very competitive price.

FRANCIACORTA SATÈN ‘16 CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE. N. 1308/2013.

CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG. N. 1308/2013.

via Saline, 11 Adro (BS) 0307451212 ferghettina.it Ferghettina’s adventure began in 1990, when Roberto Gatti and his wife Andreina took over the first four hectares of vineyards in Erbusco. From then on it has been a continuous expansion, up to the approximately 200 hectares currently managed. In the meantime, in 2002 the construction of the new company headquarters began in Adro, completed in 2005, while in 2016 expansion works began, which ended two years later. In short, it certainly cannot be said that the Gattis - now asisted by their children Laura and Matteo, both oenologists - rest on their laurels..

FRANCIACORTA BRUT ERONERO ‘12 The label that struck us most in the rich and ar2013 ticulated range of this maison this year is the Eronero Brut ‘12, considered one of the most complete expressions of Pinot Noir in Franciacorta.

It has structure, finesse, fruit pulp and is pervaded by subtle elegance that leads it to a long and harmonious finish. Impeccable foam action.

The chardonnay used for the Satèn is carefully selected from the best company vineyards. The main 2017 feature of this Franciacorta lies in its creaminess: the bubbles are small and caressing, and convey sensations of pastry, white fruit and delicate spices.

Lunadoro

fraz. Valiano via Terra Rossa Montepulciano (SI) 3482215188 nobilelunadoro.it Today in the wine mosaic of the Swiss group Schenk Italian Wineries, the Lunadoro Montepulciano estate is located in Valiano, one of the most significant sub-areas of the Nobile di Montepulciano appellation. Maintaining the dimension and approach of a boutique winery, this production embodies a clear-cut minimalist modern style that’s never banal, expressed by wines that are consistent with the territory of origin and by a consolidated qualitative constancy, with labels capable in some cases of achieving absolute excellence.

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NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO PAGLIARETO ‘17 The Nobile di Montepulciano Pagliareto ‘17 is greatly appreciated on the sip, juicy and contrasted, but capable of also finding a beautiful aromatic texture between floral hints and fruity notes, well refined by spicy and sometimes balsamic memories.

Marsuret

loc. Guia di Valdobbiadene via Barch, 17 Valdobbiadene (TV) 0423900139 marsuret.it The company was founded by Agostino Marsura in 1936 with the purchase of a vineyard in Guia. Today the winery is in the hands of his grandson Ermes, who guides it with his children and with the help of a highly skilled staff. A great variety of situations distinguishes the hills that form the backdrop to this wine adventure.

Marsuret can count on 60 hectares of vineyards in 26 different areas in the hills between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano: each area has unique characteristics, from the composition of the soil, to the altitude, to the exposure to the sun.

VALDOBBIADENE EXTRA BRUT AMOLER Various sparkling wines see the light in the beautiful Guia cellar, among which Valdobbiadene Extra Brut 

VINI D’ITALIA GAMBERO ROSSO

Amoler excels. On the nose there are notes of white fruit and flowers, which we find in a dry and gritty palate.

Passo delle Tortore

c.da Vertecchia Pietradefusi (AV) 3355946330 passodelletortore.it Pietradefusi is a small town in the province of Avellino where Irpinia almost merges with Benevento. At over 400 meters above sea level, in Contrada Vertecchia, four young entrepreneurs have decided to create their own small winery. A little more than five hectares of vineyards (in addition to some small rented plots) are the assets that Passo delle Tortore can count on, a vineyard cultivated with respect for the environment currently in organic conversion. For now, only whites are produced, but a range of reds is already in the works.

loc. Lonato del Garda via Fenil Vecchio, 9 Lonato (BS) 0309103109 perladelgarda.it With a patient work of reorganization, siblings Giovanna and Ettore Prandini brought viticulture back to the family estate in 2000. The production of wine began in 2006, in a modern cellar built on three levels that allows precipitation vinification. Thirty hectares, mainly cultivated with turbiana, to obtain multifaceted Lugana, and an important commitment regarding environmental sustainability.

wines that are able to travel beautifully through time.

BAROLO VILLERO ‘16 Intense and fruity with beautiful notes of sweet woods, followed by china root. It owns a powerful and rich mouth with beautiful initial pulp and great tannic density. Of great gustatory length: a Barolo to wait for confidently.

LUGANA MADREPERLA RIS. ‘18 Lugana Riserva Madreperla ‘18 stands out in our tastings and earns its second laurel in this beautiful Garda area. It has a bright straw yellow colour, a nose rich in fruit with elegant veins of aromatic herbs and citrus fruits. On the palate it is rich, deep and full, with a beautiful sapid and mineral vein, and a persuasive finish on white fruit.

Poderi e Cantine Oddero

GRECO DI TUFO LE ARCAIE ‘19 We define it as one of the region’s most beautiful novelties of this year: the range of wines is more than good, the debut is very promising. The excellent Greco di Tufo Le Arcaie stands out, crystalline in its shades of yellow flowers, and a savoury and elegant mouth.

Perla del Garda CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE. N. 1308/2013.

CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG. N. 1308/2013.

fraz. Santa Maria via Tetti, 8 La Morra (CN) 017350618 oddero.it Mariacristina and Mariavittoria Oddero can count on one of the most prestigious vineyards in the region, thanks to the legacy left by their father Giacomo. Among the many, we remember Villero and Rocche di Castiglione Falletto, Brunate in La Morra, Vigna Mondoca di Bussia Soprana in Monforte d’Alba and Vignarionda in Serralunga. The stylistic code is confirmed as classic and rigorous, with a strong sensitivity regarding extractions and use of oaks of different capacities, for

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TASTING NOTES

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