Wine Travel Food November 2016

www.gamberorosso.it YEAR 21 N. 101 - NOVEMBER 2016

WINE

T R AV E L

FOOD

®

THE GUIDE

30 YEARS OF SUCCESS

• VINI D’ITALIA 2017 • TRAVEL. ASTI CANELLI. THE SWEET HILLS OF MOSCATO • FOOD. PASCUCCI. THE FLAVOR OF THE SEA

a tavola

26 28 24

WINE 28 | Vini d’Italia. 30 years of wine history The story of the renaissance of Italian wine over three decades of the Gambero Rosso guide.

43 | 1988. Tre Bicchieri 52 | Tre Bicchieri rediscovered.

55 | Special Awards. Tre Bicchieri 2017

november 2016 2 NOVEMBER 2016

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«Wine adds a smile to friendship and a spark to love» Edmondo De Amicis (writer 1846 – 1908) 55

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TRAVEL

NEWS & MORE

68 | Canelli. The sweet hills of Moscato To understand the world of Moscato and Asti, you must immerse yourself in the territory where it’s made. Only a few minutes off the highway between Asti and Alba, is the landscape of vines, isolated farmhouses and soft hills that UNESCO has listed as a World Heritage Site.

4 | Editorial 6 | News 18 | Wine of the month Romagna Sangiovese Sup. Godenza ‘14 Noelia Ricci 19 | Twitter dixit 22 | Design 24 | Pairing Lab Special Awards

FOOD 76 | Pascucci. The flavor of the sea His grandfather had a restaurant in Fiumicino, but Gianfranco did something completely different.

Then the restaurant was sold, and the company that managed it failed. Gianfranco Pascucci, a cooking aficionado, decided to take it back, and purchased it at auction. That’s how, in 2000, his adventure began. Since then it has been a crescendo of passion, work, knowledge and human contacts. Today, it has become a lighthouse for modern seafood cucina.

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EDITORIAL

CUCINA ITALIANA SURGES AROUND THE WORLD I write these lines from a table in an Italian restaurant in Cape Town, an authentic and convivial little place. I’m waiting for my primo while munching a piece of warm focaccia. One of our colleagues in the zone suggested it, and we came to confirm a positive rating for our new guide, Top Italian Restaurants in the World. We’re setting things straight. It’s time to archive the image of distorted names, overcooked pasta, signs that picture coastal vacation towns, the usual red-checked tablecloth. Cucina italiana is living a golden moment everywhere, with a multitude of top quality places that visibly shifted gear. They changed in terms of menu, research, availability of good ingredients, personnel training and innovation in their kitchens. At first, Italian restaurants were opened by casual cooks, people from other walks of life looking for new adventures. But today, there are some professional Italian chefs working abroad who would be top-ranking even in Italy. We met a new generation of very young cooks, inveterate travelers, who are raising the bar for cucina italiana. Their menus are more personal and well-defined, often regional. They aim at seasonality, essential flavors, and some carefully considered local variations. The great hotel chains around the world are now investing in top quality Ital-

ian restaurants, and classic French fine dining is losing ground. You can eat a simply extraordinary risotto in Tokyo, a perfectly turned out Neapolitan pizza in Sydney.

You can lose yourself in an Italian wine list worthy of a thousand and one nights in Mexico City, browse labels unfindable in Rome or Milano, including vintage years that by now are cellared only six thousand miles from their home. We selected about 300 places where you can experience the best in Italian food, pairing our wines with our specialties.

We have a lot to say in this field: we’re probably unbeatable. To bring you the most complete overview, we put together a panel of collaborators from around the world – journalists, experts and operators in the sector, all with their suitcases at hand. The guide will be available in a digital format, only in English, and will appear in March. We take into account restaurants, pizzerias and Italian wine bars. Meanwhile, in the following pages, we can give you some idea of our choices in Asia, news we released during our recent events. You can eat better Italian food in Hong Kong than in some Italian cities, for sure. The pasta is being served, so I’ll leave you. It’s definitely al dente.

Lorenzo Ruggeri

4 NOVEMBER 2016

The Richness of Diversity Knowing the diversity of the places in which we grow our vines helps us to value the rich legacy of our land. Castelli di Jesi, Conero and Abruzzo: 3 areas, 10 vineyards, 210 hectares divided between Verdicchio, Montepulciano and other typical grape varieties of the Adriatic coast.

Montepulciano Verdicchio Pecorino Montepulciano

Castelli di Jesi

Conero

110 hectares 65 hectares

Abruzzo

35 hectares

Umani Ronchi - Via Adriatica 12 - 60027 Osimo (AN) ITALIA - Tel. +39 071 7108019 - www.umanironchi.com

NEWS FROM AROUND WINE AND THE ECONOMY WORLD

THE FUTURE OF BRANGELINA’S PROVENÇAL WINE? UNCERTAIN BURGUNDY. THE 2016 HARVEST WORRIES PRODUCERS

The future may not be too rosy for the Miraval Brangelina rosé. With the end of the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie story, the world of wine is asking what will happen with the Château Miraval in Provence. The couple bought it in 2008 for 40 million euros. Since last June, rumors have circulated about the sale of the property. Recently it was said to be on the market for double its original price, although plans for a sale were denied by partner and winemaker Marc Perrin. The production of rosé that began in 2012 with the JoliePitt & Perrin Cotes de

Provence Rosé Miraval label became a favorite with the international wine press. It won first prize in its category in Wine Spectator and was 84th in the magazine’s list of the top 100 of all wines in 2013. Today production amounts to 6,000 bottles priced between $22 and $28, while a bottle of white of the same brand was sold at a benefit auction in Provence for over $13,000. Among the pre-divorce projects of the Pitt-Jolie chateau was a superProvence red. That plan is probably not on the top of the Hollywood couple’s to-do list.

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Burgundy will have to dig into its own reserves to avoid losing a slice of the market. Producers in one of the most important vineyard areas in the world are worried about their 2016 harvest. It proved to be well below the average of the last five years, principally because of bad weather. The levels of stock, recently increased from 8 to 10 months thanks to the 2014 and 2015 harvests, give some relief. In terms of internal exchanges (from August 2014-July 2016) white denominations grew 1% while reds and rosés shrank (-7% for the year and -12% for the five-year average).

Crémant de Bourgogne also went down (-9%). Export numbers were good and in the first 7 months of 2016 went above 450 million euros (+4.6%, the highest in 10 years.), with an increase of 2.4% in volume. Growth continued in North America, while Great Britain, Sweden and Switzerland returned to the positive. Germany and Belgium were down. Sales to Italy (16th among countries of destination) grew almost 7% in volume and value (3.5 million euros between January and July). The French restaurant world, in 2015, saw wine sales grow, of Chablis above all. Wine shops are stable, selling about 9 million bottles of Burgundy wine. Sales increased in supermarkets. The first semester of 2016 saw 10.8 million bottles sold (+5.5%) for 82.7 million euros (-6.3%) while wine sales in supermarkets overall continue to shrink, with DOC labels down 5.5 million bottles.

SPAIN INCREASES WINE SPENDING

BREXIT. MIGHT THE UNITED KINGDOM DEMAND A SHARE OF EU-OWNED WINE? After Prime Minister Theresa May announced that Brexit will be triggered by March 2017, attention focused on the negotiations that must take place over the next months. Every respectable divorce involves the separation of wealth, which in this case involves art collections, real estate valued at £8.7 billion, dozens of space satellites and even an assortment of 42,000 bottles that include wine, cognac and other spirits in the cellars of the European Commission. How much of this patrimony could go to Great Britain? If it’s true that Great Britain contributes an eighth of the European Union’s budget, it might have a right to 5,000 bottles of wine and 259 of spirits, besides £2.25 million of the art collection.

Beyond a quantitative assessment, it’s important to consider quality to establish the value of individual bottles. That will require an inventory. Some experts, such as the English magazine Decanter, try to imagine how these wines could be used. In previous years, ex-Prime Minister David Cameron, respecting Austerity, established that the British government cellars could finance themselves with the sale of its own premium bottles in order to buy new ones. In 2013 alone, the sale of 54 bottles brought in £63,000 to the State’s coffers, of which£49,000 was reinvested in wine. The European share of the wines could follow the same path.

First, however, comes the legal battle to determine custody.

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The year 2015 was a banner year for Spanish exports, (2.6 billion euros), and the country’s overall wine sales brought encouraging news.

At an average price of 1.05 euros per liter, 4.36 billion liters of wine brought in a total of 4.58 billion euros. Compared to 2014, according to the analysis of the wine market done by the Spanish Osservatorio (OEMV) based on data from the national institute of statistics (INE), that number amounts to an increase of 1.1% in volume and 5.1% in value. The average price also grew 4.1%. In terms of quantity, the sale of DOP wines went down 11.1% while all products grew in terms of value, except for liqueurs and DOP rosés. Sales of red wine are more than double that of white (2.58 billion euros) with an increase of 18.3% of the average price to 2 euros per liter. Sales for non-DOP wines increased by 8.5% in quantity (2.7 billion euros) and 6.9% in value (1.1 billion euros), with an average price of .41 euros per liter, a decrease of 1.5%. Sales of DOP wines, both white and red, increased although rosés went down (-6.3%), representing barely 4% of the overall value. Spain needs more wine, however, and imports in the first semester of 2016 increased 37.6% in volume and 9.9% in value (to 80 million euros, despite the average price going down to 2.68 euros a liter. The biggest gain is seen in bulk wine, especially from Italy, the top provider, although the purchase of DOP wines and spumanti has also increased.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

SWORDFISH AT RISK IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. EU approach divides fishermen and environmentalists The varieties most at risk in our seas and oceans are swordfish, bluefin tuna, and some species of shark. To avoid their collapse, the European Union will introduce fishing quotas in 2017. The limit for swordfish was set at 10,500 tonnes for 2017 at a meeting of the 51-member International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in Vilamoura, Portugal. It will be further tightened by three percent per year between 2018 and 2022 as part of a larger 15-year plan to rebuild Mediterranean swordfish stocks by 2031. “We are very worried about the future of Mediterranean swordfish,” explained Giuseppe di Carlo, director of the Mediterranean marine initiative of the WWF. “About 85% of the swordfish fishing fleet in the Mediterranean is made up of EU boats, and so the EU has to take the initiative to guarantee a secure future for an iconic species.” The battle between environmentalists and fishermen will be particularly felt in Italy, one of the major producers in Europe, with over 40% of the catch.

The Italian cooperative alliance, Fish sector, is alarmed by the effect of the ruling on employment. “The quota system,” explained the group in a press release, “generates uncertainty and the exit of businesses and workers from the market.” It proposes other measures, such as “spacetime closures, redefinition of fishing equipment, a system of traceability, and new rules for amateur fishing.”

2016 A DISASTROUS YEAR FOR ITALIAN OLIVE OIL: HARVEST HALVED decline bringing the harvest to 242.8 tons, compared to 474.6 in 2015. The fall in production hits southern Italy the hardest. Those regions will lose about 50% of their product, compared to central Italy that sees losses of a little more than 40%. Northern Italy shows a countertrend, above all in Veneto, Lombardy and Trentino Alto Adige. The harvest is a little early everywhere in Italy, above all to prevent fruit fly attacks, which have been a long-term problem. The weather influenced the year notably, with an alternation of heat and rain in the least opportune moments. Wind and cold affected fruit set and unexceptional budding negatively. A large increase in prices is predicted, with extra-virgin and virgin oils reaching respectively 5.5 euros and 3.9 euros per kilo. The Italian reduction inevitably influences the world level of olive oil production. From 3 million tons in 2015, the total will slide to 2.7 million (data from the International Olive Council). The largest producer, Spain, is predicting harvests in line with 2015, about 1.4 million tons and prices in November at about 3.2 euros per kilo. Also in decline are Greece and Tunisia (-7%). Turkey is stable at 143,000 tons, Morocco at 130,000. Production in Argentina and Australia is rising.

Another difficult year is predicted for Italian olive oil, after the problems of 2014. Ismea (Istituto di Servizi per il Mercato Agricolo Alimentare) and Unaprol (Consorzio Olivicolo Italiano) have announced a reduction in the estimates for 2016 with a 48.8% 8

NOVEMBER 2016

INSECTS SERVED IN EUROPEAN RESTAURANTS. The new guidelines for novel food A year ago, the European parliament voted to renew the regulations concerning novel food. They urged the updating of a twenty-year old text that was seen as obsolete and inadequate to the job of governing production, sales and consumption of foods that are the result of technological innovation or traditions from outside the European Union. With reference to the old regulation (CE 258/97), the category includes “foods and food ingredients which have not hitherto been used for human consumption to a significant degree within the Community.“ At that time, Strasbourg voted for a simplification of the bureaucracy, leaving the job of evaluating each new food and placing it, if suitable, into the category of novel food, to EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority. EFSA could authorize sale and consumption. Insects included. Beginning in January 2018, (when the new rule will enter into effect in Italy), guaranteeing the quality of products that are new to many tables and that could be met with cultural hostility in Europe will fall under the authority of EFSA. Large-scale producers of insects, like those in Thailand, are equipping themselves to conquer the European market (experts met in Bangkok

last month). EFSA recently published guidelines for presenting products to a security commission as candidates for admission to the novel food group. Those interested in doing so have to include a detailed dossier on the product’s organic composition, its nutritional and allergenic properties, as well as data concerning traceability along the production line. The proponent must also indicate uses and the distribution plan for the food, besides evidence that guarantees that the novel food in question has already been consumed for at least 25 years without causing harm to health in at least one country outside the EU.

EVENTS ABROAD

by Lorenzo Ruggeri and Eleonora Guerini

NOT JUST WINE. Along with our World Tour, our Top Italian Restaurants guide The Gambero Rosso Roadshow opened in Asia, its first stop in Seoul, where premium red wine is a favorite. China was satisfying, but maintaining relationships counts. And, city by city, here’s our selection of the best Italian restaurants.

The first stops on the World Tour 2016/2017 included an important new phase in our work promoting Italian excellence around the globe. For the first time during our wine tastings and guided seminars, we showcased Italy’s best ambassadors to the world: Italian restaurants. During the Asia events, we previewed our Top Italian Restaurants, the first digital guide to recount the great step forward in quality that Italian restaurants have achieved everywhere, in terms of research, training, and innovation. The guide, in a digital format, will be ready in March. It includes reviews of restaurants, pizzerias and wine bars dedicated to Italian wine and food culture.

SEOUL, WHERE TO EAT ITALIAN

One of the principal changes in Italian restaurants around the world has been the showcasing of regional specialties, with new locales and 10 NOVEMBER 2016

dedicated formats. Among the restaurants in our guide to Seoul is Ciuri Ciuri, an example of Sicilian cucina in the young neighborhood of Sangsu. Enrico Olivieri and his wife Fiore, from Palermo, offering simple, well-made food, have met with success. “We have sold more than seven thousand arancini in two years. It’s a product everyone likes, and Sicily’s appeal is powerful.” The best selection of Italian wines is at La Cucina, an historic Italian restaurant opened in 1990, which then created a chain of locations all around the city. The wine list at the flagship restaurant in Itaewon shows true passion for Italian wine, with stimulating choices from the entire country, among which is a deep and well-articulated selection of Barolo and Brunello labels. And finally, the prize for best pizza goes to an authentic pioneer of Neapolitan pizza in Asia: Salvatore Cuomo and his Salvatore Cuomo The Kitchen Seoul. Salvatore today has over 90 restaurants around Asia, 1,500 collaborators and imports 10 tons of mozzarella di bufala from Campania every month. “In Seoul we had more problems compared to Japan. The idea of pizza they have is American, but things have started to change slowly, and the figure of the pizzaiolo is finally appreciated,” Salvatore commented.

SEOUL. THE WINE MARKET

South Korea, with its fifty million inhabitants and a position of leadership in the world of technology and duty free goods, is the fourth economic power in Asia. Without doubt it is also the most interested in the luxury sector. In fact, over 180 million dollars of annual imports are spent on 330,000 hectoliters, which means that the wine imported into and consumed in South Korea is in the middle to high price range. Italy is the third country in terms of wine imported here, after France and Chile, and shows constant growth. At present, the value of Italian wine imported is above $30 million, half of which is red, $9 million white, and $6 million sparkling wines (of which Italy is the second exporter, after France).

The possibilities for development of Made in Italy wines are evident, beyond the numeric data. “For many years,” wine and food journalist Sangmi Kim told us, “Italian wine has been considered to be at a higher level than French. The numbers show France still way ahead, but I’m sure that distance will shorten more and more. It’s important for Italian producers to be as present as possible, participating in events like this Gambero Rosso one. Only through better knowledge of the product can imports grow.”

EVENTS ABROAD

BEIJING. A MARKET TO PROTECT

The story in China is different. Italy has to work much harder to gain the position it deserves, in terms both of volume of business and quantities imported. Four countries – France, Australia, Chile and Spain – are ahead of us. Out of over 1.8 billion euros of wine imported, only 90 million are Italian. True, 2015 saw a 16% increment over 2014, a good sign, but there’s no doubt that more needs to be done to raise the Bel Paese’s standing. The need for producers to work together systematically is more crucial in this country, a little because it requires educating palates and a little because the amounts, in a country with a population of almost a billion and a half, are significant when dealing with importation issues.

“China has opened up to the world of western wine,” Clemence Jiang of the China Daily told us. “But wine is clearly still seen as a product for the elite. Italian wines are beginning to gain visibility and attract attention, but the French and Australians are more present on our market.

Italy has a great deal of space to conquer, and considering the quality of its wines, I don’t think it will be difficult for that to happen quickly. But producers have to hang in, and not be discouraged by a market that can be chaotic and volatile.”

BEIJING. WHERE TO EAT ITALIAN

The first Tre Forchette, the guide’s top award, goes to a restaurant a few kilometers from the Forbidden City. Mio Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel is named the best Italian restaurant in the city. In the kitchen is Nello Turc, a chef who has worked with world renowned chefs Ducasse, Beck and Redezepi. At the age of thirty, Turc is leading a brigade of nineteen. His cucina is not what you expect in a hotel – it is more creative and rich in contrasts rather than reassuring. It often plays with fermentation. As for yeast, La Pizza, in the Sunlitun neighborhood, achieved the highest score in the city. Gennaro Miele’s place offers authentic Neapolitan pizza with high-quality ingredients imported directly

Tasting in Taipei

by Gennaro himself. Another top pizzeria belongs to the Fratelli Salvo, also in the Sunlitun quarter: Bottega opened less than two years ago and uses high quality flour and other ingredients. Its new wine bar, Vesuvio, was inaugurated a few weeks ago. And finally, for the best Italian wine list, special mention goes to Opera Bombana, one of the restaurants opened by the only Italian chef abroad to be awarded three Michelin stars: Umberto Bombana, The list is laden with classic names, old vintages, and it ranges both wide and deep. Bottles are perfectly stored and service is exemplary in every way.

in Europe returned home, some to write blogs, others to launch wine bars or set up specialized sales sites. The three seminars, led by Lorenzo Ruggeri and Marco Sabellico, showed increasing enthusiasm for whites, a good understanding of Italy’s wine territories, and openness to flavor. “The market is still dominated by French wines, but the new generations are very interested in trying new wines. They are finally seeing that Italy is not only Piedmont and Tuscany,” commented Serena Hsiang, a journalist who is working on a book about indigenous Italian grape varieties. The great leap in favor of Italian wine came from restaurants. Steve Chen, who founded Chopstick in 2011 and is the only local importer specialized in Italian wines, carries 130 labels from over 20 wineries. He said, “The Italian wine share of the market rose to above 10%. It’s still a small fraction, but grew considerably in 2016 thanks also to the success of Italian restaurants. Even a foreign notable such as Jamie Oliver is opening an Italian restaurant in Taipei.

Great investments aimed at Italian flavors are in the works. This will significantly increase Italian wine’s share of the market in future years.”

All told, this is a market to attentively monitor, not at all saturated. Those who believe in it are already seeing excellent returns.

TAIPEI.

The tenth edition of the Top Italian Wines Roadshow opened on Taiwan, an island that is a story unto itself, even in terms of wine. For the second time, our world tour starts out in Taipei, one of the lesser known but more fascinating cities of Asia, culturally halfway between China and Japan. Last November 7, 65 of the best Italian wineries took the stage in a market that is young, but solid. The average age of the participants at the event – 520 including trade, media and wine lovers – indicated an aboveaverage knowledge of wine compared to other places in Asia. Many young people who studied 13

NOVEMBER 2016

EVENTS ABROAD

TAIPEI. WHERE TO EAT ITALIAN

The best examples of Italian restaurants in the area are Piccola Enoteca, owned by Boris Wang, located in Zhubey City, an hour’s drive from Taipei – Roman specialties, mushrooms and truffles – and Al Sorriso, a place newly opened in Taipei by Marco Lotito. Its kitchen is innovative but faithful to Italian ingredients. The award for best wine list went to Botega del Vin, an historic restaurant owned by Giorgio, a talented host. He offers both a vast and astute selection of wine, especially from the Veneto, and a solid cucina, faithful to the traditions of Verona’s specialties. Finally, recognition for the best pizza went to Augustin Wu for his Antico Forno, a place that offers a fragrant and flavorful crust topped with good ingredients, and continually invests in training its personnel.

the labels that had a significant jump in price, Fiorano performed amazingly well, while Piedmont in general is meeting with great approval. Overall, the great collectors are moving towards Italy. Italy is not yet a status symbol, but the trend is clearly in our favor,” commented Raimondo Romani, owner of the only Italian wine auction house in Hong Kong, Gelardini & Romani. The event, accompanied, as all Tre Bicchieri events are, by a masterclass on the guide’s Special Awards, began slowly but then saw an impressive presence of trade and journalists, with over 450 participants. There was great curiosity about the first Grignolino to win a Tre Bicchieri.

“There was a lot of interest in this wine, but after the news of its award, the bottles emptied quickly. I never expected that,” said Giuseppe Visco from the Vicara winery.

HONG KONG

HONG KONG. WHERE TO EAT ITALIAN

As in the past, the Tre Bicchieri event in Hong Kong preceded the opening of the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair. The first was held seven years ago: “It was the first time I saw Asia, and we had the sensation that we had to build up everything. Today, fortunately, things have changed a lot, thanks also to Gambero Rosso, which has become the benchmark on this market. It’s true that reds continue to dominate, but there’s also space for soft, elegant whites,” commented Michele Montresor from the Veneto winery, Ottella. Over 60 wineries that received awards in the Vini d’Italia 2017 guide came to visit the most desirable market in Asia, the pathway to continental China. “The logic of the label drinker is over. Today the Hong Kong public has great awareness. I see a growing search for mature wine. Young wines, above all whites, are less sought after. Among

In Hong Kong, thanks to its affluent community, you can eat better Italian food than in some Italian cities. It’s not an accident. Here the quality of the upper reaches of Italy’s catering sector is impressive, partly due to the ease of importing authentic ingredients. Among award winners, Alessandro Cozzolino, 26 years old, stands out. He is the chef at Ristorante Grissini, awarded Tre Forchette Tricolore, the highest score. Born in Caserta, he is one of the youngest and most talented chefs traveling around the world: modest and creative, he has the surest of hands. His cucina revolves around majestically pure flavors. The best pizza award went to Ciak – In the Kitchen, a well-run location opened in 2010 and managed by Valentino. Its electric oven does right by the excellent crust formed by long, slow rising, high quality toppings and premium flour, all at friendly prices. The best Italian wine bar award went to 121bc, belonging to Andrew Cibej, a satellite of the original 121bc in Sydney.

It opened in 2013 and offers a format that is unusual for Asia: only organic and biodynamic Italian wines, only from small producers. If you are a fan of orange wines and new approaches, 121bc is an oasis in the Asian context. The food is good, too.

And finally, we must mention Giando, another restaurant selected by our Guide for its excellent food.

Giandomenico Caprioli is a rare example of chef and proprietor in one. His wine list is wonderfully wellarticulated and he has a star performer in the dining room: Emanuele Berselli.

OSAKA AND TOKYO

On November 14, the Top Italian Wines Roadshow returned to Osaka, Japan’s great culinary city, for the fourth time. The number of restaurants for a population of this size is surprising. The offerings range from street food, especially takoyaki, an octopus croquette sold at every corner, to top-quality restaurants serving the best Italian wines. The most recent edition of the Vini d’Italia guide in Japanese, in its fourth edition, was presented for the occasion. Lorenzo Ruggeri and Marco Sabellico, with the support of Isao Miyajima, the translator of the guide and probably Japan’s greatest authority on Italian wine, conducted three seminars. The attention to detail, curiosity and knowledge of Japanese wine operators is unique outside Italy’s borders. Every year presents an opportunity for a sincere, passionate, dense meeting. Sixty-five Italian producers found it to be a crucial business opportunity.

OSAKA. WHERE TO EAT ITALIAN

The award winners in Osaka are three strong, determined and skilled women. Let’s begin with Ayako Masaki, the sommelier at Vivacchus, which wins for Tasting in Hong Kong

15 NOVEMBER 2016

EVENTS ABROAD

the best selection of Italian wines. You can drink good labels and they do a lot to educate clients in an original and astute way. The best pizzeria award went to Pizzeria Ciro in Akashi, a thirty-minute drive from Osaka. Pizziaola Kimiko Kotani offers well-risen crusts with high edges and the freshest of toppings. The award for the best Italian restaurant in Osaka went to the Splendido in the Ritz Carlton where Oriana Tirabassi from Collo del Tronto is in charge. “Here they have a very sophisticated sensibility for food and exceptional ingredients.

At the start I had trouble as a woman, but finally I managed to earn respect. They have fine technical skills, and my own passion was contagious,” Oriana told us.

Two days later, on November 16, over 110 Italian wineries participated in the Tre Bicchieri event connected with Vinexpo, after an excellent collaboration last May in Hong Kong. It was a unique event in terms of participation and the quality of participants and exhibitors.

Beside the seminar on Special Awards, we spent a moment examining the Prosecco phenomenon. This stop is an important one for Italian wine in Japan. “This year in Asia, we had about fifteen important contacts at each event – we never had so many before. In Hong Kong we found an importer and in Japan we found new leads,” commented Marco de Bartoli.

TOKYO. WHERE TO EAT ITALIAN

The quality of Italian restaurants in Tokyo is undoubtedly among the highest in the world. During the opening ceremony, five places received awards. For top wine lists, two locales won that had been opened by sommeliers who had previously traveled in Italy and then returned to open their own locations. Keisuke Kuroda (ex-Pinchiorri) today has Kurodino 1 and 2. Kazuo Naito runs Vino della Pace. They each have deeplyarticulated wine lists offering incredible vintage years.

The first Tre Spicchi (three slices), our top score, went to Napoli Sta’ ca’’, opened in 2012 by Giuseppe Erricchiello. Then came two restaurants that won Tre Forchette Tricolore: Heinz Beck and Il Ristorante Luca Fantin in Tokyo’s Ginza Tower. Fantin is one of the best Italian chefs in the world, and has lived in Japan since 2009.

His kitchen focuses on product, seasonality, freshness and superb skill. Tokyo offers two of Italian cucina’s best experiences in the world.

16 NOVEMBER 2016

A GUIDE TO THE LEADING 850 COMPANIES PRODUCING FOODSTUFFS IN ITALY

An indispensable tool for foodies but even more so for industry insiders promoting the best of Made-in-Italy worldwide

www.gamberorosso.it

WINE OF THE MONTH

SANGIOVESE SOUL

Romagna Sangiovese Sup. Godenza ’14 Noelia Ricci 13,000 bottles ex-cellar price: 8.50 euros (+ taxes) Marco Cirese has revolutionized his historic family winery, Tenuta Pandolfa, with an extraordinary, energetic staff. Francesco Bordini heads the work in the vineyard and cellar, Francesco Guazzugli Marini leads the commercial side. The change has been so dramatic that it called for a new name, Noelia Ricci, underlining the different nature of this 2013 project. Under this brand come wines from grapes selected within Pandolfa’s production, chosen from the historic patrimony of the family’s vineyards. Its nine hectares are located in the more internal part of Romagna’s hilly zone, on sand and sandstone terrain. Godenza ’14 is a monovarietal Sangiovese, fermented in stainless steel using only indigenous yeasts. After eight months in steel vats and six in the bottle, the wine has great finesse. It is subtle and complex, with earthy, spicy notes enhancing the fruit.

In the mouth, it is agile and fresh, delicately citrusy, vertical and precise, ideal for pairing with a traditional plate of tagliatelle with ragù.

18 NOVEMBER 2016

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19 NOVEMBER 2016

DESIGN

by Francesco Seccagno

DESIGN Lightness: an idea, more than a concept tied to real weight, is a favorite theme not only in philosophy and literature, but in the kitchen as well. Design, function and ease of use can enhance appliances and utensils that are physically heavy and ideally substantial.

Also ‘light’: the idea of using indoors equipment usually reserved for outside, such as barbecue.

Estrattore 50’s style | Smeg | Guastalla (RE) | tel. 0522 8211 | www.smeg.it | www.smeg50style.com Lightness here is largely in the product the appliance gives us, but also in the charming retro look that takes us back to the rounded shapes of the 1950s. The juice extractor today guarantees a pure juice, not oxidized by the heat from excessive pressure. With 43 revolutions per minute, this slow juicer produces a coldpressed drink resembling a hand-squeezed one. Lightness is built into the design.

Barberix | Gorex | San Bonifacio (VR) | via Madonna Pellegrina, 28 | tel. 045 6180 054 | www.barberix.com Remember salamanders?

Those finishing ovens were standard restaurant equipment. Now, they are used less, but the idea has been upgraded to a new model of indoor (and outdoor) grill, Barberix, designed and produced by Gorex, the iron and steel specialty firm owned by Giuseppe Remonato and Claudio Gobbi. The two men, passionate cooks, built an indoor barbecue grill based on infrared heat. It instantly heats up, cooks from above, avoids smoke and is easy to transport. It is also useful for heating up food or keeping it warm.

22 NOVEMBER 2016

Multipiastra | Berndes | Gruppo Alluflon | Mondavio (PU) | | tel. 0721 980 278 | www.berndesitalia.com

loc. Pianaccio

Solid, resistant cast iron, the historic iron-carbon alloy, gives perfect, uniform distribution of heat. In this grill plate designed for lightness, it is also practical and easy to use. Thanks to its nature, the chef can remove a cast iron pan from the stove and finish cooking without heat. A protective internal coating prevents scratches. External enamel can be black or orange. The pan is designed for use on all heat sources: gas, ceramic electric, halogen, glass, induction. In the Multipiastra grill plate, handles are integrated into the body to allow oven use too.

Gravity CL | Nimbus group | Stoccarda | nimbus-group.com What weighs less than a wire-free light? Than a mobile lamp? After its experience with Roxanne Fly (a led table lamp without wires) the German group launched Gravity CL, ambience lamps for the living room, kitchen, or studio, without wires. They can be moved easily since they are fixed to walls or ceilings by magnetic supports. The line is making its debut alongside Winglet, a portable lamp, also without wires. This innovative lighting emerged from a project by Rupert Koff, inspired by the ultra-thin structure of smartphones and tablets. Run on rechargeable batteries, they guarantee 100 hours of light.

23 NOVEMBER 2016

SPECIAL WINE

PAIRING

drawings by Chiara Buosi

SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

frappato

verdicchio

morellino

lepre in salmì JUGGED HARE

Gioia del Colle Primitivo Mur Sant'Angelo Contrada Barbatto ’13 CHIAROMONTE

SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

frappato

morellino

olive all’ascolana STUFFED FRIED OLIVES

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Cl. Sup. Misco ’15 TENUTA DI TAVIGNANO

ANO FSOAVE

frappato

morellino

verdicchio

risotto agli scampi SCAMPI RISOTTO

Valdobbiadene Extra Dry Giustino B. ’15 RUGGERI

24 NOVEMBER 2016

AWARDS PAIRING

SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

frappato

morellino

crostata di albicocche e amaretti APRICOT AND AMARETTI TART

Tal Luc Cuvée Speciale LIS NERIS SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

frappato

morellino

verdicchio

frittura di pesce FRIED FISH

Pecorino ’15 TIBERIO SCHIAVA

tagliata di tonno agli agrumi

FRESH TUNA WITH CITRUS FRUIT

INTERNATIONAL

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Zagreo ’15 I CACCIAGALLI 25 NOVEMBER 2016

FIANO

THE WINERY

William Pregentelli contributed

BARONE PIZZINI. Sustainable and good, it started with Franciacorta The date blazoned on the brand name is 1870, when Barone Edoardo Pizzini from Rovereto, at that time still a province in the Hapsburg Empire, arrived in Franciacorta and founded his farm, Amministrazione Agricola Pizzini. In 1991, already an old man, Giulio Pizzinin Piomarta decided to leave the reins of his estate in the hands of a small group of entrepreneurs who gradually acquired the property. Silvano Brecianini heads the winery, a leader in Franciacorta. It is respected not only for the quality of its wines, which by now are always at the top of the denomination, but also for its deep commitment to environmental sustainability.

In 2015, the estate won the award for Sustainable Viticulture in Gambero Rosso’s Vini d’Italia guide.

But how did this approach come about? “We belong to Franciacorta and we love good wine. We believe in our territory. To do well means respecting the earth, keeping it alive.

Going organic was the result of a choice to be coherent.” The path was not simple. “When you are the first to go down a road, there are no examples to follow. There is no recipe.

Every territory has its characteristics. So we rolled up our sleeves and showed that you could make a quality organic Franciacorta wine.”

In 2002, when the success of Barone Pizzini was consolidated, the owners bet on two other properties, one in Marche, the other in Tuscany. Pievalta is in Maiolati Spontini (Ancona), a zone of one of the most renowned Italian whites, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. Poderi di Ghiaccioforte, where sangiovese is king, is located in the heart of the Maremma. “We wanted to invest in indigenous grapes that we think of as special: sangiovese and verdicchio,” Brescianini explained. “Many thought us crazy because we were investing in old vines of grapes that were so inconsequential.” Again, in 26 NOVEMBER 2016

these two new estates, environmental respect was a given. “In Marche, the former owner had sold his grapes, so his aim was quantity. Our goal was the equilibrium of the vineyard. Today we produce half of what regulations allow, but we get results that we think are interesting.” This estate is biodynamic. “We see biodynamic farming as boosting the vitality of the soil. In central Italy, the climate helps. In Franciacorta, it rains more,

and copper is a problem. But the vitality of the soil is our focus and we apply different biodynamic practices in Lombardy as well.”

Let’s return to Franciacorta, where in 2005 Pizzini built a new winery, a model of sustainable bio-architecture: pesticides and weed killers are banned from 47 hectares of vineyard. Everything is constantly monitored, from carbon dioxide production to the consumption of water and fuel. “Sustainability must be sought after constantly to overcome the contradictions of everyday life,” Brescianini said. “You can’t stop with the vineyard. You have to see how to improve over 360°, from the ink on your labels to the energy you consume.” Research includes collaboration with important agencies committed to this cause, such as the Università di Milano, the Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige, and the design studio, Sa.Ta., the partner with which Barone Pizzini is looking for new projects and solutions. The history of this Franciacorta winery is certainly exemplary, and it has had the effect of rattling the entire territory. “Today, 40% of Franciacorta vineyards are moving towards becoming organic and towards viticulture that reduces the impact on the environment. We are proud that organic farming is growing. We feel a duty to continue making our contribution and sharing our experiences.”

THE WINES | FRANCIACORTA NON DOSATO BAGNADORE RIS. ’09 | Barone Pizzini |

Provaglio d’Iseo (BS) | www.baronepizzini.it One of the best expressions of Franciacorta Riserva, the Non Dosato Bagnadore ‘09 is a cuvée of chardonnay and pinot nero. The grapes come from twenty-year-old vines in the Roccolo vineyard, located on a hill near woods. After over 70 months of aging on its lees, it opens elegant and complex, with pulpy fruit sustained by a fresh acidic vein that renders it dynamic and lively up to its long finish on vanilla and citron sensations.

| FRANCIACORTA BRUT NATURAE EDIZIONE ’12 | Barone Pizzini |

Provaglio d’Iseo (BS) | www.baronepizzini.it Here too, chardonnay (70%) and pinot nero blend in a cuvée with almost austere traits. The acidic scaffolding is made more docile by the softness typical of the vintage.

Some of the grapes come from a higher-altitude vineyard, Pian delle Viti, where the limestone terrain lends a pleasant, intriguing and tasty saline note.

| CASTELLI DI JESI VERDICCHIO CL. SAN PAOLO RIS. ’13 |

Maiolati Spontini (AN) | www.pievalta.it Among the best Verdicchio labels tasted in this thirtieth edition of our guide is San Paolo ‘13, an unforgettable wine.

The nose displays a series of notes – yellow citrus fruit, basil, flowers, sweet almonds, a breath of anise – as the prelude to a pyrotechnical palate 27 NOVEMBER 2016

where acidity, structure and minerality are perfectly fused in a mouthful of exuberant, deep sapidity. A masterpiece.

| VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CL. SUP. DOMINÈ ’15 | Pievalta |

Maiolati Spontini (AN) | www.pievalta.it This wine bears the name of an old grocery store once flourishing on the property.

Dominè ‘15 has a sweet nose of candied citrus fruit and a subtle lacing of acidity that gives vibrant energy to a saline palate.

ESTATATURA | Poderi di Ghiaccioforte |

Scansano (GR) | www. poderidighiaccioforte.it This is the label that represents the winery’s riserva.

Monovarietal sangiovese ages in barriques for 14 months. It has a modern character and an inviting nose on tones of sour cherries and raspberries, refreshed by balsamic counterpoint. Soft in the mouth, it has perfectly smooth tannin.

MORELLINO DI SCANSANO | Poderi di Ghiaccioforte | Scansano (GR) | www.poderidighiaccioforte.it Sangiovese plays a starring role in all this winery’s labels. This Morellino displays a fresh, red berry and cherry nose, while in the mouth it is linear, juicy, pleasurable and delicious.

VINI D’ITALIA 2017

by Marco Sabellico

30 years 28 NOVEMBRE 2016

of wine history

Here we are, celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of our wine guide.

It is a major achievement, one that perhaps was not even in the dreams of those who sent to the printer the first, by now legendary, edition of 1988, with its bottle-green cover, its odd-size format, its elegant graphics and its revolutionary approach.

29 NOVEMBER 2016

International Scene

he first edition that came out in 1988 was a guide that spoke about great and very great wines in an Italy that was trying to emerge, with difficulty, from a dark period that had touched bottom with the methanol scandal of 1986. That event deeply undermined our credibility around the world as the Bel Paese, the beautiful country. With perfect timing, Vini d’Italia was a signal to Italians and to the world that our wine sector was powerful, full of brilliant and passionate individuals who had put their souls into the business of producing good wine and making people happy. The intuition at the heart of the success of the guide was the choice of simple and direct language, clear to everybody, not only to super expert wine fans used to highbrow and bombastic sentences about the subject. Another aspect was the pleasure we always felt in telling the stories of small and large winemakers in love with their work, with nature and wine. A third feature was the choice of a point system, named Bicchieri or glasses, that was easy to explain, even intuitive. It would be long and repetitive to outline, step by step, the innovations that we introduced over the years. The reviews, which have vastly grown in their number, the format of the guide, the group of dedicated colleagues – by now more than 70 - who accompany us for months tasting in every corner of Italy, then

Photo Fattoria Zerbina

T

VINI D’ITALIA 2017

The Renaissance writing and editing the texts – all slowly evolved. One thing we are impelled to underline: the spirit of our group is the same as ever, and the way we work - blind tasting wines that are first covered up by impartial commissions in the production zone – is unchanged, although we have gone from 1,500 wines reviewed to 45,000 tasted. The wineries we cover have increased from 500 to 2,400, and the wines awarded Tre Bicchieri grew from 34 to 429. The world has changed in the last thirty years. Pioneer wineries in the renaissance of Italian wine over those years opened the way for new generations of quality producers who today are known and appreciated around the globe.

The other intuition that forged the history of Gambero Rosso and is profoundly etched in our DNA is an awareness of the international stage. Right from the earliest editions, we began to translate the guide into German and English. We started timidly, but with growing conviction, to organize events for the trade to introduce Italian wines to the world. From one foreign event a year to present the first translated edition (1989), we grew gradually, especially over the last decade. Now we present forty events annually, have a dedicated, inspired team, and added both Chinese and Japanese translations of our guide. This process revealed our true, great vocation, one that makes us look to the future and to the next thirty years with optimism. We love telling the world about the marvelous treasures of Italy’s great wine and excellent food. We are a group that looks to the future, and to the world, and the stars of Italy’s wine and food scene join us in that. Important newspapers and magazines have come to realize the impact of our adventure, and we asked them to comment and celebrate this anniversary

VINI D’ITALIA 2017

Monica Larner

“The Italy of wine is a unique country. It has an extraordinary power to innovate, and this ability fascinates American consumers, and others around the world,” said the Italian specialist of Robert Parker Jr’s Wine Advocate. “France seems like the country of tradition, perhaps a little crystallized, but in Italy there’s always a new wine, a new emerging zone, a new indigenous variety to get excited about besides the traditional classics. Italian wines are appealing, never banal, and wine lovers are attracted to wines with personality.” New grapes, new wineries and new territories make our work as reviewers more and more absorbing. Over the years, the world has come to know Italian wine and Gambero Rosso better, and our ratings, especially Tre Bicchieri, are a global standard for fans and for operators in the sector.

Thierry Desseauve

“We have a common goal,” said the critic who, with Michel Bettane, writes the most authoritative guide to French wines. “We have to describe the European vision of viticulture to the world. We have some of the most iconic wineries that produce sometimes a few tens of thousands of bottles of wine based on their terroir and their local traditions, as opposed to wineries that in Chile or Australia turn out 20 or 30 million bottles of the same wine label. But our vineyards are special, our countryside is healthy and unpolluted, and we have a history. We have to explain that diversity to the world. The future of our wines depends on that and on us who taste and review them. Our stage is the world.” With four translations of the guide, besides the Italian version, this is a concept that is very clear to us at Gambero Rosso. We know that to make Italy’s appeal in the world grow, we have to take ever more care of the environment, the landscape and the human relations that belong to the world of wine. That’s why our dedication in recent years to sustainability, a concept that by now is recognized globally, is at the core of our vision of an Italian wine world that is beautiful, healthy, good to taste and fascinating to describe. That’s why the world loves Italian food and wine, loves our Mediterranean lifestyle.

33

NOVEMBRE 2016

“Italian wine is Germany’s favorite,” said the Italian specialist for the celebrated magazine, Weinwirtschaft, “and it will be for a long time. It is the ambassador of a country that we love a great deal.

It is able to constantly renew itself, and will grow more in the next years, even if we are a mature market. Germans are in love with Mediterranean culture and fascinated by the complexity and richness of the Italian viticulture scene. Prosecco, Lugana and Primitivo today are worldwide successes, but these phenomena were noticed in Germany for the first time, and others will follow. Italian wine accompanies the evolution of the palate of the German consumer.”

The spirit of Vini d’Italia is just this – to tell about the territories and review the great classics every year, but, thanks to a formidable team that covers the country far and wide, we have always spotted what’s new and been able to make it accessible to international consumers, stimulating our producers to do even better. More than looking back, today more than ever, we want to look ahead. We feel young. Thirty years is the right age for deciding what to do with your life, and we have some ideas about that.

Veronika Crecelius

“Wherever you go, from New York to Hong Kong, from Tokyo to England, you find delicious Italian food and good Italian wine,” added Serena Sutcliffe, Master of Wine and Honorary President of Sotheby’s Wine. “You have an incredible richness of regional variations, and this is what makes Italy fascinating. You’ve added many new names to the ‘usual suspects’ in recent years. But with its wide range of climates and terroirs, Italy can go even further. An ulterior breakthrough is possible. Italy’s intuition and ingenuity have already proved that in recent years.”

We are the ambassadors of a Mediterranean culture where food and wine are in harmony. The Italian wine that we tell about is able to meet food cultures around the planet and create satisfying pairings that are comfortable on every table.

Serena Sutcliffe

VINI D’ITALIA 2017

35 NOVEMBRE 2016

VINI D’ITALIA 2017 | LETTER

iccardo R Ricci Curbastro

Let’s plant tomorrow’s vineyards

T

hirty years ago, the Italian wine world had barely begun to realize that every wine can be a quality wine.

A succession of ideological shifts have occurred since then. Viticulture around the country has changed. By the 1990s, the need to move towards organic agriculture was becoming obvious. Today, these concepts are clear to producers and consumers, but many have felt the need for further steps. That’s why Gambero Rosso, Unione Italiana Vini, Federdoc, Csqa and Valoritalia held the Forum for Sustainable Viticulture, and under the guidance of a science committee headed by enologist Attilio Scienza, they brought together a series of successful experiences, such as those of Salcheto and Tergeo, to mention only

two. From this work, a standard was drawn up which is already in operation: Equalitas can already certify a winery or a product, and soon it will be able to certify a territory, the grapegrowing district. Equalitas proposes a model of sustainability supported by social, environmental and economic pilasters. It is aimed at the entire Italian winegrowing sector, shared by various representatives along the wine production process, and presents itself in a proactive manner to international markets. “Equalitas – sustainable wine” is a voluntary standard, and involves a series of measurable parameters: biodiversity, consumption, carbon footprint and plant health, as well as interaction with local communities, that is, the social impact of 36

NOVEMBRE 2016

the winery. We thought both about consumers and about those who produce wine. The consumer wants good wine but also certainty about sustainability. Those who produce need a tool able to immediately and simply convey their commitment to this fundamental theme. Equalitas is a private initiative with great public value. It is a standard that aspires to international recognition (by UNI Ente Nazionale Italiano di Unificazione and ISO, International Organization for Standardization, for example), and is the answer to the desire of a wine producer to express maximum quality while leaving his territory intact for future generations. This operation has already been presented to major international buyers, to the state monopolies and the large international distribution chains, arousing great interest. Buyers believe that wineries and wines that have been certified as sustainable will always be preferred over others. We Italians have built an image of ourselves as quality leaders in the panorama of world winemaking, together with our French cousins, but it should be said that in this area we are much further ahead. We are at a moment of epoch-making choice. Until now, each winery has operated in its own environment, even positively, perhaps acquiring certifications as to its carbon footprint or organic farming. But now is the moment to take another step, entering into a dimension in which the winery converses effectively with the wineries nearby, informing them about their practices in the countryside. The goal is to provide and receive information and stimuli that help the whole ter-

ritory grow. This is the spirit of Equalitas, a thrust that doesn’t come from the desires of a single association or is imposed by the government. It was the producers themselves who felt this need, and looked for a way to move forward in a direction that was by now inevitable.

This is the third step, after that of quality, after that of widespread organic production. It is the step which will consecrate our enology on an international level.

Above all, Equalitas is a system that is open and flexible.

It is headed by a scientific committee that will help it grow over time to allow it to adhere to the demands of consumers and the market while evolving in sync with scientific knowledge. It is a new project that absorbs preceding projects in order to answer today’s demands but also tomorrow’s.

The market doesn’t only want good wine. It wants a product that is in harmony with the environment and society. We tell the world about Italian wine through stories in which we speak about the territory, artistic heritage, the family that runs the winery, about centuries of tradition. Being Italian, we are very good at this. But storytelling is not enough anymore. We have to integrate values into this story. The consumer wants certainties, wants hands-on verification based on recognized standards. Certification of sustainability is a way to say that Italian wine is not only a beautiful story, but also a true one.

Riccardo Ricci Curbastro President of Equalitas

VINI D’ITALIA 2017 | E-COMMERCE

38 NOVEMBER 2016

L u na

gers of one hand. Some depended on the passion of individuals, others as the showcase for physical stores. But there wasn’t anyone with experience in the area, or with capital and investment marketing of several million euros. We were a strong stimulus for the sector,” Marco remembered. Online wine shops leapt from ten million euros of sales in 2012 to the 35 million euros of today. Tannico’s share amounts to about 6 million euros. Its numbers: 40,000 clients, 2,000 square meters of warehouse near Milano and a catalogue of 7,500 labels from 1,400 wineries.

His program of foreign expansion is crucial. In September, a second warehouse opened in Great Britain.

rdo

«A

t ten years old, I fooled around with Commodore, Nua, Itapac and BBS – all predecessors to today’s computers and internet. At twenty, I made believe I was studying Economy and Commerce at university, when in reality, I had started my first business: Minimania.” Even at the start, Marco Magnocavallo barreled his way from web to startup. He founded blogo.it, sold in 2011 so he could dedicate himself to the wine world, and founded Tannico at the end of 2012. Its first sales took place a few months later. The launch was a challenge, considering how slow e-commerce was in Italy, particularly in the wine sector. “Wine suffers because it doesn’t have a strong player as other fields do. When we began, you could count on-line wine shops on the fin-

Ricca

Tannico.

The discovery of online wine

At the end of the year, exports start to France, Switzerland, Germany and Northern Europe.

There are two models of wine ecommerce. Some sites live on flash sales, and others on a catalogue of products that are always available.

Tannico began with the first model, but today is a hybrid: 80% of its business depends on sales from their catalogue. “Price wars are very fierce. Sites differ more in terms of discounts than in the completeness of the information they offer and the type of communication, but we are working hard on these fronts,” added Marco.

The “sommelier one2one” service is essential. “The clients we advised bought three times as much. The personal relationship gratified our clients. For the first time they saw a real person behind the site.” On the basis of purchases, Tannico builds an algorithm to suggest products. The clients’ wine DNA is constructed: what they look at, consume and finally, put in their shopping carts. “In that way, maybe

Photo

by Lorenzo Ruggeri

Marco Magnocavallo.

Here on a cover of wired in 2008

they see and buy niche labels that perhaps they wouldn’t have noticed on an enormous list.”

The “small wineries” section of Tannico – there are 150 – has had particular success. The case of a small Tuscan producer is emblematic. Alberto Ravazzi has sold 10,000 bottles and is constantly among the top 10 most-purchased. In sales, online wine shops often reflect physical ones in reverse.

“In Sicily, we sell a great deal of Alto Adige wine, and vice versa.

This is because the classic wine shop is very well-stocked with local wines, but carries fewer from distant zones.”

Sales confirm the importance of awards on the volume of a single label’s sales. (“Even four times as much.”) Purchases of bubblies are significant: Franciacorta, Trento and a great deal of Champagne, with a growing number of less well-known names. What does he think of Amazon and eBay? “We were partners with eBay for a year, but we weren’t satisfied. Amazon began aggressively, but now it’s blundering in the dark because the wine market is not like electronics or books where Nielsen tells you what’s selling. I would never go to Mediaworld to buy a bottle of Sassicaia. And while I’m reading a description of a wine, I don’t want to see a banner of a fridge or a microwave oven.” But what will happen

to wine shops?

“Well, we’re about to open a physical shop.

It won’t be very easy for the ordinary wine shop to keep pace with e-commerce, its potential offerings and its technology. The rapport between client and wine shop,

A database open to all

though, is powerful, especially when you can taste the wine, perhaps with a good sample of cheese and cold cuts, before buying.”

The wine shop of the future will more and more be a place that doesn’t only sell bottles, but sells an experience. Tannico’s project is developing in this direction.

Tannico is now making its information bank available to wineries. “We have 40,000 clients on our site and an important group of businesses that work with us. Wineries and associations can consult all the data in our possession, plus other data that we gather from other sources. Producers will be able to see their position compared to their competitors, the complete panorama of online prices, the visibility of their wines and the popularity of their brand.” All in all, Tannico offers a complete guide to the dynamics of the market and a profile of its clients: their location, age range, sex, and so on. There will be hundreds of useful indicators to help producers orient themselves in the sector. Except for some specific functions, access will be free to all.

39 NOVEMBER 2016

30 YEARS OF VINI D’ITALIA

1988

TRE BICCHIERI Here are the 32 (+2) Tre Bicchieri from the first edition of the guide: Vini d’Italia 1988. The two labels of Lungarotti and Aldo Conterno were added twenty years later, when re-tasted. We outlined the family portrait of contemporary Italian vino d’auteur.

Barolo Prapò ’83 | Ceretto | Alba (CN) | www.ceretto.com

Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo ’83 | Gaja | Barbaresco (CN) | gaja.com

Bruno and Marcello Ceretto also magnificently interpreted the ’83 vintage that came after a monumental ’82. Prapò was a wine of rarefied elegance, but also of extraordinary power.

In ’83 it was San Lorenzo that won Tre Bicchieri in the fierce competition with other extraordinary Gaja wines. It is one of those wines that wrote the history of contemporary Piedmontese enology.

43 NOVEMBRE 2016

30 YEARS OF VINI D’ITALIA

Barolo ’83 | Bartolo Mascarello | Barolo (CN)

Bartolo Mascarello was one of those figures that became legendary in the minds of wine lovers, the epitome of the Langa vigneron.

His Barolo was his soul.

Barolo ’83 | Luciano Sandrone | Barolo (CN) | www.sandroneluciano.com

Before it was called Cannubi Boschis, the Barolo made by Luciano Sandrone was already a marvel. His ’83, with its intense color, its soft and seductive flavor, was one of the ‘modern’ Barolo labels that changed history.

Barolo Vigna Arborina ’82 | Elio Altare | La Morra (CN) | www.elioaltare.com

In the modern history of Piedmont’s wine, there’s a ‘before’ Elio Altare and an ‘after’: his Barolo Arborina ’82 was of an explosive goodness, a wine of extraordinary balance and the greatest elegance.

Barolo Marcenasco ’83 | Renato Ratti | La Morra (CN) | www.renatoratti.com

Moscato d’Asti Bricco Quaglia ’86 | Giuseppe Rivetti | Castagnole delle Lanze (AT) | www.la-spinetta.com

The Langa wine world was able to overcome even the darkest years thanks to Renato Ratti, who was not only a great producer, but also an extraordinary popularizer and historian of this territory.

Younger wine fans will find it hard to believe that the extraordinary story of the Rivetti family, today indelibly linked to Barolo and Barbaresco, began in Castagnole Lanze with Moscato d’Asti. But their Bricco Quaglia was simply irresistible.

44 NOVEMBER 2016

Barbaresco ’83 | F.lli Cigliuti | Neive (CN) | www.cigliuti.it

Barolo Vigna Colonnello ’82 | Aldo Conterno | Monforte d'Alba (CN) | www.poderialdoconterno.com

At the beginning of the 1980s, Renato Cigliuti was among the founders of the association of small producers of the great wines of Alba that had so much influence in the years to come. The Barbaresco ’83 was simply unforgettable.

Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Neive ’83 | Bruno Giacosa | Neive (CN) | www.brunogiacosa.it Bruno Giacosa was one of the all-time greats of the Langa. An extraordinary winemaker, he was also a grape selector, and knew the territory vineyard by vineyard. His Santo Stefano di Neive ’83 was a wine of incomparable finesse.

Starting in those years, Aldo Conterno turned out some of the most unforgettable Barolo bottles in our guide’s history (Bussia ’90 will be the wine of our 20th anniversary in the 2007 edition). But this Vigna Colonnello ’82 already aroused extraordinary emotions.

Barolo Monfortino Ris. ’74 | Giovanni Conterno | Monforte d'Alba (CN) | www.conterno.it

Although his brother Aldo embraced Langa’s nouvelle vague, Giovanni always remained one of the bastions of Tradizione. At the start, we didn’t completely understand the greatness of his Monfortino ’74, a wine that is still monumental today. It won its Tre Bicchieri when re-tasted after 20 years.

45 NOVEMBER 2016

30 YEARS OF VINI D’ITALIA

Pigato Massaretti ’86 | Cascina Feipu | Albenga (SV) | www.aziendamassaretti.it

We fell deeply in love with the Pigato made by Pippo and Bice Parodi, a wine that even at the time was fought over by the wine lists of the great restaurants.

Maurizio Zanella ’85 | Ca’ del Bosco | Erbusco (BS) | www.cadelbosco.com

It’s striking that the extraordinary career of Ca’ del Bosco in our guide (41 Tre Bicchieri in all) began with the award for a red, rather than for a Franciacorta. But at that time, it was an extraordinarily well-made and innovative wine.

Pinot Bianco Alto Adige ’85 | Bellendorf | Bolzano

Giorgio Grai was the first Italian ‘flying winemaker’ and the first to play a starring role. An extraordinary winemaker and selector, he was prophetic in intuiting the extraordinary potential of Alto Adige’s vineyards.

Giulio Ferrari Ris. del Fondatore ’79 | Ferrari - F.lli Lunelli | Trento | www.ferraritrento.it

Then, like today, Giulio Ferrari Ris. del Fondatore was the most fascinating metodo classico spumante made in Italy.

46 NOVEMBER 2016

Recioto Amarone Mazzano ’80 | Masi | Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella (VR) | www.masi.it

Among the qualities that made the Boscaini family winery great was the ability to produce wines that could defy time, as demonstrated by (and still demonstrated today!) this ’80 tasted in ’87.

Recioto dei Capitelli ’85 | Roberto Anselmi | Monteforte d'Alpone (VR) | www.anselmi.eu

Roberto Anselmi was one of the young lions that created Italy’s modern wine world. He won an award for this extraordinary sweet wine made in Soave territory, a label that led the way.

Sauvignon del Podere Ipplis ’86 | Ca’ Ronesca | Dolegna del Collio (GO) | www.caronesca.it

This extraordinary Sauvignon shone a light on the winemaking talents of Fabio Coser, then a young enologist in the winery, among the first capable of unveiling in Friuli’s whites the extraordinary potential of the territory. .

Chardonnay ’83 | Gravner | Gorizia | www.gravner.it

The Gravner family has always been a point of reference in the enology of the Collio. Josko released an extraordinary Chardonnay ’83, but over the years his personal journey of research (which took him back to ancestral enology) has given us a series of unforgettable wines.

Chardonnay ’86 | Stelio Gallo (Vie di Romans) | Mariano del Friuli (GO) | www.viediromans.it

The Gallo family is deeply tied to the winemaking history of the Isonzo zone and Friuli. Today the winery is called Vie di Romans, but Gianfranco Gallo continues turning out elegant wines like that Chardonnay ’86.

30 YEARS OF VINI D’ITALIA

Vintage Tunina ’86 | Jermann | Dolegna del Collio (GO) | www.jermann.it

The visionary talent of Silvio Jermann had already been giving us a delicious white with an unusual name for many years (since 1975), the result of an innovative winemaking philosophy. That Vintage Tunina is still a benchmark label for Italian enology.

Sassicaia ’83 | Tenuta San Guido | Castagneto Carducci (LI) | www.sassicaia.com

Even before the legendary ’85 vintage, Sassicaia was an icon of Italian winemaking around the world. It was a visionary, innovative, stylistically perfect wine. And it was a vino da tavola, a table wine.

Tignanello ’82 | Antinori | Firenze | www.antinori.it

Another “vino da tavola”. One of the labels that made history.

We were enchanted by its balance in handling new wood, and by its audacious modernity..

Grattamacco Rosso ’85 | Grattamacco | Castagneto Carducci (LI) | www.collemassari.it Chianti Cl. San Lorenzo ’83 | Castello di Ama | Gaiole in Chianti (FI) | www.castellodiama.com

The Chianti Classico made by Castello di Ama was a forerunner of today’s Chianti Classico: intense, elegant, speaking of its territory as it still does today thanks to the constant commitment of Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti.

The star of Bolgheri was rising in those years, and among its flagbearers was Pier Mario Meletti Cavallari with his extraordinary Grattamacco, a red of amazing depth that still today is at the peak of the Bolgheri denomination.

Brunello di Montalcino ’82 | Case Basse (Soldera) | Montalcino (SI) | www.soldera.it

New approaches came to Montalcino as well, and in this case, it had a name, Gianfranco Soldera, and an accent, Milanese. Among the first labels of Italian enology to attain the status of cult wine.

Morellino di Scansano Ciabatta ’85 | Erik Banti | Scansano (GR) | www.erikbanti.com

Flaccianello della Pieve ’83 | Fontodi | Greve in Chianti (FI) | www.fontodi.com

Since the early days of the guide, we gave awards to wines made by both large wineries and by small artisans, as witnessed by the Tre Bicchieri for Erik Banti, produced in ‘confidential’ numbers.

We were enchanted by the extraordinary elegance of Flaccianello della Pieve ’83, one of the first SuperTuscans – a modern, seductive wine, where sangiovese proved to have potential that had never been explored before.

Torgiano Rosso Rubesco Vigna Monticchio Ris. ’78 | Lungarotti | Torgiano (PG) | www.lungarotti.it

Another award as well-deserved as it was late (given at the re-tasting for the 2007 edition).

Giorgio Lungarotti in 1978 had produced a version of his Vigna Monticchio that would become legendary: it was as elegant and long-lived as a red from Côte de Nuits.

Le Pergole Torte ’83 | Montevertine | Radda in Chianti (SI) | www.montevertine.it

Sergio Manetti was one of the men who changed Tuscan enology, and among the first to have the courage to renounce the DOC to spotlight the originality of the sangiovese of his extraordinary old vineyard. A wine and a personality that continue to inspire.

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30 YEARS OF VINI D’ITALIA

Vigna del Vassallo ’85 | Paola Di Mauro – Colle Picchioni | Marino (RM) | www.collepicchioni.it

In the uninspired wine panorama of the Central-South area of Italy, Vigna del Vassallo made by Paola Di Mauro already expressed itself with international class, produced by Paola and by Giorgio Grai.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ’77 | Edoardo Valentini | Loreto Aprutino (PE)

Everyone saw him as their Maestro, and he never bottled a vintage year of his Montepulciano, Trebbiano and Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo that was less than extraordinary.

Marsala Superiore | Vecchio Samperi – Marco De Bartoli | Marsala (TP) | www.marcodebartoli.com

The anarchic genius of Marco De Bartoli expressed itself in iconoclastic wines, but – as in the case of Vecchi Samperi or this Marsala aged for 20 years with the Solera method – they were able to enchant and to touch the heart.

Malvasia delle Lipari Naturale ’85 | Carlo Hauner | Messina | www.hauner.it

If it wasn’t for Carlo Hauner, the architect and designer in love with the island of Salina, perhaps this great Mediterranean sweet wine would have become extinct. We are still bewitched by his Malvasia, today one of the benchmark labels of Sicilian enology.

The soul of Barone Pizzini It embodies the living nature of its vineyards This wine is the crowning achievement of a long process of pionering renewal, that led Barone Pizzini to become the first organic grower and winemaker in Franciacorta.

CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REGOLAMENTO CE N. 1308/13 CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO (EC) REGULATION NO. 1308/13

VINI D’ITALIA 2017

TRE BICCHIERI REDISCOVERED The “never given” awards are for wines whose greatness, at the time we tasted them for the guide, we didn’t immediately understand. Re-tasted after months or years of bottle-aging, they finally took their rightful places at the top.

PIEDMONT Barbaresco Rabajà ’08 | Giuseppe Cortese | Barbaresco (CN) | www.cortese giuseppe.it

Barbaresco Rabajà ’08 perfectly maintains its red berries and licorice aromas.

In the mouth, tannins are smooth, well-integrated into a slim, elegant structure, tasty and wonderfully persistent.

Barbaresco Sorì Rio Sordo ’06 | Ca’ Rome’ | Barbaresco (CN) | www.carome.com

In the long run, Rio Sordo proved to be one of the most successful among this vintage of Barbaresco. It has a complex nose of spice and raspberry, with dense, progressive tannins supported by incredible freshness.

Barolo Cannubi ’06 | E. Pira & Figli Chiara Boschis | Barolo (CN) | www.pirachiaraboschis.com

Over the years, Barolo Cannubi ‘06 has developed, acquiring even more elegance. Fruity, ethereal and deep on the nose, in the mouth it is full-bodied, elegantly structured and extraordinarily persistent.

Barolo La Villa ’10 | F.lli Seghesio | Monforte d'Alba (CN) | www.fratelliseghesio.it

In 2010, the Seghesio family made a delicious Barolo from the La Villa di Montforte cru.

Over the years it has evolved elegantly. On the nose it combines fine notes of licorice and ripe red fruit. The mouth is powerful, full, warm, harmonious and truly persistent.

52 NOVEMBER 2016

Barolo Monvigliero Ris. ’08 | Castello di Verduno | Verduno (CN) | www.castello diverduno.com

The Barolo Monvigliero Riserva 2008, coming from the splendid Verduno cru, has proven itself to be a classic. You will be bewitched by its austere notes of medicinal herbs, spices and forest floor, along with harmonious tannins.

Barolo Villero ’10 | Brovia | Castiglione Falletto (CN) | www.brovia.net

This is one of the classics of Brovia, although that year another cru, Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia of the same vintage, was the favorite. At the end though, the Villero has had its revenge, proving itself to be incredibly fresh and elegant, rich in aromas and spicy tones, with perfectly evolved tannins.

TRENTINO Trentino Vino Santo ’98 | Pisoni | Madruzzo (TN) | www.pisoni.net

The Pisoni family are artisan vignerons, and their Vino Santo is always at the top. If you have any doubts, taste this ’98, still available from their cellars. A marvel.

VENETO Colli Euganei Rosso Gemola ’04 | Vignalta | Arquà Petrarca (PD) | www.vignalta.it

A Bordeaux-style wine, prevalently merlot, with elegant aromas and a solid palate where it expresses a silky, noble tannic texture that has developed incredibly with time.

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA Collio Bianco V.V. ’08 | Roncùs | Capriva del Friuli (GO) | www.roncus.it

A blend of malvasia istriana, friulano and ribolla gialla grapes, it is essentially an indigenous wine. Aromas of wisteria, tropical fruit, orange zest and caramel are even clearer and fresher after almost 10 years. The palate is soft and creamy.

Collio Bianco Jelka ’11 | Roberto Picéch | Cormòns (GO) | www.picech.com

Ribolla gialla, tocai friulano and malvasia istriana are the varieties that, following tradition, go into Collio Bianco Jelka ‘11. It is a long-established blend that expresses fruity notes of golden apples with a background tone of dried aromatic herbs and hay, rich in flavor and minerality. A wine destined for a long life.

Collio Sauvignon ’14 | Tiare - Roberto Snidarcig | Dolegna del Collio (GO) | www.tiaredoc.com

An extraordinary white that we immediately recognized as great. We decided to suspend the award due to legal issues that involved many Friulano producers. But two years later, nothing has been proven except the fact that the wine gets better and better.

TUSCANY

Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’06 | Tenuta Le Potazzine | Montalcino (SI) | www.lepotazzine.it

Verdicchio di Matelica Collestefano ’10 | Collestefano | Castelraimondo (MC) | www.collestefano.com

Collestefano ‘10 had exceptional fragrances: notes of grapefruit, hawthorn and green apple followed one another, leading into a palate of exceptional drinkability. “Very good now, but it will grow over the years and attain the mineral complexity that will give it an intimately Matelica-style timbre,” we wrote. It was true.

CAMPANIA Taurasi ’10 | Pietracupa | Montefredane (AV)

We wrote: “The Riserva ‘06 is an impetuous wine, very delayed on the tannic fusion front, but of undeniable character and prospects.” Well, its moment has arrived. The wine is fantastic.

“A truly spectacular Taurasi ’10 for its tension and the precision of its fragrances and details,” we wrote. The years proved us right.

Chianti Classico Ris. ’10 | Fattoria Nittardi | Castellina in Chianti (SI) | www.nittardi.com

Primitivo di Manduria Archidamo ’09 | Felline | Manduria (TA) | www.agricolafelline.it

We didn’t give it an award because we found it held back by the toasty notes of the wood in which it was aged. Today it proves to be mature, having acquired extraordinary elegance and depth.

MARCHE Offida Pecorino Iosonogaia non sono Lucrezia ’10 | Le Caniette | Ripatransone (AP) | www.lecaniette.it

“Iosonogaia is marked by wood on the nose, but energy and sapidity on the palate promise a happy evolution.” It was true. Drunk today, it is an unforgettable bottle.

53 NOVEMBER 2016

PUGLIA

Characterized by notes of Mediterranean scrub, aromatic herbs and mastic tree, with good fruit and structure. A wine that with time revealed all its noble power and complexity.

SICILY Cerasuolo di Vittoria V. Para Para ’02 | Poggio di Bortolone | Chiaromonte Gulfi (RG) | www.poggio dibortolone.it

The wines of Pierluigi Cosenza are often difficult to interpret, but they are one of the most beautiful expressions of the terroir of Vittoria. From this cru facing the Para river come wines of extraordinary elegance and complexity that reveal themselves with time.

VINI D’ITALIA 2017

SPECIAL AWARDS TRE BICCHIERI 2017

55 NOVEMBRE 2016

«I

Red of the year

was a horseback riding instructor. Then, in 1995, during a dinner in Piedmont, Barolo and Barbaresco bottles were served. Everyone thought they were exceptional. I went home and took charge of the family winery.” Nicola Chiaromonte is 49, married to Marina, and has two daughters, Eleonora, 14 and Carlotta, 12. His family had worked vineyards for generations, but he had chosen another path. Nicola had no experience with vinification, so his friends advised him to consult a technician.

When the enologist arrived, fermentation had already begun and was not going well. To bring it to a conclusion, the expert suggested that they add some grapes gathered from the crown of a row of high-trained, tendone vines. “When I came out of the cellar, my mother, Grazia, came to me and said, ‘With all the trouble you went through to harvest the best grapes, he wants you to add inferior ones?

Sooner or later, the fermentation will finish.’ And that’s how it went. After that I began studying, in order to do it all by myself.” Where does Contrada Barbatto come from? “In the zone of the same name near Acquaviva delle Fonti is an alberellotrained vineyard about 70 years old. I’m reproducing those grapes with cuttings, in order to work in the future with ungrafted vines. The earth is only about 7-10 centimeters deep, resting on a rocky, limestone soil, considered particularly difficult to work. In dialect, they say ‘Barbatto, you die or you explode’.” What’s the next challenge? “Paolo Montanaro and I planted 30 hectares in Contrada Monte Scappagrano, the highest point of Acquaviva.

There, in the center of the vineyard, we’re building the new winery.”

Paolo Zaccaria GIOIA DEL COLLE PRIMITIVO MURO SANT’ANGELO CONTRADA BARBATTO ’13 | Chiaromonte | Acquaviva delle Fonti (BA) | www.tenutechiaromonte.com Gioia del Colle Primitivo Muro Sant’Angelo Contrada Barbatto ’13 was vinified in stainless steel. It then spent another 18 months in stainless steel tanks and 6 more in 1,000-liter second-passage oak casks. The result is a wine that combines rich fruit and spicy sensations, great elegance and energy, depth and drinkability, along with balancing a high degree of alcohol, fresh acidity and sapidity. Simply extraordinary.

White of the year

A

t sunset, the stocky bulk of Monte San Vicino seems to come closer, to loom. The lights along the valley floor facing Esino are reassuring, a reminder that Jesi is right there, a bit further down. Cingoli seems far away, indistinguishable. The other slope of the hill is the more bucolic one. In the valley, a row of trees marks the quiet bed of the Musone, the little river that the Latin-speaking population used to call Misco. Here, in a wonderful synthesis of the Marche countryside’s multi-colored brushstrokes, Stefano Aymerich and Beatrice Lucangeli, in 1990, gave body to their agricultural dream: a perfect restoration of the villa on the top of the hill, verdicchio vines growing in a spectacular amphitheater, rows of red grapes on the slopes that faced the Adriatic – “that blue line on the horizon towards the east”. The project took shape under the aegis of steadiness, work, a peaceful sense of order and geometry. Ondine De La Feld, Stefano’s niece, joined the winery a few years ago. She is the future, continuity. “We have to give value to our denominations, to tourism, to the territory. We and our young team work without obsessing about numbers. We will remain a family winery, with a bent for hospitality and the convivial aspect of wine without forgetting its impact on local culture and traditions.” The Castelli di Jesi zone can count on another valiant, proud standard bearer. Pierpaolo Rastelli VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CL. SUP. MISCO 2015 | Tenuta di Tavignano | Cingoli (MC) | www.tenutaditavignano.it Only a fraction of the magnificent verdicchio vineyard, a single sweep facing southeast, provides the grapes for Misco. It undergoes classic white vinification, with the wine aging on its fine lees for six months in stainless steel before bottling. The 2015 vintage displays an elegant nose with notes of almond, fresh tones of citrus fruit, counterpoints of anise and aromatic herbs. The palate is sinuous, sober yet firm in its forward stride, with an endless, deeply flavorful finish.

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VINI D’ITALIA 2017

F

or the first time, the Sparkler of the Year award takes us to the Veneto region, to the steep hills of Valdobbiadene. If Prosecco is Italian wine’s first calling card – 280 million bottles exported in 2015 – Giustino B, made by Ruggeri & C. represents its essence.

“Overall, we are moving towards lower and lower sugar dosages, but Extra Dry is Prosecco the way we drink it here. It is typicity, the glass I offer for tasting to those who first come into contact with this world,” said Isabella Bisol, head of the winery along with her brother, Giustino, and father, Paolo. Giustino B was released for the first time in 1995 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their grandfather Giustino Bisol’s return to the world of wine, after World War II. It quickly became a classic. Today they turn out 30,000 bottles and ship them to over 40 countries. “It is the result of seven years of research. I wanted to showcase the grapes of certain historic sites with vines that were as much as 100 years old, for example, the Santo Stefano vineyard. It is a cuvée of 5 or 6 different plots of land,” commented Paolo, who had the foresight to harness an agricultural plan to a production profile. During vinification, Giustino B stays in contact with its fine lees for a long time before being shifted to the autoclave, where it stays for three months. It is also a wine that defies the passage of time. “The longevity of this wine is a challenge we’re facing. We’re working to exploit this characteristic,” Isabella explained. Re-tasting some vintages of Giustino B confirmed their aromatic completeness and surprising durability. The other challenge is eco-sustainability, and in this area, the winery is working with various universities.

Lorenzo Ruggeri VALDOBBIADENE GIUSTINO B. 2015 | Ruggeri | Valdobbiadene (TV) | www.ruggeri.it The 2015 version of Giustino B combines fresh floral notes and aromas of white fruit in a suffused, subtle profile. The palate, however, is immediate, fragrant, creamy and pleasing. The sugar residue (14 grams) is perfectly calibrated, and a savory finish invites another taste. It has an identity, a recognizable soul, vintage after vintage. Its best partner at the table? “Try it with deep-fried vegetables,” Isabella suggested.

Sparkler of the Year

Sweet of the Year T

he first vinifications date back to the early 1990s, but the decisive step was taken in 1995, with the introduction of grape-drying. The grapes in this wine are verduzzo friulano plus a small amount of Riesling. Vintage after vintage, the blend and drying times firmed up. Tal Lùc came into its own in 1999, when it was recognized as a modern meditation wine. The idea of a cuvée of several years, on the Burgenland model, was perfected thanks to two truly complementary vintages, 2006 and 2008. New spaces for the imagination opened up. Tal Lùc Special Edition has the brilliance and luminosity of the purest amber. The nose is inebriating, with overflowing, seductive notes of dates, dried figs, brioche and candied citrus fruit. An important acidic backbone mitigates the sweetness, making it a caress on the palate.

Lis Neris is a family winery and the concept of a premium wine doesn’t exist. The base wines are more than good, even if the selections are clearly superior. Alvaro Pecorari, whose family has grown grapes here for four generations, since 1879, expresses something valid in every category of wine: aromatic grapes or not, white, red and dessert wines, vinified in stainless steel or wood. He has been perfecting a style that is gathering accolades.

The challenge for the next years comes from the potential for longevity that the wines demonstrate. The objective is to make older vintages accessible to a broader public, not just to a few fortunate clients, in this way adding value and content to the classic Friulano model.

Gianni Ottogalli TAL LÙC SPECIAL EDITION | Lis Neris | San Lorenzo Isontino (GO) | www.lisneris.it Tal Lùc, Special Edition, without a vintage year, is the result of long drying on racks that leads to an important concentration of sugar as well as an incredible range of fragrances and flavors. It displays the characteristics of a clear Mediterranean approach, where sweetness that is never cloying combines with an elegant saline savory note.

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VINI D’ITALIA 2017

W

hen, at the beginning of the 1970s, Vittorio Moretti built his new house in the countryside of Erbusco, he started down a path that naturally brought him, over the years, to conceive of Bellavista. Today it is one of the most prestigious names in Italian wine, recognized around the world and a symbol of Franciacorta itself. (Vittorio Moretti is now also the president of the Consorzio Vini Franciacorta.) The purchase of Contadi Castaldi di Adro followed, also specializing in Franciacorta, and over time, the Tuscan estates of Petra and La Badiola. When Bellavista was founded in 1977, its only scope was to make wine for the family, but meeting enologist Mattia Vezzola in 1981 was the spark that fired a search for excellence, for quality without compromise. Vittorio Moretti is one of those entrepreneurs who are capable of vision, have an instinct and an extraordinary sensibility for the spirit of a period. “We got into wine by chance,” Vittorio confessed. “But today the winery is large and profitable. And we still want to grow. For now, we have four estates.

The entire family shares this passion with joy. My wife, Mariuccia, is president of Contadi Castaldi, and my daughter Francesca is chief executive of the Terra Moretti group.”

Since its origins, Bellavista has been a continuous start-up, turning out innovations and great wines while becoming more and more important. Today the group it heads controls about 600 hectares of vineyard in Tuscany and Franciacorta, producing over three million bottles. Together they achieve moments of excellence that have over the years meant 28 Tre Bicchieri awards for Bellavista, four for Petra and four for Contadi Castaldi. Acquisitions will continue, the strategy of international growth is solid, while production heads towards the world of organic wine and sustainability – quite a result for a man who planted a little vineyard as a hobby.

Marco Sabellico Franciacorta Pas Operé ‘09 | BELLAVISTA | Erbusco (BS) | www.bellavistawine.it The epitome of the Bellavista style, Pas Operé ’09 is a masterpiece of complexity and freshness, rich in notes of fruit and citrus tones, delicately balanced, deep, and seductively drinkable. It comes from a cuvée of about forty base wines from vineyards with southeastern exposures in the best corners of Franciacorta and is made from chardonnay (65%) and pinot nero grapes. Fifty per cent of the wine base ages in small French oak barrels, and bottle fermentation lasts for six years before disgorging.

Winery of the Year

60 NOVEMBER 2016

Best Value for Money

T

he Vini d’Italia Special Award for the Best Value for Money, goes to Abruzzo. That’s certainly not a surprise, considering the tumultuous growth in a region that offers a large swath of its excellent bottles in the price range reviewed by our Berebene guide.

The credit goes to inspired projects, like that launched by Riccardo Tiberio at the end of the 1990s, when he bought thirty hectares of vineyard in Cugnoli, on the Pescaresi hills. In 2004 he carried out his first official harvest. Shortly afterwards, he passed the helm to his children, Antonio, who is responsible for the vineyard and Cristiana, who oversees the winemaking facility. “The roots of Abruzzese wine are here,” Cristiana remembered, “but when we began, you could count the important wineries located at higher altitudes on the fingers of one hand.” The choice was tied to stylistic reasons. “I always preferred whites, both as a wine drinker and as a technician,” Cristiana explained. “Cugnoli has ideal conditions for producing wine the way I like it, thanks to a unique microclimate, to its temperature range, to the air currents between the Adriatic, the Maiella and Gran Sasso mountains, to its location 350 meters above sea level, to its limestone terrain, and so on.” The Tiberio family turned away from attempts with international varieties, and the old pergola vineyards of trebbiano and montepulciano are flanked today by new guyot-trained ones and by pecorino planted in 2000 for a series of versatile, table-friendly wines. “The next challenge is a Montepulciano cru,” Cristiana announced. “The reds are more intellectual wines. They call for a more reasoned approach.”

Paolo De Cristofaro PECORINO 2015 | Tiberio | Cugnoli (PE) | www.tiberio.it “Pecorino is the wine that changed my life,” admitted Cristiana. “It is a grape full of contradictions: high acidity, low pH, but it also has the tendency to accumulate sugar and glycerin very rapidly. It has many faces and usually people love it or detest it.” Clearly, we love it in this 2015 version: luminous, fragrant hints of lemon and mint, it embraces mountain delicacy and a saline temperament, without losing rhythm in its long finish. Splendid. The food pairing suggested by Cristiana is chickpea soup with rosemary and a drizzle of olive oil.

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VINI D’ITALIA 2017

Up-and-Coming Winery A

ngela Fronti’s winery, Istine, has enjoyed a stunning rise to prominence.

It all began almost as a game, in 2009, with the first 3,000 bottles in the appellation, the denominazione. “Although my family had owned the vineyards that are now those of Istine, the wines were sold in bulk. I never thought – who knows why – that it could become my winemaking project.

After my university degree I began to work for some wineries, and for a long time, that was fine. With the first bottled wines, in 2009, little by little the idea of doing it seriously grew. In 2012, I moved to Radda.” But already by 2009, the project was clear: Chianti Classico, vineyard wines, organically grown, the maximum expression of the characteristics of different terroirs.

“The three most significant vineyards, in terms of size, are Casanuova dell’Aia in Radda, Istine (isolated in the woods to the northwest) and Cavarchione, a more recent purchase between Vertine and Gaiole, to the west. The idea always was to work to bring out the different peculiarities, following a concept of cru like that in Piedmont. Certainly what made the difference was the recognition attained almost immediately, and that, frankly, I had never imagined. I thought about the economic crisis, about the exorbitant number of wineries on the scene, about our small size. But the response was positive, above all in our own zone, meeting with my colleagues. Today we bottle 32,000. Our objective is to reach 65,000.” Eleonora Guerini Riserva LeVigne | ISTINE | Radda in Chianti (SI) | www.istine.it The work that leads to the Istine Riserva, LeVigne, is one of selection, starting from the grapes. They begin with the best vineyards, where they select the grapes, which are then vinified and aged separately for a year in casks ranging from 10 to 40 hectoliters. The winemakers choose the percentage of the various crus that will go into the blend, followed by further barrel-aging for six months. The result is a fragrant and territorial wine, complex and articulated, with the typical Chianti allure.

62 NOVEMBER 2016

G

iobatta Vio (nicknamed Aimone) is a grapegrower from another age. In fact, the label that probably suits his activities and his way of life better, and certainly his history, is really ‘farmer’. In the old days, when you worked in the countryside for daily subsistence, agriculture was, of necessity, mixed. Grapes grew next to olives and fruit trees, near a vegetable garden and livestock. Even if he’s only 59 years old, this peasant-style life was what Aimone knew as a child. It would be hard to find such a powerful tie to the land among other Italian vignerons. Exploiting the soil and the lay of his land, in the 1980s Aimone developed the cultivation of aromatic herbs in the Albenga plain. Hillside parcels with harder-to-work soil were dedicated to grapes. Today, wine production – about 60% is bottled – amounts to 55,000 bottles annually, mostly of pigato, the uncontested king in this area of Liguria. Since 1989, the estate is certified organic. “It’s an agricultural method that should be the norm. It once was.” With the help of his three daughters (Camilla, Carolina, and Caterina, who is an enologist) as well as his wife Chiara, Giobatta grows his vines in three distinct crus: Albenga, Pianboschi, and Le Marixe (pronounced Marige), a renowned vineyard that has been Vio family property from the start, with rolling hills and a large percentage of red soil. Albenga gives wines that are fruitier, and easy to drink. Pianboschi turns out more full-bodied whites, more fragrant and richly floral. In Marixe and also Ranzo, the land is steeper and contains more limestone.

Gianni Fabrizio AIMONE (GIOBATTA) VIO Biovio | Bastia d’Albenga (SV) | www.biovio.it Of the winery’s three Riviera Ligure di Ponente Pigato labels, the most prestigious is the Bon in da Bon. It is a selection that originated in the 2006 harvest to improve the quality of the already excellent Ma René. The cuvée grew out of the blending of grapes from the Le Marixe and Ranzo zones, selected and harvested late. The result is a Pigato with a strong personality, with intense, elegant sensations of medicinal herbs and citrus fruit. The palate is powerful and dense, with a hint of a fresh tannic note. Aromas of Mediterranean scrub return on a very long finish.

Grower of the Year

VINI D’ITALIA 2017

Award for Sustainable Viticulture R

occafiore is a complex, multi-faceted enterprise that embraces different aspects of country life, including its chic side. The winery and winemaking are part of the complex, but there’s also a restaurant, an inn, and a luxurious spa. The setting, though, is unique: the beautiful hills that swell sinuously near Todi. Roccafiore is an idea, imagination become reality, tradition recaptured and made elegantly contemporary. The credit goes to the Baccarelli family who created this beautiful microcosm, giving it an appealing shape, curated in every detail. Its eleven acres of vineyard are farmed organically, with attention paid to the landscape and to non-invasive winemaking methods. The clayey, sandy soil and south-southeast exposures guarantee the grapes excellent ripeness, starting with grechetto, a variety that is common in Umbria but finds one of its most suitable homes in this zone.

It is too early to appreciate the quality of the wines from such a young estate, but the latest harvests show an increasingly sure hand. Grechetto is the key.

Luca Baccarelli said, “We have confidence in our flagship variety. We are working to improve the labels that we have and to plan other wines. We don’t know if there will be something new in the future, but we’re trying out grapes from old vines and aging in casks. We’ll see.”

Antonio Boco

Fiorfiore 2014 | ROCCAFIORE | Todi (PG) | www.roccafiore.it Fiorfiore is a challenge within a challenge and perfectly embodies the Roccafiore philosophy: tradition in a modern key. The grapes come from a careful selection from among the oldest grechetto vines. The must ferments spontaneously in stainless steel vats, using natural yeasts, and ages for a year in large, Slavonian oak casks. It then bottle-ages for at least 4 months. The 2014 version is particularly appealing. On the nose, classic notes of grape peel and toast, refreshing flashes of citrus fruit. In the mouth it is substantial and Mediterranean, maintaining impeccable balance between roundness, elegance and depth.

64 NOVEMBRE 2016

WWW.FERRARITRENTO.IT

THE ITALIAN ART OF LIVING

Venezia, Piazza San Marco ore 4:54

THE WINERY

William Pregentelli contributed

VILLA VIGNAMAGGIO. History and biodiversity When Kenneth Branagh was looking for a location for the shooting of his movie version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in 1993, he opted for a perfectly preserved historic Tuscan villa. It was not simply a backdrop for the play, but almost became another member of the cast. The house was Villa Vignamaggio, a residence that has dominated the vine-covered hills of Greve in Chianti for six centuries. In 2010, the owners built a new, modern and efficient winemaking facility, but evidence of winemaking in that location goes back through the centuries to 1404. A parchment written by Amideo Gherardini, the owner at the time, shows he was dealing about the price for wine already being produced at Vignamaggio.

Today the villa and the vineyards 66 NOVEMBER 2016

belong to Patrice Taravella, who bought it in 2014 from a Roman lawyer, Gianni Nunziante. The new owner is a brilliant architect, 100% Italian, with French and Italian passports.

Taravella describes his purchase like this: “My parents emigrated to France when they were young, but their tie to Italy was strong and constant over time. That’s one reason that buying Vignamaggio was a symbolic return home, a homage to the fascination I feel for this land. Wine, culture and history are woven together, and they create a landscape that is in perfect harmony with nature.” Nature is at the center of the Vignamaggio project. In 2014, the process of conversion to organic of the entire 250 hectares of the property began. Sixty-two hectares are vineyards; the rest are

woods (100 hectares), olive groves (30 hectares) and orchards, fields of wheat and of vegetables. Patrice explained, “The motivations that brought us to this choice are many.

Above all, it is about protecting the territory and soil that was impoverished due to the use of agrochemicals.” But the project also aims at recovering biodiversity. “With the end of the sharecropping system and the beginning of the industrial era during the 1960s, the Chianti panorama changed deeply. Small plots of wheat, barley and grains, orchards, small herds of goats and droves of pigs all gradually disappeared, and vineyards took over. Every day, as production and exportation increase, the varieties of grapes

diminish. Vignamaggio undertook a study to rescue some varieties of local grapes, such as occhiorosso, selecting genetic types historically present in this territory. Moreover, we reintroduced a small drove of semi-wild pigs, as well as fruit trees and cereals. Many other new things are on their way.” In the meantime, the villa is being restored. It has a restaurant, guest bedrooms, apartments and suites, with some in the farmhouses around the estate. “The idea we hold to,” concluded Taravella, “is to give our clients the possibility of an unforgettable experience, in harmony with nature. It’s not enough to see the place, but rather to live Vignamaggio as a ‘new generation of 17th century farm’.”

67 NOVEMBER 2016

THE WINES The estate’s 62 hectares of vineyard are predominantly planted with sangiovese, followed by merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and lesser amounts of malvasia, trebbiano and pinot nero. The vineyards are located in six different microclimates that develop at altitudes that range from 300 to 400 meters above sea level, prevalently exposed to the southeast and east. The relatively infertile soil is clayey and rich in calcareous stones and sandstone.

Annual production is between 250,000 and 300,000 bottles, with around 70% exported to the United States, Canada and northern Europe. This year, we particularly liked Chianti Classico Terre di Prenzano ’14, with its subtle, flavorful tannic texture, defined aromas and appealing freshness. Cabernet Franc ’13 was also at a good level, with spicy notes on the nose, refreshed by pleasantly herbaceous tones and displaying a solid and rhythmic tasting progression.

Morino ’15 was immediately pleasurable, a sangiovese and merlot blend coming from the youngest vineyards of the estate.

TRAVEL

text Dario Bragaglia and Rosalba Graglia photography Dario Bragaglia

The Sweet hills of Moscato To understand the world of Moscato and Asti, you must immerse yourself in the territory where it’s made. Only a few minutes off the highway between Asti and Alba, is the landscape of vines, isolated farmhouses and soft hills that UNESCO has listed as a World Heritage Site.

68 NOVEMBER 2016

TRAVEL

We drive up the Val Bera towards the Caudrina winery in the Castiglione Tinella zone. Waiting for us in a four-wheel drive able to handle the vineyards’ steep slopes is Romano Dogliotti, one of the hallowed fathers of Moscato d’Asti. During the harvest, there are teams to coordinate, vehicles full of golden grapes coming and going between the vineyards and the winery’s presses. The activity is intense, but he takes the time to stop and talk in front of a landscape of hills that stretch as far as the eye can see. Mountains are in the distance, Neive is in front of us, a few hills away. Dogliotti shows us the label of his La Selvatica moscato, designed by the

renowned Romano Levi, famous for his hand-drawn labels and for his artisanal grappa. “It took him a month to do the label for my Moscato, but it preserves the memory of a great friend.”

Men like Dogliotti have shaped the recent history of Asti, a world unto itself in the larger picture of Italian enology. On one side is a handful of great ‘industrial’ names that have control over most of the market, and on the other are about 4,000 families of producers, small farmers or grapegrowers like Dogliotti who decided to create their own wines.

Today the image of Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti is of the millions of bottles produced and

Romano Dogliotti and on the right the bottle with the label drawn by Romano Levi

70 NOVEMBER 2016

TRAVEL

Unesco.

The Wine Cathedrals There is a hidden Canelli, the one of the underground ‘cathedrals’, the ancient cellars dug in the calcareous tuff, with temperatures that stay constant between 12° and 14°C (54°-57°F), perfect for storing Moscato and Asti Spumante. The arrangement is so spectacular that it won UNESCO’s recognition as a World Heritage Site. The vast subterranean cellars have the atmosphere of real cathedrals, long tunnels walled in brick, barrel-vaulted, columned. Today there are four great maisons open for visitors.

COPPO. This is a family winery founded in 1892, now managed by the fourth generation. It is dedicated to the production of metodo classico spumanti, but also produces classic Barbera, Chardonnay and Gavi.

CONTRATTO. In an art deco palazzo in the center of Canelli, the historic label was passed on from the family that opened the winery in 1867 to a great producer in the Langa, Giorgio Rivetti. The magnificent underground cathedrals, 40 meters down, are the largest of all, about 5,000 square meters.

BOSCA. He launched his wines in the world thinking of the emigrants that had left for the Americas, and opened offices in Buenos Aires and New York.

His cellars display his special interest in art, including an extraordinary work

by Eugenio Guglielminetti, a brilliant stage designer. The cellar also holds a splendid collection of spumante glasses: the oldest is from the 18th century.

GANCIA. This is one of the most famous names, but the winery doesn’t any longer belong to the family of Carlo Gancia, the inventor of the first Italian spumante, who founded it in 1850. It was purchased by the Russian magnate, Roustam Tariko. Production, obviously, remains here. The secret labyrinth of cellars snakes for about a kilometer, and the path ends up in an exposition space of 500 square meters that re-evokes the history of the house.

Cantine Contratto | Canelli (AT) | via G.B. Giuliani, 56 | tel. 0141 82 33 49 | www.contratto.it Cantine Coppo | Canelli (AT) | via Alba, 68 | tel. 0141 82 31 46 | www.coppo.it Cantine Bosca | Canelli (AT) | via G.B.Giuliani 23 | tel. 335 79 96 811 | www.bosca.it Cantine Gancia | Canelli (AT) | c.so Libertà, 66 | tel. 0141 83 01 - 0141 83 02 62 | www.gancia.it

of the

Gianni Marzagalli, president Consorzio per la tutela dell’Asti Docg

Coppo Winery

sold around the world: Russia, the United States, Germany, Great Britain and now even China. “In 2012, when I became the president of the Consorzio, I found a product with an image that was a little old, dusty,” said Gianni Marzagalli, president of the Consorzio per la tutela dell’Asti DOCG, the organization that looks after Asti’s producers and products. “We are intent now on updating and improving this image because we have a territory and a variety that are unique, incomparable.” The aim is to move beyond the idea of a supermarket product uncorked only for parties. Instead, the goal is wider consumption that, since the alcohol level is low, can compete in the market for non-alcoholic beverages. “It’s a wine that appeals to women, a percentage that rises to 70% in Russia,” pointed out Giorgio Bosticco, the Consorzio director.

In Canelli, the city where Italian spumante was first produced in 1865, it was called Moscato Champagne. That was a time when the French were less careful about protecting their brand name. Canelli has great underground cathedral-like spaces, the

TRAVEL

A Great Woman of Wine Among the 55 women producers who belong to the Piedmontese section of Donne del Vino, there are a handful of indomitable producers of Moscato. One is Mariuccia Borio who, in the 1970s, inherited from her father (she was an only child) the Cascina Castlet in Costigliole d’Asti.

She decided to produce wine with passion and great respect for the territory and its traditions. She rescued an indigenous variety, uvalino, and aimed at research and modernity, as shown even in her bottle design. She speaks passionately about her Moscato d’Asti DOCG, a unique, cheerful, fresh and aromatic wine.

Although it is a perfect dessert wine, she also serves it with garlic bread, as local vignerons have always done. She produces also a dried grape version, Aviè, that goes well both with Piedmontese pastry and blue cheeses. There are elegant touches everywhere: for example among her vineyards she hosted one of the Big Bench works by American artist Chris Bange, a welcoming gesture and a wonderful place to enjoy the landscape. www.cascinacastlet.com | www.donnedelvino.it Costigliole d’Asti, one of the typical areas for moscato production

cellars of the historic houses excavated under the hill that dominates the city. Moscato and Asti are laid down in these cellars. Innovation and tradition vary with winery policies, but Luigi Coppo, who represents the most recent generation of a firm founded in 1892, emphasizes that the moscato produced here can use the new attribution of “Canelli”, the zone historically perfect for growing this grape. He explained that contrary to what is commonly thought, “This is a wine that can age 2 or even 3 years. It can be paired with savory foods, too, such as blue cheese or prosciutto, as they do in many places in New York.”

Bosca Winery

72 NOVEMBER 2016

addresses Where to eat Ristorante S.Marco | Canelli (AT) | via Alba, 136 | tel. 0141 82 35 44 | www.sanmarcoristorante.net | average cost 40 euros without wine An ancient inn with stables has become an elegant award-winning restaurant. This is the domain of Mariuccia Ferrero, in love with her territory, with truffles and Moscato. She prepared, in Doha, Qatar, the dinner to celebrate the entrance into the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato winegrowing landscape.

Ristorante dell’Enoteca | Canelli (AT) | c.so Libertà, 65/a | tel. 0141 83 21 82 | ristoranteenotecacanelli.com | average cost 35 euros without wine In the historic site of the wine bar, within the 19th-century walls of the old cellar, a celebrated traditional restaurant with a great choice of wines.

Ristorante Belbo da Bardon | San Marzano Uliveto (AT) | v.le Asinari, 25 | tel. 0141 83 13 40 | average cost 40 euros without wine A farmhouse in the country, it has been a restaurant since the end of the 19th century.

Family run, typical atmosphere, traditional recipes and a good wine list.

Where to stay Centro Storico | Canelli (AT) | via XX Settembre (ang. p.zza Amedeo D’Aosta| tel. 331 96 74 991 | www.camerecentrostorico.it | double room breakfast incl. from 68 euros Five stylish rooms in the town center, in the tranquillity of an internal courtyard. Breakfast served in the Bosca pastry shop.

La casa in collina| Canelli (AT) | reg. S. Antonio, 54 | tel. 0141 82 28 27 | www.lacasaincollina.com | double room breakfast incl. from 110 euros Charming agriturismo in an old-fashioned Piedmontese farmhouse among the vineyards, straight from a novel by Cesare Pavese. Six rooms in different colors, abundant buffet breakfast with local specialties.

I tre poggi | Canelli (AT) | reg. Merlini, 22 | tel. 0141 82 25 48 | www.itrepoggi.it | double room breakfast incl. from 120 euros More than a hotel or an agriturismo, this is a charming residence in an 18th-century farmhouse among the vineyards: ecosustainable, 9 rooms, one mini-apartment, a small fitness center, and a restaurant serving local dishes and biodynamic wines.

Food Shop

Pasticceria Bosca | Canelli (AT) | p.zza Amedeo d’Aosta, 3 | tel. 0141 82 33 29 | Il Cascinale Nuovo | Isola d’Asti (AT) | www.pasticceriabosca.it s.s. 231 Asti-Alba, 15 | tel. 0141 95 81 66 | For almost 40 years, Sergio Bosca has owned this www.walterferretto.com | pastry shop in the center of Canelli, dedicated average cost 50 euros without wine to his territory. Zero kilometer specialties A restaurant with sleeping accommodations, featuring Piedmontese pastries and an infinite belonging to Walter Ferretto, a one-star Michelin number of variations on the hazelnut and chef. Elegant minimal atmosphere, Piedmontchocolate theme. Holiday sweets are featured, inspired menu but also serving fish. beginning with the classic Piedmontese panettone, obviously dosed with Moscato.

VINO&TERRITORIO

William Pregentelli collaborated

UMANI RONCHI Conero Reborn

The Conero is called a mountain although technically, by a few meters, it doesn’t reach the altitude for that description.

It is the point at which the Adriatic Riviera seems to hiccup and break the long low, sandy strip that goes from Trieste in the north to the Gargano peninsula in the south. To its back is one of Italy’s oldest DOC territories, Rosso Conero. This is where the Umani Ronchi winery reigns.

A

fter a few years in the shadows, the DOC Rosso Conero returns to the list of Tre Bicchieri wines, thanks to Umani Ronchi and his Riserva Campo San Giorgio ‘11. “The first vintage produced was the 2009,” Michele Bernetti, winery owner, told us, “but Campo San Giorgio is a project that started about fifteen years ago when we planted a new montepulciano vineyard in the plot that gives its name to the wine.” Rosso Conero DOC and Conero DOCG are the most northern montepulciano-based denomina-

tions. The DOC was established in 1967 (the DOCG came in 2004 for the Riserva version), during a period in which most of Marche’s vineyards were planted with sangiovese. “In order to marry the power of montepulciano grapes with the potential of this terroir to yield elegant wines,” Bernetti explained, “we planted a vineyard with a high density of plants per hectare, using a kind of alberello or gobelet training method balanced by a vertical foliage framework.” The first two vintages had already captured our attention, but it was this 74 NOVEMBER 2016

Il Pelago Bordolese

marchigiano Among the winery’s many successes, Pelago deserves mention.

“It was born in 1994. We owners wanted to produce a Bordeauxstyle wine. Giacomo Tachis, who in that period worked with our winery, suggested that we use montepulciano, and a high percentage of it, 45%. In 1997, Pelago won the award for the Best Red Wine at London’s International Wine Challenge. “Then, in 2006, it won Tre Bicchieri, a kind of seal of value on that wine. With the 2012 vintage, which will go on the market in December, we will have done eighteen harvests, a sort of maturity. That’s why we’re launching a newly designed label, more classic and composed, suited for a wine that has reached adulthood.”

Vecchie Vigne Verdicchio dell’anno 2012 Among the winery’s achievements is the prize for White of the Year, bestowed on Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Cl. Sup. Vecchie Vigne ‘09 in the 2012 Vini d’Italia guide. “2009 was a normal year, ideal for making a great wine,” Michele told us. “Vecchie Vigne was a project that was a few years old. We were experimenting different approaches. In 2001, the first production year, we brought it in almost like a late harvest. Over the years, together with Beppe Caviola, we decided to lighten it, make it fresher, leaving it to the grapes of this vineyard planted in the 1970s to express themselves. The White of the Year award was the culmination of that approach. Our joy was indescribable. Phone calls poured in. Among the first to compliment us was Ampelio Bucci, a Verdicchio star.

Of course, it was a great honor.”

Michele Bernetti

Umani Ronchi | Osimo (AN) | www.umanironchi.com

2011 that squared the circle, that was a perfect synthesis of character and finesse that, according to the 2017 Vini d’Italia guide, ‘established new levels of elegance and minerality that Montepulciano del Conero can achieve.’

But Umani Ronchi isn’t only Conero. Over seventy years, the winery has grown exponentially. Today it produces about three million bottles and exports 70% of its production to over 60 countries. Add to the 70 hectares cultivated around Osimo, 110 hectares in the Verdicchio area, between Cupramontana, the heart of the winery, and Montecarotto, plus another 35 hectares in Abruzzo. It was a Verdicchio, Casal di Serra ’99, that led the list of the 16 Tre Bicchieri granted in this thirtieth anniversary of Vini d’Italia. “It was an important accomplishment, not only for the prestige of the award, but above all because our Verdicchio is one of the least expensive wines in the guide,” 75 NOVEMBER 2016

commented Michele. “That recognition was assigned to a wine of which 100,000 bottles are released. It proves the overall quality of our vineyards and our grapes.”

The past is laden with laurels, but the future looks brilliant, too. Conversion to organic, begun in 2001 with the Abruzzo vineyard (“It’s not a fashion, but an ethical act in behalf of our territory and our collaborators,” said Bernetti), is moving ahead. In 2015, certification arrived for about 50% of the verdicchio vineyards. The other half will be certified within the next two years. “Looking at tomorrow,” stated Bernetti, “I see an even more solid business, not only from the financial point of view, but above all in terms of structure, planning and teamwork. I hope that the real value of our wines and our denomination will be recognized even more. We have had success, but we can and must do more.”

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His grandfather had a restaurant in Fiumicino, but Gianfranco did something completely different. Then the restaurant was sold, and the company that managed it failed.

Gianfranco Pascucci, a cooking aficionado, decided to take it back, and purchased it at auction. That’s how, in 2000, his adventure began. Since then it has been a crescendo of passion, work, knowledge and human contacts. Today it has become a lighthouse for modern seafood cucina.

Gianfranco Pascucci

RECIPES FROM GREAT CHEFS

by Stefano Polacchi photo by Andrea Di Lorenzo

THE FLAVOR OF THE SEA

Dunes and Mediterranean scrub,

RECIPES FROM GREAT CHEFS

from the sea to the plate

Gianfranco Pascucci has brought his restaurant to an international level for its cooking, for the quality of its ingredients, attention to service and for its wine list. There is no olive oil list, but it’s not necessary. Gianfranco himself is the perfect guide to the extravirgins he uses in his creations, discarding many false ideas such as a light oil for fish.

He uses a great Itrana all around. Here it’s the raw material that dominates his dishes, from the most traditional to those moderately creative.

Gianfranco pays no attention to trends, and doesn’t haunt the internet to see if he’s mentioned. He doesn’t seek fame or notoriety at all costs, isn’t jealous of his colleagues, doesn’t have mere profit as his goal.

He has no airs and seems to still enjoy his work. Overall, he’s a rare bird. His cucina, however, does get gastronomes talking, and they come to sit at his tables and in his wonderfully pleasant outdoor space. The fish here is of extraordinary quality, is never from fish farms or served out of season.

The attention he pays to extra-virgin oil is extreme, and it’s felt in his dishes. About the crustaceans he uses, for example, he says, “They are fresh and fragrant products, and fun to cook,” Gianfranco states, “but they are also very very delicate. It’s not enough that they’re very fresh. They also have to be absolutely natural. In Fiumicino I have a firm agreement with the fishermen that they mustn’t put any kind of conserving agent on the crustaceans when they bring them to me. It is essential to the way I use them, trying to conserve the most flavor and fragrance.”

He also told us about his attention to marine herbs. “The sea fennel and searocket that I use in recipes with shrimp come from a project for the restoration of the dunes along the Lazio shoreline undertaken by our staff. Thanks to Riccardo di Giuseppe and the help of the World Wildlife Fund at the Oasis of Macchiagrande.”

Pascucci al Porticciolo | Fiumicino (RM) | v.le Traiano, 85 (entrance via Fiumara, 2) | tel. 06 65029204 | www.pascuccialporticciolo.com

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Shrimp salad, aromatic granita Ingredients for 4 people Shrimp salad: 10 soldier striped shrimp 1 boiled potato cubed (brunoise) 1 g curcuma sea fennel, wild herbs, parsley beet greens mustard extra-virgin olive oil citronette:

½ hot green pepper 1 tsp anchovy colatura 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil juice from shrimp heads

aromatic red juice:

100 g beetroot juice 2 tbsps rosemary oil 1 tsp anchovy colatura 1 tbsp umeboshi (salt plums) 2 juniper berries (dried, powdered)

First, prepare the granita. Heat the beetroot juice, add the other ingredients. Prepare the granita using liquid nitrogen or a sherbet maker, or placing the liquid in the freezer and turning from time to time. Peel the shrimp and reserve heads. Extract all the liquid from the heads for the citronette. Make the citronette emulsifying all the ingredients. Season the potato cubes with parsley and curcuma. Combine with peeled shrimp and herbs. Dress with citronette sauce.

Assembly. Place the shrimp salad on the side of the plate. In the center, put beet greens dressed with mustard. When serving, distribute the red granita harmoniously.

RECIPES FROM GREAT CHEFS

Risotto with saffron, tempura black mussels, sea urchins Ingredients for 4 people Plankton: 1 tsp powdered plankton 2 tbsps water 1 tsp anchovy colatura Saffron risotto: 200 g Carnaroli rice 1 tbsp white wine 1 tsp butter extra-virgin olive oil dashi broth with saffron fish stock with saffron dried Senise pepper powder

1 tbsp sea fennel blanched and finely chopped 8 tempura mussels (see below) shavings of gorgonzola

2 tsps plankton 1 tsp marinated lemons, finely chopped 4 raw sea urchins, opened Black mussel tempura: 200 g pastry flour 10 g salt 50 g vodka 500 g water 16 mussels, steamed open oil for frying (extra-virgin or peanut)

Make the tempura: combine all ingredients and place in a siphon with a double charge. Keep in refrigerator.

Remove mussels from shells. Siphon the batter onto the shelled mussels and drop them immediately in oil at 180°C (350°F). Dry on paper towel and keep warm.

Toast the rice in a little oil, add white wine and allow to evaporate. Slowly add, during the first ten minutes of cooking, broth and saffron. In the remaining 4 minutes, add a few pistils of toasted saffron, dried Senise pepper and sea fennel. When rice is tender, blend in butter and olive oil. Layer a few gorgonzola shavings on the dish.

Cover them with rice. Complete with tempura mussels, sea urchins, marinated lemons, a few drops of plankton and a few teaspoons of sea urchin eggs.

81 NOVEMBER 2016

RECIPES FROM GREAT CHEFS

Fake pasta e fagioli with imperial blackfish Ingredientis for 4 people Imperial blackfish: 4 slices of blackfish (or black ruff) 150 g each

Risina di Spello: 200 g Risina di Spello (beans) pureed

4 lemon leaves

Fake pasta: 5 mashed yellow potatoes

3 celery leaves 1 tbsp vegetable broth black

Sarawak pepper

Little fish sauce: 500 g small fish for soup 2 small tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato puree 1 sprig rosemary 1 glass white wine 1 tsp vinegar 1 head garlic

and strained

1 tsp powdered ginger 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil Salt To finish: 4 raw red shrimp 4 razor clams 4 confit tomatoes 1 sorrel leaf 4 leaves of mint, estragon, wild arugula

dashi broth

To make the sauce: sweat the garlic in oil in a pot, preferably iron. Add rosemary, quartered tomatoes and fish. Raise the heat, add wine and evaporate, add vinegar and, after a few minutes, tomato puree. Cover with dashi broth and cook over high heat for 15 minutes.

Strain and reduce heat, adding a little rosemary, anchovy colatura and a few drops of lemon juice. Strain.

Prepare the ‘pasta’. Roll out the potatoes between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut the sheets into rectangles 3cm by 2 cm. Roll the rectangles forming potato rigatoni. Dry in a 70°C (160°F) oven, remove paper and toast at 180°C (350°F) for 3 minutes.

Cook the imperial blackfish: grill lightly on the side with skin and finish in oven, adding vegetable broth and the rest of the ingredients.

Assembly: spread the bean puree in the center of the plate, cover abundantly with the fish sauce. Place blackfish in center, its skin divided into two parts. Distribute the rest of the ingredients harmoniously.

82 NOVEMBER 2016

RECIPES FROM GREAT CHEFS

Dune Sherbet

50 g sour cherries (selected Fabio Stivali)

Combine two juices, sugar, lemon juice. Beat

1 tablespoon sour cherry juice

whites. Add syrup slowly and continue bea-

200 g fennel juice

sea fennel

ting at higher speed until volume has tripled.

100 g sea fennel juice

1 leaf sea rocket (cakile marina)

15 g egg whites

red onion petals baked at

Ingredients for 4 servings Summer snow (sea fennel sherbet)

30 g brown sugar juice of

½ lemon

(75 g water, 80 g sugar, 1 gelatin leaf) syrup

for

180°C

60 minutes

in a food processor at low speed, adding egg

Spread on a sheet and place in a blast chiller or freezer.

Assembly: Spread a tablespoon of sour cherry juice on a plate. Cover with the fennel

sea fennel flowers

1 thinly sliced porcino mushroom 3 strawberry-tree fruits

berries and vegetables:

84 NOVEMBER 2016

sherbet and arrange the rest of the ingredients in a harmonious manner. Complete the dish with nitrogen green apple juice.

PAIRING

Risotto with saffron,

Shrimp salad, aromatic granite

tempura black mussels, sea urchins

A. A. Valle Isarco Veltliner 2013 | Hoandlhof - Manfred Nössing | Bressanone/Brixen (BZ) | www.manni-noessing.com

Pietranera 2012 | Marco De Bartoli | Marsala (TP) | www.marcodebartoli.com

“A semi-aromatic wine with well-integrated acidity manages to keep a balance between the sweet notes of the shrimp and the marked acidity of the aromatic granita,” Gianfranco explained. “The wine is perfect for this dish because it hasn’t too much body.”

The zibibbo grape here is expressed in a dry wine, far from the sweetness we are used to from Pantelleria passiti labels. “This is a fat, soft wine,” Gianfranco Pascucci explained. “It is conceived of, above all, as a pairing for the acidic, citrusy, iodine nuances of the risotto.” This wine is also excellent with tuna bottarga, which embodies the flavor of the sea that we find in sea urchins and mussels.

Fake pasta e fagioli with imperial blackfish

Dune Sherbet

Brut Premiere Cuvée rosé | Bruno Paillard | Reims (Francia) | www.champagnebrunopaillard.com

Gin Monkey 47

A Champagne that offers softness and vivacity, made with the first soft pressing of Pinot Grigio and (a little) Chardonnay. “It is a wine that pairs well with this dish that is characterized by fat (from seafood), peppery sauce and the toastiness of the fake potato pasta.

Alexander Stein uses a total of 47 ingredients to create Gin Monkey 47, the product of an antique recipe that joins British flavor, Indian spices, Black Forest herbs and water. “I use that aromatic combination to suggest the sensation of freshness and the aromas of a pleasant stroll through the Mediterranean scrub that is the botanical element in tonic water.”

con acqua tonica alle erbe di macchia mediterranea

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