Gambero Rosso Wine Travel Food October 2016

www.gamberorosso.it YEAR 21 N. 100 - OCTOBER 2016

WINE

T R AV E L

FOOD

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a tavola

WINE 24 | Top Italian Wines Roadshow Gambero Rosso takes dozens of the best Italian producers on the road, worldwide

20 | Pizza Pairing A well-chosen wine can enhance our favorite pizza toppings

FOOD 12 | Italian Restaurants Worldlwide Singapore, Sydney, Capetown, Hanoi, Osaka – exotic destinations, where we can find authentic Italian food. We tell you where 16 | Olive Oil Pairing Let’s try to establish five guidelines to help avoid errors in the kitchen

october 2016 2 SEPTEMBER 2016

NEWS & MORE 4 | Editorial 6 | News 18 | Design

worldtour

trebicchieri

ExpEriEncE

2016 29

ROMA

NOVEMBER

i d’Ita Vin

06

BANGKOK

Top Italian Wines Extra

08

HANOI

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

10

SINGAPORE

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

02

SEOUL

trebicchieri

13

SYDNEY

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

04

BEIJING

trebicchieri

18

DUSSELDORF

trebicchieri

07

TAIPEI

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

PALM SPRINGS

Top Italian Wines Extra

09

HONG KONG

trebicchieri

14

OSAKA

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

APRIL

16

TOKYO

trebicchieri

04

CUBA

Top Italian Wines Extra

23

MOSCOW

trebicchieri

06

MIAMI

Vini d'Italia Experience

25

WARSAW

Vini d'Italia Experience

06-07 MIAMI

Experience

25-26 WARSAW

Experience

17

SãO PAULO

Top Italian Wines Extra

28

ZURICH

Vini d'Italia Experience

DUBAI

Top Italian Wines Extra

28

ZURICH

Experience LONDON

trebicchieri

MOSCOW

Vini d'Italia Experience

VANCOUVER

Vini d'Italia Experience

MAY DECEMBER 01

CAPE TOWN

03 Top Italian Wines Roadshow JUNE

2017 JANUARY

05

16

STOCKHOLM

trebicchieri

05-06 VANCOUVER

Experience

18

OSLO

Vini d'Italia Experience

08

TORONTO

trebicchieri

19-20 COPENHAGEN

Experience

08-09 TORONTO

Experience

20

COPENHAGEN

Vini d'Italia Experience

30

MUNICH

trebicchieri

SEATTLE

Vini d'Italia Experience

FEBRUARY 07

CHICAGO

trebicchieri

09

NEW YORK

trebicchieri

13

LOS ANGELES

trebicchieri

13

LOS ANGELES

Experience

15

SAN FRANCISCO

trebicchieri

INFO: www.gamberorosso.it/international

✉ segreteria.estero@gamberorosso.it

YEAR

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YEARS

MARCH trebicchieri

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YEARS

Vini d’Italia

OCTOBER

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Vini d’Italia 2017

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EDITORIAL

EVEN MORE ITALIAN-STYLE We’re closer to the end of the year, with the grape harvest almost completely archived and excellent results seen all over the peninsula. This 2016 about to end was another positive year for Italy’s wine sector. On a complex and often dramatic international stage, wine-driven Italy continues to grow, and it does so with penetration strategies that are giving impressive results.

The conquests made by two denominations in the sparkling sector are particularly satisfying. Prosecco, with its half-billion euros of exports, along with Pinot Grigio, opened the door for made-in-Italy wines. Winning over consumers around the world, these two varietals lead the way to more challenging labels. And following the Prosecco DOC example, now Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC will be operative next year. Having regulations and oversight for these major inter-regional denominations is a fundamental factor in guaranteeing quality and reliability to consumers around the world. A new national law, called Testo Unico, which simplifies and standardizes the rules for the Italian wine sector, is coming soon.

The news from the Russian and Chinese markets is encouraging. Italian wine exports to these countries are rising again after a period of stagnation. The stability of the key Italian markets – Germany, United States and Great Britain (we’ll see if Brexit will have a negative effect) – means we can look towards the end of the year and to 2017 with tempered optimism. We are the country of diversity and novelty, according to foreign wine writers we interviewed recently.

We also want to become the country of reliable quality, of certified sustainability. Buying Italian should always mean buying a life style made of beautiful zones, of the Mediterranean, of millennia of art and culture. There’s certainly more to do, but we are surely on the right road if we hold on to this orientation, if we know how to harmoniously showcase the different qualities of each region and territory. In the light of our thirty years of experience, we can say that the most important achievements of the nation’s wine world have been those widely agreed on, when the entire sector worked together for a common good.

Marco Sabellico 4

OCTOBER 2016

Azienda agricola Conte Collalto sarl Via XXIV Maggio 1, Susegana (Treviso) +39 0438 435811 www.collaltowines.com

NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD NEWS

Cucina. The world celebrates Italian Style A revolutionary new project will debut in November, “A Week of Italian Cucina around the World” (“Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo”). This unprecedented event should be analyzed in terms of the undoubted virtues of the container, rather than the characteristics of its content, comparable to admiring a fine barrel that guarantees an excellent product for decades rather than focusing on getting good wine right from the start. The program will certainly be at a superior level. Many of the 1,300 events planned for the Settimana will be noteworthy, but that’s not the point. What’s crucial is that politicians and administrators, ministers and executives, functionaries and other public representatives finally managed to work as a team in a structured and intelligent manner. It is something new and far from ordinary, and the enterprise shunned the individualism, provincialism and egocentricity that usually reign in Italy, especially in the world of creativity. The complex universe of the kitchen has many fine soloists, but few chorus members.

The government, as governments should, anticipated the problem, faced it and selected tools to solve the problem.

They deserve credit. The platform itself is even larger. It is called “The Extraordinary Italian Taste” and the Settimana is only one of its aspects. Overall objectives are ambitious (also,justifiably, at an economic level), and the potential is amazing. For now, the leaders are structuring a model that brings together the ministries – already a mission impossible – along with Italian institutes of culture, embassies, important companies as well as Alitalia and Cinecittà.

The challenge: a week in November, a hundred countries, many themes to develop in order to present to the world the unmatchable level of our wine and food world, with no barriers between tradition and research. Quality, sustainability, culture, food security, the right to food, education, identity, territory and biodiversity are only some of the ideas on the table. The others will come clear from November 21 to 27 – around the planet.

Massimiliano Tonelli

Numbers: Made in Italy around the world • • • • • •

First in number of certified products (280 foods and 523 wines) Number one in wine production (2015: 48.9 million hectoliters) Second for number of starred restaurants (334) Export record: 36.8 billion euros Goal: 50 billion in 2020 Plan for internationalization: 70 million euros False Italian Sounding (fake made-in-Italy foods) 60 billion euros

6 OCTOBER 2016

Gambero Rosso Food Academy Open doors for flavor-seekers

Lobster Party was a success. It was a test run, inaugurating the events open to visitors on the patio Rome’s Città del gusto. Ted – Lobster & Burger partnered with the Food & Wine Academy of Gambero Rosso. On the evening of last September 30, almost 200 people, twice the number expected, took turns in front of the school’s kitchens while the chefs prepared panini and little bites with lobster. The bartenders turned out cocktails and the sommelier poured wines from the Oltrepò Pavese, another event partner. It was the first of a series of happenings in which Gambero Rosso will open to the city and to its neighbors, bringing food fans to the Città del gusto, but also bringing the Città del gusto to different places around Rome, displaying to all a philosophy of life born 30 years ago, Gambero Rosso style.

Gin. The Tuscan countryside in London Dry della Valdichiana Wild fennel, lavender, olive leaves, thyme, verbena, sage, iris, coriander, and juniper, perhaps the best known of the group for its digestive and antiseptic properties: this aromatic bouquet embodies the countryside near Arezzo. In the Sabatini home territory, in the timeless tranquility of their Teccognano estate, we find the inspiration for gin production that harks back with pride to its Tuscan origins. Even the elegant bottle has cypresses in the foreground and a stylized view of a slice of the hills near Cortona. This newborn entrepreneurial venture was inspired to create a gin outside the realm that tradition has assigned to it. Indeed, they looked to their own region, Tuscany, where many great international producers find their juniper supply.

Less than a year ago, Filippo, Enrico, Niccolò and Ugo Sabatini had the desire to produce an excellent gin, full of personality, that flew the Italian flag. The nine botanicals are harvested by hand in the countryside of Valdichiana. They traveled

to London where production takes place at Thames Distillers Ltd., the celebrated distillery belonging to Charles Maxwell. Working with the Sabatini family and with bar manager Alessandro Palazzi, Maxwell perfected the now-codified recipe: 41.3°, fresh on the nose and pleasantly assertive, with elegant progress on the palate. Success is rewarding the effort: Gin Sabatini made in Italy made a splash in the national market, and it is already present behind the counter in many cocktail bars. It is finding its space on the international scene and is well-distributed in many European countries. The next objective is to increase production. This family plaything can still give many moments of satisfaction.

Sabatini Gin| Località Teccognano (Cortona, AR) | tel. 0575 603299 | www.sabatinigin.com

7 OCTOBER 2016

NEWS

On show in Naples A new way to choose cheese

N.Y. The discovery of the Food Market First came Chelsea Market, born in the 1990s in the building that had been a Nabisco factory. Today, food halls are the latest, biggest trend in New York. In a city that is always inventing and reinventing itself, old warehouses, garages and factories are transformed into markets full of shops, street food, pizza places, ice cream parlors, specialty food shops and butchers. The trend is growing and expanding outside of Manhattan, and the chefs are climbing on board. Anthony Bourdain has announced his own food hall to open in Chelsea in 2017. New food halls that have been inaugurated or will soon see the light in New York are listed below: Grand Central Station, Manhattan. In the elegant station where millions of passengers transit every day, a new area pays homage to Scandinavian food, especially Danish. Italy is represented by a pizzeria, Prova.

Dekalb Market Food Hall: in 9,000 square meters, over 50 shops and restaurants will soon offer the best in New York food, ranging from Vietnamese to Katz’s, the celebrated deli that made pastrami world famous.

Bourdain Market: an opening wrapped in mystery – or just a promotional strategy to create buzz? The new market set to open in Chelsea is already making news. Owner and founder, Anthony Bourdain is the chef who put aside pans and aprons and picked up a mic and camera. In this space, over 100 stalls for vendors will render homage to street food from around the world. The on-going work is top secret. The inauguration will be in 2017.

Liliana Rosano

Cheeses go to class: this is the (misleading) title of the exhibition market to be held in Naples from November 11-13, 2016, at the Città della Scienza. They go to class because for the first time the exhibition and price of cheeses will be dictated solely by their quality, that is, how the animals from which the milk comes are fed. This is a project launched by Roberto Rubino and the association he leads, Formaggi sotto il cielo, Cheeses under the sky.

Its objective is to spotlight the true underlying marker of quality in milk and cheese: the grass, hay and forage that the animals eat. The event is sponsored by the Associazione nazionale Latte Nobile and the Assessorato al Lavoro e alle Attività Produttive of the city of Naples. The proposal to completely overhaul the classification of the price of cheese comes out of the collapse of the price of milk, the quality of which is undermined by the excessive use of animal feed. The price difference between those who do quality and those who do not is too narrow. The Merit Classes are an attempt to remunerate the work of those who do measurable and verifiable quality work on scientific and nutritional bases. It’s not just a question of taste! cittadellascienza.it

rendering by

Stephen Alesch at Roman and Williams 8

Rita Loccisano’s Visualfood at Macfrut.

Gambero Rosso at the Rimini fair September saw Italy’s most important fruit and vegetable fair take over Rimini. Every year, thousands of operators come from around the world. Gambero Rosso was there at the Fruit&Veg Fantasy Show, featuring Rita Loccisano and her visual food for children and adults.

Italy’s fruit and vegetable sector

MacFrut appeared for the 33rd time at Rimini’s gala September international fruit and vegetable fair. Every year, the event brings together the sector’s operators to take stock of the globe’s agriculture sector. More than 1,000 companies from around the world come to meet international buyers arriving in Rimini from five continents. The fair’s numbers were Impressive: seven pavilions, eleven exhibition areas, and a program brimming with conferences, meetings and workshops over the course of three days from September 14 to 16.

The aim of all this was to spotlight a sector that in Italy is worth twelve billion euros a year. It is the top national export, and plays a strategic role in the country’s economy. At the fair’s inauguration, Minister Maurizio Martina underlined the importance of protecting produc-

ers’ incomes by updating Producers’ Organization’s (OP) national programming strategies. The calendar was packed with conferences on such topics as investment in Albania, the Coldiretti examination of per capita increase in vegetable consumption and subsequent reduced spending on meat, a presentation of new products now winning a market share (such as seedless grapes), logistical solutions and avant-garde cultivation methods – and that was only day one.

Visualfood with Rita Loccisano

Among events featuring digitalization, sustainability strategies and an introduction to the fair’s 2016 partner, Peru, the Gambero Rosso Academy found space for its Fruit&Veg Fantasy Show. Rita Loccisano, Gambero Rosso Channel teacher and television star, 9 OCTOBER 2016

showed off her edible sculpture creations and led the public in a special lesson about visual food using the excellent products on hand.

Fruit and vegetables have never been so elegant – the program’s slogan. At the Rimini Expo Centre, she produced spaghetti with walnuts and Roquefort cheese, bouquets of raw vegetables and centerpieces of sugar-frosted fruit.

One afternoon, Gambero Rosso led an educational tour of creative platings that tempted children to consume more fruit and vegetables. Together with Rita, the smallest children learned to make grape snakes, fig koalas and Pokeball caprese. Meanwhile, adults tasted organic coffee, smoothies and aromatic water at the Macfrut Raw Bar, a new addition to the 2016 event and a partner in food education and tasty fun at the table.

Macfrut | Rimini | Rimini Expo Centre | www.macfrut.com

NEWS

Cocktail. Number one bartender in the world is French

Diageo Reserve World Class elected the best bartender in the world, and the winner was French Jennifer Le Nechet, the first woman to win the competition. She rose above ten thousand adversaries from around the world (56 countries on 5 continents) and emerged in Miami as Bartender of the World 2016, beating out 55 finalists. Creativity, knowledge and professionalism were the criteria for the selection.

The contestants had 10 minutes to

mix 8 creations chosen among classic, innovative, or new cocktails. The young winner is the bartender at the Café Moderne in Paris, a locale specialized in cocktails and boulettes, or meatballs. This is also a trend that, according to Jennifer, is moving ahead. “It’s an experience that’s growing. The game of pairing has always been done with wine. Why not with cocktails? I’m not only talking about alcoholic drinks. Any liquid will do.” Now the Café Mod-

erno has launched another class of mixed drinks: the Cocktail Dessert.

“Those are sweeter drinks for after dinner, such as the Moderne Martini, mixing Baileys, Kahlua, Amaretto, cream and cinnamon. Or the New Orleans Milk Punch: Cognac, nutmeg, milk and sugar.”

Le Café Moderne | Parigi | 19, rue Keller | tel. +33 (0)147 005 3 62 | www.cafemoderne-tbmb.com

Honey. Acacia and citrus down, cilantro booming Honey production is down, 30% less than the average year and 70% below its potential. The 2016 season will be remembered as a black year for apiculture, one of the worst in the last 35 years. Above all, the two great Italian honeys, acacia and citrus, are affected. Prices will go up along with the dangers of adulteration. The news came from the National Apiculture Consortium. “Climate change and the use of pesticides in agriculture are responsible,” said Diego Pagani, consortium president. Cilantro, however, is the honey revelation of recent years. Cultivation of this plant intensified to respond to foreign market demand.

The plant is easy to grow and gives good yields.

10 OCTOBER 2016

ITALIAN NEWSRESTAURANTS FROM AROUNDWORLDWIDE THE WORLD

Gourmet destinations SINGAPORE The Wine Connection Tapas Bar and Bistro | 1-19/20 Robertson Walk |11 Unity Street|Singapore 237995 | www.wineconnection.com.sg St James Wine Bar and Bistro | St. James Power Station, 3 Sentosa |Gateway Singapore, 098544 | Singapore | facebook.com/ StJamesWineBarBistroSG Napoleon Food & Wine Bar | 206 Telok Ayer St. Singapore, 068641 Singapore | www.napoleon.sg

The Lighthouse, Singapore

SINGAPORE

1-Altitude |1 Raffles Place (Former OUB Center) |Singapore 048616 | www.1-altitude.com

Ormeggio, Sydney

The Lighthouse

1 Fullerton Square | Singapore 049178 |Tel. +65 68778140 | www.fullertonhotels.com

This elegant and fashionable restaurant with a spectacular view is inside the Fullerton Hotel, near the sea.

Once, a real lighthouse showed Singapore’s sailors the way to safe harbor.

It looks out on one of the city’s most beautiful skylines, facing Marina Bay. Chef Carlo Marengoni leads the brigade. He fell in love with Italian cooking when he was fourteen years old. In 1995, he moved to Singapore, bringing with him the creativity and passion of Italy’s traditions. The menu offers clients a long list of delights from Campania, Sardinia and Sicily, such as gnocchi alla sorrentina (with tomatoes and mozzarella), octopus alla luciana (with tomatoes and chile pepper), spaghettoni alla bottarga (dried fish roe), and tonnarelli with lobster. Roman dishes such as gnocchi alla romana (made with semolina and baked with cheese), and some from Tuscany, such as farro soup, round out the countrywide selections. Sweets, like tiramisu and small pastries, are served with excellent espresso.

SYDNEY Ormeggio

D’Albora Marinas | The Spit |Mosman | 2088 Sydney | Tel. +61 299694088 | www.ormeggio.com.au

Facing the pier of D’Albora Marinas, Ormeggio at the Spit offers one of the best expressions of contemporary Italian cuisine in Australia. An elegant restaurant with a maritime atmosphere, it is the 12 OCTOBER 2016

reign of chef/proprietor Alessandro Pavoni. He is a famous personality in the country, appearing on television and in print, attracting a devoted following with his ability to communicate and his modern cooking. Originally from Lombardy, his specialty is its renowned risotto, but his elegant dishes walk the line between innovation and tradition, and are all about texture, technique and ingredients, especially seafood.

CAPE TOWN

SYDNEY

CAPE TOWN

Buon Ricordo 108 Boundary Street Paddington NSW | 2021 Sydney | www.buonricordo.com.au

Jordan Wine Estate Stellenbosch Kloof Road | Stellenbosch | Stellenbosch 7604 | www.jordanwines.com

Icebergs Dining Room and Bar | Bondi Beach | 1 Notts Avenue NSW | 20126 Sydney | www.idrb.com

Noon Gun Tea Room and Restaurant | 273 Longmarket St Signal Hill | Bo-Kaap | Central Cape Town | www.noonguntearoom.co.za

Mille Vini | Surry Hills |397 Crown Street NSW |2010 Sydney | www.millevini.com.au Pilu at Freshwater Freshwater | On the beach, Moore road, Freshwater, NSW | 2096 Sydney |www.piluatfreshwater.com.au

Tank Seafood & Sushi Restaurant 72 Waterkant Street Cape Quarter | www.the-tank.co.za Mama Africa 178 Long St | Cape Town 8001 www-mamaafricarestaurant.co.za

Besides his alta cucina menu, he serves light bites and lunch at his nearby trattoria. Among the beloved Italian classics Ormeggio offers, we noted eggplant alla parmigiana, vitello tonnato (veal with tuna sauce), risotto with calamari and peas, and raw tuna with pistachios from Bronte, in Sicily. The wine list presents a wide range of good Italian bottles.

Buon ricordo, Sydney Mille Vini, Sydney

Carne SA, Cap Town

13 OCTOBER 2016

Carne SA

70 Keerom St | Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town 8000 | Sudafrica Tel. +27214243460 | www.carne-sa.com

Giorgio Nava, a Milanese ex-broker, decided to change his life in 2002.

He opened five successful restaurants in South Africa, all offering quality Italian cucina, exclusively based on meat. Carne SA is known as the best meat restaurant in Cape Town, a city where barbecue is a tradition and steak houses are everywhere.

But Giorgio also offers authentic Italian cucina as well, along with an image of passion, creativity, hard work and good taste in the preparation of every single dish. The chef brings the best Italian ingredients into his kitchen, using only Romagnola breed beef, authentic balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto San Daniele and Parma, all imported from Italy. Interior design is Italian too, simple and elegant decor, right down to the tableware. Nava conveys an image of Italy as a topnotch, hard-working country.

ITALIAN RESTAURANTS WORLDWIDE

OSAKA

Cucina di Sartini, Osaka

Cucina di Sartini

540-0037 | Osaka Uchihiranomachi 1 Tel. + 81 669404222 | www.cucinadisartini.com

Osaka, on the island of Honshu, with three and a half million inhabitants, is considered Japan’s food capital, and now true Italian cuisine has arrived. Dishes and recipes from San Marino and Romagna as prepared by Luigi Sartini have become a success among Japanese gastronomes. In Cucina di Sartini, the most popular dish is sardoncini (anchovies) in a cream of cave-aged cheese, dried onions and balsamic vinegar. The restaurant, in the center of the city, was named by chef Sumiko Okajima in honor of her mentor Luigi Sartini, Michelin star chef at Righi in San Marino. Sumiko trained in his brigade for eight years, and today her menu of traditional Italian dishes follows in his footsteps. Her dishes are completely faithful to the tradition and quality of those offered in their original San Marino home.

Luna d’Autunno, Hanoi

HANOI

OSAKA

Luna d’Autunno

27 Nam Ngu | Hoan Kiem District| Tel. +84438237338 | www.lunadautunno.vn

In 1999, Gino Benelli opened the first Luna d’Autunno restaurant in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

Over the course of twenty years he was able to offer authentic Italian food, employing the best traditional products and ensuring the freshness and excellence of his ingredients. In Gino’s dishes today, the simple flavors of Italian culture are reproduced, ranging from Sicilian arancini (rice croquettes), to pasta alla Norma (with eggplant and ricotta) or saltimbocca alla romana (veal rolls filled with prosciutto). The menu embraces the entire country, including the Italian food par excellence, pizza, prepared in many ways. Selections of cured meats and cheeses complete a culinary parade of Italian flavors in southeastern Asia.

14 OCTOBER 2016

Hankyu Umeda B2F |8-7 Kakudacho | Kita-ku | www.eataly.co.jp Yamazaki Distillery 618-0001 Osaka Prefecture | Mishima District | Yamazaki | www.theyamazaki.jp Okonomiyaki Chitose 1-11-10 Taishi Nishinari-Ku | Osaka | Osaka Prefecture

HANOI Pane e Vino 3 Nguyễn Khắc Cần | Tràng Tiền, Hoàn Kiếm | Hanoi | www.panevino.vn The Gourmet Corner Restaurant 32 Lò Sũ | Hoàn Kiếm | Hanoi 10000 | www.elegancehospitality.com Gia Ngu Restaurant 27-29 Gia Ngu | Old Quarter | Hoan Kiem District | Hanoi 100000 Red Bean restaurant ng Buồm Hoàn Kiếm Hà Vietnam | 94 Mã Mây| Hàng Buồm | Hanoi | www.redbeanrestaurant.com

OLI D’ITALIA 2016

by Indra Galbo

OLIVE OIL

PAIRING

Learning about and appreciating the fine points of good extra-virgin olive oil has become a trendy practice in recent years, above all for food enthusiasts, both European and not. Beginners perfect their recognition of aromas and eventual defects on the nose, while the fearless approach tasting directly from the little glasses used by pros.

Something that is still undervalued, however, is the method (if it is a method) or technique of good food/olive oil pairing.

Extra-virgin oil often works as a flavorenhancer, thanks to different types of intensity and the oil’s many aromatic facets. Some oils express themselves on notes of tomato, others with balsamic tones, and yet others display herbaceous or almondy sensations.

But specifically, how do we pair extravirgin olive oil?

Let’s try to establish five guidelines to help avoid errors in the kitchen.

16 OCTOBER 2016

3. Intensely fruity oils go well with savory and structured dishes.

A bean soup, such as pasta with chickpeas, or grilled red meat, will overwhelm a light olive oil. From an aromatic point of view, the oil will simply provide a fatty element, its fragrances disappearing under the impact of forceful ingredients.

4. Olive oil and chocolate.

1. Extra-virgin can be paired for ‘assonance’.

If we have an oil that gives us fragrances of tomato (e.g. DOP Monti Iblei or DOP Colline Pontine) we will pair it with dishes based on tomato (pizza Margherita, Tuscan panzanella, gazpacho, spaghetti with tomato sauce). If, instead, we have a very bitter oil (e.g the moraiolo or coratina cultivars) we use it with bitter foods such as radicchio, arugula, or regional dishes where the vegetable and herbaceous component stands out (e.g. ribollita Toscana, a soup based on Tuscan kale and beans).

2. Raw meat or fish calls for light or medium fruity oils.

The risk of using an oil that is too intense on steak tartare or fish carpaccio is that it will mask the flavor of the key ingredient. If the meat or fish is top quality, it will be penalized by an excessively intense extra-virgin oil.

Even if it seems a strange association, the pairing of these two products is not as odd as it looks at first.

Chocolate, above all the dark kind with at least 60% cacao content, goes well with medium and intense extra-virgin olive oils with strong herbaceous tones and an almondy finish. Examples would be frantoio toscano and moraiolo.

5. If they live together, they go well together.

This famous phrase of Jamie Oliver’s from his television programs doesn’t offer the solution to every problem, but it can be helpful in matching food and olive oil.

The oil produced in a particular zone very often goes well with recipes typical of that area.

DESIGN

by Francesco Seccagno

DESIGN

Mia | Emu | Marsciano (PG) | www.emu.it

Indoors and outdoors are more and more inextricable.

The home extends beyond its walls and the landscape comes inside. Here are some items that are playfully in-out, but also pastfuture.

Created by visionary Jean Nouvel, Mia is a collection that will become an icon of urban decor. With its minimalist design and formal shapes, Mia chairs and tables are comfortable in every setting, outdoors and indoors, bringing charm and personality to any space.

Some are stackable.

They are the ideal marriage of design, function and robust structure, for any area of sophisticated simplicity.

Bisquit | Listone Giordano Biscuit emerged from a collaboration with Patricia Urquiola.

The collection returns to the natural decorative vocation of wooden flooring and gives the material a more sinuous design. “Biscuit is a project that develops around a concept of softness. It is characterized by a composition of lines and free forms,� the designer explained.

Both for flooring and panels, we are faced with a new idea of parquet.

18 OCTOBER 2016

RETRO | Russell Hobbs | Spectrum Brands Italia srl | Milano 3 | Basiglio (MI) | it.russellhobbs.com Curvy shapes, bright colors and vintage-influenced design are the key elements in RETRO, the new Russell Hobbs breakfast line. This British brand is known for its small, high quality design appliances for the kitchen and home.

Chef de Cuisine | Toncelli | Peccioli (PI) | www.toncelli.it The goal is to bring the technology and performance capacities of a professional kitchen into the domestic universe. Chef de Cuisine comes out of a collaboration between this Tuscan firm and chef Emanuele Scarello. It is a module in which everything is at hand – heat, tools, knives, dishes. A base and a tall unit are the foundations of the project, along with a cooking surface, ovens, shelves and more. Everything you need is just where you want it.

19 OCTOBER 2016

PIZZA

PAIRING

drawings by Chiara Buosi SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

frappato

morellino

verdicchio

Marinara COSTA D'AMALFI ROSATO

ANO FSOAVE

frappato

verdicchio

morellino

Margherita PROSECCO COLFONDO (SUR LIE) SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

frappato

morellino

verdicchio

Buffalo mozzarella &cherry tomatoes FIANO DI AVELLINO

20 OCTOBER 2016

& WINE

SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

frappato

Pepperoni (we call it Diavola!)

verdicchio

morellino

SCHIAVA

FIANO

MORELLINO DI SCANSANO

FSOAVE

frappato

verdic

morellino

Vegetarian SOAVE CLASSICO SCHIAVA

FIANO

FSO

Ham&Mushrooms SCHIAVA

FIANO

MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO CERASUOLO FSOAVE

frappato

morellino

verdicchio

SCHIAVA

Zucchini blossom&anchovies OP PINOT NERO BRUT 21 OCTOBER 2016

FIANO

Pairing with pizza. Some rules WITH TOMATO White wines that enhance the ingredients, or young, fresh reds.

RICH IN FATS (four-cheese, Margherita with buffalo mozzarella) Medium-structured and savory whites to contrast with the fattiness of the cheese.

WITH VEGETABLES Young, fresh wines, preferably whites.

WITH STRONG FLAVORS (capers or anchovies) Full-bodied and structured whites, rosati with a strong savory vein or metodo classico spumante.

With all these pizzas, avoid red wines rich in tannin.

WITH CURED MEATS (prosciutto or speck)

Sparkling reds, reds with little tannin, or rosati wines that clean and refresh the mouth.

Avoid whites that might be too delicate.

WITH ARTICHOKES Water or beer. Artichokes are one of wine’s greatest enemies.

One of the substances present in this vegetable is cynarin which, when it gets together with wine, gives it a metallic, bitter flavor.

AND BEER? Drink it only with excellent, wellleavened pizza. Beer, especially craft beer, can contain some yeast.

Combined with that in the pizza dough, it can cause problems during digestion. To avoid a sleepless night, stick with wine.

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ALTO ADIGE

O IN T EN TR TO AL IGE AD

Cantina Produttori San Michele Appiano Nals Margreid

LOMBARDY Agricole Gussalli Beretta Bellavista Castello di Cigognola Guido Berlucchi

LI IA U I FR NEZ VE ULIA GI O ET N VE EMILIA ROMAGNA

DY R BA M LO

TO AL IGE AD PIEDMONT Elvio Cogno Fontanafredda Gaja Tenimenti Rossi Cairo

NT O DM E I P

RIA U LIG

Cavicchioli Medici Ermete & Figli San Patrignano

NA G MA O R LIA I EM NY A SC U T

E CH R MA

TUSCANY

LIGURIA Lunae Bosoni

Colle Massari Fattoria Le Pupille Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Petra Poggio al Tesoro Rocca delle Macìe San Felice

LAZIO Falesco Poggio Le Volpi

SARDINIA Tenute Sella&Mosca Vigne Surrau

IA N I RD A S

24 OCTOBER 2016

The Wineries

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA Zorzettig Jermann Le Monde Livon Primosic

ABRUZZO Cantina Tollo Castorani Masciarelli Villa Medoro

VENETO Allegrini Pasqua Bolla Bortolomiol Masi Ottella Ruggeri Tenuta Sant’Antonio Tenute di Genagricola Santa Margherita Gruppo Vinicolo Villa Sandi Zenato

MARCHE Fazi Battaglia Terre Cortesi Moncaro Velenosi

MOLISE Di Majo Norante

O ZZ U R AB ISE L MO ZIO A L

LIA G PU

IA N PA M CA

PUGLIA Cantine Due Palme Paolo Leo Leone de Castris Tenute Rubino Torrevento

CAMPANIA Feudi di San Gregorio San Salvatore

SICILY

ILY C I S

25 OCTOBER 2016

Baglio di Pianetto Cottanera Cusumano Donnafugata Felline Firriato Nicosia Planeta

PIEDMONT

Elvio Cogno

All the rigor of a good Barolo

via Ravera, 2 | Novello (CN) | ( +39 0173 744006 |  www.elviocogno.com ✉ elviocogno@elviocogno.com | Elvio Cogno |  @elviocogno

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alter Fissore and his wife Nadia Cogno, daughter of Elvio after whom the handsome Novello winery is named, produce four Barolos in the best vintages: Vigna Elena, Ravera, Bricco Pernice, and Cascina Nuova. They are very different interpretations of nebbiolo, due to soil and climate differences in the vineyard, combined with different fermentation and ageing processes in the cellar. Yet a common style is still evident, characterized by a rich,

close-knit tannic weave, which we also find in Barbaresco Bordini and the other wines from barbera, dolcetto, and nascetta.

This consistency is well illustrated by the delicious, layered Barbera d’Alba Pre-Phylloxera. Barolo Vigna Elena Riserva is more intense and nuanced, full of medicinal herbs, forest fruits and caressing tannins.

The squaring of the circle becomes manifest with the Bricco Pernice, still austere but exceptionally fleshy and long. The Ravera is only slightly more delicate: simply intriguing!

Barolo and beef fillet with mushrooms A pairing for the ages. Barolo Ravera is made from particular nebbiolo clones, lampi and michet, then aged in large Slavonian oak casks. The color is always a bit pale, and its character is subtle but with the longest-lasting of flavors. It goes perfectly with a rare steak served with porcini mushrooms that echo the earthy tones, spices and wonderfully drinkable fruit.

26 OCTOBER 2016

Fontanafredda

Ancient origins, modern vision

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via Alba, 15 | Serralunga d’Alba (CN) ( +39 0173 626111 |  www.fontanafredda.it | ✉ info@fontanafredda.it fontanafreddaitalia |  @Fontanafredda

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erralunga d’Alba is one of the municipalities that shelters the success of Barolo.

Fontanafredda is among the most outstanding wineries in the territory, a large firm that has won international prestige thanks to a combination of ancient origins and modern business vision. It is a veritable colossus of Piedmont wine, with production in excess of 7 million bottles and around 100 hectares of vineyards, largely converted to natural methods, bolstered by the partnership with Luca Baffigo and Oscar Farinetti. It’s practically impossible to list all the different lines of the range, which includes selections and crus made with an “artisanal” approach, like the Casa E. di Mirafiore Barolos, commencing with the Paiagallo and Lazzarito. The stylistic austerity of Barolo Paiagallo has fruity sensations, medium body, caressing tannins and a captivating palate. Barolo Vigna La Rosa is concentrated and full, with irresistible close-focused notes of medicinal herbs and pink peppercorns. The Lazzarito has a darker, more austere nose.

In the Villa del Re: the Alciati family The Alciati name is deeply connected to Italian culinary history. Guido and Lidia Alciati, in the 1950s, began down a new, innovative path, with the objective of providing a different model for restaurateurs and Piedmontese cucina. Now their sons, Ugo, in the kitchen, and Piero, in the front room, have followed in their footsteps. The restaurant Guido is located on the first floor of the Villa Reale, in the 19th century palazzo that belonged to King Vittorio Emanuele II, inside the Fontanafredda estate. To experience a traditional Piedmontese pairing, we recommend ordering finanziera, (a meat dish based on sweetbreads, veal, cock’s combs and other organ meats) along with a Fontanafredda Barolo.

27 OCTOBER 2016

PIEDMONT

Gaja

The venerable maestro marches on via Torino, 18 | Barbaresco (CN) ( +39 0173 635158 |  www.gajawines.com | ✉ info@gaja.com

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oday more than ever “venerable maestro”, to use the Italian writer Alberto Arbasino’s definition of the final stage in the career of successful Italians, Angelo Gaja, is undoubtedly the most famous producer abroad, not least for the great wines derived from his own unique interpretation of the magnificent legacy of his father Giovanni and his grandfather Angelo. Long flanked by his children Gaia, Rosanna, and Giovanni, and his wife Lucia, their Barbaresco cellar remains the nerve centre of the painstaking work focusing on a range topped by the Costa Russi, Conteisa, Sperss, Sorì San Lorenzo, and Sorì Tildin Langhe Nebbiolos. Since the 2013 vintage, a particularly fortunate and brilliant year, the crus became part of the Barbaresco denomination: subtle, airy aromas and remarkably great freshness on the palate. Costa Russi has the magic of a great wine, with a sophisticated, ethereal nose of freshly picked red berries, a sprinkling of spice, and a penetrating, long, layered, crystal-clear palate. Sorì Tildin is usually slightly weightier, also with astonishingly precisely extracted tannins. The Barbaresco is simply very good.

The Bolgheri Estate The Gaja family’s Ca’ Marcanda estate remains one of the healthiest in the DOC zone. Currently there are over 100 hectares of vineyards, planted with varieties that find their best expression in this corner of Tuscany: cabernet sauvignon and franc, merlot and syrah, all of which are included in the three blends on offer today, in varying percentages. Ca’ Marcanda is the flagship wine, followed

by Promis and Magari: three reds, three gems.

28 OCTOBER 2016

Tenimenti Rossi Cairo

Environment and soil above all LA RAIA S.da Monterotondo, 79 | Novi Ligure (AL) ( +39 0143 743685 |  www.la-raia.it| ✉ info@la-raia.it | TENUTA CUCCO via Mazzini, 10 | Serralunga d’Alba (CN) ( +39 0173 613003 |  www.tenutacucco.it | ✉ info@tenutacucco.it |

 La Raia |  @LaRaia_Gavi

 Tenuta Cucco

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The ambassadors: Gavi Pisé & Barolo Cerrati Among the typical wines produced by the two wineries, Tenuta Cucco makes juicy versions of Barbera and Dolcetto. The flagbearer is the deep and powerful Barolo Cerrati, aged in large casks. A perfect pairing would be rabbit with bell peppers and anchovies. The premium La Raia label is Gavi Pisé, a white made from cortese grapes. “It differs from other Gavi wines because it spends 24 months on its lees. Fruitier and multifaceted, it is not like the usually more acidic and mineral Cortese wines.” Try it with a classic saltimbocca alla romana, beef rolls wrapped around prosciutto.

29 OCTOBER 2016

e dedicate ourselves to the quality and authenticity of the soil in order to achieve quality in the glass,” declared Piero Rossi Cairo, head of the family firm, Tenimenti Rossi Cairo. The name includes two top-ranking Piedmontese estates: La Raia, in the province of Alessandria, and Tenuta Cucco, in the heart of the most powerful and celebrated cru of Barolo, Serralunga d’Alba. The first of these has been biodynamic, certified by Demeter, for years. The latter is in the process of converting to organic. These two artisanal wineries share a philosophy and an enologist, Piero Ballario, a notable figure in the zone. “My everyday wine is our Nebbiolo, with its typical, slightly pushy tannin. It has character and drinkability. We hold it in the bottle for a year before release.” Besides the family agriturismo, a new resort is in the works, La Locanda, where wine will be the total, 360° focus.

LIGURIA

Lunae Bosoni

Liguria: the charm of the native via Bozzi, 63 | Ortonovo (SP) ( +39 0187 669222 | î?ś www.cantinelunae.com | ✉ bosoni@cantinelunae.com

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he Bosoni family is united by life and work: Paolo, the perceptive head of the family, is in charge of the vineyards and cellar; his son Diego also oversees relations with foreign clients, and his daughter Debora manages events and sales in the beautiful visitor centre; lastly, his wife Antonella takes care of the accounting. Thanks to this family, Cantina Lunae is growing, with the purchase in 2015 of two new plots in the Ortonovo area at around 250 metres altitude, about two hectares of albarola at Camporegio, and three hectares of vermentino on the famous Sarticola hill. Once again the wines maintain a high standard of quality: lovely straw-yellow colour with greenish hues for the Etichetta Nera, with generous aromas ranging from vegetal hints to tropical fruit like mango and pineapple, and a velvety, firm palate, well-balanced with a very lingering aftertaste. The Niccolo is a blend of sangiovese, merlot and pollera nera: a native grape variety which grows only in Liguria and Tuscany.

The ideal place to explore this world of diversity is at Ca’ Lvnae. Visitors are welcomed into a beautiful tasting room and a museum that showcases local agricultural tradition.

Vermentino & Sushi If you visit the top Japanese restaurants in Milano, the best of their kind in Italy, you will easily find the wine from this house front and center.

Among the best pairings with Salmon Temaki is Vermentino Etichetta Grigia, a best buy wine that offers juicy fruit and fresh sensations of aromatic herbs. It goes perfectly with the rich, fatty flavor of salmon, enlivening each sip and preparing the mouth for the next one.

LOMBARDY

Agricole Gussalli Beretta

One family, four wineries via Costa, 2 | Monticelli Brusati (BS) ( +39 030 6527218 |  www.agricolegussalliberetta.com ✉ info@vintrading.com | agricolegussalliberetta

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go Gussalli Beretta heads one of the world’s oldest industrial dynasties (documented since 1526) and shares a great passion for wine and the countryside with his wife Monique. Over the years it has led them to found the Agricole Gussalli Beretta group, which also includes Castello di Radda in Chianti Classico, Orlandi Contucci Ponno in Abruzzo, and Cascina Pressenda in Castelletto di Monforte d’Alba. The Franciacorta estate covers an area of 150 hectares, including 30 under vine.

Its beautiful winery is housed in a perfectly restored 16th-century villa with outbuildings. Franciacorta Extra Brut is a Chardonnay cuvée that hails from a vineyard in Monticelli Brusati planted with vines over 20 years old. Part of the base wine is fermented and aged in small casks prior to bottle fermentation for at least five years. It is full and flavoursome, offering plenty of stuffing and firm, confident body with elegant hints of citrus, white-fleshed fruit, and vanilla, and lingering honeyed aromas.

Chianti Classico and Meatballs Castello di Radda shows a combination of vineyards planted at different times and minimal interventions in the cellar where ageing is measured with care, along with a traditional style that produces subtle, elegant wines that reflect the terroir accurately. Chianti Riserva and Gran Selezione are the two starring bottles, but with succulent meatballs in sauce, we prefer the standard Chianti Classico – subtle, ethereal and dynamic. Add a touch of hot red pepper and the pairing takes off.

32 OCTOBER 2016

Bellavista

Winery of the Year Vini d’Italia 2017 via Bellavista, 5 | Erbusco (BS) ( +39 030 7762000 |  www.bellavistawine.it | ✉ info@bellavistawine.it cantinaBellavista |  BellavistaVino

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orty years from its foundation, Bellavista is one of the most prestigious names in the Italian wine world, successfully representing the Franciacorta DOCG throughout the world. Vittorio Moretti’s estate, with the increasing involvement of his daughter Francesca alongside talented oenologist Mattia Vezzola, heads a group that also includes Contaldi Castaldi, and Petra and La Badiola in Tuscany. Forty years of accolades and extraordinary Franciacorta cuvées capable of defying time have earned Bellavista the Winery of the Year award. The Bellavista style, developed over the years with the aid of Mattia Vezzola, is an unmistakable blend of elegance and complexity. The delicately balanced Pas Operé is one of the top Franciacorta bottles you can find. It is a little masterpiece of complexity and freshness, brimming with fruit and fresh citrus nuances, deep and delightfully drinkable, epitomizing the Bellavista style. Brut Teatro alla Scala is usually juicy and zesty, with good backbone and a very fine bead. Riserva Vittorio Moretti is an extraordinarily elegant, complex Extra Brut.

A Meraviglioso Wine Produced only in few magnum, Meraviglioso is an extraordinary cuvée from Franciacorta Riservas spanning 30 years. It is probably the most complex Franciacorta tasted over the decades for its depth, grace, richness and aromatic definition. Sip it with a truffle risotto, or, as the best closing note to a lovely evening, taste it on its own and savor its full flavor.

LOMBARDY

Castello di Cigognola

Where pinot nero and barbera rule p.zza Castello, 1 | Cigognola (PV) ( +39 0385 284828 |  www.castellodicigognola.com ✉ info@castellodicigognola.com

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astello di Cigognola boasts a spectacular location, overlooking the Lombard Plain and the entrance to Valle Scuropasso. It has ancient origins: founded in 1212 following the end of feudalism, it was a Renaissance court, and became a winegrowing centre at the beginning of the 19th century. Today it is owned by Gianmarco and Letizia Moratti, who have renovated it and transformed it into an operation producing fine wines with the aid of Riccardo Cotarella and Oltrepò oenologist Emilio Defilippi, as well as a research centre that works alongside Milan University to revive ancient local grape varieties. Brut Metodo Classico ‘More is an elegant sparkling, appearing close focused, vigorous, and zesty, with a nose of citrus and pennyroyal, and a long, well-sustained finish. The Rosé is subtler, commencing with its pale hue, and focuses chiefly on finesse and elegance, while. Barbera 1212 is full, solid and chewy, with aromas of morello cherries.

Barbera La Maga is more elegant and spicy, and still shows ample room for improvement.

Barbera & Salame di Varzi Oltrepò Pavese, besides being Italy’s major pinot nero zone in terms of vineyard hectares, has a grand Barbera tradition. It’s no accident it’s sometimes called Old Piedmont. Barbera 1212 naturally calls out for one of the territory specialties, a handcut, oblong slice of salame di Varzi, a DOP since 2016. Natural aromas, whole peppercorns and red wine aromas make it a luscious pairing.

34 OCTOBER 2016

Guido Berlucchi & C

The Franciacorta story

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Loc. Borgonato | p.zza Duranti, 4 | Corte Franca (BS) ( +39 030 984381 |  www.berlucchi.it | ✉ export@berlucchi.it berlucchi61franciacorta |  @berlucchiwine

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he estate that spawned the whole Franciacorta phenomenon just over 50 years ago is in excellent health. Franco Ziliani, its founder and chairman, is able to count on an extraordinary team formed by his children: oenologist Arturo, marketing manager Cristina, and Paolo, responsible for the business side. Together, the family, who several years ago returned to using only Franciacorta grapes for their cuvées, have earned the winery the status of leading Italian sparkling wine producer, with an annual output of over four million bottles and constantly growing exports. The Nature of the 61 range, named after Berlucchi’s year of foundation, is a complex, elegant wine that manages to combine depth and finesse with extraordinary drinkability, earning itself a welldeserved Tre Bicchieri. The same range also features an excellent Satèn and Rosé, while the Brut and Brut 61 are sound, rich and creamy.

The other face of Franciacorta Franciacorta Palazzo Lana Extreme is a unique blanc de noir made with the grapes of two winery-owned vineyards in Borgonato, next to the historic Palazzo Lana Berlucchi. Since 2004, the first year it was produced, it has been considered a model of excellence – rich and complex thanks to a very long stay on its lees, 7 years at least. After extremely scrupulous grape selection, only the free-run must is used. Drink it with crisp, golden-fried anchovies for a perfect pairing.

35 OCTOBER 2016

ALTO ADIGE

Cantina Produttori San Michele Appiano

When a cooperative aims for quality

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via Circonvallazione, 17/19 | Appiano/Eppan (BZ) ( +39 0471 664466 |  www.stmichael.it | ✉ office@stmichael.it

riving along the “Strada del vino,” between the hills and the vineyards in Appiano, you arrive at the Cantina dei Produttori di San Michele Appiano, an historic winemaking institution that has given important support to the growth of this zone. Kellermeister since 1977, Hans Terzer is one of Italy’s most renowned white wine experts. He is flanked by a superbly competent technical team. The cooperative celebrates 110 years of activity this year, and 30 of production of Pinot Bianco St. Valentin, one of its most convincing whites. “In our winery, we give great importance to the raw material, the natural resource,” affirmed Neumair Günther, San Michele Appiano head. “The grapes are looked after in the vineyard to guarantee maximum quality.

We harvest by hand and the individualized work on the grapes in the cellar guarantees constant quality and noteworthy yields year after year.”

Soon the new vintage of Appius will be released, the top wine of the outfit, made from a blend of sauvignon, chardonnay and pinot grigio, a world class premium bottle.

Sauvignon Sanct Valentin & asparagus and shrimp risotto Sauvignon Sct. Valentin is one of the cooperative’s great ambassadors. Every vintage year manages to express itself at the highest level: citrusy and herbaceous sensations and a layered palate, rich in flavor. It is perfect alongside a risotto made with carnaroli rice, asparagus and red shrimp, a classic pairing that is forever amazing.

36 OCTOBER 2016

Nals Margreid

The Alps in a glass via Heiligenberg, 2 | Nalles/Nals (BZ) ( +39 0471 678626 | www.kellerei.it | ✉ info@kellerei.it Nals.Margreid

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he singularity of Nals Margreid wines comes from the alpine territory of the Dolomites and from the manual labor of the grapegrowing families,” stated Gottfried Pollinger, sales and marketing manager. Founded in 1932, the winery now has 160 hectares of vineyards and recently inaugurated a fabulous new cellar. The estate’s wines, particularly the whites, are technically impeccable, increasingly faithfully expressing the terroir and showing ever-greater stylistic definition. The expert Harald Schraffl acts as consultant oenologist. Let’s start with Pinot Bianco Sirmian, a wine with great structure

and finesse, and a deep, flavoursome, full, supple palate, a veritable champion which won the White of the Year award in the 2014 Guide. We recently tasted the Sirmian 1986 and it’s still a stunning wine. Then there’s Chardonnay Baron Salvadori, with concentrated, tempting notes of peaches and apricots, and the great Sauvignon Mantele, which offers hints of aniseed and tropical fruit, and is excellent with white meats. Pinot Grigio Punggl is among the best of its kind, and there are also two very good reds, Merlot Levad and Schiava Galea.

An elegant pairing Sauvignon Mantele goes perfectly with asparagus risotto, while Sirmian is an all-around table partner. It is perfect with swordfish steak, and if you let it age, it offers a unique and elegantly creamy profile of aromatic herbs. Try a vintage Sirmian with tagliolini and truffles. Then let us know…

Curiosity: If you’re visiting the winery, ask Gottfried to guide you to the nearby archaeology museum and the mummy of Otzi, the 5,000-year-old man found some years ago frozen in a glacier.

VENETO

Allegrini

The Queen of Amarone via Giare, 9/11 | Fumane (VR) ( +39 045 6832011 |  www.allegrini.it | ✉ info@allegrini.it Allegrini Estates | @AllegriniGroup

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arilisa, Silvia, and Franco Allegrini’s operation certainly needs no introduction, being one of the benchmarks not only in Valpolicella but for wine-lovers worldwide. In spite of some detours outside their region, their spiritual centre is still Valpolicella. They have constantly upgraded the vineyards and manage them with deep attention to the environment. More than 100 hectares of vineyard on hillslopes and in the high hills yield grapes for a line of wines uncompromisingly founded on deep respect for the genuineness of their fruit. Once again, Amarone is the undisputed leader of the Allegrini team. It pays tribute to tradition with its standout qualities, namely intensely fragrant, ripe fruit and spice, enriched by hints of fines herbes that announce an energy-laden palate of great elegance, with a lovely partnership of power and crispness that concludes in a lengthy, juicy finish. Recioto Giovanni Allegrini is as usual enchanting and finely balanced, while La Poja, 100% corvina veronese, unleashes a performance of rare precision and refinement. Vini d’Italia 2016 named it the Winery of the Year.

Palazzo della Torre: history, art and flavor Allegrini owns one of the Veneto’s most beautiful villas, built in 1558. It is in the municipality of Fumane, in the province of Verona. The structure resembles an ancient Roman home, built around a pillared courtyard. The Villa offers cooking courses, wine tasting and sales rooms, rooms for private events. This renaissance residence also offers rooms of great charm for overnight guests. The entire villa, an oasis of peace, is surrounded by the Palazzo della Torre vineyard. The grapes for the wine of that name, a blend of corvina with small amounts of rondinella and sangiovese, grow here.

38 OCTOBER 2016

Bolla

Amarone opens the way to the world via Alberto Bolla, 3 | Fraz. Pedemonte | San Pietro in Cariano (VR) ( +39 045 6836555 |  www.bolla.it | ✉ giv@giv.it Cantine-Bolla

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n the past, Bolla may have been synonymous worldwide with Italian wine, but today it is one of the venerable cellars focusing on a determined revival. Its 200 or so hectares throughout the Verona designations, plus grapes brought in by numerous growers, supply the raw materials for quite prestigious wines. Cristian Scrinzi’s skilled hand has restored lustre to a line that increasingly reflects the classic qualities in one of Italy’s most prized growing regions.

The Valpolicella reds here have often given splendid results, but the barrelaged Soave Tufaie is certainly at their level. The oak impressively liberates clean, bright fruit, while the palate is firmly-knit, rich, and vibrant. The house champion, though, remains Ripasso Le Poiane, fragrant with super-ripe fruit and spices, and with tangy, rich fruit that expands the palate and achieves elegance.

Pairing between extremes: Amarone and aged Gorgonzola Amarone Le Origini is undoubtedly Bolla’s flagship wine, a riserva that sums up the style and identity of the winery. It is sinuous, rich, and spicy on the nose. It goes perfectly with wellaged gorgonzola, a cheese with a typical piquant flavor and intensity that match the power of a wine that embraces and warms: a strong marriage of great character.

39 OCTOBER 2016

VENETO

Bortolomiol

A new generation

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via Garibaldi, 142 | Valdobbiadene (TV) ( +39 0423 9749 |  www.bortolomiol.com | ✉ info@bortolomiol.com BortolomiolProseccoSuperioreValdobbiadene | @ BortolomiolDOCG

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ortolomiol played a historic role in the rise of Prosecco. Founded in the last century by Giuliano, it has grown in harmony with its stunning setting and delicately-balanced agricultural fabric, of which it is a dedicated guardian. Giuliano’s daughters have the helm today; their estate vineyards are few, but long-trusted local growers bring in the grapes that drive a production now almost at two million bottles a year. Painstaking attention to their Brut sparklers has its quality apogee in Prior, which lays out crisp apple and pear on the nose, followed by a thrusting palate that does just fine with no help needed from sugars. It finishes savoury and long. Motus Vitae, dedicated to the founder, undergoes a lengthy maturation before release; its complex aromatics feature Golden Delicious apple embracing dried flowers, seguing into a beautifully proportioned, delicate palate.

40 OCTOBER 2016

Aperitivo time In Italy, the aperitivo rite long ago traveled from Torino cafés to the entire peninsula, and from there around the world. Prosecco is the great protagonist of the occasion. Its aromatic lightness and immediate pleasantness suits little plates perfectly. Among the best pairings that we tasted in Asia, specifically in Taiwan, was Valdobbiadene Prosecco Sup. Brut Prior and fragrant green onion pancakes served in many thin layers: a supertasty light snack..

SONIA.CANFORA@HOTMAIL.IT

Masi

The ambitions of a family in search of perfection

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via Monteleone, 26 | Gargagnago - Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella (VR) ( +39 045 6832511 |  www.masi.it | ✉ masi@masi.it Masi Wine Experience |  M@MrAmaroneMasi

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n Valpolicella, the Boscaini family’s large-scale winery is also one of historical prominence. Over the decades, Sandro Boscaini has transformed it into a cellar with a strong bond to its local growing area, and that in the broadest sense. The significant extent of production is the fruit of a relationship with a large number of local growers, whose grapes supplement those from the estate vineyards. Vaio Armaron is one of the flagship wines of the maison. The nose offers intense impressions of dried red berry, chocolate, and cherry jam, which enrich the palate as well, where lively flavours and expressiveness are the dominant components.

The tannins effectively shape its dry finish. The more complex and multi-layered Mazzano receives a lengthier maturation; its broad, expansive palate is supported by pleasingly creamy tannins.

The vineyard that wrote Amarone’s story Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. Vaio Armaron is a great classic of Italian enology, the flagship wine of the historic Serego Alighieri estate. It comes from the vineyard of the same name, and some historians think the name of the red wine that is an icon of made-in-Italy products originated here. Family tradition demands that it ages in oak and cherry wood casks. It’s an elegant wine for a special evening shared with a loved one, even better in front of a fireplace with a selection of aged cheeses.

OCTOBER 2016

VENETO

Ottella

The Lugana challenge San Benedetto di Lugana | Loc. Ottella, 1 | Peschiera del Garda (VR) ( +39 045 7551950 |  www.ottella.it | ✉ info@ottella.it

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ttella stands somewhat apart from Lake Garda, lying on the much less known and infinitely smaller Lake Frassino. This, however, is the cradle of Lugana, and the clay soils imprint their strength on local wines. Francesco and Michele Montresor’s whites embody precisely that character along with great refinement, in a range of wines that shine for tension and energy. Lugana Molceo is a Riserva whose attractiveness is normally based less on power and more on aromatic depth, savouriness on the palate, and overall elegance with a heftier charge of acidy that makes the wine particularly crisp and electric. Le Creete, on the other hand, is more sun-kissed and riper, an ultra-delicious white boasting a lively, supple progression. But reds also play a role in Ottella’s house.

In Romagnano, 18 hectares are home to the corvina, corvina grossa, rondinella and oseleta grapes that go into Valpolicella Ripasso and Amarone Ripa della Volta.

Garda Lake on the road Agriturismo Girolda, in Ottella itself, is a few kilometers from San Benedetto di Lugana, set among the vineyards and olive trees, not far from the shores of Frassino Lake. It’s a good place to stay while visiting the Veneto countryside as well as the nearby cities of Mantua and Verona. For those who are just looking to relax, it’s a few minutes from the spa, Terme di Sirmione.

42 OCTOBER 2016

Pasqua

Group power loc. S. Felice Extra | via Belvedere, 135 | Verona ( +39 045 8432111 |  www.pasqua.it | ✉ info@pasqua.it pasquawinesitaly |  @pasquawinery

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he Pasqua family has been involved in wine for over 90 years, and their bond with Valpolicella and its traditions has never waned. Many things have changed over the decades, and the renowned brand is now flanked by Cecilia Beretta, the family farm that experiments with and directs the entire production chain.

Grapes from more than 100 hectares of estate vineyards are supplemented by those from a large cadre of local growers. Amarone Famiglia Pasqua stands out for the sheer depth of its fragrances, featuring super-ripe fruit shot through with pungent spice and macerated petals, and for the overall elegance of its palate, where tannins team with acidity to give lift to a truly majestic palate. On the other hand, Amarone Terre di Cariano Riserva, with its multi-layered bouquet, fairly crackles with energy on a near-austere palate. New entry: the Valpolicella Superiore Mai dire Mai produced from Montevegro vineyards.

Romeo and Juliet & spicy foods Romeo and Juliet Passione Sentimento rosso pays tribute to Verona and the most famous love story in the world. It is a soft red, a blend of merlot, corvina and croatina grapes. “It goes really well with spicy dishes thanks to a sugar residue of about 10 grams which balances the heat, and juicy, ripe red fruit.” Try it with chili beef soup.

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VENETO

Ruggeri & C

The values of family and a work culture loc. Valdobbiadene | via Prà Fontana, 4 | Valdobbiadene (TV) ( +39 0423 9092 |  www.ruggeri.it | ✉ ruggeri@ruggeri.it Ruggeri Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene

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f Prosecco is Italian wine’s calling card, 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. The entire range of wines made by Ruggeri & C is striking for their quality and reliability.

“Quartese is my everyday wine, one I drink comfortably with everything,” Isabella continued. “The first thing I do with visitors is take them to the peak of our little Cartizze vineyard, a postage stamp of land from where you can see the whole valley and the small houses set into the steep rows of grapes. You can understand the value of the hill, the uniqueness of this beautiful land.” This is a great moment for Prosecco. Now the wineries are concentrating on the longevity of crus that have demonstrated their ability to withstand the passing of time. Yes, made well, Prosecco knows how to age gracefully.

Sparkling Wine of the Year: Valdobbiadene Sup. Extra Dry Giustino B. 2015 Prosecco & Tempura Giustino B was released for the first time in 1995 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their grandfather Giustino Bisol’s return from World War II. It quickly became a classic.

Today they turn out 30,000 bottles and ship them to over 40 countries. It is a cuvée from 5 or 6 old vineyards. It wonderfully expresses floral notes and aromas of white fruit in a suffused, subtle, inviting profile. The palate is immediate, fragrant, creamy and pleasing. The sugar residue (14 grams) is perfectly calibrated. The wine has an identity, a recognizable soul, vintage after vintage. Its best partner at the table? “Try it with deep-fried tempura-style vegetables,” Isabella suggested.

44 OCTOBER 2016

Santa Margherita Gruppo Vinicolo

A solid, successful squad via Ita Marzotto, 8 | Fossalta di Portogruaro (VE) ( +39 0421 246111 |  www.santamargherita.com ✉ info@santamargherita.com | Santa Margherita Vini  @ViniSMargherita

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The luxury of simplicity: Cuvée Prestige & Parmigiano Reggiano Ca’ del Bosco’s Cuvée Prestige is the winery’s basic bubbly, the result of a blend of chardonnay with smaller amounts of pinot nero and pinot bianco. It spends 28 months on its lees before release.

A creamy, soft, straightforward sparkling wine, it is perfect with chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano, perhaps the premium Vacche Rosse type, especially flavorful and crunchy.

The bubbles do their part, leaving the palate fresh and replete.

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he Veneto Santa Margherita group represents one of the leading winegrowing businesses in Italy, with property in many areas of the country, ranging from Franciacorta, with its glorious Ca’ del bosco, that produces some of Italy’s best sparkling wines every year, to Santa Margherita. The large Marzotto family operation has taken a sharp change of direction in its wine portfolio over the last ten years. Every detail received careful attention: first the estate vineyards, today covering some 50 hectares, then the new cellar, and now the entire historical complex in Fossalta di Portogruaro. Their efforts have been significant on the sparkling wine stage as well, where they strive to coax the maximum expression f r o m their Prosecco grapes. Valdobbiadene turns in the most impressive performances, such as Rive di Refrontolo. Turning to Tuscany, there are two productive estates in the Chianti Classico zone: Villa Vistarenni at Gaiole and Lamole di Lamole at Greve in Chianti with wines that show marked territorial features, tending to be sober and anything but commonplace.

Don’t miss them.

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VENETO

Tenuta Sant’Antonio

The Valpolicella that goes its own way via Ceriani, 23 | Colognola ai Colli (VR) ( +39 045 7650383 |  www.tenutasantantonio.it | ✉ info@tenutasantantonio.it TenutaSantAntonio |  @tenutasantonio

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f the eastern part of the Valpolicella zone is viewed more attentively today, much of the credit goes to the Castagnedi brothers. The cellar that Armando, Tiziano, Paolo, and Massimo Castagnedi founded some 20 years ago has become almost a cult for lovers of Valpolicella. Their handful of initial bottles have become a production encountered worldwide.

They have considerable estate vineyards, mostly in Valpolicella, but in nearby Soave also. The very consistent wines have a solid structure. The vineyards have expanded until they cover about 100 hectares, above all inside the Valpolicella zone, but also in the Soave area. The winery reliably interprets tradition in a style that manages to satisfy the most demanding consumer. Campo dei Gigli is the house champion, an Amarone that stands out as one of the designation’s most impressive. Dense to the eye and nose, it lays out a melange of sweet ripe berry fruit, spice, and thyme.

Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso Monti Gargi is rich and intriguing, with a juicy and taut mouthfeel. The Amarone Antonio Castagnedi has remarkable drinkability.

Risotto all’Amarone This is a typical dish from the Verona zone.

The rice used for this recipe is Vialone Nano, grown in the Bassa Veronese area.

Toast it in the pan with chopped shallots and beef bone marrow, then splash with Amarone della Valpolicella and reduce. When the rice is cooked, sprinkle with grated Monte Veronese cheese. The same Amarone used in cooking should be served with the risotto for a natural blending of flavors.

46 OCTOBER 2016

Tenute di Genagricola

Eight wineries, dozens of labels via Monsignor P. L. Zovatto, 71 | Loncon di Annone Veneto (VE) ( +39 0422 864564 | î?ś www.genagricola.it | ✉ export@genagricola.it

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e Tenute di Genagricola was founded in 2004 and is owned by the Generali Assicurazioni Group. The single group effectively optimises the management of the services, boosting the power of advertising and distribution while maintaining the managerial control of the individual producers. The range of wines is extremely wide, with over 80 labels divided among eight wineries. The estates are Borgo Magredo, Poggiobello and Torre Rosazza in Friuli, Tenuta Sant’Anna and Vineyards 8+ in Veneto, Bricco dei Guazzi in Piedmont, Gregorina in Emilia-Romagna, and Solonio in Lazio, in the province of Rome. Total annual production is in excess of 4 million bottles, distributed in Italy and more than 30 countries throughout the world. Torre Rosazza is the star winery in the group. Its headquarters, in the Manzano municipality, is surrounded by two splendid, naturally terraced vineyard amphitheaters. Their exposure and microclimate make them outstanding jewels of the Colli Orientali.

A balancing act Pinot Grigio has been grown in Friuli for centuries. Torre Rosazza makes a version that is a winner every time. Aromas of apple and fragrant white flowers on the nose precede a soft and mouth-filling palate empowered by vibrant acidity. It is the perfect partner for a succulent avocado and tuna tartare, able to maintain an ideal balance between food flavors and winetasting sensations.

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Villa Sandi

The art of Prosecco via Erizzo, 113/A | Crocetta del Montello (TV) ( +39 0423 8607 |  www.villasandi.it | ✉ info@villasandi.it VillaSandi |  @villasandi_it

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he Moretti Polegato winery is one of the leading operations in the Valdobbiadene area. The vineyards are quite extensive, some belonging to the estate, others to grape growers who supply their grapes to the winery. Star of the show is Prosecco, but they produce still wines, too, grown in vineyards on the Montello relief, both reds and whites that exhibit singular varietal expressiveness.

Villa Sandi is certainly a benchmark for the Grand Cru of Valdobbiadene, Cartizze, for all of the aficionados of Treviso-area sparklers. This Brut summons up clean-edged notes of juicy pear and apple, perfectly complemented by a suite of delicate floral essences.

Dry and full-flavoured, as well as tautly crisp, it embodies the delicacy classic to Prosecco.

Serenissima Brut earns high marks too, with its self-confident, joyous expressiveness.

Pairing The creamy freshness of Cartizze Vigna La Rivetet sets off the unique texture of risotto al Tajo, an historic recipe that showcases eel and freshwater shrimp.

A dream come true.

An inn combining history and flavor: Locanda Sandi Besides visiting the delightful and impressive Palladian-style villa and its majestic cellar, winery guests can stay in the historic Locanda Sandi and enjoy typical local Treviso-style food. Set among woods and vineyards, the inn has the atmosphere of an old-style country hotel, simple but refined, with only six rooms. Each has a different name and different furnishings.

Its renovated spaces and decor evoke the country farmhouses of the Veneto region in the early 20th century.

Zenato

Amarone tradition fraz. San Benedetto di Lugana | via San Benedetto, 8 | Peschiera del Garda (VR) ( +39 045 7550300 |  www.zenato.it | ✉ info@zenato.it zenato winery |  @ zenatowinery

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he winery founded by Sergio Zenato, today run by his children Nadia and Alberto, occupies a special position in the word of Valpolicella. The estate vineyards, once quite limited, today cover more than 70 hectares, distributed in Valpolicella and in Lugana, where Zenato first began its activities. The house style follows two philosophies: aromatics and harmony for the whites; power and concentrated fruit for the reds. Amarone Sergio Zenato is a Riserva dedicated to the cellar’s founder, the very incarnation of forceful character, emanating red berry and cherry that is sunbright, sweet, and succulent, enriched by emphatic, smooth spice. In the mouth, it is warm, enfolding, and velvety, refreshed on the finish by a rising thrust of tannins. In the Lugana category, the Riserva is every year one the best expressions, releasing ripe apricot and yellow peach, with a lovely creaminess and savoury fruit on the palate. And finally, we noted Cresasso, a monovarietal corvina veronese wine, ripe and spicy.

49 OCTOBER 2016

Ripassa & boar alla cacciatora Ripassa di Zenato is a Ripasso Superiore made from the dried grapes used for Amarone production. It is a soft wine in its fruitiness, with ripe and generous raspberry fragrances and a wellbalanced degree of alcohol. It calls out for a substantial dish like boar alla cacciatore, a stew made with juniper berries, bay leaves and olives.

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FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

Jermann

Where native and international grapes meet loc. Trussio, 11 | fraz. Ruttars | Dolegna del Collio (GO) ( +39 0481 888080 |  www.jermann.it | ✉ info@jermann.it jermann

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ew Italian wineries can boast the international status of Jermann, which in 40 years has earned a reputation as one of Italy’s finest producers. The wines judiciously combine native and international varieties with ageing in steel and wood for sensory profiles that are approachable yet complex. It all began in the 1970s, when Silvio joined his father Angelo on the property at Farra d’Isonzo. Since then, Jermann has continued to acquire vineyards and increase production, without compromising on quality or neglecting marketing. Vintage Tunina is an iconic wine since 1975, not just because it is the best on the list but also because it embod- ies the highly successful Jermann recipe of mixing native and international varieties. The magnificent winery at Ruttars, completed in 2007, is well worth a visit. The W.... Dreams is a Chardonnay with a sophisticated nose, creamy and exhilarating on the palate. Capo Martino is a fantastic longlife white made of friulano, ribolla gialla, malvasia istriana and picolit.

50 OCTOBER 2016

Vintage Tunina & Mi Quang Vintage Tunina, besides being a world-renowned white, lends itself to partnering complex and articulated dishes whether fish or white meats. Its harmony, creaminess and freshness go very well with a Vietnamese specialty, Mi quang, a tasty noodle soup with pork, shrimp, peanuts, mint, turmeric and quail eggs. The pairing of aromatic and toasted sensations is unique. Try it and see.

Le Monde

Unexpected Friuli via Garibaldi, 2 | Prata di Pordenone (PN) ( +39 0434 622087 |  www.lemondewine.com ✉ info@lemondewine.com

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his winery is one of Friuli’s recent surprises. Established in 1970, it was taken over in 2008 by Alex Maccan, a passionate winemaking entrepreneur who accelerated the growth of the firm with new headquarters and advanced production technology. The property is located in the Le Monde locality, an area considered a real cru for its vineyards, located between the Livenza and Meduna rivers in the area of Prata, the province of Pordenone. Sustainability projects that involve the entire production line and very low yields per hectare to enrich the aromatic force of the single grape are important winery strong points. The vineyards, located within the Friuli Grave denomination, where the soil is rich in clay and limestone, have an average age of more than thirty years. The wines are known for their clean tasting profile and fresh acidity. They are immediate, well-delineated and pleasurable, whether white or red, among which cabernet franc stands out.

51 OCTOBER 2016

Pinot Bianco & Branzino in a salt crust Pinot Bianco is the estate’s premium wine, a variety that expresses aromas of citrus fruit, anise and almond. The palate is soft, juicy and very long. This freshness pairs well with a salt-encrusted branzino, oven-cooked for evenness, respectful of the basic ingredient.

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

Livon

High quality, large numbers via Montarezza, 33 | San Giovanni al Natisone (UD) ( +39 0432 757173 |  www.livon.it | ✉ info@livon.it |

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he winery founded by Dorino Livon in 1964 is based in Dolegnano, a hamlet in the municipality of San Giovanni al Natisone in Friuli, but the Livon Poggi family have vineyards throughout the region and in other prestigious Italian winegrowing areas, such as the Colsanto estate in Montefalco, which produces excellent and eminently cellarable Sagrantinos. Indeed, the parent company with its famous logo of a winged woman has been joined by RoncAlto in Collio Goriziano, Villa Chiopris on the Friulian plain, Borgo Salcetino (one of the top wineries in Chianti Classico), and Colsanto in Umbria. Valneo and Tonino Livon founded and run this estate that successfully combines high production with consistently high quality. In Friuli work in the cellar has long been entrusted to the experience of Rinaldo Stocco, who skillfully brings out the best in the local grape varieties. We will start with Collio Bianco Solarco, an outstanding white with peculiar minerality and aromatic richness. The flagship wine is Braide Alte, from the vineyard of the same name in Ruttars, in the Collio production zone. It is a blend of chardonnay, sauvignon, picolit and moscato giallo, with striking elegance, complexity, depth and potential for development. We’ll finish with Manditocai, an exceptional, complex white from friulano grapes with a fresh, vibrant and smoky palate.

Braide Alte & Chili King Crab Braide Alte perfectly expresses the culture of the blend so deeply rooted in Collio. The varieties are vinified separately and then reassembled.

The varieties come from the vineyard of the same name, planted extremely densely. It is a great classic that combines aromatic intensity, creaminess, and a wonderfully flavorful palate. Perfect with shrimp, it is even better with a premium crab such as King Crab, cooked with abundant chili and pepper.

The aromatic sweet notes and the peppery ones embrace each other.

Primosic

Ribolla in all its versions loc. Madonnina di Oslavia, 3 | Gorizia ( +39 0481 535153 |  www.promosic.com | ✉ info@primosic.com Primosic Wines |  Primosic Wines

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he Oslavia hill, a stronghold of Collio on the border with Slovenia, enjoys a unique and particularly suitable microclimate for winegrowing. The Primosic family settled there in the late 19th century and now Marko and Boris run the estate founded by their father Silvestro in 1956. An extensive zoning project for recognition of the crus has effectively made it possible to identify the best zones for each grape variety and the names of the wines often include the vineyard of origin. Ancient techniques are adopted, such as maceration, even of white grapes, to produce riservas that inspire the emotions of times past, even years later. Ribolla gialla plays a starring role, whether as spumante or still white or as a selected riserva, aged for four weeks on its skins –a world class version of the orange wine type. Among new labels, we liked a Passito of Ribolla Gialla soon to be released and Rosso Metamorfosi, a Bordeaux style blend with some refosco.

And finally, notice the pinot grigio, bottled in an original coppery version.

A superlative pairing: Ribolla & Lamb The Ribolla di Oslavia Riserva from Primosic is a unique wine, one that confuses and divides critics. Very intense aromas of citrus rind, of wheat, of Mediterranean scrub lead into a superlatively rich and tasty palate with a deep tannic vein and unbelievable drinkability.

This is a multi-dimensional wine. Try it with breaded lamb chops: it’s a pairing for the ages.

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FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

Zorzettig

Determination and a well-honed project S.da Sant’Anna, 37 | Cividale del Friuli (UD) ( +39 0432 716156 |  www.zorzettigvini.i | ✉ info@zorzettigvini.it Zorzettig Vini

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reat changes are underway at Zorzettig. The estate, established in 1986

by Cavalier Giuseppe Zorzettig, has maintained the family name, shared by many generations of winegrowers at Spessa di Cividale. It is now managed with innate entrepreneurial skill by Annalisa Zorzettig, while her brother Alessandro is in charge of the 110 hectares of vineyards in the Colli Orientali del Friuli zone. The pursuit of new stimuli and the desire to distinguish itself have motivated the family to launch an ambitious project now in the hands of Fabio Coser, which consists of selecting the best grapes for a new production line named Myò. “In 2017 the staff will be changed around, with a new person in charge. We are purchasing premium vineyards and will build a new winemaking facility, an avant-garde casa del vino. I’m not interested in producing more bottles. My only objective is quality,” said Annalisa. She added, “With 5 wineries we have launched a project focused on pinot nero. We will release an ageworthy pinot nero that we believe in a lot.”

Relais La Collina The agriturismo of the Zorzettig family lies in the splendid hills of Ipplis, in the heart of Colli Orientali del Friuli. It is an ideal place to experience local flavors along with the winery’s bottles. The premium label is the Pinot Bianco Myo, delightfully fragrant, fruity aromas reflected on the tangy, soft, delicious palate. But the Friulano, the refreshing Ribolla Gialla Brut and Refosco are also excellent. “Try it with goulash, a unique spicy and tasty meat soup,” Annalisa suggested.

Ph. Mauro Fermariello

COL DEL SAS Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco Superiore BRUT

LOGO SU FONDO BIANCO / B&N LOGO ON WHITE BACKGROUND / B&W

EMILIA ROMAGNA VENETO

Cavicchioli

The Lambrusco challenge via Canaletto, 52 | San Prospero (MO) ( +39 059 812412 |  www.cavicchioli.it ✉ cantine@cavicchioli.it

When Modena calls, Sorbara answers

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he enlargement of its facilities and noteworthy investment in production equipment attest to a thrust towards the future in this historic winery. The marriage between the Cavicchioli brothers, Sandro and Claudio, and the Gruppo Italiano Vini is proving to be an extraordinary opportunity for growth. The wines bear witness to a happy moment and growing ambitions for quality. The winery crus of Lambrusco di Sorbara are always the denomination’s peak labels while the classic productions of its most popular brands, those in the Tre Medaglie line, are consistently more reliable and convincing. Vigna del Cristo is the usual Sorbara aristocrat: it is vertical and floral with signature sensations of rose tea on the nose, then citrus fruit – mandarin orange above all – and elegant spiciness. The palate is pungent and energetic, delicate in its expression, yet forceful.

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Lambrusco’s origins are ancient. The Latin tribes noticed labrusca vitis, a wild vine that grew on the margins of the countryside and produced sourtasting fruit. Lambrusco is the name for a group of varieties that have evolved with time, and Lambrusco di Sorbara is among them. The wine has created a particularly intense bond with the food of Modena and its province. We never tire of saying how the succulent fattiness of cured pork sausages such as cotechino and zampone pair well with the vivacity of a great Sorbara like Vigna del Cristo.

COLORI PANTONE / PANTONE COLORS

COLORI CMYK / CMYK COLORS

COLORI RGB / RGB COLORS

Nero / Black Pantone Process Black

Nero / Black 0c 0m 0y 100k

Nero / Black 26r 23g 27b

Medici Ermete & Figli

All the joy of Lambrusco loc. Gaida | via Isaac Newton, 13/A | Reggio Emilia ( +39 0522 942135 |  www.medici.it | ✉ info@medici.it MediciErmete |  @ermetemedici

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lberto Medici has been travelling all over the world for 30 years, promoting the idea of Lambrusco linked to quality. He was a pioneer of a new concept of growing areas, and the incredible reputation of his wines is the result of what was originally groundbreaking work. “Lambrusco stands for Emilia’s culture. It embodies the values of its territory, its people and its food,” Alberto said. His Lambrusco bottles are a natural dopamine – they evoke joy, conviviality, sharing.

He produces a range of Lambrusco labels that best showcase their differences. The standard bearer of the house is Concerto, a Lambrusco Reggiano (lambrusco salamino): creamy, classic, expressive, elegant fruit and vibrancy on the palate, in a style that over the years has reduced sweetness, increasing finesse. It is a wonderfully pleasant wine at a very low cost. Medici also makes the deep, taut Unique, a classical method sparkling wine which shows a nuanced nose alternating tertiary aromas of hazelnut and absinthe with mineral and salty notes.

Vertical parallel tastings for vinegar and wine Medici produces an excellent Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia and has an estate equipped for visitors, even including a small Lambrusco museum. “The acetaia (where vinegar is made) yearly hosts 6 visitors who can experience a full immersion with vertical tastings, of wines as well, to sample the effects of different wood barrels and aging for even more than 25 years. It is an opportunity for a unique double-barreled voyage into flavor.”

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Concerto & KoreanBarbecue A curiosity. Concerto goes well with almost everything, from a salami sandwich to grilled meat.

“The succulence of the fruit and the bubbles that refresh the palate make it the ideal companion for spicy Asian cuisine. It has been an extraordinary success with Korean barbecue.”

EMILIA ROMAGNA VENETO

San Patrignano

A community of vignerons via San Patrignano, 53 | Coriano di Rimini (RN) ( +39 0541 362111 |  www.spaziosanpa.com | ✉ frainero@sanpatrignano.org Comunità San Patrignano |  @san_patrignano

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The Cabernet Sauvignon Montepirolo is a supple, taut wine of great finesse, unfolding spice and austere fruit. This fine example of a balance between richness and elegance shows how the area around Rimini has a particular vocation for Bordeaux varieties.

The goes well with a rich, juicy pot roast or stew, at best cooked in the same wine, for unmatched harmony of aromas and flavors

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an Patrignano was founded in the 1970s by Vincenzo Muccioli, and his son Andrea, who took over from him in 1995, gave a breath of fresh air to winegrowing on the estate, developing an ambitious project with far-sighted goals. Over the years San Patrignano has become the leading drug rehabilitation community in Europe and wine has become an important project. The vineyards cover an area of over 110 hectares on the hills near Rimini, where a climate mitigated by the closeness to the sea endows the wines with expressive fruit and appealing tannins, even in the case of sangiovese, which is generally edgy and stiff. In particular, the Bordeaux varieties find here an ideal climate, and comparing the area to Bolgheri is not an exaggeration. Today the local staff have risen to the challenge, pursuing a stylistic interpretation which increasingly expresses the territory.

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Colle Massari

The Ambassadors of Montecucco loc. Poggi del Sasso | Cinigiano (GR) ( +39 0564 990496 |  www.collemassari.it | ✉ info@collemassari.it ColleMassari |  @ColleMassari

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laudio Tipa and Maria Iris Bertarelli were determined to bring the Montecucco denomination to the world’s attention. With Colle Massari they bet, years ago, on a Tuscan zone that is still revealing its nature. Its present is solid and concrete, but it also promises great things for the future. Claudio, a pharmaceutical entrepreneur, purchased the 1,200-hectare Castello di Colle Massari estate in 1998, including 60 hectares of olive groves, 400 of arable land and 110 under vine. This was just the starting point from which he expanded the property into some of Tuscany’s most prestigious winegrowing areas, like Bolgheri and Montalcino. Here in Cinigiano, on the slopes of Mt. Amiata overlooking the Tyrrhenian coast, sangiovese is the uncontested king of the vineyards, the result of mass selections developed in partnership with the University of Pisa. The Montecucco Rosso Riserva is one of the winery’s flagship wines. It has an appealing nose with enthralling sweet spice enriching the clear cherry and red berry fruit, while the palate is taut and flavoursome with compact tannic texture. The wellbalanced acidity leads the flavour towards a really pleasing finish. It is a good showcase for the territory.

Colle Massari is not only a grapegrowing property. Around it are a series of hospitality structures that invite visitors to enjoy a territory of savage beauty. The Tenuta di Montecucco resort, the Pecora Vecchia agriturismo and the Case Nuove villa are all ideal places to stay while exploring the hills lying between Monte Amiata, Val d’Orcia and the Tyrrhenian shore, the Costa d’Argento. Forum Bertarelli, completed in 2014, is an auditorium set among the vineyards and olive groves a few minutes from the winery, where world-class classical music concerts are held, a place where art and the culture of wine come together.

Fattorie Le Pupille

Our Lady of Morellino loc. Piagge del Maiano, 92/A | Grosseto ( +39 0564 409517 |  www.fattorialepupille.it | ✉ info@fattorialepupille.it |

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 Fattoria Le Pupille

lisabetta Geppetti is deservedly the protagonist of Maremma’s winemaking history, especially in Morellino di Scansano. This part of Tuscany is especially wooded and pristine. Elisabetta’s daughter, Clara, is taking a large role in the winery today. Le Pupille’s first vintages date back to the early 1980s but the real upswing in production for the Istia d’Ombrone estate came with the release of Saffredi, a glorious blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot which displays vibrant, multifaceted aromas, and a juicy, elegant and mouth-filling palate. Today this winery is a well-established leader, and one of the leading productive estates on Italy’s whole winemaking scene. The Morellino di Scansano Riserva offers stylish aromas and layered, progressive flavour with both length and breadth. Poggio Valente has even greater structure. The Pelofino is a fresh and relaxed blend of sangiovese, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and franc. Elisabetta is focusing on two wines in the future, a monovarietal Shiraz vinified in terracotta and a Petit Manseng.

Guest House, Saffredi & Game Saffredi is a cult wine that has changed over time, without losing its identity or unique character. It is an imposing wine, suitable for game dishes, ranging from pheasant to boar, the house specialty. Order it in the guest house, a rustic and authentic farm that can host up to twelve and enjoys a 360° view of the vineyards. The Saffredi grapes grow a few steps away.

61 OCTOBER 2016

TUSCANY

Marchesi di Frescobaldi

The memory of Tuscan wine via Santo Spirito, 11 | Firenze ( +39 055 27141 |  www.frescobaldi.it | ✉ info@frescobaldi.it Frescobaldivini |  Frescobaldivini

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Vino & Restaurants

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espect for tradition and the ongoing search for new projects are innate characteristics of the Frescobaldi family, passionate about wine since the 14th century.

The estate extends throughout Tuscany, starting with the winery at Rufina and on to Maremma, the Montalcino area and even reaching Friuli. Worth mentioning is the family’s social commitment to the Gorgona Island detention centre where, since 2012, inmates have had the opportunity to try winegrowing at a professional level supervised by the winery’s team. Lamberto Frescobaldi has been the chairman of the group which has effected an extraordinary transformation in the vineyards and cellar, focusing mainly on the concept of eco-sustainability.

The Rufina Vecchie Viti is one of the estate’s most representative wines. A stylish nose with hints of wild berries and blood oranges, opening out with tidy, harmonious tannic texture enlivened by well-balanced acidity and a juicy tang.

Among its many successful projects, Frescobaldi has lent its name to restaurants as well. In Florence, in via dei Magazzini, facing a corner of Piazza della Signoria, the Dei Frescobaldi Ristorante & Wine Bar serves traditional Tuscan fare with distinctive flavors, thanks to its top quality ingredients. Looking through the menu, we spotted a perfect match for Vecchie Viti, a beef fillet al Nipozzano, with guanciale and fennel gratin, offering juiciness and flavor in a perfect marriage. London too has its Ristorante Frescobaldi, in the heart of Mayfair.

Petra

A magic place Loc. San Lorenzo Alto, 131 | Suvereto (LI) ( +39 0565 845308 |  www.petrawine.it | ✉ info@petrawine.it petrawine |  petrawine

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lthough there are traces of Etruscan settlements in the area, Petrolo has Roman origins: its name derives from the term petroliarum, denoting a country villa with a praetorium, or general’s tent. The extensively wooded area has always cultivated vines and olive groves, and produced fine wines.

This is documented by the notice issued in 1716 by Tuscan Grand Duke Cosimo III, who identified it as one of four prestigious winegrowing areas: Chianti, Carmignano, Pomino and Val d’Arno di Sopra, where Petrolo is situated. The estate has been run by the BazzocchiSanjust family for four generations, since 1947 when it was purchased by the grandfather of current owner Luca Sanjust. The flagship wine is Petra, cabernet sauvignon and merlot, which shows elegant hints of green peppers, blueberries and currants, followed by minty, grassy sensations. The palate is pliant, generous, enthralling, and relaxed in the appetizing finish. The very good Potenti (100% cabernet sauvignon) has minerally, balsamic aromas, and supple, succulent, pleasant and lingering flavour.

Cellar of a thousand and one nights It would be difficult to find an equally fascinating winery building anywhere in the world. The design chosen by Vittorio Moretti was carried out by architect Mario Botta. The oblique stone cylinder, with the hill and vineyard behind it, is an astonishing sight. Its modern shape fits into the environment perfectly, a circular crown embracing the soul of the place. The barrique cellar with its vaulted ceiling is a model of functionality and sustainability, exploiting the force of gravity. This is a must-visit site, to top off with a tasting of wines that embody this corner of Tuscany.

63 OCTOBER 2016

TUSCANY

Poggio al Tesoro

Complex Bolgheri via Bolgherese, 189b | Bolgheri (LI) ( +39 0565 773051 |  www.poggioaltesoro.it ✉ info@poggioaltesoro.it | allegrini Estates |  @AllegriniGroup

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hanks to increased quality and the quite original stylistic definition of recent years, Poggio al Tesoro is becoming one of the most interesting estates in the Bolgheri area. The vineyards are obviously very important: the typical grapes of this DOC zone are planted on different types of soil, sometimes quite compact, in other cases sandy or rich in stony material. The estate style, as we mentioned, is quite individual, focusing on aromatic nuances and consistent flavours. The farm is part of the Valpolicella-based Allegrini group, a famous name in Italian winemaking. You should not miss the Bolgheri Rosso Superiore Sondraia: very complex and multi-shaded, ranging from fruity, grassy tones of currants and red peppers to pipe tobacco and dried mint leaves.

The palate is firm and warm with luxuriant tannins. The Dedicato a Walter (100 % cabernet franc) is excellent, if grassy and unpredictable, with hints of green peppers and light foxy sensations.

The White that Defies Time Among this winery’s whites, Vermentino Solosole stands out, with its aromatic herb aromas and its gentle, flavorful palate. Over time, this white develops a truly unique profile, similar to a Riesling, with its tones of petrol and sage. It ages gracefully and enjoys outstanding versatility as a companion for the table. Try it with light meats, for example, chicken sautéed with citrus fruit and chives, or steamed shrimp and pork dumplings, that great Asian classic.

64 OCTOBER 2016

Rocca delle Macìe

The many facets of Chianti Classico loc. Le Macìe, 45 | Castellina in Chianti (SI) ( +39 0577 7321 |

 www.roccadellemacie.com ✉ info@roccadellemacie.com

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ergio Zingarelli, once again elected chairman of the Chianti Classico producers’ association, continues to successfully manage the winery created by his father Italo in the 1970s. Thanks to various properties in the Chianti Classico zone, Rocca delle Macie, more than most other firms, can provide multi-faceted and complete readings of the denomination’s territory. The central nucleus, since 1973, is Macie, with 42 hectares of vineyard. The terrain of Tenuta Sant’Alfonso’s 50 hectares is made up of clay and skeleton soil. La Riserva di Fizzano, bought in 1984, consists of an 11th-century hamlet and 35 hectares of vineyard. Completing the picture is Le Tavolelle, with 16 hectares of vineyard and a new barrique cellar. But Sergio did not stop with Chianti Classico. Among the many zones where he could have bought new land, in 1998 he decided to invest in Morellino di Scansano. The Campomaccione estate has 80 hectares under vine while the Fattoria Casamaria includes 67 hectares of land of which 15 have already been planted.

Living Chianti Classico La Riserva di Fizzano emerged from the careful restoration of a medieval village in the heart of Chianti Classico, transformed into a welcoming country inn. The renovation was curated by Sergio’s older brother, architect Fabio Zingarelli, who sought to preserve the charm of the ancient village intact. In one of the buildings is a restaurant offering Tuscan dishes revisited in an intelligent, satisfying way.

TUSCANY

San Felice

Taste and charm loc. San Felice | Castelnuovo Berardenga (SI) ( +39 0577 3991 |  www.agricolasanfelice.com ✉ info@agricolasanfelice.it | SanFelice – Tuscany Matters

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The first Supertuscan

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an Felice has been a strong presence in the Chianti Classico DOCG for 40 years now, and its wines are definitely influenced by the microclimate of the Castelnuovo Berardenga subzone, displaying extremely drinkable appeal and sturdy structure throughout the range. The estate belongs to the Allianz insurance group, along with the Campogiovanni farm at Montalcino and Periolla in Maremma, creating a productive mosaic across some of Tuscany’s top growing areas. All the wines are complex and well-orchestrated, with imposingly solid structure. The estate also conducts research aimed at preserving the genetic heritage of grape varieties grown since ancient times. But San Felice is not only a winegrower. In the completely restored old village is the only Relais & Chateaux hotel in the Chianti Classico. Built around the 8th century, Borgo San Felice, thanks to careful restoration, preserves intact the beauty and architectural characteristics of its medieval origins. It is a 5-star hotel with 33 rooms and 20 luxury suites.

San Felice, in Castelnuovo Berardenga, is the birthplace of the first Supertuscan and the first estate to enjoy this successful definition, commencing with its Vigorello 1968, an international-style blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot.

The new category revolutionised the world of Italian wine, casting aside the rules dictated by the production protocols for the first time. Today Vigorello is a blend of purnitello, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot, aged for 18-20 months in barriques.

MARCHE

Fazi Battaglia

The declinations of verdicchio via Roma, 117 | Castelplanio (AN) ( +39 0731 81591 |  www.fazibattaglia.it | ✉ info@fazibattaglia.it fazi battaglia |  @FaziBattaglia

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astelplanio is a small town in the heart of the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi denomination and the headquarters of Fazi Battaglia. Bought out last year by Bertani Domains, this estate has undergone in-depth refurbishment across the board, all with a single aim: to promote Verdicchio and a historically significant brand-name. Many hectares of vineyards, some in enviable wine country, produce a range of completely distinct labels that express the versatile character of the Castelli di Jesi grape. Aged in barriques for one year, il Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Cl. San Sisto is subtle and stylish with clear nuances of toasted almonds and star anise. The palate is linear and streamlined, just slightly held back in the finish. Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Cl. Sup. Massaccio, matured in concrete on the fine lees for six months, reveals weightier structure and nicely handled, flavoursome, full body. Arkezia, a botrytis wine from verdicchio grapes, has subtle hints of ripe pears and well-balanced sweetness offering alluring and lingering aromas.

Brodetto on the Costa Marchigiana The seaside cucina of the Adriatic coast of the Marche region is known for its many fish soups, similar but distinctive. In a little more than 160 kilometers, many typical but codified versions co-exist. They differ not only in the type of fish used, which varies with the season, but even more for the other ingredients in the recipes. In Ancona, along with cuttlefish, mantis shrimp, red mullet and palombo (hound shark), fresh tomato is used. A little further south, at Porto Recanati, the soup, brodetto, is yellow, since wild saffron comes into it, a variety that grows on the slopes of Monte Conero.

This San Sisto wine goes wonderfully with both types.

Terre Cortesi Moncaro

A green cooperative Via Pianole, 7/A | Montecarotto (AN) ( +39 0731 89245 |  www.moncaro.com ✉ terrecortesi@moncaro.com | cantinemoncaro

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he strength of cooperative wineries lies in their capacity to draw on their vast vineyard resource, from which they can choose the best grapes. Moncaro, the largest winery in the Marche, knows this well.

Their interest in organic agriculture began in the 1980s.Soon another 170 hectares of vineyard will receive organic certification, in addition to the 70 already certified. Almost all their grapes are indigenous: verdicchio, montepulciano and pecorino are the key varieties in the three winery sites in Castelli di Jesi, on the Conero and in the Piceno zone. The wines retell, in a modern key, a consolidated style, one of intensely fruity aromas and appealing drinkability. Vigna Novali is a Verdicchio with a nose that ranges from a balsamic vein to anise and almond timbres that reverberate on a mouth-filling, soft, expansive palate. From the Piceno sector, Offida Pecorino Ofithe rolls out an irresistible drinkability.

Between sea and hillside: Le Busche - da Erard Le Busche – da Erard is the Moncaro restaurant, set among the verdicchio vineyards, where Pasquale Russo is in the kitchen and Sara Gasparini in the front of the house. They offer a seafood menu with fish arriving every day from the nearby Marche ports. The wine list showcases Verdicchio, with all the best names in the zone, but there are labels from every part of Italy as well, and some from abroad.

69 OCTOBER 2016

MARCHE

Velenosi

The Piceno around the world via dei Biancospini, 11 | Ascoli Piceno ( +39 0736 341218 |  www.velenosivini.com ✉ news@velenosivini.com | velenosivini |  velenosivini

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ll trains, even the smallest, need an engine.

In the regional overview, few wineries have been able to place Marche-made wines in points-of-sale worldwide. Velenosi is one of those few, playing an important role and growing its presence on the global market every year. Piceno wines are the cornerstone of the array, with its indigenous varietals – pecorino, passerine and montepulciano – but the best Marche designations are represented thanks to trusted growers or well-established partnerships. From sparklers to whites from local grapes and powerful reds, this enviably reliable winery has countless strong suits. The flagship wine is Rosso Piceno Superiore Roggio del Filare, a blend of montepulciano and sangiovese grapes, with morello cherries and tobacco on the nose and a soft, caressing palate. Among the whites, Offida Pecorino Villa Angela stands out, with its tasty, pleasant, fruity, citrusy profile.

Olives and bubbles Velenosi also produces a very interesting range of spumante labels from both indigenous and international varieties.

One example is the Gran Cuvée, a metodo classico made from a blend of chardonnay and pinot nero. After a soft impact comes a marked savory vein, its freshness and rich, seductive flavor making it a perfect partner for Piceno’s renowned snack, olives all’Ascolana, pitted, stuffed with chopped meat, then breaded and fried.

LAZIO

Falesco

Technique, training and research loc. San Pietro | Montecchio (TR) ( +39 0744 9556 | www.falesco.it | ✉ info@falesco.it FalescoOfficial |  @FalescoOfficial

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ounded in 1979, the winery of brothers Renzo and Riccardo Cotarella, president of the Associazione enologi ed enotecnici italiani, has become one of the most important in central Italy. Located on the border between Lazio and Umbria, the property extends from the hills near Lake Bolsena to those around Orvieto. Another property is near Gualdo Tadino, where Sagrantino di Montefalco is produced. Among their new projects is a school, Intreccci, where the three Cs stand for Culture, Knowledge (Conoscenza) and Courage. The initiative is led by the second generation of the Cotarella family who wanted more connection with the kitchen and table. Important research is ongoing with syrah and viogner varietals. Fifty hectares of syrah were planted, and research on various clones is being done in collaboration with enology professor, Attilio Scienza. Among Falesco wines, two best buys are notable for quality and price: Vitiano rosso, a juicy and immediate Bordeaux-style label, and Tellus, a spicy, powerful syrah.

Sunday Classic: Montiano & Meatloaf Montiano, a monovarietal merlot, is surely the label that best represents the winery. It offers balsamic tones, aromas of blackberries and Asian spices. Each vintage shows off silky, well-integrated tannin. Try it with baked meatloaf made from chopped meat, eggs, bread crumbs and cheese with prosciutto and provola cheese at its center. Sprinkle with chopped herbs before baking.

72 OCTOBER 2016

Poggio Le Volpi

A green cooperative via Fontana della Girandola, 4 | Monte Porzio Catone (RM) ( +39 06 9419491 |  www.poggiolevolpi.it | ✉ info@poggiolevolpi.it

An all-Lazio pairing

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uring the 1990s, Felice Mergè was a young winemaker who decided to take over the family cellars, exploiting the qualities of commitment, tradition, research and experimentation that had made the business successful. The resulting wines are modern and distinctive, much of the credit going to the volcanic clay soils at an altitude of 400 metres, on the slopes of Mount Porzio Catone, where mainly native varieties are grown. The flagship wine is Frascati Superiore Epos Riserva which has sweet citrus nose with hints of garden vegetables, an enveloping palate with good matière and yet refreshing.

The Nero Buono di Cori Baccarossa is pleasant, with fruit-driven hints despite its oakiness. But Felice did not stop at Lazio. In 2010 he also created Masca del Tacco, a grape-growing property north of the Salento peninsula in Puglia.

The vineyards are mostly dedicated to indigenous varieties. Fiano L’Uetta and Primitivo di Manduria Lu Rappaio are wonderfully expressive and convincing.

Epos is a soft and fragrant Frascati, characterized by sapidity that makes the palate intriguing and even more pleasant. Frascati is among Lazio’s most traditional wines. It goes well with typical Roman dishes, such as spaghetti cacio e pepe (grated pecorino cheese and pepper). The mouthfilling notes of the wine enhance the pungent pepper while its savory tones play to the pecorino cheese.

ABRUZZO

Cantina Tollo

Between the Adriatic Sea and mountain of the Majella via Garibaldi, 68 | Tollo (CH) | ( +39 0871 96251 |  www.cantinatollo.it ✉ info@cantinatollo.it | cantinatollo |  @cantinatollo

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ith 822 contributing members, over 3,000 hectares of vineyard and 13 million annual bottles, Cantina Tollo is one of Europe’s most important cooperative wineries.

It joins a modern entrepreneurial vision with a wide and articulated range of bottles and respect for the environment. “For over 50 years we have been producing wines based on the quality of our natural resource and on showcasing the typical varieties of our territory. We do this while respecting nature and the soil,” explained Andrea Di Fabio, Tollo’s di-

rector of marketing. “We are among Italy’s major producers of organic wines – we launched a policy of converting our production to organic in the early 1990s.”

The quality and the reliability of Cantina Tollo wines is impressive.

A pair of Montepulciano labels lead the pack: Biologico (which means ‘organic’) is always delicious, but also complex in its hints of orange, roots, and bitter herbs, while the Mo Riserva gives voice to saline notes on a denser, austere palate.

Lamb and Montepulciano: territory and hints of the tropical It is hard to find such an impressive Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva at such a friendly price.

Mo preserves all the character of the montepulciano grape, with its dense and austere tannin, and goes perfectly with lamb, one of the most typical territorial pairings in Italy. But let’s not be limited to roasted or grilled versions. Try it with moderately spicy lamb curry. You’ll be amazed.

Castorani

Abruzzese and organic loc. c.da Oratorio | via Castorani, 5 | Alanno (PE) ( +39 346 6355 |  www.castorani.it | ✉ info@castorani.it Castorani

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n the late 1700s, celebrated surgeon Raffaele Castorani founded this venerable Alanno winery, between the Adriatic coast and Majella’s Pescara slope. Now owned by retired Formula One racing driver Jarno Trulli and his partners, in just over 15 years they have turned it into a modern outfit combining high quality with large numbers of bottles, made from the grapes growing on over 70 hectares of certified organic land.

The production lists all the labels of a full range of Abruzzo wines, comprising various lines for each price bracket and winemaking style, whose declared mission is intense fruitiness and pleasurable drinkability. The average quality of the wines is simply impressive. The star is the Montepulciano Amorino with blood orange and bottle cherry charting a spirited yet Mediterranean weave, underscored by the warm, lush flavour. The Montepulciano Cadetto is hot on its heels for expression, while the Cerasuolo Cadetto is super fragrant and so easy to drink.

Amorino calls for Lamb Lucio Cavuto has no doubts about the ideal pairing for his top wine- He says, “Amorino is at its best with lamb,” for its structure, intensity and mouth-filling flavor. When visiting the winery, guests can take advantage of 8 perfectly furnished rooms. Italians always drive here, because prices at the winery are so enticing that leaving without a supply would be to miss out on a great opportunity.

75 OCTOBER 2016

ABRUZZO SICILY

Masciarelli

The Lady of Montepulciano via Gamberale, 1 | San Martino sulla Marrucina (CH) ( +39 0871 85241 |  www.masciarelli.it | ✉ marketing@masciarelli.it MasciarelliTenuteAgricole |  @MasciarelliVini

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nyone who has observed developments on the Abruzzo winemaking scene in the last 30 years will acknowledge the importance of the work of Gianni Masciarelli. A man who put his heart and soul into his production, a man who was able to make his international dreams come true thanks to a simply spectacular vineyard estate, almost 300 hectares distributed around four provinces.

His heritage was carried on by his determined wife, Marina Cvetic.

With the help of her daughter Miriam Lee, she manages a firm turning out two and a half million bottles, distributed in 55 countries. Two production lines stand out. The Gianni Masciarelli line was established in 2014 and employs premium fruit coming from the vineyards of Loreto Aprutino, in the province of Pescara, a zone well-suited for wine grapes. The Villa Gemma line best embodies the stylistic research and taste of the late Gianni Masciarelli.

Pop-Up Chateau: Castello di Semivicoli Castello di Semivicoli, a 17th-century residence in the hills of Abruzzo, between the snow-tipped Maiella mountains and the blue of the Adriatic, is a perfect place to experience wine tourism in the Abruzzo, in a complete and elegant style. Besides being a hotel, the residence is the site of a dense program of events.

“It’s a Pop-Up Chateau,” Marina explained. “A wonderful stage on which we hold events put together at the last moment, which become unique opportunities, unrepeatable performances.”

Villa Medoro

The power of the Teramane hills c.da Medoro | Atri (TE) ( +39 085 8708142 |  www.villamedoro.it | ✉ info@villamedoro.it villamedoro

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amed after the renowned Atri district of Medoro, on the Colline Teramane hills, the splendid Morricone family winery opened officially in 1997, after two decades of experimentation. It then spread its wings as an up-andcoming outfit in the stagnant Abruzzo district of the time, thanks to a solid range that grew to nearly 100 hectares with the acquisition of Tenuta Fontanelle and Fonte Corvo.

Villa Medoro makes no secret of its modern approach, which it confirms in the cellar, developing a tasty, mouthfilling style, gradually honed in recent vintages, and which hallmarks both the monovarietal Villa Medoro line and the cellared Montepulciano selections. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane Adrano is the flagship, showing concentrated and powerful. It proffers clean fruit and a deep, dynamic palate. But Rosso del Duca, also from montepulciano, is in no way inferior: it has varietal aromas, wonderful texture, and fresh, full flavour.

Peking Duck & Montepulciano We choose the basic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a plump, full-blooded wine, showing original floral and sea-salt hints, and which may well relax an austere, demanding mouth. It deserves a special mention, for it is the best wine you can buy for the price. We suggest pairing it with Peking Duck. The sweetness of the dish counterbalances the tannin of the Montepulciano, while the wine’s savory notes amalgamate perfectly with the duck.

77 OCTOBER 2016

MOLISE

Di Majo Norante

Molise’s ambassador to the world

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via Colle Savino, 6 | Campomarino (CB) ( +39 0875 57208 |  www.dimajonorante.com | ✉ vini@dimajonorante.it

he Di Majo Norante estate is the major force on the Molise region’s winemaking scene. Wine has been produced here since the 19th century, as proved by the cellars under the town piazza and the old family castle in Campomarino. Dedication to grapegrowing was transmitted first to Luigi and now to Alessio Di Majo. To improve the quality of its wines, the estate has been conducting continuous research and experimentation for years, both in the countryside and the winemaking facilities. Among red wines, the star is tintilia.

The choice has been to harvest late, allowing the grapes to dry, and the wines are richer and more structured, with very low sulfur content. Some are made with no added SO2. The vinification of white grapes, namely falanghina and greco, by freezing before pressing, has resulted in wines with marked olfactory profiles and good acidity. For the 2016 harvest, a new facility is being introduced, a modern structure for grape drying that takes advantage of natural climatic conditions such as wind, humidity and temperature.

Don Luigi & rack of lamb Don Luigi, a monovarietal montepulciano, is the estate’s top wine. Rich structure, spicy on the nose with notes of plum jam and orange peel, on the palate it has a balsamic bent, with hints of minty tobacco, peppery spices and coffee. It calls for a substantial food partner, so it is excellent with lamb roasted with thyme and Colonnata lard.

78 OCTOBER 2016

CAMPANIA

Feudi di San Gregorio

The big winery that still thinks like a small-scale producer loc. Cerza Grossa | Sorbo Serpico (AV) ( +39 0825 986683|  www.feudi.it | ✉ info@feudi.it Feudi di San Gregorio |  @ FeudiDSGregorio

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eudi di San Gregorio is the Sorbo Serpico-based leading light in Campania’s wine trade. Under the leadership of chairman Antonio Capaldo, ably assisted by agronomist Pierpaolo Sirch, the estate has successfully tweaked its stylistic identity. It has become more terroir-true, increasingly geared towards bringing out the best in its vast wine heritage.

The reds have become livelier with time with less extraction, while some of the white selections offer significant performances. Fiano d’Avellino Pietracalda showcases extraordinary compactness, with a focused nose of peach and apricot and fine, complex, well-defined aromatics. The Greco di Tufo Cutizzi displays good stylistic consistency, based around white flowers and citrus. The new Dubl Esse Dosaggio Zero, from greco, is worthy of a separate mention, being the finest Campania sparkler for fragrance, thrust, beading and full, fresh finish. And the Taurasi are getting more focused and refined every year. The latest project is called Feudi Studi, a limited edition designed to further raise the bar.

Feudi di San Gregorio is also proud of its excellent restaurant, Marennà.

To complete your visit to the winery with a guided tasting, there’s nothing better than the dishes of multistarred chef Paolo Barrale. Among the recommended pairings is “Pancetta laccata…un po’ Cina e un po’ Irpinia” – lacquered pancetta, a little China, a little Irpinia – with Serpico, a blend of aglianico and a little cabernet sauvignon.

San Salvatore

Total sustainability via Dionisio snc | Giungano (SA) ( +39 0828 1990900 |  www.sansalvatore1988.it ✉ info@sansalvatore1988.it | sansalvatore1988 |  @ AziendaSanSalva

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he San Salvatore estate combines a traditional approach with a modern offering. We are in the beautiful Cilento National Park, in an area between Stio and the Greek temples of Paestum and Giungano. Giuseppe Pagano’s biodynamically cultivated estate produces wine, olive oil and excellent buffalo mozzarella. The photovoltaic system minimizes energy consumption, with everything being recycled, starting with their organic fertilizers. Their 23 hectares of land produce textbook wines with a strong local identity. The vineyards are dominated by the main Campanian grape varieties, which yield highly aromatic whites and well-rounded reds with toasty aromas. The flagship wine is the Pian di Stio, a stunning monovarietal fiano. Trentenare Fiano has nice iodine-like notes, a nose of almond and cedarwood, and a subtle yet energetic finish of aromatic herbs. Do not miss the Palinuro, the Cecerale and the summery Aglianico Omaggio a Gillo Dorfles: a truly Mediterranean wine.

Pian di Stio & Buffalo Mozzarella Pian di Stio is already a classic in Campania’s enology. A fine and multi-faceted fiano, it has a crisp citrus nose of lime and white-fleshed fruit against a backdrop of fresh aromatic herbs, leading into an attractively profiled, taut, full-flavoured palate.

It is the ideal accompaniment to buffalo mozzarella – a lively local pairing.

81 OCTOBER 2016

PUGLIA

Cantine Due Palme

The labors of a talented team via San Marco, 130 | Cellino San Marco (BR) ( +39 0831 617865|  www.cantineduepalme.it | ✉ info@cantineduepalme.it Cantine due palme |  @ Cantine due palme

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Selvarossa & Spicy Sausages Salice Salentino Selvarossa has a flavorful, markedly fruity texture that naturally calls out for savory, succulent meats. Try it with grilled sausages enlivened with pepper and wild fennel. The mouth-filling fruit tempers the slightly peppery tone while acidity balances the fatty component. It is a direct, simple and perfect pairing.

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aunched in 1989 by Angelo Maci, Cantine Due Palme is a cooperative at the heart of Salento. In the meantime, it has grown into one of Puglia’s major wine producers with 1,000 members tending about 2,500 hectares under vine. Located in a triangle of land spanning the provinces of Brindisi, Taranto and Lecce, in all the outfit produces 25 different labels of modern, textbook wines that are fruitrich and highly concentrated. The Salice Salentino Rosso Selvarossa Riserva is again among the best of its type. The bouquet shows hints of leaf tobacco, black berry fruit and oriental spices, while the closeknit palate is fruity and textured, with a lengthy finish. Also appealing, the 1943 del Presidente is a lip-smacking, fruit-forward blend of primitivo and aglianico, still a tad heavy on the oak, and the fresh, wellbalanced Susumaniello Serre is a truly food-friendly wine.

Felline

White soil, red soil, black soil and sand: Primitivo’s many facets

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via Santo Stasi Primo, 42/B | Manduria (TA) ( +39 099 9711660 |  www.agricolafelline.it | ✉ info@agricolafelline.it Felline

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ince 1994, Gregory Perrucci has been one of the leading lights in the renaissance of Salento winegrowing traditions, based around restoring and preserving native varieties and the area’s bush-trained vines, as well as on producing modern, fruitrich wines of great precision and aromatic focus. His basic Primitivo di Manduria offers the finest expression of the qualities we expect from a vintage Primitivo di Manduria. The fruit-laden overtones show hints of violet, with an engaging, dynamic, focused palate and long finish. In short, a truly mouthwatering wine. Spicy with plenty of stuffing, though rather lacking in grip, the Primitivo di Manduria Cuvée Anniversario Riserva, while the pleasing Alberello, an equal blend of negroamaro and primitivo, is eminently drinkable. Burlesque Extra Dry is simple and fund, from negroamaro grapes, and new labels are on the way. “I’m finishing the renovation of my father’s winemaking cellar. I’m making space for wine with a kitchen-lab where we’ll have events – music, art, tasting, exhibits, workshops and culture related to wine and our territory. We’ll call it Spazio Primitivo,” Gregory told us.

Primitivo and spicy food Primitivo, with its full, ripe fruit, soft tannin and balanced alcoholic is well-suited to dishes with assertive, peppery flavor. “The pairing that surprised me most was Primitivo di Manduria Zinfandel Sinfarosa with spicy Sichuan dishes,” commented Gregory. Try it with sliced beef in chili sauce and Sichuan pepper.

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PUGLIA

Leone de Castris

The memory of Pugliese wine via Senatore de Castris, 26 | Salice Salentino (LE) ( +39 0832 731112 |  www.leonedecastris.com | ✉ info@leonedecastris.com LeonedeCastris |  @LeonedeCastris

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Italy’s first rosé: Five Roses

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he origins of this winery go back to 1665, although it did not assume its current form until 1925, when Piero and Lisetta Leone de Castris became the first producers in Puglia to start bottling their wines. The estate can now count on 250 hectares under vine for an annual production of 2.5 million bottles. Its own vineyards account for approximately 150 hectares, situated in Salice Salentino, Campi and Guagnano. Leone de Castris keenly defends the region’s viticultural traditions, lavishing particular attention on the typical bush-trained vines. Its range comprises almost 30 wines, topped

by Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva 50° Vendemmia a great red with a nose of dark berry fruit and a complex palate with an exceptionally long finish.

Other very good products include the Salice Salentino Rosos Maiana and Villa Santera, a plush, velvety Primitivo di Manduria.

In 1943, a few months following the Armistice, exports to the US commenced with Five Roses, the first Italian rosé to be truly commercialised and still one of the emblems of the winery today, 90% negroamaro and 10% malvasia nero. It has intense color and aromas, both floral and fruity, with a typical almond finish. Perfect with a hot, fragrant pizza with truffles.

Paolo Leo

Old vines, new ideas via Tuturano, 21 | San Donaci (BR) ( +39 0831 635073 |  www.paololeo.it | ✉ info@paololeo.it Cantine PaoloLeo

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he renewal that winegrowing is experiencing in the Italian south can be credited to the courageous and innovative choices made by certain farsighted leaders.

Among these, we can include Paolo Leo, a fourth generation vigneron.

He radically modernized the estate, building a new cellar in 1989 and bottling wines that express the full potential of native Salento varietals of primitivo, negroamaro, malvasia nera and malvasia bianca. The winery’s own vineyards lie mainly on limestone and tufa soils around San Dònaci, and are mostly planted to bush-trained vines over 40 years of age. Primitivo di Manduria Passo del Cardinale, with nose notes of Peruvian bark, plum and leaf tobacco nuanced with black olive tapenade, has a palate that is austere, dense and close-knit. The Primitivo Fiore di Vigna is well-crafted, with floral nuances and hints of black berry fruit and sweet oak, while the compact palate is fresh, balanced and very pleasant.

The Negroamaro Orfeo is a little subdued, unexciting and dragged down by unripe fruit notes.

Street food from another era Bombette pugliesi are an example of street food that is typical of regional tradition. These are meat rolls, usually filled with caciocavallo cheese, pancetta and bell pepper. Sometimes they are breaded, sometimes very spicy. In the historic centers of Pugliese towns, a custom called ‘del fornello’ is still alive. Butchers sometimes have an oven where the meat just chosen at the counter is cooked and served at tables. This meal is perfect with a glass of Passo del Cardinatle.

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Tenute Rubino

Ever hear of Susumaniello? via Enrico Fermi, 50 | Brindisi ( +39 0831 571955 |  www.tenuterubino.it ✉ export@tenuterubino.it | Tenute Rubino

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he Rubino family winery was founded in 1999 thanks to the entrepreneurial dynamism of Luigi Rubino. He refurbished and enhanced this Pugliese property, focusing on its indigenous varieties. Today the winery is one of the best known and admired on the Italian wine scene. The four grapegrowing areas, which range from the Adriatic shore to the hinterland of Brindisi, feature individual vineyard productions. In particular, in the Jaddico locality, which lies on terrain of limestone origin with an abundant presence of sand, the predominant grape is susumaniello, a black-berried variety, probably originally Dalmatian, known for its abundant production. The vineyards underwent rigorous selection of its 75-year-old vines, grown espalier-style. They are part of a project that was launched in 2000 with Torre Testa, the first mono-varietal susumaniello produced by the house. It is a red that still today is emblematic of Tenute Rubino.

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Oltremé & Baked Pasta The susumaniello project took shape in 2011 with Oltremé, and in 2012, a sparkling susumaniello appeared, Sumaré, the first metodo classic spumante of the house. In 2015, the line was completed with Torre Testa Rosé, a delicate and versatile rosé. Oltremé is a juicy, wonderfully pleasant red to drink with a rich, densely flavored baked pasta dish, the kind complete with meatballs, boiled egg, cheese and peas. Pleasure is guaranteed.

Torrevento

Another Puglia SP 234 km 10,600 | Corato (BA) ( +39 080 8980923 |  www.torrevento.it | ✉ info@torrevento.it Torrevento

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F Nero di Troia & Penne all’arrabbiata Simplicity and flavor. Penne all’arrabbiata is a classic Italian pasta dish. The penne are al dente and topped with tomatoes cooked with garlic, pecorino romano, parsley, good extra-virgin olive oil (best if from coratina olives) and fresh chili peppers. The hot peppers are balanced by the ripe, mouth-filling Nero di Troia Ottagono, a pairing to try and then try again.

rancesco Liantonio’s estate in the rural Alta Murgia National Park is exemplary in terms of sustainability and attention to the environment. It is situated in the northernmost part of the Murge plateau in central Apulia, with mainly rocky and calcareous soils.

Certified organic production methods are used in the vineyards and the estate has also obtained environmental management certification.

Torrevento’s wide range of wines is made mainly from nero di Troia and other natives. The cellarwork is essentially non-invasive and respectful for wines that are refreshing, elegant and fruit-rich. The flagship wine is Castel del Monte Rosso Vigna Pedale Riserva, a monovarietal Nero di Troia, which concentrates on freshness and elegance, offering notes of red berries and Mediterranean scrubland and an exceptionally balanced close-focused palate.

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Castel del Monte Rosso Bolonero is a fresh and clean nero di Troia and aglianico with scents of red berries and mulberry, juicy and extremely pleasant. Then there’s the Castel del Monte Ottagono, also from nero di Troia, with a well-defined nose and a focused palate.

SICILY

Baglio di Pianetto

Taste of Sicily

via Francia | C.da Pianetto | Santa Cristina Gela (PA) ( +39 091 8570002 |  www.bagliodipianetto.com | ✉ info@bagliodipianetto.com | Baglio di Pianetto

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aolo Marzotto’s Sicilian dream come true is now 20 years old. He fell in love with the island in the 1950s, when he got to know its roads as a racing driver. The Pianetto and Baroni estates, with their respective cellars, are at the two extremes of the island: Santa Cristina Gela to the north, where the Conte has converted the ancient enclosed baglio farmstead into an elegant country house hotel; and Pachino, to the south, in Val di Noto, the heartland of nero d’avola. In 2016, we saw the return of Renato De Bartoli, the winery’s oenologist in the early years and now back as its managing director. A must-try is Shymer, a blend of syrah from Noto and merlot from Santa Cristina Gela. An intense, focused nose with complex balsamic and spicy notes paves the way for a satisfyingly elegant palate and a long finish. Ramione is a successful blend of nero d’avola and merlot, while Filicigno is a crispy and floral white made of insolia and viognier. The Moscato di Noto Ra’is, in the more concentrated Essenza version, unleashes a nose of great finesse with autumn leaves and dried fruit, leading to a harmonious, refreshing palate.

Sicily in a nutshell Thanks to the Agrirelais resort, the experience of visiting a winery can be complete. A few kilometers from Palermo and Monreale, with its dream-like Cathedral listed among UNESCO World Heritage sites, visitors will find a small number of elegant rooms, a swimming pool in a verdant setting, tasting rooms, a massage center and winery. Enrich the experience with a cooking class to learn how to turn out intriguing Sicilian dishes.

Cottanera

The discreet charm of the volcano loc. Valdobbiadene | via Prà Fontana, 4 | Valdobbiadene (TV) ( +39 0423 9092 |  www.ruggeri.it | ✉ ruggeri@ruggeri.it Ruggeri Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene

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espite their youth, the Cambria brothers are keen to continue the work begun 20 years ago by their father Gugliemo, and with the same passion and dedication they obtain the same excellent results. The graceful wines are full of character, with a real sense of place, from vineyards covering over 60 hectares. The estate is unusually large for these parts and is tended with the loving care generally reserved for gardens. It is almost entirely planted to native varieties such as nerello mascalese, nerello cappuccio and carricante, in five different districts on the northern slopes of Etna, near Passopisciaro. The various Etnas were in fine fettle, starting with the Zottorinoto, which offers a complex nose of red fruit, violets, autumn leaves and spice, backed up by a fresh, elegant palate, underpinned by close-knit, caressing tannins. Also on the podium is the appealing, harmonious Etna Diciassettesalme, and the full-bodied Etna Bianco, a Carricante wine with a striking acidic backbone. ecco knows how to age gracefully.

Eggplant Parmesan & Nerello This is one of Italy’s most delicious dishes, a hymn to Mediterranean cooking. A few cooking secrets: choose long, dark eggplants and bread them for crispness. Add fresh basil to previously cooked tomato sauce and top the dish with Parmigiano and mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes in a 180°C oven (360°F). Pair it with Barbazzale Rosso, an ideal marriage of flavors.

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Cusumano

The essence of Sicily c.da San Carlo SS 113 | Partinico (PA) ( +39 091 8908713 |  www.cusumano.it | ✉ info@cusumano.it cantinecusumano |  @ cusumanowinery

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Falling in love with Etna Diego and Alberto Cusumano were seduced by the magic of the volcano, buying some of the best vineyards on the northern slope of Etna in 2013.

Production focuses on two Etna Rosso labels and one Etna Bianco.

Alta Mora is a Carricante from vineyards at 600 meters between Milo and Castiglione di Sicilia. It is an elegant wine that calls out for a seafood salad.

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successful venture. Founded by Alberto and Diego Cusumano in 2000, the winery soon became an international benchmark for Sicilian and Italian winemaking. It vaunts 500 hectares of estate-owned vineyards in some of the island’s finest wine country, from Alcamo to Monreale, Butera and Piana degli Albanesi, and it has recently bought other plots on Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. The house style favours wines with plenty of fruit, warmth and energy, which represent the essence of Sicily. We recommend Etna Bianco Alta Mora, whose exceptional finesse is expressed in elegant nuances of blossom, citrus zest, white peach, and flint, echoed in the mouth, and sustained by a refreshing acidic vein of real class. Almost as good was the wonderfully subtle, mineral, spicy Alta Mora Rosso, with delicate, lively tannins and good length. As always, Noà, a red Bordeaux blend with Mediterranean accents derived from the addition of nero d’Avola, and Sàgana (100% nero d’avola) lived up to expectations.

Donnafugata

In memory of Giacomo Rallo

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via Sebastiano Lipari, 18 | Marsala (TP) ( +39 0923 724200 |  www.donnafugata.it ✉ marketing.assistant@donnafugata.it | DonnafugataWine |  @donnafugatawine

iacomo Rallo, a farsighted businessman with a forthright, generous nature, sadly passed away on 10 May, 2016. But his work is continued by his wife Gabriella and his sons José and Antonio, the latter recently elected national president of Unione Italiana Vini. This prestigious winery was set up in 1983, and later expanded to include cellars at Contessa Entellina and Pantelleria, where both native and international varieties give their best, complying with a philosophy of environmental sustainability. The headquarters, in 19th-century premises in Marsala, are open to visitors and home to a magnificent underground barrique cellar of 2,000 square metres, completed in 2008. This famous winery manages to combine tradition and modernity to perfection, promoting the territories of reference with effective, innovative marketing. Giacomo’s two darlings are the embodiment of these qualities: the deep, full-bodied Milleunanotte, balsamic with an elegant fruit encore on the palate; and the mature, characterful Tancredi, showing concentration and length.

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A UNESCO Intangible Heritage wine Two years ago, UNESCO included the alberello pantesco, the vine-training system typical of the island of Pantelleria, in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List, a first for an agricultural practice. Ben Ryé is the iconic Donnafugata wine based on this method, which consists of planting a very low vine in a deep hollow. The system helps the vine protect itself from the island’s fierce winds. The name itself, Ben Ryè, means ‘son of the wind’.

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Firriato

Reliable and recognizable via Trapani, 4 | Paceco (TP) ( +39 0923 882755 |  www.firriato.it | ✉ segreteria@firriato.it Firriato | @ Firriato

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n international-level brand, in terms of quality, figures and consistency, built with dedication and farsightedness from the mid-1980s onwards. Salvatore di Gaetano and his wife Vinzia have made Firriato a symbol of Sicilian wine production. The winery has three estates: the original one in the countryside around Trapani was followed by another on the island of Favignana and the vineyards in Castiglione di Sicilia on Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano. Etna Rosso Cavanera Rovo delle Coturnie, made from nerello mascalese and cappuccino grapes grown on volcanic soil, is an enthralling red with a nose of pencil lead and red berry fruit, accompanied by a vibrantly mineral palate. Then there are the two great classics: the potent, characterful Harmonium, one of Sicily’s finest monovarietal Nero d’Avolas, and Camelot, a Bordeaux blend. What is impressive is the high quality of the entire range, from Sant’Agostino Bianco Baglio Sorìa to the very reliable Altavilla della Corte line, which offers extremely good value for money. We’ll end with Santagostino Rosso Baglio Soria, a nero d’Avola and syrah blend offering alluring depth, elegance and sheer pleasure.

A dream resort Not far from Trapani, Firriato runs the Baglio Sorìa Resort & Wine Experience, housed in a seventeenthcentury walled country estate with eleven tastefully furnished rooms. The wine-focused resort offers cooking classes, a panoramic outdoor pool and a lounge terrace with views over the vineyards and the Egati Islands.

It provides a timeless setting for wine tasting, pairing each label a with a menu specifically designed by the chef. Sleep among the vineyards and enjoy the magical Sicilian light.

Nicosia

OGGETTO: MARCHIO PER LOGOT

Five generations of wine via Luigi Capuana, 65 | Trecastagni (CT) ( +39 095 7806767 |  www.cantinenicosia.it | ✉ info@cantinenicosia.it

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family farm, dating back to 1898 and today home to a fifth generation, has become over time a modern winery, sensitive to sustainable viticulture issues. Its labels fully express their territory. The heart of the winery is in Trecastagni, 700 meters above sea level. From there you can see Mount Etna’s extraordinary beauty as well as an innovative winemaking facility of 3,000 square meters. A romantic barricaia, or barrel cellar is underground. Also part of the estate is the Monte Gorna property, with a patrimony of very old vineyards planted on fascinating terraces of lava rock. Near Ragusa, in Bonincontro, is another vast family farm with an old peasant house (baglio) and a typical palmento, an ancient wine-making space. The richness of the Nero d’Avola Sosta Tre Santi is striking. It is an intense and deep wine with notes of humus, black cherries, spices and wild Mediterranean herbs. Warm and elegant, it has wonderful texture and well-managed, soft tannins. New entries are Etna Bianco Contrada Monte Gorna and Etna Rosso Riserva Contrada Monte Gorna.

Nero d’Avola Sosta Tre Santi & Pork ribs Sosta Tre Santi is made from a selection of the best nero d’avola grapes and a small amount of syrah, aged in small barrels for 12 months. It is a soft, spicy red that goes perfectly with grilled pork ribs. This is a juicy and substantial pairing, with both meat and wine at the same intensity of flavor and length in the mouth.

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SICILY

Planeta

Planeta Experience c.da Dispensa | Menfi (AG) ( +39 091 327965 |  www.planeta.it | ✉ marketing@planeta.it Planeta Winery |  @Planeta Winery

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his now prominent cellar can justifiably be considered emblematic of the renaissance in Sicilian winemaking. In 1985 Planeta’s family, who had worked the land for centuries, planted its first vineyards around the Ulmo estate on the shores of Lake Arancio, where the first winery was opened a decade later. This was followed by the acquisition of vineyards all over Sicily, but always in excellent wine country: Menfi, Vittoria, Noto, Etna and, most recently, Capo Milazzo. The individuality of each terroir is respected and brought to the fore, within a vision that embraces local culture and traditions, hospitality, art, communication, social commitment, and environmental sustainability. The Cerasuolo Classico is a naturally eloquent wine which offers irresistible fruit and grassy, mineral notes, over a dynamic, fresh, polished palate of impressive length. It was joined in the finals by the dense, harmonious Passito di Noto, and the complex, mature and leisurely Cabernet Burdese.

Planeta Experience: La Foresteria Resort Planet is proud of running one of the nation’s most elegant resorts. The only big problem is leaving it after a few days of relaxation in this peaceful oasis, set among the winery’s vineyards. A paradise of Mediterranean brush, it is a few kilometers from the winery’s private beach and the crystalline sea of Porto Palo. In this corner of Sicily, Planeta also produces one of the country’s best olive oils. It is on the table in the excellent on-site restaurant, the ideal place for tasting Planeta’s wines. Bonus: the glorious Valley of the Temples is less than half an hour away.

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SARDINIA

Tenute Sella&Mosca

A world-class unique array of vineyards loc. I Piani | Alghero (SS) ( . +39 079 997700 |  www.sellaemosca.com ✉ welcome@sellaemosca.com | sellaemosca

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oundly based on production levels of almost seven million bottles per year and over 500 hectares under vine, the largest single vineyard in Europe, Sella & Mosca is one of Italy’s leading historic estates.

Owned by Campari for many years now, the winery has recently been overhauled by the group with policies to anchor it even more firmly to Sardinia’s wine-producing economy. The very extensive range includes wines made from international grapes which have always been grown locally, as well as those from native varieties like torbato, of which Sella & Mosca are the sole producers. Simply excellent Terre Bianche Cuvée 161, the Torbato selection is impressively subtle and stylish, with a complex nose and deep tangy flavour. The Marchese di Villamarina is one of the most representative wine: a fabulous cabernet sauvignon which achieved the Tre Bicchieri award 14 times. Turning to the whites, the Vermentino di Gallura Monteoro 5 is terroir-true: fresh, savoury, and crisp.

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Torbato & Shellfish Terre Bianche Cuvée 161 is simply a unique white, a Torbato with a fascinating olfactory profile of aromatic herb tones and fine, multi-faceted notes of toast. The palate is generous, deep and very long. It goes best with a dish that matches it for intensity and flavor, so it is great with shrimp risotto, an evergreen that, if made well, is totally irresistible.

Vigne Surrau

Deeply Sardinian SP Arzachena | Porto Cervo Km 1 | Arzachena (OT) ( +39 0789 82933 | î?ś www.vignesurrau.it | ✉ commerciale@surrau.it vignesurrau

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Vermentino & California rolls

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urrau is one of the loveliest new estates to spring up in recent years and in a short space of time it has become a benchmark for Gallura wine production. It was established with the intention of growing great reds in this unusual granite-based terroir, but all the wines in the range are a guarantee of quality, from the fresh, stylish Vermentino di Gallura with its textbook tangy flavour as well as good ageing potential, to the reds, sweet wines and Metodo Classico sparklers, from vermentino and cannonau grapes processed in the estate cellar. Hospitality is offered in a beautiful building open all year round for exhibitions, conferences and cultural events. Sciala pursues the path that led it to excellence in recent years. This Vermentino di Gallura shows very typical hints of iodine, citrus and spring flowers on the nose. The structure is nicely balanced by a streak of acidity and tangy flavour, with a deep, clean, very fresh finish. The Cannonau Sincaru Riserva is also very good, proving that this granite-based terroir also produces sound reds.

Vermentino di Gallura Sciala has a generous, multifaceted aromatic range and a perfectly balanced body with intense, long flavor. It naturally calls for salmon rolls that parallel the toasted and maritime tones. Between them they create a third, wonderfully appealing taste.

GAMBERO ROSSO www.gamberorosso.it

SENIOR EDITOR Lorenzo Ruggeri

PHOTO EDITOR Rossella Fantina

LAYOUT Chiara Buosi, Maria Victoria Santiago

CONTRIBUTORS Stefania Annese, William Pregentelli

PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS Chiara Buosi, Francesco Vignali We thank the wineries for making their archives of photographs available

GR USA CORP PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT Paolo Cuccia

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October 2016

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