Gambero Rosso Wine Travel Food - December 2017

year 21 number 112 - december 2017 - gamberorosso.it

WINE

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bertani the long view SMARTWINES The Best 18 Wines of Central Italy

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PINCHIORRI Annie Feolde, a talent forge

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TUSCANY Is Capalbio the new Bolgheri?

SOMMARIO 4

year 21 number 112 - november 2017 - gamberorosso.it

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bertani the long view SmartwineS The Best 12 Wines of Central Italy

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Pinchiorri Annie Feolde, a talent forge

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tuScany Is Capalbio the new Bolgheri?

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Editorial by Lorenzo Ruggeri Food News Wine News Wine of the month Beyond the Sea. Sardinia and its territories aim to conquer Germany Italian food and wine strong in Moscow. Forget the embargo Accidental Amarone. But with Bertani, a plan and a winning style Monteti and the test of time. Is Capalbio the new Bolgheri?

Annie Feolde. Enoteca Pinchiorri. A talent forge Smartwines. Berebene 2018 Center & South Gourmet Food Festival 2017. A new event in Torino Miniguide. Torino Colophon

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The dictatorship of instant wines With the last issue of the year, we’re turning back in time. We’re doing it with a tasting at one of the most serious wineries in the multifaceted world of Amarone: Bertani. This firm has always known how to keep the bar high, never gave in to marketplace fashions but led instead, steadily maintaining unrivalled coherence and stylistic identity. The tasting closed with a Reciotto (exactly how it’s written – with two letter ts) from the 1958 vintage, still vibrant and with a great deal to say, even after almost 60 years. The whole battery of bottles proved how these wines were intended to last, not to tickle the palate in their first few years.

They are wines that ask for a quality that is increasingly rare among consumers, as it is among those of us in the sector – patience. The mantra of drinkability and acidity continues to encourage restaurateurs and wine bars to invest only in the most recent releases. Building a wine cellar is a luxury and an expense that few can sustain. So we continue uncorking unfinished wines, drinking the tip of the iceberg whether whites, important reds, or sparkling wines a few weeks after disgorging. The demand for instant pleasure is influencing producers and enologists more and more. It’s not a question of barriques or no barriques anymore. Most of the wines called ‘contemporary’ are super slim in order to push their drinkability, to encourage the extra glass, to enhance their quality of freshness. These are wines designed for the 100- and 200-meter dash, often extremely pleasant, but they couldn’t care less about the time factor, about that deeper appeal that only something that can last, can travel through time, is able to provide. We open more and more wines just a few years after the harvest, just when what we are looking for is most difficult to discern – terroir, the sense of place. That pleasure of buying wine to drink ten, twenty or thirty years down the line is by now an idea that almost makes us smile. But it is in the long run that the fascination of the vintage year and the signature of the place come clearest, amplifying and revealing all the wine’s virtues and defects. Among the many vertical tastings we did this year, we realized that we undervalued what is showing itself to be a sumptuous vintage year in practically all the best areas of Italy, from the Langhe to Valpolicella, from Etna to Collio, not to mention Champagne! (It will be featured in our January issue.)

We’re talking about the 2008 vintage. At ten years old, the wines are displaying rhythm, precision, and a subdued, insuperable elegance. Drink a lot of it in 2018, and submit to being surprised.

- Lorenzo Ruggeri

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bortolomiol.com

GRANDE CUVÉE DEL FONDATORE

TWO CENTURIES OF LOVE FOR OUR TERROIR

RIVE - Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco Superiore - Brut Nature Millesimato

NEWS

NEAPOLITAN PIZZA BECOMES A UNESCO INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE tradition with a strong identity, but that also brings honor to Italy and especially to Naples, a city devoted to ancient skills. “Our history is about simple things,” said Ciro Oliva (Concettina ai tre santi, in Naples). “Finally, young people like me won’t have to emigrate.” Enzo Coccia, owner of La Notizia, echoed Ciro Oliva. “It all starts with the brain, goes to the heart and then to the hands – 60 seconds of baking and centuries of history.” Franco Pepe (Pepe in Grani) commented, satisfied, “It’s a recognition of the pathway that pizza has taken as a dish, but it also recognizes the profession of the pizzaiolo.”

“At one time, the work of the pizzaiolo was a job for those who couldn’t find anything else.” Ciro Salvo, pizza master at 50 Kalò in Naples, a few hours after the UNESCO tribute to the art of Neapolitan pizza, described a truth that is still alive in the memories of many of his colleagues. On December 7, 2017, the art of the Neapolitan Pizzaiolo officially became an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. (Other Italian elements on the list include violin craftsmanship in Cremona, Sicilian puppet theater, and Sardinian pastoral songs.) The maestri of pizza are celebrating the result of an intense group mobilization that recognizes an historic

LA LISTE 2018. A THOUSAND RESTAURANTS ON THE INFALLIBLE ALGORITHM LIST. FIRST AGAIN, FRENCH CHEF GUY SAVOY The rating season is coming to an end, but before closing the 2018 evaluations, La Liste has arrived. It is an International rating of prestigious restaurants based on a tortuous and controversial mechanism invented

by Jorg Zipprick. The compilation, which bestows awards on 1,000 restaurants, is based on the judgment of 550 guides, newspapers, magazines and web sites covering 165 countries.

The so-called infallible algorithm is backed by the French tourism agency that blessed the project in 2015. Unsurprisingly, La LIste 2018, released recently, shows Guy Savoy as number one for the second year in a row. The

elegant Parisian address in the Sixth Arrondisement maintained its admirable 2017 point score: 99.75/100.

Second place went to Kyubey in Japan (99.50) and the French cuisine of Le Bernardin in New York. The bronze third was awarded to Plaza Athenée and Alain Ducasse in Paris, the restaurant of the Hotel Ville de Crissier in Switzerland, and Eleven Madison Park in New York – all with a 99.25 score. A sizable number of restaurants scored 99, including El Celler de Can Roca and Martin Berasategui– both Spanish - and The French Laundry in California. At 98.75, many of the tables that are favorite of 

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NEWS

FALSE MADE-IN-ITALY FOOD, A 60-BILLION-EURO BUSINESS. BUT AUTHENTIC CULATELLO DI ZIBELLO FINALLY ARRIVES IN THE UNITED STATES Revenues of 60 billion euros notably exceed the 40 billion that Italian food and wine exports are hoping to achieve in 2017. The first number, however, is what’s earned by international food piracy. With misleading Italian-sounding brands, producers have built an empire while damaging the reputation of the world’s most celebrated culinary traditions.

Despite all efforts, the phenomenon continues to grow, taking advantage of the increasing appeal that many Made-inItaly products have for the world’s consumers. A parade of poorly imitated products and improbable brands echo traditional Italian goods. A listing of the products most often copied always includes cheeses, ranging from mozzarella to Parmigiano Reggiano, as well as Gorgonzola, Asiago, Pecorino Romano, Fontina, Provolone. Cured meats also lend them-

selves to creative counterfeiting; San Daniele prosciutto made in Canada, Spanish mortadela (sic), Salama Napoli from Croatia. Extra-virgin olive oil, preserved vegetables and canned tomatoes are all frequently fraudulently mislabeled. The market for imitations is particular lively in the United States. A few Italian companies have been making large-scale efforts to fight the Italian-sounding invasion.

The most recent battle was fought

successfully by Negroni S.P.A. After 15 years of dealing with bureaucracy, it obtained permission to import its extraordinary, prestigious pork product, Culatello di Zibello, into the United States. The necessary USDA-SFIF certification had always been refused to this Italian specialty.

The process required information about production methods and the product in every one of its components, packaging included. Negroni was helped by its local Consorzio dedicated to Culatello di Zibello DOP. Now the Department of Agriculture is giving Culatello the same respect as Prosciutto di Parma and di San Daniele, meat products which are already on the American market. It’s amazing how much simpler it is to place imitations on the market than the real thing. Still, a step at a time, Italians fight Italian-sounding fakes.

 international food fans, Osteria Francescana and Le Calandre included –Massimo Bottura’s and the Alajmo family’s restaurants were therefore in fifth place, although last year, Bottura was among the first three, with 99.25. These two stars are ahead of a numerous group of Italians: Niko Romito’s Il Reale and Heinz Beck’s La Pergola at 97.75, Dal Pescatore at 97.50, Uliassi at 97.25.

China turned out to be a culinary destination worth the visit, with 125 names on the list, compared to France’s 118, its closest competitor. But the overall national winner of the ratings battle was once again Japan, with 134 listings, spotlighting the dominance of Asia as a purveyor of top restaurant food.

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NEWS

LONDON CONTINUES THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILDHOOD OBESITY. NO FAST FOOD NEAR SCHOOLS Children’s diets are a hot subject, an ever-increasing battleground for nutritionists, doctors, chefs and other professionals defending children’s welfare. In England, particularly in London, children may soon be discouraged from consuming junk food during their lunch break. London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, according to an Evening Standard report, announced he wants to prohibit the opening of all new fast food restaurants within 400 meters of schools. With over 40% of its children overweight, London holds the national record for childhood obesity. Unless resolved quickly, Khan describes the situation as a ‘time bomb’. The new no-burger zone doesn’t contemplate closing the fast food purveyors already operating in the areas, but forbids the opening of new ones. The project, although studied intelligently and sensitively, has understandably met with hostility from all fast food chains. According to a map drawn by analyst Dan Cookson, if the rule were applied, very few spaces in the city would be available for new fast food venues.

Despite the issues raised, the mayor seems determined to go forward with this approach and continue his battle against childhood obesity. He doesn’t want it to be seen as a threat to fast food businesses, though.

“Takeaway restaurants are a fundamental part of London life,” Khan commented, “but it is important that they don’t encourage our children to make the wrong food choices.”

RESEARCH. THE OLDEST WINE IN THE WORLD? “IT DATES FROM THE NEOLITHIC ERA AND WAS FOUND IN GEORGIA” The evidence seems solid, since the chemical compounds that prove the existence of wine are all present: tartaric, malic, citric and succinic acids. These elements led an international group of researchers headed by David Lordkipanidze, the general director of the Georgian National Museum, to confirm the discovery of the most ancient example of wine production and grape cultivation in the world. The results were published in the November issue of PNAS, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The most ancient wine is 8,000 years old, a thousand more than previously thought.

Until now, the oldest remains were those found in the jars of Hajji Firuz Tepe, in the Zagros mountains of Iran, dating back to 5,000 BC. The traces of the Georgian wine were found in fragments of eight terracotta jars from 6,000 BC, the Neolithic period, in two archeological sites, Shulaveri and Gadachrili, near Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, in the southern Caucasus. The researchers (among them were five Italians) used the most modern techniques available, such as gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry, and infrared spectrometry. Analyzing the terracotta fragments in Pennsylvania, the scientists identified the four acidic fingerprints of wine, yet another proof that a grapegrowing culture was strongly rooted in this area from earliest times. The work done by the Italian research group, made up of experts in viticulture and the history of agriculture from the Università degli studi in Milano (Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali) and from Museo Lombardo di Storia dell’Agricoltura in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, proved important. They contributed to providing a context, in terms of climate and biology, for the presence of grape vines in the archeological area under inspection.

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NEWS

FRANCE. WINE PRODUCTION FIGURES IN 2017 AMONG THE LOWEST EVER

France released the numbers in November for a vintage year that proved to be as complicated as it had been for Italy and Spain. The Ministry of Agriculture updated production estimates for 2017, and announced that the French harvest will allow production of 36.8 hectoliters of wine, 19% less than 2016, and 18% less than the average of the last five years. It was an historically meager harvest thanks to spring freezes, even below the unfortunate 1991 harvest. Moving through the territories, the situation is clearly difficult: Champagne at -6%, Burgundy-Beaujolais at +4%, Alsace -30%, Jura at -50%, Savoie at -16%, Val de Loire at +7% but under the 8% of the five-year average, Charentes at -12%, Bordeaux at -45%, Languedoc Roussillon at -17%, Sud Ouest at -20%, Sud Est at -23% and Corsica at -20%. The harvest was brought in early in all French production districts, but particularly in the south. Overall, appellation wines lost 20% in volume. But although production is low, France consoles itself with export. The month of September was down 2.4% compared to the month before, but overall, the twelve months up to September 30 saw French wine exports growing 7.9%, that is, reaching 8.9 billion euros.

UK. TAX ON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES FROZEN. THE GOVERNMENT SAVES THE WINE SECTOR’S CHRISTMAS The British wine sector gave a sigh of relief. Minister of Finance Philip Hammond, in the autumn budget announcement, froze the tax on wine, alcoholic beverages and beer, tying it to the present inflation rate. At the moment, the duty fee is £2.16 for still wines and £2.77 for sparkling. No new increases, then, which had previously been estimated at +3.8%. But the moment has been described as a “festive friendly freeze”, valid until February 1, 2018. The autumn hike had looked almost certain, and the economist had been nicknamed ‘Scrooge’, since he seemed ready to ruin Christmas for wine drinkers. Miles Beale, of the Wine and Spirits trade association said, “We are pleased that the Chancellor has found his festive spirit and listened to the call from the WSTA and its members and has frozen wine and spirit duty. He has shown the Government is in touch with what consumers want and is supporting an industry which is a real asset to British business.”

According to the WTAS, in fact, the wine industry generates £40 billion, of which £7.5 billion goes into the state coffers.

Although the alcohol sector has been blessed, for the moment (cider apart), the same is not true for tobacco. Since November 22, at 6 p.m. Her Majesty’s subjects have to pay 28 pence more per package of 20 cigarettes. The decision to help out the winemaking industry, as the Chancellor himself said, comes from the desire to “revive the great English pubs,” which are actually closing at the rate of 23 per year. Moreover, the wine sector has already been severely tested during the last year. In the first trimester of 2017, the average price of a bottle of wine rose, for the first time, to over £5.50, due to the combined effect of what was called the Triple Whammy: inflation+taxes+Brexit.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

EXPLORING LUGANA Part IV Lugana Experience: pairings and places to see

Twenty-four million tourists, double the number of those who go to Sardinia every year – these are the latest figures for visitors to Lake Garda. This important freshwater destination attracts crowds that grow every year. The reasons are easy to understand. Around the lake, especially towards the south, lies a soft, sweet landscape of small villages set in a pristine territory of lemon trees, olive groves, and above all, vineyards. The official numbers of 2016 tell of 1,586 hectares of vines among five municipalities producing 182,450 quintals of grapes and 127,715 hectoliters of wine (Desenzano del Garda 36%, Pozzolengo 32%, Peschiera sul Garda 14%, Sirmione 10% and Lonato del Garda 9%). Bottle production is valued at 66,528,585 euros. Remember that Turbiana, the indigenous variety that is the origin of Lugana DOC, has become Italy’s most expensive grape. Lugana’s prestige, especially in recent years, has allowed the territory to dodge the threat of over-development. One of the most romantic and picture-perfect corners of Italy has been saved from over-building. Desenzano del Garda, Lonato del Garda, Peschiera del Garda, Pozzolengo and Sirmione, the five municipalities that produce Lugana DOC, are strategically positioned between Verona and Milano, easily reached from major neighboring airports.

The entire DOC zone is richly supplied with opportunities for wine and food vacations for the entire family. The southern coast of Lake Garda, close to Verona and Milano airports, offers pristine water, an idyllic, Mediterranean landscape, efficient infrastructure and abundant sport facili-

ties, both on and off the water. The area is laced with easy, charming bike paths that curl around the morainic hills, between the vineyards. Some of northern Italy’s best equipped and most treasured golf courses are here, too. Besides Torre di San Martino and Solferino, which overlook all of Lake Garda, Desenzano is the place for shopping and night life. Lonato, alongside beaches, horseback riding and sports facilities, has the splendid 10th century structure, Rocca, known for its beautiful views and the many cultural events it hosts all year round. Pozzolengo is surprising for the density of its excellent restaurants. This small town is a treasure house of niche food products, such as its superb saffron, Zafferano di Pozzolengo, and its characteristic cured pork salami, recognized as a DECO (denominazione di Origine Comunale). It pairs perfectly with Lugana DOC. Don’t miss it. The fortress and the external fortifications of Peschiera sul Garda were included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list as part of “Venetian Works of Defense between 15th and 17th centuries”. The town is no longer concerned with defense, but is a peaceful and relaxing place in a beautiful natural setting. Nearby is the oasis of the Frassino lake and the valley of the Mincio River and Park, perfect for long walks or for a stay in the countryside. All this is only a few kilometers from Italy’s most important amusement parks. Sirmione, beautifully set on the lake, has a spa, a medieval castle, as well as a large Roman villa and grottoes named for the poet Catullus. Ezra Pound wrote his friend, James Joyce, “The place is worth a train trip. It’s guaranteed by Catullus and by yours truly.”

CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE N. 1308/2013 CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REGULATION NO. 1308/2013

PAIRINGS WITH LUGANA Lugana is a wine deeply bound up with its territory of origin, so it’s with local dishes that the classic pairings first come to mind. Naturally, freshwater fish are a natural partner, whether from lake, fish or pond, whether premium or more commonplace varieties. Seafood also goes well with this elegant and versatile white. Basic Lugana is a good accompaniment for fish-based antipasto in which the principal ingredient is often marinated, while tiny fish, such as those found in rice fields, are usually served fried.

Boiled sea bass or shrimp are enhanced by the wine. The Superiore or Riserva types are best matched to fattier and more complex dishes, such as pike (often boiled and served with anchovies fried in Garda olive oil). Grilled eel, trout with grapes, frog legs risotto, grilled seafood, peppery mussels, and salt-baked sea bass are other examples of recipes that go perfectly with these wines. Many light meats such as chicken, capon and rabbit are good pairings. Late Harvest Lugana (Vendemmia Tardiva) is an ideal partner for fresh cheeses like ricotta, robiola and crescenza, but also for ones that are saltier and more full-flavored, such as Monte Veronese, Grana Padano and Provolone Valpadana, all DOP cheeses.

Spumante enhances a wide range of foods – it is truly a wine for the entire meal – but since it is usually uncorked at the beginning of a lunch or dinner, try it with antipasto plates, whether a parade of tasty Italian cured meats, or one of the many recipes featuring eggs.

NEWS

THE ITALY-CHINA FREIGHT TRAIN IS A REALITY. IS THIS A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR WINE?

The announcement last June became an official reality on Tuesday, November 28, 2017, when Italy and China were finally joined by a freight train linking the boot with the city of Chengdu in Sichuan. Thanks to an agreement between the Logistic Pole of Mortara SPA and Changjiu Logistic, Chinese leader in the transport sector (20 billion euros of revenue), the 17-car train will take 18 days to cover 10,800 kilometers, crossing Italy, Austria, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, and

China. It provides an alternative to the transport of merchandise by sea, in decidedly less time. The voyage by ship, on the average, takes 40-45 days. The first shipments by train will consist of furniture and automobile and machine parts, but there will be space for other Made in Italy export sectors such as food, wine and fabrics. The agreement provides for the departure of two trains weekly, which should become three by 2018.

The opportunity will also, obviously, benefit China, which will be able to

bring its own products to Europe.

In April 2016, another train for China left from the heart of Europe to inaugurate a new French Silk Road.

It went from Lyon to Wuhan, thanks to an agreement between the French and Wuhan Asia Europe Logistics.

The distance of 11,300 kilometers was covered in about two weeks. In the inaugural trip, two bottles of Bordeaux were also included. In the newest Italian train, from Mortara (Pavia), no wine has yet been shipped. We hope that will happen soon.

WINE OF THE MONTH VALDOBBIADENE BRUT PARTICELLA 68 ‘16 SORELLE BRONCA EX-CELLAR PRICE: 9.50 EUROS + TAXES Ersiliana and Antonella Bronca’s estate features an enchanting panoramic view, steep hills with vineyards stretching all the way to the top and to the south, towards the Piave river (almost reaching the plains). Sorelle Bronca has managed to take a leading role in the worlds of both Prosecco and of still wines. Their estate comprises just over 20 hectares of land that are cultivated with the utmost respect for the environment. Piero, Antonella’s husband, brings love and professional skill to caring for the vines. Our wine buy of the month is the top-notch Valdobbiadende Prosecco Superiore Particella 68. It’s a Grand Cru of Valdobbiadene with sophisticated aromas of lime blossom and gooseberries. In the mouth, it has creamy sparkle, and its tangy, dry taste lengthens to become taut and elegant. Long and very clean finish.

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NEWS

Beyond the Sea Sardinia and its territories aim to conquer Germany

The first stop was in Stuttgart, followed by one in Munich from December 5 to 7. In early December, eight Sardinian towns and their best products were on stage in Germany. Representatives promoted and showcased their typical foods, wines and artisanal production. The initiative, called Itinerario enoturistico dei borghi di eccellenza (“A wine tourism itinerary around wonderful towns”), was organized by Laore, the Sardinian regional agency for agricultural development, and involved the municipalities of Aggius, Atzara, Baunei, Cabras, Nuoro, Orosei, Sant’Antioco and La Maddalena. The most important part of the project will be the concluding phase: from February 1115, 2018, German buyers and journalists will be in Sardinia, visiting the participating territories. The goal is to promote wine tourism and the basket of local food products.

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THE WINES Indigenous varieties, denominations of origin (DOCs) to sustain the single territories, and artisanal producers are the common features of the wines involved in the project. The image of a different Sardinia must emerge, an island where the biodiversity linked to microclimates, varieties and soil is evident. The slogan used for the promotional campaign, “Aldilà del Mare” which means ‘Beyond the Sea’, reminds visitors that besides its beaches and coastline, there is an inland Sardinia that deserves to be explored. In Ogliastra, the starring wine is Cannonau di Sardegna, which, on the eastern coast, enjoys the effects of the currents from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The same thing happens a little further north, in the Orosei terri-

DECEMBER 2017

NEWS

tory. The case of Oliena is different, where the same variety shows other characteristics: the effect on climate of its hills and mountains makes its mark, and here the wines from cannonau grapes even have another name – Nepente di Oliena. In the heart of the island, we have Mandrolisai, the name of a territory but also of the DOC. Bovale and monica grapes join the ever-present cannonau. In the south, the scene is dominated by Carignano del Sulcis. It is obtained from centuries-old never-grafted grapes that grow on sand, a typical red with powerful notes of Mediterranean brush.

White wines come above all from the northeast. In Gallura, Vermentino finds its ideal terroir. Then there’s Oristano and its Vernaccia, an ancient historic wine, unique and worth discovering.

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FOOD PRODUCTS These too come from the various territories of Sardinia and demonstrate the gastronomic richness of the island. Cheeses dominate the basket. Alongside the best known one, pecorino, which is produced in many versions and types, we also find goat and cow’s milk cheeses. Traditional pasta and breads abound, beginning with carasau (thin, crisp flatbread) and pasta made with ancient grains. On the coast, preserved seafood is traditional, especially bottarga (dried fish roe) from Cabras and tuna from the Sulcis area. Typical sweets are made with spices, honey, dried fruit and nuts.

The entire island is devoted to growing a wide range of olive cultivars. Some, like Bosana, are among the country’s most sought after.

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NEWS

Italian food and wine strong in Moscow Forget the embargo

Can Italian cucina exist without Italian products? When will the embargo on food products from the European Union end? What are its effects? We went back to Moscow for the Tre Bicchieri event, which took place on November 23 in the halls of the DI Telegraph, the symbol of Russian government telecommunication, transformed today into a co-working space.

We opened the event with the awards for the best Italian restaurants in the city as selected by our Top Italian Restaurants guide.

Necessity is the mother of invention, so there’s no lack of creativity or spirit of adaptation. “We try to reproduce

Italian flavors and our sensibility with what we find here in Moscow. Some products come in anyway. In other cases, we choose among local providers. For example, we can find excellent game from Crimea,” Andrea Impero, from the Ciociara, told us. At 27, he is the head of Maritozzo, one of the most interesting Italian places in the city, opened in October, 2016.

On the ground floor is a bar and food shop, on the floor above a beautiful, spacious open kitchen and bakery. “I put bread at the center of the experience. The acidity of the mother yeast, the Umbrian oil that oozes from the warm focaccia, casatiello from Cam-

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pania… I want to reproduce the flavors of home.” We tasted excellent beef tongue cooked for 48 hours and served with an assertive green sauce and a Jerusalem artichoke mayonnaise. The Carbonara, in the absence of pecorino cheese and guanciale, offered instead a triple dose of savory flavor– sea urchins, caviar and bottarga. Then came grilled meat and an unmissable dessert, a maritozzo (brioche). A Due Gamberi rating to start with, plus the Surgiva Taste&Design award: a good foundation for a future as the city’s benchmark Italian restaurant.

As the best pizzeria, with a rating of

NEWS

Due Spicchi, two slices, we named Pinzeria by Bontempi. Its iconic location is right in front of the golden cupola of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. “My greatest satisfaction is seeing Russians finish a pizza per person.

Until a short time ago, they shared one among six people,” commented Valentino Bontempi. He arrived in Moscow in 2005. His formula is a tried and true one, and much imitated. The dough is low, fragrant, and slow-rising, topped with quality ingredients. He also serves salads, good pasta, has a well-supplied wine cellar and popular pricing. He opened a second location, and the two together sell 16,000 pinze

(a type of lighter pizza) per month.

“What do Russians like? They’re crazy about burrata. It’s incredible. They can eat a whole one just as antipasto.” Valentino is planning to put eating places inside the city’s food markets and is thinking about a format that’s open all night. What about beverages? “Two bottles for a couple is normal here.

That’s why I keep mark-ups below average.” Since the beginning of the embargo, the Russian companies that produce cheese and cured meats have increased exponentially, turning out everything from burrata to prosciutto.

“Italian entrepreneurs are exporting machinery and know-how. The qual-

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ity of local products has much improved,” Valentino explained.

“I prepare my own cured meats. I have a room with special lighting to grow friarelli greens,” Emanuele Mongillo told us. He is the Campania soul of Balzi Rossi (a satellite of the historic restaurant in Ventimiglia), the restaurant won our maximum score of Tre Forchette. His is a creative cucina. His sensibility about pasta is noteworthy, although the ambiance is that of a Russian night club – gaudy is an understatement. We tasted an outstanding tuna tartare on tomato gelatin, bread and celery root chips, spaghetti with crab on broccoli and lime puree.

NEWS

PROSECCO LEADS SALES OF ITALIAN WINE Prosecco DOC was once more the subject of a seminar in which seven wineries selected by the Consorzio di Tutela participated.

The sparkling wines of this denomination powered increased Italian wine sales in Russia, with Prosecco imports up 55% in value in the first 8 months of 2017.

During the tasting, with producers and winery representatives present, various themes emerged. Above all, the demand is for reduced sweetness, even in a market where soft sparkling wines were always extremely popular. “They come to the counter asking for Brut, a clear change from the past,” said Giovanni Iaconis from the organic winery, Jara.

SURGIVA TASTE&DESIGN AWARD The Surgiva Taste&Design Award is assigned to those italian restaurants around the world distinguishing not only for the quality of the food, but also for the attention paid to its presentation, service and the design of the ambiance.

Surgiva, in line with its role as a partner in finetaste, aims to showcase taste in all its manifestations, from good cooking to style. The fundamental concept is that mineral water can make a difference, thanks to its lightness, by accompanying to perfection the tasting of great dishes and great wines. It can also play a role as a design element on a lovely table.

The quality of the ingredients was uncompromising, the plates decorated elegantly, and the kitchen staff was all Italian. A new Italian raw bar serves carpaccio and tartare. Dessert was an excellent babà.

How has Italian restaurant food evolved in Moscow? We asked Nino Graziano, who has been in Moscow for 13 years and is one of the pioneering Italian chefs abroad. His restaurant, Semifreddo – resident chef Luca Verdolini – was awarded Due Forchette. “When I first came to Moscow, the most complex Italian dish was pasta with cherry tomatoes and basil. Now the level of Italian cucina here, as in the rest of the world, has

gone way up. The credit goes to the many chefs who have publicized and used top quality products. All around the world there are very talented young chefs who completely dedicate themselves to Italian cucina.”

Among the Russians’ favorite dishes, he mentioned filleted fish and a clear preference for dried pasta over fresh.

But the effects of the embargo persist. “Very few new Italian restaurants are opening compared to the past.

Now two or three a year, a twentieth compared to before. Georgian, Panasian, and many examples of fusion restaurants are popping up,” he concluded.

Syr, the historic restaurant of Mirko

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Zago, a chef from Val d’Aosta, and Scrocchiarella, a new opening that focuses on pizza by the slice, complete the picture of the recipients of our guide’s awards. After two very difficult years, the Russian economy has revved up, and with it, Italian exports. In the first eight months of 2017, Italian agricultural exports to Russia grew 30%, while wine increased 45% in value (138 million euros), led by spumante, according to the data from Roberto Cafiero in the ICE office in Moscow. The food embargo is operative until December 31, 2018. Forbidden imports include meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and dairy products.

ACCIDENTAL AMARONE. BUT WITH BERTANI, A PLAN AND A WINNING STYLE Yes, this type of wine was created by accident, after incorrect fermentation consumed all its sugars and left it dry. But the Bertani enologist was fascinated. He convinced the winery to launch a project. Markets and critics proved he was right. The winery is now celebrating its 50th anniversary

words by Nicola Frasson - photography by Alvise Barsanti

THE STORIES

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he old story told in the zone says that Amarone came about by lucky accident. Corvina, corvinone and rondinella grapes (plus minute quantities of other native varieties such as molinara and dindarella) were regularly harvested and left to dry on racks for about 100 days before pressing. The resulting grape must was extremely rich in sugar, and fermented slowly all winter long without completely consuming its sugars. The evident sweetness of the wine had made the Valpolicella territory famous since ancient times.

Sometimes, though, the fermentation did not stop, and the process consumed all the sugar. The wine became dry, instead of sweet, and in the rural lexicon of the Veronese countryside, it was called Amarone – “the big bitter”.

In the Bertani winery, however, Amarone was developed as an important production project at the beginning of the 1960s, when Guglielmo Ber-

tani convinced Piedmontese enologist, Ernesto Barbero, to take the reins of the winery in Grezzana. The cellars held some barrels from earlier vintages in which fermentation had continued. The wines were dry. The old peasants described the product as a Recioto scapà, that is, a Recioto that had ‘escaped’, and was no longer sweet. To the nose and palate of Guglielmo Bertani, that wine seemed defective and unmarketable, but it deeply intrigued Barbero. He undertook the difficult path of showcasing that extraordinary product, and thus contributed in a crucial way to the birth of one of Italian enology’s most important wines. If the first production from the 1958 vintage still expresses a strong link to the Recioto tradition, that’s due above all to the Bertani family’s wishes. However, by the 1960 harvest, Barbero managed to convince the owner that the road forward was that of a great, ageworthy, completely dry red that could compete with world-class wines. All

A VERTICAL TASTING. 50 YEARS OF AMARONE CLASSICO For the fiftieth anniversary of Amarone Classico Bertani, we took part in an exclusive vertical tasting that went from 2008 (on the market now) back to the first edition produced, 1958.

In its best years, production was about 80,000 bottles, with very few large format versions.

Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. ’08

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89 Cl. ’98

A decidedly hot year gave the grapes character dominated by typical sensations of cherry, noticeable from the first approach to the glass. Extraordinarily fresh, with aromas of medicinal herbs and flowers, it offers the palate a creamy, savory mouthfeel. Great harmony is sustained by smooth tannins and a vital acidic thrust that calls up traditional grape varieties. A wine of great elegance that finishes long with grace and decisiveness.

Ten years older, and once again a vintage year that was not only hot, but also decidedly dry. On the nose, the wine appears to be at a moment of great expressivity. Fresher and fruitier notes give way to more evolved ones of tobacco and spices, with an original, delightful presence of marine tones in the background. The palate is solid and sustained by assertive, almost severe acidity that lengthens the mouthfeel, but diminishes its harmony.

Tasting panel: Nicola Frasson, Emilio Pedron, Andrea Lonardi

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this was happening a decade before the denomination was established.

For a couple of decades, the wine didn’t make news. Reading the numerous documents that the Grezzana winery has preserved, it’s evident there was no true production protocol imposing precise bottling schedules. The wines could stay in the barrels for a few years, but also for ten or fifteen, waiting for market demand.

This gives some insight into the distant, almost naïve Italian world of wine after World War II. But it also shows how solid the winery was. If prices were low, it could choose not to sell its wine for many years, it was so confident of the excellence of its own production.

In recent decades, Bertani has energetically opposed commercial pressures (such as the Amarone boom that began in the mid-1990s) that called for a style change. Fashion demanded for more deeply colored, powerful wines that displayed important sugar residues. Those were 

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Amarone della Valpolicella

BERTANI, A PLAN AND A WINNING STYLE

THE WORLD OF VALPOLICELLA IN NUMBERS

19 7,844 2,286 286 7 87

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A very cold vintage year.

The wine presents a complex and deep nose, which perhaps is hard to decipher in its more mature phase.

The fruit seems very ripe, with many notes of dried grass. Its freshness is a surprise: notes of citrus fruit lend lightness, along with a very mineral note and traces of blood and raw meat sensations. The wine has great personality, distinguished by a solid palate, not sweet at all, remarkable substance and acidic force.

A cool year. Brought to the nose, the glass immediately expresses a very complex aroma dominated by mineral, smoky, spicy notes.

As in the ’98, marine and Mediterranean brush tones appear. On the palate, the wine proves to be in enviable form, slim and broad at the same time, very savory and with acidity that presents itself decisively. The decidedly long and dry finish is one to remember.

Once again, a fairly hot harvest season. It’s right to use the adjective ‘classic’ for this bottle. On the nose, the fruit is almost candied.

Aromas of sweet spices and aromatic infused herbs in some ways resemble those of a chinato wine, one flavored with chincona bark.

The palate is splendid, savory, taut with acidity. The wine is slim and nervous but at the same time solid and assertive. Fully present tannin perhaps reveals Barbero’s idea of measuring up to Barolo in the production of this wine.

Recioto Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. Sup. ’81

Recioto Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. Sup. ’75

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Recioto Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. Sup. ’67

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municipalities in the Verona province hectares of vineyard

grape growers

wineries

cooperatives

Reciotto Secco Amarone ’58

The first bottle produced (with reciotto written on the label with two Ts) is still in a 720ml format and is the product of a normal vintage year. This wine perhaps best represents the early entrepreneur’s project, but isn’t the type we know today. Still halfway between a Recioto and an Amarone in its market debut, it is sweeter than the wines that will follow through the years, and resembles a passito wine, with its sensations of dates, dried figs, spices, notes of Mediterranean brush and toasted hazelnuts. On the palate, the impact is soft and welcoming.

Alcohol plays its role, enhancing the qualities of sapidity. The wine still holds up, with acidity coming from traditional grapes.

THE STORIES

difficult years, in which the concept of classic, traditional, or even simply ‘typical’ seemed to have disappeared. Italian wine was facing serious problems. Twenty years later, Bertani is one of the best known and admired Amarone brands in the world, not only for the intrinsic quality of its wines, but also for their faithfulness to a traditional style that appeals to wine lovers today.

To define this Bertani style, we borrow the words of Ernesto Barbero.

“There are two ways of being an Amarone. You can be an exceptional wine, impressively concentrated, with notable power, alcohol, extracts and longevity. Or you can be a great red with more human characteristics, with moderate alcohol, more freshness and easier drinkability. I think Bertani Amarone has found the point of equilibrium between these two versions. It is an over the top wine. But without ever going over the top.” 

BERTANI DOMAINS. THE FINE ART OF WINE, ACCORDING TO AMARONE Emilio Pedron is an outstanding figure in the Italian world of wine.

His multi-decade career has been studded with success.

He orchestrated the birth of Bertani Domains, a winegrowing group with 450 hectares of vineyard spread among four regions: Veneto, Tuscany, Friuli and Marche. We asked him a few questions questions by Marco Sabellico – answers by Emilio Pedron At the end of the Nineties, Tenimenti Angelini needed a reboot and Bertani was in a less than ideal position. How did the idea of creating a single large group develop?

The Angelini family is an important player in the pharmaceutical world. They had deep roots in agriculture as well, and were seeking to diversify their investments. A few years before, they had purchased three Tuscan estates: Val di Suga in Montalcino, Tenuta Tre

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Rose in Montepulciano and San Leonino in Castellina in Chianti. Bertani was a winery with a long tradition. It had been founded in 1857, but at the end of the 1990s, it was having difficulties.

So what happened?

There were a lot of people involved and a lot of ideas, so it was hard to hold it all together.

All I did was to keep everything straight, emphasizing the history and tradition of the 

BERTANI, A PLAN AND A WINNING STYLE

14.9 18.3 27.7 550 330  Bertani winery, underlining the uniqueness of the Bertani style and its interpretation of Amarone. Bertani had invented modern Amarone. Bertani Secco is a wine that opened new horizons for Valpolicella.

These two firms could integrate perfectly and form a group of family businesses under one flag that could grow with acquisitions.

The logic of a holding allows structuring a sustainable business, rationalizing costs and developing a prestigious profile. It couldn’t have been an easy matter, though…

The Angelini family focuses on quality.

Through a series of targeted acquisitions, we were able to structure a group of prestigious brands and terroirs. To the three Tuscan estates and Bertani, we added Puiatti in Friuli (excellent wines from the Collio and the Colli Orientali). In Marche, the original home of the Angelini, which is one of the historic names of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, we bought first Collepaglia and then Fazi Battaglia, which Angelinis had founded over 50 years before.

Business problems that were similar in some ways…

Exactly. Here too, there were historic and traditional values to restore, as with Bertani.

There was an important wine, Verdicchio, to relaunch. Too often it had been sold too cheaply. We unified logistics, personnel, distribution and marketing. The results proved us right.

Why choose Bertani as the flagship brand, the group leader?

Bertani is a great name, an historic brand, a guarantee of solidity, tradition, reliability..

Today Bertani Domains has 450 hectares of vineyard, which represents 80% of our requirement, but we are ready to grow more and think about new prestigious purchases, without selling our product below cost. For example, with Fazi Battaglia, we increased its price and its quality in a noticeable way, but we didn’t lose our share of the market. Instead, we are growing both in Italy and abroad. San Sisto is a high profile Verdicchio, elegant and long-lived – it can evolve positively even for twenty years.

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million bottles of Amarone and Recioto million bottles of Valpolicella DOC million bottles of Ripasso million euros estimated revenue million euros revenue from Amarone alone

Can you give us an example of that?

Bertani, in 2002 and in 2014, did not make an Amarone, while other wineries did. It does not force the grape drying process technologically. Bertani dries its grapes by means of natural resting on racks. Instead, we focus on research and collaborate with important institutions such as the school in Conegliano Veneto and the Istituto Mach in San Michele all’Adige. We take the long view, build solid foundations. We construct value.

What new challenges are you facing?

We are working a great deal on basic Valpolicella, which is a marvelous wine and can grow. We do it by selecting vineyards and terroirs that express its potential to the maximum, in the Bertani style. We don’t believe much in the Ripasso type. In Friuli, we are focusing on Ribolla and Sauvignon, but we’re less interested in the brawls over Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. We are working successfully today in four regions, but we can grow, for example in Abruzzo.

We’re not in a hurry. Quality comes first, and success on the market follows.

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GAMBERO ROSSO X TRENTODOC

THE IRRESISTIBLE CHARM OF SPARKLING WINE FROM THE MOUNTAINS Trentodoc is a continually growing entity with enviable energy, enthusiasm and vitality. Counting the wineries in the denomination is a challenge.

We regularly do a census, but there’s always something new.

As we write this, they number 49, but by the time you read this, the threshold of 50 producers might have been crossed

by Marco Sabellico

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has never had as close a relationship with oak barrels as other winemaking areas. The vineyards, often planted at very high altitudes (1,000 meters above sea level is no longer daunting), are refreshed by a cold wind that comes from the mountains, the pelèr, as well as caressed by a warm southern breeze from Lake Garda. The wines have a crystalline purity that permits the different terroirs and grape varieties to have their say. Chardonnay, especially, shows an assertive character that reflects the Dolomite mountains. “We are growing,” said Enrico Zanoni, president of the Istituto Trento Doc. “The 12 million mark is within our grasp.” Export is a longer range project, even though the denomination – despite the fact that Italian metodo classico is still hardly known outside the country – sells 20% of its product abroad, much more than other classic sparkling wine zones.

The most important factor, however, is that among the wineries there’s a buzz of activity, and the territory itself is enthusiastic about it. “In 2016 we grew 10% in volume and 14% in value,” Zanoni continued, “and the projections for the end of the year promise an even more brilliant 2017. The true limit to growth is the high cost of the vineyards, which means many wineries can’t expand as they would like to. That’s why cooperation is strong in this sector in Trentino. Slowly, slowly, a series of medium-sized but high quality wineries are finding their place in the market alongside very prestigious firms. There’s also collaboration between cooperative and private wineries.”

What, we ask, is the Trentodoc secret? Zanoni has no doubts. “We have an extraordinary resource, and our style is expressive purity. Let the mountain speak. The market has understood what we’re doing, and it’s rewarding us.”

parkling Wine from the Mountains (in Italian, Bollicine di Montagna) is the catchphrase that the Istituto Trento Doc has chosen for its promotion in Italy and around the world. Some days ago we visited Trento (the northern Italian city in the Dolomite mountains that is the headquarters of Trentodoc) during the Bollicine sulla Città event, a showcase for the area’s spumante for 13 years. In 2017, the festival lasted from November 16 to December 10, featuring a panoply of events for wine lovers and gourmets that offered the opportunity to taste and enjoy Trentodoc production in different settings. Restaurants, wine bars, the Enoteca Provinciale in Palazzo Roccabruna, wineries, and even Trento’s science museum, MUSE, served the bubbly along with excellent local foods. It was the perfect occasion for tasting both the most recent releases and some well-aged vintages, a memorable experience.

Founded in 1984, the Trentino denomination was for a long time represented solely by the Ferrari winery. Today, that firm still accounts for 50% of the Trentodoc produced and is one of the best interpreters of spumante on the national scene. Production is above 8 million bottles annually, and the zone’s wineries, often led by young winegrowers, can be found from Val di Cembra to Rovereto, from Valle dei Laghi to the heights around Trento. Altitudes and climates vary among these locations, as does the soil, which includes calcareous formations and porphyry formed by ancient volcanoes. The principal grape is chardonnay. Sometimes it’s fruity and rich, sometimes subtle and nervous. Other varieties include fairly limited amounts of pinot nero and even smaller vineyards of pinot bianco and meunier, all interpreted with luminosity in mind. Although Brut and Brut Riserva are the stars of the show, in recent years, sweetness is falling out of favor and versions such as Pas Dosé or Extra Brut are moving forward. Trentino

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GAMBERO ROSSO X TRENTODOC

1. The vineyards 2. Trentodoc sparkling wine selection 3. A glass of Trentodoc sparkling wine 4. A view from the Trentodoc vineyards

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CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE N. 1308/2013 CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG. NO. 1308/2013

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MONTETI AND THE TEST OF TIME. IS CAPALBIO THE NEW BOLGHERI?

THE STORIES

O

n the Strada della Sgrilla, it’s easier to find foxes and wild boars than cars and people.

Capalbio is a delightful medieval hamlet, postcard worthy, with towers poking skyward, dense forest nearby, and the Mediterranean a short drive away. This zone is called the Maremma, only 90 comfortable minutes from Rome. But Capalbio is much more than a perfectly preserved village.

It is a symbolic place, the summer salon of Roman intellectuals, philosophers, politicians. Capalbio is a status symbol, a hangout for a certain type of leftwing politician and journalist. But more and more it’s becoming an important winegrowing center, a piece on the crowded Tuscan chessboard. We aren’t far here from the territories of Morellino di Scansano, or Sangiovese, but it’s the international varieties that are adapting well in this zone, expressing its clayey

terrains. Many investors have decided to bet on Capalbio. First of all, they fell in love with the beauty of the place, with its warm light, the sunniest and driest spot in all of Tuscany. Nature has been left alone here, despite being near the crystalline waters of the Mediterranean. It’s an uncrowded, unexplored corner with an enviable quality of life.

The story of Tenuta Monteti belongs to Paolo Baratta, economist and Italian ex-minister, and his wife Gemma Bracco. In 1998 they decided to restore an old ruin surrounded by a vineyard facing the Monteti hill that protects the zone from the Mediterranean’s breezes. It was completely intact, its woods and fauna undisturbed.

Since 2010, their daughter Eva Baratta and her Argentinian husband, Javier Pedrazzini have taken charge of the splendid property. The winemaking facilities are well-equipped and perfectly integrated into the landscape, while 

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MONTETI AND THE TEST OF TIME

Monteti 2005

Second year of production, the result of a cool, rainy vintage year. A blend of petit verdot (50%), cabernet franc (30%), cabernet sauvignon (20%). Aromas of moist earth and cinnamon lead into a juicy, markedly tannic palate, enlivened with an almost peppery note that resembles paprika. Good vitality, intensely spicy nature.

Monteti 2008

Warmer and riper than the 2005, it offers aromas of cigar, cassis and alcohol-preserved

cherries. Sinuous, full-bodied fruit on the palate, with spicy notes of cardamom. Tannin is sweet and creamy. Flavor is mouth-filling and continuous, with an energetic finish. A balsamic note returns, closing on licorice and eucalyptus.

Monteti 2010

The 2010 was the first vintage completely managed by Eva and Javier. The weather was perfect and linear, and the wine in the glass is in excellent shape. Dark fruit, with hints of myrtle and rosemary. The mouthfeel is juicy and peppery, with a finish on coffee and bitter orange notes. The most savory of the bunch, it has fascinating, complex sensations of Mediterranean herbs.

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Monteti 2011

In the 2011 vintage year, the amount of petit verdot in the blend increased. In the glass, a sensation of alcohol preserved fruit, ripe cherries and cacao.

Warm, intense palate, with silky tannins and a soft finish on full, meaty fruit. Serve it with wild boar seasoned with bay and juniper berries for a heavenly experience.

Monteti 2012 In 2012, the amount of cabernet sauvignon increased, and cabernet franc was reduced.

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Aromas of tar and star anise alternate with tones of plum and an intense note of black pepper. The palate displayed a lovely, rich savory tone with important tannic structure.

Still a little rigid in its evolution, it closes on notes of sweet tobacco.

Monteti 2013

Mint, mint, and more mint.

The balsamic profile of 2013 is very intense. Tones of nutmeg, dark fruit and a background note of roots. The palate is rich and warm, full of flavor and with a notable alcoholic tail. A great deal of spice and wood still being integrated. The wine has a long road ahead.

THE STORIES

the vineyards are managed with loving attention to the surrounding pristine landscape. Viva certification, one of the most demanding, was recently bestowed. It takes into consideration many sustainable aspects of production, including a technological method for checking on possible diseases in the vineyard. A system of backup irrigation turned out to be essential in 2017, when drought plagued the entire region. The harvest was down 30%, with sugar levels much higher than usual, which led to highly structured wines with more pronounced alcohol.

In this hot zone, which nevertheless benefits from extraordinary thermal excursions, sangiovese grapes render less and lose their more typical traits.

The choice of varieties focused on cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc,

alicante-bouschet and merlot planted on clayish soil at 150 meters above sea level, divided into 28 different plots.

The grapes are vinified separately and assembled only after the first phase of aging. Three wines are produced under the supervision of enologist Carlo Ferrini, who has followed the estate since the beginning. Caburnio is a blend of mostly cabernet sauvignon plus merlot, alicante-bouschet, petit verdot and cabernet franc. The new TM RosĂŠ has a merlot base, with cabernet franc: its aromas are fresh and airy. The flagship wine, Monteti, is a blend of petit verdot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc that ages in first and second passage barriques for 18 months. Our vertical tasting showed that the wines hold up very well and display their territorial character.â€? ď ś

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Caburnio 2013

Appealing aromatic phrasing, with fine tones of anise and freshly ground pepper. Fruit is full and meaty. Intriguing delicate dried flower scents. In the mouth, reactive and vibrant with a wonderful balsamic profile, notes of underbrush and a savory finish that hints at black olives, closing long and rhythmic. A great drink with an excellent price/quality ratio. At the winery, it costs 13 euros.

(Also, see www.tenutamonteti.it/ store)

Savour the landscape, too.

Tenute SalvaTerra has been awarded the international “Best of Wine Tourism” award 2018 for the “Architecture and Landscapes” category.

Architecture, landscape and wine are intricately linked, as all three are the result of human thought and work. This time, we have not won recognition for our wines, but for our commitment to nurturing and promoting a major wine region and its produce.

The stunning natural beauty of Valpolicella awaits you.

ANNIE FEOLDE. ENOTECA PINCHIORRI. A TALENT FORGE Forty-five years after its founding, the Florentine Enoteca is still a training ground for young cooks. Some of Italy’s best culinary talent has worked here.

The youngest at the stove today is 33.

The sommelier is barely 23

words by Sonia Gioia - photography by Alberto Biasetti

THE STORIES

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lessandro Cini is 23 - a tall, slender young man, he is a sommelier. Every evening, after bidding the last guests good night, he takes refuge in the cellar and puts aside the empty bottles to make space for new arrivals. Pieces of the puzzle come in daily to refresh the collection of 80,000 labels. Alessandro Tomberli has been greeting guests and handling the Enoteca Pinchiorri front of house for 33 years, but the sommelier, born in 1994, has been in Via Ghibellina for only two years. Nevertheless, he is as comfortable among these legendary shelves as Meryl Streep is on a movie set.

He looked around the amphitheater of open bottles and chatted with us about the history of a recently emptied Château Mouton Rothschild 2009 and about a Petrus 1991, a missing piece in the otherwise complete series held by his highness Giorgio Pinchiorri.

That year the harvest failed and the vintage was never bottled.

Passé? A restaurant from the past now celebrating its 45th year? Think again. The Enoteca (the word in Italian literally meant a wine repository, now a wine store) has the effervescent atmosphere of a Renaissance workshop. The kitchen is a hive of activity and the training ground for young talent: the average age in the brigade is 30. No temps man the stoves. All are on full-time two-year minimum contracts, since the Enoteca has learned not to train beginners who then disappear for better-paying jobs. The older staff are expected to transmit their art, the timetested and codified methods that eventually become features of a style. The lower echelons are expected to keep up with the pace and possibly add something of their own, if they have the right stuff.

Madame Annie, as Annie Françoise Féolde Lenoir is known, was the first to set the example. After years of wild, desperate study of the sacred texts of Italian cucina (“I am from Nice. I had to learn everything by myself. I had no maestro to help me.”) she was able to present dishes worthy of the wines held in Giorgio Pinchiorri’s cellar. Much later, she yielded and left the stove for others to handle. “I had to manage the front of house and the Tokyo restaurant was opening.” That

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was the 1990s. The flashbacks come quickly.

On November 17, 1992, a fire ruined 25,000 bottles. (The year was the same in which the library of Sarajevo burned. A coincidence.)

In Via Ghibellina, there was no time for prayers, just the need to get past the smoke, the ashes and the pain, move back on track.

The second life of the Enoteca began on January 25, 1993. Chef Italo Bassi returned from Asia, having led the opening of the Tokyo restaurant, and took over the kitchen.

Riccardo Monco joined the staff. Bassi was 24 years old, Monco, 21. In that crucial year

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— Enoteca Pinchiorri Florence via Ghibellina, 87 055242757 enotecapinchiorri.com

THIS RESTAURANT IS NOT A MUSEUM - ENOTECA PINCHIORRI

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THE PHOTOGRAPHER Entering a sacred temple of cucina was a great responsibility and a powerful emotion. I was able to photograph however I liked, approach the personnel freely, both in the kitchen and the front of house. Annie Feolde trusted me completely and was a fantastic model, completely natural and with a very strong personality.

– Alberto Blasetti

1. Enoteca Antipasto: light beef carpaccio, eel in sweet hot sauce, sea urchins, celery and almond puree 2. The restaurant dining room.

After the 1992 fire, they started over 3. Riccardo Monco, executive chef, has been at the Enoteca since he was 21. He started as Italo Bassi’s helper in 1993

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a quarter of a century ago, a very young Carlo Cracco also joined the staff, and managed to introduce risotto to the menu. (He is a renowned Italian chef and TV personality today.) Annie remembers those years as an endless string of airplanes, sleepless nights, scribbled to-do notes, constant, exhausting activity.

Meanwhile, the kitchen evolved as the baton passed from one hand to another. Enoteca Pinchiorri, long the proud reign of housemade pasta, allowed in the dry kind. It felt like an earthquake had rumbled around the domains of the country’s alta cucina. Monco described it like this: “The evolutionary parabola of the Enoteca was accelerated by visits to the most important restaurants in the world, by freeing ourselves from the egoism of our own tastes, our ignoring the fact that tastes change. Also, we felt the need to experiment, to shape the identity of the place where we worked. Today, examining ten dishes coming from the four corners of the planet, from the global village of the kitchen, it’s impossible to identify provenance. That’s why our latest tasting menu has the name “Contemporaneo”. Its Italian sensibility is our identifying mark, that which makes the difference.”

Many soon-to-be great names spent time working in the Enoteca kitchens. Of Franck Cerruti, now Executive Chef at the Hotel Paris in Montecarlo, Annie remembered, “He said, ‘do you realize you have two Michelin stars?’

We were surprised by his professorial manner, almost to the point of being offended. But he was right.” About Carlo Cracco, now a celebrated Milanese chef with his own restaurant: “He was very young and very severe, with himself and with others.” Stefano Baiocco, chef at his own two-star Villa Feltrinelli near Brescia: “He came through his brother Walter, gave it a try and stayed for three years. He was the chef de partie for main courses, and he was amazingly good with his hands. It was clear he had something extra. He was all about studying and curiosity.” Anthony Genovese (owner of Il Pagliaccio, Rome): “We sent him to Tokyo. Asia transformed him. When he came back, he was another chef.” Paolo Lopriore (owner of Il Portico, Appiano Gentile, Como): “We called him Bubul. He was only here 

THE STORIES

THE ENOTECA PINCHIORRI TEAM Kitchen Riccardo Monco Executive chef Alessandro della Tommasina Chef de cuisine Charming Pistoli - Andrea Cerutti Luca Soldati - Alessio Signorino Filippo Paoletti - Satoshi Hazama Gianluca Brio - Andrea Mazzi Federico Gandolfi Leonardo Nocentini - Valerio Fermani Pastry Luca Lacalamita Pastry chef Miranda Tavella - Francesco Federici Tommaso Nieri - Michelangelo Coviello

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Dining Room Alessandro Tomberli Dining Room Director Alessandro Gianni Maitre Ivano Boso Cellar director Manuel Catinaccio - Alessandro Cini Antonio Rosolino - Davide Altobelli Romeo Bisacchi - Andrea De Luca Marek Waldemar Molsa Duccio Morandi Guido Rossi Monti - Imran Ahmad Giulio Cresci - Simone De Robert Pawel Zygmunt Dragan Andrea Fichera - Andrea Faedda Giacomo Marcatilli Alessandro Pinchiorri Mario Andrea Martina 5

1979 – Giorgio 1972 – 45 years ago, in Pinchiorri, already October of that year, the the enoteca director, bought out his Enoteca Nazionale was founded. There were nine partners and founded the Enoteca with his members with Giorgio Pinchiorri as director. At own name. first, they served wine by the glass. Annie Féolde came a little afterwards.

1970

1979 – Renowned food and wine journalist Luigi Veronelli had visited the Enoteca a few years before, but in 1979 Il Sole 24 came, and with that, fame and attention from the guides – first for the wine cellar “immense, legendary, inimitable” celebrated by Veronelli, and then for the food.

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1992 – On November 17, a terrible fire swept 1990 – In November, through the Enoteca wine cellar, destroying 1989 – Italo Bassi, 20 the first edition of 25,000 bottles years old, came to work Gambero Rosso’s Ristoranti d’Italia in the kitchen. After a comes out. The Enoteca short time he went to Tokyo, and returned to is one of the 10 Tre 1992 – In March, Forchette listed, with a Florence in 1993. He Enoteca Pinchiorri score of 93 stayed for 26 years. opened in Tokyo

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1992 – On November 20, three days after the fire, the Michelin guide gave Enoteca Pinchiorri three stars. Annie Féolde was the first woman cook in Italy (the fourth in the world, after the three méres in Lyon) to receive this award.

At the stove with Annie was Italo Bassi and Carlo Cracco.

THIS RESTAURANT IS NOT A MUSEUM - ENOTECA PINCHIORRI

for six months, but his kindness and shyness left its mark.” Loretta Fanella (pastry chef with her own academy now) “We went to get her in Spain, where she was working at Ferran Adria’s El Bulli. In her two years here she brought the breeze of conceptual cooking to our pastry. Her Prato dessert, a homage to the sweet landscapes of the Mediterranean, are a piece of our history.” Besides these, other key figures in new Italian cucina also spent time working in the Pinchiorri kitchens, learning, influencing others: Andrea Berton, Antonio Guida, Andrea Mattei, Luca Landi. The Enoteca has history that goes back decades, but still operates today with the same open attitudes.

We ask who was the latest talent to pass through this kitchen. Annie and Riccardo Monco exchange glances. “At least two. One we went 

WHO’S WORKED HERE ANNIE AND GIORGIO ARE EVERYONE’S MAMMA AND PAPÀ I remember that evening at El Bulli. It was 2006 and I was 26. The top guns from Enoteca Pinchiorri were there for dinner, Signora Annie with Giorgio Pinchiorri, chef Italo Bassi and Riccardo Monco. I didn’t know they were there for me. In that period, I had a lot of offers, but I didn’t hesitate. I chose the Enoteca. They left me carte blanche right away, and I’m still grateful.

Thanks to my experience in Spain, I brought super-natural pastry to Via Ghibellina – three dimensional landscapes made of sugarless meringues, freeze-dried fruit, deconstructed desserts, techniques learned in the kitchen with Albert Adrià to which I added my own philosophy. Now it’s all commonplace, but that was 10 years ago at the Enoteca. Annie and Giorgio? They are Mamma and Papà to all of us, and it’s not an overstatement. On the birthday of every single member of the staff and kitchen brigade, you ate at their table and there was a present for you. The same at Christmas.

— Loretta Fanella HOW I STALKED TO GET MY JOB AT THE ENOTECA They finally took me in from exhaustion. I sent my CV and I phoned, over and over. My brother Walter, their first fan, was worse. When they finally hired me, Italo Bassi said, “You know why you’re here. Because Mr. Pinchiorri said, ‘Try this Baiocco. He has been such a pain in the ass, he must really want to work.” I got there in 1995. I was 22. I was walking on air, I would have peeled potatoes and been perfectly happy. I remember exactly what Riccardo Monco was preparing when I arrived. It was a lobster salad with barley, seasoned with salt, pepper, yarro, mizuna and maidenstears (a wild herb), mostarda di Cremona, balsamic vinegar and olive oil (Tuscan). I stayed there for three years, moving up from commis to chef de partie for fish and meat. For me, it was the entryway to haute cuisine. There I understood the explosive power of the group. Above all, I understood that I had found my way of life.

— Stefano Baiocco 7

1993 – Riccardo Monco (21 at the time) joined the Enoteca staff. At the end of the year, when Italo Bassi returnsed from Tokyo, the kitchen was run with four hands and three heads. Riccardo and Italo shared the title of First Chef.

1995 – Loss of the third Michelin star and Gambero Rosso Tre Forchette

2016 – In March, The Artisan by Enoteca Pinchiorri opened in Dubai 1997 – Won back Gambero Rosso Tre Forchette 2003 – Won back the third Michelin star

2008 – Enoteca Pinchiorri closed in Tokyo and opened 2012 – Loss of the Gambero Rosso Tre Forchette in Nagoya

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2016 – The Gambero reassigned Tre Forchette 2017 – Enoteca Pinchiorri rose to 93 points in the Gambero restaurant guide. Luca Lacalamita, pastry chef, won the award for pastry chef of the year. The Gambero Rosso magazine published a great article with fabulous texts and photos: this one!

THE STORIES

THE ENOTECA WINE CELLAR A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR The Enoteca wine cellar is the same one as always. What has changed over the years is our guests’ perception of wine. There is more information around, more wine news, more exchange of experiences. Wine lovers can obtain wines more easily. Thirty years ago, we ordered bottles with letters and stamps, then by fax and mail. Today, a click is enough.

Our guests have very high expectations. Seventy per cent of them are foreigners. They have a wide knowledge of the most prestigious labels, are well-informed and have eaten in restaurants all around the world, thanks to guide books that talk about Singapore, Hong Kong, Macao, Rio, New York, Las Vegas. The structure of our wine cellar is very solid. It’s the one set up by Giorgio Pinchiorri 45 years ago, and ranges from the Burgundies of Jayer, Meo Camuzet, Roumier to the great Bordeaux Chateaux and many others. Now we have to proceed, together with Giorgio, along the research road and explore other firms that are appearing in the world of wine. We have many Tuscan labels, the famous ‘vini da tavola’ (or, as Americans say, the SuperTuscans) that, however, when they became IGT or DOC, found their numbers reduced by natural selection. Then, we chose to abandon Chianti Classico. There was too much confusion within the denomination. Some time ago, a client asked me about the difference between a DOCG (Brunello) and an IGT (Messorio) – which was better? But how can you explain that to an Asian who barely knows where Italy is?

Recently, we decided to have exclusive labels. We buy the entire production of small wineries we believe are interesting. The most recent challenges, however, have to do with slimming down the wine list to make it more functional and then training our personnel.

Neither of those is easy with a cellar that has over 4,000 labels. The wine list can’t be the Divine Comedy. The wine cellar – practical and visitable – can’t be a museum. The sommeliers have to know how to make the cellar live, leading guests to the discovery of labels and vintage years. Their work is based on the satisfaction of our guests. That’s more important than the choice of one label rather than another. That is the real motivation for continuing to grow and learn.

— Alessandro Tomberli

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to get from Akelarre in San Sebastian. The other began as a commis, an apprentice, and was promoted to chef de cuisine.” They also spoke of their 30-something pastry chef, Luca Lacalamita, from Puglia, and young Alessandro Della Tommasina. “Luca threw himself into leavened products and chocolate. He shaped his vision of pastry to fit the Enoteca, and even brought vegetables into it. His sweets are really sweet, but have a truly modern lightness.” Della Tommasina is Tuscan, from Massa, and Monco said, “He is capable of making even the most retro flavors seem contemporary.”

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THIS RESTAURANT IS NOT A MUSEUM - ENOTECA PINCHIORRI

THE GRAND RESTAURANTS? THEY HELP TRAIN YOUNG PEOPLE It was towards the end of 1991. I was 26 and had worked in the kitchens of Alain Ducasse and Alain Senderens.

I sent a letter to Enoteca Pinchiorri and asked if there was the possibility of being a chef. Two months after my arrival, a revolution took place. Four or five people were added to the kitchen and the menu changed direction drastically. I was very severe, most of all with myself. When you’re young, you have a lot of ideas and you want to put them into practice. I introduced risotto, for example, which they hadn’t served before. What contribution did I make to their getting a third star? The determination to attain one. A cook on his own is nothing. In that brigade, besides me, Italo Bassi and Riccardo Monco, there were Andrea Berton, Paolo Lopriore, Anthony Genovese, Marc Lanteri, Giovanni Ciresa and I surely forgot someone. The grand restaurants matter. They train young people. The Enoteca was an extraordinary place for trying things out. Annie and Giorgio were two pilasters of enthusiasm and support for everyone.

— Carlo Cracco HERE THERE’S ALWAYS FUTURE PERFECT AND ANCESTRAL PAST The Enoteca for me was a brief experience, but illuminating – my first Italian grande maison. I was 28, and I spent 11 intense months there. I came through Stefano Baiocco. He passed the baton to me. I took his place as chef de partie of meat in Via Ghibellina.

He went on to Pierre Gagnaire. I was electrified by the kitchen’s ability to transform the great traditional dishes, elevating them to elegance, to the refinement of alta cucina. I remember a magnificent pigeon in terracotta with zolfini beans – future perfect and ancestral past in the same plate, projected into an international dimension. And the brigade! A Babel of passports, languages and professionality. Above all, I remember the family warmth that Annie and Giorgio Pinchiorri transmitted to the brigade.

The food for the personnel table was of the highest quality. And that moment, ours alone, felt uniquely sacred. That is the bond that makes a kitchen great.

— Antonio Guida 9

Is there a generation gap between you and the two chefs heading the brigade? The answer is embodied in a kitchen tool: “The scale, the building block of pastry, changed everything after Ferran Adrià. Nothing was ever the same.

Alessandro knows how to use it. I don’t.”

Dried pasta, risotto, deconstructed sweets, the scale. The need to move on and the certainty that one never arrives. Omnivorous curiosity. And every table full every night – try to reserve and see. But, above all, Annie and Giorgio, amore that moves the sun and other stars. 

4. 5. 6. The staff prepares tables for service, checks glasses and studies reservations 7. The classic place setting of the Florentine restaurant: tradition with a wink at informality 8. Luca Lacalamita, pastry chef, award winner in Ristoranti d’Italia 2018 del Gambero Rosso 9. Alessandro Della Tommasina, second in the kitchen. His boss says, “He is able to turn even the most retro flavor towards the contemporary.”

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BEREBENE 2018 CENTER & SOUTH Gambero Rosso’s guide, Berebene 2018, has just been published.

It is a guide to Smartwines, those with an excellent quality/price ratio.

They cost less than 13 euros on wine shop shelves. In November we listed the labels receiving awards in the northern regions of Italy.

Here are the 18 winners for central and southern Italy curated by Stefania Annese and William Pregentelli

 National award for quality/price  White Central Italy

Vernaccia di S. Gimignano Selvabianca ‘16 - Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara San Gimignano (SI) località Racciano via San Donato, 1 0577942004 colombaio santachiara.it 11.60 euros

Leaving San Gimignano in the direction of Volterra, you come to Mario Logi’s land, where his three sons, Alessio, Stefano and Giampiero carry on the family winery based on the idea that it’s the territory that produces the wine. Their Vernaccia Selvabianca ’16 has fresh, almost citrusy tones of lime, then aromatic herbs and good structure. The finish is savory and pleasant.

 National award for quality/price  Red Central Italy

Colli del Trasimeno Gamay Divina Villa Et. Bianca ‘16 - Duca della Corgna Castiglione del Lago (PG) via Roma, 236 0759652493 ducadellacorgna.it 10.00 euros

We have always appreciated Duca della Corgna wines, especially those that are younger, for their drinkability and clean flavor. Among these, undoubtedly, is Divina Villa, a gamay del Trasimeno (a grape from the grenache family that has always been called gamay locally). It stands out for its aromas of cherry, wild strawberry, roses and spices. The palate is juicy, freshly acidic, with tannins barely hinted at and mouth-filling sapidity. Very good with grilled red meat.

 National award for quality/price  Rosato Central Italy

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Sup. ‘16 - Barone Cornacchia Torano Nuovo (TE) c.da Torri, 19 0861887412 barone cornacchia.it 6.70 euros

The headquarters of the Cornacchia family are in Torri di Torano Nuovo, on the Teramane hills, in what was once a hunting reserve for the agricultural estates belonging to the Fortezza di Civitella. The winery turns out contemporary-style wines like this Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Superiore ’16: a nose of wild berries, black pepper, plowed-up soil. Its varietal character is even more evident in mouth-filling, Mediterranean flavor with its red-wine structure.

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 National award for quality/price  White Southern Italy

Vermentino di Sardegna Camminera ‘16 - Audarya Serdiana (CA) strada statale 466 km 10,100 070740437 audarya.it 8.70 euros

This young winery in Serdiana, headed by Salvatore and Nicoletta Pala, focuses on products that are not only high quality overall, but are also respectful of their territory. A wonderful example is Camminera ’16, a selection of vermentino with fascinating aromas of citrus fruit, aromatic herbs, white fruit and delicate tones of almonds. Fresh and savory on the palate, it fills the mouth and is characterized by deep flavor that, on the finish, brings out the notes first perceived on the nose.

 National award for quality/price  Red Southern Italy

Vento di Mare Nero d’Avola ‘16 - Cantine Ermes Santa Ninfa (TP) contrada Salinella 092467153 cantineermes.it 7.10 euros

The Cantine Ermes is an important cooperative in the valley of Belice which can draw on five wineries, 1,200 members and 4,800 hectares of vineyard. Like other Sicilian cooperatives, Ermes has begun focusing on the quality of its wines, working well in the vineyard and on yields. Their Nero d’Avola Vento di Mare ’16 is very pleasant, with its fragrances of plum, blueberries and wild flowers. It displays a fine texture in the mouth, well balanced between elegant tannins and good, juicy fruit.

 National award for quality/price  Rosato Southern Italy

Tramari ‘16 - Cantine San Marzano San Marzano di San Giuseppe (TA) via Regina Margherita, 149 0999574181 cantine sanmarzano.com 10.60 euros

This large cooperative winery draws on 1,200 members who cultivate 1,500 hectares of vineyard, mostly located in the municipalities of San Marzano, Sava and Francavilla Fontana on residual red soil with a strong presence of fine-textured iron oxides, a calcareous substrata and rocky outcroppings. Tramari ’16 is a Primitivo Rosato with aromatic, floral fragrances and a fruity, juicy palate.

 Regional award for quality/price  Tuscany

Rosso di Montepulciano ‘16 - Podere Le Bèrne Montepulciano (SI) località Cervognano via Poggio Golo, 7 0578767328 leberne.it 7.80 euros

Le Berne is a fascinating artisanal winery, located in one of the best winegrowing parts of the Montepulciano zone. Cervognano is the iconic place where Andrea Cortonesi grows his grapes and turns out authentic wines. His Rosso ’16 is truly delicious. It is fragrant with red flowers and berries, with a touch of cinnamon and balsamic tones. In the mouth, it is light and scintillating.

 Regional award for quality/price  Marche

Offida Passerina ‘16 - Giacomo Centanni Montefiore dell’Aso (AP) c.da Aso, 159 0734938530 vinicentanni.it 8.80 euros

Beyond Rock and Roll. Giacomo Centanni, like Elvis reborn, is recognized as the King of Offida Passerina. His wine is light years away from the many light and slender versions around. Maturation lasts a long time and the search for substance gives us a white with generous fragrances of candied grapefruit, thyme and a hint of honey. The palate is full of flavor, powerful and layered. The finish brings almost saline sensations.

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 Regional award for quality/price  Umbria

Todi Grechetto Montorsolo ‘16 - Cantina Peppucci Todi (PG) località Sant’Antimo fraz. Petroro, 4 0758947439 cantinapeppucci.com 9.20 euros

Peppucci is a beautiful family-run winery in the countryside near Todi. It was founded in the 1980s, when Piero Peppucci bought a completely abandoned Benedictine monastery.

Now the estate has a modern, well-equipped winemaking facility built in 2010 where it can vinify both whites (made mostly from local varieties) and reds, which include international grapes. Montorsolo is a Grechetto di Todi with notes of yellow fruit, helichrysum, and aromatic herbs. The palate is very savory, taut and flavorful, especially on the finish.

It is a perfect match for paccheri pasta in rabbit ragout.

 Regional award for quality/price  Lazio

Est!Est!!Est!!! di Montefiascone Poggio del Cardinale ‘16 - Antica Cantina Leonardi Montefiascone (VT) via del Pino, 12 0761826028 cantinaleonardi.it 9.00 euros

Antica Cantina Leonardi is an historic winery of the territory. It focuses above all on grechetto grapes and is also one of the principal defenders of the denomination Est!Est!!Est!!! of Montefiascone, in particular with this Poggio del Cardinale selection. The 2016 version offers white and tropical fruit aromas with citrusy notes, followed by a full-bodied, taut and juicy palate with long acidic backbone.

 Regional award for quality/price  Abruzzo

Abruzzo Pecorino Sup. Ferzo ‘16 - Codice Citra Ortona (CH) c.da Cucullo 0859031342 citra.it 6.70 euros

Six thousand hectares of vineyard, three thousand members, almost 20 million bottles annually: these numbers sum up the important role played on the Abruzzese scene by Codice Citra, a true cooperative of cooperatives. They are constantly able to turn out great products at low prices, such as this Pecorino Ferzo ’16, with its clean fragrances of white fruit, herbs and iodine. The palate is impressive, with a citrusy backbone and saline verve.

 Regional award for quality/price  Molise

Molise Falanghina ‘16 - Di Majo Norante Campomarino (CB) frazione Nuova Cliternia via Colle Savino, 6 087557208 dimajonorante.com 8.40 euros

The 120 hectares of vineyard managed by the Di Majo Norante family lie in the countryside around Campomarino. They embody a true encyclopedia of ampelography, and supply the grapes for an extremely complex range of competitivelypriced wines. Emblematic is this Falanghina ’16, one of the best whites ever produced in Molise, with its nose of pear, freshly-cut grass, and iodine, sensations coherently reappearing in a vertical but not cutting mouthfeel.

 Regional award for quality/price  Campania

Irpinia Aglianico Taurì ‘15 - Antonio Caggiano Taurasi (AV) contrada Sala 082774723 cantinecaggiano.it 10.90 euros

Antonio Caggiano had traveled the world far and wide with his camera by his side.

He then came back home to construct one of the most beautiful wineries in the region, completely built of local stone, with a cellar for his French oak barriques and bottles. Today Giuseppe, known as Pino, has taken over the responsibility for the wines’ quality. The Regional award this year goes to Tauri ’15, an airy aglianico with aromas of red fruit and clear hints of orange zest. The palate is tonic and rigorous. A great beverage.

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BEST WINES UNDER 13 EUROS

 Regional award for quality/price  Basilicata

Aglianico del Vulture Gricos ‘15 - Grifalco della Lucania Grifalco di Lucania is a family-run winery. Its story began in Tuscany, specifically in Montepulciano, with Fabrizio and Cecilia Piccin. It continued in 2003 with the purchase of various vineyards among the municipalities of Ginestra, Maschito, Rapolla and Venosa, in the province of Potenza. The team was completed with the couple’s sons, Lorenzo, an enologist, and Andrea, devoted to the business side. This year, the Regional Award goes to Gricos ’15, with its fruity nose and smoky notes. The palate is vital, taut and mineral. Moreover, it is sold at a more than affordable price.

Venosa (PZ) località Pian di Camera 097231002 11.80 euros

 Regional award for quality/price  Puglia

Salice Salentino Rosso ‘15 - Mocavero Pietro Mocavero, along with his sons Francesco and Marco, manages the family business, which draws on 65 hectares of vineyard, some owned, some rented. More than half are grown ad alberello and are devoted to indigenous red grapes. Salice Salentino Rosso ’15 presents spicy notes of black fruit and a substantial palate, long and balanced.

Arnesano (LE) via Mallacca Zummari 0832327194 mocaverovini.it 10.10 euros

 Regional award for quality/price  Calabria

Cirò Rosso Cl. Sup. ‘14 - ‘A Vita Crotone fraz. Cirò Marina strada statale 106 km 279,800 3290732473 avitavini.it 10.00 euros

Francesco and Laura De Franco were among the first in Cirò to believe in sustainable viticulture. They took up their organic agriculture approach years before anyone else. Austere and elegant, their Cirò Riserva ’14 is complex and multi-faceted on the nose, with aromas of red berries and Mediterranean brush. It opens well in the mouth, pushed by a fresh acidic vein and supported by pulpy, tonic fruit where young, still nervous tannins are submerged.

 Regional award for quality/price  Sicily

Sicilia Grillo Cavallo delle Fate ‘16 - Tasca d’Almerita Sclafani Bagni (PA) c.da Regaleali 0916459711 tascadalmerita.it 11.70 euros

The Tasca d’Almerita family has been producing wine on their beautiful Regaleali estate in Sclafani Bagni since 1830. Few Italian wineries can match them in terms of history and family tradition, comparable to a great French chateau. This year we especially liked Grillo Cavallo delle Fate ’16 for its fragrant, clear aromas of fresh pineapple and medicinal herbs, and for its pleasant, savory and rich mouthfeel, its good fruitiness and fine acidic backbone.

 Regional award for quality/price  Sardinia

Mandrolisai Fradiles ‘15 - Fradiles Atzara (NU) loc. Creccherì 3331761683 fradiles.it 11.80 euros

Mandrolisai is one of the most interesting subregions of wine on the island. It is a Denominazione di Origine, requiring only the name of the place it’s from. It is made with three grape varieties, cannonau, bovale, and a small amount of monica, which is what the growers have always planted in their vineyards, as if the blend was already made there. A worthy heir to this grapegrowing culture is Paolo Savoldo and his winery Fradiles. Mandrolisai Rosso is a great Mediterranean wine, transmitting both the warmth of the varieties represented and the freshness of the high hill where the vineyards grow. All in all, a great red.

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GOURMET FOOD FESTIVAL

Gourmet Food Festival 2017.

A new event in Torino Three days of exhibitions, one grand indoor piazza, 51 happenings, 4 thematic areas, 15 tasting opportunities, over 70 speakers including chefs, pastry chefs, bartenders, bakers, pizzaioli, nutritionists and artisans. These are a few of the numbers from the first edition of Gourmet Food Festival, a project promoted by GL Events Italia, with participation and contents by Gambero Rosso.

The Food Festival enlivened Lingotto Fiere di Torino on November 17, 18 and 19, 2017

Torino welcomed a new event dedicated to quality wine and food. Gambero Rosso added its authority and know-how to support the project promoted

by GL Events Italia. The two have partnered for two years in the organization of Gourmet Expoforum, a fair reserved to the Ho.Re.Ca. and Food&Beverage sector. The Food Festival was part of the “Gourmet” package.

A vast space, the agora, was arranged for a weekend dedicated to top quality food and wine, with four kitchens and 18 cooks coming from the Città del Gusto of Torino.

The program was diversified, educational and, of course, delicious – coordinated and

presented by the Gambero Rosso team. Among the most successful happenings were those dedicated to ‘knowledgeable shopping’.

Great names in food followed each other on the stage: Carlo Cracco, Peppe Guida, Gianfranco Pascucci, Christian Milone, Beppe Gallina, Massimo Spigaroli.

During the three days in Torino, education took a spectacular turn with workshops on dough, cooking techniques, pairings and mixing held by stars in the sector.

Teachers for a day included Simone Padoan, Stefano Callegari, Iginio Massari, Igles Corelli, Cristiano Tomei, Gino Sorbillo, Domenico Martucci, i fratelli Pansa, Pasquale Marigliano, Massimiliano Prete,

MAIN SPONSORS Bohemia Kvetna1794 Bel Colle Bertani Circuito Da Lavoro Consorzio Provolone Valpadana Hausbrandt Mezzacorona Molini Spigadoro Nuova Castelli Solania YouWine

SPONSORS Amarot Birra Flea Birra Lara Birrificio Abba’ Black Sheep Caffè Savoia Cantine Marisa Cuomo Ceci-né Cereal Terra

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In these pages, highlights from the Gourmet Food Festival

1. Carlo Cracco 2. Peppe Guida 3. Gianfranco Pascucci 4. Iginio Massari 5. Marcello Trentini 6. Max Mariola

7. Cristiano Tomei 8. Gino Sorbillo 9. Vito 10. Massimo D’Addezio 11. Simone Padoan 12. Igles Corelli

Marcello Trentini, Matteo Baronetto, Nicola Di Tarsia, Patrick Ricci, Mirko Turconi and Carlotta Linzalata. Familiar faces from Gambero Rosso Channel appeared as well, such as Max Mariola, Vito and Massimo D’Addezio, who presented his first book, Spirits.

The goal of the weekend was to inform and educate visitors, an objective shared with the sponsors who made it all possible. We thank you for having believed in the project, even in its first edition.

Thank you for the passion you show every day. The next date is June, 2018, with an edition dedicated to the trade (Gourmet Expoforum), coordinated with Bocuse d’Or. 1

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Gourmet Food Festival 2017.

A new event in Torino ď ľ Demetra Dolceraro Fermo Fredo IContadini La Tresca Pasticceria Buzzi Ronco Luigina Scagliotti Scirocco Sta senza pnzier Tenuta Castello Tenuta Santo Spirito Torta Pistocchi Tosti Venturini Baldini Ziccat

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IN COLLABORATION WITH Acquapazza Antica Corte Pallavicina Apicoltura Galli Bonsicilia Calabriaittica Cantina Sociale Castagnole Monferrato Ceste Vini Fratelli Burgio Icafe di Obialero La Bottega di Mastro Taricco La cucina di una Masterchef La Ghiotta Marmotta La Poiana Lerda Pasticceria Luigi Guffanti 1876 Miss Dado Morra Cioccolato Moscatello di Taggia Oasi Gourmet Oro Bianco Pachineat Panificio Villone Paganoni Riserva San Massimo Ronco Margherita Ruliano Salumificio Pedrazzoli Tanara Giancarlo

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MINIGUIDE

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What’s every tourist’s dream when they come to a new city?

To have in their hands the right keys to the spirit of the place. In our case, those keys are the names and addresses of the best places to eat, including the newest ones in the center of town, right by the Mole

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TORINO

Regio Parco

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12 14

21

8 Dora

ia

Ripar

18 7

Piazza Castello Mole Antonelliana

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11 Gran Madre

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Porta Nuova

San Salvario

Parco del Valentino

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MINIGUIDE

1 restaurant

Del Cambio historic restaurant, strategic position, creative cucina piazza Carignano, 2 011546690 delcambio.it closed Sunday evenings, Mondays, Tuesday lunch cost 115 euros To say the place is a classic is an understatement. We think no Italian restaurant has had to work as hard with the Fine Arts Ministry for their concept – which is what it is – as the De Negri family. The concept includes the Bar Cavour, the elegant boutique – workshoppharmacy, and various elements such as the 19th century rooms, the beautiful outdoor terrace facing the Palazzo Carignano and – new this year – the wine cellar renovated in an exemplary manner, with a sharing table for private dinners and tastings.

In an ambiance this unique, it’s not easy to find balance in the cucina. Matteo Baronetto has done it, somewhere between provocations inspired by long experience with Milan-based chef Carlo Cracco and a revisiting of traditional dishes. Today, the balance has shifted towards the second of these: lettuce with butter, truffles, smoked chestnuts and anchovy; codfish with chestnuts, pumpkin, berries, beets, Roman chicory with anchovies: red mullet with cabbage, pistachio and violets. The regional menu is impeccable, including desserts. Tasting menus from 105 euros (traditional), to 115 and 145 (Reasoned Inspiration, six or nine courses); light lunch with two or three dishes

to choose from a daily menu, 40 and 50 euros. Wine service is professional and precise.

2 restaurant

Casa Vicina

Service is attentive and efficient, never invasive, but always present. Wine selection, drawing from Eataly’s cellar, is vast and priced properly.

sionate, the result of visits, tastings and competence. Prices are never unfair. Tasting menu at 25 euros at lunch during the week.

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4

restaurant

restaurant

Al Gatto Nero

solidity emblematic of great Piedmontese tradition via Nizza, 224 01119506840 casavicina.com closed Sunday evenings and Mondays cost 80 euros

an historic name and one of Italy’s best wine cellars corso F. Turati, 14 011590414 gattonero.it closed Sundays cost 70 euros

The elegant but unfussy ambiance of Casa Vicina, located on the floor below Eataly, has led the way, welcoming guests in a style unchanged for over ten years. The Vicina family story began in the Canavese district in 1902. They drew their inspiration from the territory while breathing the air of the city. Ambassadors from the past are the inimitable bagna cauda (warm garlic and anchovy dip served with vegetables), agnolotti shaped by hand and served with roast drippings, and all sorts of other filled pasta. Antipasto dishes not to miss are delicate, savory zucchini blossoms on a fondue base of Grana Padano and picnic eggs with fresh vegetables and an olive oil dip, pinzimonio. Kidney a la coque, with a velvety mustard and garlic sauce, one of Claudio and Anna’s trademark dishes, precedes a delicious interpretation of the Piedmont sweet, Cri Cri. Vermouth granita and rose sherbet are a nod to the restaurant’s site – an ex-Carpano factory. Excellent bread, grissini and fluffy focaccia served with herb butter invite transgression.

The tasting menu is 65 euros (43 at lunch during the week.)

A landmark address in a city increasingly on the move. It’s always worth a visit, thanks to a menu focused on familiar flavors, lovingly curated. It was one of the first traditionally Tuscan places that made its peace with Piedmontese dishes: a lot of fish, carefully selected products, clean, linear décor that was innovative and creative at the time, but now looks vintage-chic. Gatto Nero is still coherent with its past and offers guests attentive, kind service, both friendly and elegantly professional. The cucina is solid and lucid, yet always provides some unusual detail that lends personality. Dishes include classics like shrimp with cannellini beans, tepid seafood salad, ziti with calamari, vermicelli with clams, paccheri with 5-hour meat sauce, monkfish and calamari alla livornese, and, in season, fried eggs with porcini mushrooms cooked four ways. Close the meal with pineapple and vanilla ice cream fortified with liqueur, Strega di Benevento, or a superb ricotta tart with orange zest and chocolate flakes. The wine list is vast, but above all, it is amazingly personal and pas-

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Magorabin Mole zone, experimental cucina corso San Maurizio, 61b 0118126808 magorabin.com closed Sundays and Monday lunch cost 70 euros Marcello Trentini, known as Magorabin, is a personality as much as a chef. In his elegant lair, near the Mole, he shapes and invents, innovates and researches. Sometimes he astonishes, but he never bores. As soon as you sit down, under the vigilant eye of the Mago (a nickname that means ‘wizard’) and his wife Simona, the intimate room is tranformed into a stage where the client becomes a spectator and actor in a sort of play, an amusing journey of discovery around a cucina of a thousand flavors and unexpected combinations: rice, pepper and onion ice cream; sea bass, artichokes and bagna cauda; beef, cardoons and almonds. To close the meal, sherbet and gelato, “games with water and milk”, or a revisited, deconstructed sweet pizza, unorthodox and interesting. The tasting menus range from 60 to 140 euros. At lunchtime, a working lunch is 40. Simona’s wine cellar is important and sizable, and service is discreet, efficient and helpful, both worthy complements to an unforgettable experience.

TORINO

5 restaurant

Piano35 now with a young, promising chef, exclusive atmosphere, spectacular view, cocktail bar corso Inghilterra, 3 0114387800 piano35.com closed Sundays and Monday lunch cost 100 euros In the spring of 2017, chef Fabio Macrì replaced another promising talent, Ivan Milani, at the stove here. This high-altitude restaurant offers a spectacular panoramic terrace, a modern dining room encircled by a bioclimatic garden, competence, courtesy and efficient service. In the kitchen, although elegantly respecting continuity, the overall approach is Fabio’s. He has everything he needs to make a name for himself: time spent with Ferran Adrià after a degree in culinary science plus another in history, and work here as the second chef before moving up to executive. His dishes demonstrate personality and a touch of prudence when he pushes further. We’re thinking of red gurnard, crab, peas and lemongrass, of potato gnocchi with oxtail sauce, of potatoes with bone marrow, anchovies, lemon, capers and parsley. Then there’s egg, fava beans and pecorino; shrimp and monkfish; carpaccio of bell pepper and barbecue sauce. Dessert is the exquisite ‘green apple, walnuts and roots’. The wine list includes well-known names and carefully researched new ones.

Interesting pairings are made possible thanks to the avail-

ability of Coravin technology.

Tasting menus of all sorts, from 110 to 85 euros, as well as a lunch menu during the week (40 or 50 for two or three dishes). The lounge bar has a great view and sophisticated drinks.

pumpkin seeds, liquid salad and bruschetta. Four tasting menus offer a range of prices.

The wine cellar is at the same level as the food and the service; all are precise, curated, friendly. One of the best restaurants in Torino.

of cheeses. The cellar is richly personal, never banal, and well-stocked. Service is cordial, professional, and helpful when requested. Reserve ahead, or hope to find a place in Consorzio’s marvelous cousin-restaurant, Banco.

6

7

8

restaurant

trattoria

bistrot

Spazio7

Consorzio

Laleo

tradition and ingredients via Monte di Pietà, 23 011 2767661 ristoranteconsorzio. it closed Saturday lunch and Sundays cost 40 euros

relaxing, inexpensive, and in an up-and-coming zone (Campus Einaudi and Nuvola Lavazza) c.so Verona, 38e 011233012 laleo.co closed Sundays cost 20 euros

Two ambassadors of tradition demonstrate their abilities and modern viewpoints. Andrea Gherra and Pietro Vergano, in their immensely popular trattoria, are exemplary flagbearers of Piedmont’s cucina.

Prototypes of true contemporary hosts, they are cultivated, alert, and bonded to their territory. Located right near Piazza Castello, their place wins over hearts with its relaxed, unfussy but substantial atmosphere. The repertory is unfurled daily, thanks also to the excellent products of small artisans discovered one by one: giant agnolotti, Fassona beef braised in Ruchè wine, crispy eggs with spinach, Keen’s cheddar fonduta with crisp pancetta, smoked chamois with pepper and goat cheese potatoes, steak tartare three ways, tajarin with vegetables and bagna cauda, ravioli filled with organ meats, squab with radicchio, Barbaresco Chinato and smoked foie gras. Desserts are as excellent as the choice

Late breakfast, lunch, midafternoon snack, Saturday brunch, evening nibble, or else takeout ready for those with no time to cook - in a city that’s becoming glittery and international, in one of the neighborhoods that best embody the Nouvelle Vague, this is one of the most successful, amusing and intelligent places among the plethora of new openings. Laleo is both form and content, small but comfortable and well organized, with little couches, stools at the counter and an outside terrace. You can eat salads when it’s warm, soups when it’s cold, luscious dorate, a kind of fritter (the springtime one with peas, asparagus, ricotta and thyme was delicious), stuffed pizza pockets, and more exotic flavors like miso soup with homemade tofu and wild greens. Everything’s delicious - easy and authentic, most of it organic and housemade. The same is true for the drinks, where quality wins over quantity. Desserts refuse to be ignored.

design, eclectic formula via Modane, 20 0113797626 ristorantespazio7.it closed Mondays; open evenings only except Sundays cost 60 euros You won’t get bored at the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo. Modern concepts of art and culture live alongside food service without them getting in each other’s way. The décor would be at home in any European capital, or even New York. Breakfast, light lunch, aperitif and snacks, bistrot and lounge bar with cocktails are all here, but the heart of the experience is on the floor above, where Spazio7 has its headquarters, an elegant, light place with well-separated tables. Alessandro Mecca is at the stove.

He is from a family of chefs, back in his home city after a long training period abroad.

His cucina is varied, and never cool or banal. It touches Piedmont, but also the rest of the world: housemade ravioli, lamb, snapper in acqua pazza (light tomato-based broth), squab with rosemary – all expertly carried out, with welldefined flavors. Or choose marinated barracuda and zucchini greens or lettuce, olives,

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MINIGUIDE

9 bistrot

Magazzino 52 smart evolution of the typical tavern via G. Giolitti, 52a 0114271938 magazzino52.it closed 13-27/8; 1-8/1 cost 40 euros A youthful, enterprising place that updates the old image of the long gone vino e cucina hangouts of Italian grandfathers. In a pleasant, trendy-looking space, the owners supply wine and cooked food.

The passionate wine geek will find rows of elegant shelves laden with Italian and French labels, important ones and unknowns, chosen after intense research and tasting by Graziano Cipriano.

The menu of the day lists six or seven dishes, some traditional local ones, others that represent Italy from north to south: marinated anchovies, tzatziki, zucchini and Kalamata olives; Fassona beef steak tartare with curly endive and rucola; housemade tagliolini, red onions from Tropea, capers from Pantelleria, pine nuts and salted ricotta; spaghetti with mussels, potatoes, chorizo and parsley; albacore tuna with eggplant, buffalo mozzarella and oregano olive oil; rack of lamb, figs, lamb chops and mint bulgur; mascarpone mousse with blueberries and brutti e buoni biscotti; lemon semifreddo, cherries, crumble and white chocolate. Service is agile and competent. Reserve.

10 bistrot

Cannavacciuolo Café & Bistrot

interpret a mix of style and modernity in the romantic, picturesque ambiance of Carlo e Camillo’s 19th century woodwork.

The theme of tradition and modern reoccurs in the dishes, from the tartare of Fassona beef to baccala all’albese, from the ravioli in 3-roast meat sauce to the open lasagnetta with rabbit ragout and roast peppers, from grilled octopus to Carlo and Camillo-style veal tonnato. A lovely place, warm, cozy, and fun.

great inventive chef, fusion of terroirs via U. Cosmo, 6 0118399893 cannavacciuolo bistrot.it @cannavacciuolo bistrotorino closed Sundays cost 70 euros Chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo is cultivated, curious, attentive to what’s going on around him. Until March 10, among his antipasto dishes, he will be including a dish made in partnership with the Academy of the Sciences on the occasion of a show dedicated to Tullio Regge: Piedmontese Fassona beef, hazelnut mayonnaise, summer truffle, and Parmigiano sauce, a parade of flavors that plays on the theme of infinity that was dear to the Piedmontese physicist’s heart. Here the chef ’s passion for ingredients turns to a fusion of the flavors of southern Italy and northern Piedmont, his new home. Tagliatelle of burned grain are topped with calamari, garlic and oil risotto meets bottarga, and veal ends up in a lemon and celery root crust. Great care is taken with the wine list. Best to reserve ahead.

12 new

Edit

Costardi Bros., Leeman and Bosco in a project that revolutionizes Torino’s food and eating habits via Cigna, 96-17 edit-to.com Edit is on the Innovation Mile that crosses Torino from the Politechnico to the Dora station: 2,000 square meters on two floors dedicated to eating and drinking in all its forms, located inside an ex-factory. The name Edit, besides being the third person present singular of the Latin verb edere (to eat), is also an acronym for Eat Drink Innovate Together. The project is Marco Brignone’s, and brings in the Costardi brothers and their restaurant, Pietro Leeman with natural offerings in the bakery, Renato Bosco with pizza in the pub-brewery, and the staff of Barz8 at the cocktail bar. The passwords are co-working and a sharing economy. On paper, this is the gastronomic event of the year, and not only in Torino.

Let’s see. “We managed to devise a well-structured situation suited to the most advanced international trends and able to provide solutions to many unanswered market demands.” So says Marco Brignone.

11 new

Bistrot Carlo e Camillo

tradition and modernity with a touch of fun and creativity via Carlo Alberto, 35 0115170171 grandhotelsitea.it @grandhotelsitea cost 40 euros Fabrizio Tesse leads the mother restaurant, the Carignano, but at the stove next door, that of the Bistrot, he wanted Ruggero Rolando. They work in harmony to

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13 new

Snodo alle OGR

Multi-faceted space, open all day. Many different souls c.so Castelfidardo, 22 0110243771 snodo.com cost 30 euros In the space that joins the two wings of Torino’s ex Officine Grandi Riparazioni (Grand Repair Shops), a multi-function food project operates from breakfast to after dinner. Its objective is to offer the culinary traditions of Piedmont in a modern way, using the most advanced technology to enhance and do justice to a selection of the territory’s greatest ingredients.

14 new

Hafa Café

a piazza where Piedmontese and Moroccan traditions meet Galleria Umberto I, 10/13 01119486765 hafastorie.it @hafastorie closed Mondays cost 35 euros “The Galleria resembles a modern souk. You can buy objects and food, eat, drink a mint tea…” Christian Milone, chef at Trattoria Zappatori in Pinerolo and the gastronomic soul behind Hafa, explains his new Torinese adventure with Milli Paglieri and Stefania Codecà, a project curated by Jeannot Cerutti). “The city has important traditions tied to Italy’s patriotic history. At the same time, it has the country’s largest Moroccan enclave. Our place is where these two souls meet, between the Galleria Umberto and Porta Palazzo,

TORINO

which was the main Moroccan market. The culinary traditions of Torino and the cuisine of Morocco live together in two distinct menus inside the same place. A little like in Pinerolo where we have the traditional menu at our Trattoria Zappatori and then there’s my cucina in the Gastronavicella.”

15

menu. Forget takeaway: this pizza is meant to be eaten straight out of the oven, better if with your hands. Prepare for a new voyage to taste and pleasure.

same dough as the pizza, it is handled so as to be softer on the sides, then topped with herbs, lard and prosciutto.

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16

pizzeria

Berberè

pizzeria

Libery Pizza & Artigianal Beer

via Sestriere, 34 (ang. corso Trapani, 95) 0110267530 berberepizza.it always open

pizzeria

Pomodoro & Basilico San Mauro Torinese (TO) via Martiri della Libertà, 103 0118973883 pomodoroebasilico.org closed Mondays Just outside Torino (you can get there by taxi) is Patrick Ricci’s pizza place. It’s all about grains, flour and territories, tradition and experimentation. Ricci took four years to research 257 types of wheat cultivated in Italy. Today he buys small amounts directly from the growers, from Sicily to Emilia and Piedmont. Then he has his wheat ground in small local mills. With the same care, Patrick chooses the right yeasts for each type of flour. That philosophy extends to the toppings as well. He chooses the best products in order to achieve flavor, not for marketing reasons. Where is his pizza going with all this care? Towards a return to the great classics (Margherita, Four Seasons, pizza al prosciutto, Napoletana), revisiting them a bit, perhaps, with adjustments and slight changes. He is continually surprising his clients with a “my way” pizza, for example his legendary Tsunami with seaweed, oysters and Tabasco.

But the games, explorations and experimentations are limitless, and change with the seasons, as Ricci enriches and modifies his

via Legnano, 14 0114546040 libery.it closed Mondays

Salvatore and Matteo Aloe, brothers, have had a great success with this large space in Binaria, an ex-factory, a project created by social-activist priest, Don Luigi Ciotti. The pizza is the result of careful research into flours, fermentation, cooking methods.

It calls for 24 hours of rising and live mother dough, an innovative process of fermentation without yeast, based on the hydrolysis of the starches to obtain light, digestible pizza. All ingredients are carefully chosen. The dough calls for stone-ground flours of wheat and other cereals. The toppings are made from excellent regional products. What’s new is the use of special flours, found in the small mills of the zone. Now the two brothers are researching ancient Calabrian and Pugliese grains.

(The Aloe brothers are from Calabria.) The setting and service is convivial and combinations of toppings and condiments often surprising, such as cured meat from Mora Romagnola pork, stracciatella and fiordilatte cheeses, orange-scented oil, beet puree, sautéed leeks and olives. There are many vegan options, and tempting little bites are served while you wait for the pizza. To drink: artisanal beers and organic wines. For each pizza sold, a euro (or more) goes to projects run

Pizza & Artigianal Beer is based on a simple, clear philosophy.

This is a handsome place in the heart of the chic neighborhood of Crocetta, a place for those who love classic pizza, done right.

Food fans and habitués choose it because of its pleasant ambiance, but above all because Fabrizio Marzo is talented, a true pizzaiolo. His objective is to attain a reliable product, working carefully on his dough and constantly seeking out excellent ingredients – vegetables, cheese and specialty foods come from the family store, Angolo dei Sapori in Torino. The result is a pizza that is full of flavor but absolutely light and digestible – never too puffy – with the medium-high edge of natural yeast.

The toppings are classic, and the Margherita is one of his musts.

The local territory and seasons get particular attention, so expect artichokes in winter, asparagus and Roman chicory in the spring.

In autumn, porcini mushrooms arrive, along with Trevigiana pizza, radicchio and buffalo mozzarella added after the cooking is done. One of Marzo’s specialties is Mary, inspired by seasonal ingredients, for example escarole, sausage and capers. Good beer on tap, good desserts. Focaccia is offered at the start: made with the

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by the non-profit Gruppo Abele working in Africa and Mexico.

18 pizzeria

Crudo Fa La Pizza via Palazzo di Città, 7d 3402494060 closed Tuesdays In the historic city center, near Piazza Castello, this small, pleasant and colorful place works with a philosophy that includes socially-conscious aspects. Only Italian products are used, and many come from programs such as Libera Terra and Addiopizzo, which are devoted to fighting criminal organizations. There isn’t much choice, but quality is high. Pizza is made with classic types of dough but also unusual ones such as stone ground semiwhole wheat, hemp flour or vegetal carbon (so it’s black). The toppings are chosen to enhance the pizza bases. Besides the classics, there is Regina Margherita with mozzarella, ricotta and buffalo scamorza cheeses from Terre di Don Peppe Diana (property confiscated from the Camorra), Piedmontese with bell peppers and bagna caoda (garlicky dip), Trinacria, with dried tomatoes, olives, capers and anchovies, Carlo Forte with tuna and caramelized sweet Tropea onions. Other types are Favignana, Provenzale, Palermitana, Mediterranea, Taggiasca.

Desserts are very southern Italian, with a choice between Sicilian cassata, cannolo and pastiera.

19 pizza by the slice

Krabon

MINIGUIDE

corso Luigi Einaudi,25/C 0110375761 krabon.com closed Mondays Right near the Crocetta market, pizza that aims to be natural and high quality, beginning with a dough made with organic, stoneground flour, mountain water and 36 hours of leavening. The result is particularly light and digestible. Selection and quality shows in the ingredients for toppings: San Marzano tomatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano from Vacche Rosse, a prized breed of cow, taggiasca olives, onions from Tropea, lardo from Arnad, sausages from Chiapella salumificio, producer of cured meats.

There are about thirty versions on the menu, ranging from the classic Marinara or Margherita, to the most original. Acciuga Felice, the Happy Anchovy, features anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea (part of the Atlantic, on the French and Spanish coast). The 151° is made with burrata, basil puree, cherry tomatoes and prosciutto di Parma. La Stracciata has stracciatella cheese, basil and prosciutto. Try krabozzo, a sandwich made with the same dough as the pizza, cooked and filled to order in seven versions. We liked the Crudo, with prosciutto di Parma, smoked buffalo mozzarella and eggplant. Farinata, a chickpea pancake, can be had plain or with sausage, onions from Tropea or lard from Arnad. Piedmontese wine and beer to drink.

20 pizzeria

Alla Lettera via Giuseppe Mazzini, 12 011882626 closed Sundays at lunch

The play on words in the name of the place is fun: the expression ‘alla lettera’ means according to tradition (similar to ‘by the book’), but it’s also a nod to its location on Piazza Giambattista Bodoni, dedicated to a famous Piedmontese printer of the 18th century, the inventor of the font that has his name. The pizzeria is pleasant, spacious, elegant and minimal. The goal is quality, the essential element for Marco Bonomi, an engineer with a passion for pizza. His are traditional, i.e. alla lettera, baked in a woodburning oven, made with naturally leavened dough and carefully selected ingredients. You can choose a classic like Margherita and be fully satisfied, or one of the house specialties like Amici Miei (My Friends), with buffalo mozzarella, radicchio, caciocavallo cheese, sausage. Whole-wheat pizza and seasonal pizzas that vary according to the topping are also popular. Besides pizza there’s Ligurian focaccia filled in various ways and tigella modenese, which are thin, round breads. Southernstyle desserts ((sfogliatelle, cassate, or a mixed Neapolitan selection with zeppola, pastiera, babà and sfogliatella). All come from the family pastry shop Amici Miei on Corso Vinzaglio 23. At lunch, a special offer of pizza, a beverage and coffee costs 7 euros.

of the Ruràl restaurant of the same name in Via San Dalmazzo and of a few dairy-food shops in the city. Located in an ex-glass factory, tastefully redesigned, it is next to a bicycle shop belonging to the same owner, Michele Colaianni (known as Micky), an expizzaiolo from Sarchiapone. He uses stone-ground flours and slow refrigerated rising to attain maximum lightness. The menu offers classic pizza (we liked sausage and broccoli rabe) besides recipes creative exclusively for Ruràl: the Micky calzone has tomato, mozzarella, ham and basil. White Ruràl by Micky has mozzarella, Alpine stracchino cheese, arugula, and prosciutto. There are other cooked dishes and excellent desserts (try the Gourmand assortment of 4 different tastes).

Gelato from Gasprin.

22 pizzeria

Amici Miei corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 94 0115069961 amicimieitorino.it closed Saturdays and Sundays at lunch A place that celebrates its 18th birthday this year and continues to offer classic Neapolitan pizzas with the traditional high, puffy edge. They are made with selected flours, long leavening, mother yeasts and ingredients that mostly come from Campania. For those who prefer it, there’s thin Romanstyle pizza and stone-ground whole-wheat pizza. Besides the pizza menu that you find all year, the seasons and the market inspire tasty surprises such as ‘nduja buffalo mozzarella, yellow bell peppers, ‘nduja and caramelized onions, or Asparagus and Pecorino con mozzarella, asparagus puree, grilled

21 pizzeria

Ruràl Pizza via Mantova, 27 0112359179 ruralpizza.it closed Saturdays and Sundays at lunch and Wednesdays This attractive place is in a neighborhood that gets livelier by the minute. It is the pizzeria version

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ham and cave-aged pecorino. Another favorite is Amici Miei (My Friends) with buffalo mozzarella, radicchio, caciocavallo cheese and sausage. After pizza, opt for one of the traditional southern desserts from the family pastry shop, Amici Miei on Corso Vinzaglio, or else choose between gelato, sherbets and mousse. At lunchtime, pizza and a beverage cost 7 euros.

23 pizza napoletana

Cammafà piazza Tancredi Galimberti, 23/B 0113017328 closed Mondays Three locations, from the outskirts to San Salvario, with slightly different looks of Naples from the past, but with a common denominator: the pizza is Neapolitan in style, using quality ingredients and made by the book. It’s the real thing: natural leavening from 24/36 hours, with particular attention to the temperature, masterpieces of puffy edges, selected ingredients such as burrata from Andria, cured meats from Basilicata, mozzarella from the Salerno zone, peppery ’nduja from Calabria.

The simple, delicious Napoli is made with tomatoes, mozzarella, capers, anchovies, oregano and basic. The luscious Burrata has tomato sauce, fresh cherry tomatoes, oregano, basil and 250 grams of burrata from Andria added raw at the end. Be sure to taste one of the excellent panuozzo breads. Many other delicious snacks such savory zeppoline, crisp friselle, and a variety of fried foods.  Collaborators: Maurizio Bertera, Marco Cambiaghi, Giuseppe Del Mastro, Piermichele Gamba, Alessandro Felis, Pina Sozio, Annalisa Zordan

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GAMBERO ROSSO www.gamberorosso.it SENIOR EDITOR Lorenzo Ruggeri PHOTO EDITOR Rossella Fantina LAYOUT Maria Victoria Santiago CONTRIBUTORS Stefania Annese, Giuseppe Carrus, Nicola Frasson, Sonia Gioia, Valentina Marino, William Pregentelli, Lorenzo Ruggeri, Marco Sabellico, Annalisa Zordan PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS Alvise Barsanti, Alberto Blasetti, Maria Victoria Santiago GR USA CORP PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT Paolo Cuccia Advertising GAMBERO ROSSO S.P.A. via Ottavio Gasparri 13/17, 00152 Roma tel +39 06 551121 - +39 06 55112206 fax +39 06 55112260 Advertising director Paola Persi email: ufficio.pubblicita@gamberorosso.it Gambero Rosso and are registered trademarks belonging to Gambero Rosso S.p.A. GAMBERO ROSSO is a Registered Trademark used under license by GR USA CORP Copyright by GAMBERO ROSSO S.P.A. 2017.

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December 2017

a www.gamberorosso.it/international & international@gamberorosso.it f Gambero Rosso International