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Italy 2017 | 39
HARPERS WINE STARS ITALY 2017
HARPERS WINE STARS AWARDS ITALY 2017
Harpers’ second Wine Stars Awards delved into the Italian category, discovering a medley of fascinating wines from this captivating country. Andrew Catchpole reports
A
s the second largest wine category in the UK off-trade, underpinned by runaway sales of Pinot Grigio and Prosecco, and the volume market leader in the on-trade (where value sales have also been growing), Italy’s more diverse offer is showing many signs of catching on as consumers delve deeper into the cornucopia of wines from this endlessly fascinating country. Against this backdrop our Italian Wine Stars Awards judging took place, bringing a spread of regions, varieties and styles under the critical focus of our judges. Buyers, all, and from across the trade, they were once again tasked with assessing each wine on a commercially minded combination of quality, then value for the price and, finally, label and packaging design. And, as our results show, Italy offers rich pickings, with a strong showing of Four Star wines across the regions and several highly coveted Five Star Awards given for the cream of the crop. Of the traditional biggest-hitting regions, Five
OUR WINE STARS JUDGES FOR ITALY Carlos Blanco, Blanco & Gomez Wine Merchants 40 | Italy 2017
Eileen Ginger, Whitbread
Tom Hemmingway, Highbury Vintners
James Reed, Majestic
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HARPERS WINE STARS ITALY 2017
HOW WINE STARS WORKS Harpers Wine Stars Awards are markedly different from the run of the mill, being judged by buyers for buyers, taking blind-assessed quality as the starting point, but then adding two further layers for consideration, with additional rounds of judging, assessing the wines for value for money and then design and packaging. As such, these awards are like no other, taking an holistic approach, considering all of the factors that influence buying decisions, including elements of appeal to the final winebuying consumer. • ROUND 1 – QUALITY All wines were tasted blind, aside from knowledge of the region of origin, and assigned a score by each judge based on quality alone. • ROUND 2 – VALUE Following the quality assessment of the wines in each regional flight, prices were then revealed and judges gave additional marks based on the perceived qualityto-value ratio. • ROUND 3 – DESIGN The labels of all wines were then revealed, with additional marks given for the overall packaging and design of each wine, with judges also appraised of the intended sales channel(s) – and thus packaging suitability – for each wine.
Star-studded Piedmont and Nebbiolo head up the top performers, with Tuscany behind, pulling in a very good swathe of Four Stars for many wines, but just failing to achieve the highest accolade. All but the most expensive – or clumsily made – were generally felt to justify their prices, but with many labels saying little in terms of communicating what to expect from the wines. Traditional look, though, was deemed a plus with many of these wines. Elsewhere, some of the best value was to be found in highly enjoyable and often less well-trodden styles and varieties from the south and Sicily, where fresher style presentation announced points of difference and often accessible, individual styles of wine. Overall, the flights were quite varied in terms of quality and consistency, with splits between more traditional and modern-leaning wines, and pluses on both sides. But those producers that bagged Three, Four and Five Stars reinforced the premise that Italy is currently offering one of the most diverse and exciting range of wines in the northern hemisphere, with plenty of choice to meet buyers’ requirements across all channels of the trade.
André Mannini, M Restaurants
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Anna Schena, Harvey Nichols
Neil Westley, Azzurri Group
Doug Wregg, Les Caves de Pyrene
Italy 2017 | 41
HARPERS WINE STARS ITALY 2017
THE SUPER STARS STAR OF ITALY & STAR OF PIEDMONT
PIEDMONT Palladino Roero Arneis 2016 Ultravino, £9
STAR OF EMILIA-ROMAGNA & MARCHE AND STAR DESIGN
EMILIA-ROMAGNA & MARCHE Manaresi Colli Bolognesi doc Bologna Rosso Controluce 2014
★★★★★
LOMBARDY & VAL D’AOSTA Alma Wines Agit Optima Pinot Nero DOC 2015 Middlesex Wines, £19.95
Looking for distribution, €10
STAR OF LOMBARDY & VAL D’AOSTA
LOMBARDY & VAL D’AOSTA Societa Agricola Le Strie Valtellina Superiore DOCG 2007 Looking for distribution, €27
STAR OF THE MAINLAND SOUTH
THE MAINLAND SOUTH (ABRUZZO, CAMPANIA, PUGLIA, BASILICATA & CALABRIA) Pemo Pecorino Terre Di Chieti IGP 2016
STAR TASTE
PIEDMONT Colle Manora Monferrato DOC White Mila 2015 Looking for distribution, £25
The Wine People, £8.99
STAR OF NORTH EAST
NORTH EAST (TRENTINO, ALTO ADIGE, FRIULIVENEZIA, VENETO) Gerardo Cesari Il Bosco Amarone Della Valpolicella Docei Classico 2011
STAR OF SICILY & SARDINIA
SICILY & SARDINIA Miopasso Grillo Terre Siciliane IGP 2016
★★★★★
PIEDMONT Azienda Agricola La Battistina Gavi 2016 Boutinot, £10.99
The Wine People, £8.99
Carson Wines, £57
STAR OF TUSCANY
TUSCANY Fertuna Pactio 2014
Mentzendorff & Co, £15
STAR SPARKLING
PROSECCO & FRANCIACORTA Ruggeri Giustino B Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG Extra Dry 2016
STAR VALUE
PIEDMONT Cascina Val del Prete Luet Langhe Arneis 2016 Ultravino, Laytons, £7.14
Enotria & Coe, £23.00
42 | Italy 2017
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HARPERS WINE STARS ITALY 2017
FULL RESULTS PIEDMONT ★★★★★ STAR OF ITALY & STAR OF PIEDMONT
★★★★★ STAR VALUE
Cascina Val del Prete Luet Langhe Arneis 2016
Piedmont Ultravino £9 A standout for offering very good value for money, combined with an attractive, “elegant, clean, citrus” wine, with “nuttier, interesting depth”, being “well balanced”. Moreover, all of this was announced by a well-designed “classy and elegant” label, with plenty of easily recognisable shelf appeal.
Piedmont Ultravino/Laytons £7.14 “Great value for money” with a label that “looks interesting” and would work on an off-trade shelf, this exuded “floral aromas”, with a heady mix of “white flowers, apple, sweet spices and tropical fruits” on the nose, underscored with a “wellbalanced” and “quite rich” palate on this “medium bodied” but “mouthfilling” wine. A delightful drink with bags of character for the price.
★★★★★
★★★★★
Palladino Roero Arneis 2016
STAR TASTE
Colle Manora Monferrato DOC White Mila 2015 Piedmont Looking for importer £25 “A very well-made wine”, offering seductive “peaches, lemon zest” on a “complex nose”, with a “nice balance of fruit, almost Burgundian style” on the palate, delivering a lot of creamily textured value under a “traditional, elegant” label. Worth the money, but probably a hand-sell.
Azienda Agricola La Battistina Gavi 2016
Piedmont Boutinot £10.99 With the packaging described as “good, does what it says on the tin”, the contents of the bottle were a hit too, revealing “citrus fruit” on both nose and “lively palate”, being “clean, fresh and zesty”, with a “nice balance of juicy fruit” and hitting a good price to quality spot for good measure.
★★★★
Tenuto II Cascinone Crocera Barbera d’Ast Superiore 2015 Piedmont Boutinot £8.99
★★★★
ForteMasso Agricole Gussalli Beretta ForteMasso Barolo Castelletto DOCG 2013 Piedmont Looking for importer £49
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WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
★★★★
Livia Fontana Langhe Arneis 2016 Piedmont Ultravino £10.50
★★★★
Pio Cesare Nebbiolo 2014 Piedmont Maisons Marques et Domaines £30
★★★★
Giovanni Almondo Roero 2015 Piedmont Ultravino £13.80
★★★
Villadoria Barolo Sori Paradiso 2012 Piedmont Alfie Fiandaca £95
★★★
“It was a very enjoyable experience. The fact that the first round is without the price and gives you the freedom to judge on quality, and then the second you judge on value for money, and then design, so I really liked the way it was structured. “Piedmont is always popular and we are seeing Tuscany selling well. A little less the south and islands, but it’s about pricing, you find more entry-level wines there.” André Mannini, M Restaurants
Colle Manora Monferrato DOC Red Rosso Barchetta 2015 Piedmont Looking for importer £22
LOMBARDY & VAL D’AOSTA ★★★★★
Alma Wines Agit Optima Pinot Nero DOC 2015
Lombardy & Val d’Aosta Middlesex Wines £19.95 Described as “a very complex Pinot”, with “raspberry, cherry, spices and mushroom” on nose and palate, this “creamy” wine impressed the panel. On the commercial front, this delivered good value for the elegance found in the bottle and stood out as a “great alternative” to pricier Burgundy, offering strong varietal character at a good price.
“Italy has some great wines, it’s just a case of educating the consumer. For me, it’s the same consumer going into a supermarket as coming into my restaurants, so if the supermarkets can do a better job at education, we can move people beyond Pinot Grigio, increase spend and encourage people to try something different. “We may be discerning, but the average consumer is not. The packaging, country of origin, varietal, fonts, colours, the design, these need to be strong and communicate what is inside.“ Eileen Ginger, Whitbread Italy 2017 | 43
HARPERS WINE STARS ITALY 2017
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
★★★★★ STAR OF LOMBARDY & VAL D’AOSTA
Societa Agricola Le Strie Valtellina Superiore DOCG 2017
Lombardy & Val d’Aosta Looking for importer €27 Praised for its wonderful, smoky and savoury nose, and wellbalanced depths of chocolate and tobacco character, this standout wine won further plaudits for a combination of being great value, while selling itself with a creative and contemporary label. An all-round well-made and attractive wine with plenty of buyer appeal.
★★★★
Alma Wines Ambo Nero Pinot Noir Pavia IGT 2016 “It’s more eye-opening judging this way. You are influenced by price and design, and with something that is quite cheap, but if the quality is high, you have a much more positive response to that wine. Or possibly the reverse, if the price is too high – it makes you much more selective. “We had a 2007 Nebbiolo, which was a wonderful wine, but with an atrocious label, and I know that if I had it on the shelf people would only buy it if I recommended it. That type of wine would probably work best in a restaurant, but it’s a pity for the wine, because everything else ticks all the boxes. “The famous Italian regions sell themselves, but being an independent we can sell just about anything and Italy is infinitely interesting. Some of our customers realise that, but it is very hard for the average customer to get into Italy, it takes a lot longer than France to understand. It is mind-boggling!” Tom Hemmingway, Highbury Vintners
44 | Italy 2017
Lombardy & Val d’Aosta Middlesex Wines £9
★★★★
Bellavista Franciacorta Alma Gran Cuvée NV Lombardy & Val d’Aosta Liberty Wines £35
★★★★
Castel del Lupo Pinot Nero Della Quercia 2016 Lombardy & Val d’Aosta Boutinot £11.49
★★★★
Contadi Castaldi Franciacorta Rosé NV Lombardy & Val d’Aosta Liberty Wines £28
NORTH, EAST (TRENTINO, ALTO ADIGE, FRIULI-VENEZIA, VENETO) ★★★★ STAR OF NORTH EAST
Gerardo Cesari Il Bosco Amarone Della Valpolicella Docei Classico 2011
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Carson Wines £57 “Traditional” label, but with a “premium, hand-written” look that is “good for the target market”, this was a classic Amarone, packed with expressive “plum, leather and currant” notes, being “sweet and savoury”, with a “rich, full mouthfeel” and a “long finish”. Billed as “good and easy to identify”.
★★★★
Cantine Paolo Leo Millefiori Rosso Del Veneto 2013
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) North South Wines £10.99
★★★★
Cavit Rulendis Pinot Grigio Trentino Superiore DOC 2016
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Boutinot £16.99
★★★★
Loredan Gasparim Venegazzu Della Casa Boc Montello 2012
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) 3 Venice £25
★★★★
Cottini Villa Annaberta Amarone 2014
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Myliko Wines £17.99
★★★★
★★★★
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Boutinot £10.99
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Myliko Wines £13.49
Cavit Bottega Vinai Pinot Grigio Trentino Doc 2016
★★★★
Cavit Bottega Vinai Pinot Nero Trentino Doc 2015 North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Boutinot £11.99
★★★★
Vitivinicola Gallio Bruno, Breganze Torcolato 2013 North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Liberty Wines £27
★★★★
Ronco Blanchis Friulano 2016
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) 3 Venice £15
Cottini Villa Annaberta Ripasso 2014
★★★★
Cavit Zeveri MüllerThurgau Trentino Superiore DOC 2016
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Boutinot £15.49
★★★
Loredan Gasparim Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG NV North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) 3 Venice £16
★★★
Contarini Prosecco Brut DOC NV
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Alfie Fiandaca £25
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HARPERS WINE STARS ITALY 2017 ★★★
Gerardo Cesari Jèma Corvina Veronese IGT 2012
North East (Trentino, Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia, Veneto) Carson Wines £29
EMILIAROMAGNA & MARCHE ★★★★ STAR OF EMILIAROMAGNA & MARCHE & STAR DESIGN
Manaresi Colli Bolognesi DOC Bologna Rosso Controluce 2014 Emilia-Romagna & Marche Looking for importer €10 Described as “beautifully presented”, looking “stylish, modern, clean and very presentable”, this was considered to be “correctly priced” for the quality in the bottle. The nose suggested “blackberry, plum ripeness”, with “integrated” oaky spice and a refreshing “bitter” hint on the palate.
★★★★
Manaresi Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG Classico 2015 Emilia-Romagna & Marche Looking for importer €6
TUSCANY ★★★★ STAR OF TUSCANY
Fertuna Pactio 2014
Tuscany Mentzendorff & Co £15 Considered to “great value”, with a “traditional” but “simple and elegant” label, this was deemed best for an on-trade market. A “very good nose” hinting at “wild strawberries and subtle spice” led into a “full, vibrant” palate with good fruit and acidity”, plus structuring lick of tannins, finishing “long”. Harpers.co.uk
★★★★
★★★★
Tuscany Alfie Fiandaca £27
Tuscany Hallgarten & Druitt £26.49
Geografico Bosco Del Grillo 2015
★★★★
Basilica Cafaggio Cabernet Sauvignon IGT Basilica del Cortaccio Cafaggio 2013 Tuscany Looking for importer £29
★★★★
Castello di Radda Agricole Gussalli Beretta Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione 2013 Tuscany Looking for importer £49
★★★★
Castello di Radda Agricole Gussalli Beretta Castello di Radda Toscana IGT Granbruno 2016 Tuscany Looking for importer £9
★★★★
Castello di Albola Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva 2013 Tuscany Zonin UK £17.87
★★★★
Basilica Cafaggio Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva Basilica Solatìo Cafaggio 2013 Tuscany Looking for importer £33
★★★★
Basilica Cafaggio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2013 Tuscany Looking for importer £22
★★★★
Frescobaldi Mormoreto 2013 Tuscany Hallgarten & Druitt £58
Frescobaldi Nipozzano Vecchie Viti 2014
★★★★
Tenute Piccini Orange Chianti DOCG 2016 Tuscany Bibendum £6.50
★★★★
Petra Hebo 2015 Tuscany Liberty Wines £20
★★★★
Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2015 Tuscany Mentzendorff & Co £24
★★★
Castello di Radda Agricole Gussalli Beretta Chianti Classico DOCG 2015 Tuscany Looking for importer £14
★★★
Alma Wines Fattoria di Ruppiano Astorre Noti Chianti Classico DOCG 2015
★★★
Fertuna Vermentino 2016 Tuscany Mentzendorff & Co £15
THE MAINLAND SOUTH (ABRUZZO, CAMPANIA, PUGLIA, BASILICATA & CALABRIA) ★★★★★ STAR OF THE MAINLAND SOUTH
The Wine People Pemo Pecorino Terre Di Chieti IGP 2016
The Mainland South (Abruzzo, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria) North South Wines £8.99 The “contemporary, nice clean design”, coupled with “reasonable” value, flagged up an enticing mix of “mango and exotic fruits” on both nose and palate, on this “fresh and youthful” wine, which had “great balance” and “nice texture”.
Tuscany Middlesex Wines £21.95
★★★★
★★★
Tuscany Liberty Wines £36
The Mainland South (Abruzzo, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria) North South Wines £8.99
★★★
★★★★
Petra Quercegobbe 2014
Tenute Piccini Poggio Castagno Chianti Classico DOCG 2015 Tuscany Bibendum £10.79
★★★
Frescobaldi Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni 2015
The Wine People Miopasso Primitivo Puglia IGP 2016
Orlandi Contucci Ponno Agricole Gussalli Beretta La Regia Specula DOCG 2013
The Mainland South (Abruzzo, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria) Looking for importer £14
Tuscany Hallgarten & Druitt £20.99
Italy 2017 | 45
HARPERS WINE STARS ITALY 2017
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
★★★★
Orlandi Contucci Ponno Agricole Gussalli Beretta Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Rubiolo DOC 2016 The Mainland South (Abruzzo, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria) Looking for importer £8
★★★★ “Obviously the traditional strengths of Italy are Tuscany and Piedmont, and they have shown well, but what it is doing really well at the moment is Sicily, with Sardinia just a little behind. “All the Sicilian wines I have tasted today have been excellent, with very good character, good prices, excellent value for money. These are good wines for a lot of restaurants. They have good character, personality and are very well made.” Carlos Blanco, Blanco & Gomez Wine Merchants
Cantine Paolo Leo Paololeo Salice Salentino DOC Riserva 2011
The Mainland South (Abruzzo, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria) North South Wines £11.20
★★★★
Cantine Paolo Leo Passitivo Primitivo Organic 2015
The Mainland South (Abruzzo, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria) North South Wines £10.50
★★★★
The Wine People Pemo Montepulciano D’Abruzzo DOC 2016
The Mainland South (Abruzzo, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata & Calabria) North South Wines £8.99
“People are getting into lesser-known varieties, and places like Etna are also doing well, so there is growing interest in discovering these varieties and regions – people are increasingly prepared to take the leap. “Varieties like Pecorino and wines from the Marche are capturing people’s imagination. Italy is confusing, but even Nebbiolo is very interesting, I’ve started to buy from lesser-known sources in the Langhe, or grape varieties like Bardolino from lesser-known regions, and people are very accepting of these wines.” Anna Schena, Harvey Nichols
46 | Italy 2017
SICILY & SARDINIA ★★★★★ STAR OF SICILY & SARDINIA
The Wine People Miopasso Grillo Terre Siciliane IGP 2016
Sicily & Sardinia North South Wines £8.99 With a “contemporary look” pitched well for its target market, this southern star showed a “nice balance of fruit and acidity”, coupled with “quite a rich, tropical fruit mid-palate”, rounded off by an “uplifting, zesty” finish. An attractive all-rounder, good on its own or with flavoursome food.
★★★★
Feudo Disisa Grillo DOC Sicilia 2016 Sicily & Sardinia Laytons £10
★★★★
Feudo Disisa Lu Bancu DOC Sicilia 2016 Sicily & Sardinia Laytons £18
★★★★
The Wine People Miopasso Pinot Grigio Terre Siciliane IGP 2016 Sicily & Sardinia North South Wines £8.99
★★★★
Santa Tresa Rina lanca Grillo Viognier Terre Sicili 2016 Sicily & Sardinia Vintage Roots, North South Wines £9.99
★★★★
Santa Tresa Grillo Spumante Biologico Brut NV Sicily & Sardinia Vintage Roots, North South Wines £13.99
★★★
The Wine People Nerooro Nero D’Avola Terre Siciliane IGP 2016 Sicily & Sardinia North South Wines £7.99
★★★
Feudo Disisa Tornamira IGP Terre Siciliane 2014 Sicily & Sardinia Laytons £28.00
★★★
Zisola 2015
Sicily & Sardinia Maisons Marques et Domaines £19.99
SPARKLING: PROSECCO & FRANCIACORTA ★★★★ STAR OF SPARKLING: PROSECCO & FRANCIACORTA
Ruggeri Giustino B 2016 Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG Extra Dry 2016
Sparkling: Prosecco & Franciacorta Enotria & Coe £23 With an “understated, classic” label, and delivering quality at its relatively premium price, this high-end Prosecco had aromas of “pear fruit, apple and pineapple”, with “good intensity of fruit” on a “lively, dry” palate, with a “long, lingering, dry” finish.
★★★★
Il Colle Baio Organic Prosecco DOCG Brut NV Sparkling: Prosecco & Franciacorta Halewood Wines & Spirits £12.99
★★★★
Azienda Agricola Ferghettina Franciacorta Milledi 2013 Sparkling: Prosecco & Franciacorta Boutinot £26.99
★★★★
Il Colle Prosecco DOCG Brut NV
Sparkling: Prosecco & Franciacorta Halewood Wines & Spirits £9.99
★★★★
Ruggeri Quartese Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG Brut NV Sparkling: Prosecco & Franciacorta Enotria & Coe £16
★★★
Ruggeri Argeo Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut NV Sparkling: Prosecco & Franciacorta Enotria & Coe £14
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