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The dictatorship of youth
Lorenzo Ruggeri
I grew a beard to disguise my young age. At 24, I started conducting my first wine tastings. «When is the Gambero Rosso expert coming?» I would hear people say in the audience.
There were those who mistook me for Sabellico’s son, those who reminded me with a fond tone that be-fore talking about a Barolo I had to have tasted, in the blind of course, at least 100,000 labels. And an unknown number of magnums. At gala dinners, press trips or presentations my function was more or less always the same: lowering the average age.
As if I was paid for it, for years at work I only hung out only with people who were much older than me. Then, the wind (fortunately) turned.
More precisely, the perception of and interest in newcomers changed dramatically. The media started to ride the generational change as a matter of utmost urgency in the most diverse sectors, young people automatically became healthy carriers of innovation, freshness and a more rock ‘n’ roll tempo. In a country where one is forever young - the average age is 48.4, clearly the highest in Europe, Eurostat data reminds us - the generational contrast is even more marked.
So is the wage inequality, take the age pay gap or the difference between the salaries of those under 35 and those over 55: it has increased by 96% from 1985 to 2019. The figures for the last three years are alarming, inequalities are evident among precarious contracts and an even more pronounced gap among women under 30. It is therefore easy to understand how in 2022 and 2023 almost 100,000 young Italians left the country, with only 36,000 boys and girls returning.
Italy is not a country for young people, as we know, and the social ladder is basically at a standstill; in this context, a powerful springboard is precisely the kitchen. There are many professionals who, in just a few years, have carved out enormous satisfactions for themselves, starting practically from scratch. In the brigades you can breathe a different way of thinking about cooking and the profession: today’s young chefs are extremely well prepared, they have travelled a lot, even abroad, they are much more inclined to confront other colleagues than their predecessors. And they are no longer willing to sacrifice their private lives in the name of a sacred fire. They are much more vegetable-conscious, for sure, they have the mantra of food waste, of the local, they like to recover old ingredients or cooking. They embrace bit-terness and fermentations, they have scrapped the fine dining stakes. In short, they are revolutionising Italian restaurant dining. Between the establishments run by 30somethings and those run by 50-year-olds (thus, just one generation) feels like a 70 year gap. The way of being at the table, of thinking about the menu, and of drinking are changing. Differences in taste are important, often in pure opposition to the status quo. Are we really ready for the dictatorship of youth?
Wineries with kitchens
A new generation of restaurants and trattorias is born within wineries: local ingredients and self-produced wines on the table, emerging and lesser-known chefs, an experience that speaks of the surrounding environment. We tell you about 20 of them, from north to south
by Giuseppe Carrus
The territory is served
What if this were the new winning format in the gastronomic experience? Eating in the cellar: closing the circle between wine and cuisine. All the more so if the territory is the central focus of the experience. There are many wineries that in recent years have equipped themselves with a real restaurant, open to all, much to the peace of mind of the catering crisis. A phenomenon also certified by Nomisma, which notes that from 2015 to 2022, winery catering increased by 26% compared to 6% in the previous decade. Surprisingly, among the most ‘equipped’ regions on the catering front, Campania excels with 50% of wineries where you can eat, followed by Piedmont and Tuscany both cl 31%. The research institute decries the phenomenon: tastings with ‘cooked’ typical food on offer have grown, and a new product called ‘lunch or dinner with the winemaker’ is now present in 37% of wine businesses open to the public. New formulas that combine farm, cellar and gastronomic experience in an informal context and with menus linked to what is produced around the vineyard. In fact, the cuisine in these cellars focuses on raw, seasonal and local materials. At the fires there are professionals capable of using techniques and processes to enhance the ingredients as much as possible. The service is informal and the surroundings are simple and well-kept.
Domenico Sanna, events manager of the Su’entu winery in Marmilla, expresses the meaning of these experiences well: ‘Our project, Arieddas, was born in a place that on the gastronomic front embodies the same philosophy of wine
production. Su’entu has bet on two elements Marmilla and Bovale, hence territory and territorial wines. We are doing the same on the cuisine front, returning to visitors what is most authentic in this territory: from traditional pastas, to the breeding of sheep, chickens and rabbits, to the products of the vegetable garden and making them taste in a new way: we have focused on sharing dishes, which for us is more centred than fine dining’. Emotions thus arise from the sweetness of a courgette or the savouriness of a tomato.
Gaetano Marangelli, owner of the Menhir Salento winery and Origano restaurant, also expresses this “philosophy” well. «When we opened our osteria Origano fifteen years ago, we thought of it and wanted it to be a sort of small popular market, an emporium of the parent company with the wines therefore of Menhir, but also with the products we came across during our experiences around the kitchens. Attention to the products and their seasonality, both from the garden and the catch, have always been the central elements of our proposal, which has thus been able to intercept, in a tiny town in the Terra d’Otranto, an increasingly vast public that today is around 50,000 per year». In this article, we present 20 restaurants from as many Italian wineries: some are inside the estate, others a short distance away. There are simpler, everyday establishments alongside more refined ones: all share the same idea of uniting vineyard, cellar and cuisine. There would be many more, but this is a selection that touches on many parts of Italy and best represents what we would like to eat at a winery table.
AGRITURISMO
EMIDIO PEPE
Cantina Emidio Pepe - Abruzzo
Emidio Pepe needs no introduction and the agriturismo (which in addition to the table also offers several rooms for overnight stays) is located right where Emidio was born and started making wine. It opens four times a week and offers a seven-course set menu that changes according to what nature produces. One makes use of the produce from the garden, which is grown biodynamically, or one cooks what friendly farmers grow or what local shepherds and butchers produce. The menu is simple, but impeccably executed: tasty, authentic dishes. It is difficult to recommend a wine to go with them, they all have their own character and uniqueness. Oil, flour, pasta and pulses are also on sale.
Contrada Chiesi, 10 Torano Nuovo (TE) 0861 856493
Open Wednesday to Saturday for dinner only
BISTRO BISTRO CASTEL TURMHOF
Cantina Tiefenbrunner - Alto Adige
It is worth making a stop at Turmhof Castle, a beautiful residence owned by the Tiefenbrunner winery. It is not far from Cortaccia and is set in an oasis of peace from which to admire the Dolomites and immerse yourself in the scents of the mountains. The menu is mainly cold and based on great local products. The speck is really delicious, as are the cheeses and the Termeno homemade salami. Don’t miss the liver pate (a real speciality of the house), the soup of the day and the barley salad. As for the wine, don’t worry: all the labels they produce are served by the glass and if that is not enough, there is also a small selection of whites and reds from other wineries.
Via Castello 4, Niclara
Cortaccia sulla Strada del Vino (BZ) 0471 880122
Open Monday to Friday from 11.30 a.m. to 10 p.m. In winter only the winebar is open
LO STROBLHOF
Cantina Stroblhof - Alto Adige
Wine production, small hotel and restaurant with seats both inside (Gusto) and outside (Terrace & Garden). The Stroblhof is truly a place where you feel good and eat even better. Everything is based on a proposal linked to Alto Adige, especially the raw materials used. Just the right touch of the Mediterranean is not missing. The vegetable dishes are excellent, the meat succulent, and the fish well cooked. Freshness is not lacking either in the raw materials or in the cooking, which is light and aimed at enhancing each individual ingredient. There is very good drinking from a list that includes not only ‘house’ wines, but the recommendation is to try a glass of Pigeno, one of the region’s great Pinot Noirs.
Via Pigenoer 25
San Michele/Appiano (BZ)
0471 662250
Open from April to November from Tuesday to Sunday
LA DISPENSA
DI SAN SALVATORE
Cantina San Salvatore
Campania
A veritable larder of good things, located in a beautiful spot between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the slopes of the Alburni mountains. Here we find all the Cilento products that are symbols of the Mediterranean, starting with extra virgin olive oil, which is one of the house specialities, and ending with flours, pastas and preserves. The family’s buffalo farm also produces good dairy products. But you also come here to eat some well-cooked dishes, from pasta and potatoes to cavatelli courgette and courgette flowers, from Cilento meatballs to an unmissable aubergine parmigiana. To drink? Lots of interesting things, but the Pian di Stio is really a fine Fiano.
Strada statale 18 Tirrena Inferiore
Località Cafasso, 5 Capaccio Paestum (SA)
0828 1998888
Open daily
RISTORANTE HUMUS
Cantina Cacciagalli - Campania
We are near the extinct volcano of Roccamonfina and the Cacciagalli winery is a true wine resort: small, authentic and comfortable. Eight rooms in total, surrounded by vineyards, but also by hazelnut groves, olive trees and woods. In addition, there is the Humus restaurant, which bases much of its production on ingredients produced on the farm according to ethical and sustainable principles. You can opt for a tasting menu or choose à la carte. The fusillone, for example, is enriched with pepper extract, rabbit and buffalo yogurt; the veal fillet is very tasty thanks to the salty zabaglione, potatoes and summer truffle. To drink, the Zagreo, one of the great wines of the house, even if you have fun with the whole range.
Strada provinciale 91 Teano (CE) 0823 875216
Open daily for lunch and dinner, Sunday for lunch only
AL CJANT DAL RUSIGNUL
Cantina Ferruccio Sgubin
Friuli Venezia Giulia
Now in its third generation, it is the brand founded by Ferruccio Sgubin and managed with passion by his children and grandchildren. We are located in the heart of Collio, an area of rare beauty and precious for wine production. In the structure dedicated to the winery there are also some rooms and the restaurant, divided into three areas starting from a truly delightful room with a fireplace. The cuisine offers all the best of Collio: porcini mushroom cone, harvest risotto (with sausage, mushrooms and Schiopettino grapes), lamb with thyme and pear and chocolate strudel. But don’t miss the potato sgonfiotti with formadi frant, rigorously paired with Collio Bianco Mirnik.
Via Mernico, 8/2 Dolegna del Collio (GO) 0481 60452
Open Thursday to Sunday for lunch and dinner
TRATTORIA FIORINA
Cantina Sparapani –Frati Bianchi - Marche
Why all these cars parked at lunchtime near a petrol station? The mystery is soon solved: the entrance to the bar is the only visible part of a historic trattoria where for decades legions of workers, tourists and regulars have been ordering generous portions of pasta alla carbonara (spaghetti or mezze maniche), lamb scottadito, polenta and stew at the tables in the two dining rooms. Of this roundup, this is the most everyday and rustic place: we like to tell you about it because it is the home of the Sparapani family, thoroughbred ‘verdicchisti’. Their bulk wine flows freely on the tables, but you can also have their bottled selections, including the famous Il Priore.
Via Barchio, 12 Cupramontana (AN) 0731 781216
Only open for lunch Monday to Saturday
LA PIOLA Cantina Ceretto Piemonte
On the first floor of Piazza Risorgimento, 4 is the renowned Piazza Duomo; at the same number, but on the ground floor, is La Piola, the trattoria linked to the Ceretto family winery. Supervision is still by chef Enrico Crippa, but here the Piedmontese and Langhe traditions are brought to the table by chef Dennis Panzieri. The proposal focuses on a few ‘must’ dishes and the classic blackboards are updated with the dishes of the day, always different depending on what the market offers. The vitello tonnato (veal in tuna sauce), raw meat and rabbit tuna, as well as tajarin or plin with roast sauce are not to be missed. To drink, there is really something to enjoy, since you can choose from the copious wine list on the first floor.
Piazza Risorgimento, 4 Alba (CN) 0173 366167
Tuesday to Saturday lunch and dinner
RISTORANTE BREZZA
Cantina Brezza Piemonte
Winery, hotel, but also restaurant serving Langa dishes. The Brezza winery has ancient roots, founded in 1885, and can now be considered one of the most appreciated in the Langhe. The table is based on local ingredients, starting with the truffle, so that going there in autumn really has an extra edge. The proposal includes a tasting menu that includes three starters, tajarin with veal ragout, braised beef with Barolo wine and zabaglione with hazelnut cake. A la carte choices include a traditional bagna caôda with vegetables, gnocchi al Castelmagno or a tasty galletto alla cacciatora. Drink a Nebbiolo or try the great Barolo Sarmassa Vigna Bricco. Via Lomondo, 4 Barolo (CN) 0173 560921
ORIGANO
Cantina Menhir Salento Puglia
While waiting for it to move to the newly restored Masseria Marengelli, nestled among the vineyards, you can enjoy the Origano restaurant in the heart of Minervino, on the ground floor of a historic building with a large outdoor area surrounded by beautiful bougainvillea. The products are those of the Terra d’Otranto and come from true local artisans. Chef Roberto Musaro enhances them to the highest level, putting a touch of flair and creativity that is always at the service of the raw material. Try the tomato variation (applause), the home-made pastas or the braciole al pomodoro (chops with tomato sauce); not to mention the desserts, which are fresh, well-balanced and not predictable. Via Giuseppina Scarciglia, 18 Minervino di Lecce (LE) 339 5325877
DON TUMÀ
Cantina Masseria Cuturi Puglia
Don Tumà is the country restaurant of Masseria Cuturi, a complex agricultural structure dating back to the 17th century. Here they produce wines from the Manduria area and enjoy authentic, local cuisine. The proposal is entrusted to chef Gianluca Caforio: you eat surrounded by a sea of vines (but the real sea is not far away either) amidst the clear stones of the structure. From the menu you can try the traditional stuffed aubergine, orecchiette pasta in tomato sauce and salted cacioricotta cheese or roast Pugliese bombette pasta with three-milk fondue and friggitelli. To drink without doubt the house Primitivo di Manduria, which combines power and drinkability. The establishment offers rooms and glamping.
Strada provinciale 137
Manduria (TA) 099 990 3036
ARIEDDAS
Cantina Su Entu - Sardinia
Arieddas is the restaurant of the Su’entu winery, a fine establishment that has breathed new life into viticulture in Marmilla in little more than ten years. It stands on a promontory from which one can enjoy a breathtaking panorama. The kitchen is entrusted to the talented Francesco Vitale, who can call on the advice of Piergiorgio Parini. What is gathered around the cellar goes directly into the dishes, sharing is the watchword and this makes everything pleasant and enjoyable. The grilled watermelon with basil, pecorino cheese and almonds is very good; the festive egg with roasted tomatoes and pecorino cheese is superlative; the lorighittas with courtyard ragout are not to be missed. Their wines are served, as well as various (delicious) Italian and foreign proposals.
Strada provinciale 48 - Km 1,8
Sanluri (SU) 070 705 0418
Open Wednesday to Sunday, lunch and dinner
HOSTERJA GULFI
Cantina Gulfi - Sicily
Wine cellar, inn and tavern, Gulfi is all this and if you are in the vicinity of Chiaramonte Gulfi, precisely in contrada Patrìa, you cannot miss this establishment where food is prepared according to what nature has to offer. A daily menu therefore that gives space above all to black pork meats and Ragusan cheeses, without neglecting seasonal vegetables and some ingredients from the sea. There is plenty of technique, but always at the service of the raw material. A few examples? The sfincione with red and yellow tomatoes, basil and fresh onion, spaghettoni with amberjack and fermented tomato, potato gnocchetti, clams and almond powder. We drink the interesting house wines, starting with Cerasuolo di Vittoria.
Contrada Patrìa
Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG) 0932 928081
Open for lunch and dinner, closed Monday and Sunday evenings
OSTERIA DI TORRE A CONA
Cantina Torre a Cona - Tuscany
Torre a Cona is a fairytale place, a wine estate developed around the charming 18th-century villa. Next to the villa, where there were once granaries and rural farmhouses, we find both the historic wine cellar and the osteria. The latter is located in the lemon house and is a restaurant that, since it opened, has decidedly focused on a very territorial cuisine, the result of great raw materials. Chef Enrico Romualdi, assisted by Cristian Santandrea, proposes dishes that are truly authentic, tasty, but at the same time elegant and very modern. From the menu: Argentario marinated mackerel panzanella, bronze-drawn maccheroncini with white duck ragout, Maremmana tagliata and millefeuille of potatoes.
Località Torre a Cona, 49 Rignano sull’Arno FI 055 699000
Open daily from March to November closes at 21:30
RISTORANTE VICCHIOMAGGIO
Cantina Castello Vicchiomaggio Tuscany
It is the realm of the Matta family, which here, in addition to managing beautiful vineyards in the heart of Chianti Classico, is also involved in accommodation and catering. One eats in the Renaissance hall and outdoors, in the shade of centuries-old holm oaks. The dishes speak almost exclusively of Tuscany and so it is that among the starters we find Summer in Tuscany (panzanella), while among the first courses (the pastas are all home-made) you can taste pappardelle with wild boar ragout. Sometimes from Tuscany we travel to other parts of Italy, as demonstrated by the delicious terrine of vegetable caponata, fried aubergine and red pepper cream.
Località Vicchio, 4
Greve in Chianti (FI) 055 854079
Open for lunch every day, dinner on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
TERRAFORTE
Cantina Castello del Terriccio Tuscany
Don’t worry if you have to drive several kilometres of dirt road from the state road to reach the restaurant. Il Terriccio used to be a real hamlet and the property is very extensive. The wine cellar needs no introduction, but for a few years now, where the carpentry shop used to be, there is the Terraforte restaurant. As resident chef we find Giulio Bandini, but the establishment also employs executive chef Cristiano Tomei, who has found a second home here. The dishes are refined but at the same time tasty and very much linked to what is found on the estate, starting with the bread, which is delicious, made using flour from the pine cones that are certainly not lacking. Other examples? Mullet alla livornese or rabbit in caponata.
Via Bagnoli, 16
Castellina Marittima (PI) 345 876 6179
Open Wednesday to Sunday, lunch and dinner
LA VIGNERIA
Cantina Mas dei Chini
Trentino
Mas dei Chini is a winery that we remember not only for its delicious Trento bubbles, but also for La Vigneria, a traditional restaurant enclosed within a 19th century farmhouse. The cuisine speaks of Trentino and the mountains and does so through excellent raw materials, cooked to perfection, always seeking to enhance each individual ingredient. Appetisers include carne salada, marinated trout or asparagus salad. Then the conchiglioni pasta served with cream of peas, stracciatella cheese, dates and cocoa beans or the canederlotti with nettles, Puzzone di Moena mousse and toasted pine nuts are very tasty and unusual. Second courses include excellent grilled meats or some seafood dishes. Via Bassano, 3 Trento TN 0461 821513
Open for lunch and dinner. Closed on Tuesdays
RISTORANTE FIORFIORE
Cantina Roccafiore - Umbria
Named after one of the company’s flagship wines, the restaurant is located within the beautiful Roccafiore estate. We are located between the hills of Todi and the Martani Mountains: the structure has a panoramic terrace from which one can enjoy a truly enviable view of this portion of the territory. Since 2006, the FiorFiore restaurant has been offering local cuisine, with farm produce and raw materials sourced from local artisans. Cold meats and cheeses are not lacking as starters; among the first courses, try the hand-pulled tagliolini with smoked butter and truffle or the mixed pasta with cream of beans and cod carpaccio. Among the main courses, the lamb with a skewer of its livers is not to be missed.
Località Collina, 110/A Todi, Chioano (PG) 075 8942416
Open every day for lunch and dinner except Tuesdays
LOCANDA ROENO
Cantina Roeno - Veneto
Roeno is a beautiful winery located in a border area between Veneto and Trentino. The winery can boast an inn that is ideal both for a stay, but also for a tasty lunch break or dinner in which to enjoy the best of the wines produced combined with authentic cuisine that is very much rooted in the tradition of these places. The ambience is informal, but well cared for; the service is impeccable and some of the dishes are truly unmissable. The pastas are all home-made and well worth a stop, for the rest seasonal vegetables, lake fish and meat dominate the menu, starting with game always cooked to perfection. Drink their wines and those from the family’s estate in Alto Adige (the Von Blumen).
Via Mama, 5 Brentino Belluno (VR) 045 723 0110
Open for lunch and dinner, closed on Thursday and Sunday evenings
LOCANDA SANDI
Cantina Villa Sandi
Veneto
On the outskirts of Valdobbiadene, surrounded by a large meadow, is Locanda Sandi: six tastefully furnished rooms and a delightful trattoria centred on carefully prepared local cuisine. Whether you sit indoors by the fireplace or in the spacious veranda, don’t miss classics such as the millefeuille of baccalà mantecato, the veli (of ham) from Sauris with sweet and sour vegetables and burrata, the bigoli and homemade tagliatelle, and the grilled lamb, beef and free-range chicken. There is also fish from the Adriatic Sea, from sea bass to monkfish, from octopus to prawns. Not to be missed in season is the famous sopa coada or snails with butter and parsley. The house tiramisu is also a must.
Via Tessere, 1 località Zecchei
Valdobbiadene (Treviso) 0423 976239
wine
Wine in colour
Sarah Heller, Master of
wine, reflects on the future of the sector: “ Italy is wrong to run away from tannins”
by Lorenzo Ruggeri
Growing up between Hong Kong and New York, with an American father and Korean mother, she fell in love with wine in Italy. After becoming a master of wine, she threw everything she had learned out the window and built her own way of telling the story of wine. Her drawings know how to crystallise the soul of a wine, as the tasting images we publish below the interview show.
Let’s go: how real and deep is the wine crisis?
Let’s divide it in two. If I look at my world, the world of collectors in Hong Kong as in the UK, the sector is in good health, in fact I would say growing. Just look at the value of Italian wines at auctions. Globally, however, the paradigm is changing. Even where I live, in the state of Washington, the largest wine producer has just told all its wine partners that it will cut demand by 40 per cent. With volumes, there is no turning back.
Will this be a problem for many?
Choices will have to be made. Especially in Italy where wine has been a social and not just an economic element for generations, rooted in cultural background and well connected to a sense of identity. Let’s face it: the message that was getting through in some
parts of the industry was a clear encouragement to drink, even a lot. Now comes an opposite message: drink less, but drink quality. Importers are also moving in this direction. A difficult message to swallow, but business must create value for consumers and now we have gone beyond that. For many, the toy is no longer sustainable.
Yet the premium effect can be dangerous.
Not every product has to become luxury, but everything has to be more strategic and well-planned. I think of some cooperatives: all they thought about was volume, how to expand vineyards and sales. That gold rush is over everywhere. The wine industry must always aim for the long term, now more than ever.
The mantra of the moment: young people are increasingly distancing themselves from wine. Why?
I think it is also an obsession. Why should Generation Z taste wine? I think wine is part of a journey in people’s lives: it has always been that way. There is a natural progression and a precise period that coincides with the interest and approach to wine. That is, when one settles down, takes a house, has a family or earns one’s first larger salary. Wine is associated with the idea of sta-
>Naturali
“The natural movement has changed the world of wine But now does it make sense to compete who is more natural? Beyond that, there is vinegar…”
bility, with being an adult. The new generations do not want to be adults, they drink cocktails or beer because they are younger, but then they will change. The wine industry has an internal crisis that it unloads on the new generations.
When did you realise that wine would be your life?
In Italy, when I was working in Turin. For six months I was in a trattoria in Turin that no longer exists, it was called Boja Fauss, right in San Salvario. It was there that I began to understand that wine was part of me. I didn’t know all those varieties, they came into the light.
What do you think of natural wines, do you like them? And the definition?
When I came back from Turin to New York, I started working for one of the first and most famous importers and distributors of natural wine. It was 2010, Hong Kong came 10 years later. We were pioneers in that movement, there was a lot of enthusiasm, we had producers like Gravner or Joly. There
was an ideological point of view: to go against the conservatism of wine. Today I feel like saying that that movement has gone too far. The natural result of wine is vinegar. What is the point of not intervening? Beauty is the interaction between human creativity and what nature gives us.
Farinetti even called it fascist because of the attitude of some producers... We don’t need so many additives to produce and natural wine has helped many conventional producers to critically review themselves. But what is the point of the race to be more natural? That attitude that divides into factions and micro-partisanship: natural wine has become a parody of itself.
How did the idea of talking about wine through its graphic representation come about?
I first started studying painting and then wine. And I always felt that objective, quasi-scientific system typical of the masters of wine was tight. As soon as I passed the exam, I thought about how I could put my personality into wine communication. I couldn’t use that language, it didn’t interest me. It had to be something easy, quick, immediate, with another point of view. The graphic representation of wines is certainly not a new idea, I think of the combinations with paintings and movements. I was looking for something metaphorical, abstract, but intuitive.
What does it start with?
From colour, which is very important. There are wines that are deeply red in character, but also blue, purple, green, yellow. I think of it as first specification, intensity and hue, then its shape, structure, texture. And the sequence of sensations it gives: fruit flowers, tactile sensations. I focus on the details, on its unique and original aspects.
Does the message reach the consumer?
Frankly, I didn’t think it was a big project. I posted the first project on instagram in 2018 and so many people told me they
hadn’t seen graphics like that anywhere. And so many friends who knew nothing about wine found it interesting and approached it. It had caught their attention and curiosity. And I managed to overcome a barrier with my Chinese customers who did not understand so many references to spices or fruits that in China are not there or have different names..
A universal language.
Yes, something understandable to everyone. With visual notes paradoxically everything is more abstract, but therefore more universal and easier to make one’s own. Wine is not an object we contemplate, but an experience: it is not something we just drink but reminds us of a precise moment, both of wine and of ourselves.
We bring it to the table: where would a restaurant in Italy go every day?
Osteria More e Macina in La Morra: their incredible combination of food in such a casual setting is for me the essence of Italy, its distinctiveness. You don’t have to go anywhere to get the best.
An Italian grape variety that still has great potential?
I say timorasso. Now everyone is excited with its discovery, but it has a character and acidity yet to be explored. Of course, how many themes we could open up. I will surprise you, but I also say montepulciano and nero d’Avola. In the world they are also called pizza wines, but there are great wines from those varieties that show how much is still unexpressed.
An underrated area to keep an eye on?
Now everyone is crazy about Piedmont, I love Barolo and Barbaresco, which for Asian customers are the natural alternatives to Burgundy. What’s Next? If I think of the eastern markets, I definitely say Alto Piemonte as potential: the wines are not yet recognised and now they are at the forefront. Like Etna, which has been on the crest of the wave for a few years now.
Are you talking about Etna Rosso? Yes, but Etna Bianco is also beginning to have its own recognisability. People have realised that they cannot just drink Burgundy Bianco and are moving away from the fruit or wood binomial. There is now a dance on the term mineral, which arouses a lot of interest among Italian drinkers. Although I must say that internationally there is still no agreement on which is the great Italian white.
Champagne to recommend: a small producer and a great maison?
Krug! Well, that’s too obvious, so I say Henriot and Agrapart.
We have just finished tasting them, what do you think of the Barolo 2020s?
They impressed me. Of course, they don’t have the structure of the 2019 or 2021. A bit like the 2018, they are pleasure wines, with a sense of beauty typical of Nebbiolo, not always as structured. It is a subtle beauty, the producers have realised what potential they have and are no longer trying to make something that is not there in their grapes. Certainly it is a vintage with medium ageing potential.
Aren’t we imitating Burgundy too much?
(laughs with gusto, ed.). Well, a little, yes. I’m surprised by this flight from tannins in Italy, even the Montefalco consortium no longer wants Sagrantino to be indicated as the most tannic wine, not even if it were a defect. I think it is always a question of gradualness. When I talk about Italian wines in my lectures, I point out how tannins are an integral part of your identity. You must not lose sight of this aspect. France has a fixation with these totally fine and polished tannins, Italian reds always have a different, slightly grainier texture: the tannic part is not just a tactile component but really a structural component of the wine: an Italian aesthetic.
In the following pages, tastings illustrated by Sarah Heller
Pergole Torte 2018 Montevertine
Essence of mint, resin, the fruit is intact and well ripe, with a charming floral undertone. On the palate, it is Pergole as we know it, it enters on tiptoe and leaves you on the spot with a portentous acceleration: a flash of flavour with a clear sapid mark. The finish, interminable, turns to orange peel and never leaves you again. While drinking, it is advisable to hold on tight to your chair. «The fundamental graphic element is steel,» explains Sarah, «After all, Manetti worked in a steel industry and the consistency of Pergole is something unique. It takes us back to Radda, to the high altitude of Sangiovese, to the typical friction it gives the palate, where the hard parts are enhanced in a drink of great character».
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Brunello di Montalcino
Il Greppo 2017
Biondi Santi
A “Maremma” nose, it takes us slightly further south in sensations, due to the hot harvest, to say the least. The aromas are reminiscent of ripe yellow peach, juniper berries and nutmeg. The mouthfeel is velvety, ample and enveloping, with a finish that denotes tannins that are a little stressed by the heat, barely green, but that do not dry out or tighten the
drink. Long, austere finish. Sarah compares it in some respects to a statue:«Brunello Biondi Santi is never opulent, it never jumps from the glass, it always maintains its rigour. It always takes a while to come out and has this unique, luminous fruit, when it seems to lose ground it recovers and lengthens. You never understand exactly where it is going, it has something elusive about it, like its relationship between aroma and texture».
96
Barolo Granbussia Riserva 2012
Poderi Aldo Conterno
The floral accent is sharp and bewitching, to say the least: an absolute of rose. A fine timbre that grows in the glass along with tones of rhubarb and liquorice. The palate is particularly rigorous, with a dense and tight tannic weave, of exquisite extraction, for an entirely unique tactile texture. Darker finish on notes of black truffle and
liquorice.
Sarah: «It is one of my favourite wines. I like to associate the character of the producer and the tannins. Basically with wine we always look for the opportunity to get in touch with something wonderful that we cannot ingest: Bussia is the essence of the rose, a floral explosion. And then this tension that is at the heart of Barolo: the beauty of the aromas and the hardness of the tannins, the dichotomy between borderline pleasure and borderline pain».
98
Barolo Falletto
Vigna Le Rocche 2011
Bruno Giacosa
The law of the red label: when Giacosa is on form, it is unattainable. The nose is far from immediate, but gives a feeling of obvious depth and majesty. Everything is in the right place. It opens delicately on watermelon and violet tones, an aromatic infusion of disarming purity. The palate has an incredi -
ble solidity and continuity: it seems weightless initially, then lengthens on very fine tones of spices and small black fruits. The finish is outstanding: exciting in a vintage that is underestimated simply because it arrived after the highly acclaimed 2010 vintage. In the long run, the balance of power could change.
Sarah: «Power and harmony: simply Giacosa, with its rigour, dark parts and class».
95
Bolgheri Sassicaia 2019
Tenuta San Guido
A fine, composed vintage. The hints insist on tones of Mediterranean maquis, the fruitiness of ripe and inviting cherries, with an elegant undertone of candied citrus, vanilla and tobacco.
The palate follows with rigour and length, for a long, continuous finish, with spice perfectly integrated into the structure.
Sarah points out that “precision” is
the key word for this wine: «There is not that generosity that we see in Ornellaia, it is the other side of Bolgheri. It is a wine that has less muscle, less exuberant tannins, an idea of richness contained within an idea of rigour and balance. It makes one see and not see, I find it very stimulating».
93
Bolgheri Superiore
Ornellaia 2020
Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
Dark aromas of graphite and small black fruits, with a rather exuberant toasted tone, pepper and cinnamon. The palate is rich, dense, with an energetic tannic texture, still very backward in terms of evolution. It does not fully relax, a recent retaste confirms this, with a powerful structure still being modulated. The
finish releases tones of blackberries and coffee.
For Sarah, the peculiarity of Ornellaia is precisely its generous and exuberant character, its rich and intense structure. A wine made of full tones, full of colours and suggestions, which is reflected in an impactful image that brings back an idea of warmth and power.
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Masseto 2006 Tenuta Masseto
Black olives, nutty sensations and rosemary on the attack. Then soft sensations of figs and a fascinating toasted register that brings us back to olive wood. The aromas are well delineated and the offspring of a wine that has a slow and linear evolution. The olfactory register is articulated and complex, with a toasted sensation that we find again on the palate, slightly marked by
alcohol, there is no lack of succulence and length. The tannin is still pawing. «Bolgheri wines such as Masseto, Sassicaia or Ornellaia you notice above all over time for a typical quality of tannins. You will never get that finesse and sensuality typical of French wines, but you will find more structure and solidity. A touch more strength to support the drinkability: an aesthetic that I find all Italian,» Sarah concludes.
Authentic, deep, rich in history: the native grape varieties of Tenuta Luisa tell the story of an increasingly surprising territory
Banners of viticulture Made in Friuli, Friulano and Ribolla Gialla are two indigenous grape varieties appreciated by an increasingly wide and attentive public, including an international one.
For Tenuta Luisa, one of the landmarks of the region's oenology and awarded the prestigious Star by the Vini d'Italia Guide, these products are a symbol of an increasingly surprising territory, of careful cultivation and winemaking techniques, and of an organoleptic complexity that meets the evolution of tastes and needs, without betraying its tradition. Let us therefore take a detailed look at its history and aromas.
FRIULANO LUISA: FRESH DIRECTNESS AND RICH PERSONALITY
Mentioned, according to some studies, as early as the 13th century by the then Patriarch of Aquileia, deriving from sauvignonasse, according to more recent analyses, arriving here in the mid-19th century, Friulano is by far the most representative variety of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s oenology, of which it tells all its depth.
In fact, Friulano Luisa is a triumph of aromas: it stands out for its unmistakable note of bitter almond and its balanced acidity, capable of giving a very pleasant sensation of freshness and roundness. Dry,
Friulano and Ribolla:
Tenuta Luisa interprets the soul of the territory
broad and velvety, it has good structure and remarkable persistence. An extremely versatile wine, it is perfect with San Daniele prosciutto crudo, and is an excellent accompaniment to fish dishes such as seafood or squid ink risotto, roast sea bass or sea bream baked in foil.
RIBOLLA: A NATIVE GRAPE VARIETY WITH ANCIENT ORIGINS AND GREAT FRESHNESS
Like Friulano, Ribolla is an indigenous grape variety with ancient origins. Dating back according to some as far back as Roman times or originating according to others from the eastern Mediterranean basin at the time of Venetian rule, its long history has reached its peak in recent years, when it became one of the most sought-after wines thanks to its unmistakable lightness and catchy name. Intense, clean and refined, Ribolla Gialla Luisa opens with fruit notes, followed by floral aromas of acacia, hawthorn and broom. Fresh, dry and slightly citrine, it has an elegance and drinkability that make it perfect both as an aperitif and when paired with fish appetizers, crudités and tartare, seafood starters, baked fish or fried fish and vegetables.
Tenuta Luisa Mariano del Friuli (GO) via Campo Sportivo, 13 +39 048169680 tenutaluisa.it
The essentials only
Vineyard at an altitude of 500 metres and a subtractive style: the Brunello from the Pietroso winery challenges the canons of Montalcino and opens up new scenarios
by Raffaele Mosca
The unstoppable rise of Montalcino and Brunello runs on two parallel tracks: the first is that of the historic estates managed by aristocratic families or large investors that occupy above all the southern side of the commune, where the gentler landscape has allowed the development of large expanses of vines; the other is that of the winegrowers - whether native or foreign -who form a small ‘Burgundy’ of Montalcino with their fragmented plots, perched on the slopes in the
quadrant around the town or hidden in the remotest corners of the other areas. The former were the protagonists of the first golden age, when, driven by the commercial success of Castello Banfi (a company owned by the Italian-American Mariani family), Brunello began to depopulate in the States. The latter took longer to emerge: a phalanx of so-called “modernists” were able to chase the market and broke through as early as the late 1990s and early 2000s, while others - those for whom
shortening maceration or replacing a fifty-year-old barrel with barriques is tantamount to selling one’s soul -had to wait almost twenty years before seeing the limelight. Some set the turning point at the time of the Brunellopoli scandal. The day after the plea bargain by some prominent wineries, accused of having violated the dictates of the regulations by blending Sangiovese and allochthonous vines to make Brunello more in line with international tastes, the world (re)discovered “the other Montalcino”: intimate and rural rather than glossy and foreign; more than alternative, complementary. In the decade that followed, American critics - who have always governed the fortunes of Brunello more than of any other Italian wine - took the opportunity to adjust their sights and begin to reward even labels at the antipodes to the concentrated and exuberant style favoured up to that time: dynamic, gritty, certain -
The tasting room with a view of Pietroso, an exponent of the new direction in local winemaking, west of Montalcino
ly not filiform - because Brunello always remains the most fleshy of the Sangiovese breeds - but endowed with great delicacy and lightness. Leaving aside Biondi Santi (which has always made history in its own right) and pioneers such as Gianfranco Soldera and Piero Palmucci of Poggio di Sotto (who had been following this style for many years and had long since risen to legendary status in a certain niche), it was Alessandro Mori of Il Marroneto who led the way, launched into the stratosphere by the wellknown US publication The Wine Advocate, which gave 100 points to the 2010 vintage of the estate’s Madonna delle Grazie cru. Its success has fuelled the leap forward of a large group of extremist vignerons, concentrated above all in the area to the north of the denomination: whereas previously they lived in the shadows, today they are struggling to cope with a demand that always exceeds supply, especially overseas. Among these, Gianni Pignattai and Cecilia Brandini of Pietroso are perhaps the most emblematic of a style of Ilcinese wine “in subtraction”, and among the very few who maintain prices that are not low in
an absolute sense, but neither are they subject to constant inflation.
A different winery
The name, Pietroso, already speaks volumes: it evokes the steep, rocky ridge immediately west of the village on which the company is perched. «A place where the big guys have never invested,» explains Pignattai, «because the plots are too small and inconvenient to work». The couple’s house-cellar stands above the plot purchased by Gianni’s grandfather, Domenico Berni, who was an administrative clerk by trade and dedicated himself to viticulture in his spare time. He bought it for a fistful of lire in 1970, unaware of the evolution that Brunello would have had, but aware of the history of this area of Montalcino where viticulture has been documented since 1363, and Brunello was also made at a time when Moscadello reigned in other areas. So much so that a few kilometres further on one can see terraces similar in slope and exposure, now owned by the Tiezzi family, that belonged to the estate of Riccardo Paccagnini, one of the Ilcinese pioneers, producer at the end of the 19th century of reds that won
The family of Gianni Pignattai and Cecilia Brandini in the barrel room of their house-cellar in Montalcino where they have lived since the 1990s
medals at the Universal Exhibitions.
The first vintage of Brunello Pietroso conserved in the cellar was 1978, but the winery’s ‘professional’ turning point came only in the early 1990s when Gianni, returning from work experience on Lake Maggiore, began to work alongside his grandfather, who was tired and wanted to sell everything. He became passionate about the business and decided to take over, starting a path of progressive expansion.
«We had young children and another job,» explains Cecilia, «but we decided to take a risk, signing promissory notes to make the company grow».
To the Pietroso vineyard and the adjoining Petroso, both partially terraced, they added the Fornello vineyard, east of the village, and then took over the Colombaiolo vineyard, the only one outside the northern quadrant in the Castelnuovo dell’Abate area.
Thus, their wines are a blend of four micro-parcels with a total area of 6.5 hectares. But the keystone of Pietroso’s “Nordic”
style lies in having chosen cool, ventilated positions with significant altitudes: even the Colombaiolo vineyard, which technically falls in a more southerly zone and is therefore a little warmer than the other three, exceeds 400 metres; Pietroso is the highest: 500 metres above sea level. ‘In the past this could have been a problem: having vineyards like this meant producing wines that had to be kept in the cellar for many years to express themselves at their best. Today, the ever-rising average temperatures ensure a little more readiness already at the outset. Yet their style is always recognisable. Rosso di Montalcino is one of the most contemporary wines of the denomination: to define it as an expression of Sangiovese Ilcinese that looks to Chianti Classico may seem like heresy, but it gives an idea of the graceful and irresistibly juicy style. The Brunello is not so different: certainly deeper, but equally extraordinary for its purity of fruit and aromatic subtlety.
Vertical in 5 vintages
The vertical tasting of five vintages of Brunello is held in the glassed-in tasting room overlooking the wilder side of Montalcino: the only touch of glam-
our in a spartan and essential cellar, where the musts ferment spontaneously - with a maceration of about three weeks - and the ageing takes place in Garbellotto’s classic large Austrian oak barrels. The outcome is quite surprising: be-yond 2019 and 2015, both daughters of fortunate seasons, the 2018 is more convincing than expected, more fragile and barely diluted but of bewitching finesse. Well done the ‘13, solid and potentially very long-lived. Slightly evolved the ‘10: it is the year of the turning point, which in many cases proved more suited to medium-term consumption than to long ageing.
The Pietroso vertical, however, is also the right opportunity to discover something new from a fifth vineyard, recently acquired by Gianni and Cecilia. They previously rented it and made Villa Montosoli from it, a wine downgraded to IGT due to the presence in the plot of old plants of other native vines: in fact a forerunner of many Brunellos bearing the “Montosoli” label that have come out in recent years. The new label from the Montosoli vineyard, which comes from the new planting and pays homage to Dome-nico Berni, was released a year earlier than the Brunello and spent
Pietroso’s barrique cellar where the wines from the harvest of four small parcels evolve
its second year of ageing in smaller containers (1,000-litre barrels and tonneaux with a capacity of about half that); yet it reflects the characteristics of what - due to its not exceptionally high position, but close to the northern border of the denomination, in a windy area characterised by considerable temperature swings - is becoming Montalcino’s most important Cru. The Montosoli experience gives rise to some more general reflections, starting with the doubt as to whether it is really necessary to keep the wine resting for five years at a time when the increa-singly torrid climate alone mitigates excess harshness. While, by waiting too long, one sometimes ends up losing the wonderful fruit of Sangiovese in its youthful phase. It represents a further step forward in the search for suavity and elegance: indispensable qualities to counter the much la-mented crisis of structured reds, a shadow that in Montalcino can only be glimpsed extremely far away on the horizon, but which cannot be totally ignored.
Pietroso to the test of time
94
>Brunello di Montalcino 2019
It conveys the typical richness of the vintage, but in a context of great finesse and balance, with an earthy breath that anticipates delicate aromas of crunchy bramble fruit, bitter orange, violet and some balsamic hints. Medium-weight, but energetic and incisive; the tannin dries without scratching, pressing acidity and haematic returns outline an enthralling progression. To be paired immediately with the canonical Chianina steak or left to rest in the cellar.
93
>Brunello di Montalcino 2018
Completely different from the 2019: floral sweetness and raspberry jelly intertwine with white pepper, cinnamon and a vegetal hint. Delicate and composed, certainly less articulate, but convincing in its balance of polite tannin, integrated acidity and splendidly juicy fruit that fades into an airy finish with balsamic and floral inlays.
95
>Brunello di Montalcino 2015
Highly rated vintage, but a little warm. This is evident from the dark onset of burnt wood, leather and undergrowth; it gradually gains delineation and lets candied cherry, wild herbs and potpourri emerge. Enveloping, with fleshier and riper fruit than in previous vintages, but also a refreshing burst of blood orange that supports the notable length, poised between suave balsamicity and deeper, haematic and earthy returns.
Not just Brunello
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>Brunello di Montalcino 2013
Shy at first and almost more youthful than the ‘15. Dehydrated herbs, wilting flowers and some haematic nuances prevail over the dark and still acidic fruit. Tonic and without frills, almost severe compared to the previous one, but equally captivating, with masterfully extracted tannin and reactive acidity, woody and balsamic references to seal the sumptuously austere ending.
92
>Brunello di Montalcino 2010
This is the only one of the five that shows clear signs of evolution: humus, black truffle and cigar box framing dourberry and mulberry. The acidity is lively and the tannins punctual, but it is a little darker and drier than its predecessors, with tones of cocoa powder and undergrowth to give it depth, and an ematic and somewhat autumnal finish. To be uncorked now in combination with any traditional Tuscan dish.
>Berni Domenico Toscana Sangiovese IGT 2020 95
It immediately draws stubborn comparisons with Burgundy: clear, shimmering colour; bewitching array of raspberry, plum, rosehip, sandalwood and incense, with the wild side of the Ilcinese Sangiovese peeping through in the background. Equally suave in the mouth: balsamic, airy, full of mouth-watering red fruit that gives breadth and harmony, incorporating well-extracted tannins and vibrant acidity, and fading into a finish that is both ample and light at the same time, in full Montosoli style.
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>Rosso di Montalcino 2022
Delicate violets, currants and aromatic herbs, with a whiff of vegetable to reinforce the sense of freshness. Light but not fragile, hinging on darting acidity and subtle tannins that caress the juicy fruit and lend grit to the precise and inviting finish. Perfect with everyday cuisine.
A mosaic of different shapes and vibrant colours. A positive mood that becomes yours. A new Franciacorta wine.
GRADI DI STILE
ORGANIC WINE
Beyond a thousand metre elevation
Vineyards at high altitudes and unlikely latitudes: how winemakers are coping with climate change
by Donato Notarachille
Would you like to sip a Pinot Noir from Scania, or a Bronner from Smaland?
Or would you prefer a bubbly from the Andes or a Regent from the Langhe? Don’t worry! You have not suddenly become, unbeknownst to you, the characters in a dystopian series about wine-making and viticulture in the next century, but it is an eventuality you will have to come to terms with in the future. Climate change is redefining the global wine landscape, pushing viticulture toward higher altitudes and northern latitudes. Rising temperatures and changing climate patterns pose significant challenges for many areas historically suited for wine production. In fact, a study by the Universities of Bordeaux, Palermo and Burgundy found that more than 70 percent of
The Poggio Pagnan vineyard in Mel, Belluno, between the Pre-Alps and the Dolomites: new Piwi is being tested here
current viticultural areas could become unsuitable by the end of the century due to climate change. It is a risk that countries bordering the Mediterranean basin, such as Italy, Spain and Greece, which have a millennia-long tradition of wine growing, would seem to run in the first instance. However, new areas at higher altitudes and latitudes could become suitable for viticulture.
Regions such as the southern United Kingdom and northern France are emerging in recent years as new wine-growing areas, and even in southern Sweden, where there has been a temperature increase since the late 19th century about twice the global average with significantly warmer and longer summers and winter temperatures nearly two degrees higher, new vineyards have been planted, rising from four to 40 in just a decade.
Strategie di adattamento
For some years now, much of the wine-growing world has been grappling
>At risk
70% of current wine-growing areas could become inadequate by the end of the century due to climate change
with the search for adaptation strategies, such as choosing varieties and rootstocks that are more resistant to drought and adopting training systems that delay ripening. The tendency to identify areas suitable for vine cultivation where the effects of rising temperatures and long periods of drought can be mitigated is not only producing a latitudinal shift of vineyards northwards but also a shift to higher altitudes. Although mountain wines are not exactly a novelty, in Italy as in the rest of the world.
«While there are areas where high-altitude viticulture has been successfully practised for a long time - I am thinking of Valtellina, Val d’Aosta, Etna - where excellent wines can be made at around 1,000 metres, moving to higher altitudes may be a viable option, but not in all contexts,» explains Michele Lorenzetti, an oenologist and biologist who consults for several wineries practising biodynamics.
«More than the rise
in temperatures,» he adds, «what is worrying and impacting most are the individual extreme events that have a major impact on the plant: frosts, super-abundant rainfall concentrated over several days, perhaps in periods when it did not happen before, heat waves, prolonged droughts».
For Lorenzetti, «in any case, everything depends on the oenological objectives that one wants to pursue, the grape varieties that are used and the intersection of altitude and latitude because, while on the one hand, mountain viticulture has the advantage of delaying all the development phases of the vine, such as budding and flowering, avoiding damage from frost and other phenomena that are becoming increasingly extreme in recent years, on the other hand it can present problems in the grape ripening phase. And if there are difficulties with ripening and it is not possible to develop a certain degree of alcohol, one can only make wines with a slender profile, low alcohol content and pronounced acidity, characteristics that are good for ready-to-drink wines, for gluglu products or for sparkling wine bases».
A significant example of mountain winegrowing experimentation is represented by Cantina Ciu Ciu of the Marche region, which has brought the Pecorino grape variety back to altitude (between 600 and 700 metres) to produce a classic method sparkling wine, in places where it can bring out its marked acidity, which is little exploited in the plains or hills.
Between
1,200 and 2,000 metres
In Italy, it is worth emphasising that there are places where vines are cultivated well above 1,000 metres: the vineyards at the foot of Mont Blanc in Val d’Aosta, for example, where the
One of the spectacular heroic vineyards in the Aosta Valley. At altitude, extreme events are more manageable
The other vineyards on the peaks of Europe
In Switzerland, in the small and picturesque municipality of Visperterminen in the canton of Valais, with the ‘Rieben’ that goes up to an altitude of 1,150 metres, they always thought they had the highest vineyard in the Old Continent. An indigenous grape variety called Heida is cultivated here, from which a very aromatic white wine is made. However, the Swiss record is challenged by the measurements of the vineyards of Bodega Barranco Oscuro, which is located in the La Contraviesa mountain range, south-east of Granada, in southern Spain, close to the Sierra Nevada National Park: here, the Cerro Las Monjas vineyard reaches 1368 metres. A little higher, at an altitude of 1,400 metres, are the vineyards of the Kyperounda Winery in the Krasochoria region of Cyprus. Situated on the southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains, the area has a deep-rooted winemaking tradition dating back thousands of years. Here, the cool climate and constant sun exposure allow for wines of great finesse and complexity made mainly from the local varieties Xynisteri (white) and Mavro (red).
A vineyard in Visperterminen in Switzerland: one of the highest in Europe between 650 and 1,150
company Cave Mont Blanc di Morgex e de La Salle has even gone so far as to create an experimental wine cellar to vinify Prié Blanc grapes obtained from free-range vines grown at 1,200 metres at high altitude.
In Calabria, in the heart of the Sila National Park, at Cava di Melis, a hamlet of Longobucco, the Immacolata Pedace winery cultivates international varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon at 1,300 metres in what began as an experimental project in 2006 and is now one of the highest vineyards in Europe.
Among the Italian wine regions, one of the most suitable mountain areas is undoubtedly Mount Etna, where an emblematic case of high-altitude viticulture is that of the Sciara estate of Stef Yim, an Asian-American oenologist and winemaker who cultivates Grenache at 1. 200 metres in the Cielo and Nave districts, in Randazzo, but has gone so far as to graft 4,500 red-berry vine shoots in a plot in Adrano, on the volcano’s north-western slope, at 1,500 metres: a candidate for a Guinness record with the highest red-berry vineyard in Europe.
“Provocation” at 3,600 metres
An almost provocative experiment is instead the one carried out by Roberto Cipresso, one of Italy’s most talented winemakers, who, far from the national oenological borders, not only produces Malbec in Argentina at 2. 200 metres above sea level, but a few years ago in Moray, near Cusco, Peru, he planted Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, creating what is considered the highest vineyard in the world, located at a staggering 3,660 metres above sea level, next to one of the most stimulating cooking workshops in the world, chef
Virgilio Martinez’s Mil Centro dedicated to the study of the traditions and products of the Andes.
In Italy, the need to find a way to adapt to the new climatic conditions has raised controversy over the extension of the borders of some DOC wines to higher altitudes or to areas hitherto excluded from the specifications.
The Barolo and Etna cases
A case in point is Barolo, where the possibility of including new production areas at higher altitudes to guarantee the quality and typicality of the wine in a changing climate has been discussed. However, this proposal has met with resistance among historical producers, who are concerned that the extension could compromise the identity of Barolo.
Even on Etna, the growth of viticulture at higher altitudes has generated debates among local producers. Some, especially among the younger producers, see high altitudes as an opportunity
to preserve the freshness and acidity of the wines, while others fear that the upward expansion and the inclusion in the regulations of the land on the western side (falling within the municipalities of Adrano, Bronte and Maletto), may alter the distinctive characteristics of Etna wines. These controversies reflect the tensions between innovation and tradition in the world of wine, where adaptation to new climatic realities must be balanced with safeguarding territorial identities.
The new varietals
«Identities that can perhaps be preserved by splitting the vine-territory pair. How? By opening up the specifications to the use of new grape varieties, perhaps better suited to the changed climatic conditions and perhaps better able to read the territory today,’ is the provocation of Nicola Biasi, oenologist specialising in resistant grape varieties and owner of Vin de la Neu, a company that produces about a thousand bottles a year from Johanniter grapes
The vineyard of the winery Immacolata Pedace, in Cava di Melis in the Calabrian Sila: rows at an altitude of 1,300 metres
whose vineyards are perched in Val di Non at over 800 metres.
«I do mountain viticulture,» explains Biasi, who advises many companies, «so it is something I believe in a lot, but in my opinion, as an adaptation strategy it is a viable solution up to a certain point. It may be a solution in Barolo, where we are reasoning about opening the specification also to the north, on Etna where we can also open the western side, in Montalcino to go beyond 600 metres. But whoever has an estate in Ferrara, or Marsala, what does he do? Does he sell all the vineyards around his house and buy them in the Apennines? Does he move to Sweden? Let’s not forget, then, that this is a tendentially expensive and low-production vine-growing, so consequently the wines obtained are positioned in a high price bracket, but if everyone
AUTHENTIC TUSCAN ROOT.
then makes wines at 50 euro, who will buy them?»
«I,» he reiterates, «believe that a solution is also to change grape varieties and use varieties that are better performing in today’s climates. I’m about to say a huge heresy, but what if in twenty years’ time we found ourselves in Montalcino with Sangiovese grapes at the beginning of August overripe or half-dried? In that case who cares about Sangiovese, because the important thing is Brunello is the terroir that must be preserved: we are talking about appellations of origin not appellations of grape variety. Let’s change the specifications, not secretly of course, let’s allow varieties that perform better in a given territory with the current climates and everyone will choose which path to follow. Because I would like to remind you that in Montalcino 70 or 80 years ago there was little Sangiovese: it was all Moscato and until the climate changed it worked very well, then there were those who rightly focused on Sangiovese when the time was right. In my opinion we should not be too tied to the vine, the vine is a means, like the oenologist, like the barrique or cement or steel vats, like the spurred cordon or guyot, to enhance a territory».
Mountain viticulture certainly represents an innovative and courageous response to the challenges posed by climate change, and the wines produced at high altitudes, with their freshness, complexity and distinctive characteristics, seem to be intercepting the new taste trends of a large segment of consumers well at the moment. But is this the path that will have to be followed to adapt Italian (and world) viticulture to the challenges ahead? Or will the orientation be to preserve wine territories by attempting the path of resistant grape varieties? We shall see what will end up in our glasses.
Vineyards on the slopes of Etna: Stef Yim (Sciara) has planted 4,500 rooted cuttings at an altitude of 1,500 metres
The recipes of up-and-coming chefs
ALESSIA ROLLA
by Clara Barra
photos by Chiara Schiaratura and Riccardo Nicola
Born in Asti Age 34
Resident in Montiglio Monferrato (AT)
LATEST ALBUM DOWNLOADED
GA10 by Groove Armada
LATEST BOOK READ
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone
BELOVED INGREDIENT
Butter
LEAST LOVED INGREDIENT
Banana
DISH OF A LIFETIME
Tomato by Anne Sophie Pic
GRAND MAESTRO WORSHIPPED
Enrico Crippa
COLLEGA COETANEO PIÙ STIMATO
Eugenio Cannoni
RESTAURANT NAME
>Cantina Nicola
CONTACTS
Cocconato d’Asti (AT)
s.da degli Alberoni, 10 3929543291 cantinanicola.com
>Green beans, sea fennel pesto and lentil miso with chamomile
For the green beans
Trim the green beans, separate the tips from the rest; blanch them in boiling salted water for about 30 seconds and then plunge them into water and ice. Keep about half of them cut into small segments for serving. Brown the remainder in a pan with an onion and - once well cooked - blend them into a cream.
For the pesto
Blend the hazelnuts, add the sea fennel and salt, blend again very fine and add the remaining ingredients; create a smooth, well-whipped emulsion. Strain and store.
For the chive oil
Heat oil to 90°C, add parsley, chives and whisk; filter with paper towel, transfer to a pastry bag so that the oil separates from the remaining fibrous part.
Plating
Brown the green beans and lay them on top of the cream and miso previously laid on the bottom of the plate, cover the green beans with the sea fennel pesto, season with the two oils and herbs.
INGREDIENTS FOR 4
1 spring char
600 g salt
400 g sugar
Char roe
For the fermented white asparagus mayonnaise
1 kg white asparagus
25 g salt
1 egg white
Grape-seed oil
A squeeze of lemon
For the rosehip compote
100 g rosehip berries
10 g sugar
For the fish stock
Scraps of char
2 onions
1 saldano rib
4 carrots
A lemon wedge
Parsley stalks
A bunch of wild fennel
5 cloves of unpeeled garlic
Rose infusion
100 g cream
30 dried rose buds
For the sauce
Fish stock
Rose infusion
50 g fennel
15 champignon mushrooms
4 shallots
200 g sour cream
400 g chicken stock
>Char, rosehips and fermented white asparagus
Place asparagus with salt in a jar, cover with water and let it ferment for a week, then blend and strain.
With the resulting liquid, combine the other ingredients and whip the mayonnaise.
Fillet the char, bone it and marinate it in the salt-sugar mixture for 15 minutes; rinse, remove the skin and chop to make a tartare.
Clean the rosehips and cook them in a saucepan with the sugar until they melt and become a fairly thick puree.
Prepare two pastry bags: one for the white asparagus mayonnaise and one for the rosehip fruit compote; keep for plating.
Brown the char scraps and all the vegetables, deglaze with a glass of white wine, cover with water and ice and simmer until reduced. Strain the resulting mixture and reduce further in a saucepan.
For the sauce: brown the mushrooms, fennel and shallot together, deglaze with white wine and add all the other ingredients except the rose infusion and the fish stock. Once the mixture is reduced and cooked down, whisk and then add the rose infusion and the stock.
Season the fish tartare with salt, olive oil, Sichuan pepper, a little white asparagus mayonnaise plus a tablespoon of fish stock. Place the tartare in the centre of the plate, dot with the rosehip compote and fermented asparagus mayonnaise and finish with char roe. Finish the dish by heating the sauce to about 45°C and whip it with a whisk to create a light foam to be placed around the tartare.
300 g black hazelnuts (or classic hazelnuts, toasted)
Butter
Water
Salt
For the pickled bear garlic leaves
Bear garlic leaves (including the rib leaves)
100 g mild vinegar
2 g salt
10 g sugar
200 g water
For the veal heart:
5/6 slices of veal heart
Salt
Aromatic herbs to taste
3 cloves
5 juniper berries
White wine
Cubebe peppercorns (from Java)
For the stock:
500 g veal meat (cut for stew)
5/6 slices of dehydrated veal heart
10 pine cones
3 green pine cones cut in half
30 g dehydrated berries
15 juniper berries
1 carrot, 3 shallots, ½ leek
1 celery stalk
White wine
For the heart
Blend all the spices and herbs in a coffee grinder and add them to the salt. Marinate the meat in salt for about 1 day. Rinse it and soak it in white wine for another day. Take the slices and bake them at 80°C until dehydrated.
For the broth
Brown the meat and vegetables in olive oil, deglaze with white wine. Cover with cold water and a few ice cubes. Let it simmer for 2 hours. Then add all the other ingredients, bring to the boil and leave to steep until warm. Strain the broth.
For the porcini oil
Bring the oil to 90°C and add the finely chopped porcini mushrooms. Bring everything back to 90°C and blend (in the Multicooker at speed 10 for about 2/3 minutes). Strain. Do the same for the parsley oil.
For the pickled bear garlic leaves
Boil water, salt, sugar and vinegar. Let cool and leave the leaves to marinate for a week in the fridge.
For the mushroom base
Roast all the vegetables and mushrooms previously seasoned with a little olive oil and salt in the oven at 200°C. After 20 minutes, deglaze with a glass of white wine and cook for a further 20 minutes. Transfer everything to a saucepan, add all the remaining ingredients and cover with cold water and ice. Let it simmer for about 5 hours (it should reduce by at least one third): strain through a very fine mesh, transfer to the pan and reduce to the consistency of a meat demi-glace.
For the hazelnut cream
Place all ingredients in the Multicooker, set to 80°C and blend for 15 minutes; add water until you obtain a smooth cream. Strain
For the porcini mushrooms
Cut them in half; heat a cast iron pan with butter, a little oil and the oil and the herbs. Add the porcini and cook them cut side down. Toss with butter until golden brown.
Plating
Place the porcini in the centre of the plate on top of a teaspoon of hazelnut cream, pour in a spoonful of the hazelnut cream and drop a few drops of the suspended oils, finish with the pickled garlic leaf and on the side a cup of hot broth.
INGREDIENTS FOR 10
For the strawberry compote
75 g strawberry juice
150 g sugar
250 g diced fresh strawberries
250 g frozen diced strawberries
50 g glucose powder
3 g pectin
3 g cream of tartar
Chopped tarragon
For the strawberry juice
500 g frozen strawberries
5 g sugar
For the tarragon mousse
3 g gelatine sheets
388 g cream
86 g white chocolate Tarragon
250 g mascarpone
For the lavender oil
100 g grape seed oil
70 g lavender leaves
30 g parsley
To finish the dish
Pickled green strawberries
Seasonal flowers
Mint granita
>Strawberry, tarragon, and lavender (with mint granita)
Juice with the frozen strawberries: add sugar and cook in sous vide bag at 100°C steam for two hours.
For the strawberry compote
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook to 104°C. Allow to cool, then pour the compote into a ball mould and freeze.
For the tarragon mousse
Heat half the cream in a small saucepan and dissolve the gelatine in it. Immediately pour the mixture over all the other cold ingredients (except the mascarpone) and whisk to mix everything together. Refrigerate overnight. Beat the tarragon mixture with an electric whisk until it becomes frothy, at which point mix in the mascarpone. Pour the mixture into a round silicone mould (larger than the size of the strawberry compote), place the frozen ball of strawberry compote inside it. Place it in the freezer until frozen.
For the lavender oil
Heat the oil to 90°C, add the herbs and bring back to temperature, then blend and strain.
Plating
Pour a spoonful of strawberry sauce into the base of the dish, drizzle with the lavender oil and place the sphere in the centre. Decorate with flowers and finish with some mint granita (on the side).
travel
The puzzle called Cyprus
October is a great month to visit one of the most picturesque corners of Europe, a hinge between East and West, a crossroads of peoples, foods and cultures
by Francesca Masotti - photos by Cyprus Deputy Ministry of
Tourism
A book for the journey
Tucked away in the remotest corner of the eastern Mediterranean, between the Turkish and Near Eastern coasts, Cyprus is an island rich in natural beauty, cities with ancient history and a gastronomy where Greek, Turkish, Venetian and British influences mingle. The result? A curious destination, the island is divided in two - in the south the Republic of Cyprus, in the north the self-proclaimed, internationally unrecognised Republic of Northern Cyprus - that is worth a holiday for many reasons. Cyprus, in fact, is close by (a three-hour plane ride from Milan), satisfies both sea lovers and culture enthusiasts and, last but not least, you can eat like hell. This is a gastronomic and cultural journey through Nicosia, Pafos and its coastline, past traditional taverns, archaeological sites and views that restore the soul.
The Tombs of the Kings: Paphos’ evocative burial monuments are one of the jewels of Cyprus
Mediterranean microcosm
For almost 50 years, a border has divided Cyprus in two: it is the Green Line that since 1974 has separated the Republic of Cyprus, in the south and with a majority population of Greek origin, from the self-proclaimed Republic of Northern Cyprus, in the north and recognised only by Ankara. Two distinct entities, where different languages are spoken and different customs followed, meet in Nicosia: it is the last divided capital of Europe, the cultural and administrative heart of the island of Aphrodite. In this strip of land in the Mediterranean, Greeks, Romans, crusader knights, Venetian merchants and French nobles have found refuge over the centuries, giving the island a very rich history and an equally stratified archaeological heritage. It is precisely this meeting of different cultural backgrounds, together with the year-round mild climate and
If you are planning a trip to the island, read The Bitter Lemons of Cyprus by British author Lawrence Durrell, who moved there in the mid-1950s. When Cypriots of Greek origin demand annexation to Greece, Turks and British - who garrison Cyprus - oppose it: dramatic acts of terrorism and unrest then break out and Durrell tries as best he can to mediate between his compatriots and friends, Turks and Greeks. Until even the writer has no choice but to abandon the island, no longer able to offer him what he sought there. A splendid tale of one of the most fascinating destinations in the Mediterranean.
picture-postcard beaches, that makes Cyprus a particularly interesting destination. A variety that is inevitably also reflected in the gastronomic scene.
Nicosia, between history and meze
Most visitors travelling to Cyprus, attracted by the more popular resorts along the coast, devote at most one day to visiting the capital. This is a pity, because Nicosia
ADDRESSES
Nicosia
Zanettos
Trikoupi STreeT 65
+35(0) 7227 65501 - fzaneTToScy
Taverna Mesostrati
evagourou 18e
+35(0) 7226 62727
mezoSTraTi com cy
Beba Restaurant
pindarou 2a
+35(0) 7222 52626
$beba reSTauranT
Tocayo
preveziS 10
+35(0) 7700 88089 - $Tocayocy
Souvlakia Andreas
agioS domeTioS - kryakou maTSi 21
+35(0)7227 70683
Pafos
Gourmet Taverna
dyoniSou 1
+35/0) 7269 33626
gourmeTTaverna com
Pelican Restaurant
apoSTolou pavlou ave 102
+35(0) 7269 52500
paphoSpelicanreSTauranT com
Muse
andrea ioannou 16
+35(0) 7269 41951
$muSecafekiTchenbar
Suite48
poSeidonoS ave 48
+35(0) 7269 10808
TheSuiTe48.com
7 St Georges Tavern
anThipolochagou georgiou Savva 37
+35(0) 7996 55824
7STgeorgeS com
Wineries
Kolios Winery
paphoS - STaToS-ayioS foTioS
+35(0) 7267 24090
kolioSwinery com
Linos Winery
omodoS - leoforoS dimiTri liperTy
+35(0) 7254 20207000
linoSwinery com
Fikardos Winery
meSogi - meSogi avenue b7
+35(0) 7269 49814
fikardoSwineS.com.cy
Sterna Boutique Winery
kaThikaS - STernaS 50
+35(0) 7991 70699
STerna-winery com
Kalamos Winery
amargeTi - kira eleni 6
+35(0) 7267 23224
kalamoSwinery com
Below, some of the traditional fish meze characteristic of Paphos cuisine
Left, mosaics at the archaeological site of Kato Paphos
is not only the ideal starting point to discover - and try, however difficult it may be in a short time, to understand - the complex history of this island, but also because it is an authentic and lively destination that amazes at every turn. For the past 50 years, in fact, Nicosia has been the only city to be the capital of two states. The dual soul of Nicosia comes out in every neighbourhood: bazaars, churches, mosques, Orthodox monasteries, hammams, colonial buildings, neoclassical palaces, Ottoman-style houses. Its historic centre is a labyrinth of cobbled streets where intriguing museums - among them, the Civic Museum, the Makarios Foundation with its Byzantine icons, and the CVAR Visual Arts and Research Centre, which compellingly illustrates the modern history of Cyprus - and Venetian-era ramparts alternate with artisans’ boutiques, cafés and traditional taverns. True culinary temples, where time seems to stand still, at whose tables one must sit to take a journey through the best of local gastronomy. Since 1983,
Zanettos has been serving original dishes from the cuisine of Nicosia and the hinterland. The menu is a triumph of local flavours: truffled mushrooms, pork marinated in wine and coriander, smoked sausages, snails in sauce, meat skewers and fresh salads. Another place to mark in your diary in the city is the Taverna Mesostrati, which offers tasty meze with calf’s liver, garlic bread, courgette croquettes and tomato patties. As well as halloumi, an inevitable dish on any self-respecting Cypriot table.
Halloumi,
symbol of Cyprus
Halloumi, this Cypriot PDO cheese, is omnipresent on Cypriot tables: a true institution and a national pride, the first evidence of which dates back to around 1550. Production, however, is said to be much earlier and dates back to the late 12th century when Arab mercenaries settled on the island. The traditional recipe calls for the use of raw sheep’s milk, mixed with goat’s milk, rarely with the addition of cow’s milk (present, however, in step production). The sheep’s milk comes from the local Cypriot Chios big-tailed breed, or from crosses between this and the Awassi and East Friesian sheep, introduced
White, red and... blue wines
Among the sunny slopes of the Troodos Mountains, just over half an hour’s drive from Pafos, are numerous wine cellars. Wine has a long history in Cyprus, dating back some five thousand years, and is of good quality. In addition to a rich selection of international grape varieties, there are the indigenous varieties Mavro, used to produce reds and rosés, and Xynisteri for white. Also worth trying is Commandaria, a traditional sweet wine that won over even Richard the Lionheart: it is produced in mountain villages from late grapes left to dry in the sun. Two, among many, are the places to mark in your diary: Kolios Winery for its excellent Maratheftiko (fruity red) and Spourtiko (dry white with an intense bouquet of exotic fruits); and Linos Winery famous for its Mediterranean Blu, a blue-coloured wine born of a mistake: red grape skins had ended up in the fermenting white wine and the liquid turned a colour reminiscent of the waters of the sea surrounding Cyprus.
to Cyprus in the 1960s. Goat, on the other hand, is from the local breeds Macharia, Pissouri, Damascus and Ntopia. What makes Halloumi so special, besides the use of high quality milk? Pithkia, a thickening enzyme obtained from the dried and salted stomachs of sheep, goats or pigs, is used in the mixture, which makes the cheese firm in texture - the ideal is to eat it grilled or fried - and salt mixed with mint, which has an antibacterial as well as a flavouring function. In April 2021, the European Commission registered Halloumi cheese (Greek name; Turkish: hellim) as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). A decision - welcomed by both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots - taken with the aim of protecting the name from imitation and misuse, a guarantee mark that brings economic
benefits to both communities. In short, it has become the symbol of a shared identity: Halloumi is neither Greek nor Turkish. It is Cypriot.
A plunge into Pafos
Not even a two-hour drive (if you travel independently by car, remember that driving is on the left, like in Britain) separates Nicosia from Pafos, the main tourist resort on the western side of the island. A smooth and relaxing route through banana plantations, quiet roads and landscapes that refresh the soul. According to Greek mythology, this is where the goddess of love was born and, more precisely, at Petra tou Romiou: a large rock formation in a picturesque bay a few kilometres from present-day Pafos. The entire coastline of the region is a succession of picture-postcard beaches and wild
A glimpse of the centre of Nicosia, a city halfway between Europe and the Middle East
shores: from the Akamas Peninsula on whose beaches the loggerhead turtle nests, to the Blue Lagoon and hiking trails with unforgettable views of the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. Among the many activities for outdoor sports enthusiasts, not to be missed is diving at Coral Bay, a Blue Flag beach about ten kilometres northwest of the city: you can dive to a depth of 12 metres to admire the marine fauna living near the bay, including groupers, eels and cuttlefish, as well as explore rock formations, holes and arches.
Catch of the day
Pafos is also the place to be for lovers of good food. From pseftika (squash blossoms stuffed with rice) to resi (a kind of porridge made of rice, wheat and lamb), from sheftalia (lamb and pork sausage with red onion and parsley), to the island’s best lokoumi (gelatinos sweets), every table in Pafos is a treat for the eyes and palate. One cannot say one has been to Cyprus, however, without tasting some of the best fish meze. After all, Pafos is a seafood destination and there is no shortage of tavernas and restaurants where you can eat the catch of the day. The menu at Gourmet Taverna features aubergine rolls and grilled sea bream fillet with sun-dried tomatoes and spicy lentils, among others. At Pelican, just a stone’s throw from Pafos Castle, order the house fish soup and meze: a feast of fried and grilled fish, salad with seasonal vegetables from the gardens of the villages around Pafos, and tasty local snacks. All to be enjoyed overlooking the sea.
Amidst pergolas and mosaics
To work off a meal, the archaeological site of Nea Pafos, near the harbour, is
the place to mark in your diary. Its mosaics, among the best preserved in the eastern Mediterranean, can be seen in what were luxurious Roman villas between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD - the House of Dionysus, the Villa of Theseus, the Villa of Aion, the House of Orpheus and the House of the Four Seasons. Also part of the park are the Agora, the Fortress of the Four Columns, the Roman Odeon and the lighthouse, which offers a beautiful view of the coastline and the Mediterranean maquis. The whole of Pafos is a Unesco World Heritage Site and the monumental necropolis of the Tombs of the Kings, with its tombs carved into the rock and tufa, a paradise for archaeology enthusiasts, is alone worth a trip to the island. Another culinary place to mark in your diary for dinner is 7 St Georges Tavern. Here, surrounded by curious kittens, in a relaxed and informal setting, you can fill up on moussaka, Halloumi, Greek salad, fried peppers, tomatoes, olives, meat stew and homemade bread. Under a flowery pergola, in the moonlight, far from the hustle and bustle that fills the promenade and surrounding streets in summer. Impossible to ask for better.
After Gordon Ramsey I went back to my grandmother
Cypriot food is a mixture of Greek, Middle Eastern and European flavours. A splendid mosaic that is the result of the many peoples who have lived on the island, uniquely located in the Mediterranean basin. Our dishes are tasty, authentic, enhanced by aromatic herbs and spices originally from North African and Middle Eastern countries. Cypriot tables look like paintings: mezes of meat, fish, pulses, olive oil, honey, fruits and vegetables that are always fresh, cheeses, savoury pies and freshly baked bread are never lacking. After studying at Le Cordon Bleau in London and working in some of the best restaurants in the British capital - among others, Gordon Ramsay’s Maze and Jason Atherton’s Social Wine&Tapas - I returned to my island and, inspired by my mother’s and grandmother’s recipes, I started to organise pop-ups, events and private dinners where the protagonists are the dishes of my childhood revisited in a contemporary key.
Maria Markitani chef eandfood stylist
Meze, the inheritance of Venetian cicchetti: in addition to fish, there are many made with meat (goat meat is excellent) and vegetables such as aubergines, onions, chicory cipolle, cicoria
