Gambero Rosso Wine Travel Food n.145 by Gambero Rosso

WINE

T R AV E L

FOOD

BEST OF THE YEAR all the best of 2020

TOP ITALIAN RESTAURANTS 2021 AWARDS

GAMAY OF TRASIMENO ANDREA LEALI SIGNATURE DISHES

year 22 - number 145 - december 2020 - gamberorosso.it

SOMMARIO WINE

T R AV E L

FOOD

BEST OF THE YEAR all the best of 2020

TOP ITALIAN RESTAURANTS 2021 AWARDS

3

Editorial

6 

News

8

Wine of the Month

11 

Seasonal Cocktail

 15 

My Export

 18 

The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World

 22 

Top Italian Restaurants 201 Awards

 32 

Best of 2020

 56 

Trasimeno

 70 

Great chefs: Andrea Leali

GAMAY OF TRASIMENO ANDREA LEALI SIGNATURE DISHES

year 22 - number 144 - december 2020 - gamberorosso.it

28 32

56 54

Winemakers in the Most Prestigious Areas of Tuscany www . sanfelice . com

The best is yet to come 2020 will be remembered by all and probably by future generations as the year that was not only dramatic, but also plausibly one of those dates in history that constitute an epochal change. People, society and the economy were heavily affected by the pandemic, but at the same time unsolved problems surfaced, combined with sudden changes in the competitive structure. The creation of this issue was particularly engaging, one because selecting excellence has become increasingly challenging given how the quality of the Italian offer continues to improve, and two because in the current situation we are discovering entrepreneurs capable of reinventing themselves. The issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cover was therefore chosen with the intention, for the second consecutive year, to represent with an artistic work the conceptual synthesis of the efforts and success that our sector has achieved for the good of consumers and the success of companies. Art, in fact, is the expressive medium that better than others gives clues to the future; never as today do we need to explore a new world. The subjects we describe are themselves a proxy of attitudes, behaviours to be explored, deepened and tasted all together, like tiles in a mosaic, they represent a magnificent work of art. Thanks therefore to the restaurateurs, pizza chefs, pastry chefs, baristas, gelato makers, bartenders, wine and olive oil producers, photographers, journalists colleagues and all the professionals who with their work and their commitment help to give perspective to this sector by fueling our passion for food and wine, and for providing a vital contribution to the national economy.

- Paolo Cuccia

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

NEWS

Not just caviar. History and curiosities about sturgeon On the festive table, sturgeon occasionally makes an appearance, coupled with its eggs that have made it famous (i.e. caviar). But, it’s true that, in Italy, consumption of this primordial fish is limited to the table of a few fine restaurants, and little else. Even though the flesh is tasty and nutrient-rich. Some curiosities in snippets to learn to appreciate it: Sturgeon is a long-lived fish, which often lives more than one hundred years. It lives in the sea, but swims upstream in freshwater courses, to reproduce.

sturio) and coby or Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii). Polluted waters and illegal fishing have led to a drastic reduction of specimens, both in Italy and around the world. Fishing sturgeon is therefore prohibited, in order to preserve an endangered species.

the river areas along the Po, but also in Lazio, where it was fished in the Tiber (known as the “lupo del Tevere” or wolf of the Tiber) and was delicious food for pontiffs and noble families. Three local

Historically, sturgeon was widely consumed in Italy in

breeds: Ladan (better known as beluga), the common sturgeon (Acipenser

Its flesh – only farmed and controlled – has high protein content and is rich in Omega 3. Those who want to use it, however, must hash it, as if it were beef, otherwise too chewy. Sturgeon is also suitable in smoked form or stored in oil, the good scraps can be used to make a tasty broth.

Spreadable cured meats: map of regional specialities Classic sausages have in common meat processing and, sometimes, the maturing times. But certainly not the final texture. Soft cured meats are the inconfessable dream of any self-respecting gourmet: as tasty as cold cuts and as versatile as a spreadable cream. Typical of many regional traditions, here’s where to find them, to bring them to the table even during the holidays:

5 4 3

1 ‘Nduja, Calabria

2 Ventricina, Abruzzo 3 Ciauscolo, Marche 4 Sopréssa, Vicenza 5 Leberwurst, Alto Adige

6 Boudin, Valle d’Aosta

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

NEWS

Italy is strong in the world’s top 50 cocktail bars During this difficult time for the bar industry, the event that awards the best 50 cocktail bars in the world, has decided to celebrate the talent and professional authority of bar managers and bartenders who fuel a quality circuit. This year there are many Italians in the ranking, too. Be they based in Italy to bet on cutting-edge projects, or relocated abroad, where Italian history and experience (in terms of hospitality and mixing) still have a lot to teach. All very much appreciated. At the top of the World’s 50 Best Bars 2020, on the highest step of the podium is the Italian team of the Connaught Bar in London, where Ago Perrone, Giorgio Bargiani and Maura Milia are waiting to welcome guests from all over the world. The Italian bar industry is also well represented in Australia, at Maybe Sammy in Sydney, with Stefano Catino and Antonio Gualdi; and in Barcelona, in Giacomo Giannotti’s Paradiso. Satisfaction is also happening in Italy: in the top 50, Milan’s 1930 (at number 25) and Patrick Pistolesi’s Drink Kong (ranked number 45), brings Rome in the rankings.

From Pinchiorri to Baghera/wines: Romanée-Conti at 837,000 euros The most expensive wine of 2020 was auctioned by Baghera/wines for the sum of 900,000 Swiss francs (about €840,000). The set of 6 large-format bottles in mathusalem (6 liters) includes the 1985 vintage of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from the Enoteca Pinchiorri collection (lot 14). The lot went to a Swiss buyer during the “Kingdoms” auction by Baghera/wines, organized on December 6th in Geneva. The total value of the wine auction was 3.5 million Swiss francs. All of the first 14 lots in the auction, belonging to the Enoteca Pinchiorri collection, fetched 1.8 million francs. It is reported that lot 13, a set of 6 large format (3L) jeroboam bottles from Domaine de la Romane’e-Conti, found a buyer for 408,000 Swiss franks. The result of the wine auction brings Baghera/ wines’ annual total, for 2020, to over 10 million francs. Part of the profits from the sale of lots 1 to 14 will be donated by the owners of Enoteca Pinchiorri to two associations, one Italian and the other to Les Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne. “Twenty-four great bottles among the most precious and sought after in the world”, commented owner Giorgio Pinchiorri, “have flown to a new custodian who I hope will have, as I did, the care and love to preserve this unique wine heritage.”

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

NEWS

LIV-EX. The strongest high-end wines of the crisis. Italy acclaimed triumphantly by Gianluca Atzeni

0.5 which expresses the good moment of a market that has grown both because of the weakness of the pound compared to other currencies and because, in a situation of complexity for financial markets, wine has represented an alternative as a source of investment.

RISING PRICES. The main levels of the indices confirm this capacity: going from +4.65 of the Liv-ex 100 (which represents the benchmark for the industry) to +1.31% of the Liv-ex 1000 (which includes the thousand most traded collector

wines, including seven sub-indices including the Italian one). In particular, the industry’s wine index outpaced those of the major stock markets, which are characterised by high volatility. If, in fact, the main stocks on the world stock exchanges (Dax, Hang Seng, Ftse 100, S&P 500) have lost capitalization, the fine wine indices have shown signs of extreme stability, confirming that this type of investment can be a guarantee even in difficult times. TRADING RECORD. Total sales of fine wines, recorded at the end of November, reached a record high of 83 million pounds, up 33 million from last year. The positive sentiment is also confirmed by the bid-offer ratio (expressed by the ratio between the value of the offer and the value of the demand) of 0.62, higher than

FRANCE-ITALY. The tariffs on European wines in the USA have led to a fall in French requests: the value share for Bordeaux in the USA has fallen from 48% to 33%, for Burgundy from 13% to 8%; while the figures for Champagne are positive, from 10% to 14%, and for Italy, from 18% to 25%. The Italy 100 index gained 6.72% in one year (driven by great vintages like Barolo ‘16 and Brunello ‘15) second only to Champagne. Generally speaking, Italian fine wines are the real winners of this 2020 because, Liv-ex analysts point out, after 8.8% in 2019 their market share doubled to 15.3%. Super-Tuscans also prevail in the list of top 10 price performers: Sassicaia 2013 at +30.7% (after Château l’Eglise-Clinet Pomerol at +37%), Solaia 2013 (+24.1%) and double Tignanello 2013 (+21.8%) and 2016 (+19.2%).

THE 10 MOST TRADED WINES OF 2020 IN VALUE year

price (12x75)

Giacomo Conterno, Barolo Monfortino Ris. 2013 £ 8.196

Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac

Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne Bl. de Bl 2008 £ 1.070

Dom Perignon 2008 £ 1.332

Louis Roederer, Cristal 2012 £ 1.516

Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri Sassicaia 2017 £ 1.556

2016 £ 6.600

Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac

2010 £ 7.300

Antinori, Toscana Tignanello

Petrus, Pomerol 2016 £ 34.000

Harlan Estate, Napa Valley 2016 £ 11.250

2016 £ 974

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

Fonte: Liv-ex

For the fine wine industry, the 2020 stress test seems to have passed. Especially for Italian wines. The picture emerges from the latest report of Liv-ex, the British index of premium wines. The unrest in Hong Kong, the tariffs in the United States, Brexit and Covid-19 with the consequent revolution in the 2020 preview and major trade fairs calendar, have been an important test for a market segment that has always proven to withstand the effects of economic crises over the decades. And that is what happened this year.

NEWS

WINE OF THE MONTH

Chianti Classico 2018 RIECINE loc. Riecine Gaiole in Chianti(SI) www.riecine.it Average retail price: 16 euros

The winery’s profile is that of a classic Chianti Classico producer, a solid expression of the craftsmanship that characterizes the appellation. In addition to representing a sociological paradigm, Riecine has also managed to establish itself as one of the best enological expressions of the Gaiole in Chianti subzone, where quality and a sense of a territory are decidedly at home. Lana Frank has owned this estate since 2011. She has been busy revising its overall structure and has directed it back along a path more fitting with its reputation as a leader in Chianti Classico. The winery uses only organic viticulture followed by aging in concrete vats and small and medium wood barrels.The producer’s style, especially in recent times, has become so clear and distinctive as to serve as a model. The Chianti Classico ‘18 is such a striking and beautiful wine. It delivers a very special fresh and sapid profile. The 2018 features fragrant fruit that crosses subtly smoky hints, spices and slightly earthy hints. In the mouth it’s so vibrant: balanced, juicy and very refreshing. The finish is redolent of flowers and small forrest fruits. It’s such a food-friendly wine. It could easily pair so many recipes, but we warmly suggest you to go for a bruschetta (rather rustic bread) with a slow cooked meat ragù, a round of black pepper and some intense Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil on the top.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

SPIRITS

SEASONAL SEASONAL COCKTAIL COCKTAIL byPaola Paola Mencarelli Mencarelli by

OLD BUT GOLD Francesco Galdi - Corporate Beverage Manager Buddha Bar Group 3 cl Tanqueray London Dry Gin 3 cl Tropical Aperitif 1,5 cl Fernettone Top with Veuve Clicquot Champagne

Glass: Flûte Technique: Stir and Strain Garnish: Panettone wafer, date, edible gold

”C

ombining my “two” Christmases – the Italian and the Emirates one – I wanted to pay homage to the holiday period by mixing some of my favourite ingredients and imagining a link between the two countries, including traditions and such distant weather temperatures. Going backwards in my memory, I imagine the flavours of home, the parties, the endless dinners and the ever-present rite of Fernet and Panettone after dinner. The depth of Fernet combined with the comfort flavours of panettone, adding a touch of km0 with raisins, local Emirates dates, oranges and candied mandarins, thus creating a new ingredient called Fernettone. The alcoholic support is given by a classic London Dry, with few botanicals, very direct; while the tropical aperitif is prepared using leftover bottles of red wine, sugar, spices, rind and cubes of pineapple and brandy, to slightly raise its alcohol level, brought to 21 degrees. Everything is cooled and mixed in a mixing glass, poured into a flute and garnished with a panettone wafer and date dipped in edible gold."

BARTENDER: Born in 1982 and professionally raised in Turin, Francesco Galdi dropped out of Economics a few exams shy of graduation to devote himself to the world of hospitality and in particular to the coffee bar counter, working the front of the room, in the pastry shop and behind the counter of historic cafes of his city. The desire to go further led him to Dubai, where in a short time he became Bar Manager and then GM of the famous Buddha Bar. Back in Italy, he won the title of World Class Bartender of the Year in 2018 and moved to Milan as Food & Beverage Manager of the charming The Yard Hotel. Departed for yet another adventure at the beginning of 2019, he is now Corporate Beverage Manager of the entire Buddha Bar group, a brand with roots in four continents including Bar & Restaurant, Lounge, Beach Club, Hotel, SPA. In his 20-year career he has opened bars and followed projects in 15 countries. His philosophy behind the counter is summed up in the word Kaizen, which in Japanese means “change for the better”: a continuous search for best practices and an insatiable desire for knowledge that sees the perfect guest experience as its final goal.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

GAMBERO ROSSO X TERRE MARGARITELLI

Terre Margaritelli, wines of the heart from Torgiano, in the heart of Italy 1

The “wood and wine” project «For the last four generations our family has been working in the world of wood and oak in particular, so it’s natural for us to look for the best way to marry it with wine,» explains Dario Margaritelli. In fact, the family business has its core in the production and processing of wood. Almost sixty years ago, a sawmill opened in France, which could rely on the supply of oak from the forests near Beaune, in Burgundy, wood that the company uses for the production of high quality parquet flooring. Only from this kind of experience, could a strong bond with wine be born. Many collaborations started with various realities and, above all, the company began to supply oak to French tonnelleries responsible for producing barrels for the Umbrian winery, all hailing from the Bertanges forest.

The Margaritelli family produces great wines with respect for the territory and the environment spurred by their love for the land and the bond with the world of woodworking «Farming and wine production were my grandfather’s passions and we try to follow the path he traced in the best possible way.» This is how Dario Margaritelli welcomed us in the cellar that bears the family name and which has been producing wine in Torgiano since 1950. Originally the production, commissioned by Fernando Margaritelli, was only self serving and the fruit of a family passion. The turning point came in the year 2000 with the replanting of the vineyards and the total conversion to an organic regimen. This is how Terre Margaritelli was born, a winery that immediately linked – also in its name – the work to

GAMBERO ROSSO

the territory in operation. Now the company counts on 60 hectares total, including a single-body vineyard of 52 hectares. The winery is located between Perugia and Assisi, in a beautiful hilly area known above all for the Doc Torgiano, one of the first denominations recognised in Italy which later became, for the Riserva version, Docg in 1990. The grape varieties grown here are traditional of central Italy and Umbria in particular, above all Trebbiano and Grechetto for the whites and Sangiovese and Canaiolo for the reds. In addition to these are also other local grape varieties and some international ones, which blend very

DECEMBER 2O2O

GAMBERO ROSSO X TERRE MARGARITELLI

1. Federico Bibi and Dario Margaritelli (Cantine Aperte 2018) 2. Southern view of the cellar

The Terre Margaritelli wines Of the various wines produced, the flagship label is undoubtedly the Pictoricius. The label is dedicated to the Renaissance artist Bernardino di Betto, known as Pinturicchio, born in Perugia in the 15th century. It’s a Torgiano Rosso Riserva obtained exclusively from Sangiovese grapes, of great character, but at the same time endowed with an elegance that only great reds can have. In the Guida Vini d’Italia 2020, the 2016 vintage gained Tre Bicchieri recognition. Another purebred is the Freccia degli Scacchi, also Torgiano Riserva, while the Greco di Renabianca stands out among the whites, made from 100% Grechetto grapes.

well with native varieties. Currently the company produces 12 wines, of which three are white, two are rosé, one sweet, five reds and one LAB. Some are deliberately fresh and young, others are released on the market after a few years from the vintage, refining in precious oak, another product that has been the fruit of the family’s work for many years.

 Terre Margaritelli - Torgiano (PG) - loc. Miralduolo - 0757824668 - terremargaritelli.com

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2O2O

NEWS

MY EXPORT Alberto Colombo – Vallepicciola 1 What is the percentage of exports in the company total? From a total of 600,000 bottles produced, we export 60%. The United States is our top foreign market, followed by Korea, Japan and China, where numbers are growing yearly.

2 Where do you sell best and where do you sell the worst, and why? Our wines are mainly destined for on-trade. Despite high expectations in emerging markets, the historical ones for Italian wine (North America, Northern Europe, Germany, Switzerland and Japan) continue to give us the best guarantee of continuity year after year. In emerging markets and markets with little Italian dining (e.g. China) consumers don’t know the basics of wine consumption and, therefore, it’s difficult to build customer loyalty with them, as they become distracted by offers of wine arriving from continents (like Australia and South America) at very competitive prices.

3 How are exports doing with the restrictions due to the lockdown? During the “spring” lockdown, we continued to ship orders that arrived in previous weeks. Then, sales by our importers naturally slowed down. After June, we received orders mainly from Asian countries where the situation seems to be slightly better than in the rest of the world. In addition, there has been a significant increase in orders from our online shop where foreign customers (who didn’t come to Tuscany this year) are ordering their wine for the Holiday season.

4 How do you think the wine system should restart? There are profound changes underway for wineries, which have to adapt to decreased consumption, due to the decline in household purchasing power. Which in turn will lead to a drop in revenues, margins and profits for the 2020 and 2021 budgets. However, I am optimistic because after the emergency people will want to return to restaurants and drink good wines. The important thing is to differentiate, expand and strengthen marketing, enhancement and promotion of the wines.

5 How do you normally promote your wines abroad, and how are you doing this during the Covid-19 emergency? We have been attending tours organised by Gambero Rosso for years, and we will continue to do so because we consider them one of the best ways to meet new interesting interlocutors. Normally we travel and focus on receiving our customers in the cellar to build solid and trusted relationships. At the moment we are approaching a new lockdown and so we will invest to improve our online presence, optimize the website, but also increase the use of social networks, SEO systems and messaging platforms, such as Whatsapp. We will postpone to better times all the activities scheduled in the cellar such as organised tastings, events, dinners and show cooking that have been so satisfying in recent years.  Vallepicciola Pievasciata| Castelnuovo Berardenga | Siena | vallepicciola.com

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

GAMBERO ROSSO X LA VERSA

In the cradle of the spumanti of Oltrepò La Versa and the history of the Classic Method If today Oltrepò Pavese is among Italy’s most appreciated areas for sparkling wine production, good part of the credit goes to La Versa. The first experiments with bubbles were born right here, in the early 1900s, and the company is counted among the founders of the Italian Classic Method. In fact, the Santa Maria della Versa cellar holds the distinction of having placed on the market the first sparkling Classic Method Millesimato. With Andrea Giorgi, president of Terre d’Oltrepò, the large cooperative of which the La Versa brand is the flagship, we embarked on the discovery of this sparkling wine production, and he shared the characteristics of the best of the company’s labels.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2O2O

GAMBERO ROSSO X LA VERSA

1. One of the vineyards of La Versa, in Oltrepo 2. The company cave where the aging bottles rest 3. The just encapsulated bottles of Classic Method Photos are by Ermanno Bidone

Tastings

DENOMINAZIONE UVE VINIFICAZIONE

MATURAZIONE

CARATTERISTICHE

ABBINAMENTI SERVIZIO NOTE TECNICHE

OP Pinot Nero M. Cl. Brut Testarossa ‘15 «This is a O.P. Pinot Nero D.O.C.G. DENOMINAZIONE selection of the Metodo Classico Brut 100% Pinot Nero grape UVE noblest In bianco con pressatura VINIFICAZIONE variety the soffice. Il mosto of fermenta con lieviti selezionati a temperatura controllata. territory which Dopo il tiraggio la cuvèe rifermenta in bottiglia nel nostro caveau. finds its Minimo 36 mesi sui lieviti, MATURAZIONE e due mesi di èlevage in maximum bottiglia prima della messa in commercio expression Spuma bianca cremosa, CARATTERISTICHE perlage fine, continuo e persistente. here. The wine Colore giallo paglierino brillante, profumo ben pronunciato, fragranza boasts a di ribes crosta di pane con finale agrumato. straw yellow Sapore morbido, ma freABBINAMENTI sco e vivo, molto armonico, con gradevole retrogucolour with sto di piccoli frutti rossi SERVIZIO che si sofferma a lungo in bocca fine and NOTE TECNICHE Come aperitivo e cruditè di pesce elegant 6-7° C bubbles. On Alcol: 13 % the palate clear aromas of bread crust, small red fruits and aromatic herbs: the combination of these aromas creates a unity of freshness and flavour, typical of pinot noir.» The name derives from the traditional use of a red capsule. Duke Antonio Giuseppe Denari (President of the cooperative from ‘74 to ‘94) once overheard someone at a bar asking the bartender for “a glass of the one with the red head” [in Italian testa rossa]. Hence the fortunate intuition.

OP M. Cl. Brut DENOMINAZIONE Collezione ‘07 UVE «This wine comes VINIFICAZIONE O.P. D.O.C.G. Metodo from a careful Classico Brut Pinot Nero, Chardonnay selection of the In bianco con pressatura vintages aging in soffice.Il mosto rifermenta MATURAZIONE con lieiviti selezionati a temperatura controllata. our Dopocaves. il tiraggio la cuvèe rifermenta in bottiglia nel nostro caveau. Collection, or CARATTERISTICHE 120 mesi sui lieviti e due mesi di elevage in rather elegance: bottiglia prima della messa in commercio a blend of pinot Colore giallo paglierino ABBINAMENTI con riflessi oro antico, brillante, perlage fine ea pernoir and sistente. Profumo intenso, SERVIZIO fragrante, fruttato, ricordi di frutta secca tostata. of small part NOTE TECNICHE Secco, sapido, con una buona freschezza. chardonnay. Pietanze di pesce e piatti abbastanza strutturati With its 12 6-8° C years Alcol: 13 %on the lees, it represents a sensational milestone for the freshness and longevity that characterise it. A yellow colour with small golden reflections, fine and fragrant perlage, an olfactory DENOMINAZIONE complexity that reveals UVE ripe fruit and toasted nuts. One VINIFICAZIONE could almost consider it a meditation wine, but by the same token, a product of refined simplicity». MATURAZIONE

drinkability and Vino Spumante di Qualità roundness of all. Chardonnay Brut Chardonnay Enveloping and In bianco con pressatura soffice.Il mosto fermenta creamy on the con lieviti selezionati a temperatura controllata. Dopo il tiraggio larich cuvèe palate, in rifermenta in bottiglia nel nostro caveau. floral, fruity and Minimo 24 mesi sui lieviti e due mesi di èlevage in bottiglia prima della messa in honeyed commercio. Color giallo paglierino.on nuances Profumo intenso, fragrante, floreale e fruttato con the nose, it is Finale che ricorda il miele. Fresco, intenso, sapido, gradevole suitable for Antipasti, primi piatti a base di pesce those looking 6-8° C for a sole Alcol: 12 % companion that will last them from aperitif to dessert».

VINIFICAZIONE

MATURAZIONE

CARATTERISTICHE

ABBINAMENTI SERVIZIO

 La Versa - Santa Maria della Versa (PV) - Via F. Crispi, 15 - 0385798411 - laversa.it

UVE

OP M. Cl. Cruasè NOTE TECNICHE Brut Testarossa «Once again Pinot Noir, but with a further touch of grace. It has a soft pink colour and a soft and elegant froth O.P. D.O.C.G. Metodo Classico Cruasè Brut that announces 100% Pinot Nero L’uva viene sottoposta aromas ofadsmall una pressatura soffice, il mosto entra in contatto con red berries le bucce dove viene fatto and leggermente macerare, successivamente fermenrose petals, ta con lieviti selezionati a temperatura controllata. Dopo il tiraggio la cuvèe enriched with rifermenta in bottiglia nel nostro caveau. spicy notes. On Minimo 36 mesi sui lieviti, e due mesi di elèvage in bottigliapalate prima della messait the in commercio Color rosa antico. Profumo expresses its intenso, fragrante, fruttato. Buona struttura, fresco e sapido impressive Aperitivi, grigliate di pesce minerality 6-8° C and softness». Alcol: 12,5 %

CARATTERISTICHE Testarossa Blanc de Blancs Classic Method exclusively ABBINAMENTI of Chardonnay could not SERVIZIO be missing from this NOTE TECNICHE lineup. «With its typical straw yellow colour, it represents one of the . products with the widest

GAMBERO ROSSO

DENOMINAZIONE

DECEMBER 2O2O

Testarossa Principio ‘08 It’s the cuvée created for the hundredth anniversary PRINCIPIO of the cellar with the ambition of being a product that VSQ Metodo Classico Brut comes close to Pinot nero, Chardonnay Champagne. In bianco con spremitura soffice, il mosto rifermenta «Obtained from a con lieviti selezionati a temperatura controllata. Lo Chardonnay viene fatto blend of Pinot fermentare in barriques e assemblato alla Cuvèe prima della fase di tiragNoir and gio. La presa di spuma avviene in bottiglia nel nostro caveau. Chardonnay 120 mesi sui lieviti e due mesi di elèvage in bottiglia in (fermented prima della messa in commercio barrique and Colore giallo dorato brillante, perlage fine e persistente. Profumo intenso, assembled fragrante, tostato e di straordinaria complessità. before the Il vino si presenta strutturato,con una buona sapidità e una buona persistenza. draft). After Piatti a base di carni bianche e pietanze strutturate ten years on 6-8° C the lees and a Alcol: 13 % further two-month refinement in the bottle, it manages to conquer the finest and most demanding palates with its bouquet of almond, bread crust and honey, and a background of licorice. It is the perfect example of how robustness and refined complexity can work together».

STORIES EVENTS

The recovery of the Italian economy starts at the table by Lorenzo Ruggeri

Interview with the Director General for the Promotion of the Country as a System, Ambassador Lorenzo Angeloni

talian flavours are going against the trend. Even in the first half of 2020, despite the slowdown in the economy due to the pandemic which caused an overall contraction in Italian exports of 15.3%, the Italian agri-food sector recorded a 3.5% increase compared to the same period in 2019. The Italian agri-food sector with 538 billion euros in turnover represents a good 25% of the national GDP. We met the Director General for the Promotion of the Country as a System, Ambassador Lorenzo Angeloni:

GAMBERO ROSSO

How was the Week of Italian Cuisine in the world born? The idea of the Week was born in 2015 wishing to continue the experience of Expo Milano, dedicated to the themes of food and nutrition. Settimana della Cucina allowed us to collect its legacy and consolidate the network of main actors in the agri-food chain, through which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation intends to contribute to the internationalisation of the industrial sector of strategic importance for our export. In past editions, the event features the creation of over 6,000 events thanks to the joint effort of a network of Embassies, Consulates, Italian Cultural Institutes and ICE Offices abroad, in addition to all the other initiatives carried out, in an autonomous but coordinated manner, by our partners. Events that probably make the Week the most successful annual thematic review launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of an integrated promotion strategy, which successfully accompanied the positive trend of our agri-food exports recorded in recent years, and which has been revisited and strengthened as part of the Pact for Export. What were the major difficulties this year? The ongoing health emergency has posed significant obstacles to the implementation of our promotional initiatives. In this context, those in support of our agrifood products - where conviviality and tasting become fundamental aspects - have suffered the backlash more

DECEMBER 2020

ITALIAN CUISINE

than others. But difficulties did not discourage us. We doubled efforts to safeguard the event, with the help of the new operating methods that make extensive use of digital tools. The V Week of Italian Cuisine in the world has taken on an even more important significance in light of two major anniversaries: the tenth anniversary of the inclusion of the Mediterranean Diet in the list of Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage. A recognition that ensures enormous visibility and prestige to our food model which enhances the link between cultural and biological components, between environment and human activities, such as traditional agriculture and fishing, and which today represents an inspirational model also in terms of Sustainable Development. Furthermore, 2020 also marks the bicentenary of the birth of Pellegrino Artusi from Forlimpopoli, renowned gastronome and author of the first cooking manual of Unified Italy “Science in the kitchen and the art of eating well,” published in 1891 and translated in 9 languages. 130 years after its release, the volume still represents a milestone for national gastronomic culture and has given dignity to home cooking and enhanced local food resources. These are just some of the many ideas that fueled the activities of the event, which this year we titled: “Knowledge and Flavours of the Italian Lands, 200 years after the birth of Pellegrino Artusi.”

WebT V

The integrated promotion work continues throughout the year. Are there any other news in the pipeline? In recent months we have worked constantly to counteract the negative effects of the health emergency and to relaunch the made in Italy brand in the world, starting with the food products that represent some of the Country’s best and most appreciated expressions. And thanks to the excellent collaboration between the various departments, it was decided to equip our diplomatic missions with experts in the agri-food sector starting from Embassies in Brasilia, London, New Delhi, Beijing, Tokyo and Washington.

www.gamberorosso.tv DECEMBER 2020

GAMBERO ROSSO X CONSORZIO VALTÈNESI

In the name of “Rose” Valtènesi Doc Riviera del Garda, Italian excellence 1

“knot.” It is the typical vine of the Brescia side of Garda and is found only in Valtènesi (not to be confused with Groppello di Revò, a very small production niche in the Trentino Val di Non valley). It is a native vine, whose most common “ecotype” is the groppello gentile, easy to recognize by the shape of the apex and the always winged medium size cluster, and cylindrical shape. The grape has a very thin skin that can have shades of different colours from intense blue at the apex, to a yellowish red in the distal part. «In short - the Consortium affirms - we consider it our grape variety par excellence, the grape that has identified us for generations in the various productions of pure wine or in blends that include other varieties. We love it like we love familiar things, which we know even before learning to walk, and which then accompany us one step after another in our lives.»

If there is one terroir of Italian wine that has firmly focused on its identity, it is undoubtedly the Valtènesi appellation of the “Riviera del Garda Classico” in the Province of Brescia. The area is characterised by municipalities overlooking the lake from Desenzano to Gardone Riviera and inland municipalities lying on the moraine hills from Lonato to Puegnago del Garda. Here the indigenous Groppello grape has always been the grape giving lake wines. A wine that is increasingly vinified in pink, thanks to the “Molmenti method,” developed at the end of the 19th century by Senator Pompeo Molmenti, also Mayor of Moniga del Garda for several years, who called his creation “the wine of a night” because the grapes, pressed softly, remain in contact with the must just a few hours, one night, to give the wine the characteristic “rose petal” colour. The groppello grape variety owes its name to the compact shape of its cluster, similar to a “groppo”, dialect for

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2O2O

GAMBERO ROSSO X CONSORZIO VALTÈNESI

1. A splendid vineyard-garden with rows of Groppello grapes overlooking Lake Garda Below is the map with the participating wineries of the Valtènesi Consortium

Puegnago del Garda

Gavardo

Samuele Casella fraz.Sopraponte

Ca' Granda Comincioli Conti Thun Delai Franzosi La Basia La Meridiana Monteacuto Podere dei Folli Pasini San Giovanni Scolari Videlle fraz. Raffa

San Felice del Benaco

Le Chiusure Trevignane

DI A VE NE TO

Cascina Belmonte Pietta La Guarda fraz.Castrezzone

LO MB AR

Muscoline

Bedizzole

Polpenazze del Garda

Bergognini Bottarelli Vedrine Fioralba Le Sincette Due Pini fraz. Picedo L'Ulif fraz. Picedo

Manerba sul Garda

Antica Corte ai Ronchi Averoldi Francesco Cantrina Le Gaine L'Unicorno

Avanzi Cavazza Novello Taver VALTÈNESI

Moniga del Garda

Sirmione

Costaripa La Pergola Turina

Ca' Dei Frati Sgreva

Padenghe sul Garda

Pratello Zuliani

Lonato del Garda

Perla del Garda Saottini

Calvagese della Riviera

Società agricola Averoldi Antonio e Luigi Bottenago La Torre Redaelli de Zinis Tenute del Garda Zatti

Desenzano del Garda

Ca' Maiol Cavaliere del Garda Rosini Citari Olivini La Rifra Milan Bordignon Montonale San Girolamo Selva Capuzza

 Consorzio Valtènesi - Puegnago del Garda (BS) - Villa Galnica - via Roma, 6

0365555060 - consorziovaltenesi.it

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2O2O

Pozzolengo

Bulgarini Cadore Castrini Cobue Feliciana Malavasi Marangona Seriati Tenuta Roveglia

TOP ITALIAN RESTAURANTS 2021 AWARDS An online guide that puts together the best italian food spots in the world: here is the new edition of Gambero Rossoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top Italian Restaurants. Here are the 2021 guide winners

words by Lorenzo Ruggeri

STORIES

talian cuisine is deeply loved around the world since it makes us travel. And in a bitter and dull year for travel, the origin of our products ignites imagination even further. The subtle and intoxicating scent of a white Alba truffle, the intensity of Cicerale chickpeas, the natural sweetness of a Piennolo tomato, with its typical oblong shape, set people in motion towards Italy. With legs under the table. The digital guide Top Italian Restaurants guide, in its fourth year, showcases the evolution of Italian restaurants abroad, capable of relaunching and w. innovating even in the most difficult ur ga sta mb /re ero m of contexts. While fine dining restauo rosso international.c rants, especially those in large hotels, suffer, and it could not be otherwise, the number of osterias, pasta fproducers, small bistros and pizzerias is instead multiplying. In total, there are more than 700 venues of authentic Italian flavour listed in the guide, with the classic rating going from one to a maximum of three. In the final scoreboard this year we counted 18 Tre Forchette (fine dining), 13 Tre Gamberi (traditional trattorias and bistros), 15 Tre Spicchi (pizzerias) and 19 Tre Bottiglie (the best wine bars and Italian wine cellars in the world). Plus the special prizes of the 2021 edition: yes, it is indeed possible to raise the bar of quality despite all pandemic-induced limitations and closures.

top italian restaurants an t

2021

Pizzeria of the Year Peppe Napoli sta’ ca’’(Tokyo) Our journey starts from Japan with one of the best pizza Margherita tasted outside Italian borders. Credit is due to the talent and tenacity of Giuseppe Errichiello, who was able to hold out in the most difficult moments. He has run the apprenticeship gamut, working as dishwasher and napkin juggler, today he is the owner of two very popular pizzerias. The leavening process is slow, the dough and stretching show technical mastery, a rare manual skill: the pizza is airy, melt-in-your-mouth, and topped with certified flavour origin ingredients. The conspicuous distance between Naples and Tokyo is zeroed out with a single bite.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

THE HIGHEST RATINGS BY CATEGORY

Tre Forchette

The best fine dining restaurants 8 e ½ Bombana - Hong Kong Acquarello - Munich Acquerello - San Francisco Aromi - Prague Braci - Singapore Buona Terra - Singapore Cioppino’s - Vancouver Da Vittorio - Shanghai Dono Alfonso 1890 - Toronto Fiola - Washington Il Ristorante Luca Fantin - Tokyo Il Ristorante Niko Romito- Dubai Lumi - Sydney Mancini - Stockholm Mosconi - Bruxelles Pastamara - Wien Senza Nome - Bruxelles Tèrra - Copenhagen

GAMBERO ROSSO WORLD TOUR

Restaurant of the Year Da Vittorio (Shanghai) The Restaurant of the Year overlooks the Shanghai Bund. Behind it is all the serious and professional approach of the Cerea family who have faithfully reproduced, as rarely happens, the know-how of the historic venue in Brusaporto. The credit goes to a perfectly formed and trustworthy team, led by the talent of young chef Stefano Bacchelli. The quality standard is very high, the cooking technicalities phenomenal, among the best dishes in addition to the timeless paccheri alla Vittorio, a perfect pigeon. And thanks to the sudden success, in a few months the place will double its offer with a bistro located inside the new Ucca museum.

Chef of The Year Mario Gamba (Munich) Instinct and a constant desire to improve: the chef is a true master of Italian cuisine in Germany. Mario Gamba, from Bergamo, travelled around half the globe and then chose Munich as his base, opening the Acquarello restaurant in 1994. For 26 years he has been offering an inexhaustible repertoire of regional recipes, revisited with creative spirit and classic taste. The bases, the textures, the fine dining register like fresh pasta are perfect. And in such a difficult year, he has been able to make the most of the possibilities offered by the delivery service, proposing even the most articulated and complex preparations with grace and consistency.

Wine List of the Year TentaziOni (Bordeaux) Finally a wine list made with love. Nestled in the alleys of the historic centre of Bordeaux, TentaziOni is a very small, delightful bistro: a handful of tables, vintage furnishings and a cuisine of crisp creativity in as far as contrasts and flavours. Few ingredients and the very happy hand of chef Giovanni Pireddu. His wife Johanna has calibrated a wide wine list on the cuisine, but above all with great personality and character, full of artisanal producers, classics but also lesser known denominations. There are many brilliant choices for a wine list that exudes curiosity and research: a jewel. Bravo!

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

Tre Gamberi

Best bistros and trattorias Angelini Osteria - Los Angeles Belotti - Ristoranti e Bottega - Oakland Dilia - Paris Fico - Hobart Gianni - Bangkok Icaro - Tokyo Passerini - Paris Pausa - San Mateo Pianeta Terra - Amsterdam Ruvida - Lisbon TentaziOni - Bordeaux Tipo 00 - Melbourne Torno Subito - Dubai Tre Spicchi

The best pizzerie

‘O Munaciello - Miami 50 Kalà di Ciro Salvo - London Al Taglio - Sydney Bijou - Paris Bottega - Beijing Futura - Berlin Leggera Pizza Napoletana - San Paolo Luigia - Ginevra/Dubai Montesacro Pinseria - San Francisco Peppe Napoli Sta Ca’ - Tokyo

STORIES

Emerging Restaurant Mono (Edimburgh) Finally something new! We have been following the evolution of this restaurant with great attention, complete with an adjoining bar, and the result of the experience of of Joseph Crolla and the young chefs Andrea Pruneri and Simone Croci. Minimalist decor and a menu that brings together the best of local products and Italian recipes, for a healthy dose of stimulating experimentation. The tasting menu is a real experience based on flavours and perfect textures. Equally the wine list: young, fresh and super usable. The growth is impressive less than two years after opening. We hope to find it working at the same rhythm as soon as the venue reopens its doors.

New Opening of the Year Cori Pastificio Trattoria (San Diego) Ownership and independence are the ultimate goal for every chef. Accursio Lota, Sicilian, had a brilliant career in California, first as a chef at Solare restaurant and then he opened Pastificio last January. The place makes use of his wealth of experience. the menu ranges from arancini to perfectly stuffed pastas, plus classics like parmigiana. All paired to a lean wine list, with small producers and many gastronomic wines offered at extremely fair prices. Accursio put his heart into it, "u cori" in Sicilian dialect, and it is palpable indeed.

Guardians of Tradition Award: Da Emma (Montreal) The prize that we annually reserve for the most authentic tradition takes us to Quebec among the pots in the kitchen of Da Emma restaurant. We meet the energetic and inimitable Emma Risi, who moved here in 1992 with her husband Lorenzo Aureli. The accent is exquisitely Roman, the dishes and recipes have never changed. The war horse dishes are pasta and beans, meatballs with sauce ("veal only," Emma screams with pride!), roast lamb or cacio e pepe to begin with. Gestures are a ritual here, for simple, authentic and flavourful cuisine, rarely found in North America.

The Guide can be browsed online for free at this link: www.gamberorossinternational.com/restaurants

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

nNea Pizza - Amsterdam Ribalta - New York Song’ e Napule - New York Spacca Napoli - Chicago The Pizza Bar on 38th - Tokyo

Tre Bottiglie

The best wine cellars

1889 Enoteca - Brisbane A 16 - San Francisco Ai Fiori - New York AltoVino - San Francisco Casa d’Angelo - Miami Enoteca Italiana - Bangkok Gallo Nero - Hamburg Garibaldi - Singapore Giando - Hong Kong L’Avventura - Stockholm L’Enoteca di Mr. Brunello - Copenhagen Marea - New York Manifesto - Dublin Osteria del Becco - Mexico City Piccola Enoteca - Zhubei City SaittaVini - Düsseldorf Sistina - New York Terroni Bar Centrale - Toronto Trattoria Popolare - Oslo

top italian restaurants www.gamberorossointernational.com/restaurants/

b GamberoRossoInternational x GamberoRossoInternational sponsor

EVENTS

A new promotion on wine is now possible by Lorenzo Ruggeri

Gambero Rosso in Russia and then Switzerland, with a well-tested formula between in-person events, seminars and video-meetings

he promotion of the best Italian wines abroad sees no pausing. After Kyiv, the Gambero Rosso World Tour returned to Russia with its best known and most celebrated format: the Tre Bicchieri event. In the spotlight is an accurate selection of wines awarded with the highest recognition in the guide Vini dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Italia 2021. On November 24th, the first stop was St. Petersburg, in the famous Hotel Astoria, in front of St. Isaacâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cathedral, the largest in the country. An event that confirmed indications from past editions: St. Petersburg is increasingly a gourmet destination, with a surge in restaurant openings even during

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

WORLDTOUR

THE DEBUT OF PROSECCO ROSÉ IN RUSSIA During the Moscow event, connected via web, Marco Sabellico and Tanja Barattin, Responsible for promotion and valorisation at Consorzio Tutela Prosecco Doc, streamed a seminar to deepen and relaunch the types and styles of the appellation in a dedicated corner within the tasting. Moderating the tasting on site was expert Dmitry Fedotov, a fine connoisseur of the Italian wine scene. For the first time, the new Prosecco Rosé was tasted, a blend of glera and pinot noir. “We brought with us a fine range of eight wineries to the tasting, with productions that are representative of the wide variety of Prosecco types, from organic to rosé. The onsite response in Moscow was very good. Wineries are particularly fond of us, due to the fame of the event and because Russia remains among the most important markets for the denomination, which has grown a lot in recent years. The climb is constant, we also have Instagram and Yandex channels specially for the Russian market. And these moments are important because they allow us to talk about many issues, from the connection with food and art to a captive and targeted audience,” commented Tanja. Numbers in hand, Russia is the 12th country for DOC exports, with sales reaching 4.3 million bottles. In the first 6 months of this year Prosecco Doc went against the trend and scored a +18.6. “Russia is a market of great interest for Prosecco Doc: a combination of export aspects and historical and cultural ties. For example, since 2014 Prosecco Doc has been vin d’honneur at the Hermitage, present in glasses toasting at every organized event. The Moscow event represented an interesting fusion between research and innovation, both in regards to the type of wineries tasted, and for these new methods of digital connection and contact, which well compensate for the distance of non in-person,” commented Stefano Zanette, President of the Prosecco Doc Consortium.

Covid, especially bistros and wine bars, with no equal in the country. Consequently, the local food and wine culture is increasingly rooted and lively: attention is paid to niche quality, native and sustainable productions, with very rare wines that up to 2-3 years ago were impossible to find here. On November 26th Moscow was in the limelight, and the event was broadcast at the World Trade Center, with operators also arriving from Voronezh, Ekaterinburg, Vladimir, Nizhniy Novgorod. An expression

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

EVENTS

THE ZURICH MASTER CLASSES December 9th was instead time for an in-depth study on the Swiss territory. Marco Sabellico, also in streaming from the editorial headquarters of Gambero Rosso, conducted two seminars for 60 industry operators. The first on wines from central and northern Italy, starting with Prosecco and ending with the important tannic structure of a Barolo from Serralunga. The second, focussed on central Italy, from the reds of Montalcino and the Tuscan Maremma, closing with the wines of Vesuvius, Vulture and Manduria. The event was organised in collaboration with Vinum publishing group, a long-time Gambero Rosso strategic partner.

of interest and affection that has manifested in these years of growth for Italian wine, which continues to perform better than its competitors. According to estimates, the import of wines into

Russia in 2020 will reach 916 million euros, 279 of which are related to Italian labels. The overall decline is 12%, while the decline for Italy is reduced to 7.5%. Events in Russia confirmed how

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

preplanning manages to marry safety rules and market opportunities, including tastings in person with importers, video connections and targeted information for media and operators. ď ś

WINE, FOOD, CITIES, TERRITORIES, EVENTS, CHEFS, OBSESSIONS, PROJECTS, PEOPLE. THE BEST OF 2020 For the second consecutive year we wanted once again to take a page out of the great Anglo-Saxon magazines that once a year, naturally in December, try their hand at taking stock of the previous twelve months. We took it upon ourselves to make choices and point out what represented the best in our personal opinion. From the best politician of 2020 to the most sought after kitchen accessory amid dozens and dozens of listings

words by Giuseppe Carrus, Stefano Polacchi, Pina Sozio, Luciana Squadrilli, Massimiliano Tonelli, Annalisa Zordan illustrations by Studio Lord Z

ALL THE BEST OF 2020

TOPIC OF THE YEAR

nnus horribilis. Definitely. This 2020 is surely a year to forget, marked by the pandemic and by everything that has ensued and its consequences in the world in general and in our small universe in particular which is dedicated to pleasures and taste, to the senses, to emotions. To food, wine, the pleasure of living, travelling and discovering new cultures. A year to forget, but in many respects also one to remember, because it marked so many points of innovation, so many turning points that were not limited to and will not be limited to the Covid emergency. This 2020 has been and will be, a year that marks and will continue to mark our way of life, our habits and also our tastes and our ways of consuming, inside and outside the home. Here, then, in our opinion, is a roundup of facts and stories, fashions and trends, obsessions, which have marked our world and which deserve our focus. Above all a reflection to better understand where we are going, where the evolution of the taste and lifestyles will

FOOD SECURITY AND THE RIGHT TO FOOD

The reflections triggered by the pandemic have dramatically involved daily food choices and the need to ensure food for everyone, to the point that the Italian Parliament itself is working to include the right to food in the Constitution. The food chain becomes therefore pivotal: Zero km production, local crops, traditional products and foods, family cooking are being rediscovered... In this context we note the importance of the World Central Kitchen of JosĂŠ Andres (see details), Massimo Bottura's Refettorio and Food for Soul, or organs like rethinkfood.org, a community born in the USA aiming to build restaurants and cafeterias to ensure food for those in need.

POLITICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

POLITICAL FIGURE OF THE YEAR

CLOSING BARS AND RESTAURANTS

STEFANO BONACCINI

It's useless to spend words on a fact that's under our noses and which will be destined to profoundly change the face of our world, probably marking a before and an after.

If there was a rebirth of the dining sector during the summer period from June to September, it was thanks to rules that did not oppress restaurants with distancing and unfeasible regulations. This all happened thanks to the President of the Emilia-Romagna Region who approved the initial post-lockdown regulations.

BEST LAW OF THE YEAR

OBSESSION ACCESSORY

RESOLUTION-REGULATION ON OUTDOOR DINING IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF MILAN

HAND SANITIZER

How will we ever live without it? It is the first concern of those who manage restaurants, locals and public establishments: every morning they run to check if there's still hand sanitizer gel left. This, of course, thanks to Covid and the pandemic prevention measures that recommend its use anytime and anywhere. Several distilleries have started producing sprays with an alcohol content between 70 and 75 degrees used for both sanitizing and for use on food. Will we use it even when the emergency will be over?

GAMBERO ROSSO

On the eve of the first reopening, mid-May: the Municipality of Milan was one of the first, if not the first in Italy and among the earliest in Europe, to simplify and speed up the granting of additional outdoor spaces for restaurants and local citizens requesting it. All within the framework of an "adaptation strategy" (also made up of increased pedestrian areas and rapid creation of bike paths) which became an example in the following months.

DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

REGION OF THE YEAR 1

UP-AND-COMING NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE YEAR

CALABRIA

2020 was the year that officially sanctioned the entry of Calabria among the emerging gastronomic regions of Italy. And not only thanks to an aggressive group of young chefs who continues to show their best. In fact, recognition and thanks must also be given to the many artisanal companies, livestock farms, farmers and small industries of excellence in a region that should no longer be neglected. 2

MARCHE

The region that succeeded more than others in bringing together the highest cuisine with craftsmanship, gastronomic (and technological) research and tradition, territory and city, farms and enlightened industries. 3

ABRUZZO

Continues to be the territory that our readers are most passionate about. We talk about all of Italy, but when we share stories on Abruzzo, the attention and involvement skyrockets!

GRECO - MILAN

A popular area north of Milan in full cultural and social evolution where Manzoni placed the house of his Renzo, in his novel, "The Betrothed." Greco is a district full of evocative corners of history, literature and precious timeless green areas. There are several young and high-level venues. Here Massimo Bottura opened his Refettorio Ambrosiano and this area was also chosen by Cinzia De Lauri, Sara Nicolosi and Giulia Scialanga for the opening of their Altatto vegetarian bistro after attending Alma culinary institute together and discussing in the kitchen of Joia of Pietro Leemann. And then, somewhere around there, there's a secret cocktail bar...

ITALIAN CITY OF THE YEAR CAGLIARI

Con il suo fascino a metà tra terra e mare, con il suo centro storico suggestivo, ampio e ben tenuto, con il suo attaccamento alle tradizioni… Cagliari ben si merita il titolo di città dell’anno. Nonostante la pandemia, qui c’è una istituzione che continua a tenere banco ed è il Mercato di San Benedetto intorno al quale ruota tutta una serie di cuochi che in parte hanno nel cuore la tipicità, ma che non rinunciano all’alta cucina e alla sperimentazione. Accanto a un nome di livello, come quello di Stefano Deidda al Corsaro, sono nati in questi mesi due altri progetti: il ristorante gourmet emanazione del Forte Village, Palazzo Doglio, con la cucina firmata da Alessandro Cocco; e l’Osteria Moderna dove ha iniziato a muovere i suoi passi in autonomia Alessio Signorino, sbarcato nell’isola dalle cucine dell’Enoteca Pinchiorri. Ma questo è nulla rispetto ai tanti piccoli progetti indipendenti (dai panifici ai laboratori di pasta fresca) che stanno facendo virare verso la qualità tutta l’offerta cittadina.

GAMBERO ROSSO

LA CALA - PALERMO

La Cala in Palermo is a small cove located in the heart of the city, with a characteristic U-shape. It hosts dozens of small and medium-sized boats every day, as well as several lounge bars and clubs that have made it a very welcome evening meeting for Palermo locals. It extends from the ancient fortress of the Castello a mare to the Foro Italico, at the height of the ancient church of Santa Maria della Catena, now located on the opposite side of the road. Here, via dei Cassari is like a short, narrow and snappy valley. A small canyon connects the ancient port of La Cala to the sinister charm of Piazza Garraffello, towards the Vucciria. Here is the heart of the heart of the historic centre, a tangle of crumbling buildings and a very recent tourist rediscovery. Here we find Gagini restaurant, with new chef Mauricio Zillo, and also Aja Mola, a contemporary seafood restaurant, and Bocum, a Palermo temple of international mixology. And many other things were recently born and are being born.

CORSO VITTORIO EMANUELE - NAPLES

It is one of the main arteries of the city, born with the aim of connecting the lower city with the residential Vomero district. The boulevard winds for over 4 kilometers from Piazza Mazzini to Via Piedigrotta, with a sinuous course and wide panoramic stretches. Today it is a ferment of new and vital venues, from Veritas Restaurant with chef Gianluca D’Agostino; the George Restaurant of Grand Hotel Parker with Domenico Candela's cuisine, and The Britannique Naples (with the new chef Edoardo Statico) and nearby Salumeria Cautiero.

DECEMBER 2020

ALL THE BEST OF 2020

BEST DELIVERY OF THE YEAR IRINA TRATTORIA

FOREIGN CITY OF THE YEAR 1

In 2020, we simply had to reward the best delivery project. It was the year that consecrated this mode of consumption, by force or by love. There have been many interesting, innovative and brilliant projects, but we have chosen Irina Steccanella, a young cook who, with her restaurant in the Bologna Hills, did not give up and started to ship the delicacies of her suppliers (think Parmigiano, tortellini and tigelle) throughout Italy with a refrigerated van. Orders flocked from all over the country.

NEIGHBOURHOOD MARKET OF THE YEAR MERCATO COMUNALE FERRARA - Milan

Made in Corvetto is the project that turns the neighborhood market in piazzale Ferrara – a southern suburb of Milan in the Corvetto district – a crucial point for the local community. Inside, there is also a very special kitchen: a space for collaborative neighbourhood kitchens with cutting-edge professional equipment, such as the beautiful controlled humidity oven that stands out in the workspace. All this, in a market stall.

ITALIAN EVENT OF THE YEAR EIN PROSIT & NO BORDERS

Initiative carried out in Friuli Venezia Giulia and promoted by the Promo Tourism agency of the region: an event held in July that combined the pleasures of the mountains with music and culture as ways to rediscover sustainable and eco-friendly tourism. A way to strongly and concretely relaunch a development model based on the sustainable enhancement of lesser-known tourist destinations and the naturalistic and cultural heritage of the mountains. And on the Italy-Austria cross-border cooperation in a border area and cultural melting pot. Attending was one of the few peaceful moments of the year.

GAMBERO ROSSO

SHANGHAI

Severely damaged by the first lockdown, Shanghai has managed to recover quickly what owned: the role of the great gastronomic capital of China. At the time of writing, the restaurateurs tell us: “Everything is back to normal, aside from the lack of tourists.” 2

RIJEKA

Certainly the title of European Capital of Culture (after our Matera) was not fully enjoyed, however there have been a number of initiatives to re-evaluate the city's local gastronomy. 3

TOKYO

Despite everything, the city has proven that with order and discipline even millions and millions of people can mitigate the discomfort of a global pandemic. Tokyo has almost always remained essentially open.

MEGA-PROJECT OF THE YEAR THE MADRID NETWORK OF MUNICIPAL MARKETS In the midst of the pandemic, the Madrid municipal markets represented an important resource for the city: the work of the local administration was essential, which managed to network the structures of the city's 46 covered markets, scattered almost everywhere among the most densely populated neighbourhoods. A virtuous reality of online shopping thus developed (including on Amazon Prime) which has strengthened the presence of small neighborhood markets alongside bigger city markets in the darkest hours of the lockdown.

WORLD EVENT OF THE YEAR GASTRONOMIKA DIGITAL

The San Sebastian group, despite Covid, managed to create a very professional and in-depth online convention. In May, it also launched a whole series of meetings and masterclasses to stay as close as possible to the kitchen professionals affected by the emergency. Not all gastronomic conferences have managed this same endeavour.

DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR

NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

LIU FAMILY

PETER BRUNEL - Arco (TN)

The Ristoranti d'Italia guide rewarded Claudio Liu's family who manages Iyo Experience, AAlto - part of Iyo, Be Asian Mood, Gong and Iyo Omakase in Milan. The surprising mix of different gastronomic cultures and techniques is proof that the "Liu method" works: based on continuous improvement, in search of the best, and entrepreneurial acumen. And it powers through like a war machine in the other family businesses as well, namely Gong and Be Asian Mood, managed by Claudio's siblings and which, together with the Iyo "experience" - the only spearhead of the offer - now represent a small empire in the city, and an example of dedication, commitment and foresight which has been an inspiration for many colleagues over the years.

It's surprising to find at a restaurant located on a main thoroughfare between Arco and the Garda, a tasting menu called Experience Nikkei: it's like crossing a lake with a kitesurf after a one-hour course. But this is feasible if your name is Peter Brunel and if, despite being from Trentino, you have a whimsical vision and great experience (in 2014 he launched the Nikkei Fusion Bar & Restaurant in Florence, thanks to his passion for Asia and Latin America). Back home, thanks to a passionate entrepreneur like Lorenzo Risatti, he opened a space of pure design, bright and refined, international, imagined by the chef himself. Ideal for playing in style, he often circles the dining room and interacts with customers.

WILD INGREDIENT PAIRING OF THE YEAR

TASTING MENU OF THE YEAR 1

20 YEARS BY NIKO ROMITO

The project was born during lockdown. The occasion is the desire to celebrate 20 years of Reale restaurant and with the restart last July, the chance to do so became reality. The tasting menu designed by Niko Romito and his sister Cristiana is one of a kind: 15 iconic dishes of the restaurant trace the history of Reale, showing how the cooking philosophy of the Abruzzo chef has evolved over the last two decades. A strong and evocative experience. 2

RAVIOLI STUFFED WITH SEARED VEAL BRAINS, WITH THYME SCENTED RAGĂ&#x2122; WATER

Cristiano Tomei's dish that the Tuscan chef conceived and created during lockdown in his Imbuto restaurant in Lucca, located in the Limonaia at Palazzo Pfanner. The combination of different cooking methods and preparations, the fusion between different traditional methods (brains and ragĂš) has in a trenchant way summarised all the culinary experiments and traditional dishes made and posted during the May to March closures.

OPERA 3.0 DI SALVATORE TASSA

In the pandemic phase, Opera 3.0 is the tasting menu and also the set menu of Salvatore Tassa at his Colline Ciociare restaurant in Acuto. A tour in the woods and streams surrounding the venue, with a flurry of extracts and concentrations, fish and wild herbs. 3

9 + 3 BY CRISTIANO TOMEI

CULINARY OBSESSION OF THE YEAR

9 (but also 5 or 7) tastings plus 3 desserts. Each dish is connected to the next and to the previous one; but with each the (emotional) journey changes. Ingredients drawing memory: wild herbs and bark, alongside great selections such as meats, flours and pasta.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DRY-AGING FISH

The method was relaunched internationally by Australian chef Josh Niland who in his book, The Whole Fish Cookbook explains the fish dry-aging technique and

DECEMBER 2020

ALL THE BEST OF 2020

RESTAURANT WITH THE BEST PASTA OFFER OF THE YEAR

BRAVE RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR

ACQUA PAZZA - Ponza (LT)

Raise when the going gets tougher. By focusing on the team (the family), the island and, above all, on ability and courage. Voilà Gino Pesce and Patrizia Ronca (his wife, a high-level pastry chef, and their daughter is a promising bar manager) win the challenge: this is the best pasta proposal. In the foreground the very delicate linguine with branzino.

UP-AND COMING CHEF

EMANUELE LECCE - LA TAVERNETTA Spezzano della Sila (CS)

CARMELO CHIARAMONTE

The choice to return, after 12 years as a wandering gastronome, to his homeland sheds light on his character and his courage that accepts even unlikely challenges, such as opening an osteria between the countryside and the sea a few days before the end of the first lockdown.

Born into the profession, Emanuele Lecce - in the kitchen given to him by his father Pietro - demonstrates mastery, determination and personality. The offer of this piece of Sila full of excellence down to the roots, certainly helps him, but mushrooms, truffles, tubers, podolica breed meats, vegetables and herbs, albeit of the highest order, would not give the same emotions transformed by a less happy hand. The Lecce family has been dedicated for decades to a type of restaurant that is now in danger of extinction, the one that distinguishes those who, instead of resting on their laurels for the fame achieved, demonstrate authenticity and audacity in a brand new and modern concept. And doing it without losing appeal and giving up substance.

IURI CHIOTTI

The courage to carry out his ideas with strength and determination, to interpret the mountains and the woods as the main ingredients of his work. Chiotti this year has become the standard-bearer of high mountain cuisine in Italy.

OVERABUSED PLATING SPHERICAL CUTS & SMALL GEOMETRIC COMPOSITIONS

states that tuna tastes better if matured for a month. Talk about freshness! This is echoed by the Spanish gastronomic critic José Carlos Capel who maintains: «a new frontier is opening up, which can mean and give a lot.» In Italy many chefs are working on this new challenge and we will soon tell you about them. In the meantime, trust us when we tell you that this was absolutely one of the trends of the year. Actually, the most obsessive.

GAMBERO ROSSO

ALBERTO GIPPONI

Born in 1980, former guitarist, sociologist, former social worker... five years ago he decided that his vocation has always been cooking. He trains in high-level places, including under Massimo Bottura. At Da Dina, in Gussago (BS), he learned to "coordinate the movement of his hands with his visions'' (paraphrasing an interview of a few years back). He caused a scandal by presenting a dessert made with mussels and burnt orange sauce. "But they're good," he explains. Why brave restaurateur of the year? Because Alberto was the first, last March, to understand that the situation was serious and that it was appropriate to stop. While most of his colleagues still pushed forward.

We've seen them all: sphere-shaped ingredients obtained with different techniques to geometric compositions using the elements of the dish modeled in small regular shapes. A sort of revival of Optical Art at the table.

DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

MASTERS OF DOUGH SIMONE LOMBARDI CROSTA - Milan

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Simone Lombardi - cook, sommelier, but above all pizza chef - after experiences abroad and at Dry, with great baker Giovanni Mineo, is opening his own place, where he can continue to experiment tirelessly on grains and yeasts from a short supply chain, ovens and cooking. A passion so strong that lightens all the intense work to which he dedicates himself.

YEAST

Natural starter, sourdough, brewer's chemical, freezedried… There are so many different kinds, each a fundamental element in the kitchen, in haute cuisine and in bread and pastry workshops. This year together with flour (its gastronomic house of choice) it was the protagonist of family shopping during lockdown: it was sold out on the shelves of supermarkets, organic grocery stores and health food shops... it was the protagonist of thousands and thousands of videos from all over the world in which enthusiasts and professionals launched into challenges: who had the best airy crumb or who had the crispest and lightest crusts... A true protagonist in kitchens all over the world.

FRANCESCO MARTUCCI I MASANIELLI - Caserta

Year after year, Francesco Martucci surprises by bringing his pizza concept forward. Between cutting-edge equipment and new cooking methods there are also the "new" classics: the Future of Marinara and the Future of Margherita. His Annurca is surprising, with vanilla-infused Annurca apple puree, crispy pork cheek, fiordilatte and, after cooking, a sprinkling of Conciato Romano cheese.

BREAD OF THE YEAR PANIFICIO ‘A MAIDDA Trapani

UP-AND-COMING BREAD BAKER

Loaf flavoured with wild fennel, Avola almonds and Zibibbo di Pantelleria raisins: a summary of Sicilian to be savoured slice after slice.

DANIELE MARÈ PANIFICIO MARÈ - Rome

His father opened the bakery he works in today 37 years ago. Daniele Marè, 35, has been working on bread since he was 15 and with his study and passion, revolutionised the family bakery. Natural starter at center stage, selected Italian flours, experiments and a new way of conceiving bread: precious and responsible. Without ever ceasing to be humble, curious and collaborating with other professionals.

BREAD AND TERRITORY CARLO EUGENIO FIORANI Castelverde (CR)

The baker-farmer Carlo Fiorani comes full circle with his project: within the year he will move to a new farm, always in the Cremona area, and will also have a mill, to finally complete the entire supply chain: from the field to the oven. To reinforce the philosophy that has always been at the core of his work: local, good, artisanal.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

ALL THE BEST OF 2020

DEGUSTATION PIZZA OF THE YEAR

NEAPOLITAN PIZZA OF THE YEAR

RIVOLUZIONE VEGETALE DA EZIO - Alano di Piave (BL)

FIL.FELICE VILLA GIOVANNA - Ottaviano (NA)

Fiordilatte, curly endive, vegetable carpaccio, Grana Padano puff chips, gialet bean hummus, crumbles hazelnuts and fire grilled extra virgin olive oil.

Basil pesto, courgette flowers, yellow tomato, Agerola fiordilatte, crispy pecorino wafer, sweet paprika, Vesuvius extra virgin olive oil.

ITALIAN-STYLE PIZZA OF THE YEAR

PIZZA A TAGLIO OF THE YEAR

MARINARA ALL’AGLIONE CHICCO - Colle di Val d’Elsa (SI)

POLPO TELLIA - Torino

Creamy aglione and yellow tomatoes grown at Il Cavolo a Merenda farm, with a selection of yellow Star Gold and Perino tomatoes.

SWEET PIZZA OF THE YEAR PASTIERA FRITTA PEPE IN GRANI Caiazzo (CE)

Fried pizza cone with citrus flavoured pastry cream, fiordilatte, chopped toasted hazelnuts, mixed candied fruits, orange zest.

Almond cream, sautéed wild mustard greens and octopus cooked at low temperature.

PIZZA OBSESSION SWEET PIZZAS

«Traditional desserts, such as the ricotta and pistachio tart, support the various interpretations of sweet pizzas, which are a fundamental part of the menu. In 80% of cases, customers prefer the latter.» Quoting Franco Pepe who with his Crisommola (the first sweet pizza awarded by Gambero Rosso Pizzerie d'Italia guide) featuring apricots grown on Vesuvius, endangered fruits recently protected under the Slow Food Presidia brand, characterised by a unique combination of sweetness and acidity. There's more beyond the great Franco Pepe: with Pier Daniele Seu and Gianni Di Lella, there's no shortage of pizza chefs who measure up (with amazing results) to this challenge.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR

PASTRY OBSESSION NAKED CAKE

FABRIZIO FIORANI DUOMO - Ragusa

One of the trump cards of Ciccio Sultano's restaurant and his partner Gabriella Cicero. The pastry chef is responsible for intriguing proposals such as the Sultano version of tiramisu, broken down into several small parts, white chocolate granita and honey confit tomatoes; using olive oil, wheat and salt in desserts and the final divertissement, a cast of the chef's nose wearing "spectacles'' made with coffee sablé, mascarpone cream and milk chocolate.

After the cake design hangover, the craze for naked cakes hails from the USA, i.e. presented without any type of icing or decorations on top and with at most a light cream filling to define the contours. Italy's homemade apple pies may rate be naked cakes too, but these trendy creations are quite elaborate, multi-tiered pies with various layers of filling, all of which must be visible and impactful: they are elegant and with a vintage charm that never goes out of style. Much attention should be paid to the technical methodology, take for example sponge cake: it must hold up everything and there's no room for mistakes: they are immediately visible.

BEST COCKTAIL BARS LA DROGHERIA - Turin CARICO - Milan IL MERCANTE - Venice EMPORIO 1920 - Bologna LOCALE - Florence

LA PUNTA EXPENDIO DE AGAVE - Rome LABORATORIO FOLKLORISTICO Pomigliano d'Arco (NA)

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

LEFTY BY KLAX - Orta Nova (FG) ASPRO COCKTAIL BAR Santa Cristina d’Aspromonte (RC) SPIRITS BOUTIQUE - Olbia

ALL THE BEST OF 2020

CUISINE OBSESSION

KITCHENWARE OBSESSION

KOJI & MOULDS

PANS

If last year we awarded the green egg - a type of BBQ-oven of Asian derivation - this year we have to go back to classic (so to speak) pans. There are many shapes, sizes, materials and prices, but they have one thing in common: they are increasingly important in kitchens where the return to fires and flames is winning hearts of cooks and chefs alike.

The secret ingredient in Japanese cuisine, koji, is a stringy fungus, also known as Aspergillus oryzae. It is used to initiate a fermentation process that creates what we appreciate as "umami" flavours. We wrote about it in the January issue of Gambero Rosso, illustrating how this oAsian technique began to conquer most western cuisines, starting with RenĂŠ Redzepi's at Noma in Copenhagen, and at Mugaritz in Spain and in Italy with research by Terry Giacomello of Inkiostro in Parma. And again Giuliano Baldessari at Aqua Crua in Barbarano Vicentino and Mattia Baroni at Bad SchĂśrgau in Sarentino.

GELATO OBSESSION GOURMET PACKAGED GELATO

The latest born is Perfecto, the result of study and work of Gelsana, a company established thanks to Dr. Flavio Di Gregorio, of Master Gelato chef Stefano Ferrara (recipient of Tre Coni Gambero Rosso with his Rome shop Pinguino Gelateria Naturale) and entrepreneur Daniele Frasca. It's an artisanal and packaged gelato, therefore intended for the retail channel. But one cannot fail to mention Grom or the mythical ice cream bar of the Pepino ice cream shop. In short, the equivalence between packaged gelato and industrial gelato is disappearing: soon even packaged gelato will be an excellent artisan product.

MIXOLOGY OBSESSION NO WASTE

Is there a good bartender, young or mature, who by now does not focus everything on reducing waste? The answer is no: this trend has now involved everyone. Rightly so, may we add.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY QUALITY COFFEE

This is the only item where we repeat the exact same concept of the last one: things have changed little to nothing and apparently Italians have a great deal of trouble understanding that the world of coffee deserves more attention and in-depth analysis, exactly as it happens in the world of wine, or cheese, or beer, or cured meats. Not only is there no curiosity and desire to understand better, but Italians seem convinced that what they drink every day at home or at the corner coffee bar is the best coffee in the world. Will they understand in 2021 that this is not quite the case?

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL PRODUCERS OF THE YEAR MARFUGA

This Umbrian company from Campello sul Clitumno (PG) is one of the most brilliant and unstoppable artisans of extra virgin olive oil. Everything in the farm works perfectly to value the precious park of olive trees. We are talking about 33 hectares of plants between 300 and 600 meters above sea level.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL PRODUCERS OF THE YEAR FRANTOI CUTRERA

Giovanni Cutrera and his family follow 50 hectares with over 10,000 olive trees in Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG) in the Iblei Mountains of Sicily. The historical experience, the use of a latest generation oil press, use of the most advanced methods and the conservation of olive oil using nitrogen, make it a model agricultural company. The company also obtained the Star, recognition for those who have obtained Tre Foglie recognition for 10 consecutive years.

OLIVE PRESS OF THE YEAR AMERICO QUATTROCIOCCHI - Alatri (FR)

The farm managed by Americo Ouattrociocchi, king of Itrana olives outside the borders of the Colline Pontine DOP, is located in the heart of Frosinone: 110 hectares and 45,000 plants, all organically grown. His experience leads him and those who refer to his mill to have splendid products every year: a certainty.

OLIVE PRESS OF THE YEAR LE TRE COLONNE - Giovinazzo (BA)

Salvatore Stallone's extraordinary ability in the olive press (but also in the field) allows him - and those who refer to him for the processing of olives - to obtain exceptional results.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

ALL THE BEST OF 2020

COFFEE BAR OF THE YEAR ILLY AWARD

CAFFĂ&#x2C6; CAVOUR 1880 - Bergamo

TROPICAL BAR Castellammare del Golfo (TP)

The radical restyling of this place, included among the historical Italian venues (founded in 1880), has made it more functional and has given even more charm to what is rightfully a real city institution, for some years now in the galaxy of noble family Cerea. In the moment of maximum Covid emergency in a tormented area like Bergamo, they took off its medals and went on the front line by taking over the management of the city's field hospital cafeteria. A courageous choice with a strong sense of community, an example for colleagues in the area who gave their contribution, and an example for the entire city. Cavour therefore deserves a prize, and today is not only the symbol of an illustrious past, but also of a present that testifies love and total commitment for an entire community. It's worth a visit just to see the new restyling, which reveals the careful choice of furnishings and colours in the rooms, in perfect harmony with the sober elegance of each masterpiece on display in the sparkling shop windows.

Managed by two enlightened entrepreneurs, experts skilled in the selection of virtuous suppliers - almost totally local - in recent years the venue has greatly increased quality standards with training and a cutting-edge laboratory. The place has always been famous for cassatelle with ricotta (highly recommended), but also for croissants which are quite special. The pastry shop offers a whole repertoire of the Sicilian tradition and some customisation, the cafe counter equals it. Among the winning plusses is a tasty (gourmet) rotisserie, which offers typical recipes (rollĂ˛, sfincione, sfogliate alla carne, arancine, "pane cunzato") as well as original interpretations (also in beautiful take-away packages). There is no shortage of granita, gelato, cakes and semifreddo, in classic versions, but above all modern ones (such as the Pistacchiosa).

COFFEE BAR OF THE YEAR ILLY AWARD CIAK - Venezia

This well-known city address has risen like a Phoenix, not far from Rialto but away from the traditional tourist routes, near the birthplace of Carlo Goldoni. The owners decided at the end of 2019 to renovate and give a more modern touch, a quality bar and bistro. The acqua alta flooding first and then the lockdown brought the city to its knees all businesses here had to endure an even harder test, but they rolled up their sleeves to put investments to good use to safeguard the staff, and with tenacity they continued to move ahead. And therefore the shutters come up early every morning to celebrate every moment of the day with a delicious offer enjoyed in a welcoming and well-kept environment, also thanks to a pleasant terrace on the square.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

RED WINE OF THE YEAR

WHITE WINE OF THE YEAR

BAROLO ORNATO ’16 - Pio Cesare

SOPRAQUOTA 900 ’19 - Rosset Terroir

Since 1985, L'Ornato has been the first single-vineyard Barolo in the company's range. The result of a year considered exceptional for the great Langa Nebbioli 2016, with a long vegetative cycle and complete phenological maturation, Barolo Ornato 2016 could only be a wine out of the ordinary. 2016 is among the best Ornato Pio Cesare ever and can be counted among the numerous Barolos that have made the recent history of the appellation.

The petite arvine, originally from Valais in Switzerland, is among the varieties that aroused the greatest interest this year, giving us a good number of high quality wines. Among these we certainly want to feature Sopraquota 900, produced for the first time with the 2017 harvest and since then always awarded with our Tre Bicchieri. It is a wonderful wine, intoxicating for its citrus scents (grapefruit and mandarin) and flowers but also for the tantalizing aromas of medicinal herbs and apricot.

ROSÉ WINE OF THE YEAR

BUBBLES OF THE YEAR

CERASUOLO D’ABRUZZO PIÈ DELLE VIGNE ’18 Cataldi Madonna

OP PINOT NERO DOSAGGIO ZERO FARFALLA CAVE PRIVÉE ’11 - Ballabio

Piè delle Vigne is a Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, interpreted with the recovery of a traditional technique, the "svacata": an ancient method, traditional in the Aquila area. The colour of this wine is a deep coral, more intense than cherry: it has extraordinary charm, it's elegant, sapid, full-bodied, deep and rich, full of aromas of small fruits, but also of citrus and fresh notes, which thanks to its delicate tannis and acid freshness manage to express itself over time.

We were definitely enchanted by this cuvée, a reserve at its first release that finally exploits the extraordinary potential of its land of origin: Oltrepò Pavese. There are many aspects that make this Dosage Zero out of the ordinary.

MEDITATION WINE OF THE YEAR

EMERGING WINERY OF THE YEAR

VERNACCIA DI ORISTANO ANTICO GREGORI ’76 Contini

RIDOLFI

Nel 2011 Valter Peretti, imprenditore vicentino innamorato della Toscana, decide di acquistare un’azienda a Montalcino. Grande appassionato di vini decide di riportare in auge, ampliandola, la Ridolfi, nella zona dei Canalicchi, quadrante nord est di Montalcino. L’incontro con Gianni Maccari, nel 2013, imprime una svolta decisiva al progetto. Il risultato è un Brunello dal taglio elegante e profondo, di impianto tradizionale, come quelli che piacciono a Valter e Gianni, che s’è formato alla scuola del leggendario Giulio Gambelli, maestro assaggiatore.

In 1976 Cantina Contini was already 78 years old. The company has never abandoned the idea of producing Vernaccia di Oristano, the oxidative kind, obtained thanks to flor yeasts, matured in chestnut and oak barrels waiting for many years. Proposes different selections and vintages every year. Antico Gregori is produced with the solera method, thus allowing the use of a base from the early 1900s, topped up from time to time with the youngest vintages. This year, Antico Gregori was released for the first time with the vintage on the label. 1976.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

ALL THE BEST OF 2020

WINERY OF THE YEAR

COOPERATIVE WINERY OF THE YEAR

SANTA MARGHERITA GRUPPO VINICOLO (Caâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; del Bosco, CĂ Maiol, Kettmeir, Lamole di Lamole, Mesa)

SAN MICHELE APPIANO

Over the years, the historic winery of the Marzotto family acquired a number of prestigious vineyards in Tuscany, South Tyrol, Lombardy and Sardinia. In each of these, as in Santa Margherita, the goal is the highest quality in respect of each terroir. For this reason we decided to award the winery of the year recognition to the Santa Margherita Group for the 2021 edition of Gambero Rosso Vini d'Italia guide.

San Michele Appiano wins the recognition dedicated to the world of cooperation, clearly indicating how this sector can prove essential for the development of a territory, and to underline the virtuous path of the Cantine Sociali social cellars in Italy.

VINEYARD OBSESSION OXIDATIVE WINES

Oxidative wines, not oxidized! The value of time. Time in creating them, time in refining them, time in drinking them. Oxidative wines pay homage to the passing of time. They are not easy, nor immediate. They need to be understood. Oxygen, in general an enemy of wine, becomes an accomplice, an ally. The barrels are left not completely full, allowing the oxygen to saturate them. In Italy we call this wine oxidative, in Spain it's Rancio, in France Vin de Voile. It is precisely a veil that forms on the surface of the wine, called Flor, from the name of the natural yeast cells that compose it. A thin film that controls volatile acidity and at the same time, with time that flows slowly, gives the wine an incredible complexity. It is a technique widely used for liqueur, alcohol-added wines, such as Marsala in Sicily, Sherry and Madeira in Spain, Porto in Portugal. But there are some wines where alcohol is not added, but - again thanks to time - increases over the years, due to a part of the wine that evaporates (the part of the angels). The homeland of these wines is undoubtedly Jura and its Vin Jaune. Last but not least Sardinia, where we find the famous Vernaccia di Oristano.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 1

ILLUSTRATOR OF THE YEAR

LIDO VANNUCCHI

He was one of the young and promising food photographers, in the space of a few years he became the real master among the professionals of food & wine photography. His research continues in the folds of restaurant stories: a recent and successful result is the work done with a book on award-winning Italian trattorias. Lido is a wandering photographer who knows everything and everyone and has photographed the best protagonists of Italian dining and food. 2

Unfortunately, we managed to have him work for Gambero rarely due to his very high profile commitments, but he really deserves the award. 2

DANIELA BRACCO

Graphic designer and illustrator, she now works and lives in Rome. Experience with IL magazine and she collaborated with Monocle and La Repubblica. Curated several projects for Gambero Rosso.

ANDREA DI LORENZO

This is how he defines himself: hard worker, reliable, team optimizer, quite gourmet, easy-going, comedic, mouthwatering photos since 2010. 3

MARCELLO CRESCENZI

FELICITA SALA

Self-taught illustrator, she graduated in Philosophy from the University of Western Australia. She has worked on several animation projects, but her passion is creating illustrated books. This year she received the Andersen Prize 2020 and the Abia Prize for the best children's book 2020.

ALESSANDRA FARINELLI

She is a professional photographer based in Naples, young and curious, modern, extremely versatile and operational both in terms of photos and design.

INSTAGRAM PROFILE OF THE YEAR @DONNACROUS

A South African photographer resident in England, told us how she began her professional photographic career three years ago, after being a finalist for The Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year Award which she won in 2020. Her photography is classic in style with, however, sudden changes of perspective and points of view that overturn the sense of very curated images both in colours and in light. Keep close watch.

BOOK OF THE YEAR

TV SHOW OF THE YEAR ANTONINO CHEF ACADEMY

IL BORGHESE PELLEGRINO by MARCO MALVALDI - SELLERIO

Five years after the last adventure of the greatest 19th-century Italian gastronome, Marco Malvaldi has a second story in which Pellegrino Artusi comes across a mystery to solve thanks to his intelligence and with the aid of delicious lunches and good recipes as well as with his "kitchen scientist" flair. It's no coincidence, in fact, that Malvaldi - in agreement with his hero Pellegrino Artusi - considers good food a branch of chemistry, a science as complex, rigorous and tantalizing as the subtle art of investigation.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

Nice format starring friendly chef Cannavacciuolo broadcast by Sky TV. The host is cheerful and likeable, increasingly better television animal. The show is didactic and also for this reason easily enjoyable and perhaps even useful. Not bad at all.

ALL THE BEST OF 2020

MEDIUM-SMALL FARM OF THE YEAR

LARGE SCALE COMPANY OF THE YEAR

FORADORI

The farm, founded in the early 1900s, has become a beacon in terms of sustainability of the relationship with nature, and of biodiversity in agriculture. After the genetic recovery of the original Teroldego strains and the revitalisation achieved by Elisabetta Foradori and Rainer Zierock, today Emilio, Theo and Myrtha Zierock are responsible for the evolution of the family farm. Philosopher-oenologist Emilio manages the aspects of wine production. Theo, political analyst-journalist is in charge of the management and commercial aspects of the company from his sweet Neapolitan exile, while horticulturalist Myrtha is in charge of the progressive agricultural diversification of Foradori and the network of young Italian farmers: the true future of this splendid Trentino farm in Mezzolombardo.

TV AD OF THE YEAR

BARILLA

Where there's Barilla, there's home, was an old advertising slogan. And which year could be more congenial to Barilla than one in which we are all confined at home? Apart from this, the company has continued to be very present in the news in 2020. With the main umbrella brand and with other brands, such as Mulino Bianco in particular, achieving commendable placings in the rankings that indicate the companies where employees work most happily.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE YEAR

TAVERNELLO

MGM BY HUB09

Tavernello Frizzante changes the summer musical score: this is the phrase that best describes the new Tavernello ad created by the Lorenzo Marini Group. The marketing campaign was designed to leverage on the seasonality of the product: the commercial - broadcast since last July - is a real "musical film" directed by Lorenzo Marini himself. In listing the different drinking occasions of sparkling Tavernello, it's precisely the classic noise of uncorking a bottle of bubbly that marks the soundtrack of the musical "film".

The first acronym stands for Movimento Grandi Minuti, the second is the acronym of the marketing agency that launched the provocative video aimed at large (and small!) brands of dry pasta: a call - complete with demos and applications - of how beautiful and also useful it would be, to write in big type on pasta packaging, the cooking time... A successful and aesthetically appealing provocation. Many pasta brands responded with the same irony, writing the numbers in giant letters on their packages.

ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR ROBERTO LIORNI

Roman architect, author of many projects for venues that in the last 20 years have made the history of a new wave of format and design. His latest creations include the opening in Rome of Casadante by Alino Campanozzi; La Quercia by Andrea Monteforte and Marco Gallotta and MarennĂ restaurant of I Feudi di San Gregorio in Sorbo Serpico (AV).

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

L’INTEGRALE

Fresh out of the oven this new magazine dedicated to "Pane e Cultura'' (bread and culture) has been online since October or a number of select Italian bakeries listed on the magazine's website (lintegralerivista.it). The initiative is brave given the moment, and the message is strong: leaving the inner circle of insiders of specialized magazines and return to considering bread - and coincidentally the name "integrale" (wholemeal) evokes different areas, from those related to the choices of flour up to those relating to ethical and political choices - of cultural significance not just food.

FOREIGN MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR 1

MAGAZINE F

If the B of the "mother magazine" of this publishing group stands for brand, F stands for food: each issue of the magazine deals with a product, and delves into it deeply. The monthly is published by the Joh & Company group, led by Suyong Joh: a collective of creative talents with different backgrounds who create brands and publications on food, clothing and information. 2

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GASTRONOMY AND FOOD SCIENCE

Especially noteworthy for the fruitful collaboration between the Basque Culinary Center, Mugaritz and other important gastronomic laboratories and avant-garde cuisine in Spain (such as AZTI, dedicated to the study of the sea and food) and beyond. 3

EATEN

Four-monthly magazine published in Berlin, in every issue it deals with food from a historical and anthropological-cultural point of view. The last three issues focused on carbohydrates, fat, flames and ice: pillars of gastronomic history of man on Earth. Between historical examination and future.

ITALIAN WEBSITE OF THE YEAR 1

INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE OF THE YEAR

FOOD CLUB

Operating for a couple of years and founded by Antonio Lucifero (editorial director), Egidio Cerrone (creative director) and Giovanni Mele (operational director), the magazine brings together a collective made up of about thirty Italian food & wine writers. Simple, readable, organized and well indexed, accompanied by authoritative opinions and good photos, it has become one of the points of reference for opinions and discussions regarding contemporary cuisine and restaurant dining. 2

GASTRONOMIKA

COOKIST

«Create discourse between home cooking and fine dining, between those who look at food as nutrition and those who look at it from a cultural point of view.» This is how the new magazine directed by Francesca Fiore for the Ciaopeople group was presented.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

ROADS&KINGDOMS

Dedicated to a simple idea: the more you know, the better you travel. "We get talented local journalists to write, ask for deep narratives and tell the good things in life - food, music, alcohol - to inform and inspire destinations around the world," to quote the editorial staff. Last year it won the National Magazine Award 2019 for the best website in the lifestyle and service category. This year we want to reward it, especially for its vivid, exciting, evocative stories in this truly crazy and strange year for our world.

ALL THE BEST OF 2020

ITALIAN ARTICLE OF THE YEAR

INTERNATIONAL ARTICLE OF THE YEAR

IN MEMORY OF VITTORIO FUSARI BY GIANNI MURA

One of the latest articles by the great sports and food journalist, dedicated to the "utopias" of chef Vittorio Fusari who passed away on January 1st: "Utopian, dreamer, but not a passive dreamer - wrote Mura, who also died only three months later, last March 21 - He was already talking about organic food, happiness that in the kitchen must pass only for good health. Gualtiero Marchesi considered him one of his most gifted pupils. Being s chef is a job that requires a certain ego, long before a myriad of TV shows (gastronomic pornography, according to Carlin Petrini), transformed them into heterodirect puppets. Vittorio, on the other hand, was for teamwork, if he had to help a small producer of artisanal wines or cheeses he never held back. He was looking for simple but ingenious solutions by combining two opposite ingredients: the humble potato and the great caviar (also from Brescia). Always ready for long discussions, such as those at night with Father Turoldo, who only ate prunes. Not me, and I'll spare you the details. Vittorio wrote a few lines before he died: «I leave you my recipes: reuse them, copy them, if you believe they can contribute to a better world». What people found was not only great cuisine but a great passion and humanity..."

TIME MAGAZINE FEATURE DEDICATED TO CHEF JOSÉ ANDRÉS Character of the year 2020 according to Time Magazine that put the Spanish cook on the cover, portrayed proud wearing his uniform, with a large pot and a wooden ladle, held as if they were the weapons of a leader preparing to face battle: the battle of Covid in this crazy and particularly terrible year for the US and for the whole world. With his humanitarian organisation, the chef has been in the trenches for ten years: the World Central Kitchen was born just 10 years ago, in 2010, when the earthquake devastated Haiti, to bring comfort and basic necessities to the population. Since then, the group has specialised in management of global humanitarian crises, and today it operates in difficult situations in 13 countries around the world, with over 45,000 volunteers dedicated to the cause. With his field kitchens, Andres helps the most deprived neighbourhoods and inhabitants of many cities during the pandemic, making his closed restaurants in Washington available for virus relief.

COMMUNICATIONS EXPERT OF THE YEAR 1

ROBERTA ANTONIOLI

All-female Milanese boutique communication operation that increasingly stands out annually in the scenario of haute cuisine. Roberta Antonioli comes from other circles, but more recently has been focused on restaurants, agri-food companies and champagne houses. This year, the ability to create stories and contents for the benefit of customers and journalists was good, even in difficult moments. 2

AROMI

Also this year the Aromi agency in Verona took the podium. Versatility on all fronts, inventiveness, communication and the ability to create connections and narratives not only between customers and the press, but also between customer and customer. 3

LA COOK AGENCY

From Catania to the world and vice versa: the work of the Sicilian agency founded by Venezuelan Katty Garcia could thus be summarised, in which communication is one with the palpable passion for the world of food. The construction of a recognizable identity is the centre of every project (as for Cibo Nostrum).

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DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

FUNKY TOMATO

SOLIDARITY PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Funky Tomato - the tomato supply chain from field to table - has investigated the critical intricacies and problems of the functioning of this particular agricultural production and reorganized it to lend a structure inspired by the principles of dignity, participation and multiculturalism, written in a disciplinary of warranty production. Participation today counts hundreds of solidarity buying groups, pizzerias, restaurants, individuals, in Italy and in Europe. 2

VILLA RUSSIZ

An emblazoned Gorizia winery where in addition to producing great wines, an evangelical school is available for the poorest children founded long ago, also open to Catholics. Even today, Villa Russiz Foundation follows that project through a Family Home dedicated to less fortunate children of all religions and cultures. 3

LA LOCANDA DEI BUONI E DEI CATTIVI

A project in Cagliari that is part of the Domus de Luna non-profit organization, one of the largest in Sardinia that deals with disadvantaged children. Il Circolo dei Buoni e dei Cattivi has recently been added to a tavern, within an important tennis club, always in the name of good local cuisine.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS OF THE YEAR

THE BEST OF... COLLECTION ISSUES Collectible, yes. With this issue, for the second consecutive time we decided to close the year with "The Best of the Year", a series of Italian and international stories, businesses, names, events, which have marked the past 12 months. We started this "ritual" last December 2019. Let's continue.

THE YOUNG RESTAURATEURS

Heralds of new ideas, formats, proposals in an attempt to survive the pandemic. They invented innovative formulas for their kitchens in delivery mode, they organised (also as an association: Jeunes Restaurateurs d'Europe) menus at "democratic" prices to face the fears and uncertainties of the summer reopenings, they gave birth to wide-ranging initiatives (and not only for protest, but actual cultural provocation) such as the morning gala lunches or the peasant breakfasts at dawn, when the October Dpcm decreed a curfew for the restaurant industry after 6pm)... In short, they proved to be real heroes in defense of our agricultural and culinary heritage. They could have whined, almost all of them did exactly the opposite.

A I E GIAN

Best of the year tutto IL MEGLIO DEL 2019 INCHIESTA Menu degustazione o scelta alla carta? Le scelte dei ristoratori e quelle degli ospiti analizzate con dati sul campo

PIZZA FRITTA La riscossa di una preparazione antica e popolare: è lei la nuova regina della tavola. Le preparazioni dei grandi pizzaioli

L'AQUILA La città torna a volare. A 10 anni dal terremoto, il capoluogo abruzzese diventa meta foodie e stimolante

IN O g MA am GG b IO cib20 er L'A a o L su o e nni in LEG A sk vin di tv TO y o

IN EDICOLA IL 29 NOVEMBRE 2019 | Poste italiane S.p.A. Spedizione in abbonamento postale D.L. 353/2003 (conv. In L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) art. 1 comma 1 aut. n. MBPA/C/RM /45/2018 Austria € 10,90, Germania e Olanda € 10,90; Belgio, Francia, Grecia, Lussemburgo, Portogallo (Cont.),Principato di Monaco e Spagna € 9,50; Svizzera Chf 13,90; Svizzera Canton Ticino Chf 12,90; Gran Bretagna £ 11,30.

DECEMBER 2020

TORRONI BI

TUTTO IL MEGLIO DEL 2019 PIZZA FRITTA 21 TORRONI GRAGNANO SLOVENIA MINIGUIDA: L'AQUILA

ASSIFICA CL

GAMBERO ROSSO N.335 DICEMBRE 2019

GAMBERO ROSSO

anno 28 numero 335 mensile dicembre 2019 4,90 euro - gamberorosso.it

WINERY

THE ICONIC WINE OF TRASIMENO THAT WAS STILL MISSING: CALL OUT, 'GAMAY' AND GRENACHE ANSWERS It's always been called Gamay, when in reality it's Grenache... But in fact it's the representative wine of Lake Trasimeno. An ancient and at the same time young wine, on which the Consortium focuses very much as an identity wine of a magical Umbria territory that's slightly off the beaten track. Fierce and determined vineyards have taken over the history of this wine with different expressions and potentials

words by Emiliano Gucci - infographics by Alessandro Naldi

STORIES

f making mistakes is human and persevering is diabolical, well, around here they've elevated the old adage to gospel. An entire paradigm was founded on an error, giving the keys to territorial identity to a "wrong" wine. We are talking about Gamay del Trasimeno which, immediately clearing any misunderstandings, Gamay is not. We are therefore not dealing with a halfbrother of the typical vine of Beaujolais, but rather with the most cultivated grape in the world, Grenache, which has origins in Spain but today we find widespread in California, South Africa, Chile, Australia and in Sardinia with the name Cannonau and in Veneto with the name Tai Rosso (see article on the April 2018 issue of Gambero Rosso n.315, dedicated to this grape in Italy and in the world). We are in northern Umbria, in the Perugia province, between still wa-

ters and multiform skies, far from the glories of Sagrantino and close to Tuscany's Cortona Syrah as well as to the noblest Sangiovese, so difficult to challenge on its own terrain (yet so many have attempted to). Over the years, on these hills, Ciliegiolo, Grechetto and Trebbiano have found a home and excellent expression, as well as various international varieties, Merlot and Cabernet above all, even more comforted by the Bordeaux hangover of the 90s. But looking further back in time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; viticulture here has very ancient origins â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the episode that led to the false Gamay, traditionally planted as an alberello system and alas renamed "French viney," speaks Spanish. A fascinating narrative that blends history and legend sees its first appearance as imported in the early 1600s by Eleonora AlarcĂ˛n y Mendoza, wife of Duke Fulvio della Corgna

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DECEMBER 2020

1. A glass of Gamay del Trasimeno of Azienda Agraria Carlo & Marco Carini (photo by Stefano Ricci) 2. The room dedicated to shopping and tasting inside the Duca della Corgna cooperative cellar in Castiglione del Lago: 150 members and 200 hectares of vineyards In the opening, a view of the land of the Pucciarella estate (photo by Nunzio Bellini)

GAMAY OF TRASIMENO

(family who ruled the marquisate, later duchy, of Castiglione del Lago). Lady Eleonora was an advocate of the good red wine the grape rendered: generous alcohol content, good structure, pleasant roundness, excellent aromatic intensity. The cataloguing was wrong, but by then known as Gamay locally, once the error was discovered, the general decision was to keep going on as always, aiming rather to select the local clone to make the most of it, and forging it as the spearhead of the Colli del Trasimeno DOC. THE COOPERATIVE AND THE DUKE OF CORGNA The Cantina Duca della Corgna, line of excellence of the Cantina del Trasimeno, borrows the logo from the coat of arms of the noble family and maintains the thread of history. It is in fact thanks to this cooperative, founded in Castiglione del Lago in 1957, that the district has returned to believe in the Gamay del Trasimeno, which over time had been

explanted in favour of more productive and profitable varieties.. «Since 1970 we have been vinifying it in purity – current President Massimo Sepiacci told us, who speaks of it like a tender child – And since the early 2000s, assisted by oenologist Lorenzo Landi, he has pushed more decisively towards a high quality wine.» The undertaking may seem difficult for a company that boasts 150 contributing members and over 200 hectares of vineyards, «but in reality this is a resource for us, which allows us to choose and select the best grapes for each label.» The standard-bearer of this varietal revival is Divina Villa, the most immediate Gamay del Trasimeno, vinified in steel, with herbaceous and fruity aromas, juicy sip and excellent persistence. «It goes well with the typical lakeside dishes, carp, tegamaccio; instead to complement red meats we prefer the Riserva,» that is the Divina Villa Black Label, aged in large oak barrels (more structure in the presence of innate el-

egance), while the rosé version is called Martavello, with hints of rose and red fruits for a fresh and mineral sip. Finally, after a long refinement in the bottle, the new company cru will also be released, the red Poggio Petroso from the vineyard by the same name on suitable soils rich in skeleton: tasted in preview, we found this to be a potential beacon of the variety and the territory. «Over the years farming techniques were perfected and in the cellar we have aimed at a technological renewal, which now rewards us. Gone are the days when the grapes of the area were dispersed and sold to the highest bidder; now the cooperative is a reference for winemakers and consumers, managing all stages of the production cycle.» But Sepiacci doesn't simply care about his cooperative (who also does an excellent job with Grechetto: see the latest born Poggio La Macchia, a cru with the most suitable vineyard), but the emergence of the whole territory. «We trust and encourage investments on Gamay, among 

ELEGANT, TERRITORIAL AND WELL SUITED TO CLIMATE FLUCTUATIONS where Cannonau is often grown on crumbled granites, and since it rains little and is very hot the wines are more extreme, colourful and powerful, with very mature notes on the nose. On Lake Trasimeno, an indigenous population of Grenache was selected locally, although it's difficult to investigate how deep the differences are, genetically. Certainly the less hot climate, with some more rain, on however permeable soils, rich in skeleton, allow thinner and less powerful wines, fresh both on the nose and in the mouth, floral and sweet without resorting to over-ripening, with light vegetable notes that are rarer in Sardinia. All this came in conflict with the fashion that in the 90s, in Italy and also in Umbria, imposed the rush to international grape varieties for concentrated and powerful wines that often aged in barrique. Now the wind has changed and the rediscovery of our Gamay del Trasimeno goes in the opposite direction. And even if times appear slower, even on investments, we think that this variety, and these wines, can run far.

We say Gamay del Trasimeno but, by now it's known, we actually mean Grenache. A grape variety that has a strange behaviour, common to few others. Many grape varieties grow until they find water, then they go into stress mode and start experiencing problems. Grenache, on the other hand, as soon as it perceives a lack of water, even if limited, reduces its growth while never losing leaves, which is of vital importance for the clusters that are always shaded, never cooked by the sun. It therefore adapts to hot, dry areas, to permeable soils, on the contrary, if water tends to stagnate the grape overproduces, the clusters swell, become compact, and the rather thin skin can rupture and create discomfort. Thanks to these characteristics, it is a grape that can adapt to the ongoing climate change, which is otherwise hostile to many varieties. I find that it gives its best in regards to elegance, rather than in terms of power. It never has an exaggerated colour, due to the few anthocyanins, it has a wide aromatic profile, with even sweet floral expressions, like a fleshy pink. All this changes according to the climate and the soil, so in Sardinia

GAMBERO ROSSO

– Lorenzo Landi, oenologist

DECEMBER 2020

STORIES

our partners and beyond, sure that healthy competition helps in creating cohesion, and therefore to convey these wines nationally». MADREVITE, AMID LAKES AND HILLSIDES The Madrevite cellar owes its name to an ancient utensil once used to close the small front opening of barrels. Located in Cimbano, on rolling hills dappled in forests and farmed fields, in the mild climate watched over by the lakes of Chiusi and Montepulciano, and by Lake Trasimeno. Nicola Chiucchiurlotto trampled these lands following his grandfather Zino, or driving alongside him on a tractor, at a time when agriculture meant sustenance, and cattle was raised alongside arable land, vegetable gardens, vineyards and olive groves. «At most, we contemplated a form of barter, and wine was nothing more than food. I still remember when I accompanied my 2 grandfather to the 'cantinone,' from 

5 DISHES FOR 5 GAMAY Mauro Stopponi, restaurateur and self proclaimed "passionate drinker" with wife Anna Rita Simoncini ("cook and not chef!!!"), runs I Sette Consoli, a solid restaurant in the heart of Orvieto. We ask them to pair five local dishes with five Gamay wines

CALF’S HEAD AND TONGUE SALAD WITH SALSA VERDEE Colli del Trasimeno Gamay di Boldrino ‘19 - La Querciolana «The delicacy and vinosity of this Gamay find a perfect match in the greasiness of the calf's head (Tête de veau) and the delicacy of the boiled tongue».

FRIED SNAILS, POTATO SAUCE, SPONGE WITH PARSLEY AND PIOPPINI MUSHROOMS Trasimeno Gamay Divina Villa ‘19 Duca della Corgna «Snails, with their earthiness and fatty nature, go well with the acidic and "wild" freshness of this Gamay».

CAPPELLACCI PASTA FILLED WIRH PORCINI AND WHITE QUAIL RAGU Trasimeno Gamay Divina Villa Ris. ’17 Duca della Corgna «The Riserva version that's more structured, pairs very well with this dish with clear and net flavours; it is a perfect combination, a harmonious and convincing bond».

PORK FILLET WITH PANCETTA AND FAGIOLI DEL PURGATORIO DI GRADOLI BEANS Trasimeno Gamay C’Osa ’17 - Madrevite «The good structure of this wine is perfectly paired to pork with beans; the acidity helps with the aromatic fattiness of the pancetta»..

SIRLOIN OF VENISON, WILD BERRY SAUCE AND POLENTA WITH HAZELNUTS Trasimeno Gamay Etrusco ’15 Coldibetto «A dish with red meat and berry sauce that immediately reckons the nose of the wine. The structure perfectly supports the impact with the minerality of the venison».

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DECEMBER 2020

GAMAY OF TRASIMENO

3. Two beautiful bunches of Gamay in the Madrevite vineyard in Cimbano 4. Nicola Chiucchiurlotto, owner of Madrevite, in the barrel room in his cellar

which folks returned with the dosages of tartaric and metabisulfite to make the wine more drinkable.» Nicola defines himself as proud and courageous, stubborn and a dreamer. It is certainly refreshing to be overwhelmed by one's passion, by the energy he expresses when talking about his company. «I started studying agriculture, I worked in a neighboring winery alongside an expert oenologist, and that's when I first fell in love with the profession.» He followed other paths, then enrolled in an evening course for winemakers, and it was a final study abroad program that marked the turning point: if his career in wine had seemed inaccessible when visiting the great Tuscan companies, he was he greatly encouraged by the spirit he met in France, where «one barrel and a garage» seemed enough to give voice to a terroir. In 2003 the Madrevite brand was born,

today 60 total hectares of which 11 are vineyards, in organic conversion «as a model of life, as a movement of conscience rather than certification.» Gamay was already here, in a splendid but exhausted vineyard at the top of a balcony, planted as alberello by Zino «with railroad cross pieces as head posts.» It was explanted «but 200 plants were saved in the adjacent vineyard, and from those we started again for the new grafts started in 2007.» Fatty, fertile clays that infuse plants and grapes with vigour, for a first bottle of rosé Gamay that materialised in 2009. And therefore once again lots of studying, research, work, assisted by oenologist Emiliano Falsini and agronomist Stefano Dini, thus forming a loyal group of collaborators. Until the debut of C'osa, understood as a product by those "who dare," the first Gamay Riserva of the 2016 harvest, «a selection of  3

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THE BESTI GAMAY DEL TRASIMENO IN THE VINI D'ITALIA 2021 GUIDE MADREVITE Castiglione del Lago (PG) Trasimeno Gamay '19 Trasimeno Gamay C'osa '17 Trasimeno Gamay C'osa '18 DUCA DELLA CORGNA Castiglione del Lago (PG) Trasimeno Gamay Divina Villa '19 Trasimeno Gamay Divina Villa Ris. '16 Trasimeno Gamay Divina Villa Ris. '17

grapes from now settled, adult vines, then aged in barrique,» a Gamay del Trasimeno with hints of rose and spices, warm and enveloping on the palate. «The need for a fresher and more immediate product has led us to add a vintage version,» hence Opra 2019, crisp and varietal, tasty to the last sip. Each label contains a proud gesture, in Madrevite, each grape is vinified in purity «so that all its qualities can be revealed, and the complexity of the territory that houses it can be expressed forming with it one thing.» AN ANGEL... AND THE ACT OF LOVE AT IL POGGIO Travelling back to Castiglione del Lago, towards Panicale, we meet Vitivinicola il Poggio, which Anna Gattobigio leads with her husband Walter, who was «catapulted here from another reality,» says Anna: «He worked in telecommuni-

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cations, around Italy, and ended up by my side with his hands in the soil. I consider it a great proof of love.» For her, on the other hand, the act of love is manifested towards these vineyards, where already as a young girl she couldn't wait to run through: «I used to come home from school and eat quickly to join the grown ups among the rows, especially during harvest. I have a clear memory of crushing grapes crushed with my feet, the crisp berries and the cold liquid.» She studied as a computer programmer, fascinated by technology, but growing up she found herself taking evening courses to broaden her oenological knowledge, because the future was here. «My father planted different varieties, Grechetto, Ciliegiolo and Sangiovese but also Vermentino, especially unusual at the time, so much so that it was his perseverance that made it accepted as an adoptable grape in Umbria. It's now 

GAMAY OF TRASIMENO

RIA

NA TOS CA

Organika Ristorante

1 L’Acquario Castiglione del Lago (PG) - via Vittorio Emanuele, 69 0759652432 - ristorantelacquario.it «the oldest restaurant in castiglione del lago, serving homemade pici, trasimeno caviar, queen carp».

UMB

Castiglion Fiorentino

Umbertide

Creta Osteria Trattoria del Pescatore Da Luciano L’Oso

Il Molo

L’Acquario

Tuoro sul Trasimeno

Osteria del Posto

La Cantina

2 La Cantina Castiglione del Lago (PG) - via Vittorio Emanuele, 93 0759652463 - ristorantecantina.it «wide traditional menu». 3 Porta Senese Castiglione del Lago (PG) - via Vittorio Emanuele, 2 075953331 - portasenese.it «bistro and wine bar, very original menu, excellent range of tartares and crudité with local wines».

Cortona Camucia

8 RESTAURANTS RECOMMENDED BY THE WINEMAKERS

4 Osteria del Posto Corciano (PG) - fraz. Chiugiana - via Calderini, 15 0755173778 - osteriadelposto.it «constantly evolving menu, lots of organic, a wine list chock with trasimeno wines and some from beyond the

Porta Senese

alps».

Badiaccia

5 Il Casale Paciano (PG) - loc. Cerreto, 50 3483018414 - ristoranteilcasale.it «a beautiful farmhouse, typical products and traditional cuisine, homemade dishes prepared with love».

Torricella Valiano

LAGO TRASIMENO

Monte del Lago

6 Trattoria del Pescatore Passignano sul Trasimeno (PG) via San Bernardino, 5 0758296063 - delpescatore.com «in place of the old olive press in the ancient square is a historic restaurant with family-run cuisine, faithful to tradition. also for overnight stays».

Casalmaggiore

Porto

UMB

RIA

7 Osteria Rosso di Sera San Feliciano (PG) - via F.lli Papini, 81 0758476277 - osteriarossodisera.net «lake views, contemporary cuisine of lake foods with attention to ingredient quality». Osteria Rosso di Sera

Sarteano

TOS C

ANA

Chiusi

Il Casale

OTHER ADDRESSES

Città della Pieve

San Casciano dei Bagni

8 L’Oso Isola Maggiore - Tuoro sul Trasimeno (PG) via Guglielmi, 39 - 0758254255 - ristoranteloso.com «in the evocative island setting, lake fish, mushrooms and local truffles. also a holiday rental».

Da Luciano Passignano sul Trasimeno (PG) - via Nazionale, 11 075827210 - ristorantedaluciano.com Open since 1949, it's to this day still one of the most valid references in the area. Il Molo Passignano sul Trasimeno (PG) - via A. Pompili, 9 075827151 - ristoranteilmolo.com Freshwater fish plays centre stage (pike, perch, char, tench, eel, etc.).

Fabro

10 km

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DECEMBER 2020

Creta Osteria Cortona (AR) - loc. Manzano 3920053472 - cretaosteria.it A table in symbiosis with the tenimenti d'alessandro 6 winery and borgo syrah resort. Organika Ristorante Cortona (AR) - via Santa Maria Nuova, 115 351944 7192 - organika.restaurant The cuisine of Gaetano Verde is young and attentive to the study of ingredients, expressed in the constant search for local and quality producers.

GAMAY OF TRASIMENO

been a few years since we rediscovered the value of Gamay del Trasimeno, and we are investing with commitment.» The winery was built in the 1980s, when people started making wine on their own, then in 2011 it was enlarged and modernised; today there are 8 hectares of vines and they use all their own grapes, except for Gamay, for which they will need a few more years before having an internal production chain. «At the moment we buy excellent organic grapes and process them according to our philosophy. We are not particularly fond of barriques, I think that the character of the wine is best expressed if it takes its time, vinified without any interference.» Legamé is therefore a Gamay del Trasimeno with intense aromas of black cherry and raspberry, it expresses good acidity, nice body, has a fresh and dry mouth, «the ideal companion for typical lake cuisine, tegamaccio and eel that beg for a degreasing palate cleanser» To best describe it, Anna uses her worry, 5 the Pinot Noir, which with obstinacy 

A wine coming out of hibernation. And that surprises Talking about Gamay del Trasimeno is not at all easy. The name is the result of confusion in the past, since in reality it belongs to the large family of Grenache and not to the namesake variety of Beaujolais. Even Luigi Veronelli fell into error. In an old article dating back to 1999, he mixed up the two varieties, speaking enthusiastically of the Gamay of Miscio Solismo da Gioiella, municipality of Castiglione del Lago, but doing it with the wrong comparisons. All vagaries of the name aside, it should be emphasized that the winemakers of Trasimeno have come out of hibernation and are multiplying their efforts in planting, making wine and marketing their Gamay. The Duca della Corgna cooperative is still the majority shareholder, but there are many small wineries that are investing, with often surprising results. The varied soils of the lakeside hills, the mild climate and the sensitive hand of certain interpreters promise an interesting future and original wines, which will be very different from many Umbrian reds of other areas. – Antonio Boco

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DECEMBER 2020

5. The vineyards of the Il Poggio winery that Anna Gattobigio carries on with her husband Walter in the countryside of Macchie (PG)

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GAMAY OF TRASIMENO

6. A toast in the vineyards of Coldibetto, facing the park of the Villa del Colle del Cardinale (built in 1575 near Perugia for Cardinal Fulvio della Corgna, designed by Galeazzo Alessi, one of the few examples of suburban villas in Umbria): it was part of the possessions of the noble family of the Corgna. In the second half of the 1500s extended from Perugia to the Tuscan shores of Lake Trasimeno 7. Raffaele Chierico, owner of the Coldibetto winery, in Colle Umberto

(do you remember her dad?) wanted to plant and make wine here (it's called Lacrima Blu, "blue tear"), «where soils and climate will probably not be ideal, but where grapes receive all our love and care, eventually repaying us. So, if Pinot Noir is a woman, a little moody at times, and Cabernet is a much more virile male, I find Gamay del Trasimeno to be an angel, delicate but with a strong identity, which can charm or reject. It is up to us to interpret it in the best possible way to make it express all its potential.» COLDIBETTO, AMID ARCHEOLOGY AND FRESH SPRINGS Once again mentioning the della Corgna family, this time for their Villa del Colle del Cardinale with its magnificent park. With strokes of greenery, the property is adjacent to the vineyards of the Coldibetto farm. Located in Colle 6

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Umberto, further away from Trasimeno and closer to Mount Tezio, 65 hectares of land among olive groves, vineyards and forests between 300 and 400 meters above sea level, amid archaeological sites and precious spring waters. Raffaele Chierico is very young but he seems to have a lot of experience, he certainly has contagious enthusiasm in talking about his work and his land. «After high school, I travelled a bit, even abroad, to answer the typical questions that arise at that age. I worked for a long time in the restaurant business, and this is how I framed wine as part of a wider offer, an experience to offer customers who can get up from the table with richer baggage.» Wine, therefore, but also a place, hospitality and dining are in his future projects. For the moment he is running this winery with 10 hectares of vineyards, paying «maximum attention to the life cycle of  7

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STORIES

the plants, respect for the variety, ripening and selection of grapes: a good wine is decided above all from the harvest.» Among the four labels produced (including a pure Vermentino, called Verzellino), the first bottle of Trasimeno Gamay Etrusco dates 2015, vinified in steel and aged in the bottle for an intense ruby with «aromas ranging from spices to blood, fresh and complex sip. A wine that I love, after all I have a weakness for Grenache and I was already very attracted to Cannonau.» Here the soils are calcareous, clayey, and also infuse marked minerality to the wines. «I define Gamay del Trasimeno as a wine for all hours of the day, it can be interpreted fresh, young, suitable for aperitifs and light dishes, or reach structure and complexity for more demanding pairings,» and the relationship with the typical dishes of the area is now clear.

THE GRAND ESTATE OF CARLO & MARCO CARINI For the vinification, Coldibetto relies on the care of neighbouring Azienda Agraria Carlo & Marco Carini, a complex of 140 hectares in organic regimen, which contains typical Umbrian farm houses as well as two small lakes. An all-round farm, where Cinta Senese pigs and Suffolk sheep are raised in the wild, while 9 hectares are dedicated to almost 3,000 olive trees, spanning the four cultivars typical of the area. Among the Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, Grechetto and Trebbiano vineyards, we also find our Gamay, grapes that we later find in the IGT rosato Le Cupe and in the Rosso Scelto Colli del Trasimeno DOC Oscano, this time blended with Sangiovese. We wait for signals and confirmations that lead to a relaunch.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

NEW LABELS AND THE ATTENTION OF THE CONSORTIUM There are several wineries that, after the rediscovery of Gamay del Trasimeno, are investing with new plants and ambitious projects. The next label debut is by Azienda Agricola Pucciarella, over 300 hectares of green in the municipalities of Magione and Corciano, 85 hectares of vineyards, and at the core, a 19th century Medieval-style castle (with park and swimming pool) for excellent hospitality solutions. The release of Gamay del Trasimeno Pucciarella is scheduled for this December, with a vintage version that «first of all seeks authenticity,» reports the Director of the company, Emanuele Bizzi: «We do this through an unaltered product that's strongly varietal, vinified in steel only. We believe in the potential of this grape both as a company and as a Consortium,» of which Bizzi is 

GAMAY OF TRASIMENO

the President, «perceiving a strong interest that can give light to the entire territory.» Thanks to the support of the Consorzio Tutela Vini DOC Trasimeno, there is truly encouraging attention and trust paid towards Gamay/Grenache, while we work to modify the disciplinary to give a supplementary boost to the variety. It is as if this corner of Umbria has so far lacked a wine/icon that embodies the history and the present of a strong but fragmented, perhaps dispersed, winemaking tradition. One that's difficult to identify beyond regional borders. And it turns out that that wine was there the whole time, it had always inhabited these places, it clearly distanced itself from the "uncomfortable" neighbour Sagrantino and had all the credentials (temperament, appeal, potential) to perform the task, including a wrong name which can contribute to its fortune. All that's left to do is to give it an ambitious horizon, and good legs to run with.  9 8. A glimpse of the castle, the heart of the Azienda Agricola Pucciarella (photo by Mauro Fermariello) 9. Emanuele Bizzi, President of the Azienda Agricola Pucciarella and of the Trasimeno DOC Wines Protection Consortium (photo by Mauro Fermariello)

THAT GAMAY THERE… It's no longer that rare eager customers walk in my wine shop, asking for "that Gamay there", unaware that it is something else, instead. Customers need to be guided on what goes in the glass, because what it appears doesn't match reality. This is part of the character of Gamay del Trasimeno, also due to the microclimate of the lake area which gives it a deep but gentle temperament. Those who try it usually repeat the experience. Perhaps because it's a wine that goes well with the local cuisine, that's rather seasoned and elaborate. A wine like this is an excellent alternative to the classic Sangiovese from central Italy, because it plays the same symphony but in minor key. The wine does not have that stomping and restless nature, it rather sits calmly and severely in pairings with sauces and salmis black meats. – Sara Boriosi, wine blogger, wine shop owner

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

RECIPES

ANDREA LEALI BORN IN

AGE

RESIDENT IN

Desenzano del Garda (BS)

Polpenazze del Garda (BS)

RESTAURANT NAME

CasaLeali RESTAURANT CONTACTS:

Puegnago del Garda (BS) via Valle, 1 – 3665296042 casalealiristorante.it

OWNER PARTNER EMPLOYEE

PRIOR EXPERIENCE AT

  

None, I opened my first restaurant at age 18 along with my brother and with the help of my mother

SEATS

SOUS CHEF

MOST LOVED INGREDIENT

THE HASHTAGS OF MY CUISINE

Irene Orlandelli

Simplicity, gusto, concept

AGE OF SOUS CHEF

Citrus, extra virgin olive oil, onion, tomato

FAVORITE RESTAURANT ABROAD

LEAST LOVED INGREDIENT

Joel Robuchon in Paris

Persimmon

ONE WINE ABOVE ALL OTHERS

THE DISH OF A LIFETIME

Tocai 1991 by Borgo del Tiglio

KITCHEN BRIGADE

Irene Orlandelli Sara Leali Eny Thairi DINING ROOM STAFF

Marco Leali Emmanuel Sebastian Giulia Campana SOMMELIER

Tuscan-style liver and spleen crostini WORSHIPPED MAESTRO

Mauro Colagreco MOST RESPECTED PEER

Michelangelo Mammoliti

Marco Leali HAD I NOT BEEN A CHEF...

A chef! LATEST ALBUM DOWNLOADED

DISHES PRESENTED:

Nessuno

Capulì salad, stracchino and spring onion Risotto with grilled turbot and fennel pollen Pasta and onion Milanese style sweetbreads

LATEST BOOK READ

Di cuore e di coraggio by Antonia Klugmann

by Paolo Cuccia – photos by Nicolò Brunelli

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

ANDREA LEALI - CASALEALI

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

RECIPES

Capulì salad, stracchino and spring onion Ingredients For 4 2 l water 500 g vegetable scraps, dried and toasted 200 g extra virgin olive oil 16 capulì (small radicchio heads) 1 head of radicchio from Verona 2 spring onions 100 g stracchino soft cheese 100 g parsley 30 g milk 1 garlic clove salt green pepper extra virgin olive oil parsley and spring onion olive oil marinade

Clean the Verona radicchio, cut it into quarters and soak in salt for about 10 days, then desalt them in water for 3 days and store them in olive oil for a month. Keep aside. Cook the toasted vegetable scraps covered with water for several hours, filter and reduce by 90%, thus obtaining a demi-glace. Keep aside. Blend the stracchino with milk, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, if necessary. Keep aside. Blend the parsley with 50 g of spring onion and 200 g of olive oil, heat the resulting mixture in a saucepan and bring it to 100°C cooking for 3 minutes, cool and filter. Clean the capulì keeping only the hearts, season with olive oil, salt and a little green pepper. Quickly toss the outer leaves in a pan with the garlic clove and salt. Prepare the quarters of Verona radicchio by draining them from the storing oil. Compose the dish with all the raw, cooked and marinated vegetables, then daub with cold stracchino cream in irregular splotches, add slices of raw spring onion, the spring onion oil and finally the vegetable demi-glace.

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

ANDREA LEALI - CASALEALI

Risotto di rombo alla brace e finocchietto Ingredients For 4 700 g fire-grilled fish stock 280 g Carnaroli rice 50 g fennel pollen olive oil marinade 40 g acidified butter 10 g smoked oil chives

For the fire-grilled fish stock 1,5 kg turbot bones and heads 450 g mirepoix (leek, onion, fennel, white celery)

For the acidified butter 200 g butter 60 g lemon juice 60 g wine 15 g smoked extra virgin olive oil 4 shallots

For the fire-grilled fish stock, char the turbot bones and heads on the barbecue, sweat the mirepoix and pour into the pot. Add ice and water at 1Â° C to cover, then cook without skimming, filter and reduce by half. For the acidified butter, thinly slice shallots, cover with the lemon juice and wine, reduce everything by 90% and start adding the cold butter in chunks. Once a non-creamy and non-liquid emulsion is obtained, filter and add the smoked oil. For the fennel pollen oil, blanch in a steam oven at 95Â° C for 3 minutes, then cool in a blast chiller (the freezer can also be used at home). Blend with the oils for 2-3 minutes at maximum speed, then marinade for 3 days in the refrigerator. Filter through a fine mesh colander, freeze, scrape the surface, use only the oil that has not congealed. Toast the ricein a dry pot, wet it with the fire-grilled stock and a pinch of salt. Once cooked, stir in the acidified butter, chives and a few drops of smoked oil. Create a halo of fennel oil on the plate and place the risotto in the middle. Serve hot.

For the fennel pollen marinade 100 g fennel pollen 90 g grapeseed oil 10 g extra virgin olive oil of the Casaliva cultivar

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

RECIPES

Pasta and onion Ingredients For 4 300 g fettuccelle pasta 300 g concentrated onion reduction 100 g acidified goat butter 30 g Grana made with sheep’s milk 25 g braised onion paste 20 g extra virgin olive oil of the Casaliva cultivar “Blend gardesano” herb oil

For the acidified goat butter 200 g goat butter 60 g wine 60 g onion juice 50 g shallot

for 2-3 minutes in a very hot oven. Transfer to a high, narrow saucepan, cover with cold water and cook for 3-4 hours. Filter through a fine mesh strainer and reduce the liquid by about 70% over medium heat until a fluid consistency is obtained. For the acidified goat butter, in a saucepan reduce the onion juice with the wine and the sliced shallot, add the cold goat butter and create an emulsion. Filter and allow to cool. For the braised onion paste, peel, slice and soak onions in water and ice at least overnight. The following day, drain and cook with a little salt and extra virgin olive oil. Once soft, blend them to a purée and spread them on a baking sheet. Broil in short increments until you get a good braising, then blend once again and set aside. For the herb oil, prepare a clean and dried preserving jar, collect aromatic herbs to taste and leave them to macerate in extra virgin olive oil for 6-7 days. Boil the fettuccelle pasta in plenty of salted water until half cooked, then finish cooking in a sauté pan, adding the concentrated onion reduction a little at a time. After 2-3 minutes, add the braised onion paste and, when cooked, stir in the acidified goat butter and goat's milk Grana (alternatively you can use Parmigiano). Finish with a few drops of herb oil.

For the braised onion paste 500 g Cannara onions 80 g extra virgin olive oil Salt

For the concentrated onion reduction 2 l cold water 300 g Cannara onions 300 g Montoro onions 300 g Tropea onions For the onion reduction, peel and slice onions in the same quantity for each variety, mix types and place on a drying rack. Leave to dry for 30 hours at 50° C. Toast dried onions

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

ANDREA LEALI - CASALEALI

Milanese style sweetbreads Ingredients For 4 400 g sweetbreads, trimmed and cleaned risotto sauce clarified butter saffron red Madagascar pepper For the saffron sauce 100 g heavy cream 80 g leek 50 g broth 3 g saffron stamen Salt

For the risotto sauce, overcook risotto with Parmigiano, blend and set aside. For the saffron sauce, fry the sliced leeks in a pan, add the saffron stamen, pour in the hot broth, cream, salt and cook for about 18 minutes. Filter and set aside. Thicken with cold water and cornstarch if necessary. For the Bordeaux sauce, brown the marrow in a pan, deglaze with the red wine, add the brown stock, then cook for about 30 minutes, filter and mix with water and cornstarch. Leave to infuse with bay leaves and pepper. Keep aside. Marinate the sweetbreads for 4 hours in a 50% salt brine flavoured with saffron. Drain, boil and remove the outer skin. Brown in a pan with the clarified butter, then remove from the heat, pat dry and season with red pepper from Madagascar. Cover with the obtained sauces and serve hot.

For the Bordeaux marrow sauce 100 g red wine 75 g brown stock 50 g bone marrow 20 g shallots Cornstarch, bay leaf, salt and pepper

GAMBERO ROSSO

DECEMBER 2020

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