year 22 - number 126 - february 2019 - gamberorosso.it
WINE
T R AV E L
FOOD
it's amphora fever. FOR WINE AND BEYOND VERTICALS 12 vintages of Giulio Ferrari and 11 of Campolongo di Torbe by Masi. It's not possible to look forward while looking back
ENRICO CRIPPA Portrait of great chefs in three dishes: now it's the turn of the chef of Piazza Duomo in Alba
SCANDINAVIAN NATURAL WAVE Natural wines and sparkling labels push the market of the Great North.
SOMMARIO 4
year 22 - number 126 - february 2019 - gamberorosso.it
WINE
T R AV E L
FOOD
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Slogans and emergencies/2 News Wine of the Month The natural and sparkling push of the Great north Amphorae, jugs and other ancestral containers are back in style Big wine names in 3d. The old vintages narrate the best cellars Enrico Crippa. Caught between Langhe and Asia
it's amphora fever. FOR WINE AND BEYOND VERTICALS 12 vintages of Giulio Ferrari and 11 of Campolongo di Torbe by Masi. It's not possible to look forward while looking back
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ENRICO CRIPPA Portrait of great chefs in three dishes: now it's the turn of the chef of Piazza Duomo in Alba
SCANDINAVIAN NATURAL WAVE wines and sparkling la Natural bels push the market of the Great North.
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RONCO BLANCHIS COLLIO RISERVA
ESSENZA PREGIATA DELLE NOSTRE MIGLIORI UVE DI COLLINA THE REFINED ESSENCE OF OUR BEST HILL GROWN GRAPES
www.roncoblanchis.it
Slogans and emergencies/2 The only way out of the complex and contradictory situations concerning sustainability in the vineyard - which we discussed last month - is to hope that science will quickly offer alternative and less harmful solutions to humans and their nature, since it is unthinkable to maintain current production levels in agriculture and viticulture without the use of chemicals. At least that's what the operators are saying. Furthermore, globalwarming, with all due respect to "deniers", is putting a strain on the world's agricultural system. In our opinion, the only possible solution can be placed in research and in science. Precision viticulture (assisted by drones and satellites), underground irrigation with proximal sensors, last generation agricultural machinery that allows recovery of treatment products saving 70% compared to conventional treatments: these are some of the answers to these problems. With the use of biological control techniques such as the sexual confusion of parasite insects, with digital terrain models in 3D (DTM), winemaker will have the opportunity to use less and less products, consume less water, produce less carbon dioxide, and be aware, in real time, of the health condition of each plant, checking data from a computer, tablet or smartphone. And in real time means taking timely measures. Not to mention the new frontier of so-called "resistant" varieties, the result of interspecific genetic manipulation (i.e. with the use of genetic sequences of the vitis genus, not of other foreign plants as in the case of GMOs), which should solve many - if not all - of the main diseases of the vine. The DNA of the vitis genus - says Professor Attilio Scienza - contains 400 unexpressed genes that react to diseases: we have to "free them", activate them... It would be the end of problems such as oidium and phylloxera. For the latter it would be enough to activate a gene present in vitis labrusca... We are, in short, in a phase of transition that could become a phase of extraordinary development. But two conditions are necessary: an open mind that overcomes preconceived barriers rejecting science and research; and the availability of funds to be allocated to research. Great resistant Nebbiolo and Sangiovese could be a thing in the near future. It would be an extraordinary result for Italian wine and beyond. It would take so little... — Marco Sabellico
GAMBERO ROSSO
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FEBRUARY 2019
NEWS
BUFFALO MOZZARELLA IN HUNGARY. A BUSINESS STORY FROM ITALY Take a herd of buffaloes raised in Salerno, a group of Italian techs, the technological know-how to set up a state-ofthe-art ethical buffalo cheese dairy. In Hungary. This is the project launched by Italiagro in Mezotour, a Hungarian town located in the Great Central Plain (150 km south-east of Budapest), which lends itself well to experimentation with the collaboration of a group of farmers and cheese makers transforming milk hailing from Salerno. The goal is producing buffalo mozzarella beyond the Italian border, according to the artisan tradition of Southern Italy and the skills acquired in the field over the course of centuries of Italian Mediterranean buffalo breeding. For this reason, in Mezotour, the company that is the result of twin efforts of Italy and Hungary, has imported selected bovines that are immune to diseases, in addition to the fundamental professional figures to pass on the ancient traditions of Italian cheese production. With the idea of stimulating the birth of new European businesses that bring together different cultures and experiences. In this sense, food is a powerful aggregator. The Mezotour plant, under the name of Italiamilk Kft, has been in business for more than two years (the plant opened in May 2016, the first production came a year later), as
the result of an investment of 330 million florins, for a structure that initially covered 5 hectares and aims to reach 70, accommodating 250-300 buffaloes (after starting with 50 animals, the company has already grown to raise animals born on Hungarian soil). The milk, however, is treated in a professional training school run by the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture and worked in the dairy adjacent to the barn, under the directives of an Italian master cheese maker. Following this way the entire supply chain, from production to processing,
to the sale of products - mozzarella and spun curd cheeses, scamorza and ricotta - intended for the Hungarian market, mainly in Budapest. In the farm animals graze, spending a lot of time outdoors, and this has become a flagship of the farm, which claims itself as ethical. But the choice of the ideal venue to realize the project certainly weighed the ambitions to develop the business in other countries: "We chose Hungary because it's a good starting point for penetrating the Eastern European market" explains Andrea Bettini, founder of Italiamilk.
LOS ANGELES! ANTICA PIZZERIA DA MICHELE LANDS IN AMERICA Tokyo was the first international step of "Michele in the world", a franchise project set up by the Condurro family to export the brand and the quality of Michele's pizza around the world. In addition to Japan, which already has two branch locations, Antica Pizzeria da Michele has venues in London, Barcelona and Dubai. There are several offices in Italy as well as the Neapolitan parent company: two in Rome, one in Milan and one in Florence. Now for the new adventure, the big leap, the traditional Neapolitan pizza will also include landing in the United States, precisely in Los Angeles. The project was born as early as 2014 also thanks to the Neapolitan entrepreneur Francesco Zimone and consolidated only now after a long incubation period. All that is left to do is wait and see if, just like a Hollywood film, even the pizza of Antica Pizzeria da Michele can win an Oscar in Los Angeles. And who knows, maybe deciding it will be those very actors who every year contend the actual statuette.
GAMBERO ROSSO
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DECEMBER 2018
NEWS
HUDSON YARDS. IN LESS THAN A MONTH THE NEW GASTRONOMIC DESTINATION OF NEW YORK WILL OPEN: WHO'S THERE
The first residents will begin to populate the luxurious apartments of Hudson Yards already in the coming weeks. But only on March 15th, the public spaces of the most ambitious urban regeneration real estate project in the heart of Manhattan since the Rockefeller Center will finally reveal to the city what efforts were undertaken to redevelop a large urban area of the West Side, surrounding the fascinating Vessel by Thomas Heaterwick, the conceptual and geographical fulcrum of the endeavor. That's when the commercial building that concentrates shops and restaurants (a hundred on each side) will also open to the public. Not a mall like many others, but rather a meeting place at the height of the company's caliber, variously divided between the most prominent actors of the New York gastronomic scene. And not only that, since the Hudson Yards complex will mark the debut in the city of renowned chefs who are new to America, like the Adrià brothers. In the last few days the official "team" has been made known, with no shortage of details.
The curiosity is initially concentrated on the Spanish market created by the trio José Andres and brothers Adrià, Mercado Little Spain that is likely to steal the scene despite the huge deployment of other big chefs. Inside, a colorful representation of Iberian gastronomic customs, with a restaurant dedicated to fish and a spectacular set of fire roasting stations, which pay homage to the tradition of the asador and will also be a reference hub for the express preparation of paella. The Spanish Diner, on the other hand, will be the most traditional one would expect from a tapas bar with a convivial atmosphere, were it not for the fame of its creators to increase its expectations? The experience is completed by two bars dedicated respectively to cocktails and Spanish wines, and 15 street food kiosks to explore the street foods of Spain. David Chang at Hudson Yards will mark the umpteenth opening of the Momofuku universe, probably under the Kawi sign, and with chef Eunjo Park, already long time part of the Ko team, and then at work by Daniel and
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Per Se. Menu will be fusion, ubiquitous noodles and a take-out window, in Bang Bar style. And to complete the Chang galaxy also a corner Peach Mart selling Korena-inspired sandwiches and snacks, including kimbap. In short, an aggregation of venues that Chang has been experimenting with for some time, successfully with the public and critics, at the Times Warner Center in Columbus Circle. Moreover, there will be plenty of opportunities to stop and eat a quick bite, with proposals already established elsewhere - Shake Shack will have a shop here too, as well as Fuku, to stay in Dave Chang's world - historical places like the kosher bakery William Greenberg Desserts, in business since the 1940s in the Upper East Side, plus new international dining businesses or traditional restaurants. To supervise the offer selection the property insisted on an exceptional guarantor like Thomas Keller, who too will have a restaurant within the complex - on two levels, on the fifth and sixth floor of the building, it will be called TAK Room, and will seat 200 and offer service at reasonable prices, for those who want to get closer to the history of French Laundry and Per Se without spending an arm and a leg - as well as Michael Lomanaco, television chef with a great following, veteran of the New York dining scene with Porter House Bar and Grill at Time Warner Center, which will double at Hudson Yards. The most spectacular space, however, will rise at the top of 30 Hudson Yards, the building that will only be completed at a later time and will tower over all the others. Here, the reference restaurant will be called Rhubarb, owned by a London-based company that already owns numerous restaurants and cafes in the British capitol. The strong point is probably not the food, but the incredible view of the Hudson and the city from one of New York's highest vantage points..
NEWS
WINE OF THE MONTH FALANGHINA DEL SANNIO 2017 FONTANAVECCHIA Torrecuso, Benevento, Campania ex-cellar price: 7 euros Libero Rillo is surely one of the best interpreters of the Sannio traditional wines. He is one of the top regional producers capable of producing whites and reds of equal high calibre at a very reasonable price. Libero and his brother Giuseppe inherited the producer from their father, Orazio, and began bottling their own wine in 1990. Fontanavecchia’s success is the result of selecting the best grapes in the vineyard and winemaking carried out with the support of enologist Angelo Pizzi, a Falanghina expert. Their diverse selection ranges from sparkling wines made with Fiano, Greco and Piedirosso, to various Falanghinas and Aglianicos. Our wine of the month is the delicious 2017 Falanghina del Sannio. It speaks to the nature of the vintage, with a subtle and lingering range of aromas from green tea to mountain herbs. The palate is supple, juicy, with a very precise and pleasant finish of aniseed and mint. It's going to age more than well. Easy drink, complex, and vibrant. Libero, are you sure this is a 7 euros wine?
FRANCE. THE NEW “LOOK” OF CHAMPAGNE IS RAISING CONTROVERSY
With a box of sardines; with a little olive oil and a raw artichoke; with a hardboiled egg. In France, there's controversy over the image of a popular Champagne, suitable for all occasions, especially for informal gatherings, with a nod to the younger generations, especially those between 25 and 45 years of age. Four million euro were made available over a three-year period for a marketing campaign, started in the summer of 2018, which ignited debate among the French. A fine elite wine, comes to a compromise as opposed to the sacralized image of itself, to meet the favour of a tier of consumers who, in regard to the most famous bubbles in the world, including France, know little or nothing: it's the millennials. "Réservé a toutes les occasions", recites the claim created by the marketing agency M&C Saatchi Gad for the Syndicat Général des Vignerons (SGV), promoting the initiative intended to off-
set the steady decline in sales recorded as of late. Posters, social campaigns, 360 degree media outlets, tastings in wine bars. A very robust ad initiative, which also received awards (lastly the "Grand prix stratégies du luxe 2018", last December, as the best integrated campaign), but which did not meet the sympathies of the great fashion houses, the most important companies, which prefer something different, seeing in this type of mar-
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keting a double-edged sword: such a generic message cannot possibly create value around the product. The creators of the ads have chosen the path of shock to convey the message. Surely it was the sensitivity of the big champenois to be most felt. Too soon to say if this will happen to consumers, too. In the meantime, the first results in the wine bars are positive. Is that also a way to curb the advance of Italian Prosecco?
NEWS
WINE MONITOR. IN THE LAST 5 YEARS ITALY IS THE BEST EUROPEAN EXPORTER... THANKS TO PROSECCO Although data is not yet available for 2018, the estimates prepared by Wine Monitor for the Vinitaly Observatory predict a further growth in exports compared to the previous year, around 4%. This result is part of a positive trend that, in the last five years (2013-2018), saw Italian wine exports increase by 24%, the best performance among the top European players. The world leader in the sector––France––has stopped at +20%, while Spain has scored "only" +13%. On the global stage, on the podium of growth dynamics, the first places are occupied by New Zealand (+31%) and Australia (+28%), the latter thanks above all to the last two years' sprint, which increased its exports of red wines bottled in China by 80%, making this country the first market selling all Australian wines. All this thanks to the free-trade agreement signed between the two nations four years ago, the same privileged treatment enjoyed by Chile, another major global player that in the past year observed a stop in Chinese imports (-2% ) and managed, however, to grow 10% in this large but unpredictable market. On the other hand, the growth of Italian wine in the five years had other driving forces. The most important being Prosecco, given sparkling wine exports increased to a value of 112%, allowed Italy to reduce the gap that separates us from the French in this segment (in 2013 our exports were worth 30% of theirs, today we are at 50%). The French have not stopped exporting Champagne (+31% in 5 years), but have expanded their product portfolio with other sparkling wines (Cremant and Varietals) of lower price (under 6 euro/litre export). A good strategy, given the results: +51% between 2013 and 2018. With regard to prices, it's worth pointing out that in still bottled wines, even though our exports have only increased by 13% (against 16% of the French and 32% of Australians), the average export price has increased by 20%. This is the highest increase among all top competitors.
NEWS
UK. THE COLOUR PINK TICKLES BRITAIN. WSTA ANALISYS
A pink wave is shifting the balances in the UK spirits market. After the success recorded in 2018, thanks to a hot summer, 2019 seems to want to walk the same path: rosé wines and gin, red and orange aperitifs (think Campari and Aperol) mixed with sparkling white wines, served in instagram-friendly glasses shared on social media, with particularly sensitive consumers under the age of 45. Data from Wine and Spirit Trade Association say that 2018 was, first of all, a record year for gin sales (66 million bottles) with a +41% on 2017 for a value of 1.9 billion UK pounds, mainly concentrated in pink gin, which accounted for almost three quarters of the growth of the flavoured gin segment. And to think that two years ago there were only a few brands, while last year the value of this category was estimated at 751% to 165 million pounds, with the invasion of a range of extremely diversified products. In the wine chapter, WSTA underlines how sales of rosés in supermarkets and stores in 2018 have grown for the first time after five years of stasis: over 100 million bottles were sold in 12 months with a growth of 5%, equal to an increase of 2 million bottles. Giants of the Gdo, like Aldi, expect to sell 13 million bottles in 2019. The so-called "pink drinks" have expanded to the cocktail category with an "explosion" of popularity in herb bitters and orange-red aperitifs served in tall glasses with a thin stem. "The industry is responding with a touch of color to consumer demands, amplifying the love of the British," says WSTA executive director Miles Beale. Even the growth in sales of rosé wines in mass distribution is no longer seasonal, but rather constant throughout the year. A sign that drinking pink is becoming fashionable.
FROM FIANO TO NERO D'AVOLA. AUSTRALIAN EXPORT PUSHED BY ITALIAN GRAPE VARIETIES
We have said this several times: Australian wine exports are growing. But the most worrying thing is that what's growing is Australian exports of wines made from "Italian vines". According to the British specialized publication DrinksRetailing News, in fact, grapes such as Fiano, Vermentino and Nebbiolo, produced in Australia, are recording the highest growth rates in UK sales. The CEO of Wine Australia, Andreas Clark, told the magazine "that Australian Fiano exports to the United Kingdom have increased by 30% in value, while Vermentino has increased by 29% and Nebbiolo by 17%". The phenomenon is not described from the point of view of absolute volumes, but it's certainly interesting to note Philip Poulter's quote, as director of sales of the agency Seckford, according to whom: "The Fiano at 15.75 pounds is more difficult to sell, because people know that they can get an Italian Fiano for 7-8 pounds, but it works for independent companies that are able to explain to customers that the Australian version has less yields and wine is more complex". There are furthermore, two other outstanding issues in the negotiations between the EU and Australia, concerning Prosecco and Nero d'Avola, for a long time under special scrutiny, especially as they are cultivated and claimed with this name also by Aussie producers. Regarding the former, the compromise solution that would be affecting––past the initial hypothesis of "Prosecco-like" (type Prosecco) not accepted by Australians for fear of being disadvantaged–– would be "Australian Prosecco", which would clearly indicate the origin of the wine. Negotiations under way with the EU would concern the liberalization of around 1,500 Australian products of various product categories for a significant economic value. In fact, only Australian Prosecco currently has about 100 million dollars worth every year. While on the Nero d'Avola front, Wine Australia warns that "the Italian geographical indication Avola has entered the Australian Register of Protected Geographical Indications and Other Terms after rejecting the appeal of the Winemakers' Federation of Australia". By the same token, Wine Australia reiterated that the variety "Nero d'Avola" does not constitute an Ig, but is rather a common grape variety, internationally recognized, produced in Australia and abroad. Therefore "the sale, export or import of a wine with a description and presentation that includes the varietal term Nero d'Avola is not equivalent to a false or misleading description or presentation for the purposes of the Australian trademark protection law, and therefore does not constitute a crime". Hard times for wines with the same grape name.
GAMBERO ROSSO
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DECEMBER 2018
bortolomiol.com
GRANDE CUVÉE DEL FONDATORE
TWO CENTURIES OF LOVE FOR OUR TERROIR
RIVE - Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco Superiore - Brut Nature Millesimato
THE NATURAL AND SPARKLING PUSH OF THE GREAT NORTH On the one hand, Sweden, with its monopolies and a surge in sales of Italian bubbles. On the other hand, Denmark, the realm of micro-importers, where natural wines and brands (rather than denominations) are driving consumption. Nordic route for the Gambero Rosso Worldtour
Words by Lorenzo Ruggeri
STORIES
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TOCKHOLM: THE GREAT MOMENT OF BUBBLES Canada, Norway, Sweden. Three nations and a common denominator: the state monopoly on alcohol. In the Swedish case, the actor on stage is Systembolaget, founded in 1955 to “minimize the problems related to alcohol through a responsible sale not motivated by profits”. The Tre Bicchieri event of Gambero Rosso in Stockholm, with over 40 award-winning wineries, offered the opportunity to explore one of the best performing markets in Europe. In the first ten months of 2018 (data hailing from Istat), Italian wine grew by 3.8% in quantity and a round 10% in value, for a total of 147.2 million euro between January and October. The double-digit engine? Once again bubbles, with sparkling wines grown by 32.8% in terms of value (to 35.6 million euros) and 25% in volume. The role of Prosecco Doc is decisive, going from 3.4 to 5 million litres, for a total cost of 21.1 million euros, with a 54% increase. “The offer grows steadily, the monopoly is forced to import any wine on specific request. Taxation affects a lot of low-end wines, while superpremium wines cost like they do in Italy, and in some cases even a little less, “says Claudio Mancini, owner of the namesake restaurant opened in the city in 1983. More than 4,000 Italian labels are in his cellar: “The majority of customers still prefer prestigious wines with a richer taste, but they travel and know more about our vines. The wines of Etna are huge, but also Campania and Calabria are successful”, adds the sommelier and manager Giancarlo Clark. In the seminar on the Special Prizes
of the Tre Bicchieri guide, conducted together with Marco Sabellico, the most appreciated wines are those calibrated on classic taste, with moderate extractions and not too marked acidity. Piedmont, Tuscany and Veneto are still the masters; the surprises are the comments on the classic Italian method with Franciacorta and Trentodoc increasingly appreciated and present on wine lists, and not just at Italian restaurants. Our sensation is that foreign countries are realizing, even more than the domestic market - see the numbers of Champagne in Italy - of a substantial qualitative growth of our bubbles on the yeasts.
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ITALIAN WINNERS IN STOCKHOLM Sweden has its first restaurant awarded Tre Forchette recognition in our Top Italian Restaurants guide. It’s Mancini in Stockholm, a tribute to traditional Italian flavours with an amazing selection of olive oils, cheeses, meats, wines, and a solid hand in the kitchen for a homespun yet exclusive ambiance. Among the trattorias, new in the Guide is Trattoria Montanari that gets 1 Gambero rating, while among the enotables Adria Bar & Restaurant is confirmed, awarded with Due Bottiglie. Increasing number of quality pizzerias in the city: new entry Meno Male Vasastan, winning Uno Spicchio, while pizzeria 450 Gradi of former footballer Jesper Blomqvist grabs Due Spicchi, same rating for Giro Pizzeria.
WORLDTOUR
OLIVE OIL CULTURE IN THE HOME OF BUTTER Learn to recognize a quality extra virgin olive oil, taste it, pair it. During the Stockholm and Copenhagen events, the Italian National Olive Oil Consortium organized training seminars curated by Valerio Cappio and Livia Rinaldi. In a country where butter is a religion, olive oil consumption is rising significantly. From 2008 to 2017, the import of olive oil grew by 58%, with an annual consumption per capita around one litre, still far from the annual 9.2 litres in Italy.
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STORIES
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OPENAGHEN AND THE SURGE OF NATURAL WINES Seven hours by car and a spectacular 16-kilometer bridge, or 50 minutes by plane, separate Stockholm and Copenhagen. From a cuisine standpoint, everything changes: from one extreme to another. Because if on the one hand we have a monopoly (albeit rather flexible), on the other hand there is the greatest fragmentation of wine importers in Europe. Try to ask for information in Copenhagen. Two or three attempts will suffice to come across a licensed micro-importer. Apparently it’s the work that’s most popular. The crowds of operators at the Vini d’Italia event will not be surprising, then. The event was held on January 30 at Moltkes Palae. The level of knowledge is very high - we already knew that - but every time we are pleasantly surprised. The Danish operator is a passionate super informed one, attentive to sustainable needs, always looking for special bottles and small artisans to propose. The export figures of the first ten months of 2018 report data in line with 2017, but they do not reveal what the specificity of this market is: an unparalleled interest in natural wines. Among the standout restaurants in Copenhagen are names of a niche that’s growing at an impetuous speed from Bangkok to Moscow, with dedicated wine bars and a very young and loyal consumer segment. In the presence of a trend, for sure, we’ve seen more focus on what is not done, or not used, rather than on the place of origin of the bottle. In this sense, the manufacturer’s trademark exceeds the territory, the designations of origin are systematically by-
THE EMERGING OF COPENHAGEN The quality of Italian dining in Copenhagen is undoubtedly among the highest in the world, along with Paris and Tokyo. Among the best new openings are Terrà, awarded with Due Bottiglie, a bistro that offers avantgarde cuisine, curated by Valerio Serini, with Laura de Lucia in the dining room. Good response for Nebbiolo (Due Bottiglie) and Famo that brings home Due Gamberi recognition. The brainchild of Fabio Mazzon will soon also include a brand new oven. Tre Gamberi go to San Giorgio and Tre Forchette to Era Ora. Elvio Milleri and Edelvita dos Santos’ restaurant, in the kitchen talented Antonio Di Criscio offers a sensitivity on food-wine pairings, exquisitely Italian, that is truly unrivalled.
passed. An evolving phenomenon that we need to monitor. “Forget the vine, the area, the country, the classic views”, recites the wine list of Manfreds (bistro where, among other things, we ate very well), demonstrating how we are faced with the phenomenon in evolution. Compared to Sweden, data on the consumption of sparkling wines are less relevant, despite the growth of Prosecco Doc, which in the first 10 months of 2018 increased by 42%.
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FEBRUARY 2019
WORLDTOUR
OUR EVENTS IN GERMANY Surgiva Taste & Design Award in Germany During our Tre Bicchieri World Tour in Germany we announced the Surgiva Taste & Desing awards. In Munich the prize goes to Acetaia thanks to Giorgio Meatzke’s cucina and Michele Perego’s wine knowledge. Expect a stylish art niveau setting, with big candelabrums, warm wood panels, and an old school service. The menu is based on carefully selected Italian ingredients, with great attention paid to flavors dependent on aging and patience, in foods ranging from Parmigiano to vinegar. The signature dish is the Ravioli filled with fresh pecorino, butter, marjoram and cherry tomatoes, topped with aceto balsamico tradizionale. A truly tasty and preparation. The quality of raw materials is high, flavors are balanced and clean, while the service is more than attentive. The wine list is serious business, one of the bestarticulated selections of Italian bottles in Munich, with a focus on native grapes, and a large amount of magnums. In good weather, you can eat in the delightful outdoor courtyard. In Berlin the Surgiva Taste & Design goes to Al Contadino Sotto Le Stelle, located in the heart of city in the picturesque alleys of Mitte. Lucio Massaro offers authentic cuisine of the Lucania tradition, with a good creative vein. Thanks to a careful selection of ingredients, we find Slow Food Presidia and small denominations for rich and tasty dishes such as buffalo ricotta cannelloni and sautéed chard with pine nuts, raisins and peppers from Senise; or buffalo ricotta tortelli; pumpkin ravioli and typical pasta such as cavatelli. Entrees are opulent and rewarding, think veal fillet with artichoke chips. Adjacent there is a Mozzarella-Bar, same ownership.
Olive oil vs butter In munich, the Consorzio Nazionale Italian Olivivicola has organized a seminar on how to select, taste and appreciate a proper extra virgin olive oil. The masterclass was held by Valerio Cappio and Livia Rinaldi.
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GAMBERO ROSSO & MSC CROCIERE
Wine & Sea. Cruise with MSC in the Mediterranean to the roots of wine
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There is a world in motion that is still unexplored. An increasingly complex microcosm that knows no setbacks, nourished by nautical miles and cities of art. We’re talking about cruise travel and of a tourism that sees Italy as the leader in the European classification for number of cruise passengers moving in their ports of call (+8.7% in 2018), with Civitavecchia earning first place in the top 10 terminals. At a stone’s throw from the 16th century Forte Michelangelo is where the first edition of Wine & Sea event took place, as the result of the collaboration between Ruffo Viaggi, MSC and Gambero Rosso. The first means of transportation bringing wine to the markets of the world becomes thus a stage for the nectar of Bacchus: seven days, from 12 to 19 January, aboard the MSC Meraviglia (5,700 passengers between crew and travellers) dotted
with tastings, seminars and competitions. And between sips, we visited pearl cities of the Mediterranean. The first stop was Palermo, then we discovered the Baroque character of Valletta in Malta, and then focus was put on Barcelona. A walk down La Rambla and immediately after we inhaled the scents of Marseille with its cultural melting pot and neo-Byzantine cathedral emerging from the water. And, again, Genoa and then we returned to Civitavecchia to close the full circle. «It was a great experience, with the opportunity of tasting wines from all over Italy, visiting wonderful cities. And then so many different cultures both on board and off: a great way to interface with different sensibilities», said Marzia Varvaglione of Varvaglione Vigne & Vini, the winery at the gates of Salento that exports more than 80% of its
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Evocative sunset on board, before starting the tasting Michele Ottella, proprietor of Ottella winery in Lugana Great tasting in the gallery on board MSC Meraviglia Nicola Leo, winemaker of the Apulian winery Paolo Leo
5 Marzia Varvaglione and Maria Teresa Basile Varvaglione of Varvaglione 1921 in Leporano, Taranto 6. Renato De Bartoli, CEO of Baglio di Pianetto winery, winner of the first prize 7. Group photo with the winners, Gambero Rosso team and Ruffo Viaggi agency
The most voted labels by cruise passengers Great tastings on board, seminars and a competition among the participants to “elect” the best loved wine. The most voted ever was the Grillo Timao by Baglio di Pianetto: the result of the Contrada Pianetto vineyards in Santa Cristina Gela, in the province of Palermo, which will be entered the entire MSC Cruises fleet wine lists for the next 6 months. Here are the winners by category. Bubbles 1 Maximum Brut Ferrari 2 Valdobbiadene Rive di Rolle Vigne del Piai 3 60 Mesi Brut Monte Cicogna 7
production only through the ho.re. ca. channel. The winemaker Nicola Leo of Paolo Leo of San Donaci, in the province of Brindisi, echoed: «A cruise allows you to create a group, to discuss wine, to bask in the world in which we live and work from a different perspective. We have expanded our sales in Northern Europe and America, in the next few years we will mainly be focusing on Asia». «I had never taken a cruise of this kind, I imagined a distracted audience and instead I was immediately persuaded attending the first tasting. One can create a direct relationship with the consumer, the informal environment helps to create a bond, the wine ac-
tivates a connection: it’s a very strong glue for the 5,000 people on board. There is enormous potential, there is lots to do, and to sow... there’s so much», enthusiastically said Michele Ottella, owner of Peschiera del Garda winery. Meanwhile, the dates of the second edition have already been issued: from 19 to 26 January 2020 on board the Grandiosa which will be launched next November. As far as MSC, the company founded by Gianluigi Aponte, the liner has announced a huge investment plan: 10 billion euros from here to 2026, with an expansion of the fleet that will reach 17 units. More places for tasting wine!
MSC Crociere - 848.24.24.90 - msccrociere.it
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White 1 Timeo 2017 Baglio di Pianetto (Best Wine) 2 Cala Luna 2018 Paolo Leo 3 Falanghina del Sannio Insigne 2018 Vinicola del Sannio Rosé 1 Il Rogito 2017 Cantina del Notaio 2 Dodici e Mezzo Fashion Rosato 2017 Varvaglione 3 RosesRoses 2017 Ottella Red 1 Orfeo Negroamaro 2016 Paolo Leo 2 Shymer 2014 Baglio di Pianetto 3 Primitivo di Manduria Papale Linea Oro 2015
AMPHORAE, JUGS AND OTHER ANCESTRAL CONTAINERS ARE BACK IN STYLE. FOR WINE AND BEYOND
Ancient origins, sustainable practices and very current results. The use of terracotta to preserve and refine food - from wine to cheese - dates back to the dawn of human civilization: often forgotten, today it excites producers, critics and the public. From Italy to Oregon
Words by Luciana Squadrilli – illustrations by Marcello Crescenzi
STORIES
«T
he amphora is the most modern oenological production technique». Categorical and resolute, is Paul J. White, American journalist and expert wine taster, author of the Wine Disclosures website and correspondent for several international newspapers. White was among the speakers of the interesting (in the content more than in the title) conference “Terracotta for an oenology of professional precision” held during the 2018 edition of La Terracotta and Wine, an event organized by the association of the same name in partnership with Artenova in the beautiful Agresti Furnace in Impruneta, Tuscany: a small district specialized in wine amphorae born from the ashes of the artistic activity of terracotta, now sadly in decline. TIRED OF WINES THAT ALL TASTE THE SAME “We are all tired of wood, and wines that all taste the same,” continues White, whose thought - he says - is corroborated by the current tastings and years of wine reporting. Of course it might seem like a stretch to out a modern label on the oldest food preservation material in history, which has been around for almost 2,000 years in almost every corner of the planet. As the Armenian archaeologist Arthur Petrosyan of the University of Yerevan points out, the birth of the clay and ceramics processing coincided exactly with the end of the roving of different migrating populations due to the practices of breeding and cultivation. As if to say: without earthenware there would not have been anything like oil, wine, beer, garum - just to give some examples - and vice versa, let
According to many producers and scholars, terracotta preserves at best the characteristics of wine and food without interfering, furthermore with no excessive oxidation alone the commercial exchanges that were at the origin of empires and cultures. And yet, nowadays tasting products made in amphorae (or, more properly, in jars or other earthenware
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vessels and related materials, even if the imprecise terminology is now established) it’s difficult to call them archaic. And if tasting the wines in the traditional Marani (the Georgian cellars where little has changed in the last centuries) it’s amazing to find wines of great personality, elegant, clean and sometimes crystalline. And moderately trained tasters will have a hard time identifying the exact fermentation technique or preservation of Piedmontese, Emilian, Austrian, French, Greek wines, Armenian, Australian, Portuguese or American present at the Tuscan event. Like those of Beckam Estate Vineyards, in Oregon, where, inspired by Elisabetta Foradori’s wines, in 2013 Andrew Beckham started the Amphorae Project, with the creation of containers and contents.
AMPHORAE, JUGS AND OTHER ANCESTRAL CONTAINERS
THE ITALIAN WAY WITH GRAVNER A treasure trove of knowledge, practices and dexterity that is lost in the mists of time but that has long been abandoned, at least in the processing of grapes. The only area in the world where it has continued without interruption to use the terracotta amphorae to ferment must is Georgia, one of the world cradles of wine and at the time designated by the Supreme Soviet as a cellar for the USSR. Elsewhere, from Armenia to Portugal, tradition has been extinguished in a sudden manner or in a slow oblivion, to respect external diktats or commercial needs dictated by changing lifestyles. And in Italy? Widespread above all as containers for transport since Roman times - not only for wine, but also for wheat and oil - amphorae and jars have gradually disappeared almost everywhere; traces of it remain, now obsolete, mostly linked to regional uses such as the Apulian capasoni (small wine jars) or the Tuscan oil jars, abandoned when it was understood that for this product even the slightest oxygenation is deleterious: better use them to beautify courtyards and cellars, with their vintage charm. The introduction and subsequent diffusion of terracotta for modern Italian winemaking, between the old millennium and the present one is thanks to Josko Gravner, stubborn border winemaker, located between Friuli Venezia Giulia and Slovenia. Josko heard about the use of wine amphorae for the first time in the 90s by a friend who worked at WWF, returning from a trip to Georgia just outside the former Soviet Union. After the first tests with a small amphora made from there, he had to
TERRACOTTA EXALTS THE DIFFERENT TERROIRS «The maturation in steel favours acidity but leaves little body to the wine. Terracotta has the purity of stainless steel and the oxygenation of wood, but it’s a more neutral material: it enhances the characteristics of the wine without modifying them and is completely natural, as well as lasting for a long time. Each territory, then, has its specifications related to production techniques and the quality of local clays, unlike the wooden barrels that often all come from the same areas. In short, each amphora also has its own terroir». – Paul J. White, author winedisclosures.com ALSO WITH VINEGAR RESULTS ARE EXCELLENT «My tests with vinegar are giving good results: of course, there’s a bit of oxidation but it’s rather superficial; with this kind of container, spontaneous fermentation gives rise to a static acidification, without pushing oxygenation. The use of terracotta is an ancestral method, probably born at the time of the Sumerians who produced vinegar from dates. The result lends itself to interesting uses: vinegar fermented in amphorae has a nice depth, I would suggest using it mostly raw, perhaps with a marinade that transmits depth to the food. And now I continue to experiment with Malvasia from Emilia-Romagna…» – Andrea Bezzecchi, balsamic vinegar producer ITALIAN AMPHORES APPRECIATED ABROAD «Since we started the production of amphorae at Impruneta, requests have increased: more and more companies are attracted by this new method for preserving and maturing wine. Good results in use of terracotta jars thanks to word of mouth and internet beyond Italy, and also abroad. Actually selling more out of borders than in Italy. So we decided to make different types of containers inspired by history: we reproduced the Dolium (the ancient terracotta containers used by the Romans) and amphorae in the shape of eggs, inspired by those in cement that are used in France». – Lonardo Parisi, amphorae producer (giare.terracotta-artenova.com) OK AMPHORAE, BUT WHEN DRINKING CHATEAU PETRUS DYOU DON’T ASK WHERE IT WAS AGED! «There are two ways to think about the use of the amphora in the world of wine: refinement or extreme vinification. With the companies that I follow we are trying the first way to understand what results can give. By comparison with other systems, terracotta has different qualities: compared to steel, it’s a material that breathes; and compared to wood, it doesn’t release aromas that alter the flavour. Of course far from saying that it’s a panacea. Let’s not forget that wine is still made in the vineyard. For the rest, the only personal concern is that for some it can become an advertising gimmick. Thinking of the French, for example, I think they are better than in following their path supported by great technique and without being subject to trends. When you drink a Château Petrus, for example, you hardly wonder how it was made». – Valentino Ciarla, oenologist
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STORIES
Examples like Conciato Romano, archaic cheese, show how you can give new life to historical products or try new roads for more traditional processes
wait until the year 2000 when he went to Georgia to learn the traditional techniques that had been maintained there over the centuries, and other years before being able to start production of wines in amphorae with its grapes: at the beginning chardonnay, sauvignon, pinot grigio and riesling italico, for the mythical Breg in amphora; then only
ribolla, according to him the main expression of the territory where he was born and where he works. Since then, thanks to the incredible depth of his wines and his peasant ways and refined thought, the name of Gravner has become an absolute reference point for wine made in amphora. Many winemakers from all over Italy have followed in his footsteps, some in a philological and declared manner, others experimenting with different materials and techniques of vinification or aging and adapting the container to grapes and specific territories: from Nosiola in amphora by Elisabetta Foradori, to Zibibbo aged in pithos by COS (acronym of the surnames of Giambattista Cilio, Giusto Occhipinti and Cirino Strano) in Vittoria, in the province of Ragusa. Also others in the interesting Romagna wineries grouped in the project “AN son miga FORA”, led by Carlo Catani (former director of
HOW WAS THE MOST ANCIENT CELLAR IN THE WORLD? A cave in which wine was produced over 6,100 years ago was discovered in Armenia. Located near the village of Areni in the Province of Vayots Dzor; the dig was directed by Gregory Areshian of the University of California in Los Angeles and Armenian archaeologist Boris Gasparyan between the years 2007-2010. The winery consisted of a 60 cm deep tub used as a grape press, buried clay vessels about one meter long with high edges destined for fermentation and wine conservation. Among the finds there were also cups as well as remains of stems, seeds and skins. These Copper Age winemakers had to crush the grapes in the tank in the traditional way: with their feet; the juice drained into the large adjacent clay container for fermentation and then kept in jars. The ancient wine expert Patrick E. McGovern, a biomolecular archaeologist at
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the University of Pennsylvania, said that this finding seems to coincide with genetic studies conducted in other research, indicating precisely in the mountains of Armenia, Georgia and neighbouring countries the cradle of viticulture. In his opinion the Areni grapes would have tasted similar to the ancient Georgian varieties indicated as the ancestors of Pinot Noir. More or less contemporary to the wine produced in the Areni cave, in Sicily, about 60 kilometers from Agrigento, wine was stored in large jars with double handles, also found in a cave located on Mount Kronio. Tests conducted by Davide Tanasi of the University of Southern Florida, in collaboration with the National Research Council, the University of Catania and experts from the Superintendency for Cultural Heritage, have shown that the residue contained tartaric acid and sodium salts, ingredients typical of wine. – Marco Valenti, archaeologist at Università di Siena
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AMPHORAE, JUGS AND OTHER ANCESTRAL CONTAINERS
the UNISG in Pollenzo and author of “Io Bevo Romagnolo”) with the aim of promoting cultural exchanges and knowledge among local winemakers and Georgian colleagues. CHEESE, GRAPPA, BEER, VINEGAR But, mind you: not just wine. Today, terracotta is also suitable for other products, taking up ancient uses or perhaps finding new ones. Think of the remote origins of Conciato Romano, an intense cheese produced in present-day Campania since ancient Roman times, if not earlier. The smallish wheels obtained from
cow’s milk, sheep’s or goat’s milk and kid’s rennet, are aged and treated with the cooking water of pettole (typical homemade pasta) that covers the cheese with a thin layer of starch, and then with a mixture of oil, vinegar, herbs and chilli pepper before aging in a sealed terracotta jar for a long time 6 months to 2 years - until it acquires a pungent and persistent taste. The credit goes to the almost totally anaerobic condition of the amphorae that today are enamelled interior for hygienic purposes, but have a cork stopper that allows a slight oxygenation. In this way the cheese re-ferments and remains moist, and after at least nine months it becomes creamy and intense; first, however, it’s slightly more delicate and remains hard, to be grated or sliced into flakes like a truffle. In this case the term “amphorae” is correct, at least for those used for functional purposes as well as successful packaging created by Manuel Lombardi and his family at Le Campestre, a farm in Castel di Sasso, in the Alto Casertano area, which first brought this ancient cheese making technique back to life. The idea was also taken from others, such as Fosse Venturi in
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FOOD AND BEVERAGES IN AMPHORAE
1 Wine Ferments, ages and storage
2 Beer, Ferments and matures
3 Grappa, Ages and storage
4 Mead and Cider, Ferment and mature
5 Vinegar, Ferments, ages and storage
6 Cheese, Matures and storage
7 Olive oil, can be stored
THE ILLUSTRATOR’S TRAIT Amphorae floating in time, highlighting both the return of the ancient technique and their proprietary use of aging/maturing for long periods; they have the shapes of the classical age but pop colours of the present, always underlining the formal nature of the past, yet contemporary. – Marcello Crescenzi
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TERRACOTTA AROUND THE WORLD Archaeological finds scattered around the world - from Egypt to Kurdistan, from ancient Britain to Sicily - clearly say: vases, amphorae and earthenware jars have been used since ancient times for the production, storage and transport of food, and practically in every culture: from the dolia of ancient Rome to the Greek pithos. If their finds are often visible in museums and archaeological sites around the world, there are different traditions of food and wine still used today that testify the importance of these artifacts -- of different shape, size and use -- but united by the material and the basic principle of food production.
Terracotta makes new followers boyond Italy: from Armenia and Georgia, Portugal, Peru and Korea come products processed with the ancient technique of maturation in amphora
Many now know the Georgian tradition of “wine in amphora” (or rather, technically, in a jar), taken as a model by many Italian winemakers - and not only. Made with skill by local craftsmen, the Georgian qvevri (or kvevri), made with the clay of the Imereti and Kakheti regions, are large or jars (without handles) with an elongated or an egg shape with a point at the bottom where they accumulate lees and peels while the wine, extracted from above, remains (unexpectedly) clean. In the Georgian tradition, in fact, the qvevri - sometimes covered internally with beeswax - are used for the fermentation of wine and in the marani (the cellars) are sealed with damp clay and buried to ensure a stable temperature and humidity given by the soil but also - according to many winemakers - for a deeper and subtle contact with the earth. In Georgia - at the time of the USSR considered a holiday destination appreciated for its nature but also for its strong food and wine tradition - the production of wine in amphora has never ceased in nearby Armenia - destined instead by Soviet domination to the production of brandy - which was completely lost. Only recently some winemakers have taken up the ancient tradition of “wine in amphora” - Karas, in this case uncoa-
Sogliano which, alongside the tradition of cheese aged in a hole dug in the ground, has added that of the “giara” cheese jar, with different shapes and with different seasonings refine the cheese in large jars in Tuscan terracotta. There is no doubt, however, that it’s liquids that best lend themselves to aging in terracotta. From the Amphora of the Marzadro distillery, grappa of Trentino pomace refined in Tuscan clay amphorae and clay for enhancing elegance and softness, to mead, the so-called “nectar of the gods” brought back in vogue by some small Italian companies: in this case they are fermented honey, water and various aromas - like hops in the case of A+Bees created by Cirelli winery from Abruzzo for the corporate project carried out with
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the laboratory-incubator La Collina Biologica - giving life to a slightly alcoholic and sparkling drink, very pleasant and fresh in summer. The beer in amphora has also been cleared, thanks to the apogee project of the “archeobirre” launched a few years ago by Leonardo Di Vincenzo, Teo Musso and the American Sam Calagione together with the scholar Patrick McGovern and today carried out by Birra del Borgo with the Etruscan: fermented beer in large Impruneta jars and enriched with the ingredients found in Etruscan archaeological sites, from hazelnuts to pomegranate. Part of the wine instead - and not just any one from the Garganega di Angiolino Maule - vinegar in amphora by Andrea Bezzecchi, who in ‘94 together with his brother Cristian took back
AMPHORAE, JUGS AND OTHER ANCESTRAL CONTAINERS
ted and rarely buried - for the refinement of wines from autochthonous vines such as Areni; there are no more craftsmen, however, able to make the amphorae that are bought in other countries. Less well known is another great enological tradition in terracotta, that of Portugal: in the Alentejo rural area, until the 1950s, the habit - disappeared elsewhere - to refine the wines in talhas, large terracotta jars of ovoidal shape up to two meters high; in this case, however, these are containers not buried and lined internally by pês (a semi-solid concoction based on rosemary, thyme, pine resin and olive oil), from which the wine is taken by a particular method, using a type of barrel with a triangular section that grows along the rivers of the area and acts as a natural “clarifier”, as Paul J. White tells us, author of a fine report on the subject. Here the ancient tradition of the talha wine is linked to the tascas, the local taverns that used these enormous containers made with the clay of the area to ferment the local grapes obtaining fresh wines but of character to accompany the food. Slowly abandoned also in Alentejo, today it has been recovered by a handful of small producers soon followed by
Peru
many others; Portuguese winemakers, however, must use the old jars found in local cellars or smaller containers, because there is no longer anyone able to make them so large. But the terracotta is not useful for the wine. In Peru, piskos are large earthenware pots used since the days of the Inca Empire - made by the homonymous inhabitants of the Pisco valley, skilled potters - used to transport various food products but above all (as in some cases even today) to ferment and mature the national distillate: the Pisco. And speaking of fermentation, even the Korean kimchi, one of the symbolic products of this ancient and portentous preservation and preparation technique, was historically matured in terracotta containers. The Korean onggi are terracotta pots (small or large, used for family use) whose name literally means “transpiring clay”. Thanks to the porous material, slightly vitrified, they favour the fermentation process at the base of the famous delicacy made with cabbage (but also of banchan and jang, soy pastes and sauces). In this case too, very often terracotta is replaced by plastic for the preparation - especially at home, however increasingly rare - of kimchi. But it’s certainly not the same thing.
Georgia
Portugal
Korea Armenia
Alentejo
QVEVRI PISKOS ONGGI
TALHAS
Pisco
Wine aged in amphorae
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Kimchi
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the ancient family vinegar in Novellara (Reggio Emilia) and turned it into a hotbed of ideas and experimentations around this largely underestimated and debased product from quick productions and dilutions. At Acetaia San Giacomo, on the other hand, quality ingredients and time are at the base of everything, together with a taste for experimentation. This is how, next to the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia and to the raw wine vinegars made with autochthonous grapes of the territory and other regions, so are the “special” vinegars. Like those aged in juniper barrels or, in fact, in a terracotta amphora imported from Georgia a few years ago through the help
A LARGE COOP LIKE MEZZACORONA EXPERIMENTS WITH AMPHORAE, TOO No longer just wine experimenters or anarchist peasants! Even a giant like Mezzacorona - a cooperative from Trentino that gathers over 1,600 winemakers and whose income exceeds 185 million euros - has decided to follow the path of terracotta to enhance four traditional vines that express at best the territory of origin: Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Traminer and Teroldego Rotaliano. In the suggestive barrique of Mezzacorona there are in fact 8 terracotta amphorae, next to the small oak barrels and the tonneaux: they are immersed in a soft blue light with a background of classical music. «It’s the new project started with the zoning and with the aim of identifying the vineyards that would best lend themselves to this type of winemaking - explains Davide Semenzato, Mezzacorona brand ambassador - We use non-vitrified terracotta in which we vinify real cru of four typical Trentino vineyards: a production still in the infancy stages which will take time to refine. Even if we’re not talking about products macerated in Friulian style, amphorae winemaking is a very interesting world in which we want to experiment, to understand how we can adapt this technique to our products». A choice in line with the history that has unfolded for centuries right under the winery of Mezzacorona: during the construction of the new plant of the cooperative, in fact, the settlement of Drei Canè came to light, an archaic farm that dates back to of Republican Rome age. Therefore, the use of the amphora is also a tribute to the roots of Mezzacorona.
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JOURNEY IN THE CENTURIES OF TERRACOTTA The remote past of liquids stored in amphorae and similar (olle, jars and askos) has has discarded the labels of high rituals to become imperfect, ready to join the present (and declined in the plural). Time to reposition itself on distant fronts - under the long-range Georgian catapult, along the Lusitanian border or around homespun raids and now it sounds like anterior future. The ancestral reloaded is thus refined, in leaps and bounds: from rustic to refined, with side chases and selective recoveries. Indetermination and complementarity support and dominate this not yet fashionable, heuristic and passionate fashion. Then we collapse the consecutio temporum, fermenting together conservation, transport and libations, to compact them like the testae of the Monte de’ Cocci, the convex hill of broken amphorae that dominates Testaccio, the Capitoline district XX that has elected as its symboil precisely the amphora. The former Mattatoio, of the fifth quarters - and how many quartini? Just enough, abbreviated QB, and the umpteenth gastronomic quantum leap. A century and a half ago, Heinrich Dressel began to explore that amalgam of fragments, reaching the hypothesis that they were mostly from the Iberian province of present-day Seville. Oil, however, not wine. Who knows how many signs @ will have come before and after that fractal coring: the “snail” is in fact considered by large sectors of commercial paleography and epigraphs as a symbol of the amphora, intended as a unit of measurement. The German surname in Rome still stands out in the taxonomy of wine amphorae,
AMPHORAE, JUGS AND OTHER ANCESTRAL CONTAINERS
1
1. Over the centuries the remains of broken amphorae thrown away like in a landfill gave birth to Monte Testaccio in Rome: in the photo a section of the stratification brought to light and visible today
Dressel 1 is perhaps the best known: oblong shape, pointed base and elongated handles, it spreads starting from the 2nd century BC imposing itself on all the ports of the Tyrrhenian Sea and in much of the western Mediterranean. A few dozen nautical miles further south, from the port of the Emporio testaccino to the shores of Campania, are other testae: those found in the Cuma area have led to the idea that the Romans were producing non-stick containers. This may be an archaeo-pop anecdote, perhaps. The internal coatings of the amphorae, including rudimentary waterproofing and relative porosity, are nevertheless a central element in the ability to trace the composition of a mass of organic liquid from miniscule traces (sediments, seeds) with gas chromatographic examinations: the combination of terracotta body and covers in other materials (fabrics, wood) multiplies the investigation
lot, allowing more and more accurate evaluations. That go hand in hand with the new knowledge on old clays. For Nicola Dess, an archaeologist specializing in Prehistory and Nuragic Civilization, the state of the art of research techniques is today «ensemble and mix between archeology, literature and chemistry. Past civilizations have continually conceived and perfected the containers for the main purpose of preserving and transporting the precious drink of the gods. And today we finally know more. In fact, terracotta has the ability to absorb the chemical properties of beverages. Thus the presence of syringic acid has emerged in numerous cases, inextricably linked to wine. The genetic study of grape seeds found in clay containers showed affinity and continuity in the same territories of discovery. Excavations and research have revealed how Vernaccia del Sinis and the Ogliastra Cannonau were
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already produced during the Nuragic Age, four millennia ago». So how can we ride this rediscovery observing as it is researching and innovating itslef? Free for once - so it seems (and one hopes) - from the faintly obsequious philological dictatorship. And we experiment as one should, exploring the less frequented edges of the paratraditional vinification. Thus new definitions of authenticity are rediscovered: essential, not necessarily ancient. Earth and fire, grapes. And time. The announced sunset of the barrique rolls perhaps more quickly with experts who weave analysis and mimesis, hazards and enthusiasm. Like the tapestry of the novel “La Giara” by Pirandello, which finds itself for punctual and accidental inside a big pot-bellied vase that should break up in order to repair. A paradox? Yes, but contained. Literally. – Federico Geremei
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of Carlo Catani. «In the same period, in 2014, I was thinking with Maule of making a vinegar with his wine, so the idea was born spontaneously: I would have made into vinegar and refine starting from his wine in parallel in cask and amphora to see what would come out». After two years the results were interesting: «The vinegar in amphora does not have the roundness of the wood, it’s much more straight and clear and the taste is decidedly more mineral. Terracotta gives more complexity and respects the starting characteristics more». The tests go on with the Malvasia Emiliana: in two years we will know what will come out of it. And maybe then, given the growth and rediscovered interest, it will be time for a new point on the use of amphorae in the most varied food refinements.
16 ITALIAN WINES WE Nzu 2015 Marco Carpineti Cori (LT) marcocarpineti.com The last born in the Carpineti winery is the Nzù which in “corense” dialect stands for “together”. Made from bellone grapes, spontaneous fermentation and a subsequent refinement in amphorae of 450 and 700 litre capacity. Clear in its notes of peach and citrus. The mouth is rich, varietal, with complex and convincing dynamics. Next up, always in amphora, will be the Nero Buono.
Bòggina A 2016 Fattoria Petrolo Bucine (AR) – petrolo.it With fresh and lively aromas and hints of cherry, this Sangiovese is vinified and aged in 300 and 500 litre amphorae. In the glass the wine releases menthol notes for a clean, slender and appetizing finish. Maceration of the peels in open amphora and then sealed for 6 months.
Zagreo 2017
I Cacciagalli Teano (CE) – icacciagalli.it The work carried out by Mario Basco and Diana Iannaccone is commendable. Their wines stand out with boldness and freshness, they best summarize the land at the foot of the extinct volcano of Roccamonfina, in the Casertano area. The Zagreo ‘17 offers tones of wheat, ripe peach and tea, with a resinous and tasty mouth, with savory and bitter points that find balance in a succulent finish.
Vitovska Anfora 2015 Vodopivec Sgonico(TS) – vodopivec.it One of the great wines of Italy. Refined
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and very deep, it has an intensity of flavour that leaves us glued to the glass. This Vitovska rests one year in amphora with its skins and then ages 18 months in large oak barrels. Solar aromas and rocky soul: scents of basil, oyster and mint. Salty and reactive, it leaves a delicate and spicy sensation. Magnificent.
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Amphora 2017 Cirelli Atri (TE) agricolacirelli. com Disheveled attack on the aromatic plane, with some phenolic notes and increasing intensity for this Trebbiano with a smoky character. The mouth changes register and finds momentum and flavour, notes of freshly cut grass and citrus sensations. Fermentation and aging in amphora for 12 months.
Valerium Vinum in Amphora 2017
Arrighi Porto Azzurro (LI) arrighivigneolivi.it The Valerium ‘17 is impressive, based on ansonica. Matured and aged in amphorae, it expresses tones of tea and apple compote, with vegetal hints. The body is balanced, both nervous and sinuous, with good pulp, and a savoury and prolonged finish.
Montesecondo Tin 2014
Montesecondo San Casciano in Val di Pesa (FI) montesecondo.com The winery was founded at the end of the last century in Cerbaia, in Val di Pesa, the historic area of Chianti, thanks to the work of Silvio Mesana. The Montesecondo Tin 2014 is a must: a Trebbiano fermented in clay amphorae with
AMPHORAE, JUGS AND OTHER ANCESTRAL CONTAINERS
LOVE THAT ARE MADE IN AMPHORAE by Lorenzo Ruggeri
long macerations. Aromas of chamomile and resin anticipate a graceful and incisive palate in development, with a still tonic finish.
Migiu 2016 Olianas Gergei (CA) – olianas.it A real treat, from semi-wild grapes grown on sandy-franc soils of marine origin. The wine ferments and ages in 800-liter terracotta amphorae with red maceration for almost 90 days. The result? Deep yellow color, aromas of peach and apricot, creamy palate, savory and fresh. What a drink!
Ribolla Gialla 2008 Gravner Gorizia – gravner.it The amphora is the result of a long journey for Josko. It took eight years to obtain this fermented wonder with long maceration in underground Georgian amphorae, with indigenous yeasts and without temperature control, which rests for 6 years in large oak barrels. The wine? Epic. Details and pure energy.
Fricandò 2015
Al di Là del Fiume Marzabotto (BO) cantina.aldiladelfiume.it Three hectares of biodynamic vineyards in the historical Regional Park of Monte Sole for Danila Mongardi and Gabriele Monti’s winery, which also offers farm holidays and a cultural association. Albana in purity, Fricandò is the fruit of grapes fermented on the skins for a few months in Impruneta terracotta amphorae. Sapid and pleasant, with beautiful notes of autumn fruit and elegant authenticity.
Grignolino d’Asti Anfora Margherita Barbero 2017 Luigi Spertino Mombercelli (AT) Also in this case the aging in amphorae accentuates the qualities of fragrance and integrity of the fruit. Margherita Barbero Grignolino is a delicious instant wine: straightforward and immediate in its tones of small red fruits, flowers and black pepper. The mouth is vital, perky and tasty, austere but characterised by freshness and well structured tannins.
Qvevri Rosso 2015 Vino di Anna Solicchiata (CT) vinodianna.com From Alelaide to Solicchiata. Anna Martens’ journey, undoubtedly among the most impressive wineries of the highest volcano in Europe. From very old vines planted in “alberello” on the north flank, the wine ferments and refines in underground amphorae of different sizes. Sensations are delicately smokey, of roots, for a mature and graceful profile.
Petruna Anfora 2016 Il Borro Loro Ciuffenna (AR) ilborro.it The Ferragamo winery is experiencing a noticeable change in style. Proof of this is the Petruna ‘15, organic sangiovese. Matured 12 months in amphorae, it has a bright colour and a fine and delicate aromatic bouquet. Elegant entry in the mouth, with lively and incisive tannins, fresh acidity and fragrance of biting black fruit.
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Pithos Rosso Anfora 2016 Cos Vittoria (RG) cosvittoria.it Its delightful profile is characterized by black mulberries, almond, black olives. It has an important sapid verve and a continuous, dry and lashing development. It goes very well with an elaborate, spicy fish soup laced with good tomatoes.
Barbera del Monferrato Rataraura 2015 Rocco di Carpeneto Carpeneto (AL) roccodicarpeneto.it Il Rocco di Carpeneto has its headquarters and vineyards in one of the most suitable areas of the Dolcetto di Ovada. But it is the Barbera, refined for 6 months in amphorae, that most amazes us again. Dark colour with an intense and captivating fruity profile: pepper, ripe blackberry, orange peel. Rich and very dynamic mouth thanks to a sapid and acidic quota that gives whim and rhythm to a joyful wine that reactivates the palate.
Teroldego Sgarzon 2016 Foradori Mezzolombardo (TN) elisabettaforadori.com Elisabetta Foradori and her children continue to lead with regard to biodynamic viticulture and sensitivity in handling the amphorae in fermentation as they are being refined, in this case tinajas of Villarrobledo, Spain. The Sgarzon benefits from the cooler climate of the Campo Rotaliano: it offers sensations of rose, pepper, and crisp fruit for a tasty sip rich in sapid and smoky counterpoints. Refined.
BIG WINE NAMES IN 3D. THE OLD VINTAGES NARRATE THE BEST CELLARS Two great verticals to celebrate the changing of the guard. Masi, Winery of the Year in the Vini d’Italia 2018 guide, hands the recognition to Cantine Ferrari as Winery of the Year for Vini d’Italia 2019. On the one hand, the Giulio Ferrari bubbles that confirms an unprecedented evolution in Italy; on the other, the Amarone Campolongo di Torbe, an authentic voyage into the deepest roots of Amarone in constant tension between classical tradition, international scope and research
Words by Marco Sabellico Tasting notes by Gianni Fabrizio and William Pregentelli Photos by Alberto Blasetti
STORIES
A
t a certain point in our 30-year old history as reporters of Italian wine (the Vini d’Italia guide was first released in 1988) we felt the need to assign special prizes, in addition to the classic Tre Bicchieri, to wineries and wines that embody the contents of innovation and excellence, that somehow summarize and concentrate in their wines the emotions and impressions of a year of work, travel and visits. In other words, the winners were the quintessence of the thousands of tastings we yearly conduct. Thus, next to the Wine of the Year and to the Oenologist of the Year, back in 1999 we bestowed the first “special prize” of Cellar of the Year. To deserve it back then was Planeta, Sicilian leader company that at the time was still a very young company, but that already with its wines (at the time, in particular, the Chardonnay) had the world talking about them. It happened twenty years ago, actually, twenty-one years ago. Since then, on that podium stood names that have shaped Italy’s recent history of wine, both at home and abroad. These are names of magnitude, reading over them now, we recall the emotions they lent and still lend, with great wines that are the fruit of great vintages: always able to do more. Some have made us discover new territories, as in the case of Benanti with their Etna; or Marco Caprai with Montefalco and Sagrantino. Others have expressed a disruptive innovative charge making them real “stars” in the wine scene, as in the case of Angelo Gaja, or the Rivetti de La Spinetta brothers, or Gianni Masciarelli. Some of them embody an ideal of timeless classicism, and are icons of a territory: this
is the case, for example, of Castle of Ama, Giacosa and Valentini. There are companies such as the Cantina di San Michele Appiano, Ricasoli or Ca ‘del Bosco that have incredibly raised the bar of quality in their terroir, and have been able to make technical innovation and stylistic perfection a paradigm. Others, such as the Fattoria di Felsina, Sella & Mosca or Tasca d’Almerita were able to express their terroir in their wines with elegance and an expressive depth. And now here we are in the last years... Reading the names, one aspect immediately stands out. What do Massari, Sette Ponti, Allegrini, Bellavista, Masi and Ferrari have in common? They are all top wineries, offering wines of absolute excellence. But they are also companiues who have pushed themselves in a
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more difficult enterprise: exporting the level obtained in the “parent cellar” in other terroirs. A risky undertaking, to think of it, that many try but often fail. The aforementioned wineries on the other hand, have seen their efforts crowned with great success. We couldn’t avoid awarding a winery like Allegrini that from Valpolicella now manages to produce great wines in Tuscany; or Colle Massari that has expanded from Montecucco to Bolgheri and Montalcino with very exciting labels... The same is true for Sette Ponti (Tuscany, Sicily) and Bellavista (Franciacorta, Tuscany, Sardinia). To these wineries we have dedicated each year a special tasting on the eve of the presentation of the Vini d’Italia guide and the awards of the Tre Bicchieri and other special prizes.
MASI AND FERRARI VERTICAL
THE GOLDEN ROSTER OF THE WINERIES OF THE YEAR The producers who in twenty years (from the 1999 edition to the 2019 edition currently available for sale at newsstands and bookstores) have won the Winery of the Year special prize awarded by Gambero Rosso’s Vini d’Italia Guide. Masi and Ferrari were the champions of the last two editions.
Guide 1999 PLANETA Guide 2000 CANTINA SAN MICHELE APPIANO Guide 2001 LA SPINETTA Guide 2002 BARONE RICASOLI Guide 2003 CA’ DEL BOSCO Guide 2004 MASCIARELLI Guide 2005 CASTELLO DI AMA Guide 2006 ARNALDO CAPRAI – VAL DI MAGGIO Guide 2007 BENANTI Guide 2008 GAJA Guide 2009 FATTORIA DI FELSINA
CRITICS AND EXPERTS TASTE The tasting panel attended by journalists and international experts as well as wine producers and winemakers of the two wineries. Standing from left: JC Viens - Honk Kong (Great Passion LTD), Marco Caputo (sommelier at Imàgo dell’Hassler in Rome), Fabio Turchetti (freelance journalist), Gianni Fabrizio (Gambero Rosso), Wojciech Gogolinsky - Poland (Senior Editor Czas Wina), ldo Fiordelli (Espresso and Decanter), Christopher Walkey - UK (Glass of bubbly), Manlio Giustiniani (James Magazine), Lorenzo Ruggeri and William Pregentelli (Gambero Rosso). Sitting from the left: Anna Scafuri (Rai), Larissa Korobkova - Russia (chief editor of Vinnaya Karta), Raoul Salama – Francia (Le Revue du vin de France), Marcello Lunelli (Ferrari), Marco Sabellico (Gambero Rosso), Ruben Larentis (Ferrari oenologist), Alessandro Lunelli (Ferrari), Alfonso Isinelli (Agrodolce, guida 99 maison di Champagne), Matteo Zappile (sommelier at Il Pagliaccio in Rome), Xiaowen Huang – Taiwan (Clubalogue Academy), Egil Andreas Aasheim – Norway (Le terroir, Vinforum)
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Guide 2010 BRUNO GIACOSA Guide 2011 VALENTINI Guide 2012 TASCA D’ALMERITA Guide 2013 TENUTE SELLA & MOSCA Guide 2014 COLLE MASSARI Guide 2015 TENUTA SETTE PONTI Guide 2016 ALLEGRINI Guide 2017 BELLAVISTA Guide 2018 MASI
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STORIES
WHAT THE TASTERS ARE SAYING «I was impressed by Giulio Ferrari 1994. Glorious aromas of yellow fruit, rose petals, toasted butter and honeycomb. Delicate aromas in an orchestra of different notes, including fresh citrus and tropical sensations. A simply portentous magnum, and those vintage bubbles!» – Christopher Walkey
«I really did not think that Giulio Ferrari could acquire such a deep and different complexity from year to year. Plus, the wine showed an impressive quality on average. In particular I loved the 1997 vintage: honestly, it was so good that I did not think I was tasting Italian bubbles. And it was nice to rediscover the same shared impressions with such a varied international presence». «The Masi vertical tasting for me was a sort of history course! I understood how Amarone has changed over time: the halway mark being the year 2000, with more immediate and fruity wines. I found vintages balanced and not too sweet as opposed to the many Amarones on the market». – Xiaowen Huang
«The Giulio Ferrari confirms owning an extra oomph. Today it’s the Italian sparkling wine that can be compared to the great French bubbles. It has strong identity and consistency; year after year the perception is of a winery that has a project in constant evolution. And then I was very impressed by the Giulio Rosé: it seemed like farfetched, but if the first vintage is already this good, then...» «I’m not a big fan of Amarone. The Amarone by Masi is confirmed in the middle between classic and modern style. These we have tasted are excellent products that look to an international audience and that maintain the interpretation of terroir and style beyond the vintage». – Alfonso Isinelli
This is an important event, starring the icon labels of wineries and those who created them. This year it was the recipient of the Winery of the Year 2018, Masi, with a spectacular Amarone Campolongo di Torbe, preview in eleven vintages from 1983 to 2012, conducted by Sandro Boscaini– –”Mister Amarone” himself. In addition to proving being able to produce great wines beyond Valpolicella, but also in Trentino and Veneto (as well as in Tuscany and even in Argentina), the Masi Technical Group is now an international reference point for its studies on grape control. Finally, the Winery of the Year for the 2019 edition of the Guide is Ferrari di Trento. The Lunelli family in 1952 took over the historic winery founded in 1902
«What strikes above all in this rare and prestigious tasting of Giulio Ferrari is the standard of the vintages presented. No weak points, wines oscillated between excellent and the sublime... just like in a vertical of a great Champagne!» «With Masi, it was like taking a journey into the deepest roots of Amarone. Every epoch, every decade marks a progress, a further precision in the definition of the cuvée. The result is an ideal compromise between classical tradition, research and avant-garde». – Raoul Salama
by Giulio Ferrari, transforming it from a small pearl of Trentino enology into a group of absolute world prestige where, besides wines, there are great grappa della Segnana and Surgiva mineral water. If Ferrari Trento is the most famous Italian sparkling wine brand even outside domestic borders, and the Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore is one of the most prestigious labels of Italian enology ever, let’s not forget that the winery’s entire production moves on the level of absolute excellence. Proof of ths is the fact that this year we have rewarded the innovative and fascinating Perlé Zero 11. But it does not end here: the third generation of Lunelli is a close-knit team that controls Margon in Trento, Tus-
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can Podernovo and Umbrian Castelbuono, in addition to Venetian Bisol, with results that are in plain sight. A well-deserved award, crowned by a great vertical of Giulio Ferrari led by Marcello Lunelli and chef de cave Ruben Larentis, the latest Italian oenologist recipient of the “Oenologist of the Year” recognition. It was an exciting journey exploring old vintages, often from large formats, with recent or ancient openings that left us speechless. Ten extraordinary years, from ‘86 to ‘97, crowned by the preview of the new Giulio Ferrari Rosé, 2006. We few, We happy few... would have said Shakespearean Henry V in this case too. But you can be happy too, just continue reading our tasting notes, and find these labels and these vintages...
MASI AND FERRARI VERTICAL
Masi. 60 years of Amarone conquering the world
T
orbe is a fraction north of Negrar, in the heart of Valpolicella, which gives its name to what is probably the first Amarone Cru present on a label. We are talking about Campolongo di Torbe by Masi, the winery owned by the Boscaini family, a reference for the denomination in terms of history and lustre. The first vintage of Campolongo di Torbe dates back to 1958; in our tasting we started from ‘83 and, skipping some years we arrived to taste a preview bottle of 2012, retracing the history of a wine (and of a denomination) that obtained, and continues to obtain, more and more success around the world. The Eighties: in this decade Masi and its technical staff made Amarone more modern and international, emphasizing the fruity component and intensity. This phase began with the vintage ‘83 and found its climax with the ‘88 vintage, which had been a rather warm harvest.
The Nineties. Masi continued to innovate the production process of its wines; the vintages were generally better in this decade thanks to more modern wine-growing practices and improvements in the drying process. Furthermore, in the second half of the decade, thanks to warmer summers and drier winters, higher quality, healthy and perfectly ripe grapes were obtained.. The 2000s. Amarone settled in the leading role in the international limelight: Masi and its technical group have certainly contributed to the worldwide success of this wine. The 2000s were the years in which efforts were increasingly concentrated to produce more and more typical wines. For this reason, numerous researches were carried out––concerning viticulture, drying and vinification––in collaboration with scientific institutions and universities, both domestic and international.
The first vintage dates back to 1958. We have retraced, through three decades, the history, the changes, the styles of a wine that is increasingly successful on global markets.
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LE STORIE
Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. Campolongo di Torbe
94
1983 Excellent year in terms of climate, both locally and nationally, which delivers an intense Amarone in its dried herbs, black cherry jam, cocoa, tobacco, graphite notes, with a controlled oxidative trace. Mouth remains intact with sensations perceived by the nose that chase each other, on a harmonious body, with a silky tannin and a slightly alcoholic but enveloping finish.
95
1988 The hottest vintage created the conditions for a slightly smaller harvest in regard to quantities, but with grapes possessing a higher concentration of sugar. Time helped to mitigate these characteristics and today, after thirty years, we are tasting a great version of Campolongo: scent of china root, graphite, humus, cacao, with an elegant peppery spice and incense. On the palate, the wine is dense, with fragrant fruit pulp, contrasted by a still vivid tannin.
91
1990 Among those of the Nineties, this seemed to us the least convincing: the nose moves with a little difficulty between sensations of very ripe black fruit and dark chocolate on the one hand, and on the other there are earthy and vaguely vegetal perceptions. It improves a lot in the mouth, where it is powerful, with very thick tannins, and final entrusted to toasted notes and tobacco.
95
1993 This is the first vintage of Campolongo di Torbe to win Tre Bicchieri recognition. Intense, very young, still seems locked to a black fruit that does not yield a smidgen of freshness. But then come sensations of licorice, mint chocolate, withered flowers, a light haematic vein, tobacco and black tea. In the mouth it’s perhaps less powerful and dense than the ‘88 and ‘90 vintages, but certainly more harmonious, relaxed, still juicy, zero heaviness, deep.
92
1997 Rather warm vintage in Valpolicella, and this is already perceived in the bouquet of this Campolongo: hints of black fruits, ripe blueberries and sour cherries. Then come the dried flowers, chocolate, tobacco. The mouth is soft and dense, with a sensation of diffused sweetness, held on by a balanced tan nic contribution that harmonizes the whole.
ď‚„
93
2000 A little reluctant to give in; for a while the wine remains closed in itself, almost curled up. But slowly from the glass rise aromas of tobacco and wet soil. It continues to open, leaving space for cacao and ripe black fruits that harmoniously complement the aromatic framework. Enveloping and soft, the wine is supported by an imposing tannic structure with the finish entrusted to toasted notes and dark chocolate.
91
2004 2004 impressed us with its fragrant and almost juvenile aromatic profile: in the midst of sweet woody notes, balsamic hints emerge, licorice, then hints of red flowers, black cherry and wild cherry. The mouth is voluminous and wide, enveloping and warm, dense, extractive, with a soft and velvety finish.
95
2007 A great vintage in Valpolicella, perfect both during ripening and harvesting, and during drying. And this is clearly perceived also in the glass, more than ten years later. It’s an intense wine, with clear notes of black berries, china root, spices, cherry jam, tobacco and a graceful touch of smoke. In the mouth it’s powerful and rich, with fruit pulp in the foreground and a thick but gentle tannin.
90
2009 2009 was another rather hot vintage, where the grapes concentrated a lot of sugars. Hints of overripe red fruit, woodsy notes, tobacco, blackberry, licorice and a bouquet of spices with cinnamon in the forefront. A palate of great power and a strong structure, where the density of tannins predominates over elegance.
94
2011 A truly good version, this 2011: the heat of August and September forced the winery staff to an early harvest. Black pepper, blackberry and ripe blueberries are enriched by a fresh range of aromatic herbs that make the bouquet multifaceted and iridescent. Excellent even on the palate where the usual richness is supported by an excellent tannin, while a pleasant refreshing note drags the sip in depth.
93
2012 (anteprima) To close the tasting, Sandro Boscaini wanted to propose a preview of the 2012 vintage. Also in this case, due to a hot and dry summer, the harvest happened slightly earlier. This preview shows off fresh and intense aromas, with nuances of red flowers and spices that mix with notes of black fruits in a complex and harmonious picture. Equally composed is the palate, where tannins are measured and the sweetness of the fruit is balanced with a nice acid vein. It has yet to completely relax. It only needs time...
STORIES
Giulio Ferrari. The myth under the magnifying lens
«A
The choice of a sparkling wine from a single vineyard and with a long maturation on the yeasts was born 46 years ago: it seemed an impossible and unthinkable thing. Today it has become a model practice
tasting with 12 years of Giulio is a rare thing... It feels like attending an exam», This is how Ruben Larentis, Ferrari’s chef de cave opened his speech before a small audience of Italian and foreign journalists who had the opportunity to retrace the history of one of the most prestigious Italian bubbles. The history of the Riserva del Fondatore Giulio Ferrari starts 46 years ago, from an idea of Mauro Lunelli, who at the time was at the helm of the company with his brothers Franco and Gino: «It was unusual to work on a single vineyard - explains Larentis - as it was unusual to focus on a long maturation in a time when resting on the lees and refinements lasted only a few months». The 12 years chosen are spread over 32 years: the youngest bottle is the 2007 vintage, the oldest one dates back to ‘86. «It’s a wine in which I try to intervene as little as possible. I try rather to emphasize the characteristics of the harvest: this is why in the tasting we didn’t follow the order of the vintages, but we mixed them, to better perceive the different aspects of the wine»
GAMBERO ROSSO
The two historical veticals were held at Chorus in Rome. It was an opportunity to retrace the history and evolution of two historical Italian wine brands and introduce them to an international audience that probably had never neard of them
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Trento Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore
93
2007 Vintage with a very early harvest, from September 1 to 6; tirage happened in July 2008, disgorgement in March 2018. The nose is intertwined with citrus notes, fruit and white flowers, a subtle hint of vanilla and dried fruit. The mouth is creamy, of great texture and breadth, veined by balanced flavour and minerality.
98
2006 Extraordinary TrentoDoc vintage. A cold, long winter, a warm and dry spring, and a fresh August were perfect conditions. The same goes for 2004: here too we are dealing with a wine that still has a long way to go and can only improve. Meanwhile, we enjoyed the pleasantly smoky aromatic profile, blended with yellow fruits, walnuts and alpine herbs. The mouth is solid, compact, fresh, with a sapid acid crescendo that recalls the smoky aromas. This is a safer investment than gold, to be stored in the cellar.
92
2005 Richness and intensity are the two main peculiarities of Giulio 2005, a fairly warm year, especially during the summer, but characterized by considerable temperature variations between day and night, with a 10% less than the average harvest. Great aromatic concentration with yellow flowers, pollen, lemon, exotic fruits; the mouth is wide, pulpy, soft, with toasty notes in the finish, which penalize depth a little.
97
2004 Un inverno e una primavera miti, un’estate con poche piogge, un settembre assolato: tutte caratteristiche che lasciavano presupporre un grande potenziale di ricchezza espressiva. Motivo per cui in azienda si decise di etichettare il Giulio come Extra Brut, lasciando il dosaggio a 2,5 grammi/litro. Il dosaggio basso enfatizza il gusto profondo, la persistenza e la freschezza. È un vino che si concede lentamente ma che pian piano svela sentori d’erbe aromatiche, zafferano, pepe bianco, note iodate. La bocca è ancora leggermente rigida, in evoluzione, solida, di grande compattezza e profondità. Dà l’impressione di aver aperto la bottiglia troppo presto...
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STORIES
95
2001 The Giulio 2001 is a wine of great intensity already in the nose where gooseberry and white plum are met with a precious note of saffron which gives complexity to the aromatic spectrum. In the mouth the wine is rich and fresh at the same time, capable of combining great pulp and character; harmoniously combining fullness and lightness, for a finish in the mouth that travels in perfect harmony with the notes in the opening. The awareness of an experienced traveler and the vigour of a young boy.
90
2000 The Maso Pianizza vineyard is located at about 500 meters above sea level, a condition that even with the heat of August like in 2000 allows the grapes to ripen perfectly, with bunches of good concentration and rich in aromas. A richness that we find in the nose in the iridescent aromatic range that goes from white flowers to spices, from citrus to pastry cream and honey, all enriched with precise and clear iodine notes. All this turns into a powerful and complex, very rich mouth.
90
1999 1999 was a rather cool vintage, one of the wettest years to date. The base wine already started thinner, less concentrated and for this reason, during the dosing phase, 4 grams/liter was what the producer opted for. Aromas of white truffle, cookies, watered down coffee, dried flowers anticipate a ripe mouth in which the roundness, the woodsy notes and balanced softness are underlined by a pushed finish.
97
1997 Also ‘97 stands out among our favorite years by virtue of an aromatic profile of great intensity and complexity, with precise notes of bread crust, white fruit and floral nuances that bring great finesse to the bouquet. The palate is surprising for the consistency of the body combined with extreme elegance, with a fresh acid and salt vein that increases the depth of the sip towards an ending that seems boundless.
92
1994 A fairly classic vintage: temperatures, rains and thermal excursions remained average. Only September was a bit naughty: cold and rain created a contrast with the weather conditions at the beginning and mid year. But the slightly early maturation of the Maso Pianizza vineyards was the decisive factor for the success of this harvest. And so ‘94 comes with an aromatic range reminiscent of turmeric and saffron, combined with iodate and brackish notes. On the palate, these sensations come back in a long, fresh sip that’s delicately toasted in the finish.
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MASI AND FERRARI VERTICAL
95
1992 The harvest was not among the best: heavy summer rains followed by torrid heat led to numerous attacks of iodine and downy mildew. However, the pedoclimatic conditions of Maso Pianizza, combined with immediate damage control managed to preserve healthy grapes of great quality. This ‘92 was one of the most impressive vintages: notes of freshly mowed grass, a touch of ginger, white flowers and iodine traces chisel a still clear fruit, while the mouth is juicy, still fragrant, precise, exciting.
97
1989 It was a good year: characterized by a mild spring and by rains perfectly distributed throughout the summer, with temperatures without peaks either upwards or downwards. The disgorgement of the bottle we tasted dates back to January 2016: the result is a wine of great freshness, where clear hints of white stone accompany delicious notes of lemony pastry cream, on a slightly smoky background. On the palate the citrus notes emerge first, then leaving space to a nervous and tense, intact, multifaceted, saline mouth. Change of impressive pace and very long finish.
93
1986 The chardonnay produced in Pianizza in 1986 was surprising for its fragrance and quality: and after 32 years (the bottles we tasted were disgorged in June 2018) we can still confirm this without a doubt. There is all the charm of ancient things in this austere and complex Giulio Ferrari 1986, but there is no trace of oldness: the nose is spicy, with a hint of walnut, plum, a little pastry cream, a whiff of coffee. The mouth is harmonious, balanced, and iodized perceptions make the wine juicy preserving finesse, moving with refined elegance.
95
2006 Rosé Big news from Ferrari; presented a few months ago, in a limited number of bottles, this wine represents a new challenge for the Lunelli family. 80% Pinot noir, balance entrusted to chardonnay, Giulio Ferrari Rosé has complex and articulated aromas that turn from juniper to black tea, to return to the most classic raspberry and strawberry. Wonderful consistency for the fine, almost whispered bubbles, perfectly blended with the fleshiness of the red fruit. Silk, allure, sensuality: a unique rosé in the national scene.
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PORTRAIT OF A CHEF IN THREE DISHES
ENRICO CRIPPA CAUGHT BETWEEN LANGHE AND ASIA From Brianza to the Langhe, by way of Osaka: Enrico Crippa in a nutshell. The chef is one of the most intriguing interpreters of contemporary Italian cuisine. The fundamental element of his current cuisine is the plant world in all possible facets (think the legendary biodynamic vegetable garden he created), to which the chef applies all his experience and techniques that until yesterday seemed to be the prerogative only of the protein elements WHERE Piazza Duomo piazza Risorgimento, 4 Alba (CN) 0173366167 – piazzaduomoalba.it POINTS EARNED IN THE 2019 GUIDE Cuisine 57 Wine cellar 18 Service 18 Bonus 1 Total 94 OPENED IN 2005
by Stefano Polacchi – portrait by Marco Varoli – photos by Brambilla Serrani/Best of...Enrico Crippa (Giunti Editore) IN THE FOLLOWING ISSUE, THE RECIPES BY: GENNARO ESPOSITO
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RECIPES
“
SALAD 21…31…41…51 Piazza Duomo is the perfect summary of the attention paid to the plant world, gained in recent years. The possibility of having a biodynamic vegetable garden, allows us to always have fresh ingredients and their maximum potential for taste and aroma. The first part of the dish is the one that plays with the more intense aromatic notes and the bitter sensations typical of some leaves, then continues on the more classic salad tones, to close with a sippable tuna dashi that recalls the olfactory notes of the dish and then prepares the palate for the next course
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PORTRAIT OF A CHEF IN THREE DISHES
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RECIPES
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PORTRAIT OF A CHEF IN THREE DISHES
“
PINK RICE AND SHRIMP One of the most colorful dishes I've ever created and which gives me - as it does to our guests - a wonderful feeling of joy. The dish is a play between the texture of the red shrimp from Sanremo - salty and sweet at the same time - and the softness of the beet risotto made creamy with flower scented butter that acts as a real palette for the dish. We reach the balance with a spicy note of the pink peppercorns, the sweet and sour of the Cosmos flowers "in carpione" and the sour ending of the dried red Shiso
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RECIPES
“
LAMB AND CHAMOMILE A dish dedicated to Valvaraita. By making it we thought of combining Sambucano breed lamb with all the natural elements of the valley. Chamomile and wild herbs (used in reduction to glaze the meat), hay that welcomes the rest of the meat before arriving at the table, goat's milk turned into a cream with soft and acid notes, which recalls the nourishment of the lamb. A dish that has become symbolic for us and that brings me back to walks in the valley and visits to breeders
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PORTRAIT OF A CHEF IN THREE DISHES
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GAMBERO ROSSO www.gamberorosso.it SENIOR EDITOR Lorenzo Ruggeri PHOTO EDITOR Rossella Fantina LAYOUT Maria Victoria Santiago CONTRIBUTORS Stefania Annese, Gianni Fabrizio, Stefano Polacchi, William Pregentelli, Marco Sabellico, Luciana Squadrilli PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS Alberto Blasetti, Marcello Crescenzi, Brambilla Serrani/Best of...Enrico Crippa (Giunti Editore), Marco Varoli GR USA CORP PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT Paolo Cuccia Advertising Class PubblicitĂ SpA Milano, Via Marco Burigozzo, 8 - tel. 02 58219522 For commercial enquiries: mprestileo@class.it Advertising director Paola Persi email: ufficio.pubblicita@gamberorosso.it Gambero Rosso and are registered trademarks belonging to Gambero Rosso S.p.A. GAMBERO ROSSO is a Registered Trademark used under license by GR USA CORP Copyright by GAMBERO ROSSO S.P.A. 2019. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. GR USA CORP is not responsible for loss, damage, or any other injury as to unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork or any other unsolicited materials. February 2019
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