Gambero Rosso Wine Travel Food - May 2016 by Gambero Rosso

www.gamberorosso.it YEAR 21 N. 96 - MAY 2016

WINE

T R AV E L

FOOD

Italians Rescue

THE VINES OF BORDEAUX

• BEER STORIES • ITALIAN OLIVE OIL AWARDS • VALLE D’AOSTA SPECIAL

a tavola

COVER STORY 24 | From Friuli to Bordeaux to heal French vineyards Marco Simonit and Pierpaolo Sirch, grape pruners from Friuli, have made their mark in France. In Bordeaux, the great Chateaux saw their vines dying and called out for help. The two men, with an original method they had perfected, began working to give new energy to the vines of France.

WINE 34| Vermouth Mania On the 50th anniversary of the Veronese event, Vinitaly, Giulio Cocchi celebrated its own landmark, 125 years since its founding, with a regal and exclusive product. 37| Italian Grape Ale Are beer and wine two diametrically opposed worlds? Italian brewers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think so. For years they have been adding must, sapa and grapes to their beers, creating a new, totally Italian style.

may 2016 2 MAY 2016

«Nothing makes the future look so rosy as to contemplate it through a glass of Chambertin.» Napoleone Bonaparte 73

44| Cortaccia. To each variety, its terroir This cooperative is one of Alto Adige’s most interesting and dynamic activities. Led by Andreas Koflelr, it prides itself on combining good management and the passion of small vignerons.

69 | Recipes from Great Chefs: Maura Gosio It’s a long, long way from a coffee bar in the modest town of Gallarate, in Lombardy, to the stellar ski resort, Courmayeur, in Aosta. Maura Gosio, in her Petit restaurant inside the Hotel Royal e Golf, offers the best of Valle d’Aosta products in her inspired cucina, classic and modern, elegant and homey. Her trout is from Lillaz, her butter from Gignod, her guinea hen from Arnad. Her husband, Andrea, complements her work with a devotee’s wine cellar.

TRAVEL 57 | Savor the Mountain: Valle d’Aosta The warmer months are decidedly the best for exploring Valle d’Aosta, its food and wine. The landscape and mountain peaks are at their most beautiful. Winemakers welcome guests for tastings, and the region offers many great restaurants.

FOOD 47 | The Olive Oil Artists Olive Oil is a quintessential part of Italy’s cultural heritage, prized globally for its layers of nuances, flavors, variety and quality. As appreciation for fine olive oil is burgeoning, Italy has become a point of convergence, conversation and vigilance in safeguarding product integrity. 3

MAY 2016

EDITORIAL

EQUALITAS.

Italian wine turns a page It will measure a series of basic parameters: biodiversity, energy consumption, carbon footprint and pesticide management, but also interaction with the local community and therefore the social impact of the winery,” explained Riccardo Ricci Curbastro, president of Equalitas. “Sustainability has been examined according to three principles: Social, Environmental, Economic.” Consumers and wineries have to come together. The former want security and certified products. The wineries need reliable instruments to use as they proceed. Minister Maurizio Martina observed, “There’s great teamwork behind this project. The key players on the Italian wine scene are involved. Italy, along with other countries, has to move in this direction, as we demonstrated in Expo Milano 2015. There’s a challenge to meet, to develop agricultural models with low environmental impact and Italy is ahead. Equalitas proves it. We’re going in the right direction.” To underline the role of Italian know-how in the wine world, in this issue of Gambero Rosso we’re bring you a great report from Bordeaux, where Italian pruners are restoring the health of vines in the most prestigious French chateaux.

A new season has begun for the Italian wine world. Some weeks ago, in Verona, during Vinitaly, Equalitas was presented: the new standard for the sustainability of Italian wine. We of the Gambero were there in the front row as participants of an event that will have historically important positive consequences for the entire sector, in Italy and soon for the rest of Europe. What’s it all about? It’s the outcome of a idea launched some years ago, when we began to be seriously concerned about sustainability in viticulture. We soon began to give a special award for sustainability in our Vini d’Italia guide of Gambero Rosso. That prize was bestowed over the years to important wineries that had always been committed to the process: Alois Lageder and Salcheto, for example, are two that have been studied internationally. From our conversations with those who were working in that direction, a disconcerting fact emerged. Although we Italians were in many ways in the avant-garde in research into sustainability, there was no coordination or exchange of information that would make everything more easily usable by other wineries and clear to the consumer. That realization led to our project. We founded a Forum for Sustainability of Wine, which met at the Città del Gusto three years ago. We encouraged a group initiative that finally solidified with the birth of Equalitas, the definitive standard for sustainability for the world of Italian wine. Its leaders are FederDoc, Unione Italiana Vini, CSQA-Valoritalia, 3Avino and Gambero Rosso. «The Equalitas standard for Sustainable Wine will be voluntary.

Marco Sabellico

4 MAY 2016

worldtour 2016 trebicchieri

Vini d’Italia 2016

2016 NOVEMBER

MAY 16

SINGAPORE

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

BANGKOK

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

MANILA

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

HONG KONG

Gambero Rosso Top Italian Wines & Spirits Special Edition for VinExpo

JUNE

TOKYO

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TOKYO

Top Italian Food & Beverage Experience

BEJING

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SHANGHAI

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HONG KONG

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MOSCOW

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2017

02-05

MOSCOW

Top Italian Food & Beverage Experience

MOSCOW

Vini d'Italia

JANUARY

TORONTO

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STOCKHOLM

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06-07 TORONTO

Top Italian Food & Beverage Experience

COPENHAGEN

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12-13 COPENHAGEN

Top Italian Food & Beverage Experience

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VANCOUVER

SEPTEMBER 27

FEBRUARY

WARSAW

Vini d’Italia

CHICAGO

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WARSAW

Top Italian Food & Beverage Experience

NEW YORK

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OCTOBER 25

MONACO

ZURIGO

05-07 DUBAI

Vini d’Italia Top Italian Food & Beverage Experience

INFO: www.gamberorosso.it/international

11-13 LOS ANGELES

Top Italian Food & Beverage Experience

LOS ANGELES

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SAN FRANCISCO

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LONDON

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2-3

LONDON

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MARCH

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WINE AND ECONOMY

AB INBEV BUYS BIRRA DEL BORGO. A shock for Italian artisanal beer, but owner Di Vincenzo is reassuring

A startling notice shocked the Italian beer world. It concerned one of the most celebrated craft breweries in the country, Birra del Borgo, founded officially by Leonardo Di Vincenzo in 2005. AB InBev has bought 100% of the brewery. The largest beer group in the world, after its recent fusion with Sab-Miller, took over the Italian beer movement’s star performer. Although the artisanal company produces barely 12,000 hectoliters of beer annually, it was apparently appealing to an industrial colossus. The purchase will change the history of Italian artisan beer. Di Vincenzo tried to calm the waters, stating, “Yes, InBev bought the entire firm, but there will be very few changes for us. Brewery activity will continue to be completely independent but we will have all the advantages of economic serenity, which has always been a struggle to find.” In the re-

cently enlarged Borgorose facilities, the Birra del Borgo philosophy will continue to reign, although it will aim at growth over the next five years to 50,000 hectoliters annually. “But that’s in line with the pace of growth in recent years, sustainable and never excessive,” Di Vincenzo continued, “InBev was deeply interested in buying a little business like ours, with a good margin of profit, assuming there will be no repositioning in the market and the prices will stay the same. It can take advantage of our knowledge, but on a larger scale.” Birra del Borgo will find many advantages to the deal, one being the opportunity to find ingredients more easily. “For example, it’s more and more difficult to obtain American hops.” The company will have the freedom to diversify production, intensify their ongoing research into amphorae and barrels, as well as offer hospi6 MAY 2016

tality at the brewery. The idea of opening brew pubs around Italy and abroad is in the air. The reactions unleashed by the news don’t worry the beer maker from Rieti. “We’ll certainly be criticized, but we will show how our philosophy of beer making won’t change. Moreover, we will be able to improve.” How, we wonder. “We have boldness and daring for our part. They have research centers that can give us deeper knowledge.” As predicted, declarations from those who work in the sector and the entire Italian craft beer movement came quickly. Manuele Colonna, owner of an historic and celebrated Roman pub “Ma che siete venuti a fa”, which translates as “What did you come here for?”, wrote to his friend, Leo, on his Facebook page. He began with compliments. “The sacrifices and dedication of years has finally paid off. But it’s obvious that in the future, no Birra del Borgo will ever be served in my pubs.” Colonna goes on to mention an agreement with Belgian Jean Hummler, owner of important craft beer pubs in Brussels, Moeder Lambic. The two have decided to band together to stand up to the buying spree that will soon descend on Europe. “Leave us free to choose,” his diatribe continues, “and to pursue our educational, cultural goals, above and beyond the quality of the final product and the profit our choices lead to.” Also from Brussels, Jean Van Roy, owner of Brasserie Cantillon and organizer of the Quintessence Festival, which honored Birra del Borgo this year, was laconic and bitter. “Above all, Leonardo is our friend. But opening the doors of Cantillon to AB InBev would be like letting a fox into the chicken coop.”

WINE AND ECONOMY

THE FRENCH SELL 4.74 BILLION EUROS OF CHAMPAGNE: Italy buys more for the third consecutive year

Although it is only the seventh ranking buyer of Champagne, Italy is seen by the French as one of those markets where knowledge of the product is well-developed. The refined tastes of Italian consumers lead them to a constant search for high quality labels. The numbers show that 6.3 million bottles of Champagne were sold to Italy in 2015, the third consecutive increase since 2013 (+9.7%), for a value of 130 million euros (+14%). The Italians prefer the great Cham-

pagne houses, which account for 85.4% of the market in volume, followed by small growers and cooperatives, (respectively 11.3% and 3.4% of bottles shipped). The Italian consumer, compared to the average buyer in the EU, chooses more special and prestigious cuvées, amounting to 6.5% of the whole, compared to 2.7%, the average in the EU. The numbers are impressive: 416,000 “cuvée de prestige” generate 27.2 million euros of business, or 20.8% of Italian imports of Champagne. One fact should be noted, though: French exports to

Italy are still far from the 2007 levels when they sold more than 10 million bottles of Champagne to their southern neighbor. Overall, the year 2015 was a record for French sparkling wines, which in all sold 4.74 billion euros, up 5.3%. Excluding France, where half of all Champagne is bought (161.8 million bottles, a number constantly falling, when compared to the 185 million of 2010), Great Britain leads as the principal market, buying 34.1 million bottles (+4.5% over 2014), followed by the United States with 20.5 million bottles, up 7.1%.

EXPORT OF CHAMPAGNE TO ITALY 2006-2015

CHINA: A STATE-OWNED WINERY FOR SALE FOR 11 PENNIES. Although the latest data from International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) show China’s vineyards in expansion, rising from 796,000 to 830,000 hectares, that growth does not reflect the economic travails in the country. According to Decanter magazine, COFCO, the largest food processing, manufacturer and trader in China, put its 55% majority share of Chateau Junding in the province of Shandong up for sale. The sum requested? 1 Rmb, the equivalent of 11 English pence, 15 European cents. Included in the price, however, is a £42 million debt. Some commentators surmised that COFCO wants to concentrate on its imported wine business. Others believe the winery could not compete with its rival, Changyu, one of the most important private wine companies in Chine. Their competition was largely in the luxury wine tourism sector: golf courses, tasting rooms and shops. Now it will be interesting to see what happens with other state businesses, and also with Chinese purchases outside their country, particularly in France. 8 MAY 2016

A DRAMATIC FROST IN THE VINEYARDS OF THE LOIRE AND BURGUNDY. Bonfires set during the night to minimize damage by Luca Francesconi

The night between April 26 and 27, 2016 will always be remembered in the Loire Valley as one of the worst spring cold snaps ever. Temperatures fell to -4°C (24.8°F) and even to -6°C (21.2°F) in the appellations related to Indre-et-Loire. Other prestigious zones of Burgundy suffered similar freezing temperatures. The frosts were dramatic, and although not as bad as the disastrous events of 1991, they matched the freezing temperatures of 1994. Jean-Martin Detour of Baudry-Detour, in the heart of Chinon, where Cabernet Franc, a rustic yet elegant variety dominates, commented, “It happens that from time to time that weather threatens our harvest. This year, it was the kind of frost comparable to that of 1991. But in 1991, compared to today, we had more in our warehouses and more liquidity.” The financial picture is distressing. “Given the large sums

involved, no public support can intervene. The government doesn’t intend to help. Not even solidarity among growers works here.” Hail, for example, usually hits small, localized areas, while frost is always a phenomenon on a vast scale. Vineyards dozens of kilometers apart were hit by a mass of air coming from the north.

Chablis and Côte-d’Or, among others, suffered most. On the night of April 26, growers went out to their vineyards to use ancient methods that had never been forgotten. They lit fires between the rows, seeking to increase the temperature in the vineyards. It is an archaic, spectacular technique that the vignerons of the Loire and the slopes of Burgundy have always used. Another efficacious defense in these cases is to blast the vines with water. It may seem absurd, but the laws of physics show that the buds are saved by the ice. The growers begin to spray a little before the temperatures reach freezing, that is, in late afternoon, and stop as soon as ice forms around the vines. In this way, the bud is preserved in a glass-like sphere at zero degrees centigrade, even if the external temperature goes down to -5°C. It is a spring that will be remembered for a long time. The season is still challenging, as a local saying shows. “Quand la Saint-Urbain est passée, le vigneron est rassuré”. The grape-grower can only relax on May 25, St. Urbain’s day.

>View the gallery online 9 MAY 2016

WWW.FERRARITRENTO.IT

THE ITALIAN ART OF LIVING

Venezia, Piazza San Marco ore 4:54

WINE AND ECONOMY

GREAT BRITAIN BLESSES GLOBAL WARNING

WINE EXPORTS BY REGION. Veneto leads. Who’s up, who’s down With 1.83 billion euros of wine exported, Veneto heads the list of regions, in terms of value, for 2015. Up 9.8%, Veneto contributed substantially to the national record-breaker of almost 5.4 billion euros. According to provisional ISTAT (Italian National Institute for Statistics) data, with 964 million euros, Piedmont was in second place despite a 2% fall. Tuscany increased its wine exports by 18.5% to 902 million euros, staying in third place. The greatest increases were seen for Calabria and Basilicata. Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria and Abruzzo did well while Molise, Valle d’Aosta, Emilia Romagna, Marche and Lombardy fell behind.

ITALIAN WINE EXPORTS BY REGION value 2014

Veneto Piedmont Tuscany Trentino Alto Adige Emilia Romagna Lombardy Abruzzo Puglia Sicily Friuli Venezia Giulia Lazio Marche Campania Umbria Sardegna Liguria Calabria Molise Basilicata Valle d'Aosta Other areas ITALIA 11 MAY 2016

1670416 984830 961517 491671 309792 267879 130888 95370 98233 91526 48148 51159 39975 28486 23602 9325 3492 4710 2037 1419 698 5115174

32,7 19,3 14,9 9,6 6,1 5,2 2,6 1,9 1,9 1,8 0,9 1 0,8 0,6 0,5 0,2 0,1 0,1 ... ... ... 100,00%

1834474 964794 902419 500355 275018 255290 140295 101508 101331 100729 49132 47465 42871 29951 22389 10239 4730 2835 2607 1178 831 5390440

var.% 2015 9,8 -2 18,5 1,8 -11,2 -4,7 7,2 6,4 3,2 10,1 2 -7,2 7,2 5,1 -5,1 9,8 35,5 -39,8 28 -17 18,9 5,4

- Data warehouse commercio estero

REGIONS

(thousands of €) quote% 2014 value 2015

fonte: ISTAT

The most apocalyptic predictions about climate change describe the disappearance of from 25 to 75% of historic grape-growing zones before 2050. Some countries, Italy included, are worried. Others are taking heart. Great Britain is one of the latter. Vineyard-suitable territory is shifting north, a phenomenon that also took place in the Middle Ages. Fifty years from today, England could be a grape-growing center. The English have already started working in that direction. Over the last 10 years, vineyards have increased 148%, to 1,884 hectares, with growth especially in sparkling wines and in the areas of south-central and southeastern England. Research at the University of East Anglia, financed by the Natural Environment Research Council and Chateau de Sours, shows that in Great Britain “eight of the warmest years of the last century have been since 2002” and “although producers have recognized the effect of climate change on viticulture, there’s no lack of new threats.” Among these are freezes, violent storms and cold waves. Chardonnay and pinot nero will feel the effects most. The British study identified the best years (1996, 2006 and 2010) as ones with optimal temperatures, warm spring seasons and an absence of freezes. The worst years were 1997, 2007, 2008 and 2012.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

DOMINO'S PIZZA AIMS TO CONQUER MILANO (and Italy?). There’s also a production center

BRUSSELS RECOGNIZES IGP SICILIA OLIVE OIL. THE EU HONORS THE ISLAND REGION’S PRODUCTION. Recognition of the brand “Sicily and Italian agriculture triumphed today, finding a crucial ally in Europe to foster the growth of our farming sector.” This was the statement of Michela Giuffrida, a member of the Commission on Agriculture and Rural Development for the European Parliament. By recognizing the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) Sicilia brand, Brussels paved the way, and the decree will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Sicilian olive trees produce 50,000 tons of oil annually, amounting to 12% of Italy’s total output. The plants cover 160,000 hectares and involve 149,000 businesses. Sales range from an average of 250 to 300 million euros yearly. This European Union decree recognizes the second Protected Geographical Indication for

Italian olive oil, many years after the first for Tuscany. In a statement issued together, Regional Agricultural Councilor Antonello Cracolici and IGP Olio Sicilia president Maurizio Lunetta declared, “IGP Sicilia is a powerful tool, efficient and unique, that affirms the origin of our extra-virgin olive oil and Sicily as a brand.” The regulation is designed, besides promoting regional production, to counteract recent EU decrees that allow customs-free importation of 70,000 tons of olive oil from Tunisia. As Alessandro Chiarelli, president of the farmers’ association, Coldiretti Siciliana said, “The only way to compete with foreign olive oil is to have our own farm-to-table production system and certified transparency.” 12 MAY 2016

Last fall Domino’s Pizza, the fast food chain that numbers over 10,000 locations in 73 countries, entered Milano to bring the city its interpretation of pizza “all’italiana”, opening its doors in the shadow of the famed Duomo. The company has promised eleven new launchings in Milano within the year. Domino’s has installed an independent production system in the new Buccinasco plant, the first pizza factory in Italy. There they will produce the dough to send to their shops, ready-made bases that their pizzaioli will roll out on the spot. A young Italian entrepreneur is behind the venture. Alessandro Lazzaroni represents the American brand in its crusade to conquer the boot, and today he is the masterfranchiser of Domino’s Pizza in Italy. The investment has led to the hiring of 80 staff members, likely to triple within 2016.

VENEZUELA’S EMPTY REFRIGERATORS. Eating in a time of crisis, in the photography of Carlos Garcia Rawlins Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Reuters photographer, chose to illustrate the dramatic economic crisis of Venezuela through food. He tells the bitter story of a nation on the edge of disaster due to the collapse in oil prices. A series of inept political, social and economic measures burden the people, and today, over 30 million citizens live in poverty, unable to buy enough food. Polls show about 12% of the population has given up eating three meals a day. Many diets are primarily based on carbohydrates, cheaper and easier to find. Rice is a mainstay, and replaces proteins. Meat is too expensive. This is the story that families in Caracas told the Venezuelan photographer as they opened their often empty home refrigerators and cupboards to his camera. The goal is to thereby open the world’s eyes to Venezuela’s plight. The photographs speak for themselves.

>View the gallery online

JOEL ROBUCHON LEAVES BORDEAUX. The case of the multi-starred restaurant and two million euros of debt At the end of 2014, the iconic French chef, Joel Robuchon, along with Bordeaux entrepreneur Bernard Magrez, chose the restaurant of the boutique, five-star hotel Le Grand Maison to showcase Robuchon’s idea of haute cuisine, Bordeaux-style. However, something went wrong, and the partnership between Magrez and Robuchon officially ended. Despite the two stars awarded the restaurant within little more than a year of its opening, financial difficulties due to the disastrous fall of tourism after the terrorist attacks in France during 2015 demanded a change of direc-

tion. The culinary ambitions of the hotel had to be reassessed. Above all, it meant that despite his prestige and success, Joel Robuchon had to go. The hotel needed to offer formulas and prices that made sense in the new marketplace. The restaurant will have to seek to contain the damages, estimated at losses of two million euros. Only fifteen of the forty places in the restaurant will continue to be dedicated to gourmet service. A meal in the dining room will now average between 40 and 60 euros. Rumors about the poor management of the enterprise have been circulating since its opening.

GAMBERO ROSSO ON THE ROAD

by Lorenzo Ruggeri

GAMBERO ROSSO LANDS IN MANILA MANILA

More than 60 top wineries will visit Manila for the biggest Italian wine tasting ever held in the city

For the first time, Gambero Rosso will showcase a unique selection of fine Italian wines in the cosmopolitan city of Manila. The event will take place on May 20 in the luxurious Peninsula Hotel located in the heart of Makati. Such a large and extensive tasting of premium Italian wines has never before been organized in country: 65 wineries will visit the most populous city in the Philippines, bringing about 300 wines to taste, a sample of the complex, historical tradition of Italian enology. The Top Italian Wines Roadshow draw on a heritage of more than 900 indigenous grape varieties. The patron of the event is the General Consul of Italy in Manila, S.E. Massimo Roscigno. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 12.00 p.m. and tastings will start at 12.30 p.m. for the trade, and at 3.00 pm for wine enthusiasts. Marco Sabellico, Senior Editor of Vini d’Italia, will lead three in-depth masterclasses, selecting a top label from each producer. The first masterclass will take place at 10 a.m., while the second session is planned for 1.30 p.m. and the third at 4.00 p.m.. The seminars will feature both classic and upand-coming terroirs of Italy, and share all the latest news, styles and expressions of winemaking in Italy, often referred to as the Jurassic Park of Viticulture for its unique biodiversity.

The wine and food scene of Manila has boomed over the last years. Wine’s total volume sales growth rates have been rapidly increasing and there is a positive outlook over the next five years. In the first five months of 2015, the value of Italian wine imported grew by more than 30 percentage points, and volume rose 22%. (Figures are from ISTAT, the Italian National Institute for Statistics). The growth is highly driven by the improving economy and a growing awareness of the wine-drinking lifestyle. Wine is getting more and more popular among the young and the opening of many fine dining restaurants in town have strengthened the trend. The well-tested formula for the events will be unchanged. Tasting tables will offer almost 300 wines, and a dense program of seminars will be led by Gambero Rosso’s best tasters. Since 2007, Top Italian Wines Roadshow has become a well-established strategic platform for penetrating emerging markets and grasping new business opportunities. Italian wine offerings are so rich that they are often confusing for international consumers. This is why Gambero Rosso selections represent a guaranteed way for promoting knowledgeable and attentive development of interest in Italian territories. The basic framework is the extremely rigid selective criteria of quality used for decades by the Vini d’Italia guide, now in its 29th edition. Every year, the guide evaluates over 40,000 national wines. 14

MAY 2016

Sixty-five wineries will participate in Manila, famous and prestigious names such as Allegrini, Gaja, Tenuta San Guido and Masi, just to mention a few. The tour will be supported by a constant process of communication that takes full advantage of all Gambero Rosso media, from website to television. Producers will be on the front lines, striving to overcome cultural, linguistic and often taste differences. Italy’s wine world continues to expand its horizons and its commercial success: in 2015, it reached a record of 5.4 billion euros of exports. Top Italian Wines Roadshow THE PENINSULA 1226 Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines TASTINGS 11.30am - 12noon | media and VIPs 12.00pm | welcome ceremony 12.30pm - 5.30pm | trade 3.00pm - 5.30pm | wine enthusiasts MASTER CLASSES 10.00am | masterclass 1 1.30pm | masterclass 2 4.00pm | masterclass 3

Massimo Roscigno, Italian Ambassador to Manila

“The Philippines have enjoyed impressive, steady economic growth these years, evolving quickly in many ways, including the consumption patterns of the people. This is particularly true with regard to eating habits. The new consumers are ever more aware, curious, and well-informed about international cuisine and wine. This offers us an excellent opportunity to promote the unparalleled richness and variety of Italian wines and food, increasingly popular and appreciated in this country. And who could do this better than Gambero Rosso? I congratulate them for organizing this Roadshow Manila 2016 that will surely delight our Filipino friends and give them the chance to learn more about our great wines, but also about our land and our culture. Because wine is inextricably linked to these two elements: wine is culture, and is the expression of a territory, thus can be best appreciated within this context. I thank our friends from Gambero Rosso for this beautiful project, their first in this country and, I am confident, with more to follow!”.

Paolo Cuccia, President of Gambero Rosso

“Our international activity has been sparked by a growing demand for products made in Italy. I am convinced that Italian wine and food will continue to be a winning pair. They both involve contemporary themes such as the health benefits of ingredients and the uniqueness of indigenous grape varieties. The global wine and food world is ever more dedicated to sharing experience. Many professionals cross oceans to come and learn the stories behind a bottle of oil or wine they love. This time, we take the journey for them. For 2016 we have scheduled 50 events around the world. Together with the producers, we chose Manila as the last stop on the 2015/2016 Roadshow because it is a new market for Italian wine, but one whose numbers are already solid. A wine and food sensibility is well-established. The greatest international and Italian chefs, such as Davide Oldani, are opening new restaurants and vitalizing a season of extraordinary verve. We are happy to continue to create value for Italian enterprises.”

GAMBERO ROSSO ON THE ROAD

IT'S TIME FOR

TOP ITALIAN For three decades, Gambero Rosso has specialized in strengthening the image of Italian food and wine abroad with its educational approach. On the occasion of its thirtieth anniversary, Gambero Rosso celebrates its successful and intense activity by doubling the events dedicated to Made in Italy and promoting a new international tour – Gambero Rosso Experience. The tour’s focus will be on Italian spirits for the first time, and these beverages will take their place next to the wine-tasting tables, spotlighting the culture and traditions they embody along with the brands and leading producers of top quality spirits. Gambero Rosso has selected Massimo D’Addezio, a famous Italian barman and beverage manager, as the ambassador of the Spirits Experience and talented director of the Mixology Bar, a sensory encounter with the true Italian aperitivo. The program will take off on May 25 at the Hong Kong Vinexpo 2016, a prestigious event dedicated to the world wine market. Italy will play the role of official guest of honor. At the heart of the event will be the Vinexpo 2016 cocktail celebration for guests selected among the most important operators and opinion leaders in the sector. Two opportunities for more In-Depth Experiences will be offered. On May 24, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, the Special Awards of Vini d’Italia 2016 will be in the spotlight – a selection of nine wines, the Best of the Best, a synthesis of top Italian production, nine stories and nine symbols of Italy’s wine scene, selected from over 40,000 wines tasted. Many of these labels are already unfindable and sold out, so it will be one of the last opportunities to taste some of the most sought-after expressions of the Italian vineyard. The seminar will be led by Marco Sabellico, senior editor of the guide.On May 26, at 10:00 am, a seminar “Top Italian Spirits” will be dedicated to the best Italian spirits presented and explained by our Wine Master Marco Seballico and one of the most famous Italian bartenders, Massimo D’Addezio. The Gambero Rosso Experience calendar continues throughout the year. Taste of Moscow is the Russian edition of the most famous hotel, restaurant and catering industry fair in the world, and it will host a Spazio Gambero with tasting tables, master classes and time dedicated to mixing cocktails with spirits made in Italy. The next stop will be on June 6 and 7 in Toronto at the Liberty Grand.

BRANCA

Lombardy

Fernet Branca Antica Formula www.branca.it

| info@branca.it

In 1845 Bernardino Branca invented the bitter that took the world by storm in just a few years. Its 27 herbs and spices, gathered from 4 continents, were in the original recipe and are unchanged today. The family has carefully kept its secrets for 5 generations. Over the years, the group has expanded its offerings and today its products, besides Fernet–Branca, Brancamenta and Stravecchio Branca, include Caffè Borghetti, Grappa Candolini, Grappa Sensèa, Punt e Mes, Carpano Classico and Bianco, Antica Formula, Sambuca Borghetti, the premium spirit Magnamater, Sernova vodka, Villa Branca Chianti Classico wines, Bel¬larco sparkling wine and, most recently, Carpano Dry.

CASONI

Emilia Romagna

Amaretto Casoni Bitter Casoni Aperitivo Casoni 1814 www.casoni.com

| info@casoni.com

Founded 1814 in Finale Emilia (Modena) CasoniFabbricazioneLiquori today is a solid reality and one of the leadings brands in Europe, producing and distributing liquours and distillates. In the years has developed a range of products specializing particularly within the Italian tradition. The attention is given to new upcoming trends, leading to a point of reference for all major distribution channels of the world, both for branded products as well as private labels.

16 MAY 2016

COCCHI

Piedmont

Storico Cocchi Vermouth Torino Americano Bianco Cocchi Rosa Barolo Chinato www.cocchi.it

MOLINARI

| cocchi@cocchi.com

Giulio Cocchi moved to Asti in 1891, to open an artisanal liqueur and sparkling wine business, producing his own special aromatized wines of which two vaunted special recipes: Barolo Chinato and Aperitivo Americano. Names that soon be¬came famous not only in Italy but also overseas. The Alta Langa sparkling wines produced include a noteworthy classic method Bianc ‘d Bianc and a Primosecolo pure Chardonnay.

LIMONCELLO DI CAPRI

Campania

Limoncello di Capri www.limoncello.com molinari@molinari.it

The world famous Limoncello di Capri according to the old, original recipe, which has not changed a bit over the years. We still use the traditional method, in full compliance with the heritage and tastes of the Isle of Capri. Following the family traditions Limoncello di Capri is obtained from the infusion in alcohol of Limone di Sorrento PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) peels, in full compliance with the extremely strict technical guideline

A AS

F O N DATA N EL

Basilicata DA

Amaro Lucano

LUCANO

market. In the 1950s, after the interruption of activities due to World War 2, the founder’s sons Leonardo and Giuseppe upgraded the workshop into a modern facility. In the 1960s production increased significantly and Amaro Lucano became known and appreciated worldwide.

CA VE V. P AS Q UALE

www.amarolucano.it info@amarolucano.it

Pisticci, Basilicata, 1894. The time and place of the first chapter in the story of Amaro Lucano. In his small biscuit factory, Pasquale Vena experimented and created Amaro Lucano. Still a secret recipe, made with herbs (wormwood, Roman wormwood, clary sage, musk yarrow, sweet orange, gentian, and others), and which brought the rise of a leading business in the Italian spirits

Lazio

Molinari Sambuca Extra Molinari Caffè www.molinari.it

| molinari@molinari.it

In 1945 Angelo Molinari launched Sambuca Ex¬tra Molinari on the market, beginning with just a few bottles. By 1959 the first semi-industrial plant opened the way for others. The boom of Sambuca Molinari came between the 1950s and 1960s in the Rome of the “Dolce Vita”. In 1971 it was selling three million bottles, and more than double in 2001. In the collective imagination Molinari is synonymous with sambuca. The classic version is joined by a coffee version with top secret ingredients. The range includes Limoncello di Capri and Elisir Gambrinus, a unique liqueur with over 165 years of history.

VOV

Lazio

VOV www.vovzabajone.it molinari@molinari.it

In Padua, 1845, pastry Maestro Gian Battista Pezziol decides to use the yolks, mixing them with Marsala wine, sugar and lots of LOVE, in order to create a liquor with a natural and simple recipe, which he will call “Vovi“ (“eggs”, in Venetian language). Pretty soon the liquor became a hit, crossed the borders of Veneto, and changed name: VOV. Still, to this day, all over the place, the name stands for the REAL egg-based liquor. VOV reaches its maximum popularity between the 1960s and the 1970s, when several knockoffs begin to pop up like mushrooms. Still, there’s nobody like him.

ITALIAN CHEFS ABROAD

by Antonella De Santis

Denny Imbroisi, Ida in Paris AN ITALIAN IN PARIS When Italians move abroad, they hold tight to family ties. Michele Farnesi, for example, dedicated his Parisian restaurant, Dilia, to his grandparents. Denny Imbroisi, 29 years old, calls his place Ida, named for his older sister. “I have a special bond with her. When I was little, she prepared my meals, she gives me advice about work and she’s always brought me luck.” The restaurant he opened in Paris about a year ago bears her name and he says, “It’s like having her near me every day.” Born in Calabria, Imbroisi grew up in Mantua and moved to France at eighteen. He is a well-known face in his adopted country, thanks also to his participation in the television program, Top Chef, when he was twenty-four. He headed the kitchen in Alain Ducasse’s Eiffel Tower res-

taurant after a long lead-in working with renowned chefs and restaurants such as San Domenico in Imola, Giancarlo Perbellini, Corrado Fasolato, Mauro Colagreco, William Ledeuil, and Quique Dacosta. But it was his experience with Ducasse that gave him the know-how to launch a personal project. He found he was comfortable managing a brigade and following every aspect of the restaurant business. His experiences have had their impact and he has borrowed ideas from each. “Sometimes I discovered that Italian and French kitchens used the same techniques. But particular sensitivity to products – that’s Italian.” Many of his rolemodels are Italian chefs. “I admire Davide Oldani, Pino Cuttaia, Ugo Alciati, and have since I was 18 JANUARY 2016

a child.” Their work inspires him. “When I see what they do, it gives me the desire to build something, to do my own things.” His favorite ingredient is pasta, and he dedicates an entire menu to it, from antipasto to dessert. Many Parisians see him as the face of Italian primi and going to Denny’s for a plate of pasta has become a local habit. “It’s true, I’m a reference point in this city for primi,” Imbroisi says. “Of course I also make antipasti and second courses, but there’s always pasta, including the most traditional ones such as cacio e pepe and carbonara.” La carbonara has been a controversial topic in food circles recently, and brings both joy and despair to Italians abroad. Imbroisi’s is famous, served with a raw egg yolk on top, lauded by the press and immortalized by an on-line video. Imbroisi understands the mechanisms of communication well and posts short videos on the net about Italian dishes. Although the chef pays attention to what’s happening in Paris, he has to maintain his identity among the many talented Italians in the city. Someone called his tradition-loving Ida trattonomie, blending trattoria and gastronomy, modeled after the French portmanteau word bistronomie. Pasta, vitello tonnato, gnocchi – these are all reinvented in a contemporary manner, as he describes in his recent book L’Italie di Denny Imbroisi. But reaching this point in his career hasn’t been easy. “We had to show that we were as capable as our competitors, or as the French.” Recent tragic events in France have damaged restaurant life. “It’s been difficult after the bombings. Many restaurants were empty, some losing 60% of their clients. We’re always full, though. People know me and come also because Ida is a bistrot, so prices are lower.”

IDA | Francia | Parigi | 117 , rue de Vaugirard (XV arrondissement) tel. 01 56 58 00 02 | http://www.restaurant-ida.com/

19 JANUARY 2016

WINE OF THE MONTH

A. A. Pinot Nero Trattmann Mazon Ris. ’12 Cantina Girlan 20,000 bottles ex-cellar price: 26.90 euros

Peak Pinot Nero

Immediate and seductive from the start, Trattman Mazon Riserva ’12 comes from the subzone of Mazon, a magical place for pinot nero in Italy. On this hill in the Bolzano province, its vineyards grow between 300 and 450 meters above sea level, on deep, clayey soil with calcareous substrata. This is a unique microclimate, where Mount Prato del Re protects the grape bunches, warmed by the sun until evening. These are the ideal conditions for a difficult variety like pinot nero, which develops its aromatic riches best with cool weather and powerful temperature excursions. Trattman Mazon Riserva is part of a vast range of wines produced by the Girlan winery, one of the most important firms in the Alto Adige winemaking panorama. Made up of over 200 members who work closely with kellermeister Gerhard Kofler, the winery oversees more than 200 hectares of vineyards around the Girlan/ Cornaiano zone in Alto Adige. Riserva Trattmann Mazon ’12 expresses the immediate elegance of pinot nero and the work carried out by individual members. It is a fascinating wine, right from its ruby red color. Aromas of ripe fruit, cherries and sour Morello cherries emerge on the nose. The role of dark fruit is well-contrasted by spices and by oak that still needs to be absorbed completely. In the mouth, the wine is solid and laden with refined tannins. Speck, capocollo, smoked venison salami and cured meats in general are perfectly matched with this red. But you will also discover an ideal match in a good truffle risotto.

20 MAY 2016

TWITTER dixit Sip on This Juice

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21 MAY 2016

DESIGN

Stefania Annese collaborated

ENOTECA FERROWINE

A temple for wine lovers, a gathering place for specialists, a setting for intense conversations about bottles: this is Ferrowine, a wine shop in Castelfranco Veneto, in Italyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s north.

22 MAY 2016

he shop has an ambitious goal: to explore the culture of everything connected to wine, to show each individual product as a source of knowledge. Bottles are arranged like books in a library, subdivided by subject and genre. The library format is the creation of architect Luca Fanton, of Studio Frasson & Fanton, together with designer Antonio Frasson, scenographer at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice, and architect Bernardino Baesso. The three-man team developed a uniquely memorable 1000-square-meter space. Rooms follow from one another in a constant continuity of style. Rigorous geometry suggesting order and system is mellowed by the warmth of wood. Over 1,500 labels are arrayed on the shelves, 350 beers, and many types of spirits. The bottles line the walls of tasting rooms, the cellar, two conference rooms and sensory laboratories. Each single space is designed to create a versatile environment that favors exchanges of ideas, meetings and comparisons. The space, on two levels, is connected by a dramatic spiral staircase. Linea Light Group of Castelminio di Resana, in the Treviso province, designed the soft yet bright indoor lighting, environmentally sustainable and exploiting the most evolved led technology. Outside, simple brick columns break up the expanses of glass that embrace the building. The Enoteca is a showroom for both individual and professional wine consumers. The sommelier staff is ready to advise, and producers offer periodic tastings in an ambiance that attracts all wine lovers in the zone.

DO AS VALDOST

PAIRING

drawings by Chiara Buosi

SCHIAVA

FIANO

FSOAVE

frappat

Crostini al lardo d’Arnad VALLE D'AOSTA PETIT ARVINE

SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

frappato

morellino

verdicchio

Fonduta VALLE D'AOSTA BLANC DE MORGEX ET DE LA SALLE SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

Tartiflette

24 MAY 2016

VALLA D'AOSTA PINOT GRIS

frappato

THE TANI DO

SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

frappato

verdicchio

morellino

Zuppa alla valdostana VALLE D'AOSTA FUMIN

FSOAVE

frappato

morellino

verdicchio

Carbonade con polenta VALLA D'AOSTA DONNAS SCHIAVA

FIANO FSOAVE

Blanc manger

25 MAY 2016

VALLE D'AOSTA CHAMBAVE MOSCATO PASSITO

FROM FRIULI TO BORDEAUX

COVER STORY

With the collaboration of Stefania Annese Photography by Giulia Venanzi

26 MAY 2016

The great TO HEAL Chateaux and FRENCH VINEYARDS the Italian pruners

Marco Simonit and Pierpaolo Sirch, grape pruners from Friuli, have made their mark in France. In Bordeaux, the great Chateaux saw their vines dying and called out for help. The two men, with an original method they had perfected, began working to give new energy to the vines of France. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With four basic rules, we aim to build a better future for these legendary vineyards.â&#x20AC;?

27 MAY 2016

COVER STORY

ue font les Italiens?” What are these Italians doing, many asked themselves in France – in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Provence and the Loire. Marco Simonit and his Italian team did not pass unnoticed when they walked around the streets of Bordeaux. Their clothing – they all wore colorful, visible, plaid shirts – was recognizable, an outward sign of teamwork that is rare in work and in life. “The idea of wearing plaid shirts came about by accident,” Marco Simonit told

us. “When I got home from school, I changed my clothes and wore khaki pants, a wool sweater, and a checked or plaid cotton shirt. That was my everyday uniform. It was what my grandfather and my uncle wore, comfortable, functional dress. When I began working, I thought that comfort was essential, and my old school ‘uniform’ was perfect. Then I saw that over time, the plaid shirt could be a distinctive brand element, the country style of those who worked in the vineyards. Also, we wanted to be sure

we were immediately identifiable. Obviously, if we hadn’t been effective, clothes would not have been enough. But meanwhile, everyone recognizes us now.” Although they had revolutionized iconic vineyards like those of Schiopetto, Josko Gravner, Venica, Ferrari and Bellavista and contributed to reshaping the identity of nebbiolo in Valtellina, Simonit and Sirch were met with skepticism when they first started work in France. Today the pruning method that links their

Marco Simonit and Massimo Giudici at Chateau d’Yquem

28 MAY 2016

two last names (Simonit&Sirch) is seen as a model. The greatest French houses have trusted in the maîtres tailleurs de vigne. Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Ausone, Grand Cru Classé Château Pape Clement, Château Carbonnieux, Château Latour, Moët et Chandon, Château d’Yquem, Domaine de Chevalier, and Louis Roederer are only some of the names of those the team has served, caring for the vineyards according to the criteria that is the key to their success. Their four simple rules

are adaptable to all vine training methods. “We began with Guyot, which is the most popular training system in the world. We observed the acrotony of the plant,” explained Simonit as he applied his shears to bunches of Yquem. “That is, its characteristic genetic tendency to germinate at the apex of the branch. The French Guyot method has two branches that grow outwards, and like a liana, its buds germinate further and further from the principal trunk, looking for light.”

Chateau d’Yquem. Experimental zone: young plants are tested in this vineyard

29 MAY 2016

An example of Simonit&Sirch pruning

COVER STORY

Century-old plants in the oldest part of the Chapelle d’Ausone vineyard

30 MAY 2016

With age, the plant grows and takes up space. Pruning is necessary to eliminate useless shoots, which, for the French, were also those of the spur, the future branch that, however, guarantees the buds for the following year. “That meant that vignerons in Bordeaux made cuts that were too invasive, creating real wounds that the vines were not able to heal.” Marco touched one. “The sap flow was not continuous. Deep, large cuts caused liquid to pool in the injured branch and then subsequently dry out. Even-

Massimo Giudici, head of Simonit&Sirch France

tually the plant died and had to be eliminated.” The spur, however, is the only factor that can assure the life of the vine in successive years. Today in Bordeaux, over 10% of cabernet sauvignon vines are suffering from wood ailments, such as esca disease. This situation followed a ban on sodium arsenite, the only chemical remedy for fungus attacks, but also a serious problem for human health. The vines of Château Haut-Bailly, owned by an American, Robert G. Wilmers, demonstrate the issue. “Here

In this photo and the one above, cross sections of diseased plants

you can come across old vines, but many of those we found had weak branches. They had difficulty finding a suitable path for their sap,” commented Massimo Giudici, head of the team in France. “We work stem by stem, because each winery has its own history. For each Château we developed a Simonit manual and different rules to follow.” From Graves, we traveled to Sauternes. The same problem appeared in the sauvignon blanc vines. Château d’Yquem is the 31 MAY 2016

iconic sweet wine transformed by botrytis cinerea (noble rot). Seeing it early in the morning when the fog is curling around the trees and over the long stretches of vineyard is a unique, unforgettable spectacle. Not far from the Ciron River, a tributary of the Garonne, which the French nicknamed the rivierè d’argent, the money river, thanks to the riches it ensures for local producers, are the vineyards that frame the majestic castle owned by Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the luxury giant.

COVER STORY

Chateau Clos Fourtet

Chateau Ausone

Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron

Massimo Giudici in the vineyards of Chateau Haut â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bailly

32 MAY 2016

For over 400 years, wine has been made here. It is the only place in the world to have the title Premier Cru Supérieur. “The oldest vineyards here are almost all sémillon, which, despite the large-scale cuts, can last a long time,” said Marco Simonit. “However, the vignerons aren’t able to keep sauvignon alive into old age, especially in this particularly humid, rainy climate that favors fungal growth.” Here too, the team is trying to develop a method for plant defense, working both with old and new vines,

teaching local pruners better procedures. Separated from the vineyards that produce the legendary sweet wine, the Italians have planted an experimental section in which young rows of sauvignon grow, pruned with respect for their specific structure. This field laboratory will give definite answers only after fifteen years or so. We continue on our journey towards Saint-Émilion. Château Ausone, an historic winery located on a cliff of limestone rock, has seven hectares of land and an ancient,

carefully preserved chapel. “Here we carried out a different kind of intervention,” Marco explained. “We undertook a truly surgical operation. We entered underneath the cones of dryness where the wood had deteriorated and with little saws, we cleaned out the dead wood. After this, more than 80% of the plants didn’t show new symptoms of necrotomy. This reinforces the promise of a vineyard that can stand up to the passage of time and proves the importance of the vigneron who looks after and

Simonit and Giudici with Tony Ballu, director of Chateau Clos

The wine of Chateau Pichon Longueville

The pruning tutor, Tommaso Martignon, François Taris–Loiry (director of Château Pichon Longueville) and Marco Simonit

33 MAY 2016

COVER STORY

protects the life of the vineyard.” The ardor of the Simonit&Sirch team and the passion that moves the group managed to convince even traditionalist Tony Ballu, technical director of Clos Fourtet, also in Saint-Émilion. “Excellent work in the vineyard is the only way to guarantee long life to the vines,” Ballu affirmed. “That’s why I trusted these crazy pruners.” A biodynamic producer since 2009, Tony Ballu is convinced the vine has to be listened to and looked after, that the soil mustn’t be subjected to useless mistreatment. The last stop on our pilgrimage

with the pruners from Friuli was another legendary place: Château Pichon Longueville of Louis Roederer between the communes of Pauillac and Saint Julien, in the Médoc region. Winery director François Taris-Loiry met us in the historic castle among the revolutionary plantings. Here the conditions of some vineyards seem more complicated than others. “In the Médoc, about 10% of the vines are removed each year. The problem is related to the sensitivity of cabernet sauvignon. It suffers more from wood diseases. This means that over ten years, if you didn’t replace

34 MAY 2016

the vines that died, you wouldn’t have any left. It would have a devastating economic impact and the product would not have homogeneous quality,” Marco explained. “Château Pichon Longueville was the first chateau in Médoc we worked for. Then came Château Latour. It was a great step forward for our team to be able to create a real experimental vineyard and use evolving techniques. Humans have to be able to interpret all this, have to put themselves in the center of the vineyard and understand its microclimate.” And in this way, restore the ancient bond with terroir.

The two guys from Cividale summoned by Dubourdieu Behind the image of vineyard tough hides a sensitive and pragmatic man, one who knows his stuff and could write encyclopedias about grapevines. Born in Gorizia, in Friuli, in 1966, Marco Simonit attended the prestigious high school, Convitto Nazionale Paolo Diacono in Cividale del Friuli, where he met Pierpaolo Sirch. The two boys then continued on at the city’s Istituto Agrario. After graduation, they went their separate ways, but met after Marco left his job at the Consorzio del Collio. They began to carry out the pruning strategies they had observed in the vineyards of Schiopetto, Josko Gravner and Venica&Venica. The Simonit&Sirch method was born. They put together a team that worked around Friuli and began to arouse interest in scientific circles. “Attilio Scienza, professor of viticulture and president of the Viticulture and Enology faculty at the University of Milano,” Marco remembered, “came to visit the Friuli vineyards and see our work. He realized that our methods should be taught to others. Thanks to his support, we carried out specialized pruning interventions for Gaja, Ferrari and Bellavista.” Today, after their first book Manuale di Potatura sulla vite Guyot (Pruning Manual for Guyot Vines), a new publication is on its way. All over Italy’s wine zones, pruning courses are being offered in collaboration with local universities. Working relationships with the great international wineries are well-established, but now Simonit and Sirch are aiming to involve Italian ones as well. “The most important wineries in the world hire specialists who follow the entire production process. In Italy, as opposed to France, it’s still not like that. We went to France in 2011 because Denis Dubourdieu, a world-famous enologist, called us about the problem of necrotomy, the dying off, of sauvignon in Graves. We analyzed the vineyards for a year. We looked at row after row to understand the reasons, we collected material and photos. In 2012, we reported our results and our ideas about what was happening. At the start, they didn’t trust us. Then, after only a week, they asked us to rescue their vineyards. Dubourdieu said, ‘You’ll see that everyone will be doing this in their own vineyards soon.’ And that’s what happened!”

TASTING

with the collaboration of Stefania Annese

VERMOUTH MANIA The Cocchi company

On the 50th anniversary of the Veronese event, Vinitaly, Giulio Cocchi celebrated its own landmark, 125 years since its founding, with a regal and exclusive product. This is a golden moment for vermouth in Italy, but also internationally. Artisanal brands, and Cocchi is among them, are appreciated and used on every continent. Roberto Bava, general manager of Cocchi and head of the Bava winery, presented the label, a product of experience, competence, and passion for this fortified wine. (Bava even has a workshop

in which he mixes vermouth and essential oils to make ink for his stylograph pens.) He told us, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted to celebrate the founding of the Cocchi firm by creating a true vermouth in the Savoy tradition, in collaboration with the Reggia di Venaria, a former royal residence. For this special edition, only 1891 bottles will be produced, to honor the year of our founding. The base, as in our Vermouth di Torino Cocchi, is moscato secco wine aromatized with artemisia and myrtle.â&#x20AC;? 36

JANUARY 2016

COLLABORATION WITH THE REGGIA DI VENARIA

La Venaria Reale respects the historic, stylistic and cultural coherence of traditional Vermouth di Torino. Its name is synonymous with the Italian royal house of Savoy. “In the Potager Royal of the Venaria, we grow artemisia, mint and alpine herbs that will go into the next bottles,” said Roberto Bava. “This working cohesion underlines the deep bond between the royal house of Savoy and the concept of modern vermouth.” The project involved a team of technicians and tasters that offered its own interpretation of the Riserva by developing a careful selection of the botanical ingredients and aging methods. Bottles will be sold at the Reggia di Venaria, and distribution began at the recent edition of Vinitaly through prestigious channels dedicated to luxury items.

Vermouth di Torino Venaria Reale Riserva One of the most interesting vermouths on the market today, La Venaria Reale Riserva is based on a selection of the best aromatic herbs and on excellent Moscato. The aromatic herbs, and in particular rhubarb, lend the wine an amber color. Balsamic aromas, sensations of medicinal herbs, unique fragrances of myrrh, moss and sandalwood permeate the nose. A final note of rosemary and orange lead into a vibrant, rich and tasty palate with hints of bitter cocoa. Drink after dinner in a small glass with ice and lemon zest, or use in mixed drinks.

37 JANUARY 2016

TRENDS

William Pregentelli collaborated

Are beer and wine two diametrically opposed worlds? Italian brewers don’t think so. For years they have been adding must, sapa and grapes to their beers, creating a new, totally Italian style.

ITALIAN GRAPE ALE 39 MAY 2016

he Italian brewing movement is fully grown by now. Twenty years have passed since the first fearless experimenters, leaving their pots in the garage, armed with courage and healthy craziness, began to professionally produce artisanal beer. In 2015, in May, news came that coincided with a sort of blessing on the entire sector. The BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program), the organization founded in 1985 to promote the brewing culture and develop tools and methodology for evaluating beer, in its Style Guidelines revision, defined the style of Italian Grape Ale. At the moment it is in the appendix, but even in this partial form it represents unprecedented recognition for the craft. The text says that Italian Grape Ale is “A sometimes refreshing, sometimes more complex Italian ale characterized by different varieties of grapes.” Aromatic characteristics of a particular grape have to be noticeable but should not overpower the other aromas. The grapes can be part of the recipe either as fruit or as must. Moreover, “Aromatic characteristics of a particular grape have to be noticeable but should not overpower the other aromas”. The rest of the guidelines are very elastic. The color can vary from gold to dark brown, and there are no restrictions on the malts or hops to be used.

TRENDS

icola Perra and Isidoro Mascia began their brewing adventure in 2006. After the first rounds inspired by international styles came the desire to experiment. Enter, BB10: Imperial Stout with sapa (reduced grape must) from cannonau, an indigenous Sardinian variety that lends aromas ranging from berries to spices, as well as toasted notes that veer towards black fruit tones. BB10 is not the only Italian Grape Ale from this house. BBEvĂ˛ includes sapa made from nasco, a variety used to produce the dessert wine of the same name. Nicola created the recipe inspired by the iconic meditation beer, Barley Wine, to

Nicola Perra

40 MAY 2016

which he added sapa di nasco. BB9 comes out of the brewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love for the dry Malvasia made by Cantina Zarelli, Inachis. Light and fragrant, its sapa is used for this beer. The fruity and elegant notes of the variety are perfectly preserved thanks to careful work with the hops. The newest in this series of special beers is the BBboom, in which the sapa comes from another Sardinian grape, vermentino, taking advantage of the dry, fresh quality of this wine Barley | Nicola Perra | Maracalagonis (CA) | via Colombo | tel. 070 789496 | www.barley.it

The staff of Montegioco

complete grasp of the character of Walter Loverier’s beers calls for a little more brewery know-how than the ordinary curious drinker brings to the table. The first recipe was for BeerBera. It ferments in oak barrels thanks to the addition of pressed and stemmed barbera grape must. Fermentation occurs due to the indigenous yeasts present on the grape skins, and therefore is different from the spontaneous fermentation of Lambic, which is activated by indigenous microorganisms present in the zone southwest of Brussels. Let’s call it a Piedmontese fermentation. DuvaBeer is another story, with Belgian yeast used to ferment the beer starter along with freisa grape must from the Terra dei Santi winery. The yeast leaves a greater sugar residue. The resulting beer is an homage to the ancient tradition of vinifying Freisa in bubbly, sweet versions. Another Italian Grape Ale in the LoverBeer line is produced in small quantities but garners great success. Nebiulin was first made in 2009 from nebbiolo grapes from La Morra, but appeared on the

market only in 2013 as a blend of three years of fermented beer aged in barrique with the addition of a fourth part of grapes. It is a double tribute to the most traditional Belgian beer, geuze, and to Piedmont’s most important wine. Loverbeer | Walter Loverier | Marentino (TO) | s.da Pellinciona | tel. 347 363 6680 | www.loverbeer.com

t the corner at which Piedmont, Liguria and Emilia meet, in July, 2004, the Montegioco brewery was established. Riccardo Franzosi came to the beer world by starting to make it at home. The first range of beers were his own recipes. Then came some experiments among which were Tibir, made with timorasso must, and OpenMind, made with barbera at first, but today with croatina grapes. Montegioco turned to some of the most important wineries of the zone not only for grapes, but for barrels. La Colombera, Walter Massa, Claudio Mariotto and Terralba are the houses that lent themselves to this meeting of beer and wine. But Riccardo didn’t look for vinous aromas, rather for the hint of fruit. Grapes are added during fermentation, and stay in the beer for several weeks. Montegioco | Riccardo Franzosi | Montegioco (AL) | fraz. Fabbrica, 1 | tel. 335 574 8181 | www. birrificiomontegioco.com Valter Loverier

TRENDS

iuseppe Schisano took his first steps as a brewer in his family’s garage. Today, produced in the Massa Lubrense establishment set up in 2014, his beers reflect the sunny Sorrento peninsula thanks to his use of local ingredients, employed in a wise and never invasive manner. For his Italian Grape Ale, Giuseppe called on the Marisa Cuomo winery. Ligia, which takes the name of one of Sorrento’s legendary sirens, offers elegant complexity thanks to the use during fermentation of the winery’s Furore Bianco must (60% Falanghina, 40% Biancolella). The grape must doesn’t interfere with the beer, but enhances it with new aromas, slightly citrusy notes that are typical of the territory, and an intriguing, unusual savory counterpoint. One sip calls for the next, as the beer seems to change in the glass, and every mouthful reveals more.

Bruno Carilli

Francesco Galano and Giuseppe Schisano of Birrificio Sorrento

riginality, personality, innovation, but never for its own sake is the philosophy of the Toccalmatto brewery of Lombardy headed by Bruno Carilli. He makes beers with strong characters, styled much like American and Anglo-Saxon ones, not only thanks to the use of hops, but Bruno Carilli

also for his rigorous approach to production. Within a continuous stylistic search, in which resemblances bounce from one side of the ocean to the other, there is a territorial anchor that ties one of his beers to its territory. Jadis, even in its originality, has an Emilian heart: it’s made with the addition of fortana grape must. It starts as a Double Blanche, a Blanche slightly more structured and alcoholic, to which fortana must is added. This is a grape that grows on sandy terrain and often on ungrafted vines. It is used not only for its marked typicity, but also for its fresh and intriguing berry and red fruit aromas that blend perfectly with the citrus fruit notes of mandarin orange and orange zest. Toccalmatto | Bruno Carilli | Fidenza (PR) | via San Michele Campagna 22/c | tel. 0524 533289 | www.birratoccalmatto.com

42 MAY 2016

Bruton

acopo “Apo” Lenci and Andrea Riccio are the mainstays of Bruton, the first its founder, the second its present brewer. Lenci contributes a punk soul to the enterprise, and Riccio is an engineer – a volcano of ideas come from the first, method and a steady hand from the second. The collaboration began in 2009, and today Bruton’s range doesn’t try to amaze with its excesses but is rather shaped by the search for taste balance. Jacopo grew up in vineyards. His family owns Fattoria di Magliano, a winery in the Maremma, on the hills south of Grosseto. The interaction between his own personal passion and

his family tradition was inevitable, one merging into the other. On the border is Limes (a term that refers to the Roman Empire’s borders), made with Pilsner malt, no spices, discreet and non-invasive hops that allow the saison yeast to emerge. When fermentation begins to lose its strength, vermentino grapes, pressed and stabilized, are added. The final result is a fascinating hybrid with an acidic and mineral vein, almost saline, on notes of pineapple and tropical fruit. Bruton | Jacopo Lenci | San Cassiano di Moriano (LU) | via Lodovica, 5135 | tel. 0583 494955 | www.bruton.it

TRENDS

by Liliana Rosano

HIPSTER & CRAFT

BORN IN THE USA Today the symbol of an entire approach to life, artisan beer is enjoying an exceptional boom in the United States. Here, where homemade beer has always had a role, is where the craft revolution began.

merican craft beer has a long history, beginning when the first colonists came to the New World. In 1587, in what is now Virginia, homemade beers were common, and in 1612, the first known New World brewery opened in New Amsterdam (now Manhattan). Beer made from corn was part of the colonial experience. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson brewed their own. Since then, a passion for artisan beer has been a deeply American tradition. More than 3,000 small- and medium-scale craft breweries exist today, and over a million home brewers. They have in common their distance from the big commercial and industrial brands as well as a tendency

to experiment. What else determines whether a brewer deserves to be dubbed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;craftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? They must be small, independent and traditional, says the Brewers Association. In 2007 and again in 2013, they set down some regulations. For small, they mean that annual production must be under six million barrels, which accounts for 3% of all the beer sold in the USA. An independent brewery is one in which less than 25% of its stock is under the control of an industrial beverage company, unless it is another craft beer firm. As for what traditional means, the Association defines it as a beer with flavors and aromas that come from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. 44

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TRENDING LABELS SAMUEL ADAMS. THE STEVE JOBS OF BEER Atlantic magazine came up with this nickname, to honor Jim Koch’s extraordinary capacity to launch artisan beers. Koch studied at Harvard and counts six generations of beer pioneers among his ancestors. The first Koch family beer was made in 1870 and Jim launched it again in 1985 in Boston as Samuel Adams Lager to honor a patriot of the American Revolution. Since then, success led the group to go public in 1995. imported by Gruppo Biscaldi | www.biscaldi.com ANCHOR STEAM BEER. A CALIFORNIAN CLASSIC Anchor today is one of the few brewers to produce common or steam beer (it owns the descriptive name) first made during the Gold Rush by two German immigrants. Steam beer, born in California, is characterized by fermentation at higher temperatures than common lager. In 1965, after many difficult moments due to a national preference for light beer in the 1950s, the brewery was about to close. Frederick Louis Maytag III bought it and led the brand to global success. He sold it in 2010 to Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio. imported by Eurosaga s.r.l. | ww.eurosaga.com w

SIERRA NEVADA. CALIFORNIAN GENIUS Here, too, is a California story of genius, fortune and success that transformed the passion of two friends into a brand that has become an icon in the world of artisan beer. Sierra Nevada is known above all for its Pale Ale, an early product with an unmistakable green label. Ken Grossman, one of the company’s founders, is considered a pioneer in the rebirth of microbreweries in the United States, and he brought Sierra Nevada to the entire world. imported by Interbrau S.p.A. | www.interbrau.it PEAK BREWING. THE FIRST OGM-FREE This is the first beer to be certified No-OGM and 100% organic. It was first made in Portland, Maine in 2007. Jon and Mike Cadoux aimed to produce a farm-to-table beer. It comes from an organic farm where pesticides and chemicals of any sort are banned. Today this type of agricultural brewer is growing rapidly. Peak produces 24 different products every year, distributed in 13 American states, in Europe, Canada and South America. imported by Peak Brewing |

THE STORY

With the collaboration of William Pregentelli

ne of the youngest presidents to head an Italian wine cooperative, Andreas Kofler, 33 years old, has led the Cantina Cortaccia since 2013. It is one of the most interesting and dynamic activities in Alto Adige. Under his leadership, the cooperative has undertaken a journey that within a few years will make it one of the most innovative in the region for its use of avant-garde technology and its environmental sustainability, all without betraying its long history. “We want to produce wines that faithfully reflect their origins and their different terroirs,” Kofler explained, “wines that are faithful to tradition yet look to the future.” Cantina Cortaccia, founded on May 13, 1900, the date when the first 42 members created the cooperative, is firmly rooted in the past. Today participating members number 186, with their 178 hectares of vineyard producing over a million bottles. But what does ‘cooperative’ mean? Too often in Italy, member-owned businesses are looked upon with suspicion, since in the past, cooperatives aimed for high volume rather than high quality. That may have been true for various zones in Italy, but that was never an Alto Adige vice. Cooperative wineries in

CORTACCIA. TO EACH VARIETY,

this region always based their production on rigid protocols. “The cooperative system in Alto Adige works well because all participants take the road to high quality. Moreover, there has always been and there still is healthy competition between the wineries. It’s a stimulus to constant growth,” commented Andreas. “The greatest advantage of a cooperative like ours is that each grower works, on the average, less than a hectare of vineyard, so

manages to care for it in the best of ways. That comes clear during the harvest, above all in critical years. So we can say that we have the best aspects of a large structure, with the attention and passion of a small grapegrower.” A great slogan, but how does it work in practice? “Above all, we follow our members step by step. We have a dedicated agronomist and we use online monitoring that allows us to evaluate and catalogue the pro46

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gression of work in the vineyard, creating a history that is fundamental to understanding the evolution of the grapes and all the steps for attaining a specific wine. For example, the sugar content is not the only parameter for determining the payment for grapes.” And how does the market respond? “About 50% of our business is in Alto Adige, 25% in the rest of Italy and 25% abroad, especially in Germany, Switzerland and the USA.”

ITS TERROIR

The cooperative president says, “We combine good management and the passion of small vignerons” TASTING THE BEST LABELS

“The diversity of altitudes, ranging from 220 to 900 meters above sea level, allows us to have the ideal terroir for each variety. “Othmar Donà, Cantina Cortaccia enologist, described the variety of pedoclimates in the various territories of the 186 members. “In the low zones, with deep, clayey soils,” he told us, “reds reach ideal maturity, with balanced acidity. They are wines with important structure, elegance and longevity. In the middle zones, gewürztraminer and chardonnay develop typical varietal aromas, with a balanced acidic component and good minerality. In the highest vineyards, the varieties that require marked temperature excursions but never very high ones, like sauvignon, pinot bianco and müller Thurgau, attain their most complete expression. These soils give very saline wines that have wonderful acidity and a very typical, accentuated fruitiness that is never cloying.”

A. A. GEWÜRZTRAMINER BRENNTAL RIS. '12

Andreas Kofler

A wine that displays a different style from the aromatic Alto Adige varietal. The long stay in the cellar gives us a wine that plays the card of complexity and depth of aromas, lending the palate fullness well-managed by marked sapidity, and a long, fascinating finish.

A. A. MERLOT BRENNTAL ’12

The merlot vines that provide the grapes for this wine grow in one of the warmest zones of the South Tyrol. The vineyards are at an altitude that ranges from 220 to 330 meters above sea level, on clayey and pebbly soil that holds the heat during the day, releasing it during the night. After 14 months in barriques, of which 50% are new, and a transfer to large wooden casks, the result is a rich, powerful and juicy red.

ARUNA V. T. ’13

Othmar Donà

The lively fruity acidity of gewürztraminer combines with the elegant aromatics of moscato giallo. The altitude, 500 meters above sea level, and excellent exposure on the slope guarantee the slow and perfect ripening of the grapes. Once pressed, they ferment in third-passage barriques. The result is a meditation wine of marked regional character, elegant aromas and a long, agile mouthfeel. 47 MAY 2016

SPECIAL AWARDS 2016

by Stefano Polacchi

48 MAY 2016

THE OLIVE

OIL ARTISTS Passion, experience, technology, identity An artist shapes material into an original creation that arouses emotion and, just as important, follows a path that has never been explored before. These are the 14 olive growers and olive mills that won awards in Oli d’Italia 2016, the Gambero Rosso guide to Italian olive oil. They build the identity of olive oil Made in Italy, even in an apparently easy year, yet…

ITALIAN OLIVE OIL. LIQUID GOLD! Olive Oil is a quintessential part of Italy’s cultural heritage, prized globally for its layers of nuances, flavors, variety and quality. As appreciation for fine olive oil is burgeoning, Italy has become a point of convergence, conversation and vigilance in safeguarding product integrity. Authentic Italian oil in all its splendid expressions, is enjoyed the world over. In New York this April, an esteemed panel of expert International judges met to scrutinize over 800 entries and 26 categories in the NYIOOC, the New York International Olive Oil Competition, with the aim of choosing the Best Olive Oils in the World. Despite tense competition, Italian producers emerged victorious with 109 awards (www.bestoliveoils.com/ country/italy); a testament to Italy’s unrivaled ability to transform quality ingredients, in this case, olives, into extraordinary Italian products. Curtis Cord, President of NYIOOC noted: “It was a remarkable achievement by Italian producers who suffered one of the worst harvests in recent history just a year ago.”

49 MAY 2016

SPECIAL AWARDS 2016

t was supposed to be easy. This year, with its good weather and healthy plants, seemed like a walk in the park. But, even if the season helped growers forget the annus horribilis of the 2014-2015 harvest, there were problems. The year showed that the future can go in one direction only, towards maniacal attention to detail, both in the groves and in the handling of olives in the mill. It showed the urgency of following the olive trees with the same attention with which serious vignerons follow their vineyards and winemaking. Tasting hundreds and hundreds of extra-virgin olive oils while preparing the Oli d’Italia guide, here at the Gambero we had expected better performances. We were hoping for more from Sicily but also from northern Lazio. Alberto Grimelli, director of the online magazine Teatro Naturale, dedicated to the olive oil world, had the same impression. “In the end, it was an average year, with very spotty results in places like Sicily, but also in Calabria and southern Puglia.

The greatest problems were caused by generally very high temperatures and by the weather, but also by production flow that led to crowding in the olive mills and subsequent slowdowns. “The olives often came to the mill at temperatures of 24-25° C (75-77°F). When they are processed, they reach 28-29°C (82-84°F) and there’s no managing that. Hardly cold-pressed! The oil loses polyphenols, aromas, flavors. Then fermentation can cause defects, fusty or winey sensations,” explained Giulio Scatolini, the head of the Unaprol tasting panel and a collaborator with the Gambero Rosso Oli d’Italia guide. The great flow of olives into the mills is another issue. Some have suggested raising the temperature in the crusher in which the olive paste is readied for decanter or centrifu-

SOS Temperature Keeping olives cold Temperature during processing: that’s the real crash test on the difficult road towards absolute quality. Controlling the temperature of the olives is essential. If you start with a resource that is already hot, there are no technologies that can cool it during pressing. “They have to be cooled first,” Giulio Scatolini told us. “With Professor Maurizio Servili, we measured these steps and the effects of refrigeration.” Thirty quintals of olives of the same exact lot were divided into three parts. One part was milled immediately after harvesting. Another part spent a night in a refrigerating room at 8-10°C/46-50°F. The third spent two nights refrigerated. “The olives that were refrigerated for one night were far better, in both chemical tests and in tastings,” said Scatolini. “Those pressed immediately came next, and the olives refrigerated for two nights came last.” The cold treatment is one already in use by two of the olive growers we awarded, Titone in Sicily and Decimi in Umbria.

50 MAY 2016

gal extraction. That would shorten pressing time. “But that would end up ruining the oil,” said Giulio. Then, there are those who utilize many crushers that can handle a great deal of olive paste, but without having an immediate outlet in the decanter. This funnel effect also creates problems and oxidation. These are all technical aspects that, as you can read in the following pages in which we present the 14 producers that received Special Awards in Oli d’Italia 2016, require great investments in time, energy and money. Products that are qualitatively very superior deserve recognition and fair pricing, a truth that in Italy is not properly appreciated. Certainly the first thing required is the product, extra-virgin olive oil. “This year, Italy will produce 400,000 tons of olive oil,” Grimelli explained. “That’s much better than the 200,000 of last year, but much less compared to 600,000 twenty years ago. That’s because olive groves in Italy have been abandoned. They don’t produce any more. In Tuscany alone, a region considered the queen of extra-virgin oil, 27% of the olive groves have been abandoned. Italy has to go back to producing. The country’s greatest advantage on the global market is the biodiversity of the Italian olive patrimony. There are almost 600 different cultivars, of which at least 300 are in full production. It’s an amazing heritage, especially today, when identity is everything.”

Best Lightly Fruity Monocultivar Grignano | Sisure | Veneto

Mezzane di Sotto (VR) | | 4 hectares | 2,000 trees | 25 quintals oil | inert gas | pressing within 12 hours | olive mill | www.sisure.it | exports to Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden Noemi Pizzighella, 21 years old, is the daughter of Stefano, Sisure’s founder. Stefano installed his own olive press in 1997. Noemi said, “We can control the entire production. Toscana Mori machinery allows us to work at our best. We have a hammer press. The olive paste is stored under nitrogen and held at a low temperature to conserve aromas. After two hours, pressing the paste twice, the oil is transferred to the decanter, once again protected by nitrogen.” Although the award is for a lightly fruity oil, Noemi considers it fairly strong. “Our German clients love it for its powerful personality, its peppery quality and aromas of cut grass. It perfectly expresses this territory between Lake Garda and the hills of Veneto.” THE OIL This Monocultivar Grignano is the best lightly fruity olive oil in Italy. It surprised us for its marriage of delicacy and complexity. On the nose, a light note of tomatoes, followed by vegetal sensations of valerian and sweetness that suggests pine nuts, all of it very delicate. Extreme elegance and coherence on the palate, with a return to aromas of pine nuts on the finish. Bitter and peppery sensations are mild and balanced.

Best Medium Fruity L’Olio Monocultivar Intosso | Trappeto di Caprafico |Abruzzo |

Monocultivar Olivastra Seggianese | Frantoio Franci | Toscana

“Intosso is an historic cultivar and the olive groves are centuries old. The youngest is 80 years old. The cultivar grows in a small area in the foothills of the Maiella. Casoli is its center, and the soil is poor and calcareous,” Tommaso Masciantonio told us. “Until the 1950s, it was only a table olive, but since the 1970s, thanks to improvements in transport, we make oil. The yield is quite low. Modern technology helps us maintain interesting aromas and flavors. We harvest in early October. Temperatures are never above 25°C. We use a hammer mill, and pressing, in hermetically sealed tanks, lasts under 30 minutes. No nitrogen – we would lose aromas. Then the oil is stored in cisterns under nitrogen.”.

“The cultivar is typical of the mountainous Amiata zone, rustic, almost wild. It is the only one that grows at 800 meters. Many call the olive round and ugly,” Giorgio Franci admitted, “but it expresses great notes of artichoke with a particular hint of rose petal. It has great longevity, probably because it has many fatty acids, and stays healthy for a long time, although not rich in polyphenols. This is the one that represents us best: Seggianese is only found here. I call this oil a seducer. Both experts and beginners appreciate it. Recently we found an intriguing pairing, with French oysters. The oil brings out the aroma and flavor of the oyster, winning over even its French producer.”.

THE OIL Intosso has a multi-faceted aromatic nose, vegetable scents with notes of cardoon and tomato, evolving into fresh almond. Elegant and deep in the mouth, it displays wild herb sensations such as valerian and oregano. Bitter and peppery notes are present and balanced. Great performance of a medium-fruity oil.

THE OIL Seggianese keeps on getting cleaner, more original and better. Franci is the king of this cultivar, attaining perfect quality levels. Aromatic, varied, full of details: tomato leaf, bay leaf, wild garlic, moss, cypress, lemon zest. Polite as it enters the mouth, is is soon full of personality. Earthy and mineral finish, another surprise.

SPECIAL AWARDS 2016

Best Intensely Fruity

Pria Grossa Monocultivar Colombaia | Domenico Ruffino | Liguria

Finale Ligure (SV) | 3 hectares | 860 trees | 15 quintals oil |inert gas| olive mill | pressing within 1 hour | domenicoruffino@hotmail. com | exports to EU, USA, Japan Isn’t it unusual to win for intensity in a region famous for the sweetness of its olive oil? Domenico Ruffino explained. “Colombaia is an historic cultivar with a unique genotype and trees that are 700 to 900 years old. The cultivar was brought here by the Benedictine monks in 1125. They introduced olive trees, building kilometers and kilometers of dry walls and terraces. Colombaia, though, was largely replaced in Liguria during the 1500s by Taggiasca, which seemed to resist drought better and give more standard production. Colombaia was left only here, in Varigotti. I studied my trees with the help of the University of Milano, and now treat them like normal irrigated orchards. Harvesting early, I can produce a great, intense oil, rich in antioxidants. It’s an environmental heritage and biodiversity that’s worth saving.” THE OIL Aromatic profile with scents of conifers and Mediterranean scrub, myrtle leave and sage. Splendid balsamic and spicy notes on the palate, suggesting green peppercorns, pine needles and arugula. Persistent, peppery note. Extraordinary product that delights at each taste.

Monocultivar Cima di Mola | Intini | Puglia

Alberobello (BA) | 8 hectares | 2,000 trees | olive mill | inert gas | pressing within 6 hours | 60 quintals oil | oliointini.it | exports to USA Japan, Sweden, Belgium, Germany “The Cima cultivar risked extinction before I decided to restore it seven years ago. My grandfather’s stories touched my heart,” Pietro Intini told us. “We didn’t know that the oil could have such high harvesting costs. They were centuries-old trees that dominated in the 1930s and 1940s. Now Olivastra and Coratina prevail. Cima di Mola traditionally was harvested late, at the end of November, to get the highest yield. I realized we had to move it back at least two months, with a 7-8% yield of very small olives. Working carefully, I can get oil that has as much as 1,300 mg/kilo of polyphenols and an impressive sensorial bitter and peppery profile.” THE OIL Generous and articulated nose, clean and fresh sensations of green vegetable, cut grass, almonds and artichoke. In the mouth, exuberant balsamic notes, great personality, echoing the sensations enjoyed in the nose, completing them with elegant peppery notes that outweigh the bitter tone without altering overall balance. Exceptionally pleasant and coherent.

52 MAY 2016

Best Olive Mill Tre Colonne | Puglia

Giovinazzo (BA) | 25 hectares | 6,000 trees | 300 quintals oil | pressing within 12 hours | inert gas | www.letrecolonne.com | exports to USA, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Canada, Croatia, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria “I’m a newcomer. I’ve only had this olive mill for three years, even if I have produced olives for 27 years. This year we worked two identical lines, one for others, and one for our own farm, to avoid possible contamination with the olives of others,” Salvatore Stallone said. What are the critical elements in the mill? “Essentially, cleanliness and maniacal attention to detail, starting from washing the olives, which is rare here. Then, care in deciding how to handle each lot of olives. Pressing determines the aromas. We separate oil and paste in a vacuum. Filtering and storing are under nitrogen. Nothing is left to chance.” How do you mill? “We have four systems: disks, hammers, two types of knives and rollers, plus a de-pitter. Ogliarola doesn’t call for disks. Coratina milled with rollers gives a different bitterness than the more natural one attained by knives. With high polyphenols, you do a more energetic pressing. Everything matters.”»

Best Organic Evo Bio | Titone | Sicilia

THE OIL Intensely fruity, generous nose with notes of chicory, arugula and Mediterranean herbs. Exuberant, with sensations of artichoke, almond, green peppercorns. Amazing bitter note, strong and elegant, followed by balanced pepperiness that fills the mouth and lasts. Clean on the finish. Perfect, pleasant, coherent.

“Our blend includes all the estate’s cultivars, olives harvested very early, at the beginning of October.” Antonella Titone explained, “As organic farmers, to combat fruit fly we use traps that our father perfected many years ago. They contain water and sardines. We put them out in March or April and monitor them to reduce the population early. To farm organically means to prevent, so efficient pruning and serious, important fertilization with pruning residues and our own compost is essential. We aim at internal biodiversity: bees, chickens, pheasants, geese and ducks. They poultry eat insects, produce fertilizer. We chill the olives between harvest and pressing to avoid stress in the 4-5 hours they are stored, so we obtain an aromatic oil with very low levels of peroxide. Every year we strive to improve.” THE OIL An elegant oil, intensely fruity, mostly Nocellara del Belìce olives with decreasing amounts of Cerasuola, Biancolilla and Coratina. Fresh and fragrant nose, with fine green notes of artichoke leaves, sage, nettles and white pepper. Elegant and lively on the palate, with bitter and peppery notes in harmony. 53

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SPECIAL AWARDS 2016

Best Estate Fonte di Foiano | Toscana

Castagneto Carducci (LI) | 25 hectares | 6,500 trees | 2,000 quintals oil| inert gas | olive mill| pressing within 2 hours | www.fontedifoiano.it | exports to 20 countries (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, USA, Canada China) Paolo Di Gaetano and his brother Simone own the property. Paolo told us, “Our estate was founded in 1979. My father had a beauty salon in Milano, but decided to change his life. He bought an abandoned piece of land. The trees had been totally neglected. We restored everything and installed our first press 26 years ago. Today we have a Mori oil mill, with a separator and a vertical mixer. We focus on immediate filtration of the product to stabilize and conserve it. We are near the sea, so are subject to fruit fly. We monitor constantly, intervene if we must, and harvest early. This year we began on September 28. The harvest and pressing differ for each variety. Leccino and Pendolino are first. Each lot of olives has its own velocity for pressing and decanting. Every year is a new challenge. Sometimes the cultivars need softer processing, other times not.” THE OILS 95 | Grand Cru | Frantoio, Moraiolo, Maurino, Picholine 94 | 1979 | Frantoio, Moraiolo 87 | Riflessi | Maurino, Pendolino

Best Buy Gold Ernico Bio | Ernici | Lazio

Vico nel Lazio (FR) | 162 hectares | 10,000 trees| 16 quintals oil |inert gas | olive mill| pressing within 12 hours | www.olivicoladegliernici.it | exports to France, Germany, USA, Canada “We are in Alta Ciociaria, 700 meters above sea level. The groves are mostly terraced on rocky soil.” Aldo Mastracci is one of the partners in the estate. “The microclimate is breezy and dry, under the Ernici mountain chain. We were established in 2012, as a ‘cultural olive mill’. We pay attention to communication and instruction about the quality of olive oil, organize courses for amateurs and professionals, collaborate with universities. This is agriculture, but we have a cultural message. We restored 12,000 trees on about 200 hectares of abandoned land. Wild herbs grow under the olives and enrich the aromatic spectrum of the oil with almond, tomato, wild herb sensations. It is a unique product of the terroir. We work by hand and are organic. It is impossible to use big machinery here.” But how can you keep your prices low? “It helps that we’re a young company. We price just not to lose money, just to keep going.” . THE OIL Moraiolo (70%) and Itrana: Gold is balanced, complex and full of character. Intense, elegant fruitiness on the nose with notes of freshly-cut grass, artichoke leaf and balsamic herbs. Artichoke sensations return in the mouth, along with green tomato, eucalyptus and cypress, and last into a long, full-bodied finish..

Best Blend Raro | Madonna dell’Olivo | Campania

Serre (SA) | 6.50 hectares | 2,050 trees | 40 quintals oil | olive mill | pressing within 3 hours | inert gas | www.madonnaolivo.it | exports to Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Sweden, USA, Japan “La Ravece is a typical cultivar of Irpinia, and grows here, too, while Rotondella is typical of the Salerno hills. They have herbaceous notes in common: in Ravece, tomato stands out. Rotondella brings a green fruitiness with great vegetal sensations of freshly-cut grass, mint and aromatic herbs like basil besides artichoke.” Antonino Mennella goes on, “The oil was excellent this year, with .15 acidity and under 2 of peroxide, thanks to pressure washing that allowed for manual selection and fast drying that reduced bacteria.” Why this blend, we ask. “Two extraordinary varieties are even better together. We only work monocultivars, but the perfect understanding of the single cultivar also allowed us to blend well. I love Rotondella, but Ravece completes it. The great expert, Luigi Veronelli, believed only in monocultivars, but, armed with our knowledge, we went ahead with blends.”

Emozione | Decimi | Umbria

THE OIL An extraordinary performance for Raro. An equal blend of local Rotondella and Ravece cultivars, it has an elegant and complex aromatic weave of tomato leaf, arugula, nettles and herbaceous sensations. On the palate, aromas return, plus notes of green peppercorns and a peppery sensation similar to ginger.

Bettona (PG) | 13 hectares | 3,300 trees | 70 quintals oil | olive mill | inert gas| pressing within 4 hours | www.decimi.it | exports to Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Finland, USA, Japan, China “This year, with healthy, beautiful olives, I could finally make what I aspired to, olive juice. I also worked with the Mori company technicians to improve our machinery. I inserted an instrument between mill and the decanter. It’s called a tip, which, with vibration, prepares for the decanter work, reducing it from 30 to 10 or 15 minutes. This innovation leads to a future with decanters. The oil will be less oxidized and stressed. It will be more fragrant, which coincides with the extraction of beneficial substances. Extreme technology, backed by experimentation and hard work, allows us to make great extra-virgin oil. The challenge excites me, as does the aroma of oil and that marvelous peppery sensation that stays in the mouth for 3 minutes after tasting.” THE OIL Emozione - Moraiolo (45%), Frantoio (30), San Felice (20) and a little Leccino – is a blend that expresses strength and sweetness, the characteristics of its region. Powerful and elegant, it has aromas of conifers, lettuce, resin and lemon zest. The aromatic profile continues on a monumental palate with harmonious bitter and peppery tones of astonishing depth. 55

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SPECIAL AWARDS 2016

Best Monocultivar Fra Bernardo Monocultivar Ascolana Tenera | Conventino di Monteciccardo | Marche

Best DOP Don Pasquale Monocultivar Itrana Dop Colline Pontine | Cosmo Di Russo | Lazio

Gaeta (LT) | 12 hectares | 4,000 trees | 30 quintals oil |inert gas | pressing within 8 hours| www.olivadigaeta.it | exports to England, Germany “Our Caieta label comes from the early harvest. Our DOP comes from olives harvested from mid-October to November. We produce and work table olives also. The difficulty is synchronizing the two different processes. This year we divided the work into two lines, oil and table, to avoid delays and conflicts. We take pride in our Gaeta and Itrana table olives. We wanted our oil to be at the same level. Table olives are profitable, but olive oil is gratifying. The olives come from the hills of Itri, but the 900 trees we have in Gaeta go into the Caieta label. After deciding to harvest early, we began in early October in Gaeta, which, being on the sea, has higher temperatures. In Itri, we could wait until mid-October. We are trying to improve, and this award simulates us to continue.”.

“It takes precise and demanding work. Making oil with the Ascolana Tenera cultivar is not like producing table olives,” Mattia Marcantoni said. “Harvesting starts early, October 5 at the latest. The olives have to be green to preserve the typical tomato aroma, not too ripe. The color change to reddish-black must be below 10%, or the aromas are too mature, unpleasant. In 2007, we waited until October 15, and we had to do manual selection and discard olives that were too red, or else risk ruining the oil. In the mill, we first throw away branches and leaves, then wash the olives. Usually we work with a hammer mill, but this year we used a knife mill to attain a better balance between fruity and bitter elements. Mixing takes place in an inert atmosphere with a maximum of 4-5% oxygen to avoid oxidation and a loss of polyphenols. The temperature is never above 24°C. The decanter avoids the separator phase. The olive paste is never in contact with the discarded element, to attain cleaner, clearer aromas. Controlling all these critical points makes a difference.” THE OIL This monovarietal Ascolana Tenera is a true superstar. It releases intense aromas of artichoke, beefsteak tomatoes, aromatic herbs and other lively green notes. On the palate, surprising hints of radish, arugula and roots. Middle to high peppery and medium bitter sensations. Excellent oil, full of life and freshness.

THE OIL Splendidly elegant and harmonious interpretation of DOP Colline Pontine in Don Pasquale. Fresh, elegant balsamic note more present than in the farm’s other products. Pleasant vegetal notes of tomato and apple in the mouth. 56 MAY 2016

Best Territorial Performance: Basilicata Vincenzo Marvulli Basilicata

Matera (MT) | 72 hectares | 2,700 trees | 30 quintals oil | olive mill | pressing within 6 hours | inert gas|giovanni.marvulli@ yahoo.it | exports to Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, England, Japan, USA “My estate dates back to 1960 when my father invested my mother’s dowry. They made fun of him, said he had bought rocks. But it was an ideal habitat for olive trees.” Giovanni Marvulli told us a family story. “In 2006, I lost my father and realized that expenses were more than earnings. I tried to do better and in 2009, I began bottling. I won an award in Verona, but understood we needed to improve. Before having my own Mori Tuscan-made mill, I went back and forth to San Mauro Forte (300 km a day) to press the olives after the harvest. A great deal has changed in the field, too – earlier harvest, storing, rapidity of pressing. The pioneer in quality is Angelo Valluzzi with his Majatica. Although he has traditional production, he is a quality fanatic. I feel in sync with him. It would be easier if I were in Tuscany. Products from the south don’t have the same reputation. That’s why your award to Basilicata pleases me. Evidently something is improving here. But to survive, we have to export to northern Italy and abroad, where the conception of quality and the willingness to pay for it is different than here in Matera.”

57 MAY 2016

Professionals, IN EVERY sense. PASSION for: FOOD & BEVERAGE VINE & SpIRItS tEchNOlOGIES BAkERY pAStRY IcE cREAm cOFFEE chOcOlAtE mAchINERY EquIpmENt FuRNItuRE tABlEwARE INNOVAtION DESIGN SERVIcES pROFESSIONAl tRAINIG JOB OppORtuNItIES E-cOmmERcE wEB mARkEtING

13-15 November 2016

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VALLE Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;AOSTA SPECIAL

The warmer months are decidedly the best for exploring Valle dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Aosta, its food and wine. The landscape and mountain peaks are at their most beautiful. Winemakers welcome guests for tastings, and the region offers many great restaurants. 59 MAGGIO 2016

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by Arabella Pezza

Savor the Mountain

Valle dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Aosta in the summer is a great destination for gastronomes. Not only is there wonderful food for every budget, but also opportunities for skiing. At the foot of Monte Bianco is Valdigne, a valley with 5 towns worth exploring for the excellence of their products and eating places.

60 MAY 2016

Valdigne: wine, spas and chefs

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orgex and La Salle – linked by the SS 26 road – are also joined by the fame of their wines. Blanc de Morgex et La Salle comes from the highest vineyards in Europe, heroic vines that grow at over 1,000 meters above sea level and produce excellent wines. “Our wine is the product of the vinification of prié blanc, an indigenous variety that grows on ungrafted vines on the left bank of the Dora Baltea,” explained Nicola Del Negro, enologist from Cave Mont Blanc. “The cooperative produces both still and sparkling whites. The spumanti are always refermented in the bottle, as required by the regulations for Blanc de Morgex et La Salle metodo classico, like the Cuvée des Guides, produced at 2,200 meters above sea level at Pavillon, the first station on the Skyway cable car of Courmayeur. We have been experimenting with this high-altitude production for 10 years. Our objective is to reach perfect perlage.” Another special Cave wine is Chaudelune, an elegant ice-wine to pair with blue cheeses such as the local Bleu d’Aoste, or to serve with typical sweets, such as the thin biscotti here called tegole valdostane. On the left bank of the Dora they may grow grapes, but on the right bank, river rafting rules. From Morgex the descent is to La Salle on what is one of Europe’s most important rivers from an athlete’s point of view. From La Salle to Sarre, above Aosta, takes an hour and a half. Alejandro Sopranzi, Argentine by birth but Valdostano by adoption, is one of the 30 masters of rafting in Italy. “We are in the green area of the Vachérie, in one of the most characteristic places in the Valle d’Aosta, run by Lilli Breuvé. Together we created

Lake near Ruitor, La Thuile

a perfect fusion between night and day. In the morning, sport and entertainment. In the evening we organize dinners with typical dishes from the Valle d’Aosta, music and a piano bar.” In summer on the lawn of the Vachérie, the house arranges an outdoor grill for rafters and their friends. After an intense day of activity, a visit to the spa, Terme di Pré, is a joy. Although it has been wellknown for centuries, it has been completely renovated and expanded in recent years. Indoors are swimming pools, a sauna, Turkish bath, and Kneipp pool. Outdoors are more pools with 62 MAY 2016

Cheese Her Majesty, Fontina Valle d’Aosta’s jewel in the crown, Fontina, is one of the regional products best known in Italy and around the world. A DOP since 1996, “Fontina is made with whole milk from valdostana breed cows.” This detail in the production regulations makes all the difference and explains why the cheese is fragrant with mountain hay aromas. It is made with raw milk immediately after the cows have been milked. Legends tell us that the name comes from an ancient alpine dairy called Fontin, or perhaps from the village of Fontinaz. Another theory suggests a derivation from the French word fondis (melted). The storing and aging facility in Pré-Saint-Didier is one of the temples dedicated to this cheese. The Cooperativa Produttori Latte e Fontina is a former military bunker carved into the rock at the beginning of World War II. Recently renovated both inside and outside, it was first opened in 1957 and has the capacity to store more than 13,000 cheeses. For visits, make an appointment (tel. 0165 87755). Nearby is the outlet (on the SS 26 road |tel. 0165 87850). In Courmayeur and La Thuile, Fratelli Panizzi shops (tel- 0165 844 429 and 0165 067 020) have a vast assortment of regional products, including Fontina but also a range of other cheeses, typical cured meats, dried mushrooms and local wines.

La Mocetta, traditional cured meat and a wheel of Fontina

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Wine Co-op model for 6 wineries

reason. The most important grape here is petit rouge, with which the cooperative makes Enfer (also in an organic version with a green label and without added sulphites) and Clos. Although it was founded in 1978, the cooperative is now moving towards environmental sustainability and is converting its entire production to certifiable organic. And finally, between La Salle and Morgex, is Cave Mont Blanc – welcome to Valdigne. All its labels are sold in Courmayeur at Panizzi Cheese & Wine and in Liquorilandia in La Thuile.

The valley has six cooperative wineries for only one DOC, Valle d’Aosta. Caves Cooperative di Donnas is at the start of Valle d’Aosta, at the foot of the majestic Forte di Bard. This zone has an ancient winegrowing tradition, and its vineyards bear nebbiolo and freisa, but also pinot gris and erbaluce piemontese. A few kilometers away is La Kiuva, one of the earliest cooperatives, founded 40 years ago. Among its wines made from indigenous grapes, all grown between 400 and 500 meters above sea level, are Picotendro, a monovarietal from nebbiolo valdostano, Petite Arvine and Arnad Montjovet, in which nebbiolo is blended with cornalin and fumin. Beyond Saint Vincent and its celebrated casino is Crotta de Vegneron in Chambave. Its strong point is its tight connection with indigenous grapes and the territory. Among the reds is Chambare (petit rouge, vien de nus and the premium cornalin). Among the whites are aromatic muscat and pinot gris. Cave des Onze Communes is on the road towards Cogne and, as its name says, brings together the indigenous grapes (such as petit rouge, fumin, mayolet and gamay) from eleven towns. Génepì is also made here, derived from a plant grown in the Cogne and Gran Paradiso area. Continuing towards Valdigne, we find CoEnfer. Its vineyards face south, and the microclimate is warmer -its name suggests the word ‘inferno’ for a

64 MAY 2016

Cave Mont Blanc

spectacular views, a sauna chalet, and a spacious solarium with a view of the Monte Bianco chain. “In 2015 we celebrated our tenth anniversary, after 40 years of being closed,” Federica Bieller, director, told us. “Our spa waters flow from the Orrido, a waterfall that comes down from La Thuile. You can see it from a walkway suspended over the Terme.” But the spa is not only about relaxation. The Terme also offers visitors a tempting buffet of typical local products – yogurt made with milk from the high Valle d’Aosta, chocolate grissini, biscotti, fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables, as well as juices, teas and tisanes. On Friday night at 6 p.m. the rite of the aperitivo comes into its own, with wines and local beers paired with cheeses and cured meats from the area. In Palleusieux, near PréSaint-Didier, Emma Restaurant is

La Thuile. La Tometta

65 MAY 2016

the right place to have a meal and experience the cucina of Giuliano Lodi, its young and eclectic chef. “Seasons and local products are our guide,” he told us. “Modern techniques help us offer a 360° view of the food of Valle d’Aosta. But we also like to play around.” Daniel Mochet, maître d’, went on, “Among our dishes, one of the most popular is our McEmma, a tartare of Fassona beef inside a rye bread roll. Another is Emma’s carbonade, a local dish with veal cooked in a Mason jar, paired with whole-grain polenta. But in the summer we obviously offer a great many vegetables, herbs, and mountain fruit.” San Rocco is a festival in Palleusieux that takes place on August 15, the Italian holiday called Ferragosto. It features all the usual merriment: traditional costumes, parades, games for children, outdoor grills and

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SkyWay

dancing. In cool La Thuile, in the summer, Chocolathuile celebrates three days of pastry indulgence over the last weekend of August. Comfort food becomes social food, thanks to Tometta di La Thuile, a dessert patented by the Pasticceria Chocolat Collomb. It is 350 grams of pure pleasure – milk chocolate, gianduja chocolate spread and hazelnuts from Piedmont. Another memorable event is the Festa del Solstizio d’Estate (The Summer Solstice Fair) held in a uniquely romantic place, on the French border, at over 2,000 meters above sea level, on the Piccolo San Bernardo pass. There is one of the rare megalithic circles in Italy, a pre-historic structure that is embraced by the rays of the sun only on June 21, before it

sets behind the Lancebranlette saddle. “Every year, for the first day of summer, we organize a great festival in collaboration with our French cousins in Séez. Pass Pitchu includes traditional music, local crafts, tastings and a market of typical products of the Savoia zone,” explained Dario Bandito, the tourism councilor. There’s no shortage of wine and food events in the area: in July, the Mercato dei Sapori Regional; in September, the Beer Fest is held alongside the Tor des Geants, one of the world’s most important endurance trail

races. “Last year,” the councilor told us, “we brought Valle d’Aosta producers together and held a street food festival with local specialties made by the town’s artisans.” For enduro bike enthusiasts, there’s an extreme downhill event. From June 24 to September 4, participants can bring their bikes to the top on cable cars and come down at full speed along special roads. “Children can ride up into the mountains and

66 MAY 2016

Mc Emma, Fassona beef tartare in a rye bread roll

from the

Emma Restaurant in Palleusieux

walk in nature,” Killy Martinet, president of the cable car company, said. “There are trails all over the area and mountain refuges that serve all sorts of local specialties.” For those who prefer relaxation and elegance to athletic challenges, there is now Nira Montana, a new oasis of peace in La Thuile. Opened last year, this boutique hotel became immediately popular thanks to a trendy cocktail bar and a restaurant, Stars. “Our chef, Alessio Mecozzi, knows how to showcase local ingredients with ability and imagination,” General Manager Giuseppe Artolli promised. He described ravioli with cured meat (mocetta), cabbage and Toma di Gressoney cheese, or egg cooked with polenta, Bleu d’Aosta cheese and turnips at low temperatures – new Mecozzi creations. “Even our bartenders turn out original drinks,” Artolli said. “They use flowers, fruit and local herbs. We have a collection of Spritz drinks you have to try.” The pearl of the mountain is Courmayeur. Its new attraction, the Skyway, is billed as the eighth wonder of the world. A futuristic, completely transparent cable car, it turns on itself and reaches the eternal glaciers of Monte Bianco, 3,466 meters above sea level. From the terrace, visitors can see the highest peaks in the chain and cross into France on the Aiguille du Midi, linked to Chamonix. “This is a unique work that allows the public to explore a new Monte Bianco,” explained Ivette Clavel, architect and president of the cable car company. “Skyway is not only a means of transportation, but it is a total experience that doesn’t just aim at a final destination.” The system has two stations, the Pavillon du Mont Fréty, with a coffee bar, restaurant, wine shop with local labels, conference halls

Beef tartare in Stars, the restaurant in Hotel Nira Montana

and the fascinating Saussurea, one of Europe’s highest botanical gardens, open from mid-June to the end of September. At Punta Helbronner, at 3,466 meters, the view is 360° over Europe’s rooftop. From here visitors can see all the highest mountains of the western Alps. The highest-altitude cocktail competition, the Skydrink, is also held here, on October 12. “It’s a contest that celebrates the beauty of the area and its genuine locally-made products. The important ingredients of the recipes are Génépi and mountain gin.” Bernardo Ferro is the head barman of the Grand Hotel Royal & Golf di Courmayeur. In his bar, the winning drink of last year’s edition is still popular: Su Frisu is based on Génépi, vodka, lime, apple juice, ginger and cardamom. For dinner, the place to go is Petit Royal, the hotel restaurant where chef Maura Gosio and her sommelier husband Andrea Corradi 67 MAY 2016

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Pré-Saint-Didier. Terme di Pré

reign.(Her recipes are on page…) “I moved to the Valle d’Aosta from the Varese province four years ago,” Maura told us. “It was a real challenge. I want our dishes to help my clients discover and appreciate how rich and generous this territory is. I offer contemporary cucina, but still tied to tradition, because in my years here I have learned to know the mountain herbs, flowers and fruit. I try to showcase them without betraying their real flavors.” The wine list and cellar of the Petit are in the hands of Andrea Corradi. “In recent years, the wines of Valle d’Aosta are on the way up, thanks to the passion and competence of local producers. Our guests appreciate our suggestions of local labels, and I’m happy to talk about them, introduce them. Maura is right. This was a challenge. But I wouldn’t change anything. The Valle d’Aosta welcomed us, and then seduced us with its colors, flavors and fragrances.”

Addresses

Pepita | La Thuile | fraz. Entreves | tel. 0165 883 047 | pesce

68 MAY 2016

where to stay Mont Blanc Hotel Village | La Salle | loc. La Croisette, 36 | tel. 0165 864 111 | www.hotelmontblanc.it

Rafting

Liquorilandia Ruitor Vinoteca | La Thuile | via Collomb, 16 | tel. 0165 884 268

69 MAY 2016

RECIPES FROM GREAT CHEFS

by Francesco Seccagno Photographs by Giuseppe Di Mauro

It’s a long, long way from a coffee bar in the modest town of Gallarate, in Lombardy, to the stellar ski resort, Courmayeur, in Aosta. Maura Gosio, in her Petit restaurant inside the Hotel Royal e Golf, offers the best of Valle d’Aosta products in her inspired cucina, classic and modern, elegant and homey. Her trout is from Lillaz, her butter from Gignod, her guinea hen from Arnad. Her husband, Andrea, complements her work with a devotee’s wine cellar

Maura Gosio

EXPLORING VALLE D’AOSTA

RECIPES FROM GREAT CHEFS

«Inspired by the flavors of the Valle» Maura describes herself as self-taught, but she has always had a passion for cooking and made it a part of her life. “Before opening a real restaurant, I managed a couple of coffee bars in Gallarate,” the chef told us. “They were family-owned places and I had fun cooking for friends and for the bar’s habitués.” One day her husband Andrea Corradi suggested they open a restaurant of their own. In 1999 they launched Piazzetta, in Ferno, near Gallarate. “Our new life began there,” Maura said. “Piazzetta, in 2005, won a Michelin star. Then it was one challenge after another. First in Cremona, in 2011, we opened Al Quarto, and in 2012, in Valle d’Aosta, the Petit Royal in the Hotel Royal e Golf in Courmayeur.” We asked what schools, courses, mentors she’d had. “None, except for a vacation on the French Riviera where I was an observer in the kitchen of Roger Verger, near Cannes. It was fascinating,” Maura remembered. “However my own experience has been my school. And reading – I devour cook books and cooking magazines.” But the most essential part of life for Maura Gosio is her contact with her territory, a continual source of inspiration. The trout she serves comes from Lillaz. “The fish is from the waters of a village near Cogne. Its size, its firm consistency and flavor are better than other trout in the Valle d’Aosta,” she explained. Guinea hen is from Arnad, a town that is also famous for its lard. “The products I find and use every day lead the way in my kitchen,” she observed. “I constantly visit local producers and growers. We talk and discuss things. I keep tradition firmly in mind, although I interpret and innovate when I need to.” Her husband, Andrea, is always by her side. He runs the front of the house along with sommelier Francesco Stella, who is a passionate wine expert and the author of the pairings for Maura’s recipes. Petit del Grand Hotel Royal e Golf | via Roma, 87 | Courmayeur (AO) | tel. 0165 831 611 | www.hotelroyalegolf.com

72 MAY 2016

Forest floor with smoked, marinated Lillaz trout Ingredients for 4 servings 1 kilo salmon trout from Lillaz 500 g sugar 500 g salt 1 lemon 1 orange 15 g star anise 8 g black pepper 10 g cardamom seeds 50 g hay

Preparation Marinate the salmon trout for 12 hours in a mixture of salt, sugar, lemon zest, orange, star anise, pepper and cardamom. Clean off the marinade delicately and smoke the fish for 2 hours with hay. Prepare the ‘forest floor’. For the ‘dirt’, puree ingredients together in a blender until you obtain a uniform color. For the candied Jerusalem artichoke skins: cut the chokes in half and boil for 4 hours in abundant salted water. Separate the flesh from the skin and place the skins in a dehydrator overnight. Once dried, immerse the skins in a syrup of equal parts of sugar and water, and put back in the dehydrator for 6 hours. Then puff up the skins in vegetable oil heated to 183°C (361°F). For the marinade sponge: place all the ingredients in a mixer, except for the gelatin leaves. Dissolve the leaves in a microwave oven with five times their weight in water. Add the gelatin to the liquid and beat at high velocity until the mixture has reached 10 times its original volume. Transfer to freezer. Assembly: Arrange the various elements on a plate, garnish with dandelions, lemon-imbued oil, sautéed mushrooms and flakes of Maldon salt.

For the forest floor: 200 g dried black olives 100 g brioche 100 g dark bread (pumpernickel, e.g.) 20 g dried tomatoes For the Jerusalem artichoke: 50 g Jerusalem artichoke 50 g sugar 50 ml water 50 ml vegetable oil For the marinade sponge: 300 ml white wine 150 ml red wine vinegar 400 ml water 150 g wildflower honey 26 g unflavored gelatin leaves

For the garnish 300 ml vino bianco Dandelions, mushrooms, Maldon salt

73 MAY 2016

RECIPES FROM GREAT CHEFS

Bread gnocchi with malva flowers, puréed Tuscan kale and fresh goat cheese Ingredienti for 6 servings For the gnocchi: 350 g Pugliese bread (durum wheat) 200 g black bread 150 g brioche 375 ml milk 350 g Parmigiano Reggiano 100 g eggs 2 g pepper 20 malva flowers 3.5 g marjoram For the puréed Tuscan kale: 100 g Tuscan kale (cavolo nero) 50 ml vegetable oil For the fresh goat cheese foam: 150 g fresh goat cheese (from the Panizzi brothers in Courmayeur) 50 ml fresh cream (Panizzi brothers, Courmayeur) 40 ml milk (Panizzi brothers, Courmayeur) 1 charge for the siphon (nitrous oxide for cream and smooth foams)

Preparation For the gnocchi: blend the ingredients and shape into 20 g spheres. Cook in boiling salted water, drain and sauté with foaming butter, garlic and mountain herbs. For the puréed Tuscan kale: clean the kale and chop finely. Cook in boiling salted water for 4 minutes and immediately immerse in water and ice. Purée the kale and whip with vegetable oil. For the goat cheese foam: blend all ingredients, pass through a fine strainer and put mixture in a charged siphon. Leave overnight. Spread the puree on the plate, arrange the gnocchi on top, with the siphonwhipped cheese foam in the center.

Guinea Hen from the Bassa Valle, Tarte Tatin and Calvados sauce Ingredients for 4 servings 1 guinea hen from Arnad 50 ml Calvados 15 g homemade heritage applesauce 10 g butter from Gignod For the Tatin: 50 g puff pastry 1 heritage apple cut in 1 cm-thick slices

Sugar For the sandwich: 100 g crustless white bread 30 g guinea hen giblets 50 ml Calvados

Preparation Remove the breasts from the fowl, salt and brown slowly in an oven-proof pan with oil, bay leaf and a little butter. When they are golden, place the pan in the oven to finish cooking the breasts. Deglaze the pan with Calvados and reduce liquid. Add applesauce and beat with butter. For the Tarte Tatin: caramelize the apple slices in sugar and place in sphere-shaped molds. Cover with puff pastry and bake for 15 minutes at 190°C/375°F. For the sandwich: Sauté the giblets in butter, garlic and herbs, deglazing with Calvados. When cooked, purée with butter and put aside. Flatten the white bread with a rolling pin and spread slices with giblet purée. Roll into cylinders and fry in deep vegetable oil. Assemble adding leaves of baby spinach dressed with lemon-imbued oil and a little salt. Enrich the dish, if desired, with guinea hen liver cooked with onion, vinegar, bay leaf, oil and salt. Leave to cool, cut into cubes, bread and fry.

15 g butter from Gignod Butter

75 MAGGIO 2016

RECIPES FROM GREAT CHEFS

Sugar sphere, Martin pear and nut dirt Ingredients for 4 servings For the Martin pear coulis: 100 g Martin pear

200 g pastry flour (00)

Preparation:

2 g Maldon salt

5 g lemon juice

70 ml white wine

For the crumble: 200 g butter from Gignod,

For the sphere: 100 g sugar

in small cubes

35 ml water

200 g shelled walnuts

25 g glucose

100 g almond flour

.5 g cream of tartar

150 g sugar

Berries to garnish

For the pear purée: peel and core pear, then cut into cubes. Purée with the lemon juice to maintain color. For the crumble: mix sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, flour, butter and white wine. Beat until blended. Add chopped nuts and, at the end, salt. Spread mixture evenly on baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 15 minutes. Reshape the mixture and bake again for 5 minutes. For the sphere: heat ingredients together to 100°C/212°F. Skim off impurities and heat again to 183°C/361°F. Pour onto a silpat sheet and knead with hands under a hot lamp (90°C/194°F). Then blow up with the help of a pump (like glass-blowing in Murano) to form spheres. Fill the spheres with pear purée. Decorate with berries.

2 vanilla pods

30 g cocoa powder

76 MAY 2016

PAIRINGS

Forest floor with smoked, marinated Lillaz trout

Bread gnocchi with malva flowers, puréed Tuscan kale and fresh goat cheese

Valle d’Aosta Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle Met. Classico 1187 | Cave du Mont Blanc de Morgex et La Salle | Morgex (AO) | www.cavemontblanc.com

Valle d’Aosta Petite Arvine | Elio Ottin | Aosta (AO) | www.ottinvini.it

“The 1187 – the vineyard altitude – is the highest DOC wine in Europe from ungrafted Priè Blanc grapes. The wide temperature excursions typical of alpine environments lend this spumante delicate and fine sensations that, along with its freshness and sapidity, pair perfectly with raw or marinated fish,” explains Andrea Corradi.

“Petit Arvin,” says Andrea, “is a Swiss variety brought to the Valle by the monks of Gran San Bernardo in the 1970s when they managed the Institut Agricole Regionale. It became the most important white grape in Valle d’Aosta. It has a rich and varied bouquet, with notes of mulberries, sage, citrus and tropical fruit. Thanks to good body, softness and intensity, it pairs with the herbaceous sensations of the Tuscan kale purée.

Guinea Hen from the Bassa Valle, Tarte Tatin and Calvados sauce

Sugar sphere, Martin pear and nut dirt

Valle d’Aosta Pinot Noir Semel Pater 2013 | Maison Anselmet | Villeneuve (AO) | www.maisonanselmet.it

Valle d’Aosta Chambave Moscato Passito Prieuré 2013 | Crotta di Vegneron | Chambave (AO) | www.lacrotta.it

“A wine dedicated by Giorgio Anselmet to his father Renato, the winery founder, with whom he shares a love of Pinot Noir. A complex wine to make and, in tastings, displays a complexity of aromas and flavors that evolve in unexpected and lasting ways. It enhances and accompanies, but never overwhelms, our supreme of guinea hen.”

“In 1494,” Andrea Corradi tells us, “Giorgio di Challant offered Charles VIII, King of France, a Moscato Passito di Chambave. The best bunches of moscato bianco are left to dry, then the grapes are vinified in the traditional way. The resulting wine ages until Christmas of the next year. Sweet, warm and soft, full and round, it is a fullbodied wine with an intense and persistent flavor. It closes on sweet notes of almonds and honey.” 77

MAY 2016

BERE BENE: BEST BUYS

berebene

Valle d’Aosta

VALLE D’AOSTA

Vineyard heroics Wine shapes the Valle d’Aosta’s alpine landscape. Vineyards improbably embrace the mountain slopes with time-honored native grape varieties. This year our tastings showed significant growth, particularly among those producers who go beyond making a good, easily marketable product. Many seek to fully express the potential of the region’s extraordinary high-altitude indigenous varieties. The number of prize-winning wines grew to six, the largest number ever for the small-scale Valle. Young people are going back to the land, cultivating the heroic mountain vineyards, determined to tell wine stories that are intriguingly local. They want to exploit the extraordinary patrimony of experience, tradition and complex varieties unique to their mountains. In no other region of Italy (and in few around the world) are there vineyards growing above 1,200 meters. No other terroir can show a mountain viticulture tradition that goes back so many centuries. The charm of these antique, nature-defying wines is our reward for tracking down the small number of bottles Valle d’Aosta can produce.

79 MAY 2016

BERE BENE: BEST BUYS

VALLE D’AOSTA VIN BLANC DE MORGEX ET LA SALLE ’14 Ermes Pavese

VALLE D’AOSTA DONNAS ’11 Caves Cooperatives de Donnas

s.da

Roma, 97 | Donnas (AO) | Tel. 0125807096 | www.donnasvini.it

8.90 euros Ermes Pavese and his family head one of the rare private wineries in Eurospe’s highest winemaking zone. The estate holds about 3 hectares of low-pergola vineyard between Morgex and La Salle, at altitudes between 900 and 1200 meters. Blanc de Morgex is the winery’s key performer, with over 20,000 bottles annually. An elegant nose (mountain herbs and white fruit) leads into a palate that is potent and persistent for this varietal.

8.00 euros The story of Donnas and its wine resembles closely that of its southern neighbor, Piedmontese Carema. The winery was born when the denomination was established, in 1971, and contributes to the preservation of the steep terraces where picotendro grapes grow. In this corner of the Bassa Valle d’Aosta, where the microclimate is fairly mild, nebbiolo gives enviable results. Donnas ’11, aged for 12 months in 2500-liter casks, offers complex and aristocratic aromas with important acidic backbone and tannin on the palate.

via

Pineta, 26 | Morgex (AO) | Tel. 0165800053 | www.pavese.vievini.it

VALLE D’AOSTA MÜLLER THURGAU ’14 La Crotta di Vegneron p.zza

VALLE D’AOSTA CHAMBAVE MOSCATO PASSITO PRIEURÉ ’13 La Crotta di Vegneron

10 euros Founded in 1980, La Crotta di Vegneron numbers about 70 members who work in the Chambave and Nus denominations. The principal whites are moscato and pinot grigio. Among the reds are petit rouge and vin de Nus. This year we chose a less noble white variety, but one that is able to attain excellent results in mountain vineyards. Müller Thurgau ’14 has elegant floral and fruity notes on the nose. The palate doesn’t have outstanding body but is taut, persistent and harmonious.

28.00 euros The wines of Chambave have long inspired artists, writers and wine lovers. Today 120 growers belong to the cooperative. With passion and love for their traditions they follow the slow ripening of the grapes under the careful supervision of the winery’s technicians. Moscato Passito Prieuré ’13 has a brilliant golden color and a stunningly broad range of aromas. The palate offers concentrated fruit and sweetness, but above all freshness and great elegance.

Roncas, 2 | Chambave (AO) | Tel. 016646670 | www.lacrotta.it

p.zza

Roncas, 2 | Chambave (AO) | Tel. 016646670 | www.lacrotta.it

80 MAY 2016

VALLE D’AOSTA CHARDONNAY CUVÉE BOIS ’13 Les Crêtes

VALLE D’AOSTA PETITE ARVINE ’14 Elio Ottin fraz.

Porossan Neyves, 209 | Aosta (AO) | Tel. 3474071331 | www.ottinvini.it

loc.

Villetos, 50 | Aymavilles (AO) | Tel. 0165902274 | www.lescretes.it |

15.00 euros Elio Ottin, a passionate grape-grower, has not been on the marketplace very long, but he quickly found his place in the regional wine world thanks to the quality of his production and his attentive, gracious approach. His Petite Arvine is a perfect expression of this typical Valle d’Aosta variety. It has a lively and brilliant straw-yellow color. The nose is very intense, with fruity and floral aromas, citrus fruit notes and vegetal shadings. It is savory, nervous and rich in the mouth.

38.00 euros Les Crêtes has been the subject of much wine writing, and Costantino Charrère and his family are always in the public eye. The new winery is complete, except for the last touch, an ’emotional’ tasting room, as called for by Costantino’s project. Chardonnay Cuvée Bois has a luminous color, a nose of acacia flowers and the cleanest of fruit, slipping then into spices such as cinnamon and vanilla. The palate is sumptuous without being fat. It is savory, rich, fresh and persistent.

VALLE D’AOSTA PINOT GRIS ’14 Lo Triolet loc. Junod,

7| Introd (AO) | Tel. 016595437 | www.lotriolet.vievini.it 14.00 euros Visitors on their way to the national park, Parco del Gran Paradiso, pass right in front of Lo Triolet, Marco Martin’s beautiful estate in Junod. It’s worth stopping to enjoy the hospitality of the place and tasting his excellent wines. Among these is the excellent Pinot Gris ’14. It has impressive character, with aromas of pear, floral scents and smoky, peppery notes. The palate displays great structure and harmony, with acidity and outstanding substance. Very long finish.

VALLE D’AOSTA PINOT NOIR SEMEL PATER ’13 Maison Anselmet fraz.

Vereytaz, 30 | Villeneuve (AO) | Tel. 3484127121 | www.maisonanselmet.it 50.00 euros Maison Anselmet is a regional icon of viticulture that looks to the future. With an attentive and innovative approach, Giorgio Anselmet has found a place for his wines, with their both traditional and modern traits, on a marketplace that is more demanding each year. In the past, Chardonnay Élevé en Fût de Chêne has always been his top label, but this year, Giorgio amazed us with an intense, elegant Pinot Nero, Semel Pater ’13, dedicated to his father. Its spicy tones, balance and clean fruit will win your heart.

81 MAY 2016

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