year 21 - number 118 - may 2018 - gamberorosso.it
WINE
T R AV E L
FOOD
Brunello di Montalcino A very classic 2013 EN PRIMEUR TASTINGS First sensation from Chianti Classico, Sagrantino di Montefalco and Amarone
PRIVACY ISSUE Wit the excuse of a more accurate service are restaurants actually profiling us?
INDUSTRY CITY This is the new foodie destination in New York. Here's where to eat
Savour the landscape, too. Tenute SalvaTerra has been awarded the international “Best of Wine Tourism” award 2018 for the “Architecture and Landscapes” category. Architecture, landscape and wine are intricately linked, as all three are the result of human thought and work. This time, we have not won recognition for our wines, but for our commitment to nurturing and promoting a major wine region and its produce.
The stunning natural beauty of Valpolicella awaits you.
SOMMARIO 4
year 21 - number 118 - may 2018 - gamberorosso.it
WINE
T R AV E L
FOOD
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Brunello di Montalcino A very classic 2013 EN PRIMEUR TASTINGS First sensation from Chianti Classico, Sagrantino di Montefalco and Amarone
PRIVACY ISSUE Wit the excuse of a more accurate service are restaurants actually profiling us?
INDUSTRY CITY This is the new foodie destination in New York. Here's where to eat
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The soaring Made in Italy brand Food News Wine News Wine of the month The Zurich Connection Top Italian Restaurants in Houston Industry City is the new foodie destination in New York. Here’s where to eat 5 Previews from Tuscany, Umbria and Valpolicella SalvaTerra Day, Valpolicella home of the first think tank for the future of wine With the excuse of a more accurate service are restaurants actually profiling us? Recipes by Valentino Palmisano
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The soaring Made in Italy brand
We’re writing these lines between flightw of our “never ending” international tour, this time between Brazil, Switzerland, South East Asia and the United States. This all comes with editing stories and tastings at the 32nd edition of Vini d’Italia that are taking place. We are returning to Italy after wonderful experiences, with Italian wine producers at the Roadshow we met food and wine journalists and lifestyle writers, sommeliers, chefs and restaurateurs, Italians and foreigners alike. The competition on the international markets is very strong, and our mission, through the events and the guide Vini d’Italia, is to provide an important cultural support to wine lovers and the Italian wine export. The figures are comforting for this first part of the year: we are growing on various markets, and especially on the crucial US one. There is, everywhere in the world, the desire for Italy, and for its oenological “biodiversity”, for our thousands of terroirs, vines and aromas. We return from our travels with the awareness that the Italian wine world continues to have a strong ally, often underestimated, in the world: Italian cuisine. Our restaurateurs have opened successful venues all over the world and work every day fueled by incredible passion. These are formidable ambassadors of the Italian lifestyle and our small and yet great wines. Having visited more than 400 in a year of travel worldwide, we have dedicated to these brave ambassadors a guide that can be browsed online at www.gamberorosso.it/restaurants. In this issue you will find the anticipated previews of the new vintages of great wines, between Umbria, Tuscany and Veneto with Amarone, and learn what will soon be on the shelves of all the wine shops in the world and in the wine lists of many restaurants.
– Marco Sabellico
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2018 MAY
OCTOBER
31
HONG KONG - China Top ItalianWine&Spirits Experience - Vinexpo Special
30 TOKYO - Japan
trebicchieri
EN PRIMEUR
NOVEMBER
JUNE 04
SEATTLE - Usa
06
VANCOUVER - Canada
08
TORONTO - Canada trebicchieri
12
WASHINGTON DC - Usa Vini d'Italia Experience
14
BOSTON - Usa Vini d'Italia Experience
20
PARIS - France
05 BEIJING - China trebicchieri
Top Italian Wines Roadshow
trebicchieri/Best of Italy
EN PRIMEUR EN PRIMEUR
EN PRIMEUR
07 HONG KONG - China
trebicchieri
13 SHANGHAI - China
trebicchieri
22 MOSCOW - russia
trebicchieri
EN PRIMEUR
La Vie en Rose
2019 JANUARY STOCKHOLM - Sweden trebicchieri COPENHAGEN - Denmark Vini d'Italia Experience BERLIN - Germany Vini d'Italia Experience MUNICH - Germany trebicchieri
FEBRUARY LONDON – U.K.
trebicchieri
11 LOS ANGELES - Usa
trebicchieri
13 SAN FRANCISCO - Usa
trebicchieri
18 CHICAGO - Usa
trebicchieri
20 NEW YORK - Usa
trebicchieri
MARCH DÜSSELDORF - Germany
trebicchieri PROWEIN Special
NEWS
SPYCE IN BOSTON, THE FIRST RESTAURANT WITH A ROBOTIC KITCHEN, RECIPES ARE BY DANIEL BOULUD
The debut in Boston was less than a month ago, and it soon became the talk of the town. And not because of its superstar chefs. The guests at Spyce, located at 241 Washington Street, are welcomed to a rather unusual setting: an open but fully automated kitchen, and avant-garde engineering work designed by a team of young MIT researchers, who like to call themselves the Spyce Boys. The name of the invention promises to revolutionize the fast food service is the Spyce Kitchen, a robot programmed to produce food that’s ready for service in less than three minutes, with the idea of re-
ducing food costs, optimizing the resources and guaranteeing the opportunity to eat out even to those who can’t afford a traditional restaurant (the full meal is sold at 8 dollars). But with the quality of select ingredients and healthy cooking, in contrast to menus of the most famous fast food chains. On the menu are variations of bowls (which recently have literally invaded the American market, and are rapidly catching up in Europe, too) filled with balanced combinations of ingredients - vegetables, seeds, cereal, seafood - that the robot can easily assemble. The machine, equipped with 7 mechanical arms, handles the operations of a brigade of 7 chefs, in a serial fashion. All customers have to do is send their order choosing the preferred ingredients on a touch screen: the dish will be completed in a few minutes, and the robot will also clean up the workspace, ready for a new order. Supervising operations, however, is the experience of chef Sam Benson, the fifth element of the Spyce Boys, who for the occasion benefitted from the sound advice of
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Daniel Boulud (Benson worked under Boulud at Café Boulud), master of French technique and rigor, who for the first time is involved a project that goes far beyond his idea of cooking. The result is fine food that’s affordable and served quickly. To be eaten on the spot, or for take out, operating nonstop hours, from 10.30 am to 10 pm. The solution proposed by the MIT team opens up new possibilities for the evolution of automated dining, which continues to be questioned in regard to the risk of depersonalizing the profession of the cook and distort the customer’s experience.
NEWS
BRUSSELS DEFENDS THE POTATO CHIP. HENCE PROPOSING A NEW CONCEPT FOR FRITES KIOSKS
In the simplistic game of national dishes, moules and frites undoubtedly win the medal for the top symbolic specialty of Belgian gastronomic tradition: a hearty dish offered in generous quantities, which combines mussels boiled in wine and chips, ubiquitous on the tables of
traditional Belgian restaurants. These are also sold as street food in characteristic “friteries,” which are humble kiosks popular in the main cities. Brussels has built a myth on the frites topped with mayonnaise and served in a portable paper cone (the equally typical “cornet de frites”) - however paternity of this specialty is disputed with France, with continuous claims coming from both sides of the border. So, in recent months, the administration of the Belgian capital, in the figure of the Councillor for economic development Marien Lemesre, has announced a call for tenders for the development and valueing of the national street food, and those kiosks “frietkots” is the Flemish term - which in fact have become identifying urban elements, but without particular aesthetic value. Precisely on the possibility of rethinking these spaces as attractions, the call for bids intends to gather designers and architecture studios to redesign the kiosks, and make them deserving of their fame also from an urbanistic point of view. The competition between creative
minds should lead to finding an ideal model that can be easily replicable, and immediately recognizable, to make street fryers an iconic element “like red telephone booths are for London”, in the words of the Councillor. And there is already a winner: the project of the Moto company of architects Morris Vandenberghe and Thomas Hick from Ghent, who was selected among 50 other projects presented in the competition. Their prototype offers common elements - the countertop and walls in white tiles reminiscent of the old city shops, reflective aluminum cladding for the outside and the canopy, solar panels on the roof––yet still preserving the identity of each kiosk (owners can affix a personalized sign, which will be reflected on the mirrored surfaces), so as not to impact the sensitiveness of regular customers. In the coming months the restyling will cover the first 8 frietkots in Brussels involved in the project, including the famous one located in front of the Atomium, among the most visited attractions in the city
DUCASSE’S FLOATING RESTAURANT ON THE SEINE Paris has molded its gastronomic vocation into something legendary, and equally in this direction is the initiative that from this coming autumn will involve chef Alain Ducasse, ready to launch a calendar of gourmande cruises on the Seine (Ducasse sur Seine), in collaboration with the river tourist company Citysurfing. The Ducasse Paris Group will manage the dining format on the first electric boat sailing on the Seine, the result of an 11 million Euro investment, which involves approximately 200 people on site, for a total of 18 months of work. When fully operational, the vessel will employ seventy people and will make 700 cruises a year, sailing between the
gardens of the Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower: a floating restaurant that can seat up to 200 guests for 2 daily services, an hour and a half each. At the mooring, waiting to embark, you can take advantage of the aperitif service or ejnoy a tea in the afternoon. The project, entrusted to architect Gerard Ronzatti, plays on transparencies and reflecting surfaces. On the table the proposal will be oriented towards a seasonal and not too formal menu, which gives a nod to bistro features: local products, market cuisine, cooking methods respectful of the ingredients (and everything will be cooked on board). All this with the touch of Ducasse–– who is launching a large number of
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projects in the city, and is preparing to inaugurate the second Spoon brand, after the rebirth last autumn, in Place de la Bourse.
NEWS
CONEGLIANO. FIRST NO-GO FOR THE UNESCO APPLICATION OF THE PROSECCO SUP. LANDSCAPE. NOW EVERYONE’S HOPING FOR THE COMMITTEE’S CHANGE OF HEART, MEETING DUE IN JUNE “The landscape of Prosecco Superiore is not unique.” With this motivation, the International Council on Monuments and Sites gave a first negative opinion on the Unesco candidacy of Conegliano Valdobbiadene. This outcome had been announced for months, but which however is not definitive, as emphasized by Professor Amerigo Restucci, scientific coordinator of the candidacy: “Icomos is a UNESCO advisory body,” he stated in a note, “The final evaluation is, on the other hand, entrusted to the Heritage Committee, which is a political body elected by the Member States and which can accept, modify or supplement the technical recommendation.” This
had already happened with Langhe-Roero and Monferrato, finally obtaining recognition in 2014. All is not lost, therefore. Although, as Restucci himself points out, Italy - having the world record of recognized sites - would have a very critical technical judgment on the new proposed dossiers. Is this enough reason to stop? Not at all, as Innocente Nardi points out
(photo), President of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Consortium (spearheading the candidature): “We and all the bodies involved will continue to work. We are confident in a positive outcome in regard to our candidacy. The quality of our territory is out of the question; we believe, in fact, that the hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene have all the unique characteristics in
terms of territory, of the beauty of the landscape and of historic value in relation to the cultivation of wine. A technical opinion was expressed by the UNESCO Committee, to which Professor Restucci replied. Now work continues with in-depth studies until the final verdict, expected between the end of June and the beginning of July”.
USA. SPENDING ON THE IMPORT OF STILL WINES IS GROWING. ITALY AT +11.3% IN THREE MONTHS The United States purchase less still wine but pay more for it in the first quarter of the year. In fact, there are 2.38 million hectolitres (-4.4%) purchased from January to March from the world’s largest market for wine consumption, with prices equivalent to 1.1 billion dollars (+11.1 %). Italy thus loses 1% in quantity but gains 11.3% in value. In the first quarter of last year, the respective trends had been +1.3% and +1.5%. This is a good result, according to the analysis of the Italian Wine and Food Institute (Iwfi), which is in line with the general trend of the US market. In detail, Italy rose
average price of bottled Italian wine is stable: $5.90 per litre compared to $3.11/litre in Australia and $9.43/liter in France. The ranking by volume of the main suppliers of the American market (considering still wines) has in the lead, in the quarter, Italy followed by Australia, Chile, France and New Zealand. Considering values, Italy is in the lead followed by France, New Zealand, Australia and Chile. In particular, for Australia and Argentina there are strong contractions of non-bottled wines (-35.4% and -80.4%). The progression of French wines continues, which, af-
from 600,920 hectolitres, for a value of 306.3 million dollars in the first quarter of 2017, to 594,850 hectolitres, for a value of 341.2 million dollars in the 2018 quarter. The market share of Italian wines is currently 24.9% in quantity and 30.5% in value. In the corresponding period of 2017, it was 24.1% in quantity and 30.4% in value. Thus, slightly increased. The
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ter a successful 2017, show a +14.5% increase in quantity and +26.5% in value. The situation in New Zealand is also very positive (+25.6% and +31.7%). Spain on the other hand, shines less with a -8.2% decrease in quantity and +1.4% in value. In terms of sparkling wines, Italy rose from 145.810 hectolitres, for 74.5 million dollars in the first quarter of 2017, to 167,150 hectolitres, for 95.8 million dollars this year. The increase recorded, according to Iwfi, is 14.6% in quantity and 28.5% in value. And the market share of sparkling wines imported from Italy is 61.7% in quantity and 42.6% in value.
NEWS
WINE OF THE MONTH TORRE TESTA ROSÉ ‘17 - TENUTE RUBINO via E. Fermi, 50 - 72100 Brindisi www.tenuterubino.com bottles 5000 - ex-cellar price: 11,80 Euro euros + taxes The Rubino family estate spans four areas, running from the Adriatic coast to the inland province of Brindisi. Jaddico, which is closer to the sea, hosts the oldest vineyards (more than 75 years old). Here, the Susmaniello is grown, a variety that best defines the winery. Also near the coast is Marmorelle, which features younger vineyards, while more inland we find Uggìo, whose 125 hectares make it the largest plot, and Punta Aquila, which is completely dedicated to the cultivation of Primitivo. Torre Testa ‘17 is a rosé with great character: intense and fleshy fruit profile, with hints of pomegranate and small black fruits, it is juicy and dynamic, with an irresistible spicy silhouette. The Rubinos are specialists of susumaniello, a wine that hits the mark also in the rosé version
WINE TOURISM. HOW MUCH AND WHAT DO FOREIGN TOURISTS DRINK IN ITALY?
SOUTH AFRICA. HARVEST DOWN BY 15%, BUT BETTER THAN EXPECTED
In 2018 foreign tourists visiting Italy will open about 73 million bottles. This is revealed by a study conducted by Klaus Davi & Co. on the basis of the 70 million bottles consumed last year and the increase in sales already registered this year in the first quarter of 2018. But, beyond the numbers, what are the Italian wines most chosen by tourists? The marketing group traced the top 10 wine brands preferred by foreigners, through a sample study of 500 foreigners ages 21 to 50 (see infographic): in the lead are Chianti and Brunello, threatened by the increasingly appreciated bubbles (Prosecco and Franciacorta). Piedmont wines are well anchored at the centre of the ranking, while Aglianico is the only wine representing Southern Italy. The top 5 countries most attracted to wine tourism in Italy, on the other hand, are Germany, followed by the United States, France, UK and Switzerland. Do not underestimate the emerging markets. In particular in Asia, China and Japan, and
with those of the rest of the world.”.
Harvest rounds are starting again, with the first estimates coming from South Africa, where the harvest ended for more than a month ago. The first data revealed by Sawis (South African Wine Industry Information and Systems) show a decrease of 15% in the harvest, due to what has been defined as the worst drought in the last one-hundred years. This translates to a total of 1,220,920 tons brought in the cellar. Down, yes, but still above initial estimates: the OIV a few weeks ago had predicted a full -20%. The situation is similar in all regions, with the exception of Breedekloof, where the new facilities in Colombard and Pinotage have raised the numbers. A particularly difficult season was the one near the Olifants River, where the producers could draw from the Clanwilliam dam only for 20% of the quota normally allotted to irrigation. In some regions further problems came with the frosts of September/October. In general, however, there has been alternation between dry heats of December - when not even a drop of water precipitated and temperatures remained constantly above 35 degrees C - and the cooler vegetative phase, characterized by milder temperatures that favoured ripening of the grapes, especially the red varieties. Not to mention that the dry climate favoured the positive health of the vineyards, with few or no parasites present on the plants. If the volume is, therefore, decreasing, the quality could give pleasant surprises. “We feel very optimistic about the quality of the grapes of the 2018 crop” is the comment of Siobhan Thompson, CEO of Wines of South Africa. “Beyond the numbers, what matters to us is that the standards of the wines we sell can compete
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THE ZURICH CONNECTION It's a growing market, yet out of reach for Italian wineries. Here's how consumers' tastes are changing. News from our Worldtour
by Lorenzo Ruggeri
STORIES
T
he fifth world market for Italian wine is more complex than one might think. Proximity does not always help despite figures being positive. In 2017, Italian imports reached a record amount of 360 million Euro, compared to 337 in 2016. This is an important growth that we also find in the first 2018 survey: in January Italian wine grew by 12% in value. And yet, the struggle of many quality Italian wineries to find outlets in the Swiss market remains. The Gambero Rosso event in Zurich, staged on Monday at Folium, an ancient paper mill, was an opportunity to test the market and the Italian food scene in what is still to this day one of the richest cities in the country. Among the protagonists were 60 wineries, and three moments of in-depth engagement.
PROSECCO DOC During the masterclass on Prosecco doc––the one Italian wine that continues to drive the highest export––it became evident that in recent years the bubbles with the more contained sugar content are the most appreciated. The more dry and the extra dry are still struggling, while bruts are always the most appreciated. The most loved is a Prosecco that's refermented in bottle and not filtered. That old international taste, as it was considered years ago, no longer exists. There are aware and responsible consumers, as there are the opposite. The difference in taste is not as marked as in the imagination of many producers. Abroad - we have seen during the course of our many journeys - what is increasingly appreciated about our wines is their unpredictability, originality, the
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character of a native vine, the stylistic profile that breaks the rules, the edge that identifies them. Fragrant and dynamic wines are best loved, consistently. RED WINES Of course, Switzerland still maintains a rather marked preference for red wines, just look at the wine lists of those restaurants we visited in Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva. Including at pizzerias: "Yes, the consumption of red wines is much higher, even if bubbles are catching up," says Enrico Coppola, owner of Luigia, the only pizzeria awarded with 3 Spicchi recognition in Switzerland. "In the last year Valpolicella sales of surpassed Chianti Classico, this is a historical overtaking in my shop", says Roberto Capponi of Enoteca Capponi in Lausanne.
GAMBERO ROSSO WORLD TOUR
WINES OF PIEDMONT The second masterclass was dedicated to the Wines of Piedmont, a very active promotion consortium that brings together about 200 wineries from all over Piedmont, directed by Daniele Manzone. The objective of the consortium is enhancing the thousands of territorial peculiarities; in the works there's also an ad hoc school due to open in Asia. A tasting tour from Roero Arneis, to Barbera d'Alba and Asti, from the red Monferrato to the latest Barolo vintages just put on the market. WINES OF THE SANNIO Focus was also placed on Falanghina del Sannio, thanks to a corner created by the Protection Consortium that has brought more than 20 labels in tasting, paired with local specialties such as mozzarella ď‚„
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STORIES
from Battipaglia known as "zizzona," knife-carved mortadella, burrata and anchovies: flavors designed to enhance the versatility of the most planted vine in Campania. TOP ITALIAN RESTAURANTS Among the restaurants awarded in the city, 4Leoni (awarded 2 Gamberi recognition) stands out. The restaurant has branches in Florence and Siracusa (in Sicily). Authentic flavors, properly dry-aged and well-cooked meats, classic Tuscan cucina povera and a genuine approach that's very difficult to find in these parts. Among the winners outside of Zurich, also Riviera (2 Gamberi) in Spiez and Beau-Rivage da Domenico in Thun (2 Forchette). Both - even if in different contexts (the first is more traditional, the second is more elegant), propose a solid cuisine with excellent fresh fish and a notable attention paid to one of the key elements for gaining access in our guide: the quality of the extra-virgin olive oil used in the kitchen and present on the table. ď ś
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ROVAGNATI
Gourmet Sanwich Challenge with Max and Gran Biscotto Hong Kong, San Francisco, Paris, Monaco and Rome: a small - so to speak - journey around the world organized by Gambero Rosso Channel in regard to one of the pillars behind the iconic sandwich, cooked ham. The protagonist of this journey is Gran Biscotto by Rovagnati, which has seduced chefs and lovers of cooking and gastronomy on three different continents: all under the guidance of Italian chefs working in various world cities and who have started to work on the theme of the ham sandwich and who emtered a challenged initially on their turf, and then in a big final match against 5 other contestants. The winner is awarded a professional Italian cooking course at one of the Gambero Rosso Academy schools. "To learn who crafts the best sandwich you have to stay tuned until June 25th, when the final winner among the contenders from the 5 corners of the world will be announced", smiles Max Mariola, Gambero Rosso Channel talent who has shaped his success around sandwiches, as well as produced a volume of recipes dedicated to gourmet sandwiches. He is the host of the show, sharing snippets of the experiences matured during the filming of the 5 episodes. «I want to underline how everyone appreciated the succulent and delicious characteristics of Gran Biscotto Rovagnati: it was the true protagonist of the challenge - Max smiles. In Paris there was a long list of ingredients that the contenders had to combine in a sandwich, from snails to béchamel and even roquefort. A similar situation also in Hong Kong, with contestans had to employ different ingredients: spicy and fermented sauces, vegetable or fish, often too strong
for a fine and balanced ham. Great success in Rome, but that was a home game!» The city most sensitive to the quality of the product? «Munich. also because the selected competitors were mostly of Italian origin working in German kitchens - Max smiles - and also the products chosen for the pairings were mostly Italian and very good». «Sure––chef Igles Corelli chimes in, together with Lorenzo Ruggeri (curator of the Gambero Rosso Top Italian Restaurants in the World guide) and Claudia Limonta Rovagnati, in the jury that will have to choose the winner––the one sure thing is that the winning sandwich must do justice to Gran Biscotto and not disappear covered by other ingredients that are too fatty or spicy or sapid. The winner who succeeded in the enterprise will be disclosed on the last Monday of the month. Meanwhile, enjoy the challenge that started in May and takes us through the beginning of the summer».
Ham: ideal for its nutritional properties Always loved by children and mothers alike for its practicality, the "Cotto" ham can be considered in all respects a nutritious and protein-rich second course: it contains 20 g of protein per each 100 g serving, just like a fresh chicken breast. Light and digestible (cooking the meat makes it even more traceable by digestive enzymes than the curing of prosciutto does). The one defect is that it is a product added with salt, so pay attention to the sodium content of the meal in general (season other dishes less, or simply pair it with unsalted bread). It's always better to choose natural products that don't use polyphosphates and nitrites.
in collaboration with
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TOP ITALIAN RESTAURANTS
TOP ITALIAN RESTAURANTS IN HOUSTON
SUD ITALIA
VINOTECA POSCÒL
CANE ROSSO THE HEIGHTS
2347 University Boulevard Houston www.sud-italia.com
608 Westheimer Rd – Houston www.poscolhouston.com
1835 N Shepherd Dr B – Houston www.canerosso.it
Average Price: $ 60
Average Price: $ 30
Average Price: $ 25
This restaurant opened by Sha-
The third restaurant of chef Marco
Jay Jerrier’s project is increasingly
non Scott in 2014 is increasingly
Wiles relies heavily on a wine list
complex and articulate. It all started
focused and cantered. The menu
of exclusively Italian wines paired
with a mobile oven in the streets of Dal-
features the rich repertoire of Southern
to traditional dishes sold at value pric-
las, then the first restaurant - today in
Italian cuisine, with authentic recipes and
es. Meals may open with serious char-
Dallas there are 5 of them - which then
products imported directly from Italy.
cuterie grazing boards, including cured
spread to two more locations in Austin
Chef Maurizio Ferrarese, originally from
meats and cheeses such as bresaola
and Houston. The first pizzeria in town
Vercelli, has made a remarkable leap in
and robiola, plus bruschetta. Equally
was opened in The Heights, directly fol-
quality, thanks to the experience ma-
tasty are the risotto or the homemade
lowed by the second opening in Mon-
tured at the Four Seasons in Florence and
pasta. We like the wine list, which is
trose. We’re talking Neapolitan-style
Houston. Starters include arancini rice
well structured and ranging from light
pizza, Cane Rosso belongs in fact to Ve-
balls, classic and tasty Creste di Gallo alla
to medium and full-bodied wines, the
race Neapolitan Pizza Association, with
nroma (macaroni pasta in tomato sauce,
selection of which brings together less-
pies baked in a Stefano Ferrara ad hoc
diced eggplant and ricotta salata cheese)
er known brands and vignerons. There
oven, high temperature cooking, a driz-
or a delicate fillet of red snapper served
are many wine tasting events with the
zle of raw olive oil and basil. Toppings
with potatoes, olives and capers. The
wine producers, which should not be
include homemade pork sausages from
wine list also draws among the vineyards
missed. A warm atmosphere that trans-
Berkshire, homemade mozzarella (but
of Southern Italy with lesser-known win-
ports us to a true Friulian osteria from
also imported) Italian flours and toma-
eries. This is a solid and coherent project
Poscolle, chef Marco’s birthplace.
toes. Some pies cater to the American
with attentive and professional service.
palate, with very intense toppings and flavours; we prefer the classic pizzas like Marinara or the Regina Margherita (with bufala). In regard to drinks, there’s a targeted selection of Italian wines, cleverly served also by the glass, plus craft beers and cocktails.
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TOP ITALIAN RESTAURANTS
Southern Italian flavours lead the way in the most densely populated city in Texas. Traditional restaurants, fine dining restaurants, pizzerias and wine bars: here is our shortlist.
Top Italian Restaurants
©
AMALFI
ww w .gamberorosso.it
6100 Westheimer Road – Houston www.amalfihouston.com Average Price: $ 80 The blue and yellow colour palette of this Italian restaurant takes us straight to the cultural background and flavours of chef and owner Giancarlo Ferrara. The same bright and identifying flavours are found in the dishes reinterpreted with creative flair. The menu features well presented and tasty dishes, such as the peppery stewed mussels, paccheri with colatura anchovy sauce (served with tuna and onions), or large Mediterranean fish–– like sea bass or red snapper––baked in a wood oven, in a rock salt crust or with simple olive oil, cherry tomatoes and white wine. Meals may end with delizia al limone dessert, of course. Overall, the place shows its care for detail, bright, elegant setting, with wine bottles lending colour to the walls.
www.gamberorosso.it/restaurants/
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INDUSTRY CITY IS THE NEW FOODIE DESTINATION IN NEW YORK. HERE’S WHERE TO EAT How to rehabilitate degraded suburbs, how to give new dignity, identity and role to disused industrial areas? In New York the Industry City project mixes large spaces, production, sales and even food service. All at a very high innovation rate
by Massimiliano Tonelli
STORIES
I
n the beginning it was the Bush Terminals, nothing to do with the Bush political dynasty, rather the Dutch entrepreneurial legacy of the Bosch family who settled in New York when the city was still called New Amsterdam. Over the years in the area of Sunset Park overlooking the southern bay of Manhattan and facing the rock where Lady Liberty stands, one of the most organized systems of storage, production, manufacture of America was first born. Connected via rail and sea, and designed for maximum efficiency, the huge industrial warehouse has now evolved, and, for the times, it’s now technologically efficient and highly innovative. THE BUSH TERMINAL CRISIS Like all structures of this kind, even the huge Bush Terminal fell into crisis in the last decades of the last century. In the '70s, the 25 thousand employees who worked there (it had become the largest clothing production center in New York, when no competition what yet posed by China) worked on a surface of 81 hectares, but at that point the decline had already begun. In the 1980s the area was renamed Industry City because the Bush business no longer existed. Beginning in the 2000s, artists and creative types began to settle here spontaneously, so much so that in 2014 the New York Times spoke of this place as the "Soho of Brooklyn." Things began to take a different turn from 2013 when the entire area was acquired by real estate developer Jamestown, the same person who owns the legendary Chelsea Market in Manhattan. THE JAMESTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT To develop the gigantic area and transform it into a project that would work at an urban level and that would be profitable on an economic level, Jamestown focused everything on the industrial and productive legacy and therefore on the identity of these huge warehouses. This was a space intended in the first place for production: be they shows, resident art, technological start-ups, events and exhibitions, but
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also and above all for production. And that's precisely what happened. Not just in terms of art, craftsmanship, design, but also in regard to food. Industry City, in short, is turning into a curious aggregator of gastronomic concepts with a trump card that's very rare for Manhattan: space. Here there is a lot of space and it's relatively affordable. This means it's easier to produce in the same place where products are sold and served. All this gives way to experiments conducted with new formats in a creative ecosystem, one in which each activity supports the other. With this strategy Industry City has gone from hiring, as an article by Artribune of almost a year ago, 1900 to 6500 "employers". This happens in a context where production, culture and sales coexist and enrich each other in a sort of new creative welfare. An example: the beautiful Wanted Design store sells international objects (many Italian, especially Alessi), but also and above all accessories produced by resident designers of Industry City.
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Industry City
Usa NY 11232 – Brooklyn 220 36th St #2-A +1(718)7362516 ext. 200 industrycity.com
INDUSTRY CITY
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1. A courtyard 2. Colson 3. Ejen 4. Taco Mix Opening, clockwise from the top: the Burger Joint, one of the IC's building, One Girl Cookie bakery and the entrance of the cooking school Brooklyn Kitchen.
INDUSTRY CITY FOOD Needless to say, the spaces of Industry City are turning into a considerable attractor for the world of food. As we said there are many square feet available - and many realities need that space. In addition to space there are the people, there are flows, and customers because the ecosystem of the city works and the thousands of makers, startuppers, artists and artisans need to feed themselves. There is a large food hall in Building 2 which actually resembles the Chelsea Market, and then there are some very special foods on offer in the other buildings, including on the ground floor. What follows is a guide, that takes into account that the project is still in progress and the new openings in the coming years will be many. BAKERIES AND CHOCOLATIERS None other of these businesses require the huge spaces that only Industry City can provide in New York. Hence the chocolat-
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ier Li-Lac and bakeries already popular in town such as Colson or One Girl Cookie that have branches here with stores on the front and very large production workshops in back. RESTAURANTS The most popular is perhaps Avocaderia. Already no longer in fashion in Europe, the trend of eating avocado in every shape and form still seems to be trendy in New York and this store in Industry City proves it. Not bad at all is also Ejen’s Korean cuisine as well as Taco Mix and Kotti. The former serves up fresh tacos, Kotti on the other hand is a small counter behind which perfect kebabs are served Berlin-style, just like in Kreutzberg. MEAT You will not believe it but here in Industry City you will find the branch office of Burger Joint. The legendary queues at the flagship historic home of this legendary
STORIES
hamburger-only restaurant in Midtown, here are a thing of the past. Then there’s the Ends Meat project, a delicatessen that uses all the parts of the animals that they slaughter. And before summer Hometown barbecue also should open, the branch of a celebrated hyper carnivore restaurant based in nearby Red Hook. Which means abundance of ribs, brisket, pastrami and pulled pork. EXCEPTIONAL GROCERY STORES Large supermarket grocery stores are the next Industry City development. Due to open is Breadberry adn the first ever expansion of Sahadi's, historic Brooklyn food store that since the beginning of the twentieth century had never moved and that will set up its first branch here. Due to open soon is also Japan Village, large Japanese market containing izakaya, food stores and much more contained in a – speaking of space – 1800square meter area.
DISTILLERIES Open only on Friday and Saturday but unlike all other food vendors located in a panoramic position on the roof of one of the buildings in the area, Industry City Distillery is one of the symbols of the rebirth of this neighborhood as are its vodkas. But production (the concept of production goes back into the liqueur as well as the concept of space) does not stop here: there’s Barrow's Intense that crafts in IC a ginger liqueur, and also Brooklyn Kura which is a sake production project made exclusively with American ingredients. Here in Industry City there is a very charming tap room, in one of the leafy courtyards, where patrons can taste the products seated at the counter: one of the most original projects of the entire district. COFFEE Celebrated in New York of its “most expensive coffees in town”, Extraction Lab is one of Industry City's coffee shops. It is actually
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8 5. Ends Meat 6. Avocaderia 7 and 8. Extraction Lab
the show room of a well-known company that produces ultra-technological coffee machines. Here a row of docks extract the beverage (but also brew tea and herbal tisanes) are on a long counter in a minimalistic environment. In addition are books, magazines and plants. To eat there's only some Nordic style treats. The coffee beans alone, however, come from the most reputable roaster in the world. Which justifies the price. Other coffees? There’s Maglia Rosa, Italian style brews. COOKING SCHOOLS Ubiquitous. For the time being there’s “only” Brooklyn Kitchen which welcomes with upcoming opening and inviting free courses. But in all likelihood, it's just the first of a long list of cooking schools that will land here in the next few years. WINE Space, once again. More than a wine shop, Moore Brothers Wine Company looks like a huge warehouse of wine import export. This is where the Industry City community comes to purchase a fine bottle of wine.
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Obviously, the list does not end here both with regard to what's already here but above all with regard to what will be opening soon. The Industry City project is taking off and in the coming months the plans of new businesses set ups here will most likely intensify. It appears that large NY restaurant groups (including Torrisi and Enrique Olvera) are interested in joining in. All development managers have to do now is preserve the role of the project. Rents are already increasing, investments have been considerable (one billion dollars at the end of 10 years of work) and must be repaid, but this is likely to alienate artists and creators as is already happening. If Industry City succeeds in not distorting its nature and maintains this mix of functions and population, it will be one of the most interesting urban (and gastronomic) projects in the coming months and years. On the other hand, it could simply become a new successful real estate operation in New York, not worthy of any future attention. Industry City – Usa – NY 11232 Brooklyn - 220 36th St #2-A +1(718)7362516 ext. 200 industrycity.com
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5 PREVIEWS FROM TUSCANY, UMBRIA AND VALPOLICELLA First “hot off the press” sensations from the previews of Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, Nobile di Montepulciano, Sagrantino di Montefalco and Amarone della Valpolicella. Everything you need to know about the labels that we loved the most. Next steps Sicily, Burgundy and Bordeaux
Words by Antonio Boco, Giuseppe Carrus, Paolo De Cristofaro, Nicola Frasson – Art by Alvise Bittente
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5 PREVIEWS FROM TUSCANY, UMBRIA AND VALPOLICELLA
Brunello di Montalcino. A very classic 2013 The twenty-sixth edition of Benvenuto Brunello will be remembered as one of the most “media-rich” in recent years. The involvement of an international star such as singer Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, aka Sting, contributed greatly to this aspect. He was an exceptional testimonial with his wife Trudie Styler of the 2017 vintage, valued 4 stars by a commission of oenologists and journalists. The tasting of Brunello 2013 is very interesting: a classic vintage from a climatic and expressive point of view. With “vintage” conditions: prolonged and late vegetative cycle, sunny but never muggy summer climates, cool and humid weather in spring and autumn. Difficulties were not lacking however, linked mostly to October rains and choice of ideal harvest moment. However, the wines seem to have more merits than limitations: aromatically crisp and faceted (flowers, balsams, light fruits), with a solid and refined structure. Hard but rarely raw, generally geared for long and positive changes in the bottle. The situation is still rather heterogeneous and, compared to other harvests, the strengths and weaknesses of the various sub-areas are most felt. Therefore, there’s a bigger gap between the “large group” and the peaks, which however appear to be of high level. Specular discourse for 2012 Reserve and delayed output: thanks to the distinctly Mediterranean vintage, there are only a few labels truly able to add depth and details to their respective “base”. Finally, the first indications from the Red 2016 test, are generally a step below the previous vintage.
CANALICCHIO DI SOPRA Brunello di Montalcino ’13
CAPRILI Brunello di Montalcino ’13
Montalcino (SI) - loc. Casaccia, 73 0577848316 - canalicchiodisopra.com
Montalcino (SI) – fraz. Tavernelle podere Caprili, 268 – 0577848566 - caprili.it
The Brunello of the Ripaccioli-Pacenti family is regularly one of the most reliable “thermometers” of the new year and 2013 is no exception. Classic to say the least in its touches of strawberry, liquorice and topsoil, representing the fresh vintage also in its tonic and slender silhouette: perhaps there is a lack of grip and flavour, but the plot is anything but ephebic.
The wines of the Bartolommei family have long been among the sure values of the local production. This grace is confirmed by the Brunello ‘13, typically reductive in its initial impact, followed by a fine combination of fresh fruit, medicinal herbs and light spices. However, the best comes from the mouth, among the most spherical, flavourful and velvety in extraction.
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IL MARRONETO Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie ’13
LE CHIUSE Brunello di Montalcino ’13
Montalcino (SI) loc. Madonna delle Grazie, 307 – 0577849382 ilmarroneto.it
Montalcino (SI) – loc. Pullera, 228 055597052 - lechiuse.com The names are almost exclusively already well known in the high positions of this first ranking chart on Brunello 2013. Think Le Chiuse, a landmark of the Montalcino area owed to fascinating and delicious interpretations, rich in forest notes, played on the naturalness of drinkability and the cohesion of the whole, more than on the mere material structure. A precise identikit.
Yet another worthy version for the peak Brunello of Il Marroneto. Immediately in focus on notes of dried roots and herbs, almost “Nebbiolo” like for rigor and stratification, it has the tannic density of the most classic Madonna delle Grazie without renouncing to sweetness of fruit and savoury character. The best is yet to come between at least in a decade, we are sure of this.
LE RAGNAIE Brunello di Montalcino Ragnaie V.V. ’13
PIANCORNELLO Brunello di Montalcino ’13
Montalcino (SI) – loc. Le Ragnaie 0577848639 - leragnaie.com
Montalcino (SI) - loc. Piancornello 0577844105 - piancornello.it
The cru of Le Ragnaie form one of the best-assorted Brunello pairs in the district of Montalcino, not only in compliance with 2013. The V.V. it appears even more profound and rich in its versatility, with the usual “pinot” colours to lighten the tertiary suggestions of undergrowth and goudron. The gustatory energy does the rest: the savoury presence is in the background but present, and the tannins are anything but docile and keep the mouth amalgamated and juicy.
The general evaluations on the vintages are almost always forced and in Montalcino in particular. But in this case, we can dare to say that 2013 looks decidedly favourable in the more sunny areas, as the Brunello di Piancornello exemplifies. Red ripe fruit without excess, vigorous brackish charge, alcoholic temperament more camouflaged than usual in the final tonic spiciness and Mediterranean scrub.
PIETROSO Brunello di Montalcino ’13
SALVIONI Brunello di Montalcino ’13
Montalcino (SI) – loc. Pietroso, 257 0577848573 - pietroso.it
Montalcino (SI) – Cavour, 19 – 0577848499 aziendasalvioni.com
The main merit of Gianni Pignattai and his family is definitely the idea of a Brunello that’s always very recognizable, regardless of the individual outputs. The 2013 embodies it to perfection: delicious red fruit, light spices, candied citrus fruit, original hints of tomato sauce, oregano, resins. And the usual subtle but pounding mouth, exacerbated by the rocky acidic skeleton rather than the measured tannic armour.
This is close to being the most exciting and multi-faceted Salvioni Brunello of the last decade. We rarely drink anything this airy, balsamic, sylvan, not to mention the almost salty sip and impeccable alcohol integration. Time will add details, but it is fully enjoyable even now.
FATTOI Brunello di Montalcino Riserva ’12
POGGIO DI SOTTO Brunello di Montalcino Riserva ’12
Montalcino (SI) – loc. Santa Restituta podere Capanna, 101 – 0577848613 - fattoi.it
Montalcino (SI) – fraz. Castelnuovo dell’Abate loc. Poggio di Sotto - 0577835502 collemassari.it
The Riserva versions of the Fattoi family are among the few ideally to complete the expressive design of the already excellent “basic” Brunello. The 2012 vintage is no exception: there are the usual rustic touches, and some reductive traces, but also a lush sequence of red fruits and balsams. The hot vintage removes something from the sapid development, but the finish is solid and neat.
Probably “the” wine of the event, as if to certify the impossibility of reducing the variegated landscape to the region’s pre-packaged synthesis. Blood orange, calamint, resin: Poggio di Sotto is the only Brunello Riserva ‘12 to combine salty sweetness and tannic grace, without the minimum alcoholic swerve. It has grace and weaves a great red in the absolute sense.
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Chianti Classico. A game for all, small and large (brands)
Chianti Classico is one of the most significant and important Italian wines. In recent years wineries have significantly focused on their identity and territorial identification of wines: the chosen means for this is mainly called Sangiovese. But the stylistic definition is convincing, always bigger and better: a true sign that the wind has changed, and that the confidence has increased. Lately there’s been an evolution that in some cases comes across as a revolution. Today the wines are decidedly more interesting: finished and elegant, less blurred by the notes of wood or from excessive extractions, able to evoke the many nuances of the sub-zones. Even the Consortium, urged by the small wineries (and now also by the larger ones) seems now determined to support the local diversity trend. Regarding the coming vintages, one couldn’t ask for anything better. The Chianti Classico 2016 is simply delicious: airy and refined, tasty and immediate as well as nuanced and rich in chiaroscuro. The 2015 vintage, less classic, has proven to give great wines. Reds that don’t lack pulp and maturity, but which have also shown complexity, details, depth and excellent tannic extractions.
MONTERAPONI Chianti Classico ’16 Radda in Chianti (SI) – loc. Monteraponi 0577738208 - monteraponi.it Of course, this is not the best wine presented by Michele Braganti. We still like to put it on the cover, for how centred and well-rounded it is. A Chianti Classico that is good for the denomination and perfectly embodies the features of the terroir: juicy, flowery and citrus in the aromas, has tension and finesse without sacrificing pulp, balance and length.
MONTE BERNARDI Chianti Classico Retromarcia ’16 Greve in Chianti (FI) – loc. Panzano via Chiantigiana km 33, V – 055852400 montebernardi.com We like to underline this: Monte Bernardi is one of our favourite wineries in Panzano. It has a delicate, aromatically sensual style, capable of combining intensity and elegance, in a dynamic and extremely authentic framework. Spring tones prevail in the mouth, namely of soil and wild flowers, accompanied by small sweet and tasty red fruits. Delicious.
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BUONDONNO - CASAVECCHIA ALLA PIAZZA Chianti Classico ’16
RIECINE Chianti Classico ’16 Gaiole in Chianti (SI) – loc. Riecine 0577749098 - riecine.com Cellar of incomparable charm and history, which has contributed with its wines to the emblazoned designation and is now the focus of some technical changes that we will pay close attention to. In the meantime, let’s enjoy this delicious Chianti Classico 2016, punctuated by aromas of violet and sour cherry. In the mouth it is delicate ad tasty, with an excellent finish.
Castellina in Chianti (SI) loc. La Piazza, 37 0577749754 - buondonno.com We appreciate Buondonno more and more. The winery is located in the northern part of Castellina and the wines appear authentic, artisanal and distinctly territorial. The scents of small black fruits are impressive, enveloped in iodine and balsamic sensations. The wine is enchanting in its graceful minerality, set in a silky and fine texture.
CASTELLARE DI CASTELLINA Chianti Classico ’16
ANTINORI Chianti Classico Riserva Marchese Antinori ’15
Castellina in Chianti (SI) – loc. Castellare 0577742903 - castellare.it The Chianti Classico “vintage” signed Castellare is always very convincing. Even more in this 2016 vintage. Wine of great mineral intensity, has a stony profile and the result of rare precision, well alternates in red and black, ripe and fresh sensations. Elegant texture on the palate, refined tannin justified by its extreme youth.
Firenze – p.zza degli Antinori, 3 05523595 - antinori.it A Chianti Classico by Antinori that’s really good and convincing in style. The nose is humoral and “chiantigiano”, with a fruity tissue, with beautiful stony and floral appeals. In the mouth it stands out with confidence and a pinch of proper austerity, as well as with aromatic consistency. This is the prototype of a modernity that we like. Very good.
CASTELLO DI FONTERUTOLI Chianti Classico Riserva Ser Lapo ’15
CASTELLO DI VOLPAIA Chianti Classico Riserva ’15
Castellina in Chianti (SI) - loc. Fonterutoli via Ottone III di Sassonia, 5 057773571 - mazzei.it Produced in a limited number of bottles, this Reserve is the result of the family’s selection in honour of Ser Lapo Mazzei, one of the undisputed fathers of Chianti wines. The style is surprising: it has a discoloured hue, fine and delicate aromas of fresh flowers, pebbles and cherries. In the mouth it is very tasty without the slightest hint of heaviness. The finish has beautiful acidity.
Radda in Chianti (SI) – loc. Volpaia p.zza della Cisterna, 1 0577738066 - volpaia.com Worthy of the beautiful village of Volpaia, of a winery full of charm and lands with dizzying altimeters, this Reserve has literally won our heart. It has variegated, elegant aromas, dominated by hints of red and black fruits and enveloped in a light smoky trail. In the mouth the strawberries return, and the texture is of incomparable for finesse, flavour and drinkability.
I FABBRI Chianti Classico Gran Selezione ’15
CASTELLO D’ALBOLA Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Solatìo ’15 Radda in Chianti (SI) – loc. Pian d’Albola, 31 0577738019 - albola.it
Greve in Chianti (FI) – loc. Lamole via Casole, 52 – 339412622 ifabbrichianticlassico.it
Albola occupies a spectacular portion of Radda, in the heart of the Chianti Classico. The Gran Selezione Il Solatìo derives from Sangiovese grapes, harvested in a steep and rocky slope that reaches 600-meter altitude, characterized by the classic mix of galestro and alberese. An enchanting wine, clean and fresh as well as complex, long, varietal and territorial in its aromatic references.
If the Gran Selezione, in addition to being the top of the qualitative pyramid of the Chianti Classico wines, should also represent the reference sub-area at its best, this wine of the I Fabbri should be taken as a prototype for Lamole. We consider it a wonderful red, authentic and fine, with aromas of strawberries and raspberries, wrapped in the proverbial mineral and ferrous trail of this particular terroir.
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Nobile di Montepulciano. Classic and contemporary Beyond the characteristics of the vintages, the sensation is that the Nobile is engaged in the search for a growing identity, an enterprise in which seems convincing. The wines appear more and more centred, free from frills or exaggerated extractions and from an inconsiderate use of oak; issues that, together with a wide-ranging disciplinary on the varietal level, has definitely made it difficult to understand everything and making the denomination uneven. It is increasingly clear that certain dynamics have been questioned by many and that the ongoing process is aimed at finding the most identifiable tradition of the Nobile, in a contemporary way: this is excellent news. Focusing attention on the vintages, those soon hitting the market, we’re happy to welcome the Nobile 2015. We liked the wines, the level is good and not lacking in the peaks, even if we’ll have to wait for the right bottling to find them also enjoyable. The temperate vintage climates (or slightly warmer than average) are a good ally for these wines, guaranteeing intense and full phenolic maturity. The 2015 and among these even if the tannic plot (in the best cases mature, but also young and impressive) seems in need of glass and cellar. We will talk about it further along, but vibrations are already positive..
PODERI BOSCARELLI Nobile di Montepulciano ’15
POLIZIANO Nobile di Montepulciano ’15
Montepulciano (SI) – loc. Cervognano via di Montenero, 28 – 0578767277 poderiboscarelli.com
Montepulciano (SI) – loc. Stazione via Fontago, 1 – 0578738171 carlettipoliziano.com
The wine of the De Ferrari family does not betray expectations. Boscarelli occupies the highest levels, as does the goodness of the “grand cru” Cervogano. The aromatic notes start with slight hints of forest floor, not yet fully in focus even if rather intriguing, before verging on a delicate texture of berries. Consistent, tasty and delicate palate.
Federico Carletti’s is one of the reference wineries in the area. His winemaking journey has always been avant-garde, even if today Poliziano seems to be at the centre of an interesting stylistic direction, marked by balance and finesse. The Nobile ‘15 is intense, intact, with scents of blueberries and forest berries, with a dense palate that’s both vertical and tasty.
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TENUTA TRE ROSE Nobile di Montepulciano Santa Caterina ’15
SALCHETO Nobile di Montepulciano ’15
Montepulciano (SI) - fraz. Valiano via della Stella, 3 – 0577804101 tenutatrerose.it This winery’s growth in recent years has been impressive. In quality, of course, but above all in style. Today the Tre Rose wines are very centred, and the Santa Caterina 2015 is the demonstration of this. Paler but bright in colour, the nose is embroidered on sensations of red fruits and bergamot, with a fine, delicate and tasty mouthfeel with sweet fruits and a taut finish.
Montepulciano (SI) - via di Villa Bianca, 15 0578799031 - salcheto.it Everyone now knows the Salcheto project, a model winery in terms of sustainability. This philosophy is reflected in the glass, which is increasingly convincing and on point. The 2015 Nobile has a big nose, very fine and bewitching in the fruity texture and slight presence of spices; the mouth is pulpy, full of juice, and already rather slender.
AVIGNONESI Nobile di Montepulciano ’15
DE’ RICCI Nobile di Montepulciano ’15
Montepulciano (SI) – fraz. Valiano via Lodola, 1 – 0578724304 - avignonesi.it The new ownership of this very important winery, located on the hills of a particular side of the denomination, seems to have immediately found a precise idea of wine and style. Above all the Nobile “vintage” convinces and this 2015 proves it. Delicate, autumnal wine that’s elegantly spicy, with a fine, long and very tasty texture.
Montepulciano (SI) – via de’ Ricci, 11 0578757166 - cantinadericci.it Intriguing news, at least it is as far as we’re concerned. De ‘Ricci owns 30 hectares of vineyards in 3 distinct areas of the denomination: Ascianello, Nottola and Fontecornino, where the new cellar is also located. The 2015 Nobile surprised us with grace and subtlety. Overall delicately floral, with hints of rose, before verging to delicious raspberry nuances. The elegant and persuasive mouth completes the whole.
TIBERINI Nobile di Montepulciano ’15
BINDELLA Nobile di Montepulciano I Quadri ’15
Montepulciano (SI) – via delle Caggiole, 9 0578716112 - tiberiniwine.com This is another small winery that seems to tread a convincing path. It has about 16 hectares of vineyards on the hills that descend from Montepulciano towards the Valdichiana, in the area that has always been defined as one of the pulsating hearts of the production of Vino Nobile. From Le Gaggiole farm, this is the name of the property, comes this Nobile ‘15 assertive, juicy and minerality rich wine. A beautiful discovery.
Montepulciano (SI) – fraz. Acquaviva via delle Tre Berte, 10 – 0578767777 bindella.it Bindella has spoiled us, but this is nonetheless an impressive Nobile. A wine of extraordinary charm and balance, both in the aromatic scheme as on the palate. Rich in floral, fruity and spicy aromas, it is enveloped in a tasty, sweet, very refined palate. Deep and tasty finish
LUNADORO Nobile di Montepulciano Pagliareto ’15
METINELLA Nobile di Montepulciano “142 - 4” ’15
Montepulciano (SI) – fraz. Valiano loc. Terrarossa – 3482215188 nobilelunadoro.it The new ownership of the winery, at the helm for some time now, doesn’t seem to have changed the style of the wine one bit and which remains absolutely convincing. Il Pagliareto, 100% Sangiovese grapes, aged in French oak barrels of 20 and 30 hectolitres for at least 24 months, is a juicy red that’s spicy, vertical and tapered on the palate.
Montepulciano (SI) – via Fontelellera, 21 0578799139 - metinella.it In June 2015 two wineries belonging to the denomination of Vino Nobile decided to join, creating the Metinella company and renewing the winery and the vineyard. The harvest of the same vintage immediately appears to be a lucky one, at least judging by this Vino Nobile Selection with a curious name: 142 - 4. It has a clear nose, sweet in its lush fruit, ripe but crisp on the palate. Finish is stretched, bright and pleasantly deep.
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Four years after the harvest we can finally taste the 2014 Sagrantino, protagonist of the Montefalco Denomination. Much has already been said of the 2014 vintage in Italy, especially in terms of difficulty due to a complex climatic trend. In this area, the rain and the lower than average temperatures in summer have made caring for vines very difficult. On the other hand, thanks to the weather conditions that are favourable to aging, it has been possible to have good quality grapes at harvest time even if with lower sugar contents. The Consortium’s judgment was three stars (out of five) deeming it a “valuable vintage.” And thinking of the last vintages one must go back to 2002 for a worse year (two stars) while 1996 always had three stars. That said, the taste of the previewed wines convinced more than what was expected from the 3 stars: it’s as if the complicated climatic trend didn’t affect the organoleptic characteristics at all. The cold period gave us fine wines, very fresh with good acidity, taste and persistence, played more on the olfactory aromaticity and on the gustatory fluency than for structure, alcohol content and power. All these elements not only haven’t distorted the vigorous Sagrantino, but (for now) have enhanced its drinkability and elegance.
Montefalco Sagrantino. 2014, pure elegance
ANTONELLI - SAN MARCO Montefalco Sagrantino ’14 Montefalco (PG) – loc. San Marco, 60 – 0742379158 - antonellisanmarco.it Important and prestigious company managed by Filippo Antonelli. 50 hectares of vineyard in a single plot for a production that reaches about 350 thousand units. 2014 follows the line of recent years: use of large oak barrels, measured extractions that follow perfect vineyard work guarantee a fine wine that’s austere, elegant and very drinkable.
ARNALDO CAPRAI Montefalco Sagrantino Collepiano ’14 Montefalco (PG) – loc. Torre – 0742378802 arnaldocaprai.it If there’s one winery responsible for the prestige and quality of Sagrantino this is surely Caprai. Merit goes to Marco Caprai, a successful entrepreneur who believed in both the vineyard and the Montefalco terroir. Previewing the Collepiano we found it very central: with an imposing but never aggressive tannin, it has a full body and an enveloping creaminess.
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BOCALE Montefalco Sagrantino ’14
F.LLI PARDI Montefalco Sagrantino ’14
Montefalco (PG) - loc. Madonna della Stella via Fratta Alzatura – 0742399233 - bocale.it The Valentini family winery binds its name to that of wine and Sagrantino since 2002. Located on a promontory at almost 500 metre elevation it is precisely the altitude that creates the unique terroir. Not even 7,000 bottles of Sagrantino of finesse and drinkability, a gliding texture, and mentholated and deep palate.
Montefalco (PG) – via G. Pascoli, 7 0742379023 - cantinapardi.it It is necessary to go back to 1919 to trace the origins of the Pardi winery and the family that founded it. Two Sagrantinos produced, a selezione and a basic version. During the preview we tasted the latter and it convinced us a lot: fresh, rhythmic, flowing, menthol acidity and well integrated.
FATTORIA COLSANTO Montefalco Sagrantino ’14
LUNGAROTTI Montefalco Sagrantino ’14
Bevagna (PG) – loc. Montarone – 0742360412 colsanto.it – livon.it Fattoria Colsanto is an agricultural reality acquired in 2001 by the Livon family, well-known wine producers in the Friuli region. There are 20 hectares of vineyards of Sagrantino and other varieties. Without a doubt the Sagrantino 2014 is convincing, with its notes of tobacco and roots, and a thick, long and very flavourful palate.
Torgiano (PG) - v.le G. Lungarotti, 2 075988661 lungarotti.it This is one of the great names of Italian wine worldwide. From Tenuta di Montefalco (which can count on about 20 hectares of vineyard in the Turrita area) we have four labels of which one is Montefalco Sagrantino. The 2014 expresses fruity and floral notes, an enveloping dry mouth, and tannins that make the sip vibrant, but never bitter.
SCACCIADIAVOLI Montefalco Sagrantino ’14
GIAMPAOLO TABARRINI Montefalco Sagrantino Colle Grimaldesco ’14
Montefalco (PG) – via Cantinone, 31 0742371210 - scacciadiavoli.it This is one of the historic cellars of Montefalco and of Umbria, in general. Founded in 1884 by Prince Ugo Boncompagni Ludovisi of Rome, the estate has been in the hands of the Pambuffetti family since 1954. Montefalco Sagrantino ‘14 convinces by its olfactory complexity and taste structure. Nose that expresses clear fruits and balanced mouth between freshness, tannin and alcoholic softness.
Montefalco (PG) – fraz. Turrita 0742379351 - tabarrini.com Giampaolo Tabarrini manages the 18-hectare estate with enthusiasm and passion. The production counts on 70 thousand bottles. Three Sagrantino products, all in tune with the logic of the vineyard. Particularly convincing already is the absolutely young Colle Grimaldesco, with its hints of dried flowers and sour cherry, and an enveloping palate, with a tannic texture that’s well supported by a voluptuous body.
TENUTA BELLAFONTE Montefalco Sagrantino Collenottolo ’14
TENUTA CASTELBUONO Montefalco Sagrantino Carapace ’14
Bevagna (PG) – loc. Torre del Colle via Colle Nottolo, 2 - 0742710019 tenutabellafonte.it Excellent and young agricultural reality of about 11 hectares planted in vineyards, ranging from old vines and newer plants. Environmental sustainability in the vineyard and a minimized work in the cellar guarantee wines of craftsmanship, a true mirror of the terroir from which they come. 6,500 bottles for the Collenottolo, wine that’s still in the barrel, but which already gives an idea of what will be: fine, elegant, balanced, long, deep and tasty.
Bevagna (PG) – loc. Cantalupo voc. Castellaccio, 9 – 0972361670 tenutelunelli.it This is one of the Lunelli family cellars, known above all for the Ferrari sparkling wine company. The winery is a great example of architecture linked to wine, with the particular structure designed by Arnaldo Pomodoro. The first Sagrantino dates back to the 2003 harvest. The 2014 version was excellent: cherry and berry fragrance, with a touch of liquorice. On the palate, enveloping, tannic, but also fresh and tasty.
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5 PREVIEWS FROM TUSCANY, UMBRIA AND VALPOLICELLA
Amarone della Valpolicella. 2014, and more News, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the denomination, especially in regard to the vintage previews. The wineries, in addition to wines with the vintage of 2014, have also been able to present those of the other vintages hitting the market soon. The samples of the 2014 harvest were tasted in a room reserved only for the press, while in the exhibition area, where the producers were present, each winery was able to present its wines ready for retail, the result of harvests ranging from 2006 to 2014. Much of the attention is dedicated to the ‘14 harvest that, as in the rest of the country, was characterized by a cold, rainy and very complicated summer. Thanks to a favourable early fall, combined with the practice of withering the grapes, and a decidedly more contained production, the result along the left bank of the Adige was anything but disappointing, with wines that have highlighted a more nervous, dry and grittier outcome than usual, offering a satisfying profile when using the powerful red Veronese. .
ALLEGRINI Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. ’14
VILLA SPINOSA Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. ’14
Fumane (VR) – via Giare, 5 0456832019 - allegrini.it
Negrar (VR) – loc. Jago via Jago dall’Ora, 16 0457500093 - villaspinosa.it
The possibility of selecting Amarone grapes from a vast vineyard offer has allowed the Allegrini family to produce a 2014 of absolute value. On the nose the fruit is a bit less explosive than usual, the wine wins for its intense presence of medicinal herbs and spices. On the palate it is solid and has a dry, feisty and very long finish.
Product of vineyards that lie on the western side of the Negrar valley, this wine gives the nose a beautiful mature expression embellished by the presence of dried flowers and Mediterranean scrub which we find perfectly expressed in a savoury palate and pleasant drinkability.
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CHARTS
CAV. G. B. BERTANI Amarone della Valpolicella Valpantena ’14
CA’ RUGATE Amarone della Valpolicella Punta Tolotti ’14
Grezzana (VR) – via Asiago, 1 0458658444 - bertani.net
Montecchia di Crosara (VR) – via Pergola, 36 0456176328 - carugate.it
From the historic Grezzana winery comes an Amarone with spicy and deep aromas, slower in expressing the notes more related to the fruit. In the mouth it perfectly represents the vintage style, highlighting a gritty acid tension and incisiveness.
The easternmost area of the appellation seems to have suffered less the climatic ups and downs of the vintage and the Punta Tolotti showcases a rich aromatic baggage, where notes of wild berries dominate over the nuances of fine herbs. On the palate, however, the agility and freshness immediately bring the wine back to rigor and character.
CANTINA VALPANTENA VERONA Amarone della Valpolicella Torre del Falasco ’14
CANTINA VALPOLICELLA NEGRAR Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. Collezione Pruviniano Domini Veneti ’13
Verona (VR) – loc. Quinto via Colonia Orfani di Guerra, 5b 045550032 - cantinavalpantena.it
Negrar (VR) – via Ca’ Salgari, 2 0456014300 - cantinanegrar.it
The large cooperative led by Luca Degani has in its top line the Torre del Falasco whose distinctive trait is marked by a style expressing fruit and harmony of the sip. Amarone does not fail to wow with its cherry notes and fresh flowers that we find in confirmed on the palate, where it stretches with grace and sapidity.
This Amarone Pruviniano is the great novelty in the Cantina Sociale della Valpolicella, a red that expresses the finesse the Veronese historical name offers. Its aromas range from sweet fruit to minerality notes and dried flowers, to finally flow freely on a savoury palate with great harmony.
SANTI Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. Santico ’13
MONTE DEL FRÀ Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. Scarnocchio ’12
Illasi (VR) – via Ungheria, 33 0456529068 - cantinasanti.it
Sommacampagna (VR) – s.da per Custoza, 35 045510490 - montedelfra.it
When Cristian Ridolfi took the helm at Santi he brought a new boost to production, as evident in the tasting of the Amarone Santico. On the nose the notes of sweet and ripe red fruit intertwine with memories of undergrowth and aromatic herbs. On the palate the wine stretches gracefully and closes with a sapid and very elegant finish.
The Bonomos present their Amarone five years after the harvest: this allows its aromas to be articulate and deep, with fruit appearing in the background behind notes of aromatic herbs and spices. The power of this wine on the palate is perfectly managed by the acidity and tannin, and the wine reveals harmony and unstoppable progression.
PASQUA Amarone della Valpolicella Mai Dire Mai ’11
TENUTE SALVATERRA Amarone Cl. ’11
Verona – loc. San Felice Extra via Belvedere, 135 – 0458432111 - pasqua.it
San Pietro in Cariano (VR) – loc. Cengia via Cengia, 8 – 0456859025 tenutesalvaterra.it
The great San Felice Extra winery has in Mai Dire Mai an Amarone with a more austere and noble profile. On the nose the wine is shy and almost reluctant to indulge, and only time will allow the aromas of black fruit, undergrowth and pepper to conquer centre stage. On the palate the impact is powerful and decisive, supported by an acidic and tannic thrust, completely renouncing on softness. A purebred wine.
The decision to present the wine only after a long refinement in the cellar is a winner. The nose releases a whirlwind of aromas ranging from ripe sweet fruit to pepper notes, refreshed on the finish by intense nuances of aromatic herbs. In the mouth the wine stretches with grace and decision, managing to combine power and agility, for an elegant and engaging result.
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SALVATERRA DAY
SalvaTerra Day, Valpolicella home of the first think tank for the future of wine
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THE PROJECT Take 16 visionaries, their stories and their ideas, add them in small doses all in the same day, then mix their visions of the world, using two hosts to blend and everything. Voilà the think tank for a sustainable future of wine. This is what happened in Valpolicella - in San Pietro a Cariano - on May 18th, for the first Giornata SalvaTerra, an event born from the encounter between Tenute SalvaTerra and Gambero Rosso, in a way to rethink the world of wine with a brand new outlook. “Wine contains many aspects of today’s reality” was the comment of Roberto Giacobone Managing Director of Tenute SalvaTerra “but too often it is conservative and closed in itself. For this reason, we thought of a Day to reread and modify - where necessary - the phases characterizing it.” “Our name” echoed Paolo Fontana, CEO of the group “bears in itself re-
16 visionaries, 4 panels, a round table and many moving ideas. Here’s what happened on the Day that connected the world of wine with other worlds. Here are our notes and perspectives sponsibilities towards the territory and Italian being in general. Our business model starts with a very simple concept: territory, people, wine. Within these worlds there are many elements that must be connected: should they ever become one single big circle we would have reached our goal. But in the meantime the road has been taken: the future is not eternal.” “We can’t always be looking in the rearview mirror” concluded the
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president of Gambero Rosso Paolo Cuccia “Gambero Rosso is a reality that lives on the future, exploring our planet from Taiwan to Vancouver, understanding what will happen in economic terms from here to coming years. Strengthened by this experience, today we can state that one of the most important challenges is sustainability, a front in which we have been engaged for a long time and which today is decisive, not only for the support of the environment, but also for the economic development of the whole wine world.” PANEL ONE: VALUE AND ETHICS But let’s get to the heart of the various meetings. Four panels during the morning were dedicated to four different themes (value-ethics, sustainable sustainability, time and connection), led by columnist Licia Granello of la Repubblica newspaper. One question above all others:
SALVATERRA DAY
BY LOREDANA SOTTILE - PHOTO BY ENNEVI
1. Tenute SalvaTerra - the canteen 2. Speakers
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what is sustainability and how can we make it more than just a word to fill our mouth with? For chef Massimo Bottura there are no doubts: “We waste 1.3 billion tons of food every year. Feeding the Planet (the slogan launched at Expo in Milan, ed), therefore, does not mean producing more, but wasting less.” Hence his idea, born for Expo 2015, is to create refectories: places of solidarity, where over one thousand meals a day are served by volunteer chefs and offered for free to the needy, in collaboration with volunteer associations and major design firms. Currently there are six (in Bologna, Milan, Rio de Janeiro, London, Modena and Paris), but new openings from Turin to the USA are already planned. A very concrete and sustainable idea, also attended by Maurizio Riva (entrepreneur at Riva 1920), was the donation of tables, made from recycled wood. This activity has always distinguished
the Riva family, together with the involvement of solidarity companies (such as with the Rehab Community of San Patrignano) and new generations: “I think it’s very important for us to be there for our youths” Riva’s idea of sustainability “When I speak with them I want them to feel a punch to their stomach.” PANEL TWO: SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABILITY A real punch in the stomach - one needed every day - was the keynote address of the director of Istituto Ramazzini in Bologna Fiorella Belpoggi: “We researchers are not visionaries with a bucolic vision of the future. We are aware that we have all the means necessary to anticipate emergencies; why is it, instead, that we end up chasing them?” One of these emergencies is linked to the much disputed glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in farming, whose use was allowed by
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the EU until 2022. Just last week, Belpoggi was in Brussels to expose the risks associated with its use. The EFSA response? “Glyphosate, used in the right dose, is not a health hazard”. But from the Giornata SalvaTerra the researcher has carried on her battle: “The limits are assessed by default: who has studied what are the right doses?” There’s more. Her complaint also includes other worrisome habits: “Today there are many products on the market that are judged less dangerous than the previous ones, but what happens with the original ones? They should be banned from the market altogether. Instead the prices are simply lowered, or they are sent to developing countries. Not considering that, in a globalized world, these are all products that somehow come back to our tables anyway.” And then comes her warning, which is also an indication for the future: “Until now, economists have worked
SALVATERRA DAY
SalvaTerra Day, Valpolicella home of the first think tank for the future of wine alone. Instead, we should work together and bring facus back to the well-being of man, to health. They talk about money, but perhaps they do not calculate the most important thing: human life, which we each have one of. If you’re wrong, you can not go back.” Among these economists, there’s also Gunter Pauli, creator of the blue economy who tried to explain in a simple way what his philosophy is based on: “How can we expect the market to move from a traditional economy to a green economy, when this implies paying more? This would mean that green economy is only for the rich. How can we, however, obtain something that is good for us all, but also for the environment? This is the goal of the blue economy: to save ourselves from the current world of sustainability where what is healthy is expensive and, therefore, not for everyone. We need to change the business model. Remembering that today to be competitive you need to be sustainable, but in order to be sustainable you need to be competitive.” PANEL THREE: TIME Another meeting, another theme. When it comes to time it’s good to remember that in Italian the same term indicates English in two different words: “climate” and “time” (duration). Time as an atmospheric condition, but it’s also time as something that passes. Two concepts that, never more true today, seem to be correlated with each other: while the weather changes, there is less and less time to waste.
At Giornata SalvaTerra we were reminded of this by climatologist Luca Mercalli: “The last decade has been the hottest of the last 2,000 years. In 2013, scientists in Paris said that, if no action is taken immediately, by the end of the century the Earth will be an additional 5 degrees hotter. We would be facing what we can not even call a catastrophe, but rather the unknown. It means there are only five degrees between well-being and death. With the Paris agreements, it was assumed that the Earth’s temperature would remain within the 2 degree rise range, starting immediately to reduce emissions. But now that ship has sailed. The next preview is a 3 degree-increase, lowering emissions in the course of 12 years. If we were to lose that possibility, we would have signed a death sentence for our children and grandchildren.” Very strong words, but if the climate ends, reassurances will end too. “Perhaps with our projections we have not been able to communicate this emergency situation” Mercalli continued “so now we have to rely on other forms of communication.” Can art be one of those forms? Back to the theme of contamination, then: a prerequisite and at the same time an arrival point for the SalvaTerra Day. Paolo Bettinardi, CEO of Cracking Art, brand born in 1993 thanks to a group of artists, as a project for plastic recycling, intervened to represent the art world. The “time of the snail”, is one of the most represented symbols created by the group. “For us, plastic is a friendly material, because it can be recycled: we not only reuse our own plastic, but also recycle what comes from other objects.” In addition, the group has also found a way to be sustainable in the artistic field: “With our installations - strictly located outside of the museums, almost as a connection between the traditional places of
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3. Tenute SalvaTerra’s vineyards 4. Murizio Riva and Massimo Bottura 5. Paolo Fontana 6. Luca Mercalli
SALVATERRA DAY
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art and those who would otherwise not attend - we started to to finance the restoration of ancient art monuments. Contemporary art that finances ancient art. All we do is give back.” To art, to society, to the environment itself. PANEL FOUR: CONNECTION Is it possible to connect the global with the local and vice versa? The important thing is to dream big. As did Marco Gualtieri, the creator of Seed&Chips and Pietro Pensa, mayor of Esino Lario. The former was able to bring to Milan none other than Barack Obama, the latter managed to bring a thousand delegates of the annual Wikipedia meeting - Wikimania - in his village of 700 inhabitants. What remains of those two experiences, strongly fostered by these two true visionaries? “Today” says Pensa “in Esinio Lario, where we don’t even have Internet, we have a free wifi network that the largest and
most developed Italian cities envy us. All achieved in record time and with very few resources.” In Milan, on the other hand, thanks to Gualtieri, Seed&Chips has become an annual event, a magnet attended mostly by young generations. “We cannot talk about young people without bringing them to the table”, Gualtieri underlined, “and for this we have set ourselves precise rules: all our conference keynotes are opened by teenagers; for each innovation presented there is a speaker under 30; we created a moment called “give me five”, in which the great leaders find themselves seated face-to-face with a startupper. This is the contamination we like. Sustainability is not just marketing: it is a social obligation that must involve everything.” New and old generations, local and global, science and art, research and economics. All complementary actors of a single great play, which is called sustainable future.
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THE ROUND TABLE If provocation and contamination were the two key words leading the meeting, the columnist and host of the second part of the day, Marco Mojoli, introduced another: barter. “Barter of knowledge and skills: the world of wine is at the forefront of its relationship with nature, but new languages and communication need to be the inspiration. Should we always talk among each other or have a wider outlook? Outside there is not only the blue economy, but also a whole blue ocean of new consumers who want to connect with this world. We take for granted a precondition that we are all in favor of sustainability, but what’s next, beyond this awareness?” There is the doing. The implementation of words and intentions. There is, for example, the balance of the common good by visionary innkeeper Michil Costa: “It is a theory developed by the Austrian economist Christian Felber. We give points on every
SALVATERRA DAY
SalvaTerra Day, Valpolicella home of the first think tank for the future of wine aspect of management: from the paper we use, to the staff we hire, to the ingredients we buy. It is something that makes us live better and we would like everyone to do it to feel good in turn. It means searching for the right, doing better than what the consumer expects, doing things well without anyone seeing you. There are no shortcuts.” There is work on the landscape of urbanist Anna Marson, who over the years has been involved – and sometime has clashed with in the Tuscany Region – with the world of wine. “We need to work in perspectives” she said “the financial cycle of a vineyard does not go beyond 20 years: looking at the here and now is of little use.” To do this, one must first of all keep in mind the context of belonging: “The vineyard alone is not landscape. It is about the relationship with other crops, slopes and counter-slopes that guarantee safety against climate problems, including the roads that cross it.” But unfortunately the search for this harmonious beauty is not always contemplated by our viticulture, as Marson herself recalls: “Unfortunately, Italy is famous for the landscapes of the past, but has a hard time finding its landscapes of the future. It is also the fault of institutions that are not always capable. But I like to imagine that our products, one day, will have the ability to present themselves to the world through the image of the context in which they are made.” There is also the experience of Catia Bastioli, CEO of
Novamont who, coming from the world of chemistry, has arrived at the concept of regeneration, regenerating herself, with the creation of innovative products, such as the biodegradable bag. “Instead of making cathedrals in the desert, we must create bridges. Understanding the resources of individual territories and using the same negatives to create innovation,” this is her concept of sustainability. There is the sustainable work that Lavazza has put into practice for 4 generations and in the last 123 years. “Our brand has always been accustomed to solidarity projects with various international organizations,” explained the vice-president of the group Marco Lavazza “to this we add our commitment to explaining to farmers of the coffee plantations how to work better while respecting the environment. A sustainable approach especially for them who see, in this way, an increase of price of their product and thus the value of their work.” THE WORLD OF WINE Within the event’s Round Table there is also a strong representation of the world of wine in its various aspects and in its various geographical origins. “Ours is a wonderful country”, said Gambero Rosso journalist Marco Sabellico “Nature has favored us, we are an aircraft carrier in the center of the Mediterranean with a favorable climate (until now), a heritage that we have not yet succeeded in destroying, and home to excellent brains that, however, too often, seek work opportunities outside of the country. And yet it would be enough to put all this on the circuit. Each of us, in our own day, employs incredible effort in solving personal or professional problems: if we dedicated
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only 10% to the community we could find answers faster than the challenges posed by the times.” The president of Masi Agricola Sandro Boscaini has emphasized the contamination between viticulture and the other worlds: “In the vineyard it’s necessary to have both contamination and vision of the future. For this reason, we need to invest a lot: ours was the first group listed on the stock exchange. Then they told us we were crazy, but we understood that we needed contamination to do better. In this case, with the world of finance: we must not remain isolated. We need the oenologist, the agronomist and also the world of finance.” Acting locally, and making projects globally. The same is happening with Lunelli Group. Their project is to convert to organic farming, beyond its own vine-
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7. Michil Costa 8. At lunch 9. Sandro Boscaini and Paolo Fontana 10. The Round Table
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yards, but also those of other farmers: “Creating well-being and security for the territory is our best gratification,” explained the president of Ferrari Cantine Matteo Lunelli “For this reason, we have created a sustainable protocol, proving that sustainability can be achieved, not only in suited areas, such as Southern Italy, but also in Trentino. And the territory is responding enthusiastically. What remains a question mark is whether, in addition to the growing attention from the consumer, there will be an economic return. In our case, however, we can afford to move forward, knowing that, in the future, true competitiveness will change to green.” Another vision moving forward is the Ceraudo estate in Calabria. “When, in the ‘80s, my father started organ-
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ic farming everyone thought he was crazy”, said Caterina Ceraudo, oenologist and chef in the family business “imagine when he decided to invest in dining: a gourmet restaurant in Calabria? According to many it was a completely insane idea.” And yet, today the wines of our winery, as well as the Dattilo restaurant (led by Caterina), are well-known and critically acclaimed all over the world. “Over time there has been personal payback - not yet economic - that have brought, in a territory like ours, something new: hope.” And the hope is, in fact, the message coming loud and clear from the SalvaTerra Day. A hope made up of men, stimuli, ideas and above all desire to act. “In the world of wine”
Giornata SalvaTerra
Tenute SalvaTerra San Pietro in Cariano - Verona info giornatasalvaterra.com
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is the conclusion of Mojoli “we spent too much time focusing on the past: ‘in these lands passed the count so and so,’ ‘this wine was the favorite of Emperor X’, and so forth. Now is the time to look forward.” This was also reiterated by the survey launched on social platforms during the SalvaTerra Day. To the question: “What is better for the world of wine: innovate or preserve?”, The answer, chosen by 90% of voters, left no room for doubt or excuse for future work: the key word is innovation. And it is therefore in that direction that the future must be headed. Starting from the next appointment - the second edition of SalvaTerra Day: May 19, 2019, hosted once again in Vapolicella.
WITH THE EXCUSE OF A MORE ACCURATE SERVICE ARE RESTAURANTS ACTUALLY PROFILING US? Managing customers even before service. This is the challenge a large portion of the fine dining world. This happens in order to give a better service, to prevent inconveniences, to make everyone feel like they are being offered a tailored experience, but with the risk of depersonalizing the relationship at the same time. We’re finding ourselves - at least in Italy, where these processes are traditionally slower in the moment of transition between an artisanal approach and the marketing management of the relationship between restaurant and customer. Also thanks to brand new tech applications
Words by Martina Liverani – Art by Marcello Crescenzi
STORIES
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rriving at the restaurant often takes place long before actually reaching the restaurant venue. It all starts from the booking process, when the dining room staff has time to draw a (hypothetical) profile, collect data and prepare to receive the client in the most effective way. Who deals with this? When does this happen? How do they do this? «The management of bookings is a very delicate step, because it is at this moment that the first contact with the customer is established - explains Dario Laurenzi, owner of Laurenzi Consulting, a marketing company active in the food & beverage sector, and a teacher at the Gambero Rosso Academy - it’s a preview of how the restaurant will treat its customers, giving the latter an idea of the attention, the level and type of service received, once he/she will set foot in the room. It goes without saying that it is therefore important to entrust booking management to a specific person, capable of reaching out to clients assuring by telephone about any allergies or if the reservation is for an informal evening or for a birthday. This professional must be able to manage any bizarre customer requests (such as bringing food or drinks from home). The person in charge must therefore be capable of managing the bookings but also take care of customers, without ever being rude and always trying to satisfy their requests». Nowadays reserving a table at a restaurant happens mainly by telephone or online, through applications and software that allow customers to carry out the operation easily, at any time. The main booking software is The Fork and Book - web; some platforms such as Io Ristoratore, Passepartout Menu and Bacco born as dining management software (for taking orders, sales statistics or pantry organization) today also allow booking and are therefore accessible from outside directly available to customers. Internationally, there is naturally Open Table. From the restaurateur’s point of view, this type of software allows a continuous availability and a list of reservations that’s constantly updated. But in actual fact, the real added value is being able to strategically manage
a customer database. Many online booking programs are free of charge, what they charge is the ability to manage contacts with a marketing approach. An example? Creating a mailing list and improve customer loyalty as much as possible, noting his/her requests or needs and keeping track of the number of visits, the number of diners, any complaints and even no-shows. The data used for booking can be stored and consulted. Customers can therefore be profiled and tracked. Is this useful? And how is it beneficial for the restaurant owner and the client? The most accredited marketing theories suggest that profiling clients (that is gathering information, processing and storing it in order to be able to reprocess it again) is the best way to offer a personalized service, to anticipate needs and keep that client a loyal repeat client. Needless to say, a repeat customer has more value than a new customer. Customer profiling is a common practice in e-commerce activities and in general for companies that deal with sales and services, especially online. But it also makes sense in the dining business: the more information you have, the better welcome can be provided. Geographic origin, allergies or food intolerances, special requests can be filed and stored in the “customer card.” And then of course try to understand the identity in a slightly more crafted way through
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technology: googling the client’s name, for example, so as to recognize the face on arrival or even find out the client’s profession. The issue becomes more crucial if we move into the world of haute cuisine, where interpreting and often anticipating customers’ desires is a religion. But there are some very delicate aspects to keep in mind. Here is an account of a true story. It pertains to the customer journey, which is what happens when we buy goods or purchase a service. This story also sheds light on the limits of this growing “profiling” trend. Two friends, Rosa and Mario, often go to dinner together in expensive and high-end restaurants. Some time ago they went to a restaurant where she had never been, but he had. Mario booked a table for two. Shortly after settling down and before ordering, a waiter presented the couple with their amuse-bouche. Mario is served three colorful and inviting morsels, and instead Rosa is presented a different version of the same because, as specified by the waiter: “we have prepared
ARE RESTAURANTS PROFILING US?
something different for your lactose intolerance”. It would have been a thoughtful gesture, if Rosa had been lactose intolerant. But Rosa is not lactose intolerant, so an awkward silence fell on the table. While the waiter disappeared in the kitchen to return a few minutes later with other amuse-bouche, Mario understood what happened: at the restaurant the staff had remembered that when he last visited three years earlier, he was in the company of an another woman, Anna, who was actually lactose intolerant. In short, Mario had been profiled. When Mario placed his reservation, someone in the restaurant must have looked up his name on a customer list and verified that he had previously been in the company of a woman that was lactose intolerant. Or maybe some software sent an alert to that effect on the screen of the operator who had handled the reservation. This often happens in restaurants that make attentive service their strong point: they take note of your visits, who you are, who you are with, what your special needs are, any red flags, and the best ones even add a photo to recognize your face immediately. Actually, most customers like being recognized and having a personalized service. Too bad, however, that in this case something went wrong. In three years many things change. And Mario’s profile had not been updated. Mario, for example, is no longer dating Anna. This faux pas could also create embarrassment, ruin the dinner or worse. Risky territory where efficient service may conflict with privacy. Profiling or no profiling then? What’s the situation in haute cuisine restaurants?
plains Raffaele Alajmo. «Once the reservation is made, the collected data is automatically deleted: we do not save any information for profiling. This information is too sensitive and confidential to be stored and processed. Rather, it is up to the maître to remember in case the customers return of any special requests. We prefer to focus on the professional approach of our maître, rely onhis sensitivity and his memory. It’s a bit like at school when you start using a calculator and you forget how to count without it: we are pro-trade, we do not want to take this task away from those working the front of the room». Arrigo Cipriani had also stated this on the stage of the last edition of Identità Golose together with the Alajmo family: our job cannot be replaced by a computer. He did not mean cataloging of the clients, but rather to the art of dining service which, among other things, includes care and sensitivity, which are difficult to assign to software. This issue of the Gambero Rosso extensively speaks about this. But without necessarily entering the field of confidential data, the risk of forcibly retrieving information or processing it in a superficial way means invading a private moment like time spent at a restaurant. Some customers want to be recognized, others do not. It is up to the sensitivity of the dining room staff to understand and act accordingly. Is there a right to privacy even at the table? Does the customer really want to always be recognized? Do you
SMARTER TO INVEST ON SENSITIVE DATA OR ON SENSITIVITY? «We invested on our website since the midnineties and today 80% of bookings are done online. The customer can personalize his request by entering data such as the desired table position, special food requests or whether it is a special occasion, like a birthday or an anniversary. This information allows the maître, at the time of the arrival of the guests, to better manage their booking,» ex-
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IL TRATTO DELL’ILLUSTRATORE This month’s theme worries me. Technological profiling driven by the need for efficient customer care. I looked for a more conceptual approach than usual for this subject, which reflects my anxiety, but with a touch of irony. – Marcello Crescenzi
really want the restaurant to keep track of your visits and your dining companions? Of you taste or your quirks? Thanks to increasingly efficient tech applications, we are in a place where balance may be hard to find. PROFILING IS HARD (AND COSTLY!) One thing is studying the reservation and be prepared, the other is collecting info for profiling customers and time-sensitive data. To do this, we need resources that keep customer data up-to-date. Besides of course getting the customer’s consent. «More and more often our guests make online reservations, especially international customers. We use a specifically designed software that at the time of booking asks the customer, in addition to their
STORIES
10 ONLINE BOOKING SERVICES IN EUROPE AND USA
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name, provenance, if there are allergies and if the dinner is a special occasion. This is all the information we need, sufficient for us to better manage the reservation and to be ready when the customer arrives.The information is not stored, rather it is deleted – says Sandra Ciciriello, maître and sommelier at Alice Ristorante in Milan – Profiling a customer is a challenging activity. If you do it, you have to do it with method and rigor: for example, you should call the customer every six months to update their information. Otherwise it is useless and does not make much sense to store it». It is precisely in this circumstance that the maître ability to remember a face and the client’s needs must be implemented. «In addition – she continues – wanting to find out ahead of time who our customer will be is invading his/her privacy, taking away the surprise effect of understanding who you have before you during dinner service. For us, all customers are the same, there are no customers who are more important than others. We prefer not to investigate too much». Yoji Tokuyoshi, chef and owner of namesake Milan restaurant, is of the same idea: «Our online reservation system is very popular, about 60-70% of our customers book through our website. We use a Danish software called Super B. And at the time of booking we also ask for a credit card as a guarantee. This discourages some Italian customers, foreigners are on the other hand more accustomed».
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COVERMANAGER Country: Spain Founded: 2015 Restaurants managed: circa 700 An intuitive online booking system that offers different options. The system is integrated with POS payment management and accounting, allows profiling and managing of bookings with a fee, personalizing no-show policies and last-minute cancellations. Some restaurants using this service: Disfrutar in Barcelona, Diverxo in Madrid, Exterbarri in Bizkaia covermanager.com
SUPER B Country: Denmark Founded: 2017 Restaurants managed: 200 in 22 countries; 17 in Italy A service that can be tailored and that allows to modulate the offer and menus, create events and gift cards, request prepaid payments to eliminate no-shows. This platform turns the concept of booking into a community experience. In May, the new Guest Experience Management platform (GXM) was launched, an all-in-one solution for high level restaurants. Some restaurants using this service: Venissa in Venice, Contraste and Yoji Tokuyoushi in Milan superb.community
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TOCK Country: Usa Founded: 2014 Restaurants managed: 380 in 13 countries This system aims to create events, menus with wines pairings. Invented by Nick Kokonas (co-founder of Alinea restaurant) as one of the most advanced services available. Customer profiling, including for multiple restaurant ownership, messaging service, financial analysis and reporting, advance payment and yield management. Some restaurants using this service: Eleven Madison Park in New York, Alinea in Chicago, The Fat Duck in Bray and Noma in Copenhagen, plus some wineries
RESY Country: Usa Founded: 2014 Restaurants managed: approximately 1,000 in 50 cities The most advanced service worldwide. The system covers all aspects: table management, waiting list, sms contact between restaurant and customer. Beyond the excellent user experience, the venue management dashboard is easy to use. The restaurateur pays a monthly fee (of about 1,000 Euro) to use the software, regardless of the number of customers served. Some restaurants using this service: Balthazar e Minnetta Tavern in New York, Alter in Miami
exploretock.com
resy.com
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3 THE FORK \ LA FOURCHETTE \ EL TENEDOR Country: France Founded: 2007 Restaurants managed: 45,000 in 11 countries; 10,000 in Italy An immediate booking system (and for cancellations) that offers discounts and promotions and caters to a large community. The restaurant owners can profile customers, manage the front of the room, prices (possibility of yield management), and booking with a credit card. Penalties for no-shows. Part of TripAdvisor since 2014. Some restaurants using this service: Se.Sto on Arno and Essenziale in Florence, Lume un Milan thefork.it
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PRENOTA-WEB Country: Italy Founded: 2000 Restaurants managed: approximately 100, all in Italy A back-office service for restaurants, with personalized reservation management via web contact form on the restaurant website; dining room management, customer profiling, possibility of penalty in case of no-show and marketing campaigns with special offers. Serves haute cuisine venues, places with high-demand reservations, and multi-branch ownership. Some restaurants using this service: Le Calandre in Rubano (PD), Don Alfonso in Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi (Na), St. Hubertus in San Cassiano (BZ)
OPEN TABLE Country: USA Founded: 1998 Restaurants managed: over 45,000 in more than 20 countries. Approximately 61 in Italy The largest internet booking platform for restaurants, which acquired British Top Table a few years ago. A tailored system for restaurant owners and a platform for customers who can browse menus and other relevant information. Some restaurants using this service: Seta at the Mandarin Hotel in Milan, Il Palagio at Four Seasons and Se.Sto on Arno in Florence opentable.com
prenota-web.it
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RESDIARY Country: UK Founded: 2006; in Italy since 2013 Restaurants managed: approximately 9,000 in 59 countries; 70 in Italy Developed by a former restaurateur, this online booking service also manages a diary for the restaurant owner, with the possibility of taking orders at tables, profile customers, protection against noshows, pre-payments, marketing strategy, gift cards, promotions and menus. In Italy they were the first to work against no-shows. Some restaurants using this service: La Pergola, Glass and Metamorfosi in Rome, Magorabin and Del Cambio in Turin
QUANDOO Country: Germany Founded: 2012; in Italy since 2013 Restaurants managed: approximately 17,000 in 12 countries; about 5,000 in Italy Customizable online booking, discounts and offers for customers, who can to write reviews and discover new restaurants on the platform that now has several million users. The services available are online visibility, conversion of online traffic to bookings and reservation management and customers. Some restaurants using this service: Enoteca La Torre and Villa Laetitia in Rome, Joia in Milan
BOOKATABLE Country: UK Founded: 2006 Restaurants managed: approximately 20,000 in 39 countries Headquarters in London and offices in Stockholm and Hamburg. This s a fairly traditional table reservation platform (online booking, table management and repeat client loyalty) but it benefits from being part of the Michelin group - since 2016 - also and especially during the Michelin Days offers. The bulk of the business is in and around London. Some restaurants using this service: Nobu, Sketch, L’Atelier of Joel Robuchon in London
resdiary.com
quandoo.it
bookatable.co.uk
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STORIES
However, it is up to the manager to remember if the customer has already visited, what he/she has eaten or if he/she prefers sparkling or still water. But in the meantime Tokuyoshi introduces another element thanks to which the profiling will be increasingly frowned upon by Italian restaurateurs as it has been abroad in recent years: the battle against the notorious “no show”. In other words, a well-profiled customer is enormously less inclined to not show up without prior warning. And considering how much this malpractice impacts on restaurant bills, the convenience in investing in effective profiling systems is obvious. To be continued. THE TAILORED CHOICE « For reservations through our website we use the Prenota-Web software and currently approximately 80% of our bookings are done online» says Antonia Klugmann. The software collects name and surname, phone number, email, number of diners, if there are children present, if
any of the guests have eating aversions or allergies and then there is a free field if customers want to add notes. « This software can save customer contact and data but it is something that we don’t do. We do not profile our customers». «We started in the dining service industry twenty years ago – adds Romano De Feo, life and business partner of chef Klugmann – initially at my wine shop, then the restaurant in Pavia di Udine, then Venissa and now L’Argine in Vencò. When I started this profession, reservations were made by telephone only, and there are many customers who have followed us over the past twenty years and who still keep calling and booking directly with me, they have my mobile phone number. Especially local customers. I like it this way. So on top of online reservations are also traditional methods: someone calls, someone books online, others send us an e-mail. It’s a bit more complex to manage, but in this way we offer a tailored service». In charge of this is Vittoria (Antonia’s sister) who works at reservation management for about three hours a day. «The great thing about our restaurant – says Vittoria – is that since it’s a small venue, we can tailor the customer’s experience to a T. So if a customer send us and e-mail, I can answer promptly. The Italian
clientele, for example, particularly appreciates a more personal contact». A personal contact that reassures the customer but on the other hand allows the restaurant owner to have a first contact, ask targeted questions and try to formulate an idea of who is on the other end of the phone line before that persona actually arrives at the restaurant. The online booking all in all nullifies this contact. Do service staff professionals miss this contact? «A little – according to Romano – but for every booking made online we confirm by phone the day prior to the selected date. And I’m the one making phone calls». This is when Romano starts his own customer “profile,” « We profile customers at a mental and sensitivity level - he smiles - I tune into what tone to use with the people calling, what to ask and what not to ask ». NO SHOW. HOW TO BEHAVE WHEN RESERVATIONS ARE NOT HONOURED? If sometimes booking qualifies as arriving, other times it does not. This is the case of the terrible no-show or the most polite, yet still feared, cancellation. In the first case: the customer who has booked
RESTAURANTS WHERE DINNER IS PAID IN ADVANCE In Italy advance purchase (and payment) for a dinner is unthinkable. At most it is restricted to the idea of a gift card. The situation is very different abroad, whether the Spanish Diverxo platform (thanks to which customers pay 100 euros in advance, otherwise bookings can’t be made), or Noma in Denmark, or in the United States at Eleven Madison Park (prepayment of 315 Euro per person). In these places, dinner is paid upon reservation, a common practice. This comes up against the fact that the final check is decided ahead of time.Can this be applicable to all restaurants, and not just the high-end ones? Yet this would solve the problem of no-shows that afflict the business sector. Perhaps we are not ready for this yet, but something is changing. And making the difference are – again – tech platforms. «In about 5 months with ResDiary we practically eliminated all no-shows». According to Marcello Trentini (Magorabin in Turin). ≪We had an average of two no-shows a week. We’ve had 4 or 5 since last autumn. Currently, none. This is a sign that making a reservation with a credit card and a penalty,in and of itself, is a valid deterrent, quoting Roy Caceres of Metamorfosi restaurant in Rome a couple of years ago. The Colombian chef has not managed to eliminate no-shows altogether, but he has reduced them substantially by recovering at least a part of the income thanks to his cancellation policy. The quota for no-shows varies as the cut-off time of the cancellation varies, according to the everyone’s policy. But then, how do those charged for a sum for the missed
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(and maybe even confirmed) does not show up. In the second case, he warns first, but leaves an empty table that’s difficult to fill. The most damaged are restaurants of the fine dining segment, but that are oftne protected in various ways. At Osteria Francescana, for example, reservations are made online with the ResDiary platform and a credit card is required to guarantee the reservation. In the case of a no-show with a confirmed reservation or cancellation less than three working days, 250 euros per person will be charged on the card. The cancellation or modification of the reservation in accordance with this policy will not be subject to any penalty. Fewer number of diners notified less than three working days will result in the charge of €250 for the canceled guest,” reads the restaurant website, now this system of protection and defense from customers who do not show up is increasingly widespread abroad and, although struggling in Italy because of regulations and bureaucracy, it is gradually accepted. As we said, this is a positive aspect (at least for restaurateurs)
of the profiling activity. «We have more no-show problems in larger tourist cities, like Paris or Venice, for example - says Raffaele Alajmo - It sometimes happens that customers book different places and then choose at the last moment; or it’s the hotel concierge that in busy moments book more tables but then fail to cancel. We try to protect ourselves by asking online reservations for a credit card guarantee that provides for the payment of a penalty in case of a noshow».
dinner react? “Someone asked for a voucher, others left venomous reviews». In fact online reservations, in most cases, eliminate no-shows: “sure, we get less bookings,” explains Trentini “but I don’t get last-minute cancellations or no-shows». So for him the balance is positive. Similarly, but only in some ways, Fabio Spada’s experience with Cristina Bowerman at the helm of Glass Hosteria and Romeo at Piazza dell’Emporio in Rome. «We have applied a cancellation penalty in one case». The difference, however, lies in how widespread this instrument is, used in 99% of times by foreigners. “For us, at Glass, it’s too soon to migrate all reservations to an online system.” Partly for the personal relationship with some customers, and in part due to Rome habits or resistance to a sometimes cumbersome system? “The thing that would be useful” adds Spada, also as President Fipe Roma “is sitting around a table with the parties involved: Ministry of Finance, credit card managers, restaurateurs. The time is ripe to create a simpler Italian booking system that is suitable for all restaurants, not just the high end ones. The foreign platform, however, is more familiar to international customers, who are more accustomed to booking online, more familiar with cancellation policies, no-shows and penalties that, even in Italy, are veritable contracts. Let’s remember this when we accept the policies: profiling also means this. The possibility for the other party to have our credit card if we authorize. – Antonella De Santis
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Do restaurants keep a blacklist of customers who do not honour or cancel reservations at the last minute? Profiling may come in handy, in this case. Because if you have very well-profiled clients, it’s much easier to defend yourself. For example, Open Table deactivates the user account after the fourth no-show in 12 months. The online booking systems allow to identify a customer who has done no-shows and consequently can flag that person’s reservation more accurately (in some cases, therefore, even refuse it). However, sometimes profiling remains a useless weapon: since the method can be easily circumventable considering how a booking can be placed with different names, and with different credit cards. Asking for a deposit and possibly retaining it remains the most effective weapon, with a big vulnerable point however: many customers may be put-off by it. WHEN RESTAURANT RESERVATIONS BECOME WORK Some time ago, an American journalist posed the following question: “Since when has booking a table become a part-time job? ...We book online, confirm online, then a dozen e-mails are exchanged confirming our confirmation, then there is the phone call in which the restaurant leaves a message that insists on a call-back ...By the time I have secured my table I am too tired to go out for dinner. But then I’m too scared to cancel or end up on a no-show blacklist. No wonder so many people buy sandwiches and eat on the street”, he wrote. It’s a part-time job for the restaurant as well. There is a universe between dining room and kitchen management, in the impalpable period of time between the time of booking and the actual service, when customers have not yet arrived but are already being managed, in their presence or in their absence. It’s customer management, when the customer is not even there yet.
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VALENTINO PALMISANO BORN IN
AGE
RESIDENT IN
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Norcia (PG)
RESTAURANT NAME
RESTAURANTS BEFORE THIS ONE
Vespasia RESTAURANT CONTACTS
PARTNER
via Cesare Battisti, 10 Norcia 0743817434 - palazzoseneca.com
La Locanda (The Ritz Carlton Kyoto Japan), Ristorante Padiglione Italia Expo 2010 (Shangai), Castello del Nero (Tavarnelle in Val di Pesa - FI)
OWNER
EMPLOYEE
NAME OF THE SOUS CHEF
FAVOURITE INGREDIENT
Filippo Moriggi
Tomato
AGE OF THE SOUS CHEF
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expired ones
KITCHEN BRIGADE:
DISH OF A LIFETINE
Fabio Cappiello, Giacomo Petti, Roniel Aceveda, Kido Toshimizu, Antonino Ferraiuolo, Stefano Padovani
Risotto with saffron and liquorice powder
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MOST RESPECTED PEER
WORSHIPPED MAESTRO
Oliver Glowig
Laura Santoro
Domenico Iavarone
DINING ROOM STAFF:
MY CUISINE IN A FEW WORDS
Laura Santoro, Saverio Sasanelli, Riwel Marasigan COPERTI
intelligent (hopefully), made of simplicity and immediacy
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FAVOURITE RESTAURANT ABROAD
Kichisen and Ryozanpaku, both in Kyoto HAD I NOT BEEN A CHEF I WOULD HAVE BECOME
ONE WINE ABOVE ALL OTHERS
a guitar player
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DISHES PRESENTED:
Spin 1ne 2wo
Sweet and sour sweetbreads with artichoke and Catalogna puntarelle greens; Spaghetti with tomato; Glazed suckling pork from Umbria; Il Gelsomino (or as I like to call it, La Pastiera)
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VALENTINO PALMISANO
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Sweet and sour sweetbreads with artichoke and Catalogna puntarelle greens INGREDIENTS FOR 4 400 g sweetbreads 4 spring artichokes 120 g Catalogna endive tips (puntarelle) 85 g plain yogurt 1,200 l water 20 g pickled red onions from Cannara
25 g sweet pecorino aged 12 months 15 g shallot 1 bay leaf 8 g raspberry vinegar 8 g ginger 3,5 g citronella 3 garlic cloves (blanched once) 8 mentuccia (calamint) leaves
4 sprigs of thyme butter black pepper dry coriandolo extra-virgin olive oil baking soda salt
For the sweet and sour sauce: 100 g apple vinegar 40 g sugar 6 g shallots 1 bay leaf
For the sweetbreads: trim and clean them, soak them in water until all the blood is extracted. Place them in sous vide bags along with yogurt, ginger, shallot, citronella, black pepper, and coriander in a ovenproof vessel. Bake in the oven at 85° for 4 minutes. For the sweet and sour sauce: place all the ingredients in a saucepan and reduce by half over low heat. For the puntarelle: in a large pot place the water, 3 g of salt and a pinch of baking soda. Bring to a boil and cook the puntarelle until tender yet still bright green in colour. Cool, blend with olive oil and a garlic clove, adjusting seasoning if necessary. For the artichoke: trim, clean and stuff each with minced garlic, mentuccia and thyme, then wrap them with foil and steam for 7/10 minutes. Cool in iced water. To complete the dish: heat some butter in a frying pan until browned, add the sweetbreads and brown them making sure they remain tender at the core. Discard excess butter and add the sweet and sour sauce. Fry the artichokes. Place as follows: the puntarelle puree, topped with the fried artichokes, the sweetbreads and finish with a dusting of grated pecorino and a little pickled onion.
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Spaghetti with tomato INGREDIENTS FOR 4 360 g spaghetti 400 g water 400 g vine-ripened tomatoes 310 g datterino tomatoes 150 g fresh San Marzano Igp tomatoes 100 g canned San Marzano Igp 90 g celery 90 g carrots 40 g shallot 15 g basil stems
10 g triple tomato concentrate (made with tomato water) 5 g Parmigiano delle Vacche Rosse 36 months 1 garlic clove (blanched once) Small fresh basil leaves Extra-virgin olive oil salt
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For the tomato water: Blend together the water, vineripened tomatoes, San Marzano (fresh and tinned), 150 g datterino tomatoes, celery, lo shallot, carrot, garlic, basil stems, triple tomato concentrate and 3 g of salt. Transfer the creamy outcome in a saucepan and cook at 86° C. Line a fine mesh chinois and filter the water. For the pasta: cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water only ž of the cooking time. In the meantime, sear the remaining datterini tomatoes and keep them warm. Drain the pasta and finish cooking in a pan with the tomato water; when the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid, add the oil and at the very end, off the burner, add the basil leaves and the Parmigiano. Garnish with the previously saved seared datterini.
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Glazed suckling pork from Umbria INGREDIENTS FOR 4 2,400 kg suckling pork 400 g pork stock 360 g apple vinegar 340 g water 320 g red apples 220 g sugar 200 g Marsala wine 80 g brine 40 g lemon 2 cloves 1 bay lea Cinnamon
Prepare the pork. For the porchetta: season the pork belly with the brine and let it sit, rolled up and tied with kitchen twine and refrigerated for 12 hours. Place in a sous vide bag and cook at 86°C for 8 hours. For the leg: prepare stock with the bones and reduce the il Marsala by 80% along with the lemon rinds; then add to the other pork stock. Debone the legs to obtain a square. Season with salt, place in a sous vide bag with half the sauce and the lemon, the rinds and cook at 68°C for 26 hours. For the apple puree: peel, core and quarter the apples; place in a saucepan with 100 g of water, 120 g apple vinegar and 60 g sugar. Cook until completely undone and puree with a blender. For the caramelized shallot: place the trimmed and cleaned shallot in a saucepan with 240 g of water, 240 g apple vinegar, 160 g sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves. Cook until caramelized. Carve the leg in cubes and glaze slowly in its drippings. Carve a slice of porchetta and bake in a 180°C oven for 25 minutes. Plate the apple puree, the caramelized shallot, the two different pork pieces and pour the glaze over the cubed leg.
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Il Gelsomino INGREDIENTS FOR 4 For the ricotta gelato 240 g whole milk 120 g sheep’s milk ricotta 70 g sugar 65 g cooked wheat berries 55 g heavy cream 36 g glucose 36 g water 25 g powdered milk 25 g acacia honey 2,4 g stabilizer For the flan 160 g sheep’s milk ricotta 120 g heavy cream 96 g egg yolks 64 g sugar 60 g cooked wheat berries 1 vanilla pod, cut lengthwise Jasmine essence
For the crumble and pastry crust rods 40 g flour 14 g butter 14 g confectioner’s sugar 7,6 g egg yolks For the orange tuille 40 g sugar 20 g orange juice, freshly squeezed 20 g butter 12 g flour crumble candied orange candied lemon confectioner’s sugar
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For the ricotta gelato: pour water, glucose, heavy cream, powdered milk, sugar and honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the ricotta in a shallow container and blend everything with an electric beater. Press through a chinois and add the cooked wheat berries. Churn in a gelato maker until creamy. For the flan: mix all the ingredients except the cooked wheat grains until smooth. Then add the cooked wheat berries. Pour 80 g of the mixture in a deep oven dish and cook in a combination steam oven at 86°C for 30 minutes. Once cool, store in the fridge covered with plastic wrap. For the pastry crust rods and crumble: assemble all the ingrediewnts starting with the yolks and adding sugar, butter and flour to obtain a smooth dough. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Then divide the dough in half. For the pastry crust rods, roll out the dough to 1cm thickness, cutting 20cm ropes. Bake in the oven at 160°C for 20/25 minutes. For the crumble, use the remaining pastry dough and grate it over a wide grain grater. Bake the crumble in the oven at 160°C for 30 minutes. For the tuille: mix all the ingredients and refrigerate for 12 hours. On a silpat mat form two circles. Bake them in the oven at 180°C for approximately 10 minutes. In the plated flan dish add the candied citrus, top with the tuille and the crumble, a quenelle of gelato and a pastry crust rod, dusting with confectioner’s sugar.
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#CARBONARADAY
Carbonara is an iconic recipe rooted in tradition and famous all around the world. Usually synonym of Italian and pasta abroad, it’s a dish that’s hard to resist to. On the 6th of April we challenged our followers to create their very own Carbonara and spread their love for this recipe. Here you find some photos from Sydney to Oslo.
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GAMBERO ROSSO www.gamberorosso.it SENIOR EDITOR Lorenzo Ruggeri PHOTO EDITOR Rossella Fantina LAYOUT Maria Victoria Santiago CONTRIBUTORS Stefania Annese, Antonio Boco, Giuseppe Carrus, Paolo De Cristofaro, Nicola Frasson, Martina Liverani, William Pregentelli, Lorenzo Ruggeri, Marco Sabellico, Loredana Sottile, Massimiliano Tonelli PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS Alvise Bittente (cover), Ennevi, Marcello Crescenzi
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May 2018