Gambero Rosso Wine Travel Food n.164 by Gambero Rosso

Wine Travel Food

Year 26 ∙ number 164 january-february 2024 gamberorosso.it

Where Eagles Dare The story behind the highest vineyard on Mount Etna

Stef Yim

Wine Travel Food

Year 26 ∙ number 164 january-february 2024 gamberorosso.it

Where Eagles Dare The story behind the highest vineyard on Mount Etna

Stef Yim

>Editorial and column Etna Fever

by Lorenzo Ruggeri

38. Senza Solfiti by Lorenzo Ruggeri

6 >Cover Story

Etna. Interview to Stef Yim. Europe's highest vineyard by Lorenzo Ruggeri

10. Centesimi. Thee best wines on Etna

16. The year of kombucha by Lorenzo Ruggeri

24. Here are the trends of 2024 by Annalisa Zordan

28 >Wine Interview

"Behind the best wine in the world is a worker” by Marco Mensurati

32. Centesimi. Brunello preview curated by Divina Vitale and Massimo Lanza

40 >Mixology Magical Mezcal Trip to Oaxaca

by Giovanni Angelucci

49. The best 7 farm mezcals

52 >Recipes Gianfranco Pascucci

Editor Gambero Rosso S.p.A. via Ottavio Gasparri, 13/17 - 00152 Roma +3906551121 - fax 0655112260 gambero@gamberorosso.it Director Marco Mensurati Senior Editor Lorenzo Ruggeri Translation Eleonora Baldwin Graphic Project Tina Berenato - TB design Layout Maria Victoria Santiago, Chiara Buosi Contributors Giovanni Angelucci, Giuseppe Carrus, Massimo Lanza, Stefano Polacchi, Sonia Ricci, Marco Sabellico, Marzio Taccetti, William Pregentelli, Divina Vitale, Annalisa Zordan Photos and drawings Andrea Di Lorenzo, Pablo Mekler, Lido Vannucchi, AdobeStock, Freepik, Unsplash

Copyright © 2023 Gambero Rosso S.p.A. All rights reserved. Administration via Ottavio Gasparri, 13/17 - 00152 Roma Advertising Class Pubblicità S.p.A. via Marco Burigozzo, 5 - 20122 Milano +390258219522 - e-mail: kanchieri@class.it Gambero Rosso is a Registered Trademark Copyright by GAMBERO ROSSO S.P.A. 2024

How to find us via Ottavio Gasparri, 13/17 00152 Roma +3906551121 gambero@gamberorosso.it www.gamberorosso.it filgamberorosso $gambero_rosso

Etna Fever by Lorenzo Ruggeri One can resist everything but Etna. Europe's highest active volcano continues to exert an unparalleled appeal, attracting tourists, wine enthusiasts, aesthetes and producers on the hunt for new challenges. Better if impossible or near-impossible. Its magnetic power can lay bare the deepest passions and dreams, it pushes one to raise the bar. In this issue we decided to put on the cover the story of Stef Yim, a young man born in Hong Kong, raised in Los Angeles and trained in France. He has both palate and talent. After travelling halfway around the world, he decided to establish his own winery in a remote area of Randazzo, on the northern slope of Mount Etna. And he is planting higher and higher (1,520 metres a. s.l.), convinced that high altitude is henceforth essential to preserve the freshness and finesse he demands of his wines. The call was strong, as a sommelier he always found himself in blind tastings: the wines of the volcano had such a different, unique timbre, they told of something he had to explore more closely. Today he is the first Asian producer on the volcano and has very clear ideas, a fierce determination and an already more than interesting range. In the last 20 years, the Etna wine scene has changed face, image, imposing its international presence. There is nothing like Etna on the world stage: varieties that can only be found there, a lunar landscape, an infinite diversity of slopes and subsoils, an incredible heritage of old grapes and biodiversity. If you love wine and have never found yourself with a glass between the rows of alberello trees, trampling lava and gazing at the sea, you should remedy this as soon as possible. You will never forget it. After an exponential growth, in the last couple of years producers are questioning the future. There are those who argue the lack of a common direction and a codified style of wines, and those who instead extol the open-air laboratory and a plurality of interpretations and registers. In the meantime, Etna DOC (born in 1968, the first in Sicily and among the first in Italy) has begun the process for recognition as DOCG, and is gloating over growing numbers. The year 2023 closed with record numbers: 6 million bottles in total, about 3% more than in 2022. Etna Bianco now accounts for over 40% of production and is expected to catch up with Etna Rosso within a short time. We can only be happy about this: the whites produced by the volcano are capable of incredible evolutions over time, even superior to the reds, our experience suggests. And the very fine rosés with that sinuous imprint? In the following pages we tell you about our best tastings. Read it as an invitation to travel.

Europe’s On Etna, Stef Yim has planted vines at 1,500 metres: a gamble against global warming by Lorenzo Ruggeri

highest vineyard Born in 1985. Distinguishing marks include being extremely passionate, determined, meticulous. Just look at the detailed information he puts on his bottles. Stef Yim’s story spans several continents and professions, and since 2016 he small town of Randazzo on Mount Etna is what he calls home. He lives in his cellar, Sciara, pampered by the Nerello Mascalese alberello vines of Contrada Taccione. From his eight parcels, a total of 5.9 hectares, he produces around 12,000 bottles: the six labels have character and originality of taste in common. The vines are old, the yields very low. How did your passion for wine start?

I grew up in Los Angeles, my father is from Hong Kong where I was born, my mother is Japanese. When I was nine, we moved to California, I started working very young in the bars of Pasadena and then as a sommelier and restaurant manager. You know, the usual life of the wine industry, every night I would go to bed at 3am. I was looking for an escape route, also because in the meantime I had married.

Stef Yim, from California to Etna: talking about his high altitude wines on the Sicilian volcano

So you threw yourself into the production world...

I didn't really want to make wine. It was pure coincidence. I used to shop for food, I used to taste a lot. One day I found myself at an event called The Family Winemakers. I was looking for Californian wine, atypical: less alcoholic, rich and structured. I tasted a wine that made me fall out of my chair, on the label it said 3,000 and nothing else. It indicated the altitude in feet, in metres just over 900. It was a Northern California Syrah, I didn't even know wine was made at that altitude in the area. I ordered several cases but they never made it to my restaurant.. An exciting start with high altitude The following year I returned to the Family Winemarkes event in Pasadena

where I worked. As I am about to leave, I taste an incredible wine that reminds me of that 3,000, the same feeling. I tell the producer, John Fore, and discover that that label was made from his grapes at Cobb Mountain, one of the highest vineyards in California. We struck up a friendship right away, we went drinking and at the first opportunity I went to visit him in the vineyard, amidst wonderful volcanic soils. The meeting changes my life. He had grapes to sell and offered them to me. I didn't know anything, but I took

>Volcanic Winery Azienda Agricola Sciara – Randazzo (CT) c.da Taccione

the plunge, a friend of his acted as my henchman. So I started. Did you already have experience with wines produced on volcanoes? Ever since I worked as a sommelier, the wines that struck me most in the blind have always been those of volcanic origin. They have such an original, elegant timbre, they are unique. I have always traded in wine, I realise that I have to improve a lot as a producer so I move to France to train, in the south-east of the country. I learn a lot, so I decide to set up my own business in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. Obviously volcanic soils. But it doesn't work, the lack of temperature ranges and seasons makes itself felt, the air connections are limited and the food is not exactly as stimulating as in Italy. I give up. When did the spark for Etna come?

At the end of 2015, I find a small plot of land in Randazzo at an altitude of almost 1,000 metres; I close the deal in a few days. And slowly I begin to collect a series

more they charge me. During the pandemic I found a plot at 1,500 metres, in Adrano, on the southern slope of Etna. It only produced plums, but I am sure it is a very suitable area. With three people, all by hand, we broke to put in 4,500 plants. Red grapes, but I won't tell you the variety. Is high altitude really the future?

It would be too simple, but just look at the 2023 harvest. I lost the grapes from the 760 Metri and the Centenario, which are at around 650 metres. From those vineyards, 15% were saved. While above 900 Metres I am very happy, we had minimal losses, under 20%. Something must mean something. Who were your role models?

of very small plots with different soils and characters, just as I wanted. They are almost all smaller than a hectare and from very old vines. Why Etna?

I have always studied the effects of global warming and I knew that it would be more and more difficult for agriculture. I realised that I had to climb a lot to produce elegant wines, with the right acidity and ph to make them travel through time. From this point of view, Etna is a constant surprise. And then the volcanic soil, these landscapes, there is no place like it around the world. You are the only person on Etna who names his wines after altitudes..

Altitude is fundamental. I started at 750, but then I changed to 760 because they exchanged the altitude for the quantity in the bottle, they told me you don't need to write it down, we know it. I produce it from the Sciaranova contrada and now Petrone as well. Then there is the 980 metres, contrada Carana, Monte Dolce which I like

more and more and Barbabecchi, we are under the Magma vineyard. Here there is more tannin and dark character. They told me I wouldn't find anything above 1,100 metres but they were wrong, the 1,200 Metre comes from a very old, prephylloxera Grenache vineyard in Contrada Nave. And then there is the Centenario, a handful of bottles from very old pre-phylloxera vineyards in Contrada Feudo di Mezzo. And some experimental labels that I change every year to understand the limit. Are you a proponent of single vineyard at all costs?

I started off with that idea but then I realised that every vintage is its own story. Sometimes the concert is perfect with just one voice, sometimes I need a quartet to play the symphony and get new perspectives. I evaluate on a case-by-case basis. Do you want to plant even higher?

Actually I already have. They tell me I'm a fool, that the grapes won't ripen, but the more they criticise me, the

The one who inspired me in Italy, since 2012, has been Enzo Pontoni, the owner of Miani in Friuli. For me he is a hero. Probably number one on my list: he doesn't make wines, he forges them. He has an inordinate passion for detail, tailoring work on individual barrels and individual microclimates to have different stories. He is a true guide.. And on Etna?

I have to say thank you to the work Salvo Foti did for 20 years, to Frank Cornelissen's contribution and to that of Benanti. They have given new life to these lands. Think of the work of Andrea Franchetti and Marc de Grazia: they modelled the image of Etna and took it around the world. Today everything is easier. Without them there would be no Etna as we know it. And I would not be here. Producing wines like vini Ubriaco sulla luna.....

He he. Every year I created a label of my own. In 2021, Ubricao sulla luna (Drunk on the Moon). Before that it was the turn of "Howling at the Moon", "Moon Tear" and "Moon Water". Basically, I love the moon and Etna reminds me of it. I often follow the cycles of the moon for the work in the vineyard, the moon is not only

fascinating but has a direct influence. Yes, even the taste of wine has something to do with the moon. Where is Etna winemaking going, is there a common path among producers?

I believe that Etna is and always will be a plurality of styles. It is in its nature. Everyone makes wines with different interpretations and philosophies, there is no codified style on either white or red. And that is precisely why each wine is so unique, why these slopes and microclimates offer endless possibilities. I do not see this as a disadvantage but as a great opportunity. Etna is an openair laboratory, this is precisely the attraction for consumers. Some of Etna wines cannot receive DOC status because the vines are too high up. Is it not time to review the specifications?

I am stupid enough to self-disclose from day one by writing the vineyard quota in large letters on the labels. As of today, in my vineyards, above 850 metres, I cannot have DOC: there are rules and they must be respected. It's not a problem because people don't so much look at the label but think about the content. I think the maximum threshold will change in

the future, but it will take a long time. Certainly many producers do not declare the altitude of the grapes from which they come... Do you call yourself a natural wine producer?

No. Everything I have done from day one in the vineyard is natural and we are also certified organic. But what does natural wine mean? Even just controlling the vineyard yields is not, just as I don't believe in zero sulphite wines. If I have to send a wine to the other side of the world I have to put sulphites in it to protect it. And then I don't want my wines to taste like kombucha, there are plenty around that enhance things I don't like, but to each his own. For me the most important thing is cleanliness, hygiene, I am obsessed. I invite you to visit my micro-cellar. Where do you sell?

Abroad accounts for 65%, mainly Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand. Thanks to events with Gambero Rosso, I have also expanded to Sweden and Denmark. But Italy also gives great satisfaction. I am very happy with the feedback I have received. I don't want to increase production because otherwise I lose control, I have to grow in quality and consistency.

Three labels at altitude

>Etna Rosso 760 Metri ‘21

Contrada Sciaranuova and Taccione. The aromas are crisp and fragrant, with a nice floral background that intertwines tones of blackberry, myrtle and rosemary. The palate is particularly juicy, with good distension and immediate pleasantness. The finish is harmonious and finely spiced, combining freshness with a warmer, more mature register. It matures 19 months in tonneau and then in glass. 4,435 bottles.

>980 metri ‘19 We go up in altitude, encountering the legendary Barbabecchi, Carrana and Monte Dolce districts. It fascinates with a fine, sinuous balsamic character of juniper, fennel and thyme, together with a darker undertone of liquorice. The mouth is enveloping, with a wonderful feeling of lightness combined with plenty of flavour and depth. The finish dances between red fruit, green tea and pomegranate. After twenty minutes it sings in the glass. 'No clarification - filtration with 10 micron cartridges', when you say transparency on the label. 3,206 bottles.

>1200 Metri ‘21 "Production: 1486 kg". We are in Contrada Nave, in this case the wine is aged in amphora for 19 months. The aromas are very dark, strong suggestions of black tea, coffee and rhubarb. The palate is still compressed, very original in its aromatic traits, with notes of friggitelli and officinal herbs. Decisive attack, then the course on the palate is more relaxed for a very particular cadenced and rhythmical development. Deeply savoury and multifaceted finish. 1,390 bottles.

i centesimi96 The best wines on Etna All the class and versatility of the volcano in the glass: here are our best tastings. We start with Etna Bianco, a type with enormous evolutionary potential in the bottle, then Etna Rosato, a small but often exciting production. We close with a large collection of contrade, the true Etna unit of measure, dedicated to Etna Rosso

>Etna Bianco Sup. Kudos ‘19 Federico Curtaz Milo (CT)

Slow and delicate start. The nose offers hints of camomile, aniseed and white melon. On the palate, it enters in feet first, has a whispery, airy, fine development. It proceeds in bursts, then shows off a vivid, deep savoury acceleration. The finish is rich in counterpoints: wet rock, Mediterranean herbs, spices. The wood is sartorial, and the finish is long and pure. An Etna symphony!

>Etna Bianco Arcuria ‘21 Graci Passopisciaro (CT)

Sinuous, multifaceted and extremely elegant, Etna Bianco Arcuria '21 is a wine to remember: a brilliant greenish colour, it moves forward with a bouquet that dances with nuances of plum, green pear, medlar and white peach, counterpointed by very fine nuances of flint, lavender, almond and lemon zest.

>Il Bianco ‘22 Buscemi Bronte (CT)

Mirella Buscemi's vineyards are in contrada Tartaraci in Bronte at 980 metres above sea level, beyond the DOC limits. Simply extraordinary is her Bianco'22 carricante and greganico, with fine aromas of fennel, broom, white melon and citron. Precise and graceful on the palate, savoury and well-played on the ripeness of the fruit and the fullness of the sip, it has an uncommon class.

>Etna Bianco Sup. Caselle Vigna di Milo ‘21 I Vigneri Milo (CT)

>Alberelli di Giodo Bianco ‘21 Giodo Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

>Etna Bianco Sup. C.da Praino Frontemare ‘22 Maugeri Milo (CT)

Carlo and Bianca Ferrini's wine cellar is located on the northern slope of the volcano, a mosaic of small, very old vineyards, often free-range. Elegant and complex on the nose with hints of star anise, lime and orange blossom, plums and peaches, sage and flint. Very elegant on the palate with vibrant acidity enhancing the turgid fruit, pleasantly herbaceous finish.

Carla Maugeri's winery is located in Milo, the only municipality on Etna where white wines can boast the mention "superior". The vineyard of Etna Frontemare '22 faces directly onto the Ionian Sea, which refreshes it with its winds during the summer. Crystal-clear on the nose, it smells of white fruit, aniseed, lime, jasmine and rock salt, savoury and taut on the palate with citrus returns and a fine balsamic finish.

>Etna Bianco A’ Puddara ‘21 Tenuta di Fessina Rovittello (CT)

>Etna Bianco Trainara ‘21 Generazione Alessandro Linguaglossa (CT)

A parcel of Carricante, free of foot, planted in 2010 in Milo. Spontaneous fermentation, it matures for 12 months in 2,500-litre barrels. Aromas of cedar, officinal herbs and mint. The palate is spectacularly relaxed, pure and elegant, with intense savoury hints and a long, energetic finish.

It is by now an authentic, recognised classic of Etna oenology: the charming, bright golden straw colour introduces an aromatic framework that evokes green apple, medlar, white plum and cedar peel, which meet with refined smoky and mountain herb nuances; in the mouth it is taut and multifaceted, persistent, incredibly complex.

The Alessandro cousins' winery has ten hectares on the northern slope of Etna. The Etna Bianco '21 Trainara, carricante and catarratto cultivated at an altitude of 640 metres, is of a high standard. The nose is broad, with scents of peach, green cedar, lavender, wisteria and a nice rocky mineral timbre. Full and dynamic on the palate, driven well by a fresh, vital acidic thorn.

>Sant’Andrea ’20 Pietradolce Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Vigna Sant'Andrea is a small 'clos' of just over one hectare of vines between 80 and 120 years old that have resisted phylloxera thanks to the volcanic sandcovered soils. The '20 vintage is elegant and complex with hints of jasmine, almond, thyme and aniseed. Full and energetic on the palate with great acid tension for a finish of extraordinary length.

>Etna Bianco ‘22 Monteleone Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

The grapes come from the eastern slopes of Etna, in the municipalities of Milo and Sant'Alfio, between 700 and 900 metres. Etna Bianco '22 offers a delightful bouquet of jasmine and orange blossom, citrus, aromatic herbs and white fruit. The palate is taut and vibrant, buoyed by a fresh acidic thrust, the finish long and precise in its citrus return.

>Etna Bianco Sup. Pietramarina ‘18 Benanti Viagrande (CT)

A wine with a long capacity for ageing, so much so that it was put on the market a good five years after the harvest, yet it retains an aromatic freshness like few wines in Italy: sea stones and flint on the nose, then fresh fruity notes, citrus fruits, herbs and white pepper; a coherent, vital, very vibrant and welldistributed sip, for a finish of rare composure and length.

>Munjebel Bianco VA ‘20 Frank Cornelissen Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Fascinating and evocative is the Munjebel Bianco VA '20 (Vigne Alte), a blend of Grecanico, Carricante and coda di volpe. Spontaneous herb traits, sulphurous puff and beautiful hydrocarbon notes. It has character, energy and articulation. The palate is full, rich, dynamic, with a deep mineral matrix. It stretches well to a finish of great character.

>Etna Bianco Sup. Contrada Villagrande ‘19 Barone di Villagrande Milo (CT)

The history of the Nicolosi Asmundo family has been linked to that of the Villagrande contrada in Milo for almost 300 years. The Etna Bianco Contrada Villagrande '19 is a wine that defies time: variegated and complex, fresh, deep and persistent, it offers notes of iodine, white fruit and spices, while savouriness dominates the palate. It is striking for its expressive naturalness and overall harmony.

>Etna Bianco Ante ‘20 I Custodi delle Vigne dell’Etna Solicchiata (CT)

Mario Paoluzi's property stretches between Moganazzi, Feudo di Mezzo and Puntalazzo. This is where this Carricante of remarkable complexity was born. The nose has aromas of orange blossom, medlar, aromatic herbs, juniper and a mineral background. Inviting on the palate, in perfect harmony between softness and acidity, with a rhythmic and intriguing progression.

>Etna Bianco Cavanera Ripa di Scorciavacca ‘22 Firriato Verzella (CT)

The Etna Bianco Cavanera Ripa di Scorciavacca '22 is once again a champion, displaying elegant tones of yellow fruits, sage, almond, juniper and rosemary, enriched by mineral and smoky nuances; the palate is happily savoury, lively, with acid tension and a finish reminiscent of lime and freshly picked almonds.

>Etna Bianco Lenza di Munti 720 slm ’22 Cantine Nicosia Trecestagni (CT)

A perfect example of an elegant and contemporary wine, Lenza di Munti Bianco 720 metres above sea level '22 wins the re Bicchieri with impetus thanks to its delicate aromas of orange blossom, white peach and melon, superbly blended with hints of Mediterranean herbs, wisteria and sage; in the mouth it is very rich and lively, happily marked by refined mineral undertones.

>Etna Bianco Contrada Taccione ‘21 Planeta Passopisciaro (CT)

The Etna Bianco Contrada Taccione '21 from carricante organically grown between 690 and 720 metres is excellent: it expresses with great elegance a nose of citrus and aromatic herbs on a mineral background of precious finesse; in the mouth it is savoury, pulpy and persistent. The finish is harmonic and balanced, with a light spicy undertone.

>Etna Bianco Sup. Lavi ‘22 Iuppa Milo (CT)

This young winery is located in the municipality of Milo on the eastern quadrant of Etna, an area notoriously suited to the production of elegant and long-lived white wines. Not to be outdone is the Etna Lavi '22 with its fruity and citrus aromas accompanied by fresher vegetal nuances. Dynamic on the palate, it is energetic and gutsy with an excellently persistent finish.

>Etna Bianco ‘21 Famiglia Statella Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Calogero Statella, a renowned oenologist, in 2016, with his wife Rita, set up a small winery on Etna's northern slope. Among the only four wines produced, the Etna Bianco '21 stands out with its clear aromas of citrus, yellow-fleshed fruit, jasmine and smoked salt. Vertical and vital on the palate with balsamic hints and a long aromatic persistence.

>Etna Bianco C.da Arrigo ‘21 Neri Linguaglossa (CT)

Salvo Neri is the young owner of this family winery and wine-resort Villa Neri, an ancient noble residence on the north-eastern slope of Etna. Excellent is the Etna Bianco Contrada Arrigo '21 with its clear scents of citrus, infusion of medical herbs, yellow fruit, stony shoreline and rust. Well-calibrated on the palate, nervous and vital, well balanced between acidity and fruit for a fine, satisfying finish.

>Etna Rosato de Aetna ‘22 Terra Costantino Viagrande (CT)

The Costantino family has been cultivating vines since 1699, the year the palmento in contrada Blandano was purchased. Of rare complexity and elegance is the de Aetna '22, perfumed with cherries and strawberries, followed by nuances of peach, roses, basil and thyme and a hint of graphite. Harmonious and very pleasant on the palate, slightly tannic, in great harmony between fruit and acidity for a long, juicy finish.

>Etna Rosato C.da Volpare ‘22 Maugeri Milo (CT)

>Etna Rosato ‘22 Girolamo Russo Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Musician and winemaker Giuseppe Russo combines both his passions well, as anyone who knows his wines well knows, always involving and satisfying like a wellperformed symphony. The Rosato '22 opens gracefully with the scent of small red fruits and candied violets, then rises in tone with fresh notes of aromatic herbs and citrus fruits. The sip is captivating, fresh, sweet of fruit and delicately saline..

>Jeudi 15 Rosato ‘22 Vino di Anna Solicchiata (CT)

>Etna Rosato Romice delle Sciare ‘22 Calcagno

The Calcagno brothers are authentic winemakers, working a few hectares of ancient vines where nerello mascalese and cappuccio and even a few white berry plants such as minnella and carricante coexist. The Romice delle Sciare, named after a spontaneous plant that even grows on solid lava, fascinates with citrus, peach, lotus and pumice aromas. Tannic and saline the sip with a definite fruity return.

>Etna Rosato ‘22 Restivo Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

The Maugeri have earmarked part of the new vineyard in Milo for a very specific project, to produce a rosé with the same characteristics in an area known for its great and long-lived white wines. From tasting the Contrada Volpare '22 we could bet on its longevity, but it is already intriguing and complex, rich in fresh fruit, pleasantly herbaceous, tinged with a savoury minerality and decidedly elegant.

Always fascinating is the luminosity in the glass and the evocative character of this Rosé. The aromas are reminiscent of pomegranate, violet and watermelon. The palate is dry and responsive, with a very intriguing and multifaceted smoky accent. Fragrant in its fruit and energetic in its acid tone, it offers a drinkability that is pleasant to say the least, but at the same time complex.

Francesco Restivo's is an ambitious project that began recently with the acquisition of a vineyard on Etna's northern slope. Pleasant is the Etna rosé '22, multifaceted on the nose with notes of fresh red fruit, Mediterranean herbs, hibiscus, while the minerality veers towards quartz. Pleasant sip well played between the fragrance of the fruit and a well-dosed tannic touch.

>Etna Rosato ‘22 Graci Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Talent and tenacity in bringing forward his production philosophy make Alberto Graci one of the undisputed protagonists of Etnean oenology. In the wake of tradition, his Etna Rosato '22 is almost austere on the nose with scents of bramble fruit, myrtle, iron and Mediterranean scrub. Linear on the palate with a notable yet savoury freshness combined with turgid, ripe fruit

>Etna Rosato ‘22 Pietradolce Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

The Faro family's property extends over some forty hectares all on the northern slope of Etna at altitudes ranging from 700 to 1000 metres. All played on pleasantness is the Etna rosé '22 with its inviting aromas of raspberry, wild strawberries, white peach, tangerine and pink salt. Fresh, savoury mouthfeel with a precise fruity return well pushed by a crystalline acid vein, and a fresh, citrusy finish.

>Etna Rosato ‘22 Scalunera Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Mario Piccini has long since added this small estate on the northern slope of Etna to his already extensive list of wineries scattered around Tuscany. Pleasant and very drinkable is the Etna rosé Scalunera '22 with pleasant hints of red berry fruit, nectarine, citrus blossom and jasmine and a touch of wild fennel. The taste is agile, fresh and well-distributed with fragrant fruit and fresh acidity.

>Etna Rosso San Lorenzo Piano delle Colombe ‘20 Girolamo Russo Passopisciaro (CT)

True emotion. This is a single vineyard within a single vineyard, a 0.7h portion in the commune of Randazzo, for an incredible cru produced in very few bottles. It smells of lavender, violets and nutmeg, and the palate is incredible for its elegance, relaxation and savoury depth. The tannin is embroidered, the development very light and equally deep. In short, a masterpiece.

>Magma ‘20 Frank Cornelissen Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Frank calls it his "Gran Vin" and rightly so: Magma comes from centuries-old Nerello Mascalese free-range saplings in Contrada Barbabecchi; the 2020 vintage has an intense and fragrant nose of pomegranate, cherry, juniper, moving smoky notes and a fruit of exceptional consistency, finesse and persistence. Thrilling.

>Etna Rosso Vigna Barbagalli ‘20 Pietradolce Solicchiata (CT)

Once again this year, this winery's ever-growing battery of wines, all of the highest quality, lived up to its reputation. On the highest step was this Etna Rosso, obtained from an ancient tree-trained vineyard at an altitude of 900 metres: refined and harmonious, it smells of black fruits, liquorice, spices, conifers and iron tones, and is fresh in the mouth, well balanced between fruit and velvety tannins, with a very long persistence.

>Etna Rosso Profumo di Vulcano ‘21 Federico Graziani Randazzo (CT)

The vineyard from which Federico Graziani produces Profumo di Vulcano '21 measures only half a hectare and is located at an altitude of 600 metres in the Feudo di Mezzo district on Etna's northern slope. Fascinating and complex is the bouquet with aromas of dog rose, peach, mulberry, aromatic herbs and musk. Full and with consistent tannins on the palate, well mediated by the tonic and juicy fruit.

>Etna Rosso Alta Mora Guardiola ‘19 Alta Mora Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

>Etna Rosso Contrada Pietrarizzo ‘20 Francesco Tornatore Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Excellent value for money across the entire range. The Etna Rosso Pietrarizzo ‘20 is a wine with a bouquet of rare complexity and elegance, with smoky mineral, bramble fruit, dark citrus, violet and yellow peach hints; the palate is very pleasant, persistent, well balanced between fruit, suave tannins and the incredible long, balsamic finish.

>Etna Rosso Contrada Zottorinoto Riserva ‘19 Cottanera Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

A fine affirmation of the Etna Rosso Guardiola '19, complex and elegant on the nose, with varietal fruitiness and mineral, spicy and Mediterranean herb nuances; on the palate it reveals a fine, authoritative, savoury and very persistent texture. On the tactile level, the wine is perfect, creamy and enveloping, but at the same time dynamic and continuous.

The Riserva ‘19 from the Zottorinoto cru stands out once again: elegant and complex fruity notes of peach, red berries, and aromatic herbs blended with fine balsamic and mineral nuances; in the mouth it is taut, the tannin texture thick and silky, the persistence long and clear. Good evolutionary potential thanks to the solid structure.

>Etna Rosso Calderara ‘20 Calcagno Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

A magnificent wine, the Calderara ‘20, which conquers with its clear and intense nuances of red fruits, tobacco peach and cinchona, furrowed by inviting balsamic notes of myrtle, juniper and eucalyptus; the taste is refined, ample, with silky tannins and a captivating mentholated finish.

>Contrada P ‘21 Passopisciaro Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

Splendid from the first glance, a beautiful garnet with deep, brilliant reflections, the nerello mascalese of Contrada Porcaria. The nose is deep and articulate with an elegant trait where ripe dark fruit combines well with balsamic herbs, cinchona and liquorice root. The sip is broad and velvety, with an energetic gustative progression accompanied by dense and round tannins.

>Etna Rosso Contrada Santo Spirito ‘19 Palmento Costanzo Passopisciaro (CT)

The Etna Rosso Santo Spirito '19 is a particularly fine and graceful red, the perfect expression of a district that always offers suffused and ethereal wines. It offers a crisp bouquet of peach and pomegranate, with beautiful nuances of fresh herbs; in the mouth it is elegant, consistent, with round tannins and a long balsamic persistence.

>Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo ‘21 Graci Passopisciaro (CT)

The Feudo di Mezzo ‘21 shows off its register. The aromas are well defined and in focus, offering a dark fruity trail of blackberries and mulberries, together with fresh tones of mint and thyme. The palate is juicy, very pleasant on the tactile level, with a spicy profile that slowly grows in the glass. The finish veers towards delicious blood orange and pomegranate tones.

>Etna Rosso Feudo ‘21 Girolamo Russo Passopisciaro (CT)

Feudo di Mezzo is elegant in its nuances of Mediterranean scrub, small black fruits and balsamic essences. The palate is rich in pulp, with an undertone of wilted violets and a delicate, slightly vegetal character, with final nuances of friggitelli, pepper and coffee. It alternates between a mature register and a decidedly fresher, more austere one.

>Etna Rosso Ghiaia Nera Tenute Tascante ‘21 Tasca d’Almerita Randazzo (CT)

All Tasca wines are characterised by their close ties to the terroir, be it Etna, the Regaleali estate or one of the small vineyards on the Aeolian islands. Etna Rosso Ghiaia Nera ‘21, an elegant nerello mascalese with aromas of red fruits, undergrowth and balsamic herbs, gritty on the palate, marine and well balanced between enveloping tannins and ripe fruit.

>Etna Rosso Aitna Feudo di Mezzo ‘21 Cantine Edomè Passopisciaro (CT)

Ninì and Paola Cianci's winery has two production areas: in Milo, on Etna's southern slope, for carricante, and in Passopisciaro, on the northern slope, for nerello mascalese and cappuccio. The wines presented this year are authentic varietal expressions of the volcano's grape varieties. In particular, Feudo di Mezzo has an elegant floral trait, rhythmic taste and a fascinating finish of black fruit and orange peel.

>Etna Rosso Contrada Villagrande ‘18 Barone di Villagrande Milo (CT)

Excellent is the Etna Rosso Contrada Villagrande '18, nerello mascalese and partly nerello cappuccio, which expresses the volcanic terroir to perfection in its nuances: balsamic notes alternate with aromatic herbs, great elegance and balance of taste. The finish is pure, of good length, with a fine, multifaceted undertone.

>Etna Rosso Sciaramanica Vigna Vecchia ‘21 Generazione Alessandro Linguaglossa (CT)

We are at an altitude of 660 metres on the northeast slope of the volcano, in the municipality of Linguaglossa. Here nerello mascalese meets small percentages of nerello cappuccio and alicante. The aromas are dark and well-rhythmised. Vigna Vecchia '21 tastes of chocolate, ground black pepper, cherry and slate, balsamic and satisfying, incisive and with a delicious mineral trail..

>Etna Rosso Contrada Carranco RV ‘20 Palmento Carranco Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)

A joint venture between the Piemonte winery Borgogno and the Etnean winery of Cavaliere Francesco Tornatore. From the oldest vineyards in Contrada Carranco comes this wine with its refined aromas of ripe black and red fruits, dried dark flowers and mint against a background of wet undergrowth. Marked by untamed but not green tannins, the sip has a precise fruity return.

>Etna Rosso Piano dei Daini ‘21 Tenuta di Bastonaca Solicchiata (CT)

The year of The beverage, with its thousand-year history and extraordinary gustatory complexity, is conquering the world. In Australia and the USA it already occupies entire supermarket aisles, and it is also starting to become popular in Italy by Lorenzo Ruggeri

kombucha Seattle. We browse the shelves of a supermarket, find a wall of kombucha. Sydney. We walk thirstily into the first convenient store, our gaze falls on a dozen brightly coloured bottles: again, kombucha. We cultivated a passion for this devilish beverage on the road. While we were focused on promoting Italian wine in the world, we encountered it in the essential bars of Berlin, in the most sought-after restaurants in Copenhagen or San Francisco, among the breakfasts of large hotel chains. In Italy it is much less known, but it is only a matter of time. Of months. The movement is growing at a dizzying pace: in haute cuisine, in bars, in homebrewing. To cut a long story short, kombucha is a fermented tea. The starting base is usually black, green or oloong tea, left to ferment with brown sugar and Scoby (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), a gelatinous disc also known as mother. The result is a lively, very fresh beverage with a pleasant acidic tendency and moderate sugar content: thirst-quenching, to say the least. Once you get over the initial scepticism, it is hard to do without. At least that's how it was for us. Distinguishing features: a number of valuable acids and bacteria are produced during fermentation, it is non-alcoholic (the alcoholic version is hard kombucha), it is fizzy. Particularly popular among Generation Z and millennials, it is, to say the least, versatile, even at the table, and is produced by a fabric of young producers who use the same language as those who consume it. The producers of industrial soft drinks cannot sleep soundly.

The cocktail of legends The origin of kombucha is a cocktail of legends, some of them rather far-fetched. The first evidence of fermented tea takes us to China in 222 B.C., in the old region of Manchuria, the ‘tea of immortality’, with its incredible digestive functions, is mentioned. Then we move on to Japan. It is said that in 414 A.D., a Korean doctor called Kombu cured Emperor Ingyo with a fermented tea with magical powers. The Samurai in the 10th century took it before every battle and it is said that Genghis Khan always brought it with him on his many travels to strengthen the spirit of his knights. Its arrival in the West would seem to be linked to the Silk Road trade, with Russian soldiers playing an important role, returning from war with Japan. Russian sources certify the presence of the Scoby in the early 1900s. Excellent consumers also include Stalin and Reagan: both used it for medical purposes; the myth linked to a group of elderly people in Chernobyl who allegedly survived nuclear radiation thanks to Scoby’s magic is slightly improbable. In Italy, 1954 is remembered as the golden year of kombucha. The cover of the Domenica del Corriere recounts its widespread domestic consumption. Renato Carosone wrote the irreverent song ‘Stu fungo cinese’ (The Chinese Mushroom) about it: ‘It came from Peking in ‘nu vaso ‘na cosa misteriosa, nun cchi bisogno cchiù di medicine, l’ha detto un mandarino, che l’ha purtata ccà! But fashion is ephemeral and soon the traces are lost. The kombucha revolution as we know it today started, for a change, in California. The protagonist, between 1994 and 1995, is George Thomas Dave, who received

the Scoby as a dowry from a Tibetan monk. He became convinced that his mother Laaraine’s recovery from breast cancer was also due to the extensive home consumption of kombucha. So, he left school and marketed the first handful of bottles. Today, GT’s Living Foods has a capitalisation of more than $900 million and holds about 40 per cent of the North American market, by far the world’s largest for the type. Overall in 2023 the global kombucha business is valued at $3.4 billion, in 2033 Future Market Insight Global analysts predict a $17.1 billion boom. The expansion has brought giants like Pepsi to buy one of the best known brands in the US, KeVita, while in Italy, Federico Citterio’s Old Kombucha, Italy’s most productive kombucha company, signed a joint venture with Gruppo Montecristo in 2022. The potential production volume exceeds 100 million bottles per year.

Small producers are growing For the time being, the Italian fabric is fuelled by small producers who have only just started and are travelling at a fast pace. The constant? They are boys and girls who have travelled the world with a curious eye, then replicated the recipe at home and launched into marketing. «The idea

Kombucha-friendly restaurants in Italy Trattoria La Madia

Spore

Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler

UNE

Brione (BS)

Brunico (BZ)

SanBrite

Cortina d’Ampezzo (BL)

Ristorante Materia Cernobbio (CO)

Locanda del Pilone Alba (CN)

Ristorante I Tenerumi Vulcano (ME)

28 posti Milano

Ceresio 7 Milano

Sensorium Milano

Milano Foligno (PG)

Ristrante Inkiostro Parma

Dalla Gioconda

Gabicce Monte (PU)

Aromaticus Roma

Retrobottega Roma

Sintesi Ristorante Ariccia (RM)

Ninò

Martina Franca (TA)

Venissa

Venezia (VE)

Where to purchase kombucha online legendkombucha.com miakombucha.com fruilab.com oldkombucha.com

ortigeometrici.it culturavivakombucha.com conzafoodlab.it cortilia.it

was born when I returned from North America where I had found it everywhere. I started with homebrewing, in 2019 we set up a laboratory, we started in the middle of the pandemic. In 2023 we produced 100,000 pieces, more than twice as much as in 2022,» Stefano Zamboni of the Veronese Legend Kombucha tells us. «Kombucha should be drunk first of all because it is good, during fermentation a wide range of acids (acetic, lactic, malic), bacteria and yeasts are formed, which help digestion and strengthen the bacterial flora. And it is rich in B vitamins, especially B12, which is especially valuable for vegans, and high levels of minerals and catechin».

A report from Stanford University in California in 2021 cites clear evidence of macrobiome enrichment, immune system enhancement and anti-inflammatory effect on the gut. But there are many studies in the pipeline between manufacturers and Italian universities. Kombucha is part of a new lifestyle with less alcohol, less caffeine, less sugar (we are between 2 and 5 grams of residual sugar per 100 ml). Stefano advises to always check the ingredients on the label: «If you find tea extract you are not drinking artisanal kombucha. And if it is pasteurised or micro-filtered, all the vitality of the product is lost. This is why it is essential to maintain the cold chain, above 15 degrees it can continue to ferment, eating sugar and producing more co2 and alcohol». The expiry date is

approximate, usually 6/9 months, but well stored it can last even longer.

The comeback after 70 years IMeanwhile, 70 years later, the fashion of ‘54 seems to be back, the kombuchisti are growing in the home. «It’s not difficult at all, all you need is simple tools, cleanliness and a little common sense. Add a starter liquid in addition to the Scoby to get things started and trust your nose and mouth. The world of craft beer also started from home, we need strong word of mouth to make the movement grow,» retorts Beatrice Azzolina, brewer of Legend

Kombucha, at the top in our tastings together with Antonio Iemolo’s Pào Pào Kombucha, thanks to a style of great clarity and freshness of taste. The success of another youngster, Mia Kombucha, in the province of Varese, is striking. «Let’s erase the communication that passed it off as the cure for all ills, let’s start again from the wonderful product that it is. We are facing a fermented revolution, a very strong wave, just look at what is happening in emerging restaurants,» says co-founder Battista Maconi. Today there are 65 members and

production has expanded considerably thanks to a crowdfunding that raised 270,000 euro from a request of 150. Their signature style is one of restrained acidity, for versions that are pop in language and definition, with Italian ingredients in addition to not excessively aromatic Chinese teas. For an even more fundamentalist approach, we move to the hills of Pescara with Fabio Ciarcelluti of Orti Geometrici, a past musician in London. «I have designed a small vegetable garden according to the dictates of synergistic agriculture, in my very small farm I grow vegetables, fruit, trees and medicinal plants. Mine is an agricultural kombucha with pu-erh black tea from Yunnah, to which I add the stuff I grow from seed to give a hint of the land». Fabio’s kombu-

cha has an intense and concentrated style, distinct effervescence and personality. The warning is clear: «We must not replicate the mistakes made in America, when big industry to produce hundreds of thousands of bottles a month micro-filtered and standardised. There is kombucha and kombucha, a dead industrial product and a living artisanal one, the consumer must be aware of this,» he warns. The time to drink kombucha? Any time of day, at work, in a break, at the table... It’s a wild card, also perfect to get rid of hangover: «I recommend, however, to start with a glass or a small bottle and see how you feel, then gradually increase».

The service photos were taken in the Legend Kombucha factory. Opposite, Stefano Zamboni, the company’s head brewer

Similar path for Alessandro Oliviero, who returned to Bologna after working in bars in Amsterdam and London, with a background in wine. His project Frui Lab - links art and sustainability: «It was born in 2020 on the principle of non-returnable containers. I was working as a bartender and witnessing an absurd waste of bottles at the end of the day, I started with a reverse business model. Kombucha is an incomplete, instantaneous fermentation of a product that should become vinegar, we produce that as well, while with production waste we have created soap packaging and we also make a skin. We use 100 per cent of all organic waste and thanks to artists we are starting with innovative projects,» he comments.

Tastes good, but it’s not medicinal «Kombucha is good for you, but it is not a medicinal remedy. We don’t over-emphasise the beneficial effects, it is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory thanks to the starting tea, we are working on a terroir concept, replacing the tea with products from the Apennines such as nettle and we have created

The two Legend Kombucha brewers: Beatrice Azzolina and, below, Florencia Hillcoat

The recipe to make kombucha at home

Here is the recipe recommended by Beatrice Azzolina, brewer of Legend Kombucha INGREDIENTS 1 scoby 2 l water approx. 200 ml starter (unpasteurised kombucha) 120 g sugar (minimum dose)

Brew the tea: 2 teaspoons (or 2 teabags) for 15 minutes. Strain and add sugar. Allow to cool to 20-25°. Pour into a fermentation jar adding 10% kombucha (unpasteurised and at room temperature) to the volume of tea. Stir and add the Scoby, then cover with more gauze allowing it to breathe. Fermentation should continue for 8-12 days. The pH should reach 2.7-3.2. If it cannot be measured, trust your taste buds. Bottle and let stand for at least 20 days.

Pairing experiments with fermentations and kombucha including marrow, artichoke, spirulina and elderberry

Chef Giulio Gigli opened his restaurant Une just over a year ago a few kilometres from the centre of Foligno and has already won the Gambero’s Two Forks and his first Michelin star with a gastronomic project that focuses on forgotten local products: sustainability, but with a new rhythm, thanks also to contemporary techniques. «I started at Disfrutar in Barcelona with my first experiments with fermentation, and I deepened it with several in Korea where this is a technique that is part of the home cooking tradition. In the Une project I brought back these experiences,» Giulio tells us. «On the menu there is always a fermented element: from almonds or black celery kimchi from Trevi to kombucha. We are particularly fond of elderflower kombucha that we make from infused flowers instead of black tea; then we also make one from oxidised artichoke broth to accompany a risotto with artichokes, marrow and trout roe. The kombucha is able to give the freshness and acidity that help alongside dishes that contain important fats». Enea Balestri, who works in the kitchen with Gigli

and is also a fermentation enthusiast, tells us how he also uses it in mixology: «With elderflower kombucha, we also prepare the basis of a cocktail by adding a dash of our own elderflower vinegar, St. Germain and sparkling water: a frothy, pungent beverage, perfect as an accompaniment to our Italian-style hors d’oeuvres». The two also recommend a pairing

to try at home: a floral kombucha to accompany pizza. There are also special proposals in Ariccia, on the outskirts of Rome. Carla and Sara Scarcella, together with Matteo Compagnucci, (also Due Forchette and one Michelin star) have brought all the experience they gained in northern Europe to their Sintesi, on the Castelli Romani in Ariccia, in the home of porchetta, where they offer an ethical and dynamic cuisine in which the menu changes according to what nature offers. During their two years in Copenhagen they experimented with lactic fermentations: they serve to preserve, but they definitely influence the taste, texture and

Spirulina flavored kombucha of Sintesi restaurant in Ariccia (photo by Andrea Di Lorenzo) organoleptic properties of food. Significant acidity, complexity of flavours. «It is not an obligation for us to always have fermented food on the menu,» Sara tells us. «We use these techniques where and when it seems appropriate.» But, in keeping with Nordic tradition, here there is always an alternative pairing to wine: «We have always had a juice pairing, a combination of juices and kombuche for the tasting menu: we find it a lot of fun both for us, in thinking about it, and for customers. Now, for example, we have on the menu a kombucha with spirulina seaweed that we combine with the fish main course; for the meat main course we combine a pomegranate and blueberry juice with burnt cherry wood infusion. A game of creativity that all starts with taste. We have guests who perhaps choose, alongside the pairing with wine, also a try of kombucha. And it works!»

Sabina Montevergine

an enhanced culture with native yeasts». And he speaks frankly, Alessandro: «Kombucha has no history but lives on legends, it is not wine. It certainly developed strongly in Russia and spread to the United States because of its supposed esoteric qualities, as an alternative medicine, and then spread thanks to its counter-cultural matrix. Here it is battling a certain scepticism on the part of restaurateurs, but demand is growing and will find its way». We point out a certain closeness between some products and natural wines: «We have analysed in the laboratory the dreaded brett molecule that develops from tea: it is the same as with grapes, the medium changes but not the result,» Alessandro

smiles. In Rome, one who strongly believes in the promotion and values of kombucha is Giorgio Pace, owner of Piccola Bottega Merenda, an Indiana Jones of biodiversity. ‘I started proposing it in 2016, today I sell a lot of it: kids, workers, people tired of drinking the usual labels. The ground is fertile, the first Italian distribution of only kombucha, Liquid Love, has just been born, in the past there was a problem of communication and lack of knowledge of who was proposing it. I have never seen so much appreciation as in these months, 2024 will be the year of kombucha!’, is his prophecy. Giorgio also organises tours with producers to spread the cultural background under the motto of “Don’t call me wine!”, for a different, artisanal drink, a declination that meets the new low and no-alcohol feeling. And even the restaurant sector is getting up to date, with dedicated menus and daring pairings. Gabriele Bianchi, director of the Relais San Martino in Martina Franca, is the author of the book Cacio, pepe e kombucha. «People need wellness and are increasingly moving to non-alcoholic drinks with taste. Those who drink kombucha are informed people, they know what they are drinking. I combine an entire menu with it, you can play with it a lot, starting with the basic tea more or less delicate, the flavourings: it is an exceptional new frontier, it goes with everything!»

360° pairings Freshness and acidity go to enhance and prolong the dish being savoured, we have also tried it on pizza with great success. «It goes well on both experimental and

5 books to leaf through on the subject The Art of Fermentation Sandor Ellix Katz

Kombucha Revolution Stephen Lee

traditional cuisine. With a cacio a pepe, the spiciness of ginger goes very well, next to a Fiorentina steak we put a kombuhca with smoked tea to give cleanliness and recreate the sensations of embers. And try the caprese with a red fruit variant, sweetness and acidity will go hand in hand». Alternating a wine pairing with

Cacio, pepe e kombucha

kombucha makes it possible to get to the end of the menu with total ease: «Let’s also remember the cost,

Kombucha. The fermented tea of well-being

on average 3 euros wholesale, everyone can afford it!’», Gabriele concludes. We are in front of a new di-

Fermentare le verdure

mension of drinking. And here, unlike beer, the second sip is always better than the first.

Gabriele Bianchi Klaus Kaufman Flavio Sacco

Dinner at seven o’clock and savoury breakfasts Here are the trends of 2024 Trends, stakes, call them what you will. Here are some trends that we intercepted around Italy during 2023 by Annalisa Zordan

Nomad chefs If we like the convincing formula of chef-less restaurants without reservations, we have some doubts about nomadic chefs: the chefs who are experimenting with this modality are doing so while waiting to open their own restaurant. Think of the guys from Feg (Francesco Capuzzo Dolcetta and Guglielmo Chiarapini) or NØØNË (Silvano Toscani and Gioele Vacchina), or even The Fooders, alias Marco Baccanelli and Francesca Barreca, who eventually opened their Mazzo in Rome for real.o a Roma lo hanno aperto per davvero.

Dinner at 7 PM Chef-less restaurants

It works a bit like a club where a different DJ plays every weekend. The venue provides the kitchen and service, guest cooks bring their own style. At first reading it might seem like a win-win deal, with the restaurateur saving himself a fixed contract, the chef being free to roam without the burden of a business plan and without getting sucked into the routine, the customer having the happy opportunity to try different cuisines. This is one of the trump cards of Ronin, for example, and its Omakase roulette which, in the absence of the ‘resident’ Katsu Nakaji, sees a succession of the most interesting chefs on the current restaurant scene. Moving on to Rome, Bar Sota has recently opened and will be organising weekend ‘guests’: just like the clubs.

It is not a punishment, it is a way of being sustainable. So the restaurateur has the opportunity to free up the kitchen and dining room earlier (and everyone gains in life) and, if the type of cuisine allows it, can safely apply the double shift rule. This is the baby evolution, not only of the restaurant industry but of the world of work in general. Online, an increasing number of restaurants are closing at the weekend, Milan is leading the way.

Reservations required, but subject to walk-in This year, making reservations at one's favourite restaurant was a challenge, even if tackled well in advance. Now many establishments have retained the reservation requirement (some have adopted it and never abandoned it due to the strict Covid

regulations) but with some place settings for lastminute, or second, patrons.

Restaurants with cocktail bars There was a time when cocktail bars were equipped with a kitchen (we wrote about this in the October 2020 issue of the monthly magazine), now more and more restaurants are opening with a bar. Think of Gloria or Manna in Milan, or even the Bologna galaxy formed by the Allegra restaurant, the Scuro cocktail bar and the Allegra bakery.

The VIP area or the restaurant in the restaurant Lounges and parlours with dedicated menus for trained customers. This is the new frontier, which goes beyond the chef's table, of fine dining restaurants, think Al Pagliaccio or San Domenico, or more recently Stua de Michil, which has set up a restaurant within a restaurant with a hand-picked menu created by Simone Cantafio. Of course, the idea is not entirely new - back in 1977 Gianfranco Vissani inserted himself into his father's restaurant in a separate room where he served his cuisine - but perhaps the time is now ripe. We opt for the small room without 'kidnapping' where the tasting lasts no longer than two and a half hours. Another wish: we also want the duration of the tasting to be indicated on the menu.

Breakfast-mania Especially in big cities, breakfast is the new craze. Addresses offering croissants (the cubic one? Ubiquitous) and specialty coffees have been taken by storm for some time now, especially at weekends. A trend that is still quite democratic. Not a trend but a wish: next step, savoury breakfasts.

Open Hotel A trend that encapsulates a bit of a trend: that of hospitality that has realised how profitable 'ancillary' services are. And so it relies on high-level cocktail bars, phantasmagorical breakfasts, and increasingly on-trend catering, perhaps associated with wellknown "signatures" such as Ciccio Sultano and Fabrizio Fiorani at W Rome, Sarah Cicolini at The Hoxton or Claudio Sadler at Casa Baglioni. All open to everyone, not just hotel guests.

Ugly plating Or visual brutalism. Which puts the main ingredient of the dish in the foreground and dispenses with all the trappings: away with the edible flowers, away with the glistening orange carrot wrapped around itself, away with all kinds of distractions, to leave room for taste, preferably vertical. Now, we don't know whether this new current is due to ever-slimmering brigades or to a very specific will, the fact remains that one had to evolve from the mere Instagrammable dish.

Increasingly vegetal This is not a trend as such, but the result of an approach that the latest generation of chefs has been implementing for a few years now. This is accompanied by a work on fermentations, not shouted, and mature, which also involves pairing with kombucha and juices. Is the latter a trend? Perhaps more a gamble that is animating more and more pizzerias (which perhaps led the way) and fine dining restaurants.

The return of carts One of the evolutions in the bread business is right over the old basket and the fashion for loaves of bread cut into four, with the bread cart: we have seen it, to give just one example, at Heros De Agostinis all’Ineo dell’Anantara (Best Bread on the Table in the Ristoranti d'Italia 2024 Guide). Speaking of carts, the dessert carts, especially sliceable desserts, and cheese carts are becoming increasingly popular, the latter having perhaps never waned in classic restaurants but is making a comeback in fine dining.

Primitivo di Manduria on Tour 8 signature dinners for a great red from the South

Enveloping, intense, spicy and sunny, Primitivo di Manduria Dop is one of the most famous red wines of the Peninsula, increasingly appreciated both in Italy and abroad. The Primitivo di Manduria Dop on Tour project, organised by Gambero Rosso and the Consorzio di Tutela del Primitivo di Manduria Dop, was created precisely with the aim of raising awareness of the characteristics of this great red wine and highlighting its versatility at the table. Primitivo di Manduria Dop reveals its appeal and its different declinations in combination with dishes by great chefs from prestigious restaurants. Menus created especially for the occasion, capable of surprising and conquering lovers of haute cuisine and quality wines. A wine born in a land surrounded by the sea, bathed in sunshine and caressed by the gentle breezes of the Jonian Sea. Primitivo di Manduria Dop expresses a range of nuances from the pleasant fruitiness and fragrance of the younger versions to the more complex, warm and deep notes due to long ageing. Precisely because of these different expressions, Primitivo di Manduria demonstrates great ductility at the table: it pairs very well with earthy hors d'oeuvres, first and second courses, and even desserts with the Dolce Naturale DOCG version. A great gastronomic red wine that not only marries beautifully with the traditional dishes of the rich and succulent Apulian cuisine: in fact, it is also much appreciated in Asia as it pairs

A great red from the south meets the ingredients and cuisine of the chefs selected by Gambero Rosso in a mouth-watering journey along the Peninsula harmoniously with the dishes of oriental cuisine, often characterised by spicy, intense flavours and spicy notes, which need a wine with a soft, warm and persuasive profile. The tour to discover Primitivo di Manduria started in 2022 and ends in 2024. The programme includes 8 dinners in restaurants selected by Gambero, offering ad hoc dishes paired with a selection of labels from the denomination. The taste itinerary linked to Primitivo di Manduria began in the land of Apulia, at the Pashà Restaurant in Conversano with the dishes of chef Antonio Zaccardi, and then continued with the menu of chef Vincenzo Fioravante of Muse at the Grand Hotel Parker's in Naples, with the delicacies signed by chef Antonio Altamura of the Roman Marzapane , with the creations of Pier Paolo Bondi chef of Tramvia in Casalecchio di Reno and the proposals of chefs Federico Sordo and Andrea Tirelli of the DistrEa t restaurant in Milan.

“PROGRAMMA DI RIGENERAZIONE ECO RADICI VIRTUOSE", FINANZIATA A VALE

INIZIATIVA REALIZZATA NELL’AMBITO DEL “PROGRAMMA DI RIGENERAZIONE ECONOMICA, SOCIALE E AMBIENTALE DEL TERRITORIO JONICO-SALENTINO COLPITO DA XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA, RADICI VIRTUOSE”, FINANZIATA A VALERE SULL’AVVISO MIPAAF N.10900 DEL 17.02.2020 “CONTRATTI DI DISTRETTO XYLELLA”.

Info: gamberorosso.it produttoridimanduria.it

wine

"Behind the best wine in the world is a worker” Bernardino Sani tells the story of Argiano and the Brunello awarded by Wine Spectator by Marco Mensurati It’s like we’re still hearing it, the roar of the Kuwaiti royal family jet breaking the eternal silence of the vineyards. And one still seems to see those rich gentlemen dressed in western attire obsequiously crossing the hedged paths. The news of the proclamation as ‘best wine in the world’ by the most prestigious international magazine had just come out. And they were already there. In Argiano. Buying as much 2018 Brunello as they could stow on their jet. «In the following days the others arrived, VIPs, parvenus, historic clients. Even LeBron James flocked here... Even he, who usually drinks Vigna del Suolo, wanted to try this Brunello».. Bernardino Sani, he recounts and

laughs with gusto. And one has to understand him. He has won the game of his life and is now enjoying it. To say that he is the managing director of the Cantina would be a sloppy summary of the situation. He kind of invented the winery. He found it that was literally reduced to a pile of rubble and took it to the roof of the world. But since he is an intelligent man, as well as being quite Sienese (contrada della Selva, on the internet you can find an eloquent photograph from 2010 in which he seems intent on kissing Fedora Saura, the palio’s legendary mare, winner of three editions), he knows well that there is only one

mistake he could make right now, and it would be a fatal one: taking himself seriously. So he tells of LeBron James, the Kuwaiti family and laughs: ‘To be honest, I thought the “Vigna del suolo” was better than Brunello ‘18’. So be it. Wine Spectator says it is not. And all that remains is to adapt. Just as hundreds of thousands of consumers pardon wine lovers - around the world (but especially in America) will do in the coming days.

and neglect. The estate dates back to 1580, went through the Renaissance gloriously, decayed, then came back into vogue. It was even requisitioned by the Nazi army who had made it a sort of casemate...

OK. Let’s start here. Is this really the best wine in the world?

to buy it from Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano and Bordeaux oenologist Hans Vinding-Diers and relaunch it. We started from scratch. The investments were not huge from the start. Before we sold out, Esteves wanted to see if he had made a good investment: we had to self-finance production. But we couldn't use the original cellars, which were in a terrible state. So we created a new one, digging under what is now the car park. I wanted to produce a wine that had its own recognisable style, that was clean, essential, the result of a gigantic subtraction (by training, Sani is an oenologist). I needed an equally clean and essential environment. To make a clean wine, you need a clean cellar. And we created it from scratch. Ugly, for goodness sake. Devoid

Well it turned out well. Ten minutes after the proclamation there was not a bottle left online. We were inundated with requests. But is it the best?

“Personally I think the Vigna del Suolo expresses the value of the terroir better. But considering the criteria used by Wine Spectator I think it is a correct choice. And above all deservedly so. How is the best wine in the world made?

It's a story that starts way back. In 2013 this dwelling, now perfect in every detail, was in a terrible state. The cellar was unusable, in the water cisterns there was a dump, and in the barrel cellars there were the remains of decades of neglect

[Sani stops and points to a wall riddled with a handful of holes. It is the reminder of a machine gun barrage left there by the Americans].

In 2013, it was bought by André Esteves (the Brazilian banker, one of the richest men in the world, ed.) who decided

of the year. Gambero Rosso-Wine Spectator, it was a perfect combo for us. Shortly after the American proclamation, the price of your Brunello skyrocketed... from 60 euros to 300. Is it really worth that much?

It reminded me that I have to track down Tittia (the Palio jockey, ed). Last year I had given him a six-litre... But he's not a great connoisseur, I have to warn him to use it with caution. I wouldn't want him to drink it with froth. How did an oenologist from Siena find himself at the helm of a company like this, which this year has a turnover in excess of 8 million euro?

of all charm. But functional. And very clean. Did the results come immediately?

Of course not. There was pain. Argiano wines had disappeared from the critics' radar for about thirty years. You don't reverse course in a second. But we realised from the start that we were going in the right direction. When did the turning point happen?

The first real turning point came in 2021 and, I don't tell this one out of flattery, and it came thanks to Gambero Rosso. As I said, Argiano had been out of the circuit of the great guides for almost thirty years. And suddenly Gambero noticed us and awarded the 2015 Vigne del Suolo with the TreBicchieri. I still remember when they told us. We were

moved. For us, that award was the most important ever. The confirmation that we were right, that we were working well. The first real goal achieved. In a way, even more important than the Wine Spectator award. Now don't exaggerate, for goodness sake.

I mean it. You can imagine the envy, the competition that exists between producers, between distributors, in a world like the wine world. Believe me. If we had not been beaten first by the Gambero experts, today they would have told us that we had won an award for Americans, that we had won an award for Yankee palates. But we did not. And your choice is there to certify it A choice that was also confirmed

The following year. When our Vigne del Suolo '16 was awarded wine

This is also quite a long story. After graduating I had worked in the world of wine, first here at Col d'Orcia then I chose to gain experience abroad. I specialised in marketing. I worked in America, in the Antilles, in Santo Domingo, where I got married and had a daughter. Then when I felt the need to return home, I started looking for a job here in Argiano where they were looking for a sales manager in 2012. How did your relationship with Esteves come about?

After the purchase of Villa Bell'aria, he didn't come so often to see how things were going. Here the estate was in tatters, inhospitable, there were rooms full of old stuff, remnants of the fascist era, trophies gleaned from old nobles on who knows what safari, bear skins, candelabra, abandoned pieces of furniture, rubbish. The cellars, as said, were worse off. He didn't like coming so much. But when he arrived, he needed someone to act as a cicerone who could explain to him the secrets of such an ancient and prestigious place as Argiano. We immediately had a great feeling, we understood each other. Two years later, when he decided to change top

management, things were really not going well, he asked me to take over the role of managing director. And you immediately accepted?

I told myself: 'It can't get any worse', and I accepted. Well, after all, he had all the skills, he knew the company, the territory, the market... he had gained international experience...

Yes, but the real key man was another. Francesco Monari, the agronomist, knows every inch of this land. I think he knows the history of every single plant, row by row. With sonar he has had the entire vineyard mapped, differentiating the plots by soil composition. This allowed us to differentiate the whole vineyard. The soil here is full of clay and limestone of marine origin. The limestone gives richness but the clay, especially when the dry weather arrives, breaks up the earth and allows the roots to go deeper, in some areas up to three metres... Obviously the grapes that give the best results are those grown where the roots go deeper. And how did Monari end up working here?

He was already here. He was a worker. But you only had to talk to him for a minute to realise that his knowledge of this land was probably the company's most valuable asset. After golden years, someone is beginning to see some signs of crisis around Montalcino. Prices have risen so much, however, the town does not seem to be shining.

Crisis is perhaps too much. What is true is that there is a lack of a clear vision of the future and a lack of systemic mechanisms. Montalcino lacks a policy, the city is not attractive to tourists, but neither is it attractive to young enthusiasts and those who come to work. For several months of the year it is simply ghostly. Everyone goes their own way, infrastructure and horizons are lacking. Even the restaurant industry has no new

energy, there is a lack of direction. And hospitality?

At the Benvenuto Brunello gala dinner this year, a journalist had to rush off because the hotel was closing at 11 a.m. He was sleeping in an area where there is no mobile phone reception and feared a night in the cold. I think it is significant. Today I could be like Sassaroli in Amici miei, when he shrugs his shoulders at the devastation in Florence after the flood... “I'm in the hills! I have won, I am selling, I am increasing production, I am sitting on a land blessed by God that I have been lucky enough to be able to exploit. But it doesn't make sense to say I'm on the hill: sooner or later the water gets everywhere. Now that Argiano is on top of the world. What is to be done?

Now you stay. And we continue. We have several projects still on our minds. We want to continue with Brunello because of the now clear paths we have taken. In spring we will have the

Equalitas certification of 'Sustainability'. Then with Esteves we would like to try to expand, replicate the scheme elsewhere. Acquisitions in sight? Where?

Well, we are thinking about it... The idea is Sicily or Piedmont, the first would be a more fascinating challenge, the second more rational on a business level and therefore much more likely. Then we focus a lot on the growth of Rosso. A sort of call has gone out from America to replace Brunello with Rosso, to the somewhat provocative cry of: 'It comes from the same grape but costs half as much'. Obviously this is an approach that makes no sense. But it is clear that the product has great margins for growth, from all points of view, including quality. I would bet on 2019.

The team behind Argiano. From left: Bernardino Sani, CEO; Francesco Monari, operations manager; Roberto Caporossi, cellar manager

i centesimi98 Brunello Preview light and elegance A sunny vintage, but without excessive heat peaks, allowed the Sangiovese grapes to ripen slowly and optimally. At Benvenuto Brunello we found ourselves in front of fine wines of beautiful maturity, with soft and balanced tannins and remarkable aromatic definition. More than other years there are primary notes in evidence: here are our best tastings. by Massimo Lanza and Divina Vitale

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Giodo

Illuminating interpretation of vintage Brunello. Juicy and mentholated, of immense finesse and elegance, both olfactory and gustatory. A glass that makes you fly beyond the confines of Brunello and that in a blind tasting you could read as a true "Montalcino Burgundy".

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Fuligni

It stands out for its finesse and overall harmony, ample and crystalline on the nose, with a scent of wilted gardenia, morello cherry, blackberry, black mulberry and Mediterranean undergrowth, while the fresh and savoury sip lengthens and conquers the palate thanks to the perfectly ripe fruit supported by velvety tannins, while a touch of red citrus refreshes the long finish.

>Brunello di Montalcino Gianni Brunelli 2019 Le Chiuse di Sotto

A wine that knows how to recount a certain depth of terroir, rendering it with good lyricism. It is never static, playing its best qualities with ease and perfect rhythmicity. Fresh and balsamic, it alternates tasty fruit and hints of citrus, condensing complexity in a slender, decisive sip.

>Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli 2019 Canalicchio di Sopra

Beautiful pulp with very appealing floral notes. Aromas of plum and cherry follow. In the mouth it is intense, enveloping but with a dynamic of great verticality and vibrant acid tension. Mineral and savoury. Strength and tension intersect perfectly in the convincing tale of the vintage.

>Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso 2019 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona

A very territorial Brunello with whispered toasted tones, earth and undergrowth with a definite balsamic appeal. On the palate it becomes caressing with a very ample gustative dimension, opening up to ripe red fruit mixed with rose petals that in the mouth releases in a gustative pleasantness typical of the Sangiovese of these lands. Creamy and enveloping. Refined spiciness, energetic and with a beautiful length.

>Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo 2019 Argiano

Fresh, juicy fruit with violet floral hints, with a great open aromatic thrust and graceful citrus notes with subtle tones. Light but with great intensity on the palate where it becomes composite and wellarticulated. It has an enthralling and very intriguing drink, with a very long persistence and sure depth and pleasantness.

>Brunello di Montalcino Salvioni 2019 La Cerbaiola

An intense bath of black cherry, the bouquet is wide-ranging and intense with vibrant citrus swerves clearly recognisable in the hints of blood orange. The palate is beautiful, fresh, taut, of important emotional impact. It is broad but always remains upright with intermittent mentholated hints. Enveloping and with great character.

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Gorelli

Solid, territorial and elegant this Brunello ‘19 right from the dense and varietal olfactory approach, where bramble fruit, dog rose and officinal herbs frame delicate haematic notes and spicy and smoky tones. Savoury and dynamic on the palate, balanced between young and nervous tannins well rooted in the fruit, and a long and satisfying balsamic finish..

>Brunello di Montalcino Colombaio 2019 Cava d’Onice

A wine of remarkable structure, with a beautiful body. With a sensual olfactory profile. Broad and with a noteworthy savoury appeal on the palate. It is generous, dynamic, compliant with an aromatic thrust that sinks in deep. Very persistent and energetic.

>Brunello di Montalcino Rosildo 2019 Franco Pacenti

Great classicism, as exciting on the nose as in the mouth, a pure Sangiovese that makes one feel good. Of great sincerity. A Brunello of excellent workmanship, with a healthy and tasty pulp that combines the sincere characteristics of good territorial Sangiovese. With its light smoky traits, it is fresh with an unexceptionable texture that combines fine movement with the right tension in the passage to the palate.

>Brunello di Montalcino Vignavecchia 2019 San Polo

A glass that digs deep, with a great Mediterranean flair and dynamism. It enchants with its immediate notes of balsamic candy and sour cherry. It is on freshness that the entire olfactory impact is focused, which then returns to the sip, oriented on notes of cold mint. Very smooth on the palate, it recalls citrusy traits such as bitter orange and mandarin peel, evolving into a decisive aromatic complexity. aromatica.

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Renieri

Class and elegance with a well-expressed menthol thrust, fresh aromas and the beautiful colour of sangiovese. The sip is decisive and clean-cut, very lively and flowing, and on the palate it develops a beautifully crisp and superb trajectory. Excellent tannic texture.

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Poggio di Sotto

The particular vintage has not yet given it time to take on its definitive guise, despite a few alcoholic edges and tannic impetuosity it nonetheless has the stuff and character to emerge at a distance. Black fruits, spices, red flowers and liquorice on the nose, the taste is still contracted but rich in fruit, tannins and acidity, for a fresh and deep finish

>Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta 2019 Castello Romitorio

In line with the latest vintages, the Brunello Filo di Seta '19 also pursues, and succeeds, more elegance than power. Dense on the nose, it smells of dark fruits and flowers, balsamic herbs and sweet spices. Nimble and dynamic on the palate with beautiful aromatic depth, juicy, but well balanced by refined and well-resolved tannins, long and fresh on the finish.

>Brunello di Montalcino Vigna I Poggi 2019 Poggio Antico

A good debut for the Brunello Vigna I Poggi '19, a single vineyard of 2.5 hectares at an altitude of 550 metres. Fine and ethereal on the nose in the tones of dark flowers, blackberries, juniper and liquorice, with a very elegant contribution from the wood. The taste is well extended, austere in the tannic weave that marries the pulpy and clear fruit well, with a long savoury finish and great character.

>Brunello di Montalcino Etichetta Bianca 2019 Casanova di Neri

Very dark with wild scratches, blueberry and blackberry dominate, and in the mouth it knows how to marry the sweeter traits with the more acidic ones, closing harmoniously. Wellmade, it knows how to evolve rapidly in complexity, conquering the palate with confidence.

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Pietroso

Thanks to his long experience, Gianni Pignattai, despite a not easy vintage, has brought out a fine Brunello of refined typicity. Red fruits, peony, balsamic herbs, roots, spices and mine among the aromas that appear on the nose, while the taste progression is guaranteed by the tonic fruit well contained by an elegant tannic framework.

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Ridolfi

This winery's 11 hectares of Brunello are located on the north-eastern slope of Montalcino. The cleanliness of the Brunello '19 is rare, with persuasive scents of flowers and red fruits, cardamom, Mediterranean herbs and wet rock. The use of wood is exemplary, elegant and not at all invasive. Well-timed and dynamic on the palate with a finish well played between fruit and spices.

>Brunello di Montalcino Vallocchio 2019 Tenuta Fanti

Vallocchio '19 comes from the estate's oldest vines at Castelnuovo dell'Abate. Well layered on the nose it opens on notes of fresh red and black fruits, roses, undergrowth, sandalwood and dark citrus fruits. On the palate the juicy fruit is well balanced by the acidity and above all ripe tannins, blunt and well extracted, nice finish of spicy persistence.

>Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Nastagio 2019 Col d’Orcia

The '19 vintage from this single vineyard of 8 hectares overlooking the Val d'Orcia is fully convincing. Very inviting is the nose with intriguing notes of blueberries, cassis, myrtle, scrub and mushrooms, together with spices from oak and rock salt. Very inviting is the savoury palate with sweet tannins well integrated with the fresh and juicy fruit, and a long spicy finish.

>Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura 2019 Banfi

After fermentation partly in wood, partly in stainless steel, the Poggio alle Mura '19, a selection of the estate's best vineyards, matures for at least two years in both large and 350-litre oak barrels. The nose is clear with fruity and balsamic hints, the palate is solid, linear and well balanced between body, fruit and dense, well-integrated tannins.

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Tassi

A Brunello made of substance with a charming traditional approach. It begins with very clear scents of well-ripened fruit, and is very pulpy in the mouth where it confirms a fine matter, a fine delineated fruit. Decisive and vibrant, it has a nice grip, great pleasantness, sweetness, linearity and dynamics. A complete and well interpreted expression of the vintage.

>Brunello di Montalcino Helicrhysum 2019 San Polino

At San Polino, environmental protection is an integral part of the winery's philosophy, so much so that it was the first winery in Montalcino to be certified organic. Complex nasa with tones of cherry, strawberries, green tea, pine needles, fennel and red citrus. The mouth is long and of refined gracefulness, well balanced between fruit and tannins that are still pawing.

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Patrizia Cencioni

With aromas of small, mouth-watering black fruit, it also captivates with small smoky touches. It is a Brunello that expresses itself at its best in the mouth, where it can tell a tasting progression that is a crescendo. Classic and very well made.

>Brunello di Montalcino Poggio al Granchio 2019 Val di Suga

A wine of rare elegance, marked by a clear nose that ranges from sour cherries to mulberries and blackberries, then ink, violets, mountain herbs, tobacco, undergrowth and delicate spicy and smoky tones that suggest an impeccable contribution of wood. Fleshy and harmonious palate well centred between fruit and thick, crisp tannins for an intense and persistent finish.

>Brunello di Montalcino Campo del Drago 2019 Castiglion del Bosco

It smells of forest and aromatic herbs followed by an echo of small candied fruits. The palate is dominated by freshness with a vigorous mentholated trait. The sip is nonchalant, establishing a nice grip in the centre of the mouth and a well-defined overall agility.

>Brunello di Montalcino La Mannella 2019 Cortonesi

The onset fixes hints of small dark fruits such as plum and wild blackthorn that move in a juicy vortex of dynamism on the palate. But the aromatic profile broadens, fading into more aleatory floral and textural scents of bark and undergrowth. Of great varietal expression, it best expresses the character of Sangiovese from the northern area with its rich clay and sandstone soil.

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Il Poggione

Always a guarantee in terms of reliable quality, the Brunello from this historic Ilcinese winery. The '19 vintage boasts a broad and complex bouquet with aromas of red berries, violet, cinchona, tobacco and iron. Solid and decisive on the palate, held up by a gutsy acidity to propel a rich and ripe fruit, agile and satisfying on the finish.

>Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Talenti

Intense on the nose, made particular by fragrant nuances of red prickly pear, then classic timbres of red flowers, currants, liquorice, spices and a note between blood and iron. Intense and structured on the palate, elegant in its tannic timbre, slightly astringent in its youthfulness, with a fine acidic progression to propel a finish that is rich in fruit and already persistent in its own right.

Antica Tenuta Palombo, centuries-old vineyards in the Comino Valley’s Colline Sonore

The Antica Tenuta Palombo has contributed greatly to the history and success of Frusinate wine. Founded in 1980 by Giovanni Palombo, the Tenuta is located near Atina, in the unspoilt landscape of the Valle di Comino. The area occupies an area of high hills rising towards the foothills of the Apennines. The vineyards are cultivated at an altitude between 500 and 600 metres above sea level and are protected from disturbances by the mountain ranges of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. The climate is continental, cool and breezy, characterised by considerable temperature ranges that favour a slow ripening of the grapes with rich and intense aromas. The soils consist mainly of calcareous marl, which give the wines a refined, fresh and elegant profile. After the end of the previous management, the new course of the estate began in 2016, under the ownership of Norberto Mastrantoni. The renovation of the

old facilities was followed by the redemption of the previously leased vineyards, with the aim of enhancing and restoring the property to its former glory. Today, the vineyards cover an area of seven hectares, cultivated both with native varieties such as Maturano or Lecinaro, and with the most important international varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The Bordeaux varieties were introduced to these lands in the mid-19th century, when Pasquale Visocchi, Minister of Agriculture of the Kingdom of Naples,

Historical rows, here ancient vines coexist with the finest Bordeaux grapes acclimatised for 200 years that have brought prestige to the wines of Frusinate decided to import the most famous French grapes for quality wines. Many of today's vineyards are the result of a mass selection of old vines. Recent analyses of these ancient biotypes have revealed strong similarities to those used in the best areas of Bordeaux. Thanks to an extremely valuable vineyard heritage and a philosophy geared towards enhancing territorial characteristics, the company is able to produce wines of excellent quality. At harvest time, the grapes are sent for vinification in the shortest possible time in a modern, partially underground cellar, built on two levels following the principles of green building. The vineyard landscape is enhanced by the presence of sculptures and installations created by the artist Mario Velocci, permanently placed on the estate as part of a project called La Collina Sonora. The works resonate with the wind or thermal expansion and integrate harmoniously with the splendid environmental context.

Antica Tenuta Palombo Atina (FR) via Ponte Capone 07761666956 anticatenutapalombo.it fAnticaTenutaPalombo $antica_tenuta_palombo CAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REG. UE N. 2021/2115 CAMPAIGN FINANCED ACCORDING TO EU REG. N. 2021/2115

Worldtour

CALENDAR 2024 JANUARY 30 NAIROBI - Kenya

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

MAY 01 MIAMI - USA

FEBRUARY

Vini d'Italia/Top Italian Wines Roadshow

03 VANCOUVER - Canada

trebicchieri 2024

06 TORONTO - Canada

trebicchieri 2024

08 OTTAWA - Canada

trebicchieri 2024

15 ALMATY - Kazakhstan

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

05 ZURICH - Switzerland

Vini d'Italia

SINGAPORE

trebicchieri 2024

07 MUNICH - Germany

trebicchieri 2024

28-30 HONG KONG

trebicchieri 2024 - Vinexpo Special

14 PARIS - France

trebicchieri 2024 - Vinexpo Special

21 CHICAGO - USA

trebicchieri 2024

23 NEW YORK - USA

trebicchieri 2024

27 LOS ANGELES - USA

trebicchieri 2024

29 SAN FRANCISCO - USA

trebicchieri 2024

MARCH 09 DUSSELDORF - Germany

trebicchieri 2024 - Prowein Edition

21 LONDON - U. K.

trebicchieri 2024

JUNE 03 HO CHI MINH - Vietnam

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

07 STOCKHOLM - Sweden

trebicchieri 2024

10 COPENHAGEN - Denmark

Vini d'Italia

12 OSLO - Norway

trebicchieri 2024

14 PRAGUE - Czech Republic

Vini d'Italia

YOUR PASSION IS OUR INSPIRATION www.gamberorossointernational.com GamberoRossoInternational

APRIL 14 VERONA - Italy

trebicchieri 2024 - Vinitaly Special

25 MEXICO CITY - Mexico

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

29 DALLAS - USA

Top Italian Wines Roadshow

senza solfiti

by Lorenzo Ruggeri

Our wine no longer knows how to age The Coravin gains our hand. In the cellar, we 'pinch' with the diabolical electronic needle a string of old vintages. We start from 1989 up to the glorious 2010, completing a nice tour of the Italian peninsula. Among the many, we encounter Valentini's iconic yellow label, Giacosa's red label, the coat of arms with the compass rose of Sassicaia, and the pomegranate on Elisabetta Foradori's Granato. The wines are all still very integral, with traits that are still hard, a long way from completion. The tannins, in particular, are still churning in the reds, with an oak component that has skilfully compacted and fixed the structure of the wine. Ageing proceeds by the book, slow and gradual. Impossible not to make comparisons with the present. One of the most obvious signs of our times is impatience. Allof the wines produced today are incredibly ready for release, regardless of their origin and the producer's signature. The effect of global warming is obvious, just read the analytical data, but there is something deeper. And it has to do with us. With a society flattened by the dimension of the present, surrounded by polls and in constant search of lightness, pleasure, consensus. In the glass it translates into drinkability: now and immediate. Wines must be ready for serving, for the restaurant,

for the preview, for the Japanese importer on duty. Ready today, tomorrow who knows. The culture of the instant has had an overpowering impact on drinking culture. Even super-classic labels such as Cervaro della Sala or Krug vintages are becoming increasingly fresh, light, immediate. In line with

the taste of a society addicted to stories that do not last more than 24 hours. By dint of exalting subtraction, we have made the risk of fading the future dimension of wine a relaity. Wines placed on the market are already balanced, harmonious, they do not need time to find a new look. Ageing is often superfluous, not least because today many labels, increasingly minimalist in style, have more to lose than to gain from the passage of time. At the same time, we scoff at all the more difficult wines in the early stages, from Sagrantino di Montefalco to Taurasi; they seem anachronistic, as out of place as bell-bottoms worn at a Brunello gala dinner. The Barolos? Those of today are caresses compared to the versions made only 10 years ago. In the name of lightness, we are also guzzling the future.

Magical Mezcal Trip to Oaxaca Farming child of Mexico the distillate is experiencing a major moment in world mixology by Giovanni Angelucci - photos by Pablo Mekler Only by visiting the state of Oaxaca and trampling the lands where the imposing agave plants grow can one give full meaning to the meaning of sacredness when talking about mezcal. It is the most fashionable distillate of the moment, appreciated for its organoleptic qualities but whose origins and history are often ignored, it is something that is absolutely worth discovering. Let us begin by giving it a spatial and temporal connotation. Mezcal (pronounced with a delicate s in place of a z) has ancient and mythical origins, the practice of distillation was widespread in Mexico even before the Spanish conquest in 1521, archaeological finds in caves between the sites of Yagul and Mitla testify that the cultivation of agave dates back some 10,000 years. It was and still is there, you will find it depicted in murals or on illustrations, or simply tell you about it, it is the goddess Mayatl, the ‘agave woman’ who fed her people with 40,000 breasts from which mezcal flowed; the first reason why it can be considered a mystical and magical drink.

Agave plants in the surroundings of San Baltazar Guelavila in the state of Oaxaca, birthplace of

From «pulque« to success At one time, people drank pulque, fermented agave juice that became alcoholic, and which is still sold in the markets of the colourful countries in typical containers made from the shells of dried jicara (a local species of gourd). Before the arrival of the conquistadors, there was therefore a drink more akin to an agave «wine«: the Aztecs left the agave cone to ferment after cooking it, until they obtained a drink to alleviate pain and sorrow. In Aztec culture, during drinking sessions, the first person to get drunk on it was the spirit of the goddess Mayatl. The Spaniards liked the drink so much that they improved it by bringing stills to South America and started distilling pulque until the birth of mezcal some 400 years ago. Today, it is a successful distillate, whose most important brands can be found almost all over the world (Los Danzantes, Alipús, Los Siete Misterios for example) but which often manages to maintain a decidedly artisanal, and even ancestral, identity in its production methods and still circumscribed within national borders if we refer to the smaller, lesser-known producers.

A varied world as for wines The world of mezcal is paradoxically comparable to that of wine in terms of terroir, types of agave, and production method, so it takes on different facets. Umberto Oliva of the Bella Milano cocktail bar is a lover of the Karwinskii agave family in all its variants (cuixe, madrecuixe, bicuixe) but his favourite for mixing is the marbled agave known in Mexico as tepeztate. One of the cocktails that Umberto often offers at his bar has this type of mezcal as a base, to which he adds fresh lime juice, green pepper agave nectar and a part of pepper sochu. Mezcal is one of the most versatile spirits in blending. Espadins are usually used to play on the acid notes, as in the twist on the toreador with an apricot brandy and lemon base, or the madrecuixe with its herbaceous and earthy notes, which binds well with vermouth and rhubarb to twist a Manhattan; or the arroqueno with cocoa and coffee to create an Old Fashioned, or the tobala to twist even a classic Bloody Mary.

Alberto Beto, mezcal producer in Bramaderos, a small pueblo in Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz

To understand all this, you can read about it, but you will have to come to the state of Oaxaca to absorb its most complete and satisfying essence. From its namesake capital, a city of a million inhabitants, active and fun where of course everything speaks of mezcal and which is a couple of hours away from the various valleys where the magic takes shape, our journey begins. It is in this southern portion of Mexico that we went to discover some of the most interesting artisanal producers, despite the fact that the states where the production of agave distillate is allowed are no less than

9: the most famous Oaxaca, Guerrero, Puebla, Michoacán, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Durango, Tamaulipas (although the origins of mezcal production can be traced back to Jalisco and Tlaxcala).

What is mezcal? It is the Mexican aquavit spirit obtained from the fermentation and distillation of the juice of agaves grown within the states authorised by law. What characterises it, and distinguishes it from tequila, which is produced in a much more circumscribed territory such as Jalisco and with a single variety of agave called Tequilana Weber Azul, is as much the agriculture as the identity production of each of the palenqueros. After years (at least 6-8 for the earliest

and most widespread espadin) the agave plants are ready to donate their heart, the cone, which is harvested and transported to the palenques (the distilleries) to be placed in the traditional cone-shaped ovens dug into the earth (they measure more than 3 metres in diameter and 2, 5 metres deep, tiled with stones that are preheated 24 hours before the pine cones, broken into two to four parts, are deposited there in a very precise and methodical manner) where they are ‘cooked’ for two to three days using encino wood, all covered to perfection, creating an oxygen-free container. Each with their own knowledge and customs, they extract the pine cones from the ovens and leave them to rest in the open air for a week. The most massive ones, which had been put

in whole and placed at the base, are then broken into several parts and are prepared for milling, whereby an initial spontaneous fermentation takes place, the pine cones are ground in a stone mill driven by a donkey or a horse, the so-called Chilean wheel. The pulp, juice and fibres are mixed with water in pine wood vats (the best is Sabino wood but it is almost no longer available) where a second natural fermentation starts, which can last from one to four weeks. This is followed by distillation, which is generally carried out in copper stills where the must is filled with some of the fibrous residue of the agave, an important feature that characterises mezcal. At the end of the first distillation, the still is emptied of its contents before a second distillation is carried out, if desired. In each case, everyone has his or her own recipe

and gestures, often identical to those learned from fathers and grandfathers, generations that preceded this still intact and seemingly time-honoured present. Distillation is a romantic moment, at least in the artisanal distilleries always built adjacent to the homes of the palenqueros, with the flames of the wood-fired fires, the vapours, the temperature rising and warming (morning and evening here the climate is cool, the villages in the valley can even reach 2,000 metres), the notes of traditional Mexican music, and a bottle of mezcal that is never missing. The liquid obtained is then stored in stainless steel containers and plastic barrels or, alternatively, for those who decide to age it, in wooden vats, obtaining the reposado (from 2 to 11 months in oak barrels) or añejo

Alberto Beto and his son Onofre Ortiz are famous for their blends of different agave (at least 12 months) types, although purists consider only the blanco, i.e. the colourless mezcal coming directly from the still, to be the real mezcal. A rare and certainly curious type is pechuga, an ancient variant of mezcal produced for special occasions in which fruit such as apples, plums or other vegetables are added to the still and a chicken breast is hung in the centre of the still; probably the rarest version of mezcal because it is produced in very limited batches for special occasions such as weddings. A further example of how much the world of mezcal encapsulates stories, anecdotes,

Juan Hernández Luis, fifth generation of a family of palenqueros in San Pedro Tavich knowledge, uniqueness and intangible heritage, unlike the infamous worm that used to be placed inside some bottles and that has no significance whatsoever.

The territory

The event in Milan

After a five-year hiatus, Velier Live returns and is set to become the most important industry event of the year, organised by the historic Genoese import and distribution company for spirits and liqueurs. 9000 square metres will be transformed into a real city, animated by streets and ‘houses’ that will host over 50 experiences. Many distillers, brand owners and international ambassadors will arrive in the Lombard capital. «The objective is to resonate the history and context of a distillate with the experience and values of an individual to generate an exciting encounter, a lasting bond,« explains Luca Gargano, president of Velier. «This is true marketing, which must no longer be an unreliable advertising fascination, capable only of disorienting and flattening the narrative, but a true and passionate discourse on man and his best creations. Milan - Superstudio Maxi - via Moncucco, 35 Sunday18 February (3.00-8.00 pm) - Monday19 February

Regarding the territory to refer to: apart from the fact that in the state of Jalisco, no intensive agave cultivation can be organised, and it is also this that makes mezcal even more unique and sacred (it only accounts for 3% compared to the production of tequila, which, however, has retained nothing artisanal). The typography of the land draws mountains, hills, steep ridges, poor soils and inaccessible areas where the mezcaleros make their way with their inseparable machetes; this evidently limits the cultivation of agave which, apart from in the flatter areas, can never be orderly and easily practised. Terraces are quite used, for the rarer varieties the yield per hectare does not exceed 400 agave plants. While only one variety of agave, the Tequilana Weber Azul, is legally allowed to produce tequila, mezcal can be produced from different species cultivated in the states. As mentioned above, the most widespread and profitable is espadin, but throughout Mexico there are over 100 of which just over 30 are used for production. However, the fascination lies here, in this multiplicity of forms and behaviour of each plant, which change according to the territory in which they are born and the processing that master craftsmen reserve for them. «When you drink a mezcal, you drink years of culture, of work, of sun and moon,« is the first sentence that Héctor Vazquez, an immense

connoisseur of this world and master distiller (as well as coordinator of the Palenque Spirits project, the brainchild of Velier President Luca Gargano, which involved six producers of agave

distillates from the state of Oaxaca), said to me during my discovery of the territory in the Southern Sierra, where there are still a great many wild (non-cultivated) agaves used by the producers. «Until the 1990s, the only plants used were wild ones, and to encounter them it was necessary to climb into the woods or wander through the deserts, the agave was wild and grew freely among the trees and cacti, the farmers always had them in their fields, among the corn and beans, to be distilled in their rudimentary (and clandestine) stills, which would then give birth to a mezcal that was offered more than it was sold,« sasy Vazquez. All

the producers who are part of the project continue, however, to use

wild plants as much as possible, and this is precisely the aim of Palenque Spirits, to preserve the soul and taste of the earth, rhythms, sun and moon of yesteryear, against any kind of standardisation, preserving a world that is still very pure and should remain so for as long as possible. Thus, strolling through the inaccessible clines of villages such as San Louis del Rio and San Pedro Taviche, it is possible to encounter these plants that are as beautiful as they are unknown; Mexicans themselves sometimes have difficulty recognising some very similar species: espadin, tobalà, tobaziche, cenizo, arroqueño, coyote, tepexate (which reaches maturity after 2530 years), bicuishe, madrecuishe, mexicano, just to name a few, used

in purity or in blends according to the recipe of the mezcaleros. All this is enough to understand how unique and exciting it can be to set out to discover the mezcal valleys where you can meet and listen to the artisans of Oaxaca who produce the sacred distillate in its most authentic form. As mentioned above, Oaxaca can be the base for the trip, and every day you drive to the different villages in the state (Santiago Matatlán, considered the world capital of mezcal, is only 50 km away), but for those who don't

Don Baltazar is a palenquero first generation in San Luis Del Rio: he has built a solid reality together with his two sons

want to leave the city every morning and spend two hours in the car, they can opt for accommodation in the pueblos and move from one to the other every day. In the meantime, mark down these names (belonging to the Palenque Spirits project) and then organise yourself as you see fit, what counts is that the whole experience is in the sign of mezcal.

scientific knowledge in fermentation and distillation, creates a high-quality distillate thanks to his solid experience. He is currently making the generational transition with his sons Margarito, Agustin and Laurentino, and appears in the Palenque Spirits project with a distillate of Tobaziche and a special edition of Tobaziche with Tobalá, a combination that is as unusual as it is captivating. «Don't forget that San

Palenqueros to visit

Pedro Taviche is also known for the typical and iconic artisanal figure of Oaxaca, the wooden and handpainted alebrijas that our women create on the spot,» says the head of

Juan Hernández Luis is located in

San Pedro Taviche and is a fifthgeneration palenquero who, despite maintaining an approach to production based on traditions far removed from

Agave processing in San Luis del Rio, a village where much mezcal is produced

the family, seeing them at work while sipping some of the Hernández family nectar is priceless. Then there are Alberto Beto and his son Onofre Ortiz in Bramaderos de Porfirio Díaz, fourth and fifth

generations in mezcal production, father and son who do an excellent job in production with recipes involving a variety of agave blends. An ancient practice, that of mezcla (mixing takes place during production) in which Don Beto is one of the best around. «A large part of the quality of our mezcal comes from the particularity of the soil, characterised by an orange colour characteristic of this region, which gives the distillate an extraordinary mineral strength,» they

explain. A short 4x4 drive from the distillery takes you to a breathtakingly beautiful plateau, a vast and endless panorama in a setting of sky and agaves. It is the turn of Don Baltazar in San Luis Del Rio, a first-generation palenquero, characterised by his

strong and direct personality, a man all of a piece who has built his mezcalera business together with his two sons, now both owners of their own palenque. Baltazar is known for his entrepreneurial skills, not only creating a successful business but also offering himself as a consultant in other mezcal projects in different states. Also actively involved in his palenque are his daughters-in-law, who stand out for their expertise in product management. It is a pleasure to see the whole extended family working together, especially during the lunch break when we get together sharing tacos and soups typical of the sierra. «San Luis del Rio is a village where a considerable amount of mezcal has been produced for more than ten years, the region is renowned

for its good soil, favourable to the cultivation of different varieties of agave, including Espadín, Sierra negra, Tepextate, Mexicano, Coyote and Mexicanito,» they proudly state.

Also worth a visit is Don Valente Garcia in Santa Maria La Pila, a fourth-generation Palenquero in mezcal production. A great distiller, he brought home his sons who had emigrated to the United States, convincing them to work with him in the distillery after several years of experience in the service of the well-known Alipús brand. Don Valente is an example of how a Palenquero farmer and master can turn his business into a successful family business. He has now passed the baton to his fifth and sixth generations: Adrián, Raúl and

his grandson Semeí are doing an excellent job, cultivating numerous agaves in a natural way and producing a high quality mezcal. Finally we come to the palenque of Don Gregorio Martinez (recently deceased) in San Baltazar Guelavila. «He was a highly respected producer with a Zapotec cultural background, whose most popular products were those made from Cuishe and Madrecuishe agaves,» recalls his son Eduardo. In 2002, he

succeeded in realising his dream of having his own distillery, which over the years has been very successful, now in the hands of his young heir.

The agave fermentation area on the estate of Don Valente Garcia in Santa Maria La Pila

Héctor Vazquez, master distiller: «with mezcal you drink years of cultural background, It will be nice to get to know and experience this place, which has remained intact and is still frequented by Don Grgorio's father, the almost centenarian Juan, who continues to roam the fields with his trusty machete, and by the horse still used to push the stone wheel with which the pine cone parts are crushed. «It is crucial to support projects that take care of producers according to tradition, promoting their entrepreneurial growth, organic agave cultivation, individual wellbeing, favourable working conditions and, consequently, the quality of their products. The aim is therefore to draw a detailed map of the terroir of Oaxaca, the diversity of agave species and the natural conditions that give the agave a wealth of information during its long growth process. These producers operate with an artisanal approach, some introducing modern changes at various stages of production, always paying attention to the quality of the soil, the agave and the production process, based on their personal recipe.»

Undoubtedly a recipe for life, these are the words of Velier president Luca Gargano. Journeys are made of beauty but above all of encounters; the producers they have met and their families have contributed to making the discovery of the Oaxaca territory unrepeatable and exciting; reaching their homes is worth the journey and will show what is really behind every bottle of mezcal that you will intercept in the bottle racks of bars around the world. When you are with the palenqueros, don't forget, before each toast, to pour a few drops of mezcal on the ground in homage to Mexican mother nature...stiigi beu (cheers in Zapotec)!

The best

7farm

mezcals

>Destilado de maguey Espadín Alberto Ortiz Bramaderos

Aromatic notes: Deep volatile notes, turning to acetone, with a spicy vegetal hue enriched by sweet exotic fruity tones, above all banana. Tasting notes: A liqueur that should be allowed to breathe. Delicate, lactic sweetness, with hazelnut notes that veer towards citrus fruits such as pineapple, with citrus peel that lightens the aftertaste and lets the fresh fruit emerge amidst the mineral parts with salty notes, which at the end of the aftertaste descend into a sweetness of riper fruit and hints of roasted corn. – Alc. Vol. 49%

>Destilado de maguey Tobalá Alberto Ortiz Bramaderos

Aromatic notes: At first, notes of associated spices stand out, then comes the part of lactic aromas, above all butter with hints of cooked agave. Hints of fruit and flowers emerge in the finish, with cocoa aromas predominating. Tasting notes: Dulce de leche immediately emerges, followed by fruity notes and then vegetal notes with an astringent touch, which again make way for the caramel sweetness that settles into persistent bitter notes reminiscent of resins and green herbs. – Alc. Vol. 50,1%

We tasted some of the producerfarmer labels made from of different varieties of aloe cultivated around Oaxaca

>Destilado de maguey Mexicano

Onofre Ortiz Bramaderos

Aromatic notes: Deep, vegetal, volatile notes of ripe fruit, with nuances of milk. Tasting notes: Sweet, herbaceous, resinous. Toasted caramel, burnt cream, almond and peanut evolving towards herbaceous and fruity. – Alc. Vol. 47,9%

>Destilado de maguey Coyote

Valente García Santa Maria La Pila

Aromatic notes: A distillate that should be allowed to breathe. Very interesting fruity tones of quince and citrus, hints of cinnamon and smoked bacon. Swirling the glass for a while brings out the citrus nuances again and fresh herbs emerge. Tasting notes: Deep, round sweetness that fills the mouth, similar to a dessert of burnt milk caramel, with a background of roasted cocoa and a long, bitter aftertaste, which lingers in the mouth playing with the sweetness and letting notes of nuts and a touch of vanilla emerge. – Alc. Vol. 47%

>Destilado de maguey Tobaziche

Juan Hernández San Pedro Taviche

Aromatic notes: Mainly lactic with herbaceous, vegetal and fruity notes of sweet banana settling on notes of dried seeds. Tasting notes: It opens with dulce de leche, with notes of ripe fruit similar to cooked maguey that become delicate with hints of chicozapote and mamey, before becoming very vegetal, where green pepper is associated with a bitter and astringent sensation reminiscent of spinach, rounding off the sweet flavours. – Alc. Vol. 47%

>Destilado de maguey Tepextate

Baltazar Cruz San Luis Del Rio

Aromatic notes: At first it is very mineral and brings out the salt, with a hint of acidity associated with volatile notes in depth. Gradually, tones of dried seeds and nuts emerge; with time in the glass, herbaceous and vegetal notes emerge.Tasting notes: The savoury note, with a strong peppery, almost chilli-like tip, makes itself felt on entry. Notes of onion, salt and burnt caramel then emerge, with a long bitter aftertaste of cinnamon and ginger. – Alc. Vol. 48,5%

>Destilado de maguey Madrecuishe

Gregorio Hernandez San Baltazar Guelavila

Aromatic notes: Mainly fresh citrus and very floral. Peach and strawberry move on to vegetal, and then a caramel and bubblegum sweetness emerges. Tasting notes: Grains, sourdough bread, with an astringent sensation that pushes towards a more vegetal, herbaceous flavour, always with the sweetness of toasted bread around. – Alc. Vol.

48,8%

Salice Salentino & Brindisi Dop on tour with chefs chosen by Gambero Rosso Puglia wines meet the dishes of important chefs from North to South, demonstrating their versatility at the table

DISHES AND LABELS

The extraordinarily contemporary wines of Salento viticulture on the great tables: Apulian labels accompanied and proposed together with the dishes of the best Italian chefs. This is the Salice Salentino Dop & Brindisi Dop on Tour project, born from the collaboration between Gambero Rosso, the Consorzio di Tutela Vini Dop Salice Salentino and the Consorzio Tutela Vini Doc Brindisi and Doc Squinzano. The tour, which includes ten exclusive dinners, will continue this year with the last four appointments. The year 2023 was marked by an ideal itinerary, which started in Naples at the Muse restaurant of the Grand Hotel Parker's and continued to the North: first at the Tramvia in Casalecchio di Reno, and then at Piazza dei Mestieri in Turin. Fourth and final stop of the year at Dina in Gussago, the realm of Alberto Gipponi, one of Italy's most ingenious and creative chefs. The vineyards by the sea, the sun, the red soil and the millenary know-how are just some of the elements that allow the Salento to be considered one of the most important wine-producing areas in Italy. To be discovered.

Here are the labels and dishes paired in the 4 dinners of 2023. Ristorante Muse a Napoli (chef Vincenzo Fioravante) Dish. Bluefin tuna tartare with mozzarella di bufala sauce from Campania, mango, avocado and cashew nuts Wines. Salice Salentino Negroamaro Rosato ’22 (Feudi di Guagnano) and Salice Salentino Rosso Albarossa ’21 (Vinicola Palamà) Dish. Bronze-drawn tubettoni pasta with potato cream, mussels and Monti Lattari pecorino cheese Wines. Salice Salentino Negroamaro Rosso Moros Ris. ’18 (Moros) and Brindisi Camarda ’20 (Cantine Due Palme) Al Tramvia di Casalecchio di Reno (chef Giacomo Galeazzi) Dish. Tortellini with cream, ham and peas Wines. Brindisi Anticaia ’20 (San Donaci) and Salice Salentino Rosso ’21 (Le Vigne di Sammarco) Dish. Pork neck au gratin with friggione sauce, aromatic potato leaves Wines. Brindisi Since 1952 Ris. ’20 (Cantina Sampietrana) and Salice Salentino Rosso Anticaia ’20 (San Donaci) Piazza dei Mestieri in Turin (chef Maurizio Camilli) Dish. Patanegra cheek cooked in its own wine Wines. Salice Salentino Rosso Pezzo Morgana Ris. ’20 (Masseria Li Veli) and Salice Salentino Rosso Ris. ’17 (Cosimo Taurino) Dish. Martin Sec pears caramelised in wine and chocolate sorbet Wines. Anticaia Ris. ’19 (San Donaci) and Fontana Grande Ris. 2018 (Cantine Risveglio) Dina in Gussago (chef Alberto Gipponi) Dish. Olives, brown jus, vanilla and rum Vino. Salice Salentino Riva di Liandro ’22 (Cantine San Pancrazio) Dish. Squab, sumac and gentian Wines. Salice Salentino Cantalupi Riserva ’20 (Tenute Conti Zecca)

Consorzio Tutela Wines Salice Salentino Dop Salice Salentino (LE) – Casina Ripa via P. Leone – 0832 732592 consorziosalicesalentino.it

Consorzio Tutela Wines Brindisi e Squinzano Dop Brindisi – c/o CCIAA – Bastioni Carlo V 0831 652749 – Winesbrindisisquinzano-

The deep blue sea

Gianfranco Pascucci has re-established seafood cuisine starting from the Fiumicino coast, a few kilometres from Rome. Sharing the secrets and depths of the Mediterranean Sea.

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 4 regal oyesters

For the green tabasco sauce 20 drops of green Tabasco 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil For the white chocolate granita 100 g white chocolate 70 g heavy cream 200 g water For the sorrel sauce 150 g sorrel leaves 150 g cold water 100 extra virgin olive oil 100 chilled apple juice Salt

GIANFRANCO PASCUCCI

>Oyster, white chocolate granita, green tabasco and sorrel Open the oysters and keep them in their water on ice. Tabasco sauce: emulsify green tabasco in olive oil. Chocolate granita: bring the cream and water to 90°C, pour over white chocolate, leave to cool, strain and place the strained liquid in the freezer. Once frozen, grate with the help of a fork. Sorrel sauce: blend sorrel leaves in water and apple juice; strain and emulsify the mixture with extra virgin olive oil. Place the oyster without its water in the centre of the serving dish. Lightly season the oyster with the tabasco sauce. At the top of the plate place the chocolate granita and finish with the sorrel sauce.

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 For the turbot 4 turbot fillets Turbot scraps Extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove 1 rosemary sprig White wine Vegetable stock 4 crushed peppercorns Coriander leaves

For the celeriac 200 g celeriac 80 g butter 50 g milk 300 g red beans 600 g water 1 bay leaf 1 garlic clove Extra virgin olive oil Salt

>Turbot, beans and celeriac Turbot and stock: lightly salt the turbot fillets and keep chilled in the refrigerator. Prepare the turbot stock: Sweat the crushed garlic and rosemary in a pan with extra virgin olive oil oil, add the turbot scraps, add pepper, deglaze with white wine, add 300 g vegetable broth and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Strain and reduce slightly over a flame. Keep the resulting stock to one side. Celeriac and beans: cube the celeriac and cook for the first 10 minutes in butter, add the milk and bring to a boil, adjust seasoning, blend and keep warm. Cook the beans in water and herbs. Once the beans are cooked, reduce the cooking water by half. Emulsify the reduced water with a little extra virgin olive oil: add the beans and keep warm Plate the dish: cook the turbot in a frying pan with a little olive oil skin side down, continue cooking by turning the turbot skin side up, adding the turbot stock. Arrange on the serving dish, layering the beans first, then the turbot, finishing with the celeriac and coriander leaves. .