The Winefully Magazine

How high can you go in Europe with the cultivation of vines? The question is more actual than ever, given the effects of climate change and the increasingly frequent attempts to find a decisive answer in the altitude. There are several vineyards that claim to be the highest in the Old World. The purpose here is not much to decide the winner from the orographic point of view, or compile an exhaustive list, but rather to quote some of these cases, and outline some distinctive features that characterize the vineyards in quota and the wines that derive from there.

Southern Spain, with La Contraviesa mountains, looks like it managed to reach the highest altitudes. We are close to the National Park of Sierra Nevada, southeast of Granada, at an impressive 1.368 meters above sea level altitude, mitigated by warm winds from the Alboran Sea. Here Barranco Oscuro winery cultivates 10 hectares of land, a non-trivial extension for
such extreme conditions. Among the cultivated vines there are both a number of autochthonous and some international including Pinot Noir and Merlot.
In Italy’s South Tyrol, precisely in the upper Val Venosta, there is another place that competes with the just mentioned Spanish case. Here Calvenschlössl winery cares for several vineyards, including a very special. It’s called Marienberg, and it was the namesake Benedictine monastery to grant the land so that it could be cultivated. The incredible altitude where the Solaris vine grows is 1.340 meters above sea level, truly a breath from the title of the highest vineyard in Europe. It’s a place of incredible charm, where the millenary history of the Benedictine monastery merges with steep sceneries of dazzling beauty, with Lake Resia standing out with its crystal clear waters.

Again in Italy, but at a completely different latitude, viticulture flies again up to 1.300 meters above sea level. We are in Calabria, in Cava di Melis, a small town in the heart of the
Sila National Park, in the municipality of Longobucco. The winery is managed by Immacolata Pedace and cultivates various international vines including Cabernet Sauvignon,
Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay. Viticulture at heights like this is often prohibitive: in this case, is made possible by a delicate intersection of factors, including the
presence of Lake Cecita, which with its influence acts as a mitigating element allowing to overcome the harsh and snowy winters during which temperatures reach even 20 degrees below zero.

Back to the north of the country, Valle D’Aosta is also known for the impressive altitudes of its viticulture. It’s at 1.210 meters, in the northwest part of the region, where the well-known Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle was born, produced with Prié Blanc grapes. One of the most representative wineries is the cooperative Cave Mont Blanc, today with about 80 members, each of them cultivating a small vineyard overlooking the Mont Blanc.
Back to Trentino now, and specifically to the Valle di Non, where we can find the very interesting Vin de la Neu, a winery led by Nicola Biasi, an internationally-known winemaker
famous for his ability to grow and lead different markets with several Italian wineries. More than ten years ago Nicola decided to plant over 800 meters of altitude the resistant variety Johanniter: 2013 is the year of the first harvest.

One of the most interesting traits of Vin de la Neu’s work is the experimentation that today, through science and knowledge, allows the production of wines at higher altitudes than the past. One of the fundamental building blocks that allows to achieve this goal is the study of resistant varieties, such as the Johanniter. The results they give from an agronomic point of view against fungal diseases (and not only) are truly extraordinary. This, of course, allows for a total absence of treatments in the vineyard, and therefore to carry on a viticulture that can be really defined as sustainable and respectful of the territory.

The result in the glass is tangible and unequivocal. Nicola’s wines are characterized by great purity and cleanliness, with an expressiveness that leaves its mark.
The 2017 vintage of Vin de la Neu, in particular, is characterized by rigor and freshness both coming from the mountain environment where it was born. Orange, pineapple and some pleasant herbaceous nuances join a range of scents typically belonging to the mineral range such as graphite. A mottling of tertiary perfumes is added on top, with nuances of hydrocarbons and iodine reverberations standing out clear. A tense sip, rich and perfectly centered contains the soul of an innovative project that makes harmony with the mountain environment its distinctive hallmark.

The oenologist of the Maremma estate Le Mortelle, property of Marchesi Antinori, takes us to the discovery of this splendid winery by talking about identity, terroir, architecture and sustainability, all perfectly integrated themes within one of the most important Italian wine families.

First of all, tell us a bit about ourselves, how you approached the world of wine and your indeed fascinating career path?

As fascinating as my path may seem today, I confess my approach to wine was almost accidental. I was studying agronomy in Athens, the city I come from, when I was struck by the magic of viticulture, as I call it: I was amazed by the fact that such a result could come out of a simple raw material such as grapes, complex and elegant as wine can be. The role of man in the center of this transformation intrigued me so much that I decided I wanted to absolutely do this job. So I left Greece to pursue this passion around the world. After my Masters in France I have worked in various wine regions such as Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Yarra Valley and Malborough before arriving in Tuscany exactly seven years ago.

Le Mortelle, like the other beautiful estates of Marchesi Antinori, presents an unique environmental context that, in addition to being of a special beauty, is also extremely peculiar with respect to the soil composition and exposure of the vineyards. Can describe it and explain to us the personality conferred to the wines of the estate?

The estate, surrounded by small hills that create a sort of amphitheater, is located in southern Tuscany, in Maremma, at a distance of about 7 km from the sea. It is precisely this proximity to the sea, together with the pedological characteristics, that makes Le Mortelle a unique place. Our soil, with an alluvial / marine origin, is rich in skeleton with high percentages of sand and some clay. The richness of skeleton on the surface tends to maintain heat and, together with the sand, allows for good drainage, limiting any water stress in summer. At the same time, the vines have an East-West exposure so to take the best out of the afternoon Mistral that helps mitigating the temperatures. These conditions favor a slow and optimal ripening especially for our late varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère, giving life to wines of great aromatic elegance and tannic finesse.

As Winefully we know Le Mortelle through the Poggio alle Nane and Ampio, two complex and structured reds that are ambassadors of the Estate: how can you describe them and what similarities (and differences) do we find in the two? 

To these two wines we dedicate the best plots of the estate and the greatest care during all stages of their production, starting with the operations in the vineyard.Poggio alle Nane is a wine conceived on a very elegant expression of Cabernet Franc: the aromatic complexity obtained from our best grapes of this variety, with notes of white pepper, blueberry and mint, combined with the dense tannic texture conferred by the Cabernet Sauvignon and the spicy and velvety character of Carménère, create a complex wine with a great aging potential. A wine that can offer immediate satisfaction but which reveals its character even more to those who have the patience to wait for some time. On the other hand, Ampio is a fully particular expression of Carménère. A variety of the same family as the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon with which it shares many similarities, especially at the aromatic level, with shades of black currant and liquorice, often predominant. The Carménère, a grape of Bordeaux origin and now reference for Chilean wines, it is often considered a less elegant variety which, however, as I like to say, found its grace in our territory. The blend of Ampio, result of a deep knowledge of our vineyards, it has an identity more pronounced and strongly characterized by the variety. With a long agingin 100% new French oak, it presents a complex bouquet of great finesse, silky tannins and an extraordinary tasting persistence.

Marchesi Antinori has accustomed us to challenge with extraordinary wines that represent today’s Italian oenology in the world and that have often gone very far beyond the local denominations: this is the case of Poggio alle Nane and Ampio delle Mortelle. As a winemaker, what’s your call on present disciplinaries? 

Historically in Italy, as well as in other traditional wine countries, the disciplinaries have often contributed to the notoriety of the wines in the world and to the improvement of quality within wine-growing regions. Today, however, the strong competition from New World wines pushes even more to overcome the oenological frontiers and the case of the Supertuscans is more than ever current. In addition, Le Mortelle is part of a very young and at the same time very heterogeneous wine area made of 8,700 hectares of vineyards. The Maremma region presents undoubtedly a great enological potential but has yet to craft its identity. We as a winery do respect our territory by creating representative and identitarian wines of the highest level. This is our contribution to that goal. Having the flexibility to do this is just as important.

Le Mortelle, as well as being one of the most beautiful Italian estates from an aesthetic and architectural point of view, it is also at the forefront of cellar practices: underground structure, production process by gravity, maximum exploitation of environmental conditions are just some of the most interesting aspects. How is this complexity reflected in the wines of the estate? 

The care of the grapes and the quality of each grape is a fundamental value for the production of wines such as Poggio alle Nane and Ampio. At the same time we are lucky for being in a wine growing area where the grapes ripen to a level as to make wines extremely delicate. Therefore, all operations in the winery have the objective of optimizing the precision and minimize the stress conditions for the raw material. There vinification by gravity, the use of truncated cone tanks, extractions through pneumatic pressing, a deep underground barrel cellar are just some of the tools that guarantee a less traumatic processing of the grapes, preserving the varietal aromas and facilitating the extraction of silky tannins. This is the only way we can express the character of our territory best.

Today people talk about sustainability in the supply chain of wine and we know that this philosophy is a pillar of Marchesi Antinori’s business model: how is the sustainability matter managed in Le Mortelle and what is the winery giving back to the surrounding environment?

The construction project of the Le Mortelle winery was conceived since the beginning as an eco-sustainable project with innovative systems like that the phytodepuration of waste water, but also with simple mechanisms that they exploit gravity, natural light and the thermoregulation of the rock. Thus Le Mortelle places respect for the environment and places energy saving at the center of its attention. The principle of sustainability is therefore reflected in every step, starting from the vineyard and at all stages of production. For example, in the past 10 years we have invested in integrated protection against insects, with the use of pheromones and the introduction of predatory insects, in such a way as to lead to the abandonment of insecticides without compromising the quality of our wines. Sustainability is a healthy and environmentally friendly approach for Le Mortelle, in the best agricultural tradition, combined with research and technology.

Marchesi Antinori is one of the main wine realities for the Italian wine, both for the long history it has and for the enological heritage represented by its estates. What does it mean to be part of a company where there is a strong and consistent entrepreneurial vision as a whole but at the same time each estate has a clear and indisputable identity? How do you conjugate the singularity of a project with the overall vision?

I imagine it is possible because the goal is common and at the center of the corporate model: to produce quality wine. As trivial as it may seem, it is a goal that it is sometimes overlooked by companies. Wine cannot be seen like any other food product: is comes from agriculture, dependent on nature and hardly influenced by her. Precisely for this reason quality wine cannot be standardized and man becomes the key factor. The Antinori family and our CEO and Chief Oenologist Renzo Cotarella were born in wine and know this principle very well. For this reason they considered essential for each estate to have its own identity and autonomy, each with its own team.

Getting closer to the end of this fantastic chat we would like to pay a look to the future: Georgia what to expect (or hope to wait) next from Le Mortelle? 

I think the near future of Le Mortelle will be even greener. The Antinori family has always been convinced that respect for the environment must call for maximum attention and effort. For Le Mortelle the challenge is even more important because we are in an area of ​​great natural beauty, where much of the Coastal Maremma is bordered as a Natural Reserve. Therefore, in the next few years we would like to further decrease our consumption of energy thus increasing the use of renewable energy. We would like to raise the awareness of all our employees in this direction, because only by changing our mindset we can really make things better. There’s one thing I am sure about, that the respect for the environment and its biodiversity is important for both ethical and technical reasons: the more we work in harmony with our territory, the more we will be able to produce wines of great expression.

Georgia Dimitriou, the host of Le Mortelle estate

Let’s imagine a well-stocked shelf of wines or, alternatively, the web page of an e-shop that provides clear and easy navigation functionalities as well as the correct observation perspective: this is certainly a classic situation that each of us has experienced (with no doubt as you are in the Magazine section of Winefully!) and which has seen a series of dynamics come on stage such as to govern the choice of the own wine to buy.

The reasons behind the selection are mixed and many of them are linked to the intrinsic motivation to purchase: an occasion to celebrate, a present to make, a bottle to collect, a long-desired wine finally available, a label chosen because of a direct or indirect advice from a friend, from social media or international critics, the availability of certain bottle formats and finally also the price, either because it is linked to a certain budget in hand or because it is able to generate savings if compared to other buying opportunities. Which is the fil rouge that links, more or less intensively, the reasons mentioned, certainly not exhaustive of all the buying opportunities that we can experience?

Aesthetics, meaning the mediated perception through the senses of the characteristics of a product that, at the time of purchase, is unknown or only partially known.

There is no doubt that the ancient saying according to which “even the eye wants its part” applies very well to such purchasing situations, hence the key role of Marketing in creating a certain appeal in the product, the bottle of wine, so to motivate the buyer to select it jointly or separately from other variables that are part of the decision-making process.

However, not all the five senses are stimulated during the study phase in which the details of interest are captured: a closed bottle will hardly be able to stimulate the sense of smell unless the storage conditions of the purchase site are below standard and motivate us to walk away as soon as possible (see also the article “Premium bottles: how to store them properly” nor the taste; however, the stimuli towards hearing may be greater, especially if combined with the touch in handling a bottle and storing a series of information from its profile, from any writings imprinted on the glass or from the quality and grain of the label and capsule, where available.

We leave sight inevitably for last, as this is the sense that most conditions the choice of a wine when buying in person sharing other details with touch and hearing, and it is the only sense conditioning the purchase in case you opt for online platforms. In the world of wine, the strategic nature of the packaging of a bottle has long been clear: a lot is invested so that the product transmits the values ​​of the cellar, communicates clearly and immediately to the consumer, allows them to go beyond the information on front and back labels, provides details in line with current legislation, mentions the progressive number of the bottle in the case of limited editions or, last but not least, provides a message related to the positioning of the product at Marketing level.

Even the smallest detail counts and can really make a difference: objectively, has it ever happened to choose one or more wines being guided by our knowledge or references from third parties, but also by our instincts and visual preferences? How many times have we faced winking labels or creative packagings that generate curiosity and desire to learn more or simply elegant “dresses” perfectly in line with the reputation of a particular wine? And how many times have we dropped the purchase of wines unable to communicate or whose packaging wasn’t in line with that specific situation?

It has happened, it happens and it will keep happening as the consumer is more and more skilled and informed and there are many ways to provide information that in the past might not have been so relevant (or perhaps they were, but only for industry experts). The trend is common to all markets (not only for wine since also spirits or water or carbonated drinks are no less) but in our world the winery choices aimed at a greater focus on appearance and on the perception of the product from the customer (consumer or not) can be seen with greater clarity. This happens because the wine market is highly heterogeneous and characterized by a history often linked to single territories and wineries, often guardians of a tradition that many times comes from family and that market trends have no way of affecting (or at least they can’t afford at the moment).

Therefore, it will be always difficult and even limiting to compare wines which essence is contained within the glass and wines where the outer dress is essential to finalize the sale. Both have the need to meet the customer’s purchasing power but the ways they do so are radically different, activating in a diametrically opposite way the senses underlying the decision-making process as well as the emotions, sentiments and feelings that can characterize certain purchases. The selection of a wine is supported by internal and external decision-making elements. The former refer to the wine itself, its history, the winemaking and aging techniques, the vintage and the terroir. The latter, on the other hand, are attributable to the way in which the wine is presented, the label, the packaging, the price and other factors that contribute to wine presentation and description.

As it emerged in the study named “Neuromarketing meets the art of labeling” commissioned by UPM Raflatac to SenseCatch in 2018, it clearly emerges that, keeping out the price variable, it is the label with its design, the types of paper and finishes to influence the choice of a wine. As mentioned by the title, the subject was analyzed at scientific level using the research methodology of SenseCatch, which integrates neuroscience and consumer behavior to analyze the reasons behind the decision-making processes of the consumer in an objective and scientific way. The research work has been published in this book and in the scientific article “Neuromarketing Meets the Art of Labeling. How Papers and Finishing on Labels Affect Wine Buying Decisions” by the American Association of Wine Economics magazine.

Therefore, it is clear there are objective as well as subjective reasons behind certain purchasing choices that involve one or more senses in evaluating multiple alternatives that get gradually shortlisted to identify the product of highest interest.Aesthetics, understood as what pleases the eye so much as to create satisfaction for a purchase, then comes into play and leads us to lean towards certain options depending on whether the stimuli are more or less aligned with expectations.

The external appearance of a bottle of wine is key, with the label playing the most important role together with any external packaging that makes the product unique and immediately recognizable, as well as highly attractive. Even focusing only on the label, the real distinctive character of each wine, we would have a very broad spectrum of messages to be received and analyzed: hence the focus on the dynamics that push a buyer to select specific labels following specific stimuli linked to graphics, tactile perception or the mix of colors that distinguish the individual wines.

Depending on the specific needs underlying the purchasing process, each or all together can play a more or less decisive role, with highly heterogeneous results following a rational reasoning that is largely but, inevitably (and for us, luckily) also emotional.

Serendipity is that phenomenon that happens when, whilst looking for something, a person unexpectedly finds something else. The beauty is that the “other” is a real surprise, something that often has a greater value than what was originally pursued. In short, it is a lucky, unplanned discovery. Christopher Columbus discovering America while actually looking for the Indies is perhaps the most famous case of serendipity. Then there is the Tarte Tatin, born when the Tatin sisters forgot to put the base in the apple pie; the popsicle, accidentally invented by Frank Epperson forgetting a glass of soda in the cold; and penicillin, the result of Alexander Fleming’s incorrect disinfection of a specimen.

Amarone also seems to be a typical case of serendipity. The legend tells of a person named Adelino Lucchese, cellarman of the cooperative winery of Negrar, who in 1936 found a forgotten barrel of Recioto wine. In opening he realized that the sweet wine, continuing to ferment, became dry. He tried then to recover from the damage, without success. The cellar manager, warned of the problem, decided to taste that missed Recioto anyway and he was pleasantly surprised by the result obtained. The phrase he seemed to have addressed to the cellarman is “this is not amaro (bitter), but Amarone!”.

Thus was born the famous wine of Valpolicella, with first sales document dated back to 1938. Amarone was then distributed in all respects starting from 1953, immediately obtaining an excellent commercial response. In 1968 the first disciplinary was approved: the DOC certification was recognized for the wine. Its success continued to grow, especially abroad, and in 2010 the DOCG certification also arrived. Amarone is technically a dry passito with no or almost no residual sugar. The peculiarity of the production process lies precisely in the drying of the grapes, which leads to concentration and great expressive potential. The wine is produced with the historical grapes Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, to which it is possible to add both local grapes and other varieties. If we look at the path taken by this great wine, one star shines more than the others along its ascending parabola. It is the one of Giuseppe Quintarelli, the man who was able to bring Amarone to the highest quality levels, sanctioning its success and fame all over the world. The winery was founded by his father Silvio in Negrar at the beginning of the twentieth century. It will be Giuseppe, the youngest of the children, who will take it in hand in the 1950s, continuing the work started by his father. The company grew in compliance with traditional processing methods, enriched by some important evolutionary choices. In the 1980s, for example, other international varieties were added to traditional grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and still others such as Nebbiolo and Croatina. What hasn’t changed over the years is the tension towards uncompromising, absolute excellence.

Giuseppe Quintarelli was a simple and generous man, so selfless as to share all the secrets of his profession with Romano Dal Forno, shaping his successor. A great producer who died exactly ten years ago, in 2012, when his daughter Fiorenza took over the reins of the company together with her husband and children.Several labels, all of monumental importance. Among these, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico stands out as a real legendary bottle. Let’s talk about 2013. The vintage, from a climatic point of view, was ambivalent. In the first part, the plants suffered the effects of a difficult climate, with low temperatures and frequent rains. In the second part, from June onwards, the weather instead turned in the opposite direction, leading to the harvest of fruits with a great quality profile. It is in fact one of the best vintages for Amarone, which many producers have managed to translate into wines of extreme finesse. Quintarelli’s, in particular, shows a ruby ​​red dress of great intensity, immediately suggesting a lively and vibrant material. The nose opens with hints of potpourri and outlines a touch of dark notes that the palate makes more evident. The sip is regal, sumptuous, with jam fruit that leaves room first to iodized sensations, then to hints of cocoa bean and licorice tones. As in all major works, not only the oenological ones, it is in the finale that the masterpiece is confirmed.

– by Graziano Nani 09.03.2022

Fifteen years in communication, today Graziano Nani is Creative Director of Doing. Sommelier Ais, writes for Intravino and Vertigo Magazine, part of the Passione Gourmet network. On Instagram is #HellOfaWine, dedicated to wine excellences. His wine blog is gutin.it, he mixes stories and illustrations. He also loves cooking: he talks about chefs and wines of the heart with themed tastings.

Some time ago, in our article “Fine Wines between Investment and Collecting 1″ we addressed a series of aspects related to the appeal of fine wines towards those who  do  not put the tasting of a wine, a vintage or a specific format necessarily at the top of their preferences but which, instead, prefer to focus on different aspects that always have as a common denominator the sought after, famous, limited wine in some ways also capable of becoming a speculative product.

As we have seen, the topic of fine wines presents a series of critical issues to consider and address before starting an own purchasing activity.

Once the preparatory process has been completed and the necessary resources have been made available, the most difficult question must be faced: where to start from?

The answers are several, perhaps even infinite: the wider the choice and the potential combinations, the more the need to apply a necessary pragmatism to the topic not to get caught up in the sprawling world of investment wine.

Although there is a series of tools to support those who approach this dimension with the idea of diversifying their investments, either implementing speculative maneuvers or for the purpose of genuine collectionism, these are not always accessible to everyone.  In fact, there are platforms dedicated to the sale of any type of wine, even fine, full carton or wooden case, in limited or large quantities, where daily sellers and buyers from all over the world do confront, mostly linked to the B2B world, in a context of costly barriers to the entry. Of course, you can certainly skip these and follow a simpler approach within everyone’s reach through the use of social networks or dedicated sites that allow comparison   between private and non-private individuals, also on the basis of individual bottles. In addition, it must be taken into account how the typical buying and selling dynamics of private individuals differ according to the purpose of the investment,  the  resources available, the risk appetite of the individual as well as  the personal feelings, preferences and considerations, own or made such by the comparison with third parties or by the publication of guides and scores of international critics, historically with a more than relevant role in influencing the choices of those who invest resources in wine.

Since the topic is quite complex and approachable from several positions according to the real needs of the buyer, we will try to simplify it as much as possible, focusing our attention on the most difficult question mentioned above and sharing our experience gained on the Italian and international market.

Inevitably this will lead to focusing attention on some wineries to the detriment of others, on whose proposal there is nothing to object and against which there is no foreclosure beyond a duty of synthesis to contain the scope of our content.

Starting from the Bel Paese and its countless excellent wine productions, we would  undoubtedly  suggest focusing attention on BBBA+, which is not a financial rating but only a quick acronym referred to “Brunello, Barolo, Barbaresco, Amarone” and that leaves the “+” to interpretation, today little subject to fantasy and more concretely linked to wines called in their first phase “Supertuscan” and that today, thanks to the efforts of many winemakers carried out in recent decades, are assorted as a global reference with regard to the Italian wine. Starting our analysis from this last category, how can we not mention the true national iconic wine, from which so much (everything?) began, the Sassicaia of Tenuta San Guido? Born in the sixties at the behest of Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, there is no vintage without a race to buy all the available bottle formats. Beyond a quality and a tasting experience at the highest levels, Sassicaia is perhaps the best known (and traded) Italian wine in the world, always at the top of international criticism and characterized by a constant growth of its valuations, even after a short time from the purchase (which is recommended at the time of annual release, typically between first and second quarter of each year).

Our dispassionate suggestion regarding Sassicaia: we recommend using only official purchase channels being also, and unfortunately, the Italian wine most prone to counterfeiting.

If San Guido made Bolgheri great, thanks to the precious assist of Giosuè Carducci and, first of all, of nature itself, particularly generous in this upper part of the Maremma, the alternation between two legendary families for Italian wine, Antinori and Frescobaldi, leads to two champions of Bolgheri, Masseto and Ornellaia, as close in terms of properties as different as philosophy, terroir, production style and positioning market.

Two iconic labels, never satisfied in conquering the hearts of collectors, enthusiasts and investors, that represent a safe haven for invested capital given the always high demand that characterizes them at every release on the market.

A boutade wants a wine whose name ends in “-aia” to be characterized by high quality and to be, in a nutshell, a sort of safe refuge: beyond the many other excellent, wines with the same ending, it is at Solaia from Antinori that you have to look after the equally noble wines from Bolgheri.

A wine with distinct characteristics, coming from a different territory such as Chianti Classico where the Tignanello Estate benefits from an exceptional terroir exploited to the best by the Antinori family in producing, from vineyards insistent on the same hill, two excellences such as, in fact, Solaia and Tignanello, labels of noble rank always strongly requested on the market and appreciated by international critics, sometimes even with the highest honors. We all know Tuscany is a forge of great wines, now coming from many territories demonstrating the vocation of this region and the great skills of winemakers. The  above list is undoubtedly reductive, not having left the deserved space to iconic wineries that over the years have carved out a very important role, we think of Montevertine, Fontodi, Bibi Graetz, Tenuta di Trinoro, Le Pupille, Castello di Ama, San Giusto a Rentennano, Castellare di Castellina, Le Macchiole, Petrolo, Isole e Olena, Tenuta di Biserno, Monteverro, Tua Rita, Ricasoli, Querciabella, just to name a few  that, with one and more wines, are recognized to have an international standing and appeal.

But we cannot talk about Tuscany without considering one of the most famous medieval villages in the world, that Montalcino which is characterized by being the capital of good drinking based on Sangiovese Grosso, or Brunello.

The topic here is undoubtedly vast and therefore complex: Brunello di Montalcino is a wine that from many years presents a quality standard at the highest, so much so that more and more wineries now symbolize the town within a healthy kaleidoscope made of tradition and innovation, of old and new generations who pass the baton setting new and increasingly ambitious goals.

Labels such as Biondi Santi, Casanova di Neri, Giodo, Poggio di Sotto, Fuligni, Siro Pacenti, Le Chiuse, Il Marroneto, Castiglion del Bosco, Salvioni, Livio Sassetti, Stella di Campalto, Gianni Brunelli, Pian dell’Orino, Le Potazzine, Castello di Romitorio, Le Ragnaie, Luce della Vite, Il Poggione and Case Basse di Soldera are  some of the today protagonists of the Ilcinese offer that, from vintage to vintage and from reserve to reserve, keep high the name of this wine capital among the thick ranks of pretenders to the coveted bottles. Although Tuscany plays a key role in offering an extreme variety of fine wines subject to continuous purchases and investments, another region can offer a truly wide choice within a piece of land between the municipalities of Barolo and Barbaresco is Piedmont.

Land of great wines the Langa, with a great tradition and characterized by a splendid evolution over the years, so as to propose today a varied offer that well symbolizes the mix between a well-rooted tradition and an accepted   reinterpretation of Nebbiolo, the reference grape over time flanked by the equally native Barbera and, sometimes, Freisa.

Being able to make an exhaustive a list of investment tips is a difficult task in the Langhe, where you can easily do wrong to many excellent producers with vineyards belonging to the same MGA and physically bordering those of more noble wineries given the fragmentation of the parcels especially in those particularly suitable areas (some examples: Asili, Pajè and  Rabajà in Barbaresco, Cannubi in Barolo, Rocche dell’Annunziata and Cerequio in La Morra, Villero and Bricco Boschis in Castiglione Falletto, Mosconi, and Bussia in Monforte d’Alba, Vignarionda and Falletto in Serralunga or Ravera in Novello).

The great variety and consequent fragmentation of the parcels also imply very limited productions in those vineyards where the only spoken language is the extreme quality and where yields are deliberately reduced to extract the maximum from every single berry.

A reference for this way of operating is certainly Giacomo Conterno, father of one of the most famous reserve wines in the world, the Monfortino, and able to produce unique masterpieces from his own crus of Arione, Francia and Cerretta.

It is not an understatement to say that there is a queue to have the wines of Conterno, perhaps it would be better to say that the row is double, if not triple considering the interest of the market towards all the wines of Conterno starting from his great Barbera d’Alba. The Langhe have experienced periods in which family generations have succeeded one after the other, often leaving their own  indelible imprint in the  history of the territory and the wine offer: this is the case of the Gaja winery, where the fourth generation led by Angelo has definitely changed the oenology of the Langhe through important innovations that have brought the entire production of this winery to the highest levels on global scale, so much so that it is continuously sought after and exchanged.

Every historical producer active between Barolo and Barbaresco is the guardian of the history and excellence of these lands, dedicated to quality wine known all over the world: mentioning one rather than another is an arduous challenge, having at your disposal a mix of true champions. Names such as Luciano Sandrone, Vietti, Bartolo Mascarello, Roberto Voerzio, Elio Grasso, Rinaldi, Paolo Scavino, Domenico Clerico, Giuseppe Mascarello, Bruno Giacosa, Aldo Conterno, Lorenzo Accomasso, Roagna, G.D. Vajra, Cavallotto, Pio Cesare, Burlotto or Borgogno are all wineries that, over the years, have produced extraordinary wines and that still today see a demand for their excellences exceed, and not a little, the offer, often more and more limited.

Plenty the merits among Piedmontese producers, while defects…well, maybe too much choice!

We conclude our roundup of the most representative wines of the boot with an area where two absolute champions are able to best tame a wine as important as Amarone della Valpolicella: Giuseppe Quintarelli and Romano Dal Forno. Historically the object of interest from collectors and also investors, these two producers, who over time have been joined by from other excellences that are increasingly taking ground on the market, remain well-representative alfieri of a heterogeneous, vast territory, where the mix of grapes and the techniques of drying and aging allow the creation of exceptional wines, not limited to Amarone only but also Valpolicella Superiore and Recioto.

As introduced at the beginning, the Italian territory is certainly complex and the very high average quality of the wine produced does not make it easy to summarize schematically what we believe are in some ways the national champions.

In fact, our narrative does not aspire to be exhaustive, indeed we expect to have left out noble names, which we trust they won’t blame us, and to have skipped many emerging areas of sure interest and potential.

However, we hope that the reader can benefit from our efforts confirming the perpetual willingness of the Winefully Team to always analyze and fully understand the needs and expectations of our clients.

In the most intense period of the year, during the harvest, Barbara Sandrone – daughter of Luciano – managed to dedicate some of her time to tell us the story of their cellar, which, even before being a beautiful business story, it is an intense affair of family and emotions. A story in which the love that binds the three generations today in the company finds a reflection and completion in the almost symbiotic relationship with the territory, from which six wines are born to interpret the tradition in a pure and passionate way.

Your father Luciano, the founder of the winery, has a beautiful personal story. I’d like to start from here, if you like.

Yes, of course, for us it is always a joy to tell how it all began because we do not come from a family tradition in wine. My grandfather was actually a carpenter and, at a certain point, he decided to move to Barolo to expand his business and – call it chance or fate – the new carpentry headquarters was next to the cellar of the great Giacomo Borgogno. My dad at the time was a young guy and was divided between these two worlds, with Mr. Giacomo who liked him and always repeated – in Piedmontese dialect of course – “Grow up quickly Luciano, because here is room for you”. In the end it really went like this: after joining, he started to work with him, absorbing all his teachings and observing all his gestures. A wonderful experience for my father that lasted until his military service, then on his return he became head cellarman for the Abbona and Scarzello families, owners of the Marchesi di Barolo winery in 1970. He was only twenty-four years old and remained there until to 1990. At what point in this journey did Luciano decide that he wanted to make his own wine, starting from scratch?

It happened towards the end of the seventies: my father began to have the desire to deal also with what happens before the cellar, in the vineyard. The wine quality, you know, comes from the vineyard and he wanted to understand that part of the process better. In 1977 he decided to purchase of the Cannubi Boschis vineyard, from which our first Barolo was born.

My father didn’t have any spaces or own tools because – as I told you – he didn’t come from a family of winemakers, so he started from scratch, using our garage because it was the best place available. Our company has grown in this simple way and in small steps: first with a few machines, a few tanks and sometimes second-hand tools; then over time we rented other garages to be able to expand a little and, finally, the project of the new cellar, which only arrived in 1998. It is still here in Barolo, right at the foot of the Cannubi hill and here we have gradually succeeded, to bring everything inside: from the tractors to the rooms where we age the wine.

I would like to ask you a question about your character which is ultimately reflected in your wines. You are certainly one of the reference names for Barolo, yet it seems that you have managed to keep that essential and simple garage spirit of the beginnings, how did you do it?

I do not know. There was no strategy, we just believed a lot, with our hearts and minds, in what we did and we wanted to remain a family, even if this meant setting limits. But that’s okay because we want to manage things in a certain way – ours – and we want to exercise control over all phases in the vineyard and in the cellar.

Don’t be in a hurry: this is something that our vineyards tell us first of all. If there is one thing that the Nebbiolo grape teaches, it is the art of patience and knowing how to wait. I would tell you that we have transposed these learnings from the vineyard to all aspects of our work. This is also one of the reasons because, after all, our wines are not that many, because we have chosen to be guided by native vines and tradition, without being in a hurry. Just think that our latest born, Barolo Vite Talin, had more or less thirty years of gestation before seeing the light.

Do you take care of the commercial side, right?

Yes, although I admit I don’t like speaking that way. I work together with a group of very smart women only, I want to say it because I think that female relational skills make the difference. It is essential for us to make distributors understand the complexity of certain choices we make, sometimes apparently uneconomical but consistent with our philosophy.

My uncle Luca, on the other hand, follows the vineyard with his team of eight people. With the arrival of the Le Corse vineyard in Monforte, which will become part of the Barolo Le Vigne from the 2019 vintage, we reached thirty hectares of land. I’m talking to you about this acquisition because we really care of it: the owner of the plot has always been in a relationship of esteem and collaboration with my father, when he chose to retire he wanted to sell it to us because he knew he was leaving the vineyard to someone with a certain thought and a certain way of working. For us it was a great satisfaction and also an honor. With the entry into the company of your sons, Alessia and Stefano, you are now at the third generation but it can be said that you are still today first a family and then a company. How much does this affect your way of making wine?

Being a family is an incredible strength. Obviously we never forget that we are a company but we are animated by a common feeling and also by a relationship that binds us and this I believe it allows to work with a very strong serenity and conviction.

On your site I noticed that you define wine by its very essence as “natural”, can you tell us more about how you work?

For us, our vineyards are like people, they are part of our family: we need to take care of them, be present, know how to listen to them, without bullying. I’ll give you the example of Nebbiolo grapes in Barolo and Valmaggiore: the variety is the same, but the soil, climate and water conditions are so different that we have to relate to them in equally different ways. It is on us the capacity to grasp the signs that the vine gives us and help it to complete its path. This requires care that resembles dedication, especially in the most delicate moments such as summer or those preceding the harvest. Luca at the end of August begins sampling by parcels because clearly, depending on the exposure, the times and methods of ripening change a lot and this determines a very complex harvest, in the sense that each plot, indeed each plot, is a story in itself. That’s why we have a lot of support people who need to be specialized but also passionate. Work in the vineyard is always hard and tiring and requires competence and sensitivity in equal parts.

You operate in all aspects in an organic fashion but you have no certification. Don’t you find it useful?

We do not define ourselves as organic, we have always worked our way but we do not need a label, because we know how we work. My family is rooted here, now there are my sons who work with us, we love these places, it would be absurd to violate this land that has given us so much by working badly, with disrespectful interventions.

You use indigenous yeasts and practice spontaneous fermentation, we can say that you have not chosen the easy way. The variables that come into play in doing so are much greater.

We’ve always worked this way, I can’t even tell you what it’s like to be different. Perhaps for this reason I feel less of the risks and complexities. It is also true that we are helped by the fact that we know our vineyards well and that the genetic heritage of our grapes is so unique that it must be preserved. Having said that, choosing to operate in this way requires obsessive, absolute attention. To give you an example, when we have to do the pumping over, during fermentation, people in the cellar stop their tasks for a few hours a day, because it takes a crazy cure and because these yeasts are alive and never behave in the same way. Also in this case, it takes competence but above all it is necessary to “feel” this work, to understand that we are dealing with something alive, pulsating. You are natural and organic but it seems that you are very little interested in the debate about natural wines and the trends it has triggered.

Honestly, we have always followed our own path, without trying to look like someone else. We have also often gone against the tide, for example, when in the nineties there were barriques everywhere and it seemed that everything had to be barricaded, my father always stubbornly used the tonneaux, sometimes making an incredible effort to find the barrels because there was not much supply. But we have always thought that wine must have its own personality, with respect to which wood is only a complement and for this reason we have always gone on like this. Maybe, in this way you run the risk of not being liked by everyone, but the is fair in a certain sense, it is only good that there are more voices and more roads possible. All debates are also welcome, but then it is important that everyone choose their own path with independence and consistency.

A little while ago you were talking about the harvest, at this moment (ed. Beginning of October) this year’s is still in progress. I am not asking you for a final rating because it is too early but a first impression of its progress.

In fact, I don’t like to talk about the harvest before it’s finished. Also for reasons of superstition! But I can say that we are very happy with what we have collected so far. The climatic trend of this year has always kept us in suspense, with the frosts in April and then the hailstorms in the summer. They were all quite violent phenomena but I must say that it went well and the grapes are healthy and beautiful. The harvest is good in quality and quantity.

On our shop you can find both Le Vigne and Aleste, two Barolos with a particular allure. Can you tell us their story?

Le Vigne has always been a special wine for us. The first awards came with Cannubi Boschis, but my father always had in his heart the idea of ​​a Barolo according to the tradition of final assembly of grapes from different plots. I like to describe it as a symphony of musical instruments that together fully express the territory: each vineyard is treated, harvested and vinified alone, respecting its characteristics and then, with progressive tastings and tests, the final composition is decided, capable of expressing the characteristics of the year and of the territory. Our imprint is there but it is in the background, to harmonize the individual voices into a whole. Aleste is actually the legendary Cannubi Boschis, that was renamed by your father at one point, dedicating it to your children (Ale and Ste). A generous passing of the generational baton that would have thrown any marketing consultant into panic. How did it go?

You let me talk about something that still emotions me because I remember very well when my father explained to us that he wanted to dedicate to the new generations – at the right time – the most precious thing he had: his first vineyard and his first wine. At first, Luca and I were a little confused because changing the name of the wine that everyone considers our symbol was a risk from a communicative point of view. The thing I thought it was right to do was to spend a lot of time around explaining this choice to our distributors in person: it was important for us that everyone understood that it was purely a choice of heart that did not involve the identity of the wine. Barolo has remained the same: a vigorous, direct, full wine, immediately ready, also due to the “more intense” ripening of the Cannubi Boschis vineyard, which is at a lower altitude than other vineyards, therefore in a slightly more warm climate.

Le Vigne, on the other hand, is more floral, softer, first it embraces you and then wins your attention. They are two complementary personalities.

Sibi et paucis what project is it and why did you not want to make a classic reserve?

It is a setting aside of our bottles that we have been making for about fifteen years. We started with a small amount and progressively increased it. The wines rest in a dedicated cellar for eight years, then for ten years in total (two in barrels and eight in the bottle) because it is a project created to enhance Nebbiolo’s ability to grow over time and designed for us and for those who want understand what a Barolo is after ten or twenty years. The reserve is already born in the vineyard, from plots that are dedicated to it without being “special” plots. Sibi et paucis is always our wine, simply kept aside, for us and for friends.

To conclude, how have you seen the Langa changes in recent decades.

This is a question, a question that is close to my heart: I have never liked the distinction between traditionalists and modernists, because I think we all have the same roots, without which we would not be here today. It is a distinction that I have always perceived as a communicative need, to explain in a simple, schematic way – sometimes too much – a complex territory like this.

More than two distinct poles, I would speak of evolution: in a story like ours it is normal that we go through different evolutionary moments, which however all arise from tradition. Today it seems to me that we have reached a point of balance between the different souls, between those who have experienced more and those who have not moved away from their origins. And this seems a great thing to me.

– Editorial Board 4.01.2022

What if for this year we let ourselves go to a bit of gastronomic nostalgia, choosing festive but pleasantly retro dishes for the New Year’s Eve dinner?

Here you are some ideas for a fish-based menu, full of flavors of yesteryear but always delicious, to be paired with “great occasion” wines and also – when appropriate – vintage. Let’s start off in a bubbly way with a nice aperitif bubble for a dip in the Eighties with a prawn cocktail accompanied by the sensual pink sauce and with the timeless salmon canapés, playing at the table on the shades of color that run between plate and glass. In this case, in fact, the ideal choice could be a pink bubble: Italian and cheeky – like the fresh and mineral Francesco I Franciacorta Rosé by Uberti  enlivened by notes of red fruit and pink grapefruit flanked by spicy nuances – or French and refined, like a label with a great personality like the vintage Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé, delicate and voluptuous at the same time.

In the second case, the same bottle – perhaps in a magnum format – can also prove to be ideal for pairing with a simple but sumptuous and very tasty first course, suitable for parties, such as spaghetti with lobster with the discreet presence of tomato.

On the other hand, a white bubble – which certainly wouldn’t disfigure even with the opening prawn cocktail – could be the ideal choice to accompany another great classic of vintage seventies and eighties cuisine, never completely out of fashion: penne with salmon. blend with vodka, loved both by Ugo Tognazzi and by the regulars of disco evenings on the Romagna Riviera and by anyone who can guess the right alchemy between smoked fish, (little) cream, tomato and Russian distillate.

In fact, the tomato, omitted from many subsequent recipes to the original, is used to balance the sweetness of the dish and to act as a trait-d’union with Vodka, a meeting sealed also in the Bloody Mary cocktail. The presence of the distillate – which serves above all to blend the salmon – could create some problems for the pairing but a lively and extremely elegant bubble like the Meraviglioso by Bellavista, a fifty-fifty blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with its twelve years aging in bottle, will keep you up to speed. Meraviglioso is the result of the assembly of six historic vintages of the Franciacorta company already used for the Riserva that bears the name of the founder Vittorio Moretti (1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 2001 and 2002).

For the second course, the ideal is to keep it simple, focusing above all on the excellent quality of the raw material: a fish in a salt crust, savory and juicy, accompanied by an impeccable and voluptuous homemade mayonnaise will make everyone happy. Just like uncorking a great white wine like Testamatta Bianco by Bibi Graetz: fresh and equally savory, despite the abundance of aromas that refer to ripe and candied fruit (from dates to orange peel, quince and apricot ) and honey, it turns out to be perfectly balanced thanks to the iodized notes and, rather than anticipating the panettone, it seems to take you back to the summer months on the sea. If you want to surprise your guests with a little-known wine – and a grape variety – and instead of mayonnaise you want to serve a delicious Russian salad next to the fish (another great classic always very popular), you might decide to open another bottle before the passage to dessert and sweet wine.

Instead of going back to a refreshing bubble, in fact, the eclectic option may be to underline the opulence of the side dish with a glass of Vin de la Neu by Nicola Biasi: the Johanniter – a resistant variety that is well suited to cold temperatures and high altitudes, such as those of the plots in Val di Non owned by Biasi – gives life to a wine that smells of citrus fruits, tropical fruits, fresh grass and white flowers, which on the sip is surprising for its verticality and flavor but without giving up a certain enveloping also due to the aging in wooden barrel of almost a year and the long stay in the bottle.

To close the dinner in a classic way, the vintage choice could be an excellent and buttery handmade Pandoro with scents of vanilla, perhaps accompanied by a cream of zabaglione comme il faut. To be paired, a glass of the legendary Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice by Avignonesi: sweet but not cloying, with hints of dried fruit, honey and spices softened by a nice freshness and a fascinating persistence.

Waiting to leave with the countdown for the midnight toast, to accompany the cotechino with lentils and greet the new year that arrives with the most intelligent “bang”: that of a champagne cork! The choice of the bottle is yours … Santé!

– by Luciana Squadrilli 23.12.2021

Luciana Squadrilli is a professional journalist specializing in food and wine, she collaborates with Italian and foreign guides and magazines, telling the best side of Italy (and beyond). Editor of Food & Wine Italy and food editor of Lonely Planet Magazine Italy, she deals with pizza and oil with particular attention, she loves Champagne and is the author of several titles including La Buona Pizza (Giunti) and Pizza e Bolle (Edizioni Estemporanee).

When it speaks to heroic viticulture, the first thought goes to a romantic concept of growing grapes in extreme and almost prohibitive conditions. The interpretation itself is correct, however it is interesting to underline that the definition has more precise boundaries. In fact, there are four specific requirements and agricultural practice must meet at least one of these in order to speak of heroic viticulture.

The first, the one for which the definition is mainly known, concerns the land slopes, which must exceed 30%. This of course makes everything more difficult. For the man, first of all, who finds himself having to carry out various agricultural activities facing grueling climbs and descents. There is also a theme of mechanization, or rather non-mechanization, given that this type of slope makes it practically impossible to work with the machines that are generally used in “canonical” agricultural contexts. To this is added a further “heroic” factor, because in general the extensions of these vineyards are limited. So not only the difficulties and the fatigue multiply, but the production from the quantitative point of view is always small. It goes without saying that the work, strongly oriented towards high quality, only makes sense when we are talking about land with a very high vocation. The second requirement to be able to speak of heroic viticulture, is the fact that cultivation takes place on terraces, or steps. The Valtellina case is emblematic, one of the most cited when talking about the subject, where the terraces chisel the mountainside with a level of care and precision that is unique in the world. Masterpieces like these represent a real sublimation of the fragile balance between man and nature. While on the one hand the agri-food industry, supported by machines, in a certain sense represents the total domination of human beings, in contexts such as that of Valtellina a close and constant dialogue is staged. One takes, one gives, nothing is easy, and the efforts are enormous even to snatch the smallest patch of land from the rock.

Third requirement that enables the word “heroic”: altitude. The higher you go, the more complicated it is to make wine. However, there are particular situations where a mixture of factors including the vine variety, the ability of man and the territorial context make it possible to grow vines at considerable altitudes. In Val D’Aosta and Alto Adige it is not uncommon to find vineyards at 800, 900 and even above 1,000 meters, up to the 1,350 of the Marienberg Benedictine abbey, which ranks among the very few in Europe capable of reaching this high .

The last point highlights how heroic viticulture does not necessarily mean a mountainous context. The fourth requirement, in fact, speaks of “cultivation on small islands”. Like those of the Venice Lagoon, for example, where high water submerges the vines and the boat becomes the main means of transport during the harvest. Lands suspended between water and earth, where the roots of plants touch the salty water of the sea and their very life is constantly under discussion.

To stay on topic with the maritime context, there are cases in which the presence of the sea coexists with vertiginous slopes. For example, the vineyards where the famous Sciacchetrà is produced, a well-known passito produced in Liguria in the Cinque Terre area. Another striking case is that of the fjord of Furore, a veritable splinter of Northern Europe stuck in a decidedly Mediterranean context. In fact, we are talking about the Amalfi Coast, where in Furore the rock is furrowed by a deep crack covered with olive groves, lemon groves and vineyards. The symbolic reality of this incredible corner of Italy is that of Marisa Cuomo, who together with Andrea Ferraioli has led the company for over forty years. 10 hectares of land, 3.5 of which are owned, many of which are cultivated on the rocky walls overlooking the sea. Ginestra, Pepella, Tronto, Sciascinoso … are just some of the native varieties grown by the company. The cellar, dug into the rock, enjoys the correct temperature without the need for any control.

Fiorduva Bianco is the most representative wine of the company. Splendid blend of the three prefillossera grapes Fenile, Ginestra and Ripoli, it spends six months in small oak barrels. 2019 presents itself with a splendid golden yellow and an enveloping entrance that refers to the fleshy notes of apricot and mango. In the mouth it shows a progression that opens to light spiciness and hints of aromatic herbs. The finish is very long, punctuated by subtle iodized perceptions. It is precisely these, most of all, that recall the unique and extreme context in which this wine is born, the result of a very high profile viticulture that enhances places where nothing is taken for granted. In two words, heroic viticulture.7

– by Graziano Nani 23.11.2021

Fifteen years in communication, today Graziano Nani is Creative Director of Doing.Sommelier Ais, writes for Intravino and Vertigo Magazine, part of the Passione Gourmet network. His Instagram account, #HellOfaWine, is dedicated to wine excellences. His wine blog is , where he mixes stories and illustrations. He also loves cooking: he talks about chefs and wines of the heart with themed tastings.

The persuasive and unmistakable scent of saffron, the creaminess of the butter creaming that wraps the rice grains, the umami richness given by the generous addition of Parmesan but also by the meat broth and, if desired, also the marrow enveloping fatness, which someone loves to add to end of cooking or off the heat, already cooked separately.

Risotto alla Milanese, or simply yellow saffron risotto, is a symbol of home cooking on great occasions due to its gustatory opulence anticipated by the golden color given by the spice, without adding gold leaf as it did in the early years’ 80 the Maestro Gualtiero Marchesi making it an icon also of the nouvelle vague of our local cuisine.

And if, according to legend, its origin would be linked to the Duomo of Milan – with the apprentice Zafferano, a great lover and user of the spice gold color, who in 1574 out of spite ends up also putting it in the rice prepared for the wedding of the daughter of the master Valerio di Fiandra, a Flemish artist called to create the magnificent stained glass windows -, the first mentions of the recipe (with rice, however boiled, and not yet cooked in broth) date back to 1300.

While one has to wait for the 800 to find preparations closest to that which has been codified and handed down to the present day, with rice flavored with fat, ox marrow, nutmeg, broth and grated cheese. Wine – a fundamental ingredient to degrease and give a slight acidity to the dish – appears only at the beginning of the twentieth century by Pellegrino Artusi, who proposes a variant of the recipe that uses white wine, appreciated by many. The yellow risotto preparation, more or less canonical, enters by right into the group of the great classics of Italian cuisine and requires careful preparation down to the smallest detail, starting with the choice of rice which should preferably be Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano, and from use of saffron in pistils. Just as much care, then, requires the choice of what to combine in the glass.

Whether it is the version with or without ossobuco, the most suitable choice is undoubtedly a red wine of fabric, sufficiently mature and full-bodied but with its own elegance, perhaps with a Nebbiolo base. For example, the intense character and velvety tannins of Gattinara Vigna Molsino di Nervi – whose name, in Piedmontese dialect, means “soft” – could perfectly accompany the “basic” version of the dish. Obtained from a vineyard set in a natural amphitheater at the foot of the Piedmontese Alps, it displays beautiful floral and red fruit notes on the nose with some spicy hints while in the mouth it is silky, very drinkable, with a fruity and incredibly savory finish.

The marrow presence could instead direct the choice to an equally iconic and enveloping label such as  Barolo Francia Giacomo Conterno’s, a true monument of Piedmontese elegance and charm. Its complexity is immediately perceived on the nose, with hints of small red fruits (some even find some hints of watermelon in them) accompanied by a mentholated and mineral profile. In the mouth it is powerful and elegant at the same time, very balanced, soft but with a savory and fresh finish that invites the next bite. The slightly out-of-the-ordinary alternative could be represented by a nice bubble, with the perlage pleasantly contrasting the creaminess and fatness of the risotto. In this case, however, the suggestion is to focus on a Blanc de Noirs or in any case on a wine with an important base of Pinot Noir.

You are certainly on the safe side by uncorking a bottle of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2010 in which freshness, minerality and enveloping blend, combined with a remarkable persistence. The result of a vintage made difficult by sudden rains, in which the mastery of the Maison has been able to preserve the characteristics of the pinot noir which here alongside the 50% chardonnay, is fresh on the nose – with notes of flowers and tropical fruit – but rich and intense on the palate that is caressed by spicy and peppery notes and a fascinating salty finish.

But it will also be fine to opt for a Franciacorta Docg such as the Vintage Collection Dosage Zéro Noir 2011 by Ca ‘del Bosco, Pinot Noir in purity with a very fine and persistent perlage and a full but very drinkable sip with flavors of aromatic herbs and spices and a note slightly smoky to complete the profile of tropical fruit and citrus.

– Luciana Squadrilli 16.11.2021

Luciana Squadrilli is a professional journalist specialized in food and wine, she collaborates with Italian and foreign guides and newspapers telling the best side of Italy (and not only). Editor of Food&Wine Italia and food editor of Lonely Planet Magazine Italia, she deals with pizza and oil with particular attention, loves Champagne and is the author of several titles including La Buona Pizza (Giunti) and Pizza and Bolle (Edizioni Estemporanee).