Vinitaly Road Show 2023

Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International, was hosting a number of events in different cities around the world promoting Vinitaly  2023 which takes place in Verona April 2-5. This will be the 55th version of Vinitaly. I have attended over 15 of them over the years.

The event in NYC was a walk around tasting of 61 wines from all over Italy and it was held at Di Palo Wine Bar in Little Italy. Di Palo is the best store in NYC for Italian food products, especially salumi and cheeses.  Around one corner they have a wine store and around the other corner is the Wine Bar. Before I left for the event, Michele made me promise to bring home a pound of their excellent mortadella.  It’s the best you will taste outside of Bologna, Italy and I placed my order before went into the wine bar for the tasting.

When I entered the Wine Bar I was greeted by Stevie Kim and Lou Di Palo

Lined up on the bar were 61 wines from all over Italy. Here are just a few of them:

Soave Classico DOC 2021 Pieropan made from 70% Garganega and 30%Trebbiano di Soave and the vines range in age from 6 to 60 years. Soil is limestone and volcanic and the training system is guyot and pergola Veronese. The vineyards are at 100/300 meters. The grapes are destemmed and crushed in a protective environment. The free run juice is fermented at a low temperature in glass-lined cement tanks. The wine remains on the lees for 3 to 8 months. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, lemon, lime, green apple and a note of almonds.   Organically grown grapes.

IGP Campania Falanghina 2021 Azienda Agricola San Salvatore from 100% Falanghina planted in 2008 with a south-southwest exposure.  Grapes for this wine are carefully selected by hand in the Cannito vineyard. Soft pressing and fermentation is in stainless steel tanks. The wine remains in stainless steel tanks on the lees for 6 months before release.  The wine has hints of citrus fruit, mint, sage, lemon and green apples.  

Fiano Di Avellino “Montelapio” Villa Matilde made from 100% Fiano Di Avellino from vineyards at the Tenute d’Altavilla estate in Campania. The vines were planted 1968-1995. Soil composition is tuffaceous and marly clay. There are 2,500-3,000 vines per hectare. Training system is guyot and the vineyard is at 500-600 meters. Harvest is in the middle of October. Grapes are soft pressed and fermentation is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature with selected yeast. The maceration technique is cryomaceration. The wine is aged in stainless steel for 4 months before it is bottled. This is a well-balanced wine with hints of citrus fruit, apricots, peaches and almonds.

Franciacorta “Alma” Brut NV Bellavista.  Alma means soul in Latin and this wine reflects the soul of Franciacorta and Bellavista. The symbol of this wine is the butterfly because, according to the producer, “it represents harmony and balance, nature at its purest, and transformation and rebirth.” Made from 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Bianco. The balance comes from 30 different selections from over 100 vineyards. Most of the wine is fermented and matures in 228 liter oak barrels for 7 months. The wine consists of at least 6 to 9 older vintages. This is a wine with a depth of flavor and hints of apples, pears and white flowers.

Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta La Fuga (Folonari) made from100% Sangiovese grosso from vineyards southwest of Montalcino, on the historical side of Camigliano at 350 meters. The soil is rich in fossils. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature. Maceration takes place in steel vats for 15 days followed by malolactic fermentation in oak barrels. The wine is aged in large Slovenian oak casks of 25 HL  for 3 years and then in bottle for one year before release. This is a full bodied wine with hints of mushrooms, berries, spice, orange peel, a touch of walnuts, and a note of violets.

Brunello di Montalcino 2017 “Castel Giocondo” Frescobaldi. Made from 100% Sangiovese. The soil is galestro, clay and Pleocene sands. Manual harvest takes place with a careful selection of the grapes in the cellar. Fermentation is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature with frequent pump-overs, during the early stages. The wine was aged in wood containers and is released after five years, which includes some time in the bottle. The wine has hints of ripe red berries and floral notes with spice and balsamic undertones.

Etna Rosso “Tornatore” Azienda Agricola F. Tornatore Made from 95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% Cappuccio. The soil is volcanic and the vineyards are located at 1,000 meters on the north side of Etna, an active volcano. Growing system is counter espalier and the vines are cordon pruned and tied up. Harvest is between the second and third week of October by hand. In the cellar there is a manual selection of the grapes on a conveyor belt. Grapes are destemmed and not completely crushed and are put in concrete tanks where they macerate for about 10/12 days. After fermentation the grapes are left to macerate for a few days more. The wine is then separated from the grape skins which are pressed with a traditional vertical press. The wine is aged for about 6 months in big wooden barrels and for 3 months in bottle before release. The wine has hints of red berries, cherry, a note of white pepper, and  a touch of  herbs with fresh acidity.

Taurasi “Pietrafusa” Villa Matilde  made from 100% Aglianico. The vineyard is at 350 meters and the training system is simple guyot with about 6 buds per plant. There are 3,000 vines per hectare and the soil is tufaceous with a good percentage of clay. Harvest is the third week of October. The grape bunches are destemmed  and pressed and the must is given a cold maceration on the skins. (Selected yeast is used). The must ferments slowly at 70F. The wine macerates on the skins for over 20 days, with daily pumpovers and délestages followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged in tonneau and large oak barrels for 18 months and 12 months in bottle before release. This is a fully bodied wine with hints of cherries, blackberries, spice and a hint of tobacco. I have been lucky to have visited the estate a few times and always enjoy their wines.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo  Marina Cvetic made from100% Montepulciano di Abruzzo from vineyards at 400 meters. The training system is guyot. The eight different “crus” are vinified separately with delicate fermentation and maceration. Aged in barriques for 12/18 months. The “crus” are then blended and aged in bottle for 6 months before release. This is a full bodied wine with hints of black cherry, blackberry, spice, tobacco and a note of vanilla.

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018 Allegrini made from 45% Corvina Veronese, 45% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella and 5% Oseleta. Grapes are hand harvested in September. The grapes are naturally dried for 3 to 4 months in the drying facility. The grapes lose 40% to 50% of their original weight. Destemming and soft pressing takes place in January and fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at 46 to 72 degrees F. Fermentation lasts for 25 days with periodic pumping over. The wine is aged in oak for 18 months, and then blended together for 7 months. The wine has hints of cherry, plum, and black fig, with a touch of chocolate.

I really enjoyed these wines and tasted them with samples of the cheese and salumi that were available throughout the tasting. My favorite was the mortadella and I was very happy to remember to pick up my order to bring home for Michele to enjoy, too.  I know I will be going back again soon.

Red Wine and Bistecca in Florence

Last month when I was in Florence, Riccardo Gabriele of Pr-vino, a wine public relations firm, invited me to a tasting of the White and Red wines of the producers he represents. The tasting was held at da Burde, a traditional Tuscan trattoria, about a 20 minute drive from the center.

After the wine tasting, we enjoyed a lunch of many of the classic dishes of the region.  One of the courses was Bistecca alla Fiorentina from Chianina cattle, and the following red wines were a perfect combination with the steak.

Chianti Classico 2019 Castello La Leccia made from 100% Sangiovese. The vineyards are at 350 to 500 meters, soil is clay, silt sand, schistous  clay and alberese. There are 4,500/ 5,200 vines per hectare and the vines are 9 to 15 years old. There is a south/southwest exposure and the training system is guyot. Harvest is manual in September/October and there is a selection in the vineyard. Destemmed grapes are gently crushed and transferred to steel thanks which are temperature controlled. There is a pre-fermentation cryomaceration for 24 hours followed by the alcoholic fermentation with short and frequent pumping over. Maceration lasts for 10 to 12 days. After racking, malolactic fermentation and maturation is in concrete tanks. The wine remains for 12 months in French and Austrian oak barrels of 2,000 to 2,500 liters. The wine has hints of red fruit, cherry, and violets. 

Chianti Classico 2015 DOCG Quercia Al Poggio Made from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Ciliegiolo, Canaiolo and Colorino, all indigenous Tuscan grapes which are certified organic. The soil is limestone, clay, schist and calcareous clay galestro. The vines are Cordon trained and spur-pruned guyot. Harvest is manual. Traditional red winemaking in temperature controlled stainless steel and cement. The wine is aged in 500 liter old French oak barrels for 24 months and 6 months in bottle before release.  The winery is located in Barberino Val d’Elsa which is between Florence and Siena. They use organic farming methods. This is a very traditional, easy drinking Chianti with hints of blackberry, blueberries and violets.

Chianti Classico 2019 DOCG “L’Aura” Querceto di Castellina made from 100% Sangiovese. Harvest is by hand and the winery is certified organic. The wine spends 12 months in 500 liter French oak barrels and three months in bottle before release. The wine has hints of ripe red fruit, cherries, rasperries, herbal notes and a touch of bayleaf.

Carmignano 2017 Capezzana by Contini Bonaccossi Villa di Capezzana. Made from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The elevation is 180/220 meters and the soil is clay, limestone, schist and marl. The age of the wines is 20/40 years and the training system is guyot cordon spur. There are 4,500 vines per hectare and they use organic farming practices. Fermentation is with native indigenous yeast. There is a 13 day extended maceration period. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French tonneaux. Aging: 60% in 2nd and 3rd or 4th passage French oak tonneaux, 10% in new French oak tonneaux and 30% in 5/30 year old untoasted Allier or Slavonian 24 HL barrels for 12 months. The wine is aged for another 12 months in bottle before release. This is an elegant wine with hints of red berries with a note of blueberries and a touch of violets. I have a long history with this estate going back 40 years. This is a wine that can age. In 1985 I had the 1925 which at the time was labeled Chianti Montalbano.

Taurasi 2016 DOCG Villa Matilde made from 100% Aglianico. The vineyard is at 350 meters and the training system is simple guyot with about 6 buds per plant. There are 3,000 vines per hectare and the soil is tufaceous with a good percentage of clay. Harvest is the third week of October. The grape bunches are destemmed  and pressed and the must is given a cold maceration on the skins. (Selected yeast is used). The must ferments slowly at 70F. The wine macerates on the skins for over 20 days, with daily pumpovers and délestages followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged tonneau and large oak barrels for 18 months and 12 months in bottle before release. This is a fully bodied wine with hints of cherries, blackberries, spice and a hit of tobacco. I have been lucky to have visited the estate a few times.

Neroossidiana Terre Siciliane Rosso 2017 IGT Tenuta di Castelaro Production area the Lipari Islands (Aeolian Islands) made from 90% Corinto Nero  and 10% Nero d’Avola. The soil is sandy, volcanic, deep and rich in micro-elements and the vineyard is at 350 meters. The training system is alberello (free standing little plants).  There are 7,000 plants per hectare. Selected bunches are hand picked. The destemmed grapes are fermented by the natural yeast on the grape skins. There is a long maturation with the skins.  The wine is decanted to barrels where malolactic fermentation takes place. After about one year the wine goes into steel tanks. Only static decanting takes place before bottling. The wine remains in the bottle for at least 6 months before release. This wine will age for at least 10 years. This is a wine with hints of  red fruit, cherry, spice, a touch of musk and an undertone of salty minerality which makes it unique.

Costa Tuscana Riserva IGT La Regola made from 100% Cabernet Franc. Red Mediterranean soil with an abundance of stones. The vineyards are at 150 to 200 meters. Hand harvesting of grapes with a careful selection. There is a medium maceration and alcoholic fermentation is in natural concrete vats at a controlled temperature. After malolactic fermentation the wine spends 18 months in new French barriques made in Burgundy and at least 12 months in bottle before release. This is a fruit forward wine characteristic of Cabernet Franc with a hint of spice and vanilla.

Beconcini “IXE”  The name is the Tuscan pronunciation for the letter X. The letter X stands for unknown vines. In the early 1950’s, 213 vines of unknown species were found in the vineyard which were called X vines. With help from the Ministry of Agriculture these vines were declared to be Tempranillo a few years ago. In June of 2009, Tempranillo was enrolled in the Tuscan register. As far as I know Tempranillo was never cultivated before in Italy.

The IGT is Tuscany Tempranillo. This wine is made from 99.9% of Tempranillo and a touch of Sangiovese. The winery is located in the town of San Miniato. The vineyard is 3.5 hectares and the grapes are all from the new vineyards planted in 1997 using a massal selection from buds taken from the century old vines of Tempranillo from the Vigna alle Nicchie. The training is spurred cordon. Soil is sandstone with marine fossil formation, well integrated with abundant clay. 100/150 meters above sea level and there are 7,000 vines per hectare. Harvest the first 10 days of September. The grapes are dried for 4 weeks and they obtain a total yield of 70%. Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled glass lined cement vats, maceration is for 3 weeks. Aging lasts for 14 months in 70% French barriques and 30% American oak barriques of second passage. 6 months in bottle before release. First passage in barriques is for the wine from the grapes of the historical vineyard Vigna alle Nicchie that goes into the wine of the same name. This is a medium bodied wine with fresh red fruit aromas and hints of plum, spice and licorice. I served the wine blind to a wine knowledgable friend and  after a few sips he said Tempranillo!!

Tradition and Innovation at Villa Matilde

Riccardo Gabriele, head of the Italian PR agency PR Comunicare il Vino, represents some of the best wineries in Italy. Stefania Tacconi of his PR agency asked me to participate in a virtual master class with Salvatore Avallone owner of Villa Matilde Avallone winery in Campania.  I first visited this winery about 20 years ago and met Salvatore and his sister Maria-Ida Avallone. They are the children of Francesco Paolo Avallone who founded the estate in the early 1960’s.  I have always enjoyed their wines and I visited again about five years ago with Campania Stories.

Via Zoom, Salvatore explained that his father had a passion for the ancient grapes of Campania and especially the legendary vinum Falernum the wine described by Pliny the Elder (d. August 79 AD) and other ancient Roman writers. He wanted to find a way to make this ancient wine again. After years of research he was able to locate a handful of vines that survived phylloxera in Monte Massico.  He planted them and this became Villa Matilde.

Salvatore said Villa Matilde now has four properties, two within the Falerno del Massico DOC appellation (province of Caserta), and two in the Benevento and Avellino provinces. They have reached their goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions on all properties.

The Wines

Fiano Di Avellino Tenute d’Altavilla DOCG made from 100% Fiano Di Avellino from vineyards at the Tenute d’Altavilla estate in Campania. The vines were planted 1968-1965. Soil composition is tuffaceous and marly clay. There are 2,500-3,000 vines per hectare. Training system is guyot and the vineyard is at 500-600 meters. Harvest is in the middle of October. Grapes are soft pressed and fermentation is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature with selected yeast. The maceration technique is cryomaceration. The wine is aged in stainless steel for 4 months before it is bottled. This is a well-balanced wine with hints of citrus fruit, apricots, peaches and almonds.

Falerno Del Massico Bianco Vigna Caracci DOP made from a single vineyard of Falanghina, the Falerno clone (Farreno biotype), first planted in 1968. Vineyard location is San Catrese, Sessa Aurunca, in Campania. Volcanic soil with good levels of potassium and phosphorus. There are 4,500-4,800 plants per hectare guyot trained. The vines are 26-52 years old and at 150 meters. Harvest takes place in late September. Maceration technique is Cryomaceration. Fermentation is for 20 days in stainless steel with selected yeasts. 70% of the wine is aged in stainless steel and 30% in clay amphora for about 12 months. The wine is in bottle for 8 months before release. The wine has hints of pineapple, banana, pear, with a touch of vanilla and a note of almonds. 

Falerno Del Massico Rosso DOP 2016 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso from vineyards on the slopes of the Roccamonfina volcano in the province of Caserta, Campania. There is volcanic soil with excellent levels of phosphorus, potassium and microelements. The vineyard is at 140 meters and the training system is guyot. There are 5,000 to 7,000 plants per hectare with various exposures. The wines are 15 to 52 years old. The Aglianico is harvested in late October and the Piedirosso in the middle of October. Fermentation is in stainless steel with selected yeasts for 20 to 25 days. After de-stemming and pressing, the must remains on the skins for 20 to 25 days. The wine is aged for 12 months, one half in Allier oak barriques (one third new) and one half in large Slavonian oak casks. The wine remains in bottle for 12 months before release. This is a fruity and complex wine with hints of cherry, raspberries, plums, spice and a touch of violets.

Taurasi Tenute d’Altavilla DOCG 2016 made from 100% Aglianico. Tenuta d’Altavilla is 25 hectares in the province of Avellino in the DOCG zones of Irpinia. There is tuffaceous soil with a high percentage of clay on steep slopes. The training system is guyot and the elevation is 500 to 600 meters. There are 3,000 vines per hectare and the vines were planted in various years from 1968 to 1985. Harvest is in late October. Fermentation is in stainless steel for 20 days with select yeast. Pumpovers and delestage take place. Maceration is for 20 days. The wines are aged in barriques and tonneaux (500L) for 18 months and in bottle for 12 months before release. This is a complex, well balanced wine with hints of blackberries, licorice, leather, a touch of cedar and a note of violets.

Francesco Paolo’s work is still carried on at Villa Matilde.  Today, 20 original clones of Falanghina, Aglianico and Piedrosso are trademarked as Villa Matilde.

Savatore said there are a series of indigenous rootstocks for which they are carrying out a study with WRT (Wine Research Team) of which they are a founding member, and the University of Milan. This type of rootstock is being studied and developed, as they are drought-resistant, a problem made increasingly topical in the light of global warming. In order to anticipate and prevent possible hydration problems of the vine and the grapes, the rootstocks are grafted with Villa Matilde’s varieties and biotypes of Falanghina and Aglianico to then evaluate the best response to their type of soil and climate.