Gambero Rosso Wine Travel Food - May 2015

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www.gamberorosso.it

W I N E T R AV E L F O O DYEAR 20 N. 85 - MAY 2015

• SPECIAL EXPO• 20 YEARS OF LUCE

• BASILICATA COAST TO COAST

RED OBSESSIONCHINA

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COVER STORY10 | Red Obsession: All you need to know about Chinese wine fever

WINE38 | Vertical Tasting: 20 years of LuceMerlot and sangiovese express the sun and soil of Montalcino

52 | Best Buys: Basilicata coast to coastFrom a little-known region, top wines under 10€

FOOD57 | Chefs share their recipes. Iside & Romano’s La Parolina: in a word - Delicious Lazio and Tuscany blend their rustic-elegant flavors

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64 | Oli d’Italia 2015: Tonda IbleaA traditional cultivar with an unmistakable tomato flavor

TRAVEL28 | Special Expo. Milano Expo 2015Why this is a city and an event you don’t want to miss

46 | Travel. Matera taking offIn the next Europe’s Capital of Culture for 2019, a 7,000-year-old spot is revealing its beauty

NEWS & MORE 4 | Editorials 6 | News12 | Events/Roadshows16 | Wine&Design/ENO ELITE18 | Street Food/Gansevoort Market20 | Wine of the month22 | Twitter dixit23 | Italians abroad: Osteria del Tempo Perso24 | 3Bicchieri3Forchette: Uliassi26 | Pairing Lab/Pasta sauce68 | Letter from Paris

“One should always be drunk. That’s all that

matters…But with what? With wine, with poetry, or with virtue, as you chose.

But get drunk.” Charles Baudelaire

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EDITORIAL

THE TASTEOF OTHERS

After two weeks of travel in China, I find myself in Beijing, conducting a seminar on Italian wines. We begin with a much-lauded Alto Adige Pinot Bianco. I taste it and find it hard, bony, untenably acidic. I open a second bottle; it’s the same. In both cases, the cork is in perfect condition, the vintage year a good one. After a few embarrassing moments I realize that the wine is in perfect shape. It’s my palate that doesn’t understand it. After eating three meals a day of local specialties, my palate was set on another frequency. It had switched over to flavors and pairings that were unusual for us westerners. It had become accustomed to gelatinous textures ranging from sea cucumbers to shark fins, ac-cepted starch as an underpinning element, learned to appreciate a pinch of sugar even in savory dishes. I dis-covered mouth-filling flavors, often aromatically pep-pery, dictated by an extraordinary heritage of products and centuries-old traditions. Chinese cooking doesn’t exist. There are 8 major Chinese cuisines along with a thousand more regional and sub-regional cuisines such

the Lu cuisine from Shangdong prov-ince, Hui cuisine from Anhui province, and the hot, spicy and stim-ulating Sechuan cui-sine from Sichuan Province. Forget about spring rolls or bland chicken with almonds. Aside from some very elegant restaurants, there’s little wine served. The beverage is tea, exceptional teas that go perfectly with this food, and rice li-quors are drank in one shot. To go back to our seminar, we close with

a Nero d’Avola. I had never understood it so fully, like now, and the journalists seated in front of me liked it as well. That sweet spiciness, meatiness and glycerin soft-ness along with sweet and sour notes resembled many of the sauces we had tasted as we traveled. A few days later, back in Rome, I visit my favorite piz-zeria. The pizzaiolo must be madly in love, to judge from the amount of salt in the dough. Ditto the bread. The tomato pulls out an acidic knife worthy of a 1996 Salon. Ever heard of palate-lag?

Lorenzo Ruggeri

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NEWS

FRANCE THE NUMBER ONE WINE PRODUCER, FOLLOWED BY ITALY AND SPAIN. China becomes the second-largest vineyard in the world. World-wide wine production and consumption are both down, while vineyard planting is on the rise. That is the picture of the wine planet presented by the Organizzazione Internazionale della Vite e del Vino (OIV) for 2014. After a record 2013 (291mil-lion hectoliters), 2014 showed a slight decrease, but the average was still good: 279 million hectoliters. In Europe, significant in-creases (+11%) occurred in France and Germany, respectively 46.7 ml/h and 9.3 ml/h, while Italy and Spain lost hectoliters. Although Italy produced 54 million hectoliters in 2013, in 2014 it reached barely 44.7 ml/h (-17%). The result is that 2014 produc-tion shows France leading, followed by Italy and Spain. In terms of consumption, the numbers for 2014 are 240 ml/h: -2.4 ml/h compared to 2013. The major consumers are again the United States at 30.7 ml/h. And, as expected, Chinese consumption is down: 15.8 ml/h, - 1.2 ml/h compared to 2013. Positive news, however, for the development of world-wide vineyards. Although Europe and Australia continue to lose ground and hectares, Asia and South America powered a slight world increase: 7.5 million hectares (+8,000 hectares). The real surprise, though, is that Chi-na is now has the most vineyards planted in the world, with about 800,000 hectares, right after Spain, 1.02 million hectares. These two countries are followed by France (792,000 hectares) and Italy (690,000 hectares).

JAPAN HAS “COME OF AGE”. Consumption back to record levels of 1998“Come of age”. These are the words the Rabobank report uses to describe Japan’s wine market. Between 2006 and 2014, the country saw a constant increase in consumption (thanks to imports), which returned to 1998 levels (350 million liters), its boom year. Now the Japanese seem more open to new consumption occa-sions and to innovations. The wines of Chile benefit-ted the most from this trend, favored by an economic partnership with Japan to the disadvantage of French wines. Italy and Spain maintained their share com-pared to Chile, which grew enormously from 7.5% in 2007 to 25% in 2014. Wine is nothing new for the Jap-anese. There’s increasing familiarity with the beverage, thanks to the decreasing appeal of beer and sake, and to greater understanding of the possibilities of pair-ing with local dishes. Moreover, women are consum-ing more wine. White wines, in particular, high-quality spumanti, are popular, and are beginning to replace sake during celebrations. For Rabobank, the prospects for exporting countries are encouraging. Although the market is still polarized around two price points, the lower one (daily-standard between 500 and 1200 yen) and the highest one (fine wine: over 2,000 yen, above 15 euros), there is space in the so-called premium (in-termediate) range, which is decidedly growing.

Other Chile Spain Italy France

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Wine imports drop in the USA. But Italy’s market share is up.Americans bought less wine from abroad in the first two months of 2015, -24.7% in quantity (1.1 million hectoli-ters) and -7.9% in value ($510 million). According to data from the Italian Wine and Food Institute, compared to the same period last year, all the principal countries selling wine to the USA, including Italy, are seeing the decrease, although Italy maintains its leadership in the market. There is positive data: although Italy dropped from the 334,300 hectoliters for $180.8 million in the first two months of 2014 to 332,700 hectoliters worth $172.6 million in Jan-uary-February 2015, its share of the market increased to 30.1% in quantity and 33.8% in value, when compared to its competitors, such as Australia and New Zealand. For spumanti, the picture is different. The United States im-ported 17.9% more in quantity and 11.9% more in value. Italian sparkling wines continue to grow, with 58.8% of the market in terms of quantity and 22% in value, growing respectively 32.3% and 16.1%.

WHAT DID THE ANCIENTS ACTUALLY EAT? On exhibit in Milano, carbonized food from Pompeii: figs, bread and onions.In 79 A.D, the terrifying eruption of Vesuvius abruptly ended the life of the prosperous town of Pompeii. It was turned to stone under a dense layer of ashes, lava and rock. Today, Pompeii is a unique archeological site and the research of arche-ologists, chemists and biologists into the life of the city provides continual surprises. From July 21 until January 10, 2016, a team from the Applied Research Laboratory of the Soprintendenza archeologica di Pompei will make its own contribution to the Expo. In Palazzo Reale, visitors can see what inhabitants of the Roman Empire ate. The Milanese exhibition space will show the carbonized organic remains, long buried in the mud, that have reached us in amazing condition and when analyzed by experts, reveal pomegranate skins, grains of wheat, figs, walnuts and bread. The remains will be part of the “MITO E NATURA dalla Grecia a Pompei” show. Among the most significant finds is a collection of breads from inside the oven of Modestus, in the region VII zone of the buried city. Other items are garlic cloves, onions and a range of fruits, including peaches and dates, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds, as well as grapes, eaten either as raisins or transformed into

wine. The Milano show will also include vases and ceramic items, Pompeian frescoes, jewelry and silver. And for the second time since its discovery in

1968, the Tomb of the Diver will leave the Paestum Archeological Museum, this time for Milano.

Natura, mito e paesaggio dalla Magna Grecia a Pompei | Palazzo Reale, piazza Duomo, Milano | from July 21, 2015 to January 10, 2016

www.artpalazzoreale.it

Italy Australia New Zealand

USA table-wine imports (January-February 2015)

Spain South Africa Others

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NEWS

The first Italian Trappist beer is produced in Rome: TRIPEL FROM THE ABBAZIA TRE FONTANE

The pages of Trappist beer history hail a new entry, the first Italian, produced by the monastic community of Tre Fontane in Rome. The term Trappist beer is correctly used only when the product is the result of a process that begins and ends within the abbey walls and depends on the knowledge of the Cistercian monks, the only ones who can participate in the various production phases. Moreover, the income from sales must be used for the sustenance of the monastic community, to finance charity, or to preserve the cultural and historical heritage of the abbey. After only a year since it began production, Tripel Tre Fontane, from the microbrewery of the Abbazia Tre Fontana in Rome, is entitled to use the ATP logo, official recognition that it is an Authentic Trappist Product. Four years ago the monastic community found in their basement an old recipe written by the French monks who had come from Trappes. They decided to take up brewing, launching the first Italian Trappist beer on the market, the eleventh in the world. The sales of this blond beer (8.5% alcohol) are destined to increase. The monks can brew 1000 hectoliters a year, just in time for the Jubilee proclaimed by Pope Frances to begin at the end of 2015.

A STELLAR CHIANTI: will the name be given to an asteroid? The International Astronomical Union is con-sidering a proposal to assign the name “6851 Chianti” to asteroid 6851. The candidacy was promoted by the Osservatorio polifunzionale del Chianti thanks to two astronomers, the scientific coordinator of the Chianti observatory, Emanu-ele Pace and Mario Di Martino of the Osserva-torio Astronomico di Torino. Fifteen professional astronomers, members of the International As-tronomical Union Commission for the Naming of Astronomical Objects, will make the decision. The asteroid’s definitive name will be published within a few months, in the official “Minor Planet Circulars”. But where does the name Chianti itself come from? According to one theory, the name of one of Italy’s premium zones for wine-growing comes from the Etruscan word clante, or water. Another theory links it to Latin clangor, i.e. noise, and certainly, there will be a lot of that if the name Chianti actually makes it to the stars.

CHEESE EXPORTS RISE IN 2014 Export of Italian cheese and milk products hit a record high in 2014. More than 331,000 tons were shipped abroad (+33%), a value of 2.2 billion euros, an increase of 4.8% over 2013. Offsetting the sharp drop in exports to Russia and the 5.7% drop in volume to the United States (due to a still-strong euro) was the rise of Eastern European markets such as Poland (+18%), Ro-mania (+22%) and the Czech Republic (+9%). The ISMEA analysis of ISTAT data shows that countries whose markets are small, such as China (+41%), Ko-rea (+26%), and the UAE (+28%) performed well. Principal buyers are still holding strong: France (+4.3%), Germany (+6.5%) and Great Britain (+1.9%). For Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano, the largest increase was noted for the United Kingdom (+9.1%), while Germany and France imported re-spectively 3.7% and 2.1% more than the year before.

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EVENTS

by Lorenzo Ruggeri

CHINESE MARKET AT A CROSSROADS

“Wine consumption in China is at a crossroads. Think about my generation, from the 1980s. We’re building ca-reers, we have money in our pockets, we’re independent and we are hungry for knowledge. We began with Bor-deaux and now want to explore new territories,” som-melier Dechuan Luo tells us. After five years of events in China, the Gambero Rosso Roadshow made a stop in Beijing. Over 1,000 people showed up. Numbers aside, we saw crowds of young operators, educators and jour-nalists, an impressive percentage of them women, many more than in Europe. After a drop in consumption and importation in 2013, dictated by specific political choic-es made by the government, numbers are beginning to confirm a market that had seemed like an eternal Go-dot. Consumption exceeds 17 million hectoliters – still

low – but, to underline the trend, in the first trimester of 2015, China’s wine imports grew by 17.6%, more than a million hectoliters (Ismea source) for the first time. Im-ports from Spain grew a record 50%. France and Chile dominate the scene, but Italy is making up for time lost. “On the average, understanding of the subject is mini-mal, but there’s a growing sector of consumers who drink wine frequently, are looking for more complex labels, have begun to appreciate different styles, and are even trying whites and bubblies,” states Jiangjiang Yu from the DIVA distribution company. Last year China has over-taken France and Italy to become the world’s number one consumer of red wine. So although reds still dominate, as well explained in the film Red Obsession, co-directed and co-written by David Roach and Warwick Ross, there is space for the new. After the excesses of the past (more bottles of Château Lafite were sold in China than were produced at their origin) the market is going through a period of adjustment. “It’s a new phase. Before, they sold entire pallets at a time, perhaps with low quality wines at three times the fair price, exploiting their customers’ lack of experience. Today that cellar game is over. The market is also changing at the level of taste. Imagine, Montep-ulciano d’Abruzzo is one of the best-selling wines in my restaurants,” says Gennaro Miele, owner of La Pizza in the Sanlitun quarter of Beijing, the after-dark zone where expats and locals hang out until late at night. Our semi-nars and tastings confirm the widespread preference for mature reds that work well with local specialties. “Primi-tivo is popular for its abundant alcohol and its soft, silky tannins. It’s a good introduction to negroamaro and nero di troia. It’s our calling card for Puglia,” comments Lu-igi Rubino, the owner of one of the Italian companies that has been doing well in China, applying different approaches in each zone. From the production point of view, China has rapidly made up for a technology gap. The data on China’s vineyard surface are controversial, but for some observers, it is already the largest grape pro-

Young women see a future in wine

ducer in the world. Let’s set aside, and we challenge you to do so, the tastings of the gigantic company Great Wall, but a series of wineries achieving interesting results are beginning to show up. The style is not all about wood and concentration. “Chinese wine still suffers from a bad image thanks to the production of low quality products. But things are changing. We and other small wineries like us have worked well in order to produce quality bottles. We’re in the Xinjiang province, next to the Tian Shan mountain and the desert that brings us dry air. We don’t need insecticides and pesticides. We’re at a high altitude, with amazing temperature excursions. To give credibility, we have worked hard on the traceability of information. What’s on the label is what’s in the glass,” explains Randy Lee Svendsen, Grand Director of 1421Wines. The other heart of production, and the more celebrated one, is in the Ningxia province, also in China’s northwest. Over the next years, about 8,000 hectares of new vineyard will be planted annually: an impressive figure. But if the Chinese began to drink even one glass of wine per day, world pro-duction of wine would be drained dry. So it’s better to take precautions.

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BETTING ON TAIWAN Wine’s golden momentNot yet a consolidated market, but one with great po-tential, Taiwan is one of those new areas where it’s an opportune moment to bet on and invest in wine. Italy is sending increasing amounts of products to this is-land 180 kilometers east of the Chinese coast. In 2014, the overall sales of wine and grape-must grew in value from 7 to 8.5 million euros, with quantities increasing by 19%. To respond to this swelling demand for Ital-ian wines, the Gambero Rosso Top Italian Wines Road-show visited the city of Taipei for the first time, choosing

the setting of the Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel. The event was a momentous one for the country’s wine world. This is one of the richest economies in southeast Asia, but May 11th was the first time Italian wine was in the limelight here. France dominates the market here, accounting for about 40% of sales, followed by Spain (14%) and Chile (12%), although Italy is among the top five providers. Once known as Formosa (the island was a Portuguese and a Dutch colony in the 17th century), the market is expanding rapidly, with constant growth

by Marco Sabellico

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demonstrated over the last six years. Sales were over $250 million in 2014, and are expected to reach $300 million within 2017, according to the predictions made by Vinexpo/Iwsr.The Taiwanese population is educated and well-to-do. The electronics industry includes some of the most im-portant brands in computers (Asus and Acer) and cell phones (HTC). Younger people, born into the economic boom of the last thirty years, have often studied abroad and enjoy a sophisticated lifestyle influenced by the West. Taxes on beverages are not based on price but on degree of alcohol, favoring the importation of premium wines. From the point of view of alcohol consumption, the country is one of the largest consumers of high quality whisky in the world, second only to Japan, and produce their own good quality labels. But wine is beginning to find its own space, with consumption on the rise. Ninety percent of drinkers, according to a recent study by Vin-expo/Iwsr, prefer red wine. “Young people love wine,” Kim Lee, manager of Vinoza Import, tells us. “They take courses and enjoy choosing among labels from around the world. They have often lived abroad for years, love Italian cucina, as well as French and Japanese cuisine. Taipei, with its three million inhabitants (Taiwan has 23 million overall) has a lively food and wine scene, with an incredible number of top-quality restaurants, where a wine list is a must.”

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HOUSTON, NO PROBLEMAnd the Gambero Rosso Roadshow goes into orbit

by Marco Sabellico

With the April 21st event at Houston – the place known as Space City thanks to the NASA center – Gambero Ros-so’s Italian Wine Roadshow definitely went into orbit. Over 60 top producers represented the Italian wine world dur-ing this extraordinary movable event (the 2014-2015 edition was the eighth). After its visits to Osaka (October, 2014) and Istanbul last December, the Road-show finally reached Texas, one of the most brilliant performers in the USA in recent years. For the occasion, an exceptional setting: Minute Maid Park, Downtown Houston’s baseball stadium and the home of the Houston Astros. “It’s incredible to enter a stadium and see your photo on the central billboard of the field,” says Gregory Perrucci, owner of the Pugliese winery, Felline, amused. “The setting was perfect for our great wines, and it made a won-derful impression on our American friends.” Minute Maid Park is a beauti-ful structure in the center of Houston, and has been an attraction in the city since its inauguration, not only dur-ing sporting events. With 42,000 seats,

it hosts pop star concerts, too, such as when Madonna or Taylor Swift come to town. Over 400 professionals, dis-tributors, agents, restaurateurs and sommeliers came to celebrate Italian wines, taste over 240 labels and meet their producers. “Texas is an impor-tant and mature market,” Benjamin Roberts of Republic National Distri-bution observed. “There are fine res-taurateurs in Houston, as in Dallas and Austin, and they require informa-tion and presence, not just labels. They want to know the Italian wine world up close, and better understand the coun-try’s wine and food culture, its history and diversity.” The two master classes held by this writer were very crowded, and its participants tasted thirty wines and asked many questions about Italy. “Italy and its wines are the reign of complexity,” points out Elvira Bortolo-miol from Valdobbiadene. “They need to be discussed and explained, taking into account that this is a market that demands quality and wants to under-stand the motivation for every choice.”

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MEXICOTHE MIDDLE CLASS LEADS CONSUMPTION OF ITALIAN WINESOn April 23rd, the Top Italian Wines Roadshow returned to Mex-ico City. If we talked about a warm welcome for the great Italian wines and their producers on the part of Mexican enthusiasts last year, we have to look for more superlatives this year. The event took place in the renovated Four Seasons Hotel in the central Paseo de la Reforma. Over 600 people visited the tasting tables where over 240 labels of the best of Italian wines were at hand. “The ties between Italy and Mex-ico are more and more intense,” the Italian ambassador, Alessandro Busacca, said in his opening ad-dress. “Mexico is a dynamic country with a strong, growing economy. It is discovering Italian quality products, and among them is wine. This is the year of the Expo, and events like this are an extraordinary showcase for our country, and a wonderful in-vitation to visit.” Statistics (ISTAT) have shown a marked increase in Italian exports. In 2014, wine and grape must worth 23.4 million euros were shipped, an increase of 19.8% over the 19.5 million euros of the year before. In terms of quantity, 9 million liters were sent to Mexico, compared to the 7.7 million liters of 2013, an increase of 16.7%. Italy, along with Spain and Chile, is one of the principal suppliers of wine to this Central American country

(where the most popular drinks are beer and tequila) which imports two out of every three bottles consumed. Consumption per capita amounts to an average of .6 liters, for a total of over 55 million liters of wine each year. According to Euromonitor predictions, that amount is destined to increase, above all thanks to new styles of consumption among the middle classes. Karla Senties, direc-tor of Sabor e Arte confirmed, “In our country, there’s an important sector of middle-high income peo-ple who are anxious to explore the European food and wine heritage. Mexico has a Spanish imprint, but we recognize in Italy a central role in Mediterranean culture, and this fascinates us.”

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La Vit (ENO COLLECtiON)iduba (ENO COLLECtiON)

WINE & DESIGN

Born in Australia, they found their homeland in Friuli, a place to realize their dreams and create products for interior décor with clean lines and exceptional function-ality. They collected ideas and inspiration from around the world, studying the nature and form of materials in order to design collections for the home of truly amazing beauty. The ENO line is unique. Its heart is a modu-lar bookcase for conserving premium wines. It adapts to walls of different sizes. Superior wood and lacquer fin-ishes based on wine colors help create a convivial atmo-sphere. We met the brothers who designed this excellent Italian lifestyle product. For some time they have also been successful abroad.

Elite, TO BE is a way of conceiving of an object, of living a space and recognizing oneself in a dimension. It is a philosophy of life that led the De Re brothers, Franco and Carlo, to create unique and essential objects, with one goal: to fashion surroundings that arouse emotion.

ENO ELITE, when wine is décor

by Stefania Annese

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Your line is a synthesis of experiences around the world that inspired you to create the Elite, TO BE project. How did it begin?The idea of Elite, TO BE comes out of 25-30 years of work as an exporter, of seeking to blend East and Western ma-terials, tastes and traditions in a single design. We aim to create furniture and design objects that, along with original, functional ideas, add beauty and warmth to environments when the décor on the market is too cold and minimalistic.

In 2014, your brand appeared for the first time at the celebrated interior design show, Salone In-ternazionale del Mobile in Milano. How has your way of thinking about design changed?Design has to give proportion, has to make an object functional, simple but at the same time substantial, with its own content and logic. Design has to transmit emotion, amaze us with its intelligence, avoid banality. We have to innovate with conscience.

Among the company’s top lines is ENO. What moved you to create a line of décor exclusively dedicated to the world of wine?Our father transmitted his respect for the earth to us. He always had a passion for honest wine and involved us in the harvests on our family estates. For us children, it was a won-

derful party. We pressed the grapes with our feet, and the old people told us it helped strengthen our leg muscles. The idea for our line came out of our gratitude to the grape vine. We wanted to celebrate this wild bush that humans learned how to domesticate and then how to transform its fruit into wine. I observed that in the wine sector no collection of furnishings existed that was both functional, beautiful and varied. The materials we selected transmit the warmth of wine. That’s why we used an old bronze Corten finish and oak, the wood best suited to wine cellars.

You are certainly at the top of interior space design here in Italy. Do you have distribution abroad? Who are your major European customers?We try to offer simple, concrete, innovative things that are functional and in line with today’s requirements, while paying a great deal of attention to the past. We aim a great deal at foreign markets, especially France. The French are very open and aware that it’s not enough to make good wine – many people know how to do that. They know that other things are required, such as culture and beauty, at which they are masters. We also manage to be com-petitive in South Africa, Australia, the Benelux countries, Germany China and the USA.

www.elitetobe.it

LibrEria dEL ViNO (ENO COLLECtiON)

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Gansevoort MarketItalian classics in New York’s newest food courtThe Meatpacking District in New York reminds us of its past with its present-day name. Of about 250 slaughterhouses and packing plants a century ago, only 35 remained by 2003. Today, instead, the neighborhood is culturally one of the liveliest in the city, and recently inau-gurated the remarkable Whitney Muse-um, designed by Italian architect, Renzo Piano. In front of the museum, entre-preneur Manny Del Castillo is betting on a formula that has proved successful elsewhere in the city. In October, 2014, at 52 Gansevoort Street, he restored

and opened Gansevoort Market, a food court set into the 700-square-meters of an old warehouse. Inspired by the atmo-sphere of the celebrated nearby Chelsea Market, and ones that Del Castillo vis-ited in Brazil and Spain, the space has a relaxed, informal feel. Twenty-one stands from a variety of national sources ranging from Italian to fusion Asian, Greek, Brazilian and beyond offer a satisfying spectrum for every mood and taste. The Italian specialties are found at Salumeria Cappone, with products directly imported from Italy to promote

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that nation’s food culture. Fresh pasta from Il Conte and Neapolitan pizza from Luzzo’s – which has a wood-burning oven – assure other quality Italian experiences. Italian butcher, Macelleria, provides not only fresh meat but also sandwiches filled with artisanal salami, porchetta and pro-sciutto while M’o serves gelato. Bang-kok Bar’s Thai dishes include curry and Asian-inspired cocktails. French crepes are turned out by Crȇpe Sucre, French macarons by Dana’s Bakery, sushi by Dojo, the tradition of pintzos baschi is upheld by Donostia (bar de conservas). Feel Food features sophis-ticated smoothies and organic foods coming from as far away as the Ama-zon forest. For kilometer 0 products and organic eggs, there’s Heermance Farm. Columbian fusion food stars at Palenque, Greek-style goat yogurt from local milk can be found at Yiaor-ti and Mexican tacos at Tacombi. The Gansevoort Market is open ev-ery day from 8 in the morning to 9 at night to offer New Yorkers and visitors food experiences from around the world, all under one roof, another example of a city-wide approach to lively, culturally-rich eating.

Gansevoort Market 52 Gansevoort St, New York NY 10014 | USA | www.gansmarket.com

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WINE OF THE MONTH

PIEDMONT'S BIO-DYNAMIC GEMGavi Pisè '12 La Raia

80,000 bottles

ex-cellar price: 10.60 euros

Before we talk about the excellent quality of La Raia wines, we need to describe the sustainability project that the winery launched right from the start, in 2003, when Giorgio Rossi Cairo, along with his children, Caterina and Piero, bought the first hectares. Everything is cultivated according to biodynamic rules, certified by the Demeter organization – not only the vineyards but long-established crops such as rye and small farro as well as the pastures for the Fassone breed cows. A modern and innovative winemaking facility was built so as to completely respect the landscape and environmental equilibrium. Martin Rauch, an Austrian architect who has been devoted to con-structing buildings from soil, made the walls from pisé, rammed earth, reusing the materials dug out from the hills and surrounding fields. Personality and terroir are the distinctive characteristics of La Raia production, a small collection of typically Piedmontese wines. One is Gavi Pisé, in which the cortese grape expresses itself with floral scents that shade into ripe fruit and honey. In the mouth, harmonious richness is well sustained by lively acidity and persistent savory sensations. Perfect for pairing with a delicate seafood risotto.

WWW.FERRARITRENTO.IT

THE ITALIAN ART OF LIVINGVenezia, Piazza San Marco ore 4:54

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WWW.FERRARITRENTO.IT

THE ITALIAN ART OF LIVINGVenezia, Piazza San Marco ore 4:54

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TWITTER dixit

Decanter@DecanterIt’s #EnglishWineWeek - check our infographic with the need to know facts about #Englishwine

Eric Asimov@EricAsimov“How Natural Wine Lost Its Hippie Reputa-tion and Became a Wine-List Must-Have.” NY mag says so, so it must be true.

James Suckling@JamesSucklingThe Roero region produces more than just crisp white wine. Its nebbiolo is fragrant, fine & more lightly structured.

Henry Tudor@KngHnryVIIIThe real enemy is not enough wine.

The Economist@EconBizFinInvestors have been pouring money into fine wine, now thought to be a $5 billion-$10 billion market.

Julien Miquel #Wine@JMiquelWineHow long will that Wine Last after opening?

MAY 2015

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OSTERIA DEL TEMPO PERSOAfter Edinburgh, on to Glasgow

From Casalvieri (pop. 2,700) to Scotland

“In Scotland, they still have a lot to learn about the plea-sure of sitting around the dinner table,” Marco Iacobelli tells us, as he explains the challenging moments he and his family have been facing – a journey that’s not yet over, but at least is well on its way.Last year, Marco, Matteo and their mother Sabrina (the soul of the kitchen) opened Osteria del Tempo Perso in an elegant residential neighborhood in Edinburgh. Seat-ing for forty-eight and the warmth of Italian hospitality set the stage for authentic recipes from their family’s tra-ditions, southern Lazio dishes enriched by touches from Romagna (a grandmother). The tiny family group already had a restaurant in the village of Casalvieri (Frosinone) that won a Due Gamberi trattoria rating from Gambero Rosso as well as great reviews from clients and critics.“The first months in Scotland were traumatic,” Marco re-members. “We had to deal with a mentality that expected a quick meal. They were used to flavors bathed in heavy cream and expected Italian stereotypes. Their culture was focused on alcohol consumption.” It was hard to convince the Scots that preparing a plate of pasta takes from 12-15 minutes, and that once you’re seated at the table, time takes on a different rhythm. As a reminder, stopped clocks hang on the walls. It was also difficult to negotiate prices, since, thanks to the high quality of the ingredients used, lunch went over the usual Scottish budget of £10-15 for a complete meal (alcohol included). Dinner cost £25-35 without wine. But the Osteria finally won hearts by serving an affordable plate of pasta and a glass of wine at lunch.After a year, they took a breath and saw the situation had changed, along with the mentality of their clients. Their neighbors were returning with pleasure and cu-riosity, happy to find true family recipes (eggplant alla parmigiana without béchamel, spaghetti alla carbonara without cream, pasta with parsley pesto or with sausage and saffron sauce).

The Iacobelli’s second restaurant has opened in Glasgow, another Osteria del Tempo Perso. A new setting, new at-mosphere and clients to attract, but the menu will stay the same. The three are now studying a tasting menu with sim-ple and well-known names that offer an all-around experi-ence of cucina italiana paired with Italian wines. They are perfecting their recipes with familiar products from Italy, but also sourcing the best local ingredients. And finally, they are developing clients’ awareness of quality wine drinking, suggesting an Italian wine for each dish on the menu.

The Iacobelli family, Sabrina and her two sons, Marco and Matteo, bring authentic Italian cucina to Scotland. How can they succeed in that world without losing their own sense of identity? The story has a happy ending, and after Edinburgh, they are expanding to Glasgow.

ITALIANS AROUND THE WORLD

by Livia Montagnoli

24

MAY 2015

TRE BICCHIERI X TRE FORCHETTE

by Lorenzo Ruggeri

RistoRante Uliassi | Banchina di Levante, 6 |

Senigallia | tel. 071 65463 | www.uliassi.it

There should be a shuttle bus, Milano-Senigallia. You could board at the principal entrance to the Expo, and get off on the waterfront, in front of the Velluto beach and Uliassi’s blue and white sign. Three and a half hours of travel to ex-perience cucina that is daring and concrete: clear, perfectly balanced flavors. The building blocks are an array of savory and iodine flavors plus a precision in the cooking of them that reminds us of Japan. And it’s all designed for simple eat-ing pleasure. Catia Uliassi and legendary sommelier Ivano Coppari have put together a wine list in sync with the menu, inspired by regional products. “When we opened twenty years ago, we only had three labels from Marche. We’ve grown a lot now. Foreign clientele want to drink local wines, and they’re delighted by the price/quality rapport,” Catia says. So her choices tend towards small producers, better yet if they work in direct contact with their vineyards. “Even for Champagne, there’s a strong demand for labels from small vignerons, such as Fallet Prevostat,” she explains. Their cel-lar selections, Ivan adds, have reached 800 labels and con-tinues to grow. “For pairing, it’s important to follow the same rhythm as the kitchen, rising in crescendo, but also resetting, in order to take off again. Sparkling wines are perfect for

this.” To start, Catia suggests Agrapart and its Mineral ’06, which is even better poured alongside shrimps with citrus fruit and lake whitefish eggs: freshness, sapidity, aromatic harmony. Smoked spaghetti with clams, a classic at Uliassi, is partnered with Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Cl. Stefano Antonucci riserva ’09 (Tre Bicchieri). “The dish has smoki-ness in the broth. Then there’s the open, fresh, meaty clam. Verdicchio, with its slight touch of toast, converses marvel-ously with the pasta.” We carry on with the new Carbonara di mare, roasted baccalà tripe with turbot skin that provides the crunch of guanciale. “It calls for a wine of substance, fragrant and mouth-filling.” That identikit leads us to Selezi-one di Verdicchio Gioacchino Garofoli ’06 (Tre Bicchieri in spirit), among the best whites made in Italy. Wood pigeon with its innards and a crostino alla marchigiana – since woodcocks have disappeared by now – provides an occasion to taste a Pinot Nero from the Colli di Pesaro, Costa Riccio made by Fosso dei Ronchi. And finally, with strawberries, whipped cream and cardamom, a new dessert on the menu, we return to, and close with, Champagne. “Drappier’s Rosé is excellent. Those tones of raspberry and black currant are dizzyingly good,” explains Catia.

VERDICCHIO & CARBONARA DI MARE

2015

/2016

wor

ldto

urVini d’Italia

2015/2016tourtrebicchieri

INFO: [email protected]

2015

JUNE

1 juneVANCOUVERtrebicchieri

4 juneTORONTOtrebicchieri

12, 13, 14 juneMOSCOWVini d’Italia

JULY

3, 4, 5, 6 julyTOKYOVini d’Italia

OCTOBER

30 octoberTOKYOtrebicchieri

NOVEMBER

2 novemberSHANGHAItrebicchieri

4 novemberHONG KONGtrebicchieri

19 novemberMOSCOWtrebicchieri

2016FEBRUARY

4 februaryCHICAGOtrebicchieri

9 februaryNEW YORKtrebicchieri

11 februarySAN FRANCISCOtrebicchieri

MARCH

12 marchDUSSELDORFtrebicchieri

STOCKHOLM Vini d’Italia

COPENHAGENVini d’Italia

OSLOVini d’Italia

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RIVIERA LIGURE DI LEVANTEVERMENTINO DOC

Pesto genovese

PASTA SAUCE PAIRING

Carbonara

Tomato and basil

CHARDONNAY

ALTO ADIGE SAUVINGON

FIANOSCHIAVA

FSOAVEverdicchiomorellino

frappato

FIANOSCHIAVA

FSOAVEverdicchiomorellino

frappato

GOLDEN ALE

PILSpolka nonik colonna pilsner

boccale stange pinta

FIANOSCHIAVA

FSOAVEverdicchiomorellino

frappato

polka nonik colonna pilsner

boccale stange pinta

polka nonik colonna pilsner

boccale stange pintaKOLSH

PAIRING LAB

MAY 2015

27

PASTA SAUCE PAIRING

Ragù bolognese

Amatriciana

Arrabbiata

REGGIANO LAMBRUSCO DOC

OLEVANO ROMANO CESANESE

SALICE SALENTINO ROSSO

FIANOSCHIAVA

FSOAVEverdicchiomorellino

frappato

FIANOSCHIAVA

FSOAVEverdicchiomorellino

frappato

FIANOSCHIAVA

FSOAVEverdicchiomorellino

frappato

polka nonik colonna pilsner

boccale stange pintaIRISH RED ALE

polka nonik colonna pilsner

boccale stange pintaMARZEN

polka nonik colonna pilsner

boccale stange pintaBOCK SCURA

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MAY 2015

SPECIAL EXPO

by Maurizio Bertera

Over the last year, Italy’s

fashion and finance capital

has changed its look.

Fascination with (and concern

about) food – the theme of the universal

exposition opened in May – has modified the urban fabric and brought verve to

life’s rhythms. Here’s what’s

new, explained by chef

Andrea Berton.

MILANOE

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EXPO 2015

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Perhaps it couldn’t have been any different, but Expo 2015 has made Milano even more the capital of Italian food. Since last summer, eve-ry week has seen the opening of two

or three eating places of every type: crea-tive, ethnic, vegetarian, street food, lounge bar and more. Designed to appeal to the Milanesi, they will also attract the tourists who will certainly invade the city during the six months of the Expo event. No one knows how many people will show up, but it’s clear that in a city with little available space, they will be everywhere. The 360° view of the theme is magnetic, as is the commitment to offering everything pos-sible, exploiting the moment’s potential. Many of the most important chefs of Italy are playing a part, not only to share in the year’s most exciting adventure but also to stake a more permanent claim to Milano terrain. It’s easy to forget that Carlo Crac-co started here before becoming the most famous cook in Italy, that Davide Oldani launched his Pop philosophy here, that the great fashion names opened the doors to cucina d’autore here, that this was where hamburgers and finger food showed up on the Italian gourmet stage for the first time. Milano saw the first ethnic restaurants de-monstrate they could be a serious alterna-tive to cucina italiana, so much so that one of them – Iyo – achieved a coveted Miche-lin star. And it’s important to remember that in a country as regionalist and conser-vative as Italy, the only true food revolu-tion, that led by Gualtiero Marchesi – grew here and planted a magical tree that is still giving fruit. With 1,200, 000 inhabitants, not counting the constantly increasing flow of tourists and the growing number of foreign residents, Milano creates trends and always will. That’s its nature. That’s why it makes no sense to ask what will hap-pen after Expo 2015. Meanwhile, under-neath the city’s iconic Madonnina statue, the landscape for those who enjoy food is enviable, open and lively from dawn to the wee hours. Instead of being simply a ser-vice for those who come for fashion and design, the stalwarts of the city scene, food will become another element to promote Milano. Take note, purveyors, take note.

SPECIAL EXPO

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MAY 2015

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ANDREA BERTON«The city and its

great energy»

Andrea Berton is not a Mila-nese by birth. But there’s no question that

he belongs to that Mila-no established in an edict by an archbishop 1,000 years ago when Arib-ert d’Intimiano wrote “Whoever comes to Mi-lano and knows how to work, is a free man.” This announcement attract-ed the best artisans of Lombardy and northern Italy into the city, help-ing to create its wealth and power. Now if we substitute ’successful’ for ’free’ (and include wom-en in the proposition), we can see that nothing has changed. Milano is still a hive of opportu-nity. Now instead of the Edict, we have the Expo, which has attracted the best from every sector. Berton has been a free – and successful – chef for years. He was part of Marchesi’s crew in the golden years, in Bonve-sin della Riva, arriving from his native Friuli at 19 years old. He returned to the city in 2005, lead-ing Trussardi alla Scala to the heights. In 2011, after a tussle with owner Tomaso Trussardi, he left the restaurant. He could have found a place in any five-star hotel or made a move to Paris, London or Asia, accepting one of the many offers that came his way. But he stayed put and founded two very different and in-novative restaurants near each other in Via Solf-

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MAY 2015

bErtON’s rigatONi

bErtON’s kitChEN

erino, Pisacco and Dry, both brimming with new ideas and very Milanese in spirit. Each started a trend and both function well. Pisacco is a contem-porary bistrot with both hamburgers and aperi-tifs. Dry has pizza along with a cocktail corner. Then, in the winter of 2014, Berton returned to his original calling, alta cucina – haute cuisine, the world he learned about from Gualtiero Marchesi and Alain Du-casse, and from time spent in Enoteca Pin-chiorri’s kitchen in Flor-ence. New neighbour-hoods were springing up in Milan, slowly and painfully, hampered by the economic crisis. But Andrea wasn’t fazed. “Every day I passed in front of the construction going on at Porta Nuova and thought to myself that my next restaurant had to be there. Ten years ago I decided that Milano would be my city. I believe in her and in her people. Could I stand back while Milan became the food capital?” The answer, of course, was no and now he runs a beautiful, modern place that bears his name and that doesn’t hide behind any clever formulas. This is alta cucina and Berton states this without fear of being labelled a reaction-ary. “There is space for this kind of offering, and there always will be in our world. But the differ-ence between one eating

place and another isn’t the price range. It’s al-ways about quality. From a panino to a complete dining experience, qual-ity has to be the key.” His restaurant is not a sanc-tuary, but invites natural elegance, inspires sitting properly at the table and using cutlery correctly. “The atmosphere, recep-tion and table service, the glasses, silverware and naturally, the menu, are intended to make clients feel good. There are no tablecloths because the tables were designed not to have them, not because we’re saving money. Mi-lano is the ideal city for thinking about food. People are so attentive and competent that you

SPECIAL EXPO

MAY 2015

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expo oldani & the otheR ambassadoRs of made in italyExpo may have its shortcomings, but it didn’t take shortcuts in choosing its Ambassadors, that is, the spokespersons for the event’s message, a hundred personalities from a wide range of professions. On the food front, there are eight, each tied to a product: Carlo Crac-co (eggs), Ugo Alciati (milk), Enrico Bartolini (eggplant), Cesare Battisti (rice), Ernst Knam (chocolate), Davide Oldani (saffron), Moreno Cedroni (extra-virgin olive oil) e Pietro Lee-man (buckwheat flour). The last round – but there might be new arrivals, since the original idea was to name sixteen – included Massimo Bottura, Andrea Berton, Cristina Bower-mann, Antonia Klugmann and Gualtiero Marchesi. Davide Oldani has been assigned a kiosk inside the fair where, using three ingredients that are symbols of local cooking (rice, saffron and panettone), he will propose three savory dishes and three sweet ones. The chef from Cornaredo explains: “I really wanted to interpret the Milanese spirit of rice. Former mayor Letizia Moratti and then present mayor Giuliano Pisapia welcomed my idea, which inspired my dish in homage to the Expo – saffron and rice alla Milanese D’O – then I con-centrated on saffron, produced in Varedo. It’s my way of saying thank you to my city, my land, and to the farmers who work it.” But what about his six dishes? One is a sure thing (and brilliant): panettone, saffron and rice alla milanese D’O. The others will be surprises in perfect Oldanian style.

daVidE OLdaNi

understand immediately if the approach you’ve chosen works or not. It’s continually stimulat-ing.” From here, it was a logical leap to the menu Tutto Brodo, as well as a traditional menu and a tasting one. Tutto Brodo (brodo means ’broth’) has nine dishes in which the liquid, served separately and related to the dish, is sometimes drunk before, sometimes afterwards and other times with the food itself. “I developed this idea because of my own passion for broth, an element that com-pletes a dish and enhanc-es it. Since I wanted to move away from Italian tradition, I tried about twenty variations, in-cluding some cold ones for summer, and I rotate them in this menu. The public seems to like it. About 60% of our cli-ents choose it.” Now the clock is ticking. Expo is about to open its doors, and Berton is one of the most recently appointed Ambassadors. “It may seem obvious, but this is an extraordinary op-portunity to have for-eigners understand how much we have grown and tempt them to come back in the future. Whenever I travel, I find amazing in-terest in Italy and in our cucina, especially in Asia and the United States.” Meanwhile, Milano is being invaded by cooks from other shores who are opening eating places of every type and level.

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eventssavoURing milano. a city-wide festivalOne premise is obligatory when speaking about events connected to the Expo. Partly because of general organizational delays and partly for the pleasure of surprise on the part of those in charge, the picture is not yet complete. Just think that the Expo in Città project, promoted by the city and the Milanese Chamber of Commerce, is handling about 17,000 events, many of which are related to food. As for the exposition area itself, the three focal points for foo-dies will be Eataly, Identità Golose Expo and the Mercati Ortofrutticoli (fruit and vegetable market). The 4,000 square meters of pavilions will host twenty regional eating places or osterie, with a rotating roster of chefs. There will also be local themes, such as bar-nutella, gelateria and so on. Right from the start, it was announced that there would be no waiters, but instead, an indoor garden with tables will be set up between two rows of stands – it will certainly be popular and busy. Gourmet food will be more the focus of Identità Golose, which will have space on two floors. Its activity will not only be culinary: 450 events open to the public are planned. Lunches and dinners will be curated by 26 chefs, one per week, who will cook for 120 people at a time. The cost for four dishes with matching wines should be under 75 euros. When the star chefs are not on stage, the lounge will function anyway, with a brigade led by Andrea Ribaldone. The Mercati Ortofrutticoli, now being revamped, will be devoted to culture, music and street food. The Consorzio di Tutela del Fran-ciacorta is setting up a winebar outside both the Padiglione Vino Italia and the Padiglione Lombardia where visitors can drink Franciacorta labels, the official Expo Sparkling Wine, and taste dishes from the Brescia zone.

EssENza. risOttO with ashEs, saLMON trOut aNd its EggsgONg’s MOdErN ChiNEsE CuisiNE

SPECIAL EXPO

MAY 2015

35

but it’s certainly not the job of food people. We already managed, by in-vesting ourselves, in cre-ating interest that was un-thinkable a few years ago. It’s time for politicians and institutions to find the way to make Milano more attractive beyond the fashion and design shows. There are major projects that need to be completed and systems that need overhauling. If those things were done, we would have no reason to envy other European cities. We might even find that we’re better. I truly believe that.” Thus spake Andrea Berton, Milanese by adoption, a free man and a successful chef.

Ma. Be.

Some think it’s a flash in the pan, but Berton dis-agrees. “It’s a phenome-non that began four years ago and I find it very pos-itive. As curiosity grows, more people make com-parisons and go out more frequently. Now you can pretty much find good food everywhere and at every level. Only break-fasts in coffee bars seem below average. Maybe I have to think of a con-cept.” Berton has a few other thoughts about the future. “I know that Mi-lano is much smaller than London or Paris. But it has great energy, a lot to do and see that is of-ten undervalued. It’s im-portant to spotlight and promote such features,

EsCO. dEssErts iN FraNCEsCO passaLaqua’s NEw pLaCE

shriMp FOCaCCia at EsCO, MiLaNO’s NEO-bistrOtNikO rOMitO, thE ChEF whO ruLEs thE NEw spaziO

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Addresses. 20 places to savor in the SPECIAL EXPO

MAY 2015

37

Addresses. 20 places to savor in the new capital of Made in Italy food1 beRton | v.le della libeRazione,

13 | www.RistoRantebeRton.com

The new restaurant of the chef who best symbolizes the new Milano.

2 essenza | via maRgheRa, 34 | www.essenzaRistoRante.it

Now it’s more than just a promise: Eugenio Boer tells his story with touches of Europe and a solid Italian base in a Nordic style restaurant. His wine cellar is all biodynamic and some dishes are gourmet cult recipes, such as risotto alla cenere (ashes), char and its eggs, and raw venison fillet.

3 mandaRin | via andegaRi, 9 | www.mandaRinoRiental.com

The first, and long-awaited hotel in Italy from this chain has a restaurant and an elegant bistrot with stylish decor. In charge of the kitchen, and coming directly from the Pellicano, Antonio Guida and his exceptional brigade. The restaurant staff is managed by Alberto Tasinato, one of the best in Italy.

4 tokUyoshi | via san caloceRo, 3 | www.RistoRantetokUyoshi.com

Massimo Bottura’s right hand man has come to Milano with precise, pure, avant-garde ideas. He uses only Italian products for Japanese dishes requiring great skill. His radical cuisine has people talking, and everyone has an opinion. Following his procedures seated at the counter is a privilege.

5 maRta | via matteo bandello, 14 | www.maRtabibendUm.it

From the United States, where she was chef to the stars, to Franceschetta 58 and now to Milano in a space designed by Rosanna Orlandi, Marta Pulini has recreated the homey atmosphere of her Emilia. Simple food, convivial, and the best tortellini in town.

6 esco | via toRtona, 26 | www.escobistRomediteRRaneo.it

Francesco Passalacqua, an often undervalued talent, has launched a new venture with a Mediterranean bistro flavor, in a trendy zone. Pizza and focaccia play an important role. The menu features both classics and new ideas. On two levels, the restaurant has a memorable cocktail bar.

7 the stage | p.zza gae aUlenti,4 | www.Replaythestage.com

You feel as if you’re on a cruise ship, but the restaurant is located inside a large Replay store on the piazza that most represents Nuova Milano. In the kitchen, Omar Allevi turns out Milanese specialties and trendy new dishes. A bridge leads to the spectacular Octavius Bar.

8 gong | c.so concoRdia, 8 | www.gongmilano.it

The Liu family, known for Iyo and Ba Asian Mood, now are trying their hand at elegant modern Chinese cooking, interwoven with Asian and Mediterranean influences. The restaurant is spectacular and the wine cellar is managed by the famous Hayashi Mototsugu (“Moto”) once the sommelier at Dal Pescatore Santini and at Gualtiero Marchesi.

9 filippo la mantia | p.zza RisoRgimento (angolo via poeRio) | www.filippolamantia.com

The proprietor and cook (as he likes to call himself) took over the completely redone space of the ex-Gold restaurant. He won’t be bored: he opens at 8 a.m and closes at 2 a.m. Everything is in a Sicilian key, from the granita at breakfast to the classics at dinner.

10 spazio | p.zza dUomo | www.aUtogRill.com

On the fourth floor of the grand

Mercato del Duomo-Autogrill, designed by Michele De Lucchi, is Niko Romito’s new restaurant. The concept is the same as in Rome’s Eataly: creative cooking at 40 euros and a brigade of students in the kitchen. The challenge inside the challenge – convincing the Milanesi to eat in the heart of the center.

11 noi dUe | c.so matteotti, 4-6 |www.milano.boscolohotels.com

Two of the most talented new-generation chefs join forces to make the Boscolo Hotel a place for a few exigent food fans. Close friends Piedmontese Christian Milone and Giuseppe Iannotti from Campania will alternate in preparing a single tasting menu of unusual plates and signature dishes.

new in 20141 asola AsolA |

bRian & batRRy bUilding san babila | via dURini 28| www.asolaRistoRante.it

2 caRlo e camilla in segheRia |via meda 24 | tel. 02 837 39 63

3 ceResio 7 | via ceResio, 7 | www.ceResio7.com

4 al fResco| via savona 50 | www.alfRescomilano.it

5 laRte | via manzoni 5 |opening.laRtemilano.com

6 taglio | via vigevano 10| www.taglio.me

7 testina | via abbadesse 19 | www.testina.eU

8 tURbigo baR & RestaURant| alzaia naviglio gRande 8 | www.tURbigomilano.it

9 zazà Ramen | via solfeRino 48|www.zazaRamen.it

VERTICAL TASTING

by Stefania Annese and Leonardo Romanelli

38

MAY 2015

20 YEARS OF LUCE in 20 tastings

Vertical tastings have the advantage of making evi-dent both the good qualities and the shortcomings of a product. A tasting can also demonstrate longevity as well as the maintenance of a style that doesn’t rush to follow fashion (another accusation from the early days) but instead holds firm to its own personality – which the market may reward or not. But consumers, especially foreigners, have always been faithful to the production of Luce, stable today at 80,000 bottles, but which also at times reached 120,000 in order to re-spond to international demand.

tENuta LuCE dELLa VitE | loc. castelgiocondo| montalcino (si)|

www.lUcedellavite.com/vini/lUce-della-vite/

MAY 2015

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HistoryThe Italian wine press was not enthusiastic about Luce at the start. The wine emerged from a joint venture of the Frescobaldi and Mondavi families. The idea of bring-ing out a new Supertuscan in Montalcino, a sangiovese blended with merlot, seemed designed simply to satisfy the American taste for softer wines with long barrique-aging. Italian wine professionals didn’t even like the label on the bottle – renowned writer Luigi Veronelli defined it as more suitable for a detergent. It’s the same label today, an almost unique instance in Italy, where restyling has become a passion for producers. After twenty vintage years, it is appropriate to think again about a wine that survived the end of the Mondavi win-ery and which, in 2004, came directly under the control of the Frescobaldi family, Lamberto above all. He was

the original force behind the project and today is presi-dent of the family business. Since 2002, Lamberto has had to face some complicated vintage years, but has han-dled those difficulties well, managing to surprise those who were waiting to criticize him. At his side is Niccolò d’Afflitto, the enologist who oversees various Frescobaldi estates and who has been following the Luce vineyards for some years. And so, a wine that speaks Tuscan, that tells the story of a territory well-suited to winegrowing, of difficult years and of technical abilities in the wine cel-lars, is back in the limelight. A merlot that became native despite its origin as a foreigner, that is, an international grape, is joined to a sangiovese that finds its own nature in the sun and soil of Montalcino. One thing is sure – the wine has changed, and for the better.

VERTICAL TASTING

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MAY 2015

1993 A fairly hot year affected the ripening process for both grape varieties. Although the merlot bunches were per-fectly mature by mid-September, the harvest had to wait for the sangiovese to ripen. Right from the first tastings, the wine showed excellent aging ability. Clean red color, fresh nose, still almost grassy, with full, rich red fruit aro-mas, such as cherries. In the mouth, docile, tasty, full, elegant. Finishes on a positive crescendo. Fascinating.

1994 Not a very good year for winegrowing. Little rain, which meant early development of the grapes, preventing the wine from revealing its fullness over time. Pale ruby red color, light and not incisive. Nose is evolved, with ripe notes of jam, even oxidation, and then camphor. The mouth is more radiant, but not very elegant. A small, al-coholic-warm finish, moderately prolonged. Introverted.

1995 Montalcino is an area characterized by warm summers, but 1995 was atypical. An inexpressive spring and a sum-mer that was slow to show up conditioned the flowering of the vines. Fortunately, a sunny, temperate month of September assured the quality of the harvest. Color is a beautiful lively ruby-red. Nose is closed, non-evolved blackberry jam, hints of bitter cocoa and then dark spices, like cinnamon. The mouth is rich: firm, well-contained tannins, a pleasantly delicate finish. Vivacious.

1996 Rain and low temperatures slowed flowering and the development of grape bunches, but finally summer sun insured veraison in the first weeks of August. Although inexpressive when young, after eighteen years it shows a dark character. Simple ruby red, alcoholic notes on the nose, then ripe red fruit like raspberries and strawberries. The palate is interesting, with light, docile freshness and a finish in crescendo. Correct.

The tasting took place in Milano in the former church of San Carpoforo a Brera, in the Department of Visual Arts of the Accademia di Belle Arti. It was a more casual setting than usual: only magnums were opened, tasters were not seated, and they could return to re-taste every vintage year at will.

Tasting 1993-2012

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1997 Despite the sudden freeze that struck southern Tuscany in April, the constant heat in August and part of September permitted both merlot and sangiovese to ripen uniformly. A clean, inviting ruby red color. Slightly ethereal on the nose, but then cherries and black currant aromas emerge. The palate is not very powerful, but rather relaxed and docile, with smooth tannins and a fine aftertaste. Convincing.

1998 Too much sun during the summer months affected grape ripening to the extent that the ’98 version is not convinc-ing. The color is a full, dark red. Evolved on the nose, with aromas of cooked fruit such as plums. enamel, and miscel-laneous red fruit. Tannins are strong in the mouth, powerful and not tight. Little acidity, average finish. Disappeared.

1999 Amazing vintage year, with favorable weather in all the phases of the vineyards’ vegetative cycle. Garnet red, on the nose it has all the tasty fruit of the merlot, with notes of blackberry and plum, then blueberry and raspberry, hints of incense, aromatic herbs such as myrtle, and over-all spiciness. The juicy mouth is a pleasure – taut and fresh with the finish in crescendo. Amusing.

2000 Unstable weather in 2000 with numerous rainstorms in spring, followed by a warm, sunny period until August. As-sertive ruby color, rich and intense. Aromatic herbs domi-

nate the nose, then come the dried flowers of a pot-pourri. Impact on the mouth is round, generous, creamy, fresh. Long finish. Charming.

2001 A particularly cool growing season with an inopportune springtime freeze reduced the quantity of grapes sharply, but didn’t affect quality. In the glass, the wine appears dark and full. The nose displays clean, clear berries, ranging from blueberries to blackberries and raspberries. On the palate, its elegance translates into a contained and refresh-ing acidity that accompanies persistent tannins. The con-sistency is firm and juicy, the finish delicious. Inviting.

2002 A year of drama. The responsibility for the winery pass-es totally into the hands of Lamberto Frescobaldi. He finds himself facing a heavy hail storm in mid-August that damaged much of the vineyards. This unfortunate event affected the success of the wine and production in general, which was much reduced. It is striking for the darkness of its color, decidedly dense. The nose expresses a blend of fresh fruits, such as cherry and blueberry, then delicate spices, like nutmeg. The palate is very round, atypical, delicate. The finish is average. Misunderstood.

2003 The Luce vineyards, which in this period were subject to constant, strong sunlight, ripened early as compared to the years before. The hot weather resulted in an in-

VERTICAL TASTING

42

MAY 2015

tense, fruity wine with a beautiful, clean, limpid purple color. On the nose - fruit, hints of undergrowth, earth and leaves, then tobacco. The mouth is juicy, sweet, el-egant, the finish flavorful and pleasant, with light tan-nins. Compressed.

2004 A generous year, both in terms of production and the weather. Numerous temperature swings in May and June assured the right phenolic maturation and a perfect de-gree of sugar. In the glass, a beautiful purple color. The nose has good complexity, with fruity aromas of cherry and plum, then aromatic herbs such as bay leaf. Light and pleasant, subtle palate, flavorful, docile, with proper power. The finish is fresh and light. Relaxing.

2005 It wasn’t the rains, but the cool temperatures that shaped the 2005 harvest and the gradual ripening of merlot and sangiovese grapes. The color is clean and orderly. Full on the nose, ripe, with berry jam aromas, such as black cur-rants, then hints of cloves. Decisive in the mouth, firm and tasty. A little coarse, with a robust finish. Rustic.

2006 An excellent vintage year, the most complete in terms of both production and quality. A wine of the greatest con-centration and amazing persistence. Beautiful color, a full purple shade. The nose has impact, displaying fresh bal-samic sensations, and then mineral ones with well-judged

spices. Entrance on the palate is elegant, full, creamy in consistency, the finish is prolonged. Balanced.

2007 Along with the 2006 version, a period of great splendor for the characteristics of Luce. Winter rains created a water reserve that helped nourish the plants in the hot and sunny days of the season. Excellent in the glass, a lively red. Good impression on the nose – fresh, pleasant, herbaceous, balsamic, with clear fruit. On the palate, light at first, with delicate fruit, a mouth-filling, pleasant aftertaste and a very long finish. Exciting.

2008 Less appeal than its preceding older brothers, but great body and potential for longevity. Potential problems in the vineyard due to abundant springtime rain were re-solved by warm, sunny days at the end of August, begin-ning of September. In the glass, a dark, assertive red. On the nose, powerful, bloody scents, with hints of earth and tobacco, then leather and tones of ripe fruit. The mouth is correct, composed, firm, elegant, pleasant. Average length finish. Reserved.

2009 Again this year, spring was characterized by frequent rains that made the growers worry about the health of their vineyards. Nevertheless, hard work brought results, so that 2009 displays more ripe fruit than vegetal notes. Beautiful, full, luminous purple color. Intense, full nose, with elegant

MAY 2015

43

notes of ripe fruit such as plum and apple, then mixed spices, with vanilla emerging. Firm and tasty impact in the mouth, with average length on the finish. Alluring.

2010A capricious harvest season, but nevertheless, all the grapes came into the winemaking cellars at an excellent stage of ripeness. Dark and full red in the glass. Pleas-antly fruity with black cherry, ripe plum and black cur-rant aromas on the nose. Scents of alcohol-preserved cherries, then notes of animal, earth and undergrowth. Meaty in the mouth, firm and straightforward. Finish in crescendo. Young.

2011 The warm sun of August gave power and concentration to the phenolic baggage of the grapes. Beautiful, full very dark red color. On the nose, assertive fruity notes of berries, like blueberries and black currants, then whiffs of paint. On the palate, assertive, firm, powerful and meaty. Aftertaste of vanilla. Average finish. Contorted, but still young.

2012 Constant rains in spring gave way to strong summer heat that helped the vineyards reach full maturity. Clean ruby color. The nose expresses itself well already: fresh, herbaceous, almost balsamic. Mouth is juicy, freshly acidic, tannins very fine. Tasty finish. Enjoyable. To for-get in the cellar.

LaMbErtO FrEsCObaLdi aNd tiM MONdaVi

An essential bookfor all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent monthsdoing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2402 producers20000 wines

423 Tre Bicchieri80 Tre Bicchieri verdi

www.gamberorosso.it

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

VERTICAL TASTING

An essential bookfor all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent monthsdoing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2402 producers20000 wines

423 Tre Bicchieri80 Tre Bicchieri verdi

www.gamberorosso.it

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

An essential book for all who love Italian wine.

More than 60 experts spent months doing blind tastings

in every region of Italy.

2360 producers

20000 wines

415 Tre Bicchieri83 Tre Bicchieri verdi

Italian

English

German

Chinese

Japanese

www.gamberorosso.it

EDITIONS

AutGuideFreePress.indd 6 07/03/14 12.58

by Stefania Annese

46

MAY 2015

TRAVEL

Matera taking offEuropean Capital of Culture 2019

MAY 2015

47

Matera taking offEuropean Capital of Culture 2019

Matera is a magnetic city. It’s hard to take your eyes off

the view of the oldest part of the city, the Sassi, with

its mysterious entrances to subterranean labyrinths and

meandering caverns. The historic center is so unusual

that in 1993 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

48

MAY 2015

The Sassi zone has been used as the backdrop in many famous films, guaranteeing it world-wide re-nown. In 1949, Carlo Lizzani made a documentary on the disappearing peasant world that had been de-scribed by Carlo Levi in his book, Christ Stopped at Eboli. In Alber-to Lattuada’s film Lupa, the Sassi stood in for a poor Sicilian town. After The Gospel According to St. Mat-thew (Pasolini, 1964), the Sassi came to represent ancient Jerusalem, and so was the setting for King David (Bruce Beresford, 1985), The Passion of the Christ (Gibson, 2004) and The Na-tivity Story (Hardwicke, 2006). From Neolithic times to the present day, for about 7,000 years, humans have lived here, so the story of Matera is not a simple one. Each one of the thousands of generations here has left its traces. The ancient city grew in caves formed in a karst cliff called Gravina di Matera. Today traces of the prehistoric villages of

TRAVEL

MAY 2015

49

Murgia Timone and Murgecchia are still visible. The caverns were used as habitats, but the period in which the rocky grottoes became most functional was at the begin-ning of the 7th century A.D. when monastic communities, Benedic-tine and Greek Byzantine, settled in. The second group, in particu-lar, came from Cappadocia, Ana-tolia and Armenia, where living in grottoes was part of the culture. In Matera the migrants found a pop-ulation that was expert in the ex-cavation of tufo. They carved out chapels, churches, rock basilicas, convents and homes. In 1663, Ma-tera became part of the Province of Basilicata, and was its capoluo-go, or government seat until 1806. After that first decade of the 19th century until 1952, the city lived a long phase of decadence, due to both recurrent agricultural-eco-nomic crises and the loss of its role as a political-administrative center.

©MassiMiLiaNO rELLa

©MassiMiLiaNO rELLa

The urban decay was so total, the poorest people used the grottoes not only for their animals, but to house themselves. Finally, in 1953, Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi signed a special law for Matera, and 15,000 people were moved out of the Sassi into new, more hygienic housing. The cliff dwellings were abandoned until 1986, when restoration began. Today Matera’s unique geography makes it one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.But our trip doesn’t end here. Driving along desolate, twisting roads up a clayey hillside, we reach Craco, once called Monte dell’Oro. The reason for the old name is not clear, but probably the village contributed very ac-tively to the maintenance funds instituted by Frederick II in the 12th century and continued by the Angevin rulers. The entire territory of Craco was always subject to landslides due to its complex clay composition – red, green and lead grey clay made it subject to hydrogeo-logical instability. History books tell us of many land-slides: 1600, 1805, 1857, 1870 and 1993. The event that led to the abandonment of the town was in 1963. Starting in that year, little by little, Craco lost its popu-

TRAVEL

CraCO

©NiCO COLuCCi

MAY 2015

51

wheRe to eatfRom RistoRanti d’italia 2015baccanti | via sant’angelo, 58 75100 mateRa | tel. 0835/333704 | www.baccantiRistoRante.com

tRattoRia lUcana | via lUcana, 48 75100 mateRa | tel. 0835/336117 | www.tRattoRialUcana.it

osteRia pico | via fioRentini, 42 75100 mateRa| tel. 0835/240424| www.osteRiapico.it

fRom stReet food 2015baR sottozeRo | via xx settembRe, 51 75100 mateRa| tel. 0835/333652

fRom pizzeRie d’italia 2015da maRio| via xx settembRe, 14 75100 mateRa | tel. 0835/336491| www.RistoRantepizzeRiadamaRio.it

fRom pasticceRi & pasticceRie 2015schiUma | via t. stigliani, 92 75100 mateRa| tel. 0835/334283

lation. Added to the likelihood of landslides was the difficulty in finding work. Many were forced to emigrate to northern Italy or move abroad. Today Craco is almost uninhabited. A shepherd and his sheep are the custodians of the Monastery of Saint Peter from 1630, a convent, a Renais-sance palazzo that was once the town hall, and the single dwell-ings. To walk around this phan-tom town is to imagine the simple life of the peasants of long ago. Children’s notebooks, old kitchen stoves and furniture, cramped rooms – time stood still here. Visiting these two towns and see-ing them testify to the lives of those just a generation or two away from us helps us under-stand our own day better. sENisE swEEt pEppErs

sOttOzErO

52

MAY 2015

BERE BENE: BEST BUYS

Basilicatacoast to coast

MAY 2015

53

Basilicata is enjoying media attention it has never known before. The most recent event is the recognition of Matera as the European Capital of Culture inw 2019. Set between Puglia, Campania and Calabria, and bathed by both the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas, Basilicata offers tempting wines for every purse. Although it’s still true that the image of this region in the world is firmly tied to its great red, Aglianico del Vulture, there are new faces appearing on the stage in the Matera province. The wine world of Basilicata has grown in both quality and quantity in recent years. New denominations have been established, such as Grottino di Roccanova and Terre dell’Alta Val d’Agri. The countryside is very beautiful, and vineyards have been part of life here for millennia. Visit and savor the region patiently, from the enchanting Sassi zone of Matera to the ghostly, fascinating town of Craco.

54

MAY 2015

BERE BENE: BEST BUYS

Aglianico del Vulture Pipoli Zero ’12, Vigneti del Vulture

AcerenzA (Pz) | www.VignetidelVulture.it | Price 9.70 euros

Farnese Vini di Ortona recently bought the Acerenza coopera-tive, revamping and ramping up its structure, creating a produc-tive and directional pole for the wines made from grapes pur-chased from the zone’s growers. Among the best we tasted this year was Pipoli Zero ’12. Aged only in stainless steel and the

result of long maceration, Zero is made without the use of added sulphites. It has a dark ruby color, intense aromas of cherry, sour Morello cherry and delicate tones of vanilla. On the palate it is savory, crisp and clean, rich in well-ripened tannins.

Malvasia Lucana '13, cAsA MAschito

MAschito (Pz) | www.cAsAMAschito.it | Price 6.60 eurosos

A premium zone like that of Maschito, a comune in the Vulture located at about 600 meters above sea level, has to have its own fine winery. Casa Maschito is a small winery that today produces 60,000 bottles yearly from grapes from its own vineyards. The range is complete and of high quali-ty, with wines based on malvasia, moscato and, obviously, the noblest variety of this region, aglianico. The Special Award this year goes to the excellent Malvasia Lucana ’13, with its elegant notes of white fruit, especially melon. On the palate it is savory, rich in fruit, and persistent.

Matera Moro Il Cellerario ’10, ditArAnto

MontescAglioso (Mt) | www.ditA-rAntoVini.it | Price 7.60 euros

The Ditaranto family has worked for three generations in the vineyards and winery of

their estate in Montescaglioso, in the Matera province, along the valley of the Bradano River, not far from the Ionian sea. Among their most interesting wines is Matera Moro, a DOC based on cabernet, merlot and primitivo: wonderfully full-flavored, it is one of the best of the denomination. Cellerario ’10 has structure, fruit, softness and a good array of aromas. Tannins are smooth, shading away on an elegant note of spices.

Aglianico del Vulture Gricos ’12, grifAlco dellA lucAniA

VenosA (Pz) | Price 7.20 euros

Fabrizio and Cecilia Piccin moved to Basilicata in 2003 from Tuscany, where they produced wine in Monte-pulciano. Leaving sangiovese, the new challenge brought them to the slopes of the Vulture massif, where they grow their vineyards organi-cally. They bought the best exposures around Ginestra, Maschito, Rapolla and Venosa, vineyards predominant-ly dedicated to aglianico. The Special Award goes again to Gricos, ’12 this year, an Aglianico of great richness and pleasantness, with a beautiful dark ruby red color, fragrant with blackberries and spices, savory, dense and juicy on the palate.

Aglianico del Vulture Bel Poggio ’09, MArtino

rionero in Vulture (Pz) | www.MArtinoVini.coM | Price 8.40 euros

The Martino family are proud of a winemaking tradition that goes back to the end of the 19th century, but it was in the 1970s that Armando Martino made a crucial deci-sion about the family brand.

Carolin Martino, after finishing her degree in Econom-ics, joined her father in the firm. She is also president of the Consorzio di Tutela dell’Aglianico del Vulture. Alongside the star wines of the house, Aglianico Ora-ziano and Pretoriano, we note a well-deserved Special Award to the selection Bel Poggio ’09, pulpy and sa-vory, substantial and deep, with intense notes of black currants and coffee.

MAY 2015

55

Aglianico del Vulture Vignali ’12, cAntinA di VenosA

VenosA (Pz) | www.cAntinAdiVenosA.it | Price 7.60 euros

Very few cooperative wineries in the central-south of Italy have both the social and qualitative importance of this one. The range of wines includes a series of Aglianico labels made with different maturation periods and vary-ing use of wood, as well as whites, rosés and an interesting Dry Muscat. The quality/price rapport is always excel-lent. Vignali ’12 – at a prizeworthy

price – is a compact and rich Aglianico with good tones of fruit such blackberries and cherries. On the palate, round tannins and fruit that shades off elegantly and freshly on notes of hay and mountain herbs.

Dry Muscat Terre di Orazio ’13, cAntinA di VenosA

VenosA (Pz) | www.cAntinAdiVenosA.it | Price 8.40 euros

Since twenty-seven growers founded the Venosa cooperative in 1957, the world around Basilicata has changed. The contributing members now number 500, and control a grand patrimony of vineyards situ-ated in the comuni of Venosa, Ripacandida, Ginestra, and Maschito, extending over 900 hectares. In a land of great reds, there are few truly interesting whites, but the Dry Muscat made by the Cantina has been a bench-mark for years. Intriguing aromas, great backbone, and freshness on the palate all make it interesting, but an affordable price helps, too.

Pioneers of organic farming in FranciacortaCAMPAGNA FINANZIATA AI SENSI DEL REGOLAMENTO CE N. 1308/13CAMPAIGN FINANCED PURSUANT EEC REGULATION NUMBER 1308/13

MAY 2015

57

At the border of Lazio and Tuscany, Iside and Romano showcase the history and richness of a sliver of seldom-visited land. They share with their guests their creativity

and passion for the stories and products around them, discovering more every day…

IN A WORD - DELICIOUSIside & Romano

RECIPES FROM TOP CHEFS

by Francesco Seccagno

58

MAY 2015

RECIPES FROM TOP CHEFS

After experiences with master chefs such as Gualtiero Marchesi in the Relais dell’Albereta in Franciacorta and Heinz Beck at La Pergo-la in Rome, the two young cooks met while working in the kitchen of Gianfranco Bolog-nesi’s La Frasca (before it became the Trat-toria Bolognesi) in Castrocaro Terme. They joined their lives and ten years ago opened La Parolina in Trevinano, a town above Ac-quapendente and near Val d’Orcia, on the border of three regions, Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. Iside De Cesare, 41 years old, from Rome; Romano Gordini, 34, from Forlì; both trained with the most renowned chefs of Italy. Their cooking is both sophisticated and closely tied to their territory, influenced by their ex-periences in Rome, by nearby Tuscany and by the top level technical training they both lived through on their way here. What matters most is flavor, pleasure, and the richness of the experience. Then, there’s a pinch of amaze-ment, never excessive, but always connected to a substantial ingredient, as for example in their antipasto called egg alla carbonara, where a single dish is emblematic of the cu-linary traditions of different Italian regions. (See the recipe below, a complex combina-tion of simple ingredients and classic cooking methods.) Dessert, a deconstructed cannolo, however, speaks Sicilian with a French accent. The squab represents all these influences: the countryside with its noble poultry heritage, classic haute cuisine with foie gras, and the open fire tradition of skewered meat. Here the three strands join in Trevinano, with a bow to beloved France. The tagliolini, however, are totally Tuscan, with the typical regional irony seen in toppng the tagliolini with a tortelli filling, after swirling them in breadcrumbs to give that contrast of consistencies that Iside and Romano live with in everyday life. She has true grit and willfulness, he is sweet and shy. Both are admirably capable, even in their ability to weave their creativity and profession-al skills together. Iside, the firm’s front-man says “My cucina? It’s collaboration with my husband Romano in a continuous round of experimenting and tasting.”

lA PArolinA | ViA gioVAnni PAscoli, 19, 01021 loc. treVinAno | AcquAPendente (Vt) | tel. 0763 717130 | www.lAPArolinA.it

lAzio

MAY 2015

59

eggs alla caRbonaRa...

4 eggs

floUR

bReadcRUmbs

extRa-viRgin olive oil

salt and peppeR

250 g fResh cReam

pecoRino, gRated

60 g gUanciale (cURed poRk cheek)

foR the pecoRino sbRisolona: 500 g floUR

20 g salt

250 g bUtteR

150 g pecoRino, gRated

3 whole eggs

3 yolks

Prepare the pecorino cream: melt a handful of grated pecorino in abundant cream until you have a homogeneous and smooth sauce. Julienne the guanciale and sauté until crisp. Pour off and discard fat. Make the pastry dough with the in-gredients listed for the sbrisolona. Allow to rest for a few hours, then shape into a circle and bake.At this point, separate yolks from whites. Bread and fry each yolk in olive oil. Beat whites with a pinch of salt until they form peaks. Fill indi-vidual moulds with this ’meringue’, sprinkle with pecorino and cook in a steam oven. Prepare each soup plate: first, the pecorino cream sauce, then the savory meringue, and on top the breaded, fried yolk. Garnish each with a crumble of baked sbrisolona, crisp guanciale and a grind-ing of black pepper.

60

MAY 2015

RECIPES FROM TOP CHEFS

foR the tagliolini: 250 g Remilled dURUm wheat floUR

250 g 00 floUR

2 eggs

12 egg yolks

foR the saUce: 750 g sheep’s milk Ricotta

1 kg spinach

paRmigiano-Reggiano, gRated

bUtteR

onion

salt

peppeR

nUtmeg

extRa-viRgin olive oil

Knead the eggs into the flour, allow to rest, then roll dough out into a sheet. Leave to dry, then cut into tagliolini. Meanwhile, prepare the tortelli sauce by cooking the spinach in butter and onion. Away from the heat, add smooth ricotta, grated Parmi-giano-Reggiano, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend all in a food-processor. Cook pasta in abundant salted water, toss it in olive oil and bread crumbs, then serve it on the tor-telli maremmani sauce base.

tagliolini in toRtelli maRemmani saUce

MAY 2015

61

skeweR of sqUab and foie gRas

4 sqUab, aboUt 500 g each

4 slices foie gRas

8 slices pancetta

sqUab bRoth, RedUced

extRa-viRgin olive oil

salt

peppeR

powdeRed licoRice

Brown the squabs whole, on all sides, in a pan with a little olive oil. Roast for 8 minutes at 200°C. Remove from oven and let rest. Remove the legs and wrap with pancetta, then sauté in pan until pancetta is crisp. Remove breasts from birds, cook the foie gras until pink. Alternate squab liver and breast on skewers. Serve skewers with legs and reduced squab broth. Sprinkle with salt aromatized with licorice powder.

62

MAY 2015

RECIPES FROM TOP CHEFS

foR the gelato: 500 g sheep’s milk Ricotta

300 g fResh cReam

200 g sUgaR

foR the cannolo doUgh: 430 g floUR

3 whole eggs

45 g sUgaR

23 g seed oil

23 g maRsala oR Red wine

open cannolo alla siciliana

oRange zest

coffee powdeR

powdeRed cocoa

seed oil foR fRying

candied oRange peel

Raisins soaked in sweet wine

pistachio paste

cReam

bitteRsweet chocolate shavings

powdeRed sUgaR

Knead together all the ingredients for the dough, allow to rest, then roll out thin. Cut into big isosceles triangles or diamond shapes to fry in deep oil. Using an immer-sion blender, emulsify the ricotta with the sugar and cream. Then freeze and puree in a Pacojet or a powerful mixer. Whip a little cream with the pistachio paste. In a soup dish, place the pistachio sauce on the bottom, then the ricotta, and decorate with triangles of fried cannolo. Garnish with or-ange zest, soaked raisins and chocolate shav-ings. Dust lightly with powdered sugar.

MAY 2015

63

PAIRINGS

patErNO 2009 | trappOLiNi | CastigLiONE iN tEVEriNa (Vt) | www.trappOLiNi.COM

ribOLLa giaLLa 2008 | La CastELLada | gOrizia - Fraz. OsLaVia | www.LaCastELLada.it

MONtiaNO 2005 | FaLEsCO | MONtECChiO (tr) | www.FaLEsCO.it

passitO di paNtELLEria bukkuraM 2005 | MarCO dE bartOLi | MarsaLa (tp) | www.MarCOdEbartOLi.COM

A powerful wine that gains energy and elegance with time. This is characteristic of all the Bensa family wines, vinified without selected yeasts, aged one year in stainless steel and one in the bottle before release. An intense wine that sustains well the creamy fattiness of the eggs and the pecorino.

The signature wine of the Cotarella brothers. Monovarietal Merlot, a Tre Bicchieri winner in Vini d’Italia 2008. A great classic – round, harmonious, elegant. A fine companion for squab, a pairing of equals that play off each other in round sweetness, foie gras included.

A passito (dried-grape) wine from zibibbo grapes, winner of Due Bic-chieri Rossi in Vini d’Italia 2009, “one of the best ever expressions of this type of wine.” A rich and complete drink, deep, concentrated and slim at the same time, mineral. Excellent with the savory notes and long, full sweetness of the Sicilian cannolo.

Monovarietal sangiovese, aged partly in large barrels and partly in small, second-use ones. It has great aromatic concentration and fine fruit. A classic of the zone between Lazio and Umbria, it works well with the assertive, spicy, fatty flavors of the dish without overwhel-ming them. A Due Bicchieri wine in Vini d’Italia 2012.

skeweR of sqUab and foie gRas

eggs alla caRbonaRa... tagliolini in toRtelli maRemmani saUce

open cannolo alla siciliana

64

MAY 2015

OLI D'ITALIA 2015

TONDA IBLEASicily’s tomatoey cultivar

by Stefano Polacchi

MAY 2015

65

Text: Nino Aiello, Indra Galbo

TONDA IBLEASicily’s tomatoey cultivar

Tonda Iblea is the reigning cultivar in the province of Ragusa and the territory immediately west of Siracusa, in Sicily. It is a particularly fascinating variety thanks to its typical, intense aroma of tomato. Here are some of the producers who are distinguished for the quality of their oil, many of whom are also well-known abroad.

good

veRy good

excellent

1 • UndeR 10 eURos

2 • 11-20 eURos 3 • 21-25 eURos 4 • 26-30 eURos 5 • oveR 30 eURos

PRICE RANGE PER LITER

LEGEND

VaLLE dEi NEbrOdi

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MAY 2015

OLI D'ITALIA 2015

93 92

91 91

TuttoTonda Monocultivar Tonda IbleaMiccione - La Tondavia Piave, 41/43 Buccheri (SR) tel. 335 5967704 www.tuttotonda.itOWN OLIVE GROVE: YESOWN OLIVE MILL: NOPRICE RANGE: 4

Property. Located in a zone that has written the history of top quality olive cultivation in Italy, this firm was founded in 2011 by Daniele Miccione, an expert wine and food journalist. He aimed only at producing for his own use. The estate, at an altitude of over 600 meters, has over three hectares of land with 300 tonda iblea cultivar olive trees, all very old.Oil. Stupendous monovarietal, medium fru-ity, tending towards intense. Marked notes of cardoon, artichoke, green tomato, nettles, medicinal herbs and hints of juniper and myrtle leaves. Fresh, fragrant, extraordinarily elegant, it fascinates the palate with its soft, smooth, mouth-filling quality. Vibrant, dyna-mic, very persistent.Pairings. Lobster salad.

Le Case di Lavinia Dop Monti Iblei Monocultivar Tonda IbleaVerneravia Umberto, 21/23 Buccheri (SR) tel. 338 3622868 www.lecasedilavinia.itOWN OLIVE GROVE: YESOWN OLIVE MILL: NOPRICE RANGE: 3

Property. Located in a splendid natural set-ting, near dense woods and immense pine forests, the estate is in the heart of the Iblei mountains between 500-700 meters above sea level. The Spanò family, Gaetano, Mariagrazia and Tania, are the fourth generation of a fa-mily that has combined professional lives with agriculture. They farm 70 hectares with 9,500 olive trees, almost all centuries old.Oil. Delicious extra-virgin, medium-fruity and rich in fragrant, heady notes of tomato, apple, cardoon, oregano, thyme, wild greens and wal-nut skin. Tasting confirms exceptional elegance and pleasantness, which combine for a product with admirable personality. Bitter and peppery sensations perfectly balanced. Pairings. Cold boiled beef salad.

Monocultivar Tonda IbleaCinque Collivia Monti Iblei, 88 Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG) tel. 0932 921643 www.cinquecolli.itOWN OLIVE GROVE: YESOWN OLIVE MILL: NOPRICE RANGE: 3

Property. In 1998, dynamic Sebastiano Giaquinta decided to take the helm of his family estate, purchased in 1976, most of it dedicated to vineyards. He planted a specia-lized olive grove, at the same time buying a large adjoining property. Today the produ-cer owns 45 hectares with over 5,000 olive trees of various ages.Oil. A premium medium-fruity oil that offers an aromatic profile of striking cleanliness and complexity, with alternating elegant notes that remind us of tomato, cardoon, nettles, artichoke, oregano, thyme and sage. Won-derfully elegant on the palate, it is generous, mouth-filling and pleasant. It unfolds smo-othly showing a strong personality, character and persistence.Pairings. Veal tartare.

Rosso Monocultivar Tonda IbleaVilla Zottoperac.da Roccazzo Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG) tel. 335 6633052 www.villazottopera.itOWN OLIVE GROVE: YESOWN OLIVE MILL: NOPRICE RANGE: 4

Property. In this marvelous estate dating back to the end of the 18th century, surrounded by olive groves, five houses are intended for tourist use, and furnished with comfort in mind. But it’s not only the accommodations that are wonder-ful, but also the excellent extra-virgin olive oil the estate produces. This is one of the best firms in the zone, and distinguished for the reliable excel-lence of its oil, year after year. Oil. Extraordinary performance for Rosso, with an aromatic texture that places it among the most complex versions tasted this year. Beef-steak tomato fragrances, green apple, followed by balsamic notes of nettles and aromatic herbs. Extreme elegance on the palate, with bitter and peppery tones fully present and balanced on a vegetal and spicy finish that amazes every taster. Pairings. Caprese salad.

MAY 2015

67

90

90 88

90Erbesso Dop Monti Iblei Monocultivar Tonda IbleaOleificio Gulinoc.da Cicimia Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG) tel. 0932 921249 www.oleificiogulino.comOWN OLIVE GROVE: YESOWN OLIVE MILL: NOPRICE RANGE: 5

Property. Today owned by Eugenio and Lu-ciano Presti, this estate’s history goes back to 1880 and the Gulino family, who decided to devote it to olive-growing. They soon built the first estate mill. Of its 15 hectares, 10 are certi-fied as organic agriculture. Almost all its 1,250 olive trees are more than a century old.Oil. Fine, delicate notes of freshly-cut grass, bell pepper, artichoke, mint, Peru-vian bark, sage and oregano. On the palate, an elegant touch of ground white pepper characterizes a smooth and mouth-filling flavor with bitter and peppery notes evident and well-balanced.Pairings. Raw shrimp.

Polifemo Dop Monti Iblei Monocultivar Tonda IbleaViragìc.da Mazzarronello Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG) tel. 333 8617516 www.viragi.itOWN OLIVE GROVE: YESOWN OLIVE MILL: NOPRICE RANGE: 3

Property. A tradition in the olive-growing sector that has been renewed and developed since 2007 with enthusiasm, and up-dated ably by a closely-knit family. The territory has always been well-known for its superior olive oil production. The estate, located at over 450 meters above sea level, consists of 30 hectares and over 3,000 trees.Oil. An olive oil with a marked personality and elegance, medium-intense fruity. A range of fresh and complex aromas that evoke tomato, bell pepper, green almonds, nettles, juniper ber-ries, myrtle leaves, cardoons and ground white pepper. Powerful and elegant on the palate, it is seductive and satisfying, with vibrant, dynamic sensations of bitterness and pepper.Pairings. Veal carpaccio with black pepper.

Nettare Ibleo Dop Monti Iblei Monocultivar Tonda Iblea BioAgrestisvia Sabauda, 86a Buccheri (SR) tel. 0931 315353 www.agrestis.euOWN OLIVE GROVE: YESOWN OLIVE MILL: NOPRICE RANGE: 4

Property. A dynamic cooperative, headed by Giuseppe Paparone, was formed in 2003 by a group of growers determined to produce top quality olive oil. Located at altitudes varying between 600 and 700 meters above sea level, the groves cover about 60 hectares and include about 12,000 olive trees, many of which are centuries old. About 30 hectares are certified as organic agriculture, and the rest are being converted.Oil. An excellent medium-fruity oil characterized by elegant aromas that resemble green tomato, ar-tichoke, cardoons and cut grass. Fine, persistent and vibrant in the mouth, with peppery and bitter sensations harmonious and balanced. Pairings. Maccheroni with sausage and wild fennel.

Cherubino Monocultivar Tonda Iblea BioTerralivac.da S. Andrea Buccheri (SR) tel. 0931 880062 www.terraliva.comOWN OLIVE GROVE: YESOWN OLIVE MILL: NOPRICE RANGE: 4

Property. The estate owned by Tino Cavar-ra and Giuseppina Frontino covers ten hecta-res at 700 meters above sea level. Many of its 1,700 trees are centuries old, but all are of the tonda iblea cultivar. The landscape is remar-kable: contorted tree trunks, shaped by time, seem sculpted by the hands of artists. The entire production is certified halal and kosher. Oil. Cherubio Bio is an excellent extra-virgin with aromas of fresh grass, green olive, toma-to, white pepper and cardoon. In the mouth, extraordinary elegance and good structure. It is wonderful pleasant. On the finish, bitter and peppery notes play a duet in harmony.Pairings. Salad with chickpeas and red onion.

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The Bordeaux world is severely limited by classifications and hierarchies that have shaped the perception of its wines by consumers around the world. These concepts structure the wines’ marketing, starting from their presen-tation in preview tastings. We have to search outside of-ficial organizations to focus on a separate category, that is, the great wines that for differ-ent reasons, have escaped the passion for classification and sacred denominations. Make no mistake; these top-level wines are neither a re-edition of garage wines, nor improb-able newbies emerging from nowhere. These are crus that grow in great terroirs, some-times on the periphery, some-times from denominations that are too ample or hetero-geneous to be globally con-sidered as premium wines. Their proprietors have been carrying on extraordinary work for years, investing human and financial resources that often exceed those of much more famous wineries. When we taste their labels with an open mind, we real-ize that they can compete with the region’s greatest – cer-tainly, but not only, in preview tastings. Contrary to what most experts think, these wines that are so seductive when young, can, when their personal stories permit, be impres-sive even as the years pass. Over two evenings, we had the opportunity to blind taste, together with renowned la-

bels from the same era, two of these crus, one each in the vintage years 1998 and 2004, another from ...1947! Each time, these wines were in perfect shape and of impeccable quality. They could fearlessly rival the most celebrated names of Bordeaux and show off the high quality of their own terroir. Twenty-five years ago the discovery of what

the American press called Supertuscans (Tuscan wines with great ambitions that came from unexpected ter-ritories) shook up an Italian vineyard world that was still mired in habit and that pre-sented a too-traditional im-age to the outside. Inspired by this example, we will classify these celebrated unknowns as Super Bordeaux. Today they are a separate category, demanding and brilliant, and their role goes way beyond

the mission of bringing the excitement of discovery or a pinch of originality to an immobile hierarchy. We believe that these wines can contribute to enlivening the global image of Bordeaux. They can awaken the desire of wine fans to look again at this region that, like it or not, produc-es a great number of the world’s most prestigious bottles, but doesn’t inspire longing in many of these wine lovers. Super Bordeaux bring new glamour to the enchantment of Bordeaux. We’ll look into them together next month.

Michel Bettane & Thierry Desseauve

THE SUPERBORDEAUX

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SENIOR EDITOR Lorenzo Ruggeri

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LAYOUT Chiara Buosi, Cristina Tripodi

CONTRIBUTORS Nino Aiello, Stefania Annese, Maurizio Bertera, Michel Bettane, Thierry Desseauve, Indra Galbo, Livia Montagnoli, Stefano Polacchi, Leonardo Romanelli, Marco Sabellico, Francesco Seccagno

PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGSChiara Buosi, Nico Colucci, Massimiliano Rella, Andrea Ruggeri

GR USA CORP PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT Paolo Cuccia

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