There should be so many more of these ‘winemakers’ dinners’ to present and explain the Italian local varieties, at their best expression, to English consumers who, if they do not have the opportunity to travel to Italy, can easily become familiar with the truth of these wines. Let me explain in better terms. The rules of the UK market are ruthless and over time they have unfortunately sacrificed many denominations, some very niche, in the name of the ‘holy’ turnover. This has happened for example for Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, Lambrusco and other wines and vines that have been presented under a false guise to please the owners of pubs and large chain stores, but have totally distorted the image of the wine and grape variety in question. In a less overbearing way, the same has also happened with Barbera (that of Asti in this country is less famous than that of Alba), a wine that has always been presented to the consumer as a young wine, to sell mainly by the glass, lacking in great structure although with an excellent sensory profile. Barbera is not that, or better it is not only that, because if we stop to analyze the Barbera d’Asti Superiore DOCG of Monferrato, traditionally and expertly made, then we would have the opportunity to open ourselves to an unexplored world. I remember that during the dinner organized at The Petersham in Covent Garden, last month, where I was invited for the second time (I must have been good company the first time!), tasting in particular the 2004 vintage of Adornes (the first bottle was produced in 1946) of Castello di Gabiano, I was amazed and to my guests, I did not hesitate to confess: ‘in a blind tasting, I challenge the greatest wine taster to identify that[…]

When you become a wine consultant freelancer there are a thousand advantages, but the biggest is certainly the fact that you can accept invitations from friends who, when you work full-time, you just can not honor. And so it was when my dear friend and wine colleague, Emilia Marinig, invited me to take part in a dinner to taste the wines of Fattoria Fibbiano, unknown to me, a few months ago. The tasting took place at Treves & Hyde in Aldgate, a restaurant I am very fond of, not only for the inviting dishes, but also because the General Manager Adriano, is a dear friend with whom I have collaborated in the past.It is very easy to describe a winery after having seen it, but try to make people imagine it, maybe to those who are not used to visit wineries, that’s something else, yes it’s an art that Matteo Cantoni, a former engineer but today the voice of Fattoria Fibbiano outside the Italian borders, owns. It was thanks to his unstoppable energy that he managed to involve and attract all the attention of us, lucky guests. Before the official presentation in English for a mixed group of people, I had the opportunity to listen to Matteo explaining how his parents, who lived in Milan, one day made a tour around Tuscany and saw a sign indicating the property of Fibbiano, for sale for 17 years. Enchanted by the place and convinced to want to return to live immersed in nature, they bought it in 1990 and since then all the rest is history! Today the farm comprises 85 hectares of land, of which 40 are planted with vines, the remainder is cultivated with olive trees. The Cantoni family has also built a farm where travelers are welcomed, for those[…]

There is little to say … when the topic is my Calabria, I always get excited! And so I was when I took part in the tasting of Calabrian wines that was held at the latest edition of the Real Italian Wine and Food Tasting, in Church House, near the majestic Westminster, last November 8th.The producers who took part in the event, sponsored by the Calabria Region, guest of honour at the event, belonged to various Calabrian wine areas, designated by different names: from the famous Ciro’ DOC appellation (I remind you that there are no DOCGs yet in the region), to the niche and chic appellation of Greco di Bianco (name of the DOC, not to be confused with the name of the Greco Bianco grape variety), to the ancient IGP Palizzi, or to the re-activated, after 50 years, IGP named Terre di Gerace, or the more generic Calabria IGP. The masterclass entitled ‘Calabria’s terroirs unveiled’ was made with the intent of discovering what Calabria region can produce and, through the seven wines shown at the tasting, Richard Ballantyne Master of Wine made us discover and savour some Calabrian vines, presenting them to an audience of wine experts and operators in the sector.Richard himself emphasized the versatility of Gaglioppo, which is able to express itself in different shades depending on the area of production and the winemaking method used.A representative wine was chosen, per each winery, that was a truly expression of the terroir. Richard began with a brief introduction on Calabria and shared with the presents some data on the production of wines in the region, the location and size of the various appellations DOC and IGP (10 districts). The production of DOC and IGT wines is the smallest and the most fragmented in Italy, with 9 DOC denominations[…]

When I received the invitation from my ex-colleague Arabella to take part in an evening of Ferrari sparkling wines tasting, I was very happy to participate. For various reasons: one, because I was pleased to see my colleague again after a long time; two, because it was roughly 10 years since I had tasted the Ferrari wines and three because I’m in a phase where I rejoice to meet new people and savour their company.The tasting evening went well beyond all expectations: it turned out, in fact, a very entertaining evening, with very nice people and full of positivity and sharing. To season it all with his immense charisma and with his great sense of involvement was Dean Lapthorne, the export manager of the Trentino winery, of Australian origin that, solar like all Australians in general, described the Ferrari wines with his genuine smile and a disarming cheerfulness. The tasting was organized by Petersham Cellars, a company founded in 2013 to promote hand-picked Italian wines by Laura Boglione and her husband, Giovanni Mazzei, with the aim of taking care of the menu and wine lists of all the Petersham restaurants as well as managing a prominent wine club. The wines are available within the Delicatessen located in the heart of Covent Garden as well as via the Petersham Cellar website.It is in the Delicatessen that every Thursday tasting evenings are organized that are inscribed in the project of their wine club, and coordinated by Leo Cappelletto, operations and events manager of the company. I had the opportunity to sit next to Leo during dinner and he himself described the various activities organized by the company and the future program, which includes even the creation of a sales team specialized in the sale of wines to the London restaurants. The Ferrari[…]