Tre Bicchieri Returns

The Tre Bicchieri tastings are returning to the United States! Organized by Gambero Rosso, the bible of Italian wines, these special tasting bring together dozens of producers from all over Italy, as they pour their top-rated Tre Bicchieri wine for the media and press.

The 2016 "Vini d'Italia" is the 29th edition of this guide, published by Gambero Rosso. For this year's guide, some 22,000 wines from a total of 2400 producers, there were 421 wines that were awarded a Tre Bicchieri rating. This rating is the highest given by the publication and it goes to the most outstanding wines from all over Italy. What's great about this award is that is it not only reserved for the most celebrated red wines, such as Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino and Amarone, but also less famous reds such as Dolcetto, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Rosso Piceno, along with may stellar whites (Verdicchio, Vermentino, Timorasso, et al) and of course, several prominent sparkling wines from Franciacorta and Trentino, along with a few examples of Prosecco.


There will be three tastings in the US, starting on February 4 in Chicago at the Bridgeport Art Center, 1200 W. 35th Street. Register here for this event (press) and here for trade.

Here is a link to a list of the participating producers who will be pouring their wines in Chicago.


The tasting in New York City will be held on February 9 at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th Street. Register here for this event (press) and here for trade.

Here is a link to a list of participating producers who will be pouring their wines in New York City.


The tasting in San Francisco will be held on February 11 at Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Boulevard. Register here for this event (press) and here for trade.

Here is a link to a list of participating producers who will be pouring their wines in San Francisco.


I'll be attending both the Chicago and New York City tastings - hope to see you there!

Tre Bicchieri Highlights

The Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri tasting hit Chicago yesterday and the result was a great success. This the fourth year for the tour to visit Chicago - San Francisco and New York City are the other cities on the US tour - and this year saw the largest attendance. It was extremely well received by most of the attendees I spoke with; in fact, I heard three of four of them tell their colleagues that they believe this has become the best wine event of the year in Chicago. When you consider how many wine tastings are held in Chicago every year and then consider that this is only the fourth time for this event, that's some lofty praise!

Massimo Piccin, Podere Sapaio

For those readers who are not familiar with this event, this is put together by the famous Italian wine publication, Gambero Rosso; each year, they organize numerous tastings by their panel members who sample 20,000 wines from some 2300 Italian producers. Wines that are recommended are listed and ranked according to a glass - or bicchiere (plural, bicchieri) rating. One glass is a very fine wine, while two glasses means a very highly recommended wine, while three glasses (tre bicchieri) is an outstanding wine, one that is a great example of its type. This year for the 2013 guide, a total of 399 wines were awarded this highest rating, meaning that for 2013, just less than 2% of the total number of wines tasted were awarded tre bicchieri, meaning this award is very difficult to attain and one that is highly treasured by the wineries. 

What I love about the wines that receive this award is the fact that there are many, many types, from sparkling to dry whites to lighter reds to be enjoyed over their first three to five years along with full-bodied reds made for a decade or two (or three of cellaring). Thus you have sparkling wines from Prosecco and Franciacorta, lovely whites from Alto Adige, Friuli, Marche and several other regions and reds ranging from Carignano del Sulcis from Sardinia to Italy's most famous reds such as Barolo, Brunello and Amarone. Not only is there something for everyone, but it is an excellent mirror for the Italian wine industry. I believe that consumers in America and just about everywhere outside of Italy need to learn that Italy is not just the home of what I call "trophy" reds, wines meant to compete with the world's finest. No, Italy is about lovely sparkling wines, vibrant whites wines as well as charming reds. This tasting gives you a great spectrum into what Italian wines are all about!

Marica Bonomo, Monte del Fra

A few highlights. For sparkling wines, there were several that I thoughts were standouts, including the 2011 Ruggeri Prosecco "Giustino B", the 2011 Merotto Prosecco "Cuvée del Fondatore" (two shining examples of how rich, complex and beautifully balanced Prosecco can be); also from Franciacorta, the first-rate 2006 Ferghettina Extra Brut, an extremely dry, beautifully balanced wine and the explosive 2004 Ca' del Bosco "Annamaria Clementi" Rosé, wine in that in my mind is one of the world's finest sparkling rosés.

For whites, I loved the 2010 Monte del Fra Custoza "Ca' del Magro", one of the best examples of this Veneto white. Also impressive were the 2011 Cantine Lunae Bosoni Vermentino "Etcihetta Nera", a wine of superb richness and texture with lively acidity that has been my favorite Vermentino from Italy for the past three or four vintages. Other excellent whites included the 2011 Cantina Nals Magreid Pinot Bianco "Sirmian" that displays beautiful varietal purity with subtle spice - what a lovely wine for so many meals - and the 2010 Ettore Germano "Herzu", a dry Riesling from Piemonte - yes, you read that right! - that you have to taste to believe! 

Sebastiano Rosa, Agricola Punica

Finally, just a few reds - there were so many great examples! Two beautiful versions of Carignan from Sardinia: the supple and delicious 2010 Cantina Mesa "Buio Buio" (gotta love that name) and the richly endowed and beautifully structured 2009 Agricola Punica "Barrua."

There were several examples of Amarone from the stellar 2008 vintage (this is one of the finest vintages for Amarone in the last ten years); the best included the perfectly balanced Allegrini and the elegant and traditionallly styled Speri "Vigneto Sant' Urbano." From Campania, the 2007 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi "Montevergine" offers wonderful varietal purity, supple tannins and nicely integrated oak; this is a beautiful red meant for ten or more years of cellaring.

Finally, I always love discovering new wines I haven't tasted before. This year my favorite was the 2009 Terrazza dell'Etna Etna Rosso "Cimeco", a 100% Nerello Mascalese with lovely wild strawberry and dark cherry flavors, polished tannins, very good acidity and lovely finesse; this is a fine example of what the top producers in Etna are accomplishing these days.


One final note on the tasting. I overheard a restaurant owner who had come in from Milwaukee for this event telling Christine Volkmer, who handles public relations for this event, that "this is the best resource we have for Italian wines." I couldn't have said it better myself!

Thanks to Christine as well as Tiina Eriksson and Lorenzo Ruggeri and their team from Gambero Rosso for their organization of this event, in which more than 110 Italian producers gather to pour their finest wines. It's a huge tasting, but it comes off beautifully and I can tell you first hand in Chicago, that each year, more members of the trade show up and are dutifully impressed. I can't wait until the 2014 tasting!

Text and photos ©Tom Hyland

Tre Bicchieri Returns!

The Tre Bicchieri tastings are back in America, beginning with a tasting this Thursday, the 7th in San Francisco and continuing next Tuesday, February 12 in Chicago and finishing up on Friday the 15th in New York City.

These tastings are organized by the Italian wine publication, Gambero Rosso. Each year in the fall, they publish their annual guide to that year's finest Italian wines and reward these offerings with a rating of one to three glasses (tre bicchieri). This year, 20,000 wines from 2350 producers were judged for the guide with a mere 399 being awarded the highest rating of Tre Bicchieri.

This is of course a must attend event for anyone in the media or trade that works with Italian wines. What I love about the event is how comprehensive it is; if your education of Italian wines is limited to reading a few American publications, chances are you know about a few famous reds. But with this tasting, you will have the opportunity to taste a great range of the best wines of Italy and discover first-hand the marvelous array of viticultural products offered by Italy. Thus you will try examples of sparkling wine such as Prosecco and Franciacorta, outstanding whites from Alto Adige, Friuli, Liguria and other regions as well as gorgeous reds such as Barolo, Brunello, Amarone, Taurasi and Barbera, to name only a few.

In each city, there will be more than 110 producers pouring their wines; each one of them earned a Tre Bicchieri rating in the 2013 guide. For a list of participating producers in each city, click on the city's name: San Francisco, Chicago, New York City.

I will be attending the event in Chicago at the historic Union Station. I hope to see you there! I'll be more than happy to point out a few of my favorites.

For trade and media RSVP, contact Christine Volkmer

Tre Bicchieri Highlights

Photo ©Tom Hyland

The Tre Bicchieri tasting was held in Chicago yesterday following similar tastings held last week in San Francisco and New York City. This is a very unique event, as it focuses on many of the wines that were awarded the Tre Bicchieri (three glasses) rating from Gambero Rosso, Italy's wine bible. For more than two decades, Gambero Rosso has published an annual guide rating several thousand Italian wines; for their 2012 guide, some 20,000 wines were tasted from a total of 2350 producers, with the final tally being that a mere 375 wines earned Tre Bicchieri status, the highest rating for the guide.

How good was this event? What can you say about a walk-around tasting in which both Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino and Sassicaia are poured? Not only that, but Sassicaia winemaker Sebastiano Rosa was there to pour his wine. This tasting is quite simply, an embarrassment of riches. And I love it!

There were great wines in all sorts of categories, be it sparkling, white or red. One of the real highlights was the 2005 Ferghettina Extra Brut, a Franciacorta that was named as the Sparkling Wine of the Year by Gambero Rosso. One taste of this wine was evidence of why this wine has been so honored. Very rich on the palate with outstanding persistence, this wine goes beyond simple varietal fruit to capture honey and caramel flavors. The wine is simply tantalizing!

Other excellent sparklers included the La Montina Extra Brut 2005, a rich, fruit-driven Franciacorta with beautiful acidity and distinct minerality; the Giulio Ferrari 2001, a powerhouse of a sparkling wine from this great producer in Trento - here is a wine that should drink well for another 7-10 years; the Ricci Curbastro Extra Brut 2007, rich on the palate and slightly austere and finally the lovely Merotto Conegliano Valdobbiadene "Brut Rive di Col San Martino, " a Prosecco with typically charming aromas as well as fine structure and excellent persistence and freshness.

Giuseppe Mottura, Az. Sergio Mottura (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

There were several whites that I thought were excellent, especially the Sergio Mottura Grechetto "Poggio della Costa" 2010. Giuseppe Mottura brings out the varietal purity of the Grechetto variety like few others and he also makes a deeply concentrated wine, aged only in steel, that is as delicious as it is flavorful. This is the "new" style of Italian white wine - clean, fruit-driven and impeccably balanced with lively acidity. This is a real treasure!

I also thoroughly enjoyed the Cantina Produttori San Paolo Pinot Bianco Riserva 2010. While Pinot Bianco, the most widely planted variety in Alto Adige can be rather ordinary, the wine takes on special characteristics when produced like this example. Made from vines that have an average age of 50 years, this has ripe red apple and quince aromas, a generous-mid palate and a long finish with beautiful structure. 

Andrea Cecchi (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

As for red wines, there were several dozen that were first-rate. Let's start with the Famiglia Cecchi Chianti Classico Riserva 2008, an elegant Chianti Classico that tastes like the Tuscan wines many of us grew up with; in other words, a traditional wine with modest wood, delicate cherry fruit and tart acidity- and a lovely food wine.

There were several accomplished bottlings of Barolo here, including the 2007 Ettore Germano "Ceretta", medium-full with elegant tannins and forward, spicy fruit; the amazing 2004 Vietti Villero Riserva and the perfectly balanced Massolino Vigna Rionda Riserva 2005. Many observers will tell you that 2005 was a lesser vintage, but here is evidence that it was not, especially when a vintner such as Franco Massolino makes the wine. The Vigna Rionda Riserva has been an exceptional wine for several vintages now; medium-full with textbook cherry, orange peel, tar and cedar aromas, the 2005 offers lovely harmony of every component. It's a classically styled Barolo and one that will be in great shape for 15-20 years.

Finally a salute to Cleto Chiarli, arguably the finest producer of Lambrusco. You might be surprised to find Lambrusco at a tasting such as this, but you've probably never had examples this stylish. Two examples were poured: the 2010 Vecchia Modena Premium, with beautiful garnet color, delicious raspberry and cherry fruit and a round, slightly sparkling finish. The "Enrico Cialdini" bottling from Chiarli is darker in color and a touch ripe and richer on the palate, but it is just as charming as the other version. 

Thanks to the team from Gambero Rosso for their organization and hard work- special thanks to Tiina Eriksson and Eleonora Guerini for their help. This tasting continues to improve each year. I can't wait until the 2013 event!

Tre Bicchieri USA Tastings

It's that time of the year again- the Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri tastings will be held in San Francisco, New York and Chicago beginning next week. These tastings feature wines that have been awarded a Tre Bicchieri (three glasses) rating - the highest possible - from Gambero Rosso, Italy's leading wine guide. 

More than 100 wineries will participate, representing 19 of the 20 regions of Italy. The variety of wines, as you would expect at a tasting of this caliber, will be remarkable. You will be able to taste Barolo from producers such as Massolino, Elvio Cogno and Fontanfredda along with Brunello di Montalcino from Biondi-Santi, Canalicchio di Sopra and La Togata. There will also be some great Tuscan reds from Antinori, Colle Massari, Fontodi and Felsina along with some gorgeous reds from Valle Reale and La Valentina from Abruzzo as well as top red wines from Mastroberardino (Campania), Cottanera and Planeta from Sicily and some lovely examples of Amarone from Speri, Tenuta Sant'Antonio and Musella.

As far as sparkling and white wines, there is also an impressive representation. Some of Franciacorta's finest wines from producers such as Guido Berlucchi, Ferghettina, La Montina and Ricci Curbastro will be poured along with Ferrari from Trentino. As for white wines, you will be able to sample from Cantina Tramin, Cantina Terlano and Elena Walch from Alto Adige; Livon, Collavini and Zuani from Friuli along with Soave from Pieropan and Verdicchio from Garofoli and Umani Ronchi. 

Here are the details on the tastings. You need to register and can do so by emailing Volkmer Public Relations.

San Francisco - Wednesday, February 15

Fort Mason Center - Hebrst Pavilion

Trade: 2-6 / Public 3-6

New York City - Friday, February 17

Metropolitan Pavilion - 125 W. 18th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues)

Trade 2-7 / Public 3-7

Chicago - Tuesday, February 21

Union Station - 210 South Canal Street

Trade 2-6 / Public 3-6

I have attended the Tre Bicchieri tasting in New York City as well as the last two years in Chicago and can tell you that this is a superb event with more great Italian wines at one location than any other tasting in America. If you are an Italian wine lover, this is a can't miss degustazione!

Tre Bicchieri - A Success in Chicago

The Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri tasting was held in Chicago yesterday and by numerous accounts - a classic location, an excellent turnout and a wide array of Italy's finest wines - the event was a smashing success!


This was the second year for this event in Chicago - it is also held in New York City and San Francisco - and it was once again held in the beautiful Grand Hall of Union Station, notable for its classic Greek columns as well as the site of one of the classic scenes from the movie The Untouchables. Last year, the event was held on a Friday and attendance was good, but moving it to a Tuesday made a lot of difference this year, as by my estimate, there was at least a 30% increase in attendance. 


It was nice to see my fellow Chicagoans support this tasting, which is truly one of a kind. Gambero Rosso has become famous for its Tre Bicchieri ("three glasses") rating for the top wines each year in Italy (this year, only 402 wines out of more than 20,000 tasted received the award) and the results truly represent the spectacular variety that is the world of Italian wines.

If you wanted to only focus on the most famous reds, you could do that and sample Amarone from producers such as Allegrini, Masi, Tenuta Sant'Antonio and Zenato among others or you could taste Barolo from Mirafiore (Fontanafredda), Ettore Germano or Michele Chiarlo as well as Brunello di Montalcino from notable producers such as Banfi and Greppone Mazzi - and let's not forget Sassicaia!

Armando Castagnedi of Tenuta Sant'Antonio with Kristin Milles (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

But of course, there is a lot more to Italian wine than full-bodied reds; to balance things out there were many splendid sparkling wines from esteemed producers such as Ca' del Bosco, Guido Berlucchi, Ferrari and Villa Sandi (this last, one of the top houses of Prosecco). These wines showed wonderfully, but for me, the real surprise was the 2005 Brut from Sergio Mottura, a 100% Chardonnay from Lazio. Though Mottura has become quite well-known for his still wines made from Grechetto, I found this sparker to be even better; it is extremely elegant and round with excellent varietal character. Let's fact it, how often do you get to try a sparkling wine from Lazio?

As for white wines, the 2009 Cantina Tramin Gewurztraminer "Nussbaumer" was a standout - one smell of this wine instantly tells you this is a classic of its type - while the 2008 Livon Braide Alte is another outstanding achievement from this first-rate producer from Friuli. The 2009 Planeta Cometa, a 100% Fiano was one of the standout whites here, as was the 2009 Pietracalda from Feudi di San Gregorio in Campania.

I did find a few surprises with the reds, none more so than the 2006 Le Piane "Boca", a blend of Nebbiolo and Vespolina from a small area in northern Piemonte. This is medium-full with beautiful dried cherry fruit and young, but sleek tannins and a finish with very good acidity and notes of light dried herbs. This is a nice alternative to Barolo and it certainly can be consumed earlier. There are only a handful of producers that craft this charming red and this is one of the most stylish examples I've tasted.

I also loved the 2006 "Ceretta" Barolo from Ettore Germano, a subdued Barolo with silky tannins made in a classic traditional style as well as the remarkable 2007 Nino Negri "5 Stelle" Sfursat", a Nebbiolo with plenty of stuffing as well as an extremely long, persistent finish along with the varietally pure 2004 Mastroberardino Taurasi "Radici" Riserva, one of Campania's finest reds.

Sergio Germano, Ettore Germano Winery (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

Finally, for lovers of Tuscan reds, there was an embarrassment of riches, ranging from the 2007 Flaccianello from Fontodi to the 2007 Fontalloro from Felsina to the underrated 2007 Tenuta di Valgiano from vineyards in the Lucca area. You could even taste two wines from Tua Rita: the 2008 "Perlato del Bosco" Rosso and the 2008 Rediagaffi, one of Italy's most powerful examples of 100% Merlot. This was indeed a rare treat to be able to taste the last two wines!

So given the overall success of this tasting, I am looking forward to next year's event in Chicago. It will be difficult to top this year's tasting, but I'm sure the organizing team at Gambero Rosso, lead by Tiina Eriksson, Marco Sabellico and Eleonora Guerini will be up to the task.

Tre Bicchieri Tour Thoughts

It's that time of year again - lucky Italian wine lovers in three cities across America will be able to attend the annual Tre Bicchieri event organized by Gambero Rosso. The publication, considered Italy's wine bible, judges tens of thousands of Italian wines each year and honors a few hundred with their top rating of Tre Bicchieri (three glasses). These wines, emerging from all over the country, represent every style of Italian wines, from the beautiful sparkling wines of Francicorta to the shimmering whites of Alto Adige and Friuli to the most famous reds from Toscana, Piemonte, Veneto, Campania and many other regions.


This really is one of the finest and most comprehensive Italian wine tastings you could ever hope to attend (I know as I've been to three of them in the US), so for the trade, this is something you cannot miss. Here are the dates:

SAN FRANCISCO: February 16th
Press/Media: 2-3 PM PST
Public: 3 - 7 PM PST
Fort Mason Center - Herbst Pavillion | SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123 – 1382

NEW YORK: February 18th, 2011

Friday February 18, 2011 from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM EST
Metropolitan Pavilion | 125 West 18th Street (between 6th and 7th avenue) | NEW YORK, NY 10011

CHICAGO: February 22th, 2011
2:00 PM to 7:00 PM CST

Union Station - 210 South Canal Street | CHICAGO, IL 60606


More information can be found at this link:


To RSVP for any of these tastings, contact Christine Volkmer at: gambero@volkmerpr.com

Marco Sabellico, Gambero Rosso (Image - Porzioni Cremona)

Recently I spoke with Marco Sabellico, senior editor, Italian wines for the guide (look for him at the tastings), about several things about the tour, including what it means to the producers.


Tom Hyland:

What is the major benefit with this tour? How do the producers benefit - do some producers benefit more than others (perhaps a small producer from Lazio or Marche as compared to one from Toscana or Piemonte)? What is the primary benefit for Gambero Rosso?

Marco Sabellico: 

The main benefit of the tour is for the people who attend the events: They have a lot of top-quality wines and producers altogether. As for wineries small ones enjoy the benefit of being close to the well known names, the big ones get some audience from those who come only for small and unknown new names. Gambero is proud to be the brand who makes this possible, and a fantastic ambassador of high profile italian wineries in the world... so everybody is happy...

TH: How does the tour differ in the United States than in Italy or other countries?

MS: 

I must say that I notice a more sophisticated and expert audience... and a lot of professionals compared to the venues of other countries...

TH: 

What are the reactions you've seen from Americans that attend these tastings? How do they enjoy this event?

MS: 

Excellent reactions. Most of them, especially in NY and San Francisco are regulars who have been attending for more than 5 years... They keep on coming... (Editor's note: this is only the second Tre Bicchieri tasting to be held in Chicago.)

TH: Finally, what do you personally enjoy most about these events?

MS: 

We all enjoy our trips to the USA... we meet a lot of dedicated wine lovers, passionate collectors, and we have a chance to visit fantastic restaurants... It's important for us to see what's new in the USA...

How nice that Gambero Rosso makes the effort each year to conduct these tastings and offer so many great Italian producers the opportunity to showcase their wines. Marco, thank you for the excellent insight and thank you to those at Gambero Rosso for making these tastings possible.

I hope to see many of you in Chicago on February 22!

A Sublime Italian White Wine

I needed a wine to accompany some take-out Chinese food the other evening and as I usually can’t go wrong with an aromatic white from Italy, I selected the 2008 Colli di Lapio Fiano di Avellino .

While I looked forward to seeing how this wine would pair with my Pork Subgum Chow Mein (subgum is with almonds and broccoli and it’s become my one of my favorites), I was especially curious about this particular wine, as the Italian wine publication Gambero Rosso had named this the “White Wine of the Year” in their recently published 2010 Italian Wines guide. Pretty daunting stuff!

Now in reality, how can you select one wine as the best white (or red or sparkling or dessert) of the year? You can argue for a dozen, perhaps even two dozen bottlings that could also earn that title. So while honoring one wine as the best isn’t a perfect situation, all you can ask is that the wine is truly something special.

This one really is. I love Campanian whites and I have to admit that over the past few years, I’ve been more enamored with Greco di Tufo than Fiano di Avellino, as the former tends to offer more subtleties, at least in the bottlings I’ve had. So it was nice to taste a Fiano that wasn’t overly ripe or lush, but still had plenty of varietal character as well as wonderful complexity.

Here are my tasting notes, as they will appear in the next issue of my Guide to Italian Wines:

Bright, light yellow with beautiful aromas of melon, Bosc pear, acaica honey and chamomile. Medium-full with very good to excellent concentration. Rich, layered finish with outstanding persistence – almost fat. Vibrant acidity with prounced minerality in the finish. Outstanding fruit and superb winemaking combine to make this a first-rate Fiano di Avellino that is delicious now and will only improve for 3-5 years.

For such a wonderful white wine, I think the $26 retail price tag is very reasonable. This is a Marc de Grazia selection and there are various importers across the country. Needless to say, it may not be easy to find the wine, given the Gambero Rosso praise, but if it’s gone, wait a few months for the 2009 bottling.

In case you’re looking for something other than take-out Chinese food to pair with this or other bottlings of Fiano di Avellino, pasta with clams and/or mussels would be ideal as would cod, grouper or sea bass.


As well as a review of this wine, as well as some other whites from Campania (and Friuli), I'll also list my selections for the Best Italian Wines and Best Italian Producers of the Year. The subscription fee for one year of the guide is $30. If you only want this issue, the price is $10. For information on how to subscribe, click here.

Tre Bicchieri in Chicago

Text and photos ©Tom Hyland


Gambero Rosso wrapped up their annual Tre Bicchieri tastings last week with a glorious event in Chicago, the first such occurrence of its kind for my hometown. The organizers wisely selected the historic Union Station, just west of the Loop, and the old train station never looked so beautiful. Most vintners I spoke with that had participated in the two previous tastings in New York and San Francisco earlier in the week, offered their opinions that this was the best venue of the three.

This is an exciting tasting for the obvious reason that many of the best wines in Italy are available for tasting; Sassicaia, Bruno Giacosa Barolo and Barbaresco and Planeta Cometa are only a few examples of this. But going beyond the most famous offerings, this is an opportunity to sample wines that the magazine’s staff rated on an equal level (Tre Bicchieri) with those famous bottlings. These included wines made from Vermentino, Sylvaner and Grechetto for white and Corvina, Garganega and Pugnitello for red. Being able to taste a selection such as this is quite special and it gives one a sense of the variety of the Italian wine scene. The vintners of Italy have always prided themselves on the singularity of their products, so while a tasting of only Brunello, Barolo and Amarone would be thrilling, it wouldn’t give one a proper overview of contemporary Italian viticulture. Gambero Rosso is to be congratulated not only for organizing these tastings in the United States (and other countries), but also for including wines made from dozens of different varieties from every corner of the Italian peninsula.

Here is a brief list of a few of my favorites I tasted last Friday:

WHITES

Sergio Mottura
2008 Poggio della Costa
I get few opportunites to taste wines from Lazio – honestly, how many of us do – so when I finally had the opportunity to meet Sergio Mottura and samples his latest releases, I was delighted. Mottura specializes in Grechetto; this particular wine is aged only in stainless steel and offers lovely fragrances of melon and dried pear and has a distinct juiciness to it. Mottura also poured the 2007 Latour a Civitella, another pure Grechetto, which was aged in oak. This had mango and white spice notes with very good acidity. I actually preferred this wine, as has Gambero Rosso in previous vintages.

Sergio Mottura

Abbazzia di Novacella
2008 Sylvaner Praepositus
This historic estate in Alto Adige never disappoints and often surprises – how often do we classify a Sylvaner as a first-rate wine? Yet this 2008 offering is just that, given its peach, pear and apricot aromas, excellent persistence and lively acidity.

Cantina Lunae Bosoni
2008 Vermentino Colli di Luni “Etichetta Nera”
Vermentino is one of those wines that few consumers know, yet everyone seems to love once they try it. This is a splendid rendition with acacia and yellow apple aromas bursting out of the glass. This is a serious Vermentino I think will be enjoyable for another five years – or perhaps even longer.

Collavini
2008 Broy
This is one of the more famous “Super Whites” from Friuli and ir’s easy to see why, as this blend of Chardonnay, Friulano and Sauvignon is a seamless bottling that offers plenty of fruit (pear, apple) as well as spice (saffron, ginger). Rich with a lengthy finish, yet quite elegant and never overpowering – truly one of the more subtle botlings of its type.

Livon
2007 Braide Alte
While the Collvini Broy is low-key, this wine is more outgoing. A blend primarily of Chardonnay and Sauvignon (Blanc), this oak-aged white has great depth of fruit to back up the lovely aromas of spiced pear, chamomile and hyacinth. The well-structured finish is quite lengthy and the wine overall is quite sensual. This should age for at least a decade.

Elena Walch
2008 Gewurztraminer “Kastelaz”
No surprise here, as each year this wine captures the exotic fragrances of this variety as well as any other example in Italy. One whiff of the piercing lychee aromas and you’re captivated by this wine! Dry, full-bodied and quite complex, this is just a baby – check back on this in about five years.


REDS


Olim Bauda
2006 Barbera d’Asti Nizza
A producer that is hardly known in this country, although that might change with this wine. Deep ruby red with black plum and mocha aromas, this is rich, ripe and delicious! There are so many excellent offerings of Barbera from the strict Nizza appellation; this is prime evidence of how ideal this zone is for this variety.

Cecchi
2006 Coevo
For anyone who knows Cecchi merely for their humble Chianti Classico, I offer this wine as evidence of how good the wines are at this large estate in Castellina. A blend of Sangiovese from the Chianti Classico zone and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot from the Maremma (an intriguing concept), this has notes of red raspberry and black cherry fruit along with a touch of dill, elegant tannins and excellent persistence. A nicely balanced and stylish Super Tuscan.

Tenuta di Valgiano
2006 Tenuta di Valgiano
This Tuscan estate, located near Lucca, has been improving its reds for some time now and this 2006 bottling, a blend of Sangiovese, Syrah and Merlot is a beautifully textured wine with ideal ripness, elegantly styled tannins and ideal acidity. I am enjoying the 2006 reds from Tuscany immensely; this is one of my favorites to date.

Antonelli
2004 Sagrantino di Montefalco Chiusa di Pannone
This is the first bottling of this cru and Filippo Antonelli is off to a brilliant start with this wine. Always one of the area's most traditional producers, Antonelli has delivered a deeply concentrated effort with lovely perfumes and beautiful acidity; he has also managed to tame the aggressive tannins of Sagrantino. This Umbrian red is one of Italy's most underrated wines; perhaps this will bring the area's offerings greater attention.

Filippo Antonelli

Vajra
2005 Barolo “Bricco delle Viole”
The 2005 Barolos are beautifully balanced wines and now that the wines have been in the bottle for some time, their fruit is emerging quite gracefully. Aldo Vajra always crafts his wines in an elegant style and this bottling is as graceful as you could hope for with Barolo. It also has pinpoint acidity, subtle spice and refined tannins – in short, a superb Barolo.

Fontanafredda
2004 Barolo Lazzarito La Delizia
This particular cru Barolo is always released later than the other crus from this estate, due to its higher level of tannins. 2004 was a great year in Barolo and this bottling has the power of that vintage combined with plenty of spice and fruit. Look for this to be at its best in 20 years or so.

Bruno Giacosa
2005 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto
One of Piemonte’s giants, Bruno Giacosa seems incapable of producing anything less than a superb wine when it comes to Barolo and Barbaresco. Full-bodied, with aromas of currants and truffles, this grabs hold of you and never lets go. A rich mid-palate and a lengthy finish with outstanding concentration, this is a memorable 2005 Barolo.

Elvio Cogno
2004 Barolo Vigna Elena
This is a special Barolo from Cogno produced solely from the rosé clone that few producers bother with anymore. As the clone’s name might suggest, this is a perfumed offering with sensual notes of red roses and red cherrieS with a long, graceful finish, excellent concentration and lively acidity. If a wine is to age for decades, it must be in equilibrium when it is released; this is a textbook example of perfect balance.


DESSERT

Ca’ Rugate
2006 Recioto di Soave La Perlara
Let’s end with a sweet wine – e che un vino dolce! Made exclusively from Garganega grapes that were naturally dried for several months, this is lightly sweet with notes of honey, apricot and pear and finishes with cleansing acidity. Michele Tessari has always managed to make a rich Recioto di Soave that is always elegant without being too fat or lush. I am glad to see that Gambero Rosso finally decided to give their highest award to a Recioto di Soave.


All in all, this was a wonderful event that was well-attended. I do hope the organizers will return to Chicago as this event will only grow in popularity.

I want to thank everyone from Gambero Rosso who worked on this event for their efforts, especially Tiina Eriksson and Marco Sabellico, who were especially gracious.

Tre Bicchieri Week

The annual Tre Bicchieri tastings of Gambero Rosso take place this week in three U.S. cities: New York, San Francisco and Chicago. The Tre Bicchieri designation (three glasses) is the highest rating awarded to a wine in the magazine’s annual Guide; hence these wines are among the very best in all of Italy. This is a rare opprtunity to try these wines in the same setting; it’s also a marvelous way to take a viticultural tour of the Italian peninsula and get a feel for the pulse of the country’s wine industry.

The New York tasting is being held today (Monday), while the San Francisco event is on Wednesday, the 24th with the Chicago event taking place on Friday, the 26th. If you have not signed up yet (there is a trade and media session as well as one for consumers), go to this link for information on how to enroll.

I will be at the Chicago event on Friday and hope to see you there!


Below is a partial list of some of the wines to be poured at these tastings (there will be more than 90 wines at each tasting):


ABRUZZO
2006 Villa Medoro Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane Adrano
2007 Torre dei Beati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

ALTO ADIGE
2008 Elena Walch Gewurztraminer Kastelaz
2006 Cantina Terlano Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg

FRIULI
2007 Livon Braide Alte
2008 Venica Sauvignon Ronco delle Mele
2008 Collavini Bianco Broy

LIGURIA
2008 Cantine Lunae Bosoni Vermentino Lunae Etichetta Nera

LOMBARDIA
2004 Berlucchi Franciacorta Brut Extreme Palazzo Lana
2006 Nino Negri Valtellina Sfursat 5 Stelle

MARCHE
2007 Garofoli Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Superiore Podium
2007 Velnosi Rosso Piceno Superiore Roggio del Filare

PIEMONTE
2005 Brezza Barolo Sarmassa
2004 Elvio Cogno Barolo Vigna Elena
2004 Fontanafredda Barolo Lazzarito La Delizia
2005 Malvira Roero Rosso Renesio Riserva
2005 Marchesi do Barolo Barolo Sarmassa
2006 Michele Chiarlo Barbera d’Asti Nizza La Court
2004 Oddero Barolo Mondoca di Bussia Soprana
2005 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito
2004 Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Rabaja
2005 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili

SICILIA
2006 Donnafugata Milleunanotte
2007 Cusumano Sagana
2008 Planeta Cometa

TOSCANA
2006 Antinori Tignanello
2006 Ricasoli Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico
2004 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino
2006 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
2006 Sapaio Bolgheri Superiore Sapaio
2006 Vignamaggio Villa Vignamaggio
2007 San Felice Pugnitello

TRENTINO
2000 Ferrari Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore Brut
2004 Mezzacorona Teroldego Rotaliano Riserva

UMBRIA
2004 Antonelli Sagrantino di Montefalco Chiusa di Pannone
2006 Perticaia Montefalco Sagrantino

VENETO
2006 Ca’Rugate Recioto di Soave La Perlara
2004 Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Campolongo di Torbe
2008 Nino Franco Valdobbiadene Grave di Stecca Brut
2005 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Corte Giara
2005 Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

Tre Bicchieri tastings - USA

I've just learned the deails about the Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri tastings to be held in New York, San Francisco and Chicago the last week of February. Anyone in the trade who is interested can go this this link for details on how to register

As I live in Chicago, I am particularly excited about this event, as this is the first time it is being held in my hometown. I attended this event a few years ago in New York City and loved it, not only given the opportunity to taste a great cross-section of Italy's best wines, but also the chance to meet many of the country's most famous winery owners and winemakers.

Soon, I will have a list of producers whose wines will be poured at the Chicago event - check back for that.

Gambero Rosso's quirks

The 2010 guide from Gambero Rosso has been out for a few weeks now and I wanted to discuss their latest look at the top Italian wines of the year. While this admittedly is a far more important publication in Italy, there are many wine buyers and Italian wine fans in this country that look to this guide as a barometer of the finest bottlings from Italy.

I am not writing this to take them to fault with any one particular wine; that is an exercise in futility. If you like a wine and I don’t, it’s not a matter of one of us being wrong or right. Rather we can agree to disagree on a wine. It’s the same with Gambero Rosso, especially as they prefer riper, oakier wines more often than I do. But that’s the nature of the beast – you take them at face value. I may not like a particular Brunello, Barolo or Amarone that GR favors due to its style (and style is a large part of why any of us like a wine, whether we admit it or not), but at least if Gambero Rosso gives a wine its top award of Tre Bicchieri (three glasses), I want to know the wine is worthy of that honor.

Thus I have a problem with the 2010 guide awarding their highest rating to 33 examples of Barolo from the 2005 vintage. Barolo is certainly one of the two or three most exemplary red wines of Italy, but that doesn’t mean it’s great in every vintage and 2005 is proof of that. I tasted more than 150 examples this past May at the Alba Wines Exhibition, a first-rate event for journalists from around the world that I attend every year. Of the 150, I found four (that’s F-O-U-R) wines that I thought were of the highest quality.

Now granted, there are some famous bottlings I did not try then, so perhaps there are a few more examples I might have rated as outstanding. But it’s hard for me to believe that there are 30 Barolos from 2005 that are exceptional, as Gambero Rosso would have us believe. As I said previously, I want to know a wine is worthy of that honor and I don’t believe 2005 was the type of vintage that yielded greatness.

Perhaps Gambero Rosso has a quota for awarding a certain number of Barolos with Tre Bicchieri. How elese do you explain that last year (in the 2009 guide) they awarded 31 bottlings of 2004 Barolo with this award? Add in three additional 2004 Barolos given the award this year (these three wines were released later than most examples from 2004) and you have basically the same number of 2004 Barolos getting the top award as those from 2005. This is quite remarkable and in reality, quite a strange ranking of Barolo. I do like the 2005 Barolos very much (see my tasting notes on several dozen of these wines at the vinowire blog), but the vintage doesn’t come close to 2004. That was an outstanding vintage, as the wines were more deeply concentrated, with more pronounced aromatics and greater complexity. Quite simply, it’s a bit ridiculous to award as many Barolos from 2005 as highly as their counterparts from 2004. How else can you explain this except to think there is an allocation each year in the guide for a certain number of Barolos?

Contrast that with Brunello di Montalcino. While wine writers argue about the merits of 2004 for Brunello (I think it was excellent, while others have written that the wines are a bit light for the vintage and not that great), no one questions that 2004 was a far superior year for Brunello as compared with 2003. Happily, Gambero Rosso agrees, as last year they awarded only one 2003 Brunello (Biondi-Santi) with their top rating, while 16 bottlings of 2004 Brunello earned that award. This is a little more like it, so why the discrepancy between Barolo and Brunello? (By the way, GR, yes on the Tre Bicchieri to the 2004 Brunellos from Talenti – a wonderfully underrated traditional producer – Poggio di Sotto and Poggio Antico “Altero”, but why not Il Poggione, Col d’Orcia or Pian dell’Orino?)


I do want to point out that there are some very good Tre Bicchieri awards this year, especially to some wines that don’t get anywhere near the attention given to Barolo or Brunello. The 2007 Etna Rosso “Musmeci” from Tenuta di Fessina was honored with the top award and it’s nice to see this recognition for this new company. I visited the vineyards this past March and tasted the new releases and was thoroughly impressed. The “Musmeci” is a lovely, supple Etna red made from 80 year old vines; the morel cherry and red floral aromas are gorgeous and the wine is quite velvety. This is NOT a wine that favors power over elegance, so nice work by GR in recognizing this wine with their top honor.

Also, nice of GR to recognize Villa Monteleone with the award for their 2005 Amarone. Monteleone is managed by Lucia Raimondi, who has been responsible for everyday operations since the death of her husband a few years back. Her wines are as gentle as she is – she is such a lovely person and how nice that all of her hard work has paid off. This is an Amarone of suppleness; it’s nice to see another producer depart from the ultra ripe, oaky approach taken with too many examples of Amarone these days. By the way, if you like the Villa Monteleone Amarone, I think you’d love their Ripasso bottling labeled “Campo San Vito”; I think it’s a better wine than the Amarone.

Finally, congratulations to the superb Soave producer Ca’Rugate for two Tre Bicchieri awards, one for their 2008 “Monte Fiorentine” bottling (a wonderfully rich no-oak Soave Classico that is simply delicious) and for their 2007 Recioto di Soave “La Perlara”. For several years, Ca’Rugate has been one of the very best producers of Recioto di Soave (only Pieropan can match their consistency with this product, in my opinion) and it’s about time that GR gave them this award. In fact, I believe this is the very first time GR has given a Recioto di Soave their top rating. If you haven’t tried a Recioto di Soave, you will love this lush, lightly sweet dessert wine with a delicate nuttiness – it’s quite rich and it ages for a long time. Congratulations to winemaker Michele Tessari and the rest of his family for their work with these two wines and their entire lineup. Ca’Rugate is a great Italian winery and how nice that Gambero Rosso has noticed that (for several years now, I must add) as well!