Sunday, February 12, 2023

Top Italian Wines Road Show 2023

We received an invitation from distributor Gambero Rosso to a tasting of Italian Wines;
they were looking for South African negociants and buyers
We accepted promptly
We do not have many chances to taste Italian wines here, unless we invest in them ourselves
It was a learning experience too, as styles change quickly overseas
and this sort of tasting keeps us up to date on the current trends

It was held at The Lookout, a large conference/event venue at the edge of the V&A Waterfront precinct
which has convenient parking across the road

Gambero Rosso last visited South Africa in 2016
 They host 40 events around the world each year to promote the Italian wines they support
46000 wines were tasted and 27000 reviewed this year by 70 people for their comprehensive guide
The reviewers spend six months travelling through the Italian wine areas. Their top award is called I Tre Bicchieri

Where to start; there were many different brands from different Italian areas
with different wines from the grape varietals grown in each
and, from North to South, there are huge temperature and terroir differences

Attendance at the event was by invitation only and it was well attended

We decided to start with the sparkling wines which, in Italy, are mostly Prosecco
These were from an area Lynne is familiar with, as she used to ski in there
and sampled the cool climate wines of the Veneto and the Alto Adige regions

A card like this was on each table

and, indeed, the Proseccos from those two regions were crisper than those from other areas

Andrea Foulkes of Dish Food and Social had laid on lots of wonderful Italian style cheeses and

delicious aubergine fritters

A huge platter of perfectly rare cold roast beef with tomatoes, rocket, mushrooms and Parmigiana

We were rather impressed with these Collalto wines from Veneto
The Proseccos had depth, lasting crispness and clean finishes
We (and many others) particularly enjoyed the Violetta Extra Dry Rosé Vino Spumante
and hope that this range does find an importer
We then went on to taste many more wines from different areas, far too many to describe,
but all were interesting and several were enjoyable
Italian wines are usually 'built' to go with food, so they change their personality when accompanied by something to eat

There is a terrace outside with views of the sea and Table Mountain

Taking a break. We were there from 2.30 to 6.30

Doppio Giorgio - Chef Restaurateur Giorgio Nava and Veteran winemaker Giorgio Dalla Cia
So good to see them both looking so fit and well 

Le Monde wines, we enjoyed tasting these well-made wines

which are imported by South African Kristian Formenti, who has a Danish mother and an Italian father

We had booked to take part in a guided tasting of these 12 wines, 1 to 12 left to right

We particularly enjoyed No.3 Tenuta Il Palagion Baci sulla Bocca 2021
(charmingly translates to Kisses on the Mouth), a Vermentino from Tuscany which we scored 17.5/20,

No.8 Coppi Gioia del Colle Primitivo Senatore 2017 from Puglia (18/20)

No. 9 Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Villa Gemma Ris, 2017 (17.5/20)

and No. 12, the last wine of the tasting;
full of richness, spice and sweet complexity with prunes, raisins and plums, Christmas notes
Teuta Sant'Antonio Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli 2017 from Veneto. (18/20)

In the guided tasting room,

Cape Wine Master Winnie Bowman chaired the session;
 the wines were introduced to us by Marco Sabellici (on the right)
one of the Senior Editors of the Gambero Rosso Italian Wine Guide - which is rather like our Platter Guide
He was supported by one of his colleagues

Now there is a clever idea, provided to all tasters
A small neck pack and a disposable spittoon, so essential when one is tasting this quantity of wine

After the guided tastings, there was an awards ceremony for the Top Italian Restaurants in the Cape,
 something Gambero Rosso promotes with its wine shows

The presentation was made by Gambero Rosso Director Luigi Salerno,
accompanied by Italian Consul Emanuele Pollio 

David and Sue Sonnenberg of Diemersfontein in Wellington were attending the tasting and the awards ceremony

Giorgio Nava receiving his prize for his 95 at Parks in Wynberg, judged the best Italian restaurant in Cape Town 2023

The certificate

The top Italian Restaurants in Cape Town - 95 at Parks, Scala Pasta/Bar, Osteria Tarantino, Lievito and Pizza Connection
We know Giorgio and 95 at Parks, but now need to try the others, with which we are not familiar

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