Article: Scenes from VinItaly

Which we did, in a very big way, for two weeks. Every moment scheduled, every meal planned, amazing experience piled upon amazing experience. This extreme approach is not recommended, as over-saturation is always looming. But we were on a mission - to learn and absorb and bring back as much new inspiration as possible in a short amount of time. And happily, mission was accomplished.

VinItaly

For any one who’s ever been to an industry tradeshow, upon first glance the scene might look familiar – albeit on a grander scale. But upon closer inspection you realize that this is no COMDEX. No Powerpoint presentations, tchotchkes, brochures or booth staff in matching logo shirts to be seen. No live presentations about the ROI of X technology, no iPod giveaways. Meeting tables are lined with wine bottles and spit buckets, booth babes wear Lucite heels, and meetings are quick: taste, spit, discover import status, talk price (all in Italian), and move on. You’ve got 20 pavilions and 4500 producers to see, theoretically. Yes, the subject matter is inherently more fun than say, technology or medical device, but make no mistake (as I did last year), it is business. First-timers who arrive expecting a ZAP-like social experience where you walk around tasting (a.k.a. drinking) as much as possible before the tongue and teeth turn purple will be disappointed. You are here to evaluate the new vintage and make spot decisions about which wines you want to order, bring in, investigate further or avoid altogether – which means you must keep your wits about you through 10 hours of tasting.   To do so, you absolutely have to spit.  Yes, spit out all of this fabulous wine that you may never taste again because most of it isn’t even imported (yet).  This was the hardest thing for me to grasp on my first VinItaly trip last year, and I’m still not very good at it – lots of dribbling, splashing, etc.  I even made the mistake of telling a producer in my new Italian, “non posso sputare” (I can’t spit), to his extreme delight.  It took me a few moments to realize the huge gaff I’d made, but the red face lingered. Those Italian men…   

Despite raging jet lag, we arrive at the fiera by 10am and power through until 7pm. We discover some fun new stuff, including amazing sparkling wines from a tiny family producer called Vivaldi Arunda in Alto Adige (not imported, but we are working on that), and a sparkling Malvasia from Ernete Medici called “Daphne”.  At some point during the day I start noticing dominant fashion trends that I am sure will be all the rage in the states come 2007 - more on that later.  We end the day sitting down with the winemaker from Bisol (makers of Crede, Ottimista’s best-selling Prosecco).  And by this point, I am so done spitting. 

It goes without saying that we enjoy a lovely dinner each and every night with far too much food and wine. Tonight we break bread (and lots of it - I am addicted to the bread) with the lovely Cantele family from Puglia (producers of the fantastic 'Amativo' on Ottimista's bottle list) at La Taverna di Via Stella in Verona. Cavallo, or horse (as in Black Beauty) is a specialty of the Veneto region, but luckily none was to be found on the dishes set in front of us tonight. But there was a standout bigoli con anatro (thick housemade spaghetti with duck ragu). And lots of lovely proscuitto - pig in many cured forms is also a favorite in the most of Northern Italy. At the end of the evening I am introduced to the joys of Fernet Baranca, which boasts digestive qualities that will prove indispensable on this trip. No wonder the industry has embraced this magic elixir!

(Note on lodging: each night we make our way up the hill outside of Verona to a refuge from the insanity of Verona during VinItaly. For two years we have stayed at the agriturismo Ca’del Rocolo (www.cadelrocolo.com) run by the lovely Ilaria , affectionately known as our Italian mom.  Not super convenient – it’s about a 30-minute drive from the fiera, but they drive you to and from town. And it truly is like staying with a relative on the farm (if you are lucky enough to have one) – two simple but comfortable rooms, horses, chickens and dogs roaming about, and a vast breakfast of home baked goods, all ingredients grown or harvested on the property (including the flour, which Illaria grounds herself).  She will even make you dinner if requested, as we did the night of our arrival (and do your laundry if you muddy your tennis shoes on a sunrise walk with Viva the dog.)

On day two of VinItaly, I once again don completely insensible pointy toe heels (Italians notice shoes - practical is not allowed), and we hit the fair. Today we are booked with one of our key importers, Domaine Select, for a marathon around the fiera to hit all of the wineries they represent. We start with a six-year vertical tasting of Barolos at Poggio Valente, which sounds fantastic until you consider the fact that it is 11am, and you've already got a little bit of queasiness going on (jet lag/Puglia wine from previous night). But ever the troopers, we march on, swirling, sniffing, tasting and spitting our way through six fantastic vintages of Barolo. After the first half hour and several bottles of acqua, I'm even able to enjoy and absorb important information about the environmental factors that make each wine unique. I'd always thought I preferred the fruit-forward character of a really warm vintage, but after tasting six years side by side and letting them open up over the course of an hour, I realize that my early favorite, the super hot 2000, goes flat quickly, and that 1996, which I didn't love at first sip, actually turned out to be much more interesting, with lovely, smooth rose and cherry flavors that developed with air. By the end of the second day I have compiled a well-documented list of fashion predictions based on key trends spotted on the fiera floor. Numero uno is the aforementioned orange pants for men.

These are often worn with yellow shirts and/or accessories, or on the truly fashion-forward, orange shirts.  For women, it was knee-length short suits. Even more cutting edge were the patterned jeans.  Remember, when you see it in Vogue this fall, you heard it here first.

Alto Adige

VinItaly is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, so most trade guests skip the weekend to avoid the mob of Italian teenagers taking advantage of the all-you-can-drink buffet.  We follow suit, and head up to Alto Adige for a special tasting hosted by the region’s most famous winemaker, Alois Lageder.  A bit of a rebel, Alois boycotts VinItaly each year, due to the expense and overwhelming nature of the event.  Instead he invites other similarly-minded winemakers, including big names like Bruno Giacosa, Jermann and Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, up to his winery in Magre for Summa06, a mini-fiera of sorts.  We join a few hundred other customers and industry folks for a walk-around tasting of the different producers’ 2005 vintages and a lunch paired with the wines.  A highlight (in addition to the asparagus soup with smoked trout at lunch) is the tour of Lageder’s state-of-the-art facility, which includes a barrel room with piped-in classical music and amoeba wall projections. They believe that music stimulates optimal cell activity in the barrels – similar to the school of thought that says classical music promotes growth in plants.  Does it work?  I’m a believer, judging by Lageder’s ‘05 Muller-Thurgau.

Piemonte

We spend the next week in Piemonte, land of Barolo, Barbaresco and other big reds, with a full schedule of producer visits across the region. Our home base for the first few nights is Acqui Terme, an ancient city near Alba known for its thermal hot springs. We stumble across a tiny enoteca the first night, Enoteca La Curia - exactly the type of local, traditional wine bar that first inspired my visions of Ottimista. Exposed brick walls, open beams, wine crammed into every nook and cranny, a little bar offering affordable wines by the glass, and a smorgasbord of snacks laid out – complimentary of course.  With only a few barstools, it is standing room only, and the atmosphere is that of a cocktail party, with happy groups standing elbow to elbow, enjoying vino, focaccia, fritatta and chickpea farinata (big Ligurian influence here).  After dinner at a simple trattoria, I make another amazing discovery – Barolo Chinato. A lovely herbal-infused digestif made with Barolo wine, Chinato is customarily served with another local specialty, amaretti, little almond macaroon cookies. A perfect ending to a big meal – and a combo you might see at Ottimista some day!

The next day we meet with Claudio Manera for a tour of the Castelvero winery (where the Castelvero Barbera, often on our wine-by-the-glass menu, is made). Claudio is the managing director and winemaker of the parent company Araldica, which is essentially a not-for-profit cooperative owned by the grape growers themselves. Whatever profits are not reinvested in the business or used to cover overhead costs are distributed among the approximately 300 growers. We learn soon see this model is quite typical in Italy.

Claudio then takes us to the Il Cascinone estate, one of the vineyards actually owned by Araldica, for a tasting.  All of the wines are fantastic, but our favorite discovery happens to be the 1997 Alasia Brut that he serves with lunch.  A labor of love for Claudio, this wine isn’t currently imported, and he said he would most like not make another vintage because it hadn’t really caught on.  We love it - a crisp refreshing, older-vintage methode Champenois sparkler made of their estate grapes - and begin discussions with Tony, our Vias importer and travel companion, about bringing it in especially for Ottimista.

Tuesday we drive to Streve di Asti for a vist with Marenco, one of the best Moscato d’Asti producers.  Three sisters run the winery, having taken over the reins from their father.  The winemaking sister Patrizia takes us for a four-wheel drive tour of the vineyards.  It’s all rolling hills, vineyards on every slope, and small patches of forest to break up the view – this is movie-set perfect Italian wine country.

And of course we enjoy the range of Marenco wines with lunch.  Particularly intriguing was their very unique ‘Carialoso’ (which means “carried by donkeys”, referring to the steep vineyard slopes).  An indigenous varietal also called “white barbera”, Marenco is the only producer making wine with it.

Later that afternoon we head off to commune of Barolo for visit with Valter Fissore, producer of the acclaimed Cogno Barolos. With some of the most prestigious vineyards in Barolo and a huge collection of Tre Bicchieri awards, Valter is surprisingly young, low key and modest. He took over the Cogno production from his father-in-law, and continues to keep the family in the business. His acclaimed Barolo Vigne Elena is named after the vineyard he planted when his daughter, Elena, was born eleven years ago. And the label contains her artwork – a bird drawing colored at age three.

For the next few nights we actually get to sleep in one of the premier vineyards of Barbaresco, Ovello, thanks to the generosity of our host Aldo Vacca of Produttore del Barbaresco (www.ovelloagriturismo.it).  After a lovely (and extensive) dinner at our only 1-star Michelin restaurant of the trip, Antine in Barbaresco (and the best cheese plate ever), we waddle back to our guest house in the midst of some of the finest Nebbiolo grapes. Life is good.

The next morning we meet Aldo at the Produttore winery for a tour of the production facility (very interesting to see up close the solid titrate removal process) and a history lesson about the Produttore organization. Also a non-profit cooperative, Produttore is owned by 65 growers. But unlike some coops who band together to sustain themselves as they build a market for their wines, Produttore is a very prestigious organization known for making some of the best Barbaresco on the market - producers must actually be selected to join. And once in, very few leave to make their own wine, as Produttore pays double what the market generally bears for grapes. In return, Produttore can demand the best quality grapes and enforce strict standards of vineyard yield.

Later that afternoon we witness first hand the quality – and amazing aging potential - of the wines. Aldo treats us to a vertical tasting of Ovello vineyard Barbarescos from 1970-1999.

A newbie, I do not realize how special this is until midstream when I notice my seasoned wine industry companions Jerad and Tony, starry-eyed and grinning from ear to ear, are not spitting a drop.  And then it all starts to come together – some years have held up better than others, but you see how the strong tannins in a younger Barbaresco translate into freshness and complexity and great fruit, but with a unique, smooth elegance, over time.  1971 was one of my favorites – perhaps the oldest wine I’ve ever tasted, and certainly one of the best.  This is an experience that will go down in the all-time-coolest archives.

We’re kept busy the remainder of our stay in Piemonte with a few more producer visits, and a lot more eating.  We drive to Dogliani to see Attilio and Orlando Pecchenino, makers of fantastic Dolcetto di Dogliani.

We pay a quick visit to Fernando of Principiano andsee the beautiful vineyards where he grows the nebbiolo for his great Barolos.

We spend serious quality time in the Enoteca Regionale del Barbaresco, housed in an old church in the center of tiny Barbaresco – literally a shrine to the town’s namesake wine. We stop in at the other enoteca in Barbaresco, La Gibigianna, whose proprietor is so passionate about cheese that he drives several hours on his one day off each week to the mountains of Piemonte to pick up i formaggi directy from the farmers who make it.  I still dream about the spectacular unpasteurized gorgonzola tasted there.  We eat Tajarin (a very eggy, very rich, fresh pasta), rabbit braised in Barolo and other Piemontese specialties at Osteria dell’Unione.  Here, according to Aldo, the founders of the Slow Foods movement hung out as they conceived the idea of this organization dedicated to the preservation of local, traditional cuisine. 1 Via Alba, Treiso (7 kilometers east of Alba), tel: (173) 638-303.

Val d’Aosta

Our final destination is a little known region of Northern Italy, Val d’Aosta, at the foot of the Alps near the French border, home to some of the newest DOC appellations in Italy (Torrette, Nus Rouge, Nus Malvoisie, Blanc de Morgex, Donnas, Enfer d’Arvier, among others – all ones I’d never even heard of in the states).  Less than an hour from Mont Blanc and Courmayeur Alpine resort villages, this area is popular with skiers and flaunts a kitschy medieval Alpine charm.  There must be more castles per square inch here than anywhere in Europe.

But after tasting the fantastic wines being made of really cool indigenous varietals like Petite Arvine and Blanc de Morgex, we think vino should be the main attraction here.  Fortunately, it will never become the Napa of Italy because of tiny production and limited distribution – relatively new wine appellation, and very difficult to grow grapes given steep slopes and harsh climate.  But unfortunately this means that we in America will be deprived of some really great – and great value - wines.

We visit Les Cretes, the biggest producer of the region (and who does have some distribution to the U.S.), as well as the Cave des Onze Communes, a coop that produces stunning Muller-Thurgau, Torrette and Muller Grappa (we know it’s good when we see several carloads of French people who have driven over the border to pick up cases of wine).  Another fun discovery was the Cave du Vin Blanc, which makes several Blanc de Morgex (indigenous white grape) wines from the highest elevation vineyards in Italy.  Despite a cheesy label, their spectacular ‘Refrain’ sparkling blend might be the best aperitif wine – light, great fruit and acidity, totally refreshing – that I’ve had in a long time.  And it was only 5 € a bottle!  We also loved the wines from Famiglia Anselmet, a tiny father/son operation making so little wine that they had not even one bottle left from the current vintage.  Home base was the La Meridiana hotel, run by the charming Martinet family – simple rooms but they have one of those great breakfasts full of home-baked goodness that you find in Austria or Germany, as well as a wine cellar where you pick your bottle for dinner, http://www.albergomeridiana.it/eng/defaulte.htm.

Arriverderchi

Since we’re flying home from Milan, we head back to Piemonte to spend the last evening in the commune of Gavi, a straight shot up the Autostrada from Malpensa airport.  Domaine Select (thanks Jeff!) hooks us up at the Villa Sparina, a great Gavi producer who happens to have a luxurious B&B on the property, Albergo L’Ostelliere, http://www.ostelliere.it/. By this point, experience saturation has set in, so we do absolutely nothing but loaf around the beautiful 17th century property all day. Well, that and enjoy one final gorgeous meal at the hotel’s gourmet restaurant, La Gallina.  It was the perfect way to end the trip.  Although next time I will save up enough energy to explore the best designer outlets in Italy, a mere five minutes away…

The whole experience is so overwhelming that it takes about two weeks for everything to sink in - the lessons learned, the culture absorbed, the connections made – but it is clear that both Jerad and I are newly energized and inspired.  While we enjoyed everything immensely, the annual pilgrimage to Italy is not about drinking and eating, not relaxation nor vacation.  It is about revisiting the place that first inspired Ottimista, and getting fresh ideas to improve the experience.  In tangible (wine list, food menu) and intangible ways (attitude, sense of place), we hope to incorporate these new ideas - and in so doing, bring a little more of Italy to the enoteca in San Francisco.