Yes, again we are playing an unbeatable Piedmont card. This time – with another set of great producers: Gianni Gagliardo, Albino Rocca and Giuseppe Mascarello. All wines are local, meaning classical. Among whites there are Roero Arneis and Favorita from Gagliardo. The first one is easier and very quaffable, the second – rather serious if not the most important of all wines made from the odd Favorita grapes. As for the reds, the two ones from Albino Rocca – are convincing examples of the modern style in winemaking. Both Dolcetto d’Alba and Barbaresco are fruity and intense, although in Dolcetto the fresh aromas of dark berries almost eliminate any feel of tannins while nothing could hide hefty tannins of Barbaresco. On the other hand, they are two wines of different destinies; Dolcetto is to be drunk now whereas properly powerful structure of Barbaresco guarantees its long and successful future. Finally, crowning our festival is Barolo from Giuseppe Mascarello. Things could not get any more classical: very special vineyard (Santo Stefano di Perno of Monforte d’Alba), small harvest, extended aging in large Slavonian barrels. A magnificent wine.

Please learn more about the new specials of our chef Costantino Passalacqua.

Sergei Gusovsky

- this slogan will unite millions of people who share a passion for the celebration of this young wine’s arrival.  We would like to take the hat off admitting such a phenomenal success of the French marketing gurus and are happy to join this event with the wine from famous producer, “the King” of Beaujolais – Mr. Georges Duboeuf. The specials though are quintessentially Italian and we do not feel envious towards French people here.

Sergei Gusovsky

Our mini-festival is dedicated to two great wines by great Antinori. We are going to serve super-Tuscans Tignanello and Guado al Tasso by the glass. Five years ago we did just that. The difference between these festivals though is that in 2002 we did put the wines on sale right after their arrival to Kiev, but now gave them a chance to lie for a year in our cellar. Sure, Tignanello and Guado al Tasso of 2003 would have only gained by resting quietly for some more five-seven years, but we wouldn’t have been ready for such squandering as "by the glass" service. Anyway, you can taste these wines now, as well as buy a bottle to two for a further careful storage.

A few technical details:

The year of 2003 was very hot. That could not help influencing the style of wines – they appear utterly ripe and thick. They might not be destined for as long of existence as the wines of 1999 or 2001, but after all we are drinking them today, aren’t we?..

Tignanello
85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
A wine from the very centre of Tuscan, from the Chianti Classico area. Produced since 1970. The first wine of Sangiovese grape which was exposed to maturing in oak barriques, the first Italian wine which was produced with addition of foreign grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon) and finally one of the first red wines in Chianti area which they began to produce without using white grape varieties.

Guado al Tasso
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Syrah
Produced since 1990. The vineyards are located in the surroundings of the village of Bolgheri, in immediate proximity to vineyards of Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia). This wine may seem richer and bolder than Tignanello. Maybe less Italian and more French. But we are getting too personal here.

Sergei Gusovsky

So, the autumn is here. Don’t you feel like going to Piedmont? Truffles, Barolo and Barbaresco, Toma’ and Robiola (these are cheeses), Tajarin (that’s pasta)… In fact, not that difficult to arrange – just fly to Milan, from there go to Alba and after checking for a week into on of the local hotels – start making a day-trips around. If for any reason though you have to stay in Kiev though, there is a way to mitigate the Piedmontese syndrome: participate in our wine festival. During the next week we will be serving two types of Gavi (from Azienda Broglia) and three Barbera’s (from Boroli and from the famous Braida). Needless to say, all of the wines could be ordered by the glass.

Please learn more about the new specials of our chef Costantino Passalacqua.

Sergei Gusovsky

With this new wine festival we are going to ignore our own tradition. Typically, when showing the wines from Friuli we were preferring only the white ones, particularly Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio. This time, with the wines of Girolamo Dorigo, things will be arranged differently. Besides two whites (pleasant, fruity and flowery Ribolla Gialla and full-bodied Chardonnay) we will be serving by the glass two wonderful reds, both from the autochthonous grapes: a very fine, classically shaped, matured Tazzelenghe and a modern, powerful Pignolo (three glasses from Gambero Rosso if you care).
 
As always, the new specials of our chef Costantino Passalacqua are coming just in time for the festival.

Sergei Gusovsky

Our new wine festival is dedicated to whites from Friuli and reds from Italian South, namely from Basilicata and Calabria. The festival is a good chance to try:
• very nice duo of Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon from Casa Zuliani;
• a volcanic, prehistorical Aglianico del Vulture (in two versions) from D’Angelo;
• a wine from scarcely known autochthonous grape Gaglioppo from Santa Venere.

Needless to say, that the new specials of our chef Costantino Passalacqua are coming just in time for the festival.

New wine festival brings up a very predictable line of wines from Veneto: two whites (Soave and Bianco di Custosa) and three reds (Valpolicella, Ripasso and Amarone). A very recognizable types of wine, from rather unknown producer – Fratelli Zeni. Quick comment? Sure: pleasant, nicely fragrant wines. Comfortable alcohol level (not very high). Good “tipicita”. Great price/quality balance. What else one might want?..

Finally, please learn more about the new specials of our chef Costantino Passalacqua.

Sergei Gusovsky

Finally, please learn more about the new specials of our chef Costantino Passalacqua.

Allora, at our festival we are showing four wines. All of them are being produced in limited quantity and all of them cost dearly.  To come across them in the enoteca or a wine boutique is a sure luck. To taste them “by the glass” is next to unreal. There are only three chances. The first one appears if you are an eminent importer who has agreed the audience beforehand and come to the VinItaly wine fair. The second one means the same prior arrangements and a visit directly to the winery. The third one is our wine festival…

Soave by Gini
It's not just a Soave, but Soave Classico Superiore, and what is more, a cru… An eighty-year-old vine of the great  Salvarenza vineyard brings the most classical grapes of the variety Garganega. Fermentation and ageing in small French oak barrels only add intricacy to this unique wine. Straw-golden color with emerald sparkles; aroma of ripe peaches, pineapples, cinnamon, almond and vanilla; the taste is rounded, intensive, with ripe fruit dominating. A very (if not the most) impressive version of Soave indeed.
 
Chianti Classico Riserva by Capannelle
A combination of classic and contemporary wine-making motifs: native Tuscan varieties (Sangiovese, Colorino and Canaiolo), reasonably long fermentation (about 3 weeks) and careful ageing, first 1.5 year in barrels of average size (16 hectoliters) and then 4 months in barriques (225 l). As the result comes quite complicated wine; no doubt, this is Chianti, but what a Chianti it is!..
 
Super-Tuscan 50&50 (Capannelle and Avignonesi)
A joint venture of two thoroughbred Tuscan wineries, one is from the Chianti Classico region (Capannelle, as you have already guessed), the other is from the area of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Avignonesi). From Chianti one takes Sangiovese, from Montepulciano – Merlot.  The precious grapes then thoroughly and scrupulously vinified and the resulting wine is later meticulously aged, after that it is being sold at a very high price. Everything is being had at heart, for example, the corks are 55 mm long and are made of rather rare Sardinian oak. An honest VIP wine.
 
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva by Gianfranco Soldera (winery Case Basse)
Are there any reasons on earth why it makes sense to pay 182 hryvnias for 100 ml of red dry wine? Is there a chance not to understand this wine and get exasperated? Is there a chance to “see the light” and fall in love with this wine? Yes. Yes. Yes. Brunello by the old Gianfranco Soldera is as complicated for perception as it is obviously good. Everything depends on who drinks it. If you do like serious Burgundy and mature Barolo, taste this Brunello easily. If you put yourself on guard having read these lines, don’t drink it. The detailed description of the wine can be read here, in an essay dedicated to the historical vertical tasting of four vintages of Brunello Case Basse, which took place in our osteria on January 26, 2006.

Sergei Gusovsky

When we were holding the festival of wines by Mastroberardino in October, 2004, I happened to write the following: ”The province of Campania may pride itself upon Vesuvius, Naples and the fact that it was here that pizza became a culinary phenomenon. Also there should be a deserved pride upon the island of Capri and Amalfi coast. And finally upon wines, the wines with long and noble history. It was Campania where the famous Falernian wine, inexhaustible source of enjoyment for Horatio, was produced. Nobody else but Pliny the Elder in his Historia Naturalis mentioned the white grapes Apianis and Aminea Gemella, which are today referred to as Fiano and Greco di Tufo respectively”...

More than two years passed, much water (and wine) has flown since then, new producers were brought (Villa Matilde, Feudi di San Gregorio), Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo managed to become predictable in wine lists of Kiev restaurants. So, has the moor has done his duty? Ain’t no! We managed to get hold of Fiano di Avellino by Colli di Lapio and Greco di Tufo by Benito Ferrara. Only 4 hectares under the vine at Colli di Lapio and only 3 hectares under the Vigna Cicogna vineyard at Benito Ferrara. Special vineyards, special wines. Tasters from Gambero Rosso delivered a whole composition about the Colli di Lapio’s Fiano. They recognised cedar, marjoram, raspberry, liquorice and (as the curtain fell) gypsum and silicon. But if you ask me, I would speak of fresh nuts and acacia blossoms… what is more, I would offer to begin the tasting with Greco di Tufo. Because it is a bit drier and a bit more austere. They say it resembles Sancerre and Vouvray from Loire valley. Shall I decode this? Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. What makes Vigna Cicogna vineyard differ? They say bitter almond aroma…

Red wines by Arnaldo Caprai from Umbria is a smart balance of the autochthonous Sagrantino grape and modern (in the meaning “international”) practice of wine-making. In Italy Sagrantino is considered to be second to none regarding the abundance of phenolics. So, to bridle its severe temper means to achieve a perfect maturity of anthocyanins (these are the phenols giving the colour to wine) and tannins. Though, even this is not enough. One will need precise fermentation and prolonged maturing in small French oak barrels, plus some thirty years of experience… and deserved awards from Gambero Rosso and Italian Association of Sommelier will shower. As a rule, they will be given to the main wine – 25 Anni, which was born in 1993, and was dedicated to itself – that is, to the twenty-fifth anniversary of Arnaldo Caprai winery. Rare, precious wine. And we are selling it by the glass! Still, don’t rush to salute 25 Anni, it would be wise to start from two other wines by Caprai: Montefalco Rosso (blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Sagrantino) and Rosso Outsider  (Merlot and Cabernet in equal proportions). The trio is noticeable for their different characters, though the style of Arnaldo Caprai is to be recognized in all of them. That’s that, the master’s hand…

And just in time the new Specials from our Chef comes.

Sergei Gusovsky