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

As usual, we'll start with a surprise – with a white wine from Marche province by Garofoli; its name is Podium, and its classification is as follows: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore. For someone Verdicchio is a non-expressive and non-attractive wine in awkward bottles that somehow resemble amphorae and are obviously meant for narrow-minded tourists… Why, it’s quite a well-deserved stereotype, almost as that of Chianti bottles in straw braiding. And if Chianti does not need being advocated, just because the world is well aware of its outstanding examples, the Verdicchio’s situation is another pair of shoes. We’ll take advantage of this and offer you a glass of glaring with joy golden wine produced of juicy, late-harvested berries, which were gathered in a particular vineyard, which possesses a potential fabulous in its depth, fullness and width, which does not prevent the wine from being interesting right now, being just two years old, to which one would add two-three years more, and then again five-seven more, and one would drink this nectar, knowing that there are two cases more waiting for their finest hour, because it would be great to taste Verdicchio Podium even later, say, in the year of…

If you have already believed that Verdicchio Podium is not a Verdicchio at all, but something different and special, you will not be surprised at the following narration of Tuscan winery Riecine and its two red wines, that we are presenting at the festival: Chianti Classico Riserva 2001 and Super-Tuscan La Gioia 2000. The point is that since it came to the world, Riecine winery has been owned/managed not only by non-Tuscan, but even complete Anglo-Saxons. In 1971, an Englishman John Dunkley and his wife Palmina (well, she is Italian, actually, but from Naples) managed to talk Badia a Coltibuono Abbey into selling one and a half hectare of land to them. The next steps were revival of the old villa and care for a tiny vineyard. As early as in 1975, the couple could treat their nearest and dearest to their Chianti Classico of ’73. At first, John Dunkley was assisted by Carlo Ferrini, at that time a young oenologist known to nobody (today – he is one of the key characters of the Italian wine-making). In 1992, the helm of well-respected-by-then Riecine was taken by a quite youthful graduate of the Geisenheim Wine Institute an Englishman (he is, in spite of the name) Sean O’Callaghan. In 1996, the winery was purchased by an American, Gary J. Baumann, and oenologist Sean O’Callaghan became a co-owner, and Gary Baumann’s financial possibilities allowed expanding the area of Riecine up to 12 hectares…

You might be a bit puzzled with such detailed narration of the Riecine’s history, but I'd like you to get surprised no less than me when learning that regardless of an openly Varangian owning/managing, the entirely local Sangiovese grape has always been entirely dominating in Riecine. In the 1980s, John Dunkley answered to one’s suggestions to engage in trendy French grape varieties in such a way: "When Baron Philippe de Rothschild [of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild in Bordeaux] plants Sangiovese, I'll switch to Cabernet Sauvignon". To all appearances, they are the Anglo-Saxons to observe traditions…  still, they are the Varangians to do in Rome as the Varangians do. I mean that we’ll have to do with ones of the most extractive Tuscan wines, to put in plain words, Riecine produces very concentrated, rich wines. For example, it should have been enough time for Chianti Classico Riserva of 2001 to calm down, to became paler, softer… but nothing of the kind, there is such force and power that one cannot right away suppose when this Chianti gets more suitable for a quiet talking and a delicate dish. As for the super-Tuscan La Gioia, still here one can find five per cent of Merlot. What for? To impart it some softness and woman’s charm? Don’t know. Not sure. La Gioia stands for “Joy” in English. Italians would call it: “la Gioia di Riecine”. Let’s translate it again back to English: “Joy of Riecine”. Have they added Merlot for greater joy?..

In conclusion, I won’t resist echoing the late John Dunkley, though I’ll have to oppose Gary Baumann’s compatriots, a pair of American critics, in whose opinion, La Gioia is produced quite in Bordeaux style. I find such statements rather far-fetched, and here’s the reason: no maturing in no barriques can possibly turn arrogance and hot temper of Sangiovese into satiety and hauteur of Cabernet Sauvignon!

Sergei Gusovsky

P.S. Do not forger about the new special menu by Costantino Passalacqua – most of this menu’s items are ready to measure their swords with our festival wines.

Let’s start with the surprise – with white wine from Trentino by Foradori; its name is Myrto. Properly speaking, an almost equal blend of Sauvignon and Incrocio Manzoni has already been pleasing some osteria’s guests for at least a couple of years. And the very surprise is that recently we had an opportunity to buy enough bottles of Myrto to afford a luxury of selling it by the glass. It’s a very joyful wine with expressive aromas of white European fruits and those of tropics, of Alpine flowers and spices. If someone is curious to know, Incrocio Manzoni is the result of Professor Manzoni’s experiments with Riesling Renano and Pinot Bianco. An Italian sort of an answer to Professor Muller from Turgau.

The main character of the festival though is the Nebbiolo grape. Though it may not be the Nebbiolo, but the old Nino Negri. Though it may not be Negri, but the terraces of Valtellina valley in the north of Lombardia, from where it’s a stone’s throw to Switzerland. After all, the main character of the festival may be Amarone as such… Well, when about a hundred years ago Nino Negri guessed of drying of the Chiavennasca grapes (a local clone of Nebbiolo), he was not likely to be thinking which of the wines was closer to him – Barolo or Amarone. Still, he managed to unite two oenological legends in one wine. Indeed, he did guess to take Barolo’s blood (well, or Barbaresco’s) and Amarone’s flesh! By the way, inhabitants of Valtellina valley cherish a sacred belief that grape drying was practiced in their place as early as in the 16th century and quote Leonardo da Vinci's texts in eager rivalry. The type of wine produced under such a method can be called either Sforzato, or Sfursat. Perhaps, nobody could suppose that a wine from the remote mountain area might be meant for a brilliant future. But in 1983, under Nino Negri label, came into the world a wine named “Sfursat 5 Stelle”. In ten years, the first desired “tre bicchieri” were obtained from Gambero Rosso, and the same Gambero Rosso called the vintage 2001 of 5 Stelle “the Italian red wine of the year”. Though at the festival will be presented the 5 Stelle of 2003, don’t you worry – it is destined to get those coveted “three goblets” from Gambero Rosso. Speaking of the name, “5 Stelle” means “5 Stars”. Silly is the name, magnificent is the wine.

Apart from Sfursat 5 Stelle we will offer two more Nino Negri’s wines (both are Valtellina Superiore DOCG, both are cru): Fracia and Sassorosso. The latter comes from Grumello sub-region, which wines were specially honoured by Herman Hesse. I’d like to believe that the must-read special menu by Costantino Passalacqua will not draw you away too much from recollections of all the works from The Glass Bead Game and Steppenwolf.

Sergei Gusovsky

However terrifying it might be sounding, but the last festival of Sicilian wines took place almost a year ago. Almost a year without Sicily! Horrible! You must have had enough time to forget of such grape as Nero d’Avola… Ok, we are here to remind, as well as to introduce you to the new varieties too. For this we will resort to the help of one of the most dynamic wineries of Sicily, and perhaps of the whole Italy – Calatrasi. What is dynamic about the company? Well, everything that its owners, the Micciche brothers (Maurizio and Giuseppe), are involved in. Calatrasi was established in 1980, and by now it managed to have developed into a powerful conglomerate. Apart from 300 hectares of the Sicilian vineyards, the company owns 240 hectares in Puglia and leases 200 hectares in Tunisia. Among the company staff are an Australian Sean Howe (agronomist), a Piedmontese (in the sense that a non-Sicilian) Piergiorgio Berta (oenologist), a German Christian Reintjes (the export director). It’s necessary to say that the influence of the foreign winemakers became clear as early as in the end of the 90s, when Calatrasi made up their mind to enter into an equal partnership with the wine giant Hardys, which resulted in the wine line D’Istinto. Then at once three Australians were taken on the staff (Brian Fletcher, Lisa Gilbee and Linda Domas). Though, what difference does it make, who and when worked for Calatrasi? After all, we are interested in the festival's programme, aren’t we?! And our programme is, firstly, wide, secondly - unique. It’s been long since there was such a kaleidoscope of grape varieties in the bounds of a single festival. Now, one after another:

Catarratto, dry white. Made of the grapes of the same name. A fabulously tasty wine. A true discovery, even a revelation! And for all that typically the poor Catarratto is not nicely welcomed, being reserved only to serve as the basis for well-known Marsala and many Italian vermouths… But still I insist: it is an unbelievably tasty wine. I am ready to bet that our supply will be exhausted until the end of the festival.

Vioca, dry white. An interesting blend of Chardonnay and Viognier. The poignancy, acidity and light bitterness of the latter are no doubt in their place in the combination with the hauteur and glamour of the former. Perhaps, it is exactly Vioca that can be a good match for the risotto with carry and prawns from our current special menu.

Nero d’Avola, dry red. An unexpectedly elegant wine. As a rule, from a fresh Nero d'Avola, especially the one fermented in new oak, we should expect both the power and the attack. Nothing of the kind! Beware, a cheerful combination of ripe fruits and light tannins will lull your vigilance! Do not overlook the fifth (the sixth? the seventh?) glass!

Nero d’Avola/ Shiraz, dry red. Well, now we do have that heavyweight. These very power and attack of Nero d'Avola supported by the poignancy, spice and light sweetness of Shiraz. I guess you would immediately recall the ubiquitous Super-Tuscans, whereas you would better think of pasta with mutton, or mutton meatballs with couscous, or risotto with truffles. All in all, a lot could be thought of with this wine of Sicily…

Selian, dry red. A travel to Tunisia! Why, I just could not refrain myself, I just could not help including such an exotic wine into the festival programme. An old Carignan vines. Remember the recent festival of Sardinian wines by Santadi? Though, the difference is more than considerable. In fact, we have to do with vineyards cultivated in Sahara (by the way, Selian is exactly the ancient name of the desert). A red soil, unfriendly sun, deadly wind… I would not be surprised to see employees-troglodytes at the winery. Nevertheless, Selian is a wine. And not a jam, confiture, or preserves of figs, as one might think.  However, it carries the smells of figs. And of cherries, and of plums, and of bilberries and mulberries…

Scirafi, dessert wine. Now a travel to a volcano island of Pantelleria. It is right on the way from Tunisia to Sicily. Zibibbo grapes (a local clone of Muscat) are forcedly cultivated in pits. Only that way the grapes could be protected from that very deadly wind sirocco. By the time of a harvest, there remain just a few berries. And the result: a joyous gamut of bright southern fruits. We will serve the wine cool, in a slightly weeping glass… Please, try it!

Sergei Gusovsky

“So, Sardinia… The island-paradise amidst the Mediterranean Sea was desirable for conquerors from time immemorial. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Etruscans, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Genovese, Aragonese, Castilians, Piedmontese – that is by no means complete list of tribes and peoples, who managed to leave their traces there. As for the winemaking, it was practiced in Sardinia as far back as before Christ, and up to now proud and independent Sardinians have been producing wine of unique grape varieties, not hurrying to join “the international river” of Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay. What is more, the natives call Italy just “continent”, and the wine sold there they think to be exports. For the sake of justice, one should note a certain influence of Spanish grapes, which have taken root in Sardinia long ago and by now may be considered local. So, Garnacha turned into Cannonau, and Carinena –  into Carignano. Apart from it, red varieties Bovale Sardo and Monica, and also white Vermentino, Nuragus, Nasco and Torbato play an important role in the Sardinian winemaking.

During the last 10 years, the winemaking Pantheon of the island has been settled like this: Antinio Argiolas, Tenute Sella & Mosca and Cantina Sociale di Santadi. Year in and year out, these producers have been confirming their (and the whole Sardinia’s too) enviable reputation, demonstrating to the world wonderful wines remarkable for their originality and peculiar character”.

All you have just read was written in November 2003 for the osteria Pantagruel’s wine festival of Argiolas. In February 2005 we came up with the wine festival of Sella&Mosca. The present, the third in the row festival of Sardinian wines is dedicated to the Santadi co-operative. Its 250 co-owners work up 550 hectares of vineyards. A huge co-operative there is in Sardinia, indeed... One just might as well expect plenty of second-rate wine, might one not? Not at all, thank to the efforts of the president of the co-operative Antonello Pilloni and the winemaker Raffaele Cani, and to participation of the great Italian oenologist Giacomo Tachis, the name of Santadi has become famous far outside Sardinia. And, naturally, it is famous in the good sense of the word. The co-operative's ambassador of honour is, as a rule, Terre Brune - a red wine produced from Carignano grape. The region of Sulcis for Carignano means that much as the region of Gallura for white grapes called Vermentino. May classics and conservatives pardon my frivolity, but I couldn’t help recollecting Burgundy’s Grand Cru and Premiere Cru… especially since Terre Brune is matured for a year and a half in small barrels of French oak from Allier and Troncais. The wine’s bouquet really captivates by the consonance of fresh fruits, dark forest berries, spices, juniper, cocoa and tobacco. Even some minutes later after taking a sip, the intensity of gustatory senses does not decrease. A very fleshy, full-bodied wine with a great maturing potential.

But the festival of Santadi is not only a ritual dancing around the obelisk of Terre Brune. On the path to it, the acquaintance with two other versions of Carignano must turn useful. Grotta Rossa is a fresh (vintage of 2004), nice wine with dominating fruits and delicate liquorice tones. Carignano del Sulcis Riserva Rocca Rubia is a true bridge across which you will pass from Grotta Rossa to Terre Brune. No, not like this. Not a bridge. Who would have the dare to call Florentine Ponte Vecchio or the Venetian Rialto bridges?..

Well, and let’s say a few words about whites - after all most probably exactly they will be the starting point in your acquaintance with Santadi?! Two types of Vermentino. Both are easy, summer wines. By the way, by one-third Villa Solais consists of the old variety Nuragus, they say, it was brought to Sardinia by Phoenicians. As to Cala Silente, it is pure Vermentino. Fish carpaccio, light pasta, risotto with chanterelle – they all will be happy if introduced together with the most traditional white wine of Sardinia. Vermentino, Vermentino, Vermentino!!!

To be more exact, the festival is dedicated to Pinot Grigio from the province of Friuli and to Barbera from the province of Piedmont. In principle, these are creme de la creme, that is, second to none. Naturally both kinds of grapes are spread quite widely (and not only in Italy), but the most interesting wines are to be met exactly in Friuli and Piedmont. Say, if a well-known Tuscan winemaker promotes with joy his version of Pinot Grigio, it is not necessarily that you should feel the same joy while drinking the wine. Pinot Grigio is an extremely successful brand, under cover of which very different wines are being sold (a parallel with Chianti comes in handy here). Sometimes, success of a brand may lead to funny shifts. For example when in our osteria, among the wines that we sell by the glass, appears Pinot Grigio, the sales of other white wines are guaranteed to decrease. Be it Gavi, or be it Soave. The magic of the name, you know. So, we have thought out to demonstrate several serious Pinot Grigio for comparison - if these grapes are so favorite, let’s see (I mean, taste) their best embodiments. What one should expect from a good Pinot Grigio? Relatively low acidity, light creaminess and fruit-and-flower aromas with certain spice tinges. The colour of the wine may include shades of pure gold or copper; all is due to the fact that Pinot Grigio is the result of mutation of the great grape of Burgundy called Pinot Noir.

Now, more details about the three wines of our festival. All of them are represented by quite well-known winemakers. Pinot Grigio by Russiz Superiore will please you with exclusive harmony of fruits and acidity. This year’s Gambero Rosso guide named the enologist of Villa Russiz Mr. Gianni Menotti the best wine-maker of Italy; his Pinot Grigio is interesting, apart from fruit aromas, due to aroma of white bread toasts and to a fragile and very comfortable sweetness (don’t worry, the wine is dry, of course). And, at last, Ronco del Gelso (cru Sot Lis Rivis). I recommend tasting this Pinot Grigio in the latest turn – it underwent fermentation in new oak barrels, which imparted it an additional weight and significance.

Now a few words about the Barbera grapes. Its attractiveness lies in bright tempting fruits. Hand in hand with it come high acidity and low tannins. And this means that in a hot year one may expect a mere bomb, whereas a cool year will give an elegant wine able to refresh your receptors during a meal. Two samples are represented at the festival, both are of the hot vintage of 2003. The last autumn Paola Scavino happened to give me the advice: “If you have a chance to buy a Barbera of 2003, don’t hesitate. I cannot remember a better year for these grapes.” Of course, it is not that simple, and the heat itself does not guarantee a good wine, otherwise the whole South of Italy would revel in Barbera. For outstanding results there should be night coolness of Piedmont and a passion of its wine-makers. Our two Barbera come from the wineries called Sottimano and La Spinetta. In both cases, love and zeal are in abundance. For example, Andrea Sottimano is said that his vines are treated like Japanese bonsai, and many wine publications have decorated the owner of La Spinetta, Giorgio Rivetti, with a simple and extensive epithet “Superstar”. Don’t believe? Type in any Internet search engine: superstar Rivetti… And what nice occupation is waiting for wine-testers? To compare two cherry-violet-plum Barbera. Both are mighty, massive, meaningful and immense. Both have actively communicated with French oak. Both will be getting better and better with time. But who will wait when they already give us an ocean of impressions?

And I’m dreaming about Phoenicians who came to the lands of Puglia three-four thousand years ago, and they were not empty-handed, but they were bearing a vine, which ancient Greeks saw (few hundreds of years later) there in a great many and that was why they called that land Enotria, that is, “land of wine”; and I’m listening to a Phoenician talk, and the only word I can make out – “yain”… they seem to be talking about wine, and in my memory English “wine”, Latin “vinum” and Italian “vino” are mixing (by the way, Latin “Apulia” turned into “Puglia” in Italian), and, all of a sudden, start the Phoenicians dancing…it might be a tarantella, but it arose later…though tarantulas stung before as well, and it is them who the dance owes its name…or is it the Phoenician wine, purple as their garments…purple…only the Phoenicians knew the secret of that dye, they obtained it from some mysterious shells, later that colour became a key one in Ancient Rome, only triumphal commanders and censors were allowed wearing purple garments, and by his decree Nero reserved that right only for emperors…and I ask Morpheus to dream me the author of Historia naturalis, and I ask him, the eldest of the Plinii: “Tell me, Gaius Plinius Secundus, what sort of colour is it, imperial purple?”, and he answers ominously: “It is the colour of gore, almost black colour, quirite”…

And when awake, I’ll tell you something important: the wines of the coming festival are produced by Puglian winery Tormaresca. The winery is young, but prominent, but we won’t wonder at this, because Tormaresca is owned by the Antinori family, and this means that it's useless to waste time enumerating competitions and wine-tastings they won. Let’s drink the wines, all the five. Two whites, both are sunny Chardonnays: one is lighter, flowery, the other (PietraBianca) – more powerful, oilier. Purple red ones are three, and all of them as great as they come: Torcicoda (from Primitivo grapes), Bocca di Lupo (from Aglianico and a bit of Cabernet), and Masseria Maime (Negroamaro). And being half-awake I have no other organoleptical details. Tasty wines, they are.

Such impressive success is all the more unexpected if one thinks of the comparative "secondary importance" of Umbria as a wine region (just try to compete with Tuscan, Piedmont and others of that ilk). It is high time to make public the name of the main Lungarotti wine – Rubesco Riserva, Vigna Monticchio. We should give Giorgio Lungarotti’s acumen its due, he was one of the first in Italy to have realized the importance of producing of the "cru", that is, a wine made of grapes gathered from a particular vineyard. Vigna Monticchio is always aged for quite long before leaving the winery, for example, the vintage of 2000 has only recently come on sale. And what a noble wine it is! Deep ruby-garnet colour, multi-layered aromas and velvet texture tactfully supplementing each other. If you have not so far had a chance to try the reds of Umbria, believe me, you won’t have to spoil before you spin.

Two other wines of the festival are fresh and playful Giubilante (blending of equal portions of Sangiovese, Merlot and Syrah) and powerful and rich San Giorgio (Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo). Along with Vigna Monticchio we have an attractive triad, which I recommend to test in the following order: Giubilante; Rubesco Riserva, Vigna Monticchio; San Giorgio.

Now a few words about whites. Delicate and exquisite Torre di Giano, Vigna Il Pino (you are not mistaken, this wine is also of the "cru" category) is produced of local grapes Trebbiano and Grechetto. It could not have gone without using oak, which has imparted the wine all those typical vanilla shades. To the point, you have a good chance to compare Vigna Il Pino with another wine matured in oak, the matter concerns modern-international Chardonnay Aurente. While comparing, it would be great if you keep yourself from a "like-dislike" kind of opinion and from attempts to decide which wine is better. Why not to try to enjoy both of them?..