Women of Great Taste (and Style!)

Tuesday afternoon at the 50th Annual Vinitaly, a special homage to women winemakers at the Allegrini stand. The event featured 5 Italian women winemakers – Marilisa Allegrini, Raffaella Bologna (Braida), Francesca Planeta, Marina Cvetic, and Elena Walch – who welcomed two foreign visitors, women winemakers Andrea Wirsching of Germany and Xandra Falcò of Spain. A late afternoon tasting and a spectacular way to conclude the day!

Donatella Cinelli Colombini, President of the Donne del Vino, welcomed the visitors and Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International, gave the kick off to what was to be one of the most interesting moments of this fabulous fair.

Women of great taste, all.

And the tasting began with two of Andrea’s wines, the first a Silvaner and the second a Müller-Thurgau. Notice the Mateus-style bottle which Andrea explained was historically useful, to make it easier to carry in your saddle pack.

Both 2015 vintages, delicate and elegant.

This was followed by a Riesling trocken called Eruption from Weingut Acham; complex with significant minerality.

The fourth wine was a Grauburgunder trocken from Baden that had some important consistency and a note of vanilla.

 

 

Then it was the Italians’ turn. Francesca Planeta moved the room to tears as she talked about what it was to be a Sicilian woman working in wine. “It’s not work,” she said, “it’s love.”  This famous Chardonnay from Menfi took Sicilian winemaking to another Planet-a, and was first produced in 1995. We sipped a 2011 vintage, and for those two or three of you who don’t already know it, it is really worth writing home about.

And to finish the tasting of the whites in grand style, Elena Walch’s Kastelaz 2005 vintage… simply magic.

Elena Walch’s Gewürtztraminer, 2005 vintage, showed a great golden hue with brilliant light. From the bouquet, which is stunning, to the last drop, a real treat! This was the 6th wine we tasted, so you can imagine we didn’t have much time to linger over the aromas… what a shame. Like seeing a stunningly handsome man who transits through your world…  Such a shame not to be able to spend an entire evening together!

And on to the reds! The first, presented by our German friend Andrea, was a Lemberger from Weingut Drautz.

 

Then Raffaella Bologna presented Braida’s Bricco della Bigotta, a Barbera d’Asti DOCG, 2011 vintage. A lovely combination of deep chocolate and hints of cherry, as she called it: ‘her Mon Chéri.’

 

 

 

Marina Cvetic brought out her 2011 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. As she spoke, she reminded us that these wines tell stories, like their producers. Marina clearly knows about style: check out her website which is very Dolce & Gabbana-esque.

Marilisa Allegrini, whose stand hosted the event, treated us to 2005 “La Poja” IGT Veronese using the mono-varietal Corvina grape.

And as if this were not enough, we ended with a delightful Mosel Riesling Spätlese from 1999, so a good 16 years old but only 8%.

How sweet it is!