Young to Young, led by the journalists Paolo Massobrio and Marco Gatti of Il Golosario has become an annual appointment for me at Vinitaly. It’s a way to get to know up-and-coming producers, those under 40, who are doing good and interesting things in the vineyards. And it helps bring the good news to our reading public: you!
Today offered the chance to taste an Offida Pecorino from Centanni, a Syrah from D Casadei Le anfore, and a Terre di Cosenza I monaci by Giraldi & Giraldi. Two points if you can guess the regions of those three wines! (Answers below!)
There’s something exciting about a formal tasting, when the table is all laid out with glasses and people gather to sip and write down their tasting notes. Anticipation of what is in the bottle… (Yes, you can click that – it is a little soundtrack to this post!)
Offida Pecorino DOCG is one of my absolute favorite aperitivo wines, but this one by Centanni could stand up to a complex fish dish. Elegant and balanced, with a complex nose including exotic fruit and acacia, this wine probably has a good many years to go in the bottle. You know how the Pecorino grape got its name? Low in production, it grew on the higher altitudes, where the sheep graze. Now it’s the cool wine from …. You’ll have to see the answers below to know the answer to that!
Elena Casadei spoke about using amphoras instead of barrels for the aging of her wine, a Syrah planted in a terroir that is known for Sangiovese. This 2016 vintage coated the glass with its deep purple color. Surprisingly elegant, with notes of pepper and fresh cherries, this wine’s high acidity and minerality would make it a perfect pair for the cuisine of the region…. Right, can’t tell you. See below!
The last wine we tasted was a tasty 100% Magliocco (unless you are really up on your Italian grape varietals, I don’t think you can guess the region. If you do know your grapes, then the cat is out of the bag!) The twin brothers who presented it represent that new generation of Italian winemakers who left what might have been careers in Engineering, Business or Fashion to devote themselves to the land and traditions of their region. I confess, this wine was my favorite, with a great nose – cherries, plum, some Mediterranean spices, with a deep, rich ruby red color and velvet mouthfeel.
Grazie to the three producers, grazie to the two organizers, and grazie Vinitaly for allowing us to sample the new and interesting products of…. OK, it’s time for those three regions!
Answers: Marche, Tuscany, Calabria
Suzanne Branciforte's Italian Grapevine 