Italian Diversity by Vinitaly International Academy

9 Nov 2018: To assign one hour for a seminar on the diversity of Italian grape varieties and wine styles was indeed a challenge for the speakers, Sarah Heller MW and Henry Davar, of the Vinitaly International Academy Faculty. With such tight schedule, the pair managed so gracefully to present to the curious audience six indigenous and lesser-known varieties amongst Italy's overwhelming number of indigenous varieties. Depending on who counted them, the number could be different. In the book "Wine Grapes" by J Robinson, J Harding and J Vouillamoz, the authors attributed 377 indigenous varieties to Italy out of a total of 1,368 from around the world (I guess if the authors were to include any more, this book would need to be presented in two volumes!) Anna Schneider, Italy's eminent ampelologist as quoted in "Native Wine Grapes of Italy" by I D'Agata, counted over 2,000 grape cultivars.  Whatever the number, it's impressively vast! Most of us would be lucky to have tasted 50 of Italy's indigenous varieties!


The seminar highlighted the biodiversity of Italian viticulture, citing the unique organoleptic qualities of Italy's grape varieties and how they have adapted over thousands of years to the local terroir. Although they express regional identity extremely, they do not travel so well, hence there are very few successful examples of Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Aglianico (amongst others) grown in regions outside of the grapes' comfort zones in Italy, even less so in other wine regions around the world.


Apparently, the top 75% of Italian vineyards are grown with 80 varieties, whereas the top 90% of Italian wine production comes from just 30 varieties. In France, the top 90% of French wine is made from 15 varieties and in the US, only 9 varieties. Just think about that for one moment.


We tasted 3 white wines and 3 red wines at this seminar.

Verdicchio: La Staffa, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore 2017According to our speakers, the indigenous grape variety from Le Marche, Verdicchio, is usually a cheerful wine to accompany seafood. However, this superior version by La Staffa is vinified in casks of acacia and cement, aged on fine lees for a few months. Bright freshness and complexity of flint, herbal (fennel), green apple, citrus, with some notes of yeast. Crisp finish that lingers, a beautiful expression of Verdicchio from this coastal region. Our readers reminded the participants that there is also another version of Verdicchio from inland where it enjoys bigger diurnal ranges, resulting in fleshier and riper fruit wines: Verdicchio di Matelica DOC.


Fiano: Ciro Picariello, Fiano di Avellino DOCGFiano is a thick-skinned variety from Campania. Its natural high acidity allows it to ripen well, given its late ripening tendency. This wine is made from grapes from two parcels, one parcel at Summonte (650 metres above sea level) and the other Montefredane (around 500 metres). Vinified in stainless steel, and aged on fine lees for about 10 months. Bottled with minimal sulphur, with no fining or filtration. This wine shows its typical character of almond, citrus and a delicate fruit character, almost star fruit-like. There is also an underlying mineral/flint character. Fiano has a great ageing ability - this wine can be cellared for a further 8 - 10 years, with very interesting evolution.


Timorasso: Vigneti Massa, Timorasso Derthona, 2016
Contrary to the last grape variety, Timorasso, a native of Piemonte, which was almost abandoned for 'dead', and was revived by Walter Massa, has much thinner skin. Therefore, skin contact is essential to help the skin release its aromatic compounds and a phenolic quality to the wine. To make this wine, the grapes typically undergo skin contact of 48-60 hours before fermentation. There is an unmistakable apricot, orange blossom and honey tone to the aromatic complexity.  With age, petrol-like character can develop, according to the speakers. The acidity is vibrant, that balances well the fleshy body.  It is a textural wine, but beautifully balanced. This wine is almost too young to enjoy properly at the moment.  Another 1 - 2 years will see it unfurling its potential to charm the palate.  Definitely a food wine!


Nerello Mascalesse + Nerello Cappuccio: Girolamo Russo, Etna Rosso 

Nerello Mascalese, the high-toned indigenous variety of Sicily has always been compared to Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo for its delicate red fruit and linear structure. It makes a perfect couple with its cousin Nerello Cappuccio in this almost "Burgundian-like" Sicilian red wine. This is typically a blend of 94% Nerello Mascalese and 6% Nerello Cappuccio, vineyards grown on ancient lava flows with varying age, mineral content and topsoil composition, giving the wine much complexity.  The wine is made with indigenous yeast, with no temperature control during fermentation.  No fining or filtration before bottling.  This wine exudes red fruit and rose-like aromatics (strawberry and raspberry) and a minerality underlines its core, soft tannins still showing some youthful astringency. This is an attractive wine and it is only the entry level for this former pianist turned winemaker!


Dolcetto: Cigliuti Dolcetto d'Alba 2016
The Cigliuti family has been living in this Piemontese region since the 18th Century.  Renato Cigliuti was the first member of the family to begin bottling his own wine in 1964.  Their vineyards are planted on the Serraboella hill, looking over Neive from the east. Their signature wine is Barbaresco but they also have the Dolcetto grapes planted in this Barbaresco region.  There is a nice taut astringency to this youthful expression of Dolcetto, but the tannins are beautifully managed.  Violet, plum, mulberry with cherry fruit completes the aromatics for this generous and charming wine, designed to be drunk early, within the next 12-18 months. A great lunch wine with good friends. 


Sagrantino: Arnaldo Caprai, Sagrantino di Montefalco Collepiano DOCG 2010
Sagrantino from Puglia is probably the most tannic red grape variety of Italy.  Arnaldo Caprai has invested a lot of time, energy and resources into the research of this indigenous variety to tame its tannins and to showcase its inner charm. This wine was aged in French oak barriques for around 22 months, with six more months in bottle before release.  This 2010 version has started to show some tertiary character, dusty and savoury notes, with ground coffee, mocha, dried flowers, some notes of vanilla "creme brulee" rounding off the finish.  This is a broad-shouldered wine, that has had its tannin structure tamed by age, now showing a firm but elegant presentation, with soft acidity just gliding off the palate.

This seminar was like taking a peep inside Italy's vinous treasure trove, but it was a very well-structured and educational introduction to Italy's diversity.  I believe it has left us all wanting to learn more about Italy's rich wine heritage. Our speakers on behalf of VIA extended a warm welcome to the audience to join its growing family of Italian wine ambassadors and experts!

6 stars in 2 days, and some very memorable bottles!

26 June 2015:
Quite by coincidence that we found ourselves dining in 2 of Hong Kong's top restaurants on consecutive evenings this week, each a holder of 3 Michelin stars, and entirely different in style and cuisine.

The beautiful stuffed crab shell - I have just made a dent in the middle to make way for the Lea & Perrin sauce!

The Lung King Heen roast chicken - half portion here.

Puntalette with minced beef in XO chili sauce

The first evening was at Lung King Heen, the temple of haute cuisine chinoise, in the Four Seasons Hotel.  We started with the famous crab shell stuffed with onion and fresh crab meat. This scored full marks for us: the balance between crab meat and onion was perfect, with intense flavours highlighting the freshness of the crab meat, with texture to give structure to the dish.  Sensational.  With just a light touch of Lea and Perrin sauce, this dish went beautifully with the 2001 Ramonet Montrachet.  The suckling pig dish was another highlight - I could not taste any fat at all - all I tasted was the crispy skin with tender succulent meat and a layer of fluffy rice-flour pancake.  I loved the wok-fried prawns with organic black garlic and dried chili, even though it might not have been the best match for the white wine.  The Lung King Heen roast chicken was a classic - beautifully roasted chicken, moist and tender, topped with wafer-thin skin so crispy and light, with such brilliance and hardly any fat underneath.  It was divine.  Our red wine was 1990 Clos de La Roche, Hubert Lignier.  Our wok-fried Australian beef tenderloin with spring onion, garlic and black pepper might have paired better with a spicy wine but both wine and food was so exceptional that it didn't matter so much.  Finally, a new dish that we had not tried before, fried puntalette with minced beef in XO chili sauce - an East meets West dish packed with bold flavours and al dente textures, tasty to the last grain!  I had to make room for this! 

2001 Montrachet, Ramonet

An utterly divine white Bourgogne, with incredible power, intensity, depth, density, structure and ageability.  Still very much in its youth. It's austere but the intensity of the flavours (floral and spicy) is mouthstaining, and the richness lifted by vibrant acidity.  The palate is shaped by the breadth of flavours and the strength of crystalline minerality from beginning to the very long finish.  A wine of immense dimensions, that will benefit from further years of cellaring.  Decades of life ahead in an ideal cellar.  19.5+/20

1990 Clos de La Roche, Hubert Lignier
A wine in its prime and totally deserving of superlative descriptions. Mouthcoating richness, full-bodied and velvety texture, with incredible length and depth. Layers of complexity include game, sous-bois, mushroom and nutmeg. Drink now, but the robust structure will endure 15 - 20+ years of cellaring. Classy and sensual. 19/20

To finish, Bernard Chan, the Senior Sommelier, introduced us to a gem in his wine list.  We had a glass of the 2009 Ambonnay Grand Cru Les Crayères, Champagne Marguet.  Only 2,459 bottles made.  62% Chardonnay and 38% Pinot Noir.  Zero dosage. 45 - 50 year old vines.  32 months aged on lees. Disgorged in March 2014.   Beautiful definition, great detail.  The material was so rich and ripe that dosage was not necessary at all.  Long finish.  This is available by the glass.  I hope he will still have stock of this the next time we visit!

Conversations with Bernard revealed his passion about his métier and wines.  He has managed to put his own stamp on the wine list, such as the Marguet champagne as well as a tasting flight of wines called "A Taste of Asia" consisting of 6 interesting wines and spirits, all made in Asia, and all chosen to go with the food at Lung King Heen. The current selection includes a white (Grace Vineyard Tasya's Reserve Chardonnay from China), a junmai daiginjo genshu from Japan, a 10-year-old Hua Diao (Chinese yellow wine), a Bordeaux blend from China (Château Bolongbao from outside of Beijing, tiny production), rice-based spirit from Korea (Hwayo 41 degrees) and a lychee honey dessert wine from Taiwan.  At HK$600 for a flight of 6, it almost seems a bargain compared to the very steep corkage charge!  At HK$ 750 corkage charge a bottle, this had to be the most expensive corkage charge in Hong Kong!  Still worth it I suppose, depending on the bottle you wanted to take.

Chateau Bolongbao from just outside of Beijing city

Hwayo Korean rice-based spirit

The following evening, we went to Otto e Mezzo by Chef Bombana.  We did not catch a glimpse of Chef Bombana but this had not affected the food quality at all.  All the dishes were perfectly executed.  The lobster salad with truffle was a definite hit and it went beautifully with the white wine that was recommended to us: a 2009 Quintodecimo Exulte Fiano di Avellino. For main course, I had a relatively simple dish but it was packed with flavours and utterly satisfying - the lamb and mushroom pappardelle.  The veal milanese was an all-time favourite. 

Lamb and mushroom pappardelle

2009 Quintodecimo Exultet Fiano di Avellino
A singular expression of Fiano di Avellino from a single cru vineyard at 570 metres altitude, on clay-calcareous soils in Lapio. Long pressing before fermentation, for which 70% in stainless steel tanks and 30% in small new French oak barrels. Ageing for 8 months on fine lees, with regular racking. Quintodecimo believes in biodiversity and that man, nature and vines must all be at one to produce great wines. The name Quintodecimo pays homage to the number 5: the vine's flower has 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 stamens, and 5 nectars. The leaves are pentalobate, with 5 parts and 5 veins. We have 5 senses, etc.

This is extremely elegant, with tight minerality running through its backbone. Lightly aromatic, with acacia, herbal, honey and a core of yellow stone fruit. Harmoniously presented and finishes extremely long. 2009 vintage seems just perfect now but can easily be cellared for another 8 - 10+ years. This wine requires bottle age to deliver its potential and could appear a little austere if drunk in its early youth. (Thank you, Marco for recommending to us!) 17.5/20  

(I feel I must try the Greco di Tufo and Falanghina by Quintodecimo very soon while the Greco is still fresh in my memory!)

1986 Lafite
A rich wine that keeps evolving in our glasses over the course of our meal. Initially a little closed. With aeration in the glass, we are able to admire its fleshy richness, intensity and bold structure. A substantial wine with the hallmarks of monumental greatness, and one that can expect further bottle evolution, and a very long life ahead, 30+ years. Today, it could have benefitted from 2 hours of decanting time but it was fascinating to see how it kept evolving in the glass. 20/20

1996 Margaux
Fine and elegant, with its signature aromatics. Sinewy and delicate when compared to the fleshy and mouthcoating Lafite.  A delightful wine that should be enjoyed now and over the next 10 - 15+ years. I didn't find the wine showing marked improvement with aeration in the glass. 17.5/20

Gaja Magari 2006 and Montevetrano 2005

29 July 2010: Dinner at W52, Wyndham Street, Central, HK. We got there early for drinks and at HK$ 52 a glass (including 10% service charge and a buffet of tasty snacks and gorgeous parma ham), it was a great happy hour deal - so we loaded up on pinot grigio! Therefore, at dinner, we went straight for the reds. I had ordered 2 different reds, a 2006 Gaja Ca'Marcanda Magari (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc) and a 2005 Montevetrano (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Aglianico). The 2006 Gaja Magari was a wonderful expression of the Tuscan sun, soil and ripe fruit. A deep ruby colour, the wine showed a profound richness and rounded character, complexity based on black fruits, liquorice and Mediterranean herbs, blended into a whole, with intensity and concentration. 17/20





The 2005 Montevetrano was new to me. I had heard so much about it that I could not resist ordering a bottle to see if it's deserving of its cultish accolades! I dare say we were not disappointed. A deep ruby colour, medium bodied wine, balanced with vivacious acidity and grippy fine tannins. A complex and intense bouquet comprising black cherries, blackberries, layered with spicy and savoury character, together with the attractiveness of chocolate, coffee, liquorice and vanilla. The volcanic minerality of Campania had not gone amiss and it seemed to have added a level of austerity to add to the complexity and structure. The wine had spent 8 - 12 months in new oak and it spent 6 months in bottle prior to its release. A lengthy finish and a truly memorable wine. Perhaps too young to drink, and it will surely evolve to reveal its full potential in complexity and finish. 17.5/20

I had thought both wines very expressive of the terroir and the grape varieties, both extremely well made in quite different styles. The Magari concentrated, rich and powerful. The Montevetrano perfumed, intense and intellectual, in some ways slightly more elegant.

The vin santo was a little disappointing....just a little too rancio for my liking.





I saw some very delicious looking côte de porc (for two) being served at next door tables....definitely coming back here with Richard.....I have always found that the service at W52 could do with a little improvement.....well, if the food is good, the wine divine and the company excellent, what more would you need??!! Food 4/5; Service 3/5; Ambiance 4/5; Price 4/5