Nebbiolo Prima 2022, a great opportunity TO EXPLORE the magnificent wines of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero wine destinations – Filippo Magnani and Claudia Marinelli

Nebbiolo Prima has become an important event and now truly represents the very first opportunity to evaluate the new vintages of Barolo, Barbaresco, and Roero the champions of Piedmont. This year, tasters and journalists had the opportunity to REVIEW 311 wines produced by 180 wineries.

The Unione Produttori Vini Albesi is a consortium, founded to promote the wines of the Alba region. The history of this consortium is linked in a twofold way to the same-named and unmistakable Albeisa bottle. For Nebbiolo Prima this year, the consortium has organized a limited tasting. This tasting includes four days of intensive work, all dedicated to one of the protagonists of the Italian wine scene and a milestone to discover Barolo, Barbaresco, and Roero territories: Nebbiolo grape, the noble of Italian native grape varieties.

The name Nebbiolo derives from the Italian word “Nebbia” which translated means fog or mist. This is a challenging and sensitive grape that, in the right hillside spot (south-facing), expresses itself in a unique and beautiful complexity. It prefers a rich calcareous tufa-based soil – such as the ones in Barolo, Barbaresco, and Roero.

All denominations and sub-zones were presented at the tasting blind: DOCG Barolo 2018 and Riserva 2016, DOCG Barbaresco 2019 and Riserva 2017, and DOCG Roero 2019 and Riserva 2018. THE wines were eloquent witnesses to the myriad facets of its incredible terroir.

 

 

 

 

 

Tasting report of Nebbiolo Prima 2022

Roero
Roero is located to the north of Alba town, in the province of Cuneo, on the left bank of the river Tanaro, between the plain of Carmagnola and the low hills of Asti.

Below are the tasting notes of Claudia Marinelli, a colleague of mine, who replaced me this year:

Tastings Roero DOCG 2019
Most of the Roero 2019 I tasted were fresh harmonious with good fruit and lively acidity.

Winery: Casetta Carlo – Montà
Wine: Roero Docg 2019 Fil
Pale ruby core with light purple hue towards the edge. The nose is fruity, with balsamic notes and a hint of fresh leather. Well structured body with medium alcohol and soft tannins well integrated with the fruit.

Winery: Ponchione Maurizio – Govone
Wine: Roero Docg 2019 Monfrini
Medium ruby-red. Intense flavour of dark cherry and light notes of china.
Medium acidity with discreet alcohol level and soft tannin. Fruity and spicy. Quite a long aftertaste.

Tastings Roero DOCG 2018 Riserva
Across the tasting of the riservas, I noted some wines with good freshness and preserved ripe tannins and good body.

Winery: Lorenzo Negro – Monteu Roero
Wine: Roero Docg Riserva 2018 S.Francesco
Colour ranging from ruby core to light garnet rim. Intense flavour of ripe plum with balsamic and hint of rose. Amble, with lively red cherry. Good structure with quite delicate tannins. Lovely wine.

Winery: Cascina Chicco – Vezza d’Alba
Wine: Roero Docg Riserva 2018 Valmaggiore
Deep ruby colour. Rich bouquet of blackcherry with hints of rosemary. Round, full body and warm. Pleasant. quite powerful tannins and long length. Lovely nebbiolo.

Barbaresco

The area of production includes the entire territory of the villages of Barbaresco, Treiso and Neive, plus part of the territory of the Alba municipality.

Tastings Barbaresco DOCG 2019
In general Barbarescos of this year turned out to be soft, fruity with good structure and balance. This is partly a reflection of the vintage which started cool and finished warm with nice weather during harvest.

Winery: Cascina Luisin – Barbaresco
Wine: Barbaresco Docg 2019 Asili
Bright with a deep garnet core. Pronounced flavour of blackcherry with scents of roses. Spicy notes of liquorice. . Good balance of body, fruit, acidity and velvety tannins. Long, vibrant, finish. An outstanding wine.

Winery: Pertinace – Treiso
Wine: Barbaresco Docg 2019 Marcaini
Bright, deep garnet colour. The nose rich in blueberry and forest floor perfumes. Nice, vibrant entrance in the palate. Medium body and harmonious structure with dried prune and liquorice. Quite a long aftertaste

Winery: Castello di Verduno – Barbaresco
Wine: Barbaresco Docg 2019
Intense and brilliant garnet colour. Pronounced intensity of dark cherry and plum with spicy notes of liquorice and hint of wisteria. Medium plus acidity, full-body wine with firm tannins and toasty light notes at the end. Excellent wine.

Winery: Musso – Barbaresco
Wine: Barbaresco Docg 2019 Rio Sordo
Medium garnet core, paler towards the edge. The wine displays intense floreal notes mixed with balsamic scents and overtones of graphite. The palate expresses ripe fruit with a hint of vanilla. Good acidity, firm tannins and long finish. I really like it.

Tastings Barbaresco DOCG 2017 RISERVA
I found a wide range of great wines, showing high intensity and complexity of aromas. I have tasted well balanced wines with body and rich in fruit.

Winery: Socré – Barbaresco
Wine: Barbaresco Docg 2017 Riserva Roncaglie
The colour is deep garnet with a compact rim. Intense bouquet of cherry with notes of violet. Scents of spices, tobacco and rhubarb. A dry, full body wine with good sapidity, well balanced structure and medium ripe tannins. Elegant.

Winery: Produttori del Barbaresco – Barbaresco
Wine: Barbaresco Docg 2017 Riserva Ovello
Deep garnet core with ruby tinge. Intense bouquet of black cherry and leather. Good structure with medium-plus acidity, medium alcohol and leather overtones. Velvety tannins, well integrated with the fruit. Juicy finish.

Barolo
Barolo is made in eleven ‘communes’ or village territories: Barolo itself, La Morra, Monforte, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto, Novello, Grinzane Cavour, Verduno, Diano d’Alba, Cherasco, Roddi.

Tastings Barolo DOCG 2018 (taster Claudia Marinelli)
The 2017s showed ripe fruit and good structure with great aromatic intensity. A sufficient level of acidity guarantees freshness to almost all wines. In general, I tasted good wines that proved the hard work of the producers during an uneasy season.

Winery: Ratti – La Morra
Wine: Barolo Docg 2018 Conca
Medium garnet core with narrow tawny rim. Great nose with ripe plum, balsamic notes with hints of liquorice and rhubarb. Slight notes of leather. Medium body with ripe red fruit and freshness. Moderate coarse tannins. Elegant , long finish. Great potential.

Winery: Fratelli Barale – Barolo
Wine: Barolo Docg 2018 Castellero
Bright with intense garnet core and paler rim. The wine displays red fruit and cytrus notes mixed with hearty overtones. Exuberant and full body in the palate, elegant fruit and exuberant tannins. Long, fresh finish. Very good wine.

Winery: Giacomo Fenocchio – Castiglione Falletto
Wine: Barolo Docg 2018 Villero
Medium garnet red turning slightly twarny. Pronounced bouquet of blackcherry, dried prune and leather. Overtones of coconut and the scent of incense. Lovely palate, deep fruit with firm tannins. Long finish.

Winery: Giuseppe Rinaldi – Barolo
Wine: Barolo Docg 2018 Brunate
Brilliant, deep garnet colour with compact rim. Various and intense aromas of ripe plum, blackberry and tobacco. Rich in structure, with persistent ripe fruit well balanced with the firm tannins. Fresh long finish.

Winery: Conterno Fantino – Monforte d’Alba
Wine: Barolo Docg 2018 Castelletto Vigna Pressenda
Clear, deep red garnet colour. Intense flavour of dark cherry and prune. Light notes of eucalyptus and rhubarb. The mouth is dense with medium soft tannins and toasty hints. Elegant wine with long and juicy aftertaste. This is an excellent wine.

Tastings Barolo DOCG 2016 Riserva (taster Claudia Marinelli)
In general, the wines were balanced showing good ripeness and discrete alcohol level. Averagely rich in tannins with long finish. To me these riservas showed great potential.

Winery: Cavallotto – Castiglione Falletto
Wine: Barolo Docg 2016 Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe
Intense garnet red colour with pale tawny reflections. Complex nose with intense flavour of dark cherry, leather and china. Fragrant, with juicy palate with lively acidity. Discrete alcohol level and soft tannins. Long finish. Really good wine.

Winery: Brezza Giacomo e Figli – Barolo
Wine: Barolo Docg 2016 Riserva Sarmassa Vigna Bricco
Deep garnet core with paler rims. Pronounced intensity of ripe plum and prune with overtones of cinnamon and nutmeg. Lovely ripe blackcherry in the palate. Well-integrated into a medium body with round, fine tannins. Fresh and sapit finish.

I really wish to thank you to Liz Palmer, who
kindly proposed me to participate and report on the Nebbiolo Prima 2022,
representing her website together with Claudia Marinelli.
See you in Piedmont!

#Alba #Piedmont #nebbioloprima2022 #winetasting #winecompetition #barolo #barolowine #nebbiolo ##piemonte #wine #italy🇮🇹 #madeinitaly #winetasting # #italianwine #itallianwinelovers
#Barbaresco #Roero #winetrade @albeisawines #travelling #winetravels

Vignobles Bonfils announces new luxury wine tourism complex in Languedoc “Château Capitoul”

Vignobles Bonfils has just announced the opening of Château Capitoul, a luxury wine tourism complex at the heart of AOP La Clape in Languedoc.

The family-owned group is one of the largest vineyard owners in France, with 1,600 hectares under vine. Vignobles Bonfils also maintains 17 châteaux and estates in Occitania and 4 wine tourism sites.

Since 2011, through its alliance with Domaine & Demeure, Bonfils has jointly brought 3 of Languedoc’s flagship estates back to life: Les Carasses, Saint-Pierre de Serjac and, in 2021, Capitoul. In Roussillon, they have achieved the same with the inspirational Château l’Esparrou.

Laurent Bonfils, company CEO, said of the complex: “Being a wine tourism practitioner implies creating an emotional bond and becoming a region’s ambassador.”

The estate was purchased in 2011 and after a three-year renovation, the showpiece of 19th-century winery architecture has been restored and transformed.

The 93-hectare estate encompasses garrigue, olive groves, grounds and 62 hectares of unbroken vines while being nestled amidst the unspoilt countryside in Languedoc’s largest national park and Natura 2000.

Eco-Friendly and sustainable practices have been employed to protect the natural surroundings, especially the site’s water resources. Around the edges of the vineyards, a dry-stone wall habitat has been built for ocellated lizards.

The 62 hectares of Grenache noir and blanc, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Marsanne, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Cinsault vines surround this iconic property in AOP La Clape, Languedoc’s first appellation to be granted village-designated status, for reds and whites. The re-opening of Château Capitoul coincides with a complete overhaul and redesign of the range. Under the La Clape appellation, it boasts 6 reds and 5 whites along with 3 Languedoc rosés.

#ChâteauCapitoul #madeinfrance #frenchwine #Languedoc #Roussillon #france #winelovers

#vin #Cinsault #winetourism #winetourismfrance #vineyards #redwine #whitewine #instawine #Syrah #winenews #winetrends

WSTA Launches Low and No Alcohol Labelling Guidance

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (UK) has produced new guidance around the labeling of low and no alcohol drinks, as a record number of Brits explore low and no products.

This guidance has been produced in partnership with the WTSA’s Primary Authority Trading Standards Partners, and at the behest of both retailers and producers.

With the popularity of the low and no alcohol category at an all-time high, and January traditionally seeing efforts by consumers to cut out or cut down on booze to start the year, drinks producers are developing new and innovative techniques to provide consumers with more choice and greater quality.

The latest data from the WSTA Market Report shows that overall alcohol sales are down compared to the same 12-month period last year. Wine and beer sales have dipped and overall, spirit sales are flat. Wine, the nation’s most popular drink, has seen a 5% decline in sales despite the boost in online deliveries.

Many new products on the market are produced to closely resemble their alcoholic counterparts – they are closer than ever before – in taste, aroma and appearance – to the spirits and spirit drinks they are providing an alternative to.

The WSTA’s new guidance aims to establish acceptable legal names, marketing text and general labeling requirements for low and no alcohol drinks.

It also looks to boost confidence for consumers in the category, helping them make informed purchasing decisions through clear, accurate, and consistent labeling – which had been retailers’ over-riding concern and motivation for asking the WSTA to offer advice that can be applicable UK market-wide.

The new guidance applies to low and no alcohol drinks that are packaged and marketed as a substitute or alternative to spirit drinks and is designed to complement existing – and any future – Low Alcohol Descriptors Guidance produced by the Department of Health and Social Care.

Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association said:

“There has been a huge amount of innovation and product development across the low and no alcohol category in recent years. Confusion – for producers and for consumers – led to a request of the WSTA to pull together comprehensive advice. Along with our Primary Authority partners, we have produced this new guide to help both producers and consumers.

We know that overall alcohol sales fell during 2020. Many Brits want to start 2021 by reducing the amount of alcohol they drink, or cutting it out completely, which is why I am delighted to have been able to publish this guidance so early in the year.

Many of our members are making it easier than ever for us to choose a lower-alcohol, or no alcohol alternative, without compromising on taste or quality. Our new guidance will help producers label and market their products with greater confidence, and will help promote clear, accurate and consistent labeling across the category, boosting consumer confidence.”

Councillor David Lancaster, lead member for environment and community safety, at Salford City Council said supporting businesses to comply with the law and promoting best practice is central to the council’s primary authority advisory work with the WSTA.

“Low and no alcohol drinks are a fast-growing market.  It is important that products are legally compliant and that they have clear and understandable labeling so that customers can make the right choices. Our staff were delighted to work with their colleagues in Wales to help the WSTA publish this pioneering guide,” he said.

Jonny Peacock, Strategy and Transformation Director for Pernod Ricard UK, said:

“The non-alcoholic spirits category is already growing fast, and with 30 percent of all consumers seeking to moderate, there’s no reason to doubt projections of continued growth of ~25% over the coming years. This move is welcome as it ensures clarity and certainty for producers and consumers as they increasingly engage in the category.”

Rob Curteis, Group Marketing Director, Quintessential Brands, adds:

“With many consumers today looking to create a better balance in their lives and their diets, there’s more interest in products that help them to moderate – be it low & no alcohol, or low & no sugar. They’re also wanting to enjoy good quality when they do indulge in a bit of what they fancy though – it’s not enough to simply remove the alcohol and not consider the impact on the taste, shoppers today are more discerning and expect more from these ‘alternatives.’

“With this being new territory for many producers, retailers and consumers, we welcome the WSTA’s proactive approach in giving guidance to the industry on this burgeoning category to help the consumer understand and navigate it, and also to protect the integrity of the spirits category.”

Coronavirus Disrupts the Wine and Spirits Industry

Tastings and trade shows worldwide have been canceled or pushed back to mitigate the spread of coronavirus – we are keeping you up-to-date with the latest news from the drinks industry.

In northern Italy, roughly 16 million people are in a state of lockdown until 3 April after the government imposed strict quarantine that includes the closure of museums, cultural institutions and the suspension of all public gatherings and social events, including pubs, nightclubs and games halls. Budget airline Easyjet announced on Sunday evening it would cancel flights to Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Venice and Verona airports in the period up to April 3 and will provide further updates in due course.

The UK’s Foreign Office has advised members of the public to cancel all-but essential travel to key Italian wine-growing regions such as Lombardy region, including the cities of Milan, Bergamo and Como, and the provinces of Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and Rimini in Emilia Romagna region. A spokesperson for the UK government has said anyone returning to the UK from these parts of Italy should self-quarantine regardless of whether they are displaying symptoms.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson held an emergency meeting with the UK’s cabinet on Monday morning (9 March) to decide whether the country will undergo a similar lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. However, a spokesperson confirmed that the UK will not pursue any stricter measures for the time being.

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has said its annual trade show, BeerX, will be going ahead as normal on 11 and 12 March, but with extra precautions in place.

James Calder, SIBA’s chief executive said: “We’re taking extra steps to ensure the risk of passing on infection remains low. We are working with our event partners, the Liverpool ACC and closely following Government guidance on a day by day basis. We would encourage all brewers, suppliers, judges and delegates to stick to their plans and take sensible measures.”

The measures include:

  • A ban on handshakes
  • A ban on sharing beer glasses with anyone else
  • Hand sanitizer stations placed throughout BeerX and on every bar
  • Exhibitors to use hand sanitizer on all stands
  • Encouraging everyone to stick to the NHS latest guidance on hand washing and sneezing into tissues

On Thursday, March 5th, Messe Düsseldorf, the organizer of ProWein, has revealed that the show will not take place this year. The group plan to host ProWein as scheduled in 2021.

On Tuesday, March 3, London’s wine trade had its first casualty. The RAW Wine Show, which was due to take place this weekend, has been postponed. Founder Isabelle Legeron MW said: “With so many producers flying in from all over the world this seems like the right decision for such a large gathering of people and such an international event.”

At the same time, the bi-annual Grands Jours de Bourgogne tasting, due to take place between 9 and 13 March, has likewise been called off.

And the organizers of the leading Italian wine show, Vinitaly, have announced the 2020 edition will be postponed until June.

On March 2nd we learned that the London Wine Fair will still go ahead, but attendees have been told to proceed with caution. The organizers have pledged to supply extra hand sanitizers and face masks to curb infection at the mammoth wine tasting in Kensington Olympia in May.

Also set to go ahead as normal is the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux’s annual primeurs week, which takes place at the end of March.

Arguably the biggest event in the drinks trade calendar, ProWein, has also been pushed back. Messe Düsseldorf states on February 29th that it was postponing a series of trade fairs set to take place in the exhibition center, including ProWein, Wire, Tube, Beauty, Top Hair and Energy Storage Europe.

A number of shows have also been canceled altogether in China, while the dates for Vinexpo Hong Kong and ProWine Asia in Singapore have also moved to later this year.

Source:  Drinks Business

 

Michelin Introduces Sustainable Gastronomy Symbol

The Michelin Guide has unveiled a new green clover symbol in its France guide to indicate restaurants with “commendable environmental practices”.

First revealed at the launch of the Michelin Guide France 2020 on 27 January, the new icon has been allocated to over 50 sustainable restaurants.

Among them is three Michelin-starred Mirazur in Menton which has two hectares of “permaculture vegetable gardens” and also has a zero-waste policy.

The symbol can be given to chefs whose restaurants have been awarded the plate, bib gourmand or 1-3 stars.

Also given the accolade was Parisian Restaurant David Toutain, which collaborates with smallholdings and local craftsmen and matches its food orders with future bookings in order to minimize waste. In addition, Septime, also based in the French capital, was praised for its sustainable food sourcing and its practice of sending all bio-waste to a vermicomposting center to be recycled.

In 2019, the MICHELIN Guide handed out Sustainability Awards to recognize chefs across several destinations rated by the guide, including Angel Leon of three-MICHELIN-starred Aponiente in Spain, Enda McAvoy of one-starred Loam in Ireland, and Heidi Bjerkan of one-starred Credo in Norway.

Commenting on the launch, Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides, said: “Faced with constantly evolving challenges including production methods, sourcing and waste management, chefs are striving to improve their practices.

“Often, these initiatives combine the best of the knowledge of our predecessors with the creativity and innovation of chefs who are never short of ideas. The ambition of our approach is to amplify the scope of the good and ingenious practices of chefs by putting them in the spotlight.

“The ideas, methods, and know-how developed by these chefs will thus help raise awareness of an entire sector to its customers and the general population.”

The practices and achievements of those restaurants given a sustainability icon will be promoted via the Michelin Guide’s platforms throughout the year.

The list can be found here:

https://guide.michelin.com/mo/en/macau-region/macau/article/news-and-views/michelin-new-sustainable-gastronomy-icon