Sangiovese and food

Cottage Vineyards has organised a masterclass on variations of Sangiovese and Tuscany’s forgotten wine recently. The variations of Sangiovese ranged from the Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino to Super Tuscan (Sangiovese blended with international varieties). These wines were presented by four passionate winemakers/owners from Tenuta Cantagallo e Le Farnete, Molino di Sant’Antimo, and Fattoria di Petroio. The other forgotten varieties were Ciliegiolo and Pugnitello, both red wines, from Simona Ceccherini Winery.

The tasting was a bit chaotic as there were too many different glasses in too confined space leaving no space for taking notes; but at the same time lively because the speakers, especially Dario Pierzaauoli from  Tenuta Cantagallo e Le Farnete who also took on the role of moderator, were entertaining.

Each speaker took turn to present his/her wine, with first hand story from his/her experience. Ada Leung, Sales & Marketing Director of Cottage Vineyards, brilliantly wrapped up each presentation with suggested food, both western and Asian, to pair with the wine. Cottage Vineyards is known for pairing Chinese cuisines with wine (the most  popular being Jura Vin Jaune with Hairy Crab) so it was natural for Ada to suggest some food pairing ideas to the guests, who were mostly from the F&B industry, to help differentiate the different Sangiovese variations. Ada also gave each guest a written summary of the wines’ characteristics, food matching guide and examples of both western a
nd Asian cuisines to pair.

Of course these wines are all different but it could be challenging for wine consumers to remember the nuances. I would like to draw a simple conclusion that Sangiovese, with its high acidity, is food-friendly. We just need to determine the palate weight of the wine and choose food that have similar weight. For example, a light version Chianti without wood could match with antipasti and fish dishes; while a more meaty Super Tuscan would pair well with roasted meat.

What I would also like to mention is the two other varieties. Both Ciliegiolo and Pugnitello are local varieties from Maremma where Simona Ceccherini Winery is located. Ciliegiolo with its lively acidity is best with simple tomato based dishes while the heavier weight Pugnitello would be perfect with slow cooked meat. Italy has 1,000 native varieties, we need every Simona to preserve them.

All these wines are available from Cottage Vineyards.

Indigenous grapes, forgotten grapes?

I had the opportunity to attend two tastings in a role organised by the Hong Kong Wine Society on two classic European wine regions, one in conjunction with The Drinks Business on the Douro Valley in Portugal and the other one jointly presented with Cottage Vineyards on Piedmont region in Italy. Both countries are known for their vast arrays of indigenous grapes and the tastings, with focus on these varieties, were like fresh air.

The Douro wine we tasted, from Wine & Soul and Quinta de Maritávora, were made by the same winemaker Jorge Serôdio Borges who is also the owner of Wine & Soul. Douro is the home of port but still red wine has been gaining fame in the last 10 years. Jorge reckons now is the turn of Douro still white wine. Wine & Soul Guru, from a 50 years old vineyard planted with Gouveio, Viosinho, Rabigato and Códega do Larinho (field blend), is a light-bodied wine with only 12% alcohol. It was barrel fermented with 50% new oak but it has such intense fruit aromas that the wood just added complexity to the wine instead of overpowering it. The wine was a good match with the Pasties de Bacalhau being served but it would be equally impressed with grilled prawns or sardines. New vineyard plantings in the Douro tend to be of single variety for better management but Jorge now goes back to field blend planting. He blended wine from different varieties planted separately but now believes vines maturing together allows different varieties to interact in the vineyards resulting in more complex blend. Well, I don’t think we can argue with him - his Guru testifies his theory!

The two reds that followed were interesting comparison. Both were blends dominated by Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, amongst others. The Maritávora Grande Reserva 2011 was concentrated but with such freshness that reminded me of a young port without the sweetness. Wine & Soul Pintas 2009, a mega-blend with 30 varieties, is elegant and multi-dimensional with earthier notes. Jorge said Portugal is the New Old World, where indigenous grapes are used to make clean, fresh and balanced wine.

Italy’s indigenous grapes were mostly uprooted or lost. Fortunately a few committed winemakers have not forgotten them. Cottage Vineyards invited two winemakers from Piedmont to showcase three such varieties: Erbaluce, Vespolina and Pelaverga Piccolo.

I first tasted Erbaluce in 2014 at Vinitaly and it was such a discovery. A light -bodied wine with floral, smoky tones and a mineral finish, it is refreshing and in my view, a much more suitable wine for the Asian warm and humid climate. Jancis Robinson once said the better Erbaluce could challenge Arneis and Gavi, the leading white wines from Piedmont. The one we tried, Pietro Cassina ‘Nivis’ Coste della Sesia Bianco DOC 2014 (yes, 100% Erbaluce) was exactly what I remembered and it went extremely well with the seared scallop on mashed potato and hazelnut - hazelnut being a famous produce in Piedmont. Pietro Cassina ‘Tera Russa’ is 100% Vespolina grown on red soil, an earthy wine with notes of spices and herbs. Vespolina was nearly lost to phylloxera and there is only just over 100ha plantings left in Italy.

Another gem was Castello di Verduno ‘Basadone’ Verduno DOC 2013 made of 100% Pelaverga Piccolo. The grape is only grown in the tiny village of Verduno and is often blended with other grapes - another forgotten grape luckily revived in the 70s when Castello
di Verduno then winemaker dedicated a vineyard, Basadone, to the variety. The wine was eventually promoted to DOC status in 1983 and although there are 11 producers in Verduno, total planting of the variety is just over 20ha. The wine is light and elegant with sour cherry and spicy tones. Basadone means ‘kissing women’ in local dialect and winemaker Mario Andrion hopes the wine could reawaken wine lovers’ desire to these forgotten grapes.

Both Portugal and Italy are my favourite European wine countries and I love indigenous grapes. I hope the new generation of Portuguese and Italian winemakers will not forget their history, and keep crafting wines from these treasures.

Wine & Soul and Quinta de Maritávora are available from Maritávora Asia Ltd.
Pietro Cassina and Castello di Verduno are available from Cottage Vineyards.

The secret behind the success of San Felice

With over 20 years of presence here, San Felice is one of the pioneer Italian wine brands in Hong Kong, at the time when the majority of wine in the market was from France. Today, with many more Italian players in the market, San Felice is still one of the most recognised Italian wine brands. I had a chance to discuss with Leonardo Bellaccini, San Felice’s winemaker for over 30 years, about the brand’s success and his view on the Asian market.

Leonardo attributed the brand’s success largely to the effort of its importer, Valdivia/Castello Del Vino, who has been San Felice’s partner in Hong Kong since the beginning, and understands San Felice’s philosophy and vision. He believes that being at the right places is more important than setting sales volume, and he is glad that San Felice is available in major hotels and restaurants, including The Peninsula, Four Seasons, Aqua and Sevva. Of course regular visits to the market, in Leonardo’s case, twice a year to Hong Kong, and supporting importer on various marketing activities also help. Nevertheless, his advice to newcomers to any markets: identifying a good importer is mandatory to success.

Claudia Capelvenere, managing director of Valdivia Ltd, echoed Leonardo, that mutual trust is the success to build the wine brand in the market. She also praised San Felice’s honest pricing, that they never increased  prices unreasonably because of awards, limited supply or allocation. This gives her space and time to develop the brand. The fact that Valdivia is the oldest family-owned importer specialises in Italian wine since 1975 allows the company to establish a strong rapport with key on-trade customers.

Leonardo is positive about Hong Kong. He does not see Hong Kong only as a gateway to China, and compares Hong Kong to Manhattan, both rich markets where all brands want to have a foothold. Hong Kong wine market is some 30 years more mature than China’s with more developed wine and cuisine culture while Chinese consumers are still at the discovery stage.

Turning to other Asian markets, Leonardo said Japan used to be San Felice’s number one market but it is more of a historical market now largely because of the stagnant economy, and perhaps partly because of a not-too-ideal import partner. However, he is bullish in South Korea and Singapore, currently number one and three of San Felice’s markets in Asia, with Hong Kong being number two.

Of course quality is also essential to the brands’ success. Leonardo’s believes in indigenous grapes which have a strong link to the region, and show much better of terroir. International grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have strong personalities that put their fingerprints over terroir rather than expressing it. Having said that, San Felice is one of the first Chianti wineries to have produced a Super Tuscan Vigorello, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, back in 1968, when Chianti was suffering from a poor reputation. San Felice wanted to show the world that Chianti is capable of producing a modern, international wine with a Tuscan character.

Nevertheless, to ensure full expression of terroir, its Chianti Classico Il Grigio Riserva, only uses 100% Sangiovese while the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Grigio uses Sangiovese with a touch of other local grape varieties including Pugnitello, Malvasia Nera and Ciliegiolo. Gran Selezione is a new denomination approved by the European Commission in 2014 to showcase the excellence of Chianti Classico. Wine classified in this category must be made by grapes from the wineries‘ own vineyards, aged a minimum 30 months in oak and be judged and approved by a panel, amongst others. 2014 only had 25 wines approved while this year has increased to 93. Leonardo was very pleased that his Gran Selezione 2011 was awarded the #1 wine of Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 2015, demonstrated that San Felice’s success is a combination of quality, commitment and good partnership.

San Felice is available from Castello Del Vinov

Abridged version was published on Spirito diVino April/May 2016 issue

Luce - the brand, the style, the wine

Attending the Luce’s 20th anniversary dinner in Hong Kong was a privilege and the occasion was made even more memorable because it was hosted by Erika Ribaldi, its cheerful Asia Export Manager.

Luce is one of the brands of the Frescobaldi family. It is a super Tuscan wine made from Merlot and Sangiovese in Montalcino created by Robert Mondavi and Vit
torio Frescobaldi back in 1993. Although the Fescobaldi family took full control in 2005, Luce still remains a vision shared by the two families and a harmonisation of the Old and New Worlds — Sangiovese gave the finesse and structure while the Merlot filled it with opulence and fragrance. There is no doubt on the quality of Luce but I was more intrigued by its marketing effort and its brand power.

Luce is more than just a wine. It has evolved into one of the most creative brands that embraces the chic Italian design and fine quality. Its distinctive logo, a sun surrounded by tongues of flame, can be found on glassware, furniture and even cheese (yes, we were served this at dinner). It also has a couple of restaurants, one in San Francisco and one in Bangkok, under its name. The main course of the dinner was served on a Luce’s plate.

At the dinner, Erika was wearing a series of golden tattoos (albeit temporary), one of which was a necklace with the Luce’s radiant sun. I’m sure it could be developed into another successful Luce’s line of accessories.

The appeal of brand is most prominent in Japan. With 6,000 bottles per year or 50% of its Asian sales, it is Luce’s biggest Asian market. 80% of the customers are female, who are attracted by Luce’s elegant and stylish brand. Erika said the Japan market can still grow bigger but unfortunately with only around 80,000 bottles produced annually, the wine is on allocation only. To celebrate the 20th anniversary, Luce has made 10 exclusive gift box consisted of all 20 vintages, two of which are available in Japan.

I’m not saying that all wine brands have to follow Luce’s approach, and certainly not many brands have the resources to extend their names to other products. However, it demonstrates that a more consumer-oriented lifestyle strategy, backed by good quality, does take the brand closer to consumers and thereby increasing sales. Terroir and technical details are relevant and important but sometimes, a little personal touch may just differentiate a brand from the crowd.

Luce is available from Jebsen Wines

More than just Pinot Grigio

ASC recently hosted an Italian Grand Tasting featuring seven wineries from Alto Adige to Sicily. Wines were diverse but I was surprised to find five Pinot Grigios from three wineries, and each has its own different style.

It’s true that a lot of Pinot Grigio being served as house wine is inoffensive but often bland. A well-made Pinot Grigio should be delicate with citrus, apple aromas and vibrant, while some serious ones, like those below, are concentrated with a depth of flavour.

Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio: Single vineyard biodynamic wine from Alto Adige. 20% was barrel fermented while the rest in stainless steel tank. The wine has an uplifted aroma, a round mouthfeel and an integrated spice.

Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio: Blended with semi-dried native Verduzzo grapes, the wine is more aromatic and intense than an average Pinot Grigio, with fresh stone fruits and honey notes. Definitely a wine to serve with food rather than just gulping.

Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio: A 100% Pinot Grigio IGT wine from Montalcino, richer than the typical Pinot Grigio from northern Italy because of the warmer Tuscan sun but still retained the acidity. The minerality from the calcareous soil added the extra dimension. I tried it the other day with dim sum and it was perfect!

The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) developed a PinotG Style Spectrum from crisp to luscious to differentiate them. It would be fun to have a PintoG dinner with wines from Italy to New Zealand and see how they fare and pair with food.

All the above are available from ASC Fine Wines.

The golden manor house

Don Pino and family

Probably because of my visit to Mt Etna in 2014, I love to learn more about indigenous grapes from Sicily. Therefore, even though I could not stay behind for the Sicilian wine dinner that Marco from Italy Small Vineyards had kindly invited me to, I still went along just to taste the wine and talk to Guiseppe Laudicina, sales manager and one of the family members of Baglio Oro from Marsala in western Sicily.

Baglio Oro is a family estate founded by Giuseppe’s grandfather, also called Giuseppe or ‘Don Pino’. He used to sell grapes and bulk wine to other wineries but then the family realised just how good quality grapes the vineyard could produce and decided in 2012 to start making and bottling the wine under their own label, Baglio Oro. Oro means gold, probably referring to the family’s other business in jewellery, while baglio means manor house, referring to the building on the estate. The family converted one part of the manor house into a winery and cellar and retained another part as a ‘Museum of Rural Life’, showcasing ancient Sicilian arts, crafts and domestic appliances once used in everyday life on the island. Don Pino is still pretty much hands-on in the vineyard, and he is helped by his children and grandchildren.

The vineyard is located in the upper part of Marsala at 160m altitude, blessed by the southern wind that moderates the otherwise too high temperatures. Of the white wines we tried, the Grecanico (same as Garganega used to make Soave in Veneto) only had 11% alcohol, a pleasant wine with floral and citrus notes. It was a hot afternoon and both Ali fromWine Times HK and I thought of Lamma, beach and seafood. The wine also reminded me of Muscadet from the Loire, the perfect summer afternoon drink for Hong Kong.

Catarratto is the island’s most widely planted variety. It was used to produce the sweet fortified Marsala wine in the past and now is often distilled or made into grape concentrate. When made into wine most Catarratto is pretty ordinary but Baglio Oro Catarratto, with good concentration and freshness, is one of the better IGTs that express the variety well. Giusseppe said all the white wine underwent skin maceration to extract more flavours. He compared this to eating a healthy and ripe apple with the skin—that is where all the flavours are.

Another local grape variety we tasted was Grillo, a full-bodied white wine with herbaceous and perfume aromas. I could imagine that it would be perfect with the tuna tartar Marco had prepared for dinner. While Baglio Oro doesn’t make Marsala, they do make a late harvest Grillo, Yema. At 14% alcohol and 80g/l residual sugar with multi-dimensional flavours and surprisingly elegant, it is rather like a heavyweight spätlese Riesling.

Cherry/oak barrels

The red wine, a 100% Nero d’Avola from 2012, was vibrant, a lot less meaty than most Nero d’Avolas. Giusseppe stressed that they want to preserve the true varietal expression of each grape variety so only use oak sparingly. In fact, they commissioned Li Causi from Marsalbotti, a family-run artisan cooperage in Marsala, to construct a series of 160hl barrels made of a combination of cherry and oak so that the cherry wood could tone down the strong oak aromas. This wine only stayed in these cherry/oak barrels for a few months to make sure the wood flavours support but not dominate the varietal characteristics.

All the wines are well-made and honest. I’m glad that I didn't miss the chance to taste them.

Baglio Oro is available from Italy Small Vineyards.

Dialogue with Banfi

Castello Banfi, considered one of the top estates in Brunello, hosted a media lunch recently. It was an intimate event with around 10 wine writers, two ASC members, Paolo Fassina, Banfi’s Asia Manager, and Cristina Mariani-May, its co-CEO.

I had met Cristina briefly before and judging by her accent and her address I thought she was American, probably married into the family... but how wrong could I be! So it was nice that I could finally set the record right at the event. Cristina is in fact 100% Italian and the third generation owner co-managing the company with her first cousin. Yes, she lives in New York but so did her grandfather, who was a wine merchant, and founded the company Banfi. The company’s name was inspired by his aunt Teodolinda Banfi, a lady with a big personality who was the head of household at the Vatican and an expert on wine.

Longing to find its roots back in Italy, the family established Castello Banfi in Tuscany in 1978, gradually assembling a contiguous estate of 2,780 ha in Montalcino. Banfi is not the biggest estate in Montalcino but it does have the biggest single vineyard. Only about a third of the property is planted with vines, the rest is home to olive groves, fruit trees and woods. In addition, the family also owns the historic winery Bruzzone in Piedmont, now dedicated to producing sparkling wine.

Probably because of the American influence on discipline and the quest for perfection, John and Harry Mariani, the second generation, collaborated with the University of Milan on a Sangiovese Clonal Research project that eventually identified 15 clones out of 650 on the Banfi estate and the surrounding area that best represent the characteristics of the Sangiovese grape. Since 1992 Banfi’s new plantings of Sangiovese always have at least three or four of these 15 clones that are suitable for the specific soil and are complementary to each other.

The other thing that Cristina is proud of is the hybrid fermenters made of a combination of wood and stainless steel, which help produce the optimal wine: less stringent, softer and fleshier. The evidence? James Suckling rated Banfi’s 2010 as its best vintage.




The lunch turned out, it seemed to me, to be a two-way interview. While we were asking Cristina about the wine and the estate, she was quizzing the media at the table about the Hong Kong/China wine market with questions like why the Chinese prefer red wine, are drinking habits changing, what is the future of Italian wine in this part of the world, resulting in a lively and entertaining discussion. Although we all had different opinions, one thing for sure is that the recent consolidation resulting from the anti-corruption drive on the mainland is a positive thing in building a sustainable wine market in China. We should focus on the younger generation and instead of talking about wine in a technical and inaccessible way, we should help them to enjoy and welcome wine as part of their everyday lifestyle.

Going back to the wine, the welcome drink was Tener, a sparkling wine with an unusual blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay using Méthode Charmat (fermentation in tank). Simple but pleasant, it was perfect both as an aperitif and to pair with the shrimp spring roll we had for lunch. I particularly like the San Angela, a 100% Pinot Grigio IGT wine from Montalcino. It is richer than the typical Pinot Grigio from northern Italy because of the warmer Tuscan sun. These two value-for-money wines would be an ideal introduction to new consumers especially alongside dim sum.

The Brunello di Montalcino 2010, with its black fruits accompanied by hints of earthiness and spices, is drinking well now, thanks to those hybrid wood/stainless-steel fermenters, while the single plot Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Alle Mura 2010, with more depth and concentration, will age beautifully.

Banfi is certainly not the artisan producer one may be looking for in Brunello and its wine may be made with the American market in mind, but so what as long as it is made well and with such a passionate owner behind it?

Banfi is available from ASC Fine Wines.

Continental Wines portfolio tasting

Portfolio tastings are always worthwhile to attend if you have time because you may be familiar with only a handful of brands that importers are carrying and the tastings are a chance for you to discover something new.

I particularly enjoyed the recent Continental Wines portfolio tasting in May. Not only were there a lot of wines to try—over 200 wines from 45 wineries in 10 countries were presented—it was also a great opportunity to catch up with friends both from the trade in Hong Kong and from the wineries. After all, more than half of the brands had representatives present.

The first person to greet me was Huibre Hoff from Morgenster Estate in South Africa, whom I met last year when she conducted a Mongenster vertical tasting here. We discussed the ‘Discover South African Wine Festival’ that just ended in April and the upcoming Cape Wine event in September while tasting her wines. The Lothian Vineyards Pinot Noir 2012 from Elgin was very pleasant and the Bordeaux blend Morgenster 2009 was just superb. 

My next stop was Claudio Quarta, a biologist turned winemaker in the south of Italy. Claudio has two brands. One is Cantina San Paolo in Campania whose Greco di Tufo DOCG was outstanding. But what caught my eye was the QU.ALE Rosso Salento from his other vineyard, Tenute Eméra in Puglia. This wine is the project of his daughter, Alessandra Quarta. The name was cleverly derived from her own and means ‘What’ in Italian. Alessandra’s question is, "What responsibilities do we have if we want to work with respect for nature and mankind?" The wine, with ‘The Wine Democracy’ on the label and a very reasonable price of HK$113/bottle, clearly targets the younger audience with a conscience. However, it is not pure gimmick. You may not agree with her marketing ideas or the video but the wine, a blend of Syrah, Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo, is definitely a pleasant, simple, easy-drinking wine that will charm new young wine consumers.

From Italy I went to the Southern hemisphere where I discovered two wines made by my friends who are advocates of terroir. Clos des Fous from Chile is the brainchild of Pedro Parra, a terroir specialist whom I met in Chile back in 2013. The grapes were sourced from the extreme conditions of Chile in the south, high altitude and right next to the Pacific Ocean, outside the comfort zones of traditional Chilean wine regions. Even the entry level Subsollum Pinot Noir and Cauquenina (a blend of Carignan, Malbec, Syrah, Pais) are extremely elegant. I’m glad that Pedro’s wines have made it to Hong Kong.

The other one was Altos Las Hormigas from Alberto Antonini, an Italian winemaker friend whom I just visited in Tuscany last September. The winery only produces 100% Malbec from Uco Valley in Mendoza with minimal intervention. The wines, ranging from entry level to vineyard specific, are perfect examples of how a wine can express terroir. The Terroir Malbec and Reserva Malbec are both excellent buys.

Moving on, I was delighted to discover Losada from Bierzo in northern Spain, made from 100% Mencia, a native variety. Pájaro Rojo is fresh with red fruits and herbal flavours, while the flagship Altos de Losada, made from old vines, has a depth and concentration that outshines a lot of Riojas. 

Finally I stopped by Chapel Down, England’s largest sparkling wine producer from Kent. We had a long chat about the English wine industry and its future while sipping the winery's various sparklers. England has been making good quality sparkling wine from Champagne varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) for more than 10 years but still, a lot of people in the trade, let alone consumers, are not aware of it because of the limited export volumes. Only a few brands are available in Hong Kong but do try them if you come across them. You’ll be surprised.

Time flies and before I knew it, it was the end of the session. Usually we can hang around for a while but this time the venue had another function right after so Victoria, owner of Continental Wines, had to send us away. I realised that I only tasted a quarter of the wine—too many wines, too little time—but nevertheless a great discovery, and I had to buy a case for myself.

Continental Wines runs a separate online retail club, Victoria Wines, for private customers.

Indigenous grapes from Italy

Ian D'Agata's Native Wine Grapes of Italy

Italy probably has more native grape varieties than any other country. Ian D’Agata documented over 500 in his book ‘Native Wine Grapes of Italy’ and Jancis Robinson listed 377 in her latest book ‘Wine Grapes’. In reality, there are probably more. This is a treasure trove for winemakers.

However, beginning around the 1970s, wineries from Tuscany started releasing wines blended with or made 100% from international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. These fleshier wines, contrasting with the leaner and more subtle local wines made from Sangiovese and Canaiolo, proved to be a hit in the export markets, notably the US, thus leading to many more Tuscan wineries, big and small, planting at least some international varieties over the past 30 years.

My recent visit to Chianti, it seems, revealed a reversal of the trend.

Poggiotondo, with abundant seashells in the soil (foreground) 

Alberto Antonini, owner of Poggiotondo in Cerreto Guidi between Florence and Pisa, and a consultant to wineries in both North and South America, Italy and South Africa, told me that they planted international grapes in the 70s because it was fashionable, and that wineries then needed to have international grapes in order to be treated seriously. However, he realised that these varieties do not really match the terroir, and he is now gradually reducing the plantings. He still makes Marmoreccia Syrah, a 100% Syrah but he is putting his focus back onto the indigenous varieties (albeit not just Tuscan ones). His Poggiotondo Bianco is a blend of Vermentino, Malvasia (both from Tuscany) and Ansonica (aka Inzolia from Sicily), while his reds now feature more Sangiovese and less Merlot and Syrah in the blends.

44th Expo del Chianti Classico

Alberto’s remarks were echoed, somewhat surprisingly, by at least some 20 producers out of 55 at the 44th Expo del Chianti Classico, an annual wine festival held in Greve in Chianti that I visited two days later. Most of these producers are from the new generation of winemakers who practise organic or sustainable farming. They believe that by taking better care of the vines, controlling the yield and sometimes even using different clones they can make better Sangiovese and Canaiolo, expressive of Chianti’s terroir, without the aid of international grapes.

Credit: winepair.com

Elsewhere in Italy we can also see more emphasis on local grapes. Leading winemakers in Etna are making outstanding Nerello Mascalese and Carricante, while Walter Massa leads the way in reviving Timorasso in Piedmont. Indeed Ian D’Agata, Scientific Director of the Vinitaly International Academy, was conducting seminars on Piedmont’s indigenous grapes at the 2014 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair, introducing Grignolino, a pale red, low alcohol wine with zesty acidity and herbal, floral notes, and Brachetto d’Acqui, a sweet, slightly sparkling red, to the largely Asian audience.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay may be noble, but I think the world has more than enough of them. Italy has the fortune of having probably the most varieties of indigenous grapes that would probably not thrive outside their native country. Wine lovers are lucky that Italian winemakers are rediscovering them rather than abandoning them. The wine world would be a lot duller without them.

Mt Etna, the Burgundy of the Mediterranean

Bocca Nouva, the youngest of the four craters at the summit of Mt Etna

Finally I had a chance to see Mt Etna, the biggest active volcano in Europe. It was a private volcano hiking holiday but, being a wine addict, I managed to fit in three winery visits around Randazzo, a small town that makes a good base for exploring the northern side of Etna. The wines turned out to be as impressive as the mountain on which the grapes are grown.

The Etna DOC, like other Sicilian wine regions, focused only on entry level and bulk wine in the early days. But luckily the region and its potential to make quality wine were rediscovered—not by Sicilians themselves but by outsiders. One of the pioneers was Marco de Grazia, renowned as the first person to export Barolo. In 2002 he founded Tenuta delle Terre Nere on the slopes of Etna, and it has been making outstanding wine ever since.

In addition to Tenuta delle Terre Nere, I also visited Tenuta di Fessina and Passopisciaro, both also owned by outsiders. Tenuta di Fessina is owned by Tuscan winemaker Silvia Maestrelli and Federico Curtaz, while the owner of Passopisciaro is Andrea Franchetti from Rome (though his wife is from Sicily). I thought Sicilians might resent the invasion from the north so I was surprised when Letizia Patane, a native and the marketing person at Passopisciaro, assured me otherwise. She said Sicilians are actually grateful of the know-how, discipline and vision that these northerners brought with them. Judging by the quality of the wine, I agree; but I would also like to credit the Sicilians for being open and readily embracing the change, rather than being stubborn and parochial.... it takes two to tango!

Yet outsider vision alone cannot make Etna’s wines outstanding. This DOC region is blessed with unique soil and an exceptional climate. The mineral rich black volcanic lava soil combines with the continental microclimate of the mountain–high diurnal temperature and low rainfall in summer—to give the wine freshness and elegance. There are also some very old vines, some even from the pre-phylloxera era, that contribute to the complexity. No wonder the wine is known as the Burgundy of the Mediterranean.

The lava soil, afternoon mist, pre-phylloxera vines - all contribute to the uniqueness of Etna wines.

Then, last but not least, there are the indigenous grape varieties. Wine lovers may know Nero d’Avola and Grillo from Sicily, but Etna has its own grapes: the elegant Nerello Mascalese and the fleshier Nerello Cappuccio for reds, and the crisp Carricante for whites. I love indigenous grapes because it is they that make a region unique. It is heartening to see that outsiders respect them rather than following the herd and making wines from international grapes.

One point to note is that the Etna region is closely defined. It is on the slopes of the volcano so vines are grown at an altitude of 450m and upwards. However, the DOC region only includes vines grown to a maximum altitude of 900m. So wines made from vines grown above 900m can only be classified as IGT, rather than DOC. Asked about the reason, all wineries just shrugged and said it is the regulation. But please don’t dismiss Etna's IGT wines—they may well be from some very elegant Nerello Mascalese grown above 1,000m.

What better way to end my Etna visit than a wine festival in the village of Passopisciaro? Compared to those in Chianti, it was very small scale with less than 20 wineries represented, but the atmosphere was fantastic. There was a mountain guides marching band and stalls selling ultra delicious barbecue sausages brushed with olive oil, the brush being a bunch of fresh herbs!

Yummy sausage and marching band at Etna wine festival

Having climbed to the summit of Etna twice, literally eaten the volcanic soil (yes, I took a tumble down the slope and got a mouthful of lava), and tasted the mineral-rich wines, I would love to see more of them here in Hong Kong.

Some of the highlights were:

Tenuta delle Terre Nere, Guardiola Etna Rosso DOC from barrel: Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio from between 800 and 1,000m elevation. It has a tight tannin structure and concentrated black fruit and spice aromas, with definite ageing potential. Tenuta delle Terre Nere is available from Wine Culture Ltd (Tel: +852 2810 1186).

Passopisciaro: Letizia was very passionate and drove us around their various vineyard sites, called ‘contrada’, at different altitudes. We tasted the 2012 of Passopisciaro, Contrada Rampante and Contrada Chiappemacine. All are 100% Nerello Mascalese. Passopisciaro is blended while the other two are single vineyard. Believe me, they are all quite different.  Chiappemacine is from 80 year old vines at 550m altitude and the wine is softer and more rounded with black fruit aromas, whereas Rampante, made from 100 years old vines at 1,000m, has more herbal notes and an elegant structure.

Passopisciaro also makes Guardiola, a white from 100% Chardonnay. It is only a 4ha plot but there were more than 20 pickings to ensure optimum ripeness. Planted at 1,000m, it reminded me of the minerality and elegance of a Chablis. Passopisciaro is available from Corney & Barrow.

Tenuta di Fessina, Il Musmeci Etna Bianco Superiore DOC 2012: Made from 100% Carricante grapes, the wine has vibrant acidity with citrus, stone fruit and herbal notes. Nine months ageing in old barrels further adds complexity. Only 3,000 bottles were made.

Does size matter? Comparing Tuscany Ruffino and Champagne Jacques Picard

Two tastings in a row: a guided tasting by Gabriele Tacconi, chief winemaker of Ruffino, a 130 year old family owned estate now under Constellation Wines, followed by a casual tasting with José Lievens, winemaker of third generation family-owned Grower Champagne Jacques Picard. After the tastings, I could’t help but ponder the conversations I had with these two winemakers.

Gabriele Tacconi, Ruffino

Ruffino is one of the biggest wineries in Tuscany, owning seven estates comprising over 1,000 ha of land (of which 600 ha are under vine), and makes 18 wines in Tuscany and 6 outside Tuscany. It is the winery that received the first 10 Chianti DOCG seals (numbers 1-10). In 1927 it launched Riserva Ducale inspired by the Duke of Aosta, who became a prominent customer in 1890. Riserva Ducale is the only Italian wine that can legally use the word ‘Riserva’ in its name.

Jacques Picard, by contrast, owns 17 ha of land in three villages in Champagne and makes 8 wines with a total production of just 12,000 cases. The two sisters and their husbands (José is one of them) are hands on with the running of the business and they also look after some vines for Pol Roger.

Both Gabriele and José are amiable, of a similar age (I would guess mid 50s), have worked in their companies for about 15 years and were in Hong Kong for the first time. At first glance the similarities stop there as, after all, they make very different wines in two different countries and the operations differ massively in size. Yet in fact, their philosophies are fairly similar. Gabriele respects the style developed at Ruffino over the past 130 years, which emphasises elegance, traditional and drinkability. He is particularly passionate about Sangiovese and prefers using cement tanks and old casks, rather than new barriques, to preserve its characteristics. Ruffino does make a Super Tuscan (Modus Toscana IGT), because consumers are asking for it, but Gabriele makes sure the wine still bears the structural hallmarks of Sangiovese and that the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot only enhance the richness rather than overpowering the distinct Tuscan character.

José Lievens, Champagne Jacques Picard

José is also an aficionado of terroir. While most champagne houses only make vintage champagne in good years, José makes it, named Art de Vigne, every year as he reckons vintage champagne records the characteristics of each vintage, thereby serving as a picture of that vintage in years to come. We tasted three vintages—2002, 2003 and 2005—and they were indeed very different.

What I really like about these two gentlemen is their approach to wine. Though not the same, they ring the same bell. Gabriele believes wine is about experience and lifestyle and that one drinks wine to enjoy food and life. José? He says wine is about sharing—it is for friends, not collectors. Well, I couldn’t agree with them more. I hope consumers will be inspired by them and will drink wine for pleasure—with food and to share with friends—rather than for the labels.

So back to the question: does size matter? Some wine lovers dismiss big producers believing they only make ‘factory’ wine. Ruffino proves this is not necessarily the case. And Jacques Ricard demonstrates that small producers can be creative and resourceful. Gabriele and José are evidence that it is the people and their passion behind the wine that matter.

Some of the wines tasted were:

Ruffino, available from ASC Fine Wines:
• Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2010: a fine example of Chianti Classico
• Greppone Mazzi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2007: elegant and classic, my favourite
• Romitorio di Santedame Toscana IGT 2004 and 2001: 60% Colorino, a dark-skinned, tannic native variety and 40% Merlot. Only made in the best years.





Jacques Picard, available from Sarment:
• Brut Nature NV: 70% reserve Chardonnay wine from 1998 to 2008 aged using the solera system, complex yet elegant
• Art de Vigne Millésime 2003: Biscuity and Marmite, a powerful wine. 2003 was a hot year.
• Art de Vigne Millésime 2002: Citrus, fresh and elegant, livelier than 2002 but unfortunately sold out
• Art de Vigne Millésime 2005: More buttery and vanilla, a rounder mouthfeel than 2003. This will be available in Hong Kong soon.

Ferrari, Italian Art of Living

‘Wow, what a place!’ That was my first thought as I walked into the reception area of Cantine Ferrari. The displays are lavish without being tacky, loud but with style. Only the Italians can achieve this fine balance.

With so many photographs of celebrities on display, one can’t help but wonder if the winery is related to the sports car Ferrari, and the answer is no. Apparently, Ferrari is the third most popular surname in Italy, after Rossi and Russo.

Based in Trentino in northeast Italy, Cantine Ferrari is the biggest private estate in the region, now run by the third generation, the Lunelli cousins. It all began with Giulio Ferrari, an enthusiastic winemaker who had studied in Adige (Italy), Montpellier (France) and Geisenheim (Germany) and finally Epernay in Champagne (France) before returning to Trentino, a similar terroir to Champagne, in 1902 to produce his first bottles of Ferrari sparkling wine using classic champagne grapes and the metodo classico. Production was limited but the wine had a loyal base of customers. In 1952 Ferrari sold the business to Bruno Lunelli, who together with his three sons increased the production and took the Ferrari brand to new heights and international fame.

The family motto is ‘Wine is the poetry of its land’. This sums up pretty much their quest for excellence with no compromise on quality. Ferrari owns 120 hectares of vineyard and also sources grapes from some 500 families, each with less than 1 ha, in the region. Over 90% of the grapes are Chardonnay with the rest Pinot Noir. Around 5 million bottles are produced each year. I asked Marcello, the cousin in charge of production, to compare Ferrari with Franciacorta sparkling wine from Lombardy, and he said there are no hills in Franciacorta whereas in Trentino vineyards are grown in a cooler environment at altitudes between 300 and 700 m.

There are five quality levels, ranging from the non-vintage entry level with at least 24 months maturation on lees to Giullo Ferrari, the star of the estate with at least 10 years of yeast autolysis. The Perlé line, vintage sparkling, is aged a for minimum of six years on lees, and the bottles are riddled by hand. Marcello said there are on average over 20 millions bottles maturing in the cellar!

Believing wine, especially bubbly, is for celebration, Ferrari is keen to reinforce its brand image as a symbol of the Italian art of living by associating itself with successes and emotions in the worlds of art, entertainment, sport, culture and even politics, and by involving celebrities and well-known personalities as ambassadors. The photographs displayed in the reception include many familiar faces from Andy Warhol and Woody Allen to Niki Lauda and Margaret Thatcher. The family also owns the renowned Villa Margon, a 16th century complex that used to be home to cardinals and prelates and is now used as Ferrari’s hospitality centre, housing an impressive art collection.

Don’t think this is all empty talk. At the 40th Vinitaly, Cantine Ferrari was named the producer of the ‘Legendary Sparkling Wine of the 40th Anniversary’, and its top wine, Giulio Ferrari, is the sparkling wine that has won Gambero Rosso’s ‘Three Glasses’ award most times. We tried seven of the wines after touring the cellar and were not disappointed!

The Ferrari collection is:

• Ferrari NV: Brut (100% Chardonnay), Rosé and Demi-sec with at least 24 months on lees.
• Maximum: Brut, Rosé and Demi-sec, non-vintage but with 36 months on lees. Heavier palate weight suitable for accompanying a meal.
• Perlé: Blanc de Blanc, Rosé and Nero (Blanc de Noir), vintage with about 5 years on lees. Elegant finish.
• Riserva Lunelli: A vintage wine from 100% Chardonnay matured in large oak barrels and with a minimum of 7 years on lees. Rich mouthfeel with multi-dimensional flavour. Ali Nicol, author of Wine Times HK, compared the 2006 to drinking ‘soothing warm sweet butter’.
• Giulio Ferrari: 100% Chardonnay with at least 10 years on lees. Complex bouquet with precise acidity. A touch of minerality on palate and a lasting length.

Ferrari used to be available at Domani, the Italian restaurant, but sadly the latter closed down at the end of May. If you are interested, try Liquid Assets.

Italian wine... hidden gems

I always love Italian wine so naturally will not want to miss any tasting opportunities. The most memorable recently was the Vino Veritas portfolio tasting at Colour Living.

The venue is a lifestyle store featuring stylish kitchen and bathroom pieces as home furnishings. I think it’s a pretty cool setting for wine tasting. People will remember it and hopefully remember the wine as well. A few guests certainly will—they were playing with an over-sized bathtub on display, and water suddenly came out...

VinoVeritas is an Italian wine importer founded by Michael Palij MW, who selects the wines personally and recently moved to Hong Kong. There were 17 wines for tasting and I was impressed by the selection—all good quality, very reasonably priced and not short of hidden gems.

I particularly like Vigneti Massa (Walter Massa) from Colli Tortonesi, a five-generation winery in Piedmont. Its ‘Costa del Vento’ white wine made from indigenous Timorasso is concentrated with lively acidity and a savoury palate that could probably age for a few years. According to Jancis Robinson’s Wine Grapes, Timorasso used to be the most praised white variety in Piedmont until it was taken over by the more productive Cortese (used in Gavi) when vineyards were replanted after phylloxera in the early 20th century. It is only in the last few decades that a handful of producers, notably Walter Massa, have started replanting and have doubled its vineyard area from 6ha in 2000. Timorasso, in Jancis’s words, is a "rare, high-quality Piedmontese earning renewed recognition".

Walter Massa also makes red wine. His ‘Bigolla’ Colli Tortonesi Barbera DOC 2003 is still young with generous black fruits and an opulent mouthfeel, very different from the typical Barbera on the market. Apparently, Walter met Michael some time ago at a restaurant and insisted Michael try some of his wine. Michael was impressed and the rest is history. We are lucky to have Walter's wines in Hong Kong.

Ten days later I moved east from Piedmont to Friuli where Roberto Cioaca from Heritage Wines treated us to an intimate lunch at the Piedmontese restaurant La Piola with the winemaker/owner from Masùt da Rive, another family winery with four generations of history, now run by the brothers Fabrizio and Marco Gallo. They inherit and preserve the values of their father, and only make wines that truly respect the environment and express the land. By the way, ‘Masùt’ is the family nickname and ‘da Rive’ means on the hill. They sensibly did not use the family name Gallo on the label to avoid stepping on the US Gallo family’s turf.

Back to the wines, the Ribolla Gialla, an indigenous grape from the region, is refreshing with a crisp acidity and creamy mouthfeel—a pleasant summer drink and a steal at less than $200. Friulano, another native grape which Fabrizio describes as a young cousin of Sauvignon Blanc, indeed has the shadow of Sauvignon Blanc but minus the pungent herbaceousness, which makes it more suitable for pairing with food such as crispy dishes or white meat and less tiring when drunk alone. By the way, it is also known as Sauvignon Vert or Sauvignonasse, a descendant of Sauvignon Blanc.

Masùt da Rive also has other wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Nero (aka Pinot Noir), both not particularly the cup of tea of Ali Nicol, publisher of Wine Times HK, who was also at the tasting. Nevertheless, at the end, Ali was happily drinking both. Guess that says something about the wine!

Walter Massa is available from VinoVeritas.
Masùt da Rive is available from Heritage Wines.

“Where flavour and beauty meet ...”

What a name for a wine tasting event! Only the Italians are romantic enough to come up with such a name for a sparkling wine tasting session ... and it was not a disappointment. What’s more, the tasting was led by Hong Kong based JC Viens, a French Canadian who recently became an Italian citizen because of his passions for all things Italian, especially his lovely wife Maria. His enthusiasm was contagious.

If you think Prosecco is only a quaffing wine for making Bellini (a Prosecco based cocktail) or as an aperitif, read on and think again … perhaps you haven’t tried the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG denomination yet!

When sparkling wine is made using the ‘traditional’ method where the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle and the wine spends some time on lees to produce the toasty and nutty characters (through a process called yeast autolysis). A lot of people dismiss Prosecco as a ‘simple' wine because its second fermentation is carried out in pressurised tanks and it only spends a short time on lees. How wrong this view can be!

Prosecco is all about fruitiness, freshness and floral aromas. And the majority of the Prosecco in the DOC denomination may indeed be fairly simple, but those from the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG are certainly not. This DOCG region, framed between the town of Conegliano in the east and Valdobbiadene in the west, is only 40km wide but has its own distinctive soils and climate. Conegliano is warmer with richer soil producing more structured and fuller-bodied wine, while Valdobbiadene, at the foothills of the Alps with more ancient soils, is renowned for more delicate wines with finesse.

To further highlight the quality, the authority has established a 'Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze’ category, equivalent to the ‘Cru’ of the region. It lies in the Valdobbiadene commune comprising a 107 ha rectangle on steep hills. Moreover, a new quality category, ‘Rive’, meaning steep hills, was introduced in 2009 to highlight the stylistic variations between villages.

So, Prosecco is not always as simple as it might seem. We tried eight wines from different regions with various sweetness levels (Brut, Extra dry and Dry) and it was a fascinating experience. Each had its distinctive characters reflecting the terroir. Those from the Conegliano area were clearly rounder while the Valdobbiadene had more minerality.

The Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG denomination produces 68 million bottles annually, 23% of total Prosecco production of 300 million bottles (the rest is from the basic DOC denomination). By way of comparison, Champagne produces over 300 million bottles a year and Cava just under 250 million.

My favourite Proseccos are:
• Bortolin Angelo Brut for its elegance and floral nose. Available from EnvItaly.
• Valdellövo Extra-Dry ‘Annozero’ for its creamy mouthfeel. Apparently it is perfect with spicy Indian food according to both JC and Matthew Stubbs MW. Available from Soho Wines & Spirits.
• Marsuret Extra Dry ‘Il Soler’: vibrant and concentrated. Available from Marco Polo Fine Wines.

Pursuing the Italian dream

What would you make of a successful American financier owning a winery in Tuscany? A rich man’s hobby? Well, that was what I expected until I talked to Tim Grace, an American from Ohio and owner of Il Molino di Grace.

Il Molino di Grace is a family vineyard located in Panzano, a village in the Chianti Classico region. There is quite a story behind it. Tim’s parents, never having travelled outside the US before, moved to the UK in the late 60s and then went for their first European holiday in Panzano. The Tuscan landscape was a complete contrast with Ohio’s;  they loved it and kept going back for holidays. Eventually, they took the plunge and moved to Chianti—but it had to be Panzano. It took them eight years of hunting until they finally discovered Il Molino di Grace in 1996.

The property was only a vineyard and the grapes were sold to other wineries. Tim’s parents, jumping through all the hoops of Italian building regulations, finally built a winery, uprooted the ‘foreign’ vines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and began to focus on making what makes Tuscany wine famous: Sangiovese. Tim explained, "Sangiovese is a food wine so should not be overpowering. Blending with even a little Cabernet or Syrah will make the wine too dominating on the dinner table." Il Molino di Grace has five wines and all are 100% Sangiovese except the entry level Il Volano, which has 25% Merlot that Tim believes softens the Sangiovese making the wine more accessible. Even the IGT Super Tuscan Gratius, the top wine and obviously named with the American market in mind, is 100% Sangiovese.

With a production of 350,000 bottles a year, Tim assured me that he is not a hobby winemaker. The money generated by the winery is less than what he used to earn in his previous career and has to be reinvested in the winery. However, he is much happier and derives more satisfaction from the new challenges. His wife is from a family that has run a high end cooking chocolate factory for generations since 1868. Tim hopes to build a family business that will mean something to future generations. For this reason, the vineyard is 100% organic and managed in a sustainable manner.

One of the many challenges Tim faces is to persuade potential customers to try Italian wine. He compares drinking Italian wine to bungy jumping. You stand at the edge of the cliff and are scared to jump, but once you’ve done it, you want to do it again. Italian wine can be confusing because of the names and native varieties but it is great value for the quality and you’ll keep coming back for more. Hmm, I’m not sure about the analogy with bungy jumping (I haven’t tried it and definitely won’t in my life time!), but I totally agree with the price/quality point.

I admire Tim and his parents for their spirit in pursuing their dream, even more so because Il Molino di Grace is making a wine that is true to its history and place rather than chasing the market. I wish him all the best.

We tasted six Grace wines, and I was particularly impressed by the Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2006—dried leaves, leather and spices on the palate supported by a fresh acidity—and the Chianti Classico Riserva Il Margone 2005, an elegant wine with a savoury palate and well-integrated structure.

Il Molino di Grace is available from Altaya Wines.

A hike around Barolo villages

We had been waiting for this trip for 15 years, after that first bottle of Barolo at our anniversary when we were wine dunces and had no idea what to expect. I won’t say that bottle of Barolo changed my life but it certainly opened my eyes to the world of wine.

Our recent holiday in Barolo was an indulgent five days of wine, food and all things good about Italy. The best thing was that this was not a business trip. It was a holiday with my husband only, so no visiting wineries every hour. For me, it was the ideal way to appreciate Barolo and its wine, much better than being shown from winery to winery. We stayed in a small B&B, La Giolitta, in the village of Barolo which only has an 800+ population. The hostess was knowledgeable and arranged for us to visit three great wineries—without anyone knowing that I am from the trade. They were Mascarello Bartolo (fantastic wine, available from BBR in Hong Kong; I had met the owner, Maria Teresa, before, so it was like meeting an old friend), Giuseppe Rinaldi (family owned traditional Barolo, not easy to get hold of), and Gianni Gagliardo (decent wine with a good restaurant, but I would have loved a chat with the winemaker himself). We also dropped by to see Chiara Boschis (Azienda Agricola E. Pira e Figli), a modern Barolo winemaker with vision (wine available from Heritage Wines).

And we made a last minute visit to Marchesi di Gresy in Barbaresco, thanks to arrangements kindly made by its distributor, Roddy from Wellspring Wines. The chief winemaker is Kiwi Jeffrey Chilcott. We had an intensive tasting and lively discussion for over two hours—and it could easily have been a lot longer if not for the football match that he had to watch!

On our first day, we hiked a loop from Barolo to Novello then Monchiero, Monforte and back to Barolo—18km in total, walking through both cru and lesser vineyard areas, as well as the hazelnut plantations and small remaining patches of indigenous woodland. The soil is so different from plot to plot, and by observing the conditions of the vines I could see why one was a cru vineyard and another not (or at least not suitable for Nebbiolo). The sophisticated thing about this hike was that we didn’t need any packed lunch or energy bars. We could take a break at every village for a snack, gelati and ... of course... vino, and we even saw a parade of old motor bikes on their Sunday outing at Montforte. Better still, we felt guilt-free after the long walk and tucked into an absolutely delicious dinner of brasato al Barolo (beef braised in Barolo) with a bottle of ... uuh ... Barolo and more... for dinner that night.

We were there at the end of June, just before the summer crowds, so it was remarkably quiet and everyone was very relaxed. The light at that time of the year is fantastic. We drove around the hilltop villages in the late afternoon from 4:30 to 7pm, capturing the best lighting for photography.

Now, back in Hong Kong with all those fond memories of Barolo and two dozen of its wines not available in Hong Kong. It may be a selfish thought but I do hope these Piemonte villages will not become swamped by ‘wine tourists’. We would love to go back to its tranquility.

More photos here.