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Issue 496 - October 26th - 30th 2020 - Expressly created for 11.897 wine lovers,
professionals and opinion leaders from all over the world |
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Winning is difficult, repeating itself is even more difficult. The champion, in this case, is the no. 1 name of Italian wine, the Marchesi Antinori, capable, with its three diamonds, to put together a triptych of primates truly unique. Because its Tignanello 2016 is the n. 1 of the “Top 100 Cellar Selection” 2020 of the US magazine “Wine Enthusiast”. A record that is added to being “no. 1” in the world already conquered in the same ranking in 2012, with the Guado al Tasso 2008, in addition to the title of “best wine in the world” of Solaia 1997, in 2000, in “Top 100” of the other famous and important U.S. magazine “Wine Spectator”. |
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The harvest is coming to an end, the grapes have already been in the cellar for a few days, if not weeks, in several key territories the wine is already ready. For now, 2020 is a vintage in bands, which in terms of quality has been able to give itself important peaks, but the premises of the eve, in terms of quantity, have not been respected. Nothing serious, and in any case that of quantities, at this moment, is the least of the problems. The journey of WineNews starts from Barolo, where, to make the point are the winemakers gathered in the Deditus Association, led by Gianni Gagliardo, who speak of “a surprising harvest, from an agronomic and managerial point of view. The quality of the grapes harvested is excellent: healthy, with a high sugar content and the right phenolic maturity”. In Franciacorta, waiting for spring to understand the quality of the sparkling wine bases, Silvano Brescianini, head of the Consortium and CEO Barone Pizzini, talks about “a good harvest, the quantities are growing by 10% and we are optimistic about quality”. Among the Amarone vineyards, as Olga Bussinello, director of the Consorzio Vini Valpolicella, explains, “the picking is over, but the harvest is not. The trend is swinging, due to the rain, but the heat of the last 15 days has led to a positive conclusion”. In Trentodoc, as the President of the Institute, Enrico Zanoni, explains, “according to the analysis of the sugars, mineral salts and aromatic substances of the berries in the cellar there are excellent grapes and wines that will reveal their potential in spring”. In the wineries of Prosecco Superiore di Conegliano Valdobbiadene, “the harvest ended with a positive sign, particularly with regard to the quality of the grapes brought to the cellar”. Going down to the Tyrrhenian coast, in Bolgheri, according to the Vice President of the Consortium, Cinzia Merli (Le Macchiole), “it was a positive vintage, with less quantity than expected. In the cellar wines of great balance”. Staying in Tuscany, for Chianti, the balance of the harvest by President Giovanni Busi can be summed up in a flash: 2less than 2019 but excellent. The quality is very high”. |
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With grapes in the cellar, the response of the Italian vineyard, waiting for the proof of the glass, seems everywhere positive, if not exciting. This is testified by many of the most important territories of Italy, giving the sector a small smile in a very difficult context. If the great quality of the grapes makes one think of great wines on the way, the drop in quantity (overall 46.6 million hectoliters, -2% on 2019 according to recent estimates by Assoenologi, Ismea and Unione Italiana Vini) in this very hard 2020 is almost a relief. As is obvious to worry is the market, domestic and foreign, which has to deal with local closures and restrictions that risk to stop (again) consumption outside the home. Yet, for producers, having high quality wines in their cellars, especially those that will only reach the market in a few years, is a fundamental point from which to start again. |
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Enthusiasm also in Chianti Classico, where President Giovanni Manetti (Fontodi) speaks of “excellent quality of the grapes brought to the winery, the wines are rich and well-structured, but also balanced, juicy and fresh”. The harvest in Montalcino, home of Brunello, instead, marks “a drop in production of 5-10% but the quality is high, from very good to excellent. There are beautiful colors, beautiful aromas, beautiful acidity and a low alcohol content”, comments the president of the Consortium Fabrizio Bindocci (Il Poggione). “The drop in volume is important, but there are excellent prospects for quality at the end of the harvest”, comments Alessio Durazzi, director of the Consorzio del Morellino di Scansano. In the Marche region, “the Verdicchio wines give acidity and freshness, a great vintage is expected, both in Jesi and Matelica”, says Alberto Mazzoni, director of the Istituto Marchigiano Tutela Vini. Going down the boot, in Manduria the harvest of Primitivo “is to be considered among the best in recent years”, says the president of the Consortium Mauro di Maggio. Our tour of Italy ends in Doc Sicily, where, comments the president Antonio Rallo, “we will not have a great production, but the wine will be of excellent quality”. |
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Prosecco, the most popular Italian sparkling wine exported to international markets, is ready to dye glasses all over the world pink: the EU has given its green light, which will allow the new type of Prosecco Doc Rosè to be marketed in foreign markets, as well as in the Italian one. The green light has been given to 20 million bottles of Prosecco Rosè (out of a total production of over 486). “With this opportunity, we expect to give a virtuous development to the designation with a high quality product”, said the President of the Consortium, Stefano Zanette. |
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In addition to Antinori’s Tignanello 2016, there are many (21 out of 100) Italian wine brands in the “Top 100 Cellar Selection” 2020 by WE, evidence of the ability of the Belpaese to produce wines of great longevity in many different territories. From Barolo of Cavallotto, Brovia, Comm. G. B. Burlotto and Giovanni Rosso, passing through Barbaresco of Roagna, to the Brunello di Montalcino of Il Marroneto, Ciacci Piccolomini and the “cradle of Brunello”, Tenuta Greppo di Biondi Santi (with the Riserva), from Castello Banfi with the IGT Toscana to San Felice with the Chianti Classico, from Gini’s Soave Classico to Etna of Palmento Constanzo, from Faro of Palari to Valtellina Superiore of Arpepepe, from Franciacorta of Cà del Bosco to Trentodoc of Maso Martis, to Lessona of Colombera & Garella, from Nobile di Montepulciano of Salcheto to Allegrini, with La Poja, up to Taurasi of Guastaferro. |
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40 years have passed since the birth of Banfi, the winery that launched Brunello in the world, bringing it to 92 countries, with over 20 million bottles sold. The same countries in which, today, Banfi gathers wine shops, restaurants, importers and partners, to make them testimonials of the first “Banfi Brunello Ambassador Club”. “A Club that will welcome a selection of partners whose contribution to the success of Brunello has been so significant that they have become true Ambassadors”, explains Rodolfo Maralli, President of the Banfi Foundation, to WineNews. |
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