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Issue 609 - December 26th - 30th 2022 - Expressly created for 4.422 wine lovers,
professionals and opinion leaders from all over the world |
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There are wines that, going to extremes, would not even need to be reviewed, because they are capable of bringing everyone together: critics, sommeliers, fine wine collectors and consumers. Starting with the wine lovers who animate Vivino, the largest community of wine enthusiasts in the world, with a database of millions of reviews, on tens of thousands of bottles, with ratings, prices, tasting notes and rankings. Such as that of the best 10 Italian labels, which sees Giuseppe Quintarelli’s Amarone della Valpolicella 2009 at the top, with Secondo Marco’s Solo per un amico 2012 and Villa Rinaldi’s Corpus Amarone della Valpolicella 2008 on the podium. |
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Despite the slowdown in the last two months, since the beginning of 2022 the Liv-ex 1000 - the most comprehensive index for monitoring the price trends of fine wines from around the world, which includes among others sub-indices also the Italy 100 - has grown by 13.6%, with the index dedicated to Italian wines, on the other hand, registering a more modest +9.8%. Revealing the performance in this 2022 of Italian labels on the Italy 100 is WineNews’ analysis of the Liv-ex database. At the top are four Soldera Case Basse labels: the 2014 (+50.4%), the 2006 (+41%), the 2013 (+39.9%) and the 2009 (+39.7%). In fifth position then comes Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 2011 (+35.1%), followed by Frescobaldi’s Ornellaia 2010 (+31.2%) at position No. 6 and Gaja Barbaresco 2014 (+28.2%) at position No. 7. Rounding out the top ten best-performing Italians of 2022 on the Liv-ex are Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 2016 (+26.9%) at position No. 8, Tignanello 2012 (+26.2%) at position No. 9 and Solaia 2013 (+24.6%), both by Antinori, at position No. 10. The leap forward of Soldera Case Basse 2006 brings it, also in terms of absolute pricing, ever closer to the podium: a 12-bottle case in fact touched £13,600, not too far from the £15. 500 pounds of the Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva 2004 (+10% since the beginning of the year), at the top, with the Monfortino Riserva 2010 on the second step at 14,092 pounds (+9.9%) and the Monfortino Riserva 2002 on the third, with a quotation of 14,000 pounds per case on the Liv-ex (+20.7% since the beginning of the year). It continues in more detail. |
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Corporate welfare, even in Italy, is increasingly widespread, as told also by the latest edition of the Welfare Index 2022 (which saw a historic winery like Barone Ricasoli, in Chianti Classico, excel, ed.). And if we often tell about initiatives of wineries that engage in social, patronage and environmental protection projects, increasingly frequent are the investments in rewards to collaborators and employees that, especially in a phase like this, with skyrocketing inflation, become significant. Many do it without communicating it, others choose to tell about it, to testify to their social commitment, and stimulate a virtuous sense of emulation. As done, in these days, by two different but prominent realities such as Terra Moretti and Schenk Italian Wineries (in more detail). |
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The Italian fine wine auction market, a key channel for the large secondary market of fine wines, closes a decidedly positive 2022, which confirms the goodness of wine as an asset in which to invest even in the most difficult times, registering, however, also some signs of a slowdown in the unrestrained race of the quotations of the top brands. Symptoms not to be underestimated, but which the auction houses of Italy, heard by WineNews, are very clear on how to deal with, in a 2023 that promises to be particularly complex. The first fact, which unites everyone, from Pandolfini to Bolaffi, from Finarte to Gelardini & Romani, from Wannenes to Il Ponte, is the security that can be placed in that small circle of labels capable of representing a true safe haven asset. From the greats of Burgundy, such as Romanée-Conti, Rousseau and Jayer, to the granitic certainties of Italy, such as Sassicaia, Masseto, Tignanello (Antinori), Case Basse (Soldera), Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, Bartolo Mascarello, Gaja’s wines, which led the turnovers of 2022, and are unlikely to abdicate in 2023. |
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It has relaunched Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato, Piedmont’s historic wine-vine variety (and produces more than half of the total). But Montalbera, the winery owned by the Morando family (also at the helm of one of the most important animal food producers, ed.), wants to be even more, “not just Ruchè”. And while he dreams of putting down roots in Bolgheri as well, Franco Morando, who heads the winery, continues to invest in his home territory, among vineyards, wineries and wine tourism. 7 million euros, those put on the plate. With the will to make the territory more known (his words in more detail). |
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Talking about “wine and health” does not only mean disserting on the direct effects of consuming the nectar of Bacchus. But it also means highlighting the projects that virtuous wineries in Italy put in place, in support of research on many aspects concerning the vast and complex topic of health. And among these is the Cotarella Foundation, established in 2021 at the behest of the Cotarella Family, which was created to support and sustain children and young people suffering from Eating Disorders, promoting healthy lifestyles where food and nature are central. And to support these projects, in recent days, the Foundation, in the name of art, good food and charity, has called together more than 150 guests with many “VIPs” (raising more than 50,000 euros). |
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Among the projects that have been able to link culture and wine over the years is that of “Leonardo’s Vineyard” in the Casa degli Atellani in Milan, where the “Wine of Genius” has also been reproduced, thanks to historical and scientific research work conducted by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences in Milan, in collaboration with Professor Attilio Scienza. Now, this little wine-cultural jewel, along with the highly prized residence, has reportedly passed into the hands of French entrepreneur Bernard Arnault, co-founder, chairman and CEO of the Lvmh luxury group. |
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