Last week, on March 15th, ProWein 2016 ended in Düsseldorf, Germany. ProWein is a great wine happening, managed with typical German effectiveness, self-proclaiming to be “The World’s No.1 International Trade Fair for Wine and Spirits”.
ProWein opened its activities in 1994 with 321 exhibitors and approximately 1,500 visitors. In 2015, it had grown to 6,000 exhibitors from 50 countries and roughly 52,000 visitors. Of these, 84% were foreign exhibitors and 46% were foreign visitors. From March 13th-15th 2016 more exhibitors and visitors from throughout the world came to the Düsseldorf fair. Fresh figures for this year account for over 55,000 trade visitors (about 6% more than last year) and 6,200 exhibitors. The largest exhibitor nations this year included Italy (1,500), France (1,300), Germany (1,000), Spain (550), Austria (320), Portugal (300) and Overseas (600). Added to this were some 420 exhibitors from 30 countries with their special spirits. Exhibitors from a total of 59 nations attended the event. This year visitors travelled from 126 different countries. Hence ProWein is constantly growing. As many as half the visitors now come to Düsseldorf from abroad. Essentially, almost the entire wine world joins the event, making it one of the most relevant locations where global wine business is set and developed.
The highest rise in visitors from outside Europe was from Overseas, mainly from Asia. Overall, there seems to be a trend where ProWein is primarily attracting decision-makers with great purchasing responsibility: over 70% of visitors came from top or middle management. The success of the trade fair was also highly rated: one in two visitors confirmed that they found new suppliers and two-thirds were able to go home with useful information on trends and innovations. Just fewer than 96% stated they had entirely reached the goals of their trade fair visit. “Figures clearly show that ProWein is the world’s most important business platform for the entire sector. This is where the trade fair budgets are spent. And also for the major, prizewinning wine estates, ProWein has now become the absolute must-attending event,” proudly boasts Hans Werner Reinhard, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf (the city’s tradeshow organising body), summing up the success of ProWein 2016.
The high-level event programme at ProWein is extensive and diverse. Either organised centrally or by the exhibitors at their stands, it offers 3 days full of inspiration and innovation, such as: numerous tasting areas, surprising taste experiences at the Fizzz Lounge, sparkling classics at the Champagne Lounge, best-practice presentation at the special show “same but different”, special show “Packaging & Design”, top-class discussions and culinary events. Moreover, there is an appendix to the diurnal activity: with “ProWein goes City” a day’s bustle can continue into the evening: At one of the selected gastronomic partners of ProWein in Düsseldorf with their special events.
Immediately following ProWein in Düsseldorf is the premiere of ProWine Asia from 12 to 15 April 2016 in Singapore. Now in its fourth edition ProWine China in Shanghai will run from 7 to 9 November 2016. The next ProWein in Düsseldorf will be held from 19 to 21 March 2017. Dates for ProWein 2018 have already been set in Düsseldorf: from 18 to 20 March 2018. All information on ProWein can be found online at http://www.ProWein.de

Tastings at Bolgheri Consortium are a landmark event. They have kick-started my Vinitaly activities for several years now and so they did in 2015. As many of you know, Bolgheri is a DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) in Tuscany’s coastal Maremma region. It first rose to prominence during the 1970s with the rise of famous “Super-Tuscan” wines like Ornellaia and Sassicaia. Here the focus is on red wine; whites taking the role of fresh ancillary complements. Bolgheri wineries have traditionally used very high proportions of international grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, labelling their wines as simply “Vino da Tavola” (Table Wine). These wines have always been of great and improving quality, winning global acclaim and selling for unprecedented prices, higher even than those of other Tuscany’s finest. This resulted in an increasing number of companies joining the local consortium (40 out of a total of 52) and Italian authorities awarding Bolgheri its own DOC in 1994.

Lately, Bolgheri as well as the entire Italian wine industry, mourned the loss of Giacomo Tachis, an
eminent winemaker at the forefront of a decisive quality turn-around for Italian wine in the 1980s and consultant to several top Italian estates, headed by Tenuta San Guido, producing world-acclaimed Sassicaia. An article on this event was recently published on gourmettino.com

Bolgheri red wines are produced generally from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Other grapes, such as Syrah and Petit Verdot, but also Sangiovese (Tuscany’s distinctive vitis vinifera) are sometimes included, with interesting results. Vermentino is currently the most popular white grape, with Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier providing for a white international dimension.

A brief explanation of Bolgheri’s wine classification will ease quality understanding by the reader. White wines are labelled Bolgheri Bianco, while for reds there is a quality ladder. At the bottom of the red appellation there is Bolgheri Rosso DOC (maximum yield 90 q/ha, released only after September 1st of the year following harvest), then the next step is Bolgheri Superiore DOC (maximum yield 80 q/ha, aged for at least 2 years starting from January 1st of the year following harvest and for at least one year in oak barrels). The quality apex is coherently represented by Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia (from “sasso”, meaning stone in Italian), a wine with an assigned special DOC: Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC (minimum 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, maximum yield 70 q/ha, aged for at least 2 years starting from January 1st of the year following harvest and for at least 18 months in 225 l. barriques).

Tasting Bolgheri wines at Vinitaly 2015 confirmed the constant improvement on average of wines from this region, as well as the notable excellence offered by wineries leading the pack and acting as sources of reference and inspiration for most of the rest. Moreover, I could ascertain the increasing competence of such producers in handling international grape varieties, Cabernet Franc in particular, and merging them with a solid Tuscan soul. I will list here below the wines that have starred in Vinitaly’s 2015 Bolgheri tasting, grouping them according to denomination (DOC):

BOLGHERI BIANCO
– Donna Olimpia Bianco 2012, produced by Donna Olimpia 1898: Good. Long, balanced, an interesting blend of Vermentino, Viognier and Pétit Manseng, where the latter speaks-out.
– Borgeri Bianco 2014, by Giorgio Meletti Cavallari: Good. Light colour, lively nose and mineral palate, medium body, blend of Vermentino and Viognier.
– Un Pò Più Su del Mare 2013, by Mulini di Segalari: Bizarre name on label… Interesting bio wine produced in terracotta amphorae, atypical, fresh, slightly oxidised, blend of Vermentino and Manzoni Bianco grapes.

BOLGHERI ROSSO
– Le Serre Nuove 2012, produced by Ornellaia: Extremely good (more so considering the price positioning of the wine). Berry fruit, coffee and spices, good body and persistence, balanced and elegant.
– Piastraia 2011, by Michele Satta: Very good. Sangiovese in the grapes mix. Alcohol at 13.5% well set in an overall pleasant balance, long and persistent, plums, peppers and spices.
– Villa Donoratico 2012, by Argentiera: Very good. Nice fruit, good acidity and structure, persistent, elegant and complex.
– Varvàra 2013, by Castello di Bolgheri: Very good. Subtle oak and fruit aromas, classy, velvety, rewarding.
– Felciaino 2013, by Chiappini: Quite good. Sangiovese is in the mix and you can feel it. Lovely fruit and acidity, tasty.

BOLGHERI SUPERIORE
– Ornellaia 2012, produced by Ornellaia: Excellent. Blackberries and vanilla aromas plus coffee and spices, complex, slightly mature, very refined but a little astringent and off-balanced for its class. Probable improvement with bottle ageing.
– Argentiera 2012, by Argentiera: Very good. Very complex, long, elegant, superior fruit, harmonic, long and great finish.
– Castello di Bolgheri 2011, by Castello di Bolgheri: Extremely good. Great plums and berries aromas, elegant, complex and superbly balanced. Good ageing potential.
– Millepassi 2012, by Donna Olimpia 1898: Very good. Round, juicy, intense and in equilibrium, long-lasting on the palate.
– L’Alberello 2012, by Grattamacco: Very good. Wonderful grapes integration, delicate, persistent, refined, round and intense.
– Guado al Tasso 2012, by Guado al Tasso: Very good. Remarkably Tuscan, strong rosemary aromas, good body, gratifying.
– Paleo 2011, by Le Macchiole: Interesting, 100% Cabernet Franc. Peppery and fruity, round, intense, slightly astringent, medium structure, permeated by Tuscan terroir.

BOLGHERI SASSICAIA
– Sassicaia 2012, by Tenuta San Guido: Outstanding. The best wine of the tasting and one of the very best savoured at Vinitaly 2015. This vintage 2012 sets Sassicaia above Ornellaia (the latter being slightly preferred in the previous couple vintages). Excellent precision and equilibrium, tasty, refined, superb elegance, nose of blackberries, cranberries, coffee, chocolate and spices, great body and persistence, austere, coherent, solid, classy, a pure pleasure in the mouth. A wonderful wine.

I would like to conclude my article highlighting three final points emerging from Bolgheri’s 2015 Vinitaly presentation. The first is centred on a discernible Tuscan terroir imprinting on most wines, especially 2012 Bolgheri Superiore. Terroir really emerges above international grapes in the complex mix of ingredients producing Bolgheri reds, giving them a unique and distinctive character and dimension through scents of Tuscan greeneries, scrubs, rosemary, thyme, sage and terracotta: a truly Etruscan soul is expressed by these wines.
The second point is the continuous development of Bolgheri’s productive context, with new ideas, improvements and producers moving the DOC forward. One of such new wineries is Villanoviana, freshly presented at Vinitaly 2015: its wines are worth mentioning for their quality and potential. I have tasted their good Teia Bolgheri Vermentino and San Uberto Bolgheri Superiore 2012, the latter being particularly pleasant, round and full. Hence, Villanoviana is a winery with good future prospects, with passionate Barbara and Marco Monacelli at the helm.
Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to the Bolgheri Consortium team (headed by Riccardo Binda) for the impeccable tasting and presentation offered every year and the useful information, discussions and exchange of ideas giving me a clear and thorough taste and knowledge of Bolgheri wines.

Bolgheri DOC Team

The official name is VINO – Vinitaly Wine Club: the App dedicated to the world of Italian wine. Promoted by Vinitaly and VeronaFiere, this revolutionary App is offered to discover and purchase the finest Italian wines.
VINO – Vinitaly Wine Club App has received MEDIASTARS Trophy for the best 2015 app. The award will be presented in June 2016. Mediastars is an independent award, now in its twentieth edition, created by prominent Italian advertising agencies and media companies (visit its English web page at http://www.mediastareditore.com/mediastars/?doc=611).
VINO – Vinitaly Wine Club was launched as a “pocket” guide for more than 1.5 million visitors that have entered the “VINO a Taste of Italy” Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015, tasting more than 1,000 Italian wines in the “Biblioteca del Vino” (“Wine Library”) set there. Since then, thousands of active consumers use the app every day, making VINO the leading e-commerce App for buying Italian wine. Moreover, it is the most representative and prestigious global showcase for Italian quality wineries. VINO App is a mobile extension of Vinitaly Wine Club and it offers a unique wine experience, in order not only to buy wine quickly and easily, but also to increase and spread a greater knowledge of Italian wine. Browsing is simple and based on three key wine commerce points: Explore, Taste, Shop.
For further information visit : Vinitaly Wine Club Web http://www.vinitalyclub.com

The 2012 Au Paradis Cabernet, produced by Peter Michael Winery was recently named wine of the year by Wine Spectator, heading its latest Top 100 wine list. Wine Spectator’s leading names see US wines account for 27 entries, whereas Italian wineries had 20 wines listed, including five Brunello di Montalcino 2010. American and Italian wines lead the pack, with the US taking all the podium medals: the 2012 Quilceda Creek Cabernet from Columbia Valley (Washington) and Oregon’s 2012 Evening Land Seven Springs Pinot Noir reached second and third places respectively.

This year’ Top 100 also significantly presented the first New Zealand wine in the top 10, with Larry McKenna’s 2013 Escarpment Kupe Pinot Noir coming seventh. It was one of four Kiwi wineries in the list, together with Cloudy Bay, Felton Road and Kumeu River.

Last year’s emphasis on Douro (Portugal) is confirmed by Wine Spectator, as four of such wines are currently listed. The Iberian Peninsula proudly presents also two Spanish Ribera del Duero wines. Other wines included in Wine Spectator’s new “Hall of Fame” come from various prominent wine-producing countries, such as France, Germany, Greece, Chile, Argentina, Australia and South Africa.