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FIRST MICHELIN STAR FOR RISTORANTE ORNELLAIA IN ZURICH

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Just ten months after its official opening, Ornellaia’s new restaurant in Zurich has received one of the world’s most prestigious awards, it first star from the Michelin Guide, the “Bible” of the international restaurant universe. 

“These ten months have been intense ones for us,” remarked Ristorante Ornellaia Chef Giuseppe D’Errico, “The Ornellaia estate has supported us 100%, and I personally have poured into our creation all my Italianità and the professional expertise I gained at Alma and in France. Great credit goes my team here, who have exhibited immense passion and commitment to the work we all love”.

 

Ristorante Ornellaia opened its doors on 9 April 2018 at Sankt Annagasse 2, near Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse, one of the world’s most luxurious and exclusive streets.

 

The world-famed Bolgheri wine producer, founded in 1981, instantly gained cult status for the quality of its wines with its first vintage, in 1985. It decided to take this important step in the restaurant world thanks to its collaboration with Bindella, which, in addition to being Ornellaia’s importer and brand ambassador in Switzerland from the very beginning, is widely respected for its expertise in gastronomy. 

The design of the restaurant was entrusted to celebrated Swiss architect Tilla Theus, who created an inventive “taste of Ornellaia” within an unmistakably Tuscan ambience, fashioning an alluring mosaic of landscape, people, food, and wine. Such an imposing project required an Italian chef of the same stature, in this case Giuseppe D’Errico. D’Errico specialised with Maestro Gualtiero Marchesi at Alma, then came into his own alongside Chef Michel Troisgros, at Maison Troisgros in Roanne, working five years with the chef D’Errico calls his second Maestro.

HARVEST VAL D’OCA, NEVER SO GENEROUS

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The absence of hail and diseases has allowed the growth of abundant and healthy clusters, with which the Cellar will produce a soft and aromatic wine

Never vintage was more fruitful for the 600 farmers who were members of the Cantina Produttori di Valdobbiadene: the 2018 harvest of Prosecco Docg of Val D’Oca, opened on 20 August and ended on 30 September, recorded the largest quantity ever collected by the company, with 165.175,89 quintals of wine obtained from the 959 hectares pertaining to it.

Begun in summer with the precocious pinot nero and chardonnay grapes, it continued in mid-September with the manual harvest of Prosecco Superiore DOCG in the banks of Colbertaldo, to continue on the banks of Santo Stefano and San Pietro di Barbozza. A complex harvest in this particular area of ​​the Denomination, entrusted only to expert hands because it was carried out on very steep slopes (the Rive, in fact), whose inpatied rows are difficult to access to machinery. It is estimated that, on average, Glera grapes serve from 600 to 700 hours per hectare per year of manual labor compared to 100/150 hours in the flat areas.

A fruitful vintage, therefore, favored by particularly good conditions: no vineyard was hit by downy mildew or botrytis, diseases caused respectively by the Plasmopara fungus and Botrytis mold. Even the weather was mild: there were only a few hectares where hail fell, with limited losses in production.

All this has contributed to producing particular quality bunches, which will allow us to create excellent aromatic and soft wines this year too. The grapes harvested, among other things, have a slightly lower gradation than last year, more than adequate for the production of Sparkling Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG and Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG.

A result that supports the data recently released by Coldiretti on the basis of the Ismea data for the first nine months of the year, which reveal that sparkling wine rose by 7.8% due to growth in Italian purchases. it has become a product of daily consumption, no longer limited only to recurrences.

Le Colture among the best 103 italian wineries selected by Wine Spectator

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2019 will mark a relevant debut for Le Colture. The wine company based in Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene (Treviso), run by Cesare Ruggeri and family, has been selected for the first time by Wine Spectator and is among the 15 new entries of the 103 best italian wineries which will attend Opera Wine 2019.

The eighth edition of the only event organized by the magazine outside the US, is scheduled for April 6th 2019 in Verona as usual before Vinitaly’s official opening.

“All of us have heard with great joy the news of this selection! – comment Alberto and Veronica Ruggeri – Being listed among other top wine producers for Opera Wine has a great value for all our family, as well as a source of sincere satisfaction and strong motivation. considering that this event has now become a consolidated annual appointment to introduce the best Italians wines to the professionals all over the world. “

The selected wine is the Valdobbiadene DOCG Rive di Santo Stefano brut “Gerardo” 2016.

A sparkling wine that is the purest and most sincere expression of the Valdobbiadene territory identity, to which the Ruggeri family is strongly linked. The brut “Gerardo” originates in the village of Santo Stefano from a single vineyard of old vines planted at 400 meters above sea level; its name is a tribute to Gerardo, the grandfather and founder of the company, and to his beloved ‘Rive’, term referring to the steepest vineyards very difficult to work, but giving extraordinary grapes. It is an austere and complex wine, dry and fresh, which goes well with sea crudités or pasta dishes, even with vegetables. Le Colture produce only 6,000 bottles a year destinated to the best restaurants in Italy and in the world.

The Valdobbiadene DOCG Rive di Santo Stefano brut “Gerardo” 2016 has collected considerable scores on the international scene this year such as; 90 points from Wine Spectator, 94 points from Decanter and 90 points to the ‘Prosecco Trophy’ organized by the German magazine Falstaff.

Soave Winery “Italian Wine Producer of the Year” IWSC 2018

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On November 14th, at the sparkling Guildhall in London, during the Gala Dinner of the IWSC – International Wine & Spirits Competition, Cantina di Soave won the title of “Best Italian producer of the year”.
At the award ceremony, which took place in a context of great solemnity and prestige, the General Manager of Cantina di Soave Bruno Trentini, the Deputy Director Wolfgang Raifer and the Export Manager Luca Sabatini participated.
The recognition was attributed by the IWSC to the historic Soavese winery with the following motivation: “Cantina di Soave, a company with a highly innovative profile, was able to make the best use of technological knowledge to deepen the expertise in the vineyard and obtain wines of very high quality “.
The IWSC – International Wine & Spirits Competition, the historical and authoritative international wine competition based in London, founded in 1969 by the oenologist Anton Massel, is one of the most important awards, recognized worldwide and extremely influential especially as regards the European markets. Cantina di Soave was nominated for the title along with five other major Italian wineries (Fattoria La Vialla by Gianni Antonio and Bandino Lo Franco Società Agricola Semplice, Sartirano Figli Wineries E Vigneti SRL, Terre del Barolo Soc. Coop. Agr., Ferrari F.lli Lunelli SpA and Martini).
“Our wines often get important recognition at IWSC – commented Bruno Trentini, General Manager of Cantina di Soave – to receive the title of” Italian Producer of the Year “is a great honor that attests the efforts made in all these years to make grow the company from every point of view, with a view to producing wines that are always better, respecting the environment which for us is the most precious asset. An immense gratification also for all those who work every day with passion and commitment, making everything possible: from our winemakers, to employees, to collaborators, because without them Cantina di Soave would not be what it is ».

Ornellaia 2015 and Château Mouton Rothschild 2016: William Kentridge creates art labels for iconic wines

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William Kentridge, considered by critics South Africa’s finest contemporary artist, created the unique labels for the 10th edition of Bolgheri-based Ornellaia’s Vendemmia d’Artista project. Specifically designed to convey the character classic to the 2015 vintage—expressed as Il Carisma, Charisma—, the labels for this Tuscan wine estate have encountered impressive success and are now coveted by collectors across the globe.      

Kentridge designed the label for Château Mouton Rothschild 2016 as well, which features a vibrant parade of festive, primal bacchantes. The prestigious French maison has scheduled the wine’s official launch for this week.   Kentridge is the first artist from the African continent commissioned to design the dress for these top-ranking Italian and French wines. 

Liv-Ex, London’s authoritative wine-market performance index, ranks Ornellaia as one of the ten most sought-after wines in the world. With its value increasing each year, Ornellaia represents a superb investment, as well as a nonpareil gift for Christmas. And ne plus ultra for art-lovers!

Terra Cretosa Borgo Turrito winestate

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The Borgo Turrito winery is located in Borgo Incoronata, historic village of Foggia, in Puglia.
It is a winery that combines tradition, youth and innovation. It stands on the edge of the Bosco Incoronata Regional Park, in a protected area of over 1000 hectares.

The Borgo Turrito winery supports and applies the values of sustainable agriculture. Natural resources must be used with care and maximum respect, avoiding waste, preserving its integrity. Farms.


We tasted: Terra Cretosa Nero di Troia 2017


This wine comes from a careful selection of Nero di Troia cultivated in clay soils close to the Cervaro torrent. It appears as an intense ruby red color. The nose has aromas of ripe red fruit, in the mouth has a soft and velvety tannins.
In food pairing it is ideal in combination with meat dishes and aged cheeses.

Bourgogne 2018: An ideal vintage

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The 2018 vintage was met with a unanimous show of satisfaction from the north of Bourgogne to the south.

The exceptional weather, especially during the harvest period, resulted in grapes with perfect health, allowing picking to extend over almost a whole month. Initial tastings ahead of the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction have given an early idea that 2018 will be a truly great year.

The vines had built up some reserves over winter thanks to some very rainy weather, and the growth cycle began on the late side. When the sun started to show in April, the vines sprang into life, with budburst taking place veryrapidly. The mild weather then allowed the plants to make up for lost time, even getting ahead of the average.
Frosts in April sent a shudder across the whole region, but damage remained very limited. Flowering and fruit setting took place without hindrance. Summer saw constant heat and drought, apart from a few hail storms in early July that were of no great consequence. The vines continued to grow at a fast pace until mid-August.

Veraison took a little longer in places, the heat and lack of water affecting some of the younger vineyards. Nonetheless, since the hydric reserves had been restocked over winter, most of the vines came to maturity nicely thanks to the ideal weather conditions. The first grapes were picked in the last 10 days of August. Since the dates of flowering,the rainfall and temperature varied greatly from one area to another, harvesting extended into the last 10 days of September. The fruit was in extraordinarily good health, and the weather was perfect, allowing each winemaker to harvest at the optimum moment. The mood was serene across the whole wine region, producers enjoying this magnificent vintage that combined quality and quantity.

Many think this will be one of the best vintages in many years. Vinification of the whites went without a problem, the grapes having retained a good level of acidity despite the heat. The reds required a little more  attention during vinification due to the relatively high level of potential alcohol.

White wines

In 2018, the aromatic complexity of the white wines is incredible. They are explosive on the nose, with an amazing diversity that reflects each terroir. The wines have a certain crispness and good minerality.  In the mouth, they are rounded and generous, balanced with a nice tension.

Red wines

The 2018 reds have a seductive intense color. They are already well structured and powerful, with nicely-integrated tannins and good concentration of fruit. These exceptional wines are perfectly balanced, and are already tasting well in their first flush of youth. This is a delicious vintage with splendid
maturity.

Crémant de Bourgogne

This is a benchmark year, with expressive aromas that vary from one varietal to another,promising balanced and aromatic base wines. The Pinot Noirs are generous, with notes of cherry and rose, resulting in balanced wines with a pleasant freshness. The Chardonnays are powerful, with moderate acidity, making them well-rounded. The fruit aromas reveal some exotic notes, nuanced by fragrances of apple and peach. The Gamays have delicate aromas of raspberry and strawberry, underscored by citrus touches (clementine, lemon).The Aligotés are sharp and lemony,as usual, with good length in the mouth.

Primarosa, Negroamaro Rosato Lizzano DOC Milleuna winery

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The Milleuna winery located in the area of Primitivo and Negroamaro grapes production: Torricella, Sava, Maruggio. One of the first to re-evaluate the old, almost centenary, sapling vines, saving them from the outside for their low but valuable productivity and making them protagonists in the national and international wine-making scenario for the quality of the wines. Respect for nature and attention to treatments in the vineyard, reduced to a minimum, with copper and sulfur are characteristics that generate sensational wines.


Primarosa


It is a rosé wine obtained with the “salasso” technique from Negroamaro Lizzano DOC grapes whose vineyards are located near the sea on sandy soils with calcareous substrate.
Of a cherry-pink color, more or less intense in the nose it is fragrant, characteristic and to the palate it is dry, delicate.
It is a 100% Rosato Negroamaro Lizzano Doc. Particularly suitable to accompany second courses of fish, white meats and cheeses.

ANNO DOMNI WINE ESTATE “LE ARGILLE” CABERNET DI CABERNET2014

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Strong, serious, unique, ages in concrete barrels two years , immaculate and free from barrel aromatic interference, so that its uniqueness is fully preserved along with its warm, refined, and mature taste.

This wine originate from vineyards of the Treviso countryside surrounded by the river Sile.

This wine is the result of a wise coupage of cabernet grapes, obtained through the Double Reasoned Maturation (DMR) technique, which is applied directly in the vineyard. This technique consists of clamping some branches before the grapes reach a complete maturation, so that the grapes start to age while still on the vine, resulting in a greater concentration of sugar that gives more structure and strength to the wine.

The winemaking is made by selected healthy grapes are crushed are then placed in small vats to ferment where we perform the maceration, that allows a maximum extraction of color and tannins, resulting in a harmonic, hot, persistent wine. The wine is then aged into cement vats for 24 months, after that our staff performs a sensory test, deciding when is the best time to bottle the wine. After the bottling the wine is then aged further for at least 6 months.

The colour is intense ruby red with and garnet highlights. The bouquet is very warm, complex, enveloping aroma, with perfume of mature berries especially blueberry. On a second moment hints of plum, black cherries and vanilla, at the end light nuances of tobacco, dark chocolate and green pepper.

In the mouth it is warm, elegant, mature, complex and important. The long ageing in cement preserves all the exquisite peculiar fl avor of the grapes, with notes of ripe berries, soft and pleasantly tannic. Long finish with a good aftertaste that calls for another glass.

In Gastronomic Matches this wine is a good conversation-meditation wine, excellent with strong meats like game and venison, meat stews and herby cheeses. It is also very good with fruit jam and desserts, particularly jam tarts and pastries.

AITNA BIANCO 2016 EDOME’ WINE ESTATE

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The Etna volcano, inside an ancient extinct crater, in a district called “Feudo di Mezzo” on the north side of the Volcano, here is the vineyard of Edome’ wine estate, where the native vines of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio are raised as saplings, sustained with the traditional chestnut pole.
The old part of the vineyard consists of strains that have an average age of 80 years. They wanted to embrace the philosophy carried out in this territory by the ancient rural tradition, the small tree, the manual cultivation, the respect of the territory of Etna, the dry stone walls and the lava stone sunshades.
The sandy-volcanic territory, the typical thermal excursions of 700 m above sea level, a mountain territory, the harvest that is carried out by manual harvesting.
What comes out is easy to understand: a wine rich in essences and aromas, mineral notes, smell is ethereal, with hints of ripe fruit, spices, nuances of tobacco and vanilla with a dry, full, tannic, harmonious and persistent taste.

We tasted: AITNA BIANCO 2016 DOC

Aitna divinity venerated by the Etna, a wine named so ‘to honor the volcano Etna that generates it by choosing the tetradramma of Aitna as a symbol of the company.
The white Aitna DOC is produced with Carricante grapes cultivated with the ancient and traditional alberello system in the area of ​​S. Maria di Licodia at an altitude of 900 s.l.m. The Carricante is an ancient native wine of Etna that has always been almost exclusively cultivated on the slopes of Etna on its eastern side.
Straw-yellow with green hues, the nose is intense fruity with hints of apple. In the mouth it is dry slightly acidic and peristent. For food pairing this wine   is ideal with sea fish dishes.

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