Tuscany

On my way to meet Giovanni Gaja around his wine master class in New Delhi, I had two main expectations- one- to learn a little more about Gaja wines than what I already knew, and two- what else but to  savour some of their famed wines that are loved the world over.

Both my expectations were met well, but there was also something else that I carried back from this rendezvous. It was a realization that even the youngest members of winemaking families can carry the level of wisdom often associated with their much older custodians. As Giovanni chose to highlight Gaja’s pathbreaking work towards sustainable viticulture rather than just waxing eloquent on his wines, I guess this realization was well in order.

Gaja Family Timeline

1859– Founded by Giovanni Gaja (1832-1954).

1905– Angelo Gaja (1876-1944) and Clotilde Rey (1880-1961) succeed Giovanni.

1937– Giovanni Gaja (1908-2002) takes over the reins of the company.

1961– Angelo Gaja enters the business. His wife Lucia joins him in 1970. In the current day the fifth generation (Gaia, Rosanna and Giovanni) are actively supporting their parents in running the business.

Carrying the Gaja Baton

Giovanni was on his second ever visit to India- the first one being 9 years back when he accompanied his family as a teenager. The teenager has grown up since then, enough to represent his family’s illustrious legacy. As an intern to his older sister Gaia who looks after their export markets, Giovanni’s current narrative is to share her workload so that she needs to travel less often than what she was doing earlier. His master class proved that he has been pretty efficient at taking up this responsibility.

After Giovanni’s master class that was attended by key Sommeliers and media persons in New Delhi, I was offered to meet him one-on-one for a conversation courtesy Madhulika Bhattacharya a.k.a. Madame La Cave whose store La Cave Fine Wines and Spirits exclusively stocks Gaja wines.  La Cave’s parent company Brindco imports Gaja wines in India and this tight integration ensures that they get the right environment to put their best foot forward in a country that is slowly but steadily awakening to wine.

My Conversation with Giovanni Gaja

Gaja has a presence in Piedmont as well as Tuscany. How do you think that the winemaking philosophy in these two distinctive regions agrees or differs?

Giovanni Gaja (GG) : It actually depends on which place in Tuscany you are talking about. If it is Montalcino, then Sangiovese is as difficult to cultivate as Nebbiolo because both these varietals are very soil specific and climate-driven. So the challenges at both Piedmont and Tuscany work out more or less similar.

In contrast, if you talk of Bolgheri,  varietals like the Cabernets and Merlot are comparatively easier to cultivate due to their proven adaptability to various terroirs. Tuscany here gets easier to manage than Piedmont.

In your master class you said that the changing global climate has actually been beneficial for varietals like Nebbiolo. Could you elaborate a little on that?

GG: Well, if you see the cultivation history of Nebbiolo, the varietal faced a problem of inadequate ripeness in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. During those decades it was very difficult to attain a decent level of alcohol in the grapes. Acidity levels were high and the resultant wines were impossible to drink young. It was not uncommon to wait 15 years to enjoy the wines appreciably well.

Today the situation is reversed. Alcohol levels now are a problem on the other end of the spectrum. But we can always pick early to obtain the grapes at optimum maturity levels. So ripeness is hardly a concern now.

It is a point to note that while between 1980 and 1992 Gaja had only three excellent vintages, between 2000 and 2012 most of our vintages have been excellent. It speaks a lot about the ever improving resilience of our vines.

The other advantage of climate change is that the wines from varietals like Nebbiolo are drinkable much earlier. You just tasted the Gaja Barbaresco 2014 at the master class. I wouldn’t say that it is perfect to drink right now but it is surely drinkable without the presence of highly aggressive tannins or acidity- a problem that existed in the past for such young wines.

You also spoke of planting species other than grapes in the vineyards to promote better crops. Isn’t that a significant departure from your founding father’s approach of not planting anything else than grapes in the vineyards?

GG: This is something that the changing climate has forced on us. Over a period of time, we analysed and experimented to conclude that other plants provide certain biodiversity for preserving the desirable characteristics of our vines. In fact, we needed a little getting-used-to seeing our vineyards in an apparently unkempt manner. During my grandfather’s time the vineyards looked very much like perfectly manicured gardens.

 Viticultural initiatives by Gaja

• Cypress trees planted on vineyard borders to protect the vines from strong winds. These also act as shelters for various bird species.
• Flowers whose roots purify the soil are planted across vineyards. Bees and wasps thrive in such surroundings indicating a good ecological balance.
• In-house compost (70 tons per annum) is produced using California red worms.
• Moisture and warmth retention in the soil by growing leguminous plants alongside vineyards and flattening them against the earth to provide a thermic blanket. In warmer years the plants are cut rather than flattening them. The plants also prevent soil erosion during heavy rains.
  

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You also said that 20 years back Gaja shunned pesticide use in the vineyards. Would it be safe to say that you were the early starters in organic viticulture?

GG: First of all I would like to clarify that we do not prefer to fall into categories like “organic” and “biodynamic”. That said, we have certainly taken inspiration from such practices. But the difference is that we have evolved on our own over our 150 years plus history by trial and error, understanding how our vineyards work. I would hence prefer to call our viticultural practices as the “Gaja methodology”.

It is the reason why we sell our wines as Gaja and not as “organic” or “biodynamic. Because behind the name itself there is an inherent assurance of the best possible quality that respects the environment. Hence we do not require certifications to prove that. The best part is, that our customers understand this value proposition well.

Going back in history again, your great-grandfather Giovanni is believed to have started making wine to serve diners at his trattoria. Are you still making higher volume wines like a Dolcetto?

GG: Not anymore. My father was producing wines with Dolcetto as well as Barbera until the 1990s but we discontinued those to focus on our core wines.

I also came to know that you accompany your father on weekend bicycle rides in the Barbaresco region. What are your discussions like?

GG: <pleasantly surprised> How do you know that? I had indeed been accompanying my father on bicycle rides that went up to 70 kms at a stretch. But since the last three years, we have discontinued these as Angelo is now 78 and he needed to slow down a little.

During our rides, we chatted on everything else but business. Actually, we spoke very little because otherwise, we wouldn’t have been able to cycle much <laughs>. I don’t know if you have been to the Langhe region….

Me: No I haven’t.

GG: …So it is a breathtakingly beautiful landscape- particularly the Alta Langhe which is higher in altitude and less heavy with vineyards. After completing these rides, Angelo would invariably return with fresh ideas spurred by a relaxed state of mind. It was hence his way to focus on his thoughts – something which might not have been possible during the extremely busy work weeks.

I know that it may be difficult to shortlist, but are there any favourites among your own wines?

GG: The Barbaresco is my top choice for sure. It is the wine we have always produced and that which we are particularly known for.

I also love Magari as I feel very attached to our Ca’Marcanda estate for a good reason. I was born in 1993 and Ca’Marcanda estate was acquired by my family in 1996. So it is something like we’ve grown together. I’ve seen Ca’Marcanda grow in terms of architecture as well as quality of wine. These vines are now 22 years old and starting to show their real potential.

Vines are much like people. Similar to young people who are often happy-go-lucky, vines too  have to be trained and nurtured  for the first 15 years or so.  Once they are 15-20 years old, they tend to understand what you taught them and start measuring up to the expectations.

The name Ca’Marcanda derives from a Piedmontese dialect expression which can be translated as the “house of endless negotiations”. It refers to the several meetings between the previous land owners and Angelo Gaja. The very long negotiations finally concluded in 1996 with the land purchase by Gaja.

Did you get to try any Indian wines during this trip?

GG: Indeed! Today, I tried Grover’s (Grover Zampa Vineyards) La Reserve. I found it very interesting!

Which are the other world wines that you like?

GG: I like the Burgundies because I find some similarities between Burgundy and Piedmont, as well as Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. I think that Barbaresco and Barolo may be completely opposite to Burgundies when young but as they age, they exhibit somewhat similar characteristics.

I also like the Cabernets. <laughing> If my sister (Gaia) hears this she would kill me. She often pulls me up saying that I have a palate that is easy to please. But it remains a fact that while I certainly like Nebbiolo, I also like good Bordeaux wines for their velvetiness that is difficult to find elsewhere. The best part is that you do not always have to go to the First Growths to find that pleasure.

Talking of your sister Gaia whom you are assisting nowadays, did she offer you any particular guidelines for this trip?

GG: Not really! I feel very lucky to have grown up with two older sisters (Gaia and Rosanna) who have been working in the winery for 14 and 10 years respectively. In Italy, there is a saying that “no one is ever born taught”. It means that in life you always need to have someone to teach and guide you on what is wrong or right. To that effect, I am extremely lucky that I have not only my parents but also my sisters to do that for me.

My learning has been continuous, as over the years I have been undertaking many trips around the world with Gaia . I have keenly observed her interactions and listened to her speeches. I have also travelled with my father and listened to his speeches as well. Everyone has a different way to communicate the same concept. It is all about listening, learning and clarifying what one doesn’t understand. Sometimes you make mistakes and learn from them.

Are there any plans to expand the Gaja footprint beyond Piedmont and Tuscany?

GG: As a matter of fact we have already partnered with a winemaker called Alberto Graci to produce wines in Sicily. This is the first ever partnership by Gaja. The vineyard location is between 600-1000m in Etna DOC. We would majorly be producing wines from the Nerello Mascalese and Carricante over there.

The difference between a wine producer and a fashion designer is that the latter can produce something good for 24 months, after which a new design is necessitated. In contrast, a grapevine planted today will bear fruit not earlier than 4 years, with the wine being available for consumption in another 2-3 years. Wine hence, is always a long term perspective.

These words of Mario Piccini came fresh to my mind as I shared lunch with him on a pleasant November afternoon in New Delhi. Barely a few months back Mario had made this interesting comparison during my one-on-one conversation with him  in Castellina in Chianti from where he presides over his wine empire, exporting to 72+ countries worldwide.

Back then, Mario had signed off with a promise to visit India in November 2016 and invite me to share a meal with him. True to his stature, the promise was kept and I received a special invite from Prestige Wines and Spirits- Piccini’s importer in India- requesting me to attend a lunch with him during his day long visit to New Delhi.

My conversation with Mario Piccini featured in this post largely took place in his Valiano estate in Chianti, but I waited to gather some more ‘pearls’ during his then upcoming India visit. I was not disappointed as I was able to capture this video where Mario raises a toast to the cultural affinity between India and Italy.

The Interview

What enthuses you about the Indian market for wine that brings you to the country on your maiden visit?

Mario Piccini (MP): When we last met in Tuscany, I had mentioned about the relevance of  long term perspective applicable to wine. In the Indian context, though the initial market size may be small,  I would still like to invest resources in the country for the promise that it holds. We would like to do that largely through customer education initiatives- by having brand ambassadors who can present our wines in the right fit of Indian culture and cuisine.

What would you like to see as changing in India related to the wine business atmosphere apart from the all obvious travails of taxation?

MP: Addressing the high taxation issue  remains an important issue, because one can always guide people on drinking wine but not put money in their hands to buy it.

The other important thing is to create an impression that wine is more about culture than plain indulgence. Wine is all about sharing good moments with friends, acting as a social binder. Needless to mention, it  also brings extra value to one’s dining experience.

I would like to see such a culture developing in India. The need of the hour is to guide wine lovers  not only on what to drink, but how to drink ! We would like to see a whole range of Indian food being paired with our wines. As my experience holds, a Tandoori Chicken goes really well with a nice Rosé wine .

When I was 6 years old, my grandmother would make a concoction of wine with water in a 20:80 ratio and offer it to me with some bread at ‘Merenda’ – a meal time between lunch and dinner  in Italy . This gives an idea of  how closely wine is integrated in the Italian culture.

Coming to Indian food, which are your favourite preparations? Apart of course from the Tandoori Chicken that you just mentioned.

MP: I love Indian food and have tried many preparations. I do not remember the exact names but I can describe a particular mutton dish which had lemon, mint and some curry served with lemon rice on the side. I also like various vegetable and chicken preparations and Indian breads like ‘Naan’. In fact this Saturday I will be in London and have asked my daughter to book a table for us in one of the Indian restaurants in that city.

Being a major producer from Tuscany, what is your take on traditional versus Super Tuscan wines?

MP: I think each of them is in its own league. The old denomination Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano etc are the important foundation of Tuscany’s heritage. They have been around for hundreds of years and are uncompromising.

Super Tuscan wines on the other hand prove the versatility of terroir . They are just to give an idea on how to become contemporary in history. A 100% Sangiovese as Brunello or arriving at a beautiful blend of Sangiovese with Cabernet like Sassicaia both work very well. My perspective on such innovations is that as long as these give stimulation to the producer to go for something better on quality and consumer appeal, they always turn out good.

I happened to try one such innovation as a wine produced by you called Memoro Rosso. What was the idea behind it?

MP: We created the Memoro label to convey the idea that quality cannot solely be defined through Denomination of Origin. Under the sun and nature anything is possible- variable being the human penchant for innovation. In Memoro Rosso, the idea was to have a quality reunion of different grapes produced in large volumes in different regions of Italy. Hence we have a blend comprising of 40% dried late harvest Primitivo di Manduria, 20% Nero d’Avola to render the fruit (plums, cherries, strawberries), 20% barrel aged Montepulciano di Abruzzo to impart the structure and 10 % Merlot del Veneto for light and fresh flavours.

Further, consider this overwhelming scenario of wine service:

With Memoro Rosso, we intended to alleviate  situations similar to the aforesaid and offer a wine that even a novice can order as an “Italian Red Wine”.  At the same time, we wanted to create a blend that is easy to pair with a variety of cuisine.

Being present in various regions of Italy, does Piccini have any expansion plans into other Italian wine regions?

MP: We are indeed exploring some other areas within Italy for our next generation. Tonight I am leaving for one of the prospective regions with my son Michelangelo (smiles) though I have asked him whether he would agree to pay for the proposed new venture.

Organic wines are being accorded a lot of importance in these times. What has Piccini’s approach been towards these?

MP: We have gone about organic viticulture in a big way. We feel that the focus should not just be to maximize production through factoring every resource available to us in the modern times. They have to be analysed with due consideration towards sustainability. I think that in the next 10 years, everybody will have to revert to earlier days of organic farming irrespective of around 15% of production getting lost in the bargain. As for Piccini, majority of our estates viz. Chianti Classico , Brunello, Aglianico, Bolgheri and Etna are in their 3rd year of organic adaptation. By the next harvest (2017) all our wines will be produced organically .

What about biodynamic wines? Do you think they are good idea?

MP: For producers with large vineyard areas, biodynamic wines are not easy to manage- their suitability restricted to little parcels in the current day . The logical costs involved in producing these wines push them beyond the reach of the average wine consumer. Since wine is more of a social than a classy drink it is important to keep costs in check so that it can remain affordable to the majority of wine lovers.

That said, biodynamic wines are in a distinct niche and a wonderful option for people who can afford to buy them. But until the costs are optimized, their relevance will only be restricted to a select few.

Did you know?
Piccini’s striking orange label was adapted as a consequence of a debate between Mario and his sister Martina who wanted to incorporate red and yellow colours respectively. Elisa, the youngest of Piccini siblings intervened and made them settle on an orange label that has ever since become a hallmark of Piccini’s Chianti wines .

How do you think that the global climate change has been affecting your vineyards? What measures have you incorporated to counter its effect?

MP: When I was a little child, I remember that we had harvest in Chianti Classico region during end October- early November. Today the global warming has pushed harvest timings to at least fifteen days in advance, at times even a month. These changing patterns have made us to adapt  measures like choosing the right clones to plant and incorporating sufficient foliage to protect the grapes from harsh UV rays. Earlier we would go to the vineyards in September to prune excess foliage, but if we do it in today’s climate, we would only be doing passito wines (laughs).

I remember my father worrying  before harvest every year  “Is this year going to be difficult?”. The difference is that today we worry “How difficult is this year going to be?”

But has the fruit quality been affected because of climate change.

MP: It is precisely to maintain the fruit quality that we have gone back to the organic way of farming. We have been spending more time in the vineyards than the winery- to continuously check the crop as to when it is ready for harvesting.

There are also situations where we cannot do much, like in case of the thin skinned Sangiovese grapes getting damaged beyond redemption during heavy rains. However, we have to take things in our stride.  To look at the positive side, we treat each vintage as a different baby that develops in mother nature’s womb and comes out at the right time with its unique identity among billions of beings.

Mario Piccini’s philosophy of  life
Unfortunately we do not know how our respective lives will finally belong , but one can surely decide how large it can be. The person who lives more is actually the person who has happy memories. Every morning I wake up, I consider it as my first day. I want to learn everything possible in that day.

Photo Feature: Piccini Wines

Piccini's Valiano Vineyards

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Chances are, you would have heard of Sassicaia before delving on Tenuta San Guido. Cult brand names often tend to surpass their parentage like this Super Tuscan wine which is a hallmark of finesse , having achieved such fame in a relatively short period as compared to most wines of similar pedigree.

It was hence a matter of privilege for me when I was invited to meet Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, the third generation of Tenuta San Guido (TSG) one of the most famous wine estates from Italy. Popularly known as “The Princess of Sassicaia” Priscilla arrived in New Delhi as part of her three city itinerary  to familiarize herself with the Indian market. My place of privilege came courtesy an invitation by Madhulika Bhattacharya aka Madame LaCave, owner of Delhi’s niche wine store La Cave that stocks TSG wines imported in India by their parent company Brindco.

About Tenuta San Guido

What started in 1948 as an experiment, led way to establishing the phenomenon called Super Tuscans i.e. wines from Tuscany made with classic Bordeaux varietals. Tenuta San Guido was the one to start it all when Priscilla’s grandfather Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, convinced about the workability of such wines in Tuscany against the prevailing local sentiment (which saw nothing beyond native Tuscan varietals) planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines in his property which he discerned, had a stony terroir similar to Graves, Bordeaux. Seeds-or rather vines- were planted for one of the greatest wines that the world knows of today. However, in the initial years, Mario’s path was stony like his terroir- taking him a good 20 years+ to commercialise his wine in 1968. Thus was born Sassicaia – a name that implies “stony ground” in Italian.

Sassicaia is the only Italian DOC (DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia), contained within a vineyard.

My Conversation with Priscilla

Priscilla was the chief host at a lunch with her wines at Le Cirque restaurant in Hotel Leela Palace New Delhi. Arriving a little in advance, I seized the precious opportunity of a conversation with her at peace. The terrace on the 10th floor of Leela Palace served as the perfect lieu de rencontre for our conversation even as the preparations for the upcoming lunch picked up frenetic pace indoors.

Me: Welcome to India. Is this your first visit to the country?
Priscilla Incisa (PI): Thank you! Technically this is my second visit to India since I also came to Mumbai in 2006, just for a day. However I do not count that as a real visit, having flown back after attending a dinner. This time it is much more deliberate with my agenda in three Indian cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangaluru).

Me: Any major differences that you notice in the country in general?
PI: Since I was only in Mumbai last time, I can only talk of differences related to that city. I notice an ongoing construction boom and much more cleanliness as compared to what I saw during my last visit.

Me: What brings you to India this time?
PI: I have arrived with the aim of developing a closer liaison with Brindco- our partner of 10 years in country . To see how they work and to get an understanding of their new initiative to develop retail with the La Cave initiative. I would also like to assess the direction in which we are progressing and the ways and means to develop the market in future.

Me: Given the current low volumes of wine consumption in India as opposed to other markets you may be exporting to, when do you think that the Indian market will achieve sizeable proportion for your wines?
PI: It is common knowledge that the major problem for a wine exporter to India is the prevalent high taxes. If these come down to a reasonable level, I think the market holds a lot of promise for wine producers even if they are able to tap a tiny market size. That holds true for us as well.

Me: What is the volume of your current export to India?
PI: Currently we are exporting around 5000 bottles annually to India (total annual production of TSG is just around 2,00,000 bottles). The wines exported to India currently constitute two out of our three labels viz. Sassicaia and Guidalberto. We are also discussing with Brindco to bring in our third label called Le Difese.

Me: I am intrigued as to why there is no white wine in your portfolio, more so when  winemakers some even from outside Tuscany are making  excellent white wines in Bolgheri. Would you by any chance be thinking on including a white wine in your portfolio?
PI: If you look at our history, Sassicaia started out as a house wine to become commercial only in 1968. It took us decades to start producing our next wine Guidalberto in 2000 and the third wine La Defese in 2002.
I do not foresee us producing a white wine in the near future as we would rather like to consolidate our portfolio keeping in mind the onerous responsibility that we carry concerning these wines.

Apart from producing wines we engage in traditional agriculture and conserving the bio diversity of our holdings, a part of which is also Italy’s first private nature preserve managed in association with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) of which my grandfather was the first president in Italy.

Me: Tell me more about the natural preserve and its tangible benefit to your vineyards,
PI: My grandfather Mario had dedicated 500 hectares out of his 2500 hectares property for agriculture and wildlife preservation which has finally emerged as the Bolgheri Bird Sanctuary. In winters certain parts in this area get flooded with rainwater where migratory birds make a stopover. There are also wild animals like boars and deers in the preserve. Going inwards from sea, we have our stud farms in the plains and further inwards the vineyards towards the hills. This complete ecosystem stretches 13 kms from sea to the hills. Around the vineyards we have olive trees that provide shade to the vines during hot days and help maintaining humidity in the nights. All this bio diversity helps in making our terroir naturally sustainable and regenerative.

Me: What is your impression of Indian wines- did you get to taste some on this trip?
PI: (Smiles) Oh yes! We had this wonderful lunch in Bangalore where I had the opportunity to sample two Indian wines – KRSMA Cabernet Sauvignon and Fratelli MS White. I was pretty impressed with KRSMA , which invited my interest particularly with reference to our mainstay being Cabernet wines.

Me: What kind of Indian food in your opinion will go best with your wines?
PI: At the Bangalore lunch I mentioned before, there was some exciting Indian cuisine prepared by Indian chef Osama Jalali who I was told, travels with his family to different parts of India to prepare ancient recipes dating back to the 16th century. His use of basic Indian spices like black pepper make the food flavourful yet mild on the palate. I think that Indian food which is not too spicy will be good to pair with our wines , considering that we produce only reds.

Me: Which other wines would you drink when not drinking your own wines?
PI: It is not easy to answer. I like to drink white wines from Northern Italy particularly from Trentino. We (TSG) are actually spoilt for choices by virtue of being part of Primum Familiae Vini (an association of prestigious 12 wine producers of the world) where members exchange wines among themselves during Christmas. Hence I share with my family wines like Mouton Rothschild, Vega Sicilia and many similar delightful wines on a regular basis. When not drinking Cabernet wines, I would prefer a good Pinot Noir for company.

Me: Lastly, what is your typical day at work in Italy?
PI: I live in Milano with my husband who is of German origin, and two school going kids. When in Milano, my work is mostly on the computer, writing emails etc. However, most of my time is spent travelling around the world as my family’s representative to maintain relations with our market. Between these trips and Milano, I very often go to Bolgheri on the days when the office is open where my father Marchese Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta manages the daily affairs.

Wines at the Lunch

15 November 2016

June 2016 was super active month for Guns 2 Gewürztraminer. Before you wonder about the veracity of this claim- considering it has been more than a month since my latest post, this has been exactly the reason why! I was on a whirlwind tour to Austria and Italy, exploring the world of wine, barely finding time to awaken the mobile screen to capture the beautiful but fleeting moments. Moments that I am now well equipped to share in subsequent posts. As a start, I endeavour to give you a bird’s eye view  of this wine journey through a route map and five collages coupled with summary description of what I call ” a picture perfect wine journey’.

1. VieVinum 2016

This grand Austrian wine fair happened in it’s 10th edition between 4-6 June 2016 with exclusive pre-event engagements for invitees. The fair has grown rapidly over the years and it showcases a mammoth range of Austrian wines along with some international presence. Organised under the aegis of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB) it aims to promote Austrian wine industry in a focussed manner. Apart from tasting a 1000++ wines, the icing on the cake for me was to converse one-on-one with Mr. Wilhelm (Willi) Klinger, Managing Director Austrian Wine Marketing Board (see bottom right photo of the collage). The interview will appear shortly in print, as well as in this space.

2. Visiting Weingut Elfenhof, Rust, Burgenland

The picturesque town of Rust in Burgenland, Austria can easily be called a storybook quartier, replete with its floral promenades, a 315 km²  lake Neusiedl and expansive vineyards peppered all across . Weingut Elfenhof is a 17th century winery of the region that produces a diverse range of quality wines. Ernst Holler, the current generation owner (seen in the collage with me) was kind enough to pick me up from Vienna and host me in his town for a day full of vineyard and winery action. The time flew just too fast…

3. Friuli- the under reported wine region of Italy

Even the folks in Friuli were pleasantly surprised that I chose the region for an elaborate itinerary when in general, the whole world  thinks of Tuscany as their first choice of exploring the Italian wine country. But let me tell you- if you have not explored, wines like Ribolla Gialla, Friulano (earlier known as Tocai Friulano), Refosco, Tazzelanghe, Picolit, ‘Orange Wines’ and several others, it would be a good idea to do so at the earliest- as there is a whole wide world of enchanting wines lying out there. As for Tuscany, it was my next stop quite logically……

4.  Banfi and Piccini- the Tuscan racehorses

The names need no introduction. Banfi- for their groundbreaking research on the Sangiovese vine to produce outstanding Brunello and Super Tuscan wines and Piccini- the distinctive ‘orange label’ producer of Chianti wines who have innovative wines like the pan-Italian blend called ‘Memoro’ in their portfolio.  Oscillating between Florence, Siena and Montalcino, I was on a roll (much like the Tuscan slopes) to meet the owners, visit vineyards with winemakers and sample countless wines around choicest cuisine.

5. The sophisticated charm of Allegrini

Be it the high vineyards of the Valpolicella DOC, one of the top Amarones from the region, or a unique Brunello from their Tuscan vineyards , the house of Allegrini evokes acknowledged respect amongst winelovers. Hence it was only natural for me to visit them, given just a day’s schedule in the region. Meeting and conversing with their indefatigable owner Marilisa Allegrini in this short duration was nothing less than a stroke of luck.