Light and shade over Vinitaly

The two sides of the medal. On one side, the smiling face of many serious producers who have presented their wines with passion and proficiency, not to mention the importers, distributors, restaurateurs but also simple wine-lovers (and thus future clients) who have tasted dozens and dozens of wines. On the other side, there are those who visit the fair only to drink, get drunk and make a mess, annoying some flashy hostesses, tricked by the perverse charm of wine. This is Vinitaly, the fair in Verona which has reached its end. Two sides of the same medal, which live in a sort of bazar where you can find anything. Really anything.

Of course it’s best to focus on the positive aspects. It is difficult, today, to drink bad wines at Vinitaly: quality has grown, year after year. Many young people have launched themselves in the enterprise of cultivating and face vinification with new ideas. It’s not a question of having a shot at being farmers, but of approaching the subject with research and passion. Keeping in line with the times is not a question of trends – most people have understood this, and not only the young generations: even many “historic” wineries have decided not to follow market trends, focusing on the production of good wines.

It would be impossible to taste all the wines of the over 4 thousand wineries participating, but some of these certainly deserve a mention, such as Casa Setaro’s Lacryma Christi 2011, produced only with the Caprettone grape variety, which is cultivated only in the areas close to mount Vesuvius. Also among the white wines, there’s the light and lively Serprino 2012 produced by Quota 101, using only the Glera grape varieties. Always on the theme of grapes worth rediscovering, there’s Nascetta, with two producers in particular: Anna Maria Abbona with Netta 2012 and the colleague (of stand too) Sergio Germano (Azienda Germano Ettore) with his Nascetta 2011.

For those who want to taste something new, there’s Cantine Angelinetta’s Verdese Bianco 2012 made with the only indigenous variety of Lake Como. The last among the white wines is a Lugana: Le Morette’s Benedictus 2011. Among the red wines, we recommend a couple: the uncommon Morellino Roggiano 2011 produced by Vignaioli del Morellino and Valtellina Superiore Sassella 2010 by Terrazzi Alti. Excellent Italian bubbles, such as the Brut Nature 2009 by Barone Pizzini and the Extrabrut Millesimato by Camossi.

The negative side is sadly the usual: stadium chants, screams and shouts. People who launch themselves in the “full glass hunt”, to be emptied as though it were water. Kids stealing half-empty bottles, tasting wines that smell of cork and commenting they are excellent. Young people who want “a red wine” and then pretend they are experts but can’t complete a sentence. In other words, some people have misunderstood Vinitaly for a vending machine of wines and should be sent to AA meetings. With a goodbye to next year, tolerating even these unavoidable extremes.

See also:
Quality comes first. Even with organic wines