12 wines not to be missed at Vinitaly

Vinitaly kicks off today and so let’s polish our glasses and get ready to taste these 12 ‘great wines’ not to be missed chosen by Daniele Cernilli for the readers of Cronache di Gusto and, obviously, all of you.

I must confess that already the concept of a ‘great wine’ creates problems for me. I, for example, have an 11-year-old 4x4 Panda that I consider to be a ‘great car’, even if I realize few will agree with me. And sometimes I can be knocked out by a Dolcetto d’Alba and not a Barolo. For this reason, my 12 ‘great wines’ this year will be me following my heart and curiosity more than picking the usual top and expensive wines, which are of course amazing. So bear with me and I apologize to my friends Giacomo Neri and Jacopo Biondi Santi for not including their excellent Brunello wines, Cerretalto and Riserva 2010, which are among the all-time best wines. I will taste these with calm at a later date but not now and not at Vinitaly.

Here we go:

1. I begin with a Roero, made from Nebbiolo grapes, which really impressed me during the Roero Days tastings. This is a 2011 Massucco , an estate in Castagnito I was not too familiar with. This is a Roero one would expect, not perfect, perhaps a little tannic and frizzy, but absolutely territorial. Emblematic.
2. Moving more to the east we find another wine that was unexpectedly good. It is made by a great producer and is a true novelty and really good. Guido Berlucchi’s Franciacorta 61 Nature 2009  is essential, elegant and technically irreproachable. Surprising.
3. Cantina di Terlano is a sure thing and produces some of the best white wines in Italy. I will be tasting a wine I wish could be my everyday white if I ever get rich. While it is not that expensive, it is beyond by daily budget. Alto Adige Terlano Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg 2013  is the product of an extraordinary year. Not to be missed.
4. We stay in Sudtirol and going to Elena Walch is a must. I will be tasting her Alto Adige Gewurztraminer Kastelaz 2015  which smells like a rose in May. Fascinating.
5. Trentino usually brings bubbly to my mind but not always and sometimes even a big and modern cooperative like Cavit can produce some formidable wines. A case in point is Teroldego Rotaliano Maso Cervara 2011 . Delicious.
6. In Veneto I opt for the whites, especially those of Nino Pieropan and I’m sure his Soave Classico Calvarino 2015  will not disappoint. Territorial.
7. In Friuli, vintage 2015 wines were perhaps too rich and so it is better to go to those from the cooler areas and wines that are not too bold. An example is Collio Friulano di Schiopetto 2015.  A certainty.
8. We go back to the Emilia plains to greet the arrival of a true champion on the Lambrusco scene: In Correggio 2005 . This is a traditional method bubbly that sits ten years on the lees and has the creaminess of a great Champagne and is produced by Lini 910. Awesome.
9. I have chosen a Chianti Classico to represent Tuscany, a Riserva Novecento 2013  from Dievole. This is a winery that has come out of a truly difficult period and I hope selecting this splendid wine will lead to good things.
10. From Abruzzo a new, sensational white: Pecorino Frontone 2013  produced by Cataldi Madonna. This is one of the best whites of that year. Exceptional.
11. I had a preview tasting of this last year during the Campania Stories event and will not miss it now that it has come out on the market. Taurasi 2008  from Michele Perillo is a dream. Wonderful.

I round off this selection of 12 without any wine from Sicily, because Fabrizio Carrera will deal tackle it, nor any from Puglia and Basilicata, which others will write about. Because 2014 was an excellent year for Sardinia, as opposed to other regions, I have chosen a Sardinian wine: Cannonau di Sardegna Mamuthone 2014  from Giuseppe Sedilesu. Its spicy aromas carry you to the island