​There is no singular, simple vision of Italian wine, but rather a fascinating mosaic of twenty wine regions with thousands of varietals and wineries, producing wines many have never heard of, unique to their local areas.  Wine drinkers are enchanted with the fabled pillars of Italian wine, Amarone, Barolo, Chianti, and Etna to name a few, but what is really exciting is to discover another facet to the brilliant gem of Italian wine.  Superb white wines are emerging, savory rosés redefine the concept, and red wines electrify with their exceptional aromas and flavors.  Simply Italian is anything but simple, there is so much to discover and fall in love with, spanning viticultural lands from the Alps to Mount Etna.

The Simply Italian Great Wines US Tour 2022 returned to Los Angeles this past fall, with a full day of master classes and a walk around tasting for wine professionals, held at the Sofitel Hotel.  The highlights included stunning white wines from the Collio, the gorgeous Sangiovese wines of Montepulciano, and a surprising dedication to “green” measures in farming and wine production across the board, with organic and sustainable the buzz words among wineries.  The seminars painted a picture of quality and innovation, while still remaining true to their heritage.

Riccardo Ricci Curbastro of Ricci Curbastro

​First seminar of the day, a look at the sparkling wine of Franciacorta, as an example of quality controls and sustainability goals, was led by Riccardo Ricci Curbastro of Azienda Agricola Ricci Curbastro, in the “Federdoc - Traceability & Regulation of Italian DOC Wines: Focus on Franciacorta DOCG (Franciacorta Heritage).  While it is a complex and very broad subject, Curbastro detailed the many initiatives that Italians have taken to not only improve their carbon footprint and sustainable wine production, but also to give consumers a guarantee of the wines’ quality and origins, assurances that what you pay for is what you get.  Programs like The Green Deal 2030, Farm to Fork, SOPD Equalitas, MIPAAF, and Valoritalia work hand in hand to provide a system of checks and balances for the consumer.

Riccardo Ricci Curbastro of Ricci Curbastro

For Curbastro, he’s very proud of his family business, farmers since the 13th Century, and their role in producing the finest Franciacorta in an environmentally conscious way.  Certified sustainable since 2017, Ricci Curbastro embraces the lighter footprint in many ways, such as planting a new grape, Erbamat, that contributes acidity to riper grapes in a warmer world.  This was so well illustrated in the Ricci Curbastro Franciacorta DOCG Brut NV, a very nice aperitif style sparkler, structured yet smooth.  They also produce still wines from the Curtefranco DOC, a fascinating pour of a blend of the best vineyards, the Ricci Curbastro Curtefranca DOC Rosso Vigna Santella del Gröm 2015 is so delicious, a blend of five grape varietals that wowed with it’s silky, flavorful character.

​Next, Master Sommelier and Educator Tim Gaiser spun the tale of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, the elegant red wine from the Renaissance hilltop town of Montepulciano in the “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: The History-Teller” seminar.  Produced by small family-owned estates, this Sangiovese-dominant wine is carefully crafted and aged longer to showcase its complex palate of floral, fruit, herbs, spice, and savory notes.  Six wines were compared side by side, enchanting in their profile in different ways.  The La Spinosa Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2018 casts a spell with its characteristic aromas and flavors of sour cherry, plum, tomato leaf, sandalwood, spice, toast and dried rose petal potpourri character, with hints of oregano, star anise and bay leaf.  The Contucci Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2017 is so yummy, ripe yet somehow slightly tart, lots of herbal and mineral notes, which elevated the wine.  The Poggio Stella Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2017 is a Consorzio wine produced by a cooperative, which Gaiser liked best, feeling it occupied the “sweet spot”, light on its feet with lower alcohol and more acidity.

Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser

Then, transitioning from red to white, Gaiser conducted a virtual trip to the best white wine terroir in the “Collio: A Small Territory for Great Wines” seminar.  Because of their unique Ponca soils, consisting of layers of marl and sandstone, peppered with tiny fossils that facilitates salinity and minerality, the hilly Collio region of northeast Italy yields elegant and structured white wines of many different grape varietals.  Six wines were poured, complex, structured and full-bodied, each varietally different, so diverse!  From Ribolla Gialla to Friulano, Pinot Bianco to Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio to a fabulous blend, these wines represent the bounty of the Collio, and fulfill its promise, remaining fresh while ageing into a complex and elegant wine.  Collio Bianco is the “true essence and soul” of the region, with each individual producer offering an unique expression of their piece of the terroir, and these wines are usually blends.  The bottles proudly proclaim “Collio” on the labels.

The Tenuta Villanova Ribolla Giallo DOC Collio 2021 is succulent, with pretty floral notes and bitter almond on the finish.  The Toros Pinot Bianco DOC Collio 2021 is delicious with its pear and citrus fruit alongside the mineral notes and great acidity.  The Marco Felluga-Russiz Superiore Friulano Amani DOC Collio 2021 is floral, round and textured, just so yummy with it’s key lime, white peach and floral notes.  The Renato Keber Pinot Grigio Riserva DOC Collio 2017 is not just any Pinot Grigio, its preserved lemon, quince paste, pear and apple compote fruit, accented by mineral and saline notes, finishes long and persistent.  The Due Del Monte Sauvignon DOC Collio 2019 is a pure expression of fruit, with its lemongrass, verbena and citrus blossom character.  The Picech Bianco Jelka DOC Collio 2017, a blend of Ribolla Gialla, Friulano, and Malvasia Istriana, is so fascinating, focused and concentrated yet weightless on the palate, with its viscous, evolved notes of preserved lemon, quince paste, dried flowers, mineral and crystallized honey, truly special.

Regine Rousseau conducted the Pinot Grigio seminar

​Finally, a look at the familiar world of Pinot Grigio by Regine Rousseau in the “Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC: the Seal of Wonderful Experiences” seminar.  Three areas contribute to Pinot Grigio, the Veneto, Trentino and Friuli, producing 233 million bottles to slake the world’s thirst for this popular Italian white wine.  Four types of Pinot Grigio are crafted in the Delle Venezie DOC, a Ramato/Rosato in still and sparkling, either frizzante or spumante, and the Bianco still wine.  Today’s Pinot Grigio was created as a style of wine, easy-drinking and versatile.  And living up to its mission, eight wines were poured, offering a variety of stonefruit, citrus, and almond character, all designed for easy drinking and food.

Afterwards, a walk around tasting was enjoyed by wine professionals, who were on a treasure hunt for Italian wine gems.  Some of these producers were looking for representation here, and are not currently available for purchase, but well-deserved kudos to all the producers who travelled to the US to share their passion for wine and their personal stories.  It was a delight to taste the different regions side by side, and experience new trends and great wines, a reminder that the mosaic of Italian wine is complex, and not simple at all.