Sixth Avenue was almost empty as the few cars on the road made their way gingerly down Sixth Avenue in uncharacteristically unhurried fashion. They even stopped without incident for the equally few crossing pedestrians who slowly picked up their feet and carefully placed them on the footprints left by those who had preceded them in the mounds of snow on either side of the street. Few things can leave New York City virtually deserted. Tuesday, February 9, 2017 was a snowy afternoon–there was eight to twelve inches of it on the ground by the time it was done–but that did not stop Gambero Rosso from holding its annual Tre Bicchieri event (showcasing outstanding wines that had earned two or three bicchieri or glasses (according to the publication’s standard of quality rankings)), at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City. Select media, trade and wine aficionados braved the elements to attend and they were well rewarded for their efforts. Italian wines from as high up as the Alto Adige to way down below in Sicily and everywhere in between were represented in what turned out to be a very festive affair.
Italy, with thousands of grape varietals, is a particularly exciting region to explore but the sheer breadth of choices can be confusing. A good thing about a tasting consisting only of Tre Bicchieri winners is that although some might not be your style, nevertheless, there’s rarely a bad bottle in the bunch.
If you want a quality Italian sparkling crafted in the methode champenoise (secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle and this is how champagne is made) using Chardonnay, Pinot Nero or Pinot Noir and Pinot Bianco or Pinot Blanc then do try a Franciacorta from Lombardy. The minimum length of fermentation time required for a Franciacorta to be designated a D.O.C.G. ( a label that guarantees quality standards of production and the origin of the grapes) exceeds the times for that of champagne. The results are sparkling wines that crisp, complex and full of persistent effervescence. Some Franciacortas to consider include:
Ferghettina
Franciacorta Pas Dose’ ( No Dosage (low in residual sugar)) 33 Ris. ’09
Franciacorta Brut Milledi’ ’12
Franciacorta Rose’ Milledi ’12
Barone Pizzini
Franciacorta Non Dosato ( no dosage) Bagnadore Ris. ’09
Franciacorta Brut Animante
Ca’ del Bosco
Franciacorta Dosage Zero Vintage Collection ’11
Franciacorta Brut Cuvee Prestige
Lo Sparviere
Franciacorta Extra Brut ’09
Ricci Curbastro
Franciacorta Extra Brut ’12
Contadi Castaldi
Franciacorta Zero ’12
Some other noteworthy sparkling wines to consider include:
Trento Brut Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore ’05 (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol)
Rotari Brut (Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol)
Some white wines to consider include:
Friulano or Sauvignon Vert from the Friuli Venezia Giulia (this white grape is often mistaken for the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc)
Fiegl
Collio Friulano ’15
Russiz Superiore
Collio Friulano ’15
Le Vigne di Zamo
FCO Friulano No Name ’15
Some of the world’s finest red wines come from Italy and a collection of some of the best were featured at the Tre Bicchieri event and they include:
Barolo (made from Nebbiolo) in Piedmont.
Casa E. di Mirafiore
Barolo Paiagallo Casa E. di Mirafiore ’12
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli
Barolo Liste’ ’11
Vietti
Barolo Ravera ’12
G. D. Vajra
Barolo Bricco delle Viole ’12
Amarone della Valpolicella (made from at least fifty percent Corvina) by Verona in Veneto.
Masi
Amarone della Valpolicella CI. Vaio Armaron Serego Alighieri ’11
Tenuta Sant ‘ Antonio
Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli ’12
CAV. G. B. Bertrani
Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. ’08
Allegrini
Amarone della Valpolicella Cl. ’12
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