The 11th edition of Mercato Dei Vini Dei Vignaioli Indipendenti 2022 was held at Piacenza Expo in Piacenza City in the Emilia-Romagna region. The three-day event from November 26-28, was organized by the Italian Federation of Independent Winegrowers or Federazione Italiana Vignaioli Indipendenti (FIVI) and Piacenza Expo and in collaboration with Alma Wine Academy.
There were over 850 producers and exhibitors involved. The event’s purpose is to not only showcase the offerings of the local producers but also to spread awareness of sustainable agricultural practices in the country. It was a great gathering of industry players, big and small, which represented all of Italy’s wine regions.
Here are some of our personal picks from the event:
Tenuta di Aglaea
The Rosato Etna has caught our tongue and nose among their selection. It offers an aromatic entry backed with fresh fruits that makes it overall very easy to drink. Anne, the winemaker, would have wanted it served colder, about 3-4 Celsius but no ice bucket (steel or crystal) could provide that unfortunately. You could taste the minerality of the wines as their terroir is molded by nature through layers and layers of volcanic deposits from Mt. Etna.
They are a small producer with about 1,000 bottles a year. The main variety that they use in their wines is the Nerello Mascalese from the old vines of the vineyard. However, they use Carricante vines for their white wine Lucifer. The artwork on some of the brand’s labels was hand-drawn by the charming and talented Filippo, Anne’s seven-year-old son.
They are available in Brazil, Norway, California, and many other cities outside of Italy.
Tenuta di Aglaea
Winery: Via Nazionale 168 Solicchiata, Etna, Sicily
Office: Passo Cannone – Castiglione di Sicilia, Catania, Italy
Email: anne-louise@tenutadiaglaea.com
Vinicio Bronzo e Figli
The winemaker Davide is the bigwig of Terre Rosse, the present name of the family compound which includes 16 hectares of vineyards. He is Vinicio’s son and great-great-grandson of Giuseppe Bronzo who started the vineyard on the hilly side of Gaon, Caprino Veronese in the late 1800s.
The vineyards are located on the slopes of Mount Baldo in Verona. With about 350 to 500 meters above sea level, they are blessed with a good climate to grow their local vines like their Corvina grape which they use for most of their products like the Bardolino Chiaretto DOC–a cherry-pink wine that is juicy, fruit-forward, and shows some citrusy notes interlaced with cherries, harmonizing minerality and saline on the finish.
Cantina Vinicio Bronzo
Caprino Veronese 37013 Gaon 41, Verona
045 6230367; 349 1843713
Email: info@cantinaviniciobronzo.com
Cantine Imperatore
Another exciting player that produces its wines with natural methods is Cantine Imperatore. The vineyard has a mix of red (clay) and white (limestones) terroir. According to winemaker Vincenzo Latorre, their collection is 100% Primitivo and is stored in French oaks and aged in a cave for a year or even two years for some products.
Among their wines, the most that struck our attention were: Il Sogno, Octavo Decumano, and Primitivo Passito 2018. The Il Sogno, because it stays in the cave for two years, is more complex, has elegant spicy flavors, and with broad tannin finish. The Octavo (VIII) on the other hand is fresh with sweet dark fruits and firm tannins that elevate its vintage.
Cantine Imperatore
Via Guglielmo Marconi 36
70010 Adelfia Bari, Italy
+39 392 3507545
Email: commerciale@cantineimperatore.com
eugephemisms.wordpress.com 