GLOBAL TASTING TO CELEBRATE VINITALY N°40. EVENT CONDUCTED BY SERENA SUTCLIFFE, MASTER OF WINE AND DIRECTOR OF SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL WINE DEPARTMENT. ITALY REPRESENTED BY GAJA, CAPRAI, ANTINORI, SASSICAIA

A special toast to its “first forty years” and the optimism that seems to be spreading through the sector. This was the symbolic significance behind the tasting, conducted by Serena Sutcliffe (Master of Wine, and head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department), of some of the most prestigious wines from some of the best terroirs the world has to offer, at the Vinitaly exposition held recently in Verona.

Sutcliffe, who personally selected the wines to be tasted, knowingly guided the tasting of the “magnificent thirteen” through a truly successful progression. The tasting began with the Champagne Cristal 1999 by Louis Roederer, which has become quite famous due to its popularity among rock stars and models. It then moved on to Mersault Premier Cru Les Chermes 2000, a chardonnay in its purity and mineralness. The first red was a stunning bordolese, Chateau Giscours 2000, followed by another intriguing burgundy, Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru 1998 by Domaine Dujac.

This was followed by a classic syrah from the Cote Rotie, "La Turque" 2001 by E. Guigal. Then, from the “cradle” of Sassicaia, the Guidalberto 2004 of the Tenuta San Guido, unmistakably Mediterranean. After this it was Piero Antinori’s turn with a Solaia 2001, one of the most celebrated “supertuscans”, made up of a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and sangiovese. Representing the Piedmont region was the Montefalco 25 Anni 2000 by Marco Caprai, capable like few others of combining a wine, a grape variety, and a territory. The Iberian peninsula was represented by the Ribero del Duero Pingus 2001 by Dominio de Pingus, made of pure tempranillo grapes, and the Priorat L'Ermita 1998 by Alvaro Palacios, made of gamacha, pais, carinera and cabernet sauvignon grapes.

The only wine from the New World was the Australian Descendant 2004 by Torbreck, made prevalently with syrah and a small (and unusual) addition of viognier. To conclude this wonderful taste marathon was an extraordinary Gruner Veltliner Kaferberg Berenauslese 2004 by Willi Brundlmayer.

Thirteen splendid masterpieces capable of not only representing the best that the whole world of wine has to offer, but also sucitating an intriguing fascination that only true wines know how to create.