The “Myths” of Italian wine? Sassicaia and Gaja. “Global referendum” by the magazine ‘Civiltà del Bere’ at Vinitaly (Verona, 6-10 April 2006)

Sassicaia of Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta is the “Myth of Myths” among Italian wines and the “Myth of Wine Cellars” award goes to Gaja (for the sum total obtained from Sorì San Lorenzo, Sorì Tildin, and Sperss). These were the top choices according to the 2,350 professionals from 66 different countries who participated in the “global referendum” created by ‘Civiltà del Bere’ for the 40th annual Vinitaly expo, held in collaboration with Veronafiere and Ice (National Institute for Foreign Commerce). Another 12 wines were added to the list of “myths” of the Italian wine world, five of which have been nominated “Forty-Year Myths” for their continued historic connection to Vinitaly, five others nominated directly by category professionals involved in the referendum (journalists, sommeliers, restaurant owners, international traders, wine bars) and two nominations for “Mediterranean Myths” for their role of valorizing modern Italian wine in the winemaking areas of southern Italy. The “Forty-Year Myths” nominations are: Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore 1995 from Ferrari dei fratelli Lunelli (Trentino); “Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 1996” by Valentini (Abruzzo); Vin Santo “Occhio di Pernice 1994” of Avignonesi (Tuscany); “Masseto 1997” from the Tenuta dell’Ornellaia dei Frescobaldi (Tuscany); “Tignanello 1997” of Marchesi Antinori (Tuscany).
From the professional category the following wines were nominated: «Sommelier Myth» for “Bricco dell’Uccellone 2003” of Braida (Piedmont); «Restaurateur Myth» to “Barolo Monfortino Riserva 1998” of Conterno (Piedmont); the «Trade Myth» to ”Amarone della Valpolicella 2001” of Allegrini (Veneto); the «Journalist’s Myth», to “Mazzano, Amarone della Valpolicella 2000” by Masi (Veneto); and the «Winebar Myth» to “Monte Lodoletta, Amarone della Valpolicella 2000” by Romano Dal Forno.
The international jury also assigned two prizes for the “Myths of the Mediterranean”, created to emphasize the importance of the role of winemaking areas in southern Italy in increasing the value of modern Italian wines, to Taurasi Radici by Piero Mastroberardino (Campania) and to “Nozze d’Oro” from Tasca Almerita (Sicily).