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Italian Flavor Forum XII
Loris Scagliarini – June 4, 2010
Photos and videos by Daniel Rampulla

Introduction • The Tasting • Prize Winning Wines
Buyers' Feedback• The Drawing • Thanks • Previous IFF Events

The best of show crown this time went to two extra virgin olive oils which were both awarded the perfect 100% score: Dauno DOP, a superior organic olive oil from Apulia produced by Azienda Agricola Masseriola, and the DOP olive oil by Azienda Agricola Santo Stefano, which scored a perfect 100 points each. The best wine at the show was the Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio DOC 2005, produced by Casa Vinicola Ferraro, from Campania, which got the top position in the white wines as well with the Falanghina Pompeiano Bianco IGT 2005, with 96.75 and 88 points, respectively.

On May 27, 2010, the Museo Italo Americano in San Francisco, California, located inside the Fort Mason Center, at 99 Marina Boulevard, hosted the 12th Italian Flavor Forum.

The invitation only wine and specialty food tasting event dedicated to professional buyers, trade journalists and San Francisco Bay Area opinion leaders, is organized annually by WineCountry.IT, LLC. The goal of the trade show is to promote select quality Italian wines and food items produced by small and medium estates.

Italy, whose southern regions were known as Enotria, or 'Land of Wine' by the ancient Greeks, is home to over 300 native vines whose fruits are used to produce wine, making it the country with by far the greatest number of native grapes in the world. This fact is underscored by the fact that the country has close to 50,000 winery in an area which is 70% that of California. If you have ever driven down highway 29 from Napa to Calistoga and marveled at the number of winery lined up on both sides of the road, imagine that in Italy, most roads look like that, with wineries big and small scattered among vineyards and cultivated fields.

Angelica Giampaoli welcomes the invited guests at the Italian Flavor Forum XII

IFF XII

Professional wine and food buyers, journalists and opinion makers of the San Francisco Bay area who turned out in large numbers from 2 to 6 PM for the event, had the opportunity to taste 98 quality and boutique Italian wines, four extra virgin olive oils, and seven condiments, including balsamic vinegar from Modena and delightful wine and balsamic vinegar jellies.

Emma Rossi and Monica Buracchi, managing the desk of their family estate, Azienda Agricola Buracchi

As usual, we created a 'tasting path' following what we consider the natural tasting progression, starting with sparkling wines suggested to be served as aperitifs, followed by white wines, blushes and sparkling Lambruscos, then red wines and closing with rare dessert wines.

Andrea Malagoli and Alessio Bompani, the young cousins representing the family estate,
Azienda Agricola Garuti Elio at San Francisco's Italian Flavor Forum XII.

In total, WineCountry.IT, LLC poured five sparkling, 16 white, five blush and Lambrusco wines which may be paired with the whole meal, 63 red and nine dessert wines from 10 different Italian wine regions.

Alessia Mancini and the desk of her family run estate, Azienda Agricola Buccia Nera

In addition to wines, the invited guests enjoyed three extra virgin olive oils from Tuscany and organic extra virgin olive oils from Apulia, plus balsamic condiments, balsamic vinegars from Modena, as well as wine and balsamic vinegar jellies from Azienda Agricola Garuti Elio from Sorbara, in the province of Modena.

Lara Balboni takes care of the Camperchi estate desk at the Italian Flavor Forum XII

Below please find the breakdown by region of the products presented at the shows.

• 53 products from Tuscany: 4 white, 1 blush, 42 red, 3 dessert wines and 3 extra virgin olive oils;
• 23 products from Emilia Romagna: 3 aperitif, 1 white, 4 lambrusco, 4 red and 4 dessert wines, 3 traditional balsamic vinegars from Modena, 1 balsamic condiment from Modena, 2 wine jellies, and 1 balsamic vinegar jelly;
• 7 products from Veneto: 2 sparkling and 5 white wines;
• 6 products from Piedmont: 1 white and 5 red wines;
• 5 products from Friuli Venezia Giulia: 3 white and 2 red wines;
• 4 products from Campania: 1 white and 3 red wines;
• 4 products from Sardinia: 3 red wines and 1 dessert wine;
• 4 products from Apulia: 2 red wines, 1 dessert wine, and 1 organic extra virgin olive oil;
• 3 products from Trentino Alto Adige: 2 white wines and 1 red wines;
• 1 product from Abruzzo: 1 red wine.

WineCountry.IT, LLC Vice President, J. D., at the common desk of
Società Agricola Randi, Azienda Agricola Baldessari and Terre Domini srl

Recognitions and Prize Won by WineCountry.IT, LLC Wines

Louise Gould, Dana Borsacchini, and Jenny Snodgrass pose for
photographer, Daniel Rampulla, moments before the show opening

Tor checking out the white wines at his tasting station

Ron Hagan and Louise Gould check out the wines they will be pouring at their stations

The Buyers' Feedback

Elke Reinhardt gets ready to welcome guests at her tasting station

Despite the fact that the California-wine-trained palate of a very few guests does not allow them to appreciate some of the most unusual Italian wines presented, thus their scores are typically much lower than average –see for instance the minimum and maximum scores of Toscana 2004 IGT Occhini, Ravenna Rosso IGT Burson Blue Label 2006, or Chianti DOCG 2008– the overall scores are fairly high. In fact, 16 products scored over 95 points (Excellent), and nine between 90 and 94 (Very Good). Only 10 products scored between 70 and 79 points (Average), while all the other obtained between 80 and 89 points (Good.)

Nick Monaco at his tasting station

The Best of the Show

• Best Overall Product:
  The best of show crown this time went to two extra virgin olive oils which were both awarded the perfect 100% score: Dauno DOP, a superior organic olive oil from Apulia produced by Azienda Agricola Masseriola, and the DOP olive oil by Azienda Agricola Santo Stefano.

Kendra Pollock pours wine for the show's guests

Below please find the best products by cathegory.

• Best Aperitif Wine:
  Prosecco Extra Dry, produced by Terre Domini s.r.l. from Veneto (90.38 points).
• Best Dry White Wine:
  Falanghina Pompeiano Bianco IGT 2005 produced by Casa Vinicola Ferraro, from Campania (88 points).
• Best Blush & Lambrusco Wine:
  Lambrusco di Sorbara Spumante Gioia – Blush Extra Dry, produced by Azienda Agricola Garuti Elio, from Emilia Romagna (84 points).
• Best Dry Red Wine:
  Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio DOC 2005, produced by Casa Vinicola Ferraro, from Campania (96.75 points).
• Best Dessert Wine:
  Primitivo di Manduria DOC 2004 Abeterno, produced by Cantolio Manduria Scarl, from Apulia (92.8 points).
• Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
  – Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dauno DOP, by Azienda Agricola Masseriola, from Apulia,
  – Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP, produced by Azienda Agricola Santo Stefano, from Tuscany (100 points each).
• Best Condiment:
  Balsamic Condiment from Modena, produced by Azienda Agricola Garuti Elio, from Emilia Romagna (99.14 points).

Nina Giampaoli pours wine for the show's guests

Terry Sullivan at his wine tasting desk

Part of the red wine lineup at the tasting stations

Guests at the Italian Flavor Forum XII

Guests at the Italian Flavor Forum XII

Guests at the Italian Flavor Forum XII

Pouring red wines with the Centellino wine aerator at the Italian Flavor Forum XII

Pouring Chianti DOCG Riserva by Azienda Agricola I MORI
with the Centellino wine aerator at the Italian Flavor Forum XII

From left: Vittorio Palladino, head of the commercial office of the Consulate General of Itali in San Franciso,
and Loris Scagliarini, President of WineCountry.IT, LLC.

The Drawing

We drew three feedback forms among all those returned to us with the product evaluations by our esteemed guests, and awarded them the following prizes. Please note that the products awarded are samples not for sale, not yet imported to the US, with the exception of the Lambrusco Emilia IGT and Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dauno DOP.

Martin Kirkwood, Vice President of the North Beach Chamber of Commerce (left)
and Loris Scagliarini, President of WineCountry.IT, LLC.

1. Gaspare Indelicato, of Gaspare's Ristorante & Pizzeria
• Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGT 2008 by Azienda Agricola Dal Cero Fratelli
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil Toscana IGP by Azienda Agricola Buccia Nera
• Trebbiano Wine Jelly by Azienda Agricola Garuti Elio.
2. Ursula Arvand, of the North Beach Chamber of Commerce, the historic Italian neighborhood of San Francisco
• Lambrusco Emilia IGT by Azienda Agricola Mauro Zini
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil Italiano by Azienda Agricola Buccia Nera
• Lambrusco Wine Jelly by Azienda Agricola Garuti Elio.
3. Laura Capuzzi, of the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco
   • Bonarda Piacere by Tenuta Ca’ Boffenisio
   • Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dauno DOP by Azienda Agricola Masseriola
   • Balsamic Vinegar Jelly by Azienda Agricola Garuti Elio.

WineCountry.IT, LLC President, Loris Scagliarini, with Susan Darwin, founder of
California Boutique, wine industry business development consultant.

Thanks

Our grateful thanks go to Liam Bonner, chef of Zuppa Restaurant, located at 564 Fourth Street, between Brannan and Bryant streets, San Francisco, California, who catered the event providing a flavorful pasta, and Alberto Malvestio of ALMARE Gelato Italiano, located at 2170 Shattuk Avenue in Berkeley, California, who served our guests freshly made strawberry ice cream with extravirgin olive oil and salt, vanilla ice cream with traditional balsamic vinegar from Modena, and the delightful Moscato wine and raisin sorbet.

The food station: at left is Myriam Johnson, caterer,
at right, in white garments, chef Liam Bonner of Zuppa Trattoria.


Chef Liam Bonner of Zuppa Trattoria


Alberto Malvestio, proprietor of ALMARE Gelato Italiano


The wine and balsamic vinegar jellies from Azienda Agricola Garuti Elio
spread on chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Previous Italian Flavor Forum Wine and Food Tasting Events