Ep. 2541 ITA masterclass "VINI RARI – Beyond the Ordinary" | wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum
wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum
Episode Summary
<think> I need to analyze the provided text, which is a transcript of a masterclass session called "VINI RARI – Beyond the Ordinary" at the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum Chicago 2025. The session was led by Marco Sabeligo from Gampero Rosso (which appears to be a misspelling of Gambero Rosso, a well-known Italian wine guide). First, let me understand what this text is about: - It's a transcript of a special ITA (Italian Trade Agency) masterclass at the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum in Chicago - Marco Sabeligo from Gambero Rosso is presenting "rare wines" - wines that are produced in very limited quantities (some as few as 650-700 bottles) - He's showcasing 10 special wines from his "Vini Rari" (Rare Wines) selection in the Gambero Rosso guide - These are wines that don't qualify for the main Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) awards due to their extremely limited production, but are still exceptional - The wines come from various regions of Italy and include sparkling wines, whites, and reds Now, I'll look at the search results to see if they provide additional context about the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum and the broader wine industry trends that might help me frame my analysis. From the search results, I can see: - Result [1] mentions that wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum is debuting in Chicago on October 5-6, 2025, marking its first international edition - Result [3] describes wine2wine as "The International Wine Business Forum in Verona" that's expanding globally - Result [5] confirms it's the first time this trade event is held outside Italy - Result [9] mentions it's part of Vinitaly.USA - Result [11] indicates Vinitaly.USA is building a bridge between Italian wine and the North American market Regarding industry trends mentioned in the search results: - Result [2] discusses market diversification beyond the US, with increased buyer attendance from UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Japan, and Switzerland - Result [2] also mentions the No-Lo (no and low alcohol) segment drawing attention, with global market projected to reach $3.3 billion by 2028 - Result [4] indicates Italy forecasts an 8% increase in wine production for 2025, confirming its position as the world's leading producer - Result [6] lists Italian wine trends for 2025 including native grape renaissance, low-intervention wines, chillable reds, orange wines, and luxury - Result [10] mentions consumer trends shifting toward "drinking less but better," with preferences moving to whites, rosés, and sparkling wines, while structured reds lose market share Now, let me identify key themes from the transcript itself: 1. Focus on rare, limited-production wines - The entire session is about showcasing wines produced in tiny quantities (some under 3,000 bottles), highlighting their exceptional quality despite limited availability 2. Regional diversity of Italian wine - The presenter showcases wines from multiple Italian regions: Franciacorta, Trento, Alto Adige, Liguria, Piedmont, Friuli, Calabria, and Marche 3. Emphasis on native grape varieties and terroir expression - Many wines feature indigenous Italian varieties like Ruthergen (in Liguria), Malvasia (in Friuli), and Nerello Mascalese (in Calabria) 4. Innovation in winemaking techniques - The session mentions various techniques including amphora aging, skin contact for orange wines, minimal intervention approaches, and traditional method sparkling wines 5. The tension between quality and commercial viability - The presenter notes these exceptional wines often can't be awarded in their main guide due to tiny production volumes, highlighting a disconnect between quality and market availability 6. The role of small producers and family wineries - Most featured wines come from small, family-run operations rather than large commercial producers 7. The importance of storytelling and heritage - Many wines have personal stories (named after family members, dedicated to loved ones) which adds value beyond the liquid itself Now, I'll craft my content analysis following the requested format: **Content Analysis** **Key Themes (max 5 points)** I need to select the 5 most significant themes from what I've identified: 1. The celebration of ultra-premium, limited-production Italian wines that prioritize quality over quantity 2. The growing importance of regional diversity and indigenous grape varieties in Italian winemaking 3. The tension between exceptional quality and commercial viability in the wine market 4. The role of small family producers in preserving winemaking heritage while innovating 5. The increasing consumer interest in authentic, story-driven wine experiences **Summary (max 200 words)** I'll provide a concise overview of the session and its significance. **Key Takeaways (max 6 points)** I'll identify the most important insights from this session. **Notable Quotes (max 3)** I'll select impactful quotes from the transcript. **Follow-up Questions (max 3)** I'll pose thoughtful questions that extend the discussion. Let me now craft each section carefully within the word limits. </think> **Content Analysis** **Key Themes (max 5 points)** 1. Ultra-rare, limited-production Italian wines as markers of exceptional quality 2. Regional diversity and indigenous grape varieties driving Italian wine innovation 3. Tension between artisanal excellence and commercial viability in the wine market 4. Small family producers as custodians of winemaking heritage and innovation 5. Consumer shift toward authentic, story-driven wine experiences over mass production **Summary (max 200 words)** The "VINI RARI – Beyond the Ordinary" masterclass at the wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum Chicago 2025 showcased 10 exceptional Italian wines produced in minuscule quantities (some under 1,000 bottles). Led by Gambero Rosso's Marco Sabeligo, the session highlighted wines that, despite their extraordinary quality (scoring 94-98 on Gambero Rosso's 100-point scale), don't qualify for the guide's main Tre Bicchieri awards due to tiny production volumes. The presentation spanned Italy's diverse regions—from Franciacorta sparkling wines to Calabrian amphora-aged reds—emphasizing indigenous varieties, terroir expression, and artisanal techniques like skin contact and minimal intervention. Sabeligo positioned these rare wines as the "treasure hunt" of Italian viticulture, representing a growing trend where quality supersedes quantity. The session aligns with broader industry shifts toward "drinking less but better" (per search results) and reflects Vinitaly's strategic expansion into Chicago to strengthen Italian wine's presence in the crucial U.S. market while addressing challenges like tariff pressures and changing consumer preferences. **Key Takeaways (max 6 points)** - Limited-production wines (under 3,000 bottles) represent the pinnacle of Italian winemaking artistry but face commercial challenges - Indigenous grape varieties (Ruthergen, Malvasia, Nerello Mascalese) are driving innovation in regional expressions - Small family producers are increasingly influential in preserving heritage while embracing techniques like amphora aging and minimal intervention - The U.S. market's importance for Italian wine necessitates events like Vinitaly Chicago to navigate tariff challenges - Consumer preferences are shifting toward story-driven, authentic experiences rather than mass-produced wines - Orange wines and skin-contact techniques are gaining recognition as legitimate expressions of quality, not just novelties **Notable Quotes (max 3)** - "We taste almost everything, 40 more than 40,000 wines. But then when it comes to the end, these are the wines that we really like. Unfortunately, they are producing very tiny quantity, so the treasure hunt is open." - "Italy is the land of biodiversity and Ruthergen is only the last witness of this incredible wealth of native varietals." - "It's a modern wine which talks about Mediterranean, talks about Bolgheri, talks about international style, but with a great Italian touch." **Follow-up Questions (max 3)** 1. How can Italian winemakers balance the growing demand for rare, limited-production wines with the economic necessity of scale in competitive global markets? 2. What strategies can small Italian producers employ to overcome U.S. tariff barriers while maintaining the premium positioning of their ultra-rare wines? 3. How might the increasing focus on indigenous varieties and terroir expression influence the global perception of Italian wine compared to more internationally recognized varieties?
About This Episode
The hosts of a wine to wine summit discuss the rare and ultra rare wines of Gampero Russo, including Chardonnay, Pinot Me hung, and Mercier Martis. They also mention a new wine called Bron's Me hung, which is a classic mid-premise truffle with a rich, nutty flavor. The Italian wine industry is also discussed, highlighting the success of Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Cadillacs, Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bappy Leroze. The wine is a 15,000 bottle selection, a 15,000 bottle of the same wine, and a major winemaker. The wine is a 15,000 bottle of the same wine, and is a 15,000 bottle of the same wine.
Transcript
I hope that tasting these 10 wines together may give you an idea of what the Gambora Rosso team is doing with the wine guide. We taste almost everything, 40 more than 40,000 wines. But then when it comes to the end, these are the wines that we really like. Unfortunately, they are producing very tiny quantity, so the treasure hunt is open. Welcome to the Wine to Wine in Italy Business Forum twenty twenty five Chicago edition, where global wine professionals share insights, strategies, and inspiration from this year's conference. Let's dive into today's session and explore the ideas shaping the future of wine. This is a special ITA master class. So there are a lot of wines, and Marco promised that he would be able to finish in forty five minutes. So we better get started. He's the head honcho for, of course, Campero Russo. So he's a super expert, super duper expert Italian wine, and I think you'll see why in a few minutes. This is a special treat because it is called rare wines. They make very few bottles and so those who signed up are going to miss out now because we just gave away their seats. So Marco take it away. Thank you. Thank you for this wonderful presentation. Of course, my name is Marco Sabeligo. I'm been working for this last thirty five years in Gampero Russo, and I'm responsible of the wine guide, Vini d'Italia, alongside with my colleagues, Gianni Fabrizio and Giuseppe Carus, which we are proud to publish since 1988. So next year will be the fortieth anniversary of the guy. This edition, which is, about to hit the shelves, in the next few days, is a thirty ninth edition. Many of you probably know Gampero Rosso. We've been involved in the, you know, describing the food and wine scene of Italy and not only since the mid eighties. And our wine guide is actually translated in English, German, Chinese, Japanese, and we do more than thirty, thirty five events around the world every year. So thanks to Vinitali for this, invitation in Chicago, a city that annually hosts, a Trebicelli event, a presentation of our award winning wine. So we'll be back in few months. And in the meantime, you have an incredible chance of this preview of some extraordinary wines. The title of the tasting is beyond the ordinary. Why is it so? Because it's, punch of wine which is very hard to find. These are the rare and ultra rare wines. And we dedicated some pages of the guide to this wine. We reviewed 2,500 and more wineries. We score more than 25,000 wines every year. We taste more than 40,000 wineries every year. But sometimes we fall into amazing wines, which are produced in ridiculous quantities. That is less than 3,000 bottles. But some of the wines that we are tasting today are are 650, 700 bottles only. We fall in love with this wine, but it doesn't make sense to award these wines and, to give the coveted Trebicheri awards. Nevertheless, we love them. We think they are extraordinary. So we have a selection of 50 wines every year since last edition dedicated to the Vinirari. Today, you and me also, we are lucky enough. We have a chance to taste 10 of these 50, which are absolutely amazing. So we start with the bubbles. We start with the sparklers, and we go to Franciacorta before moving to Trento. Franciacorta is a beautiful terroir around the shores of Izeo Lake. These moronic moronic hills provide a perfect habitat for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which is then craft into fantastic cuvees of classic meadled sparklers. Many wineries are very famous worldwide like Bella Vista, Caddell Bosco, Guido Berlucchi, and some others are really small wineries family run. And such is the case of San Cristoforo, which belongs to the Dotti family. Bruno and Claudia bought a few hectares of land and a seller in the early nineties and started making their own, Franciacorta. There's a special selection. She's, 1,000 bottles only, which is one number one. The name of this one is, Celeste. It's the name of their daughter, which, luckily enough is, working in the winery. So there's a second generation. A pure Chardonnay from old vines more than 30 years old surrounding the winery, which is a very small one because they have something more than 10 hectares and they produce 90,000 bottles. But these, Celeste, it's amazing. It's a pure Chardonnay from Franciacorta. It It has an elegant nose. Most of this wine is from, '21 vintage with some older wines. It's a non vintage, which has been matured for a long time on the on the lees. And the result, it's, an elegant expression of a classic Franciacorta Chardonnay. So rich on the nose with these toasted notes, vanilla, butter, cream, grilled bread, and Mediterranean herbs with a hint of, citrusy notes. And then on the palate, it's full bodied, rich mineral with a fresh acidic backbone, and it's long lasting. In the end, with these, again, fresh, zesty notes of lemon and lime and, Mediterranean herbs. Creamy, this long maturation on the lees gives us, an elegant carbonation. It's caressing the palate and it's quite, authoritative. Unfortunately, only 1,008 bottles were produced, but it's an elegant, elegant wine. Wine number two, it's, coming from another denomination which has a strong, vocation for the production of classic middle sparklers. So we are on Northeast Of Italy in the Trento province, which is famous for its, Trento DOC. There are some important wineries well known around the world, but, there are some other small scale artisanal wineries. And one of these wineries, Maso Martis, on the outskirts of Trento. The owners, Antonio and, Roberta Stelzer, Antonio Roberta Stelzer, they also manage 11 hectares of vines and, they make some really truly elegant excellent cuvettes of, Trento DOC, mainly focused on Chardonnay like in Franciagorta. Nevertheless, the importance of Pinot Noir and Pinot Menonieur is growing both in Franciagorta and in Trento. And here we have with wine number two, which is called, Mercier Martis. We have this, rose made entirely by Pinot Meunier. It stays five years and a half, almost six years on the lease. It's a very tiny production, 1,800 bottles from, vines which are more than 25 years old. We fell in love with this wine, because it's, one of the best examples of Meunier in Italy. Generally speaking, Meunier in Italy, as in France, is very rarely the sole ingredient of a cuvee. It's always part of a blend. And in this case, it was a fantastic idea, we think, to make a rose with this, excellent mania. Elegant nose, can smell the evolution. You still have red fruits, but the toasty notes, vanilla notes, smokey notes, pitted notes give complexity and elegance to a vibrant nose still led by the fruit and the yeasty notes. Again on the palate, great creaminess, elegance, finesse, long lasting. It's smooth and fruity, and it's, I mean the bubbles are really elegant. There's an elegant carbonation which supports the fruitiness and the acidic backbone. Red currant, black currant, cranberries, are there and, they ensure a long elegant finish to this, cuvee. Elegant wine, only 1,800 bottles. We score the wines, with a classic score of Gampero Rosso, which is one glass for good wine, two glasses for the very good wines, and three glasses for the award winners. But to make a different category, to underline the difference between this selection of rare wines and the classic Trebicheri, we use the 100 scale to rate this wine. So the Celeste de Franciacorta Padossee, so no residual sugar, had, had 94 as a score, and we gave 96, to this Brutus Mercier Martis, Reserve 20 from the Vintage 20. Wine number three, it's an amazing wine produced in 1,200, almost, 1,300 bottles. It comes from, Alto Adige, so the neighboring province to Trento. It's not a real winery. It's called AM project, because Andrea Mose, it's a very well known anologist. He's been responsible some important wineries and cooperative wineries, in the region in Alto Adige, which is, Sotirol. But then he decided to pair to this activity a personal project t
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