It’s already the end of March and tomorrow is Easter Sunday but the weather is still cold and wet, and there are even a few flakes of snow falling! Winter has passed by quickly. In the vineyards we have now finished the winter pruning and tying back and now we are looking forward to warmer weather that will bring on the beginning of the vegetative phase of the vineyard year.

Last Monday I was invited to speak about my wines in the historic centre of Parma, a wonderful city situated on the plains of Emilia. There, at the Enoteca “Il Tabarro”, Diego Sorba had organised a tasting of wines to enjoy in his cellar. Diego has a great passion for wines and for wine producers with stories to tell. He also has a great sensibility in choosing wines for his clients: at “Il Tabarro”, in fact, you’ll find wines from “piccoli grandi” - small but important - producers, some of whom are well known, others less so, both Italian as well as French. All the wines are presented with the greatest respect and professionality. Diego is a friend - in fact, he’s a friend to everyone; you note this in the way he offers you a glass: “Ciao, what would you like to taste?” This is the phrase with which you are welcomed, with the simplicity of a person who simply wants to share with you with pride those best things that he himself loves, believes in and knows profoundly.

“Il Tabarro” is a place with a magical atmosphere where you breathe in the air of an old style osteria but run with a new, youthful spirit. On the ground floor, there is the main bar where you can enjoy wines by the glass, seated on stools with ledges on which to place your glass; on the first floor, there are tables where you can sit down and enjoy your wines accompanied by cold platters of salumi and local cheeses, as well as la battuta di Fassone, our typical Piedmontese beef, and other choice morsels. The decor is composed essentially of wines, books and salumi hanging everywhere, the wonderful aroma adding to pleasure of being in this special place.

The afternoon wine tasting, dedicated to connoisseurs and professionals, took place in the underground cellar, which we reached down a narrow staircase (avoiding the boxes of wine and the hanging salumi!), until we finally arrived in the deepest part of the cellar where Diego had set out the following wines to taste:

- Franciacorta "ND - NON DOSATO / Selezione "Tabarro" - San Cristoforo
- Franciacorta Brut - San Cristoforo
- Franciacorta Brut Rosé - San Cristoforo
- Campi Flegrei Falanghina 2010/2009 - Contrada Salandra
- Fiano di Avellino "Vigna della Congregazione" 2009/2007/2005 - Villa Diamante
- Marche Bianco "Stella Flora" 2009/2004 - Maria Pia Castelli
- Marche Rosato "Sant'Isidoro" 2009 MAGNUM - Maria Pia Castelli
- Colline Novaresi Vespolina "Afrodite" 2011 - Paride Chiovini
- Campi Flegrei Piedirosso 2009 - Contrada Salandra
- Pinerolese "Ramìe" 2010 - Daniele Coutandin
- Vino Rosso "Barbiché" 2010 - Daniele Coutandin
- Barbera d'Asti "La Mora" 2011 - Guido Laiolo "Reginin"
- Barbera d'Asti "Da Sul" 2010 MAGNUM - Guido Laiolo "Reginin"
- Dolcetto d'Alba "A Elizabeth" 2011 - Cascina delle Rose
- Barbera d'Alba 2010 - Cascina delle Rose
- Valtellina Superiore 2010/2007 - Dirupi
- Valtellina Superiore Riserva 2009/Riserva 2007 - Dirupi
- Barbaresco 2009 - Cascina delle Rose
- Dolcetto d'Alba 2011 - Cascina Fontana
- Langhe Nebbiolo 2010/2004 - Cascina Fontana
- Barolo 2008/2006/2005 - Cascina Fontana
- Rosso di Montepulciano 2011 - Poderi Sanguineto I e II
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2010/2005 - Poderi Sanguineto I e II
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva 2007 - Poderi Sanguineto I e II
- Toscana IGT Sangiovese 2008 - Poderi Sanguineto I e II
- Rosso di Montalcino 2010 - San Carlo
- Sangiovese Toscano "Poggio ai Chiari" 2005/2004/2002/2001 - Colle Santa Mustiola
- Marche Rosso "Erasmo Castelli" 2006/2005 (from montepulciano grapes) - Maria Pia Castelli


Not a bad selection, eh? That same evening at “Il Tabarro” I had the opportunity (to my great pleasure) to present myself and my wines in an evening dedicated entirely to Cascina Fontana. Diego’s team had prepared a dining room on the floor above set with 20 places where I was able to talk about our terroir, our traditions and my wines, tasting them accompanied by a plates of food from our cucina piemontese traditions, prepared especially for the occasion. Here are the wines that I presented during the evening:

Dolcetto d'Alba 2011
Langhe Nebbiolo 2010
Barolo 2008
Barolo 2004
Barolo 2000
Barolo 1996


It gives me the greatest pleasure and satisfaction to think back on that special day at “Il Tabarro”. It was good to be with Diego. I wish that Parma was closer to my house so that I could go to “Il Tabarro” every night like the true “Trinkers”, as they call those who are passionate wine lovers in these parts.

I’d like to thank all the team at “Il Tabarro” for the hard work that they are doing to educate people to enjoy wine in the right way, real wines that express their terroir, the personalities of the producers, above all wines that have a story to tell. Luca who looks after the salumi, Andrea the barman, Jarno amazing ‘front of house’, Debora who brought everything together, and Alberto who ensured that everything was just right, my huge thanks to you all.