Last November, the 14th edition of the “Independent Winemakers’ Wine Market,” organized by FIVI, was held in Bologna. An excellent opportunity to taste wines that are not always easy to find. Emanuele Baj Rossi went there for us.
What characterizes this event, and what makes it for me (Emanuele Baj Rossi) one of the most anticipated of the year, is precisely its “market” dimension, resulting in an almost festive atmosphere. Seeing customers walking around with their carts buying their favorite wines, producers happily greeting each other and, intrigued, tasting the wines of other winemakers, the arrangement of producers not by region and the stands all the same-avoiding disparity between the best-known region and the most emblazoned winery-all contribute to experiencing the event with serenity.
Finally then, after the first few years of the move to Bologna that saw endless lines to pick up glasses and carts, this year distribution was quick and efficient.
Nearly 1,000 producers were present at BolognaFiere, from all over Italy, thus offering a beautiful panorama of our country’s wine production, being able to range over very different styles and philosophies.
Also very interesting, I found the presence of FIOI (Italian Federation of Independent Olive Growers), present with 28 booths.
We now come to the tastings that impressed me the most. You can imagine the difficulty in making a selection with such a breadth of producers and wines tasted; therefore, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but simply a collection of nice discoveries made during the event.
That said, see you again in 2026!
Trentodoc Ferro Michele Simoni
Price displayed at the fair: € 31
50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir. Classic method for 36 months. Fine perlage. Mineral notes, fresh fruit such as yellow plum, exotic fruit, then fresh almond and bread peel stand out on the nose. Striking in the mouth for freshness, creaminess and aromatic persistence.
Nebbiolo d’Alba Spumante Maurizio Ponchione 2020 Ponchione
Price displayed at the fair: € 21
100% Nebbiolo. Classic method for 54 months. Fascinating coppery onion skin color with very fine perlage. On the nose floral notes, potpourri of dried flowers, mineral hints, red fruits and vegetal hints. In the mouth the sip is full and fresh.
Lessini Mountains Riserva dell’Ingegnere Casa Cecchin
Price displayed at the fair: € 31
100% Durella. Classic method, at least 60 months on the lees. Light golden, fine and persistent perlage. Mineral notes, dried fruit, caramel and sulphurous nuances on the nose. Fresh and savory sip with a really pleasant perlage.
Monti Lessini Riserva 10 anni Cantina Franchetto
Price displayed at the fair: € 60
100% Durella. Classic method for 120 months. Zero dosage. Intense golden yellow color with fine perlage. Strikes the nose for notes of still-fresh citrus, dried fruit, verticality and pastry nuances.
The mouthfeel is very fresh, with creamy perlage and excellent aromatic persistence.
Soave Classico Ponsara Wild 2024 Graziano Prà
Price displayed at the fair: € 15
100% Garganega. Spontaneous fermentations using indigenous yeasts. Stainless steel. Golden yellow. The nose impresses with floral notes, verticality typical of the terroir and a very intriguing hint of fresh almond. In the mouth it is a blade: fresh, savory and with a very clean finish.
Colline Teramane Pecorino Superiore Parè 2024 Diubaldo Winery
Price displayed at the fair: € 13
100% Pecorino. Steel with cryomaceration and aging on fine lees. Golden strawberry. The nose shows yellow flowers such as broom, fresh fruit such as pear and white peach, and an iodine note. In the mouth, the sip is full and pleasantly savory.
Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva La Giostra 2023 Colle Onorato
Price displayed at the fair: € 20
100% Verdicchio. 12 months in steel. Straw yellow. Typical grape profile well respected, with aromatic herbs, fresh vegetable hints, verticality and a hint of anise. On the palate, the sip is full and savory.
Lazio Grechetto Poggio Triale 2022 Tenuta La Pazzaglia
Price displayed at the fair: € 25
100% Grechetto. At least 3 months on fine lees. Light straw yellow. On the nose fresh white-fleshed fruit, almond, verticality of wet stone and flowers such as wisteria. In the mouth there is tension given by freshness and savoriness, accompanied by a full body and a long aromatic persistence.
Cirò Rosato 2024 ‘A Vita
Price displayed at the fair: € 22
100% Gaglioppo. 9 months in steel. Bright rosé. Particularly complex and intriguing nose, with hints of raspberry and small red fruits, orange peel, floral hints such as wilted rose and vegetal notes typical of the Mediterranean scrub. In the mouth, the savory (almost marine) sensation and tannin give an extremely pleasant sip, accompanied by an incredibly long and persistent finish.
Cirò Rosso Classico Superiore 2023 Vigneti Vumbaca
Price displayed at the fair: € 19
100% Gaglioppo. 13 months in steel. Ruby red. The nose has hints of blood orange, small red fruits, peony and talc. The sip has good structure and rightly present tannin.
Bolgheri Rosso Guado delle Casaline 2023 Poggio al Grillo
Price displayed at the fair: € 45
70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Sangiovese. Ceramic-aged. Intense almost purplish red. Very fine nose with notes of black cherry, blackberry, roasted vegetables and herbs such as myrtle. Full and fresh sip in the mouth.
Campi Flegrei Piedirosso 2024 Le Cantine dell’Averno
Price displayed at the fair: € 12
100% Piedirosso. Stainless steel. Ruby red. Nose of cherries, blackberries, black pepper and a very well integrated blood note. In the mouth the tannins are fine and the sip is agile with excellent freshness.
Canelli Moscato SiFaSol Scagliola Giacomo e Figlio
Price displayed at the fair: € 9
100% Moscato bianco di Canelli. Fermentation in autoclave. Golden straw-yellow with beautiful effervescence. Typical aromatic scents of the grape variety accompanied by acacia honey and a menthol streak. In the mouth the effervescence and acidity balance the sweetness, making it a fun and mouthwatering sip.
Liguria di Levante Passito L’Intraprendente 2022 Cà du Ferrà Wine & Tasting
Price displayed at the fair: € 65 the 0.375 bottle.
70% Bosco, 25% Vermentino, 5% Albarola. Drying for a minimum of 3 months. Steel for 12 months. Slightly amber. On the nose notes of dehydrated fruit, hay, dried fruit and mentholated hints. In the mouth it is not overly sweet and this, together with acidity and savoriness, makes it very balanced.
