94th INTERNATIONAL ALBA WHITE TRUFFLE FAIR: THE HIGH PIEDMONT BUBBLES OFFICIAL SPARKLING WINE OF THE EVENT.

From the Truffle New Year’s Eve to the Cooking Shows, dinners and the Fair’s Great Wine Shop, as well as a Taste Laboratory: all the moments in which Alta Langa DOCG will be the protagonist at the Fair.

Also this year the Alta Langa Consortium will be present at the Alba International White Truffle Fair , now in its 94th edition: Alta Langa DOCG is confirmed, for the eighth year, as the Official Sparkling Wine of the event, which will take place from 12 October to 8 December 2024.

“ The one with the Alba International White Truffle Fair – comments the president of the Consortium Mariacristina Castelletta – remains for us a marriage of taste and intent, in which the common commitment is to best promote two Piedmontese excellences, in Italy and in the world. Alta Langa DOCG has a structure and complexity that make it the ideal companion for great cuisine, thanks also to its surprising versatility of pairing. This vocation and affinity with the gastronomic world, mean that the Alte Bollicine Piemontesi are protagonists from the beginning of the event (we toast with Alta Langa DOCG at the New Year of the Truffle, the evocative moment that every year celebrates the end of the biological stop and the beginning of a new hunting season) for all the Cooking Shows, the dinners dedicated to the Tuber magnatum Pico, and the tastings of the Fair’s Enoteca”.

The companies of the Consortium that participate in the International White Truffle Fair with their Alta Langa DOCG wines are:

Abrigo brothers

Heraldry

Banfi

Belcolle

Beppe Marino

Drink

Woods

Brandini

Red Breeze

Alice Bel Colle Winery

House E. of Mirafiore

Cerutti Farmhouse

Fonda Farmhouse

Cerrino

Columbus

Contract

Coppo

Cuvee

Daffara & Grasso

Deltetto

Henry Serafino

Hector Germanus

Fabio Perrone

Fontanafredda

Grimaldi Brothers

Hook

Garesio

Julius Cocchi

The Falcon

Ivaldi

The Fusina

LHV Avezza

Mark Goat

Mario Giribaldi

Max Rivets

Matthew Correggia

Mauro Sebaste

Paul Berutti

Pecchenino

Pelissero

Little plane

Armando Comm. Square

Cusmano Farms

Rapalino Brothers

Rizzi

Roberto Garbarino

Saint Blaise

New Year’s Eve

Sara Vezza

Carretta Estate

Garino Estate

Langasco Estate

Terrabianca

Lands of Barolo

Tosti1820

TT

Belbo Valley

Vinchio Sifter

Cultivated Lives

Truffle New Year’s Eve – A toast was made with Alta Langa DOCG, on the night between September 30th and October 1st, in the celebration that officially launched the new truffle hunting season. Casa Scaparone – in Scaparoni, a hamlet in the Municipality of Alba – hosted the traditional event on the evening of Monday, September 30th , which allows you to delve into the world and charm of the Tuber magnatum Pico, one of the emblems of a territory universally known for the excellence of its food and wine heritage. On this special “Debut Night”, the clinking of glasses of Alte Bollicine Piemontesi accompanied the truffle hunters and tabui as they returned to explore the region’s woods in search of the most famous of underground mushrooms.

The Alte Bollicine Piemontesi will accompany the dishes of the Cooking Show – Every weekend the Cooking Show will be held in the Sala Beppe Fenoglio, inside the Cortile della Maddalena adjacent to the World Truffle Market. The Cooking Shows allow you to discover the secrets of the most highly regarded national and international chefs who will let you taste their preparations with the White Truffle of Alba. The Alta Langa DOCG of the producers of the Consortium will be served in combination, in the iconic “Terra” glass, designed by Italdesign and created by the crystal masters of Collevilca.

Alta Langa DOCG at the “Cene Insolite” and a special dinner dedicated to the Alte Bollicine Piemontesi – Also during the Cene Insolite , excellent dinners cooked by prestigious starred chefs, so called because they take place in places not usually used for cooking, the Alta Langa DOCG will be served to participants paired with dishes by great chefs of the national scene who meet the White Truffle of Alba.

Alta Langa DOCG in the Grande Enoteca della Fiera – Like every year, the classic Piedmontese method can be tasted inside the Grande Enoteca della Fiera where a section will be expressly reserved for the Alta Langa DOCG labels of the Consortium.

Taste Workshops: “Alta Langa DOCG: discovering the High Piedmontese Bubbles” – In the Beppe Fenoglio Room in the Cortile della Maddalena on November 3 at 3 pm, a taste workshop will be held dedicated to discovering the High Piedmontese Bubbles of Alta Langa DOCG.

Food/grappa pairing tested last night at the Gran Galà della Grappa organized by Roberto Castagner at the Antica Bottega del Vino in Verona. Among the guests present were Riccardo Illy, Dario Tommasi, Maurizio Danese, CEO of Veronafiere who anticipated the theme of the next Vinitaly with grappa also starring at the table.

Illustrious guests, journalists, wine producers, importers and opinion leaders took part in an unprecedented evening organized yesterday evening by Roberto Castagner at the Antica Bottega del Vino.

Pairing grappa with any meal is possible. At the Gran Galà della grappa held yesterday evening, Monday 7 October, at the Antica Bottega del Vino in Verona, the flagship distillate accompanied every course with refined elegance, from aperitif to dessert. About sixty guests were present, including journalists, wine producers, importers, opinion leaders and friends of Roberto Castagner, master distiller and founder of the famous distillery in Vazzola (Treviso). The CEO of Veronafiere, Maurizio Danese, was present and anticipated the theme of the next Vinitaly with grappa also taking centre stage at the table.

The evening opened with an aperitif with Casta Negroni based on Casta, the grappa created in 2017 for mixing, Bitter Castagner in which Treviso PGI radicchio is also infused, and Vermouth Castagner based on Glera. Then the dinner continued with Grappa Prosecco Ice served chilled and paired with pumpkin risotto. The Fuoriclasse Leon Amarone was served with beef cheek braised in Amarone and also accompanied the tiramisu. Masterful was the tasting, guided by sommelier Sara Tosti, of Riserva 23 years, the grappa celebrating Roberto Castagner’s entrepreneurial journey, with flakes of Domori dark chocolate, an excellence in the world of quality chocolate from Riccardo Illy’s Polo del Gusto, guest of the evening. During the dinner, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Rafaèl and Amarone Ca’ Florian by Dario Tommasi were served. Tommasi was present at the event and promoted the meeting between Roberto Castagner and Luca Nicolis, director of the ancient Bottega del Vino.

Abroad, spirits and mixed drinks represent two segments where food pairings are already a reality, just think of food pairings with spirits such as whisky, vodka, tequila, rum and brandy.

“As with wines, there are also basic rules for pairing food/grappa – explains Roberto Castagner -. For a fish appetizer, rather than cured meats or for a first course such as risotto or pasta with ragù, we must look for a dry, but soft, fruity white grappa, perhaps served cold or iced, which is able to enhance the aromas that are being savored, but above all to degrease at the end. Then, instead, if we want to pair it with meat, for example with a braised meat or a Florentine steak, we must pair it with a structured grappa, perhaps Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet, aged in oak barrels that give it those typical hints of vanilla and spices; so I eat meat and sip a few drops of grappa: this pairing is enough to enhance the meat and make the grappa a truly exceptional companion. With the most famous dessert in the world, tiramisu, but also with chocolate desserts, we pair it with very aged barrique grappa, over 3 years old; if we are talking about ice cream, a fruity white grappa of Prosecco or Moscato is fine».

But grappa is also gaining a place of respect in the world of mixology. “Today – explains Samuele Ambrosi of the Cloak Room Cocktail Lab in Treviso, creator of the Casta-based Ve.n.to cocktail – at least 15-20 percent of bartenders normally use grappa in cocktails while until a few years ago no one offered it. Today in any cocktail bar defined as such they know what a Ve.n.to is and this is a victory for the world of grappa and if you ask for a grappa-based cocktail you will taste something wonderful”.

Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato will be the protagonist at the Milano Wine Week 2024 with a day that will be held at Palazzo Bovara on Wednesday 9 October.

The last places are available for the event that includes a talk and a showcooking with chef Daniele Canzian, the initiative is part of the European campaign “Born Sustainable” , created in collaboration with the Consorzio Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG and the Consorzio del Roccaverano DOP, and co-financed by the European Union.

The initiative aims to raise awareness among consumers and industry professionals about the importance of responsible consumption, promoting respect for the environment at every stage of production and consumption of these high-quality products, involving five countries: Italy, France, Germany, Sweden and Denmark.

On October 20th and 21st Modena becomes the Italian capital of champagne.

More than 900 champagnes representing 167 companies. Everything is ready again this year in Modena for the most important event in Italy dedicated to the world of champagne. Two days of tastings and master classes of the highest level.

There are now just a few days left until the opening of the 7th edition of Champagne Experience , a reference event in Italy dedicated to champagne that will take place in the spaces of ModenaFiere on Sunday 20 and Monday 21 October 2024. The event is organized by Excellence – Società Italiana Distributori e Importatori Srl, a company that brings together twenty-one of the largest Italian importers and distributors of excellent wines and spirits.

This edition will also offer professionals and enthusiasts a unique opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the world of champagne thanks to the presence of more than 900 labels for tasting representing 167 entities divided between historic Maisons and small vignerons .

The exhibition subdivision of the wines, based on their geographical origin, corresponding to the different production areas of Champagne – Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte des Bar – in addition to the “classic maisons” gathered in a specific area, is confirmed again this year within the five thousand square meters of the ModenaFiere Pavilions.

“ The Champagne Experience organizational machine is ready to welcome all the professionals, operators and champagne lovers who have already registered,” says Luca Cuzziol , president of the Italian Distributors and Importers Society. “The places available for the master classes are almost sold out, which, like every year, represent a highlight of the event and allow for in-depth study of specific topics thanks to the presence of exclusive guests and highly professional speakers.”

There will be 6 master classes, divided into two days of the event. It starts on Sunday 20 October , at 12.30 with the master class entitled “ FROM CHOUILLY TO MESNIL-SUR-OGER ”, led by one of the most expert journalists and champagne promoters in Italy, Alberto Lupetti : it will not be a generic comparison of Blanc de Blancs, but a real sensory journey that will allow participants to understand the small, but decisive, differences of two terroirs that are very close to each other.

At the same time, sommelier Luca Boccoli will lead the engaging meeting “ THE DARKNESS BEYOND THE PERLAGE ”, a master class where participants will taste 6 cuvées blindfolded, guided by a great blind taster.

Champagne Experience cannot fail to have a speaker from beyond the Alps and this year Geoffrey Orban will be present, director of Educavin, consultant and trainer who for over 20 years has been committed and working for the dissemination and knowledge of Champagne: he combines parcel studies with geo-sensorial tastings of the land, to understand the interactions between soil, vine and fruit. There will be two meetings that will see him as protagonist and presenter, always on Sunday 20 October: the first, entitled: “ AUBE, RICEYS AND MONTGUEUX ” at 2.00 pm, the second, “ QUALITY BETWEEN SMALL AND LARGE MAISON ” at 3.30 pm.

On Monday 21 October, two more master classes will see Alberto Lupetti as speaker: starting at 12.30 with “ DA BOUZY AD AY ” and ending at 15.30 with “ COTEAUX CHAMPENOIS ”.

This year, the collaboration between Modena Champagne Experience and Champagne de Vignerons is renewed, an association created in 2001 by the Syndicat Général des Vignerons de la Champagne with the aim of spreading the work carried out by small vignerons.

Finally, the calendar of events includes a series of Sponsor Classes, organized by the partners of Champagne Experience, dedicated not only to champagne, but also to excellent products from the Emilia region. In this regard, this year too, the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano and the Consorzio Tutela Lambrusco will be present as partners of the event.

All catering services during the event will be provided by the Modena a Tavola Consortium, while the wine services will be provided by ONAV (National Organization of Wine Tasters), a historic partner of Champagne Experience.

Champagne Experience takes place under the patronage of the Municipality of Modena and with the support of the Modena Chamber of Commerce : their contribution and presence alongside the event are essential for the organization of this important event.