via Martina

Prestigious Cangrande della Scala Award 2010 was assigned in Verona to Milena Pepe, owner and wine maker of  Tenuta Cavalier  Pepe located in Luogosano, Avellino Province, Campania Italy.

Milena was born in Belgium and studied Oenology and viticolture in France. She came back to her country of origin  at the end of 2004 to produce traditional wines from native varieties: aglianico, coda di volpe, fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Taurasi docg. The family estate consists of 40 hectares of vineyards and 10 of oliveyards of local varieties. The Winery house has been patiently built through years by Milena’s father, Cavalier Angelo Pepe, famous restaurants owner in Bruxelles for over 30 years.

The prestigious Award was assigned thanks to strong human and financial resources invested in local viticulture and enology development and promotion , both nationally and abroad . This Prize “ says Milena Pepe over the phone” pays back our family’s efforts and hard work and pushes us to go ahead with pride and passion. Vinitaly 2010 has focused attention on strength points of the Estate: good varietal correspondance of wines, excellent quality-   price range, and, overall, being exclusive owners of 40 hectares of vineyards is a very strong asset and confidence source for buyers.

DOP  Protected Designation of Origin

• Pistachio Nuts from Bronte (Sicily - Catania) -- il Pistacchio di Bronte
• Provolone del Monaco (Campania - Naples) --  

      and 2 Olive Oils

• Colline di Ufita (Campania - Avellino)
• Colline Pontine (Lazio - Latina)

IGP  Protected Geographical Indication

• Peaches from Verona -- Pesca di Verona
• Valtellina Apples (Lombardia - Sondrio) -- Mela della Valtellina 
• White Celery from Sprelonga -- Sedano Bianco di Sperlonga
• Ricciarelli di Siena

Another 50 Italian food specialties are pending registration.
YAY, Italy!

Standing near the counter at a little wine shop in Safety Harbor, I saw a carton of Olive Oil for sale.  It was $19.99 for 1 liter.  It said Made in Italy and was coming from Sicily.  Bless his heart as the staff suggested it 'was the best Olive Oil I had ever tasted'.
The bottle had
Not the date it should be consumed by nor the date it was bottled.  Nothing.
The owner, while Italian himself, has been here for a long long time.  So long that he has not remembered the first thing one should look for in a bottle of Italian Olive Oil.  Yes, a dam shame.

Azienda Agricola Comincioli has proposed three selections to our panel and they are all excellent. This performance is due to Gianfranco Comincioli, the heir of the estate of Castello, which has belonged to his family since 1552. There are 10 hectares of specialized olive grove with 2,600 trees. In the last harvest 400 quintals of olives were produced, which, together with 200 purchased, yielded 55 hectolitres of extra virgin olive oil.

             Riva del Garda (TN) – Trentino Alto Adige       



The co-operative Riva del Garda, which has obtained an excellent result, was founded in 1926 to promote agriculture in Garda Trentino and has developed over the years thanks to the passionate work of its members. The Oil Mill Agraria Riva was built in 1965 and since then it has been working the most of the local production. There are 50,000 old trees on a surface of about 300 hectares around Riva del Garda. In the last harvest 8,238 quintals of olives were produced, equal to almost 1,508 hectolitres of extra virgin olive oil.

The Extra Virgin Uliva Pdo Garda – Trentino is excellent. It is an intense limpid golden yellow color. Its aroma is elegant and complex, endowed with ample vegetal hints of artichoke, wild thistle and chicory, enriched by fresh fragrant notes of mint and rosemary. Its taste is mellow and rotund, with hints of country vegetables and a black pepper and sweet almond finish. Bitterness and pungency are present and complimentary. It would be ideal on mayonnaise, Caesar’s mushroom starters, perch carpaccio, lettuce salads, marinated bass, leek soups, rice with shrimps, tin foil turbot, waterhen tartare, soft fresh cheese, oven biscuits.

Farm Ranking                      87 very good
Farm Tendency                   rising
Height of olive groves          80 – 250 metres
Olive varieties                     casaliva (95%) – leccino e pendolino (5%)
Tasting category                  light fruity

Published with permission from FLOS OLEI 2010 a guide to the world best extra virgin olive oils by Marco Oreggia