The intrepid & indomitable Travelling GourmetTM who conducts a standing room only Seminar of the great wines of Italy…

Story & photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet

All rights reserved

http://www.iem.it/index.cfm?contenuto=180&lingua=en

TOP WINE FEAST

SIMPLY ITALIAN GREAT WINES ASIA TOUR will be held on 21st November at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore

Singapore, 21st November 2011. The Simply Italian – Great Wines Asia Tour 2011 will be coming to Singapore for the first time ever for a day dedicated to the world of Italian Wines. Simply Italian Great Wines is a true Italian Wine Experience, full of opportunities to taste wines from all over Italy. Over 30 different wineries from different regions of Italy will be present, including the historic traditional regions such as Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto, well known for their prestigious red wines, as well as regions making spectacular white wines, such as Friuli.
The highlights of the day in Singapore include the presentation of the wines of the Institute of Fine Italian Wines – Premium Brands, an exclusive group of 19 of the most important family owned Italian wineries. Each winery is defined by the high standards of its products and brand image at national and international levels.They are families and brands which encapsulate the identity of Italian wine which is synonymous with
quality and style throughout the world.The following wineries are members of the Institute:
Alois Lageder, Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute, Antinori, Argiolas, Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo, Ca’ del Bosco, Carpenè Malvolti, Donnafugata, Gaja, Jermann, Lungarotti, Masi, Mastroberardino, Michele Chiarlo, Pio Cesare, Rivera, Tasca d’Almerita, Tenuta San Guido, Umani Ronchi. Besides participating at the walkaround tasting, the Grandi Marchi will hold a seminar featuring famous wine expert Dr. Michael Lim, “the Travelling Gourmet”.
The wines of the historic Veneto Region will also be among the protagonists of the day, which will include the participation of 8 wineries as well as a guided tasting “Veneto, Land of Excellence” dedicated to the most important DOC and DOCGs from the region. The Veneto with its age-old traditions tied to wine is also Italy’s foremost wine-producing region. U.Vi.Ve., Unione Consorzi Vini Veneti DOC, with 23 different consortium members all D.O.C. and D.O.C.G. certified, represents the wide variety of Veneto wines and their territorial characteristics. Each consortium safeguards and promotes the quality and specificity of wine production, which varies year to year, and of the producers that are devoted to both tradition and innovation. U.Vi.Ve. will be present with the following wineries: Azienda Agricola Buglioni, Bonotto delle Tezze, Cantina Bartolomeo da Breganze, Cantine Benedetti, Prasco, Terredomini, Valdo Spumanti, Zeni.
Other important group participations at Simply Italian are from the Friuli region, well known for its wonderful white wines. The Friuli wines are represented by the “Consorzio per la Tutela dei Vini DOC Friuli Grave” (Consortium for the Oversight of the Friuli Grave DOC Wines), and by “The Consorzio Tutela Vini Collio e Carso”.
The “Consorzio per la Tutela dei Vini DOC Friuli Grave”, founded in 1972, aims to promote the territory and add value to its wines. The Grave covers an area of about 7,000 hectares (17,290 acres) extending on either side of the Tagliamento river in the provinces of Pordenone and Udine in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Taste the wines from Friuli Grave at the tables of their associated wineries: Cabert, Furlan-Castelcosa, Piera Martellozzo.
Both Collio and Carso are recognized as one of the best wine producing areas of the world by some of the world’s most prestigious wine critics.The Consorzio Tutela Vini Collio e Carso represents the two most charming and prestigious areas of Italy. Very renowned for the wine-growing hills and for the high quality wines, in particular the Collio area stands for the unique indigenous grapes such us: the Collio Collio blend, the Ribolla Gialla and the Friulano and is the land of birth of the Pinot Grigio “as we know it today”; the Carso area is well known for the indigenous grapes such as: Vitovska, Terrano, Malvasia and Refosco. Presented here the wines of the following Collio companies: Angoris, Castello di Spessa, Primosic, Zuani.
Besides the important group participations, several wineries from different areas of Italy will be participating individually: Ricci Curbastro (Lombardy), Tenuta Carretta (Piedmont), Livio Bruni (Trentino Alto Adige) and MGM Mondo del Vino (wines from different regions of Italy).
The Simply Italian – Great Wines Asia Tour 2011 was Singapore’ s Italian wine event of the year.

I was very honoured to be appointed by Grandi Vini to conduct the Seminar featuring all their most celebrated wines from the top wine regions of the whole of Italy. The seminar was so popular that some squeezed in to stand at the back of the large function room just to listen and see the presentaton of the wines, without any opportunity to taste the wines. Those that were lucky enough to get a seat also tasted all the wines I featured and spoke about. As a big bonus, the respective winemakers were also on hand to answer any questions and to give more in depth insights and fascinating anecdotes of their wines.The irresistable wines were from Alois Lageder, Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute, Antinori, Argiolas, Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo, Ca’ del Bosco, Carpenè Malvolti, Donnafugata, Gaja, Jermann, Lungarotti, Masi, Mastroberardino, Michele Chiarlo, Pio Cesare, Rivera, Tasca d’Almerita, Tenuta San Guido, Umani Ronchi. The wines were all ‘superbo’! However, I must mention my favourites like *****Ben Rye Passito di Pantelleria by Donnafugata,  from the wind swept island of Pantelleria off the rugged coast of Sicilia, plus Michele Chiarlo, whose wine I used to match Mooncakes with in 2003.  I was the FIRST gourmet in the world to match Moncakes with wines in 2003. Also, Pio Cesare, Antinori, Tasca d’Almerita…what the hell, they are all bloody good!!! So many great wines so little time! Keep calm and carry on TASTING!!! A piu tardi mi amici!

Salute! {:-)

Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet TM / Il Turista Buongustaio with Luigi Salerno the CEO of Gambero Rosso