Friday, February 12 Time: 10.30-12.30

The Observatory of Roma VinoExcellence: Sangiovese today, its strengths and problems

Moderator: Ian D’Agata, International Wine Cellar

Presentations by:

• Maurizio Castelli, winemaker: Ampelology of sangiovese
• Franco Bernabei, winemaker: Sangiovese in Italy: results in different regions and sub-regions of Italy
• Paolo De Marchi, owner Isole e Olena: The birth of and reasons behind the 100% sangiovese Supertuscan wines
• Marco Pallanti, President, Consorzio Chianti Classico, and owner Castello di Ama: Chianti Classico, present and future
• Niccolò d’Afflitto, winemaker: Rufina, the different Chianti
• Luca de Ferrari, owner and winemaker Boscarelli: prugnolo gentile and Montepulciano
• Franco Biondi-Santi, owner Biondi-Santi : The reality of Montalcino, yesterday and today
• Francesco Leanza, owner Podere Salicutti and Jan Erbach, owner, Pian dell’Orino: The problems and the challenges of sangiovese in Montalcino and a proposal for a zoning system of the area
• Enrico Drei Donà, owner Drei Donà: sangiovese in Emilia Romagna
• Ian D’Agata, Research Professor, University of New Mexico: sangiovese in North America
• Steven Spurrier, Decanter journalist: sangiovese: a UK perspective
• Donato Lanati, winemaker and professor of Enology (or Oenology), University of Turin: Tracing wine’s authenticity: the scientific advances

Following the conference, a guided tasting with the producers of a series of sangiovese that ar unique and differnet, both from Italy and the rest of the world, such as those made by Baracchi Brut Rosé Metodo Classico in Tuscany, in a one-of-a-kind sparkling for mat, and that of Luna Rossa Winery in New Mexico, USA.

Saturday, February 13 Time 10.30-12.30

The Rome International Focus Conference on Cabernet Franc

The conference wants to tackle the cabernet people often forget about. In reality it is an up-and-coming grape variety in many parts of the world, as winemakers and public alike begin to appreciate the fine, refined aromas and flavours it can yield when properly grown. The conference will be of exceptional interest and a unique learning opportunity thanks to the presence of world-class experts such as Jean Claude Berrouet, historical winemaker at J.P. Moueix, responsible for over forty years of Pétrus and many other cult Pomerols, Kees Van Leeuwen, winemaker and consultant viticulturist at Château Cheval Blanc in Saint Emilion and a Professor of Viticulture in Bordeaux; Angelo Pavan, of Canada’s Cave Spring Cellars, one of the country’s top estates; Delia Viader, owner of Viader in California; Vincent Dupuch, perhaps the single biggest overall expert on cabernet franc in France; the Marchese Niccolò Incisa della Rocchetta who’ll tell us about the beginnings of cabernet franc in Tuscany back in the 1940s; Jean-Max Manceau, owner of Domaine de Noiré, and President of the Syndicat Viticole de Chinon; and Luca D’Attoma, generally considered Italy’s greatest cabernet franc expert.

Moderator: Ian D’Agata, International Wine Cellar

Presentations by:

• Vincent Dupuch, consultant: Ampelology of cabernet franc, the basic facts and more
• Jean-Claude Berrouet, consultant winemaker J.P. Moueix: Cabernet Franc of Pomerol and the French Pays Basque
• Kees Van Leeuwen, consultant viticulturist at Château Cheval Blanc and Professor of Viticulture at Bordeaux University: Cabernet Franc in Saint Emilion
• Jean-Max Manceau, President Syndicat Vini Chinon and owner Domaine de Noiré: Cabernet Franc in the Loire
• Marchese Incisa della Rocchetta, owner, Tenuta San Guido: The beginnings of cabernet franc in Italy
• Luca D’Attoma, winemaker: cabernet franc in Italy today, a future worthy of the biggest stars
• Angelo Pavan, owner-winemaker Cave Spring Cellars: cabernet franc’s great future in Canada
• Delia Viader, owner Viader: cabernet franc in California and the Viader experience
  
• 13.00 – 14.00 Round Table tasting

The great Cabernet Francs of the world with wines from USA, Canada, France, Italy, and more:

Paolo De Marchi, Proprietà Sperino, Piedmont
Andrea Franchetti, Tenuta di Trinoro, Tuscany
Maurizio Zanella, Cà del Bosco, Lombardy (Carmenère)
Luca D’Attoma, Duemani, Tuscany
Kees van Leeuwen, Château Marjosse, Bordeaux
Jean-Claude Berrouet, Domaine Brana, French Pays Basque
Jean-Max Manceau, Domaine de Noiré, Loire
Angelo Pavan, Niagara and Okanagan, Canada
Delia Viader, Napa, California

Many of these wines are extremely rare, nearly impossible to find, such as the 1000 bottles of cabernet franc Paolo De Marchi makes each year in Piedmont, or the magnum-only bottling of the 1994 vintage at Tenuta di Trinoro, one of Italy’s biggest cult wines by Andrea Franchetti, and many others.

Sunday, February 14 Time 10.30-12.30

The International Riesling Symposium of Rome

A unique event for Rome, dedicated to what many consider the world’s premier white grape variety, and one that is specifically designed to become an annual event, with a second edition already being planned for 2011, in another country.
Especially created by Helmut Koecher e Ian D’Agata, it will see the presentations by some of the world’s most important wine writers and Riesling experts, such as Stephen Brook, author of “The Wines of Germany” , Luzia Schrampf, one of Austria’s Riesling experts, Angelo Pavan, who along with Len Pennacchetti launched the first Ontario winery devoted only to vinifera varieties in Ontario and recognized as one of the world’s experts on New World Riesling, and many more.

The conference will be followed by a round table tasting of 16 great Rieslings chosen by Ian D’Agata , with wines from Italy (Alto Adige and Piedmont), Germany, France, Austria, Australia, Canada and the USA . Many of these wines are not available in Italy, such as the wines from the Clare and Eden Valleys of Australia, and will also feature rare and unique versions of the variety made in far away places such as New Mexico in the U.S.A.

Moderator: Ian D’Agata, International Wine Cellar

Presentations by:

• Stephen Brook, wine writer, The Wines of Germany: Riesling in Germany
• Luzia Schrampf, journalist, Der Standard: Austrian Riesling
• Bernard Burtschy, wine writer Le Figaro, and Professor of Statistics, Paris: Riesling in Alsace, analysis of terroir in a glass
• Martin Aurich, winemaker, Castel Juval-Unterortl: Riesling in South Tyrol
• Angelo Pavan, winemaker-owner Cave Spring Cellars: Canada, or Riesling’s third school
• Ian D’Agata, research professor of enology (Oenology), University of New Mexico: Riesling in the U.S.A.
• Bernd Maier, Viticulture Extension Specialist, New Mexico State University: New Mexico: a new frontier for Riesling

• 12.30 – 13.30 Round table and tasting: 16 great Rieslings from the world with the best from Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Australia (Clare Valley, Eden Valley), U.S.A. (California, New York, New Mexico, Washington), and Canada (Ontario)