Of Franciacorta TWO FASCINATING DAYS in TOKYO with the FOUNDER of CA’ DEL BOSCO, the EPITOME of ITALIAN EXCELLENCE

Culture and Quality for a Luxury Wine-Style

Maurizio Zanella of Franciacorta TWO FASCINATING DAYS IN TOKYO WITH THE FOUNDER OF CA’ DEL BOSCO, THE EPITOME OF ITALIAN EXCELLENCE

FRANCE JAPAN IMPORTER ITALY A spectacular Suntory The Fine Wine South Tyrol, evening with Tomi no Oka Experience is out a concentration Domaine Huet Winery of ordinary of quality

Bimonthly Year 5 No. 25 HKD 65 / RMB 65 / SGD 9 / MYR 22 THB 200 / IDR 20,000 exclusive (italian excellence in japan) Ca’ del Bosco celebrated in Tokyo That Maurizio Zanella is considered a visionary when it comes to Italy’s Franciacorta is conventional wisdom. That his vision also extends to East Asia is fascinating

by Jean Charles Viens photo by Yoshio Kato

This page, Maurizio Zanella, founder of the iconic Franciacorta wine estate of Ca’ del Bosco at Sushi Ora at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo. Other page, the Cuvée Prestige bearing a special label to mark the 150th year

Benjamin Parks Benjamin Parks anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and Italy. It represents the diety Daikoku, the Japanese god of wealth, and was featured on the first Japanese bank note designed by Italian Edoardo Chiossone in 1876.

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“Franciacorta is 250 years younger than Champagne and it is truly unique to Italy”

Visionary and uncompromising, determined and focused, Maurizio Franciacorta Consortium, he was one of the fiercest advocates of Zanella, the founder of Ca’ del Bosco, created one of the most re- transforming the entire area as exclusively organic, a work in pro- spected wine estate in Italy today. Over two days of extensive tast- gress that will soon be attained. On his achievements as President ings in Tokyo, Spirito diVino Asia had a close contact with this Icon of the Consortium, Zanella confided that his proudest is for having of Italian wine and an exclusive and personal look at the secret of his worked to convince 18 municipalities of the region to join togeth- success. First, it begins with the wine. But, never compare Francia- er into approving a regional development plan that will become corta with Champagne in the presence of Zanella. For him, each are law in January 2017. This plan, unique in Italy and called “Terra “absolutely two different things”. Della Franciacorta”, envisions for VFor a starter, he emphasized that all municipalities to act homogene- “Franciacorta is 250 years young- ously in the urban and rural devel- er and second, it is truly unique opment of the region with a focus to Italy”. Indeed, the region only on its cultural valorisation and the came to be officially recognized in respect of its environment. If the Italy about 50 years ago. However, secret of Ca’ del Bosco’s success the truly unique aspect of Franci- begins with its wines, it follows acorta, other than its magnificent with a relentless focus on market ripening conditions, is the fact that development across the world, es- members of its Consortium, today pecially in Japan which is today its comprising of 113 wineries, vol- best market outside of Italy. untarily and unanimously decided That its wines would be widely from the outset to produce spar- available throughout the country kling wine in the traditional method not only in Italian restaurants but with the most stringent rules in the also in the finest French and Jap- world and with a focus of producing anese fine dining establishments is only the highest levels of quality. testament to the beauty and puri- Unquestionably at Ca’ del Bosco, ty of its wines but also of the hard the winery Zanella took charges of work Maurizio Zanella and its im- when he was only 18 years old, he porter for 31 years, Foodliner, have has pushed quality wine making to accomplished together. Tomomi a point that he does not use the ex- Tsujimoto, its vice-president, con- pression “traditional method” when it comes to describing his mo- fided in me over dinner at Les Saisons, the Michelin starred French dus operandi but rather calls it the “Ca’ del Bosco method”. With restaurant of the Imperial Hotel, “Maurizio gave us tremendous sup- a maniacal attention to details, every step of the way is carefully port over the span of our relationship, even visiting Japan almost managed to produce the purest and most delicate wine possible. each year since our beginnings in 1985. This support was extremely The impact of Zanella is deep in the region. With a laser beam important”, she continued”, “not only in terms of advertising, but focus on quality, he is a pioneer of many stringent rules both in the also in training and events”. Thirty-one years ago, the wine market vineyard and the winery that raised Franciacorta among the best in was still very much in its infancy for all categories and efforts were the world. He was the first to create a style called Satèn, a blanc de focused in the Kansai area comprising Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. “I blancs with slightly less pressure than other wines, which is today a still remember our first tasting in Osaka in 1987”, Zanella recalled category in the Appellation. During his 8 years as President of the fondly, “we had 90 Certified Sommeliers at the Ritz. For them, we

Above, Antonio Gandossi planted the 1st vineyards of Ca’del Bosco (photo by Alice Spring for the book “11 Fotografi 1 Vino” edited by Skirà). Other page, top left, Zanella has a great respect for Japanese Sommeliers, right, the author’s notes; 2nd Row, left, Foie Gras at The Cellar, right, Cuvée Annamaria Clementi impressed; 3rd row, left, Maurizio Zanella’s red blend, right, the flight being carefully evaluated.

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Historical Retrospective Tasting

In a roomful with Japanese Certified Sommeliers at the Shangri-la his mother, is “an absolute Franciacorta”. With no compromise and Hotel Tokyo, Maurizio Zanella expanded on the particularities of no concession, it is made only in the finest years from the finest his “Ca’ del Bosco Method” for making sparkling wines. With a ma- grapes from the various crus earmarked for this icon wine and it niacal attention to details at every steps, Zanella believes that wine spends a minimum of 7 years on its lees. From its first vintage in should be akin to an art form, “where grape leads to marvellous 1989, it contributed to catapult Franciacorta into the hierarchy of harmony”. For him, the Cuvée Annamaria Clementi, dedicated to the world’s greatest wines. In this historical event, we tasted:

CUVÉE ANNAMARIA CLEMENTI 2006 CUVÉE ANNAMARIA CLEMENTI 1989 A wine of contrast and confidence. Youthful still, but deep with A caressing and hedonistic wine. Beautiful complexity 97 notes of lemon curd, apple flesh, brioche and toast. The tex- 97 showing exotic spices, smoke, dried acacia and dried ap- ture is beautifullyI creamy and mouth-filling with a perfect balance. Dense ples. TouchesI of flynt and lemon skin delight. Delicately creamy and and tense, the wine has a long ageing potential. A long expressive finish. sensual texture. Supple, yet lively and ethereal. Long finish with delicate notes of smoke, dried fruits and nuts. Beautiful and mesmerizing. CUVÉE ANNAMARIA CLEMENTI 2001 A delicate wine. Showing slightly faster maturation than the CUVÉE ANNAMARIA CLEMENTI ROSÉ 2006 90 previous with notes of dried hay, apple skin and a touch of A youthful and delicate wine. Notes of wild strawberries, smoke andI butterscotch. Creamy texture with some density and excel- 92 herbs, and rose petals with a touch of butterscotch. Lovely. lent balance. With a subtle and long finish. Fresh and Idelicately creamy texture. Long, lively and sapid finish.

CUVÉE ANNAMARIA CLEMENTI 1999 CUVÉE ANNAMARIA CLEMENTI ROSÉ 2005 An expressive wine showing beautiful evolution. A complex nose A sensual wine with density and ageing potential. Notes 96 with toast, a slight note of smoke, and delicate touches of cham- 95 of flynt, wild strawberries, and orange skin. Creamy and omile, lemonI curd and ripe apples, all finely interwoven. Creamy and beautiful- mouth-fillingI with liveliness. Lovely density for further ageing potential. ly proportioned mouth-feel. A complete wine with a still long ageing potential. Long fruity finish with floral notes.

CUVÉE ANNAMARIA CLEMENTI 1995 CUVÉE ANNAMARIA CLEMENTI ROSÉ 2003 An elegant and integrated wine at the right moment in its A delicate wine with vitality. Showing a delicate evolution with 93 life. Showing dried apples, chamomile, sweet spices, and 95 dried rose petals and dried wild strawberries with subtle notes butterscotchI all delicately and elegantly interwoven. Creamy and fine of dried leaves,I butterscotch and smoke. Creamy but lively and ethereal texture. Long seductive finish. texture. Long finish with touches of smoke, dried fruits, and nuts.

Above, a historical flight of Cuvée Annamaria Clementi in Tokyo. Other page, top left, Michelin-star Chef Thierry Voisin, Maurizio Zanella, Tomomi Tsujimoto; right, admiring the golden hue of Franciacorta; 2nd row, left, beautiful dish at The Cellar in MO Tokyo; right, Japanese Sommeliers have high standards; 3rd row, left, an exclusive dinner at The Cellar in MO Tokyo; right, Ca’ del Bosco bottles at the ready.

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“Maurizio gave us tremendous support, even visiting almost each year since 1985”

were a curiosity, like a Martian descended on earth!” Over the years, penois of origin who joined Ca’ del Bosco in 1979 at the tender age of Zanella came to develop a deep respect for Japanese Sommeliers, 65 and remained firmly in charge of the wine making processes until “they do not suffer from the tyranny of wine critiques” he said. “For his death in the 1990s. Of Dubois, Zanella said that “he was more them”, he continued, “that an Italian wine would be equally good, than a wine maker, he was a mentor and a spiritual leader. He brought if not superior to a French wine in a French or Japanese fine dining more than simply a technical contribution to our house, he brought context is not surprising”. In fact, the previous week had been ded- a culture and a philosophy”. There is no denying that the sparkling icated to touring the Kansai regions where Ca’ del Bosco is listed wines of Franciacorta can cross the culinary borders of any types of in many Japanese Michelin starred cuisines and be a delightful dining restaurants. Reminiscing over that companion. Our last dinner at The leg of his tour, he mused, “what Cellar, the private French dining ex- counts for Japanese sommeliers is perience of the Mandarin Oriental that the wine meets their standards hotel was certainly a case in point. of quality which can be exact and Around a sumptuous table compris- of the highest order”. He contin- ing of only 10 guests and located lit- ued, “if a wine match their require- erally in the “wine-cellar in the sky” ments to give pleasure when paired of the hotel’s 37th floor. with a particular dish, they are not Dishes after dishes prepared es- afraid to go across geographical pecially for the guests at the ex- borders”. The result is that, “Japan pert hand of Chef Nicolas Boujéma is the only place in the world where matched beautifully to the wines. Franciacorta has its own dignity Starting with the 1995 and 1989 and stands on its own comfortably Cuvée Annamaria Clementi and among the world’s best wines”, con- moving on to 2007 Chardonnay Cur- fided Zanella during the photoshoot tefranca to the 2000 Maurizio Zanel- for the magazine’s cover. la Rosso del Sebino, it ended into a Today, the Kansai market has wonderful crescendo of sensations reached a higher level of maturity with the Cuvée Prestige Rosé. Inter- and most efforts are spent in the To- estingly, Zanella thought the 1989 kyo region. It is therefore fitting that Cuvée Annamaria Clementi tasted Zanella would choose this metropo- completely different than it had at lis as the site of an important retrospective tasting of several vintages the retrospective tasting the day before. Was it the sumptuous con- of the iconic Cuvée Annamaria Clementi, the flagship wine of Ca’ text of our dinner versus the more formal atmosphere of our tasting del Bosco, a key moment of our short stay in Tokyo earlier this fall. in a ballroom of the Shangri-La hotel? For Zanella, it was by far bet- A tribute to his mother, who bought a little hillside house called “Ca ter during our dinner. Perhaps he was enraptured by the beautiful del Bosc” in 1964, the Cuvée Annamaria Clementi was created with company, the exquisite dishes and spectacular surroundings? “uncompromising attention to details and outmost focus on quality”. In the end, when all has been said and done, this is perhaps what Made only in the finest years from the finest grapes from the various matters the most about such beautiful wines as those of Ca’ del Bos- crus earmarked for the wine, it spends a minimum of 7 years on lees. co. The essential is that they give pleasure and magnify the emotions It is this very long ageing period that helps create a unique wine of of a perfect evening which wonderfully concluded an astonishing beauty. It was first elaborated by chef de cave André Dubois, a Cham- discovery of the Franciacorta wines of Ca’ del Bosco in Japan.

This page, the corks of Cuvée Annamaria Clementi label were removed, unfolding a world of finess to tasters. Adjoining page, Maurizio Zanella, an epitome of Italian excellence at Les Saisons, the Michelin starred French restaurant of the Imperial hotel. With a laser beam focus on quality and a maniacal attention to details, he produces one of Italy’s finest sparkling wines today.

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