Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/430172
128 / the tasting panel / december 2014 2014 Yearbook Q&A with Fabrizio Pedrolli, Acting Chairman, Vias Imports Ltd. Vias Imports Ltd. represents the most comprehensive portfolio of Italian wines in the U.S., including Damilano. Why are Americans so drawn to Italian wines? Americans are attracted to Italian wines because Italy offers a notable diver- sity that's much more extensive than what's available in France or other wine-producing countries. They satisfy the curiosity of even the most demanding consumers at a more affordable price point. What are the new trends of Italian wine in the American market? As far as white wines are concerned, there has been a discovery in aromatic whites throughout Italy, in addition to the already-established and widely successful Pinot Grigio, Moscato and Prosecco. In regard to reds, there is a focus on discovering unknown, interesting regions that produce wines of the utmost quality. Red wines are being discovered outside of the super-famous regions such as Veneto, Piedmont and Tuscany. How do you select a wine for the Vias portfolio? In the most famous wine regions, we focus on high- lighting small producers, who are equipped to produce a high-quality, handmade product at an affordable price. Some of these include Argiano and Fattoria del Cerro in Tuscany, and San Leonardo in Trentino. With wineries like Damilano, Gottardi and Produttori del Barbaresco, we strive to create a complete portfolio that reflects the richness, history and culture of winemaking in Italy. We also seek to highlight winemaking regions or grapes that are not yet widely known, but are extremely interesting and set to emerge in the international market, such as Piedmont's Il Chiosso Gattinara DOCG and Abruzzo's Capostrano Passerina, a native white grape. www.viaswine.com DAMILANO 2009 BAROLO CANNUBI ($100) W hile its peers worry about petty drama and whether so-and-so really likes them, this highly accomplished pupil walks the halls with a much more refined set of standards—she has a certain, unexplainable grace about her and displays something that many people their age lack: class. As the flagship wine of Damilano—a family business that dates back to 1890—the ever-elegant Barolo Cannubi is a single vineyard expression made from the noble Nebbiolo varietal. Grown in Barolo on the prestigious Cannubi hill, the vines sit in gener- ous, calcareous-clay soil that includes a hearty helping of sand. This vineyard—planted in 1935—receives the southern exposure, which creates the perfect conditions to produce a distinguished vino with a pleasant dry- ness, soft tannins and a full body. Smooth, rich, elegant with plum, cherries, and minerals; spicy, long and pure. 96 —Anthony Dias Blue, Blue Reviews EXTRA!, March 2014 MOST SOPHISTICATED