GABRIELE DEL CARLO IS THE BEST SOMMELIER IN ITALY ASPI 2017
A fierce and spectacular final decreed the 2017 winner with a novelty in the Professional Sommellerie competitions: the tests included a chef / food / wine / drinks combination. The 2017 “Emotions” International Literary Prize was awarded to the Georgian sommelier Shalva Khetsuriani for the film “Prime Meridian of Wine” and the honorary Sommelier award was presented to Edoardo Raspelli, Cesare Pillon, Alfredo Pratolongo and the fashion entrepreneur Enzo Fusco.
Milan, 16 October 2017 – Gabriele Del Carlo is the Best Sommelier of Italy ASPI 2017. Toscano, born in 1984, sommelier at the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris, he was awarded the coveted title in the final held on Sunday 15 October at Magna Pars Suites Hotel in Milan, in front of Davide Dargenio, sommelier of Le Berceau Des Senses, Ecole Hotelerie de Lausanne in Switzerland and Marco Grassi, sommelier of the Enoteca di Metro in Milan, respectively in second and third place in the Competition for the Best Sommelier in Italy ASPI 2017, which saw the participation of 13 Sommeliers.
At the final on Sunday 15 October, in front of a large audience of operators, enthusiasts and curious people – a tangible sign that the world of wine and beverages brings an ever-increasing number of foodies – the three finalists challenged each other in the classic tests and in specific surprise tests designed by ASPI to assess the preparation of candidates in situations which, says Giuseppe Vaccarini, ASPI President “require, in addition to technical preparation, ability to decide quickly, dexterity of execution and extreme competence”.
The three finalists have ventured into the classic tests with different situations that could occur in a restaurant room: service test of a large format of Champagne H.J. Quenardel, red wine decantation, blind tasting of three wines (one of which with a description in a foreign language), in addition to the recognition of ten drinks. Following food /wine / drinks combinations with an Atlantic cod dish that two finalists combined with Birra Moretti La Bianca and one with Birra Moretti Long Maturation, coffee tasting with recognition of the characteristics, origin, variety and level of roasting – in this edition Nepal Lamjung Nespresso and Tanzania Peaberry Nespresso – correction of the wine list with errors and finally photographic proof with 10 images to recognize and illustrate, including photos of wine labels – on the basis of which the candidates had to illustrate the composition of the wine – photos of well-known producers, oenologists, teachers and restaurateurs and photos of monuments referring to companies or locations linked to wine production.
The surprise test created by ASPI for the 2017 edition is new in a professional sommelier competition: the combination of each finalist with a different Chef. Each chef prepared a recipe – with a show cooking during the final of the competition – to which the associated finalist had to combine the drink that best enhanced the characteristics of the recipe itself.
The winner Del Carlo convinced the Jury by combining the Barolo Briccolina di Batasiolo with “Tribute to Antonio Nebbia”, a fluid tortello with porcini mushrooms, parmesan, ham and truffle by the Young Chef S.Pellegrino 2016 Alessandro Rapisarda, of the Di Gusto restaurant.
Valpolicella Ripasso di Zenato paired with the dish “Duck breast and thigh, rocket buttons, date vinegar and sea lettuce” by Silvestro Zanella, sous chef of Piccolo Lago was the choice of the second classified Dargenio, while the third classified Grassi associated with Davide Del Duca, chef of the Osteria Fernanda restaurant and winner of the Birra Moretti Grand Cru 2014 Award, has combined the recipe “Mackerel, foie gras royale, tamarind and burnt onion” both with Birra Moretti Grani Antichi and Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Villa Bucci.
Recipes of haute cuisine, complex and refined, which challenged the candidates and engaged the Jury of the Competition for the Best Sommelier in Italy, chaired by Giuseppe Vaccarini and composed by the Presidents of the European Sommellerie Associations, by the winners of the last editions of the Competition and by industry journalists
THE AWARDS OF ASPI
The tenth anniversary of ASPI’s activities was also the occasion to nominate ASPI Honorary Sommeliers and to confer the “Emotions” International Literary Prize.
Giuseppe Vaccarini presented the awards during the Gala Dinner, organized to celebrate with ASPI members and supporters, with plates created by chefs Viviana Varese, Alessandro Rapisarda, Marco Sacco, Claudio Sadler and Giuseppe Postorino as interpreters of unique and creative dishes.
HONORARY SOMMELIERS ASPI 2017
Giuseppe Vaccarini has attributed the title of “Honorary Sommelier ASPI 2017” to ten personalities of the food and wine sectors. They are connected by deep friendship and respect and have been supporters of ASPI in the international arena over the years.
Appointed Honorary Sommeliers and motivations
Enzo Fusco
“Brilliant and innovative entrepreneur in the field of Italian fashion and prestigious brands known all over the world, he has been able to expand his knowledge and passions to food and wine. For these reasons, for several years Enzo Fusco has approached sommeliers and ASPI because he was attracted by the art of tasting and pairing, also becoming a wine producer and refined gourmet “.
Cesare Pillon
“Authentic journalist, passionate about his work, intellectually independent, he is esteemed by those who appreciate a sincere and objective review because it stimulates reflection and improvement. He has witnessed many events involving the national sommellerie while maintaining a critical but sincere attitude. ASPI is grateful to him.”
Alfredo Pratolongo
“For the important contribution in the dissemination of beer culture, in the world of high end catering, promoted by the Birra Moretti Foundation, where Alfredo Pratolongo holds the role of President.”
EdoardoRaspelli
“Passionate about wines and cuisine, EdoardoRaspelli had started collaborating with sommeliers and writing about catering in 1975, publishing a dictionary dedicated to sommeliers, the “Tuttovino”. From then on, his career has been a professional crescendo since in all of his articles he has always fought the mediocrity of Italian’s restaurant industry and objectively valued those who actually deserved recognition, including, of course, the sommeliers “.
Piero Tenca
“Characterized by a natural diplomatic savoir faire and strengthened by an extraordinary and rare professionalism, for some decades Piero Tenca is the reference for the new generations of sommeliers in Switzerland, thanks to choices that have determined the development of Swiss sommellerie in the federal and international field”.
ASPI, the only Italian association recognized internationally by A.S.I., allows its sommeliers winners of the ASPI Best Sommelier of Italy title to participate in European and world competitions. Many relationships have been established over the years and have led Giuseppe Vaccarini to confer the title of “Honorary Sommelier ASPI 2017” also to friends and colleagues Presidents of the Associations of foreign Sommeliers associated with ASPI: Andreas Matthidis Aiws (Greece), Dashamir Elezi (Albania), Shalva Khetsuriani (Georgia), Clément Vachon (France), Beáta Vinková (Slovakia).
The “Emotions” Award was established in 2013 by Giuseppe Vaccarini to reward sommeliers from all over the world who, through their intellectual and communication work, have strongly contributed to enhance and promote the profession of Sommelier through the publication of books, articles editorial, reportage and videos, in theirown country and abroad.
The “Emozioni” 2017 international prize was awarded to the Georgian sommelier Shalva Khetsuriani for making the film “Prime Meridian of Wine”, in which he rediscovered the values of the millenary winemaking tradition of his country, stimulating the interest of young people, resulting a reference point for future generations.
The jury, chaired by Piero Sattanino, Best Sommelier in the World A.S.I. – Association de la Sommellerie Internationale – in 1971, was composed by the journalists Fernanda Roggero of Il Sole 24 Ore, and Alberto Schieppati, Director of the magazine Artù.
The prize consists in the work “Heart” by Maestro Enrico Muscetra who, through his sculptures, focuses on the effects of spirituality.
A big thank you to Acqua Panna-S.Pellegrino, Allegrini, Campari, Champagne JH Quenardel, Fondazione Birra Moretti and Nespresso for supporting ASPI, on the occasion of these celebrations as well as during the annual ASPI activity, with the exclusive training Masterclasses for Sommeliers and operators in the guest sector of ASPI.
We also thank the companies that support ASPI’s activities by providing technologies related to the wine world and specific know-how on different products.
Rastal supplied all the sinuous and functional glasses for the ASPI Decennial and on this occasion presented an absolute novelty, and Fresh the new bucket that keeps the wine at the desired temperature and the bottle dry. Winefit is the innovative dispenser used by ASPI to optimize the service by the glass while preserving the wine in the best conditions. IP, an industry specializing in refrigerated cabinets for storing and serving wine, supported ASPI for this event with its range of technological products, Tenuta Mara, a partner of ASPI for many years, was present with its wines at the Banco d’Assaggio (Tasting stand) and the 10-year activities and CIFA, leader in hotel supplies, participated with equipment and dishes. ASPI’s activity is also supported by the main associations of haute cuisine chefs, such as Le Soste and Euro-Toques, which promote meetings and discussions between the protagonists of Italian and world gastronomic culture.
Lastly, we would like to thank the Consorzio Tutela Vini dell’Oltrepò Pavese which on Monday 16 October, at the end of the celebrations, hosted all 13 semi-finalists and foreign guests of ASPI for a tour of the local vineyards.