In Issue 15 of Club Oenologique magazine, we’re examining how passion and precision are taking Italy’s collectable drinks to new heights.
You can witness it in the country’s celebrated fine-wine regions, where despite the history and high-esteem, a push for accelerated quality continues – that’s according to Sarah Heller MW, who Club O sent to these vinous heartlands over the summer to compile our very first Italy Report. We have a flavour of what’s in store from her Report sprinkled throughout the magazine, from an in-depth feature analysing the rise of site-specificity in Italy’s winemaking to a review of the finest Barolo 2019 wines.
Elsewhere, we’re looking at the new collectables of Italy – including upcoming wine regions where a number of producers are now making cellarable reds worth seeking out. In many cases, when we’re talking about the ‘new collectables’ of the country we’re actually referring to a renewed interest in heritage brands and the drinks that they produce – from striking bottles of rare amaro, to the vintage vermouth that’s being stirred into time-warp cocktails at top bars around the world.
Away from the drink, of course, you can expect our Lifestyle section to be filled with the joys of la cucina italiana: we evaluate the international spread of the trattoria, share recipes from a London restaurant celebrating the charms of Tuscany’s rustic dishes and give tips for eating your way through South Tyrol, a part of the country where Alpine cultures charmingly collide.
As with any issue of our magazine, there’s also plenty of fine fizz and rare whisky. We’re dissecting the trends for whisky aged to new extremes and Champagne cellared in the sea. Plus, Essi Avellan MW highlights the top performers from our latest Champagne Report, and Colin Hampden-White selects drams to define a great year in the spirit. All this and more in the winter issue of Club Oenologique.
The winter 2023-24 issue of Club Oenologique is out on Wednesday 1 November and available here.
