An Armchair Escape to Italy on the Wings of Wine Importer Gemma Iannoni of Giannoni Selections
Azienda Agricola Ricci, Cascina San Leto, Piedmont
how many moments must(amazing each
how many centuries)these more than eyes
restroll and stroll some never deepening beach
locked in foreverish time’s tide at poise
The dreamlike sweep of e.e. cummings’ prose keeps time with my stride as I walk the long stretch of Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester toward Conomo Point. Watching the sun set over The Crane Estate has become a palliative—a chance for reflection, recalibration and restoration over these difficult past months. On this particular December evening the sky outdoes itself, lighting up in a ricochet splendor sending reflections into the ocean’s calm, turning the entire landscape into a shimmering palette of lavender, coral and gold. As the sun slips beyond the horizon, I turn back and see a night as pure and unfettered as new fallen snow. Tomorrow we will be on the verge of our first, real Nor'easter. It promises to deliver a blanket of white, and with it, the inevitable wild winds ushering in winter’s place. And did it ever.
As if on cue we lock eyes with the December holidays and the promise of a brand new year. It goes without saying that we are all together—even in our physical isolation these pandemic times, where searching for silver linings has become an imperative. I have written before that I see wine as a chameleon, a muse, a portal into an emotional realm, just like the words of e.e. cummings above. Both ask that we delve into a momentary, illusory space and take pause. What better time than today?
As a wine writer and educator, I want to shine a spotlight on locally-based, small-production importers during this holiday season, many of whom I have worked with for years and for whom I have deep respect. Wine importers are the tireless and enthusiastic liaisons between producers and the wines that find their way into our restaurants and shops, onto our tables and into our palates. Passion is their driving force. Working with fastidiously curated selections, they seek to make a difference rather than a statement, connecting soil to vine to grape, and to the hands that harvest.
Wine importer Gemma Iannoni of Giannoni Selections worked for years at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge before branching out into new territory with a wealth of food and wine experience and years of extensive travel under her belt. Gemma now works with a small selection of Italian producers, and one newcomer from Slovenia, all of whom produce organic and biodynamically-farmed wines. When Gemma first started her company she lived for the most part in Italy, traveling to Massachusetts several times a year. She now resides permanently just outside of Boston.
Bottles of I Clivi wines, Giannoni Imports
I travelled to Italy with Gemma in the spring of 2018, and our trip left an impression on me. Italian wine regions are nothing short of breathtaking. The northeastern area of Friuli-Venezia Giulia is home to the first producer in her portfolio, I Clivi, founded by the late winemaker Ferdinando Zanusso, now under the direction of his son Mario. White grape varietals Friulano, Malvasia, Tocai and Verduzzo make beautiful wines, and a bit of Merlot is made too, offering a soft and silky wine.
Schioppettino, a new varietal to I Clivi, made its debut with its first vintage this year; it is tremendously lovely, at once quietly proud, perfumed and poetic. One could have the entire lineup on hand this holiday season and suit any disposition, including the sparkling R.B.L. made with white varietal Ribolla Gialla, a hauntingly beautiful wine, perpetually captivating my heart. It is the epitome of ethereal and elegant, and as with all of the wines from I Clivi, speaks to the purity of the landscape, swept with vineyards surrounding the property and to Ferdinando’s character and memory.
Mario and Ferdinando Zanusso, I Clivi, Friuli-Venezia Giulia
poesia, sentimento, cura, dedizione e pazienza; il mio vino;
poetry, sentiment, care, dedication, and patience; my wine.
The prose of winemaker Daniele Ricci of Cascina San Leto in Piedmont speaks to the philosophy of his winemaking and adorns the back of his wine labels. He makes nuanced, pensive, powerful graceful wines with Timorasso, a white varietal which lends itself perfectly to earthen, almost sherry-esque styles with hints of kumquat and thyme.
Daniele also plants red varietals Barbera, Croatina and Nebbiolo, and these wines speak to the discretion of meticulous vine growing, management and winemaking. Here, earthy and perfumed aromatics take center stage, highlighting herbs, cherries and perhaps a hint of licorice. These are wines for contemplation, rustic fare, and thick carvings off a giant wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Daniele Ricci’s Timorasso, Piedmont
In the Veneto, Filippo Filippi of Cantina Filippi makes wines from vineyards overlooking the village of Soave below. Charismatic and a wonderful presence, Filippo farms land that has been in his family since the 1300’s. While he makes some wine with Chardonnay and Merlot, it is his limited-production, nervy, fresh and racy wines made with Turbiana (Trebbiano), and his cider-like expressions coaxed from the indigenous, white varietal Garganega, with truth and terroir.
The vineyards here keep time with tall, rich grass and pockets of fragrant mint dispersed throughout, a festival of the senses indeed. Filippo’s Garganega is a particularly food-friendly, versatile wine, which sings with salads, seafood and poultry, and if one is inclined, brings a subtle magic to stews and herb-crusted roasts of all kinds.
I have lovely memories of these producers, of sitting at their tables, walking through their vineyards, tasting their wines, and in this holiday season I appreciate their charm, the versatility of their reach, their gestures of gratitude. These winemakers, and their wines, are all heart and soul.
Please visit giannoniselections.com for a complete list of Gemma’s producers and where to find them in the Greater Boston area, on the North Shore and throughout Massachusetts.
Gemma Iannoni of Giannoni Selections at I Clivi
This story appeared as an online exclusive in December 2020.
