Zonin1821 hails “must-attend” portfolio tasting

At the recent ZONIN1821 portfolio tasting, db spoke to the producers and directors behind a range with "expanding reach and relevance" in the UK market. ZONIN1821 has a calling card: its well-known Prosecco Millesemato. The eponymous winery is the largest Italian family company producer of Prosecco, and has now expanded its repertoire to include Limoneto Spritz and the alcohol-free ZONIN ZERO. Yet, as the UK trade recently found out at a comprehensive tasting, the ZONIN1821 portfolio expands far beyond that. More than 250 professionals recently attended Haberdashers’ Hall in London. There they sampled more than 150 wines from 31 producers, including both ZONIN1821’s own family estates as well as exactingly sourced third-party estates. These spanned the length and breadth of Italy, as well as France, Spain, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand and Lebanon. “This event proved itself to be a must-attend for the hospitality and trade sector,” comments Simon Thomas, ZONIN1821’s managing director in the UK, “offering guests the unique opportunity to speak directly with the winemakers behind our wines.”

Gems from all of Italy

Italy, unsurprisingly, proved a focus for the event. Running from Barbera d’Asti Poggio le Coste to Zinzula white and rosé (a pair of wines from Masseria Altemura in Puglia), it was a thorough survey of the nation’s production. “The strong turnout reflects growing interest in our diverse portfolio,” says Thomas. “We were especially encouraged by the engagement in our Ca'Bolani and Castello di Albola masterclasses.” Those two sessions highlighted two wineries which are enduringly popular with the UK trade. Ca’Bolani, as a long-established winery in Friuli, produces such internationally known styles as Prosecco and award-winning Pinot Grigio. However, the cypress-lined estate also devotes time to local specialities, including Fruilano and Traminer, as well as international varieties like Chardonnay and Merlot. Castello di Abola, meanwhile, leads the way with another emblematic Italian style. Its vineyards spread over the highest hills of Radda, in the heart of Chianti Classico DOCG, and are renowned for their high-quality Sangiovese. It also grows international red varieties, as well as producing Chardonnay and a Vin Santo. Naturally, sparkling wines from the north of the country featured strongly. Plenty of attendees reacquainted themselves with Proseccos such as extra dry Valdobbiadene DOCG and single vintage brut rosé, while Oltrepó Pavese from producer Oltrenero highlighted a less known style from Lombardy. There were even, in a truly niche highlight, traditional method sparkling wines made in Sicily. Principi di Butera uses local Nero d’Avola for its white expression of the style. Elsewhere, ZONIN1821 demonstrated Italy's viticultural heritage across the tasting. Classic red wines – such as the aforementioned Chianti Castello di Albola, but also Barolo and Taurasi from third-party estates Damilano and Tenuta del Meriggio – rubbed shoulders with popular supertuscan styles. For white wines, the portfolio's Italian diversity is too much to list: Cortese, Vermentino, Insolia, Fiano, Trebbiano and more. That is even without considering the international varieties, such as Chardonnay, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc, that featured. Speaking with producers, the day had clearly been a success, with several highlighting the enthusiasm of attendees and praise for the willingness of the trade to try new things. They were full of praise, with one summarising: “It’s a great location, a great company and great people.”

A global perspective

The tasting, however, moved far beyond Italy as the ZONIN1821 portfolio is a truly global endeavour. Popular styles from around the world form a core section of its offering. As well as the well-regarded ZONIN1821 family estates, third-party estates highlighted the company’s comprehensive selection for buyers. Hãhã Wine, for instance, was presenting perennially popular Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but the team also commented on the “great feedback” they had received on their Central Otago Pinot Noir. Meanwhile, the winemakers behind Du Toitskloof Wine described restaurants as “responding well” to the range, which largely offered competitive bottles that can be served by-the-glass. France’s premier fine wine regions featured, with Burgundy, Bordeaux, Sancerre and Champagne all on offer. The wines proved an evident thirst for premium drops as well as the by-the-glass options: by the close of the tasting there was barely a drop of Maison Antoine Geoffroy’s Pouilly-Fuissé left. In encompassing those extremes – and all in between – the ZONIN1821 portfolio tasting demonstrated true versatility. Both the wide-ranging Italian selection and the global producers seemed to be finding their place with UK buyers. Thomas believes it proves a vote of confidence in the overall selection: “It's particularly rewarding to see year-on-year growth in listings across the UK restaurant sector – extending well beyond Italian cuisine – demonstrating the expanding reach and relevance of our wines in today’s dynamic market.”