Michele Chiarlo Shining star in the Land of the Rising Sun by  Laura Botto

Michele Chiarlo: a name, a man, a company and an empire set to conquer the world. Through the years we have gotten to know this Piedmontese wine leader, an entrepreneur who for more than 50 years has been pursuing the path of quality, a path that—often through hardship and sacrifice—leads to the goal of true and lasting success. And anyone who is involved in wine, who loves and knows it well, knows that this product, born in the vineyard, perfected in the cellar and revealed in the goblet, must now more than ever compete on a global market, a world of products, competitors and tastes that changes from nation to nation and year to year.
Every day, despite its indisputable prestige, even the Michele Chiarlo winery has to “enter the fray” and win. And it does, demonstrating that high quality is a synonym for success.
And honors certainly abound. Recently assigned were the “Three stars super” award given by the Guida D’Oro Veronelli to the year’s best wines. But it is on the international front that the finest praises come, such as winning the Piedmont Wine Trophy at the International Wine Challenge Awards in London with the Montemareto Countacc 2004, the finest red wine tasted.
Michele Chiarlo is flying high, one could certainly say, since the Montemareto Countacc 2004 was also recently chosen as the Italian red to be served with first class meals on Lufthansa, the German flagship airline, which was founded in 1926 and whose fleet provides direct links to 192 destinations in 78 countries around the world.
This choice was made from among a hundred high-range wines from Italy’s finest districts and, after long and careful deliberation, the panel (headed by world champion sommelier Markus del Monego) decided on the Chiarlo winery.
And so from this March on bottles of the Michele Chiarlo Piedmont wine will be the only Italian labels served worldwide to first class passengers on Lufthansa, whose exclusive in-flight meal service is handled by LSG Sky Chefs, the biggest catering outfit in the world.
And it’s only a hop from Europe to Asia. Where, on emerging markets like South Korea, Japan and Singapore, Michele Chiarlo is a … tiger.
Economically important countries where fine Italian wines, for which Chiarlo is one of the most popular ambassadors, is more and more in demand.
A region with huge potential that’s increasingly getting to know and appreciate premium wine.
And those words could briefly summarize the “Asian tour” that saw Michele Chiarlo wines involved in a heavy schedule of events, meetings and tastings in Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul.
In Singapore the stage for a private collectors’ tasting of five great Barolos was the “Garibaldi”, the city’s most famous Italian restaurant. The protagonists were “5-star” vintages of four great crus: Vigna Rionda 1982, Rocche 1985, Cannubi 1996 and Cerequio 1997 and 2001.
The complexity and freshness of the 1982 and 1985 vintages were surprising, demonstrating the unique character and longevity of Barolos and the winning Chiarlo philosophy of making wines whose characteristics faithfully represent the grape variety and its terroir.
Rich wines, therefore, and extremely elegant, with all the variegated features that have made the king of Piedmont wines unique.
Unique fragrance that ranges from the underbrush scents of mushrooms, wet leaves and white truffles to the balsamic (eucalyptus, mint) to dried rose petals and even more… Endowments surely much appreciated in this part of Asia (Singapore and Hong Kong) where Barolo lovers especially like bottles more than 10 years old.
More “institutional” was the Tokyo experience where, along with Grandi Marchi, Chiarlo participated in “Vinitaly Japan.” For the occasion 35 top journalists were invited to a traditional nine-course Japanese meal where 18 great Italian wines were served.
The last stop on this very interesting trip was “Vinitaly Korea”, again in company with Grandi Marchi. The scenario here was probably the most surprising: South Korea is, in fact, a youngish nation (Seoul, the capital with more than 20 million inhabitants, was practically rebuilt after the Korean War in the 1950s) but an economically powerful one (ranking 10th worldwide).
But above all it is a country in which love for wine is growing fast: figures show a 47% increase in sales of Italian wine in 2006, and 112% in the first half of 2007.
Particularly important in such a context was the day devoted to launching Michele Chiarlo with its new importer, Keumyang (number one in South Korea). Alberto Chiarlo chaired three presentations: to the sales force, to sommeliers (a vertical tasting of Cerequio) and to an audience of more than 50 persons, composed of top restaurateurs, journalists and Keumyang managers, all united for a gala dinner on the 58th floor of Seoul’s highest restaurant. Worth mentioning was the youthfulness of almost everyone there. Most are aged between 25 and 35 years.
Also interesting is Michele Chiarlo’s presence in China. In Shanghai and Beijing the house was recently the star of prestige events and tastings, confirming the great international popularity of its wines even on a market like the Chinese, which is growing fast and increasingly interested in quality products.
Michele Chiarlo wines have been sold on the Chinese market for the last 10 years and, side by side with “ASC Finewine Importer” have experienced the growing attention that a larger and larger portion of the Chinese population is giving to the world of wine.
In a highly vibrant context with enormous potential, and on a market growing at an average of 20% annually, it’s very pleasant to see evidence of esteem and confirmations of the quality of one’s work.
The first of the two events Michele Chiarlo hosted was held on September 14 at the St. Regis Hotel in Shanghai, to which had been invited a select group of top wine & food journalists, luxury hotel managers and a few fine wine collectors.
And the star was Barolo Cerequio, the company’s most famous wine, in vintages from 1990 to 2003 and proposed in a vertical tasting of the 10 best years, which amazed those present for the personality that each individually expressed and the complexity, elegance and overall evolution of this great cru.
The Barolo Cerequio tasting was the second of five vertical tastings of famous red wines planned by the same organization, and it had the honor of coming just a few weeks after one devoted to legendary Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most famous wine.
The next day the setting was Beijing, and the same event was held at the prestigious China World, hotel to diplomats, which, towering above the business district, is considered the most luxurious hotel in the city. Inside it are different restaurants, renowned for their cuisine and especially for their rich wine lists: a true meeting place for wine connoisseurs and the first in Beijing to rate an Excellence Award from Wine Spectator.
Here too, the event held for important personalities in the wine world, luxury hotels and journalism was a great success. And Michele Chiarlo was very proud of having brought some of the magic of Piedmont’s hills into the “Celestial Kingdom.”

Copyright © 2005 - Convivium2000
All rights reserved
Web design and Coding by Webdolomiti