Slotovino roll call of Honour

As well as the Slotovino Hall of Fame for rare grape varities discovered on our journeys, we try to pay homage to those pioneers who rescue endangered species.

In 2010 we tried to honour the following. It's worth reproducing the whole post since it has been buried under 7 years' verbiage.

To these we'd like to add

Andre Manz (Dona Fatima)                          Jampal
Plaimont Producteurs                                    Arrufiac
Chanton Visp                                                  Resi
Longanesi                                                        Longanesi
A.A. La Sabbiona                                           Savignon Rosso
Alfonso Soranzo                                             Cavrara, Pattaresca,Turchetta
Ognibene family                                             Negretto/Negrettino
Cinque Campi                                                 Malbo gentile
Alberto and Claudia Peretti                          Temarina Nera
Bernabe Navarro                                             Fourcayat
Pierpaolo Lorieri                                             Vermentino Nero
Leonardo Piertafesa, Tenuta le Querce         Tamurro Nero
Hardimos Hatzidakis                                      Assyritiko, Mavrotragono
Gianluca Bisol                                                  Dorona


As well as the above, here is our embryonic Roll Call of Honour together with the grapes relevant to each name;

Giuseppe Apicella, Alfonso Arpino and Luigi Reale - Tintore  
Emilio Bulfon - Cividin, Cjanorie, Forgiarin, Moscato Rosa, Picolit Neri, Sciaglin, Ucelut  
Casali Viticultori - Spergola  
Francisco Figueiredo and others - Ramisco  
Jean-Pierre and Philippe Grisard - Persan, Etraire de l'Adui  
Walter Massa - reviver of Timorasso and leader of a new wave of winemakers in South East Piemonte 
Jose Luis Mateo Bastardo, Caíño Redondo, Caiño longo, Zamarrica, Brancellao, Sousón, Arauxa,

Jose Luis Mateo

Dona Blanca and Monstruosa de Monterrei in Galicia;
Heinrich Mayr for nurturing the white heirloom variety Blaterie at his Nusserhof property near Bolzano, Alto Adige  
Robert & Bernard Plageoles, 7 types of Mauzac, Ondenc, Prunelart, Verdanel etc.  
Domenico Pedrini and Gianni Chiste' of Azienda Agricola Pravis, Lasino (near Trento), Negrara and Gropello di Revo back from increasing obscurity in the Trentino area.  
The Rasse family (Rene and his sons Georges and Denis) for maintaining the idiosyncratic St. Jeannet appelation (near Nice) when almost all other vignerons (there were 70 in the 1950s) have sold their land to developers. It is in this case the Terroir if not the varieties which were endangered although some rare Braquet is grown together with Mourvèdre, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Rolle, Ugni Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat and Grenache Noir and the bizarre and ancient method of aging the reds in 'Bonbonnieres' before putting the wine in oak barrels.

The smaller surviving growers include Mimi Lorenzato, Roger Barrière and Lazare Giambi. Agricola San Felice - Pugnitello  
Luigia Zucchi - Nibio the regeneration of the ancient grape variety, Nibiò, which once held position as Monferrato's noblest and highest value. 200 years of neglect nearly resulted in its extinction, but producer Luigia Zucchi has fronted the campaign for its rebirth. There are no doubt many more and we will add to the list, but this is a start and suggestions will be gratefully received.