MY FAVOURITE THINGS WITH ANTONIO GALLONI
“There are two great wines in the world: Barolo and Champagne,” Antonio’s father told him as a child, igniting what would turn out to be a lifelong passion and a distinguished career in wine.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Antonio’s fascination with wine started at an early age. His parents retailed Italian wines, while his maternal grandfather had a deep love for Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône. Antonio was reading avidly about the world’s major wine-making regions as a teen and wrote his first articles on Burgundy and Bordeaux for his high school French class.
Galloni’s early career as a musician and working in restaurants introduced him to many of the new California wineries of the time, while years spent as a financial services expat working in Milan resulted in a total immersion of Italian wine and culture. During his time studying for an MBA at MIT, Galloni started Piedmont Report, the first in-depth, English language journal solely focused on Italian wine.
Antonio’s success led him to Robert Parker and The Wine Advocate where his coverage of Italy and Champagne confirmed the dual passions that had first ignited Antonio’s interest in wine years earlier. As lead critic, Galloni’s mandate increased to include Burgundy and Napa Valley, where he famously succeeded Parker.
In 2013, Antonio founded Vinous, the ground-breaking wine publication that has since become the reference point for wine lovers worldwide. Galloni leads a team of star critics to include Neal Martin, Stephen Tanzer, Joshua Raynolds, Ian D’Agata and David Schildknecht while covering the wines of Bordeaux, California, Italy, and Champagne. Galloni is taking wine information into the modern age by being the first to combine influential professional reviews and ratings with millions of peer perspectives through the recent acquisition of Delectable, a widely popular social media application on which users can instantly scan and rate wines to share their experiences.
It is a privilege to welcome Antonio, who will divulge details of his illustrious career in wine, whilst guiding Members through a collection of his favourite expressions.
We will taste:
2002 Dom Perignon
Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia (vintage to be confirmed)
1998 Bruno Giacosa, Barolo Falletto
1982 Bartolo Mascarello
1982 Latour
1993 Rousseau Beze
2015 Tyler Chardonnay, Santa Barbara
2010 Kapcsándy Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin
2010 Ridge Monte Bello
Trimbach Clos Ste. Hune (vintage to be confirmed)