Taste of Roma 2017: Wine-Flavored Gelato of Gunther Gelato Italiano and Vigne di Roma

Posted by Rowena Dumlao Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 9/26/2017

Taste of Roma 2017: Wine-Flavored Gelato of Gunther Gelato Italiano and Vigne di Roma

I remember seeing a photo of Gunther Rohregger in Pinterest hunched over a table full of Post-it notes, bottles of wine and a computer while smelling the wine inside a glass. It was captioned that he was working on new gelato flavors using 14 different wines of Vigne di Roma, wine producers from Lazio (Italy) that were to be presented at the Taste of Roma 2017 by MangiaeBevi, a leading Italian enogastronomic guide. My interest was completely drawn to what his creative mind can come up with. His artisan gelato is not new to me. I am familiar with the clean daring flavors that he comes up with like his unforgettable (and not for the fainthearted) Gelato al Sigaro Toscano (Tuscan cigar). Wine and gelato are very interesting flavors to blend and if there's anyone who can pull it off well, it has to be Gunther Gelato Italiano.

Vigne di Roma is a network of wine producers from the Italian region of Lazio that was formed in February 2016. Originally 11 producers from the beginning, it has now expanded to 15 members. The network aims to raise the level of knowledge of the wines produced in Lazio that are linked to the historical wine production of the region. This union is composed of family companies in the Lazio region that are characterized by quality, innovation, and vivacity. One of their goals is to approach the food sector because after all, the local Roman cuisine marries well with the wines produced in the same territory.

The wine producers of Vigne di Roma are: Marco Carpineti, Casal del Giglio, Casale della Ioria, Castello di Torre in Pietra, Cincinnato, Consoli, Famiglia Cotarella, Federici, Donato Giangirolami, Papalino, Poggio Le Volpi, Principe Pallavicini, Tenuta Sant'Isidoro, and Terre di Marfisa.

Gunther Gelato Italiano is a creation of Gunther Rohregger, a young artisan gelato maker from South Tyrol, in northern Italy, who has been passionately making gelato in Rome for the past nine years. At his three gelaterie (Punto Gelato & The Taste Gelato), you can taste his original flavors, both traditional and some that are absolutely unique where he uses exclusively ingredients of optimum quality, even the water which comes from the Dolomite mountains. You can also see more about Gunther at my blog post and article at Honest Cooking.

The union with Vigne di Roma gave birth to these 14 adventurous and unexpected flavors:

Marco Carpineti, Kius: Sorbetto con Mandorla Tostata Salata (Sorbet with Toasted Salted Almonds)
Casale Del Giglio, Aphrodisium: Crema di Passito (Cream of Passito)
Casale Della Ioria, Olivella: Ricotta di Bufala con Infusione di Fungo Porcino e Pinoli Tostati (Bufala Ricotta with Infusion of Porcini Mushroom and Toasted Pine Nuts)
Castello di Torre in Pietra, Vermentino: Sorbetto di Pesca e Semi di Papavero (Peach Sorbet and Poppy Seeds)
Cincinnato, Castore: Sorbetto di Susine (Plum Sorbet)
Consoli, Alma Mater: Sorbetto al Cioccolato con Salsa all'Alma Mater e Amarena (Chocolate Sorbet with Alma Mater and Amarena Sauce)
Famiglia Cotarella, Pomele: Sorbetto al Pomele con Grue di Cacao (Pomele Sorbet with Cocoa Nibs)
Federici, Sapiens: Sorbetto con Lampone e Pepe di Penja (Raspberry Sorbet and Penja Pepper)
Donato Giangirolami, Propizio: Sorbetto con Salsa Passion Fruit (Sorbet with Passion Fruit Sauce)
Papalino, Ametis: Sorbetto con Foglia d'Ostrica (Sorbet with Oyster Leaves)
Poggio Le Volpi, Roma Rosso: Sorbetto di Pesca e Chiodi di Garofano (Peach Sorbet and Cloves)
Principe Pallavicini, Stillato: Zabaione al Passito con Uvetta (Passito Zabaione with Raisins)
Tenuta Sant'Isidoro, Soremidio: Sorbetto di Mora e Anice Stellato (Blackberry Sorbet and Star Anise)
Terre di Marfisa, Zamathi: Crema con Fiori di Capperi e Fiori d'Arancio (Cream with Caper Blossoms and Orange Blossoms)