From Rome to Williamsburg, Brooklyn

When in Rome last June, Michele and I enjoyed lunch at Pier Luigi, a favorite restaurant for fish.  After our meal, we got into a conversation with Lorenzo Lisi, an owner, who said that he and his partners were going to open a restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which they found similar to the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome.  The new place would be a version of Antica Pesa, one of the oldest restaurants in Rome, known for its classic Roman cooking.

I love the food in all 20 regions of Italy, but as I have often said, if I were a rich man I would live in Rome.  One of the main reasons is the food.

Williamsburg seems like a big trip across the river, but in reality, it took us less than a half hour to get to Antica Pesa from our Manhattan apartment.  When we entered Lorenzo Panella, the general manager, greeted us.  Since it was a cold night, he graciously seated us in front of the fireplace until our other guests arrived

Fried Calamari

At the table, we ordered the tasting menu.  The highlights included perfectly fried calamari, marinated skate with sauteed escarole, linguine cacio and pepe, schiaffoni all’ amatriciana (a pasta resembling rigatoni, though I would have preferred it with bucatini) and a very tasty lamb crop.We brought our own wines and the corkage fee here is $25 per bottle.  The beverage director, Gabriele Guidoni, is a true sommelier and before long we were having a discussion about Italian wine.

The Wines
Langhe Bianco Nascetta- Anas- Cetta DOC 2010 Elvio Cogno.
Made from the Nascetta grape (autochthonous Novello Bianco). This grape is of Mediterranean origin and might have originated in Sardinia. Cogno first produced the wine in 1994 and there are records of it going back to the 19th Century.  He is one of the few that make it now.  The Nascetta vineyards are at 350 meters and the 4,000 vines per hectare are vertical trellised with Guyot pruning. Harvesting is at the end of September. The wine is vinified in 70% stainless steel and 30% in barriques. It is aged 6 months in stainless steel and 6 months in barriques and is 180 days on the lees. After 3 months of bottle age it is released.
I visited this winery a few years ago and Valter Fissore,  Elvio Cogno’s son-in law and the wine maker, said that it has a mineral character but when it ages, it resembles Riesling! It is a very elegant wine with good fruit, a long finish and great aftertaste.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 100% DOC 2005, Edoardo Valentini.  The winery is organic and biodynamic. This is a very complex and full bodied wine with a mineral character, hints of citrus fruit and apple, good acidity, great finish and aftertaste and an extra something that is difficult to describe.
The wine is aged in large botti of Slavonia oak for 24 months. I do not like to compare types of wine, but if asked what other type of wine this reminded me of, my answer would be a great white burgundy.
In one of her books, Jancis Robinson says that the grape for this wine is not Trebbiano d’Abruzzo but Bombino Bianco. When this question came up when I was at the winery, Edoardo Valentini said that the grape was a special clone of Trebbiano d’ Abruzzo. Both the importer and Edoardo’s son, Francesco say it is Trebbiano d’ Abruzzo.

Rubesco Rosso di Torgiano DOC 1979 Lungarotti 70% Sangiovese and 30% Canaiolo. The soil is clay and sand of medium depth with limestone subsoil. There are 4,000 vines per hectare and the harvest takes place in September/October. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with 18 days maceration on the skins. It is aged for 12 months in oak casks and lightly filtered before bottling. This is a wine with red fruit aromas and flavors, hints of black cherry and a touch of leather and spice with a very pleasant finish and aftertaste, Note: this was NOT the Vigna Monticchio but the regular Rubesco which made it even more impressive!

Barbaresco Campo Cros Martinenga 1982, 100 % Nebbiolo Tenuta Cisa Aisnari dei Marchesi di Gresey.
In his book the Italy’s Noble Red Wines Wasserman describes the wine as: “Tobacco and cherries on aroma; full of flavor, extremely well balanced; long finish the best Martinegna to date.” This is his note from 1985; I tasted the wine with him a few years later and was very impressed. 30 years later his description still stands and  the wine is at its peak. Wasserman also says that the 1982 was almost perfect and gives the vintage four stars, his highest rating. He gives the wine three stars with a possible four. After drinking it with dinner I give it the extra star, too.

Amarone 1961 Bertani 70% Corvina Veronese, 30% Rondinella-this is the present blend.
Carefully selected grape bunches are hand-harvested in Bertani’s best Valpolicella vineyards in Fumane, Marano and the Novare Valley. Vines are cultivated using the “spalliera” method while pruning is done using the Guyot  method with 5.000 vines/ha.
Unlike most leading Amarone producers, who buy grapes from outside growers, Bertani’s harvest originates entirely in the firm’s own vineyards. With marly-calcareous soil sheltered by surrounding woodland, these vineyards offer the ideal terroir for Amarone.
Harvest begins in early October and extends over a two-week period. After harvest, ripe, unblemished grapes from the uppermost portions of each cluster — those grapes richest in sugar and extracts — are painstakingly detached and laid out to dry on cane mats. The mats are stored on raised platforms in airy lofts, sheltered by a roof but otherwise exposed to drying breezes on all sides. By the time they are ready to undergo maceration and fermentation in February, they will have lost up to 60% of their water content (appassimento). A lengthy maceration period ensues, a factor responsible for Amarone’s tremendous body and structure. After a controlled fermentation, the wine is transferred into oak casks for a period of 5-8 years (the 1961, I believe, spent a longer time in wood) during which it was racked twice annually prior to bottling.
Dry, full-bodied, and amply structured with hints of cherries, red berries and spice.  The wine was showing its age. 1961 was a very good vintage for Amarone.

Good Friends, Champagne and Old Wine

My friend Albert and I were planning to have lunch at restaurant SD26 in NYC recently. He told me he wanted to bring a bottle of 1966 Chateau Ausone and said that he also had another ‘66 and a ‘62. When I mentioned this to Irwin, a member of my wine group, he said that Ausone is his favorite wine. Then he said that if I would organize a dinner with Albert and the Ausone, he would bring a 1996 Champagne Krug and a 1931 Chateau Latour. Two other members of the wine group, Travis and Nicole, said they would come and bring some older wines, too. I could not wait to arrange this dinner. SD 26 was closed for an event on the night that we could all get together. However Tony May the owner said we could have one of the small private rooms and it was perfect.

The Wines

Champagne Krug 1996  Made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, the percentage of each variety depends on the vintage. The wine is aged in used barriques. Full bodied, complex and dry with a hint of toast. This wine will last for many years. This is a great wine in an excellent vintage. Is there any better way to begin the evening than with Krug Champagne.

Grand Vin Chateau Latour 1931 Pauillac, 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdpt.  Made from old vines in the 47 ha of the original Enclos. Today there are 10,000 vines per hectare but I do not know if it was the same 80 years ago. I believe 1931 was not a great year in Bordeaux but Latour is known for making great wines even in off years.  The wine is 81 years old and it was in great condition, good color, no signs of oxidation, elegant and balanced — a classic Pauillac.

My first experience drinking Latour was with the 1963 vintage, a very poor vintage. The year was 1969 and I paid $3.99 a bottle for the wine in a store in Brooklyn. The wine was wonderful and Chateau Latour became my favorite Bordeaux.

Barolo 1931 100% Nebbiolo. Borgogno This was the only disappointment. The wine was starting to come apart with celery aromas and high VA. We could not drink it.

Chianti Vecchio Della Fattoria Santa Christina 1943 Cantine del Marchese Ludovico e Piero Antinori
The wine was mostly Sangiovese with some Canaiolo and Colorino, and two white grapes Malvasia and Trebbiano.  Most likely the governo method was used. The wine was in perfect condition.  There were hints of fruit and the aroma of sunshine on the Tuscan pines.
On the neck label it reads: “Consortium for the defense of the typical wine of Chianti”.

Ask any producer of Chianti today and they will tell you that Chianti made with white grapes and using the governo method will not age. In order to make “great Chianti” they must use international grapes and concentrators and put the wine in barriques. Chianti has lost its identity. I guess the present Consortium does not defend the typical wine of Chianti.
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Chateau Ausone Premier Grand Cru, St. Emilion 1962 Made from 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. The vineyard is only 7 hectares and there are 6,500 vines per hectare. This is a wine with great color and body with hints of leather and cherry and a great finish and aftertaste. It was one of the best St. Emilion’s I have ever tasted.  Then I tasted the Ausone 1966 and it was even better.

Fixin Clos Napoleon 1959 Domaine A.Ligeret 100% Pinot Noir.  The label indicated that it was a special bottling for the Chevaliers du Tastevin. The wine was showing very few signs of age and it was a elegant and classic Burgundy.

This was a very special dinner with good friends and great wine.  I cannot wait to do it again. Albert still has some more Ausone and Travis said that he had another Borgogno Barolo 1931.

Eating and Drinking in Rome

If I were a rich man I would have and apartment in Rome and a house on the Amalfi Coast.  While I cannot buy a house on the Amalfi coast, I can rent one for a vacation and on the way, why not spend a few days in Rome?

We always go to the same place for lunch when we arrive in Rome.  We drop off our bags and walk to Da Giggetto(39-066861 05) at Portico D’Ottavia 12A, in the Jewish ghetto.  The afternoon was sunny and too hot to dine outside so we sat in a newly opened room with big glass windows onto the Portico D’Ottavia and the synagogue.

Fiori di Zucca e Carciofi

I do not need to look at the menu because I always order the same things: fiori di zucca ripieni con mozzarella e alici The flowers were small and crunchy and very good.  I also get carciofi alla giudia  (fried artichokes) and spaghetti con vongole veraci. The tiny clams were tender and seasoned with just the right amount of parsley, garlic, olive oil and a hint of hot pepper. Michele had il filetto di baccala (she loves the way the Romans fry) and the puntarelle in salsa d’ alici, her favorite salad, a type of chicory.  It was a relaxing start to our trip.
For a number of years now we have been trying to go restaurant Armando al Pantheon but somehow never get there because it is always booked up.  This time, Michele made a reservation on line from NYC.  We started off with what I always order in a traditional Roman restaurant:   zucchini flowers, bucatini alla matriciana and abbacchio arrosto. The dessert was a strawberry crostata with a lattice top.    Michele really loved the food here.  The wine was the 2005 Montepulciano D’Abruzza, from Eduardo Valentini it was less than 40 euro–a real bargain in a restaurant. The wine was big but with a lot of fruit and not as tannic as I would have expected. Most of my experiences with these wines are ones that are 25 years and older. The wine prices in Rome, especially for non-local wines, were better than on the Amalfi coast.

At Checchino dal 1887  V (www.checchino1887.com), Via  Monte 30 Testaccio, Francesco Mariani takes care of the front of the house while his brother Elio is in the kitchen. A number of years ago Francesco did us a big favor by getting us on a train to Genoa during a train strike.   Aside from that, it is in my opinion that with over six hundred wines from Italy and all over the world, this is the best restaurant in Rome for both wine and food. I always have long conversations with Francesco about Italian wine and which wine I should order with what I am eating.  Every time I go, Francesco remembers the wine I ordered the last time I was there.  This time he recommended a wine from Lazio, Cesanese del Piglio 2005 DOC  from Azienda Agricola Marcella Guliano. They no longer have any Fiorano Rosso or older vintages of Colle Picchione “Vigna dal Vassallo”.  They still have a number of vintages of the Fiorano Bianco, but serve it as a dessert wine.

Traditional Amatriciana

Once again I ordered the tasting menu because it had all of my favorite foods. I started with a tortino of eggs, peppers and tomato; this was followed by pasta alla Matriciana (yes again).  It could not have been better.  Then rabbit (coniglio alla olive di Gaeta con rughetta and pomodoro) followed by torta de mele (apple tart).

Checchino is still a member of L’ Unione di Ristoranti del Buon Ricordo, a group of restaurants that give you a plate if you order their signature dish or tasting menu. Since we both ordered the tasting menu we were given two plates.  We have almost 100 of these plates and eight are from Checchino.

Pierliugi(39-06-6861 302) Michele loves to sit al fresco at this seafood restaurant, which is in the charming Piazza dè Ricci but it was close to 95 degrees so we opted to do what all the Italians were doing- -eat inside and enjoy the air conditioning.

Amatriciana with Shellfish

We started with the stuffed fried zucchini flowers, and then I had bocconcini di polenta con baccala, polenta bites with salt cod.  Michele had the very Roman cacio e pepe.  They have their own version of pasta all’amatriciana made with paccheri, a wide pasta tube.  The sauce includes shellfish and of course I had to order it. It was very good but I would have enjoyed it more if there were less pecorino cheese, which seemed a bit much for the shellfish. For the main course I had scampi (langoustine) and large shrimp on the grill. The waiter was very good and we had a long discussion about wine.  I ordered the Fiano di Avellino DOCG 2009 made from 100% Fiano from Guido Marsella.  Pierluigi’s wine prices were higher than any restaurant we visited in Rome on this trip.  When we told the waiter we were from NYC he told us that the owner might want to speak with us since he is opening a restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. After we finished lunch the owner, Lorenzo Lisi, came over and told us all about his plans for the new restaurant and that it would open in September.

Carbonara

Roscioli Salumeria Vineria con Cucina – Via dei Giubbonari 21-22. This is not only a restaurant but also a salumeria, a shop specializing in salumi and

“Hamburger”

cheese. Michele likes the restaurant because she believes it has the best carbonara in Rome. It also has some very creative items like the hamburger di bufala with grilled ham and a balsamic drizzle, and the burrata e alici, both of which we ordered along with the carbonara. I usually order the matriciana but Michele is right, the carbonara was terrific.  The wine was the 2003 Cerasuolo (Rosè) 100% Montepulciano d’Abuzzo from Eduardo Valentini. It was less than 40 Euro. For more on Rome see Wine in Rome a great blog by Tom Maresca.

Calabria at the American Institute of Wine and Food

“Calabria Revisited” was the theme of a dinner organized by the American Institute of Wine and Food at Alloro Restaurant in Manhattan to benefit their children’s outreach program known as the Days of Taste.  Chef Salvatore Corea, who was born in Calabria, was our host and presented a menu of regional dishes.  His wife Gina made everyone feel at home in this family run restaurant.  I was asked to speak about the wines of Calabria and the three wines we were having with dinner.

Calabria is the most rural and least industrialized regions of Italy.

90% of the wine production is red.

Except for Ciró, the wines of Calabria are not very well known in this country.  Calabria has a history of viniculture going back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, in fact the Greeks called Southern Italy Enotria, the land of wine, but today Calabria seems to have fallen behind the rest of Italy. 90% of the the wine production is red. It is the most rural and least industrialized regions of Italy.

The Slow Wine Guide, published by the Slow Food organization, lists only two wineries from Calabria in its English version of the guide.

The Gambero Rosso guide lists many more wineries, including the ones that we had with dinner. In the 2009 edition,  they awarded three glasses, their highest award to a few wines, one being a Ciró and a wine from Calabria was named sweet wine of the year. Things may be improving, but they still have a long way to go.

The Wines 

Scavigna Bianco DOC 2010 made from Greco Bianco, Chardonnay, Malvasia, Trebbiano, Pinot Bianco and Riesling. Azienda Agricola Odoardi the winery is at 600 meters. The soil is calcareous clay and the training system is Guyot. The harvest takes place in late August and the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine had flavors and aromas of white peaches with notes of herbs and grass. They are one of the few producers that make this wine.  Owners are Giorgio and Giovanbattista Odoardi.

Ciró Rosso Classic Superiore “Liber Pater” DOC 2009 it is made from 100% Gaglioppo grapes.  The wine is fermented in stainless steel. Ippolito 1845.   This is a rustic wine with deep red and black fruit aromas and flavors with a hint of leather. It has a long finish and a distinctive aftertaste. I liked the wine and it was a great combination with the Candele di Gragnano con ragù n’juduia, pecorino crotonese, scorzette d’agrumi di candite, long pasta tubes in a sauce flavored with a spicy soft sausage and candied lemon zest. 

Gaglioppo is a grape that was probably brought to Southern Italy by the ancient Greeks, or so the producers say.

However this has become a matter of debate.

Ciró is the best known of the Calabrian wine regions and makes a very distinctive wine.  However this is going to change as the production code now allows international grape varieties to be added to the Gaglioppo.

The Slow Wine Guide is against this “…it finds this decision perplexing not only because it goes against tendencies in the rest of the South but because it is a hard blow to a distinctive DOC that has contributed significantly to Italy’s wine history.” I could not agree more!

Savuto Rosso Blend DOC “Vigna Colle Barabba” DOC made from the Arvino, Greco Nero, Magliocco, Canino and Nerello Capuccio grapes. Mauro Colacino. They use spurred cordon-sapling training for the vines. The wine is fermented in stainless steel  This is a softer, more elegant wine than the Ciró with subtle red fruit aromas and flavors and a hint of cherry.

This wine went very well with the Filetto di maiale con salsa di miele e peperoncino, verze stufate, crema fritta e pancetta crocante,roasted pork lion, with honey & spice red pepper sauce, braised cabbage, fried cream and crisp pancetta.

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N’ Tice Liquor, Calabria, a digestivo that is made from vodka, grappa and citrus and was the perfect end to the dinner.

 

 

 

Sangiovese and Bistecca alla Fiorentina

 

I believe that wines made from the Sangiovese grape are some of the best wines to drink with food. Their red and black fruit aromas and flavors, the touch of violet, and above all their good acidity give them the ability to combine with food without overpowering it. I am speaking of those wines that taste and smell like the grapes they are made from and the terroir in which the grapes are grown.  I do not mean the big oaky international style wines that steamroll over everything, including the person drinking them!

A Mural at The Leopard at des Artistes

Wines like Chianti and Vino Noble di Montepulicano can be drunk and enjoyed with pasta, salami, pizza, etc. but what is often overlooked is that they go perfectly with meats, game, and all sorts of hearty dishes.

The Leopard at Café des Artistes is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in NYC.  The kitchen is best known for the foods of Southern Italy.  When I was invited to a lunch there by Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano , chef Vito Gnazzo matched their wines with typical Tuscan dishes,  I wondered how it would work out.  Chef Gnazzo made two dishes that were perfect combinations with the wines and could not have been better if I had them in Montepulicano!

The pappardelle al ragú di cinghiale e funghi di stagione (pappardelle with wild boar and seasonal mushroom sauce), wide strips of fresh pasta were cooked “al dente” and married perfectly with the rich boar and mushroom ragu.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina con Patatine Fritte

When they brought out the plates of Bistecca alla fiorentina con patatine fritte it was quite a sight! The sliced Florentine steak was perfectly prepared and complemented by the best thick-cut fried potatoes I have had in a long time.

The Vecchia Cantina Di Montepulicano is the oldest cooperative in Tuscany established in 1937. There are over 400 supplying members. The wines we had with lunch were produced under their Poggio Stella and Cantina del Redi labels.

Mr Ugo Pagliai, the enologist for Vecchia Cantina Di Montepulicano spoke about the Montepulicano area in general and what effects  rainfall and temperature have on the vines and  the harvest. He also spoke about the different clones of Sangiovese, such as R24, which I believe is the most popular.

Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG 2010 100% Sangiovese Poggio Stella. There are 3,500/5,000 vines per hectare. The training system is Guyot and spurred cord and the grapes are hand harvested. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled tanks followed by maceration in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then refined in Slavonic oak barrels for at least three months. The wine has red berry aromas and flavor with good acidity. $13.99

Vino Nobile Di Montepulicano DOCG 2008 made from 90% Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile) and 10% Canaiolo.  Poggio Stella. The vines are grown on hillsides and the soil is mostly crumbled rock with good skeletal content. The plant density is 3,500/5,000 vines per hectare and the training system is Guyot and spurred cord. The grapes are hand harvested; fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled tanks followed by maceration in stainless steel. The wine is aged in Slavonic oak barrels for 24 months. $19.99

Vino Nobile Di Montepulicano DOCG 2006 “Briareo” Riserva Cantina del Redi made from Sangiovese and Canaiolo. The altitude of the vineyards is 340/400 meters and there are 4.000/5.000 vines per hectare. The training system is Guyot and spurred cord. Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks followed by maceration on the skins for 8 to 10 days. The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barriques, 12 months in large French oak barrels and 6 months in bottle before release. $29.99

Holiday Adventures in NYC

 

Michele and I always look forward to Christmas dinner with Tom Maresca and Diane Darrow. For a number of years, Tom and Diane come to our house Thanksgiving dinner, and they have us over for Christmas. They are excellent and adventurous cooks and Diane often chooses recipes from books she has written about in her blog http://dianescookbooks.wordpress.com

Tom www.ubriaco.wordpress.com has a great wine collection and will try to find the perfect wine match for each course.

 

The first wine was Champagne Pommery Brut NV. Made from 35% Chardonnay 35% Pinot Nor and 30% Pinot Meunier. It was very easy to drink and worked very well with the little pastry shells filled with foie gras, egg salad, prosciutto, caviar etc.

 

The first course was an individual ramekin filled with an egg baked in cream with white truffle paste, which they had brought back from Alba. The wine to match this dish was a Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2003 Labouré–Roi. As Tom poured the wine into the glass it had a golden orange color and even without tasting it we could see that it was oxidized.

 

Then we had an Alsatian onion quiche. The main course was  Pintadeau farci Jean Cocteau- stuffed guinea hen from a recipe in Raymond Oliver’s La Cuisine. With it drank Beaune Premier Cru Greves 2005 Moillard and a Chambolle Musigne 2003 from Drouhin followed. They were both showing very well but the Moillard was a bit softer.

 

Next there was a cheese course.  All the cheeses were great but the gorgonzola was really special, we drank a Chateau Brane Cantenac1989, Cabernet Sauvignon Carmeriére. Dessert was a not too sweet cranberry crostata made by Michele.  For those that were still able to drink there was grappa.

 

Monday and Tuesday we stayed home and tried not to eat too much.

 

Wednesday we went to Russ & Daughters to buy caviar and foie gras for New Years Eve. We also went to an Indian restaurant but did not have wine.

 

Thursday we went to SD26, which is becoming one of my favorite Italian restaurants for lunch and had another great meal.  Tony May recommended we have the burrata, which was brought in from Puglia.  It was superb.  Then I had chestnut fettuccine with wild boar salami & dried cranberries, a perfect dish for a winter day.  We drank the 1988 Chianti Rufina from Grato Grati

On Friday we met a friend from Miami and went to Legend, a Chinese restaurant that has very good food and excellent Martinis.  Love the spicy lamb with cumin.

New Years Eve we went to Japonica for Japanese food for lunch.

That night to celebrate the coming New Year we started with the Caviar and had a bottle of Champagne Bruno Paillard N.P.U. Brut 1995.  Made from 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir I had mentioned to someone that I had had it at a tasting and liked it and I received it as a gift from him. With the foie gras we drank a dessert wine from Spain- Malaga 2007 N0 2 Victoria It is a naturally sweet wine made from the Muscate Alexandria grape and fermented in stainless steel Joege Ordoéz & CO.   This also was a gift from a friend.

 

On New Years Day we took a long walk and in the middle of Washington Square Park there was a man playing classical piano. It was a beautiful day and we stood and listened for a while.   His name is Colin Huggins and he was very good.

 

For dinner that night we had the rest of the foie gras, steak and potatoes fried in duck fat. The wine we drank was a 1984 Volnay 1er Cru “les Champans” Domaine Joseph Voillot.

This wine was everything that a red Burgundy should be and it was a great way to start off the New Year!

I would like to thank everyone that has followed my blog and Happy New Year to one and all.

 

The Perfect Combination: The Wines of Donnachiara at Gattopardo NYC

The Perfect Combination: The Wines of Donnachiara and the Food at Il Gattopardo NYC

 Some things are perfect –such as a luncheon featuring a wine producer from Campania and a restaurant that specializes in the food of Campania and Southern Italy. This was one of the best events of this type that I have been to in a very long time.

Ilaria Petitto speaking about her wine

 Ilaria Petitto is the daughter of Chiara for whom the Donnachiara Winery (www.donnachiara.it) is named.  Ilaria said that the land has been in her family for generations but the winery began production in 2005.  It is located in Montefalcione, in the heart of the area where the three main Irpinian DOCG wines, Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Taurasi are produced. She told us that they want to make wines that are true to the tradition of the area and therefore only produce wines made from traditional grapes.

 Spumante Santé Brut IGT 100% Falanghina. The soil is chalky clay.  There are 2,500 plants per hectare and the harvest  takes place the first week of October. Fermentation takes place for 40 days. Illaria Petitto referred to the method used as the Martinotti method for sparkling wine. (The Charmat method, as it is more popularly known, was invented by Frederico Martinotti in Asti in the 1920’s.)  Refermentation takes place at low temperatures in autoclaves for about 6 months. Then the wine matures on the dregs for another 2 months. The wine had very good bubbles; it was fresh, delicate with floral and citrus aromas and flavors. It was the perfect wine for the appetizers of arancini di riso con piselli and mozzarella e sugo di vitello. It would be great as an aperitif and with fried foods. $ 20

Falanghina Beneventana IGT 100% Falanghina. The soil is chalky clay, there are 2,500 vines per hectare, the training system is Guyot and the harvest takes place the first week of October. Fermentation in stainless steel at controlled temperature for 40 days. The wine does not undergo malolatic fermentation and does not see any wood.

The wine was fresh with hints of citrus and floral aromas and flavors, good acidity and is a very pleasant wine to drink. $18. It was very interesting to taste both the sparkling and still Falanghina side by side. The sparkling tasted like Falanghina with bubbles, as it should!

Fiano di Avellino DOCG 100% Fiano. The soil is chalky clay; there are 4,400 plants per hectare, the training system is Guyot and the harvest takes place the second week of October. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks for 90 days. The wine does not undergo malolatic fermentation and does not see any wood. This is an elegant wine with good body, dries fruit aromas and flavors and a hint of tropical fruit.  Parmigiana di zucchine con provola e salsa al pomodoro (zucchini parmigiana with provola cheese and tomato sauce) had a wonderful aroma and was so light it almost melted in your mouth. Both wines went very well with the dish but I gave the nod to the Falanghina. $19

Aglianico IGT 100% Aglianico. The soil is clay, training system is Guyot and there are 4,000 vines per hectare and the harvest takes place in the second week of November. This wine does not see any wood. The wine is aged in bottle for 6 months. This is a very aromatic wine with wild berry aromas and flavors and hints of blueberries and cherries. $18

 Irpinia Aglianico DOC 100% Aglianico. The soil is clay, there are 4,000 plants per hectare and the harvest takes place the first week of November. The wine is aged for 4 to 6 months in 225 liter French barriques and 6 to 8 months in bottle before release. Ilaria said that the winemaker Angelo Valentino did not want the wood to be more important than the wine so he uses mostly second and third passage barriques. This is a more complex wine with hints of berries and prunes and a touch of spice. I could not tell the wine was aged in oak but as IIaria said the winemaker is very careful when it comes to oak. Paccheri alla “Genovese” Napoletana (pasta tubes with an onion sauce) accompanied it. Even though it has the name “Genovese”, it is a typical Neapolitan dish. Few restaurants serve it in NYC and none do it this good. $20

"Genovese"

 Taurasi DOCG 100% Aglianico, The soil is clay, there are 4,000 vines per hectare and the harvest takes place the first week of November. The wine is aged in 225 liter French barriques for 12 months and for 24 months in bottle before release. This is a big complex wine with berry aromas and flavors, hints of cherry and plum and a touch of cacao and coffee. This was the only wine where I could feel the oak. It was subtle and did not mask the character of the wine. Carre d’ agnello arrosto con patate e spinaci saltata (rack of roasted lamb with potatoes and sautéed spinach). 

The lamb knocked me over–I turned to Gianfranco Sorrentino, the owner of Gattopardo, who was sitting opposite me, and said to him, I will give you the greatest compliment I can about your food and this lamb–it is as good or better than in Italy. $36

 Greco di Tufo DOCG 100% Greco. The soil is tuffaceous, the training system is Guyot and there are 3,300 plants per hectare. Fermentation for about 90 days in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine had flavors and aromas of citrus, pear and a hint of pineapple. It was served with dessert, La Pastiera(a cheesecake made with orange and wheat berries.) This is the traditional Neapolitan dessert served at Easter and I have been told recently during Christmas. Michele makes it every Easter. $20

A Tale of 2 Wines, 2 Steaks and Old Memories

 Gran Vino del Chianti 1953 Villa Antinori Cantine dei Marchesi L. e P. Antinori

1953 was a not a very good year in Tuscany but this was one of the best older Chiantis that I have tasted. It ranks right up there with the 1947 and 1958 Gold Label from Ruffino.   I believe that it was mostly Sangiovese and Canaiolo with some white grapes, most likely Malvasia. The governo method was probably used (10% of the grapes are dried and added back into the wine). It was most likely aged in large Slavonian oak barrels.

 This wine called for a Bistecca Fiorentina but at Diner in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, there was none to be found.  However, they did have a very well prepared Petite Sirloin with roasted potatoes, chanterelle mushrooms and mixed green vegetables in buttermilk. The combination of the steak and the wine made me very happy.

 The American Institute of Food and Wine (AIWF) held its monthly dinner at Macelleria Restaurant in the meatpacking district in Manhattan. When I entered the private dining room I saw on the wall the banner for the Ordine Del Cavaliere Dei Vini Nobile. In the 1980’s and early 1990’s I was a board member of the Ordine, the best Italian wine organization that ever existed in this country. The list of members included all the important wine and food people in NYC and I have a group picture to prove it.

 Macelleria is owned by the daughter of Sergio Bitici. In the 1980’s and 1990 Sergio along with his brothers owned a number of Italian restaurants in NYC.  Sergio was the Chairman of the Ordine. When I saw him at Macelleria, we had a long discussion about the Ordine and how tuxedos were required for the events and how the men complained about it.  In reality, everyone really liked getting dressed up, especially the women!  

My Induction into the Ordine by Sergio Batici(on the left)

 I noticed a number of interesting watercolors on the walls of the restaurant.  When Sergio saw me looking at them, he said that he had painted them. I told him that next time he had a showing to invite me as I was interested in one or two of the paintings. There was a drawing for one of Sergio’s painting that night to benefit the AIWF but I did not win. However, I did win a fabulous basket of Italian products from Coluccio and Sons.

 We had a very nice meal and the highlight was a Bistecca Fiorentina from DeBragga (New York’s Butcher) that was cooked to perfection and went well with the Chianti Classico.

 The wine was a 2006 Chianti Classico Marchese Antinori Riserva made from 95% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and other complementary red grapes. After a destemming and gentle pressing the must for this wine was placed in steel tanks. Gentle pumping and destestage followed and the must was separated according to varietal. Malolatic fermentation was spontaneously completed in 225 liter oak barrels of second and third passage. The skin contact for the Sangiovese was 12 days and for the Cabernet Sauvignon a little over two weeks. The wine was then aged in small oak barrels for 14 months and tasted barrique by barrique before being bottled. It was aged for one year in bottle before being released. The wine was a little too modern in style for my taste and I hope they will go back to making wine as they did in the past.

Neapolitan Pizza and BYOB

 

A Mano, a pizzeria/restaurant in Ridgwood, New Jersey announced that they would be hosting a pizza making demonstration with two of Naples’ greatest pizzaioli, Antonio Starita of Starita a Materdei in Naples, and Roberto Caporuscio of Keste in NYC. Roberto is from the Naples area and trained with Antonio in Naples.  This was a demo I did not want to miss, so along with several friends, we reserved right away. On the day of the demo, over 150 people gathered at the restaurant.  We found our friends, took our seats, and had just enough time for a glass of wine before the demo began. Both Roberto and Antonio were assisted by Adolfo Marletta of La Spaghetta in Naples.

Roberto Caporuscio of Keste needing the dough

 Roberto began by explaining how he makes his dough.  He said that the flour he prefers is a high quality one manufactured by Caputo in Naples.  He uses only their “double zero” flour, which has less gluten in it so that it is easier to stretch.  He uses a special type of mixer that kneads the dough gently.  He demonstrated how to knead the dough by hand.  Then he shaped it into little balls weighing about nine ounces for each pizza. He did this by holding it with one hand and with the other shaping it the same way one would when making mozzarella. 

Antonio Strarita putting the finishing touches on the pizza

Antonio and Roberto mentioned that they had just returned from the Pizza Fair in Las Vegas. Someone in the audience asked who had won the pizza tossing event.  Both men looked puzzled.  Roberto said that they don’t toss the pizza in the air in Naples, while Antonio shook his head and with his hand made a slight back and forth movement saying very softly, mai (never).  They explained that rough handling ruins the dough. 

Margarita

 

Antonio then demonstrated how to shape the dough into a flat disk. He took a ball of dough and gently stretched it in four easy motions, rotating it and folding the edge toward the middle. Next he added pureed Italian canned tomatoes, mozzarella, and a touch of olive oil.  After it was placed on the peel, he stretched the disk out so that it almost doubled in size. He quickly slid the pizza into the wood burning oven and about a minute or so later it was done. The result was perfect Neapolitan style Margarita pizza. Margarita is the queen of pizza, there is no king.

The " Lemon Pizza"

 

I asked Antonio if he would make us his famous “lemon pizza”. This pizza is topped with smoked provola (smoked bufala mozzarella) and thin slices of lemon. I had tasted this pizza once before, when Antonio had been at Keste. It was so good that I had to have it again. He was only too happy to do it. It was as good as I remembered it and went very well with the wine we were drinking.

I then asked him to make another pizza of his choice. He made one of the best marinara pizzas that I have ever had. Roberto told us later that Antonio’s secret is to add a touch of pecorino cheese and a little oregano.

Calzone

 We also enjoyed the little fried calzone filled with ricotta.

 The wines

Most townships in NJ do not allow wine, beer or liquor to be sold in restaurants so we took advantage and brought the following wines.

 Barolo Riserva 1999 100% Nebbiolo Monchiero. This wine was ready to drink. I believe the 1999 was a vintage that can be drunk after 10 years. It had all the Nebbiolo characteristics and went very well with the food as did all the wine.

 Vino Spanna Cantina Castello di Montalbano 1964 Vallana. 1964 was a great vintage in Piemonte. On many of the older bottles of Vallana they have Castello this or that, but the Castellos never existed and with the DOC are no longer on the label. Spanna is the local name for Nebbiolo in this area of Novara in Piemonte. This wine is Nebbiolo with the possible addition of Aglianico! In Italy’s Noble Red Wines, Sheldon Wasserman states that  “Vallana is a master blender…Rumor has it that he used to blend Aglianico from Basilicata into his wines to give them the body and strength that they needed to age and develop.” Wasserman felt that when they stopped doing this, the wines were not as good. Today the wine must be at least 85% Spanna with the possible addition of Vespolina and Bonarda. I am happy to report that I have tasted more recent vintages of the Vallana wines and they have almost come all the way back even without the Aglianico. Tom Maresca gives a full report on the Vallana wines: Vallana: An Old Favorite Returns

 Barbaresco 1967 Produttori del Barbaresco 100% Nebbiolo. This is one of the oldest co-ops in Italy and possible the best. This is also the oldest bottle I have tasted which was not a single vineyard. The label was not the same as the one they use today. This was everything that an old Barbaresco should be and more.

 Barolo Riserva 1967 Borgogno.  This is a great wine. I have had many older bottles of Borgogno Barolo and they age very well. All those aromas that I love in old Barolo were there-faded roses, tar, tea, leather and mushroom.

  Burgundy 2001 Hospices de Nuits Laboure-Roi 100% Pinot Noir. This was the last wine and it did not disappoint as we sat sipping it and talking about the great pizza, great pizza makers (i pizzaioli) and Naples.

 It was a great evening at A Mano and I wanted to start making plans to go back to Naples and visit Starita a Materdei. In the meantime, since I live in NYC I will go to Keste when I want great pizza.

Join Roberto, Michele and me for a pizza tour of Italy www.loveofpizzatour.com

Romano dei Romani-My Favorite Restaurants in Rome

Romano dei Romani

   Rome is my favorite city. Se fosse un uomo ricco abiterei a Roma — If I was a rich man I would live in Rome.  As if the magnificence of the city were not enough, the food also makes me want to return whenever I can.

Last September we rented an apartment on the Via Giulia in the heart of Rome and in walking distance of all but one of my favorite restaurants.

 Roman friends often recommend restaurants that they like. Usually these are not restaurants that serve traditional Roman food. I can understand this because they live there and can have Roman food whenever they want.  But the restaurants they want to send me to serve sushi, or put foamy sauces on the food, and generally work very hard to be very inventive. This would be fine if the flavors or the Italian ingredients came through but in most cases this is not so. The basis for all Italian food is freshness and simplicity, like traditional Rome cooking.   When I am there I eat the same things all the time.

Da Giggetto in the Jewish Quarter

  The only city I have been to more times and know better is New York and that is because I live there.  The routine the first afternoon we arrive in Rome does not change.  We drop off our bags and walk to restaurant Da Giggetto (39- 066861 105) at Portico D’Ottavia 12 A, in the Jewish ghetto.  This time it was a perfect sunny afternoon and the restaurant was crowded.  But we were able to sit outside facing the Tiber with a view of the synagogue.  I do not need to look at the menu because I always order the same things: fiori di zurcca ripieni con mozzarella e alici (small and crunchy but very good), carciofi alla giudia  (fried artichokes) and spaghetti con vongole veraci. The clams were small and tender with just the right amount of parsley, garlic, olive oil and a hint of hot pepper. Michele had il filetto di baccala (she loves the way the Romans fry) and the puntarelle in salsa d’ alici , her favorite salad. We sipped prosecco with our meal in the bright autumn sun.

La Campana

Michele likes La Campana, Vicolo Della Campana 18 (39-06-6867820), we arrived without a reservation and got the last table for two.  If you call even a few hours before you can always get a reservation except for Sunday lunch when many Roman families eat out. The fried stuffed zucchini flowers here were bigger than those at Da Giggetto with a different coating.  The mozzarella filling was rich and creamy with just the right amount of anchovy flavor. The roasted porcini could not have been better and the maiolino arrosto con patate was excellent. Michele always orders the puntarella con alici salad and said this one was very good. For dessert I had fragolini con limone and zucchero.

 We passed Pierliugi restaurant(39-06-6861 302) a few times as it is around the corner from the apartment and it looked very appealing with outside dining in the picturesque Piazza de’ Ricci 144. The restaurant that we wanted to go to for lunch the next day was closed, Michele said “let’s go to Pierliugi” It was still early so we made a reservation for 1:00 PM.  When we returned at that hour, there were many empty tables because Romans eat late. Never go to a restaurant before 12:30 for lunch or 8:00 for dinner. The restaurant might not be open and if they are you may be the only one there. Pierliugi did not fill till 2:00 and after 2: 30 the owner was still adding tables to the outdoor space. It had been a number of years since I had been here so I needed a menu. The waiter was very friendly and when he heard Michele point out that they had ricci di mare (sea urchin) to me, he made her repeat the translation a number of times. He said he had been trying for years to find out the English meaning and no one else could tell him.

We shared a Catalana Salad, with shrimp, seppie, potatoes, slivers of red onion, parsley, cherry tomato halves, rughetta and lots of extra virgin olive oil.  Michele loves this type of sea food salad and this was one of the best. Next I had pennone with alici ragu, a hint of hot pepper, a touch of tomato, fresh alici and a sprinkle of bread crumbs. I finished it all. They had scampi on the menu any way you like it.

 In some restaurants when you order scampi they serve you shrimp. I want langoustine. It is almost impossible to get them in America. The waiter assured me they were langoustine “proprio” and I ordered them grilled. They were perfect with a little olive oil drizzled over them!  As a side dish I ordered carciofi alla guida, they were crisp and crunchy, fried to perfection. They were the best I had in Rome. We drank Frascati Superiore 2008 from Casale Marchese which was very fruity. The wine list was interesting because under each wine was an explanation of how it was aged, in acciaio (steel), barriques (small oak barrels) or botti (large barrels). The waiter suggested a wine aged in barrique.  When I told him I did not like wine aged in barriques, it does not go with food, especially Italian food, he did not understand. I explained that it would be like him drinking a cappuccino after lunch or dinner. It was a running joke for the rest of the meal. This was one of the best fish meals I have ever had.

Il Matriciano

The first time I went to Il Matriciano ,( 39-06-32500364) Via dei Gracchi, 55, was in 1981. It is one of my two favorite restaurants in Rome. Over the years nothing has changed. It is a family run restaurant and one of the owners, a brother and sister, always has lunch at the same table.  We sat outside and the tables around us filled quickly.  As usual, I ordered zucchini flowers (I cannot get enough of them) to start. These were perfectly deep fried with a small amount of mozzarella and more than a hint of anchovies. I ordered the bucatini alla matriciana. Along with one or two others, this is the classic Roman pasta. Some places serve it with rigatoni but it is not the same. Then I had bucatini alla abbacchio (baby lamb) roasted with potatoes. It was cooked to perfection, moist with crisp skin. For desert I had tiny fragoline, wild strawberries, and gelato. The 2006 Aglianico from Feudi San Gregorio went very well with the pasta and the baby lamb. I consider this the perfect Roman meal. In the afternoon it is quiet and I have sometimes seen Italian T.V. stars eating here. At night the restaurant is the most Roman of Roman restaurants. Sometimes it looks like it a scene from the movie La Dolce Vita, full of Romans who all seem to know each other and are having a good time. On Sunday afternoon and at night it is best to make a reservation.

 Obika

The" Drink Menu" at Obika

         A branch of this restaurant has opened in New York. It has only been open in Rome for a few years. Michele wanted to go there because they do a sampling of different Mozzarella di Buffala . They were from Salerno and Paestrum. Two were fresh, one smoked, and there was also ricotta and buratta. The one from Salerno was creamy with a touch of sweetness. The Paestrum was less creamy and more full flavored. The smoked was from Salerno , with a nice smoked flavor and a creamy inside. It was interesting tasting them side by side.

Falengina 2008 from Feudi San Gregorio was a perfect combination especially with the smoked Mozzarella. We also ordered a plate of prosciutto.

Checchino dal 1887

 At Checchino dal 1887 (www.checchino1887.com), Via di Monte 31 Testaccio. Francesco Mariani takes care of the front of the house while his brother Elio is in the kitchen.  It is the best restaurant in Rome for both wine and food with over six hundred wines from Italy and all over the world. I always have long conversations with Francesco about Italian wine and which wine I should order with what I am eating.  This time he even remembered the wine I ordered when I was there two years ago. They no longer have any Fiorano Rosso or older vintages of Colle Picchione “Vigna dal Vassallo”. They did have a double magnum of the 1989 but there were only two of us so I did not order it. 

Many years ago we arrived in Rome and were planning to go by train to Genoa.  At the train station, we were told that there was a one day strike by the train workers, but there would be a train coming from the south.  It would stop in Rome at four and then on to Genoa before heading to Paris.  As it was only noon, what would we do for four hours!  We looked at each other and said “Checchino”.  We found a cab and arrived with all of our baggage.  When we explained the situation to Francesco, he quickly whisked the bags out of sight and said that he would call the station at 3:30.    We had a wonderful meal and were just finishing the last drop of caffe, when Francesco came running into the dining room.  “The train is arriving early,” he said, “there is no time for a taxi.”   We quickly threw everything into his car and raced to the station.  We jumped on the train as it was starting to move with Francesco handing up the luggage.  We never could have done it without him.   The train was packed and we stood all the way to Genoa, seven hours.

 This time I ordered the tasting menu because it had all of my favorite foods. I started with a tortino of eggs, peppers and tomato, this was followed by pasta alla Martricina (yes again).  It could not have been better.  Then rabbit (coniglio alla olive di Gaeta con rughetta and pomodoro) followed by torta de mele (apple tart). The Fiorano Semillon from Alberico Buoncompagni Ludovisi from the ‘70’s was listed as a dessert wine. I asked Franseco about this and he said that it was the nature of the Semillon grape and the way in which they were made. The same wine is being sold in New York as a dry table wine. I always found these wines to be a little oxidized which I believe ads to their charm. Francesco recommended the1975. It worked great with the torta.  

 Testaccio, where the restaurant is located, is where the slaughter houses of Rome used to be and the vaccinari  (slaughterers) and the scorichini (tanners) once lived. Checchino has many specialties based on “innards” that cannot be found anywhere else.  Its specialties include: coda alla vaccinara, abbacchio alla cacciatore, la trippa, bucatini alla gricia, rigatoni con la pajata, and bue garofolata which is a recipe developed and owned by the restaurant.  

Checchino is a member of L’ Unione di Ristoranti del Buon Ricordo, a group of restaurants that give you a plate if you order their signature dish or tasting menu.  We have almost 100 of these plates and six are from Checchino.

Osteria da Giovanni Ar Galletto

Osteria da Giovanni Ar Galletto ,Piazza Farnese 102 (39-06-686-1714) located in a corner of the Piazza Farnese.  It is cozy inside but the view from the tables outside is more interesting.  If you get the right table, you can face the fountain in the middle of the piazza along with the French embassy where the second act of the opera Tosca by Puccini takes place.  We always try to sit outside but this time it was too chilly so we went inside.

I started with the usual, zucchini flowers followed by pasta all’amatriciana and then abbacchio scottadita, grilled baby lamb with a touch of rosemary. I believe they are the best in Rome. Michele had penne all’ arrabbiata and the baby lamb. They have two menus one is piatti pronti (prepared dishes, maialino or abbacchio del forno) and piatti dei giorno. I always order from the piatti dei giorno menu. They have pajata di vitello (calves intestines) but I will have that next time. The owner is a man of a certain age, with a large gray mustache and walks around the restaurant making sure everything is going right. His wife sits behind the counter watching him and everything else. For desert we both had fragoline con gelato.

 These are my favorite restaurants in Rome the ones that I return to time and time again. At the moment I am making plans to return to Rome in September.