Irpinia Aglianico, Campo Taurasini & Taurasi

Last week I was invited to attend a masterclass on the wines of Irpinia at Il Gattopardo restaurant in NYC by the Irpinia Consorzio Tutela Vini.  Teresa Bruno Di Petilia, President, and Ilaria Petitto, the Vice President of the Conzorzio, were there.   They said the  goal of these events is to familiarize the wine drinking public with Irpinia and make their excellent wines better known.

The speaker was Susannah Gold of Vigneto Communications who did an excellent job of sharing her knowledge of the wines of Irpinia through her talk and slide presentation.  I wrote about the 6 white wines in a previous blog and this time I will deal with the 6 red wines.

Irpinia Aglianico

There are 3 biotypes of Aglianico: Taurasi, Vulture and Taburno.  Susannah pointed out the Aglianico has an uncle-nephew relationship to Syrah.

Aglianico is an ancient grape variety.  In Italy, Aglianico was first planted near modern day Pozzuoli and from there it spread to other parts of Campania. Pliny the Elder (d.79AD) wrote about it in his Natural History. The Aglianico grape prefers volcanic soil and grows at altitudes of 300 to 500 meters. Aglianico is also used as a blending grape in Campania. It is at its best in Irpinia.

Irpinia Aglianico was granted DOC in 2005. It must contain 85% Aglianico and 15% other red grapes.

 Irpinia Campi Taurasini is a sub region of the Irpinia DOC of central Campania.  The classification applies to wines made from the Aglianico grape on the Campi Taurasi, the Taurasian Fields. This territory is the same as Taurasi DOCG. Campi Taurasini means “little Taurasi fields.”  While Taurasi Riserva DOGG is aged for 3 years in oak barrels and can age for many years, the Taurasini spends just one year in oak before bottling. It is a wine that is made to be drunk young but still has aging potential. Irpinia Aglianico and Campi Taurasini in particular are less-full bodied, less structured and less expensive than Taurasi.

There are many who believe that the three great grape varieties in Italy are Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Aglianico. Wines made from the Aglianico grape are full-bodied with good fruit, tannins, and hints of blackberries, leather and smoke.

Irpinia Aglianico Wines

Nativ, Irpinia Aglianico “Rue Dell’Inchiostro” Campania Aglianico DOC, 2020 made from 100% Aglianico grown at 450 to 550 meters. There are 15 hectares of wine, the soil is mostly volcanic with clay and limestone, rich in minerals. There is a trellis training system with spurred cordon in the new vineyards.  Harvest is in the beginning of November.  There is a pre-soaking at a controlled temperature. Fermentation soaking with continuous pumping over and punching downpour for about 10 days. Fermentation starts with the addition of selected yeasts, malolactic fermentation takes place. Refining in steel silos. The wine ages in bottle before release. The wine has hints of red berries, cherry and a touch of  spice. The winery is located in Paternopoli.

Macchie Santa Maria, Irpinia Aglianico DOC, 2018 made from 15 year old vines at 400 to 450 meters. The training system is cordon. The soil is of a medium mixing tending toward stony clay. Exposure is southeast. Fermentation is 8 to 12 days in stainless steel tanks. Aging is for 12 months in French oak barriques. The wine has hints of black cherry, plum, spice and a hint of tobacco. The company is based in the town of Montemiletto

Ponterotto, Irpinia Aglianico DOC 2018 made from 100% Aglianico at 350 to 400 meters. The soil is clay and limestone and harvest is the first 10 days of November. Classic vinification in tanks, long maceration with the skins at a controlled temperature. The wine has hints of blackberries, spice with a touch of tobacco and a balsamic note.

Taurasi

Aglianico reaches its highest expression in the form of Taurasi, one of Italy’s great red wines, which can age for many years.

The Taurasi DOCG was formed in 1993 and was southern Italy’s first DOCG.  Taurasi  is a medieval city located within the larger Iripinia DOC and within the province of Avellino, Taurasi’s name comes from taurus, the mythical bull that was the symbol for the ancient Samnite (pre-Roman) occupants.

Taurasi DOCG and Taurasi Riserva DOCG by law must be 85% Aglianico but most producers make it with 100% Aglianico. Taurasi must age for 3 years before release and have a minimum of 12% alcohol. At least one of the 3 years must be in oak barrels. The Riserva must be aged for at least 4 years of which 18 months must be in oak barrels. 12.5% is the minimum alcohol.

There are 17 communes where Taurasi is produced and they cover different soils, vineyard altitudes and microclimates.

Ilaria Petitto CEO of Donnachiara Winery and Vice President of the Consorzio di Tutela dei Vini dell’Irpinia spoke about the winery and the wines. The winery is located in Montefalcione in the Irpinia area near Avellino. The modern winery was completed in 2005 but the vineyards have been in the family for over 150 years. Ilaria’s mother, Chiara Petitto, is a big supporter of her work in the winery, which is named after her mother’s grandmother whom everyone called “Donna” Chiara as a sign of respect.

Donnachiara, Taurasi DOCG 2019 Made from 100% Aglianico. The soil is clay and volcanic. Training system is guyot. There are 4,000 plants per hectare and harvest takes place the first week of September. The wine is aged for 12 months in 225-liter French barriques and remains in the bottle for another 24 months before release. The wine has hints of blackberry, plum, cherry and a touch of cacao. The use of barrique is subtle and does not mask the character of the wine. This is a big complex wine with berry aromas and flavors, hints of cherry, plum, and a touch of cacao and coffee.

Feudi Di San Gregorio Taurasi DOCG 2017 made from 100% Aglianico in uncontaminated volcanic soil. The vines are 20 to 25 years old. Vineyards are at 1,000 to 1,600 ft with a southern and western exposure. Soil is ash and fallen pumice and in the subsoil deep layers of silty sand. Harvest is manual. Fermentation and maceration is in stainless steel tanks, at a controlled temperature  for about 3 weeks. The wine is aged for about 18 months in medium toasted French barriques and 9 months in the bottle before release. The wine has hints of cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise and more than a note of vanilla. The winery is in Sorbo Serpico.

Fratelli Addimanda Vignaioli in Taurasi “Starse” Taurasi DOCG 2014 made from 100% Aglianico. The vineyards are at 350 to 400 meters and the exposure is east-west. The soil is clay calcareous and the training system  is cordon speronato. There are 4,500 plants per hectare.  Manual harvest with a selection, is from the end of October to the beginning of September. There is another selection of grapes in the cellar. Fermentation with a long maceration of the skins for about 25 days. After malolactic fermentation the wine matures in barriques and tonneaux of new French oak for 14 to 18 months depending on the vintage. The wine has hints of red fruit, dried flowers, tobacco, liquorice, pepper and a note of vanilla.

After the tasting there was an excellent buffet prepared by Chef Vito  Il Gattopardo.

Next Time Gruppo Italiano Table Talks/ Chapter 16  Irpinia We are Waiting for You

   

   

The White Wines of Irpinia: Fiano di Avellino & Greco di Tufo

The region of Campania in Southern Italy produces some of the country’s best white wines.  Irpinia, in the northeast of Campania, excels in Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo.

Teresa Bruno Di Petilia, President, and Ilaria Petitto, the Vice President of the Conzorzio Tutela Vini d’Irpinia invited me to a tasting of the wines of Irpinia at Il Gattopardo NYC. The event was called “Spectacular Irpinia.” Their goal is to familiarize the wine drinking public with Irpinia and make their excellent wines better known.

The speaker was Susannah Gold, who did an excellent job of sharing her knowledge of the wines of Irpinia through her talk and slide presentation.  We tasted 6 white wines and 6 reds. This blog will deal with the 6 whites.

Irpinia (Latin Hirpinia) is located in the northeast of Campania in the province of Avellino, about 50 kilometers from Naples. The name “Irpinia” derives from the ancient Oscan word “hirpus,” which means wolf, and the wolf remains Irpinia’s symbol to this day.

The Irpinia DOC covers the entire province of Avellino and within the DOC are the DOCG zones of Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino.  These wines were known to the Ancient Romans and they were recorded by Pliny the Elder (d.79AD).  Because of the loose sandy and volcanic soil there are many pre-phylloxera vines (old vines) producing wines of unparalleled concentration and depth.

Fiano di Avellino

Fiano di Avellino must have 85% Fiano by law but almost all, if not all, producers in Irpinia use 100% Fiano. The DOCG stretches over 26 comunes/municipalities and 430 hectares of valleys and slopes. Avellino is in the heart of the southern Apennine mountains in Campania.

The vineyards are between 300 and 600 meters and the soil is volcanic, clay-calcareous and limestone. Fiano di Avellino is a wine that can age.

Fiano Di Avellino “Alimata” 2018.  Villa Raiano Alimata is the name of the district of the municipality of Montefredane in the province of Avellino that you encounter going up towards the town on the slope of the hill that faces east. Here, at 350 meters above sea level, is the two-hectare vineyard where the grapes for this wine grow. The soils are composed of clay on a marly basis. The vinification is simple but developed over a long time: it takes place in steel vats where it refines on the lees for twelve months and a further twelve months of aging in the bottle. This is an elegant wine with hints of citrus fruit, apple, white flowers and a nice finish and long aftertaste. I visited the winery in 2019 and liked this wine so much I took a few bottles back home with me.

Fiano Di Avellino “Eclissi” 2018 Case d’Alto made from 100% Fiano di Avellino from a 2 hectare vineyard in Grottaminarda. The soil is clay and calcareous. The wine has hints of apple, yellow fruit, lemon and a note of fresh hazelnuts

Fiano Di Avellino Riserva  2018 Sarno 1860 erre made from 100% Fiano di Avellino from a 3 hectare vineyard of the winery. The winery is in Candida, an ancient village in the province of Avellino. The vineyards are at 6,000 meters and the soil is calcareous clay rich in potassium and phosphorus. Harvest is by hand in the middle of October. Grapes are crushed with a pneumatic press with the cage closed, and the wine spends 18 months on the lees. This is a complex wine with depth and structure. It has hints of white peaches, pears, hazelnuts with floral  notes and a touch of mint. Sarno 1860 produces only Fiano di Avellino and just 3,000 bottles of this wine were made.

Greco di Tufo

Tufo is the name of a village and also the type of rock the village is built on. It is made from volcanic ash from eruptions which then becomes solid. Tuff rich volcanic (above 400 meters) and clay soils combined with sulfur help to add character to the wines. Sulfur mines were present here and in the town of Tufo you can sometimes smell sulfur in the air. Two major areas have distinctive types of soil.  In the north there are more stones and flysch and in the south more volcanic materials.

Susannah mentioned that Greco is related to Asprinio.  The Greco di Tufo DOCG covers only 8 communes.

Greco di Tufo 2021 Historia Antiqua made from 100% Fiano di Avellino. The winery was started in the 1990’s and and was at first a Consortium.  Today there are 40 hectares of vineyards. The soil is loam and clay and grass grows between the rows of vines. The wine has hints of lemons, a touch of pear, and a note of toasted almonds with good minerality.

Like Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo by law must have 85% Greco but most, if not all producers, use 100% Greco

Greco di Tufo is a wine that can age.

Greco di Tufo ‘Quattro Venti’ Riserva 2020 Petilia  Made from 100% Fiano di Avellino.  The vineyards are in Chianche, locality of Sant’Andrea (Altavilla).  The vineyards are at 600 meters, the exposure is south/east and there are 4,000 plants per hectare. The soil is clayey, volcanic, and rich in minerals with a sumptuous subsoil and the training system is espalier with guyot pruning. The vines are 20 years old. Harvest takes place the second week of October. There is ultra soft pressing with whole grapes and fermentation in steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Malolactic fermentation does not take place. The wine has citrus notes, hints of almonds, lemon blossoms and quince.

Teresa Bruno Di Petilia CFO of Azienda Agricola Petilia, who is also the president of the Consorzio, was present and spoke about her wines. I visited the winery a few years ago.

Greco di Tufo ‘Vigna Laure” 2020 Riserva Cantina Di Marzo Made from100% Greco di Tufo from a 5 hectare vineyard with a south-southwest exposure. Vines were planted in 2008 and 2010. Laure vineyard is on a rock which is on top of an old sulphur mine. The grapes are hand harvested toward the end of October.  Destemming takes place  followed by a gentle pressing. Only the free run juice is used and fermentation with selected yeasts takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is on the lees for 9 months where malolactic fermentation takes place. There is a light filtration before bottling and the wine remains in the bottle for at least one year before it is bottled. This is a wine with hints of bitter lemon, lime, Mediterranean herbs, a touch of almonds and a hint of eucalyptus. Mr. Ferrante De Somma, owner of Cantina Di Marzo,  said that this is the oldest cantina in Campania and that his ancestor introduced the Greco grape into the zone.

Some of the difference between Fiano and Greco is that Fiano  is more elegant, has an apple aroma and hints of hazelnuts. Greco has more body, takes on a slightly honey quality with age and has hints of almonds.

I was very pleased with all the white wines from Irpinia that I tased. Code di Volpe and Falanghina are white wines also produced in Campania but they were not part of the tasting.

Next time Aglianico and Taurasi.

Tasting Tenuta Lilliano Chianti Classico

Tony Di Dio represents a line of fine wines through his company, Tony Di Dio Selections.  I was delighted to accept his invitation to taste the wines of Tenuta Lilliano located in Chianti Classico.

The property was acquired in 1920 by Baron Beringieri.  In 1958 the first Lilliano wines were bottled for sale at the hands of Princess Eleonora Ruspoli Berlingieri. She was the first to appreciate the potential of Lilliano as a winemaking estate. She was helped by Giulio Gambelli, who has been called the “Sangiovese guru.”

Today the property is owned by brothers Giulio and Pietro Ruspoli and has been managed by Giulio since 1989. Their nephew Alessandro represents Lilliano internationally. The enologist now is the famous Lorenzo Landi.

The tasting and lunch was held at Bar Boulud in NYC and Alessandro represented the winery.

Alessandro in the Palace Ruspoli in Rome

 

 Alessandro said the Chianti Classico labels bear the Ruspoli and Berlingieri family coat of arms. The current owners of Lilliano reside in the historic Ruspoli Palace in the center of Rome.

There are 40 cultivated hectares dominated by Sangiovese alongside a small amount of other native and international varieties. He said they have 3 vineyards that produce the highest quality grapes: Le Piagge–Sangiovese, Casina Sopra Strada–Sangiovese and Colorino, and Vigna Catena—Merlot.

The aging cellar beneath the main villa is where the Chianti Classico Riserva ages in large oak barrels along with the Gran Selezione, a recent classification from 2010, which at Lilliano is aged in tonneaux.  It is a wine made exclusively from a winery’s own grapes grown in its finest vineyards according to strict regulations. It is on the top of the Chianti Classico pyramid.

In a second cellar used for storage and winemaking, there are glazed concrete tanks and stainless steel containers. I asked Alessandro if they were returning to concrete as many producers are now doing and he said “no, we always had them.”

Chianti Classico 2020 DOCG made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Colorino and 5% Merlot. After the quality-selected clusters are destemmed and pressed, the must is fermented and macerated in stainless steel for 18-20 days at a controlled temperature with programmed punch downs and daily pumpovers. Maceration fermentation takes place in concrete and small stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 18-20 days depending on the vintage. The wine ages for about 12 to 14 months partly in large casks of French oak and partly in concrete. After maturation, the final blend is assembled, bottled and aged in glass for a minimum of 3 months. This is a wine with hints of red fruit, cherry, violets and a touch of cassis.

Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 made from 95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot from the first selection. After a careful selection the grapes undergo soft pressing and destalking. During fermentation the must is pumped over with plunging of the cap on a daily basis. Maceration lasts for 21 to 25 days depending on the vintage. Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. The wine ages in large casks of French oak 28 to 34HL. The final blend is assembled and the wine ages in glass a minimum of 6 months. The wine has hints of cherry, cassis, violets, and a touch of spice.

Chianti Classico Grand Selezione DOCG 2018 made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Colorino and 5% Merlot from grapes grown and selected from the Le Piagge and La Casina vineyards where the soil is calcareous clay. After a careful selection the grapes undergo a soft crushing and destemming. During fermentation the must is pumped over with plunging of the cap on a daily basis. Maceration is for 25 days depending on the vintage. Malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel tanks. The wine matures for 15 months in French oak barrels of 28 and 34HL and in tonneaux (500 liters). The wine is blended, bottled and ages for a minimum of 6 months. This is a full bodied wine with hints of red fruit, floral notes, cherry, plum and a touch of violets.

Anagallis Colli Della Toscana Centrale IGT made from 50% Cabernet 40% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. After a careful selection in the vineyard the grapes undergo soft crushing and destalking before fermenting in 59 hl temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Maceration is for 25 days and malolactic fermentation is in steel. The wine is then put into barriques made of French oak from Allier and Nevers where the wine ages for 14 months. Blending takes place in a single container. The wine remains in the bottle for a minimum of 6 months before release. This is a intense wine with hints of red berry fruit, spice and a touch of smoke. The wine will age.

Tony also opened a Chardonnay from Paolo & Noemia d Amico winery, Calanchi Di Vaiano IGP Lazio made from 100% Chardonnay from vineyards overlooking Umbria at 450 meters. Fermentation is in stainless steel and the wine is aged in stainless steel for about 3 months. The wine has hints of citrus fruit and apricot with a touch of white pepper and a floral note. It was very refreshing in more ways than one to taste an unoaked Chardonnay

I spoke with Alessandro about Chianti Classico and the new UGA’s which divide the Chianti Classico region into different zones based on interior, etc, etc. For now the division is only for the Grand Selezione wines. They will no longer be allowed to use international grapes. Alessandro said he felt that if the other two Chianti Classic wines are included in the UGA’s then international grapes should not be allowed.  I could not agree more.

Chianti Classico UGA’s

Banville Wine Merchants organized a tasting recently featuring the relatively new Chianti Classico UGA (Additional Geographic Units) classifications.   I was very happy to attend since Chianti Classico has always been one of my favorite wines and I am interested in the ways in which the producers are trying to improve these wines.

The speaker was the renowned Italian cartographer, Alessandro Masnaghetti. I had heard him speak on the same topic last spring along with Giovanni Manetti, President of the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico and owner of Fontodi. What follows is a composite of the two events.

The “old” Classification

Masnaghetti explained how the project developed and how the UGAs reflect defined expressions of the Chianti Classico territory. The UGA classification system differentiates and highlights the differences in climate and soil type of 11 villages of the Chianti Classico region.

The “new” classification system, approved in June 2021, for now applies only to the Gran Selezione (GS) category of wines which are the only ones allowed to add the specific UGA mention on the label. The 11 villages were identified based on specific criteria such as oenological recognizability, historical authenticity, renown, and significance in terms of volumes produced: San Casciano, Greve, Montefioralle, Lamole, Panzano, Radda, Gaiole, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Vagliagli, Castellina, San Donato in Poggio. 

Masnaghetti said variations in soil composition, elevation exposure, and slope steepness can result in distinctive wines even within a small geographical boundary and Chianti Classico’s new UGA’s are a way for wine makers to express this.

In Barolo they passed a similar measure resulting in 181 new MGA’s (Mention Geografica Aggiuntive) in a region only 5 percent of Chianti Classico’s size.

Masnaghetti said that the phrase, “the territory makes the difference”, has always been a favorite motto. Chianti Classico is a truly unique territory covered two-thirds by woodland and only one-tenth is devoted to wine growing, with more than 50% dedicated to organic farming (52.5% of the area under vine). The wines with UGA names will be limited to Gran Selezione, one of the three types of Chianti Classico: the other two being annata (vintage) and riserva. Any Gran Selezione that will include a UGA on the label must contain a minimum of 90 percent Sangiovese (currently, that minimum is 80 percent); international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not be permitted in these Gran Selezione wines, as only indigenous varieties including Canaiolo, Colorino and Mammolo will be allowed as a maximum of 10 percent of the blend.

The introduction of the UGA’s represents an epochal turning point for the denomination, a change of perspective that leads producers and their wines to be no longer single actors, but expressions of a territory in relation to each other.

These changes will enhance the understanding of Chianti Classico wines and the terroir from which it is derived. I personally applaud the elimination of international grape varieties in Gran Selezione Chianti Classico and the exclusive use of indigenous grapes.

Masnaghetti presented 5 wines and discussed  the difference between them to show that the new classification was justified.

Fattoria Cigliano di Sopra 2020 San Casciano made from 100% Sangiovese from the 0.3 hectare vineyard planted in 1982. The exposure is south-east and elevation is 250 meters. Vallone vineyard planted in 2004 with a western exposure at 260 meters. The soil composition is a mix of clay and sand rich in limestone and alberese rocks. There are 5,000 plants per hectare and the training system is headed-spur cordon. Grapes are picked by hand and de-stemmed gently, fermentation happens with wild yeasts naturally present on the berry skins in open top steel tanks. During the fermentation long pump overs are done twice a day in the first half and reduced in duration and frequency going towards the end. At the end of the fermentation and during the maceration, punch downs are done to extract gently phenolic and aromatic compounds from the grape skins. Fermentation and maceration process  lasted for  about 25 days. The free run  juice and a small part of the press wine is  transferred into large French oak barrels, 20% new, where the malolactic fermentation take place naturally. The aging lasts for 14 months, racking is done just when necessary to let the lees present at the bottom of the barrels continue to nourish the wine during the aging process. After aging the wine is racked gently taking care to remove all the lees and transferred for a brief period into steel tanks before bottling. No filtration or fining is done before bottling and the usage of sulphur during the whole process is kept to a strict minimum. The wine has hints of pomegranate, cherry, with a touch of black cherry and a note of violets.  The winery is located in the northern most part of the Chianti Classico area.   $35

I Fabbri “Lamole”  2020 Lamole made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso di Lamole with vineyards at 630 meters which are organic. Wild yeast is used. The wine is not filtered or fined.  Aging is in cement tanks for 12 months and then for 3 months in bottle. The wine has hints of red fruit, cherry and pomegranate.

Fattoria Le Masse 2020 San Donato in Poggio made from 100% Sangiovese. Manual harvest takes place in the middle of October. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts is between 35 and 45 days of maceration on the skins in small steel tanks without temperature control, manual stirring and without the use of pumps and sulfites. Aging is for one year in 2,25 hL and 5hl barrels where spontaneous malolactic fermentation takes place.  The wine matures on the lees which are in suspension by batonnage for the first 5 months. The wine remains in bottle for a minimum of 8 months before release.

Tolaini “Mello”  2020 Gaile made from 100% Sangiovese single vineyard at 700 meters. Soil is Macigno del Chianti non- calcareous sandstone. There are 5,000 vines per hectare and they were planted in 2001. Manual harvest takes place the second half of October.  The grapes are stemmed and the best are selected by an optical sorting. Whole berries are put in bronco-conic Austrian oak tanks and terracotta Amphorae. Fermentation is with natural yeasts and the musts are kept in contact with the skins for 45 days. Gentle punch downs are done in the first 10 days of skin contact. Aging is in 25HL Austrian oak casks for 18 months of which 6 months are on the lees. The wine remains in bottle for 8 months before release. This is a medium bodied wine with hints of raspberries, red cherry and violets.

Francesco Rosi the enologist of Tolaini spoke about the winery.  I was very impressed by the wines

Tolaini Vallenuova 2020 Cantelnuovo Berardenga made from 95%Sanviovese and 5% Canaiolo. The soil is silty clay, rich in limestone with a high percentage of stones. There are 7,350 plants per hectare planted in 2000. Grapes are first selected during harvest in the vineyard and then by an optical sorter when they arrive at the winery; they are destemmed and the whole berries are immediately placed in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation is temperature controlled, and the must is kept in contact with the skins for 20 days. The wine matures for 10 months in a mix of Tuscan, Slavonian, and Austrian oak casks. The wine has hints of black cherry, tobacco, a touch of licorice and a note of spice.

We also received a copy of Masnaghetti’s  book CHIANTI CLASSICO: The Atlas of the Vineyards and the UGA’s.

I do not know when all of this will go into effect for the Gran Selezione, or when and if it will include the other Chianti Classico wines.

Vinitaly Road Show 2023

Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International, was hosting a number of events in different cities around the world promoting Vinitaly  2023 which takes place in Verona April 2-5. This will be the 55th version of Vinitaly. I have attended over 15 of them over the years.

The event in NYC was a walk around tasting of 61 wines from all over Italy and it was held at Di Palo Wine Bar in Little Italy. Di Palo is the best store in NYC for Italian food products, especially salumi and cheeses.  Around one corner they have a wine store and around the other corner is the Wine Bar. Before I left for the event, Michele made me promise to bring home a pound of their excellent mortadella.  It’s the best you will taste outside of Bologna, Italy and I placed my order before went into the wine bar for the tasting.

When I entered the Wine Bar I was greeted by Stevie Kim and Lou Di Palo

Lined up on the bar were 61 wines from all over Italy. Here are just a few of them:

Soave Classico DOC 2021 Pieropan made from 70% Garganega and 30%Trebbiano di Soave and the vines range in age from 6 to 60 years. Soil is limestone and volcanic and the training system is guyot and pergola Veronese. The vineyards are at 100/300 meters. The grapes are destemmed and crushed in a protective environment. The free run juice is fermented at a low temperature in glass-lined cement tanks. The wine remains on the lees for 3 to 8 months. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, lemon, lime, green apple and a note of almonds.   Organically grown grapes.

IGP Campania Falanghina 2021 Azienda Agricola San Salvatore from 100% Falanghina planted in 2008 with a south-southwest exposure.  Grapes for this wine are carefully selected by hand in the Cannito vineyard. Soft pressing and fermentation is in stainless steel tanks. The wine remains in stainless steel tanks on the lees for 6 months before release.  The wine has hints of citrus fruit, mint, sage, lemon and green apples.  

Fiano Di Avellino “Montelapio” Villa Matilde made from 100% Fiano Di Avellino from vineyards at the Tenute d’Altavilla estate in Campania. The vines were planted 1968-1995. Soil composition is tuffaceous and marly clay. There are 2,500-3,000 vines per hectare. Training system is guyot and the vineyard is at 500-600 meters. Harvest is in the middle of October. Grapes are soft pressed and fermentation is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature with selected yeast. The maceration technique is cryomaceration. The wine is aged in stainless steel for 4 months before it is bottled. This is a well-balanced wine with hints of citrus fruit, apricots, peaches and almonds.

Franciacorta “Alma” Brut NV Bellavista.  Alma means soul in Latin and this wine reflects the soul of Franciacorta and Bellavista. The symbol of this wine is the butterfly because, according to the producer, “it represents harmony and balance, nature at its purest, and transformation and rebirth.” Made from 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Bianco. The balance comes from 30 different selections from over 100 vineyards. Most of the wine is fermented and matures in 228 liter oak barrels for 7 months. The wine consists of at least 6 to 9 older vintages. This is a wine with a depth of flavor and hints of apples, pears and white flowers.

Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta La Fuga (Folonari) made from100% Sangiovese grosso from vineyards southwest of Montalcino, on the historical side of Camigliano at 350 meters. The soil is rich in fossils. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature. Maceration takes place in steel vats for 15 days followed by malolactic fermentation in oak barrels. The wine is aged in large Slovenian oak casks of 25 HL  for 3 years and then in bottle for one year before release. This is a full bodied wine with hints of mushrooms, berries, spice, orange peel, a touch of walnuts, and a note of violets.

Brunello di Montalcino 2017 “Castel Giocondo” Frescobaldi. Made from 100% Sangiovese. The soil is galestro, clay and Pleocene sands. Manual harvest takes place with a careful selection of the grapes in the cellar. Fermentation is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature with frequent pump-overs, during the early stages. The wine was aged in wood containers and is released after five years, which includes some time in the bottle. The wine has hints of ripe red berries and floral notes with spice and balsamic undertones.

Etna Rosso “Tornatore” Azienda Agricola F. Tornatore Made from 95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% Cappuccio. The soil is volcanic and the vineyards are located at 1,000 meters on the north side of Etna, an active volcano. Growing system is counter espalier and the vines are cordon pruned and tied up. Harvest is between the second and third week of October by hand. In the cellar there is a manual selection of the grapes on a conveyor belt. Grapes are destemmed and not completely crushed and are put in concrete tanks where they macerate for about 10/12 days. After fermentation the grapes are left to macerate for a few days more. The wine is then separated from the grape skins which are pressed with a traditional vertical press. The wine is aged for about 6 months in big wooden barrels and for 3 months in bottle before release. The wine has hints of red berries, cherry, a note of white pepper, and  a touch of  herbs with fresh acidity.

Taurasi “Pietrafusa” Villa Matilde  made from 100% Aglianico. The vineyard is at 350 meters and the training system is simple guyot with about 6 buds per plant. There are 3,000 vines per hectare and the soil is tufaceous with a good percentage of clay. Harvest is the third week of October. The grape bunches are destemmed  and pressed and the must is given a cold maceration on the skins. (Selected yeast is used). The must ferments slowly at 70F. The wine macerates on the skins for over 20 days, with daily pumpovers and délestages followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged in tonneau and large oak barrels for 18 months and 12 months in bottle before release. This is a fully bodied wine with hints of cherries, blackberries, spice and a hint of tobacco. I have been lucky to have visited the estate a few times and always enjoy their wines.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo  Marina Cvetic made from100% Montepulciano di Abruzzo from vineyards at 400 meters. The training system is guyot. The eight different “crus” are vinified separately with delicate fermentation and maceration. Aged in barriques for 12/18 months. The “crus” are then blended and aged in bottle for 6 months before release. This is a full bodied wine with hints of black cherry, blackberry, spice, tobacco and a note of vanilla.

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018 Allegrini made from 45% Corvina Veronese, 45% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella and 5% Oseleta. Grapes are hand harvested in September. The grapes are naturally dried for 3 to 4 months in the drying facility. The grapes lose 40% to 50% of their original weight. Destemming and soft pressing takes place in January and fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at 46 to 72 degrees F. Fermentation lasts for 25 days with periodic pumping over. The wine is aged in oak for 18 months, and then blended together for 7 months. The wine has hints of cherry, plum, and black fig, with a touch of chocolate.

I really enjoyed these wines and tasted them with samples of the cheese and salumi that were available throughout the tasting. My favorite was the mortadella and I was very happy to remember to pick up my order to bring home for Michele to enjoy, too.  I know I will be going back again soon.

Sicilian Wine & Pizza at Da Michele NYC

The invitation said join the Gurrieri Winery of Sicily to taste four of their wines at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Greenwich Village in NYC.

I would have accepted the invitation just because of the wines, and now I had a chance to go to Da Michele, a recently opened branch of the legendary pizzeria in Naples. It was interested to see how well Sicilian wines would go with the Neapolitan-style pizza.

Daniele Solari, the PR and Marketing Manager for the  Gurrieri Winery, greeted me when I arrived.  We spoke about the winery, pizza and Italy.

Daniele said the Gurrieri Winery is family run and they have been producing grapes for 50 years. The winery is located in Chiaramonte in the province of Ragusa in Sicily. The first bottling of the wine was in 2010. They have 5 hectares in Chiaramonte Gulfi, one hectare in Mazzarrone, and three in Comiso where they grow a variety of grapes including Nero d’Avola, Frappato, Grillo, Moscato, and one international grape, Syrah. They also make a wide range of spumanti and one frizzante wine.

The Wines

Vittoria DOC “Donna Grazia” made from 60% Nero d’Avola and 40% Frappato vinified as a white wine.  The vines are 10/14 years old, the soil is red sand, limestone and clay and the vineyards are at 285 meters. The training system is counter -espalier. Manual harvest takes place in late August in the early morning. The grapes are pressed immediately off the skins so that no red color is in the final wine. There is a gentle pressing of the grapes and the juice is co-fermented in stainless steel tanks and remains there for a total of 6 months, The wine remains in bottle for for 3 months before release. This is a fresh medium-bodied wine with hints of citrus fruit and nice acidity, wild flowers, aromatic herbs, thyme and a touch of sea salt.  Only 3,000 bottles produced.

This is the first time I tasted these two red grapes vinified as a white wine and I was very impressed.

Sicilia DOC Grillo made from 100% Grillo from 11 year old vines at 240/300 meters with a northern exposure. The soil is gray clay with small river stones.  There are 4,500 plants per hectare and the training system is espalier. Harvest is manual in early September. Fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. There is a light filtration and cold stabilization. Aging is for 6 months in stainless steel with I month on the lees and 3 months in bottle before release. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, orange blossoms, green apple, pineapple and lemon and a note of smoke. Only 4,000 bottles produced.

Grillo may be a cross between Catarrato and Zibbibo.

       

Vittoria DOC  Frappato made from 100% Frappato from 9 year old vines. The soil is red sand, limestone and clay. There are 4,500 plants per hectare. And the vineyards are at 240/320 meters. The training system is counter-espalier.  Harvest takes place in late September in the early morning. Alcoholic fermentation at a controlled temperature. After malolactic fermentation is completed the wines rests in the same stainless steel tanks where the fermentation took place for 6 months.  The wine is bottled without fining or filtering. Aging is in stainless steel for 6 months and in bottle for 3 months before release. This is a fruit forward, fragrant wine with hints of blackberry, cherry, raspberry, rose petal and a touch of white pepper. 10,000 bottles produced.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG “Don Vicé” made from 60% Nero d’Avola and 40% Frappato. From 10 year old vines at 300 and 320 meters. The soil is red sand, limestone clay. The vines are counter-espalier trained. There are 4,500 vines per hectare. Harvest is manual in the in October in the early morning.  The grapes are hand destemmed and a cold skin maceration takes place for 48 hours Fermentation is with native yeast in stainless steel for 20 days of maceration on the skins. The two wines are blended without  filtration or fining. After malolactic fermentation the wine is aged.  Aging is for 18 months in tonneaux, in steel for 18 months, and in bottle for 12 months before release. This is an elegant wine with hints of ripe fruit, cherry, herbs, eucalyptus, a touch of spice and a note of licorice. 2,000 bottles are produced.    Daniele pointed out that Cerasuolo di Vittoria is the only DOCG in Sicily.

All of the wines I tasted have true varietal character.

They are all good food wines and went very well with the Pizza Margherita.  The pizza was terrific and a true taste of Naples.

Prices for the wines range from $20 to $25 for the wine making them a real bargain.

Artisanal Wines from Gladiator Wine Distribution

I first met Tony Margiotta, owner of Gladiator Wine Distribution, at a wine tasting a few years ago.  At the time he had very few producers, but I was very impressed by his selections and his passion for Italian wines in general.  As his portfolio grew he invited me to taste his wines but we just could not seem to get together. Last month I saw him at a wine event and we finally made a date to meet.

Tony only carries Italian wines and he has only artisanal producers who only use native grapes. All of the wines listed below have a production of under 10,000 bottles and one is under 1,000.  It was amazing that Tony was able to find such good producers that most people have never heard of — including me.

Castellucci Miano DOC Valledolmo-Contea di Sclafani-Sicily “Shiara” Bianco 2019  made of 100% Catarratto from 30/40  years old vines located on the slopes of the Madonie Montains at 700/900 meters.   Training system is alberello and sapling, the pruning is guyot and spur.  Soil is half sand and clay with an alkaline reaction due to active limestone. Harvest takes place in October. White wine vinification with fermentation at a controlled temperature. Malolactic fermentation does not take place. The wine remains in stainless steel for 6 months and then in bottle for 4 months before release. The wine has hints a citrus fruit, apple, and pear with a touch of cantaloupe and crisp acidity $35.     *Catarratto is a grape indigenous to Sicily

Castellucci Miano “PerricOne” 2020 made from 100% Perricone on the slopes of the Madonie mountains at 700/900 meters.The vineyard is 4 hectares with a southeast/southwest exposure and there are 4,000 vines per hectare. The soil is sandy, clayey, of medium texture, with alkaline reaction due to the presence of active limestone. The training system is espalier, the pruning is guyot and spur. The average age of the vines is 30 years. In the vineyard there is no weeding or the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Harvest takes place in September. Traditional winemaking with pumping over during fermentation. Selected yeasts from the vine yard are used. Malolactic fermentation is completed. The wine is aged in stainless steel tanks for 3 months and in small French oak barrels for 10 months and in bottle for another 6 months before release. The wine has hints of cherry, blackberry, juniper a note of spice and good acidity $26.  *They were the first producer in Sicily to make a monovarietal from the Perricone grape.

Terre Antiche “Rubino” Cesanese del Piglio 2021 made from 100% Cesanese del Piglio from 25/30 year old vines. The training system is espalier and guyot and the soil is limestone, calcareous. Harvest is at the end of September.  The grapes are destemmed and there is a soft pressing in amphora followed by a spontaneous fermentation in amphora, maceration is for 10/15 days. The wine is aged in amphora, chestnut  barrels and cement. Filtration and clarification does not take place. The wine is bottled the following spring after the harvest and remains in the bottle for 6 months before release. This is a medium-bodied fresh red wine with hints of cherry, pomegranate, rose petals and hint of spice. $30.  The estate vineyards are in Piglio and Anagni south of Rome. The winery is biodynamic.

Atha Ruja “Terra Sorella” Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2020 Made from 100% Cannonau. After fermentation on the skins for a period of 15 to 20 days, the grapes mature in steel tanks for at least 10 months and a small part is aged in French oak tonneaux for a period of less than a year. The wine remains in bottle 2 to 3 months before release. The wine has hints of myrtle, raspberry, strawberry, and rosemary, with touch of spice. The grapes are grown without the use of pesticides are and the vines are managed according to biodynamic principles.  $22

Antico Borgo “Campi Taurasini” 2017 made from 100% Aglianico The soil is clay and chalky and the training system is espalier. Manual harvest takes place in October. There is a soft pressing of the grapes and fermentation takes places at a controlled temperature. Aging is for 1 year in a combination of French barriques and large American oak casks and the wine remains in the bottle for 2 years before release. The wine has hints of raspberry, violets, cherry, a touch of plum and a note of leather. $25  The current vintage is 2017    *Irpinia Campi Taurasini is a sub region of the Irpinia DOC of central Campania.  The classification applies to wines made from the Aglianico grape on the Campi Taurasi-the Taurasian Fields. This territory is the same as Taurasi DOCG. Campi Taurasini means “little Taurasi fields.”  While Taurasi Riserva DOGG is aged for 3 years in oak barrels and can age for many years the Taurasini spends just one year in oak before bottling. It is a wine that is made to be drunk young but still has aging potential. This is the first time I tasted a wine from this appellation.

Antico Borgo “Taurasi Riserva”  DOCG 2015 made from 100% Aglianico. The soil is clay and chalky and the training system is espalier. The manual harvest takes place in October and early November. The wine ages for 3 years of which one is in large oak barrels.  There is a soft pressing of the grapes and fermentation is in temperature controlled steel vats. This is a full bodied wine with hints of red fruit, cherries, blackberries. spice, leather and a hint of tobacco.  $65. The current release is 2015

Battaglio Barbaresco 2019 Made from 100% Nebbiolo from the Serragilli cru. The exposure is southwest and there are 5,000 plants per hectare.  Soil is limestone, calcareous and vine training is espalier with guyot pruning. The fertilizer is manure with a minimal use of sulfur and copper depending on the weather. Weeding is done by machines. The grapes are hand harvested. Fermentation takes place with selected yeasts from the Langhe. There is up to 30 days of maceration with frequent pumping over at 30-33 degrees Celsius in steel vats.  Aging is for 24 months in 20% Slavonian oak and 80% in French barriques. Only 980 bottles were produced. The wine has hints of berries, black cherry, clove, licorice and a note of tobacco. $95

Tenute Ugolini  “Amarone Valle Alta” 2013 made from Corvina Gentile, Corvina Grosso and Oseleta. The Valle Alta vineyard is  3.23 hectares at 256 meters. The training system is spalliera Veronese (Veronese vertical-trellis) and there are 6,250 vines per hectare. Soil composed of fossil marl and the exposure is south/east and the vines are 20 years old. Harvest is in the middle of October. After the harvest the grapes are placed in small crates to be dried in the drying center. When the grapes have lost more than 50% of their  original weight they are hand selected, crushed and fermented. Maturation is for 36 months in barriques and tonneaux and then in bottle for at least two years before release. The wine has hints of jam, cherry, dried fruit, sweet spice, licorice, a note of cocoa and a touch of nutmeg. $120  *Appassimento: Italian term for drying harvested grapes, traditionally on bamboo racks or straw mats,  for up to 3 months in the case of Amarone, to concentrate the sugars and flavors.

Here is a link to where you can buy the wines

https://shop.royalwinemerchants.com/wine/hidden-gems-of-italy/

Tony Margiotta’s portfolio is one to watch.  I certainly look forward to trying his next discoveries.

Making Friends with Pizza and Champagne

Many years ago a wine writer friend, Sheldon Wasserman,  introduced me to the delights of Champagne with Pizza. The combination is one I really enjoy and enjoy sharing with others.  One of the people I introduced the combination of Pizza and Champagne to was Daniel Young.

I first met Daniel Young a number of years ago at Nizza restaurant in Manhattan. I knew of him by reputation and we discussed food, wine and pizza. Daniel now lives in London but is from NYC which he visits often. He is a food consultant, has a blog Young and Foodish,  and is the author of Where to Eat Pizza among other books, and has written for many magazines and newspapers here and in London.

Over the years I have spoken to him at pizza events and we are friends on FB but we never sat down and had Pizza together.  I believe Daniel saw one of my blogs on Pizza and Champagne of which there are many. Daniel mentioned that he had never had Champagne with Pizza so I told him next time he was  in NYC we would remedy that. After a few false starts we were able to get together. We went to Keste Wall Street because Daniel knows the owner Roberto Caporuscio and it is one of my favorite places to have Neapolitan-style pizza. I contacted Roberto and he said he would be there and make the pizza. We had a lively discussion on pizza in general, pizza places in NYC and which places were the most popular now in Naples.

Daniel brought his son and I invited Frank, a friend who brought his son.  The two boys enjoyed each other’s company and the pizza (even without Champagne).

We started with the Margherita — my favorite pizza

Champagne Ruinart Blanc De Blancs 100% Chardonnay from  a blending of 20 to 25 selected crus. Alcoholic fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel vats and malolactic fermentation is completed. The wine is aged for 2 to 3 years years and the dosage is 7g/l. The wine has hints of pears and peaches, ripe lemon, and a note of ginger. It was perfect with the Margherita.

Pizza with sausage

Pizza Montanara with truffles

Champagne Baron-Fuente Brut Vintage made from 45% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Meunier and 15% Pinot Noir. The wine is aged in the cellar for 8 years and the Dosage is 8g/l. It has hints of citrus fruit, white peaches, a touch of red  fruit and a note of green apple. This worked well with the last two pizzas because it contained red grapes.

Daniel, Frank and I really enjoyed Roberto’s terrific pizzas with these champagnes.  The two young boys ate heartily and played chess together.  By the time our meal was over, they had become pals.  When Frank visited London recently with his son, Daniel and he arranged a reunion for the boys over — what else? — pizza, this time at Kalo’ 50, one of the city’s top Neapolitan pizzerias.

Dining with Bacchus

An invitation to dine with Bacchus doesn’t come every day, so I was happy to accept the intriguing invitation from the Italian Trade Agency to a dinner and wine tasting at the Hotel Renaissance in NYC.

We were greeted with a glass of Rotari Brut when we entered.

The Italian Trade Commissioner, Antonio Laspina, welcomed guests and spoke about Italian wine and the evening’s event. He explained that the Italian Trade Agency, along with Colangelo & Partners, had organized a series of “Dining with Bacchus” dinners and tastings around the country and this was the final one.Their goal was to promote both traditional Italian food and wine combinations and at the same time educate US wine industry professionals on Italian wine pairing opportunities with diverse cuisines. The idea, Mr. Laspina explained, was to both embrace yet debunk the concept that “what grows together, goes together.”

Chef Fabrizio Facchini prepared dishes to go with each wine and spoke about them.  It was set up like a dinner with Antipasti, Primi, Secondi, and Dolci. Anthony Giglio was the master of ceremonies and spoke about the wine and added comments on the food and wine combinations. It was a very large group and Mr. Giglio did an job excellent with his sense of humor and knowledge of Italian wine

Trento DOC Brut 2015 Rotari (Trent) made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  The lots are married together with 5-7% of Chardonnay fermented in oak with partial malolactic fermentation.  Once the cuvée is made, the wine is cold stabilized, filtered and ready for the second fermentation. Secondary fermentation is maintained at a critically controlled temperature of approximately 53-56°F. First the filtered wine is chilled to 53°F and then chilled yeast is added to make sure a slow fermentation is maintained from the outset. This approach guarantees that the fermentation lasts for at least 40 days so that it develops the fine perlage found in Rotari. The wine rests on the lees for more than 24 months at a temperature of between 56–58°F. During the aging process there is a routine remuage utilizing giro-palettes. Following the aging in the bottle, there is disgorgement and addition of the proprietary dosage. The dosage is comprised of Chardonnay from the same vintage matured in neutral oak barrels which provides the wine with greater aromas without oak impact. The wine has hints of peach, citrus fruit, white stone fruit and a touch of brioche.

Antipasti

Prosecco Rosé DOC 2020  Riondo vintage dated sparkling wine (Veneto). Made from 90% Glera and 10% Pinot Noir. The residual sugar is 16 g/l. There is a cold fermentation of the grapes and the primary fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature followed by a secondary fermentation in stainless steel pressurized tanks for two months. The wine has hints of roses, violets, and raspberry with a note of apple and a touch of peach. Served with chicken wings roasted and glazed with a mild sauce.

IIsonzo Del Friuli DOC 2018 made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc Sant’Elena (Friuli-Venezia-Giulia). The wine has notes of kiwi, melon, lemon and a note of almonds with a long finish. Caesar salad topped with croutons and anchovies

Umbria IGT White Grechetto 2021 (Umbria) made from 100% Grechetto Barberani from a 5 hectare vineyard at 200/300 meters. The soil is sedimentary with the presence of marine fossils, pebbles and calcareous agglomerations. There are 4,500 plants per hectare, the training system is double guyot and the vines are 30 years old. The manual  harvest is  August/ September. Light lemon finish with hints of citrus fruit, apples a touch of spice and a note of almonds. Insalata Di Mare with squid, octopus, shrimp, mussels, celery & mesclun

Nebbiolo Langhe DOC 2020 “Margie” Damilano (Piedmont) made from 100% Nebbiolo from an 18 hectare vineyard at 1,500 ft with a southeastern /southern exposure.  Calcareous and tufa based soil, the training system is guyot and the vines are about 40 years old. Harvest is in October and fermentation is in stainless steel tanks for 12 days. The wine is aged  in 20hl to 100hl oak barrels for 12 months and for 2 months in bottle before release. The wine has hints of red fruit, violets, cherry with a touch of licorice and a note of violets. Affettati — 24 month prosciutto di Parma DOP, speck Alto Adige IGP

Chianti Classico DOCG 2021 Castellare di Castellina (Tuscany) made from 95% Sangiovese and  5% Canaiolo from vineyards at 350/400 meters. Limestone soil and the training system is guyot single arched cane. There are 3,500 plants per hectare. Harvest is in October. Vinification is in steel and malolactic fermentation is completed. The wine is aged in French oak barrels of 225 liters and 5hl for 7 months and in bottle for another 7 months before bottling. The wine has hints of red fruit, licorice, black currant and a note of vanilla. Cheese plate — Parmigiano Reggiano DOP and Taleggio DOP

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Riserva DOC 2017 “Ruberò” (Abruzzo) Cantina Frentana made from 100% Montepulciano. The vineyards are in the municipality of Rocca San Giovanni, situated on hills overlooking the Costa del Trabocchi with a south/southeastern exposure. The soil is medium textured and calcareous. Harvest is manual the second week in October. There is a soft pressing of the grapes with maceration and fermentation with the skins for 10/15 days in small stainless steel fermenters at a controlled temperature. The wine is aged in French tonneau oak barrels for about 14 months, then more aging in stainless steel and then in the bottle for a few months. The wine has hints of black cherry, blackberry, violets with a note of spice and leather.

Pasta di Gragnano IGP with a ragu of pork and beef ribs cooked slowly with San Marzano DOP tomatoes.

Lambrusco di Modena DOC Organic (Emilia-Romagna) Tenuta Agricola Cleto Chiarli made from 100% Grasparossa from a vineyard at 100 meters with 9 year old vines. The soil is brown to red in color with a superficial layer of loamy texture, alluvial sediment, coarse gravel and slightly alkaline. The training system is Geneva double Curtin. Vinification is with selected yeasts. Wine is in contact with the lees durning cold stabilization for 2 months. No second fermentation, only a single fermentation under pressure. A cross flow filter is used, Malolactic fermentation does not take place. The wine is aged for one month in the bottle. Residual sugar 15 g/lt has hints of red fruit, strawberry, raspberry and cherry.

Tortellini alla Bolognese, Veal stuffed tortellini cooked in chicken broth

Secondi

Greco di Tufo 2020 DOCG Feudi Di San Gregorio made from 100% Greco (Campania) The soil is chalky. Alcoholic fermentation is in stainless steel tanks. Maturation is for about 4 months in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. .The wine has floral notes with hints of citrus fruit, pear and apricot with good acidity.

Chicken Curry — Chicken thigh cooked in Indian curry style with Basmati rice.

Est! Est! Est!!! Di Montefiascone DOP  Lazio 2021 “Le Pòggere”2021 Falesco (Umbria). Made from 60% Trebbiano, 15% Rossetto and 25% Malvasia from a 150 hectare vineyard at 300 meters. The average age of the vines is 18 years and the training system is spun cordon.There are 3,000 vines per hectare and the soil is crumbly with many pebbles. There is a soft pressing of the whole cluster grapes with an automatic press. The must settles for 24/48 hours and is racked to stainless steel vats where fermentation starts and is carried out at a controlled temperature with the addition of selected indigenous yeasts. The wine is left in contact with the yeasts for some days before being racked and when the wine is ready it is bottled very early to keep its freshness and taste. This is an aromatic wine that has floral and fruity notes with good acidity.

Porchetta, Roasted pork belly stuffed with garlic and wild bronze fennel

Carignano del Sulcis DOC 2013 “Grotta Rossa” Santadi (Sardegna) made from 100% Carignano from bush grown and counter espalier vineyards in the lower Sulcis. Soil is of medium mixture, lose with clay, sand and limestone. Harvest starts in the middle of September and ends the first week of October. The must is fermented with the skins at controlled temperature. There is  pumping over. Malolactic fermentation takes place and then the wine ages in cement vats for several months before bottling. This is an intense fruity wine with a licorice finish.

Braised beef with maple syrup. Slow cooked, low temperature ribs with maple syrup

Dolci

Mondoro Asti DOCG (Piemonte) made from 100% Moscato from grapes in vineyards situated in the territory of Canelli, Santo Stefano, Belbo and Calosso. The Asti Method: Grapes are crushed and the juice is stored at a low temperature until needed. When the wine is ready to be made the grape juice is warmed and fermentation takes place in pressurized tanks. Carbon dioxide is allowed to escape until the alcohol level reaches 6% and the Carbon dioxide is retained creating bubbles. Fermentation continues until it reaches 7%/7.5 alcohol by volume and the pressure is close to 5 atmospheres. The fermentation is stopped by chill filtration and the wine is bottled for immediate release. The wine has hints of honey, peach, pears and a note of orange blossom. Alcohol is 7%

Panettone, Fiasconaro, Sicily

Terre Siciliane IGP “Kio” 2017 Nocera Passito Tenuta di Mastronicola (Sicily) made from 100% Nocera from a vineyard at 110 meters. The soil is medium mixed tending to calcareous. The training system is spurred cordon and the green harvest reduces about 40% of the grapes. Harvest is in mid November. Vinification is in small stainless steel tanks for about 10 months during which manual punching down of the raisin grapes is carried out. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 24 months and in bottle for six months before release. The wine has hints of liquor infused cherries, blackberries, jam, prune, chocolate and notes of vanilla.

Bis Di Cioccolato — Modicao Cioccolato di Modica IGP (Vanilla), Sicily and Venchi Cioccolato Fondente 80% (South American blend), Piemonte.

Not surprisingly, all of the traditional wine and food pairings worked beautifully as did many of the non-traditional combinations, though I might have chosen different Italian wines to pair with some of the dishes.

The Charming Taste of Europe

“The Charming Tastes of Europe is a special project that links the flavors of wines from Italy and France and of fresh fruit from Greece, and further introduces the United States and Canada to these exquisite items that recall all of European beauty and grace,” according the brochure we were given at a tasting and dinner at Lincoln Restaurant in NYC.  The Charming Taste of Europe campaign is partially funded by the European Union.

I was invited by the organizer of the event and the speaker, Susannah Gold. I have been to a number of events hosted by her and they are all well organized and informative.

Susanna spoke about the region of Abruzzo.  The Abruzzo region of Italy located to the east of Rome has everything going for it. There are beautiful national parks, a long coastline on the Adriatic, the rugged snowcapped Apennine Mountains, and little medieval towns perched precariously on hill tops. Abruzzo is situated between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso and Majella massif. It is one of the most unspoiled regions of Italy with three national parks and more than ten national and regional natural reserves.  Abruzzo geographically is more central than southern Italy, but due to its connection with the old Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, it is considered part of the South.

Most vineyards are in hilly areas of which 75% are in the province of Chieti.

The traditional vine training method is the Tendone system also known as Pergola Abruzzese.

The three most important wine designations in Abruzzo are: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (red), Cerasuolo (rose), and Trebbiano D’Abruzzo (white). Abruzzo is the number five wine producing region in Italy.

The wines of Abruzzo

Trebbiano D’Abruzzo DOC 2021 Nic Tartaglia made from 100% made from 100% Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from 41 year old vines at 303 meters. The training system is the pergola and there are 1,600 vines per hectare. Harvest takes place at the end of September. The grapes are soft pressed, followed by static clarification. Fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel vats for 30 days. Malolactic fermentation does not take place. Aging is in stainless steel vats. The wine is bottled in the spring following the harvest. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, lemon, lime and almonds in the finish.

The Trebbiano grape produces Trebbiano d’Abruzzo white wine. It is second in area covering over 5,000 hectares. This grape is planted all over Italy but it finds its best expression in Abruzzo.

Pecorino Superiore Abruzzo DOC 2021 “la Canaglia” (Nic Tartaglia is the owner) Azienda Agricola Fontefico made from 100% Pecorino from a vineyard at 120 meters. The training system is guyot and there are 4,000 plants per hectare with an eastern exposure. The soil is iron, sand and clay. It is a single vineyard wine and is estate bottled and the farm is organic. This is a full bodied, crisp white wine with high minerality and hints of grapefruit, sage, and white flowers with a touch of almonds. It is called La Canaglia, the rascal, of Fontefico because the yields are very low. There is a different label on the bottle very year because every wine has its own personality.

Pecorino is an ancient grape variety which was “rediscovered” in the early 1980’s. The name in Italian means “little sheep” because the sheep liked to eat the grapes off the vines.

Cerasuolo D’Abruzzo  2021 “Prope” Velenosi made from 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from estate owned vineyards in the Controguerra at 250 to 300 meters. The soil is of medium texture with abundant grassland.  The training system is cordon and spur pruned. There are 5,000 plants per hectare. Specifically selected grapes for Rosé vinification are picked during the first 10 days of September. In the cellar the grapes are destemmed and pressed. The entire environment in inactivated with carbon dioxide ice so as not to lose the primary aromas. A brief cold maceration takes place for about 6 hours, which allows the maximum extraction of the aromas. Fermentation is in temperature-controlled steel vats. The wine is kept for some months on the lees to increase the structure. It has hints of red current, raspberry, violet with floral scents.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is a Rose’ made from the Montepulciano grape. It is made from the free run juice and/or juice with little skin contact and it can be light pink to dark red.

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2017 Riserva “Villa Gemma” Masciarelli made from 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo on steep, sloped Colle Cave vineyards in Chieti. The soil is limestone, clay and gravel. The training system is French guyot and the farming is sustainable. Harvest is by hand. The harvest ended in October. Fermentation is in stainless steel 15 to 20 days, followed by a maceration of 23 to 30 days.  Aging is for 36 months in 100% new French oak barriques, followed by 3 years in bottle before release. The wine has hints of blackberry, blueberry, pumice and vanilla.  The winery was founded in 1981 by Gianni Masciarelli.

The Montepulciano grape produces Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Montepulciano is the most planted grape in Abruzzo and is grown on about 17,000 hectares. It represents 80% of the total DOC wine produced in Abruzzo. The Montepulciano grape has been in Abruzzo since the mid 17th Century.

The French Dessert Wines

Château De Gardes “Cuvée Fût de Chêne” AOC Cadillac 2019 made from 100% Sémillon from 60 year old vines on 64 hectares. The training system is guyot. Harvest is by hand and there are several sortings of the grapes. Traditional winemaking using pneumatic press and gentle filtration before bottling. The wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels. There is a good balance between sugar and alcohol, with hints of candied fruit and vanilla. The wine can age for 20 years.

Cadillac is a small appellation of Bordeaux in the southwest of France, known for its sweet botrytized white wines. It is situated on the east bank of the Garonne, north of Loupiac.

Château Loupiac-Gaudiet AOC Loupiac 2017 made from 90 % Sémillion and 10% Sauvignon from 45 year old vines on 26 hectares. The soil is clay and limestone and the pruning system is simple guyot. Harvest is by hand as soon as the botrytis appears.Traditional winemaking using modern methods–pneumatic press and temperature controlled fermentation. Drink it 2 to 5 years if you want it fresh and fruity, or 5 to ten years if you prefer more richness, or 10 to 30 if you prefer more smoothness. The wine has a good balance between fruit sugar and acidity. There are hints of honey, beeswax, dried stone fruit, lemon, marmalade and a touch of spice in the finish.  I was very impressed with this wine.

Loupiac belongs to a cluster of lesser know appellations in Bordeaux that specialize in the production of sweet wine from a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. It is on the opposite bank from Sauternes but the soil and weather conditions are perfect for producing wine with botrytis cinerea.