GRAPPA !

I like grappa. I often drink it after a nice meal as a way to relax and to help me to digest. I put a few drops in my espresso, for what Italians call caffè corretto. I drizzle grappa on my lemon granita and other flavored ices and even have it with chocolate. A number of years ago Michele and I wrote and article for Gourmet Magazine called “Cooking with Grappa.” The beautiful grappa chocolate cake appeared on the cover of the magazine.

A friend invited me to a wine tasting. When I arrived, one of the wine reps told me that there was a grappa seminar starting in five minutes, would I like to attend. He knew me well enough to know that I would say yes.

Alessandro Marzadro

The speaker was Alessandro Marzardo, third generation of the owners of the Marzardo Distillery that was founded in 1949. The distillery is in Bancolino di Nogaredo in the heart of Vallagarina in Trentino. In 2005 they built a new state-of-the-art distillery.

Alessandro said that at one time, grappa was only drunk by farm workers in the cold weather to give them energy before they went into the fields to work. It was a morning drink taken between the hours of 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. He made the point that grappa was only made by the farmers in Northern Italy. Southern Italy does not have a tradition of grappa because it is too warm. It is only recently with the popularity and often high prices for grappa that wineries in Southern Italy have their grape pomace (vinaccia in Italian) turned into grappa. He said the grappa was first called acqua vita, water of life, and the people of Trentino have always embraced the art of distillation.

There are 45 distilleries that produce grappa in Italy. An Italian wine producer will send his pomace to one of these distilleries to be made into grappa. Pomace is the grape residue left after the first pressing when making wine. It is against the law for a winery to have a distillery on its property. There are over 4,000 grappa labels on the market today.

Up until about 15 years ago all grappa was what Alessandro referred to as traditional grappa, that is, made without being aged in wood. It was clear in color and the flavor reflected the grapes that it was made from. Now many grappas are aged in new barriques and for the most part they are dark in color and in many cases the wood flavor has taken over.

He said the grappa made from white grapes has more aromas and is easier to drink than grappa made from red grapes, though grappa made from red grapes has more taste. If you are going to introduce grappa to someone for the first time it is better to chose a grappa made from white grapes as it is easier to drink.

The Marzardo distrillery produces many different distilled sprits and Alessandro said that you must start with the best raw material. Trentino makes great wines so this is not a problem. Knowledge and experience are also needed to produce a great product.

Alessandro said that in the distillery there are 100 days of work, 24/7 from September to December. The freshest selected pomace is distilled each day. The distillation takes place in alembics using the traditional discontinuous bain marie system (steam distillation), which is part of the Trentino culture. He said that the first part of the production called the “head” tastes bad because it contains too much methane (he said it tastes like nail polish) and is therefore discarded. The last part is called the “tail” and contains too many impurities and is also discarded. The discontinuous method produces small amounts of high quality grappa.

The alembics are handmade out of copper and are excellent conductors of heat. Therefore the particular fragrances and aromas of the pomace are enhanced to their maximum. In order to keep everything uniform, the whole system is computerized.

Alessandro pointed out that the continuous process of grappa production in giant stills produces large amounts of grappa. He said that this type of production, which he does not use, produces commercial grappa that is not of a very good quality.

After distillation the traditional grappa is left alone. The grappa that is to be aged is placed in barrels of 225 liter barriques to 1,500 liter barrels made from four types of roasted wood, including oak, acacia, cherry and ash, for two years. Alessandro said they use wood from all over the world but do not use any from America. The new barrels are from a barrel maker who makes barrels for producers of balsamic vinegar. We tasted two different lines of grappa, three in each line.

The first grappa was the Le Diciotto Lune Grappa Stravecchio. Italian law requires a minimum of 18 months of aging before a grappa can be labeled stravecchio (old). Alessandro said that this is an aged, high quality Grappa, which is emblematic of the culture, care and art of distilling. It is produced from the best pomace of Trent, from selected vines, and distilled in the typical still. The Grappa is left to refine for 20 months in small cherry, ash, oak and ash casks, each of which lends its characteristic perfume, aroma, color and flavor, to the grappa.

La Trentina “Tradizional” – Grappa Giovane – This is traditional grappa at its best. I really liked this grappa.

La Trentina “Morbida” Grappa Barrique Morbida means soft or smooth in Italian. This grappa reflected the wood having vanilla aromas and flavors.

These last 3 spend 36 months in barriques and are labeled ” Grappa Affinata” 

Giare “Gewûrztraminer” This was the most aromatic of the grappas- there was no mistaking which grape this was made from.

Giare “Chardonnay” This was a grappa with hints of oak and vanilla.

Giare “ Amarone” This grappa had the most taste with just a slight hint of oak.

A Guide to Drinking Wine at Home- Eric Asimov

DINING & WINE

Very interesting  article by Eric Asimov on drinking wine at home

Wine as the Supporting Player in an Ensemble Cast at Home

SEPT. 22, 2014

Photo

The Pour

By ERIC ASIMOV

People who love wine generally consume more of it at home than anywhere else. And regardless of the quality of their glasses or the extent of their cellars, those who most enjoy wine at home share one attribute: a commitment to drinking it.

Many people who profess to value wine break out bottles only on special occasions, or on weekends. But people who really love wine think of it as an ordinary part of their meals, like salt or bread. Regular consumption is the single most important characteristic of the confident wine lover.

The benefits of commitment far outweigh a primer on proper glassware or schematics for pairing food and wine. Drinking wine regularly develops your critical ability and your sense of your own taste. And it helps answer the crucial question: Do you like wine enough to want to learn more about it? If you do like it, the repetition of pouring a glass with a meal becomes a pleasurable learning experience, which in turn leads to a greater sense of confidence. That, more than anything, improves the experience of drinking wine anywhere.

Regular wine consumption does not mean you need to drink a lot. It could be just a glass with dinner. Or a couple could share a bottle, which, like the 90-foot baseline in baseball, is just the right proportion: Two people can generally finish a bottle happily rather than woozily. Either way, or anywhere in between, regular drinking renders wine ordinary in the best sense rather than extraordinary.

Some people may shy away from regular wine drinking as self-indulgent or hedonistic, and they would not be wrong. Good food is pleasurable, and good wine enhances that pleasure. But wine is not the end itself. Adding wine as an ingredient of a good meal diminishes the need to focus on it.

For regular drinkers, wine is no longer a novelty. It’s simply a supporting player in an ensemble cast that includes food and those with whom you share it. You want good wine, of course, but good wine does not have to be profound, attention-grabbing or expensive.

Exciting bottles are not hard to find for $10 to $20, although most are closer to $20 than $10. If you are sharing the bottle among several people, it does not add up to a great deal. Still, if drinking well at home requires commitment, part of that commitment is financial.

But the investment does not have to be great, especially with equipment. You could drink wine out of juice glasses if you wish, though the experience improves greatly with good stemware, which doesn’t have to be expensive. Similarly, you can spend hundreds of dollars on meticulously engineered corkscrews, but a basic waiter’s tool for about $12 will reliably open anything.

You don’t need to own a lot of wine to drink it regularly. If you have a mixed case of wine on hand — reds, whites and a sparkler or two — you don’t need more. Replace as needed, preferably by becoming a regular at a good wine shop and developing a beneficial relationship with a knowledgeable merchant.

Don’t worry that wine will be ruined if you leave it in an open bottle for two or three days. Wine, especially young, fresh wine, is sturdier than we imagine, and so doesn’t require special pumps, stoppers or other knickknacks marketed as preservers. Older wines are more fragile and should be saved for occasions when they can be consumed in one sitting.

The time may come when, having decided that you love wine and want it to be part of your life, you begin to buy a lot of bottles.

The wine itself is the most important investment, but to care properly for the wine, especially bottles that you want to age, you will need long-term wine storage. If you have a house with a cool, damp cellar, you’re in luck. Just keep your wine there in whatever sort of shelving you choose. If you live in an apartment, it will be worth getting a wine refrigerator (or two), or off-site storage. Inevitably, loving wine costs money. But if you love it, the money is well spent.

Email: asimov@nytimes.com. And follow Eric Asimov on Twitter: @EricAsimov.

IL Marroneto: Traditional Brunello at its Best

Often when I go to a wine tasting, people will recommend that I taste this or that wine and say, “it is your style.” At a recent tasting of the wines from Montcalm imports, everyone I met seemed to be telling me to taste the wines at table #13. A friend even went so far as to bring the winemaker/owner from table 13 to me to introduce him saying, “you must taste his wine.” Finally, I got to table 13. It was obvious that my friends know the kind of wines I like because it was one of my favorite producers of Brunello, IL Marroneto. At the table were the owner/winemaker, Alessandro Mori and his son Jacopo.

Jacopo and Alessandro

Alessandro told me that the wine really makes itself and he only does what is necessary. He has a traditional and minimalist philosophy both in the vineyard and in the cellar. IL Marroneto is one of the 10 historical wineries of Montalcino and was purchased in 1974 by Giuseppe Mori, Alessandro’s father.

The towers of the city of Siena are the backdrops of the estate’s vineyards located high on the north slope of the hill of Montalcino. The vineyards are at 400 meters and extend to the walls of the town. This is an area where grapes have been cultivated since the times of the Etruscans.

Alessandro said that they grow only Sangiovese grapes and follow a biodynamic approach to cultivation (although not certified), always abiding by the strict Montalcino regulations.  No herbicides are used on the plants.

The wines are aged in coveted Allier and Slovenian oak casks located in the 13th-century tower, which in past centuries was used for drying chestnuts. Learn more at www.ilmarroneto.it

The Wines of IL Marroneto

Rosso di Montalcino “Ignaccio” DOC  2010 100% Sangiovese. The vineyard is at 350 meters, the soil is coarse sand mixed with various minerals and the training system is spurred cordon. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with constant stirring for the first two days. Fermentation lasts for 20/22 days. The wine is aged in oak barrels for 8 months and another 6 months in the bottle before release. Alessandro said that this wine was a declassified Brunello but made in the same way and style. $30

Brunello di Momtalcino DOCG 100% Sangiovese. Fermentation lasts for 11/12 days. The wine is aged in 2,500 liter oak barrels for 39 months and 10 months in the bottle before release. $65

Brunello di Montalcino “Madonna della Grazie”  2009 DOCG 100% Sangiovese. This wine is made from a selection of grapes from the historical vineyards that surround the house. The name of the wine comes from the little 12^th century church very near the vineyard, Madonna della Grazie. Fermentation is in Allier oak vats where it remains untouched for 2 days and the fermentation lasts for 20/22 days. The wine is aged in 2,500 liter oak barrels for 41 months and 10 months in bottle before release. $85

These are complex wines with aromas and flavors of citrus, cherry, licorice and mineral notes. They have a wonderful aftertaste and a long finish. They are excellent food wines and will age for a long time.

Best Italian Wine Awards 2014

 

Here is a list of the Best Italian Wine Awards for 2014 selected by a panel composed of Luca Gaedini. Andrea Grignaffini, Daniele Cernilli and Tim Atkin among others. There are no surprises and of the 50 about 20 would have made my top list.

The Top 50
1 Dal Forno Romano – Valpolicella Superiore Monte Lodoletta 2008 – Veneto
2 Tenuta Sette Ponti – Oreno 2011 – Tuscany
3 Marisa Cuomo – Costa d’Amalfi Furore Fiorduva 2012 – Campania
4 Luciano Sandrone – Barolo Cannubi Boschis Luciano Sandrone 2010 – Piedmont
5 Argiolas – Turriga 2010 – Sardinia
6 Tenuta San Guido – Sassicaia 2011 – Tuscany
Casanova 7 of Blacks – Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto 2008 – Tuscany
8 Valentini – Trebbiano D’Abruzzo 2010 – Abruzzo
9 Duemani – Duemani, 2011 – Tuscany
10 Giuseppe Mascarello e Figlio – Barolo Santo Stefano di Perno 2009 – Piedmont
11 Hut – Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2006 – Tuscany
12 Vietti – Barolo Lazzarito 2010 – Piedmont
13 Sottimano – Currà Barbaresco 2010 – Piedmont
14 Podere Poggio Ladders – of nursery, 2011 – Tuscany
15 Malvirà – Renesio Roero Riserva 2009 – Piedmont
16 Gorelli The Potazzine – Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva 2006 – Tuscany
17 Palari – Faro 2009 – Sicily
18 Tua Rita – Redigaffi, 2011 – Tuscany
19 Marco De Bartoli – Vecchio Samperi Ventennale know – Sicily
20 Ettore Germano – Riesling Hérzu 2012 – Piedmont
21 Tenuta Nozzole – The Pareto 2010 – Tuscany
22 Pio Cesare – Barolo Ornato 2010 – Piedmont
23 Le Piane – Boca 2010 – Piedmont
24 Conterno Fantino – Barolo Sori Ginestra 2010 – Piedmont
25 Fratelli Alessandria – Barolo Monvigliero 2010 – Piedmont
26 Ornellaia – masseto, 2011 – Tuscany
27 Nino Negri – Sfursat 5 Star 2010 – Lombardia
28 Mastroberardino – Taurasi Riserva White Label 2008 – Campania
29 Ca ‘D’Gal – Moscato d’Asti Vigna Vecchia 2008 – Piedmont
30 Torraccia of Piantavigna – Ghemme 2007 – Piedmont
31 Polvanera – Primitivo of Gioia del Colle Vineyard Montevella 17, 2011 – Puglia
32 Palladino – Barolo Parafada 2010 – Piedmont
33 Fratelli Barale – Barolo Bussia 2009 – Piedmont
34 Macchiole – Paleo Rosso – 2010 – Tuscany
35 Grattamacco – Grattamacco Bolgheri Rosso Superiore, 2011 – Tuscany
36 Ca ‘del Bosco – Franciacorta Brut Reserve Cuvée Annamaria Clementi 2005 – Lombardi
37 Pollina – The Pollina, 2011 – Marche
38 Domenico Clerico – Barolo Ciabot Mentin 2010 – Piedmont
39 Bussia Soprana – Barolo Vigna Colonello 2009 – Piedmont
40 Elvio Cogno – Barolo Bricco Pernice 2009 – Piedmont
41 Nervi – Gattinara Molsino 2006 – Piedmont
42 Ar.Pe.Pe – Grumello Good Counsel Riserva 2005 – Lombardia
43 Castle Mold – Lupicaia 2009 – Tuscany
44 Cortaccia – Brenntal Gewurztraminer, 2011 – Alto Adige
Tramin 45 – Terminum Gewurztraminer 2012 – Alto Adige
46 Prunotto – Barolo Bussia 2010 – Piedmont
47 Castle Verduno – Monvigliero Barolo Riserva 2006 – Piedmont
48 Podere il Carnasciale – The Caberlot2010 – Tuscany
49 Biondi Santi – Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2008 – Tuscany
Villa Bucci 50 – Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Riserva Villa Bucci 2009 – Marche

 

Now for Something Completely Different: DUBLIN

Every time we mentioned that we were going to Dublin, our friends would respond the same way: “Why Dublin?” The answer was simple, we wanted to go someplace we had never been before and Dublin sounded perfect.

The Famous Penny Bridge across the Liffey River

The hotel was stayed in was the Fritzwilliam and it was right in the center of town. I would highly recommend it because of the service and the pleasant rooms with a view of the park across the street or the garden in the back.

When we arrived we went for breakfast at Bewley’s on Grafton Street. I skipped the Irish breakfast which typically includes eggs, sausages, bacon, beans, tomatoes, potatoes and other sides and had a delicious scone with butter and coffee. The bread in Ireland is wonderful as is the coffee, tea, butter and baked goods.  In the afternoon we took a tour of Dublin and found out that all of the sites we wanted to see were in walking distance from our hotel.

The main shopping street in Dublin is Grafton Street. it is closed to traffic as are many of the adjoining streets, so it is very pleasant to walk around. There are many street musicians and other performers which gives the street a kind of carnival atmosphere 

For dinner the first night we went to The Hot Stove Restaurant, 38 Parnell Square Dublin 1 where we had a very nice dinner and a bottle of Côtes du Rhône AOC “Rhone Paraodox” 2012 Made from 100% Grenache. Luc Baudet. The vines are located on the right bank of the Rhône. The soil is a combination of sand and smooth pebbles typical of the Villafranchian era. The wine is fermented in concrete vats. It has nice fruit aromas and flavors with hints of raspberries and spice and a long finish.

Chicken Liver Pate

With the wine we enjoyed a chicken liver pate, stuffed quail and wild boar.

The next afternoon we went for lunch at a restaurant called the Winding Stair which is upstairs from a bookstore. It was on the other side of the river and we crossed over the famous Penny Bridge.

I ordered a half-pint of beer, The Porterhouse Oyster Stout, which the label said was brewed with oysters. I enjoyed it. 

We also went to Ely Winebar, 22 Ely Place Dublin 2. We had a cheese and cold cut platter to start and hamburgers that were better than many that we have had in NYC. Great fries, too!

We drank a bottle of Cote Rotie “Cote Rozier” 2007 from Christopher Bonneford. Made from 100% Syrah. The soil is schist/mica and 1 hector is on loose granite and gneiss. The vines are 30 to 35 years old. Harvest takes place as late as possible and the whole crop is destemmed. Fermentation lasts for 25 days in stainless steel vats with remontage and pigeage. 90% of the wine is aged in French oak barrels (10% new) for 24 months. The wine is not filtered but there is a light egg white fining. This is a big, full-bodied wine that can age. It has hints of blackberries, licorice and smoke with a very long finish.

For lunch the next day, we went to a pub called the Duke on Duke Street. We had hot carved pork sandwiches and we just had to have a pint of Guinness.

On FB I noticed that Marina, an Italian friend who lives in Milan, was going to be in Dublin at the same time. We made a date to meet for dinner. We went to Fallon and Byrne, 11-17 Exchange St. Dublin 2. They have a large noisy crowded winebar in the basement, a supermarket on the first floor and a nice restaurant on the second floor. Michele and Marina ordered fish and I ordered steak and chips. The chips, better known as French fries were excellent.

We drank a bottle of Les Mauguerets Lacomtrie St Nicholas de Bourgueil from Pascal Lorieux made from 100% Cabernet Franc. Harvest is in the beginning of October. Destemming takes place and then total maceration for 5/6 weeks with daily pumping over in stainless steel tanks. The wine went very nicely with the steak.

Duck Mousse

Another night we went to Fade Street Social, 4/7 Fade Street Dublin 2. This was a large, busy restaurant with a great many choices on the menu, plus specials, plus 3 chalkboards. The chalkboards list different cuts of meat at different prices depending on the cut and the size. When one was ordered a waiter would climb up and cross it off the board. We had duck mousse, salad with bacon and 2 kinds of eggs, a pork chop and a cut of beef called the Butchers secret.

We drank a bottle of Gigondas “Cuvèe Boisee” 2010 from Domaine Mavette made from 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah 5% Mouvèdre and 5% Cinsault. The soil is clay and limestone and the exposure is south/southwest. The age of the vines is 5 to 60 years. Harvest is manual, and there is a sorting of the grapes. Traditional temperature controlled fermentation takes place with maceration for 20 to 30 days. All of the wine is aged in barrels for 18 to 20 months. The wine went very well with all of the meat.

Lamb Kidneys

The last night went to Peploe’s at St. Stephens Green Dublin 2, a few blocks from the hotel. This is a very pleasant restaurant with excellent wine service and good food. I had lamb kidneys in mustard sauce and roasted chicken with black truffles.

With the food I ordered a bottle of Minervois AOC 2010 Estate Rouviole in the Minervois La Livinière. Made from 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache. The soil is clay, limestone and sandstone. The vineyard has a southern exposure and is at 100/200 meters. Average age of the vines is 40 years. Two manual harvests take place at the end of September. There is de-stemming and traditional fermentation, which lasts for three weeks, in stainless steel tanks. The Syrah in aged in French, American and Eastern European oak barrels. The Grenache is aged in second passage oak barrels and in stainless steel to retain its finess and expression of red fruit. The wines are then blended. This wine was drinking very well and was a perfect combination with the kidneys and the chicken.

NOTE – If you get to Dublin, do not miss seeing Trinity College which includes the Book of Kells and the long room in the Library. The Dublin Castle tour is great for a history of Dublin and Ireland. The Wild Wicklow Tour of the countryside was the best bus tour I have ever taken!

Very Important Note: At Dublin airport after you clear Irish security, passengers going to the U.S. go to a separate part of the terminal where they pas through U.S. customs, so when you arrive in the US you just walk right out of the terminal! It made arriving back home so easy!

 

 

Italian Police Confiscate Counterfeit “Fake” Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino

 

• The Guardian, Thursday 11 September 2014 11.30 EDT

The counterfeit wine was confiscated by Italian police before it reached the market. Photograph: Gary Calton

Producers of Tuscany’s Brunello di Montalcino have been toasting their good fortune after Italian police foiled a plot to flood the market with nearly half a million counterfeit bottles of the prized red wine.

A wine expert, who had obtained fake Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino labels and falsified certification in the region’s wine database, was selling lower-quality local wine as bulk supplies of the coveted red to unwitting local producers, police officers in Siena said.

“It’s the biggest fraud ever carried out in the agricultural and food sector,” the force’s chief, Luca Albertario, added. Had the scam succeeded, it would have resulted in fake Brunello di Montalcino wines “ending up on the tables of half the restaurants in the world”, he added. The 160,000 litres of falsified wine would have sold for up to €5m (£4m).

Detectives tipped off last year by a suspicious winemaker discovered the conman had targeted up to 10 wineries between 2011 and 2013. He is also accused of attempting to steal €350,000 from the bank account of one of his victims.

Some 220,000 bottles of poor-quality wine, which had been stored in barrels to age like the real Brunello, were confiscated this week before they could go on the market.

The oenologist, who has been banned from living in Montalcino, is the only person under investigation, though police believe he had been helped by collaborators in the wine production and sales sectors.

The Brunello di Montalcino consortium of winemakers and authorities in Tuscany plan to sue for damages.

According to the Italian farmers association, Coldiretti, 70% of Brunello wine is exported, mainly to the US, then by Asia and Central America.

The scandal is the second to hit the Italian wine sector this year. In May, police foiled a multimillion-euro scam in which table wine was being falsely labelled as from a winery belonging to the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s estate.

The Wines of Tenuta Villanova

This is the last article about my visit to Friuli as judge for the 2014 Pinot Grigio Challenge and subsequent visit to some of the winemakers. After the Challenge ended, I went to the Lis Neris Winery and tasted wines from Lis Neris and Ronco del Gelso, which I have already written about, and Tenuta Villanova.

Alberto Grossi

Representing Tenuta Villanova the day that I visited was Alberto Grossi, the managing director of the winery and nephew of the owner, Giuseppina Grossi-Bennati. Translating for him was Nadia La Milia who did a wonderful job because she understood the wine terms and made everything very clear. Alberto said that they had 100 hectares registered to DOC Isonzo wines and 27 hectares to DOC Collio. The hilltops where the Collio vineyards are located are marked by clay and limestone marl rich in minerals and organic substances. The Isonzo vineyards are located on the alluvial plain of the Isonzo River and are composed of sandstone (calcified sand) and gravel. With these two different DOC zones he feels that they can produce the best typical wines from the area

The wines

Friulano “Ronco Cucco” Collio DOC 2012 100% Friulano The soil is sandstone – marl and the exposure is northeast southwest. Training system is guyot and the vineyard is at 80 meters. After a gentle pressing of the grapes, the must is cryo-settled, then fermented at controlled temperature. The wine rests on the lees with frequent bàttonage. If you ask for white wine in Friuli, this is what you will get. As a recent article in the New York Times stated, this is “the house wine of Friuli.” It is a dry complex wine, with a hint of wildflowers, citrus fruit and a nice touch of bitter almond on the finish. This wine had hints of ripe apple, a touch of banana and a touch of vanilla.

Chardonnay Ronco Cucco DOC Collio 2008 100% Chardonnay. The soil is sandstone marl and the exposure is north south. The vineyard is at 90 meters and the training system is guyot 2.40 X 1.00m. After gentle pressing of the grapes, the must is cryo-settled, then fermented in 225 liter oak barrels. The wine rests on the lees until the following May, with frequent bàttonage to keep the lees in suspension. This wine has hints of ripe apple, a touch of banana and vanilla.

Malvasia Friuli Isonzo DOC 2012 100% Malvasia Istriana. The soil is medium textured alluvial, the exposure is northwest southeast, the elevation is 51 meters and the training system is guyot 2.40 X1.00 m. The grapes are hand picked; cold maceration takes place in the press before the grapes are gently pressed. The must is cryo –settled, then fermentation at a controlled temperature. The wine rests several months on the lees.

Malvasia “Uva Nostra” 2011 100% made from Malvasia from the Saccolina vineyard. The harvest is by hand and takes place at the end of September. There is a soft pressing of the grapes followed by a cold settling of the must and fermentation is at a controlled temperature. Malvasia from the right producer can age and I was very impressed by the aromas and flavors of this wine. It has hints of lime and ripe fruit with a long almond like finish.

 

2014 Vintage in Friuli

When I visited Lis Neris winery in early June I asked the owner Alvaro Pecorari about the 2014 vintage in Friuli. He said we would have to wait and see what the weather conditions would be during the summer before he could give me am answer. A few days ago I received the answer to my question from him in an e-mail. This is what he said about the vintage.

Alvaro

We have to go back 18 years before we find another summer that was so cold and rainy. We have been experiencing weather more like areas further north than Friuli. In the last months we have been involved in vineyard operations generally associated with Burgundy and Champagne, like leaf thinning to let air and sun better reach the grape bunches and well as several pruning’s of the new vegetation, to maintain a more mature leaf pattern.

An older canopy training system does not force the vine to get even more water which it does not need. We worked really hard in the vineyard, both in terms of labor and means. However, the frequency of rain encouraged the main vine diseases and reduced the exposure of the vines to the sun. The resulting wines will have more acidity that is why there is no hurry to start the vintage. Those producers who decide to wait to harvest their grapes will benefit from every ray of sun,that will give taste and flavors to the grapes, which could increase the value of this difficult vintage.

 

 

 

CELEBRATING MY BIRTHDAY

We spent my birthday weekend in the Hamptons at the home of our friends, Ernie and Louise De Salvo. Louise is an excellent cook and Ernie and I have the same taste in wine. 

We started with lunch on Saturday with zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies in a batter and deep-fried. This is one of my favorite foods and I have it whenever I am in Rome. With this we had a wine from a producer I did not know but it was a perfect combination with the flowers because it is a wine with a depth of flavor,hints of citrus fruit and good acidity.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo “Fonte Canale” 2011 100% Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from old vines from Tiberio. The vineyard is at 300 meters, there are 2,500 vines /hectare and the training system is the tendone (vines form a canopy to protect the grapes from the sun). Harvest takes place the last week of September. Cold maceration on the skins lasts for 6 hours. Vinification takes place in stainless steel and malolactic fermentation does not occur. The wine remains in the bottle for a short period before release.

Champagne Premier Brut NV Louis Roederer is made from 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier from 50 different crus. It is aged for 3 years in the cellar and 6 more months after dègorgement.

One of the dishes that Louise makes, which I love, is a cold melon soup with ginger. This was an interesting combination that worked well because the wine had nice fruity aromas and flavors and a hint of creaminess.

Barbera d’Alba 2001 Giacomo Conterno made from 100% Barbera d’Alba. The vineyard is in Serralunga d’Alba, the soil is calcareous limestone and the exposure is west/southwest. Vinification lasts for 2/3 weeks in wooden vats with regular breaking of the cap. The wine is then aged in large oak barrels for two years. Note–With the 2012 vintage, the Barbera with have Francia on the label as opposed to Cascina Francia, but the wine will remain the same.

When there are many different flavors in the foods Barbera is always a good choice because it is a red wine with good acidity. This one worked very well with the 3 cheeses, salumi, prosciutto, mortadella and best of all the flavorful roasted peppers made by Louise. The better Barberas can age for 20 years and this one was showing no signs of age.

Taurasi Riserva 1995 100% Aglianico Mastroberadino The soil is poor in organic substances but with a high content of clay, limestone, minerals and microelements. The vineyards are on two hills, Mirabella vineyard at 500 meters and the Montemarano vineyard at 550 meters. Because of its position on the hill and its altitude, the temperature at the Montemarano vineyard is much colder and the grapes are picked a little later. Harvest is from the end of October into the beginning of November. The vinification is the classic one for red wine, long maceration with skin contact at controlled temperatures. The wine spends one year in Slovenian oak barrels and two years in bottle, the wine can be laid down for 10 to 15 years. The riserva stays in medium sized 40 to 50HL oak casks for 2 years and 2 years in bottle. It can live in the bottle for 25-40 years. This is the way I believe the 1995 was produced. The wine was showing no signs of age. This is a full, complex wine with hints of black cherry, plum, spice, smoke and a touch of leather. 

I was in the mood for Taurasi for my birthday. My favorite pasta is Pasta Matriciana and I had to have for my birthday along with the Taurasi.

Hermitage 1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave. It is made from 100% Syrah from 50 year old vines from some of the best plots in Hermitage with different soils. The wine is aged in 228 oak barrels for 18 months, 10 to 20% new and the rest 1 to 5 years old.

Ernie makes the best lamb on the grill. He takes pieces of lamb and thick slices of bacon and skewers them. A big wine like the Hermitage was perfect with its depth of flavor and hints of black and red fruit.

For dessert Louise made fig ice cream. I like it so much that the next morning for breakfast before we went home I had the fig ice cream Sicilian style — sandwiched on a warm brioche.