Lunch with Barone Ricasoli at IL Gattopardo

One of my favorite Italian restaurants in NYC is Il Gattopardo (The Leopard). Gianfranco Sorrentino is a most gracious host and Chef Vito Gnazzo always prepares a memorable meal.  Recently, I met Barone Francesco Ricasoli for lunch there.

The name Ricasoli has been tied to Chianti from the 19th century when Bettino, known as “the Iron Baron,” developed the blend for Chianti . Francesco is the great grandson of the Iron Baron. The family traces its involvement in wine back to 1141 and theirs is one of the oldest wine estates in the world.

Barone Francesco Ricasoli

250 hectares of vineyards surround the castle of the estate which is the largest in Chianti Classico. The 1,200 hectares between the villages of Gaiole and Castelnuovo Berardenga include valleys, oak and chestnut woods, and 26 hectares of olive groves.

Francesco took over the running of the family estate in 1993 when he bought back the Castello di Brolio from the British company that it had been sold to. With the  collaboration of universities and a key scientific research center, he began to look more closely at his estate and what he could do to improve it.

The Soil

 

The Wines

Brolio Bianco 2013 Made from Chardonnay, Trebbiano and Malvasia. Cold maceration at 5°C for 6-8 hours without oxygen. Fermentation in stainless steel at extremely low temperature 12/16°C. (53.6°-60.8°F). Trebbiano, Malvasia and part of the Chardonnay ages in 500-litre French barrels (first and second use). Sauvignon Blanc and the rest of the Chardonnay are vinified in stainless steel. The bouquet is delicate, fragrant and slightly fruity with floral notes. Dry, smooth taste, pleasantly fruity with an underlying note of almonds. $25

Francesco wanted to find out what the best clones of Sangiovese are, what is the best soil for that specific clone, and what is the best wood for it to be aged in. Beginning in 1995 the ancient Brolio vineyards were gradually being replanted. Francesco started a research project to study and select biotypes of Sangiovese and other typical Chianti varieties. In 2005, 12 were identified, considered to be the best with the most potential for the purpose of selection, and good candidates to become new clones together with those already officially recognized. Three years later, the rootings obtained from these clones were planted.  Francesco told me that there was an independent institute working with the clones and trying to have them certified by the Ministry of Agriculture. He added that all the grapes were picked by hand.

Terroir has a most important role to play. They are making a map containing all the data for each vineyard: physical-chemical composition, elevation, sun exposure and micro-climate to select the most suitable rootstock, the appropriate variety to plant, and the best row orientation. This has become known as the Cru project. Three of the wines involved at the moment are Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico DOCG, Casalferro IGT and Colledila Chianti Classico DOCG.  In 2002 they introduced stainless steel for vinification. Francesco said that because the estate is so large they can have single vineyard cru wines like they do in Piedmont.

Brolio Chianti Classico 2012 Sangiovese and other complementary  grapes from the estates, vineyards in Gaiole in Chianti which are at 280 t0 480 meters. Vinified in stainless steel with 16 days of skin contact and 9 months in large barrels and barriques. The wine has fruity black cherry aromas and flavors with hints of spice and violet. $23 Francesco said the 2012 was a poor vintage for Chianti Classico and as a result almost all of the grapes, even those intended for the cru wines, went into this wine. It has floral notes of violets, with hints of black cherry and spice. $24

This was served with a Tuscan classic caciucco di ceci alla toscana

Colledila Chianti Classico 2010–100% Sangiovese.  Francesco said  2010 was a great vintage for the Chianti Classico region.  The vineyard is at an elevation of 380 meters and faces southwest. He felt that this was the most beautiful and representative part of the estate. It is a single vineyard which Francesco referred to as a cru because it is the right combination of Sangiovese clone in the right soil which gives you the best grapes. The wine has hints of black cherry and strawberry and a touch of vanilla. N/A

With this we had the pappardella con sugo di lepre

The land is Paleocene-Eocene in origin and forms part of the geological formation “Monte Morello.”  The soil is brown with a fine clay structure, very chalky, with subalkaline pH and little organic material. It is well drained and very stony. The grapes are destemmed and fall by gravity into special fermentation vats with a conical shape that are open at the top. During the alcoholic fermentation and the maceration period, a soft pressing is carried out between 2 and 6 times a day as well as the delestage. The maceration on the skins is between 5-9 days in stainless steel vats. Malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel vats. Francesco went on to say that the wine is aged in new barrels and casks for 18 months.

Francesco made a point of saying that the choice of wood used is the result of experiments using 20 different types of the best French oak from different geographical areas (Vosges, Troncais, Nevers, Allier, and Limousin) with medium and medium-plus toasting levels and standard to tighter grains. He also said that they use many different size barrels.

Because of all of this, he felt that this wine was the top expression of Sangiovese at Brolio and that the aroma is so specific, intense and typical that it could not be confused with any other wine.

 

Casalferro IGT 2010 100% Merlot.  The vineyard is at 400 meters and faces south. Each small plot in the vineyard is vinified separately. The grapes are vinified in open fermentation tanks. Thermo-regulated fermentation takes about 9 days during which soft pressing and the delestage are carried out. The wine in aged in new oak barrels 90% French and 10% American for 18 months. $65

He said that in this particular terroir the Merlot “is “Sangiovized” meaning that in this harsh but generous territory it takes on sangiovese-like qualities.  Because of this for the first time the wine is 100% Merlot.

Francesco added that he did not consider this wine a Super Tuscan, in fact he felt the time of the Super Tuscans had passed–it was a wine of the 1990’s. I could not have agreed with him more but for me it did not pass soon enough.

Brunello di Montalcino 2009 ” Torre Della Trappola” 100% Sangiovese The wine is vinified in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature with 23 to 30 days skin contact. It is aged for 12 month in French oak and 14 months in Slavonian oak. It rests in the bottle for 6 more months before release. This is a Brunello with hints of cherries and spice and a touch of licorice with a nice finish and long aftertaste. $75

With the wine we had the  arista di maiale alla fiorentina con patate al forno

Frencesco said that the wine is named after a property which belonged to the Ricasoli family in 1329. This Brunello di Momtalcino represents their  first concrete example of diversification into other important areas of Tuscany. The wine was made with the cooperation of Castello Romitorio and the direct involvement of their wine maker Carlo Ferrini. The first vintage was 2009.

 Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico 2010 Sangiovese with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Grapes come from the best 230 acres of vineyards at 250 to 450 meters and the exposure is south/southwest. Vinification in stainless steel tanks with 7-9 days of skin contact and 18 months in barriques and new casks. The wine has aromas and flavors of black cherry, blueberries and a nice finish and long aftertaste. $65

This was served with an assortimento di formaggio con mostarda di frutta.

 

Is High Alcohol the New Norm in Italian Wines?

 

 Hot Italian Wines: Is 15% abv the new 14%?

Vineyard practices and climate change have yielded wines with high alcohol levels that used to be seen only in New World bottlings. Is this the new normal?

BY KERIN O’KEEFE

No one can deny that Italian wine has benefited from a string of great vintages over the last 15 years.  Hot, dry summers that extend into September and shorten the growing cycle have, with few exceptions, like 2013 and 2014, replaced the cooler, wetter harvests that plagued much of the country until the late 1990s.

For decades, reaching ideal grape ripening was a major concern for growers, particularly in northern and central Italy. But this once all-consuming challenge has almost become passé.

While quality across Italy is generally higher than ever before, there’s a caveat: rising alcohol levels. And climate change isn’t the only culprit.

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In the early 1990s, in a reaction to a string of disastrous vintages, producers began overhauling vineyard practices to combat the cold, humid temperatures and increase overall quality.

Common techniques aimed to encourage ripening include planting at higher densities with low-yielding clones, short pruning, (cutting off excess canes in winter to control the number of buds), green harvesting (eliminating bunches that aren’t perfectly ripe about a month before harvest), completely defoliating the leaf canopy and longer hang times.

But the combination of these practices and climate change is increasing sugar levels in the grapes, which in turn yields wines with the high alcohol levels that used to be seen only in bottlings from the New World and in Amarone, a wine made with withered grapes.

My collection of empty bottles of wines that I’ve particularly enjoyed shows many Barolos, Barbarescos and Brunellos from the 1980s and ‘90s with 13.5% alcohol by volume. A number of labels from the 1960s and ’70s stated between 12.5%–13.5% abv. These days, it’s rare to find Italy’s top reds under 14%, with 14.5% being more common.

“If 20 years ago, Montalcino’s producers had difficulty reaching 12% alcohol, now we can almost never keep the alcohol under 14%,” said Donatella Cinelli Colombini, a leading producer in Montalcino, during the 2013 Brunello press tastings.

Although 14% and 14.5% abvs were the norm just a few short years ago, more Brunellos now claim 15% (a few even 15.5%) on their labels. While still a minority, it’s a growing phenomenon, and one that isn’t isolated to Montalcino or Tuscany.

In Barolo, particularly hot vintages like 2007 and 2009 are having the same effects, and it’s no longer uncommon to see whites with 14% abv. Italian regulations allow a half-point of flexibility, so wines labeled 15% abv are often closer to 15.5%, while those declaring 15.5% are likely near 16%.

In the rare case that a wine has enough fruit richness and fresh acidity to support such high levels of alcohol, I don’t take issue. But when the alcohol is evident, it gives the wine a “hot” character at the expense of vibrancy and freshness. It also masks aromatics and flavor profiles, resulting in a wine with a one-dimensional, homogenous character.

Wines marred by noticeable alcohol lack balance. And balance between fruit richness, tannic structure and fresh acidity is a benchmark for quality wines. When the heat of alcohol overwhelms a wine, it loses this equilibrium.

“Our customers are definitely aware of higher alcohol levels in Italian wines, and will very frequently request and select lower-alcohol wines,” said Jamie Wolff, a partner at Chambers Street Wines in New York City, which has an outstanding selection of classic offerings from Italy.

Italian authorities have taken notice. In 2013, Italy’s Minister of Agriculture began allowing emergency irrigation to combat heat waves and drought, even in denominations like Brunello and Barolo that are, by law, dry-farmed.

According to Fabrizio Bindocci, president of the Brunello consorzio, growers there have petitioned for a decree allowing emergency irrigation for their Brunello and Rosso vines.

Growers have other options to cap alcohol levels, including managing the leaf canopy to protect grapes from the sun, reducing the green harvest and decreasing hang time. Others say that eliminating harsh chemicals helps plants find the right balance.

But some Italian producers seem happy to watch the alcohol levels rise. Perhaps they believe robust offerings with evident alcohol will garner higher review scores. But these are the same wines that in real life are often left unfinished on the table. They are a chore to drink and impossible to pair with food.

I don’t reward wines with searing alcohol sensations. It’s a fault that skillful winemakers avoid by using the appropriate methods in the vineyards and cellars.

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Italian Editor Kerin O’Keefe Award.

Amphora Wine

The following article appeared in Decanter Magazine.  It is of interest because these wines are made by wine makers that believe in a mineral intervention or a minimal approach to their wine making. If you have never tasted these wines before the descriptions  are very informative.

Amphorae

by Tina Gellie

First taste: 12 Amphorae wines to try

As increasing numbers of wine producers are making wines in terracotta vessels, Decanter’s associate editor Tina Gellie attended the Feats of Clay tasting held by UK merchant Les Caves de Pyrene, and shares her 12 best value wines.

These clay amphorae – or qvevri, as they are known in Georgia, where this winemaking technique has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list – are increasingly being used by producers across the world who prefer a minimal intervention or natural approach to their winemaking.

While they come in many sizes (250 litres to several thousand), and from several types of clay, these porous amphorae are essentially egg-shaped vessels where the grape juice is pressed and fermented and remains in contact with the grape skins, from just a few days up to several years.

Many wines are made in small quantities, so allocations are small and prices are high, but here are 12 exciting examples available at £25 or less.

White

De Martino, Muscat Viejas Tinajas, Itata, Chile 2014
18.5pts/20 (95/100pts)
Lychees and roses on the nose suggest Gewurztraminer rather than Muscat but on the palate there’s more of the savoury, straw and almond characters you might associate with a manzanilla Sherry. Zippy and grippy, from ungrafted, unirrigated old bush vines. Great value.
Price: £16 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2017
Alc 13%

Loxarel, Xarel-lo Amfora, Penedes, Spain, 2014 
18pts/20 (93/100pts)
This is a limited, biodynamic Xarel-lo (one of the three traditional Cava grapes) from passionate Penedes winemaker Josep Mitjans. It has five days’ skin contact then spends five months in amphora before being bottled unfiltered. Crisp, juicy, fresh and approachable, it’s full of grapefruit, yellow apples and savoury Indian spices.
Price: £14.50 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2017
Alc 13%

Bernabé-Navarro, Benimaquia Tinajas, Alicante, Spain, 2011    
17.75pts/20 (92/100pts)
Rafa Bernabé makes a host of idiosyncratic, small-parcel, natural wines from his organic vineyards. This 100% Moscatel spends four months in tinajas (amphorae) and offers great acidity, tart apple fruit, quince and wet-stone minerality. Bone dry, like a light fino Sherry.
Price: £15 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2018
Alc 13.5%

Paolo & Gustav, Wildstyle Riesling, Clare Valley, South Australia, 2013    
17.75pts/20 (92/100pts)
For the third vintage of this quirky Riesling, the grapes spend 30 days on their skins in a Magnum ceramic egg called ‘Dora the Amphora’ then move to oak barrels for six months. The acidity is quite muted, but it has lovely mouthfeel and lipsmacking flavours of mandarin, fresh lemonade and almonds.
Price: £25 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2017
Alc 12.5%

Pheasant’s Tears, Mtsvane, Kakheti, Georgia 2013    
17.5pts/20 (91/100pts)
Co-owner and winemaker John  Wurdeman admits this white is a bit of a Marmite wine. From 70-year-old vines on a 0.9ha plot, it is a little sweaty to start but then enticing  notes of potpourri, bonfire and lapsang souchong tea come through. There’s great acidity too to leap it fresh.
Price: £20 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2020
Alc 12%

Pheasant’s Tears,Tsolikauri, Imereti, Georgia 2013    
17pts/20 (90/100pts)
With no skin contact, it’s just free-run juice that spends nine months in qvevri here, resulting in a very pretty nose and soft palate of fresh green apple and a hint of tropical fruit. Easy to like and a good introduction to the many other native grapes in the Pheasant’s Tears range.
Price: £18 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2016
Alc 11.50%

Rosé

Bernabé-Navarro, La Amistad, Alicante, Spain 2014
18pts/20 (93/100pts)
Made from the local red grape Rojal this is more like a souped-up rosé in colour and style. Its fermented in amphorae and then goes straight into bottle, keeping a bright, zingy freshness of pure cherry juice and a bit of pomegranate. A perfect balcony wine!
Price: £15 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2017
Alc 13.5%

Red

Vino di Anna, Qvevri Rosso, Etna, Sicily, Italy 2013
18.5pts/20 (95/100pts)
Anna Martens and husband Eric Narioo (founder of Les Caves de Pyrène) started this estate on Mt Etna in 2010. This delicious red is made from very old bush-vine Nerello Mascalese planted at 900m, whose grapes spent six months in a 2,000-litre qvevri and a further six in an old oak cask. Lifted and forward notes of violets and red cherry with textural tannins, bright acidity and a long, linear finish.
Price: £25 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2022
Alc 13.5%

Cos, Pithos Rosso,  Vittoria, Sicily, Italy 2013  
18.25pts/20 (94/100pts)
Pithos’ is the Greek name for the 400-litre clay amphorae buried in the floor of this natural winery. This red is Cerasuolo di Vittoria (a blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato) which spends 12 months underground. It’s deliciously sappy and richly complex, with a textured palate  redolent of sour cherries, slate and almond blossom.
Price: £25 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2022
Alc 12%

Cristiano Guttarolo, Primitivo Amphora, Gioia del Colle, Puglia, Italy 2010    
18.25pts/20 (94/100pts)
A beautiful wine from a tiny plot of Primitivo at 400m altitude. It spends eight months in 500-litre amphorae and then another eight in stainless steel. Deep stewed and spiced plums on the nose with balsamic cherry and strawberry on the palate. Crunchy, pure and focused.
Price: £23 Tutto Wines
Drink 2015-2020
Alc 14.5%

Pheasant’s Tears, Saperavi, Kakheti, Georgia, 2013  
18pts/20 (93/100pts)
Deep, dark and vivid bramble fruits leap from the glass here, to join grippy fruit tannins, a firm structure and refreshing acidity. Of all the 2013 reds, this has the longest skin contact at three weeks, and then spends 10 months in qvevri. A bold and delicious wine for the barbecue.
Price: £19 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2021
Alc 14%

De Martino, Cinsault Viejas Tinajas, Itata, Chile, 2013    
17.75pts/20 (90/100pts)
Dry-farmed, old-vine Cinsault grapes are fermented and aged in ancient clay jars and then unfined and unfiltered at bottling. The result is an incredibly pure, long yet gentle wine with ripe raspberry fruit, earthy tones and a taut cranberry and tart mineral finish. One to quaff very slightly chilled.
Price: £15 Les Caves de Pyrène
Drink 2015-2016
Alc 13%

Rose at its Best!

Every other year in the summer, Michele and I rent a house in Provence with another couple. The husband likes Rosè wine, and since it is August, we drink a lot of it. I am always on the lookout for a good Rose and prefer the ones from Provence with their beautiful salmon color.

We are going to Provence again this year, so I was only too happy to accept an invitation to taste Rosè wines from Provence. There were only three wines presented, but it was well worth it. The wines were from Château Barbeyrolles and Chateau La Tour de l’Eveque, both owned by Regine Sumeire.

Pierre-Francois De Bernardi

Matthieu Garcia, the assistant wine maker and Pierre-Francois De Bernard were there to represent the wineries . Matthieu said that Règine Sumeire, third generation of the wine growing family, acquired the Barbeyrolles estate in 1977. She was among the first women winemakers in Provence and has received many honors for her work.

In 1985 Règine visited Haut-Brion and afterward decided to create a new Rosè at the Barbeyrolles estate based on the advice that she received to align her Rosè with some of the white wine vinification methods. This is how “Pétale de Rose” was created.

Matthieu Garcia

Matthieu said that the Chateau is located in the costal land of the Maures hills. The 12-hectare estate is at the foot of the village of Gassin, one of the three villages on the Saint-Tropez peninsula. The soil is shale dating back to the Paleozoic era.

The Wines

Château Barbeyrolles Rosè 2013 Cuvèe Pétal de Rose AOC Côtes de Provence. Made from 50% Grenache, 21% Mourvèdre, and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Ugni-Blanc, Rolle and Sémillon. Pierre-Francois De Bernard said that the 2013 vintage was marked by a very cold and rainy spring that delayed the blossoming. This also delayed the harvest. The flowering did not begin until May 26^th on the younger vines. The hand harvest took place between September 4^th and September 26^th. He said that the winery has been using organic growing methods since 2005.

The grapes are hand handpicked between 5:00 AM and 12:00 PM, sorted and loaded directly into the crusher without pressing. The different varieties are vinified separately. The grapes are again sorted in the cellar. The grapes are lightly pressed to obtain optimum delicacy and fragrance. He said that they use a special technology to produce the rose using typical presses from the Champagne region, including one traditional press. Pierre said that the reason for the complexity and unique flavors of the wine is that it undergoes malolatic fermentation and is made from seven different grape varieties. He added that it could age.

This may be the best Rosè I have ever tasted. It is a complex wine with subtle fruit aromas and flavors with good minerality, a wonderful aftertaste and a very long finish. This is a Rosè to drink throughout the year and one which I associate with fine dining.

Château Barbeyrolles Rosè 2014 Cuvèe Pétal de Rose AOC Côtes de Provence Pierre said that the winter was mild and rainy. It was a warm and dry spring, which led to an early summer starting at the beginning of June. By mid–June the temperature became comfortable and there was some rain. The end of August was sunny which allowed the grapes to ripen fully. Harvest was from August 25^th to September 16^th. This wine was just bottled and needs more time. I would like to try it again in a year or two. The 2013 is the wine to drink now, or if you can find it the 2012. The wine retails for $40 but is well worth the money.

Château La Tour de l’Evêque Rosé 20014 Cuvée Pétale de Rose AOC Côtes de Provence. Made from 42% Cinsault, 38% Grenache, 9% Syrah, 4% Ugni-blanc 3% Mourvèdre, 2% Sèmillon, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Rolle. The hand harvest took place between August 16 and September 16. This is a wine with nice red berry aromas and flavors that is very easy to drink with a nice finish and aftertaste. This is a Rosè to enjoy in a more relaxed setting. $18

Natural Wine??

The following article appeared in Newsweek. I agree with many of the points made by the author in this interesting article

Natural Wine Tastes Worse Than Putrid Cider

BY BRUCE PALLING / JULY 7, 2014 5:38 AM EDT\FILED UNDER: Culture, wine

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There’s a tendency among wine writers to keep their heads down and opt for a quiet life. That may explain why they don’t tell the truth about natural wine. They never write that most of it is undrinkable. For many, it tastes like vinegar.

So what is natural wine? Let’s stick to the facts and sidestep whether the name itself is an oxymoron. The natural wine movement believes that what hundreds of million people drink daily is an artificial abomination that relies on chemicals and mechanical processes that strip it of its inherent character. Instead, they believe we should drink wine made with the absolute minimum of human intervention, so that it can fully express its character.

This all sounds perfectly reasonable. It becomes more complicated because there are no agreed upon standards for what makes a wine natural. While some object to adding forms of sulphur, for others it is more important whether the yeasts used are imported or local.

The other confusing thing is that a wine can be deemed organic or even biodynamic, but have nothing to do with natural wine, as for instance Domaine Romanée-Conti, the most expensive wine in the world.

It is true that natural wine isn’t on the shelves of local supermarkets, or probably even at a wine merchant. We come across it in considerable volume in trendy restaurants or wine bars, which often pay homage to New Nordic Cuisine, as brilliantly expounded by René Redzepi at Noma in Copenhagen. The feeling goes that if the food served in a restaurant is best when it has no pesticides and herbicides, then the same must be true for wine.

This is a noble idea. However, at this point the world divides. What natural wine devotees think is pure, clean and authentic can taste for others like putrid apple cider or just as bad – -characterless, bland and acidic. Without adequate preservatives – around 30 parts per million – wine becomes highly unstable.

Unfortunately, wine without any human intervention doesn’t exist – it is purely a man-made invention and without any human interference, all you have is either grape juice or vinegar. Stephen Browett, the owner of Farr Vintners, the largest broker of fine wine in the world, is baffled by the natural wine movement. “Our trade in natural wine is zero. I am quite nonplussed by it – I just don’t get it. Everyone who is passionate about food and wine wants the least amount of human intervention possible. We all know what factory farming does to the quality of meat and we all know what herbicides and pesticides do to the quality of fruit and vegetables. The problem with wine is that it is not just a fruit product. It is more than just grapes and you can’t make wine without human intervention, unlike cows or carrots. The natural wine movement seems to think that being natural is more important than being good. If you can’t deliver a consistent product, that’s not much use and of course it would be a disaster if we sold it.”

It’s worth knowing which restaurants offer only natural wine, if only to avoid them. This means places like Terroirs or Ducksoup in London, Bastard in Malmö or Chateaubriand in Paris. These places serve first-rate food alongside undrinkable wine. Fortunately many restaurants have had a change of heart, now offering choice. At Noma, where the natural wine movement really took off, they sell traditional wines from world-famous producers. In London both The Dairy and Hibiscus, the two-star Michelin restaurant, have reintroduced top vintages.

If only everyone offered customers such variety. I suffered at the hands of a natural wine zealot recently in Paris, where I was eating at one of the very best new style of restaurants that prides itself on innovative cuisine at affordable prices and is booked for weeks in advance. I was left in the capable hands of the chief sommelier. I told her that I had a weakness for Burgundy, but would be happy with anything she chose – as long as it was not natural wine.

When it came to the white wine, I was told: “This is better than Burgundy.” I had noticed that the wine list had several superb wines from the late Didier Dagueneau, a wild man who made extraordinary Pouilly-Fumé. I was expecting something sensational.

Alas, I was served only natural wine, which was sometimes drinkable in a bland one-dimensional sort of way, but usually verged on the disgusting. I drank a silent toast to the late, great Didier Dagueneau. How I miss him.

This article orignally referred to the element sulphur being added to wine, which it is not. What is in fact added is potassium metabisulphite or forms of sulphur dioxide, and the text was edited to better reflect this.
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From the Web

Making Carciofi alla Giudia at Home

Deep Fried Roman Artichokes – Carciofi alla Giudia

This article was written by Josephine Wennerhome,-see the link to her web-site below. Josephine is also an expert on the Castelli Romani area, espically the town of Frascati and is in the process of setting up a web-site called “Frascati Food Embassy”. When I am in Rome I love to have the Carciofi alla giudia – artichokes cooked in the Jewish style. I had to share her article! Now Michele can make them at home!

Posted on March 31, 2014by myhomefoodthatsamore

Perhaps not everyone knows that many a traditional Roman recipe owes its origin to the Jewish cuisine of Rome, which in turn harks back to techniques and textures that go all the way to southern Italy and Sicily.  I am fascinated by the history of food and by the resourcefulness and intelligence of human beings in developing deliciousness and sustainability at the same time.  The Jewish population endured terrible conditions in Rome for many a generation, contending with all kinds of cruel rules and regulations making life inordinately difficult for them when they were enclosed in the Ghetto, and yet their menus are a delight to eat even today.  Here is a link to some more background if you are interested: http://www.jwi.org/page.aspx?pid=2021#sthash.jPG5NZQY.dpbs.

“Carciofi alla giudia” means “artichokes cooked the Jewish way” and the area of Rome known as the Ghetto is famous for this speciality.  I personally do not know anyone who has cooked these at home amongst my group of friends.  It is definitely the sort of dish one only orders at a restaurant during this time of year.

Sunday evening, i.e. yesterday, however, I looked at three formerly glorious roman-type artichokes that were looking at me as if to say, “Look sweetie, we’re doing our best to keep fresh but there is only so much we can do! if you don’t eat us tonight, don’t expect anything tomorrow.”

They were somewhat flaccid to the touch, their colour was no longer resplendent, and their allure suffered definite signs of the slings and arrows of time.  This said, they were eminently edible I hasten to add.

I trimmed them one at a time, and lay them to bathe in a bowl of acidulated water (i.e. water and lemon juice).  For those who are not intimate with artichokes, the reason for this is that an artichoke will turn a very sad shade of grey shortly after it has been trimmed of its outer leaves (i.e. it oxidises). The lemony water prevents this.  Sparkling water will have the same effect.  When you are ready to cook the artichoke, remove it from the water and squeeze it gently to remove any excess liquid.  Pat dry with a paper towel.If you go to a restaurant and ask for this dish, the artichoke’s stem will be left nice and long.  I cut mine right back because I couldn’t find the saucepan that was deep enough to accommodate these little blighters.  I poured the oil into the pan above and waited for the oil to reach the temperature before I ventured to gently place the artichoke inside it.  The artichoke needs to fry for about 10-12 minutes, so the oil must not be too hot.I added the second artichoke.  I used a set of tongs to turn the artichokes now and then, so that they would cook evenly on all sides.I then removed them from the oil and left them to cool off over some kitchen paper.If you look closely, you may spot a few beads of water.  That is because I sprinkled a little bit of water over the artichokes.  That helps them to crispen up when they are fried a second time.
I then gently but firmly pressed the artichoke to flatten it a little …And this time the temperature of the oil must be much hotter.  The artichoke is already cooked, all it needs is for its outer leaves to go very crisp (the same idea as with potato chips or French fries).  Fry for less then five minutes.Use the tongs to help the artichoke fry all over, turning it this way and that …I fried the artichokes one at a time.  I ran out of kitchen paper (it was one of those days) and so I resorted to a clean tea towel.    I sprinkled some salt all over …
And here is my little trio on the plate …Home-made carciofi alla giudia.  Not too shabby.

Tommasi: La Forza della Famigila

Last May Michele and I were staying on Lake Garda. One day, we went to visit the Tommasi Winery in Valpolicella which is only a half hour away. Tommasi is a very traditional producer of Valpolicella and Amarone and I like their style of wine.

Annalisa Armani, the PR person and marketing director, greeted us and took us on a very nice tour followed by a tasting. She mentioned that the Tommasi family has other estates in Italy and that Pierangelo Tommasi was coming to NYC to speak about the Masseria Surani Estate in Manduria, Puglia.

Pierangelo Tommasi

When Pierangelo arrived in New York, he contacted me and we tasted the wines at lunch. Pierlangelo said that Tommasi Vinters is a family affair founded in 1902. The company has grown over the decades. It is a very large family working together, each member with a well-defined area of responsibility. I mentioned to Pierangelo that this was unusual because one hears often of Italian wineries where family members cannot get along. He said in Italian La Forza della Famigila, the strength of the family, is what makes the company a success

When the fourth generation of the family started to be involved, the company launched “Tommasi Family Estates project”, a major investment program dedicated to the acquisition of lands best suited for wine grapes which include:
Valpolicella Classica, DOC areas of Verona;  Prosecco in Treviso; the Maremma Toscana; Manduria Puglia; and Oltrepò Pavese in Lombardy. Each Estate has its own history and identity.

He said that they acquired about 80 hectares in Manduria in the Salento area, the best zone for the cultivation of the Primitivo grape. There are 55 hectares of vineyards now: 30 hectares of Primitivo, 5 hectares of Negroamaro, 10 hectares of Fiano, 5 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 hectares of Chardonnay. They are in the process of planting another 25 hectares of vines. The soil is made up of limestone and clay. The training system is guyot and there are 5,500 vines/hectare. The vines are surrounded by nearly 25 miles of stonewalls, built from rocks pulled up when the vineyards were planted 10 years ago.  In the center of the vineyards lies the Surani manor and a complex of buildings originally used for agricultural purposes, all of which have been newly refurbished with vinification facilities (including many Slavonian oak barrels that were brought down from the Veneto).

The wines are named after Greek gods because this part of Puglia was founded and colonized by the ancient Greeks about 700 B. C.

The Wines all the wines sell for around $15

Arthemis (Goddess of the Moon) 2013 made from 90% Fiano and 10% Chardonnay. Pierangelo said that in the future it will be made from 100% Fiano. Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and the wine matures is stainless steel tanks for about 4 months before release. It has cirtius aromas and flavors and hints of grass and herbs.

Helios (God of the Sun) 2013 Rose made from 100% Negroamaro. One day skin maceration and about 10 days of fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. I tasted this wine at the winery in May. The wine has nice fruit with hints os strawberry.

Ares (God Of War) Rosso 2012 made from 50% Primitivo, 30% Negroamaro and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and matures in oak casks for 6 months. Nice black berry flavors and sromas with a touch of spice.

Heracles (Son of Zeus) 100% Primitivo. Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for 12 days. The wine matures in oak casks for 10 months before release. This was the most impressive of the wines a true Primitivo

Pierangelo also said that the family owns the Villa Quaranta Park Hotel not far from Verona, the Albergo Mazzanti and the Caffe Dante in Verona, and an agriturismo at the Poggio Al Tufo in Tuscany. All are run by family members. Pierangelo was right when he said La Forza della Famiglia!

Notes on Vinitaly 2015

Vinitaly, the annual wine fair in Verona, Italy, is much bigger now than the last time I was there eight years ago. There are 12 very large pavilions and a number of smaller ones. The fair used to last 5 days, but now it is 4.

At least one wine writer, Alfonso Cevola, was disappointed at the state of affairs at Vinitaly and wrote what he called a “Dear John Letter.” He made some very good points on why he may not return to the fair–here is the link to the blog.https://charlesscicolone.wordpress.com/2015/03/28/alfonso-cevola-a-dear-john-letter-to-veronafiere/ While I agree with Alfonso on many points, there is another side of the fair, that of visiting and tasting wine with old friends and making new ones, that I think is the best part.

Sunday was the first day and the most crowded. Our first visit was with Barbara De Rahm, a negotiant I have known for many years. There was a time when I was the Wine Director at I Trulli that I would sit all day at Barbara’s stand tasting wine.

The next stop was a visit and tasting with Valter Fissore and his wife Nadia Cogno of the Elvio Cogno winery. I have known Valter and Nadia for a number of years and like his style of wine. Travis and Nicole, the owners of Turtledove Wines and my travelling companions, like these wines and have a large selection in their store.

Next we stopped by to see Luca Currado of the Vietti winery who I have know for over 30 years. His 2007 Barolo Villero was the 2015 Gambero Rosso red wine of the year.

Next was a visit to my favorite maker of Chianti Rufina Grato Grati. We tasted the Chianti and then tasted a wine I have never had before, a Canaiolo Bianco di Toscana. It was very good.

Riccardo Gabriele does PR for Italian wines and one of his clients is Il Marroneto, producers of a traditional Brunello di Montalcino, Madonna della Grazie, which I believe is one of the best Brunellos made.

A Facebook friend, Steven Giles, suggested I visit Donatella Giannotti of the Cascina Montagnola winery. We tasted the Colli Tortonese Cortese and two wines made from the Timorasso grape, Dethma and the Morasso. They are looking for an importer in NYC and I highly recommend the wines.

Then we visited Dr. Alfonso and Anna Arpino of the Ag Az Monte Grazia Biological winery in Tremonti high above the Amalfi Coast. They make three wines–a white, a rose and a red, and are among my favorite wines.

Next we visited the Machesi Bartolini Baldelli of Fattoria di Bangolo in Tuscany. I have know the Marchese for a number of years and when Michele and I were at the fair or in Florence we would go out to dinner with him and his wife. His wife is from Scarsdale, NY.

We also stopped by to visit marketing specialist Marina Thompson and her husband, wine authority Daniele Cernilli, known as Doctor Wine.

Our last visit was to Clavesana, makers of Dolcetto in Dogliani. We talked with Anna Bracco and Mario Felice Schwenn from the winery. Siamo Dolcetto meaning “We are Dolcetto” is the slogan of this large co-op. They said that Dolcetto is no loner required on the label, all it has to say is Dogliani, where the wine comes from, to know it is Dolcetto.

We only spent two days at the fair, because as with so much in Italy, lunch comes before anything else!

The 50 Best Italian White Wines

Tom Hyland on Italy’s 50 best White Wines.  I am in agreement with Tom on his choices.

 

by tom hyland

Sabino Loffredo, winemaker, Pietracupa, Montefredane, Campania 

His Greco di Tufo is one of Italy’s 10 greatest white wines 

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

I’ll get right to it – Italian white wines are among the finest whites in the world. If you’ve been tasting them over the past decade, you know that to be true (unfortunately, there are too many wine critics that either have not been sampling them or have totally dismissed them. It’s their loss).

We live in a world where we are submitted to high ratings and overblown descriptors for too many wines; whether you trust these reviews or not, the fact is most of them are for red wines. Now some whites, especially white Burgundies and certain German and Alsatian Rieslings do receive great praise. But it’s rare to read much in the way of exemplary admiration for Italy’s best white wines, at least outside of Italy.

Thus, I’d like to change that with this post. I’ve tasted so many vibrant and compelling whites from Italy these past fifteen years that I feel the need to shout my acclaim for these wines, as they truly deserve it. I love the everyday whites from Italy as well – there are numerous examples of Soave, Gavi, Vermentino and Pinot Bianco that I’d drink in a heartbeat – but here is my list of the 50 Best Italian White Wines. (Note: This was incredibly difficult to list only 50 Italian white wines, so at the end of the post, I have listed an additional 25 wines that just missed out on the Top 50.)

I’m not going to list them from 1-50 (that list would probably change every day), but rather put them into five separate groupings of the Top Ten, Second Ten and so on.Each wine will be listed in its grouping alphabetically by the name of the estate.(Note: I did not include dessert wines – I’ll list those in a future post.)

1st Ten

Colterenzio Sauvignon “Lafoa” (Alto Adige)

Vigne Marina Coppi Timorasso “Fausto” (Colli Tortonesi)

Marisa Cuomo “Fiorduva” (Costa d’Amalfi)

Andrea Felici Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva “Il Cantico della Figura”

Livio Felluga “Terre Alte” (Rosazzo Bianco)

Pieropan Soave “Calvarino” (Soave Classico)

Pietracupa Greco di Tufo 

Cantina Terlano Pinot Bianco Riserva “Vorberg” (Alto Adige)

Cantina Tramin Gewürztraminer “Nussbaumer” (Alto Adige)

Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

If I had to name the best wine in this top ten, year in and year out, it would be thePietracupa Greco di Tufo. Medium-full with perfect balance, distinct minerality and ideal varietal purity, this is a reference point for Greco di Tufo – and in reality, for what a great white wine is all about. I rate this a bit higher than the winery’s superb Fiano di Avellino (see below), but both wines are stunning, a tribute to the work and passion of winemaker/proprietor Sabino Loffredo.

The Nussbaumer Gewürztraminer is simply delicious and sexy at the same time- you can get lost in the perfumes of this wine. The Colterenzio “Lafoa” Sauvignon is deeply concentrated and a great example of cool climate Sauvignon with distinctive herbal qualities as well as beautifully ripe fruit.

I rated the “Calvarino” Soave from Pieropan higher than the “La Rocca” (see below) because of its more classic profile, while the Terlano “Vorberg” is as complex and as dazzling a Pinot Bianco as there is in Alto Adige. The “Fiorduva” from Cuomo is an iconic Campanian white, made from local varieties Ginestra, Fenile and Ripoli and given oak treatment, this is as singular a white wine as any in Italy; it must be experienced to be believed.

The Felici Verdicchio, from a relatively new estate, is as pure and as focused a Verdicchio as I have ever tasted; cement-fermented and aged, this has exceptional length. The Coppi Timorasso is the finest example of this singular white from Piemonte, one with powerful minerality and stunning complexity. The Felluga “Terre Alte” is exhibit number one in Italy that with a great blended white (Friulano, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon in this instance), the total is greater than the sum of the parts. A wine that ages extremely well (twenty year-old versions are usually in excellent shape), this wine has stood the test of time.

Finally, what more can I say about the Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo that hasn’t already been said? This great producer showed us the true potential of this variety; his version towers over most of the competition. Unlike the straightforward, relatively simple examples of Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from most producers, the Valentini version is powerful and tightly wrapped – it demands time. Boy, does it ever reward the patient! Another wine that is superb after a decade or two, it has richly earned its status as one of Italy’s finest wines – red or white.

2nd Ten

Cantine Lunae Bosoni Vermentino “Etichetta Nera” (Colli di Luni)

J. Hofstatter Gewürztraminer “Kolbenhof” (Alto Adige)

Lo Triolet Pinot Gris (Valle d’Aosta)

Manincor Sauvignon “Lieben Aich” (Alto Adige)

Pietracupa Fiano di Avellino

Planeta “Cometa” (Sicilia)

Tenuta Sarno Fiano di Avellino

Vadiaperti Greco di Tufo

Villa Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva

Villa Diamante Fiano di Avellino “Vigna della Congregazione”

Three versions of Fiano di Avellino here – all powerful, all superb. The Pietracupa the most refined, the Diamante the most dynamic, the Sarno, the most aristocratic. Each wine is a great representation of Fiano.

A different style of Fiano is the “Cometa” of Planeta. This has been one of Italy’s top whites for some time; recent vintages have been nothing short of brilliant. I love the exotic fruit profile along with the notes of chamomile and thyme. I love the slightly oily texture of this wine! The Hofstatter Gewürztraminer is deeply concentrated, has brilliant varietal focus and needs time to show its greatness.

The Manincor “Lieben Aich” is from biodynamic vineyards near Lago Caldaro in Alto Adige; this offers great varietal purity and persistence. The Villa Bucci is the most famous and perhaps the most consistent offering of Verdicchio; the wine is all about finesse and charm. The Vadiaperti is a first-rate Greco di Tufo with outstanding balance and distinct minerality. It becomes amazing with time; I tasted a twenty year-old version at the winery and was stunned by its color and freshness. Proof that bigger is not better.

The Lo Triolet Pinot Gris is the finest example of this variety in all of Italy. Produced from grapes situated 2900 feet above sea level (arguably the highest elevation in the world for this variety), this is a stellar wine with pinpoint perfumes of apricot, red apple and pear backed by vibrant acidity and white spice notes in the finish. This Valle d’Aosta offering is layered, engaging and impossible to resist.

Finally, the Lunae Bosoni Vermentino “Etichetta Nera” is arguably the finest aromatic white in all of Italy. Brilliant varietal purity with vibrant acidity and amazing length – a great white from Liguria and as good a Vermentino as you will ever taste.

Cutizzi Vineyard of Feudi di San Gregorio, Santa Paolina, Campania

Greco di Tufo zone (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

3rd Ten

Elisabetta Foradori Nosiola “Fontanasanta” (Vigneto delle Dolomiti)

Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo “Cutizzi”

Ettore Germano Riesling “Herzu” (Piemonte)

Manincor Pinot Bianco “Eichhorn” (Alto Adige)

Massa Timorasso “Sterpi”

Mastroberardino Fiano di Avellino “Radici”

Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

Pieropan Soave Classico “La Rocca”

Santa Chiara Vernaccia di San Gimignano “Campo alla Pieve”

Elena Walch Gewürztraminer “Kastelaz”

A wide array of regions and styles in this group. The Foradori Nosiola is a one-of-a-kind wine; made from an indigenous variety of Trentino, Foradori ferments the grapes with the skins in amphorae from Spain. This is a sensual, multi-layered white that reveals greater complexity over the years.

The Santa Chiara Vernaccia di San Gimignano is as rich, complex and as focused an example of this wine type I have ever tried – simply perfect! The Walch Gewürztraminer is appealingly fruity and spicy – a wonderful combination.

The Feudi di San Gregorio “Cutizzi” is a stylish Greco di Tufo from a single vineyard; the wine has subtle tropical fruit perfumes and great finesse. The Mastroberardino “Radici” has become one of the best examples of Fiano di Avellino over the past few years; this offers bright fruit along with lovely purity as well as an appealing charm. The “Herzu” from Ettore Germano is a marvelous Riesling with distinct minerality and subtle power; if you’ve never had Riesling from Piemonte, this will surprise you!

4th Ten

Anselmi “Capitel Foscarino” (Veneto)

Bastianich “Vespa” Bianco (Friuli Colli Orientali)

Bisci Verdicchio di Matelica “Vigneto Fogliano”

Castellari Bergaglio Gavi “Pilin”

Castello della Sala “Cervaro della Sala” (Umbria)

Castello di Tassarolo Gavi “Alborina”

Gini Soave “Contrada Salvarenza Vecchie Vigne”

Vigna Surrau Vermentino di Gallura “Sciala”

Cantina Tramin “Stoan” (Alto Adige)

Le Vigne di Zamo Friulano “Cinquantanni” (Friuli Colli Orientali)

Another great Verdicchio is the Vigneto Fogliano from Bisci, one of the premier producers of Verdicchio di Matelica. This is a single vineyard wine from thirty-five year old vines; there is great varietal purity (notes of spearmint and elderberries) as well as outstanding concentration and persistence. This is precise in its execution – and simply delicious!

Two examples of Gavi in the group, a wine many seem to have forgotten. The Tassarolo is from biodynamically-farmed grapes and offers exotic guava and candied fruit aromas, lovely acidity, perfect harmony and great finesse. The Bergaglio, is a completely different style, as it is barrique-aged; there is marvelous texture and outstanding complexity. The wood notes are evident, but play a supporting role; all in all, this is a strikingly distinctive Gavi.

The “Stoan” from Cantina Tramin, an ingenious cuvée of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco and Gewürztraminer, has a razor’s edge feel to it, given its vibrancy and minerality. There is tremendous depth of fruit and persistence; simply put, this is an original. The “Cinquantanni” (fifty years) Friulano from Vigne de Zamo is Friulano taken to a higher level – what amazing richness and focus!

The Bastianich Vespa earned it rightful place on this list more than a decade ago. That is appropriate, given that this blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Picolit, while very appealing upon release, is generally at its finest only after a decade in the bottle. Super consistent! The Anselmi “Capitel Foscarino” is a deeply concentrated and thrillingly concentrated Garganega (with 10% Chardonnay) that never fails to excite the senses.

The Surrau “Sciala” Vermentino is a great example of how tantalizing Vermentino di Gallura truly is. Offering excellent concentration and alluring perfumes of honeydew melon, jasmine and pear, this is a wine you can’t help but fall in love with every time you taste it.

The Cervaro della Sala is a barrique-aged blend of 85% Chardonnay and 15% Grechetto that is as complex and as singular as almost any wine on this list. This is a great combination of varietal character and richness with great finesse, charm and style; this is another white to be enjoyed years down the road. The Gini “Contrada Salvarenza” is made from vines ranging from 60 to 100 years of age; powerful in its approach, this is a great Soave with outstanding persistence and presence.

5th Ten

Abbazia di Novacella Kerner “Praepositus” (Valle Isarco, Alto Adige)

Stefano Antonucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva

Ca’ Rugate Soave Classico “Monte Alto”

Cave du Vin Blanc Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle “Rayon” (Valle d’Aosta)

Peter Dipoli Sauvignon “Voglar” (Alto Adige)

Filippi Soave “Castelcerino” 

Kuenhof Riesling “Kaiton” (Vallee Isarco)

Malvirà Roero Arneis “Trinità” 

Umani-Ronchi Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva “Plenio”

Villa Raiano Greco di Tufo “Contrada Marotta”

The Cave du Vin Blanc wine from Valle d’Aosta is made entirely from Prié Blanc; the term Rayon is a synonym for Prié Blanc. Steel-aged, this is medium-full with aromas of stone fruit and apples, this changes to apple cider notes after three or four years. There is distinct minerality, excellent persistence and lively acidity. A fascinating wine, whether tasted at three or ten years of age.

Few vintners craft Soave with as much precision – or love – as Filippo Filippi. His Castelcerino offering, from one of the best sites in Soave has a chalkiness that is quite reminiscent of a Premier Cru or Grand Cru Chablis. Great complexity here as well as age worthiness. The Ca’ Rugate Soave Classico “Monte Alto” fermented in barriques and 20-hectoliter barrels, is extremely rich; there is a subtle nuttiness that accompanies the pear and melon perfumes. This is a serious Soave that takes this wine type to new places!

The Kuenhof Riesling is produced from soils containing quartz, schist and crush rock, which certainly give his wine a clear-cut individuality. The “Kaiton” Riesling has engaging aromas of apricot, petrol and even a note of green tea; medium-full with steely acidity, this has precise minerality and lovely varietal focus. Da non perdere!

The Malvirà Arneis “Trinità” has been an outstanding example of its type for many years. A small percentage is fermented in oak, giving the wine added texture. Lovely aromas of hawthorn, melon and pear; excellent persistence and notable minerality.

The Abbazia “Praepositus” Kerner displays the promise of this variety, grown in the Valle Isarco in far northeastern Alto Adige. Offering perfumes of papaya, melon and orange rind, there are also delicate yellow spice notes. Lovely acidity and complexity – I always find something new in this wine every time I taste it.

Umani-Ronchi is an accomplished producer of Verdicchio; their finest wine is the “Plenio” Riserva. One-third of the wine is aged in large Slavonian casks to give the wine a touch of wood as well as additional texture. Perfectly ripe fruit, lively acidity and outstanding complexity, this is at its best seven to ten years after the vintage.

Stefano Antonucci is one of the most dynamic personalities of the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi zone – or anywhere in Italy, for that matter. His riserva, matured for about a year in barriques, is a gorgeous wine, one that is deeply concentrated, has outstanding complexity and persistence as well as enticing aromas of orange blossoms, spiced pear and acacia. This is more proof of how well truly great Verdicchio gains in complexity after several years.

Finally, the Peter Dipoli Sauvignon “Voglar” is all about varietal purity. Simply out, every component of this wine meshes seamlessly; taste this wine and you realize what a great Sauvignon – or white wine, for that matter – is all about. Simply perfect!

tom hyland | April 8, 2015 at 6:49 pm | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/pvYty-1ZI

Milan to Venice: Eating and Drinking

For many years on and off, I had gone to Vinitaly, the wine fair in Verona, though eight years had passed since the last time. This year, Nicole and Travis, owners of Turtledove wine store in Manhattan were going and wanted to know if Michele and I would like to go with them. Michele said no, but I said yes. The trip turned out to be more about eating and drinking than about the wine fair.

I arrived in Milan to very nice weather and joined Travis and Nicole for lunch at Bacaro del Sambuco, Via Montenapoleone 13. This is the most fashionable street in Milan and the restaurant is open only for lunch Monday to Friday. The afternoon was warm and we sat outside in the lovely garden. Most of the customers were stylishly dressed women that had stopped in after a morning of shopping.

I had an excellent lemon pappardelle with anchovies followed by one of my favorites, langoustine. We drank a Franciacorta metodo classico spumante.

That night we went to Trattoria Milanese, Via Santa Marta 11. Michele and I had eaten here a number of years ago when she was doing an article for the Wine Spectator. She still talks about the risotto.

This time we started with an assortment of salumi with bresaola and lardo. I had cotechino with mashed potatoes and lentils.

I tried to order the risotto but the waiter said it was too much food! For dessert I had the fragolini del bosco with gelato.

Milan to Bardolino

Traverna Kus di Zanolli Giancarlo in San Zeno di Montagna, Contrada Castello 14. Michele and I had been here for lunch in May and the restaurant was crowded. We liked it so much that I decided to come back.

The restaurant is in on the ground floor of a restored 17^th century farmhouse. There are three interior rooms, a glass enclosed veranda and outside tables for summer dining. We sat in the veranda.

This time we were the only customers. I started with culatello with mostarda,

then ravioli stuffed with asparagus and then a selection of cheese with more mostarda.

For dessert I had a Millefoglie Vite.

With the meal we drank Terre Alte Collio Orientali del Friuli  2012 Livio Felluga a blend of estate grown grapes: Friulano, Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon Blanc from the vineyards in the Rosazzo zone. The soil is marl and sandstone and the training system is guyot. The bunches of grapes are carefully destemmed and left to macerate for a short period of time before crushing. The must is then allowed to settle.

Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon are fermented at controlled temperatures in stainless steel tanks. The Friulano is fermented and aged in small casks of French (no new oak is used) oak. The Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon mature in stainless steel tanks. After aging for ten months the wines are blended. The bottled wine is aged in temperature controlled binning cellars for 9 months before release. The wine has a touch of sage, hints of pear, peach and fresh almonds.

Schioppettino di Cialla 2007 Ronchi di Cialla (Friuli) 100% Schioppettino. The 1-hectare vineyard is at 165-180 meters with a south/southeast exposure. The wine ages for four years, 14 to 18 months in barrel and 30 to 36 months in bottle before it is released. This was one of my favorite wines but I have not had it in a long time so I had to order it. It was as I remembered it, hints of dark black fruit, spice, white pepper and a touch of leather. It can age for 20 years or more 

Antica Locanda Mincio, Via Buonarroti 12- 37067 Valeggio sul Mincio. This is one of Michele’s favorite outdoor places for lunch, sitting at a table overlooking the Mincio River and the medieval village. This time I sat inside because we had dinner and it was March. The dining room has a large fireplace and colorful mural on the walls, which creates a medieval atmosphere.

We started with Bresaola and I had Polenta with Salame, which I have every time I come here, followed by a specialty of the region tortelli di zucca and another favorite stinco di maiale, roasted pork shank.

We drank a Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2005 from E. Valentino 100% Trebbiano. The wine is aged in large botti of Slavonian oak for 24 months. This was a very complex full wine with a mineral character, hints of citrus fruit and apple, good acidity, great finish and aftertaste with that extra something that is difficult to describe.

Ristorante Piccolo Doge, Via Santa Cristina 46, Bardolino.

When Michele and I were on Lake Garda last year, we passed this restaurant several times on the way into Bardolino. From the outside it looked a little overdone with lights and Venetian trappings, so we never stopped there. This time the restaurant I had planned to go to was booked, so the receptionist at our hotel suggested it. It was a good choice since the food was excellent as was the service. There is an outdoor patio for summer dining overlooking the lake, which I imagine would be very pleasant.

I started with a warm octopus salad with potatoes and olives. The octopus was cooked just right.

Bigoli, a kind of thick spaghetti with sardines Venetian-style followed and I could not resist the grilled white fish from Lake Garda. For dessert, there was a delicious cake with pine nuts.

Since we were having fish we ordered sparkling wine.

Ferrari Perlé 2007 Trento DOC Method Classico Vintage Blanc de Blancs 100% Chardonnay. The grapes are harvested by hand in the middle of September from a hillside owned by the Lunelli family around the Trento vineyards. The vineyards are 300 to 700 meters above sea level with a southeasterly or southwesterly exposure. The wine remains for about 5 years on the lees. It is a crisp dry wine with hints of apple, almonds and a touch of toast.

To our surprise there was a Moèt and Chandon Cuvèe Dom Pèrignon 2003 on the wine list for less money than it would sell for retail in NYC. It is made from 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. We ordered it and it was wonderful and could last for another 15 years.

On our way from Bardolino to Venice we stopped for lunch at Le Calandre in Rubino. They have a choice of three tasting menus, we ordered the Tinto, the spring tasting menu, which was very elaborate.

With all this food we had to have wine:

Champagne “Substance” Brut Jacques Selosse

We started with Champagne “Substance” 100% Chardonnay Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Jacques Selosse. Low yields; organic viniculture and terroir are a hallmark of Mr. Selosse’s wines. He has all Grand Cru holdings in Avize, Cramant and Oger. He uses indigenous yeasts for fermentation and ages the wine in barrels, 20% new oak. The wine is left on the fine lees for an extended period. Dosage is kept to an absolute minimum. “Substance” is a solar Champagne created by Mr. Selosse in 1986, by marrying some 20 vintages in order to avoid vintage variation and allowing the terroir to speak on its own. This is full-bodied Champagne with good fruit, hints of orange peel and spice with good minerality.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo DOC 2003 100% E Valentini The wine is aged in large botti of Slavonia oak for 12 months. There was nice fruit, good minerality and just a touch of strawberry in the wine but that may be the only thing it has in common with other rose wines. It has a great finish and lingering aftertaste.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2002 Emidio Pepe

The Emidio Pepe winery is both organic and biodynamic. The winery belongs to the Triple “A”– Agriculturists Artisans Artists–an association of wine producers from around the world that believes in organic and bio-dynamic production, terroir, and as little interference as possible by the winemaker in the winemaking process. In their vineyard only sulphur and copper water are used along with biodynamic preparations. Only natural yeast is used which gives the wine more complexity because there are so many different strains of yeast on the grapes and in the air. The grapes are crushed by hand. No sulfites are added to the wine. The juice is placed in glass lined cement tanks of 20/25hl where the wine remains for two years. The wine is then transferred to bottles by hand.

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1994 Soldera 100% Sangiovese Grosso. Only grapes from the Casa Base Estate are used. The vineyard is at 320 meters and the exposure is southwest. Natural fermentation is carried out in Slovenian oak casks. There is no temperature control and no artificial yeast is added. Pumping over takes place and frequent tastings take place. The wine can remain up to five years in Slovenian oak casks. 1994 was not a great year for Brunello but this wine was showing very well with