Prosciutto di Carpegna DPO Comes to New York City

Prosciutto ham is made in practically every region of Italy, and some of the best comes from the Marche Region in central Italy.  Known as Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO, this sweet, tender ham has been produced in the town of Carpegna since the 1400’s.

Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO gets its unique flavor and texture from the curing methods used and the climactic conditions in the area where it is produced, a valley where the Adriatic Sea breezes and the mountain air of the Apennines meet.  (PDO stands for Protected Designation of Origin, meaning that the ham is produced in a specified location and adheres to established production rules.)

Recently, I had the opportunity to enjoy Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO at a dinner at Manhatta Restaurant in New York.  We tasted the prosciutto plain and in several interesting recipes designed to highlight its special qualities.

The ambassadors for Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO who spoke at the event were Kimberley Parrales and Matthew Guglielmelli.

To start, we had Arancini stuffed with Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO, crisp little rice balls stuffed with the prosciutto and then deep fried.

I also tasted Focaccia with Tomato and Prosciutto di Carpegna.

The next course was a salad of roasted maitake mushrooms and Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO on Rosette Lettuce with Whipped Ricotta, Crispy Quinoa and Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette.

Our main course was Halibut wrapped in Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO served with White Turnips, Pimento Oil and Colatura,

I enjoyed the tasting, but in my opinion the best way to eat Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO and appreciate its unique qualities is with some good bread and a glass or two of chilled spumante or Italian white wine.

6 Wines for 6 Dishes

Michele and I enjoy trying new wine and food combinations.  Here are six wines that Michele paired with six different dishes and they all worked very well.

FIOL Prosecco DOC Rosé 2021 (Veneto, Treviso) made from 85% Glera and 15% Pinot Noir. The grapes are carefully handpicked during late summer or early fall with the perfect balance of  sugar and acidity. They are then gently pressed and the extracted grape juice undergoes its first fermentation in stainless steel tanks.  Yeasts convert the natural sugars into alcohol producing a still wine.  The still wine is transferred to pressurized stainless steel tanks along with a dose of yeast and sugar. As fermentation occurs in sealed tanks, carbon dioxide is trapped, creating the delightful bubbles. This second fermentation which gives the wine its effervescence takes place using the Charmat method, also know as the tank method. After the second fermentation the wine is left to settle in the tanks for a few months allowing the flavors to blend and the bubbles to fully develop.  It is then bottled and released for sale.

This is an elegant Prosecco with hints of raspberry, wild strawberry, citrus fruit, apple and pear with a touch of lemon and a note of wild flowers. $22

Note:  FIOL  is a term of endearment for a young man from the Old Venetian Republic language from the 1400’s.

Antipasto:  Fresh salame with Neapolitan almond taralli and olives.

Principe G 2020 dei Principi Spadafora (Sicily) Terre Sicilia Bianco IGP. Spadafora Made from 53% Grillo and 47% Cataratto. The vineyard is at 350 meters and the exposure is west. The soil is sandy, clay and the training system is simple guyot espalier. There are 5,000 vines per hectare. Harvest is in mid September.  Spontaneous fermentation on the pied de cuve of the grapes without sulfur dioxide at a controlled temperature in cement vats. The wine is aged for 12 months in vats and 4 months in bottle before release. Aromatic and fruity wine with hints of citrus fruit, a touch a lime and hint of lemon. It can age for a few years. The winery is Biodynamic, $15

Sardine Beccafico:  Sicilian-style sardines stuffed with breadcrumbs, pine nuts and raisins.

Etna Bianco di Sei  2021 Palmento Constanzo (Sicily) made from 90% Carricante and 10% Catarratto. The exposure is north/east and the soil is volcanic sand and rocks. Bush training with chestnut poles and the vines are up to 100 years old. There are 7,000 vines per hectare. Manual harvest the last week os September. There is a soft pressing of the grapes and fermentation is in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for 10 months in stainless steel tanks in contact with the lees and 8 months in bottle before release. This is an intense and elegant wine with hints of citrus fruit, aromatic fruit, white flowers with hint of sage and a note of mint. $45

Note: “Bianco di Sei” refers to “six”, which is the top designation for volcanic activity, and is the top tier white wine from this estate.   The winery is at the foot of the Muntagna, the name the locals fondly use to refer to Etna. Eighteen hectares are divided into several contradas and hills. The small parcels are vinified separately because each plot is characterized by the lava flow that sedimented over time.

Pasta con le Sarde — Pasta with sardines, fennel, raisins and pine nuts, baked in a small timbale.

Barbera D’Alba Superiore 2021 Tenuta Cucco (Piedmont) made from 100 % Barbara from the 1.7  Roddi “Elia”vineyard which is 200/250 meters with a south-southeast exposure. There are 4,200 plants per hectare. The soil is chalky/clay and the training system is guyot. Harvest takes place the second week of September. The freshly harvested grapes are destemmed, pressed, and placed in vats at a temperature of 18 °C for 3 days to bring out their varietal aromas. Fermentation takes place at a temperature of 26 °C, followed by a 6/8-day period of maceration and then the drawing-off. Once the malolactic fermentation took place, the wine ages for 12 months in 25 HL barrels. The wine has hints of red roses, raspberries, black cherries, blackberries and a hint of red plum. $18

Note: In the local dialect “cucco” indicates the hilltop location of the oldest part of the vineyard, inside the Cru Cerrati.

Roasted chicken with potatoes

Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2019 Tenuta Calimaia -Frescobaldi (Tuscany) . Made from 90% Sangiovese (know locally as Prugnolo Gentile) and 10% complementary red grape varieties.  Calimaia is found in the gentle hills between the Val di Chiana and the Val d’Orcia. Located around the winery’s hill, the vineyards sit at an altitude of 300 meters above sea level and are differentiated by exposure and soil type of vineyards thus helping to bring out the best in each variety grown. There are 70 hectares of vineyards. Soil is sand-veined illite clay. Manual harvest. The grapes are vinified in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature (26 °C), and fermentation took place spontaneously. Maceration on the skins allowed for perfect extraction of the polyphenols, assisted by frequent pumping over in the initial stages of fermentation, délestage in the intermediate stage, and further pumping over in the final stage. The malolactic fermentation was completed in steel before winter. The wine matured in 50 hL oak barrels for 24 months. It then rested in the bottle for some months before release.

Aromatic and fruity wine with hints of citrus fruit, a touch a lime and hint of lemon. It can age for a few years. The winery is Biodymanic. The wine has hints of cherry, herbs, spice, and pepper, with a hint of chocolate and a note of licorice. $24

Pasta with meat and tomato sauce

Barolo Cerrati 2019 Tenuta Cucco (Piedmont) Made from 100% Nebbiolo from the Cerrati area in Serralunga d’Alba, the 4 hectare Vigna Cucco is at 260/395 meters. The exposure is south/southeast and the soil is shallow chalky/clayey. There are 4,000 plants per hectare and the training system is guyot. Harvest is in October. The freshly harvested grapes are destemmed, pressed and then left in small vats for 72 hours at a temperature of 10°C, for pre-fermentation steeping. In this way the characteristics of this vineyard are highlighted. This is followed by fermentation with gentle steeping at a temperature of 16°C. Drawing-off takes place when the product is fully dry, after an additional fermentation for 20-25 days on the skins. Then the malolactic bacteria transform the malic acid and the wine will be ready to be transferred for the ageing process. The wine remains for 12 months in small barrels of French oak and after that, it completes its ageing process in traditional barrels for a further 12 months, until it reaches its peak. It is then transferred to bottles, where it matures for at least 6 months before being sold.

The wine has hints of cherry, blackcurrant, blackberries and mushrooms.  It is a wine that will age. $73

Prosciutto Wrapped Braised Quail with spring vegetable stew.

Celebrating 100 Years of Chianti Classico

This year the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico is celebrating its 100th Anniversary. I attended the Chianti Classico 100th Anniversary Grand Tasting which was held on April 29th in NYC. It was a tasting not only of the current vintages of Chianti Classico but also of older vintages.

Here is the official announcement from the Consorzio:

The royal decree of 7^th March 1924 made possible the establishment of the Consorzi di Tutela, with the 33 founding fathers the first to seize the opportunity to protect and preserve Chianti Classico wine, its territory, landscape, and economy. On March 14 1924 it  was signed by the founding fathers.

It is the first wine Consortium founded in Europe and one whose purpose has always been to protect and promote one of the best-known Made in Italy wine products.

The Chianti Classico Wine Consorzio celebrated together with the city of Florence its first 100 years! A hundred years ago after its establishment in Radda in Chianti, the Chianti Classico Consorzio established its offices in the historic palazzo Uguccioni in Piazza della Signoria, in Florence. Today, in an exceptional occasion, the historic headquarters of the Consortium returns to its old clothes, to share with all the citizens what the Chianti Classic wine is today. Among stellar chefs, tasting… rock, theater, music, young producers.

 

The following are a just a few of the wines I tasted in NYC

Monsanto Chianti Classico “IL Poggio”  made from 95% Sangiovese and 5% Colorino and Canaiolo. The training system is guyot and spurred cordon. The wine is vinified in temperature controlled conical steel vats. Delestage and pumping over for about 20 to 22 days. The wine is aged in 500 liter oak barrels, partly new and partly secondhand for 18 to 20 months. The wine remains in the bottle for 2 years before release. The wine has hints of blackberries and blueberries with a hint of violets. Monsanto is located in the western-central area of the Chianti Classico region in the municipality of Barberino Tavarnelle.

I have a long history with Monsanto going back almost 40 years and the wonderful 1977 vintage. I visited the winery and met the owner, the legendary Fabrizio Bianchi, in 1983. Today the winery is in the hands of his daughter Laura Bianchi.

They were also showing a 1969 Monsanto Chianti Classico “IL Poggio”

Cecchi Chianti  Classico “Storia La Famiglia” 1981 Made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Colorino and 5% Canaiolo. The vineyards are at 259 meters and the soil is middle dough, alkaline and stones. There are 5,000 plants per hectare and the training system is spurred cordon. There is traditional red wine fermentation at a controlled temperature. Fermentation and maceration for 18 days. The wine is aged in bottle for a minimum of 2 months.  This is a wine with hints of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries a touch of spice and a hint of pine.  Always one of my favorites.

Pouring the wine for both Monsanto and Cecchi was Giulia Cecchi, daughter of  Andrea Cecchi CEO of Cecchi. She was also pouring wine for her mother, Laura Bianchi of Monsanto.

Ricasoli  Chianti Classico Castello di Brolio Grand Selezione 2021 made from 100% Sangiovese.  Castello di Brolio is their flagship wine created from a meticulous selection of estate-grown grapes from the three most representative soils in Brolio: Macigno del Chianti (sandstone), Scaglia Toscana (Galestro), Monte Morello (Alberese). There are 6,600 vines per hectare and the training system is spurred cordon vines were planted 1994-2005. Harvest from  September 21 to 28.  Fermentation and maceration in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 24°C-27°C (75.2°-80.6°F) with 14-16 days of skin contact.  The wine ages for 22 months in tonneaux of 500hl of which 30% are new oak and 70% of second passage. They were also pouring wines from older vintages

Vecchie Terre Di Montefili Gran Selezione made from 100% Sangiovese from hillside vineyards at 500 meters. The soil is Alberese  and the training system is cordon and guyot. The 3 hectare vineyard was planted in the 1980’s. Hand harvested with selection in the vineyard. Spontaneous fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. No added yeasts.  The wine ages for 22 months in 20 HL casks (botti). This is a structured and balanced fruity wine  with hints of red cherry, blackcurrants, ripe plum with a note of cinnamon and a touch of cloves. I visited the winery a few years ago and have spoken to one of the owners, Nicola Marzavilla about the wine and the winery.

Tenuta Perano (Frescobaldi) Chianti Classico 2021 made from Sangiovese and complementary varieties. Grapes are harvested by hand. Vinification is in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Then maceration on the skins with a controlled and careful pumping over. The different grapes were aged separately in wood, then further aging in bottle until the wine is ready for release. The wine has hints of red berries, cherries, plums, violets, floral notes and a touch of spice. $27

Chianti Classico Badia a Coltibuono 2021 made from 90% Sangiovese 5% Colorino and 5% Ciliegiolo. The vineyards are at 250/330 meters and the soil in clay loam and limestone rock. The training system is guyot and the wines are 6 to 30 years old. There are 5,000 to 7,300 vines per hectare. Indigenous yeast from grapes with a starter. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. There is a light gelatin fining and a membrane filtration. The wine is aged in 2,000 to 2,500 liter French and Austrian oak casks for about 12 months. Then aged in bottle for about 3 months before release. The winery has been organic since 1995. The wine has hints strawberry and raspberry with good acidity, a note of violet and a touch of sunshine on the Tuscan pines. I have been drinking this Chianti Classico since I had lunch at the winery in 1983 and had the 1978 vintage.

Chianti Classico Banfi 2022 made from mostly Sangiovese and small amounts of Canaiolo Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon. The soil is calcareous and well structured. Fermentation takes place with traditional skin contact of 8 to 10 days. The wine is aged for a short time in large casks of French oak. Bottling takes place the summer after the harvest. The wine has hints of cherries, plums and violets with a note of leather.

San Felice Chianti Classico Riserva “IL Grigio” made from 100% Sangiovese from the San Felice Estate in Castelnuovo Beradenga (Siena).  Soil is medium textured. Predominantly calcareous marl breakdown of Alberese and Galestro limestone, with abundant gravel pebble mixture. Spur pruned cordon training system. Harvest is the second week of September to the first week of October. Vinification & maturation fermentation on the skins at 28–30° C for 18–20 days followed by malolactic fermentation in steel. 80% of the wine then matures for 24 months in 60 or 90 hl in Slavonian oak casks, and 20% in 225-liter French barriques, followed by a further 6 months or so in the bottle before release. The wine has hints of violets, red berry fruit, cherry, strawberry and a hint of plum.

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

Chianti Classico 2021 Lilliano made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  After the quality-selected clusters are destemmed and pressed, the must is fermented and macerated in stainless steel for 18-20 days at a controlled temperature with programmed punch-downs and daily pumpovers. Maceration fermentation takes place in concrete and small stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 18-20 days depending on the vintage. The wine ages for about 12 to 14 months in large casks of French oak and partly in concrete. After maturation, the final blend is assembled, bottled and aged in glass for a minimum of 3 months. This is a wine with hints of red fruit, cherry, violets and a touch of cassis.

They were also showing  Chianti Classico Riserva 1998. I rediscovered this winery a few years ago thanks to a friend and have been a fan ever since.

Chianti Classico Antinori “Badia A Passignano” 2020 made from 100% Sangiovese. The production zone is Tavarnella Val di Pesa. The soil is rich in limestone rock with an average amount of clay and the vineyard is at 300 meters. Fermentation lasts for 10 days and the must is in contact with the skins for another 10-12 days. After racking, the various lots were aged for 14 months in Hungarian oak barrels and in French oak barrels. The wine remained in the bottle for another 12 months. The wine has aromas of ripe fruit, with hints of cherries, blood oranges, a note of lavender and a slight touch of vanilla. It has a nice finish and lasting aftertaste.

 

I have always been of the opinion that Chianti Classico wines can age.  Some of the oldest I tasted have been from Antinori. Thanks to a friend I was able to drink a 1943 Santa Christina which was a Chianti Classico back then.  The wine was over 60 years old at the time and it was wonderful.