Briganti Winery: Wine, Bandits and Baseball

Riccardo Gabriele of PR Communicare Vino, an Italian PR agency, represents some of the top Italian wineries.  He asked me if I would like to meet with one of his new Italian  producers for lunch in NYC, Mike Costanzo of Briganti Wines.  Mike is an American and has a winery in Abruzzo.  What Riccardo did not mention was that Mike was a former MLB third baseman and played for the Cincinnati Reds. I have met a lot of winery owners over the years from all over the world, but Mike’s association with baseball was a first.

We met at Fresca by Scotto for lunch with Mike and his girlfriend Lauren.

Mike is very personable and charming and we hit it off right away. We talked mostly about wine and food and a little about baseball.

Mike said  Briganti is a brand that emerged from the well-respected Risogna Vini, an agricultural company located in Orsogna, Chieti, that has been producing high quality wines in the Abruzzo Region since 2017.

The Abruzzo Region of Italy, located to the east of Rome, has everything going for it. There are beautiful national parks, a long coastline on the Adriatic, the rugged snowcapped Apennine Mountains, and little medieval towns perched precariously on hill tops. Abruzzo is situated between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso and Majella massif. It is one of the most unspoiled regions of Italy with three national parks and more than ten national and regional natural reserves.  Abruzzo geographically is more central than southern Italy, but due to its connection with the old Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, it is considered part of the South. Most vineyards are in hilly areas, of which 75% are in the province of Chieti.

“Ninco Nanco” a Briganti

Mike said the name Briganti pays homage to the region’s past, as Abruzzo is famous for being the birthplace of the brigandage movement in Italy. During the decade between 1860 and 1870 following Italy’s unification, the Briganti d’Abruzzo experienced its greatest development.  Unification had the immediate effect of creating a huge increase in taxes that generated hunger, famine and widespread poverty. In response to a series of injustices, appropriations and violations, local people formed gangs to rebel against what was happening and fight for their rights. The gangs became roving bands that were known as brigantine.

Mike honors the memory of these brigantini with the names and pictures on the labels of the wine.

Terre di Chieti IGP “Mecola” made from 100% made from 100% Pecorino. There are 1,600 plants per hectare. The training system is pergola and guyot (4,000 vines per hectare for the double guyot). Harvest takes place in October. Carefully selected grapes are destemmed then cry-maceration of the crushed grapes takes place for extraction of color and flavor. This is followed by a soft pressing of the grapes and temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 30 days. The wine has hints of lemon blossom, peach a hint of jasmine, floral notes of acacia and a slight mineral edge.

Mike said Pecorino is one of Italy’s indigenous grape varieties cultivated in the hills of Abruzzo. It is known for its refreshing acidity, floral aromas, stone fruits, tropical fruit flavors and minerality.  Mike said that the wine is named for Mecola, an Abruzzese ancestor who proudly defended the freedoms of the farmers of Abruzzo in the 1860s during the unification of Italy.

Terre Di Chieti IGP Pinot Grigio “Filomena D’Orazio” made from 100% Pinot Grigio. There are 4,000 wines per hectare and the training system is guyot. Harvest is at the end of August. Carefully selected grapes are soft pressed and fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel for 10/15 days.  The wine remains in stainless steel until it is bottled. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, chestnut, a touch of honey and a note of hazelnuts.

Mike said that his winemaking philosophy reflects the passion of those who fought against oppression and sought refuge in cultivating the land.  This wine celebrates Filomena D’Orazio, who represents the strength and courage of her time.  This is their signature Pinot Grigio.

Cerasuolo D’Abruzzo DOC “Ciuccolo” this rosé is made from 100%  Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. There are 1,400 vines per hectare and they are pergola trained. Harvest is in the first 10 days of October. The grapes are crushed with maceration on the skins for 2/4. Then a soft pressing followed by a cold soak clarification. Fermentation is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature for 10/12 days. The wine remains in stainless steel until it is ready to bottle. The wine has hints of strawberries, pomegranate, and cherry and it is medium bodied with crisp acidity.

Mike said Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is a hearty, robust rosé, with rich color and fresh fruit flavors. It has stood the test of time. This wine is named in honor of the brigand known as “Ciuccolo” who fought for the rights of his fellow citizens during the unification of Italy in the 1860’s. His legend lives on and is timeless.

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo DOC “Ninco Nanco” made from 100% Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. There are 1,600 vines per hectare and the training system is pergola and guyot. The grapes are hard harvested in October. At the winery the grapes are destemmed, crushed and transferred to fermentation tanks. There is daily pumping over for iteration of color and tannins. After fermentation is done the wine goes into concrete tanks and malolactic fermentation is completed in 7/10 days. The wine remains in concrete until it is ready to bottle. The wine has hints of black cherry, raspberry, red plum, hint of tobacco and a touch of spice.

Mike said that this wine is in named honor of Ninco Nanco, a dedicated patriot of Italy’s independence and a believer in social justice, who represents the power and strength of the red wines from Abruzzo. Montepulciano is rich and bold with natural acidity, ripe red/black fruits, and robust herbal and spicy notes.

The wine was a perfect combination with the pork and red peppers we had for lunch.

After tasting the wines I asked Mike what the retail price would be, and he said between $16 and $18 a bottle. These wines are a fantastic value for the money.

Mike is looking for a distributor in the NY and his wines are available in other parts of the US.

As a lifelong baseball fan, I asked Mike about his career in the Major Leagues.  We talked a lot about it and Mike said that one of the highlights of his career was at Yankee Stadium where he got his first major hit.  Derek Jeter, the great Yankee shortstop, retrieved the ball and gave it to him. He will never forget that moment and meeting Jeter.

The Charming Taste of Europe

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

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

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

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

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

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

The wines of Abruzzo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The French Dessert Wines

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

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

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

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

Vallevo: Pecorino, Rosato and Moltepulciano d’Abruzzo

Vito Polosa from distributor Wine Emporium NY invited me to a tasting and dinner with the wines of Vallevo, a producer in Abruzzo. I had tasted the Vallevo wines a number of years ago on a Wine Emporium sponsored press trip to Abruzzo. I really liked the wines and wanted to taste the current vintages. 

Vito spoke about Abruzzo and the Vallevo wines.

Abruzzo is situated between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso and Majella massif. It is one of the most unspoiled regions of Italy with three national parks and more than ten national and regional natural reserves. The traditional vine training method is the tendone system also known as pergola Abruzzese.  Because of its climate and historical considerations, Abruzzo is considered part of Southern Italy.

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Vallevo is part of the highly acclaimed Cantina Sociale Frentana cooperative located in the town of Rocco San Giovanni in the Chieti area. It was founded in 1958 and is one of the first social agricultural cooperatives in Abruzzo. Today there are more than 500 wine makers and 1,000 acres of vineyards associated with the cooperative. Only 15% of the production is bottled, the rest is sold as bulk wine to other producers. The bottled wine comes from the best 100 producers and they are paid more for their grapes. All the wines are made from certified organic grapes.

The picture on the label is of a trabocco, a characteristic site in this part of Abruzzo.  Fishermen traditionally built these wooden piers topped with a shed that jut far out from the shore from which to catch fish. Today some have been turned into restaurants. I had an excellent fish dinner at Trabocco Punta Cavalluccio and it was like eating on a boat, but without the waves.

Costa Dei Trabocchi Abruzzo Pecorino made from 100% Pecorino from vineyards in the municipality of Rocco San Giovanni at 150 meters with a northern exposure.  Soil is of medium texture sand and loam.  Harvest is the first week of September.  The grapes are soft pressed and  fermentation is in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Malolactic fermentation does not take place.  The wine is aged for 6 months in stainless steel and in bottle until it is ready for release.  The wine is bottled in the spring following the harvest. This is a well balanced wine with good structure and the right amount of acidity. It has hints of peaches, lime, lemon, grapefruit and a touch of almond.

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

Costa Dei Trabocchi Rosato Terre Di Chieti IGT Made from 70% Montepulciano and 30% Merlot. The soil is of medium texture, with some clay and limestone. The vineyard is situated on hills overlooking the Trabocchi Coast with a northeast exposure at 150 to 200 meters. Vinification is with a Provencal technique without pressing in temperature controled stainless steel tanks. Skin contact is only for 3 hours but the wine remains on the lees for 2 weeks in steel tanks to capture the flavor of the grapes. The must is stirred for about one week at 5C. Fermentation is in steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Aging is in steel followed by a few months in bottle before release. The wine has hints of strawberries and raspberries a touch of grapefruit and a note of watermelon.

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo DOC made from 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The soil is muddy clay. After pressing and destemming, fermentation is in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 7 to 10 days. Malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel. The wine is aged in stainless steel until it is ready to be bottled. This is a fruity, medium bodied wine with hints of plum, black cherry, and violets with a touch of black olives and herbal notes. 

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

Costa Dei Trabocchi Montepulciano Dei Abruzzo DOC Riserva made from 100% Montepulciano from Rocco San Giovanni on the best-situated hills overlooking the Costa dei Trabocchi. The soil is medium texture, mostly clay and the vines are 10-15 years old.  The exposure is south, southeast. The grapes are soft pressed and fermentation takes place in stainless steel with skin contact for 10 to 15 days depending on the vintage. The wine is aged in 500 liter barrels of Allier oak for about 14 months, then in steel, and finally in bottle until it is ready for release. This is a full bodied wine that has aromas and flavors of violets, plums and black cherry with a hint of vanilla.

Tasting Abruzzo’s Talamonti Wines

In June I was invited on press trip to Abruzzo, a region of Italy I have visited several times. The Consorzio Vini D’Abruzzo sponsored the trip which was organized by Marina Nedic, executive Director of I.E.E.M. (International Event and Exhibition Management). The trip lasted 4 days. 

On the third day there was a Grand Wine Tasting of Abruzzo wines at Palazzo D’Avalos in Vasto. The first part was a sit down tasting followed by lunch al fresco. As I was having lunch and enjoying a glass of Pecorino, one of my favorite white wines from Abruzzo perfect on a hot day, someone stopped by to say hello. It was Rodrigo Redmont. I met Rodrigo when he was a wine salesperson in NYC.  We talked about different people we knew and the wine business in NYC.  After lunch there was a walkaround tasting and Rodrigo asked me to come by and taste the wines of the Talamonti Winery. Later I found out Rodrigo is the president of Talamonti Winery!

Talamonti was founded in 2001 by the Redmont-Di Tonno family in an unspoiled part of Abruzzo. The winery has expanded to 45 hectares in the municipality of Loreto Aprutino (Pescara). The vineyards circumnavigate the winery and are at 300 meters with a southeast exposure in the Tavo Valley region.

The wines I tasted

Pecorino Superiore Abruzzo “Trabocchetto”  Made from 100% Pecorino. The area of production is Loreto Aprutino. The soil is limestone clay and the vineyard is at 300 meters. The vineyard planting took place between 2004-2011. There is a hand harvest in mid-September. The grape stalks are removed and the grapes undergo a cold maceration in stainless steel. A soft pressing follows. The clarified must is fermented with select yeast in temperature controlled stainless steel vats for 12 days at 12C to preserve the 100% natural Pecorino fruitiness and inimitable freshness of the wine. The wine has hints of pear and apple with a note of ginestra flowers, a touch of jasmine and a gentle acidity. 

Rodrigo said the link to the Abruzzo region, to its history, and our roots represents the basis for the selection of all the names of Talamonti wines. The term Trabocchetto was selected for its historical importance to the Abruzzo’s fishing tradition. According to local historians, the trabocco (or trabucco) was a fishing innovation imported from the Middle East with literature references dating back to the 18th Century. These ancient fishing machines were quickly adopted throughout the Adriatic Coast. Built exclusively out of wood, the construction permitted fisherman to fish in the worst of weather conditions. The trabocco is a wooden platform that stretches out to the sea and is anchored to large rocks. Long arms or antennas soar above and sustain an enormous net called “trabocchetto”. Today a few have been turned into restaurants.

Trebbiano D’Abruzzo Riserva “Aternvm” made from 100% Trebbiano D’Abruzzo from Loreto Aprutino. The soil is limestone clay and the vineyard is at 300 meters. The training system is overhead trellis and the vines were planted in 1975-1980. Vinification is the same as the wine above. The wine is aged for several months in 300 liter French oak barrels (30%) and in stainless steel(70%) with repeated batonnages before the wine is bottled. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, lemon, lime and a touch of spice with a pleasant acidity. It is a wine that can age for a few years.

Rodrigo said the choice to link the Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, prince of white grapes of the Abruzzo, to one of the most important landmarks of the area was clear. The first inhabitants of the area founded only 20 km away a village on the banks of the Aternum River, naming it “Vicus Aterni”. The village remains are still visible today in modern-day Pescara. A few centuries later the name was changed to “Aternum”, in honor of the river itself, which gives its name to the wine.

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Riserva “Tre Saggi” Selected vineyards located near the village of Loreto Aprutino in the Monrpulciano d’Abruzzo DOC zone. Made from 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The soil is stony calcareous and drained and the vineyard is at 300 meters. Harvest is by hand in mid-October. The grape stalks are removed. Alcoholic fermentation with skin contact takes place with selected yeasts during 14 days with periodic pumping over. Malolactic fermentation is in 300 liter French oak barrels (Allier and Troncais). Then the wine is aged for 12 months in 300 liter French oak barrels. The wine remains in bottle for 12 months before release. The wine has hints of violets, wild berries, blackberries, cherry, spice, a hint of hazelnut and a touch of coffee. This wine should age for at least 10 years.

Their link to the Abruzzo region, to its history, and their roots represent the basis for all the names selected for Talamonti wines. Therefore, the choice to link the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grape, the region’s principal red grape to one of the region’s most important landmarks, was obvious. The name “Tre Saggi” (The Three Wise Men) stems from three figures present in a fresco found in the Church of Santa Maria in Piano, located only 4km from the Talamonti vineyard-estate.

Rosso IGP Colin Pescaresi “Kudos” made from 80%  Montepulciano and 20% Merlot. The soil  is limestone clay and the vineyard is at 300 meters. The training system is guyot/overhead trellis and the vines were planted in 1995-2000. The two varieties are hand harvested separately in early October  for best ripening. They are vinified separately with 15-22 days of maceration. They are aged separately in 300 liter French oak barriques (Troncais and Allier) for 12 months. The wines are then blended and aged for another 12 months in 300 liter French oak barriques. The wine remains in the bottle until it is ready for release. The wine has hints of cherries, blueberries, currents, oak, spices and vanilla. 

Rodgrigo said the name “Kudos” was selected in order to transmit the message that their best parcel of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Merlot are blended together to produce their pinnacle wine. They wanted a non-Italian name to clearly communicate that there was a non-traditional varietal in the blend.

It was a pleasure to see Rodrigo in Abruzzo and I was very happy to be introduced to his wines.

Tasting the wines of Abruzzo

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

I have visited Abruzzo a number of times and have always enjoyed the wine and food from that region. In fact some of my favorite wines are produced there.

It was with pleasure that I accepted an invitation to attend a tasting of the wines of Abruzzo from

The Charming Estates of Europe, a special project that links the flavors of wine from Italy and France and of fresh fruit from Greece and introduce them to the United States and Canada. The event was called The Charming Taste of Europe.

The organizer and speaker of the event was Susannah Gold and it was held at IL Gattopardo one of my favorite Italian restaurants.  Susannah is a true wine professional and it is always a pleasure to attend one of her events.  She went into great detail on the region of Abruzzo and the wines.

Most vineyards are in hilly areas of which 75% are in the province of Chieti. The traditional vine training method is the Tendone system also known as Pergola Abruzzese.  The three most important wine designations are: Montepulciano di Abruzzo (red), Cerasuolo (rose), and Trebbiano D’Abruzzo (white). Abruzzo is the number five wine producing region in Italy

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

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

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

Of the local varieties, Pecorino, a white grape, is the most popular. Pecorino is an ancient grape variety which was “rediscovered” in the early 1980’s. The name in Italian is “little sheep” because the sheep liked to eat the grapes off the vines. The others are Passerina, Cococciola and Montonico, all white grapes.

The Wines

Pecorino Superiore 2020 Abruzzo DOC Poderi  Antonio Costantini made from 100% Pecorino. The exposure is south/south east and the soil is clay. The training system is spalliera (vertical trellis trained with replacement cane pruning) and there is a manual selection of the grape bunches at full maturity. Grapes are soft pressed and then the juice is left to rest for a number of hours at a cold temperature. When the temperature is raised to 16/18C alcoholic fermentation takes place. The wine remains in stainless steel for a time and then is stabilized before bottling. This is a very pleasant wine with floral notes, hints of citrus fruit, apple, anise and field grasses.

Spaghetti alla Chitarra con Ragu di Maiale — We had homemade square spaghetti in a rich pork ragu, a local specialty.

Trebbiano D’Abruzzo 2019 Riserva “Marina Cretic”   made from 100% Trebbiano  Tenuta Agricole Masciarelli The training system is the Abruzzo Pergola.  Harvest takes place the second week of October. Fermentation is in wood for 15/30 days. The wine is aged in French oak barriques. The wine has hints of ripe tropical fruit, caramel, honey and vanilla.

Cerasuolo  Abruzzo  DOC 2020 Valori (BIO) made from 100% Montepulciano The vineyards are at 300 meters and the training system is simple guyot, spurred cordon. There are 4,000 plants per hectare and harvest takes place between October 10th and 15th. The juice  is in contact with the skins for 24  hours. Racking and soft pressing takes place. Cold fermentation and aging is in stainless steel. This is a rose’ light pink in color with hints of cherries, strawberries and a touch of almonds.

Patate Maritate — Potatoes with cheese, sausage and herbs.

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2019 Francesco Cirelli (BIO) made from 100% Montepulciano The soil is clay and limestone and the training system is guyot. Harvest is at the end of September and the beginning of October. Harvest is manual. The grapes are destemmed and gently crushed and there is a 12 day maceration, spontaneous fermentation in amphora with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for 12 months in amphora.  The wine has hints of red fruit, cherry and a touch of strawberry.

Brodetto alla Vastese — Our next course was a variety of seafood in a flavorful sauce.

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

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Riserva 2015 “Casauria”  Podere Castorani made from 100% Montepulciano. The training system is the traditional overhead “pergola” trellis system of the Abruzzo region. The soil is deep clay with many underground rocks. Harvest is by hand the beginning of November with grape selection. Fermentation is in concrete tanks with manual pump over and delestages and extended maceration. Malolactic fermentation is completed during skin maceration. The wines ages on the lees in oak barrels and then for 6 months in concrete tanks. Finally the wine remains in bottle for 15 months before release. The wine has hints of cherry, cranberries, licorice, a touch of spice and a note of tobacco.

In a future blog, I will report on the sweet wines of Bordeaux which were served at the end of the meal with dessert.

Enological License by Daniele Cernilli

When I drink the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo of Edoardo Valentini, I can never find the words to fully describe it.  I can say it has hints of this, notes of that, and undertones of something else, but I never feel as if I am doing the wine justice.  The article below, written by Daniele Cernilli, expresses my opinion of the wine perfectly.  Thank you Daniele, for giving me the words that I could not find.

by Daniele Cernilli  aka Doctor Wine  05/17/21 | 

Just as there exists poetic license, there exists “enological license” which can transform what may be technically considered an error into a trait of quality in a wine.

Everyone knows what poetic license is. William Shakespeare was a master of it, disregarding historical facts in the name of plot, inventing words or contractions to obtain an iambic pentameter rhythm to his verse and even ignoring the laws of nature to create the desired effect. In Sonnet 29, for example, he wrote:       “…and then my state, like a Lark at break of day arising from sullen Earth, sings hymns at Heaven’s gate“. The license he took here was that the lark is a bird that only flies short distances and flying to Heaven would be quite a hike for it.

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I began thinking about enological license a few days ago when, with a group of friends, we opened some excellent bottles at the Goccetto wine bar in Rome. We had a Pinto Noir 2019 La Pinta, a Morey Saint Denis Premier Cru 2016 Domaine Dujac, a Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda 2012 Massolino and a Brunello di Montalcino 2011 Capanna. These were all splendid wines, technically well-made, very precise and representative of their respective origins. We then opened the last bottle the shop had of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2016 Valentini and there was a sea change. Croce Taravella, the famous Sicilian artist, wine lover and historic Goccetto customer, declared that “this wine does not have the delicate perfection of a Raffaello and reminds me more of Tintoretto’s impetuous style”.

On a previous occasion, my dear friend and great connoisseur Silvano Prompicai defined this wine as “the greatest peasant wine in the world”. Let me explain why.

The wine we had the other day had a very intense, almost impenetrable, garnet color and showed all its 14 years. The aromas were the typical ones of black cherry with some hints of combustion, like those that develop when you make homemade jam and some of it sticks to the bottom of the pot, creating a subtle burnt note.

But it was through tasting the wine that we understood how it was on a different level than the other excellent wines we had sampled. The tannins were lively, distinct yet not aggressive. The right definition would be that they were “authentic”, grapey and with very little wood. Then there was that tad of carbonation, perhaps the product of the “remnants” of the initial malolactic fermentation in the bottle, which was so fine and composed it was hardly noticeable. This aspect may cause some rather orthodox tasters to turn up their noses but it had the same justification as Shakespearean poetic license had in obtaining the desired effect.

When I pointed this out to Edoardo Valentini, he replied: “Of course there’s a bit of carbonation. My wines are alive and so they have to breathe”.

In the end, we were all very impressed by this wine, which once again demonstrated how it was in a league of its own. This was underscored by Luciano Lombardi, AKA Vignadelmar, when he wrote about our tasting on his Facebook page. And what he said was that this wonderful wine demonstrated all the “enological license” needed, without taking anything away from science and technique, to become the stuff of poetry.

Celebrating Easter

We invited two friends over for Easter lunch. All of us had received both vaccines weeks ago, so we felt we were within the guidelines.

Meursault-Perrieres 2010 Premier Cru Jean Latour Labille &Fils made from 100% Chardonnay from a .175-hectare parcel planted in 1964. Fermentation and aging are in barrels, 50% new for 12 months then 4 months of additional aging in tank. This is a complex wine with hints of citrus fruit, melon, pear, a touch of honey and a note of brioche. I visited the winery in 2019 and  really enjoyed all their wines.

We had a few little Appetizers to go with the wine.  Some Castelvetrano olives, a mushroom pate from Michele’s book, 1,000 Italian Recipes, and a salame.

Irpinia Aglianico 2016 “Memini” Az. Ag. Guastaferro made from 100% Aglianico. This wine bursts with sweet ripe fruit flavors of cherry, raspberry, strawberry and pomegranate. It has a wonderful fruit filled finish and a very long aftertaste. It was a very interesting Aglianico and I have never tasted one like this before. Daniele Cernilli (aka Doctor Wine) in his book The Essential Guide to Italian Wine 2020 states:  “In 2002 Raffaele Guastaferro inherited 10 hectares from his grandfather with over 100 year old vines trained using the old starseto (pergola Avellinese) method…creating a very interesting style for the wines that were also based on tradition.”

Pasta Amatrciana, my favorite with bucatini.

On the plate, messy but so good.

Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo 1985 Emidio Pepe100% Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. The winery is organic and Bio-Dynamic. They belong to the Triple “A” Agriculture Artisans Artists. Both the tendone method and the cordon spur method are used for training the vines. In vintages when the weather is very hot the tendone method is better because the leaves form a canopy to protect the grapes from the sun.  When the weather is not too hot, the cordon spur is better because it allows more sun and air to reach the grapes. One hectare of tendone has 900 vines and produces 90 quintals of grapes.  That means that each vine produces from 6 to 9 kilos of grapes. In one hectare of cordon spur trained grapes, there are 3,300 vines and each vine produces 5 to 6 kilos of grapes. The grapes are crushed by hand and the juice placed in glass-lined cement tanks of 20/25 liters. Only natural yeasts are used, there is no filtration or fining. The wine is transferred to the bottle by hand and the corks are placed in the bottles by hand. This is a very impressive wine with deep red fruit aromas and flavors with hints of cherry, spice and leather.

Fried lamb chops, also from Michele’s book.  The chops are coated with eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano and plain dry breadcrumbs.  Here she used panko, which fries up nice and crunchy.  Sorry for the photo, but we all grabbed some chops and started to eat before I could get a better shot!

Dante’s Cheesecake is Michele’s version of a ricotta cheesecake that we used to enjoy at a favorite Greenwich Village Cafe.

A Neapolitan Classic

Michele and I went to IL Gattopardo for lunch recently.  One of my favorites there, the meatloaf, was not on the menu. I asked the waiter and he said he believed it would be back on soon. This is something that is not served in most restaurants in Naples but in people’s homes. So I asked Michele to make it for me.

First, we had a little antipasto of marinated roasted red peppers.  Here are the peppers ready to be cut

After roasting and peeling, Michele marinated them with thick slices of garlic, olive oil and oregano.  She leaves the garlic in large pieces so that it is easy to remove them.  We ate the peppers with anchovies.

To go with the meatloaf, Michele made sauteed zucchini and onions with cherry tomatoes.  She used canned cherry tomatoes.  The secret of this recipe is to cook it just to the point where the zucchini are still firm and not mushy.

The saucy vegetables were a nice complement to the meatloaf.

The meatloaf, called polpettone, is made mostly with beef, and some veal and pork ready mixed with chopped prosciutto, salami and cheese.  Here it is ready for the oven

The meatloaf out of the oven

On the plate, the meatloaf was moist and full of flavor, complemented by the sauteed zucchini.

The Wine

Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo 2003 Emidio Pepe100% Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. The winery is organic and Bio-Dynamic. They belong to the Triple “A” Agriculture Artisans Artists. Both the tendone method and the cordon spur method are used for training the vines. In vintages when the weather is very hot the tendone method is better because the leaves form a canopy to protect the grapes from the sun.  When the weather is not too hot, the cordon spur is better because it allows more sun and air to reach the grapes. One hectare of tendone has 900 vines and produces 90 quintals of grapes.  That means that each vine produces from 6 to 9 kilos of grapes. In one hectare of cordon spur trained grapes, there are 3,300 vines and each vine produces 5 to 6 kilos of grapes. The grapes are crushed by hand and the juice placed in glass-lined cement tanks of 20/25 liters. Only natural yeasts are used, there is no filtration or fining. The wine is transferred to the bottle by hand and the corks are placed in the bottles by hand. This is a very impressive wine  with deep red fruit aromas and flavors with hints of cherry, spice and leather.  It is still young and will last for many years.

For Dessert, we had a Roman style cheesecake.  The recipe is from Michele’s dessert book, La Dolce Vita.  

Celebrating a Special Friends Birthday

To celebrate a friend’s birthday, and aware that he had been as diligent in social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing as we have been, Michele and I decided to prepare a special lunch for him.  The wine was provided by our friend

We started  with  a glass  of  Champagne  on  our  terrace,  which  is  currently under  construction  but  accessible.  

Champagne 2013 Pinot Meunier Grand Cru La Grande Vigne Vielles Vignes Extra Brut Suenen made from 100% Pinot Meunier from 50 year old ungrafted vines in Montigny-sur-Vesle The exposure is north west and the soil is sand and limestone. Oak barrels and turns are used for the wine making process. Also the use of an ovoid (egg shaped) concrete tun. There is spontaneous fermentation and natural malolactic fermentation and no filtration. The wine remains on the lees from 6 to 8 months. This is a very impressive bold Champagne, with hints of red fruit, brioche and honey.

Then we had pasta with lamb ragu. Michele  made  the  ragu  with  trimmings  from  a leg  of  lamb,  red  wine,  rosemary  and  the  usual  seasoning  vegetables.  The  pasta  was  mezze  maniche  by  Campofilone.

To follow we had butterflied leg of lamb seasoned with garlic and rosemary.  It was perfectly cooked, rare and juicy.

Leg of lamb with fresh  spinach  from  the  Greenmarket  and  alubia  blanca  beans from  Rancho  Gordo.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 1982 Emidio Pepe 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The winery is organic and Bio-Dynamic. They belong to the Triple “A” Agriculture Artisans Artists. Both the tendonne method and the cordon spur method are used for training the vines. In vintages when the weather is very hot the tendone method is better because the leaves form a canopy to protect the grapes from the sun.  When the weather is not too hot, the cordon spur is better because it allows more sun and air to reach the grapes. 1 hectare of tendone has 900 vines and produces 90 quintals of grapes.  That means that each vine produces from 6 to 9 kilos of grapes. In one hectare of cordon spur trained grapes, there are 3,300 vines and each vine produces 5 to 6 kilos of grapes. The grapes are crushed by hand and the juice placed in glass lined cement tanks of 20/25 liters. Only natural yeasts are used, there is no filtration or fining. The wine is transferred to the bottle by hand and the corks are placed in the bottles by hand. The wine has deep red fruit aromas and flavors with hints of cherry, spice and leather. It is one of my favorite red wines and was just wonderful. It was the perfect wine  to go with the pasta and the lamb.

Dessert was a Ricotta Raspberry Cake with fresh berries and creme fraiche whipped cream.

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving with Friends

For the past few years we have had Thanksgiving and we invite the same two couples. We start at 4:00 and it lasts well into the evening because of the amount of food and the number of wines.

We began with a simple appetizer of potato chips topped with sour cream, smoked salmon and chives. With it we had:

Champagne Alfred Gratien Cuveè Passation Brut NV in magnum, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. This is great Champagne and it could not have been drinking better.

Then we moved to the table where we enjoyed a warm Leek and Mascarpone Tart prepared by our friend, Diane. With it we drank:

Cerasuolo made from 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzza 1996 Valentini Aged in large botti of Slavonia oak for 12 months. There was just a touch of strawberry but the wine was showing its age.

With the red wines we enjoyed the main course, a classic turkey dinner. Michele doesn’t make turkey every year but this year she felt like doing the traditional menu with a hint of an Italian accent. Roasted turkey seasoned with prosciutto and rosemary, turkey gravy, sausage and cornbread stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes with maple syrup, and broccoli with Parmigiano Reggiano.

and my  favorite  Mostarda standing  in  for  the  cranberry  sauce

Dolcetto d’Alba 1971 Bruno Giacosa – made from 100% Dolcettto. This was amazing — a Dolcetto almost 50 years old. It was in very good condition with subtle hints of red and black fruit.

Beaujolais Morgan 2005 made from 100% Gamay from 60 year old vines. Marcel Lapierre. The vineyard is 10 ha and the soil is granitic gravel. The winery is certified organic. There is a manual harvest and then a rigorous sorting of the grapes. Only indigenous yeasts are used. Whole cluster fermentation takes place a l’ancienne ( old style), and maintained at a low temperatures for 10 to 20 days. The wine is aged on the fine lees in old Burgundy barrels-from 3^rd to thirteenth passage and the wines are bottled unfiltered.

Beaujolais Morgan Cuvee Marcel Lapierre MMIX 2009 made from 100-year-old vines. The vineyard is 1.5 hectares and the soil is granitic gravel.

Both these wines are not ordinary Beaujolais and will last for a number of years. They have hints of blackberry, cassis, strawberry and touch of spice.

Brunello di Montalcino 2001 Fattoria Poggio di Sotto made from 100% Sangiovese. This is an elegant complex wine with hints of black cherry, violets and herbs with a very long finish and very pleasing after taste. It will last for many years. I had the wine for the first time a few weeks ago at San Domenico Restaurant in Imola not far from Bologna.

A bite of cheese – 30 month old Mountain Parmigiano-Reggiano that we brought home from Parma was next.

Recioto Valpolicella Valpantena Riserva Spumonte Naturale 1978 Bertani made from 80% Corvina Veronese and 20% Rondinella The wine was still in good condition but most of the bubbles were gone. It is a fragrant wine with hints of plum, cherry and raspberry and went very well with the cheese course. This is only the second time that I have had this wine and I do not know if Bertani makes it any more.

An apple cream tart, also supplied by Diane (Diane Darrow-Another Year in Recipes), finished the meal.