Lunch Overlooking the Colosseum

A few years ago, Iris Carulli, a mutual friend introduced Michele and I to Maureen Fant. Until that time, we knew of Maureen only by her writings as an Italian food expert and author of several books about Italian food and history.  A native New Yorker, Maureen has lived in Rome for many years and describes herself as a “lapsed classicist.”  Currently, she is the coprincipal of Elifant Archaeo-Culinary Tours.

Recently, Maureen and her husband Franco Filippi invited Michele and I and a group of friends for lunch in her apartment overlooking the Colosseum in Rome.

Maureen did all the cooking with a little help from her friends and the wines were supplied by Maureen’s husband Franco.

Maureen (second left), Franco (far right), and some of the guests sipping welcome glasses of Ca’del Bosco spumante before the antipasto which included fresh cheeses, marinated carrots, dried tomatoes, olives, marinated anchovies, and many other savory bites.

Franciacorta  DOCG  Extra Brut 2018 Vintage Collection Ca’ del Bosco (Lombardia) made from 65%  Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Bianco and 30% Pinot Nero from 27 certified organic vineyards. Grapes are hand harvested and each individual bunch is washed and dried. Fermentation takes place for 5 months in oak barrels. The wine remains on the yeasts for an average of 48 months. This is an elegant wine with hints of citrus fruit, apple and pear lemon and a touch of pineapple. One of my favorites.

Vino Spumante Brut Metodo Classico Stefanini (Lazio) made from 100% Rossetto. White wine vinification with selected yeasts in steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Malolactic fermentation does not take place. The wine spends 24 months on the lees. This was a first for me. I did not know the wine or the producer. It is a full bodied spumante with hints of citrus fruit, floral notes, a touch of almonds and nice minerality.

Garganelli con sugo di cipolle — pasta with onion sauce

Barolo Bussia Giacomo Fenocchio 2018 100% Nebbiolo varieties Michet and Lampia. Monforte d’Alba-Sottozone Bussia (Piemonte).  From a 5 hectare vineyard facing south/southwest at 300 meters. The soil is Helvetian with clayey and calcareous sediments, rich in iron. The vines are 30 years old. Traditional natural fermentation without added yeasts for 40 days in stainless steel tanks. The wine ages for 6 months in stainless steel tanks and 30 months in large Slavonian casks 35 to 50 hl. It remains in the bottle a time before release. This is a classic Barolo with hints of spice, licorice, roses, tar and tea. I visited the winery a few years ago and have always enjoyed their wines.

Roasted Pork Loin with Pancetta and Herbs

Negroamaro Salento IGP Rosso  2013 “Patriglione” Cosimo Taurino made from 100% Negramaro from 40 to 50 year old vines. The vineyard is 15 hectares with a east/west exposure, flat elevation and the soil is calcareous. There are 6,000 plants per hectare and the training system is spurred Apulian small trees. The grapes are picked late the second week of October. The fermentation tanks are vitrified concrete and there is an automatic cooling system. Fermentation is for 10/15 days with 8/12 days skin contact.This is a wine that will age for many years. It has hints of dry black fruit, blackberries blueberries, prune and raisins. I have been drinking the wines from Cosimo Taurino for many years.

On the plate.  Roast pork loin, mashed potatoes, braised artichokes and pearl onions agrodolce.

Our dessert was made by another guest, Susan Westmoreland.

It was a rich and spicy ginger cake served with braised apples and whipped cream.

Thank you Maureen and Franco for a delicious Roman meal with great friends!

 

 

Puglia Wine World at IL Gattopardo Restaurant

Puglia Wine World hosted a number of events in NYC last month.

These included events at the Italian Consulate, The Fancy Food Show, an event on a boat, and the last a wine tasting and lunch at IL Gattopado restaurant in NYC. I was invited to the final event by Regione Puglia and Gruppo-Italiano

We started with a stand up tasting of five wines: 

“Sissy Pop” Extra Brut Classic Method Masseria del Sole (Foggia) made from 100% Nero di Troia. The soil is clay/calcareous. There is a manual harvest and fermentation is in steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine has hints of dried almonds, hazelnut, blood orange, plum and fig.

Mela Rosa Extra Dry Sparkling Wine NV Due Palme (Brindisi) made from 100% Negroamaro. There are mineral deposits in the soil.  A careful  selection of grapes is harvested at the end of August to preserve the freshness and acidity. There is a brief period of skin contact to get the desired light pink color of  Rose. Then the Charmat method is used to create the sparkling wine. The wine has hints of red fruit, strawberry and raspberry with floral notes.

Puglia IGT Rosato BIO “Tre Tomoli Rosa” Vigna Flora (Bari) made from 100% Susumaniello. The soil is loamy and clayey. There is a manual harvest of the grapes followed by destemming and a soft crushing. Maceration in contact with the skin for 3 to 5 hours to get a peachy-pink color. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature for 15 days. Malolactic fermentation is not carried out. The wine remains in steel and bottle for 15 days before release. The wine has hints of white peach, pink grapefruit and citrus tones.

Primitivo di Manduria DOC “Lirica” 2017 Produttori di Manduria Manduria. Made from 100% Primitivo. The soil is of a medium texture with calcareous tufa. Red wine vinification with thermo-conditioning of the fermentation process. The wine is in contact with the skins for 1 week and is aged for a minimum of 6 months in large barrels. This is an intense and elegant wine with hints of dark fruit, cherry, plum a hint of spice and a touch of ginger. This was a very impressive Primitivo.

Primitivo di Manduria DOC “Raccontami” Vespa Vignaioli (Manduria) made from 100% Primitivo. The soil is limestone-clayey. The skins fermentation is for 15 days, malolactic fermentation is in barriques and and the wine is aged for 12 months in barrel. The wine has hints of black and red fruits, with a touch of tobacco and a hint of vanilla.

For lunch there were 5 wines

The place mat had the name of the wines and information about each of the wines.

For lunch we began with a refreshing salad Acquasale Di Frisella, Cipolle, Cetriolini E Peperoni.  Toasted bread with onions, cucumbers and bell peppers.

Tiella Pugliese Tradizionale Di Riso, Patate E Cozze is a typical Pugliese casserole with rice, potatoes and mussels.

Rose — Botromagno is one of my favorite producers in Puglia

Red Wine #1

Agnello Al Sugo Alla Salentina Con Patate was a savory lamb stew with potatoes to go with the red wines.

Red Wine #2

Red Wine #3  SoliAir is an importer and distributor that carries an excellent line of wines.

Dolce Torta Di Albicocche Con Salsa Al Cioccolato E Mandorle Tostate is a delicate almond cake with apricots and chocolate sauce.

It is always a pleasure to have the wines of Puglia with the southern Italian food of IL Gattopardo.

Puglia in Rosé and Primitivo

I first met Caterina Baldini, Co-founder and project manager of Associazione Puglia in Rosé and Lucia Lettis, Co-founder of Associazione Puglia in Rose’ and Technical Director, at a Puglia in Rosé Master Class at the Leopard at Des Artistes in Manhattan a few months ago. Lucia spoke about the association and Caterina spoke about the region of Puglia. This Monday they invited me to a Zoom tasting of 6 wines, four were rosato and two were primitivo.  Caterina was the very well-informed host and, since I was the only guest, we were able to have a one-on-one conversation about Puglia.

Caterina said the producers’ association purpose is to promote the Apulian Rose’ Wine Brand in the USA and the world. Apulia is the largest producer of rosé wine in Italy with a 44% share. She said that they would like the producers to put Rosato on the label so the wine will be recognized as Italian, but some producer still use Rosé. Apulia Rosato comes in made shades from light pink to light red.

The Rosato

Puglia Rosato IGP “Maglida” 2020 Cantine Barsento made from Malvasia and Negroamaro. The soil is clay and limestone.There is are selection of the grapes at harvest. Fermentation takes place at a low temperature in stainless steel tanks.  Maceration on the skins for 10 hours and then the skins are soft pressed. The wine is aged in steel for 3 months and in bottle for 1 month before release. The wine has hints of strawberries, raspberries and a hint of cherry.

Puglia Rosato IGP Selva della  Rocca 2020 Cantine Le Grotte made from 100% Nero di Troia from Apricena and Gargano. The vineyards are at 70/90 meters. Harvest takes place the last week of September. The wine is in contact with the skins for 5/6 hours at a controlled temperature. The wine remains in stainless steel for 5 months and is bottled in March following the harvest. The wine is coral in color.  It has hints of red and black fruit with a touch of blackberry and a hint of spice.

Puglia Rosé IGP “Forme” 2021 Cantine Massimo Leone. Made from 100% Nero di Troia. The soil is Karstic and clayey. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature and skin contact is for 8 hours. Pink in color with coral reflections with hints of black fruit, red roses and a touch of spice. Caterina  said the “scratches” on the label are that of a lion (Leone) because of the name of the winery.

Rosato IGP “Cattedrale”  2020  Società Agricola D’ Alessandro  made from 100% Sangiovese. The soil is limestone. The wine is in contact with the skins for 6/8 hours followed by a soft pressing of the skins. Temperature controlled fermentation is in stainless steel tanks. Aging is in stainless steel for 4 months and then in bottle before release.  Caterina said the producer had in mind young people when he made this wine because it is an easy drinking wine with a deep pink color, fruity aromatic aromas with hints of strawberries and raspberries.  She also said the picture on the label represents the window of the  cathedrals of Puglia. They use a darker bottle to protect the color of the wine.

All of the Rosato wines are well under $20 a bottle

The Primitivo

Puglia Primitivo IGP “Soffio”  2019 Cantine D’Alessandro made from 100% Primitivo. The soil is clayey limestone. There is a preselection of grapes. Temperature controlled fermentation is in steel with the must and 20 days of skin contact. The wine remains in steel for 6 months and in bottle for 6 months before release. The wine has hints of blackberry, blueberry and prune. $20

Puglia Primitivo IGP  Selva della Rocca  2019 Cantine Le Grotte made from 100% Primitivo. The vineyards are located at the foot of the Gargano and the soil is calcareous rich in minerals. The exposure is southwest. Manual harvest. Vinification is in temperature controlled steel tanks. Maceration lasts for 15 days. Aging is in new French barriques for 12 months and then 3 months in bottle before release. Ruby red in color with violet reflections. It has hints of small red berry fruit, prune and a note of spice. $15

Puglia in Rose’ Master Class

I have visited the Southern Italian region of Puglia a number of times and I was the Wine Director and Sommelier for I-Trulli, an Apulian restaurant in Manhattan, so I have a fondness for the wine and food of the region. A few months ago the Association of Puglia in Rose’ arranged for me to interview some of their producers on Zoom and taste the wines with them.  Recently I received an invitation from the Association to attend a tasting of the wines of Puglia at the Leopard at Des Artistes in Manhattan, one of my favorite Italian restaurants.

Gianfranco Sorrentino, the owner of the Leopard introduced the first speaker.  Lucia Lettis, founder of Associazione Puglia in Rose’ and technical director. She said it is a producers’ association dedicated to Pugliese Rose’ wines. Their purpose is to promote the Apulian Rose’ Wine Brand in the USA and the world.

Puglia in Rosé is the first Association of producers dedicated to rosé wines of Puglia and was created to share, together with the Apulian wineries and commercial and institutional partners, the path of enhancement of rosé wine Pugliese.

To achieve this goal, the Association organizes events and prepares promotional activities aimed at trade in national and international markets. The objectives are to:

• to qualify the image of Puglia’s  wines as Made in Italy products of excellence;
• promote business opportunities abroad for Apulian operators;
• give impetus to the international promotion activities of the Puglia brand

Caterina Baldini, Co-founder and project manager of Associazione Puglia in Rose’ spoke about the region.

Puglia, the ‘two seas land,’ is surrounded by the Ionian Sea and Adriatic Sea. This makes the region a perfect place for growing vines and olive trees. Puglia is 55% flat and 45% hilly and extends for over 359 kilometers between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. In general the soil is clayey-limestone. 

Rose’ wines have a long history in Puglia. The first winemaker to popularize the wine was Don Piero De Castris in 1943 when he produced a rose’ from the negroamaro grape at his winery in Salice Salentino. His first production was put in beer bottles and called “Four Roses” but soon, with the improvement in the bottling line, it became the first rose’ bottled in Italy and sold in the USA.

Today Puglia is the largest producer of Rosè wine in Italy. 40% of the national production comes from here.

The native red grapes which produce Rose’ are: Bambino Bianco, Aglianico, Negroamaro, Nero di Troia, Malvasia Nera and Primitivo.

Susannah Gold, a wine professional, spoke about the wines. She said the wines were arranged according to producer. There were 7 wines in all: 3 Rose’ wines,  3 red wines, and one white wine all from Puglia.

The Le Grotte Winery

Spumante Brut Rosè NV made from 100% Nero di Troia. The soil is very mineral and an abundance of limestone due the near by marble quarries. The grapes are soft pressed and fermentation takes place in autoclaves for two months. The wine is light pink and it is fruity with hints of strawberry, raspberry and floral notes. 

Puglia IGP Rosato”Selva Della Rocca” made from 100% Nero di Troia from Apricena and Gargano. The wine is in contact with the skins for 5/6 hours at a controlled temperature. The wine remains in stainless steel for 5 months and is bottled in March following the harvest. The wine is coral in color.  It has hints of red and black fruit with a touch of blackberry and a hint of spice.

Nero di Troia IGP “Petrata” Made from 100% Nero Di Troia. Temperature controlled maturation in stainless steel. The wine has black fruit aromas and flavors with hints of blackberry and blueberry.

D’Alessandro Winery

Puglia IGP “Cattedrale” made from 100% Malvasia Nera from Turi and the Itria valley. The soil is of medium texture with loamy clay. Harvest is manual.  There is skin contact for 15 days at a controlled temperature. The wine remains in stainless steel for four months and in bottle for two months before release. The wine has hints of red fruit, pomegranate and raspberry with a long fruity finish.

Terre Carsiche Winery

Vedeca Bianco “Agora” made from 100% Verdeca Bianco. The soil is Karstic formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. Harvest is in September. Fermentation is in steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 15 days. Aging takes place in large French durhast barrels for about three months and in bottle for 6 months before release. This is a wine with citrus fruit flavors and aromas with floral notes and a touch of spice.

Murgia Rosè IGT made from Bambino Nero and Malvasia Nera. Fermentation is in temperature controlled steel tanks. The wine has hints of red fruit, raspberry and strawberry and a note of spice.

Primitivo Gloria Del Colle Riserva “Fanova” made from 100% Primitive from the Castellana Grotte and Acquaviva Delle Fonti area. The training system is the Apulian goblet. The vines are at 33/350 meters. Harvest takes place the third week of September. Fermentation is in steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 15/20 days. Aging in big French durhast barrels for about 12 months and another 12 months in bottle before release. This is a wine with hints of sour cherry, blackberry, prunes and  a touch of spice.

Puglia Rosè of Romaldo Greco

Recently, I wrote that I had been contacted by Caterina Baldini, president and co-founder of Associazione Puglia in Rosè, a producers’ association dedicated to Pugliese rose’ wines. Their purpose is to promote the Apulian Rose Wine Brand in the USA and the world.

For more information see Puglia in Rosè

Caterina had sent me samples and arranged another Zoom meeting for me with a producer, Azienda Agricola Romaldo Greco.

Representing the winery were Gloria Greco, a family member and one of the owners of her family’s winery, and Alessandra Zappi the export manager, who supplied much of the technical information.

Gloria Greco told me that Azienda Agricola Romaldo Greco was founded in 1973 by Romaldo Greco in Secil, a village in the heart of the Salento peninsular. It is 5 kilometers from Lecce.

She added that it has always been a great place to grow grapes. They have 15 hectares of vines in 4 different locations: Valentin, Murrone, Conte Grande and Renda.

Gloria said quality first, along with passion, tradition and innovation, sums up the Azienda and its wines.

They grow both autochthon and international varieties.

The Cork

Gloria said they use a special cork for their wine, Nomacoro Bioselect corks which are made using sugar cane. They are engineered to ensure that the wine tastes exactly the same from bottle to bottle helping to protect the wine from faults and flaws due to natural corks. Nomacoro’s breathable core allows the natural micro oxygenation of the wine and preserves the wine’s aroma and flavor.

The Cork

The Wine 

Malvasia Nera Salento IGP Rosè “Puro” made from 100% Malvasia Nera. Malvasia Nera is an old varietal with unknown origins. It is widely spread particularly in the southern part of Apulia. It is possible that the “parents” of this variety are Negroamaro and Malvvasia Bianco Lunga.

The vineyard is at 76 meters and the soil is medium textured with a high proportion of clay. There are 4,000/5,000 plants per hectare and the training system is spurred cordon. Harvest takes place at the end of September. The grapes are hand picked and carefully placed in small baskets. Gloria said this is to make sure that even the slightest fermentation does not take place so the grapes arrive as fresh as possible at the winery. There is a soft pressing of the grapes. Skin contact is for about 4 hours. This gives the wine a pale color with orange reflections. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled tanks for 10/12 days. The wine is aged for four months in stainless steel and one month in bottle before release. This is a balanced light fruity wine with hints of fresh fruit, red berries, cherries, red apples floral notes and a slight almond finish.

Gloria recommends drinking this wine as an aperitif or with antipasti, seafood and white meats.

A Taste of Puglia at SD 26 in NYC

At a recent tasting and dinner at SD26, I was very impressed by the wines of Alberto Longo. I have known Alberto and his wines for a number of years, but something seemed different. I asked Alberto if the winemaker was the same or if he made any changes in how the wines were made. He said that the winemaker was still Graziana Grassini and she is making the wine the same way. He added however that the wines were better because his vines were now 12 years old and this made all the difference.

Alberto Longo

He also said that he does not like to use new wood for aging his wine. It hides the true character by adding aromas and flavors that do not enhance the wine but distract from it. Only three of his wines see wood and it is second, third and fourth passage barrels.

Alberto Longo and Chef Vito Aversa

The Alberto Longo winery is located in Lucera, in northern Puglia, and there are 35 hectares of vineyards around and near the winery. Alberto is very proud of his region, especially the food and wine. For this tasting and dinner he flew in Vito Centrone, the young owner of restaurant da Tuccino near Bari, and his chef Vito Aversa who prepared the food with the help of the SD26 staff.

IGT Puglia Bianco “le Fassete” 2011 made from 100% Falanghina. The production area for the wine is San Severo and Masseria Celentano in northern Puglia. The vineyard was planted in 2002 and the soil is calcareous clay loam. There are 5,600 vines per hectare. After a soft pressing the grapes are de-stemmed. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures. The wine remains on the lees for three months. Alberto wanted to show the current vintage 2012 but was sent the 2011. For me this was the better choice because the wine had an extra year of aging and had developed more character. Italian white wines can age and Alberto said he has older vintages at the winery. The wine was a perfect combination with the fish crudo. It has a fruity and floral bouquet. It is full bodied with hints of citrus and good acidity. 

Puglia IGT Rosso “le Cruste” 2010 made from 100% Nero di Troia. Type of soil is calcareous clayey texture. Fermentation in stainless steel with prolonged skin contact. After malolactic fermentation the wine is aged in French barriques (second and third passage) and in casks for at least 12 months, then at least 18 months in bottle before release. This wine had flavors and aromas of blackberry and plum and a touch of spice.

It was served with fresh black squid ink orecchiette in a sauce of clams, red shrimps and zucchini flowers. 

Cacc’e Mmitte di Lucera DOC 2012 made from 55% Nero di Troia, 30% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and 30% Bombino Bianco. The soil is calcareous with sandy topsoil. There are 5,600 vines per hectare. Viniflcation takes place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures with prolonged maceration on the skins. Malolactic fermentation takes place in November. The wine is aged in cement tanks for at least 6 to 8 months and it bottle for at least 6 months before release. Alberto said that this appellation had been nearly forgotten. He helped to support it along with its principal grape Nero di Troia, aka Uva di Troia. The wine has aromas and flavors of berries such as blackberry and blueberry, and a touch of violet.

Oven roasted wild turbot with a potato crust, fresh tomatoes, parsley and garlic was the accompaniment.

IGT Puglia Rosso “Capoposto” 2012 made from 100% Negroamaro. There are 5,600 plants per hectare. Vinification is in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature with prolonged skin contact with the must. Malolatic fermentation takes place in the month of November. Aging takes place in concrete vats for at least 6 to 8 months and in bottle for at least 6 months before release. This is a wine with aromas of red and black berries. It is a medium to full bodied wine with a long finish and nice aftertaste. Served with Fassone Piemontese rib eye with braised endive and radicchio.

Puglia: a taste from ITALY’S HEEL

I have always enjoyed the wine and food of Puglia since my first visit there over 30 years ago. It was then that I first tasted Primitivo, Salice Salentino, and orrechiette with  broccoli rabe among other great local dishes.  A number of years later I became the wine director for I Trulli in Manhattan.  The restaurant specialized in the wine and food of Puglia and our list featured the largest number of wines from Puglia in America.  Most of the food on the menu was from that region, too.  

 A few weeks ago I received an invitation (no it was not for a trip to Puglia, though last November I was invited on a press trip by Franco Ziliani to Puglia for the Radici Wine Experience. ttp://charlesscicolone.wordpress.com/category/puglia/   It was a great trip and I hope to go back to Puglia soon.)  It was for a seminar and lunch of the wines of Puglia at Park Ave Spring Restaurant. I was looking forward to tasting the current vintages and comparing them to the ones I tried last year. How could one refuse an event with the title “Puglia: a Taste from Italy’s Heel?”

  The moderator of the panel was Anthony Giglio.  The panel included four producers whose wines were being presented: Beniamino D’Agostino, owner of Cantina Botromagano (a privately owned Cantina Sociale), Alberto Longo, the owner  of Masseria Celentano-Alberto Longo, Donato Antonio Giuliani, the winemaker at Cantina Teanum, and Antonio Gargano, President and CE0 of Casaltrinita (Cantina Coop).   Anthony said that all of the wines in the tasting were $20 or less and represented very good value. After tasting the wines I had to agree with him.

 Anthony then spoke about the region of Puglia and the grapes that are in the wine that we would taste:

 Greco — Its origin is Greece and it was first cultivated in Calabria and then in Campania and Puglia.

 Fiano– It was known to Pliny the Elder (d79 AD). Bees, api where attracted to its sweet clusters so it was known as apiano which later became Fiano,  

Moscato– It is Greek in origin and is widely present in the Mediterranean basin. It might be related to the Greek Anathelicon Moschaton and the Roman Apianei.

Malvasia Bianca –Most likely from the Morea area of Greece.

Aglianico — It may be Greek, or from ancient Phoenicia, or more precisely, Euboes ( see www.dobianchi.com for more information). It is used to make Taurasi in Campania and Aglianico del Vulture in Basilicata and is also found in Puglia.

Nero di Troia (Uva di Troia) — May have come from Asia Minor or is native to the commune of Troia (Foggia) in Puglia.

Primitivo — DNA testing indicates that it came from Croatia and is related to the Zinfandel grape. It may have been introduced by Benedictine monks into the hilly area of Gioia del Colle in Puglia.

 Montepulciano — The origin of this grape variety is not really known, though it is the second-most commonly grown indigenous grape planted in Italy (Sangiovese is #1).

 In response to a question on how the wines were aged, all of the panelists agreed that the use of all new oak was not good because the wine would lose its identity. They use a combination of new oak (barriques–225 liter barrels), second and third passage, tonneaux (500 liter oak barrels) and stainless steel to age the wine, depending on the producer.

Donato Antonio Giuliani

 Mr. Giuliani, in response to another question about the alcohol in the wine said that high alcohol is not a problem in the northern part of Puglia. If I understood him correctly he said that there is always a wind that blows across the land and unlike other places, it is cooler inland than it is by the sea. This would not be true of the Salento area in the south of Puglia which is much hotter. All of his wines were 13.5% alcohol. I was sitting at the same table with Mr. Giuliani at lunch and we spoke some more about his wines.

 

 Wines at the tasting

 Gravina DOP 2010 60% Greco and 40% Malvasia. Cantina Botromagano. Beniamino said sometimes they add a little Fiano and Bianco di Alessano. Production area is the countryside surrounding the town of Gravina. There are between 1,215 and 1,416 vines per acre and they are spur-pruned cordon. The harvest takes place in late September and the wine is fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperatures for 15 days.  The wine does not undergo malolatic fermentation and is aged for four months in stainless steel tanks. When I was in Puglia in November of last year, I had tasted the 2009.  Looking back at my notes, they were almost the same. It is a fruity fresh wine–almost like biting into a green apple with a slight touch of tropical fruit. They are the only producers of Gravina. $12

Beniamino D'Agostino

 I have known Beniamino D’ Agostino for a number of years and I visited Cantina Botromagno in November and spent time talking to him. He is very knowledgeable and informative.

 

La Preta 2010 70% Moscato and 30% Sauvignon Blanc Masseria Celentano of Alberto Longo.The Production area is the Settentrional Apulia.  There are 5,600 vines per hectare and the training system is spur-pruned cordon. Harvesting takes place at the end of August and the beginning of September. The grapes are gently de-stemmed and pressed and alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is kept on the lees for 3 months. The wine was smoky and had fruity aromas. On the palate it was dry with hints of herbs surrounded by the fruit of the Moscato with a great finish and aftertaste. It was an unusual combination but it worked!   $18

Alberto Longo

 I first met and tasted the wines of Alberto Longo at Keste Pizza and Vino in NYC after Vino 2010 and was very impressed with his wines. From speaking with him, I found that not only does he have a great passion for the wines of Puglia but also for the food and the land itself.

 Vascello Salento Rosso IGT 2009 100% Primitivo Masseria Celentano- Alberto Longo — The production area is the municipal district of Manduria-Taranto. There are 5,600 plants per hectare and the training system is spur-pruned cordon. The harvest is late August to the beginning of September. There is stainless fermentation with prolonged contact with the skins. After malolatic fermentation, the wine is aged in French oak barrels and tonneaux (500 liters) for about 18 months. This is a fruity Primitivo with a touch of dry prunes and it works very well with food.  $20

 Otre Aglianico Puglia IGT 2006 100% Aglianico Cantina Teanum.   The name of the winery comes the ancient Roman city of Teanum  Apulum, which today is the city of San Paolo di Civitate. This ancient city was so important for the Romans that the whole region is called “Puglia” from “Apulum”. The Apulia region is the area of production. There are 5,000 vines per hectare and the training is espalier trees. The harvest takes place from the 4th to 18th of September.  27 days of prolonged maceration of the wines on the skins in stainless steel tanks. Maturing and aging in French oak, stainless steel tanks and in the bottle. This is a fruit forward wine with fresh fruit aromas and flavors and a nice finish and aftertaste. $15

 Alta Nero di Troia IGT 2008 100% Nero di Troia Cantina Teanum.  Production area is San Severo.  There are 5,000 plants per hectare and the training is espalier trees. The harvest takes place in the middle of September. There is a 20 day prolonged maceration of the wine on the skins in stainless steel tanks. Maturing and aging in stainless steel tanks, French oak and bottle. This was the lightest and of the three Nero di Troias that we tasted. It had fresh fruit flavors and aromas and a hint of violets with a very pleasant finish and aftertaste. This wine is 13.5% alcohol but one did not feel it. $10

 Negro di Troia Puglia IGT 2008 100% Nero di Troia. Casaltrinita.  Production area: Trinitapoli. There are 4400 vines per hectare trained in guyot and 2,500 in vine trellis.     The harvest takes place the first 10 days in November. The grapes are fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with long skin contact. The malolatic fermentation is carried out in November. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for about 5 months and aged in bottle for six months before release.  This was a little heavier in style, with more intense fruit flavors and aromas but in no sense a heavy wine. $14

  Coppamalva Puglia IGT 2008 70% Nero di Troia and 30% Cabernet Casaltrinita. The Troia grapes are harvested in the first ten days of November and the Cabernet in the second half of September. The grapes are fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The must remains in long contact with the skins. This wine had nice fruit but the Cabernet in the blend dominated. $13

 Pier delle Vigna Rosso Murgia IGT 2006 60% Aglianico and 40% Montepulciano Cantine Botromagno. The production area is the border area between Matera and Gravina. The vine training system of the Montepulciano is spur-pruned guyot and for the Aglianico, it is alberello-self supporting bush trained vines. There are about 4,000 plants per hectare and the harvest is in late October. The wine spends 24 months in new French Allier 225 liters oak barrels (barriques) 50% new and 50% once used. It is aged in bottle for a year and then released. I tasted this wine’s same vintage when I was in Puglia and again my tasting notes are similar. This is a more modern style wine with aromas and flavors of red and black berries, pepper and a hint of tobacco.

 Wines with Lunch

 Greco Puglia IGT 2010 100% Greco Casaltrinita 2,500 vines per hectare and trained with the apulian vine trellis and guyot. The harvest takes place in the first ten days of September. The grapes are gently de stemmed and pressed. The alcoholic fermentation is carried out in stainless steel tanks; I do not think that malolatic fermentation took place. The wine was kept on the fine lees for three months.

The wine has aromas and flavors of citrus fruit and a touch of almond the same way I described it when I tasted it in Puglia.

 Otre Primitivo Puglia IGT 2008 100% Primitivo Cantine Teanum The grape harvest took place between the 15th and 16th of October. 27 days of prolonged maceration of the wine on the skins in stainless tanks. Maturing and aging in French oak and stainless steel and in the bottle. This is a full bodied wine with hits of dried fruit.

 Querciagrande Puglia IGT 2009 100% Nero di Troia Masseria Celentano-Alberto Longo Production zone: Settentrional Apulia. There are 5,600 vines per hectare and the training is spur-pruned cordon. The harvest takes place in the beginning of September. Fermentation is in stainless steel with prolonged skin contact. After malolaiic fermentation the wine is aged in French oak barriques and tonneaux for about 18 months. Of the three wines made from Nero di Troia, this was the biggest and a little more modern in style.

 Gravisano Malvasia Passita Murgia Bianco IGT 2005 100% Malvasia lunga. Cantine Botromagno. Production area is the best vineyard in Gravina and Spinazzola. There are 4,500 vines per hectare and the training system is Guyot. The harvest is in mid-October. The grapes are sun-dried on reed mats. The wine spends 30 days in New French Allier 225-liter oak barrels (barriques) at 16ºC and in stainless steel tanks for 12 months. This is a traditional wine in the area and it was once made with the ancient Gravisano grape that long ago became extinct. Nice way to end the lunch with a dessert wine that was not too sweet with hints of toasted almonds apricots and honey.

 

 

 

 

Part II The Radici Experience: Puglia

After tasting wines in the hotel with the producers for two days, it was nice to get out and visit the wineries and walk among the vines. We also visited a cheese producer, the octagonal castle commissioned by the Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, and the region around the castle known as Castel del Monte.

Castel del Monte

  

The Santa Lucia Winery

We were guided in our walking tour of the vineyards by Robert Perrone Capano, one of the owners. He pointed out the different training systems for the vines, the Guyot and the more traditional Tendone system (Pergola). They do not buy grapes, do not use any chemical products in the fields, and are 100% biological. Grass was growing between the rows of vines and Robert told us that this was done so that they would have natural mulch after the grass was cut and that the competition with the grass for “food” and water was good for the vines.

Santa Lucia Winery

They use French oak barriques (Allier and Troncais).  Fined grained 228L barrels but he said it is a very “controlled” use as well as 35hl barrels. For their top wines there is no stabilization or filtration. All this they feel gives them their individuality and a respect for the terroir.

We then had a tasting of Riserva “Le More” Castel Del Monte DOC 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998 and1996.

I have tasted older vintages of Negroamaro and Primitivo but most of the Nero di Troia I tasted were from recent vintages. I have had older Nero di Troia, but those wines from the Castel Del Monte always had a fair percentage of Montepulciano. I was looking forward to this tasting so many different vintages of Uva di Troia (also know as Nero di Troia) at one tasting.

The Tendone system at Santa Lucia

 

Uva di Troia grows best in the Castel del Monte zone, an area that extends north from Bari to the province of Foggia. This area was once dominated by Frederick ll of Swabia (Hohenstaufen, d.1250). He was called “the wonder of the world” by some and “the antichrist” by the pope, and he left his imprint on this part of Puglia.

Uva di Troia might have originated in Asia Minor and was probably brought here by the Greeks. It is named for the town Troia (Troy) in the province of Foggia. The grape does very well in Puglia’s hot climate and does well in most soils. The clusters are compact, V-shaped and sometimes winged and the grapes are violet in color. Uva di Troia ripens in the middle of October later than most other grapes in this region.

Roberto led us in a tasting of his Uva di Troia

 2007 is 100% Uva di Troia. There are 4,000/5000 plants/ha trained in single and double Guyot. The grapes are harvested in mid to late October, they are softly pressed and maceration takes place in rotating stainless steel tanks. It is aged for 12/18 months in French barriques of 228L and in bottle for twelve months before release. This is a more modern style wine. This is the current vintage.

Here are some of my comments on the wines:

1996 was a very interesting wine. The vineyard was 50 years old and it was owned by the owner’s aunt who died at the age of 97. It was aged in 35hl barrels. The wine was still very much alive with very good color. It still had fruit and was drinking very well. I drank all of it with the light lunch that we were served.

1998 was very much like the 1996 but not as mellow.

1999 was very also drinking very well with nice mature fruit and a hint of chocolate. I drank all of this wine.

2000 was not drinking as well as the older wines but was still holding up.

2001–with this vintage it seemed to me that they went to a more modern style

and I felt the wine had changed.

2004 was a good vintage–this was drinking well and was the best of the modern style wines.

They are also doing a top of the line wine called Riserva 0,618 Castle del Monte DOC.

100% Uva di Troia . Only 500 bottles will be produced. After being aged for 18 months in 225 liter oak barrels the wine matures underground for 6-1/2 years. It will be released it 2012. 0,168 a numerical sequence called “Golden Means” in medieval times and was developed by Fibonacci, a mathematician from Pisa in the Xll century. The famous octagonal Castel del Monte designed with this formula and commissioned by Frederic ll, is only 20Kl from the vineyards and can be seen on clear days.

Next we visited Villa Schinosa, a winery that I had visited a few years ago.  I had been impressed by their wines. When I walked into the wine cellar I was happy to see that everything was the same. Two long rows of barrels of Slovenian oak 35HL and not a barrique in sight. Another winery we visited had a large room filled with many new barriques. After a few minutes I had to leave because the smell was making me ill. At Villa Schinosa all the wines are aged in stainless steel or in botte grande.

I like their 100% Uva di Troia 2007 DOC. The wine is aged for two years in large barrels of Slavonian oak 35HL and for 3/6 months in bottle before release. It is a very elegant wine with black fruit aromas and flavors and hints of violet with a very pleasant finish and aftertaste. It is a very good food wine.

The Botromagno winery is located just outside the town of Gravina. In 1991 the D’Agostino family, which was a member of the local cooperative took it over. It was the first time in Italy where a privately owned compan partnered with more than 100 local growers.  We were given a tour of the winery by the very personable and knowledgeable Beniamino D’Agostino. I had met Beniamino before when I was working for an Apulian restaurant in NYC where we sold his wines, and at Vintaly in Verona.

Gravina DOC  2009 made from 60% Greco di Tufo and 40% Malvasia. Beniamino said that sometime there is the addition of a little Fiano and Bianco di Alessano. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks for 15 days, there is no malolatic. The wine is fruity and fresh almost like biting into a green apply with a slight touch of pineapple and good acidity. They are the only producers of Gravina.

Pier della Vigno Rosso Murgia IGT 2006 Made from 60% Aglianico and 40% Montepulciano The vines of Aglianico are planted in deep volcanic soil and the ones for Montepulciano in chalky soil. The training system is also different, bush for Aglianico and vertical for Montepulciano. The harvest takes place in late October. The wine is fermented in stainless steel with 20 days skin contact. 50% of the wine is in new Allier barriques and 50% in barriques of second passage. The wine has aromas and flavors of red berries, pepper, and hints of tobacco and chocolate.

The wine is named for Pier della Vigno the right hand man of Frederic II of Swabia. Pier was said to introduce the first red grapes to this zone.

I also liked their Nero di Troia Rosso Murgia IGT 2007.  Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with skin contact for 10 days. The wine is then aged in stainless steel for 20 months. The wine does not undergo malolatic fermentation. It remains in the bottle for six months before release. This is a very interesting wine with aromas and flavors of cherries, tobacco and a touch of spice.

On the afternoon of the last day there was a vertical tasting of Taurasi (Aglicanico), Contrade di Taurasi Cantina Leonardo and Patriglione (90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera) Cosimo Taurino Vintages 99-00-01 the panel was hosted by Franco Ziliani and Luciano Pignataro.

I have a long history with Patriglione going back to the first vintage in 1979. It had been called the Amarone of the south–a description I never liked. I visited the winery a few years ago and tasted the ‘99. I also tasted it a number of times in NYC. I found the wine not to be as big and jammy as some of the older vintages. It is still a powerful wine but more elegant and the dried fruit was not as pronounced. However there is still the  classic Negroamaro aroma with an undertone of prune. The 2000 and 2001 had the same characteristic.  When I asked Francesco Taurino if he did anything different since 1999, his answer was “only in the vineyard”. My favorite at the tasting was the 2001. At a League of Gentle Men dinner I brought the 1999 Patrigione and I decanted it before dinner. The wine opened in the glass and was really drinking well.

Cantina Leonardo Contrade di Taurasi 100% Aglianico this winery is only four hectares of vineyards and produces only four wines. The vineyards are at 350/400 meters and the vines are 20/50 years old. The harvest takes place the first week of November. Maceration in stainless steel for one month, aged in barrels for 18 months and in bottle for 12 months before it is released. The wine has aromas and flavors of cherry, plum, violets and hints of spice. The 2001 was showing the best.

In the evening of the last day there was a presentation of three books written about wine, food and places to stay in Puglia. They are:

Pizzaviaggiando The first edition of a guide by Nicola Campanile on Apulian pizzerias

 Dolce Guide – Percorsi enogastronomici di Puglia e dintorni a guide to the restaurants, wine bars and places to stay in Apulia (Eighth Edition).  Food and wine tours in Puglia and the surrounding area by Vincenzo Rizza and Nicholas Bell. 

 Radici wines: Guide on Apulian wines for experts and wine lovers 2011 (second edition).  Based on an idea by Nicola Campanile, who is also the editor. Texts by Franco Zilliani (wine professional) and Vincenzo Rizzi (wine lover) English Texts by Kyle Phillips. The wines in this book were chosen by two panels one made up of wine professionals called, The technical jury and one made up on non-professionals called The wine lovers jury. The book contains reviews of 178 wines competing for the top awards that were given out the last day of the Radici Experience. All the wines in the competition are from the indigenous grapes of Puglia.

 For more information on The Radici Puglia Experience go to  www.vinidiradici.com 

There is an interesting article by Nicola Campanile president of ProPapilla titled “Southern Roots and good reason to think big”. If you sign up on the site you can find the 35 wines that took top honors as well as the other awards that were given out.

 Valerie’s New York www.wor710 listen to Charles Scicolone On Wine every Wednesday at 6:05.

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Radici Wine Experience: Puglia

Radici Wine Experience: Puglia

 It looked like it would be an exciting trip to Puglia (also known as Apulia). There would be two days of tasting at the hotel with 36 producers, visits to wineries, a vertical tasting and discussion of the 1999, 2000 and 2001 of wines from two wineries–one from Puglia and one from Campania, a presentation of 3 books one on wine, one on pizza and one on food and travel in Apulia, restaurant awards and wine awards and all of this in just four days.

 I was invited by Franco Ziliani the Italian journalist at www.vinoalvino.org, one of the most respected web-sites in Italy and www.vinowire.com, the English version translation with commentary by Jeremy Parzen. The event was organized by Nicola Campanile.

Franco Ziliani

  There were 10 foreigners on the trip from Poland, Denmark and the US. We were divided into “buyers” and “journalists” and when we tasted with the producers, they tried to keep the journalists and the buyers separated but by the afternoon session of the first day they gave up. It was a very interesting group and we quickly understood that we had basically the same taste in wine. Franco Ziliani–in an article he wrote for the Italian Sommelier Association website stated–the main “lesson” of the Radici Wine Experience for the Apulian producers (is) there’s no unique American taste in wine and the “global American taste” they think still exists is part of the past.

http://www.sommelier.it/archivio.asp?ID_Categoria=8&ID_Articolo=2141.

 I could not agree more with Franco and it is a “lesson” that producers from other parts of Italy should note.  All the foreign buyers and journalists agreed. Over-oaked and over- extracted wines are a thing of the past. It is a very interesting article because Ziliani is an Italian journalist who has interacted with foreign journalists and buyers writing about Italian producers and the state of Italian wine.

Meeting with the producers

 The first morning as we entered the tasting area the producers were all lined up in a long narrow room at the hotel Masseria San Giovanni in Altamura waiting for us to enter. The format was simple, the wine writer or wine buyer would sit with the producer taste their wines as the producer talked about the wines and the winery. The tasting went on for two days with morning and afternoon sessions on each day. There were 9 producers at each session. The first day there were wineries that produced Primitivo and those producing wines from the Salento region. On the second day producers from Central and Northern Apulia, along with producers making Aglianico del Vulture (Basilicata), presented their wines.

 The Wines

 Bombino Bianco “Catapanus” 2009 Puglia IGT –D’Alfonso del Sordo. 100% Bombino Bianco. The wine is made from “ripe” grapes and is fermented in stainless steel tanks. The Bombino Bianco grape does very well in the soil here which is clay, sand and limestone.

 Greco 2009 Puglia IGT 100% Greco Casaltrinita many producers are now making Greco in Apulia. They are careful to point not that this is not Greco di Tufo, which comes from Campania, but this one is home grown.

 Chardonnay 2009 IGT Puglia 100% Chardonnay Tormaresca the wine is fermented in stainless steel, the malolatic fermentation takes places in second passage barriques and it is aged in French and Hungarian oak for three months. I did not find any oaky or vanilla aromas or flavors in the wine and found it very easy to drink. It was served with dinner at the Tormaresca winery and went very well with the food.

 Malvasia Bianco 2009 Salento IGT 100% Malvasia Bianca Agricola Conti Zecca Fermentation in stainless steel temperature controlled tanks and then aged in cement tanks covered with epoxy resin. This is a very pleasant fruity upfront wine that is very easy to drink.

 Falanghina “le Fossette” 100% Falanghia Alberto  Longo The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and kept on the fine lees for three months. This is a well balanced and structured wine with fruity and floral aromas and flavors.

 Locorotondo DOC 2009 60% Verdeca 35% BiancoD’Alessano and 5% Fiano Minutolo Cantina Albea Fermentation starts at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks after a firm maceration a 4/6ºC for 18 hours. The wine does not undergo malolatic fermentation.

 Moscato Reale “Garbino” 2009 Puglia IGT(Dry Moscato)  100% Moscato Reale di Trani.  Schinosa. The wine is very well balanced with nice flavors and aromas of citrus with hints of orange. Dry in the mouth but with a fruity finish and aftertaste.

 Mjere “Rose”2009 Salento IGT 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera.  Calo When I was the wine director for an Apulian restaurant in NYC, this was one of my favorite roses and became a favorite of our customers. It has aromas of cherries and strawberries.  It is fresh and fruity with a nice finish and lingering after taste.

 Fichimori  Salento IGT 2009 100% Negroamaro  Tormaresca  We had this wine with dinner at the Tormaresca winery. After the grapes are crushed a pre-fermentative maceration takes place and lasts for six days at 5ºC and then the fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. I had never had this wine before and it was a nice surprise. The wine was fresh and fruity with soft tannins and “only” 12% alcohol. It had flavors and aromas of cherries and other fresh red fruits and berries. We were told that the wine could be served chilled but I liked it at room temperature. The wine has its own Facebook page!

 Malia 2007 Salento Rosso IGT 100% Malvasia Nera Duca Carlo Guarini  Fermentation in stainless steel tanks with skin contact for nine days. Very nice red fruit with good acidity, good body and a long finish.

 Salice Salentino Rosso  DOC 2009 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera from Lecce  Feudi di Guagnano.  Fermentation lasts for about two weeks and the wine is aged in stainless steel tanks for 6 months. Nice aromas and flavors of blackberries and a hint a prune.

 Cappello di Prete Salento IGT 2005 100% Negroamaro. Candido After cold fermentation the wine is matured in second passage barriques of Allier for five months. There are underlying hints of cherry and chocolate and touch of prune in the wine.

 Duca d’ Aragona Salento IGT 2004 80% Negro Amaro and 20% Montepulicano. Candido The wine is matured in second and third passage barriques for a period of time. This is a well-balanced wine with aromas and flavors of chocolate and cherry and it is drinking very well.

 Il Volo Di Alessandro 2007 Rosso Salento IGT 100% Sangiovese. Castel di Salve The grapes are picked in September by hand. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks with skin contact for 13 days, and then aged in stainless steel for nine months and four months in bottle before released. This wine had a lot of character, with aromas of prune and blackberries.

 Nero di Troia “Il Rinzacco” 2007 Castel del Monte DOC 100% Nero di Troia Conte Spagnoletti Zeuli. Skin contact for eight days and fermented in temperature controlled large Allier oak vats and then aged in the same vats for one year. I really liked the aromas and taste of this wine; undertones of violet and aromas and flavors of dark berries, blackberries and blueberries with a hint of spice.

 Agliancio “petriGama” 2007 IGT 100% Aglianico Azienda Agricola Tarantini. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for nine months in stainless steel. This wine tasted like the soil and the gapes from which it came. It has aromas of strawberries and blackberries with a very nice cherry finish and aftertaste. It is an excellent wine with food. They told me that they were doing away with all their barriques and next year would only use stainless steel and botte grande(large barrels)

 Nero 2007 Salento Rosso IGT 70% Negroamaro and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon Azienda Conti Zecca Maceration is for 15 days or more. The wine is aged for 18 months is barriques (second passage) and then in 30 HL oak barrels for 12 months and 6 months in bottle before it is released. This was always a big wine and in the past I felt that it was a little over the top. Now the wine is elegant, well balanced with dark fruit aromas and flavors, a nice after taste and great finish.

 Primitivo Riserva Gioia del Colle DOC 2007 DOC 100% Primitivo Azienda Agricola Giuliani The wine is aged in botte grande and a small amount is in barriques. Well balanced wine and for a Primitivo, if one can use the term “elegant”, with licorice, tobacco and a hint of herbs and acidity.

 Primitivo di Manduria  2009  100% Primitivo. Macchiarola The grapes are harvested the last week in August and the first week in September. Maceration in stainless steel for ten days, the wine then under goes malolatic fermentation. The wine is bottled without filtering or cold-stabilizing. The wine has aromas and flavors of cherry, chocolate and spice and a hint of prune.

 Primitivo di Manduria “Il Sava” 2004 DOC Savese 100% Primitivo.  The grapes are harvested at the end of September when they become raisin-like. The wine is fermented in glass lined cement tanks after which 90% goes into large amphorae and 10% is refined in small oak barrels. The wine is aged in French oak for eight months. This is a big dessert wine with a port like character. Rich and smooth with intense dried fruit aromas. It is only made in the best years. It will age.

 Moscato di Trani  2006 DOC 100%  Moscato Reale di Trani.  Schinosa The grapes are left to wither for about a month until the middle of October. This is a well balanced and full favored dessert wine with aromas and flavors of apricots and almonds. It has a long finish and nice aftertaste.

 After several years as wine director of an Apulian restaurant and having visited Puglia a number of times in the past, I believed that I had a fair knowledge of the wineries and the wines. This Radici Experience showed me that I was mistaken. First of all there were so many new wineries now producing wine and many were going organic.

To have the opportunity to be able to taste wine and to talk to the winemakers and to ask questions is the best way to learn. Tasting white wine made from Bombino Bianco, Verdeca, Bianco d’ Alessano, Minutolo (once called Minutolo Fiano) and Malvasia di Candia among others gave me a new appreciation of the white wines from this region.  Tasting wines made from Bombino Nero, Malvasia Nera, Sumaniello, Nero di Troia , Negroamaro, Primitivo and Aglianico side by side showed the great range of Puglia’s red wines, too.

 Next time:  more on my visits to the wineries, a vertical of Taurasi and Patriglione, notes on Aglianico del Vulture and more.

  I am now on Valerie’s NY www.wor710.com Every Wednesday at 6:05 talking about. Wine.

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