Orange you glad you tried an orange wine

The other day I was perusing the wine list of Flour + Water looking for a wine to go with our appetizers.

Flour + Water is a trendy Italian restaurant in San Francisco's Mission district that specializes in home made pasta and pizza. Its wine list is short but offers an interesting selection of Italian wines. In particular, they have a section between the whites and the rosés that I had never seen before. They called it Arancio or Orange in Italian.

Orange wines are actually the opposite of rosé wines. Whereas rosés are made with red grapes with just enough skin contact to produce a pink color, orange wines are made with white grapes that macerate for some time in contact with their skins, leaving the wine with a distinctive orange-amber hue. Skin-fermented orange wines may seem like a new trend but this winemaking style believed to have originated in Georgia thousands of years ago and was not uncommon in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region of Italy in the 1950s.

We ordered a glass of 2009 Monastero Suore Cistercensi Coenobium Rusticum to give it a try. A blend of Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Malvasia and Grechetto, the wine is produced by the Sisters of the Cistercian order at their monastery in Vitorchiano, in the Lazio appellation north of Rome. It had a deep amber color with some tannins, dried herb flavors and a nutty finish, reminiscent of a Sherry. My friend didn't like it and we concluded that like Sherry, orange wine is an acquired taste. As for me, I thought it worked pretty well with our appetizer, a tuna conserva with artichoke, tonnato & venetian battered cardoons.

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Looking for a fresh summer wine? Try Soave

May was Soave Month in New York so as part of the promotion program, I received a couple of wine samples from Colangelo & Partners.

Maybe Italy's best wines are red but I really like its white wines, especially those that are fresh, crisp, fruity, as well as delicious with food.

Soave is (with Pinot Grigio) one of Italy's most popular white wines. It comes from the Veneto region in the northeast corner of Italy, the country's third biggest wine producer. The Soave growing area is situated in the hills east of Verona and is characterized by volcanic soils particularly rich in minerals. Garganega is Soave's principal grape variety and Italy's 6th most widely planted white grape.

We first tasted the 2009 Il Casale Soave Classico produced by Azienda Agricola Le Albare. Le Albare is a small 6.5 hectare family estate planted with 100% Garganega grapes. it was founded at the turn of the 20th century by Adam Posenato, current winemaker Stefano Posenato's great-grandfather. The wine had a light golden color and a quite stony nose. On the palate, it was light-bodied with a crisp minerality and notes of citrus on the finish.

We actually prefered our second sample, the 2009 Re Midas Soave. The wine is produced by Cantina di Soave, a cooperative founded in 1898 and made up of 2,200 winegrowers and farmers with currently 6,000 hectares under vine. The wine was named after Re (King) Midas who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Re Midas vineyards are located on the hillsides in the village of Soave at elevations between 100 and 350 meters. The wine is 100% Garganega aged 3 months in stainless steel followed by 1 month in bottle before release. it had a pale yellow color and a spicy nose with a touch of honey. On the palate, it was fuller and rounder than the Il Casale with aromas of fresh white peach. It was actually a very good accompaniment for our Cod with Lentils.

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Today is sandwich day: A Grand Prize sandwich and a glass of refreshing Pinot Grigio

Do you know that you can win a trip to New York thanks to a sandwich recipe? That's what happened to my friend Catherine. She was the Grand Prize winner of the Build a Better Sandwich contest organized by Southwest Airline. She won a trip to New York City, a three-night stay in Times Square, a dinner for two at Riverpark, and a tour of New York City's food markets.

Today is sandwich day and I'd like to share with you the winning recipe of her Easter Monday Sandwich. She usually makes that sandwich in order to use the leftover meat of her Easter Sunday leg of lamb.

It's quite easy to make once you have all the ingredients. First, toast 2 slices of New York rye bread. Rub garlic clove lightly on inside sides, then spread mayo (homemade if you can) on same sides. Layer lamb meat, roasted red pepper strips and feta cheese. Sprinkle with fresh oregano, cover with the other bread slice and cut sandwich in two.

Now, I don't think you need to wait until spring to make that sandwich. Moreover, the recipe could be easily adapted to use other kinds of leftover meat. Try it with leftover turkey after Thanksgiving for instance.





What to drink with the sandwich? I propose a glass of Pinot Grigio, a light and fresh wine, especially if you had a heavy meal the day before.

We tasted the 2009 Caposaldo Pinot Grigio that I had received from Suzie Kukic at Kobrand Corporation. There is a horse on the label because the brand name Caposaldo refers to the Roman Empire's most famous racing horse of the Circus Maximus.

The wine is 100% Pinot Grigio, a clone of Pinot Gris that grows in Italy, mainly in the northeastern regions of Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Trentino-Alto Adige. Wines made from the Pinot Gris grape variety vary greatly in style depending on the region they come from. In Alsace or Germany, they can be full-bodied and spicy. However in Italy, the Pinot Grigio style is usually light-bodied, crisp, and fruity.

Rather low in alcohol (12.5%), the wine had a pale yellow color and a fresh nose of grapefruit and lime. The palate was clean, crisp, and tanguy, leaving a slightly quinine-like bitter finish. The perfect wine for a winning sandwich.

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An apple tart competition and a fizzy Moscato

Our friend Christophe loves to make apple tarts. That's one of his specialties and he is pretty good at it. He makes a quick sweet pastry crust, arranges apple slices on top of it and bakes the tart until the apples are soft. That's a quick and easy recipe and we all love his tarts but our friend Jiyon thought that we should also try her own more elaborated recipe as well.


Christophe's tart

Her point was that the dough had to be made with very cold butter and iced water and it was important to use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour in order to avoid warming up the butter. When done, the dough had to be refrigerated for several hours before baking. And then, when the tart is cooked, she likes to brush the top of the tart with a glaze made of apricot preserve and Calvados.


Jiyon's tart

There were unanimous cheers for Jiyon's tart and everybody voraciously ate her/his slice. I thought the crust had a cookie-like crunchiness and was very tasty. I also liked the glaze on the apples but I found the Fuji variety that was used for both tart, too firm and not tart enough for my taste. For our next apple tart competition, I think we should use Granny Smith or even Golden Delicious.

Because it was New Year's eve, we drank a Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé, a terrific dry Champagne Rosé with a delicate rose petal color and a lot of finesse, although the Champagne was much too dry to accompany the apple tart.

I think the Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d'Asti that Kobrand Corporation had sent me before the holidays would have worked better with the dessert. Unfortunately, we had tasted the wine earlier in the evening and there was none left.

Made from the aromatic Muscat grape, Moscato d'Asti is a sweet, semi-sparkling wine with low alcohol content. Nivole, which means clouds in the local dialect, is produced by Azienda Vitivinicola Michele Chiarlo, a prominent producer in Piedmont. The fruit is sourced from a single south-southwest facing, steep hillside vineyard. Fermentation occurs using natural yeast and is stopped when the wine has reached an alcohol level of 5.5% using a sterile filtration to remove any remaining live yeasts. Then the addition of unfermented must adjusts the residual sugar level to 11%.

The wine had a pale yellow color and a fragrant nose of exotic fruits. The palate was light and fresh, slightly fizzy, with a definitive sweetness, leaving an aftertaste of honey and apricot. But the uncomplex sweet style of the wine didn't convince everybody: my husband thought it tasted like sparkling apple juice. Maybe he should have tried it with the apple tart.

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Tasting of Zinfandel and Zinfandel related grapes

Considered America's sweetheart grape, Zinfandel was the theme of our latest wine club event. Our goal was to taste and compare different Zinfandel and Zinfandel related varieties from various wine regions, including Croatia, Italy, and California.

The story of Zinfandel is fascinating. It came to the United States in the early 1800s via the Imperial Nursery in Vienna, Austria, and quickly became a popular table grape in the Northeast. Then in the mid-1850's, it was introduced to California by a Massachusetts nurseryman who had joined the California Gold Rush. It thrived so well in the state's climate that by the end of the 19th century, Zinfandel was the most widespread grape variety in California.

For a long time, Zinfandel was California's mystery grape, but thanks to DNA profiling, it has now been proved that Zinfandel is a clone of the Croatian variety Crljenak. The grape was also imported to Apuglia in Southern Italy, probably by the Illyrians more than two thousand years ago. In Apuglia, the grape is called Primitivo because of its precociousness.



Here are the wines that we tasted:

• 2006 Dingac Plavac Mali Peljesac: Vinarija Dingac is a Croatian winery located in the Peljesac Peninsula on the Dalmatian Coast. Plavac Mali, which has been found to be a cross between Zinfandel and the local grape Dobricic, is the main red varietal grown along the Dalmatian Coast. My notes: only 11.5% alcohol. Light red brick color, plums and prunes on the nose, light to medium-bodied on the palate, nicely balanced. Really easy to drink and pretty popular among the guests.

• 2006 Bibich Riserva: The Bibich estate is located in Skradin in Northern Dalmatia. The wine is a blend of three local grapes (Babich, Plavina, Lasin) that are thought to be related to Zinfandel. My notes: 12.2% alcohol. Red berry color, spicy and peppery on the nose, medium-bodied on the palate, lively acidity, food friendly.

• 2007 Vinosia Primitivo di Salento: Aziende Agricole Vinosia is a new winery from Campania founded by Mario Ercolino, winemaker at Feudi di San Gregorio, and his brother Luciano. The wine comes the Salento region, a sub-peninsula in the south-eastern extremity of Apulia in Southern Italy. My notes: 13.5% alcohol. Deep purple color, peppery, red and back berry on the nose, earthy on the palate, good acidity, licorice on the finish. My favorite wine of the evening.

• 2006 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Collins Vineyard Russian River Valley: Limerick Lane is located at the eastern extremity of the Russian River Valley appellation and at the eastern end of the Dry Creek Valley appellation. The vineyard dates back to 1910 and some vines from that era are still in production. It is dry-farmed, relying on winter and spring rains to water the vines. The wine is stored for a year in a combination of French and Hungarian oak barrels. Each vintage uses between 25-30% of new oak. My notes: 14.6% alcohol. Medium red color, citrus and red berry on the nose, medium-bodied on the palate, herbal notes on the finish.

• 2006 Ridge Zinfandel York Creek: Ridge Vineyards started harvesting Zinfandel from the York Creek Vineyard in 1975. Situated high on Spring Mountain and overlooking St. Helena and the Napa Valley, the York Creek vineyard has well drained gravelly loam soils and a cool, mountainous climate. The 2006 vintage is aged in a combination of new and used American oak barrels. The blend is 99% Zinfandel, 1% Petite Sirah. My notes: 14.8% alcohol. Deep color, red berry on the nose, medium-bodied, good acidity, juicy on the palate, well-balanced. A favorite among the Zinfandels from California.

• 2005 Rosenblum Zinfandel Harris Kratka Vineyard: Rosenblum Cellars was founded in 1978 by veterinarian Dr. Kent Rosenblum and his wife Kathy. The winery works with over 80 unique grape growers and has an extensive wine portfolio of Zinfandel and Rhône varietal wines. The 16-acre Harris Kratka Vineyard is located just east of the Russian River in the Alexander Valley appellation. It is planted with half-century-old, head-pruned vines, 90% of which are Zinfandel, 5% Carignane and 5% Petite Sirah. My notes: blend of 75% Zinfandel, 15% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane. 14.7% alcohol. Deep color, herbal, spicy on the palate, good finish, tasty.

• 2006 Seghesio Cortina Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley: Seghesio Family Winery was founded by Edoardo Seghesio who emigrated from Italy in 1886. The family-owned winery flourished in the bulk wine business until the mid 1970s, producing most of the red wine made in Sonoma County. Then in 1983, Ted Seghesio, a fourth generation family winemaker, bottled his first wines under the Seghesio label. Nestled in the heart of Dry Creek Valley, the Cortina vineyard was purchased by the winery in 1957. The climate is both coastal and inland with coastal fogs in the morning followed by long hours of sunshine. My notes: 15.2% alcohol. Medium red, sweet red berry on the nose, intense, hot on the palate, somewhat unbalanced, too alcoholic.

For our next wine tasting, we'll be tasting the wines blind, so be ready for the challenge!

Previous wine club tastings:
•  Drink Local Tasting
•  Pairing wine and cheese
•  Tasting the wines of the Rhône Valley

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A glass of Barbera d'Asti with a homemade Marinated Roasted Peppers and Broccolini Pizza

A couple of weekends ago, my daughter decided to make a pizza from scratch. In some ways, she was inspired by our new cooking book Pizza: And other savory pies. The book has some good thin crust and whole wheat pizza dough recipes, and also basic toppings recipes like caramelized onions and marinated roasted peppers. Moreover, it is filled with mouth-watering photos, which is why we bought it in the first place.

She decided to try the whole-wheat pizza dough topped with marinated roasted peppers and broccolini. The result, to our delight, was a crunchy, flavor-rich pizza, and very professionally made.


Whole wheat Pizza with marinated roasted peppers and broccolini

With the pizza, we opened a 2003 Garetto Barbera d'Asti Superiore Fava. Barbera d'Asti is a Piedmontese appellation located around the town of Asti. It produces a red wine mainly from the native grape Barbera. Tenuta Garetto is a small wine estate established at the beginning of the last century. It has 18 hectares of vines near Asti, growing on south and southwest facing hills at about 250 meters above sea level. Plantings are 80% Barbera and 20% Dolcetto, Grignolino, and Chardonnay.

To our pleasure, the wine exhibited a dark garnet color and a peppery nose of blackberry. On the palate, it was lush, spicy and full-bodied with earthy notes on the finish.



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Pairing wine and cheese

Pairing wine with cheese was the theme of our last wine club event before the summer. Choosing the type of wine that works well with cheese is always a challenge although some pairings are natural: Sancerre with Goat Cheese or Port with Stilton. On the other hand, try a young Cabernet with Camembert, that's pretty tough! Try it with aged hard cheese instead.

That evening, we tasted cheese from four different kinds (goat cheese, soft cheese, hard cheese, and blue cheese) with three whites, three reds, and one dessert wine, and found some really good matches.


Our cheese selection


Our wine selection

Here are the wines that we tasted:

• 2007 Schmelz Grüner Veltliner Loibner-Gärten Federspiel: Grüner Veltliner is a white grape variety grown primarily in Austria (it accounts for 36% of all Austrian vineyards) and in the Czech Republic. Weingut Schmelz is located in the Wachau appellation, which is Austria's most famous wine region. It's a narrow valley that runs along the Danube river where vines grow on steep terraces carved into the slopes. The Schmelz family has been making wine for five generations. Manually harvested, the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks. My notes: pale yellow color, citrus on the nose, dry and mineral on the palate, long finish. A perfect accompaniment to our Redwood Hill Goat Cheese.

• 2007 Neudorf Sauvignon Blanc Nelson: Nelson is located on the northern end of New Zealand's south island. Cool growing conditions are well suited to Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir. Neudorf Vineyards is a small family owned winery producing Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir. My notes: light color, aromatic nose, notes of grapefruit and tropical fruit, fresh finish. A good match with the goat cheese.

• 2006 Emile Boeckel Gewürztraminer: Gewürztraminer is the second most planted grape variety in Alsace where it comes in different styles from the very dry to the very sweet. Domaine Emile Boeckel has been making wine in the village of Mittelbergheim in Alsace since 1853. My notes: golden color, expressive nose of rose petals and caramel, off-dry on the palate. Try to find a strong tasting cheese like Münster to go with it.

• 2004 Muri-Gries Abtei Muri Lagrein Riserva: Lagrein is a red grape variety native to the Alto Adige (or Süd Tyrol) region in Northern Italy. It is related to Syrah and Pinot Noir. Cantina Convento Muri-Gries is an ancient Benedictine monastery in Alto Adige. It was built in the late eleventh century originally as a fortress. My notes: deep red color, aromas of black cherry on the nose, earthy on the palate with notes of coffee on the finish. Lagrein is also the name of a cheese made from cow's milk from the same region. If you're lucky to find it, try it with the wine.

• 2006 Celler de l'Encastell Marge Priorat: Priorat lies in a remote mountainous area, 80 miles southwest of Barcelona, in Catalonia. Vineyards are planted on steep terraces at altitudes of between 100m and 700m above sea level. Summers are hot and dry, while winters are cold. The soil, made of reddish and black slate with small particles of mica (called llicorella in Catalan), reflects and conserves the heat. The main grape variety is Garnacha or Grenache, followed by Cariñena (Carignan), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. Founded in 1999, Celler de l'Encastell is a small family-run winery that makes two wines. Roquers de Porrera is a blend of 40% Cariñena, 40% Garnacha, 20% Merlot and Syrah, aged in French oak for 16 months. Marge is a blend of 60% Garnacha, and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, aged in French and American oak for eight months. My notes: dark color, spicy nose, opulent on the palate, try it with aged Manchego.

• 2006 Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley: believed to be one of the genetic parents of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc is grown primarily to be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and is rarely vinified alone, except in the Loire Valley. With long summers and cool autumns, Washington State offers good growing conditions for Cabernet Franc and the varietal is today the fourth most widely planted grape in the state behind Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Syrah. Founded in 1998, Tamarack Cellars hand-crafts small-lot wines from the Walla Walla, Yakima and Columbia Valleys. My notes: dark garnet color, black fruit aromas on the nose with notes of oak and tobacco, rich mouthfeel leaving hints of cocoa on the finish. A big favorite of the evening, it worked well with the parmesan, and the chocolate!

• Blandy's Malmsey 5 Year Old Madeira: Madeira is an Atlantic island belonging to Portugal and also a fortified wine that is probably the most resilient wine in the world. Winemaking in Madeira dates back to the Exploration Age. Madeira was the port of call for ships heading to Africa, Asia, and South America. At the time, in order to prevent wine deterioration, neutral alcohol was added to the wine. It was soon found out that wine exposed to heat and rolling movements on the ship somehow tasted better. Today, Madeira is known for its unique winemaking process meant to duplicate the effect of a long sea voyage. This involves heating the wine up to temperatures as high as 60°C and exposing the wine to some levels of oxidation. Malmey, made from the Malvasia grape, is the sweetest style of Madeira that gains in richness and concentration with time in cask. My notes: dark amber color, nutty aromas with notes of dried fruits, sweet, but not cloying, with fresh acidity. An interesting match with the blue cheese and an excellent way to end the evening.


For our next meeting, we'll be tasting wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains wineries. Stay tuned!

Previous wine club tastings:
•  Tasting the wines of the Rhône Valley
•  Pinot Noir Tasting
•  Second "Guess The Wine" tasting party
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Port4olio Tasting in San Francisco part 1: wines from Eastern Europe and Italy

Earlier this summer, I was invited by Frank Dietrich of Blue Danube Wine at the Port4olio Tasting in San Francisco. The tasting took place at the firehouse in Fort Mason where four California based importers and distributors were pouring wines from Eastern Europe, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and South America.

Besides wine, there was an abundance of food including two humongous paellas, a whole roasted pig (that I missed unfortunately), and a selection of cheeses from Cheese Works West.


The paellas at the Port4olio Tasting


Cheeses from Cheese Works West


Outside the firehouse, you can sip your wine in front of Alcatraz

My notes for the wines I tasted:

From Austria (Blue Danube Wine):

• 2006 Juris Zweigelt Selection: Zweigelt, a cross of Blaufränkisch and Saint Laurent, is the most widely-grown red grape variety in Austria. Dark red color, fruity nose, spicy on the palate, reminded me of a Syrah.

• 2007 Juris Saint Laurent Selection: Saint Laurent is a grape variety related to Pinot Noir. Light red color, light-bodied, a subtle wine.

• 2007 Juris Pinot Noir Selection: floral nose, medium-bodied, spices on the finish.

From Hungary (Blue Danube Wine):

• 2008 Szoeke Matra Irsai Olivér: comes from Hungary's largest historic wine region, which is located at the foot of the Mátra Mountains in the northeast part of the country. Floral nose, strong muscat character, dry.

From Bosnia-Herzegovina (Blue Danube Wine):

• 2007 Citluk Herceg: a unique blend of three native grapes from Herzegovina: Zilavka, Bena and Krkosija. Light, fruity, refreshing.

• 2006 Citluk Kameno: a blend of Zilavka and Bena. Single vineyard, more serious, less fruits and more minerality.

From Croatia (Blue Danube Wine):

• 2006 Bibich Riserva: a blend of three native grapes from Northern Dalmatia, related to Zinfandel: Babich, Lasin, and Plavina. Red berry nose, light to medium bodied, flavorful, tasty.

• 2006 Bibich Mantra Grenache: Grenache from Northern Dalmatia. Sweet nose of ripe fruit, pruny on the palate.

From Italy (Siena Imports):

• 2008 Livon Friulano Collio: Friulano is a native variety from Friuli, previously known as Tocai Friulano. Light color, nose of stone fruits, good acidity.

• 2007 RoncAlto Ribolla Gialla Collio: Ribolla Gialla is a white varietal mostly found in Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia region and Slovenia. Fragrant nose, rich aromas of stone fruits and minerals.

• 2000 Costa di Bussia Barolo Tenuta Arnulfo: from Italy's Piedmont region, Barolo is made from 100% Nebbiolo. Red-brown color, sweet fruit on the nose, soft on the palate, mature wine.

• 2001 Di Meo Taurasi Riserva: Taurasi is an appellation from Campania that produces wines made primarily from the Aglianico grape. Deep color, notes of moka, rich and dense on the palate, good acidity.

• 2001 Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Bosan: a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara , this is a single vineyard wine. The grapes are left to dry in special drying chambers for four months before fermentation. After that, aging lasts three years in oak barrels. Dark color, prunes and dried fruits on the nose, velvety palate, very distinctive.

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Spring salad and spring wine

The other day, my daughter found a delicious salad recipe that she made for us last Sunday. The salad, a mix of asparagus, green onions, and cucumbers, combined with various chopped herbs and lemon vinaigrette, was fresh, crunchy, and bursting with flavors.


Asparagus, Green Onion, Cucumber, and Herb Salad

With the salad, I opened a 2005 Campanaro dei Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino. Fiano di Avellino is a small Italian appellation from the region of Campania, producing white wines made from the ancient Roman grape Fiano. With vineyards located on lush, volcanic hills, about an hour from Naples and Mount Vesuvius, Feudi di San Gregorio is an acclaimed wine estate that has put a modern spin on wines made from the region's ancient indigenous grape varieties.

The wine exhibited a bright golden color and aromas of pear and citrus on the nose. On the palate, it was fresh and dry, leaving a crisp mineral finish. A perfect treat with the salad!

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Back to Basics: Lasagna and Chianti

For me, lasagna is the ultimate autumn comfort food: hot from the oven, soft, creamy, cheesy, and topped with a rich tomato sauce. Now try lasagna with a good Chianti, like the stylish 2005 Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico. That's what we did the other night.

Although Rocca di Montegrossi is a relatively new name, it's already a respected quality Chianti producer located in the picturesque town of Gaiole in Chianti in the province of Siena.

The 2005 Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico has a deep color and aromas of sweet ripe fruits on the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, juicy, round and well-balanced with some mineral character on the finish. Definitively a truly pleasurable complement to the lasagna.

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Try something different: a Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi

If you're like me, you may not be too familiar with the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC, although it is the leading appellation in The Marche, a region of gentle rolling hills in Central Italy located between the Adriatic and the Apennines mountains.

Verdicchio is a white grape variety of ancient origin and has been cultivated in the Marches region since the 1300s. The name comes from the word verde, which means green, due to its slightly green-yellow color. We recently tried a 2006 Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico. The wine had a light yellow color and a fresh nose of sweet apple and pear. On the palate, it was light-bodied, nutty, with mineral notes on the finish. In short, the perfect summer sipper. Try it with a plate of Spaghetti alle Vongole and imagine you're in one of these seaside resorts on the Adriatic coast.



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Italian Wine Tasting

This was the annual wine tasting and fundraising dinner for the Band and Orchestra department of our school. For the event, I had prepared a selection of wines that I thought would best showcase the wide diversity of the Italian production. We started with two whites and some antipasti, followed by four reds served with beef braised in wine and a cheese platter. Finally, a sweet passito wine and an almond and apricot cake ended the dinner and an extremely enjoyable evening.

The wines we tasted:

• 2006 Ermacora Tocai Friulano: Tocai Friulano is a white grape native to the Friuli region of Northeastern Italy. The wine is produced by Azienda Agricola Ermacora, a small family owned winery in the Colli Orientali del Friuli district, just a few miles from the Slovenian border. My notes: light yellow color, ripe pear and sugar cane aromas on the nose, fresh acidity on the palate, mineral finish. Great with Prosciutto con Melone.

• 2006 Malvirá Roero Arneis Renesio: Arneis is a rare and, until recently, almost extinct white grape cultivated in the Roero area of the Piedmont wine region. Malvirá is a small family estate in Roero. The name Malvirá relates to the former location of the winery, which faced north instead of south: mal stands for wrong and virá for situated. My notes: straw color, flowery nose. Slightly fizzy at first, the wine has more body and complexity than the Tocai Friulano. Really good.

• 2005 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne: the Vietti family has been making wines in Piedmont's Barolo region since the middle of the 19th Century. The Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne comes from 35 year-old Barbera vines sourced from three estate vineyards in Monforte, Barolo and Castiglione Falletto. My notes: bright red color, spices and black cherry on the nose, juicy on the palate, extremely well balanced and food friendly. Very good with the braised beef.

• 2005 Morgante Nero d'Avola: Nero d'Avola is one of the main indigenous grapes of Sicily. The wine is produced by Morgante, a winery located in the province of Agrigento, on the southern coast of Sicily. The property has 200 hectares of vineyards and almond trees growing at 300-500 meters above sea level. My notes: plum and prune on the nose with some dried herbs notes, savory and creamy on the palate, cinnamon and moka on the finish. Tasted wonderful with braised beef as well.

• 2005 Bibi Graetz Grilli di Testamatta: Testamatta means hot head and Bibi Graetz, an artist that has become a winemaker, makes his wines in a powerful style. This Super Tuscan is a classic Tuscan blend of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino, 10% Canaiolo. My notes: dark color, rich berry nose, dense on the palate. Still very young, needs more cellaring time.

• 2004 Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico: Amarone is a unique red wine from the Valpollicella wine region, in the province of Verona. It is made of grapes (usually a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara) traditionally dried on straw mats. This drying process, which typically lasts 3 months, concentrates the juices within the grape and intensifies the flavors. My notes: dark color, nose of sweet plum, rich and spicy on the palate with notes of cinnamon, long finish, perfectly well balanced and really good with aged Parmesan cheese. Perhaps my favorite red wine of the evening.

• 2004 Colosi Malvasia delle Lipari Passito: Malvasia delle Lipari is produced in the Lipari Island, the largest of the Eolian Islands. It is made from overripe Malvasia grapes that are then sun-dried for 10 to 15 days on large bamboo mats. My notes: deep golden color, aromatic muscat-like nose, luscious palate with a vibrant acidity. Superb with the almond and apricot cake.

We all had such a great time and were ready to meet again next year for another Band and Orchestra fundraising dinner. As for the theme, the decision was unanimous: Spanish wines. Not a problem for me, Spanish wines are awesome!

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Allegrini Palazzo della Torre or La Grola, which one to choose?

Looking for an Italian red from the Veneto region, I found these two wines from one of Veneto's top producers, at my local
Beverages and More! store: the 2004 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre and the 2004 Allegrini La Grola. Since I could not decide which one to buy, I bought the two wines. Then later, we tasted them side by side in order to determine which one we liked the best.

Although both are from the same producer, the two wines seemed pretty different, on paper at least. The producer is Allegrini, a family estate making wines in the Valpolicella Classica area since the XVI century. Valpolicella or val polis cellae, meaning the valley of many wine cellars, is located in the Veneto region, north west of the City of Verona. The climate is generally mild and temperate. All of Allegrini's wines are produced from estate-grown fruit.

The Allegrini Palazzo della Torre comes from a vineyard of the same name, beautifully terraced with dry stone walls. The wine is a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Sangiovese made in an innovative ripasso style: 70% of the grapes are vinified immediately after the harvest, while the remaining 30% are left to dry until the end of December. They are then vinified and re-fermented with the wine from the fresh grapes.

The Allegrini La Grola comes from the La Grola vineyard, a 24.26 hectare vineyard located on a hill that dominates the entire Valpolicella area. It has a mixed terroir of alluvial origin, with volcanic soils at the foot of the vineyard, extending up the slope. The hill is well exposed to the sun and enjoys an ideal microclimate thanks to the influence of Lake Garda to the west and north and Mt. Baldo (Verona's highest mountain), which protects the area from the cold winds. The wine is a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Syrah, and Sangiovese aged in French oak and does not use dried grapes.

Well, could we find any difference between the two wines? They had a dark red color and a nose of sweet plums, raisins, and spices. On the palate they were smooth and luscious with some nice acidity and a lingering finish. Was the La Grola slightly more aromatic and fuller-bodied? Hard to say, but we liked them both.

Technorati tags:: wine food & drink

WBW #41: the exciting wines of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region

I can't believe today is already Wine Blogging Wednesday, the first of 2008! Time flies! This is the 41st edition of this popular event and it is hosted this month by Jack and Joanne of Fork & Bottle. They believe that Friuli, this month's theme, has become the most exciting wine region in the world. I almost agree: I think it is one of the most exciting wine producing regions and I really love the Friulian white wines.

The problem is that it is not easy to buy a white wine from Friuli that is not from the ubiquitous Pinot Grigio but I did find one that looked interesting: the 2005 Marco Felluga Collio Bianco Molamatta. It is a blend of local grapes — Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla , and Pinot Bianco — from the Collio DOC. Collio is naturally protected by the Alps on the North and open to the Adriatic Sea on the South, and it is generally considered Friuli's finest wine producing area. The Marco Felluga estate has been making wines since the 19th century and Marco Felluga is today one of the leading producers in the region.

The wine kept its promises. It had a bright golden yellow color and a rich nose of white blossom, honey, and pear. On the palate, it was full-bodied with mouth-coating flavors and a sappy mineral finish. Superb with baked spice-rubbed salmon fillets.

Joanne and Jack, I am sure you'll get many fine wines for your round-up but this one is highly recommended!

Previous WBW posts:
•  WBW #39: a wine from Silver Burgundy, the 2005 Viré-Clessé Maison Chanson
•  WBW #38: 2001 Periquita Classico
•  WBW #37: Hello Teroldego!

Technorati tags:: wine food & drinkwine blogging wednesday wbw wbw41

WBW #37: Hello Teroldego!

I am afraid I missed two Wine Blogging Wednesday events during the summer. Nevertheless, I am back this month for this 37th edition hosted by Tyler better known as Dr Vino. This month Tyler has asked us to say goodbye to Chardonnay and venture off the beaten path: go native!

So here we are, off the beaten path, with a bottle of Teroldigo Rotaliano. Have you ever heard of Teroldego Rotaliano? As far as I am concerned, I don't think I ever tasted such a wine before so I was quite happy to find this bottle at my local wine store last week. Teroldego is a rare Italian red variety planted almost exclusively in Northern Trentino, in a valley called Campo Rotaliano, and its sole appellation of origin is Teroldigo Rotaliano.

Campo Rotaliano has been famous for growing grapes for centuries. It is a small glacial valley around the confluence of the Adige and Noce rivers and protected by mountains on all sides. The Dolomite Mountains bring cool air into the valley in summer and protect the vineyards against the cold in winter. The soil is mostly gravel, silt, and various alluvial deposits.


Campo Rotaliano

Teroldego is a cool-climate vine that is hardy, vigorous and potentially prolific. The fruit is not very tannic but high in color, aroma, acidity, and potential alcohol. If yield is restricted, Teroldego can produce an ageworthy wine of intense flavor. It has recently been discovered that Teroldego and the French grape variety Dureza, one of the parents of Syrah, were sibblings.

Some suggest that the name Teroldego is derived from the German term Tiroler Gold (gold of the Tirol). Most likely, Teroldego takes its name from the word tirelle, a system of wire harnesses to train the vine.

“The riches of this grape
are a tiny bit of earth
and gravel, pebbles,
and stones”
says Elisabetta Foradori, owner of the Azienda Agricola Elisabetta Foradori and maybe Italy's finest producer of wines made from Teroldego. Her 2003 Foradori Teroldego Rotaliano has a dark red color and an assertive nose of black fruit and violet aromas and some gamey notes. On the palate, the wine is absolutely delicious, rich, complex and elegant with a lingering mineral finish, which reminds me of a softer version of a Bordeaux.

What a discovery! I love being off the beaten track, thanks Tyler!

Previous WBW posts:
•  WBW #34: 2002 Stella Maris Red Columbia Valley
•  WBW #33: the 2004 Clot de L'Oum Compagnie des Papillons, a superb value wine from the Midi
•  WBW #32: Reserve or not Reserve?

Try Sicily for a change

Have you tried any wine from Sicily recently? And do you know that Sicily is one of Europe's fastest growing wine regions?

Although a great majority of Sicilian wines is still produced by cooperatives, there is an increasing number of private estates that put a new emphasis on quality over quantity. Moreover, some of Sicily's most interesting wines come from native varieties unique to the area, including the red grapes Nero d'Avola and Nerello Mascalese, and the white Inzolia.

So this weekend we tasted an excellent Sicilian wine, the 2002 Vini Biondi Etna Rosso Outis. Etna is one of Sicily's finest DOC although vines planted on Mount Etna desert-like slopes are not easy to cultivate: the volcano has frequent eruptions and the soil has extremely fine volcanic ash and sand that can damage the vines and the farm equipment.

Outis (nessuno in Italian, nobody in English) is the name that Ulysses gave to Polyfemous the Cyclops on the foothills of Mount Etna. The wine is a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, Etna's main grape varieties, that are planted on an east facing vineyard at 620 meters above sea level.

The wine had a medium red, slightly brown color, and a fragrant nose of sweet cherry liqueur and coffee. On the palate, it had a dry, tannic attack and a nice mix of aromatic herbs and vanilla on the finish. It is a distinctive wine that you should try with a Fennel and Sausage Pasta dish.

Technorati tags: wine food & drink