V I N T R O S P E C T I V E –> An Italian Wine Blog

Posted By Joel on February 20, 2009

Do you think about the place where your bottle of Italian wine came from, who made it, how it was made?  If you stop to consider these things you will begin to taste the unique cultural message which Italian wine offers.  The wine will tell you about the land where it was created.  It will invite you to drink the traditions and histories of the people that made it. That is good wine.  It’s always been like this, more or less.

Some would have you believe that understanding Italian wine is a technical undertaking.  It’s not like that, believe me.  It is impossible to understand Italian wine without an awareness of the culture, people and place that created it.   Only after we have a sense of these things does the technical stuff add value.

That its wine regions are beautifully different, distinct and many is Italy’s strength and its difficulty.  Her dazzling array of wines will both charm and bewilder you.  I suggest one approach: get to know Italian wine by your own sensory perceptions and experiences: you will create a real, personal wine culture independent of the professional wine press.

Don’t worry;  the wines have their own way of deciding the itinerary for you…  Are you coming?

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Posted By Joel on March 9, 2010

Pico Maccario Barbera d’Asti Lavignone 2008
Pico Maccario Barbera d’Asti Berrò 2008

“The magic behind every outstanding performance is always found in the smallest of details.”
— Gary Ryan Blair

I was totally struck by the level of detail and attention given to the Pico Maccario estate symbol. To make the point, I offer you the following from Pico Maccario’s website:

The Rose of the Wines

Our symbol, created by Sergio Bianco, is made up of a shield and a rose, with the rose standing out in relief. The shield is an equilateral triangle with harmoniously curved sides to symbolize the bowl of the goblet. In history, the symbolic value of the rose comes from the myth of Adonis who was loved by Venus and from whose blood bloomed the first red roses. From this, the rose came to symbolize Love and Revival. In the myths of Dionisus, the God of wine, they used to wear crowns of roses because they believed that roses had the power to prevent the revealing of secrets when under the influence of alcohol. From this, the rose came to symbolize secrecy and roses were often used as decoration in confessionals (sub rosa: under the seal of silence in confession). In Christian symbology the red rose is the blood of Jesus which in the communion is symbolized by wine. Finally, the rose represents life and there is a tradition among viticulturalists that it is capable of revealing some illnesses of the vines. The shield is raised in the center with the name underneath so that it takes the shape of a goblet. The name Pico Maccario is written on two lines to maintain balance and symmetry. The font was chosen to symbolize the thorns of the rose. With the same love, the same passion, and the same care we create our wines.1

That kind of attention to detail – that is to say, the kind driven by passion and love – has resulted in some wonderful expressions of Barbera from Pico Maccario.

The Pico Maccario estate, well known as a specialist producer of Barbera, is located in Mombaruzzo, a commune of Italy’s Piedmont situated within the ASTI DOCG. The estate – some 70 contiguous hectares (the largest solely owned vineyard in Piedmont) – is run by Maccario brothers Pico and Vitaliano, with Pico handling production of the wines and Vitaliano attending to commercial matters. The estate has invested in modern, state-of-the-art technology to assure quality in all phases of production, a quality process which it believes begins in the vineyard with best practice cultivation techniques.

The estate’s Barbera d’Asti Lavignone and Barbera d’Asti Berrò are made from 100% Barbera grapes grown in clay soil at approximately 180 meters altitude. After light crushing of the grapes, Lavignone is macerated for 10-12 days and refined in steel vats for 9 months with many decantings followed by additional refinement in bottle, while Berrò is macerated for 8 days, refined in steel vats for 7 months with an additional 5 months of refinement in bottle.

Barbera d’Asti Lavignone 2008
Tasting Notes / Impressions:

An elegant combination of cherry and almond on the nose gives way to rich, round plum and ripe berry fruit flavors. Almost pinot noir-like in body with gorgeously svelte, silky tannins. Satisfying finish.

Food Pairing Suggestions:
Risotto, pasta, poultry, grilled fish, medium aged cheeses

Barbera d’Asti Berrò 2008
Tasting Notes / Impressions:

Plenty of fresh, clean berry fruit scents, hints of plum on the palate and smooth, user friendly tannins. Immensely drinkable.

Food Pairing Suggestions:
Casual dishes, burgers, chicken, soups, deli, fresh cheeses

BTW…Would you be surprised to know that there are 4,500 unique-clone rose bushes at Pico Maccario and one is positioned in front of every row of the estate’s 315,000 vines?

Well…..there are ! Details, details

$

1, from Pico Maccario website, www.picomaccario.com

Category: $ (Under $25), Piedmont, Wine | No Comments Yet, Your Thoughts Are Welcome: Click Here To Comment »
Tags: Barbera

Posted By Joel on March 3, 2010

No, it’s not an Italian–Chinese love story. Well, not exactly

Chinese chun juan or spring rolls – thin dough skins spread with finely minced vegetables, meat, shrimp or oysters and rolled into, well…a roll…evoke an emotional response of home and family for my Chinese wife. Since her parents are currently visiting us, a special request for home town chun juan was speedily attended.

Now, you may think all chun juan are the same…nein! Like pasta in Italy, local interpretation is the rule with chun juan and they can be served either fresh or fried. My in-law’s version is from their local area in southeast China and is known thereabouts as bou bian.

Like the Earl of Sandwich who first placed meat between two slices of bread when too busy to eat otherwise, it was an ambitious Chinese too busy with study to eat a proper meal who needed convenient and fast food: vegetables and whatever else was available were rolled up in a thin dough wrapper and, voilà, chun juan!

The fresh wrappers for rolling chun juan are best purchased at your local Asian grocery as there is no good way to make them at home. Finely shredded vegetables - cabbage, carrots, bamboo shoots, leeks, snow peas, water chestnuts - are heated in a large pot with some oil and cooked until sauté tender. Finely minced pork, tofu and / or shrimp or oysters are cooked and then combined with vegetables, all mixed well, and salted to taste.

The fun part: a fresh spring roll wrapper is spread out on a plate with some of the vegetable / meat mixture placed in the middle. A pinch or two of each of your preferred condiments is added. Recommended, but optional condiments include chopped fresh parsley, very finely shredded seaweed, sweet peanut crumb, hot sauce. The wrapper sides are folded in just a bit toward the middle, then, rolled from the bottom up, forming a shape reminiscent of a sandwich wrap or egg roll.

TIP: To avoid tearing, don’t allow any juices that may have collected in the vegetable / meat mixture’s bowl onto the wrapper.

Thank you for your attention to this point; I haven’t forgotten about the Verdicchio.

Verdicchio’s clean, bright, fragrant character and lively acidity create a wildly attractive pairing to the fresh and subtlely-exotic texture and flavors of chun juan. And its full body, dryness and good structure are well suited to the delicate, but savory nature of chuan juan’s fundamental ingredients. We chose a delicious and inexpensive Verdicchio Classico from the Castelli di Jesi zone in Italy’s Marche, made by producer Sartarelli, which worked blissfully well.

Verdicchio and chun juan: Enticing. Even romantic. Different. Just plain good.

If you have some time on your hands, more time than had the Earl of Sandwich, make fresh spring rolls at home. Otherwise, order them at the restaurant or do a take-out. Pick up a bottle of good Verdicchio. Get in the mood for a love story…well, kind of

Category: $ (Under $25), Food, Marche, Wine | No Comments Yet, Your Thoughts Are Welcome: Click Here To Comment »
Tags: Verdicchio

Posted By Joel on March 1, 2010

Azienda Agricola Edi Kante Vitovska 2006
Azienda Agricola Edi Kante Malvasia 2006
Azienda Agricola Edi Kante KK Spumante Brut NV

Close your eyes and imagine a windswept, limestone plateau, a place of natural caves and grottos where the stone can feel alive. At this great table of rock, Veneto, Slavic, and German-Austrian traditions come together to form a wonderfully compatible wine and food culture where wines of a deeply local character stand up to some very hearty fare.

Welcome to the Carso area of Friuli.

What kind of guy is Edi Kante? Well…the kind that chiseled subterranean wine cellars from a natural cavity in the limestone near Prepotto. Unconventional and motivated seem appropriate adjectives here. And I don’t know how true it is - I haven’t met him - I’m passing it as anecdote suggests: he is an incredibly nice guy, too.

The six hectare Kante estate faces the Gulf of Trieste on the Adriatic Sea from steep hills where limestone rich soil and cooling winds create an oscillating heat / cooling microclimate that gives Kante’s wines especially unique personality and aromatics.

Edi Kante Vitovska 2006

Tasting Notes / Impressions:

Think: the sound of a cello served with a light sprinkling of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. Get the picture? Citrus and floral on the nose, this wine has an absolutely mouthwatering mineral acidity that plays brilliantly against a palate background reverberating with sonorous, deep-toned richness. Made from the Slavic origin Vitovska varietal. Encore length finish.

Food Pairing Suggestions:

Fresh seafood is primary here, especially shell fish: consider crab stuffed mushrooms, sushi / sashimi, or grilled calamari; Pasta with lobster in a light cream sauce; Seafood risotto

$$

Edi Kante Malvasia 2006

Tasting Notes / Impressions:

Scents of mandarin oranges infuse an intriguing palate of apricot, honey, hints of toasted almond and saline. A polished, buttery mouthfeel dissolves into a focused finish of remarkable depth. Made from the local Malvasia clone (Istriana).

Food Pairing Suggestions:

Fresh seafood, consider fatty tuna sushi or sashimi; Quiche, cheese tarts; Pork Schnitzel with mushroom sauce; Ham; Smoked cheeses

$$

Edi Kante KK Spumante Brut NV

The base for this classicly produced sparkling wine is comprised of Chardonnay (80%) and Malvasia (20%). The wine does refinement duty via 12 months barrique and 6 months steel.

Tasting Notes:

I found the Edi Kante “KK” Spumante Brut NV a tailored, beautifully etched wine. Very dry, with a great minerality and acid backbone. Notes of bread crust, apricots, honey, and toasted almonds, a remarkable balance of acid, alcohol, and fruit.

Food pairing suggestions: Seafood (I enjoyed it with seafood risotto, braised belgian endive, and grilled haddock), prosciutto di San Daniele, hearty soups, pasta / gnocchi with butter & cheese, spaezle, potatoe & veal dishes

Importer: Villiage Wine Imports LTD New York, New York

$$

*originally posted Feb.23rd 2009 featuring only Edi Kante Brut KK, the post was updated to inlcude tasting notes / impressions and food pairings for Edi Kante’s Vitovska 2006 and Malvasia 2006.

Category: $$ ($25-$50), Friuli, Uncategorized, Wine | 2 Comments »
Tags: Chardonnay, Malvasia, Vitovska

Posted By Joel on February 24, 2010

In an area that is one of Italy’s least productive wine zones, to improve margins with a few shortcuts could prove a seductive temptation.

But, at the small, family-run wine estate of Frères Grosjean in Italy’s Valle d’Aosta, it is quality, tradition, authenticity and sustainability which prevail.

Amen.

Perched in the higher altitudes of Italy’s extreme northwest nearby the villages of Quart and Saint Christophe, Frères Grosjean is located in the Valle Centrale region of Valle d’Aosta DOC. Before they began bottling their wines for sale, the family made wine and gathered chestnuts for more practical reasons: to help them through the long winters.

It was an exhibition of Valle d’Aosta wines in 1969 which prompted Dauphin Grosjean to bottle wines for presentation to others, an initiative that proved to be a cornerstone event of the business. With the help of five children, the Grosjean vineyards have grown over the years from 3,000 square meters to 7 hectares. Demonstrating a deep concern for the natural environment, the Grosjean have farmed since 1975 using environmentally sustainable cultivation techniques and using only organic fertilizers.

I recently enjoyed a bottle of Frères Grosjean’s Pinot Noir and one of Gamay, impressive as terroir-driven examples from a DOC too often overlooked. Each wine is 100% varietal grown in loose glacial moraine soil. Vineyards have a south / southwest exposure at an altitude of approximately 700m.

Both wines showed very perfumed floral characteristics and good concentration of fruit underscored by lively acidity and soft tannins. You’re likely to find the Gamay a bit lighter in style than the Pinot Noir and subtleties in each wine that will keep your interest.

Either of these wines will pair nicely with simple, earthy dishes such as pasta, soups, stews, cheeses, cured meats. Don’t miss pairing with a bit of Fontina d’Aosta cheese - sublime.

$$

Category: $$ ($25-$50), Valle d'Aosta, Wine | 2 Comments »
Tags: Gamay, Pinot