Category Archives: Culture

Fall in love with the wines from Famiglia Pasqua

Posted on by
Reply

In January 2017, I had the immense pleasure of visiting Verona. “In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,” I found a lovely and welcoming city with bustling shops, beckoning restaurants and majestic bridges. Starting at the imposing Bra Gate, the city’s cobble-stone streets put you in mind of another time, reinforced as you pass the Roman amphitheater. Other hints of this classical connection include the Porta Borsari, an ancient Roman gate still standing in the middle of town.

In many ways, this is the city of love. Nearly synonymous with the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, visitors are encouraged to tour Juliet’s house and tomb as well as send her letters in aid of their own romantic peccadillos. But, despite the gimmicky feel to these attractions, there is something about Verona that stirs the romance within. Or, perhaps, at least, the romance of life and adventure.

Aside from romantic love, Verona also courts business – specifically the business of wine. Home to VinItaly, Verona hosts the largest wine fair in the world, bringing the world of wine to its door each year.  Moreover, Verona serves as a gateway to the Valpolicella wine region, the name of which translates as the “valley of many cellars” and with the profusion of wine production here, it is easy to see why.

An area dedicated to viticulture, local archeological evidence of these vines dates to 40 million years ago, while records of wine production in the Veneto area indicate a history as early as the 5th century BCE. The region is bound by Lake Garda and the Adige River, both of which influence the climate among the nearly 20,000 acres of vineyards.

Today, the region encompasses several different wines within its borders, but traditionally has been associated with wines produced from dried grapes. These type of wines appear to have been developed from the fourth century BCE, likely a way for the Romans to raise the alcohol level of their wines, rendering them more stable and thus more easily transported throughout their empire.

While the Romans dried their grapes over heat, more modern measures focus on drying out the grapes over a period of months through a more natural reduction in water content called appassimento. Today, the wines most well known for this type of production method is Amarone della Valpolicella.

Hailing from this region and adapting this traditional approach, the Pasqua family has focused on producing a less expensive option in both red and white. They use a modified appassimento technique in which the grapes lose “only” 15-30% volume as opposed to the 60% associated with Amarone. The family launched their Romeo & Juliet PassioneSentimento (Passion-Feeling) in 2014.

Not ones to worry about convention, Alessandro Pasqua proudly declares that “The Rosso breaks about 10 rules!” including its use of the non-indigenous Merlot grape, early vinification and a limited aging regimen. Accordingly, neither of these wines have a particular designation other than IGT Veneto, proclaiming that the wines come from the Veneto region.

Befitting a wine named Passion-Feeling, the label features the love-inspired graffiti that lined the passageway and walls (now since removed) at the house associated as having been the Capulet’s home.

Pasqua’s PassioneSentimento collection includes a white, red and a Prosecco, another wine closely associated with the region.

Among its other wines, the Pasqua Family also produces a an “11 Minutes Rosé ,” which, according to their winemaker is the ideal length of time for contact between the juice and skins to produce this wine. While not part of the PassioneSentimento series, this rose recalls another set of lovers: Catullus and Lesbia, with her depicted on the label.

  • The graffiti wall at the Capulet home in Verona.

TASTING NOTES

Romeo & Juliet PassioneSentimento Prosecco Brut, Treviso DOC, $16 SRP
Fresh and lively on the nose and palate, with bright pear fruit and floral notes, persistent effervescence and long length.

Romeo & Juliet PassioneSentimento Bianco 2018, Veneto IGT, $16 SRP
Produced from 100% Garganega, the grapes for this wine are harvested early, hand-picked and then dried for around 15 days, thereby concentrating the aromas and flavors. A portion is aged in French oak barrels for a few months. With an intense, concentrated nose, one is greeted with notes of melon, musk and a slight nuttiness. On the palate, it is dry, with high acidity, rich and round with citrus, melon, culminating in long length.

Pasqua “11 Minutes” Rosé TreVenezie IGT, $20 SRP
This rose is very much in the Provencal style, with a barely there pale salmon color. Aromas of watermelon and strawberries greet the nose and continue on the palate, with good acidity, medium body and long length. Very refreshing and food friendly.

Romeo & Juliet PassioneSentimento Rosso 2017, Veneto IGT, $16 SRP
A blend of 40% Merlot, 30% Corvina and 30% Croatina, the grapes are left to dry for four to six weeks, losing water content over time. On the nose, this wine offers up notes of plum, cherries, a hint of vanilla and menthol. The palate is dry, but with a slightly sweet attack, with medium acidity, medium tannins, flavors of berries, baking spice and anise, with long length.

All I Want for Christmas: Marta Scarampi dresses

Posted on by
Reply

Regardless of which winter holidays you do or don’t celebrate, who doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of presents? So, with that in mind, I am starting a list just in case anyone wants to know what to get me. Next up, a fabulous dress from Marta Scarampi!

Thanks to a holiday invite from my friend Susannah Gold of Vigneto Communications, I had the pleasure of meeting the Torino-based designer and browsing her wares while sipping wines from Lugana, a unique DOC that spans two Italian regions – Lombardia and the Veneto. Here, the white grape variety Turbiana, which is closely related to Trebbiano di Soave, reigns supreme, finding its way into a wide range of wine styles from still to sparkling and from dry to sweet. [NB: I previously wrote about Lugana’s wines last year.]

 

Italian native Marta Scarampi studied at FIT before returning home to launch her fashion line. Her line features a selection of capes and her travel and business collection – dresses and jackets that easily go from the boardroom to the boarding queue.

These capes are much better to keep a super woman warm on a cold day and can be customized with faux fur collars, rainproof hoods and are available in a range of fabrics and styles. They looked uber chic and sophisticated on my friend, Lisa, who tried on several different options.

Always and forever the dress girl, I was smitten by two styles in Marta’s collection. The first was her Lucca stretch dress (pictured left), while the other was a more celebratory number with metallic threads, worthy of the holiday season. Like the capes, the dress styles can also be made-to-order with the client’s preferred fabric choice.

Table set, match: A meeting of the food and wine minds of Janssens and Kornack

Posted on by
Reply

Two trailblazing women joined forces last week for a one-of-a-kind dinner featuring the incredible wines of Robert Mondavi Winery (produced under the direction of Chief Winemaker Genevieve Janssens) and the exquisite food of Chef Elise Kornack. Both women have distinguished themselves in their respective fields, earning well deserved and well-earned accolades and awards.

 

 

 

Marrying their individual expertise, Genevieve and Elise collaborated on an amazing menu that paired harmoniously with the wines. In speaking about the partnership, Elise explained that it had been a wonderful opportunity “to partner with someone who loves what she does as much as I do,” and noted that the experience working together had been quite fun, providing her with a different perspective as she considered the food in context with the wines.

Originally from France, Genevieve was born into a viticultural family and studied with many luminous wine professionals including Emile Peymaud, eventually earning a Diploma of Enology at the University of Bordeaux. News about the exciting things going on in the Napa Valley and, in particular, at Robert Mondavi Winery, inspired her to arrive on Mondavi’s doorstep in 1978. She was promptly hired as a lab technician by his Chief Enologist, Zelma Long, another pioneering woman in the industry. Although that initial post lasted only a year, Genevieve returned to work closely with Mondavi for several decades, including a ten-year stint at Opus One Winery, a joint venture between Mondavi and the Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild. During that time, she rose to the rank of Chief Winemaker for Robert Mondavi Winery. Among her numerous honors, Genevieve was named Wine Enthusiast‘s  2010 Winemaker of the Year and was recognized by the French government as an “Officier” of the The Ordre National du Mérite Agricole.

In keeping with Mondavi’s emphasis on food and wine pairing, the winery recently partnered with the James Beard Foundation to create a five-year scholarship for the advancement of wine education in the U.S. Accordingly, as a thrice nominated James Beard “Rising Star Chef,” it was especially fitting for Elise to have been chosen as Chef for the dinner event. Previously, Elise created the Michelin-starred restaurant Take Root in Brooklyn, which she ran from 2013-2017. Recognized as one of Conde Nast’s “10 Young Chefs to Watch,” among her lengthy list of superlatives; last year, Elise and her wife moved to the Catskills region in upstate New York, where she is at work on a new restaurant in Phoenicia. (As a part-time resident of Saugerties, NY, I am eagerly anticipating its opening.)

As she spoke about her approach to food, Elise shared her preference for humble ingredients, varied textures, earthy flavors and notes of nostalgia, as we head into the fall and winter seasons. But, while her palate colors and flavors might be “humble,” – starring such vegetables as rutabaga, celery and turnips – she elevates them to high art on the plate.

The meal opened with a dish comprised of celery, turnip and pear with ginger, almond and sheep’s milk cheese, served alongside the 2016 Robert Mondavi Winery Chardonnay Reserve, Carneros, CA, Napa Valley. The crunchy texture of the vegetables balanced well with the creaminess of the cheese, while the acidity of the wine provided a lovely counterpoint, along with the interplay of the slight woody notes of the wine with the ginger and almond on the plate.

The second course featured beluga lentils and wild mushrooms with cranberry, coffee and truffle, presented with the 2015 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Franc, Oakville, Napa Valley and 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley. I especially enjoyed the herbaceous character of the Cabernet Franc with the rich, earthy flavors of the mushrooms and truffles as well as the echoed notes of fruitiness between the wine and cranberry.

The third plate brought together New York strip, rutabaga and a sauce of smoked corn, peppercorn and mustard seed, paired with a duo of Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignons: 2015 The Reserve To Kalon Vineyard, Oakville, Napa Valley and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley. Genevieve explained that 2015 had been a drought year, yielding highly concentrated wines, with firm tannins, yet a softness as well. In this regard, the wine was a perfect example of Mondavi’s philosophy to, “Make Cabernet Sauvignon as soft as a baby’s bottom and powerful as Pavarotti.” While both wines were absolutely beautiful, I favored the 2008 for its development and tertiary aromas, though still quite fresh at ten years old.

Noting that she was a big fan of cream pies, the meal concluded with Elise’s riff on one that included apple and fig leaf with seeds, tumeric and honey, served with the 2017 Robert Mondavi Winery Moscato d’Oro, Napa Valley. The pie was creamy, yet light, and was well matched with the acidity and sweetness of the dessert wine.

During the reception, we had the opportunity to taste the Fumé Blanc (aka Sauvignon Blanc) Reserve 2016 To Kalon Vineyard, Napa Valley. This wine, along with the 2015 Cab Sav we tasted, hail from the famed To Kalon vineyard, which is Greek for beautiful. First planted (and named) in the late 1800s by Hamilton Walker Crabb, an early Napa pioneer, the vineyard was initially re-established by Mondavi on a 12-acre site. Today, the historic property, known for its optimum conditions, now comprises 550 acres, with 435 under Mondavi’s ownership.

As the evening winded down, it was clear that the food and wine had been impeccable, made more so not only by the intentional collaboration between Genevieve and Elise, but also by the collegial atmosphere in which they had been served; an experience that will not be easily matched.

And the winner is… Piper-Heidsieck kicks off award season in style

Posted on by
Reply

Admittedly, I only saw one movie in an actual movie theater in all of 2017 and possibly only a handful of films via Netflix. Yet, there is still something magic about the movie business.

Thus, I roused myself out of bed at an ungodly hour (at least compared to my usual 8:00 AM alarm) to head downtown to the iPic Theaters in South Street Seaport to watch the presentation of the Oscar nominations for this year’s Academy Awards.

OK, it wasn’t just the glamour of Hollywood singing her siren song. A Champagne breakfast, courtesy of Piper-Heidsieck, was the more alluring bait. And, the breakfast didn’t disappoint; there are a lot of worse ways to start the day than with a fabulous glass of Champagne, smoked salmon and Eggs Benedict topped with caviar!

Piper-Heidsieck has long been associated with the movie industry, having first appeared on the scene (and screen) in Laurel and Hardy’s debut film, Sons of the Desert in 1933. In addition to serving as the official Champagne of the International Cannes Film Festival, the Champagne house continues to be the official Champagne of the Oscars, now in its fourth year of its partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In keeping with its tradition, Piper-Heidsieck has designed a special, limited-edition Magnum to mark the occasion. With the first Academy Awards held in 1929, this year heralds the 90th award season and the “label” (in fact, a gold foil appliqué that required a special process to adhere the graphic to the bottle) takes its cue from this “Golden Age” of Hollywood with an Art Deco design, created by a young, French designer.

While only a handful of these limited-edition bottles have been made (such is the definition of limited), the bubbles inside are not so limited and are available in Piper-Heidsieck’s regularly bottled, signature Cuvée Brut. So, although you may not win an Oscar yourself, you can simply pretend you did or raise a glass in honor of your own achievements, even if that only includes bingeing on the Oscar nominations in the lead up to the televised award ceremony on March 4, 2018.

IDNYC opens doors to the city’s jewels

Posted on by
Reply

idI have always maintained that everything is better that sparkles — wine, water, diamonds and personalities. So, George Balanchine’s Jewels ballet is no exception.

Inspired by a visit to Van Cleef and Arpels, Jewels is a work in three parts: Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds. The Emerald set included slivers of malachite draped on the sides, while the sky dripped with glittering gems suspended above the dancers who were adorned with faux stones that sparkled brightly from the stage. It was magnificent to watch the glitter and glamour as the ballerinas took the stage to practice their pirouettes one last time before curtain.

This chance to attend the working dress rehearsal of such an iconic ballet was thanks to my membership in the New York City Ballet. And, the membership, at least for this year, is courtesy of IDNYC.

Don’t have your card yet? What are you waiting for?

IDNYC was launched by the mayor in 2014 as a way to provide a government-issued photo identification card for all city residents, particularly those who may have difficulty getting other government-issued IDs. But, even if you don’t need another government-issued ID, the benefits for all card holders include a one-time membership in many of New York City’s finest cultural institutions such as the ballet.

Since getting my IDNYC in January, I have been blessed to visit the Museum of Modern Art gratis; obtain advanced ticket sales opportunities for NY City Center; receive a flurry of event invites from BRIC; and purchase discount tickets to The Book of Mormon. The benefits of being a member of the New York City Ballet have been my favorite and, most importantly, a reminder of how much I love the ballet. I will be sure to support the ballet after my complimentary membership expires as a result of this experience.