Category Archives: Italy

Summer Sippers: 2019 Edition

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With Memorial Day weekend in the rear-view mirror and the Summer Solstice upon us, we know that it’s safe to wear white and drink rosé (although admittedly you can drink pink any time of year!).

Jokes aside, it’s the perfect time of year to turn our attention to whites and consider lighter reds, along with the requisite rosés, as we get behind the grill or head to the park for a picnic. As such, we want food-friendly, fun and festive wines that will be a welcome addition to the party. Here are just a few ideas to get you in the mood for Summer 2019!

WHITE WINES
Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Palomino Fino NV, Jerez, Spain, $20.00
Produced from 100% Palomino grapes, this wine is fresh, with slight yeasty and light nutty notes on both the nose and palate, culminating in long length. It is a great aperitif as well as a partner with salty, savory dishes.

Bodega Inurrieta Orchidea 2018, Navarra, Spain, $12.00
This Sauvignon Blanc offers up a pronounced nose of slight herbs, pink grapefruit, tropical fruit. It is dry with medium+ acidity, ripe citrus flavors with a hint of pith in the undercurrent, pineapple, medium+ body and long length.

Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Gris Estate 2017, Willamette Valley (OR), USA, $19.00
This wine is beautifully aromatic, with concentrated aromas of floral, pear, and spice, along with a dry palate with medium acidity, ripe fruit and long length.

Ponzi Aurora Chardonnay 2016, Willamette Valley (OR) USA, $65.00
Barrel fermented and aged in barrel for 20 months, this wine is slightly woody with notes of vanilla and spice. Its full-bodied palate displays freshness, good fruit and acidity, with notes of apple and melon, good texture and salinity before culminating in long length.

ROSE WINES
Muga, Flor de Muga Rosé 2017 Rioja, Spain, $24.00
Produced from 100% Garnacha, this pink-hued wine is both delicious and refreshing, with good berries fruit.

M. Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut “Les Vignes” 2018, Pays d’Oc Rosé, France, $15.00
This estate was purchased by Michel Chapoutier in 1999 and, while this wine previously featured a small percentage of Syrah, this is the first vintage in which it has been phased out completely. It is now a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Cinsualt, displaying notes of strawberry, cotton candy, slight herbs and watermelon on the nose and dry palate, coupled with bright acidity and long length.

Louis Laurent Rosé d’Anjou 2018, Loire Valley, France, $13.00
Pale salmon in color, this wine is slightly off-dry, with aromas and flavors of floral, ripe berries, honey and cotton candy, with medium body and long length. The hint of sweetness is a good counterpoint to spicy foods.

Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir 2018, Dundee Hills (OR), USA, $25.00
This wine has been made since Sokol Blosser’s early days, but has gone through numerous name changes including Bouquet of Rose and Vin Gris of Pinot Noir. Aromas of peach, spice and strawberry greet the nose and are joined by spice and pepper on the dry, fresh, palate, along with good structure.

RED WINES
Domaine Gerard Millet Sancerre Rouge 2017, Loire Valley, France, $26.00
This wine offers up notes of smoke, herbs and dark cherry on the nose, with a dry palate, flavors of cherry and herbaceousness, bright acidity, medium body and long length.

Il Poggione Rosso di Toscana 2017, Tuscany, Italy, $19.00
This blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot displays aromas of dark red fruit, a hint of herbs and coffee, while the dry, medium+-bodied palate shows firm, ripe textural tannins, with bright acidity, fresh red, explosive fruit and long length. The wine can take a chill, making it a great option for a summer red!

Basile Cartacanta 2015 Montecucco Sangiovese, Tuscany, Italy, $23.00
Bringing together 80% Sangiovese with 10% Merlot and 10% Ciligiolo, this wine was aged for 12 months in French oak, then spent 18 months in bottle. With a lovely nose
of black cherry, slight herbs, oak and vanilla, it has a dry palate with ripe, juicy cherries, medium tannins with a grainy texture, medium+ body and long length.

Poggio Stenti Tribulo 2016, Montecucco Sangiovese, Tuscany, Italy, $24.00
Produced from 100% Sangiovese, this wine was aged for 18 months in French oak. It has an expressive nose of dried cherries, dried herbs and oak, with a dry palate, medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins, medium+ body, flavors of tart cherry and herbs and very long length.



Ferzo sets sail with new wines in the U.S. market

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Co-ops often get a bad rap, but good producers are good producers whether they are a private company or a group of local growers banding together. In this case, Codice Citra wines are made from the estate-grown fruit from a collaboration of family-owned vineyards within the Chieti province of Italy’s Abruzzo region. With some families owning just two acres, it makes more sense to pool resources for costly expenses such as fermentation tanks and other winery equipment.

The cooperative was founded in 1973 and focuses on local grapes such as the well-known Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo to more esoteric varieties. The Codice Citra portfolio includes four ranges of wines (Citra, Caroso, Las Vitae and Ferzo), the latter of which is now making its debut into the U.S. market.

Specifically, the Ferzo name refers to “patches of fabric stitched together to create a sail,” and symbolizes the piecing together of numerous plots of vineyards, within the southern part of the Abruzzo region.

Among the Ferzo line, there are three whites produced from indigenous varieties, namely: Pecorino, Cococcioloa and Passerina. These three wines are all fermented in stainless steel, ensuring that the wines are fresh and fruit forward without any oak influence. A rosato (aka rose) and a Montepulciano d’Abuzzo round out the range.

Most recently, with its emphasis on Abruzzo’s viticultural history and a strong commitment to high quality wine, Codice Citra has brought on winemaker, Ricardo Cotarella as executive enologist and partnered with Leonardo LoCascio Selections, as its exclusive U.S. importer.

Ferzo Passerina 2017, Terre di Chieti IGT, Abruzzo, Italy, $26.00
The ancient variety of Passerina is not well known, but is on the path to rediscovery, given recent interest in the grape in Abuzzo, Umbria and Le Marche (where it is produced within the Offida DOCG). This wine has a beautiful floral and fruity nose, with flavors of white flowers, juicy pineapple, pear and tropical fruit. On the palate, it offers up bright acidity, medium body and long length.

Ferzo Pecorino 2017, Terre di Chieti IGT, Abruzzo, Italy, $26.00
Almonds, minerality and hint of pear greet the nose. On the palate, this wine is dry, with medium+ acidity, medium+ body and is quite angular. Flavors of nuts and minerals dominate, giving the wine weight and depth, before culminating in long length.

Ferzo Cococciola 2017, Terre di Chieti IGT, Abruzzo, Italy, $26.00
The Cococciola grape is cultivated in both Abruzzo and Puglia and is frequently compared to Sauvignon Blanc. This wine offered up more fruit character than the Pecorino, with more pronounced pear and citrus, a hint of waxiness on the palate and just a slight note of nuttiness. It displays nice body, good depth and long length.

Donnachiara and the Resilience of Wine

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Ilaria Petitto, CEO of Donnachiara

It is a challenge to grow grapes and make wine. Fortunately, the Campanian people are a resilient bunch. They have continually overcome volcanoes, earthquakes and economic hardship. In particular, the word resilience holds significant meaning for Ilaria Petitto, CEO of Donnachiara winery. She heard it numerous times growing up in connection with her family’s metalwork business (the resilience of steel). The term is also apt given the resilience of the local people and, more currently, she is applying it to the potential for Falanghina to become well known and well respected, as Grillo has now become in Sicily. Accordingly, her flagship Falanghina is called Resilienza.

Established in 2005 by Chiara Petitto (Ilara’s mother), Donnachiara was named for her aunt Chiara Mazzarelli Petitto, who instilled a love of the land in her and was the inspiration for starting her own winery in 2005. As the Petitto family has been in the region for more than 5 generations, cultivating vineyards and making wine, this was a natural progression for the family.

From the very beginning, Donnachiara has been focused on crafting high quality wines from local grapes, which is apropos of a winery situated in Campania on Italy’s Southwestern coast. Despite perhaps being better known for the Amalfi Coast, Neapolitan pizza and Pompeii, Campania stands out as having the most indigenous (local) grape varieties of all of Italy’s wine regions. Grapes such as Fiano, Greco and Aglianico are not only cultivated, but celebrated, taking center stage in the region’s highest denominations.

For Ilaria, it is Falanghina that she wishes to next elevate and believes that the vines grown in Benevento provide the best expression of the grape. This white variety most frequently display citrus, floral and herbal notes, along with medium body and bright acidity, And, while less structured than the more vaunted Greco and Fiano, Ilaria, in collaboration with Donnachiara’s consultant winemaker, Riccardo Cotarella, is confident that it has the potential to create wines of distinction.

Regionally, the majority of vineyards are primarily situated along the interior border of Campania, where the elevation and distance from the coastline keep the climate cool and green. Accordingly, harvest takes place from October through November while winemakers wait for the grapes to reach full ripeness. And, within this area, there are three DOCGs: Fiano d’Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Taurasi that reflect the region’s top wines. It is here that the Donnachiara winery is located, with an average vineyard elevation of 600 meters above sea level.

Although a handful of larger wineries dominate the vinous landscape, most wineries in Campania are small. This preponderance of tiny ventures makes it challenging to find common ground and promote the region as a whole, but with her recent appointment to the Consorzio, Ilaria is hoping to change that in time. As a medium-sized winery (180,000 bottles annually), Donnachiara has some leverage to make its name in the market, but Ilaria recognizes that they will all be more successful if they can promote Campania as a single brand. Thankfully, she has the resilience to persevere!

TASTING NOTES
Falanghina 2017, Beneventano Falanghina IGT, Campania, Italy
Aromas of pear and lanolin; dry, rich and concentrated, with medium acidity, full body and long length.

Fiano 2017, Fiano di Avellino DOCG, Campania, Italy
Bright, fresh, with a slight nuttiness, lovely citrus and minerality, culminating in long length.

Empatia 2017, Fiano d’Avellino DOCG, Campania, Italy
This organically produced Fiano was very aromatic and extremely floral, with fresh acidity, stone fruit, wet stone and long length.

Alatheia 2017, Greco di Tufo DOCG, Campania, Italy
This was very structural, with citrus and almond notes, medium acidity and long length.

Greco Riserva 2017, Campania, Italy
Having spent more time aging before release, this Greco was more concentrated, with yeasty aromas and fuller body. The Greco di Tufo Riserva will soon be approved as an addition to the DOCG.

Resilienza 2016, Beneventano Falanghina IGT, Campania, Italy
Showing some development on both the nose and palate, this wine displays minerality, medium acidity, richness, lanolin, white flowers and apricot, with long length.

All of the Donnachiara Taurasi wines are produced in a very elegant style, with resolved tannins and ready to be enjoyed upon release, although they certainly have the potential to age.
Taurasi 2015, Taurasi DOCG, Campania, Italy
Hailing from the excellent 2015 vintage, this wine offers up floral and black cherry aromas with soft tannins, an earthy undercurrent and long length.

Taurasi 2013, Taurasi DOCG, Campania, Italy
The 2013 vintage was a more challenging one, with lots of rain. Yet despite the less than stellar conditions, the wine is lovely with ripe red fruit, good acidity and long length.

Taurasi Riserva 2012, Taurasi Riserva DOCG, Campania, Italy
Only made in select years, the Riserva spent 24 months aging in oak. It displayed darker fruit and a more overt oak influence on both the nose and palate. The vintage was great, but warmer than usual.

All I Want for Christmas: Marta Scarampi dresses

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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.

Keeping up with Italian Wines

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With its wealth of wines and wine regions, there is a lot to know about Italian wine! Plus, Italy seems to be in a constant state of flux with regard to rules and regulations as it continually seeks to improve the quality of its production. In October, I attended the Simply Italian Great Wines U.S. Tour 2018, organized by IEEM USA, to get the scoop on a new DOC as well as update my knowledge on Lambrusco. Similarly, some recent press releases have also kept me up-to-date on changes in Piedmont.

 

65 Shades of Grey
At the Simply Italian event, attendees had the opportunity to taste through 65 shades of grey (or more correctly in Italian, grigio). All of the wines were produced from the Pinot Grigio grape variety and were part of the new DOC delle Venezie.  This new denomination was established in 2017, implementing new rules such as lower yields, and elevating Pinot Grigio from IGP status.

One of the largest production areas in all of Europe, the DOC comprises 30,000 hectares spread over three regions. The DOC delle Venezie bills itself as “Italian style Pinot Grigio,” but there is still plenty of room for diversity with wines at the event ranging from still to sparking and one with a hint of color from brief skin contact. Although I tasted through quite a few of the wines on offer, I wisely did not attempt to try all 65. Of the ones I tasted, my favorites included those from Tomassi, Perlage, SalvaTerra and Tre.

The (Un)usual Suspects
Whereas Pinot Grigio is quite well-known in the U.S., Lambrusco is less ubiquitous, but definitely worth knowing about. In a session titled, “Lambrusco D.O.C. & Sangiovese D.O.C.: The Cultural Heritage of the Territory,” Professor Giammario Villa explained that the Emilia Romagna region’s main cultural focus is food, as evidenced by talk about dinner as early as breakfast. This emphasis is likely a result of the Via Emilia Road built by the Roman consults in 187 BCE, which created the hubs of Reggio, Parma, Bologna, all of which are synonymous with food. Vinously, the region has numerous geological differences that have influenced the local wine legislation. The Professor also noted that the region is marked by a preponderance of cooperatives (responsible for 75% of the wines produced), which has kept wine prices relatively inexpensive.

With regard to Lambrusco itself, there are 6 DOCs: Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa and Reggiano within Reggio Emilia and four more in Modena. Wine produced in the more flexible designation of Lambrusco di Modena has been made as early as the middle of the 10th century and currently permits higher yields than the more specific Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce and Lambrusco di Sorbara.

While there are stylistic differences among the various DOCs, in general, Lambrusco is produced via the Charmat Method and the resulting wines typically display high acidity, at least some effervescence, low alcohol and fruity and floral aromas. However, they are more varied with regard to tannins and body/structure.

Coming from the northern part of the region, the wines of Lambrusco di Sorbara are usually quite light in color, while those from Reggiano are deep in color with a lively foam. Located in the central part of the region, with vines grown at a higher altitude, the wines of Lambrusco Grasparosa di Castelvetro hail from the clay soils and hilly slopes and offer up earthy, spicy notes along with more tannin and structure.

Tasting through a selection of these wines, I was reminded just how much I enjoy Lambrusco and wondered why I don’t remember to drink them more often. My tasting notes are included below.

Updates in Piedmont
Within Piedmont, perhaps best-known for Barbaresco and Barolo, attention has been turned to its Barbera variety. Specifically, the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato has partnered with the Università di Torino – Disafa to conduct a scientific study to create a sensory map of the Barbera d’Asti DOCG appellation. Called Barbera d’Asti 2.0, the focus of this study is to better understand the influence of geological and climatic conditions and how these growing conditions relate to the wine profiles of the wines produced in each area. The study took a year to complete and the results (aka the map) have just been published.

Shining light on another grape variety, the same Consorzio has also received approval to modify the specifications of the Monferrato DOC, which has now been expanded to include two additional DOCs: Monferrato Nebbiolo and Monferrato Nebbiolo Superiore. The new denomination will take effect with the 2019 harvest, with the first wines released into the market in 2020, after the requisite aging periods (12 and 18 months, respectively). The main impetus for this change was to permit producers to include the grape variety on the label. Given that the Monferrato designation by itself has limited consumer recognition, this should give the participating wineries a better opportunity to market their wines.

TASTING NOTES
Cleto Chiarli ‘Vecchia Modena’ Lambrusco NV
Aromas of strawberry greeted the nose. On the palate it was very tart and fresh with underripe strawberry flavors and and long length.

For.Mo.Sa Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOP NV
With deeper, darker red fruits, bright acidity, this was relatively full bodied with good length.

Ca’ Montanari ‘Opera 02’ Lambrusco di Modena DOP NV
Displaying a cocoa note as well as red fruit on nose, this wine was fuller in body, offering up darker fruits and good acidity.

Lombardini ‘Il Signore Campanone’ Lambrusco Reggiano DOP NV
A shier nose with less fruity aromas, this wine was earthy with slight cherry notes on the palate.

 

 

Cantina Tramin’s Epokale, where past and present meet at the peak of perfection

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The region of Alto Adige, in northeast Italy, greets visitors with its snow-topped peaks, verdant mountains and Swiss chalet-style architecture. These hills are alive with the sound of viticulture, having produced highly regarded, quality wines as far back as 500 BCE, thanks to the ingenuity of the indigenous Rhaetian people.

The region was further influenced by the Romans who arrived on the scene in 15 BCE. As a result, the local village of Tramin took its name from the Latin word for border and later gave its name to an indigenous variety grown in the area for centuries. With the German “er” suffix indicating origin from Tramin) the grape was first called Traminer, and later earned the prefix of gewürz, which is German for spice.

Among the many producers in the region, the small cooperative of Cantina Tramin is deeply rooted in the community. Founded in 1898, it was during the early 1990s that the members of the cooperative made the conscious decision to pursue a quality agenda, making changes in the vineyards, the winery and staff, namely bringing on Willi Stürz as both winemaker and Technical Director. In the wake of this commitment, his efforts were rewarded with the title of “Winemaker of the Year” in 2004 by Italian wine guide, Gambero Rosso.

Since then, Cantina Tramin continues to be well regarded for its wines and, in particular, for its Gewürztraminer.  As the area’s most historic and important variety, Cantina Tramin is keen to preserve and promote Gewürztraminer and presently manages 57 hectares of Gewürztraminer vines, representing 22% of the coop’s plantings, as compared to just under 11% for the region as a whole.

In pursuit of this passion for Gewürztraminer, Cantina Tramin expanded its Gewürztraminer range with the recent launch of Epokale. With its name taken from the root of epoch – a period – the intent was to create a wine similar in style to those produced in the past, but that have been lost with time. This traditional, semi-sweet wine was made from grapes from two of the oldest vineyards and is a late harvest, Spatlese-level wine, deliberately harvested with only limited botrytis (about 10% were affected by noble rot).

First produced in 2009, this wine made its debut last year, after having spent seven years aging in an abandoned silver mine in Val Ridanna, situated at 2,000 meters above sea level. The mine provided perfect conditions: correct and consistent temperature and humidity, along with constant pressure, which ensured that no tartrates were formed. The wine was initially crafted and then bottled at the winery, with the individual bottles brought up to the mine’s caves for its period of aging. Only 1200 bottles of the maiden vintage were produced.

In recognition of its sheer perfection, this wine was recently awarded 100 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. This is a tremendous honor that goes beyond simply receiving a perfect score in that it is the first time at all that the publication has awarded such a score to an Italian white wine. And, also marks the first time this score has been awarded to a wine from outside Piedmont and Tuscany. In fact, of the over 35.000 Italian wines tasted by Wine Advocate, only 14 have received the top score and most of these are Barolo and Brunello wines.

Not surprisingly, this exciting and well-deserved news has been happily received by the winery’s personnel. Wolfgang Klotz, Marketing and Sales Director at Cantina Tramin, called it “A historic touchdown,” noting that, “We are very proud to have brought this recognition to Alto Adige Region.” Similarly, Willi Stürz acknowledged that, “We are honored of receiving such a score. A great satisfaction that I want to share with our 150 associated families and all the team at the winery,” further adding that, “Many might have considered Epokale project a hazard. We are very happy our efforts have been understood and fully rewarded.”

Finding balance at Feudi di San Gregorio

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As with much of life, it is all about achieving balance; finding harmony between two opposing points. Too often, balance is elusive and, perhaps, perfect balance is unattainable. Yet, we would all agree it is a worthy goal. Balance might even be considered laughable in the context of a C-level executive, but that’s precisely what Antonio Capaldo, Chairman of Feudi di San Gregorio, strives to achieve. At a recent dinner, he continually circled back to this word – and to this concept of striking a balance between competing polarities and viewpoints – all to the good of his company and the wines it produces.

Situated within the Italian region of Campania, home to Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Feudi di San Gregorio was established in 1986, although winemaking in the region dates back to the 12th century BCE, influenced by the Greeks, Romans and Byzantines. Capaldo joined the family business in 2009 after a decade-long career in finance and management consulting, having earned a PhD in Economics and Finance from a joint program between London School of Economics and University of Rome. Concurrently, he balanced his time between work and “play”, successfully pursuing his sommelier certification, thus bringing the dual perspectives of business acumen and wine knowledge to his role.

At a production of 3.5 million bottles annually, today, Feudi is the largest winery in Southern Italy, excluding Sicily. Yet, in spite of its size relative to its neighbors, it is still considered to be medium in size. It is this balance between being an artisanal producer and a large corporation, that Capaldo attributes to their success. In this regard, they have the resources to continually learn and evolve and pass that knowledge down to subsequent generations as well as the advantage of being more than one person’s impact or vision. Simultaneously, they are small enough to be nimble and responsive to the market.

Their size has also given them the opportunity to drive quality throughout the region. Having brought in the expertise of Simonit and Sirch, they instituted a pruning school for local growers (Feudi buys 30-40% of its grapes) and have dramatically shifted the way in which they pay them. Specifically, they no longer reward growers for volume, instead paying them based on the quality of the fruit they deliver. In order to do so, they balance the risk and reward, overcoming the growers’ objectives to keeping grapes on the vine longer due to threat of rain or other weather hazards. While this has been an expensive proposition, the quality of the grapes has vastly improved.

Balance is also extremely important when discussing the impact of hospitality at the winery. Capaldo notes that world class hospitality is vital to the winery, especially given its proximity to such tourist destinations as Positano and Pompeii, and it now welcomes 40,000 visitors each year. While many of them come expressly for the wine, others are drawn to the winery’s Michelin-starred restaurant and only later discover that it is connected to the winery. Consequently, while winery tours should extoll the virtues of the winery’s restaurant, world-class architectural design and esteemed collection of artwork, their tour guides must be equally trained (and remember) to speak about the winery and its wines.

Capaldo further underscores the need for balance in the vineyard. When answering a question about sustainable practices, he acknowledges that while they aspire to be organic, the climate makes this impossible to commit to fully. Accordingly, their philosophy is to be sustainable in all things – with a decided emphasis on sustaining the vines themselves. In this regard, he notes that there is often a need to replant every 30 years or so in organically-certified vineyards. With so many historic vines under his purview – Capaldo proudly shared a photo of the 100+ year-old vines in the Serpico vineyard – he feels the duty to preserve vines not just for decades, but for centuries.

Vinously, the winery provides a balance in the 25 or so wines it creates, offering up the popular and approachable Falanghina, alongside the more structured Greco di Tufo and Fiano d’Avellino wines. Capaldo also balances the need to age the reds for long periods of time before release (adding to his expense and the wine’s price) with getting the wines into the market. But, errs on the side of quality, choosing to age his wines longer than the denomination rules require.

Personally, Capaldo admits that balance is hard. He recognizes that he comes from a background of control and is aiming to do a better job of letting go – taking time for family, allowing others to handle various business matters and letting go of the things beyond his control such as vintage variations and their impact on the wines. Watching him during dinner, it is clear that he practices what he preaches, finding a balance in all things: his wife had accompanied him on this trip (and to the dinner), he carefully selected gluten-free options, barely touched his wines and finished his meal with a decadent chocolate dessert!

TASTING NOTES
When we speak of a great glass of wine, we frequently consider the balance between fruit and tannins, between sweetness and acidity and in not having too much oak or alcohol. The wines of Feudi definitely deliver in being well-balanced wines. My tasting notes are a bit sparse from the evening, but it was a pleasure to be reacquainted with these wines I had last tasted in June 2016.

Feudi di San Gregorio Sannio Falanghina DOC 2017, Campania, Italy
Fresh fruit and floral aromas and flavors, with nice acidity, medium body and just generally easy and fun to drink.

Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo DOCG 2017, Campania, Italy
Grown in high elevation vineyards, the fruit is all hand harvested due to the steep terrain. Despite the lack of oak or skin contact, Greco produces structured wines, with limited fruit character and a beautiful ability to pair well at the table. I enjoyed it equally with the fried zucchini as I did with the duck breast.

Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi DOCG 2013, Campania, Italy
This wine spends 18 months in oak with another 9 months in bottle. It displayed lots of bright acidity, with aromas and flavors of cherry, spice and other red fruit, with firm tannins on the full-bodied palate. It was easier to drink than the Riserva 2012 but I would appreciate it more in the future, when the tannins will have had more time to soften (and deeply regretted that I hadn’t ordered a steak for dinner; Capaldo suggests that the best pairing is lamb, but the evening’s menu did not include any).

Feudi di San Gregorio Piano di Montevergine Taurasi Riserva DOCG 2012, Campania, Italy 
With its longer aging requirements, this wine is aged in oak for 18 to 24 months, with an additional 24 months in bottle, the lengthy period of time stabilizing the wine before its release. Not surprisingly, this wine displayed even firmer tannins and more overt use of oak, but was still redolent of beautiful fruit and acidity.

Celebrating Carpene-Malvolti because life is better with bubbles

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I have always held the personal belief that everything is better that sparkles – water, wine, personalities and diamonds! And, lately, the world seems to agree with me. While consumption of red and white still wine remains flat (pun intended), the consumption of sparkling wine has risen dramatically since 2009 and is expected to grow annually by nearly 6% from 2018-2021, indicating significant increased interest in bubbles.*

But it is important to remember that just because it sparkles, it isn’t necessarily Champagne! Only those wines that come from the specific Champagne region in France deserve that title. And, although  Champagne has certainly become a benchmark for quality sparkling wine, there are lots of other wonderful options out there, many of which come from their own distinct place,  such as Crémant de Bourgogne (Burgundy, France), Cava (Catalonia, Spain) and Prosecco (Veneto and Friuli, Italy). Yes, it is a lot to remember, but there is a method to this “madness.” In fact, it is this combination of terroir (soil, climate, cultivation…) and the production process, which is precisely responsible for the resulting wines.

To add another layer of confusion, there are actually two types of Prosecco: Prosecco DOC and Prosecco Superiore DOCG. While both Prosecco designations are made from the Glera grape, using the Charmat Method (which retains the bouquet of this aromatic variety), the two demarcated areas differ. I won’t belabor these points here because I’ve written about them already (Prosecco, Prosecco Superiore and Slowing Down in Asolo); however, it is important to recognize where Prosecco got its start. And, it is fitting to do so as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Carpène-Malvolti winery and recognize its  important contribution to this wine.

In 1868, viticulturist and winemaker, Antonio Carpenè, crafted the first sparkling wine from what was then called the Prosecco grape, having spent time and effort in perfecting the Charmat method to beautiful effect with the local variety.

Formally trained as a chemist, Antonio was a committed scientist, studying with Louis Pasteur in Montpellier as well as other top scientists throughout Europe in order to expand his knowledge. I suppose given this dedication, one shouldn’t be surprised that Antonio named his sixth-born child, Etile, from the Italian word for ethyl alcohol (and perhaps sealing his fate for a career in the family business). Equally unsurprising, his wife, Teresa, nixed the name Enocianina (meaning oenocyanin,a tannin product from grape skins) for his first daughter, who thankfully was called Maria, instead.

With his background in higher education – Antonio served as a professor of natural sciences at Bosisio College of Monza and at the Royal Agricultural School of Conegliano – he saw the need to apply science and rigorous study to viticulture and enology, and established the first school of its kind in Italy, in 1876.

As the years progressed, Carpenè-Malvolti continued to produce its sparkling wine, first labeling it as Champagne Italiano (a term no longer permitted), until 1924, when Etile changed the name to Prosecco, decades before the creation of the actual DOC. This was also the same year that the Enological School was inaugurated at its current site.

Today, the winery remains within the Carpenè family since its founding, alternating given names from Antonio to Etile, with each subsequent generation. Its current management includes members of the 4th and 5th generation, while a member of the 6th generation (presently only two years old) is potentially poised to take over in the future 😊.

Aside from the family, Domenico Scimone holds the post of General Manager and has been with the company for six years. Despite this relatively short tenure in the company’s history, he is extremely effusive about it and its past. Carpenè’s U.S. importer, Julius Angelini, has actually been involved with the winery for much  longer, having been the first to bring the wine to America in the 1990s.

To commemorate this important milestone, Carpenè is releasing a small production (10,000 bottles) wine, which mimics the original wine in its blend. While Carpenè’s modern wines are all 100% Glera (rules permit up to 15% other grapes), this small batch, called “1924,” will bring together 90% Glera with 10% of other permitted varieties.

Overall, Carpenè-Malvolti has a varied portfolio of both sparkling wines and spirits. Among the sparklers, they produce Prosecco Superiore in Brut, Dry and Extra Dry styles as well as a Cartizze wine (the cru of Prosecco Superiore) and PVXINVM Vino Pucinum, taken from the name given to the local wine by Pliny the Elder during Roman times. In addition, they also make Prosecco DOC, a Traditional Method sparkler and a Rose Spumante (see tasting note below).

*For detailed information and statistics on the rise of sparkling wine production and consumption, please see: OIV State of the Viticulture World Market, Statista Sparkling Wine and Sparkling Wines: global trends and challenges.

TASTING NOTES
I had the opportunity to taste two of its wines at a recent lunch event.

Carpenè-Malvolti 1868 Extra Dry Prosecco di Conegliano NV, Veneto, Italy, $16.00
A really lovely sparkler with a nice, gentle mousse, good fruit on the nose and palate with notes of white flowers, pear and a hint of marzipan, culminating in long length.

Carpenè-Malvolti Rosé Spumante Brut, NV, Veneto, Italy, $17.00
Produced from a blend of local grape, Raboso, from Treviso and Pinot Noir from Trentino, this wine is beautifully dry, with crisp acidity, just a hint of fruit and was perfect  with lunch.

Gaetano Marangelli: A Man on a Mission

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Gaetano Marangelli is a man on a mission. The owner of Cantine Menhir Salento in Italy’s Puglia region, he has been seeking to re-establish indigenous grape varieties since he was a teenager. Today, his mentor has moved on, but Marangelli is still committed to growing grapes such as Minutolo and Susumaniello.

A member of the Muscat family, Minutolo is also known as Fiano bianco, but it is not related to Campania’s Fiano; instead this association is due to the fact that the word fiano means honey/sweet. Like other Muscat varieties, Minutolo offers up pronounced floral and honey aromas. And, thanks to Marangelli’s efforts, this variety is finding new favor; he presently has about 5 hectares planted.

And, his passion for diversity doesn’t stop at grapes. He is currently in the process of comparing and contrasting different chicken varieties to see if there are differences in the resulting eggs. He also grows numerous varieties of basil, believing that different types of the herb go better in some dishes than others. All of the results of these experiments are incorporated into his restaurant menu.

Marangelli’s Puglian property is situated in Minervino di Lecce, just inland from Otrano in the southeastern portion of Puglia. It boasts 10 hectares of vineyards and is home to a 40-hectare organic farm from which he sources much for his aforementioned, on-site restaurant, Origano – Osteria & Store.

As a company, Mehhir Salento dates to 2005, but the estate is much older, with some Primitivo vineyards planted 80+ years ago. The vineyards are currently undergoing conversion to organic viticulture and Marangelli is on track to receive formal certification in 2019.

In the meantime, he continues to pursue his preservation mission and pouring his passion into his winemaking (and his omelettes).

TASTING NOTES

Pietra Rosato 2017 IGP Salento, Puglia, Italy
This blend of Negroamaro and Susumaniello offers up bright aromas of red apple, cranberries and spice. It is dry with good acidity, nice depth and long length, on the palate.

Passo-O 2017 IGP Puglia, Puglia, Italy
During the Crusades, Otranto, situated on the Apian Way, was a door to the Middle East and a church here was the last spot before one left Italy. This wine honors that legacy with its name. Produced from 100% Minutolo, this wine displays aromas and flavors of pear, floral and a hint of dried herbs, along with medium acidity, medium body and long length.

Pietra Salice Salento DOC 2015 Puglia, Italy
Bringing together 80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera, this wine features herbal notes, along with red and black bramble fruits and a hint of oak, with silky tannins and long length.

Anna Pietra Primitivo Susumaniello 2015, Puglia, Italy
Paying tribute to his mother and daughter, both named Anna, this blend of 60% Primitivo 40% Susumaniello sees no oak and, consequently, is a fresher style of red, with ripe black fruit, vibrant acidity and long length.

Prosecco Superiore: The Perfect Partner for Celebrating Your Partner

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While sparkling wine is chiefly associated with New Year’s Eve, I think it is an equally lovely accompaniment to Valentine’s Day! A glass of effervescent bubbles always elevates the occasion and, while it might be a so-called “Hallmark holiday,” there’s no reason not to celebrate love in all of its many forms.

There certainly is no specific sparkler for the holiday, but Prosecco Superiore is a great place to start for several reasons (For more details on what makes Prosecco Superiore so superior, please check out this previous article.) In particular, these Italian bubbles are becoming more well known and thus, easy to find on restaurants’ wine lists and retailers’ shelves. In addition, these wines carry the higher quality designation – DOCG – which signals to your date that you care about them to invest in the good stuff.

But, even better, this isn’t a major investment. These wines are generally priced under $25.00, so your upgrade in quality doesn’t break the bank. Plus, their popularity is well deserved – they are beautifully balanced, with a lovely mousse and floral and fresh fruit flavors such as pear, peach, apple and citrus.

Their lively acidity makes them very food friendly. Hence, they marry well at the table, but are easily well suited as an aperitif to kickoff the dining experience. Or, perhaps to toast an engagement at the end of a meal!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Tasting Notes

BiancaVigna Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut Prosecco Superiore 2015, Veneto, Italy, $23.00
This winery was established in 2004 by the brother and sister team of Elena and Enrico Moschetta. This wine is very floral on the nose with a slight note of spiced pear. It is dry and crisp on the palate, with white flowers, nectarine, pear and long length. It pairs especially well with food due to its vibrant acidity and clean finish.

 

Ruggeri Vecchie Viti Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut Prosecco Superiore NV, Veneto, Italy, $22.00
Produced from vines that average 80 to 100 years old, this wine has been given the designation “Vecchie Viti” (old vines). The nose is redolent of flowers and pears. The slightly off-dry palate displays medium to high acidity, with peach, pear and floral notes, along with long length. With its hint of sweetness, this wine would pair well with spicy foods or with rich, fatty meats.

 

 

Le Colture Fagher Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut Prosecco Superiore NV, Veneto, Italy, $16.00
The “Fagher” is the most modern in style of Le Colture’s Prosecco Superiore offerings, putting it at a
It offers up an intense nose of flowers, pear and slight citrus aromas. On the palate, it is dry with a creamy mousse, along with crisp acidity and citrus and green apple flavors, culminating in long length. Another food friendly option.