Category Archives: Wine

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.

Celebrating Argentine Wines on World Malbec Day

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It’s time to break out the barbecue as we anticipate the arrival of fairer weather and grilling season this weekend. Plus, it’s time to celebrate Argentina’s signature grape variety on World Malbec Day, which takes place on April 17, 2018.

Admittedly, Malbec got its start in southwest France (think Cahors and – to a lesser extent – Bordeaux), having been cultivated in the area since Roman times. But the grape has been quite successful in making a home for itself in the Mendoza region of Argentina.

In fact, Argentina’s long relationship with Malbec dates to 1853 when agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget brought the grape to the New World country, having been hired to run an agricultural school there. On April 17th of that year, a bill was submitted to the legislature to establish the new school and was passed into law by early September. In addition to the school’s influence, Argentina’s early viticulture was also shaped by Italian and French immigrants, who brought their grape growing experience and expertise with them. Moreover, Malbec quickly adapted to its new home, rising in popularity and prominence. However, it wasn’t until 2011 that World Malbec Day took place for the first time.

On its own, this variety offers up fresh fruit aromas of black and bramble fruit and violet, usually joined by oak, vanilla due to barrel aging regimens. It generally produces wines with medium-to-full body, moderate-to-firm tannins and medium-to-high alcohol levels. Malbec grapes grown at the higher elevations found in the Andes Mountains benefit from the good diurnal variation and long hang time, developing thick skins and concentrated flavors.

But, while World Malbec Day is a great excuse to open up a Malbec wine, it is also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Argentina’s wines in all their splendor and diversity. At the 11th edition of the Argentina Wine Awards, well titled as “Breaking New Ground,” 47 wines earned a score of 95 points and 17 wines received trophies: 6 red blends, 5 Malbecs, 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1 Cabernet Franc, 1 Chardonnay, 1 sparkling wine, 1 white blend and 1 sweet wine, proving that Argentina can produce more than just Malbec.

Of course, like wines from elsewhere, Argentine wines can be enjoyed with nearly any cuisine. However, with its adopted home being among the steak capitals of the world, it can be the perfect pairing partner for these wines.

In gearing up for the “holiday,” Hess Family Wine Estates sent out recipes for meals featuring Grilled Tomahawk Steak with Squash And Zesty Watercress Salad (Amalaya recipe) and another for Seared Lamb with Fresh Corn & Quinoa Soup (Colomé recipe), to be enjoyed with its Colomé Malbec 2015, Salta, Argentina, $25.00 (100% Malbec)* and Amalaya Malbec 2016, Salta, Argentina, $16.00 (85% Malbec, 10% Tannat, 5% Petit Verdot) wines. I happily indulged in the recipes, tweaking them a bit to fit our tastes and our pantry.

Specifically, we decided to cook our steaks in our cast iron skillet using a spice rub (we live in a NYC apartment and don’t have access to a grill), substituted a very large sweet potato in place of butternut squash and chose to forgo the other vegetables in the “squash with vegetable chips.” For the watercress salad, we skipped the habanero peppers and used lemon juice instead of lemon zest, with salt, pepper and good quality EVOO.

We also added the corn and quinoa soup to our meal from the Colome menu since it sounded so good. If you can grill your corn, it will definitely add a layer of depth and complexity, but you can just as easily “cheat” like I did and use a bag of frozen corn (much easier than wrestling the kernels off an ear of corn). The recipe calls for white quinoa, but we only had red quinoa and you can use the general quinoa ratio (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water) rather than try to figure out 5.3 oz of quinoa. If you are dairy-free, substitute ghee or olive oil. I also added in some Cayenne pepper to give the soup a bit of a welcome (to us) kick.

All in all, it was a delicious dinner and went quite well with the two Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

TASTING NOTES
Viña Cobos Bramare Marchiori Vineyard Chardonnay 2016, Perdriel/Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina, $42.00
This wine was barrel fermented with native yeasts and underwent malolactic fermentation while in barrel. It then spent 12 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which were new. Despite the oak treatment, the oak character was relatively integrated and balanced, along with rich apple and tropical fruit flavors.

Amalaya Malbec 2016, Salta, Argentina, $16.00
This wine brings together 85% Malbec with 10% Tannat and 5% Petit Verdot. On the nose, the wine shows an intensity of berries, bramble fruit and a hint of smoke, which persist on the dry, full-bodied palate, balanced out with medium+ acidity and  medium+ ripe tannins.

Andeluna Altitud Malbec 2014, Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina, $20.00
Deep inky purple in color, this wine displays berries, oak, vanilla and a hint of earth on the nose. On the palate, it is dry with ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit, joined by some oak and herbal notes, with medium+ acidity, firm tannins, full body and medium+ length.

Colomé Malbec 2015, Salta, Argentina, $25.00
This wine spent 15 months aging in French oak barrels, which comes across as smoke and oak on both the nose and palate, joined by a slight floral note. It offers up good acidity with lots of blackberry and plum flavors, along with an herbal undercurrent and a long finish.

Vincentin Colosso 2014, Luyan de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina, $45.00
A blend of 94% Malbec, with 3% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this wine was aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels. It has an intense woody, red fruit, berries, spice and vanilla nose, which all persist on the dry, medium+-bodied palate, culminating in long length.

Bodega Sottano Reserva de Familia Malbec 2015, Luyan de Coyo, Mendoza, Argentina, $30.00
This wine spent 15 months in new oak (70% French and 30% American) barrels. The wine’s intense nose provides notes of plum, bramble fruit, oak and a hint of perfume, all of which persist on the luscious palate. An intensity of fruit character dominates, but the wine is also very fresh, with balance and long length.

Bodegas Norton Gernot Langes 2012, Luyan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, $100.00
This 80% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc blend has an intense nose of violets, oak, cedar, berries and vanilla. Its palate is dry with a sweet attack of ripe fruit of blackberries, black cherry, firm tannins, full body and long length. It is a powerful and concentrated wine that will improve with bottle age.

Viña Cobos Cocodrilo Corte 2015, Luyan de Cuyo and Valley de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina, $28.00*
Bringing together 77% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Franc, this Bordeaux-style blend is lush with ripe fruit on the nose and palate, redolent of blackberry, black cherry and a woody undercurrent. It shows good acidity, with firm tannins and medium+ body on the powerful and rich palate.

Bodega Luigi Bosca Finca Los Nobles Field Blend Cabernet Bouchet, 2012, Mendoza, Argentina, $70.00*
Produced from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Alicante Bouchet grapes that have been grown together for more than 90 years, at an altitude of 1,050 meters above sea level, this wine is then aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels. This is an elegant, yet powerful wine, with classic Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics. It displays aromas and flavors of blackberry, oak, smoke, herbs and dried flowers with bright acidity, firm tannins, and full body.

Proemio Reserve Syrah Garnacha 2015, Mendoza, Argentina, $20.00
The 50-50 blend was co-fermented before being aged for 12 months in French oak. With aromas of cloves, leather and black cherry, the dry wine then offers up bright acidity, black cherry, oak, spice, firm tannins and long length on its palate. A really lovely wine, especially for the price.

*Argentina Wine Awards Trophy Winner

Food and Wine Fit For Royalty

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Tuscan wine producer Ruffino, which celebrates its 140th anniversary this year, marked the occasion with a pizza party at Emily’s. The event featured a selection of seasonally-inspired cocktails, produced with Ruffino’s Prosecco, as well as a chance to pick one’s favorite pairing among the pizzas and wines.

Emily’s pizzas are categorized by color: reds (tomato sauce), pinks (vodka sauce), greens (tomatillo sauce) and whites (no sauce) and are self-described as Detroit-Grandma style pies. In this regard, they are square-shaped with thick, crispy crusts. And, more to the point, they are delicious.

Although I am generally gluten-free, I give myself a break on vacations and, having just returned from Cancun, chose to extend my GF reprieve to indulge; it was worth every bite!

Among my preferred pies were the Emily, a sauce-free pizza with pistachio, honey, and truffle Sottocenere cheese and the Madre, topped with tomatillo sauce, mozzarella and chorizo. These two pizzas were specifically paired with the Pinot Grigio and Sparling Rose, but we happily enjoyed them with the Chianti Classico.

Beppe D’ Andrea, global brand ambassador of Ruffino Wines, shared the history of the brand as well as that of another traditional Italian product — Margherita pizza. According to D’Andrea, this (now) classic Neopolitan pizza style was created almost 130 years ago in honor of Queen Margherita, who was dining in Naples at the time. Wanting to serve something special for the Queen, the restaurateur crafted an edible Italian flag — red (tomatoes), white (mozzarella cheese) and green (basil) —  on the spot and thankfully, the Queen enjoyed it very much. Emily’s kitchen sent out a sample of this style for us to try as well.

Similarly, Ruffino got its start by being favored by royalty. When the Duke of Aosta visited the winery in 1890 and tasted its wines, he was immediately impressed and placed an order right away. The barrel-aged wine was marked as having been reserved for the Duke (Riserva Ducale) and Ruffino became the official supplier to the Italian royal family. This Chianti Classico Riserva wine was first released commercially in 1927, permitting the masses and not just the monarchy, to buy it. Today, the wine still bears the Riserva Ducale designation and is in the unique situation of having Riserva on the label twice.

I have no tasting notes to share because frankly, I was too busy having a good time, eating pizza fit for a Queen and drinking red wines made for a Duke. But, I have had the Ruffino wines previously and they never disappoint. There is a reason that the winery has been in business for 140 years!

 

A Devil of a Merlot for International Merlot Day

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As Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly notes, national and international wine holidays are actually quite unofficial, but they are certainly a great excuse to drink wine and focus on a specific grape variety or wine category.

Consequently, International Merlot Day, which Puckette traces back to 2011, has a designated date of November 7 and is as good a reason as any to drink more Merlot, particularly if this grape isn’t in your usual repertoire!

No longer widely maligned, Merlot has found renewed favor, which it richly deserves and is among the most popular red varieties in the U.S. This great grape originally hails from France and is wonderful on its own or as part of a blend (especially the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank). Generally, these wines offer up red fruits, coffee and herbal notes, along with good acidity and soft tannins, but the wines will vary depending upon where the grapes are grown.

Merlot adapts well to many climates and has been transported from its ancestral home to almost every wine region across the globe. Within the U.S., the variety does well on Long Island and in Washington State and in California. Worldwide, there are an estimated 660,000 acres of Merlot planted, so there is definitely no shortage of Merlots to try.

To help you get started, here’s one option worth checking out:
Charles Smith The Velvet Devil Merlot 2015, Washington State, U.S., $12.99 (SRP)
With an intense nose showing plum, coffee and meatiness, this wine is dry with very ripe fruit character, medium+ body, medium acidity and present tannins. Flavors of plum, fresh herbs and dried herbs dominate the palate, along with a hint of earth and spice. These latter notes add to the wine’s complexity and give it a fall-weather feel, which may be why it paired so well with roasted butternut squash.

If you still have friends in the anti-Merlot camp, it might be time to find some new friends or you could simply tell them, the devil made me do it.

 

Summer Sippers 2017

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Summertime and the living (and drinking) is easy…

We’ve certainly had an assortment of summer weather this year, from the typical hot and humid heat waves to the cool, wet weather better suited to April and perhaps everything in between.

Consequently, meals have ranged from glorious picnics in the park to the more mundane take-out burgers and fries. But, regardless of what Mother Nature brings, this time of year still has me thinking of lighter wines in the full complement of hues — red, white and rosé.

Drouhin La Foret Chardonnay 2015, Bourgogne, France, $15.00
Joseph Drouhin is a world-renowned Burgundian winemaker, with properties throughout the Burgundy region (and, more recently, in Oregon’s Willamette Valley) Produced in stainless-steel vats, with some of the wine seeing older oak barrels for a short period of time, this wine offers up aromas of smoke, oak, nuts, and apple. It is dry on the full-bodied palate with ripe apple and a hint of nuts, with medium+ acidity and good length.

Valdivieso Valley Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Leyda Valley, Chile, SRP $17.00
This Sauvignon Blanc hails from the maritime climate of Leyda, which results in good acidity. It sports a very herbal nose with bright acidity and medium+ body. It displays distinct citrus and herbal flavors on the palate, culminating with long length.

Ventisquero Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Casablanca Valley, Chile, SRP $15.00
Another Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, this wine one from the similarly cool climes of the Casablanca Valley, but with less herbal characteristics and more ripe citrus and tropical fruit aromas and flavors.

Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Gelblack Qualitätswein Feinherb 2015, Rheingau, Germany, SRP $30.00
Opened and shared during an indoor picnic (during our spell of fall weather), this was a crowd favorite thanks to its beautiful acidity, bright citrus fruit and minerality. There is just a touch of sweetness on the palate, with floral, citrus/candied lemon notes, lime zest and zingy freshness, culminating in long length.

Gratien & Meyer Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé, Loire Valley, France, SRP $15.00
This Cabernet Franc sparkler is beautifully pale salmon in color with a nose redolent of melon and cherries. On the palate, it is dry, with rich, ripe cherry, berry and vanilla notes, a creamy mousse and long length.

 

Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano D.O.C. 2014, Tuscany, Italy, SRP $15.00
An estate-grown blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Canaiolo and 5% Cabernet Franc, this wine offers notes of plum, cherry, spice and oak on both the nose and palate. It is medium-bodied with good acidity and was a nice red option for cooler summer weather.

 

Chateau de Chausse Proves that Provence is not a One-Trick Pony

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Most of the hype surrounding Provence lately has been about its preponderance of rosé, which is only natural given that 89% of its production is pink and that its rosé sales have quintupled over the past five years. However, the region also produces some high-quality whites and reds as evidenced by a tasting with Château de Chausse. As the winery’s General Manager, Franck Bailleul proposed, “The reds from Provence are to be discovered,” and I agree.

Château de Chausse made its New York debut this June having been acquired by real estate developer, Charles S. Cohen, in 2016.  As my friend Charles remarked, “It’s good to be rich.” Cohen made his money in real estate development at the helm of Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation, developing properties in New York, Los Angeles, South Florida and elsewhere. A film buff since his teens, Cohen then added French film distribution to his portfolio (and presumably adding to his fortunes) with the creation of Cohen Media Group in 2008, before deciding that he would like to someday own a vineyard.

As he was quick to admit, Cohen knew his limitations and therefore sought out an estate not in Burgundy, but in Provence since he had always been in love with rosé. Shortly after making his intentions known, a brochure came across his desk and he was soon in pursuit of the Château de Chausse estate in the Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of Provence, close to the glitz and glamour of St. Tropez. After 30 years of ownership, the Schelcher family was ready to sell (and retire) and Cohen was eager to buy.

With well-stocked coffers (Forbes puts Cohen’s net worth at 2.8 billion), the watchword from Cohen to his new colleagues has been quality, a philosophy that permeates throughout the winemaking process, from the vineyards, which are all harvested by hand, to the redesigned labels. They are assisted in this latter effort by Cohen’s current wife, Clodagh “Clo” Margaret Jacobs, who knows more than a thing or two about luxury marketing, having brought Jimmy Choo shoes to the streets of Manhattan.
Aside from the Cohens and Bailleul, the winery is in the capable hands of Laurence Berlemont who quipped, “I came with the furniture,” when asked how the two had found her. In fact, her agronomy consulting firm, Cabinet d’Agronomie Provencale, had been hired by the previous owners and she has been actively involved with Château de Chausse since 2009.

Bailleul describes the 135-acre estate as both a dream and a jewel. Much of the property is given over to a protected forest, with only 37 acres of planted vineyards permitted. Consequently, the vines are surrounded by trees, shielding them from the elements. Moreover, Provence’s near perfect Mediterranean weather makes it relatively easy to grow grapes and the winery is on track to becoming certified organic by next year.

Interestingly, while Cohen expected to purchase a rosé-centric estate, Château de Chausse  divides its production among reds (45%), whites (15%) and rosé (40% ). With a limited production of only 70,000 bottles annually, Château de Chausse wines will only be available in New York, Paris and Provence. ™
TASTING NOTES
Château de Chausse Blanc 2016 Côtes de Provence, France
This 100% Rolle (aka Vermentino) is crafted from grapes harvested on two separate occasions, one week apart, yielding a wine with pronounced floral, citrus and peach aromas. On the palate, it is rich and round, with very ripe tree fruit, but beautifully balanced with high acidity, medium+ body and long length.
NB: Berlemont advised that this wine is capable of aging for three to four years, at which point, the wine will be redolent of apricots and almonds.

Château de Chausse Rosé 2016 Côtes de Provence, France
With its barely perceptible pink hue, this wine offered up berries and melon on the nose, which persisted on the dry palate. Good acidity.

Château de Chausse Diamant Blanc 2016 Côtes de Provence, France
This wine represents a new approach for the winery, which made a small (1,000 bottles) trial of fermenting and aging Rolle in barrel. The oak treatment is evident on the nose, with smoky and oaky aromas, co-mingled with citrus and tree fruit. Yet, despite the obvious oak, the barrel notes are well integrated on the palate and the wine itself is quite elegant.

Château de Chausse Rouge 2013 Côtes de Provence, France
Enigmatically, there was a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in Provence during the early 1990s and it accounts for 50% of this wine, with the other half being Syrah. Aromas of meat, spice and red fruit greet the nose, with red and black fruit, herbal and vanilla notes on the palate. Given their structure, Château de Chausse holds its reds back until they are ready to drink and consequently, 2013 is the vintage currently in the market.

Château de Chausse Rouge 2012 Côtes de Provence, France
Although it contains the same 50% Cabernet Sauvignon-50% Syrah blend as the previous wine, the 2012 is more Syrah-like in nature with more pronounced earth and leather aromas and flavors. It is still fresh and fruity despite its age, with long length.

Château de Chausse Rouge 2011 Côtes de Provence, France
The 2011 was starting to show some development on the nose with dried fruit and vanilla aromas. On the palate, the acidity was still bright and the tannins were well resolved.

Château de Chausse Rubis Rouge 2013 Côtes de Provence, France
The flagship Rubis, produced in small quantities (1,200 bottles) is essentially a monovarietal Syrah, but since AOP rules require the presence of another grape, it also contains 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a powerful, full-bodied wine with smoke, leather, meat and very ripe red fruit on the nose and palate, culminating in long length and a woodiness in the finish.

Château de Chausse Rubis Rouge 2010 Côtes de Provence, France
This older vintage of Rubis was still quite powerful with firm tannins and a darker fruit profile.

Terlato launches next chapter in Pinot Grigio story with Italy’s Simonit & Sirch

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They wear plaid and are forced to check their pint-sized chainsaws in their luggage when they travel. They are the SVU – Special Vine Unit – not the investigators of crimes, but rather the investigators and proponents of healthy grapevines.

The Friuli-born Marco Simonit and Pierpaolo Sirch met in high school, having spent their childhoods running around their respective village farms, both clearly at home in the outdoors. After attending viticultural school, they worked at the Istituto Agrario, went on to other posts and then renewed their acquaintance several years later when they noted that what they had been taught in school wasn’t actually working in the vineyard.

The duo spent considerable time researching and observing what was going on and ultimately developed their trademarked Simonit & Sirch pruning strategies, which seek to promote sap flow and reduce pruning wounds (which are susceptible to disease).

Interestingly, in an age when the words “natural” and “organic” are bandied about as being superior, we tend to forget about the importance of the role of humans in the vineyard. Vineyard pruning practices have not been a major focus; however, as Simonit and Sirch discovered, these practices can limit the health and life expectancy of a vine.

Accordingly, their intervention techniques improve the overall health of the vine, eliminate potential weakness and, when necessary, they eradicate disease with the aforementioned mini-chainsaws. Further, their approach concentrates on saving prized, older vines, which have the capacity to extract the characteristics of the soil, as opposed to the more common alternative of grubbing up diseased vines and replacing them with new plants that will take years to develop quality grapes.

Now they have become celebrity pruners, traveling the globe to save the world’s greatest vineyards and preserve their longevity. As a result, they have a robust client roster that reads like a wine list at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Sometimes they can’t believe it themselves. When famed Sauternes producer, Chateau d’Yquem, came calling, they initially thought it was a prank call!

Several years ago, the pair were introduced to Bill Terlato through a mutual friend, kicking off what was to become a fruitful partnership. At the time, Terlato was ready to write the next chapter of his company’s Pinot Grigio story and was looking for great grapes.

Terlato’s father, Anthony Terlato, was responsible for launching the Santa Margherita brand in the U.S. back in the 1970s, but, despite the profitability of the lengthy Terlato-Santa Margherita partnership (now dissolved), Terlato had become disillusioned with the product. A victim of its own success, Terlato felt that the wine’s quality had diminished over time as quantity was increased to accommodate growing demand. He believes that a product becomes commercial, rather than artisanal, when you make hundreds of thousands of cases.

While the original intent was for Simonit & Sirch to simply supply the contacts for Terlato’s project, they saw the opportunity for their hometown region – Friuli’s Colli Orientali – to gain the global exposure they felt it deserved. Colli Orientali is known for crafting some of the best Pinot Grigio in the world, but, since the region is made up of many, small growers who produce many wines with limited production, it is very difficult for them to get traction in the market.

Thus, the viticulturists decided to participate as full collaborators with Terlato. They underscore that what makes this particular wine project different from others is that not only is the quality of the wine evident, but it is scalable. a situation which Terlato describes as “1 + 1 = 3; We [Terlato] bring the marketability on a global basis.”

Overall, the goal is to produce “Grand Cru quality” Pinot Grigio that is evocative of its place, with both character and ageability. Speaking highly of this much-maligned grape – thanks to the glut of insipid Pinot Grigio on lists and shelves – Simonit stresses that, as a relative of Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio has good genetics and has the capacity to produce excellent wines.

In general, the fruit is sourced and hand harvested at low yields from 20-to-40-year-old vines grown on marl and schist soils on hillside plots. Recognizing the subtle differences among various soil types and microclimates, grapes from different plots are vinified separately and then blended together to produce a balanced and complex wine. As Terlato explains, “We want something distinctive, with complexity, salinity, minerality and length.”

Vintage variation is evident and, while they hope Mother Nature will be kind to them each year, such variation is not discouraged or covered up. The first vintage of the project was 2014 (although they produced Friulano in 2013), which proved to be a challenging harvest. The 2015 vintage was more bountiful, permitting them to expand their reach, which they are growing cautiously, primarily targeting on-premise accounts.

Present production stands at 40,000 cases and Terlato believes that a maximum output of 150,000 cases is feasible before the quality is compromised – a far cry from the current Santa Margherita case production of 700,000 annually.

Time will tell how this newest Pinot Grigio chapter will end, but so far the wine has been well received in the market.

Summer sippers (and others) from Feudi di San Gregorio

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Southern Italy beckons tourists to its rocky beaches and winding coast line. Just south of Naples, the famed Amalfi Coast runs from Sorrento in the north to Salento in the south, encompassing tony towns in between such as Positano and Ravello. But, the local wines crafted further inland are less familiar, which is an unfortunate oversight.

About an hour’s drive from the coast, Campania’s wine growing is centered in the north-central area of the region, near the towns of Avellino and Benevento. Here, the climate is vastly different from the Mediterranean feel of the coast, receiving over 200 days of rain, due to its location in the mountains. Home to Pompeii and Vesuvius, the region offers up volcanic soils.

The emphasis is on indigenous varieties with the main white grapes being the floral Falanghina; the structured Greco; and Fiano, which displays a little of each of the characteristics of the two. Fiano and Greco are both long ripening grapes, usually not picked until October, that keep their freshness despite the long hang time. The best examples of the Greco grape are those from the Greco di Tufo DOCG, so named for being grown in volcanic, chalk soil called tufo. Interestingly, the Greco vines were traditionally planted in separate vineyards (and consequently, on different soil types) from the Fiano vines, with early recognition of their unique terroir affinities, rather than being planted within the same field as was often done in the past.

Among the red varieties, the most prized grape is the indigenous Aglianico, which is best known for the Taurasi DOCG wines produced in the region. By law, Taurasi wines must be aged for a minimum of three years, including one year in barrel (and 4 years with 18 months in barrel for the Riserva wines). While this wine was frequently aged in small barriques, the more recent trend has been toward the use of larger-sized oak vessels.

With its reputation for producing full-bodied, powerful, concentrated, tannic wines, it is said that Taurasi is often called the Barolo of the South. But, when asked about this point when I met him several years ago, Antonio Capaldo, whose family owns Feudi di San Gregorio, suggested that, “Perhaps Barolo is the Taurasi of the North.”

More recently, I had the chance to catch up with Feudi’s young chairman and commercial head. One of the better-known names in the region, the winery just celebrated its 30th anniversary. Established in 1986 in Sorbo Serpico, within the Irpina region, Feudi di San Gregorio is named for Gregory the Great, reflecting the Roman, Greek and papal history of the area.

Among Feudi’s most highly acclaimed wines is its Serpico, crafted solely with Aglianico grapes and produced in limited quantities (only 10,000-12,000 bottles produced annually). Rather than use the Taurasi Riserva DOCG, in a nod to the Supertuscan movement, which saw the birth of fantasy names for many wineries’ top wines, Serpico, takes its name from the town in which Feudi di San Gregorio is situated. The grapes for the wine, harvested over a period of 20 days, come from a single, three-hectare vineyard of pre-phylloxera vines that range in age from 120 to 180 years. Antonio stresses that the pre-phylloxera nature of the vines is as important to the quality of the wine as is the vines’ old age. There are 80 to 90 different clones within this vineyard and the winery has selected 40 of these clones to use in propagating other vineyards.

Now that Feudi has built a strong reputation for its Campanian wines, the company has begun to look elsewhere for expansion. As a staunch proponent of Italy’s southern wine regions, the winery has recently made investments in Basilicata (having purchased Basilisco in 2010), Puglia (with two properties here) and Sicily, with five hectares planted on Mount Etna.

While Antonio is focused on building the business and promoting its wines, the agricultural aspects of Feudi are handled by Marco Simonit and Pierpaolo Sirch. Pierpaolo has been actively involved with the company since 2003 and became managing director in 2009, a post he still holds today.

Having first visited Feudi in 2010, it was a pleasure to reconnect with Antonio and his wines on the first summery day of the season in New York. The two stainless-steel whites and rosé are perfect summer sippers that offer up freshness, complexity and the opportunity to savor some lesser-known varieties, although they work well all-year round. And, while the reds can be enjoyed now, I would suggest you hold them for the fall and winter seasons, since they need time in the cellar anyway.

TASTING NOTES
Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo 2015, Greco di Tufo DOCG, Italy, SRP $25.00
This is an angular wine, with excellent structure and lots of complexity. It offers up good acidity, a full body and concentrated flavors of apricots, peaches, a hint of nuttiness and a lovely salinity that remains in the long finish.

Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino 2015, Fiano di Avellino DOCG, Italy, SRP $25.00 The more feminine of the two, this wine is richer and rounder on the palate, with floral, pear and ripe melon aromas and flavors, culminating in long length. Antonio remarked that it is the more flexible wine with regard to pairing options.

Feudi di San Gregorio Ros’Aura 2016 Rosato, Irpina IGT, Italy, $14.00
Produced from Aglianico grapes, this is a medium-deep hued rose. It is very fresh with aromas and flavors of apricot and citrus, with long length.

Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi 2011, Taurasi DOCG, Italy, SRP $48.00
This wine is released five years after harvest, having spent at least 24 months in bottle before release. It is quite powerful, with red and black fruit notes, joined by oak, toast and minerality. The palate is structural with good acidity and dusty, yet ripe tannins and long length.

Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico 2011, Irpinia IGT, Italy, SRP $99.00
Complex aromas of smoke, oak, meatiness, red fruits and black fruits greet the nose. On the palate, the wine is powerful with lots of ripe, red fruit, and notes of smoke, toast, oak and minerality. It also manages to be quite elegant and pretty despite its power and firm tannins. Needs time to develop; Hold.