Charles Scicolone on Wine (original) (raw)

February 10, 2025 · 5:07 am

Daniele Cernilli (aka Doctor Wine) on the Wine Crisis

Daniele Cernilli addresses the topic of the wine crisis by focusing on the reasons that are causing it. We thus try to understand why the market is trudging along.

We have never seen a sales crisis like this in the wine industry for almost four decades, since the methanol scandal of 1986. The market is trudging along both in Italy and in major foreign countries, and there are many reasons for this.

Woe to the driver

The first, the most recent, is that many are frightened by the tightening of penalties for those who get driving with a blood alcohol content greater than 0.5 mg. The new traffic code provides for even arrest above 0.8, which used to be the maximum threshold for getting behind the wheel. Mind you, drivers should not drink alcohol, in my opinion, and I have personally done so for years. But what is happening is nonetheless worrying for wine consumption and is a reason for the consumer disaffection and for the economy of businesses and restaurants. Let’s not even talk about the problems it poses for wine tourism, which had been growing sharply lately.

Alcohol is dangerous

Second reason: the WHO continues to have its representatives claim that even a small dose of alcohol can be dangerous to health, effectively challenging the concept of “moderate drinking” as unsustainable. Wine is bad for you, in short, and this also scares consumers.

Wine, or the devil

Third reason: there is a lobby against spirits and wine among parliamentarians and in European committees. There are proposals on the inclusion of wording on labels advising against its consumption. If this line were to pass, the CMOs, funds provided, among other things, to promote exports to non-EU countries, such as the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Japan, which are very important for Italian wines, would be in jeopardy. If wine is bad for you, you cannot promote its consumption and facilitate its sale, in short.

The misinformation

Fourth element: some television investigations have questioned aspects related to the transparency of production, sometimes even in the presence of practices that are completely legal, but little known to the general public. The image of the industry has evidently been affected.

Overpriced wines?

Fifth and final element: the increase in prices brought about by inflation and the rising costs of corks, bottles, packaging, transportation, fertilizer, and the like. All of this means that young people are also drinking less for economic reasons, that many consumers are orienting themselves differently as a result, that, for now especially in the U.S., dealcoholic wines are gaining market share, and that sales halfway around the world are stagnating.

These are the issues on the table. For some subdued proposals the appointment is in the next editorial.

The Wine Crisis Part 1

By Daniele Cernilli February 3 2025

February 3, 2025 · 3:35 am

A Banquet for Chinese New Year

2025 on the Chinese calendar is the year of the Snake which began on January 2 and lasts for about 15 days. To celebrate, our friend Roger Chen prepared a memorable feast consisting of traditional dishes, accompanied by wines selected by Tony Di Dio. Here are some of the highlights.

Appetizers:

Tudou Sela (Shanghai Potato Salad)

Xiaocong Ban Doufu (Silken Tofu with Scallion)

Xiang-gan Bocai (Pressed Tofu with Spinach)

Shanghai La Baicai (Shanghai Spicy Cabbage)

Rousi He-ye-bing (Shredded Pork with Lotus Leaf Buns)

Nino Franco Grave Di Stecca-Veneto

Foxen Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay Block UU 2017 Santa Maria Valley

Entree:

Zha Ou-he (Fried Stuffed Lotus Root)

Gongbao Jiding (Kung Pao Chicken)

Huacai Yudoufu (Chinese Cauliflower with Fish Doufu)

Tangcu Liji (Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin)

Xiangchang Fensi (Mung Bean Noodle with Diced Sweet Sausage)

Qiezhi Yukuai (Fish Fillet in Sweet Tomato Sauce)

Yangzhou Chaofan (Yangzhou Fried Rice)

Dessert:

Song Gao ( Steamed Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste & Dates, Raisins, Walnuts, Candied Melon Toppings)

Aveleda Solos De Xisto Alvarinho 2022 Portugal

Gung hei fat choy, Happy New Year and Prosperity!

January 24, 2025 · 2:40 am

Italian White Wine and Dishes to Match

Here are just some of the great Italian White Wines I enjoyed over the last year with dishes to match

Beneventano Falanghina IGT Donnachiara made from 100% Falanghina. The vineyard is the Torre Cuso, the best location for Falanghina. The soil is volcanic, chalky clay, the vines are 16 years old, the training system is guyot and there are 2,500 vines per hectare. The grapes are not destemmed or crushed before pressing. Cold fermentation is in stainless steel and there is extended maceration. This is a crisp white wine with citrus fruit aromas and flavors, nice acidity and good minerality. It’s a pleasure to drink.

Pasta alle vongole — spaghetti with clams

KATÁ IGP Catalanesca Del Monte Somma 100% Catalanesca Cantine Olivella The grapes are carefully selected and hand harvested in the first half of October. Fermentation and maturation is with natural yeast and takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The refining process sur lie, lees contact starts in stainless steel and ends in the bottle after a three month period. The wine has very nice citrus aromas and flavors, with hints of apricot, cantaloupe and acidity. There is a mineral aspect to the wine, which may come from the volcanic soil.

Seafood Salad — mixed seafood with lemon and olive oil dressing

Pallagrello Bianco “Caiati” 2015 Michele Alois 100% Pallagrello Bianco from a 2.13-hectare vineyard at 280 meters, soil is volcanic with minerals. The training system is guyot, there are 4,800 plants per hectare and the harvest is in the middle of September. Fermentation takes place on the lees for 30 days. Malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel controlled temperature vats. The wine remains in the bottle for 4 months before release. It has hints of almonds, citrus fruit, melon and grapefruit with a long finish and pleasing aftertaste.

Pasta with Crab

Capolemole IGT Lazio Bianco made from 80% Bellone and 20% Greco. Marco Carpineti There are 4,500 vines per hectare and the harvest takes place in September. There is a soft pressing of whole grapes and fermentation is at a controlled temperature. The wine is aged in steel. This is a fruity wine with hints of lemon and other citrus.

Pasta with Artichokes and Pecorino Romano

Garganega Soave DOC made from 100% Garganega Sandro De Bruno The production zone is Soave, Roncà-Calvarina. The vineyard is 15 acres at 262 to 452 ft., the exposure is south and the soil is volcanic. There is a manual harvest in small crates during the 3rd week of September followed by a soft press in a nitrogen saturation with a low temperature of 10°C. Before the fermentation, the must is decanted getting rid of the first gross lees. Noble lees are preserved and worked with continuous batonnages for 3 months. Maturation is in stainless steel tanks. The wine has aromas and flavors of citrus fruit, with a hint of white flowers, nice minerality and a touch of peach.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Green Beans and Basil

Le Morette – Azienda Agricola Valerio Zenato Lugana DOC “Mandolara” made from 100% Turbiana grapes from the La Mandolara vineyard on a narrow strip of land on the shore of Lake Garda. The training system is guyot, double and short modified and there are 3,500 plants per hectare. The soil is clayish. Harvest is by hand in the second half of September. After a very soft crushing, vinification takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and the wine remains in the bottle for at least one month before release. This is a fresh fruity wine with hints of apple, peach pear and a touch of bitter almonds in the finish. The name of the wine comes from a particular protected species of wild ducks which nest in Lake Frassino. The ducks are the symbol of the farm. I visited the winery a few years ago and was very impressed with all of the wines.

Stuffed Pizza with Broccoli and Cheese

Lugana Superiore DOP Madonna Della Scoperta made from 100% Turbiana from the hills of Lonato dei Garda at 150 to 250 meters. The soil is calcareous clay of morainic origin and the vines are 20 years old. The vineyards are at 150 to 250 meters and the training system is guyot. Harvest is by hand in September. There is a thermal conditioning of the grapes at 10C and then a careful selection of the grapes followed by a soft pressing of whole grapes. Fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at 15C for 8 to 10 days. Aging is in stainless steel tanks and in barrels. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, green apples, and peach, with a hint of white flowers and a touch of almond in the finish.

Sicilian Seafood Couscous

Sea food

January 17, 2025 · 2:57 am

Italian Red Wine and Dishes to Match

At the beginning of this new year, I looked back at just some of the great Italian wines I enjoyed over the last year, each one matched with a favorite dish.

l Frappato Vittoria Frappato Sicily DOC 2020 Valle Dell’ Acate (southeast corner of Sicily) made from 100% Frappato. There are 80 hectares of organically cultivated vineyards. The vineyards are at 100 meters and the soil is black, relatively compact and riddled with white stones. The soil structure makes it possible for plant roots to oxygenate freely, extending down deep into the ground. There are 5,000 plants per hectare and the training system is espalier. Harvest takes place the first week of September. The wine is aged in steel vats for 6 months and in bottle for at least 3 months before release. This is a fresh aromatic wine with hints of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, with a hint of violets and a touch of sage.

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

Duca Enrico IGT 2012 Duca di Salaparuta (Corvo) made from 100% Nero d’Avola grapes grown in South Central Sicily. Soil is a mixture of calcareous-siliceous composition. The vineyard is at 200/300 meters and the vines are bush trained. There are at least 5,000 plants per hectare. Grapes are hand picked at full ripening and then destemmed. Maceration at 28/30 degrees for 8/10 hours followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged in oak casks for 18 months and then 18 months in bottle before release. First vintage was 1984 and it was the first 100% Nero d’Avola to be bottled in Sicily. The wine has hints of ripe dark-skinned fruit, blackberry jam, ripe black cherry, a hint of leather and a note of licorice.

Braised Quail with Prosciutto and Sage, Mashed Potatoes and Artichokes with Peas

Negroamaro Salento IGP Rosso 2013 “Patriglione” Cosimo Taurino made from 100% Negramaro from 40 to 50 year old vines. The vineyard is 15 hectares with a east/west exposure, flat elevation and the soil is calcareous. There are 6,000 plants per hectare and the training system is spurred Apulian small trees. The grapes are picked late the second week of October. The fermentation tanks are vitrified concrete and there is an automatic cooling system. Fermentation is for 10/15 days with 8/12 days skin contact.This is a wine that will age for many years. It has hints of dry black fruit, blackberries blueberries, prune and raisins. I have been drinking the wines from Cosimo Taurino for many years.

Sausages from Puglia with Potatoes

Chianti Classico 2021 Lilliano made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. After the quality-selected clusters are destemmed and pressed, the must is fermented and macerated in stainless steel for 18-20 days at a controlled temperature with programmed punch-downs and daily pumpovers. Maceration fermentation takes place in concrete and small stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 18-20 days depending on the vintage. The wine ages for about 12 to 14 months in large casks of French oak and partly in concrete. After maturation, the final blend is assembled, bottled and aged in glass for a minimum of 3 months. This is a wine with hints of red fruit, cherry, violets and a touch of cassis.

Braised Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers and Black Olives

Monsanto Chianti Classico “IL Poggio” made from 95% Sangiovese and 5% Colorino and Canaiolo. The training system is guyot and spurred cordon. The wine is vinified in temperature controlled conical steel vats. Delestage and pumping over for about 20 to 22 days. The wine is aged in 500 liter oak barrels, partly new and partly secondhand for 18 to 20 months. The wine remains in the bottle for 2 years before release. The wine has hints of blackberries and blueberries with a hint of violets. Monsanto is located in the western-central area of the Chianti Classico region in the municipality of Barberino Tavarnelle.Grilled steak

C armignano 2017 Capezzana by Conte Contini Bonaccossi Villa di Capezzana. Made from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The elevation is 180/220 meters and the soil is clay, limestone, schist and marl. The age of the wines is 20/40 years and the training system is guyot cordon spur. There are 4,500 vines per hectare and they use organic farming practices. Fermentation is with native indigenous yeast. There is a 13 day extended maceration period. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French tonneaux. Aging: 60% in 2nd and 3rd or 4th passage French oak tonneaux, 10% in new French oak tonneaux and 30% in 5/30 year old untoasted Allier or Slavonian 24 HL barrels for 12 months. The wine is aged for another 12 months in bottle before release. This is an elegant wine with hints of red berries, a note of blueberries and a touch of violets. I have a long history with this estate going back 40 years. This is a wine that can age. I had the 1985 last month.

Pork Loin Tonnato

Venegazzú Della Casa Azienda Agricola Loredan Gasparini DOC Montello Venegazzu 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon 60% is always predominant and combined with a good part of Merlot 25%, and a small amount of Cabernet Franc 10% and Malbec 5%. The vineyards are at 150 to 400 meters and the soil is red, clayey and rich in minerals. Grapes are hand-picked. Maceration with skin contact for 8 days and fermentation in steel tanks for about 10 days at controlled temperature. Malolactic fermentation takes place.

The wine is aged for 18 months in large 25hl large Slavonian oak barrels before being bottled and placed on the market. The wine drinks like a Bordeaux with hints of black cherry, plum, cassis, tobacco, licorice, herbs, and mushrooms. It continues the blending tradition of the Gasparini Estate. When introduced in 1951 it was one of the first Cabernet and Merlot blends in Italy. The wine can age and is a bargain at $26

Pizza with Mozzarella, Prosciutto and Basil

Capo di Stato DOC Montello Venegazzu’ Superiore Riserva della Casa 2019, Azienda Agricola Loredan Gasparini Capo di Stato starts life in a selection of grapes, from the historic “100 plants” vineyard. This vineyard is located in Venegazzù 40km north of Venice in the province of Treviso, where the Montello terroir confers its unique character. The grapes are from two vineyards, the original or mother vineyard planted in 1940, and a second vineyard planted in 1990 using a selected clone of the mother vineyard.

The grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec from old clones. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. It changes from year to year depending on the vintage. The vineyard is at 90 to 120 meters and the soil is red, clayey, rich in iron and minerals. The grapes are hand harvested. Maceration on the skins with fermentation in oak vats at a partially controlled temperature with complete maceration. The wine is aged in large oak barrels 25 hl and new French oak barriques for 30 months. The wine remains in bottle for 12 months before release. This is a full bodied, complex and balanced wine that has deep aromas of very ripe fruit, blackberry, blueberry, black currents, hazelnuts and sweet spices with a touch of licorice. It has a pleasing aftertaste and a long finish. This is a wine that needs a lot of the time. $60.

Roast Rack of Lamb with Crushed Potatoes and Green Beans

Freisa D’Asti Superiore DOC Arvelé 2018 Cascina Gilli made from 100% Freisa D’Asti from the Cornareto Cru inside the Romanesque Astigiano. The best grapes are selected from the slopes facing south/southwest at 360 meters. The soil is rich in sand particles with good drainage. There are 4,100 plants per hectare with vines up to 40 years old. Training system is traditional trellised, head trained with replacement cane pruning-guyot. The harvest is in October, when the grapes are slightly overripe. The production aim is to maximize the extraction from these overripe grapes, with a very high skin-pulp ratio. 10 days of maceration to extract a lot of color and aroma compounds and precursors, soft and ripe tannins. The wine is aged for 18 months in French barrels and at least 12 months in bottle. It has hints of ripe fruit, jam, pepper, and coffee with a touch of leather and a balsamic note.

Cotechino Sausage with Lentils

Barbaresco DOCG 2016 ‘Manzola’ Nada Fiorenzo made from Nebbiolo (Lampia and Michet) from Manzola in the commune of Treiso in Piedmont. The vines were planted in 1998 and the soil is calcareous-clayey with sandy outcrops. Exposure is southwest at 230 meters. Manual harvest followed by a soft pressing of the grapes and separate vinification for each single parcel. There are no herbicides and other invasive vine protection products used and there is a return to old practices such as hand-hoeing. Aging is in oak for 24 months and in bottle for 6 months before release. The wine has hints of cherry, licorice, leather, tea, and a hint of spice. It is a wine that can age.

Borlotti beans with pork skin and tomatoes

Südtirol-Alto Adige DOC Select Lagrein Gries Riserva 2021 Rottensteiner made from 100% Lagrein which grows in three vineyards in the center of Bolzano Gries where there are deep sedimentary soils with more than 30 year-old grapevines. The training system is guyot. Vinification is in French barriques. This is a full bodied red wine hints of violets, chocolate, blackberries and a touch of tobacco. The owner told me that the tradition and modernity of the Rottensteiner family finds its clearest expression in this wine.

Roast Pork with Pork Ribs, Braised Red Cabbage and Mashed Parsnips

Turchetta Veneto IGT 2020 made from 100% Turchetta. Corte Carezzabella. The training system is Sylvoz. Manual harvest takes place the 3rd week of October. Destemming and pressing of the grapes, then fermentation/maceration at a controlled temperature and the wine is in contact with the skins for 21 days. Aging is in concrete and in bottle until it is released. The wine has hints of cherry, blackberries, violets and a touch of spice. Turchetta is a local red grape found around the Rovigo area. There are very few hectares under cultivation.

Pasta with Tomato and Meat Sauce

January 4, 2025 · 2:33 am

Wine and Memory by Tom Maresca

My first attempt at posting this article by Tom Maresca was not completely legible, so here, I hope is a corrected version.

Tom Maresca is an old friend and one of the best wine writers. I have long been a fan of his blog, and was very sorry to learn that his latest post will be his last. This final post is especially meaningful for me since I was fortunate to enjoy the dinner and the wines he describes. Thank you, Tom, for many years of informative writing!

Wine and Memory by Tom Maresca on December 30, 2024

Certain wines just live in your memory, always on call when wanted, and sometimes intrusive when uncalled for. One unforgettable, wonderful wine for me is Avvoltore, a wine from the Tuscan Maremma, a blend of mostly Sangiovese (it’s truly Tuscan, so what else?) and about 10% Cabernet sauvignon.

As Christmas approached this year, Avvoltore danced in my head, bringing along with it memories of my decades-ago visit to Moris Farms (the Spanish-English name of a fine Tuscan winery) and its wild boar-hunting, boar-raising producer, Adolfo Parentini.

At the winery, Parentini poured his Avvoltore for me and a few other journalists to accompany his stufato di cinghiale – boar stew – and that forceful wine and that delicious, gamy meat were a marriage made in heaven. No question: I had to taste that combination again.

Well, thanks to D’Artagnan for the boar, some assiduous work on Wine Searcher for the Avvoltore (I lucked into a pair of bottles of the 1997 vintage, a very great year in Tuscany) and the enthusiastic cooperation of Diane for the cooking, our Christmas menu was set.

A few old friends joined us for the meal. We started lightly, with parmigiano flans lapped with tomato sauce. With them, we drank a 2004 Boca from Vallana, a lovely, beautifully balanced wine that easily handled the smooth richness of the flan and the acidity of the tomato sauce. This too was a wine of nostalgia: Diane and I used to drink a lot of those northern Piedmont wines, especially those from Vallana (Wonderful Spannas from Vallana!) back in the days when Vallana’s wines were better distributed in the US than they are now. Where are the snows of yesteryear, eh?

Then we proceeded to the main course. The dish and its interplay with the wine were every bit as marvelous as I remembered. The boar stew was as rich and gamy as you could wish, and the 27-year-old Avvoltore was amazing – incredibly young and vibrant, with deep, complex flavors of Maremma-grown Sangiovese understrapped by dark Cabernet tannins.

How to convey some sense of this? The wine’s color was deep garnet, clear and bright. Its nose intensely earth-and-dried-cherries, very big and pure. On the palate it was limpid and astonishingly fresh, deeply cherry-and-plum, with very soft tannins – a lot of them – and a long, long finish. A perfectly balanced wine, poised and composed, dominated by mature fruit flavors, interwoven with dark, earthy undertones.

That was an incredible dinner – pure enjoyment on every palatal level. You can dream all you want about white Christmases – I’ll take the memory of a red wine this fine every time.

* * *

And with that, dear friends, this blog too will pass into memory. This is my last post – no pun intended and no taps, please. I began the blog more than 15 years ago so I could write about wines and events that I was interested in and magazine editors weren’t; and so I could tell wine lovers about wines and makers and regions they might not otherwise hear about. I emphatically did not want it to be reports on what I drank yesterday – yet that is what, inevitably, it has become.

I’m almost 87 years old, and I was not a very great vintage to start with. I’m no longer an active wine journalist, so I don’t now have access to the tastings and trips (even if I were capable of them) that gave me the kind of information I can pass on to you. I’ve enjoyed writing recently about some of the more interesting – to me, at least – wines in my cellar and in my memory, but I can no longer provide the kind of useful information it was my original intention to offer. So it’s clear to me that it’s more than time for me to retire my quill pen, cap my inkwell, and say farewell. It has been a long ride, and great fun for me. I hope you have enjoyed it too.

Happy New Year, and many of them! Continue drinking good wine, no matter what your doctor tells you.

January 3, 2025 · 4:35 am

Wine and Memory by Tom Maresca

Wine and Memory by Tom Maresca on December 30, 2024

That was an incredible dinner – pure enjoyment on every palatal level. You can dream all you want about white Christmases – I’ll take the memory of a red wine this fine every time.

* * *

Happy New Year, and many of them! Continue drinking good wine, no matter what your doctor tells you.

December 27, 2024 · 3:35 am

A Sparkling New Year

**There is a sparkling wine for every occasion and at every price point. Here is a list of sparkling wines that I have tried over the last 12 months for you to enjoy in the New Year. FIOL Prosecco DOC Extra Dry Made from 100% Glera using the Charmat Method. The winery has access to the best growers. Fruit is selected from about 2,300 farmers, accounting for a combined 6,000 hectares (upward of 14,800 acres) of vineyards and terroirs to achieve the perfect blend. Fermentation lasts for 40 days. “FIOL”means “son” in the Venetian dialect, but these days is more commonly understood to denote a natural leader or friend within a group who happens to stand out. The drive behind FIOL was to produce Prosecco in the authentic style, from the Prosecco heartland in Treviso. The wine has hints of acacia, crab apple and pear with a touch of spice and a note of lemon. Residual Sugar 16 g/l. Alcohol 11% $19

Note: The FIOL label was named “Coolest Wine Label in the World” by Forbes.com in 2015. Designed by FIOL co-founder Gian Luca Passi, it features five vertical lines, both a stylized nod to the poles used to support the vines, and a reference to tradition and modernity.

Valdo Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut made from 90% Glera and 10% Chardonnay from the Valdobbiadene hills at 200 to 300 meters with a southern exposure. There is a soft pressing followed by fermentation with selected yeasts at a controlled temperature. Produced using the sparkling process know as the Martinotti-Charmat method at a controlled temperature of 61-64F, with subsequent aging on the lees in autoclave for a total of 5 months. Alcohol 11.5 %. The wine has hints of pear, golden delicious apple and floral notes. $24

B_erlucchi ’61_ Extra Brut made from 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Nero. Harvest is from the middle ten days of August to the first ten days of September. There is a gradual pressing of clusters with fractioning of the must. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in steel vats. The Cuvee is assembled in the spring following the harvest and undergoes a second fermentation in bottles. The wine is aged for a minimum of 24 months on the lees followed by 2 months after disgorgement. The wine has hints of citrus, apple, pear, peach with a touch of brioche and zesty acidity. $38

Note: It all began when Guido Berlucchi asked Franco Ziliani for help. Ziliani suggested they make sparkling wine as the French do. In 1961 they produced the first vintage Pinot di Franciacorta. It was the first Metodo Classico sparkling wine produced in Franciacorta. The “61” line is a tribute to the “birth” of Franciacorta. The winery is now run by Ziliani’s three children.

B**erlucchi** ’61 Rosé Brut NV made from 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from the best vineyards in the 19 municipal areas of Franciacorta. The harvest takes place from the middle ten days of August to the first 10 days of September. There is a gentle, gradual pressing of clusters with fractioning of the must; alcoholic fermentation in steel vats. A few hours’ maceration of the Pinot Noir on the skins (rosé maceration) to emphasize the aromas and hue of the grape assemblage. The assemblage of the cuvée is in the spring following harvest with the contribution of 5% of reserve wine consisting of the previous year’s cuvée aged in stainless steel for one year. Second fermentation takes place in the bottles and maturation sur lie for a minimum of 24 months followed by an additional 2 months after disgorgement. Residual sugar 6.5g/l. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, cherry, strawberry, brioche and a touch of spice.” $48

T_rento DOC_ Ferrari “Perlè” Methodo Classico 2017 made from 100% organic Chardonnay from vineyards at 300 to 700 meters with a southeast or southwesterly exposure. The soil is loose, not too deep, and made of volcanic and glacial deposits. There are 4,500 to 5,500 plants per hectare. Harvest is by hand from the middle of September. Fermentation and aging is in stainless steel and the wine remains on the lees for 6 months. This is an elegant well-balanced wine with hints of apple, almonds, and a touch of brioche. I was very impressed by this wine. Residual sugar is 6g/l. $49

Dosaggio Zero Cantina Isera 907 made from 100% Chardonnay. The vineyard is at 500 to 600 meters and the training system is pergola/espalier. The soil consists of glacial deposits of various origin, mainly carbonatic with basalt compounds and local basalt. The soil is tendentially deep, with sandy loamy texture, and diffused skeletons mainly consisting of gravel and mostly loamy sands. Training system is simple Pergola Trentina/ Guyot and the harvest is by hand in September. White wine vinification with soft pressing of the grapes and subsequent fermentation in steel and barrel. Partial malolactic fermentation takes place. After a least six months of aging with yeasts in the cellar, the bottle fermentation takes place. The wine ages on the lees for 40 months. Disgorgement takes place takes place and the bottle is refilled without sugar fully respecting the character and expression of the cuvee. $40

Champagn Charles Heidsieck Brut Resere made from 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier from 50% reserve wi**v**nes. Of the 60 Champagne crus chosen to produce this cuvée, 3 are pillars of the Réserve style. Oger: (Grand Cru Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs) gives it its fleshy and generous notes. Ambonnay: (Grand Cru Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims) is synonymous with power, structure and fruity notes. Verneuil: (Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne) ensures its balance and smooth texture. Vinification varietal by varietal in stainless steel vats with 5 to 10% of the wine vinified in old Burgundy barrels. It has hints of freshly baked brioche, mango, apricot, plum, dried fruits with a touch of pistachio and almond. $69

Krug Grande Cuvée 170 EME Edition Champagne made from 45/55% Pinot Noir, 15/20 Pinot Meunier and 25/35 Chardonnay–the percentage depends upon the vintage. The blend is made from 195 wines from 12 different vintages, the youngest from 2014 and the oldest from 1998. It is aged for seven years in the cellars. All Krug Champagnes are aged in used small oak barrels. They are all prestige cuvees made from Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages and are aged longer before release. The overall rating for the vineyards is 98% with Krug’s own vineyards rating 100%. This is a Champagne with hints of dried citrus fruit, gingerbread, hazelnuts and almonds, a note of honey and a touch of brioche. It has a long finish and a wonderful aftertaste. Fantastic! This is Michele’s favorite Champagne. $289

Moscato D’Asti “Nivole” DOCG 2022 Michele Chiarlo The vineyards are in the historical area most suited for Moscato Bianco. The soil is of sedimentary marine origin, white and sandy. Training system is guyot and the exposure is south-east/southwest. Manual harvest. There is a soft pressing of the entire grape and the must is stored in a tank at 2 degrees C followed by a slow fermentation in an autoclave at a controlled temperature until a 5% alcohol level is achieved. During this process, a part of the carbon dioxide developed during fermentation remains entrapped, giving the wine its mild, natural effervescence. Before bottling, the wine undergoes a process of microfiltration to give the wine its clarity, purity, and to stop and further fermentation of the yeasts. It is creamy with hints of subtle tropical fruit, peach and apricot with a very pleasing finish and long aftertaste. Residual sugar 120 g/l. $16 half bottle

R_eggiano Lambrusco NV “Concerto” 2019_ Medici Ermette (Produced at Tenuta La Rampata in Modena) Red wine, dry and lightly sparkling and fermented naturally. Made from 100% Lambrusco di Sorbara. The training system is cordon speronato and the soil is clayey. The wine is certified organic. It has hints of red fruit, strawberry, raspberry and cherry. The wine is dry and fruity with a clean finish and pleasing aftertaste. Concerto is the world’s first single vineyard vintage Lambrusco. It is served lightly chilled. $26

Happy New Year to All!

December 23, 2024 · 4:18 am

Wine for Chocolate

November 30, 2024 · 3:07 am

Cocktails by Pegasus Distillerie

Cocktails have become a very big part of the dining scene in NYC. Many restaurants now have a long list of cocktails and even have the same cocktail in many different versions. Recently I was invited by Pegasus Distillerie to taste three cocktails at the Apotheke Nomad in NYC.

“Grounded firmly in terroir, at Pegasus we draw inspiration from the starry sky,” is the motto of Pegasus Distillerie.

Pegasus Distillerie is a premium spirits brand based in Meursault, France. The Distillery was founded in 2021 by Master Distiller Maxime Girardin, whose winemaking heritage spans three generations.

Eau d’Or Liqueur is a blend of flavorful ingredients such as oranges, lemons, and orange blossoms.

_Orion Gin i_s made from the fusion between five carefully selected botanicals distilled separately for a precise and refined creation.

_Pegasus Vodka_has a distinctive smoothness and freshness. It is a blend of high quality ingredients from France made with cutting edge distillation technologies.

The Cocktail Menu

“La Emilia”

2 fl oz Pegasus Vodka

1/2 fl oz Eau d’Or Liqueur

1/2 oz simple syrup

1 fl lime juice

5 to 6 fresh mint leaves

Shake and strain into cocktail glass

Add Eau d’Or Liqueur foam

Decorate with fresh mint leaves and lime zest

Best Intentions is a blend of Orion Gin, hemp milk, egg whites and Apo Libido bitters.

Clouded Summer is a blend of Pegasus Vodka, Eau D’Or Liqueur, lemon curd, Champagne and thyme.

Making the Cocktails

Try Pegasus Distillerie cocktails for the holiday season.

November 23, 2024 · 3:16 am

The Wines of Azienda Agricola Loredan Gasparini

Venegazzú Della Casa and Capo di Stato are wines from Azienda Agricola Loredan Gasparini that have been among my favorites for a long time. I visited the Gasperini Estate some years ago and was impressed by all their wines. When I was invited by Nunzio Cataldo of Panebianco Imports to a tasting of their wine, I was only to happy to attend.

The winery is now owned the Palla Family and the speaker was Lorenzo Palla, Director of the company.

Lorenzo started by describing the terroir. Alta Marca Trevigiana is the hill area of Treviso territory (50 km north of Venice), and it includes Asolo and Montello. Montello is a hill elevation of elliptical shape, 13 km long and 5 km wide. It is constituted of red earth which includes conglomerates of calcareous cobblestones, porphyry and granite kneaded with clay, which is rubble coming from Piave River and the Alps erosion. The highest point is situated 371 meters above sea level. The total extension of the Montello area is about 6000 hectares, divided in 5 different town districts: Crocetta del Montello, Giavera del Montello, Montebelluna, Nervesa della Battaglia, and Volpago del Montello.

Venegazzù is a sub-appellation of Montello DOC. This is the place where the winery was born. Surrounded by vineyards, the splendid Palladian Villa Spineda rises with its beauty and majesty, a XVIII century work of the architect F.M. Preti. There is also a farmhouse with the winery which mainly cultivated with red grapes including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec varietals.

Venegazzù is in the western part of the Montello. Lorenzo said the history of the winery is the story of men. The first of these was Count Piero Loredan Gasparini, a direct descendant of Leonardo Loredan, Doge of Venice, the city’s highest office. The winery was founded around 1950 by the Count who established his residence in the gorgeous Palladian villa. Piero Loredan Gasparini was a charismatic figure who, after making a visit to Bordeaux in France, decided to bring Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, and Malbec to the Montello area in order to produce a new wine that he could tell the whole world about. He turned his dream into reality, to the extent that in the 1960s, it even won over French President Charles De Gaulle.

The winery was bought in 1972 by Giancarlo Palla, Lorenzo’s father. Lorenzo said his family are vine growers and custodians of the history of the Venegazzù di Volpago del Montello zone, a natural oasis 50 km from Venice, a city that has always had a special relationship with the Treviso hills. This area has been historically devoted to the production of fine wines since back in 1590. According to his philosophy of respecting and enhancing the bond between varietals and territory, Giancarlo brought to the zone, which was traditionally linked with red wines, the culture of sparkling wine production. He was the first to realize that the Montello is an extraordinary site not only for full-bodied, long-lived wines, on which he continues to focus, but also for vibrant sparkling wines.

Giancarlo’s last vintage was in 1997. Lorenzo makes the wine the same traditional way as his father, except he has done more to improve the vineyards.

Today they also produce sparkling wines, both Metodo Classico and Prosecco.

We started the tasting with Prosecco.

Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG made from 100% Glera. This original CUVÉE INDIGENE derives from a selection of the best grapes from the old “Belvedere Vineyard” a plot dating back to 1969. The production zone isVenegazzu’, Montello, near Treviso, in the Northeast of Italy; altitude 150-400 mt asl. Red soil, clayey, rich in iron and minerals.

Apart from the characteristics of the grapes used which stem from old Glera clones, another feature of this cuvée is the natural winemaking method used. The grapes are hand-picked. There is a cold maceration and subsequent fermentation in controlled temperature steel tanks. A selection of the yeasts grants top quality vintage after vintage with a very slow second fermentation in autoclave for more than 2 months.

This is a full bodied, rich Prosecco with hints of citrus fruit, lemon, pineapple, apple, peach and a touch of brioche. It is one of the best Prosecco’s I have tasted. $18

Venegazzú Della Casa DOC Montello Venegazzu 2019 / 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon 60% is always predominant and combined with a good part of Merlot 25%, and a small amount of Cabernet Franc 10% and Malbec 5%. The vineyards are at 150 to 400 meters and the soil is red, clayey and rich in minerals. Grapes are hand-picked. Maceration with skin contact for 8 days and fermentation in steel tanks for about 10 days at controlled temperature. Malolactic fermentation takes place.

The wine is aged for 18 months large 25hl large Slavonian oak barrels before being bottled and placed on the market. The wine drinks like a Bordeaux with hints of black cherry, plum, cassis, tobacco, licorice, herbs, and mushrooms. The wine continues the blending tradition of the Gasparini Estate. When introduced in 1951 it was one of the first Cabernet and Merlot blends in Italy.

This is a wine that can age and a real bargain for the price at $25. Lorenzo said 2018 was a good vintage and 2019 was an excellent one.

Capo di Stato DOC Montello Venegazzu’ Superiore Riserva della Casa 2019, 2018, 2012, 2006 and 1997. Capo di Stato starts life in a selection of grapes, from the historic “100 plants” vineyard. This vineyard is located in Venegazzù 40km north of Venice in the province of Treviso, where the Montello terroir confers its unique character. The grapes are from two vineyards, the original or mother vineyard planted in 1940, and a second vineyard planted in 1990 using a selected clone of the mother vineyard.

The grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec from old clones. Lorenzo said the blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. It changes from year to year depending on the vintage. The vineyard is at 90 to 120 meters and the soil is red, clayey, rich in iron and minerals. The grapes are hand harvested. Maceration on the skins with fermentation in oak vats at a partially controlled temperature with complete maceration. The wine is aged in large oak barrels 25 hl and new French oak barriques for 30 months. The wine remains in bottle for 12 months before release. This is a full bodied, complex and balanced wine that has deep aromas of very ripe fruit, blackberry, blueberry, black currents, hazelnuts and sweet spices with a touch of licorice. It has a pleasing aftertaste and a long finish. This is a wine that needs a lot of the time. The 2012 was showing very well and the 2006 was drinking now but the 1997, the last vintage of Lorenzo’s father, was my favorite. Current vintage about $60.

Note: Count Loredan, after several years of production of high quality wines, decided to make a special reserve of Venegazzù Red Wine in the 1960s. The focus on quality, limited quantities and special vintages, created a wine that was soon sought after for special regional occasions. The idea that a world-class, local wine could be served at state functions was greatly appreciated in Venice. Among its first fans was the French President Charles de Gaulle, the president of France at the time, who enjoyed it on his 1967 visit. This event gave the wine its name “Head of State” in honor of this success.

Speaking about the label Lorenzo said that in the history of man, wine and art undoubtedly enjoy a sublime bond. In 1967 the famous Italian artist Tono Zancanaro (1906-1985) dedicated two sensual works to the elegant “Riserva” of Count Loredan which express the dual male and female soul. To his mind the “grape” (feminine) becomes “wine” (masculine). The two fused into the same essence. From that moment “_Des Roses pour Madame_” and “_…pour Monsieur la Bombe,_” become the art for the label. Later the wine was produced with only the “_…pour Monsieur la Bombe_” label. The “_Des Roses pour Madame_” label is only placed on selected bottles for particular occasions.

We also tasted the Loredan Gasparini Metodo Classico Extra Brut Cuvee Indigena DOCG Asolo Prosecco Superiore, about $20. This Prosecco has been rated very high by all the wine media.

Spineda 2020 made from 100% Merlot is named for the Venetian family who in the 1700’s started to enhance the Venegazzù area where this extraordinary Merlot was planted. This is a wine made by Lorenzo who wanted to show what a great wine this Merlot could produce. $140

At the moment, I do not believe these last two wines are imported into the U.S.

Theu also produce a grappa from the vinaccia of the Capo di Stato wine which has become my favorite grappa.

The Della Casa and/or the Capo di Stato would be perfect with the Turkey for Thanksgiving .

Happy Thanksgiving!