Category Archives: Wine Tastings
#Vinitaly International USA-NYC! Best of Italian Wines
#Winitaly Tour NYC
Once again the international Vinitaly Tour graced NYC and the turn out despite the snow was huge. Vintners, producers, retailers, distributors, exhibitors wouldn’t miss the largest Italian wine event of the year. Present were key figures for Vinitaly, Stevie Kim, Managing Director at Vinitaly International and Ian D’Agata, Scientific Director of Vinitaly International Academy. Both Stevie Kim and Ian D’Agata were present for a number of the Master Classes and Ian D’Agata’s expertise proved invaluable in relating the notable details about specific wines from the highlighted production regions.
The Master Classes provided by the Vinitaly International Academy are designed to familiarize patrons, American distributors and sommeliers with specific Italian wines. Particularly informative classes were on Barolo’s Cannubi flight presented by Ian D’Agata and his discussion at the tasting of the Amarone family of wines. “Amarone, the velvet underground: treasure to be shared” was a memorable session that garnered applause at the conclusion. Other exceptional Master Classes where on Franciacorta and wines from Puglia.
Ian D’Agata, Scientific Director of Vinitaly International Academy, #Vinitaly International Tour in NYC
Friends kept friends who were unable to make it connected via Social. Yangbo Du captured many great pix and snippets on Storify. More stories to follow on this blog.
CIAO and remember to check out the great Italian wines coming your way.
Veneto Wines, NYC! December is the Month to Celebrate Veneto Wines.
MONTELVINI Tullia Prosecco di Treviso Brut DOC, NV. I tasted this light sparkling wine at an Eataly luncheon. December celebrates Veneto wines at Eataly.
The Veneto, Italy.
December is a great month to celebrate wines from the Veneto region of Italy. December we celebrate the holidays, Christmas and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. It is a time when we enjoy great food with family and friends and are looking for exceptional wines to pair with fish or are looking for sparkling wines to ring in the New Year without the gross hangoveR the next day.
I tasted some exceptional wines during a luncheon at Eataly’s La Scuola Grande. There the chef using Lidia’s, Mario Batali’s and Eataly’s recipes made delicious cuisine that paired seamlessly with the drinkable wines from the Veneto that were featured:
MONTELVINI Tullia Prosecco di Treviso Brut DOC, NV
ASTORIA Millesimato Prosecco DOCG, NV (DOCG PROSECCO)
CANTINA DI SOAVE Re Midas Soave DOC, 2012
CESARI Mara Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso DOC, 2011 (a red wine)
The Veneto is the primary region for wine production in Italy. The variety of wines produced there is surprising. The Veneto produces whites and reds, sparkling wines to meditation wines. There are also niche-labels from small producers that are in demand and luxurious. Veneto wines are in demand globally. The region expots 75% of its DOC wines. The wines featured were so drinkable that I would enjoy them with appetizers, with cheese and with the full range and complement of meats including chicken and other fowl and certainly fish. They go down smoothly and are a great value. For NEW YEAR’S EVE, a Prosecco is such a tremendous value over champagne. My cousin recommended it for years and knowing little about great wines, I was a snob and drank champagne. Have you seen the prices of good champagne lately? Too rich for my blood. An expensive Prosecco is the greater value. A great and delicious wine, a great value. Why not?
U.Vi.Ve. is the Association or Consortium of DOC Veneto wines established in January 1980 to ensure the wine quality was the highest.
CANTINA DI SOAVE Re Midas Soave DOC, 2012 and CESARI Mara Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso DOC, 2011 (the red wine)
Lidia Bastianich’s Fritto Misto (Mixed Fried Seafood & Vegetables)
As Lidia suggests, “The point of a fritto misto is to enjoy the flavors and textures of a variety of fish. You can vary the roster of fish according to what is fresh in the market and increase of decrease the amount according to the number of guests you’re cooking for.” Also, the vegetables are now in season and can be swapped out for other vegetables that are fresh and in season. The Fritto Misto was delicious with the featured Proseccos.
Striped bass, medium shrimp, winter squash and fennel.
Mario Batali’s Risotto al Radicchio
(Risotto with Radicchio & Red Wine)
You can find this in Simple Italian Food by Mario Batali, 1998.
Mario’s risotto which goes well with Soave.
Eataly’s Veneto Wine Events.
Move the Passion! December 3rd! A Fun Veneto Wine Tasting Tour in NYC.
Move the Passion, Veneto Wines walking/driving tour in NYC on December 3rd, 6-10 pm.
If you love the best of Italian Prosecco DOC and DOCG, Soave and even delicious lesser known red and white wines from the Veneto, you will appreciate Move The Passion, which begins this evening in New York City.
Move the Passion is a wine tasting event where you will be able to walk or be driven around to various areas of New York City to sample and discover the best wines from the Veneto which is Italy’s top wine producing region. The U.Vi.Ve. is the consortium of the Veneto wine producers to ensure the highest standards of Veneto wines, including their quality and uniformity. They have organized for the entire month of December a celebration of their finest wines highlighted throughout the city with various events.
Move the Passion is such an event. It offers wine lovers the unique opportunity to discover amazing Italian wines at 7 wonderful wine locations in New York City. The walking Veneto Wine tour will take place on December 3rd from 6 to 10 pm and will take in the following venues:
Arclinea: 21 East 26th Street
Astor Center: 399 Lafayette St.
Giovanni Rana Restaurant: 75 9th Ave.
Maslow 6: 211 West Broadway
Revel Restaurant: 10 Little West 12th St.
Urbani Truffles: 10, West end Avenue (between 59th and 60th)
Risotteria Melotti: 309 E 5th St.
Reds and whites from the Veneto.
You will be tasting sumptuous wines and fabulous food to go with them including truffles, rice (risotto), home made pasta, panettone, cheese and more.
REGISTRATION IS MANDATORY TO ATTEND THE EVENT.
TO REGISTER: CLICK AND SCROLL TO REGISTRATION.
Was it Jack Kerouac who said, “There is wisdom in wine?” Go for it!
Pausa di Luce! A Celebration of Elegance by Poltrona Frau and Luce della Vite for “Casa di Luce”
The presentation was held at Poltrona Frau on Wooster Street in NYC.
Last week I was invited to participate in a celebration of the presentation of “Pausa di Luce.” I must admit, though I speak some Italian, I was perplexed. Curious, I went to be educated. This would be a wine tasting of a delicious upscale wine from Montalcino, Tuscany with which I was not familiar. I adore Tuscan wines. They remind me of the fabulous experiences I’ve had touring that wonderful region of Italy. I wondered if I would like this wine, a combination of Sangiovese and Merlot a recent addition to the wine-making scene in Tuscany. What I discovered was novel. Luce was the first wine in Montalcino produced with Sangiovese and Merlot grapes.
Luce the vintage I tasted was delicious. It inspired the creation, Pausa di Luce representing the elegance of both the wine and the special edition of the “1919,” an authentic Poltrona Frau icon designed by Renzo Frau in 1919 created ad hoc by Poltrona Frau for Luce.
In 1995 in collaboration with the Robert Mondavi company, the Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi company which oversees its estate Luce della Vite created and produced wines from Montalcino, Tuscany. After the collaboration with Mondavi ended, Lamberto Frescobaldi continued his passion creating Luce wine, and in 2009 reached a turning point. He considered: what better way to express the elegant style of his wonderful wine Luce, than to represent it with Italian-produced, hand-crafted creations? From then on Frescobaldi partnered with different companies to create limited edition pieces which reflected and symbolized aspects of the wine, Luce, that he so enjoyed producing.
This year the wine estate Luce della Vite which produces Luce partnered with renown Poltrona Frau, a leader in the finest Italian-made hand-crafted furniture. Together in their joint project, they conceptualized, “Pausa di Luce.” What is “Pausa di Luce?” It is Poltrona Frau’s creation, an armchair to celebrate the exclusive and elegant style of this grand wine of the “Casa di Luce.”
The theme is laid back excellence, something rather far flung in this modern time of digital hyperspeed and modulated rat-race living. Italians are known for their ability to take the time to relax, to appreciate, to rest, to contemplate. Rest is vital for renewal and rejuvenation. Luce is a wine that needs time to peak in its brightness, full bodied flavor and supple mouth taste. There is a required period of resting and readying the wine, making it imminently flavorful. With its supple, comfortable armchair, Poltrona Frau conceptualized relaxation and comfort, hand-crafted, Italian-style to embody the finest elements of Luce since it is a wine to enjoy, savor, relax with.
“Pausa di Luce” presented for the first time in NY at the Poltrona Frau Showroom, 145 Wooster Street
It is fitting that The “Pausa di Luce” is a special edition armchair which heralds back to the armchair handcrafted for the company by artisan Renzo Frau in 1919. Naturally, master craftsmen-artisans have designed a resting area where you may put your wine glass, sip, relax, settle back and enjoy. And ladies, relaxation isn’t just for men any more. You, especially, should be able to “pausa,” sip this luscious wine and indulge yourself to contemplate your next endeavor. I understand why the winemaker is proud to brand his product with beautifully designed and hand-crafted Italian made products, this year collaborating with Poltrona Frau. There is nothing that beats relaxed style and elegance. No uncomfortable stiffness here.
Luce a Tuscan wine produced from Sangiovese and Merlot grapes by Luce della Vite
However, when I discussed the concepts further with Luce della Vite’s North American Director, Alessandro Lundardi, I understood something deeper: the need for conservation, for preserving the ancient, healthful ways, for not allowing the beneficial elements to be overtaken and destroyed by the new blighted ones. For example, the region of the vineyards of the estate is southwest of Montalcino. However, that entire region is in many ways still a relatively wild landscape; the Italians have established a respectful relationship with nature preserving it from excess building and land speculation. Its landscape is so exceptional that in 2004 UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. Montalcino is an ancient village on a hilltop, and the earth is rich, the climate yields outstanding wines created over the centuries, carrying through the tradition back hundreds of years for Tuscan wine-making, one of the key cornerstones being sustainability, no intrusion with chemicals, organic principles and intervention only if a vineyard needs to be made whole again.
Now, what about the wine, Luce? The 2009 vintage is beginning to peak and is delicious. It was served with various savory canapes. However, I can imagine it with sharper cheeses and with stronger red meats with which it will hold up well and bring out the piquant flavors. You can buy Luce and the Tuscan wines from Luce della Vite HERE.
The “Pausa di Luce” armchair is available only on request in a select number of Poltrona Frau showrooms in Italy (Milan and Rome), Asia (Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong and Shanghai), and the US (New York, Miami and San Francisco).
What other armchair is ready for you to relax with a delicious glass of Luce?
Sensational Umbria! Steve McCurry and Umbria Make a Good Team
Sensational Umbria, photograph by Steve McCurry
Last year I was introduced to Italy’s region of Umbria at La Scuola Grande, Eataly’s events restaurant. It was then I savored my first Sagrantino wine made only in the Montefalco region of Umbria and tasted the regional foods, legumes, mushrooms, pork that were and are often the traditional mainstay of Umbrian cuisine. This year Umbria is being featured once again at Eataly, NYC and to highlight the region, Steve McCurry, world-renowned photographer has created an exhibit of his photos. These will familiarize viewers with the lifestyle of the region, its towns, marketplaces, textile trades, terrain, the wineries, cuisine, artisan crafts, in short, all that is wonderful in this region, known as “the green heart of Italy.”
L’Umbria Secondo, photograph by Steve McCurry
What impresses me about Umbria is the passion of those who are the leaders of the region who want to make sure that past connects with present-future. In other words, there is a great respect for ancient wine-making traditions, cuisines and crafts and the fervency to keep these traditions alive so they are transmitted abroad and actually sealed into perpetuity (that’s branding, folks). Part of keeping a record of what was and what will be is the “what is.” That’s where Steve McCurry comes in with his photographs. According to the President of Umbria, Catiuscia Marini, “The passion people have for the region of Umbria was captured perfectly by McCurry’s remarkable storytelling power.”
Sensational Umbria, Event Coverage. Photograph by Steve McCurry
An iconic voice in contemporary photography for more than 30 years, McCurry is a good choice to pick out mythic images of the Umbrian landscape, its people, its appeal of every day life activities. McCurry has been recognized with some of the most prestigious awards in the industry and he has published a number of photography books, for example The Path to Buddha: A Tibetan Pilgrimage (2003), In the Shadow of Mountains (2007), and The Iconic Photographs (2011) to name a few examples.
Olive Oil product from Umbria, sold at Eataly.
McCurry selected various photographs that were used in the exhibit and can be seen at the Italian Trade Commission until Saturday, November 16th. McCurry’s photographs will also be on display at Eataly, during their month long celebration of the region of Umbria in the month of November. Eataly is holding classes focused on wines and traditional regional cuisine and is featuring Umbrian products, including wines and the Sagrantino only produced in Montefalco, Umbria.
Products from Umbria sold at Eataly
Sensational Umbria is the title Steve McCurry has given to his project of 100 photographs. If you haven’t visited Umbria and don’t think you will have a chance in the next months, go to Eataly, NYC and take a peak at the exceptional photographs. Have a glass of Caprai wine with your pork or short ribs dish at Manzo Ristorante or Birreria. Peruse some of the Umbrian products seen here. You’ll be happy you got a chance to embrace Umbria in NYC and it will be an encouragement for you to eventually to visit that magnificent, less traveled and poetic region of Italy.
B.B. King’s Signature Wines Launched. A Bottle of Red, A Bottle of White, the Legend Continues.
B.B. King toasts to fans and wine lovers with a glass of the B.B. King Signature Red.
The legendary blues musician and 15 time Grammy winner B.B. King is a dynamo at 87. If you are a B.B. King fan and have caught his blues act in concert or play his music at home, you know why this beloved Rock and Roll and Blues Hall of Famer has achieved global renown. His blues is easy listening. His musicianship is kinetic. His youthful verve is catching. His bubbling vitality has stirred B.B. King to keep a busy schedule. He tours globally averaging 250 concerts a year and promotes or plays at his B.B. King’s Blues Clubs occasionally in Orlando, Memphis, Nashville, West Palm Beach and Las Vegas (currently closed). All of his moves and his clubs encourage the iconic blues to flow. Visiting artists and musicians play music at B.B. King’s, whether funky and fast or soulful and smooth, LIVE, every night of the week.
In another contribution to stimulating our enjoyment of life, B.B. King’s energy has spilled over into creating his own signature wines. Whether you are a wine lover or B.B. King fan you can savor his wines at his clubs and in select retail stores, wine bars and music clubs nationwide as well as online. You and friends can share a bottle of red paired with the Bourbon Glazed Ribeye at B.B. King’s Orlando or share a bottle of white with the Southern Fried Catfish if you’re visiting family in Memphis and decide to drop in to B.B. King’s for a great evening of music, food and wine. When you enjoy his wines you are embracing this amazing talent who has brought so much to global fans and has given back with joy to artists and musicians.
B.B. King’s Signature white and red wines at Vinport.com/bbking
How did the B.B. King Signature Collection come about? Since B.B. King has performed in 88 countries throughout the world with hundreds of performances given in Europe, he has become acquainted with the relaxing, leisurely and healthful style of meal enjoyment there. One of the most memorable visits was to Spain in 1991 when Seville hosted the original all-star “Guitar Legends” concert series. This series celebrated 27 of the world’s finest guitarists, including B.B. King, over a five day period of completely sold out shows. It is not a coincidence that his signature wine is sourced in the up-and-coming D.O. wine region of Almansa, Spain from the award winning Bodega Santa Cruz winery which has been producing wine for over 60 years.With the efforts of Bodega Santa Cruz winery and the assistance of Votto Vines Importing headquartered in Connecticut, B.B. King’s Signature Collection was established and is being launched nationwide.
This Crianza will pair well with stews, red meats, and some richer pasta dishes. It will also compliment sausage, but nothing too spicy
The B.B. King Signature Collection is the misty elegance of the blues; it manifests the sine qua non of B.B. King, the legend, the personality, the sustained career excellence. The B.B. King Signature Collection Red 2010 is a Crianza blend made from Garnacha, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The B.B. King Signature Collection White 2011 is made only from 100% Verdefo grapes. The wines pair well with various dishes and can be drunk with appetizers to one’s taste as they are food friendly. They are moderately priced and won’t destroy your wine budget for the month and as in European style can be enjoyed as every day drinking wines. The suggested retail price is $13.99 which is perfect for casual enjoyment with friends, larger parties, as well as other dining occasions. You can purchase B.B. King’s Signature Red and Signature White at Vinport.com/bbking.
This Verdejo pairs beautifully with seafood, light sauces, and marinated olives. It This Verdejo is light and refreshing on its own as an aperitif, and matches well with a wide variety of dishes including Mediterranean pizzas, sushi, and especially mussels or clams in broth.
Just a few details about B.B. King that you should know.When you think of blues, the iconic King of Blues, the man with the golden fingers easily comes to mind. B.B. King has defined blues globally for the last 50 years. His tireless efforts have set the standards for blues. His work ethic and force of will are marvelous to experience given his age and effervescent spirit.
B.B. King in concert.
The riff.
B.B. King began recording in the 1940s and since then has released over 50 albums. His guitar style is memorable, identifiable and amongst the finest in the world. It earned him a #3 spot on the list of Rolling Stone’s “Top Guitarists of All Time.” B.B. King was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1980 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. In addition to receiving the Grammys, he was awarded with NARAS’ Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 1987. Was he ready to throw in the hat and retire? Saay what? He was just beginning. He opened his clubs and continued to tour increasing his fan base to a new generation of fans who enjoy his music and dig his club scene. He has established his iconic presence with clubs in key cities and now has expanded our enjoyment with the B.B. King Signature Wine Collection. Now, is this man the blues or what?
King of Blues
Sagrantino Wine Tasting at Eataly’s La Scuola: It’s Sagrantino Month!
This is Sagrantino month at Eataly. You can enjoy a glass of Sagrantino from various Umbrian wineries at Eataly’s restaurants. You can also taste the pleasures of Sagrantino wines every Friday when Eataly’s wine store will feature a select Montefalco winery’s Sagrantino vintage.
I am enjoying a glass of Sagrantino Collepiano from the Arnaldo-Caprai winery. Eatay’s signature brand is on its stemware, of course. Eataly’s La Scuola is host to events like tastings and cooking classes. I have yet to get to a pasta class, though I could probably teach it as I learned how to make fresh (spinach, tomato, gnocchi, ravioli, etc.) pasta from my mom and nonna.
I don’t think I can easily tire of Sagrantino wines. I am rather unschooled in superlatives and cannot tell you the finest wine ever produced in the last 60-100 years. I’ll leave the sommeliers to that and surely there will be disagreement, pretension (no offense guys and gals) and enough rant to bore the rest of us oenophiles. However, I do know what I like and after being introduced to a little known grape varietal and its wines from the region of Montefalco, Umbria, I’ve tasted enough wines made from the Sagrantino to know that they are a lovely accompaniment to hot appetizers, cheeses, salumi and meat dishes.
So I really enjoyed the Sagrantino wine tasting at Eataly’s La Scuola. I was introduced to different Montefalco wineries producing a variety of the region’s Sagrantino wines and blends, from Rosso to the straight Montefalco Sagrantino D.O.C.G.
I tried these wines which are an older vintage and found them to bloom into the satisfying Sagrantino mouth feel. The winery is Cantina Le Cimate and I had the opportunity to speak to producer Paolo Bartoloni who is happy that his wines are being introduced to the American markets where we will be able to enjoy them. My oenophile friend FK spoke to Paolo at length and hopes to visit him in Montefalco after FK returns to his home in Hungary.
Paolo Bartoloni with Marco Caprai (back to the camera) both paisano from Montefalco, Umbria. Take a day trip there if you are visiting Spoleto or Perugia.
Eataly has been featuring Sagrantino wineries since its Umbrian promotion of products in the fall. That was my first introduction to the rare Sagrantino grape and the Arnaldo-Caprai winery. I enjoyed the wines then and at a delicious tasting hosted by Roberto Paris at New York Times 3 starred Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria. As I attended other tastings and dined at other venues, I moved on falling back on my past loves, the better known Tuscan wines, primarily because I couldn’t get a glass of the Sagrantino blend or wine made only with the Sagrantino grape varietal. The restaurants simply didn’t have it on their wine lists, nor could I find it at my neighborhood liquor shop.
Another delicious wine from the Antonelli winery. This is a Rosso, a blend of Sagrantino and other reds.
Montefalco Sagrantino from the Scacciadiavoli Winery. The winery takes its name from an exorcist who lived nearby. I would have loved to have gone to a wine dinner the Scacciadiavoli Winery was hosting at Eolo, a restaurant in Chelsea, NYC. The food and wine pairings looked sensational. The way to fully experience the luscious power of Sagrantino is with a great food. The menu looked super. Rats. I hope to give you some feedback on the dinner and restaurant it in an upcoming post.
This recent wine event at Eataly’s La Scuola was not an official tasting which made it relaxing and enjoyable. As I tasted the rich, blood-red, full bodied Sagrantinos, I was able to mingle, share and talk at length with some of the producers and winery owners. I tasted Sagrantino blends in their roughness of youth and only wines made of Sagrantino in the mellowness of a 5 year aging. Either way, whether I was curious about drinking a red blend of Sagrantino and merlot with every day meals or saving the best, the aged pure Sagrantino wine, for a more special occasion with friends, the wines I tasted were unique and interesting. And there were some surprises.
Dan Amatuzzi, Eataly’s wine expert (left) and Marco Caprai of the Arnaldo-Capri Winery which won Wine Enthusiast’s European Winery of the Year 2012. Marco is discussing the region of Umbria, its beauty and nearby cities to visit. He discussed Perugia and Spoleto which has the annual Spoleto festival.
This ruby red Sagrantino with its lingering smell of vanilla and spices is produced by Colle Del Saraceno and Francesco Botti…on the BOTTI farm (it has been around since the last century) in Montefalco.
I happen to enjoy great after dinner wines. Who knew Sagrantino could be used to make a delicious dessert wine? This Montefalco Sagrantino D.O.C.G. Passito has been produced on the BOTTI family farm since the 19th century. And it is out of this world, great, almost liqueur-like because of the long period of natural air-drying. The bouquet of blackberries, cloves and cinnamon lingers on the mouth and persists on the nose. Wonderful with desserts and cheeses.
What is wonderful is that Eataly is offering Sagrantino wines by the glass for $10.00 in all of its restaurants Fridays and Saturdays. That means that if you are near Eataly on Fridays, check out the Sagrantino tastings. If you are dining there ask for a glass of Sagrantino from one of these producers. Though I dined at Manzo on Sunday, I was able to get a glass of the Arnaldo-Caprai Sagrantino Collepiano and when I checked, there are still some bottles for sale.
If you walk into Eataly from its entrance on 23rd Street, you will see this sign reminding you it’s Sagrantino month. Enjoy a glass of this interesting wine from a grape varietal that was nearly made extinct.
If you are in New York City and haven’t yet been to Eataly, you are missing a great treat. If you are in town before the end of the month and you stop by, you will be able to enjoy these wines that are gaining global favorable renown. And if you visit Umbria, Perugia and Spoleto for the festival and Montefalco, the town where the Sagrantino grape varietal has made its home for centuries, you will be able to drink the vino locale with relish. Now that you are familiar with wineries in the area, you will be able to visit for tours and tastings of this amazing varietal that nearly went into extinction if not for a dedicated group of growers and producers and families whose generational lifestyle included making really great wines for every occasion.
WINERIES CELEBRATING SANGRANTINO MONTH AT EATALY AND AT THE LA SCUOLA TASTING
Colle Del Saraceno, Francesco Botti
A DISCLAIMER: I was not able to feature a few wineries here because I ran out of time. When I travel again to Umbria to visit family, I will make sure to map an itinerary to tour the ones I missed. And I will try to taste their wines this week at Eataly.
Croatian Wines. Vina Croatia Wine Tasting Review: Part I
Dalmatian Coast, Croatia. This is on Adriatic across from Italy. These vineyards are protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Some of these vines have been producing continuously for more than two thousand years.
Croatia is a beautiful land. Not many Americans are familiar with the country unless they have Croatian friends and colleagues who introduce them to the wines and foods of Croatia or unless they have heard Lidia Bastianich discuss her Istrian heritage. Istria is in the North-Western section of Croatia. You can be sure when Croatia becomes part of the European Union in July, promotional marketing for the country will abound and you will wish that you had visited before it became incorporated into one of Europe’s most hectic and busy tourist destinations.
Map of Croatia minus the surrounding Balkans and border countries.
Croatia once a territory in the former Yugoslavia, above all is a crossroads. It is where East meets West. It is where the foodie cultures have merged and various fare from surrounding countries have melded to create lovely, distinctive cuisine. It is also where the hot Mediterranean climate meets the cold Alpine climate. And these variations in climate and terroir have produced unique environmental zones that are great for growing a number of grape varietals that for centuries have become acclimated to the unusual growing conditions. As the vines adapted, they grew strong and thrived so that the wines produced from them have a distinct, delicious and discrete flavor that is wholly and unmistakably Croatian. Amazingly, some of the hardy vines are centuries old yet still produce grapes. Indeed Croatian wine production is ancient, dating to a time well before the Roman empire.
The Northernmost part of Croatia where the Zagreb, the capital is located.
Croatia’s beauty from upland mountains to the Dalmatian coast and numerous islands in the Adriatic and Mediterranean is apparent even from stills. The country, now coming into its own, is moving rapidly to innovate and blossom into one of Europe’s most unique treasures. It has positioned itself for a continued prosperity after having gone through the upheavals and cataclysms during and after the fall of Communism, and the troubles leading up to Croatia’s War of Independence. Since 1998 Croatia has been peacefully enjoying its sovereign status as an independent republic, continuing to reconstruct, rebuild and develop its infrastructure, industry and tourism after the devastation of the 1990s.
Istrian vines’ red clay soil. Istria is where Lidia Bastianich was born. Her family left and went to Italy when Yugoslavia went over to communism.
Threaded all through Croatia’s turbulent history, has been the fabulous wine making culture and the pleasures of experiencing a rich heritage and lifestyle of great food and wine. The Communists could never dampen Croatian wineries’ good wines, but the prevalent socialist concept was quantity over quality, the mass production for mass consumption all over Yugoslavia. Now that the Republic of Croatia has its full lead, the emphasis has changed and the paradigm has shifted to focus on quality fine wines, boutique wineries and fine dining. As the younger generation takes over innovates and implements newer wine making techniques, the wines the country is currently producing will continue to manifest some of the highest quality wines Europe can offer. OMG. Who knew?
This wine region is surrounded by three rivers: the Danube, the Drava and the Sava. It is the Easternmost region of Croatia.
Having never been introduced to imported Croatian wine and never having visited Croatia, I consider myself fortunate to have been available to attend the Vina Croatia wine tasting event at the Astor Center. Not only was it fun, but I became educated to some of the best wines coming out of the country, wines which I will look to purchase in the U.S. in the near future. However, it would be even more fun to visit some of the friendly Croatian vintners back in their country where I could go on a wine tour and take the proper amount of time to do wine tastings, coupled with food pairings, as many wineries have restaurants attached to b Dalmatiast demonstrate their delicious wines. Food and wine cannot be appreciated without each other as any gourmand or food and wine lover knows.
The Wine Guys, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, wine writers who have appeared in the Huffington Post and elsewhere are widely traveled and knowledgeable about fine wines and good food. This is the first Master Class at Vina Croatia, the Astor Center.
Cliff Rames is a sommelier and wine expert who gave an interesting and informative tasting class on the varieties of Croatian grapes and wines. I walked away knowing the wine regions and many of the varietals used to make the delicious wines I was tasting.
The pic/tweet is from Yangbo Du on Twitter. The picture is of Cliff Rames and Ashley Colburn who is a travel expert with her own production company. She visited Croatia and has been back many times since, loving everything about the country’s beauty, food and wine.
During the tasting, I took a few classes to become better educated in the Croatian wine making regions. The first class, “Vina Croatia: Taste the Place” was taught by The Wine Guys, Mike DeSimone an Jeff Jenssen wide travelers and jocund wine writers. The second class, “Beyond Plavic Mali: Croatia’s Other Indigenous Varietal Wines’ was by Cliff Rames, a sommelier who was an expert in Croatian wines. The speakers proved knowledgeable and informative as they lead the tasting through the four wine regions: Dalmatia, Istria and Kvarner, Slavonia and the Croatian Danube and the Croatian Uplands.These regions are further divided into sixteen sub-regions and 66 appellations. Because each sub-region has grape varietals that are only unique and distinct to that region, the wines produced there cannot be gotten anywhere else in the world. These are tastes that are more then special and unique; they are gold. And the Croatians have been enjoying some of these wines for centuries; it is the vino locale they drink with every day meals and the vina for festivals and celebrations. Of course, the clergy have been having a ball for as long as there has been a church, making their own wines and using them for sacramental purposes.
Grgic Plavac Mali 2008: region Dalmatia. The grape varietal is Plavac Mali.
These are Dalmatian vines. The area is very dry and the vines are accustomed to little irrigation and dry heat. This is a World Heritage vineyard on the island of Hvar.
Another vineyard during the growing season. The vines and roots are protected by the surrounding rocks and dry, rocky soil. The yield is not plentiful, but it is extraordinary for its taste, making Plavac Mali, Babic, Lasin,a Plavina grape varietal wines, and white wines, with Gegic, Posip varietals and even ice wine with a combination of wines.
Because you need to go there or go to the next year’s Vina Croatia wine tasting event in New York City or another area of the country, I will just whet your drinking lusts with some of the wines I adored during the classes. From Dalmatia, there are the world heritage wines some of which have been produced on the island of Hvar, get this now, the world’ oldest continuously cultivated vineyard. We are talking about 2,500 y ears of production, folks. No wonder this area is protected by UNESCO. Wonderful red wines I tasted from DALMATIA were the BIBIch R6 2009 (red grape varieties: Babic, Lasina, Plavina) the Babic Vrhunski 2009 (Babic) the Grgic Plavac Mali 2008 (Plavac Mali) Korta Katarina Reuben’s Private Reserve 2007 (Plavac Mali) and three white wines Boškinac Gegic 2011 (Gegic) Korta Katarina Pošip 2010 (Pošip) and Bodren Triptih 2010 (ice wine grape varietals-Müller Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc). The pictures below show the grape varietals, both white and red from Dalmatia.
From Lidia’s birthplace, ISTRIA AND KVARNER, the milder climate produces more lush environs than the rocky Dalmatian coast. The grapes that have adapted to this climate are the Malvasia Istriana (white) and Teran varietals (red). White wines I enjoyed were Trapan Malvazija Ponente 2011, Damjanic Malvazija 2001, Nada Zlahtina 2011 (Zlahtina grape varietal) and Matoševic Antiqua 2008 (Malvasia Istriana). Red wines I tasted and enjoyed were the Franc Arman Teran 2009 and Kozlovic Teran 2011. Interesting note. British wine critic, Oz Clarck reported that Istria was Europe’s no. 2 terroir for Merlot. Not jammy it has a freshness and when young is fruity; when aged it has an elegant, intense bouquet. Like other Bordeaux varieties it is blended with a local varietal, in this case, Teran (great potential for aging with notes of fruit and pepper) offering a very interesting combination.
From SLOVANIA AND THE CROATIAN DANUBE, a region characterized by plains covered in golden fields of wheat and the three rivers that surround it (the Danube, Drava and Sava) Croatia’s principal grape variety is found, Graševina. Slavonia is home to the species of oak used to make the barrels that age Italian wines (Barolo and Barbaresco). Croatian winemakers also use this oak especially for larger barrels. White wines I enjoyed from this region were Krauthaker Graševina 2011, Kutjevo Graševina Vrhunska 2011, and Ilocki Podrumi Traminac Kvalitetni 2011 (Gewürtzreminer).
The CROATIAN UPLANDS include the hilly, picturesque ranges dotted with family-owned vineyards that surround Croatia’s capital, Zagreb. It is the coldest wine region in Croatia. Though there are not many native varieties here, the international varieties like Pinot, Riesling or Sauvignon are doing well because the chilly climate and very cold winters allow the wines to preserve intense aromas and high levels of acidity (which bring longer aging periods). The higher elevations offer an abundant amount of sun and wind to cure and rest the vines. The Reisling I tasted from this region was delicious: Bolfan Rajnski Rizling 2011. The Pinot noir I tasted, the Bolfan Primus Pino Crni 2009 was very good, distinctive.
In my second article, Part II of the Vina Croatia wine tasting event, I review my walk around tasting where I had the opportunity to speak to some of the vintners themselves and hear stories of their techniques and struggle with the land to tease out the finest selection of grapes, usually hand picked for their harvest to make the best wines. As one of my oenophile friends tells me (CBlack an oenophile, contributor to this article and photographer of many of the photos in David Copp’s, Tokaj: A Companion For The Bibulous Traveller) speaking with the boutique vintners, especially on their home turf, is an unforgettable experience. (I was just glad to meet a few at this tasting. I will eventually travel to their home turf for the full experience.) However, even in brief discussions I had with wine lovers, producers, agents and the Wine Guys at the classes, the love of sterling wines is always manifest. Sharing that love and gaining new information about the next trend in fine wines is what brings folks out despite crowds and inconveniences. It is all in the name of the fast growing global wine community achieving greater wine drinking pleasure. Count me in!
For more information about Croatian wines, check out the next article in this series. And check out the website of Blue Danube Wine Company for online orders. In the U.S. they are based in Los Altos, California. If you are on Facebook you can locate them by using the search feature and just typing in their name (or click the Facebook link here.). They are also on Twitter: click here for Twitter page if you are on Twitter.)
EATALY CELEBRATES SAGRANTINO MONTH IN NYC 2nd Annual Event
My cousin who is a doctor in Perugia, Umbria is so fortunate. She has the opportunity to enjoy the vino locale whenever she wants. It has been a few years since I have been to visit and I miss everything I enjoyed about the region, the sounds, sights, tastes, smells, all of which combined to take my breath away and create an indelible experience of freshness and beauty.
Spoleto, home of the arts and music festival in east central Umbria.
In the region you will find Montefalco and its indigenous wine, the Sagrantino. Umbria, belovedly referred to as “The Green Heart of Italy,” was celebrated in NYC in the fall. It was then I happily took advantage of imbibing Umbrian wines and feasting on the delicious cuisine native to the region. I even purchased some Umbrian products at venues (i.e. Eataly, De Paolo’s Fine Foods) around the city as New York highlighted the month long events that Mayor Bloomberg proclaimed for the celebration of “I Love Umbria Month.”
Growing Popularity of Montefalco’s Signature Wine in the U.S.
By now familiar with the region and its cuisine, I was glad to learn that The Montefalco Consortium announced a 2nd annual ‘Sagrantino Month’ to be held at New York City’s Eataly in March. I have come to love Sagrantino wines, becoming acquainted with various Montefalco wineries which grow the finicky and spare grape vines. Producing these wines is a feat which requires concentrated effort, knowledge and determination to tease out a wonderful harvest that through experience and honed skill rewards us with the sumptuous, full bodied and rich tasting Montefalco Sagrantino.
Montefalco Wine Region
This year’s Sagrantino Month celebration is part of a year-long, national Sagrantino campaign that includes events and promotions capitalizing on the momentum created by an increased American interest for the signature wine of Montefalco. Amilcare Pambuffetti, president of the Montefalco Consortium explains this thrust into the U.S. market. “Last year we introduced many Americans, both trade and consumer, to Sagrantino and the response was enthusiastic. This year we plan to build on the foundation we’ve established.”
Sagrantino grapes
Sagrantino Month Celebration at Eataly
The Sagrantino Month promotion at Eataly will include a trade seminar, consumer classes, tastings in the Eataly Wine Store, wine by the glass at all of Eataly’s restaurants and tastings in Eataly’s ‘La Piazza.’ The year-long promotion will continue with virtual tastings with US press, trade tastings, dedicated meetings for unrepresented producers, a consumer awareness and education program. From its quiet beginnings as a regional Umbrian wine, Sagrantino has become a favorite in Italy and producers are assured that as the American consumer becomes knowledgeable about Sagrantino it will become equally popular in the U.S.
There consumer classes at Eataly will be held on March 12 and March 28. Starting from March 1 to March 30, there will be free wine tastings at Eataly Vino every Friday, from 6 to 8pm, each time with a different producer.
Every Saturday a wine by the glass will be poured at the Le Eccellenze Corner inside the store, for just $10. Select wines of Montefalco will be available by the glass at each Eataly restaurant throughout the month and on sale at the wine store.
There are five participating wineries in the Sagrantino Month promotion: Antonelli San Marco, Arnaldo Caprai, Perticaia, Scacciadiavoli and Tenuta Castelbuono. Five more wineries will be involved in the other activities throughout the year, these are Colle Ciocco, Colle del Saraceno, Le Cimate, Romanelli and Tenuta Bellafonte.
If you are planning to indulge your love of Sagrantino or would like to have an introductory taste at Eataly and would like more information on the month long activities, visit www.consorziomontefalco.it.
Looking into the valley of wine producers below. (Spello)
About the Wines of Montefalco
Sagrantino grapes are indigenous to the region of Montefalco, Umbria and have a long history there. dating back to the 1700s, where the growing of grapes and wine making was suited to Umbria, the “green heart of Italy” and Montefalco, where documents of the time noted that “fine and delicate wines were produced there in ‘beautiful and good’ vineyards.” So much was this the case that municipal sanctions were strengthened to maintain and sustain the culture of thriving, glorious vineyards and sumptuous wines. If you hampered a winery in its noble and sacred endeavors, you were in big trouble. In 1622 Cardinal Boncompagni, the Pontifical delegate in Perugia, threatened “capital punishment for anyone found cutting down grape vines.” Cutting down a plant was worthy of death? Such was the symbolism, of grape vines and the vitality of wine to the culture and the church.
Franciscan monks nurtured the Sagrantino grapes in vineyards like St. Leonard’s in Montefalco to produce their sacramental wines. (Painting: Blessing the birds and the beasts.)
Sagrantino vines were cultivated in monasteries like St. Leonard and St. Claire where monks that made the wine used it for sacramental purposes and local farmers enjoyed the wine during festivals and religious holidays, including Christmas and Easter. The wine had a hearty following during the 20th century until after WWII when the vines and wine fell off and nearly disappeared in the 1960s. Thanks to the dedication of local producers with a romantic imagination and assiduous determination to bring back the Sagrantino grape and its luscious, full bodied wines, the Sagrantino DOC was granted in 1979 and the DOCG in 1992. Producers like Marco Caprai also elicited the help of the University of Milano to ensure that the Sagrantino vines burgeoned to yielding productive harvests. (The grapes are not prodigious and abundant in output and must be carefully nurtured.) As a result Sagrantino wines have become a favorite of Italy and are becoming globally known.
Sagrantino Montefalco DOCG
Wonderful points about Sagrantino is that it is suitable for long aging. It pairs well with many cuisines and is delicious with roasted meats like beef short ribs, pork loins, game and other meats that are juicy with bit of tasty fat. Other friends have told me that Sagrantino is delicious with spicy foods and of course, with cheeses like Granna Padano, Petite Basque, Robiola, or other sharp raw sheep’s or cow’s milk cheeses. I have found that Montefalco wines offer excellent quality without destroying one’s weekly wine budget. Two examples of high quality but affordable wines are the versatile Montefalco Rosso, a blend of principally Sangiovese, and Sagrantino, and the refreshing white blend known as Montefalco Bianco, made of the indigenous Grechetto, combined with Trebbiano and other grapes. The Montefalco Bianco pairs beautifully with fish dishes or light pasta dishes which sparingly use milk or cream.
Participating Wineries of Montefalco Celebrating at Eataly
IL Buco Alimentari & Vineria. A Great Place to Host the “European Winery of the Year 2012.”
I had been to other restaurants on Great Jones Street in that well trafficked section of NoHo, namely Five Points, a restaurant my friend invested in. IL Buco Alimentari & Vineria was just up the block. I had read Pete Wells’ New York Times three star review of Il Buco. Pretty impressive as reviews go, one star away from the four stars which only six other NYC restaurants achieved over the years.
Wells had raved about the bread, “Remarkable stuff, with the gradually unfolding nuances of taste that are achieved only through a slow and patient fermentation of dough with wild yeast.” (Yes, wild yeast! I liked the place already.) He was pumped about the salumi board, “…satiny pink and white folds of lonza and capocollo…melting into a lasting impression…” These were “cured and aged in the basement of IL Buco Alimentari e Vineria,” and “among the finest salumi in the country.” I do enjoy a great salumi board. My taste buds have been cured over the years by exceptional sopressatas, lonzas and capocollo, “home mades” served by Nonna Gabriele (maternal grandmother) and cuigini on both sides of my family. I tucked Wells’ February 2012 review in the back of my mind for later use.
It came when I received an invitation. Roberto Paris and Il Buco were toasting Marco Caprai winemaker and proprietor of Arnaldo-Capri Winery on his “Best European Winery” Wine Star Award from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. My schedule was swamped. Could I squeeze in some time to stop by? I was intrigued about going to a cocktail hour in the “simple and convivial spot” that the food critic claimed, “tastes just like Italy.”
What edged me to RSVP “accept” was my experience of NYC’s “I Love Umbria Month.” During the month’s activities celebrating Umbria in various venues around Manhattan, I attended a kick-off press event at Eataly. I was introduced to Caprai wines and a few native Umbrian dishes prepared by Eataly’s Alex Pilas. The Arnaldo-Caprai Winery is from Umbria, the region known as “the green heart of Italy.” In Umbria classic regional fare includes pork, mushrooms and lentils or legumes. From my Eataly experience, I knew the Sagrantino wines from Arnaldo-Caprai, paired beautifully with these items; I had sampled dishes made with pork, lentils and mushrooms at the press luncheon. The Sagrantino di Montefalco, I remembered Caprai’s signature wine had a rich and powerful mouth feel which heightened the earthiness of mushrooms and lentils. It complimented and lightly cut through the moist and fattiness of the pork. Though the luncheon was before Wine Enthusiast awarded Arnaldo-Caprai with its Wine Star award, I really liked the wines I had tasted.
Truly, the award is well deserved. Arnaldo-Caprai Winery is an “acknowledged leader in the production of top quality Sagrantino di Montefalco,” a wine produced exclusively from Montefalco’s indigenous Sagrantino grape. Arnaldo-Caprai wines have been globally recognized for their quality and production excellence. Caprai’s diligence in helping to restore the Sagrantino grape to a glorious plateau is applauded in the wine trade, and the winery has won many awards. The Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s award was no anomaly. Caprai’s exceptional wines were really taking off and wine lovers were appreciating just how good these wines were. A neophyte wine connoisseur, I was rapidly becoming a fan of Caprai’s wines.
Another venue might hold a slap dash ho hum affair I could easily avoid. This was all too enticing. The range of Caprai wines, its white and reds, would be accompanied by SAVEUR Top 100 Chef Salvatore Denaro’s “Umbrian light bites”and IL Buco chef, Justin Smillie’s delicious appetizers. These chefs? Caprai’s wines? Even the little time I would be able to spend there promised to be an absolutely exceptional rendering. I couldn’t afford to miss it.
I climbed the stairs to IL Buco’s private room with happy anticipation.The crowd kept coming. I mingled in to where Roberto Paris was pouring. He suggested I start with the white, the 2011 Colli Martani Grechetto DOC Grecante. The wine is made from 100% Grechetto grapes. At my first sip there was the pop of crispness and vibrancy on my tongue, refreshing to the palette. A lovely aperitif (one may also have it with fish, veal and poultry) I enjoyed it with Chef Salvatore Denaro’s incredible Grilled Spring Onions Wrapped in Fresh Pancetta, then I moved on to the Umbrian lentil soup the chef was proudly stirring. It was perfectly seasoned to show off the earthy taste of the legumes with just enough cooking time for a savory, luscious texture. Servers were coming around with trays conceived/prepared by Justin Smillie, Crocchette di Baccala, crispy house salted cod, aioli, and there were skewers of Mushroom & Artichoke.Wine and these bites were in the fold.
Back to Roberto Paris for the first of the reds, the 2010 Montefalco Rosso DOC a combination of Sangiovese, Sagrantino and Merlot grapes, followed by the more powerful and full bodied Montefalco Sagrantino Collepiano DOCG with 100 % Sagrantino grapes. I enjoyed the Rosso with a taste of the Salumi della Casa, definitely home made and yum yum lovely. Though I was becoming full and didn’t sample them, it was apparent the Rosso was great with the imported cheeses, spreads, compotes, Taralli, olives and fabulous house made whole grain breads (to die for) from Chef Justin Smillie’s Alimentary Table. The plates came in chock full of salumi and treats, and left swept clean by guests; again and again the servers came and went. Our appetites expanded, the conversation grew louder and I would soon have to leave, but not before tasting the best of the best and assessing what I had experienced thus far.
I thought the Rosso good, but I prefered the 100% Sagrantino grape wines. The Collepiano DOCG was perfect with the Panini sandwiches made on that fabulous and earth shattering Il Buco bread. (I love rustic, chewy bread.) One panini was with tender and juicy Slow-Roasted Short Ribs, gorgonzola, onion and agrodolce. The other was Roast Porchetta, arugula, salsa verde. The Collepiano DOCG is recommended for a roasted meat with juice and fat and after tasting the short rib panini, I knew why: explosive ruby red piquant flavor that cut through any heaviness of the meat and melded with the gorgonzola, onion and agrodolce. I tried the porchetta with the Sagrantino Di Montefalco 25 Anni. Striking, strong but smooth and soft velvet with a nice finish. Was that a hint of blackberries for the nose? I understand better how the tannins in the Sagrantino compliment and slice their flavors through succulent roasted meats. But I could even see myself enjoying a glass with a really great imported cheese as well.
I looked around. Time to leave. Was it possible the invited devoured the pork faster than the short ribs paninis? These chefs knew the Caprai wines and had done their homework with the menu which was exceptional. As I waited for my coat, I glanced around. Rats! Guests were eating pasta and I was missing it. I asked a woman and her partner who were chatting and smiling as they plopped what looked to be rigatoni shaped wedges with a light cream colored coating in their mouths. “Delicious, pasta…with pumpkin,” the woman said pinging some lovely light orange-yellow veggie on her fork for me to view. An obvious innovation. I would call Il Buco tomorrow and ask for the specifics, since I was already running late. (I found out it was Chef Denaro’s own take on Amatriciana* the traditional Roman dish usually served with Bucatinni.)
I finished the last of my Sagrantino Di Montefalco and savored its multiplicity of flavors on my tongue, the last a distilled earthiness. I envisioned the Franciscan monks that had kept those sacred vines growing in their monastery of St. Leonard in Montefalco in 1700. I guess I was a bit addled, and could have used some pasta to help with the wine’s power.
I said my goodbyes and slipped away from the fading din of conversation and exclamations about the full body of the Sagrantino De Montefalco. I left as I came in, happy with anticipation. I looked forward to returning to IL Buco with friends and ordering their roasted pork with a glass of Sagrantino De Montefalco 25 Anni. But before I came back, I’d have to lose the 2 pounds I gained eating this fabulous food and enjoying the equally wonderful wines.
*The traditional preparation has tomatoes, guanciale and garlic BUT rather than tomatoes Chef Denaro used Hokaido pumpkin (a very delicate, perfumed pumpkin.)
CAROLE DI TOSTI 