Lupicaia IGT 1999 – Pleasure in a bottle

Lupicaia, an IGT Super Tuscan by Rossi di Medelana, is gluttonous pleasure. It costs about $150 retail and $250 in a restaurant. This positions Lupicaia out of the pocket book of many wine lovers but the price quality relationship is much better than most of those $500 a bottle wines. It has been a while since I have purchased an expensive wine. The few great wines left in my cellar are destined for future occasions. A stroke of luck brought 6 bottles of Lupicaia IGT 1999 entered my home.

I have known Lupicaia for many years. She has been a warm and cuddly friend, elegant and encompassing. While her company can be appreciated in the te’ ta te’, a menage a trois is most certainly the best environment to truly appreciate one of mother nature’s greatest gifts. Just any meal would not be appropriate. She deserves a savory and hearty meal. I prepared a bed of potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters along with baby carrots and two peeled onions. A large rib eye, seared on both sides was nestled discreetly and the top of the Dutch oven went into the oven for 45 minutes. One quick turn of the meat and a shuffle of the vegetables the third party to our festivities went back into the oven for another 45 minutes.

I opened the feisty Tuscan. She is young and needs to breathe. I admired the deep garnet color, fighting the temptation to consume her prematurely. I could smell the black cherries filling the air as I swirled the bottle. Genetics do not lie, a 90-10 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot mix that could have been born in Bordeaux.

Finally our table was set. The anticipation created a nervous tension was high. A moment to admire the beautiful cut of meat surrounded by carrots, potatoes and a whole onion. The large mouth glass strategically positioned at the top right corner of the plate. Lupicaia slithered into the glass. Ruby red flashes filter through the stream of nectar and the fingernails are burnt orange.

A soft hint of tannins caressed my lips. A wave of velvet encompassed my mouth. The distinctive taste of Cabernet Sauvignon revealed itself as notes of cedar filled my gums. Finally a clean finish with hints of toasted coffee. I shared my attentions between the savory pot roast and Lupicaia. After each sip I was fully prepared to taste another bite of food. Culinary ecstasy consumed my senses. She was young, already mature, but surely in 10 years Lupicaia will take on additional personality and class. Lupicaia IGT 1999 will accompany me through the years, always present at special occasions.

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Bottle of Ornellia 2005 sells at auction for $33,600 – Friends of Florence

I can imagine that many are checking their wine cellars right now to see just how many bottles of Ornellaia are on the shelves. Before you break you neck jumping down the stairs to open the doors of newfound riches, patience. Ornellaia is a wonderful wine. It is one of my favourites. It is not, for any year of production, a $33,600 wine. The sale took place at a Christie’s Auction in New York. The winners were a couple from Seattle and the proceeds go to the “Friend’s of Florence” to restore and maintain the entrance doors of the Battistero of Florence.

There are various non-profit organizations in the US dedicated to helping maintain the human treasures of Florence, Venice and Rome. From the Friends of Florence Website:

Friends of Florence is a non-profit 501(C)3 international foundation based in the United States. It was created to allow the citizens of the world to participate in the preservation and enhancement of this glorious city and the Tuscany region.

Through carefully selected projects, various works of art, architecture and literature will be restored, safeguarded or finally opened to the public. A committee of internationally respected experts and historians will guide the foundation in the selection of projects that will benefit from the foundation's work.

The great re-awakening of the human spirit from the darkness of the Middle Ages occurred in Florence. In the early 15th century, the study of antiquity - of the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome - became a Florentine passion, and with it carne a new respect for learning and a new-found creativity. The fruits of the great Quattrocento were boundless in Florence, making it the center of Western civilization for arts, architecture, philosophy sciences and political idealism. This small city became the emblem of humanism and gave the world such geniuses as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Galileo, Dante, Giotto and countless others who created works and ideals which continue to inspire the world. As we enter the third millennium, it is ever more important that the legacy of Florence and the Tuscany region be preserved, enhanced where possible, and protected. Many of the unique treasures found in and around Florence are in danger of being ruined from neglect or sporadic preservation. The city itself is a work of art, rich in beautiful palaces, churches, museums, secret corners, and splendid gardens. All must be carefully protected so that Florence and Tuscany will remain a symbol of humanism and man's creativity and genius for centuries to come.

Current Projects include:

Sculptural Group Above the Door of the Baptistry
Ghiberti’s “Door’s of Paradise”
Twelve Caesars of the Medici Collection
Tribune in Uffizi Gallery

You can receive additional information on their projects, how to get involved and/or what is coming in the future directly from the group.

Tags: Ornellaia Wine Auction Red Wine Florence Tuscany Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Vino Novello – Italian 2007 New Wine available Tonight!

At 1 minute past midnight the Novello season begins. Novello is new wine. At one time it was the farmer’s opportunity to try his latest harvest with food and refine the aging process. Vino Novello traditionally makes it debut in the first week in November in order to get a jump on its more famous French cousin, Beaujolais Nouveau. Beaujolais cannot be opened until the third Thursday of November, this year November 15.

Novello, like Beaujolais Nouveau, is a light, fruity red wine which by law must be bottled within a year of the harvest, but in practice is bottled within a few weeks. The fruity flavour of new wine is in part due to the fact that the juice of the grapes is not left with the grape skins that contain the chemical tannin.

One of the main differences between Novello and Beaujolais is that several of the Italian wines retain some of the carbonation used to accelerate the fermentation process while the French Nouveau is traditionally flat. The Italians call a fizzy wine “moved”. Moved wines are a favourite with the younger crowds and women as a daily table wine.

The unusual weather in Italy this past summer resulted in a reduction of total wine production. The exception is Friuli-Venezia-Giulia that saw both an increase in quantity and quality. Novello will also suffer reductions in quantity so when you find it you may want to pick up a bottle. Tradition has it that Vino Novello should be consumed before the first extreme cold (sometime in late December) but current production methods will make this wine available through March.

Tags: Novello Table Wine New Wine Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Capestrano Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2005 – Great Red Table Wine

The name seems similar but Nobile di Montepulciano and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo are two very different wines. While both wines are considered everyday wines, Nobile di Montepulciano is more structured and complex. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is an simple IGT everyday wine. It seems to be made for the American market but is not the traditional fruit bombs one would normally associate with a young everyday wine. The price of Capestrano Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is extremely interesting coming in at less than $10 a bottle. It is not the wine for the sophisticated wine drinker. It will not wow you at every sip but it is a great compliment for simple dishes including hamburgers or pizza.

Capestrano Montepulciano d’Abruzzo tells you it is not a cheap red wine right from the nose. Very forward, attractive aromas of spice, black raspberry, plum and sweet earth seem to jump out of the glass and give you a good preview of what’s going to hit your palate. In the mouth, this Monte is jammy (a lot of rich, ripe, jam-like flavors) upfront, with a smooth texture, and is balanced out nicely by good acidity and mild tannins. Some spice notes and earthy hints round out the ripe black raspberry finish, which is balanced and enjoyable.

Grape: Montepulciano

Color: Rich Velvet Red

Bouquet: Aromas of black cherries, kirsch liqueur, vanilla and earth

Flavor: Fruity, with flavors of cherry, raspberry and vanilla. The finish contains an interesting bite of green apples.

Alcohol: 13.5%

Serving Temperature: 16-18 c.

Glass: Red wine glass.

Aging: no more than 2 years

Other Wines from Wine.com


Tags: Montepulciano Chardonnay Table Wine Italian Wine Abruzzo Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Vertical Tasting Montevetrano 2003-2004-2005 – A Tris for the Cellar

Montevetrano by Silvia Imparato and Riccardo Cotarella is a highly acclaimed wine. Every year for the past 5 years Montevetrano has taken the honors of 3 Glasses from Gambero Rosso, 5 Glasses from Duemilevini (my favorite research source for Italian Wines), and points for 92-98 out of 100 from just about every magazine or agency which rates wines. Their enthusiasm for this wine may be more political than qualitative. I will not be so presumptuous to go against the “experts”.

Silvia Imparato planted their first vines in the 80s on land that had been fruit trees. Later she brought in Riccardo Cotarella who had made his name with some really great Bordeaux wines. This may be why Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominate this wine. Perhaps Campania is the only place where he could get away with a left-bank and right-bank combination.

Our friends over at Winebow presented a new product offering that will shortly be available in the US. Montevetrano has bundled the 3 bottles from the vintages of 2003, 2004 and 2005 into a single product. It is still too early to taste this wine. The experts say that Montevetrano will age well through 15-20 years. Generally wines of this nature will start to express their complexity and balance between 10-15 years.

The bottles had been opened earlier in the morning and even though they had several hours to breath they were definitely too young. This does not mean that the tasting was not worth the time. The woody tannins dominated the 2003. It was an explosion that immediately encompassed the palate. Once the initial impact subsided the wine showed some signs of complexity. The youth of this wine was expressed in the fruity flavors that were too present. The 2003 continued relatively smooth, finishing with a hint of spices.

As we passed to the 2004 I expected more fruit, more tannins, and stronger flavors. Interestingly, the 2004 was earthy without the tannin hit. The fruity base was there but not as bad as I expected. The texture truly surprised. It was grainy and sandy accompanied by a chocolate flavors. My tasting companion, a true Maestro in the world of wine, expressed it perfectly, “it is as though the wine was passed through a ground chocolate filter, much like a chocolate Moka.”

We did not venture to the 2005. The wine police would have arrested us for infanticide. No matter what your feelings about the Montevetrano wines of Campania this is an excellent experiment in how the same wine over different years can express variations.

Montevetrano is expensive and it should be held in the cellar for at least 10 years but could be a great investment both in your wine expertise and on the rare wines aftermarket.

Tags: Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Red Wine Italian Wine Campania Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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2007 Italian grape harvest down 13% - Wine prices to rise 20%

The lover of old world wines in America is under siege. The falling dollar has significantly increased the cost of imported wines. Mother nature has given the wine lover another blow. The 2007 Italian grape harvest was the earliest in 70 years and the quantity is down 13%. The 2006/2007 winter season was one of the driest in 20 years followed by the hottest April in 50 years. Then came August with its torrid heat and the result is an early harvest and a reduction in the quantity of as much as 50%.

In this scenario not all wines suffer. Prosecco registered increases as high as 100% but success stories are few and far between. The Association of wine producers assures us that the quality is excellent however my experience is that when the weather does not cooperate the harvest is not as good. If the 2007 Vintage follows historical patterns some of the best Italian wines will not be produced. It also means that production runs will result in fewer bottles. Lower quantities will most likely result in higher prices. Things just are not going our way.

Do not despair. This is the sure way to know that your wine is made by authentic methods with heirloom grapes. This is the real stuff. True quality sometimes will cost a little more. The 2007 Vintage of 2007 may produce some very unique wines, something that cannot be repeated again until another unusual season comes along. So try the wines. If you find something you like a great deal you want to buy some extra bottles and put them away.

Tags: Grape Harvest Red Wine Italian Wine White Wine Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Brolo di Campofiorin Rosso Veronese 2003 IGT

Amarone is probably one of the most controversial Italian wines. I have heard heated discussions between those who love just about anything with a hint of Amarone’s flavor and those that just do not understand either the taste or the price. I enjoy a good Amarone but am on the side of those who do not understand the price. I really do not like the wannabe Amarone wines. I can understand why they have a market but they are not my thing. Terry over at Mondo Sapore talked extensively about Amarone last year and was relatively objective.

I also think that Amarone must be aged. It needs time to develop and balance the flavors. When it is young it is too fruity, too acidic, and has too many tannins. Recently I was at a trade show Raffaella, making the rounds of the recently arrived wines. One of the distributors had a Brolo di Campofiorin 2003. I knew it was too young but had recently tasted a 1998. The 1998 was pretty good and I wanted a comparison. I guess what I am saying that while I was not impressed with the 2003 there is hope. It may be a good bottle to keep away for a 2010-2015 consumption. Personally I would not keep a case but 3-4 bottles may be ok.

Brolo di Campofiorin is a trademarked blend and combination of the Amarone family. Masi wants them to become the “Super Venetians” although I have no idea what that means.

Grape: Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grape varieties

Color: Limpid Garnet Red.

Bouquet: Fruity, red cherries and raspberries with a distinct undertone of tannins

Flavor: Red fruits, spices, distinct base of Amarone

Alcohol: 13,5%

Serving Temperature: 18-19 c.

Glass: Simple red wine without a large mouth.

Tags: Nebbiolo Amarone Red Wine Italian Wine Veneto Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Barolo Ravera 2003 DOCG Elvio Cogno

Barolo is one of my favorite wines. Barolo is a full-bodied wine. Most Barolo express complex and distinct flavor. The price of Barolo usually is relatively high making it a difficult choice for an every day meal. We will spend the extra bucks when making a Brasato al Barolo or a Risotto Barolo and Sausage. Last week, I had the opportunity to taste a Barolo Ravera 2003 DOCG by Elvio Cogno. It was young. In fact I consider it an infanticide but the quality of Barolo shined through. The company explains the wine like this:


Many consider “Ravera” a great Barolo Cru, although its elaboration is difficult because of the altitude and type of soil. This is a Barolo with a very strong character, which does not loose its origins even through its partial ageing in small casks. The Ravera Cru terroir is expressed in the wine with the finesse of the bouquet, a full flavoured palate and great complexity. The slightly prolonged fermentation intends to ennoble these attributes, which give their best after ageing.

An intense garnet red, lively and brilliant with a slight orange rim. Its nose appears candid, elegant and strong, evoking dog-rose, mint and tobacco that in time turn to fragrances of spices, coffee, liquorice and truffle with a leather and mineral finish. In the mouth it appears full, rounded, strong bodied and well balanced. It has a forward flavour of plum preserve and dried blackberry with a chocolate finish giving a harmonious and pleasant aromatic persistence.

It is extremely affable in its first years, becoming austere with classic elegance and boldness as time goes on.

While I agree with the tasting notes, the 2003 is too young. The fruity body dominates. This may be appealing to some but I love a true Barolo with balance and complexity. I enjoy the subtle passage from one flavor to another and that experience is lost unless you let the bottle decant for at least one hour and two would be better. As the wine ages the flavors will balance. At 35$ a bottle you can buy this Barolo and stick it in your cellar for a couple of years.

Today I would drink this wine with red sauces and savory first plates. In a few years this will marvelously accompany aged hard cheeses, complex red meats and wild game.

Grape: 100% Nebbiolo

Color: Intense Garnet Red.

Bouquet: dog-rose, mint and tobacco that in time turn to fragrances of spices, coffee, liquorice and truffle with a leather and mineral finish

Flavor: plum preserve and dried blackberry with a chocolate finish.

Alcohol: 13%

Serving Temperature: 19 c.

Glass: Amarone (produced by Bottega del Vino) or Balloon.

Tags: Nebbiolo Barolo Red Wine Italian Wine Piedmont Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Gattinara 2001 Travaglini – A great Nebbiolo at a reasonable price

I am embarrassed. I found Gattinara 2001 Travaglini at a small wine tradeshow here in Dallas. It is a marvelous wine. I do not pretend to know all of the Italian wines. Most likely I have tasted only about 10%, in twenty years, of the wines produced in Italy. Puglia wines have never been my “thing” and Sicilian wines have just recently become worth drinking. The problem is that Gattinara is just a hop skip and a jump away from the area where I spent most of my time. It is more disconcerting that Gattinara 2001 Travaglini is a great wine and that I had never tasted it. How could I have missed this jewel?

The vineyards are located in the foothills of the Alps with Mont Rose in plain site. The mineral composition, thus the complexity of flavors in the wine, of the land is a result of erosion of the Alps that occurred 150 million years ago when the glacier melted. The area is beautiful and the climate rather extreme with the wind rolling off the Alps in the wintertime.

Travaglini has been making wines since the 1950s. The winery has remained in the father through the generational transition and the quality has become better with each year. The wines of Travaglini this year received accolades from both Italian and US associations as one of the top 100 wines of the year.

Gattinara 2001 is 100% Nebbiolo. The color is penetrating and the perfume decisive. I was amazed after tasting the wine to find it in the medium price range. It has a good body without heavy tannins. This would be a great wine for savory foods like wild game, red meats, roasts and aged cheeses. This is a wine worth trying. I am glad I found it and will add it to my cellar.

Grape: 100% Nebbiolo

Color: Deep ruby red with garnet highlights

Bouquet: Aromas of red fruit, blackberry, plum and licorice with hints of vanilla and leather

Flavor: Full-bodied, with intense flavors of cherry, raspberry and spice culminating in a long and smooth finish

Alcohol: 13%

Serving Temperature: 16-18 c.

Glass: Balloon or wide rimmed red wine glass.

Aging: up to 15 years

Tags: Nebbiolo Red Wine Italian Wine Piedmont Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Italian Grape Harvest 3 weeks early in 2007

Whether climate change or a cyclical rotation of weather patterns, the temperature in Italy is significantly higher than normal. Grape harvest will come about 3 weeks earlier this year due to a warmer than normal winter and a scorching hot summer. This year the harvest will begin earlier than any year in the past 30 years. The Italian Wine Union believes that the quality will be good and in some cases exceptional however 2007 will be remembered as the year of pest attacks.

Volumes will be slightly down over 2006 and sugar contents higher resulting in wines with higher alcohol content. In 2003 the harvest and resulting wine was ok. 2003 was also a year very similar to 2007 with an early harvest and high sugar content. While the Wine Producers are talking about good to exceptional I would think that the 2007 wines will be fair to moderate, just like 2003. This further supports my suggestion to buy Italian 2006 vintages (considered the best in the last 100 years) across the board.

Wine is a natural product. It is the result of land, competency, and luck. This should not be taken to indicate that you should not purchase 2007 wines, simply that they will, most likely, not be the same level as 2006. The lower end wines will suffer less since they are not looking for the subtle complexity of flavors evident in a great aging wine. If the producers of the high-end wines realized the weather patterns early enough they will have reduced their production per acre thus maintaining quality.

I think this will have two different effects on prices although I defer to Italian Wine Guy for a more competent view of pricing. The first is that lower end wines, those under 25$ for reds and 18$ for whites, will decrease or maintain current pricing. For the higher end wines, those above 50$ for reds and 25$ for whites, prices will increase and volume will significantly decrease. I am not sure how prices will react on those great medium-priced wines I love so much.

If you have already planned your wine vacation to coincide with the harvest, there is little to do. If you were not thinking about visiting some of the vineyards because your trip was too early this may be a great opportunity.

The harvest of the so-called early grapes - Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Primitive - is now expected to begin in early August. August, rather than September, will also see the harvest of most of the wine crop, including Trebbiano, Sangiovese, Barbera and Merlot grapes. The harvest of late-maturing grapes, which are usually picked towards the middle of October, is now expected some time in September.

These include the Aglianico, Nebbiolo, Cabernet and Raboso varieties.

Tags: Wine Harvest White Wine Italian Wine Red Wine Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Ornellaia 2004 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Bolgheri

In 1981 Marchese Antinori purchased numerous small vineyards in and around Bolgheri. The Italian wine industry was in turmoil. The area of the Super Tuscans was having a terrible time and the small farmers were looking for a way out. Antinori, one of the larger Italian winemakers took advantage of the moment and bought the best vineyards of the area. He was a savvy businessman. Instead of incorporating the vineyards into his existing structure he kept the personnel and the previous owners in the purchased properties he allowed them to keep making their traditional wines with the resources of the larger company. Some of the great success stories are Tenuta dell’Ornellaia and Tenuta Guado al Tasso.

Recently many of these properties have been sold. Robert Mondavi purchased Tenuta dell’Ornellaia in 1997. In 2002 Frescobaldi purchased half of the company and in 2005 acquired the remaining 50%. While the ownership has changed the personnel making the wine has remained the same. It is true that each owner influenced, to certain extent, the final taste of the wine however it has remained consistently a very good wine. Ornellaia is relatively expensive. Most often it will price over 150$.

Ornellaia 2004 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Bolgheri is a marvelous blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon; 25% Merlot; 12% Cabernet Franc; 3% Petit Verdot. We just recently tasted this wine. It still needs at least 3 years before I would consider opening it. If you do drink this wine in 2007 or 2008 give it plenty of time to breath. The wine will balance and the flavors amalgamate as the longer it is open. The company’s representative told me that 2004 was a fantastic year. Unfortunately, my imagination and future vision is not that good thus I can say this is a good vintage. I would drink it, even at its young age but I cannot say that it will become one of the greats.

The bouquet is alluring, with a bold, svelte darkness of ripe cherry and blackcurrant, hints of mint and chocolate, and a savory, slightly more austere and dusty, smoky quality in the background.
The oak is very well integrated already, with some cedar and vanillin notes lying beneath the fruit. On the palate this is medium- to full-bodied and immensely rich and concentrated, yet there is an immediate sense of freshness too, with tight, supple tannins and freshening cherry acidity adding structure and bite to the wine. Ornellaia has always been one of our favorites. If past production is any indication of the future this will be a great wine and will age well in the cellar, refining and finding greatest balance for well over 15 years.

Tags: Ornellaia Red Wine Italian Wine Tuscany Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Luce della Vite 1999 – Frescobaldi-Mondavi

Luce della Vite is a relatively young blend. The first Luce della Vite Frescobaldi vintage was 1993. It was the first Merlot and Sangiovese mix produced in Montalcino. Interestingly Dallas was the place where I was introduced to Luce della Vite in 1998. One of my Roman partners was visiting. We had just moved to Dallas and our selection of wines was, let’s say, very limited. He wanted to prepare a Matriciana while Raffaella was seriously concentrated on Stracotto al Chianti. Both dishes have important personalities. None of the wines in house would have been appropriate. A quick trip to the local wine shop with our Roman guest and the problem could be solved.

Choosing a wine at a wine store may seem like a simple task however Texas favored French wines over Italian and the California wines would have been an unknown. We carefully inspected the Italian wines, and were leaning toward an Amarone when Fausto moved toward the end of the isle and pulled two bottles of wine from the rack. He movement was so decisive it caught my attention. At a distance I could see a golden sun on the label but did not know the wine.

“This is an excellent wine, you most likely have not had this but it is one of my favorites and we are selling out in the restaurant every time we get a shipment,” he explained.

Fausto chose a perfect wine for the dinner. Luce della Vite became one of our favorite wines both here in Dallas and while in Italy. Each year is a little different however it is always a marvelous choice to accompany red meats, wild game, stews and sauces with important flavors.

Last week Luce della Vite 1999 was the protagonist in a local wine tasting. Without a doubt the 1999 vintage is another winner, worthy of its predecessors. Unfortunately the bottle we tasted seemed a bit closed. I think it did not have sufficient time to breath before the tasting but the underlying complexity was all there. It is important to allow this wine to decant for at least one hour and two would be much better.

Luce della Vite is a blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot. The 1999 harvest was favorable for all Tuscany wines. Luce della Vite benefits from the exceptional growing climate. Decanting the wine evidences an intense color of red rubies and the blackberries permeate the air. On the palate nuances of tobacco, leather, cinnamon and cloves transition smoothly from one taste to the other. The wine feels silky in the mouth with just enough acidity and tannins to cut the flavors of savory foods.

This is a great wine to have for special occasions. Among the high-end wines its price is very reasonable. It will age very well. I would think this is one of the wines that can grace your cellar for 15+ years before peaking. Do not open this wine if you are in a hurry. It needs to breath to balance the flavors and textures. Give yourself a couple of hours to truly appreciate this wine. If you intend to order Luce della Vite at your favorite restaurant, call ahead and ask them to decant it for you.

Grape: Sangiovese 50% - Merlot 50%.

Color: Intense Ruby Red.

Bouquet: Intense perfume of Mature Dark Fruits.

Flavor: Full flavored of Plums and Blackberries, transitioning to hints of Tobacco, Leather, Cinnamon, and Cloves.

Alcohol: 14.5%.

Serving Temperature: 16-18 c.

Glass: Balloon or wide rimmed red wine glass.

Aging: 15+ years.

Tags: Luce Red Wine Italian Wine Tuscany Sommelier Montalcino Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Wine Tour Italy – Open Cellars Memorial Day Weekend

I have found there are two times during the year when a tour on the Italian wine trail becomes more interesting. The harvest in October is a unique occasion to participate in the wine making process, from gathering the grapes to fermenting the wine. The second is during the spring when one can have the first tastes of last year’s production. Italy is all about tourism and the Wine Tourism Movement sponsors a nationwide tasting of the newly bottled wines. It is an opportunity to meet the producers, stay in some fantastic Agriturismo and get to know, first hand, about what is going to be available during the upcoming year.

Italy is expecting well over a million wine lovers and tourists to flock to some 1,000 vineyards taking part in this year's Open Cellars event. Now in its 15th year, Open Cellars has been a pioneer in developing Italy's wine tourism sector attracting over four million people to the Italian countryside. Aside from seeing where and how wine is made, and discovering the difference of tasting it at its source, Open Cellars offers visitors a chance to learn about traditions and culture linked to wine-making and country life.

Although wine is the chief focus, Open Cellars also offers tourists a chance to sample other farm products, especially olive oil, and feast on an array of regional foods and cuisine. The initiative, organised by the Wine Tourism Movement (MTV), originally began in Tuscany to then spread quickly to Italy's other wine-producing regions.

A number of special events have once again been organised in various Italian regions for the Open Cellars weekend. The region of Lombardy will reprise "dinners with winemakers" in a number of vineyards, historic homes and restaurants where visitors will be able to enjoy the region's best wines and foods while chatting with a local winemaker.

A cross-country bike rally has been organised in Friuli Venezia Giulia and the region will also offer Open Cellars 2007 souvenir glass wine goblets, the proceeds of which will be donated to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). In Emilia Romagna, wine tasting will be combined with sampling the region's varieties of bread, with each vineyard playing host to a local baker.

Tags: Italian Vacations Wineries Agriturismo Wine Tours Travel Italy

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Verduzzo Friulano – Autochthon White Wine from Friuli

Verduzzo, Vermentino, Verdicchio, Vernaccia, all are difficult names to remember, all are white wines and they all sound a little alike. So they must all be the same. Nothing could be farther from the truth. To add to the confusion Verduzzo Friulano is made both as a dry white and refined sweet wine. Verduzzo Friulano is an Autochthon wine dating back into ancient times. Once widely grown in Northern Italy today it is primarily grown in the areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia and the northeastern section of Veneto. The dry version is grown in the plains for Friuli and is called Verduzzo Verde (green) while the sweet version, harvested later in the fall is grown in the hills and is called Verduzzo Giallo (yellow). Both versions are highly coveted by the locals of northeastern Italy. Usually the sweet version will be called by the name of the region in which it is grown while the dry Verduzzo will indicate that it is Verduzzo Friulano.

A marvelous dinner could include both wines. The dry Verduzzo with fish, omelets, white meats and delicate risotto, perhaps made with asparagus and shrimp. A Verduzzo Giallo like Ramandolo or Tarcento, both from the eastern Collio could accompany fresh cheeses and desserts. Many Friulani will also serve Verduzzo Giallo with cookies at 5 pm instead of tea.

Verduzzo will rarely price above 25$ and is a great wine to have in the cellar. Often people will by the same wine, year after year, their cellar will be full and the wines will peak without ever making it to the table. The real connoisseur will have several different wines in the cellar and understand why this particular wine is the right choice for the meal.

The dry Verduzzo Friulano is a full wine, slightly acidic and fruity. The taste is apples, apricots, pears, and nectarines.

Grape: Verduzzo Friulano.

Color: Intense Yellow tending toward green.

Bouquet: Elegant bouquet of Apples and Pears.

Flavor: Full flavored, Apples, Apricots, Pears and Nectarines.

Alcohol: 11-13%.

Serving Temperature: 8-10 c.

Glass: White wine glass.

DOC and DOCG made of Verduzzo Friulano

VENETO: Lison-Pramaggiore Verduzzo DOC, Piave Verduzzo DOC.

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA: Colli Orientali del Friuli Verduzzo friulano DOC, Colli Orientali del Friuli Ramandolo DOC, Annia Verduzzo friulano DOC, Aquileia Verduzzo friulano DOC, Latisana Verduzzo friulano DOC, Isonzo Verduzzo friulano DOC.

Tags: Verduzzo White Wine Italian Wine Friuli Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Vernaccia di San Gimignano San Quirico 2005

Spring has sprung and in the cool evenings we have begun cooking with friends traditional Italian recipes. Our group is divided into those who cook, those who bring the wine and those who eat. Last night Raffaella prepared Cozze Marinara, in English Linguine Mussel Marinara. Most Americans think that Marinara is a tomato based sauce however this is not my experience. Marinara means from the Sea. I prepared a Shrimp Cocktail while Raffaella scrubbed the Mussels. A Pinot Grigio made the preparation a lot more fun.

We had advised our Sommelier, the gentleman who maintains the wine cellar for our dinners, that white was the weapon of choice. Unfortunately I have been somewhat disappointed lately with the local selection of Italian wines, not finding the great selection that we would expect from the #1 exporter to the US. He pulled out a Vernaccia di San Gimignano San Quirico 2005. Vernaccia is a great wine with both Sea Fish and Shell Fish. It is flavorful yet delicate with just enough acidity to clean the mouth without dominating a delicate fish sauce like Marinara.

Gimignano, in the province of Siena, is known as the medieval Manhattan with its tall block like towers. It is not very well known outside of Italians but is a neat little vacation destination. Vernaccia is produced only in Gimignano thus the production is relatively limited. It may not be easy to find Vernaccia but it is worth the effort. An additional note is that Vernaccia di San Gimignano San Quirico 2005 is made with organic grapes (as defined under recent Italian legislation).

Grape: Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

Color: Intense Yellow tending toward green.

Bouquet: Intense and elegant bouquet of bitter almonds and ripe fruit.

Flavor: Mature peaches, almonds and exotic fruits. Simple structure but persistent flavor.

Alcohol: Minimum 12%.

Serving Temperature: 10-12 c.

Glass: White wine glass.

Other Producers worth checking out:

Vincenzo Cesani, Tel. 0577.955084
Guicciardini Strozzi-Fattoria Cusona, Tel. 0577.950028
La Rampa di Fugnano, Tel. 0577.941655
Montenidoli, Tel. 0577.941565
Pietraserena, Tel. 0577.940083

Tags: Vernaccia White Wine Italian Wine Tuscany Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Fiano di Avellino – Flavorful White Wine from Campania

Italian Wine Guy has just returned from Vinitaly 2007. He writes of many things, positive and negative, about the tendencies in the Italian Wine Industry. I found his comments about the Campania wines interesting. Campania has seen a tremendous increase in both the quality and quantity of their wines over the last 20 years. While some producers have taken the industrial production road most are producing traditional wines with autochthon grapes. Fiano di Avellino is one of those wines, not very well known, but a great white wine to accompany dinner.

Fiano di Avellino is an antique wine. In Roman times it was called “Vitis Apiana” or the Vine of the Bees. It seems that local bees prefer the flower of this vine. King Ferdinand of Sweden, in the XVIII century, loved this wine, ordering 3 barrels a year. Traditionally most wines were sweet or bubbly. This made Fiano di Avellino the popular choice of women and wine novices. Centuries of craftsmanship have resulted in a flavorful, dry white wine. Fiano di Avellino is a great accompaniment for cheeses, velvet sauce dishes, baked and grilled fish, mollusks, white sauces, fowl and white meats.

Grape: 85% Fiano, 15% Coda di Volpe, Greco, or Trebbiano Toscano.

Color: Intense Hay Yellow.

Bouquet: Mature fruit, Peaches and Tropical Fruits with a hint of toasted Hazelnuts.

Flavor: Soft, initially a hint of peaches and exotic fruits neutralizing the alcohol base.

Alcohol: Minimum 11% to 12.5%.

Serving Temperature: 8-10 c.

Glass: White wine glass.

Tags: Fiano White Wine Italian Wine Campania Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Falanghina – White Wine from Campania – Heritage disputed

A wine lover’s dream, Falanghina is a balanced and savory white wine. When dining in Lazio and Campania the wine served on your table will most likely be a Greco di Tufo or a Falanghina. Today it is accepted, among Italian professionals of the wine industry, that Falaghina is an autochthon wine of Campania. This does not mean that wine lovers and local growers from many southern regions agree. The war over Falanghina reached its peak in the late 1980s as numerous growers and regional associations claimed the rights to Falanghina. Campania raised its shields and took a defensive posture but the questions were valid. Strangely enough Falanghina does not appear in ancient texts. It is as if Falanghina, during the Roman Empire known as Falernum Gauranum, was merely a people’s wine not worthy of the tables of the nobility.


On May 11th, 1990, the province of Benevento proved that Falanghina was, in fact, part of its culture and history. The local farmers showed limited exuberance, exclaiming simply, “Falanghina is ours!” Fortunately a few winemakers showed more vision and tenacity. Falanghina had become an addition to other wines, no longer the protagonist in its own right. Now that the origin of Falaghina was determined they revived the failing vineyards and instituted the antique procedures necessary to the production of the Falanghina of Campania. Sennio Beneventano and Campi Flegrei were among the producers who invested, let’s say even gambled, their fortunes on Falanghina. The long process of restoring this grape to its original status lasted almost 10 years. Numerous wines were introduced resulting in a wide variety of Falanghina with slight variances due to the local method of production or a slightly different blend but with Falanghina as the Prima Donna.

Falanghina is fresh and dry while encompassing the mouth with its balanced flavor. This makes it an appropriate wine for dishes with mollusks, grilled and fried fish, Calamari in sauce, and, for the traditionalists, Mozzarella di Bufala.

Grape: 90% Falanghina, 10% other white grapes grown in the region (most DOC and DOCG will produce a 100% Falanghina wine).

Color: Hay Yellow with green highlights.

Bouquet: Cut Flowers and Green Fruit.

Flavor: Persistent taste of Granny Apples.

Alcohol: Minimum 11% to 12.5%.

Serving Temperature: 8-10 c.

Glass: White wine glass.

Tags: Falaghina White Wine Italian Wine Campania Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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