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Tasting from the Tanks at the Zucchetto Winery

6/6/2015

"Wine is sunlight held together by water." Galileo Gallilei

There is a first time for everything. But not all firsts are particularly memorable events. The memorable ones we commemorate in song, some in diaries, some with tee shirts, photgraphs, etc. But, there is one first that will always just remain a memory, and fortunately, while it was the first time, it was not the only time. And that is the tasting of the fermenting wine from the stainless steel tanks at the Zucchetto winery in Valdobbiadene. (Do not confuse this with what the Italians call Sfuso which literally translates as loose, but in wine speak is the inexpensive wine that is pumped directly into your 5 liter bottle from the tanks. Sfuso is mature and ready to drink.)

The first time we tasted the still developing wine from the tanks happened about a dozen years ago on our first trip to Valdobbiadene in search of a Prosecco to import to California. As I have mentioned previously, a chance encounter at the hotel directed us to the Zucchetto winery, and the rest is history. That was the day we first met Carlo Zucchetto. And, when he took us into the cellar, he filled glass after glass with the immature wine from various tanks. Jim still remembers this event with a smile and some nostalgia. For, as he drank the proffered juice from the tank, he blissfully believed there was no alcohol in it. So, he chugged down each glass full, first the Extra Dry, then the Puro Fol, then the Cartizze. Unfortunately, as Carlo advised him after he drained the glasses, there is alcohol in the juice at this point in the process.

Perhaps it is this misconception that made the first time so memorable for Jim. For me, it was more about the significance of the event itself. It was a confirmation that we were indeed wine importers and Prosecco would be the first wine we would import. Today, we reside in Italy and no longer import wines to the US, but that fact did not preclude Jim from wanting to taste from the tank on our recent trip to Valdobbiadene. And our friend, Carlo, needed no prompting to accommodate Jim's wish.

We arrived at the Zucchetto cantina, greeted Carlo and his father, Paolo, and then followed Carlo straight to the cellar. Jim's eyes lit up when Carlo pulled out a couple of glasses and started to pour the wine from the tanks.

Carlo taking the wine from the tanks for our tasting

A glass of PuroFol from the tank

Tasting this very immature and unfiltered version of what will become Prosecco in a number of months is interesting, but also somewhat confusing. In the glass the liquid is not clear, and it is not, at this point, sparkling. It has a golden and greenish hue. The scent is more alcohol than fruit and flowers, but there are hints of what the nose will be. The taste is obviously not fruit juice; the alcohol is there, and some notes of citrus, but the structure is yet to develop. It is still raw, unrefined. But it is a promise of great things to come.

And we were to learn that there will be more new things coming from the Zucchetto cantina, where Carlo continually strives for innovation. After tasting from the tanks, Carlo led us to a new section of the cantina where new French oak barrels were arranged against the wall. Here, Chardonnay is aging. In another 6 months or so, some of this Chardonnay may be blended with glera and after further aging some will be bottled as a new Zucchetto Chardonnay. After a taste from the barrels, I can say that this is going to be a California style Chardonnay, not the lighter fruity version usually produced in Italy.

French oak barrels filled with Chardonnay

Back in the cantina, the 2014 Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. Brut PuroFol and Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze D.O.C.G. awaited, and we were anxious to taste the current offering. We knew that 2014 was a difficult wine year in Italy since the summer was so wet and less warm than normal. And we have tasted the difference in our local Marche wines. So I was curious to see if there was the same effect on the 2014 Prosecco. There are predictions of a potential Prosecco shortage with production in some D.O.C. areas around Treviso reduced by nearly 50%. However, in Valdobbiadene, the D.O.C.G. harvest yield was generally within normal parameters.

We sat at the table in the cantina with Carlo, Paolo, and a local wine writer and waited as Carlo popped the cork on the PuroFol Brut.

In the cantina, a glass of PuroFol. (Carlo is in the background preparing local salumi and cheese to accompany the wine tasting.)

PuroFol has always been my favorite Prosecco. Made from 100% glera grapes harvested in the Zucchetto vineyards in Follo, this is a very low sugar Prosecco, crisp and clean. Generally there is a prominent taste of green apples and sometimes almond on the finish. The PuroFol being served had just been bottled a few days before and would generally rest another month prior to sale. And, when it was opened, it was a little agitated, with profuse bubbles. The color was a very pale yellow. The nose citrus, apples, and, interestingly, maybe a little bread crust. On the palate, this year's PuroFol, was not as spare as a few in the past with a little added depth. I think in another month, this will be another winning Prosecco, but at this point in time it needed the additional month to chill out. Enjoy it with fish, vegetable dishes, or with appetizers.

Newly bottled Prosecco which will rest for 1 more month prior to distribution

The Cartizze was everything I expected in the grand tradition of Zucchetto Cartizze. Not as sweet as most Cartizze, this one is all about creamy and elegant. Made from 100% glera grapes from the Zucchetto vineyards on the Cartizze alta hill, the color is luminous and the perlage is persistent and energetic. The nose is peach, with a hint of apple. The palate is smooth tasting of stone fruit with a finish of almond. Cartizze is wonderful paired with desserts such as fruit tarts and even a rich chocolate torta. However, Carlo's, with reduced sugar, is also an excellent aperitif.

To learn more about the Zucchetto winery, visit them at http://www.zucchetto.com. Zucchetto Prosecco is available at http://www.chigazolamerchants.com/products/zucchetto-prosecco-cartizze-docg.

Discussing the wine from the tanks and the 2014 harvest with Carlo in the cellar. Luca has had enough of wine talk.

An afterthought:

For those of you wondering about the derivation of the name Zucchetto, the word has several meanings in Italian. First it is a little pumpkin from the word, Zucca. However, the more prevalent meaning of zucchetto is the little skull cap worn by priests which is said to resemble half of a pumpkin. I have no idea how this relates to Carlo, his family and the winery. It is just some trivia.

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Exploring Valdobbiadene on the Magical Mystery Tour

6/3/2015

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"In a perfect world, everyone would have a glass of champagne every evening." Willie Gluckstern

Ever since our first trip to Valdobbiadene over a decade ago, my husband, Jim, and I have had this persistent belief that there is magic in the Prosecco hills, and it is not just the vines. One would think that after as many trips as we have made to the area, we would be able to find our way around by now. Well, think again. Jim postulates that the roads move and change. I just think that things disappear and appear sporadically, with no warning. If there was ever a place suited for habitation by the Potters and the Weasleys, this is the place. And our recent trip just added more credence to this belief.

On our way to visit Bisol (discussed in my prior post) we passed by Il Follo. It was only about five city blocks away, on the same road. I was interested in tasting Il Follo as I had enjoyed one of their Proseccos in California a number of years ago. We agreed that when we were finished at Bisol, our next stop would be Il Follo. As we exited the Bisol winery, we believed we would be at Il Follo in about 3 minutes,but that was not the case as apparently the road sprites of Valdobbiadene were up to their old tricks. We drove down the road looking for the entrance to Il Follo, and we finally reached a crossroad. At this point, it was obvious we had gone too far. How we could have missed it when we were both so focused on finding the entrance I will never know. But after driving back down the road with no luck, we resorted to the GPS. Of course, the GPS was no better at finding it than we were. Just when we were ready to declare Il Follo no more than a hallucination, we saw a little sign with an arrow indicating that Il Follo was straight ahead. We proceeded down the road, but it just was not to be found. Il Follo had been swallowed up, hidden in a mist, or merely misplaced. After so many false starts, driving up one road and down another and passing by Bisol another time or two, we finally gave up. I was disappointed, but it was now time for the cantinas to close. And so with regret, we acknowledged that we would just have to wait until the next day to taste the products of more Prosecco makers.

The roads of Valdobbiadene, surrounded by the Cartizze hills

While the road sprites tormented us on that first day, the weather gods smiled on us the next morning as we headed off to taste at Silvano Follador. Follador is a small family owned winery run by a brother and sister team. Silvano and Alberta took over after the death of their grandfather in 1999. Since that time, they have expanded their vineyard holdings and implemented a number of changes until today their wines are made by biodynamic farming methods. They produce only Brut and Cartizze prosecco and a dosage zero made by the classic champagne method with a second fermentation in the bottle. Apparently the street sprites were on vacation on this particular morning as we found Follador without incident. At the tasting room we were met by Alberta, who informed us that there was only one wine available for tasting, the Follador Brut 2014 which had just been bottled two days before. Well, needless to say, I was disappointed that there was no methodo classico to taste, but, there was still Prosecco. So, life was good.

At the Silvano Follador Cantina

Silvano Follador makes about 15,000 bottles a year of their Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Nature. As is typical of Prosecco, it is made by the charmat method (called methodo martinotti in Italy) with the second fermentation in pressurized stainless steel tanks. However, at Follador the first fermentation begins in cement tanks. When we tasted the brut Prosecco in the cantina just after the bottling, the perlage was very aggressive, so we took a few bottles home and let them sit for a couple of weeks. One afternoon, following our Italian lesson, we opened a bottle to taste with our friend (and Italian teacher) Cristina who in the past has headed an Italian organization designed to promote Italian sparkling wines made in the classic method. We were very pleasantly surprised by the change in the wine that now had had a little time to rest after the very disturbing process of bottling. The perlage was energetic and persistent and consistent with my expectations for a fine Prosecco. The nose was fruity with an overlay of almonds. Follador produces this wine from an melding of four grape varieties. Of course, the wine is predominantly Glera, (once called Prosecco), but it also contains a small percentage of Verdiso, Perera and Bianchetta. This is an interesting grape mixture producing a wine with greater structure than many Proseccos. The reduced sugar, a current trend in Prosecco making, gives the wine a very crisp and clean palate making it an enjoyable accompaniment to fish dishes. Of course, it is also a wonderful aperitif and accompaniment to appetizers.

Silvano Follador Prosecco Brut Nature with Alberta in the background

Silvano Follador Brut Nature

For more information about the Silvano Follador winery, visit their website at http://www.silvanofollador.com. Their prosecco is available in the US at Artisan Wine Depot. http://www.artisanwinedepot.com/Silvano_Follador_Valdobbiadene_Superiore_Brut_DOC_p/silvanofolladorvaldobbiade12-w.htm

At the Silvano Follador winery

We had a second tasting appointment scheduled this morning, so we bid farewell to Silvano Follador, started up the Alfa, and headed off toward Valdobbiadene. When what to my wondering eyes should appear but, no not a miniature sleigh and 8 tiny reindeer, but the ever elusive Il Follo winery. Okay, this is just another Valdobbiadene magical moment. Without a second thought, we pulled into the parking area and headed to the door of the cantina.

The Il Follo cantina

The Il Follo winery, founded in 1960, is today managed by the father and son team of Vittorio and Luca Follador. (Notice the surname is the same as the Silvano Follador winery. This surname, Follador, has a long history in the area, and, like so many Italian surnames, is associated with the type of work a person does. In the dialect of the Veneto region " follare l'uve" means to press the grapes and produce wine.) As we entered the cantina, we were met by Attilo, Vittorio's father who once managed the vineyards. And, thus, our conversation turned to the changing nature of Prosecco and the vineyards of Valdobbiadene and Treviso.

Prosecco, today the number one selling sparkling wine in the world, is undergoing a transformation. Large quantities of less expensive and generally lower quality Prosecco are produced in Treviso (now classified as DOC wines) where the terroir, coupled with the fact that these vines are relatively young, creates a very different wine. In Valdobbiadene, also, there has been an explosion of new vines producing subtle changes to the Prosecco. There are still wonderful Proseccos out there, but there are also many new comers to the marketplace producing less expensive and often inferior products. Even an established, large producer like Il Follo, now makes their Extra Dry Prosecco from grapes grown in the Treviso doc area.

The Il Follo Extra Dry was the first wine we tasted. Unfortunately, it was not the wine we tasted more than five years ago. While the wine had a beautiful pale hue and a persistent perlage, with the scent of almonds and citrus, the flavor was unusual for a Prosecco. Both Jim and I agreed that there was the subtle flavor of bubble gum. And every taste I took reminded me of Bazooka Bubble gum, each piece wrapped in paper with a little comic inside.

In the Il Follo cantina, a line up of Il Follo wines of today and yesterday

Our second taste was the Il Follo Millesimato Villa Luigia Brut made from 100% glera grapes from Valdobbiadene. This wine was a classic prosecco with all of the traits I look for. In the glass the Villa Luigia has a soft golden color with a enthusiastic perlage. The nose was typical of prosecco with citrus fruits and flowers but also with a hint of herb and yeast. While in the mouth the perlage was lively, it was more subtle than many and the taste was citrus and almonds. This Prosecco had some depth to it making it suitable for more than just an aperitif. It could easily accompany fish dishes and even pastas with a light sauce or vegetable dishes.

The third wine we tasted was one that prompted my desire to taste at Il Follo on this trip. It was a rose Prosecco, Il Follo Cuvee Rose Brut. While my experience with rose Prosecco has been mixed, when you find a good one, it is very, very good. Unfortunately, at times the red grape variety and the glera grape seem to be dancing to a different tune. So, it was with anticipation and uncertainty that I tasted the Il Follo Cuvee Rose Brut. It is an interesting wine with a nose of wild berries and a little yeast. In the glass, the color is a beautiful pink making it very appealing. The perlage is quite lively and persistent. On the palate, there is an initial flavor of cherries, however, behind this flavor is again a subtle flavor of bubble gum. As I drank, I could not help feeling that the marriage of the two grape varieties ( glera and in this case cabernet sauvignon) was not a love match.

For more information about the Il Follo winery visit http://www.ilfollo.it.

At this point in time we were running late to meet Carlo at the Zucchetto winery, so we thanked Attilo and departed Il Follo. As we exited the parking lot, I crossed my fingers and hoped that the road sprites had been appeased and we would find the Zucchetto winery without a problem.

Coming up next, tasting from the tanks at Zucchetto.

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Travels to Valdobbiadene, the land of DOCG Prosecco

4/27/2015

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"Come quickly, I am tasting the stars." Dom Perignon

For many years my husband, Jim, and I made an annual pilgrimage to Valdobbiadene one hour north of Venice. In the Zucchetto cantina, we would taste the new Prosecco and eat local sausages and cheeses. Then we would adjourn to the cellar. And there, surrounded by the perfume of fermentation, amidst a forest of stainless steel, we would taste directly from the tanks -- the elixer still fermenting, tasting of the sweetness of the grapes, alive, growing. But since moving to Italy and giving up our import license in the US, we have made fewer trips to Prosecco country. I was missing the beauty of Valdobbiadene, it's steep hills covered with vineyards and in the distance the foothills of the alps. I missed the Prosecco; and I missed Carlo Zucchetto who taught me most of what I know about this sparkling wine. Our trip to Vinitaly brought us within 90 minutes of Valdobbiadene, so we decided to do some Prosecco tasting before heading home to Le Marche. On the way, we planned a small sojourn in Venice. While Venice is one of my favorite cities, on this trip, I was glad to be leaving and heading north. Mostly it was the pounding rain, the howling wind, and the 18 inches of water covering Saint Mark's Square that prompted me to leave with no regrets. But, also, if I am being totally honest with myself, it was the anticipation of tasting some new Prosecco.

The dog in the china shop. Luca, in his rain coat, and I escaped the rain in Venice by stopping by our friend, Roberto's, murano glass shop, Marco Polo International.

When our Alfa exited the autostrada at Conegliano, Jim and I began a journey that we had taken many times before. However, this time, as we drove through the countryside, we noticed some changes in the landscape. Vines, vines, everywhere vines. Like, Napa Valley, the area around Valdobbiadene is now more than ever all about the wine, and in this case Prosecco. However, unlike Napa where large wineries own large tracts of vineyards, here, ownership of any particular hillside of vines is usually divided among many growers. And each winery generally owns a number of different plots in a variety of locations few of which are more than a hectare. Take the Cartizze hill, for example. This geography, which has the distinction of producing Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze, the most valued Prosecco, is the most sought after land in the Prosecco DOCG area. The 106 hectares which make up the Cartizze area are owned by approximately 140 growers. Each hectare is today valued at about $2.5 million dollars, making this one of the most pricey plots of land in all of Italy.

Strada Cartizze, Valdobbiadene

I learned first hand about the way the Cartizze vineyards are divided when we volunteered to help Carlo Zucchetto with the harvest nearly 10 years ago. I had been anxious to join in a harvest (vendemmia in Italian). While I wanted to learn everything I could about the making of Prosecco, my desire was also spurred on by the tales of the camaraderie of the harvest in any number of books by ex-pats writing about life in Italy. So, when we arrived at the Cartizze vineyards one sunny, September morning, I was ready for my lesson in grape harvesting. After the three minute manager version of grape picking, Carlo handed Jim and I the sheers and two buckets. Then he was gone, returning to the cantina where he was supervising the grape crushing. Now, we were on our own, with no English speakers in sight. I picked and picked filling bucket after bucket with bunches of grapes. Carefully looking out for vipers and spiders, I went along in my own little world with the tune of "I heard it through the grapevine" going around in my head. Finally, I finished in my part of the row and picked up the bucket to cross over a little path and continue picking. I was at it for a couple of minutes when suddenly I heard a panicked voice. "Senora, no. Questa Si; questa No." (This yes; this no.) Well, I looked around and saw the gentleman who worked for Carlo running toward me and close behind was Carlo's father. Carlo's father had that look of resignation on his face as he shook his head. He was also shaking his finger at me. You know that slow back and forth motion often used for children to indicate that something is a no no. Okay, finally I got it. Apparently, I was poaching someone's Cartizze grapes. That little path was a dividing line between the vineyards. Now very embarrassed and appropriately chastised, I returned to the proper vineyard to continue my work - relieved that my sheers and bucket were not confiscated. Pursuant to this mortifying experience it is firmly ingrained in my consciousness that the vineyards on the Cartizze hill are owned by many growers.

The Cartizze alta hill, scene of the crime

As the car made its way to Soligo, where we would spend two nights, I reminisced about the harvest and all of those visits in prior years. Finally, we arrived at our hotel and immediately headed to the restaurant for a light lunch before beginning our winery visits. While Jim's goal for this trip was nostalgic, he wanted to taste from the tanks again. I wanted to do something new; I wanted to taste a methodo classico Prosecco. Among the many millions of bottles of Prosecco produced every year, methodo classico is rather rare. And while I pride myself on having tried every Prosecco that I have encountered, I had yet to find a methodo classico. (Of course, I should state right here that once it is made in the classic method, a wine from the glera grape can no longer be called Prosecco. It is merely spumante.)

After lunch, we arranged to meet Carlo the next morning to taste the Zucchetto Prosecco and headed off to visit Bisol in Santo Stefano. Bisol, a producer whose Prosecco I have enjoyed over the years in the US, is one of a hand full of producers making methodo classico from the glera grape. An ancient winery with a history documented back to 1542, Bisol is also distinguished from many other large producers, in that they grow, harvest, and produce their wines from their own 20 vineyards representing approximately 100 hectares. (Bisol makes approximately 2.5 M bottles of Prosecco a year.)

The hill of glera grapes behind the Bisol cantina

Our trusty GPS guided us to Bisol, (for once a GPS worked for us in Italy). The winery is tucked away on a little narrow strip of road set amidst vine covered hills in. At the large iron entry gate, we pushed the call button and were buzzed in to the winery. Entering the small cantina we were advised that our dog, Luca, was not allowed inside, so we were led to a table on the patio for the tasting. Once it was established what Bisol Prosecco we had tasted in the past and that I was interested in tasting methodo classico, a flight of four Proseccos was identified - 2 of the Cru, 1 special non dosage Cartizze fermented in the bottle, and finally, the methodo classico. I was eager, so much Prosecco to try. And with the arrival of glasses and 4 distinctive bottles, the tasting began.

Inside the Bisol cantina where no dog shall enter.

First up, Crede, Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, named for the particular type of soil in the hills of Valdobbiadene. This is a beautiful charmat brut Prosecco which has been highly rated by a number of well known wine critics. It is made from just the right combination of glera grapes (85%), pinot bianco (10%), and verdiso (5%) adding depth and nuance to the wine. In the glass this prosecco is light straw yellow with minute and persistent bubbles which float energetically to the surface. The bouquet emits fruits and wildflowers, and the flavor follows through with the taste of apples and pears. This is a definite addition to the list of favorite Proseccos. Serve Crede not just as an aperitif. It has enough structure and personality to accompany much of the meal. Serve it with fish, light pasta or chicken dishes, and vegetable tarts. Definitely a 2 thumbs up sparkling wine.

Bisol Crede and Garnei

Next up was the Garnei, Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, DOCG, a brut made from 100% glera grapes. (The name Garnei means grape.) This is a special Prosecco made from select bunches of grapes from the best vines. In comparison to most Prosecco made by the charmat process, Garnei undergoes a longer fermentation - at least 16 months from harvest to the glass. While the Garnei was slowly poured into the glass, I noted its color, straw yellow, somewhat more colorful than most Prosecco . The nose emits fruits typical of the glera grape - apples, peach, and maybe even a hint of almond. And the perlage is fine and persistent but soft in the mouth. This is another Prosecco with great depth and structure. If I had to choose between the Crede and the Garnei, I would just have to put on a blindfold and pick one. They are both excellent Proseccos with noticeable differences in character, but both well structured and capable of accompanying the meal. Another two thumbs up.

Third on our tasting menu was the Bisol Private Cartizze, Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze. This is a non dosage spumante made from 100% glera grapes and bottle aged for 11 months. As the name indicates, this is a special and elegant Prosecco with approximately 1,769 numbered bottles produced each year. In the tradition of Cristal champagne, Bisol Private Cartizze comes in a clear bottle with a very distinctive, manually braded closure and a wrapping of light tissue paper. It's distinctive packaging perfectly presents this distinctive wine. In the glass the color is a light straw yellow with an energetic and persistent perlage. The nose emits an underlying hint of bread crust topped with fruits and herbs. This is a dry and balanced Prosecco which retains the mineralness of the glera grape. While this Prosecco has been bottle aged, it has been in the bottle for fewer than one year thus it is not truly a methodo classico. For anyone looking for a Prosecco that is definitely a cut above the norm, this could be what you are looking for, but you might have to go to Italy to find it. This is definitely a special occasion wine, so I am wondering what day I can declare as special to pop the cork.

Private Cartizze

Relio

Finally, the wine I came to taste, Relio, a methodo classico Spumante extra Brut made from 100% glera grapes. Again, this is a very small production wine with only a few thousand bottles a year produced. Named for one of the driving forces of the Bisol winery, Aurelio Bisol who managed the vineyards, Relio is another distinctively packaged wine. The clear bottle is encased in a woven cloth. The scant identifying information incorporated on a leather strip. Very classy - eat your heart out Cristal. Ah, yes, but we should never judge a book by its cover, so it was time to stop ogling the bottle and taste the contents. Time seemed to dissolve into a slow motion camera shot as the liquid ran down the sides of the glass, or was it just my impatience. As I lifted the glass, the golden liquid danced, a fine and persistent perlage flying upward on gossamer wings. I inhaled the scent of bread crusts and ripe fruits with a hint of flowers. All in all, a pleasing and beckoning scent. And, so with great expectations, I lifted the glass and took a first sip. All I can say is that my first sip elicited a big smile. YUM! This wine has character and depth and would surely please lovers of champagne. However, it maintains a fruity and mineral flavor without an overpowering flavor of yeast. It appears the 25 years of development have certainly paid off in an incredible product in which the dosage provides some balance but does not overpower the nature of the grape. A very interesting wine that will go well with any fish dish.

For more information about the Bisol winery, visit their website at www.bisol.it. You can find Bisol Crede in the United States on www.wine-searcher.com.

Return next week for more wine tasting along the Prosecco road.

The hills of Valdobbiadene - vines, vines everywhere vines

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La Dolce Vita - Franciacorta and Caviar in Sirmione

4/16/2015

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"My only regret in life is that I did not drink more champagne." John Maynard Keynes

The sun was streaming through the window as I pushed back the curtain and looked out upon Lake Garda. I knew I had made the right decision. Today, I would leave the chaos of Vinitaly behind me and spend a day surrounded by the beauty of Sirmione.

The view from my hotel room window in Sirmione

Sirmione is a peninsula at the southern tip of Lake Garda, just as you leave the Veneto region and enter Lombardy. The peninsula, which has been inhabited since the stone age, is strategically located and has played a significant role in military history throughout the centuries. At the tip of the peninsula is one of Sirmione's most memorable sites, Scaliger Castle, a 12th century castle surrounded by a moat with two drawbridges. While the castle might be one of the big draws of Sirmione, there are other sites to explore as well including the Roman ruins (the Grotto of Catullus), the thermal baths, and the quaint medieval village. What draws me to Sirmione is its natural beauty, cleanliness, and the flowers. Have I mentioned the flowers; everywhere there are flowers. Like Venice, I like to think of Sirmione as a kind of Disneyland for adults where the boats are real, the destinations are picturesque, the food is good, and, an as an added bonus, you can drink great wine. And, today, food and wine, specifically Franciacorta, were on my mind.

The streets of Sirmione

Scaliger Castle, Sirmione

As we left the hotel to begin our walk into town, I could feel all of the tensions of days of work and Vinitaly recede, and I embraced the calm. This was a day without a time clock, without set goals, without a plan. Well, there was one exception to all of this. Jim wanted to eat lunch at Leo's Hamburgeria. We had seen Leo's on our first visit to Sirmione nearly two years ago, but we had not eaten there as I do not eat red meat. But, now, Jim really wanted to go, and knowing that I could get something that did not include products from any animal with big brown eyes, I agreed to try it.

No kiddng, there is a place called Leo's Hamburgeria

With Luca in the lead, my husband, Jim, and I strolled down the park lined avenue, over the bridge, past the castle, and into the medieval town of Sirmione. From our previous visit to Sirmione, we had a good idea where Leo's was, and so we set off to find it. Finding it was easy; but once we did, we were met by disappointment. It seems Leo's was closed for some renovation. Okay, new plan for our plan-less day; find a place for lunch. And the Bill theory of the life of Jim and Maree scores another point. Jim's friend Bill likes to remind us that if we have a plan, that is a guarantee that we will do something else.

While there is certainly no dearth of restaurants in Sirmione, we were now looking for something special. At every restaurant, we stopped to read the menu. Finally, we reached the end of the peninsula where the swans were entertaining the tourists, or perhaps the tourists were entertaining the swans. It certainly was not clear from watching the interaction. Our dog, Luca, found them interesting, but reason overshadowed his curiosity (unlike some of the tourists) and he had no desire to get too close.

The swans of Sirmione inspecting a tourist

As we headed further into the village, we spotted a menu strategically placed under a portico at the top of some stairs heading into a secluded setting by the lake. The location made this seem a little mysterious and possibly exclusive, and we decided to peruse the menu. The menu looked really interesting, interesting in a good way. I immediately wanted to try a couple of the things, but the price was amazing too. So, we kept walking and reading menus. Unfortunately, after the amazing menu, nothing else looked good. So, we compromised. We will go to the expensive restaurant and just have a couple of appetizers and some wine. Retracing our tracks, we entered Antica Trattoria La Speranzina. And, we were not disappointed. Of course, our hamburger lunch just turned into a Michelin star lunch. I say, "Viva la differenza".

The entrance to the restaurant and garden decorated for the holidays

As planned, we ordered the shrimp and scallop appetizers. But ordering the wine, was much more difficult. The encyclopedia sized volume sat in front of me, and I kept wandering through the pages as I sipped my aperitif of Franciacorta. While I perused the tome, the amuse bouche arrived. It was a feast for the senses, quail eggs with caviar, small cones filled with gorgonzola and mascarpone, thumbnail size arancini. But now, the pressure was on. What wine will I drink. Okay, it should not have been that difficult since I had started out the day planning to do a Franciacorta tasting, and eventually reason prevailed. I ordered a bottle of Franciacorta. When the appetizers were finished, the Franciacorta effect was taking hold, and we decided we really should have something more to eat. Ravioli carbonara to share was our choice. Afterward, many beautiful little desserts courtesy of the house arrived. But, why talk about the food when I can show you the food. I think these photos will say it better than a 1,000 words and will more effectively spark your imagination and arouse your taste buds.

Enough about the food, let's talk about the Franciacorta. I must admit that I was prepared to not like it. I am not really a huge fan of most French champagne, and I thought Franciacorta might have the same overpowering yeasty taste. Ah, is it naivety; have I fallen prey to the advertising campaign, " Franciacorta is the Italian Champagne"? Some say the name Franciacorta even means little France. We ordered a bottle of Montenisa Franciacorta Brut which is a Marchese Antonori wine. The Montenisa estate is located in the heart of the Franciacorta DOCG, south of Lake Iseo in the Lombardy region. In 1999, the Marchese Antinori and Conti Maggi families partnered to manage the estate and produce Franciacorta. This Franciacorta is a DOCG wine fermented partly in stainless steel and partly in barriques with a second fermentation in the bottle for a minimum of 30 months. It is composed of Chardonnay, Pinot bianco, and a very little bit of Pinot nero. Our waiter arrived with the bottle, popped the cork, and I watched with anticipation as the Franciacorta cascaded into the glass.

The perlage was happy, lots of tiny bubbles gently floated to the surface. As I considered the nature of the bubbles, they transformed into the sugar plum fairies in The Nutcracker Ballet. But their dance did not falter when the song ended, the perlage was lasting. The golden yellow liquid was lighter in tone than many champagnes. The nose peaches, apples, toast, but with more fruit than yeast. It was very pleasant. In the mouth, the Montenisa was delicate, with a depth of flavors of ripe fruits and honey or melon. It is balanced and very approachable wine. After one sip I was now a Franciacorta drinker. I think my annual wine budget just skyrocketed.

The Montenisa Franciacorta Brut is available at multiple sellers in the United States for around $30.00 per bottle. Check out wine-searcher.com to find it in your area. It's a keeper.

For more information on the Montenisa Winery, visit their website at http://www.montenisa.it

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Drinking wine, wine, wine - Vinitaly Part 2

4/5/2015

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"A single glass of Champagne imports a feeling of exhilaration. The nerves are braced; the imagination is stirred; the wits become more nimble." Winston Churchill

It was now after noon and the smell of wine mixed with body odors permeated the halls of Vinitaly as we continued to slalom through the shoulder to shoulder crowds following Massimiliano from building to building searching for the best sparkling wines of Italy. At Vinitaly, there was no lunch break, no typical mid-day siestas. Zombies all, we moved along in a must-taste-wine trance. Although lunch beckoned, eager attendees continued to charge from booth to booth in search of the perfect wine, or as often seemed to be the case, the next drink. There were so many young people in the crowd it was difficult to believe that they were all actually in the wine business. Has Vinitaly just become a place to party and to taste as many wines as possible? Is it actually possible to conduct business among the confusion, noise, and chaos?

While I pondered these things, we approached the Franciacorta building. I was eager to try Franciacorta as it is advertised as Italy's champagne. I wondered if it was just good advertising or the real thing. As we approached the tasting area, however, we saw the line snaking around corners and down the stairs. Here, they tried to control the crowd by taking only a certain number of people at a time for the tastings, but that just seemed to create a longer queue. Knowing that we had limited time and there were other wines on our list, we decided to skip the Franciacorta tasting and move on to another region. Our hotel was in the Franciacorta area, and and I decided I would do some leisurely tasting back in the tranquility of Sirmione.

The crowds converging on the Franciacorta tasting area

Thus, with a this is not a problem attitude, we moved on to search for Ferrari. Not surprisingly, after the lines at Franciacorta, the lines at Ferrari were also prohibitive. And we marched on like good soldiers following our general, Massmiliano. Luca, too, kept up the pace as we darted through the ever growing crowd. But, we had to stop several times for folks to admire Luce or to take his picture. Not one to shy away from the paparazzi, Luca was very gracious about all of the attention and smiled politely for the cameras. While he is happy to shake hands, only rarely does he give autographs.

Luca smiling for his fans.

Eventually, with Luca in tow, we made our way back to the Veneto region and to the Cantina di Soave, a large and internationally known winery that has been producing wines since 1898. Cantina di Soave is a cooperative initiated by 10 grape growers who joined together to improve the quality of their wines. In the 1930's, with 51 partners, the organization formally became known as Cantina Sociale Cooperativa di Soave. Today, the cooperative has grown to include over 2,000 grape growers and boasts one of Italy's most diverse wine portfolios comprised of still wines from the Soave, Amarone, Valpollicella and Durello grapes and a wide selection of sparkling wines.

Cristina, Massimiliano and I tasting at the Cantina di Soave

Muller Thurgau grapes

When we arrived at the bar at Cantina di Soave, they were offering tastes of their Perlit Brut, a methodo martinotti (or charmat) made from Muller Thurgau and Durello grapes. The wine is an easy drinking sparkling like Prosecco that combines the diverse characteristics of these two lesser known grape varieties. Muller Thurgau is a grape that has been historically associated with a number of not very good and rather sweet German wines, but it is also grown in the Veneto and Lombardy regions of Italy. Engineered in 1882, there has been much controversy about the parentage of Muller Thurgau. In 2000, genetic research confirmed that the grape is the result of crossing the Reisling and Madeleine Royale grapes. Muller Thurgau is an aromatic grape with the scent of apples, peaches, pears and white flowers. Durello, on the other hand is a highly acidic grape which makes it particularly good for sparkling wines. The origin of the variety can be traced back to 1252, but it was not recognized as an Italian DOC wine until 1987. The grape is known for its tough skin, and as the name implies, a hardness. In combination with Muller Thurgau it produces a dry and balanced sparkling wine with a nose of citrus and white flowers. A healthy perlage dances the twist in the glass but is soft in the mouth. Like Prosecco, this is an easy drinking wine.

From the Veneto, we headed further north to the region of Trentino Alto Adige to taste the wines of Cesarini Sforza, a cantina located in Trento, just south of the Dolomites. Cesarini Sforza, named for two historically prominent Italian families has been making sparkling wines for 40 years. We were able to taste two of their sparkling wines: the Tridentvm Dosaggio Zero and the Tridentvm Brut Rose, both methodo classico wines from the Trento DOC.

The Tridentvm Dosaggio Zero is made from Pinot Nero grapes grown in the hills at more than 1,500 feet elevation. The Dosage Zero appellation refers to the fact that after the disgorgement there is no additional sugar added. This wine has a first fermentation in large barrels and a second fermentation in the bottle for 36 months. The nose has the spicy and floral notes typical of the Pinot Nero grape. The palate is crisp with white peach and cherry and an almond finish. Tridentvm Dosaggio Zero is a vigorous wine with a persistent and fine perlage. This is a wine to enjoy throughout the meal. For those who care about such things, it has been given 90 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Massimiliano, me and Cristina, pausing for a photo before tasting the Cesarini Sforza wines

The Tridentvm Brut Rose, is also another Wine Enthusiast selection at 89 points. Again, this is made from the Pinot Nero grape with a first fermentation in stainless steel tanks followed by a second fermentation of 48 months in the bottle. The wine has an intense nose of berries and bread crust and the palate is fruity with grapefruit and strawberries and a nutty finish. It is a perfect summer wine with antipasti or even with a light chicken or pasta dish.

There was no escaping the masses even in the restaurant where thecrowds and waiting continued

After our winery visits, the clock was striking 2:00 pm and my empty stomach was telling me that it needed food before any more wine could cross my lips. We thanked Massimiliano and Cristina for the tour of some unique, quality producers and headed off to one of the many restaurants for a light lunch, and what else, a glass of wine, of course. Two hours later, after more waiting than eating, we stopped by the Colonnara booth to say goodbye. It was time for us to head back to Sirmione where peace, quiet and Franciacorta waited. (See my next blog for my Franciacorta experience.)

My first visit to Vinitaly was definitely eye opening both in terms of the vast variety of sparkling wines coming out of Italy and also the experience. So, in case you plan to head to Verona next year for Vinitaly, here is what to expect:

1. It is not a place to actually relax, ask questions, and gather information about each wine you taste. The winery personnel just don't have the time to talk with you unless you are a serious buyer who has made an appointment.

2. Patience is critical, especially if you want to taste the well known wines. For the wines you and everyone else want to taste, there will be a long wait - just like the line for space mountain. Just getting to and from the venue are extremely time consuming. Our experience of 2 1/2 hours to get there from Sirmione taking a train and taxi (an experience which should have taken no more than 40 minutes) has been surpassed by our friends' stories about trying to find parking or trying to exit the parking garage. Cristina and Massimiliano left late on Monday night after working at the Colonnara booth, and they ended up sitting in gridlock on the 5th floor of the parking structure for over two hours.

3. You'll know how the rats feel trapped in the maze after a few hours here. If you have any bit of claustrophobia, this is not the place for you.

4. It is best to have a plan of what wineries you want to visit and to contact them in advance to make sure you will be able to see them. Some wineries were doing tasting by appointment only and others were impossible to approach.

5. It seems to be more party than business venue. Although the ticket buying process screens participants about their connection to the wine industry and many folks are actually there to find wineries and arrange purchases, I was totally surprised by the number of people who seemed to be hanging out and drinking. Our train ride back to Sirmione was filled with the inebriated party goers, still partying. So, if it's a party you are looking for, this could be the place. There is even musical entertainment.

Fair well Vinitaly. Will I return next year? This is a question I continue to ponder.

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March Madness Italian Style: Vinitaly (Part 1)

4/1/2015

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"In victory you drink champagne. In defeat you need it." Napoleon Bonaparte

Each year in late March or early April, hordes of wine enthusiasts converge on Verona for Vinitaly, the world's most comprehensive exposition of Italian wines. I have been a victim of the allure of Vinitaly for more than a decade, ever since my husband Jim and I started an Italian wine importing business. Each year as spring approached my thoughts would turn to Vinitaly, but by that time, it was too late. Too late to get tickets and hotels, and too late for us to adequately plan the trip. As the years went by and we finally closed our wine importing business and moved to Italy, the call of Vinitaly grew more faint and eventually, it was no more than a memory of a desire. That is until I decided to finally pursue my passion for sparkling wines.

So this year, Jim and I packed up the little white Alfa, and along with our dog Luca, headed north to attend Vinitaly. We arrived in Sirmione, on the southern coast of Lake Garda on Sunday afternoon. We booked a hotel here, 20 minutes by train from Verona, in order to avoid the crush of the city. Sirmione, a very narrow peninsula, is a beautiful vacation destination, and we planned to enjoy it as well as the wine exposition.

The castle, Sirmione, Italy

When Monday morning arrived, we took a taxi to the station in Desenzano di Garda where we would depart for Verona. Of course, the day had to begin with craziness. I forgot our tickets for Vinitaly, and as we approached the station, I had to ask the cab driver to turn around and go back to the hotel. Miraculously we arrived back at the train station with about 2 minutes until our train departed.

In Verona there was a free shuttle from the station to Verona Fiere where the exposition takes place. But, the masses were at least 6 abreast waiting for the next shuttle bus, and in typical Italian fashion, there was no rhyme or reason to the queuing process. So, we decided to go take a taxi. In hind sight, I do not know if this was any better as we waited in line for one hour for a taxi, but at least with Luca it was not as crowded as the bus would have been. The taxi dropped us off around the corner from the entrance, and we followed the crowds to the doors where there was more waiting and more lines and more people than I have ever seen in one place other than at a Bon Jovi concert. Finally, moving along with the crush of people, we made our way through the turnstiles and into the exposition area where about 15 large warehouse type buildings advertised the regions of Italy. (It only took us two and one half hours from the time we left our hotel to get this far.) To give you a feeling for the size of this event, here are a few statistics: there is about 970,000 square feet of exhibition space which was visited by nearly 38,000 people per day for each of the four days of the event. Estimates are that visitors arrived from 140 different countries, nearly 20% of these visitors were from the US and Canada.

The masses arriving to taste the wines of Italy.

Once inside, we stopped to telephone Cristina. Cristina and her husband, Massimiliano, the President of the Colonnara winery in Le Marche, would be our guides to taste some unique sparkling wines. We met them at the Colonnara stand where they were busy introducing their wines to numerous potential buyers. While we awaited Massimiliano who was engaged with a client, we had our first taste of the event, Luigi Giuslieri, one of two methodo classico wines made by Colonnara. YUM! (Note: I have discussed this excellent wine in a previous post about the Colonnara winery.) Once Massimiliano was available, we were off on an adventure dodging through the maze of people to taste selections from various regions.

Crowd surfing Vinitaly style

Erbaluce grapes

While Piemonte (Piedmont) may be best known for its red wines Barolo, Barbara and Nebbiola, it is also home to a number of outstanding and often times very particular white grape varieties which are being made into distinctive sparkling wines. Erbaluce an ancient grape grown in the area of Caluso, about 20 miles from Turin, is an excellent example of one of Italy's lesser known grape varieties. First documented in the 1600s, Erbaluce was given a DOC designation in 1967 and a DOCG in 2010. The story of the Erbaluce grape variety, like many fairy tales, involves a beautiful girl, Albaluce. Albaluce, a nymph, is the daughter of the Dawn and the Sun, and thus her name which means dawn light. She was renowned for her beauty which inspired the local people to revere her as a goddess. And they paid tribute to her by giving her everything they had. As the people gave and gave, they eventually accidentally flooded their crops. Albaluce was so saddened by this event that she cried for the people; and where her tears hit the earth, the Erbaluce grape sprang forth. The name Erbaluce combines the Italian words for grass and light bringing together two distinct characteristics of the grape: the nose of herbs and the color of the grapes in the fall.

The Orsolani family, one of the top producers of Erbaluce, has been making wines for four generations. Massmiliano directed us to their booth to taste their 2009 Cuvee Tradizione, a methodo classico brut from the Caluso Spumante DOC. The first fermentation of this wine is done part in steel tanks and part in barrels with a second fermentation in the bottle for 60 months. In the glass, the wine is a golden yellow color with an elegant perlage. The nose is strikingly unique. Rather than the typical scent of fruits or flowers or honey or nuts, this wine smells like the earth and herbs - sage and rosemary. It reminded me of farm land and grazing goats. The taste, however, was not as unusual as the nose. Here is the taste of honey, hazelnuts, and minerals. This is a very distinctive and interesting wine with an enjoyable depth of character. It can be served throughout the meal with pastas, fish, poultry or even pork dishes. For more information on the Orsolani winery visit their website at http://www.orsolani.com/en/

2009 Cuvee Tradizione

Our next stop in the Piedmont area was a well established winery located in Monteu Roero, south of Turin. Azienda Agricola Negro Angelo and Figli is a family owned winery that has been growing grapes in this area since 1670. Of course, our first taste was a sparkling Roero Arneis. The Giovanni Negro Extra Brut Methodo Classico undergoes its first fermentation 50% in stainless steel tanks and 50% in barrique. The second fermentation is 60 months in the bottle. In the glass, Giovanni Negro is a golden yellow with an elegant perlage. The nose is somewhat floral and fruity with a hint of toasted bread. On the palate, the wine is creamy with a hint of pear. I have to admit that I was never one to like Roero Arneis, but this wine changed my mind. It is a soft wine with balanced acidity.

Giovanni Negro Extra Brut Methodo Classico

After the Roero Arneis, we tasted a second distinctive wine from the Negro winery cellars, Negro Maria Elisa Rose'. A methodo classico made from the Nebbiolo grape, Maria Elisa Rose' undergoes a first fermentation for two months in barrique followed by a second fermentation in the bottle for at least 36 months. The wine is a deep rose color with the scent of roses and berries. It maintains many qualities of the Nebbiolo grape which provides a depth and balance and a rich flavor, but it is not overpowering. It is a more refined and structured than a majority of rose' wines which seem like fruit juice in comparison. This is not only a wine for aperitif. It can also be served with main dishes like pork or veal. Visit the Negro winery website at http://www.negroangelo.it/ing/vini.asp

Maria Elisa Rose'

The wine I especially wanted to taste in the Piedmont area was a sparkling Gavi. I have been a fan of the Gavi grape for years. It is actually one of my favorite still wines. It is a light wine with a good balance of acidity. In America, I had the opportunity to taste the Banfi sparkling Gavi, and I was very interested in tasting sparkling wines made by other Gavi wineries. Unfortunately, the only sparkling Gavi we saw was made by the charmat method and it was a disappointment. We had hoped to taste at the La Scolca booth as they make excellent Gavi still wines and also a number of sparkling wines. Unfortunately, we were unable to find their booth in the midst of all the chaos. So, now I am planning a trip to Gavi to visit La Scolca and other Gavi wineries this summer. Well, that is not such a bad outcome after all. And I will just have to rein in my impatience.

Check back for the sparkling wines of Soave and Trentino Alto Adige in Part 2 of the Vinitaly tour - as the madness continues.

Vinitaly, 2015

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Le Marche: Non Solo Verdicchio (Not only Verdicchio)

3/17/2015

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Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right. Mark Twain

Le Marche, Italy's best kept secret, lies east of Tuscany and Umbria along the Adriatic coast. Sometimes referred to as Italy in one region or the new Tuscany, Le Marche is replete with hill towns, olive groves, beautiful beaches, and of course, many vineyards. The region produces a variety of fine wines from a number of lesser known grape varieties. We have lived in Le Marche for nearly 5 years now in the heart of the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC appellation. Verdicchio, as I have discussed in earlier blogs, is one of the best known wines of Le Marche and makes an exceptional sparkling wine. As Verdicchio is so prominent in my area, and so relatively inexpensive, it is sometimes hard to remember that there are a number of other locally grown grapes varieties that make very distinctive wines and sparkling wines. A recent visit to Moncaro, a winery whose still wine, Verde Ca' Ruptae, was served at our son's wedding in California a few years ago, reminded me that not all local sparkling wines are made from the Verdicchio grape.

The Moncaro winery is located in the neighboring town of Montecarrotto, a town that my husband drives through with continuing trepidation because this is where a few years ago he spent several hours in the police station as they cited him for driving without a license. (Well, who knew that our American drivers licenses were no longer valid in Italy, leaving us in the unenviable position of not being able to drive our car until we secured Italian drivers licenses - a monumental, multi-month task if you are an American especially if you do not speak the language fluently. But, that is another very long story.)

The Moncaro winery, Montecarrotto, Le Marche, Italy

Moncaro, is one of the area's larger wineries having been established 50 years ago by a cooperative of grape growers. Today, Moncaro produces a wide selection of quality still wines from various grape varieties grown throughout the Marche region, and several unique sparkling wines. If you ever visit Le Marche, I would definitely recommend a stop at Moncaro to taste their wines. Here you can get a good introduction to the numerous grape varieties grown throughout the region.

We stopped by the Moncaro cantina earlier in the week to buy some of their sfuso. The term sfuso is generally translated as "loose" which in the case of wine means it is pumped directly from the tanks into your 5 liter bottle. In Italy, this is the very affordable wine the locals drink daily. While Jim and I were waiting in the cellar, the sound of merry voices floated down from the tasting room above, and that was enough to convince me that we should head upstairs and join the party. There were several Moncaro sparkling wines I wanted to taste, so I was on a mission - taste them all.

The tasting room at the Moncaro winery, Montecarrotto

Our tasting line up for the day was as follows:

1. Fiori di Seta, a frizzante (Frizzante is not a term generally used for sparkling wines in the U.S, but it is one of two classifications of Italian sparkling wine the other being spumante. The difference is in the level of pressure in the fermentation process. The frizzante, made under less pressure, produces fewer bubbles. In general, frizzante is of lesser quality and costs less than a spumante which can be made in either the charmat method or the classic champagne method. )

2. Opale, a methodo martinotti (charmat)

3. Madreperla, a methodo classico (the classic champagne method)

4. Ametista, a sparkling dessert wine

I was anxious to try the Fiori di Seta which is made from 100% Passerina grapes. I seem to have a love/hate relationship with the Passerina grape. Sometimes I try a wine made from Passerina and it is exceptional, but on other occasions, I pour the wine out. Passerina is an ancient grape variety generally grown in the southern Marche in the province of Ascoli Piceno. If you have not heard of this grape, you are definitely in the majority. The name Passerina means little sparrow, apparently because sparrows like to devour these grapes.

As the Fiori di Seta was poured into the glass, I was expectant. I watched the very pale yellow liquid filling the glass and the sparse bubbles rising with a yawn like a sleepy child. As is typical of the Passerina grape, the bouquet was aromatic with subtle notes of flowers and herbs and a balance of sweetness and acidity. On the palate, the wine was very approachable, crisp and clean with a hint of citrus and herbs. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Moncaro Passerina frizzante. We brought a few bottles home and drank them with everything from antipasti to chicken and pasta, and now it is time to return for more.

The second sparkling wine in our tasting line up, the Opale, is probably Moncaro's most popular sparkling wine. Opale is made from 100% verdicchio grapes by the charmat method with both the first and second aging in stainless steel tanks. Opale is a pale yellow, and in the glass the perlage danced the tarantella. The nose emits citrus, flowers, and a hint of honey. On the palate it maintains some of the mineralness of the Verdicchio with hints of fruit. It is fresh and easy to drink. I will serve this as an apertif or with fish.

Next we moved up to the Moncaro methodo classico, Madreperla, aged 36 months in the bottle. This is a unique sparkling wine as it is a combination of Verdicchio and Montepulciano, the most popular of the Marche red wine grapes. Montepulciano is the second most prolific indigenous red wine grape variety in Italy after Sangiovese. In Le Marche it is used in the DOC wines of Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno, but it is also an ingredient in approximately 50 other DOC wines. In general, Montepulciano (not to be confused with the wines from the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which are made from a different grape variety) is used in still red wines, and I was surprised to see it blended with a white wine to create a sparkling. In the glass, the perlage was refined like a Viennese waltz. The color was straw yellow with only a faint hint of copper which surprised me considering 20% of the mix was a red wine grape. The Montepulciano gives the Madreperla a distinctive bouquet mixing wild berries with almonds and bread crusts. And the taste is very much of almond. The secret to this wine is in the liqueur d'expedition which is added to the bottle after the disgorgement. While the recipe for the dosage is proprietary, it includes Verdicchio spirits aged in old barriques for a minimum of three years. This is definitely a fish wine, but I can also see it paired with other white meats, fettuccini alfredo, or a risotto.

Finally, it was time to try the dessert wine, Ametista. Ametista is a very particular wine, made from 100% Lacrima di Morro d'Alba grapes. Lacrima is a grape that is only grown in this small hill top town in the province of Ancona in Le Marche. It's name means tears, and it is said that when ripe the grapes weep. The wine from Lacrima is distinctive with a deep purple color and an intense bouquet of roses and violets. In this sparkling version of the wine, these features are dominant, however, the pallet is sweet with the taste of fresh berries. This was an interesting surprise. I am sure it will be wonderful paired with chocolate. I am already planning to serve it with a torta caprese. But it would also pair well with other desserts such as fruit tarts. (You can find a recipe for torta caprese here www.channelingnonna.com.)

After the tasting, the Ametista stayed with me. As we drove the 20 minutes back to our home, I was feeling a great contentment. Watching the vineyard covered hills of the Le Marche pass by, a sense of satisfaction overwhelmed me. And I knew I would return often to Moncaro for various of their sparkling wines.
For more information about the Moncaro winery, visit their website at www.moncaro.com.

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Return to Colognola

3/1/2015

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"Wine is one of the agreeable and essential ingredients of life." Julia Child

It was more than a decade ago now that my husband Jim and I had our first introduction to the Colognola winery at a Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. At this particular show, the Le Marche region hosted several food and wine producers. It happened this was the first year of production for the Colognola wines, and we were impressed with the quality and potential. So, we took down contact information, and several months later we found ourselves in Le Marche at Hotel Fortino Napoleonico on the Conero coast meeting with the owner and staff of the Colognola winery over an amazing seven course fish dinner. This is the night we first met our friend, Gabriele Villani, the current director and winemaker at Colognola and his lovely wife Olimpia. As the famous line from Casablanca so eloquently captures, "this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship." It was also the beginning of our love affair with Le Marche.

Before leaving the cantina, we interrupted Gabri's lunch to say goodbye and pose for a photo.

Today we live about 45 minutes from the winery, but as so often happens life and the winter weather got in the way of things; and thus, it had been many months since our last visit. I was becoming very anxious to go and taste the new 2014 releases. So when the fog had finally lifted, the rain had stopped for a while, and the sun made its first appearance in weeks, Jim and I took the leisurely drive through the winding hills of Le Marche toward the hill town of Cingoli to visit Gabriele and the Colognola winery. From its position on a hill in the little hamlet of Colognola, the winery offers a beautiful vista of vineyards and hill towns.

The view from the Colognola winery

Ten years ago the cantina was a small, nondescript facility, but today, under the aegis of a new owner, the Cantina Colognola occupies a beautiful new building distinguished by the massive bronze horse that greets you before you enter the tasting room. As luck would have it, on the day of our recent visit, the new sparkling wine was being put in bottles to undergo the second fermentation.

Cantina Colognola, Tenuta Musone, Colognola, Italy

We arrived at the winery and headed down to the cellar where Gabriele was supervising the bottling. We watched as the machines put the still wine (which had undergone a first fermentation in stainless steel tanks) into the bottles and then capped them with the same type of metal cap used on beer bottles. As we watched the bottles move along the conveyer belt, we were advised that part of the bottling process is unique to Colognola and proprietary, and Gabriele requested that no photos of this portion of the process be used in this blog. Sorry!

Bottling the wine for the second fermentation, February, 2014

The filled and capped bottles were then meticulously piled row upon row into large containers to be transported to the special room designated for resting the sparkling wines. As I watched the assembled crew carefully handle each bottle and place it into the container, transport the container to the room used for aging the sparkling wines, and then reverse engineer the process to lay the bottles to rest, I recalled the first time I had watched this process at Colognola many years before, and I experienced the same awe as that first time. If you are like me, when you pop the cork on a bottle of sparkling wine made in the classic champagne method, you do not think of the very labor intensive process it undergoes before it is ready to drink. All you think about is enjoying the wine with friends. While machines now facilitate the bottling, the making of champagne remains a very time and labor intensive process, and I can now, more than ever, appreciate the fact that the costs reflect this.

Stacked along the wall, the wine will rest here for months, perhaps years before being ready for drinking

Standing around and watching all of that wine being bottled suddenly induced an overwhelming thirst, and I knew it was time to go and taste some wines. After all, it was after 11:00 am, not too early for an aperitivo in Italy. We headed up the winding staircase from the cellar to the tasting room.

Over the past several years, Colognola had experimented with both the charmat and the classic champagne method to produce sparkling wines. This year, however, Colognola was not offering a wine aged solely in stainless steel tanks. I was somewhat disappointed as their prior year's charmat offering was remarkably good in a light and highly drinkable sort of way. But, now the winery was focusing on in bottle fermentation, and I was anxious to try the results. This year there are two sparkling wines available. First, Musa, or the Muse in English, a wine aged in the bottle for 9 months. By definition, this wine is not truly a "methodo classico" as it has been aged in the bottle for fewer than 12 months. Only 2500 bottles of Musa were produced.

Musa, fermented in the bottle for 9 months

The second wine, Darini, named for the owner, is another new addition to the Colognola wines. It is a classic champagne method wine aged in the bottle for 24 months. Only 1000 bottles of Darini have been produced. Both the Musa and Darini are made from 100% verdicchio grapes grown in the Castelli dei Jesi DOC area located in the Le Marche province of Ancona.

Darini, a methodo classico fermented in the bottle for 24 months

Matteo, whom we had met on a previous visit, met us in the tasting room where we told him that today we wanted to taste the sparkling wines. He went off and returned with a bottle of Musa. First, I have to comment on the label for this wine. They say you can't judge a book by it's cover; however, I know that I often pick my books by the cover. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it does not. The Musa label is a stand out among wine labels with beautiful art work depicting the muse and her lyre. I know that if I saw this bottle on a shelf I would be very tempted to try it just based on the label, but would I want to try it a second time after I tasted the wine? After Matteo poured the wine, I breathed in the nose and was greeted by a very pleasant, somewhat light, fruity and almond scent with perhaps a hint of honey. One taste, and I was ready for a second. In the mouth the almond and honey is apparent but lighter than a true methodo classico. While the taste is soft, the perlage is more robust than a longer aged sparkling wine. Yes, I would drink this wine again and again. As I was looking for a sparkling wine for an upcoming wine tasting dinner, I was very happy to find Musa. It became one of three sparkling wine offerings that evening and was paired with chicken crepes with a gruyere cheese sauce.

Matteo pouring the Musa for tasting

My only disappointment during this visit was when I was told that I could not taste the Darini. However, as soon as Matteo advised me that they only made 1000 bottles, I understood the dilemma. So, I bought a bottle to taste at home and waited patiently (well maybe impatiently) for Sunday lunch to try it. Sunday finally arrived, and Jim popped the cork and poured the Darini into the glasses. The color, a very light, straw yellow. The nose, citrus, apple very much the scent of verdicchio which is somewhat unusual for a wine aged this long. And the taste, young, fresh characterized by the acidity of the verdicchio. The perlage, while somewhat more refined than the Musa, still dances the tango. Finally, sated with food and wine, I think it's time for the traditional siesta.

For more information about the Colognola winery visit www.tenutamusone.it

Ciao, tutti and salute! Maree

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Discovering the Wines of Colonnara

2/22/2015

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"Wine makes all things possible." George R. R. Martin, the Mystery Knight

Once upon a time in a small hill town in Italy's Le Marche region, there lived 19 wine makers. The war that ravaged their homeland had ended, and they were trying to rebuild their lives and their wineries. And then, out of the darkness an idea came to light. The 19 small producers decided to join together to create a cooperative. Their cooperative, Cantina Sociale di Cupramontana, founded in the small hill town of Cupramontana in 1959, is today the Colonnara winery. During its 50 plus years of wine making history, Colonnara has grown to include nearly 200 producers spanning the length of the Marche region from the province of Pesaro/Urbino in the north to the southern province of Ascoli Piceno. Today, Colonnara, one of the regions largest and most respected wineries, makes well over 1 million bottles of wine per year and 25% of their production is sparkling wines.

A view of the beautiful hill town of Cupramontana in the province of Ancona, Le Marche, Italy

What ignited my desire to visit Colonnara on a clear, cold Thursday morning was my knowledge that they are a pioneer in the making of sparkling wines from the verdicchio grape. ( In a prior post I mentioned their Ubaldo Rosi sparkling wine made in the classic champagne method that has been recognized as the third best sparkling wine produced in Italy and the best south of the Po river. ) So, at 11:30 a.m. following our weekly Italian lesson, my husband, Jim, and I piled into our little Alpha Romeo Mito and headed off to Cupramontana with our friend, Cristina, whose husband Massimiliano is the winery President.

We arrived at the winery in Cupramontana, the capital of the Castelli dei Jesi DOC, around noon. There a complex of diverse buildings, including a very large red and white stripped silo, boast panoramic views to the sea. Cristina directed us to the cantina where we met Emiliano, the Export Director, who would be our tour guide. Our first stop on the tour was the warehouse. Here large quantities of wine were boxed and ready for distribution, but this was merely a diversion along the way to the cellars. A room sized elevator took us down under the warehouse to a naturally temperature controlled place. It's arched ceiling and mood lighting created an atmosphere of peace and harmony. In this tranquil room the wines relax until they are ready for consumption.

The Colonnara cellar where red, white and sparkling wines age peacefully

As we walked through the large cellar, Emiliano pointed out an antique piece of sparkling wine making equipment displayed along one wall and gave us a brief history lesson in the making of sparkling wines. Apparently 100 years ago a machine added carbon dioxide to the still wine inside the bottle to create the bubbles of a sparkling wine. Of course, back then wine bottles were not as well constructed as they are today and many bottles exploded during the process - thus the need for a shield around the bottle.

A 100 year old machine used to infuse wine with carbon dioxide to produce a sparkling effect

Back in the cantina, Jim and I along with Cristina and Massmiliano (who had joined us in the cellar) were ready to taste a few examples of Colonnara's sparkling wine. The selections would be a brut made by the charmat or bulk method in which the second fermentation takes place in the steel tanks and the Luigi Ghislieri, a wine made in the classic champagne method where the second fermentation takes place in the bottle. Both of these wines are made from 100% verdicchio grapes. Verdicchio, the wine produced in the Castelli dei Jesi DOC area, is a white wine made from an ancient grape variety of the same name whose lineage some claim can be traced back to Roman times. However, documented production in Le Marche is recorded back to the 1300s. While still relatively unknown in America, Verdicchio is recognized by wine critics as one of the best white wine varieties in Italy. Verdicchio wines are characterized by a balanced acidity with flavors of lemon and grapefruit and maybe even bitter almonds. But aging of the sparkling Verdicchio by the classic champagne method creates a more mellow pallet, and the wines generally exhibit flavors of honey and almonds and even bread crust. Verdicchio is a versatile grape whose rich acidity makes it particularly good for sparkling wine production. In Italy, the still wines made from the Verdicchio grape are extolled as the best wine for fish, and they are also an excellent accompaniment for white meat or other delicately flavored dishes.

The verdicchio grape so named because of the greenish color

So now, it was time for the part of this adventure that we were anxiously awaiting - tasting some of the Colonnara sparkling wines. Our first taste would be the Brut Verdicchio made by the charmat method (or martinotti as it is called in Italy). As Emiliano poured the very pale yellow liquid into the glasses, I watched the energetic bubbles float rapidly to the surface. I lifted the glass to my nose and inhaled the recognizable fresh and fruity scent of Verdicchio. In the mouth, the fruit flavor comes across, but the typical citrus notes are somewhat mellowed by a bit of peach or almond. I liked this wine. I could imagine this competing with Prosecco for me as an excellent aperitif. It is much lighter than champagne and very easy to drink. As Prosecco, it scores at the top on my gulpability scale.

Tasting the wines - Massmiliano, me, Cristina and Emiliano, our tour guide

Next, came the Luigi Ghislieri. A wine that Colonnara began to produce in 2010. It is one of their top sparkling wines and is dedicated to the Cooperative Chairman who in the 1970s restored the Cupramontana tradition of sparkling wine making. This wine, made in the traditional champagne method, is bottle aged for no less than 30 months. When we toured with Emiliano, he mentioned that one striking difference between wines made by the charmat method and the champagne method is in the resulting perlage (the bubbles). And now observing the brut and the Luigi Ghislieri back to back it is obvious that the bubbles in the Ghislieri are very much smaller. Rather than bursting from the glass as in the Brut, they float with a mature dignity to the top. The nose exudes warmer scents of honey and almond. And the taste is elegant and soft with little trace of the acidity so typical of verdicchio. This is a wine to be sipped slowly and savored, a more complex wine, a wine to think about. I think about serving it with a baked salmon filet, and I cringe when I am forced to pour some of it out into the bucket so I can taste a still white wine for everyday drinking.

Luigi Ghislieri, aged in the bottle for a minimum of 30 months

Colonnara Brut, a fresh sparkling aged in steel tanks

When the tasting was done and the purchases made, Jim and I headed back to the Alpha for the return trip home to Poggio San Marcello. But on the road, the Ghislieri haunted me, and the taste remained on my pallet. Now, I brooded as I considered waiting an entire week before I can share the Ghislieri with our 12 dinner guests next weekend. I guess I should have bought an extra bottle just for me.

Live and learn and enjoy some Italian sparkling wine.

You can find the Luigi Ghislieri sparkling wine for sale in the US on Amazon.com. Here is the link http://www.amazon.com/Colonnara-Cuvee-Ghislieri-Metodo-Classico/dp/B00GMLRRRK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424613800&sr=8-1&keywords=luigi+ghislieri.

For more information about the Colonnara winery and their other products, visit them on line at www.colonnara.it.

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Cooking with Prosecco

2/15/2015

4 Comments

"I like to cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food." W.C. Fields

Just like WC Fields, I like to cook with wine. And, I put it in food quite often. In any recipe that calls for white wine, I will substitute Prosecco or another sparkling wine when it is available. Wine is a very versatile accompaniment to almost any recipe. It can be a substitute for fats or for liquid in in meat dishes, vegetables, sauces or even desserts. It is important to use a dry sparkling wine for sauce recipes and chicken or fish dishes. I find that a good brut Prosecco works quite well in either an Alfredo sauce or a tomato based sauce. When making a dessert recipe, using a sweeter sparkling wine is usually appropriate - unless as in one of the recipes below, a dry wine is specified.

The general rule is to use a white wine with chicken or fish and a red with beef, or lamb, but who follows the rules. Experiment with Prosecco, or another Italian sparkling wine such as a sparkling verdicchio or a sparkling gavi, in a variety of dishes. There is just one simple rule that I do believe in. If you wouldn't want to drink it, don't cook with it.

Baking simple Italian desserts is my second love, after drinking a great Italian sparkling wine. And so I look for opportunities to combine these two passions. Fortunately, many Italian dessert recipes use wine or a liqueur and a sparkling wine makes a good substitute. Just remember that in desserts of this type, it is important to choose a good wine because the flavor will be apparent. So, if you don't like the taste of the wine to drink, you will not like it in a cake or cookies.

Below are two very traditional Italian dessert recipes using sparkling wine. They are based on different versions of the ciambella. In Italy, the word ciambella means doughnut. And anything with a hole in the center is called a ciambella including doughnut shaped cookies or cakes which are big versions of the doughnut called ciambellone.

Ciambelle with Prosecco and Anise

Ingredients
4 cups of flour (use 00 flour for best results)
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of dry white sparkling wine (Prosecco or another Brut)
1 teaspoon of anise seeds
2 teaspoons of baking powder

Equipment
Electric mixer - I used a kitchen aid with a balloon attachment
Oven preheated to 350 F or 180 C

Making the Ciambelle

Step 1: Mix together the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Slowly mix in the olive oil and sparkling wine. (I mixed them together in a measuring cup and poured them in a slow stream into the flour mixture. If the dough is too dry, add another tablespoon of the wine. However, this dough should be a little bit dry since the cookies are best if they are crisp and flakey.)
Step 3: Break off pieces of the dough and work with your hands until the dough is workable and not too dry. If it is not worked enough, it will fall apart as you try to roll out the ropes in Step 4.
Step 4: Roll the piece of dough into 12 to 14 inch ropes that are about 1/2 inch in diameter.
Step 5: Cut the rope in half and with each half form a circle overlapping the ends of the rope slightly.
Step 6: Place the ciambelle on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with sugar.
Step 6: Place the cookie sheet in the center of the oven and bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until the ciambelle are golden brown.
Step 7: Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Ciambellone with Prosecco

Ingredients
3 3/4 cups of flour (use a 00 flour or a cake flour for best results)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar
4 eggs plus one egg yolk
11/2 teaspoon vanilla or lemon flavoring
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Zest of one lemon finely chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup minus one teaspoon Prosecco (or another sparkling wine)

Equipment
Oven preheated to 350 degrees F
Electric mixer
Buttered and floured bunt cake pan

To Make the Ciambellone

Step 1: With an electric mixer combine the eggs and sugar until light in color and increased in volume.
Step 2: Gradually add the sparkling wine and the olive oil and continue to mix until well integrated.
Step 3: Add the lemon zest, flour, baking powder and flavoring and continue to mix on medium speed until all ingredients are just integrated; do not over mix.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared bunt pan.
Step 5: Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes until it is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.
Step 6: Remove from oven and let cool prior to removing from the pan. Top with powdered sugar prior to serving.
Buon Appetito!

Look for more of my Italian dessert recipes at www.channelingnonna.com

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In Venice with my best friend, Luca

About Me

I am an American ex-pat living in Le Marche, Italy. A former Italian wine importer, I am an Italian wine enthusiast. And sparkling wines are my passion. Now I am on a quest to discover the wide variety of sparkling wines made in Italy.

Luca does Vinitaly - official canine representative, 2015

Tasting from the Tanks at the Zucchetto Winery

"Wine is sunlight held together by water." Galileo Gallilei

Exploring Valdobbiadene on the Magical Mystery Tour

"In a perfect world, everyone would have a glass of champagne every evening." Willie Gluckstern

Travels to Valdobbiadene, the land of DOCG Prosecco

"Come quickly, I am tasting the stars." Dom Perignon

La Dolce Vita - Franciacorta and Caviar in Sirmione

"My only regret in life is that I did not drink more champagne." John Maynard Keynes

Drinking wine, wine, wine - Vinitaly Part 2

"A single glass of Champagne imports a feeling of exhilaration. The nerves are braced; the imagination is stirred; the wits become more nimble." Winston Churchill

March Madness Italian Style: Vinitaly (Part 1)

"In victory you drink champagne. In defeat you need it." Napoleon Bonaparte

Le Marche: Non Solo Verdicchio (Not only Verdicchio)

Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right. Mark Twain

Return to Colognola

"Wine is one of the agreeable and essential ingredients of life." Julia Child

Discovering the Wines of Colonnara

"Wine makes all things possible." George R. R. Martin, the Mystery Knight

Cooking with Prosecco

"I like to cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food." W.C. Fields

Ciambelle with Prosecco and Anise

Ciambellone with Prosecco

Look for more of my Italian dessert recipes at www.channelingnonna.com

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