The Beaujolais (Not Noveau)!

The Beaujolais is a wine region which belongs to Borgougne. Even though, it has nothing in common with it. The climate is different, the way of producing wines and also the grapes. The rest of Borgougne is identifiable with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, while the Beaujolais is the home of Gamay. The biggest portion of production is focused on the red wines even if, in small quantities, also white wines are produced, from Chardonnay and Aligoté grapes. The wines from this area are classified in three categories of increasing quality: Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages and Beaujolais-Cru. Differently from other regions of France, in the Beaujolais the word “cru” is not used to defined specific vineyards but it indicates one of the 10 villages reckoned as the best of the area. This 10 villages are: Broully, Chénas, Chiroubles, Côte de Broully, Fleurie, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Régnié and Saint-Amour. One element that these villages have in common is the granite soil but the flavor and characteristics of the related wines vary significantly due to other factors. Just to give an example, wines from Morgon have a deep GRANATO colour and are quite structured with ripe fruits notes, spices and “mild” tannins. In Broully the colour tends to the ruby one, the structure is less “important” and the notes are more those of red fruits and plums. I had a very special tastings about Beaujolais wines, an experience that have enriched me a lot. A recommendation. When you are going to make a similar tasting, always start with the non-crus and proceed with the crus. And, obviously, the white wines first.   NON CRUS: Beaujolais Blanc, Clos de Rochebonne 2013 Chateau Thivin, Claude Geoffray Some curiosity: grapes, 100% Chardonnay, are grown in the most natural way; the fermentation occurs in barrels where have rested before 1 to 10 wines. After one year in the bottle you can taste stone fruits like the apricot (love it). I also found some honey notes. The Chateu Thivin is located on the slope of Broully Mont.   Beaujolais 2013 Les Griottes Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine Du Vissoux “L’art de faire le vin au plus près du raisin” Some curiosity: gamay grapes are produced from 15-35 years old vines. Les Griottes means “small cherries”, so it’s easy to get that the most dominant tasting notes are those of red fruits. The wine itself it’s light, it’s almost refreshing. The fruit acidity plays its role.   CRUS Beaujolais Saint-Amour 2012 Jean-Francois Trichard Domaine Des Pierres Some curiosity: the palate is plainly fresh thanks to the good acidity of raspberry and cherry fruits. Just a point: the soil of Saint Amour is a little bit different from the rest of the region because the granite gives room to the clay and limestone. Beaujolais Chénas 2012 Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Hubert Lapierre Some curiosity: family run estates on two crus: Chénas and Moulin-à-Vent. Of the Chénas they own 280 ha which give birth to wines with “cassis and framboises” aromas, depending also on the aging (from 3 to 5 years). This wine is ideal in my opinion with seasoned cheeses and has to be served at a temperature of 15° (I would avoid at 17° as it’s recommended but it depends on the taste!) Beaujolais Chirobles 2013 Domaine Cheysson Some curiosity: honestly I didn’t like it 100%. I just wrote in my notebook that fruity notes were very rich and also the intensity of the wine was notable but I didn’t write down specific notes. Maybe I should try it again to remodulate my judgment? Beaujolais Brouilly “Pierreux” 2013 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine Du Vissouxù Some curiosity: this is one of the most popular wines in Brouilly. There are plenty of 2008 and 2013 vintages and I have tried 2013. Pierreux is located at the foot of the Mount Brouilly and the name comes from “pierres” (stones). As traditional Gamay grape you can find some floreal notes (violet) and then riped red fruits, nothing new but tasty. Pierre-Marie Chermette is a great oenologist from Dijon university. Lucky him ;) Beaujolais Juliénas 2011  Clos de Haute-Combe – V.Audras Some curiosity: Juliénas, the flagship of Beaujolais. It’s said that wines from this region age like Burgundy? Floreal and ripe fruits. Good structure. Well done Vincent!

Vins de vignerons: when wine is about @culture

What the "Vins the vignerons" fair (if fair can be defined) aims at is to transmit the concept that wine is  about culture (I totally agree!). It's important to be able to choose your wine and that's the purpose of the exhibitions.

 

During this occasion Italian and French winemakers meet themselves. But they are not whatever type of winemakers. They are only those who work with autoctonous grapes and which propose a personal interpretation of their terroir. They are those who opt for natural methods. They are those who have a passion. Those who I love!

 

I really enjoyed the fair and with it some of the wine I had the chance to taste. I don't like to try ALL the wines proposed, otherwise I get lost.

I like to try the ones that catch my attention for one reason which can be completely random. The smile that I see on their faces, the passion, the label design...I am like that! Passionate for nature, I follow my instinct.




Here below some memories: 

 

Asinoi, byodinamic wine made by a couple: Luigi & Bruna. Their byodinamic philosophy is against chemical products at all, only minimum amount of sulphites is allowed. I have tried their Rosso DOC, made 100% from Barbera grape. The label reproduces a donkey, animals they love because of the "complex simplicity" they transmit, like their wines in my opinion. The Rosso DOC it's a quite "frank" wine, simple and genuine; I would define it as a wonderful table wine. Violet, cheeries, mixed berries. Let yourself get led by it.

 

It's Rolf Pretterebner with his wife that since 20 years ago grow mainly local grapes in a vocated Austrian terroir. They use natural method. Rolf doesn't want to be called a byodinamic producer but ecodinamic. They love aging their wines. I have tried the St-Laurent 1997, from a traditional Austrian variety. Plain colour; dark berry fruit nose but also spicy notes. On the palate it is silky and tannins are very polite :) I would pair it with some lamb meat!

 

Gérard and Christine produce their vines southwest Nîmes. The grand cru wines are labeled “Costières de Nîmes”. Their philosophy is to bottle as Grand Signature only the Vintages they most like. The Rapatel Blanc 2011 has butter notes, quince, almond, dried fruits and walnuts. At the tasting has a good freshness and it's a persistent silky wine. Good quality for price!

 

 

Soul and passion, driving your wine choice...Only if you call yourself into question! Sandro Sangiorgi docet!

Walking around a wine shop during a normal day, after long working hours, can make you understand that the real parameter to choose wine is your soul instinct. Indipendently if you are a Sommelier or not; indipendently if you are a wine expert or a fellow working in the wine business, what counts at the end of the day is the emotional feeling you have while choosing the bottle you are going to taste tonight or during the weekend or whenever you feel it's worthed. I personally think that every day can be the right day if you think so. There is no special occasion to wait, no need to look forward your birthday to open a special bottle. No need to open a special bottle during your birthday, you can simply toast with a beer stein, with the same ease you drink a Vintage Champagne or an aged Barolo on a regular Monday evening or, why not, during a business lunch.

All this foreword to say that tonight I decided to choose a wine based on the label I liked most, having a moderate budget, honestly speaking. I spent nearly half an hour snooping around the wine shop, having the owners's spotlight on me (it was 10 past seven and they remarked that closing time was 7.30!), perfectly aware that my choice needed to be fast.

That's why I decided to follow my instinct and choose the label that most inspired me. While driving home I was really looking forward to read on the Internet what the hell I had grabbed. And I realized that I was right. The label was exactly reflecting my expectations, confirmed reading the story about Cirelli.

Agricola Cirelli is an organic farm, whose production respects the natural cycles of the olive trees, vineyards, horticultural crops and the animal breedings. Their motto is "to live in harmony with nature". It looks like a predicted idea, but I am convinced they actually do so.

Tasting the wine I felt immediately a

simplicity touch, a genuine taste, reminding red fruits notes coming out from Montepulciano grapes. The short six month aging takes place in steel tanks, making evident the strong character of the tannins. Even though, they do not attack you, They gently cope with your toungue, softly decreasing their presence as long as you get in sympathy with them.

 

The main message of this article is just one: you need to follow your instinct. And not on purpose, while stating that, I realized that Sandro Sangiorgi (one of the few truly influential free-standing wine reviewer) has more (or less) the same opinion. On the back of his book "The invention of joy", he states the following:

"I address to those who are browsing in-between the pages of this book, attracted from the title, from the cover or, even better, from the subject: The invention of Joy", which requires a person willing to commit himself, both in the lecture and in the practice  (and in the writing, I would add). It is an important request that could discourage who is approaching for the first time the world of wine and expect immediate answers. It's highly probable he will find them (and with them precious advices) but at one unique condition: the ability and willingness to take a challenge. As I did".

 

So my interpretation is: FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCT, CHOOSE THE WINE FROM THE LABEL YOU GET ON WELL MOST. BUT THEN, DISCOVER THE WINE, STUDY ITS STORY, TASTE IT VIVIDLY. ENJOY IT. LIVE IT!

 

Cheese and wine pairing!

Cheese is the best invention man has ever made. And wine too. So the best thing in life, after the first one that everybody knows, ;), is pairing cheese with wine. I am not going to be boring but I want to summarize the main tips that will make your life wonderful.
With soft cheese characterized by a delicate milk aroma you should go for a fresh white wine like a young Chardonnay or, why not, some bubbles with a shy personality, like a Prosecco?
"Caprini"are cheeses made mainly from goat milk (there are in commerce also some from cow milk) with a stronger flavor. Many times they are conserved in oil with aromatic herbs or spices which makes them quite persistent in terms of taste and demanding in terms of wine. So, if you go for a white, be sure it's enough silky and perfumed. A barrique resting period would be welcome, otherwise, if at home you just have a red wine, be sure it has a medium structure. For my personal taste I prefer white wine combination, like a Verdicchio from Matelica!

Another category of cheese is the one with "washed crust". They are seasoned products (Taleggio and Robiola are an example) whose surface is washed with saulty water to avoid the mould and allowing the growing of batteria of red colour, which produce aromatic aromas reminding fermented fruit, sometimes very intense. I definetly love this type of cheese, I confess...technically speaking they need a strong wine to cope with their strong personality, but mellow enough to balance the  fatness and sweetness notes of the cheese. In this hard circumstances I love a Gewurztraminer from Alto Adige region. It's almost a dream!
The real dream and the most playful pairing come with seasoned cheeses. Playful because you can stretch the pairing from red wines with a really good structure, like a Barbera from Piemonte, up to sparkling wine made with champenois method, like a Franciacorta Brut. Let imagine yourself picking some bites of Parmesan or Grana cheese (for the difference between the two read my post parmigiano-reggiano-or-grana-padano) with a glass of sparkling wine, cleaning perfectly your mouth from the saulty and delicate fatness sensations left from the cheese swallowing....would you ask something more from life?:)

The problem of cheese are two: you are never tired of eating them (from starter to dessert) and you are never tired to pair them with wine because the variety of pairings is endless, depending on the cheese you choose or on the wine you have in your canteen. That actually wouldn't be a problem if in life calories were not existing! Who invented them!!? In any case when it comes to dessert forget about them, especially if your sweet treat will consist of "erborinati" cheeses with some jams and honey. A Passito wine is the perfect  pairing in my opinion. You can also dare with a fortified wine. As an example a Passito from Pantelleria, a Vin Santo from Tuscany or a Sauternes if you are in France.

                                          

But...Which is my favourite cheese? Definetly the Castelmagno, a paradise for senses, strong but at the same time elegant, the king of cheeses (il-re-dei-formaggi)!

Confrérie du Sabre d'Or

Last Friday I had the very funny chance to attend a wonderful dinner located in Jesolo, the seaside town close to Venice. The fish restaurant, "Da Guido", was very charming, in my opinion it will get the 1st Michelin star very soon. All the dinner was accompanied by loads of different Champagne, from starters to dessert, vintage, rosè, all types you could imagine. Why I said funny? Because the dinner was just an excuse to initiate new "candidates" to the "Confrerie du Sabrè d'or". Luckily the initiation ritual took place after having enjoyed the wonderful starters in the pleasant garden. Sushi, fresh gazpacho with prawn, oysters, miso soup, paired with some elegant Champagne which helped me a little bit to relax before sabreing the expensive fizz bottle in front of people I have never met, surprised that also a woman (I was the only one actually) wants to be part of such a unique club, the "Confrerie du Sabrè d'or". No worry, it wasn't the first time in my life :) but it was the first time with such a big golden knife. I normally use a kitchen one.

What are the tips?

1) you need to identify the seam that runs from the bottom to the top of the bottle. 

2) you have to tickle the neck, running it up and down the seam with some pressure, preparing the bottle for the final strike.” Always keep your striking wrist firm: it’s all about hitting the neck in one simple movement, like a golf swing. 

Enjoy the video :-) Do I look stressed?

After that I could enjoy with some proud; ;-), my dinner. A special mention to the Kamut spaghetti with sole and Champagne!

And what about the Champagne I had? The one which impressed me more was the Fallet Dart , made by a family of vignerons since 1610 who grow the grapes in a very vocated terroir "The Clos du Mont."

         

The Barbacarlo Rosso Riserva: a guarantee for emotions

I have a lot to write about my foodies adventures in Japan. I have a lot to write about wine tasting since I have written only about the visual part. I have a lot to write about Michelin and non-Michelin stars restaurant experiences... But I am very busy at the moment... even though I want to write down a snapshot of the wonderful experience I had thanks to one of the countless garage-wines I have tried. During a gourmet lunch in the Belluno hills in a very cosy village, Pois d'Alpago, close to the mountain and to the S.Croce lake. There, exactly there, yesterday I have had the joy to try the Oltrepò Pavese Rosso Riserva, the Barbacarlo produced by Lino Maga in the Broni hills of the Oltrepò Pavese area. I have tried the 1996 vintage.

They say that it's not possibile to have guided tours of the cellar. But I understand that, it's in the nature of garage-wine producers. That's why I will knock the door one day to visit him and I am sure I will visit it all. Barbacarlo is a natural wine, given to birth without the use of chemical products. It's made with the three grapes: croatina, vespolina, uva rara (the latter literally means "rare grape"). The re-fermentation takes place in the bottle, generating that natural foam of bubbles which can be more or less persistent based on the vintage! Since I tried the 1996, the sparkling was very delicate. I loved it. I loved it itself, even if the pairing with the different bites and versions of lamb meat was spot-on: not covering the meat taste with its light but indipendent personality. I have read it should reminds porcino (mushroom), musk and wet rock. I felt more the musk notes with a reasonbale persistent salinity. It emanated more perfumes at the end of the lunch after breathing for a while following years of aging. The chef applauded our wine choice. And we applauded him!

                                                    

Are German labels so complicate? Come on, let's try it!

I am not a passionate of German wines in general for a very simple reason, I don't know them properly. I am familiar with Riesling, Muller Thurgau (riesling x sylvaner) since they are names that remind me about the German brothers.
But there also Gruner, Gutedel (just to mention some of them) less famous but not for that reason with less dignity.
So I decide to write this post just to get more familiar with the German/Austrian labels.
Many times you will read on the label the term Kabinett. It is curious to know that originally it implied a wine of superior quality, the German version of the wine term Reserve. The term originated with the cistercian monks at Eberbach Abbeyin Rheingau, where the first use of the term Kabinett occurred in 1712. The abbey's best wines were stored in a special cellar built in 1245, and it was later known as the Kabinett cellar.
Before 1971, the term Kabinett often followed the name of tue grape varietal. In 1971 it was officially noted in German wine law, and it was given its current definition which applies to wines which are light and non-"chaptalized", that in less technical words it means that it's not added any sugar to increase the alcohol content after fermentation. The technique is named after its developer, the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal.
 

So Kabinett stays basically for a drier style of wine produced from grapes that are the least ripe.

It' fresh, it's very pleasant in summer because of its crisp acidity, citrus and green apple character.

Nothing complicate so far. I have found this quotation very emblematic of the common feeling about German labels: "the German wine-classification system can make the study of Burgundy seem like a proverbial walk in the park" (by Lettie Teague, Wall Street Journal). It's much more about the pronunciation rather than the classification itself).

So, after Kabinett we have in the following order:

Spätlese - literally "late-harvest," more body than Kabinett, riper fruit flavors, no green apple and perhaps tropical fruit.

Auslese - from individually selected extra-ripe grapes; can be a richer, sweeter, riper Spatelese or very sweet.

It's not my intention to be boring so I just sommarize the following "steps":

Beerenauslesen it's from selected grape and it's sweeter than Auslese;

Trockenbeerenauslese (oh my God!!!) it's from selected withered grape and it's even more sweeter. Don't be scared you are not going to drink sugar: the territory in which the grapes are grown and the climate let acidity to play a dominant role without making the wine too sickly sweet.

A part from the above classification,

there are just a couple of names to keep in mind since they might appear on the label:

Trocken - Very Dry

Halbtrocken - Dry - Use is becoming less common

There are other few things but I think it's enough and that we have covered 90%, more than enough to be aware of the meaning of a German wine label!

I have tried last week this wine, Heiner Sauer (this is the name of the producerI - Riesling Gleisweiler Holle - Kabinet Trocken, pairing it with some sushi. Sitting out in my small terrace in a hot Italian summer evening I enjoyed it a lot, thanks to its elegant freshness. The estate is located in the Southern Wine Road area, in the German wine-growing area of Palatine; 25 kilometers south is the French border. In the current form of operation it has existed since 1987 and it is guided by biological principles!

Try it (only if you are thursty)!

 

 

The wine of the Venice lagoon: Venissa - a unique example!

What is Venissa? It's a vineyard located in Mazzorbo, one of the quieter islands of the Venetian lagoon. It's a peaceful little backwater, joined to Burano by a footbridge. Historically the vineyard was cultivated but the logistic and therefore economical obstacles caused its abandonment for a long time. 

The Venissa "estate" represents a perfect example of a “walled vineyard”, which dates back to the fifteenth century. To make it even more charming it's the campanile of the S. Michele Arcangelo church, standing out in the middle of the vineyard, simply amazing.

The vineyard has been revitalised in 2006 thanks to the dedication  of the Bisol family and the oenologist Roberto Cipresso, who have been entitled to manage the estate after winning a tender notice of the Venice municipality.  The story goes that Bisol rescued the Dorona autoctonous grape variety from extinction, finding the last three surviving plants on the neighboring island of Sant'Erasmo.

 

After years of dedication today we have the opportunity to taste the Venissa wine, as a result of  the growing of the Dorona grape came back to production after Venissa vineyard revitalization. The name comes from Oro,  the Italian for gold, and indicates the golden-green and brilliant color of Dorona grapes. The variety was once thought to be identical to Garganega (the one used for Prosecco), but this theory has been disproven. Dorona wines unquestionably rank among the world’s rarest and the only remaining ones are growing at the Venissa estate.

The first vintage has been the 2010 one: a 30 days maceration and a maturation period of 12 months before it's ready.

Only 4.880 rare examples thave been produced and I have been one of the lucky persons who got the chance to taste one of them!

The wine has a plain golden colour; mineral perfumes, typical of the terroir well-balanced by the sweety notes which reminded me about nuts, caramel, peach and honey.

The taste is elegant and charming at the same time; it has a good savoury entrance, without losing its delicacy.

The precious bottle is an homage to the Venice history, to honor the three most important local traditions: wine, gold and glass. The authentic pure golden leaves are produced by a local laboratory and are manually applied to the bottles and then merged in the glass inside the furnaces of the memorable glassmakers Carlo Moretti from Murano.

In the heart of the walled Vineyard stays the Venissa restaurant, a charming and magic place with only 24 seats and a wonderful view to the grapes.

A part from the charm, also the kitchen is worth to mention.. The Growing and Research principles guide the chef Antonia Klugman, always looking for seasonality and vegetable elements. The love for nature, water, the vegetable garden and the orchard guide Antonia in the choice of the raw materials to be used!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

      



Easy going Wine Tasting lesson: the visual examination!

I don't want to be rambling. Just to explain in few words (if I am able to!) what wine tasting means, in order to understand the most common gestures that we, sommeliers, do (sometimes)! And to understand what you hear always more frequently almost everywhere. You can hear and therefore speak about wine in a cellar, in a wine shop, in a restaurant but, why not, also in the gym while exercising, in the canteen during your lunch break, in the post-office while queuing... Just kidding :)

 

I will speak about different stages of tasting in separate posts, to give the time (also to me!) to digest them properly! Today it's about the visual part.

Wine tasting starts always with a visual examination. 

This steps it's important to give the first informations on the wine we are going to taste, confirmed during the exams that come after: olfactory and gustatory-olfactory. At this stage you judge the clarity, the colour (and we could speak hours about the different tonalities), consistency and effervescence.  

Clarity is "officially" defined a the absence of suspended particles. Mmmmm, what does it mean? Very easy: can you notice some bits on the wine surface? If not, it doesn't mean you are blind; it means that the wine is clear, which occurrs in most of the cases. 

A wine with strong turbidity has experienced something negative during its life: an unwelcome fermentation for example. Poor wine. It's better if you leave it! If the wine shows just some particles, it's not necessarily a wine with defects. It can be due to a long aging in the bottle (typical of some red wines) or when they have been bottled without filtration especially for red ones rich in extract.

In these cases, the manipulation of the bottle during pouring must be done with extreme care.  A decanter is advisable! (and also fashionable!). 

Always evaluating the clarity aspect you can decide that you are in front of a crystalline wine, with its own intence brilliance. Just think about a Champagne, with its beautiful shine and vibrancy that reflects the light rays passing through it, thanks to the presence of bubbles of carbon dioxide which refract the rays of light.

And with clarity we are over! Uff!

 

Regarding colour, it's often suggestive of the wine age. Think about a red wine with a vanished shade, tending to orange tonalities: it's quite uncommon to be in front of a young wine; it's rather a product which experienced a maturation and a related evolution in the colour. And what about a wine with ruby-red tones purplish highlighted? It's exactly the opposite: I wouldn't expect a wine of exstensive aging. 

As human beings, not all wines are the same, so we cannot generalize! These are just indicative directions to give the basis in wine "analyzing". Think about a very very tanned woman: she should come from a tropical country you would say; and what about solarium centres? So, rule #1: never generalyze!

Even though, my role is to give you some knowledge about wine colour and I will do so. What are the factors behind it?

The wine colour comes from the staining, given by the maceration of the must with the skins during the fermentation. For red wines the vinification is done starting from red grapes with a variable maceration time. For white wines the vinification is done starting from withe/black grapes removing the skins.

The intensity of the colour depends instead on the amount of substance present in the grapes that is the result of soil and climate, of the microclimate but also depends on seasonality of the rains, the maturation, the state of health of the grapes, winemaking techniques, etc. Soils rich in limestone and clay tend to give grapes richer in pigments compared to sandy soils.

For the more curious, here below a very slim analysis of the scales of wine colours!

Greenish yellow: in white wines very young, light and fresh, with a good acidity   - Straw yellow: in most white wines still quite young, but with a lower acidity; softer  - Golden yellow: in white wines with a more mature relationship softness/acidity; probable aging in wooden barrels. 
Light Pink: in rosé wines with a colour similar to the peach blossoms or pink roses colour; usually obtained from red grapes which had a short maceration on the skins   - Cherry pink: wines generally obtained through a little longer maceration.

Purple red: in red wines with a very young relationship softness/hardness in favor of the latter: tannins are quite aggressive - Ruby Red: normally this color is associated with a wine in a good state of health and conservation; good maturation - Garnet: in more matured red wines, rather soft than hard taste; it's similar to the color of blood (bleaaaa); a good evolution possibly with short periods in contact with wood - Orange-red: in red wines with a long aging (wow!)

If colour gives the first informations on wine evolution, consistency can do the same for alcoholic strength. Swinging the glass allows you to create some small archs on the glass walls, whose width and descent speed indicate if the wine you are going to drink has a marked or weak alcoholic strength. Generally, slow and regular drops associated to small arcs very closed to each other spot a wine with a good % of alcohol.

Just try to do it with a glass of water and see the difference! You will understand what I mean.

And finally, what about effervescence? This evaluation is considered only for wines with the presence of  bubbles (I like to call them in this way :) ), formed during alcoholic fermentation in the production of sparkling wines produced with the classic method or Martinotti, sweet or dry. When you rate the bubbles (in this world we really judge EVERYTHING), you analyze the grain (are they coarse or very thin?), the number (are they rare or abundant) and the persistence (do they disappear after few seconds or do they reproduce themselves continuosly?)!

Sorry but speaking about bubbles I have become thursty!

Cheers and ... talk you in the next lesson (or better post on tasting)!

A strong woman, a great wine: Ida Agnoletti

I have met few times in different fairs Ida Agnoletti and the impression I got has always been the same: a strong woman, with a strong character and clear ideas. She firmly supports her choices and she won’t change her mind easily. At a first glance I understood she is a woman to admire. A woman that makes you think that “you can do everything” if you believe in something.

                                             

Her wines are produced in Selva del Montello, in the hills surrounding the Treviso area. She is in love with her place, as much as she is in love with her wine and her job.

She is one of the first women who achieved the diploma at the Enological School of Conegliano, at that times a quite rare event I have to say. 

Starting to work in a world definitely “male chauvinist ” has not been easy for her. She encountered the first barriers when she started her career as enologist, a profession on which she spent 8 years. When she started to look for a new job it looks like nobody wanted to recruit her, despite the extensive “enological” experience matured beforehand. 

Honestly this doesn’t surprise me. The world of wine is not so “closed” as some years ago, but it’s still quite difficult to approach for a woman like me, like Ida and like many others women. There are still many prejudices difficult to overcome. 

Just think how many times you hear the following sentence: “this wine is quite soft/gentle/pander; I always serve it when there are women because I know they will like it”. Or, even worse, there is a common habit to associate sweet wine (or sparkling wines with a good % of residual sugar) to women tastes. 

OK: it’s true that those type of wines are very “easy” to be drunk and do not require a particular knowledge neither such a fine taste to be understood. But it’s also true that there is a universe of women who have a real passion for wines, aware of what they drink and with a very deep sensitivity that sometimes men lack of, which makes them more attentive and introspective in wine approaching.

Closing this bracket, I start from where I opened it. Ida was refused and so she decided to go ahead independently from prejudices : she started to produce wine on her own. Obstinate, brave, crazy? Passionate I would say.

She is doing everything: from the grape harvest (rigorously manual), up to the bottling and the packaging. Whatever activity needs to be done in the cellar in September she is involved in the first place. Basically she is on her own.

Ida produces mainly Incrocio Manzoni, Prosecco, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Anyway, her last bet has been the “Recantina”, an autochthonous grape not known out from the local territory. It was in the 17th Century under the names Recardina or Recandina. Through the Institute of Viticulture of Conegliano three varieties were identified; these are Recantina a Pecolo Scuro (dark stalk), Recantina a Pecolo Rosso (red handle) and the previously recorded in the official register of varieties Recantina Forner (according to the winery, where it was found )

Almost all Ida wines are not filtered and derive from indigenous yeasts; she uses new barriques and tonneaus, in order not to alter the original flavor of the grape. She is not supporting “trends”, “styles”, cliché and so on … She just follows her ideas and her principles.

Last week, I have tried her Prosecco made with Glera grape (the Selva 55) and I confirm that it’s different from the usual Prosecco, because of its milder sweetness and its stronger personality. It copes well alone, as aperitive, but also accompanying different type of meals, thanks to its degreasing properties. The residual sugar is only 3.5 g/l, almost a pas dosè., the reason why it doesn’t meet the taste of the crowd. 

The Seneca is a wine coming from the oldest vineyard (dating the ‘50s) and it’s made of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Ludwy is dedicated to her father, who used to sign with this name. It’s made of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Shiraz, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, a blend whose proportion can change depending on the year.

                                              

Last, but not least, the Follia, made of Incrocio Manzoni and for around 20% of Riesling Renano, bottled on its yeasts after max 3 “travasi. The Follia is produced only when Ida is convinced about it; when she is 100% sure that the conditions have been favorable. 

I still haven’t visited the Ida's cellar but I am so curious to discover with my eyes and breath with my nose the atmosphere that only a woman like her can transmit.

                                       

Fongaro Pas Dosè 2009

Champagne or not Champagne? That's the dilemma. I have confessed few times that I have a weakness for Champagne, that's true. Because I like the after taste that the Champenois method leaves in your mouth, in a very discreet manner. That fragrant sensation that pairs perfectly with shellfish but that can also be enjoyed alone chilling out in front of a nice lanscape.

So Yesterday I opted for an alternative "classic method" bubble, choosing the Pas Dosè 2009 of the Fongaro factory. For those who don't know, Pas Dosè means no dosage, zero sugar added (also Brut Nature).

The grape is not Chardonnay, it is not Pinot Noir; it is the Durello or Durella grape (depending if you are male or female chauvinist :-)), a light-skinned white grape variety which comes from the Veneto region, distinguished by a significant acidity, which makes it quite difficult to use it stand alone and not as a blend with other grapes.

Despite of that, Fongaro has been able to produce a Champenois method using Durello in a single-variety vinification, in the Monte Lessini volcanic area (the hills on which the vines grow are layers of rocks formed by lava flows and the soil is rich in minerals and fossil deposits), having a balanced result.

I have tried the Pas Dosè 2009 (around 18 thousand bottles produced) and even if the freshness was a little bit undermined by the age (we are in 2014) I have found it quite pleasant. Maybe less elegant than a Champagne, less brown-noser, going directly to the point. It needs to be understood. But if you do it, you will appreciate it and especially you will feel the terroir.

Due to its marked acidity someone could advice to pair it with fatty or oily food, taking advantage of the degreasing properties which typifies the grape. That' true.

Having enjoyed it some years later, when the acidity typical of the grape has been mitigated by the wine maturing, I have found the pairing with fish quite balanced as well, despite the rhombus fish tends to be a delicate dish more suitable with milder tastes.

I Always advice to be brave and try everything, especially what you are less used to. So, GO FOR IT! 

                                       

Wine and ... chili?

Is it always possible to pair wine with food? Depending on the point of view. It's always better in my opinion to accompany your dinner with a glass of good wine rather than not, because wine is a matter of pleasure first of all.
But being a Sommelier it's my duty to say that from a "technical" point of view the relationship between the two can sometimes be very complicated.
Like a normal couple: it can not always work :)
There are some combinations that you should strictly avoid. For example it's almost impossible to find wines suitable for some types of vegetables, like asparagus, artichokes and spinach. The high concentration of tannin in the artichoke clashes with the tannins present in the wine.
Obviously the rule is not valid when those vegetables are part of a wider preparation, like for example ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach or a risotto cooked until creamy with cheese where the artichokes role is secondary.
A part from the vegetables above mentioned it's not advisable to pair wine with dishes rich in vinegar, with canned food (like tuna and mackerel) or with very sour fruit, like pineapple and citrus fruits.
And what about ice-cream? The official rules are against this combination. A soft interpretation is instead an "in-between" approach, which consider the following:
- the difference between the ice-cream and the wine temperature has to be reduced at the minimum. So it's better to choose a white wine, whose serving temperature is higher.
- the wine need to have a reasonable amount of residual sugar.
- the wine has to be drunk after few seconds after having swallowed the icecream, in order to attenuate the anaesthetic effect of the ice.
And what about chili pepper?
White wines contain an higher amount of flavonoids, substances that contrast the capsaicin, the main resposible of the piquancy in spicy food. The flavonoids properties can reduce the burning sensation that a chily pepper provokes! Plus alcohol present in the wine dilute the sensation even more. Last but not least, the carbon dioxide and the sparkling of the bubbles act as "brushes", wiping out the fire!
So what do you expect to cook a good plate of "spaghetti all'arrabbiata"?

Champagne and nature: Manoir de Montflbert

Today I want to speak about Manoir de Montflambert, a beautiful place where to stay if you visit Champagne region, located in the “Route due Champagne”.

7 kms north-east of Epernay, 29 km kms south of Reims, close to Ay you will find this oasis of peace, ideal to relax after a daily tour in the vineyards.

It’s all about nature and relax. The rooms are so cosy, decorated with flowers and with a dash of imagination, since each one is different from the others. Taste is the common denominator, in food as well.

Their breakfast they serve is something special: everything home made and simply fresh!

In few words I would define it as a charming and elegant B&B where each detail is minded carefully and where the owners make your staying special because of that but also because of their genuine approach which makes you immediately feeling that you are dealing with farmers who work with passion.

Yes because the Lheureux Plékhoff is a family of winegrowers and winemakers, which has been doing that for over 50 years.

The family vineyards are located in more than 15 different “crus” among the most prestigious (Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Hautvillers, Mutigny, Avenay val d'or, Verzy, Chouilly, Oiry). This diversity enable them to provide their cuvées with the 3 grape varieties typical of Champagne: pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier – to ensure the characteristic blend of our House.

Their cuvées are produced and aged in their cellars, located in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, which are a mixture of tradition and modernity.

The wines, elaborated according to ancestral rules, are the result of an exceptional alliance between land and men, between a “terroir” and a know-how.

Why to pair Franciacorta with Kellogs? Or maybe with Fish?

Franciacorta is a sparkling wine produced with Champenois method. What does it mean? You can find thousands of definitions in the web, so I don't want to be boring. Basically the bubbles are produced through re-fermentation taking place in the bottle, like Champagne. The name "Franciacorta" comes from the Latin Curtes Francae, used to describe the "liberated" courts (small communities) of Benedictine monks released from the obligation to pay commercial transport duties on condition that they improved the land entrusted to them.
A good Franciacorta has nothing to envy to Champagne, since it reveals the same fragrancy notes, smell and flavour of bread crust.
Much less flowerly and fruity than a Prosecco produced with Martinotti method (re-fermentation process takes place in autoclave).
I have to say that I have a weakness for Champenoise method in general. And I would drink it starting from breakfast: why not to have a huge bowl of bubbles with Kellogs instead of my usual Soia drink??
Jokes aside Franciacorta is wonderful as an aperative and with medium-light plates that do not cover the wine body. Fish is ideal. In my opinion almost all types of fish until you keep the rule that the food has to keep a balance with wine.
Mixed fried fish and Franciacorta are in my opinion a perfect combination: the sparkling of the wine "dries" the unctuousness of the dish, leaving your mouth perfectly clean!

Nicolas Joly

Nicolas Joly is among the leading personalities of the biodynamic wine movement. He left banking to take over his family's wine estate Château de la Roche aux Moines in Savennières. From 1981, the estate's top wine Clos de la Coulée de Serrant has been made biodynamically, and from 1984, the estate's entire range has been produced biodynamically.
What else? If you want to enter into the detail of the biodynamic world read this book. It's not an easy one, you need to be in the right mood! But it's definetly interesting!

Costadilà: the "glou glou" wine

The Costadilà "farm" is located in Tarzo, Treviso province, in the Costa di là suburb, where just few souls live.

It's the tipical Prosecco terroir!

The owners are Mauro Lorenzon (already mentioned in my posts) and Ernesto Cattel: they gave birth to this initiative in order to "restore" the old-style wine, using organic growing methods and cellar techniques.

Their must is the Prosecco sur lie but in this post I am going to describe their "Bianco dei colli trevigiani", a white wine, made using the indigenous grapes Prosecco (Glera), Bianchetta and Verdisio. The wine-making process involves maceration on the skins for 7 days and fermentation at not controlled temperature with indigenous yeast. The "refining" on the lees last 5 months. The "prise de mousse" takes place with spontenous fermentation inside the bottle (as per tradition) with its own yeast and sugars and last 3 months. Just a minimal quantity of sulphuric anhydride is added.

The wine has a fragrant taste (bread crust) and a mineral note. Due to the production process it has as well a slightly bitter aftertaste.

How to pair it? It's a "glou glou" wine :-) But also ideal during ordinary meals as "table wine". It's very fresh, so perfect in the hot season!

Pairing Dr Martens to ... Clos des Amandiers 2007

Should we pair wine only with food? And what about pairing it with our mise and particolarly with our shoes?
Let's start from Dr Martens, one of the most iconic shoes in the world, born in Germany by creator Klaus Martens, the classic boot has been the footwear for rebellious youth culture and has never lost its cool aura and divisive style.
If you are so "alternative" to wear a pair of Dr Martens even in your 30s or 40s the best wine to drink is an agressive one, rich in tannins but also contradictory: try Clos des Amandiers 2007 one of the most tannic white wines on the earth. It's made from the Rkatziteli grape. It's a wine with caracther, which is all coming from its production method, typical if Georgians: long maceration followed by a maturation process in amphoras. Its yellow colour tends to the orange and the nose is firstly impacted by light oxidised notes, which gradually lessen themselves.
The hard impact is given by the strong tannins which apparently are quite difficult to cope with but can be smoothed out if you sip a glass of this wine while eating a succulent plate, creating the perfect harmony!

Buvoli, the real pinot noir artist!

On the beautiful Vicenza hills you can discover Marco Buvoli, a genuine and passionate pinot noir producer, supporter  of natural wines and focused rigorously on limited production. He started his adventures in 1997 after buying an abandoned property with an old stone house which he renewed to create his cellar. His way of making wines is somehow philosophical, a sort of poetry. It is like an art,  seeking for perfection, dealing with a sophosticate and not easy at all grape: the pinot noir!

I have tried this limited edition bottle the L.E505 - Rosé, produced with Champenoise method (the first experiment took place in 2002). It's name come from the fact that only 505 rare examples have been realized. What Marco says about this wine?: "if you like it, don't ask me how I have made it; it's the typical luck of a beginner in this kind experiment".

So, just few information to share: the fermentation process takes place firstly in open barrique and then in steel until the "prise de mousse" occurr during spring. It lays on the yeast inside the bottle for 8 years before the disgorgement which took place in 2010. 

What he finally says is that "it's a difficult bottle, loved by those who look for the sensations that only old Champagnes can transmit. It's perfect with mixed boiled meat and meat in general and also with cheeses".

I have a special LOVE for this producer because he is able to make art with wine. And of course because his wines are not only good but definitely unique!
I had the chance to take part to a special dinner, organized in a cosy restaurant, Gourmetteria (Padova, Veneto), where they invite Marco Buvoli and they propose a different Buvoli wine for each dish.
We had some starters at the bar (nice idea to have the chance to speak with all the people and socialize) with some stockfish croquettes, mini meat tartare and veggie tempura (deep-fried with red chicory beer), accompanied by the Buvoli "4", Magnum version. The number 4 identifies the years during which the cuvè stays in the bottle after rifermentation. As per Buvoli opinion, it's ideal for starters and first courses.
Then we had some risotto of the Slow Food Presidium with stockfish, cherry confit tomatoes and polenta chips, paired with a Buvoli "Pas Dosè", with 6 years on the yeasts, topped up with a vintage wine. I had the luck to try this wine, of which few bottles are left. Finally tuna from Mediterranean Sea (the most fine part of the fish) with Buvoli Rosè Magnum (4 years on the yeasts for Magnum size and 3 for normal size).
As a dessert, a soft  focaccia with zabaglione cream and strawberries with the Buvoli Super 8. The name "Super 8" and not simply "8" it's because it stayed on the yeasts for more than 8 years but less than 9 years. Only 450 bottles produced which are almost finishing. And I tried it!!

Visit his web page and you will be impressed.

http://www.opificiopinotnero.it/

An alternative to Prosecco

Most of the people know very well Prosecco, not only in Italy but also abroad, becoming a fashionable "drink" which honourably compete with Champagne thanks to its easy bubbles.

But who knows Verdisio? I bet that the majority of the people not living around Treviso area (north of Italy) do not know this wine, produced by the "verdisio" grape in the hills of Conegliano, Vittorio Veneto and Valdobbiadene (Treviso province). But I can assure you that it has the same dignity :-)

It's existence dates back to long time ago, since its installation was imposed to the community of the Follina Abbey already in 1788.

It's a strong grape, adaptable to different types of soils which gives birth to light wines with a dry taste recognizable for its slighty acidulous characther (it reminds a very green apple) and a sligthly bitter aftertaste.

Wine produced with verdisio can be still, sparkling and sweet.  But the most common one is in my opinion the sparkling one!

It's curious to know that in the past the wine making process was used to combine verdisio grape with other two local varieties: the famous prosecco and the less famous "bianchetta". The wine made by this blend was locally called the "White wine of the hills" ("Il vino bianco dei colli").

I would recommend to drink the sparkling version as aperative, with light starters especially  with shellfishes. The still             version is ideal with first courses, like a seasonable veggy risotto, like for example some pasta with cherry tomatoes and       prawns. 

 I strongly suggest to try the "Gregoletto" Verdisio, laying "on its yeast". It's definitely a pleasant and natural wine, for real amateurs, whose re-fermentation process occurrs spontaneously. Bottles are closed with crown caps, the best way to preserve it.

Drink and enjoy it!