My Half Full Glass - November 15th, 2012

A new weekly column. The first one posted way beyond the initial self-imposed deadline. Who knows that the hell this means!

Italian Wines from Zonin

The folks at Zonin shared several selections of their collection with me and I recently took a white and a red for a test drive. On its own the red paired best with the simple pasta & sauce I was eating, but overall both wines performed acceptably the night I opened them.

The Rocca di MonteMassi Le Focaie Maremma Toscana 2012 is a bright, assertively tart red wine that is would be best when paired with light Italian fare or even a cheese plate. The acidity is cleansing keeping the wine focused and sharp. With cheese the wine expressed savory herbal notes that were quite pleasing.

The Principi di Butera Insolia Sicilia 2011 is a straightforward dry, white wine with a slight salinity to it. This wine was not a match for red sauce, trending better with cheese. The salinity might make this a good match with shellfish, which I did not try.

Peconic Bay Hard Cider

I've haven't met (yet) the people at Peconic Bay Winery and Empire State Cellars, but I do know that they are doing a fantastic job representing and promoting wines made in New York State. During a chat with James Silver, General Manager at Peconic Bay Winery, he asked if I was interested in cider. Those were words I have heard before, and thankfully I have always said yes! As a result I was lucky enough try the two styles of Long Island hard cider Peconic Bay Winery is currently producing.  Cider doesn't resonate with everyone and one of the revelations I have had about what makes a cider more likely to please is that the clarity matters. In this case clarity is both visual and on the palate; a finesse if you will.

Both of the Peconic Bay ciders have that finesse. The True Companion was the first one I tried and it immediately reminded of another cider made in a similar style that  I've really enjoyed, The Saint by Crispin Cider. True Companion is made with a five apple blend and also has orange zest, ginger and molasses added. The cider pours an amber color and comes off spicy and sweet making for a killer drink on its own. Paired with cheese this cider owned the tasting. Like The Saint from Crispin, this cider is fruity, spicy, a bit yeasty with a sweet finish. This complexity when it is well polished makes for exceptional drinking.

True Believer is a drier cider made with the same apple blend as True Companion minus the spice/sugar additions. This cider is lighter in color with a much more apple focused nose. True Believer's asset is how smooth it is. Tart apple is all over the place, there is a stripe of acidity, but the finish is just a hint sweet and round. This cider tastes more like an heirloom or cider-type apple drink more than the dessert apple blend it is made from might suggest. A very nice surprise.

Both ciders would be good on their own, with cheeses & snacks or with white meat-based main dishes.

Cheers!

Jason

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nero di Troia – A Great Wine You’ve Likely Never Heard Of

( Donato Antonio Giullani pouring his Cantine Teanum wines for the audience. )

I attended both the Wines & Cheeses of Puglia and the #RWTastingCrew last night at WGBH. These events were part of a thrust to promote wines from Puglia in the states and determine the interest that might exist for bringing them here, some for the first time. I am going to write more about the events in an upcoming post, but I couldn’t wait to share my experience with the still very unknown style of wine, Nero di Troia.

This grape and the wine made from it only come from Puglia on the Southeastern tip of the Italian peninsula. From the private conversation a group of us had with several of the winemakers (thank you Cathy!) I learned that the grape was brought to the region by the Greeks 2500 years ago and is only grown and vinified by about 20 producers. It is a late harvesting grape sometimes into early October. This is considered one of the keys to the wine’s more fruit forwardness. It was noted by multiple winemakers that Nero di Troia is a hard grape to work with both in the vineyard and during fermentation, especially when it comes to extraction. My understanding is that a mere difference of day of skin contact when making wines with this grape can add considerable aging needs to soften the tannins.

There were 3 selections of Nero di Troia to sample all of which I highly recommend. They were all different in subtle ways, providing a nice survey of what the wine can be.

Masseria Celentana – Querciagrande

This was my favorite of the three. I immediately picked up cherry, chocolate and a little smoke. The color was much deeper on this one and the spiciness was a bit lower. I could see pairing this with every grilled piece of beef I put on the grill all summer! I got to taste it with fresh cheese and found very worthy partners. The clean, simple flavors in the cheese were stuck right up against the wine which has considerable heft.

Casaltranita – Nero di Troia

This one drew aspects from the others into a nice balance. Great fruit (red berries), chocolate and some smoke were easily detected. I got twinges of balsamic vinegar (it was on the wine specs so it stuck in my head) and hints of dried fruits more in this one than the others. I started thinking about beef with blue cheese and a red wine reduction on it.

Cantine Teanum – Nero di Troia

The first thing that thought of when I tasted this wine was the spiciness in Shiraz. I hadn’t expected them from an Italian wine and I found it well fitting. I picked up cherry & red berry flavors, something dusty and acidic (graphite?) with a good deal of concentration and moderate tannins. The finish was medium to long and clean. Is it dinner time yet? A nice steak and a bottle of this wine sounds fantastic.

( Alberto Longo talking about the Masseria Celentano wines. )

I feel like these wines will continue to be best coming from small producers with good, but not stratospheric distribution so its charms aren’t diluted by excessive demand. I definitely want to have them, the fact that I can’t in the US yet is no fun, and look forward to getting some and trying some of the food pairings that came to mind.

I look forward to taking another stroll through my notes and recollections of the wines (including the whites, additional reds and the Gravisano Passita dessert wine), cheese making demo and great conversations from the events to share more of Puglia with you again soon.

Cheers!

Jason

Do We Need an Excuse To Drink Red Wine?

The easy answer is no. As long as it is good, of course.
Last weekend I tried a couple of reds I hadn’t had before that were worthy of reviews. The Chianti was specifically selected to test the go-to pizza pairing for many sommeliers. We also paired the pizza up with our 2008 Montelpulciano. That particular wine ended up being very understated and simple, but not totally off the mark for the table versions of it that are commonly found in abundance in the central and southern Italy.

Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico 2007

I haven’t had many Chianti’s that wowed me. Most people I know would believe that to be a fool’s quest. I don’t buy it. I am sure that there are finer versions of Chianti to be had, and that they are produced with the kind of care that so many other revered styles are. The Antinori Peppoli was definitely one of the best ones I have had, but I still feel there is room to grow from here. I found the aroma to be pretty even between red fruits and oak/earth. The flavors of ripe red raspberries, vanilla and bitter dark chocolate were carried along a moderate to long finish. The tannins were pronounced but soft in nature, not creating a significant teeth cleansing sensation. The wine paired well with both a supreme pizza that contained several meats and vegetables, and a mushroom and onion version. The mushrooms were specifically accentuated up against the earthy, oak flavors in the wine. I’d drink this wine again, but I do consider it as a place to continue to search from.

Ancient Fire 2008 Montelpulciano

I have struggled to find a consistency in the fruit flavors in this wine. The nose is very light and while the color is good, taken together it is a pretty unremarkable wine. My lack of knowledge (of the grape and the typically outcome) at the time I made it prevented me from taking the choice to blend a little bit of Sangiovese and Merlot into it to add complexity. It is drinkable, but not exciting. It did do an admirable job with the pizza however. It handled both pizzas well, but didn’t work any magic on either; something appropriate when the folks eating and drinking weren’t really interested in being mindful of the pairings. I won’t ever make this exact wine to be sure, and when I want to make something Italian again, experimentation with Sangiovese and a Super-Tuscan style is most likely.

Chamard Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

In 2010 Margot and some of her girlfriends visited Chamard Vineyards in Clinton, CT for a tasting of their wines. Having experienced CT wines previously Margot was prepared for their generous acidity and their distinctions from wines made elsewhere from the same grapes. Of all of the wines tasted Margot decided the Cabernet was the best. Her friend Julie agreed and I got the prize of a whole bottle to enjoy. I picked up aromas of raspberries and leafy greens in the nose. The flavors of plum and blackberry came with the expected dose of acidity and subtle wood influence. This was a very pleasing wine and raised my curiosity to try their other wines despite Margot insisting this was the very best one they tried.

Cheers!

Jason

A Virtual Visit to Tuscany

( Colline del Chianti  )

I’ve started hitting the geography books, wine geography that is, in preparation for the introductory sommelier exam sometime in 2011. The first exam isn’t about tasting or serving wine, it is about how it’s made, but primarily WHERE it’s made. But I digress.

I started with Italy because I know the least about it's wine and winemaking. As I was reviewing central Italy, Tuscany stood out. While I have had Tuscan wines before I never took the time to evaluate them. I recall enjoying them, but that just isn’t good enough!

Grape growing and winemaking in Italy and the region of Tuscany go back so far it isn’t really worth putting a date on it. One date you might see be highlighted is 1716, which was when the Chianti wine-area was first defined. Tuscany at large has a long storied cultural history and has been the home to notable historical figures such as da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante and Galileo to name a few. The regional capital of Florence evokes visions of sculptures, paintings, architectural masterpieces, music and theater. Tuscany is known for its wines with Chianti, Brunello and Montelpulciano being several of the most widely known.

( This is what we were trying to recreate at home! )

With my newly acquired (from the reading) knowledge about the Italian DOC system and the region/sub-regions Tuscany encompasses I thought I might acquire a few under-$20 bottles to sip and review. It also made sense to pair these wines with some Italian meats, cheeses and olives for a broader sensory experience. (Note: we had this tasting on October 6th 2010, the night I started feeling off which ultimately led to my near death and a four day stay in the hospital. I assure you it was not the wine or the food. That event is also why it took me so long to post this, the memory is bittersweet because I knew I didn’t feel well but didn’t think a doctor’s visit was required. Wrong!)

I picked up mixed marinated olives, potato bread, a piece of Il Saggio (aged goat’s milk cheese), a block of Fontina cheese, Prosciutto, Coppa (spicy) and Sopressata at Salumeria Italiana on Richmond St. in Boston’s North End. The shop owners were extremely helpful answering all my questions and they even thought my project was and exciting way to experience the wine and food of different places around the world. My visit ended after tastes of aged balsamic vinegars (one was 25 years old!) and some house olive oils, both of which you can buy directly from them. I added some homemade basil pesto to the mix. It is just so good!

( Get ready to eat! )

I selected the following wines which represent two very different styles of Tuscan wine you can easily find,

• Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico 2006 (90 pts, $19, available from Wine.com)
• Villa Antinori Toscana Red 2004 (90 pts, $20, available at NH Liquor stores & Wine.com)

The Castello di Bossi had a nice ruby color and we did note a slight brown shift. At a little under 4 years old my guess would be that it wasn’t well warehoused. The tannins were moderate and we found flavors of dark cherries and a bit of smoke. The aroma of dark fruits was quite obvious when we first approached it. The finish was smooth and had a good length.

The Villa Antinori had a deep red color with a huge aroma of berries. The oak influence was apparent in both the aroma and flavor. We picked up flavors of chocolate and what I said was leather but could have been another combination of earthy flavors. The tannins were potent but not overpowering, and the finish was silky and smooth. The finish lingered and was immensely enjoyable. We have had this wine before and picked it specifically to give it a proper review. I would buy this again and recommend it as a good, accessible Tuscan IGT wine. IGT is a newer designation for wines from Italy that was specifically created so that the Super Tuscans, blends of Sangiovese and typical Bordeaux grapes, would have a category for quality control and marketing.

Because I wasn’t feeling so great my notes on the wine and food pairings are very light and don’t make good sense.. My vague recollection is that both wines paired well but not necessarily with the same foods. The cheese pairings were excellent and of course the meats when paired with the wines offered all sorts of nuances.

Cheers!

Jason

Picture citations

(1) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chianti-colline2-2.jpg

(2) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salumi_e_vino_lucchese.JPG

(3,4,5) Our own

Frank Cooked It Up And We Paired It Up!

( Kath and I enjoying the party. )

Kathy Nelson, the owner of Salon Outlooks in Manchester, definitely knows how to plan a fun event. Combine the talents of two of her clients and the energy of quite a few others and what do you get? A great Italian cooking demonstration and a few good food and wine pairings.

On Friday November 12th Frank Carpentino walked us through a selection of Italian dishes using his philosophy of “no recipes”. Margot and I were given a rough idea of the ingredients that would be in the dishes and were challenged to recommend wines to pair with them. Our challenge included making recommendations that would be available from the local liquor store as well as several from our own collection.

We kept with the Italian theme and recommended the following wines available locally:

• Folonari Soave 2008 - very light body, subtle fruitiness, very dry & crisp
• Ruffino Chianti Classico Aziano 2007 - ripe fruit, earth, very complex for a lighter red
• Martini & Rossi Asti NV - sweet sparkler with great fruit flavors

We added the following wines from the Ancient Fire collection:

• 2009 Pinot Grigio - medium bodied, dry, grilled pear/melon flavors
• 2008 Amarone - full bodied, red fruit and oak, unique aromas
• 2009 Riesling Ice Wine (we don’t have any homemade Italian dessert wine)

Frank has an impressive list of food accomplishments and he easily kept the attention of the audience as he prepared his meals.

( A solid base for a great dish! )

Some of his credits are:

• The development and instruction of a Basic Cooking Program as part of the Derry Adult Education Program.
• The development & instruction of a basic cooking program for school age children
• Prior Head Cook for a Middle School with a population of over 1,000
• Cook for Passaconaway Country Club & Hidden Creek Country Club

Frank started with a salad dressed with an oil and vinegar based dressing. I had hoped the Soave might work here but alas it was too light. The Pinot Grigio worked better, but the dressing did have some character and a good wine pairing would be tough.

Moving from salad to the main course Frank prepared pasta and fresh vegetables, which consisted of onions, peppers, mushrooms and broccoli in a light sauce of tomatoes, butter and white wine. Several of us found the Pinot Grigio worked better than the Chianti making my initial recommendation the winner. The score is all tied up!

The next dish was Frank’s North End Pasta, a tomato based sauce with sausage, onions, peppers and garlic over fettuccini. For this dish either of the red wines would work and which one exactly would be the best would depend on individual taste. The Amarone was the winner creating a nice bump for us coming from the homemade collection.

A shrimp scampi pasta dish came out next. My initial pairing advice was toward the white wines and the Soave primarily. It worked and people agreed. Score one more!

The last dish was chicken, vegetables in a rose (white and red wine) sauce. I didn’t actually eat this one because I was too busy serving wine. I think both of the whites and the Chianti were pairings people enjoyed, but I wouldn’t declare a win here since I didn’t work hard enough on it.

At this point everyone was feeling pretty full, but there was one last dish. Dessert. Cannoli to boot. Frank enlisted help from the audience to get these made and I prepared the ice wine and Asti for accompaniment. Both wines paired well with the lightly sweet dessert, but I think folks enjoyed the wines more on their own. Points for everyone.

This was a hugely rewarding experience for Margot and I. We got another chance to try our hand at food and wine pairing and in the process we created a bunch of smiles. Frank was commanding in the kitchen, with his passion and energy showing through.

Renee thanked us profusely for introducing her to Amarone, a style of wine she had yet to have enjoyed. We received other feedback which was truly humbling. We make wine at home for fun and always enjoy the fact that it brings others happiness when we share it.

Food and beverage pairing is a combination of art and science. I am always willing to to be wrong as long as I learn something in the process. Tonight I did OK, and learned that salad dressing can be a formidable adversary and that the the sauce of an Italian dish really makes the difference, almost without regard to whatever else is in the dish.

(The Outlooks crew with food and wine smiles! )

Cheers!

--Jason

Pairing with Brie & Strawberry Salad

I saw a recipe in the Foodbuzz Top 9 today for Eggs Muerette published in the From Argentina to Paris blog. Not being fan of poached eggs I decided not to attempt a pairing. I would need to eat this dish to do it justice. I did take the opportunity to take a look at recent postings by Cristina in her blog, and found a recipe for a Brie Cheese & Strawberry Salad. That sounds delightful!

Check it out at http://frombatoparis.blogspot.com/2010/04/king-of-cheeses-brie-cheese-and.html

We have paired Brie with our homemade Strawberry wine several times and found the creamy cheese and the sweet and fruity wine just melted together in your mouth. I can see this salad with ripe berries and a zesty dressing could do the same. If you can't find Strawberry wine, and I can't sell you the homebrew, you could also try a couple of other things for a range of effects.

Rose Regale, a sweet proseco from Italy, will invoke some of the same aromas and flavors as the Strawberry wine, and the bubbles will add some zip as well. A dry white wine that came to mind was Gruner Veltliner from Austria. A a great match with the flavors in herbs, greens, and stinky cheese this wine will meld well with the flavors in this recipe for a more subtle pairing (on the wine side) than the other two. The Weingut Hirsch Veltliner #1 would be a good and reasonably priced selection to try.

Cheers!

Jason