B8 wine

Caprese Salad & Bandol Rosé

2011-08-03T10:15:00.000-04:00

Having tomato and basil plants on the deck comes really handy when you need to prepare a quick appetizer. This sweet Better Boy and this crisp Green Zebra look really good plated with buffalo mozzarella, basil, EVOO and salt. The flavors and freshness of the tomatoes took me back to my Grandparents garden in Italy.
The wine is the 2010 Le Pont Bandol rosé, a light bodied, dry, fresh and fruity blend of Mourvedre and Grenache (retail $17.99 - AVIN7590657389946)

Rice with Duck and Apricots & Dão Tinto

2011-07-22T00:24:00.000-04:00

This is a George Mendes recipe I have found on Food and Wine. The only change I have made was adding the chorizo to the onion and garlic at the beginning, to make it more crispy. It turned our pretty flavorful, and I discovered I like duck... a lot. Unfortunately duck seems to be a seasonal meat, easier to find at the grocery stores in Winter. Soon I will try to do it again with chicken, and perhaps I will bake it longer, in order to dry the rice a little bit more.

I paired it with the 2008 Quinta dos Carvalhais Duque De Viseu a fruity and spicy red wine from the Dão region in Portugal. This wine is a blend of mostly Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Alfrochero. The different grape varieties were vinified separately, then a small part of the blend has been aged for 12 months in used oak barrels and the rest matured in stainless steel tanks.
The nose is mostly plumy with notes of bell pepper and spices. Medium bodied with rich red fruit flavor, bell pepper and black pepper. Some oak in the background, very subtle, not intrusive. The tannins are smooth and the acidity live and vibrant, balancing the ripeness of the fruit. The longer it breaths, the more the bell pepper becomes dominant, but there is still a good load of fruit that helps it not to shift on the green side (retail $11.99 - AVIN4735359671699).

Antico Pizza & Brunello

2011-07-07T15:18:00.000-04:00

People ask me often what's my favorite Italian restaurant in Atlanta, but I don't know what to answer because honestly I have never had a traditional Italian meal in Atlanta. However, when it comes to pizza, Antico Pizza is the place to go. Everything there is Italian: the owner, the pizzaioli, the ingredients and the ovens. Their pizza is like in Napoli; I believe this picture is worth 1000 words. They do not take reservations and have only one table with stools, but they have a few stainless steel baker tables where you can stand and eat your pizza by hands from the cardboard tray, and perhaps exchange a slice with your neighbour. Another great feature of Antico is that they do not hold a wine licence, so you can bring your own buzz without being charged a corkage fee. Not bad. We had a great dinner, and, thanks to my friend Giulio, a great wine too. The 1999 Fanti Tenuta San Filippo Brunello di Montalcino, an old gentleman with still something to say. The fruit has almost completely faded, but the structure is still there. I wonder how long it can still age without loosing the all flavor.

Palm beer & bees

2011-07-03T18:58:00.002-04:00

Due to the current wave of heat, I found myself drinking beer rather than wine. It is so hot that even our tomatoes no longer make flowers. Today I had a Palm, a fully aromatic and well balanced Belgian Amber beer. It reminded me of a dry Riesling.
While I was sitting on the deck, I noticed that we had a couple of visitors: two eastern bumble bees (I think), that we named ciccioni (chubby). It looked like they where having a good time digging into our marigold flowers. Hopefully they will notice that zucchini and cucumbers need to be pollinated too. I saw one of them holding the flower of a plant we think being a cantaloupe (planted by mistake), and took a couple of shots. I could not imagine bug watching was fun.

2006 Foradori Teroldego & Lasagne

2010-05-20T12:45:00.020-04:00

Teroldego is a red grape native of the Trentino Alto Adige region. Its origin is unclear, but DNA studies have revealed genetic characteristics similar to the Marzemino and Syrah.
The origin of its name seems to be a mystery as well: some think it comes from the location Teroldeghe in the commune of Mezzolombardo; others think it takes its name from the vine training method of “tirelle” (wine harnesses).
This vine thrills in the Piana Rotaliana, the triangle between the rivers Adige and Noce, where the alluvial soil and the insulation, given by the rocky slopes that encompass the valley, allows the best growing condition. Treoldego has been planted unsuccessfully in several other locations.
Interesting is the tight link between the names of the grape Teroldego, the growing area Piana Rotaliana and the Teroldego Rotaliano DOC.
In a white wine region, Teroldego is considered the prince of the wines from Trentino, and Elisabetta Foradori the queen of Teroldego.

2006 Foradori Teroldego Rotaliano:
Made from 100% Teroldego from Campo Rotaliano. Fermented in stainless steel and aged oak barrels for 15 to 18 months.
It has an inky purple color with a vinous and rustic nose. It opens with grape jam, pepper and old wood, reminding me of the wooden barrel my grandfather uses for producing wine for his own consumption: the same one for more than 40 years. There are also some violets and herbs in the back. Medium bodied and smooth; it has a tart fruitiness, like unsweetened blackcurrant jam, but it is quite subtle. Old wood, herbs and slight dark chocolate flavors are all well integrated with a round tannic structure. This wine is great by itself, but it rocks with food. I paired it with lasagne with a sauce of ground lamb, tomato and Pecorino cheese, but it will work with a wide range of food (retail $23.99 - AVIN8174683243244).

Thanks Mario for the Lasagne inspiration at the Metropolitan Cooking Show; it was a great honor to meet you.
And thanks to my wife Sandra for cooking the dish.....me, I just ate and drank.

Private labels

2010-05-12T11:41:00.007-04:00

With the big national retailers like Costco, Total Wine, TJ, Whole Foods, just to name some, promoting their private labels, it was just a matter of time that also local wine business would follow the same direction. Private labels means higher profit for the wine merchant and it can translate to good value for the consumer. However, professional reviews for these wines are hard to find, mostly because these samples are rarely sent to wine publications. When purchasing these kind of wines, my rule of thumb is to check region and winery, but sometime the winery listed on the label, is just a brand name, see what the Bronco Wine Company does.
Ubique is the private label of a wine store in Atlanta; the selection consists of Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. I purchased the 2008 Ubique Central Coast Pinot Grigio on the recommendation of a friend (I normally do not purchase wine from the Central Coast AVA, as I feel the region is too wide for producing quality wines). He told me this wine reminded him of an Alsatian Pinot Gris, and I can see his point.
It has a pale straw color. The nose is very aromatic and opens with ripe apricot, citrus and a nice floral component (making me guess there is something else blended with the PG) along with a slight minerality. It's light bodied and crisp with a silky mouth feeling and a dominant citrus fruit flavor.
This wine represents an excellent value; it drinks well by itself, but it will also pair with seafood, summer salads and light appetizers (retail $11.98 - AVIN7735555049046).

A simple dinner

2010-05-02T18:46:00.000-04:00

Working night shifts sucks. I cannot really catch up with things in the morning. I get up late, have breakfast, read the on-line newspaper, check my emails and it's already time to go back to work.
Having worked night shift the whole past week, I haven't had a proper dinner in a while, but on the weekend I didn't feel like cooking either (not that I cook very often, as my wife takes good care of my belly). However, since Sandra was coming home late, I fixed a dinner with what we had in the fridge: lettuce, a red bell pepper quarter and some chicken breasts. The recipe is Rachel Ray's "Garlic Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon", which did not come out too bad. I paired it with a RRV Chardonnay.

2008 Feeding Frenzy Russian River Valley Chardonnay
This is a wine that my wife picked at World Market for $12.99. She normally doesn't purchase wine, but when she find the combination CHARDONNAY / RRV / <$20, she must try it. And this wine was a nice surprise. As I haven't found any information about the winery (Feeding Frenzy Cellars) on the web, I guess this might be one of World Market's private labels. In the glass it's slightly cloudy with a golden color. Citrus aromas are dominant on the nose, and are followed by butterscotch and apple. On the palate it's creamy and full bodied with flavors of apple, lemon/lime, butter popcorn and a hint of vanilla. The quality that I liked the most was its tart acidity, almost unbelievable for an oaked Californian Chard (I wonder how it will age). The finish is lingering with layers of oak and lemon zest. Once the bottle was gone, we still had some cheese left (we like to have a small cheese plate to pair with our wines at the end of each dinner), so Sandra went to our closet-cellar looking for a light bodied red, but she came back with a leaking bottle of Lambrusco. Since it tasted still good, I placed it 15 minutes in the freezer; just the time to bake some pumpkin and cinnamon cookies.

2008 Scintilla d' Amore Lambrusco di Sorbara Amabile
Although we both come from the same region, Lambrusco and I are not good friends. I associate its aroma and taste with balsamic vinegar (which is not pleasant in wine), probably because Lambrusco is one of the grapes used in balsamic vinegar production. This wine, however, has been vinified in the amabile (off-dry) style, and its residual sugar helped to hide the balsamic notes, without making it overly sweet. In the glass it has a dark garnet color and a foam that lasts for less than 20 seconds. Raspberry, boysenberry and hints of balsamic vinegar on the nose. Light bodied, not tannic at all; fruity with dominant flavors of dark berries and again slightly balsamic notes. It has a soft acidity and a lingering finish. The sweetness helped bring out the spiciness of the pumpkin cinnamon cookies.

2007 Finca Torremilanos Monte Castrillo Rosado

2010-04-26T13:23:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday we got free tickets to the first Atlanta Hawks playoff game, box seats, and free drinks. So, it was that I couldn't keep my drunk mouth shut and asked my nephew: "Want to go to the pool tomorrow?"
Sunday afternoon at 2pm the phone call promptly came: "Where are you guys?"
Where am I? I'm lying, hungover, on the couch. But I cannot let a 13 year old boy down this way, right?
Right! So here is why I found myself, still hungover, sipping wine at the pool. Because like my friend Cesare from Portomaggiore says "la bala la va alimentada", which means "the best cure for a hangover is to keep drinking".

I had just purchased this wine on a close-out a few days ago ($4.98 vs. $14.98) and put it in the fridge, just to have it ready for a sunny day on the patio. Unfortunately glasses are not allowed at the pool, so we had to drink it in plastic champagne cups. 100% Tempranillo from 15 years old vines.This wine has a bright light red color. The nose opens with red cherry, citrus and floral notes. Medium bodied and smooth; the palate confirms the nose and it also has a nice minerality. Crisp acidity follow through a slightly bitter finish. I will re-taste it in proper wine glasses and try to pair it with food and cheese (US importer: Grapes of Spain - AVIN9413051202421)

2008 Terlan Terlaner Classico

2010-04-18T14:26:00.000-04:00

Having cousins that live in Veneto, where this grape is widely used for table wine production, I have been a long time fan of Pinot Bianco. Not as fashionable as Pinot Grigio, in Italy it has been often mistaken with Chardonnay because they have similar characteristics. As a matter of fact, if cultivated with low yield, it can produce a structured, soft and full bodied wine.
The Cantina Terlan is a cooperative founded in 1893 by 24 wine growers that wanted to be competitive on the market.
Their secret for the production of exceptional wines (commonly not associated with coops) seems to be linked to the specific soil qualities, the micro-climatic conditions of the vineyards, low vines yield, planting the right variety in the right soil, and the close relationship between the winemaker Rudi Kofler and the currently more than the 100 wine growers.
Their entry level wine is the Terlaner Classico, a blend of 60% Pinot Bianco, 30% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, all grown in the vineyards of Terlano in Alto Adige (or Terlan in Südtyrol).While the 2007 vintage is really well made, the 2008 is quite impressive.
It has a pale straw color and a ripe bouquet of nectarine, citrus and wet stones along with some faint grassy notes. On the palate it is dry, clean, with a smooth creamy texture and enough body to be paired with white meat. The flavor is mostly of citrus fruit, without being overly tart: fresh squeezed lemon, green apple and a hint of minerals are wrapped by a crisp acidity. The finish is lingering and brings up a slightly bitter flavor of apricot kernel (US importer: Banville & Jones - retail $18.99 - AVIN8702360782733)

Slow Wine 2010

2010-04-16T13:51:00.000-04:00

Slow Wine 2010 Uomini, Vigne, Vini in Italia (Men, Vines, Wines in Italy - a slightly chauvinist name, considering the strong female presence in the Italian wine panorama), is the title of the guide to the Italian wine published by Slow Food that will be released this October.
As their web site (so far only in Italian) mentions: "2,000 wineries visited, 20,000 wines blind tasted, it will be a new way to talk wine in Italy, shifting the focus from the glass to the vineyards and the territories."
The guide will be translated in English and German, and it is surely proposing an interesting theme, after the scandal of Brunellopoli and the recent news of the seizure by Italian police of 10 millions liters of adulterated Chianti DOCG destined to the export.

ADUC asks for transparency on wine labels

2010-04-14T12:44:00.003-04:00

The ADUC (the Italian association for the rights of users and consumers) for the occasion of Vinitaly 2010 has requested the competent authorities and the wine producers more transparency in the matter of wine. Basically they are asking to list the wine's ingredients on the labels (as for any kind of food or non-alcoholic beverage), along with any treatment made to the wine (SO2 addition, must adjustment, fortification, acidification, clarification...) and the compounds used for these treatments.
They have published 4 questions on their web site (in Italian only), and the one that most attracted my attention was "Where do the grapes used for table wine production come from? " Table wine (vino da tavola or VdT) represents the greatest output of the Italian wine industry and it is mostly consumed over there. Unlike to the DOCG, DOG and IGT appellations, VdT don't carry varietal, geographical indication and vintage. The ADUC is asking to print on the label the origin of the grapes and the place in which the wine has been made and bottled, "because soon we will be invaded by Chinese wine".

2008 Momo Sauvignon Blanc

2010-04-13T21:02:00.007-04:00

This weather is driving me crazy. In two weeks time we went from Winter to Summer, and from using the heat to the AC. "Dove cazzo è la primavera?" (Where the hell is Spring?). Today my wife and I were off, so we decided to take a hike. Last year we didn't hike as much, because we had similar weather issues. Since it was the first excursion of the season, we decided to take it easy and opted for local Kennesaw Mountain, It is a moderate 2 hour hike, just 30 minutes drive from home. Due to several delays, we managed to arrive at the park at 12:30pm; the sun was already filtering heavily though the young budding vegetation and the temperature was 80°F. We had only one bottle of water that we were saving with parsimony between the two of us. The 2 hour hike turned out to be a 2½ hour grueling adventure, and we arrived exhausted at the welcome center to drink half of Kennesaw's reservoir. Tired but happy, on the way home we stopped at Harry's Farmers Market to pick up some shrimps for an "al fresco" linguine (which we enjoyed on our deck), that I paired with an excellent NZ Sauvignon Blanc.

2008 Momo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
This is a wine that I have used back in November 09 for a private event and I had 2 bottles left. It is probably the best NZ Sauvignon Blanc to date I have ever had; however it is also my first purchase above $15. What I like in this wine, is that the fruit is not overwhelming. It has a pale straw color. The nose is aromatic, but not aggressive, and shows passion fruit, kiwi and citrus. It is light bodied, dry, clean and crisp, with flavors of tropical fruit and lime along with grassy notes. Delicate fruitiness and high acidity. This was what we needed after such a hike; we enjoyed it so much that it was gone before I finished writing down my tasting notes. It pairs with seafood, soft cheese and salads, but it will work very well by itself. (US importer: The Sorting Table - retail $17.99 - AVIN8473058386822).

Bottle sharing

2010-04-09T00:05:00.019-04:00

Luciano Zazzeri, owner of the restaurant La Pineta in Marina di Bibbiona (Italy) talked of his "bottle sharing" concept at Vinitaly 2010. The idea is simple: sharing a bottle of wine between guests that don't know each other. After listening to the guests' preference, the sommelier or the restaurateur will introduce them to each other and make a recommendation; if both parties accept, the bottle will be equally shared between the client's glasses.

"This is a suggestion", explains Zazzeri, "that I make only to guests I know the taste and sense of humor of, because sharing a bottle of wine means also sharing a conversation, a joke and an opinion about the wine. This is a simple way to pair every dish with a different wine without ordering a full bottle, as well as meeting new people. The bottle sharing in my restaurant is already a success. Just think about people that decide not to order a bottle, because they know that part of the wine will not be consumed. By sharing the bottle with another table, one can drink an excellent wine without fearing the alcohol test or spending a lot of money. The same applies to people traveling for business, who end up dining by themselves, but want to taste a good label. And usually, it happens that friendship or something more develops from the parties involved in the bottle sharing."

This bottle sharing, of course, targets high end wines, which are normally not offered by the glass.In Italy, taking home an unfinished bottle of wine from the restaurant is allowed by law, however it's not a custom.

In the USA the laws are different in every State. In the State of Georgia "any establishment which is licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises may permit a patron to remove one unsealed bottle of wine per patron for consumption off premises, if the patron has purchased a meal and consumed a portion of the bottle of wine on the premises with such food item on the establishment́s premises. A partially consumed bottle of wine that is to be removed from the premises must be securely resealed by the licensee or its employees before removal from the premises. The partially consumed bottle of wine shall be placed in a bag or other container that is secured in such a manner that it is visibly apparent if the container has been subsequently opened or tampered with, and a dated receipt for the bottle of wine and food item shall be provided by the licensee and attached to the container. If transported in a motor vehicle, the container with the resealed bottle of wine shall be placed in a locked glove compartment, a locked trunk, or the area behind the last upright seat of a motor vehicle that is not equipped with a trunk or any other compartment of the vehicle which is secured by a latch and completely closed” however, I can name only one restaurant that mentioned it to me when I was not sure if ordering a bottle or two glasses.

Corks recycling

2010-04-08T16:06:00.010-04:00

If like me, you are collecting your corks because you feel guilty about throwing them in the garbage, and hope one day you will figure out what to do with them, the pain is over. Whole Foods has partnered up with Cork ReHarvest and will install drop boxes in all its stores in the USA, UK and Canada. You can read the details on the WF bolg here. So, keep enjoying your wine knowing what to do with your corks now. This program does not apply to screw caps and synthetic stoppers.

Brunello di Montalcino, birth certificate no longer required

2010-04-03T21:13:00.008-04:00

On March 29th 2010, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Buro (aka TTB) informed US importers of Brunello di Montalcino that obtaining a declaration from the Government of Italy certifying that the wine meets the requirements of the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is no longer mandatory. You can find the circular here.The certification had been introduced on June 2008, following the scandal of Brunellopoli.

However, by reading through the document you notice that some wineries are still in the process of resolving their judicial cases.

Hopefully this will be the last word on an event that has damaged the reputation of such a great wine.

Nevertheless, the debate about changing the DOCG rules continues; the traditionalists wanting to keep this wine made from 100% Sangiovese grapes from Montalcino, and the modernists fighting for the freedom of adding French grape varietals to the blend.

$o, what's the deal ?

Montalcino's wineries that want to blend Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with Sangiovese can actually do it under the "Sant' Antimo DOC", or "di Toscana IGT" appellations; however, these wines will neither fetch the market price nor reach the popularity of a Brunello di Montalcino.

Fiat 500 Sassicaia

2010-04-02T11:43:00.008-04:00

Aznom, a luxury design firm, has customized a convertible Fiat 500 in honor of Sassicaia, the Bolgheri DOC wine of Tenuta San Guido. The design is characterized by wooden interior and exterior details (that recall the oak barrels used for aging the wine), and by a special two tone finish. Its leather interior also has the same two tones.This car is available only by request and is in limited production. The price has not been disclosed yet.

Spring celebration with a rosè

2010-03-30T17:47:00.014-04:00

Finally, with one week delay, it seems that spring has arrived here in Atlanta too. Sunny, 70 degrees, the trees are blooming, the new flowers have just been planted and the landscape seems an impressionist painting. After 3 years of inactivity, I wiped the dust off my bicycle, oiled the gears, checked brake and transmission and hit the road; this was the perfect day for a ride. Reaching the first uphill, the front transmission didn't want to switch to the lower gear, (it is probably a 50 degree incline and less than a mile from my home). I kept pedaling trying to switch the gear until I had to stop because I was thinking I'd have a heart attack. However, after a short rest I kept going and made it to the top. I went to the nearby park, took an off road track, and I ended up bogged in a huge puddle. I had to walk out of it with the mud inside of my shoes. Once on the asphalt, the mud was splashing from my back wheel to my neck. Enough! I went home. Took a shower, went on the patio, and opened a bottle of rosé to toast to the spring. But I cannot sit on a chair: my butt is hurting.

2009 Francis Coppola Sofia Monterey County Rosè
This elegant bottle resembles a female body; after all, Sofia is the line that Francis Coppola dedicated to his daughter. It is a blend of Grenache and Syrah. The color reminds me of cranberry juice. The nose is not overly aromatic and shows strawberry candy, raspberry and citrus. On the palate it is velvety, medium bodied, dry with a nice fruitiness. It has flavors of raspberry, lemon zest and a slight hint of bitter almond carrying throughout the finish. A well balanced acidity and 12% abv makes it a pleasant sipper as well as a good pairing for light food (retail $12.99).

Artiste Wine Studio

2010-03-01T09:46:00.010-05:00

Located at the intersection of 3 AVAs (Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley), and with more then 20 tasting rooms in the charming downtown area, Healdsburg is the perfect destination for a wine stroll. A place that deserves a visit is Artiste wine studio. As their web site mentions, Our award-winning, limited edition cuvées pay homage to old-world winemakers and form a synthesis between the fine art on the label and fine wine in the bottle. Like an impressionist painter mixing colors on a palette, Artiste winemaker, Bion Rice, artfully canvases a selection of vintages and varietals from exceptional winegrowers and winemakers throughout California to compose classical, European style blends called Impressionist Cuvées ™. Combining a reverence for tradition and a philosophy of winemaking as an artistic expression, each Artiste wine is named after the painting on the label. (see www.artiste.com for detailed information).

Artiste Sevillana. Wine impression: Super-Tuscan. 72% Sangiovese, 21% Syrah 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Bloody red color. The nose is an explosion of fruit: cherry, strawberry, blackberry and some vanilla in the back. This is the kind of wine that makes you go back to the glass looking for something more, as it evolves the longer it breathe. Medium bodied, dry with smooth tannins and flavors of prune, dark berries, black pepper, along with toasty notes. The finish is lingering and brings up a good of fruitiness backed up by a marked acidity. On sale only at the winery or on-line, it retails $42 - AVIN6579962834717.