Kyle Phillips's Italian Wine Review (IWR)

Garantito IGP: Ristorante Vinarium Il Megaron

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000+01:00

This time Luciano takes the stand.The Taurasi area doesn't have much in the way of gastronomic options, though something is finally starting to happen. You have to go to Nusco, to Antonio Pisaniello's Locanda di Bu, the Pignata in Ariano irpino, or the Fischetti Brothers' Oasis in Vallesaccarda Ten minutes from here you will find this restaurant, run by Lina Martone, who handles the kitchen, and

Tasted at Radici: Tenuta Giustini

2012-01-25T01:52:00.001+01:00

Tentua Giustini was founded in 2005 by Maria Grazia Longo, whose family had made wine for generations but had always sold it in bulk. They have 15 hectares of vineyards, some quite old, planted to indigenous varietals; the vines that yield Primitivo Dolce are trimmed in the Alberello style and the rest to the double cordon spur system.Tenuta Giustini Vecchio Sogno Negroamaro Salento IGT 2009This

Garantito IGP: Red Sky at Night, A Diner's Delight

2012-01-19T09:00:00.001+01:00

This time Carlo Macchi takes the stand.Up until last year the entrance to Rosso di Sera, in San Feliciano, was "presided over" by a Cook/Puppet much better suited to a restaurant run by Freddy Krueger than the peaceful, welcoming people who actually owned the place. Thanks be to god that that disquieting statue, the only off note in a place where you can settle in comfortably and trust the

Tuscan Tempranillo and More, at Pietro Beconcini

2012-01-18T00:41:00.007+01:00

San Miniato, a town on the left bank of the Arno River about 30 miles downstream of Florence, is not particularly known for its wine. Not that they don't grow grapes -- they do, and many farmers traditionally sold to nearby areas that are known for their wines -- but the wines they make never enjoyed much of a reputation.This of course made is extremely difficult for those who did try to support

Garantito IGP: The Roagna Enigma: Great, but.... And Langhe Solea 2001

2012-01-13T11:41:00.007+01:00

This time Roberto Giuliani takes the stand:I was desperately trying to make some order among the wines I no longer have enough space for in my house, an operation I usually put off because I know that it probably won't be successful.Of course I have a wine cellar. Actually, a dedicated refrigerator, which can contain (give or take) 275 bottles. And the shelves I've set up on the ground floor and

Tasted at Vin Nature: Antiche Cantine de Quarto

2012-01-10T16:02:00.002+01:00

Antiche Cantine de Quarto is another winery I tasted the afternoon I left Vinitaly for Vin Nature, a group of winemakers who eschew all kinds of chemicals and pesticides -- I sat down for what I thought would be a last wine before dinner, liked it, and tried another and another. Rather like nibbling on a bowl of cherries.Antiche Cantine de Quarto Fiano Intenso IGP Puglia 2010This is a Minutolo;

Tenuta Oliveto Rosso di Montalcino DOCG 2001

2012-01-06T11:19:00.003+01:00

This is an older bottle, obviously, which I opened to serve with a roast pork loin -- I was looking for a red, but not something tremendously substantial, and was curious to see how it had evolved, in part because I have always found Tenuta Oliveto's Brunello to be quite overripe, to the point that it marches to its own drum. What might Tenuta Oliveto's Rosso be like? Put simply, it surprised me:

Garantito IGP: La Cucina al Tempo di Guerra

2012-01-05T08:55:00.001+01:00

This time I take the stand, and begin with an aside:Day before yesterday Giulio Gambelli, an extraordinarily humble man whose knowledge of Sangiovese was second to none, and who had a hand in many of the great Tuscan Sangiovese-based wines, left us to discuss wines with the Creator, whose great gain is our great loss.I didn't know him well, because though our paths did occasionally cross, I was

Tasted at Vinitaly: Marco De Bartoli

2011-12-30T11:28:00.002+01:00

The visit to Marco De Bartoli's cellars was the highpoint of a press trip I took to Sicily a few years ago, and I can still taste the wines now if I think about it. Alas, much has happened since then, and Marco has left us (Giulia remembers him beautifully), but I was happy to find his son Sebastiano pouring the wines he and his father made at Vin Nature this spring.Marco De Bartoli Marsala

Garantito IGP: My name is Wolfe, Nero Wolfe

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000+01:00

This time Stefano Tesi takes the stand:I sat, now like then, in the same spot in the same room, next to the same fireplace. And it was Christmas, like now. Just a long, long time ago. It was winter and our big country home was cold; I was wearing a hand-knitted brown sweater, with the collar turned up like a shirt. The cut for a teenager.I was reading a book, or rather a tome, with a rough yellow

The Garantito IGP Trip: Fontanafredda

2011-12-24T09:32:00.001+01:00

When we went to Piemonte to taste Barolo and Barbaresco this fall we were hosted by Fontanafredda, which is perhaps Piemonte's most historic winery: In the mid-1800s King Vittorio Emanuele II, who found the rigid etiquette at Court stifling, was want to sneak out of town whenever he could to hunt, enjoy fine foods in friendly surroundings, or to see Rosa Vercellana, the fetching daughter of one

Garantito IGP: The Whites of the Costiera Amalfitana

2011-12-22T10:07:00.010+01:00

This time Luciano Pignataro Takes the Stand.There is the Costiera whose feet soak in Ulysses's Sea, and the Costiera whose head is in the mists wrapped around the pepella, ginestra, San Nicola, ripoli, binacazita, tintore, piedirosso, and sciasinoso vines. This extraordinarily vertical land, with the port of Amalfi below, and the highest bastions of the Repubblica overlooking the Chiunzi Pass

Trento DOC: Verticals, Visits & More

2011-12-19T15:00:00.023+01:00

Mention Italian sparkling wines, and one might not necessarily think of Trentino. The connection is certainly there, however, and the city boasts one of Italy's oldest Metodo Classico traditions: In the earliest 1900s Giulio Ferrari decided to try his hand at making sparkling wines in the cellars of his family palace, on Piazza Duomo. The man was extraordinarily exacting, and for fear that

Garantito IGP: Chiusi's il Pesce D'Oro - A Lake's worth of reasons to go

2011-12-15T09:41:00.004+01:00

This time Carlo Macchi takes the Stand:Every time I go to the Pesce D'Oro, on the shore of Chiusi's disquieting but beautiful lake, I wonder, "Why?"Why is a place with wonderful food, an ample bright welcoming hall, exacting service, a wine list to die for (especially considering the low prices), and most of all with classic local cuisine, not in all of the restaurant guides, especially

Sangiovese Incontra Sangiovese: A meeting of Sangiovese Toscano and Sangiovese di Romagna

2011-12-12T13:49:00.005+01:00

Mention Sangiovese and most wine lovers will think of Tuscany -- Sangiovese is after all the backbone of Tuscany's best known wines, including Chianti in its many guises, Brunello di Montalcino and Nobile di Montepulciano, as well as a host of lesser known (but not necessarily inferior) Tuscan wines including Carmignano, Morellino di Scansano, and Montecucco.There is however another side to

The '94 Garantito IGP: Camartina - When Sangiovese Still Ruled the Roost

2011-12-09T11:02:00.004+01:00

This time Roberto Giuliani takes the stand:No, no objections, just some reflections upon one of the best-known Tuscan wines and a "trial" of what has always been Querciabella's star: Camartina. This red is one of the wines Americans called Supertuscans, a term Parker likely invented in the 70s, using it to describe Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta's Sassicaia and Antinori's Tignanello (

Garantito IGP: On Culinary Stability

2011-12-01T09:00:00.001+01:00

This Time, I Take The Stand:People tend to view cuisines as monoliths that stretch unchanging into the distant past, and this is specially true in the holiday season, when I get many requests for "the authentic" recipe for this or that specialty. The simple truth of the matter is that there is no "authentic recipe;" every family adds its own special twist to a local tradition, a twist whispered

Garantito IGP: Siena's Ricciarello is IGP: But What Does it Taste Like?

2011-11-24T09:01:00.000+01:00

This time Stefano Tesi takes the stand:For the Sienese, and, we may as well admit it, especially for the Sienese pastry industry, 2011 will be a year to remember. Symbolic, like 1260, the year the city defeated Florence in the battle of Monteaperti.Also because, though this time the triumph was more bureaucratic and less striking, the adversaries were in part the same. And the battle, conducted

The IGP Barolo Tastings: Verduno, Serralunga and More

2011-11-21T15:06:00.003+01:00

The last day of tasting in Wellcom's offices in Alba for the IGP team: 2007 Barolo from the Communes of Verduno and Serralunga, and a few Barolo and Barbaresco wines from older vintages.Just a few samples from Verduno, but high quality, with beautiful balance.Serralunga instead, as usual, is striking in its power, which in this vintage was -- in some wines -- accompanied by excessive alcohol and

IGP Tastings: 2007 Barolo From Barolo, Monforte and Castiglione Falletto

2011-11-19T00:16:00.004+01:00

The third day of the Giovani Promettenti's tastings at Wellcom's offices in Alba opened with wines from the town of Barolo (from whence the wine Barolo draws its name), followed by those of Castiglione Falletto and Monforte.To begin with Barolo, we much enjoyed the elegance and roundness of the tannins and the readiness of some of the wines, though Alcohol continues to be a distinctive marker for

Garantito Igp - Barolo Vigna La Rosa Vertical: 2007-2004-1999-1996-1982 and 1967

2011-11-17T11:32:00.006+01:00

This time Luciano takes the stand:It's not often that one can combine the technical requirements of a tasting with drinking pleasure. Quite the contrary, it's ever rarer due to conflicting appointments, the press of time, and the anxieties of wanting to know. But it does occasionally happen. For example, if we find ourselves in a historic estate, Fontanafredda in Serralunga, enjoying a pleasant

Tasted at Dogliani: Cantina Clavesana

2011-11-15T00:50:00.003+01:00

One of the high points (for me) of the IGP trip to Piemonte was our tour the Cantina Clavesana took us on of the Clavesana area between Dogliani and the Barolo appellation, and Luciano has written eloquently of the beauty and authenticity of the land and the wines.This spring Nebbiolo Prima ended with an afternoon dedicated to Dolcetto; enough people signed up that there were two busses. I ended

Tasted at Radici: Azienda Agricola Taurino

2011-11-11T11:16:00.002+01:00

I was introduced to Taurino in the course of a presentation during a trip organized by Radici a couple of years ago, and was quite impressed. There were a number of winemakers there that evening, so the folks from Taurino just brought two wines, but still.This year they brought everything to the Radici tasting at Masseria Le Fabbriche, and when I finished tasting, I would have been quite happy

Garantito IGP: Stefano's Oil and The "Crazy Idea"

2011-11-10T09:00:00.000+01:00

This time Carlo Macchi takes the stand:Valpolicella, three days of tastings, more than 200 Amaroni and Valpolicella Ripasso wines to judge. Obviously, you also organize a few afternoon cellar visits, the problem being that over the years you've visited and revisited most everyone, and there's not much new to discover. Glancing over last year's results, I note a winemaker I don't know yet. We ask

Garantito IGP and The 2007 Barolo: Novello, La Morra, and Elsewhere

2011-11-09T19:07:00.008+01:00

The second day the IGP tastings (65 wines in the space of 4 hours, once again with the assistance of our sommeliers and the staff of Wellcom) began with Barolo of mixed origin, in other words assemblies of wines from vineyards in more than one Commune. While single vineyard wines are now all the rage, this is actually a more traditional way of doing things; as Bartolo Mascarello once said to me,

Dolcetto di Diano: Many Good Wines

2011-11-07T15:23:00.007+01:00

Dolcetto is Piemonte's traditional every day wine, and rightly so: It's light, fruity, lively, with moderate acidity, and a pleasant bitter almond tannic bite that allows it to go very well with foods. It's also as a rule quite fresh, with pleasant floral and bitter almond accents on the nose that only make it more inviting.From a commercial standpoint, however, Dolcetto's fortunes have waned in

Tasted at Radici: Morella

2011-11-04T11:33:00.005+01:00

Last year in the course of Radici we went on an interminable bus tour (the driver got lost), the high point of which (and it was most definitely a high point) was a visit to Morella, a tiny winery a few km southwest of Manduria, to see old growth Primitivo trained to the Alberello, or shrub style.It was quite instructive to wander the vineyards, looking at the gnarly vines while Lisa Gilbee, an

Indignados of the Restaurant World: Hope or Utopia?

2011-11-03T11:51:00.008+01:00

This time Roberto Giuliani takes the stand:For once, rather than review restaurants, eateries, hotels, agriturismi, wine shops, pizzeria, bars, historic or newly opened clubs, and so on, let's try to cross to the other side and think about the minimal interaction there is between restaurant personnel and customers. How many times have you found yourself disappointed by the poor quality of the

Garantito IGP: Clavesana 2009 Dolcetto di Dogliani DOCG

2011-10-29T10:36:00.006+02:00

An intraweekly post from Luciano Pignataro, who was very much impressed by the Clavesana area when we went to the Langhe to taste wines.If you are are simple tourists, this week you can skip over this column. If you instead prefer to travel rather than just hurry though, take this Dolcetto and use it as a compass to discover a Low Cost Langa that is certainly older and more intriguing than what

Chianti Colli Senesi, Tasted at the Enoteca Italiana

2011-10-28T15:32:00.003+02:00

A few weeks ago I talked with Filippo Bartolotta, who mentioned that he was organizing a visit to Chianti for a group of New York wine writers, and asked if I wanted to join in. I was unable to, but did accept his invitation to taste a selection of Chainti Colli Senesi in the Enoteca Italiana, which is located in the Fortezza Medicea overlooking Siena.Chianti was once a geographic term for the

Garantito IGP: A Talk with Norman Bain

2011-10-27T09:00:00.000+02:00

This time, I take the stand:My first visits to wineries (many years ago) were in the course of preparing travel articles, and it only took me a couple of stops to realize how little I knew. So I went to the now long-gone Libreria Marzocco and bought the Italian translation of Rosemary George's Chianti and the Wines of Tuscany, which covers the various appellations thoroughly and also has quite a

The 2008 Barbaresco, Tasted by the IGP Team in Fall 2011

2011-10-25T16:29:00.004+02:00

This spring the IGP Group -- Carlo Macchi, Luciano Pignataro, Stefano Tesi, Roberto Giuliani and I (youll find links to their sites on the side bar) -- asked Marinella Minetti, who runs Wellcom, an astonishingly competent PR firm in Alba, to gather samples of the current vintages of Barbaresco (the 2008 vintage) and Barolo (the 2007) for us to taste. She did, and this October we drove up and

IGP Tastings: Verduno, Serralunga and More

2011-10-24T10:44:00.002+02:00

Garantito IGP: If All the World (Isn't) Scenery

2011-10-22T02:00:00.003+02:00

This time Stefano Tesi takes the stand:The countryside, in rural areas too, changes so quickly that it becomes difficult to preserve it. Even so, it has been firmly established that "place identity" has a profound impact on people's psyches. Here are a few consideration, made while wandering the wine areas of the Langhe and Monferrato.Let's call them parallel convergences, or perhaps parallel

IGP Tastings: Barolo, Monforte and Castiglione Falletto

2011-10-21T11:25:00.002+02:00

Novello and La Morra: 11 Selected by IGP

2011-10-19T13:35:00.005+02:00

The second day of tastings. We began with 2007 Barolo, tasting 65 in the space of 4 hours, once again with the assistance of our sommeliers and the staff of Wellcom.The day opened with winemakers outside the DOCG zone who have Barolo vineyards, followed by Novello and La Morra. The Novellisti are too few in number for one to draw reliable conclusions besed just on them, but when combined with La

Garantitpo IGP: 14 2008 Barbarescos That Impressed Us

2011-10-18T15:05:00.006+02:00

Splitting seconds like so many Swiss Watches, at 8:30 AM the American, the Apulian, the Neapolitan and the two Tuscans (but not the Roman, who is abed with the flue) entered the offices of Wellcom in Alba, welcomed by the delightful sign Marinella Minetti tacked on the door.Hugs and kisses, followed by 73 Barbaresco wines, perfectly served by two of Alba’s finest sommeliers. Our detailed comments

Tasted at Vinitaly: Erede di Chiappone Armando

2011-10-16T01:21:00.002+02:00

I have known Daniele for at least 10 years, and have always enjoyed his wines. This was however the first time I had ever sat down and tasted through them methodically. My mistake, should have done it years ago.Erede di Chiappone Armando Angel This is a Vino da Tavola because Monferrato Bianco, the Appellation it would qualify for, is not in demand, and Daniele decided to have a go on his own.

I Giovani Promettenti, Young & Promising, And... On The Move

2011-10-13T09:40:00.003+02:00

This time, Carlo Macchi takes the stand for a service announcement:If regular people don't just live for weekly articles, those Young & Promising like us certainly don't!And this has led us to broaden the horizons of our group, which consists (in strictly random order) of Roberto Giuliani, Carlo Macchi, Luciano Pignataro, Stefano Tesi and Kyle Phillips.We broadened in the easiest way, dressing up

Tasted at Vinitaly: Felice Scarpari's Botticino, a Wine I was Happy to Discover

2011-10-09T23:13:00.002+02:00

Shortly before Vinitaly the Azienda Franzoni sent me samples of Botticino, a lesser known red wine made in the Province of Brescia from Barbera, Sangiovese, Schiava and Marzemino. The wines were good, in a lively, rather brash key that made them perfect for grilled meats, including fattier cuts such as lamb chops, and I decided to taste through hall the Bottocino in Vinitaly. This proved easier

Pigato from Liguria's Riviera di Ponente, Tasted at Vinitaly

2011-10-09T22:45:00.004+02:00

Pigato is an indigenous white varietal grown in Liguria's Riviera di Ponente (west of Genova, where the sun sets over the land), and having said that there's not too much else to say. Antonio Piccinardi says it's a white varietal grown in the Province of Savona, that it is blended with other whites, and that if left to its own it gives high

Garantito IGP: Rockea, The Only Vine That Carries Water

2011-10-06T10:38:00.006+02:00

This time Carlo Macchi takes the stand and goes in an unusual direction:Usually, vines draw water from the ground and use it "to make wine." In the case of Rockea, the vines that Winesurf has, with our friends at Rocca delle Macie, been filming for the past two years as part of the Big Brother of the Vine Project, the reverse is about to occur. Its wine will bring water, not to a vineyard, but to

Tasted at Radici: Macchiarola

2011-10-04T00:49:00.002+02:00

The nicest thing about Radici is the variety of wineries participating: Some established names, and others that are very, very new.Macchiarola falls into the latter category; The estate belongs to a family that has a Masseria, or farm complex, with 6 hecates of Primitivo, planted in 2005 a spalliera, which is a trellis system. The first vintage was 2007, and in 2010 they began to make Negroamaro,

San Fereolo: A Dolcetto Vertical and More

2011-09-30T11:08:00.003+02:00

Dolcetto is generally considered a wine to be drunk quickly, and as a rule this is true: unless the winemaker is maniacal about cleanliness, with time it develops funky aromas and flavors that become progressively stronger as time goes on.This doesn't mean it's impossible to age Dolcetto, however, and those in Dogliani, whose Dolcetto is generally more powerful than the Dolcetti produced in other

Tenuta di Capezzana - Some Older Vintages, Tasted at Vinitaly

2011-09-26T12:09:00.004+02:00

One of the nicest things about Vinitaly is that some wineries, especially older ones with historic traditions, bring some of their older vintages for visitors to explore. This time Capezzana, whose archives stretch back to the 30s, brought a fascinating set of wines from the more recent past.Tenuta di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 197470% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Canaiolo and 10%

Tasted at Radici: Colle San Domenico

2011-09-23T11:19:00.003+02:00

This year Radici began with two days during which the wine makers poured their wines for us. A very interesting experience, which left me with a great many notes that I am now working through.Colle San Domenico was established in 1998 in Chiusano San Domenico (province of Aellino), in the heart of Irpinia. They have 15 hectares of vineyards planted to both red and white varietals, and though most

Garantito IGP: Locanda del Viandante - Paradise Found

2011-09-22T11:31:00.006+02:00

This time Roberto Giuliani takes the stand:My wife and I live a few kilometers from Rome, in a neighborhood that was considerably quieter a few years ago, where the air was clean and in the evenings we could enjoy dinner outside in the yard. Things have changed surprisingly fast; the population has doubled, as has the number of houses, while there is much less green, the views have lost much of

Bersi Serlini's Wines: A Gift from Lake Iseo

2011-09-19T16:02:00.011+02:00

Wine making regions tend to be pretty, and Franciacorta is prettier than most; it's at the mouth of Lago D'Iseo, an alpine finger lake at the foot of the Val Camonica that would likely drain away into the Pianura Padana were it not for several imposing crescent-shaped end moraines whose height and breadth give a good idea of just how large the ancient Alpine glaciers were.Within this panorama the

Almost at Vinitaly: Cà Russin

2011-09-18T01:03:00.002+02:00

I have known Bruna Ferro for a number of years -- in 2003 I was one of the journalists assigned to visit her at Carussin during Barbera Meeting. Her husband Luigi and I sweated through the vineyards on a vintage jeep, and when we got back to the winery discovered it was well over 100 F -- late in the afternoon, and (if I remember right) not yet June.Following our meeting I made a point of

Garantito IGP: Le Baccanti, Much More than Travel...

2011-09-15T09:00:00.000+02:00

This time I take the stand.Nobody who writes about wines expected to do so. Filippo Bartolotta finished college and after a time applied for a job in management at Vinopolis, a then new venture dedicated to wine in Bankside, a part of London that was then rather run down, but resurging."Don't have one," came the reply, but they did ask him if he wanted to take a post as a Sommelier. "No," he said

Carmignano: The New Releases

2011-09-12T15:24:00.004+02:00

The Carmignano appellation has just presented the new releases of Carmignano, a red wine that is similar to Chianti in that it is primarily Sangiovese, the classic Tuscan red varietal, and different because the Appellation requires 10-20% Cabernet, a nod to Cosimo III de'Medici, who planted and experimented uva Franciosa, as it was called, in his Carmignano vineyards in the early 1700s.Though the

Garantito IGP: Bibbiano, Sangiovese at Half Speed

2011-09-08T09:00:00.000+02:00

This time Stefano Tesi Takes the Stand:This article cannot but begin with apologies: Apologies to Leonardo di Vincenzo, the brewmaster of the La Birra del Borgo Brewery, the co-protagonist of this post who should appear at the top. However, since space is at a premium (for me as I can only include one picture in my posts, though not for my IGP Friends, who will I hope be freer with their images),

Tasted at Vinitaly: Roberto Ceraudo

2011-09-05T18:20:00.004+02:00

I confess, before this Vinitaly I had never heard of Roberto Ceraudo, nor tasted his wines. But I did get a note suggesting I visit his stand, and it piqued my interest enough that I did. And am quite glad that I did, because the wines, all from organically grown grapes, most of which are indigenous to Calabria, are well worthy of note. At Vinitaly, when the stand is busy there is little

Pigato from Liguria's Riviera di Ponente, Tasted at Vinitaly

2011-09-02T16:23:00.003+02:00

Pigato is an indigenous white varietal grown in Liguria's Riviera di Ponente, and having said this there's not too much else to say. Antonio Piccinardi says it's a white varietal grown in the Province of Savona, that it is blended with other whites, and that if left to its own it gives high yields, while Nick Belfrage says its origin is uncertain, with some saying it's Greek, others that it was

Alfonso Caputo's Spaghetti alla Nerano and the 2009 Greco di Tufo From Contrada Marotta

2011-09-01T09:00:00.004+02:00

This time Lugiano Pignataro takes the stage:And here we come to a recipe that's a symbol of a season of love, of the balance between richness and ostentation, a manifest of the joy of life that came after the War and the hard work the reconstruction entailed.Perhaps no other dish can better capture that atmosphere than this pasta with Zucchine alla Nerano, a dish from the days before the arrival

Rossese di Dolceacqua: An Unusual Ligurian Red

2011-08-31T11:29:00.003+02:00

As I have often noted, Italy boasts an astonishing variety of very distinctive indigenous varietals, many of which are graced with extraordinary bouquets. One of the most distinctive in this regard is Rossese di Dolceacua, which is both varietal and wine. It's from Liguria, and more specifically the parts or all of 14 Communes in the Val Nervia and the Valle Crosia (Province of Imperia, west of

Montalcino: They're at it Again...

2011-08-30T17:19:00.004+02:00

It seems that the Consorzio in Montalcino has convened a meeting (for next week, as the harvest is getting under way!) to discuss the possibility of allowing the use varietals other than Sangiovese in Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello's little brother. Reading between the lines, the goal is to allow the inclusion of Merlot (most likely) or perhaps one of the Cabernets, and in either case the move

Garantito IGP: How it is (and was) so nice at the Marchese del Grillo in Fabriano

2011-08-25T11:47:00.006+02:00

This time Carlo Macchi takes the stand: In my first years working with wines, especially with regards to Montalcino, I regularly crossed paths with a distinctive person: he was very tall and robust, and stood out not just for his height, but also for his incredible knowledge of wines. He very much liked Biondi Santi's wines, but also Sangiovese in general, and I often noted him hesitating when

Bolgheri: the 2011 Vintage Presentation

2011-08-24T11:18:00.005+02:00

Bolgheri is where it all began on the Tuscan Coast, and even though Sassicaia was already attracting international acclaim by the time the first Bolgheri DOC was established in 1983, the authorities chose to regulate the production of whites and rosés, leaving vintners to follow their whims when it came to reds, which were all classified as table wine. Though this was obviously a slight to the

Tasted at Vinitaly: Carpenè Malvolti

2011-08-10T13:35:00.002+02:00

I have always enjoyed Carpenè Malvolti's wines, and make a point of stopping at their stand during Vinitaly to taste both their Prosecco (their fist wines, and still the bulk of their wines) and their Arte della Spumantistica wines, wines made primarily from other grapes (and from other regions). Their Prosecco is a solid interpretation of the varietal, which is consistent from vintage to

Tasted at Vinitaly: D'Alfonso del Sordo

2011-08-04T04:54:00.001+02:00

Gianfelice and Celeste del Sordo have their stand at Vinitaly across the corridor from Montenidoli, and Elisabetta invited then to dinner a couple of years ago. I enjoyed talking with them considerably, and stopped to taste their wines the next day, coming away quite impressed. So I've been going back...D'Alfonso del Sordo Posta Arignano Bianco San severo DOC 2010Lot 80 11Trebbiano, 40% Bombino

Garantito IGP: The Times, They Have Changed

2011-07-28T09:00:00.001+02:00

This time I take the Stand:In 1997 I went to talk with Sean O'Calaghan at Riecine, and came away much impressed by the wines he and John Dunkley were making, especially the 1994 Chianti Classico Riserva (you'll find the writeup here). Neither of us could have guessed that 1997 was destined to be a turning point: it is becoming increasingly apparent that with that year the weather patterns in

Another Quick Look At Carpenè Malvolti

2011-07-26T08:07:00.005+02:00

I have always enjoyed Carpenè Malvolti's wines, and make a point of stopping at their stand during Vinitaly to taste both their Prosecco and their Arte della Spumantistica wines, wines made primarily from other grapes (and from other regions).Their Prosecco is a solid interpretation of the varietal, which is consistent from vintage to vintage and quite pleasant to drink, especially if you find

Terre del Principe and Nanni Cope: Seeking Pallagrello

2011-07-24T08:04:00.002+02:00

I met Karen Phillips, an American wine writer who lives in Naples, last year at Mastroberardino's stand, where we tasted some impressive older wines. This year before Vinitaly she asked me to stop by some friends of hers, at a winery called Terre del Principe. It was my first stop, and an excellent beginning to the show.Terre del Principe is in the Alto Casertano, between the Taburno and Monte

Garantito IGP: Pisciotto, Cilento - Rinaldo Merola's Trattoria Angiolina

2011-07-21T09:02:00.000+02:00

This time Luciano Pignataro takes the stand:Inns are dying; long live inns! Our daily lunch is quick, in some cases emerging from vending machines in our workplaces, and in others taken while standing at a bar. And then there are the Agriturismi people frequent because everything they offer is cheap, despite the fact that the food sometimes isn't worth even what little it costs.In Naples were

Angiuli Donato: Eye-Opening Wines from Gioa Del Colle and the Val D'Itria, Revisited

2011-07-19T18:09:00.003+02:00

Donato Angiuli is a small winemaker located in Gioia del Colle that Enzo Scivetti introduced me to last year at Vinitaly. The wines were a revelation then and continue to be one now. Truth be told, Enzo took me to see him because of a white, rather than the reds that are the mainstay of production, and I returned as much for it this year as for the reds.A word of explanation: Though the winery is

Nicola Bergaglio: A Quick Vertical

2011-07-15T13:41:00.007+02:00

Nicola Bergaglio is one of the stauncher traditionalists in Gavi, and when someone mentioned that he was serving up a vertical at his stand in Vinitaly, I hurried over. No need for conversation with wines like these:Nicola Bergaglio Minaia Gavi di Gavi DOCG 2005Lot 120 06Brassy gold with brilliant brassy reflections. The bouquet is intense, with berry fruit supported by acidity and minerality

Garantito IGP: The Mead Poet

2011-07-14T11:23:00.005+02:00

This time Carlo Macchi takes the Stand:Take me, on a hot summer day, add a good, young Verdicchio producer (Andrea Felici, whom our readers know), mix well in the cool hall of a restaurant (Il Marchese del Grillo; if our readers don't know of the place they soon will), and what do we have? A top mead (and honey) maker.It's clear that as math goes this is leaky, so let me explain myself better.I

Vernaccia di San Gimignano: The 2010 Vintage, Mostly

2011-07-11T13:59:00.005+02:00

Tuscany is primarily known for red wines, and justly so. However, the town of San Gimignano has always been known for its white wines, and in particular a white made from a grape called Vernaccia, whose origins are shrouded in the mists of time; some say it was brought by the Etruscans, and by the Renaissance it was firing the imaginations of poets and kings. And it was because of this historical

The 2007 Barolo: Serralunga, and then some 2005 Barolo Riserva

2011-07-08T18:34:00.004+02:00

This year Nebbiolo Prima began with the 2008 Roero, followed by the 2008 Barbaresco and the 2007 Barolo; there were also a few Barbaresco Riservas, and on the last day a number of 2005 Barolo Riserva wines. The afternoons were structured somewhat differently, with Monday afternoon dedicated to the 2001 vintage, a retrospective if you will, Tuesday and Thursday dedicated to winery visits and

Garantito IGP - Biancini Palma's Wood Fired oven at Sant'Oreste: A Testament to a Vanishing Way of Life

2011-07-07T18:49:00.003+02:00

This time Roberto Giuliani Takes the Stand:When I taste a piece of bread just purchased at Biancini Palma's Wood Fired Oven in Sant'Oreste, a beautiful town of the Sabine Hills located in the Riserva del Monte Soratte, in the northernmost part of the Province of Rome, I remember the aromas and flavors from when I was a child. To run a real wood-fired oven now is a gargantuan enterprise; it

The 2007 Barolo: Wines from La Morra and Monforte

2011-07-05T16:24:00.003+02:00

Garantito IGP: Into the Deep - La Grotta del Vento

2011-06-30T08:33:00.001+02:00

This time I take the stand:When the guide opens the door, a blast of cool air will rustle your hair, and you'll understand why the locals built a hut over the Buca del Vento, or Wind Hole, as they called it, and used it to refrigerate their produce until World War II. They realized, of course, that all that wind couldn't be coming from just a tiny fissure, and at the turn of the century persuaded

The 2007 Barolo: Wines from Novello, Roddi, Verduno, Castiglione Falletto, and Barolo

2011-06-29T18:05:00.006+02:00

The 2008 Roero and Barbaresco, Tasted at Nebbiolo Prima

2011-06-24T15:41:00.003+02:00

This year Nebbiolo Prima began with the 2008 Roero, followed by the 2008 Barbaresco and the 2007 Barolo; there were also a few Barbaresco Riservas, and on the last day a number of 2005 Barolo Riserva wines.The afternoons were structured somewhat differently, with Monday afternoon dedicated to the 2001 vintage, a retrospective if you will, Tuesday and Thursday dedicated to winery visits and

Garantito IGP: The Man Who Planted Dry Stone Walls

2011-06-23T10:40:00.008+02:00

This time Stefano Tesi takes the Stand:"The Man Who Planted Trees," by Jean Giono, is the story of a shepherd who, by planting acorns every day, succeeded over the course of a lifetime in bringing life back to an entire mountain that had been stripped bare by human misuse.One could say the same of Francesco Carfagna, "a professor of mathematics but primarily a rural foreman," as he likes to

Cianci Baldazzi: Fine Carmignano

2011-06-17T12:45:00.003+02:00

Villa il Poggiolo is one of Carmignano's historic estates: the Cianci Baldazzi family purchased the property in the mid-1800s and was already presenting its wines at the international expositions before the Great War, when few other Italian winemakers were thinking about much more than quantity.They have about 20 hectares under vine, and are also replanting more, while the winemaking is (quite

Garantito IGP -- Lucania's Grifalco: Cecilia and Fabrizio, Welcome to the South

2011-06-16T09:00:00.001+02:00

This time Luciano Pignataro takes the stand:Are you really interested in the aromas of the 1999 Grifalco Aglianico Del Vulture? Come on! Perhaps one could write of the 1999 or the 1989, sniffing and swishing. But what do you expect from the embryo of a red Lucanian wine, other than crisp fruit, savoriness and drinkability?No, this time I didn't choose the wine, but rather the people. Because this

The 2010 Bardolino

2011-06-14T09:46:00.003+02:00

Bardolino is one of the finest quaffing wines there is: welcoming ruby that brings life to the table, and (ideally) bright fruit supported by lively acidity and deft light tannins, a combination that makes for an extremely refreshing wine well suited to hearty soups or pasta dishes, quickly grilled or fried meats, light stews, and casseroles and the like. In short, versatile, and a fine choice

The 2010 Bardolino Chiaretto

2011-06-13T12:19:00.000+02:00

During the summer months one of the nicest simple wines to break out is Bardolino Chiaretto, an eminently drinkable rosè made from the same varietals -- Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara -- also used to make Bardolino (and Valpolicella), both of which are red.The 2010 vintage was relatively cool and wet, which makes for lively acidities, and the 2010 Bardolino Chiaretto, lightly chilled, will be

Garantito IGP: Gewurztraminer From the Alto Adige - Not Just for Italians

2011-06-08T16:30:00.005+02:00

This time Carlo Macchi takes the stand, and says,With this piece "Garantito IGP" takes a step forward. Indeed, we expand our "One For All And All For One" collaboration to cover select events at which only one of the Giovani Promettenti was present, thus providing simultaneous coverage on all of our sites.A picture postcard world always pleases the eye, especially if several hundered traminers

Tasted at Vinitaly: Oscar Bosio

2011-06-06T14:32:00.005+02:00

Oscar Bosio is best known for his Moscato, and when he contacted me via Facebook, asking me to taste his wines at Vinitaly, I expected it to be a quick stop. Big mistake, because he makes more than I realized, and Maurizio Fava, who helps him sell his wines, wanted me to taste everything.Here we go:Oscar Bosio La Bruciata Langhe Chardonnay 2010Lot CH 4 11Pale brassy green with brilliant brassy

A Negroamaro vertical at Valle Dell'Asso

2011-06-03T10:17:00.003+02:00

I'll be driving down to Puglia shortly for Radici, the presentation of south Italian wines, and it therefore seems quite apropos to post the notes from a vertical of Valle Dell'Asso's Pìromàfo that was held this spring at Vinitaly.Pìromàfo derives from Pìromàfos, resistant to fire, and refers to the ability of the land upon which the vineyards are planted to resist the summer heat. The wine is a

Garantito IGP: I Tre Moscardini, A Seafood Inn in the Heart of Rome

2011-06-01T10:52:00.006+02:00

This time Roberto Giuliani takes the stand:Rome is a fantastic town, as all know, but as is the case with most of the major cities in The Boot, when you are going out you have to know where to go to avoid crushing disappointments. And if you turn to fish things just get worse, especially if you're not in a seaside town.This is why I am so pleased to be able to discuss a restaurant that opened a

The 2010 Bardolino Chiaretto Spumante

2011-05-31T13:23:00.004+02:00

During the summer months one of the nicest simple wines to break out is Bardolino Chiaretto, an eminently drinkable rosè made from the same varietals -- Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara -- also used to make Bardolino, which is red.Some of the region's winemakers also make a sparkling version of Bardolino Chiaretto, Bardolino Chiaretto Spumante. Which can be even nicer.The 2010 vintage was

Garantito IGP: POGGIO CIVITATE - AN ETRUSCAN ENIGMA

2011-05-26T09:00:00.001+02:00

This time, I take the stand:The trinket vendor finished setting out his wares and glanced up at the seated statue of the God on the ridge pole. Water still dripped from the lion's head drain spouts, and he smiled, knowing that the night's rain would keep the day cool despite the sun. Comfortable visitors buy more souvenirs. He heard a shout and turned, frowning at the swiftly advancing soldiers.

Nobile di Montepulciano: The 2008 Vintage, Mostly

2011-05-25T19:02:00.005+02:00

The folks at Montepulciano presented the 2008 vintage of Il Vino Nobile this year. It was pleasant, perhaps somewhat superior to the 2007, though as has been the case in the past few years, what is really important is the style of the winemaker, more than the vintage -- of the three major Tuscan red appellations Nobile di Montepulciano continues to display the greatest variability overall, with

Moscadello di Montalcino: The Wines Presented in 2011

2011-05-23T11:13:00.004+02:00

Montalcino's Moscadello, is, as its name suggests, a Moscato, and like most Moscato, is sweet. When I first tasted it, many years ago, two wineries in Montalcino made sparkling Moscadello, which somewhat resembles Moscato D'Asti, though it's a little more charged: Banfi and Il Poggione. Everyone else made Moscadello Passito, which is more concentrated, sweeter, and more alcoholic.Since then Banfi

The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino: Impressions & More

2011-05-20T14:53:00.005+02:00

This year, the winemakers of Montalcino presented the 2006 vintage, and while it was a distinct step up from the 2005, it was by no means easy -- as is the case in other parts of Italy, the 2006 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino turns out to be not particularly user friendly, coming across as rather angry, closed on the bouquet and with tannins that have a hardness to them that promises well for

GARANTITO IGP. Rough, and Gentle. Like Oil.

2011-05-19T11:10:00.000+02:00

This time Stefano Tesi takes the stand:There's a Tuscan slang word, a classic term used to descibe a person who is pleasantly irascible and disenchanted, deft and fun in his contrariness, always somewhat arisen from the wrong side of the bed, but never really unpleasant: Scoglionato.This is perhaps the best adjective with which to describe, at first at least, someone like Giancarlo Giannini,

Tasted at Vinitaly: The Azienda Agricola Rigo

2011-05-18T13:03:00.003+02:00

The Azienda Agricola Rigo has shared a stand with Aurelio Settimo for a number of years now. In part because Silvano Rigo is Teresa's assistant Laura's companion in life, and in part because his wines are very good.The estate is located in Diano D'Alba, a town east of the Barolo Appellation, with beautiful vineyards on white soils that are planted primarily to Dolcetto, though they do also have

Garantito IGP: Clelia Romano: The Lady of Fiano D'Avellino Presents the 2010 Vintage

2011-05-16T11:03:00.005+02:00

This time Luciano Pignataro takes the stand, and I apologize for the delay in posting his article:Nuntio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus Fiano! Yes, because after tasting around, I have the pleasure of revealing a promising white: High acidity, good fruit, and body. Every year in Irpinia it's the same story: If Fiano rises Greco falls, and vice-versa.The reason for this is primarily ripening times,

Brezza's Barolo Bricco Sarmassa: A Comparison Between Cork And Glass Stoppers

2011-05-10T19:00:00.006+02:00

In much of the rest of the world non-cork closures for wine bottles have become quite normal, and are also used for top quality wines. In Italy there is pressure in this direction, but the Appellations and restaurants are less enthusiastic, as I noted in an IGP article I wrote after tasting Salcheto's Salcheto Evoluzione, their top wine, which was released this year as both Vino Nobile di

Tasted at Vinitaly: Tedeschi

2011-05-10T00:36:00.003+02:00

I have known the Tedeschi family for many years: when I visited the Valpolicella region to collect samples shortly after founding the Italian Wine Review (which was then a paper magazine) they quite willingly contributed samples, and when Vinitaly rolled around invited me to a dinner. Which has by now become a tradition, on the first night of the Fiera. I tasted most of these wines on the first

Tasted at Vinitaly: Tessère

2011-05-06T11:25:00.003+02:00

Tessère is a very traditional winery in the eastern part of the Veneto, which I discovered because Emanuela Vincoletto shares a stand at Vinitaly with Ambra Tiraboschi of Cà Lojera. Her wines were already impressing me when Andreas Maerz, one of the staunchest traditionalists out there, passed by and said -- in a loud stage whisper -- "gotta support these wines!"In addition to handling Tessère,

Garantito IGP: Lambrusco Mon Amour!

2011-05-05T09:00:00.001+02:00

This time Carlo Macchi takes the stage:This isn't an article, but an act of love. The object of my desires is sparkling, lively, redolent of youth and freshness. Some consider the way it presents itself to others simple, and obvious, but instead there's depth, complexity, and harmony. My problem, as an old man with wants, is that it's not just young, but also male, at least from the standpoint of

A Selection of Rosati From Puglia

2011-05-02T15:40:00.002+02:00

Puglia has long been known for making roses -- some of the varietals are simply best suited to pale pink wines, while others do yield them, especially if the winemaker performs a salasso, bleeding off some of the freshly pressed red grape must before fermentation begins to increase the concentration and complexity of what remains in the tank.What is bled off contains sugar, and some color, and

Tasted at Vinitaly: Villa

2011-04-29T11:38:00.004+02:00

Villa's Alessandro Bianchi was one of the first to believe in the Franciacorta region's potential for making great sparkling wines, and the estate continues to be a leader, both in terms of the quality of the wines, and in terms of promotion -- one of the major problems besetting sparkling wines in Italy is the perception that they are either suited to toasts, if dry, or to desserts, if sweeter.

Garantito IGP: La Rocca del Gusto at Monterotondo - The Triumph of the Ingredients

2011-04-28T10:38:00.008+02:00

This time, Roberto Giuliani takes the stand:It isn't at all easy to open a restaurant in the hyper-protected heart of Monterotondo, a small town in the hills not far from the Via Salaria, about 20 km from Rome. Maria Luisa Conrado knows this well; the bureaucracy, which makes things difficult under the best of circumstances, given a setting like this becomes the major obstacle to the realization

Serego Alighieri: Valpolicella and More

2011-04-27T17:57:00.005+02:00

The Serego Alighieri estate has belonged to the Serego Alighieri family for hundreds of years -- following Dante's exile from Florence his son Pietro Alighieri bought land in the Valpolicella, and there the family stayed; in the 1500s the last Alighieri married into the Serego family, and that line of the Serego family added Alighieri to their name.In 1973 Count Pieralvise Serego Alighieri