Garantito IGP: The Mossio Brothers and the Great Dolcetti if Rodello

This time Roberto Giuliani takes the stand:

After dedicating many Guaranteed notes to more or less renowned restaurants, I feel the need to return to the world of wine. Primarily because I'm interested in two brothers, though it would be more correct to say in the entire Mossio dynasty, which has given the Dolcetto of the Langhe shine for generations, producing superb wines from a varietal that few really understand yet. I met Valerio seven years ago at Dolcetto & Dolcetto, but hadn't seen him since, nor had I had occasion to taste other vintages of either Dolcetto D'Alba Bricco Caramelli or Dolcetto D'Alba Passo delli Perdoni (they also make a Barbera d'Alba and an impressive Langhe Nebbiolo). I wanted to rectify this oversight and finally managed to go visit them in Rodello, where I had the unexpected pleasure of a vertical of Dolcetto D'Alba Bricco Caramelli, from 2010 to 2005, six vintages to understand the quality and potential of this historic Piemontese varietal.

The first thing one notes upon arriving at the winery is Bricco Caramelli, which is the highest land in the area, almost 500 meters, always well ventilated, and offers a breathtaking view all the way to Alba. The rows are evenly laid out, with wooden support steaks, while the vines are trained to the guyot system, and grow on a soil consisting of silt, sand, and clay; I visited in the second week of May and the shoots were working their way up to the support wires. There's nice ground cover, which requires the Mossio brothers to manage the vineyard in an eco-compatible way, and the area they have under vine is 10 hectares (28 giornate piemontesi), which yield 50,000 bottles per year.

One need only chat for a while while walking among the rows to realize that they are driven by passion and a degree of recklessness, given that Valerio, despite his youth, has suffered a severe heart attack and continues to perform backbreaking labor in vineyard and cellar. For the more curious, Caramelli is the family name of the Marchesi di Clavesana, who were willed land in Rodello by Contessa Clemenza in 1676, including this farm, which has now been restored.

As I said, the visit also offered me the opportunity to evaluate the aging capacity of Bricco Caramelli thanks overtones a nice vertical from 2010 to 2005 (which could have gone further, but they had finished the older vintages). My general impression is that it is a wine easily capable of embarking on a long path, and though there are variations attributable to the vintages, it is an excellent Cru, one of the finest Dolcetti of all, and a wine that sets the standard. Nor should one underestimate Piano delle Perdoni, which, depending upon the vintage, can pluck a rabbit from the hat, displaying quality that easily matches Caramelli. Looking in detail...

Dolcetto D'Alba Bricco Caramelli 2010 
This ferments for 10 days in steel, macerating on the skins, and there's no wood, nor filtration, nor stabilization to take away from the Dolcetto aromas that emerge from the glass. The most recent, this vintage is impenetrable violet ruby and has an extremely fresh bouquet with intense violets, prunes, black cherries, blackberries, balsamic accents, and developing spice. The palate gives the same freshness, a rich, flavorful wine one could call chewable, and one can foresee a happy marriage of structure and elegance.

Dolcetto D'Alba Bricco Caramelli 2009
Dusky, almost impenetrable ruby; the nos is already more complex; there are violets, and a fruity surge of currants, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and again balsamic notes with a hint of tobacco. Though the opening of the nose is less immediate than that of the 2010 the palate churns with energy and finesse, power and elegance, savory notes, and perfect symmetry with the nose, and remarkable persistence.

Dolcetto D'Alba Bricco Caramelli 2008
A slightly different vintage; the color is still perfect concentrated ruby, while the nose opens with vegetal accents that yield to violets, iris, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, interesting gingery accents, cinnamon, and pleasant menthol. The palate is more than convincing; there is a slight tannic bite, excellent fruit, and a delicately bitter almond laced finish.

Dolcetto D'Alba Bricco Caramelli 2007
A hot vintage, but at this altitude, and with vines that are decades old this is not a problem: the nose opens with impressive sweetness and intensity, also because the alcohol has blended perfectly with the fruit, which once again moves towards prunes, cherries, and hints of raspberries, while there are also resiny balsamic notes, hints of pepper, and dried flowers. The palate is harmonious, once again balsamic, and still fresh and savory, and long.

Dolcetto D'Alba Bricco Caramelli 2006
In this vintage one is really struck by the violet visible in the rich dark ruby of the wine; 6 years have passed since the harvest and it hasn't faded at all. The fruit is impressively fresh, with echoes of peach that then give way to the more classic cherries, prunes, and ripe raspberries, while there are also balsamic accents, with mature aromas of graphite and dark tobacco. The palate reveals full structure and perfect balance, with tannins that are silky and clearly show that the wine is far from reaching the end of its aging. Terrific persistence.
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Dolcetto D'Alba Bricco Caramelli 2005
Perhaps the most symbolic year, in a positive sense, one that reveals the greatness of the vineyard; despite seven years of age there are terrific floral accents blaanced by properly sweet ripe fruit that's not the least bit jammy. The vintage emerges on the palate too, with a more nervous, lighter texture that I don't dislike at all: I've already enjoyed it in many Baroli and Barbareschi from this vintage.




Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi

Zocca, Vasco Rossi and Massimo Riva's Home Town, and a place one must visit for the Osteria del Sole

This time Roberto Giuliani takes the stand:

Getting to the town of Zocca from the high plains of Mocogno was difficult: one switchback after another leading down 1300 meters from the the plains to the sea, and then another 750 meter climb to Zocca. Obviously, if you're coming from elsewhere, say Modena, you need not follow the path I had to.

Zocca, or "block of wood" (what zocca means in dialect), is an attractive town, and is where Punto Radio, one of the first independent Italian stations, began transmitting in 1975; among the station's frist supporters was Vasco Rossi, now one of the great names of Italian rock. Those who know him well will also remember Massimo Riva, the guitarist and composer who left us all too soon, but had time to play with him in the 80s, and also wrote some of his most popular songs.

We are not here to talk music, however, but rather something more material: Food, good, rigorously traditional food. Zocca indeed boasts one of those places that only locals know how to find: No signs, and hidden from the rest of the town, on Via M. Mesi (Mauro Antonio Tesi, known as Il maurino, painter, engraver and architect); you'll only see it upon coming around a bend to the left. Of course finding it isn't that difficult; one need only ask, and everyone knows where the Osteria del Sole is. They also know it's a place one can eat well without being plucked like a chicken.

It's Saturday, June 16, and very hot; I have an appointment with Arianna fugazza, a painter from Ferrara known for her airbrushing, and her friend Ilaria, but I get there first and take advantage of the opportunity to tour the town, admiring the pretty parish church (being restored, alas) and meet Francesco Ricci, a wonderfully cordial man who immediately makes me feel at home. He oversees the hall, while the kitchen is managed by Andrea Nocetti, from Modena….

Despite the stereotype that holds women incapable of being on time, my companions arrive a few minutes early: I can't go into the reasons for this meeting, but can say the technique Arianna has mastery over fascinates me and there is a project that will, sooner or later, come to light. Or subject here is the Osteria del Sole, which deserves the attention.

In reading the menu we discover that all the ingredients are local, from small producers: the Parmigiano, Tasone, Ricotta, Butter and Mascarpone are from the Caseificio di rosolo di rocca cheesers, who are working with some of the historic farms to recover the ancient Modenese breed of cattle, and use its milk exclusively in their parmigiano. The pasta, fried breads, and baked goods are made from organic flours from the Fratelli Mesini's organic farm, once again in Rosola di Zocca. In particular, they use soft wheat flour from the Marzotto cultivar (a cultivar grown in the Appenino Modenese that had almost gone extinct, whole wheat flour, corn meal, and chestnut flour that are all stone-ground. The pork and pork cold cuts are from the Mora Romagnola pigs (a Slowfood presidium) rasied and worked by Cà Lumaco, an organic farm in Montetorte di Zocca. The salt is sweet sea salt from Cervia, another Slowfood presidium. The fresh pasta is of course hand-made. This sound like enough?

And here are some of the dishes we enjoyed: A scrumptious, intensely flavored porcini mushroom carpaccio; Tortelloni with Ricotta from Rosola and Radicchio Trevigiano, perfect tagliatelle with locally picked mushrooms, and a juicy, well thought out pork fillet with wild radicchipo, strawberries and balsamic vinegar, all accompanied by a fine unfiltered Pignoletto Classico from Orsi San Vito, an organic winery (the wine list is correctly and exquisitely local). As we had no intention of passing on dessert we left space for an irresistibly delicious Crema Catalana and a magnificent chocolate salami with Mascarpone cream. The cost? 90 Euros for three people.

Eating this well in a clean, welcoming in that also offers magnificent views doesn't happen every day. Our meal certainly merits another visit.

Osteria del Sole
Via M. Tesi, 1109/b - Zocca (MO)
Tel. 059 987361
Open: Tuesday to Sunday, for lunch & dinner. Closed Mondays
Site: www.osteriadelsole.eu


Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi

Garantito IGP: Le Oche Giulive Bistrò, a Shaft Of Light in the heart of the Castelli Romani

This time Roberto Giuliani takes the stage:

  The news filtered in from the more popular social networks, whetting the curiosity of many food lovers: a bistro-wine shop was due to open in the Castelli Romani, and more precisely Squarciarelli, township of Grottaferrata; it was being opened by two sommeliers who came from very different walks of life (architect and fashion designer) but had been bowled over by a passion for food and wine and had decided to change their lives and follow their dreams.

Who, you wonder? Michela Irione (the architect, in the kitchen) and Elisabetta Valentina Tappi (the fashion designer, in the hall): in less than three months they transformed a place that had hosted a stucco shop into an architectural jewel where white predominates, bringing life to the place and giving it a sober feel that is not without warmth: A huge picture window separates the hall from the terrace outside. Given that the restaurant opens onto the street, Michela and Elisabetta installed acoustic insulation, and lines the larger walls with bottles from all over Italy.

The idea of putting the kitchen on display, behind a glass, is very nice, and the place is all the more welcoming thanks to the soul and jazz music they play. In short, a tremendous amount of work and planning, which led to the inauguration, on June 2, which was a smashing success, thanks also to the contribution of the Neapolitan chef Lorenzo Monzù Scalzone: Lots of people sipping and enjoying the tidbits offered.

But I wanted to know what they'd serve day-to-day, so I returned for lunch on the 5th to taste the dishes of the week -- the menu changes weekly, something decidedly unusual in places like this, and that just goes to show how much drive Michela and Elisabetta have. With summer at the door fish predominates. Absolutely fresh, from Grottaferrata's top fishmonger, or from a trusted friend in Terracina. And the quality was there, in an excellent "Tartare di Orata con salsa di pomodoro ghiacciata," gilthead seabream tartare with chilled tomato sauce, (which will also feature chives when they are available) and in the "Mezze maniche al ragù di Ricciola e pecorino," mezze maniche with amberjack and pecorino (the fish will change depending upon what's available) or the mouthwatering "Polpo con patate, piselli e cacioricotta," Octopus with potatoes, peas and cacioricotta cheese.

All accompanied by a passion of mine I was unable to resist, La Bellanotte's Conte Lucia 2009, a spellbinding Pinot Grigio with coppery reflections whose intensity varies from vintage to vintage with the time spent on the skins, and that because of this cannot call itself DOC Isonzo, because the Appellation's rules don't allow for that color, but we are in Italy and therefore shouldn't be surprised. To finish up, Michela prepared an unforgettable Amaretto Tiramisu, a delicious variant on the classic recipe whose only defect was that one couldn't get enough of it.

In sum, sober Mediterranean cooking based on top quality ingredients and recipes that are essential, with measured use of seasonings that never take the fore, but rather maintain balance. A style that doesn't mask the dish, and because of this requires absolute quality, because there are no screens to hide behind.

Michela and Elisabetta clearly show their unwillingness to compromise or take shortcuts; their goal is to make their restaurant a beacon, a place people come to for lunch or dinner, and where they can find a vast selection of wines at very affordable prices. To name a few, Grosjean, la Bellanotte, Marisa Cuomo, Tenuta Bonzara, Alberto Loi, Cantina Santadi, Poggio Le Volpi, Castel De Paolis, and Terre Contese.

Obviously, most of these wines are also offered by the glass, and they are also planning to offer other drinks, including top quality distillates.

Elisabetta and Michela's friendly hospitality and professionality, will leave those who stop at Via Vittorio Veneto 25 with the fondest od memories, as will the sumptuous aromas rising from their dishes. You will need to make reservations.

Le Oche Giulive Bistrò
Via Vittorio Veneto, 25 - Località Squarciarelli - Grottaferrata (RM)
Tel. 347-3360040 / 345-8738226
Web site: www.ochegiulivebistro.it
Blog: leochegiulive.blogspot.it



Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi

RisotrArte: Creativity and tradition in the Agro Pontino

This time Roberto Giuliani takes the stand:

Fortunately, despite years spent seeking out restaurants that enrich my gastronomic knowledge and feed my emotions, I can still be surprised, all the more if the restaurant that stimulates my enthusiasm is located in my region, and in a town not usually mentioned in the more influential Italian restaurant guides: Cisterna di latina, home of the Butteri, the cowboys of central Italy. Yes, because butteri are not just to be found in the Maremma, but also in the Roman countryside,a nd more particularly in the Agro Pontino.

I just discovered RistorArte a few days ago, during the lunch break of Wine Expo, an event that took place in the chloisters of Palazzo Caetani. At 1:30 hunger pangs forced me, my wife Laura, Maria Luisa (yes, the one who is Queen of La Rocca del Gusto, another gastronomic jewel at Monterodondo), and Alessandro to seek out a place to eat. One of the participants at Wine Expo, who wasn't from the area, suggested RistorArte: "Don't be fooled by the entrance, which isn't particularly inviting -- once you're in, and more importantly, seated, you'll be quite happy. I've gone two nights running."

We left Palazzo Caetani, and following his frighteningly precise directions (200 meters up this road, 50 meters after the light....) turned left onto Corso della Repubblica, right onto Via Quattro Goirnate di napoli, and found the place at # 35.

Upon entering we were welcomed by Andrea Iacoangeli, who seated us in a simple, nicely laid out room. He then told me how the idea for RistorArte developed:

"We're four almost thirty-somethings who have been in the restaurant trade fro a while, involved in all sorts of things, from small agriturismi to luxury hotels, to clubs to banquet services for top-tier events. And it all began with banqueting; in 2008 we founded E-Mangio Catering & Banqueting (E-Mangio is an acronym cobbled from Emiliano, Andrea, and Giorgio -- Gerry, who developed the graphics of the logo, is missing).




It was a quick step from banquets in private houses to larger events in prestigious locales, and what began as a passion became jobs before they even realized it. The dream of having their own restaurant developed day by day; it took time but finally came true on March 3 2011, and the adventure began!

The goal of RostorArte was to bring together the conjunction between "Art" and "Table," bringing the table into art, with a small gallery whose artworks change periodically. The menu, in addition to listing the dishes, provides information on the artists exhibiting to make the sensory experience complete.

An experience patrons can enjoy as they please; early in the morning with a muffin and a drink... during the day, with a drink and some finger food... at lunch, with a quick, quality meal... at dinnertime, with an antipasto (e.g. "The Land Hugs the Sea"), with a first course featuring home-made pasta... or late, with cheesecake  served with wild berry fruit sauce and a Visciola cherry liqueur, or a cheese plate and one of the more than 80 wines they have in their cellars...

The four of them run the hall of RistorArte, taking turns depending upon their catering jobs, while the kitchen is in the hands of the young chef Marco Berrettoni, with the assistance of the equally young Patrizia Bellisari. The menu is evenly divided between fish and meat, with a not do locally produced ingredients. They make their own desserts and most of their pasta (gnocchi, fettuccine, tagliolini). The goal is a creative cuisine firmly rooted in tradition, using quality ingredients and pricing to be accessible to all.

As is our habit, Laura and I ordered different dishes to double our experience, and the four of us ordered: A Sformatino of Baccalà alla Siciliana, Eggplant Parmesan, Eggplant with Tonnarelli alla Norma dusted with salted ricotta, Gnocchetti with squash, porcini mushrooms and rosemary, Raviolacci stuffed with sea bass and orange aromas, Mackerel Millefoglie with citrus and Carasau bread, and Pork fillet in a mustard and herb sauce.

I may have left something out; since we were all stuffed for dessert we divvied up a single portion of an excellent chocolate tart. All the dishes nicely presented, balanced, and much better than one often finds. 5 coffees (someone had two), two bottles of water and one of wine, Cà Dei Frati's Lugana Brolettino (2010), which never fails to please. The cost? 95 Euros, 18 of which for the wine, which means that the food cost 77 Euros, or less than 20 per person. What more could one want?

 I forgot -- the restaurant isn't just open for lunch and dinner: There's a nightly Apricena (Predinner) at a "antidepression price" of 12 euros that includes a drink, a substantial antipasto, and a half-portion of pasta.

Beginning May 2 there will be live acoustic music Wednesday nights, beginning at 9:30. And Sundays starting at 6:30 there's a Happy Hour, with a great selection of cocktails and a rich buffet for 5 Euros, with lounge music in the background.

RistorArte
Via Quattro Giornate di Napoli, 35 - Cisterna di Latina (LT)
Tel. 06-96881468
E-mail: ristorarte AT emangio DOT com

Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi

Garantito IGP: Sergio and Francesco Arcuri, Artisans of Cirò

This time Roberto Giuliani Takes the Stand:




The Cirò Appellation is probably the best known of the nine present in Calabria.

It has recently been the subject of considerable debate, argument, worry, and the taking up of sides for and against, because some thought it time to change the blend to meet the "needs" of the (foreign) markets: Gaglioppo by itself was no longer sufficient, they said, and indeed it was to blame if Cirò didn't sell briskly enough.

A flash of forward-looking "genius," this, that led to the decision to allow Gaglioppo to be accompanied by the standard varietals known the world over, such as Cabernet and Merlot (yes, the list also includes Sangiovese and Barbera, but it's easy to guess how many will use them).

Despite a great deal of protest, within the Consorzio too, the decision stood, and the required percentage of Gaglioppo was reduced from 100 to 80. Obviously, and this is an exclusively Italian problem, we devalue our products all by ourselves, and are the first to believe our varietals lack the quality and personality necessary to interest the rest of the world. We have seen the efforts to make changes of this kind at Montalcino, and also in Langa, where they were fortunately unable to change either Barolo or Barbaresco. And we wait patiently to see the same policies emerge in France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, etc....

Sergio and Francesco Arcuri's family has some of the oldest winemaking roots in the Cirò area, though this history almost came to an end when their grandfather sold everything he had inherited from his father. Fortunately their father Giuseppe, who had helped his grandfather cultivate the vines, loved them and the wine they gave too much, and his desire to return to winemaking proved stronger than the economic and health-related hardships he faced.

Thus he began to buy small parcels of land planted between 1948 and 1980 in the alberello or bush style, as tradition dictates. In 2005 they added 1.75 hectares trained to the cordon spur system, for a total of 3.75 hectares. The first bottlings were in 2009, when they finished renovating their father's cellar.

Sergio told me, "We cultivate vineyards panted in 1948 and 1980 to the alberello style that we have no intention of ripping out despite the EEU contribution of 18,000 euros per hectare given those who replant. Rather than give money to people who do so, they could give them to people like us, who care for them lovingly and with a great deal of patience. Cultivating an old vineyard takes twice as much work, all by hand.

"We don't cut corners in the vineyards, but do everything necessary to maintain the land and therefore the vineyards. We still use hoes to break up the ground around the vines, have never used weed killers, nor fertilizers, and our treatments are limited to sulfur and copper, the latter used as sparingly as possible because of the limited rainfall we get. The last sulfur treatment is usually 50 days prior to the harvest, which begins at the beginning of October, and is manual.

"In the cellars we still do things by hand; we ferment our red, "Aris," the way our great grandfather Giuseppe did, in an open-topped cement tank with submerged cap for about three days, without temperature regulation. For the rosè, which takes its name from the "Il Marinetto" vineyard, the grapes are picked around September 20; the must macerates briefly on the skins, and is immediately racked to cement tanks and kept at a temperature of 17 C. The vineyards are being declared officially organic (though they have always been cultivated organically) , and the only thing left to certify is the cellar." Sergio also told me how they settled upon their logo: "the circle is the imprint left by the bottom of a wet wine bottle, while the branches are the tendrils of a vine.

"I picked the tendrils because I think of them as the hands and arms of the shoots; it's exciting to see how, in the month of May, day by day the shoots, with the assistance of the tendrils, grip the guy wires and the canes, because in the old alberello vineyards every vine has its cane; I remember when I was a boy, watching my father break the tendrils and tie the vines with shoots of ginestra (the broom plant) where he wanted them to be, bringing order to the shoots, and I would ask "Why are you doing this?" And he would answer, "The shoots already have strings with which to hold themselves; they may not stay where you want, but leave them be because they are alive."

The Tasting

As Sergio told us, thy only make two wines, Cirò Rosso Classico Superiore Aris and Rosato Il Marinetto, both exclusively from Gaglioppo grapes. For the former wine, from the 2009 vintage, 2600 bottles, and for the latter, from the 2010, about 2600.

Il Marinetto Rosato 2010

• Blend: 100% Gaglioppo
• Alcohol content: 13,5%
• Cellar price: 6,50 euro

Calabria boasts a long tradition of rosè wines, especially in the Cirò zone. Gaglioppo "en rose" has considerable allure, because it keeps its structure and energy, remaining quite recognizable, but gains fresh liveliness without becoming humdrum. Il Marinetto 2010 is garnet pink, an ancient color that brings to mind the evening colors of some freshly plowed grounds ready to be seeded. Nose with crunchy cherries, raspberries, red orange accents, pomegranate, and intriguing floral notes. The palate has nice fleshy fruit and vivid freshness; the tannic timbre reflects the vine that is the symbol of Calabrian winemaking, and all flows cleanly and pleasantly, stimulating salivation that will in turn stimulate the appetite, and we have no intention of not satisfying it!

Evaluation @@@ (83-84/100)

Cirò Rosso Classico Superiore Aris 2009

• Blend: 100% Gaglioppo
• Alcohol content: 14%
• Cellar price: 10 euro

One can tell the style of Casa Arcuri is traditional simply by looking at the wine in the glass; it's a crystalline garnet quite reminiscent of the Nebbioli from Gattinara. The nose displays the aromas characteristic of the varietal, with ripe cherries, prunes, and spice, though there are also underbrush, ferns, hints of dried mushrooms, licorice, slight leather and tobacco, and an underlying sweetness that invites one to drink. On the palate is has very juicy, creamy fruit; one can taste the quality of the grapes, there's nice freshness and pleasant savory accents, while the tannins are perfectly integrated and do not disturb. A warm, long finish; everything is "classic" but in the positive sense of the term, there's nothing contrived from the cellars, just the grapes transformed into wine. One could call it a perfect example of the confluence of man, grapes, and land. I personally find it inspiring.

Evaluation @@@@ (88-89/100).



Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi

Garantito IGP: Instructive Reading - Wines of The Province of Latina and the Agro Pontino

This time Roberto Giuliani Takes the Stand:

I have always wondered why Lazio, my homeland, displays little interest in promoting its wines other than locally. It is true that the region has a pavilion at Vinitaly, and a fair number of wineries appear in the wine guides, but one need only browse the web to note that the wines of Lazio are among those least often mentioned and reviewed.

Wine in Lazio is associated with Frascati, which is considered by many, despite the fact that much has changed over the years, a wine of little import. I'm not referring to those in the trade, who do however continue to dedicate less attention to Lazio than to other regions, but to the general public, who feel "There's only the wine of the Castelli Romani."

The situation obviously is more complex; the region has made great strides, new areas have developed, there has been research and experimentation, many wineries, including new ones, work professionally and well, and the appellations have improved and grown.

Good. Even though there is still neither the will nor the drive necessary to introduce the world to the many regional realities, from Viterbo to Frosinone -- and the recent establishment of Roma DOC does not help -- Mario Maccario, food & wine writer, sommelier, and wine and olive oil taster, has recently published a surprising book that provides a detailed picture of the wines of the Province of Latina and the Agro Pontino.

I confess to having been skeptical when it arrived; I feared some sort of self-celebration in "guide" form of which we have a great many. Instead, it's an on-the-road narration of an important part of southern Lazio covering four well-defined appellations, Cori, Aprilia, Circeo and Terracina. A thorough study born of research Maccario began three years ago, published in installments on the online periodical Enopress, and presented in Rome during a conference at the Università degli Studi la Sapienza.

The author, knowing the importance of shedding light on a situation that much can be said about, takes us on a journey into the history and culture of the various territories, discussing architecture and countryside while illustrating the foods and wines they produce. The book is in four chapters, each describing an appellation, its territory, the wineries, and other traditional foodstuffs present. I much enjoyed this organization into itineraries, which allows all to follow the paths to reach the wineries mentioned (24 in all).

Maccario goes into detail for each winery, discussing history, philosophy, evolution, and also the wines produced, vineyard and cellar techniques, the varietals employed, and everything else necessary for a detailed picture of the estates. And more. At the end of the four chapters, in addition to providing beautiful photographs of the noteworthy attractions of the various regions, he presents images of the labels of all the wines produced by the wineries, something I find quite helpful for learning the names of wines and wineries.

There is also a "Label Glossary," an impressive and very original resource that explains the etymologies of the wine names. The final two sections of the book provide the addresses of the wineries, including emails and sites, and a list of wine shops in Rome specialized in regional wines.

More than 200 pages that read quite easily, and show how much there is to discover even in a limited area such as the Province of Latina.

Vini Latini e dell'Agro Pontino - Viaggio attraverso il territorio e le sue bellezze
di Mauro Maccario
Pag. 224
Prezzo 15 €
Davide Ghaleb Editore
Via Roma, 41 - 01019 Vetralla (VT)
Tel. 0761 461794
Sito: www.ghaleb.it
E-Mail: info@ghaleb.it




Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi

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

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 in my office on the second floor are also packed. Which leaves me with at least 12 cases that I have yet to place. In this mix of ever-more-disorderly bottles, my eye settled upon an almost-buried white: Langhe Solea 2001, from the Roagna - I Pagliari winery.

I remember it was given to me -- together with some masterful Barbaresco and Barolo wines -- by the young Luca Roagna in 2006, when I paid them a visit with Pierluigi Gorgoni (of Spirito DiVino and more). I couldn't resist, I had to open it, especially because 5 years without refrigeration, even in the dark, carries risks. But we'll speak of the wine anon.

I would rather discuss something I consider unexplainable and unjustifiable. The Roagna family has made wine in the hamlet of Paglieri, Commune of Barbaresco, for 5 generations. It is, thus, a historic winery, one that has always made amazing wines that make no concessions to fashion or trend (I remember a 78 Barbaresco that was simply extraordinary). Just to make myself clear, the Nebbiolo destined to Barolo La Rocca and La Pira Riserva macerates for 80-100 days on the skins, and considering how much extraction that will lead to one understands how long it must bottle age before one can open it and be bowled over by qualities few other renowned Italian wines can hope to even approach.

But long macerations (with submerged cap) are part of a philosophy they apply to all of their wines, as is the use of selected indigenous yeasts for the fermentation (selection derived from careful research with expert microbiologists). Biodiversity is another salient point: their land has vegetative cover, with mixed greens (Kyle's note: many vineyards in Langa have bare earth between the rows) that can include mint, spontaneous legumes, and all sorts of grasses and fragrant blossoms.

Green harvesting is only carried out on vines younger than 20 years, allowing the vines to then find their natural equilibrium. There are ancient vines in the vineyards -- they were planted between 1937 and 1955), some on native rootstock, and with roots that can reach 30 feet into the ground; you can imagine how many microelements they can draw, and how resistant they are to drought. And when a vine dies it is replaced by one from a cutting in the same vineyard -- no clones, and indeed the Roagna family has banished that word from their viticultural vocabulary.

All this to show that we're dealing with an extremely rigorous winery, one that really succeeded in combining farming traditions with modern technology, or perhaps it would be more correct to say, modern knowledge.

The Roagna family doesn't like Guides, though this doesn't justify the Guides' ignoring them, considering that the wines of other top wineries that behave the same way are regularly reviewed. Paradoxically, they are better known (and liked) abroad. A meeting between Luca and Sigurd Wongraven, founder of the Norwegian Black metal group Satyricon, which came about thanks to reciprocal enomusical passions (Sigurd is also writing a book on Piemontese winemakers), has led to two wines, one from a few casks of Barolo Pira and the other from a few casks belonging to friends of the Roagna family, casks personally selected by Sigurd: Unione Wongraven Barolo and Alleanza Wongraven Langhe Rosso.

Setting aside the Guides for the moment, though there are certainly many wine lovers who know the winery, it is rarely mentioned on the web and a search turns up few reviews.

Between 2010 and 2011 I have however discussed, on Lavinium, Barbaresco Crichët Pajé 1998, Pajé Riserva 1997 e Barolo La Rocca e la Pira Riserva 1993.

This time we will speak of Langhe Solea 2001, from Chardonnay and Nebbiolo vinified white, because I believe Langa is not just a land of great reds, but can also be a land of whites, capable of long aging.

I don't recall the exact percentage of Nebbiolo in this vintage, though it is on average about 25. Yields per hectare 35-40 hectoliters! Macerations on the skins for 10-15 days, with Nebbiolo added after pressing. The wine ages for 3-5 years in large French oak casks, and then in bottle.

And here it is, poor thing, not kept as I should have, but even more praiseworthy for having survived 5 years in my house. The color is what one would expect of a white that spent a long time macerating, a truly enticing intense warm gold. The nose puts my worries to rest, it's in perfect condition, and balanced, with barely ripe tropical fruit, floral accents and mineral notes, peaches, mangos, lychees, walnuts, candied pineapple, moss, orange and acacia honey, hints of limestone and finally aromatic herbs. On the palate it's pure silk, far beyond what I expected, and astonishingly fresh! Lively in every way, savory and deep, extremely persistent, elegant, refined even, and in perfect harmony with that promised by the nose. I confess to being astonished, because I tasted the wine 5 years ago in the cellars and only partially recognized its greatness.

It's impressive to note how the more than a decade since the harvest hasn't weighed upon the wine in the slightest; it still has a long future ahead of it, on a par with that of a Langan red.

These are the Roagna! Make plans to visit them, because when you do you will never forget the day.

Roagna - Azienda Agricola I Paglieri
Loc. Paglieri 9, 12050 Barbaresco (Cn)
Tel/fax +39 0173/635109
Site: www.roagna.com
E-mail: info AT roagna DOT com





Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi

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

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 (Giacomo Tachis, the consulting winemaker, had a hand in all three wines). The names also were related, in the sense that in the space of a few years there was a tremendous number of wines whose names ended in "aia" and "ello," suffixes that in some way announced a relationship.

Camartina came later, in 1981, when Querciabella was run by Giuseppe Castiglioni, who paired it with Chianti Classico in a land where Sangiovese had always been the primary red varietal -- we're in Greve in Chianti. The blend of Camartina has changed over the years, to the point that the ratio of the two varietals it contains, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, has flipped. At the beginning the former was predominant, and now the latter.

The Querciabella estate has evolved steadily; at the end of the 80s they were already reducing chemicals in the vineyards, and in 2000 became fully biodynamic, while maintaining an active research program to increase quality.

The winery also launched, in 1988, a barrel-aged Chardonnay, called Batard, which with time became Batàr (and is now a 50-50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco), which was then atypical due to its powerful boisé and its being an intentionally long-lived white wine, a wine whose qualities emerge with the passage of years.

It is on the other hand clear that Querciabella, which now belongs to Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni, dedicates most of its energies to the export markets, and this emerges from their communications, be they internet, Facebook, or Twitter, are exclusively in English. Also from the fact that wines like Camartina and Batàr are not easily affordable by all, at least not in Italy.To provide a comparison, when the 94 Camartina was released, it sold for slightly less than 40,000 Lire, which wasn quite a sum, and now the current release, the 2008, sells for between 70 and 80 Euros -- a sum that few in Italy will be able to spend on a wine with any frequency.

It is indisputable that Camartina is a great Tuscan red, and this 94, 12 years after its release, gives concrete proof: deep concentrated garnet with barest hints of brick in the rim. The nose displays a mixture of dark ripe fruit, primarily prunes, wild cherry and black currants, but there are also underlying humus, myrtle, and cloves, mintled with ash and goudron, tobacco, leather, and India ink. On the palate its perfect balance is most impressive: lively acidity, tightly woven perfectly integrated tannins, fruit, roundness, and not the slightest -- and I must emphasize this -- pernicious decrease in energy. And this is all the more surprising considering that 1994 wasn't a spectacular vintage, at the most interesting and varies, with a few sporadic bursts of excellence. Confirmation of this vintage evaluation comes from alcohol, which is evident despite its not being that high (13%, according to the label), and a midpalate that's not as "solid" as one might expect. Thus, a vintage that wasn't powerful but rather nervous, and not easy to interpret, but in this case was absolutely convincing, much more than anyone might have expected.


Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi

Indignados of the Restaurant World: Hope or Utopia?

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 service, dirty restrooms, dishes that don't meet expectations, and, perhaps, even thought about protesting, but then decided to leave be, thinking "I just won't come back, and will warn my friends to avoid this place too."

You might not realize it, but a survey by people who work in the hospitality industry has shown that only 4% of unsatisfied restaurant customers actually protest: most prefer not to make waves, rather saying everything was fine to the people providing the service. This behavior obviously does nobody any good; it doesn't help the establishment to improve, but can on the contrary do it considerable harm, especially now that people can and do "spread the word" on the Internet.

For example, if we enter a restaurant and the waiter delivers the menu orally, why don't we react logically, by asking for a written menu? Why do we accept the idea of eating and drinking "blind," having no idea of what we'll be spending. Do we really believe this state of affairs is normal?

And why, if we visit the restrooms and find them foul and smelly, or even simply lacking such basic necessities as toilet paper, soap, and hand towels, do we emerge disgusted and return to our table without protest? After all, it's quite probable that if the restrooms are horrid the situation in the kitchens won't be much better.

Be it a high-class restaurant, an eatery, or a simple neighborhood pizzeria, certain minimum standards of hospitality must be met, and there can be no excuses. For this to happen, we must take umbrage, and have the courage necessary to voice our discontent, because when we pay we are paying not just for the dishes we eat, but also for the entire framework, including courteous service, a welcoming atmosphere, cleanliness, and clearly stated prices.

Companies (never forget, restaurants are companies, in business to sell a product) whose goal is to provide excellent service do their best to get their customers to express their dissatisfactions, because they know well that this negative feedback can help them improve their service, and will also show that they value their patrons. No patrons leads to bankruptcy, and therefore paying customers play a fundamental role in the survival and qualitative growth of a restaurant.

Here are several requirements I think any restaurant we visit, from the greatest to the most humble, must meet:

Hospitality: It is unthinkable that one enter a restaurant and not be greeted quickly. Even if the place is hopping, the waitperson should signal that he or she will be back as quickly as possible.

Cleanliness: No spots on the flatware, glasses, plates, or tablecloths, no dust, clean functioning restrooms, and if the room lacks windows it must have a ventilation system; the aromas of the kitchen should stay in the kitchen lest they settle in our clothes, and the waiters shouldn't be sweaty, because we know where drops of sweat can land...

Service: Be wary of those who don't provide menus with clearly marked prices but rather speak, forcing us to depend upon memory. Be wary also of those who ask us if we want a wine, and which, before we have decided what we will eat and had time to look at a wine list. The waiters should also be able to describe the dishes, because their names can be based on whimsy, or contain local terms unknown elsewhere.

Waiting Times: This varies, but the time between one course and the next must be reasonable. It's obvious that a complex dish made to order will take longer, but the waiter must warn the customer who orders it.

The Bill: The bill must be a receipt, not a scrawl on a piece of paper. It's our right, and we shouldn't fear being surcharged for asking for it. If we don't fight the custom of paying without receipts, we cannot complain about others evading taxes and thus forcing us to pay more.

Complaints: When we are asked if everything was satisfactory (assuming we are), think about the points listed above, and then answer. There's no need to be aggressive, rather it's important to be precise and say exactly what we found to be amiss. If the waiter (or chef or maitre, depending upon the situation) accepts the criticism as constructive, it's worth coming back. If he doesn't, becoming angry or trying to justify things that cannot be justified, we know we won't be returning unless the management changes. In the meantime, we'll have joined that 4% of the "indignados" that are so important for the restaurant world.

I'll close taking the opportunity to point out a site that provides a fine overview of the rules for good service: http://www.salabar.it


Published Simultaneously by IGP, I Giovani Promettenti.

We Are:
Carlo Macchi
Kyle Phillips
Luciano Pignataro
Roberto Giuliani
Stefano Tesi