Wednesday, September 14, 2011

ITALIAN WINE TASTING SEASON 2011 ... SICILIAN WINE TASTING on Fifth Avenue

The ITALIAN WINE TASTING SEASON
is OFF and RUNNING

September 12 marked the beginning of the Italian Wine Tasting Season 2011 with a Sicilian Wine Tasting on Fifth Avenue and The Martin Scott Grand Portfolio Tasting at Lincoln Center a midst New York's Fashion Week.
Saw Lilly Locascio and drank some wine of Sallier de la Tour which Lilly represents along with the wines of Tasca d'Almerita and thier legendary "Rosso del Conte" which is along with Duca Enrico and Donnafugata's "Mille Una Notte" the most renowned wine of Sicily.
The Sallier de la Tour Estate is owned by cousins of the Tasca family about an hour South-West of Palermo. Lilly tasted me on their Syrah, two offerings of Nero d'Avola and their Grillo, a native white grape grown all over Sicily. The Sallier Grillo was a very pleasant wine that was clean and crisp in the mouth with taste of Pear and Zippy Grapefruit. I could just imagine myself in a Trattoria in Trapani or Cefalu quaffing the lovely wine with some Polpo alla Griglia and Pasta con Sarde. Yummm!
After hanging with Lilly for a while I went over to the Planeta table. Was hoping to see good friend Francesca Planeta, however she hadn't made this trip, neither her cousin Alessio, Planeta's Head Winemaker. PLaneta had their renowned Chardonnay, Santa Cecilia, and my "Favorite" the Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Sicily's only DOCG wine. All three wine were showing beautifully, starting with the award winning Planeta Chardonnay which is a barrel fermented Chardonnay that drinks like a White Burgundy. Having been a New York Italian Restaurant Wine Director for a number of years, I'd often get request for a White Burgundy type wine and I'd always recommend either Planeta's Chardonnay or the celebrated top of line Antinori Wine of "Cevaro della Salla" made with a blend of 80% Barrel Fermented Chardonnay and 20% Grechetto from Antinori's fine estate in Umbria. Cevaro della Sala is the wine that has won more Tre Bicchiere Awards than any other wine in Italy and the Planeta Chardonnay has been among The Wine Spectator Top 20 Wines of the World on several occasions. Anyway, on this day, the Planeta Chardonnay was as tasty and consistent as ever, lush, full, and totally enjoyable. Just think of a great White Burgundy.
On to the Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria which recently received DOCG status, Italy's highest ranking. Cerasuolo di Vittoria is a wine that is a blend of teo great native Sicilian Grapes of Frappato and Nero d'Avola. The Nero d'Avola is a grape that is rich with concentrated black fruit flavors of Blackberries, Black Courrants, and Casis and is a lot like Cabernet Sauvignon, or I might say almost a cross between Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. A lot of big, powerful ripe fruit to say the least. Frappato on the other hand has lots of fruit flavor as well, except that the weight is much lighter than the Nero d'Avola and the fruit characteristics instead of being concentrated black fruits, Frappato's fruit flavors are of delicate red berries and mainly of Rasberries with little floral notes weaved in, just hinting of wild flowers. The combination of these native Sicilian Grapes makes for a wonderfully unique wine, one of which my clients have always loved and had been grateful to for introducing the wine to them. The Planet Cerasuolo di Vittoria is made from 60% nero d'Avola and 40% Frappato. The wine is such a joy and absolute pleasure to drink, all I can say is that if you've never had it, don't walk, but run to your wine merchant of choice and get yourself a bottle, or two, or three. I guarantee, you absolutely adore it.
My most wonderful suprise of the day was a wonderful wine from the historical house of the Duca di Salaparuta who had on hand for tasting a Nero d'Avola, a white Inzolia, and Lavico, a wine made of Nerello Mascalese a grape very prominent on the Vulcanic slopes of Mt Etna on the East end of Sicily. This wine blew my mind. I'm always on the lookout for Etna Rosso and Nerello Mascalese which are one in the same. Etna Rosso will be made mostly with Nerello Mascalese with a small percentage of Nerello Cappuccio. The Lavico of 100% Nerello Mascalese is a wonderful gem of a wine of medium body and packed with wonderful Red Berry fruit flavors. The wine is in perfect balance, just the right weight, full of flavor, no harsh tannin's and just the right amount of acidity. The price is a steal, and this wine gets my top value for the dollar prize of the tasting. It sell for $10 or less and can match up to wines that are 2, 3, and 4 times its prize. This wine is a joy to drink, and as I said before, run, don't walk and get yourself a few bottles. Yes, you will adore this one as well.
Well, a good time at Vini Di Sicilia wine tasting and off to Lincoln Center and the Martin Scott Grand Portfolio Tasting 2011. Walked, say friend Natalie and Tom Hubbard and up comes La grand Orange himself Rusty Staub. We chatted with Rusty and took a photo-op and then it was off to tasting. Martin Scott does have a great portfolio filled with a ton of very good to great wine from every corner of the globe; California, France, Spain, Portugal, and elsewhere including quite a nice array from Italy with some of the Top Producers of the Peninsular. Started off tasting a few wines from one of Italy's greatest white wine producers of Schiopetto from Collio in Friuli. Tasted the Schiopetto Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and Friuliano which where all textbook examples of the varietals. I moved on to taste the sparkling wines of Contratto to drink the Brut 2007 Vintage as well as the Brut Rose 2007. Both quite tasty, the Brut 2007 was drinking pretty well and brought back memories of drinking the 1990 Vintage with owner Antonella Boccino at a special Wine Luncheon and Tatsting at Barolo Restaurant in Soho back in 1997. The Lucheon was phenomenal. I met my friend Renzo Raspiocoli that day, the long time Wine Director of Barolo Restaurant. So with the fine lunch we drank that day Contratto Brut 1990, their superb Gavi "Arnel", Panta Ray Barbera, Barbera "Solus Ad," and Contratto's Barolo Cerequio 1990. Wow, what a lineup.
So now I moved on to E. Pira e Figli Barolo Cannubi 2007, a stellar bottle. Loved it, as I did the Barolo Via Nuova 2007. On to another excellent Barolo, that of G.D. Varjra and theior Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2006. Very fine and a classic Barolo example poured by the affable Giuseppe Vaira.
Now on to my good buddy Gianluca Grasso of Elio Grasso, whose wines are of the benchmark in everything they do. Grasso makes one of my favorite Dolcetto's of all, and their 2010 Dolcetto d'Alba is spot on as usual. This wine does not see any wood in its fermentation or aging and is just pure unadulterated Dolcetto grapes at their best. Yum! on to the Elio Grasso Nebbiolo Langhe 2010. Again a totally stainless steel wine (No Wood contact), and just tasting of perfect fresh fruit. Now it's on to one of all Barolodoms great Barolos in the Elio Grasso Barolo Runcot. We tasted the 2004 Vintage which is aged 6 years before release. All I can say is "Awesome Awesome Awesom." Get the message.
I tasted the fine Barbaresco of Alberto Gresy of Marchesi di Gresy , who for my money makes thee best of the best of Barbaresco. "Forget about it Angelo," if you know what I mean. The Barbarescos of Marchesi di Gresy are the best of Barbaresco. Nuff said!
And if this wasn't enough, and wouldn't you think it would be, I then met up with Luciana Vietti to tast a few of their renowned Barolo Crus of; Castiglione Falleto and Brunate, along with their Barbaresco Masseria. All outstanding.


by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

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