RAVIOLO & RUCHE at SD26

RAVIOLI di UOVO

SD 26

RUCHE The PRINCE of RED

Enrico B. of Solaire Wines and Paoulo the export manager at Montalbera wine estate in Monferrato (Peidmonte) held a nice little wine lucheon at SD26 Restorante in New York today .. Montalbera is a little gem of a wine property of Monferrato near Asti in the Peidmont wine region of Italy that is most famous for the celebrated wines of Barolo and Barbaresco .. Also well known but more of everyday wines of Peidmont are Barbera and Dolcetto ... Yes, Americans know these wines but Peidmont as well as the whole of Italy has many lesser known gems available for those who journey furhter into wines, the world of wine, and Italian Wines in particular.  In Peidmonte they have a number of wonderful wines that are relatively obscure and unknown. Very few Americans ever drink them, and even not that many Italians in other regions know of the wines as well. Some of these tasty little gems of Peidmonte are wines such as; Freisa, Brachetto, Grignolino, Arneis, and Ruche .. At this particular luncheon / tasting we were lucky enough to be drinking 2 of the previously mentioned wines of Ruche and Grignolino ..  And the producer of Montalbera is a specialist of both .. We started the luncheon with a very rare wine of Sparkling Grignolino which was a truly pleasant little surprise that everyone at the table loved. The wine was light and crispy and a joy to drink and was a perfect pairing for our tasty antipasto of Carpaccio of Big Eye Tuna & Wild Bass with Blood Orange and Fennel Pollen "Delish" !

Montalbera Vinyeards, Monferrato

For the second course of our luncehon we were served the signature dish of the former San Domeneico Restorante which has now morfed into SD26, signify SD= San Domenico and 26 for 26th Street where SD26 resides. The famed signature dish in question is SD26's Raviolo di Uovo, which is a jumbo homemade ravioli filled with Ricotta Cheese with an egg yolk in the center. When cooked the egg yold stays lush and parially cooked and the Raviolo is dressed in a decadent Truffle Butter Sauce ... We were served the Montalbera Ruche  di Castignolae Monferrato Tradizione 2012 wthe the Raviolo, and the two were a match made in heaven, abosluely fabulous. The Ruche Montalbera is text-book Ruche, whhich is to say alight bodied wine, full of flavors of ripe small red berry fruits like Rasberry and Red Courrant with nice floral notes and a twinge of spice. This wine is a pure joy. We also had a the Montalbera Grignolino  d Asti Grigne 2012 which was in perfect balance and very pleasant .. The Montalbera Ruche L'Accento  is a pumped-up Ruche that has 5% of the grapes dried (Apassimento) and is aged in barrique .. This wine is nice, but I feel it distracts from the true Ruche just a bit and I wholey prefer the Ruche Tradizione ... The Montalbera Barbera d'Asti  "Lequilibrio" 2010 is a bit of a pumped up syle of Barbera being aged in  French Barrique. The wine is just slighly big, but not too over the top. It's pleasant to drink and will be very satisfy for those who like a Barber that is a little bigger and more full bodied than the Barbera norm.

The luncheon was quite nice,  tasty the wonderful wines of Enricao Morando and his Montalbera Estate ... Everyone at the luncheon truly enjoyed the line-up of lovely wines, paired beautifully with our menu by Chef Matteo Bergamini, and the company of people on hand ...

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke 

Note: I've been serving The Montalbera Ruche Tradizione 2102 at my restaurant for the past two months now .. The wine is truly wonderful and his been a big hit with each and every customer I've served it to. They love it ...

RUCHE

MONTALBERA

CLICK HERE !

TRAVAGLINI GATTINARA In NEW YORK

The special rare wine in question was il Sogno, which was a special project created by Cinzia's father Giancarlo Travaglini in 2004 ... Giancarlo wanted to make a dry table wine using the appassimento method of drying grapes before the fermentation process as with the famed wines of Amarone and the lesser known Sforvato of Lombardia. Giancarlo picked some of his best Nebbiolo Grapes and set them out to dry on matts. Unfortunately Giancarlo passed away in November of 20024 when the grapes had only been drying for 1 month. Cinzia and her winemaker husband continued the project.  They finished drying thr Nebbiolo grapes, fermented them and made the wine that tey called il Sogno "The Dream." 

Great Vintage Barolo 2000 2001 1996

ALDO CONTERNO BAROLO CICALA 2001

One of The GREAT BAROLO VINTAGES EVER

at

DeGrezia

NEW YORK

THIS WINE Was AWESOME !!!

94 on a 100 Point Scale

Barolo Aldo Conterno "Cicala" 2001 ...  It's a classic Barolo from one of Barolo's finest producers, Aldo Conterno .. Cicala is a single -vineyard Barolo .. I'll take this oportunity for those who may not know, a single-vineyard wine is one in which all the fruit that goes into that particular wine comes from one sight-specific vineyard area .. These single vineyard vineyards are located on an estate in small plot that has the best growing conditions for wine within a larger area .. The sight is usually special because it gets the best sun light and is usually on a southern faceing vineyard, possibly on a hill and has good drainage and other terrain elements beneficial to maximum grap growing ...
  Back to the Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 2001 .. As we've already stated, Aldo Conterno is a great Barolo producer and this wine comes from a famous single-vineyard .. Now moving on to the vintage, 2001 in Barolo and Barbaresc was one of the greatest Barolo vintages ever, along with 2000, 1996, 1989, 1990 and others ..
   We opened a couple a few bottles at this party, and they were all in great condition, properly cellared for the whole of their lives. Decanted, the color and aroma were marvelous and no signs of any faults such as Bret, oxidation, be cooked or corked. Yes the bottles were in excellent conditon. The aromas were classic Barolo as was the taste, of which the wine had many marvels, including; Alcohol Soaked Cherries, Truffle, tar, and Licorice .. I loved the wine, one of the finest Barolo's I have ever tasted and I've tasted many running the Inoteca at Del Posto, Bar Cichetti and Barbetta Wine Director for 4 1/2 years were I tasted the likes of Ceretto Bricco Rocche Barolo 1990,  Renato Ratti Barolo Riserva 1990, Marcarini Barolo Brunat 1996, Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 1996 97 and 1990, Gaja Barolo "Sperss" 1990, Giacamo Conterno Monfortino 1978  1989 1990, and Cavolotto Barolo Bricco Boschis 1990 and 1996. Mascarello barolo "Monprivato" 1990 1989 & 1996 just to name a few of the many I have had over the years ... With all this said and done, I'll tell you this Conterno Barolo "Cicala" 2001 is the best Barolo I've had in the past 5 years or so, and I'd deffinately rank it way up there with all the great Barolo I've tasted over the years including many from the great 1989 1990 1996 1997 2000 and 2001 vintages .. I'd rate this Cicala 2001 about a 93 on a 100 point scale if I was forced to do so .. But my best way of describing this or any great wine is; that I Loved it, I couldn't get enough of it and wanted more, when all was gone. The wine was memorable and a joyous pleasure to drink. Bravo Ado!




Daniel Bellino Zwicke


photo Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

The Wines of Piedmont

Prized Barolo Vineyards Near ALBA

in PIEDMONT

Of all the great wine regions of Italy, the greatest wine country of all, the region of Piedmont is probably the most diverse .. The best known wines of the region include Barolo and Barbaresco, which are both made from the Nebbiolo grape 100 % .. Gavi is another wine of great popularity with American drinkers and of the World, and is a white made of the Cortese grape. Barbera is well known on America and Dolcetto and Gattinara as well. Barbera is made of the Barbera grape and Dolcetto is made from Dolcetto, while Gattinara is made from Nebbiolo. Other wines include Arneis, a white, Brachetto d'Acqui (Sweet Sparkling Red), Moscato d'Asti (Sweet Sparkling White)

BAROLO & BARBARESCO

Since time immemorial Nebbiolo has been the most highly-prized vine and the wine-growing emblem of Alba and the Langa, and when it is matched with a great wine-making terroir it is capable of expressing itself at sublime levels in wines of remarkable personality, intense bouquet, great smooth tannins, and outstanding possibilities of evolution and resistance over time. This is Barolo wine.

GIACOMO CONTERNO

Considered by Many as The Pinnacle of BAROLO Wines

And Barolo's Top Producer

My Personal Favorite

BAROLO
BARTOLO MASCARELLO

The GREAT BARTOLO MASCARELLO

And His Daughter

Maria Theresa

"SEE This SIGN" ???

Pay ATTENTION !!!

And Take The ADVICE !

Do Not Drink BAROLO or BARBARESCO

or BRUNELLO

THAT Has Been HEAVILY OAKED In Small FRENCH OAK BARRIQUE BARRELS ..

The Small Barrels Distroy The Delicate Character of NEBBIOLO and SANGIOVESE Based Wines'Like BAROLO, BARBARESCO, and BRUNELLO, The GREATEST WINES of ITALY ..

WINES Like BAROLO, BARBARESCO, and BRUNELLO are Best Aged in Large Slovenian Oak Barrels that are much gentler and better suited to these wines ..

Remeber "No Barrique" !!!

And No Berlusconi !!!

BAROLO

La SPINONA "SORI GEPIN"

A Single Vineyard BAROLO

That is Resonably Priced

And as good or Better Than Many Barolo's

That are 2 or 3 Times The Price

BARBARESCO

Barbaresco is one of Italy's great premier wines. Barbaresco like Barolo are made of 100 % Nebbiolo grapes and of the highest quality of standards .. Barbaresco is every bit the equal of Barolo but often in the minds of many plays second fiddle to Barolo that is by no means true, but is a unjust perception of people that really don't know that much about wine. In a way this status of Barbaresco as 2nd Fiddle to Barolo is a blessing in disguise for thos of us in-the-know who do know our wine. The blessing is in the fact that Barolo is more popular and sells more and more easily than does Barbaresco, the wholesale and thus retail prices of Barbaresco generally run  a quarter to a third less than Barolo wines, and as I've said and anyone who knows Italian Wine well will tell you, Barbaresco is every bit the equal of Barolo .. So if you read this and didn't know before, now you do. So next time you are in a restaurant and see a Barolo for $120 a bottle and a Barbaresco for $90, go for the Barbaresco. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Barolo, and have druck many fine ones and all the great ones over the years .. Luckily, being in the business, I don't have to pay and usually I don't have to buy wine. It is given or bought for me .. When I do pay, because of the equal greatness of the wine and the fact that Barbresco is about a third cheaper, I go for the Barbaresco.

Basta! Nuff said.

BARBARESCO MARENGO MARCHESI di GRESY

Is One of THE BEST

And One of My FAVORITES

"TRY IT"

The 2000 and 2001 Vintages of BAROLO and BARBARESCO were

Two of the GREATEST VINTAGES Ever for BAROLO and BARBARESCO

PS ... A little secret. The 1996 vintage of Barolo & Barbaresco was not nearly as highly exalted as 2000, 2001, and 1990 but every bit the equal and at much lower prices. I drank many wonderful 1996 vintage BAROLOS and BARBARESCO and just loved them. 1996 is my favorite vintage ever for Barolo and Barbaresco. I had the great fortune to drink many oustanding 1990 Barolos and Barbarescos as well as those of 2000 and 2001, but the vintage of 1996 for Piemont is still my Favorite ...

ANGELO GAJA Makes Great BARBARESCO

and is the Most Famous and Most Esteemed of all Barbaresco Producers

His Wines are Wonderful and Highly Esteemed but I'm Sorry to say are not

Worth The Rediculously OUTRAGEOUS PRICES THEY CHARGE.

You Can't Buy a GAJA BARBARESCO for less Than $450 in a restaurant and that is at the low-end. They are usuually $650 a bottle and up .. It's all MARKETING and HIPE !!!

If people are DUMB Enough to pay these outrageous prices, the importers and distributors who set the pprice, along with Angelo Gaja are gonna go for the Gold. But beleive me, you can normally get a bottle of Marcesi di Gresy or similar Barbaresco like from my friend Italo of Castello di Neive for about $90 to $105 a bottle as opposed to a bottle of Gaja Barbaresco for $450 to $650 a bottle .. These other Barbarescos that will cost you about one-hundred dollars are every bit as good as the Gaja ones that cost $500 or more .. "Beleive me, It's the Truth." !!!

EVERYDAY MORE AFFORDABLE PIEDMONTESE WINES

Much of the wine mentioned thus far are more expensive prestige wines .. More affordable and everday drinking wines in Piedmont are plentiful. Wines such as whites like Gavi, Cortese, Arneis, with sparlkers of Spumante, and reds like Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Ruche and Grigilino .. The last 3 mentioned are pretty rare and pretty much are only found in Piedmont, so if you're looking for something new and different and out of the everyday norm, try one of these. I especially love Ruche when I can get my hands on some. Ruch is a lovely light to medium bodied Piedmontese Red that has lovely aromatic red berry fruit flavors in the mouth and goes well with just about anything including fish if you like a red while eating some seafood.

Dolcetto is known to Americans and others around the world. Dolcetto, meaning "Little Sweet One" is not a sweet wine and is always femented dry. The flavor profile is of Black Fruits and Liquorice, with sometimes hints of prune .. Dolcetto goes well with Pasta with Meat Ragu, Bue al Barolo (Piedmontese Beef Braised in Barolo), grilled meats and braised rabbit or chicken ..

Barbera, incomparison to Dolcetto is a bit more popular and better known to Americans, the English and others around the world .. In general, Barbera is a little lighter in body than Dolcetto, with nice garnet collor as opposed to the darker black fruit of Dolcetto. Barbera when made in a lighter style, usually exhibits Cherry, Bueberry, and Rasberries on the palate. If made in a bigger more conentrated style Barbera can sometimes exhibit black fruit flavors such as Black Berries and Black Couurant .. Teh preferable style of true Barbera should be the lighter Barberas of light to medium body as opposed to a more international type of wine that is bigger, fatter, and full bodied does not represent true Barbera of Piedmont, though their are a number of them produced there. And of course besides being bigger and fatter in the mouth, they are the same in the wallet, bigger and fatter prices .. Go with the true Barbera, light to meium body and price ...

MICHELE CHIARLO 

MAKES BOTH STYLES

Average Price $10.99

Michele Chiarlo Barbera "La Court"

average Price $35.95

GUESS Which Is The TRUER BARBERA ?

And The One I Like Better ....

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

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