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 !

SUNDAY SAUCE "ITALIAN GRAVY"

SUNDAY SAUCE

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

NOVEMBER 25 PUBLICATION

EXCERPT FROM SUNDAY SAUCE

If you utter the term Sunday Sauce to any number of  millions of Italian-Americans, they start salivating at  the simple mention of its name. The wheels start  turning  in their heads,  with  thoughts of how tasty it is, with its various components; the Meatballs,  Sausages, Braciole, maybe Pork Ribs, Beef Neck, or Pig  Skin Braciole (Coteca),  the Pasta, and the Gravy itself. They think about sitting at the table with friends and or  family,  people  they love. They’ll ponder the Antipasti, wondering what it might be; Mixed Salumi, Baked Clams, Grilled Calamari? And with the meal, there will surely be Wine, Italian Wine, maybe a good Chianti or Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. With Uncle Frank and Uncle Tony, the wine was usually Carlo Rossi Paisano or Gallo Hearty Burgundy, two solid Italian-American  winemakers. 

     When thinking of a Sunday Sauce, you’ll think about the warmth in the air, of loved ones, Sinatra, Dino, and the Sunday Sauce, “It’s a beautiful thing!” If you’ve never done it, “Try it!” If you haven’t cooked one for  some time, plan a get-together  with  friends and  family,  soon.  Sunday Sauce, It brings people together, in a most Delightful way, and as the Big Boys would say, “It’s a Beautiful Thing.”

    When a meal centered around a Sunday Sauce is announced, one can have visions of Blissful Ecstasy at thoughts of eating Pasta laden with Italian Sausages, Savory Meatballs, Beef Braciola, and succulent Pork Ribs. All this has been slowly simmered to culinary perfection. Yes just the thoughts can enrapture one into a Delightful Frenzy of the Most Blissful Feelings of smelling, seeing, and consuming all the ingredients, the Sausages, Meatballs and Gravy. Yes a Sunday Sauce can and does have such effects on one’s mind, body,  and soul. And, I do not want to sound prejudice, but this is pure fact, it is the Male of the Italian-American species who Love The Sunday Sauce in all its form, far more than the female sex.  True! Meatballs too! And Italian-American men and boys Love and hold oh-so-dear, their Meatballs, Sunday Sauce, Sausage & Peppers, and Meatball Parm Sandwiches.

ALSO by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

CHIANTI

CHIANTI And the REAL THING

If I could make Chianti, what would I do? How would I make it? What style, thick and concentrated, thin and light, or somewhere in-between? Would I include non-traditional secondary grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot? “Certainly not! That would be most sacrilegious.” Well, for sure, I would make a true, authentic Chianti as Chianti is intended to be as set forth more than 130 years ago when Bettino Ricasolo created Chianti and set forth the formula of Chianti being a wine of the a blend of “Native Chianti Classico Grapes.” In this wine “Chianti” the blend was to include as a must a majority of the most famous and cherished of all Tuscan grapes, “Sangiovese.” With Chianti made of primarily Sangiovese as well as complementary native grapes in small percentages which included; Canaiolo, Cielegiolo, Colorino, Mammolo, Malvasia Nero, Malvasia Bianco, and or Trebbiano. Yes this is what true and Real Chianti should be, a wine based on the original and traditional recipe for Chianti, created by the Baron Ricasoli and made just as the creator stated for some 100 years. In the past 40 years two things happened that has gotten Chianti off track to what it was originally and should always be. The first thing, was that back in the 1960 and 1970 many in this most famous of all Italian Wine zones were making Chianti purely for profit without any regard for the traditions and quality of the wine. Many of the producers of Chianti grew high yields of inferior grapes simply to gain a higher gross amount of fruit and juice to make the wine. The governmental powers that be went along with these detrimental practices traded off for higher profits. The Chianti Consorzio allowed for large numbers of White Grape Varietals into the Chianti blend which while making the wine more profitable in sales, had the negative affect of making thinned out inferior wine, if any particular producer (Maker of Chianti) chose to go the “High Profit low Quality” route. Some did, but thank God not all. Many had pride and would not produce a inferior but Superior Chianti.

Finally in 1984, the laws governing what Chianti (The Formula) could and could not be were changed in order to set Higher Standards, making Chianti a Great Quality Wine and eliminating the facts that allowed producers to make Poor Quality wine if they so chose to. They could not any more. The rules for making Chianti which allowed for the possibility to produce inferior Chianti were eliminated. White grape varietals such as Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianco in large quantities were no longer permitted into any wine labeled Chianti. Bravo! If the laws governing the production of Chianti had stayed like this, it would have been a great thing, and all Chianti would be of a high quality and of Long Standing Native Traditions and practices. Chianti was and would be a excellent quality wine that was and tasted as it should, like “Chianti.”

Unfortunately the governing bodies of the Italian Government and Chianti Consorzio did something atrocious in the year 1996. Once again they changed the laws on making Chianti. They made a “Terrible Blunder,” in the name of what they said was to be a better Chianti, they allowed for the use of International grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syhrah. And they allowed for up to 20% of these other grape varietals with the primary grape of Sangiovese being a minimum of 80% to 100% at the producers discretion and desire as to how each individual Estate wanted to make their Chianti. These laws made for a wide range in latitude of Chianti as a whole. Allowing for Chianti that if it had 10% or more of Cabernet Sauvignon or merlot, it would completely change the character of Chianti for those estates that chose to use amounts of even 5% or more of Merlot or Cabernet.

Thank God there was in this large range of latitude in the laws of what was aloud in Chianti and in what percentages, so what we end up is a wide range of different Chianti styles. Not Good! So the laws did allow for Chianti to be made in the traditional and proper manner of Sangiovese as the primary grape with small amounts of other native grapes, to end up with Chianti That taste Like Chianti. Thank God.

Now this all being said the laws for making Chianti also included latitudes for making what can be labeled Chianti and wines that are labeled as Chianti, allowed for wines that do not taste like Chianti. They do not taste like Chianti as they have Merlot and or Cabernet Sauvignon in them. This merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and overpower the more delicate Sangiovese grape, resulting in a wine that does not taste like Chianti, but some kind of Super Tuscan wine or so-called baby Super Tuscan. If you put Merlot or Cabernet into what is supposed to be Chianti, that wine will not have the character of Chianti, which should be a light to medium body wine that has nice easy drink fruit flavors with some earthiness and maybe a tad of spice.

What a Chianti should not be, is a Big Full Bodied Fruit Bomb wine, nor anything approaching it, as some Reserve Chiantis are these days.

As stated, a Chianti should be light to medium bodied. This does not mean that it should be thin or lack substance. It should definitely have flavor, but in a more subtle and restrained manor which makes the wine go well with the food you are eating and not overpower it as many wines tend to do these days.

If I could set these laws as the new DOCG laws of Chianti Classico the laws would never have to be changed again. The laws, the way they are set today are a little too broad. One thing that is good in the way the laws stand now is that they do allow for a proper Chianti to be made, and most Chianti’s are made in this manner, but at the same time they allow for non-native varieties and the allowance of 100% Sangiovese. These last two regulations must be changed for all Chianti’s to be “True Chianti”. It is as simple as that! So, let us hope that one day in the near future, these laws will be laid down and every single bottle labeled Chianti is actually real, true Chianti that lives up to this great wines history and origins.

Chianti Classico. What is it? First off, the area came first, the wine Chainti Classico is name after the area it comes from, which is Chianti. The Chianti Classico is the most famous. It stretches from just a few miles south of Florence at its most northern tip and runs down almost 30 miles to Castelnuovo Beradenga at its most southern point. As Chianti grew in popularity and fame, a number of other regions where Chianti can be made developed. Some of these areas are Cooli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Arentini, and Rufina. None of these sub areas have ever gained anywhere near the fame as thee original Chianti Classico Zone. The Chianti Zone of Rufina, just outside Florence is the most prestigious zone apart from Chianti. These Chianti’s are of the highest quality. Three very well know producers in this area are Frescobaldi, Selvapiana, and Rufino and although the zone of Rufina is not as well known as the Chianti Classico zone, the zone of Rufina does have thee most famous Chianti of all, Rufino’s Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale (Gold Label).

So in closing, let us say that we hope the laws that govern the making of Chianti Classico will be changed some day. I think it is sure to happen. It would be best if it happens sooner than later, that in the making of Chianti, there shall be no Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syhrah or any other non-native or non-traditional grape varieties of Chianti Classico. Also the laws should be changed to eliminate 100% Sangiovese Chianti’s, Chianti should always be a blend, even if just 2% of another native grape such as Colorino, Canaiolo, or Cielegiolo were added. Chianti must always be a blende wine, dominated by mostly Sangiovese (at least 85%) with a smaller percentage of native grapes. The region of Chianti Classico is one of the World’s most beautiful. It is enchanting, filled with castles, all forms of wine estates from small and simply to big and majestic. The beautiful rolling hills of Chianti are filled with Cypress trees that dot the crest of many a hill, along with rugged stone farm houses and the wondrous rows Sangiovese vines lining the gently sloping hills.

Chianti is relatively untouched or spoiled by any type of ugly modern structures. The Chiantigiana road is still the ancient one built by the Romans and its pavement blends in perfectly with its untouched surroundings. Chianti is filled with lovely little towns like Castellina, Gaile, Greve, and Radda where you will find the famous Dante quoting butcher Dario Cecchini. You can visit and stay in beautiful wine estates like Fattoria Valle, Castello Verazzano in Greve where the explorer Giovani Verazzano is from. You can stay at the beautiful estate of Vignamaggio where Gioconda lived and was painted my Michael Angelo. She is “Mona Lisa.”

Chianti, it’s not just a wine. “It’s a Place, a very beautiful place!”

by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

Below is a Small LIST of TRUE CHIANTI’S made primarily with Sangiovese with small amounts of native sub-varities such as Canaiolo, Malvasia Nero, Colorino, and Celegiolo and not containing any Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syhrah, or any International Varieties “What-so-Ever.”.

Monsanto “Il Poggio” Chianti Classico Riserva

Castello Verazzano Chianti Classico

Castello Brolio Chainti Classico Reserva

Castello Querceto Chianti Classico

Vignamaggio Chinati Classico Riserva “Mona Lisa”

Rufino Chianti Classico Riserva “Ducale” (Gold Label)

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina

Badia Coltobuono

Article by:  Daniel Bellino Zwicke

BAR CICHETTI AMERICA'S 1st VENETIAN WINE BAR

BAR CICHETTI

There was a guy named Daniel who took a trip in 1995 to Explore, seek-out, and Study the BACARI (Venetian Wine Bars) of the Magical City ofVENICE, Italy. He had read a article in the New York Times about these treasures of the Enchanted City of the Adriatic, "La Serinisima"Venice, "or as the Italians say VENENZIA."
Daniel was quite intrigued by this little article. It was only 1 page long, but it was magical, and it sparked Daniel's interest enough that he decided he would go to Venice, an Exploritory Trip by which he in a weeks time would go to as many Bacari as he possibly could, eating Lunch, inbetween Lunch, Dinner and all through each and every night of the week. he tried as much CICHETTI (Venetian Tapas-Like little plates of all sorts of Venetian Specialty Foods.
Daniel ate Bacala Mantecato, Sarde en Soar, Bigoli, Fegato alla Venenzian, Riso Bisi, Mortadella, Speck, and all sorts of other Cichetti, Antipasti, Pasta, Fish, Shell Fish, Meat, Poultry, this that and every other thing he could get his hands (Mouth) on.Before he went, he did as much Pre-Trip Research as was possible in the "Times Previous to the internet"
When Daniel was in Venice, he asked as many questions as he could, striking up conversations with anyone who would listen, "many did." !!!!
Daniel took lots of pictures, ate, drank Wine, and gather recipes. He was smitten with Venice, its Wine Bars (Bacari, BACARO the singular).Daniel "Fell in Love," with the Wine Bars (Bacari) of Venice and felt he just had to open one in NEW YORK. He vowed. Knowone had ever done it. He would be the "FIRST" Daniel gathered all his info, his RECIPES, pictures, book, everything. He worked on all his recipes, cooking constantly for Friends and Family, he made a Business Plan. He found a partner who "Loved the Idea" as well. They shook hands and vowed to open "BAR CICHETTI" the BACARO (FIRST VENETIAN WINE BAR) "EVER in the United STATES.
Daniel and Tom created a BEAUTIFUL BACARO/ TRATTORIA, with special Imported Venetian Fabric for the banquettes, wainscotting, a beautiful Wood Bar, and fabulous Venetian Glass Chandeliers and scones.
Besides coming up the Idea and Concept of Bar Cichetti, Daniel was the Wine Director andExcecutive Chef. Daniel's food was incrediable.His CAPONATA was the best in town, his Paparadelle with Duck Ragu was justifiably Famous, and as theJournal of Italian Food and Wine stated, hisBolognese Sauce was considered to be one of the "Best in the Country" Daniel garnered many accolades for the Wine List he created, but especially for his true and tasty Regional Italian Cusine, gaining positive reveiws from "The New York Times"New York Magazine, Crains, TimeOut New York,Wine and Spirits Magazine, and even a 5 Page Color Spread in a Newspaper in Sao Paolo, BRAZIL.



 Robert Roma 2009

Giuseppe Quintarelli at Age 84 ... and Why "ROBERT CHADDERON is An ASSHOLE"

                                                                                                                                                       Jan. 19, 2012

  The Maestro of Amarone, Prince of Negar, the great Giuseppe Quintarelli died at his home in Negar, Italy on Sunday at the age of 84. A very sad day in the World of Italian Wine. Mr. Quintarelli was the Maestro of Amarone. Many would say he alone sat at the top of the Throne of this, one of Italy's greatest wines. Yes there are other great producers of the esteemed Amarone, producers such as Masi, Serego Alighieri, Bertani, Sergio Zenato, and others, but it was Giuseppe Quintarelli who was considered the King. These sentiments felt by his aforementioned peers, wine writers and publications, Sommeliers, collectors and all who were seriously into great Italian Wine.
      I know a good many of the people making the most renowned Amarones in and around Lake Garda in the Veneto, people like Marilisa Allegrini, Sergio Zenato, the Basciani's of Masi and others. I never did have the good fortune to meet Mr. Giuseppe Quintarelli, though I drank his wonderful wines on numerous occasions and I did try to meet him one day. The day in question was one fine April day in 2001. It was right after the famed Italian Wine Exposition of Vinitaly (in Verona every April) had ended.
    As is my custom when I attend Vinitaly, I go to verona and the show for 2 or 3 days, see my friends (Italian Wine Producers), Eat Drink Eat and Drink and make plans with some of these friends to visit them at their wine estates in Valpolicella Classico, Peimonte, Montalcino, and or Chianti Classico the days following the ending of Vinitaly. So the day directly after Vinitaly ended in 2001 my friend Jimmy and I went off to Lago De Garda to see some producers on their estates.  We check out of our hotel in Verona (The Arena) went to a Salumeria and picked up a 6 pack of Aqua Mineral and Salami for the road. We got into the rented Scotto Fabia and made our way toward Lake Garda and the region of Valpolicell Classico, the region where they make Bardolino, Valpolicell, Amarone, and Valpolicella Recioto.
   We pulled into the town of Garda directly on the lake and had breakfast in one of the large caffes on the lake. We discussed what we would do, and I said I just have to meet The King of Amarone Giuseppe Quintarelli. We would go to th town of Negar and look for him. I never met him as for several reasons, the biggest being that the man who represents him Robert Chadderon is one of the "Biggest Assholes in The World of Wine," and I'm not the only one who feels this way. Look in biography of Robert Parker "The Prince of Wine" ask anyone in the business and the will tell you the same "Robert Chadderon
Is An Asshole" plain and simple. Being in the business, at numerous tastings, Wine Luncheons and Dinners and doing business on a daily business, whenever you bring up Chadderon's name, eyes roll and you find out another who can't stand the guy.
   So some of the reasons I had never met Mr. Quintarelli, and I know just about everyone in the Italian wine business, is mainly that Robert Chadderon imports imports and distributes Quintarelli Wines and as for myself and numerous others we do not do business with that Ass, Quintarelli or not.
     So we were in Valpolicella Classico, and I tell my buddy Jimmy, we have to go to Negar, go to the Quintarelli Estate and meet the man. Well easier said than done. We finished our breakfast, went next door and bought some Speck and Garda Olive Oil (the most Northern produced olive oil in the World), we jumped in our rented car and it was off to Negar a few miles away. We got into the center of town. We asked one person after the next where Quintarelli was? Evryone said they didn't know. One after the other. We drove around and drove around. We drove up into the mountains. We came upon a rural bar way up into the mountains, clouds all around. We walked in. I'm sure we were probably the only Americans ever in this bar. In the sticks, a hamlet. We had a glass of Tocai each. We asked for Quintarelli, like tight lips hiding a Mafiosa know one knew.  Ok, "we give up." Finding Quintarelli was not to be.
     We drove to the estate of Serego Aligheri were they produce, in my mind thee best Amarones around. The estate is beautiful, we walked among the vines, toured the ancient Cellars which are one of the few left to have large Cherry Wood Cask, and the wine age just amazingly in these vessels. They are like no other wood at all. The pores of the wood are large than those of oak wood, thus the wine is able to age a little faster in the same amount of time. The wines are absolutely wonderful. We had a little tasting at the cellars, picked up a couple bottles each, then headed  to the town of Bardolino. Earlier Jimmy asked me what was the best thing to eat while in Garda. I told him the only thing to get was some fresh lake trout (Trota). By the time we had driven all around Garda, wnet way up into the mountains, almost to Trentino, then went to Serego and back to the shores of Lake Garda we were both quite hungry and ready for our Trota, but it was not to be. When we got to Bardolino, we couldn't find one restaurant or trattoria open for business. We had to settle for Gelato at a Gelateria. There was to be no Trota in Bardolino. Jimmy was quite mad, so when we jumped in the car to drive down to Bologna and as we drove threw the town, Jimmy shouted out the window "No Trota." Yes, we couldn't find Quintarelli and there was "No Trota" as well.


Daniel Bellino Zwicke

The Great "GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI" Passes Away at Age 84