Red's by the glass 1.29.10

Daniela Rigamonti, “Canalegrande” Gutturnio, Emilia Romagna, 2006 Barbera and Bonarda

Gutturnio: In Emilia a cuvee of 55 to 70% barbera and 30 to 45% Bonarda is considered a Gutturnio. The wine derives this name from a silver cup (Gutturnium), which was used to serve wine during Roman times. This blend is the most ancient and most famous red wine produced in the hills of Piecenza (wineday.com)

Barbera: highly productive native of Piemonte known for its soft tannins. Second most planted grape in Italy, after Sangiovese. It is considered very ductile, characteristically, the grapes have high acidity and are used in the production of a wide variety of wine types (zigzagando.com)

Bonarda: Confusingly, this a synonym for Croatina used in the Oltrepo Pavese and in the Colli Piacentini in Emilia-Romagna. The real bondarda, bonarda piemontese, is said to be nearly extinct. Bonarda produces deeply colored wines, characterized by intense perfume with sometimes different aromatic notes. In addition, the wines are structurally balanced and age well. Though it is used mainly in blends, the grape can produce fairly good varietal wines (zigzagando.com) Tasting note: Ruby with a purple sheen. It is lightly aromatic. On the palate, the wine is soft, with an amalgam of cherry and berry fruit flavors (Patricia Guy).

Tasting: and elegant full bodied lush bark ruby colored, meaty gusty, top quality red. It has all the typical luscious cherry and berry fruit flavors one expects from this famous regional wine. Partners well with all red meats, meat filled ravioli, anti-pasti, game and aged cheeses (wineday.com) Concentrated earth up front. Dry earthy dark cherry with ash. Chewy. Medium body.

De Stefani, “Carmerosso” Carmeniere, Veneto, 2007

Carmenere: Northern Italy. This French vine once prominent in Bordeaux, is found in vineyards throughout Veneto and Friuli, where is often confused with Barernet Franc. It lends a savory, herbaceous character to a variety of DOC blends. It is especially prominent in the Vicenza area of the Veneto (Vino Italiano).

Notes from the Producer:

CARMEROSSO
Grapes: Carmenère.
The Carmenère grapes, confused since a few years ago with the
Cabernet franc, have assumed in the Piave area a native character
and there have found its ideal territory. Carmerosso has smooth
tannins with spicy notes. Ideal with game and red meat..

HISTORICAL NOTES: The Carmenère variety is an ancient variety which arrived in the North-East of Italy together with the Cabernet franc in the nineteen century and it was immediately confused with the latter. It has assumed in the Piave area a native character and there it has found its ideal territory giving its best qualitative results, thanks to the perfect marriage among the clay soil, the microclimate and this variety.

PRODUCTION AREA: Le Ronche estate, located in Fossalta di Piave. "Le Ronche" is the name of the place where this Cabernet vineyard is located. The name comes from the old local verb "roncare", which means to till and cultivate a field. Le Ronche were pieces of land with woods that, for the particular quality and structure of the soil, were cultivated mainly with vines.

SOIL: alluvial, rich in clay.

CLIMATE: mild, with very few rain showers and high summer temperature
with allows the grapes to ripen in the best conditions.

VINEYARD MANAGEMENT: to obtain a perfect ripening of the grapes,beyond the normal vineyard management, we carry out summer pruning and careful leaf thinning. Furthermore, the yield is kept very low in order to produce grapes rich in body and aroma.

HARVEST: end of September, picking up very ripe grapes, with a deep colour and a complete aromatic structure.

VINIFICATION: destemming and crushing of the grapes, maceration for 10- 15 days in special vessels at the temperature of 25-28°C, with frequent pumping over. After this period, the wine is taken out and ends its fermentation exclusively with wild yeasts at controlled temperature in stainless steel vats. After malo-lactic fermentation the wine matures for 8-12 months on its noble lees in barrique at a controlled temperature.

TASTING CHARACTERISTICS: intense ruby colour, ripe red fruit bouquet, with relevant spicy notes. Its complex structure and tannins enable the wine to age for a long lasting time.



6 Mura, Carignano, Isola dei Nuraghi, Sardegna 2005

Carignano: Spanish-French import grown in Southwestern Sardinia. Makes plump inky reds.

Isola dei Nurghi DOC: the entire island of Sardinia. The Carignano del Sulcis DOC zone encompasses the southwestern corner of the island, where the fierce scirocco breezes sweep though the rugged hills, prompting most vintners to retain the classic alberello (bush vine) training system, where the plants are trained very low to the ground. As noted in the oxford companion to wine, the Farignano grape is “high in everything- acidity, tannin, color, bitterness- except finesse and charm.” The Sardinians have their word, “Power Red” to compete with everything from super-Tuscans to California Cabernet. Planted in the sandy clays of the Sulcis region, the grape reaches brawny heights of concentration in wines (Vino Italiano).
The Sulcis area has been one of the first sites in which the Phoenicians settled, they started right away to produce wine to commercialize around the coasts of the mediterraneo, although it is uncertain if Carignano is a local species of vine. The study of the local dialect suggests that the variety comes from the center of Carifera in Aragona, where Carignano spread under different names: in France (Carignan) in Algeria and Tunisia. The Sulcis area, as well as Sant’ANtioco’s and San Pietro islands are the best areas for this strong variety that loves particular winds coming from the sea, rich in mineral salts. The wine is ample and robust, with high alcohol content. For this reason in the past it has been exported as a blending wine to complete the structure of light wines made in more famous areas. Most of the time the wine is kept in casks during which time it improves in quality; the intense ruby color, the fragrances of prunes and currents, the taste warm, intense, and mellow (zigzagando.com).

Tasting: Medium body. Near perfect balance between fruit and earth. Seaweed/ocean influence.

Marchesi di Gresy “Martinenga” Nebbiolo, Langhe, Piemonte 2008

Nebbiolo: Along with Sangiovese, this is Italy’s most noble red grape. Considered to be native to Piemonte, records of its cultivation date back to the 1300’s. Late ripening and sensitive adverse vintage conditions, it nevertheless produces Italy’s most uniquely perfumed and powerful reds. Called by different names in different sub regions with in Piemonte.
Nebbiolo is known first and foremost for being fiercely tannic, and yet those gripping tannins are extracted from very thin skins that don’t hold a lot of coloring pigments. Like Sangiovese in Tuscany and Aglianico in Campania and Basilicata, Nebbiolo is one of those grapes with fairly precise aromatic indicators. The fruit component is of dried cherries and other dried red fruits, with other scents ranging from wild roses to truffles to cinnamon, lending wine complexity. These aren’t fruity, Jammy wines. These are wines with a balance of sweet, savory, and spicy elements that tingle on the palate, their aromas like vapors that waft up into your brain and lodge themselves in your memory forever.
The variety is said to be derived from the word “Nebbia,” Italian for “fog,” presumable in reference to the dense blankets of the stuff that roll into the Langhe every fall, cooling the vines with their mists and allowing the grapes to hang on the vine that much longer to develop more complex aromas and flavors (Vino Italiano).

Langhe: Viticulture in the Langhe is all about subtle variations in altitude, exposure to the sun and soil composition (Vino Italiano).

Tasting: Soft, rose petals, steeped tea, and spicy, fresh tobacco, similar to Pinot Noir.

Roagna, Dolcetto d’Alba, Piemonte 2008

Dolcetto d’Alba DOC (1974): parts of the Langhe hills east of the Tamaro river extending to the southwest, northeast, and east of the city of Alba. 100% Dolcetto.

Dolcetto grape: The name means “little sweet one” in reference to its sweet taste when ripe. Deeply colored, with soft tannins, the variety ripens early and produces soft, fruity, accessible reds with plush black-fruit flavors. Considered native to Piemonte (Vino Italiano 41).
Like Barbera, Dolcetto is highly permeable. The earliest-ripening of the three main Piemonte reds. It distinguishes its self from the others with its deep purple-violet color, its low acidity (making it a good partner for both barbera and nebbiolo), and its full, yet sweet tannins. Dolcetto is the most gregarious, forwardly fruity wine of the bunch. Usually drunk young.
Believed to have been discovered in the commune of Dogliani, where references to the grape can be traced back to the 15th century.
With aromas of violets and black fruits, and usually a tinge of licorice and even coffee on the palate, dolcetto might be best described as part of a vinous color scheme. It is the juiciest and fruitiest of the Piemonte reds, the more full-bodied. Barrel-aged versions taste like blackberry jam on toast (Vino Italiano).

From Roagna.com:

Dolcetto d'Alba
Denominazione di Origine Controllata

Philosophy:
fresh and fragrant wine, strictly connected to the territory; it matches the elegance and the grape to an interesting structure. It is usually considered a young wine, but it gives interesting results even after some years.

Grapes:
100% Dolcetto
Average age of vines: 35 years
Mass selection of vines.

Production area:
the grapes assigned to the production of this wine come from selections of vineyards with a Southern, South-Western exposure of Pajè cru in Barbaresco area.

Training System:
low Guyot on hills with good slope.

Harvest Time:
September.

Vinification:
grapes are hand-picked; soft pressing with destemming. Fermentation in wood casks. Maceration for 20-30 days, so that the autochthonous aromas of this vine are extracted.

Tasting Notes:
intense ruby color with violet shades. Full, fresh and fruity nose with a clear aroma of red fruits, especially cherries. Dry taste, pleasantly round, with a good structure consistent with the olfactory sensations.



Masciarelli, “Marina Cvetic”, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo 2005

Montepulciano: one of the most planted red grapes in Italy, it is characterized by a very deep, purplish color. It’s tannins are sweet, its flavors jammy and soft. The variety reaches its greatest heights in the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Rosso Conero DOC’s (vino italiano 396).

Monetpulciano d’Abruzzo DOC (1968): Spreading across all four of Abruzzo’s provinces, from the southern border with Molise to the northern border with Marche and inland toward the Apennines. Montepulciano min. 85%. Rosso Riserva min. 2years (min. 6 months in wood) (vino italiano 403).

Tasting “Marina Cvetic”: Always soft and generous, with a heaping helping of blackberry fruit, montepulciano grows into a more brooding, coffee-scented powerhouse when it is grown and vinified with a more exacting eye. This wine may be described as “jammy,” with a juicy sweetness of fruit flavor that makes it immediately pleasurable. But underneath is a whiff of earthiness, a touch of funk that places then with hearty Abruzzese foods such as sausages or lamb stew. Under all that generous fruit extract is a solid structure that will allow the winds to age well for years (vino italiano 287).


Ornellaia, “Le Serre Nuove”, Bolgheri, Toscana 2007
40%Merlot, 40%Cabernet Sauvignon, 15%Cabernet Franc, 5%Petite Verdot

Ornellaia: Founded by Marchese Lodovico Antinori in the early 1980’s, this is one of the great super-Tuscan estates. On a plot not far from the famed Sasicaia estate, Lodovico planted Cabernet Sauvignon, merlot, and later sauvignon, believing the maritime hills of Bolgheri were similar to those of Bordeaux. Ornellaia debuted with the great 1985 vintage and has become an auction house staple. In 2000, California’s Mondavi winery bought an interest in this landmark estate (vino italiano 494).



from Ornellaia.com:
Climate and Harvest

2007 began with a very mild winter, with less rainfall than usual. As a result bud break occurred about 10 days early. The spring was mild, with rainfall at the right moments, which allowed excellent vegetative growth and led the vines to blossom early. June rains, which occurred throughout Tuscany, accompanied the development of the grapes. Summer finally started with a July, which was hot and dry, followed by an August which was cooler, with classic mid-month thunderstorms that slowed the ripening of the grapes, bringing the projected harvest date back to normal. A perfect September with brilliant sun, mild temperatures, and little rain permitted a perfectly slow, steady ripening of the grapes, which concentrated the aromatic & polyphenolic content, with no traces of over- ripening.

Vinification and Ageing

The grapes were handpicked into 15 kg baskets; the bunches were graded and selected by hand on a double sorting table, before and after destemming, and finally soft-pressed. Each varietal and single vineyard block was vinified separately. The primary fermentation, in stainless steel tanks at temperatures between 26 and 30° C for a week, was followed by 10-15 days of maceration on the skins. The malolactic fermentation, which began in the steel tanks, finished after the wine was racked into barriques (25% new and 75% a year old). The wine remained in barriques in Ornellaia's temperature-controlled cellars for about 15 months. After the first 12 months the wine was assembled, and then returned to the barriques for an additional three months of aging. After bottling, the wine aged a further 6 months prior to release. Le Serre Nuove is the ‘second vin’ of Ornellaia. Its composition is decided upon at the moment of the final blending of Ornellaia by choosing the barriques, which combine characteristics of youthfulness and suppleness with the structure, balance and intensity typical of the Estate’s great terroir. Fruit from the younger vineyards on the Estate usually make up the majority of the blend. Quantities are governed by the vintage and final blending decisions, and can therefore vary from year to year.

Winemaker’s Notes

2007 was a sunny vintage, and in spite of the relatively low temperatures, the grapes ripened perfectly, preserving their complexity and aromatic freshness. Intense in colour, Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia 2007 presents a complex nose, with intense red berry fruit, sweet spices, and balsamic mint and eucalyptus accents. Ample and silky on the palate, it displays an elegant, vibrant tannic structure, and fresh sweet fruit with intense minty accents.

Terenzi, “Colle Forma”. Cesanese del Piglio, Lazio 2005

From terenzivini.com
Cesanese del Piglio D.O.C. It's the noblest autochthonous wine of Lazio. It's been produced since the ancient time of Romans, who had built a residence for the Emperor Nerva in Piglio. It was tasted by Popes from Anagni, such as Bonifacio VIII, Innocenzo III, and by the Emperor Frederick of Sveva and all of them chose it with proud for their prestigious banquets. On August 1973 it obtained the denomination of controlled origin (D.O.C.) with a decree under Leone, the then President of the Republic.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WINE:

COLOUR: ruby red with purple reflexes.

AROMA: intense with a light smell of violets.

TASTE: very rich velvety flavour..

THE WINE MAKING, starts with the light maceration for 20 day at controlled
temperature below 30° C. Then is pressed and separated and fermented slowly for a further 20 days. Matured in steel barrels and refined in bottles.


Macarico, “Macari”, Aglianico del Vulture. Basilicata 2006

Aglianico del Vulture DOC (1971): a broad territory north of Potenza, encompassing area around Monte Vulture to northwest and stretching toward Pulian border. Mostly Volcanic soils near Rionero and Barile, more clay in the high plains near Venosa. 100% Aglianico (vino italiano 4).
Mount Vulture seems to inject a brooding power into the grapes grown on it. A glass of young aglianico is dark and feral, like the wolves that still roam the hills, greeting you with a low, tannic growl. The deeply colored aglianico grape is a tannic variety, thanks to its small berries and thick skin but becomes supercharged in Monte Vulture’s soil and climate. A long growing season allows for more concentration and complexity of flavor to develop in the grapes, and it shows in the wines. At it’s best, Aglianico del Vulture is not only dense and powerful hut exotically aromatic, much in the same way that Piemonte’s Barolo melds power with perfume.
There is strong evidence that humble old Basilicata was aglianico’s original breeding ground, but regardless of which theory you believe, one thing about aglianico is certain: aside from nebbiolo and sangiovese. There’s no native Italian grape more capable of making powerful, interesting red wines (vino italiano 326-27).

MACARI' 2005
The "second wine", the little brother of Macarico, the chief Aglianico of our estate. It is characterized by the freshness of its fruit, a freshness that gives it an immediacy of pleasure despite its complexity and length.
Its grapes come from the same vineyards as its older brother, but are picked slightly earlier, at the end of October.

Appellation
Aglianico del Vulture DOC


Viticulture
The vineyard is located in the Macarico district of the township of Barile at 1650 feet above sea level; its exposure varies from south-southeast to south-southwest. It is planted with close to 10,00 vines per hectare (4000 vines per acre) and is cultivated with a low, Guyot-pruned training system. Cultivation techniques are traditional, without herbicides and chemical fertilizer and the use of solely natural products against vine diseases.

Harvest
Entirely by hand, with the grapes picked into low packing cases towards the end of October; yields are seven tons per hectare (2 and 1/3 ton per acre).

Fermentation
a soft de-stemming with a manual selection of the destemmed grapes, spontaneous fermentation without the utilization of selected yeasts and a twelve day maceration on the skins in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks.

Aging
70% in 60 gallon oak barrels (previously used either once or twice) for 12 months, 30% in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then assembled before bottling.

Tasting notes Ivy ruby red, brilliant and with purple highlights. Persistent and intriguing aromas of red berry fruit with light notes of liquorice. Fresh and balanced on the palate, well sustained and lovely to drink.

Marisa Cuomo, “Furore”, Costa d’Amalfi, Campania 2007
Aglianico and Piedirosso

Here’s where you turn when you want a taste of the Amalfi coast. Marisa Cuomo’s fresh and fragrant Costa d’Amalfi DOC wines are proof that light wines can be deeply flavorful (vino Italiano 469).

Aglianico: Grown in Campania fro more than three thousand years, this deep red, thick-skinned grape never had to fear extinction. It did, however, suffer in quality and was produced primarily for local consumption through most of the twentieth century. Today, it flourishes throughout the region in vineyards planted in both volcanic soil and in coastal vineyards (A16 23).
Conventional wisdom is that this deeply colored, thick-skinned variety was brought to the Italian peninsula by the Greeks; there is also a theory that it was a native wild vine that was later domesticated by the Greeks. Campania lays claim to it, but it’s safe to call it native to Basilicata as well (Vino Italiano 392).

Piedirosso: The base of the native piedirosso vine has a rusty hue and forms a distinct L shape, which resembles the foot of another native of the Campi Flegrei region: the rock pigeon. (piedirosso literally means “red foot.”) After Aglianico, Piedirosso is the second most planted red grape in Campania. It thrives on the seaside cliffs and coastal mountains of the region and plays a significant role in the legend of Lacryma Christi. As the tale goes, when Lucifer fell from heaven, he landed on Mount Vesuvius, which provoked Christ to cry, thus watering the slopes of the volcano with heavenly tears. Soon after, Piedirosso vines sprung from the earth. Some locals still say the way to tell the piedirosso grape is ripe is when it sheds a tear in remembrance.
Piedirosso-based wines (which frequently include aglianico in the blend) tend to be light-to medium- bodied with a spicy, strawberry character (A16 27).

Tasting Furore: Much sun, cool ocean breeze spicy and fruity. Nose: root beer, yeast.

Odoardi, Savuto. Calabria 2005
Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nerello Cappuccio, Magliocco, Sangiovese

In Savuto, the best known producer is the Odoardi winery, headquartered in the heights of nocera Terinese on Calabria’s Mediterranean coast. There, brothers Giovanni and Gregorio Odoardi help gaglioppo along with doses of nerello cappuccio, Greco nero, and sangiovese (along with a year’s aging in French oak barriques) (vino italiano 338).

Gaglioppo: the noblest grape of Calabria, cultivated in the region for more than four thousand years. It is also the most planted variety. Yet only in recent years, with the help of modern practices, have we started to see its charming side. The light- to medium- bodied wines made from gaglioppo exhibit fresher fruit than they have in the past, while still retaining their characteristic earthy undertones (A16 51).
Soft and berryish, prone to oxidation if not treated with care, this is the principal red grape of Calabria and the base of its best-known DOC wine, Ciro (Vino Italiano 341)
Magliocco: Thick skinned and muscular, magliocco is one of Calabria’s most promising indigenous varieties. Wines made from it show characteristics of dark plum and blackberry, with notes of clove, juniper berry, and white pepper. With their deep color and dark-berry depths, the wines are reminiscent of nero d’Avola from Sicily. Magliocco is most commonly used as a blending grape in the Lamezia and Savuto DOCs (A16 51)
A reputedly ancient vine sometimes confused with gaglioppo. Also soft, with plush berry-scented fruit but a little deeper and darker than gaglioppo (vino italiano 341).

Tasting notes: Nose: old leather, frankincense, pencil shavings, marshy. Mouth: spice juicy blue fruit mid. Slightly dry finish.




Palari, “Rosso del Soprano”, Sicilia 2005
Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio
Sicily’s Faro DOC is named for a lighthouse that overlooks the Straits of Messina. There’s lots of wine history in this area, but by the mid-1980’s Faro was nearly extinct as a source of commercial wine—until local architect Salvatore Geraci revived production in his grandfather’s vineyards in Santo Stefano Briga. These gnarled old vines produce obscure local varieties such as nerello mascalese and cappuccio, which Geraci and consultant Donato Lanati make into earthy, spicy, complex wines that have invited comparisons to Chateauneuf-du-pape and even burgundy. Palari’s concept is simple: a first (Faro DOC) and second wine (“rosso del Soprano”), produced from different selections of the same grapes (vino italiano 494).

Nerello Mascalese: In a matter of a few years, Nerello Mascalese has become one of the most prized grapes of Sicily. The volcanic soil of mount Etna is particularly suited to the grape, giving it admirable structure lifted by an aromatic bouquet. The grape is also the main variety in the small Faro DOC (A 16 57)

Nerello Cappuccio: A natural hood of leaves grows over the clusters of Nerello Cappuccio, and for this reason, some believe the grape was named after the traditionally hooded Capuchin monks. Although not as widely planted as Nerello Mascalese, Nerello cappuccio is a significant blending grape, particularly for red wines in the Etna DOC, where it is used to round out the body of Nerello Mascalese (A 16 58).

Tasting: Rusty red fruit. Volcanic soil, soft velvet. Nose: Delicate, dusty, warm.

Torrevento, “Vigna Pedale”, Uva di Troia Riserva, Castel del Monte, Puglia 2005

Uva di Troia: native grape of northern Puglia, hear Foggia. Thought to have been brought by the ancient Greeks, thus the name Troia (Troy). Aromatic and interesting, but on the wane. Used most notably in Castel del Monte reds (vino italiano 401).
A well made nero di Troia is supple and full, with a nose evocative of violets. Taming the grape is not easy. Nero di Troia demands careful attention in the vineyards, or it can become unforgivably tannic. Yet these tannins, when handled properly, give the wines the structure needed to evolve over years in the cellar (A 16 40).

Castel Del Monte DOC (1971): Occasionally high slopes surrounding the commune of Castel del Monte west of Bari, reaching toward the border with Basilicata. Soils: Ferrous red soils over limestone (vino italiano 423).

From torrevento.it

Wine's name: VIGNA PEDALE CASTEL DEL MONTE
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
RED Vintage 2002 - RISERVA

Soil: calcareous-clayey soil, at an altitude of 400 metres above sea-level.

Grape varieties: Nero di Troia (100%)

Vintage time: mid october

Vinification: after having inspected the soundness and ripeness of the berries, the grapes are picked, crushed and stemmed. The must ferments along with the skins for a period of 6-7 days at a controlled temperature. Then the must is decandet and aged in steel tanks.


Organoleptic characteristics: this ruby red wine with hints of garnet has an intense bouquet fragranced with raspberries, blackberries and blackcurrants. A full tasting wine with a light herbaceous flavour, it is sold after a bottled perfectioning period.


Beltrame, Tazzelenghe, Aquilea, Friuli – Venezia Giulia, 2005

Indigenous friulian varietal meaning “tongue cutter” referring to its high acidity. It can be Bordeaux like with darker cherry fruit and fuller body with lots of peppery notes. Tazzelenghe reflects pine cone/ cedar flavored dark cherry fruit. Similar to a cabernet franc tough more delicate and subtle.

Aquiliea: Friuli’s Adriatic basin, centered on ancient roman town of Aquiliea. Plains running from the Grado lagoon up toward Udine,. Soils: sandy clays mixed with gravel and limestone.

From Italiawineimports.com
Tazzelenghe Riserva i.g.t

Its color is amaranth, with a purple ting, while having a bouquet reminiscent of licorice, walnut and non-
roasted coffee. This wine’s flavor is a very good balance between wine and oak. In the mouth there is a good fusion between the taste of hazelnuts and ripe fruit jam.

Varietal: Tazzelenghe Amaranth 100% (Specially selected Autocthonous grapes of Tazzelenghe.)
Region: Fruili Venezia Giulia
Vintage time: Last week of September
Harvest: The grapes are picked by hand, laid in small-perforated boxes and brought to the adjacent cellar.
Winemaking: Soaking of the skins for 15 days and fermentation at temperature between 25-30C. Ageing in barriques and tonneaux for 18 months and refining in bottle for 4 months.

Foradori, Teroldego Rotaliano, Trento – Trentino, 2006

From elisabettaforadori.com

Campo Rotaliano is a well-demarcated geographical area, a sort of recess of the
Adige Valley tucked between the mountains. Its history and origin are closely attached to the Noce River, which, over the centuries, has deposited huge quantities of limestone, granite and porphyry debris. This small plain, depending on the soil composition, distinguishes itself for its various micro zones bearing various names given by the local vintners. The blending of the different wines of these micro zones, with their various features, gives our “Foradori” wine.
Name: Foradori - Teroldego Rotaliano D.O.C.

Grape: Teroldego 100%
Soil: stony alluvial soils with pebbles and gravel
Fermentation: in stainless steel tanks
Aging: 15/18 months in wood (oak)

In the sandy, gravelly, limestone-rich soils of the Noce river basin, teroldego plumps up in the intense heat and, despite its think skins, produces a deeply colored red with a distinctly tarry, savory, crushed-berry flavor. “It has beautiful color and rich fruit, but sometimes the tannins can be a little drying,” says Elisabetta Foradori, whose family estate in Mezolombardo is considered the leading producer of teroldego. “You need to hold on to it for a while or pair it with gamey foods, but the flavor is unique. And you can’t find it anywhere else in the world but here.”
Foradori’s barrique-aged teroldego, and their longer-aged, teroldego-based blend called “granato” show off the grape at its most dense and fragrant: Deep purple in color, with scents and flavors of crushed blackberries and savory notes of coffee and bitter chocolate. Teroldego has a unique push-pull of sweet and savory flavors with a distinctive tarriness on the finish. (This is much more appealing than it sounds.) (Vino Italiano 85)

Burlotto, Pelaverga, Verduno, Piemonte 2008

Verduno: Overlapping the northern limit of the Barolo DOCG, centered on the commune of Verduno. Includes parts of La Morra and Roddi d’Alba.

From burlotto.com
Village of Production: Verduno
Type of Grape: Pelaverga piccolo
First Vintage Produced: 1800
Number of Bottles Produced Annually: 10,000 based on the vintage;
Type of Terrain: Medium mixture of calcareous limestone with a slimy/muddy tendency.
Pruning Method & Density of Planting System: Guyot, 4,500 - 4,700 vines per hectare.
Period of Year and Method of Grape Harvesting: By hand, during the first half of October.
Vinification: Vinification requires a maceration-fermentation of almost 7 days in vats of French oak, with pumping over, remixing and re-submerging the wine on a daily basis, as well as temperature control, which should not exceed 27 - 28 degrees. By achieving the malolactic fermentation in stainless steel vats, the wine matures in 3 months in Slavonian and Allier oak casks holding 35-50 hectoliters, and another 2 months in stainless steel casks.
Bottling: After bottling, normally done the following spring after the wine harvest, the wine ages in the bottle for another 2 months at least, before release.

Tasting: Raspberry fruit. Rustic, aromatic, high acidity. Spicy white pepper. Similar to Grancache.

Principe di Butera, “Deliella” Nero d’Avola, Sicilia 2005

Nero d’Avola: Sicily’s most prominent native. The wines are deep and rich in black-fruit flavors, with a hint of exotic spice. Many winemakers compare its character to that of syrah, with which it is often combined in blends (Vino Italiano 362)
By all accounts, nero d’avola is thin-skinned and susceptible to rot, as well as a late-ripener. Many vintners assert that only in Sicily can nero d’avola and other late-ripening varieties – such as cabernet sauvignon – reach proper maturity (vino italiano 355)

3 Glasses Gambero Rosso! According to the Wine Spectator: "There's ripe currant and a hint of vanilla on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, with unobtrusive, fruit-coated tannins and a dense, balanced and lingering finish. Shows depth. Delicious. Drink now. 500 cases made." 89 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2005 Nero d’Avola Deliella from Principi di Buttera is a plump, juicy wine packed with varietal red fruits, mint, sweet toasted oak and flowers. This plump, juicy wine reveals tons of length in a polished, contemporary style, with sweet notes of tobacco and autumn leaves that linger on the long finish. A lot of nero flavors are found in this juicy, delicious, pure, clean, plump effort. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012." (04/09) (klwines.com)

tasting: full body velvet, rich. Well integrated fruit, not juicy. Like pie!

Albino Armani, ‘foja tonda’ cassetta, Vallagarina, Trento-Trentino, 2005

From albinoarmani.it
The Casetta variety - called Foja Tonda in dialect - is a grape variety
which is indigenous of Vallagarina, and cultivated since antiquity in the area of Dolcè, Ala and Avio. After having been abandoned, since the market favored other - sometimes more prolific – grape varieties, Foja Tonda was destined to extinction, until Albino Armani rediscovered it. In 2002 it was reinserted among the varieties admitted for cultivation, and at present there are only 12 hectares remained. These old grapevines, sometimes with their original roots, seem to tell the story of the age-old passion for wine shared by the inhabitants of our valley. Since 2007 it is recognized as D.O.C. Terra dei Forti.
Sensory profile: Wine with distinct personality, recognisable for its dried prune and marasca scent, cinnamon, tobacco and mainly musk that underscores its “wild” origins. In the mouth the sharp acidity is softened with complete malolactic fermentation. It evolves splendidly with tertiary aromas after a few years of proper conservation: to the sniff acquires complexity.
Grape varieties: 100% Casetta or Foja Tonda, an old indigenous variety always cultivated in Vallagarina.
Soil composition: Morainic and alluvial, warm, of medium fertility.
Vineyard - Growing systems and principal training forms: “Pergola trentina” and Guyot. Rigorous winter pruning, and intervention on the vegetation for leaf control apparatus and production. Protection against parasites and soil management respecting the environment.
Harvest: Manual, around mid September.
Vinification: After many years we have succeeded in finding the most suitable method working this generous grape: picking and pressing with the immediate reduction of the grape’s temperature. Then begins the phase of cold maceration, which proceeds for seven days without reassembly; then a slow fermentation is begun that continues while controlling temperature peaks and extracting the excess grape seeds from the bottom of the tanks; treading without reassembly in order not to damage the skins. Only the dry wine is drawn and pressed.

Tasting: Nose: jam/pie cherry. Violet, rhubarb, black earth, spicy.
-Nick

Aglianico

Aglianico is often called the "Barolo of the South". It's cultivated primarily in Campania, Basilicata, Puglia and Molise. The variety is thought to come to Italy via Greek colonists during the 8th century B.C.

The color ruby to brick red. Generally full-bodied, with soft tannins and high in acidity. Palate of black cherry, blackberry fruit with hints of violets and wild strawberries with notes of licorice, bitter chocolate and black pepper.

Currently we carry Elena Fucci, 'Titolo', Aglianico del Vulture, Basilicata 2004

"Fucci is the owner of some of the highest-placed vineyards in all of Aglianico del Vulture. He started making his own wine in 2000 with the help of friends at nearby Paternoster. A schoolteacher by trade, Fucci built a cellar under his home and named the project Elena Fucci, after his daughter, who now attends oenology classes in Pisa.

This is a true "garage" operation. The Fucci vineyards, at an altitude of some 2,000 feet on a lava flow named "Titolo," yield a miniscule 35 hectoliters per hectare of immensely concentrated wine.

Fucci's octogenarian father, also a Generoso, still tends each of the vines he planted as a young man. He digs a small moat around each vine, severing lateral roots and training the vines' roots to dig deeper into the soil. This gives more concentration, more complexity, and more taste of the earth to the grapes.

The soils in this region are a series of layers of "pozzolana" volcanic ash from the successive eruptions of now-extinct Mount Vulture, which looms over the area to the north. Some layers are dense and hold water throughout the summer, while other layers act like gravel and easily drain water. It's ideal terroir for vines, and similar to regions such as Pauillac, with its clay and gravel layers.

Fucci "Titolo" is a deeply colored wine, with a nose of cassis and black cherries and herbs. Always full-bodied and generous with ample tannins, "Titolo" will reward cellaring."- www.northberkeleyimports.com

NEW WINE 1/20/10

New By the Glass

I Favati, ‘Pietramara Etichetta Bianca’, Fiano di Avellino, Campania 2007
-I Favati’s Fianos are known for their smokey/flinty qualities. The Etichetta Bianca is their older vines (20yrs) and higher selected (they have a ‘Pietramara’ which is just highly selected and a normale Fiano too). Also aged in large oak.
-Fuller creamier texture with really flinty minerality. Really elegant very white burgundy like.

Terre del Principe ‘Fontanavigna’ Pallagrello Bianco, Campania 2008
-Northern Campania where Pallagrello Bianco is grown (indigenous white grape of the area).
-Medium to light bodied, lots of white flowers and lemon curd, soft fruit.

Bibi Graetz, ‘Grilli del Testamatta’, Toscana 2007

(80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 10%Colorino)

-Bibi Graetz is a newish winemaker from northern Tuscany (near Lucca). He is an artist and a little eccentric- his label ‘Testamatta’ means hotheaded referring to his passion and energy.
-This is his higher end Sangiovese tuscan blend.

-Rich cherry fruit with nice bright edge, dark tobacco, tobacco leaves, little earthiness/forest floor. Medium plus to full bodied (gets fuller as it opens).

Elena Fucci Titolo Aglianico del Vulture, Basilicata 2004

-Elena Fucci is a younger woman (mid twenties) who has taken over her father’s estate. Very small family fun producer. At a really young age she has got a lot of recognition and has gotten tre bicchiere the past 3 or 4 vintages.

-Aglianico del Vulture is much earthier and more mineral than the Campania Aglianicos. Tend to have an earthier structure and dustier texture and tannins. Volcanic loamy sand soil and Basilicata is much cooler than Campania.

-The Titolo is truly one of the regions best- full bodied; dark dark fruit; really smokey and mineral; lots of dark earth; dusty texture; gripping tannins.

New By the Bottle:

Corte Rugolin Valpolicella Ripasso
-Normal valpolicella blend (corvina, rondinella, molinara) with 20% of the grapes dried making it a ‘ripasso’.
-Medium plus bodied with juicy dark berry fruit; blackberries and cherries. Warm and luscious texture with nice herby spice and tannins on finish.

Boroli Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Piemonte 2004

-The Boroli’s have a long history in Piemonte and have been running family businesses since the early 1800’s – first textiles and then editorial and since 1990 wine. Castiglione Falletto Barolos tend to have the ethereal soft fruit of the neighboring La Morra but also the strength and tannins of the Serralungas. In oak for 24 months. Classic Barolo with dusty red fruit, tar, black tea, austere start and then strong earthy full finish.

Bruno Rocca Barbera d’Asti
-Family run winery in Barbaresco- have grown grapes for 4 generations but started producing own wine in the 1970’s.

-All stainless Barbera; medium bodied; warm stewed berry pie fruit; dark earth and little tar; polished elegant consistent structure; fresh acidity on finish.

Chionetti ‘Briccolero’ Dolcetto di Dogliani, Piemonte
-Dogliani is the oldest region for the Dolcetto grape- its an appellation devoted to Dolcetto and most producers only make Dolcetto (not as a side project off of Barbaresco etc). They tend to be much more mineral, herby, and serious than the juicier Dolcetto d’Albas. Chionetti is one of the most well known and respected Dogliani producers- his Dolcettos are serious.

- Medium bodied, dark black and blue fruit, dark slatey mineral, little fresh green herb, soft tannins on finish.


Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Toscana

(85% Prugnolo Gentile, 10% Canaiolo & 5% Mammolino)

-They the BEST vin santo – world reknown. This one is 85% Prugnolo Gentile, 10% Canaiolo, and 5% Mammolino. Aged in oak for 18 months.

- Full bodied with rich dark cherry fruit almost cherry syrup; dark foresty earth, strong balanced tannins. Definitely earthy but not as earthy as the last vintage- more round and dense.


Poderi Foglia ‘Concarosso Riserva’ Galluccio, Campania:

(70% Aglianico & 30% Pallagrello Nero)

-Second label of Vestini Campagnano whom are responsible for keeping serious wine making alive in northern Campania. Dedicated themselves to preserving the production of Pallagrello bianco, pallagrello nero, and casavecchia. The Poderi Foglia/concaross idea is to blend those ancient grapes with other Campania grapes like Aglianico. This is 70% Aglianico and 30% Pallagrello Nero and being riserva style is much more intense than the concarosso normale we’ve had before.

-Very full bodied; really dark black inky fruit; dark dark earth and tar; strong tannins; black pepper; rich intense texture and finish.

-Ehren, SPQR Wine Expert

New Wine 1/14/10

Wines by the Glass

Terre Magre Ribolla Gialla, Spumante. Trento-Trentino, NV.
Winery is close to the Veneto (southern Trentino) and only produces sparkling wine.
-Unctuous body. Soft, dry. Yellow fruit (grapefruit) and crisp pear. Done in the Charmat method.

Elena Walch Gewurtztraminer. Alto-Adige, 2008.
This is her baseline Gewurtz.
-Spicy, rose petal, lychee lychee lychee. Soft, peachy. Very aromatic.

Matteo Correggia Roero Arneis. Piemonte, 2008.
-Dandelion greens, meadow flowers, nutty. Chalky minerality, white flower and nectarine.

Bellsario Cambrugiano Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva. Le Marche, 2006.
Aged in large format oak.
-Chalk, green apple, lime, piney. More ‘Jesi’ like in generosity.

Castel de Paolis Frascati Superiore. Lazio, 2007. (Malvasia di Candia, Malvasia di Lazio, Trebbiano, Grecchetto, Viognier, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Bombino Bianco).
Mother and 2 daughter operation. This is the benchmark Frascati.
-Honeyed nose, papaya.

Albino Armani ‘Foja Tonda’ Casetta Vallagrina. Trento-Trentino, 2005
Casetta is a local grape; this producer is responsible for keeping the grape around. ‘Foja Tonda’ is the name of the grape in the local dialect.
-Cherry pie nose, violets and rhubarb. Light bodied. A touch of earth to balance things out.

BTB:
Badia Chianti (Sangiovese) Biodynamic. Clean, feminine, medium bodied. Berries and tobacco.

-Emily, SPQR Bartender & Server

Grape Feature: Gaglioppo

Calabria is not only physically demanding to work, but is also one of the most economically depressed parts of Italy. As such, viticulture gives way to more practical agricultural products like citrus and olives. The amount of quality wine produced and exported is very little, but with high altitudes, temperate maritime climates and poor, well-draining soils, Calabria has great potential for wine production.

Gaglioppo is indigenous to Calabria. It does well in drought conditions but is susceptible to oidium (a fungus, AKA Powdery Mildew). This grape is thick skinned and wine producers need to let the grape fully ripen and then allow a lot of skin contact during the maceration process to create structure.

The most well-known Calabrian DOC is Ciro, the rosso version made of at least 95% Gaglioppo typically blended with a white, either Trebbiano Tuscano or Greco Bianco for the remaining 5%. This DOC has ancient roots – legend has it that this wine was made to toast the gods by Olympic Champions in ancient Greece. Flavor profiles can range from vibrant red cherry fruit to dried fruit and earthy funk.

-Emily, SPQR Master Behind The Bar

Grape Feature: Pigato

Pigato is a white Italian grape only grown in the small region of Liguria. It's named for the rust color spots that kiss the skins before harvest.

It's believed to be a cousin of Laguria's famous white, Vermentino and have originated from Greece.

It produces an attractive, full bodied dry white wine with floral and peach characteristics.

-Lexi, SPQR Server

White Wine Feature: Niklas, Kerner, Alto Adige 2008

Alto Adige is the German-speaking region in the far north-east of Italy, just south of the Austrian border. In Alto Adige Dieter Sölva is a young winemaker from the tiny village of St. Nikolaus, high up on the west side of a valley that leads north through the Dolomites.

The Kerner grape is the great success story of modern German vine breeding...bred...in 1969...from red parent Trollinger (Schiava Grossa) and Riesling.

Dieter Soelva's father, a well-known viticultural consultant in the Alto Adige, brought the variety from Germany in the 1970s. Thus, the Niklas family vines are the oldest Kerner vines in the region.

The large white berries produce wines commendably close to Riesling in flavour except with their own leafy aroma and very slightly coarser texture.

Dieter's Kerner is vivid, minerally and shows a distinctive herbal quality.

Vinification: In steel with a few hours of skin contact during fermentation.
(www.omwines.com)

This is a long time staff favorite.

The Whites Part 1

This post is from our newest server, Nick, who's favorite book has been Vino Italiano by Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch.






La Tunella, ‘Selenze’ Rjgialla, Colli Orientali Del Friuli 2006

Ribolla Gialla (Grape)
Friuli-Venezia Giulia. One of Friuil’s premier native varietals. Probably brought to the area via Slovenia from Greece. The grape makes firm, floral whites, especially in zones such as Rosazzo in the Colli Orientali DOC. Known as Rebula in Slovenia. Ribolla Nera is a Synonym for Schioppettino (Vino Italiano 399). Makes apply, fresh still wines and some methode champenoise sparklers (Vino Italiano 40).

Colli Orientali Del Friuli DOC (1970)
Literally “Eastern hills of Friuli,” a band of hills following the contours of the Julian Alps, running from Manzano (southeast of Udine). Soils: calcareous marl and sandstone. There are three delimited subzones: (1) Ramandolo, in the extreme North, near Tarcento (2) Cialla, esat of Cividale near Slovenian border (3) Rosazzo, in the hills of the commune of the same name, southeast of Udine (Vino Italiano 411).
Gianni Menotti says in Vino Italiano on page 30:
There are certain benefits to being on a hill. There is not a great deal of difference in temperature between here and the plain, but the quality of light in the hills, because of the angle the sun’s rays hit the vines, is better. There’s less humidity than in the plain, and better drainage. And the nights are cooler in the hills.

Tasting:
Chardonnay-like. Fruit forward. Medium-bodied. Plenty of mouth-feel. Lively, zesty, hints of lemon. No oak. Straw-yellow color.

Crystalline straw-yellow color with green reflections. The nose spans across notes of acacia, plum, yellow peach, green apple. The palate is intense and full with a supple body, echoing the wine’s varietal character, while also dry and pleasantly fresh. The long finish develops pleasing notes of lemon that accompany and elegant and slightly aromatic aftertaste (quintessentialwines.com).

Niklas, Kerner, Alto Adige 2008 (Riesling, Schiava)

Kerner is a cross of the Schiava Grossa grape and Riesling. Apricot and peach make a delicate, refined nose. Lots of shimmering minerals the wine shows green pepper and mineral notes in perfect counter-balance to clean, tropical fruit notes (portovinoitaliano.com)
Precise and complex aromatics. Musky white peach with a leafy-mineraly tone; the acidity you find in a Riesling. Great way to start a meal. Ages well.

Trenito-Alto Adige
More in common with Austria or Germany than southern Italy. Wines tend to taste like they bubble up from a mountain spring (Vino Italiano).

Tasting: Bright mineral up front. Stone fruit (peach, apricot). Slight lime.

Colle dei Bardellini, Pigato, Riviera Ligure di Ponente, Liguria, 2007

Winery
One of the best known Ligurian wineries, owned by Genovese restauranteurs Pino and Luigi Sola. Both Vermentino and Pigato are excellent here, redolent of the herbal Mediterranean scrub and ready for a plate of fragrant pesto-drenched pasta (Vino Italiano 466).

Riviera Ligure di Ponente (sub-region)
Ranges from the outskirts of Genoa to the French border. The grapes in this wine are from this sub-region.

Pigato
Believed to be an ancient Greek export, the plant looks similar to vermentino Herbal, scrub-brushy qualities Salty kick on palate Perfumed! Bitting on the finish Speaks clearly of where it’s from (Vino Italiano 167)

Tasting
Salty, `slightly crisp, light, soft. An apertif wine.


Elvio Cogno, ‘Anas-Cetta,’ Nascetta, Langhe, Piedmonte 2007

The Langhe Hills
Taking in a broad area around the city of Alba, mostly East of Tanaro River. Over laps many DOC(G)s including: Brolo, Barbaresco and Rocro Arneis.
Soils: calcareous clays. Viticulture in Langhe is all about subtle variations in attitude, exposure to the sun and soil composition. Ofter vinters own chunks of more than one slope, and when it comes time to bottle their wines, they have distinct brands determined not by the whims of the wine makes but by the whims of nature (Vino Italiano).

Nas-cetta
Seemingly unique to the commune of Novello. Fermented in stinless steel (70%) and Barrique (30%). Then aged in steel then oak for 6 months each, prior to 6 months in bottle before release (the wine doctor.com/italy/cogno.html)
Sensory Profile: Straw-yellow color with golden highlights. A find and elegant nose with right intensity exudes complex, lingering scents of wild flowers and herbs, citrus and exotic fruits. The bouquet suggests acacia honey, sage and rosemary. Its pleasant, warm and balanced structure makes it ideal as an accompaniment to vegetable dishes, white meats, fish and creamy cheeses (elviocogno.com)

Tasting: Slight vanilla, honey, warm hay. Light acid. Some mineral. Warm.


Pacher Hof, Gruner Veltliner, Valle Isarco, Alto Adige 2008

Passion fruit, lime, flowers and spices all come together in this superb, complex and subtle Gruner. The vineyard lies 700 meters above sea level, just above the ancient Abbazia di Novacella monastic complex. Very old cines planted in gravel and sandstone. The soil produces wines of vibrantly aromatic character: bright, steely and elegant. The winery is in the process of becoming 100 percent biodynamic (klwines.com).

Valle Isarco
High-altitude sites mostly on the west bank of the Isarco River, facing south-south-east, between Bolzano and Bressanone. Northern most DOC zone in Italy.

Tasting: Simple, easy drinking, acidic.

Balleani, ‘Donna Ginerva’ Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jese, Le Marche 2007

Crisp, full floral wine with distinctive aromas of pine and herb. It is also called Greco or Trebbiano. Redolent of sour apple, pear and green herbs all cleans up with a refreshing blast of acidity and the trademark, almost bitter, finish. Although not typically a full bodied white, it has a distinctive aroma and flavor. It has what cinters call varrietal character, in that you can tell whit it is when you smell and taste it, even if you cant precisely define what those smells and tastes are. Distinctively piney, resiny flavor, suggestions of sour apple bosc pear and green herbs. Green grape flavor known for its natural acidity. Savory and fruity (Vino Italiano).

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jese
DOC in 1968, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jese has gentile hills of Ancona, fanning westward from the commune of Jesi. Soils: calcareous clays and crumbly limestone. It is a good soil for white grapes because it delays ripening and helps preserve acidity. Most vineyards in the DOC are within 20 miles of the Adriatic, which moderates climate. Verdicchio has to compose 85 percent minium of all wines from the region. Reserva minimum is two years with six being in the bottle. The grape is native to Le Marche and grows on either side of the Esino River, est of the medieval hill town of Jesi (Vino Italiano).

Tasting: Fruit-forward and sweet. Banana and pear. Yellow fruits.

COS ‘Rami,’ Sicilia, 2007, Insolia and Grecanico

Grecanico Dorato: Crisp, appely, white possibly related to the Greco of the mainland. Of all the Sicilian natives, Grecanico has the most penetrating acidity and freshness, even in a climate that can easily overripen just about anything you plant. Frecanico is on the those classic Italian whites that matures very late, so it is good for Sicily (Francisca Plaveta, Vino Italiano).
Insolia: native to western Sicily.

COS Rami
A blend of Insolia and Grecanico from the form the basis for this zesty, crisp white with refreshing, clean personality. It recalls Sicily’s breezy, rocky coast. A delicious white with an unusually long finish, Rami holds a bouquet of white flowers and vanilla, a palate of berries and citrus fruits and a charming acidity. Cos was established by three friends in 1908, whose initials make up the name of the winery. They started the winery as a pleasant pursuit and have since adopted a serious orientation, applying modern viticultural techniques (iwinestore.com). The wine has a pale yellow color and has great aromas of citrus fruits and hints of minerality on the nose. The wine has excellent depth of flavor and is well-balanced with good acidity and a pleasant finish (domaineselect.com). The wine is stored in amphoras and bottled in Marsala bottles.

Tasting: Brine, bright, crisp. Earthy. Pineapple.

Pietratorcia, ‘Vigne del Cutto’ Ischia Bianco, Campania, 2007

Ischia DOC (1966). Blend of Ischia, off the coast of Naples.

Pietratorcia, Vigne del Cutto
Pietratorcia created by the young members of three long-standing Ischian families with the aim of putting Ischia’s wines back on the map. The initial results have been remarkably successful. The wines have depth, complexity and refinement, and oak, when used, is not allowed to dominate the fruit (winepros.com). The nose of the wine reveals intense, clean and pleasing aromas which start with hints of toasted wood and plum, followed by aromas of apple, pear, hawthorn banana and hints of coffee. Suggested pairing: broiled fish and shellfish (zigzagando.com).

Grapes
Biancolella (45%): a blending grape from Campania. A great seafood pairing grape. It produces aromatic, yet acidic, dry/sweet still and sparkling varietal white wines and blends in combination with such varieties as Forastera. All for early consumption
Forastera (45%): A specialty of the island of Ischia. It is used to make Ischia Bianco. The wine is straw-yellow in color and is dry and harmonic to the palate.
Uva Rilla (5%): Green grape native to Ischia used for blending Ischia DOC wines.
San Leonardo (5%): Green grape native to Ischia.

Tasting: Ocean minerality. Briny. Volcanic funk. Bright fruit up front. Ash. Finish is dry and ashy.

Rocca del Principe, Fiano di Avellino, Colli di Lapio, Campania, 2007

DOC (1978): Central Campania in the thickly wooded hills around the commume of Avellino. 85% fiano. The climate is compariable to Piedemonte, The hills rise west and south of Avellino, almost walling the reagion off from Naples.

Fiano di Alvellino
Grown in Campania sinve antiquity, the grape is spicy, smoky and crisp and is probably the most assertively aromatic and fullest body of the region’s whites. It is the most assertive and interesting white grape in Campania. The flavor is strongly reminiscent of pine nuts, herbs and pesto. It is not a full-bodied white, but is aromatic. A direct reflection of the dewy, piney hills in which it grows. A slight suggestion of hazelnut is often detected, but the predominate aromas and flavors are sour and herbal with scents of pine needles and cider apples, infused with an almost peaty smokiness (Vino Italiano).

Tasting: Elegant, yellow fruit up front. Smoky, distinct grassfire, a scotch drinker’s wine.

Terlano, ‘Nova Domus’ Alto Adige, 2005 (Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc)

Nova Domus
Yellow color. Very complex fragrance with hints of apricot, tropical fruits, hints of sage and light spice. The taste is salty with good acidity and is full-bodied, well structured and harmonious. Fermented 50% in oak and 50% in tonneaux (kellerei-terlan.com).

Tasting: Multi-functional. Stone fruit and herbal on the nose. The wine is balanced well and all three grapes come through. Pinot bianco provides the fruit, the acid of sauvignon blanc is apparent and the body of a chardonnay is all noticeable.

Ca dei Fratti ‘I Frati,’ Lugana, Lombardia, 2007

Ca dei Fratti
Their trebbiano wines show a more floral, spicy, and forwardly fruity than most trebbiano di Soave wines which create fragrant, minerally whites. Most experts chalk this up to the trebbiano di Soave variety itself (Vino Italiano 103).
Lugana
The Lugana zone is in fact hot and flat, with heavy, fertile soils. But rather than become flabby, the better wines of Lugana retain a shimmer of acidity that lends them a kinship to the mountain wines of the Alto Adige. With this in mind, Ca dei Frati’s “I Frati” is a benchmark (Vino Italiano 103).

The lake Garda region that boarders Lombardia and Venteto. The lake influences the area. The winter months will keep the growing fields warmer. Then, in turn, the summer will keep the fields cooler. Lugana is well revered for its white wine.

100 % Turbiana
Originally thought to be the Trebbiano di Soave but recent research has found it to be its own grape, ancient to this area. Considered to be one of the most will respected but rare white wine regions of northern Italy.

Tasting: Mineral structure, but precise. Limestone.

Argillae, Orvieto, Umbria 2008 (Trebbiano, Grechetto, Chardonnay, Malvasia di Candia, and Sauvignon

Agrillae
Lorenzo Landi is the wine maker (Luciano’s Brother). Blend of trebbiano, grechetto, chardonnay, malvasia di candia (main grape in Frascati), and Sauvignon. Chalk Soils. Very minerally and rocky with lots of yellow fruit. Almost Sancerre like.
Argillae Orvieto is a dry white wine, straw yellow in color, with broad, floral scents and hints of citrus and tropical fruits. In the mouth it has a good complexity and correspondence to the nose, with a fruity taste and a lasting, refreshing finish. It pairs beautifully with hors d’oeuvres, pasta with seafood or vegetables and white meat second courses (www.supercellars.com).
Wine Advocate:
The estate’s 2008 Orvieto is a beautifully-focused wine redolent of peaches, apricots and flowers, all of which come together in a soft-textured style. The Orvieto shows lovely richness at this level. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2011.
Score: 87. —Antonio Galloni, August 2009.

Orvieto: DOC 1971
Hills up to 500 meters surrounding the town of Orivieto, southwest of Perugia, and extending into neighboring Lazio. The classico zone is in the center, closer to Orvieto, and includes areas around Lake Corbara. Soils are a mix of sand, clay, limestone over volcanic tufa (Vino Italiano 436).
What makes Orvieto style difficult to pinpoint is the highly variable grape mix prescribed by the DOC. The formula calls for 40 to 60 percent trebbiano, 15 to 25 percent verdello, and a mix of grapes including grechetto, canaiolo bianco (here called drupeggio), malvasia Toscana, and others (Vino Italiano 229).
Grapes:
In the cool, chalky heights, chardonnay retains the minerally class it exhibits more readily in Burgundy, while the local grechetto adds not only a firmness of structure but an assertively aromatic note reminiscent of rennet apples. Antinori literature describes grechetto as a “small, dark-yellow, thick-skinned, highly acidic, low-yielding, notably tannic Umbrian grape that produces creamy wines with unique spicy, herbal, freshly mown hay flavors, good structure, good aging potential, and elegance.” There is no question that grechetto has emerged as the premier native grape of Umbria. Chardonnay, meanwhile, is increasingly used to add some fat to the often thin Orvieto frame.

Tasting:
Sauvingnon shows through with its grassy texture and yellow-fruit flavors. Dry pear and apple with an almond finish. The trebbiano/ grechetto combination is most important. It has a long, tart to dry finish. It may pair well with cheese.


Pra “Monte Grande” Soave Classico, Veneto 2007

Pra “Monte Grande”:
Located in the center of the Classico region. Made from 90 percent gargenega and 10 percent trebbianio. It is aged one year in oak casks.
Soave DOC 1968 (DOCG for Superiore only, 2004):
The Classico zone, first delimited in 1931, is a band of hills between the towns of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone. Soils are volcanic mixed with calcareous clays (Vino Italiano 439).
Without exaggeration, this is the most maligned, misunderstood, and polarized wine district in Italy. Everything about the Soave production discipline has been debated and adjusted so much- from where the vineyards can be planted and how much production is allowed to what grapes can be used in the blend- that the Soave designation has lost much of whatever prestige it may have started with. “everything about the region is geared toward mass production” –Stefano Inama (Vino Italiano 53).
Of the nearly 6 million bottles of Soave produced each year, fewer than a quarter are produced in the original “Classico” zone. (Vino Italiano 54)

Garganega:
There are some strong similarities between garganega and chardonnay. Durable, vigorous, semi-aromatic, and highly variable in their expression. The garganega most people know is flinty, lightly appley, and high in acid- not unlike a midlevel Chablis. When the grape is allowed to fully ripen, it balloons into a juicier, more tropical-tasting wine, with ripe flavors of green melon and pear. In fact, what a well-made Soave offers that a lot of Italian whites don’t is good weght on the palate, which American drinkers in particular have come to expect in their whites. When garganega is blended with trebbiano di Soave, rather than trebbiano toscano, Soave is more invitingly aromatic, with aromas of white flowers and even a touvh of pine on top of the clean, melony fruit (Vino Italiano 54).

Tasting:
Natural creaminess. Elegant. Honeyed.

-THANKS NICK!!!

800+

To work at SPQR you have to have three passions, food, wine and hospitality. As a family we work together to present these three passions to each guest that comes into our "home". Our Chef, Matthew Accarrino and his team continue to inspire us with their passion, dedication and amazing work ethic. Owner and wine director, Shelley Lindgren, intrigues us with the most beautiful wine Italy has to offer. Owners, Shelley Lindgren and Victoria Libin show us each day what true guest hospitality is all about. There is not a single night where they don't know who is dining in their restaurant.

This blog is dedicated to the staff of SPQR who's quest it is to dominate the more than 800 grape variatals of Italy.