Fours and a Pour: Something Old and a Whole Lotta New

Change is abound and many are still feeling the energy of fall and that deeply ingrained back-to-school excitement.  Although this is sounding like an astrological horoscope, it is a time of renewal for many aspects of life,  one of which is changing my living space.  The concept of decorating and furnishing has sparked much creativity in me, so this week's Fours is primarily dedicated to interior design.   (I'm learning my style leans towards bordello chic - I foresee a lot of leopard print). 

The Fours

1.  Yogibo Fly - Holy crap, it's an indoor hammock.  From a practicality standpoint, what better way to provide seating in a small space?  But come on,  it's an indoor hammock!  I want this. So badly. My hammock obsession is thisclose to being realized.

2. Urbio wall garden - I've never been able to keep a plant alive longer than a week, but this Urbio wall garden is inspiring me to give some TLC to low maintenance succulents (and truthfully, saying "succulents" makes me giggle).

3.  Apartment Therapy's Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces by Malcolm Gillingham-Ryan - Ingenious ideas for tiny space dwellers can be found in this coffee-table book.  Read it and try not to be inspired. 

4.  Vynebar hanging storage - this rack will serve as both wine storage and an art installation on my wall.  It will probably encourage me to drink more as well so I can rotate the bottle selection and create new "art." 

Bricco Boschis, Cavallotto, Barolo, 2004

And the one old - this gorgeous Barolo that I've been saving for a special occasion and finally had a chance to open.  It started off with deep cherry and plum but beautiful violets wove their way through the nose.  It sat and breathed for a while, which then produced the plum, earth and tobacco and a bit of rose.  On the palate, the deep berries burst on the tongue along with some strong acid and tannins. They kept integrating into one of the most beautifully balanced wines I've had in a long, long time.   

Arrigoni Private Wine Tasting

Forget April showers, the month was awash with tasting events. I capped off a busy week at the end of the month at a private tasting of wines by the producer Arrigoni. I met the very charming Davide at a Chianti tasting earlier in the week and he followed up with an invite to a private tasting a few days later. In addition to the reds featured at the grand tasting, they showcased some of their whites.  In total I tasted 6 wines but wanted to highlight 4 in particular and examine a pure Vermentino varietal to a blended one, as well as a classic Chianti to a 100% Sangiovese expression.

Colli Di Luni Vermentino DOC "La Cascina Dei Peri"
This Vermentino, blended with 5% Pigato, was a simple but accessible wine. Pear, kiwi and a ripe grapefruit appeared in this crisp white.  I've always felt Vermentino was overshadowed by the Pinot Grigio marketing machine; it is a very good Italian white that deserves more recognition.

Colli Di Luni Vermentino DOC "Vigna Del Prefeto"
This one is 100% Vermentino and one of my favorites from the tasting. The flavor profile was similar to the previous one but it showed a bit more complexity. There was a roundness and depth to it that kept me interested while sipping. The crisp acidity was still present but overall this wine had a few more embellishments than its simplified precursor.

Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG
A blend of Sangiovese, Malvasia Nera and Canaiolo (also known as petit verdot), this wine was exemplary of Chianti.  Ripe berries, licorice, earthy, and a little bit green. Fairly high in acid with pronounced, but integrated tannins, this was a very enjoyable red.

Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG "Poggio al Vento"
The final wine in the tasting was 100% Sangiovese. Cranberry, ash and oak were all immediately present, but the oak was not as well integrated as it should be and muscled through the crowd of tasting notes to become the dominant factor. Obviously, this wine was undeniably tannic, which might have held up well with some food but in this context, felt rather unbalanced in the glass.

Arrigoni currently does not have distribution in the U.S. but hopefully will get picked up soon. I'd love to have that Vigna Del Prefeto on the table for an alfresco summer dinner.

Keep tasting, friends...

An Ode to La Spinetta

One of wine's most important elements is its ability to evoke memories. We tend to gravitate towards particular wines not only for the way they taste but for the way they can transport one to a particular moment. You may remember that beautful bottle that was served on your birthday and now, whenever you see it on a menu, you may smile with recollection.  Or what about that bottle of rose that you drank at dinner on a beach vacation, overlooking the ocean?  I'm sure you are more apt to select that bottle over any other in a wine store.

La Spinetta wines hold that special memory for me.  With that first sip, I'm instantly transported to our first dinner on the patio at La Villa, our hotel in Piedmonte, on what was to become a pinnacle trip in my burgeoning passion for wine.  Sitting amongst the vineyard-covered hills, the setting sun alighting the mountain peaks like small volcanoes, I felt an ease and fluidity in my being I had never experienced before. The marriage of land and wine became a crystalized concept and I knew this was the beginning of a passionate journey.

Now, at a crossroads in my life, La Spinetta brought me back to a place of peace. Recently, Eataly hosted a tasting of four La Spinetta wines, including a first vintage rose. Tasting through these, I was transported to that moment of happiness, felt in its purest form
.

Langhe Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 ($46.80)
This was a gorgeous, old-world style sauv blanc, a must-drink alternative to the popular Italian pinot grigio. A bit pricey, yes, but it oozed character. Green apple, citrus and a brisk minerality announced themselves right away on the nose and palate. The acid, high and bright, was somehow tempered by a softness and roundness that is often found in Sancerre. I adore this wine.

Il Rose di Casanova, 2012 ($14.80)
This was their premier effort at rose and I hope they continue production. This wine came from their Tuscany estate and was 50% Sangiovese/50% Prugnolo Gentile. More Provence in style than the full-bodied deep Rosatos of Italy, this one had fresh-picked wildflowers, light cherry, strawberry fields and an overall brightness. Again, there was a good amount of acid on this fresh vino. Summer, where are you already?

Ca' Di Pian, Barbera, 2009 ($27.80)
Looking back at old posts, I'm shocked I haven't written about this one yet, considering it's offered by the half bottle at many wine bars in the city and I drink it all the time. At any rate, this is what I consider to be a textbook example of a good Barbera. On the nose, black cherry, plum and violets give way to cherry, raspberry and a solid earthiness on the palate. Again, acid is very prominent and some moderate tannins. Classic, classic, classic.

Vigneto Bordini, Barbaresco, 2005 ($53.80)
This was a lighter, refined style of Barbaresco. Violets, cranberry and an almost strawberry note wafted in the glass, layered with tones of chocolate. On the palate, the cranberry was even more noticeable, along with well-structured tannins and acidity. This is a barbaresco that I think could be sipped on by itself, along with being a great food wine.

Dedicated to S.P.

It's Rose Season!

What's in the box?

You could say it's part of my spring cleaning.  However, I'm not going through my closets and packing up snow boots (who in Manhattan has enough closet space to do a full swap-out anyway?); I'm making room in the wine fridge for.....

ROSE!!!!

These gems are Proprieta Sperino Rosa del Rosa, Piedmont, 2012 ($21). Last year, while sitting on the patio during a girls' reunion weekend, we opened up a bottle of the 2011 amidst the chatter of memories and recollections. Literally, I stopped talking for a good few minutes as I was so beguiled by my glass.  This nebbiolo-dominant rose was stunning; round and juicy but still crisp and refreshing.  Last week, when Moore Brothers Wine Company sent the email announcing the newest vintage had arrived, I rushed over and secured myself two bottles. 

More and more, I find with a great wine there is often a great story attached to it; it's as if the passion and courage are infused in the bottle.  This wine is no exception.  According to Moore Brothers, the winemaker, Paolo De Marchi, produced award-winning wines down in Chianti Classico; however, his ultimate desire was to restore his great, great uncle's vineyard in Piedmont, which had been abandoned since 1952.  Ten years ago, Paolo and his son went to work revitalizing the vineyard and implementing traditional winemaking methods from the region.  To date, they are now producing some gorgeous wines and creating a mini-reinassance in the region.

 I can't wait to open them and share some tasting notes with you.  (I know, you're waiting with baited breath). So, who's going to join me and have a glass? 

Pizza! Pizza! (and more dessert)

New York is a pizza town.  From the classic slice to the gourmet pie, nearly every international style of pizza is represented.  Neapolitan?  Grandma square?  Dollar slice drunkenly consumed on the street corner?  We've got 'em all.

Wine enthusiasts often debate what's the best wine to pair with pizza and more often than not, Italian wines reign supreme. With their high acidity, Italian wines are very complementary to the tomato-based dish. It also harks back to one of my general rules of thumb: when in doubt, pair like with like.  A wine from the same country of origin as the cuisine will match well. Yes, you can start to drill down to specific regions and grapes and debate what goes best with all those fancy toppings, but in general, Italian wines are a sure thing.

A recent Saturday night brought us to a new place, Sotto 13.  Perusing the wine list, we opted for a Valpolicella, a red from the Veneto region of Italy.  This wine was produced in the Ripasso method, meaning that a percentage of the grapes were dried out on mats for weeks (a technique called Passito) in order to increase natural sugars and flavors.  These grapes are then fermented with other grapes in order to increase the intensity and flavor profiles of the wines.

So, did it work with pizza?  You bet.

Impero Valpolicella Superior, Ripasso, 2009

This wine was a blend of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara  grapes, very traditional for a Valpolicella. Immediately, this wine revealed plums, raisins and cherries, along with some black tea and earthy notes.  It was juicy and round with notable wood tannins. The acidity of the tomato sauce mellowed out the wine's acid levels and a rich, complex wine, with a slight chocolate essence at the end, emerged.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but after, we went to Minetta Tavern for that infamous soufflé.  Yep, two weeks in a row.  Feel free to stage an intervention at any point.

(this sucker didn't even stand a chance)

With it, we paired a Michele Chiarlo Moscato d'Asti.  The beautifully perfumed notes of orange blossom, honeysuckle, candied apricot and honey matched the gooey chocolatey center of the soufflé perfectly.  Heaven.

Keep tasting, friends....

Shame On You

Here's a story about bad wine. As discussed in my Presidential Inauguration post, wine is not just about what's in the glass but the experience of drinking it; even average wines become special in the right context. Conversely, wines can be ruined if the situation is mired in negativity.  A prime example of this was the Slow Wine event in NYC on January 28th.

Slow Wine is a branch of the Slow Food movement, which, according to slowfood.com, is defined as follows:

Slow Food stands at the crossroads of ecology and gastronomy, ethics and pleasure. It opposes the standardization of taste and culture, and the unrestrained power of the food industry multinationals and industrial agriculture. We believe that everyone has a fundamental right to the pleasure of good food and consequently the responsibility to protect the heritage of food, tradition and culture that make this pleasure possible. Our association believes in the concept of neo-gastronomy - recognition of the strong connections between plate, planet, people and culture.

Good, Clean and Fair

Slow Food's approach to agriculture, food production and gastronomy is based on a concept of food quality defined by three interconnected principles:

GOOD a fresh and flavorsome seasonal diet that satisfies the senses and is part of our local culture;

CLEAN food production and consumption that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health;

FAIR accessible prices for consumers and fair conditions and pay for small-scale producers.

The movement started in 1986 in Piedmont, Italy, one of my favorite wine regions.  During a vacation there a few years back, I was imbued with these values with every meal I ate and every vineyard I walked through. I gained a deep appreciation for their work and what they are trying to achieve on a now-international level.   For weeks after, I couldn't walk by a McDonald's without throwing it a dirty look and hissing under my breath.

 (Piedmont Landscape - how beautiful is that??)

(Vineyards in Piedmont)

Wine is a natural part of the movement as terroir, an integral element in great wines, encapsulates many of these principles.  Needless to say, I was very excited for this event.

However, the Slow Wine event went downhill very, very quickly.  Upon arrival, about half of the tables were empty; many of the distributors ran out of inventory during the daytime sessions and vacated their stations.  For the remaining tables, their portfolios were severely depleted and only had a couple of offerings to pour. Tickets were oversold for the venue capacity and a game of bumper cars ensued trying to move from table to table.  Finally, those promised hors d'oeuvres?  They were just tired platters of stale crackers, sweating cheese and soggy mini sandwiches, for which the queue rivaled the bread lines of Communist Russia.

I was able to pluck a few "best of show" wines out of the bunch (grape pun alert!), but alas, no pictures due to the high bump-to-spillage risk ratio.

Best Sparkler 
Barone Pizzini Franciacorta DOCG 2009, Lombardy
This chardonnay/pinot nero blend was a beautifully soft and creamy mouthful.  The bright acid kept the wine from going flaccid in the mouth and sang with bits of apricot and straw.  I'm becoming increasingly intrigued by Franciacorta, a sparkling wine from the Lombardy region.  I feel a new project coming on.

Best Red
La Gironda Barbera Superior 2009, Piedmont
Ripe plum, bing cherry and an earthy soil appeared on the nose.  In the mouth, the same flavor profiles followed suit and were given a bit of structure through the noticeable acid and moderate tannins.  Medium bodied and easy to drink, this was one of the best reds I sipped on all night.

Best Sweet Wine
La Gironda Moscato d'Asti, Piedmont
Classic moscato notes of orange blossom, peach and candied apricots wafted up immediately from the glass.  On the tongue, the same light sweetness burst in each frizzante bubble.  Not as complex as my favorite La Spinetta Moscato d'Asti but still a nice option.

However, these few bright spots were tarnished by the disorganization and chaos that swirled around them.  As an event planner, nothing infuriates me more than a badly executed event.  Coupled with my personal vested interest in Piedmont, I was roaring with disappointment.  This event did such a disservice to Slow Food that all I can do is scold them.  Shame on you.


Keep tasting, friends.....

Goldilocks and the 3 Bubblies

Once upon a time there was a girl named Goldilocks.*  One evening, close to New Year's Eve, the fair-haired maiden was invited to a party. Full of excitement and merriment, she donned her favorite party dress, glossed her lips and curled her hair in the most fetching manner.  She was just about ready to go but one thing was missing: a gift for the host.  Knowing she could not show up empty-handed, Goldilocks set out to find the perfect present.

Chocolates?  She wondered.  Flowers?  Our heroine wandered the chilly night pondering her options.  Just when she started to despair, the glowing lights of a wine store appeared in the distance.

Of course!  She would bring a bottle of bubbly.  With glee, she entered the shop.

Our leading lady first tried Clement Klur Cremant D'Alsace, a sparkling wine (but not champagne as it was not from the Champagne region) from France.   It was yeasty and toasty, with some notes of sour cream and green apple on the nose.  On the tongue, it was very dry and the baking bread tones again appeared.  But oh dear!  The bubbles felt like soda carbonation! "These bubbles are too harsh!" she declared.

Next, she saw a beautiful pink Cleto Chiarli Rose Spumante Brut de Noir Lambrusco from Italy.  Delicious strawberry, raspberry and rhubarb appeared right away on the nose.  On the tongue it was slightly fruity up front, rather toasty on the finish, dry and contained a decent amount of acidity.  Hmmm, she thought, this is very nice, but, alas, it was only lightly frizzante.  "These bubbles are too soft!"  she cried.

Our heroine was overcome with hopelessness, but just as she was about to leave, the kind shopkeeper brought out one more, a  Marc Hebrart Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne.  "Oooooh," she thought, and her eyes widened with the first sip.  Toast and yeast were prominent on the nose, along with pear and some yogurt/dairy tones.   The palate was similar in flavors, refreshingly dry and the refined, moussey bubbles danced on Goldilocks' tongue.  "This is just right!"  she announced.

With a twinkle in his eye, the shopkeeper wrapped up this treasure and our heroine skipped off into the night.

*These characters are a work of fiction and any resemblance to real-life people is purely coincidental.  Trust me.  The last time I tried to style my hair with a curling iron I ended up burning my ear.

Sundays Are Not Just For Brunching

Lazy Sundays.

In the wine shop, after the noontime rush of the bubbles-for-brunch shopping traffic, the day mellows out, making it an ideal time to open a couple of bottles from inventory to taste.  Although we sample things regularly, Sundays are the day when we can banter back and forth about what to try and when we finally come to consensus, spend some time discussing whatever we crack open.  Hard work, I know.

This weekend's lineup:

Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Grande Reserve, 2011, France
"Crisp" was a word that came to mind with this wine. Tart lime and citrus were immediately evident on the nose along with some stony minerality.  After sitting for a bit (and warming up slightly) a few tones of underripe pineapple came through.  On the palate,  the same citrus flavors appeared, along with granny smith apple and some flinty tones on the finish. This was a medium bodied wine with medium acidity.  It was an interesting contrast to the other French Sauvignon Blanc we tried last week as this stylistically tasted more like a New World, New Zealand wine.

Lini 910 Labrusca, Lambrusco Bianco, Emilia, Italy
Oh, white lambrusco, you are funky and weird.  The nose was incredibly yeasty with prominent odors of sour cream and greek yogurt.  Overripe golden delicious apple was the only fruity note on this strange brew.  On the palate, there was a sensation of tasting the bubbles more than feeling them as this lambrusco was definitely light on the frizzante. The same flavors were on the palate like some strange bakery experiment. I kept going back to it trying to decide if I liked it or not.

Chateau de Pennautier, Cabardes, 2011, Languedoc, France
Historically, much of the wine in Southern France has been made for bulk production and lacked much of the finesse of other French regions. However, there have been recent movements to improve the quality these wines.  This Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Malbec/Syrah/Grenache blend from Languedoc is making an effort.  On the nose, it was rather spicy with pepper, pine needles and sap making way for black cherry.  The same foresty notes were also present on the palate, along with black pepper.  Fruit came through as black cherry and raspberry.  It was of medium body and showcased a bit of astringency.  I'm not sure if this is a wine I would naturally gravitate towards but it's a great value option.

The Home Depot of Tasting Flights

In general, I'm not very DIY.   I'm in awe of the Etsy culture and the general level of skill many people possess when it comes to crafting.  Woodwork, jewelry making, print making - definitely not my forte.  The expansion of store chains like Lowes and Home Depot has me confounded.  Home renovation projects?  Forget it.

However,  one of our favorite neighborhood bars offers various tasting flights that rotate on themes throughout the year.  Even better?  They offer all their wines by the glass as a "taste" pour, which lets me build my own tasting flights. Now THIS is definitely something I can create.  Am I feeling like I want to dig deeper into New World whites?  I can build a flight for that!

Side observation: In general, flights are built around a tasting of three different wines.   I find it rather funny and also ponder why,  given the opportunity to build my own flight, I stay within the psychological constraints of three tastes, even though the options are limitless. However, I'm not aware of any standards regarding the number of flights I order (I jest, I jest).

On this visit, I didn't have any particular agenda in mind and built my flights based on whatever looked intriguing:

Flight #1
Dirler-Cade,"Cuvee Vielles Vignes" Sylvaner, Alsace, France, 2010 -  Strong notes of minerality, slate, pear and citrus announced themselves on the nose and followed through on the palate.  Refreshing amounts of acid gave this opener some zing. This was a great start to the flight.

Cantina Ericina, "Erice," Nero D'Avola, Sicily, Italy, 2009 - Blueberry and other berry fruits came through, along with earth and black pepper spice.  Tobacco notes  finished off this medium bodied southern Italian red.  I think this one will really shine with a little bit of aging.

Cadence, "Coda," Bordeaux Blend, Red Mountain, Washington, 2009 - Concentrated with deep berry fruits and intensely earthy, this was definitely a heavy-hitter. Along with all the soil,  black cherry and almost Robitussin-like notes came through on the lengthy finish.  I'm fascinated that  this blend came from Washington State and wish I had a French Bordeaux for a compare-and-contrast exercise.

Flight #2 
Jean-Philippe Fichet, Bourgogne Aligote, France, 2011 - Aligote is a minor player in the Burgundian landscape and is often used to produce sparkling wines rather than flat wines.  Seeing one on the menu definitely piqued by interest.   Slate, minerals and citrus all shone in the palate.  It was actually reminiscent of the Domaine Faiveley Montagny I wrote about previously and although there was something a bit simpler about the Aligote, it was still highly enjoyable.

Katogi Averoff, Thessaly, Xinomavro, Greece, 2007 -  Red berries were countered with twiggy notes and a little bit of ash, but the berries flowed throughout the entire sip.   Medium body with a bit of acidity, this showcased how Greek wines are truly evolving in quality.

Mourre du Tendre, "Classique," Rhone Blend, Cote du Rhone, France  2005 - Still on a Cote du Rhone kick, I had to add one to the flight.  It was a classic Rhone with blueberry, raspberry and plum fruits. Earthiness and green pepper  rounded out this medium-bodied, easy drinking wine.

Bonus
Lingot-Martin Cerdon de Bugey, Savoie, France, N.V.   This one was actually part of my boyfriend's flight, but I couldn't resist writing a note about it. This sparkling wine was a ruby color and rich, mousse-y bubbles were in the Champagne style of sparkling wines.  What immediately came to mind?  Yep, Ruinart Rose. On the palate, however, this was a completely different wine.  It was akin to eating a basket of raspberries and instead of finishing dry, a fruit sweetness lingered.  I see this as a good apertif to a meal.

Keep sipping....