Italy | Moore Brothers Wine Company

Archive for italy – Page 2

bardolino corte gardoni

By David Moore

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

West of Verona on Lago di Garda in the Veneto region of Italy, Bardolino is both a charming village and a fragrant red wine. A blend of Corvina and Rondinella, this is a polished, beautifully scented and silky wine with pure red-berry flavors and a mildly spicy finish.

Like other agricultural communities where the cuisine is complex and varied, Bardolino has evolved into a versatile, food-friendly wine.

region

Regional History
The ancients believed Venetians were directly descended from the survivors of the Fall of Troy. Like the Trojans, they were tremendous artisans, and their agricultural ability was particularly admired. More likely, the Venetians came from the vast diaspora of peoples out of the Carpathian Mountains around 1500 BC.

It was homage to these people that prompted the Romans to name the Tenth Imperial Region after them: the Veneti. Pliny, Virgil, Suetonius and Martial all refer to Reticum and Acinaticum, the direct ancestors of modern Veronese wine.

Directly west of the city of Verona, on the southeastern shore of Lake Garda are Bardolino and Bianco di Custoza. The poor quality of the soil, composed mainly of gravel, clay sand deposited by melting ice at the end of the last glacial period, is the unique microclimate that is responsible for the fragrance and charm of these wines.

Regional Foods
Veneto touches the Adriatic Sea at Venice and runs north through the Dolomites to the Austrian border. Its southern and western limits are the large alluvial plain formed by the Garda basin and the valley north of the Po River.

This tremendous variety of landscape has provided Veneto with an equally varied cuisine: seafood from both Lake Garda and the Adriatic; game, mushrooms and mountain herbs from the Dolomites; the best vegetables of Northeastern Italy – as well as its two staples, corn and rice – come from the Po Valley.

Polenta was introduced in the 17th century and was prepared in much the same way as other grain flours that preceded it. It can be plain, grilled or fried and paired with meats, game and fish.

Rice, introduced by the Venetian traders as early as 1400, is the inspiration for as many as forty different risottos. Rice is also prepared with fish and vegetables. One of the fonder pairings of rice and vegetables is Risi e Bisi, or rice and fresh young peas.

Categories : tasting notes, veneto/alto-adige/etc...

Tags : italy, learning, tasting notes, veneto

dolcetto d’alba lorenzino ettore germano

By David Moore

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

In 1990, Sergio Germano returned from oenology school to his family’s six hectares in Serralunga d’Alba.

Today, with nearly 11 hectares on and around the cru (single vineyard) Cerretta, he remains one of only a handful of artisan producers in Serralunga.

Sergio’s Lorenzino Dolcetto d’Alba comes from four small parcels of young vines, and shows bright, deep Bing Cherry coloring, with an extremely concentrated nose of cherry and tobacco.

The structured, supple palate and the long and lingering finish, make for impeccable balance. Superb with salami and cured meats, and versatile with many Piemontese antipasti.

region

Regional History
The wines of Piemonte are noted as far back as Pliny’s Natural History. Due to geographic and political isolation, Piemonte was without a natural port for most of its history, which made exportation treacherous and expensive. This left the Piemontese with little incentive to expand production.

Sixteenth-century records show a mere 14% of the Bassa Langa under vine – most of that low-lying and farmed polyculturally.

In the nineteenth century the Marchesa Falletti, a French woman by birth, brought eonologist Louis Oudart from Champagne to create the first dry wines in Piemonte. Along with work in experimental vineyards at Castello Grinzane conducted by Camilo Cavour – later Conte di Cavour, leader of the Risorgimento and first Prime Minister of Italy – this was the birth of modern wine in the Piedmont.

At the heart of the region and her reputation are Alba and the Langhe Hills. This series of weathered outcroppings south of the Tanaro River is of maritime origin and composed mainly of limestone, sand, and clay known as terra bianca. In these soils – located mainly around the areas of Barolo and Barbaresco – the ancient allobrogica, now nebbiolo, achieves its renowned fineness and power.

Regional Foods
Piedmontese cuisine is heavily influenced by French culture; rich foods with bechamel, mayonnaise, and reduction sauces are often featured. The cuisine is highly localized and seasonal-vegetable varieties are abundant in the south bordering Liguria.

Piemonte has its own distinct breed of cow descended from the Auroch and Zebu breeds. The meat they provide is unique and often served as carpaccio. This distinctly flavored beef is also braised or roasted.

Local pastas include tagliatelle and ravioli stuffed with local vegetables, cheese and meats. White truffles are the most famous and expensive regional specialty, and are often shaved over appetizers or served à la carte in thin slices. Typical cheeses include Castelmangno, Gorgonzola, Fontal, Fontina, Bra and Robiola-Piedmontese.

Categories : piemonte, tasting notes

Tags : learning, piemonte, tasting notes

chianti classico isole e olena

By David Moore

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

At the heart of Paolo de Marchi’s wine-making philosophy is his sense of what is typically Tuscan. Amid the over-extracted, cabernet-influenced wines produced in Tuscany today, Paolo’s elegant renditions of Chianti quietly exalt the beauty of Sangiovese.

Supple, well balanced, and perfumed in every vintage, they have become an illustration for younger producers of what pristine agriculture, high-density vineyards and meticulous fermentation can achieve. Fennel, and porcini-infused earth form the backdrop for fine, black cherry fruit, while silky tannins and mouth-watering fruit acids allow Paolo’s wines to linger gracefully on the palate. Roasted sausage and Sugo di Coniglio are natural accompaniments.

Regional History

Tuscany’s influence on viticulture has been profound and indelible. Etruscan artifacts and the fossilized remains of indigenous vinifera rootstock indicate an advanced wine culture as far back as 800 BC. Their methods profoundly influenced the Romans, whose tenacity spread them throughout most of the Mediterranean and as far north as the Rhine. Rome’s penchant for agricultural inventiveness refined the Etruscan techniques (mostly how vines were best pruned and trained) and set the stage for succeeding developments in the wine trade.

The Rinaiscimento brought to prominence many of the noble Tuscan families: Antinori, Ricasoli, and Ruffino became symbols of Tuscany’s political and economic importance and were responsible in good part for the expansion of trade and increased respect for Florence’s wines.

References to Chianti as a “wine from a particular place” appear in the trading documents of Francesco Datini in the fourteenth century, but its present boundaries were not defined until Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, issued an edict in 1716. The same boundaries still define Chianti “Classico” today.

Regional Foods

Tuscany is perhaps the quintessential Italian landscape. Its gentle, rolling hills are graced with fields of sunflowers, grapevines, and olive orchards. The region’s beautiful hill towns still mesmerize travelers with the promise of an extraordinary meal.

The Chianina cattle, (used in the famous bistecca alla Fiorentina ), chickens known as Livornesi, rabbit, wild boar, pigeon and woodcock are all raised or farmed in the region. But olive oil is what makes Tuscan food so unmistakably Tuscan. Rather than a dressing, the oil is the basis for nearly every dish. Food is sautée and fried in it, soups are finished benedette – given a last-minute benediction by spooning oil into them – and every vegetable is made tastier with a couple of tablespoons of local olive oil.

Categories : tasting notes, tuscany

Tags : tasting notes

moscato d’asti g.d. vajra

By David Moore

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

There are no poor relatives in Aldo and Milena Vajra’s wine family. From their celebrated Barolos to the less ambitious Dolcettos, the wines are all meaningful and exceptionally well crafted.

Aldo Vajra’s wines are among the most eloquent and authentic expressions of the Langhe, here intended more as a lifestyle of dedication and commitment, rather than a trendy fashion.

This Moscato Bianco is no exception. After soft pressing, the first run must is held in autoclavi (pressure tanks), then filtered as many as eight times to stop fermentation. The pale, straw-colored wine is delightfully fresh and clean – and with a surprisingly long-lasting, frothy mousse.

Regional History

The wines of Piemonte are noted as far back as Pliny’s Natural History. Due to geographic and political isolation, Piemonte was without a natural port for most of its history, which made exportation treacherous and expensive. This left the Piemontese with little incentive to expand production. Sixteenth-century records show a mere 14% of the Bassa Langa under vine – most of that low-lying and farmed polyculturally.

In the nineteenth century the Marchesa Falletti, a French woman by birth, brought eonologist Louis Oudart from Champagne to create the first dry wines in Piemonte. Along with work in experimental vineyards at Castello Grinzane conducted by Camilo Cavour – later Conte di Cavour, leader of the Risorgimento and first Prime Minister of Italy – this was the birth of modern wine in the Piedmont.

Many of the DOC designated Asti are contiguous or overlap those of Alba – one such example is Moscato d’Asti, a traditional, sweet, frizzante wine produced from various clones of the Muscat grape. The wine, generally produced in small amounts, is a delicious pairing to the milder hams and fresh fruits of the region.

Regional Foods

Piemontese cuisine is heavily influenced by French culture; rich foods with béchamel, mayonnaise, and reduction sauces are often featured. The cuisine is highly localized and seasonal – vegetable varieties are abundant in the south-bordering Liguria.

Piemonte has its own distinct breed of cow descended from the Auroch and Zebu breeds. Their distinctly flavored beef is unique and often served as carpaccio, carne cruda, or braised or roasted.

Regional pastas include tagliatelle and ravioli stuffed with local vegetables, cheese and meats. White truffles are the most famous and expensive regional specialty, and are often shaved over appetizers or served à la carte in thin slices. Typical cheeses include Castelmangno, Gorgonzola, Fontal, Fontina, Bra and Robiola-Piedmontese.

Categories : piemonte, tasting notes

Tags : learning, tasting notes

puglia, and the search for “good” wine – part 1

By frank

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

There are two kinds of wine in the world: “good,” and the other kind

…paraphrasing Duke Ellington’s famous comment on music

The wines of Puglia’s Salento peninsula are based on the indigenous grape of the area, Negroamaro. The aromatic Malvasia Nera grape is the traditional supporting actor in Salento wines, giving lift and nuance to the rich, mellow Negroamaro. Red grapes such as Primitivo, Montepulciano, and Sangiovese also have been planted here for centuries. As Puglians have long relied on Rosato (rosé) as their wine for seafood and meatless pastas, clonal research on the indigenous white grapes Verdeca and Bombina has lagged.

La cucina of Puglia is abundant and varied. The flat fertile North provides cereal and pasta, lamb and sheep’s cheese come from the hills and plateaux, seafood from the Adriatic and Ionian Seas and a wide range of vegetables, fruits and herbs grow throughout Puglia. Puglia also is Italy’s premier producer of olive oil. Native cuisine itself has been influenced by Spanish colonization and Puglia’s proximity to both Greece and North Africa.

Puglia’s long hot summers, consistent (for Europe ) weather patterns and rather flat, easier-to-harvest land have made Puglia a provider of dark, high-alcohol reds that make up in potency what they lack in finesse. Even today, inexpensive, high-octane Puglian red magically appears to darken and enrich the modest color and soften the higher acidity of the Sangiovese grape in the wines of Chianti. The ubiquitous Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnay vines have appeared on the scene as well.

Puglia’s potential for producing big, lush wines has brought on a wave of Australian flying-winemakers. These oenologists are hired to blend, sculpt and fashion wines of “mass-market appeal.” There are also plenty of native Italian “consultants-for-hire” to furnish a winery with a “line” from “bang-for-the-buck” straight through to “high-ticket, trophy” wine.

Next: Castel di Salve

Posted by Frank Splane

Categories : italy - points south, learning

Tags : italy, learning

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