Prosecco - Italy's Favorite Aperitif

Many of you are already familiar with Prosecco. It is Italy’s favorite aperitif. Many restaurants will offer you a glass to enjoy while you study the menu. In the afternoons, many Italians will enjoy a glass before heading home for dinner. It is the correct wine to use in a Bellini.

What you may not know is that Prosecco isn’t just the name of the wine but also the grape from which the wine is made. The grape has its origins in the Veneto region of Italy and it excels in the area of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene. In 2009, Prosecco from Conegliano-Valdobbiadene was granted DOCG status and this year Prosecco from Colli Asolani was also granted DOCG status. There is still a Prosecco DOC which covers other areas. You can find Prosecco classified as Brut, Dry and Extra Dry. The latter is the most common and in some cases is the best expression of the grape and its territory. Meaning that the fragrance and acidity of the wine are in perfect balance. There is also a sub-zone of Valdobbiadene called Cartizze. It is in this area that Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze comes from. This Prosecco has great character and is most commonly found as Dry but the Brut version is finally finding its way and developing more personality. One of the newest classifications is Il Rive. This version is made with grapes that come from only one area of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene. These sub-categories allow the wines to show off their terroir.

Prosecco can be made in the traditional method (second fermentation in bottle), metodo classico in Italian, or by the Charmat method. Some Proseccos declare years meaning that minimum 85% of the grapes used to make the wine came from the stated year. If the wine was made in the traditional method, Metodo Classico will be shown on the bottle.

Prosecco is a dry sparkling wine with good acidity, not overly high in alcohol (typically around 11%), and with a slight creamy flavor. So besides being a great aperitif, it pairs nicely with seafood and all sorts of deep-fried snacks as the bubbles help cleanse the palate. Try it with an assortment of deep-fried seafood, prawns and calamari for example. In Italy we call it Fritto Misto which translates as mixed fry. Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze in its Dry version, is best paired with pastries due to its high level of residual sugar. When deciding on a Prosecco, keep in mind that Brut will be the driest followed by Extra Dry which has a softer finish then Dry. The Dry version is the least common. Some producers to look for include Adami, Bisol, Carpenè Malvolti and Bellenda. Mionetto is probably the most easily found brand name. They have a large variety of Proseccos on the market so read the label to verify that you’re getting the one you want.

I hope you go out and try some Prosecco or re-discover it if you’ve tried it in the past.

As we say in Italy…….. Salutè!

The Valpolicella Family

Italy is a wine lovers dream. Within each region one can find gems. What makes Italian wines so special is the amount of native varietals found in the country. This is also what makes Italian wine so confusing.
In the Veneto region, near the town of Verona, is where you find the Valpolicella area. I’m sure many of you have drank Valpolicella or Amarone but could you tell me what grapes go into these wines? The simple answer is Corvina Veronese and Rondinella. More specifically 45-95% Corvina Veronese, 5-30% Rondinella with no more than 50% Corvinone. Italians crafted their wines using the varietals they had on hand as importing vine cuttings wasn’t common practice centuries ago. The first records of Corvina being grown in the Valpolicella area date back to the 1800’s. While Corvina may not be the noblest of grapes, in the right areas it can produce wines with nice floral and cherry notes and good levels of acidity. It is an ideal grape for drying as its small berries and thick skin help resist rot. Corvinone is its own varietal and not a sub-varietal of Corvina. It is similar but it has larger berries and imparts more color and tannin and can reach higher sugar levels. It is for these reasons that producers blend the two varietals together. Rondinella lacks the elegance and aroma of Corvina but it is disease-resistant so it makes it popular with growers. It also dries well but without the high sugar levels of Corvinone.

There are 4 wines in the Valpolicella family. Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso and Recioto della Valpolicella. All these wines are made with the varietals and percentages described above. So what distinguishes one from the other if they are all made with the same grapes? Valpolicella is a DOC wine with a minimum alcohol of 10%. It can be labeled Superiore if it’s aged for at least 1 year and has a minimum alcohol of 11%. Amarone della Valpolicella achieved DOCG status in 2010. The grapes are carefully selected at harvest and then laid out to dry. The wine is made no earlier than December 15 with these dried grapes. It’s a deeper ruby red color than Valpolicella and it has a fuller flavor. This wine ages for a minimum of 2 years and its minimum alcohol is 14%. This is due to the higher sugar content in the dried grapes. The higher the sugar content the greater the alcohol. The Riserva version is aged for a minimum of 4 years. Recioto della Valpolicella also achieved DOCG status in 2010 and is also made with grapes that have been subjected to drying and vinified no earlier than December 15. Recioto is a sweet wine with a minimum alcohol of 14%. It is also produced in a Spumante (sparkling) version. It is great with desserts and chocolate. The last member of the family is Valpolicella Ripasso. This is Valpolicella wine which is allowed to re-ferment on the leftover skins of Recioto and/or Amarone. These concentrated skins add a little extra to the Valpolicella resulting in a more complex Valpolicella. This wine is classified DOC. If you find any one of these wines with Classico on the label, that means it comes from the original and therefore oldest Valpolicella area. Valpantena on the label means it comes from the area of that name.

With the exception of Recioto, all these wines work well with red meats, game and strong cheeses. I recommend serving Valpolicella and Valpolicella Ripasso between 62-66 °F (16-18 °C) and Amarone between 70-74 °F (20-22 °C) decanting first.

If you have never tried these wines before, I hope this has encouraged you to give them a try. And for those that have tried them in the past, may this lead to greater enjoyment in the future.

Salute.

Chianti vs Chianti Classico

I often get asked what is the difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico. The simple answer is geography but in reality it’s much more than that. There is history behind this iconic Tuscan wine.

As far back as the 13th Century, wine was being made in the ‘Chianti Mountains’ around Florence. The merchants in the towns of Castellina, Gaiole and Radda formed the ‘League of Chianti’ to promote their wines. By 1716, these three towns along with the town of Greve, were decreed by Cosimo III de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, as the only official recognized producers of Chianti. They had an official area but what was now needed was an official blend.

In 1872, Baron Bettino Ricasoli, whose family had been making wine in Tuscany since the 12th Century, developed what would become the official Chianti blend. His blend called for 70% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 15% Malvasia Bianca (a white varietal). He determined that these 3 varietals worked well together and that those percentages brought out the best in each other making a very enjoyable wine. He later became Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy.

Over time, the blend changed to include another Tuscan white varietal, Trebbiano Toscano. In France, this varietal is known as Ugni Blanc and is used in the production of Cognac. After World War II, the market called for more inexpensive wines and the percentage of Trebbiano Toscano slowly increased diluting the quality of Chianti. Add to that increased plantings of a Sangiovese clone from Romagna, and Chianti lost a great deal of its original character.

In 1932, the Chianti region was re-drawn and divided into 7 areas. Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Montalbano, and Rufina. Many of the villages that were now in the new Classico area, added ‘in Chianti’ to their name such as Greve in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti and Castellina in Chianti. Starting in 1967, with the granting of DOC status, these wines began their return to quality. They became DOCG’s in 1984.

So here’s how it stands today. Chianti Classico is the wine produced in the original area decreed by Cosimo III de Medici. This area includes the towns of Greve in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, San Casciano Val di Pesa, Barberino Val d’Elsa, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Poggibonsi. The wines that are labeled Chianti DOCG come from 7 areas. Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Montalbano, Montespertoli and Rufina.

Besides geographical differences, the two wines have different compositions. Chianti DOCG may be 70-100% Sangiovese with a max of 10% white varietals, max 10% Canaiolo and the balance red varietals grown in the area. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc may not exceed 15%. Chianti Classico DOCG is min 80% Sangiovese with the balance red varietals grown in the area. Since 2006, white varietals are no longer permitted in the blend.

Chianti Classico wines are often distinguished with a black rooster on the label. Gallo Nero. Many producers belong to the Consozio Chianti Classico which was established to promote the wines of the area and improve quality. They are no longer allowed to call themselves Gallo Nero after losing a lawsuit brought about by Ernest & Giulio Gallo. The Gallo brothers claimed that having an organization with the name Gallo Nero would confuse consumers and much to the disappointment of the Chianti Classico producers, the Gallo brothers won.

I hope that you all go out now and try a variety of Chianti Classico’s and Chianti’s. There are great values out there and they’re not the same wines that were once sold in the fiasco.

My Olympic Diary - Casa Italia - Part 1

On February 12, 2010, the Olympic Games will open in Vancouver. Several months ago I found out that Italy would have a venue called Casa Italia located in the Roundhouse which just happens to be located across the street from my apartment building in Downtown Vancouver. I decided to see what I could do to participate.

I started by sending an email to the Italian Sports Federation (CONI). I introduced myself and let them know that I would be available to assist them in anyway. As an Italian Sommelier, native English speaker and Vancouver native I thought how could they resist. After about a month, I got a reply from what I figured was the company that handled the email inquiries for their website. They asked for my resume and some contact info. I immediately replied, and waited.

After a few weeks of silence, I decided to send another email. Still no reply. Being as I was getting ready to leave for Vancouver, I needed to kick-start this project. So, I contacted the FISAR national secretary, Mario Del Debbio (who I also happen to know) and asked him to write me a letter of introduction. After explaining what I was trying to acheive he got to work. Now as it turns out, the organization responsible for the wine bar at Casa Italia, Enoteca Italiana, is located in Siena (Tuscany) and they had just announced that they would be involved and they had only just started working on the project. Mario put us in touch and a collaboration was born. The person I spoke with, Alessandro Mugnaioli, was thrilled to have not only a sommelier on board, but one with my unique abilities. I could hear the sigh of relief over the phone.

And so my Olympic journey begins. I arrive in Vancouver on Monday, February 1 and Alessandro arrives February 3. The wines follow on February 4. The wine list is extensive and each day different wines will be featured. February 6 -11 will be the 'soft opening' and then we start in full force on February 12.

I'm very excited to have this amazing opportunity. I will use this space in the next month to document my journey as well as talk about the featured wines of the day and summarize some of the most common questions asked.

So stay tuned.