Winesnob's Blog

Barolo Chinato - The Bartender's Bacon

2012-01-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

Not long ago a bartender friend of mine approached me with a cocktail recipe he had come across. One of the ingredients was a wine that he was unfamiliar with and wanted to know if I knew what it was. The wine was Barolo Chinato.

Barolo Chinato is a digestive wine from the Piedmont region of Italy typically served after dinner. It is made by steeping the bark of the cinchona tree (quinine) in aged Barolo. Each producer then flavors the wine with his own blend of herbs such as cinnamon, mint, vanilla, coriander even iris flowers. To say that it is an acquired taste is a bit of an understatement. If you’ve ever had the Italian soda pop Chinotto, then you’ve got an idea as to the flavor of this wine.

I had never thought of using it as a cocktail ingredient but once presented with the idea I could see the potential. The difficulty however, is finding the wine outside of Italy.

Over the holidays I ended up with a less than ideal bottle of Prosecco. Not wanting it to go to waste, I added a splash of Barolo Chinato. That mediocre wine was made drinkable and an Italian version of the Champagne cocktail was born.

I was so thrilled with my discovery I immediately messaged my bartender friend. His reply……...It’s like Bartender’s Bacon. Goes with everything.

Sicily - Etna DOC

2012-01-18T13:58:00.000-08:00

Recently, I have seen an increased interest in Sicilian wines. The terroir and the indigenous varietals of the area make for wines that are a nice change from the classic varietals. I thought a bit of info about this wine region could help.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and it is surrounded by a series of smaller islands including those of Lipari and Pantelleria. The island is mountainous, 80% of the land is covered by mountains and you can see Mt Etna from virtually everywhere. There are active volcanoes found throughout the smaller islands with those of Ustica and Pantelleria being inactive. Mt Etna was very active last year with a series of eruptions.

Viticulture has existed here since the 7^th Century BC. The Phoenicians were making wine here in the 8^th and 9^th Century BC. Further developments came with the Greeks in the 3^rd Century BC when Sicily’s port became the most important wine emporium of the Mediterranean. After the phylloxera outbreak, most all the vines were replanted with approximately 43.5% of the vines being less than 20 years old. Most of Sicily’s viticulture is concentrated on the West Coast in the province of Trapani and the climate is typically Mediterranean with little precipitation. Sicily lacks lakes and major rivers.

Sicilian wines have seen an increase in popularity over the last 20 years thanks in part to the increase of quality wines being produced. One of the areas which is seeing an increase of quality producers is the Etna DOC. Some of the islands’ most important producers are here. Tasca, Planeta, Duca di Salaparuta, and Firrato. Notable producers from other regions of Italy (Tuscany being one) are also attracted to this area. Its unique climatic conditions and volcanic soils result in wines that are vibrant and rich in personality. The excellent 2008 vintage helped draw attention to this area and we are only now starting to see its potential. Super Sicilians perhaps?

The Etna DOC is produced in the province of Catania which is on the Ionian Sea. The vines grow on the Eastern Slopes of Mt Etna and its unique terroir is made up of old vines planted alberello style up to 1000 m (3,280 ft) in the volcanic soils surrounding the volcano. These vines are exposed to strong thermal air exchanges as well as sea breezes. There are some very interesting wines being produced here with elegant bouquets that result in wines that are almost more northern in style. More fresh and fragrant than alcoholic and overripe.

The white wines are predominately made with the local grape Carricante. This grape has Sicilian origins and its name derives from its abundant production. Up until the end of the 1800’s this grape was cultivated throughout the island but now it is found mainly in the Catania area. The wines are straw yellow in color and have a delicate floral bouquet.

The red wines are made with a combination of Nerello Cappuccio and Nerello Mascalese. The name Nerello derives from the color of the vine which is blackish. Nero is the Italian word for black. This very simple way of identifying vines dates back to the times of Pliny the Elder.

Nerello Cappuccio is so named because of the cap, like a hood, that would grow and hide the bunches from sight. Cappuccio means hood in Italian. This particular varietal isn’t often vinified on its own. It is usually found as part of a blend with Nerello Mascalese. If found on its own, it results in a light ruby red wine, high in alcohol and not excessively tannic.

Nerello Mascalese gets its name from its place of origin. The varietal is at least 150 years old. These vines are grown ‘alberello’ (small tree) as opposed to the more common vine training methods. The reason for this is to help contain this vines vigor. This varietal is used throughout the Etna area and can be found vinified as a white, rose’ as well as a traditional red wine. The reds are an intense ruby red with a delicate nose with strong violet notes.

The white wines of Etna are the perfect accompaniment to seafood dishes while the reds work well with pastas, roasts, strong cheeses and all types of salamis.

I hope that this has inspired you to give the wines of Etna a try.

Cortona DOC

2011-11-29T08:40:00.000-08:00

The Cortona area of Tuscany landed on everyone's radar with the Frances Mayes book Under The Tuscan Sun. Since then people have been flocking to the town and the surrounding area.

The Cortona DOC is located in the Tuscan province of Arezzo and more specifically in the Cortona commune (municipality/township). In order for a wine to be labeled Cortona DOC, the grapes must come from this specific area of Tuscany and only certain varietals are allowed. Besides Sangiovese, which is the red varietal found throughout Tuscany, Syrah has a huge presence in Cortona.

In a country with more indigenous varietals than any other, having an international varietal like Syrah as the backbone of a DOC is unusual. The explanation however is very simple. The Syrah vines have been in this area for centuries. Long before the current wine law system. French soldiers who had settled in this area brought the vines with them and those plantings thrived. And along with Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, the wine laws recently changed to reflect that. Not long ago the allowable varietals in the Cortona DOC (red) were Sangiovese 40-60% and Canaiolo Nero 10-30%. Both traditional Tuscan varietals. The current regulations are Syrah 50-60% and Merlot 10-20%. If a varietal is stated on the label then the wine must contain at least 85% of that varietal.

The Syrah's from this area are really great examples of the varietal. With red and black berries, chocolate, coffee and white pepper, plus nuances of spices, tar and tobacco. The difficulty will be finding them outside of Tuscany.

The Wines of Lucca & Montecarlo

2011-11-27T08:37:00.000-08:00

For the last 8 years, I've been splitting my time between Italy and Vancouver. In Italy I live in Lucca which is in Tuscany. I got my sommelier training there. When studying as a Som in Italy, you need to know everything about Italian wines. The region that I live in has 2 DOC rated wines. Colline Lucchesi DOC ( the Lucchese hills) and Montecarlo DOC.

Montecarlo has a long history of quality wines. The latin name for the Montcarlo area was Vivinaria or Vivinaia which means the wine road. This referenced the road that crossed the Montecarlo hills. Montecarlo was most famous for its white wines. Between the 1400 – 1500’s, Montecarlo white wines commanded the highest prices in the Florence markets. In 1408, Pope Gregory XII wanted only Montecarlo whites on his table and personally came to Montecarlo to taste the wines.

Montecarlo has been a DOC region since 1994. It was one of the first DOC ‘s to allow International (French) varietals. Trebbiano Toscano, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Vermentino and Roussanne are all allowed in the white blend while the reds can be made up of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Syrah, Malvasia, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The reason why the French varietals are permitted is simply that they have been here for hundreds of years. During the Napoleonic period, French soldiers were predominant in the area. Napoleon has ties to Lucca via his sister Elisa. She settled in Lucca and was the one who brought the Magnolia tree to the area. One of Lucca’s main gates, Porte Elisa, is named for her. The soldiers brought with them vine cuttings and planted their favorite varietals in the area. So, after existing for hundreds of years, it seemed right to allow them in the DOC.

The Colline Lucchesi DOC is more traditional. Established in 1998, its wines are made up of more classic Tuscan varietals. The whites may contain Trebbiano Toscano, Greco, Grechetto, Vermentino, Malvasia, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. While the reds are made up of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo and up to 15% Merlot.

Trebbiano Toscano is the most common white varietal in Tuscany. It is the same as Ugni Blanc which is used in Cognac production. It isn’t the most noble varietal but it does produce a nice dry, crisp white wine. Sangiovese is Tuscany’s most planted red. Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Chianti’s and Morellino di Scansano are all Sangiovese based wines.

In general, the wines from Montecarlo and Colline Lucchesi are meant to be drank young, especially the whites. You can hold on to the reds for a couple of years if you want. The whites are crisp with a nice level of acidity. Perfect on a hot summer day. The reds work well throughout the meal, from antipasto to steak. They have an excellent quality to price ratio too. The chances of finding these wines abroad are slim so it’s best to enjoy them while you’re visiting.

There is no better pairing to local food than local wine.

Lambrusco - Emilia Romagna's Bubbles

2011-10-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Emila-Romagna region of Italy is surrounded by Lombardy, The Veneto, Tuscany, Liguria & Piedmont. This region of Italy produces some of the foods we love the most. Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciuto di Parma, Balsamic Vinegar, Tortellini and Bolognese sauce. Emilia-Romagna’s Central area includes the towns of Modena, Parma & Bologna. A foodies dream. This area is also home to Lambrusco.

The Lambrusco vines have wild origins. In fact, Labrusca in latin means wild. ‘Proper’ Lambrusco is dry, frothy and strawberry-fruited with a bitter twist on the finish. It’s low in tannin and perfect with the fatty, pork-based diet of the Modena region. Local food, local wine is always the best match. This Lambrusco is nothing like the industrial screw cap versions such as Riunite.

Proper Lambrusco comes in cork-stopped bottles and is more expensive. It may also be difficult to find. These wines are not high in alcohol. They average 9.5% alc/vol.

The majority of Lambruscos are made in large batches in autoclaves however there is a new trend emerging: second fermentation in the bottle. These will be labeled metodo-tradizionale, metodo classico or even metodo-ancestrale. Most Lambruscos don’t declare years on the label and they are produced in Dry, Off-Dry, Sweetish or Sweet versions.

There are 5 Lambrusco DOCs in Emilia-Romagna.

Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC is the most traditional, mineral and least colored & fruity. It is also one of the most interesting. This particular Lambrusco varietal has sterile pollen which results in considerable fruit loss. Hence the limited production. Often, Lambrusco Salamino vines will be planted in the same vineyard to facilitate pollination.
This Lambrusco is ruby to garnet in color with a pinkish froth. It’s fresh, fine scent has a hint of violets and it has a delicate taste that’s tangy, well-balanced, fruity with pleasant acidity.

Another DOC is Lambrusco di Grasparossa di Castelvetro. Grasparossa means red stalk. In Autumn, the leaves and stalk of this varietal turn red. These grapes are late ripening and due to their low vigour they are cultivated in smaller vineyards. This is the least produced of all the Lambruscos and also the richest & juiciest with natural balsamic notes. It’s deep ruby in color with a violet sheen & light froth and a fruity & fragrant bouquet. It has good body, well-balanced acidity and is slightly fruity with a bitter aftertaste. An opulent & tannic wine.

Lambrusco di Salamino di Santa Croce DOC gets its name because the bunches resemble salami. This wine is also deep ruby red in color and its froth is purple edged. Its delicate scent is fruity and is reminiscent of ripe grapes. The wine is slightly acidic making it refreshing in taste with adequate body.

The other two Lambusco DOCs are Lambrusco di Modena and Lambrusco di Reggiano. These wines are blends of many different Lambrusco varietals making them perhaps a bit richer than the others.

These wines are really very enjoyable and worth seeking out. In winter we tend to eat richer, heavier foods so this wine may be a nice surprise for you and your guests.

Nebbiolo - The King of the Piedmont

2011-10-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

As winter approaches, our choice of foods tend to lean towards meals that are hearty. Pastas with rich meat sauces, stews and for some of you, perhaps even game. With these types of foods you need a wine that can hold its own. A red wine with substance. Wines made with the Nebbiolo grape are a good choice.

Piedmont, which means foot of the mountain, is located in Italy’s Northwest. The Alps divide it from France. The region is made up of many mountains and foothills with most of the land too steep or cold to grow vines. That said, the region is currently home to 16 DOCG and 43 DOC wines, the leader in Italy. Tuscany comes in second with 9 DOCG and 38 DOC wines. While wine is produced throughout the Piedmont, its best wines are produced in the warmer regions further south, especially the two southeastern hill ranges of the Langhe and Monferrato.

In the Langhe region, near the town of Alba (famous for its white truffles), you can find the tiny villages of Barolo and Barbaresco. Barolo and Barbaresco wines are both DOCG wines and as such have to follow specific guidelines. The most important of which is the area of production. Both of these wines are produced in specific areas of the Langhe and the province of Cuneo and are 100% Nebbiolo.

The Nebbiolo grape is a very difficult grape to grow. It is a late-ripening variety which often ends up being harvested very late in the season. Nebbia is the Italian word for fog and the Nebbiolo grape derives its name from the fog that settles over the area during harvest time. It is a grape that is very high in tannins which make the wines produced from this grape very difficult to drink young. Barbaresco has a mandatory aging of 26 months of which 9 are in the barrel. The Riserva has a 50 month mandatory aging (9 in barrel). Barolo is aged 38 months with 18 of those in the barrel. The Riserva is aged 62 months (18 in barrel).

Traditionally, large chestnut barrels were used but this wood imparted harsh tannins into the wine. This made the wine even more difficult to drink young. Today, French Oak barrels are more commonly used and coupled with modern vinification techniques, the wine is drinkable sooner. That being said, both Barolo and Barbaresco wines can be aged up to 20 years. Some even longer and the general rule of thumb is not to drink these wines until they are at least 10 years old.

There are many other wines from the Piedmont made with the Nebbiolo grape. Here are some others to look for. Please note that not all of these are 100% Nebbiolo, some are blended with other local varietals. Vespolina and Bonarda are the most popular.
DOCGs Gattinara, Ghemme and Roero
DOC’s Albugnano, Boca, Bramaterra, Canavese, Carema, Fara, Langhe, Monferrato and Nebbiolo d’Alba.

On some bottles you may find the names bricco or sori. In the Piedmontese dialect, bricco means the sun-catching crest of the hill and sori is the south-facing slope. Producer Ceretto has a Barolo called Bricco Rocche, which is from the vineyard of the same name and Angelo Gaja has a Barbaresco called Sori Tildin. Piedmont has much in common with France’s Burgundy region. They both focus on one main grape (Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir) and each producer tends to have small landholdings.

There are many fine producers of both Barolo and Barbaresco. Some Barolo producers to look for include Aldo Conterno, Luigi Einaudi, Paolo Scavino, Fontanafredda, Batasiolo, Anselma and Pio Cesare. Barbaresco producers include Marchesi di Gresy, Moccagatta. The following produce both. Bruno Giacosa, Gaja, and Prunotto.

For your next dinner party, make it Piedmont themed. Cook some hearty dishes and have each guest bring a different Nebbiolo based wine. Have a different wine glass for each and taste them all with the meal and see how they compare. Pour the wines in order of age, from youngest to oldest. Set a price point for the wines just to make it fair.

Sounds like a great way to stay warm this winter.

Salute!

Marsala - Not Just For Cooking

2011-09-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

Sicily has a wealth of fabulous wines. Probably their most famous is also the one that is most disliked. Marsala. For many years it has mainly been used solely for cooking. Veal Marsala anyone? This truly is a shame because the wine deserves much more respect.

Marsala as we know it was created in 1770 by the Englishman John Woodhouse, an expert on Spanish and Portuguese wines. While visiting the area, he was so taken with the local wine he purchased 20,000 litres (5,283 gallons) for shipment to England where wines such as Port, Sherry and Madeira were already extremely popular. Marsala is a fortified wine. It is similar to Port in its structure and vinification style but not in taste. It also can be aged in a solera like Sherry. Woodhouse gave the wine its name and in 1796 purchased property near the port and set up a winery.

Admiral Nelson was a fan of this wine as was another Englishman, Benjamin Ingham. Ingham purchased land near that of Woodhouse and introduced it to the wine world exporting it as far away as Australia. In 1832, a Calabrese named Vincenzo Florio started his company in Marsala. His was the first Italian winery of an industrial size. In 20 years, Florio became the leader in the marketing of Marsala and thus making Italian wine history.

Unfortunately, over time the quality of Marsala dropped partly due to excess production thus relegating it to a cooking wine. In 1984, laws were put into place to help re-launch the wine by severely regulating its production. Today we are seeing more and more quality Marsala being produced.

Marsala is made in 3 colors, Oro (golden), Ambra (amber) & Rubino (ruby). Rubino is the least common type. The grape varieties used in the making of Marsala are varietals that are indigenous to southern Italy. Oro and Ambra are made with a combination of Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia, Ansonica and Damaschino. Rubino is made with Calabrese (aka Nero d’Avola), Perricone, Nerello Mascalese plus up to 30% white varietals. There are 3 sweetness levels of Marsala. Dry, Off-Dry and Sweet. Dry versions have less than 40 g/l of residual sugar with sweet versions containing more than 100 g/l of residual sugar. Off-Dry falls in between.

Marsala grapes are harvested in September and made into wine. That wine is then fortified with a liqueur which is a blend of alcohol, wine and any number of flavors and aromas. Much like the Champagne and Cognac houses, Marsala producers have their own secret recipes for the liqueur that is used to fortify their wines. The addition of this liqueur to the wine increases the alcohol/volume. Marsala is typically around 18%.

After vinification, the wine is then aged. There are 5 ageing categories.

Fine – min 1 year

Superiore – min 2 years in wood

Superiore Riserva – min 4 years in wood

Vergine and/or Soleras – min 5 years in wood

Vergine and/or Soleras Stravecchio (Extra Old) – min 10 years in wood

Fine Marsala is a nice accompaniment with cookies and dried fruit. It can age 4-5 years.

Superiore & Superiore Riserva can accompany cheeses & desserts. They can age 7-8 years and 10-12 years respectively.

Vergine & Stravecchio are best served with aged cheeses or as a meditation wine. These wines can age 20-35 years and 50-70 years and are in the same class as some of the best tawny Ports and oloroso Sherries.

Recently I have seen an increased interest in Sherry. It would be nice if Marsala achieved the same popularity. I recommend serving a quality Marsala with a cheese course after your next dinner party. I know that not everyone is a fan of blue cheeses but you really can’t beat a Vergine Marsala with some gorgonzola.

I hope that you’ll be courageous and give it a try.

Wines of Washington State

2011-08-17T23:32:00.000-07:00

This summer I decided to embark on a Washington State wine tour. I have travelled many wine regions but other than a trip to Chateau Ste Michelle in Woodinville, WA several years back, I have never explored the Washington State wine region.

I have studied the area of course and it is included in the Americas lesson that I teach in Italy but seeing any region first hand always reinforces everything you've read/memorized.

I decided that the best way to make the most of my few days touring was to find someone knowledgeable in the areas' wine. I was extremely lucky to find Kyle Reynolds at Pike & Western Wine Shop in Seattle www.pikeandwestern.com. Kyle loves wine as much as I do and it shows. Once I told him my basic itinerary, he indicated what he thought were some of the regions' best producers. So it was with that info that I began my adventure.

My first stop was the Yakima Valley and Cote Bonneville Wines www.cotebonneville.com. The Yakima Valley was Washington State's first designated viticultural area. The whole valley is incredibly rich in agriculture. As I was making my way to the winery I passed orchards, corn fields, mint, hops (for beer making) and dairy farms. I was beginning to wonder where the grapes were but they soon appeared.

Hugh and Kathy Shiels planted their vineyard in 1992. After years of selling grapes to other producers they decided in 2001 to start producing their own label. Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah make up the plantings and their daughter Kerry is the wine maker. Kathy took me on a tour of the vineyard and explained the history of the land and the various soil types on the property. I gained great insight into the irrigation process used in the area as well as on their property. It was very dramatic to see the land above the irrigation line versus the vineyard just a few feet away. This area is a desert but it's very easy to forget that when you're surrounded by grapes and orchards.

After a tour of the property, it was back to the cellar where Hugh took over. He is an orthopedic surgeon and his cellar is as clean as any operating room. We tasted 3 wines. The Cabernet Franc Rose, the 2005 Cote Bonneville and the 2003 Carriage House. I could of sniffed and smelled these wines for hours there was so much complexity. Once I did sip, I couldn't get over the length of the finish. The wines are very well balanced and I'm just sad I couldn't have enjoyed more of them.

I don't know if we'll ever see these wines in Canada but if you are travelling State side, I highly recommend you give them a try.

Italy - How Sweet It Is.

2011-08-12T16:31:00.001-07:00

Some countries are known for their dessert wines. Hungary with its Tokay, Germany with their Trockenbeerenausleses and Eisweins, not to mention France and its Sauternes. Even Canada is known for its Ice Wine. But when you think about sweet wines, Italy is not a country that typically comes to mind. A shame really considering sweet wines are produced throughout the country. The best part about Italian dessert wines is their balance of sweetness with acidity.

There are two techniques used in making dessert wines, Vendemmia Tardiva (late-harvest) or Appassimento (drying). Vendemmia Tardiva is just as it sounds. The grapes are left to hang on the vine until they are over-ripe. During this hang-time, the grapes’ sugars concentrate and if conditions are right, a mold occurs. This is called Botrytis Cinerea or Noble Rot. Normally, rot on grapes is a bad thing but this type of mold is a really good thing. This Noble Rot is what makes Sauternes so special giving the wines that hint of apricot. It can also be present in some Ice Wines.

Appassimento is the most common technique used in Italy to make sweet wines. Once harvested, the grapes are either laid out on bamboo mats in loft areas or on volcanic stones to dry in the sun. The latter technique is famous on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria. Once dried, the grapes are crushed and vinified. This doesn’t usually occur until January or February of the following year. During the drying process, 100 kilos (220 lbs) of grapes yields 60 kilos (132 lbs) of dried grapes.

In the Veneto region, the drying process is referred to as Recioto. Amarone wines use the late-harvest and drying techniques. The reason that those wines aren’t sweet is that they are fermented dry meaning that there is no residual sugar left in the wines. Recioto della Valpolicella is made with the same grapes as Amarone & Valpolicella (Corvina & Rondinella) but in this case the fermentation is halted leaving residual sugar. In older times, sweeter wines were more desireable than dry wines and Amarone was actually failed Recioto. Other notable Veneto dessert wines are Recioto di Soave and Recioto di Gambellara. Both of these use the Garganega grape.

Another interesting dessert wine from the Veneto is Torcolato. Torcolato is made with the Vespaiolo grape. The grapes’ name comes from the Italian word Vespa meaning wasp (not the scooter) because the ripe grapes attract them. Torcolato means twisted. This refers to the way the grape bunches are tied for drying before being hung in special loft areas. This wine has raisin, orange, vanilla, green tea and roasted nut flavors. Maculan is the largest producer of Torcolato.

In Tuscany you find Vin Santo (Holy Wine). There are many theories as to why the wine has that name. Some will tell you that it was the wine used during the mass or that a visiting priest from Greece said that the wine reminded him of a wine from his hometown of Santos. In actual fact, it is most likely because the wine was usually vinified during Holy Week.

The most common Vin Santo is made with Trebbiano Toscano grapes which are dried after harvesting. After vinification, it is aged in small 100 litre (26 gallon) barrels called caratelli in a room known as a Vin Santaia. Usually wine is stored in cool cellars to age but the Vin Santaia is actually in a loft area that is not temperature controlled. The wine is dormant during the cool months and ferments throughout the warmer months. To avoid having the barrel’s bungs pop during fermentation, the bungs on the caratelli are covered over with cement with the year etched into it. This process usually goes on for 4-5 years. There is also a red Vin Santo made from Sangiovese grapes. It’s called Occhio di Pernice.

Sicily probably has the largest selection of dessert wines. Malvasia, Moscato & Zibibbo are the grapes used. Pantelleria is a volcanic island located between Sicily and Tunisia. Zibibbo aka Muscat of Alexandria is grown here and is the varietal used in both Moscato di Pantelleria and Passito di Pantelleria. These are probably the most famous dessert wines in Italy. Other Sicilian sweet wines include Moscato di Siracusa (which was almost extinct), Moscato di Noto and Malvasia delle Lipari. The latter is produced on the islands of Eolie and Lipari in the Tyrrhenian Sea. This is one of Sicily’s oldest wines and with minimal production, it’s not to be passed up if you get the opportunity.

Other wines worth mentioning include Sciacchetrà from Liguria and Picolit from Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. Sciacchetrà is made with the Ligurian varietals Bosco, Albarola and Vermentino. Picolit is from the grape variety of the same name. The grapes’ berries are very small and subject to a genetic mutation that causes them to spontaneously abort the flowers on newly formed clusters. As the flowers ultimately become grapes, less than half of Picolit’s flowers survive to become grapes. You can expect wildflowers, acacia, chestnut, honey and ripe apricots in this wine.

Try these wines with biscotti or strong cheeses like gorgonzola. They are also fabulous on their own as ‘meditation’ wines or as an accompaniment with a cigar.

At least that’s how we do it in Italy.

Tazzelenghe......Gesundheit

2011-07-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

Italy has a ridiculous number of indigenous grape varietals. There are hundreds, if not thousands of them. It's no wonder that the land was known as Enotria (land of the vine) in ancient times. Earlier this year I developed an Italian Wine Appreciation course and during that process came across many of these autochthonous (indigenous) varietals. One that caught my attention was Tazzelenghe.

Tazzelenghe aka Tazzalenghe or Tazzalingua or even Tassalinghe is a varietal that originated in Friuli. Friuli is located in the North-East part of Italy and most commonly known as Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. The hills around Buttrio is ground zero for this varietal and to this day is it's epicentre. This varietal gets it's name from a combination of words in the local dialect meaning cut and tongue. Tazze from the Italian verb tagliare, to cut and Lenghe from the Italian lingua which means tongue. So, this wine cuts your tongue with it's high levels of tannins and acidity.

High tannin & acidity is not something most North American wine consumers go for. Not exactly a great selling feature. But in today's ever increasing generic wine market, why not try something new and interesting? These wines most definitely need to be aged to tame those characteristics but so do many wines. It would be interesting to see how this varietal would do in North America. It is a high vigor vine that prefers hillsides or sites at the foot of hills. I would love to see what some of our winemakers could do with the varietal.

Maybe a BC VQA Tazzelenghe could be in our future.

Why I'm still angry

2011-06-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a couple of days since Vancouver made international headlines in a negative way. I spent Thursday in stunned disbelief. Friday, I was still sad and shocked. Saturday my anger finally blossomed. Call me a late bloomer.

I travel a fair bit and consider myself an ambassador for this city. I'm proud to have been born and raised here and to live downtown. I was thrilled when we won the Olympic bid and made a point to be here during the games. I even sought out a way to participate. I was the sommelier at Casa Italia during the games. Seeing the images of my city broadcast all over the world made me so proud. I don't have children but I can only liken my pride to what a parent feels towards their child when they excel. Vancouver is my child.

Now, a little over a year later, my child has been threatened. It's image and reputation tarnished by a group of people that I know are not representative of my city. People who's sole purpose was anarchy. But this is not what the world saw. All the world saw is that we lost a sporting event and rioted. Again.

The international media will not cover the fact that this was the work of professional instigators. People who have nothing to do with this city, or hockey. People that just took advantage of a situation where there would of been a huge public gathering. They tried it during the Olympics too but were not successful. This time they hit the jackpot.

There are reports of people being overheard that afternoon on public transit saying that they were headed into town for the riot. Facebook posts have been uncovered with afternoon time stamps stating the same thing. I myself was walking around the city that afternoon and I could feel a bad energy. I remember telling several friends that I had a bad feeling about that night. How I wish I was wrong.

The real Vancouverites were the ones trying to stop looters. The ones who showed up Thursday morning to help clean up the city. The ones who left post-it notes on a police car thanking the officers for their service. The people who have been tagging pictures and turning them into the police. The people who are angry like me.

I know now that when I travel and say I'm from Vancouver I will be forced to defend my city. To let people know that we are not a city of rioters, looters and hockey hooligans. We are a city of kind and generous people. I have spent the last 2 days doing so on Facebook and I'm prepared to continue.

I'm angry that I have been put in this position. Mamma Bear will always defend her cub when angered.

This city is my cub and I will defend it.

Sassicaia - For Love of Wine and Horses

2011-02-11T03:38:00.000-08:00

Sassicaia is one of Italy’s most famous wines. It is the original Super Tuscan and responsible for bringing Italian wines into the modern era. Like all great Italian wines, this one also has a history.

The Incisa della Rocchetta family, the producers of Sassicaia, have a long history in Italy. The earliest records of the family date back to before the year 1000. But it is with the Marquis Leopoldo Incisa della Rocchetta where our story begins. Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta is the creator of Sassicaia and Leopoldo was his great-grandfather.

Leopoldo spent 28 years working as an administrator in the Imperial government of Lombardy-Veneto. In 1840, he was paralyzed by illness and had to retire. He was 48. Not wanting to be idle, he began studying viticulture. In a memoir from the mid-1800’s, he spoke about the successful results of the French varietals planted at the Piedmont estate. In 1862, he composed his first catalogue of the 175 varietals of vines that he had growing in pots. In 1869, he composed a second catalogue. In this one he had Cabernet Sauvignon listed at #93 and Cabernet Franc at #145. According to his writings, he figured them to be the most valuable of all the varietals that he had introduced. Leopoldo died in 1871. Unfortunately, his nursery did not survive for long after his death, but his catalogue did. It became an invaluable resource for his great-grandson Mario.

Mario Incisa della Rocchetta grew up in Piedmont then Rome. He fought in the first World War as part of the cavalry and afterwards he enrolled in the faculty of Agriculture in Pisa. He brought the horse he rode during the war with him. During this time, he became involved in the local equestrian community and it was through his love of thoroughbred horses that he met Clarice della Gherardesca. She was the daughter of Giuseppe della Gherardesca and the American Harriet Taylor.
Mario and Clarice married in 1930 in the old church in Bolgheri then settled in Rome and restored one of the properties owned by Mario’s mother. It was here that they began to raise thoroughbreds and the most famous Italian racehorse of all time, Ribot, came from their stable.

After World War II, Mario and Clarice decided to move back to Bolgheri where Clarice, along with her sister, had inherited Tenuta delle Capanne. Bolgheri is in the Livornese Maremma. It has one of the most diverse eco-systems of southern Europe. Mario decided to invest in his wife’s family property. Money wasn’t a problem thanks to Ribot’s earnings, both in prize-money and stud fees. Due to the war, much of the property was in a state of neglect and one of Mario’s first priorities was to re-organize the agricultural portion of Clarice’s inheritance. This was Tenuta di San Guido.

Mario had actually been working on his pet project since 1942, but it was on terraces hidden amongst holm oaks and the trees of Castiglioncello, that the adventure of Sassicaia began. Mario loved the French clarets he drank in his youth. In the early 1930’s he experimented with Pinots at his estate in Piedmont. After further study of French reds, he determined that Pinot was better suited to Northern Italy and Cabernet to the center. He actually preferred the bouquet and texture that came from Cabernet based wines. It was in 1942 that he began taking soil samples and examining sun, wind and sea exposures. The local wines being produced at this time lacked elegance and often had a ‘brackish’ character due to the proximity of the vines to the sea. Mario chose a piece of land 350 meters above sea level (1148 feet) with south-east exposure that was sheltered from the sea winds. He fermented his wine in open-topped wooden vats and right from the beginning, aged it in oak. At that time, it stayed in oak for 5-6 years.

This wine however, was not appreciated by the locals who were unaccustomed to the flavors of Cabernet. Plus, they wanted to drink the wine in the spring following the vintage like they did their local wines. Mario knew that Cabernet could not possibly be ready that soon. The grassy and tannic qualities that so disgusted the experts were in fact good qualities that just needed time to express themselves. Annoyed by all the negativity, Mario felt defeated and tried to forget all about his wine. 10 years later, in the early 1960’s, with the encouragement of his son Nicolò, they opened some bottles of the 1949 and 1950 vintages out of curiosity for a friend who was a wine and food connoisseur. The wine was enthusiastically received and Mario decided to try again.

He created a second vineyard 100 meters (328 feet) above sea level and ran the vines north-south so that both sides received the same amount of sun. With some help from his Antinori cousins and specifically their enologist Giacomo Tachis, more new vineyards were planted and the most promising, Sassicaia, gave it’s name to the first Incisa-Antinori label in 1968. (The name comes from the pebbly soil in the vineyard. Sasso is the Italian word for stone).

With Antinori’s involvement, the wine was no longer in Mario’s hands. It reached worldwide success and won many blind tastings against the best Cabernets of France, California & Australia. One journalist called it a ‘Super Tuscan’ and the term stuck. Philippe de Rothschild wrote Mario. “Dear Colleague, your wine is wild and savage but brilliant………” Mario was thrilled to be referred to as a colleague.

Mario did not set out to make a wine that would change the panorama of Italian winemaking. He just wanted a wine for himself, his family and a few friends. Sassicaia is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. This was what his great-grandfather, Leopoldo Incisa della Rocchetta recommended. Sassicaia was labeled as a table wine until 1994 when it was granted a DOC designation. A unique distinction for a wine produced only by one single winery.

Sassicaia made the Bolgheri area famous and without it there would be no DOC Bolgheri and no Etruscan Coast Wine Trail.

The Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta died in 1983.

Prosecco - Italy's Favorite Aperitif

2010-12-29T06:38:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-17T07:26:00.000-08:00

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

2010-06-14T05:10:00.000-07:00

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

2010-01-29T14:36:00.000-08:00

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.

Brunello di Montalcino - Modern vs Traditional

2009-04-28T02:23:00.000-07:00

As I promised in my previous blog, I was going to continue with the Brunello theme. Last blog I gave you a bit of history regarding this wine and how it was produced. In order to have an even better understanding, it will help to visualize the area.

I realize this isn't the best map but it was the best I could do and it will help illustrate the various points I have to make. The map is in 9 quadrants. If we number them 1-9 starting with the upper left and then moving right, the middle quadrant will be quadrant 5. It is in the north-eastern corner of this quadrant where we find Biondi-Santi and Brunello's ground zero (Number 178 if you can read it).

Some boring numbers. In 1966, when Brunello became a DOC, there were 76.53 hectares planted. In 1968 the number actually fell to 56.24 hectares and was up to 74.84 hectares in 1970. By 1971 the numbers reached 156.50 hectares. Let's put that into some numbers that make more sense. In 1975, 800,000 bottles were produced by 25 estates. In 1979, they were up to 1.5 million bottles produced by 40 estates and the 1995 vintage registered 3.5 million bottles produced by 120 estates. The last figures I have (2007) show 197 estates producing Brunello. I was unable to find the current bottle production stats or hectares under vine but I can tell you that Banfi alone produces 600,000 bottles a year of their basic Brunello. What these numbers show us is the incredible growth in this area in the last 30 years.

But at what cost?

Ferruccio Biondi-Santi's Brunello was aged 4 years in large Slovenian oak casks then 2 or 3 years in the bottle. With all these new producers starting up, they decided to change the aging requirements to help them out. So in 1980, when Brunello became the first DOCG in Italy, the aging requirements changed from 4 years in oak to 3 1/2. The bottle aging remained. Today's DOCG aging rules for Brunello are minimum 2 years (3 years for Riserva) in oak of any type or size, followed by a minimum 4 months (6 months for Riserva) of bottle aging. The wine cannot be sold until January 1st, 5 years following harvest (6 years for Riserva). So right now you can purchase 2004 Brunellos. You'll have to wait until January 2010 for the 2004 Riservas.

With the increasing amount of Brunello plantings, the growing area got progressively larger. The areas in quadrants 8 & 9 are much warmer areas than that of quadrant 5 and the wines produced there have little in common with the original. Wines from the southern areas typically have lower acidity and higher alcohol and colour concentration. This combination does not make for long aging potential. Also, the newer and larger estates use meccanized equipment for harvesting. However there are still many estates that still do everything by hand.

In the aging requirements I mentioned oak of any type and size. Traditionally Brunello was aged in large Slovenian oak (pictured left), not small French oak barriques. A barrique holds 225 litres or 300 bottles and is the most common used barrel in winemaking (below right). The reason for the large Slovenian oak cask is that Sangiovese doesn't need all the characteristics that the smaller barrique imparts into the wine. In fact, it can be a hinderance to the wine. That said however, in those warmer southern areas mentioned above, the barrique can be beneficial. It can help balance out what the grape is lacking naturally.

So what does all of this mean to you the wine consumer? When you go into a wine shop and ask for a Brunello, you may be asked if you prefer a traditional style or modern style wine. Traditional is aged in the large Slovenian oak and modern in barrique. Ultimately, both are quality wines it's just a matter of what you prefer. There is an unfortunate trend upon us right now to homogenize wines. What I mean by this is that many wines are starting to taste the same. It's becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between Old World and New World wines. The marketplace has a preference for easier drinking, fruit forward wines and that is what's being produced. Nothing wrong with it but I'm just scared that we will start losing individuality in wine. I want to taste the difference in my wines. I like that Sangiovese from Tuscany tastes different than something from California.

So what are some Brunello producers to look for. A quick check of the BC Liquor Store website shows many quality producers available. It just comes down to price. Altesino, Angelini Val Di Suga, Donatella Cinelli Colombini, Poggio Antico, Silvio Nardi are all good. Not to mention the Banfi, Antinori and Frescobaldi offerings. If you happen into a good wine shop such as Marquis Wine Cellar or Everything Wine in North Van, ask about Brunellos by Tiezzi, Sesti and Argiano. Tiezzi's vineyards are located right outside the walls of the town of Montalcino (number 50 on the map) and are made in a traditional style. Sesti and Argiano are further south (numbers 89 and 23 respectively, quadrant 7). Sesti is very small compared with Argiano which is owned by the same family that owns Campari. If you want to drink the wine wine now, I would buy the oldest vintage you can find. 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2003 were all excellent years but not as outstanding as 1995, 1997 and 2004. The better the vintage the higher the price. 2002 was considered fair and 2000 slightly better. Those vintages should cost considerably less.

If you want to try a wine from this area but don't want to spend the money on a Brunello, try a Rosso di Montalcino. Most Brunello producers make a Rosso which is the same grape varietal as Brunello but isn't aged as long. This DOC wine was created to help producers get a quicker return on their investments while waiting for their Brunellos to age. A really good value for the money.

Now go out and drink some Brunello and impress your friends will all your new-found knowledge.

Brunello di Montalcino - A History

2009-04-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

I spent last weekend visiting the Montalcino area. Montalcino is a town in Southern Tuscany and is famous for the wine made from Sangiovese Grosso, Brunello di Montalcino.

I spent an intense 3 days touring vineyards and tasting the wines (in 4" heels by the way). I was laying the groundwork for a wine tour that I am hoping to put together. I have so much info to share that I think I'll divide it into a few blogs. I want to start at the beginning and tell you how Brunello came to be.

This area of Tuscany (like many others) was made up of people who worked the land for survival. In the 1700's , a man named Tullio Canali built a villa in an agricultural zone a kilometer and a half from the town of Montalcino. This area was known as Greppo. Tullio's daughter Petronilla, married Luigi Santi and they had 2 sons, Tullio and Clemente. Tullio Jr, became the first mayor of Montalcino after the unification of Italy while Clemente became a pharmacist. Clemente dedicated most of his time to the villa's agricultural endevours especially the vineyards. His love of the land and his knowledge of science and chemistry helped him become a first class enologist. He was a true pioneer and won many awards for his wines. His daughter, Caterina Santi, married Jacopo Biondi and their son Ferruccio inherited his maternal grandfather's passion for the land and wine. As a tribute to his grandfather, he joined the family names and became Ferruccio Biondi-Santi. It was Ferruccio who started making wine of 100% Sangiovese, the first Brunellos. His wines were very full bodied. Without knowing it, he started a new chapter not only for Italian wines but for the town of Montalcino.

Ferrucio's son Tancredi inherited the land and his father's passion for the wines made there. Not to mention, all his dad's wine making secrets. Tancredi realized how extraordinary the wines made by his father were and how well they aged. The proof was in the cellar which held the 1888 and 1891 vintages. Tancredi's decision to preserve the old vintages and to only make Riservas in the best years helped show the world how truly amazing this wine was. Tancredi had 3 children, Tedina, Franco and Fiorella. It is Franco who carries on the family tradition.

Dr. Franco Biondi-Santi is currently 87 years old. He is a very regal man. The wine world in general and Montalcino in particular are very much in his debt. There is no way that I can recount all of his acheivements in this blog. For the real keeners reading, I will recommend a book. Franco Biondi Santi, The Gentleman of Brunello by Kerin O'Keefe. It's not a big book but very well written and informative. I was very fortunate during my visit to meet and chat with him. It was at his insistance that I also got to taste a 1998 Brunello.

Here's a few fun facts about Brunello.

1932 - Italy officially recognizes that Brunello is a creation of Dr. Ferruccio Biondi-Santi.

1944 - Second World War. To protect the old Brunello Riservas, Tancredi and Franco hide them in cellars underneath Montalcino. Sealing them off by building a brick wall to hide them. Tancredi figured that the passing armies would either drink them or steal them.

1966 - Brunello is granted DOC status. It is with Tancredi's guidance that the rules for the wine are formed.

1970 - Tancredi passes away. At this time, his Brunello is the most sought after and expensive in all of Italy.

1970 - The start of clone selections for Sangiovese at the Greppo. These clones are labelled BBS, Brunello Biondi Santi.

1990 - Franco founds an environmental group for Montalcino to prevent a huge garbage dump from being placed in Montalcino. This dump would be 200 meters from the Brunello vines. After 6 years, he is victorious.

1994 - Vertical Tasting. 16 journalists are invited to to taste 100 years of Brunello Riservas (from 1988 to 1888). The highest points went to the 1891 vintage.

1999 - Wine Spectator names Biondi-Santi's 1955 Riserva as one of the 12 best wines produced, in the world, in the 20th Century.

2004 - Biondi-Santi's logo is added to the list of the best 'Made In Italy' logos. Others include Ferrari, Gucci, Ferragamo, Versace, Fendi, Valentino and Bulgari.

Ok. So after all that, let's talk about the wine. Brunello as invented by Ferruccio was supposed to age 4 years before being released. The Riservas 5 years. The first 3 (or 4 in the case of Riservas) were to be in large casks of Slovenian oak, the remaining year in the bottle. To this very day that is how the Brunellos of Biondi-Santi are made. And their price tag reflects that. In all honesty, you shouldn't even consider drinking one until it's 25 years old. I purchased a 2004 and I plan on holding it for at least 20 years. The 2004 Riservas won't be out until next year. In Biondi-Santi's cellar, they still have 4 casks that Ferruccio purchased. They are over 100 years old and every wine produced spends at least 6 months in them.

Coming up, I'll will continue with my Brunello blog. I'll talk about modern vs traditional styles of Brunello and introduce you to some producers whose wines I really enjoyed. Plus, I'll also talk about the Rosato wines made in the area.

Stay tuned.

Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival

2009-03-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

I had never attended the Playhouse Wine Festival before this year. I have been to many other similar events and as a general rule, I'm not a big fan of large wine tasting events. It reminds me of a cattle call. And to be fair, I haven't usually been in town to attend it.

This year I decided to take advantage of the fact that I was in town during the event. I was invited to some private tasting suites and I signed up for 3 wine seminars. I even joined the herd on the main tasting floor.

I attended 3 seminars on Saturday, Vinho Verde, Blind Blind and Century Mark. Blind Blind was a double blind wine tasting. Not only did we not know what wines we were drinking, we were also blindfolded. The idea being that taking away one sense heightens the others. Now as I've previously mentioned, I suck at blind wine tasting. This was a great seminar for me to work on my skills. Having just got back into town on Thursday night I hadn't had a chance yet to start building on my nose encyclopedia but I am happy to report that I did get 2 of the 10 wines right. And by right I guessed what grape varietal they were. Baby steps.

During the Century Mark seminar we tasted 9 wines all from vines that are over 100 years old. The vines are over 100 years old not the bottles of wine. These wines are produced in limited quantities because vines that old have small yields meaning they don't produce a lot of grapes. The wines were very dark and rich. I wish they would have given us some cheese during the tasting because these wines are so intense that a bite of cheese would have made a big difference towards the enjoyment of them.

But the seminar I enjoyed the most was Vinho Verde. Vinho Verde is a white Portugese wine. This was my a-ha moment. One of my goals with this blog is to introduce people to good quality wines that don't cost a fortune. Vinho Verde is one of those wines. You all know how I feel about Critter Wines, well I have found the exception to the rule. Vinho Verde Gatao (there's a blue cat on the label). This is an awesome wine. Once the weather warms up, it will be great to sip on the patio by itself or with a wide variety of appetizers. During the seminar there were snacks provided by the chef of the convention center so we got to try the wines with various foods. There is a huge Asian influence in Vancouver's cuisine and it's often hard to find wines to work with all the complex spices. Typically Rieslings have been the go to wine for Asian food as well as Sauvignon Blanc. The Vinho Verde wines were amazing with the Asian spices. The other two wines that stood out were Arco Nova Rose 2007 and Arco Nova Loureiro 2007. We tasted 6 wines and they were all fabulous and all under $20. The problem is that 3 of them aren't available yet. You can get Gatao at the BC Liquor Store for $10.99. The Arco Nova wines are available at Everything Wine in North Vancouver. If you are in North Van, it's worth a trip to Everything Wine to pick these wines up. The Rose' worked so well with all the snacks we tried. I was told that if you bought them by the case you got a $2/bottle discount off the listed price. Well worth it because once you have these wines at home, they will be gone quickly.

Aside from the great wines tasted during the seminars, I really need to comment on how excellent the events were run. The people they had running the seminars and on all the panels were fabulous. They made each event very enjoyable. I can't wait until next year so I can attend more seminars.

It made me very proud to be a Vancouverite. Many people from all over the world come to this event. This wine festival is really world class.

The Court of Master Sommeliers

2009-03-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from Orlando Florida where I was writing some exams for the Court of Master Sommeliers. I am a sommelier with the Federation of Italian Sommeliers (FISAR) as well as their Sommelier of the Year 2007. So the obvious question is why write exams for another sommelier organization. As with many things Italian, I find FISAR to be disorganized and unprofessional. Also, it is unknown outside of Italy. The Court of Master Sommeliers is recognized worldwide and there are very few Master Sommeliers out there. The program is very intense. I headed to Orlando because I could write several exams in 3 days. And Mickey's there. You automatically think wine when you see Mickey. Or is that just me because I'm trying to drown out the screaming children that typically surround him?

I arrived in Orlando around 8pm on Sunday night and my first seminar was at 6:30am Monday morning. I spent 2 full days in lectures before writing the first of 4 exams. The lectures consisted of an overview of all the aspects of winemaking as well as all the wine regions of the world. These weren't lessons. You had to know your stuff before walking in that door or you would have been lost. The key part of these 2 days for me was the blind wine tastings. Let me explain what that is. A blind wine tasting is when you are given a wine and you have to figure out what it is by looking at it, smelling it and tasting it. You then draw a conclusion as to if the wine is old world or new world, the grape varietal you think it is, the country and region you think it comes from and what year it is. Easy right? We tasted 28 wines over those 2 days. I suck at blind wine tasting.

There are a few reasons why I suck at blind wine tastings. A key one is that my nose isn't great. It looks good on my face but it isn't fine tuned in the smell department. I don't know if this is a result of the many sinus infections I've had over the years or if it just never worked properly out of the factory. Everyone is different with their smell abilities. I think people that grow up in the country have more to work with as they've been exposed to more of natures' smells than city folk. And I'm a total city girl. The other reason is that I've never been properly trained to analyze wines like that. The main focus in my Italian training was wine and food pairing, a subject that wasn't even discussed in the Orlando sessions. So for me, the blind wine tasting sessions were very important and one of the main reasons I wanted to enter this program.

The first exam came at the end of day 2. It was a multiple choice written exam covering everything imaginable about wine. Out of over 100 people who wrote, I got the highest score. There was no time to celebrate as at 8am the next morning I was back for more exams. The first one of day 3 was the dreaded blind wine tasting at 8:45am. The theory is that your nose is at it's sharpest first thing in the morning. My nose is still asleep at that time. Try as I might, I couldn't get anything out of the wines. Now, my nose isn't completely useless but it sure was that morning. I tried my best and then moved on to the written exam. This exam was harder than the one the previous day but I did well. After the written we had to do a practical service exam. We were put in a restaurant setting and had to open a bottle of champagne for our customer and answer various questions that he asked.

Let me talk about the champagne for a minute. Each sommelier association has their own service protocol they want you to follow. The ideal way to open a bottle of champagne for the the Court of Master Sommeliers is in the air, with a napkin over the top. I've never opened one like that before. I could have left it in the ice bucket and opened it there (which I should have done) but I wanted to do it in the preferred manner. When opening a bottle of champagne you should never pop the cork. The cork should be released gently so the champagne hisses. When I opened my bottle it sounded like a Disney firework went off.

Once I recomposed myself, I continued with the exam. I was asked a variety of questions including wine recommendations for particular dishes. Because of the champagne incident, I didn't think I did very well but surprisingly enough I got a good review and was even complimented on my wine/food pairing abilities. So it all came down to the dreaded blind wine tasting. It was no big surprise that I didn't do very well on that part.

So what does this all mean? Because the blind wine tasting is such an important part of the total exam, I can't move on to the next level yet. I was very disappointed that I didn't do better but I'm not giving up. I am going to work on my blind wine tasting techniques and start working on my nose. It is possible to train your nose. I just have to start smelling everything and commit those smells to memory. Build up my nose encyclopedia.

And drink lots of wine.

Studying is hard.

Tannins & Wine Temperature

2009-02-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

Last Monday night I attended a wine tasting event organized by Vancouver Wine Casual. They are a group that I found on Facebook. The event was held at the Broadway International Wine Shop on Broadway at McDonald (across from Safeway). It wasn't a structured wine tasting but more of an opportunity for people with a common interest to meet and chat about wine. The theme for the evening was Sparkling and Italian wines. We tasted 4 sparkling wines and 5 Italian reds.

I am not going to get into a detailed report on each wine as it would be rather boring without the glass of that wine in front of you. What I do want to talk about is something that came up during the wine tasting, Tannins and Wine Temperature.

What are tannins? Tannins are a natural preservative in wine and help give the wine longevity. They are found on the grape skin, in the pips and on the stems. The oak barrel in which wine is aged also gives off tannins. You don't 'taste' tannins, it's more of a tactile sensation. That astringent quality you get in your mouth when you drink some red wines is the result of tannins.
Why red wine and not white? Part of the red wine making process involves letting the juice stay in contact with the skins. The amount of time that the wine remains 'on its lees' depends on the wine being produced. This could range from several hours to several weeks. In general, white wines aren't left on their lees for very long. Chardonnay is the most common exception. This explains why you will get that astringent sensation in a red wine and generally not a white.

When serving wine, temperature is very important. Most people follow the general rule that you chill white wine but not red. The reason for that is that warmer temperatures increase the aromas, fruit, sweetness and alcohol while decreasing the acidic and tannic sensation of the wine. Cooler temperatures enhance the acid and tannins while decreasing the fruit, sweetness and alcohol sensations. White wines are made to be more acidic (thus more refreshing) and without tannins. Next time you have a glass of white wine, notice how it changes in the glass as it warms up. In general, you want to serve white wines between 8 - 10 degrees C (46-50 F). Chardonnays should be served a bit warmer because they are usually more complex. (12-14 C, 54-58 F).

The more complex and old a red wine, the warmer it should be. For example, a 10 year old or more Bordeaux, 18-20 C, (66-70 F). A younger wine, 16-18 C (62-66 F). The wine dictates the temperature. There are some red wines that it is perfectly acceptable to serve chilled. Some red wines are made with just enough contact with the skins to give them their color thus there is hardly any extraction of tannins. These lighter wines benefit from being chilled as they have more in common with white wines than other reds. Wines like Beaujolais (not the Crus), and Dolcettos from Italy are nicer if chilled a bit, around 12-14 C (54-58 F). These wines don't have the structure that other reds have.

What other drink do we consumme that is high in tannins? Tea. And what do you add to tea to get rid of the bitterness? Milk. The fat and proteins in the milk soften the tannins. So, why does a tannic wine works well with cheese? The cheese softens the tannins in the wine and makes it more enjoyable.

In North America we enjoy sitting on a patio and drinking a glass of wine. We don't worry too much about the food aspect. In Europe, food almost always accompanies the wine. Old World wines tend to be more tannic than New World wines. It is easier to enjoy a New World wine all by itself than an Old World one.

Summer seems a long way off, but next time you're sitting on a patio enjoying your wine, try one of the lighter ones served a bit chilled. It will be a nice change and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Syrah & Shiraz

2009-01-06T02:19:00.000-08:00

I often get asked what is the difference between Syrah and Shiraz. Are they different? Actually, they are the same grape. So, why the difference in spelling?

Syrah is one of the four classic red grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir are the other three). It's most famous growing region is the Rhone Valley in France. The Northern Rhone produces very dramatic Syrahs. The wines of Hermitage and Cote-Rotie are 100% Syrah. The Southern Rhone Valley uses Syrah as part of the blends that make up Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Cotes-du-Rhone. Further south-west in France is the Languedoc-Roussillon area. Syrah is also a major grape here where it is used in the blends of wines from Corbieres, Faugeres, Fitou and Minervois.

Shiraz began it's life in the seventeenth century when the French Huguenots brought Syrah to South Africa. There are only theories as to the renaming of the grape. One such theory is that the grape originated near the Persian city of Shiraz. Why the grape would be given a Persian name in South Africa is unknown. From South Africa the grape was taken to Australia where it retained the name Shiraz. Shiraz is the leading variety in Australia and the most famous (and expensive) is Penfolds Grange.

But what are the differences between these wines? The only real difference is in taste and structure. Even though the grape is the same, the wines taste different because of where they are produced, not because of spelling. The French wines may be more potent due to their acidity and tannins than those from South Africa or Australia. Those wines may be softer with a more fruity character. The difference in styles can be attributed to the growing area (terroir) and to the winemakers. Each winemaker puts his own imprint on the wine he makes. In general, New World wines tend to be more fruit forward than Old World wines.

Keep in mind that for every Hermitage or Penfolds Grange, there is also a Goats Do Roam (South African critter wine playing on the French Cotes-du-Rhone wine region).

So when you find yourself in a restaurant and the server tries to tell you that Syrah and Shiraz are two different varietals, you can show off your wine knowledge and maybe teach them something. Or just direct them to this blog.

FYI....Petite Sirah (sometimes spelled Petite Syrah) is another grape altogether.

Let's talk Turkey.

2008-12-20T02:21:00.001-08:00

With Christmas just around the corner, many of you are getting ready for the big holiday feast. And for some this may include a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixins. You may even be wondering, what wine to serve. Lucky for you, Winesnob, much like Mightly Mouse, is here to save the day.

I've made a few turkey dinners here in Italy (pictured above was my latest) and I've experimented with some different wine pairings and I've found that reds work best. But not a heavy, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon because the turkey doesn't have the fat needed to work with those tannins. I'm talking about a lighter bodied red.

Everything I'm going to recommend can be found through the BC Liquor Store. I checked their website and I've found these wines listed. It's up to you to figure out which store carries them. Or you can just hit one of the specialty wine shops that I've mentioned in previous postings.

Let's start in Italy. I have a few recommendations which you may be unfamiliar with but it's a good opportunity to try something other than Brunello and Chianti. Brunello di Montalcino is too heavy for the turkey but if you want to stay in that area, try his little brother Rosso di Montalcino. This is a DOC rated wine which comes from the same area, made with the same grapes but not aged as long as Brunello thus making it much more affordable. Not too far from Montalcino is the town of Montepulciano. The wine from this area is called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. It's made with a type of Sangiovese grape called Prugnolo Gentile. It's a gentler Sangiovese than Brunello but just as good. It's a DOCG rated wine (like Brunello) but more affordable. Avignonesi is a good producer. My last Tuscan recommendation is a wine called Morellino di Scansano. This wine is also DOC rated and shouldn't hurt the wallet if you need to buy multiple bottles. From the Umbria region you could try a Sagrantino di Montefalco (a DOCG) or if you prefer something from the Veneto a Valpolicella (DOC) should work nicely as well.

Just a quick note about Italy's wine ratings. DOCG means Denomination of Guaranteed Controlled Origin which is the countries highest standard. DOC is Denomination of Controlled Origin and it comes in second. For a wine to receive a DOCG rating it has to follow very strict guidelines which includes how many vines can be planted per hectare as well as how much wine can be produced. There are also specific ageing guidelines that need to be followed. DOC wines have many of the same guidelines but are usually aged less and production is sometimes higher.

If you'd prefer a Spanish wine, I would try a Rioja. The wine ratings there are Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. Gran Reserva being the oldest. I wouldn't go for a Gran Reserva as it may be too intense for the turkey but a Reserva should work just fine. Marques de Riscal and Marques de Caceres are two producers to look for.

Last but not least is my buddy Pinot Noir. I think this could be a perfect choice for your turkey feast. Your options here are endless. You can stay local and grab a good BC wine or venture a bit further south into Oregon or California. If you wanted to stay in BC, try to find a Burrowing Owl or Nk'mip. I like both of those. I also enjoy the Gray Monk Pinot Noir. In Oregon, Domaine Drouhin is a producer of note and the price reflects that. In California, look for something from the Russian River Valley or Santa Barbara County.

There are some reasonably priced French Pinot Noirs as well from producers Lous LaTour, Jadot and Drouhin. But if you're feeling like splurging, try to find a Pinot Noir from one of Burgundies top villages like Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanèe, Flagey-Echèzeaux or Nuits-St-Georges. At my last turkey dinner, one of my guests brought a Pinot Noir from Vosne-Romanèe. It was spectacular. I highly recommend trying Pinot Noir from those villages. It's an unforgettable tasting experience.

So with that, I wish you all Happy Holidays and Buon Appetito!

Cheers!

When good wines goes bad.

2008-12-15T05:39:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I took a trip to Avignon in France. In 1309, Pope Clement the 5th, left Rome and brought the papacy to Avignon. A summer palace was soon built in what is now commonly known as Chateauneuf-du-Pape (literally translated means New Castle of the Pope). Most of you have probably tasted or at least heard of the wine by the same name. So, it was only logical that I visit the site during my trip.

The wine comes from a major appellation of the same name in the Southern Rhone. This region has a very strong wind that blows through called the mistral. I got to experience this wind first hand during my visit and it is quite potent. There were a few times it almost knocked me off my feet and wine consumption had nothing to do with it. The vines stand like small bushes, low to the ground and the trunks are twisted and gnarled from fighting the wind.

When one thinks of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, it's as a red wine. The wine is actually made up of 13 varietals (14 if you count the the white and red grenache independently). Of the 14, 6 are white varietals. The predominant grape in this area is Grenache and it is the base for Chateauneuf-du-Pape. There are very few producers that use all 14 varietals anymore. Chateau Beaucastel is one of the producers that still does.

During my trip, I discovered that Chateauneuf-du-Pape is also produced as a white wine. It is one of the most enjoyable whites I've had. There is a restaurant near the remains of the Popes' Chateau and it was there that I enjoyed a glass of white Chateauneuf-du-Pape with a plate of local cheeses. As I had never seen this wine before I had to bring some home. I went to a wine shop in the village and I purchased a 1999 Chateau Beaucastel White Chateauneuf-du-Pape.Instead of drinking it immediately, I decided to wait to let the wine reach it's peak. After doing some research, I figured it would hold until 2009. Unfortunately, it didn't.

I was doing some inventory in my wine cellar the other day and I came across the bottle. I thought now was as good a time as any to enjoy it. The sad thing was that it was past it's prime. The wine was very amber in color and it resembled a Marsala wine to the taste. You may be familiar with the Sicilian wine Marsala if you've ever had veal scalloppine cooked in it at an Italian restaurant. Marsala is a great wine but it's not the flavour I want in my white Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Needless to say I was very disappointed. I had been looking forward to this wine for a long time but I waited too long.

So, the moral of the story is, always buy two bottles. Drink one several years before you think it's ready and if it appears to still have the structure, keep the other one a bit longer.

I also have a 1997 Red Chateauneuf-du-Pape that needs drinking. It was a strange year so I bought it to see how it would develop in time. I guess I best get to it. I'll keep you posted.

Oh and for all you keeners, the 14 varietals are as follows
Red: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Muscardin, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret Noir.
White: Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picpoul, Picardan

Let's talk about Rieslings

2008-12-13T02:59:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while since my last post. My apologies. It's been a hectic couple of months and now I'm back in Italy. At least for another few weeks.
Last night I attended a tasting dinner which featured Thai food paired with German Rieslings. In Vancouver you can find Thai restaurants on practically every corner. That isn't the case here in Lucca thus making the dinner a bit more unique.

Rieslings have been the go to wine to pair with Asian cooking for a while. It's very difficult to pair Asian cusine not only because of the spices and sauces but also how it's served. You get several dishes served all at once and each dish has it's own unique flavour. This makes wine pairing a challenge.

The problem I find back home is finding a really good Riesling. Most of the ones I've tried tend to be too sweet. Rieslings are a sweeter wine but a good Riesling will balance that sweetness with acidity. This balance works very well with Asian cuisine.

Without getting into a mini-course on Rieslings, I just want to give you some basic guidelines when looking at German Rieslings. This will help you understand the labels that much better. German wine categories are based on a ripeness scale. Tafelwein (literally table wine), QbA and QmP. QbA wines are everyday, inexpensive quaffing wines. QmP wines are the highest class of German wines and these in turn have 6 sub-categories based on ascending degrees of ripeness. No sugar can be added to QmP wines unlike wines in the QbA category. The ripeness scale is as follows, starting with the least ripe, Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein (literally Ice Wine).

Kabinetts are probably the most food friendly, Spatleses are late-harvest wines with more strength and intensity than Kabinetts. Ausleses are made only in the best years from very ripe grapes, and the final three categories are all very intense and usually expensive due to the low production.

All the wines we tasted last night were from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer wine region. This is the Napa Valley of Germany. The wines from this area are considered better than all the rest. We started with Pad Thai which was paired with a Markus Molitor 2007 Kabinett Zeltingen Sonnenuhr. Zeltingen is the village the wine came from and Sonnenuhr is the vineyard name. This wine was 7.5% alc/vol and was very round with some sweetness but not a cloying sweetness. This paired very nicely with the Pad Thai.

Next came Chicken in Green Curry Coconut Sauce and a Spicy Basil Pork. A St Urbans Hof Oekonomierat Nic Weis 2006 Kabinett Ockfener Brockstein was served. Ockfener is the village and Brockstein is the vineyard. This was 9% alc/vol and was much more mineral than the Markus Molitor. It also had a hint of kerosene smell in the nose. This is a good thing in a Riesling. Not at all a defect. In fact, Kerosene is one of the characteristics of Rieslings. Kind of like Cat Pee in Sauvignon Blanc. I really enjoyed this wine with the dish. It worked really well.

The Sea Bass in Chili Sauce and Garlic Pepper Prawns came next. With this a Willi Schaefer 2003 Spatlese Graacher Domprobst was paired. Graacher is the village and Domprobst the vineyard. We've moved into a richer category now with a Spatlese, also an older wine (2003). The wine was more intense in color and smelled a bit like lamp oil (also a good thing). There is a nice balance of sweetness and acidity in this wine. Willi Schaefer is a very good Riesling producer. This wine was 7.5% alc/vol. Also served at the same time was a Winninger Hann Spatlese 2006 Feinherb. At 14% alc/vol this wine had a light kerosene nose and a high level of acidity. I prefered the Willi Schaefer of the two with this dish.

To end the evening, we were treated to a 1976 Thornichen Ritlch Sankt Urbans Hof. It was incredibly rich in color and you could smell dried apricots and candied fruit. A nice wine to sip and enjoy.

Hopefully this post will encourage you to try some German Rieslings. In Vancouver there is so much Asian Fusion that finding a reason to try a Riesling won't be too hard. I did check the BC Liquor Store website and the only label they had was the St Urbans Hof. But check the year and the village/vineyard as well as the category (Kabinett, etc). There are many excellent wine shops in Vancouver like Liberty Wines, Sutton Place, Marquis and Everything Wine in North Vancouver. I'm sure with a little research you can find something amazing. Then make sure to let me know if you do.

About Me

2008-10-10T09:07:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine coined the term Full-of-Yourself Friday. So it's the perfect day to talk about myself and fill you in on my background.

I was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. My parents immigrated from Italy in the 50's and I grew up speaking Italian and travelling often to Italy to visit family. I even attended Saturday morning Italian classes. Trust me, at 16, that was not exactly how I wanted to be spending my time. But, mother did know best and it really paid off.

In 2003 I threw caution to the wind and moved to Italy. Even though I had spent a fair amount of time there as a child and was fluent in Italian, adjusting to living there had it's challenges. From time to time, I will post about those times as there were some funny experiences. But for now, it's about the wine.

In the fall of 2003 I saw an ad for a sommelier course. As I already had an interest in wine I thought this was a good idea. Not only would I learn something but I could meet people with similar interests. It was very challenging taking a course in my second language and I was fortunate to have the ability to dedicate myself full-time to my studies. In May 2005 I became a sommelier.

In Italy there are 2 sommelier societies, FISAR and AIS. I am a FISAR sommelier. Each year each society holds a competition to crown a Sommlier of the Year. Last October, I competed in FISAR's competition. There were 8 of us in the competition and I was the only woman. Not to mention, the only one that wasn't a native Italian speaker. There were 3 parts to the competition and it took place over 2 days. Day 1 was the written exam with the practical and oral exams on day 2. On that second day, you performed before a panel of 5 judges with each judge asking you 2 questions in a specific topic. For example, one judge asked about wine/food pairing, while another asked questions about Italian wine regions. At the end of Day 1, I was told I had scored the highest on the written exam so I felt pretty confident going into Day 2. Not only are you performing before a judging panel, but it's open to all the members attending so it's extra nerve racking. I had studied quite hard for this competition and that hard work paid off when I was crowned Sommelier of the Year 2007.

I will be honest, there were a few people (men) not too happy about it but I scored so much higher than everyone else they had no choice but to award it to me. I don't know if they were bitter because I was a woman, or a Canadian or because they didn't like my chapter club president. They never did give me the respect I deserved but so be it.

So here I am today sharing my knowledge and experience with you.

Decanting Wine

2008-10-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

When I'm out talking to people about wine, I get asked many questions. And there are many Frequently Asked Questions. So, along with talking about wines that I'm drinking, I also want to address those questions. They will be labelled FAQ. (I know, I'm just too clever sometimes). So, for the inaugural FAQ, I want to talk about decanting wine.

There are 2 main reasons to decant wine. 1, to add oxygen and 2, to prevent sediment from getting into your glass. Older red wines (and some whites) can form deposits (sediment) in the bottle. By pouring that bottle into another container (decanter) you can make sure that if there is sediment in the bottle, it will stay there. Some decanters come with a fancy strainer to help you out. Don't worry if you don't have one because you really don't need it. When you are decanting wine, pour the wine slowly and gently from the bottle into your chosen serving vessel. Do not pour it like you are filling your bathtub. Wine is more temperamental than women and really doesn't like being handled roughly. The best way is to let it glide from the bottle down along the inside of the decanter. Look at the neck of the bottle while you are doing this and watch for the sediment. If the bottle you are decanting has sediment, you will not pour all of it into the decanter. Make sure you leave all the sediment in the bottle. In order to do this, you will also be leaving a bit of wine behind too.

The next question would then be, how long do I leave the wine in the decanter before serving? This depends on the wine you are decanting. People think that older wines benefit from decanting more than younger wines. The opposite is actually true. I wish I could give you a handy chart or formula telling you if the wine is X years old, decant Y hours before serving. It doesn't work that way. Each wine and wine region is different. The varietals used, the year and the wine-maker all factor in. So here's some general guidelines.

If you have a young red wine, decant it at least 30 minutes before serving. You don't want to give it too much oxygen or you may lose some of it's character. Here's an example. I served a 2004 Chianti Classico by Rocca delle Macie last week. I made the mistake of decanting it too early. By the time we got around to drinking it, the wine had lost some of its tannic qualities making it smoother than it should have been. My guests thoroughly enjoyed the wine but I found it lacking. Sometimes, the younger the wine, the more oxygen it will need. Keep that in mind when you're picking up some of the new releases. Sometimes you can't wait to open that bottle even though you've been told to store it for at least 6 months.

Now, what if you have a really old bottle? Say something that's over 20 years old. The reason you decant this is for sediment purposes. Taking a very old wine and letting it sit in a decanter for a long period of time is not a good idea. As wine ages, the color becomes more orange. Think, terra cotta. This is a natural process. What started out as a ruby red will become more orange with time. This wine does not need any more oxygen to mellow out the tannins. My advice would be to decant and drink. Slowly of course (both the decanting and the drinking).

Hopefully this has taken away some of the mystery about decanting. Now you can use that fancy decanter that I know you've got in the cupboard but didn't know exactly how and when to use it. And if you don't have one, you now have a good excuse to go buy one.

PS. When you clean your decanter, just rinse it out with really hot water. The last thing you want is soap residue in it. Chateau Palmolive really doesn't sound appealing.

New Blog Features

2008-10-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

So I've been playing around with the blog layout and trying to discover more features to add. In the blog world they are called 'gadgets'. So, you will now notice in the right hand column, that you can become an official 'follower' of my blog as well as being able to 'subscribe' to it. I've also included some of the blogs I follow.

Hopefully you'll take advantage of some of these new 'gadgets'.

Let's Talk about Bubbles

2008-09-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

I like bubbles. In my bath and in my glass. The trick is finding good bubbles. For your bath, you want lots of bubbles and you want them to hang around a long time. In your glass, you also want lots of bubbles but you want them to disappear quickly. I recommend Lush Bubble bars for your bath. But how about your glass?

The trick with bubbly is finding one that isn't going to send you to the bank for a second mortgage. I'm a big fan of Dom Perignon but I don't stock that as a house bubbly. So, what do I stock? I've gone through a few selections this year and I think I've found a winner. But let's start at the beginning.

In Italy, we love our bubbles. The aperitif of choice throughout Italy is Prosecco. This is a sparkling wine made from Prosecco grapes and the best come from an area in Northern Italy, near Venice, called Valdobbiadene. Because I am very familiar with this wine, I went in search of something different.

One bubbly I was introduced you by my friend's dad, was a BC sparkler by Sumac Ridge. It's called Stellar's Jay.

This is a really nice bubbly. It's very brut. And by that I mean dry. This one benefits from having snacks handy. Sparkling wines pair very well with fatty foods. The bubbles cut through the fat. That is why in Italy's Emilia Romagna region they drink Lambrusco. The bubbles from that wine cut through the fat of their local foods. So, if you're serving anything deep fried, bubbly is the way to go. There are two reason this did not become my house sparkler. The first, price. It's $26.99 a bottle. The second, it really does need food to accompany it. And sometimes, I don't serve food. For those of you that know me well, I realize you find this hard to believe, but it is true.

My next attempt at a house sparkler was Antech's Cremant De Limoux.

I really enjoyed this wine as well. This comes from the Languedoc Region of France. A wine may only be called Champagne if it comes from the Champagne region of France. Any sparkling wine from anywhere else has to be called differently. In Italy, we call it Spumante. In Spain, Cava. In Germany, Sekt. Most places just use Sparkling Wine. In the USA, they like American Champagne. So what is a sparkling French wine called if it isn't made in Champagne? Cremant. I was using this as a house sparkler for a while but once again, two things got in the way. The first, price. It's $24.99 a bottle. The second, it had a bit of a sweetness to it that initially wasn't bad but after a while became bothersome. This isn't a sweet wine but it just had a bit of a sweet aftertaste which for some might be very enjoyable but just not what I was looking for.

So, my quest continued. Like Arthur in search of the Grail, I moved bravely forward. Working my way through the forest of aisles in my local liquor store, side-stepping the free tastings of Malibu Rum and occasional free pizza offerings. And then there it was. Glowing from above, calling out over the din of Mike's Hard Lemonade buyers........

Bimbadgen Ridge Sparkling Semillon.

OK. Perhaps that was a tad too dramatic.

This bubbly has a really nice balance. I can serve it as an aperitif even if I don't have food, it's enjoyable to drink and.... the best part.... it won't kill your pocketbook. It lists for $16.99.

Price is always a factor. In fact, wines are often in rated in quality to price ratios. This one rates highly there. The thing is, we all know (if you don't you do now), that one glass of bubbly leads to another. So, if you have to supply multiple bottles, $28 a bottle is going to hurt. $17 won't sting so much.

So there you have it. I suggest you try them all as they are all very good wines. I'd love to hear from you with your thoughts when you try them.

Until then.........

Salute!

Critter Wines

2008-09-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

So part of the reason for this blog is to share info about the wines I try. Some will be pricey but my main goal is to find good wines at reasonable prices. Today's topic is Critter Wines.

What are Critter wines? These are wines with cute labels and catchy names. They are typically under or around $15 and their main reason to exist is to attract younger consumers to wine. The trend has been that people have been getting into wine in their mid-30's. The Critter Wines attract consumers in their 20's. The idea being that by the time they reach their late 20's early 30's, they will move on to more interesting (better) wines as they can afford them.

Some brands that fall into this category that you may recognize include Yellow Tail (kangaroo), Little Penguin and Cat Pee on a Gooseberry Bush (a very Dr Seuss like cat). In general, these wines have come from Australia and New Zealand but now European countries are getting into the act. I recently purchased 2 whites which caught my eye. Both are from the Languedoc region in the south of France. This area is known for making inexpensive easy drinking wines. Both these wines are classified as Vin De Pays on the French classification scale. Translated it means Table Wine.

Let's start with Arrogant Frog Ribet White. This is a Sauvignon Blanc.

So as you can see they've got the catchy name and cool label part down. Sauvignon Blanc has 2 main characteristics, cat pee and gooseberry (guess what varietal Cat Pee on a Gooseberry Bush is?). Now I must admit, I've never smelled the cat pee in any sauvignon blanc I've drank to date. I guess my precious kittys' (past and present) pee has been too fragrant (in a good way). Well, I smell it now. You don't have to be a winesnob to find it in this wine. This is a good example not only of a critter wine but a sink wine. What is a sink wine? It's a wine that's best consumed by your sink and not you. Now, don't be thinking, I'll just use it to cook. If it's not good enough for you to drink, don't put it in your food. If you are curious, you can find it at your local BC Liquor Store for $13.99.

My second French critter wine is Chat-en-Oeuf.

Cat on Egg. Now this wine, also $13.99 at the BC Liquor Store, is a blend of whites from the same region as Arrogant Frog. The ads in the BC Liquor Store Product Guide say it's received 87 points. They don't mention who's awarded them those 87 points. This wine is drinkable. It's not going to rock your world but it's pleasant. A good patio wine when you're not expecting too much. I served it this evening with gnocchi and pesto sauce and it held up OK.

The BC Liquor Store is marketing both of these as Bistro Wines. Not a bad label as in general, French Bistro wines are inexpensive and easy drinking. Chat-en-Oeuf meets this criteria. There is also a red Chat-en-Oeuf which I haven't tried as of yet. If I do, I'll be sure to let you know.

New Header

2008-09-18T16:32:00.000-07:00

As you can see I've been playing with the layout of the blog. The header picture I've chosen is the Piazza Anfiteatro in Lucca. This square (more like a round) in the center of old town has existed since Roman times and the back exit still has the original stones from that time.

This painting was done by a very good friend of mine Marie Haws. She's an amazing artist and for those of you who have visited me in Vancouver or Italy (a lucky few have visited me in both places) you've seen many of her works adorn my walls. This particular painting is hanging in Vancouver.

She has recently gotten her own website. Please check out her work at www.mariehaws.com

I'm very proud to own several of the pieces featured in her gallery of work.

The Pinot Noir debate rages on

2008-09-14T19:50:00.001-07:00

I seem to have started something with my Pinot Noir comments.

A friend of mine whose opinion on the subject of wine I value a great deal sent me this comment.

Heat is measured by accumulated heat units summed over the time from April to October. ‘cool’ is generally less than 1500 Degree days. Warm is above 1500. Hot is generally above 2000. Kelowna is good for Pinot Noir because its degree days are about similar to that of Burgundy (around 1200-1300). Hot summer days are acceptable as long as the total heat accumulated is in check. This is why our 07 Pinot is so good in comparison to our other vintages: we had around 1350 degree days vs our usual 1500+.

OK. So there you have the technical answer. So, I guess you need to start looking for local 2007 Pinot Noirs. As you now know that it was a good season for that grape. But in my defense, if the usual for the area is over 1500, then my orginal statements aren't too far wrong if you consider that the mecca of Pinot Noir is the Burgundy region of France.

Another reason Sept 11 is memorable.

2008-09-14T19:14:00.000-07:00

September 11, 2008 was a very memorable day for my family. It was the day we moved out of our old home. Almost exactly 42 years since we moved in.

My dad had the house built in 1966 and we moved in September of that year. I was 2 years old. Not much has really changed in that house in those 42 years making it a bit of a time capsule. I started tackling this task seriously late August and just when I thought I had a handle on things I unearthed more stuff. My parents threw nothing out in all that time. My dad had paperwork dating back to the late 60's. His theory was we have the room so why throw it out.

I gave away many items. I did daily trips to Value Village over the last few weeks. I gave away furniture, clothing and tons of knick knacks. And there were many knick knacks. I had to fight tooth and nail with my mom over each item I threw away.

But that was the easy part.

I found them a nice condo not too far from their old home. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath with a lovely large patio. They are on the ground floor so they can walk out of their unit and access the buildings' gardens. It has a house feel without having to do the gardening. When I found out I was getting the keys on the Wednesday night, I decided to go in and paint. I managed to convince some friends to help and at 8pm Wednesday night got started. C & N met me at 8 and we started the prep. D showed up around 8:30. I knew it was an ambitious project but had no idea how ambitious until we started working. The job was instantly pared down to the master bedroom and main living space. There would be no time for trim.

The bedroom was a shade of blue and the rest of the place was taupish. It took 2 coats of primer and one of paint to make the bedroom presentable and 2 coats in the rest of the condo. D and I got out of there at 2 am.

The move was the next day. We were back at the condo by 8:30 am. I left D there to do touch-ups while I went to the old house to co-ordinate with the movers. The boys from Spartan moving were great. My thanks to them both.

Once I gave them their instructions, back to the condo I went. In the light of day, we saw how filthy this place really was. Fortunately, I had re-inforcements coming. H and J arrived at 11:30 and we all got to work. H brought along her new steamer and got going in the kitchen. Her Euro-pro Shark professional steamer is the cat's meow. As she got going in that kitchen, she couldn't stop. She spent 8 hours cleaning that kitchen. The condo is 900 sq ft. The kitchen isn't that big. I'll let you draw your own conclusions as to the housekeeping abilities of the previous owners.

The furniture started arriving after 1pm. I had left mom in the old house as it was easier that way. I know she felt helpless there but I didn't want her seeing the new place just yet. By the time the movers left, we had the place organized. I really wanted mom to have a nice first impression of her new home. By the time she walked in the door, my amazing helpers had furniture arranged so it looked like a home. Not a shell with stuff piled up.

Mom was overwhelmed. She didn't understand why it was taking us so long to clean such a small place. But when she saw the freshly painted walls and clean floors she was truly taken aback. She told me later that she never had so many people doing so much for her. It took her breath away.

Mom seems to be very happy in her new home. She is still unpacking. Hopefully, we'll have it all done by next weekend. She is really nervous about all the new things she has to learn to do. Such as how to get into the underground parking and which key opens which door. She also seems to have forgotten how to use the simplest of items. Such as the electrical outlet in the bathroom. I'm sure she'll have it all handled soon enough.

My thanks once again to all my amazing friends who helped me with this project. I couldn't have done it without you. If mom had walked into an apartment which reaked of curry, with grungy walls and filthy kitchen, she would have been in tears. Instead, she found a bright and cheery space that sparkled.

You've all gained major karma points. Or as I like to say........Princess Points.

Bloggers Remorse

2008-09-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

So, I realize I may have been too hard on last evenings wine boys. I'm sure they are very talented it's just their attitudes are in need of a major adjustment. The wine world is so varied and there are so many different expressions of wine. Each person will have styles that they prefer. No one's opinions should be discounted. It's a rather sore point for me as I've come across that often in Italy. I expect it from the old guard over there but haven't encountered it here. So, it got under my skin.

And to further clarify, it's not that there are no good Pinot Noirs grown in the Okanagan, it's just that Pinot Noir is an extremely difficult grape to grow and needs proper handling. It's a bit of a princess. You need a winemaker that really knows what he's doing. And, it does thrive in cooler climate areas as mentioned before. Some local Pinot Noirs that I have enjoyed include Burrowing Owl and Gray Monk. Just make sure that when you drink Pinot Noir that it not be served too warm. It loses all it's finesse. It shouldn't be warmer than 16 degrees centigrade.

OK. I feel better now. However, there still is no excuse for not noticing the taint in that glass of wine. Especially from people with that sort of training.

Wine Geeks Beware

2008-09-09T00:53:00.000-07:00

Ok. So I've finally gotten off my butt and started a blog. There have been a few of you that have been on my case for a while now so......you can shut it.

Here's what got me off my butt. Tonight I had a fantastic dinner with the winemaker from Burrowing Owl and his lovely wife. We had a fabulous dinner at Cin Cin in Vancouver. Good food, good wine and good company. All the elements of a great night.

On my way home, I decided to stop into Uva. A winebar on Smythe and Seymour. Now, being as this is Winesnob's blog, expect lots of wine related items. So, we will start off with a bang.

Uva is run by a Sommelier I met last November when he was working at Lumiere. His name is Sebastian. He's really cool. He couldn't wait to introduce me to some fellow winesnobs. They were in town doing some Master of Wine classes. Now, just to bring you all up to speed, a Master of Wine is a really big deal. Way above my lowly sommelier status.

So, I sat at the table with these guys listening and learning. Until........

I realized they hadn't a clue. So, I was quiet at first. Demure even. And for those of you that really know me, you know this was a challenge. All was well until we got into the topic of Pinot Noir. Now, just to give you a bit of background, Pinot Noir is a grape that does well in cool climates. It thrives in the Champagne region of France (northern France), Oregon, and the Russian River Valley of California. All cool climate areas. The Okanagan Valley, really isn't ideal. Most of you know how hot it gets there in the summer. So, does that seem like a cool climate? See, you're already smarter than these bozos. Did I say bozos? Outer voice, must learn to control that.

As you can imagine, I've already offended them. Ooops. Now here's the kicker. While we were sitting there, we were served a Malbec from Argentina. I was still sipping on my earlier wine so I didn't get to it right away. They tasted it whole-heartedly. By the time I got to it, they were leaving. This was after the big Pinot Noir discussion. Which, they both dismissed me on.

As I brought the glass to my nose......Ewwww. The wine was tainted. What does that mean? It stunk. It wasn't corked, it was that plus a little extra smell. As they were leaving I said, Did you guys have the Malbec? Yes they said. Didn't you notice it's tainted?

Of course, they had both drank it down. I gave them my glass to smell and had to listen to some very clever back-peddling.

As they left, tails between their legs, I let the owner/sommelier smell it and he totally agreed with me. These guys are charging $300 to participate in their classes. They will let me know the next time they hold them in town. How many of you want to be there when I attend and shame them?

I don't claim to know everything. I'm always willing to listen and learn. But just because I'm a woman, don't dismiss me.

16 years in lumber taught me to hold my own.

Wine boys beware.........There's a new chick in town.