Azienda Fongoli Sagrantino and Montefalco Rosso Reserva -

When I was researching my trip to Italy, everywhere I read people described Umbria as quiet, remote, difficult to travel to by train, and understated. Next to it's flashy and popular sister Tuscany, I can see why my friend Rachel (pictured here with me) calls Umbria the "New Hampshire of Italy". I found it charming and rustic, stunning and inviting... but then again I feel that way about most of Italy.

Apparently the Etruscans were obsessed with keeping this concept of "living in the shadow" alive, as even the name Umbria derives from ombra meaning shadow. At any rate, Umbria is a land-locked region. It's hugged by Tuscany to the north and west, Le Marche and the Appenine to the east, and Lazio (Rome home) flanks the south. It's literally in the center on Itlay - il cuore verde d'Italia. It is full of medieval hilltop towns like Assissi, Perugia, Spoleto, and Montefalco. The countryside flows with rolling hills dotted with olive groves and vines. Thanks to those rolling hills there is no shortage of micro-climates.

When in Umbs recently, we stayed in the hill topper of Montefalco in a chic hotel right in the central piazza. We found this gem at the recommendation of my friends Brian Dore and Maria Gabrielle Landers, who run a concierge service for personalized experiences in Umbria and all of Italy (http://www.conciergeinumbria.com/). They were awesome - they recommended the hotel and the restaurant (Alchemista, which happened to be the best place we ate on the trip) AND a visit to an amazing winery - FONGOLI!!! http://www.fongoli.com/. Fongoli is not imported to the US at this very moment, but hopefully that will change soon. All the same, we felt like we were getting an amazing personal experience...oh did I mention that we were given a guided tour and tasting by Angelo (grandson) and a 4 course succulent lunch by Anna - his radiant mother (see photos). Toasted bread with their estate's own olive oil, risotto al sagrantino, blueberry crostata. I happily digress...

Angelo and his beautiful wife! Our lovely hosts!

We tasted all of their wines. and I loved them all. The Grechetto (crisp white wine) and their passito of Sagrantino (sweet red wine) were fabulous, but these following two are my preferiti preferiti!! This first one is the signature grape of the area...the reason Montefalco was awarded the DOCG status for this grape --- Sagrantino di Montefalco. Sagrantino is awesome - it is not super super tannic and it has a smooth spiciness. Producers like Fongoli are keeping their Sagrantino true to varietal and true to the region with the perfect balance of rustic-ness, spice, and fruit. The color is rich dark garnet, the aromas are of spicy cranberry, plum and raspberry, and it is velvety and rich on the palate. Everyone in the area will make this same claim - but these grapes are really hand picked (see the picture I took of a bunch of Fongoli's Sagrantino grapes at the top of the page).

The second wine that I love is Fongoli's Rosso di Montefalco Riserva - this is a blend of Sagrantino, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Barbera. First of all - I never even thought that Rosso di Montefalco was a possibility - I've never seen it. Well, the Fongolis are not the only ones who make this - but they do make a fantastico one. You get the richness and the depth from the Sagrantino, the rustic spiciness from the Sangiovese, a smoothness from the Merlot and a ripe cherry fruitiness from the Barbera. On the nose there is a sweet and sour cherry aroma with rich berry fruit, the palate is overflowing with berries and subtle spice and more cherry. It is so full bodied and gorgeous!

The Fongolis were so lovely and unpretentious and welcoming. They really made us feel like we were a part of their family and that was so special...because I've always wanted to be a part of wine-making family. A gal can dream!!!

Some of the wines we enjoyed during our gourmet lunch!

Rachel and me with LA MAMA e Cuoca, Anna

O! Verdicchio! Refreshing Vino Bianco from Sartarelli - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC

Sartarelli Verdicchio

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Le Marche was a visit to the Sartarelli winery. In general, this region does not get a lot of attention. Everyone seems to flock to Tuscany if they are interested in Central Italy. Le Marche is pannino'ed between the dramatic Appenine mountain range and the stunning Adriatic sea. There is plenty of hilly countryside between the two.

Sartarelli Vineyards

Verdicchio is a much maligned grape from a much maligned region. It used to be jug wine in bottles shaped like fish for goodness sake. Patrizio and Donatella Sartarelli had a huge mano in giving Verdicchio the respect it deserves. They only grow this grape and you an really experience Verdiccio at its best by tasting through their 4 wines.

Verdicchio grapes in Tralivio vineyard

Verdicchio in general is a crisp, refreshing white wine. There can be zesty citrus notes and also a blanched almond quality. Verdicchio is grown throughout Le Marche, but the undisputed champion of the wine is from the DOC Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. This is located due west of coastal Ancona in the beautiful hills around Jesi (pronounced Yes-eeee - not Jessss-eee like I was referring to it as all week!). Legally you can blend in Malvasia and Trebbiano. As I mentioned, Le Marche is on the Adriatic and it's no accident that this wine is a perfect companion to mussels, oysters, and calimari... I could go on and on and on....

I was so excited to visit Le Marche and Sartarelli in particular. At the store, I've been putting bottles of Sartarelli into people's hands each day. Turning them on to something a little different than the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or the Chablis that they came in for gives me great satisfaction. It's like the rush you get when you wean someone of White Zinfandel. I have converted dozens. I wanted to see where the magic happened. My friends Aubra and Rachel were travelling in Italy with me too. We made it to Sartarelli exactly an hour late thanks to our misleading GPS system who fought us the entire trip. The good news is that the detour gave us a better idea of the region. The countryside is undulating and there are beautiful hilltop towns (one detour was aptly named Montebellina). There are olive groves and vineyards and a slight taste of the sea in the air. We were there on a beautiful clear day and it made me fall in love with Italy all over again.

Enough of the romance! Donatella Sartarelli in her elegant raw silk dress greeted us with kisses and promptly passed us into the hands of her amazing husband and winemaker Patrizio. He took us around to the different vineyards and showed us the grapes. The picture of the Verdiccio grapes is from the Tralivio vineyards. They are trained in the Guyot style. This allows them to get the drying sea breezes that fends off mold and rot. Also you can see the bunches that are formed - they have "ears" on either side. That's typical for Verdicchio and apparently that's how you want them to look.

Here's me and Patrizio at the Travlio vineyards. Tralivio meaning tra gli olivetti --- among the olive trees. Not suprisingly, Sartarelli also produces some pretty fantastic olive oil.

He took us to the Tralivio vineyards and then over to the Balciana vineyards where the oldest vines are growing grapes for their highest level Verdicchio ($50 retail). Amazing! Patrizio drove us UP to that vineyard - no cars allowed! He did pause and rolled down the window, and urged us to pluck some blackberries off a nearby bush. I love Italy. Back at the ranch, we were given a tour of fermenting tanks and the stainless steel tanks. All of the wines are aged and fermented in stainless steel. Then the best part -- the tasting! It was such a treat to sit down and taste with the winemaker. I love the wines of course and have so much respect for this family - but to see the pride and love in Patrizio's face as he regarded each wine and tasted it. That was a fabulous experience.

Rachel and Patrizio at the winery overlooking his vines.

Patrizio in the Tralivio vineyard

Verdicchio Classico 2008 - vine age 4-20 years - stainless steel
color - pale straw with green tinge
nose - honey, almond, sweet herbs, lemon
palate - apricot, honey, meyer lemon, zesty, great acidity

Verdicchio Tralivio 2007

stainless steel
color - golden straw
nose - honey, lime zest, blanched almonds, citrus
palate - spice, honey, meyer lemon, great acidity, long bright finish

Verdicchio Balciana 2007- oldest vines, best vineyard site.
picture up at the top of the blog is the Balciana vineyard. Late harvest wine, but completley dry.
color - gold
nose - spun honey and spice
palate - cream honey, lemon curd, full bodied, rich luxurious mouth-feel

Verdicchio Passito 2007- sweet wine. grapes are hand picked usually at the end of October and dry on straw mats for 5 weeks.
color: gold
nose: delicate honey, bitter almonds
palate: light pineapple syrup, cane sugar, honey, almond, sweet spice.
This is not a cloying passito, it is intensely flavored and balanced, it is defined by its flavor not its sweetness.

www.sartarelli.it

Solera Style Grappa ---- Northern Italian Trendetter -Segnana Solera Grappa

I am trying to become more familiar with Grappa. As a full-time Italophile; it is my duty. Maybe like some of you I have only had the cheap stuff that tastes like rocket fuel or rubbing alcohol. My horizons were broadened and my palate updated when I tried the Mauro chamomile Grappa and the Nonino Chardonnay Grappa. These are smooth and elegant distilled drinks. I had no idea that Grappa could be so sophisticated. When I was in Italy a few years ago, my boyfriend and I saw this Segnana Solera Grappa in the duty free of Milan. We were going to give it to my father who has a penchant for scotch, but we had to open it to sample... and then we decided to keep it for ourselves! Sorry Dad!

This Grappa is from the region of Trentino in the North of Italy. It's an area famous for Pinot Nero, Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Bianco in terms of wine. made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Regionally speaking, it is the home of the craggy Dolomites, outdoor sport, Speck, and German speaking Italians. About 35% of the people in this region (officially Trentino/Alto-Adige) speak German and 60% speak Italian. The missing 5%? Ladin; a romance language - spoken in this area and is similar to some of the other mountain languages of Switzerland and Fruili.

GRAPPA 101 - The facts
(1) Produced in Italy
(2) Produced from pomace
(3) The fermentation and distillation must occur on the pomace. No water can be added

Grappa is from the word"grape stalk", most Grappa is made by distilling pomace and grape residue. This is mainly the skins, but also stems and seeds left over after pressing for wine. It was originally made to prevent waste by using leftovers at the end of the wine season. All Grappa is not created equal - and just like wine, different grapes are used. The flavor and style of grappa depends on the type and quality of the grape used as well as the specifics of the distillation process. Grappa was also said to have first been made in Trentino/ Alto-Adige.

What makes this grappa from Segnana different is that the employ a sort of Solera method. I know we've been learning a lot in this entry - distillation, grappa regulations, new regions... The Solera system is from Jerez in Spain where they make sherry. Basically is a system that takes from several different barrels at several stages of aging. It's a little complicated, but what it ensures is that you will always have some older more matured wine or liquid with some younger wines and then the barrels are always being replenished. It makes for an excellent flow chart. Segnana ages the Grappa made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in oak casks and then they use this Solera system to blend the Grappa and give it a certain depth and maturity.

copper still for Grappa production

color: amber, medium caramel

nose: sea salt caramel, vanilla, oak

palate: full bodied, spice, delicate

Bordeaux Blend in Italy - Altrovino DueMani Cabernet Franc e Merlot

I wasn't just drawn to the wine because its label matches my background so perfectly. No - I am a huge Cabernet Franc lover and lover of Merlot (I'm not afraid to say it!). I also think that this importer/distributor Acid Inc. always has amazing varietal specific wines with great acidity (go figure, eh!).

This is a small producer in Tuscany produces 3 wines - one Cab. Franc/Merlot blend which we are talking about, one Cab. Franc and the third wine is Syrah. They only make about 1000 cases of the DueMani Cab. Franc/ Merlot. Their vineyard overlooks the Tuscan coastline. Maybe it's just the power of suggestion - but I thought that I could detect a salty freshness on the palate. Their highest vineyard sites are set aside for Cab. Franc, then as you go down a little lower the rows evolve into Merlot vines and then even further; Syrah. All of their grapes are certified organic and biodynamic by Demeter.

So let's get the the wine! This is technically their entry-level wine, but I didn't think that there was anything entry-level about it. First of all, it's a $35 wine - and it's a serious contender with a lot of Super Tuscans that I have tasted. I would love to try their other two wines. There is power and balance and great acidity - as I would expect from anything that Acid Inc represents. There is also a delicate balance between the fruit and the minerality and the tannin that I found really compelling. It is bright and fresh and I would like to revisit it in a few years - I'm sure that it will be even better then.

Until then, if you see this bottle, buy it! Cellar it or decant and drink with grilled meats or with the wild boar you just hunted. There are only few of these bottles out here in the US Market!

color: deep purple

nose: licorice, blackcurrant, blackberry, and spice

palate: fresh plum, more licorice and blackcurrant

Falanghina!!! Falanghina!!!! Falanghina!!!! Falanghina Terredora Irpinia 2008

The sun is finally shining in New York and heating up the streets. We know that makes wine wines taste even more delicious. Nobody knows more about heat than those Southern Italians, especially those from old Napoli. Not surprising, there are amazing indigenous varietals hailing from that region. Many of these were brought over by the ancient Greeks. They are certainly my kind of people, setting up vineyards and bread baking ovens wherever they went. You may be familiar with some of these grapes; Greco di Tufo (get a sense of the Greek origins?), Fiano di Avellino, Aglianico(red) and our star today - Falanghina.

This is a DOC Irpinia wine. Irpinia is located in the province of Avellino. It's important to remember how close to the Mediterranean Avellino is - just on the outskirts of Naples. Also there is an ashiness to the soil (thanks Vesuvius) that really contributes to the minerality of the wines produced in that area. Now back to this Falanghina...

As a grape, it is usually drunk relatively young. It is usually fermented in stainless steel and not aged in any oak. This Terredora Falanghina DOC Irpinia is no exception. It is crisp and fresh. It has a floral/mineral profile. I spoke about the proximity to sea a little while ago, and that is also important for what is paired successfully with this wine.... swordfish, mussels, buffalo mozzarella. Yum! I found this wine fresh and clean and bright with really delicate fruit aromas and smooth on the palate.

Here's what I thought:

color: pale straw

nose: quince, honey, orange blossom

palate: Meyer lemon, honey, kumquat

DELICIOUS!!

approx price $15.99

Calera Viognier

Calera Mt. Harlan Viognier

I've always been a huge fan of Viognier, and I always thought that it would take off more in the states. When I saw this little lovely on the shelf, I knew that I had to take it home right away. I had never heard of Calera and I thought that Mt. Harlan was another one of those Mountains around Napa, like Veeder or Howell. It was a little out of my comfort zone at $32 but I got it anyway.

Calera Wine Company is located about 140 miles SOUTH of Napa and Sonoma - closer to Santa Cruz. The winery was started by Josh Jenson back in 1975. They specialize in Pinot Noir and other Burgundy varietals (Chardonnay and Aligote). The Viognier looks like a small portion of what they produce. They have unique terroir over on Mt. Harlan because of the limstone in the soil - very similar to Burgundy. For all of you Spanish speakers, you'll know that 'calera' means limekiln... I did not! Their symbol on the label is reminiscent of the limekiln that is still on the property from 100 years earlier. Mt. Harlan is below.

The night I decided to crack open the famed bottle, I was having some problems opening the bottle... and I hadn't even been drinking yet! I finally realized that it was a glass enclosure and there wasn't a cork or a stelvin enclosure at all! That was the first glass enclosure that I've ever purchased. They are awesome!

The wine was a perfect expression of Viognier - floral, elegant, it was a little on the fuller bodied side, which I wasn't expecting. It was creamy and lush, and very very fragrant. It was a little too perfumed to drink by itself. I wish I had paired it with some spicy noodles or a chicken dish - I think I may have enjoyed it even more. It's a really beautiful wine and it's also a wine that I feel good about drinking because I know so much love and care must have gone into making that bottle.

color: pale straw

nose: elderflower, orange blossom, apricot, peach, jasmine

palate: creamy lemon, blossom, mineral, peach

price - $26-$32

Navan- Vanilla Cognac

Sweet Golden Vanilla!

Those of you who know me know that I am a sucker for anything sweet - Navan has become no exception. I use it as our "secret ingredient" in sidecars. Soooo delicious. I wanted to do a little research about this cognac and do an actual tasting when it is no co-mingled with orange liqueur and lemon juice.

I have to say that I have always hated the bottle. I think it looks cheap (even though it's $$) and uninteresting. All of the sites that I visited to read about Navan mentioned how cool they thought bottle was. Many mentioned it's "art deco" style. Obviously, they're wrong.

At any rate, Navan is brought to us by our Lapostolle friends of Grand Marnier. You might also recognize their name in the Chile section of your local wine store under the name of Casa Lapostolle. I've not tried a lot of their wines, but Grand Marnier sure is tasty. These people know what they are doing and they have the means to put out a great product - and they have.

Navan is a vanilla infused cognac . I didn't know this but next to saffron (thank you Strega knowledge) vanilla is the second most expensive spice. I guess anything they sell in small tubes or tiny plastic bags is going to be costly. So the vanilla beans are from the vanilla orchid from Madagascar and then they are blended with cognac from the Cognac region in France. The vanilla orchid only blooms once a year... no wonder it's so expensive!

Cognac 411

Cognac is in Southwestern France near the Bordeaux region. I've inserted a little map below. It's made with high acid grapes that wouldn't be that tasty to drink but they are great for distilling. Some of these grapes are Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, and Colombard. Of course this is France, so there is serious terroir involved. Here it is chalky soil that makes this area so unique. Cognac must be double-distilled immediately after distillation and must be aged at least 3 years in Limousin oak barrels.

http://www1.american.edu/TED/cognac.htm

If I decide to break out of my Sidecar sipping, I would try this one. It was one of the many suggestions listed on the Navan website.
http://www.navanworld.com/

Navan Yellow Cab
1 Part Navan Natural Vanilla Liqueur
2 Parts Pineapple Juice
Squeeze of Lemon



The Verdict
color: light gold
nose: orange peel, vanilla creme, spice
palate: smooth, vanilla bean, spice
price: $39-$45