Monthly Archives: August 2025

August 26, 2025 · 2:38 am

My Birthday Weekend

Forty years ago Michele and I spent a month in  Rome in  the summer.  One of the restaurants had what I called a “Summer Pasta” and I ordered it every time we went there, which was often.  It is a very simple dish and Michele made it for me on Saturday.

Pasta with tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella, what I call “Summer Pasta” (though it is better known as Pasta alla Caprese)

“Fiordiligi”  Sicilian DOC Grillo 2023 Assuli (Trapani) Made from 100% Grillo. The production area in the Mazara del Vallo is in northwestern Sicily. Soil is of medium texture rich in limestone and good minerality. The vineyards are at 200/250 meters. Training system is guyot vertical trellis with a medium high plant density of 5,000 plants per hectare. Harvest is from the second week of September depending each year on the ripening of the grapes. There is an extremely soft pressing with membrane press, followed by static clarification of the must and fermentation at controlled temperatures (between 15°-18°C) in stainless steel tanks. Wine remains on the lees for 4/5 months in stainless steel tanks and in the bottle for at least 2 or 3 months before release. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, pineapple and a touch of tropical fruit.

On Sunday we were invited by a friend to Gramercy Tavern for my birthday. My friend also brought the wine

Fiano di Avellino “Alessandra” 2013 made from 100% Fiano Di Meo. The wine is named after the mother of the Di Meo brothers. Produced from  Fiano vineyards surrounding the Salza Irpinia winery. The Vigna Alessandra was planted in 1995 and is at 550 meters. Soil composition is clay and semi-limestone and the exposure is northeast. There are 4,500 plants per hectare and the training system is espalier with monolateral guyot pruning. Manual harvest takes place the second week of October. There is a soft pressing of the grapes, then maceration with the skins. Fermentation is at a controlled temperature. The wine remains in stainless steel for 8 years and then for 12 months in bottle before release. This is an elegant wine with flowery notes of mimosa, chamomile, acacia honey and a touch of smoke. It is a very impressive and wonderful wine.

Lumache Pasta with Corn, Miso and Toasted Hazelnuts

 

 Pork Cutlet with Jimmy Nardello Peppers, Cabbage and Lemon

Cote- Rotie “Cote Blonde” 2009 Propriétaire à Amplus Rene Rostange made from Viognier and Syrah. The estate is in the heart of Cote-Rotie.  The vineyards are managed using sustainable agriculture. All the work is done by hand. The soil is bedrock and silica. The wine remains in the barrel, with a small amount in new oak. Vinification is a closely guarded secret. The wine has hints of violets, blueberries, blackberries, spice, tobacco and a hint of smokiness.   This wine will age for many years.

Michele’s main course was Hanger Steak with Plums, Eggplant and Shishito Peppers

Basil Olive Oil for Dessert with Cherries and Coconut Yogurt

It was a very Happy Birthday for me!

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Filed under Cote Rote, Di Meo winery, Fiano di Avellino, Grillo, Sicilian Wine

August 14, 2025 · 2:24 am

SUMMER LUNCH WITH SPECIAL WINES

Friends from Rome were in town, so Michele invited them to our home for a summery lunch.  A friend brought two very special wines to complement the menu.

Etna DOC Bianco di  Sei  Palmento Constanzo 2021 made from 90% Carricante and 10% Catarrato. The exposure is north and the soil is volcanic sand and rock. “Bianco di Sei” refers to “six”, which is the top designation for volcanic activity, and is the top tier white wine from this estate.   The winery is at the foot of the Muntagna, the name the locals fondly use to refer to Mount Etna. Eighteen hectares are divided into several contradas and hills. The small parcels are vinified separately because each plot is characterized by the lava flow that sedimented over time. The vines are bush- trained with chestnut poles and some of the vines are up to 100 years old. There are 7,000 vines per hectare. The manual harvest takes place the last week of September. There is a soft pressing of the grapes and fermentation in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for 10 months in stainless steel tanks in contact with the lees and 8 months in bottle before release. The winery is organic. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, white flowers, aromatic herbs, a hint of mint and a note of sage. The winery is located within Mt. Etna National Park.

Prosciutto and Watermelon made for a refreshing summer starter

In the early 1980’s Erminia, Generoso, and Roberto Di Meo acquired this historical estate from their parents. The estate is located in the province of Avellino in the area of Salza Irpinia and covers 25 hectares most of which is vineyards. In 1986 they produced their first wines and the Di Meo winery was born.

Greci di Tufo Riserva  2008 “ Vittorio”  Di Meo 100% Greco from Montefusco (AV) at 750 meters.  This wine bears the name of Vittorio Di Meo, who founded the winery.  The vines were planted in 1998 and the soil is clay and limestone with steep slopes on a gradient greater than 20% with a north/east exposure. There are 3,500 plants per hectare and the training system is espalier with guyot pruning. Harvest is the second  week of October. From slightly over ripe grapes. There is maceration on the skins followed by fermentation  at a controlled temperature for 12 years, then 24 months in bottle before release. This is a wine with hints of beeswax, honey, cedar, apple, a touch of flint with good acidity and minerality. The producer refers to the wine as warm and enchanting and I have to agree.

I visited the winery in 2016 on a Campania Stories press trip and tasted this wonderful wine in NYC in 2023.

Penne with Pesto Trapanese — made with almonds, basil, pecorino, and tomatoes.

Vegetables for roasting

Roasted Eggplant, Peppers, Onion and Tomatoes

Tuna Involtini — stuffed with breadcrumbs, raisins, capers, and parsley.  Michele prefers to make this with swordfish, but tuna can be substituted.Barolo Riserva 1964 Giacomo Borgogno and Figli 100% Nebbiolo. The grapes come from three different cru vineyards: Cannubi, Liste and Fossati. The winery is located in the center of the town of Barolo. The wine is aged at least five years in large oak barrels. This is a wine produced with traditional and natural wine making methods. Long fermentation and pumping over by hand takes place. Today the Farinetti family, which also owns the Eataly chain of shops and restaurants, owns this winery. I have always had very good luck with older vintages of Borgogno. 1964 was a great vintage for Barolo. Thanks to a friend, I have had a few bottles of the ’64 and they have always been good. This is a classic traditional Barolo with hints of red fruit, tar, tobacco, violets, cedar and a touch of balsam.

One of our guests gifted us with two excellent cheeses, an aged Asiago, and an incomparable 40 month-old Parmigiano-Reggiano, which was nutty and creamy.  No wonder they call it “the King of Cheeses.”

Dessert was Michele’s homemade tangerine sorbet.  Refreshing and tart-sweet, it was the perfect finish to our summer lunch.

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Filed under Barolo, Di Meo winery, Etna Bianco

August 7, 2025 · 2:14 am

Corto Restaurant Jersey City: Great Food &BYOB

Johnny Cataneo and his wife Melissa suggested that Michele and I join  them for lunch at Corto, an Italian restaurant that they had recently discovered in Jersey City, New Jersey.  It’s not far from where we live in Manhattan, but Johnny and Melissa were kind enough to pick us up and drive us there.

It’s easy to walk right past the simple storefront entrance to Corto, but inside it was inviting and cozy with an open kitchen at the rear of the dining room.  We decided to sit outside in the large garden, which was quiet, shaded, and cool, thanks to some well placed giant fans.


We started with a selection of three artisanal salumi and three cheeses.

Bolle Di Borro Rosè Metodo Classico Brut 2016 IL Borro made from 100% Sangiovese. Fermentation takes place in steel vats and the wine remains on the lees for 60 months. The wine was light pink tending to onion peel in color. The wine had hints of strawberry, raspberry, peach and a touch of citrus. When we first opened the wine it was too warm but once it was chilled it was drinking very nicely.

We also shared two pates:  one was made with mortadella and the other  chicken liver.  Both were served with the Sardinian flat bread, carta da musica and pickled rhubarb.

Brunello Di Montalcino 2019 Fanti made from 100% Sangiovese from a 10 hectare vineyard with 21 to 31 year-old vines at 150 to 420 meters. The soil is rich is schist and galestro. Manual harvest from the middle of September to the first week of October. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine is aged for 24 months, 50% in barriques of 225 liters and in big oak barrels of 30 hl. After 4 months of aging in the bottle the wine is released. The wine has hints cherries, currents, plum a touch of cedar and a note of violets. The wine was very enjoyable but it will improve with a few more years of aging.

Rigatoni sauced with Bianco di Napoli tomatoes, pancetta, Calabrian chili, basil, mint and pecorino Tommaso.

Lumache sauced with smoked eggplant, sweet sausage, nduja and pecorino Romano.

Roasted fish with local Jersey corn, tomatoes and shishito peppers


We shared Ricotta Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce and a moist Chocolate Cake.

Here I am taking a picture of the wine. Unfortunately, the photo did not come out!

Feudo Montoni Passito Bianco Terre Siciliani made from Grillo and Catarratto grapes which are sun-dried. Vineyards are located at 700 meters with an east exposure. The soil is rocky, sandy and rich in iron. Vineyards are 35 to 55 years old and there are 2,600 vines per hectare using vertical and bush vine training systems. The slow fermentation process is aided by the gradual addition of sun dried grapes. This gives the wine a rich concentrated flavor. It is aged in wood barrels for 7 months and in bottle for 12 months. The wine has hints of apricot, candied orange peel, ripe figs and toasted hazelnut and a touch of honey. It has  a rich sweetness while maintaining a refreshing acidity.

Corto offers delicious food and BYOB in an inviting setting.  What more can you ask!

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Filed under Brunello, Spumante

August 1, 2025 · 2:51 am

Enjoying Older Italian Wines

Every summer, Michele and I spend a weekend or two with our friend Ernie De Salvo at his home. He  makes a pasta all’Amatriciana as good as any I have had in Rome and he also has a wonderful wine collection.  He suggested that I choose some Italian red wines from his cellar that we could drink, some in restaurants and some with meals at his home.

We started with a white wine in a restaurant.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2016 Eduardo Valentini made from 100% Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.  The wine is aged in large botti of Slavonian oak for 24 months. This was a very complex full wine with a mineral character, hints of citrus fruit and apple, peach, and melon.  It had good acidity, a great finish and aftertaste with that extra something that is difficult to describe. It is a great white wine.

When I visited the winery a number of years ago the late Eduardo Valentino would not speak about how the wines were made, he only spoke about the vineyard and how he had the best Trebbiano clone. Edoardo passed away in 2006 after making wine for 50 years. His son Francesco has  kept up the tradition, making great Trebbiano since his first solo vintage in 2007.  A few weeks ago I tasted the 2010 vintage, a white wine 15 years old and still wonderful!

Soft Shell Crab in a restaurant

 

Brunello Di Montalcino 1997 Conti Constanti made from 100% Sangiovese grapes.  The Consorzio gave this vintage 1997 a five star rating. The harvest was in mid September. The vineyards are at 310 to 4,400 meters and the age of the vines is from 6 to 25 years old. The soil is geologically galestro and there are 3,333 to 5,100 plants per hectare. Exposure is southwest. Fermentation takes place on the skins from 14 to 21 days depending on the vintage. The wine is aged in 30 HL barrels for 3 to 5 years and in tonneaux. The wine has hints of berries, plums, violets and spice. This is a very impressive Brunello and will last for many more years.

Bone Marrow with onion crostini in a restaurant

Beneventano Falanghina 2023 IGT  Donnachiara made from 100% Falanghina. The vineyard is the Torre Cuso, the best location for Falanghina. The soil is volcanic, chalky clay, the vines are 16 years old, the training system is guyot and there are 2,500 vines per hectare. The grapes are not destemmed or crushed before pressing. Cold fermentation is in stainless steel and there is extended maceration. This is a crisp white wine with citrus fruit aromas and flavors, nice acidity and good minerality and a pleasure to drink.

This is a long time favorite of ours and a great opener to our meal at Ernie’s home.

 

Watermelon topped with prosciutto/finocchiona salame

Crostini with Roasted Peppers and Cantabrian Anchovies

 

Barolo “Brunate” 1971 Marcarini (winemaker Elvio Cogno) made from 100% Nebbiolo.  For many years Elvio Cogno was the winemaker for the Podari Marcarini in La Mora. His Barolo from the La Serra and Brunate Vineyards were exceptional.

I can still remember a 1971 Brunate that I enjoyed in 1981with the late wine writer, Sheldon Wasserman who introduced me to Cogno-Marcarini Barolo.  The 1971 was everything a great Barolo should be.  The aroma of white truffles seemed to fill the room and I was captivated. So 44 years later when Ernie  asked me to pick out a wine from his cellar, I came up with the 1971 Barolo Brunate from Marcarini and it did not disappoint. This is a classic Barolo with flavors and aromas of faded roses, licorice, tar, tobacco and a hint of cherry and a slight touch of white truffles. It is a soft, well-balanced elegant wine with not even a touch of oxidation.

Ernie’s Pasta all’Amatriciana

 

Barolo 1964 Francesco Rinaldi & Figli made from 100% Nebbiolo?  It was a little “dark” for a Barolo so old — Perhaps some Barbera was added?? There was no sediment in the bottle. This is a very traditional producer and has been so since 1870.  The wine has hints of leather, mushrooms, plum, a touch of cherry and a meaty character and so much more. There were no signs of oxidation. A truly exceptional wine.

With it we had some 30 month old “Red Cow” Parmigiano Reggiano.

Blueberry Pie with gelato was a sweet ending to a delicious weekend at Ernie’s.

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Filed under Barolo, Brunello, Ernie di Salvo