Category Archives: Uncategorized

Last week as part of  the Chianti Classico Grand Tasting in NYC there were two Master Classes.

I attended one of then with the interesting title, “Tradition Thrives on Innovation: Techniques & Traditions Defining Chianti Classico.” The speakers were Jeff Porter on Zoom from Torino and Randall Restiano who was present at the event.  

Giovanni Manetti, President of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium and owner of Fontodi  spoke about Chianti Classico.  He introduced the Master Class and the topics to be discussed and the 6 wines which we tasted.

Some of the topics discussed included the use of Terracotta Amphora, Whole Cluster Fermentation, The Art Of Blending, and Clonal Selection.  I will discus these topics in relation to the wines.

THE WINES

Chianti Classico “Dino” 2022 Fontodi made from 100% Sangiovese from various vineyards within  the property.  Produced in the “Conca d’Oro” of Panzano.  There are 6,000 vines per hectare. Fermentation and maceration are in terracotta amphora with indigenous yeast for at least 3 weeks. The wine is aged for 18 months in terracotta amphora. It has hints of red cherry, cranberry, plum, with a touch of violet and a hint of leather.

Terracotta amphora

Micro-oxygenation: The porous clay allows subtle oxygen exchange, helping with fermentation and color stability in red wines.

Temperature Regulation: Terracotta offers natural thermal insulation, keeping liquid cool through evaporation, which slows and steadies fermentation.

Neutral Aging: Unlike oak, clay does not add wood tannins or flavors, allowing the pure, earthy characteristics of the wine to shine.

Aging Potential: Wine in clay tends to have a brighter mouthfeel and is ready to drink sooner.

Chianti Classico Riserva “Le Vigne” 2022 Radda in Chianti and  Gaiole in Chianti Istine made from 100% Sangiovese and the training system is guyot. The vineyards are at 400/500 meters and each vineyard is vinified separately. 90% of the wine is fermented in concrete and 10% is whole clusters done in steel. Fermentation is for 15 days then pressed off and aged in tonneaux. The submerged cap maceration lasts for 45 days. The wines are then separated into 20 hl oak barrels for 12 months.  The wines are then blended together and aged for 12 more months in 30 hl Slavonian oak. Then it remains in the bottle for 12 months before release. The wine has hints of cherry, raspberry, and cranberry with a touch of violet and a note of spice.  The winery is certified organic.

Whole Cluster Fermentation

• Entire grape bunch goes into the tank intact: berries + stems + rachis
• Structurally influential technique
• Clusters on the bottom are crushed by the weight of the others and juice runs out and fermentation can start
• Intact berries begin intracellular fermentation
• Stems interact with juice and release tannins, potassium, & aromatic compounds
• As more berries burst stems are submerged and become part of the extraction process

What does it do to the wine?

• Can add lift aromatically
• Can increase tannic structure–more linear and less dense than wood or seed tannin
• Can give grip or tension without weight
• Potassium will slightly raise the pH, soften perceived acidity

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione “Villa Calcinaia Vigna Bastignano” 2016 Conti Capponi made from 100% single vineyard Sangiovese.  Location is in Graven Chianti-Montefoiralle. The vineyards are at 280 mt. Spontaneous fermentation takes place in open-top tonneaux with 50% whole clusters and maceration lasts for 18 days. Then the wine is racked off  into 10 hl Slavonian casks and aged for 20 months with 2 to 4 rackings. The wine is then bottle aged for 12 months.  It has hints of  strawberry, violets, red cherry and a touch of cardamom.

Chianti Classico Isole e Olena made from 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino. Location San Donato in Poggio. The vineyards are at 380/400 mt. The grapes are destemmed and fermented in steel tanks with 2 weeks of maceration with pump overs. The wine is racked off into 17/23hl casks and aged for 12 months. It remains in the bottle for 12 months before release. The wine has hints of red cherry, plum, strawberries, with a of touch of drued herbs and a hint of coffee.

Chianti Classico Riserva Vigneti La Selvanella 2021  Melini made from 100% single vineyard Sangiovese Grosso. Location Radda in Chianti. First produced in 1969. The vineyards are at 330/600 mt and divided into 29 1.5 ha plots The grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel and cement tanks for 3 weeks. Maceration with submerged cap (Piemontesina) for 3 months Each plot is harvested, viinifed  and aged separately and then blended. The wine is aged in large 122 oak vats for 3 years, then in bottle for 1 year before release. The wine has hints of red and blue fruit, raspberries, blueberries, iris and toasted almonds.

Clonal selection

• This is where Chianti Classico get “microscopic”. It is not just which grape, but which version of that grape tells the best story
• Within Sangiovese, there is not 1 identity – some clones give aromatics, other structure, some ripen earlier, some deal with drought and heat better.
• The work is matching plant material to place
  Massal V Nursery clones.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Selezione 2021  Sergio Zingarelli Rocca Delle Macie. Location Castellina in Chianti, Certified Organic. Made from 100% Sangiovese. The vineyards are at 330/340 mt. Fermentation takes place in steel tanks for 10 days with a 30 day maceration. Malolactic fermentation is in concrete. The wine is aged in 25hl French oak of which 50% is new and then 20 months in bottle before release. The wine has hints ripe red fruit , cherry, plum, cassis with a touch of cedar and a hint of spice.

The Art of Blending

Historic Technique (da sempre)

Today, Blending is about shaping a wine into what the house is looking to express the vineyards

Chianti Classico DOCG-Annata & Riserva-Minimum 80% Sangiovese and 20% other reds

The Grand Selezione as of 2023 and mandatory as of 2027 a minimum of 90% Sangiovese, and 10% of Indigenous grapes. The UGA has to be on the label.

My impression:. I was very happy to see the direction that Chianti Classico is now taking, that is, using cement and amphora and aging the wine in everything from 500 liter to 122 hectoliter oak barrels without any barriques.

The 6 wines I tasted are a true expression of Chianti Classico and are very food friendly.  My kind of wine!

Napoli, they say, is the birthplace of pizza. Though the ingredients and styles have changed over the centuries, Napoli is still the best place to get great pizza.

Michele and I have been visiting the city since 1970 and we have tried all kinds of pizza.  Our favorites change from time to time and while we enjoy going back to old favorites, we also like to try new-to-us pizzerias recommended by friends.  One pizzeria we currently enjoy is Da Attilio, located in the Pignasecca neighborhood.

We try to go early because there is always a line outside.

The pizzaiolo is Attilio Bachetti and on a recent night he was making the pizza, as he often does.

The dough is simple and straightforward, using the classic Mulino Caputo blue flour.  Only the best and freshest toppings are used.

We started with crocche, potato croquettes.

The croquettes consisted of mashed potatoes flavored with provola cheese and fried in a coating of crunchy breadcrumbs.

Michele had the Pizza Marinara, topped with a simple tomato sauce, sliced garlic, fresh basil and dried oregano.

Our friend, Stefano, had the Pizza Carrettiera topped with provola, Benevento sausage and broccoli rabe.

I usually have the Margarita but decided this time to have something different.

Pizza Carnevale is Attilio’s specialty.  The eight points of the crust are stuffed with fresh, velvety ricotta cheese. The central toppings are inspired by the traditional Neapolitan carnival lasagna — tomato sauce, fior di latte (cow’s milk mozzarella), pork sausage, and pecorino cheese.

The recipe for Pizza Carnevale dates back to at least 1944.  Attilio Bachetti reintroduced it after finding the recipe on a menu from his grandfather’s era.  Da Attilio has been a family owned restaurant since 1938.

If you are planning a visit to Napoli, be sure to give Da Attilio a try.

Via Pignasecca, 17, Napoli, in the historic Pignasecca area near via Toledo.

The town of Montepulciano is one of Tuscany’s gems. I always enjoy walking through the cobbled medieval streets and spotting views of the surrounding countryside where seemingly endless rows of grapevines grow.  The grapes are used to produce the magnificent wines of the area, especially Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a tasting of Vino Nobile del Montepulciano in NYC. I was invited by Paola Pavan, Chief Marketing Officer OPC International LLC and the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

The tasting and lunch was held at Locanda Verde at 50 Hudson Yards in New York.  About 25 guests were assembled at the table and there were about 30 bottles of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.  We were invited to taste as many wines as we liked.

The speaker was Andrea Rossi, president of the Vino Nobile del Montepulciano Consorzio. He spoke about the new Pieve Vino Nobile di Montepulciano designation. The translator was Marina Nedic of Executive Director International Event & Exhibition Management.

Recently, 12 zones or Additional Geographic Units (UGA) were identified through research conducted by the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano focusing on the geology and geography of the territory near Pieve.

A historical study of the area’s winemaking traditions, landscapes, and heritage revealed that during the late Roman and Lombard eras, the region was divided into parishes, know in Italian as Pieve, each with its own distinct name. Honoring  this centuries-old tradition, the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano chose to name the 12 UGAs using the the word “Pieve” followed by the historical place name from those ancient times. These 12 zones will now be featured on wine labels proudly bearing the word “Pieve” as a tribute to Montepulciano’s deep rooted history and terroir.

The 12 “Pieve” UGAs

The Vino Nobile production zone is positioned on a hilly ridge between Val di Chiana and Val d’Orcia at altitudes between 820 and 1900 feet. The climate is largely influenced by the nearby Trasimeno Lake, with soils composed of marine fossils, sandstone, salt rich clay and precious silt deposits.

I was in Montepulciano in 1997  on a press trip when the Vino Nobile Consortium was debating the idea of adding international grapes, especially Merlot. All of the wine writers on the trip were against it but the Consortium approved it anyway.

Today, after all those years, I am very happy to report that starting with the 2021 Vintage Merlot will no longer be allowed in the blend. The minimum amount of Sangiovese will go from 70% to 85% and only indigenous grapes like Canaiolo, Colorino and Mammolo can be in the blend. Prugnolo Gentile is the local name for the Sangiovese grape.

In order to highlight Vino Nobile di Montepuliciano’s significant personality, and avoid any confusion with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, some producers will now refer to their wines simply as “Nobile” instead of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.  Like the adding of Merlot, this is a mistake.  Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has a long history and tradition in its name.

Vino Nobile often falls in the shadows of its Tuscan neighbors Chianti and Brunello.  Vino Nobile was the first DOCG to appear on the Italian market and is a renowned red wine that stands on its own.

The town of Montepulciano in Tuscany is the center for Vino Nobile vinification. Production, vinification, and aging must by law take place in the municipal area of Montepulciano including the Valdichiana area. The vineyards must be  250 to 600 meters above sea level.

Vino Nobile is aged for a minimum of two years, including one in oak barrels or casks and three years total in order to be called a Riserva with a minimum natural alcohol content of 12.5%.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Selezione “Asinine”  made from 100% Sangiovese Poliziano.  The vineyard is at 380 to 400 meters and the soil is clay and silt with embedded fossils. Training system is guyot and spur pruned cordon. Vines are from 3 to 53 years old. Fermentation is in stainless steel vats for 20 to 25 days with cultured yeasts from the vineyard at a controlled temperature.  Filtration is with 5-micron polypropylene cartridges.  Aging is for 16 to 18 months in French tonneaux. and 8 months in bottle before release. Sustainable farming practices are used and the wine is vegan. The winery suggests serving Fiorentina steak with the wine.

I visited the winery 25 years ago and have always liked their wines. This is a rich and vibrant wine with hints of red fruit, cherry, strawberry, plum, violets, good acidity and would age for 10 years or more. It was one of my favorites. $70

Vino Noble di Montepulciano Poggetto di Sopra 2021 made from 100% Sangiovese. Avignonesi The vines were planted in 1978 and are Capovolto Toscano trained at an altitude of 300 meters with a density of 1,038 plants per hectare.  They are the oldest vines on the estate. Harvest is from September 21st to 25th.  There is 28 days of maceration at a controlled temperature. Alcoholic fermentation is carried out by the yeasts selected from the pied de cuve, meaning the first batch of grapes that is harvested in advance to select the yeasts naturally present on the skins. This will become the basic yeast for the fermentation of the grapes which will be harvested later. This process enhances the link between the wine and its vineyard, thus sealing its sense of place.  The wine is aged for 24 months in oak barriques and tonneaux. The wine has hints of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, violets and a touch of cedar. It is vegan and the grapes are biodynamically grown. $62

The Poggetto di Sopra Five Nobile producers — Salcheto, Poliziano, La Braccesca, Boscarelli, and Avignonesi — all share in the dedication to Nobile’s rediscovery. The five winemakers have coordinated their respective work and each crafted a cru 100% Sangiovese Nobile 2021 specifically for this project.

Vino Noble di Montepulciano “Vigna d’Afiero” Selezione 2020 Tenuta Valdipiatta made from 100% Sangiovese. The training system is spur pruned cordon and guyot. Vinification is in steel tanks at controlled temperatures between 24 and 28 °C. Maceration on the skins for 20-25 days. Daily pump over and délestage at the beginning and in the middle of fermentation. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation takes place in temperature controlled steel tanks.  The wine is aged in French Allier barriques (225 liters) 20% new oak for 18 months. The wine remains in the bottle for a period of time before release. The wine has hints of black cherry, dark chocolate, balsamic notes and a touch of vanilla.  Some  food suggestion include pasta with  duck ragu, roasts, grilled meats, spit-roasted liver wrapped in bay leaves and middle to aged sheep’s milk cheese. $44

Vino Noble di Montepulciano 2020 Boscarelli made from 85% Sangiovese and 15% Canaiolo. Alluvial and sandy lime soil with a good percentage of silt, clay and stony structure that varies between layers according to altitude. There are about 6,500 vines per hectare. Vineyards are at least 10 years old. The grapes are picked manually and transported in crates. After de-stemming and soft pressing, they are fermented in oak vats filled to no more than two-thirds of their capacity. Indigenous yeast is used in the fermentation process that lasts about a week at controlled temperatures from 28 to 30 degrees. Short manual re-passing of the must and pomace is completed in the initial phase. Pumping continues, where possible, for another 5 to 8 days after fermentation. This wine is aged in Allier or Slavonian oak casks of capacity ranging from 5 to 35 hectoliters. This wine is aged in Allier or Slavonian oak casks of capacity ranging from 5 to 35 hectoliters, where malolactic fermentation occurs. Maturation takes from 18 to 24 months. Before release, the wine ages in the bottle for several months.  Food pairing suggestions:  grilled roasted or braised red meat, game and seasoned cheese. The wine has hints of strawberry, violets, sage and a note of blueberry. Drink within 8 years.  I have always been a fan of this winery. $43

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2020 DEI Made from 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo. The soil is mostly clay with sand (tuff) and the vineyard is at 300 meters. There is a soft pressing of the grapes followed by spontaneous fermentation with the use of indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. Maturation on the skins for 15/25 days with pumping over. Aging is for at least 24 months of which a minimum of 18 months is in wood. The wine remains in bottle for some time before release. The wine has hints of cherry, plum and violets with a hint of coffee and a touch of vanilla. The winery suggested serving it with braised beef cheek with mashed potatoes. I visited the winery a number of years ago.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2020 “Alboreto” Talosa made from 100% Sangiovese. The vineyard is at 350/400 meters the exposure is south/west and the training system is spurred cordon. There is a manual selection of the grapes from the last week of September to the first week of October. After a careful selection of grapes, the fermentation time is about 15-20 days at controlled temperatures in cone-shaped stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. Then malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel. The maturation is for 2 years in tonneaux of 2nd, 3rd and 4th passage and big barrels and stainless steel for another 2 months. The finished wine continues to be aged in bottle before release. This is an easy drinking wine with hints of plum, blackberries, a touch of strawberry and a hint of pepper. The wine will last for 10 years or so but could be enjoyed sooner.  Drink with pici pasta with Tuscan ragu.  $40

Salchetto “Nobile” 2018 made from 100% Prugnolo Gentile on 15 hectares. Each plant makes one bottle. Manual harvest, sulfite free vinification with native yeasts takes place.  The wine ages for 18 months, 70% in bottle and 30% in tonneau. Then 6 months in bottle before release. The winery is organic certified. The wine will age for at least 10 years. This is a full bodied wine that has hints of cedar, tea, nuts, red forest fruit with balsamic nuances and a touch of violets.  The winery is organic. $62

I look forward to more information on the 12 UGAs and writing about more of the excellent wines.

Asti Spumante and  Moscato d’Asti, two sparklers from the Piedmont region of Italy, are typically paired with desserts such as fruit, pastries and especially at the holidays, cakes such as panettone and pandoro.  I was intrigued by the opportunity to try these wines with Japanese food at Zuma, a Japanese restaurant at 261 Madison Ave, New York, NY.

Giacomo Pondini, Director of Consorzio Asti DOCG was the speaker. He explained in great detail both Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti, and the difference between them. It was a very interesting and informative talk.

Asti Spumante DOCG and Moscato d’Asti DOCG come from the Moscato Bianco (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) strain of grapes.  It is one of the oldest known varieties of wine grapes and grows in the Piedmont regions of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato. The zone is located between the Ligurian Coast and the Alps.

Moscato d’Asti is made from the same grape as Asti Spumante and has many of the same flavors and aromas. It is also low in alcohol, around 5% by volume. The difference is that Moscato d’Asti is only slightly sparkling (Frizzante) and it is vintage dated, while Asti Spumante is not dated and is considered a Spumante. Moscato d’Asti should be drunk as close to the vintage date as possible. The two wines share the same DOCG.

For Asti Spumante the grapes are refrigerated at zero degrees until they reach a second fermentation, a process that can be accomplished either according to the “Martinotti Method” or  the complex “Classico Method.” Recently, the range of residual sugars has been expanded from traditional sweet to extra dry, from brut to pas dosé. Asti Spumante is known worldwide as a sparkling wine to be drunk every time there is a reason to celebrate.

There were 9 dishes altogether and they were all excellent. I have listed some of them below. The  pairings were with dry and sweet Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti.

Beef skewer with shishito pepper and smoked chili soy

For Moscato d’Asti, there is a gentle pressing of the grape bunches by a pneumatic press. The must is clarified in order to eliminate the solid residue and any other undesired components it may contain. Alcoholic fermentation takes place through the addition of select yeasts at a controlled temperature.  The limpid and cooled must is poured into large tanks and repeatedly filtered to prevent spontaneous fermentation. Moscato d’Asti does not go through a second fermentation in the bottle.  Instead, the second fermentation is performed in a single tank (autoclave) using the Martinotti method, in which bubbles are trapped in the wine via carbonation in the tank. Yeasts are eliminated by filtration or centrifugation. The wine is then kept in cooling tanks at about -3C so that fermentation does not start.  At the time of bottling, the temperature is raised until fermentation begins.  It is stopped at about 5% alcohol. Fermentation can be stopped and then started so that the wine can be bottled several times a year. This aromatic wine should be enjoyed young when it is at its freshest.

Chef’s sashimi and maki selection

Both Moscato d’Asti and Asti Spumante have aromas of apricot, pear, peach, honeysuckle, mandarin orange, jasmine and white flowers.

Arione Asti Dry Secco made from 100% Moscato White.Canelli grapes The Extra Dry Asti DOCG by Arione is an innovative wine, giving a new style to ASTI DOCG.  It is an extra dry sparkling wine, dryer and less sweet than the traditional Asti DOCG. A new concept and a new taste for a wine that shaped the history of Langhe and Monferrato territory, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Alcohol12.5. It has a typical delicate muscat aroma and was by far the “driest” wine tasted and the one that went the best with most of the food.

Tre Secoli Asti Extra Dry made from 100% Moscato. 11.5 % alcohol and 16.0 residual sugar. The wine has hints of tropical fruit, peach and pear with notes of vanilla and ripe fruit.

Tenuta il Falchetto Tenuta del Fant Canelli 2023 made from 100% Moscato from vineyards located in Santo Stefano-Calosso with soil of limestone and sandstone marls. Manual Harvest. The wine has hints of white flowers, citrus fruit and sage.

Cascina Galletto Moscato d’Asti 2023 made from the Moscato Bianco Canelli grape from the Cascina Galleto vineyards at 400 meters. The manual harvest is from the end of August  to the first week of September. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, pear, apple and orange blossom.

Gianni Doglia “La Giostra” Moscato d’Asti 2023 made from 100% White Moscato. The soil is limestone – clay. Practicing Organic. Manual harvest. Alcohol is 5%. The wine is fruity with hints of ripe apricots, pears, white flowers and a note of sage.

Yellow tail sashimi green chili relish, ponzu, pickled garlic

Contratto de Miranda Metodo Classico 2017 Made from 100% Moscato grapes. It is produced using the Metodo Classico, or traditional method, which involves a second fermentation in the bottle, giving it a fine and persistent perlage (bubbles). The wine exhibits a complex aromatic profile with notes of dried fruit, pastry, citrus, mango and subtle notes of bread crust due to aging on the lees.

Cocchi Asti Spumante made from 100%  White Moscato. The colors of the flags of the medieval festival “Palio di Asti” are paraded on this bottle that Giulio Cocchi produces with more than one hundred years of experience.  The wine has the aromatic fragrance of the Moscato grape, a rich and intense aroma with a fruity taste of wisteria, acacia and honey. It features a well-balanced sweetness and a low alcohol content 7%

Black cod marinated in sakyo miso wrapped in hoba leaf

Ca’dgal Vite Vecchia Moscato d’Asti 2014  The grapes come from three plots of land situated in the Valdivilla Hills. They are combined to create a one-hectare vineyard, planted with an old clone of the white Canelli Moscato, which is now 60 years old. The earth is light and whitish and the higher percentage of limestone. Since 2003 the 1,300 bottles are kept each year and only placed on the market in September of the fifth year after the harvest. The wine has hints of ripe mango, apricot and lychee.

Matteo Soria Moscato d’Asti 2013 made from Moscato Bianco à Petits. In the middle between Brut and Extra Dry and leaning to the dry side. The wine has hints of apricot, orange and peach with a note of honey and a touch of orange blossoms.

I enjoyed this opportunity to expand my knowledge of these two classic wines and experiment with tasting them in combination with Japanese dishes.  It was a very successful tasting.