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San Felice is located  in the heart of the Chianti Classical zone and a few miles from Castel Berardenga and Siena.

I have been drinking and enjoying the wines a San Felice for a many years. Owned by the Grisaldi del Taja family from 1700 to 1968, the estate was acquired by the Allianza Group in the 1970’s, Today it spans about 685 hectares across  Tuscany’s prestigious wine producing  areas: Chianti Classico Montalcino and Bolgheri. The estate is home to the Vitiarium Collection and the Borgo San Felice Relais & Chareau.

Recently, I was introduced to their new line of wines called the Vitiarium Collection. The collection includes Borgo Chianti Classico DOCG, Pugnitello Toscana IGT, In Avane Toscana IGT (a white wine), and La Pieve Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione—each an authentic expression of a land where tradition and innovation meet. These four wines of the Vitiarium line are the result of over twenty years of research and innovation dedicated to rediscovering native grape varieties through the experimental project in the Vitiarium vineyard. These labels share a common purpose: to tell the story of an historic winemaking estate, the very place where, in 1968, Vigorello—the first of the Supertuscans—was introduced to the world. In both 2001 and 2022 San Felice obtained Equalitas — Standard SOPD Sustainable Organization (SO) certification recognizing their commitment to sustainability.

The Vitiarium Collection

In Avane Chardonnay Toscana 2022 made from mostly Chardonnay from San Felice (Castelnuovo Berardenga, Siena).  In Avane, from “Avenal” the Etruscan name of the area, encloses a trace of the ancient culture present in the territory of San Felice. The soil is of medium-textured, predominantly calcareous marl, breakdown of alberese and galestro limestones and the training system is spur-pruned cordon. Harvest takes place by hand the first week of September in the early morning hours.  Maceration at a temperature of 8° C. Fermentation predominantly in steel and partly in oak barrels. Bottle aging for a few months before release. The wine has hints of citrus, white flowers, peach, pear, with a note of acacia and a touch of melon. $33

Borgo Chianti Classico 2022 DOCG made from Sangiovese and Pugnitello. The vineyard is located Castlenuovo Berardenga.   Soil is medium-textured, predominantly calcareous marl breakdown of galestro limestones, with a abundant gravel-pebble mix. The training system is cordoned speronato and guyot. Harvest is the third week September to the first week of October. Vinification is in stainless steel for 2 weeks separately for each variety. Aging for approximately 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels. The wine has hints of black fruit, blackberries, blueberries, black cherry and plum. $33

Pugnitello Tuscan IGT 2021 made from 100% Pugnitello. Pugnitello is an ancient Tuscan native grape variety whose name means little fist, because of the shape of the clusters.  Following its rediscovery, it has been researched, in collaboration with the universities of Florence and Pisa, in San Felice’s experimental vineyard. The wine is the fruit of 20 years of study and experimentation focused on saving native Tuscan grapes from extinction. The vineyard is located Castlenuovo Berardenga (Siena).  Soil is medium-textured, predominantly calcareous marl breakdown of galestro limestones, with an abundant gravel-pebble mix. The training system is guyot. Harvest takes place the first week of October. There is a 20-25 day fermentation on the skins at 30C, followed by malolactic fermentation. Aging of the wine is in 225-liter French oak barriques for 18 to 20 months and 8 months in the bottle before release. This is a full bodied concentrated wine  with hints of wild fruit preserves of black and red fruit, blackcurrants, cherries, cinnamon, clove,  a touch of tobacco and a hint of spice. This is a wine that will age. $69

The 2021 vintage produced high-quality and healthy grapes

Chianti Classico Grande Selezione “La Pieve” 2021 San Felice Made from Sangiovese and other native vines from the finest company vineyards. The soil is of medium texture with a predominance of clay of calcareous-marly origin, derived from the disintegration of Alberese and Galestro.  The training system is cordone speronato and guyot. Harvest is the 4th week of September.  Alcoholic fermentation in steel tanks, with maceration for 22 days at a temperature of 28–30°C. Malolactic fermentation and aging in wood for 24 months. Refinement in French oak tonneaux of 500 liters. Bottle aging for 8 months. This is a full bodied wine with hints of violet, black currents and spice with a touch of tobacco and a hint of licorice. This is a true expression of Chianti Classico.  This wine will age for 10 to 15 years. $50

Wine and Memory by Tom Maresca on December  30, 2024

Cocktails have become a very big part of the dining scene in NYC. Many restaurants now have a long list of cocktails and even have the same cocktail in many different versions. Recently I was invited by Pegasus Distillerie to taste three cocktails at the Apotheke Nomad in NYC.

“Grounded firmly in terroir, at Pegasus we draw inspiration from the starry sky,” is the motto of Pegasus Distillerie.

Pegasus Distillerie  is a premium spirits brand based in Meursault, France. The Distillery was founded in 2021 by Master Distiller Maxime Girardin, whose winemaking heritage spans three generations.

Eau d’Or Liqueur is a blend of flavorful ingredients such as oranges, lemons, and orange blossoms.

Orion Gin is made from the fusion between five carefully selected botanicals distilled separately for a precise and refined creation.

Pegasus Vodka has a distinctive  smoothness and freshness. It is a blend of high quality ingredients from France made with cutting edge distillation technologies.

The Cocktail Menu

“La Emilia”

2 fl oz Pegasus Vodka

1/2 fl oz Eau d’Or Liqueur

1/2 oz simple syrup

1 fl lime juice

5 to 6 fresh  mint leaves

Shake and strain into cocktail glass

Add Eau d’Or Liqueur foam

Decorate with fresh mint leaves and lime zest

Best Intentions is a blend of Orion Gin, hemp milk, egg whites and Apo Libido bitters.

Clouded Summer is a blend of Pegasus Vodka, Eau D’Or Liqueur, lemon curd, Champagne and thyme.

Making the Cocktails

Try Pegasus Distillerie cocktails for the holiday season.

Argentina is home to the Bousquet Family of Domaine Bousquet.  I was happy to have an opportunity to taste their wines once again over dinner with Anne Bousquet, the CEO and Co-founder of Domaine Bousquet.  Anne spoke about the wines and how this French family came to Argentina.

The Bousquet Family hail from the city of Carcassonne in the South of France.  They have 4 generations of history in  winemaking but they felt that the future for them was in Argentina.  Their passion is to produce wines of superior quality and this is what led them to Argentina to begin a new chapter.

A 1990 vacation in Argentina was all it took. For third-generation winemaker Jean Bousquet, it was love at first sight. The object of the Frenchman’s desire was the Gualtallary Valley, a scenic, remote, arid terrain high in the Tupungato district of the Uco Valley in Argentina’s Mendoza region, close to the border with Chile. Here, where the condors fly and not a vine in sight, Bousquet discovered his dream terroir, an ideal location in which to nurture organically-grown wines.

The estate consists of 240 hectares in Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley (Mendoza). The area has idyllic wine-growing conditions. The vineyard is situated in the Andes foothills at an altitude of 1200 meters/4000 feet above sea level. Due to their location, the vineyard benefits from a cool climate and constant fresh air.

With altitudes ranging up to 5,249 feet, Gualtallary occupies the highest extremes of Mendoza’s viticultural limits. Wine cognoscenti today recognize it as the source of some of Mendoza’s finest wines. But when Bousquet first arrived, it was virgin territory: tracts of semi-desert, nothing planted, no water above ground, no electricity and a single dirt track by way of access. Locals dismissed the area as too cold for growing grapes. Bousquet, on the other hand, reckoned he’d found the perfect blend between his French homeland and the New World (sunny, with high natural acidity and a potential for relatively fruit-forward wines).

Bousquet’s daughter, economist Anne Bousquet, and her husband, Labid Al Ameri, a successful trader with Fidelity in Boston, found themselves increasingly drawn to the cause, including the opportunity it offered to put their shared philosophy on sustainability into effect. After a 2002 trip to Argentina, the couple began to invest in Domaine Bousquet. In 2005, Al Ameri joined his father-in-law full time, helping with the construction of the winery. Anne continued her work as an economist, before joining the company in 2008. In 2009, the couple moved to Tupungato full-time, assuming full ownership of Domaine Bousquet in 2011.

Domaine Bousquet is the largest organic and biodynamic wine producer in Argentina.

Gran Bousquet Organic Chardonnay 2022 made from 100% Chardonnay. Anne said this wine began life in the first vineyard planted by the Bousquet family in 2000 after their arrival from France. In the high desert Uco Valley in Argentina’s Mendoza region, the site captured their imagination on account of its sand (low-fertility sandy soil makes for elegant wines) and access to water.

Grapes here are the last to be harvested, ensuring more richness and body. The Gran Bousquet Line integrates the four soil types found in the vineyards: sandy, sandy calcareous, stony calcareous, and super stony from estate vineyards in Tupungato, Alto Gualtallary by the foothills of the Andes at 4,000 ft/1200 meters altitude. This approach allows for the creation of diverse components, offering a variety of styles and possibilities for blending. Because of the dryness of the area and its phylloxera-resistant sandy soil, farming organically at Domaine Bousquet from day one was both possible and smart.

Three main factors differentiate this vineyard and its terroir.  The first is the near constant breezes from the Andes to the west help mitigate heat-stress in this desert-like climate with its huge day/night temperature differentials.  The sandy soils which result in low fertility for desirable vine stress and yet are permeable for good drainage. In addition, the prevalence of groundwater, with rainfall averaging a scant 8-inches or less per year, groundwater from Andes snowmelt is vital to irrigate the vines drop-by-drop. In addition to the unique terroir, roots of organically-grown plants penetrate deeper, absorbing the trace minerals that give the wines their authentic local taste.

Anne said that organic farming is healthier for the environment and, vitally, for the people who tend the vines.The grapes are hand-harvested the first week of March.  The bunches are pressed at low temperatures. Fermentation is with native yeast in oak barrels for 30 days.  The wine is aged for 6 months in French oak barrels.  It has hints of citrus fruit and pear with a touch of coconut and a hint of vanilla. $25

Gaia Organic Rosé 2023 made from 100% Pinot Noir from estate vineyards in Tupungato, Alto Gualtallary by the foothills of the Andes at 1,200 m/4,000 ft. The vineyards enjoy a marked thermal amplitude. The soil is gravel and sand.

Anne said the wines have been crafted with French winemaking sensibility and made from 100% organic grapes. Intense sun exposure and huge shifts in day-to-night temperatures combine to create a perfect marriage of Old and New World characteristics. There is an early morning manual harvest during the second and third week of February. Full cluster press to maximize aroma extraction followed by a 5-day cold maceration at 6°C. Fermentation at a maximum temperature of 13°C for 30 days. This is clear pink wine with hints of strawberry, raspberry, orange zest, floral notes, a touch of melon and good acidity. The wine is named for Gaia, the Greek goddess of the earth.  $20

Virgen Usda Organic Malbec 2923 is not only made from organic fruit but has no sulfites added, thereby qualifying for fully organic USDA certification.  It is vinified from 100% estate-grown fruit grown at a cool 4,000 feet in the foothills of the Andes. This purest expression of the local terroir with a mix of sandy/gravel soils credited for Domaine Bousquet’s signature “Naturally Elegant Wines,” benefits from brilliant sunlight and 50⸰F temperature swings between day and night, leading to super-flavorful, fresh-tasting grapes. Manual harvest takes place the last week of March and the first week of April. There is cold maceration at 10C for 48 hour. 50% of fermentation is with indigenous yeast and 50% with selected yeasts at a controlled temperature for maximum of 25 to 27 C for 10 days. The wine has hints of black fruit, blackberries, blueberries and black cherries with a touch of plum and a note of violets.

Anne said this is Argentina’s signature grape presented in its full, unadorned glory: no added sulfates, no oak, just fresh, briar red and plummy blackberry and fruit flavors. $25

AMERI Ameri Single Vineyard Organic Red Blend 2021 made from 60% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot and 5% Syrah. The wine is named for Domaine Bousquet co-owner Labid al Ameri.  Ameri is not just “single vineyard” but “specific cluster,” and made only in exceptional years. At 1,257m/4,125 ft, the highest of the estate, the certified-organic vineyard, located in Gualtallary in the Andean foothills, gets a perfect combination of near constant intense daytime sunlight and huge day/night temperature differentials. The result is fruit with increased levels of sugar and acid, flavor, and aromatics. The soil is sandy with a presence of stone and sandy loam with calcareous inlays. The higher deepness of the terroir helps the vines to reach the lower layers of the soil, improving their contact with different minerals of Gualtallary.  Grapes are harvested during the last week of March and beginning of April. Careful hand selection of the bunches and grapes. Fermentation at maximum temperature between 25°C/77°F and 28°C/82°F for 14 days and 20 days of maceration in oak barrels. The fermentation temperature is kept low, allowing the extraction of intense aromas. 100% malolactic. Aged in French oak for 12 months. This is a complex wine with black fruit flavors of blackberry and blueberry and a touch of violets. $36

Domaine Bousquet has different lines of wine all of which are well made and sold at a very good price.

Federica Schir (federica@federicaschir-pr.com) organized a wine tasting and dinner when I was in Rome recently with wines from four wineries. Last week I reported on the wines of Tenuta Rottensteiner with Hannes Rottensteiner. Here is my report on the wines of Càduferrà, represented by Davide Zoppi and his husband, Giuseppe Luciano Aieta.

Davide and Giuseppi

The Càduferrà Winery started more than 30 years ago when Antonio Zoppi, originally from Bonassolo met and married Aida Forgione from Campania.  Aida, named for the opera by Giuseppe Verdi, is a winemaker and the young couple  decided to quit their jobs and move to Bonassolo on the Ligurian Coast and  produce wine. Over the years they bought farmhouses and land in the surrounding area, including the Cinque Terre, and began to plant vines. In 2000, they named their winery Càduferrà, a dialect expression meaning “blacksmith’s house” because the rows of vines now cover an area where horses were shoed in the past.

Davide, their son, and Giuseppe recently joined his parents in operating the property. Their plan is to look toward the future with an eye on the past. Together they turned the property into an agriturismo or holiday farm to attract tourism and modernized the winery.

Davide said their pride is the recovery of rare and ancient vines as a way of returning to the past and respecting the place as it originally was. To rediscover the original viticultural crops, in its Bonassola soils, they aim to bring back varieties such as Ruzzese, Rossese Bianco, Picabon and Albarola Kihlgren, which have been present in the Cinque Terre and the eastern coast of Liguria since ancient times, but have been partially forgotten throughout recent history.

Càduferrà is located between the Golfo deli Poeti and the Gulf del Tigullio, 35 km from La Spezia and 50 km from Genoa.

The Vines and Wines

There are 4.5 seaside hectares divided into 11 tiny vineyard sites and crus. The vine rows are pergola trained and look out on the sea.  Unlike most other wineries, all of the vineyards are multi-varietal with the white Albarolo, Vermentino and Bosco  grown together and the red Sangiovese, Merlot, Ciliegiolo, Syrah and Granaccia as well as the rare Vermentino Nero grown together. The vineyards are certified organic and the oenologist is internationally reknowned Graziana Grassini.

Colline Di Levanto Bianco DOP “Bonazolae” 2002 made from Vermentino, Albarola and Bosco grown on the Bonassola hills on the Ligurian coast. Some of the soil is rich in clay, of medium texture and some soil is lean and rich in sandstone skelton. After a short skin maceration the must obtained from the direct pressing of the grapes is decanted and only the limpid part ferments in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.  The wine remains on the lees with repeated bâtonnage. The new wine is bottled before the Easter holidays the year after the harvest. The wine has hints of jasmine, citrus, tropical fruit and floral notes.

Colline di Levanto Vermentino 2022 “Luccicante” made from 100% Vermentino. Various and characteristic soils with a clay composition, medium textured, originating from the tectonic uplift of marine terraces. After a short skin maceration the must obtained from the direct pressing of the grapes is decanted  and only the limpid part ferments in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine remains on the lees with repeated bâtonnage The new wine is bottled before the Easter holidays, the year after the harvest. The wine has hits of chamomile, white peaches, apples, white flowers, almonds and citrus notes.

Liguria di Levante DOP Magia di Rosa 2022 made from Sangiovese, Vermentino and Syrah. The soil is various and characteristic, mostly clayey with a medium mixture. After a short maceration, the must obtained from direct pressing of the grapes is decanted, only the limpid part ferments in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The new wine is bottled before the Easter holidays, the year after the harvest. The wine has hints of strawberry, raspberry, white peach and a hint of jasmine.

Colline Di Levanto Rosso “ ‘Ngilù” 2022 made from Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, Merlot, Grenache, Vermentino Nero and Syrah.  Soil is various and characteristic, mostly clay with a medium mixture. Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. After removing the must from the wine, the fermentation process continues in the same stainless steel vats. The wine is aged in stainless steel vats for a minimum of 6 months. The wine has hints of pomegranate, raspberry. red cherry and a hint of strawberry. This is the first time I have tried a wine with Vermentino Nero!

Davide’s passion for his winery really shows through and I was impressed by all his wines.  I particularly enjoyed tasting some of the lesser-known varieties.

Caduferra also makes Liguria di Levante Passito Bianco l’ Intraprendente  made from Bosco, Vermentino and Albarola and a Liguria di  Levante Passito Bianco Ruzzese.

A number of years ago a friend Iris Carulli recommended we try Ristorante La Tavernaccia Da Bruno in Testaccio for traditional Roman cuisine.  We had a great meal  and have returned many times. Last Sunday we went again and it was as good as ever.

We were greeted by Patrizia Persiani, one of the owners.

I stopped to admire the pastry display.  It is a very cozy and welcoming restaurant.

A Family Affair

La Tavernaccia Da Bruno was founded in Rome by Bruno Persiani and his wife Giovanna Giuliacci in 1968. Since 2005 the restaurant, has specialized in traditional recipes and run with professionalism and passion by Bruno and Giovanna’s daughters, Paola and Patrizia, and the latter’s husband, Giuseppe Ruzzettu (the chef) . A few years ago, Giuseppe and Patrizia’s son, Gabriele Ruzzettu, joined the staff.

Michele and I ordered the same dishes. Each time the waitress asked, “uno per due?” and Michele answered “No, uno per uno.” It was very nice that she asked if we wanted half portions but we were very happy we ordered full portions..

We started with liver crostini, a dish I associate more with Tuscany than Rome.  But it was a perfect starter, tangy with capers and vinegar.

. For our pasta course, we ordered the pasta alla gricia, one of the four favorite pastas of traditional Roman cooking.  It’s made with guanciale (pork cheek), pecorino cheese and lots of black pepper and served here with thick, homemade spaghetti.

For our main course, we had roast suckling pig.  The skin was crispy and the tender meat was scented with herbs.  With it we had rosemary roasted potatoes and an order of cicoria ripassata.  Chicory is a member of the endive family that is popular at this time of the year.  It was sauteed with garlic and chile.

Chianti Classico DOCG “San Donatino” Poggio Ai Mori made from 100% Sangiovese. The  vineyard is at 400 meters  and the soil is mainly galestro. Training system is spurred cordon and guyot. There is mechanical weeding and the use of green manure in alternate years. Only copper, sulfur and products compatible with the Certification Bio are used. Harvest is by hand. Traditional vinification with daily pumping over. Spontaneous fermentation is by natural yeasts. The fermentation is not temperature controlled. The wine remains on the skins for three weeks and it remains on the lees for 6 months. The wine is aged in steel for 2 years and in bottle for 6 months before release. It has hints of cherry, red current, raspberry, a touch of plum and a hint of violets. The wine was perfect match with the food.

Ristorante La Tavernaccia Da Bruno

Via Giovanni da Castel Bolognese, 63  Rome.          Closed Wednesday

+39 06 5812792

latavernaccia.roma@gmail.com

Recently I received two bottles of wine from the Firriato Winery in Sicily.  I have a long history with the wines of Firriato which I have always enjoyed. We carried their wines when I was the wine director of I Trulli Restaurant in NYC and a number of years ago, Michele and I visited their estate in Trapani in western Sicily. Eleven years ago I attended a tasting of the wines and lunch at The Leopard at Café des Artistes in NYC.  Six years go I hosted a tasting and lunch of their wines at Norma Gastronomia Siciliana in NYC. Representing the winery at that event was Federico Lombardo di Monte, the COO, and from time to time I have met Federico at different wine events. Most recently I saw him at the Gambero Rosso “Tre Bicchieri” tasting in NYC.

The Firriato Winery is a family affair.  Federico Lombardo di Monte is the COO and the president is Salvatore Di Gaetano.  The CEO is Vinzia Novara Di Gaetano, and Irene Di Gaetano Lombardo di Monte Iato is the Chairman.

Federico Lombardo di Monte Lato with the Etna DOC Bianco “Cavanera” made from Carricante and Catarratto.

The winery was founded in 1984 and today it is comprised of 6 estates, four of which are near Trapani: Baglio Soria, Borgo Guanini — the largest with over 140 hectares of vineyards are Pianoro Cuddia and the Dagala Borromeo. On the east coast near Mount Etna is the Cavanera estate that has 11 hectares of vines. The Calamoni estate is on the island of Favignana, one of the Egadi Islands off the coast of Trapani. There are 380 hectares  of vineyards in total.

In order to maintain quality control each estate is operated independently with its own enologist. There are also two agronomists who take care of all the vineyards.

In April of 2019 Frirrato became the first winery in Europe to accomplish all the conditions to achieve and certify ZERO point greenhouse gas emissions. There are no treatments, fertilizers, or other synthetic chemicals used  during the life cycle of their organic certified grapes.

Trapani has more grapes planted than any other place in Italy.  However, at Firriato, they are interested in quality not the quantity of their wines.  Above all, they love Sicily and Sicilian grape varieties.

The Wines

Sicilia DOC Perricone Ribeca made from 100% Perricone from the Pianoro Cuddia Estate in the Trapani countryside. They use their own clone. The vineyards have a south/southwest exposure at is at 200 meters. There are 5,000/6,000 vines per hectare and the training system is cordon trained guyot and the vines are 14 years old. Manual harvest the 3rd week of September to the 1st week of October. Fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks according to tradition for 14 days. Aging is for 10/12 months in French durmast barriques.  The wine remains in the bottle for 20 months before release. The wine has hints of cherry jam, blackberries, prunes and cloves with a touch of ginger and a hint of licorice.

Etna DOC Rosso Cavanera  Rovo Della Coturnie made from Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio, red cru blend. The vineyards are on the northeastern side of the volcano at 750 meters and the training system is Alberello Etneo. There are 3,500/4,000 vines per hectare. Soil composition is loamy and sandy of volcanic origin with good drainage. Harvest is by hand the 2nd and 3rd weeks of October. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for  18 days with skin contact. The wine is aged in French oak tonneaux for 18 months and in bottle for at least 12 months before release. Notes of small red fruit, pepper, a touch of vanilla, spice, black currants, blackberry, violets, and with good acidity.

www.firriato.it  for more information on the wines and the winery