Archive for October, 2009

King of Ruchè

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Save 20% on wines by Luca Ferraris at our free tasting this Friday

ruche country blog

If you’re a regular at Vino, chances are you’ll have tried Ruchè, a little-known wine from the Piedmontese village of Castagnole Monferrato. So little-known in fact, that unless you were born in this tiny hamlet in the province of Asti, you were probably unfamiliar with the variety until Luca Ferraris brought his wines to the United States.

Luca is one of just a handful of producers helping to resurrect the grape and promote the wine to an international market. With no preconceptions surrounding the wine those curious enough to give it a chance have responded with unanimous praise, making Ruchè one of Vino’s best-sellers over the last twelve months.

But Luca isn’t just about Ruchè: his Barbera and Grignolino offer classic piemontese quality and taste at a remarkable price point. This year Ferraris has added an exciting blend of Ruchè and Syrah to his portfolio which he calls Il Re. We think you’ll agree it’s a wine fit for a king.

4 luca ferraris wines2

And don’t forget: all of Luca’s wines will be available at an incredible 20% off!

LUCA FERRARIS TASTING
Friday, October 16
5:30-7:30pm

For more information call 212-725-6516 or email contact@vinosite.com.

Posted in VINO, events, featured producer, weekly tasting | No Comments »

Demo & Lunch: Puglia

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

Let Patti and Dora show you how to prepare your favorite dishes from the heel of Italy’s boot

puglia blog

Heel the world: Puglia has seen a boost in tourism in recent years, leading some travel agents even to dub it the “Tuscany of the South”.

When Nicola Marzovilla opened I Trulli in 1994, his vision was to enable New York diners to experience some of the sights and flavors he’d grown up with in the south of Italy. Particular inspiration came from Nicola’s native Puglia, the slender region which forms the heel of Italy’s boot. Today, with so many of the city’s restaurants claiming to offer “authentic” regional cuisine, I Trulli remains one of the few which can undoubtedly be called the real deal. Nicola’s mother, Dora, can be found at the restaurant each morning rolling her acclaimed fresh pasta, and with Chef Patti Jackson at the helm I Trulli continues to set new standards for “la cucina meridionale”.

trullo blog

Maxicono: I Trulli takes its name from the “trullo”, a traditional construction typical of Puglia, known for its distinctive conical-shaped roof.

Puglia has long been a region of enormous abundance and agricultural wealth, due also to its advantageous geographical position, and a strong Italo-Greek influence still survives today. Drawing heavily from the natural resources of its land, as well as the Adriatic and Ionian seas, Puglia can boast some of Italy’s best variety of fruit, vegetables and seafood, ingredients which are creatively incorporated to delightful effect in many of the region’s recipes. On Saturday, October 17, join Patti and Dora for an exclusive demonstration and lunch, as they prepare some of I Trulli’s most representative dishes inspired by this enchanting and unique region.

dora then and now

Ieri, oggi e domani: Dora Marzovilla yesterday, in her native Puglia, and today, at the pasta station at I Trulli.

DEMO & LUNCH: PUGLIA
with Dora Marzovilla and Chef Patti Jackson
Saturday, October 17
1:30-3:30pm
$75 plus tax and 18% gratuity

Check out Chef Patti Jackson’s exclusive menu!

For further information and reservations please call 212-481-7372 or email info@itrulli.com.

Trullo photograph by Katy Harrison, Puglia, August 2008.
Dora Marzovilla photographs property of Marzovilla/I Trulli.

Posted in I TRULLI, NICOLA MARZOVILLA, class, dora marzovilla, italian culture, italian food, patti jackson, travels in italy | No Comments »

OMG! DOCG!

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Vino’s Italian wine classes continue, Wednesday, October 14

DOCG_blog

DOCG wines are identifiable by the distinctive pink label wrapped around the neck of the bottle, like on this Brunello di Montalcino.

What’s the difference between DOC and DOCG? Is a DOCG wine automatically superior? Why are some of my favorite wines classified IGT? If you’ve ever drunk Italian wine (and if you’re reading this, there’s a big chance you have) you’ve probably asked yourself these questions and others like them. As is the case with most things governmental in Italy, the system for classifying its wines can be apparently simple but deceptively complex, and can oftentimes cause a headache.

piedmont docg blog

As these maps clearly suggest, navigating Italy’s DOCs and DOCGs can be tricky. And that’s only Piedmont…

The DOC label assurance was launched in Italy in 1962, and was modeled on France’s AOC system. By 1980, the DOC list had become so crowded the DOCG was introduced to give greater importance to Italy’s top-drawer wines. Or as Italian wine expert Robert Scibelli himself once put it to me, it was the government’s way of saying “this time we really mean it.” Today there is some debate as to the number of wines which currently make up the DOCG list. With wine experts, bloggers, Wikipedia and even the Italian Ministry of Agriculture seemingly unable to settle on the same figure, estimates typically fluctuate anywhere between 32 and 45 appellations. Italian wine blog VinoWire (I like to think of it as the Reuters for Italian wine) has a pretty comprehensive and up-to-date take on the matter here.

On Wednesday, October 14 let Robert do the hard work for you as he attempts to deconstruct this ever-changing legal landscape which continues to leave Italian wine fans stumped. In what is an exciting new addition to Vino’s class schedule, Mr. Scibelli will also be presenting a world-class tasting of wines from some of Italy’s most famous DOCGs.

DOCG WINES
with Robert Scibelli, DWS
Wednesday, October 14
6:30-8:30pm
$65

For more information and reservations call 212-725-6516 or email register@vinosite.com.

Posted in VINO, class, italian culture, vinoteca | No Comments »

Count-down to Friday!

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

castel sallegg tasting blog

Vino’s featured producer tastings continue this Friday as we pour the cool and delicious wines of Castel Sallegg. Owned by Count Georg Von Kuenburg (below), this noble estate represents the very best in winemaking in the northern region of Alto Adige.

ConteKuenburg blog

Join us on Friday afternoon from 5:30pm! Click here for Vino’s full Fall tasting schedule. For more information call 212-725-6516 or email contact@vinosite.com.

Posted in VINO, events, featured producer, weekly tasting | No Comments »

Meet Alicia Lini at I Trulli

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Our (and your) favorite Lambrusco producer returns to New York

alicia poster blog

I Trulli is proud to welcome back Alicia Lini! The fourth-generation Lambrusco producer and international face of the brand LINI 910 returns to New York this month to assess the Lambrusco phenomenon that continues to sweep the United States. Our guest of honor at a very special dinner at I Trulli, Alicia will be presenting her wines as part of an evening devoted to the gastronomic heartland that is Emilia-Romagna.

Join Alicia and Nicola Marzovilla on Monday, October 19, for a unique event showcasing Lini’s delicious and popular range of Lambrusco wines as well as Emilia-Romagna’s much-loved culinary heritage. Lambrusco, the classic sparkling wine of Emilia, is the typical accompaniment to the region’s hearty dishes and rich flavors; enjoy the complete line of Lini wines paired with Chef Patti Jackson’s exclusive menu. Book now!

Alicia Lini presents Lambrusco by Lini
Monday, October 19
7:30pm
$75 plus tax and gratuity

For further information please call 212-481-7372 or email reservations@itrulli.com.

Posted in I TRULLI, NICOLA MARZOVILLA, alicia lini, events, featured producer, italian food, patti jackson | No Comments »

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