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Roman Holiday

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

This afternoon enjoy three wines by Lazio producer Castel de Paolis

roman holiday poster

When in Rome… drink Frascati. But even if you can’t make it to the Eternal City this week, you can still take your own “Vacanze Romane” at Vino and sample some classic from the castelli romani. From one of Lazio’s best producers, Castel de Paolis, comes a new Frascati, a wine synonymous with the Italian capital Rome, and always a favorite with its legions of tourists.

fabrizio santarelli at i trulli

Located in the hills of Grottaferrata just south of Rome, Castel de Paolis’ vineyards have been part of the Santarelli family since the 1960s. Today, Fabrizio Santarelli (above at I Trulli) not only produces delicious wines under the Castel de Paolis label, but also acts as president of Le Vigne del Lazio, a consortium of the region’s winemakers. With this position comes the task of reshaping Lazio’s winemaking image and promoting its wines to an international market. One taste of his wines was enough to convince us Santarelli’s doing fine work in both his jobs!

3 castel paolis wines

This afternoon taste Castel de Paolis’ Frascati Superiore, an elegant blend of Malvasia di Candia, Trebbiano Toscano, Bonvino and Cacchione, plus the popular Donna Adriana (Malvasia Puntinata, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier) and Campo Vecchio Rosso (Syrah, Cesanese, Montepulciano).

Frascati Superiore 2007 Castel de Paolis
$22

Donna Adriana 2007 Castel de Paolis
$26

Campo Vecchio Rosso 2005 Castel de Paolis
$22

CASTEL DE PAOLIS TASTING
Thursday, July 30
5:30-7:30pm

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

Posted in VINO, featured producer, holidays, travels in italy, weekly tasting | 3 Comments »

A Barbera bargain

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Barbera d’Asti aged up to six years in wood!

While the Langhe area is renowned the world over for its wine, such quality often comes at a price, which is why Piedmont may not be the first region that springs to mind when searching for affordable bottles. Yet this oft-celebrated winemaking zone offers many great values. Among these are the wines of Castello di Montegrosso, where winemaker Graziano Motta produces some of our favorite Barbera d’Asti wines of recent years.

Vintage Barbera gathering dust (and more!) beneath the Castello di Montegrosso in Montegrosso d'Asti.

Montegrosso’s Barbera d’Asti is named “Ruleja“, after the historic vineyard from which the fruit is sourced. This two hectare site has long been a provider for quality wines; Motta’s vines were planted over sixty years ago.

One of the 50 hectoliter fiberglass tanks at the Montegrosso winery.

Motta vinifies his cru Barbera d’Asti Superiore in fiberglass tanks. Like his father before him, he believes that fiberglass dissipates heat rapidly enough to allow fermentation without temperature control. He does however have an advantage where others do not. The thick walls of his cantina, the same that form the base of the 900-year-old Castello di Montegrosso, help maintain a cool and constant cellar temperature.

Barriques inside which Montegrosso's Barbera begins its aging process.

After fermentation and pressing, the wine is racked into barriques of various age where it will spend eight-to-twelve months. Graziano allows enough oxygen contact during this process to begin the stabilization so vital to his method of lengthy maturation in wood.

Graziano Motta samples his Barbera d'Asti in the cellars of the Castello di Montegrosso.

The photograph above was taken in October, 2008. You’ll notice that the chalkboard at left identifies the wine being aged in that cask as Barbera d’Asti 2001. It is a rare winemaker that would allow Barbera to age for six years in large Slavonian oak. It is a confident and talented winemaker that would arrive at the stunning results offered by Graziano Motta.

Taste the 2003 and 2001 vintages of Graziano Motta’s Barbera d’Asti this Friday at Vino from 5:30pm!

Barbera d’Asti 2003 Castello di Montegrosso
$27

Barbera d’Asti 2001 Castello di Montegrosso
$30

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

All photographs by Jim Hutchinson, October 2008.

Posted in VINO, featured producer, jim hutchinson, travels in italy, weekly tasting | No Comments »

On the road again

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Vino revs up its engines to take you on a tasting trip through Italy’s southern wine country

Vino’s Spring wine classes continue this Wednesday, April 22 with On The A16: Naples to Bari, a virtual tasting trip taking you on a wine journey through Italy’s south, along the A16 highway. Often referred to as the “autostrada dei due mari“, the A16 runs almost coast-to-coast across the width of the peninsula, from the bay of Naples to the Adriatic, up over the spine of the Appenines and finishing in the town of Canosa in the province of Bari.

This famous highway cuts deep through wine country, roughly following the ancient Via Traiana across highlands of limestone and volcanic ash. Vino’s Jim Hutchinson, DWS, will be behind the wheel to guide you through this tasting tour. Passengers will stop to sample some of southern Italy’s most celebrated grape varieties, including Falanghina, Fiano, Aglianico, Primitivo and Nero di Troia.

All roads lead to Vino.

You too can get your motor running for just $65 (price includes tolls and gas) and enjoy great southern Italian wines along the way. Class will begin promptly at 6:30pm. For more information and reservations call 212-725-6516 or email register@vinosite.com. Our full Spring class schedule is available on our website.

Posted in VINO, class, travels in italy | No Comments »

Vino announces Spring 2009 Class Schedule

Friday, March 27th, 2009

Our legendary wine classes are back for Spring!

Spring is here… and so are Vino’s wine classes! Back by overwhelming demand, our popular tasting classes return this spring with a brand new schedule to take us right through to summer!

Class participants are treated to a unique tasting selected by the expert hand of our esteemed instructors, in fun and informative seminars guaranteed to spark lively debate. Our themed tastings explore all aspects of winemaking in Italy, often focusing on specific wines, grape varieties and winemaking regions.

Whether you’re an Italian wine novice or wish to broaden your existing knowledge, there is no better way to discover new wines, learn more about your favorites and form a greater appreciation for the complex subtleties and entertaining history of Italian wine and winemaking.

CLASS SCHEDULE SPRING 2009

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

ITALIAN WINE 101
with William “Lucky” Lee
Wednesday, April 15
$65
By far our most popular class, Italian Wine 101 is an introduction to some of Italy’s greatest grape varieties and wines. William “Lucky” Lee reviews the process of wine-making from grape to bottle and gives pointers on storing, serving and ordering wine. The course is great for both experienced enthusiasts and those new to Italian wine.

ON THE AI6: FROM NAPLES TO BARI
with Jim Hutchinson, DWS
Wednesday, April 22
$65
Vino takes you on a virtual road trip through Italy’s south, from the bay of Naples to the Adriatic coast, up and over the spine of the Appenines on the A16 autostrada. This highway cuts deep through wine country, roughly following the ancient Via Traiana across highlands of limestone and volcanic ash. A traveler passes through the heart of Aglianico with stops along the way to sample Coda di Volpe, Piedirosso, Falanghina, Fiano, Greco, and Nero di Troia among others.

EMILIA-ROMAGNA: ITALY’S GASTRONOMIC HEARTLAND
with Jim Hutchinson, DWS
Wednesday, April 29
$65
Emilia-Romagna is rightly considered a culinary stronghold in Italy: a region where the best known cities – Bologna, Modena, Parma – are synonymous around the world with products which form the basis of Italian daily eating. Equally unique to the region are its popular wines – the lively, sparkling Lambrusco is the typical accompaniment to the area’s hearty dishes and rich flavors. Sample some classic Emilian dishes and enjoy wines by our favorite Lambrusco producer, Lini.

WINE & CHEESE
with Jim Hutchinson, DWS
Wednesday, May 6
$65
Like its wine, cheese is produced in every region in Italy, and invariably plays an integral part in Italians’ daily diet. While it is an essential ingredient in many of the country’s most popular recipes, many Italians enjoy eating cheese by itself, often paired with a suitable glass of wine. Jim will discuss Italy’s cheese production and serving methods, and offer useful tips on how best to pair a cheese with wine. Taste a varied selection of some of Italy’s finest and most popular formaggi, expertly matched with some of Vino’s favorite wines.

ITALIAN BREAD
with Chef Patti Jackson
Saturday, May 16
$85
Not a lot of people know that before she became a top chef, Patti Jackson spent nearly 20 years as a baker. Now witness this extensive baking prowess as she demostrates the preparation behind some of I Trulli’s favorite breads. As anyone who has traveled extensively in Italy will tell you, Italian bread is as diverse as the country’s wines. Foccaccia, schiacciata, grissini and taralli are just some of the typical Italian bread products featured in this fun new addition to Vino’s class schedule.

NOBLE NEBBIOLO
with Robert Scibelli, DWS
Wednesday, May 20
$75
Famed the world over for its use in the oft-celebrated Barolo and Barbaresco, the Nebbiolo grape variety actually goes a lot further, resulting in some of Italy’s most interesting wines. Let Robert guide you through a tasting of some excellent expressions of this legendary grape.

PASTA-MAKING
with Dora Marzovilla and Chef Patti Jackson
Saturday, May 30
$85
Visitors to Italy (and I Trulli!) will undoubtedly be familiar with the delight that is fresh pasta. But why are so many of us disinclined to reproduce it at home? A little flour and water never hurt anyone, and making pasta from scratch is in fact a fast and simple procedure. Dora Marzovilla has been rolling fresh pasta at I Trulli since its doors first opened in 1994. As mother of restaurant owner Nicola Marzovilla, who better to teach the uninitiated? Dora will demonstrate preparation techniques for what is a cornerstone of Italian cooking.

THE KILLER B’s: BAROLO, BARBARESCO & BRUNELLO
with Robert Scibelli, DWS
Wednesday, June 3
$95
Hailed by wine lovers around the world, Piedmont’s Barolo and Barbaresco and Tuscan giant Brunello di Montalcino are undoubtedly three of Italy’s greatest wines. Their modern elevated status lends these wines a certain mystique, which Robert Scibelli will help you understand in this world-class tasting. Learn the epic history, assess the varied production techniques and discover the hidden truths behind the legends of these fantastic wines.

ITALIAN WINE 101
with William “Lucky” Lee
Wednesday, June 10
$65
Vino offers Italian Wine 101 twice this term! William “Lucky” Lee reviews the process of wine-making from grape to bottle and answers questions on storing, serving and ordering wine. The course is great for both experienced enthusiasts and those new to Italian wine.

ITALIAN EFFERVESCENCE
with Jim Hutchinson, DWS
Wednesday, June 17
$65
Though often enjoyed as a before-dinner aperitivo or as a less-expensive alternative to Champagne, Italian sparkling wines are in fact as varied in style, taste and production as their still counterparts. No surprise then, that Italians are just as likely to drink such wines before, during or after a meal. Prosecco, Franciacorta and Lambrusco are just the most recognized varieties within Italy’s lengthy list of delightful bubblies. Taste diverse sparkling wines from various Italian regions in what is an ideal introduction to a slightly misunderstood class of wines.

For further details please visit our website, vinosite.com.

Posted in I TRULLI, NICOLA MARZOVILLA, VINO, class, dora marzovilla, italian culture, italian food, jim hutchinson, travels in italy, vinoteca, william leonard-lee | 3 Comments »

Vinitaly: The World We Love

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

The 43rd edition of the international wine event returns to Verona, April 2-9

Vinitaly is back! After a successful tour of Asia and the US in 2008, the wine fair returns to Verona this spring. From April 2-9, 2009, the Italian and international wine world will descend upon Veronafiere, the 89,630 square meter exhibition space which for last year’s event squeezed in 4,215 exhibitors, 157,177 visitors and 2,054 journalists. This year’s event is Vinitaly’s 43rd edition, unapologetically subtitled “Il Mondo che Amiamo” or “The World We Love” (whether the world in question is Vinitaly or wine itself is open to interpretation).

Just one of the countless tasting events which took place at Vinitaly in 2008.

The Vinitaly experience can be in equal parts rewarding and exhausting. Just one of the countless tasting sessions which took place at last year's event.

Naturally, Vino will be sending its team of experts into the depths of Vinitaly, on a mission to seek out the latest and greatest wine developments from Italy. Check back here for a post-Vinitaly report!

Posted in events, travels in italy, wine news, wine opinion | No Comments »

Lambrusco and Bollito Misto

Thursday, March 5th, 2009

Nicola Marzovilla invites you to I Trulli for a journey to Italy’s gastronomic heartland

The Palazzo del Monte oversees daily life in Reggio Emilia's Piazza Prampolini.

Emilia-Romagna is rightly considered a culinary stronghold in Italy: a region whose best known cities — Bologna, Modena, Parma — are synonymous around the world with products which form the basis of Italian daily eating. Equally unique is to the region are its popular wines — the lively, sparkling Lambrusco is the typical accompaniment to the area’s hearty dishes and rich flavors.

Erbazzone, a spinach and cheese filled pie, is a typical dish of Reggio Emilia.

As its hyphenated name clearly suggests, Emilia-Romagna was originally made up of two distinct areas, each with its own diverse taste and style. The unified administration shares a border with a total of six other Italian regions as well as ample Adriatic coastline, acting as something of a “keystone state” between Central and Northern Italy. It’s perhaps little wonder then that Emilia-Romagna enjoys its modern standing as Italy’s gastronomic heartland.

Emilian producer Lini has been making Lambrusco in Correggio (RE) since 1910.

Created especially for this extraordinary event, chef Patti Jackson’s exclusive menu is set to feature classic Emilian dishes such as gnocchi fritti, erbazzone and bollito misto. The dinner will also showcase new vintages of some of our favorite wines by renowned Emilian Lambrusco producer Lini. Join Nicola Marzovilla at I Trulli for what is certain to be an unforgettable evening!

A Taste of Emilia-Romagna
Tuesday, April 21, 7:30pm
$85 (plus tax and gratuity)

More details including are available at www.itrulli.com. For further information and reservations please call 212-481-7372 or email info@itrulli.com.

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

Tuscan tryptich

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

3 Chianti zones + 3 expert producers = 3 great wines.

Since my first visit to Florence (over 20 years ago), these four little pigs have been happily dining on a steady diet of pork and Chianti at this butcher's shop.

Whether swigged from a straw flask in a rustic trattoria or ordered by the bottle from a celebrated vintage, Chianti is one of the world’s best-known and most widely consumed wines. So much so that it can be too often easily taken for granted. With literally thousands of producers in the appellation vying for our attention, how to distinguish between them in order to find the really good stuff? During our many travels to Italy we have sought out what we consider the very best Chianti, despite the many alternatives readily available here in the United States. Bound only by the Chianti name and predominant use of Sangiovese, these three wines hail from three different Chianti subzones: Rufina, Classico and Colli Fiorentini. As diverse as their land and their producers, they remain unmistakably true expressions of Chianti.

Chianti Rufina 2006 Travignoli
was $12, now $10.80
The Busi family has been making wine in the Rufina subzone since the 12th century — this 100% Sangiovese 2006 Chianti Rufina stands up to their best vintages.

Chianti Classico 2005 Casa Emma
was $22, now $19.80
A blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Malvasia Nera, this typical expression of the classico appellation is an excellent holiday wine.

Chianti Colli Fiorentini Montebetti 2007 Guido Gualandi
was $23, now $20.70
Guido Gualandi’s first vintage of his Chianti Montebetti combines 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino, vinified separately and aged for ten months in oak casks of various size and age.

Save 10% on bottles 1 through 11, 20% on 12 or more!

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

Discover Vino’s vast selection of holiday wines on our website, www.vinositeshop.com!

Posted in VINO, sale, travels in italy | No Comments »

La Dolce Vita

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

Dolce Italia presents End on a Sweet Note, a true taste of Italy

Italian television personality Raffaella Carrà in a 1980s magazine ad for Motta Panettone.

While Italy is rightly renowned around the world for its food and wine, its desserts and after-dinner drinks are often overlooked. Hugely popular in Italy but relatively unknown abroad, the country’s vast array of grappe and digestivi are an ideal way to end a meal. Likewise, many Americans are still unaware of the wonders of panettone and pandoro, Italy’s traditional holiday cakes.

Now Dolce Italia is looking to increase awareness of these fantastic products, all of which are readily available right here in the US. Dolce Italia, the name used by Aidi (Associazione Industrie Dolciarie Italiane) abroad, has teamed up with the Italian Trade Commission and Asti D.O.C.G. to present End on a Sweet Note, an event designed to introduce New Yorkers to the wonderful world of Italian desserts and spirits. This fine initiative will take place at 16 participating restaurants — including I Trulli, Centovini and Vino — from December 3 to 13. Visitors will be treated to a glass of Asti Spumante and a delicious Italian dessert, ranging from Sicilian cookies and dark chocolates to the aforementioned panettone and pandoro.

Motta panettone and Bauli pandoro will be available at I Trulli and Centovini this week!

Panettone is the traditional Milanese holiday bread, made of a light, softly textured dough, and usually incorporating dried and candied fruit. Pandoro, from Verona, is a tall, frustum-shaped sponge cake, typically showered with vanilla-scented powdered sugar to resemble snowy peaks. Packaged in pretty boxes and tied with ribbon, Italians often warm them over a radiator for several minutes to recreate that just-baked sensation. Commercials for panettone and pandoro by the big manufacturers (Motta, Bauli, Maina, Balocco and, best of all, Tre Marie) dominate the airwaves in December, invariably featuring excited children and snow-covered landscapes.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmTtMHTAK1I]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aOnxF-VHfs]

In Italy, where people take their holidays almost as seriously as they take their food, panettone and pandoro are as ingrained into holiday culture as babbo natale. Indeed, Italians are routinely scrutinized for their preference for panettone or pandoro (as if liking both would be an impossibility), in a bizarre twist on a Beatles-Rolling Stones cultural divide or Mets-Yankees (or in this case maybe Milan-Inter) sporting allegiance.

I confess to being 100% panettoniano — I can’t resist the fruit and find pandoro a little too sweet and cakey. I’d even go so far as to consider panettone the third best reason to live in Italy, behind Campari Soda and La Gazzetta dello Sport (which take precedence simply by virtue of their year-round availability). Christmas morning just wouldn’t be the same without a cappuccino, a glass of spumante and a large wedge of panettone, a holiday ritual which instantly evokes the unmistakable atmosphere and aromas of an Italian bar at breakfast. Luckily for me, my friends in Italy are well aware of my passion for panettone, and I am happy to report that a large classico milanese is making its way to my house via airmail as I write! Grazie Poste Italiane!

End on a Sweet Note, New York, December 3-13, 2008.

Posted in I TRULLI, VINO, centovini, events, italian culture, italian food, travels in italy | No Comments »

In fair Verona…

Friday, November 14th, 2008

Discover the legend of Amarone and the unique wines of Verona in our final class of the fall season

Verona's Piazza delle Erbe is a great place to watch the world go by, preferably while enjoying a glass of the local vino.

Despite its relatively modest production, Amarone enjoys its current standing as one of Italy’s most fascinating and collectable wines, though it could have just as easily never existed. According to popular legend, the wine was created by accident in the 1930s when a producer of the veronese passito Recioto forgot to stop fermentation. This inadvertently allowed all of the wine’s sugar to be transformed into alcohol, resulting in the name “Amarone” (literally “big bitter”).

produced by drying Corvina, Molinara, and Rondinella grapes on straw mats and reintroducing the raisinated fruit to a base wine in a process known as the ripasso method.

Amarone is produced by drying Corvina, Molinara, and Rondinella grapes on straw mats and reintroducing the raisinated fruit to a base wine in a process known as the ripasso method.

Wine producers began officially trading Amarone in the 1950s and it proved an instant success with locals in Verona. Only following the appellation’s award of DOC status in 1990 has Amarone seen a large surge in demand. It remains unique within Italy’s vast viticultural panorama, a wine which breaks many traditional Italian winemaking conventions: while it is a dried-grape wine it is also dry, not sweet, notably high in alcohol, and notoriously challenging to pair properly.

Some of Verona's best wines can be sampled at wine shops like this one.

Some of Verona's best wines can be sampled in shops like this one, in the heart of the city's centro storico.

On Wednesday, November 19 join Amarone authority Robert Scibelli, DWS, for our final class of the fall season, Amarone and the Wines of Verona. This revealing tasting seminar will uncover some of the mystery surrounding this rare wine, while also examining some of the other significant wines from the Verona area, including Valpolicella, Bardolino, and Soave.

Amarone and the Wines of Verona
with Robert Scibelli, DWS
Wednesday, November 19
6:30-8:30pm
$95

Vino
121 East 27th Street
New York, NY 10016

For further details please call 212-725-6516 or email register@vinosite.com.

School’s out! Vino’s Italian wine classes will return in the Spring!

Posted in VINO, class, italian culture, travels in italy, vinoteca | 3 Comments »

Sock it to me!

Saturday, November 8th, 2008

LINI910 unveils the Lambrusco bottle-sock

LINI910 as followed up its chic PVC bag with the innovative bottle-sock.

LINI910 has followed up its chic PVC bag with this innovative bottle-sock.

First came the bag, now the bottle-sock. Stylish Emilian producer Alicia Lini continues to tap into the uncharted marketplace of wine-related gadgets for the stylish urban Lambrusco consumer. Regular readers of this blog may remember the somewhat coveted LINI910 PVC bag we featured back in July. This was followed by the launch of the company’s new website. Now we are excited to reveal the next step in Lini’s wine brand innovation: introducing the bottle-sock!

A bottle of Labrusca Rosso fits snugly inside the custom-built Lini bottle-sock.

Vino’s Jim Hutchinson visited the Lini estate in Correggio last month, and returned to New York with this chic bottle-hugging accessory. Made of durable, black thermal material, the sock zips up snugly over a bottle of Labrusca, keeping your wine both cool and protected. The bottle-sock you see in these pictures is one of only two currently in the U.S., but stay tuned: more LINI910 gear may be making its way stateside in ‘09. I for one am holding my breath for a full-blown Spring/Summer collection…

Photographs by James Taylor

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMlHgxQz-FA&feature=related]

Posted in VINO, alicia lini, featured producer, jim hutchinson, travels in italy | No Comments »

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