The sad and abandoned tomato patch was enduring the last few warm days of the year. Tomatoes were hanging on, with little hope, as the house had been closed for the season. Thanks to the olive harvest it was briefly re-opened to feed and shelter the scant army of olive pickers, of which I was one. After four days of visiting wineries in Piemonte and gorging ourselves on white truffles, these few days under the sun in Tuscany’s hilly Maremma area would be a good way to balance the life. The olives were ready to become oil, but what of the tomatoes?
Federico, one of our band of brothers in the olive harvest went out to the patch and rescued the survivors. “I will make a nice tomato sauce for lunch,” he declared. And so it was, the life of the tomatoes in that scrawny little patch would not be for naught.
Showing posts with label 2012 Harvest Trail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2012 Harvest Trail. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
What’s Old is New Again @LaScolcaWines
Giorgio Soldati is a very lucky man. Famous for a white wine in red wine country, dancing to the beat of his own drum, making memorable wine against the tide of fashion, and staying true to a vision that he has cast aside in favor of an easier way. And though the years are catching up with him as they do with all of us, he has an energetic daughter, Chiara, who not only has the past emblazoned in her veins, she sees the future and is very much heading towards it with no fear or reluctance. Chiara is one of a burgeoning cadre of women in Piedmont who are a force of nature unto themselves and will not relent to a kitchen and an apron and a basket of laundry. The tale of Gavi is ongoing, and as a white wine lover, I am very much in favor of this continuing crusade.
How many times have a driven through Alessandria and Gavi, on my way to another place? In the past five years though, this has begun to nag on me. “Why aren’t you stopping at Gavi? How is it you’ve been selling and serving the wines of La Scolca for over 30 years and you’ve never made the time to visit the Villa?” No one needed to guilt me about this; my childhood Catholic sense of guilt did the job well enough. Finally, I got off my high horse and made the appointment.
How many times have a driven through Alessandria and Gavi, on my way to another place? In the past five years though, this has begun to nag on me. “Why aren’t you stopping at Gavi? How is it you’ve been selling and serving the wines of La Scolca for over 30 years and you’ve never made the time to visit the Villa?” No one needed to guilt me about this; my childhood Catholic sense of guilt did the job well enough. Finally, I got off my high horse and made the appointment.
Friday, October 26, 2012
A museum in Nizza Monferrato: the life and times of Arturo Bersano
Carrozza Siciliana ~ Emozioni Tantrici |
Thursday, October 25, 2012
My Tuscan Family Reunion
Teresa (Scalora) Borgia and grandson Andrea Farru with picture of her parents in 1921 |
When we delved deeper, we come to find out Giovanni’s mother-in-law came from the same village as my paternal grandparents, Piana degli Albanese. “You must come to Sunday dinner,” Giovanni urged. “Come meet your cousins.” It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
"James Suckling is dead"
If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a hundred times in America. But in Italy, it’s very different story. One would think, from an American point of view that James Suckling committed career suicide when he decided to go out on his own. What we Americans didn’t calculate into the equation are the relationships Suckling has developed, from Italy to France, California to Hong Kong and Havana.
Here in the last week in Italy I have been hearing that he still is relevant to the Italians. More so than Gambero Rosso, which under their present guardianship there is a cloud of concern regarding their impartiality and even their relevance. “No, Suckling has never made any doubt about his motives. He helps us, we help him,” one winemaker replied. “Yes, he has made a good living off of us, but we too, gained. When one of our wines gets 90+ points, we sell it. Maybe not as much in America, but in the global market, Suckling still has pull.”
Here in the last week in Italy I have been hearing that he still is relevant to the Italians. More so than Gambero Rosso, which under their present guardianship there is a cloud of concern regarding their impartiality and even their relevance. “No, Suckling has never made any doubt about his motives. He helps us, we help him,” one winemaker replied. “Yes, he has made a good living off of us, but we too, gained. When one of our wines gets 90+ points, we sell it. Maybe not as much in America, but in the global market, Suckling still has pull.”
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
The Secret to Buying Real White Truffles from Alba
"Location, location, location"
White truffles are just coming into Alba stores this week. It has been a hot, dry year, and so the crop is slow to show up. Word has it that many folks are offering white truffles that have been shuttled in under the cover of night, from Croatia. My friend Luca Currado of Vietti, who manages to share a truffle dog with a friend of his, says he hasn’t had time to search for them this year because he is too busy with the wine harvest. “Who has time to wake up at 3 o’clock in the morning to go out hunting for truffles when you get to bed finally at 1AM?”
That's no potato, folks, that's over $1000 worth of genuine white truffle from Alba |
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Tajarin and white truffles with @JuventusFC ~ this time with Barolo
How does the taste of fresh white truffles differ when having them with Barolo versus Barbaresco? In a rare confluence of coincidence, we had the opportunity to gauge the pros and cons, at a private dinner with the Torino soccer team, Juventus, and their executive management team.
Monday, October 15, 2012
“The Last of the ’90 Paje’ ~ The First of the Tartufi Bianchi” – Aldo Vacca
Ovello to Novello redux
Our first stop this Monday on the Langhe Harvest Trail was Barbaresco. Aldo Vacca, director of Produttori del Barbaresco, had just finished the harvest and the wines were fermenting. I’ve never seen a more relieved Aldo. “2012 harvest is safely tucked in the tanks – let’s go eat lunch.” Not one to argue with Aldo when his winery is across the street from one of my favorite trattorias in Italy, Antica Torre.
Over an impeccable plate of carne cruda (with no truffle oil, America) and followed by a plate of tajarin with shavings of white truffles, Aldo started us with a bottle of his 2011 Langhe Nebbiolo. If that wine is any indication of the harvest we are in for a treat when the classic Barbaresco is released followed by the crus.
Our first stop this Monday on the Langhe Harvest Trail was Barbaresco. Aldo Vacca, director of Produttori del Barbaresco, had just finished the harvest and the wines were fermenting. I’ve never seen a more relieved Aldo. “2012 harvest is safely tucked in the tanks – let’s go eat lunch.” Not one to argue with Aldo when his winery is across the street from one of my favorite trattorias in Italy, Antica Torre.
Over an impeccable plate of carne cruda (with no truffle oil, America) and followed by a plate of tajarin with shavings of white truffles, Aldo started us with a bottle of his 2011 Langhe Nebbiolo. If that wine is any indication of the harvest we are in for a treat when the classic Barbaresco is released followed by the crus.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Marziano Abbona Sulfite-Free Langhe Rosso - "No Amphora, No Nomblot, Just the Moon"
Marziano puts an un-sufured cork in it |
Kinetic Graffiti and Sunburnt Sicilian Orange Wine in Milan
Near the Porta Genova |
One of my favorite indulgences is to wander a place alone with a camera. I slip into my invisible clothes and take to the streets without map, GPS or a destination. I’ve done it in Rome, Venice, Palermo, Naples, Torino, Florence, and not just Italy or the cities. The cities are fecund with the amalgam of the human condition. Milan is a working laboratory for all those little heartbeats that fill the canvas. I’m not sure if the graffiti that infects the city acts as a de-sensitizing buffer or as a Rosetta stone to its greater understanding. As an outsider I find it immensely interesting, a palimpsest of visual imagery that makes me dizzy drunk. And that’s before I’ve even had a sip of wine.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
The Difference between a Secret and a Lie
The big lie has been for years that Italians ship different wines to America and save the best wines for themselves.
The big secret is that the vino sfuso (house wine) you find in many trattorie in Italy are better than most wines you can find in a supermarket in America. And you cannot find these Italian wines in America because they are not marketable. They rely on freshness and are wines for the moment. They are very simple wines, often very good (like the vino bianco I had in a Milanese trattoria today).
In response to the age-old question I hear so many times, “Why do Italian wines taste different in Italy than they do in America?” More as a response than an answer: these wines do not represent the best of Italy, but whenever I go into a humble café or restaurant in Italy I often go straight for the vino della casa. I am seldom disappointed. I would not import nor would I ever cellar these wines.
But with a plate of fritto misto, there isn't anything better.
written by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy
The big secret is that the vino sfuso (house wine) you find in many trattorie in Italy are better than most wines you can find in a supermarket in America. And you cannot find these Italian wines in America because they are not marketable. They rely on freshness and are wines for the moment. They are very simple wines, often very good (like the vino bianco I had in a Milanese trattoria today).
In response to the age-old question I hear so many times, “Why do Italian wines taste different in Italy than they do in America?” More as a response than an answer: these wines do not represent the best of Italy, but whenever I go into a humble café or restaurant in Italy I often go straight for the vino della casa. I am seldom disappointed. I would not import nor would I ever cellar these wines.
But with a plate of fritto misto, there isn't anything better.
written by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W
Friday, October 12, 2012
Harvest Trail 2012 - First Stop - Piemonte
Looking forward to posting from the wine trail in Italy the next week or so. First destination – Piemonte. Not quite a death march, but a full itinerary. Excited to talk first-hand to vintners and friends, colleagues and partners, about the vintage, the wines and anything else that pops up.
Will post as I can. Hold down the fort, y’all.
written by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy
Will post as I can. Hold down the fort, y’all.
written by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W
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