Showing posts with label Chianti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chianti. Show all posts

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Maccheroni Pasta Peppers Recipe

 




Rosina making homemade Maccheroni Pasta

In Calabria




MACCHERONI con PEPERONI


alla ROSINA




RECIPES from My SICILIAN NONNA










Tuesday, September 15, 2015

BIG DOGS of ITALIAN WINE in NEW YORK

Me-Seb-ROSA-R-MORREL-KOBRAND

Winemaker of Sassicaia & Punica Wines SEBASTIANO ROSA
with Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke and Roberta Morrel of Morrel WInes
Get Toegther for a lillte Wine and Chat at Kobrand Italian Portfolio Tasting
at The Bowery Hotel, New York, New York



Me-AlbertoCHIARLO
Alberto Chiarlo with Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
Alberto Chiarlo the proprietor of Michele Chiarlo  Wines 
of Piedmonte got together for a tasting of Alberto's latest vingtages
of wine, including Barbera Le Orme, Barolo Tortoniano 2010,
Michele Chairlo Barbaresco 2011, Barolo Cerequio 2010,
and Barolo Canubi Michele Chairlo 2007 & 2001 Vintgaes ..
Daniel said the whole line-up of wines was absolutely Amazing! everything was in perfect balance, full of flavor and a joy to drink.



Me-Emelia-NARDI

Emelia Nardi with Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
Tatsing some Great Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino




Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 7.19.46 PM

The 1999 Il PARETO From Nozzole Was ROCKING !!!
I normally don't go crazy for non-native Italian Varietals when drinking Italian Wine. That said, I absolutely loved the 1999 Vintage of Tenuta Nozzole's "Il PARETO" a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon based wine that was amazing. It was full of flavor,perfecting and a absolute Joy to Drink. I loved It!
The WINES From MASI Where Also AMAZING !!!


Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 7.25.56 PM
Masi Agricola
I loved all of the Amarone 's that Masi was showing at the Italian Portfolio Tasting ..
The were showing Amarone Mazano 2007 which was really nic and heavy on the prune flavors.
The 2007 Amarone Campolong was awesome as was the Amarone Costera 2009 ..
My favorite Amarone of the day was Seregho Aligheri 2008 which is one of the few wines in the world aged in large Cherry Wood Cask .. The wine was AMAZING !!!
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mrnewyorkny_grandma
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The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK
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GRANDMA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK
Recipes From My Sicilian Grandmother
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke
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SUNDAY SAUCE
When Italian-Americans Cook
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Monday, April 20, 2015

VERRAZZANO CHIANTI NEW YORK


Castello Verrazzano, Greve in Chianti







Friends of Chianti

Cavelieri Luigi Cappellini (L)
Meets with Author Daniel Bellino "Z"
at
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIRBRARY
42 nd Street
NEW YORK, NY




VERRAZZANO
CHIANTI CLASSICO

GREVE in CHIANTI







BRUNELLO Di MONTALCINO

COL D'ORCIA

2009



I Drank some Col D'orcia Brunello today at the Palm Bay Portfolio Tasting
at the New York Public Library Main Branch (42nd Street)
in New York ttoday ..  I drank both the 2009 & 2010 Vintages and they were both spectacular, text book Brunello  ... I loved both these vintages equally and not one more than the other. Both were perfectly in balance and drinking wonderfully at this moment in time (April 2015).




Wine Director Daniel Bellino Z

Tatste Some Brunello

with
Count Francesco Cinzano

of Col D'Orcia

at DeGrezia
in
NEW YORK










Wednesday, September 17, 2014

SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES


RECIPES In SEGRETO ITALIANO  
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke


SEGRETO ITALIANO Secret Recipes & Favorite Italian Dishes by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
For SECRET RECIPES Click Here !


SEGRETO ITALIANO
Secret RecipesFavorite Italian Dishes
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke


SEGRET ITALIANO is Available on AMAOZN KINDLE and Soon to Published in Paperback SEGRETO ITALIANO - Secret Italian Recipes & Favorite Dishes by DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE author of La TAVOLA, The FEAST of THE 7 FISH and # 1 BEST SELLER SUNDAY SAUCE - When Italian-Americans Cook ... 

  OK, so you love Italian Food, “Yes?” Who doesn’t? You may not know how to cook, or maybe you do and want to add some Great Recipes to your repertoire. You may feel It’s high time you learned how to make an awesome Italian Pasta Sauce, “Hey, everyone should!” But, what kind; Tomato, Marinara, Bolognese? Or maybe you already have a number of recipes, but do you have recipes for; Clemenza’s Godfather Sunday Sauce or Danny Bolognese’s Ragu Bolognese? No, we didn’t think so! How about Gino’s Top-Secret Salsa Segrete from the beloved old New York Red-Sauce Joint “Gino’s of Capri?” Well, now it’s time for you to delve into SEGRETO ITALIANO and find rare and Secret Recipes, and learn how to make make Italian-America's favorite dishes, dishes like; Cacciucco, Lucia’s Jersey Braciole, Uncle Pete’s Baked Rabbit, Jersey Shore Crab Sauce, or Serio Maccioni’s original recipe of the World Famous Pasta Primavera. Segreto Italiano is a celebration of Italian Food and Italian-America and is filled with countless recipes and wonderful stories of Italian Food and culture, like only Daniel Bellino “Z” can tell. Delight in Daniel’s wonderful storytelling and savor the recipes, the wonderfully delicious dishes of Segreto Italiano. Now it's time to "Mangia Bene Tutti" LEARN HOW to MAKE GINO'S FAMOUS SALSA SEGRETE, CLEMENZA MOB WAR SUNDAY SAUCE and Other Secret and Rare Recipes in Daniel Bellino Ziwkce's SEGRETO ITALIANO - Secret Italian Recipes & Favoirte Italian-American Dishes ... MANGIA BENE !!!!


AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK and KINDLE AMAZON.com




Sunday, January 26, 2014

BRUNELLO TASTING 2009 Vintage in New York



Precious Vines
of
Sangiovese Grosso 
aka Brunello
Montalcino
Near Sant Antimo



Dam, another year has come and gone .. It's hard to beleive another year has already gone by.
Seems just like yesterday the last Benvenuto Bruneelo Tasting at Gotham Hall in New York, happily tasting Montalcino's latest release of the 2008 vintage Brunello's along with Brunello Riserva 2007 and Rosso di Montalcino's of 2011 .. Some really wonderful Brunello last year .. i can remember loving the offerings of; Donatella Cinelli Columbini 2008, Col d'Orcia 2008, Barbi Resierva 2007, and Uccelliera 2008, and Silvio Nardi 2008 ..  

I attended a great Siminar on Brunello conducted by the great Kevin Zraly where we tasted some wonderful current vintage Brunello including the just mention offerings as well as
Il Poggione Riserva 1999 and Col d'Orcia Brunello 2001, both great vintages and now aged quite well.
The seminar conducted by Mr. Zraly was phenominal as usual and when I inquired if Kevin was going to do it again, I was dissapointed to hear he wasn't .. They got someone else whose name I do not recognize .. Hopefully the lady will conduct a fun, informative seminar, but after attending Zraly's last year, I doubt if  very many could match Kevin's wonderful performance. "Cie la Vie."

At the tasting last year, one of my suppliers asked if he the Count Francesco Maroni Cinzano by, as he wanted to give me a personal 1-on-1 tasting of his latest offerings. Of course I said yes, "Do you think I'm a Mad-Man?" Maybe? Well the Count came by the next day with some phenominal Brunello's, including; his 2008 Vintage, Rosso di Montalcino 2010, Col d'Orcia Brunello 2001, and the amazing Col d'Orcia Brunell "Col Vento Riserva" 2004 .. That wine is amazing and one of the best bottles of Brunello I tasted all year. And Poggio Al Vento 2004 was just being released in 2013, it was incrediable .. All the Counts wines are quite wonderful, and he also brought along a nice wine he makes at his property in Chile .. The wine "Erasmo" is a very fine Bordeaux Blend that I quite like, I put on my list, along with The Counts Brunello both 2005 and 2008 vintages which have been selling extremely well and our customers just love them ...

"DON'T TOUCH IT !!! DON'T TOUCH IT !!! " Cried Kevin Zraly, startling some, scarring others at last years Brunello Seminar he conducted at Benvento Brunello 2013 at Gotham Hall in New York ...
You can read more on Mr. Zraly and the 2013 Brunello tasting in my article "Brunello Tripel Header" at Ny-Foodie






Fattoria di Barbi Table at NY Brunello Tasting 2013
BARBI BRUNELLO "One of My Favorite Brunello Houses"




Daniel Bellino-Zwicke & Count Francesco Maroni Cinzano
Drinking The Count's Famed Brunello
NEW YORK, NY



Poggio AL Vento
Brunello Di Montalcino
Riserva
2004

"one of the Best Brunello's I've ever had, and I've had some Great Ones;
Val d' Cava Madonna 1990, Angelo Sassetti 1990, Barbi Riserva 1995, Poggio Antico 1997
and many more ....







The FOLLOWING Is From The BRUNELLO Di MONTALCINO CONSORZIO Website


Brunello di Montalcino is a visibly limpid, brilliant wine, with a bright garnet colour. It has an intense perfume, persistent, ample and ethereal. One can recognize scents of undergrowth, aromatic wood, berries, light vanilla and jam. 
To the taste the wine has an elegant harmonious body, vigorous and racy, it is dry with a lengthy aromatic persistence.
 
Because of its characteristics, Brunello can be aged for a long time, improving as the years go by. It is not easy to determine exactly for how many years it improves. It depends on the vintage. It varies from a minimum of 10 years to around 30 years, but it can be kept for even longer. Naturally it must be kept in the right way: in a cool cellar, but above all with a constant temperature, in the dark, without noises and smells; the bottles should be laid horizontally.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Alessandro Cellai Castellare Daniel Bellino NY

I SODI SAN di NICCOLA 
2008



ALESSANDRO CELLAI
WINEMAKER CASTELLARE
And FAMED I SODI SAN NICOLA
With New York Italian Wine Guy Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
At DeGrezia Restorante, NEW YORK

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

CHIANTI COMES TO TOWN




CASTELLO VERRAZZANO
GREVE in CHIANTI CLASSICO






Wine Director
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
DeGrezia Restorante
New York
with
Cavalier Luigi Cappellini
Owner
CASTELLO VERRAZZANO
GREVE in CHIANTI





CELLARS at CASTELLO VERRAZZANO





Verrazzano Rosso
Chianti Classico
Chianti Classico Riserva
The Wines I Tasted 
with Luigi Cappellini
at
DeGrezia Restorante
NEW YORK





Luigi and I Drank
The SASELLO
2004
"One of The Greatest Wines of The Year"
AMAZING !






Verrazzano Cellars






GRAPES DRYING
For VIN SANTO
CASTELLO VERRAZZANO






Vino Santo






Thursday, February 14, 2013

NEW YORK'S MOST IMPORTANT ITALIAN WINE EVENT of The YEAR

TRE BICCHIERI 2013
Most Important Italian Wine Tasting of The Year






Yes, the most important Italian Wine Event of the Year is upon us, The 2013 Tre Bicchieri Tasting of Gambero Rosso is tomorrow (Domani) at The Metropolitan Pavillion. All the Big Guns of Italian Wine will be in attendance, including New York's Top Italian Wine People and many of Italy's top-producers (Italian Wine Estate Owners and Winemakers) will be on hand.
  This tasting, the Tre Bicchieri is of Italy's Top Wines as voted by Gambero Rosso, The Wine Spectator of Italy. Will be tasting many great Italian Wines, like; Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, Super Tuscans, Taurasi, and the top White, Dessert, and Sparkling Wines. Oh happy day. Along with tasting all the great Italian Wine, really my favorite aspect of this tasting is a chance to see some of my good friends (Wine Producer), taste their wines and chat a little bit. Always quite a lot of fun.

Stay tuned for tomorrows Report of my favorite wines of the day and who I ran into. Caio for now, Daniel.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

TIME To TASTE WINE "Italian Wine" Brunello Chianti And ?




MY FAVORITE BRUNELLO of ALL
Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva


  Time to taste Wine? Italian Wine in particular. It's always time to taste wine. Well there are times in the year when you drink and taste wine (Italian Wine) more than others. Times that is. If you happen to be in the wine or restaurant business, you know these times. September is big, with most large importers and distributors of wining having there Grand Portfolio Tastings in this month, the month of September, Summer is over, it's not only back to School it's back to business fro many, and for the people in the wine or restaurant businesses, September to the end of December is the busiest time of the year. In this month I will go to the large Portfolio Tasting of Martin Scott Wines, Winebow, Vias, and others. October and November will find a couple big Tastings of The Italian Trade Commission.
    As far as wine tastings go, things slow down for the month of December (all Business) and January. January, well that's all till the last day of January this year, as one of mine and other Italian Wine Lovers favorite tasting of the year will be, "The Brunello Tasting" and of one of my own personal favorites along with Chianti, is Brunello. They are both Sangiovese based wines. Brunello produced only in the famed wine town of Montalcino, "The Home of Brunello," the only place of Brunello for those who might not know. The also make Rosso di Montalcino in Montalcino. Both wines are made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso, also known as "Brunello," that's the name of the grape. They also produce one of the World's great dessert wines in Montalcino, of which is Moscadello. And of fourth not as far as Montalcino wine production is concerned, some properties make proprietary wines that you will know as Super Tuscans, which are made throughout all of Tuscany. 
    So The Brunello Tasting. Along with the Tri Bicchierri Tasting of the Best Wines from the whole of Italy. Anyway the BrunelloTasting. I just love it. And it will be back to just tasting the latest vintages of Brunello the 2008 Brunello's and the 2007 Brunello Riservas. Wow! There will be Brunello to taste of course, along with Rosso di Montalcino from each producer as well, and maybe a Moscadello and or some sort of Super Tuscan. Not every Brunello producer makes the later two wines.
    Now, how bout my favorites. Well, on the top of the list is the are the Brunello's from my friends the Colombini family, the normale and the Riserva of Fattporia Barbi are always amazing. The wines are always in perfect balance and true to what real Brunello should be. Other favorite Brunello's would be the Castel Giacondo Brunello from my good friends the Frescobaldi's who make superb Brunello as well as fine Chianti Rufina and some Italy's top Super Tuscan Wines.
    One big not on the Brunello Tasting of New York is that it started out as just that Brunello. For the past three years or so, The Brunello Tasting include Prosecco, Chianti, and Vino Nobile as well. This year The Brunello Tasting is back to just Brunello and other wines produced on Brunello properties. I'm glad for that. I love those other wine, especially Chianti, but myself and many others prefer the pure Brunello Tasting. And I love when they have a pure Chianti Tasting as well, which they don't do every year, but when they do, it's one of my faves.
    So yes, a big time for Italian Wines and their tastings. On February 15th 2013, the biggest and most important Italian Wine Tasting of the year will take place, it is The Tri Bicchierri Tasting of Italy's Top Wines from around the country, as rated by Gambero Rosso "The Wine Spectator" of Italy. Many great wines, but my favorite aspect of the Tasting is seeing and socializing with my many Italian Wine Friends, the Proprietors and Winemakers of Italy's greatest wines. People like the affable and talented winemaker for the famed Sassicaia Mr. Sebastiano Rosa, as well as his cousin Piero Incisa Rochetta of Tenuto San Guido, the estate where the grapes for Sassicaia are grown and Sassicaia is made into  Italy's Most Renowned and Prestigious Wine. Well there are many, including Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi, Emanuella Stucchi of Badia Coltibuono, the beautiful Sicilian lady Francesca Planeta of Planeta, Giovvani Folnari of Nozzole, Gianpauolo Venica who makes along with his father and uncle some Italys finest white wines at Venica. And yes, many more wonderful Italian Wine people, too many to name. Yes it's great fun at the Tri Bicchierri Tasting to see my Italian friend and taste there great wines. 
  And so ladies and gentlemen, the Hieght of The Italian Wine tasting Season is upon us with The Brunello tasting on January 31 followed by The Tri Bicchierri Tasting February 15th, the day after Valentines Day, and Love will be in the Air. The Love of Love and Italian Wine, "Mangia Beve Amore"



Article:  Daniel Bellino Zwicke






ME & THE MARCHESE
THE ESTEEMED
MARCHESE FERDINANDO FRESCOBALDI





Sebastiano Rosa of Sassicaia
Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
Giovanni Folanari of Nozzole


10 FAVORITE BRUNELLO'S
of Recent Tastings


Fattori dei Barbi  2007
Angelo Sassetti 2007
Fattoria dei Barbi Reserva  2006
Casanova Neri  2007
Frescobaldi Castel Giacondo  2007
Lisini "Ugolaia" 2006
Conti Costanti  2007
Val d' Cava 2006
Livio Sassetti "Pertamali" 2006
Castello Banfi "La Morra" 2006
Castel di Argian0 2007



My 10 Favorite Brunello's of All-Time
That I Drank

1. Angelo Sassetti 1990 (at Del Posto, NY)
2. Fattoria dei Barbi Riserva 1995 (at Barbi Estate)
3. Biondi Santi Riserva 1988 (at a friends House in New York)
4. Fattoria dei Barbi 1997 (at The Barbi Estate)
5. Biondi Santi Riserva 1997 (with Jacopo Biondi Santi, Dinner at Spark's, New York)
6. Cal d' "Madonna"Cava 1990  (at Babbo, NY)
7. Casanova Neri "Tenuta Nuova" 1993 (at Barbetta, New York)
8. Castel Giacondo, Frescobaldi 1993 (at Barbetta, New York)
9. Conti Costanti 2001 (at Macari Vineyards, North Fork, LI, NY)
10. Lisini "Ugolaia" 1995 (at Estate in Montalcino)






Wednesday, January 23, 2013

CHIANTI Setting The Record Straight

WHAT IS REAL CHIANTI







If I could make Chianti, what would I do? How would I make it? What style, thick and concentrated, thin and light, or somewhere in-between? Would I include non-traditional secondary grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot? “Certainly not! That would be most sacrilegious.” Well, for sure, I would make a true, authentic Chianti as Chianti is intended to be as set forth more than 130 years ago when Bettino Ricasolo created Chianti and set forth the formula of Chianti being a wine of the a blend of “Native Chianti Classico Grapes.” In this wine “Chianti” the blend was to include as a must a majority of the most famous and cherished of all Tuscan grapes, “Sangiovese.” With Chianti made of primarily Sangiovese as well as complementary native grapes in small percentages which included; Canaiolo, Cielegiolo, Colorino, Mammolo, Malvasia Nero, Malvasia Bianco, and or Trebbiano. Yes this is what true and Real Chianti should be, a wine based on the original and traditional recipe for Chianti, created by the Baron Ricasoli and made just as the creator stated for some 100 years. In the past 40 years two things happened that has gotten Chianti off track to what it was originally and should always be. The first thing, was that back in the 1960 and 1970 many in this most famous of all Italian Wine zones were making Chianti purely for profit without any regard for the traditions and quality of the wine. Many of the producers of Chianti grew high yields of inferior grapes simply to gain a higher gross amount of fruit and juice to make the wine. The governmental powers that be went along with these detrimental practices traded off for higher profits. The Chianti Consorzio allowed for large numbers of White Grape Varietals into the Chianti blend which while making the wine more profitable in sales, had the negative affect of making thinned out inferior wine, if any particular producer (Maker of Chianti) chose to go the “High Profit low Quality” route. Some did, but thank God not all. Many had pride and would not produce a inferior but Superior Chianti.

Finally in 1984, the laws governing what Chianti (The Formula) could and could not be were changed in order to set Higher Standards, making Chianti a Great Quality Wine and eliminating the facts that allowed producers to make Poor Quality wine if they so chose to. They could not any more. The rules for making Chianti which allowed for the possibility to produce inferior Chianti were eliminated. White grape varietals such as Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianco in large quantities were no longer permitted into any wine labeled Chianti. Bravo! If the laws governing the production of Chianti had stayed like this, it would have been a great thing, and all Chianti would be of a high quality and of Long Standing Native Traditions and practices. Chianti was and would be a excellent quality wine that was and tasted as it should, like “Chianti.”

Unfortunately the governing bodies of the Italian Government and Chianti Consorzio did something atrocious in the year 1996. Once again they changed the laws on making Chianti. They made a “Terrible Blunder,” in the name of what they said was to be a better Chianti, they allowed for the use of International grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syhrah. And they allowed for up to 20% of these other grape varietals with the primary grape of Sangiovese being a minimum of 80% to 100% at the producers discretion and desire as to how each individual Estate wanted to make their Chianti. These laws made for a wide range in latitude of Chianti as a whole. Allowing for Chianti that if it had 10% or more of Cabernet Sauvignon or merlot, it would completely change the character of Chianti for those estates that chose to use amounts of even 5% or more of Merlot or Cabernet.

Thank God there was in this large range of latitude in the laws of what was aloud in Chianti and in what percentages, so what we end up is a wide range of different Chianti styles. Not Good! So the laws did allow for Chianti to be made in the traditional and proper manner of Sangiovese as the primary grape with small amounts of other native grapes, to end up with Chianti That taste Like Chianti. Thank God.

Now this all being said the laws for making Chianti also included latitudes for making what can be labeled Chianti and wines that are labeled as Chianti, allowed for wines that do not taste like Chianti. They do not taste like Chianti as they have Merlot and or Cabernet Sauvignon in them. This merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and overpower the more delicate Sangiovese grape, resulting in a wine that does not taste like Chianti, but some kind of Super Tuscan wine or so-called baby Super Tuscan. If you put Merlot or Cabernet into what is supposed to be Chianti, that wine will not have the character of Chianti, which should be a light to medium body wine that has nice easy drink fruit flavors with some earthiness and maybe a tad of spice.

What a Chianti should not be, is a Big Full Bodied Fruit Bomb wine, nor anything approaching it, as some Reserve Chiantis are these days.

As stated, a Chianti should be light to medium bodied. This does not mean that it should be thin or lack substance. It should definitely have flavor, but in a more subtle and restrained manor which makes the wine go well with the food you are eating and not overpower it as many wines tend to do these days.

If I could set these laws as the new DOCG laws of Chianti Classico the laws would never have to be changed again. The laws, the way they are set today are a little too broad. One thing that is good in the way the laws stand now is that they do allow for a proper Chianti to be made, and most Chianti’s are made in this manner, but at the same time they allow for non-native varieties and the allowance of 100% Sangiovese. These last two regulations must be changed for all Chianti’s to be “True Chianti”. It is as simple as that! So, let us hope that one day in the near future, these laws will be laid down and every single bottle labeled Chianti is actually real, true Chianti that lives up to this great wines history and origins.

Chianti Classico. What is it? First off, the area came first, the wine Chainti Classico is name after the area it comes from, which is Chianti. The Chianti Classico is the most famous. It stretches from just a few miles south of Florence at its most northern tip and runs down almost 30 miles to Castelnuovo Beradenga at its most southern point. As Chianti grew in popularity and fame, a number of other regions where Chianti can be made developed. Some of these areas are Cooli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Arentini, and Rufina. None of these sub areas have ever gained anywhere near the fame as thee original Chianti Classico Zone. The Chianti Zone of Rufina, just outside Florence is the most prestigious zone apart from Chianti. These Chianti’s are of the highest quality. Three very well know producers in this area are Frescobaldi, Selvapiana, and Rufino and although the zone of Rufina is not as well known as the Chianti Classico zone, the zone of Rufina does have thee most famous Chianti of all, Rufino’s Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale (Gold Label).

So in closing, let us say that we hope the laws that govern the making of Chianti Classico will be changed some day. I think it is sure to happen. It would be best if it happens sooner than later, that in the making of Chianti, there shall be no Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syhrah or any other non-native or non-traditional grape varieties of Chianti Classico. Also the laws should be changed to eliminate 100% Sangiovese Chianti’s, Chianti should always be a blend, even if just 2% of another native grape such as Colorino, Canaiolo, or Cielegiolo were added. Chianti must always be a blende wine, dominated by mostly Sangiovese (at least 85%) with a smaller percentage of native grapes. The region of Chianti Classico is one of the World’s most beautiful. It is enchanting, filled with castles, all forms of wine estates from small and simply to big and majestic. The beautiful rolling hills of Chianti are filled with Cypress trees that dot the crest of many a hill, along with rugged stone farm houses and the wondrous rows Sangiovese vines lining the gently sloping hills.

Chianti is relatively untouched or spoiled by any type of ugly modern structures. The Chiantigiana road is still the ancient one built by the Romans and its pavement blends in perfectly with its untouched surroundings. Chianti is filled with lovely little towns like Castellina, Gaile, Greve, and Radda where you will find the famous Dante quoting butcher Dario Cecchini. You can visit and stay in beautiful wine estates like Fattoria Valle, Castello Verazzano in Greve where the explorer Giovani Verazzano is from. You can stay at the beautiful estate of Vignamaggio where Gioconda lived and was painted my Michael Angelo. She is “Mona Lisa.”

Chianti, it’s not just a wine. “It’s a Place, a very beautiful place!”



by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE











Below is a Small LIST of TRUE CHIANTI’S made primarily with Sangiovese with small amounts of native sub-varities such as Canaiolo, Malvasia Nero, Colorino, and Celegiolo and not containing any Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syhrah, or any International Varieties “What-so-Ever.”.




Monsanto “Il Poggio” Chianti Classico Riserva

Castello Verazzano Chianti Classico

Castello Brolio Chainti Classico Reserva

Castellow Querceto Chianti Classico

Vignamaggio Chinati Classico Riserva “Mona Lisa”

Rufino Chianti Classico Riserva “Ducale” (Gold Label)

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina

Badia Coltobuono



by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke




Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Tre Bicchieri 2013





Yes Boys and Girls, all you Italian Wine Lovers out there, the most Important Italian Wine tasting of the year is almost upon us. The 2013 Tre Bicchieri Tasting of Italy's Top Wines "Tre Bicchieri" will take place on February 15, 2013 .. I can hardly wait as I look forward to this tasting every year, as I get to see many friends from Italy. The friends are the Wine Producers (Wine Estate Owners and Winemakers) of many of Italy's top estates. Friends such as; Gianpaolo Motta of 
"La Massa" in the beautiful town of Panzano in Chianti Classico, good buddy Antonio Rallo (fellow Sicilian) of Donnafugata in Marsala, Francesca Planeta of Planet also in Sicily, Miralisa Allegrini of Allegini and their famed Amarone near Lago de Garda and the Veneto, Sebastiano Rosa famed winemaker of Sassicaia and cousin Piero Incisa Rocheeto of Tenuta San Guido the estate of Sassicaia and many more, like the affable Alessandor Landini of Vitticio in Greve and the Columbini's of Brunello producer Fattoria Barbi.
 Yes we will be tasting Brunello, Barolo, Barbaresco, and my favorite, Chianti. I can't wait and I bet you can't as well, Tre Bicchieri New York 2013, I will report back on my favorites after the tasting. For now it's Caio !


Friday, March 11, 2011

REAL CHIANTI?

CHIANTI ???



If I could make Chianti, what would I do? How would I make it? What style, thick and concentrated, thin and light, or somewhere in-between? Would I include non-traditional secondary grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot? “Certainly not! That would be most sacrilegious.” Well, for sure, I would make a true, authentic Chianti as Chianti is intended to be as set forth more than 130 years ago when Bettino Ricasolo created Chianti and set forth the formula of Chianti being a wine of the a blend of “Native Chianti Classico Grapes.” In this wine “Chianti” the blend was to include as a must a majority of the most famous and cherished of all Tuscan grapes, “Sangiovese.” With Chianti made of primarily Sangiovese as well as complementary native grapes in small percentages which included; Canaiolo, Cielegiolo, Colorino, Mammolo, Malvasia Nero, Malvasia Bianco, and or Trebbiano. Yes this is what true and Real Chianti should be, a wine based on the original and traditional recipe for Chianti, created by the Baron Ricasoli and made just as the creator stated for some 100 years. In the past 40 years two things happened that has gotten Chianti off track to what it was originally and should always be. The first thing, was that back in the 1960 and 1970 many in this most famous of all Italian Wine zones were making Chianti purely for profit without any regard for the traditions and quality of the wine. Many of the producers of Chianti grew high yields of inferior grapes simply to gain a higher gross amount of fruit and juice to make the wine. The governmental powers that be went along with these detrimental practices traded off for higher profits. The Chianti Consorzio allowed for large numbers of White Grape Varietals into the Chianti blend which while making the wine more profitable in sales, had the negative affect of making thinned out inferior wine, if any particular producer (Maker of Chianti) chose to go the “High Profit low Quality” route. Some did, but thank God not all. Many had pride and would not produce a inferior but Superior Chianti.

Finally in 1984, the laws governing what Chianti (The Formula) could and could not be were changed in order to set Higher Standards, making Chianti a Great Quality Wine and eliminating the facts that allowed producers to make Poor Quality wine if they so chose to. They could not any more. The rules for making Chianti which allowed for the possibility to produce inferior Chianti were eliminated. White grape varietals such as Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianco in large quantities were no longer permitted into any wine labeled Chianti. Bravo! If the laws governing the production of Chianti had stayed like this, it would have been a great thing, and all Chianti would be of a high quality and of Long Standing Native Traditions and practices. Chianti was and would be a excellent quality wine that was and tasted as it should, like “Chianti.”

Unfortunately the governing bodies of the Italian Government and Chianti Consorzio did something atrocious in the year 1996. Once again they changed the laws on making Chianti. They made a “Terrible Blunder,” in the name of what they said was to be a better Chianti, they allowed for the use of International grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syhrah. And they allowed for up to 20% of these other grape varietals with the primary grape of Sangiovese being a minimum of 80% to 100% at the producers discretion and desire as to how each individual Estate wanted to make their Chianti. These laws made for a wide range in latitude of Chianti as a whole. Allowing for Chianti that if it had 10% or more of Cabernet Sauvignon or merlot, it would completely change the character of Chianti for those estates that chose to use amounts of even 5% or more of Merlot or Cabernet.

Thank God there was in this large range of latitude in the laws of what was aloud in Chianti and in what percentages, so what we end up is a wide range of different Chianti styles. Not Good! So the laws did allow for Chianti to be made in the traditional and proper manner of Sangiovese as the primary grape with small amounts of other native grapes, to end up with Chianti That taste Like Chianti. Thank God.

Now this all being said the laws for making Chianti also included latitudes for making what can be labeled Chianti and wines that are labeled as Chianti, allowed for wines that do not taste like Chianti. They do not taste like Chianti as they have Merlot and or Cabernet Sauvignon in them. This merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and overpower the more delicate Sangiovese grape, resulting in a wine that does not taste like Chianti, but some kind of Super Tuscan wine or so-called baby Super Tuscan. If you put Merlot or Cabernet into what is supposed to be Chianti, that wine will not have the character of Chianti, which should be a light to medium body wine that has nice easy drink fruit flavors with some earthiness and maybe a tad of spice.

What a Chianti should not be, is a Big Full Bodied Fruit Bomb wine, nor anything approaching it, as some Reserve Chiantis are these days.

As stated, a Chianti should be light to medium bodied. This does not mean that it should be thin or lack substance. It should definitely have flavor, but in a more subtle and restrained manor which makes the wine go well with the food you are eating and not overpower it as many wines tend to do these days.

If I could set these laws as the new DOCG laws of Chianti Classico the laws would never have to be changed again. The laws, the way they are set today are a little too broad. One thing that is good in the way the laws stand now is that they do allow for a proper Chianti to be made, and most Chianti’s are made in this manner, but at the same time they allow for non-native varieties and the allowance of 100% Sangiovese. These last two regulations must be changed for all Chianti’s to be “True Chianti”. It is as simple as that! So, let us hope that one day in the near future, these laws will be laid down and every single bottle labeled Chianti is actually real, true Chianti that lives up to this great wines history and origins.

Chianti Classico. What is it? First off, the area came first, the wine Chainti Classico is name after the area it comes from, which is Chianti. The Chianti Classico is the most famous. It stretches from just a few miles south of Florence at its most northern tip and runs down almost 30 miles to Castelnuovo Beradenga at its most southern point. As Chianti grew in popularity and fame, a number of other regions where Chianti can be made developed. Some of these areas are Cooli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Arentini, and Rufina. None of these sub areas have ever gained anywhere near the fame as thee original Chianti Classico Zone. The Chianti Zone of Rufina, just outside Florence is the most prestigious zone apart from Chianti. These Chianti’s are of the highest quality. Three very well know producers in this area are Frescobaldi, Selvapiana, and Rufino and although the zone of Rufina is not as well known as the Chianti Classico zone, the zone of Rufina does have thee most famous Chianti of all, Rufino’s Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale (Gold Label).

So in closing, let us say that we hope the laws that govern the making of Chianti Classico will be changed some day. I think it is sure to happen. It would be best if it happens sooner than later, that in the making of Chianti, there shall be no Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syhrah or any other non-native or non-traditional grape varieties of Chianti Classico. Also the laws should be changed to eliminate 100% Sangiovese Chianti’s, Chianti should always be a blend, even if just 2% of another native grape such as Colorino, Canaiolo, or Cielegiolo were added. Chianti must always be a blende wine, dominated by mostly Sangiovese (at least 85%) with a smaller percentage of native grapes. The region of Chianti Classico is one of the World’s most beautiful. It is enchanting, filled with castles, all forms of wine estates from small and simply to big and majestic. The beautiful rolling hills of Chianti are filled with Cypress trees that dot the crest of many a hill, along with rugged stone farm houses and the wondrous rows Sangiovese vines lining the gently sloping hills.

Chianti is relatively untouched or spoiled by any type of ugly modern structures. The Chiantigiana road is still the ancient one built by the Romans and its pavement blends in perfectly with its untouched surroundings. Chianti is filled with lovely little towns like Castellina, Gaile, Greve, and Radda where you will find the famous Dante quoting butcher Dario Cecchini. You can visit and stay in beautiful wine estates like Fattoria Valle, Castello Verazzano in Greve where the explorer Giovani Verazzano is from. You can stay at the beautiful estate of Vignamaggio where Gioconda lived and was painted my Michael Angelo. She is “Mona Lisa.”

Chianti, it’s not just a wine. “It’s a Place, a very beautiful place!”



by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE


Below is a Small LIST of TRUE CHIANTI’S made primarily with Sangiovese with small amounts of native sub-varities such as Canaiolo, Malvasia Nero, Colorino, and Celegiolo and not containing any Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syhrah, or any International Varieties “What-so-Ever.”.




Monsanto “Il Poggio” Chianti Classico Riserva

Castello Verazzano Chianti Classico

Castello Brolio Chainti Classico Reserva

Castellow Querceto Chianti Classico

Vignamaggio Chinati Classico Riserva “Mona Lisa”

Rufino Chianti Classico Riserva “Ducale” (Gold Label)

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina

Badia Coltobuono

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Monday, February 7, 2011

TREBICCHERIERI 2010 Tasting in NEW YORK



As most Americans will not know that the magazine
"Gamero Rosso" is the Italian equivalent of the Wine Spectator when it comes to Italian Wine, rating and writing about them.

Instead of a 100 Point ratings system used by the Wine Spectator and others, Gamber Rosso gives their top rated wines Trebicchieri or "Three Glasses" and Two Glasses is very good, the equivalent of a 88 or 89 on the 100 Point Scale.
Here is a List of Some of Gamberro Rosso's "Trebicchieri" Wines for 2011. The Grand Trebicchieri Tasting to be held in New York on February 18, 2011


 

SASSICAIA Winemaker Sebastiano Rossa (L to R)

Author Daniel Bellino "Z" and Giovanni Folnari of Nozzole



A. A. Gewurztraminer Kastelaz ’09 Elena Walch
Albana di Romagna Passito AR ’08 Fattoria Zerbina

A. A. Valle Isarco Sylvaner R ’09 Kofererhof 


 Amarone della Valpolicella Vajo Armarone ’05 Serego Alighieri 

 Barolo La Rocche del Falletto Ris. ’04 B. Giacosa 

Barolo Monfortino Ris. ’02 G. Conterno 

Barolo ’06B. Mascarello Bolgheri 

Sassicaia ’07 San Guido

"I'll Never forget this Vintage of SASSICAIA. 

The Greatest Sassaica Veintage ever!" Author Daniel Bellino Z 

Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’04 Biondi Santi 

Camartina ’07 Querciabella Cervaro della Sala ’08 

Castello della Sala Umbria 

Chianti Classico Rancia Ris. ’07 Felsina 

Cof Sauvignon Zuc di Volpe ’09 Volpe 

Pasini Cupo ’08 

Pietracupa Franciacorta Brut Secolo Novo ’05 

Le Marchesine Gattinara Osso San Grato ’06 Antoniolo 

I Sodi di San Nicolò ’06 Castellare 

Le Pergole Torte ’07 Montevertine 

Langhe Costa Russi ’07 Gaja 

 Marsala Vergine Ris. ’81 Pellegrino 

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ’08 

Villa Medoro Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ’06 Valentini 

 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo San Calisto ’07 

Valle Reale Montiano ’08 

Falesco Primitivo di Manduria Es ’08 

Fino Rosso Gravner ’04 Gravner 

 Rosso Piceno Sup. Roggio del Filare ’07 

Velenosi Sangiovese di Romagna Sup. Avi ’06 

San Patrignano 

 Taurasi Radici Ris. ’04 Mastroberardino 

 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Castello di Semivicoli ’08 Masciarelli 

 Trento Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore Brut ’01 

Ferrari Veneroso ’07 Tenuta di Ghizzano






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SUNDAY SAUCE

Photo by Daniel Bellino Zwicke