SUNDAY SAUCE Due For NOVEMEBER RELEASE 11/25/13

WHILE YOU AWAIT THE RELEASE of "SUNDAY SAUCE" You MIGHt WANT to CHECK OUT One of DANIEL'S Other BEST SELLING ITALIAN COOKBOOKS "La TAVOLA" and The FEAST of THE 7 FISH "An ITLAIN CHRITMAS EVE FEAST"  All AVAILABLE on AMAZON.com

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

SUNDAY SAUCE

Photo by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

 

Big Guns of Italian Wine

Some ot the "Big Guns" of ITALIAN WINE where in Town and at the Winebow Portfolio Tasting on September 16th & 17th. First-Off was Vittorio Fiore, one of the Greatest Italian Winemakers of this time or anytime. Vittorio was Show his renowned Super Tuscan Wine "Il Carbonaione "Vittorio produces Il Carbonaione on his beautiful wine estate Podere Poggio Scalette high up in one of Greve's highest vineyards where you can see the whole Chianti Classico wine zone from this vantage point. It is a beautiful sight where I have been forunate on two occasions to spend time tasting wine with Vittorio and his sons while nibbling on the wonderful homemade Salami and Prosciutto that son and Vineyard Manager Jyuri Fiore makes with the help from great old friend "Dante." Dante is a wonderful old village farmer who knows how to make fantastic Salumi, among other things. He's a absolute gem!Il Carbonaione is made of 100% Sangiovese. The 2004 vintage that Vittorio was pouring at the tasting was absolute perfection, strong but not too concentrated, exhibiting nice Black Cherry and earthiness in ,the mouth. Vittorio says it is one of his best vintage ever, "I agree completely."Merilisa Allegrini (another Heavy Hitter) was on hand as well. Showing all the great Allegrini wines, including; La Grolla, La Poja, and thier 2003 Amarone, which as usual is one of the regions top producers of famed Amarone.Giuseppe Tasca d' Almerita was present. Giuseppe and his family make one of Sicily's most famous and renowned wines "Rosso del Conte" Rosso del Conte is mad of 100% Nero d'Avola. This wine along with "Duca Enrico" is the greatest and most prestigious in all of Sicily. When tasted, I had a incrediable explosion of Ripe Red Fruit flavors in my mouth. The wine was phenomenal, smooth, silky, and perfectly balance as Rosso del Conte usually is. This is one of Italy most consistently wonderful premium wines. "Always Great!"

Picture Perfect Barbaresco from Cortese

Tiziana Cortese with a bottle of her families great Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva 2001
right; Daniel Bellino Zwicke with one of Italy's "Greatest Winemakers" Vittorio Fiore holding a bottle of his famed
"Il Carbonaione" 2004



















Tiziana Cortese was in town with 2 selections of Barbaresco from her families vineyards in Peidmonte. Both Barbaresco examples from Cortese are from their Vineyards on the fame site of Rabaja.



Cortese Barbaresco Rabaja 2003 blew my mind when I tasted it. This wine is a "Text Book Perfect Example" of what Barbaresco should taste like, but very often does not. This Barbaresco is "Elegant" with just the right amount of concentration of fruit and body to give it some fullness without it being manipulated or overly concentrated. The weight of the wine, as of the aromas, and flavor palette was absolutely perfect, "could not get any better. Is it apparent I LOVED this wine?" The wine has wonderful Red Berry and Violet aromas in the nose. In the mouth, the Barbaresco "Rabaja" Cortese 2003, tasted of Raspberry and Violets with nice hints of leather and Spice with nice firm tannins that linger to a long finish.

The Cortese Barbaresco Rabaja 2003 is a "Absolute Stunner" that I rate a 97 on a 100 point scale. "Yes, it's that GOOD!" Grab some if you can.

Cortese Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva 2001 is quite a gem as well. It has just been released after 4o months aging in large Slovenian Cask (where all Barolo and Barbaresco should be age, not in 225 liter Barriques that "Ruin" the wine), with a additional 3 years in bottle before being put on the market. I will paraphrase the WB tasting notes as they perfectly describe the wine;

"An ethereal bouquet of plums, prunes, cinnamon, cocoa, tobacco, leather, and spice. Dry and full-bodied, with robust flavors developing on the palate and subsequently unveiling this wines very solid structures." I will add that it is a joy to drink, will age well, and rates a impressive 93.

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

CHIANTI CLASSICO TASTING NEW YORK 2008

Daniel Bellino Zwicke with Conti Sebastiani Cappone and Joe Macari Jr. at Chianti Tasting
(Top Left) The Barone Ricasoli (Top Right)
Vicchmaggio, Greve in Chianti, TUSCANY









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Chianti Classico Tasting



On Monday , April 21st 2008 the greatly anticipated Chianti Classic Tasting was held at 583 Park Avenue. Hosted by the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico, which is a Consortium of Professionals who are made up of Wine Producers (Proprietors and Winemakers) of the wine Chianti Classico. This group is not a Governmental Body but a private group of individuals that was created in 1924 to define the area of Chianti Classico and its wines, also called Chianti Classico and the manner and guidelines of how the wine was to be made and the parameters of what constitutes a Chianti Classico. Yes the name of the zone and the wine are the same, “Chianti Classico,’and the wine was actually name after the zone.
When the Consozvio Vino Chianti Classico was created in 1924, there did not exist any governmental bodies that now do to set guidelines and laws to which wines have to adhere to all over Italy.This is why the consorzio was created in the first place, in order to define which area was the “Classico” area and to maintain quality and consistency.
This Grand tasting held in New York on April 21, 2008 by the Chianti Consorzio was personally hosted by the President of the Consorzio, Marco Pallanti who is also the Enologist and proprietor along with Lorenza of the renowned estate of the
Castelo Di Ama in Gaiole in Chianti. As for myself, if feel that the wines of
Castelo Di Ama are overrated, grossly overpriced, and not worth the money. I actually have personally monikered the the “Gaja of Chianti” of Angelo Gaja and his wines, which are highly overrated and even more grossly overpriced, but that is all for another discussion.
Along with Dr. Pallanti the event was also hosted by esteemed Sommelier and wine writer David Lynch, who co-authored one of the Italian Wine Worlds most renowned books on the subject of Italian Wine, Vino Italiano along with Joseph Bastianich.
The tasting was made up of 40 producers of Chianti Classico of which there were over 150 different Chianti offered for tasting. The Chianti presented were both
Chianti Normale (base Chianti) and Chianti Riserva and the vintages ranged from 2001 to 2006.
Note that “Chianti Normale” or base Chianti does not infer that these Chianti are of a lesser quality. The styles are different and the base Chianti are to me and many others, actually more the true and traditional of Chianti as the weight is lighter more correct and less concentrated than the weight (body) of Chianti Reserva.
As with many subjects there is debate and differences of and agreement of what is true traditional Chianti is and what is not. I as a Wine Professional of many years who has focused mainly on Italian Wine and a great lover of Chianti and a traditionalist at heart, of course I am of the Old-School Traditional Chianti. I do feel that the laws of the Chianti Consorzio are not correct and are not for the Great Tradition of Chianti in that the wine Chianti when created by the Baron Ricasoli almost 150 years ago was created as a wine made up as a blend of local grapes that was dominated by Sangiovese as its main grape and that Sangiovese was to be the primary grape of Chianti and to give it its special character along with small percentages of other local blending grapes such as Cannaiolo, Colorino, Trebbiano, Ceiligiolo, Malvasia Nera, and Mammolo.
I feel, as do other respected authorities on Italian Wine, such as one of my esteemed peers Charles Scicilnoe feel that the Italian Government and Chianti Consorzio are by allowing Cabernet, Merlot, and Syhrah into Chianti, are ruining this “Great Wine” Chianti and its great traditions.
Just a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot in what is allowed to be Chianti, completely changes the feel and taste of Chianti and what, according to tradition it should be.
“It’s not Chianti anymore!” Not it if has the slightest trace of Cabernet or Merlot, and traditionalist like myself, Charles Scicilone and others will not cease our Crusade until the day that the Italian Government and Chianti Consorzio come to their sense and completely eliminate Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, or any non-native grape variety from ever entering Chianti again.” We wait patiently, but why is it taking these people so long to act. They ruin one of their own National Treasures and every year that these grapes that are not of Chianti Classico, is another bad vintage for any producer that uses them.
Let’s note that although the sacrilege of allowing Cabernet, Merlot, and others into Chianti, it is not mandatory and is at each individual producers (Wine Estate) choice whether to put these grapes in their wine or to leave them out and thus make “Real,”
True, Traditional Chianti. There are a number of Estates that make real true Chianti devoid of any trace what so ever, of the dreaded Cabernet or Merlot. Some of these estate are; Castello Volpaia, Castello Verazzno, Monsanto, Castello Querceto, and
Castel Vicchomaggio to name a few. These estates are to be highly commended and there should be more. If all the producers in Chianti had enough pride, non would ever permit a bottle of wine that they label be called Chianti if it has Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot or any non-native grapes in it. Hey if you have acres of Cabernet or Merlot planted on your estate and want to use them, “Fine.” Just don’t call the wine Chianti! Classify it as IGT and call it “Super Tuscan,” it’s OK by me, “Just don’t call it Chianti!”
If you want to make a wine and call it Chianti, make sure it is a blend. A wine that is made of 100% Sangiovese is allowed to be called Chianti, though it should not. As per the original Chianti Recipe, Chianti is always a blend, made primarily of Sangiovese with other native grape varieties such as; Mammolo, Cannaiolo, Malvasia Nera, Trebbiano, and Colorino and Chinati should always be made with mostly Sangiovese with other minor blending grapes. It should never be made solely of Sangiovese (though according to the Government it can, but what does the Gov’t. know?) but have at least one or more other native grapes, even if it’s just 2 or 3%, there “Must” be at least one other native grape varietal accompanying the Sangiovese, it should not stand alone. This must be changed in order to make true Traditional Chianti.



Daniel Bellino Zwicke April 2008


Some of our Favorites of the Chianti Tasting 2008:

CHIANTI CLASSICO, VILLA CALCINAIA 2004 from Conti Capponi in Greve
CHIANT CLASSICO, CASTELLO BROLIO 2001 from the Barone Ricasole Gaiole

CHIANTI CLASSICO RIS. ROCCA GUICCIARDO, CASTELLO BROLIO 2005

CHIANTI CLASSICO, FONTERUTOLI 2005 from Marchese Mazzei, Castellina