Tre Bicchieri New York 2017

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BIG DOGS of ITALIAN WINE

Famed Winemaker SEBASTIANO ROSA

with Author DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE

and GIOVANNI FOLNARI of NOZZOLE, Greve Italy

TRE BICCHIERI NEW YORK

 

 TRE BICCHIERI NEW YORK

 .... Most important Italian Wine Tasting of the Year Tomorrow 

SASSICAIA 2009

WINE of THE YEAR

at 2013 TRE BICCHIERI

also BARUA 100% Carrignano 

Lambrusco Grassparossa di Castelvetro

And a Pretty Italian Girl

SEBASTIANO ROSA

Famed Winemaker of SASSICAIA and BURUA

with Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Tre Bicchieri is the most improtant Italian Wine Tasting of the year for people like me, New York Italian Wine People, including; restaurantuers, Wine Directors (Me), Wine Jounalsit (Me), and lovers of the grape of Italy .. In Italy the magazine Gambero Rosso is the equivalent of Wine Spectator and Robert Parker's Wine Advocate combine .. Gambero Rosso publishes each year an extensive and exhaustive book Vini Italia every year and rates practically all of the wines of Italy, from North to South East to West .. Gambero Rosso unlike Parker, Wine Spectator, and Wine Enthusiaist rates the wine tasted and reviewed with 1, 2, & 3 Glasses (Bicchieri) as oposed to Parker, WS, and WE ... The Tre Bicchieri Tasting are of all the 3 Glass Winners (Tre Bicchieri) of the year, and these tasting are held around the World in appointed cities like; New York, Milan, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Sna Fransisico, Chicago, and others ... For me, yes the annual New York Tre Bicchieri Tasting is a great wine tasting, but for me it's more of a "Social Event" were I get to see many of my friends from Italy who are in town with their wine. As well as seeing my Italian friends, all the New York Italian Wine People are on hand, so you see a lot of people in one shot and accomplish quite a bit in a few hours time .. Anyway, I will sign off for now, go up to the tasting in an hour, taste wine, take notes, visit with friends, have a good time, and tomorrow or the next day I will report back on my findings, stories of friends, of Italy and my favorite wines of the day. All Italian. Basta !

REPRINT of 2014 TRE BICCHIERI .... (below)

The Big Guns of Italian Wine were out at the annual Tre Bicchieri Tasting held at the Metropolitan Pavillion on West 18th Street yesterday. M. Rallo of Fiarrato was on hand with 3 Glass Winner Rebecca 2010 as was famed wine-maker Sebastiano Rosa who makes a great Sardenian Wine based on 100% Carrignan. It's called Barrua and a joint venture with Cantina Santadi and Mr. Rosa. Sebastiano just so happens to be the winemaker of Italy's most prestigious wine "SASSICAIA" which won Red Wine of The Year this year for the 2009 Vintage at the 2013 Tre Bicchieri. Wow, this is the "Best Vintage of Sassicaia" that I've had in the last 10 years. The wine is perfectly balanced, and when a wine is in perfect balance, there's nothing else to say except that "It's as Good as It Gets." Bravo Sebastiano! Sebastiano Rosa is a member of the Incis Rochetta family who own the famed Tenuta San Guido Estate that makes Sassicaia in Bolgheri on the Tuscan Coast. Sebastiano's cousin (Cujino) Piero Incisa Rochetta, who is usually on hand at the Tre Bicchieri Events was nowhere to be seen today. No matter, I had a nice little chat with the affable Sebastiano before I went on to taste more wine.

More wine yes. And if I was to pick out just two wines on the day that really blew me away, it was the Sassicaia 2009 and a great Barolo from my friend Giuseppe Vjra and his offering of Barolo Cerretta Luigi Baudana 2008. This wine was amazing and a perfect example of what a great and classical Barolo should taste like, with wonderful Earth, Mushroom, and fruit. The wine, if I must use the phrase again, was in perfect balance and a text-book Barolo. So if you know Barolo, you know what I'm talking about, it is a great wine. Basta!

So another Tre Bicchieri in the bag, my 17th, and as usual a great day to drink great italian Wine, but even more so, see and hang-out with a few Wine-Making friends from Italy and fellow New York Italian Wine Guys. A great day.

Giuseppe Vajra

with a Bottle of His

BAROLO CERRETTA LUIGI BUADANA 2008

"Bravo Giuseppe" !!!

Raffaele Cani

of SANTADI

with

Antonio D'Ambrosio

MARCO De BARTOLI

Trapani, Sicily

Whose Family The De Bartoli's and Rallo's

Make The World's Greatest Marsala and Other Wines

Like Donnafugata Mille Una Notte (Cousin Antonio Rallo) 

and Ben Rye Passito D' Pantelleria

Marco Holds a Bottle of His Ribecca Here

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SUNDAY SAUCE

WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK

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Chianti Brunello in TUSCANY

 

TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE

Just Beautiful

A Scene in TUSCANY

Toscano

Tuscany

Girasole

A FIELD of SUNFLOWERS in TUSCANY

The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK

DANNY BOLOGNESE

Bridge

Tuscan CountrySide

Vines of Castel Verrazano

Greve in Chianti

A CAT & CHIANTI

Castello Verrazzano

Greve, ITALY

Italian Cookbook Author DANIEL BELLINO Z

with good friend CAVELIERE LUIGI CAPPELLINI

the owner of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

Greve ITALY

The CELLARS

CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

"There's a lot of Tasty CHIANTI in those BARRELS" !!!

Large Slovenian Oak Cask in the Cellars of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

My Favorite BRUNELLO of ALL

BRUNELLO Di MONTALCINO FATTORIA Dei BARBI

In the Cellars of FATTERIA Dei BARBI

"Drink some Brunello" !!!

SUNDAY SAUCE

When Italian-Americans Cook

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

AVAILABLE on AMAZON.com

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Daniel 's Homemade Minestrone Soup Recipe

RECIPE : MINESTORNE GENOVESE

Ingredients :

1/4 pound Cannellini or Borlotti (cranberry) beans, soaked overnight

3 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 leeks, washed and chopped, white part only 1 medium eggplant (1 pound), peeled and diced 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 2 ribs celery, sliced 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 2 medium tomatoes, diced 2 cups hot chicken broth 4 cups hot water, plus extra if needed 1 cup chopped raw spinach 1 cup diced zucchini 1 cup shredded green cabbage 1/4 pound vermicelli or stelline pasta 3 tablespoons Basil Pesto Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION 

Drain the beans from the overnight soaking water, place them in a pot, cover with water, cook about 30 minutes or until still quite al dente, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, leeks, eggplant, carrots, celery and potatoes and sauté for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables just begin to exude their juices.

Add the tomatoes, hot broth, hot water, beans and additional hot water to just cover the mixture. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook covered for about 30 minutes.

Add the spinach, zucchini, cabbage and pasta and cook another 20 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Stir in the pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

  BASIL PESTO for MINESRONE GENOVESE and to Sauce the PASTA of Your Choice

Who doesn't Love Pesto ? Well I guess there may be some, but for the most part, just about everyone loves this wonderful no-cook Italian Sauce that highlights some of Italy's most iconic ingredients which include ; fresh garden Basil, Italian Olive Oil, garlic, Pignoli Nuts, and Parmigiano Reggiano . In Genoa and Liguria where Pesto was first born and is famous for there, there are primarily two ways to use this wonderful cold sauce, number one is to coat any one of a variety of pasta shapes to make a tasty pasta dish of Maccheroni & Pesto or pesto's second most important use is as the main flavor enhancer of Minestrone Genovese, the greatest vegetable soup of all.

RECIPE : BASIL PESTO

• 3/4 cup pine nuts (6 ounces)

• 5 cups basil leaves, chilled and very dry

• 6 small garlic cloves, quartered

• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for sealing

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Put the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Toss in the nuts, Parmesan, if using, pepper and salt and chop until the nuts are finely crushed, about 1 minute. Add the basil, oil and lemon juice and pulse for 1 minute more, until smooth. 

2. To store, transfer the pesto to a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto, seal and refrigerate up to 10 days or freeze up to 3 months.

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SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

LEARN HOW to Make SUNDAY SAUCE, 

Minestrone, Marinara, and More ...

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Tasting Chianti in New York

   

Castello Verrazzano

Chianti Classico

Greve , Italy 

 

The Italian Wine Masters met at the New York Hilton for their Annual Chianti Brunello Tasting on Tuesday, February 8th. Many fine wines where on hand, including a Prosecco Tasting with many producers on hand including from Conegliano Valdobbiadene Consorzio along with numerous Vino Nobile, Chianti, and Brunello estates on hand. The stars of the show were of course the wines of Brunello di Montalcino. Not to take anything away from the zones of Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano, Chianti, or Prosecco that wonderful refreshingly light bubbly from the Veneto and the Wine Bars of Venice, Prosecco.

I must say, as being a great lover of Chianti and one of its Biggest Advocates in all the United States as well as being one of the country's top authorities on the subject, I was a bit disappointed with the Chianti offerings on hand. Two of my favorites in Fontodi and Vignamaggio from Panzano and Greve respectively were present, such notables and top producers as : Villa Calcinaia, Monsanto, Badia Coltibuono, and Castello Verrazzano were not where in sight. Si La Vie.

Let's get to Brunello. The tasting was of the latest vintage on release. This being the 2006 vintage Brunello and 2004 and 2005 Brunello Riserva. There were some solid offerings with favorites of the tasting going to Fattoria Barbi, Frescobaldi, Col d'Orcia, Livio Sassetti, and Tenuta Greppone Mazzi.

Favorite of all were the normale Brunello 2006 by both Fattoria Barbi and Brunello Castelgiocondo from Marchese Frescobaldi of whom my good friend the Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi was on hand, and as always great to see. The Rosso di Montalcino of which the 2009 vintage were shown at the tasting were a wonderful surprise. Most were drinking beautifully, medium in body, full of flavor, and just pleasantly enjoyable drinking wines. I particularly loved the Barbi Rosso and Frescobaldi Rosso di Montalcino Campo ai Sasso 2009, of which I could have sat there drinking and chatting all day with the Marchese Frescobaldi. Quite a wonderful experience.

My favorite Brunello of the day was the Brunello Riserva 2005 from Fattoria Barbi. A awesome wine that was absolute perfection. And for overall the best table that just edged out Barbi by a hair was the table of the Noble Frescobaldi Family, with the lovely Rosso Campo ai Sasso, the Brunello 2006, and the Brunello Riserva 2005. The only disappointment on the table was the Brunello Luce della Vite 2006 Of Castelgiocondo of which was quite tannic and lacking in overall balance.

I pleasant surprise was from Castello Romitorio, who was showing a wonderful wine in the San'Antimo Ross 2006.

This wine was a real winner and a joy to drink. Made up

made up of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Canaiolo, and 20% Cabernet of Sauvignon, perfectly balance and a joy to drink.

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

GREVE in CHIANTI

Daniel Bellino with Cavalier Luigi Cappellini

of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO

GALLO NERO

CHIANTI

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

COOKBOOK / TRAVEL GUIDE

POSITANO - AMALFI - RAVELLO - MINORI

CAPRI - SORRENTO - NAPOLI

AMAZON.com

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Drinking Brunello Barolo Barbaresco

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Produttori Barbaresco

Argiano Brunello

Barolo "Cannubi" Damilano

Planeta Chardonnay

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With Cousin Eddy

TOMMY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

 

Dinner Brunello Barolo & Barbaresco

 

Williamsburg Brooklyn

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY SAUCE

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Look for My New Book

 

 

MANGIA ITALIANO

 

Caffe Reggio

Caffe Reggio is a New York City coffeehouse first opened in 1927 at 119 Macdougal Street in the heart of Manhattan's Greenwich Village. Italian cappuccino was introduced in America by the founder of Caffe Reggio, Domenico Parisi, in the early 1920s.^[1] Inside the cafe, against the back wall, there is still the original espresso machine, made in 1902, that Domenico Parisi bought with his savings when he opened the cafe in 1927. The Caffe Reggio has been featured in many movies, including The Godfather Part II, Next Stop, Greenwich Village, The Kremlin Letter, Shaft, Serpico, The Next Man, In Good Company, Inside Llewyn Davis and others. Many celebrities have been spotted or photographed in this location. In 1959, presidential hopeful John F. Kennedy made a speech outside the coffee shop. In 2010, the cafe was honored with a Village Award^[2] by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation for its status as a beloved and essential part of the neighborhood. Caffe Reggio has a bench from a palazzo of the Florentine Medici family of Renaissance fame. The bench is not roped-off and guests can sit on it and admire a painting from an artist of the school of Caravaggio.      

All photos by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

       

BACCHUS  by CARAVAGGIO

Not in Caffe Reggio

     

SUNDAY SAUCE

is GREENWICH VILLAGE ITALIAN

SUNDAY SAUCE is AVAILABLE in Paperback on AMAZON.com .. Click

Bar Pitti & Rosso di Montalcino Good Times

 

 

If a good or great Rosso di Montalcino is any indication of how good the Brunello of the same Vintage to be released 3 years later will be, and it usually is, then we are in store for some great Brunello 2009 when they are release in January of 2014.

At the recent "Brunello Tasting" for the 2006 Vintage Brunello's, the 2009 Rosso di Montalcino's that were on hand, where absolutely wonderful and the big surprise of the tasting held at The New York Hilton. Rosso's where on hand by some but not all producers of Brunello, and most that I tasted were outstanding. Some were just about close to perfection, with wonderful balance of an abundance of Fruit, against just the right amount of acid content, and tannic backbone. Some of these wines were an absolute Joy to drink as with examples by; Argiano, Fattoria Barbi, Il Poggione, and the

Rosso di Montalcino from the Castel Giacondo Estate of the Noble Florentine Family, The Frescobaldi's.

      I really loved the Rosso from Argiano which reminded me of the year of 2008 when my friends the Rozner Brothers Dave and Michael found ourselves quite a number of times hanging at the highly popular and one of New York's best Trattoria's "Bar Pitti" having some good ole times drinking

Rosso di Montalcino "Argiano" 2006. This was a good year for Rosso from Montalcino and we must of had at least 50 bottles of the stuff that year. One day we were joined by friend Curtis Stone. We had a wonderful 2 1/2 hour lunch that day, eating Tripp, Prosciutto, and Pasta accompanied by 5 bottles of Argiano Rosso which we thoroughly enjoyed. And this is all of what wines should be along with the food that goes with them and the restaurants or homes we share our meals in; good Friends, tasty Food, and great wine. That's the good life or as we Italians would say La Dolce Vital, "The Sweet Life." Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

 

 

 

 

 

A bottle of ARGIAN ROSSO di MONTALCINO

 

 

"Yes we had many great times drinking this wine at BAR PITTI

 

GREENWICH VILLAGE,  NEW YORK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY SAUCE

AVAILABLE in PAPERBACK on AMAZON.com

 

 

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