pictured below; Vittorio Fiore and Marilisa Allegrini

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

Wine World mourning the Dealth of Didier Dageneau

Didier Dagueneau, the master of Sauvignon Blanc, died in small craft Plane Crash on September 17th in France. Dagueneau was one of the Worlds greatest and most famous winemakers. Famous for for making some of the most renowned Pouilly-Fume of the Loire region of France. Dagueneau was know as The Wildman of the Loire and "The Bad Boy opf the Loire," he made heady, lush Pouilly-Fume like "Silex" and Pur Sang. He was ultra meticulous and always sought perfection in both his vineyards and cellar. Didier made biodynamic wines that were comlex and considered by many to be just as noble as White Burgundies. Didier was know as "a young rebel with conviction." He will be greatly missed.

A "Sunday Sauce" & Meatball Parm Sandwich

SUNDAY SAUCE with SPAGHETTI and the "Meatball Parm Sandwiches" you make on the Monday or Tuesday after the Sunday that you make the "Sunday Sauce" a.k.a. GRAVY

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

SUNDAY SAUCE


One of the great traditions of the Italian American enclave in the U.S. is the ritual of Sunday afternoon when the entire family gets together for Mama’s or Nona’s famed “Sunday Sauce.” What is it? Well there are a number of variations on the theme. Most Sunday Sauce’s are made with Italian Sausage, Braciola, and Meatballs. Some people make theirs with pork ribs, beef neck, and possibly chicken thighs and backs. These meats are slowly simmered for several hours with tomato, minced onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. I generally like to make my Sunday Sauce with sausage, meatballs, and pork ribs. Other times I’ll make it with sausage, ribs, and braciola. An old tradition in some families is that mother or grandma would start the sauce early on a Sunday morning, get it simmering away for a couple hours on top of the stove, then put it in the oven for a couple hours while everyone goes to church, the sauce slowly simmers and when you get back home, the sauce is ready.
The Sunday Sauce that my mother would make was with sausage, meatballs and beef braciola. My memories are vivid watching my mother stuffing the braciola with garlic,
parsley, Pecorino, and pignoli nuts, then sewing up the bundles with a needle and thread so they would hold together while simmering in the gravy (many families all over the New York and around the country simply call Sunday Sauce “Gravy”). Another fond memory was helping my mother roll and shape the meatballs.
As for me, my Sunday Sauce will vary depending on my mood. One thing I love to do when making the sauce is the addition of pork spare ribs, which not to many people use, I love it.
Whenever people eat my sauce, they go nuts for the ribs and some are surprised cause they might never have had them in a sauce before. They didn’t know that you could use pork spareribs. The ribs are traditional with some but not everybody. It is quite a shame for those who don’t add the ribs because they give the sauce some wonderful flavor and they are incredibly delicious to eat after braising in the sauce for a couple of hours. Whenever I make the sauce and I’m dishing it out to friends and family, I always make sure that I have my fare share of the ribs. Pork ribs cooked in this manner, simmering in the sauce are oh so succulent and tasty. They are far beyond compare. “They are Out-of-this-World!!!” The friends, one-by-one, go nuts for them. “Yes they are most than tasty!”
And what to serve with the Sunday Sauce you ask? It should be a short macaroni; rigatoni, ziti, or gnocchi are best.
The rituals of cooking, serving, and eating Sunday Sauce is a time honored one. It is a beautiful thing. If you mention the term Sunday Sauce to any number of millions of Italian-Americans, the wheels start turning in their heads. Thoughts of how tasty it is, all the different components; the meatballs, sausages, braciola, (maybe ribs, beef or pork neck), the pasta, and the gravy itself.
They think about sitting at the table with friends and or family, people they love. They think about the antipasti that will start the meal and about some good Italian Wine, maybe a nice Chianti. They think about the warmth in the air, loved ones, Dino, Sinatra, and of course, theSunday Sauce itself. “It’s a beautiful thing!!!” If you’ve never done it, “Try it!” If you haven’t cooked one for some time, plan a get-together soon. “Sunday Sauce, it brings people together,” in a most delightful way.


"SUNDAY SAUCE" is excerpted from Daniel Bellino Zwicke's
upcoming book "La Tavola"