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




Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Bellino Stupino Mori Barbaresco Brunello and The Mona Lisa ............... in New York

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke (R)
with
ITALO STUPINO  "The KING of SANTA STEFANO" BARBARESCO
at
WINEBOW PORTFOLIO TASTING 2014
New York, NY


CASTELLO di NEIVE BARBARESCO 
From ITALO STUPINO


I drank trhough and tasted all of Italo's phenominal Barbarescos as well as his; Dolcetto d' Alba Basarin 2011,
Pinot Noir 2012, and Barbaresco Santa Stefano 2006 & 2009 ... Italo is The King of Santa Stefano .. He has the only vineyard. He used to sell fruit to Bruno Giacosa, but the contract is up and Italo will be the only one in the World making Barbaresco Santa Stefano from now on. We drank the base Barbaresco Castello del Neive 2010 and the Barbaresco Santa Stefano 2009, both awesome, but the Santa Stefano had a slight edge of awesomeness. But not by much, both are great wines, perfectly balanced with fine fruit, and perfect examples of what a great Barbaresco should be. They are Textbook. It was great to see Italo again. He is the man! I just love that guy, and would rather drink his Barbaresco over anyone else's. ANd this of course includes Angelo Gaja, who makes some great Barbaresco, but the prices are through the roof, and dollare for dollar I'd put Italo's up against Gaja's any-day-of-the week .. You can't do any better ... Although I must say, I really enjoyed Anjelo's offerings last year when I tasted the wines at a tasting in New York with Anjelo and daughter Gaia ..



Daniel Bellino Z with Alessandro Mori of Il Maronetta Brunello

at The WORLD TRADE CENTER
New York, NY
Montcalm Wines Portfolio Tatsing

Alessandro tasted me on his latest vintages of his estates awesome Brunello ..
I really loved the 2008 Brunello Normale and the Brunello Reserva Madonna del Grazia 2008 was off the charts awesome .. The 2009 Brunello and Brunello Ros. Madonna del Grazia where awesome as well ... Alessandro let me have a taste of the Brunello 2010, which was a bottle tasting and has not been released.. The 2010 Brunellos, by law cannot be released to January 2015 and this was a nice suprise advanced tasting of a 2010 Brunello .. Alessandro was beaming. He is very proud of the wine and he said the vintage is one of the best. "I wouldn't disagree."

ZENATO AMARONE





M ARIOLAS
with His Families
 TURIGA




Vernaccia di  San Gimignano 

Vernaccia diSan Gimignano



Princessa Natalia Strozzi 
Princessa Natalia Strozzi





56dfe-sundaysauce-small-new-cvr 
SUNDAY SAUCE alla CLEMENZA


SEGRETO ITALIANO, THE LATEST FEM DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE .. AMAZON.COM    

SEGRETO ITALIANO, 
THE LATEST FEM DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE ..
AMAZON.COM



 MONA LISA
MONA LISA

   Guicciardini-Strozzi are theoldest wine producers in Italy with their Cusona estate established in 994 AD ( no, we didn't forget the 1). They produced the very first Vernaccia di San Gimignano in 1200 AD and this very wine was exalted by the likes of Dante,Michelangelo and Boccaccio not to mention drank byPopes. It was only when Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" started to cause so much hysteria, that two academics embarked on a quest to find out whom the Mona Lisa really was and if she had any living descendant. Inevitably their quest took them to knock at Cusona's doors, where Prince Girolamo Strozzi opened up the family's archives to reveal what was known in the family. However, something else was soon to be discovered that even the Strozzis could not expect. During a former British Prime Minister's private visit to their Cusona estate, the latter was being entertained with some of the family's tales. One of such tales was that of a marriage in the sixteenth century between a female ancestor and an English aristocrat. It was at this point that the former British PM suddenly remembered to have come across this very fact in a book he once read.
He therefore suggested a further deepening of this lineage' study at the London's British Library. Here, documents certifying the marriage of Camilla Guicciardini-Strozzi to Sir Thomas Darcy were found along those certifying the birth of their five children. One of them, Frances, married into the Marlborough family eventually becoming one the ancestors of no less than Sir Winston Churchill himself.
Until now these news have not been divulged outside the academic circles to avoid being associated with the book and attract unnecessary media attention. It is now our very pleasure and privilege to bring this truly unique tale of history and culture linking Italy and Great Britain for wine and history lovers alike.
 

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Tre Bicchieri Tasting New York Today Bellino

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THE 2014 Tre Bicchieri Tasting in NEW YORK Today

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 !

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Sebeastiano Rosa (Winemaker of SASSAICAIA) Me, and Giovanni Folonari (Nozzole) at 2011 Tre Bicchieri New York ...

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The Annual Italian Wine Bible "Vini Italia" Published by Gambero Rosso

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SUNDAY SAUCE When Italian Americans Cook

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke .. Available on 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.

Monday, January 6, 2014

GREATEST BAROLO VINTAGE of ALL 2001




ALDO CONTERNO BAROLO CICALA 2001
One of The GREAT BAROLO VINTAGES EVER
at
DeGrezia
NEW YORK
THIS WINE Was AWESOME !!!
94 on a 100 Point Scale


Barolo Aldo Conterno "Cicala" 2001 ...  It's a classic Barolo from one of Barolo's finest producers, Aldo Conterno .. Cicala is a single -vineyard Barolo .. I'll take this oportunity for those who may not know, a single-vineyard wine is one in which all the fruit that goes into that particular wine comes from one sight-specific vineyard area .. These single vineyard vineyards are located on an estate in small plot that has the best growing conditions for wine within a larger area .. The sight is usually special because it gets the best sun light and is usually on a southern faceing vineyard, possibly on a hill and has good drainage and other terrain elements beneficial to maximum grap growing ...
  Back to the Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 2001 .. As we've already stated, Aldo Conterno is a great Barolo producer and this wine comes from a famous single-vineyard .. Now moving on to the vintage, 2001 in Barolo and Barbaresc was one of the greatest Barolo vintages ever, along with 2000, 1996, 1989, 1990 and others ..
   We opened a couple a few bottles at this party, and they were all in great condition, properly cellared for the whole of their lives. Decanted, the color and aroma were marvelous and no signs of any faults such as Bret, oxidation, be cooked or corked. Yes the bottles were in excellent conditon. The aromas were classic Barolo as was the taste, of which the wine had many marvels, including; Alcohol Soaked Cherries, Truffle, tar, and Licorice .. I loved the wine, one of the finest Barolo's I have ever tasted and I've tasted many running the Inoteca at Del Posto, Bar Cichetti and Barbetta Wine Director for 4 1/2 years were I tasted the likes of Ceretto Bricco Rocche Barolo 1990,  Renato Ratti Barolo Riserva 1990, Marcarini Barolo Brunat 1996, Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 1996, 97 and 1990, Gaja Barolo "Sperss" 1990, Giacamo Conterno Monfortino 1978  1989 1990, and Cavolotto Barolo Bricco Boschis 1990 and 1996. Mascarello barolo "Monprivato" 1990 1989 & 1996 just to name a few of the many I have had over the years ... With all this said and done, I'll tell you this Conterno Barolo "Cicala" 2001 is the best Barolo I've had in the past 5 years or so, and I'd deffinately rank it way up there with all the great Barolo I've tasted over the years including many from the great 1989 1990 1996 1997 2000 and 2001 vintages .. I'd rate this Cicala 2001 about a 93 on a 100 point scale if I was forced to do so .. But my best way of describing this or any great wine is; that I Loved it, I couldn't get enough of it and wanted more, when all was gone. The wine was memorable and a joyous pleasure to drink. Bravo Ado!




Daniel Bellino Zwicke


photo Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Donnafugatta Tancredi e Mille Una Notte


Jose Rallo
at
Tre Bicchieri Tasting
New York
with a bottle
of Tancredi




Donnafugata in Marsala
ITALY




Donnafugata Cellars
Marsala, Italy








MILLE UNA NOTTE




Antonio Rallo
Partner Winemaker Donnafugata





and Don't Forget Barbi "Brunello"











Donnafugatta's Renowned Dessert Wine
"BEN RYE" PASSITO di PANTELLERIA







The Beautiful Label 
of
Mille Una Notte
and All Donnafugata Labels
Shows The Great Attention to Detail
and Excellence
in Everything The Rallo Family Does
at DONNAFUGATTA
Making Some of The World's Tastiest and Greatest Wines
BRAVO !!!