Author Daniel Bellino "Z" on The Isle of Capri
June 2015
SEE MORE CARPI and The AMALFI COAST , ITALY
.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Saturday, February 29, 2020
The Perfect Barolo
Luigi Einaudi BAROLO "CANUBI" 2015
"This was my Pick for TOP WINE of The Entire Show"
TRE BICCHIERI NEW YORK
February 28, 2020
Yes the Barolo Canubi 2015 produced by the wine estate of Luigi Einaudi absolutely blew me away. It was absolutely incredible, and what I would describe as the perfect Barolo. "Yes it was." Still is. Wow, I couldn't believe it, right out of the gate, the first wine of the day as I sauntered into the Metropolitan Pavilion on 18th Street. The doors weren't open yet, but I wrangled by way in for some early tasting before the crowds came. I have for the past 12 years or so gone in one hour before the trade, as as a journalist they let you in an hour before everyone else, but this year they change their policy. The lady at the registration desk asked me if I wanted to go to The Master Class Seminar which was starting at 1:30, it was now 1:15 and the doors officially weren't opening until 2 o'clock, 45 minutes away. "I wanted in now," so I told, yes, I wanted to go to the seminar, and I did, but changed my mind once I went in and started tasting some lovely Italian Wine. Oh they were great this year, much better than the few years past. I absolutely adored some of the wines I tasted today (yesterday), starting with "The Most Perfect Barolo of All," the Luigi Einaudi BAROLO "CANUBI" 2015 ... Yes it was that good, and yes it was perfect. The wine, everything was in perfect balance: the fruit, the tannins, acidity, the weight, it was "The Perfect Barolo" and one I'll never forget. Barolo's just do not get any better than the one I had yesterday at tre Bicchieri New York 2020, I was literally in 7th Heaven.
Over the years I have been quite fortunate to have drinking numerous vintage of Cannubi Barolo from all of the wine producers who make Barolo Cannubi from vineyard plots that they own on this one of the Barolo regions most famous hills. I have for some time loved Barolo from the 1996 vintage which is my own personal favorite Barolo vintage of them all, even more so than the more highly acclaimed 2000 and 2001 Vintages of Barolo. I have tasted my friend Alberto Chiarlo's Michele Chiarlo Barolo Canubi of several vintages as well as those of Paolo Scavino, Marchesi di Barolo (my 1st ever Cannubi tasted), Francesco Rinaldi 96 (Awesome!) and more. And now after drinking this wonderful Einaudi Barolo Cannubie 2015 it easily ranks up there with the best Barolo Cannubi I've ever tasted, and may very well be my favorite one of all. It certainly was my favorite wine of all those I tasted at Tre Bicchieri 2020, and as of those that I didn't get around to tasting, and there's no one person who could taste every wine at the show, I'm very sure that even if I did taste every single wine there, there is not a one that could possibly be better, "I'm sure this was the Best!"
Basta !
Luigi Einaudi Estate
Serralunga d' Alba
This Gets My Vote for BEST in SHOW
TRE BICCHIERI NEW YORK 2020
Poderi Luigi Einaudi BAROLO CANNUBI 2025
"I LOVE IT"
And I WANT MORE !
PLEASE !!!
PLEASE !!!
SUNDAY SAUCE
WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK
SINATRA Watching SINATRA
"JUST for the FUN of IT"
.
Friday, February 28, 2020
Its Tre Bicchieri Day New York Italian Wine
Yes It's TRE BICCHIERI DAY in NEW YORK 2020
TRE BICCHIERI
The great Tre Bicchieri Italian Wine Tasting returns to New York today. For the Italian Wine World of New York (Me & ?) this is our biggest day of the year. I will see many of my old friends who make wine in Italy, as well as catching up with pals from New York who deal and love Italian Wine as well. Tre Bicchieri New York is a Grand Tasting of Italian Wines as presented by Gambero Rosso and their Tre Bicchieri Italain Wine Guide named Vini d' Italia (Wines of Italy) which is considered The Italian Wine Bible of the mother country of these great wines, Italy.
Gambero Rosso literally translates to Red Prawn (Shrimp) and the publishing house by the same name prints books and magazines dedicated to Italian Food & Wine. For Americans, a good analogy of what Gambero Rosso magazine is, that it is more or less like a combination of The Wine Spectator & Gourmet Magazine all put together into one magazine. Gambero Rosso does not publish a magazine solely dedicated to wine, but its contents and subject matter are of Italian Wine and food, and a bit of travel thrown in as well, as it all ties together.
The Gamebero Rosso Italian Wine Guide "Vini d'Italia" is a guide to Italy's top wines. Gambero Rosso awards Three Glasses (Tre Bicchieri) to what they consider to be the best wines in Italy. They award one and two glasses as well The Tre Bicchieri Wine Tastings Tour brings the top 200 Tre Bicchieri Wines to cities aroudn the World for these grand tastings. The cities include in the Tre Bicchieri Tour are: Piemonte (Alba) , Tuscany New York, London, Chicago, Alto Adige, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
Yes today I will see some good friends who I've not seen for some time. I will taste wonderful Italian Wines, including; Barolo Barbaresco, Brunello, Chianti, Amarone, Aglianico, and more. I love tasting the wines, but for me Tre Bicchieri is seeing my friends, chit-chatting and sipping the wine, but it all about the socializing. This is what I cherish most about the event, being with and seeing my friends. All surrounded by Italy's Greatest Wine.
Basta !
DBZ
At Tre Bicchieri Tasting with My Pals
Sebastiano Rosa, Me, and Giovanni Folnari
I think this is 2006
New York
Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke with Sebastiano Rosa who the Winemaker of Sassicaia of Tenuta San Guido at the time, and Givanni Folnari of Nozzole. PS ... Sebastiano and Givanno both studied Enology & Viticulture (Study of Wine and grapevines) at UC Davis, California together.
GRASSO
BAROLO
Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
with Sommelier Renzo Raspiacola
ARGIOLAS "TURIGA"
Sardegna
ITALY
Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi
with author Daniel Bellino Zwicke
New York
Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke
with his pal Italo Stupino
Castello di Neive Barbaresco
"BEST NARBARESCO in The WORLD"
Better than GAJA
MARCHESE PIERO ANTINORI
with DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE
NEW YORK
SUNDAY SAUCE
.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Venice Carnevale What to Do WineBars ItalianWine Prosecco
CARNEVALE
VENICE
ITALY
VENICE
CARNEVALE in GREEN
CARNEVALE VENICE
2020
VENENZIA
ITALIA
VENICE
ITALY
CLASSIC VENICE
The MOLO Looking to San MAGGIORE
During CARNEVALE
CAFFE FLORIAN is "A MUST" !
VENETIAN CARNEVALE 2020
"WILL IT SNOW" ?''
By The BRIDGE of SIGHS
VENICE
CARNEVALE 2019
.
SANTA MARIA delle SALUTE
VENICE
VENETIAN SEAFOOD RECIPES
The FEAST of THE 7 FISH"
AFTER YOU VISIT VENICE"
Relive Your VENETIAN MEMORIES
With VENETIAN SEAFOOD RECIPES
In The FEAST of The 7 FISH
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke
The WINE BARS of VENICE
ULTIMATE GUIDE
by BEST SELLING ITALIAN COOKBOOK AUTHOR
Visiting VENETIAN BACARI (Wine Bars)
Are a "MUST DO"
During CARNEVALE in VENICE
SEE THE ULTIMATE VENETIAN GUIDE to The BACARI of VENICE
And YOU'LL WANT to GO to HARRY'S BAR
"ANOTHER VENETIAN MUST DO"
by BEST ELLING ITALIAN COOKBOOK AUTHOR
Daniel Bellino Zwicke
Inside HARRY'S BAR
READ CASANOVA'S VENETIAN SEDUCTIONS
AND ?
Do SPADE
CASANOVA'S FAVORITE CAFFES & WINE BARS
VENICE
GIACAMO CASANOVA
GUIDE to the WINE BARS (Bacari) of VENICE
The MOLO
CARNEVEALE
CARNEVEALE
A BRIEF HISTORY of VENETIAN CARNEVALE
The origins of the Venice Carnival date back a very long time, but it is not one hundred percent clear when this would have been. Most sources mention 1162 when Venice celebrated the victory against the Patriarch of Aquileia, while other sources claim that the Doge Vitale Falier (the chief magistrate in the former republic of Venice) and the government of la Serenissima allowed the poor people already in 1094 to enjoy a short period of fun and festivities. Over time, the event has appeared and disappeared, and the festival and the use of masks even became strictly forbidden in 1797 under the rule of the King of Austria. It reappeared gradually in the nineteenth century, but only for short periods and mainly for private parties. It was only since 1979 that the event became organized in the current way. At that time, the government and some Venetian associations (such as Teatro La Fenice, the Venice Biennale and other tourist organizations) decided to revive the history and culture of Venice.
Nobody knows why Venetians began wearing masks. One of the scholars claims that it was caused by the extremely rigid class system ruling in Venice, especially that during carnival the usual order was overthrown: the poorest beggar could pretend to be the richest man.
The tradition of masking has a long tradition in Venice. All the way back in 1268, a law even was passed to ban—of all things—putting on masks and throwing perfumed eggs!
By the time of the Renaissance, masks were a fixture of Carnevale celebrations. By the 16th century, the popular Commedia d’Arte troupe performed slapstick comedy in the piazzas of Venice—while masked. Believe it or not, though, masking was hardly just a Carnival tradition.
By the 18th century, Venetians were allowed to wear masks for six months a year. And they took advantage! Black velvet masks, for example, would be worn in “houses of ill repute”—especially gambling parlors—to shield their owners’ identities, as shown in the painting here.
Not quite. By the 18th century, Venice’s Carnevale festivities were going downhill. With the Austrian conquest of Venice in 1798, mask-wearing—as well as Carnevale—were all but finished. In the 1930s, Mussolini banned the celebrations altogether.
So what changed? In 1979, a group of Venetian artisans banned together to restart Carnevale. If that seems like a ploy for tourism, it was—and it was one that worked. Today, about 3 million people travel to Venice every year for Carnevale. The 1970s are also when the long-forgotten art of mask-making was restarted.
Today, Carnevale in Venice is a huge celebration that goes on for two weeks. While many events—particularly the opulent masquerade balls—require invitations and have steep ticket prices, many others, like the candle-lit parade of boats, concerts, and street performances, are free and open to the public.
A VENETIAN MASQUERADE BALL
VENICE
Painting by Pietro Longhi
Masked Revelers dressed in Traditional Costumes
At the MODERN DAY CARNEVALE
of VENICE
CARNEVALE
VENICE, ITALY
SUNDAY SAUCE
WHEN ITALIANS COOK
Piazza San Marco
by CANALETTO
The RIDOTTO
by Francesco Guardi
Venenzia
.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Brunello 2015 Vintage in NewYork
Marchesi Ferdinando Frescobaldi with author Daniel Bellino Zwicke
FRESCOBALDI BRUNELLO CASTELGIACONDO
The 2015 vintage is a historical year for Brunello di Montalcino that nobody should miss. The wines show impressive precision of vivid fruit, fine tannins and freshness in acidity despite their ripeness and richness which makes them some of the most exciting in years.
Aside from high tannins and acidity, traditional Brunello di Montalcino wines are often described as earthy with aromas and flavors of sour cherry.
The diverse soils of the Montalcino region most certainly will add earthiness to the wines, but other traditions enable these large brown grapes to fulfill their potential. Maceration, the process of leaching color, flavors and tannins from the skins to the juice, is much longer in these wines, adding rich, dark color, flavor and age worthy tannins.
Recording an exceptionally high level of excellence of the grapes harvested, the 2015 vintage was awarded 5-stars at the simple ceremony held last Saturday morning, traditionally the second and final day of Benvenuto Brunello event held every year in Montalcino. The last time a vintage was assigned 5-stars was in 2012 and 2010 before that during this decade. Both 2011 and 2013 were awarded 4-stars by the experts’ panel. The disastrous 2014 had managed only 3 stars, even though a few journalists had felt it was being slightly generous.
"The producers had been waiting for such a flawless vintage for many years. As a beaming President Fabrizio declared in Italian, ‘Our Consortium members are extremely satisfied with this grape harvest. This is the vintage par excellence that they have been waiting for a long time."
The Colombini family has been harvesting grapes from their Montalcino vineyards since 1790. Still run by the family, the Barbi winery balances old traditions with modern technology such as a cold maceration process called “cyro maceration” that is intended to enhance the aromas of the wines.
From elevated vineyards with rough topography, this is a warm, friendly wine with a bouquet and flavors of sour cherry, a nice minerality, healthy tannins and, of course, a damp earthiness.
BRUNELLO ZONE
MONTALCINO
Italian Cookbook Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke (M)
With Lamberto Fresobaldi and Marchesi Leonardo Frescobaldi
Brunello Tasting New York
Like every year, I am looking forward to my two favorite Italian Wine Tastings of the year, in New York. For myself and any New Yorker heavily into Italian Wine, the two biggest and most important Italian Wine Tasting Events are # 1, the Benevenuto Brunello Tasting held each January in New York, and this years will be on Monday, January 28th, 2020 ..
The other great Italian Wine Tasting Event in New York is the Gambero RossoTre Bicchieri Tasting of Italy's Top Wines which are awarded 3 Glasses (Bicchieri) for the most esteemed Italian Wines of that particular year, in this case of 2020 ..
I love tasting all the wonderful Italian Wines, especially Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, Chianti, Taurasi, and all of the great wines of Italy, but even more than tasting the wine, I love seeing my Italian friends who make wine, and also catching up with my New York Italian Wine Friends and Colleagues. So as usual, I'm gearing up fro these two great events as well as Great Wines of Italy by James Suckling on March 4th .. I'm all registered for all these 3 big Italian Wine Events, and I'm ready and rearing to go.
Me and Conti Cinzano
Tasting some of the Counts awesome Brunello
Col d' Orcia
Kevin Zraly
Gotham Hall 2013
Benvenuto Brunello
Kevin gave an awesome Seminar on Brunello a few years back.
The best wine seminar I've ever attended. Absolutely Awesome. I just love his style.
CLICK HERE to READ About Kevin's BRUNELLO SEMINAR
SUNDAY SAUCE
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)