April 5, 2007
Six New Regional Rarities
In This Issue
A Note from Sergio
Some people like to clean in
the spring, but I
prefer to have fun. In
my recent travels to Italy, I've found some
perfect
wines that can get the
party going. Many of these labels are
making
their debut appearance
here. Some represent
relatively undiscovered zones within the
regions of
Sicilia, Umbria, Alto Adige,
and Friuli; others
represent classic zones of the more
established
Piemonte and Campania. But all of
them—from Zibibbo to
Schioppettino—are
not only fun to say but also yummy to
drink.
You’ll find a vast varietal range in this
week’s offer—a
diverse selection such as only Italy can
offer. So if
you’re into having
a good time, here’s a way for you to
embark
on a tasting voyage through
the wonderful world of Italian wines.
My best,
Sergio Esposito
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Alto Adige's Traminer
Although the politically unified Trentino and
Alto Adige
are both white varietal
specialists and share many of the same grape
affiliations, each distinguishes
itself with certain grapes. Also, Alto
Adige, one of
Europe’s oldest
wine-growing sites (predating 15 B.C.)
affords its
Germanic affiliation tangible
expression, as wine labels are frequently
written in
German. Throughout history,
Alto Adige has been influenced by various
cultures,
inspiring a multicultural
approach to its viticulture.
Several producers in the Alto Adige present an
individual varietal in a
comprehensive stylistic
range, commencing with a fairly simple
expression
and encompassing distinct
levels of complexity attained through various
approaches and techniques. The
Pinot Bianco grape makes the most frequent
appearances in this hierarchical
construct, as it may be expressed in a
relatively
simple form or enhanced through
oak. Gewürztraminer, however, is
regarded as the Alto Adige’s
signature grape, and it is widely believed
that it
originated in the Alto Adige
town of Tramin, a heritage that is honored
in its
alias—Traminer or Traminer
Aromatico. Alto Adige’s varietal
catalog
features many grapes that
are the main constituents in the grape
portfolios of
Austria, Alsace, and Germany.
Castel Sallegg Traminer Aromatico
Castel Sallegg is situated in the South Tyrol
and
enjoys the beneficence of
a climate that alternates between
Mediterranean and
Alpine influences. The
estate’s Gewürztraminer is
derived from
various clones of the poignant
Gewürztraminer
grape, which delivers a
stirring bouquet marked by lychee,
rose, peaches, and a sweet spice.
Castel Sallegg 2004 Traminer Aromatico $22.24
Additional Wines from Castel Sallegg:
Castel Sallegg 2004 Pinot Grigio $20.00
Friuli's Schioppettino
While Friuli is Italy’s white
wonder—crafting both its indigenous
varieties and international classics in
both structured
and
more stylized versions—red
wine constitutes approximately 40 percent
of Friulian
wine production. The
region, in fact, has evidenced marked
advancement
with respect
to the vinification of reds by abandoning its
former predilection for treating them
like whites. While it has enjoyed
particular success
with the Bordeaux varietals,
its ancient indigenous
varietals—Refosco,
Pignolo, and Schioppettino—indicate
that Friuli is innately suited to the
production of reds.
Many regard Refosco
as the leader of the trio, yet the latter
two possess the
ability to realize
ageworthy wines, and have been making their
way
back into the Friulian landscape,
albeit through very limited productions.
Like some of Italy’s most highly
regarded reds,
Schioppettino—Ribolla
Gialla’s black counterpart—
does not
make it easy to elicit its
value. Its vigorous performance in the
vineyard
creates ripening difficulties,
requiring the vintner to engage in a very
involved
viticultural regimen. It
also has a reputation for being exceedingly
tannic in
its youth, delivering
a sensation that is prohibitive of
drinking. If afforded
the care it requires,
however, this untamed furor may be
translated into a
powerful wine of black
fruit and spice that reflects kinship with
a syrah from
the Rhône. Few
elect to deal with its high-maintenance ways,
however, and of those that do,
not many representatives make it to the
States.
Molon Schioppettino Vigna
Traverso
Vigna Traverso cultivates 16 hectares of
vines,
producing both Friuli’s
indigenous varieties (whites: Ribolla
Gialla, Tocai
Friulano, & Picolit;
reds: Refosco and Schioppettino) and those
from the
international realm that
take to Friuli’s terroir (whites:
Pinot Grigio
& Sauvignon Blanc;
reds: Cabernet Franc & Merlot). This
bottling
captures the Schioppettino’s
peppery character in a high-acid version
that gives it
a striking affinity with Cabernet
Franc.
Molon 2003 Schioppettino Vigna Traverso $27.42
Additional Wines from Molon:
Molon 2003 Cabernet Franc Vigna Traverso $27.42
Umbria's Big Sagrantino
This varietal native of Umbria is quite the rarity, as its
production is limited
to a mere 250 acres of vineyards. Though a distinct
minority in the varietal
population of Umbria, it nevertheless achieves a
formidable presence, as it
mediates between the two discrete flavor profiles that
characterize this region’s
offerings—earth-driven Sangiovese-based
wines and modern-oriented blends
crafted from the principal international varieties. In
fact, while Sangiovese
is the most prolific of the Umbrian varietals,
Umbria’s identity is intimately
connected to Sagrantino, and Sagrantino di
Montefalco, a 100% Sagrantino,
was accorded DOCG status in the early 1990s. While
the heat of the summer can
be fairly intense in the Montefalco zone, it is modified
by Mediterranean currents.
Sagrantino exhibits the rich depth of flavor
characteristic of grapes derived
from this clime. However, the intensity of its
blackberry fruits is balanced
by a savoriness that precludes it from being wholly
absorbed by fruit.
Terre de' Trinci Sagrantino di Montefalco
Ugolino
The cooperative of Terre de’ Trinci was
founded in 1992 by growers who
were displeased with other options and desired to
ensure quality production
by vinifying their own fruit. Utilizing grapes from over
300 hectares, Terre
de’ Trinci’s production includes the
Sagrantino di Montefalco
profiled here, as well as other regional bottlings and
blends of indigenous
and international grapes. The estate's enologist,
Maurilio Chioccia,
undertakes innovative
new methods while remaining cognizant of the
area’s heritage.
Pronounced on the nose, this wine delivers
Sagrantino’s trademark
blackberry flavor, in addition to black cherry, plum,
and licorice; while
rich, the tannic structure exercises restraint,
maintaining the wine’s
posture.
Terre de’Trinci 2001 Sagrantino di Montefalco Ugolino $39.18
Campania's Aglianico
The noblest grape of southern Italy is
Aglianico. While
it is also cultivated
in Puglia and Sicilia, it reaches its
pinnacle in the
regions of Campania (Aglianico
del Taburno, Sannio Aglianico, Solopaca
Aglianico,
Benevento Aglianico, and
Taurasi) and Basilicata (Aglianico del
Vulture). The centuries-old
Aglianico grape most likely derives its
name from
Ellenico or Hellenico, indicating
that the Greeks brought the grape to the
Italic
peninsula as early as 700 B.C.
Of all the indigenous obscurities
inhabiting the Boot,
Aglianico has proven
to be the most successful. Campania’s
celebrated climate, volcanic soils,
and high elevation all provide the perfect
context for a
late-ripening grape
that projects black fruit, spice, and
minerals. In the
Taurasi zone, the grape
realizes the pinnacle of its expression,
captured in
the moniker Barolo
of the South. At their best,
Aglianico-based wines
are dry, well structured,
powerful, and tannic reds with discernible
acidity and
the ability to age.
They may also be produced in a more subtle and
youthful, fruit-driven style.
De Lucia Aglianico Murellaia
The medieval town of Guardia Sanframondi is
situated
in Sannio Beneventano,
a mountainous and particularly cool area of
Campania. It is here that Carlo
De Lucia elected to establish his eponymous
estate
and engage in boldly experimental
viticulture. He has developed several
bottlings of the
local Aglianico and
Falanghina, the two grapes recognized for
their
distinguished performance as
varietal wines within the diminutive
denomination of
Guardia Sanframondi. With
the assistance of enologist Roberto Mazzer,
De Lucia
preserves typicity through
innovation, while the special temperature and
altitude of the zone nourish
a powerful breed of Aglianico with
excellent structure
and aromas. The Murellaia
bottling represents a blend of Aglianico,
Piedirosso,
and Cabernet Sauvignon,
and is aged for a period of eighteen months in
barrique. De Lucia’s
cru Aglianico, Collepiano, receives
a lengthy
maturation period that extends
over the course of the entire winter season
prior to
bottling.
Producers will often pair Aglianico with
Piedirosso, a
fellow ancient
Campanian red, in order to enhance
Aglianico’s fruit. The Murellaia
also includes Cabernet Sauvignon, thereby
reflecting the composition of
Campania’s cult sensation
Montevetrano.
De Lucia 2003 Aglianico Murellaia $36.83
Additional Wines from De Lucia:
De Lucia 2005 Falanghina ‘Vigna delle Ginestre’ $20.00
Cannubi Boschis' Cru Barolo
Barolo is situated in the Langhe Hills, just southwest
of the town of Alba.
The vines cover a relatively small surface area of
3,100 acres. Multiple
microclimates create variations in quality and style,
and individual producers
articulate further distinctions. The district is
comprised of 11 communes,
five of which—La Morra, Barolo, Serralunga
d’Alba, Castiglione
Falletto, and Monforte
d’Alba—produce 87% of the wine. In
early
Barolo production, all winemakers blended grapes
from various vineyard sites.
To a certain extent, necessity demanded this
choice, as vineyard ownership
was extremely fragmented. However, it was also
believed that the “perfect
Barolo” derived from multiple sources, as
the varied influences modified
and enhanced one another.
Virna di Borgogno Barolo ‘Cannubi
Boschis’
The Borgogno family’s ownership of vineyards
in Barolo dates back
to 1720. At present, holdings comprise eight
hectares situated in some of
Barolo’s most prestigious
cru— Cannubi Boschis, Preda,
Sarmassa, I Merli, San Giovanni, and Coste delle
Rosa
(the name attributed to
the lower part of Preda). At present, the daughter of
Lodovico Borgogno,
Virna (whose name is featured on the
winery’s labels), and her husband,
Giovanni Abrigo, direct the estate’s
production, crafting Cannubi Boschis—a cru
Barolo—and
Preda Sarmassa, which weds the distinctive
properties of two vineyard sites.
Additionally, the Virna Borgogno portfolio includes a
Nebbiolo d’Alba,
Barbera d’Alba ‘San Giovanni’
(both a regular bottling
and a Superiore), Dolcetto d’Alba, and
Langhe Rosso. (Virna and Giovanni
also conduct the operations of the Orlando Abrigo
estate in the village of
Treiso, where they produce cru Barbaresco.)
It is significant to note that Virna Borgogno is one of
only two producers
representing the famed vineyard of Cannubi
Boschis via a cru bottling. Luciano
Sandrone produces the other bottling, which enjoys
the distinction of having
become virtually synonymous with the prestigious
vineyard. (Contrary to popular
belief, rather than being a subplot of the famed
Cannubi vineyard, Cannubi
Boschis is its own entity, yet possessed of the
same beneficent soil composition
[a white marl interspersed with a dark, nutrient-rich
clay.])
Virna di Borgogno 2001 Barolo ‘Cannubi
Boschis’ $54.70
Virna di Borgogno 2000 Barolo ‘Cannubi Boschis’ $54.70
Additional Wines from Virna:
Virna di Borgogno 2001 Barolo ‘Preda Sarmassa’ $50.40
Sicilia's Zibibbo
The Moscato grape, a variety that is
cultivated in
several wine regions,
operates an extensive cast of
subvarieties and
serves as the primary foundation
of several dessert wines. In
Italy’s Sicilia, it
is known as Zibibbo,
the direct relation of Spain’s
Malaga and
Greece’s Muscat of
Alexandria. Interestingly, its
proportions fall outside
those considered
conducive to quality winemaking. In fact,
its most
revered performance as
Moscato di Pantelleria derives from
grapes that
have been reduced through either natural
drying or the
passito process, in which
the grapes are sun-dried on mats. (That
said, its
size does render it well-suited
to the role of a table grape, a popular
role that was
somewhat compromised
when seeded grapes fell out of fashion.)
The process of achieving the desired size
has itself
been fraught with difficulty.
In the mid-1990s, producers on the island of
Pantelleria claimed that Sicilian
winemakers were utilizing artificial
measures to
incite and expedite the
drying process of Zibibbo, thereby
producing a
disingenuous product. This
controversy, however, went beyond production
issues, involving political
matters far removed from the viticultural
realm. The
image of Moscato di
Pantelleria is greatly elevated, however,
by its
celebrated position in Greek
legend, where it served as the wine that the
goddess Tanit used to successfully
woo Apollo.
Baglio Oneto Zibibbo Odinetto
The Baglio Oneto Odinetto, a blend comprising
Zibibbo, Inzolia, and Cricket,
offers an unctuous expression of golden hue worthy
of its lead grape’s
dramatic past. Its luscious character is layered with
flavors of honey, crème
brûlée, and vanilla spice.
Baglio Oneto 2005
Zibibbo Odinetto (500ml) $30.95
Regional Rarities Samplers
Over the course of the past few weeks,
our e-Letter
has hosted many
of Italy’s most revered names
in wine
(Sassicaia, Quintarelli) and profiled
some of its primary regions’
greatest
successes (the Barolo Vintage
streak of ’96 to ’01 and
the recently
released Brunello ’01
vintage). These announcements have a
ready
audience, one that’s
lined up in anticipation for the
latest renditions of
wines that are
living classics. The members of these
devoted
followings, however, often
lose touch with the world of wine
outside these
premium labels. The wines
featured herein are intended to bring
you back to
the grape and to the
element of discovery that the
enjoyment of wine
entails. Many of these
bottlings are rare—representing
a varietal
that isn’t recognizable or easily
obtainable, yet
offers a distinctive and
impressionable taste of a specific
region’s terroir. (Even the
Barolo fits in, as
it’s one of
only two interpretations of the famed
Cannubi
Boschis cru.) It’s
a list that will play out well when
you’re
looking to tune into
an alternative vino state….
Regional Rarities Samplers Include:
Castel Sallegg 2004 Traminer Aromatico
Molon 2003 Schioppettino Vigna Traverso
Terre de'Trinci 2001 Sagrantino di Montefalco
Ugolino
De Lucia 2003 Aglianico Murellaia
Virna di Borgogno 2001 Barolo 'Cannubi
Boschis'
Baglio Oneto 2005 Zibibbo Odinetto (500ml)
Regional Rarities Six-Pack...$211.32*
Regional Rarities Tasting Case (two of each)...$388.83*
*Free Delivery in Manhattan
Saturday Studio Seminar: Taste of Montalcino
Taste of Montalcino
April 14, 1:00–3:00 p.m., $75.00
Though Montalcino’s winemaking origins
date back to the 10th century,
the greatness of the region was secured
in 1865,
when Clemente Biondi Santi
bottled a red wine labeled
Brunello. Despite
its relatively short
history, Brunello di Montalcino has
quickly become
the most collected of
Italy’s wines. The beauty of
Brunello lies in
its astounding diversity:
Montalcino possesses 24 distinct
subzones and
an array of producer styles
that are best understood when tasting
through a
selection of the wines.
Provide your palate with a consummate
education
in Brunello, as you experience
both classic and modern
interpretations, and
refine your ability to identify
the signatures of individual zones in
the region.
The tasting includes:
Education provided by an IWM
sommelier
Tasting Booklet includes proprietary
producer
notes, as well as a regional recipe
Spiegelau tasting glass to keep following
the
tasting
Sampling of regional foods prepared by
IWM chefs
paired with each wine tasted
To make a reservation via phone:
Contact Michann Thompson at 212.473.2323, x106,
to
reserve your space, or to learn more about
IWM's new
Studio Regionale Saturday Tasting Series.
8-Page Newsletter
IWM's 8-page Spring Newsletter
You may already have received our latest newsletter,
but if not, you may
download a copy here. This edition offers a special
focus on Piemonte, with
a unique view of the estate of Aldo Conterno (the
subject of an overnight
trip) provided by Sergio. The popular Super-
Tuscans are also profiled, along
with a Bordeaux-style blend that possesses close
ties to
a particularly famous
Super-Tuscan. Sergio has introduced many to this
high-caliber wine,
and it is one that he has been behind since
discovering it during his days
as a sommelier. We also move into the more
spirited world
with a discussion of grappa
(which played a notable role in that visit to Aldo
Conterno). Enjoy all of
these reflections, and learn about the exciting new
happenings at IWM, including
a new Saturday tasting series—Studio
Regionale—and Cellar Management
program.
Newsletter features include:
Piemonte’s Anatomy
Sergio’s Take On A Super-
Triptych
Italian Menu Breakdown—Piemonte
Style
Mario’s Risotto al Barolo
Grappa’s Grace Under Fire
IWM’s New Studio Regionale
Cellar Management
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