Where’s Gina? Part 5: Il Vicario (a Tuscan cooking class)

One of the best things our group did while we were in Tuscany was take part in a cooking class in nearby Sant’ Andrea. The cooking class was part of Il Vicario farmhouse, which also operates as an agriturismo (www.ilvicario.com).

Our teacher, Fulvio

Owner and host, Fulvio Mecacci, has been conducting cooking classes with his sister, Francha for the last six years. The farmhouse is a charming 14th century building perched on a hillside surrounded by vineyards and walking trails. Fulvio has to be one of the most interesting characters we had the pleasure of meeting during our week. Before he ran the cooking school, he was a deep sea diver in the Indian Ocean off The Maldives. His sister, Francha, was adorable and spoke no English. I happened to speak a few Italian words to her and from then on I became the translator for the group. This proved quite funny, because most of my translating was spent nodding my head saying, “si, si”. I had never taken a cooking class before, so I didn’t really know what to expect. All I knew was that at some point we were going to sit down and eat everything we prepared that day with wine pairings. Yay!

Antipasti time

On with the cooking! We started with our appetizers (antipasti) which was bruschetta, panzanella salad and pecorino with honey & pine nuts. Not super hard technical things, but when you see a dish done in its homeland, you pick up a few tips. For the bruschetta, the bread was first cut in thick slices (thin slices are called crostini) which were toasted, and then drizzled with olive oil (the beginning of lots of olive oil). We all took part chopping fresh garden tomatoes and garlic. When it came to the fresh basil, Fulvio had us tear the leaves versus chopping it. “This prevents the herb from browning,” he explained. We learned that the Italians are obsessed with keeping things bright and fresh.

Kenny mixing Panzanella

Next, Panzanella Salad. There are many interpretations of this dish, but this version has to be the tastiest any of us had ever had. It’s important that you start with very old crusty bread. Like several days old. Fulvio exlained back in the day, people were too poor (and hungry) to be throwing out stale bread, so they found a way to use it. We took the stale bread, and soaked it in a big bowl of water. Then we all took turns squeezing the water out of the bread. Yes, I admit, it’s kind of strange, wet and mealy but keep an open mind. We then added the wet bread crumbs to a mixture of sliced vegetables that included onion, cucumber, tomato, capers, fresh basil (torn by hand of course), salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil. When my husband Kenny did the honor of adding the olive oil, he asked Fulvio how much he should use. Fulvio just said two words, “just start.” He wasn’t kidding. He mentioned that in his house they go through a litre of olive oil a day! That’s serious. We then prepared the pecorino (sheep cheese) slices. The pecorino was young, and softer than the traditional hard-aged cheese we typically eat. Some of the slices had chocolate sauce drizzled on, others (and my personal favorite) had honey, pine-nuts then fresh grated nutmeg. Before sitting down to enjoy the antipasti (with a glass of Verdicchio) we prepared our sauces for our next course: spicy tomato with pici and basil pesto with gnocchi.

Pici with spicy tomato sauce

If you’ve been following my blog you’ll know that my favorite pasta is “pici”, a very thick spaghetti-like strand. This pasta is made with equal parts semolina flour and regular flour, then a little salt and water to bind. You role it into pencil thick strands, as long in length as you can without breaking them. Our group had a lot of fun trying to see who could make the longest strand. This took some talent, and let’s just say I wasn’t in the running. We then set all of our pici strands aside (sprinkled with a little semolina to keep them from sticking) and began the gnocchi.

Learning gnocchi

Gnocchi, a small potato dumpling, was what our group was most excited to learn how to make. The dough, made from riced potatoes and flour, was kneaded for a few minutes. We each got a portion of the finished dough to work with. We rolled the dough into a thin log, then took a knife and cut them into approximately 1″ pieces. Then we simply took our forefinger, pushed down on the dumpling and rolled it back onto the thumb in a smooth motion. We learned you can make fancy fork patterns on the dumpling if you want, but Fulvio said it’s traditional just to keep them rustic.

Chicken with orange sauce

Our last dish was breast of chicken with orange sauce. We sliced the chicken breast into strips, then dredged it in flour. The sauce was simply the juice of two fresh squeezed oranges. The chicken breast was then seared in a pan of olive oil, and once you flip the chicken over, add the fresh orange juice. Let it all cook together for a few more minutes, then serve it sauce and all on a platter. If it seemed like we were eating for hours, we were (not a bad thing). I won’t go into how the food tasted, but let the photos do the talking.

Enjoying our handiwork

I will say that there’s nothing more rewarding than enjoying a thoughtfully prepared meal. And if you can enjoy it alfresco, washing it down with Verdicchio and Chianti on a sunny day in Tuscany, even better! Well, the fun didn’t stop there. After our meal, Fulvio served vin santo (Tuscan dessert wine) w/ cantucci (almond biscuits) followed by grappa and espresso. Oh, Italian hospitality, don’t you just love it?

Gina at cooking school

Spending the day at Il Vicario was such a treat. Learning traditional Italian recipes in someone’s home and sharing wine with them was an amazing experience none of us will forget. This concludes my report on Tuscany (for now). I hope you have enjoyed my entries, and I thank you for reading!

Ciao, Gina.

Where’s Gina? Part 4: A Day Trip to Brunello Land

Il Galampio

We set off early in the morning for our visit to Il Galampio property, where Filippo Fedriani owns and operates Marchesato degli Aleramici winery in Montalcino. Montalcino is a small commune and DOCG wine region known for producing an important wine called Brunello di Montalcino. This wine is made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso clone and must be aged a minimum of 3 years and 4 years for the Riserva. Yum! Who’s thirsty? To get there from San Gimignano, it was going to be an hour and a half journey. So we headed south to Siena, then through Buonconvento and onto Montalcino.

You must see Montalcino if you are in Tuscany. I know, I say that about all the villages here, but seriously, take heed. Famous for its Brunello di Montalcino wine, not only is the region beautiful, but the small hillside village is perched at 1800 feet, offering stunning views of the valleys below. It also has a majestic fortress (c’mon who doesn’t like a fortress?) where my friend Dennis pretended he was “king of the world” for a moment. Once arriving in Montalcino, we followed the signs to Grosseto, past Tavernelle and towards Camigliano. Brunello fans brace yourself, because every couple of minutes you will see names on vineyards belonging to famous producers. On approaching the commune of Camigliano, we took a right turn and began the real fun part of the drive. Il Galampio is located on a long (7km), dusty, gravel road lined with vineyards. When you are as excited as our group was to arrive (we’ve come so far), the windy road seems like it will never end.

Il Galampio is a small secluded property surrounded by vineyards and situated near the Ombrone River and its protected national forest. The first to greet us was Gala, Filippo’s adorable and friendly German Shepherd. As we toured the property grounds, our gracious host Filippo explained the history of the old farmhouse that his father had purchased and remodeled several decades ago. Il Galampio operates as an Agriturismo (vacationing farmhouse) as well as a winery, so guests can enjoy the best of both worlds. We continued to the other side of the property where the winery was located.

Destemming

Since this was harvest time, we got to watch as crates of Sangiovese were lifted from the truck and poured into the distemmer. We also got to see the juice being pumped into stainless steel tanks where they were to ferment for a short time before arriving in their resting place: in large (grandi botti) Slavonian oak casks for 4 years to become Marchesato’s Brunello. My group really appreciated being able to see how a small family-operated winery works. Filippo shared with us his philosophy about making wine in Montalcino. How he tries to stay true to the land and make “traditional” Brunello that is elegant and built for ageing. When I asked how the recent hard rain affected the harvest, he said fortunately Il Galampio has its own micro-climate and they only saw a few drops. 

Winemaker Filippo Fedriani

The last part of our tour was spent tasting the Marchesato degli Aleramici 2007 Rosso di Montalcino and the 2004 Brunello di Montalcino. Before we started, Filippo reminded us that when one opens a bottle of Brunello, you must think of what you will be eating with it. He explained that Brunello is not for just sipping, it is meant for food, particularly meat. He recommended pairing Brunello with wild boar, venison or steak. Since we were there early in the day, he prepared a large plate of pecorino cheese, finocchiona salami, prosciutto di parma and…moose sausage! (A gift from his Norwegian friend) The Rosso was superb, made from the same grapes as his Brunello, but aged for a shorter time. It has similar characteristics of a Brunello, but juicier, not as dry and a very good price. Next was the Brunello – dark fruits, spice and tobacco, very complex yet silky smooth. The Brunello was so good, when my aunt (who never drinks) tried it, she said, “sorry, I won’t be sharing this one.” We all knew how she felt. Spending time with Filippo made us all realize the long days, the care and patience that goes into making a good quality wine. We felt very privileged to be here: drinking a Brunello, on the property from which it was yielded, along side the farmer who labored to produce it, on a gazebo with the bright Tuscan sun all around us. Does it get much better than than that!

Cheers!
Gina

Where’s Gina? Part 3

Winery Tour – Castello di Verrazzano, Chianti Classico

The weather has been fantastic here, sunshine and hot. We’ve arrived in Tuscany during harvest, which has been exciting for my group since most of them have never seen a wine region this time of the year. The villa we are staying at is 7km outside of San Gimignano and surrounded by vineyards. Each day we watch the pickers as they move along the hillsides, clipping clusters of Sangiovese, filling up their baskets then the trucks with grapes. The air is filled with the aroma of ripe grapes, something all of us noticed the minute we entered the Tuscan area. Our first of two winery visits this week is located in the Chianti Classico region. It’s a short distance away (45km) but getting to the Classico region is quite the experience. The roads are very twisty, constantly climbing up then spiraling down. Once on the Chianti Highway as its known, the road evens out a little and the drive goes more quickly through charming villages. 

The driveway leading up to Castello di Verrazzano is very dramatic and breathtaking. It is one of the bonuses of travelling this far just to taste vino. We are greeted by Gino Rossi, head of hospitality at Verrazzano and whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting twice before. Gino is very passionate about Verrazzano, the vineyards and Chianti wines. When he spoke to our group about the Chianti region he told us to stop thinking about wine with our heads; but instead to use our eyes, nose, palate and heart. This instantly put the group at ease, knowing we were not just on a tour, but in someone’s home experiencing how they live their life amongst grapes.

The castle of Verrazzano is located in Greve in Chianti which is the northern section of the Chianti Classico region. Originally an Etruscan settlement, then a Roman one and finally becoming the property of the Verrazzano family in the VII century. Giovanni da Verrazzano discovered the bay of New York, so the Verrazzano’s have strong roots in the New World as well. We began our tour with a stroll through the beautiful castle gardens, hoping to get a glimpse of the wild boars that roam on the property (they cure their own meats here). We then toured the original old cellars, which were a maze of dim hallways and cool rooms made out of stone.

After the tour we were all seated in their beautiful tasting room, to enjoy a light lunch and tasting of fives wines. The order of the wines we tasted were: Verrazzano Rosso, Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and a Supertuscan (Sangiovese/Syrah blend with rich plum and spicey finish). All the wines were delicious, and perfectly paired with the prosciuotto, mortadella and pecorino cheese we had. Our table was split between the Chianti Classico Riserva (aged 2 years and only produced in ideal vintages) and the Supertuscan as their favorites. We finished the tasting with cantucci (almond biscuits) and Vin Santo…It was an amazing lunch and tasting! I highly recommend a tour at Verrazzano if you get to the Chianti region. The wines are very good quality for the money, the people friendly and the food with the view is just stunning. (You can purchase Verrazzano wine from Portalis!)

Ciao for now,
Gina

Where’s Gina? Part 2

San Gimignano, a walking tour
Many of you know that Gina’s in Italy right now conducting a practice run for her upcoming wine tour business which she plans to begin next year.  She’s reporting back with highlights of her trip so far …

Our first full day in San Gimignano included a nice walking tour of the medieval city. We were to meet our walking guide Gianni Stanghellini (www.walkabouttuscany.com) in the heart of San Gimignano at the Piazza della Cisterna at 11am. The walking tour was in two different parts, the first being a stroll through the city’s winding streets to learn of its history and importance at the height of its power. Then we would break for lunch at one of Gianni’s favorite eateries before heading outside the city walls along vineyards and quiet back roads. Sounded pleasant enough. When I called Gianni to confirm our tour, he was concerned the hike might be a little strenuous for some, and mentioned they could opt out after lunch or get a taxi along the path. This should have been a sign for us, but we all felt pretty fit and ready for a sun-drenched walk.

I recommend hiking up to the high point of San Gimignano for the panoramic view from La Rocca di Montestaffoli e Mura (fortress). On our way to the best viewpoint from the fort, we walked through a small olive grove, then a narrow, steep, stone staircase that opens up on to a platform. This was the place where the guards could spot their enemy and be best prepared to defend their city. For our group, it was a breathtaking view of the Elsa Valley and its endless hills. Gianni mentioned that San Gimignano was an important city with a flourishing economy in the Middle Ages. They were able to trade with neighboring cities thanks to the pilgrimage road called “Via Francigena” (which we were about to walk part of) that connected the city to Pisa and Siena.

We had one of the most amazing lunches at a small osteria called Locandi di Sant’ Agostino in Piazza Sant’ Agostino. Our table enjoyed a fresh fruit plate of melons, apples and apricots; panzanella salad, bruschetta and pici with wild boar sauce. Pici is a thick spaghetti-like pasta available only in a small part of Tuscany. It is the dish I miss and crave most when I’m in Seattle. We washed all this amazing food down with the local white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which is one of Tuscany’s oldest and most noble grapes.  Some versions of Vernaccia (Tradizionale) are macerated for long lengths of time with its skin to draw out the most out of the grape. It can be full-bodied with a floral bouquet, but our bottle today was crisp, with light acidity and flavors of lemon rind and almonds (this style is Fiore).

If we had known what was ahead of us on part two of our walk, we might have re-considered the wine and amount of food we consumed at lunch (maybe we should have had more wine). I’m going to now refer to our “walk” as a hike, because it better describes our experience. We entered the hike on the Via Francigena, a dirt road that runs the perimeter of the hilly city walls. On this path were many vineyards and farmhouses with vistas of the valley. We were all giddy and in awe of the beauty, snapping pictures every few feet. “Oh no, now this is the best view of the town,” we would exclaim around each bend. Gianni visited with us answering questions about Italian culture, customs and history. For example bruschetta is pronounced “broo-ske-tah” never broosheta, also that the whole bread and olive oil dipping thing is American, and Italians only have bread with vegetables and meat and they never butter the bread. That would explain the looks whenever my brother-in-law asked for the customary treat before our meal (where’s the bread & olio? he would always wonder).

After the first couple of kilometers, the hike soon became more grueling, especially with the 90 plus degree weather we were in. Flat dirt roads became uphill climbs and steep rocky descents with the Tuscan sun showing no mercy. Our main comfort was knowing that we were walking the same path as the ancient Etruscans and it sure beat our daily grind back home. We were not only loving the abuse, but we paid for it! Like Venice, I cannot explain in words the beauty we shared along our hike. In my 5 trips to Tuscany I was now seeing a whole different side of this province, and the whole group felt the same way. We struggled through the last hill, pushing ourselves up to the city walls to Porto San Giovanni gate, our final destination. We cheered each other on through sweat drenched clothes and panting gasps of air. What an amazing experience that was worth every step. We said our goodbyes to our wonderful guide Gianni and as we parted ways we promised him if he ever makes it to Seattle, we would treat him to a nice leisure hike up Mount Rainer. (Gianni resides in Siena, with over 10 years experience as a walking tour guide. He holds a PhD in Geology and teaches young kids about the environment in the off season).

More soon …
Gina

When I emailed Gina to see how their day ended, I got:
“We had arranged for an Italian cook to come to the Villa to do a 4 course for us. We were all so tired though, and still full from lunch, the dinner was a real blur. Except we had the best tiramisu of our lives. It was more like a merange/custard texture that had no shape on our plate, then dusted with high quality cacao. We all agreed it will be hard to go back to the traditional tiramisu we are accustomed to.”

Where’s Gina?

At SeaTac on standby ...

Ciao from Italia!

Sunday, September 27, 2009:  Venice
Many of you know I’m in Italy right now conducting a practice run for my upcoming wine tour business which I plan to begin next year.  My brave and willing guests are a few members of my family and close friends.  I thought it would be fun to report back and share some highlights of our trip so far. 
 
Our wine tour is based in San Gimignano, but before we arrive in Tuscany 6 of us made a two day stop in Venice. With me on this trip is my husband Kenny, his brother David and mother Gretta both from Northern Ireland, as well as grandma Betty and aunt Paula.  We decided to stay on the nearby island of Lido (home of the Venice film festival) away from the masses in Venice.  Our hotel was a beautiful 15th century palace, located in the charming commune of Malamocco at the southwest end of Lido. If your idea of experiencing another culture is blending in with the locals, then you would appreciate the type of stay we had in Lido. In order for us to get to Venice, we first walked through the picturesque neighborhood of Piazza del Erbe. From there we caught the #A bus for a 15 minute bus ride, nearly the length of the island, and through its cool neighborhoods.  What a treat this was to ride the bus with the people of Lido. We marveled how both young and old packed the bus on their way to shopping, school and work. We dreamed about what it would be like to own one of the old homes along the beach looking out toward Venice. (Yes, we would certainly need our own boat to reach the old city.) Looking out the window we passed endless shop owners opening up for the day, folks out for their morning caffe, groceries and strolls.

Once arriving in the main square of Lido, we hopped onto the Vaporetto (water bus) to Venice. For anyone who hasn’t been to Venice before, it is quite a wonder to behold, and seeing it from the water is just breathtaking! I have been to Venice several times before, but had always taken a train into it. Photographs cannot capture how beautiful it is; you must see it for yourself and see it from the water. Unfortunately the thousands of tourists (like myself) can be overwhelming, but once you get out of the main square, there are plenty of quiet corridors (and shops) to soak in everything Venice has to offer.

One thing they don’t offer is a mind blowing culinary experience. Not only is the food in the Venice area mediocre at best, it can be excruciatingly expensive.  I would avoid eating or drinking in San Marco Square unless you are willing to average €12 for a caffe.  We did manage to have one decent meal in Lido, where the veal scaloppini was tender and the lamb chops flavorful and juicy. The best dish though, was the scampi my aunt had. Butterflied, then perfectly grilled and garnished with lemon; it was simply delicious! Grandma Betty got to try gnocchi for the fist time (why not in Venice?) dressed pleasantly with pomodoro sauce. We drank house wine (merlot blends mostly) in the restaurants since it was the best deal (€ 8). Venice was bleeding our euros rather quickly, so we decided to wait for Tuscany to really get into the wine.  If you do to travel to Venice someday, there are some great wine regions you can visit since it’s located in Veneto. The Veneto wine region is home to Soave, Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, Valpolicella and best of all Amarone. But this leg of the trip was for my grandma and mother-in-law who had never seen Venice, so the vino was secondary.  Stay tuned for news from Tuscany…

Monday, September 21, 2009
We didn’t get on our flight (standby) looks  like a long day at the airport. Kenny didn’t take missing the flight too well (good actor eh?)

Riesling, an overview

Riesling is a wine lover’s white wine.  Maybe that’s because you have to have some level of wine sophistication to know what you’re getting:  It’s difficult to grow Riesling and so the wines have greater vintage variations due to the varietal’s finicky nature … challenge #1.  But the product … wow, a complex combination of flavors & terroir:  apple, peach, apricot, rose petal, violet, minerals, flint.  Riesling also has an incredible range of styles depending on the ripeness of the grape, from crisp, dry sippers, to complex, off-dry food wines (Spätlese & Kabinett) to beautiful, rich, sweet nectars of dessert wines (Trockenbeerenauslese) … challenge #2.  And then there’s the German label … challenge #3.  I am fluent in German and I still can’t figure out what the heck they’re saying.  Of course Riesling is grown in France (Alsace), Austria (still German language labels, but not so confusing), Oregon, California, Washington State, Australia & New Zealand, but the Germans have been doing it since the 1400’s and Germany has the largest production & variety and it’s undoubtedly the home to the greatest Riesling wines.

For a down-and-dirty overview … German Riesling is known for its minerality (from the German soils), for its peach/apricot flavors, for its lightness, elegance & complexity, its excellent acidity and its low alcohol content.  Some German Riesling has a petrol nose, but it’s not as common as with Austrian Riesling, where a petrol nose is a common trait.  Austrian Riesling is tarter and tangier than German Riesling, but still has some peach/apricot flavors and good acidity.  Washington Riesling tends to be off-dry, with flavors of apricot, peach & orange zest.  Acidity is what Washington is working on.

Some interesting Riesling to try:
Efeste 2008 Evergreen Riesling (Columbia Valley, WA) $18.50  This is a dry Riesling which is unusual.  It’s tangy with more lemon, lime, citrus flavors.  Last year it won the Riesling category of Seattle Magazine’s Washington wine competition. We currently serve this wine by the glass at the bar.

Hans Lang 2007 Sabrina Riesling (Rheingau, Germany) $19.50 Off-dry, light- to medium-bodied, some minerality, flavors of peach, apricot, orange zest, grapefruit, pleasant mouthfeel.  Would pair well with Thai or Vietnamese cuisines.

Dr. Pauly Bergweiler 2007 Bernkasteler Badstube Am Doctorberg Riesling Kabinett  (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany) $31 A very terroir driven Riesling.  Not as sweet as the Hans Lang. Lots of minerals, complex, beautiful acidity. This is the big leagues.  “Pale yellow color. Aromas of wet stone mixed with peaches and apricot. Very good complexity and concentration. Beautiful acidity integrated in the fruit. Main flavors are peach pie, apricots, pink grapefruit with some honey notes. Excellent, long finish.” (Jens, Tasting Circle, 93 points)

In August, the Tasting Circle (a group of local wine professionals who meet monthly to blind taste, rank and write tasting notes on wines currently available in the Seattle marketplace) reviewed German & Austrian Riesling.  To see the wine reviews in their entirety, go to: http://thetastingcircle.wordpress.com/2009/08/

Contributor: Julie Howe

The Incredible, Drinkable Loire Wine

I consider the Loire Valley to be one of the most alluring and prolific wine regions in France. Situated 2 hours south of Paris and stretching to the Atlantic, the Loire Valley is an impressive 300 square miles.  The Loire, often called the “The Garden of France,” is charming with its rolling hills, vineyards and more than a thousand chateaux. It would be difficult to highlight all the regions at one go, so please do not be offended if I leave out your favorite sub-region.

Starting from the east is the famous region of Sancerre where Sauvignon Blanc is not just supreme but adored as one of the best examples of that varietal. Sancerre is made up of 14 communes and includes 4000 acres. The many soil types produce lean and lively Sauvignon Blancs that are unique and highly sought after. Sancerre also produces some great quality rosé and red wines made from Pinot Noir. East of Sancerre are the lesser known appellations of  Menetou-Salon and Quincy, which produce softer-style Sauvignon Blanc (not as steely as Sancerre) and at lower prices.  

Central Loire can be split into three provinces, Anjou, Saumur and Touraine. This area offers the broadest selection of grapes including Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cot (Malbec) and Grolleau. They also use a labeling system to indicate the dryness/sweetness level of the wine: sec, dry; demi-sec, semisweet; moelleux, sweet and the rare pourriture noble (botrytis).

Anjou is most associated with outstanding quality sweet wine, though it also produces whites, rosé, reds and sparkling wines.

The appellation of Saumur, with its chalky/limestone soil produces wonderful light and fruity red wines with a rich earthiness, especially wines from Saumur Champigny which yields outstanding reds.

Touraine is best known for dry whites made from Sauvignon Blanc, but also Chenin Blanc is used for sparkling wine. Wines from this area are also a great value if you are looking for something different for a summer white. Another exceptional red wine producing region of the Loire is Chinon located east of Saumur on the left bank of the Loire River. Made from mostly Cabernet Franc grapes, reds from Chinon are elegant, supple and with a distinct violet aromas.

Near the Atlantic, the western part of the Loire Valley with its cooler climate is home to Muscadet wines.  The most well-known being Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. The grape in this delicious fresh white is Melon de Bourgogne, which was brought over from Burgundy in the late 17th century. Muscadets are delicately dry with aromas of white flowers and light citrus.  Fantastic with oysters!
   
I hope you agree that the Loire Valley has a lot to offer for the adventurous wine drinker. Bring one to your next dinner party or seafood extravaganza.

Recommended Loire Valley wines currently in stock: 
Chateau De La Chesnaie 2007 Muscadet Sèvre Et Maine Sur Lie ($15)
Domaine Lecomte 2007 Quincy ($20)
Domaine du Grand Bouqueteau 2006 Chinon (Cabernet Franc) ($19.50)
Philippe Raimbault 2007 Sancerre ($34)

Contributor: Gina Gregory, Sommelier & Manager, Portalis Wines

Rosé … a beautiful, refreshing summer sipper

Rosé is the product of the fermentation of red grapes, where the skins are left on for a short time, resulting in a light color, lower tannins and a lower alcohol level compared to red wines.  The longer the skin contact, the bigger the body and the darker the color.  Rosé is usually made using the same grape varietals as the red wines from any given region.

The home of rosé is Southern France, with the French drinking more rosé than white wine. About 75% of the wine production in the Provence appellation is rosé. The production of the Tavel appellation in the Southern Rhone is 100% rosé. Other big rosé-producing appellations are Lirac, Côtes Du Ventoux and Côtes Du Luberon, with the most common grapes being Grenache, Cinsault, Mouvedre and Tibourin.

The best rosé I have ever had was Domaine Tempier, and it was damn near perfect:  an ideal balance of weight, fruit, elegance and acidity with wonderful flavors of strawberries, cherries and raspberries. We currently carry Domaine Tempier 2008 Bandol Rosé.  At $44 it’s quite pricey, but well worth the experience. Most rosé falls in the price range of $12 to $18 and most of them won’t disappoint you.

Today, most wine producing areas produce rosé, including Spain, Italy, California, Oregon, Washington and more.  Here are wine notes on several rosés that we currently carry.  Keep in mind that you drink these wines young and for the most part they hit the market starting in late May and are gone by fall, so enjoy them while they last:

Domaine Saint Roch Les Vignes 2008 Rosé (Provence, FR) $16/case $12.80
Notes: Dark peach color. Aromas of ripe strawberries followed by flavors of melon & peaches. A well-balanced and delightful rosé. Dry finish.

Domaine Ott 2008 Les Domaniers Rosé (Provence, FR) $21/case $16.80
Notes: Golden peach color. Just beautiful. Aromas of strawberries and melon. Smooth, velvety texture. Well-balanced and structured. Great integrated acidity. Strawberry and melon flavors all the way through. Hints of herbs. Provence, baby!

Fuente Del Conde 2008 Rosado (Cigales, Spain) $14/case $11.20
Notes: a dark pink color with aromas of wild raspberries followed by flavors of raspberry tart and blackberries. Great acidity and refreshing finish.

Triennes 2008 Rosé (Provence, FR) $18/case $14.40
Notes: Peachy pink color.  Beautiful aromas of sweet strawberries, honey dew melon. Smooth, velvety texture with perfect acidity. Elegant and very focused. Great finish. Fantastic rosé.  (Note: currently served at the Portalis Wine Bar by the glass for $8.25.)

Contributor:  Jens Strecker

Saskia Prüm visits from the Mosel Valley (Germany)

Saskia Prüm, winemaker at S.A. Prüm, with Jens Strecker, owner of Portalis Wines in Seattle

Saskia Prüm holds an honored position for us at Portalis.  She is the first German winemaker to do a tasting at our shop since we opened in 2003, and it was well worth the wait.  She was lovely.  She told me a little about the history of the winery … Located in the village of Wehlen (southwest Germany) near the one of the most famous vineyards in the Mosel Valley, the Wehlener Sonnenuhr, the estate has been in her family since her great grandfather began in 1911.  The estate flourished under father, who began running the estate in 1971, and as of 2005, it has been in Saskia’s hands.  She said that she knew from an early age that this was her calling.  With a smile, she said she had probably participated in her first wine tasting at age 9. She received a Diploma of Engineering in Winemaking from the Technical University in Geisenheim.  After that she completed a series of internships in Pfalz/Reingau, Baden & Alto Adige.  Her time in Alto Adige must have been particularly interesting, 1) because it was a huge 200 hector co-op compared with the 16.5 hectars of the S.A. Prüm estate and 2) she got to go hang out in Northern Italy, after all.

Americans so often have a block against white wine that’s not dry, but I can’t encourage you enough to open your experience to these wines as German Riesling is considered some of the finest white wine in the world (and S.A. Prüm is an excellent example of this style of wine).  It’s a thinker’s white wine … beautiful fruit flavors with an amazing acidity that off-sets the slight ending sweetness of the wine.  It’s refreshing as a stand alone sipper, but Riesling also rates as the most versatile white wine to pair with food.  The acidity as well as the fact that it’s not dry allows it to pair beautifully with appetizers, fish, shellfish, chicken, pork and especially cheeses.  It can also handle sweeter & spicier flavors (perfect for Asian cuisines) and the tanginess and heat of Middle Eastern & Mexican dishes.

Here’s what we tasted with Saskia, as well as her commentary on the wines:

S.A. Prüm 2007 Essence Riesling $12.50/case $10
This wine has a spiciness to the fruit which is lovely, off-set by beautiful acidity.  Lighter than the next wine, it is a beautiful sipping wine.

S.A. Prüm 2003 Bernkasteler Lay $39/case $31.50
This wine has a little more body and a little more yellow in the color.  It has lovely grapefruity flavors and surprisingly, Saskia suggested pairing this wine with a red meat such as lamb.

S.A. Prüm 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett $24/case $19.20
This Riesling comes from the most famous vineyard in the Mosel, the Wehlener Sonnenuhr. As a Kabinett, this wine is sweeter than the first two, but pleasantly so with the tingling acidity off-setting the sweetness beautifully.

S.A. Prüm 2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese $39/case $31.50
Auslese, from a selection of highly ripened grapes, is sweeter still than the Kabinett, and moves into the dessert wine category.  Try this with your favorite artisan blue cheese, for an amazing salty sweet combo.  You can enjoy this wine now, but Saskia said that you can lay it down for up to 20 years.

Contributor:  Julie Howe

Australia’s Hunter Valley: a report from down under on a weekend out …

This is an email we received from Phil last summer (7/22/08) when he was in Australia to interview for a job.  Wine makes a great diversion … and these are some great tips if you’re looking for a wine country day trip outside of Sydney:

this past weekend i decided to escape the papal visit to sydney and swarms of 15 year old world youth day pilgrims for the Hunter Valley and a bit of a drive and wine tasting. the rest of sydney seemed to decide to do the same thing, but by staying on the outskirts i’d say i did alright… 5 top ranked wineries, 2.5 cases of wine to take home, a decent brewery hotel as a base, and a fast car to drive around in. no real complaints here in the end…

So a bit of a synopsis in links:
Some photos from the weekend http://www.flickr.com/photos/philmang/sets/72157606307475896/

The wineries I went to:
The first one was Kringlewood on Saturday at about 1130am after a 
morning drive out into the edge of the valley. Saw the sign on my way 
back towards town and stopped, looked at the book, saw that it was 
well ranked and pulled in. All biodynamic vines, with delicious French 
style wines. brought home a shiraz worth of hermitage, a chardonnay & 
a botrytis chardonnay (very rare…) http://www.krinklewood.com/

the next stop was the most commercial of the wineries i visited, and 
in many ways, the least enjoyable: http://www.keithtullochwine.com.au/
the shiraz was good, the rest were all decent, the ambiance cut it 
down a lot… the view of the valley was wonderful

from there, i stopped in at blue tongue brewery and had a beer and pie 
for lunch before heading on: http://www.bluetonguebrewery.com.au/

after lunch i headed up to Piggs Peake. An amazing boutique negotiant 
in the same model as Sinnean in Oregon that I have collected so much 
wine from, these guys make amazing stuff. They have fun with the 3 
pigs line of naming, with the wines running form straw to sticks to 
bricks in terms of intensity… I got to taste some pretty damned good 
wine and fortified wine (they make loads of port and madeira style 
fortified wines as well as standard desert wines) and had already 
picked up a few bottles when the winemaker took myself and a few other 
customers with similar interests back to taste a few of the barrel 
Bricks wines… we had a bit of 08 Zin and 08 Shiraz… wow. i can 
understand why the sell out of all of these wines at release… http://piggspeake.com/index2.html

almost done for the day on saturday… while wandering back into town 
I stop at the cheese store to pick up some fixins for dinner. The 
Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop has a nice array of cheeses, and can 
indeed be smelled from the parking lot. the cave doesn’t hurt matters 
and neither does the antipasti fixings side of the house. http://www.huntervalleysmellycheeseshop.com.au/

a brief stop for tasting at the small winemakers shop — tasted 
Margan, Little Wine Company & Andrew Thomas good stuff, a nice end to 
a day of wine tasting, more things for the case… http://www.smallwinemakerscentre.com.au/wine_makers.php

back to the potters hotel & brewery to nap and watch a bit of tri-
nations rugby in the pub…and eat some of that cheese i collected 
that was smelling up the car… http://www.pottersbrewery.com.au/ http://www.hunterbeer.com.au/

Good times, as it’s a local’s joint and the Wallabies won…

Sunday I headed out to drive back via the mountains, and happened to 
stop at yet one last incredible winery with absolutely no planning – 
it literally looked like my last chance to go to a winery on my way 
out, so I stopped. Turns out to be an incredible place, where the 
viticulturist lives on site and does the tastings, and where I got to 
spend over an hour talking about the vines and wines and facility. 
good times, great juice, and the only Tannat in all of australia (give 
or take a few plants.) again, amazing. http://glenguinestate.com.au/
finally, The basic route map:
http://tinyurl.com/55hyug

it was a good time. could have used a bit of company perhaps (still could given the collection of vino i brought back.) hope all are well

Cheers
Phil