Muddy Boots

Jeff's pictures of the latest sourcing trip

My business partner Jeff just sent along some photos of the recent trip to Tuscany and beyond.

Obligatory.  Jeff's wife is named Elisa.  Porta Elisa is one of the gates at the walls of Lucca

Jeff's shot of the yawning tower.  Interesting sidenote: the masses of people lounging on the lawn were soon expelled by a guard. That didn't seem very Italian at all

This is a cantina. It doesn't matter where. It's a cantina

Jeff tasting at the cantina sans name. In Veneto

Exterior of the Salumeria Giusti -- the "award-winning" (premiata) Salumeria Giusti.  It's been there for four centuries

Interior of said salumeria. The very air was intoxicating with complex aromas

Jeff with young Matteo Morandi, who runs both the salumeria and the Hosteria Giusti, the restaurant that thrilled the sensorium

Gambero Rosso 2010, Part Deux: Villa Monteleone

Just got a very happy email from our good friend and Valpolicella producer Lucia Raimondi of Villa Monteleone. I am reproducing it in its entirety even though I haven't checked with Lucia.  (Do forgive me, Lucia, but this is a wonderful vindication of your and your late husband's vision and hard work.  You have really earned this accolade.)

To my friends from Domenico Selections

 With great pleasure, and pride, I share with you the announcement that the Amarone DOC Classico Villa Monteleone 2005 just received THREE GLASSES in the 2010 Guide of Vini D'Italia published by Il Gambero Rosso. This is the a very important recognition for which the whole team of Monteleone has worked without cease since we started making wine 20 years ago and, specially,  during the last 10 under my direction.

Thanks to Federico Giotto the enologist, Raffaele Bovo the cellar master, to all the people who have worked to make this possible and also to my family and the many friends, like the three of you,  who have believed in me, supported and given me the courage to go on.  I raise these three glasses in thanks to all of you and in memory of Tony Raimondi, my dear husband, in whose honor and memory I have dedicated my work these ten years. 

Sincerely,
Lucia D. Raimondi

Augurissimi, Lucia!  Ben meritata questa premiazione!

  

3 Bicchieri 2010: News trickles fast

Great news from mondo Gambero Rosso -- I Stefanini Monte di Fice 2007 has been awarded tre bicchieri (3 glasses, the top rating) from GR.  Read about this wine here.

Francesco Tessari sent me the email just a few minutes ago. Tanti auguri to him and his father the vineyard manager, Valentino.  

We're thrilled for them and, naturally, for our perspicacity in signing them up for importation. These guys go from strength to strength, and it's no wonder Francesco makes such good wine. Not only does the Tessari family possess an excellent property for their two crus, Monte di Fice being the highest of all his wines, in every sense of the word, but Valentino long worked for fine Soave producers such as Pieropan and Suavia; the quality and typicity of their wines are no happy accident. 

The news of tree bicchieri awards is trickling out, producer by producer. The whole list won't be available until late October. I have a hunch this won't be the only 3 glasses winner among our small but mighty portfolio.  

I also learned yesterday, through an Italian "friend" on Facebook, that our buddy Gianpaolo Paglia of Poggio Argentiera won the same award for his Capatosta.  Heartfelt congratulations to GPP and his team.

 

A visit with a winemaking friend

Jeff and I spent a night at Gianpaolo Paglia's house in the Maremma at mid-harvest.  Everyone was very busy, but our friend GPP is a gracious host and took out some time to chat, taste and take us to dinner.  

His winery, Poggio Argentiera, produces wines that rely heavily on local grape varieties -- Morellino (a subtype of Sangiovese adapted to the hot, dry Maremma climate and sandy soils) and Ansonica as well as compatible "imports" such as Cab Franc and Syrah. 

 

Poggio Argentiera (loosely translated, "silvermine hill") covers 22 hectares/55acres. This is Podere Keeling, the vineyard named for Justine Keeling, Gianpaolo's wife

We tasted the full array of Gianopaolo's wines.  The older vintages had lots of power -- were rather New World in style, the "big reds" in particular. The new vintages keep the power but embrace elegance; they are much more balanced, interesting and satisfying. His base white, 80% Ansonica and 20% Vermentino, "Guazza" (Dew) is crisper and more refreshing than before. 

With his cellarmaster and second in command, Antonio Camillo, Paglia makes a couple of extraordinary wines, one a Sauvignon Blanc ("Alture" or Heights) that is about as far from the overly aggressive New Zealand style as possible, but clearly not French either. The other is a compulsively drinkable Ciliegiolo with the brand name "Principio" (Beginning).  A damned auspicious one at that.

Here are a few photos of the visit to Gianpaolo's.

  

Gianpaolo keeps Jeff informed

In this beautifully composed shot, you will see Antonio Camillo as he flees from the American paparazzo

Gotta have the product shot.  "Bucce" (Skins) is a new entry, 100% Ansonica which spends 5-6 days touching its own skins and 18 months on the lees in cement and large oak.  Big, tannic, complex, intriguing.  

A peak experience in Modena

On our last stop before heading to Rome for the flight home, Jeff and I stopped at an enormous wine installation outside Modena.  We were there specifically to discuss the wines of of producer whose methode Champenois Lambruscos make the designation "Lambrusco" seem pathetically undescriptive and unjust.  (Made from the Sorbara subvariety, not the more common Grasparossa.)

We had tasted the wines at Vinitaly.  We liked them then and loved them now.  Stay tuned for further developments.

The CEO, heard that we have our wines in several Mario Batali restaurants here in New York.  He insisted on taking us to lunch at Hosteria Giusti, an old and very small restaurant in the center of Modena, since the late Adriano Morandi and Batali's father struck up a friendship many years ago, and it is been carried forth by the younger generation.  Here Matteo Morandi runs the place with the kitchen magic of his sister Cecilia and especially his mother Laura.

You enter the restaurant through the salumeria ("Enogastronomia Famiglia Morandi"), which faces the arcade running down the length of the street.  The enogastronomia is a small jewel of the finest foods of the region -- the best salamis and prosciuttos, cheeses, breads, wines, olive oils, Modena vinegars -- and the aromas are intoxicating.

You step past the counters, down a couple of steps, zigzag a bit and find yourself in a traditionally-decorated Italian dining room. (Heavy on the lace.) Roughly 14-16 people at a time eat as well as anywhere in Italy, I imagine.  

The walls are lined with relics of old vertical tasting dinners -- Ch. Petrus springs to mind -- and old pictures of Modena and the Morandi family. 

By the way, there is another entrance, outside of which is a tiny courtyard area for drinks. The name of the street is Vicolo Squallore -- Squalor Lane.  If this be squalor, roll me in muck.

The meal was by no means one of those gut-busters that Italy so often presents to you at midday.  But it was probably the most satisfying meal either Jeff or I had ever had.  The starter was a small zucchini stuffed with pork and parmigiano, delicately spiced, prepared in a big padella (skillet).  The cotechino fritto with zabaione, which is featured in one of Batali's books, is a stunning marriage of savory and sweet -- and, by the way, a superb pairing with the most fined of "our" producer's spumantes. 

Aside from the spectacular "home cooking" (which it is if your mother is a culinary genius with her pick of the best ingredients anywhere), the warmth and good humor of the Morandis made a marvelous meal an unforgettable experience. 

Matteo was proud of the Batali connection and noted that several of his family's recipes had shown up on Mario's menus. "We are collaborators," he beamed.

By the way, Hosteria Giusti is booked till February at this point. Reserve your part of the table, hock your diamonds and GO. Telephone: +39 059222533

Buon rientro

Good to be home

The recent trip alternated between frustration and delight, depending on the Wow Factor of the wines we found. Between us Jeff and I dipped into five regions' wines. As he says, "You have to kiss a lot of frogs" -- before you find your prince.  

Frogs there were aplenty. The worst wines we tasted were pretty awful. How anyone imagines a market for such stuff, I'll never understand. 

Yet there were enough pleasant surprises to keep us forging onward. We were given a couple of very simple and low-cost wines, red and wine, from a producer in the Montecarlo area near Lucca.  Amazing price/quality ratio. Very cheap wine but excellent for by the case or by the glass sales.  Decent everyday vino.

Some excellent stuff from a winemaker up in Veneto. A good Pinot Grigio is something that, frankly, we need for our portfolio: shelf space and cashflow. Jeff found a very good one. And a still Durello! Who ever heard of such a thing? 

In Marche -- well we ran the gamut from expensive plonk to reasonably-priced wines of real character. Both the reds and the whites are interesting and toothsome. (Can one say "toothsome" with reference to wine?)  

And in Emilia-Romagna (at Modena, hometown of Pavarotti) we had a peak experience of sorts concerning both wine and food. More about part of that on mondosapore within a day or so. 

 But now we're back and the haunch of the selling season is here. We have lots of new stuff to peddle and are pumped about that. For the moment, forgive my jetlag...

The Anarchist winemakers

The second of my fruitful stops yesterday, at "the ramshackle farmhouse", was a topic of discussion at dinner last night. I told my host that my impression of the place of a commune inhabited by ageing hippies. I saw various young people lounging around with paperbacks. One older guy in a green work uniform was snoozing in a hammock. There was a paperback lying open with him, no doubt the greatest hits of Antonio Gramsci. My host cracked up and said, "That's what they are! F--- was the one who gathered his friends together at that place back in the Seventies. They were anarchists and went there to live off the land away from everything that was a hassle. He came over after you went to your room and told me all about your visit." He went on to say he gives them a hard time because they don't get out to the fields until 9 or 9:30 instead of 7 AM. "But whatever," I said, "the wines are damn good." "Damn good," he replied. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

A good good day

Here in Marche it began grey and foggy. I had to drive far south and, thanks to the lack of detail in country areas, around in some metaphorical circles some time before I got to my first appointment. Vaut le voyage, as they say in the michelin guide. I shan't divulge the name of this first winery yet, but it was gicen to me by Roberto Rogness of Wine Expo in Santa Monica. For you East Coast people, it's the town Tom Lehrer immortalized in "Hannukah in Santa Monica." The wines are clean, bright, very well made and intelligently priced. Organic farming is practiced. Wood, where used, is applied judiciously. Most of the wines use local grapes like pecorino, passerina and the inescapable trebbiano for the whites. Reds are dominated by the montepulciano and sangiovese that you'd expect here, with occasional bits of other varieties like the inescapable cabernet sauvignon. At the second appointment - I had others but these two are the ones worth talking about - I made what I think is a splendid discovery. Someone from the area tipped me to it. The cantina is in a ramshackle, sprawling house in the middle of vineyards and grain fields. It's on a dirt road about a mile or so from the first place. I tasted 5 of their 6 wines (all but the passito dessert wines of which a tiny quantity is made) and was blown away. Say "terroir-driven" and this place would spring to mind. Even the humble Falerio, the typical base white of the district, is more than just a refreshing quaff. It's subtle and layered far more than an inexpensive white has any reason to be. Same for the base Rosso piceno made with the usual montepulciano, sangiovese and another very obscure local grape. Wow. If my partners had been with me I would have said wow. I think they would have too. Wines of character that make your heart do a jig. Wow. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Deluge

Near Macerata the rain is flooding the roads. Only about half the grapes have been harvested. There was anxiety at the place I just left. So typical of too many wineries here: they make a whole bunch of different wines, of which only 2 or 3 are worth spit. Ah when will they ever learn? And -- still so many cabs and merlots? Really? Why oh why? One more item. As I grabbed a plate of pasta today I endured and entire album of celtic music sung in Italian. Appalling in any language. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The wine trip so far

I can't say it's been stupendous. Lots of well-made wine -- well-made, rather expensive, not especially terroir-driven. As our friend Gianpaolo Paglia said, "In Tuscany everything is very polished. Down south there's a lot of terrible stuff but then you find a rough little gem that's very original and exciting." All of which is not to say that we haven't stumbled upon a few interesting Tuscans. Gianpaolo's own wines (Poggio Argentiera is his winery) have added elegance to their power and are more pleasing than ever. His top-of-the-line Finisterre is really wonderful. With his cellarmaster and all-round support, Antonio Camillo, he is making a fascinating ciliegiolo (Principio = beginning) and by far the best Sauvignon Blanc I've had in Italy. Different from a French one - identifiably Italian - but restrained and balanced as, say, the Kiwi ones are not. Last night, on my own after Jeff headed to Veneto, I evaluated wines from two Montecucco (hinterland of the Maremma) wineries. One of the properties could be a winner -- wines of real character and verve. At the end of the day it will all come down to price, of course. I'm in Marche today and tomorrow and then go to Modena for an early tasting at Francesco Bellei, about whose amazing Lambruscos I wrote about on Mondosapore some time ago. Jeff and I will compare notes on our adventures on the long ride south. I think we will also have time to stop at a promising client of Luca D'Attoma's on the way back to Rome. Whites of real vivacity and originality. A dopo, amici. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Lucca Pisa and some bad wine

Jeff and I recuperated from jetlag by spending a few hours in the very pleasant city of Lucca and as little time as possible as Pisa. Che buco! (What a dump.) We returned to the delightful agriturismo Corte Benedetto and tasted some wine that awaited us. Due to the limits of our ability to run around ALL over Italy, I'd asked producers from Montecucco to send some samples here. So we sat down and... Let's say the wines reminded us less of Lucca than of Pisa. Tomorrow we have a big day (and evening) with enologo Luca D'Attoma and a number of his clients/producers. Disciplined and well-spittooned tastings during the day, and a genial, wine-soaked dinner are what we expect. Good thing Luca's place is close enough to walk to -- and from -- here, this agriturismo. More about all this in later posts. Arrivederci. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

10 days, 300 wines

Not really. We really have 9 days in Italy and will taste the juice of at least 30 producers between us, Jeff and I. We don't usually do drive-bys although this time we've asked some producers to send samples to where we'll be staying a few days near Lucca. Then we split up and hurtle through the country to different regions. 

The aim of all this running around is, of course, to find good wines that will enhance our portfolio. And any we agree to take on won't be available in the USA for a minimum of six months. We've got used to the excruciatingly slow process, but we don't exactly love it. We can't blame government bureaucracy for most of the delays -- very often it's us and the producers slowing things down together. 

1. We don't submit labels for approval fast enough. The producers don't get the labels to us fast enough. Our logistics/compliance company, like, forgets stuff. Getting corrections can take weeks when it should take a day, maybe.

2. We don't like the pricing and terms.  The producers don't like them either. It can be like a war of attrition to come to an agreement.  After a couple of iterations if there's no agreement, we walk away. That's become a simple way of indicating our displeasure. It may or may not get the producer back to the negotiating table. Believe me when I tell you we always have a backup producer to resort to.

3. We tell the producers when the target shipping date is. Quite often they view the schedule in Italian and not American terms. Hey, people, we have seasonal timetables over here, and it's a lot more cutthroat than in Italy. When we say it WE MEAN IT. Get the finger out, will ya?

The upshot of all that means some wine takes a very long time to get here -- when we can fit it into another container, for example. If it's something very seasonal like a rosato, we don't order it till the next year. And no one is happy about that.

On the domestic front...

We'll have some great news soon about one or more new states where Domenico Selections wines will be found. It's a damned good sign for a start-up importer in the midst of the Great Recession. 

Alphé's pix -- in Veneto and in his own kitchen

What's it all about, Alphé?

Sorry, sorry, sorry -- now that's out of the way, maybe we can focus, focus, focus:

Domenico Selections has just hired three (3) sales people to cover various parts of the New York/New Jersey area.  One of these fine individuals, Alphé Williams, was recently in the Veneto and visited two of our producers, Lucia Raimondi of Villa Monteleone and Francesco Tessari of I Stefanini. 

Here a few of the photos he took of vineyards and scenes over there.  And there are a couple of mouth-watering pix of a dinner he made using one of our newer arrivals, the Serra del Prete Aglianico del Vulture from Betty Musto Carmelitano.  You should know Alphé is a Creole from Lou'siana, and a chef to boot. He will spend most of his waking hours calling on restaurants in Midtown and the Upper West Side where, for some unaccountable reason, he has chosen to live. (alphe@domenicoselections.com)

 

 

Villa Monteleone vineyard in August

Another side of Villa Monteleone 

Grapes at I Stefanini in Soave

Francesco Tessari & his ragazza

Monte di Fice, the site of the best cru of I Stefanini. It's the top of the volcanic hill that rises behind the family house-cum-cantina. Note veronese pergolas.The canopy prevents raisined fruit in this sunny exposure.

Alphé braised (is that the right word? Hey! I'm no foodie, damn it) -- prepared the steak with the Serra del Prete. He said it was all ottimo. 

  

The new wines appear

There they are, right on the inventory report, like magic.

Suddenly the inventory list is quite a bit longer.  New producers and regions, or an extension of what we offer from existing producers.  It's sort of like having sextuplets but without the mess or the screeching.  You want to send out invitations (this will have to do) and hand out cigars (this is a no-smoking zone, bub). 

Like newborn babies, the new wines aren't ready to take out to the waiting world.  As I said in the last post, you have to give them 3-4 weeks to settle down from the journey.  They have to sleep through the night, so to speak.  You want them to show nicely so that people will coo, "This is a lovely wine!  How proud you must be!"

Our map on the Domenico Selections site shows a couple of new regions (Abruzzo and Piemonte).  There's now a thrilling Freisa from Cascina Gilli.  There is a pair of solid Montepulciani d'Abruzzo from Antonio Costantini. And let's nor forget another Valpolicella, this one the refreshing classico "Santa Lena" from Villa Monteleone.  

There are three more wines from Mustilli in Campania, notably the highly satisfying Aglianico, Cesco di Nece.  That makes our sixth -- sixth -- Aglianico. Some say, "You've gone too deep into Aglianico."  Does anyone say that to an importer who has umpteen Nebbiolos on the list?  "Oh," they tell you,"but everyone knows what Nebbiolo is.  You have to have a Barolo and a Barbaresco," etc.  

Fortunately, some people get our Southern Strategy.  They say, "How great that you've gone so deep into Aglianico.  Who else is doing that?"  Exactly.  No one that I know of.  And every one of these six Aglianicos (Aglianici) is a distinctly different expression of this noble grape.  

The just-unloaded container did not contain another new entry, the Spumante from I Stefanini.  There were label-approval issues, but the wine is coming before the end of this month.  It's a 100% Chardonnay brut with more structure and focus than your typical Prosecco, and it's priced to compete with that popular sparkler.  Just the thing for the holiday season; it will be great with turkey.