Muddy Boots

The word is out

Here it is September. We know that because the sun is setting earlier and earlier in a dismaying race to stygian darkness. [For the record, we hate stygian darkness.]

And we know it because wine customers have begun ordering again, with a merry vengeance. Not a moment too soon, and bless 'em all.

Finally, we know it's September because Domenico Selections is holding its trade tasting in two and a half weeks. It will happen at one of the hippest and happenin'est places in town, Anfora wine bar. This is exciting for us not only because it's a great venue, it's a sign that Domenico Selections has reached a certain stage of development that we can harness the resources and market interest to do this. We applaud ourselves.

Three of our producers will be on hand to add some badly needed Italian charm and deep wine knowledge to the event. We've mentioned these people a number of times, with pride and joy: Chiara Martinotti of Cascina Gilli (Piemonte), Francesca Ciani of Aquila del Torre (Friuli) and Luca Fedrigo of L'Arco (Veneto). Northern pride.

But look here -- here's the 411 on the degustazione, if people still say "the 411":

Ladies and gents, you will notice that our name is Domenico Selections, not some bootleg near miss that happens to have "DS" in the name and one or more elements of our name.

And, yes, there's more:

It's time for a plug. Our PR counsel, First Press Public Relations, of faraway romantic East 46th Street, have been champs and pros. We cherish them. 

Till the next invoice comes.

  

 

Awards Galore

In the past couple of days we've received some delightful news from two Domenico Selections producers, Cascina Gilli and Costantini. Let's take them in chronological order.

The lovely and talented Chiara Martinotti wrote:

We are very proud to let you know that this year we submitted three of our wines at the Decanter World Wine Awards and all three of them were awarded!

* Silver Medal to Malvasia Gilli 2010 [one of our imports]

* Bronze Medal to Barbera d'Asti "Sebrì" 2007

* Bronze Medal to Freisa d'Asti "Vigna del Forno" 2008 [one of our imports]

We are happy to share with you this good news.

This is great news for the team at Gilli, especially Bruno Tamagnone, the young enologist whose wines keep on getting better. Bravo, Bruno!

 

The next bit of good news was from Costantini, which did itself proud in the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London. The azienda received a silver medal for the Tornese 2004 (Best in Class). This is one of our wines, a full-bodied Montepulciano d'Abruzzo that is destined to pair with red meat.

Another winning wine, which we will bring to the US quite soon, was the Pecorino 2010. It received a Bronze. It's a simple, clean and well-made example of the grape. We like the slight bit of natural spice that you get on the palate. It's "natural" because the wine spends zero time in oak.

Even better was a Gold Medal awarded at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles for the Tornese 2005. 

Bravissimi, Riccardo, Giovanni and Signor Antonio!

While I was in temple the other night...

Yes, Strappo, whose allergy to religious services is well known, went to temple last Saturday and had a wonderful time, too.

The venue was B'nai Jeshurun, a huge Reformed establishment in that leafiest of suburbs, Short Hills, NJ. The occasion was a fund-raiser organized by Wine Library, a little wine retailer you may have heard of. 

Pool at B'nai Jeshurun. Leafy, leafier, leafiest

Eight different importers/distributors were on hand, pouring eight wines apiece (8x8 - kabbalistic meaning?).

Domenico Selections provided four whites and four reds:

1. The new La Prebenda "Vero" Pinot Grigio 2010 -- "vero" (real) because it contains 100% PG juice, with none of your lousy Trebbiano and odds and ends thrown in. 

2. Mustilli Falanghina 2008 -- it rang one old girl's chimes because she kept returning to the table to sip and, finally, wrote down all the information on the label so's she could order it at Wine Library. (The 2008 is actually gone now. The 09, in stock, is really superior.)

3. Terra di Vento Fiano 2009 -- called, confusingly enough, "Faiano" (a nearby place name). I think this was the standout white at the DS table. 

4. I Stefanini Monte de Toni 2008 -- the cru is aging gracefully, as all the Tessaris' wines do. Deeper, more complex, even longer than before on the finish.

5. Cascina Gilli Freisa "Vigna del Forno" 2008 -- luscious with great fruit and a refreshing quality such as it's never had before. The finish was loooong.

6. Costantini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2007 -- we called it "the world's best pizza wine." That is a compliment.

7. Terra di Vento Aglianico "Petrale" 2007 -- a lovely, rather soft incarnation of the South's Noble Red Grape. 

8. Musto Carmelitano Aglianico del Vulture "Pian del Moro" 2008 -- still a bouncing babe of a wine, its time in old oak casks tamed some of the wilder & woolier edges of the ferocious tannins prominent in this zone. Truly an old vines wine (up to about 90 years old. The name, which means "Blackberry Patch", came through on the nose and palate. To be drunk with great hunks of grilled red meat. 

All eight of the wines had their adherents, but in retrospect the two standout selections of the evening were the Freisa from Cascina Gilli and the Pian del Moro from Musto Carmelitano.

At the end of the evening, people were begging for the leftovers. Of course it is strictly forbidden to give them away. 

 

ABC Wine Co. this Friday -- tomorrow

Astonishingly enough, Strappo has been invited back to the Alphabet City Wine Co. on Avenue C.

He will be pouring tomorrow (that's Friday) from 6 to 9.

They must be hard up for entertainment.

100 Avenue C (betw 6th & 7th streets)
New York NY
212.505.WINE

 

Test marketing at Alphabet City Wine Co.

Strappo snuck contraband into the Avenue C shop last night.

He was supposed to pour two wines from the Domenico Selections portfolio that the East Village Wine Geek had just reordered. 

One was the delicious everyday wine from I Stefanini, called "Il Selese."

The other was the awesomely good Aglianico del Vulture "Serra del Prete" from Betty Musto Carmelitano. Hardcore Aglianico from arguably its best location in Italy. 

He snuck in a couple of others to test-market on teh Geek's unsuspecting customers.

One was the new "Vero" Pinot Grigio from a new producer, La Prebenda. We named it "Vero" because it is 100% PG from a steep vineyard in the Adige valley. Run of the mill Pinot Grigios are 100% of that grape; usually they are "enhanced" (?) by Trebbiano, maybe some Chardonnay and, I suppose, just about any leftover junk they could toss into it.

Reaction: Keith is ordering a lot of it next week.

The other mystery wine was the frizzante, sweet Malvasia from Cascina Gilli. At only 5.5% abv, it's loaded with strawberry and cherry flavors, and even retains a little acidity to keep it from being cloying.

Reaction. It isn't Strappo's cup of wine, but the ladies loved it. (Shoot him for that one, ladies. But later. Buy some of the damn wine first.) Keith, our beloved geek, will be stocking it next week.

Forgive me for not wearing an Air Force jumpsuit: Mission Accomplished.

Psst! Strappo's pouring at ABC Wine Co. to-nite. Pass it along

Yes, from 6 to 9 this evening, old Strappo will be pouring a few Domenico Selections selections. Here's the website for the store: Click here. 

If you're like Strappo and are lazy, here's the dope:

100 Avenue C (betw 6th & 7th streets)
New York NY
212.505.WINE

Remember, stasera from 6 to 9 of the clock!

You're welcome.

 

Vinitaly: Our Abruzzo producer's newest offerings

At Vinitaly you run, often literally, from one appointment to another. And sometimes you run smack into a producer whose wines you import and whose wines you thought you knew.

A sterling example of this kind of mind-blowing discovery is our Abruzzese producer, Costantini. For two years we've been importing pretty good quantities of the azienda's middle line (called simply Costantini) and their top-of-the-line Tornese. Both are made from Montepulciano d'Abruzzo; the Tornese is in fact a barriqued riserva, thought it doesn't say so on the label. These wines represent top-notch price/quality, which is why we were delighted to discover them at Italian Wine Week in New York in 2009.

Before Verona we had already decided to take on their lovely 100% Pecorino, a white wine that offers a slightly spicy flavor and very refreshing acidity. It's one of the best Pecorinos I've had, and it's far less expensive than the others I've drunk. The label is in TTB hell -- thank you, pseudo-austerity, anti-government idiots -- awaiting approval. You'll have it by the Fall, but we're really looking at next spring/summer to go all out with it.

But the mind-blower, boys and girls, was the bargain line, called Febe (= Phoebe, like the bird or the character on Friends). At the outset, two years ago, we deemed these undrinkable. Antonio Costantini himself acknowledged that these wines were for supermarket sales in Italy. Cheap and for the undiscriminating.

Now they are clean, tasty, and exhibit enough body to pair with some big, demanding plates. Further, they've undergone such a marked improvement that they can be drunk happily, on their own, American-style.

The Febe line comes in red, white and rosé versions -- respectively, from Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Trebbiano (a flavorful one!) and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

These wines will grace many a big wine retailer and bar next by next summer, we are confident of that. Low in cost, they overdeliver in flavor and quality. No chemical notes, no off-tastes or odors. These are as good as low-priced wines get; they taste more expensive than they are.

We of course asked what happened to elevate the quality of the Febe line -- and the rest of the lineup, including the Costantini wines. Antonio Costantini revealed that he hired a new wine-maker (enologo) from Umbria about two years ago. We'll tell you more about this brilliant new hire before too long. It's a story worth telling, if only because his presence is lifting Costantini well above all the other producers in their area of Abruzzo, in the province of Pescara. 

We recognized the high quality of the raw material here; the enologo saw it AND knew what to do with it.

 

Let us conclude with a sentiment that Antonio Costantini says with fervor and full conviction: "Montepulciano d'Abruzzo can make better wine than Sangiovese. It's up to us to show that this is true."

Domenico Selections wants to be there when the proof is offered.

 

A view from the Costantini vineyards

 

  

Something Vinitaly this way comes

Yes, signore e signori, already the communiqués are reaching us. Invitations to tastings. To booths. To dinners. A proleptic exhaustion creeps over us. 

Vinitaly is nearly upon us. The fair will be on from April 4 to April 11. 

Oh, we have secured lodging (THE prime imperative for Vinitaly--Verona is a dreadful hotel town). We know the layout of the vast exhibition zone well enough. We know how impossible it is to get anything decent to eat at the fiera. We are assembling an idea of who to see and who to avoid (even more important!).

Once the logistics are disposed of, including the always vexing parking problem, the fair is yours to make a good or bad experience. As I've said many times, making a schedule and sticking to it is the key to a good Vinitaly; it will be tiring but you won't feel as though you needed a blood infusion by the end of the day. 

Also: avoid temptation. Don't go out and party all night just because the food and wine are free. If you do, you won't be all that sharp the next day. After a few days of this, you're a mess and if doing business is your reason for being there, you're in trouble. 

These general admonishments aside, we'll seize the opportunity to visit our current producers without having to bear the expense of traveling all over the Boot. And, of course, we'll see many of the new/prospective producers that we will be visiting next week. (NB: we'd never do a deal at Vinitaly without having seen the property and cellar first. That way would lie madness or at least unhappiness.)

All in all, the best thing about going to Verona is, for me, the chance to see some dear friends like Giampiero "Aristide" Nadali and Elisabetta "VinoPigro" Tosi.

 

About those photos: They are of the now-defunct Campania pavilion at Vinitaly. I loved this innovative concept, created by Gae Aulenti, who also re-imagined the Gare d'Orsay into a spectacular museum in Paris. When this was unveiled at Vinitaly a few years ago, many were the voices raised in condemnation, mostly because of the high cost. But so what? It was beautiful and interesting, and it raised the Campania pavilion far above the others as an experience. I happen to think that the installation and the rise of Campanian wines paired well. 

 

Eataly & the Cloud of Unknowing

Domenico Selections is pleased to report that we will be present at the opening of the New York outpost of Eataly, on August 31. This is an exciting development for New York, and we can only hope that it will be as transformative here as the original Eataly, an offshoot of the Slow Food movement, has been in Turin.

And we are delighted to represent one of our producers, Cascina Gilli, two of whose wines will be available in at least one of the restaurants within this giant complex devoted to fine foods and wines from Italia, not to mention the retail shop which will feature all of the wines sold in the eateries.*

But now could someone at Eataly tell us when and where we are supposed to present ourselves at the 31 August event? What are we supposed to do?  

 

Entreaties to Turin have been ignored. Chiara Martinotti, our liaison at Cascina Gilli, has said that she has been told no details. "Nobody's answered my calls either," she wrote me last week. 

We had been hoping for a winning combination of Italian charm and New York efficiency. 

Well, folks, the big day is two whole weeks away. I suppose that, in Italian terms, that's like two months for Americans. We send new entreaties and hope for a reply before the morning of the 31st. We'll share whatever information we receive.

Ciao for nao.  

* Featured at Eataly will be Cascina Gilli's wonderful Freisa, Vigna del Forno, and their highly rated (91 Tanzer) sweet sparkling Malvasia.    

Wanderer comes home

After a month of hardly being home at all, Strappo is, as they say in classically bad fiction, "tired but happy." The latest journey to northern Kentucky and Columbus, Ohio was a success. Lots of wine poured, lots sold, mission accomplished. (No, really. It was.)

The first half of the trip was in and around Covington, KY, the home of DEPS Fine Wine, the HQ of our excellent friend Kevin Keith. We poured 6 wines in each store on successive days. The Friday evening pour at the main store in Covington was jam-packed the whole four hours. Funny thing: I saw a lot of the same faces as in February. They seemed to favor the most expensive wines and kept coming back for additional 1-oz. pours. They said they loved the wines all over again but had never bought the ones they craved.  I finally shamed a couple of guys into buying the damned wine and went so far as to march one over to the cash register to make sure he actually bought it. 

Yes, that was pushy. In a delightful, jocular way, of course. (Kevin, don't tell me he returned it for a credit. I'll be crushed.)

Then a 3-day visit in Columbus, Ohio, where John Hughes' start-up Old World Wines of Ohio is opening up some cool accounts. I was impressed at what John's been able to accomplish in just 2 months, since I saw a lot of Domenico's SKUs in Weiland's Gourmet Market and a seriously geeky wine bar and shop named The Twisted Vine. There were plenty of others -- and here's hoping John gets us into a couple of the top restos in the area. Based on recent tastings, I think that will happen very soon.

Now -- no rest for the wicked. There's a tremendous amount of copy to be written for the Domenico Selections site, and that's you-know-who's job. I fear this will be a weekend behind the barricades as I crank out a passel of overdue copy.

Meanwhile, some fun facts and observations about NKY and Columbus:

Go West. LA.

Strappo hasn't been to Los Angeles in at least 20 years. Oh sure, he's been to Italy about 30 times in the past 7-8 years, but not once to Tinseltown. (A layover from Hawaii at LAX doesn't count.)

 The last time I saw LA...

This deplorable situation is about to be addressed, or redressed or something. 

Tomorrow I begin my 5-day jaunt to SoCal, as we who are hip and glib call it, with a dinner and tasting at Terroni, the popular west LA restaurant. 

This is Terroni LA. Click to see larger

 The gig begins at 7:30 PM. You're all invited to show up, meet Strappo and drink of his vini italiani, notably the stunning Aglianici del Vulture of Musto Carmelitano, and dine well at your own expense. 

I have arranged for a designated driver, namely Jeff Zimmitti, owner of Rosso Wine Shop in Glendale.

 Zimmitti, whose name sounds oddly like a Sicilian version of "Smitty," has arranged a slew of tastings at Rosso Wine Shop. A couple are for the trade, but the general public is welcome to meet me, Strappo, and sample my/his wines on Friday from 5 to 8 PM. It's all about the wines and helping Jeff pay off the cost of his recent expansion which has doubled the size of Rosso. His commodious new tasting area will be a great place to gather, schmooze and taste. 

Cool Places Informations:

Terroni7605 Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036-2705(323) 954-0300http://www.terroni.ca/

Rosso Wine Shop459 North Verdugo Road
Glendale, CA 91208
(818) 330-9130‎http://www.rossowineshop.com/

 

Boston abates breath as Strappo time nears

Big doings in Beantown -- locals tense -- Domenicomania breaks out

Roving bands of oenophiles demand Serra del Prete, threaten vendetta if it doesn't appear soon

And they said it couldn't happen here... 

The wino street is tense as rumors swirl ahead of the visit by Strappo to the Boston area from Wednesday through Friday (April 28 - 30). 

The infamous Twitter wisenheimer and wine importer will be escorted in his movements around the Bay State by Hangtime Wines, a distributor tucked away in Medfield. While details have been scant, it has been learned that Mr. Strappo of Domenico Selections will be at Farfalle Italian Market in Concord at some point in his 3-day blitz. It has been confirmed that, on Friday evening, he will pour wines and regale attendees with his stale old tales of Italian adventures among the chilly hills and muddy vineyards of wintry Italy. The venue: The Wine Bottega, a hotbed of radical vinous italophilia, in Boston's gentrified North End, at 341 Hanover Street.

While Strappo could not be reached for comment, a spokesman revealed that "the old boy is really excited to be returning to his old stomping grounds. He is a North Shore native and recalls his college days at Boston University dimly but somewhat fondly."      

A key stop at VinNatur

Betty Musto Carmelitano with her Serra del Prete, which is fermented in steel, aged in cement from old vine grapes

By the time Sunday rolled around, old Strappo was feeling himself wind down. He skipped Vinitaly completely. Instead he drove far east from his hilltop perch at San Giorgio in Valpolicella, a minute and ancient village (main feature: eponymous 8th century church), all the way to the outskirts of Vicenza. 

 The event was VinNatur, which every year at Vinitaly time is one of the most important fringe events on offer. The venue was Villa Favorita, which the English would call a Stately Home, and a first-class exhibition space for intimate yet somehow important gatherings.

As the name VinNatur implies, this is an exposition of wines made as naturally as possible. Many of the vineyards (mostly French) have biodynamic certification. Others, like Musto-Carmelitano, can demonstrate natural practices in the vineyard as well as the cellar. (Click here for the VinNatur Association's Manifesto.)

Strappo dragged himself all that way for one reason: to visit and taste with Elisabetta Musto-Carmelitano, whose Aglianici del Vulture are sensationally fine wines at exceedingly fair prices. Her unoaked, aged-in-cement Serra del Prete immediately wins people over with its intense fruit and dynamic balance of acidity and tannins, body and liveliness. Serra del Prete has been one of Domenico Selections' runaway hits. We take all she'll sell us. Read about it here.

 

By the way, the other of Betty's wines that we import, Pian del Moro, is aged in tonneaux. We have the 2007 now, and because it's so big, it's not quite as ready to drink as the Serra del Prete. Pian del Moro is a cru made from very old vines -- some a century old -- which produce tiny quantities of highly concentrated grapes. 

Betty looked great, and the new 2008s were tasting great, too. Even though these wines have excellent aging potential, they are good to drink, as the Italians do, when they're young. 

The first shipment of 2008s from Must-Carmelitano will be in the States in late May. Plenty in time for the all-important September-December selling period.  

  

Doldrums: The Wait

There hasn't been a lot of blogging going on here of late, as you may have noticed. There's plenty going on, but precious little to write about. Orders from New Jersey, New York and various parts of the country. Preparing to add some new producers to the portfolio -- always a tedious, bureaucratic process. Running out of some good sellers and jumping up and down with impatience until the shipment arrives (April 3, to be precise). Working on distribution in far-flung states. And more containers. And so on.

And then there's the breathless wait till Vinitaly. Lots to blog about there. If, I mean, IF there'll be any time to do it. 

Meanwhile, Happy Passover.       

Vinitaly 2010: A new era?

 Last year on mondosapore I noted a more subdued atmosphere at Vinitaly. The relative scarcity of Americans was one of the big differences I saw between Vinitaly 2009 and previous years. 

Photo: Campania pavilion, a world upsidedown

The exhibition pavilions seemed less crowded too, although the official organ of Veronafiere claimed that attendance was higher than in 2008. Maybe I wasn't paying sufficient attention.

I won't be surprised if the show is even more subdued this year. Consider a few points gleaned from the web site Consigli di Vini:

* The good news: On March 12, it was announced that DOC and DOCG (the more prestigious and expensive classifications) had reversed a trend and were selling at a brisker pace in Italian supermarkets. Like Americans in many states (though not New York), Italians buy a lot of their wine in supermarkets due to convenience and aggressive pricing. That they are turning away from ultra-cheap, appellation-free plonk is a good thing. The piece begins with this paragraph:

Sales of DOC and DOCG wines returned to growth in the year 2009  in supermarkets, after the stagnation in 2008, an increase of 3.9% in volume and 4.9% value over the previous year. The preview includes the research that institute Infoscan IRI has done on behalf of VeronaFiere and that will be presented in full to Vinitaly (8-12 April, www.vinitaly.com).   

* The bad news: On February 20 this decidedly mixed bag of news regarding Italian wine exports was published:

Crisis or not, exports of Italian wine abroad grows in the past year, according to data from Ismea; wine exports registered an increase of +10.2% in volume compared with a decrease of 5,4% in value on 2008. Trend driven largely by the increase in bulk wine exports (+18%) which now represent one third of total exports of Italian wine. For bottled wines, the performance is positive only in the quantities (+5%) while reducing significantly the values (-4% on 2008). 

* Now consider that in the context of a piece from Reuters on March 11, 2009:

Exports to Germany, the biggest consumer of Italian wine in terms of volume, dropped 10 percent to 5.6 million hectoliters, while exports to France and Austria plunged 27 percent and 26 percent respectively, UIV said.

Sales of Italian wine on the U.S. market, its biggest export destination in terms of value and the third-largest in volume, fell 4 percent to 800 million euros. Sales volumes eased 2 percent, UIV said.

(Emphasis mine)

So, here it is in summary:

* Germany buys the most in volume. They soak up a lot of bad wine, bless 'em.

* We in the USA buy the most in value -- in short, the good stuff upon which Italy builds its worldwide reputation. We are buying less due to the economic crisis, which has hit this country far worse than some of Italy's major European markets (Germany, Scandinavia). The 2009 figures (as reported in the Consigli di Vino article of February 20, 2010) show further weakening:

The main goal of Italian wines is the United States, despite the decline in demand in 2009 (-4% -10% in volume and in value).

I sincerely hope Italian wine producers take these numbers to heart. I hate to keep beating the same old drum, but once the producers realize that America can keep them afloat with cashflow (and northern Europe with profitability), the more swiftly they will enter a new era of modest prosperity. By responding cannily to these home truths, we might see a far more buoyant Vinitaly 2011.

* * *  

Vinitaly this year takes place from April 8 to 12, at Verona. Numerous "Vinitaly Fringe" events will be taking place in greater Verona, which contribute to making the "big show" even more of an essential venue for all who are involved with Italian wine. Click here for Vinitaly details in English.

 

 

 

Tre Bicchieri 2010: US events announced

From the Gambero Rosso site:

The Tre Bicchieri event, now considered the most important North American presentation of premium Italian wines, will showcase 152 award-winning producers in New York. 

 Sister events with will take place in San Francisco, at Fort Mason with 107 wine producers on February 24th, and, for the first time, in Chicago with 96 award-winning producers on February 26th. 

 TRE BICCHIERI event locations and details:

 NEW YORK: February 22nd   

2.00 - 7:00 PM trade and press
4.00 - 7:00 PM public
Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street 
By invitation only - invitation required at the door. 
 
SAN FRANCISCO: February 24th
2.00 - 7:00 PM trade and press
4.00 - 7:00 PM public
Fort Mason Center, Herbst Pavilion 
By invitation only - invitation required at the door.

CHICAGO: February 26th
2.00 - 7:00 PM trade and press
4.00 - 7:00 PM public
Union Station
210 South Canal Street 
By invitation only - invitation required at the door.

Tasting day 1, 2010

This was the day I got to taste a raft of wines from a number of producers from central and northern Italy. I joined Jeff and Ken for a mini-marathon of often gruesome tasting experiences. We whirled and sniffed and washed out our mouths, retasted, repeat repeat repeat, retasted if the wine was promising, and RE-restasted it if we were really intrigued by it.  

After about 25-30 bottles, it came down to two producers and six bottles. Really five. 

You'd think it would be easy to add to a portfolio -- hundreds of producers chase after each importer, or so it seems. But, no. It isn't very easy at all. It would be if we wanted to import mouthwash. But that's another channel of distribution entirely.

 

Tintore in the spotlight

For a couple of years now I've written about a Campanian grape that captured my affections, Tintore. We're lucky enough to have two wines on our list that contain this rarity. Both wines are from Luigi Reale, and his Borgo di Gete is one of the very few made entirely of Tintore.

Imagine my delight last evening when I saw a link, on Facebook courtesy of my amico Luciano Pignataro, to an article by Michela Guadagno, in which she reported on an event Wednesday called "Tintore Day". Here's the link to the piece, which is informative and thought-provoking if you read Italian. 

I'll not attempt to translate the whole piece -- I've spent entirely too much time at the computer today and this week -- but I will pluck out some of the most interesting tidbits.

The headline makes it clear you're in a special place: Tintore is grown on a grand total of less than 10 hectares in the Amalfi Coast area (20 acres or a bit more), and just 8000 bottles are made in any given year by all the producers. And by "Amalfi Coast area" I should specify the little inland town of Tramonti, where Reale, Gaetano Bove and other protagonisti del Tintore have their wineries. This is verily the hometown of Tintore.

Our buds Fortunato Sebastiano and Luigi Reale. (Photo by Michela Guadagno, stolen without consent)

Guadagno devotes a long, dense paragraph to the roundtable presentation given by the enologo at Reale, our friend Fortunato Sebastiano. He described the history and characteristics of the grape, in effect explaining why several of the vineyards feature ancient vines (up to a century old): the variety is highly resistant to insects and mold; the grapes have thick skins which contribute to the dark color ('Tintore" means "dyer", hence its use as a coloring grape); and a bracing tannicity.  

Fortunato, who studied with the famous and respected oenologist, Giacomo Tachis, traced the likely origins of Tintore to around 1800 AD. DNA analysis strongly suggests that Tintore is the "son" of Aglianico (masculine) and the related Tintora with its feminine flowers -- an autochthonous grape with a vengeance.

While the producers are pushing for DOC recognition for Tintore, this "local hero" is hardly known within its native zone, and it doesn't exist as far as the ampelographic powers that be are concerned.

Wines made with a large percentage of Tintore require 18-22 months ageing in wood. The rough tannicity is softened in oak, although my feeling is that these wines are released before they're ready. I understand the financial pressures small producers face, but a few more years' bottle time would benefit Tintore immensely. Reale's Borgo di Gete 2005 is only just now acquiring the tertiary characteristics that make for more than a simple, pleasant drink but, rather, a serious red that you can savor all evening long.

I'd like to see "Tintore Day" become a regular feature. Next time, though, I want to be there.

Michela Guadagno in another time, another place

   

 

  

Back by popular demand: Pouring at Ambassador Wines

Pouring at Ambassador Wines Friday evening

July 24 5-8 pm

 

Come buy wine.  And booze.  They have an awesome selection of Scotches, and more.

1020 2nd Ave

at 54th Street
New York, NY 10022
(212) 421-5078

Mon-Thu 9:00am-10:00pm
Fri 9:00am-12:00am --> I'll be pouring from 5 to 8 pm
Sat 10:00am-12:00am 
Sun 12:00pm-8:00pm

I like their hours.  You have to be a poor planner indeed not to get a bottle when you want it.  And, as this is New York, they deliver too.

July 24 5-8 pm

 

Come buy wine.  And booze.  They have an awesome selection of Scotches, and more.

1020 2nd Ave

at 54th Street
New York, NY 10022
(212) 421-5078

Mon-Thu 9:00am-10:00pm
Fri 9:00am-12:00am --> I'll be pouring from 5 to 8 pm
Sat 10:00am-12:00am 
Sun 12:00pm-8:00pm

I like their hours.  You have to be a poor planner indeed not to get a bottle when you want it.  And, as this is New York, they deliver too.

Pouring at Ambassador Wines Friday evening

Come taste and say hi at Ambassador Wines

 

Great wine store with a selection both broad and deep.  And among the best rum (yum) and sake (yish, but that's me talking) selections in the city.

Tomorrow, June 19, 5 to 8 pm.  

1020 2nd Ave

at 54th Street
New York, NY 10022
(212) 421-5078

Mon-Thu 9:00am-10:00pm
Fri 9:00am-12:00am
Sat 10:00am-12:00am
Sun 12:00pm-8:00pm