CHIANTI CLASSICO RIS. "GROSSO SANESE"
PODERE IL PALAZZINO
Grapes: Sangiovese 100%
Region: Gaiole in Chianti (Siena) - Toscana
Pairings: Perfect for all kinds of grilled meat, cured meats, pasta with beef ragu, semi-aged cheese.
Drink By: Ready, but with aging potential (about 10 years).
Winemaking Notes: The grapes ferment in oak vats, macerating for 30 days, to then carry out the malolactic fermentation and refine first in barriques for 18 months, and then in glass for another 6 months
Tasting Notes: It is characterized by a pleasant harmony of floral and fruity sensations, embellished with sweet spices. At the palate it shows the traditional excellent body of Tuscany red wines, powerful, wide and rich, with a persistent finish.
Description: The Sderci family became owner of Il Palazzino in the middle of the 19th century. Then in the early 1970s, Alessandro and Andrea took over management of the farm: new specialized vineyards were planted and a new, completely underground cellar was built for the fermentation and aging of the wines. Il Palazzino farm, owned by Alessandro and Andrea Sderci, is located in Monti in Chianti, 20 km northeast of Siena, in the southern part of Chianti Classico Area. The estate has a total of about twenty hectares (fifty acres), the largest part of which is dedicated to viticulture and for a small part to olive groves. Given the small dimensions of the estate, working procedures are strictly manual and the soil is cultivated using organic methods. The use of chemical substances which may be harmful to the soil, the farm workers and the environment in the last years has been first reduced and then eliminated. Vineyards are fertilized with compost and manure, but mostly the soil is managed with careful observation of the native weeds. Insect pests are reduced to a minimum through the increase of biodiversity in the vineyard: striving to protect the diversity of insect life means first and foremost eliminating the use of insecticides; fungi and mildew diseases are kept under control by careful canopy management, and by improving the health of the soil. As regards winemaking, fermentation uses only naturally present yeasts and the good quality of the grapes at harvest time allows now reduced amounts of sulfites.
METODO CLASSICO "TERZAVIA"
MARCO DE BARTOLI
Grape: Grillo 100%
Region: Marsala (Trapani) - Sicilia
Pairings: Grilled swordfish steak, fish appetizers, tuna tartare with capers, black pepper, cherry tomatoes and lemon zest. A vegetarian option could be the authentic tomato bruschetta with oregano and EVOO.
Drink by: Ready.
Winemaking Notes: Fermentation is carried out by indigenous yeasts and with a minimum use of sulphites. Tirage of fresh must is added to wine in proportional quantities such as to dilute the alcohol content and provide the quantity of sugar (natural) necessary for the second fermentation. The sugar intake does not exceed 15%. After the tirage, at least 18 months in bottle on its own yeasts. Not dosed.
Tasting Notes: Bright golden color with fine and continuous perlage. Mineral and fruity scents, with citrus and savory notes of Mediterranean scrub. On the palate it's full and dynamic, with good flavor and long persistence.
Description: The De Bartoli winery was born in 1978, when the young Marco, with a degree in agronomy and a passion for racing cars, took over from his mother Josephine in the management of the baglio Samperi, the estate where for over two centuries grapes were grown for the production of Marsala. At that time the denomination was in complete decline, like the old family property, but Marco De Bartoli managed in a short time to make his vineyards the propulsion center of a new way of producing wine in Sicily, based on quality and ancient and virtuous traditions, giving life to Marsala, passito and dry wines that have made the history of wine throughout the South and in the world. Today the children Josephine, Renato and Sebastiano have taken up the inheritance of their father: the wines of the De Bartoli winery reach very high quality peaks and the family estate presents itself in all its splendor as an ancient nineteenth-century baglio. The name of Marco De Bartoli has taken on legendary contours and his production techniques, innovative but derived from tradition, have become a rule throughout the territory: such as, for example, the introduction of the Soleras Method, brought to Sicily by Benjamin Ingham in 1812 and restored by Marco in the 1970s. The wines of the De Bartoli winery are expressions of the highest level of a generous and suggestive territory, in which the Samperi vineyards, located on an alluvial basin, and those of Bukkuram, illuminated by an African sun, stand out. If the name of De Bartoli is mainly linked to that of Marsala and to the great and exuberant passito wines of Pantelleria, the winery owes its international fame to a wide and varied range born from typical vines of the territory: Grillo, Zibibbo, Catarratto and Perricone. The historic and prestigious labels of Vecchio Samperi, Bukkuram, Marsala Vergine and Superiore are thus flanked by new and surprising expressions born of the best agricultural and wine tradition of Sicily.
CATALANESCA "INSUMMA", 2019
CANTINE OLIVELLA
Grapes: Catalanesca 100%
Region: Monte Somma (Vesuvius) - Campania
Pairings: Great with fish appetizers, grilled scallops, prawn risotto. Mixed vegetables and crab cakes.
Drink By: Ready.
Winemaking Notes: The winery is divided between 12 hectares on the rich volcanic soil of the Vesuvius. Non-grafted vines. Fermentation in amphora.
Tasting Notes: It has a pale gold color, it opens on the nose with a riot of mineral aromas, then slowly the flowers emerge and the yellow fruit fits in with elegance. In support of this richness we have aromatic herbs, iodized perfumes, testifying to the minerality of the soils from which it was born. In the mouth it is juicy, dry, full-bodied, with a remarkable persistence. The freshness is well balanced and manifests itself through waves of citrus fruits and flows throughout the wine, making it vibrant, complex, with an incredible finesse.
Description: Exclusive collaboration with Rimessa Roscioli and Ciro of Cantina Olivella. Upon seeing that the amphora was traditional in this area from 2,000 years ago at a local private archeological dig site, a light bulb lit up in Alessandro's mind during lunch with a few wine club members - Ciro, why don't you buy us an amphora and do a little skin contact with the wine? Ciro was hesitant. Would the market understand it? It would be a risk but Rimessa Roscioli would buy it all. Amphorae aren't cheap and Ciro had never used them, but he made this wine as natural as possible - no added yeast, no sulphites, no filtration or clarification. What emerged was nothing short of sheer magic! And Ciro will be using amphorae going forward - he told us he's learned so much and so happy he took the risk. Only 980 bottles were produced, exclusively for Roscioli.
HABEMUS "ETICHETTA ROSSA" N.V.
SAN GIOVENALE
Grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Malvasia Nera
Region: Blera (Viterbo) - Lazio
Pairings: Needs strong flavors: grilled or braised meats, game stew, aged cheese, Carbonara or Amatriciana pasta.
Drink by: Ready, can be aged for 10 years.
Winemaking Notes: Sapling vines on clayey soil at 300-400 meters above sea level, with southern exposure, managed with biological agriculture. Destemming and fermentation with indigenous yeasts in steel for 15 days. It refines for 20 months in worn and selected barriques and at least 6 months in bottle.
Tasting Notes: In the glass you can find an extremely dark and impenetrable ruby red color. It has a very wide nose, on which a particularly fit taster could linger for hours: cocoa, tobacco, plum, cinnamon, black pepper. The taste is not far behind, and it is a true work of art. Power, richness and concentration, in an admirable balance between the extractive part and freshness. The finish is very long, for what is an almost meditation liquid, or to drink during important occasions.
Description: San Giovenale rises in the beautiful region of Tuscia, made enchanting by the ancient and wonderful landscapes where you can still breathe the strong Etruscan culture from which it takes its name. Blera, a small and characteristic village surrounded by remote countryside, welcomes this winery, almost incorporating it in its green embrace. The north of Lazio, with its poetic panoramas ranging from the waves of the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the hills planted with vines, to the mountains, strongly inspires the winemaker Marco Casolanetti who, after the experience of the Oasi degli Angeli in the Marche region, decided to apply his production philosophy to the lands of the province of Viterbo. The union between beauty and feeling is the invigorating engine that inspires this winery with a strongly biological inclination, which sets itself the firm goal of safeguarding the territory and its vineyards. Only 400 bottles have been created in collaboration between Emanuele Pangrazi and Alessandro Pepe, from la Rimessa Roscioli.
BAROLO, 2015
SCARZELLO
Grape: Nebbiolo 100%
Region: Barolo (Langhe) - Piemonte
Pairings: Mushrooms or black truffle risotto, aged parmesan cheese, raw beef tartare, grilled lamb.
Drink by: Ready, can be aged for over 15 years.
Winemaking Notes: The manual harvest usually takes place around mid-October. Alcoholic fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, daily pumping over and very long maceration (even 50 days). Aging takes 30 months in large 25 hl oak barrels and up to 36 months in the bottle.
Tasting Notes: In the glass it has a beautiful light ruby red color with light garnet reflections. Elegant and refined, on the nose it seduces you with floral aromas of violet and dried rose petals, raspberry, red currant, cherry, slight spicy sensations, liquorice root, hints of officinal and balsamic herbs. On the palate it is deep and structured, with a fine tannic texture and a notable aromatic complexity. The finish is very persistent, characterized by a sapid and mineral trail, which results in a pleasantly refreshing finish.
Description: Passion and talent: these are the best qualities of Federico Scarzello, who for some years has been leading the small but important Barolo winery with his mother and father. Founded in the post-war period and always attentive to quality production, in the last decade the company has managed to give a new step of growth and improvement always oriented to their artisan production philosophy. Today 25,000 bottles are produced, obtained from 5.5 hectares of vineyards in organic viticulture and divided into only 4 labels; fine and elegant wines, typical of the municipality of Barolo, precise and with attention to detail. His hand is precise and follows the dictates of the most classic Albese tradition, the result of scrupulous work in the vineyard, vinification with long maceration and the use of large barrels. Success is there for all to see, and it does not arise by chance, but is the result of experience, sensitivity and respect for the territory. Wines of great finesse, a true expression of a unique territory.
"OSSIMORO", 2017
PIETRAVENTOSA
Grape: Primitivo di Gioia del Colle, Aglianico
Region: Gioia del Colle (Bari) - Puglia
Pairings: Excellent in combination with strong first courses such as homemade lasagne with beef ragu. Grilled pork ribs or your favorite homemade gourmet hamburger are good options too.
Drink by: Ready or by 2025.
Winemaking Notes: Manual harvest, fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature for 10-15 days in a rotary winemaker. Maceration on the skins 3-4 days. Refinement takes place for 12 months in stainless steel for 50% and in 300-liter tonne axes of second passage for the remaining 50%, then at least 10 months in the bottle, unfiltered. For this vintage, 3,000 bottles were produced.
Tasting Notes: The color is intense and deep ruby red, notes of spices and red fruits capture the sense of smell, but it is to the taste that Ossimoro reveals its double soul: strong and decisive, but at the same time soft and velvety, it captivates the senses with persuasive simplicity.
Description: The love for their land, the passion for wine, the desire to rediscover the noble Primitivo grape of Gioia del Colle, are the ingredients from which Agricole Pietraventosa comes to life. At about 380 meters above sea level, in the rocky countryside west of Gioia del Colle, we find the 4.4 hectares of espalier vineyard in the spurred cordon variant, not far from the 'alberello' vineyard, just under a hectare, but extremely precious. The name of the wine Ossimoro, meaning Oxymoron, comes from the Greek acute OXIS and obtuse MOROS, is a game of contrasts, it is everything and nothing, it is a set of sensations that cannot be explained in reality but only in the intimate world of perceptions. Like a precious jewel, Ossimoro is an unfiltered wine, of limited production, obtained from the balanced combination of Primitivo di Gioia del Colle and Aglianico grapes.
BRUT CONTADINO "L'EDUCATO"
CIRO PICARIELLO
Grape: Fiano 100%
Region: Summonte (Avellino) - Campania
Pairings: Perfect with fried squid and shrimps, clam chowder, grilled scallops, crab cake, lobster roll.
Drink by: Ready.
Winemaking Notes: Once harvested, the grapes ferment spontaneously at room temperature, in stainless steel tanks. The must, partially fermented, decanted in the cold and then bottled. The re-fermentation takes place, following the production principles of the Classic Method, in the bottle, where the wine remains to refine in contact with its own yeasts for 24 months.
Tasting Notes: It has a pale yellow color, light and not very intense; the perlage is fine and persistent. Deep aromas that can be felt on the nose, with notes that, from the floral, turn towards the toasted and towards nuances that bring back to the yeasts and to the bread crust. On the palate it is light bodied, crunchy, with an engaging sip, characterized by a pleasant freshness; it closes with a finish of beautiful persistence.
Description: In 2004 Ciro Picariello together with his partner Rita Guerriero decided to inaugurate their wine adventure in Summonte, a few steps from Avellino. Today Ciro, now an acclaimed winemaker from Irpinia, owns a vineyard area of about 15 hectares, located in the two small villages of Summonte, still home to the winery, and Montefredane. The first, precisely located towards the Angevin Tower (also reported in the labels), has a unique territorial conformation with a soil of volcanic origin, composed of rocks and clays; the vines also stand at about 650 meters above sea level, benefiting from the cooler climate of the area. The second is instead populated by vineyards located about 500 meters above sea level on a soil exclusively of clay matrix. Different areas, different climatic conditions and different terroirs give birth to unique and original wines. However, what unites the two estates is Ciro Picariello's obsessive attention to its greenery and its vineyards, which aims to concentrate aromas and flavors, favoring the best ventilation and lighting of the bunch. So in the vineyard insecticides, herbicides or pesticides are prohibited, a partial grassing work is performed and nature can thus express itself spontaneously. The Ciro Picariello winery breeds the most typical grapes of the area: Fiano, first of all, followed by Greco, Falanghina and other red grape varieties such as Piedirosso, Aglianico and Sciascianoso. Clearly Fiano di Avellino is the most expensive grape variety for the producer, grown in both plots, and used to give light to his famous and unmissable whites, particularly appreciated by critics and magazines in the sector. In the cellar, on the other hand, steel tanks are used, both for the vinification phases and for the final aging of the wine.
MARCHE IGT "TREBBIEN", 2018
VALTER MATTONI
Grape: Trebbiano 100%
Region: Castorano (Ascoli Piceno) - Marche
Pairings: Smoked fish appetizers and fresh cheese. Great with mixed fish in tomato sauce with spaghetti or grilled prawns.
Drink by: Ready or before 2023.
Winemaking Notes: Vines of 40 years old rooted in a clay soil in Castorano village at 250 meters above sea level, facing South. Alcoholic fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts in steel tanks, then it ages for 12 months in barriques.
Tasting Notes: Color is an intense straw yellow, while on the nose is rich and intense, with scents of yellow flowers, chamomile, honey and exotic fruits. On the palate it's smooth, fruity and very savory.
Description: Valter Mattoni wines are definitely one of the most interesting surprises of recent years in the Italian wine world. A house painter with a strong Piceno accent and easy character, in 2000 Valter Mattoni decided to turn his passion for good wine into a personal wine, establishing a winery in Castorano. His is a wine of character, charming and sincere like the people of the province and produced with organic methods in just 6000 bottles per year. Valter, "roccia (rock)" for friends, has old vineyards on clay and alluvial soils, some over 50 years old, 300 meters high with sea view on the rolling hills of Ascolano.
AGLIANICO TAURASI RISERVA, 2009
PERILLO
Grape: Aglianico 100%
Region: Castelfranci (Avellino) - Campania
Pairings: Homemade eggpasta with beef ragu. Try it with a grilled buffalo or black angus fillet steak with roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes.
Drink by: Ready or before 2028.
Winemaking Notes: The vines are very old and rise on sandy, clay and calcareous soils at an altitude of about 500 meters. The management in the vineyard follows the dictates of organic. The wine is obtained from the spontaneous fermentation of grapes in steel and wood vats. The vinification is by parcels. The wine will then rest for 20 months in barriques and large barrels, without forgetting the fundamental rest inside the bottle.
Tasting Notes: At first sight it's ruby red tending to garnet, the nose is complex and articulated, revealing sensations that refer to ripe fruit and undergrowth, with balsamic and spicy puffs. On the palate it is dense, rich, material and incredibly fresh and mineral. The drink is also characterized by a very balanced tannin and sapid nuances and a long persistence of the aromas.
Description: Michele Perillo's vineyard extends over 5 hectares between the territories of Castelfranci and Montemarano at an altitude of 600 meters and enjoys good exposure and an important temperature range. The vines are planted on tuffaceous soils, rich in clay and silica, and are grown in starzeta and espalier, the yields are very low: they never exceed 50 quintals per hectare. Michele Perillo's agriculture is conventional, but not invasive. The ripening of the grapes is slow, due to the cold climate. And this praise of slowness can also be found in the vinification in the cellar. The grapes are fermented on indigenous yeasts in steel and then aged for a long time in barrique and Slavonian oak. Like a craftsman, Michele lets the wine mature in his time, without haste: after bottling and before being marketed, Michele's wines are left to rest in the cellar for 8 years. And, you know, the wait pays off. The Michele Perillo winery is an example of love for tradition and for the territory and represents a reality of reference for Taurasi lovers. His are great wines, without ifs and buts, and they require time and patience to be fully understood and appreciated, they are real treasures to be discovered.
"CANALES", 2017
CANTINE DI NEONELI
Grape: Pascale, Cannonau, Monica, Muristellu, Carignano, Cagnulari, Cinsault, Nieddumannu, Nieddusaludu
Region: Neoneli (Oristano) - Sardegna
Pairings: Great match with grilled salmon with wild fennel and lemon zest or roasted chicken. Nice with grilled duck breast with garlic mushrooms.
Drink by: Ready or before 2025.
Winemaking Notes: Old small sapling vines that on average do not exceed half a hectare at an altitude of 450 to 550 meters above sea level. In each of their vineyards, there are about 10 different kinds of red grape varieties. This unfiltered wine ages for 14 months in wooden barrels and then it rests for 6 months in the bottle.
Tasting Notes: This intense wine has a ripe-grape or black cherry aroma, accented by a pronounced spiciness that suggests cinnamon, or mint. On the palate you can find ripe tomato, mushroom, and wild sensations.
Description: The 2017 vintage was characterized by a first half - autumn and winter - with well-distributed rainfall, and by a second half almost completely free of rain with extremely high temperatures. This winery, managed by Samuel and Salvatore, works twenty vineyards spread over an area of six hectares. Numerous cultivars take root on the granite crumbling of the Neonelese hills, many of which are found in Canales (Monica, Cannonau, Pascale, Muristellu, Carignano).
NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO "MULINVECCHIO", 2016
CONTUCCI
Grape: Prugnolo Gentile 80%, Canaiolo Nero 10%, Colorino 10%
Region: Montepulciano (Siena) – Toscana
Pairings: Grilled prime beef, pork ribs and charcuterie. Great with mushroom sauce pasta and aged cheese.
Drink by: Ready or by 2026.
Winemaking Notes: After the harvest in the first days of October, the vinification happens while mixing together all the 3 different grape varieties, Prugnolo Gentile, Canaiolo e Mammolo, from the beginning, otherwise the must could have rejections. They follow a fermentation with a long maceration, for at least 20 days. This Nobile is marketed after the second year of aging both in French and Slavonian barrels.
Tasting Notes: Aromatic nose, with hints of roses, wild herbs, red berries and tobacco. Fragrant and elegantly structured wine; the palate offers an aftertaste of red fruits and sweet spices together with a backbone of taut but refined tannins and fresh acidity
Description: The origin of this winery is extremely ancient, indeed they are trying to follow the wine techniques of the Etrurian. The soils are mainly of Pliocene origin. The oldest sources would trace the origins to around 1000 AD. What is certain is that already in the mid-fourteenth century the Contucci were among the most prominent families in the city of Montepulciano. Their cellar is very old with naturally thick walls, allowing them to keep the temperature steady. The vineyards of this winery are located in one of the best production areas, the altitude varies between 280 and 450 meters.
BAROLO "SARMASSA", 2014
BREZZA
Grape: Nebbiolo 100%
Region: Barolo (Langhe) - Piemonte
Pairings: Raw beef tartare with mustard, EVOO and lemon zest. Black truffle spaghetti, aged cheese or enjoy it alone.
Drink by: Ready.
Winemaking Notes: Organic agriculture. Alcoholic fermentation lasts about 7-8 days with temperatures that never exceed 26°C. Indigenous yeasts are used, maceration for 20 days. Barolo Sarmassa ages for at least two years in thirty-hectolitre barrels, and at least another 2 years in the bottle.
Tasting Notes: Ruby red with garnet highlights. It offers an olfactory range composed of floral notes of violet, fruity memories of cherry and plum jam, tertiary references of mint and licorice. The taste is elegant and structured, full, fragrant and vibrant, with tannins that are still energetic but in the process of being integrated. Long and balsamic persistence.
Description: The Brezza Farm, owner of vineyards in Barolo since 1885, took its name from Giacomo Brezza who, together with his father Antonio, first put the wine in the bottle around 1910. Currently the company is run in certified organic farming by the fourth generation. The company philosophy consists in producing single-variety wines, taking care of the vineyard in the best possible way with appropriate pruning and careful thinning. The use of green manure and composting is practiced which enhances the vitality of the soil and light machinery is used that reduces compaction and fuel consumption. This meticulous care for the vines, with appropriate pruning, has kept them in excellent health so that some strains have reached the venerable age of 70 years. In the cellar they work with a light hand, temperature control and spontaneous fermentations. Aging for the wines that need it is traditional, in large Slavonian oak barrels, with the staves bent on fire but not toasted. Wines that are aged in wood are neither filtered or clarified. Ten years ago, the company decided to use an innovative glass stopper for the closure of a large quantity of their bottles which, in their opinion, provides greater guarantees in respect of the typical characteristics of their wines.
Last, but not least, let's hear the most beautiful dedication about Nebbiolo by Oreste Brezza...
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OILS
Azienda Agricola Cappelli
Olive: Frantoio, Carboncella, Leccino
Region: Montelibretti (Roma) - Lazio
Pairing: Pairs great with game meat, winter salads and grilled red meat. Stunning if drizzled over a warm and tasty bean and cereal soup.
Notes: About 1,000 native olive trees on 7 hectares of olive groves on the hills of the Roman Sabina, at about 300 meters above sea level. Harvest happens when the olives ripen between October and November. Milling occurs within a few hours of harvesting (maximum 6) in a modern mill with continuous cycle.
A blend from different cultivars, carefully mixed in order to obtain a well balanced EVO oil, characterized by an imperceptible bitterness and a ligth spiciness.
Description: Overlooking the hills of the Roman Sabina, Azienda Agricola Cappelli has been growing olive trees and producing EVO oil for three generations. Today, the young Giulia turns to its founders, Maria and Nestore, who chose the path of professional training to continue the family agricultural tradition, bringing the enthusiasm, passion and competence of those who are not satisfied without uncompromising quality. This is a young, fresh and lively oil awarded last year with the highest recognition, "3 Foglie" (3 Leaves), from the Gambero Rosso 2020 guide to Italian Oils, plus many mentions by Slow Food guides.
Li Mezza Barba
Olive: 100% Caninese
Region: Farnese (Viterbo) - Lazio
Pairing: Drizzle over bread, grilled vegetables or grilled and roasted meats as well as on mature cheeses and vegetable soups.
Notes: Mechanical harvest, only between October and the very fist days of November, when the olives are starting their ripening process. After only 12/16 hours from the harvest, they start to cold extract the oil. Filtered using only fully biodegradable paper filters.
The color of the freshly squeezed oil is emerald green, then becomes golden over time, the oil is bitter and spicy in a rather decisive way, the taste is persistent. The fruity is fresh herbaceous, with very green and artichoke notes. It is an oil with a strong character, with a strong taste, able to add personality to any dish, especially raw.
Description: Only 2000 olive plants in their property, between 40 and 100 years old. Since 1994 the olive groves are dedicated to the biological principles, trying to respect the natural ecosystem balance. Constantly testing new techniques, minimizing the human impact. They use specific and natural traps for the olive's fly, constantly trying to enhance biodiversity between the plants.
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