Travel & Tasting notes from Custom Tuscany Gourmet Tour

October 2007

 Amy’s notes:

Vineyards in Montalcino - Pertimali winery

Every time I finish a trip I promise myself I’ll find the time to sit down and write my travel and tasting notes… but generally I never do find the time.

Now that the 2007 season is coming to an end and I begin to look forward to the new olive oil arriving and to long dark evenings sipping some of the Brunellos I’ve accumulated in my under-stair cellar, I finally do have a bit more fun time to think and write about my trips.

I’ve decided to start with these tasting notes from a diVino tour held in Tuscany in early October. The choice goes to this one both because it was such as special trip for me and also because I just realized I have no travel and tasting notes from Tuscany!

 

I’m including this wonderful testimonial about the trip that I received from Pat.

Hello Amy,

Vince and I are just about over jet-lag but NOT OVER OUR TERRIFIC MEMORIES of our marvelous tour with you. How does it feel to know you will be part of our memory forever of wonderful Tuscany?  We cannot think of one thing that could have gone better!

You really have something going there. Your idea to entertain us with your cousin and her beautiful voice AND your mother-in-law's marvelous cooking were such personal touches and enjoyed by us all so much. Thanx for sharing so passionately your love of wine, cheeses, history, language, villages, churches, monasteries and even finding a fellow who loved little white belted pigs. What an unusual, fun day that was. Good call.

The bottle of olive oil you had waiting for us in our rooms at the villa is sitting on our kitchen island, too pretty to use right now. The chocolates are long gone You are a thoughtful, lovely woman. It is our honor to have met you.

God Bless you always -- please stay in touch. 

Much love,

Pat Trosino 

ps  Everyday you are in my mind and the tremendous education you gave us reverberates.  I know you shared with Stefano, your mother-in-law, your cousin, the villa's owner and Livo and Linda in Florence and all the good people you introduced us to (Andrea) how great our enjoyment was.  

However, none of this would have happened without your creative mind and hard work. Much applause.

  Day 1 - Florence & DOCG wine dinner at the villa

Tuscan villa

After meeting Giacomo & Stefano in Fiesole, the group spent the day exploring Florence before traveling to their private villa in the Tuscan countyside where I met them for our 'Welcome to Tuscany' DOCG wine tasting dinner. After aperitivi and prosecco we moved into the dining room for a four-course Tuscan feast paired to fine wines from the top DOCG wine regions of Tuscany.

The wines we tasted include:

Bortolotti – Valdobbiadene Prosecco v.s.q.p.r.d.

If there’s anyone out there who doesn’t just adore prosecco I would like to know who you are! Of course we’re not talking champagne here and prosecco isn’t trying to be champagne anymore than Trattoria da Mario is trying to be Charlie Trotter. But you’ve got to love prosecco simply for who it is – bright, honest, bubbly enthusiasm and a delicious fruitiness that you can only get from this wonderful aromatic Charmat method sparkling wine from Veneto. In my opinion there is simply no better way to get your taste buds excited about dinner than with a glass of prosecco.

Panizzi – Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG 2006

Vernaccia di San Gimignano can be a world class white wine and Panizzi’s version of this Tuscan classic is proof of it. Bright with notes of rich friut and perfectly balanced, this Vernaccia won our hearts.

Fattoria di Fèlsina – Chianti Classico Berardenga DOCG 2005

Finally time to start with the Sangioveses, and what better place to start than with Fattoria di Fèlsina! Fèlsina is synomymous with Sangiovese and they produce four wines based on 100% Sangiovese grapes. The 2005 Chianti Classico was a bit young but all that bright acidity and tannin paired beautifully with Paola’s ravioli served with a rich meat ragù sauce.

Poliziano – Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2003

This fall I've served quite a bit of this Poliziano and everyone has loved it. No surprise considering all the ripe fruit and soft velvety texture. 85% Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese from Montepulciano) and 15% Merlot/Canaiolo and Colorino, the wine spends 14-16 months in wood of different sizes including some new French oak.

Collelceto – Brunello di Montalcino docg 2000

This small winery (6 hectares of vines) owned by native Montalcinese Elia Palazzesi produces Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino. This 2000 Brunello is hot and spicy with good fruit and it’s ready to drink now, perhaps due to the hot weather in 2000 and the lower altitude vineyards at Collelceto.

Sampiero – Vinsanto del Chianti Classico doc 2000

This is a very classic and not too sweet Vinsanto from the Chianti Classico region. Only three years in Caratelli (small barrels for aging Vinsanto) give it a paler golden color then some of the rich, syrupy Vinsantos out there and this one has a medicinal or herby nose that I find fascinating.

 

Day 2 - Monte Oliveto Maggiore & Siena by night

      Piazza del Campo                                     San Domenico Church

In the morning Giacomo accompanied our group to the 13th century Benedictine Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore. After viewing the world famous frescos by Sodoma, the group listened to the Gregorian chants at Sunday mass.

Returning to the villa, lunch was served pool-side, including a buffet of Paola’s delicious antipasti followed by filet of Chianina beef topped with roasted porcini mushrooms dressed with a splash of extra virgin olive oil.

After lunch, a sauna and swim, we headed off to Siena, where we met Laura, our local art historian guide for a private guided tour of Siena’s most important sites. Luck was on our side as we had the rare opportunity to view the floors of the Duomo (open only one month a year) and Laura’s explanations brought the history of the Duomo alive.

After our tour we enjoyed an aperitivo at a piazza cafè on the "Campo", then moved on to dinner at Compagnia dei Vinattieri for a delicious Chef’s Menu paired to wines from Tuscany and beyond.

The wines we tasted include:

Monteropoli – Chianti Classico DOCG 2004

A traditional style “Classic Chianti Classico” that was the perfect pairing for Paola’s antipasto buffet of farro salad with pesto, pecorino cheese wrapped in finocchiona, bruschettas and much more. I admit that we also experimented with the Brunellos and Vino Nobiles left over from our DOCG dinner the evening before as well as a splash of crisp Vermentino which was the perfect poolside companion.

Moris Farms – Vermentino 2005

We tasted several Tuscan Vermentinos on this tour, all of which were excellent expressions of bright fruit and mineral that I now like to define (in perfect sommelier terminology) as simply “yummy deliciousness” (a term I hope will soon be recoginzed by the Italian Association of Sommeliers!).

Villa Artimino – Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2000

I could not possibly miss this less well-known yet marvelous Tuscan DOCG Carmignano. The area is located in the hills above Florence and the wines are the ancestors of our modern day “Super Tuscan blends” because they have historically (at least since the 18th century) always been blends of Sangiovese with “French” varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. I found this Carmignano Riserva to be luscious and wonderful and interesting paired with our Pici in a sun-dried tomato and Pantelleria caper sauce.

Struzziero – Taurasi Riserva DOCG 2000 (from the Campania region)

Rabbit roasted with porcini mushrooms (yes, they are in season right now!) paired with this wonderful Taurasi, based on the Aglianico grape native to the Campania region. Finally we were tasting a wine that could be “someone”. And those that know me well, will understand that this was my favourite kind of “someone”! Sexy man in worn leather, a cigar smoking cowboy type I love to define as Clint Eastwood in the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Ahhh Aglianico….

 

Day 3 - Brunello tour - Pertimali (Livio Sassetti ) winery tour & lunch

What words can I find to describe how wonderful it is to spend a day at the Pertimali winery with the Sassetti family? Livio (historic Brunello producer and wine “poet”) welcomed us in the vineyards and showed us the two hectares of vines he lovingly tends entirely himself (Livio age 75, looks 60), before leading us through his cellars and finally into his wine library where he keeps all the vintages of Brunello produced by his family, starting with the 1915 vintage! Livio loves to share his poems and anecdotes ranging on everything from how to make a weather forecast to how to find true happiness; his genuine love and passion for his life and the land shine through in every smile and every bottle of Brunello that comes out of his cellars. After spending the morning with this living legend what could be better than sitting down with him at the table to feast on the best home-cooked Montalcino food paired to wines from his two estates? In addition to the Pertimali estate in Montalcino, the Sassetti family also owns the La Querciolina winery in the Montecucco DOC wine region (an up and coming area where Livio’s sons Lorenzo and Luciano bought 16 hectares of vineyards in 1999).  As Sally was interested in grafting techniques, Livio told us all about how his vines are sisters because he field grafted over 25,000 vines! He even gave us an impromptu demo of how to perform two kinds of field grafts. Simply Cool!!!

The wines we tasted at Pertimali include:

La Querciolina – Montecucco Sangiovese DOC 2004 (winery owned by Livio's sons)

100% Sangiovese from Maremma, grown in the typically volcanic soils of the region. The wine spends eight months in wood and is a lovely expression of a fruity Sangiovese.

La Querciolina – Istriciaia igt 2004

(80% Sangiovese, 20% Ciliegiolo)

The name of the wine means "the place where the porcupine lives" and it's a wonderful blend of Sangiovese and another indigenous Tuscan grape called Ciliegiolo. Twelve months in 500 litre French oak barrels.

Pertimali – Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2004

This bright and fruity Rosso di Montalcino is truly the baby brother of Brunello. He's not trying to be a big powerful protagonist like so many rossos out there. The wine spends no time in wood so you get all the fresh yummy fruit of a young Sangiovese with a bit of tart acidity and tannin. Perfect wine to pair with wild boar sausages and bruschettas with olive oil, or why not a nice big plate of Pinci with meat Ragù!

Pertimali - Fili di Seta igt 2004

This is Pertimali’s version of a Super Tuscan and it’s a big wine, while still not trying to steal the stage from the king of the house – Brunello. Fili di Seta is 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. the Cab spends time in small French oak barrels, giving it a luscious feel and an international style.

Pertimali – Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2001

Few things make me happier than when Lorenzo decides to serve the Brunello Riserva! The 2001 was a great vintage although I think it's still a bit young for drinking and definitely needs a little time in the glass to get going, but still this wine represents everything that I love about Brunello. I still remember my last bottle of 1999 Riserva. It''s a wine that speaks to you and leaves a memory, where food and even company become secondary because the conversation is so great between just you and your Brunello Riserva...

  

Day 4 - Montepulciano & Pienza -Vinsantaia tasting dinner

                                         Montepulciano               La Vinsantaia "the table for saints and sinners"

In the morning we visited the beautiful hill-top city of Montepulciano, which was as always breathtakingly beautiful! At lunch we felt like we were on the scene of a movie entitled “La Vita Toscana ” as we sat in the quiet little piazza and sampled bruschettas and cheese, while the tractor from the village winery backed freshly picked grapes into the cellar next door.

After lunch we visited Linda Bai’s ceramic shop in Pienza, where the ladies ordered hand-painted terracotta plates with a pretty Tuscan landscape, personalized with their villa in the background.

That evening we headed off to one of my all-time favourite restaurants, the recently opened La Vinsantaia (www.lavinsantaia.it). Andrea Anichini, owner of this wonderful wine bar and restaurant in Castelnuovo Berardenga, is on my current list of world’s greatest gourmets! I love Andrea’s taste in food, wine, music (mostly jazz) and ambience and I admire his authentic passion for seeking out the area’s best, most unusual and most delicious local food products. At La Vinsantaia (also known as the table for Saints and Sinners) we had a wonderful olive oil themed dinner. We started with a tasting of three Tuscan olive oils, then sampled the simplest of all recipes – home made pici pasta with nothing more than fresh cracked pepper, a grating of aged pecorino cheese and olive oil drizzled raw right over the top! After this a bit of Chianina steak with a side of rare Zolfino beans made for a perfect meal. The dinner was paired to great wines from the Chianti Classico region and wrapped up with a tasting of world famous Amedei chocolates and ahhhhhh, yes my favourite – grappa!

The wines we tasted include:

Dievole – Sangiovese rosè igt 2005

Another one of life’s underappreciated pleasures.. a cool glass of bright rosè wine served with a taste of fresh sheep milk ricotta dressed with bright green extra-virgin olive oil and a slice of oven roasted Tuscan bread. Why didn’t I take a picture of that?

San Giusto in Rentennano – Chianti Classico DOCG 2004

Many people (Andrea and myself included) consider San Giusto in Rentennano to be one of Chianti Classico's greatest wineries and the 2004 Chianti Classico is perfect example! 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo the wine ages in large oak casks. While still young, it's already an explosion of aromas of fruit and spice and herbal notes. Full-bodied and beautifully balanced.

Tenuta di Arceno – Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2001

This winery is owned by Jesse Jackson of Kendall-Jackson and is located in one of the Chianti Classico's most beautiful areas. Opting mostly for igt wines based on international grape varieties, the winery also produces this Chianti Classico Riserva which is 81% Sangiovese and the remainder a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Having a high percentage (for a Chianti Classico) of Merlot & Cab as well as ten months in French oak barriques makes this wine concentrated and robust, quite international in flavor.

Fattoria di Fèlsina – Grappa di Fontalloro

In theme with La Vinsantaia's table for saints and sinners, I’ve compared this grappa to one of the seven deadly sins. It’s rich, sexy and spicy. It wraps you in a comforting warmth, it’s irresistible. You know you shouldn’t but you just can’t resist, it convinces you it’s your friend… you know you’ll regret it…

 

Day 5 - Santa Margherita farm, San Gimignano

& private seafood dinner at the villa

                                         Cinta Senese pigs                        Goat cheese from Santa Margherita

True passion is something so rare and wonderful and the two farms we visited this morning were true examples of dedication and passion for what they do. Maria and Fiorentino of Santa Margherita farm (http://www.poderesantamargherita.it/) run an organic/biodynamic farm that is home to 150 blissful goats and with their hard work and dedication they create by far the best goat cheeses I have ever tasted. In fact, after tasting Santa Margherita’s cheeses you'll find yourself disappointed by just about anything else, asking yourself “were the goats that made this cheese happy?” “what did they eat?” “how can we rescue them and send them to goat heaven at Santa Margherita?”. Obviously for a food nut like me this is heaven on earth and the only way it could get any better was for Daniele of Azienda Agricola Baruffaldi to come on the scene. Daniele, a native of the Emilia-Romagna region (region that is famous for it’s cured meats), had a vision of raising a rare and nearly extinct pig called Cinta Senese. Thanks to dedicated people like Daniele, the Cinta Senese is no longer in danger of extinction but is now raised to produce Tuscany’s most delicious prosciuttos, cured meats and sausages. Daniele, with his booming voice and outgoing personality, introduced us to his prize pig “Bella” and taught me more about Cinta Senese in five minutes than I had learned in all the books I’d read to date.

I’m getting carried away… so I’m going to skip the details on San Gimignano, which many others have commented on far better than I could, and head back to the villa because we had a dinner that evening that was unique enough for me to call it a definite diVino exclusive! In fact it was the first ever diVino fresh seafood and white wine extravaganza cooked by my brilliant mother-in-law Giuliana. Giuliana and I talked about this dinner for several months, going over the menu and sampling all the best fresh seafood Domenico (legendary Roman seafood vendor) could offer us. Anyhow, after visiting Domenico in the morning to pick up our Mediterranean lobsters, tuna carpaccio and whole seabreams, Giuliana brought the seafood under ice to Tuscany and prepared a fresh fish feast to rival the best seafood restaurants out there.

To top off this extremely unique day, Riccardo’s cousin Cristina came along from Rome and since she happens to  be a top-class soprano (having studied at the conservatories of Rome and L’Aquila and performed professionally for years), we put on a little live opera concerto so that our friends could relax after dinner listening to “O mio babbino caro”  with Cristina’s voice, so big and beautiful the villa could barely hold it!

 

The wines we tasted include:

Villa – Franciacorta Brut millesimato DOCG – 2003 (Lombardia)

This is a "champagne style" sparkling wine from Franciacorta DOCG wine region on Lake Iseo in Lombaria. Franciacorta makes some of Italy's best sparklers, Villa is one of the region's oldest sparkling wine producers and this vintage spumante is made from 80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Bianco and 10% Pinot Nero, spending a minimum of 30 months resting in the bottle on the lees prior to sale.

San Michele Appiano – Sauvignon Lahn Alto Adige DOC – 2006 (Alto Adige)

San Michele Appiano is one of Italy's leading cooperative wineries. They have 355 members and make three lines of fantastic wines including a classic line, Cru and their top line St Valentin. This Sauvignon Lahn (from the Cru line) is a wonderfully aromatic wine with no oak and no malolactic fermentation. Just crisp cool- climate Sauvignon with typical herbacious notes of fig leaf /tomato leaf as well as nice friut.

Feudi di San Gregorio – Fiano di Avellino DOCG – 2006 (Campania)

Fiano di Avellino is one of my favorite Italian whites. This one is from the world famous Feudi di San Gregorio winery and is a beautiful example of a Campania classic. Once again, no wood and no malolactic. Crisp but soft, with tropical fruit and floral aromas.

Fattoria di Fèlsina – I Sistri igt – 2005 (Tuscany)

Back at Fèlsina again! This time to taste one of Tuscany's greatest whites, the 100% Chardonnay I Sistri. This is definitely not a traditional Tuscan wine but a beautiful expression of what Chardonnay can do in this area. Femented and aged in small French oak. In the nose it's got lots of tropical fruit and vanilla, yet on the palate it has maintained the freshness and minerality of a great Chardonnay.

Day 6 - Florence, Coquinarius dinner

 

Florence vicolo

Our last day...

After a leisurely morning at the villa we ventured off to Florence. There we met art historian Laura Johnson, who accompanied us to visit some of Florence's most rare and undiscovered treasures. We were all enthralled by Laura's knowledge of art and history and in her ability to share it with us in such a personal way that I felt we were exploring the very essence of Renaissance Florence through the works of art and tidbits of history and ancient "gossip" that she shared with us. I walked away feeling like I had an entirely new understanding of Florence.

After our time with Laura we wandered off to our last dinner at one of Florence's best (and certainly my favorite) enoteca - Coquinarius. We had a sampling of unique antipasti and a wonderful pasta dish while we toasted to our trip with two fascinating wines from other regions of Italy.

Dinner:

Vevey Albert Maison – Valle d’Aoste Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle DOC – 2006

(tiny production white wine from the alpine region of Valle d’Aosta on the border with France).

After a full week together I figured my new friends trusted me enough to taste a strange and rare wine from Italy’s most unknown wine region-Valle d’Aosta. The valley has a special place in my heart and this rare Italian white wine with an odd French name comes from Europe’s highest altitude vineyards. The result is all crisp and bright acidity, low alcohol and delicious flavour that you can only get from cold climate whites. I think it was a hit!

Cavallotto – Barolo Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe DOCG – 2001

Cavallotto is one of my favourite Barolo producers from Castiglione Falletto in Piedmont and I chose this wine in theme with my plan to taste wines from other Italian regions. After the rare white I thought it would be nice to wrap up with another one of Italy’s other great reds. And, what better place to go than Barolo? Cavallotto is a historic wine making family - true Barolo traditionalists and I love their wines! Now, if one only had the patience to put this 2001 in the cellar for say… at least another 10 years?!

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