CAPRI RISTORANTE
April14, 2011
CONTENIDO
- Presentadores
- Participantes
- Lista de Vinos y Menú
- Información Sobre los Vinos
- Notas Regionales
- GN Ratings for this tasting
PRESENTADORES
Italo Mirkow
PARTICIPANTES
Mario Aguilar, Hugo Benito, Jorge Beruff, Juan Luis Colaiacovo, Orlando Mason, Italo Mikow, Carlos Paldao, Alfonso Sanchez, Miguel Segovia.
LISTA DE VINOS
- Botter Prosecco Spago NV – Prosecco
- Calea Nero d’Avola Sicilia 2009 – Sicily
- La Castellina Chianti Classico 2007
- Azienda Agricola Villa Lanata Barolo Lo Zoccolaio 2005 – Piedmont
INFORMACIÓN SOBRE LOS VINOS
Botter Prosecco Spago NV – Prosecco is an Italian white wine — generally a Dry or Extra Dry sparkling wine — today can be made only from Glera grapes (previously also known as Prosecco grapes). Glera grapes are grown in several regions of Italy but, Prosecco (today a DOC) can be produced only in the regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto in Italy, traditionally into the Friuli Grave region for the Friulian Prosecco and in all Veneto but especially in the areas near Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the hills north of Treviso for the Prosecco from Veneto.
Veneto is a wine region in north-eastern Italy, one of a group of three highly productive Italian regions known collectively as the Venezie (after the ancient VenetianRepublic) and the biggest DOC producer of the three. Although the Venezie collectively produce more red wine than white, the Veneto region produces more whites under DOC and is home to the famous Soave wines. The region is protected from the harsh northern European climate by the Alps, the foothills of which form the Veneto’s northern extremes. These cooler climes are well-suited to white varieties like Garganega (the main grape for Soave wines) while the warmer Adriatic coastal plains and river valleys are where the renowned Valpolicella, Amarone and Bardolino DOC reds are produced.
Prosecco is protected as a DOC within Italy as Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Prosecco di Conegliano and Prosecco di Valdobbiadene. From 2009, this will be promoted to DOCG status. To further protect the name, an association of traditional Prosecco growers is advocating a protected designation of origin status for Northern Italian Prosecco under European law. Unlike Champagne, its main commercial competitor, Prosecco is produced using the Charmat method, in which the secondary fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, making the wine less expensive to produce. Prosecco is mainly produced as a sparkling wine in either the fully sparkling (spumante) or lightly sparkling (frizzante, gentile) varieties.
Winemaker’s notes: Prosecco wines tend to feature a light orchard fruit tone, recalling white peaches and pears, with bright acidity and light body. Many versions of Prosecco have a touch of sugar that adds fullness to the wine though there is a movement towards producing drier wines, particularly under the Cartizze denomination. You will need a wine key for Botter’s prosecco (as the bound, regular cork indicates). Why? Because this is what the Italians call frizzante. Unlike the méthode champenoise that in Italy makes spumante (fully sparkling), this frizzante (lightly sparkling) gets its bubbles from a closed tank, secondary fermentation that integrates the CO2 before bottling, not in bottle as its French cousin. This tank method is variously called the Metodo Italiano or the Charmat method. Italians practiced it long before Carlo Gancia adopted the Champagne method of secondary bottle fermentation in the 19th century. It is cheaper, with brief bubbles and delightfully simple.
Reviews:
Pale light yellow color, with fine perlage. Delicately fruity, slightly aromatic bouquet with hints of flowers among which honey and wild apple scents can be perceived. Well balanced and light body. Excellent as an aperitif, it matches perfectly hors-d’oeuvres and delicate first courses. Also wonderful with fish and shellfish.
Ratings: Wine Access: 3.00/5.00, Cork’d; 90/100
Price: $11.99
Calea Nero d’Avola Sicilia 2009 – Sicily has more vineyards than any of the other Italian regions competing with Apulia for first place as the largest wine producer. One of Europe’s oldest viticultural regions still offers some pleasant surprises. Sicily’s oenological history is an ancient one dating from the time when the island was part of Magna Graecia. One usually associates fine wines with eastern Sicily and the areas near Mount Etna, but many new wineries have sprung up across the island. Sicily’s hilly and mountainous terrain with poor soil, intense summers and low rainfall favor Mediterranean wine agriculture.
Many grapes are made into raisins, used in local cooking, and Sicilian grapes also play a large role in creating dessert wines, which require a higher concentration of grapes and are consumed in smaller quantities. In fact, in the world of international wine, Sicily is renowned for the many outstanding dessert wines, such as the world-famous Marsala.
Though dessert wines account for about 90% of the total DOC production, good reds and whites are produced all over the island by both large producers and the smaller estates. While some Sicilian winemakers produce well-known varietals like Merlot, Chardonnay and Sangiovese, others believe that the world is ready to be introduced to such indigenous varieties as Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Inzolia and Catarratto.
Nero d’Avola (“Black of Avola” in Italian) is “the most important red wine grape in Sicily” and is one of Italy’s most important indigenous varieties. It is named after Avola in the far south of Sicily and its wines are compared to New World Shirazes, with sweet tannins and plum or peppery flavours. It also contributes to Marsala blends. “The Black Grape of Avola” appears to have been selected by growers near Avola (a small town in south east Sicily) several hundred years ago. Initially, it was confined to the southern tip of the island but more recently has spread throughout the island. The vine likes hot arid climates. The districts around Noto (above all Buonivini, Bufalefi and Maccari) and Pachino in the south of the province of Siracusa are reputed for the quality of their Nero d’Avola grapes.
Winemaker’s notes: Calea Nero d’Avola is a spicy, easy drinking red blended from fruit from multiple Sicilian sites. Boasting enticing aromas of violet, blueberry, wildflower, and anise, the palate delivers with ripe dark fruit, minerally earth, and cedar supported by gentle tannins. This wine combines the spicy exuberance of the southeastern coastal zones with the density and richness of the upland hills of the island’s western region.
Reviews: Deeply colored and with a beguiling bouquet of violets, blueberry and black olives, this wine draws one in with its warm and generous nature. On the palate the texture is smooth and elegant, and the finish unfolds with considerable complexity, revealing nuances of mineral earth, ripe dark fruits, and hints of cedar.
Calea is an ideal accompaniment to grilled and roast meats, hearty stews and tangy, hard cheeses such as manchego or reggiano parmegiano. Equally at home with pizza or prime rib, Calea’s hearty flavors, yet elegant framework, suit a wide variety of culinary occasions.
Ratings: not found for 2009
Price: $9.99. “This killer value is a staple summer sipper”
La Castellina Chianti Classico 2007
La Castellina Chianti Classico 2007 is a red wine, made by La Castellina. Its origin is Chianti Classico in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy. It is made from the Sangiovese grape. It is produced from the 2007 harvest. Along with the Piedmont, Tuscany is Italy’s most important wine-producing area. Chianti, Brunello, Vino Nobile, and Vin Santo are known all over the world, as are the “Supertuscans,” a large group of important, high-quality reds born in the early 1970s and now representing some of Italy’s best wines. As Sangiovese is a fairly delicate variety in terms of the fragrances and flavors it offers, what ends up being added makes a major difference in the final profile of the wine. Climate and altitude also influence the nature of Sangiovese-based wines; wines made in hotter, drier parts of Southern Tuscany are fleshier than wines made in Chianti and other cooler, higher areas. With lesser clones and viticulture, Sangiovese tends to produce tannic wines, without great color. The best examples are highly aromatic, fragrant wines with nicely integrated tannic structure.
The Chianti region covers a vast area of Tuscany and includes within its boundaries several overlapping Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) regions. Other well known Sangiovese-based Tuscan wines such as Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano could be bottled and labeled under the most basic designation of “Chianti” if their producers chose to do so. Within the collective Chianti region more than 8 million cases of wines classified as DOC level or above are produced each year. Today, most Chianti falls under two major designations of Chianti DOCG, which includes basic level Chianti, as well as that from seven designated sub-zones, and Chianti Classico DOCG. Together, these two Chianti zones produce the largest volume of DOC/G wines in Italy.
Winemaker notes: Dominated by fruity notes among which marionberry, cherry and red-bay fruits can clearly be distinguished. Among secondary and tertiary aromas, well harmonised scents of oak and spiced notes typical of Sangiovese emerge, especially pepper and cinnamon. Sangiovese’s claim to fame is its role as the heart of Chianti, Brunello and many Super Tuscan wines though it is gaining ground as a varietal wine around the globe. When grown in a suitable location the grape’s soft tannins, succulent acidity and moderately intense cherry and herb flavors make Sangiovese very easy to drink as well as supremely versatile at the dinner table.
Reviews: “Ruby-purple. Pleasant bouquet of violets, ripe blackberries, grape jam, and toasted sesame seeds. Ripe, extracted berry flavors ride the zippy acidity to a weighty finish marked by licorice, floral tones, and a hint of basil. A blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo…” SWJ 07/10
I had been looking forward to the 2007 vintage from Tuscany, as it followed a very nice 2005 and a powerful, if not subtle 2006 vintage. 2007 was cool, unlike many recent vintages, so the wines have beautiful acidity, but also excellent fruit concentration, given the long growing season. All ingredients for some beautiful wines. And I am happy to report that there were many excellent Classico bottlings from 2007, brimming with fruit and displaying beautiful structure. Unfortunately, some vintners took a good thing and tried to make it better, as too many 2007s are very big with rich oak; these are powerful wines that often lack finesse. , Chianti Classico is a mid-weight wine and one that has many charming qualities about it. There’s nothing wrong with a Chianti Classico being drinkable when young and I look for most examples to be at their best in 3-5 years. This is what makes 2007 so special, as I believe the best wines (in terms of quality as well as balance) will be at their best in 5-7 years. That’s a nice bonus and a big positive for Chianti Classico, so why should producers try and change that? My wishes are that more producers make Chianti Classico and not something else.
Ratings: Wine Spectator: 84 points. *At the store “Total Wine” the advertisement of this wine states that Wine Enthusiast gave this wine 91 points.
Price: $17.99
Azienda Agricola Villa Lanata Barolo Lo Zoccolaio 2005 – Piedmont,Italy’s westernmost region with borders on Switzerland and France, is hemmed in by the Alps and the Apennines. The climate is rigid by Italian standards, with distinct changes of season. Winters are cold with plenty of snow. Summers are for the most part hot and dry. Spring and fall are temperate to cool with fog normal at harvest time A majority of the region’s vineyards are located in the Langhe and Monferrato hills, which are connected to the Apennines in the southeast. But several wines of significance are also grown along the foothills of the Alps to the north between Lake Maggiore and Valle d’Aosta.
An overwhelming majority of Piedmont’s wines derives from native vines. Besides the noble Nebbiolo, source of Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara and Ghemme, which are all DOCG, Barbera ranks as the most popular vine for reds, followed by Dolcetto, which is enjoyed for its mellow, round flavors. Brachetto makes sweet, fragrant bubbly red that is DOCG as Brachetto d’Acqui. Freisa and Grignolino lead a host of local varieties in rounding out the honor roll of reds. Still, among classified wines, whites represent about a third of the volume. First comes Asti, whose DOCG applies to both sparkling Spumante and the softly bubbly Moscato d’Asti. With an average annual output of nearly 60 million liters, the Asti appellation ranks second in volume to Chianti among Italy’s classified wines. An established star is Gavi, a dry white made from the native Cortese grape and a recent addition to the DOCG list.
The Lo Zoccolaio 2005 is a red wine, made by Azienda Agricola Villa Lanata. Its origin is Barolo in Langhe, Piedmont, Italy. It is made from the Nebbiolo grape. It is produced from the 2005 harvest. Barolo is an appellation (DOCG,Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) in the Piedmont region in Northern Italy. The wines are made from the Nebbiolo grape and typically have a light color. In contrast, the taste is usually not light at all: tannins dominate the wine, especially when it is young.
A Barolo must have at least two years of aging in oak before bottling is allowed, and an additional year of aging in the bottle before it may be sold. A Riserva needs an additional 2 years of aging. Traditional Barolo then needs many years of cellaring before the tannins are soft enough for the wine to be ready to drink. Within a few years, the color changes from light/transparent red to orange/brownish. A Barolo often looks older than it is due to the brown color, but this is typical for the wine and does not affect its quality. But some of these wines just never seemed to get there: the tannins stayed hard and with the age, the fruit disappeared, leaving little to enjoy. Some producers (“modernists”) make wines that have a more fruity character and are more approachable when still young. The maceration takes days instead of weeks or even months, and temperature controlled fermentation in steel tanks gives the wines more color while at the same time minimizing the amount of tannins. The wines are often matured in small new oak barrels (barriques). Opponents object that these wines lack the typical characteristics of Barolo. The Tree of Life, a symbol of balance and harmony, for the connection of heaven and earth, a symbol of renewal and the indestructible force of life is also the symbol for the winery and Zoccolaio Lo graces the label of this remarkable harmonic Barolo. The extremely reduced yield results in a strong color, and the aging in new oak barrels the wine complemented harmoniously. The significantly high extract values result in a full-bodied with pleasant long finish.
Wine maker’s notes: Ruby red color turning into bright garnet red; it has an intense and elegant perfume of ripe fruits, with spiced undertones and leather inklings. The taste is soft, encircling, balanced and warm without losing in acidity, with light tannins which offer a good persistence. Nebbiolo is a fickle grape famed as much for its pale appearance as for its tannic character and produces some of the most perfumed and richly flavored wines. Though generally only medium-bodied, the wines possess rose and anise scented aromatics and deep flavors of cherry, orange peel and subtle green herb tones.
Reviews: This Barolo delivers plums, prunes and a hint of white pepper. Will combine beautifully with the caramelisation on our perfectly cooked steaks and will also handle a creamy, peppercorn sauce.
Ratings: Wine Spectator gave 89 points out of 100 to the 2005.
Price: $39.99
NOTAS REGIONALES
Piedmont. – Piedmont, Italy’s westernmost region with borders on Switzerland and France, is hemmed in by the Alps and the Apennines.
The climate is rigid by Italian standards, with distinct changes of season. Winters are cold with plenty of snow. Summers are for the most part hot and dry. Spring and fall are temperate to cool with fog normal at harvest time. A majority of the region’s vineyards are located in the Langhe and Monferrato hills, which are connected to the Apennines in the southeast. But several wines of significance are also grown along the foothills of the Alps to the north between Lake Maggiore and Valle d’Aosta.
An overwhelming majority of Piedmont’s wines derives from native vines. Besides the noble Nebbiolo, source of Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara and Ghemme, which are all DOCG, Barbera ranks as the most popular vine for reds, followed by Dolcetto, which is enjoyed for its mellow, round flavors. Brachetto makes sweet, fragrant bubbly red that is DOCG as Brachetto d’Acqui. Freisa and Grignolino lead a host of local varieties in rounding out the honor roll of reds. Still, among classified wines, whites represent about a third of the volume. First comes Asti, whose DOCG applies to both sparkling Spumante and the softly bubbly Moscato d’Asti. With an average annual output of nearly 60 million liters, the Asti appellation ranks second in volume to Chianti among Italy’s classified wines. An established star is Gavi, a dry white made from the native Cortese grape and a recent addition to the DOCG list.
Tuscany. The Chianti region covers a vast area of Tuscany and includes within its boundaries several overlapping Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) regions. Other well known Sangiovese-based Tuscan wines such as Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano could be bottled and labeled under the most basic designation of “Chianti” if their producers chose to do so. Within the collective Chianti region more than 8 million cases of wines classified as DOC level or above are produced each year. Today, most Chianti falls under two major designations of Chianti DOCG, which includes basic level Chianti, as well as that from seven designated sub-zones, and Chianti Classico DOCG. Together, these two Chianti zones produce the largest volume of DOC/G wines in Italy.
Veneto. Veneto is a wine region in north-eastern Italy, one of a group of three highly productive Italian regions known collectively as the Venezie (after the ancient Venetian Republic) and the biggest DOC producer of the three. Although the Venezie collectively produce more red wine than white, the Veneto region produces more whites under DOC and is home to the famous Soave wines.
The region is protected from the harsh northern European climate by the Alps, the foothills of which form the Veneto’s northern extremes. These cooler climes are well-suited to white varieties like Garganega (the main grape for Soave wines)[1] while the warmer Adriatic coastal plains and river valleys are where the renowned Valpolicella, Amarone and Bardolino DOC reds are produced.
Sicily. Sicily has more vineyards than any of the other Italian regions competing with Apulia for first place as the largest wine producer. One of Europe’s oldest viticultural regions still offers some pleasant surprises. Sicily’s oenological history is an ancient one dating from the time when the island was part of Magna Graecia. One usually associates fine wines with eastern Sicily and the areas near Mount Etna, but many new wineries have sprung up across the island. Sicily’s hilly and mountainous terrain with poor soil, intense summers and low rainfall favor Mediterranean wine agriculture.
Many grapes are made into raisins, used in local cooking, and Sicilian grapes also play a large role in creating dessert wines, which require a higher concentration of grapes and are consumed in smaller quantities. In fact, in the world of international wine, Sicily is renowned for the many outstanding dessert wines, such as the world-famous Marsala.
Though dessert wines account for about 90% of the total DOC production, good reds and whites are produced all over the island by both large producers and the smaller estates. While some Sicilian winemakers produce well-known varietals like Merlot, Chardonnay and Sangiovese, others believe that the world is ready to be introduced to such indigenous varieties as Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Inzolia and Catarratto.
These are some of the main wines of Sicily
Marsala. Sicily’s most famous wine, Marsala, was first made in the city of that name on the western coast by the Woodhouse firm, which also sold Port. Like its sisters Port and Sherry, Marsala is a fortified wine with an alcohol content of around twenty percent. It is usually made from native Grillo, Catarratto, or Inzolia grapes.
For more than a century, Marsala was the equal of Sherry and Madeira. By the 1950s, however, it found itself relegated to the kitchen as cooking wine, and competition came from unorthodox quarters, with the introduction in the United States of a watery “California Marsala.” In 1986, the Italian Republic’s appellation laws for Marsala were revised to incorporate stricter regulations similar to those which the Portuguese government instituted for Port (a somewhat heavier wine), and Marsala is now resuming its place as a dessert and aperitif wine. Today’s Marsala is made in three different forms, namely oro (golden), ambra (amber), and rubino (ruby). There are both sweet and dry types, and various categories (of which we’ll mention just a few). “Fine” is aged for a minimum of one year, while “Superiore” is aged for a minimum of two years (some vintners age it for three years). “Superiore Riserva” (often simply “Riserva”) is a vintage wine aged in wood for four years, and sometimes as long as six. “Vergine” is aged in wood for a minimum of five years (some firms age it in small oak casks for as long as seven years). For cooking, there’s even a Marsala made with the addition of egg white (though you probably won’t notice this ingredient). Truth be told, there are dozens of kinds of Marsala wine, some unique to certain houses, each meeting particular standards. Some houses age it in oak casks from the 1860s, making your Marsala experience a piece of Sicilian history.
Zibibbo. Zibibbo is a grape variety that can be used to make anything from table wine to grappa. However, the Zibibbo made commercially by several houses is a strong wine similar to Marsala but fermented and then partially distilled naturally, without the addition of spirits. The process differs also in that Zibibbo is actually made from grapes partially fermented in the sun. It is a very old process, and Zibibbo, though not the direct precursor of Marsala, derives from a formula known in the Middle Ages. It is typically slightly lower in alcohol than Marsala (about fifteen percent compared to eighteen or twenty percent) and sometimes more robust. The Zibibbo grape is similar to Moscato, and the wine known as Moscato di Pantelleria Naturale is made mostly from Zibibbo grapes.
Moscato. It comes from the Muscat grape, of course, or from the sub-variety known locally as Moscatello, sometimes with the addition of Corinto or Zibibbo. Some fine whites can be made from Muscat, but in Sicily and the nearby islands it is usually rendered as a golden or light amber dessert wine, sometimes fortified or even sparkling (spumante). Moscato and Moscato Passito are made by some distinguished wineries on the islands of Pantelleria and Lipari. As its name implies, Moscato Passito contains Appassito grapes. The areas around Siracusa and Noto, in the eastern part of Sicily, also produce fine Moscato wines.
Malvasia. Malvasia is another white grape used to make a strong varietal that is golden to amber in color and slightly fortified. Bred from an older grape variety, Malvasia is grown in northeastern Sicily (near Messina) and on the island of Lipari, where it is used in the making of a wine somewhat similar to Moscato.
Varietal Wines. Chardonnay, the world’s ubiquitous varietal, is present in Sicily, but primarily from smaller vintners. In Sicily, as well as other parts of Italy, there’s also Chardonnay Grappa. Native varietals are also present in the regional market. Inzolia and Grecanico are pleasant whites. Cabernet Sauvignon is also popular, sold especially by better houses like Tasca (Regaleali). Pinot Bianco has been made in Sicily for some years. It has a flavor and texture similar to those of Chardonnay. Pinot Grigio is used to produce wines that are soft and fragrant, with more color than most other whites, but it’s not as popular among Sicilian vintners as Pinot Bianco. Trebbiano is not usually made into a varietal wine in Sicily, but this grape is used in certain wines. Frascati ranges from dry to sweet. It is not, strictly speaking, Sicilian, though these grapes are grown here.
Other Wines. Novello is Sicily’s nouveau vintage wine, sold annually just months after the grapes are harvested and pressed. It is usually red, robust and fruity. You’re not likely to find it outside Sicily. Sicilian vintners offer a range of vintage D.O. wines which are not varietals. Though Sicily is not famous for its sparkling wines, a few are made here. Castelmonte Frizzante, which is naturally effervescent, is similar to Spumante.
GN Ratings for this tasting
(Pending)
This tasting focus the main Producing Regions of Castilla y Leon that are Ribeira del Duero, Rueda, Toro and Cigales.
This area is prone to frost, freezing fog and high winds during the winter and spring and so growers elect to train the vines close to the ground. However, Rueda enjoys long hot summers, around 2,700 hours of sunlight and a low chance of drought.
la provincia de Zamora e incluye las areas conocidas como Tierra del Vino, Valle del Guarena, y Tierra del Toro. Hace frontera con las areas de Tierra del Pan, y Tierra de Campos. Hay 8000 hectareas plantadas con vinas de las cuales 5500 estan registradas en el Consejo Regulador de la DO.
Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) located in the country’s northern plateau and is one of eleven ‘quality wine’ regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León.[1] It is also one of several recognised wine-producing regions to be found along the course of the Duero river.
Videos: Castilla y León with focus on Vale del Duero
thrives even with a short growing season.
