Drinking Wisely and Well: Celebrating Southern Italy

SUMMER 2018

A publication of It’s A Winederful Life

Celebrating

Southern Italy • •

Tannat Wine Bar Bodegas Beronia

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

A Return to Southern R

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Roots

The warm sun ignites my skin – infusing me with light and life. I feel it envelop me; enlightening me.

We are here in Bari, a large, historic city on the eastern shore of Puglia; Italy’s heel. I sit in the hotel’s courtyard, surrounded by fruit trees – figs and oranges – and the bright bloom of bougainvillea. The breeze feels nice against my skin, as it blows my hair in a messy tangle.

This is a kind of paradise. The world I know is cloaked in darkness as friends and family are asleep at home in the U.S. Yet, here I am, basking in the beauty of the Italian landscape.

I have been to Puglia once before. My husband and I had arrived in Bari in May 2013, embarking on a brief foray into this land. We saw old port cities (Trani), white-washed walls (Ostuni), circular towns (Locorotondo) and octagonal castles (Castel del Monte), along with the conical stone roofs of trulli and, the golden cliffs of Polignano a Mare. It was a lovely journey filled with fragrance and fertile thoughts of adventure.

Now, I had returned five years later, ready to explore another side of Puglia – its more vinous version. Over the next week, I would be immersed in the region’s indigenous grape varieties and would tour several of its vineyards. I hoped to come away with an even richer view of this special place.

As members of the jury for Radici Sud (which loosely translates as Southern Roots), we were welcomed by its Director, Nicola Campanile, who underscored that this week would provide us with a better understanding, not only of Puglia, but of Southern Italy as a whole. Collectively, we would taste over 70 different grape varieties during the competition, in celebration of the area’s viticultural heritage. In fact, the south is home to more than 300 native varieties.

In Puglia, the sun shines frequently, rain is scarce, and the atmosphere is relaxed. My friend, Irene, characterized Puglia as “the Alabama of the south,” and I can feel the laid back, slower pace that is infused throughout our trip – visits feel more casual, tastings and their discussions meander from topic to topic; and dinners linger for hours into the night. As a journalist, the long days and nights are a bit exhausting when coupled with jet lag, but there is something to be said for having the time to slowly savor the wine, food and company.

Named by Wine Enthusiast as one of the '10 Best Wine Travel Destinations 2013,' Puglia has been riding a wave of success over the past five years as it has gar-

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

nered more attention from the American public, particularly wine consumers. While many are familiar with the wines of north and central Italy, those from the south have been less prominent on restaurant lists and shop shelves until more recently. Rather, for decades, these were wines that left the area in bulk, not in bottle (ironically destined to “improve� the wines from cooler climates, yet not considered to be sufficiently good in their own right).

However, in the 1980s, the winegrowers began to focus on quality wine production and tentatively gained momentum as they embraced their desire to produce good wine. With an emphasis on local grapes, these regions are rooted in tradition, but have taken on a modern sensibility with regard to winemaking as is evident in their approach to fermentation, use of oak and label design.

Today, while there is an unevenness in quality (as we discovered during the competition), it is clear that Puglia (and the rest of the south: Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Sardinia and Sicily) can produce distinctive wines that merit praise and are worth drinking.

Moreover, there is a diversity of wines and styles to suit a range of palates and price points and generally skew toward inexpensive options. Plus, these regions offer up wonderful holiday destinations permitting one to indulge in a relaxing getaway, anchored in great wine and food. ď‚–

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Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

WINNING WINES OF RADICI DEL SUD 2018 SPARKLING WHITES from INDIGENOUS GRAPES

GRILLO

Wine Writers Jury

Wine Writers Jury

First Place—Tie D'araprì Pas Dose, D'araprì Spumante Classico

First Place Grillo Parlante, 2017, Fondo Antico

Leggiadro 2014, Produttori Di Manduria Sca Second Place Donna Gislena Medici, Albea

Wine Buyers Jury First Place Rocce Di Pietra Longa, 2016, Centopassi

Wine Buyers Jury First Place D'araprì Pas Dose, D'araprì Spumante Classico

GRECO

Second Place Priyanka, 2017, Tenuta Le Querce

First Place Greco Di Tufo DOCG 2017, Fonzone

SPARKLING ROSES from INDIGENOUS GRAPES

Second Place—Tie Alba Chiara, 2017, Tenute Iacovazzo

Wine Writers Jury

Wine Writers Jury

Greco, 2017, Statti

First Place Centocamere Rose, 2016, Barone Macri'

Wine Buyers Jury

Second Place La Stipula Rose, 2013, Cantine Del Notaio

First Place Greco Di Tufo Claudio Quarta, 2016, Sanpaolo Di Claudio Quarta Vignaiolo

Wine Buyers Jury

Second Place Le Paglie, 2017, Battifarano

First Place Galetto, 2017, Colli Della Murgia Second Place Dovi Rose, 2015, Ferrocinto

MALVASIA

FALANGHINA

First Place Donna Johanna, 2017, Cantine Tre Pini

Wine Writers Jury First Place Elis, 2017, Elda Cantine Second Place Biancuzita, 2015, Torre A Oriente

Wine Writers Jury

Wine Buyers Jury First Place Verbo Malvasia, 2017, Cantina Di Venosa

FIANO Wine Buyers Jury

Wine Writers Jury

First Place Falanghina, 2017, San Salvatore 1988

First Place Clara, 2016, Giancarlo Ceci Vini

Second Place—Tie

Second Place Ruah Salento IGP, 2016, Santi Dimitri

Beneventano Falanghina, 2017, Sanpaolo Di Claudio Quarta Vignaiolo Costanza, 2015, Kandea

Wine Buyers Jury First Place Sequoia Irpinia Fiano DOC, 2016, Fonzone Second Place Gazza Ladra 2017, Santa Lucia

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Wine Writers Jury

Second Place Donna Clelia San Severo Nero Di Troia, 2014, Leonardo Pallotta

First Place Tufjano, 2017, Colli Della Murgia

Wine Buyers Jury

Wine Buyers Jury

First Place Augustale Castel Del Monte Nero Di Troia Riserva DOCG 2013, Grifo

MINUTOLO

First Place Minutolo Alture, 2016, Cantine Paolo Leo

MIXED WHITE WINES FROM INDIGENOUS GRAPES Wine Writers Jury First Place Civico 44, 2017, Tenuta Fontana

Second Place—Tie Rosso Cocevola, 2015, Agricola Marmo Lui, 2015, Albea

PRIMITIVO Wine Writers Jury

First Place Second Place Terre Rosse Di Giabbascio, 2016, Centopassi Nivvro, 2016, Cantina Fiorentino Wine Buyers Jury

Second Place Essentia Loci, 2015, Ognissole

First Place Adenzia Bianco, 2017, Baglio Del Cristo Di Campobello

Wine Buyers Jury

Second Place Eleanico Bianco, 2017, Tenuta Cobellis

ROSÉS OF INDIGENOUS GRAPES FROM SOUTH ITALY Wine Writers Jury First Place Terra Cretosa Aleatico, 2017, Borgo Turrito Second Place Marilina Rose', 2017, Cantine Spelonga

First Place Sellato, 2015, Tenuta Viglione Second Place Giunonico, 2014, Cantine Paolo Leo

AGLIANICO Wine Writers Jury First Place Vigna Dei Russi, 2013, Tenuta Cobellis Second Place 'U Barone, 2012, Torre A Oriente

Wine Buyers Jury First Place Faragola, 2017, Placido Volpone Second Place—Tie Posta Piana, 2017, Cantine Paradiso Terra Cretosa Aleatico, 2017, Borgo Turrito

Wine Buyers Jury First Place Massaro, 2015, Viticoltori Lenza Second Place Vigna Dei Russi, 2013, Tenuta Cobellis

NEGROAMARO NERO DI TROIA

Wine Writers Jury

Wine Writers Jury

First Place Campo Appio Negroamaro, 2016, Cantine San Pancrazio

First Place Augustale Castel Del Monte Nero Di Troia Riserva Docg, 2013, Grifo

Second Place Salice, 2015, Varvaglione 1921

Lorenza Scianna, Winemaker for Fondo Antico

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

TAURASI Wine Buyers Jury

Wine Writers Jury

First Place Negroamaro Salento IGP, 2015, Cantine San Marzano

First Place Taurasi Rosso, 2012, Sertura

Second Place—Tie Orfeo, 2015, Cantine Paolo Leo

Second Place Taurasi DOCG, 2012, Vigne Guadagno

Verve, 2015, Le Vigne Di Sammarco

MIXED RED WINES FROM INDIGENOUS GRAPES Wine Writers Jury

First Place Somiero, 2015, Le Vigne Di Sammarco Second Place Padula Di Lamie, 2014, Olimpia

Wine Buyers Jury First Place Scorzagalline Taurasi Riserva DOCG, 2011, Fonzone Second Place Taurasi Rosso, 2012, Sertura

VINI BIO

Wine Buyers Jury

Wine Writers Jury

First Place Lamezia, 2017, Statti

First Place Nivvro, 2016, Cantina Fiorentino

Second Place Somiero, 2015, Le Vigne Di Sammarco

Second Place Essentia Loci, 2015, Ognissole

NERO D’AVOLA Wine Writers Jury First Place Nero D'avola Magaddino, 2017, Magaddino Wine Buyers Jury First Place—Tie Alto Nero, 2015, Tenuta Rapitala' Lu Patri, 2015, Baglio Del Cristo Di Campobello

AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE Wine Writers Jury First Place Michelangelo Doc, 2013, Cantina Del Vulture Soc Coop Second Place La Bottaia, 2015, Casa Maschito Wine Buyers Jury First Place Aglianico del Vulture Quarta Generazione, 2013, Quarta Generazione Second Place Verbo, 2015, Cantina Di Venosa

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Third Place Fatalone Riserva, 2015, Fatalone Organic Wines Wine Buyers Jury First Place Sellato, 2015, Tenuta Viglione Second Place Rocce Di Pietra Longa, 2016, Centopassi Third Place Fatalone Riserva, 2015, Fatalone Organic Wines

Juries of Radici del Sud 2018

International Importers and Wine Buyers:

Journalists and Influencers:

Group 1 Pasquale Porcelli – JURY PRESIDENT Allard Ariszetal Bo Mao Chao Li Fernando Zamboni Mehmet Adanir Ole Udsen Paulo De Almeida

Group 1 Betty Mezzina – JURY PRESIDENT Charine Tan David Ransom Davide Bortone Giovanna Moldenhauer Matthew Horkey Rebecca Marphy Fiorella Paradiso Group 2 Chiara Giorleo – JURY PRESIDENT Antonio Cimmino Cathy Van Zyl Fabien Laine Susan Gordon Tracy Ellen Kamens Valentina Vercelli Luigi Sanarica

Group 2 Andrea Terraneo – JURY PRESIDENT David Sparrow Ji Feibing Yi Zhong Luigi Pucciano Mariusz Majka Michael Wising Nicola Toto

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

W

Giancarlo Barbieri

e kicked off the week-long event with an introduction to Giancarlo Barbieri and Sertura, his small winery in Avellino, located near Vesuvius, in the Campania region.

Sertura is a relatively new venture for Giancarlo, who initially trained as an agronomist; he first began producing wine in 2008 for family and friends but didn’t create his first official vintage until 2013. He currently owns four hectares of vineyards within three DOCG areas (Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Taurasi), producing 20,000 bottles of wine annually. Among his commitment to quality, Giancarlo’s practice has been to release his wines a full year after the harvest, giving them time to develop in bottle.

Our evening focused on the Greco di Tufo denomination, which is comprised of eight villages. Within the demarcated area, there are three distinct subzones, resulting in differences in floral and fruity character among the wines. Moreover, the Greco grape is planted on tufo (limestone) soils, which impart a dark, bitter, savory, minerality to the wines.

And, while this is southern Italy, we were reminded that the climate is, in fact, more similar to that of the north given the cool temperatures as a result of the high altitudes.

As a wine, Greco evolves with age and actually needs the time to show its true potential. With this passage of time, the acidity loses its edginess, but the wine becomes richer, rounder and more complex. To illustrate the evolution of this wine, we were presented with a vertical tasting of Sertura’s Greco di Tufo.

We started with a tank sample of the 2017, which had been a hot vintage, then moved on to the 2016, which was a cooler and wetter year. The 2015, another hot year, was followed by the 2014, again a difficult and rainy season, before we turned our attention to the 2013. As a treat, we were given the 2009, which was essentially a garage wine, dating to Giancarlo’s pre-professional stage.

With each wine, we were able to see how the wines picked up concentration, with minerality, smokiness and tobacco despite being aged solely in stainless steel. The 2013 was my favorite glass with complexity, bright acidity, lovely citrus, honey, smoke and minerality, culminating in long length. Of note, the 2009 was still relatively fresh, with rich, ripe fruit and a delicious savory character that lingered in the long finish. All in all, the exercise underscored the beauty of these wines as well as their keen ability to improve with time. 

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Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

T rulli Madly Deeply

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The village of Alberobello is a treasuretrove of trulli, the conical shaped stone houses from yesteryear. While there are several theories about these structures, one of them focuses on the avoidance of taxes since these “homes” were temporary and could be dismantled at a moment’s notice (before the tax assessors arrived on the scene). Today, many of them have been reclaimed and renovated as beautiful homes and several companies and hotels offer guests the opportunity to stay overnight as we did during our visit.

Trulli Holiday Resort Further south, near Gallipoli, Simonetta welcomed us to Tenuta Doxi with open arms and an open heart. Originally from Rome, Simonetta spent numerous vacations in Gallipoli over the past decade, escaping the hustle and bustle of the city living. But, yearning for a better quality of life, she quit her job and moved to Puglia two years ago. Now, she serves as Manager of Tenuta Doxi, a beautiful bed and breakfast situated only 5 kilometers from the Ionian Sea. 

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

Claudio Quarta and Alessandr and his Daughter Engineer the A biologist by training, with a Ph.D. in genetics, Claudio Quarta built a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry. His biotech company was listed on the stock exchange and eventually merged with a San Francisco-based company, necessitating a move to the United States in 2003. Interestingly, it was while he was living in suburban Philadelphia that he discovered his passion for wine. With access to wines from all over the world, Claudio was able to taste dozens of wines from top producers. However, while he enjoyed many of the wines he tasted, he also found that there was a similarity to many of them as a result of the use of winemaking technology.

Claudio Quarta 14

This new-found passion prompted him to return to Italy in 2005 and, more specifically, to his home region of Puglia, to pursue a career making wine. His intention was to focus on territory and culture and on limited manipulation in the winery.

After scouting the region, he found the perfect property within the Primitivo di Manduria denomination on which to grow grapes – with its breeze from the sea to mitigate the heat and its limestone soils covered with sand and clay.

Firmly rooted in an allegiance to the land, Claudio chose to focus on local varieties, Negroamaro and Primitivo, which he planted in 2007.

Named for the goddess of the day, Emera, the 180-acre estate presently has 106 of them planted to vines. An old masseria on the property, which dates to ~1600s, will be reclaimed as a winery and wine resort over time. In the meantime, he will install refrigeration to use the structure for winemaking.

However, Claudio was not content with this initial venture, since he also loves white wines, but didn’t feel that Puglia was the right place for such a production. Accordingly, he purchased 25 hectares of property in Campania to make these and other wines, establishing Cantina sanpaolo, near Tufo. This winery is also responsible for the portfolio’s Charmat-method sparkling wines: Jacadran-

Alessandra Quarta

ra Quarta: The Geneticist Future of Grapes and Wine do Blanc de Blancs (made from Falanghina grapes) and Jacarando Rose (produced with Aglianico).

side by side with her father and, while A final piece of the puzzle was added in Claudio is the guise of a third winery, Moros still active (Emera’s brother). This tiny vineyard in the day and cellar is situated within the Salento to day acSalice Riserva denomination and protivities of duces only 6,000 bottles annually. The the compa30+-year old vineyard was restored in ny, Ales2012 and the original winery has been sandra has put back into use. begun to pursue her own projects as well; specifically, the These three wineries produce just unQu.Ale wine is her responsibility. der 1 million bottles total. While there This red wine is bottled in lightis some room for growth, Claudio weight glass with 100% recycled doesn’t want to get too large because he or recyclable materials, with a feels that overexpansion would negapercentage of profits benefiting a tively impact quality. pink flamingo natural reserve.

Claudio’s daughter, Alessandra, was particularly pleased with her father’s career change as it has opened up a new career path for her as well. She works

Beyond winemaking, Claudio’s roots in genetics have provoked him to take part in an important research and development project in conjunction with the University of Milan, along with fellow wine producers Banfi, Lungarotti, Ferrari and others. The focus of this project is on

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

planting and tracking rootstocks and vine grafts in an effort to determine which have resistance to drought and salinity and may prove to be the best options as the climate continues to change. In addition to this project, the Emera estate is also home to a biodiversity collection, which was created in an effort to preserve and enhance the diversity of grape varieties in the world, a project also being undertaken in connection with the University of Milan. ď‚–

TASTING NOTES Falanghina 2017, IGP Beneventano Falanghina, Campania, Italy From grapes sourced from a property near Benevento, they have been producing this wine for 11 years. It is rich and round on the palate with medium acidity, full body, flavors of pear, mineral, waxiness and straw, culminating in long length.

Amure (Love) 2017, IGP Puglia Bianco, Puglia, Italy A blend of Fiano and Incroce Manzoni, this wine offers up fresh, floral aromas; it is dry but with ripe concentrated fruit and long length.

Greco di Tufo 2016, Greco di Tufo DOCG, Campania, Italy Showing beautiful complexity with waxy, mineral and savory characteristics, it is rich, round and full-bodied, with long length.

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Moros Salice Salento Riserva 2013, Salice Salento Riserva DOC, Puglia, Italy A savory, herbal red, it is dry with ripe red and black fruit, spice, firm tannins, and long length.

Anima di Primitivo 2016, Primitivo di Manduria DOC, Puglia, Italy Intense aromas of blueberry and plum greet the nose, with similar juicy, ripe fruit on the palate, culminating in long length.

Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

:

Doni Coppi 18

Although Primitivo is not the most well-known grape variety, many Americans may be more familiar with its cousin, Zinfandel. Both grapes can trace their lineage to a Croatian grape called Crljenak (no, I don’t know how to pronounce it either).

By 1000 CE, the Greeks had brought this grape to Puglia. Once arrived, it was carefully cultivated by the priests of Gioia di Colle, where it was given its name from the Latin word primus since it was the first variety to be harvested due to its early maturation.

From the small area of Gioia del Colle, Primitivo then spread to other areas within the Salento peninsula, namely Manduria, where it was able to flourish more quickly due to the flatter landscape and warmer climate. However, compared to Primitivo from Manduria, wines from Gioia del Colle are generally more acidic and more age worthy, as a result of the cooler climate and calcareous soils. Today, Primitivo continues to increase in plantings and is now the 9th most planted grape in Italy.

At a total area of 220 acres, the Gioia del Colle (joy of the hill) denomination is relatively tiny. Within the regulations, red wines must be produced either primarily with Primitivo (for the Rosso di Gioia, it is 50-60%) or entirely Primitivo (for Primitivo di Gioia and Primitivo di Gioia Riserva wines). Also grown in the area are Trebbiano for whites and Aleatico for sweet wines.

Firmly situated within the boundaries of Gioia del Colle is Cantina Coppi. While Coppi was originally established in 1882, the current iteration of this family-owned winery dates to 1979. During the 1960s, enologist Antonio Coppi first worked in the cellars of the estate, eventually buying the property when the previous owners

Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

were ready to sell. He also gained experience in Tuscany and Umbria before coming to Puglia. His son Donny is now actively involved in the business with him.

Coppi produces a variety of wines, including five Primitivo wines. The “jewel” in Coppi’s Primitivo crown is its Vanitoso Primitivo Gioia del Colle, which took a top prize at Vinitaly in 2006. Its other Primitivo di Gioia del Colle is Senatore, the fruit for which is hand harvested and then fermented on the skins for 10 days. Bearing a topographical map of the vineyards on its label, Senatore and its vineyards are 28 years old. During a visit to the estate, we tasted several vintages of this wine.

While we did not have a chance to taste it, Coppi also produces Cantonovo, an organic Primitivo wine, and the Don Antonio Primitivo IGP Puglia, produced from old vines, which we did sample.  TASTING NOTES Coppi Senatore Primitivo Gioia del Colle 2011, Puglia, Italy The youngest vintage we tasted, the 2011 showed good refinement in oak, with a concentrated nose of cherries and smoke. On the palate, it was dry, with bright cherry, medium acidity, full body, firm ripe tannins, cherries and long length.

Coppi Senatore Primitivo Gioia del Colle 2010, Puglia, Italy From a hot and wet harvest, this wine was redolent of cherries and cocoa, with intense and concentrated flavors on both the nose and palate.

Coppi Senatore Primitivo Gioia del Colle 2008, Puglia, Italy Rich and intense, this wine offered up notes of cherries and slight oak. It was still youthful, with bright acidity and long length.

Coppi Senatore Primitivo Gioia del Colle, Puglia, Italy Even at 17 years of age, this wine is still young, with intense berry and cherry aromas, coupled with a hint of oak, before culminating in long length.

NB: They did not make the Senatore in 2012 due to challenging vintage conditions.

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Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

’ Puglia s

Native and Nuance

Native to Puglia, Negroamaro is a distinctive red grape variety whose name is translated as either “black, bitter” or “black, black”. Once a workhorse grape, producers are now spending time to get to know this variety in all of its facets and are finding it to be rather flexible in the range of styles of wine it can produce. In this regard, we had the opportunity to taste Negroamaro in both still and sparkling styles as well as in white, rosato (rose) and red versions.

Most closely aligned with Puglia’s Salento peninsula, there are several DOPs devoted to Negroamaro, such as Brindisi, Copertino, Salice Salentino, Negroamaro di Terra d'Otranto and Alezio. Underscoring the grape’s history in the area, Copertino’s vinous legacy has long been linked with Negroamaro dating to the early 1500s, although the DOP as we know it today was established in 1976 and has five producers operating within it.

And, although the grape can be a good base for blending, producers are now focused on crafting single variety wines with long aging potential.

Further, there seems to be some debate about the grape. At one winery they indicated that they now understand and acknowledge that Negroamaro has an oxidative note that is no longer considered a flaw. Yet, at another, Overall, Negroamaro gives deeply colored wines with red we tasted older wines that did not have any hint of oxidafruit, prunes, tobacco and coffee aromas and flavors, as well tion. Such knowledge will become clearer with experience as a slight, yet welcome, bitterness to them. The wines are and time. well structured, with firm, ripe tannins, but with a lightness and elegance. Additionally, with their bright acidity and While the majority of Negroamaro is produced as either red medium body, these are red wines that can easily pair with or rose (it is a red-skinned grape, after all), some winemakfish, which is useful in a region with water on three sides. ers are getting crafty with it. In 2004, Coppola winery was

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ed Grape: Negroamaro the first to produce a white wine from Negroamaro called Rocci. Their goal was to make a white wine with indigenous varieties, consequently eschewing any maceration time and only doing direct press during the wine’s production. With a similar aim in protecting local grapes in pursuit of a white wine, Duca Carlo Guarini made their own white Negroamaro in 2012.

Carlo Guarini

The Guarini family’s dedication to this variety is further evidenced in their choice in making sparkling wines from this grape. In fact, they make both a bianco and a rosato, with the grapes for these wines harvested much earlier than the Negroamaro grown for their still reds.

Similarly, at Coppi, they are making a 100% Negroamaro Metodo Charmat sparkler, Bollicinecheri, and Core, a traditional style Apulian rose.

More traditionally, Negroamaro is used to make red wines. In particular, Negroamaro is grown within the Alezio DOP, which was established in 1983.

These wines may be produced with 100% Negroamaro or, if blending, Negroamaro must make up a minimum of 85%, with the balance comprised of Malvasia Nera and/or up to 5% of Montepulciano and/or Sangiovese.

Here, Negroamaro takes on its own specific characteristics thanks to the climate and soils. The altitude helps to mitigate the heat, while the mixed soils, comprised of clay, sand, limestone and iron (hence its red color) impart a sapidity and salinity to the wines.

The DOP encompasses three wines: rosato (38%), Rosso (68%) and

Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

Riserva (6%), which must undergo two years of aging in big barrels and comprises four villages. Presently, Coppola is the only winery to produce this wine.

And, you can just as easily finish your meal with Negroamaro. Coppola makes a passito (dried grape) Negroamaro and Primitivo dessert wine called Tafuri while Garafano produces a late harvest version.

As in other up and coming areas, producers will likely continue to experiment and better understand this variety in time. But, for now, it is clear that this is a grape with great potential. ď‚–

As we were advised, during periods of little to no rain, the Negroamaro vines are forced to go deep into the soil in search of water. As a result, these deeply rooted plants produce wines of great concentration and intensity. Similarly, many of the winemaking families in the region have deep roots connecting them to the community and to the land. Two such families are the Guarini’s and the Coppola’s, both of which have lengthy histories tying them to Puglia and providing a solid foundation on which to build a new winemaking legacy.

Duca Carlo Guarini Boasting deep ties to the region is the Guarini family, which has been in the region since 1065, when Norman knight, Ruggero Guarini arrived during the Norman conquest of the south. Since then, the family has been actively farming in the area, amassing several estates in the countryside dedicated to organic agriculture, include wine, olive oil and vegetables.

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Among the Guarini’s holdings is a 19th century building that houses their winery. Adjacent to this is the cellar itself, which dates to the 16th century and is the site of an old olive mill. Offsite, the family also owns the Palazzo Ducale of Scorrano, which was originally built as an ancient fortification. The castle and a ducal title was purchased in 1686 by the Frisari family and, in 1894, Donna Teresa Frisari brought the title and mansion to the Guarini family when she married Don Carlo Guarini, Duke of Poggiardo. Today, Giovanni Guarini runs the family business along with his brother, Fabrizio, and his sisters, Anna and Ianuaria.

Like other Apulian wineries, Guarini shifted from bulk production to quality bottling during the 1970s, yet the family has been making wine for over a century; the family library includes wines dating to 1845. They presently have 70 hectares of vineyards, 200 meters from the sea, located between Lecce and Brindisi. Their vineyards are primarily focused on indigenous varieties such as Negroamaro, Primitivo and Malvasia Nera. The close proximity to the peninsula’s eastern coast is positively influenced by the refreshing north wind (whereas the west coast is influenced by the southern, warmer winds), producing fresher, more mineral wines. To further preserve freshness, they harvest their grapes at night.

Once the grapes are harvested, they primarily use stainless steel for aging their wines in an effort to focus on the grape’s flavor, but if they do choose to use wood, they

Guiseppe Coppola

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

the walls of the town’s Cathedral, dedicated to St. Agatha.

However, the majority of his works were donated to, along with the creation of, a museum in the center of Gallipoli by the Coppola family, with the intention of sharing them with the people of the community and providing them with a venue in which to host cultural events.

Given the family’s long tenure in the region, they have their hand in many businesses aside from wine. In particular, they founded Camping La Vecchia Torre, later joined by Camping La Masseria, both tourist complexes that were among the first of their kind in the region. Combining tourism and agriculture, Cantina Coppola was built within the campgrounds, with a brand-new winery building opened in June 2018. A small vineyard planted adjacent to the new structure is in the shape of the letter “C” for the family’s initial. The former winery now houses an upscale restaurant, 14/89 Food Pop Restaurant. Additionally, the family also owns two bed and breakfast facilities: Tenuta Doxi and Le Cuti.

The Coppola’s more modern foray into wine was established

by Niccolo Coppola in the 1920s and was further cemented when Niccolo’s son, Carlo Antonio, received his enology degree in 1947. Today, Cantina Coppola 1489 is run by Giuseppe and his son Niccolo, with an annual production of 100,000 bottles. only use older wood, employing a combination of American and French oak.

We tasted a vertical of the Li Cuti Rosso Alezio DOC from 2008 through 2015 (with the exception of 2009 and 2014).

Duca Carlo Guarini’s portfolio includes two Charmat method The wines generally displayed aromas and flavors of red sparklers – a white and a rose, that they launched three years fruits, dried herbs and a hint of savory bitterness, along with ago. My preference was for the bianco, Piccolobolle Extra Dry, bright acidity, medium body and ripe tannins. Of note, the but both were well made wines. In addition, their Negroama- 2008 was quite fresh for a 10-year old wine and showed some nice development on the nose and palate. ro Nativo IGP Salento Rosso 2015 Organic Certified was among my favorites.

The 2010, which was a cooler vintage, offered up beautiful

Coppola Although the Coppola family originally hails from Sicily, they have been scions of the Gallipoli community since the 15 th century. It was in 1489 that Orsino Coppola married Laura Cuti, whose dowry included an 8-hectare estate in Sannicola.

The Li Cuti estate has remained within the family for 15 generations and is the site of the present-day winery and vineyards, which was enlarged by the purchase of Santo Stefano in 1927 (15 hectares) and Patitari in 1938 (50 hectares).

Among the family’s ancestors is Giovanni Andrea Coppola, who was not only a respected doctor, but also an accomplished painter, during the 17th century. His paintings of people really capture the beauty of the physical form since, as a medical professional, he understood how to accurately portray the human body. Several of Giovanni’s paintings adorn 26

complexity displaying red fruit, a slight oxidative note, balsamic, spice, minerality and dried herbs that lingered throughout the finish.

I also really liked the ripe and fresh character of the 2015, which was redolent of flowers, cherries and herbs. 

Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

t’s no secret that rose is here to stay. Over the past ten years, rose sales in the U.S. have really taken off, a trend that continues today, with much of that momentum credited to Chateau D’Esclans who pushed the category hard. And far from this trend being over, many believe that the rose category still has a strong future ahead.

However, while Provence has become the default destination for rose wine of late, it is certainly not the only proponent of high quality pinks. In fact, Puglia has long been a producer of rose and, during our visit to Puglia, we had the opportunity to taste through a wide selection of these wines. And, although the majority are produced from the indigenous Negroamaro grape, we tasted numerous roses made from a wealth of different grapes such as Bombino Nero and Primitivo among others. More importantly, regardless of variety chosen, the tradition in the region has been to produce deeply colored wines with structure and concentrated fruit character.

Among those tasted throughout the week, I really enjoyed the Coppola Li Cuti Alezio Rosato 2016, Duca Carlo Guarini Negroamaro Campo di Mare 2017, Tenuta Viglione Rosato Primitivo 2017 and Placido Volpone Rosato 2017, a blend of Sangiovese and Aglianico.

Renata Garofano

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Yet, with the strong commercial success of Provençal rose, it is not surprising that some producers are

trying their hand at emulating these delicate wines with their much paler hues. For example, at Claudio Quarta, the emphasis is on a Negroamaro rose, but in a much lighter style.

Claudio explains that his philosophy is to make more of a white wine than a red wine.

In this way, he blends tradition with the use of a local grape and innovation in his method, giving the wine only very brief skin contact. The result is the Emera Rose Negroamaro 2017 IGP Puglia, with slight peach and floral aromas, herbal, berries, good acidity and long length. I saw similar approaches being taken by Cantina San Marzano and Ognissole.

While these more modern interpretations certainly work, I much preferred the deeper shade of pinks with their more robust fruit flavor, giving them a unique style that has been a hallmark of Puglia for many years and one that I hope will continue. 

Among those actively engaged in pushing a quality wine agenda for many years is the Garofano family, first with Severino Garofano and now, the baton has been handed to his children, Stefano and Renata. As part of their promotion of the region and its heritage, they are big proponents of Negroamaro, producing four separate wines (Le Braci, Grifle, Eloquenzia and Simpotica) with this variety.

But, interestingly, it is their Girofle rose that they have marked as their flagship wine, named for the family’s surname, as well as the word’s English (carnation) and French (clove) translations.

First made in 2005, this wine is produced exclusively from Negroamaro grapes that have been grown and harvested with the explicit intention of making a rose wine, carefully picked to preserve freshness and aromas. Within the winery, only the free-run juice is used, which then undergoes 20 hours of skin contact, yielding a beautiful shade of deep pink. As possible proof of their dedication and commitment to this wine, Renata wore pink/peach pants for the tasting.

In their youth, these wines typically give nicely structured wines with aromas and flavors of berries and melon, along with spice and salinity. However, as the vertical tasting demonstrated during our visit, Girofle rose has the ability to age, evolving from fruit aromas towards those of Mediterranean herbs, rosemary, myrtle and minerality, while maintaining their structure and freshness. Our tasting of vintages 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2011 underscored the aging potential of these wines. While the 2017 and 2016 admittedly had more fruit and freshness due to their youth, my favorite was the 2013, for its depth, development and complexity. 

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

Cantina San Marzano: Great Grapes, Not Tomatoes

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We arrived at Al Pescatore in Bari and were immediately astounded by the sight of all of the fresh fish proudly displayed in the entry of the restaurant. After a lengthy photo shoot, we progressed from the entry into the dining room, where there seemed to be some confusion. The host didn’t have Radici Sud or Nicola’s name on the reservation list. But, eventually, we said the magic words “San Marzano” and were instantly whisked away to the back room, which was fully set and awaiting our arrival.

As we eagerly awaited the bounty of fish that was to come, we hoped that we might also taste the famed San Marzano tomatoes, only to discover that they come, not from Puglia, but from Campania.

Soon Mauro di Maggio, San Marzano’s Managing Director, appeared, along with his colleagues, and we were welcomed to lunch with a glass of their Tra Mare Rose as Mauro provided us with a brief history of Cantina San Marzano.

Founded in 1962, Cantina San Marzano is situated in the central part of Puglia within the Primitivo di Manduria DOP. As Mauro reminded us, it is the Salento peninsula that is most important to

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

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quality wine production in the region. San Marzano’s property is home to poor soils with lots of iron and calcareous rock underneath the top soil. The winery has been at the forefront of the renaissance of Apulian wines for the past twenty-plus years, initially focused on Primitivo bush vines. And, while Mauro is proud of what they have accomplished thus far, he feels that the best wines are yet to come.

San Marzano takes a fresh, modern approach with their rose, producing a wine with a lighter structure and color than the traditional Apulian roses. As part of their innovation, they have chosen to use Primitivo instead of Negroamaro and limit skin contact, before proceeding with a white wine fermentation. The selected grapes come from younger vines since they don’t want the same concertation for the rose as they do for their red wines. It showed aromas and flavors of strawberry, peach, flowers and a hint of salinity.

Moving on from the Tra Mare, we tasted three vintages of the EDDA LEI Bianco Salento IGP white, the name of which translates as “she” in the Apulian dialect and both commemorates the birth of Mauro’s daughter and celebrates women, in general. Mauro underscored the need to think about viticulture when producing white wines. In particular, they have planted their white varieties on yellow/clay soils. For the Edda, they change the blend annually, and have gradually increased their reliance on indigenous varieties over time.

The first Edda was comprised of 80% Chardonnay, but now, in its fourth vintage, the percentage of Chardonnay has been reduced to 60% with the balance devoted to local grapes such as Moscatello Selvatico, Fiano, Minutolo and Passulara.

I was extremely impressed with the Edda, with its richness, complexity and savory profile. Of the three, my favorite was the 2017, which offered up minerality, wax, smoke and floral notes on the nose and dry palate, joined by beautiful acidity.

The 2016 was a bit fresher with more pear and peach notes, while the 2015 had more overt spice and oak notes.

From there, we turned our attention to their Primitivo, Sentanni, produced from grapes from a 60 year-old vineyard and which has been a benchmark in the industry thanks to its combination of traditional richness and modern freshness.

We concluded our delicious meal with Filari, a Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale DOCG dessert wine, for which the grapes are harvested in October. 

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

A BRIEF GUIDE TO SOUTHERN ITAL

A

Aglianico – A red variety hailing from both Campania and Basilicata, it has historically been the most important grape in Southern Italy. It yields wines with black pepper and dark cherry, firm/ good tannins, but also high/good acidity and medium body.

It thrives in the volcanic soils of Taurasi and Vulture.

Taurasi (Campania): aged 4 years, very powerful wines Aglianico del Vulture (Basilicata): smoother, can drink earlier Aleatico – One of the most ancient varieties, Aleatico is genetically linked with the Muscat variety. It is not clear if Aleatico is native to Puglia or if it was brought to Italy by the Greeks. It is most often produced as a dessert style wine.

Asprinio – This white from Campania is highly acidic and often used for sparkling wines.

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B C

Bombino Nero – A red variety associated with Puglia, Basilicata and Lazio. It produces elegant, fruity roses.

Caprettone is a Campanian white that thrives in volcanic soils and is used in the blend for Lacryma Christi bianco wines.

Cattarato – This is the most widely planted white variety of Sicily; its DNA is linked to Soave’s Garganega grape.

Coda di Volpe – A white grape from Campania, yielding medium bodied, fruit-forward wines that can be aged.

LY’S GREAT GRAPES FROM A TO Z

F

Falanghina – This Campanian white variety produces wines with citrus, apple, pear, herbal and minerality notes. It is generally unoaked.

Fiano – Primarily grown in Campania, this white is also found on Sicily. It produces age-worthy whites with floral, honey, spice and nuttiness.

G

Gaglioppo – Probably the most known of Calabrian grapes, this red produces dry, very tannic wines. It is similar to Nebbiolo in color, structure, tannin and aging potential.

Greco – A white variety of Greek origin (hence its name), most known in its guise as Greco di Tufo in Campania, where it is known for aromatic wines with peach and herbal notes.

Grillo – A Sicilian white producing wines with fruity, white melon flavors with good complexity and richness.

M

Magliocco – A red variety from Calabria, this grape thrives in the mountains of the region and produces wines that are lighter in body with ripe red fruit and bright acidity.

Malvasia Nera – This Apulian red grape is aromatic and often used as a blending partner. On its own, it offers up plum, floral and chocolate aromas.

Perricone – This Sicilian red is slowly reclaiming its heritage, producing wines with high acidity, red berries, earth and herbs, along with firm tannins.

Piedirosso – A Campanian grape yielding light and fruity reds.

Primitivo – This Apulian red produces reds with ripe bramble fruit and some residual sugar. Those from the southern areas are richer while those from the north are more elegant.

S U Z

Susumaniello – This old Apulian variety is becoming fashionable again, producing very delicate roses and more intense reds. It is potentially related to Sangiovese.

Uva di Troia – A red variety grown in Puglia, which yield wines with good structure and tannins.

Zibibbo – A Sicilian synonym for Muscat of Alexandria.

Minutolo – This nearly extinct derivative/relative of Moscato is being rediscovered and displays pronounced notes of floral and honey.

N

Negroamaro – from Puglia, this grape produces wines with dark fruits, good body, bright acidity and ripe tannins, primarily as reds or as deepcolored roses.

Nerello Mascalese – From Sicily, these wines never have deep color, but the grape gives structure and aging.

Nero d’Avola – Also from Sicily, it produces a range of styles with intense color, concentrated fruit and sea aromas.

P

allagrello – This emerging grape from Campania, comes in both red and white varieties. It is rich in structure, lacking in acid.

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

About a week after the formal Radici Sud judging is completed, a fun and festive celebration is held to provide consumers with the opportunity to taste these wines, enjoy great food prepared by local chefs and present awards to the winning wines. During the walk-around tasting, I had the great pleasure of meeting these producers and tasting through their portfolios.

Cantine del Vulture, Basilicata This co-operative, with over 400 growermembers, has been making wine since 1954.

They primarily produce Aglianico del Vulture, but also make other IGP wines in the region of Basilicata. I tasted through three of their Aglianico del Vulture wines: Carteggio 2014, Michaelangelo 2013 and Rivonero Riserva 2011.

My preference was for the Michaelangelo, which was showing beautifully now, but could still age for a long time. The Rivonero was too young and, while the base wine was nice, the Michaelangelo had more complexity and concentration.

Viticoltori Lenza, Campania Established in 2013, this family-run winery is headed by Valentino and son, Guido. Wife Ida lends support, but is not involved in the day to day winemaking activities. Their 6 hectare vineyard is situated at the base of the Picentini Mountains, east of the Amalfi Coast. Since 2017, all of the wines have been produced without the additional of sulfur dioxide and a conversion to organic viticulture is underway. Their Gabry Rosato Frizzante Pet-Net (named for daughter Gabriella) was intriguing, lovely and fresh.

L’Archetipo, Puglia This organic and biodynamic producer makes a number of skin-contact wines. At the helm of the winery is agronomist (and son of a winemaker), Francesco Valentino Dibenedetto. He is joined in his endeavors by his wife and her four children, making it a true family affair. The estate was 36

Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

converted to organic viticulture during the 1980s, but the family adopted a biodynamic approach in 2000 as a further way to repair the land. It was in 2008 that the winery was founded as an artisanal producer, focused on crafting archetypal wines. I absolutely adored their wines, especially the Greco Bianco 2015 sparkler, Niuru Maru 2015 Negroamaro and Verdeca Sette Lune 2015, a wine which undergoes skin contact for 7 cycles of the moon (~200 days).

Enologo per Amore, Puglia Giovanni Aiello grew up in Puglia and was inspired to make wine by his father. He initially studied viticulture in Conegliano and also worked in California and Australia before returning to Puglia to make wine on land he rents from his aunt and uncle. As his winery name implies, wine is a labor of love for Giovanni and he applies this approach to each step, including hand-stenciling his polka-dot festooned wine labels. His Chakra Blue 2016 is an unusal sparkling

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of Primitivo and Aleatico) and Marpione 2013, a single vineyard Primitivo Riserva produced from 80-year-old bush vines.

Placido Volpone, Puglia The Placido Volpone winery brings together two families and long-time friends, reunited in their passion for wine: Michele Placido and Domenico Volpone. They make both single variety wines (as designated by black wine labels) and blends (indicated by white-colored wine labels), making it easy to distinguish. While they grow traditional grape varieties, they also focus on Sangiovese, which is more closely associated with central Italy. Most notable, the Apulian winery was the first to have a blockchain-certified wine with its Falanghina.

While I don’t pretend to fully understand what this means, this certification essentially provides transparency and verified data about the entire wine production process relating to that wine. I was particularly fond of their Nero di Troia 2016.

Centopassi, Sicily The Sicilian winery of Centopassi has an unusual history in that it is run by several co-operatives that grow grapes on land seized from the Sicilian mafia and is part of Libera Terra, an organization that works to rehabilitate assets taken from wine made from Verdeca in the Col Fondo (lees contact) style, various mafia groups. The vineyards of Centopassi (One Hunwith good minerality, depth and freshness. dred Steps) are comprised of 93 hectares distributed throughout northwest Sicily – including Palermo, Trapani and Ognissole, Puglia Agrigento. It also The Demeter-certified winery of Ognissole draws its serves as the Siciliname from a poem by Leonida di Taranto (third Century an branch of the B.C.E.) that favorably describes the local landscape and its Simonit & Sirch long days of sunshine. The winery is a newer project from Italian Pruning Feudi di San Gregorio, and actually brings two vineyards toSchool. I really engether – the biodynamically farmed Tenuta Cefalicchio, locat- joyed their wines, ed near Castel del Monte, and an organic estate devoted to with a particular Primitivo, about 100 km South, on the Gioia del Colle plateau. fondness for their I especially enjoyed their Ponteleane Rose 2017, which sees Cimento di Peronly one hour of skin contact and spends time in amfora. It ricone 2015. offers up a nice grip on the palate, along with notes of strawberry and peach, bright acidity and long length.

Fondo Antico, Sicily Tenuta Viglione, Puglia Situated near TraThis family business, which dates to 1937, is presently in the pani, Fondo Antico hands of Giovanni Zullo, a member of the third generation. is home to 80 hectares of vines. I enThe certified organic estate is situated within the Gioia del joyed meeting their Colle zone, currently home to 80 hectares of vineyards, with the goal of expanding to 100 hectares by the year 2020. I was winemaker, Lorenza Scianna, who immediately struck by the striking labels, but was equally has been with the impressed with what was in the bottle; these are great wines! winery for 12 My favorites included their Negroamaro 2016, Johe (a blend years. The winery

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

was established in 1995 by the Polizzotti-Scuderi family. I tasted through a selection of their wines and was impressed with the quality, especially with their skin contact Grillo wine, Il Coro 2016; it definitely stole my heart! Of interest, their Grillo Parlante 2017 won the Radici Sud award for best Grillo.

Azienda Agricola Fausta Mansio, Sicily Azienda Agricola Fausta Mansio is a family farm, currently run by Olaf Consiglio, situated near Siracusa Sicily’s western coast. Of the property’s 14 hectares, half of them are planted to grapes and another 4 are given over to olive trees. Among unusual finds is their Mosca Bianca 2017, a blend of Moscato and beer. Moreover, the family has been a big proponent in preserving the Moscato di Siracusa DOP, which is among the most ancient wines in the world, known as far back as Roman times. Accordingly, while many people were pulling up grapes and replanting to citrus trees, they chose to focus on the Moscato vine when they planted in 1995, which is great news because their 2014 was truly a fabulous dessert wine.

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Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

Apulian Olives: From Illumination

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to Alimentation

W

hile it might seem difficult to fathom, there was a time when we relied on oil to light our lamps instead of electricity. In some parts of the world, the reliance was on animal fats, such as whale blubber, but in Italy (and much of Europe) during the 16th century, the key ingredient was olives. Much of this production centered on Gallipoli (then a part of the Kingdom of Naples), which was the principal exporter of this type of oil until the 18th century. Olives, harvested within the central region of Puglia, were brought to one of the 25 oil presses dotted throughout the city and then left for a month to increase their levels of acidity. Once ready for pressing, the olives were crushed by the mill, over 8 hours. A by-product of the process was an oily-based water, which was sent to Marseilles to be transformed into luxury soap. The oil itself departed on one of the 35 ships that left the port daily, bound for various ports throughout the Kingdom and the European continent.

In the 1850s, petroleum was introduced, ceasing the need for olio lampanta, forcing the closure of the oil presses. However, the production of olives remained viable, although there was much less money to be made in food-based oil than in illumination oil.

Today, Puglia continues to be a large producer of olives and olive oil (the largest in Italy, accounting for 40% of production). Concurrent with their wine production, many wineries presently produce artisanal olive oil. In addition, small, artisanal producers are springing up to preserve the tradition and quality. One such producer is Il Quadrato delle Rose, located just north of Bari and founded by Agostino Tortora. His Coratina olives produce an intense, concentrated and spicy Extra Virgin Olive Oil. ď‚–

Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

Cheese, Please!

L ike elsewhere in Italy, Puglia is known for producing a variety of local cheeses. Perhaps it is best known for its burrata. This rich and unctuous cheese is produced from whole cow’s milk and cream and, while similar to mozzarella (which Puglia also produces) is much richer in style, as the inside contains both mozzarella and cream.

Less well known, but equally tasty, is Caciocavallo Podolico.

This pear-shaped package is the result of taking cheese from the Podolica breed of cows (initially introduced to the area during the barbarian invasions) and giving it a long ripening period, resulting in a firm, spicy cheese.

We also saw a lot of ricotta cheese, which was beautifully marked thanks to the molds used to make the cheese. Ricotta means re-cooked, as it is a cheese that has undergone a second cooking process. But, despite this production, these are fresh and light cheeses with lots of flavor. ď‚–

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Drinking Wisely & Well Š 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

At Bodegas Beronia, It’s All Abou Back in 1973, a group of friends (in Spain) realized that they loved good food and wine and decided to embark on a joint venture in making wine for themselves. Once they got started, they had way too much wine , so they began gifting the wine to business colleagues and selling to local restaurants.

But, their production levels were still too high for personal consumption, prompting them to look for a commercial partner. In 1982, the group crossed paths with Sherry producer (and wine company) Gonzalez Byass and soon entered into a partnership, enabling Bodegas Beronia to grow into a successful, international brand.

celebrate his 37th vintage with the company in 2018, having completed only one harvest elsewhere (in Tarragona, his first). Yet, despite his lengthy tenure, he is still enjoying his post and having fun.

Moreover, Calleja has had a lasting influence on Bodegas Beronia in establishing the winery’s distinctive style. In this regard, he has been at the forefront of how best to impart oak into the wine.

As a wine that requires lengthy aging, Rioja has always been about wood and, in particular, about American oak; there was no use of French oak until the 1970s. Once both types of At the same time, Matias Calleja joined the team as winemakwood were in play, for many winemakers, it was a matter of er and has been with Bodegas Beronia ever since. Calleja will determining the best blend of American and French barrels.

American oak imparts cocoa, mocha and a sweeter note to the wine, while French oak gives more spice, clove, vanilla and pepper notes.

Calleja initially tried aging some of the wine in American oak and some in French oak and then, ultimately, blending the wine together. But, the results were less than satisfactory.

Instead, he had the brainchild to blend the cask itself; all of the barrel staves are made from American oak (representing about 65% of the barrel), while the top and bottom are made from French oak.

Yet, in spite of all this emphasis on oak, he is adamant that the fruit comes first and the oak must be secondary. So, while it may seem that it is all about that bass (aka the wood influence); it’s actually all about the fruit!

Calleja’s hybrid barrels are primarily used for the Crianza and Reserva levels of his Rioja, while the Gran Reserva spends 26-28 months in French barrels, since French oak is better for longer-aged wines. As Calleja explained, “It respects the fruit better.” We tasted through barrel samples of the same wine aged in three different barrel types, which was extremely instructive.

Matias Calleja

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Aside from traditional Riojan reds, Bodegas Beronia also produces a Rueda ($13 SRP)and a Rose (~$13).

For the Rueda, the harvest is intentionally staggered and lees contact is undertaken, both of which add fullness to the wine. Plus, the fermentation temperature is carefully controlled. The result is a wine with good aromatics in addition to a rich

ut that Barrel and round palate, with medium+ body and freshness.

The winery’s rose has recently undergone a makeover due to demand from the market (the U.S. in particular), evolving from a dark-colored Tempranillo to a more Provençal style of wine. The new wine brings together Tempranillo and Garnacha, with only 3 hours of skin contact, producing a more savory, delicate and drier wine than their previous version, with melon, peach and herbal notes.

RIOJA TASTING NOTES

Beronia Reserva 2013, Rioja Spain, $20.00 As a Reserva-level Rioja, this wine was aged for 20 months in hybrid barrels, before spending an additional two years in bottle. The wine offers up strawberry, black cherry, oak, vanilla and spice aromas with juicy fruit, bright acidity and ripe tannins on the medium+bodied palate.

Beronia Gran Reserva 2009, Rioja Spain, $30.00 Aged for 28 months in French oak, this wine displays beautiful fresh and dried floral aromas along with strawberry, clove and oak, which persist on the palate.

It has lovely acidity, full body and long length. 

Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens

TANNAT: The Wine Bar Where Helen Knows Your Name With many people bemoaning the closures of well-loved, long-time establishments lately, it is nice to see new places springing up to take their place in our hearts. Like Tannat Wine & Cheese. Tannat is the hot new wine bar you’ve never heard of…until now.

wines from the Jura and Slovenia starring grapes such as Trousseau and Rkatsiteli from well-regarded producers, guests are invited to venture outside their comfort zone of Chardonnay, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. For the less vinous-inclined, Tannat also has a selection of beers.

Opened in December 2017, Tannat took over a former razor store (the vagaries of questionable businesses in New York) in Inwood and is breathing new life into the neighborhood.

For our second visit, we explored more food and shifted our attention to the reds, sampling a Turley Cinsault and Domaine Ouled Thaleb’s Syrocco – a Syrah from Morocco that was on special that evenThe small storefront, situated on Broadway, just a few blocks south ing due to the wine class they had taught earlier in the day. Visits of Dyckman, is the brainchild of business (and life) partners, William three and four provided the opportunity to taste the KTW Rkatsiteli Emery and Sarah Goler. Billed as “Natural Wine & Rustic Cuisine,” Qvevri from Georgia (the country, not the state), an orange wine their cute and clever watering hole is described as a cross between a fermented in a clay amphora and a sparkling Arneis from Piedwine bar and a farm to table restaurant. The pair further note that mont producer, Malvira. their wines can be summed up as “S.N.O.B.S.” given that they are Sustainable, N-atural, O-rganic, B-iodynamic and S-mall Lot. Tannat offers two happy hours (happy, happy!) Monday through Friday; first at 5:00-7:00 and then again from 11:00 PM to close Will and Sarah are anything, but snobs. Rather, they are focused on (2:00 AM), during which customers receive a discount on full glass simple ideas such as sustainable ingredients, fair practices and qual- prices. Wine school classes are held on Saturdays from 3:00-5:00. ity food and wine. To this end, they are working toward B-corp status for the business, which is named for a French grape variety (now In addition to bar seating, couples and trios can sit along the banfinding a home in Uruguay). Yet, despite the name, the duo appear to quette and tables that run parallel to the bar, while larger groups are be more inclined toward palindromes than toward Tannat itself, more easily accommodated at the high-top tables in the front of the although it does garner a spot on the wine list, as evidenced by the room. inclusion of TANNAT Shuttling between the bar and tables throughout the night, Helen wine & cheese Pitkowsky is warm, welcoming and knowledgeable. The experienced eseehc & eniw hospitality professional was lured uptown for the role and seems to TANNAT very much enjoy her new post (and presumably the shorter comat the top of the food menu. mute – she’s a WaHi gal).

On our first visit, I kicked off the evening with a rose sparkler, while hubby homed in on the Pet-Nat. We eventually strayed into the Orange Wine section, which offers not one, not two, but usually 3 or 4 orange wines! To accompany our wine choices, we tasted a variety of small dishes including a sea bass crudo with sun-dried tomato and a porridge that featured a unique, perennial (and hence, more sustainable) grain called Kernza (See: https://landinstitute.org/ourwork/perennial-crops/kernza/ for more information on this great grain).

The menu changes daily depending upon what’s available in the market. Visiting on back to back evenings, I can attest to the variance. The selection includes local cheeses, meat boards and some interesting spreads such as a butternut squash spread we enjoyed during our date night.

While the emphasis is on fresh and seasonal ingredients, the menu does sport a few recurring dishes such as house made pickled vegetables and Pao de Queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread, touted on the menu as being addictive, but which, thankfully, is delicious, but not as dangerous as advertised ? The menu also includes a category called, “But I Shoulds,” listing several different chocolate truffles, making it hard to resist a small bite of dessert.

The sophisticated and well curated list of wines can be enjoyed by the “splash,” glass or bottle. Splashes are generally quite generous and permit customers to enjoy a wider range of wines rather than committing to a full glass of something. Moreover, with unusual

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As I sat watching her on a Friday night, Helen greeted many customers by name and even reminded two men sitting at the bar that they had met each other previously. Her sincerity and kindness greatly add to the bar’s atmosphere and instill a true neighborhood vibe.

And while I hope to spend less time at the bar than Norm Peterson, I do aspire to be a regular here; Helen already knows my name.

Cheers to Tannat! 

Tannat 4736 Broadway New York, NY 10040 Monday to Sunday: 5PM to 2AM

All content and images, copyright © 2018 Tracy Ellen Kamens.

All rights reserved. www.ItsAWinederfulLife.com | contactme (at) TracyEllenKamens.com Drinking Wisely & Well © 2018 by Tracy Ellen Kamens