Drinking Wisely and Well: Northeast Italy, Rose & Provence

Southern Italy’s Summer Sippers Hooray for Rose!

And more from Provence

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he Japanese say that what you do on New Year's Day is a wish for your year (and possibly your life) to come. While not quite an actual year-long wish, I spent my New Year’s Eve at the New York Metropolitan Opera Gala watching a stunning production of Romeo and Juliet, which perhaps portended a favorable outcome for my arrival in Verona a few weeks later.

Cantina Tramin: Soaring to Great Heights

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The Spice of Life

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How Sweet It Is –

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Tasting Notes ™ -

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Slowing Down in Asolo

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n an era of fast food and living life in the fast lane, we truncate words and distill whole phrases into three letters. With such high velocity living, we often lose sight of the good life and forget to slow down and take time to savor and enjoy.

Back in the day we were not always in such a hurry. In this vein, the upper class would take the Grand Tour and travel the world in search of new vistas and adventures. Among their various stops was the town of Asolo, which fittingly takes its name from the verb asolare, which translates as “to enjoy on the open air.” Upon my own arrival in Asolo, I was advised by the consorzio president that this was a precise state of mind in which to appreciate life.

In perfect harmony with this philosophy, we kicked off our visit with a welcome dinner featuring local Slow Food products. The Slow Food movement, founded in 1989, seeks to not only preserve local food cultures and traditions, but also to combat our fast food society, emphasizing food that is “Good, Clean and Fair”.

Situated in the Veneto’s Treviso province, Asolo has a lengthy history of savoring the good life. This picturesque town sits atop a hill with beautiful vistas in every direction. In fact, poet Giosue Carducci dubbed it, “The city of 100 horizons.”

Originally built in the fifth century BCE, the city was initially Roman, but it was during the Middle Ages that Asolo really made its mark. Whereas wealthy New Yorkers flock to the Hamptons and Bostonians head to the Cape, during this period, Venetians decamped to Asolo in which to enjoy the lazy, hazy days of summer. Here, the renowned architect Palladio and his contemporaries were employed to build grand palaces such as the remaining Villa Barbaro, which now serves as a museum.

As the saying goes, Asolo is Venice and Venice is Asolo, with a strong link forged between the two for centuries. Not only did they share a similar architecture, but the oak forests of Asolo supplied the wood to build the homes of Venice and to craft boats to protect the region.

These woods offer great biodiversity and are home to wild boars and deer. They are presently protected and now belong to the people of Asolo instead of being solely for the use of the Venetians as they were in the past. Today, local residents enjoy hunting, foraging and nature walks within this natural preserve.

Moreover, while Venice certainly maintains its prestige, Asolo built a reputation in its own right, thanks to Queen Caterina Cornaro. Forced to marry the King of Cyprus for political reasons, Caterina was eventually exiled to Asolo in 1489 and took the opportunity to transform the city on a hill into a center for art. She established a humanist, renaissance court of writers and painters within the city, attracting the top artisans of the time.

With Asolo firmly recognized as a destination for culture, as noted, the town became a much beloved stop on the European Grand Tour, with many staying on instead of returning home. In more recent history, artists and musicians continued to find their way to the town such as Robert Browning, Igor Stravinsky and Ernest Hemingway.

Today, the town’s population has dwindled to 8,000 –with only 400 of them living within the city walls –thanks to high rents and a lack of modern amenities. But, it still remains a top tourist destination due to its heritage and beauty.

As elsewhere in the Veneto or anywhere in Italy for that matter, Asolo has a long history of grape growing and winemaking. The most historic accounts date to the Middle Ages when such activities were in the hands of the Benedictine monks. During the second half of the 14th century, the wines were highly prized, commanding a higher tax than others due to their perceived quality.

Despite this early fame, wine production languished for decades and it wasn’t until 1985 that the Consortium Vini Asolo Montello was founded. Presently, this single consorzio protects three separate quality wine denominations: the initial DOC of Montello e Colli Asolani, which has existed since 1977; Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, created in 2009; and Montello Rosso DOCG, added in 2011. Within these three appellations, local producers can make a wide range of still, sparkling, white and red wines.

The consorzio’s 35 members (representing 85% of producers in the region) oversee a small territory comprising 20,000 hectares, of which less than 2,000 hectares are planted to grapes. The majority of plantings, approximately 1,350 hectares, are given over to Glera, which is grown for Prosecco Superiore production. The Montello Rosso DOCG has a much smaller land allocation with only 250 hectares planted.

ducement to minimizing chemical use.

This nascent region is slowly finding its footing as it not only focuses on its sparkling wines, but also works to develop a reputation for Bordeaux-style reds and reclaims several local grapes. Given its youth and size, it is not surprising that there is a lot of cooperation among members as they experiment with old techniques and collaborate on new ideas.

Meanwhile, Consorzio President, Armando Serena, is supposed to be slowing down, having handed the reigns of his winery to the next generation. His wife is eager to have him home, but instead he violates his own rules, eschewing the injunction Asola! (Slow down!) and choosing instead to devote his time and energy to promoting Asolo. ™

As its name suggests, the territory can be split into two distinct areas: Asolo hills and Montello plains. Between the two, there are soil differences, with more stones found in Asolo and a higher clay content existing in Montello. Yet, similar wind conditions exist on both hills and the same unique microclimate prevails, permitting olive trees to survive here, but not a mere 20 km away.

The area boasts of tremendous biodiversity, with varied flora and fauna abounding. In an effort to preserve this diversity, the consorzio has begun to focus on sustainable agriculture with an eye toward reducing the use of chemicals in the area and lowering the impact of farming on nature and on the workers, all while also conserving the wineries’ economies.

To this end, they have instituted new regulations that come into effect with the 2017 vintage that forbid the use of 18 dangerous chemicals that are actually still permitted under Italian and/or EU law.

The consorzio has also developed a secondary list of substances that are allowed, but not recommended, as a further in-

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s elsewhere in the Veneto, this is the land of Prosecco, but Asolo doesn’t produce just any old Prosecco, rather, as noted above, most of the region is focused on the production of Prosecco Superiore DOCG. This higher-level wine earns its distinction from being produced from vines grown on higher quality plots of land and from grapes harvested at lower yields. Specifically, the Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG is generally grown in the hills, where the 35% grade provides better air flow to the vines, which, in turn, maintains good acidity in the grapes.

Similarly, to the Prosecco Superiore wines of nearby Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, these wines are well made with lots of floral and fruit characteristics, thanks to the aromatic nature of the Glera grape and the exclusive use of stainless steel tanks during their production. Although Glera must make up a minimum of 85% of the wine, Bianchetta, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio are also permitted varieties.

The two Prosecco Superiore wines differ both in acidity levels (Asolo being higher in acidity) and production volume.

The towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene are responsible for 90,000,000 bottles compared to Asolo Montello’s relatively scant 8 million bottle annual production. Between the small production and previously limited public relations efforts, some might call Asolo Prosecco Superiore, “Prosecco’s best kept secret.” However, they are now ramping up their promotional activities and plan to grow production to 10 million bottles annually. Overall, their aim is to increase the average price with time, rather than increase production beyond that target.

Moreover, perhaps in a move to further differentiate themselves, the Asolo producers have begun to emphasize two unique styles of Prosecco Superiore: Col Fondo and Extra Brut.

Col Fondo is the most traditional version of Prosecco, which is now being revived. Produced similarly to Metodo Classico, the yeast is added to the individual bottle, where the secondary fermentation happens rather than occurring in a stainless steel tank. Thus, the carbon dioxide is trapped within the bottle and dissolves into the wine thereby creating its effervescence. In addition, the yeast also remains in bottle, resulting in yeasty and toasty aromas, similar to those found in Champagne.

Given the nature of their production, all Col Fondo wines are naturally without any added sweetness, nor are sulfites added.

Since these wines are not disgorged, they may be cloudy.

Thus, they can be served directly from the bottle or decanted into a vessel to more evenly distribute the yeast throughout the wine. While only 10% of Asolo producers are making Col Fondo-style Proseccos at this moment, it is gaining momentum in the region and it is clear that the producers are proud of these wines.

Additionally, there has been a corsorzio-wide emphasis on the drier Extra Brut style, which possesses the least amount of sweetness. In fact, as of 2014, Asolo is the only Prosecco DOC/DOCG permitted to label their wines with the Extra Brut designation, indicating this lack of sugar. Yet, the region does still produce the full range of sweetness levels with their wines.

At Bosco del Falesco Azienda Agricola we had an opportunity to taste through a selection of Asolo Prosecco Superiore wines, starting with Col Fondo, then progressing on to Extra Brut styles and then sampling Extra Dry wines, giving us a broad introduction to these wines.

Here are my top picks:

Dal Bello “Celeber” Extra Brut 2016 Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy Dal Bello was the first producer to make a wine in the Extra Brut style. It is a really pleasant wine, with peach, pear and floral aromas that persist on the very clean palate.

Montelliana Extra Brut 2016 Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy Notes of peach and blossom greet the nose, with a fruity, yet still dry palate, culminating in long length.

Pozzobon Millesimato Extra Dry Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy This wine offers up distinct minerality with an off-dry palate showing yeast and citrus notes.

Montelvini “Il Brutto” Col Fondo 2014 Asolo Prosecco DOCG, Italy Nice yeast character on the nose, fresh acidity on the dry palate along with notes of pear and minerality.

Villa Giustiniani Extra Brut 2016 Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy The delicate, floral nose gives way to a fruity attack on the off -dry palate, that then subsides with citrus and minerality, before being joined by bitter almond in the finish.

Bele Casel “Col Fondo” 2015 Asolo Prosecco DOCG, Italy More fruit than yeast, this wine is very fresh on dry palate with citrus and pear flavors that linger.

Ama Extra Dry NV Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy Pear and floral aromas dominate the nose, with the off-dry palate expressing richness and long length.

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ith its proximity to the Oenology School of Conegliano, the area is rich in viticultural innovation and was home to the “invention” of Incrocio Manzoni. This grape variety was created by professor Luigi Manzoni, who was on faculty at the oenology school, in the 1930s, as a cross between Riesling Renano and Pinot Bianco.

While much less novel than new grapes, Asolo Montello has set its sights on promoting its Bordeaux-style reds.

These red varieties were first planted in the region in the 1950s.

Currently, the regulations for Montello Rosso DOCG require a minimum of 40% (and up to 70%) of Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by 30-60% of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and/or Carménère. A balance of up to 15% may include other red varieties.

The grape is now widely planted throughout Italy, particularly near its origin of northeast Italy. In general, the variety is known for producing full-bodied wines with good balance and acidity.

Interestingly, Incrocio is harvested very early – usually in August, while Glera isn’t ready until September. Several wineries in Asolo Montello currently cultivate Incrocio Manzoni and craft a range of wines with it.

At Cirotto, a winery founded in 1949, ten percent of the vineyards have been planted to Incroce Manzoni because, “This grape is fundamental to the region,” according to Francesco, who runs the estate with his wife, Monica, and her siblings Barbara and Gilberto. He advised that it keeps its freshness and thus makes it good for a Traditional Method sparkler. Accordingly, Francesco has undertaken the challenge to make such a wine: Sogno. They also produce a still option called Costalugna.

As the region looks to reclaim its vinous heritage, another indigenous white grape variety, Bianchetta is being rediscovered as well. But, the bigger news centers on Recantina, an indigenous variety that was nearly extinct, very likely due to its low yielding nature. This grape was rescued about seven years ago by the Forner family, who run Pat del Colmel. The family produced its first vintage of Recantina wine in 2006, with subsequent vintages winning awards.

They presently have three different clones in their vineyards, with a total of six hectares planted to the variety. An additional 19 hectares are found throughout the region.

Beyond the proscribed percentages, wines must also spend 18 months aging with at least nine months spent in oak barrels and another six months in bottle before release; while the Superiore wines require at least a full year in oak, with six months in bottle and a total of 24 months of aging.

INCROCE MANZONI Cirotto Sogno 2012, Metodo Classico, Spumante, Italy This wine spends 32 months on the lees with no dosage added. It offers notes of yeast and bread on the nose. The palate displays high acidity; a creamy mousse; toasty and citrus flavors; and long length.

Cirotto Costalunga Bianco Incroce Manzoni 2015, Montello e Colli Asolani DOC, Italy Notes of almond and floral greet the nose, while the dry palate features apple, citrus, spice and herbal flavors, along with bright acidity.

Ida Agnoletti 2015 Incrocio Manzoni Bianco, Bianco Veneto IGT, Italy This full-bodied wine was yeasty, rich and mouth filling, with tropical fruit aromas that were joined by apple and nutty flavors on the palate.

RECANTINA Pat del Colmel Recantina 2012 Montello e Colli Asolani DOC, Italy The fruitier of the two vintages tasted, this one was less bitter, with light red fruit and nice acidity. It was chosen as one of the top 100 Italian wines.

Pat del Colmel Recantina 2014 Montello e Colli Asolani DOC, Italy This vintage was fresh and light, with red fruit, black currant and long length.

Giusti “Augusto” Recantina 2015, Veneto IGT, Italy A very fresh wine, with pronounced notes of red berries and a hint of fresh herbs.

BORDEAUX-STYLE REDS Sartor Campo del Pra 2013 Montello Rosso Superiore DOCG, Italy A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this wine is very “Franc” forward with notes of dried herbs and wet leaves. The elegant palate offers restrained red fruit and is quite tannic.

Loredan Gasparini Capo di Stato 2012 Montello Colli Asolani Rosso DOC, Italy Bringing together Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, this wine had a heady Bordeaux-style nose, with perfume notes. On the palate, it was tight and tannic, needing additional time in the cellar.

San Carlo 2012 Montello Colli Asolani Rosso DOC, Italy This Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc blend offers up a pronounced nose of red fruit, with cherry and black raspberry on the palate, and long length.

A VISIT to Villa Sandi

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ituated in Treviso between the area of Valdobbiadene and Montello, Villa Sandi was first built in 1622 and the estate has been producing wine for generations. While Villa Sandi has already established a positive reputation for its Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore wines, it only recently began crafting wines within the Asolo Prosecco Superiore designation.

Beyond this extension into another denomination, the family has also expanded its ecological efforts with the organic certification of one of its vineyards in 2016 and its participation as a member of the Wine Research Team.

Villa Sandi Brut, Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy

This is a balanced wine with a pronounced nose of pear and floral notes. It has a nice texture with crisp acidity and a creamy mousse, culminating in a very clean finish and lingering notes of lemon zest.

New Kids on the Block: Amadio One of the newest wineries in the region, the Amadio estate was actually established as early as 1850, but was abandoned by the Rech family for decades. Brother Simone and sister Silvia recently restored the family’s 20 hectare estate, building a new winery in harmony with the landscape to minimize its impact on the land. They have installed solar panels on the property and are able to produce almost all of the energy that is needed to run the winery. Additionally, they re-use rain and cellar water and have minimized their carbon emissions.

Their efforts have been rewarded with a third place prize at VinItaly. They have also won awards for their innovative packaging.

Amadio Extra Brut NV Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy This wine is produced from 100% Glera and is dry and fresh, with good acidity and lots of citrus and orange blossom notes.

Terlato launches next chapter in Pinot G Accordingly, their intervention techniques improve the overall health of the vine, eliminate potential weakness and, when necessary, they eradicate disease with the aforementioned mini-chainsaws. Further, their approach concentrates on saving prized, older vines, which have the capacity to extract the characteristics of the soil, as opposed to the more common alternative of grubbing up diseased vines and replacing them with new plants that will take years to develop quality grapes.

Now they have become celebrity pruners, traveling the globe to save the world’s greatest vineyards and preserve their longevity. As a result, they have a robust client roster that reads like a wine list at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Sometimes they can’t believe it themselves. When famed Sauternes producer, Chateau d’Yquem, came calling, they initially thought it was a prank call!

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hey wear plaid and are forced to check their pint-sized chainsaws in their luggage when they travel. They are the SVU – Special Vine Unit – not the investigators of crimes, but rather the investigators and proponents of healthy grapevines.

The Friuli-born Marco Simonit and Pierpaolo Sirch met in high school, having spent their childhoods running around their respective village farms, both clearly at home in the outdoors. After attending viticultural school, they worked at the Istituto Agrario, went on to other posts and then renewed their acquaintance several years later when they noted that what they had been taught in school wasn’t actually working in the vineyard.

The duo spent considerable time researching and observing what was going on and ultimately developed their trademarked Simonit & Sirch pruning strategies, which seek to promote sap flow and reduce pruning wounds (which are susceptible to disease).

Several years ago, the pair were introduced to Bill Terlato through a mutual friend, kicking off what was to become a fruitful partnership. At the time, Terlato was ready to write the next chapter of his company’s Pinot Grigio story and was looking for great grapes.

Terlato’s father, Anthony Terlato, was responsible for launching the Santa Margherita brand in the U.S. back in the 1970s, but, despite the profitability of the lengthy TerlatoSanta Margherita partnership (now dissolved), Terlato had become disillusioned with the product. A victim of its own success, Terlato felt that the wine’s quality had diminished over time as quantity was increased to accommodate growing demand. He believes that a product becomes commercial, rather than artisanal, when you make hundreds of thousands of cases.

While the original intent was for Simonit & Sirch to simply supply the contacts for Terlato’s project, they saw the opportunity for their hometown region – Friuli’s Colli Orientali – to gain the global exposure they felt it deserved. Colli Orientali is known for crafting some of the best Pinot Grigio in the world, but, since the region is made up of many, small growers who produce many wines with limited production, it is very difficult for them to get traction in the market.

Thus, the viticulturists decided to participate as full collaborators with Terlato. They underscore that what makes this particular wine project different from others is that not only is the quality of the wine evident, but it is scalable. a situation which Terlato describes as “1 + 1 = 3; We [Terlato] bring the marketability on a global basis.”

Interestingly, in an age when the words “natural” and “organic” are bandied about as being superior, we tend to forget about the importance of the role of humans in the vineyard. Vineyard pruning practices have not been a major focus; however, as Simonit and Sirch discovered, these prac- Overall, the goal is to produce “Grand Cru quality” Pinot tices can limit the health and life expectancy of a vine.

Grigio that is evocative of its place, with both character and ageability. Speaking highly of this much-maligned grape –

Grigio story with Italy’s Simonit & Sirch thanks to the glut of insipid Pinot Grigio on lists and shelves – Simonit stresses that, as a relative of Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio has good genetics and has the capacity to produce excellent wines.

In general, the fruit is sourced and hand harvested at low yields from 20-to-40-year-old vines grown on marl and schist soils on hillside plots. Recognizing the subtle differences among various soil types and microclimates, grapes from different plots are vinified separately and then blended together to produce a balanced and complex wine. As Terlato explains, “We want something distinctive, with complexity, salinity, minerality and length.”

Vintage variation is evident and, while they hope Mother Nature will be kind to them each year, such variation is not discouraged or covered up. The first vintage of the project was 2014 (although they produced Friulano in 2013), which proved to be a challenging harvest. The 2015 vintage was more bountiful, permitting them to expand their reach, which they are growing cautiously, primarily targeting on-premise accounts.

Present production stands at 40,000 cases and Terlato believes that a maximum output of 150,000 cases is feasible before the quality is compromised – a far cry from the current Santa Margherita case production of 700,000 annually.

Time will tell how this newest Pinot Grigio chapter will end, but so far, the wine has been well received in the market.

TASTING NOTES Terlato Vineyards Friulano 2013, Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy, $24.00 A very pretty wine with floral and citrus on both the nose and palate.

Terlato Vineyards Pinot Grigio 2014, Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy, SRP $23.00 Of 2014 and 2015, the 2014 is higher in acidity, with more minerality. It is very fresh and lively on the palate, with lots of citrus character.

Terlato Vineyards Pinot Grigio 2015, Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy, SRP $23.00 Unctuous, concentrated and rich, with smoky, mineral and citrus aromas and flavors. This wine is dry with medium+ acidity, medium+ body and long length.

Terlato Vineyards Pinot Grigio 2016, Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy, SRP $23.00 Rich and round on the concentrated palate with citrus, pear and nutty notes, culminating in long length. It was very well received by friends at a recent picnic!

Southern Italy beckons tourists to its rocky beaches and winding coast line.

Just south of Naples, the famed Amalfi Coast runs from Sorrento in the north to Salento in the south, encompassing tony towns in between such as Positano and Ravello. But, the local wines crafted further inland are less familiar, which is an unfortunate oversight.

About an hour’s drive from the coast, Campania’s wine growing is centered in the north-central area of the region, near the towns of Avellino and Benevento. Here, the climate is vastly different from the Mediterranean feel of the coast, receiving over 200 days of rain, due to its location in the mountains.

Home to Pompeii and Vesuvius, the region offers up volcanic soils.

separate vineyards (and consequently, on different soil types) from the Fiano vines, with early recognition of their unique terroir affinities, rather than being planted within the same field as was often done in the past.

Among the red varieties, the most prized grape is the indigenous Aglianico, which is best known for the Taurasi DOCG wines produced in the region.

By law, Taurasi wines must be aged for a minimum of three years, including one year in barrel (and 4 years with 18 months in barrel for the Riserva wines).

While this wine was frequently aged in small barriques, the more recent trend has been toward the use of larger-sized oak vessels.

tablished in 1986 in Sorbo Serpico, within the Irpina region, Feudi di San Gregorio is named for Gregory the Great, reflecting the Roman, Greek and papal history of the area.

Among Feudi’s most highly acclaimed wines is its Serpico, crafted solely with Aglianico grapes and produced in limited quantities (only 10,000-12,000 bottles produced annually). Rather than use the Taurasi Riserva DOCG, in a nod to the Supertuscan movement, which saw the birth of fantasy names for many wineries’ top wines, Serpico, takes its name from the town in which Feudi di San Gregorio is situated.

The grapes for the wine, harvested over a period of 20 days, come from a single, three-hectare vineyard of pre-phylloxera vines that range in age from 120 to 180 years. Antonio stresses that the prephylloxera nature of the vines is as important to the quality of the wine as is the vines’ old age. There are 80 to 90 different clones within this vineyard and the winery has selected 40 of these clones to use in propagating other vineyards.

Now that Feudi has built a strong reputation for its Campanian wines, the company has begun to look elsewhere for expansion. As a staunch proponent of Italy’s southern wine regions, the winery has recently made investments in Basilicata (having purchased Basilisco in 2010), Puglia (with two properties here) and Sicily, with five hectares planted on Mount Etna.

While Antonio is focused on building the business and promoting its wines, the agricultural aspects of Feudi are hanThe emphasis is on indigenous varieties With its reputation for producing fullwith the main white grapes being the bodied, powerful, concentrated, tannic dled by Marco Simonit and Pierpaolo Sirch (see pages 22-23). Pierpaolo has floral Falanghina; the structured Greco; wines, it is said that Taurasi is often been actively involved with the compaand Fiano, which displays a little of each called the Barolo of the South. But, of the characteristics of the two. Fiano when asked about this point when I met ny since 2003 and became managing and Greco are both long ripening him several years ago, Antonio Capaldo, director in 2009, a post he still holds today. grapes, usually not picked until October, whose family owns Feudi di San Grethat keep their freshness despite the gorio, suggested that, “Perhaps Barolo is Having first visited Feudi in 2010, it was long hang time. the Taurasi of the North.” a pleasure to reconnect with Antonio More recently, I had the chance to catch and his wines on the first summery day The best examples of the Greco grape of the season in New York. The two up with Feudi’s young chairman and are from the Greco di Tufo DOCG, so stainless-steel whites and rosé are percommercial head. One of the betternamed for being grown in volcanic, known names in the region, the winery fect summer sippers that offer up freshchalk soil called tufo. Interestingly, the just celebrated its 30th anniversary. Es- ness, complexity and the opportunity to Greco vines were traditionally planted in

savor some lesser-known varieties, although they work well allyear round. And, while the reds can be enjoyed now, I would suggest that you hold them for the fall and winter seasons, since they need time in the cellar anyway. ™

TASTING NOTES

Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo 2015, Greco di Tufo DOCG, Italy, SRP $25.00 This is an angular wine, with excellent structure and lots of complexity. It offers up good acidity, a full body and concentrated flavors of apricots, peaches, a hint of nuttiness and a lovely salinity that remains in the long finish.

Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino 2015, Fiano di Avellino DOCG, Italy, SRP $25.00 The more feminine of the two, this wine is richer and rounder on the palate, with floral, pear and ripe melon aromas and flavors, culminating in long length. Antonio remarked that it is the more flexible wine with regard to pairing options.

Feudi di San Gregorio Ros'Aura 2016 Rosato, Irpina IGT, Italy, $14.00 Produced from Aglianico grapes, this is a medium-deep hued rose. It is very fresh with aromas and flavors of apricot and citrus, with long length.

Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi 2011, Taurasi DOCG, Italy, SRP $48.00 This wine is released five years after harvest, having spent at least 24 months in bottle before release. It is quite powerful, with red and black fruit notes, joined by oak, toast and minerality.

The palate is structured with good acidity and dusty, yet ripe tannins and long length.

Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico 2011, Irpinia, IGT Italy, SRP $99.00 Complex aromas of smoke, oak, meatiness, red fruits and black fruits greet the nose. On the palate, the wine is powerful with lots of ripe, red fruit, and notes of smoke, toast, oak and minerality. It also manages to be quite elegant and pretty despite its power and firm tannins. Needs time to develop; Hold.

Hooray for Rosé

It was time to drink pink! The Rosé All Day tasting event set sail on a Friday afternoon just a week before Memorial Day weekend, the official, unofficial start of summer and Rosé season. With three floors (decks) awash in pink wine, there was no shortage of options from the palest hues to deep crimson and everything in between.

Part of the La Nuit en Rosé Festival that was launched in 2014 by Pierrick Bouquet (co-founder of Able Social public relations company) and Derek van Bakergem, these cruises now encompass trade, media and consumers over the course of several sailings. But, the popularity of rosé wasn’t always a sure thing. As Paul Chevalier, National Fine Wine Director at ShawRoss International Importers – the U.S. importer for Whispering Angel – recounts, “…trust me; no one was drinking rosé in the U.S. back in 2006…”

But, rosé sales in the U.S. really started to take off in 2008, a trend that continues today. And far from this trend being over, Chevalier believes that the rosé category still has a strong future ahead. “What we are seeing now is that rosé consumption is starting to spread across all 50 states (specifically middle America). That was hardly the case even just three years ago…

This has a long way to go.”

Further evidence that rosé is firmly here to stay is the increased number of skus in the market and the publication of several books on the topic. In particular, the most recent publication from Master of Wine, Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, Rosé Wine: The Guide to Drinking Pink, focuses on the various styles of rosé (which she categorizes as Blush, Crisp, Fruity and Rich) and assists readers in finding their preferred style (and the wines best suited to their palates).

Much of the early success of rosé has been attributed to Chateau D’Esclans and its Whispering Angel brand, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. Not surprisingly, the Provençal style has become among the most preferred and many

wines from elsewhere are deliberately mimicking this style. The consumer embrace of these wines likely also stems from the glamourous lifestyle associated with their origin in the French Riviera.

Although Provence has been the driving force behind much of rosé’s success, Terlato’s world tour of rosés (accompanied by tasty treats) on board the boat spanned the globe and proved that there is no one home for rosé wines. If anything, a somewhat uniting factor was the preponderance of wines featuring Grenache, a point underscored by Chevalier, “As a grape varietal, I also think that Grenache produces a more elegant style of rosé than other grapes. You can of course make rosé from pretty much any red grape, but the results are seldom as refined ...”

The cruise included a significant array of rosé wines, from still to sparkling options and representing the full range of styles from dry, pale and light bodied to darker-hued, fuller-bodied wines and from simple quaffers to more sophisticated, complex wines. As I made my way from port to starboard and bow to stern, I admittedly steered clear of cutesy, lifestyle brands or those in gimmicky packaging.

Overall, there was a wealth of wonderful wines, with keen attention being paid to label design and bottle shape, evoking modernity as well as the easy, breezy days of summer. Rosé all day? It’s certainly not a bad way to spend the day.

TASTING NOTES France

Ackerman Crémant de Loire Rosé Brut Sparkling NV, Cremant de Loire, France I was excited to see this producer at the event since I visited the Saumur-based winery in 1998. Produced from Cabernet Franc, this wine displayed floral and berry notes and was very nice.

Barton & Guestier Patriarche Veuve du Vernay Rosé Brut, Burgundy, France Very nice wine with a slightly off-dry palate, displaying floral and strawberry notes and medium length.

Barton & Guestier Patriarche Veuve du Vernay Ice Rosé, Burgundy, France This was quite interesting. It was off-dry verging on medium sweet, but had sufficient acidity to balance the sweetness, with berry aromas and flavors. It should be served over ice or well chilled.

M. Chapoutier Belleruche 2016, Côtes du Rhône, France Notes of strawberry, dried herbs and floral on both the nose and palate.

Chateau de Berne Grande Recolte 2016, Côtes du Provence, France A distinctly floral nose, with good grip and depth on the palate.

Chateau D’Esclans, Côtes du Provence, France Whispering Angel 2016 A very lovely wine with fresh berry and melon.

Rock Angel 2016 The Rock Angel offers good depth and texture.

Les Clans 2015 This was my favorite of the four, with intensity, herbaceousness and dried fruit notes.

Garrus 2015 This is the top wine of the portfolio; it was less herbal, with a slight woody note and long length.

Chateau Fleur de Mer 2016, Côtes de Provence, France This wine offers up lots of bright citrus and berry fruit on the light-bodied palate.

Domaine Terra Vecchia Tentation 2016, IGP L’ile de Beaute, France A nice combination of cherries and citrus on the nose and palate.

Italy

Il Poggione Brancato Rosato 2016, Montalcino, Italy This 100% Sangiovese wine was full-bodied with concentrated berry fruit on the palate, with some slight sweetness lingering in the finish.

Frescobaldi, Ammiraglia Alie Rosé 2016 Toscana IGT, Italy A blend of Vermentino and Syrah, this was a very nice wine with very herbal and slight earthy notes, joined by melon, culminating in long length.

South Africa

Boschendal Rose Garden Rosé 2016, Western Cape, South Africa Domaine A blend of Merlot, Pinotage and Syrah, this wine displays a nice, earthy nose.

Terra Vecchia Boschendal Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2016, Western Cape, Rosé 2016, IGP South Africa More like a white wine than a rosé, this oak aged wine offers L’ile de Beaute, France This wine had a very nice mouthfeel, with herbal, floral and integrated and subtle oak notes that add nice texture and weight to the palate. red fruit flavors.

Gerard Bertrand Gris Blanc 2016, IGP Pays d’Oc, France Anthonij Rupert Protea Rosé 2016, Western Cape, South Africa Very pale, with an onion skin hue, this wine was very fresh This wine offers up good weight on the palate with peach and clean with citrus notes and long length. and citrus aromas and flavors.

Mas de Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant Brut Sparkling 2016, IGP Pays d’Herault, France This wine provided rich dark fruit that lingered in the long USA finish.

Sanford Rosé of Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills (CA), USA A light-bodied with sour cherry and slight herbal notes.

Sieur D’arques Aguila Rosé NV, Crémant de Limoux Rosé, France Love & Pale in color with citrus and berry aromas, this wine offers a Hope Rosé creamy mousse, good acidity, and lovely strawberry fruit.

2015, Paso Robles (CA), Sieur D’arques Premier Bulle 2015, Crémant de Limoux USA Rosé, France This GrenaA beautiful nose with peachy, citrus and berry aromas, which che wine had persist on the palate. an intense nose displayTriennes Rosé 2016, Mediterranée IGP, France ing spice, This wine was really lovely, with good fruit, nice length and herbal and bright acidity. berry aromas.

On the palate, Veuve Ambal, Grande Cuvée Rosé NV Crément de it was very Bourgogne, France herbaceous, Aromas of yeast and cherry greet the nose, with beautiful along with acidity and long length on the palate. A very well-made Tradi- strawberry tional Method sparkler. notes, good texture, medium acidity and long length.

the 25-year old eventually gave in and family and I visited Provence joined the family business. back in 2001. We didn’t know a lot about wine at the time; we Today, as a member of the 8th generajust knew that we liked it. tion of her family to make wine, she serves as Chief of Strategy and Business On our first night in Provence, we Development, a position, which has stumbled across a lovely little restaurant been quite rewarding. However, she was with outdoor dining and knew that we drawn to the idea of creating something had to join in the fun. We requested a uniquely hers – she wanted to make her table, sat down and gave the server our own wine. simple request: we want what the table next to us is having! A short while later Her approach has been to create a wine our table was filled with incrediblethat would appeal to her friends and looking, large grilled shrimp and glasses of rosé wine.

I don’t remember the name of that restaurant or even which town it was in, nor do I have any idea who produced that rosé, but that evening remains perfectly etched in our minds – a rosé moment! It is precisely for such moments that Mathilde Chapoutier crafted her wine (although admittedly, she hopes you will remember that she made it).

Accordingly, I don’t think she took much offense, if any, when I spent more time catching up with my colleague as we gorged on towers of seafood and several bottles of her wine on a summer Friday, rather than peppering her with questions about her background and winemaking philosophy. We were creating yet another rosé memory.

When your last name is so synonymous with wine, it is challenging to stay away from the wine industry. Mathilde Chapoutier tried it for a while, contemplating a career as a shooter (after many years as a successful competitor), but

But, Mathilde was determined to prove him wrong and fought for this project despite his objections, eventually finding the Grande Ferrage estate, situated in the foothills of the Saint-Victoire Mountain. For her first vintage (2014), she purchased the juice, ultimately fermenting and blending the wine to her exacting standards.

Dad saw how receptive everyone was to the wine and relaxed his view. For her next vintage, she purchased the entire domaine, giving her full autonomy over the grapes and harvest as well as production. The wine is now available in the U.S. and ready for you to create your own rosé moments.

Mathilde Chapoutier Grande Ferrage Rosé 2015, Côtes de Provence, France Very light in color, thanks to only a few hours of skin contact, this wine offers up floral and citrus aromas, with a dry and delicate palate with peach and floral notes, culminating in long length. other similar-minded folks who are afraid of wine or find it elitist. Overall, she wanted, “something simple, elegant and easy to drink.” She has succeeded in spades.

Although her family had previously produced what she refers to as food rosés – such as the hearty, deep pink Tavels – her father, Michel Chapoutier, was decidedly not a fan of Provençal rosé. In his opinion, there really weren’t many good ones in the market.

Mathilde Chapoutier Grande Ferrage Rosé 2016, Côtes de Provence, France, SRP $20.00 Pale coral/salmon in color with citrus, peach and floral aromas; dry with bright acidity and peach, long length. I opened this up on a Tuesday evening when my friend Gisela came over for light bites and wine.

She fell in love at first sip.

M

ost of the hype surrounding Provence lately has been about its preponderance of rosé, which is only natural given that 89% of its production is pink and that its rosé sales have quintupled over the past five years.

However, the region also produces some high -quality whites and reds as evidenced by a tasting with Château de Chausse. As the winery’s General Manager, Franck Bailleul proposed, “The reds from Provence are to be discovered,” and I agree.

Château de Chausse made its New York debut this June having been acquired by real estate developer, Charles S. Cohen, in 2016.

As my friend Charles remarked, “It’s good to be rich.” Cohen made his money in real estate development at the helm of Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation, developing properties in New York, Los Angeles, South Florida and elsewhere. A film buff since his teens, Cohen then added French film distribution to his portfolio (and presumably adding to his fortunes) with the creation of Cohen Media Group in 2008, before deciding that he would like to someday own a vineyard.

As he was quick to admit, Cohen knew his limitations and therefore sought out an estate not in Burgundy, but in Provence since he had always been in love with rosé. Shortly after making his intentions known, a brochure came across his desk and he was soon in pursuit of the Château de Chausse estate in the Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of Provence, close to the glitz and glamour of St. Tropez. After 30 years of ownership, the Schelcher family was ready to sell (and retire) and Cohen was eager to buy.

With well-stocked coffers (Forbes puts Cohen’s net worth at 2.8 billion), the watchword from Cohen to his new colleagues has been quality, a philosophy that permeates throughout the winemaking process, from the vineyards, which are all harvested by hand, to the redesigned labels. They are assisted in this latter effort by Cohen’s current wife, Clodagh “Clo” Margaret Jacobs, who knows more than a thing or two about luxury marketing, having brought Jimmy Choo shoes to the streets of Manhattan.

Aside from the Cohens and Bailleul, the winery is in the capable hands of Laurence Berlemont who quipped, “I came with the furniture,” when asked how the two had found her.

In fact, her agronomy consulting firm, Cabinet d’Agronomie Provencale, had been hired by the previous owners and she has been actively involved with Château de Chausse since 2009.

in Provence during the early 1990s and it accounts for 50% of this wine, Bailleul describes the 135-acre estate as both a dream and a with the jewel. Much of the property is given over to a protected for- other half est, with only 37 acres of planted vineyards permitted. Con- being Sysequently, the vines are surrounded by trees, shielding them rah. Arofrom the elements. Moreover, Provence’s near perfect Medi- mas of terranean weather makes it relatively easy to grow grapes and meat, spice the winery is on track to becoming certified organic by next and red year. fruit greet the nose, Interestingly, while Cohen expected to purchase a roséwith red centric estate, Château de Chausse divides its production and black among reds (45%), whites (15%) and rosé (40% ). With a fruit, herblimited production of only 70,000 bottles annually, Château al and vanilla notes on the palate. Given their structure, Châde Chausse wines will only be available in New York, Paris teau de Chausse holds its reds back until they are ready to drink and consequently, 2013 is the vintage currently in the and Provence. market.

Château de Chausse Blanc 2016 Côtes de Provence This 100% Rolle (aka Vermentino) is crafted from grapes harvested on two separate occasions, one week apart, yielding a wine with pronounced floral, citrus and peach aromas.

On the palate, it is rich and round, with very ripe tree fruit, but beautifully balanced with high acidity, medium+ body and long length.

NB: Berlemont advised that this wine is capable of aging for three to four years, at which point, the wine will be redolent of apricots and almonds.

Château de Chausse Rosé 2016 Côtes de Provence With its barely perceptible pink hue, this wine offered up berries and melon on the nose, which persisted on the dry palate. Good acidity.

Château de Chausse Rouge 2012 Côtes de Provence Although it contains the same 50% Cabernet Sauvignon-50% Syrah blend as the previous wine, the 2012 is more Syrah-like in nature with more pronounced earth and leather aromas and flavors. It is still fresh and fruity despite its age, with long length.

Château de Chausse Rouge 2011 Côtes de Provence The 2011 was starting to show some development on the nose with dried fruit and vanilla aromas. On the palate, the acidity was still bright and the tannins were well resolved.

Château de Chausse Rubis Rouge 2013 Côtes de Provence The flagship Rubis, produced in small quantities (1,200 bottles) is essentially a monovarietal Syrah, but since AOP rules require the presence of another grape, it also contains 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a powerful, full-bodied wine with smoke, leather, meat and very ripe red fruit on the nose and palate, culminating in long length and a woodiness in the finish.

Château de Chausse Diamant Blanc 2016 Côtes de Provence This wine represents a new approach for the winery, which made a small (1,000 bottles) trial of fermenting and aging Rolle in barrel. The oak treatment is evident on the nose, Château de Chausse Rubis Rouge 2010 Côtes de Prowith smoky and oaky aromas, co-mingled with citrus and tree vence fruit. Yet, despite the obvious oak, the barrel notes are well This older vintage of Rubis was still quite powerful with firm integrated on the palate and the wine itself is quite elegant. tannins and a darker fruit profile.

Château de Chausse Rouge 2013 Côtes de Provence Enigmatically, there was a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon planted

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