Warning: Undefined variable $url in /home/undiscov/public_html/undiscovereditaly/wp-content/plugins/twitter-facebook-google-plusone-share/tf_display.php on line 365

Lombardy

One Great Bottle: Fiamberti Oltrepò Pavese Bonarda 2012

Mike Madaio Lombardy, _reD 3 Comments
bonarda-bricco-della-sacca

I’ve never been a huge fan of Lambrusco, mainly because it can tend towards a cheap candy (think Cherry Chan) flavor profile. Having been exposed to other wine writers and lovers gushing about the sparkling red stuff, however, I’ve tried my best to keep an open mind and sample as many as I can. Perhaps that’s why I took a flyer on this bottle of (non-Lambrusco) frizzante red, just $12.99 at Wines from Italy (out of stock as of this writing).

Confusingly, Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese is made from Croatina grapes, not the variety with which it shares a name. And though a still ‘Bonarda’ can also be made in this new (since 2010) Lombardian DOC, the most common version is naturally sparkling – though only slightly – and features, as the winery puts it (with perhaps something lost in translation) “a peculiar red foam.”

Regardless, Fiamberti Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese Bricco della Sacca 2012 is a fascinating wine on every level. On the nose it comes across as pure old world, with savory, earthy notes, yet on the palate it’s fruity, almost jammy, with a bright freshness accentuated by a touch of effervescence.

Though commonly served with first courses, especially salumi, I went rogue and paired it with chili. That’s right, one of the most difficult wine pairings known to man. Incredibly, perhaps – or knowingly, due to my personal pairing, uh, genius – this wine was an excellent choice for the complex and spicy flavors, as the slight sweetness and refreshing bubbles helped clean my palate after each bite.

#ItalianFWT

This post was part of the May 2017 Italian Food Wine Travel topic on Italian sparkling wine. Here are the other participants:

 

Colomba di Pasqua

Mike Madaio Lombardy, _reD 2 Comments
colomba

When I heard the April theme for #ItalianFWT was Easter (Pasqua in Italian), I had momentary delusions of grandeur of baking my own Colomba, the traditional Easter bread/cake that’s shaped like a dove. But I quickly came to my senses, as baking is not my forte and I generally lack the time and patience for such an endeavor. Thankfully, a fortuitous trip to my local Italian store, Carlino’s, brought me face to face with a freshly baked Colomba instead. For the low price of just $12.99, fruity, cakey goodness arrived without hassle or strife.


Though the history of Colomba di Pasqua – or Colomba Pasquale, literally “Easter Dove” – like so many other traditional Italian dishes, is disputed, it’s not hard to deduce that the dove shape (which, let’s be honest, this just barely resembles) represents peace. Also without dispute is the fact that Milanese baker Angelo Motta – best known for industrializing the production of Panettone in the 1920s – is responsible for the widespread enjoyment of Colomba.

Other than the obvious difference in shape and lack of raisins, Colomba’s yeast dough is similar to Panettone. For a layman, the flavor profile – candied citrus, mostly – and texture are virtually identical, though levels of sweetness can vary. For an added burst of flavor, the Easter Dove is traditionally topped with almonds and pearl sugar crystals.


Colomba’s arrival at table typically signals the end of Easter lunch — where it can be enjoyed straight up, or perhaps with some berries, whipped cream or chocolate. If there’s a knock on this treat (and Panettone), it’s that the insides dry out easily and can often seem stale. That’s why, for me, the best way to eat either is some butter and a few minutes on the griddle, or even as French Toast, if the particular loaf isn’t too sweet.

I know what I’ll be eating Easter Morning…

#ItalianFWT

This post was featured in the Italian Food, Wine & Travel group’s April theme, Easter in Italy. Here are the other posts:

Provenza Garda Classico Groppello 2008

Frank Cipparone Lombardy 0 Comment

provenza-guarda-gropelloThere was a time in the recent past when it was unimaginable that Italian wines such as Perricone, Verduzzo and Petit Arvine would one day be found in the PLCB system. (We’re all familiar with the Chiantis, Pinot Grigios and others that commandeered the shelves.) Supply was reacting to a demand for recognizable wines that reflected and satisfied casual drinkers’ understanding of what Italy had to offer. As consumers have become more knowledgeable and willing to expand their comfort zone, interest in heretofore obscure and exotic varietals has undergone a commensurate growth.

Groppello is a grape for which references have been found dating back 500 years. It shares with many Italian varietals a long history of being part of a blend, usually partnered with Sangiovese and Barbera. More recently, it even shows up as a small percentage in some Valpolicellas. Its name derives from the tightly packed berries which resemble a knot, or groppo in local dialect.

Provenza’s version is doubly unique: it’s made from Groppello do Mocasina, the less common of two sub-varieties that grow on the western, or Lombardian, side of Lake Garda; and it’s rarely bottled as a single varietal.

Looking back on my tasting notes from almost a decade ago, it shares some characteristics with the producer’s 2001 Negresco, a mix of Groppello, Sangiovese, Barbera, and Marzemino from the same Garda Classico DOC. That was an eccentric, funky wine that had very mild tannins and a low level of acidity that allowed red and black fruits take center stage, with a texture and body similar to a Nero d’Avola.

The Provenza Garda Classico Groppello 2008 (available in-store, $13.99) is uncomplicated and understated; it delivers solid berry flavors after an odd entrance redolent with bitter almond. The medium acidity blends well with the other basic elements and, like the Negresco, promotes a heightened sense of ripeness and fullness that offsets mildly dry tannins which are more evident toward the finish and provide subtle structure.

Let’s Go Grumello

Mike Madaio Lombardy , 2 Comments
Let’s Go Grumello

One of the distinct appeals of wine geekery is its ability to branch out to other disciplines. We’re not limited to what’s in the glass – this can also be about history, geography, travel, people, culture. So much can be gleaned about the world, all from a single bottle, all without leaving the table. It’s magical stuff.

This magic, of course, can’t be found in just any bottle on any shelf. It won’t be found in Pink Moscato, that’s for sure. It might not even be found in Chianti or Medoc. Not that Tuscany and Bordeaux aren’t charming – that goes without saying – but these regions are also well-trod, especially by wine lovers. Finding the road less traveled, on the other hand, sends a tingle of excitement up the spine, and, if we’re being honest, can stimulate the taste buds unlike the tried and true.

What we have here, then, with the Conti Sertoli Salis Valtellina Superiore
Grumello 2009, a “Chairman’s Selection” in Pennsylvania, offered at the tantalizing price of $12.99, is that coveted opportunity to stimulate both the buds and the brain. Let’s go exploring, shall we?

Often overshadowed by capital city Milan, the Lombardy region lies in North-Central Italy, between Piedmont to the west and Veneto to the east. It is not known, at least worldwide, for winemaking. But that doesn’t mean it lacks tradition or quality – in fact, production dates back to early Greek settlements on the Po River. And more recently, Franciacorta has become perhaps Italy’s finest producer of sparkling wine.

At the region’s northernmost tip, abutting the Swiss border, lies remote Valtellina. This type of wine country is, for me, the most fascinating to investigate. Like Alto Adige or Valle D’Aosta, the natural perch of these hamlets, the way they’re carved into treacherously steep mountainsides, separated not only from the rest of Italy, but the entire world, by nature itself, makes them stand out. Though culture is influenced by both Italians to the South, and, in this case, Switzerland’s Germanic heritage to the North, their innate isolation imparts its very own rugged identity to people, place, and, of course, wine.

There is no mechanical farming here; the steep, rocky slopes, ensure that. It’s said their sight alone is enough to make one’s knees buckle, and dangerous landslides are not out of the question. Though it is a sub-alpine climate – St. Moritz is closer than Milan, meaning wines with low concentration and bristling acidity are the norm – there’s also intense sunlight, so much so that agave and prickly pear have been known to mingle among vines.

The main red grape here is Nebbiolo. That’s right, the very same noble variety of the Piedmont, of King Barolo and Queen Barbaresco. How it came to be in these far reaches is unclear, but it thrives just the same, albeit differently. The dried roses, tar and cherry fruit, tannin and acidity are all still there, but it’s a more feminine, nervous package.

For Valtellina Superiore, the DOCG, of which this wine is, 90% Nebbiolo, referred to locally as Chiavennasca, is required (versus 80% in the DOC), with the rest either other local grapes such as Rossola and Brugnola or internationals like Merlot and Pinot Nero (Noir). Within Superiore, the finest wines are thought to come from four identified vineyards, sometimes referred to, unofficially, as the Grand Crus of Valtellina: Grumello (from where this wine hails), Sassella, Inferno and Valgella. Grumello’s vineyards are the least steep of the four, with more actual soil, so these wines tend to deliver the most approachable, fruit-forward flavor.

sertoli-salis-grumelloThis particular Grumello is reticent at first, tight on the nose, the type of wine that absent-minded sippers will discount without a second thought as uninteresting. Patient, careful observers, however, will be rewarded with complexity and beauty. It starts out fruity, showing red apples (almost Riesling-like for a moment!), plums, sweet & sour cherry and orange peel. With air, it becomes more savory, with tobacco, Asian spice, dust & dirt, smoke, earth and mushrooms. In other words, there’s quite a bit going on here.

This could work well as a warm-weather red for immediate drinking (as with most Nebbiolo, give it some air). Though the sneaky tannins shouldn’t be overlooked, they’ll actually play nicely against grilled meats, while the bright, tangy fruit will keep things lively without bogging down the palate. That said, this’ll also lay down for another 3-5 years. Either way, food is a requirement for maximum enjoyment.

For Barolo and Barbaresco lovers who haven’t tried this version of the fog-friendly grape, this is an absolute must. Let’s be clear though – it’s not going to stand up to the greats of Piedmont. It’s merely another face of Nebbiolo that should be experienced, especially at this price.

For those yet to encounter the enigma that is Nebbiolo, perhaps price or cellar time has been a barrier. Now’s your chance. Should it be the wine you judge all varietal wines by? Absolutely not. It does, however, give a glimpse into what the grape has to offer – an elegance which belies hidden power and depth.

Happy travels.

#ItalianFWT
This post was featured in the #ItalianFWT group’s February 2017 topic: Nebbiolo Beyond the Bs. Here are links to the other featured posts: