Current Sparkling Wines BTG

NV Cavas Hill Cuvee 1887 Brut

Who: The Hill Family
What: 50% Xarel-lo, 35% Macabeo, 15% Parellada
Where: Penedes, Spain
Tastes Like: Fresh, clean, and dry, with lots of small bubbles.
Pairs With:  Literally everything.

The Where: 
Penedès is a Spanish Denominación de Origen, DO for wines in Catalonia, southeast Spain. Penedès DO includes all Penedès region and municipalities of four other counties: Anoia, Alt Camp, Baix Llobregat, and Tarragonès. The area is framed by the coastal hills of the Garraf Massif and the higher inland mountains which skirt the Central Depression.

Long considered one of the country's best wine-producing regions after the Rioja, it is also one of the most ancient viticultural areas in Europe. According to archaeological evidence, wine production in the Penedès has ancient origins, certainly dating back to the Phoenician introduction of Chardonnay vines during the 6th century BC. A large export market is known to have existed even through Moorish occupation in the Middle Ages. Eighteenth century Spanish expansion into South America generated an unprecedented demand for Penedès wines which has barely abated since.  The region did not escape the pan-European devastation of the phylloxera plague, one effect of which was a large-scale change in the predominant grape types from red to almost exclusively white, which in turn led to the first Cava production in the 1870s. Since then, red varietals have regained some ground but remain a relatively minor part of regional production.

The Who: 
The land owned by Cavas Hill was purchased by Jonas Hill in 1761, with the winery dating back to 1877. Construction of the unique, underground wine cellars began in 1924, consisting of 5 galleries hewn from the local “tapassot” bedrock.  In 1926 the family laid down the first bottle of Cava, made in the Methode Champenoise but using native grapes such as macabeo, xarel-lo, and parellada.  The family maintains a meticulous, hands-on, traditional wine making practice to this day.

Cavas Hill produces 2 lines of cava: he Cuvee Panot and the Cuvee 1887, with the latter being in line with the traditional fruity, round style of sparkling wine preferred prior to WWII.  We carry the 1887, which uses only the native grapes.  It is aged for 12 months on the lees before disgorgement, giving it a lovely hint of age overlying the the fresh, green aromatics.

NV Bisol Jeio Cuvée Rosé Brut $10/40

Where: Valdobiadenne, Veneto

Who: Desiderio "Jeio" Bisol

What: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Glera (aka Prosecco)

Tastes like: Pink Prosecco!  Strawberries and minerals, with a very fine bead.

What to pair with: What do you think? Fried foods, smoked meats, celebration

The Bisol family, whose historic winery is located in Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene, manages 308 acres of vineyards in the DOCG area, spread over 35 plots in premier locations. The feather in their cap is their seven acres holding on the summit of the Cartizze hill, the most precious vineyard in Italy. Over 21 generations of the Bisol family have overseen and expanded the Bisol winery and vineyards. Today, Bisol is owned by the two brothers, Antonio and Eliseo (president and vice-president), and their sons, Gianluca (managing director), Desiderio (technical manager), Claudio (production manager) and Alberto (administration manager).

Bisol pursues the highest levels of quality and seeks to elevate the notoriety of the entire Valdobbiadene appellation. Their integrated approach to production begins with a careful selection of vineyards and continues with direct management of each phase of viticulture and vinification right up to the final bottling. The owners of some of the steepest hills in the area, Bisol’s vineyards are worked by hand and cared for using sustainable techniques. Sitting on the cutting edge of tradition, Bisol continuously studies the best techniques for this historic region. Each year the family tests at least six new vinification techniques in order to better understand this unique terroir.

NV Cleto Chiarli "Vigneto Cialdini" Lambrusco

Who: Cleto Chiarli

What: 100% Grasparossa

Where: Castelvetro, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Tastes like: Smells intensely of brambly, stewed fruit.  Medium-minus body with a fine bead and a bone dry finish.

Pairs with: Prosciutto di parma, mortadella, any pizza, anything fatty and savory.

The What:  Lambrusco is a style of semi-sparkling to sparkling wine from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.  Up to 6 different grapes can be used to make the wine, but the primary grapes in the wines of quality are Grasparossa, Salamino, and Sorbara, with Sorbara being considered as making the finest wines due to its concentration of flavor and high acidity.  The vast majority of Lambrusco is made with the Charmat method and fermented to a frizzante level of sparkle.  There are some rare exceptions that feature champagne method and spumante bubble.  

The Where: Emilia-Romagna is a wealthy region in the northeast of Italy, just to the south of the Veneto and Lombardy.  It is known as for being the home of the University of Bologna (the oldest in the world), many Renaissance cities (including Bologna, Modena, and Parma), a producer of luxury cars (Lamborghini, Masserati, Ducati), and as a major hub for fine foods and salumi.  Notable foods native to the region include: Balsamic vinegar, parmigiano reggiano, mortadella, prosciutto di parma, lasagne, and tagliatelle.  What grows together, goes together, and Lambrusco is a natural pairing for all of these foods.  

The Who: The Chiarli family have owned land in the lambrusco-producing areas of Emilia-Romana for 150 years.  Today they own 3 distinct estates, totalling 100 hectares under vine.  Each is specifically suited to producing certain types of wine, and are at the heart of the most important DOCs of the region.

The Chiarli family have owned the Castelvetro estate for over 130 years. It lies in the heart of the wine-producing area of the Lambrusco di Grasparossa, in the Castelvetro municipality. The estate comprises 50 hectares (124 acres) of vineyards, which are situated on ancient alluvium (riverbed deposits) around the Guerro stream, at the foot of the Apennines. In this area, the land is gently undulating for the cyclical alternation between erosion of the soil and deposition of sediments. The upper stratum is around 50 cm thick and is mainly composed of silt, whilst underneath it one can find a layer of gravel. Here one can also find the ‘Tenuta Cialdini’, an estate which includes the ‘Vigneto Cialdini’. This famous vineyard provides the grapes for the Grasparossa ‘Generale Enrico Cialdini’, a true Lambrusco ‘cru’ with unique and unmistakable qualities

Current Red Wines BTG

2016 Le Coeur de la Reine

What: 100% Gamay
Who: Rudolphe & Ludivine Marteau; Vincent Leclair
Where: Cher Valley, Touraine AOC, Loire Valley, France
Tastes Like:  Bright berry aromas dominate in this light bodied red. On the palate, ripe red fruit flavors (strawberry and raspberry especially) are accented by a delicate spicy note. Smooth and mellow, delicious with just a bit of a chill.
Pairs With: Mild cheeses; Spag Amatriciana; Red Sauce Sunday; Summer; Good Times. 

The Who:
A collaboration with Rodolphe & Ludivine Marteau and Vincent Leclair - both fourth generation families in Touraine. The Marteaus took over their family’s estate in 2010 which is a 29 hectare property is located on South bank of the river Cher, on siliceous-argilo (clay and flint) soils. Vincent assumed leadership in 2014 at his family’s 45 hectare estate in Pouillé, in the Cher Valley.


The Where:
The Touraine AOC stretches from the outer limits of the Anjou region to the gateways of the Sologne, in an area of confluence formed by the Loire river and its tributaries. The soils in the Touraine are very varied, with “perruches” (clay mixed with flint), “aubuis” (argilo-calcareous on a chalky subsoil) and sands on clays in the East. The influence of the sea in the West gradually takes on a continental character as you proceed Eastwards. These climatic differences combined with the different soils determine the selection of grape varieties grow

The Wine:
The vines average 30 years in age and are meticulously tended by the family. Short-cane pruning, selective ploughing, spring de-budding, deleafing, grass cover throughout the vineyard and green harvest practices all lend to limited yields and best quality fruit at harvest.  Harvested by hand with vinification in stainless steel tanks including 8 days carbonic. Elevage in tank until release.

2017 Vietti Barbera d’Alba

Who: Lucca Currado

What: 100% Barbera

Where: Alba, Piedmont, Italy

Tastes Like: Barolo Light!  Strong but integrated tannin with a light to medium body.  Dried fruits and purple flowers, hint of barnyard.

Pairs With: Pates and terrines; Conchiglie with rabbit sugo; Rigatoni and mushrooms

The Who:

The history of the Vietti winery traces its roots back to the 19th Century. Only at the beginning of the 20th century, however, did the Vietti name become a winery offering its own wines in bottle.

Patriarch Mario Vietti, starting from 1919 made the first Vietti wines, selling most of the production in Italy. His most significant achievement was to transform the family farm, engaged in many fields, into a grape-growing and wine-producing business.

Then, in 1952, Alfredo Currado (Luciana Vietti’s husband) continued to produce high quality wines from their own vineyards and purchased grapes. The Vietti winery grew to one of the top-level producers in Piemonte and was one of the first wineries to export its products to the USA market.

Alfredo was one of the first to select and vinify grapes from single vineyards (such as Brunate, Rocche and Villero). This was a radical concept at the time, but today virtually every vintner making Barolo and Barbaresco wines offers “single vineyard” or “cru-designated” wines.

Alfredo is also called the “father of Arneis” as in 1967 he invested a lot of time to rediscover and understand this nearly-lost variety. Today Arneis is the most famous white wine from Roero area, north of Barolo. Setting such a fine example with Arneis, even fellow vintners as far away those on the west coast of the United States now are cultivating and producing Arneis!

Grapes: 100% Barbera

The Wine:

Winemaking: The vineyard is located in the Scarrone area, from the oldest portion of the vineyard, facing south-east. We can count approximately 4300 plants per hectare.

The naturally low yields due to the age, are further reduced by a strict selection of the grapes.

Vinification start with a short period of cold maceration followed by 2 weeks of alcoholic fermentation in steel vats, with regular pumping overs. After this, the wine macerates for another week, then it is racked and it is moved to oak for malolactic.

Ageing: 18 months in big oak cask, barriques and steel tanks.

2016 Clos de L’Elu

Who: Thomas & Charlotte Carsin

What: 40% Gamay, 40% Cabernet Franc, 20% Grolleau

Where: Anjou noir, St Aubin de Luigné, Loire Valley

Tastes Like: Plums, raisins and bubblegum, backed up with a eucalyptus aromatic.  Delicious served slightly chilled. Tannins are firm, but the wine is relatively light on the palate.

Pairs With:  Pates and terrines; grilled meats; rabbit sugo

The Who:

Thomas and Charlotte Carsin acquired Clos de L’Elu in 2008 after making careers for themselves in vineyard management and communications, respectively.  They transitioned the winery to all organic farming, and maintain rigorous standards for their winemaking.  The focus in the vineyard is to harvest ripe and healthy grapes.  All pruning, debudding, and harvest is done by hand, with a minimalist approach to soil rejuvenation (too many nutrients = robust plants, but poor fruit).  Minimalism comes through in their winemaking as well: reds are whole cluster maceration, indigenous yeasts are used, and the wines are not filtered.  

The Where:

The Domaine is located in Saint Aubin de Luigné in the heart of the Layon Valley, a small valley belonging to the appellation of the Loire Valley. Our vines grow on the outskirts of the village, between Chaume and Ardenay, mostly on the right, south-facing side of the Layon river.

All of the vines grow on the Anjou noir territory. Anjou noir is the most easterly part of the Armorican massif: a geological massif of schist that joins the Paris Basin just east of Angers. Full of volcanic rocks, sandstones, quartz, the Anjou Noir evokes many colours too: silvery grey, anthracite, blues and browns typical of schist terroir. This clearly makes a distinction from the Anjou Blanc, characterised by calciferous limestone, which is the terroir of Saumur.  Soils are characterised by their low capacity to retain water so winemakers favour the growth of cover 

Our little valley is at a crossroads of oceanic (Atlantic) and continental (Touraine) influences. The result is optimal precipitation levels, mainly western winds and mild temperatures in our valleys.  The effect of south-facing slopes accentuates this insolation, pushing the temperature up and drying the topsoil. The slopes of the Layon valley take on a Mediterranean feel. The somber colour of the soil and stone also helps to retain heat, which benefits the plants.

The Indigene macerates with whole bunches for 3 weeks, then spends 12 months in steel.  

2014 Villacreses “Pruno”

Who:Gonzalo and Lalo Anton

What: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Where:Ribera del Duero

Tastes Like:

Pairs With: 

The Where:

The Duero River is the same river as the Douro in Portugal. This region is notable for the minerally white wine, Verdejo, of Rueda and the bold red wines of Toro, Ribera del Duero and Leon. The wine grape of this region is Tempranillo and in Toro it’s called Tinta de Toro, where it is considered to be a slight mutation of the Tempranillo grape. Ribera del Duero is home to one of the most famous wineries in Spain: Vega Sicilia.

 

The Who:

First written evidence of the existence of this Duero estate refers to its founder, the Franciscan monk Pedro de Villacreces, from whom it takes its name. Together with a group of other clerics, including San Pedro Regalado (the patron saint of Valladolid), he established a monastery in this wonderful spot as a place to pray and grow crops. There was a little vineyard for their own use and for the monasteries nearby.

For some centuries Villacreces was a place of retreat for Franciscan monks to meditate, repent, work the land and contemplate nature, before being gifted to a Marquis in the 1800’s, with the Cuadrado family from Valladolid purchasing the property at the beginning of the 20th century.  In 2004 Gonzalo and Lalo Antón met the Cuadrado family. The Antons already ran a bodega in Rioja (Izadi) and in Toro (Vetus), and had been looking into the Ribera de Duero for some time. Pedro Cuadrado hinted at his interest in leaving his wine business and estate in good hands. The Anton’s responded and soon became owners of one of the most spectacular of the Ribera del Duero vineyards. After rebuilding the bodega and restoring the vineyard, Villacreces was relaunched in 2007

The Wine:

Villacreces covers 110 hectares, 64 of them under vines. It stands on a meander of the Duero River, in the heart of the Ribera del Duero’s “Golden Mile”. The estate is divided into 15 plots of Tinto Fino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, amongst century-old pine trees. These contribute to both the beauty and the ecology of the vineyards.  Finca Villacreces is a single estate which benefits from the wide variety of soils found within it. These can be sandy, close to the pine forests, or alluvial and stony, dominated by larger pebbles deposited by the Duero. The poor soil naturally guarantees low yields, which average 4000 kg per hectare.

 

The bodega is situated at 700 metres above sea-level. Its climate is one of extremes, including significant temperature variations, long winters and dry summers with low rainfall. Nevertheless, the microclimate provided by the surrounding pine forest protects the estate from the harshest weather conditions.

Winemaking focusses on quality. The vineyards naturally only achieve yields of under 2 kg per vine. Individual bunches are selected by hand, and then berries sorted by using jets of air (a process called mistral).  Each plot is vinified separately in small fermentation tanks.  The Pruno is then aged for 12 months in 3-year-old French oak barrels.

2016 Cantine Antonio Caggiano “Tauri” 

Who: Antonio Caggiano

What: 100% Aglianico (“ah-YAH-knee-koe”)

Where: Irpinia, Taurasi, Campania, Italy

Tastes Like: Big, bold, red.  Earthy, with powerful tannin, and a raisin-like fruit.

Pairs With:  Grilled meats, Amatriciana, Governatore PIzza.

The What: Aglianico is a grape native to Greece, brought to the southern part of Italy by early Greek settlers.   The name comes from a corruption of “vitis hellenica,” or quite literally “greek wine.”  The grape is mentioned by name by Pliny the Elder and is arguably the oldest consumer grape planting still grown today.  Its finest expressions are grown in Basilicata and Campania, 2 southern, sunny, and dry regions of Italy.  It tends to perform best when planted on volcanic soils, making southern Italy a perfect home for it.

The Where: Taurasi is an important wine center for the region of Campania, giving its name to the DOCG red wine of the region made from Aglianico with the option of blending in Piedirosso and Barbera.  The area is noted, in addition to its award winning wines, for homely cooking based on homemade pasta, cattle-breeding, and oil and walnut production.

The Who:  Antonio Caggiano pursued a career as a photographer before starting the winery on his family’s land in 1990.  He really wanted to capture the history and culture of his home region, and the winery he built feels more like a museum of viticulture than simply a cellar.  All of his wines are rooted in the indigenous varietals of the area, and he tries to adhere to traditional methods and equipment as much as possible.  The Aglianico dell’Irpinia is a single varietal bottling, with the grapes grown on a mix of clay and limestone.  Fermentation occurs in 100% stainless steel, and then the wine is rested in oak barrique for between 4 and 6 months, depending on the vintage.

Current White Wines BTG

2016 Granbazán “Etiqueta Verde” Albarino 

Who: Manuel Otero Candeira
What: 100% Albarino
Where: Rias Baixas (Ree-ass Bye-shass), Spain
Tastes Like: Medium-minus, floral, tree fruit (apples and pears), with a dry finish.
Pairs With: Very versatile; white pizzas, light pastas.


Rias Baixas:
The Rias Baixas DO was founded in 1988.  Though there are 12 permitted varietals, Albarino dominates, making up 90% of the region’s production.  The climate is Atlantic, with wet winters and sea fog. In general rainfall is high and the temperatures mild: maximum temperatures in summer rarely usually exceed 30 °C and only drop to 0 °C in December and January.

The coldest areas are Ribera do Ulla and Val do Salnés due to their proximity to the coast. The warmest is Condado do Tea where temperatures in summer sometimes approach 40 °C, but the winters are cold with frequent frosts and rainfall of over 2,000 mm a year. Granbazan is located in the Val do Salnés, located on the lower reaches of the river Umia and centred on the town of Cambados. The landscape is of low undulating hills and the vineyards are planted both on the slopes and on the flat valley floors. The soil is generally rocky and alluvial.

The Winery:
The Granbazán story starts in the 1960s when Manuel Otero y Otero bought a land parcel planted with eucalyptus wood and feed for cattle. An entrepreneur, Otero dreamed of expanding the family's business of fine foods to fine wines. In the 1980s, his son, Manuel Otero Candeira, realized his dream with the construction of Granbazán, a chateau with a magnificent building surrounded by pergola trained vines. Granbazán’s attention to detail and high quality wine has been instrumental in the quality revolution in Galicia as well as in raising the reputation of Rias Baixas wines to their rightful place among the top white wines of the world.

The Granbazán winery is located in Vilanova de Arousa, very close to Cambados, the "World Albariño Capital." The soils here have a high granite content, grown 262.4 feet above sea level, with over 60 in. of annual rainfall. The maritime influence is very intense, providing a distinctive salty aftertaste, and a consistent ripening cycle. Harvest takes place the second half of September.The fruit is hand-picked, then gently de-stemmed and cooled for 8 hours at low temperatures in rotary macerators. Alcoholic fermentation takes place with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks.
Minimal invasive viticulture is a key practice to capture the elusive essence of the Albariño grape. The ranges of wines produced at Granbazán have a common soul with crisp citrus fruit, and in some wines peach and green apple flavors, bakery aromas and a light musk fragrance. The leading wines are Granbazán Ambar and the Granbazán Verde. Ambar is produced from the property's oldest vines with a gentle lees aging and 100% free-run juice, while the Granbazán Verde is very softly pressed, to produce a typical Salnes Valley Albariño style: dry, crisp and salty.  It is aged on the lees for no less than four months before bottling.


2016 Vigna Roda Veneto Bianco

Who: Gianni Strazzacapa
What: 80% Garganega; 20% Moscato Giallo
Where: Colli Euganei, Veneto, Italy
Tastes like: Aromas of pineapples, green apple, and passion fruit carry through a medium-minus fruity and floral wine. 
Pairs With: Patios.  Seafood, marinated anchovies, white meats, white pizzas.



The Where:
Vigna Roda is rooted in the Colli Euganei (Euganean Hills) area of the Veneto, southwest of Padua.  They were formed by volcanic activity, but due to their proximity to the sea, soils range from volcanic basalt or calcareous limestone (sea bed) pushed upward by the volcanic activity.  Microclimates are everything! The Euganean Hills, just visible from Venice, have been celebrated for their picturesque beauty and their hot springs. At Arquà,, Petrarch found peace and harmony towards the end of his life. He discovered the village in 1369; there, he stated in his letter to posterity, "I have built me a house, small, but pleasant and decent, in the midst of slopes clothed with vines and olives,"—a house that may be seen there today. The Euganean hills, like an archipelago of steep-sided wooded islands rising from the perfectly flat agricultural plain, inspired the setting of Percy Bysshe Shelley's “Lines Written Among the Euganean Hills.”

The Wine:
All of the vineyards are on either west- or south-facing slopes on clay and peaty soils.  The grapes are harvested by hand, then destemmed, crushed, and pressed.  Fermentation takes place in climate-controlled steel tanks.  The wine is then racked and allowed to age for 3 months on the lees before bottling. 

2016 Maison Foucher “Les Jarriers”

Where: Touraine, France

Who: Jean Mounard

What: Sauvignon Blanc

Soil Type: Calcereous

Tastes like: Citrus peel and limestone, with white flowers in the nose.

What to pair with: Saucisson Lyonnaise, Rillette, delicate, gooey cheeses, Lecco pizza, Caesar

People:

Located 30 kilometers northeast of Sancerre in the village of Aligny-Cosne, Maison Foucher is a “Petit Négociant” with a mission to craft classic expressions of Loire Valley appellations at exceptional values. The estate was founded in 1921 by Paul Lebrun, a cooper by trade, who developed his company servicing a clientele made up of restaurants and cafés in the Loire Valley and Paris. During the 1950s, Paul's son-in-law Raymond Foucher took the reins and then in 1985 passed the baton to his son, Jacky Foucher.

In late 2009, with the aim of raising the company's image and developing overseas business, the Foucher family brought on Jean Mounard as a new partner to pave the road ahead. Jean spent many years at the helm of a fine and rare wine brokerage business in Paris, specializing in iconic estates such as DRC, Mouton-Rothchild and Leflaive. His first order of business was to pioneer the production of small batch wines from selected plots in Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé and Saumur-Champigny, some of which are now farmed organically. Given his deep experience tasting the great wines of the world as well as his many contacts among top producers in the Loire, Jean has been able to establish strong relationships with growers and significantly elevate the quality of the wines.

Place: Touraine, Loire Valley

Touraine is a wine district at the very heart of France's Loire Valley wine region. Its main commercial center, the city of Tours, sits precisely half-way between Sancerre and Nantes (the home of Muscadet). The district follows the Loire river for roughly 60 miles (100km), from Blois in the east to Chinon and Bourgueil in the west. Beyond this the river continues into the adjacent Anjou district.

Touraine has its own generic regional appellation (simply called Touraine) which covers the entire district, as well as several titles that are more specific in terms of both location and wine style. These range from the dry, fruity reds of Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil to the diverse whites of Vouvray and Montlouis. 

The Touraine district is located a full 140 miles (226km) from the Atlantic Ocean, and the same from the northern Massif Central hills of central France. As a result, the climate here falls somewhere between maritime and continental. There is a noticeable difference, however, between the cold, drier winters in the district's eastern edge and those in the west, which tend to be slightly wetter and more temperate. In summer, the slow-moving waters of the Loire do little to cool the Touraine vineyards; this region is known for its hot, torpid summer days.  Throughout the Touraine, the better vineyard sites are those blessed with free-draining soils rich in tuffeau. Tuffeau is the calcareous (limestone) rock for which this part of the Loire Valley is famous. It was used as the building material for most the valley's famous chateaux, and tuffeau caves proved perfect for long-term wine storage and ageing.

Grape: Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc probably originated in Bordeaux, but it is in the limestone soil of theCentre-Loire, that it shows its best, most characteristic qualities. Although widely planted the world over, and highly successful in such widely different climates as California, New Zealand and Chile, all Sauvignon Blanc aspires to standards set in the Centre-Loire. The climate here is too cold for later-ripening grapes (such as the Chenin Blanc) but Sauvignon Blanc buds late and ripens early, making it ideal for a region prone to severe frosts and harsh winds. Sauvignon Blanc is rarely blended with other grapes in the Loire Valley and it is responsible for the distinctive characters of Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Reuilly, Menetou-Salon, Quincy and Touraine Blanc.

Much Sauvignon Blanc is made for early drinking. With their distinctive aroma, which reminds some people of gooseberries or grapefruit, and their lively acidity, these are ideal wines to drink with the famous goat cheeses of the Loire Valley (Crottin de Chavignol comes from the same village as Sancerre), cold shrimp or lobster, or a summer picnic. Nonetheless, the high acidity of Sauvignon Blanc means that the wines can be kept, and producers have experimented with aging exceptionally ripe vintages in oak. With time, they develop a remarkably fragrant complexity that makes them seem almost sweet, better paired with aged cheeses or foie gras.

2017 Ostatu Rioja Blanco

Who: Iñigo Saenz de Samaniego 

What: 85% Viura, 15% Malvasia

W here:Rioja Alavesa, Rioja, Spain

Tastes like: Aromas of pear, sweet white flowers, and talc.  Medium plus on the palate, with flavors running true to aromatics, but amplified.  Long, lingering finish.

Pairs With:  Linguine and crab; Bergamo; medium cheeses

The Who:

Bodegas Ostatu is a family winery located in the heart of the Rioja Alavesa region in the town of Samaniego. The Saenz de Samaniego family has been in the area for many generations. The winery dates back over two hundred and fifty years. The vineyards, which are protected by the Sierra de Cantabria range, are composed of chalk and clay and the average age of the vines is 50 years. The estate is comprised of over forty hectares of vines located in and around the town of Samaniego.  Sustainability and terrior drive the winemaking vision of the family.

The Where:

Rioja Alavesa is the smallest of the three wine-producing sub-regions in Rioja, Spain. It is situated to the north of the River Ebro, straddling the La Rioja region and the Alava province within the autonomous community of the Pais Vasco (Basque Country).

 

The name Alavesa is derived from the host province. Rioja Alavesa is the northernmost of the three sub-regions, bordering Rioja Alta to the southwest and Rioja Baja to the southeast. Rioja Alavesa is most similar to Rioja Alta in terms of climate, soil and style, and together they are considered to produce the best wines of the region. A space-age 'wine city' and ultra-modern wineries sit side by side with stately bodegas and more modest wineries.  The ash-colored Cantabrian mountains dominate the landscape here, towering over the zone to the north.  Rioja Alavesa is the closest of the three sub-zones to the Atlantic Ocean and thus the one most influenced by its cooling effects.  

 

Two geographical features determine the quality of the wine produced in Rioja Alavesa: Firstly, its vineyards lie at high altitudes (1300–3930ft/400–1200m), resulting in cooler temperatures that help the grapes to acquire and retain moderate acid levels and good color. Secondly, the soil on the slopes and terraces where most of the vines are grown is rich in chalky clay and limestone, resulting in wines that are characterful and rich in extract.  Annual rainfall is around 20 inches (500mm) on average, which forces the roots to burrow deep into the soil in search of water.

The Wine:

The grapes for the Rioja Blanco come from the highest parts of the oldest vineyards, in the districts of Samaniego, Laguardia, and Leza, at an altitude of 580 m above sea level. Poor calcareous/clay soil, on south facing slopes. The subsoil is made up of various layers of white rock.  This area has mediterranean climate with some Atlantic influence, giving it an extreme variation in winter-summer temperatures.

The grapes are harvested by hand, and then destemmed and pressed mechanically. Some hours low temperature maceration. The grape must ferments on the lees in stainless steel vats for 27 days at a temperature of 15-16°C. Natural cold stabilisation, and filtered only for tartaric stabilisation process. The wine is then kept in the vats until it is bottled.

2015 Trimbach Gewurztraminer

Who: Pierre Trimbach

What: 100% Gewurztraminer

Where: Ribeauville, Alsace, France

Tastes Like: Honeyed nose, nectar, flowers, and tropical fruit.  Lush and full-bodied, with a dry, almost savory finish.

Pairs With:  Great with cheese boards.  Anything spicy.

The Winery:

The Trimbach’s have a purist vision. For three centuries and across 13 generations, the family has produced wines that are structured, long-lived, fruity, elegant and balanced: the celebrated Trimbach style. The family personally looks after each operation, from planting to harvests and from vinification to bottling. The viticultural origin of the Trimbach family dates back to 1626, when Jean Trimbach, was recognized as a citizen of Riquewihr. From then on, the Trimbach’s were renowned for their wine-growing. Maison Trimbach’s vineyards are all situated around Ribeauville (Ribeauville, Hunawihr, Bergheim, Rorschwihr, Riquewihr and Mittlewihr). They benefit from the unique Alsatian microclimate, thanks to the Vosges Mountains protection, which preserves the plain from the rain. The vineyards were planted on the Ribeauville’s fault line that fractured 50 million years ago between the Vosges Mountain range and the Black Forest offering a mosaic of terroirs including the complex calcareous limestone and bio-degraded seashell fossils called “Muschelkalk”.

Sourced from the Trimbach’s family’s own vineyards and from growers with whom the family has long-term relationships. Gewurztraminer is one of Trimbach’s most unique wines. The wine is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete vats. There is no secondary malolactic fermentation in order to maintain as much natural acidity as possible. The wines are released after two years of cellar ageing, when they have the perfect balance of fruit and acidity. The wines are released after two years of cellar ageing, when they have the perfect balance of fruit and acidity.

The Wine:

Bright pale gold with aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, lychee and rose petals. Rich, intense, luscious and well balanced with a dry, spicy finish. Perfectly pairs with Asian and fusion cuisines as well as spicy entrees. Also an ideal wine to pair with strong cheeses.  This wine is a passion project of mine and Deirdre's, and as such is offered at a very competitive price point. 

Anchovies / Mezzaluna

Marinated Anchovies $9

Fennel, Salsa Verde, Hard Boiled Egg

White anchovies are marinated in grapeseed oil, with grapefruit, orange, and lemon zests, fennel fronds and stems.

The dish is topped with shaved fennel and radish, chopped egg yolk, salsa verde, and lemon juice.

Salsa verde: Grapeseed oil, garlic, shallot, chive, scallion, mint, parsley, chili flake

Taleggio Mezzaluna $11/17

Corn, Serano Ham, Parmesan

Mezzaluna: Pasta shape from Emilia-Romagna.  It translates to “half moon.”

Filling:  Taleggio (a natural rind cheese from Lombardy), egg yolk, cream

Corn Brodetto: Onion, carrot, garlic, and corn are sweated in butter.  We deglaze with white wine, add the corn cobs and cover everything with water.  We let stew for 3 hours, then blend with the immersion blender, and strain.

At Service: Brodetto is added to the pan.  Then we add grilled corn, scallions, aleppo, butter, lemon juice, and parmesan to make the sauce.

Finished with: Serano ham, bread crumbs, olio verde.

Allergies: Dairy, gluten, eggs.  Nightshades*, can be made vegetarian.