La Mondianese unoaked Barbera, a cheap wine that you can actually stomach!

Living in the city, money tends to fly out yo' pocket at a steady pace.  There is always a quest to find an affordable, under $15 bottle of wine that doesn't make your skin crawl while drinking it.  In Italy, you have vini sfusi to stock up on by the 1.5L Water bottle, here you gotta search it out for those nights when you just want a simple, drinkable cheap wine to go with everyday food. Last night cooking for my roomates birthday I gave some unoaked Barbera a chance.

La Mondianese Barbera d'Asti 2009 ''Baby Barb'' - First thing I must say is that the Baby Barb thing turned me off just a bit.  But anyway, the wine was lovely.  I bought it in Brooklyn for about $13 and I have even seen it online for just a bit over $10.  This wine is 100% Barbera, and it goes through malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. Simple, food friendly acidity, showing Barbera's character... exactly what I was looking for on this night.

buon natale! sanvalentino and prime rib, naturally

Made it home to the berkshires for a day and a half... my mother picked up a grass fed prime rib cut from the best quality market in town.  The meat was incredible seasoned only with salt/pepper and olive oil.  Paolo Bea San Valentino 2007 was a beautiful choice for the natural wine and natural meat pairing.  Beautiful acidity and intriguingly concentrated and pure with that unfiltered loveliness.
Buone Feste!

GD VAJRA langhe nebbiolo 2009

ahhhhhhh un-oaked nebbioloooo, what a breath of fresh air....

Pelaverga and some Ossau-Iraty

Ran into some Fratelli Alessandria Verduno Pelaverga 2010 and needed to buy a bottle.  My first time drinking this variety and whether a Branch Scraper or a Dick Scraper it's some good shit. I talked with my Mexican friend Bruno who chuckled at the name Pelaverga translating from spanish to Dick Rubber (or at least some form of masturbator), which makes the connection of the name and the aphrodisiacal qualities associated with it.

Usually producing lighter style wines, this 2010 had beautiful red fruit with some strawberry notes reminiscent of those you would find in a Frappato from Sicily but with a completely different structure and complexity to it.  Pelaverga is a good time to try something a little more rare while staying in the comfort zone of Piemonte.  Sliced up some medium soft Ossau-Iraty sheeps milk cheese coming from south-western france to have with it.  This cheese was recently crowned as the 2011 World cheese awards best cheese.  I stopped at Bedford Cheese Shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn which is one of only 3 cheese mongers to sell it in New York City.

Scenes from an Amatriciana lunch

If theres anything that I can cook, I would say it is the above Bucatini all'Amatriciana.  I feel a true connection to the dish as well as a good grasp on it's history and tradition.  Very few and good quality ingredients are the key here.

There are mainly three ingredients to make up the sauce, and the following is all I use.

Guanciale
Tomatoes (Preferably Italian ones, Mutti is nice)
Pecorino Romano

Splash of red wine after sautéing the guanciale
Pinch of peperoncino
Bucatini cooked al dente

buon appetito!