'na cica de vino.

Tajarin and 2010 Langhe Nebbiolo

2012-02-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

Tajarin was on the menu last night so I experimented with a traditional way of serving the pasta, al sugo di fegatini (chicken liver ragu). I made the sauce with finely chopped onion, chicken livers, a ground meat mix of veal, beef and pork, bay leaf, chicken stock, tomato and just a small amount of guanciale which helped mellow out the sometimes overpowering flavor of chicken liver.

Drinking with this piedmont classic I took out the current release of 2010 Langhe Nebbiolo from Produttori del Barbaresco. In 2010 Piedmont received quite a lot of rain and winemakers were somewhat surprised to see the harvest ending with a superior quality. This bottling of 2010 Nebbiolo was delicious and it was showing some mint and liquorish notes that weren't so present in the last three vintages of Produttori's Langhe Nebbiolo I have tasted. Such an awesome easy drinking $20 price range wine, that is now my go to bottle here in brooklyn.

In other nebbiolo news...

Had the chance to pop a bottle of Erpacrife two nights ago, and If your into funky ass sparkling wines put this shit on your list! This wine is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes and vinified in the Metodo Classico. The name comes from the first syllable of the names of four Italian friends who met in enology school in Alba. Light, Fresh yet complex, with sweet and dusty red fruit.

2006 Capanna, and a two day shredding break in The Berkshires...

2012-02-01T17:39:00.000-08:00

The 2006 Capanna, Brunello di Montalcino is an excellent brunello for consumption shortly after the release.

After a month of unsuccessful escapes (due to rain) into the countryside for the first day of riding this 2012 season, finally tuesday presented a promising forecast. I took a later train in from Grand Central Station and arrived just in time for a classic NY Strip steak dinner at Big Franks. In a rush (baked potatoes in oven) I had to run into the local wineshop for a reliable classic from their selection. spotted the 2006 Brunello di Montalcino from Capanna, and having tasted the 2004 and 2005, the new 2006 release sounded like a go.

The 2004 was delicious but bigger and slightly closed (will obviously benefit from bottle age) when I tasted it open release. The 2005 was a bit leaner, easy drinking and not super complex. I could have gotten a lucky day with the 2006 but it was drinking gorgeous. There was a delicious gameyness and aromatics that I didnt find in either of the other two vintages. Capanna from northern Montalcino (Montosoli) practices longer maceration (about 25 days) and ages 3 years in Slavonian Oak casks. For $45 a bottle its pretty reasonable and a great expression of approachable, traditional Sangiovese Grosso from Montalcino.

The next day followed with warmth and sun, and many turns on soft snow. Above, A view from the top of Jiminy Peak in Hancock, MA. A textbook ''Ice Coast'' landscape.

supermodel lunch break

2012-01-25T23:33:00.000-08:00

Just another day in the life of a busy restaurant until Fabiana Semprebom shows up.

a few essentials you may find at the models table during lunch...

First snow in New York

2012-01-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

View of the Continental Army Plaza in Williamsburg Brooklyn, after the first snow of the year.

The Langhe: 1978

2012-01-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

New York City, Friday the 13th 1/13/2012: This tasting of Barolo and Barbaresco from 1978 and 1982, two of the most memorable vintages in The Langhe turned into a horizontal of 1978 after all but one of the 82's (including Giacosa, Barbaresco Santo Stefano Di Neive) happened to be off.

1978 in The Langhe: I definitely wasn't around in 1978 but apparently it was a surprising vintage after irregular bud break with which the plants held little fruit going into a rather cool summer. A month before harvest though, the region saw a magnificent sunshine and heat that was steady and balanced by cool nights which led to rich and aromatically expressive fruit at harvest time.

There was quite a lot of variation in the 78's which I think is partially due to change in storage and relocation during the 30+ years after their release.

1978 Roagna, Barbaresco Crichet Paje'. The first wine i actually tasted and was stunning right off the bat. It also ended up being my favorite and the best all around in terms of healthy fruit and expression on that night. This very special Riserva from Roagna is only released on exceptional vintages from the best selected fruit in the Paje' vineyard. It is very traditional and undergoes maceration with submerged cap for 80-100 days and then spends around 8 years in French and Slavonian Oak. This wine was drinking really unique showing balance, sweaty red fruit, earth and barn. Delicate yet strong, I could only describe it as sweaty socks prancing through a cherry field.

1978 Cavalotto Brico Boschis, Barolo. Still big tannins and some fruit. Almost feeling like it was stubborn and closed and had something else to offer just not that day.

1978 Cappellano, Barolo. This wine was pretty long and casual until the back palate morphed into an aftertaste of blood. It actually felt like biting into somebody's neck, or that sensation you get when you taste your own blood.

1978 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Rabaja'. I really wish I tasted this wine earlier on. It was actually decanted because it was so big and bound up in the beginning. First taste was super seductive terroir that I can't really put into words. Healthy fruit with great hope, but a big failure in the back palate as the wine just disintegrated leaving you with a thin wateriness in the end. After hours of being decanted I believe this wine had a perfect drinking period that night but I missed it.

1990 Ciacci Piccolomini, Brunello di Montalcino. This spends four years in Slavonian oak and surprisingly wasn't showing that much more youthful than some of the 78 Barolo. There was a lot of pencil led, meat, frutti di bosco and barnyard.

1982 Luciano Sandrone Barolo. One of the off bottles, slightly oxidated but with a notably rich nose of Moroccan spices that was mind blowing. On the palate it was not like this at all. Tasted mostly unbalanced and weird but not so off that you couldn't taste it. I would like to taste a healthy version sometime to see exactly how off this bottling was.

1982 Prunotto, Barbaresco Riserva, Montestefano. I had a longer time to be able to analyze this Barbaresco. I drank it a day after being opened and really got to enjoy the brilliant orange Nebbiolo hue. Coming from one of the Baroloesque vineyards in Barbaresco It was quite pleasing and in good shape. Still with enough lively acidity, some masculine fruit and barnyard notes that kept opening up more and more in the Burgundy glass.

1975 Freiherr Langwerth Von Simmern Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling. This wine was absolutely awesome. Hard to find notes on the winemaking, but with it's botrytized character on the nose and remarkable complexity on the palate it reminded me of the great ways in which you would describe a Chateau d'Yquem. Really lengthy lasting 2-3 minutes in the mouth and morphing through classic rich apricot and honey notes but being balanced the entire time with a big riesling acidity.

ferrari brut: still celebrating

2012-01-14T09:16:00.000-08:00

Remembering Caravaggio's Nativity

2012-01-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

Natività con i Santi Lorenzo e Francesco d'Assisi

Here is what Michelangelo Merisi's (Caravaggio) Nativity (1609) would look like if still hanging in the Oratorio di San Lorenzo in Palermo, Sicily. This Baroque masterpiece was stollen in 1969 thought to be a Mafia related crime and is estimated to be worth $20 million. Some think the painting to be destroyed at this point but who can say? I took a boat from Calabria to Sicily in the summer of 2008 and made a visit to the Oratorio in Palermo to find the space still empty nearly 40 years after the crime. I wonder if the Oratory has had more success in terms of visitors wanting to see the hole in the wall absence of the painting versus the actual painting when it was just another Caravaggio masterpiece.

Below, angels gasp at the outcome of one of the biggest art heists in history.

A stroll through Williamsburg

2012-01-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

Around September right before deciding to move to Williamsburg, in Brooklyn NY I took a self guided blind tour through the streets and snapped some of the first impressions I received. Williamsburg, the hipster capital has quite a lot to offer for a newcomer. Here are some shots taken on a short stroll through the hood.

Fashionably late struffoli

2012-01-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

Although Christmas and New Years has passed I realize this morning that I had gone through the holidays without even a glimpse of struffoli the classic christmas dessert popular in naples. After I botched the dough yesterday, I had to remake them this morning. I used about 2 cups of flour, 3 eggs, touch of butter, drizzle of rum, la scorza di mezzo limone, e un po di zucchero. This time put in a touch of baking powder because yesterdays batch didnt puff up...I let the dough sit a half an hour and then fried them in canola oil instead of olive oil. They came out blazing today and enjoyed them for breakfast. Here are some shots....

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

2011-12-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-26T23:07:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-09T02:18:00.000-08:00

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

Pelaverga and some Ossau-Iraty

2011-12-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

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!

ribolla CIALLA for a light brooklyn lunch

2011-11-30T20:26:00.000-08:00

Visited some 2010 Ribolla Gialla from Ronchi di Cialla (located in Prepotto of the Friuli region) over a light lunch here in Brooklyn this week. One of the more mineral expressions of Ribolla Gialla I have tasted but balanced with its generous acidity very well. Not super expressive on the nose although containing just enough fruit to seal the deal. Ribolla Gialla is one of my favorite wines to have with fish, but this can go with a number of lighter dishes. When we visited Paolo Rapuzzi and the Ronchi di Cialla house hold with the COF2011 in February we tasted a vertical of some awesome Schioppettino, but this was the first run in with their Ribolla Gialla.
Bello fresco, e veramente buono!

above, a view of the vineyards that surround the house of the Rapuzzi family.

1971 Granbussia

2011-11-14T10:46:00.000-08:00

With the never calming argument of traditionalism vs modernism in the land of Barolo it is easy for one to make a prejudgment on the wines of the Conterno brothers. Giacomo Conterno making the classic traditional wines, while Aldo Conterno after traveling to California separated from his familys label to make his own wines in 1970 with a more modern approach. Last week I was sipping 2006 Nebbiolo from Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema. What an amazing value and a beautiful expression of traditional Nebbiolo. A few minutes later I was given a pour of 2003 A. Conterno Il Favot which at the time I thought was barriqued. The 2003 vintage however is the one exception as Aldo didn't produce any Barolo and declassified everything to the Il Favot label. While tasting it later he realized his mistake and its potential as becoming a beautiful Barolo and refused to put it in barriques as it normally would have traveled to. The 2003 didnt settle with me so well though and maybe it was the short maceration period that gave it an uneasy modern drinking style. Being very concentrated and rich, I dumped the glass and reached back for the Carema.

Two nights ago we were able to uncork an A. Conterno Barolo Granbussia 1971. I didnt have a great knowledge of Aldo Conterno wines and spent most of my energy in the past learning about Giacomo Conterno wines as I usually side with the traditionalists... so the hell with the modernists right? But Granbussia is an excellent display of Nebbiolo and is bottled only in the best years. From 1970 up until 1985 the grapes were sourced from the Colonnello and Cicala vineyards in Monforte d'Alba. After 1985 the grapes are coming 70% from the Romirasco vineyard. Granbussia has a relatively long maceration period of 2-3 weeks depending on the vintage and is always aged in large Slavonian oak barrels.

The 71 is the first commercial bottling of the Granbussia. How glorious it always is to unwrap and uncork the dirty moldy top of old Nebbiolo! At first whiff this wine had crazy aromas of asian spice, ginger and peperoncino. On the palate it was long and delicate showing off nice terroir and notes of roses, fig, truffles and dark chocolate while having a touch of silkiness and elegance to it. Yes at first choice I would drink Giacomo Conterno, but this old Granbussia was intriguing and a wine worth pondering over.

For an interesting post on 1937 Aldo Conterno Barolo coming originally from 12.5 liter quarto di brenta check out Rarewinoco.com

california dreaming (again)

2011-11-10T21:09:00.000-08:00

Watching instragram posts pop up all today (including the one above from my friend Pizzle) of the opening day at Mammoth Mountain, I cant help but to feel empty inside all the way over here on the east coast. Being a traveling man is the most incredible feeling in the world but comes with the uneasiness of wishing you were somewhere else no matter where you are.

In Brooklyn tasting news...

A new oldest wine I have ever tasted
1947 Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut-Lieu - What an insane wine this was the other night

For now I'll settle into Brooklyn and hope to find an escape onto the snow whenever possible.... or at least a mental escape from time to time with amazing wine like this Champagne from Laurent-Perrier (Grand Siecle).

Unnatural composure

2011-11-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

A shot of the painting Unnatrual Composure taken at the Walton Ford opening two nights ago at the Paul Kasmin Gallery, my favorite of the works being shown.

Catarratto nights end

2011-11-02T23:41:00.000-07:00

Ended a night at the 'ol Maialino with a swig of the above 2008 Porta Del Vento Saharay (photo: vinosseur.com) which is on the Sicilian wine by the glass program. The most cider-like out of the Italian skin contact white wines I have tasted (Rusticum, Angiolino Maule etc) some surprising tannins as well. What a terrific autumnal beverage right here, by itself or with most fall style dishes. It is made from the Catarratto grape which is planted mainly in Sicily.

As I shlug down a last refreshing sip of Moretti before turning the lights off here in my Brooklyn Cabin, I have King Kong eyeing me from a short distance... The below painting is from Walton Fords exhibit which opens tomorrow at the Paul Kasmin Gallery. Walton lives in the Berkshires where I was coming from a about week ago.

Hah, never seen Cristal pour faster...

2011-10-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

Working one last dinner in the Berkshires brought Frederic Rouzaud of Louis Roederer to the area for a Cristal and Pichon lalande wine diner.

The collection of wines included:

Louis Roederer Brut Premier Magnum
Louis Roederer Brut 1985
Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 1990
Cristal 1996, 2000
Cristal Rosè 1996 2000
Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande 1982, 1996, 2005

The Brut 1985 was brilliant, complex and if I could put it into words it was like drinking honey graham crackers. The 1990 wasnt holding up as nice and had an edgy oxidation that wasnt so attractive. For the Cristal I preferred the 2000. It was rich, powerful, crisp and seductive while the 1996 (also amazing) was long, deep, more complex and had nutty characteristics. The second growth Lalande uses the highest percentage of Merlot in Pauillac which I thought really stood out in the 2005. The 1996 had reached a nice stage with loads of tobacco and cigar box, and a slight gaminess to it. I didn't taste the '82 but have in the past and a year ago it was amazingly complex and definitely my favorite vintage.

The title of this post comes from the Notorious B.I.G. song ''Your nobody 'till somebody kills you''. The album was released in 1996 and Biggie was the first rapper to promote Cristal in his songs and hip hop culture (which contributed to Cristal's success in America). Ten years later Jay-Z started a Cristal boycott after Mr. Rouzaud made some comments in the Economist towards rappers drinking and promoting the Champagne that Jay-Z saw as snotty and racist.

I will bring you back to 1996.. where all of the sommeliers of my generation enjoy a little Cristal and Biggie Smalls.

(Second verse)

Uhh, uhh
Watch Casino, I'm the hip-hop version of Nicky Tarantino
Ask Nino, he know
Green with envy, the green tempts me
to make the richest enemy, and take their cheese
Take their spots, take their keys, make my faculty
live happily, ever after in laughter
Hah, never seen Cristal pour faster
And to those bastards, knuckleheads squeeze lead
Three of mine dead, nothing left to do
but tear they ass to shreds, leave em in bloodshed
Incidents like this I take trips
Lay up in Miami with Tamika and Tammy (huh)
Some Creole C-O bitches I met on tour
Push a peach Legend Coupe, gold teeth galore
Told me meet em in the future later, they'll take me shopping
buy me lavender and fuschia Gators
Introduce me to player haters and heavy weighters
Rich bitch shit, drinking Cristal
til they piss the shit, uhh
Thorough bitches, death to any borough bitches
Be in spots where they were no bitches, you feel me
Reminisce on dead friends too
You're nobody 'til somebody kills you

A day in Pompeii, Massachusetts and wacko wine preservation

2011-10-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

A Thursday off of work found me in Boston for a short visit, a few days before a move to NYC. First I checked out the exhibit A day in Pompeii at the Museum of Science. A sharp but more limited exhibit than expected. It did feature some body casts which were fascinating, and below these four amphorae which were traditionally used to transport wine (like the two on the left) or olives and fruit (the two on the right).

Afterwards, I stopped into Enoteca Bin 26 an Italian Focused wine list with Italian and Italian influenced food on the menu. Didn't eat dinner, but had some pecorino toscano cheese (which was wonderful) with a glass of Aglianico. They offer 100 ml ''tasting glasses'', 250 ml, 500ml, or by the bottle. The 100ml is a sly maneuver because your paying $7 to $13 for essentially half of a glass of wine. Another thing they use which has been bugging me lately with restaurants is a pump vacuum and pour system for the wines by the glass. Being an old school kinda guy, I am really feeling anti pump technology... and that bullshit wine preservation spray that they are selling now... come the fuck on! Most of the time I find these devices really suck the soul out of the aroma and/or bouquet of the wine.
Below, the wine by the glass pump system at Bin 26.

The perfect solution?
Save the wine for a day or max two days (with a normal cork) if you feel the need. Otherwise if you have leftover wine, let the staff drink it. That way your keeping your staff and your customers happy at the same time. The staff can relax and unwind after a hard nights work, and the customers are always drinking fresh wine. Afterall, you can't have happy customers without a happy staff!

Lost in translation

2011-10-14T21:16:00.000-07:00

Today my friend Rivka Spizzichino in Rome shared this photo from the Metro... Classic Italian workmanship here!

Life, Death and Yquem 1983

2011-10-10T23:31:00.000-07:00

''Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I have ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything, all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure, these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.'' - Steve Jobs

Above, a birds eye view of 1983 Yquem in my glass showing the vintages captivating colour.

Last night I enjoyed some Chateau d'Yquem 1983 (in Magnum) which was given to us by a very generous guest at the hotel. I don't think I have even seen Yquem in a magnum before, but I knew it would be special as it always is. After many recent posts on brief tasting notes which gets old quickly this sauternes surely caused me to stop and think for a few days before attempting to write about it. First off, this must be my favorite vintage I have had yet from Yquem... definitely the most flamboyant and instantly seductive. A very concentrated vintage. The amazing thing about this wine which for me is the reason why it's delicious, is it's ability to be very sweet and bone dry at the same time. at first you taste the sweet (the honey, creme brulee, citrus notes etc.) but in your mouth you are left with a sensational dry aftertaste. There is a wonderful acidity of Yquem which balances the sweetness.

While drinking this wine as it made me ponder, I couldn't help but to think about life and death. If your familiar with Yquem wines you know they are special for their capability to age for a very long time. Many say over 100 years for the 1983 and it is already a year older than I. Most of the people on this earth today will be dead when this wine is still being enjoyed by our children. It recalls as of recent, the passing of Steve Jobs and his motivational views on life and death. The importance of doing what you feel from your heart without any fear. Or as the slightly less optimistic motto goes in which Michelangelo Merisi lived by Nec Spe Nec Metu. Without hope, without fear.

With your next glass of Chateau d'Yquem ponder just a bit.. about the future of the world and who will be drinking that same exact wine 100 years from now, long after you have passed.

above, natura morta. grapes from Yquem during the botrytis cinerea (noble rot) process.

photo from myquem.com

above, Sommelier Luc Chevalier pouring some liquid gold.

Friday bringing more Leflaive to the table

2011-10-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

Had a couple of Leflaive white burgundy wines this friday... The Puligny-Montrachet 2003 ''Les Pucelles'' was showing an unusual weak side. There was not much expression here, tasted almost watered down.. mineral, citrus and some toasted notes but a weak finish and a bit of a disapointment..

Later in the evening a superior Grand Cru from Leflaive made an appearance in the dining room...
Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet 2004 Grand Cru was showing ages ahead of the ''Les Pucelles'' with an incredible complexity.
The 2004 harvest (ending on Oct. 3rd) took place a month later than the 2003 harvest (ending on Sept. 5th) in which the grapes suffered through some scorching summer heat.
Although tough to compare these two wines (sourced from different vineyards) I have had other great experiences with the 2004 vintage from Leflaive's Puligny-Montrachet.

The Leflaive website says the 2004 Grand Crus shouldn't be enjoyed before 2012. I would beg to differ as this wine is already exploding with action...long, toasty, and mineral deliciousness!

19 year old Chardonnay!

2011-10-04T23:23:00.000-07:00

Posting quickly about some nice wines tasted last night including
Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet 1992!
19 year old Chardonnay from Burgundy. Amazing shit... layers of honey, citrus, toasted almonds, sauternes-like characteristics...longevity for days.. lasting over 5 minutes on the palate.

Free Amanda

2011-10-04T00:02:00.000-07:00

After a terrifying 4 years in prison Amanda Knox has finally returned to her home in Seatle...

Oddero Rocche Di Castiglione 2005, showing marvelous

2011-10-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

After a freaky bizarre night in the restaurant and some shitty weather around (a damp and rainy fall in the Berkshires so far) I arrived home and Oddero Barolo called out to me. Instead of planning a certain moment to open a special bottle of wine, I find it always best to open spontaneously... you know when you just feel like having some Barolo.

Oddero 2005 Barolo, Rocche di Castiglione. Right away this Barolo had the most magnificent bouquet. I have never had such a young Barolo still strong and tannic, be so expressive at the same time. Beautiful dried flowers, cherry, spice, liquorish, and tar. Enjoyable on the palate with good acidity but one of those wines you cant stop smelling. I reheated some Beef Bourguignon, my father ''big frank'' had cooked earlier that night and it went insanely good together.

It is said that Barolo made here in the Rocche vineyard in Castiglione Falletto has a markedly aromatic nose that makes it outstanding even when drunk only a year or so after the harvest. Some Barolos (like those from Serralunga d'Alba for instance) take a lot of bottle age to acheive these classic barolo characteristics and aromatics. The soil of Rocche is also very unique. Slightly sandy, limestone-rich and loose packed, with a very hard rock like surface just a meter deep. This type of ground does not retain water well and Rocche suffers the most in the very hot and dry years.

Cristina Oddero shared the following photo through twitter of Nebbiolo grapes during this past weeks harvest.

Ultimi giorni di raccolta a Bricco Chiesa, storico vigneto attorno alla proprietà Oddero..il Barolo é di casa!

view of manhattan from williamsburg

2011-09-28T22:47:00.000-07:00

1978 Chateau Latour... Un Grand Vin!

2011-09-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Had the pleasure to taste this 1978 Pauillac from Chateau Latour on my birthday. Tasted both of these bottles and they were both very similar... something that doesn't happen so often in a wine having over 30 years on it. The complexity was amazing. Right away I tasted fireworks and gun smoke... which morphed into a spicy pepper, tobacco and pencil shavings. Long in the mouth with some fruit present and just enough acidity but you can tell it is fading quickly.

A lot of Bordeaux wines have the same characteristics but depending on the quality the complexity and elegance will change dramatically.. as with this grand vin from Chateau Latour. The 2002 Sassicaia (a rough year for Sangiovese, but much better for Cabernet from Sassicaia) went better with the food as it had a flawless acidity to it and the Latour was the wine of the night to meditate on. Drink this 78 Latour now!

Notice the fill difference here with these 78's... giving them 33 years to slowly evaporate

un compleanno... non da solo ma con una boccia di Krug

2011-09-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

im not ashamed... Krug is a guilty pleasure of mine...

As midnight struck turning me 27, I looked around.. everybody was gone except a lonely bottle of Champagne. Soon we became friends, and I was beginning to understand my love for Krug... I will take it any day over Dom Perignon. So often are luxury goods over rated and nothing near what they are talked up to be. For me this is an exception. Although usually not a fan of grand oakyness the Krug grand cuvee (a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) fermented completely in small oak casks really shows the harmonious side of OAK. The wine dances on your tongue and the components play together like a symphony.

All I need in this life of sin... is me and some Krug

Some of the wines opened tonight. The 1999 Marcassin Pinot Noir was nice upon opening had a rich barnyard smell with dirty fruits. Within only 10 minutes It completely cleaned up with bright red fruits and violets as if it had jumped in the shower, shaved put on a tie and said ''okay, I'm ready for ya!''.

French Mags' up in the spot

2011-09-10T02:04:00.000-07:00

Had to do a post in honor of Wayne Young of old white wine, and which I drank a fair share of last week. I put up these two bottles to mention briefly...

1995 Champagne Dom Perignon (Magnum)

This was a cool bottle of bubbly here. I never thought to open champagne for the sake of breathing before serving. You always pop the cork when you are ready to drink. In this case we opened this vintage Champagne (which is roughly around 50/50 chardonnay/pinot noir) and I tasted it right before serving to the guests. I wasn't expecting heaps from this wine, thinking it might be slightly past it's peak. It had a very edgy, agressive oxidative character that bit at your toungue a bit. We served it and that was that. After service, maybe 3 hours later we opened it back up to share a drink before the nights end. I wasn't even going to taste it as I had my eyes wrapped around a leftover Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco. Someone said how great it tasted so I gave it another shot. The wine changed completely! Still fresh acidity and bubbles but that agressive oxidation was completely gone! and it smoothed out into a long finish. Wow what an unexpected personality on this wine...

2003 Domaine Ponsot, Morey Saint Denis Clos des Monts, ''Vieilles Vignes'' (Magnum)

The Morey Saint Denis Appelation in the Cote De Nuits produces red and white wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. White wine only makes up 4% of the wine produced here. This old white wine was killer though and had a perfect amount of cellar time on it. The fruit still fresh and expressive and a complexity at the same time with a long finish.

Salute!

I'm going to Graceland, Eataly NYC

2011-09-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

Was taken unexpectedly to Eataly for lunch this week by my Italian friend Arianna... I knew it was going to be thrilling, and an incredible experience and that it was.. Probably more so then I expected. We ate at the Rosticceria and had Brisket Bollito with salsa verde and a side of escarole. Every day they prepare a different meat for a special. Eataly...A market, a wine shop, 9 restaurants, a gelateria and 2 espresso bars all in one space. To sit here and try to explain the experience would be pointless... get out of your chair and run don't walk!

Eataly
200 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10010

15th Floor, above the rest of Eataly lies the Birreria

Dante's stairs leading to the Birreria...

stroll through Manhattan...

2011-09-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

stroll through Brooklyn...

2011-09-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

Death & Co

2011-09-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

1996 Asili in magnum

2011-09-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

Bruno Giacosa 1996 Asili di Barbaresco Riserva (red label) Magnum, (bottle 048 of 1520)

One of the many reasons Nebbiolo is so fascinating is its versatility. It can produce wines with different style and character depending on the terroir...but all within northern Italy, and mainly Piemonte. As Angelo Gaja has said, Nebbiolo is ''infinitely more complex'' than Cabernet Sauvignon, which is grown all over the world.

After tasting a very powerful and noble 1985 Bruno Giacosa Santo Stefano Riserva last week, it made it that much more meaningful to taste a younger 1996 Bruno Giacosa Asili Barbaresco Riserva. Asili has been mentioned as the vineyard capable of producing the best expressions of Barbaresco and even Nebbiolo in some cases.

I tasted this wine throughout a 24 hour period from being opened and double decanted. Although not as powerful and complex as the Santo Stefano (which we have said closely resembles a Barolo), it showed wonderfully. The colour was still a very dark red and showing no signs of the classic orange reflections. The first thing you notice when tasting this wine at 15 years out, is how powerful the tannins still are and how much more time this can spend in the cellar. It started off gamey, slightly chewy and with notes of toasted hazelnuts. After an hour it lost the gameyness and hazelnut, the beautiful fruit came out and it stayed pretty much the same for 24 hours showing a textbook nose of tar and roses with a beautiful acidity making it show best when paired with food.

2004 Pico, e cena con mia zia calabrese di 92 anni!

2011-08-31T00:24:00.000-07:00

My Aunt Ceil made an appearance this week in The Berkshires, coming from Florida for the wedding of my brother. We dined with family at The Church St. Cafe in Lenox, my friend Stefan's place. What a night, enjoying Quail and '09 Langhe Nebbiolo from Produttori del Barbaresco with my 92 year old aunt.
Salute!

Earlier on...

After my first and very memorable experience of 2009 Angiolino Maule Pico with the COF 2011 crew, I found a 2004 vintage in The Wine Bottega in the north end of Boston two weeks ago. I was slightly skeptical at first wondering how this Garganega would hold up after 7 years, but by the beard of Zeus this bitch was shining like a rock star. Orange peel, grapefruit, hibiscus, bangin' acidity and a touch of tannin, best at room temperature.
Not a bad way to spend $20....

A Natural Grignolino

2011-08-30T23:42:00.000-07:00

Havn't had heaps of Grignolino in the past, but when I stumbled upon this 2010 Tenuta Migliavacca ''natural'' Grignolino, had to try it... perfect for a summer day... light, refreshing and traditional, served slightly chilled

la vita romana

2011-08-22T23:37:00.000-07:00

remembering the rooftop of il castello di via oderisi da gubbio

2 bottles of Krug, one faulty cork

2011-08-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

After pouring a tall glass of Krug in an attempt to refresh the mind and palate after a night's work I found only great disappointment as I made a bitter beer face. Shit! Despite the bubbles being lively and unharmed the wine immediately tasted terrible and oxidized. After further investigation I noticed the odd looking cork. I stumbled upon the cork from the first bottle opened (which I did not happen to taste) and set it next to the faulty looking one. As you can see above the cork on the right from the oxidized wine is much skinnier and doesn't bow out into a mushroom shape like champagne corks normally do (hinting that oxygen was able to interfere much easier).

La Panzanella!

2011-08-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

Shimmering orange reflections of '85 Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Neive

2011-08-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

When I was given the chance to pick out some wine for a couple having dinner with a $3,000 gift certificate (in wine) I immediately knew in which direction to turn. With over 17,000 bottles and a choice of around 3,000 wines in the cellar I turned to Piedmont. Selling mostly big name French wines I wanted to open a classic Italian wine that had some age on it. I reached for an '85 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco selling for slightly under $1,000. They paired with a Cotes de Boeuf and later some cheeses. They were excited to share a glass with me afterwards and i couldn't have been more excited myself.

The Barbaresco from Santo Stefano has been called ''Baroloesque'' and Bruno Giacosa himself has been quoted, saying ''it is more Barolo than Barbaresco.''

Do Bianchi has some wonderful Giacosa adventures here with some more recent vintages along with the story of Bruno's controversial decision to not bottle the 2006 vintage. It is very informative and is what held me over up until my first opportunity to taste the legendary wine...

Bruno Giacosa 1985 Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Neive Riserva (Red Label)

The colour of this wine was simply mesmerizing. Partially brick red but also very orange with glowing orange reflections that seduce a lover of Nebbiolo. This bottle delivered everything I ever wanted in Nebbiolo and more. The nose was very intense with forest, cantina, and ripe Taleggio cheese. On the palate it completely stuns you by throwing in some of the freshest and most delicious fruit with notes of raspberry liquor followed by layers of barnyard and a sprocking acidity! by the nose you would never expect such a healthy fruited wine, but it's in very good condition and can age some more years or be heavily enjoyed right now.

above, so very hard to capture by photo, finishing the Barbaresco with shimmering orange reflections showing

Camille Giroud in 2001

2011-07-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

Camille Giroud Chambertin ''Clos de Beze'' 2001 Grand Cru

Camille Giroud founded this estate in 1965 and became known for traditional and long aged burgundy wines. In 2002 he sold to Ann Colgin and husband who renovated the winery and mixed modern and traditional wine making and became recognized as producing a more ''approachable'' Burgundy.

This 2001 was quite an interesting bottle to taste, the last year before the knew owners came to the winery. Although 2001 wasn't the greatest year in burgundy you wonder how the selling of the winery played a part in the wine making and passion that went into this vintage for Camille Giroud.

This wine had a wonderful nose of soil, steak and charcoal and on the palate layers of mushroom, terroir, and red meat. Not much fruit however... we opened 3 bottles of this stuff and the first had the best fruit showing with nice sour cherry notes that balanced with the meatiness. 2 hours later tasting the third bottle it was as if someone took a perfect wine and subtracted the fruit from it completely. Che peccato! With it's very nervy acidity this wine should be paired with food.

on a similar note....

Another wine past it's peak earlier in the night was this 1999 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault-Charmes. The wines fruit had disappeared and was left with a grand minerality, traces of oak and some honey and oxidation character. We opened three bottles of this as well and there was really only one survivor that was still drinkable.

Coffee, the art and essence

2011-07-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

While ''hipster Cafe's'' are popping up everywhere in the states Barrington Coffee has a focus and passion that seperates them from the others...

For many Coffee is a necessity, some enjoy the taste and most look no further. It is what it is. But at Barrington Coffee in Lee, Massachusetts they have a completely different take on coffee and are taking it back to the very beginning: the small farms from where they receive the beans whether it be Brazil or Ethiopia.

I have been trying to visit the factory for about a year now where my good friend Brian Heck is part of the small and very passionate staff. Last week I finally popped into the roasting factory which is more of a museum than a factory!

One of the few coffee roasters in the building, this one a discontinued Sasa Samiac from France.

The pre-roasted green seed as appears upon arrival

A very interesting project they are working on is vintage coffee... as you can see above the boxes are marked with the year of harvest and there is even a reserve. A coffee revolution, where you are achieving a rare and unique coffee in similar ways as you would a fine wine.

Brian Heck in action pulling one of the coolest shots of espresso I have ever tasted

Mid-July... that Vitello Tonnato time!

2011-07-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

As the heat and humidity hit a summer high in the Berkshires yesterday afternoon... the last thing I wanted to do was slave over a hot kitchen stove. But the reward being a slightly chilled Vitello Tonnato dinner forced me into the exact situation. I made Vitello Tonnato for the first time last year at almost the same point in July. I strictly followed one recipe (which I normally never do) and found out that it called for way to much vinegar and I surely ruined the fucking tonnato sauce! Over the years of cooking for myself and others, I have discovered that I am more of a mad scientist in the kitchen than anything else. I usually cannot follow just one single recipe and after I produce a dish its hard to explain and provide any useful recipe for it. I never measure anything and I like to get into a zone and feel out what the dish needs in the moment. I have tons of respect for people like Eleonora (of the blog aglio, olio e peperoncino) who can provide a highly detailed recipe at any given moment.

Comunque, I had a lot of fun this time winging it (using multiple recipes while omitting the vinegar) and it came out pleasant and better than I had hoped. Some key steps are a quality roast, good quality tuna in olive oil (not the water shit!), cooking down white wine with whole cloves to later add into the sauce and just as important adding the juice from the cooked roast into the tuna sauce to create a beautiful consistency and depth of flavor.

Vitello Tonnato or Vitel Tonnè in the piemontese dialect is a classic dish or antipasto of Piedmont, particularly of Alba and with a nice Dolcetto it becomes a heavenly pairing. I opened a bottle of Oddero Dolcetto d'Alba 2009 which I have been drinking at a steady pace lately.

above, the ''girello'' veal roast with onion, carrot, rosemary, bay leaves and whole cloves about to go into the oven.

above, a recipe for Vitello Tonnato from the cookbook ''Regional Foods of Northern Italy'' written by Marlena de Blasi.

Monthelie 2005, a rebellious Pinot Noir

2011-07-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Pierre Morey 2005 Monthelie - (Monthelie is located in the Côte de Beaune of Burgundy in between Volnay and Meursault.) In my own view I don't find this Monthelie as being supple delicate or elegant as some of the cliche tasting notes (from some fantasy world) describe it. Instead I see a very rustic expression of Pinot Noir. A well made wine, with a rebellious edge to it and showing off a unique terroir with earth, gravel, healthy fruit and chalky tannin. For me that's where the enjoyment came from drinking this wine. An escape from your everyday expectations of Pinot Noir from Burgundy.

Roma

2011-07-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Roma, Piazza Venezia un anno fa.

Heredia by the lake

2011-07-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rosè Gran Reserva 2000

60% Garnacho 30% Tempranillo Viura 10%

Ageing in barrels: 4 and a half years, being racked twice a year and fined with fresh egg whites.

It was a hot and unpredictable summer afternoon with blue skies accompanied by threatening clouds. I met up with Caitlin at her lake house and stepped out of a beat up Ford Focus carrying a crinkled up paper bag. I pulled out some Manchego cheese, barlotti beans prepared in the style of my Calabrian great grandfather and a bottle of 2000 Heredia Rosè. The first mistake I made was pouring the wine at fridge temperature as it is definitely best served around cellar temp (60F - 16C). The nose was straight funk from the beginning, but on the palate all I got was the oxidative character. At first I thought shit! it might be a bad bottle. We waited ten minutes. If its a faulty bottle its gonna get really gnarly with little time... if its good it will improve and be delicious. Sure enough it was just too cold and the fruit started to emerge with time. The acidity and that oxidative character matched up perfectly along with layers of hazelnut and strawberries. What a fucking gorgeous 11 year old Rosè we have here!

Earlier, looking for advice on what to pair this bottle of wine with. I asked a couple of bloggers what they preferred.

Samantha of Samantha Sans Dosage: Cured ham and Comte. That wine is too complex to get crazy with the food. Let the wine be the star and the salty and fatty bits frame it.

Jeremy of Do Bianchi: Our friend Brad at our favorite restaurant in Austin, Fonda San Miguel, keeps a stash of Lopez (and Produttori) just for us (well, not just for us, but we like to pretend it's just for us!). My all-time fav pairing for that wine (so far) is... Huitlacoche Tamales because, as Sam points out, the purity of the flavors in the dish doesn't fight the crazy goodness and subtleties of the wine. So there you go! (Or do it with some fresh east coast oysters!)

I say, if your tasting a Heredia wine for the first time go super simple as Samantha suggests. If you've had it and know what to expect get a little more daring Do Bianchi style.

Caitlin and I throwing down before the storm on Onota lake, Pittsfield MA

1990 Chateau Haut-Marbuzet = earth + tobacco + Tapatio!

2011-07-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

Chateau Haut-Marbuzet 1990, Saint-Estèphe
Vineyard: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Merlot 10% Cabernet Franc

A not so traditional wine coming from Saint Estèphe with large amounts of Merlot and loads of new oak. The wine was drinking complete despite many reviews I read that said the wine is far past it's peak. Still very dark red/ruby in colour, and a wild spicy note that reminded me of Mexico. I can't really say if I like or dislike this wine but It's definitely unique.
To put it into an equation: earth + tobacco + Tapatio = 1990 Haut-Marbuzet!

1982 Grand-Puy Lacoste

2011-07-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste Pauillac 1982 (approximately 75% cab 20% merlot 5% cab franc) The 5th growth from Pauillac drinking nice earlier this week. Dirty with lovely tobacco and black pepper, some tasty fruits but starting to fade. Definitely lacking some of the complexity that you'll find in some of the 1st and 2nd growth Bordeaux's.... black pepper and earth lingering on the palate minutes after.

el gatto

2011-06-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

cat on sidewalk in los angeles. june 2011

1999 Puligny-Montrachet, non c'è male!

2011-06-25T23:35:00.000-07:00

Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet ''Les Pucelles'' 1999

Was excited to try this wine tonight, and to see how this 1999 Puligny-Montrachet held up after 12 years in the cellar. The Grand Cru Montrachet vineyard (of 8 hectares divided between Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet) can age very well and is considered the greatest land for making age worthy dry white wine in the world. I'm a believer after tasting the 1995 Domaine Ramonet Montrachet last year which may have been the best shit I have ever drank as far as white wine is concerned. But how about some vin from the Puligny side of things? This wine was quite enjoyable, a bit passed it's peak but still with some life in the acidity, complex layers, gun flint, and a smoothness to it. Although a bit oxidized and not having the lifespan in the cellar like some Grand Cru's do, it poured out a damn pleasing glass of old white wine.

Coppa bread and scrambled eggs

2011-06-25T22:45:00.000-07:00

Coenobium 2009! pleasing the crowd

2011-06-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

The Coenobium 2009 on Wednesday night at Mission Bar & Tapas really pleased the crowd...
When my friend Caitlin Harrison brought out this bottle during the wine dinner, I knew it would be my favorite of the night. This wine from the Monastero Suore Cistercensi is a Lazio Bianco IGT blend of 45% Trebbiano 35% Malvasia and 25% Verdicchio. The nuns along with the consultant winemaker Giampiero Bea created this unctuous white with skin contact giving it a slight oxidative character and fresh yet fairly complex layers. I picked up some beautiful hibiscus and quince notes that were so unique and delicious. They also make another white, similar blend with 15 days skin contact called ''Rusticum'' that I will now be on the prowl for...
looking for a gorgeous summer wine? Hunt down this gem!

I also experienced the a 100% Counoise, a red wine grape grown primarily in the Rhone Valley. A small percentage is allowed in Chateauneuf du Pape but its quite rare to find a 100% Counoise bottling as it sometimes lacks depth and tannin. This Domaine Monpertuis 2009 had great acidity which made it work with most of the food, even if it lacked some elements it was still very enjoyable.

A swig of Dolcetto

2011-06-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

Today, the first day of summer I reopened a bottle of Oddero Dolcetto d'Alba 2009 from last night which i had with a panino con prosciutto. Fresh ciabatta bread, a couple slices of Prosciutto di Parma, extra virgin olive oil and a bit of lettuce maybe. This simple combination wins me over every single time!

Dolcetto has been compared to Beaujolais by wine writers and although I prefer Dolcetto, I would agree that they both have that fresh versatility that can pair easily with a range of different foods. This 2009 Dolcetto by Oddero goes through fermentation and maceration for about 12 days in stainless steel containers. It's then aged in stainless steel, bottled the next spring and released by the summer. What you get is an easy drinking, versatile, fresh wine showing a true character of the Dolcetto grape. Don't let the name ''Dolcetto'' lead you down the wrong path (dolce = sweet in italian). The word comes from the Langhe in Piedmont and refers to the grape rather than the wine. It has long been a grape eaten at the table in the Langhe during the autumn along with seasonal pears and boiled chestnuts.

I have tasted many Oddero wines, and they produce some of my favorite Barolo's (mainly the Brunate) and a very interesting Langhe Nebbiolo but this was my first time tasting their Dolcetto.
The wine had a nice ruby-red colour, purple tints and that Dolcetto fruit-filled nose. A zingy black cherry fruit that was perfectly balanced by earthy notes, a nice acidity and appealing tannin. I thought it was showing best the next day when the wine opened up a bit and all the components came through. At around $16 a bottle this is a fun everyday wine to work with.

June photo slide

2011-06-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

A few selected shots from an eventful last month on the west coast snowboarding, camping, surfing, sipping and smokin' before cruising back east for the summer....

Last chair up a very snowy Mammoth Mountain in June, Chair 1

Method into June skies

Four days of frends, debauchery, music, mayhem, whiskey and fires

Pre-Frendly Gathering warmup ralley with the Squid

Squid diving into a dog or two

J-Town organizing morning events, Frendly Gathering 2011

The reactions of 6 during Stairway to Heaven intro performed by Led Zeplica, Frendly Gathering 2011

A very loose Squid during Led Zeplica concert, Frendly Gathering 2011

Frendly Gathering, Day 1 aftermath (photo by A. Maness)

A late season Rusty Trombone performed by Shayne Pospisil

Red pepper

Vintage Pin ball

A swirl of G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe 2004

Pizza Margherita

Heading to the waves, Oceanside, CA

Pre-game driving to the Billabong, Design for Humanity Hollywood, CA

Retiring a pair of ramshackled Vans with Luke Mitrani

2011-05-29T20:19:00.000-07:00

Met up with the Squid last week for some cruising at the Volcom Brothers Skatepark in town. After filming numerous lines of Luke throwing down airs in the bowl, I didnt expect to look down and see his whole foot sticking out of the top of his shoe after a haggard duck tape job fell apart! Squid submitted and retired his weathered ass kicks...

A final backside air ''shocka'' for these old and tired shoes...

After all, do you really even need shoes to skate? You'll find the answer in Squids most recent skate edit... One Love

Join the Frendly Gathering June 2-June 5

2011-05-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

Nude on Sand

2011-05-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

Edward Weston (1886-1958), Nude on Sand, Oceano 1936

Shots from Transworld Snowboarding Good Wood 2012

2011-05-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

A fun week testing out around 80 snowboards with good friends! The full internet wrap up is over on the Twsnow features website. Also look for the magazine report on the Good Wood reviews in the Transworld Snowboarding October 2011 Issue.

Produttori Del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo 2009

2011-05-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo 2009 - Was dancing nicely in the glass the other night. Really pure and expressive Nebbiolo. Do Bianchi said it to be lighter than the 2007 but not as much as 2008. For me it was definitely showing better than the 2008 I had a while back, but I'm yet to have a taste from the successful 2007 vintage. Jeremy, surprisingly paired it with a spicy Mexican dish that you can read about in the Houston Press.

Fine Sushi at Sugarfish in Marina del Rey

2011-05-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

After escaping from an early May snowstorm in Mammoth Lakes, I hitched a ride to Los Angeles for some fun in the sun. Last night had some extraordinary sushi at Sugarfish in Marina del Rey. It was my first real California sushi experience and having the sushi served the second it was prepared with the rice still warm and at a perfect consistency. The menu gives you a good feeling when you read the following...

''We keep sushi simple. You won’t find trendy flourishes with clever names at SUGARFISH. All you’ll find is pure, traditional sushi and a devotion to its classic preparation—right down to the eye-opening flavors of our own house-made soy sauce and ponzu.''

SUGARFISH Marina del Rey
4722 1/4 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Phone: 310 306-6300

Venice Beach skate park.

Recent tastings over in the Berkshires

2011-05-06T22:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo and some recent notes of whats been flowing over in the berkshires at Blantyre, sent by Sommelier Luc Chevalier.

Marcassin , “Marcassin Vineyard”1999
Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast,California
Right from the start the intensity of the fruit are prevalent, open 1hr before, marvelous ruby red, transparent, chocolate on the nose, superb silkiness and a touch of cinnamon
Good to have with fish in a red wine sauce, duck, fowl and chicken in a natural jus.

Chambertin Grand Cru, “Clos de Bèze” Camille Giroud 2001
Pinot Noir, Côte~de~Nuits, Burgundy, France
Also open 1hr before, Purple color, somewhat of a barn smell at the beginning, opens up well to a earthy flavor, wild grass, black fruit and excellent acidity.
Recommending paring with games of all sort and blue cheese as well.

a ripping Refosco, and some Good Wood (not talkin' 'bout barrique either!)

2011-04-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

This Ermacora 2008 Refosco (from K&L wine merchants) was a much needed treat last week. Ermacora was one of the standout producers from the Tocai tasting on the COF2011 trip, so I gave their Refosco a try here in the states. This was such a food friendly red, and can really go swell with a number of dishes. Both bright and dark fruits, very balanced in it's alcohol and a beautiful acidity. The tannins were not overwhelming and it went fine with pasta and a tomato eggplant sauce.

In Other News.....

Today we will start the Transworld Snowboarding 2012 Good Wood session where we (a group of snowboarders) will test next seasons 2012 snowboards here at Mammoth Mountain. Some arduous 8 to 4pm snowbording sessions ahead of us....

June Mountain closing week

2011-04-24T00:45:00.000-07:00

Shredded June mountain this week with my good pals Cody and Kramer.... last few days before closing day on Easter Sunday. Above, is first a picture of Kramer and I about to drop into the slushy face of June. following is a sequence shot by Cody of me getting played by a mctwist on June's quarterpipe.

Terje's Picnic

2011-04-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

Below is some minishred from Terje Haakonsen himself. His ''first picnic'' since 1990, meaning he is not a jibber but a powder rider. But check out the stilo on this picnic table without a need for a jump before it! classic skate style

Perrin les Christins Vacqueras 2003

2011-04-09T00:50:00.000-07:00

Perrin Les Christins Vacqueyras 2003
80% Grenache 20% Syrah
14.5% Alc

A nice surprise opening this bottle with my good pal Peter Benchetler after working a shift at the Side Door here in Mammoth. I have been way off lately in terms of tasting wines I enjoy. Haven't had time to search out the very few bottles that fit my palate in this small mountain town. I reached for this Rhone wine tonight and it was showing wonderfully. I hope not only because of the Rombauer mouthwash I have recently switched to, but also because at 8 years out it's at a prime drinking point. Snooth lists it's maturity at 2005-2011, and I think it's definitely at a beautiful peak.

First opened, it displayed a very foresty and gamey nose. Right off the bat the Fruit was explosive on the palate (almost in a fruit forward way) and then tamed down dramatically 5 minutes into the bottle (in a good way). From then on it was harmonious with a slightly gamey/liquorish nose, a nice red fruit and bright acidity on the palate and finished with a big but not overwhelming dry tannin.

It reminded me of how personal a wine can be (and usually is). This is how this wine tasted to me at this very moment with this single bottle. May I have been in a different setting or tasting superior quality wines previously it would have tasted totally different.
Anyway, cheers to some fucking good wine for the time being!

above, some bubbly on display at Side Door in Mammoth Lakes.

ananas in barchetta.

2011-04-06T17:03:00.000-07:00

Just saw this classic Ananas in barchetta (Pineapple in a small boat, a typical way to serve the fruit in that area of Italy.) photo posted by my cousin Justine in Florence, Italy. It brought me back to the restaurant Da Diego in Rome where we were serving these boys left and right....

maybe I miss Italy

delusional Chardonnay

2011-04-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

If I never see this label again....

9 out of 10 people prefer Rombauer Chardonnay. Who the F is that 1 person hating? ... That person is me, and I'm quite proud of it! I haven't written much lately, and that is partially the fault of snowboarding every day, and also because, well... I haven't drunk anything worth writing about! So if you havn't had any positive experiences to write about, that just leaves the negative, right?

Well, after a day of pouring wine at Side Door here in Mammoth I couldn't help but feel a discomfort from one person after another ranting and raving about Rombauer Chardonnay. ''It's so delicious and yet such a good deal!'' Yes if delicious is a wine that tastes like a Yankee Candle scent, and Yes if $19 a glass is a good deal. After asking one dude from a group of 7 if he would be the one tasting the just opened Rombauer he exclaimed, ''No just pour the wine. There's no need to taste it, I know Rombauer.'' .... Okay? That isn't the point and if you do ''know it so well'', that's all the more reason to taste it first.

That said, everybody has their own palate which is the most beautiful part of the wine world, there is no right or wrong. But at times you definitely wonder..

in other news...

After a heavy snowstorm the snow is melting fast from a heat wave all week with temperatures in the 60's. Below, local skaters shovel out the park at the Volcom Brothers Skatepark in Mammoth Lakes.

the beauty of Italian advertising

2011-03-24T22:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you can't help but love cheesy things like this Italian advertisement for Lavazza coffee (taken in the Ciampino Airport in Rome). This man with his diesel biceps is so elegant with his miniature espresso cup and flowing vale around his face...

snow continues

2011-03-23T22:49:00.000-07:00

The snow continues to fall making it a full week of non stop snow, and no plans of stopping... Today we received an inch an hour for 24 hours and tomorrow another 2 feet should be dropping. One of the funnest days on the hill today at Mammoth Mountain. WOW! By far the biggest blizzard I have been in, all my life...amazing stuff

stranded in tahoe, powder paradise

2011-03-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon, drove from Mammoth Lakes, CA up towards the Shenandoah Valley with plans of pruning on the Ard Aven vineyard. The weather had other plans and left us overnight in South Lake Tahoe. An epic Powder day yesterday though at Kirkwood ski resort was not a bad plan B. The storm is still coming in hot, probably 100 inches in the end...

Cara Italia, 150 anni

2011-03-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

''Cara Italia, perché giusto o sbagliato che sia questo è il mio paese con le sue grandi qualità ed i suoi grandi difetti.''

Enzo Biagi

Above, a bust of Luigi Bartolucci in Piazza Garibaldi in Rome. A picture I snapped last month during the preparations for the 150th anniversary memorial.

Tacos in San Miguel de Allende

2011-03-16T23:47:00.000-07:00

My dear lady Thalia Kazakos sent me this recent taco pornography from San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. San Miguel is located in the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico. Here they are known for some of the most superb street tacos. The tacos below are Al Pastor (made with pork) and my personal favorite. In the fall of 2007 Thalia and I traveled and tasted our way through central Mexico staying primarily in the romantic town of San Miguel with friends Geneva and Alejandro. I frequently daydream about these unctuous tacos and yes it's very shitty settling for inferior Mexican food elsewhere. A future visit is much anticipated.

Above, is the very unique Parish of San Miguel which is the emblem of the town.

Above, In the market with Thalia gathering ingredients for lunch. San Miguel de Allende, 2007

Jeremy and Wayne COF 2011 Blogging Interview

2011-03-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

Squid 1st place run at the Dew Tour

2011-03-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

Colli Orientali Del Friuli, 8 days a week!

2011-03-06T16:04:00.000-08:00

I recently came across all of the random videos I took in Friuli last month, and put together a montage of some of our discoveries.

Blogger encounters in Los Angeles

2011-03-05T00:54:00.000-08:00

Samantha and Carl at the Farmers Market.

Was given the warmest welcome on my first time visit to L.A. by none other than Samantha from our recent Friuli trip and of the amazing blog Samantha Sans Dosage. I had a last minute change of plans that made me land in L.A. from Rome and she and her husband Carl were amazing hosts and showed me although short a very sweet time...
Thanks guys

A late lunch of an assortment of tacos at the Loteria Grill within the Farmers Market.

The second surprise was the long awaited meeting with Whitney from Brunellos Have More Fun.
She was one of the first blogs I read along with that of Do Bianchi. It was amazing to meet with her for dinner at Cliffs Edge and what can I say, she showed up with a bottle of 2003 Radikon Ribolla Gialla. She had already won my heart... The wine was stunning, (as was all of the wine that night) a really spectacular nose coming from this ribolla... hibiscus, grapefruit, orange peel... really intriguing and I must have sniffed it 47 times. Beautiful acidity and was really food friendly (much more than I remember an earlier vintage being, which i drank a few years ago).
We also Enjoyed a 2004 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume Silex, which was delicious as well....

The atmosphere at Cliffs Edge was amazing and the company even better. It reminded me of when I heard Piero Incisa della Rocchetta from Sassicaia speak at a wine dinner in December. He talked about how there are so many factors that come into play in enjoying or not enjoying any given wine. The glasses, temperature of the wine, lighting, atmosphere, the company your with, just to name a few. When your on vacation in Italy having a blast, drinking and enjoying the shit out of a cruddy vino da tavola, it is a perfect example of this taking place!

Arrivederci Roma...

2011-03-04T19:31:00.000-08:00

Enjoyed a last dish of Bucatini All'Amatriciana at Trattoria Lilli on Tuesday before I left Rome...Once again... No matter how many times I leave Rome it will be sad and i will have to write about it. Trattoria Lilli is always a must visit when I'm in the city, and they do the best Bucatini All'Amatriciana that I've had in a Trattoria in Rome. O' Guanciale mio.... They have a very small menu consisting of only 4 or 5 primi and secondi, but they are all done to perfection. I still can't get over how perfectly al dente the bucatini are cooked every single time! I believe it is the first and most important thing when cooking a pasta dish. No matter how good you can make your ragù, sugo, sucù, sauce, gravy or whichever ingredients, (quote me on this) if you fuck up the cooking point of your noodles you've fucked up everything. For Lilli's wine list? No wine list. But you can shlug down their vino della casa senza problemi.

A recent tweet from Alfonso about the over use of garlic and salt in U.S. restaurants made me think back to Lilli. There we were served the local vegetable cicoria, without any garlic and hardly any salt. Simple with a dash of olive oil and peperoncino maybe, but you really taste the vegetable in this style. But it is like that everywhere in Italy. Maybe it is the tasteless GM vegetables here in the states that makes you always reach for the garlic... who knows?

Trattoria Lilli
Via Tor di Nona, 23
Roma

Vajra and some Barolo tasted in Rome

2011-03-01T01:45:00.000-08:00

The Barolo was flowing Sunday February 27, at the Hotel Quirinale on Via Nazionale in Rome for the Go Wine tasting of piemontese wines. Above, Francesca Vaira of G.D. Vajra pours me some of their wonderful Barolo Albe 2006.

I woke up Sunday morning pretty shot and absolutely exhausted. My roman days are coming down to their last and the late nights with old friends and la dolce vita finally caught up with me. One last tasting to attend before a flight back to L.A. on Wednesday. Especially since I saw G.D. Vajra on the list, and I've been wanting to taste their wines for a while now.

It was a pleasure to meet and taste with the very simpatica Francesca who had 4 vini rossi being tasted including the colaboration bottling of Luigi Baudana.

G.D. Vajra Langhe Nebbiolo 2009 14,5%
Aged and fermented only in steel, this was a drinking fresh and very bright. Very refreshing on the palate and it felt good to taste the young expression of Nebbiolo. But still containing some nice tannin that completes the mouthfeel of the wine.
Mcduff has a nice in depth post on the 2006 version here.

Barolo Albe 2006 13,5%
Aged 24 months in large casks (botti grandi di rovere di slavonia) and 5-10% barriques.
Vineyards: Fossati, Costa di Vergne, La Volta
This wine already expressing a huge bouquet, rose petals, beautiful red fruit and big tannins still.
Really complete and classic Barolo, One of my favorite at this tasting and I would love to taste it years from now.

Barolo Bricco delle Viole 2006 14,5%
Aged 24 months in botti grandi, coming from 50-60 year old vines from Bricco delle Viole in the comune of Barolo. 4,79 hectares.
This wine was also beautiful, showing a tiny bit more of a rugged earthy characteristic, still with similar gorgeous fruit and those big tannins.

Luigi Baudana Barolo Serralunga d'Alba 2006
30-40 year old vines
This wine was the most closed at the moment. Some big fruit emerging, wish I revisited this one.

G.D. Vajra Langhe Bianco 2009 13,5%
100% Riesling, and unoaked.
When I arrived I beelined it to the Vajra booth to wrap my lips around this Langhe Bianco. Was stoked to finally taste this and it didn't let me down one bit. I have tasted heaps of terrific white wines this month, and this was one of my favorites.
Showing beautiful white fruit, full and thick with full body mouth feel. Great acidity, crowd pleaser.

The only other Langhe Bianco tasted this day was by Cascina Ballarin. Consisting of 75% Chardonnay, Favorita and Pinot Nero. But, when it comes to drinking a Langhe Bianco it will be hard to steer away from the version made by G.D. Vajra.

The Prunotto Barolo 2006 normale was the most enjoyable out of the Prunotto wines for me. Aged in Botti Grandi with a small passing in barrique. This wine was quite swampy with a hint of burnt hair, some good fruit and interesting to say the least. The Bussia Barolo was less enjoyable for me showing off a more fruit forward style. The Barbaresco and Barbaresco Bric Tarut bottlings werent doing much for me. I've enjoyed their Barbera D'alba in the past but it didnt show up at this tasting.

Cascina Ballarin Barolo Bussia 2005
This barolo of Cascina Ballarin was quite surprising. Apart from the Dolcetto 2009 which overwhelming candied fruit, these wines had the biggest expressions of terroir showing at the tasting. The Barolo Bussia especially was really open, earthy and muddy. I was also surprised to see these wines are barriqued (although I was told a mixture of things) and quite modern, but there was no overwhelming oak and I was digging the poop and fruit combo and how they were drinking on this day.

The Roberto Voerzio Barolo La Sera 2006 and 2007 were damn interesting and for sure standouts. Although there wasnt anyone to really explain the wines they remained a bit of a mystery. I later researched a bit on Roberto (Vino al Vino) and discovered he is quite a mythical man and highly respected. He founded his estate only in 1987, and has an extremely low production (one of the lowest in barolo) of around 40,000 bottles a year making 12 different wines (7 barolo) total. Although considered a modernist, he is also referred to as the most traditional modernist.

I believe these two wines go through a traditional style maceration of 20 days and are then aged 24 months in barriques. The 2006 had an incredible complexity, beautiful fruit and a lovely mint note that made it so unique. Just a wine that really makes you say wow, and ponder for a few minutes. The 2007 which was just released was a whole different story still closed a bit, with a new shoe element, big cherry fruit and a very particular chocolate characteristic that made it so different from 2006. Pretty cool to taste these two wines side by side....

The 2006 Barolo Bussia of Sergio Barale was brilliant. An excellent traditional style barolo that was complex and complete in the mouth. The first taste was shortly after the bottle had been opened and it was far too closed. I waited an hour and revisited and it had opened up so nicely. This wine should go the distance in the cellar and develop some lovely characteristics.

The traditional styled wines of Gabutti Boasso, which are aged 36 months in Slovenian Botti. The Margheria 2007 was showing the best for me out of the Serralunga 2007 and Gabutti 2007.

Above, Emiliano Di Leonardo Sommelier for the ''Enoteca booth'' pours some Francesco Rinaldi. He had the biggest booth and the hardest job throughout the day.

Some nebbiolo aftermath, as we throw in the towel and call it a day...

nothing like cleaning the palate with a fresh cigarette after a long day of nebbiolo.

A last day in Rome will consist of trying to find a bottle of the Langhe Bianco, then a visit to my favorite roman dining spot, Trattoria Lilli....

Salute!

some banksy for your mind

2011-02-28T06:24:00.000-08:00

Queen Victoria as a lesbian, by Banksy

Movia Puro Rosè 2003... half disgorged?

2011-02-26T11:15:00.000-08:00

Movia Puro Rose 2003
Was quite indecisive about my first bottle of Movia Puro Rose... to disgorge or not to disgorge? I did some internet research and wanted to try it both ways... or maybe if you could half disgorge the bottle? Do Bianchi recommended to me an undisgorged Puro... so why not..? I had stored the bottle upside down for a week in case la sboccatura took place. So I turned it right side up and popped the cork regularly for an attempt at an undisgorged style... what happened to my surprise is I essentially half disgorged the wine as a bunch of the yeasts and gritty floaters came rushing out while still leaving some behind. Best of both worlds? Above you can see the smegma left behind on my hand, which was quite gritty and sandy in texture.

The wine was brilliant.. paired with some pan seared pork chops, patate al forno con olio e rosmarino.
Very thick, cloudy cidar like...strong nose full of yeast and cellar with notes of grapefruit and oranges. Nice acidity and mouth feel, and more complex than I had anticipated.

My friend Nick Piovanelli captured the opening on film in the appartment in Rome... although very dark, you can get the idea....

the beautiful color of movia puro rose....

Here is the link to Do Bianchi's post on an Undisgorged Movia.....

Napoli... 'O Mare, 'O Vesuvio, 'E Sfugliatelle......

2011-02-25T05:47:00.000-08:00

Whatever your reasons for visiting Naples, one of those whether major or minor is the necessary stop into a pizzeria. Having always opted for the locals favorites (Il Presidente, di Matteo etc.) I realized I have never been into the famous and touristy Da Michele which dates back to 1870. No... not going because of the recent Julia Roberts appearance in the bunk, milf pleasing Ryan Murphy film. But just because. I have never had a bad pizza in Naples, even when I dined in the most random tourist spots before I knew the city..... but yes this place is damn good! You have two choices here.. a Marinara or a Margherita. You can also go doppia mozzarella if you wish (which I am guilty of). A Nastro Azzuro beer is a must have for the ultimate pizza pairing experience.

Da Michele
Via Cesare Sersale, 1
80139 Napoli

Earlier in the day I made my first stop into the most famous Sflogliatelle bakery, F.lli Attanasio. Above, is their sign written in Napoletano dialect which translates into ''the three beautiful things of Naples.. the sea, vesuvius, and sfogliatelle''. This place is pumping out sfogliatelle all morning long in their gigantic brick oven. You can choose from the classic sfogliatella riccia (the ''curly'' layered dough), or the sfogliatella frolla (a shortcrust which is softer and much simpler).

Antico Forno F.lli Attanasio
Vico Ferrovia, 1/2/3/4
80142 Napoli

Sfogliatella frolla (on bottom) with two sfogliatelle ricce stacked on top.


Piovanelli my south african pal, chomping into a sfogliatella.

Fire in the streets, Pizza in the oven...An example of a typical neapolitan encounter outside of Da Michele. Photo by N. Piovanelli

Above, Piazza del Plebiscito. The name which comes from the plebiscite taken on October 2, 1860, which brought Naples into the unified Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy.

Revisiting Ribolla Gialla in Rome....

2011-02-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

Popped into this Il Roncal Ribolla Gialla 2009 that I copped from their Agriturismo where we were staying during the COF2011 trip. I really enjoyed all of the Il Roncal wines, they were overall really consistant. We didnt get a chance to taste their ribolla so I brought a bottle to Rome. This wine had beautiful fruit and a really nice acidity with a full body mouth feel.

The above Spigole (Branzini in northern Italy) or European Seabass were a perfect match for the very fish friendly ribolla gialla.

Waking up during sunrise at Il Roncal. (I was staying in the Ribolla Gialla room by the way....)

After our Branzini and Ribolla dinner, we went down a block to the neighborhoods local enoteca. Ombralonga Vinerie - Via Oderisi da Gubbio, 41. I noticed they had a bottle of Zorzettig Ribolla Gialla 2009. We stayed with the theme and downed a bottle over a game of scopa.

During the Friuli trip the ''magnificent six'' dined in the home of Annalisa of the Zorzettig estate. Annalisa served the 2009 Ribolla Gialla with the local bean and barley soup in this case served inside a bread bowl. They went together swell and a drizzle of the rich zorzettig olive oil over the soup was brilliant.

above, Mcduff snaps a photo of Annalisa and I at the end of the meal enjoying a much needed grappa.

We made many visits to different producers houses for dinner throughout the trip. I noticed many had corn hanging outside of their entrance, which apparently dates back a few hundred years and has become a tradition here..

Oddero Langhe Nebbiolo 2005 in Magnum, spot on...

2011-02-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

Oddero Langhe Nebbiolo DOC 2005 (Magnum)
(Maceration lasts 15 days, aged in Slovenian and French Oak for around 1 yr. 1-5 yrs.)
From the second of being uncorked, this wine's nose is open and for the palate....spot on. Beautiful dusty red fruit on the nose, with cleaner fruit on the palate, nice cherry notes and acidity, bold tannins but not overwhelming. Tasted with some Bresaola and Pecorino di grotta. Went with both beautifully.

Not too often does a wine hit me in a way that I have to run and write about it. But this beaut' gave me everything I wanted in a Langhe Nebbiolo... delicious wine right here, ever since the Oddero Barolo 2004 Brunate blew me away, I have been on a search for their wines....
I stopped into Trimani here in Rome the other day and picked up a few bottles of some shit I've been trying to get my hands on for a while. After last weeks Friuli extravaganza, it was nice to open a wine, taste and enjoy it slowly in a calm meditative state...

Feels good to chill in my old appartments kitchen with old friends on oderisi da gubbio, in Rome! Cheers... hope your all drinking some good nebbiolo.

Carvin' Marvin....Crewsaiderz Webisode #2

2011-02-18T11:58:00.000-08:00

Second Webisode, February 2, 2011 Crewsaiderz, filmed at mammoth mountain...

A stop into Er Buchetto

2011-02-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

A simple lunch at Er Buchetto, with a glass of vino bianco.

So many times I have tried to put into words that feeling you get in Italy. That midday buzz after washing down your lunch with a light and refreshing vino sfuso. That bounce in your step that makes everything around you feel different. That is the exact feeling I get everytime return to Er Buchetto for lunch. The only thing they serve here is Porchetta. You can have it in a sandwich (as shown above), or in a portion with bread on the side. If your lucky you can find a plate of artichokes or some olives. But porchetta is their thing and they have been doing it since 1890. Just cheap, honest, simple, delicious stuff served quite literally in a hole in the wall (''Er Buchetto'', is the little hole in roman dialect). This is the first place I ate in Italy, where I was reccomended to come here for lunch back in 2004. I return everytime I'm in the city.

Er Buchetto di Alessandro Fioravanti
Dal 1890
Via del viminale 2F Roma 00184
06. 48.83.031

Er Buchetto, Dal 1890

Una Porchetta intera

These spouts on the left is where the white wine comes from. Very drinkable and light, makes for a perfect lunch wine.

Prague day 2: Amazing Beef Carpaccio and Czech bubbly rosè

2011-02-18T02:19:00.000-08:00

The Above deli I ran into yesterday was fantastic, one of those lucky encounters. I had some salume and something called a Cevabcici, which I believe is a Balkan dish. This one consisted of minced meat and was shaped like a big meatball that you dip into a local mustard.

Řeznictví - Uzenářství - Jídelna, Kosina Martin
Kaprova 18/7, 11000 Praha 1

Bohemia Sekt - Prestige Rosè Brut 12.5%

After a few rounds of Roulette... (I happened to be staying next door to a casino) I dropped into a market and bought their best bubbly (well, most expensive, because I dont know a damn thing about Czech wines). This wine really surprised me, at around $15 and was absolutely delicious. Just enough complexity but really refreshing balanced and perfect for an aperitivo. It is pretty hard reading these Czech lables and I didnt have any idea what I was really drinking, besides it being rosè and brut.

With dinner we drank heaps of beer.. I love beer and I'm very open to drinking beer with dinner, but god damn it is tough. Really heavy and now I remember why I write about wine and not beer. I did have some amazing Beef Carpaccio, which was better than most I'v had in Italy. After we stopped into the Absinth Museum of Prague, a really awesome space with great absinthe. Czech Absinth, although not traditional is known for being stronger and more bitter and usually includes more wormwood with around 70% alcohol.

I have just gotten back into Rome, and there will be more places visited soon...
Cin Cin

Prague: reviving the palate with pilsner

2011-02-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

After a palate staining week of Pignolo, it was the perfect vacation from a vacation one could ask for... I Explored Prague for a few days, and one Pilsner after another with a hemp beer, or a dark ale thrown in the mix, and I'm feeling much refreshed. Look at the head on that beer above..

They know how to serve and drink beer in this city, no fooling around.

.... more to come on Prague, some much anticipated sleep is on the way.

Na zdraví!

a lineup of housemade beers

pile of Czech crowns


buildings with sun about to set...

5 years later...pizza con sfilacci!! (with a sick flight of natural wines)

2011-02-14T00:27:00.000-08:00

The first time I was introduced to horse meat in general was in 2006, when I was living in Firenze but visiting my friends Filippo and Giacomo Kratter in the northern most part of the Veneto, in Sappada. It was in the form of sfilacci (a dried and shredded horse meat, as seen above) and happened to be on a pizza... it was brilliant, but afterwards I didnt think about it. Until the day when I was craving sfilacci and kinda freaked out when I realized you cant find it anywhere in Italy except the Veneto and maybe a few other select places.

The three famous American bloggers strutting through Padova.

After the COF2011 came to an end Friday, part of the magnificent six took a cruise to Padova. Alfonso, Jeremy, Mcduff and I all relaxed, then got a tour of Padova from Jar himself and after visited with Italian Guitar legends, Ruggero Robin & Gabriele Inglesi. 5 years after my last pizza con sfilacci Do Bianchi made my dreams come true when he hooked up a pizzeria reservation that specialized in it. His good friend Marissa suggested Pizzeria bar Piave, and she also brought an incredible flight of some natural wine.

My natural wine experience is pretty limited but man these wines were all bitchin'! Jeremy had been carrying around the Angiolino Maule all week telling us how we had to taste this stuff. We finally opened it in Padova and I'm damned glad we did.
Angiolino Maule - Pico Garganega del Veneto IGT 2009. This 100% Garganega was just gorgeous, some skin contact, beautiful friut, thick with nice acidity. Just straight up fun and interesting to drink. It was nice shlugging these back in a shitty trattoria glass (as seen below), after spitting wines all week.
Zidarich - Vitovska Doc Carso 2008. 100% Vitovska, unfiltered. This was my second favorite, and my first time tasting the vitovska grape. Just plain scrumptious.

Prato della valle, Padova.

What a fabulous week, thanks to Jeremy, my newly discovered zio Alfonso and all the COF2011! Ci vediamo tutti quanti a Texas!

last supper for the magnificent six

2011-02-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

''i magnifici sei'' grappa tasting. (from left) Cof2011 driver Francesco, Mcduff, Papa Ace, Dr. J, The Shredder, Samantha & Wayne

tasting a few different grappa at the distilleria domenis.

As I woke up this morning, I had a bit of sadness knowing this would be our last day exploring Friuli. We will be going to a Ramandolo dinner and a visit to Bastianich as well which will be very exciting.... I must run out the door now, so i dont leave the cof group hanging like I did last night as I passed out on my bed from wine exhaustion...

Friday day 5, Breakfast at Il Roncal.

Beautiful view of Cividale.

Jeremy being interviewed yesterday...

lessons on making a proper Schioppettino

2011-02-10T01:26:00.000-08:00

Gatto di Cialla, sotto l'albero.

Wednesday, 9th of February Day 3, after una degustazione ganzissima with felluga we traveled close by our Agriturismo Il Roncal, and stopped at the ever so mythical lands of Ronchi di Cialla. We could all see the excitement on Jeremy's face as this was one of the most anticipated tasting of the trip for him. Meeting with Paolo was a real Italian wine experience... no bullshit glamor, just straight up true wine, as natural as can be expressing the land where only the Rapuzzi family makes the DOC Schioppettino di Cialla. The sun was shining and stepping out of the COF van, walking onto the lawn of the family house, you just got that feeling... Wow this is going to be fucking awsome! Soon we were greeted by Paolo, family, bambini, cats and dogs whatever you can imagine....

From that point on Paolo continued dropping knowledge on all of us about the history and his vision of Schioppettino, all while bringing out bottle after bottle of old vintages, and offering a wonderful selection of local Montasio cheeses.

Paolo Rapuzzi owner of Ronchi di Cialla, with dog on his mythical property.

Here is the wines Paolo brought out for the COF six yesterday....
Ronchi di Cialla, Schioppettino di Cialla DOC 2005, 2001, 1995
Ronchi di Cialla, Schioppettino di Cialla Vino da Tavola 1985.
''We feel our biggest connection to Schioppettino, when we started making it 40 years ago it was almost a completely lost variety'' said Paolo. ''We put ''Cialla'' on the bottle, the name of the zone and don't choose to use our family name. We only use indigenous varieties, native yeasts''.... were a few of the facts Paolo was explaining. What had the biggest effect on me was when Paolo simply stated, ''Whether you like these wines or not, they are true expressions of our land.''

I enjoyed the 2001, 1995 and 1985 more than I have any other red wine on this trip. Mcduff and I were discussing a bit how you couldn't help but to be reminded of some great Nebbiolo in Piemonte. Although very different wines, these older Schioppettini expressed the terroir in a very similar manner to say Barolo or Barbaresco. One very differnet style of Schioppettino that is a bit hard for me to get used to is how the nose and bouquets are so unique and very different to the frutti di bosco notes you pick up on the palate (especially in the young 2005 vintage which I wasn't crazy about). Piemonte wines for instance have a much more uniform togetherness that these wines don't. But if your going to drink Schioppettino, you can't miss Ronchi di Cialla. For me, these are by far the most harmonious we have tasted and an overall mythical experience.

Above, the sweet Picolit and the ''Frappe'' (Carneval cookies) was an amazing pairing. The Frappe were the best I have ever had in Italy and I stuffed my face with at least 20 of those mo' fo's!
Off into the friulian hills again today, but looking forward to some grappa tasting and a little change of pace....
a huuuuuge, Grazie alla Famiglia Rapuzzi!

applausi for one hell of a tasting room

2011-02-09T23:59:00.000-08:00

Above, Jeremy and Alfonso, settling in to the coolest tasting room we have been in yet at our tasting with Livio Felluga. Although I wasn't such a big fan of the new releases we tasted at lunch this was one of the coolest experiences. Matteo was really energetic and fun to taste with. Knowing all of the recent releases we have been tasting he reached deep into his past and brought out some ''old white wine''. First, two Terre Alte (30% Friulano, 30% Pinot Blanc, 40% Sauvignon Bianco) which he didnt tell us the vintage right away and wanted us to really think about the wines. They happened to be a 1996 and 1997 and both showing so very different. The 96 slightly oxidated and the 97 still so fresh in many ways. In the 97 vintage they started using 20% new wood expecting the wine to age better, and going by these two wines I can agree with that.

You can see the color difference on these two wines. The 96 being the dark golden on the left.

Next came out some reds.... The Sossò, which before 2000 was a 100% Merlot bottling. When they started getting feedback that the wine tasted like a good Pomerol, they dropped everything and took a moment to reflect. They wanted something indigenous that reflects the area in Friuli, not to imitate a french red wine. After 2000, the wine is only 35% Merlot blending with the indigenous grapes 65% Refosco and 5% Pignolo. We tasted 1994, 1996 and 1997. Man the 1994 was so delicious with beautiful not overwhelming fruit, dirty, old, and great...and like nothing I have tasted in this region.

Above, Matteo pouring for the group

Above, Me and Wayne Young pulling the wise maneuver. Matteo offered to give us our left over magnums, and you didnt see a moment of hesitation in Wayne and I as we pounced on that opportunity. If Wayne ever gets into beer he will create a blog titled ''Wayne alla Spina''.
We will be tasting typical Friulian foods today and hope to pair some of these old Felluga wines with them. Before the tasting we had lunch in a really cool setting, and I had the best Caffè and Gelato I have had in a long time. The Refosco 2007 was my favorite wine with lunch.

Refosco and Cock.

Soupy, vanilla gelato to die for...

Best damn Caffè yet, super ''ristretto'' and damn rejuvenating..

I Magnifici Sei

2011-02-09T02:02:00.000-08:00

Messaggero di Udine, Lunedi 7 Febbraio 2011

8:30 slaughter.... midnight grappa

2011-02-09T00:46:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, day 2 Alfonso, Mcduff and I woke up a bit early for a chance to visit the uncle of Filippo Butussi in his family's Macelleria. They were slaughtering two pigs and Filippo picked us up himself to go witness the still very small slaughterhouse in action. It happens to be one of the last surviving spots around that is completely family operated and still using traditional methods. In one day they will slaughter three pigs and prepare all of the meat (salame, sausages, headcheese and sanguinaccio, a typical blood sausage prepared with bread) not wasting any part of the pig. It takes only 4 men and afterwards they will eat pannini and sip some local Tocai together. Filippo reminisced about years ago when the slaughter would take place and end in a celebration. ''It was much more normal to witness a pig slaughtering in that time, then it is nowadays''. The whole family would show up, drink wine and they would cook the freshly butchered meat on the spot and eat together. Half jokingly he said ''I bambini non andavano a scuola quel giorno!'' (the kids wouldn't go to school on that day!)

The beautiful salame of Butussi Eugenio.

Filippo sliced us some of the homemade salame that was delicious and surprisingly moist

Above, Filippo Butussi explains the sparkling Friulano which he poured right before we sat down at Monday's lunch. The small vertical of Tocai was amazing and the 1999 Valentino Butussi Tocai Friulano, was a huge hit among ''the magnificent six''. Mcduff posted on the visit here: ''Learning and lunching at Villa Butussi in Corno di Rosazzo''

The Picolit wines were by the far the most interesting in the sweet department on this trip so far. The 2003, 1999 and 1988 all being made with different styles, the 2003 the most concentrated and big...It reminded me of certain Sauternes I have tasted in the past. The lunch on Day 1 was a very memorable one at Butussi, amazing and traditional Cucina Friulana with incredible older vintage wines that we werent expecting...
thanks Filippo and Butussi family!

The rest of Day 2 went smoothly and less jam packed and rushed as Day 1. I am still amazed everytime Jeremy is translating for the group, he is one of the most talented guys (especially in the wine world) that I have met. Wayne is not too shabby either and is a super cool guy to taste with, I love his descriptions and tasting notes. I can't believe how much our group is on the same level for never meeting each other before this trip... But after all we are the magnificent six, or ''i magnifici sei'' as written up in the local newspaper....

Our dinner led us into the home of Zorzettig, probably the most stunning home I have had the pleasure to eat dinner in. Annalisa was really sweet and gave us our first tasting of a tank sample 2010 Tocai Friulano, which she was excited to hear our thoughts on the not so well received vintage. We drank all white wine with our hearty dinner which was absolutely delicious unexpected and well taken by Do Bianchi. We even tasted another version of the classic barley and bean dish that everyone seems to have their own spin on in this area... I tasted the first locally made friulian olive oil of the trip, which since I'm an olive oil fanatic really stoked me. Lastly, we were finally offered some grappa which really soothed the soul in a much needed way. This led to the ''magnificent five'' returning for some private relaxing social grappa drinking at Il Roncal which was just fucking fabulous. Sgnape and Smokes, a much needed session by all of us....

We drank the Grappa di Schoppettino by Nonino gifted to Alfonso and Jeremy was one of the best grappa I have ever tasted, really light and prancing on the palate, before we realized it, we killed this bottle and as Samantha put it, ''Yes, and if we had another one, we would finish that as well!''

4 standout tocai on day 1

2011-02-08T10:48:00.000-08:00

Above Sabrina fills up Alfonso ''Ace'' Cevola, at the Consorzio.

Where to start...? Monday was a really jam packed first day, tasting from noon untill midnight non stop really jump started the palate. We did a 42 Tocai tasting, so I will list 4 that stood out for me and for very different reasons.

This was the first time I have tasted any Tocai side by side and it was really cool to see the variation. We all agreed for the most part that today's Sauvignon tasting was much more consistant from wine to wine.

Ermacora Friulano 2009- This was a beautiful showing of Friulano. I am right with Do Bianchi when he wrote this wine showing varietal expression, freshness, good acidity, balanced alcohol, classic Friulano white fruit.

Conte D'attimis Maniago Friulano 2009 - This was for me the most interesting wine of the flight. Being the most original in style, very dirty, gritty but at the same time balanced and showing great fruit and acidity. 38,500 bottles produced.

Cadibon Friulano 2009 - This wine was crazy...when first poured it stunned the shit out of me with a bright frizzante character. after 5 or 10 minutes in the glass it changed completely... the frizzante disappeared completely and it resembled more the Ermacora style with great fruit and acidity.

Now for the Monday Madness, Tocai Bonus wine...
Stroppolatini Friulano 2008 - Samantha jumped right on this wine and labeled it as having notes of celery salt and resembling a Bloody Mary. We all agreed and I labeled it in my notes as tasting of a Michelada (the Mexican beer laced with salt, lime, hot sauce and Worchestershire sauce)... really stunning to taste... I am still not sure if it was as enjoyable as just mind boggling. I ran up to the office and gave the glass to Jeremy to taste.

Welcome to Friuli!

2011-02-06T16:12:00.000-08:00

Il Roncal, view from my window...

Arriving in Friuli Sunday was quite a relief after a very long series of flights that left me exhausted and close to hallucination. After getting picked up at Marco Polo airport in Venice, We made a breathtaking entrance into the Agriturismo Il Roncal in Cividale del Friuli. As we stroll up the narrow driveway Do Bianchi says casually, ''This is your guys place!'' What an honor to stay here in the hands of the Colli Orientali Del Friuli. Such nice people. It was a trip to meet all of the bloggers as well, who I have been sharing comments with online and reading their blogs over the past months. They are all awesome and I'm psyched to be tasting with them on these Friulian adventures.

Our welcome toast with an Il Roncal Spumante and some crispy friulian Fricco.

When Jeremy first proposed this trip to me a couple months back it instantly made perfect sense for me. After traveling northern Italy a couple years ago and tasting heaps of delicious white wines that I never knew existed I wondered...what are we missing in the States? When I returned and looked in numerous shops online and around my home town in western Massachusetts I came up not only empty handed...but a little empty hearted. Working 7 months this summer in a Relais & Chateaux with a 21,000 bottle wine cellar and an Italian white wine selection of around 12 bottles (more than half of which are Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige) I was more than happy to take on this project. Every time I give someone a taste of a ''different'' Italian white wine that their palate is not used to, they always end up surprised and excited to drink it. So what should we do here to improve the communications and promotion of these great Friulian wines? This is what we talked about over our first dinner in Friuli with the consorzio tonight. This next week we will be doing 2 winery visits a day along with a ''light'' lunch and dinner while sharing thoughts and ideas.

Not a true Friulian dining experience without the classic Prosciutto di San Daniele.

a 2006 Refosco by Le Vigne Di Zamo, which was a hotter year and brought a higher alcohol (14%) and lower acidity wine.

New to me was this typical dolce friulano called ''Gubana'' (a sugared bread with dried fruit) this one served with a type of zabaglione, earlier for lunch we had it drizzled with grappa!

Above we were served this La Viarte ''Sium'' 2006 (Sium, meaning dream in the Friulian language) with the Gubana. A COF Dolce DOC, can be made by vinification of one or more of the white Friulian varieties. This one is made with Picolit and Verduzzo Friulano. 12% vol, not too sweet and lip smacking good with the Gubana.

The President of the consorzio Pierluigi Comelli repeated a few times making sure we understood the importance of the Friulian culture, gastronomy and even the dialect (refering to it as a language and not a dialect) all together as a whole that make the wines what they are. There was even a Friulian poem by Pasolini recited and then translated to english by Jeremy! Check out the video that should be posted soon by Alfonso...

soaring over the alpes, into venice

2011-02-06T16:10:00.000-08:00

oooh $h!"*y, i'm in the worlds biggest little city

2011-02-04T22:59:00.000-08:00

top notch saditty...(lyrics from hip hop artist Mac Dre- she neva seen)
i'm taking my chips off of the blackjack table and bee lining it to the exit... grabbing luggage for italy at my mate Nathaniel's house and heading to the airport for a smooth 3 am arrival. reno to friuli... quite a change of scenery, eh?
friulian bloggers, see you all tomorrow!

nineteen eighty eight

2011-01-30T01:52:00.000-08:00

Sitting in tonight, after an unsuccessful recruit mission to fulfill my gambling needs at the Paiute Palace (the only 24 hour casino nearby) just 30 minutes south from here in Bishop. Earlier tonight I drank one of the worst wines... i want to say ever (Firefly Ridge 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon). I knew it would be bad ...maybe just felt like proving a point. Kinda tasted like cranberry juice, ocean spray.. in a very bad way. After half o' glass, turned that bitch into some sangria... apples and oranges, drizzle of lemon juice, much better but hey i guess i was quite hot faced at that point...maybe on the verge of schrodered...

I thought of some good wines I drank a month back on the east coast, then i thought of the 88 mouton, and the 88 chatuea d'yquem... what was going on in the year 1988? Well i was only 3, but it reminded me of a recent video post on facebook. More specifically, what was going on in '88 in the world of snowboarding? After watching triple flips amongst other ridiculous tricks on Winter X Games 15 on ESPN this week, it felt very comforting to go back 23 years and see how simple and fun snowboarding once was....

Craig Kelly, Brekenridge Colorado in the year 1988.

In 2003 Craig died in an avalanche, but he will always be remembered as a pioneer and godfather of snowboarding.

Tyson vs. Spinks June 27, 1988.

Mike Tyson 22 years old (34-0) knocks out Michael Spinks (31-0) in just 91 seconds.