Tag Archives: Italy

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2011 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio

A delicious porch dinner included this 2011 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, probably our favorite white and the one to which all others are (at least presently) compared.  Candle?  Check.  Ambiance?  Check. Great company?  Got that too.  Our meal consisted of a couple of swordfish steaks, grilled to perfection, and some delicious garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus with burnt butter and lemon sauce.  Combined with the Santa Margherita, it all made for a great evening on the patio.

2011 Santa Marghertia Pinot Grigio.

Here’s what the winemaker offers in terms of notes: “Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is the benchmark by which all other Pinot Grigios are judged.  The wine boasts a fresh, clean fragrance that is followed by a crisp, refreshing flavor with hints of citrus fruits.  This wine is well-structured and sophisticated, a perfect choice for entertaining!”

This night, it entertained us.

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2010 Tormaresca Neprica Red Blend Puglia

Can’t believe we were able to hold off on this bottle of 2010 Tormaresca Neprica Red Blend Puglia for so long. The last one we enjoyed back in March and I’m sorry to say that we are nearly out of this first shipment. The Neprica is a treat to be sure, but we’ve somehow managed to sample it slowly…sipping slowly over the past three nights.

It’s really been a pre-dinner beverage rather than accompaniment for any food this time. It was consumed right out of the bottle, with no decanting and no breathing–just a quick swirl–and it was delicious each evening. Still a great way to put the work day behind you!

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Prima Perla Prosecco

Last but not least–this one immediately following our wine-tour-by-boat around Manhattan–our band of adventurers opted for this prosecco at the Drunken Horse on 10th Avenue in New York.  On our tour we learned that the US is the second-largest consumer of wine in the world, recently outranking Italy in per capita consumption.  Only 10% of this market share is sparkling wine–and still 40% of this is consumed from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve annually.  Prosecco is a part of this trend, and the one we tasted here at the Horse definitely fit the profile–light, citrusy, and fun.

Special thanks to our friends Angela and George for joining us and treating us to a great afternoon of fun tastings.

 

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Cleto Chiarli, Grasparossa de Castelvetro Lambrusco

The Cleto Chiarli, Grasparossa de Castelvetro Lambrusco from Emilia Romangna, Italy.

This beautiful Saturday in August we joined dear friends for a cruise around Manhattan, sampling wines and cheeses of the world–all paired by our hostess Ms. Wendy Crispell.  The final wine of the day was this one: the Cleto Chiarli, Grasparossa de Castelvetro Lambrusco from Emilia Romangna, Italy.  It was light, fresh, and brought a smile to our faces.  It was matched up with the Capra Sarda in Sardinia.  According to our guide, the Brothers Pinna made this thermalized goat’s milk, gathered from small, independent farms dotting the rocky landscape.  Its flavor was “sweet and compulsively edible, with brown butter aromas.”  To me, the La Tour was the best of the cheese samples, but the Capra Sarda did seem to go well with the Sparkling Lambrusco.  Here is Wendy’s synopsis of the red:

“The winery was founded in 1860 by Cleto Chiarli who, until that date, managed the “Trattoriadell’Artigliere” in the center of Modena and was already producing Lambrusco for the habitues of his restaurant.  Sparkling Lambrusco is one of the planet’s most versatile beverages.  It will pair with pretty much anything, from cured meats to Thai.  Grasparossa is the most typical of this style of red and the Cleto Chiarli shows bright strawberry fruit, mouth-tickling bubbles, and just a hint of sweetness on the end; not anywhere close to being sticky, but just the right amount of something with that little kick, such as some spicy sausage piled high on your slice.  This is classic, delicious, traditional wine that has a near-universal appeal.  Really, who doesn’t like Lambrusco?”

We swirled our glasses from the deck of our boat, passing beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, the South Street Seaport, and heading out to pass Lady Liberty.  This one would be amazing with pizza.  Great to finish our wine tour, and would be absolutely amazing with a pie.

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DaVinci Pinot Grigio 2010

As the sultry summer slugs slowly onward, we decided preventative medicine would include a white wine along with our dinner tonight.  We had an amazing meal (pictured below) of Italian turkey sausage, spiral pasta, and a warm vegetable salad that included organic rainbow chard, mushrooms, zucchini, and garlic.  Our ongoing pinot parade required the performance of the DaVinci Pinot Grigio, on this occasion the 2010.

DaVinci Pinot Grigio 2010

As I understand it, this light white originates from the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy.  Here’s what the big shots have to say about this vino:

DaVinci Pinot Grigio has a brilliant light straw color and a full, ripe palate. It is an extremely well-balanced wine with a bouquet of floral aromas coupled with ripe flavors of fresh apple, citrus, and tropical fruit flavors. This crisp, clean Pinot Grigio finishes with notes of minerals and a vibrant acidity.

I concur with this assessment and would be back for more.

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Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio 2010

Our summer of the Grigio stays in high gear as we enjoyed this light summer fare at the end of a sultry Sunday afternoon.  We pulled together some delicious shrimp on the grill, where we also blazed up some fresh mango to go with a fresh salad and jasmine rice.  The Domani was predictably enjoyable.  Not an earth-shattering success by my standards, but a solid double into the gap.

Meal that accompanied our Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio 2010

The mango was an experiment; I’d rather have it fresh and cool than grilled in the future but it did work well.  The rice and shrimp, though, were definite highlights.

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2011 San Giuseppi Pinot Grigio

The San Giuseppi Pinot Grigio was, at least in 2011, a pretty nice, affordable Italian white.  Definite rich taste and a fresh sniff for your nose…liked this one a lot and it seemed to approach the Margherita territory at a less expensive price point.  I’m slightly behind the posting of this wine, though, so can no longer say what meal originally accompanied this nice breath of fresh air.

2011 San Giuseppi Pinot Grigio, Venezia region of Italy.

 

 

 

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Ruffino Pinot Grigio Lumina 2010

The summer pinot parade continued today with the 2010 Ruffino offering…not really the best.  Don’t misunderstand–it wasn’t awful either, but rather a middle-of-the-pack wine.  It was a value buy on our part, and we’ll hopefully encounter better grapes and vintages in the future.  The folks at Ruffino packed a powerful whiff of pear and floral fragrances into this little bottle, and we did drink it down with big smiles on our faces.   Here’s a little something from the winemaker:

“Crisp, aromatic and full of body.  Lumina is a versatile match with food.  Serve as an apertif or with dishes such as soft shell crabs, grilled fish, pasta primavera, and roasted chicken.  Lumina also pairs well with ethnic dishes such as Mexican enchiladas, Greek dolmas, and Thai green curries.”

Ruffino Pinot Grigio Lumina 2010, from the Tuscany region of Italy.

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Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio 2010

Can’t believe it has been since November 15th of last year that we had occasion to enjoy this pinot grigio.  This double dose was a great way to kick off our holiday and welcome our brother into town for the Memorial Day weekend.  This grigio accompanied a delicious salmon, grilled to perfection on our deck, and coated with a barbecue and blueberry marinade.  A little asparagus with browned butter and lemon on the side, together with baby potatoes, and voila you’ve got a treat.

2010 Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio

2010 Ecco Domani, Pinot Grigio, Italy.

We polished these bottles off over some good stories told around the patio and dining room tables, smiling plenty and enjoying the light, fruity bouquet.  Grown in the northeastern “Tre Venezie” region of Italy, the 2010 actually blends pinot grigio (88.5%) and chardonnay grapes (11.5%).  According to the winemaker, “This wine has a clear, straw yellow color, with light golden reflections. A low concentration of surmaturo grapes gives the wine tropical fruit notes that make this unique vintage truly exotic, with apple and pineapple aromas and flavors. The wine is light bodied, with a pleasantly soft palate and a long finish.”

All good stuff.  And interesting to reflect back on our first occasion with the Ecco Domani and think about what the next one might hold.