Recent Italian Discoveries - In the Air and on the ground

Notes on a few recent Italian wines I've enjoyed over the past few weeks:

The first was onboard a short plane ride from Verona to Munich on my way home from my recent visit to Soave and Valpolicella. I generally fly to and from Chicago via Munich on Lufthansa and connect for a short flight to Verona or Milan on Air Dolomiti, which is a partner airline of Lufthansa. I've flown on this airline more than a dozen times and have to tell you how happy I am with the experience. Though the flights are generally brief (45 to 60 minutes), your time is well spent, as you are given a beverage and a light snack, which could be anything from biscotti to a light sandwich. And this food is quite good - how many airlines can you say that about? It also doesn't hurt that the flight attendants are quite attractive - yes, I'm always pleased with my flights on Air Dolomiti!

They also generally have an excellent wine selection; this is not the drab white or red offering found in economy on so many airlines, but instead they offer wines from first rate Italian producers. On this most recent flight from Verona (the airline's hub), I saw that one of the three featured wines was the DUBL Falanghina, a sparkling wine made by Feudi di San Gregorio in Campania (this is a joint venture with the Champagne house of Selosse). Although I make it a rule not to drink any alcohol on flights as it tends to dehydrate me (besides, I'd had plenty of wine over the previous 12 days of my trip), I ordered a glass. The wine has a lovely delicate entry on the palate, excellent persistence and beautiful acidity - it's a lovely sparkling wine and this was a great way to begin the long voyage home.

By the way, the other two wines offered on the flight were the St. Michael-Eppan Gewurztraminer from Alto Adige and the La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from Antinori. When's the last time you saw wines like that offered at no charge in economy? Bravo, Air Dolomiti - you've got my business!

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During my trip in the Valpolicella district, I visited a dozen producers and tasted many of their offerings, from the basic Valpolicella to their powerful Amarone as well as their beautiful Recioto. One morning with an extra half-hour before my first appointment, I sampled about a dozen other examples of Amarone at the offices of the Valpolicella Consorzio, thanks to the kindness of director Olga Bussinello. 

As I selected a few wines I was interested in tasting, her assistants asked me if I would be interested in tasting wines from some new producers. I told them yes; one of those wines turned out to be from Massimago, a small estate located in the eastern part of Valpolicella in the commune of Mezzane di Sotto. I tasted the newly released 2007 Amarone, which I loved for its varietal purity, delicious fruit, round tannins and overall balance. It was the finest of the dozen wines I tried that morning and thought at that moment that this would be a producer to keep an eye on. 

I found the website and learned that the individual behind this project is a 26 year-old woman named Camilla Rossi Chauvenet, who comes not from an agricultural background, but from a family of lawyers. She was more intrigued by vineyards rather than a courtroom, so she studied agriculture at the University of Padua, which led to the wine business. (She jokes on her website that "biology saved me from the Civil Code.")

Based solely on her 2007 Amarone, I can't wait to try her other wines and then visit her estate to see what this dynamic young woman has in store for lovers of Amarone and other wines from this area!

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Finally, I want to let you know about a unique sparkling wine I have just tasted. The wine is called Sinefinis, and it is a joint venture between Robert Princic, a wonderful producer in the town of San Floriano del Collio in Friuli and his friend, Matjaza Certica, a producer in nearby Slovenia (San Floriano is in the eastern part of Collio that borders with Slovenia).

The wine is 100% Ribolla Gialla and the project is called Bollicine senza Confini - "sparkling wine without borders" - a lovely name! The wine was produced according to the classic (Champagne) method and aged on its yeasts for 18 months. Medium-full, the wine has lively acidity (as you would expect from Ribolla Gialla) as well as an excellent perlage along with impressive persistence. Aromas and flavors are of Bosc pear and pineapple; the finish is quite dry. This will age a bit, but it would be best to enjoy this in its youth over the next 1-2 years. You might think a sparkling Ribolla Gialla would be rather light, but this has a nice richness to it and will pair perfectly with most seafood (I tried it for lunch with a Thai dish of ginger shrimp and it was a heavenly match!)

This is not imported into the US at the present, so you'll have to travel to Collio or Slovenia to find a bottle. That's worth the trip, if you ask me!

Mastroberardino - Upholding Campanian Tradition

Detail of mural at Mastroberardino Winery, Atripalda

Photo by Tom Hyland

The wine industry of Campania is largely based on ancient varieties; modern methods of production are used, of course, but it is these grapes, first planted some 2000 years ago by Greek colonists, that are the foundation of this region’s visiticulture.

Some producers today use small French oak and/or harvest their grapes late in order to produce a riper, more deeply extracted style of wine. This, no doubt, an effort to make their wines seem relevant to a worldwide audience used to such offerings. Thankfully, some of Campania’s producers have resisted this approach, none more so than Mastroberardino, keeper of the flame of Campania’s wine heritage.

My recent visit in May to the winery and new estate vineyards strengthened this message for me, not that it needed any reinforcement. Mastroberardino is the classic winery of the Avellino province where three wines – two white, Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino and one red, Taurasi – are the most famously recognized and heralded wines of the region. While a few dozen other estates make these wines, only a few offer the consistent excellence Mastroberardino displays each vintage. Certainly almost no other producer has their track record.

That’s fitting, as it was this family that arguably rescued these varieties from extinction. At the end of the Second World War, the area’s vineyards were in shambles, a result of Italy’s war economy. Antonio Mastroberardino, who was in charge of everyday operations at the winery throughout much of the latter part of the 20th century, worked with his father to preserve the ancient varieties at that time by taking the few cuttings that were left and propogated them, planting new selections in the area. Thanks to this work, Greco, Fiano, Aglianico (the primary red variety of Taurasi) and other varieties were saved, according to Piero Mastroberardino, Antonio’s son and today, president of the winery. “It was due to his great work that we can still drink these noble ancient wines from indigenous varieties,” he remarks.

Today, Mastroberardino continues to be one of the estates everyone looks to for these classic Campanian wines. Modern technology has entered the picture, but not at the expense of tradition. “We have maintained our traditions,” Antonio Mastroberardino told me a few years ago at the winery.

During my recent trip, I tasted the new releases at the winery in Atripalda and stayed at the company’s beautiful estate called Radici Resort in the small village of Mirabella Eclano, about a 20 minute drive from the winery. This resort is less than two years old and is open to the public; they can reserve a room or simply dine at the beautifully appointed Morabianca restaurant, which features excellent regional cuisine as well as an impressive wine list. There is even a nine-hole golf course, which winds its way through Aglianico and Falanghina vineyards (I managed to get in a quick round with Piero one morning).

This estate is one of the important vineyard holdings of Mastroberardino, as their special Taurasi bottling called Naturalis Historia is produced from older vines here, while their new cru bottling of Falanghina called Morabianca is made from an impressively sited vineyard behind the Aglianico. Mastroberardino has decided to work in greater depth with Falanghina and the results show in the new 2008 Morabianca bottling, which offers lovely aromatics of quince, pear and acacia backed by beautifl texture and acidity. This is a lovely wine with a variety of foods, from local shellfish to risotto with vegetables or braised chicken.

Other highlights included:

2008 Greco di Tufo “Nova Serra”
This is the winery’s finest selection of Greco grapes; this has excellent depth of fruit and beautiful floral, pear and lime aromatics. The winery made several impressive white wines in 2008 – this is outstanding. Grab some before this limited production wine disappears!

2008 Fiano di Avellino “Radici”
This is slightly richer on the palate than the preceding wine with impressive aromas of lemon oil, honey and kiwi. Medium-full, this has a long, rich finish with excellent acidity.

2007 Aglianico (Campania IGT)
This is an Aglianico that has not been aged long enough to be called Taurasi; it is also lighter on the palate. It is an excellent introduction to the bitter chocolate and black cherry flavors of this variety and is delicious now and should drink well for another 2-3 years. At less than $20, this is a very good value.

2005 Taurasi “Radici”
Radici means “roots,” referring to the Campanian heritage that Mastroberardino upholds with their wines. Taurasi is the most celebrated red of the area; this is made with 100% Aglianico and is medium-full with elegant tannins and precise acidity. This is aged in small French oak barrels as well as the large Slavonian casks, but you don’t notice the wood. A bit lighter than 2004, which was a great year, this is a notable example of the style and consistency of the producer.

Piero Mastroberardino

Photo ©Tom Hyland

After my round of golf with Piero, I interviewed him, focusing on the responsibilites he faces and the need for constant improvement. “My work as head of this winery is all about taking the family values to a higher level. This is about cultural and social values.”

He also emphasized that while he works with ancient varieties, the Campanian wine industry combines the old with the new, as evidenced by the use of the most modern equipment in the cellar as well as recent research of new clones of Greco, Fiano and Falanghina.

How nice that Piero Mastroberardino continues to represent the roots of his family’s beliefs about local wines. “We work in the continuity, the roots and history of this terroir.” Nicely said and as you will taste in their new releases, nicely done.

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One final note that has nothing to do with wine, but as I mentioned golf in this post, I wanted to comment on a wonderful golf event that just ended. At the U.S. Open, the drama was superb as always with things going down to the last hole. So many people wanted Phil Mickelson to win, not only as he's never won this event, but also for the timing, as his wife Amy will be undergoing treatment for breast cancer (Phil, I was pulling for you as well). It's really a tribute to him that he did so well, tying for second, given everything he's gone through with his wife's condition and the fact that he hasn't played much competitive golf as of late.

But for me an equally compelling story was that of David Duval. Here's a guy that was number one in the world about ten years ago; over the past eight years (the last time he won a tournament), his game has slipped so badly that he was ranked #882 in the world coming into the U.S. Open. What in the world is a guy like that doing challenging for the championship?

Duval actually was tied for the lead as he stood on the tee at the 71st hole, though Lucas Glover birdied the 70th hole to take the lead he would not relinquish. So Duval, who also tied for second (with Mickelson and Ricky Barnes) came up a little short. But what an effort he put forth!

He's been quoted as never being a quitter and boy, did he prove that! His story should be a lesson to all of us that no matter how bleak things look, stay with it and things will improve. I know I'll take that out of his week.

In a wonderful interview just after he completed his final round, NBC commentator Jimmy Roberts asked Duval if as a sports fan himself, did he appreciate his story? Duval said that people like to identify with people that are down instead of guys like Michael Jordan, Le Bron James and Tiger Woods, who are one in a million. "A lot of us get kicked around a lot," Duval remarked. Amen to that, David! If the guy never does anything else this year on the golf course, his story this week was an inspiration to all of us.

Puglia Innovators

Castel di Salve reds: Priante and Cento su Cento



One of the things I noticed most about my recent trip to Puglia was the wide range of red wines; this certainly is a reflection of a region that has so many different varieties planted in specific areas. It’s also a sign of a region where there is not an iconic red - such as Barolo from Piemonte or Brunello di Montalcino from Toscana – that overwhelms other wines. I like that about Puglia – there are so many interesting, well-made wines that have their own personality.

In this post, I’d like to feature two of the most innovative producers whose wines I tasted during my trip. One is from the far southern reaches of the region, while the other is situated in the north and while the grapes they work with are quite different, their quality and goal of making individualistic wines are similar.

Castel di Salve, located in the far southern town of Depressa di Tricasse in the province of Lecce (about as far south as you can go in Puglia), is headed by Francesco Winspeare and his agronomist Francesco Marra, who reestablished the estate in the early 1990s. Friends since early childhood, they own 100 acres of vineyards and produce approximately 13,000 cases of wine each year, working primarily with Negroamaro, Primitivo, Malvasia Nera as well as smaller amounts of Sangiovese and Malvasia Bianca. (Note: no Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot here – only Italian varieties.)

There are some beautiful introductory wines here under the Santi Medici label; the Rosato, produced entirely from Negroamaro is excellent with deeper concentration than most of its competitors while the Rosso, also a pure Negroamaro, has very good varietal character, light tannins, tart acidity and is a pleasant lighter red for drinking over the next two years.

But it is with a group of distinctive reds where the principals really make their statement about the exceedingly high quality of Castel di Salve. The 2007 Salice Salentino “Armécolo” is a medium-bodied style with beautiful aromatics of myrtle, black currant and tobacco and excellent complexity; enjoy this over the next 3-5 years. A 100% Sangiovese, “Il Volo de Alessandro”, has very high acidity, cherry, cedar and sage notes and an earthy finish and is quite unique. You can tell this is Sangiovese, but you can also tell it’s not from Tuscany.

The 2005 Lama del Tenente, a blend of Primitivo, Montepulciano and Malvasia Nera is a modern red, aged in new oak, with plenty of black fruit, but this is not a one-dimensional wine. Beautifully structured with moderate tannins and lively acidity, this has wonderful complexity and will drink well for 7-10 years. The 2006 Cento su Cento (with a big capital “C” on the label), though slightly less impressive due to a bit too much oak, is nonetheless a compelling red to be paired with rich red meats for the next half decade.

But the best red from Castel di Salve is the 2005 Priante, an IGT Salento that is half Negroamaro and half Montepulciano (the label features a big capital “P”). My notes for the nose mention black cherry, peppermint, cigar, tar, vanilla and marmalade- very nice! The wine was aged in used French and American oak, so the wood influence is minimal. The wine has a long, long finish with notes of tobacco and dried brown herbs and should drink well for 5-7 years. This is a brilliantly made offering and was one of the two or three best wines I tasted in Puglia during my trip.

The winery also produces an outstanding Aleatico Passito; the current bottling from 2004 is about as good as this wine gets! Aromas of toffee, orange peel, dried plums and herbal tea are backed by excellent complexity and a long finish that is lightly sweet with subtle bitterness. This is heavenly and would be great with bittersweet chocolate, though it is superb on it own.




Cacc'e Mmitte di Lucera of Alberto Longo




In the northern province of Foggia, the Alberto Longo winery was established in 2000 by an accountant who wanted to produce the local wines he has loved throughout his life. Situated in the town of Lucera, Longo produces approximately 16,000 cases of wine per year, primarily from Nero di Troia, the area’s leading red variety and Negroamaro (there is both a Rosso and Rosato made exclusively from this variety).

I tasted three wines during my brief visit to the winery; all of them are quite intriguing. The first was the 2007 Falanghina “Le Fossette”. Now Puglia is a red wine region, as many producers don’t even make a single white wine, while those that do tend to focus on lighter styled Chardonnays. So for Longo to concentrate on Falanghina is remarkable in itself and we can be thankful he does, as the wine is beautifully made with aromas of pear, lime and melon (no oak aging), excellent concentration and typical high acidity. This compares favorably with the best versions from Campania and will drink well for 2-3 years.

Longo is one of the few producers to make one of the most unusual DOC reds in Pugila (or in all of Italy for that matter), a wine known as Cacc’e Mmitte di Lucera. His version is a blend of Nero di Troia, Montepulciano and a white variety, Bombino Bianco. This is a charming red, with currant, red plum and strawberry fruit, modest tannins, tart acidity and a touch of spice in the finish. It’s got some of the qualities of a simple Valpolicella or a well-made Dolcetto, but it’s totally unique. Enjoy this over the next 2-3 years.

Finally, I tasted the 2006 “Le Cruste” a 100% Nero di Troia with unusual aromas of black plum, cranberry and shiitake mushrooms! Medium-full, the wine has elegant tannins, lively acidity and a long, long finish. Local producers are experimenting with this variety, as some push the ripeness as well as oak to make somewhat of an internationally styled red. The Longo version strikes more of a middle ground with good varietal character while maintaining lovely balance. This is approachable now and will offer pleasure for another 5-7 years.

I was so pleased tasting these wines from Castel di Salve and Alberto Longo, as they represent a new, exciting, innovative path for the wines of Puglia. Both are imported in the USA; Sussex in Philadelphia represents Castel di Salve, while there are two importers for the Alberto Longo wines: Clyde Thomas Wines, which represents the wines in New York and New Jersey and Match Direct Wine Import (Francois Dufour) for the rest of the country.