Cellar Tours Blog

Simona Piccinelli, our Italian food and wine specialist has put together a fabulous suggested week-long itinerary for gourmets wanting to eat their way through Northern  Italy’s best restaurants.  Pour a glass of Italian wine, grab a notebook and read on….

DAY 1- Fly into Milan, pick up car and drive east to the Franciacorta wine region. Check into the Albereta Relais & Chateaux hotel, set amid a vineyard.  Taste Franciacorta wines at La Dispensa or at the Bellavista estate. Tonight for dinner, enjoy dinner at your hotel in Gualtiero Marchesi’s phenomenal restaurant.

DAY 2- Drive to Bergamo, one of Northern Italy`s hidden gems. Explore the old town in the higher part of the city . Settle into a splendid lunch at 3 Michelin starred Da Vittorio. After lunch, take in some sightseeing in the città alta and head back to the Albereta wine resort.

DAY 3- On to Cremona, home of the Stradivarius and another delightful town off the main tourist track. Poke around the small town’s gorgeous churches and small museums and then head to the wonderful 3 Michelin starred Dal Pescatore for lunch. Mega treat. Digest your tasting menu on a charming walk through Mantova afterwards, yet another darling town and stomping grounds of the powerful Gonzagas.

DAY 4 – Shift gears and head to Lake Garda today. Drive to Torre del Benaco and take a cooking class with  Andrea and Lara at Le Gemme di Artemisia which will be lunch.  (This features in our Garda culinary weekend). Then visit the lake and head to Brescia, an unsung art town nearby where you can have a trendy aperitif. Dinner tonight could be at the beautiful 2  Michelin starred Miramonti L’Altro. Sleep at Albereta again tonight.

DAY 5 Work your way back to Milano today and visit the sights- cathedral, Brera, etc. Dine at the contemporary and hip 2 Michelin starred Sadler tonight. Sleep at the cute Petit Palais.

DAY 6- Drive south today to visit Pavia, with its stunning Certosa, monastic complex. Amazing and so close to Milan. Tonight for dinner, finish your top chefs tour of Italy with a divine cena at Trussardi. Sublime.

DAY 7- fly home and get your gym membership going again

The annual Georgina Campbell Awards are here for 2010! Discover fabulous places to dine and stay in Ireland…

The 2010 Award Winners are:

Hotel of the Year - The BrookLodge & Wells Spa – Macreddin, Co Wicklow

Restaurant of the Year – Campagne – Kilkenny

Chef of the Year – Eamonn O’Reilly – One Pico, Dublin

Pub of the Year – The Ballymore Inn, Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare

Just Ask Restaurant of the Year Award Sponsored by Bord Bia- Rathmullan House - Rathmullan County Donegal

Natural Food Award- Good Things Cafe – Durrus, County Cork

Casual Dining Award -The Sheelin Tea Shop – Bellanaleck County Fermanagh

Taste of the Waterways Award 2010 Sponsored by Waterways Ireland
Cafe Merlot at Blakes of the Hollow – Enniskillen County Fermanagh

Host of the Year -Kay McEvilly – Cashel House Hotel - County Galway

Wine Award of the Year -Ballymaloe House - County Cork

Atmospheric Restaurant of the Year-Sha Roe Bistro – County Carlow

Hideaway of the Year -The Old Convent Gourmet Hideaway - County Tipperary

Country House of the Year -Gregans Castle – County Clare

Newcomer of the Year -An Port Mor – Westport Co Mayo

Top Food and Wine Movies for the Holidays

Sick of the classic Christmas movies?. Can’t handle “A Christmas Carol” or “It’s a Wonderful life” one more year? Love food and wine? Here is our list of the best ever foodie movies:

1. Chocolat, delicious flick in romanticized French hamlet, with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp.

2. Like Water for Chocolate- simply FABULOUS movie based on Mexican author Laura Esquivel’s book. ¡ Fantástico! Watch it subtitled (Como agua para chocolate), not dubbed.

3. Eat Drink Man Woman- superb Taiwanese film directed by Ang Lee

4. Tampopo- silly, sweet movie coined as the first Japanese noodle western

5. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and her Lover- Goofy, sexy, opulent, film by the always eccentric Peter Greenaway, with an all star cast

6. Babette’s Feast- stunning Academy award winning Danish film by the same screenplay writer as Out of Africa, Gabriel Axel

7. Jamón Jamón- ” A lusty tale of ham and passion”, kooky Spanish film classic with Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem

8. L’Aile ou la Cuisse- “The wing or the thigh”. Fun, French romp from the 70’s including a restaurant critic, circus and the salvation of high cuisine.

9. Tortilla Soup- a kind of Latino version of Eat Drink Man Woman, very sweet

10. Ratatouille- and of course, this one complete´s the best foodie movies list. The  little gourmet rat is just adorable and this cartoon is quite possibly enjoyed more by the parents than by the kids

Merry Xmas, happy cooking and happy viewing!

by Simona Piccinelli, Italy specialist

Is there any better way to celebrate New Year’s Eve than with bubbly? We certainly  don’t think so!

So here is our selection of our favorite sparkling wines of the year- the perfect match for every mood, enjoy:

Speaking of sparkling wines, champagne is of course the king of bubbles and apart from well known maisons, like Krug, Bollinger, Ruinart, Veuve Cliquot, etc, we particularly love:

Champagne Tarlant - La Vigne d’Antan

This Champagne comes from  ungrafted vines, just as they were before phylloxera, thanks to a unique terroir. 100% Chardonnay, improved on the yeasts for over 6 years, it is a great wine, elegant and aromatic. It has rich minerality, hints of apples and acacia flowers and suggestions of hazelnuts and almonds.

Champagne Larmandier Bernier – Premier Cru Nature Terre de Vertus

Single cru Champagne, 100% Chardonnay, vintage 2006, pas dosé (no sugar added). Few facts for this awesome Champagne except that it is delicate, fresh, with notes of flowers and chalkiness.

Champagne Mailly – Blanc de Noirs

Champagne vineyards

This Champagne is made of Pinot Noir only. It is complex, very elegant, with long finish.

Leaving France to the side for a minute, we also have some very good recommendations for you for Italian and Spanish bubbly:

Franciacorta region: Mosnel - Parosè 2004

A blend of  70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay for this unusual wine, pas dosè (no sugar added) and rosè, as the name suggests. It has pale onion-skin colour, aromas of wild berry and fresh spices, long-lasting finish. More on the Mosnel wine estate here.

Franciacorta region: Bellavista - Riserva Vittorio Moretti 2002

Mr Vittorio Moretti, the founder and owner of Bellavista winery, labelled this wine with his own name, to guarantee that it is the best of his production. Outstanding blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it has character and personality.
The nose is elegant and concentrated, with aromas of peach, honey and white fruit. Fresh, mineral and intense.

Campania region: Feudi di San Gregorio – Dubl

A joint venture with the Champagne maestro Selosse gave life to these unusual sparkling wines from Irpinia – Campania, made with local grapes such as Greco, Falanghina and Aglianico. More on Feudi.

Penedès region: Cava Parés Baltà – Cuvée de Carol
100% Chardonnay for this boutique cava, with intense yellow golden color, intense aroma of fruit and creamy taste. More on this FABULOUS estate here.

Penedès wine region: Cava Agusti Torello – Kripta Gran Reserva 2003
A real masterpiece, made with 45% Macabeo, 23% Xarel-lo and 32% Parellada. It ages 4 years and it is complex, structured, with hints of ripe fruit and light toasted notes.

Cava Segura Viudas – Brut Vintage Cava
Aged in bottle for 3 years, it is made only in exceptional vintages.

Cheers!

To all our friends,family, suppliers and clients, all of us at Cellar Tours wish you a very happy holiday season!!

Enjoy the parties and upcoming wine dinners and tastings, and please ALWAYS have a designated driver.

Christmas in Rome, Photo Cred Enzo D

Enjoy some of our photos of Asturias, in Northern “Green” Spain, one of our FAVORITE places to disconnect, eat well and relax.  Stunning nature, sea and mountains, delicious local cuisine, super friendly locals- what more could one ask for?

Merano Wine & Culinaria Award

by Simona Piccinelli, Italian wine specialist

For the very first time, Mr Helmut Köcher -  President of  Gourmet International – presented the “Terroir 2009″ award during the 18th edition of the International Wine Festival & Culinaria in Merano, Italy.

The prize rewards the wines that best express the connection with their terroir.

17 wines  were granted the Terroir 2009 – Merano Wine & Culinaria Award:

1.  Zymè, Amarone della Valpolicella 2003
2. Wiengut J. Hofstätter, Kolbenhof Gewürztraminer 2008
3. Dorigo, Picolit 2007

4.  Ca’ del Bosco Vintage Brut  2005
5. Adami, Prosecco del Casel Extra Dry
6. Podere Rocche di Manzoni, Barolo Cappella S. Stefano 2005
7.  Giacosa Bruno, Roero Ameis 2008
8.  Buranco, Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà 2007

9. Mattia Barzaghi – Zeta Project, Vernaccia di S. Gimignano Zeta 2008

10. Testamatta, Testamatta 2007

11. Cantina Zaccagnini, Clematis Passito 2004

12. D’Angelo, Aglianico del Vulture 2007

13. Marisa Cuomo,  Costa d’Amalfi Furore Fiorduva 2007

14. Mille & Una, Dolce & Nero 2006

15. Graci, Etna Quota 600 2007

16. Argiolas, Vermentino di Sardegna Is Argiolas 2008

17. Carlo Pellegrino, Marsala Vergine Riserva del Centenario 1980

By Simona Piccinelli, Italian wine specialist

The 18th edition of the Merano International Wine Festival & Culinaria last month, crowned Merano as “the Italian capital of gastronomic excellence“. The Kurhaus – where the wine tastings took place -  opened its doors to wine lovers, gourmet and trade on Saturday November 7th, for 3 days. In spite of the hefty price tag, more than 5,000 visitors, including 300 journalists from all over the world  as well as many importers, filled the 8th century palace, exclusive meeting point where you could taste the top wines of the highest quality and meet the producers and wine personalities themselves, rather than their reps or sales people.

Wine Festival & Culinaria- Photo Cred Wino Blog

I tasted many, many, many wines (in this 18th edition of Merano Wine Festival, there were 322 Italian wineries and 142 producers from France, Slovenia, Germany, Austria, etc) and here are the ones that I felt in love with and would love to see in my own cellar (keep an eye out for upcoming posts on French and sparkling wines):

Kante – Friuli- 2003 Malvasia
A special edition and a special label for the 2003 vintage of this dry wine from native grape Malvasia, simply impressive! It’s a unique wine that surely strikes all great white wine lovers.Round and flavorful with hint of apricot, honey and nuts, it offers also mineral aromas.

Renato Keber – Friuli-2005 Tocai Friulano Zegla
A great character, Mr Keber, for a great wine! Made with 100% Tocai Friulano grape, this wine is macerated with the skins for 24 hours, improves for 12-14 months in 500 litre casks and for 6 months in steel. It is an explosion of flavours and emotions when you smell and taste it: pear, apricot, almonds, white flowers … If you find it, grab it!

Nando – Slovenia-2006 Rebula

Poderi Luigi Einaudi - Piedmont-2005 Barolo Nei Cannubi
A quick “hi” to Barbara and Matteo from this lovely, historic estate in Piedmont was the occasion to taste this single vineyard Barolo. Barolo is one of my passions and sometimes it is undervalued by consumers looking for ready-to-drink wines, as you need to let it age to taste it at its best. This wine is elegant, fresh and dense; full of licorice, cherry, plums and spices, it is very well balanced.

Elio Grasso - Piedmont-2005 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera

Cupano – Tuscany-2004 Brunello di Montalcino

Ornella comes from hard-working Lombardy, Lionel is Frech: they are the heart of this organic winery near Camigliano. Founded in 1998, it is already on the right tracks for distinguished wines. This Brunello is powerful and deeply coloured; cherry, tobacco, plums and spices in the mouth, with stupendous tannins and a longlasting finish.

Capannelle - Tuscany-2005 Solare

It is always a pleasure to meet Manuele, the brilliant sales manager of this Chianti based winery. Ruby red colour, hint of plum, vanilla, almond. Velvety and full-bodied.

Rocca di Frassinello - Tuscany-2006 Rocca di Frassinello

Villa Matilde - Campania-2004 Camarato Falerno del Massico

This single vineyard red is one of the best wines from Villa Matilde. Great complexity, with berries, plums, licorice, cocoa, vanilla, tobacco and spices well balanced with elegant and luscious structure

Vinosia - Campania-2002 Taurasi Riserva Rajamagra
I cannot express the joy of meeting, after so many years,  brothers Mario and Luciano Ercolino, who oversaw my first steps in the wine sector … and what a pleasant surprise their new wine adventure!! This Taurasi Riserva is full-bodied, powerful and smooth, look for it and keep it jealously, it will give terrific satisfaction in a few years …

And after the tastings, a visit to the Culinaria hall was a MUST

Culinaria- Photo cred Wino Blog

Prosciutto- Photo cred Wino Blog

We just spent most of the month of November in Bordeaux on site inspection as we are developing new wine tours there. We visited 32 wineries on this particular trip and checked out loads of restaurants (more on that, later!), met wine guides and limo drivers and all the usual inspection tour stuff. What is always amazing about traveling in the wine country in autumn are the COLORS, wow, we saw some magnificent landscapes. Here are some shots from our trip, enjoy!