Cellar Tours Blog

Notes and photos from this year´s outstanding wine fair at Merano

By Ivano Martignetti

Merano, or Meran as it is known in German (this is a border town in northern Italy), is a quaint little town off the beaten track in Alto Adige, where there are two words for everything and many things to experience, such as winter sports, fruit museums and culinary tours. But earlier this month Merano was completely dedicated to a unique event, where top quality is a must and style is everywhere: the Merano Wine Festival.

The first day of the festival was dedicated to organic and biodynamic wine producers and the quality of their wines impressed the lucky visitors including myself who had the opportunity to taste wines made from unusual grape varietials, like the “2009 La Vigna Ritrovata Colli di Scandiano e Canossa DOC”, made with 100% Spergola. This was a very fresh white wine obtained with the grapes cultivated in an ancient vineyard recovered by the owners of biodynamic producer  Tenuta di Aljano in Emilia Romagna.

Over the next three days the Kurhaus in Merano was the magnificent stage for the elite of Italian and foreign wines, where wine lovers came from every corner of Italy and Europe to taste some of the best wines in the world in a very elegant setting and vibrant atmosphere. Passionate producers and an impeccable organization made the Merano Wine Festival a success.

This is truly an event to put in your calendar next year if you missed this one and are an Italian wine lover.

Given the overall quality of the wines at the Festival it would be difficult to pick favorites, but we cannot resist in mentioning a few wines that were truly exceptional and highly recommended:

·    Alois Lageder Pinot Noir “Kraffus” 2007

·    Winecircus Pigreco Sicilia IGT 2006

·    Villa Matilde Camarato Falerno del Massico DOC 2007

·    Terroir al Lìmit Torroja – Vi de la Villa 2006

·    Marco Felluga-Rossiz Superiore Molamatta Bianco Collio DOC 2009

·   Guerila Roma 2007

Make a visit to the Merano wine fair a part of your overall visit to the fabulous wine regions of North East Italy. Some ideas for wine lovers include tours of Verona (including Trento, Valpolicella and Lake Garda appellations), Prosecco, and Friuli.

Some shots of the fair and the surroundings:

The results are out for Italy´s Michelin stars, presented today in Milan at the Principe di Savoia hotel.

HOT NEWS:

New Three Stars- none, same as this year. These are:

Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence

La Pergola dell’Hilton in Rome

Al Sorriso in Soriso

Da Vittorio in Brusaporto

Dal Pescatore in Canneto sull’Oglio

Le Calandre in Rubano

New Two Stars:

Jasmin  in Chiusa

Bracali in Massa Marittima

So the current list of restaurants in Italy that have 2 stars for 2011 are:

Antica Corona Reale da Renzo in Cervere

Duomo in Alba

Miramonti l’altro in Concesio

Sadler in Milan

Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia in Milan

Cracco in Milan

Il Ristorante Trussardi alla Scala in Milan

Villa Crespi in Lake Orta

Combal Zero in Rivoli, Torino province

Piccolo Lago in Verbania

La Peca in Lonigno

Met in Venice

Perbellini in Isola Rizza (Verona)

Il Desco in Verona

Trenkerstube in Tirolo (Südtirol)

St Hubertus in Badia

Jasmin in Chiusa

Osteria Francescana in Modena

San Domenico in Imola

La Frasca in Cervia

Rigoletto in Reggiolo

Il Pellicano in Porto Ercole

Da Caino in Montemerano

Da Bracali in Massa Marittima

Il Pagliaccio in Roma

Il Mosaico dell’Hotel Manzi in Ischia

Don Alfonso in Sant’Agata dei due Golfi

Taverna del Capitano on Amalfi Coast

Quattro Passi in Nerano

Torre del Saracino in Vico Equense

Rossellinis at Palazzo Sasso, in Taormina

Il Duomo in Ragusa Ibla

La Madia in Licata

Restaurants awarded their first star:

Locanda del Pilone in Alba

Villa d’Amelia in Benevello

Osteria del Borgo in Borgosesia

L’Olivo in Capri

La Capanna di Eraclio in Codigoro

Le Petit Restaurant in Cogne

La Casa degli Spiriti in Cosermano

Il Papavero in Eboli

Bistrot in Forte dei Marmi

Pier Bussetti al Castello di Govone in Govone

Al Castello di Alessandro Boglione in Grinzane Cavour

Villa Maiella in Guardiagrele

La Cassolette in La Salle

Strada Facendo in Modena

Il Baluardo in Mondovi

La Locanda di Piero in Montecchio Precalcino

La Cantinella in Naples

The Cook in Nervi

Bye Bye Blues in Palermo (Mondello)

La Locanda del Notaio in Pellio Intelvi (Lake Como)

Il Postale in Perugia

Antica Corte Pallavicina in Polesine Parmense

All’Oro in Rome

Giuda Ballerino in Rome

Il Convivio Troiani in Rome

Il Povero Diavolo in Torriana

Locanda Margon in Trento

Enoteca Henri in Viarregio

Enoteca La Torre in Viterbo

Al Capriolo in Vodo Cadore

And the bad news:

Restaurants that went from 2 to one star:

Arquade in San Pietro In Cariano

And from 1 to no star:

La Siriola in Alta Badia

Cà Daffan  in Arzignano (closed)

Pinocchio in Borgomanero

MI LEAR in Briosco

Sole in Castel Maggiore

La Lucanda in Cavenago di Brianza

Il Gelso di San Martino in Cazzago San Martino

Lido Lido in Cesenatico (closed)

Il Postale in Città di Castello (closed)

La Cantinetta in Felino

Maso franch in Giovo

Al Bersagliere in Goito (closed)

La Mora in Lucca (closed)

Hosteria Giusti in Modena

Le Robinie in Montescano -MOVED TO DEPERO (STAR CONFIRMED THERE)

Gallura in Olbia

La Strega in Palagianello

Da Alceo in Pesaro

Baby in Rome

2 Colombe in Rovato – MOVED TO CORTEFRANCA (STAR CONFIRMED THERE)

Cà Vegia in Salice Terme (closed)

Mamma Rosa (closed) in San Polo d’Enza

A Spurcacciun in Savona

Al Caval in Torri del Benaco

Robert V. Camuto, author of the critically acclaimed “Corkscrewed: Adventures in the New French Wine Country” has just released a book about the wine country in Sicily (Palmento: A Sicilian Wine Odyssey), one of our favorite places on earth.

We talked to him about his experiences in Sicily, asking him what makes the island, its wines and its people so special.

CELLAR TOURS- What made you choose Sicily as the location of your latest book, what excited you?

ROBERT- Sicily to me is a dramatic, magical place with a strong sense of history and tradition. I love Italy but have watched in recent years much of Italy has lost a bit of its soul and traditions. This hasn’t happened yet in Sicily.  From a wine standpoint what is exciting is that while Sicily is Italy’s largest wine region – and one of its oldest—in the last few years there has been an explosive renaissance of a new generation of winemakers rediscovering what they have and dramatically upping the quality of wine.

CELLAR TOURS- What is unique about Sicily, what can you find there in terms of terroir, winemaking techniques and methods that you can´t find in other places?

ROBERT- Sicily is unique in the sheer diversity of its terroirs and indigenous grapes. The best wines don’t taste at all like what you expect from southern wines—they are long and elegant and not at all heavy or jammy. This is true of the wines from the high slopes around volcanic Mount Etna to the rolling hills of the interior and the sloping hills of the southern coast. Then of course there is traditional Marsala, and brilliant sweet white wines from the Lipari islands and Pantelleria. In terms of winemaking techniques you can find everything from traditional palmenti—the old stone winemaking huts—to small artisanal producers to large state-of-the art wineries. Around Vittoria, COS is Italy’s number one producer making wines in clay amphorae as the Greeks and Romans did.  I think Sicily also benefits from having its renaissance after the whole craze of high alcohol woody wines.

CELLAR TOURS- Which appellations, or general wine producing areas of Sicily are your personal favorites and which of the local grape varietals do you enjoy most?

ROBERT- Mount Etna has to be my favorite wine producing area. There is the highest concentration of quality producers—from Sicily as well as transplants from Tuscany, The Piedmont and other parts of Italy and Europe. The local Nerello Mascalese grape makes some of Italy’s most interesting reds often compared with Nebbiolo. In Vittoria the beautiful blending of Frappato and Nero D’Avola makes Cerasuolo di Vittoria—balanced easy drinking wines that have been grossly underrated by the critics.  For white wines, I love Carricante from Etna — crisp and full of minerals.

CELLAR TOURS- Can you offer our readers any tips for enjoying the wine country in Sicily in terms of wines to look out for, favorite restaurants, etc?

ROBERT- I think in the last 10 years Sicily has developed a real wine culture that is booming with its restaurant scene. (Though Sicily has some of Italy’s most elaborate cuisines, restaurants were pretty much a last resort for travelers).  For some of the most interesting wines, I would say to take a look at my book, which opens over a meal at one of my favorite restaurants—Sakalleo, a seafood and pasta lover’s dream on the southeastern coast in Scoglitti. A don’t miss restaurants for wine lovers is Nero D’Avola in Taormina. On Etna go to Boccaperta in Linguaglossa.  For high gastronomy the place is La Madia in Licata (near Agrigento).

CELLAR TOURS- What do you think the pros and cons of visiting Sicily are and would you suggest it as a destination for wine lovers?

ROBERT- Sicilians are wonderfully hospitable people. It’s a great place to discover wines and grapes you probably haven’t heard of in settings that are authentic. The cons for some people are that there are few structured “winery tours” are few and far between. There are no gift shops with t-shirts and ball caps and souvenir wine glasses.

CELLAR TOURS- How does Sicily differ from other Italian wine making regions like Tuscany, and what does it offer visitors in terms of food, wine and scenery?

ROBERT- I have been travelling to Tuscany for 25 years, and I think that parts of Tuscany have lost some of their originality drowned by too much tourism—Chiantishire.  Sicily is still comparatively wild with an incredible concentration history spanning a few thousand years—from Greek theaters to Arabo-Norman palaces. The street markets in Palermo are the most colorful I have ever been to.  The influences in the cuisines (you have to use the plural when talking about Sicily) combine sweet and savory to incredible effect. I love, for example, the orange salads of winter (with olives and onions and olive oil) or the traditional dishes like pasta con sarde, or just going to a café for a lunch of arancine (rice balls) followed by a cold granita.

CELLAR TOURS- If you had to pick one favorite place in Sicily, it would be…..

ROBERT- I am partial to the eastern side of the island: Mount Etna, the sea, Catania, ferries that will take you to the outer islands—all within an hour of each other.

Thank you. Robert for your insight and tips, it was a pleasure!

Wine lovers, why not add one or both of these terrific books to your gifts list for the holidays?

Restaurants in Barcelona- Notes from a Foodie Weekend

We were in Barcelona last weekend checking out new suppliers, taking in some meetings and visiting some of our favorite foodie partners, here are some notes from our trip and tips for your next visit to Barcelona.

FRIDAY- CASA CALVET- We arrived to town after 9PM but managed to get freshened up before our late dinner at Casa Calvet. What a beautiful place! Located in a Catalan mansion designed by none other than Gaudi for a textile mogul at the turn of the last century, the whimsical dining room is all stained glass, “Modernista” design, mirrors, polished wood and brass. A “brindis” (toast) with cava was in order as we admired the setting and ordered the food. We shared wild mushrooms with chestnuts and Jamón Ibérico, perhaps not the most adventurous, but delish.  Other interesting starters included Bomba rice with conger eel and seasonal veg & Apple and foie gras ravioli with truffle cream. Alvaro Palacio´s “Terrasses” from Priorat was good value here and just gorgeous.  The mains selected were a delicate cod steak confit with porcini mushrooms and arbequina olives, artichoke chips and a rich duck liver with chickpeas and Iberian pancetta, aromatized with cumin. Gluttony, not hunger, made us finish with Apple tart tatin, made fresh to order. The other patrons dining this late were a mix of elegant Catalan couples and tourists. The food was not ground breaking or unique enough to be featured in a Bourdain episode, but was still very good and the setting beautiful, recommend for a special occasion.

SATURDAY- EMBAT AND FONDA GAIG- While we normally breakfast at the Boqueria market when in town (cava and Joan´s garbanzos with Morcilla at Pinotxo in the market are a MUST), we had a meeting so had a quickie breakfast at “any old bar” of simple pan amb tomaquet (country bread drizzled with olive oil and sea salt and rubbed with tomatoes) and freshly squeezed orange juice as you do when in Spain…

Lunch was with our friend, writer Tara Stevens who is launching a new cookbook as we speak (more on that later…) at the quite fantabulous “Embat“.  We had heard good things about this swish little eatery, and it was the perfect lunch venue- light, airy, friendly, and not so crowded (dinner is more “sceney” apparently). Dinner was supposed to be the highlight today but lunch stole the show.  The wine list is very, very good, we selected a bottle of the current vintage of Vallegarcía Viognier (one of our favorite Spanish white wines), and it was peachy, fresh and creamy, love that wine.  An amuse bouche of Cauliflower pannacotta with caviar set the tone (mmmmms and ooooohs) and we continued with STUNNING cannelones stuffed with duck (a flagship dish,  Canelons d’ànec amb rossinyols de pi”), seared scallops with apple and pancetta, and followed with heavenly slow cooked beef, lobster rice and pigeon three ways. Simply yum, yum and more yum. I think dessert was actually a favorite dish, a refreshing “Sopa de romaní amb meló i llimona” ( a kind of soupy sorbet of melon, lemon and rosemary). Too delicious to describe in words… We were stuffed at this stage so decided to walk it off and do some gourmet shopping while in town. Visits to Escribà, Cacao Sampaka, the Corte Inglés supermarket were in order!

Dinner then was at Fonda Gaig, an old time favorite, relaxed, understated and  chic, with traditional Catalan cuisine served in a brasserie setting by mythical Michelin starred chef Carles Gaig (Fonda Gaig is his nostalgic eatery, known for its trad cuisine while “Restaurante Gaig“, located at the stylish Hotel Cram is the trendy, creative Michelin starred eatery.) Don´t ask us where we found room (the more you eat the hungrier you get!), but we managed to have a full dinner and dessert (!):  Salteado de setas de temporada (sautéed wild mushrooms) and Senyor Gaig’s biblical croquettes. For mains Pato con peras  (duck with pears) , Vieiras con salteado de alcachofas  (scallops with artichokes) and Albondigas con sepia  (meatballs with cuttlefish). To finish, nothing else would do but Crema Catalana, sublime. We were dying for a bottle of Artadi Rioja, but they just sold the last bottle so we had a very good bottle of Muga. We waddled back to our hotel, luckily a good 20 minute walk so we were able to digest… a bit….

SUNDAY- CASA DELFÍN- Our friend Kate who owns the truly wonderful Taller de Tapas chain (in our view the freshest and absolute best tapas in Barcelona!) invited us down to her newest venue in Barcelona, the Casa Delfín, a historic and well loved neighborhood restaurant that Kate recently took over.  Respecting the clientele and traditional Catalan cuisine, Casa Delfín has all the classic dishes on offer, as well as traditional tapas (Padrón peppers, anchovies, Jamón, calamares, you name it). While the inside of the restaurant is darling, kind of Parisian bistro a la Catalana, it was a sunny day and sitting inside on such a beautiful afternoon was not an option! We tasted our way through their tapas menu (major highlights were the savory garbanzos, and the nearly sweet, utterly buenísimo sautéed artichokes) and for mains had absolutely delicious seafood rice and a Sunday staple, liver and onions. They serve zippy Alella by the glass and, unusual for Spain, have some nice half bottles on offer. The crowd inside was all local, many older, elegant Catalan couples, while outside on the “terraza” was a mix of funky, younger locals and tourists like us Recommended, especially for Sunday lunch.

For our digestif, we took a long walk from the Borne quarter into the Eixample and sat down for a Campari at  the lovely Casa Fuster, our main hotel partner in Barcelona. They have a beautiful bar which is a stylish, relaxed place to have an afternoon drink or coffee and read the newspaper, listen to jazz. Casa Fuster is the coolest place to stay in Barcelona in our opinion, for location, rooms and setting. And alas, late afternoon called for packing, weighing suitcases exploding with our gourmet shopping, and heading to the airport.  A reveure, Barcelona!

Other spots we love in Barcelona: Cinc Sentits (for an elegant but unpretentious Michelin starred dinner delivered in perfect English as the owners are Canadian-Catalan), Abac (for a special “date night” Michelin dinner in glam setting), the old fashioned and pretty “La Dama” restaurant (romantic), Katherine´s Formageria de  la Seu cheese shop (where onsite cheese tastings can be organized), Sergi Arola`s trendy tapas bar at the Hotel Arts, and the tremendous wine selection at the Vila Viniteca enoteca (we organize  Spanish cheese and wine masterclasses here in their cellar). On our next visit to Barcelona we plan to dine again (it´s been a while) at Alkimia and will check out Carles Abellan´s newish Tapaç 24.

Shots around town…