Tag Archives: wine

February 9, 2013 · 1:40 am

Nemo Has Come To Town, Let’s Remember Our Neighbors

It has been ages since I have posted on my blog. In the interim, I did a couple of presentations on Prosecco DOC for trade and consumers, translated for the vice-president of the Brunello Consortium during a few interviews and annoyed all of you with invitations to upcoming Italian and Chilean events. What I didn’t do is reach out to anyone affected by Sandy. I am thinking of everyone today with this awful storm. I did do some volunteer work however. I am doing a wonderful pro-bono project for an organization called Brick by Brick which works in Uganda, a country I developed an interest in after meeting some great people from there who were working to provide clean water to kids such as those on the home page of Brick by Brick.

Others are doing much for the Sandy relief effort however, I’m glad to see.

Nicolas Palazzi just posted this on his magical pmspirits.com page.

Please take a few minutes to read the message below (and take action):

DeVine Intervention Wine Auction:

“DeVine Intervention is a charity online wine auction to benefit those still trying to get their lives back to normal after Hurricane Sandy. After the hurricane, we all worked hard to look out for our immediate teams and restaurants and get things back up and running. It was the wise words of Billy Shore from Share our Strength who advised and said that often in disasters like this, after three months the press moves on but people still need help. With this in mind we have partnered with Sotheby’s and Western Carriers in order to help the restaurant and wine community band together to help those still in need.
The website is now live http://www.de-vineintervention.com and Wine Spectator even gave us a shout out – http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/47968.

It is important to us that every penny of the auction (no buyer’s premium either!) will go straight to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City who retains no admin fees at all. In short, every penny of every lot will go straight to those who need our help in recovering and rebuilding their lives.

We already have many donations from marquee producers (Krug, Salon, Lanson, DRC, Rousseau, Mascarello, Quintarelli, Lafite, Peter Michael, Rudd, etc., etc.). The donations are coming from restaurants, Chefs, Somms, retail shops, importers and wineries. Donations have come from New York, France, California, even Boulder Colorado (Thanks Bobby!) all with the hope of getting NYC back to normal. The goal is to band together the wine world to make a difference. We are shooting for 250 lots and hoping to raise a quarter million for the cause. With this in mind, we are hoping to raise an average of $1,000 per lot. A lot could be anything from a bottle to a six pack to a six liter – we are just looking for great wines which will command interest at auction.
We wanted to make it as easy as possible if you want to be a part. Just pull a great bottle from your cellar or the restaurant and send it to Western Carriers. Along With Sotheby’s, we will take care of the rest.

Please let me know if you have any questions that Danny and I can help with.

Please feel free to spread however you might like and know that we really appreciate your help!”

JOHN RAGAN • MASTER SOMMELIER, WINE DIRECTOR
DEVINE INTERVENTION • @DEVINEAUCTION
UNION SQUARE
HOSPITALITY GROUP

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May 5, 2011 · 8:04 pm

TwitterTherapy – Lessons from Ms. Bond

Yes, it’s Thursday and I should be blogging about Italian indigenous grapes but my head is overwhelmed with my first serious day of tweeting, retweeting and improving my Twitter etiquette.

All of this was spurred by a morning breakfast with Ms. Bond aka Cynthia who I wrote about here.

Needless to say, any mistakes I make are my own and I am at the beginning but I have to say that for my first real day of Tweeting, I’m enjoying it. Just like blogging, I think I do it about 60% as well as I can in terms of my interactions but I’m going to try and improve 5% a month. I think that’s a realistic goal. One that is clear and achievable. So here we go. Today I learned that the Royals as going to make wine on their estate, about a lot of great Rioja wines, a tasting of Riesling and much else.

Thanks to Ms. Bond. I think I may need more therapy though :) .

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April 19, 2011 · 3:42 pm

Passover Wines – Changes Afoot

Today is the first day of Passover. I had my first Seder last night with my parents and my niece. We had a pretty peaceful meal with the requisite brisket, horseradish, eggs, potatoes and other yummy items.

Wine as always is an issue. This year my Mother brought a wine from the Veneto, a kosher one. I brought one from Le Marche, a non-kosher wine. Both were interesting and quite different one from the other but it was the grape varieties that made them different and the vinification techniques and aging that split them apart, not whether or not they were Kosher. This is a very welcome change.

Here is a great article on Kosher wines on Snooth.

Happy Passover for those celebrating tonight.

After two weeks in Italy and Passover seders, I am going to need a food and wine detox, advice welcome.

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April 7, 2011 · 12:24 pm

Vinitaly Day 1:Do Italians Still Love Wine?

This is the title of one of the seminars that Vinitaly is holding on the first day of the trade fair. Of course, the answer to this question is yes but perhaps not as much as they used to love it, at least if that is judged by their drinking habits. In the 1970s, Italians used to drink 100 liters per capita a year while today, they drink 40 liters. Still an enormous amount of wine, it is not enough to maintain the sector. For comparison sake, Brazilians drink only two liters of wine a year.

Luckily, the export of wine globally and growth in the Asian markets specifically is taking up the slack. The United States is doing its part and has already become the leading consumer of wine in the world. Still they per capita consumption is still lower than some producers might like. Vinitaly is trying to change that and this year is proposing a number of different ways to boost export and consumption.


Among these is a big push on Italian sparkling wines. For the first time, there is a new area dedicated specifically to Italian sparking wines. Over 600 wineries make sparkling wine in 18 of Italy’s 20 regions. Sparkling wines are made in both the charmat and the traditional method.

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March 10, 2011 · 10:43 pm

Italian Indigenous Varieties: Biancone, A Minor Grape Variety

Writing about Italian indigenous grape varieties is somewhat like counting pebbles on a beach. Some are bright and shiny and stand out for all to see, pick up, and polish while others are smaller, hidden, and often overlooked.

This is the fate of biancone, a minor grape variety that doesn’t even get a mention in the books that I have from the Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS). Why am I writing about it then? Well, for completeness and because it is often used as an alias for the very popular Trebbiano grape which grows throughout Italy. Others suggest that is is a synonym for Mostosa, another variety. In short, it seems the views are not uniform.

This grape gets a better rap in Australia where it makes white wines which are considered fresh and fruity. It is also used to make dessert wines. In Italy, it doesn’t get a lot of respect but it’s name, Biancone, means “big white grape” so at least it has some dignity from its consideration as a “weighty grape.”

How many varieties are there in Italy? I’ve heard many numbers but in a recent interview with distinguished enology professor from La Cattolica in Milan, Attilio Scienza, I was told that there are around 3,500 but only 700 are truly used to make wines of stature. In any case, the numbers are outstanding and only by drinking and studying often can one get a grasp on this variety or at least have a great time trying.

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August 3, 2009 · 6:31 pm

Professional Tasting Is Not Only For Wine But For Chocolate and Tea As Well

I wrote this article for I-Italy about the Italian fine chocolate association, Cioccolati d’Italia.

Tasting cioccolate, I learned during the interview, is an extremely complex process, much like tasting wine.

I was lucky enough to taste many chocolates from four regions of Italy: the Veneto, Tuscany, Sicily and Piedmont. Each one was a work of art and was quite unique.

Over the weekend, I was also able to do a tea tasting at Vital Leaf in San Francesco with Ming, the owner.

Golden Gate

Tea seems to be quite complicated. I love all the jars with the tea. It reminds me of an old apothecary.

Ming let me taste a number of different teas and then prepared a special mixture for me. Wouldn’t it be fun to go to a wine bar and say exactly what you would like in a wine and have them blend it for you right there.

Vital Leaf

I also found out that tea is sometimes buried in the ground in order to help it age, much like Josko Gravner’s wines which are buried in amphorae.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience as did my liver after a week long conference on wine in Sacramento hosted by the Society of Wine Educators. More on the conference to follow this week.

Ming at Vital Leaf

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March 28, 2009 · 11:54 am

Chile Day 10 – Geysers, San Pedro di Atacama, Licancabur

san-pedro-di-atacama

San Pedro, the tourist mecca in Northern Chile, is a crossroads for all kinds of people going in different directions in South America. According to local custom, the extinct volcano Licancabur which hovers in the distance is somewhat of a diety. Mountains are considered to be female in their mythology while volcanos are, of course, male.

licancabur

We got up at 4 a.m. to drive to a field of geysers. It was freezing but watching the sun rise mitigated our climate woes. Chilean security in some of these places is pretty lax. Tourists can get really close to the exploding geysers and a few years ago, people were seriously harmed.

geysers

I like these shots. I think they are evocative and remind me of a black and white movie.

evocative

The colors of the rocks and the shrubs against the crystal blue sky were breathtaking. I think I took 200 pictures that day. Not quite Ansel Adams, I did my best. I also learned on this trip to always bring a number of memory cards. Modern living.

ansel-adams

We were not the only inhabitants of the desert that day. In addition to some small birds, we saw a group of Vicunas grazing. I had seen the other indigenous species, the Guanacos, in Torres del Paine. Guanacos are slightly larger it seems to me. I saw a group of them running and felt like I was in the movie Out of Africa but without Robert Redford and that sexy hair washing scene.

vicunas

I love this last picture with the reflection of the scene in the lake. Everyday was so long in Chile that it felt as if there were two days in each one.

reflections

At the end of this lovely day, I went hiking in a cactus filled canyon. There was a running waterfall where we could soak our feet and hang out. I could have fallen asleep in the canyon but somehow made it back to my hostel. Onward to the wine country and Valparaiso….

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March 24, 2009 · 11:50 pm

Chile Day 8 – San Pedro di Atacama

Chile is such a long and varied country. I went from the green tones and blue glaciers of Patagonia to one of the driest deserts in the world, that of San Pedro di Atacama.

desert

San Pedro is a tourist mecca for hikers, backpackers and people coming from northern Argentina or making their way to Peru and Bolivia. I was perfectly happy to spend some time in San Pedro, despite packs of rangy dogs roaming the streets. Someone mentioned that they only bit gringos or tourists so I pretended I was Chilean.

valle-della-luna

Among the most popular trips from this area are a sunset visit to the natural wonders of the Valle del la luna and the Valle del la Muerte. The wind has shaped these beautiful valleys and as the sun sets, they take on brown and purple hues. It reminded me of the sand paintings I used to make when I was young. There were no guard rails along the trails and the wind was pretty strong but the view was just breathtaking. I was glad I had not yet had any wine that day but was looking forward to my first glass before my night trip to look at the stars and the moon.

A top draw in San Pedro is also a night time Astronomy class taught by a French Astronomer. He takes around 25 people at a time on a trip to his home to look through his gigantic telescopes.

sun-setting

Before my night trip, I went out for dinner with friends and had the best wine yet on my trip. It was from the Limari Valley. I highly recommend this wine, the Vina Casa Tamaya Carmenere Reserva 2007 that I drank at a local restaurant. After such an exciting day, this wine and the delicious steak we had with it were a welcome addition.

tamaya-reserva

The wine showed black fruits, spice, vanilla, smoke and pepper notes on the nose and on the palate. It had good structure, firm tannins and a long, persistent finish. It was a perfect end to a lovely day. The night sky awaited me and I was ready.

San Pedro is one of the clearest places in the world to study the night sky. You also get to see stars that we never see in the northern hemisphere such as the Southern Cross. Most countries with a serious astronomy program have telescopes in this area of Chile.

the-moon-photo-taken-from-a-telescope1

This shot of the moon was taken through the astronomer’s telescope. Pretty cool…Pictures will give you a hint of what I was lucky enough to see but there’s nothing like being there.

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March 12, 2009 · 4:58 pm

SensOfWine 2009 Event At Cipriani, Video Clip

For those who weren’t able to attend the lovely SensOfWine 2009 event at Cipriani 42nd on February 20, here’s a short video of the evening.

cipriani-2

For more information about the event, please go to Altacucina Society’s website. Altacucina organized the event together with Italian wine expert Luca Maroni. That brunette looking away from the camera while holding a microphone is yours truly and I spoke with Paolo Vannini, Luca Maroni and David Lynch, writer, author, sommelier and currently GM at the John Dory.

I tasted some great wines at the event and discovered varietals from Calabria that I had never heard of before, quite a thrill. More to come on the tasting tomorrow.

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March 1, 2009 · 12:32 am

Chile Day 4,5,6: Hiking in Torres Del Paine, Patagonia

torres-del-paine

One of the most memorable parts of anyone’s trip to Patagonia is hiking in Torres Del Paine. The park is staggering in its beauty and size. From Puerto Natales where we got off the boat, you must take a three hour bus trip to get to Torres del Paine. There are many ways to hike in the park. Some people hike an eight day circuit while most do the “W” which can take three to four days. I was in the park for a more limited time so I was only able to go on two different hikes or one side of the “W.”

lake-pehoe

I snapped this photo from a catamaran on our way across Lake Pehoe, a beautiful turquoise-colored glacial lake that led to my mountain lodge. Dormitory style accommodations for all, the lodge was humming with hikers of many nationalities and a variety of ages. Most people eat at the lodge restaurant unless they are camping and have brought their own food. Wine selection was limited as you can imagine. Everything must be brought in by boat and most people are thinking about the next day’s hike, not which wine they will be drinking, almost everyone except me, truth to be told.

santa-emiliana

I tried this Sauvignon Blanc from Santa Emiliana. It was actually quite refreshing with steely acidity and a nice kick to it. Perfect as an aperitivo, I was happy to drink it and toast to these gorgeous mountains. Emiliana Vineyards has been recognized as the first organic winery in Chile, according to their website. I immensely enjoyed all of the Sauvignon Blancs that I tasted in Chile which is strange because it is definitely not my favorite grape variety. I initially thought that perhaps it was the extraordinary surroundings and then wondered if it is just that the Chilean style appeals to me. More tasting was needed in order to ascertain which of these theories was correct.

glacier-grey

The next morning we set off for a 22 mile hike to Glacier Grey and back. With 70 kilometer winds blowing, this was no mean feat but unbelievably worth it.

the-sound-of-music

I felt like Maria in The Sound of Music and wanted to break out into song, … of the hills are alive with the sound of music variety….

lake-grey

While the walk itself was not tremendously taxing after the first two hours, the wind was a killer. I could easily imagine someone having been blow down the trail and into one of the lovely but freezing glacial lakes around. Around every corner however, we were rewarded with views like this one of the blue ice which had chipped away from the glacier, just spectacular.

blue-ice

Climbing up and down you finally reach the camp grounds at the foot of glacier grey. The water in this lake is completely grey.

natural-beauty

Many people camp overnight and walk on the glacier the next day. No rest for the weary, we trucked back to my lodge.

glacier-grey-sighting

While in the Park, I saw Guanacos and a few birds but did not see the one Puma that apparently roams the park. Although I am a complete cat lover, I was not sorry to have missed this opportunity.

speechless-in-patagonia

On arrival at the lodge, I would have had a glass of any kind of wine and settled for whatever was on hand. I couldn’t say that it was delicious or that I would repeat the experience. It was sort of like drinking Blue Nun or Lancers, in the 1970s I imagine. Gato Negro is one of the cheapest Chilean brands. This Cabernet was passable after 22 kilometers but that’s about it.

gato

Torres del Paine is a magical place. Pack your own wine and go at your first chance. It is truly an experience that should not be missed. I will definitely go back to finish the rest of the “W.”

unforgettable

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