Barolo Ravera 2003 DOCG Elvio Cogno

Barolo is one of my favorite wines. Barolo is a full-bodied wine. Most Barolo express complex and distinct flavor. The price of Barolo usually is relatively high making it a difficult choice for an every day meal. We will spend the extra bucks when making a Brasato al Barolo or a Risotto Barolo and Sausage. Last week, I had the opportunity to taste a Barolo Ravera 2003 DOCG by Elvio Cogno. It was young. In fact I consider it an infanticide but the quality of Barolo shined through. The company explains the wine like this:


Many consider “Ravera” a great Barolo Cru, although its elaboration is difficult because of the altitude and type of soil. This is a Barolo with a very strong character, which does not loose its origins even through its partial ageing in small casks. The Ravera Cru terroir is expressed in the wine with the finesse of the bouquet, a full flavoured palate and great complexity. The slightly prolonged fermentation intends to ennoble these attributes, which give their best after ageing.

An intense garnet red, lively and brilliant with a slight orange rim. Its nose appears candid, elegant and strong, evoking dog-rose, mint and tobacco that in time turn to fragrances of spices, coffee, liquorice and truffle with a leather and mineral finish. In the mouth it appears full, rounded, strong bodied and well balanced. It has a forward flavour of plum preserve and dried blackberry with a chocolate finish giving a harmonious and pleasant aromatic persistence.

It is extremely affable in its first years, becoming austere with classic elegance and boldness as time goes on.

While I agree with the tasting notes, the 2003 is too young. The fruity body dominates. This may be appealing to some but I love a true Barolo with balance and complexity. I enjoy the subtle passage from one flavor to another and that experience is lost unless you let the bottle decant for at least one hour and two would be better. As the wine ages the flavors will balance. At 35$ a bottle you can buy this Barolo and stick it in your cellar for a couple of years.

Today I would drink this wine with red sauces and savory first plates. In a few years this will marvelously accompany aged hard cheeses, complex red meats and wild game.

Grape: 100% Nebbiolo

Color: Intense Garnet Red.

Bouquet: dog-rose, mint and tobacco that in time turn to fragrances of spices, coffee, liquorice and truffle with a leather and mineral finish

Flavor: plum preserve and dried blackberry with a chocolate finish.

Alcohol: 13%

Serving Temperature: 19 c.

Glass: Amarone (produced by Bottega del Vino) or Balloon.

Tags: Nebbiolo Barolo Red Wine Italian Wine Piedmont Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Gattinara 2001 Travaglini – A great Nebbiolo at a reasonable price

I am embarrassed. I found Gattinara 2001 Travaglini at a small wine tradeshow here in Dallas. It is a marvelous wine. I do not pretend to know all of the Italian wines. Most likely I have tasted only about 10%, in twenty years, of the wines produced in Italy. Puglia wines have never been my “thing” and Sicilian wines have just recently become worth drinking. The problem is that Gattinara is just a hop skip and a jump away from the area where I spent most of my time. It is more disconcerting that Gattinara 2001 Travaglini is a great wine and that I had never tasted it. How could I have missed this jewel?

The vineyards are located in the foothills of the Alps with Mont Rose in plain site. The mineral composition, thus the complexity of flavors in the wine, of the land is a result of erosion of the Alps that occurred 150 million years ago when the glacier melted. The area is beautiful and the climate rather extreme with the wind rolling off the Alps in the wintertime.

Travaglini has been making wines since the 1950s. The winery has remained in the father through the generational transition and the quality has become better with each year. The wines of Travaglini this year received accolades from both Italian and US associations as one of the top 100 wines of the year.

Gattinara 2001 is 100% Nebbiolo. The color is penetrating and the perfume decisive. I was amazed after tasting the wine to find it in the medium price range. It has a good body without heavy tannins. This would be a great wine for savory foods like wild game, red meats, roasts and aged cheeses. This is a wine worth trying. I am glad I found it and will add it to my cellar.

Grape: 100% Nebbiolo

Color: Deep ruby red with garnet highlights

Bouquet: Aromas of red fruit, blackberry, plum and licorice with hints of vanilla and leather

Flavor: Full-bodied, with intense flavors of cherry, raspberry and spice culminating in a long and smooth finish

Alcohol: 13%

Serving Temperature: 16-18 c.

Glass: Balloon or wide rimmed red wine glass.

Aging: up to 15 years

Tags: Nebbiolo Red Wine Italian Wine Piedmont Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Verduzzo Friulano – Autochthon White Wine from Friuli

Verduzzo, Vermentino, Verdicchio, Vernaccia, all are difficult names to remember, all are white wines and they all sound a little alike. So they must all be the same. Nothing could be farther from the truth. To add to the confusion Verduzzo Friulano is made both as a dry white and refined sweet wine. Verduzzo Friulano is an Autochthon wine dating back into ancient times. Once widely grown in Northern Italy today it is primarily grown in the areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia and the northeastern section of Veneto. The dry version is grown in the plains for Friuli and is called Verduzzo Verde (green) while the sweet version, harvested later in the fall is grown in the hills and is called Verduzzo Giallo (yellow). Both versions are highly coveted by the locals of northeastern Italy. Usually the sweet version will be called by the name of the region in which it is grown while the dry Verduzzo will indicate that it is Verduzzo Friulano.

A marvelous dinner could include both wines. The dry Verduzzo with fish, omelets, white meats and delicate risotto, perhaps made with asparagus and shrimp. A Verduzzo Giallo like Ramandolo or Tarcento, both from the eastern Collio could accompany fresh cheeses and desserts. Many Friulani will also serve Verduzzo Giallo with cookies at 5 pm instead of tea.

Verduzzo will rarely price above 25$ and is a great wine to have in the cellar. Often people will by the same wine, year after year, their cellar will be full and the wines will peak without ever making it to the table. The real connoisseur will have several different wines in the cellar and understand why this particular wine is the right choice for the meal.

The dry Verduzzo Friulano is a full wine, slightly acidic and fruity. The taste is apples, apricots, pears, and nectarines.

Grape: Verduzzo Friulano.

Color: Intense Yellow tending toward green.

Bouquet: Elegant bouquet of Apples and Pears.

Flavor: Full flavored, Apples, Apricots, Pears and Nectarines.

Alcohol: 11-13%.

Serving Temperature: 8-10 c.

Glass: White wine glass.

DOC and DOCG made of Verduzzo Friulano

VENETO: Lison-Pramaggiore Verduzzo DOC, Piave Verduzzo DOC.

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA: Colli Orientali del Friuli Verduzzo friulano DOC, Colli Orientali del Friuli Ramandolo DOC, Annia Verduzzo friulano DOC, Aquileia Verduzzo friulano DOC, Latisana Verduzzo friulano DOC, Isonzo Verduzzo friulano DOC.

Tags: Verduzzo White Wine Italian Wine Friuli Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Montesel Prosecco – Vigna del Paradiso 2005 Extra Dry

Montesel Prosecco Vigna del Paradiso 2005 is an interesting Prosecco. The Montesel Family has been producing wine for generations and they are proud of their family culture and their land. The Prosecco they produce is acclaimed as a top shelf Prosecco, year after year. Prosecco is an heirloom vine. Current legislation permits the use of up to 15% of Pinot Bianco or Pinot Grigio in the production of Prosecco but tradition and passion requires that the bubbly wine be made exclusively from the Prosecco grapes.

The grapes, which grow in large bunches, are round or slightly oval, yellow with a thin skin that releases a rich perfume during the late grape harvest. The timing of the grape harvest followed by a carefully monitored vinification, do the rest. During the preparation of Prosecco the most important rule is to respect what nature has given and keep any technical intervention to an absolute minimum. The grapes are pressed gently to obtain the best must and then left to rest for 10-12 hours at a controlled temperature. It is then decanted, yeasts are added, and its left to ferment at 18-20 ° C. The result is a richly scented wine, which after a few months of natural re-fermentation becomes a beautiful wine that overwhelms the palate with a velvety softness and a lively effervescence. It is straw-colored with a fruity scent of peach, apple, pear and a hint of citrus fruits which tend toward a floral fragrance; rich and fresh sensation.

Montesel Prosecco is a spumante. This is not to be confused with Asti spumante that is sweet. Spumante indicates that Montesel has the highest concentration of natural carbonation. There are also Prosecco wines that are frizzante. This definition indicates a lower carbonation due to a shorter re-fermentation period. Most Prosecco will cause a little burp after every sip but the Montesel did not have this effect.

Montesel Vigna del Paradiso 2005 is interesting. It is a good solution to keep in the cellar. Prosecco’s principle characteristic slightly bitter flavor is not as evident in Vigna del Paradiso. This wine is more neutral with just a hint of floral sweetness. I would not choose this for before dinner Aperitivi, but it would be marvelous with crostini and fresh cheeses. It will also do well during dinner with fish and white sauces.

All in all it is not my favorite Prosecco but I would keep a couple of bottles as an alternative for guests.

Grape: 100% Prosecco.

Color: Hay yellow.

Bouquet: peach, apple, pear and a hint of citrus fruits that tend toward a floral fragrance.

Taste: Hints of sprite apples, pears, and slightly acidic. The finish is mild, with just a hint of sweet.

Alcohol Content: Minimum 11.5 %

Serving Temperature: 6-8 c.

Decanting: None.

Pouring: Pour slowly with a 15-20 degree inclination.

Glass: Flute.

Aging: Up to 2 years.


Tags: Prosecco White Wine Italian Wine Veneto Montesel Sommelier Sparkling Wine Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Folonari Pink Pinot Grigio – Italian Pinot Grigio with a Screw Cap

I am a wine traditionalist. I have my prejudices. My opinions are based on my experience. I am biased:

Italian wines are the best in the world.
Blended wines are not as good as those made with a single vine.
Wine bottles should have natural corks.
Antique traditions produce better wine than industrially pumped contemporary methods.
Fresh food cooked at home is better than any food in a restaurant.
I do not like sweet wines.
Wine should not be pink.


When Italian Wine Guy wrote about this pink wine I was skeptical. The name and label obviously designed to be trendy. The wine is pink, perhaps to play on the rose’ concept. Rose’ means blended and sweet. Where’s the cork? What is this, soda pop?

John the Baptist of Italian Wine insisted. A bottle of Folonari Pink Pinot Grigio 2005 made it into my cooler and into my glass. This is not a blend! The pink color is residual of the grape skin. Pinot Grigio is not a clear grape instead it is called grey. Often Pinot Grigio is considered Ramato, meaning copper colored. You could say this wine is more sunburned than tanned, fortunately the producer did not use Copertone additives. Folonari Pink Pinot Grigio is not sweet. It does maintain a hint of sweetness in the finish but it is pleasant making this a perfect anytime wine. My final concern is the screw cap. My views on this have changed over the last few years here in the US.

In Italy, rarely would I find a corked bottle of wine. This is when the cork sours and modifies the taste of the wine. In the US I have had an unpleasant experience with the lower cost wines. It could be due to the shipping and warehousing procedures or that the wine may be exposed to extreme temperature changes. Cork is a natural element and as all living things suffers extremes. I began looking for wines with the composite corks on the lower end to reduce the effects of shipping. The screw cap is another way to do the same thing and while the experience of unscrewing the cap is not the same as popping the cork the resulting wine retains its quality.

All said, this wine is a good wine to have in the arsenal of entertaining. It can be consumed with or without food making it a perfect before dinner Aperitif. It has good flavor without any dominating characteristics. This means it will be palatable for most people. Most women will find the label attractive, even enticing. The price/quality ratio is very good making this something worth trying.

Tags: Pinot Grigio White Wine Italian Wine Veneto Folonari Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Fiulot Barbera d’Asti 2004 Prunotto

I first learned to bottle wine in a family courtyard in Bellusco, a small town outside of Milan. Zio Beppe, as my kids called him, and I would spend Saturday and Sunday afternoons in late February and early March washing and cleaning thousands of bottles. Early February usually included trips to Alessandria, Alba and Asti to taste the local farmer’s wine. This wine was his own stuff not the grapes produced for sale and usually it was Barbera. Farmer’s Barbera is fruity with a pretty high acidity. Some farmers would age in barrels while others just produced a wine that their family liked. By the time the 12 or so 55 liter damagiane from 4 different vineyards arrived we had tasted 30-40 different farmer’s Barbera.

Many Italians asked how I knew so much about the culture of wine and where I had learned so much about the process. Zio Beppe was my mentor and my passion wine. It has been many years since I last spent time with Zio Beppe & Piera or Zia Luiga, the wonderful 86 year young lady who treated me as her son. Recently, my thoughts were brought back to those wonderful people by a bottle of wine.

A friend arrived at my door, bottle in hand, a Fiulot Barbera d’Asti by Prunotto 2004. He could not have known that Barbera is special and that I am extremely critical of Barbera. Mostly, I will no longer drink the commercial versions, for some reason they never stack up. It would have been rude not to drink this bottle of wine. A friend, bottle in hand, should never be shunned. Barbera is a fruity wine. This characteristic is accentuated in the farmer’s version. The acidity is also rather high, in line with the fruitiness. Thinking about these characteristics we prepare a Matriciana. The wine would go well with the tomato, pancetta and pepper.

The cork removed and the bottom of our glasses filled with a rich red color. The fruity base of Barbera was immediately evident but there was something subtle about this wine, hiding from our noses. The first sip revealed the secret, it was just a bit of tannins, enough to clean the mouth but not overbearing. This is not an austere wine, its basis is the fruity everyday table wine that is Barbera but the tannins give it an interesting plus. Fiulot Barbera d’Asti 2004 is a perfect fit in the cellar. One of those wines that works perfectly for a plate of Spaghetti or quick Risotto.

Grape: 100% Barbera, grown in the vineyards of Agliano d’Asti.

Color: Vivid Ruby Red.

Bouquet: Mature fruit. The immediate impression was young and vibrant.

Taste: Fruity, dominated by plums and cherries with a hint of tannins that cleans the mouth and balances the food. When consumed with food the flavor is a new experience with each sip, without food the fruitiness saturates the senses.

Alcohol Content: Minimum 13 %

Serving Temperature: 13-15 c.

Decanting: None.

Pouring: Pour slowly with a 15-20 degree inclination.

Glass: Red wine glass.

Aging: Not applicable.

Tags: Barbera Red Wine Italian Wine Piemonte Asti Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Nero d’Avola – A great Sicilian Everyday Red Wine

Several years ago I was invited to speak at a conference in Palermo for the industrial development of Sicily. I met an interesting gentlemen who was also presenting at the conference. I was thoroughly intrigued by his business. He made wines. I knew Sicily for many things but had not thought about Sicilian wines. He went on to explain how their group intended to produce and sell Sicilian wines on the world market. They were investing important resources into the Duca di Salaparuta facilities. During my various visits to the island I had tastes many local house wines, just as I had done in every region of Italy. To say that even the most obscure province of Italy does not have a local wine would be just wrong however there are areas that are better known for their tradition of wine.

I was truly fascinated. My curiosity took over and Raffaella and I spent the next couple of days finding out more about Sicilian wines of the group. The best way to learn about a wine is to drink it with a local meal so we sacrificed ourselves in the selfless quest of learning more about Nero d’Avola.

Recently Terry from Mondosapore wrote an article about Nero d’Avola and how it has become popular in the US. His article evidences the personal biases in the Italian wine industry as some distributors and producers degradingly spoke of the popularity of Nero d’Avola. Everyone seems to have an opinion. Italian Wine Guy also wrote about a great and unknown Nero d’Avola that is made in collaboration between the Cantina di Soave and Cantina Sociale Santa Ninfa. He so appropriately says with a bit of surprise, “North and South working together…”

Nero d’Avola, generally, is a great everyday wine. The amount of sun and the length of the growing season results in an intense fruit with a high sugar content. In the years past this grape was best known for Marsala but the vine is truly antique, yes a heirloom vine, or as our buddies from winespectator would say, an Autochthon. Nero d’Avola was first grown by the Phoenicians and later by the Greeks and Romans. It became famous in the late 1773 thanks to the Englishman Woodhouse. While he was traveling to Mazara del Vallo a storm surprised the expedition. The ship sought safety in the port of Marsala.

To celebrate his fortuitous rescue Woodhouse went to a tavern, known for its marvelous local port style wine, by the port. He was slain by the Nero d’Avola’s rich flavor and full body. Since the business deal he had come to Calabria to secure was no longer possible he purchased the entire production available.

Transporting wines was not so simple. The wine would surely go bad before he could return to England. The solution, add more alcohol. Within 2 years Marsala was in every European court and the official wine on England’s navy.

Nero d’Avola is an antique wine. This robust wine will please most American tastes. It is a great wine for red meat roasts, wild fowl and some aged cheeses. The alcohol content is usually between 12.5 and 13.5 % but can arrive at 15% in certain conditions. The color is intense ruby red with orange highlights in the fingernails. Since this wine is not yet well known it remains one of the best buys available with an extraordinary price quality relationship. This may not remain true over time given the limited area of production.

Tags: Nero d'Avola Heirloom Wines Red Wine Italian Wine Sicily Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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