March 2010 – Deep Red Cellar

A Sentimental Wine For A Sentimental Night

Last night as I sat down to dinner, I was exhausted. Movers had left after 3 days of packing up my home (I say home because the building is only a house – the home part went away in boxes and crates).

A few hours earlier, I had stopped by my favorite caseficio to pick up a few goodies. Since my time in Italy is getting short, I am filling myself with as much of the local products as possible. Tonight, I shopped for mozzarella di bufala, proscuitto crudo, bresoala, and rustic bread. I added a few ingredients from my nearly bare cupboards to throw together simple and delicious antipasti. I’ll give you the recipe for bresaola salad at the end – it is one of my favorites!

My wine collection shipped back to the states a few weeks ago but my husband had enough foresight to set aside a few special bottles for the end. We have been working hard the past few days and are aware of our limited time left in Italy so decided to open a sentimental bottle for dinner. We chose a 2003 Piedirosso DOC from Cantine del Mare. This bottle was sentimental for several reasons. The vintage, 2003, was the first year Cantine del Mare produced wine. The winery is in our quaint, little town of Monte di Procida. Our dear friend, Pasquale Massa, is one of the owners and was generous enough to give us this bottle to enjoy.

The wine was medium bodied, ruby red and really lovely. The bouquet was quite light. My husband put it well when he said it was like a Pinot Noir with a little tannin. There were aromas of plum, black cherry, raspberries, leather and earth. The tannins were smooth verifying the wine’s age. Upon sipping, I tasted raspberries, strawberries, cherries, a hint of leather and a hint of spice. As I ate, drank and wound down from the week, I was impressed with what a delightful addition this wine was to my candlelit meal – even if it was on a patio table in the middle of my empty living room.

Bresaola Salad

2 servings

6 slices bresaola

1 handful rucola (arugula)

6 shavings of parmigiano reggiano

1/2 lemon

olive oil

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

On a platter, spread out the handful of rucola. Drizzle with olive oil and the juice of the lemon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place bresaola slices on top arranging in a circle, then parmigiano reggiano. Enjoy!

Bella Umbria

A couple weekends ago I packed my bags and went off to Umbria with my husband, daugther and two other terrific families to a memorable gem high in the hills of Fratta Todina in Umbria.

I know this is a wine and gourmet food site, not a travel site, but I would be remiss if I neglected to share our accommodations with you. We stayed at the extremely lovely La Palazzetta del Vescovo. I first found this Relais on “Trip Advisor” after many hours of searching for a great get-away. I was intrigued because it had many reviews and NOT ONE was negative. Odd, because there is always some curmudgeon out there who has something negative to say about every place I’ve ever seen reviewed. My first visit resulted in me adding to the glowing reviews on “Trip Advisor.” This past visit was my third time back to La Palazzetta del Vescovo and it was more like going to see good friends then it was going to a place to stay. The structure used to be a vacation home of a bishop and the owners have beautifully restored the once pile of rubble with impeccable quality and attention to detail. Stefano and Paola, are lovely, gracious hosts who make you feel like you’ve known them for years. The food is prepared by Paola with passion as evidenced in each taste. The wine is carefully selected by Stefano, a certified Sommelier, whose ability to find exquisite wines and pair them with Paola’s food is superb. Chiaretta is an added bonus – a bouncy, happy dog who accompanies Stefano to greet guests upon arrival.

While staying at our truly delightful accommodations, Stefano kindly set up a wine and olive oil tasting at Tenuta Le Velette in Orvieto. The estate is in the heart of the Orvieto Classico production (a DOC white wine). The property’s history dates back to the Etruscans and includes cellars dug out from tufa stone, a typical, volcanic stone of the area. The estate has the ideal placement on the hills of Orvieto to produce outstanding wine and olive oil. The owner, Corrado Bottai, generously spent several hours with us. He took us all around the grounds. We saw numerous cellars, some started by monks. They were dark with cave-like tunnels and alcoves where dusty bottles of wine were hiding. The electricity kept going out so we had to use a candelabra – it felt like the best stocked haunted house ever. Another cellar had floors, walls, and ceilings covered in a cushy, colorful array of white, orange, and rust mold. Signore Bottai assured us this was some of the best real estate to age fine wines.

The tasting took place in a beautiful room in the manor. It was adorned with fresco painted ceilings, opulent lighting and a large wooden table full of meats, cheeses, breads, olive oil and most importantly, several bottles of wine. We tasted 6 wines – all of which were delightful. As a matter of fact, we enjoyed them so much, my husband and I bought every varietal we tasted. In addition, we purchased 3 bottles of their wonderfully pungent olive oil.

The Whites –
Berganorio (Trebbiano, Grechetto, Verdello, Malvasia, Dupreggio)
Lunato Orvieto Classico Superiore DOC (Trebbiano, Grechetto, Verdello, Malvasia, Dupreggio)
Grechetto Solo Uve (Grechetto)

The Reds –
Calanco (Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon)
Gaudio (Merlot)
Accordo (Sangiovese)

I especially loved the rawness of the Sangiovese. It was a great expression of what Sangiovese lends to the numerous varietals it intertwines with in so many wines out there in today’s market.

Signore Bottai left a great impression on me. He has an excellent grasp on the English language but without all the colloquialisms Americans use. This resulted in his mind churning for the appropriate words to express himself. He spoke beautiful, mindful expressions that made me envious of his vocabulary. I wrote down some of these so I wouldn’t forget them. One of my favorite quotes was: “Sangiovese is a great confusion in the glass.” I couldn’t agree more!

I left Tenuta Le Velette with yet another great adventure under my belt. I was somewhat full from wine and antipasti but that didn’t stop me from going back to enjoy Paola’s cooking and Stefano’s wine selections. This was my last night and I was not going to miss out. My friends and I dined on Cinghiale (wild boar) marinated in local red wine and drank a lovely bottle of Montefalco…if only I could just move in with Paola and Stefano…maybe I could be the housekeeper…the gardener….the dishwasher…..

Food Delicacies – Caviar

I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of caviar. I have eaten it and enjoyed it (sort of) but it would not be what I would pick for my food stash if stranded on a deserted island.

The fact that it is a delicacy in the world of luxury gourmet food makes me appreciate it which is why I wanted to share this interesting video with you. If you get a craving for caviar after watching, please feel free to go to the Deep Red Cellar store to pick up a treat for yourself or that upcoming special occasion.