Showing posts with label Italian Village. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italian Village. Show all posts

Friday, January 5, 2024

Pour Boys Wine Dinner at Italian Village Chicago

Pour Boys Wine Dinner at Italian Village after Art Institute Tour - a fabulous day in the city - arts, perfect food and wine pairing ...

Linda and I spent a day in the city (Chicago) touring the Art Institute of Chicago, one of our favorite destination outings, to see the Picasso special exhibit. We planned a dinner at classic historical Chicago landmark restaurant, Italian Village, Chicago, one of our favorite eateries, and were joined by fellow Pour Boys Dan and Lyle, with Terry.

We have featured our visits to the magnificent Art Institute in several posts in these pages -  

Chicago Experience - Museums, Architecture and Smith Wollensky Riverside Lunch

Day in Chicago - Art Institute - Chez Joël French Bistro

Art Institute Garden Summer Lunch Wines

One of the highlights of the world class Art Institute Chicago collection, and one of Linda's favorites, Paris Street, Rainy Day (French: Rue de Paris, temps de pluie), oil painting by the French artist Gustave Caillebotte (1848–1894).


We've also featured Italian Village in many posts in these pages from many business dinners with my staff and customers, our Pour Boys wine group, and special family dinners -

Team Dinner and Go-to CasalFerro Wines at Italian Village Chicago

Italian Village Wine & Dine Chicago

Italian Village Vivere Wine Dinner Features Masseto Cellar Selection

Merry Christmas - Frozen and gala family wine dinner

We were delighted to get 'my' regular private dining room and table, one that I frequented regularly over the last couple years for staff, team and customer dinners. And, what fun that the IV staff hung my staff picture on the wall at the head of the table, like we used to do when we dined there, just like all the celebrity pictures on the walls. 

We were served by Gerry, one of the senior long time team members as IV retained their long term staff throughout the pandemic disruption - many who have been 'in the family' for decades.

Of the many many dinners we've had at IV, tonight's was one of the best with excellent food, wine and service, as good as it can be - a perfect pairing of wine and food which amplifies and accentuates the enjoyment of both!

We started with anti-pasta - a cheese and charcuterie board with delicious gorgonzola and muscarpone cheeses with pepperoni and meats, and grilled calamari. 

As a starter wine, Gerry brought us a Antico Fuoco Veronese IGT Red Blend for casual sipping before everyone arrived for dinner. 

For our dinner entrees we ordered a broad selection that represents the breadth and depth of the IV menu. Linda and I both ordered dishes with the IV Marsala sauce with pasta - me the Veal Marsala “Scallopine” - Mushrooms, Marsala Wine, Capellini, and Linda the Beef Toscanini - Filet Mignon Medallions, Mushrooms, Marsala Wine and Pappardelle.

Terry ordered the fabulous IV Italian Sausage and Peppers - Italian Grilled Sausage, Green Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Tomato Sauce and Mostaccioli.

For Lyle, they prepared a special off menu dish of Chicken Ciaccatore - chicken, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and onions in a tangy spicy tomato sauce.

Dan had the Linguine Frutti Di Mare - Linguine In A Zesty Tomato Sauce with Mussels, Scallops, Calamari, Shrimp, and Clams.

Lyle has amassed an impressive cellar collection of Italian Brunello do Montalcinos so he took the lead in ordering the wine selections for dinner - two Brunellos, a Caprili Riserva and an Altesino

Caprili Brunello di Montalcino AdAlberto Riserva Sangiovese 2015 

This wine is a homage to current owner and winemaker Giacomo Bartolommei’s great grandfather Alberto, who planted these vines in 1965. This Riserva is a single-vineyard designated label from the estate’s Madre vineyard. AdAlbreto is a special bottling, only produced in top vintages from the finest fruits drawn from the same site since 2010. It is a small-production wine with just 4,000 bottles made, carefully selected and blended by winemaker Giacomo Bartolommei.

This was awarded  97 points by Wine Spectator, 96 points by Wine Advocate, Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling, 95 points by Vinou, and 94 points by Decanter and Wine Enthsiast.

Dark ruby colored, full-bodied, concentrated and complex yet smooth, elegant and balanced, rich forward vibrant ripe black cherry and black raspberry fruits with notes of black tea, clove spice, earth, tobacco and leather with hints of anise and dark mocha on a smooth polished ultra fine tannin finish. 

RM 95 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3871944

https://www.caprili.it/en/

Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2017

This is the primary Altesino label, 100% Sangiovese fruit courced and blended from 60 acres of estate vineyards throughout Montalcino to create the most balanced Brunello from each vintage. Annual production is 11,600 cases, of which 3,500 are imported, 

They also produce a Reserva premium label as well.

This is rated 95 by James Suckling, 94 Points, by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 Points by Eric Guido of Vinous and 90 by Wine Enthusiast.

Dark Ruby colored, medium-to full-bodied, full round balanced blackberry, black cherry and black currant fruits with savory baking and clove spices with hints of licorice, tobacco and leather with smooth silky tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4119676

http://www.altesino.it/en/altesino/

 

 Antico Fuoco Veronese IGT Red Blend 2021

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4882923

 

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Team Dinner and Go-to CasalFerro Wines at Italian Village Chicago

Team Dinner and Go-to CasalFerro Wines at Italian Village Chicago

With my tech leadership team in town for a week closing out the year, and final planning for the year ahead and the next chapter in our strategic plan, we dined at our usual go-to eatery and enjoyed some of our favored go-to wines with dinner. 

Tonight was a repeat of several earlier such team dinners we've had at Italian Village.  I last wrote about this wine in a blogpost, Team dinner at Italian Village Chicago in November last year.

Team working dinner at Italian Village Chicago features Super Tuscan and Bolgheri Chianti Classico

 
I've written in previous blogposts about our wine and dinners, about Italian Village, Chicago's oldest, longest running continuously family operated Italian restaurant in Chicago. 
 
As is our custom, tonight, we dined in one of the private tables/rooms in the Village, one of the three restaurants on the premises, a perfect setting for an intimate or business dinner.
 
Part of this ritual is hooking up with friend and wine-buddy IV Wine Director and buddy Jared Gelband and Gerry Castillo, IV Vivere restaurant 'floor manager', who has become our 'designated' server when we come in, all shown together below. 

 
From producer dinner, wine buddy Dr Dan,
Gerry, me and Jared.

With dinner, tonight I selected these two wines from the winelist, from the same producer, Baron Ricasoli, composed of the same varietal and vineyard sources.
 
This is a label I know well and have collected over the years, one of the small selection of Italians in my cellar collection, which tends to be French and American.


When I picked these two wines from the extensive, vast Italian Village winelist, I didn't realize we've enjoyed each of them before, but never together in a mini-vertical comparison tasting. I don't think I had realized the 'vertical' aspects of the two labels, being the varietal from the common  estate sources.

Jared shared with us how he visited the
Baron Ricasoli estate and staying in the magnificent Brolio Castle located within the town of Gaiole during his last wine country producer tour, He talked about meeting the proprietors who represented the 32nd generation of the family to manage the estate, and and explained how the similarity between the two labels and how they used to blend Merlot in this earlier release. 

The 2000 vintage release was classic Chianti Classico native Sangiovese accented with a bit of Merlot, which has since been dropped in later releases to focus on and showcase the estate Merlot, as in the other label below.

Barone Ricasoli Casalferro (Sangiovese) Toscana IGT 2000

We also had this label back in the early 2020 which I featured in a blogpost Ricasoli CasalFerro & Livio Fellugo Saso, at the time.  
 
This 2000 vintage release is a blend of 75% Sangiovese and 25% Merlot. It was aged in small french oak barrels for 18 months which along with the Merlot in the blend, softens the tannins. 
 
The grapes were sourced from estate vineyards set 350 – 400 meters above sea level, mainly from the vineyard of the same name with southwest exposure, with a predominance of calcareous sandstone and Alberese stone.

Today production of this label is 135,000 bottles in a prodigious vintage year.

Wine Spectator awarded this vintage release 90 points.

At twenty-one years, this was starting to show its age and is reaching the end of its drinking window. The fill level, foil and cork (shown left) were ideal for the age. 

While past its prime, this wine was an ideal pairing with our entree selections, my Butternut Squash with Fig puree and mushrooms, the Filet of Beef, and the Lamb Chops, a new Italian Village Chef Jose Specialty.

While this was initially a bit funky with some barnyard earthiness which burned off after decanting and aerating back and forth three times, it was better than our previous tasting, due likely to bottle variation over two decades of aging. 

This was dark garnet colored with a bit of browning on the rim, medium full bodied, powerful full and forward black fruits are starting to give way to notes of cedar, black tea, olive tapenade, leather and hints of creosote on the deep, full, lingering tannic finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=17527

https://www.ricasoli.com/en/product/casalferro-2000/ 

@ricasoli_1141

We lasted tasted this other wine during a similar team dinner back in the fall of last year when I wrote about Italian Village Wine & Dine Chicago.

Tonight, members of our group selected for our entrees the beefsteak, the lamb chops, and I chose the butternut squash with fig puree and mushrooms - all perfectly complemented by the combination of these two wines.  

Baron Ricasoli Cassalferro Castello di Brolio 2015

Ricasoli is the most representative wine producer in the Chianti Classico area Italian wine region. The estate covers the 1,200 hectares of property include almost 240 hectares of vineyards and 26 of olive groves covering rolling hills and picturesque valleys with thick woodlands of oaks and chestnuts.

Since taking over in 1993, Baron Francesco Ricasoli has been guiding this central Tuscan company according to the principles of his renowned ancestors, producing wines that showcase the distinctive terroir of the soil types, the climate and clonal selections of the Brolio Sangiovese. He has also totally renovated and completely mapped the vineyards.

This label, Casalferro,  was  first  produced  in  1993  when  Francesco  Ricasoli  became  president  of  the company. This is 100% Merlot produced only during the best years. Casalferro is sourced from the vineyard  of  the  same  name  located  at  400  meters  above  sea  level  and  facing  south.  
The  brown  clay  loam  soil  with  little  organic  content  contributes  to  the  exclusive  personality  of  this  great Chianti Merlot.

This release was awarded 95 points by James Suckling, 93 points by Wine Spectator, and 92 points by Robert Parker Wine Advocate.  

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, expressive black berry and black cherry fruits with tones of leather, anise licorice and dark cocoa and herbs, medium plus acidity and medium plus tannins on a long finish. I agree with one review that wrote that this tastes more like a Sangiovese than a Merlot from the New World, or the Right Bank.

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2869770

https://www.ricasoli.com/en/product/casalferro-2015/

https://twitter.com/ricasoli_1141 

@ricasoli_1141

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/

https://twitter.com/italianvlg

@italianvlg

https://twitter.com/jzgwine

@jzgwine

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Nozzole Chianti Classico Italian Village Chicago

Nozzole Chianti Classico Sangiovese with Pasta at Italian Village Chicago

Hosting a valued business partner leader, we dined at Italian Village Restaurant, Chicago, our usual locale for such occasions, downtown in the middle of the Loop, merely blocks from our office. 

We took advantage of the private dining tables and the superb authentic Italian cuisine and accompanying quality wine by the glass offerings. 

We both ordered the handmade Ravioli pasta, my guest the meat filled pillow shaped pasta, with the red meat bolognese sauce, and I selected the pasta stuffed with cremini and white mushrooms, garlic, ricotta and parmesan cheese with mushroom cream sauce (shown). 

We were served by one of the IV veteran long tenured staff, Hans, and Wine Director Jared Gelband who gave my guest and me a quick tour of their magnificent extensive Italian Village wine cellar that serves all three of the IV (Italian Village) restaurants.  

To accompany our power lunch, he served from the extensive Wine Spectator Best of Award winelist, glasses from the WBTG offerings - Nozzole, Toscana, DOCG Chianti Classico Riserva - an ideal pairing with our pasta entree dishes.

Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva, Toscana, DOCG 2018

This 100% Sangiovese is from Villa Nozzole run by owners Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari, heirs of the historic estate that dates back to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. 

The founder, Lorenzo Folonari, was born in Valtellina in 1729 and moved his family to Val Camonica, where they were entrepreneurs in trade and then producing wine.

In 1882, the brothers Italo and Francesco Folonari moved the company, then known as Fratelli Folonari, from Val Camonica to Bresci. 

In 1911, they bought the historic Tuscan winery and producer Ruffino, widely known for its Chianti Classico wines, bottled in traditional wine flasks wrapped in straw.

The Villa di Nozzole, located in the heart of the historic Tenuta di Nozzole, was taken over by the Folonari family in 1971. The classic Renaissance architecture castle and estate overlooking the vineyards, olive groves and surrounding hills dates back to the seventeenth century.

Principle Giovanni Folonari worked for Robert Mondavi in 1989 and Ruffino from 1991 to 2000 before forming Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute.

The Nozzole estate produces a broad portfolio of wines starting with this Chianti Classico Riserva sourced from their estate just north of the village of Greve at Passo dei Pecorai in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, and several single vineyard designated premium labels. The estate covers a striking, rugged, mountainous area of about 1,000 acres at 300 meters in elevation. Yields are kept low in order to obtain concentration and complexity in the wines.

Winemaker Notes: "Cherry and violet aromas, persistent and rounded flavors of spices and mushroom. Great structure with elegant finesse."

This release was awarded 93 points by James Suckling and 91 points by Wine Spectator.

Ruby colored, medium bodied, bright cherry and raspberry fruits with notes of floral, earth and tobacco on a moderate tangy acidic soft finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4001918

https://italianvillage-chicago.com/the-village/

https://twitter.com/jzgwine

https://twitter.com/italianvlg

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Diverse Super Tuscans at Italian Village Chicago

Diverse Super Tuscans at Italian Village Chicago Team Dinner

We held a tech leadership team dinner meeting on the eve of a team workshop and dined at our usual venue for such dinners, Italian Village, Chicago, in the Central loop, not far from our office, this continues our regimen of numerous dinners which I've featured in many earlier blogposts about our wine and dinners at Italian Village, Chicago's oldest, longest running continuously family operated Italian restaurant.

We selected from the extensive Best of Wine Spectator Award winning wine list two vintage Super Tuscan Red Blends. This provided a mini-horizontal tasting of two diverse nine year old vintage wines - an interesting pairing with our Italian cuisine selections of Lasagna, Fettucini Alfredo and their chef's signature Gnocchi sautéed in a vodka, spicy arrabiata cream sauce with crumbled Italian sausage, topped with parmesan cheese. 

Caiarossa Aria di Caiarossa Toscana IGT Super Tuscan Blend 2013

Caiarossa was founded in 1998, taking as its guide the principles of organic agriculture for the cultivation of the vineyards and that of geo-dynamics and the oriental discipline of Feng Shui for the construction of the cellars.

The name of Caiarossa was coined as a homage to the soil, which is characterized by the presence of jasper, rock and pebbles intensely red in colour, the creative name inspired by Gaia, mother of all the gods of Mount Olympus, goddess of fertility and of Nature, of the very Earth itself.

In 2004, the estate was acquired by Eric Albada Jelgersma, whose family owned two Grands Crus Classés in Margaux, Bordeaux, Château Giscours and Château du Tertre, which were both sold in 2021.

The company logo and label features an ancient clay head of Etruscan origin representing the Greek god Dionysus and dating from the fourth century B.C. The figure was discovered near the city of Volterra and now the property of Eric Albada Jelgersma. 

Cairossa owns 175 acres of land, half of which is covered with oak, cork oak, and holm oak woods. The soil composition is quite varied: calcareous at lower altitudes, rich in sandstone and sand, iron-rich at higher altitudes. The first 40 acres of vineyards were planted between 1998 and 2000.  An additional 37 acres were planted between 2008 and 2013 on the southern slopes of the Nocolino hill, a site a few kilometers away from the center of Riparbella with clayey soils.

After research to select the appropriate grape varietals that would best express the site, seven red grape varieties were planted: Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Alicante, and Syrah along with three white grape varieties: Viognier, Chardonnay, and Petit Manseng

This release is a blend of Cabenert Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The predominant Syrah is from the three acre Podere Nocolino, Podere le Lame vineyard. It was aged in barriques and tonneaux for about 14 months, using 15% of new oak. Then 6 months in concrete tanks before bottling.

Bright purple garnet colored, full bodied, aromatic, expressive vibrant cherry, plum and raspberry fruits more reflecting the Syrah than the Bordeaux blend components, accents of  bitter dark chocolate, tobacco, vanilla and earthy mushroom on a bold acidic finish. 

RM 91

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2885540

https://www.caiarossa.com/
 

Tenuta di ArcenoValadorna Toscana IGT 2013

The is from the Tenuta di Arceno estate, situated at the southernmost-edge of Chianti Classico in the butterfly-shaped commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, home to several world-renowned producers. It is the closest in proximity to Siena and often referred to as ‘the most Senese Chianti Classico.

The ancient Tuscan estate produces a broad diverse portfolio of the highest quality wines across two classification levels – three wines based on the region's native Sangiovese grape in the Chianti Classico DOCG collection; and three wines that comprised of estate grown international varieties under the Toscana IGT designation. 

Sitting adjacent the ancient walled town of San Gusmè, the estate covers 2,500 acres of which 220 acres are planted to vines – the remaining land is preserved for native vegetation including 125 acres of olive orchards. The vineyards are separated into 63 distinct blocks, planted to 50% Sangiovese and 50% international varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

This Merlot-led blend is sourced primarily from the Valadorna and Capraia blocks, which produce the estate’s most complex and mineral-based expressions of this variety. The blocks are located within the cooler part of the estate with sandy brown soils that produce lower yields than typical. It is naturally irrigated by a stream that winds through the property. These blocks are often the last Merlot blocks to ripen on the estate.

Winemaker Notes: "The 2013 was a classic vintage, yet on the cool side, which favors the perfect ripening of Merlot. The Valadorna Merlot was picked on October 1st, allowing ample time on the vine for perfect maturation and tannin development. The nose jumps from the glass with exotic spices of jasmine, cumin and vanilla bean. The fruit expression is of raspberry and black cherry. The mouthfeel is dominated by long flexible tannins framed by slight tingling acids. The immediate sensation of blueberry pie gives way to an uplifting bright sour cherry finish. As the fruit subsides, what remains on the palate are hints of sweet cedar and cigar box notes. The 2013 is an elegant vintage and will age gracefully."

This release is a blend of Bordeaux varietals, 74% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot.

This was rated 95 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 94 points by James Suckling.

Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex but well integrated, intense, firm and tight black fruits with notes of tobacco, tar and dark chocolate with bright acidity and firm tannins on the lingering finish. 
 
RM 93 points. 
 
 
 

Monday, June 20, 2022

Italian Village Villa Calcinaia Producer Wine Dinner

 Italian Village Villa Calcinaia Producer Sebastiono Caponi Wine Dinner

Wine Director Jared Gelband of  Italian Village Chicago hosted a wine producer dinner featuring special guest Sebastiono Caponi of Villa Calcinaia in Greve-in-Chianti, Firenze, Tuscany, Italy. 

The themed dinner - "A Night in the Cypress" featured a six course dinner prepared by Executive Chef Jose Torres with wine pairing accompaniments for each course from Villa Calcinaia. 

The evening was held in the Italian Village Vivere dining room, the upscale of the three restaurants that make up the Village with its unique funky elegance.

Kicking off the evening, the full house was welcomed by Italian Village Proprietor and General Manager Gina Capitanini. 

The featured producer this evening was Sebastiono Caponi of Villa Calcinaia in Tuscany consisting of a flight of six wines, five from the Calcinaia estate, to accompany each course. We were also served the Villa Calcinaia estate Chianti Classico Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

Sebastiono was delightfully engaging, he presented the history of the family, the estate, their vineyard plantings and a perspective on each wine. He revealed surprising impressive insights and knowledge of Chicago and even Indiana, as several of our fellow 'Pour Boys' (our wine group), Dr Dan and Ernie, and their guests were Hoosiers, having traveled into the city to accompany me and wife Linda for the evening event. 

As is typical with these events, the pairing of the wine with the food was extraordinary - amplifying the enjoyment of both.

The Calcinaia property has been in the Capponi family dating back to 1524  when Sebastiano del Caccia and Niccola di Andrea Capponi sold to Capponi "four poderi (self-contained agricultural units) a gentleman's house and two buildings in a place called Calcinaia overlooking the road to Greve, the drive in front of the Villa today. 

Today, the Villa Calcinaia estate produces a broad portfolio of more than a dozen Chianti Classico IGT, DOC and DOCG wines - all 100% estate sourced fruit, reds, whites, a sparkling wine produced in the traditional methode champonaise style, a dessert wine, and Chianti Classico olive oil. 

In the mid 16th century Calcinaia was considered important enough to be depicted in the maps of the Captains of the Guelph Party. The buildings enclosed by a wall, included the "house of master Giovanni Battista Capponi", a look more in line with the rank of its owner, a high-ranking official and future senator of the Granduchy of Tuscany.

The original four poderi of 1524 - Sepale, Calcinaia, San Piero al Pino and Bastignano - were increased in number through the years: Casarsa, in 1643 and the rest during the following two centuries. Calcinaia remained a simple country house until the second-half of the eighteenth century, when Count Ferdinando Carlo Capponi, a first-class administrator, reorganized the property in the Greve valley, building a fermenting cellar, storage cellars, the lemonhouse, and the rear section of the Villa that had been refurbished some fifty years earlier by Count Ferrante Capponi, who also added the Chapel.

The wine flight Villa Calcinaia selections

The estate has a historic heritage of vines and olive trees dating back to the end of the 19th century. Villa Calcinaia consists of 450 acres, seventy planted to vines in twenty-six different plots, the remainder in olive groves, surrounded by forests. The old vineyards were planted between 1959 and 1975 with more added later.

The Villa Calcinaia vineyards

The estate sits alongside the Greve river that divides the valley in two sides with different soils on each side. The right bank is characterized by the mountain range known as “Monti del Chianti” and the soil there comprises primarily sandstone and sand formed by the break-up of the bedrock of these mountains. The left bank, where Villa Calcinaia stands, is of Eocene origin with calcareous clay, the predominant soil type of the area. 

Italian Village Vivere elegant funky dining room

The name Calcinaia can be translated as 'chalk quarry', the material necessary for the making of mortar. The calcium can be found in great abundance on the estate and creates a certain fil rouge between the different soils. 

There are also important differences in the various vineyards' varying elevations, from 200 meters to 350 meters above sea level, and varied exposure as well as many small tributaries of the Greve river crossing the estate. On the lower grounds, patches of soil have grey clay, called in tuscan dialect “mattaione”. Generally, the soil in Calcinaia is loam; deeper soils with higher presence of sand in the lowers slopes towards the Greve River, and shallower silty soils with abundance of rocks on the higher grounds, known as “galestro”: a clayey schist whose exfoliating structure, crumbly surface, permeability, pebble content and wealth of trace elements ensure the vine’s vegetative balance and characterful wines. 

Villa Calcinaia owner producer
Sebastiono Caponi
Above the altitude of about 300 meters, there are outcrops of “alberese”, a calcareus marl more typical of the area of Gaiole that contributes to the wide array of soils at Calcinaia.

The estate produces Chianti Classico from Villa Calcinaia, considered the truest expression of the property proudly branded and labeled Capponi, producing three single vineyard designated wines that represent the distinct terroir of three notable vineyards on the estate.

The La Fornace vineyard was planted in 1975 by the Toti family, sharecroppers who had run the “podere” Le Fornaci from the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1975 the three brothers Natale, Renato and Adolfo, in agreement with the owners, planted just over a hectare of Sangiovese. American vines were also planted before being grafted after a few years with Sangiovese taken from the other vineyards of Villa Calcinaia. 

The La Fornace vineyard has a southern exposure lying nearest the river Greve, characterized by a greater presence of sand and the typical gray clay, like that which is still used for the production of bricks. This increases the complexity of the soil and is the basis for the name La Fornace. Sangiovese grown here reflects the specific soil texture of La Fornace, similar to those that grown on the right bank of the river Greve and often described as the most “Lamolese” of all the crus of Villa Calcinaia.

The wines sourced from here are characterized by a very fragrant and elegant wine, defined by fine and graceful tannins.

Over the last ten years, Villa Calcinaia has renewed many of the vineyards to achieve increased production of Chianti Classico wines. The renewal and restoration program included crafting the terraced land thereby allowing the vines to be planted following the contour line rather than the high East incline. They were planted with historical clones of Sangiovese determined through examining each vine on the plots of land originally developed by the sharecroppers. From this generation of vineyards, planted on a clayey and calcareous soil , surrounded by a pine forest, is the Bastignano vineyard. Since the 2006 vintage, this sources production of Chianti Classico Sangiovese, designated Vigna Bastignano after the name of the vineyard. 

From the unusual microclimatic warmth and the exposure, Bastignano produces wines with character of light, ruby, sunny and spicy bouquet and a distinct soft elegance of taste. This was the single vineyard designated label served with tonight's dinner.

The third vineyard selected for a single vineyard designated bottling, Contessa Luisa, was planted by Ferrante Capponi in 1959. The block was dedicated to his mother Luisa Vonwiller and remains today the oldest vineyard still in production at Villa Calcinaia. The two hectare plot is located on a hill facing west, the only such one on the Estate, which receives the warmth of the afternoon sun. The soil is characterized by a strong clayey character and a good depth. 

The American vines were grafted with the Estate mass selection Sangiovese varietal, as well as a small amount of other varietals that make the vineyard population more diverse and vibrant. Wine produced from this vineyard tends to have a very rich and opulent nose, characterized on the palate by an imposing tannic structure, resulting from the clayey nature of the soil. 

The dinner courses and wine pairings menu shown below:

The dinner courses and wine flight were designed by Jared and Chef Jose Torres, curated by special guest Sebastiano Capponi, the owner of the estate, who talked about each wine course and the history of the vineyard.

Ricezione

Grilled Watermelon / Cherry Heirloom Tomato / Burrata / Frisée / 

Balsamic Vinaigrette / Shaved Radish / Sea Salt

Served with:

Cantine Coppi 'Bollicinecheri' Sparkling Extra Dry Rose Salento IGT

 Antipasto

Seared Shrimp / Caponata / Toasted Hazelnut / Citrus Vinaigrette

Served with:

Villa Calcinaia 'Comitale' Bianco dei Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT

Like all the Villa Calcinaia wines, this is 100% estate grown fruit from vineyards planted in 1967 following a major flood in the area. The Comitale grapes were not the intended selection but were retained when they were found to be useful for producing this unique white wine.  

This is a blend of 90% Grechetto and 10% Vernaccia.

Significantly enhanced when paired with the food. Straw colored, light bodied, exotic and rich, aromatics and flavors of citrus, hints of pineapple, floral, mineral and stone fruit with crisp acidity.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/editnote.asp?iWine=4099979

Primo

 Rigatoni / Veal Bolognese / Sun-dried Tomatoes / Shaved Pecorino

Served with:

Villa Calcinaia Mammolo IGT 2019

This is a unique grape varietal indigenous to Tuscany and is very rare, almost extinct in the region. It is not recognized or sanctioned by the Chianti appellation rules and therefore is not allowed as a blending grape with DOC Sangiovese wines. It stands alone in its character and flavor profile, more herbal than fruity, high in acid low in tannins, it goes well with charcuterie and was an ideal pairing with the Veal Bolognese. 

Although widely planted, Mammolo is a black berry varietal grown variously in Central Italy. It gets its name from the distinctive aroma of violet that characterizes its wine, ruby red in color, floral nose with typical hints of violet. 

When the weather is hot and low alcohol wines are preferred, Mammolo is a popular alternative to whites and roses of Tuscany with their character of wines with high acidity with low tannic content. They are popularly served paired with charcuterie.  

Dark garnet purple colored, medium full bodied, tangy acidity prevails from the black berry and plum fruit with notes of tobacco leaf and leather.

RM 88 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3831757

Secondo


Short Rib with Polenta, Tart Cherry Jus and Roasted Heirloom Carrots

Served with:

Villa Calcinaia “Vigna Bastignano” Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2015

This is a one of the three premium Villa Calcinaia's single vineyard designated wines - each 100% Sangiovese, which as Sebastiano explains, is especially 'transparent' in reflecting the unique terroir of each vineyard site.

Vigna Bastignano vineyard is rocky soil and produces spicy fruit that are low in tannins. Only 3,092 bottles were produced. 

The WOTN - Wine of the Night - perfectly paired with the short rib beef course, dark purple colored, full bodied, concentrated and firmly structured yet nicely balanced, black berry fruits with intense aromatics with spice, black tea, tobacco and leather with firm gripping tannins and lively acidity on the cloying finish. 

RM 93 points. 

Wine Advocate rated this wine 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3068996


Terzo

 Roasted Lamb Loin / Parsnip Puree / Bourbon Plum Glaze / Rapini

Served with:

Villa Calcinaia “Casarsa” Merlot IGT 2015

This 100% Merlot based wine is a Super Tuscan sourced from Villa Calcinaia estate grapes that were planted in 1967 by mistake - not intended to be a Merlot planting at the time since it was not a recognized varietal in the DOC appellation rules. As the vines matured, they were found to produce wonderful Merlot fruit, worthy of standing on its own in its own bottling and label. 

The parsnip puree was the to-die-for highlight of this dish! ... with the Bourbon Plum Glaze!

Over time Merlot became generally accepted as a common grape for Chianti regional wines.  

Dark garnet purple colored, medium full bodied, dense concentrated tangy blackberry and plum fruits with notes of spice, cedar, tobacco and leather  on a long moderate tannin laced finish.

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4177829 

Dolce

Crème Brûlée pana cotta with Gorgonzola and Walnut

Served with:

Villa Calcinaia Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOCG 2011

This wine is held and aged for ten years before being released. Hence, the butter color at time of blending and production, has darkened to tea color by the time the wine is released. 

This dessert wine is a blend of the white grape varietals Trebbiano and Malvasia, together with a portion of the red grape Canaiolo. The blend for the 2010 vintage was 70% Trebbiano, 15% Canaille and 15% Malvasia.

The harvested grapes are dried naturally in the estate’s drying room for several months to allow the sugar content to concentrate to produce this traditional Tuscan dessert wine.  

By February the grapes have reached about 350/400 grams of sugar. They are then pressed and racked in tiny Slavonian 'caratelli' oak barrels for an extended 96 months.

This aging allows the sweet must to ferments for the period of eight to ten years with occasional refilling to restore the 'angel's share' that evaporates from the barrels before bottling. 

Amber, tea colored medium full bodied, rich concentrated intense, resinous aromas and flavors of caramel, hints of apricots, honey and mango fruits with smooth velvety tongue coating well balanced sweet finish. 

RM 92 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4128579

https://www.conticapponi.it/calcinaia/

http://www.italianvillage-chicago.com/

@unwindwine

@italianvlg

@jzgwine 

 


Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Chianti Classico duo at Italian Village Chicago

Chianti Classico duo at Italian Village Chicago team dinner

We welcomed two new team members to our corporate - affiliates family and took them to our regular team dinner venue for such occasions. We dined at Italian Village, Chicago at our regular table in one of their private rooms/tables. 

We ordered from the extensive Italian Village Wine List/Cellar, we ordered two classic vintage Italian Chianti's, the most well known and popular wine in Italy, and the most commonly consumed Italian wine in the world. Chianti is not the name of a grape but actually a geographic region, it is the 35 miles of hills between Florence and Siena.

The complex geography with a complex diverse geology makes for diverse challenging grape growing  with multiple exposures and soil types on the same estate. The region comprises 9 different communes (not dissimilar to Bordeaux) where each commune has a particular characteristic or 'terrior', sense of place, that shows in the wine. 

Chianti wine is made predominantly from Sangiovese, the grape must comprise at least 80% of the blend. Chianti Classico is the "classic" region, though many other nearby regions now use the name "Chianti" to make similar wines. 

The most widely planted grape in Italy, Sangiovese is a high-acid grape with moderate to high tannins, apparent earthiness and subtle fruit. Though planted all over modern Italy, the most significant wines made from Sangiovese come from Tuscany, from the regions of Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. Sangiovese must make up 75% of a blend to be labeled Chianti DOCG - the appellation rules that control the production, content and label designation of the wines. 

Until recently, Sangiovese has struggled to find footing outside of Italy, though in recent years California wineries have expanded and improved their grape plantings in the Sierra Foothills/El Dorado County, Sonoma and Napa Counties, and the Central Coast.

Both wines were perfect accompaniments pairing with our Italian cuisine dinners. Shown are my Ravioli di Costata Corto Brasata - raviloi pasta stuffed with braised shortrib of beef with parmesan and ricotta cheese in a red demi glaise sauce (shown). Also shown the House Specialty Atlantic Salmon, prepared Puttanesca style, broiled with tomatoes, capers, olives, garlic, basil and white wine served over sauteed spinach.



After dinner we toured the legendary historic Italian Village Wine Cellar where we picked out a special dessert wine for after dinner sipping.  The Italian Village cellar, one of the largest restaurant-based wine cellars in the Midwest, holds over 35,000 bottles with a total of 1,100 selections. It has received awards every year from Wine Spectator for well over 30 years. 

Cellar Director and dear friend Jared Gelband responded to my text from earlier in the day alerting him that we'd be coming in with some special guests and would like to arrange a cellar tour. He texted that he had (literally during our dinner) just arrived in Tuscany for his regular producer estates tour. I knew he had the trip scheduled but had lost track of the dates. We managed without him never-the-less with the selections featured on this page.

Poggerino Chianti Classico Bugialla Riserva 2015

This is from producer Fattoria Poggerino,  a small, organic family run winery located in the heart of Tuscany's Chianti Classico appellation. The estate consists of 106 acres of vineyards, olive groves and woods, with a few old traditional stone houses and a 12th century church and the winery. The property used to belong to Prince Ginori Conti, a descendant of one of Florence's oldest families. 

Floriana Ginori Conti inherited the winery from her father in the 1970s, and in 1980, with her husband Fabrizio Lanza, began to produce this Chianti Classico "Poggerino" label. Her two children, Piero and Benedetta Lanza, took over management of the property in 1988 and took overall control in 1999. 

This label was designated Chianti Riserva, a rare classification given only the finest wines in the best vintages and are limited in distribution, not often even found in the U.S., except in vast deep wine cellars with broad and special selections such as at Italian Village - only 900 cases were produced with only 200 cases imported.

This release was awarded 96 points by Wine Spectator, Highly Recommended!, their highest score ever adorned on a wine from Chianti. 

Jancis Robinson gave this 17.5 Points (out of 20) and wrote, "This would be a good introduction to a doubter of Chianti Classico’s quality. There is beauty here.”

Winemaker producer Piero Lanza's notes for this release, “The vintage is one of the best along with 2010 and 1990,says Piero Lanza. “I think the reason the 2015's came out so well is that they are from Radda. It is one of the coolest zones in Chianti Classico, and therefore the vines did not suffer from the long, hot summer we had until the end of July. Another reason, important to me, is that I was able to harvest grapes from vines that are relatively old—between 15 and 25 years—and well-balanced, the result of the work of the previous years.”

Bright ruby colored, medium full bodied, complex elegant nicely integrated and balanced concentrated red currant and black cherry fruits accented by tobacco leaf, graphite, menthol, spice and hints of licorice and tar on a booming long lingering finish. 

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3054691

https://poggerino-chianti-italy.com/

Our next Sangiovese ....

Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico Gran Selzione 2016

Castello di Bossi (Renieri) is one of the headline estates from the Castelnuovo Berardenga commune of Chianti Classico. Owner Marco Bacci has owned the expansive property since 1998 and has significantly increased the Gran Selezione production since the inaugural 2013 vintage - from 10,000 to 50,000 bottles.

One of the newest and strictest Italian wine laws comes in Chianti, adding to the classifications of Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Reservas is a new excellence standard bearer with the classification of Gran Selezione that represents the best of the best. Literally translating to “the greatest selection”, Gran Selezione is the newest quality designation to have been added to the DOCG classification system in Chianti Classico. Gran Selezione takes quality controls a step further than Riserva, which previously occupied the top tier. Gran Selezione labled wine has to contain at least 80% Sangiovese grapes – all estate grown, no purchased, or non-estate-grown fruit, with at least 13% alcohol content, aged for at least 30 months with 3 of those having to come in a bottle. 

Since taking over the Castello di Bossi in 1998, famous winemaker and entrepreneur Marco Bacci (Renieri), assisted by superstar consultant Alberto Antonini, has overhauled and restored the massive Castelnuovo Berardenga property back into one of the region’s best. 

Castello di Bossi's Gran Selezione is a selection of the best quality fruit grown across the Bacci family's Castelnuovo Berardenga estate in any given vintage. Whilst this wine will always contain a portion of fruit sourced from the noble Corbaia Vineyard, different areas of the estate may feature in the cuvee depending on the weather conditions and ripening observed over the course of a vintage growing season.

The 2016 release of Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico Gran Selzione is 100% Sangiovese, was awarded 97 Points by James Suckling, 94 Points by Monica Larner of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator, and 92 points by Decanter. It was aged for 24 months in 500 Liter French tonneaux, followed by 6 months in bottle.  

Similar to the Poggerino above, dark ruby colored with a slight purple hue, medium-full bodied, intense and concentrated, yet nicely balanced and integrated, dark cherry, plum and blackberry fruits with notes of black tea, clove spice, hints of cedar and cigar box with muscular, chewy dusty tannins and tangy acidity on the long expressive finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3734838

https://bacciwines.it/estates-castello-di-bossi/

 

We toured the magnificent Italian Village Wine Cellar and picked out a special dessert wine for after dinner sipping.

Maculan Torcolato Breganze Dessert Wine 2007

Since 1947 the Maculan family have been vinifying grapes in Breganze, a village at the foot of the Asiago high plains of Northeastern Italy in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy. 

Founded by Giovanni Maculan, the estate was handed down to Fausto Maculan who was joined by his daughters Angel and Maria Vittoria in 2007, who to this day assist their father in managing the estate.

The Maculan estate consists of 100 acres of vines and olive trees, and they also manage the cultivation of thirty selected growers. From their sixteen different vineyards the Maculan family combine ancient traditions and state-of-the-art technology to produce a dozen labels of red, white, and dessert wines. 

The area around Breganze produce red and white wines, the red wines composed primarily of a minimum 85% Merlot with Marzemino, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rossignola and Pinot Noir.

The Breganze white wines are a minimum of 85% Friulano and can be blended with Vespaiolo, Pinot bianco, Pinot grigio, Riesling Italico, Marzemina bianca and Sauvignon blanc.

Most of these wines are produced dry, with the exception being Vespaiolo that can be produced in both a dry and sweet passito style wine. The Vespaiola grape is used to produce this dessert style wine from partially dried grapes labeled as Torcolato, one of Italy’s greatest dessert wines. 

The grapes are dried in a special room for four months to concentrate flavours and sugar and then aged for one year in french oak barriques, 1/3 new and 2/3 second usage.

This was rated 94 points by Antonio Galloni (Vinous).

From  100% Vespaiola grapes, this was dark golden, weak tea colored, medium full bodied, concentrated with thick unctuous notes of honey laced notes of vanilla, spices and floral. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1101539

https://www.maculan.net/en/