Wine Travel Archives | Crushed Grape Chronicles

Bacon and Butternut Pasta with a Langhe DOC Nebbiolo #ItalianFWT

Jan 1, 2021

Nebbiolo to begin 2021!

The #ItalianFWT writers are starting the year with their favorite Italian Wines led by our founder Jennifer of Vino Travels. I have chosen Nebbiolo. I won’t claim that it is my favorite Italian Wine, I mean there are so many, how could I just pick one? But, I do enjoy Nebbiolo and I had one in my cellar sent to me by Terre di Bacco which was delicious.

So I will tell you about my delicious and young Nebbiolo and if you scroll to the bottom, you will find links to the other pieces where my colleagues will tell you about their favorite Italian wines.

Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo – often described as “tar & roses”, is the wine of Barolo and Barbaresco.

Nebbiolo, a black-skinned grape variety is found primarily in Northern Italy in the Piemonte region, where it has been grown since the 13^th century.

The Langhe DOC encompasses 54 communes in Langhe and Roero. This largest appellation in terms of area that it encompasses within the Cornsorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani.

Nebbiolo is the oldest indigenous red grape in the Piemonte. The name comes from “nebbia” the word for fog or mist in Italian. Perhaps the name comes from Nebbiolo’s late harvest time in late October when it is picked in early morning autumn fogs. Perhaps it is for the velvety look of the thick bloom on the grapes that makes them appear “misty”. Perhaps it refers to “noble”, the reason for the name is up for debate.

The first mention of this variety comes in 1266 when a record of a wine called “Nibiol” is made.

This grape is the first to bud in April and the last to harvest in late October. It tends to be finicky, needing constant and elaborate attention. It prefers calcareous marl soils, doesn’t like quick temperature changes, and to ripen its tannins needs south or south-west facing slopes, that are at just the right altitude to keep the risk of spring frosts the lowest. On top of that, it is susceptible to viruses.

Often called the “Queen of red grapes” this one can be a Diva!

It goes by many names, from the regional names of Barolo and Barbaresco to Spanna in the Novara and Vercelli hills. In Carema on the border to Valle d’Aosta, it is called Picutener, and in Valtellina, in Lombardy, they call it Chiavennasca.

It can be found outside of Italy, in Oregon, Washington State, California, Australia, and South America. We recently enjoyed a Nebbiolo from Australia’s Orange wine region in New South Wales.

Terre di Bacco 2017 Langhe DOC Nebbiolo

The grapes for this wine are hand-harvested from vineyards in Barolo and spent 10 days macerating on the skins in Stainless Steel tanks. It is aged in Stainless Steel and is meant to represent Nebbiolo in its youth.

Medium garnet in color the wine had a nose of Red fruit, Chinese 5 spice, white pepper, rose, and sweet tobacco.

This nebbiolo was dry with Medium/high tannins and acid and pronounced flavors of tart red stone fruits. The tannins were grippy on my teeth but were fine, not gritty. This is not a deeply nuanced wine, rather it is straightforward, delicious, and made to pair gloriously with food.

*This wine was sent to us as a media sample. No other compensation was received. All opinions are our own.*

Pairing Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo tends to be pretty versatile with food! Garlic, truffles, capers, butternut squash, olives, wild mushrooms, polenta, leeks… It likes tomato-based sauces and goes well with the cheeses of the region Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino. This is a high tannin wine so pair it with fat! Rib-eye, sausage, duck, bacon.

We had butternut squash and used that as our takeoff point. I found a recipe on Joyful Healthy Eats to riff on. https://www.joyfulhealthyeats.com/creamy-butternut-squash-alfredo-pasta/

Of course, this recipe was working to be healthy, and if I was going to pop open a Nebbiolo I was going to luxuriate in something a little less so. If you want to go the healthy route, you are welcome to do that! Click through to her recipe above.

Bacon and Butternut Squash Pasta

My recipe incorporated the bacon a bit more than crumbling it on top. We want fat, so let’s use that bacon fat and all the deliciousness it brings. I also happened to have some mushroom stock, from rehydrating some mushrooms recently, so I added that to the chicken stock to add those mushroom notes. I also decided to top this with some toasted bread crumbs and walnuts in addition to the bacon for a bit of crunch.

The wine highlighted the umami notes from the bacon and onions and had nice acid to balance the rich butternut sauce. Michael found that the butternut mellowed the youthfulness of the wine, making it come across as a bit older and more serious. He also liked it very much with the sage, the coolness of the wine giving a lift to this herb.

You can find that recipe here.

Walnut Mushroom Flatbread

We also did a walnut mushroom flatbread. This dish had a base of onions, mushrooms, and walnuts in a tomato sauce with a blend of sweet paprika, cumin, cayenne, and cinnamon. This was topped with arugula, sliced dried apricots, a lemon-tahini dressing, and a sprinkle of sumac.

The wine pulled the spice notes to the front, stopping before becoming hot. It was brilliant with the tomato, mushroom, walnut sauce. It was good again with the onions, which is this dish was raw.

Terre di Bacco 2017 Nebbiolo with walnut mushroom flatbread and bacon butternut pasta

Nebbiolo is delicious young, but can evolve to become something even more magical. It’s easy to think that once you have tasted a wine of a certain variety, that you know it. The truth is, every place it’s grown the wine will be slightly different. Even within the same place, the vintage will make the wine unique and then as a wine ages, it continues to evolve. I have tasted a few Nebbiolos, but that is just the beginning, just within this one variety, there is so much more to explore. That my friends is the joy and endless rabbit hole of wine.

The writers at #ItalianFWT

This bunch of writers gather the first Saturday of each month to collectively write on an Italian Wine topic. This month we were digging into our “Favorite Italian Reds or Whites” led by our founder and leader, Jennifer of Vino Travels.

We will be gathering on Twitter on Saturday morning January 2nd, 2021. You can join us to share your favorite Italian wines, just use and follow the hashtag #ItalianFWT at 11 am EST or 8 am PST!

We all have our favorites, so you will find pieces on wines and regions from all over Italy. Here are the pieces we have shared!

Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm featured ;A Lovely Bottle of Taurasi paired with a Delicious Meal of Beef Tips Marsala.
Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles served up Bacon and Butternut Pasta with a Langhe DOC Nebbiolo.
Susannah at Avvinare was ;Taking a Closer Look at Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Camilla at the Culinary Adventures with Camilla was ;Capping off the Old Year with Cappelleti in Brodo + G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe 2016.
Lynn at Savor the Harvest showcased how ;Lagrein Reigns in Alto Adige.
Terri at Our Good Life cooked up An Italian favorite: Chianti Classico with Baked Salmon and Stuffed Mushroom Caps.
Linda at My Full Wine Glass asked ;What If You Could Blend Your Own Pinot Grigio?
Li at The Wining Hour was ;Keeping it Fresh and Fun with Fiano.
Cindy at Grape Experiences brought us on ;A Return to Piemonte with Marenco Scrapona Moscato d’Asti 2019 and Bagna Cauda.
Gwendolyn at Wine Predator was ;Going with Lugana.
Katarina at Grapevine Adventures will be sharing 3 Wines to Get 2021 off on the Right Foot.
Jen, our host, at Vino Travels was Starting the New Year off Right with Chianti Classico.

Sources and Resources

More on Wines from Italy with Crushed Grape Chronicles

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Robin Bell Renken I have always loved people’s stories. I spent a career in Theatre helping to tell stories, as a Stage Manager. Daily enabling artists to freely and safely tell stories through their art. Then I fell in love with wine. There are so many details, so many nuances, not just in the glass, but in the vineyard, the region and the people. As I met winemakers and vineyard owners and even the people in the tasting room excited to pour me a glass and tell me the story of this wine, I knew these were stories I wanted to share. I completed my study and became a Certified Specialist of Wine and continue learning daily as I meet and interview people in this industry.

Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Bacon and Butternut pasta recipe to pair with a Langhe Nebbiolo

Jan 1, 2021

Nebbiolo is a wine that is versatile in pairing with food.

Garlic, truffles, olives, capers, butternut squash, wild mushrooms, polenta, leeks, tomato-based sauces, pizza Parmigiana Reggiano or Pecorino Fatty foods, butter, vinegar-based sauces. This is a high tannin wine. Steak with fat. Think meats like bib eye, sausages, duck, or pork shank.

So I had this lovely Nebbiolo that was sent to me as a media sample from Terre di Bacco. This wine is from Langhe and is harvested from vineyards near Barolo. It is a wine that is meant to enjoy young and is brilliant with food.

(If you want to read our post about this wine and the Langhe DOC in Italy, visit our post here)

With the pandemic, I have been trying to eat from the pantry as much as possible and Michael happened to have ordered a butternut squash, so that was where we started.

Butternut is all well and good, but this would need to have some fat and I was kind of craving pasta so I went to the internet to do a little searching. I found a recipe on Joyful Healthy Eats for a “creamy butternut squash alfredo pasta”.

As you can see in her blog name, she leans healthy, this recipe called for 2% milk, low-sodium chicken stock, gluten-free pasta…which is all wonderful, but I was feeling indulgent, so I mixed this recipe up a bit.

If you want to do it healthily, I salute your discipline, click through to her recipe above, I am sure that it will also go very well with the wine. If you want to indulge…read on.

Bacon and Butternut Pasta

I renamed this dish, “Bacon and Butternut pasta”, leading with the bacon because, in my revamping of the dish, that was the flavor that led.

I do have a fear of butternut squash, not eating it, but cutting it. They are hard and can be difficult to cut. I usually talk Michael into cleaning them for me, and that worked this time. You can of course often find fresh cubed butternut squash in the produce department or even go with frozen. Either would work fine in this recipe.

To meld the dish with the wine, I amped up the fat and depth of flavor, frying the bacon first then adding the butter to the bacon grease to cook the onions and the rest of the dish. I happened to have a little mushroom stock left from rehydrating some mushrooms the other day, so I supplemented my chicken stock (which was not low sodium) with that. This will add mushroom notes and Nebbiolo is known to pair well with wild mushrooms.

I have fresh sage and rosemary growing in the backyard, so those were the herbs I used. The wine has big tannins (a polyphenol that occurs in red wines and black teas, among other things. They are astringent. If you want to see what tannins taste and feel like, put a wet tea bag on your tongue). While the tannins will be good with the fats, I wanted to add another tannic ingredient to the dish to match, so I toasted some walnuts to top the dish.

This is a pretty simple dish, you need a pot for the pasta, a pan for the sauce, and a food processor, blender, or…oh man, I could have made this easier by just using my immersion blender (facepalm!)

Bacon and butternut pasta

30 minutes, feeds 6

Ingredients:

3 strips of applewood bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced red onion
1 garlic clove minced
3 cups butternut squash cubes
3/4 cup chicken stock
¼ cup of mushroom stock
1 1/2 tbs diced fresh sage
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup milk
salt to taste
12 oz. pasta (I used spaghetti)
¼ cup toasted breadcrumbs
¼ cup toasted walnuts
Shaved parmesan
Fresh sage to garnish

Instructions

In a large skillet cook the 3 strips of bacon until crisp.
Remove the bacon placing it on a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the butter and red onion to the bacon fat in the skillet. Scrape up any of those delicious bits left by the bacon, this will flavor your dish.
Sauté until slightly soft, about 1-2 minutes.
Add in the garlic, sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant
Add the butternut squash, chicken stock, mushroom stock, sage, and rosemary.
Cover and cook until the butternut squash is tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Put the squash in a food processor with the milk and salt to taste. Puree until smooth. (or…if you have an immersion blender, just turn off the heat and puree it right in the pan!)
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package
Drain pasta and add butternut squash sauce to the pasta (or the pasta to the sauce, as I did), gently toss together and top with toasted breadcrumbs & walnuts, crispy bacon, and garnish with fresh sage.

How did the Bacon and Butternut pasta pair with the Terre di Bacco Langhe 2017 Nebbiolo?

This dish paired well with this wine. Keep in mind that this is a young Nebbiolo. A Nebbiolo with more oak aging, might want a dish with a bit more structure.

We did also pair this with a walnut, mushroom flatbread with tomato sauce and spices that was topped with red onions, arugula and sumac. The wine was very good with that pairing also!

Let us know if you try this and what adjustments you made to make the dish suit you (or your wine!)

Bacon and butternut pasta and walnut mushroom flatbread wiht Terre di Bacco 2017 Nebbiolo

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore and Venetian Inspired Pairings

Dec 28, 2020

Ahh, bubbles. Such a joyful way to end/begin a year. But why wait for a big celebration? There are affordable bubbles to celebrate all through the year! Celebrate Tuesday! Why not?

There are Prosecco DOC wines like the Val d’Oca or the Terre di Bacco, that wrote about earlier this month (it has been quite the sparkling month!). But then you take a step up the quality ladder to the wines of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, which is what we do today!

Let’s start with some of the basics

Prosecco

Prosecco is a sparkling wine from Northern Italy. This DOC is for a sparkling wine made with a minimum of 85% Glera. The remainder may be Bianchetta, Chardonnay, Glera Lunga, Perera, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, or Verdiso.

Until 2021, the Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) would need to be vinified as a white wine to be included and still call the wine Prosecco. As of January of 2021, the Prosecco DOC Consortium will allow Prosecco Rosé, where the Pinot Nero could be vinified as a rosé. Many producers already make a sparkling rosé. We in fact had one that we enjoyed with Thanksgiving.

The Prosecco DOC spans nine Provinces in Veneto and Fruili Venezia Giulia. Within it, you find two DOCGs, Prosecco Superiore di Asolo DOCG and Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG.

Map of the Prosecco Production Area courtesty Consorzio Tutela Prosecco DOC

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG

You won’t however find any Prosecco Rosé in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. They hold to their vision of Prosecco and it doesn’t include the pink craze.

This DOCG is a small zone in Veneto within the Province of Treviso, is made up on 15 communes; Cison di Valmarino, Colle Umberto, Conegliano, Farra di Soligo, Follina, Miane, Pieve di Soligo, Refrontolo, San Pietro di Feletto, San Vendemiano, Susegana, Tarzo, Valdobbiadene, Vidor and Vittorio Veneto.

Two additional DOCG for higher quality exist within the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, those include; Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive DOCG made up of 43 Rive and Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG which is a subzone of 108 hectares.

“Heroic” Viticulture

Slopes around Valdobbiadene have grades up to 70% requiring most work to be completed by hand. During Harvest … this becomes visually apparent as workers climb up and down the steep vineyards with buckets to harvest the grape. That’ll build your quads!

This denomination is known for its care of the environment and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019 as a cultural landscape to be protected.

Over the centuries the people of this region adapted ciglione – a type of terrace that rather than relying on stones, uses grassy soil which reduces erosion as it reinforces the slope. It looks like the shapes on a topographical map.

Ecologically the area is kept diverse because the vineyard plots are many and small and are separated by wooded areas.

So viticulture here is “heroic” in two senses, the steep slopes requiring nerves of steel to farm and working as a protector for the environment and our planet.

Out of the Vineyard into the Winery

Here the main variety is again Glera at 85% of the blend. Of the other varieties allowed; Bianchetta Trevigiana tends to mellow the wine, Perera adds aroma and fruit notes, and Verdiso adds salinity. Glera Lunga, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Nero may also be added.

Picked by hand and pressed only for free-run juice, the rules provide that 100 kg of grapes can only make 70 liters of wine. All the lots from the various vineyards are kept separately and only blended into the cuvée after their initial fermentation into base wine.

The typical method in the region is the Italian Method (also called the Charmant Method, the Tank Method, or the Martinotti Method). In this method, the fermented juice does its second fermentation in large tanks or Autoclaves rather than in bottle.

The styles

There are 3 overall styles of wine made in the region

Spumante – sparkling
Frizzante – semi-sparkling
Tranquillo – still

The styles of Spumante are dictated by the amount of residual sugar (rs) left in the finished wine. These range from the driest at Extra Brut (0-6 g/l rs), to Brut (0-12 g/l rs), Extra Dry (12-17 g/l rs), and Dry (17-32 g/l rs). Ironically, the Dry style is the sweetest of these styles, it is also the least common. The most traditional style is Extra Dry, with Extra Brut, the driest version being the newest as palates worldwide lean toward dryer wines.

A new addition to the Spumante style was added in 2019. Sui Lieviti means “on the lees”. Traditionally known as “col fondo” or “with sediment” these echo back to the original wines made in the ancient method where the second fermentation occurs in the bottle and the yeast falls to the bottom. We received a bottle of wine in this style, the Bianca Vigna, that you will read about below.

We received three samples from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG via Charles Communications for December’s #ItalianFWT group. Unfortunately, these wines arrived too late to do proper pairings with them in time for the post.

*These wines were received as media samples. No other compensation was received. All opinions are our own.*

So, here we are now, just before the New Year, the perfect time for Prosecco! Let me tell you a bit about each of the wineries and wines from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG and then we will get into the pairings.

Valdo

The history of this winery began in 1926 when a group of winemakers from Valdobbiadene got together to create a company devoted to making sparkling wine in Valdobbiadene and Cartizze. The company was bought by a Verona family with the name Bolla. They renamed the winery Valdo Spumanti.

Sergio Bolla was the 1^st President of the company. Today his son Pierluigi is the Chairman.

Valdo Prosecco Superiore DOCG – Cuvee 1926 – Extra Dry

This wine was created to honor the founding year of the winery and is part of their prestige line. 90% Glera and 10% Chardonnay it has 16 g/l residual sugar and extra-fine bubbles. It has 5 months Charmant aging and another 3 months in the bottle before release.

My notes: Notes of lemon zest and yellow apple. Bright but soft. On the palate, Meyer lemon, pear, and yellow apple.

11% abv 16 g/l rs $20 SRP

Mongarda

In 1978 Bruno and Marinella started their vineyard, Mongarda, in Col San Martino. Their son Martino now runs the business. They do not use herbicides or chemical fertilizers.

They produce 50,000 bottles annually in the Martinotti method and refermentation in the bottle.

Mongarda Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut

This wine hails from the San Gallo Vineyard and is Glera with old indigenous grapes. San Gallo sits at an average of 367 meters (1200 feet), the average slope is 38% and the soil is calcareous with iron and aluminum silicates.

These vines are hand-harvested into small crates.

My notes: The first thing that hit my nose was bread, followed by notes of pear and a bit of dust. The tartness swims around in your mouth, fades briefly then returns making your teeth tingle.

11% abv 3 g/l RS $16 SRP

Mongarda Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut

Bianca Vigna

Bianca Vigna is the youngest of these Conegliano Valdobbiadene wineries, founded in 2004 by 2 siblings Elena and Enrico. The vineyard however had been in the family since 1958 when their grandfather Genesio and his son (their father) Luigi farmed and sold grapes to a cooperative winery in Soligo.

Genesio and Luigi dreamed of having their own winery, and a generation later Enrico and Elena brought this dream to life, founding Bianca Vigna.

They are guided by the practice of sustainability. The winery is certified Casaclimawine and they have SQNPI certification for their product chain.

Their new winery has a photovoltaic system that provides 80% of their energy needs and they use eco-friendly and recycled material.

They farm 32 hectares, with 4 vineyards in the DOC area: Soligo, Borgo Breda, Busa Schiratti, and Campolongo, 4 in the DOCG: Soligo, Fornaci, Crevada, and Monticella. And 3 Rive: San Gallo, Collalto, and Ogliano. They produce 600,000 bottles annually.

Bianca Vigna Sui Lieviti Spumante Brut Nature 2019

This is the “sui lieviti” that I mentioned earlier. This is traditional Prosecco, on the lees with sediment in the bottle. This sparkling process takes place in the bottle, as in the method champenoise, but without disgorgement, so the wine stays on the yeast giving it its unique character.

The vineyards for this wine are within Conegliano with rocky-clay soil.

My notes: The first thing that hit me was the smell of biscuit dough. It brightens on my palate with bright lemon notes and a lovely creaminess.

100% Glera 11.5% abv 1 g/l rs $20 SRP

Bianca Vigna Sui Lieviti Spumante Brut Nature 2019

Our Venetian inspired pairings

As I looked for pairings, I wanted to include dishes of the region. We began with a cheese plate with gruyere cheese, dried figs, Marcona almonds, sardines, Prosciutto Panino (prosciutto wrapped around Mozzarella), pear, walnuts, and dried apricots. Not all of which are Venetian elements, but the sardines, almonds, figs and pears are all inspired by the region.

Polenta and rice are the grains of this region overtaking the typical Italian pasta. So we ran with that!

Baccalà mantecato

We made Baccalà mantecato which is a fluffy Venetian spread of fish and olive oil. While typically made of salt cod, we used pollock as that was what was available. The fish cooks in milk with peppercorns and a bay leaf, before draining and mashing and whipping with olive oil. We served it, as is traditional in Venice with toasted polenta.

Pear, Walnut, Radicchio Salad

We did a salad with radicchio which is prevalent in the area. This mixed the radicchio with red leaf lettuce, pear, toasted walnuts, and croutons with a dressing of honey, white wine, mustard, and olive oil.

Pea and Bacon Risotto

Finally, we had to do a risotto. I created a simple pea and bacon risotto. It was perhaps not as creamy as it should have been (I might have been Chopped), but it was delicious.

How did they pair?

All 3 Conegliano Valdobbiadene wines paired beautifully with the food. With the risotto, they lifted the notes of lemon zest and complimented the richness of the dish.

With the Baccalà mantecato, the Valdo elevated the fish and brought out a nutty note. The Mongarda rounded the dish and pulled up more mineral and savory notes. The Bianca Vigna was good with this dish, but was my least favorite, pulling forward the bay leaf notes in the dish.

The salad, with its radicchio and honey, was different with each wine, the Valdo melded with the pear pulling forth the sweetness and accentuated the char on the croutons. The Mongarda made the sweetness of the dressing more serious and the Bianca Vigna popped the honey and the toasted walnuts in the dish.

All in all, these were glorious pairings for these wines.

These delicious Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG wines and are so affordable, that you can enjoy them on more than just a special occasion, say Tuesday! They are perfect for the holidays and for ringing in the New Year!

Sources & Resources

Beginnings and Endings

The year 2020.

Unexpected, unpredictable, a year of endings and beginnings.

This Terre di Bacco Prosecco brings up a story of endings and beginnings – a chapter in my life.

In 2008 after having a successful business for 10 years, the economy crashed and my business was no longer viable. A Warm Wish was a gift basket business in Las Vegas. We created gifts for conventions and conferences.

With the crash, Las Vegas went through a year with very few conventions or conferences, and I re-re-invented myself, returning to my career as a Theatrical Stage Manager.

This was a career I had left 10 years before to start my business. Another chapter, another cycle. I returned to an extreme version of this career joining Cirque du Soleil, grateful for recommendations from friends from my theatrical touring days. And so, in 2008 I joined the SM team at Zumanity.

The Zumanity team was small, so we employed interns to assist with the workload. They were able to have first-hand experience working with a large theatrical circus show. The first intern that joined us after I became a part of the team, was Robby.

He was with us for just a few months, but he and I stayed in touch, and periodically he would be in town. He would see the show and we would catch up over drinks. His career took him to theme parks and cruise lines and he had been traveling the world with his work.

In 2020 we caught up via Facebook, as Robby posted about him and his partner, who was very involved in wine. One thing led to another and I found a box arriving from Robby’s partner Francesco for a label he represents, Terre di Bacco.

*This wine was recieved as a sample. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

Terre di Bacco

Terre di Bacco means “land of Bacchus”. The label is inspired by the Roman God of Wine.

Created as a “by the glass” style wine for restaurants, Terre di Bacco has found vineyards and wineries across Italy to create quality wines that are elegant, simple and genuine.

Terre di Bacco Prosecco DOC Treviso

This wine from Veneto is pale lemon in color with a nose of citrus, pith and lemon. There are apple notes as well. It tastes of bright lemon and citrus. The mouthfeel is lively and dry.

It is, of course, primarily made from the grape Glera.

It sits at 11% abv and is $13.99 so you can buy a case and enjoy a bottle every evening if you like!

Terre di Bacco Prosecco Paired with Chinese Long-Life noodles with stir-fried vegetables

As our COVID numbers went up, our Governor encouraged us to stay in if possible and order groceries for delivery. So, we returned to weekly orders from Sun Basket. These are meal kits that are Organic and Healthy. We paired this with the Chinese long-life noodles we received. It is a delicious dish that had me cutting vegetables for a bit, with shiitake mushrooms, scallions, bok choy, and carrots, cooked with fresh ramen and eggs in an oyster sauce.

Chinese Long life Noodles with bok choy, carrots topped with green onions, sambal oelek and flowering Thai basil

Terre di Bacco Prosecco with long life noodles

The umami in this dish was lovely with the Prosecco. Stir-fry dishes can have a bit of fattiness and can get heavy as you eat them, but the Prosecco cleaned my palate after every bite (I soooo love bubbles).

Dessert Pairing – Hungarian Nut Cake with Caramelized Apples and Crème Anglaise

I had made walnut cake for another recipe (you will see that soon enough), and thought this would be great with this pairing. I caramelized apple slices in butter and brown sugar, laid them across the top of the cake and drizzled it with crème anglaise.

Now I have been watching The Great British Baking Show for a while, but I have never, myself, made a crème anglaise. I read several recipes and watched a few videos and prepared myself for potential failure (there is a trick, if you scramble your eggs that I learned, to save your crème anglaise). I worked slowly and patiently and it came out perfect. Oh, and delicious! Where has this been all my life?

The bit of apple note in the wine came forward with this pairing and again, the Terre di Bacco Prosecco made each bite with that luscious crème anglaise as good as the first!

Check out the recipe here!

Walnut Cake, carmelized apples and creme anglaise

Endings and Beginnings

So here we are in 2020. Zumanity, after 8 months of being on hold, is now officially closed, and I am on to another chapter, another cycle in life. The connections here were not lost on me. Another cycle has started, paying homage to the previous cycle. The endings make us nostalgic, and their connections to the beginnings give us comfort and hope.

So we celebrate our 12 Days of Wine this year and look to the future. It’s uncertain. It always is. But it is also filled with endless possibilities. So I raise a glass of Terre di Bacco Prosecco to you, to the end of 2020 and to the beginning of so many things! Saluti!

Want to find some?

Terre di Bacco Prosecco di Treviso is available currently in 31 states. You can find more information on their distribution on their website https://www.terrebacco.com/shop-now

Sources and Resources

For more on Prosecco

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Prosecco – joyful bubbles to “wring” out 2020 #ItalianFWT

Dec 4, 2020

Wait. My title may lead you to believe that I’m encouraging you to enjoy Prosecco for New Years’. Well, I am, but it’s 2020, my friends, I say we start “wringing out” this year right now! Prosecco for all of December!

This December we join the Italian Food Wine & Travel group of writers (#ItalianFWT) as they explore sparkling Italian Wines. Our leader on this adventure is Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla. You can read her invitation post here.

Scroll to the bottom to see all the posts by my colleagues about the delicious bubbles from Italy that they explored. If you happen to be reading this early enough, you can join us on Twitter on Saturday, December 5^th at 8 am Pacific Time to chat about Italian sparkling wines. Just follow and use the hashtag #ItalianFWT to join the conversation.

You might remember that beautiful bottle of sparkling rosé that I had at Thanksgiving? Well, we also received a Prosecco from Val d’Oca and as the Italian Food Wine and Travel Group has decided to swim in Italian bubbles this December, we thought we would pop this beautiful sample from Vigneto Communications and tell you about it.

*This wine was received as a sample. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.*

Prosecco

Let’s start with the basics. This wine is Prosecco. A while ago the grape was also called Prosecco, it is now known (to save us all from confusion) by the name Glera, a synonym for the grape that has always been around. Prosecco is also the name of a town just outside Trieste where this wine is first said to have been made.

The Prosecco DOC region

The Prosecco DOC region lies in the North Eastern part of Italy within the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia.

It encompasses 9 provinces.

5 in the Veneto:

Belluno
Padova
Treviso
Venezia
Vicenza

and 4 in Friuli Venezia Giulia:

Gorizia
Pordenone
Trieste
Udine

Glera the grape of Prosecco

A late-ripening, relatively high-yield white grape variety, it has long large bunches of grapes on its nut-brown vines. It is fairly neutral in flavor but holds acid pretty well, and is perfect for sparkling wine.

If you find a bottle labeled “Prosecco” it will be at least 85% Glera. The remaining 10-15% can be Bianchetta, Chardonnay, Glera Lunga, Perera, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, or Verdiso.

Golden Glera berries for Prosecco Vendemmia Val D’Oca 2019 – 008 – Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Long Elegant Bunches of Glera in the Prosecco DOC Vendemmia Val D'Oca 2019 - 019 - Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Long Elegant Bunches of Glera Vendemmia Val D’Oca 2019 – 019 – Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Glera on the vine in the Prosecco DOC – Vendemmia Val D’Oca 2019 – 007 – Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Types of Prosecco

There are 3 overall styles of wine made in the region

Spumate – sparkling
Frizzante – semi-sparkling
Tranquillo – still

Spumante Style

Spumante is the style most often made. The other styles are a bit rarer to find.

In addition the Spumante style may be made in 6 different levels of sweetness from driest to sweetest, these are: Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry and Demi-sec.

The Martinotti method of winemaking for Prosecco

You will hear this method called by many names, (the tank method, Charmant, the Italian method) but here we will call it the Martinotti Method. It is named for Federico Martinotti who patented the method in 1895. The method takes the fermented base wine and places it in a large pressurized container, where the additional yeast and sugar are added to do the second fermentation.

So how does this differ from say…Champagne or other sparkling wines made in the Traditional Method? Well, this method takes its flavors from the grape and the wine, whereas doing the second fermentation in the bottle gives you more flavor and aroma notes from the yeast.

The pressure is different also. This method typically has atmospheres of pressure of around 3, which Champagne has 5-6 atmospheres of pressure. So, you would likely lose the bubbles in a glass of Prosecco faster than in a glass of Champagne, but not as quick as your beer would go flat!

Val d’Oca – History and the future

In 1952, following the Second World War, this area was struggling to rebuild itself. 129 farmers came together to create this cooperative the Cantina Produttori di Valdobbiadene. The organization now includes 600 members.

They look to the future as they hold onto the heritage of the past. With the area now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the group wanted to solidify the actions that this group is taking to preserve & protect this region.

Santo Stefano 2019 AM1C8835 - Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

The Village of Santo Stefano Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Santo Stefano 2019 - 010 - Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Santo Stefano – Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Views of the villages in the Prosecco DOC – Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Vendemmia Prosecco DOC Val D'Oca 2019 - 001 - Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Vineyards at Harvest in the Prosecco DOC Val D’Oca 2019 – 001 – Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Col San Martino 2019 - 151 - Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Col San Martino 2019 – Photo ©Mattia Mionetto courtesy Val DOca

Sustainability at Val d’Oca

On September 5^th of 2020 the Cantina Produttori di Valdobbiadene – Val d’Oca Group presented its first sustainability report. They looked at the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set out in the UN 2030 Agenda, and reported on those goals that they had taken concrete action on which include:

Decent work and economic growth
- They have always guaranteed fair prices to the growers, this is a grower’s organization after all. In addition, they have incentives for members for using the best agricultural practices and bonuses for certified organic grapes as well as DOCG Storico wines, which contain local grapes varieties of Perera, Bianchetta, and Verdiso in addition to Glera.
Zero Hunger
- Devoted to conserving the ecosystems as they adapt to climate change and working to improve the soil quality, they have promoted the SQNPI certification for sustainability. 80 members (in the Asolo DOCG) obtained this certification last year. An additional 300 members in Valdobbiadene became involved in 2020.
Affordable and clean energy
- The group has two solar plants as well as a geothermal plant underground at Val d’Oca to provide air conditioning. They plan to move onto an energy and water-efficient system for the Cantina that will allow them to re-use “the heat generated by the temperature control plant used for the musts and wines during fermentation.”

Industry, Innovation, and infrastructure
- They renovated two of their bottling lines with an automated program that allows them to make the system more efficient.
- They also built a new logistics facility in 2018 to keep the winemaking and bottling together saving transport and reducing CO2 emissions.
Quality Education
- Weather stations have been put up around the region allowing the Cantina to share the data collected with the growers as to when is the best time to do certain tasks in the vineyard. As these records are made available digitally, this will provide a handbook for information specific to each vineyard that can be passed down through the generations.
Clean Water
- Audits are done to check the quality and quantity of wastewater. They are working on a method to reuse the water used to wash bottles in the production process. They also look to conserve water in the vineyard employing micro-irrigation only in a case of emergency.

Reduced Inequalities
- They support organizations that assist with rehabilitation for people with disabilities, as well as an organization that researches genetic diseases. Their support includes fundraising through events like “Tiramisu Day” and the “Valdobbiadene Jazz Festival”.
Responsible Consumption and Production
- They are looking for alternatives to things like plastic and other winemaking materials that cannot be recycled during the bottling phase.
- They find suppliers that offer certified or recyclable materials.
- They look to reuse and recycle all waste materials, including vine canes after pruning, pomace, broken glass, corks, plastic, paper, cardboard as well as tartrates.
Action against climate change
- Focusing on the ability of their members to deal with the risks of climate and natural disasters.

So we have a winery that is doing more than just making wine. They are preserving and protecting a region and people and looking to make the planet better.

Val d’Oca Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry

This Prosecco is from the province of Treviso. As always with Prosecco it is driven by Glera at 85% it also includes Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay which make up the other 15%.

This is another extremely affordable sparkling wine. At $13.99 you can buy a case! Maybe mix it with the beautiful sparkling rosé we tasted at Thanksgiving!

Or perhaps, make a gift! Share the joy of this wine widely! It’s inexpensive enough!

Val d’Oca Prosecco

Prosecco from Val d’Oca with Roman orecchiette and chickpeas with spinach

We enjoyed this with a Roman Orecchiette with chickpeas and spinach. This was another quick, healthy, and delicious meal from Sun Basket. The bubbles and acid in the wine, make it good to pair with a wide range of foods. Try it with a simple cheese platter. You can enjoy it with anything!

More Prosecco to come!

We will be writing more on Prosecco! Watch for more on a Prosecco from Terre di Bacco as well as 3 stunning Prosecco DOCG wines that we just received! Oh and don’t forget the rosé style. This style will soon be labeled as Prosecco Rosé, as it was approved in the DOC this past year!

I mean, it’s 2020 and I intend to enjoy watching this year-end and I’ll do it sipping bubbles!

3 Wines from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG

Terre di Bacco Prosecco from Treviso

Val D’Oca Sparkling Rosé

#ItalianFWT

There is more than just Prosecco that sparkles in Italy, check out the wide variety of sparkling Italian wines that my writing colleagues have dipped into!

Terri of Our Good Life says Beviamo alla nostra! Prosecco Superiore and Happy Christmas!
Marcia of Joy of Wine is Celebrating the Season with sparkling Freisa.
Cindy of Grape Experiences writes about Pure Trentodoc – Sparkling Wines from the Mountains.
Jill of L’Occasion encourages us to Be in Italy for the Holidays with This Bubbly Wine Lineup.
Gwendolyn of Wine Predator pushes Beyond Prosecco? Try These Sustainable Sparkling Wines from Italy’s Erbaluce, Franciacorta, Lambrusco, Pignoletto.
Lynn of Savor the Harvest gives us Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco to Make Your Holiday Sparkle – La Tordera Rive Di Guia.
Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm says Cheers to 2021…2020 Don’t Let The Door Hit You On The Way Out.
Susannah of Avvinare pours Versatile Lambrusco for the Holidays.
Deanna of Asian Test Kitchen serves Val D’Oca Prosecco Paired with Party Starters.
Payal of Keep the Peas offers A ‘SeeYaNever2020’ Toast with Italian Bubbly.
Linda of My Full Wine Glass says Hello Again, Lambrusco – Everyone Deserves a Second Chance.
Jane of Always Ravenous pairs a Frizzante with Holiday Sweet Treats.
Jen of Vino Travels is ready to Sparkle up the Holidays with Prosecco Superiore.
Martin of ENOFYLZ Wine Blog offers A Taste of 21st Century Lambrusco; Paltrinieri Lambrusco di Sorbara Radice.
Nicole of Somm’s Table shares The Wide World of Italian Sparkling Wines.
Katarina of Grapevine Adventures posts A Year in Need of Sparkling Wine Surprises.
Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is Celebrating with Prosecco Superiore Amidst the Pandemic.

Sources & Resources

More on Prosecco on Crushed Grape Chronicles

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Sweet Bordeaux Wines and Pairings from Opposite sides of the Globe #Winophiles

Nov 20, 2020

When I say Bordeaux you probably immediately think of big red wine, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. It would be rarer, but perhaps you think of Sauternes, the sweet white wines from the southern part of Bordeaux. Well, we are heading that direction this month with the French #Winophiles.

We are led this month by Linda Whipple of My Full Wine Glass and Jeff Burrows of Food, Wine, Click. You can read Linda’s Invitation post here.

If you are reading this in time, you can join us on Twitter for a conversation on these wines and what each of the French #Winophiles chose to pair with them! Saturday, November 21^st at 8 am PST (I know it’s early, but it’s fun!) on Twitter. Just follow and use #Winophiles to join in the conversation.

How Sweet wines began in Bordeaux

Sweet wines find their start in Bordeaux in the 1600s when the Dutch arrived bringing with them a taste for sweet wines and a bit of knowledge from their travel through Hungary where you find Tokaji and Germany with their Rieslings.

43% of the sweet wine in Bordeaux comes from Sauternes, which is delicious, but we are digging deeper and we are talking about the other 57%.

The Grapes of Sweet Bordeaux

White grapes of Bordeaux are primarily Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle with Sémillon being the shining star of the sweet wines. Sauvignon Blanc is added for its citrus notes and Muscadelle in smaller quantities for its floral aromas and smooth texture. You will find areas where Sauvignon Gris is included, a mutation of Sauvignon blanc.

Noble rot of a wine grape botrytised grapes — Noble rot of a wine grape, botrytised grapes - Photo adobe stock evryka23

Botrytis Cinerea

Botrytis Cinerea, the magical fungus that creates these sweet wines, is known as “Noble Rot”. It is actually the same fungus that eats up the oranges that you have left too long in the fridge.

Here’s the deal. When Botrytis Cinerea is in a constantly humid environment, it is Grey Rot (like on that old orange in your fridge), but if, as in this region, you have humid mornings followed by dry afternoons, it becomes Noble Rot. Affecting grapes with thin skins, it grows in the morning humidity and is kept in check by the afternoon dryness. This shrivels the berries, concentrating the sugars and acids, and imparts its own flavors of honey and dried mushroom.

The regions in Bordeaux for Sweet Wines

Head south from Bordeaux on the Garonne River and you will find 8 AOCs with sweet white wines:

Bordeaux Supérieur, Cadillac, Cérons, Côtes de Bordeaux Saint-Macaire, Loupiac, Moelleux, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont.

Head to SweetBordeaux.com for all sorts of wonderful details on the regions for sweet wines.

Bordeaux Vineyard at sunrise in autumn Entredeuxmers Langoiran Gironde France - photo adobe stock by FreeProd

Styles of sweet wines in Bordeaux

Liquoreux – This is the sweeter style. They are more concentrated, sometimes (when the year is right) they are made from grapes with botrytis, that noble rot that concentrates and sweetens the berries.
Moelleux – These are semi-sweet wines. Here fermentation is stopped when the sweetness level desired is reached, killing off the yeast before it eats all the sugar so that some is left in the wine. This style is its own AOC and covers the entirety of the region.

*We received 4 sample bottles of wine for this tasting. The wines were provided free of charge, all opinions are our own.

Château La Hargue Moelleux Bordeaux Semidry 2019 DuCourt

In 1954 Henri DuCourt acquired this property with vineyards of white grapes planted on loamy soils, in the Entre-Deux-Mers. They have 26 hectares here at Château La Hargue planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Sauvignon Gris.

Bottled under the Bordeaux AOC it is made in the Moelleux style. This wine is best enjoyed young and they suggested that it would pair with foie gras, grilled fish, desserts including chocolate desserts, and bleu cheese.

The Details:

Moelleux style
Blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Sémillon
Aged in Stainless Steel
Annual production 80,000 bottles
ABV 11%
SRP $15.00

Our Notes:

This was the lightest of the 4 wines in color. It was almost clear in the glass with flecks of green. The nose had florals reminiscent of honeysuckle nectar, those tiny sips that we would drink like fairies as a child. There were rocks, and limestone, and pear. It is semi-sweet but very clean and refreshing.

Chateau La Hargue Moelleux 2019 - a semi sweet bordeaux wine

Chateau Tanesse Palisades Moelleux 2018 - Sweet Bordeaux

Château Tanesse Palisades Moelleux 2018 Famille Gonfrier

Within the AOC Premières-Côtes-de-Bordeaux Moelleux in the District of Langoiran you find Château Tanesse. This Château is owned by the Famille Gonfrier, who own 19 Chateaux.

“Located on a high hillock among Langoiran’s sloping vineyards, this Bordeaux charterhouse was built during the second half of the 18th century by the Tanesse family. The property is surrounded by 30 hectares of vineyard atop very old foundations. Overlooking Langoiran’s medieval 13th-century castle, a magnificent panoramic view stretches from the edge of the Sauternais to the outskirts of Bordeaux while following the meanders of the Garonne River.”

http://www.vignobles-gonfrier.fr/en/our-chateaux/chateau-tanesse.html

The Details:

Late Harvest
Moelleux style
85% Muscadelle, 15% Sauvignon
Grapes are destemmed, gently pressed.
Muscadelle vinified in Stainless Steel, then aged in barrels
Sauvignon, partially vinified in oak
Average Vine Age: 17 years
ABV 12.5%
SRP $16.00

Our Notes:

This wine was a very light clear lemon color. Sweeter on the nose than the La Hargue, I got less floral and more dried apricot. On the palate I noticed vanilla and musky fruit (Muscadelle) with light spices. It reminded Michael of the sauce in a baked apple pie. It had enough acid to make my mouth water.

Château La Rame Sainte-Croix-du-Mont 2016 Grand Vin de Bordeaux from Y. Armand & Fils

Produced by Y. Armand & Fils. The Armand family owns Château La Rame and Château La Caussande. This is a family affair. Between the 2 Chateaux they have 50 hectares of vines over 6 AOCs, making sweet white wines from 2 AOC’s Cadillac and Sainte Croix du Mont. Our wine came from Sainte Croix du Mont.

There are 8 hectares of vines in a clay-limestone soil that has a unique sub-soil with fossilize oyster beds dating back to the 1^st tertiary era (22 million years ago).

The Details:

Licoureux style
95% Sémillon 5% Savignon Blanc
Aged in SS and 30% oak
Average vine age: 50 yrs
Production 24,000 bottles per year.
SRP $35

Our Notes:

This wine was a golden yellow color with a nose of caramel, apple, sweet syrup with fruit, and concentrated honeysuckle. On the palate I got more of the spice notes like candied ginger droplets. It was warmer and toastier with fruit notes. Sweeter than the other two being in the liquoreux style, but still light on the palate.

Chateau La Rame Sainte-Croix-du-Mont 2016 - Sweet Bordeaux

Château du Cros Loupiac 2014

Made by Famille Boyer who own Chateau du Cros in Loupiac, Chateau Haut Mayne in Cerons and Clos Bourbon in Paillet.

The backstory…in 1196 Richard the Lionheart allow the construction of the “Vieux Chateau du Cros. During the Hundred Years’ War, it was partially destroyed. Built back over time it passed finally to Francois Thevenot in 1921. It was inhabited until 1940 when it was requisitioned by the German Army, it was damaged during the German occupation and fell to ruin.

While the Chateau itself is ruined, the estate is thriving. 60 hectares of vineyards surround the medieval castle on the hill overlooking the Garonne.

Francois Thevenot’s Great, great-granddaughter Catherine d’Hulluin Boyer now runs the vineyard, taking over from her father in 2004.

The vineyard is just 80 meters from the Garonne on the right bank. The hill is 90% limestone.

The Details:

Liquoreux Style
90% Sémillon, 5% Sauvignon, 5% Muscadelle
Average age of vines 60 years
Manual harvest with 5 successive sortings
12 months aging in barrels
Production: 22,000 bottles per year
ABV 13%
SRP $30.00

Our Notes:

This was the darkest of the wines, almost copper in the bottle, appearing more golden in the glass. It had deeper fruit notes of cooked nectarine with spices and vanilla, and poached pear notes. It was very well balanced.

Pairings from opposite sides of the globe

I spent quite a bit of time searching for pairings. Down the rabbit hole of the interwebs, I found all sorts of amazing things and spent hours and hours finding fascinating information. In the end, we settled on two meals. One featuring Asian flavors and the other leaning more French.

Thai Pumpkin soup and fried noodles with spring onion and ginger cod

Asian inspired lunch of Thai Pumpkin Soup

and

Spring Onion & Ginger Cod with Fried Noodles

Knowing that Thai food and Riesling are super compatible, I decided to venture to Asian flavors with our sweet wines.

We began with a Thai Pumpkin Soup. I found this recipe at “Dishing Out Health“.

It all cooks in the dutch oven. The quick version: sauté carrots and onions, add tomato paste and cook until it caramelizes, add red curry paste, ginger, and garlic pumpkin spice, and then Pumpkin puree & vegetable broth. Finish with coconut milk and lime juice.

For the cod dish, I riffed off this recipe from Ang Sarap.

It included thinly sliced ginger soaked in Chinese cooking wine, so I used the La Hargue instead!

The fish is marinated and deep-fried which is not something I do very often. This gets tossed with a sauce of fish sauce, soy, sugar, cornstarch, pepper, and chicken stock, as well as the drained ginger, minced garlic, and spring onions.

We served this with fried noodles. Just some good ramen noodles, cooked then fried in oil and tossed with a sauce of brown sugar, soy, and fish sauce.

Asian cuisine pairing with the Sweet Bordeaux

This pairing was good! The La Hargue was fresh with just a touch of sweetness and had enough acid to cut through the thick umami of the fish dish and picking up the ginger in that dish. The acid was just right to pair with the Thai soup and would have been good with this even if it had been even spicier.

The other wines each played off the bit of spice and umami, each was good in its own way. I did find that the Chateau du Cros from Lupiac reached in and pulled out umami notes in the soup.

The wines all went well with the sweetness and umami of the cod dish and the savory noodles.

The French lunch – Gratin de butternut a la d’Auvergne & Carmelized Fennel Salad

I made two small gratins with diced butternut squash, crème, d’Auvergne cheese which is a soft cow’s milk bleu cheese, topped with walnuts and parmesan cheese.

For the caramelized fennel salad, I made just enough for two servings out of one large bulb of fennel. It was really good and I wish I’d made more. Check out the recipe here and feel free to double or quadruple it!

You slice rounds of the fennel and cook the rounds in butter and olive oil. Set those aside and add a mixture of sugar, salt, and pepper cooking for 30 seconds, then toss the fennel back in to coat and cook just a little more.

Scrape this into a bowl, including all the delicious crusty bits. Toss with minced garlic, shallot rings, and some dill.

I plated this on a bed of arugula and topped it with crumbled goat cheese, lemon zest, olive oil and garnished with fennel fronds.

The French pairing with the Sweet Bordeaux

These dishes really won the day. The gratin made the La Hargue appear sweeter, and enhanced the Château Tanesse aromatics. The caramelized fennel salad was delicious and brightened in contrast with the 2 sweeter wines, especially with the Château du Cros Loupiac.

Yes, of course, there was dessert!

Of course the first thing that comes to mind when pairing Sweet Bordeaux wines is dessert. I found a beautiful recipe for Dark chocolate pudding with pears. I made homemade pudding, not the kind from a box. It was my first time and it seized. Oh well, we ate it anyway and it made a pretty picture.

I enjoyed the wines with the pears, which were drizzled in honey as the slices cooked and caramelized in the pan. I found this went best with the two sweetest wines the Château La Rame & the Chateau du Cros.

But my dessert pairings were not done! The next day I made a peach crumble. Here the dessert came out beautifully AND it paired wonderfully.

The French #Winophiles

Check out what my French #Winophile Colleagues thought of these and other Sweet Bordeaux wines and what fantastic things they paired with them!

Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla: “Surprise! Pairing Spicy and Savory Dishes with Sweet Bordeaux”
Terri at Our Good Life: “Spicy Hot Tacos and Sweet Bordeaux”
Martin at ENOFYLZ: “Pairing Sweet Bordeaux with Southern Fare”
Lauren at The Swirling Dervish: “Golden Bordeaux Meets Savory Pumpkin and Smoked Bacon Tart: a Delicious Thanksgiving Twist!”
David at Cooking Chat: “Pairings for Sweet Bordeaux Wine”
Katrina at The Corkscrew Concierge: “Golden Bordeaux Delights in Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole Cuisine”
Payal at Keep the Peas: “Four Sweet Bordeaux Wines with Four Courses”
Jane at Always Ravenous: “Golden Sweet Bordeaux Wines: Tasting and Pairings”
Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm: “Hot Chocolate and Halva Pudding paired with Lion De Tanesse L’Amour”
Jeff at foodwineclick: “Sweet Bordeaux Meets the Smoke”
Jill at L’OCCASION : “Sweet Bordeaux Wines Aren’t Just for Dessert”
Lynn at Savor the Harvest: “Sweet Bordeaux Wines Get Savory Pairings”
Rupal at Syrah Queen: “Sweet Bordeaux Is A Sweet Delight – Savor These Perfect Food Pairings”
Pinny at Chinese Food & Wine Pairings: “Sweet Bordeaux Paired with Asian Carbs – Chinese Sticky Rice and Korean Japchae”
Susannah at avvinare: “Delightful Sweet Wines from Bordeaux”
Nicole at Somm’s Table: “Château Loupiac Gaudiet with Cinnamon Apple Crème Brûlée”
Gwendolyn at wine predator: “Successful Pairings of Salty and Savory with Sweet Semi-Dry Bordeaux”
Jennifer at Vino Travels: “A Look Into the Sweeter Side of Bordeaux Wines”
Linda at My Full Wine Glass: “Appetizers, entrées and yes, dessert please, with sweet Bordeaux”

We traveled virtually to France and Bordeaux with the #Winophiles before. Here are some other pieces you might enjoy!

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Nashdale Lane – Great People, a Rainbow of Wines and the Perfect Glamping Experience in the Orange Wine Region

Nov 11, 2020

As we turned in the drive to Nashdale Lane, passing row upon row of vines in the rolling vineyard, we could feel ourselves decompressing a bit. It had already been a busy day. We were up really early to drive to Orange from the Hunter Valley and had spent the afternoon in Millthorpe at Angullong Wines. Now we had just a bit of time to get to our accommodations for the evening and meet Nick and Tanya of Nashdale Lane.

They were waiting for us in front of their cellar door, a renovated apple packing shed from when the property was an apple orchard.

The cellar door is open and bright with an open ceiling and beams, the wall are simple plywood on the inside of the corrugated metal building. A large farm table and barrels dot the interior which has large windows all the way around with expansive views of the vineyard.

Tanya and I sat by the window looking out onto the wide expanse of lawn between the tasting room and the vineyard. It’s the perfect place for guests to relax and picnic and for the kids to kick a ball around. They want the experience here to not be stuffy.

They do have a VIP room behind the bar, where people can get serious about the wines. This way they can separate the serious tasters from the “punters” and keep everyone happy.

The tasting mats are the first thing that gives you a bit of insight into their style. It is a rainbow of soft colors, each for a wine, keeping these wines approachable and hip, much like the owners.

This property had been 60 acres of apple orchards, with it’s historically “Australian” corrugated metal packing shed. Previous owners had replanted the orchard with vines and in 2016 Tanya and Nick discovered the property and their dream of owning a vineyard and winery became a reality.

Vineyard

The vineyard is in the Orange Region of New South Wales Australia, which means that it is high altitude. These vineyards sit at 860 to 900 meters above sea level. That’s about 2800-3000 feet. Soils here are primarily basalt.

They grow 8 varieties here, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, and a small amount of Arneis. The cellar door looks out onto the Pinot Gris and Riesling. It was the Shiraz and Tempranillo we passed on the way in.

The Shiraz sits in the highest part of the vineyard where it is a little warmer. They sit right on the border of where Shiraz will ripen. The diurnal shifts cause the grapes to ripen slowly giving the wine complexity and body, while still being delicate and elegant.

The hills roll here allowing them different aspects for the different varieties. Down the hill, the Chardonnay is the first to hit bud break, everything else quickly follows. When harvest arrives, Tanya tells me, it is two busy months, with everything coming in at different times so they can focus on each one. The Tempranillo ripens last signaling the end of harvest.

View from the Tent at Nashdale Lane outside Orange Australia

Biodiversity is important here, a bonus being wildflowers in the cover crop that make their 8-year-old happy. Nick’s family in the UK have an organic farming background, so the philosophy of sustainable agriculture is second nature to him.

When they arrived they found deficits in soil nutrition. They planted cover crops: clover, vetch, fava beans, and oats and noticed improvement within a year. They have sheep to keep down the weeds and are looking to move to organic accreditation in the next year or two.

Wines

We move to discuss the Nashdale Lane wines, a pastel rainbow of labels lined up on the window ledge. Their wines are broken down into 3 ranges, the Social Range, the Colour Series, and the Legacy Range.

Nashdale Lane Cellar door wine list in Orange NSW Australia

Nashdale Lane Cellar door wine list with the special pricing for at the cellar door

The wine menu at Nashdale Lane in NSW Australia

They chose a bright style at Nashdale Lane with colors for each wine which speak to it’s essence.

‘the social’ range

This is a simple easy pairing range with 2 wines that are easy drinking and easy pairing.

‘the social’ Blanc is a white wine blend with Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Arneis. It has “lappable” fruit notes that make it perfect for entertaining. 12% abv $30 au

‘the social’ Rosé is a dry rosé with beautiful pink color and notes of strawberry. “Quaffable”, again it sits at 12.5% and $30 au

They are looking to create a Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Tempranillo blend to add to this line that would be what Tanya calls “a fancy Pizza wine”.

The Colour Series

This is the series that runs the color palette with a range of varietal wines

This series covers Pinot Gris, Riesling, a Sauvignon Blanc in a Fumé Blanc style, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, and Shiraz. These wines vary from $30 to $55 depending on the variety and the vintage.

The Legacy Range

The Legacy Range are the higher-end Reserve wines. The Nashdale Lane 2018 Pinot Noir and Tempranillo both took good scores from the Halliday Wine Companion 95 and 92 respectively. They only do these wines when the vintage dictates. These wines run $65 au

They were adding one more to this line which was fascinating to hear about, though it had yet to be released. The 2019 Nashdale Lane Legacy Rosé is left on the skins longer to get a deeper color and flavor. Made from Shiraz it moves to age in 3-year-old French Oak for 12 months.

Nick says they moved it around in a few different barrels constantly playing with it to see how far they wanted to push it.

“I’d like it to be one of those wines that may polarize people a little so that someone who loves their wines will love this style of rosé.”
Nick Segger, Oct 2019

On their site, for this Legacy Rosé, they list: “Winemaking: tank & wild ferments, malolactic fermentation, patience”.

Glamping

We were not just there to chat with Nick and Tanya, we were also staying here for the night in their “in-vine” accommodations, thanks to Orange360.

Tanya says they wanted the accommodations to be small and exclusive. This was meant to be a benefit of the Nashdale Lane wine club membership.

In their travels, they had done a bit of glamping in South Africa and Italy and loved it. They were determined to do it right and imported their glamping tents from Holland. Tanya says “It’s sort of the Mercedes Benz of the Glamping world.”

They also wanted to have something that felt at home in the vineyard. A traditional building would not do that. This way they could tread lightly and be sustainable.

They have 2 glamping cabins and are not likely to increase this. More than that would change the experience.

To the Glamping Cabin

They directed us to the tent/cabin. The canvas tent is mounted on a raised wooden platform, which has a full front porch overlooking the vineyards behind the cellar door. The stairs have solar lights built-in for when you return after dark, the porch has a lower level seating area to lounge in as well as a table and chair that I found perfect for morning coffee. There is a grill on the deck for easy cooking. Oh and a large herb bed next to the cabin for sourcing fresh herbs for your meals.

Unzip and open the flap to step inside, where the large room is divided into a seating area, a kitchen and dining area, and then the 4 poster bed tucked in the back. A woodstove separates the spaces to keep the whole cabin toasty.

There is a bath with a shower and running water, which is surprisingly glamourous for tent life.

The 4 poster bed has a canopy of netting and heating pads to adjust for each side of the bed. It’s pretty romantic.

There is a bookshelf stocked with books and games to help you unplug.

Nashdale Lane cellar door sign lit at night surrounded by dark sky and stars

In early spring the fire was welcome to warm things up a bit in our Nashdale Lane tent

We settled in quickly as we were off to a dinner tasting at another winery. When we returned the sign at the cellar door was lit up against the night sky. We did start a fire to enjoy the ambiance with a glass of their Riesling and then curled up for our all too short stay.

Morning found us up early to catch a bit of the gorgeous view before heading out for the day. They have comfy slippers and a French press coffee maker, so slippers on my feet and coffee in hand I watched the vineyard wake up.

comfy warm slippers that kept my toes warm while I enjoyed by morning coffee on the porch at Nashdale Lane, NSW Australia

Thinking of everything, they provided comfy warm slippers that kept my toes warm while I enjoyed by morning coffee on the porch at Nashdale Lane.

They must have known, I don’t do anything before coffee. I could make my French Press and wake up to the sites and sounds of the morning vineyard at Nashdale Lane

We loved our stay, but really, I wish we had been able to just go, unplug and nest. A book on the deck, glass of wine in hand with that view.

You really can't beat a beautiful glass of wine and a gorgeous vineyard view Nashdale Lane NSW Australia — You really can't beat a beautiful glass of wine and a gorgeous vineyard view

Finding Nashdale Lane

Nashdale Lane is located in the Orange Wine Region just 3 hours from Sydney.

125 Nashdale Lane

Nashdale, NSW 2800 AU

https://nashdalelane.com/

Visit the website for current hours for scheduling a tasting.

More on Orange, Australia!

Want more information on the Orange Wine Region in Australia? Check out these other pieces we’ve written on the region!

And there is more to come!

Our visit to Nashdale Lane occurred during our post-conference tour at the 2019 Wine Media Conference, This media trip was arranged by Orange360 who provided accommodations and internal travel. No other compensation was received. All opinions are our own.

Resources for planning a trip to Orange

More on Australia

We visited a bit of New South Wales while we were in Australia. Here are some more pieces on the regions we visited.

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Channeling Jura for a rooftop getaway with a bottle of Savagnin and friends #Winophiles

Oct 16, 2020

I had ordered my bottle of wine from the Jura a couple of months ago and forgotten about it. Only once before have I had a wine from this region. At the time we were investigating “Godforsaken Grapes” from France, which took me to the Savoie, near the Jura for a Jacquere from Apremont. You can read about that in “Though the Mountains May Crumble…Apremont and some Alpine Pairings”

The Jura

Chalon Département Jura Franche-Comté France photo by Richard Semik Adobe Stock — View from the Jura photo by Alexander Gutkin Adobe Stock

The Jura is often lumped in with Savoie, but the region is actually North West of Savoie. This region sits on the border to Switzerland near Geneva. If the word “Jura” reminds you of Jurassic Park, there is a reason for that. The Jurassic geological period was named for these mountains where the limestone strata from this period were first identified.

Another interesting fact: Louis Pasteur was born in this region. Famous of course for discovering that microbes were responsible for making alcohol sour, he created pasteurization to heat and kill bacteria. He is also responsible for creating a vaccine for rabies. For more on how Louis Pasteur impacted the history of wine, check out this piece that our friend Lori, from Dracaena Wines collaborated on with writer Joey Casca a few years ago Heros of Wine: Louis Pasteur (1822-1895)

” A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.”
Louis Pasteur

The Côtes du Jura

The Jura wine region is 50 miles long and never more than 4 miles wide.

Within the region you will find 4 AOCs

Côtes du Jura, which covers the whole region.

Arbois in the north of the region where half of the wine is red and they focus on the grape poulsard.

L’Etoile named for starfish fossils that are found locally. This appellation is only for white wine and much of that Chardonnay.

Château-Chalon the hilltop village where they only allow vin jaunes.

Update* These are the Geographic AOCs. There are 3 more AOCs for Products: Crémant du Jura for sparkling wines, Macvin du Jura for this liqueur and Marc du Jura, for the regions brandy.,

The region has taken a beating, with phylloxera, WW1 and then railways that made it easier to get wine from Languedoc. By the 1960s the region had less than 1000 hectares of vines. Today there are approximately 2000 hectares.

Savagnin the grape & the wine

We focused on one grape, Savagnin. While most often this grape is used to make “vin jaune” a late harvest wine made with a technique much like Sherry, except without the fortification, they do make dry wines in 3 styles.

Ouillé

In my research, I learned the term “ouillé”. This French term refers to topping up a barrel, which is what you typically do when you are aging a wine. So if you have a wine, made in the manner which most of us consider normal, by topping the barrel up as it ages to keep the exposure to oxygen down, in the Jura the bottle will say “ouillé”. If it is made in this method in the region of Arbois (which is a smaller region within the Jura) it is call “naturé”.

These wines are light and elegant with floral and citrus notes with notes of anise.

Savagnin

When the wine is “non ouillé” or not topped up it will just be labeled Savagnin. Savagnin spends 2 or 3 years in oak and is not topped up. The wine mixes with the oxygen and develops oxidative flavors; think dried fruit like dried apples, ripe soft cheese with notes of white pepper. It pairs well with Comté cheese which is a specialty of the region. It is suggested that you decant this wine for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Vin Jaune

This is the big daddy of the region, the wine they are most known for. The famous Château-Chalon perched on it’s cliff only produces “vin jaune”. Vin Jaune translates to “Yellow Wine” or “Golden Wine” and the wine is indeed golden. White wines as they age and are exposed to oxygen darken.

This wine, like the Savagnin we spoke of above, it aged without topping up or “non-ouillé”. This wine must be aged for at least 6 years and 3 months in oak barrels. But what makes this different from Savagnin, in addition to the length of barrel aging is that over time a layer of yeast forms on the top of the wine. They call this “le voile”. (If you know anything about Sherry, you might be familiar with this technique for Manzanilla and Fino Sherries that mature under their layer of “flor”.)

Here is another case of gross looking mold making delicious wine (like the noble rot botrytis). These wines become concentrated and they will have nutty flavors and savory tones of ripe cheese as well as bright acid and citrus notes. They are immensely interesting. Check out this list of notes potentially found in a Vin Jaune.

“Flavors in Vin Jaune can include ripe Camembert cheese, green and golden apple, candied orange peel, lemon and lemon peel, ginger, nutmeg, curry, vanilla, sandalwood, almond, hazelnut and walnut. There’s a touch of rancio, a wine term often used with Cognac that describes the mix of woodsy, earthy and musty flavors.”
Amateurgastronomer.com October 10, 2011

Domaine Benoit Badoz Côtes du Jura Savagnin 2011

Benoit Badoz 2011 Savagnin from the Cotes du Jura

Our wine, was the middle style a Savagnin.

The details:

100% Savagnin
Aged in Oak barrels for more than 3 years.
Region Côtes du Jura AOC
Aging potential 25 years

Domaine Benoit Badoz was founded in 1659 and Benoit is the 10^th generation vintner at this family domaine. Located in the heart of the region in the town of Poligny, they have 10 hectares of vineyards. This wine, the Côtes du Jura comes from vineyards around the town of Voiteur (19 km away), which is very near to Château-Chalon.

What to pair with a Savagnin?

I did my research, pulling tasting notes to find complementary flavors. Then I dug deeper. I admit that I often look to Fiona Beckett for ideas. Her site offers such a range of suggestions depending on the age and style of the wine as well as the region. Often there are local specialties she will recommend, as well as other pairings that could be from anywhere in the world. It was here that I settled on my pairings.

I had planned and shopped for our dinner but hadn’t really thought it through when an opportunity arose to enjoy the sunset on the roof with a friend. We don’t see each other as often as we would like, but social distancing outside watching sunset seemed perfect.

We began with a cheese plate with Comte, the well known cheese of this region, plus walnuts, green apple, and thinly sliced fennel. Dinner included seared scallops, lobster ravioli in a brown butter sage sauce, and a spinach salad with apple, fennel, and bacon with a lemon vinaigrette.

Comte, green apple, fennel, and walnuts with a Savagnin from Benoit Badoz in the Cotes du Jura

Rooftop in the setting sun with a Cotes du Jura, delicious pairings, and friends. — Comte, green apple, fennel, and walnuts with a Savagnin from Benoit Badoz in the Cotes du Jura

Our Savagnin and how it paired

I will admit, that I am writing this after our tasting, and some of the things I learned came after tasting the wine. We did not decant it. I suppose I should have read that, but you know, I enjoy the journey and in fact, Michael caught brighter citrus notes as he first sipped this saying it felt crisper at the start. As Michael poured, my friend RuBen commented that he could smell it from across the patio!

We stuck our noses in. This was interesting! RuBen wrinkled his brow. Wine tasting is pretty new to him. Sandlewood? Yep…I might not have picked that up, but he had been smelling candles recently. I got bruised apple and spices. We all kept sticking out noses back in the glass, trying to pull out notes.

With the Comte cheese, it was heaven. RuBen wanted a sauce of the wine to dip the cheese in. (hmm…could I do a reduction, like with a balsamic?). With the green apple slices? YUK! That was a cry from around the table. With the fennel it was a mixed batch, Michael and I found it interesting, RuBen said it made the wine concentrate to the center of his mouth and disappear (I picture a black hole collapsing onto itself. I should taste with RuBen more often. He comes up with fantastic tasting notes!)

We moved on to dinner. Nice with the scallops, the brown butter sage sauce and the lobster ravioli pulled out the funkier notes in the wine, which I liked. I also thought it went well with the salad, something about the bacon and the lemon vinaigrette contrasting with each other and melding with the wine, was really nice.

We continued to sip, the sun set, the conversation moved to different subjects and we watch the stars come out. Mars was actually glowing brightly in the sky not too far from the strip.

Good wine, good food, good friends, great conversation. Thanks Jura for a little rooftop getaway, we almost forgot about COVID for a while.

The French Winophiles

I’m excited to see what the rest of the Winophiles have tasted from the Jura! If you are reading this early enough, join us on Saturday October 16^th on Twitter! We will be there at 8 am Pacific time discussing the wines of this region. Just follow and use the hashtag #Winophiles to join the conversation!

Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla will share “Seafood B’Stilla + Domaine Rolet Arbois Trousseau 2012“
Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva is talking about “Jura in the Afternoon“
David from Cooking Chat will be sharing “Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs with Jura Wine“
Gwendolyn of Wine Predator is “Exploring Flavors of Jura Food and Wine Take Two: Trousseau and Melon”
Linda from My Full Wine Glass will be heading “Back to the Jura (virtually), for Crémant this time around“
Nicole from Somm’s Table will be “Jurassic 5: An Intro to the Jura and its Main Grapes (#Winophiles)“
Payal from Keep the Peas is sharing “Sherry? No, Jura“
Pinny from Chinese Food and Wine Pairings is “Sipping Tissot-Marie Crémant Du Jura and Snacking Fried Pork Skin“
Susannah from Avvinare shares “Discovering Delights from Jura Region”
Terri of Our Good Life pours Sparkling Jura for Celebratory Moments.
Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm will serve up “Bourride served with a Chardonnay from Jura“

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

Sources, resources and further reading.

Robin Renken CSW (photo credit RuBen Permel)

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Angullong in Millthorpe – Wine, Welcome to Country, Indigenous Dances and bush Tucka in Orange NSW

Oct 13, 2020

Last spring, we found ourselves in Australia for the Wine Media Conference held in the Hunter Valley. Well really, last fall for us in October, but it was spring in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.

After the conference, we attended one of the sponsored post-conference tours to the Orange wine region. You might have seen our overview of this trip “2 days in Orange? Too little time for this beautiful Australian wine region!”

After arriving in the Orange region, our first stop was at Angullong Cellars in the village of Millthorpe. Our group was set up in the garden behind the historic bluestone stable that is now their tasting room and we were greeted with sparkling wine.

History of Angullong

Angullong was established in 1950. This family-owned wine company has vineyards on the southern lower slopes of Mount Canobolas. This ancient volcano is the highest point in the region. If you head west, everything gets lower and flatter out to West Australia. Ben told us the next highest peak to the west is in South Africa! The Angullong property has steep undulating hills that quickly descend to meet the Belubula River.

Ben & his brother James are the third generation of their family managing this property that at one point grew wheat and raised cattle and sheep. They still raise cattle in addition to growing wine grapes on the 5000-acre property.

Ben greeted us in the garden, welcomed us to Millthorpe, and filled us in on the Orange region.

The Orange Wine Region

The wine region is named for the city of Orange, and vineyards must be at a minimum of 600 meters (1968 feet) above sea level. They sit just west of the Blue Mountains. This area is considered “Central West New South Wales” or the “Central Ranges”.

Originally known for its orchards of apples and pears the region has now added wine grapes. Over the last 30 years or so around 30 vineyards have been planted in the area, of all sizes.

The region is known for having all 4 seasons. But at the time we were there, the region was in a drought. This is the drought that led to the horrible fires in January. They are in better shape than areas east of them, as we could attest to driving in from the Hunter Valley, where dams are empty, and lakes are dried up.

Currently the Orange region was green with blossoms on the trees and the bright green of trees just leafing out. Spring was in the air.

This is considered a cool climate region to the altitude. Most of Australia’s other cool climate regions are in maritime climates to the south.

They get a bit of snow. In fact, there had been snow on Mount Canobolas the previous weekend. It was brief, and high on the Mountain. Spring at this point had sprung with the vineyards in bud burst. During the summers temperatures can get to the high 30’s typically (100-102 degrees Fahrenheit).

With a long winter and late budburst, their growing season pushes into late summer and fall. The fruit ripens in late summer and then has a long slow ripening into fall that gives them better color in the reds and allows the grapes to retain their natural acidity as well as intensity of flavor.

The Angullong Vineyard

Angullong Vineyard in Cellar Door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW

The Angullong vineyard straddles the Orange Region and the Central Ranges with vineyards from 550 meters to 650 meters (1800 to 2100 feet). The vineyard is about 30 km from Millthorpe in Panuara and is one of the larger vineyards in the area with 200 hectares (almost 500 acres) of vines.

The property is diverse with a good supply of water due to being on the Belubula River. They have a high-security water license that allows them to pump out of the river, which is a very fast-moving river.

Climate change

While they have only had grapes here for 20 to 30 years, crops have been grown here much longer. Farmers say cereal crops have come forward almost a month (a day per year) over the past 30 years.

“As farmers in Australia, we are on the receiving end of the global damage.”
Ben Crossing, October 2019

Angullong Cellar Door in Millthorpe

They moved their tasting room into this old bluestone stable about 10 years ago.

Angullong Vineyard Cellar door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

Angullong Vineyard converted stable into Cellar door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

Ben Crossing and brother James in picture Angullong Vineyard at the Cellar Door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

Angullong Vineyard converted stable into Cellar door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

Angullong Vineyard Cellar door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

Welcome to Country

At this point we stopped as Michael Newman gave us a First Nation welcome in the Wiradjuri tongue which he then translated to English.

He began by teaching us the greeting “Yamandhu marang” which translates roughly to “are you well?” He gave us a traditional Welcome to Country greeting. This begins with extending respect to the Wiradjuri elders as well as beyond to elders of other nations that call this area home.

He then spoke his welcome in the Wiradjuri tongue, then at the end translated for us.

“Ladies and gentlemen, young men, young women, and distinguished guests, First I want to pay my respects to Wiradjuri elders both past and present. By acknowledging that I pay my respects to other elders of other nations here today, I want you to remember, you are on Wiradjuri land today.
Our people lived and cared for this land for a long time. Our people have lived and danced for a long time on this land.
Our land the Wiradjuri land is known as the land of the three rivers, the Lachlan, the Murrumbigee, and the Macquarie. You must respect and honor, all people, and all part of country.
Give honor, be respectful, polite, and patient with all, then the people will respect you. Hold fast to each other, empower the people, respect everything living, and growing. You look after the land and rivers and those land and rivers; they’ll look after you.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s wonderful to see that our footprints are side by side in the soil on Wiradjuri land, that indicates that our people are walking and talking together, so let’s work together to make everything good for all people.
So ladies and gentlemen my name is Michael Newman, I’m proud to be Wiradjuri, I’m proud to be on Wiradjuri land, I thank you very much and Welcome!”
Michael Newman, Proud Wiradjuri Man

Indigenous Dances

We then moved into our welcome through dance. The indigenous dance troupe performed several dances.

Welcome Aboriginal Dance

The first dance symbolized the indigenous peoples first meeting with the settlers. Wary of these new people they would begin spears drawn, checking the new people’s energy, and seeing what kind of respect they had for the people and the land. The greeting went well, and the spear were stuck safely into the ground.

Dances to tell the story of a people

These dances told us about the history of the Aboriginal people, and welcomed and cleansed us. A fire was lit, in the traditional way and gum leaves were put on it to create the smoke which was used in a cleansing dance. The dancers used branches to wave the smoke out to cleanse the area and the people and sang out to the ancestors to join & bless us.

This is a reminder of how we are connected. The earth is the Mother, and the trees are part of the earth, so when the elders pass, they return to the earth and so they are part of the trees and these branches. This theme of being connected with the land continued. The next dance began on the ground to connect their souls to Mother. The dancers jumped up to draw in our energy and connect that to the earth, this earth that they then paint their bodies with. The earth and ochre, the original paint has been used by people around the world for thousands of years.

We move to a bit of creation story, To a dance symbolizing 4 animals that connect to their creation story. They begin with Goanna the ancient one (monitor lizard) who has been here since time began. They then move to the kangaroo, and the emu who both move forward, which is important, as these are two very different animals, but like all of us, they move forward together. Lastly the echidna who when confronted, digs in and stands his ground.

Mother Earth Dance

The next dance was introduced by reminding us of the drought. There are places in New South Wales that have been without water for over a year now. Rivers are empty, and while the country is always dry, none of the elders have ever seen the rivers run dry before. The rivers here are a life source and not just for the aboriginal people. Mother is suffering, her energy pulled out but not replenished.

This dance sends vibrations into her, to let her know that we are here, and mean her no harm. They then request a bit more energy of those of us there, pulling that back and returning it to Mother. Typically this dance is done on dirt (they were on grass here). The idea is that the dance kicks up dirt from Mother, uniting her with Father in the sky. This dance is their Mother Earth dance.

Personal stories through ancient dance

The last dance The Eagle gives respect to the dance troupe leader’s totem. It creates a spirit connection with his Grandfather, whose shares the eagle as his totem. He says that often when he dances it, his grandfather will call him and say he felt it.

These connections, to history and heritage are so important. These stories remind us that however different we are, we all move forward together.

Indigenous Cultural Adventures – and Bush Tucka

Gerald tells us about the Indigenous foods we are about to taste here in Millthorpe Australia

Kangaroo, Emu and Crocodile on the menu at Angullong Cellars — Gerald tells us about the Indigenous foods we are about to taste here in Millthorpe Australia

Gerald Power of Indigenous Cultural Adventures speaks next, they have set up a spread of bush tucka for us to enjoy.

Gerald introduces himself, beginning with his Mob. He is from far North Queensland the Djiru Mob with is from around the Whitsunday area and the Kanaka who were South Sea Islanders brought to Australia in the 1800s. He is part of the Vanuatu people as well as Aboriginal.

He explained that we were now going to tuck into some of the animals the dancers had portrayed. These are foods that the people on this land have consumed for over 60,000 years. They share their journey because the aboriginal history is not taught in the Australian system, so it must be shared by people like Michael Newman, the dancers like Luke and his family and Gerald with the food.

We tasted bites of Emu with Warrigal Pesto on Wombok, Emu Kofta w/smoke bush tucka dressing & Johnny Cakes, Crocodile with Lemon Myrtle Sweet Chili Sauce, and Kangaroo skewers with bush tomato relish and paired them with the wines.

Ben Crossing and the wines of Angullong

Vineyards in Orange are relatively young. 30 years ago when the vineyards were being planted, there were a lot of alternative varieties available, so the region is planted with more than Chardonnay, Cab, Shiraz and Merlot. Here you will find Vedelho, Pinot Grigio, Savignon Blanc, Tempranillo and Sagrantino among others.

When they started their vineyard, they contracted with some big wineries like Southcorp which is now Treasury. They sold grapes to them for the export market, but always had their own small vineyard with some alternate varieties.

2019 Angullong Sav Blanc

This is their biggest selling wine, and it leans a little riper in style to find more of those passion fruit notes. This is fresh and zesty $22 AUD

2019 Angullong Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris, is being made into multiple styles in the Orange region. At Angullong they lean a bit more to the Italian style which is why they call it Pinot Grigio. They do several picks to get that acidity, then a few later to bring in the flavor. This wine has one a Trophy as well as several gold medals. . $22 AUD

2018 Angullong Chardonnay

Grown at the Angullong vineyard at about 600 meters, this Chardonnay is a modern wine with layers of citrus and stone fruit and balanced oak. $22 AUD

Angullong 2017 Shiraz Vionier and Angullong 2017 Tempranillo at Angullong Vineyard in Cellar Door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

Angullong 2015 Crossing Reserve Shiraz at Angullong Vineyard in Cellar Door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

Angullong 2017 Tempranillo and 2016 Sagrantino at Angullong Vineyard in Cellar Door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

Angullong 2019 Vermentino at Angullong Vineyard in Cellar Door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

Angullong 2019 Verdelho and 2019 Pinot Grigio and 2019 Savignon Blanc at Angullong Vineyard in Cellar Door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW

Angullong Rose and Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut at Angullong Vineyard in Cellar Door in Millthorpe, Orange NSW Australia

2018 Fossil Hill Chardonnay

From the higher altitude Balmoral vineyard which sits at 850-950 meters, this Chardonnay has some barrel fermentation with 20% new French oak. You get more citrus with the higher altitude compared to stone fruits in lower altitude vineyards. $26. AUD

2019 Fossil Hill Vermentino

Vermentino is one of the alternative varieties that you don’t see grown often in this area. Planted on a rocky ridge with lots of sun, its thick skin holds up to the exposure and sunburn, without getting too phenolic. It requires some major canopy management to prevent too much sun in these high altitudes where the UV is higher. They have been using kaolin the clay-based product which coats the grapes to protect from sunburn and coats the leaves, so they reflect the heat and keep the temperature of the vine lower. While this vermentino gets pretty ripe it still holds its acid and has notes of nectarine. $26 AUD

As we got into tasting the Sangiovese, Ben’s wife Heidi came around with cheese biscuits made by Ben’s mom.

2018 Fossil Hill Sangiovese

They originally planted sangiovese back in 1998 and keep planting a little bit more, because it is so successful. They moved to Brunello clones which have more fruit intensity and use original Sangiovese now mostly for their Rosé. This wine is still a harder sell. Aussie palates are tuned to Shiraz, and that is only beginning to change in the past 15 years or so as they see an increase in imported wines. $28 AUD

2017 Fossil Hill Barbera

This is just the 2^nd vintage of Barbera made from vines they planted in 2010. Barbera is late ripening, but it has thick tannic skins. They are right on the margins for growing it here. Any cooler and it would not grow. This wine holds its acidity and is beginning to soften in the bottle. Ben suggests this wine would be great with a great big steak or perhaps some kangaroo. $28 AUD

2015 Crossing Reserve Shiraz

This Family Reserve is the highest of the 3 tiers of Shiraz they produce. This comes from barrel selections from low yielding vines that are dry grown. It is aged in first and second year oak, so it needs a little time. $48 AUD

Exports and the Australian Market

They export a bit to Germany, and they used to export to the UK, but since the Australian dollar and American dollar hit parity it’s hard to get things to the US. China is a big market for them.

There are pros and cons to the import market. While it exposes Australians to a wider variety of wines beyond, Cab, Merlot, Shiraz and Chard, it is still competition. It breaks Ben’s heart when he is in Sydney and see’s wine lists filled with imported wines.

Plan your visit to Angullong

After a wonderful afternoon, learning so much about the Wiradjuri culture and the wines of Angullong. We set off for our next adventure.

If you want to visit them, you can find them in Millthorpe, jusst 15 minutes from Orange. They are in the Old Bluestone Stables at the corner of Park and Victoria Streets. Be sure to call ahead for a booking. During these times of COVID appointments are necessary to keep their beautiful but small tasting room safe for everyone.

Phone: +02 6366 3444

Email: [email protected]

You can also visit the Links below for more details on Angullong, the Orange Region and New South Wales.

Sources & Resources

For more on our Aussie Wine Adventure, check out these articles!

Moldovan Wine – Moving forward while not losing track of the Authentic grapes of their past #WorldWineTravel

Oct 3, 2020

I’ll be honest, I’ve not had a wine from Moldova before. I’ve heard and read a bit about the country and its wines and when #WorldWineTravel had an opportunity to collaborate with Wine of Moldova on their National Moldovan Wine Day, I was interested to participate. Our host for this is Lynn Gowdy of Savor the Harvest, you can visit her Invitation post here.

Wine of Moldova and Vinconnexion sent us samples of 4 wines. All opinions are our own. We will start out with a bit about Moldova, dive into the wines and pairings and finish with the pieces by our colleagues at #WorldWineTravel which will give you additional opinions and information on the wines of this region, as well as some spectacular pairings.

Vineyards spanning the landscape in Moldova courtesy Wine of Moldova

A little Moldova History

Moldova, like Georgia, was the source of wine for the Soviet Union. The country is covered in vineyards. At one point in the 80s there were over 200,000 ha of vineyards, this in a space that is slightly larger than Maryland.

In the mid-80s as an anti-alcohol campaign began in the Soviet Union about 1/3 of the vines were pulled up. They continued exporting to Russia through the collapse until the 2006 embargo by Russia on Moldovan and Georgian wines. Russia has since gone back and forth importing Moldovan wines, but they hold their purchases like a hostage, in an attempt to keep the country from leaning too far to the west.

Over ¼ of the country is part of the wine industry in some way. This is their country’s bread and butter. It has divided the country and the industry into those who look back and wish for the return of what they consider better days and those who are embracing the future and finding a way out into the great world of wine, holding on the heritage, but building anew.

The grapes of Moldova

The large wineries here have gone from bulk wines in large tanks to finding new directions with old ways and new smaller wineries are popping up. I have seen multiple sources for vineyard coverage. The documentation from the Wine of Moldova from 2018 listed 74,200 hectares (183,352 acres) of technical varieties. This morning I heard a quote of 112,000 hectares during the My Wine Day with Wine of Moldova conversation. This may be a recent update, and could include private non-commercial vineyards. This is a country, where there are many backyard vineyards and people have a culture of home winemaking .

The most cultivated varieties are International with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir leading the reds and Aligoté, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay leading the whites.

Old Moldovan vines courtesy Wine of Moldova

Old Moldovan vines courtesy Wine of Moldova

Still, they are also embracing the indigenous varieties like the white grapes Feteasca Alba and Viorica and red grapes, Feteasca Neagra, Rara Neagra, and the Georgian grape Saperavi. Currently, 73% of vineyards are planted to European varieties, 17% to Caucasian grapes (which include Saperavi), and 10% to local grapes.

Moldovan wine regions

Wine regions of Moldova courtesy Wine of Moldova

Moldova is bordered by Romania to the West and South, Ukraine to the North and East. It is a landlocked country. The country sits mostly from around 140 meters (459 feet) above sea level, with its highest point at 430 meters (1410 feet).

The country is divided into three wine regions. Condru to the North in the center of the country focuses on white wines and covers the most area. Stefan-Voda below it to the southeast sits at a lower elevation and is the smallest of the 3 regions. Here you find the indigenous red grape Rara Neagra. Valul Lui Traian sits to the southwest. The climate here is warm and is influenced by the Black Sea. 60% of the wines here are red. These three regions sit within this country which they proudly point out is shaped like a grape bunch.

There are of course the two largest wine cellars in the world are located here, Cricova with 70 kilometers of galleries where they house wine collections from celebrities and dignitaries from all over the world, and Milestii Mici that stretches over 200 kilometers.

The Wines of Moldova

The four wines we received wines from Wine of Moldova as samples, included 2 white wines: Castel Mimi’s Feteasca Alba and a Viorica from Suvorav-Vin.

Castel Mimi – Feteasca Alba

Located in the Condru region, Castel Mimi was founded in 1893. After 50 years in disrepair a restoration project began in 2011. Today this sprawling Castle is home to the winery as well as a restaurant, gardens and terraces and has cottages for overnight guests.

Feteasca Alba is an ancient grape that has been cultivated here for years. At one point during the Soviet era, it was banned, but some growers hid it so save the variety.

The flavor profile I found for this wine included: yellow apple, pear, ripe cantaloupe, rose petal & white flowers.

After tasting this myself, I found much more rich citrus, meyer lemon, lemon zest, a little pith and nectarine. The white flowers were there subtly in the background. Michael was reminded a bit of Fresca, so he must have been getting some grapefruit in there. I did get some briny minerality.

If you like Pinot Grigio, this might be a great wine to explore.

This wine is 100% Feteasca Alva and has notes of rose, pear, honeysuckle, yellow apple, and cantaloupe.

13% abv, suggested retail $18.99

Suvorov Kazayak – Viorica

Suvorov-Vin is named after a monument near the winery called “The hill of Suvorov” from the Russo-Turkish war.

Viorica is the name of a flower and is a woman’s name in addition to being the name of this grape variety. It is an indigenous grape.

This wine is 100% Viorica and has notes of tea rose, candied fruit, nutmeg, lime, lemon curd, honey, peach nectar, and ripe cantaloupe.

13% abv suggested retail $13.99.

Suvorov-Vin is named after a monument near the winery called “The hill of Suvorov” from the Russo-Turkish war.

Viorica is the name of a flower and is a woman’s name in addition to being the name of this grape variety. It is an indigenous grape.

This wine is 100% Viorica the notes I found indicated aromas and flavors of tea rose, candied fruit, nutmeg, lime, lemon curd, honey, peach nectar, and ripe cantaloupe.

The nose on this wine could not have been more different than the Feteasca Alba. My nose was filled with honey and beeswax, white peach, yellow apple, lemon curd and lime.

It hit me like a viognier with the addition of rich citrus notes.

13% abv suggested retail $13.99.

The red wines included Rosu de Purcari from Chateau Purcari and a wine called Ampre made of Saperavi, Feteasca Neagra and Merlot from Radacini.

Chateau Purcari – Rosu de Purcari

Chateau Purcari is located on the Dniester river and is in the Stefan Voda PGI Region. Located in the south western part of the region they are close to the Black Sea and the border to the Ukraine This historic Chateau is surrounded by vineyards and lakes. They do supply the Queen of England with their wine.

This wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Malbec, a Bordeaux style blend. It has notes of forest fruit, plum and sweet vanilla.

When I stuck my nose in the glass I found blackberry, prune, black plum, baking spice vanilla and sweet tobacco.

13.5% abv suggested retail $31

Radacini – Ampre Saperavi Feteasca Neagra & Merlot

Now we are into indigenous red varieties. This blend leans into Saperavi the red fleshed grape originally from Georgia at 70%. 20% of the Moldovan indigenous variety Feteasca neagra, and 10% Merlot.

Suggested notes of ripe black fruits like plum and black cherry, blackberry as well as black pepper, thyme, and fruit leather.

When I stuck my nose in the glass, the first thing I got was fresh cut herbs, followed by black pepper. There was black fruits like plum and blackberry and dark cherries, then the thyme wafted through. It ended with some menthol, eucalyptus notes and a bit of barnyard that was not at all unpleasant.

13% abv Suggested retail $19.99.

2 pairings, one for the white and one for red

Rather than try to pair across all the wines, we broke our pairings into red and white, with lighter dishes pairing with the Feteasca Alba and Viorica and heavier with the Purcari and Radacini red blends.

Light and elegant lunch pairings

I was reading on other tastings with these wines to get a feel for what they would be like, as mine were arriving close to when we would need to post (they have not arrived as I type this). My friend Liz Barrett at “What’s in that Glass” had tasted this wine and said that chicken piccata or ceviche would pair well (not together though, she warns!). I love ceviche and have not had it in a while, so….

We started with prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe (thanks for that suggestion too Liz!). We then did a ceviche on an avocado sauce and a salmon carpaccio.

Ingredients for Ceviche with tilapia, shrimp, garlic, red onion, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and lime with avocado for a sauce

Ceviche with avocado sauce plating — Ingredients for Ceviche with tilapia, shrimp, garlic, red onion, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and lime with avocado for a sauce

An unorthodox pairing

Rosu de Purcari Moldovan red blend with bacon and eggs

Chateau Purcari Rosu de Purcari 2015 with Bacon and Eggs

The Chateau Purcari Rosu de Purcari 2015 is a Bordeaux style blend. We did a bit of an non-traditional pairing, suggested buy Fiona Beckett of bacon and eggs. It worked wonderfully.

This wine has mellowed with good tannin and acids that are just right and the fat in the eggs was perfect with this. I did throw on some blackberries which picked up the fruit in the wine, as well as a spinach arugula salad with a bit of balsamic.

A regional pairings reimagined

With the Radacini being a blend of Saperavi, Feteasca Neagra, and a bit of Merlot, I wanted to think more regional with flavors, but elevate them. I had read about mamaliga which is a cornmeal dish, like polenta, so fried polenta cakes seemed appropriate. We topped them with shards of parmesan, fresh thyme, walnuts, and arugula to pull out other flavors of the region and the wine. Of course, when you think of this region cabbage rolls or “sarmale” come to mind. My husband won’t eat those (I grew up with them, thanks to a Hungarian mother). We pulled in those flavors with grilled purple cabbage wedges and then grilled steak tips to bring in our protein.

Brined and grilled purple cabbage with a dill sauce

Fried polenta cakes with pamesean, arugula, walnuts and thyme — Brined and grilled purple cabbage with a dill sauce

#WorldWineTravel

With all the research I did, I still can’t wait to learn more. Saturday morning (my time) there is a session with the wonderful Dr. Jamie Goode from London. Sunday morning you can jump in and join the conversation on Twitter by following and using #WorldWineTravel as our group of writers share our discoveries on this region. There are links below to each of their pieces.

Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “Two Indigenous Moldovan Grapes – Fetească Albă and Fetească Neagră – Paired With Colțunași Harnici (Hard-Working Dumplings)”
Wendy from A Day In The Life On The Farm is “Celebrating the Food and Wine of Moldova”
David from CookingChat has “Food Pairings for Moldavan Wines”
Lori from Exploring the Wine Glass shares “Sitting Down with Master of Wine Caroline Gilby to Discuss Moldovan Wine”
Terri from Our Good Life shares “Moldova Wine Day Celebration!”
Linda from My Full Wine Glass is “Celebrating ‘My Wine Day’ and the little country that could”
Susannah from Avvinare writes “You say Feteasca and I’ll Say Moldova”
Jennifer at Vino Travels tells us about “Eye Openers to the Wines of Moldova”
Melanie from Wining With Mel is “Exploring new territory with Moldovan wines”
Jeff from foodwineclick asks the question “Are Local Grapes the Future of Moldovan Wines?”
Lynn at Savor the Harvest will share “Moldovan Native Wine Grape Discoveries” #WorldWineTravel
Jill from L’Occasion discusses “Wines of Moldova: Worth the Adventure”
Payal from Keep the Peas pairs “Kashmiri Yakhni Pulao and Moldovan Wine”
Nicole from Somms Table is “Celebrating Moldova National Wine Day with More Food and Wine Explorations”
Pinny from Chinese Food & Wine Pairings shares “Celebrating Moldova National Wine Day with Chinese Food”
Liz Barrett from What’s In That Bottle shares “Moldova National Wine Day is Here”
Rupal at Syrah Queen shares Celebrate Moldova National Wine Day – Exploring Native Varieties
Gwendolyn with Wine Predator shares “Meet Moldova: 2018 Purcari 1827 Rara Neagra de Purcari Vin sec Rosu Paired with Pasta”
Deanna from Asian Test Kitchen shares “Meatless Moldovan Food and Wine”

Sources, Resources & Additional Reading

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Mount Etna – The Awesome Power of active volcanos, and yes red wine with fish #ItalianFWT

Oct 2, 2020

Mount Etna, volcanos, and wine.

In October we pair wine and volcanos with the Italian Food Wine and Travel group. I’m partial to volcanos, as you will see, so diving into Italian volcanic wine was an exciting prospect. If you scroll to the bottom, you will find links to my colleagues’ writing on the subject.

I was 12 when I met a volcano. My father was stationed in Hawaii, and we took a trip to the Big Island and visited Kilauea. We sat on the edge of the crater as one of my ancestors had done. Samuel Clemons, you might know him by his pen name, Mark Twain, is a distant relation and I read that he too had visited Kilauea. As you can imagine, at that time it made quite an impression. In case you are curious, here is a link to his writing on his visit.

Robin on the edge of the crater at Kilauea

Photo of the volcanic crater at Kilauea circa 1978

Volcanos have a way of putting things into perspective. They are large and perhaps ominous. When you visit them you are reminded that they are remolding and remaking the land. Kilauea is creating a new island off the eastern shore of Hawaii as we speak. As a child in Hawaii, I learned to respect volcanos and the goddess Pele, who created these islands and continues to create.

I have visited a few times since then, with my husband. The reverence is still there. I always feel I must be quiet and contemplative in the presence of a volcano.

Kilauea is the most active volcano currently on the planet. Sitting in second, is the volcano we visit virtually today. Mount Etna.

Mount Etna in Sicily

Mount Etna is on Italy’s island of Sicily. As I scrolled through the photos of the volcano, I felt that familiar sense of awe as well as a certain giddiness. I do love volcanos.

Amazing volcanic landscape on Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy taken from adjacent Silvestri craters on a sunny day. Snow on the very top of the mountain. European highest active volcano. Photo By ppohudka Adobe Stock — Erupting Volcano at Night with Lava – Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy photo by Moments by DeWi Adobe stock

You might ask about the last eruption on Mount Etna. Well, this is an active volcano. As I write this, there is an ash warning and yes, the crater is still bubbling. This is a stratovolcano and it has been growing for 600,000 years, from a crater on the seafloor to the 3350 meters (that’s almost 11,000 feet) it now towers above the ocean.

Seems exciting right? Something you might want to see on the webcams? But maybe not where you want to go visit a vineyard. Here’s the thing, volcanic soils are great for wine grapes. The Phoenicians knew that when they planted wine grapes here 3500 years ago.

During the Roman empire, this was a prestigious region for wine, but it declined in the 20^th century. The Etna DOC was established in 1968, but it was not until the 80s that the region really started to grow.

Andrea Franchetti and Passopisciara

Our wine comes from Passopisciara, Andrea Franchetti’s winery her on Mount Etna. Franchetti was known for Tenuta di Trinoro, where he was making Super Tuscan style wines. Being a man who loves a challenge, he came to Mount Etna in 2000. His writing on coming to Mount Etna is evocative. It paints a powerful picture.

“There’s no mold, no moss; the ground sparkles black like the night; the wine slowly becomes very elegant and strange. During the day a soft light penetrates everything and then there are starry nights; Etna has enormous poetry. Making wine, you have access to it. There isn’t Mother Nature here. You are conducting your viticulture on stuff that comes out of the terrible below.”
Andrea Franchetti from vinifranchetti.com

They have 26 hectares (64 acres) of vineyards on the northern face of Mount Etna. The wine we tasted, Passorosso, is a blend of 6 Contrade including; Arcuria, Chiappemacine, Favazza, Guardiola, Feudo di Mezzo and Sciaranuova.

What are Contrade?

Road map of the italian mediterranean island Sicily By lesniewski Adobe Stock

Let’s start at the top. When you get a bottle of wine from Sicily, it might be labeled Terre Siciliane IGT, which means it can be grown anywhere on the island or Sicilia DOC, which is again anywhere on the island, but with higher standards. Then there are 23 DOCs and one DOCG. The Etna DOC is shaped like a backward letter “C” and wraps around Mount Etna beginning in the North and wrapping around the east side and to the south, the west side of the volcano is not included. You can see Mount Etna on the East side of the island just above Catania on the map.

The contrade are like single vineyards blocks, each of which have a different profile based on the lava flow. The vineyards vary in aspect, altitude, and of course soil. The lava flows happen at different times and as the lava ages it changes and breaks down in different ways. These contrade are treated by the winemakers as Mount Etna’s version of a cru. These “contrade” are not yet codified, but often the wineries will use them on the label.

Some of these vineyards sit outside the Etna DOC as they are higher on the slopes of the volcano than the original DOC accounted for. Such is the case with the wines of Passopisciaro. Their main vineyard sits only partially within the Etna DOC.

Nerello Mascalese

Nerello Mascalese is an ancient grape that has spent almost 4 centuries on the slopes of this active volcano. The best plots date to the early 20^th century, with some planted before phylloxera. These older plots are planted to bush-trained vines known here as Alverello (small trees). They are tied to a stake to keep them from falling over and are less densely planted than trellised vines.

Alverello are also low to the ground, which allows the soil to warm them during cold nights. They are also late harvesting when grown in this style and sometimes harvest will extend to late November.

The grape likely has Sangiovese as a parent as per recent DNA testing and possibly Carricante. Others site Mantonico bianca as a parent. The grape is noted to make wines with good acid and medium to high tannins with red fruit and spice. This is often recommended for Pinot Noir lovers, due to its similar weight and ability to pair widely.

Passopisciaro, Passorosso 2014

Passopisciaro 2014 Passorosso Etna DOC made of Nerello Mascalese from Mount Etna

As I mentioned, the Passorosso is a blend across 6 contrade, with different soils, aspects, and altitudes.

The geeky bits

100% Nerello Mascalese, from vines between 70 and 100 years old. It is fermented in Stainless steel for 15 days, completes malolactic fermentation, and ages in large format neutral oak for 18 months.

15% abv. $45 (at GaragisteLV)

Now on to the poetic

“The 2014 vintage presented us with a lightning-quick harvest. After four months of dry heat, a single stormy night in late October brought in the cold. Starting on the 23^rd, the moon was waxing, the season closing; the grapes tasted different every morning, and we harvested them in vineyards at all altitudes as the become suddenly ripe.
The last on the mountain with grapes on the vines, we harvested large areas very quickly as we realized that the hot summer had managed to ripen whole vineyards quite evenly. By the 2^nd of November, the moon waxed hard enough and drew even the vines living in the coldest corners to perfect ripeness.”
vinifranchetti.com

My tasting notes

This is a wine that moves you. It lifts and fills like a deep breath. In the glass it is vibrant and bright, a light brilliant ruby color. As I dipped my nose in there were bright red fruits, anise, sour cherry, then grilled meat, smoke, and savory notes. On the palate sour cherry and red plum vibrated. If you picture this wine filtered through lava rocks you get the idea. There is a leanness, a sense of altitude, with clean air moving.

This is a bright wine, bursting forth from soils of lava. I am taken back to the big island of Hawaii, watching bright green life sprout forth in fields of black lava. Yeah, that’s what it’s like.

It’s delicious and I want to drink this again and again. It sits at 15% abv, but it doesn’t come across hot or out of balance at all. Eric at Garagiste said they fell in love with this wine when they opened and are determined to keep in on their wine list.

Red wine with fish

Polpette di Tonno ingredients - tuna, bread, breadcrumbs, ricotta, parmesan, capers, parsley and an egg

I looked for a pairing, something Sicilian, and came across Polpette di tonno. These are croquettes with tuna. While tuna is a fish, in Sicily it is considered red meat (it is a red-fleshed fish after all).

I adapted a few recipes and mostly just tossed things in a bowl figuring I could add more if the consistency was not right. I used torn white bread, tuna in oil, bread crumbs, capers, parmesan, ricotta, egg, and parsley. I made balls and rolled them in more bread crumbs and stuck them in the fridge while I heated the oil. They fried and drained. Other variations included milk instead of ricotta, some had bread soaked in the milk and one suggested drizzling with olive oil and baking.

They were beautiful with the wine. We had a marinara dipping sauce and a cheese plate. That was dinner and it was heaven.

#ItalianFWT

Are you ready to dive in and talk and learn about these wines? Join the Italian Food Wine and Travel group on Saturday, October 3^rd at 8 am Pacific time on twitter. Follow and use #ItalianFWT to join in the conversation!

If you want to discover and learn more about Italian Volcanic wines, take a look at the pieces below.

Camilla at the Culinary Adventures with Camilla will be featuring A Single-Varietal Carricante, an Etna Exclusive, & Lapsang Souchong-Braised Duck Legs
Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm will share Grapes grown in Volcanic Soil produce a HOT wine!!!
Gwendolyn of Wine Predator will have you Meet Mt Etna’s Volcanic Wines: Sicily’s Tenuta Monte Gorna and Tenuta di Fessina with pairings
Lynn at Savor the Harvest will write about Volcanic Wine in the Veneto
Terri at Our Good Life will be sharing Ashes to Ashes: Volcanic Wine and Sicilian Lentil Soup
Linda at My Full Wine Glass will talk about the wines of Benanti – Capturing the soul of Mount Etna wine
Susannah at Avvinare will be Exploring the Colli Berici in the Veneto
Cindy at Grape Experiences will be sharing Personality, Elegance, Value: Tenuta Tascante Ghiaia Nera 2017 from Etna DOC
Nicole at the Somm’s Table will tell us all about Exploring Etna with Tenuta di Fessina
Jenifer be hosting at Vino Travels with Fried Eggplant Topped with Fresh Tomatoes and Ricotto Paired with I Custodi Etna Rosso

Sources, resources and further reading

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

A Côtes du Rhône from Franck Balthazar and a deconstructed pairing #Winophiles

Sep 18, 2020

At long last, we have a reprise from the 114 degree days. It is time to again venture outside and perhaps in the evenings, as the stars begin to dot the sky, don a sweater. It is time to dig back into red wines in a different way. A Côtes du Rhône is the perfect way to ease into this season.

The French Winophiles (#Winophiles) are throwing a wide net this month with a venture into the Côtes du Rhône. Led by Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, we will explore these wines. You can read her preview post here.

Scroll to the bottom for the pieces written by my colleagues on the subject and for details on how you can join us to talk about your favorite Côtes du Rhône on Saturday, September 19th at 8 am PDT

The Rhône Valley

The Rhône Valley sits between the Massif Central and the Alps, which long ago was flooded by the Mediterranean. The Greeks brought grapes to the region in the 4^th century BC and gradually wine-growing spread north.

In the 14^th century, the papacy moved from Rome to Avignon. Vineyards in abundance popped up in the region. In fact, Châteauneuf de Pape was the summer residence of the Pope.

The Rhône river became a means of shipping and the “Côste du Rhône” on the right bank, became famous for its wines. Later in the mid-19^th century, it became the Côtes du Rhône and extended to include the left bank.

As you can see, this is a really old wine region.

The Côtes du Rhône AOC

Paysage du Cotes du Rhone / Cotes du Rhone landscape| Photo © Christophe Grilhé courtesy Inter Rhône

The Côtes du Rhône AOC stretches from Vienne in the north to Avignon in the south taking in some 171 communes over an area of 30,000 hectares. Over such a distance and space you can expect some variety. Within this overarching AOC, you will find many small appellations. But today we focus on the Côtes du Rhône.

Domaine Franck Balthazar

The wine that we enjoyed is from Domaine Franck Balthazar.

This Domaine goes back to 1931 when it was founded by Franck’s grandfather Casmir. Franck’s father René took over in 1950 and eventually moved to bottling their wines in the late 1970s or early 80s. Franck took over in 2002 when the Domaine had just 2 hectares of vines, ½ of which were 100-year-old vines in Chaillot, and the other ½ 50-year-old vines in Mazard.

Franck Balthazar

2018 Côtes du Rhône

This wine is made in a traditional (old school) manner and Franck Balthazar is a purist. The vineyard these grapes come from 3 hectares close to Vinsobres, an AOC on the Aigues River. They plough with a horse and do whole cluster native yeast ferments in concrete.

The wines are aged in 600 liters demi-muids and are bottled unfiltered.

The blend is 75% Syrah and 25% Grenache, 14.1% abv.

Imported by Savio Soares Selections, I picked this bottle up at my favorite local wine bar/shop Garagiste, for $23.

What to pair with a Côtes du Rhône?

Classic pairing for a Côtes du Rhône is Daube, a Southern Rhone stew. Michael is not a lover of stew, so we decided to deconstruct this.

A Daube typically is a stew cooked in wine in a daubière which is a deep casserole dish or a Dutch oven. You would cook the bacon first, then sear your meat, which is cubed. Then you cook up onions, shallots, garlic, carrots, maybe parsnips or potatoes, add a little brandy, put the meat back in, and dump in a bottle of red wine. Top it with a bouquet garni (herbs like thyme, and rosemary), cover, and cook in the oven for a few hours.

Our deconstructed version included bacon-wrapped fillets, roast carrots with thyme and rosemary, potato cakes, and a red wine sauce for the steaks. All the ingredients, just in a different order.

Deconstructed daube to pair with a Côtes du Rhône

How was the wine? How did it pair?

This is a medium-bodied wine with a pretty big nose. I got volcanic rocks (have you ever smelled a lava rock that has been sitting in the sun?), roasted meat, cigar box, allspice, dried herbs, berry bramble, and a little smoke (think smoke from meat roasting on a grill). In my mouth, again I first found tobacco leaf, then currant, blackberry, and black cherry, dark juicy fruit. While the wine was dry, I sensed a little brown sugar.

There was good acid and tannins that coated my teeth. This was tasty and well balanced. It is young and I bet it will age nicely, but it’s joyful enough now, that you shouldn’t wait.

I did use half a cup of this wine to make my red wine sauce and the steak with the wine was a highlight. My potato cakes might have gone better if they had a bit more fat in them, but I drizzled some more of the red wine sauce on them and that made them perfect. If you like stew, by all means, try the daube, it would be delicious. Really any red meat dish that is grilled or roasted, braised or stewed, would be delicious.

Côtes du Rhône from Franck Balthazar with bacon wrapped filet, roasted carrots and potato cake.

The French Winophiles

I can’t wait to hear about the rest of the adventures that my fellow #Winophiles wine writers tackled! We will be gathering on Twitter on Saturday Morning September 19^th at 8 am PDT to discuss Côtes du Rhône wines. You can join in by following and using #Winophiles. Read on to hear more about the Côtes du Rhône!

A Côtes du Rhône Tasting by Payal of Keep the Peas
All the Colors of Côtes du Rhône with Famille Perrin by Nicole of Somm’s Table
A Trio of Côtes du Rhône Pairings by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
A Window Into The Côtes du Rhône Through Maison M. Chapoutier by Avvinare
Back on the Rhône Again by Christy Majors
Beef Tongue Stew with a Côtes du Rhône Gigondas by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
Côtes du Rhône and Clearwater Camping: Charcuterie in God’s Country from Terri of Our Good Life
Côtes du Rhône: Essential French Wines by Jill at L’Occassion
Lamb Meatballs Paired with Côtes du Rhône by Jane at Always Ravenous
Linda shares Leaning Savory with a 2016 Alain Jaume Côtes du Rhône from My Full Wine Glass
Rhône Roam for Viognier and Syrah by Gwendolyn at Wine Predator
Rhône Wine with Brisket by David at Cooking Chat
Turkey Does the Côtes du Rhône from Andrea with The Quirky Cork
What the Heck is Côtes du Rhône Villages? by Wining with Mel

Resources & sources

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Wine Travel

Nebbiolo

Terre di Bacco 2017 Langhe DOC Nebbiolo

Pairing Nebbiolo

Bacon and Butternut Squash Pasta

The writers at #ItalianFWT

Sources and Resources

More on Wines from Italy with Crushed Grape Chronicles

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Bacon and Butternut Pasta

Bacon and butternut pasta

30 minutes, feeds 6

Ingredients:

Instructions

How did the Bacon and Butternut pasta pair with the Terre di Bacco Langhe 2017 Nebbiolo?

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Prosecco

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG

“Heroic” Viticulture

Out of the Vineyard into the Winery

The styles

Valdo Prosecco Superiore DOCG – Cuvee 1926 – Extra Dry

Mongarda Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut

Bianca Vigna Sui Lieviti Spumante Brut Nature 2019

Our Venetian inspired pairings

Baccalà mantecato

Pear, Walnut, Radicchio Salad

Pea and Bacon Risotto

How did they pair?

Sources & Resources

More on Prosecco from Crushed Grape Chronicles

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Beginnings and Endings

Terre di Bacco

Terre di Bacco Prosecco DOC Treviso

Terre di Bacco Prosecco Paired with Chinese Long-Life noodles with stir-fried vegetables

Dessert Pairing – Hungarian Nut Cake with Caramelized Apples and Crème Anglaise

Endings and Beginnings

Want to find some?

Sources and Resources

For more on Prosecco

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Prosecco

The Prosecco DOC region

Glera the grape of Prosecco

Types of Prosecco

Spumante Style

The Martinotti method of winemaking for Prosecco

Val d’Oca – History and the future

Sustainability at Val d’Oca

Val d’Oca Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry

More Prosecco to come!

#ItalianFWT

Sources & Resources

More on Prosecco on Crushed Grape Chronicles

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How Sweet wines began in Bordeaux

The Grapes of Sweet Bordeaux

Botrytis Cinerea

The regions in Bordeaux for Sweet Wines

Styles of sweet wines in Bordeaux

Pairings from opposite sides of the globe

Asian inspired lunch of Thai Pumpkin Soup

and

Spring Onion & Ginger Cod with Fried Noodles

Asian cuisine pairing with the Sweet Bordeaux

The French lunch – Gratin de butternut a la d’Auvergne & Carmelized Fennel Salad

The French pairing with the Sweet Bordeaux

Yes, of course, there was dessert!

The French #Winophiles

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Vineyard

Wines

‘the social’ range