Mandolin Wines: The Character of California's Central Coast in a Bottle

Mandolin 2012 Pinot Noir Monterey $12

Mandolin 2012 Chardonnay Monterey $10

by Dwight Casimere

MONTEREY, CA---There is an oft heard criticism that good quality California wines are difficult to find below the $20 mark. Mandolin wines from Monterey County explode that myth by delivering a superb 2012 Pinot Noir and a luscious 2012 Chardonnay for $12 and $10, respectively.

Mandolin 2012 Pinot Noir Monterey ($12) is made from grapes sources from vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County. This is no shrinking violent Pinot Noir, but one brimming with lush fruit flavors of ripe raspberries,  cherries and a hint of nutmeg and allspice. Cedar shavings and a hint of saddle leather round out the experience as the wine slides down the back of the throat. Aged in French oak for 8 months before bottling, this wine, at $12, delivers a taste experience you would have to pay many times more for from other vintners. A terrific food wine, I tried it with Steak tartare; freshly ground Sirloin with capers, worcestershire,  dry mustard, finely diced shallots or red onions with a fresh quail egg dolloped on top. Serve with toast points or dark rye and you've got the perfect flavor pairing.

Mandolin 2012 Chardonnay Monterey ($10) is also sourced from vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The area, with its high winds, dry days and cool, foggy nights and mornings, makes for a long growing season and produces grapes dripping with honeyed fruit flavor. The grapes were harvested under ideal conditions, with the resulting juice having a perfect balance of acid and sugar. After undergoing malo-lactic fermentation, the wine was aged in 1-2 year old French oak barrels to reveal a wine bursting with tropical fruit flavors of pineapple and mango and hints of Meyer lemon and nicely integrated hints of oak, in the flavor of Tahitian vanilla and a hint of nutmeg.  This is a terrific wine with salads, mild, soft cheese, such as goat cheese or Feta and seafood. I had it with a cold shrimp appetizer with avocado and lime dressing and a lunch entree of Skate wing, sauteed in brown butter and olive oil with capers, lemon juice a dash of tarragon and finished with a splash of the wine for a dramatic flambe' finish. It was exquisite!

                                 

Signorello Wines of Napa Valley Break Away From Pack with Flavorful, Value-Priced Wines

New brands have broader economic appeal

by Dwight Casimere

NAPA VALLEY, CA--Ray Signorello is a different kind of winemaker. Instead of focusing all of his attention on the high-end estate bottled wines that have won him critical acclaim and countless awards, he is charting new territory with a cadre of value-priced wines that deliver the undeniable quality and flavor that he is known for, while appealing to the more value conscious consumer.

"For most of my career at our 30 year old estate, "I have focused on producing wines from our 100-acre estate that are dedicated to excellence.  We know that despite our full time dedication to producing these wines, we know their price points make them inaccessible to some."

Enter the new Signorello wines TRIM ($12.99), EDGE($21.99), and FUSE ($25.99); brands that are produced with the same oversight, care, and the exceptional estate-grown grapes as their heralded Cabernet Sauvignon ($90) and Hope's Cuvee Chardonnay ($70).

"Backbone" and "spine" are two words that wine critics often use to describe Ray Signorello's wines. There's yet another word that he likes to use in describing his wines, and that's drinkability. "We're not trying to build a blockbuster wine. Our wines have grip and tannin and are age-worthy yet, our wines don't overpower things. They go well with food."

That's precisely where we find his Trim, Edge and Focus wines. They are terrific tasting wines that have body and structure, yet they go well with a whole range of foods and recipes.

Let's start with TRIM ($12.99), a wine that best represents the Signorello approach. "At TRIM wines, we strive to make a Cabernet Sauvignon using only the best fruit in California. The goal is to make a wine with concentrated fruit flavors and good acid balance." There's  no compromise in quality, even though the wine is nearly a tenth of what their flagship Cabernet costs. The TRIM 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is well-crafted. It shows that the winemaking team threw their heart and soul into it. Blended with Merlot, it has layers of ripe strawberries, raspberries, wet stone and a hint of pipe tobacco,sassafras and baking spice on the palate. "This is wine that can easily age for another six years," Signorello says proudly. That's not a quality you'd find everyday in a wine that costs less than $20. I made my signature Louisiana gumbo and served it with this wine. The pairing was an absolute hit!

EDGE 2011 ($21.99) is a bit more complex with a pronounced flavor of dark fruit;  blueberry jam, coca cola and hints of black pepper.The wine has a long finish that makes it perfect "barbeque wine" or a great wine for pizza night. "The wine is drinakable now, with its blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah, but it will improve in the bottle for another 5-7 years. " The wine is aged a minimum of 15 months in French and American oak.  Again, you won't find that quality in many wines that cost just over $20 a bottle.

FUSE 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($29.99) was my personal favorite of all of the wines and, to my thinking, the most versatile. Bright red strawberries dominated the palate with a touch of white pepper and well-integrated tannins. Like the EDGE wine, its a blend of predominantly Cabernet with Merlot, Syrah and a hint of Malbec thrown into the mix, which gives the wine a distinctive deep purple color that is so indicative of the Malbec grape. It's just enough of a difference in blending to tip the flavor balance. The wine has an extremely long finish and will give you good cause to go to the nearest butcher and order his or her best Prime Aged Porterhouse Steak.  Ray Signorello explains why this wine is so exceptional. "The FUSE is sourced from premier Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot vineyards in the Napa Valley. Our production program follows traditional French winemaking practices with techniques included the use of cold soaking and extended maceration (23-32 days). Prior to bottling, the wine is aged.

 FUSE gets its name because this modern Napa Valley Cabernet blend will ignite your mouth!

 Winemaker and owner Ray Signorello in his aging cellar

Winemaker and Vineyard Manager Pierre Birebent
Below: Signorello Estate in Napa Valley

One of the creations of Executive Chef Britny Sundi

Wine of The Week: Uncensored Red ($12) by Geyser Peak of Sonoma County

A winemaking pioneer breaks the boundaries of tradition with a bold, but balanced  wine

by Dwight Casimere

GEYSERVILLE, CA.-- Geyser Peak is one of Sonoma County's pioneering wineries, but its newest offering, Uncensored Red ($12) breaks all bounds of tradition. It's a bold expression that pushes the bounds of tradition; blending noble grapes with non-traditional varieties to create a completely unorthodox yet pleasurable wine experience.

Uncensored Red 2011 is a blend of Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Petit Verdot and Zinfandel. Intensity is the watchword for this wine, with its lush flavors of tart pomegranate, succulent blackberries and hints of dark chocolate. Fruit flavors literally brim forth and drip from the corners of your mouth, yet, there's an elegant balance that makes it an ideal companion for food pairing. Wood-fired pizza. blackened steak or chicken, a bowl of ripe Mediterranean olives or ripe, aged cheese are the first things that come to mind. Try it with Osso Bucco or grandma's meat loaf recipe. Of course, Baby back ribs pulled piping hot off the grill or a Kobe burger, crunchy seared on the outside and oozing pink on the inside with a healthy dollop of Maytag Bleu on top served on a pretzel roll with crispy garlic fries is yet another option. The winery only made 20,000 cases, so a wine this complex at a price just over $10 a bottle is hard to beat. Better to get a case now that its readily available than to be sorry later when its all gone!

Do-It-Yourself Valentine's Dinner For Two from Gambero Rosso, Rome

 The "City of Love" shows how to prepare a romantic dinner for two at home for Valentine's Day

Story and photos by Dwight Casimere

ROME---Gambero Rosso (the Red Shrimp), the prestigious culinary institute in Rome and the location which houses both the cooking school and Italy's version of The Food Network, was the site of an unusual cooking class and participatory demonstration. As part of the Roam Around Rome Educational Tour organized and sponsored by Promoroma, the Special Agency of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome, our group experienced a "hands on" introduction to true Roman cuisine at Citta del Gusto at Gambero Rosso for a cooking show in which we were the stars. What resulted was a terrific idea for preparing a romantic dinner for two at home for Valentine's Day.

Roman Cuisine: The True Roman Tradition was the subject of the night and the dinner that was to be prepared. Our team of professional chefs guided us through each step of preparation for the night's meal, which would consist of Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, homemade spaghetti prepared in a creamy sauce consisting of pork cheek bacon (guonciole), fresh whipped eggs, grated Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground pepper as the first course and Salti In Bocca Alla Romana (jumps in your mouth), a flavorful construction of  thinly sliced Veal round steak, Italian ham,  and sage leaves dredged in flour and sauteed in a combination of unsalted butter, olive oil with a splash of dry white wine for a dramatic flaming finish.

The experience of cooking the meal in the stainless steel kitchen setting of the famed Gambero Rosso, under the guidance of celebrity chefs, combined with the thrill of eating a fabulous meal which you created yourself, was a heady one. Combined with the flavors of crisp,  local wines, it was a sensation that will be long remembered.

Italian sparkling wines are among the best and most value priced on the market today and the wine regions around Rome produce some of the best. Contadi Castaldi sparking Rose from Franciacorta is the sparkler of choice at Gambero Rosso. You can find it at discriminating wine shops in your area and it only costs around $20. A few sips during the cooking process and a hearty toast once the meal is completed will make this a Valentine's Day to remember!

Here are the recipes from Gambero Rosso in Rome:

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

Ingredients
1 lb. freshly made spaghetti
1/4 lb fresh pork cheek bacon (guanciole) or Pancetta (Boar's Head, Citterio, Columbus or La Quercia are brands that are readily available, particularly at Trader Joe's. Look in the gourmet cheese section)
4 fresh eggs
4 Tbs grated Pecorino Romano cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
Cut the bacon into tiny strips if not already sliced and cook slowly in a saute pan until crispy, preserving the hot residual oil for later use in the recipe

Beat the eggs in a bowl along with with grated cheese and black pepper
Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water. Drain the pasta, but reserve some of the cooking liquid for later use in creating the "sauce"
Put the pasta in the sautee pan with the crispy bacon and a bit of the reserved cooking fat. Cook the pasta and oil mixture until creamy, stirring constantly over a low flame, adding a bit of the pasta cooking water to soften

Remove the pasta from the heat and pour the spaghetti into the bowl with the egg, cheese and pepper mixture. Mix well until pasta is coated with the creamy mixture. Add additional cheese and pepper to taste and eat quickly while still warm with a hearty swig of sparkling wine! Buon Appetito!

                                                

                                     

SALTI IN BOCCA ALLA ROMANA

Ingredients:
1 lb Veal Round Steak, thinly sliced and lightly pounded
1/4 thin sliced Italian ham (Prosciutto)
unsalted butter
extra virgin olive oil
flour
fresh sage leaves
freshly ground Sea Salt

Tenderize veal cutlets with a mallet
Lay a slice of prosciutto and a leaf of sage on top of each piece of veal and weave a skewer or toothpick in and out of each cutlet to secure the ham and sage
Place flour on a platter and dredge bottom side of the veal in flour. Shake off excess flour
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, flat skillet over a medium flame. Place veal in the pan, ham side down, and cook for 3 minutes, just to crisp it up. Flip the veal over and saute' on the other side for 2 minutes, until golden.
Remove veal from the pan and place it on a warm plate. Deglaze the pan with the white wine over a medium flame and season lightly with the sea salt. (You can get fancy and flame the pan with the warm wine for dramatic effect!)
Continue to deglaze the pan, stirring the wine and pan juices to make a nice sauce.
Pour the sauce immediately over the veal cutlets and garnish the plate with extra sage leaves and serve with a sparkling wine toast!

About Contadi Castaldi Sparkling Rose' ($20)

It's a bold, modern and intriguing blend of Chardonnay (65%) and Pinot Nero (35%)  with a bright pink color and full-bodied taste of raspberries and strawberries and the distinct aroma of crushed red rose petals. Perfect for Valentine's Day!

Terenzi Morellino di Scansano wine of Tuscany honored with Tre Bicchieri award

Morellino di Scansano Madrechiesa Riserva 2010, a wine jewel from Tuscany

NEW YORK--Federico Terenzi was in a joyous mood as he entered the Michelin-starred dining room of A Voce restaurant, Columbus Circle in midtown Manhattan. The previous day, he had been recognized for his skill at winemaking with the Tre Bicchieri award from Gambero Rosso, the famed culinary institute in Rome, for his Morellino di Scansano Madrechiesa Riserva 2010 wine from Tuscany at the Grand Tasting at New York's  Metropolitan Pavilion. In recognition of the honored guest, the Maitre d' seated him at the best seat in the house, facing the sweeping panorama of Columbus Circle and Central Park and the awe-inspiring Midtown skyline.

 Federico Terenzi at the Tre Bicchieri Grand Tasting with his 2010 Morellino di Scansano Madrechiesa

 The winemaker with A Voce Executive Chef Filippo Gozolli

 Taleggio-filled Ravioli from the restaurant's Fashion Week menu

 Federico Terenzi enjoying the wine and food pairing at A Voce
Below: A Voce Columbus Circle Dining Room, gleaming stainless steel see-through kitchen and the restaurant's dramatic view of Columbus Circle and Central Park

Relaxing over a luncheon  plate of Taleggio-filled Ravioli with toasted leeks  from the special Fashion Week menu.Terenzi reflected on the meaning of the Gambero Rosso recognition for the wine from his beloved district, Morellino di Scansano.

"My family has one of the best known wineries in the region of Scansano, which is in the south of Tuscany, so this is a very great honor, not just for us, but also for the entire region. It is especially so for us here in the United States, where it is not so well known as a region. Most people know the wines of Chianti, for example, but little is known about the Morellino di Scansano. So this is a great opportunity for us to become more well known in the United States and for both of us to grow up together.
The DOCG (official government wine quality designation), is new, so this is our chance to make Morellino di Scansano more well known to American consumers."

Although official recognition for Morellino di Scansano is quite new, Terenzi says the winery itself is quite traditional. "We're a very small winery by American standards, only about 150 acres. The nice thing about being small is that we are very open to anyone who wants to come visit us and to see our operation. Every year, we have about 5,000 people who pass through the winery. We have a small guest house to accommodate overnight guests who want to experience the winery in a very personal way. They get to stay with us and see how we work and the care that we use in every process to reach absolute quality in our wine."

Wine tourism, he says, has become a growing part of his business. "It's one of the best ways that people have been getting to know us in the United States. When they come to visit and taste our wines, the first thing they ask is where can they get them at home. Now, with this recognition from Tre Bicchieri, we will become even more well known and develop many more friends in the United States. It helps us to win more followers, not just for my wine, but for the wines of the entire region of Morellino di Scansano."

Tiramisu with espresso mascarpone was the next and final course, bringing our interview to a conclusion. As a celebratory finale, A Voce Sommelier Marco Fusato brought over a complimentary glass of one of the finest wines from the restaurant's vast cellar, 2006 Cicala Barolo, poured from the bottle with the new Coravin 1000 System, which allows restaurants to pour wine by the glass directly from the bottle without pulling the cork.  This allows restaurants to expand their by-the-glass offerings by providing their guests with unique vertical and horizontal wine tastings and pairings. "No air gets into the wine," Fusato explained, "so we can keep this bottle in our cellar for months, even years, just as we do all of our wines, and there's not one change in its quality or taste. This gives our guests unlimited access to our cellar. We can elevate their dining experience by offering them tastes and single glasses of countless wines from our vast cellar without compromising the wine quality or taste. We can offer tastes of  rare wines, such as this  Barolo, that they would otherwise never expect to see sold by the glass ." It was a fitting end to a stellar afternoon.

 A Voce Sommelier Marco Fusato serves a congratulatory glass of 2006  Cicala Barolo using the new Coravin 1000 System, which allows single pours from an unopened bottle, thus preserving the wine

Caffe Vergnano 1882 brings perfect espresso experience to everyday life

 Caffe Vergnano 1882 Expresso capsules bring pleasure of "the perfect expresso"  to the home

by Dwight Casimere


NEW YORK--Connoisseurs of good coffee give it the same respect and attention as lovers of fine wine. With so many international varieties available,coffee, in many ways, is marketed, packaged and sold to consumers in much the same way as quality wine. Aficionados assign to it the same verbal superlatives as sommeliers do when they savor a good wine; discussing the flavor, aroma and body in many of the same descriptive terms. Just as there are wine bars devoted to the imbibing of the noble grape, so have coffee shops and barista bars become commonplace in the urban landscape. We've certainly come a long way since the days when Folger's and a few other household names reigned supreme on grocery store shelves, and what passed for coffee at the local diners and restaurant was little more than overcooked dishwater and swill served from  rusting metal dispensers.

With coffee coming virtually from every corner of the world, the selection currently available is dizzying and confusing. Now comes a relative newcomer to the commercial US market in the person of Caffe Vergnano 1882. The venerable Italian coffee company, with 130 years of experience in roasting and blending the highest quality coffee, and available in 10,000 cafes, restaurants and hotels worldwide, has opened flagship espresso cafes at Eataly, the massive Italian food emporium, in New York's midtown Flatiron District and in Chicago's Gold Coast off the Magnificent Mile.

Presiding over the opening of Caffe Vergnano espresso bar, held last month at Eataly, Manhattan, were Carolina Vergnano, Export Manager and Lead Spokesperson on the Espresso Vergnano 1882 US Campaign, and Damian Burgess, Head of the Caffe Vergnano Coffee Academy and Senior International Training Manager.

Caffee Vergnano at Eataly in New York and Chicago offer a state-of-the-art espresso bar experience with a standing espresso bar and a curated menu of espressi, macchiati and Eataly's housemade pastries. In addition to  making available for sale the complete line of Caffe Vergnano coffee products, new to the US, is the introduction of Caffe Vergnana 1882 Espresso capsules which brings the perfect espresso experience home for the first time. Compatible with Nespresso, Maestria, Essenza, Lattissima, Citiz, U, Pixie, and, of course, Espresso 1882 machines, the passion and pleasure of real espresso is now just a push button away.

Slow roasted, high quality Arabica coffee from Central and South America is the fundamental ingredient to Caffe Vergnano's exceptional espresso. The company's unique production methods and high standards create an espresso of sublimely delicate flavor and smooth aroma which can only be achieved by slow roasting under meticulously controlled conditions. 

The flavor notes of Caffe Vergnano 1882 Espresso Lungo Intenso are roasted hazel nuts, with hints of chocolate. There's a tantalizing back note of sandalwood that makes this a perfect companion to wind down the evening,  

Tasting Caffe Vergnano 1882 Espresso Cremoso is sure to seal the brand's place in the pantheon of great coffee drinking experiences. The chestnut brown color and appealing aroma provide a hint of the flavor pleasures that await. Black walnuts, a subtle hint of cardamum and a  backnote of fine Maduro combine with the lingering taste of dark chocolate to make this the perfect ending to a sumptuous meal.

Besides the intense flavor pleasures of Caffee Vergnano 1882, there's the added benefit that it is surprisingly low in caffeine compared to other types of espresso, making it a perfect way to end the day!


Just a note about the long and illustrious history of Caffe Vergnano. It was founded in a village grocer's shop in Chieri, a tiny town at the foot of the Turin hills in northwestern Italy in 1882. Caffe Vergnano has since grown to become the "pride of the Piemonte" with a 145,000 square foot plant in Turin, Italy and more than 80 products available around the globe.  Caffe Vergnano is a true Italian success story that has defied recent downward economic trends. 

Tasting Caffe Vergnano Espresso Cremoso and Lungo Intenso in the new capsules proves why their coffees are such a phenomenal success. Caffe Vergnano Espresso capsules reinterpret coffee tradition in a uniquely contemporary way. They offer coffee lovers everywhere the opportunity to have the true Italian espresso experience in an uncompromising way, at home.


                                        

Carolina Vergnano (above) and Damian Burgess (below) at the helm at the New York Eataly Caffe Vergnano opening 

Below: Damian Burgess and Carolina Vergnano at the Caffe Vergnano Chicago opening

                                       

Above: Damian Burgess leads a class at the International Training Center

Below: Dimitri Dervisis competes in the Best Barista 2013 competition sponsored by Caffe Vargnano

Winners of the Best Barista competition in 2013