VINO IN VILLA-XV!! INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO SUPERIORE

Vini in degustazione-A region of fine arts

Enjoying Prosecco Superiore in the magnificent setting of the ancient Castello di San Salvatore

Story and photo gallery by Dwight Casimere


SUSEGANA-TREVISO, Italu--The ancient castle and surrounding grounds at Castello di San Salvatore is a candidate to become a UNESCO World Geritage Site. a look out of the massive windows of the splendid castle over the vineyard clad hills gives you an idea of what the early classical painters saw as they created their masterpieces. It is a glimpse into a gloried history. Taking in the iew while enjoying a sip of the latest vintage of Prosecco Superiore makes it an even more heady experience, because you are not only taking in the vistas that inspired such artists as the great Cima and his contemporary poets and writers, you are also imbibing the culminating masterpiece of the current artistry of the winemakers present at Vino in Villa to pour their latest vintages for hundreds of enthusiastic patrons who came from across the region and around the world.

I was privileged to be on of the scores of international journalists invited to this year's celebration, which included tutored tastings of Prosecco Superiore, attended to by a cadre of highly skilled Sommeliers and a spectacular Food Showm featuring specialties form local producers in the Gastronomic Garden.

Prosecco Superiore is Italy's leading sparkling wine. It is quickly gaining acceptance and popularity in the United States and globally. Consumer acceptance has quickly catapulted it becoming a leading contender to Champagne, the popular and historic sparkling wine from France. Affordability, easy drinkability and high quality have made it an easy contender in the widening field of global wine competition. There are many pretenders to the throne of Prosecco Superiore, but few can match the real thing. There certainly is no headier experience that drinking it in the company of  more than 60 of its creators in the splendid setting of the Castello di San Salvatore.

Prosecco Superiore is made primarily from the Glera grape, which is native to the area. Although each of the wines poured at the tasting is created from this grape and vinified in much the same way by each producer, its amazing how differently each of the wines tastes based on the production methods and skill of the winemakers and the varying soil and climate exposures experienced by the grapes as they mature. Its fascinating to take the flavor journey from a bone dry Brut, to the most aromatic and naturally sweet, fruit forward Extra Dry. I not only had the opportunity to meet the winemakers personally and hear first hand their explanations of how they went about creating their wines, but I was also able to contemplate them in the solitude of a private tasting room attended to by knowledgable Sommeliers, who carefully explained each vintage in a progressive tasting of styles and flavor profiles. It was an enlightening and life-changing experience.

I will share some of my reflections from my tasting notes :

Adami Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry "Dei Casel"- $22. Dei Casel is the venerable nickname for the Adami family. Their winery is located high in the hills above the town of Conegliano. From their steep aviary of a winery, they produce some of the most notable sparkling wines I tasted during my tour of the area. I had the Dei Casel at the winery in a private tasting with the winemaker, and again in the writer's "salle" at the Vino In Villa event at the castle. I was blown away both times! The wine is bursting with zesty, youthful fruit flavors. Yet, it has a bright sophistication that puts it in the league of more serious (and much more expensive) sparklers.

1. Prosecco Superiore Dei Casel is a soft, foamy wine with apple mousse, lemon zest and soft layers of peach cobbler. The wine is delicate, elegant and fine. A perfect example of the effects of the local terroir, with its clay and calcerous soil and steep hillside exposure to intense amounts of sun and the cooling effects of maritime breezes at night. This wine scores 90 points and above among most rating bodies. And no wonder. It's terrific with summertime salads, an assortment of soft cheese, or just on its own as an aperitif. Once you start drinking it, you can't get enough and at $22, you can afford to indulge the addiction. 

Bisol Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut "Jeio"-$17. The first thing that hits you, after taking in the light straw yellow color is the nose. It's all fresh ripe tropical fruit,  perfumed white acacia flowers flowers and a crisp elegance that literally defines the word "brut." This is one where you can really show off your skill at making cocktail party canapes for your next summer soiree. Go all out with the fancy stuff. Break out the caviar and the really expensive Nova Scotia. With the price tag at well under 20 bucks, you can afford to splurge!

Villa Sandi Brut Millesimato 2013-$13. Villa Sandi is one of the largest producers in the Veneto. Don't let that be a deterrent to savoring one of the most approachable and enjoyable proseccos of the current vintage. It's light, pleasant and easy to drink, as a prosecco should be. Millesimato Brut gives a clear definition of why so many people are turning to prosecco and making it one of the most popular wines in the U.S. A bright, clean flavor and a nose with hints of banana and pineapple give it a bit of complexity, but just enough to keep it light and fun!

 Here now are the sights and scenes from Vino In Villa.

 Dwight Casimere with Armando Adami, winemaker and co-owner with brother, of Adami wines
Below; the historic hillside vineyards of Adami in Conegliano

 Dwight Casimere with Giancarlo Polegato, owner, Villa Sandoi

Below: various scenes of the Palladium-style estaste of Villa Sandi and Locanda Sandi, the restaurant

Prosecco Superiore is ideal for spring and summer

Spring is time to celebrate Prosecco Superiore in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene in Italy

Story and photo gallery by Dwight Casimere

Dwight Casimere with Consorzio Director Giancarlo Vettorello

The steep hillside vineyards of Conegliano

With Silvia Baratta (c), public relations for the Consorzio and a fellow international journalist

Vineyards of Glera grapes, from which Prosecco Superiore is made

Sunrise over the hillside vineyards of Conegliano

CONEGLIANO, Italy--The hills are alive with vibrant colors and the intense aromas of blossoming flowers. The steep hillside vineyards, with their bright-green tones and the sinuous valleys outlined by rows of vines are the birthplace of one of the most popular sparkling wines in Italy, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore.  The name may be hard to remember, but the distinctive flavor, aroma and creamy effervescence of the wine is hard to forget. Standing on a terrace overlooking the steep hillside vineyards and sipping a glass of the tantalizing bubbly, its hard to imagine that prosecco is only now coming into its own, yet the territory from which it comes is extremely old and the sparkling wine that is now gaining so much traction in the among consumers,  is the result of centuries of human endeavor.

The Noble B's; Brunello, Barbaresco and Barolo, strut their stuff at Zachy's City Winery Event, New York

The Wide World of Wine: Italy's Noble B's: Brunello, Barbaresco and Barolo

by Dwight Casimere


Everyone knows Italy's Chiani wine, made from it most famous indigenous grape, Sangiovese, in Tuscany. Not as many are familiar with the great and noble "B's"; Brunello,  Barbaresco and Barolo, which are similarly terrific Italian red wines, which have their own specific greatness and following among wine aficionados.

Brunello is among the most coveted and expensive of Italian wines. It is extracted from a particular strain of the indigenous Sangiovese grape, Brunello di Montalcino, which is made from a particular strain of the Sangiovese grape, which is specific to the regi(hence the name, Brunello, "little brown one"). The wines are very complex, with rich black and red fruit flavors, complex aromas and velvety tannins. They benefit a great deal from cellar aging, but most people who love Brunello, like that sort of wild, fruit forward, highly tannin "rush" they get from first tasting. It's a wine lover's high that is rarely experienced with other varietals!

The new crop of Brunello, Barbaresco and Barolo wines have just been shipped and are available everywhere in the US. Check your local wine shop for the newest releases.

This was the kind of tasting "rush" experienced by several hundred connoisseurs at the US introduction tasting hosted by James Suckling and Zachys Vice President of Marketing, Andrew NcMurray at City Winery in New York's SoHo. The unique environment, which combines the elements of a wine bar, on site wine making, cellar storage,  restaurant and a music venue, made for a heady experience that enveloped all of the senses.

All of the great names were there: Banfi, Casanova di Neri,  Marchesi di Frescobaldi, Fontanafredda. These are but a few of the historic estates creating great wines that are now available. The remarkable thing about these great wines is that the majority of them are well below the $100 mark, most in the $40 range, which makes them an incredible value when you consider the flavor and aging potential. The wines are just reaching stores in your local community, many with sale pricing through the end of the month. It's a fantastic opportunity to stock up on some terrific Italian reds that will provide drinking pleasure now and for many years to come!.

James Suckling with Andrew McMurray, Vice President of Marketing.



Barolo and Barbaresco are both from the Piedmont region (the top left part of the "boot" of Italy), and both are made from the Nebbiolo grape, but they are named after the districts they hail from. Barolo and Barbaresco have wonderful, distinctive aromas of tar, roses, licorice and truffles. Barolo has a reputation for being more massively tannic and rich, while Barbarescos are more graceful and approachable, but there are many variations of styles out there. (There is one more Piedmont "B," and that's Barbera, which is the name of both the grape and the wine. Barberas are kind of the opposite of Barolos and Barbarescos; they're light and crisp, with lower tannins, and they drink well young.)

Brunello, on the other hand, is made from a particular strain of a different grape (Sangiovese) in a different part of Italy (Tuscany, near the center). The best versions of Brunello have luscious, bold, rich black and red fruit flavors. Decanting and aging is good for Brunello, when you give it a chance to express its complex aromas and velvety tannins.

Here's a peek at my tasting notes of some of my favorites:

Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 2009 $65 (introductory sale price $52). This is an elegant, approachable wine that makes the normally overpowering Brunello a softer, pleasurable experience. The wine opens up with its bright fruit flavors and soft tanins, creating a blanket of fruit flavors on the back of the tongue. Its very drinkable now and will make a terrific wine for al fresco dining with a rack of lamb on the grill or a rosemary and garlic basted strip steak roasted over embering coals.

Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino 2007 $44.99 (introductory sale price $39.99). This was one of the real bargains of the new releases. If you love the taste of fresh plums , combined with the unusual combination of lemon rind and hints of brioche or pie crust with a lovely, velvety finish, this is the wine for you. It's an unusually soft and elegant presentation for a normally aggressive red wine. This is a wine that truly reveals the creative hand of the winemaker. Ripe cheeses, artisinal hams and salumis with a side of olives are the best way to appreciate this wine. A hearty meal would overpower the sheer pleasure of drinking a well-balanced wine, made with extreme care.

Marchesi de Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2009 $74 (introductory sale price $54).  The Frescobaldi family has been making fine wine since the days of the Medici's, yet they continue to rewrite the history books. The wines all come from the greatest vineyards in Tuscany, and it shows. The 2009 is rich and full-bodied with a polished texture and long finish. This is among the highest rated wines in the batch and it deserves the recognition and accolades it has received.

 Antonio D'Ambrosio, Empson USA with Lisini Brunello di Montelcino 2009

 Sabine Lodahl, Castiglion Del Bosco, , Campo del Drago

 Robert Spierer of Perelson Weiner LLP

 Luciano Castiello, Castello Banfi Ambassador and Joe Janish, Director of Public Relations, Banfi

Galen Crippin. Export Manager USA at Marchesi de Frescobaldi.

 Candace Ma'te' of Mate Montalcino

Wine of the Week-Grgich Hills Napa Valley 2011 Chardonnay $42

A half century of superior winemaking by "The King of Chardonnay"


Rutherford, Napa Valley,CA--At 91 years old, Miljenko "Mike" Grgich is not only the Napa Valley's most senior winemaking, he is its most celebrated. After  founding Grgich Hills winery, he was inducted into the Culinary Institute of America's Vintner's Hall of Fame at the same time that he was celebrating his 50th vintage of winemaking in the Napa Valley. 

Grgich's legacy is firmly cemented in winemaking history. He is the winemaker behind
the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that bested several French white Burgundy wines in the wine tasting event that became known as the Judgement of Paris. That single triumph forever put Napa Valley and California wine on the map. The impact of that event still resonates today.

Fortunately for the wine-loving world, Mike Grgich is still producing great wine, specifically, his marvelous Chardonnay. Grgich Hills 2011 Chardonnay is distinctive for its elegant, full-bodied character, which displays the very best qualities of a California Chardonnay. The aroma of fresh-picked Golden Delicious apples envelopes you as the taste of tropical fruit, pineapple, mango and a hint of tangerine lingers on the tongue. A bright, crisp acidity and careful aging in new French oak makes it a perfect accompaniment for seafood Bouillabaise, creamy Lobster Bisque, fresh pheasant or free range chicken roasted with fresh morrell mushroom or pillow soft raviolis in a white truffle sauce. The wine also has enough body to stand up to fresh lamb with rosemary, drizzled with lemon and olive oil and slow-cooked over dying embers on the grill. This is your special summertime wine for dinner out in the garden with flickering Tiki tamps, the buzz of fireflies near the tulips and the moon rising high above.

Mike Grgich is still at the winery in Rutherford and will be happy to greet you and pour you a glass of his Paris Tasting Commemorative Chardonnay 2011, which is only available at the winery.

His legacy is secure in the person of Violet Grgich, his daughter, who is the winery's Vice President of Sales and Marketing. A graduate of UC Davis, Violet's passion for wine developed at an early age, spending her summers at the winery, accompanying her famous father in the vineyards and the cellar. As the global ambassador for Grgich Hills, she conveys the sunny enthusiasm and passion that  comes through with every sip of Grgich Hills Chardonnay. Violet, like her father, believes that wine brings people together and that wine is the centerpiece of a long, healthy and happy life. Her golden smile, as she sips a glass of Chardonnay is confirmation enough!

Violet Grgich with Dwight Casimere at  Mike Grgich's 90th Birthday Celebration Tasting

 Participants in the 90th Birthday vertical tasting of Mike Grgich's Chardonnays starting from his first vintage in  1977.

 With Tom Matthews, Executive Editor, Wine Spectator, sponsor of the event

 Mike Grgich at home in his vineyard in Napa Valley