by whitney on January 2, 2010
I had a great year. There is no denying that. Mostly due to a spectacular summer in Los Angeles followed by an even more spectacular solo journey through Italy. Also known as “the trip of my dreams.” In keeping with the obligatory New Year’s blog post of something along the lines of Best Wines of the Year, My Top Ten Bottles of 2009, etc. I thought I would take a look back at some of my favorite drinking experiences as seen through the lens of my Blackberry’s handy little camera. It is, dare I say, a Brunello Behind the Scenes. Perhaps, True Hollywood Story: Brunellos Having Too Much Fun. Maybe even True Life: I’m ubriaca. I shall end there, lest I get carried away.
But, to further clarify, I say favorite experiences and not favorite drink or wine or bottle because sometimes the best glass of wine has not so much to do with what is in the glass but everything outside of it. It is the company, the laughs, the stories told, the favorite neighborhood bar, old friends reuniting, new friends being made, impromptu guitar solos and heavenly pasta dinners. The level of enjoyment of the wine and of the moment fuse together, simultaneously enhancing the other. So, without further ado…
The magical mojito from the Bazaar in Los Angeles. Followed by one of the more interesting dining experiences I've ever had. Proof of artistic expression and innovation on a plate and in a glass.
The staple of my summer at my favorite bar seat in town, Pizzeria Mozza. This was a Bastianich refosco rose from Friuli.
Plastic cups and lambrusco. I know how to make it classy. In the first days of my trip in Italy with one of my best friends. We were starving and had our aperitivo hour furnished by a campsite grocery. It was cheap, delicious and entirely satisfying.
A not at all unusual lunchtime spread while working the harvest at De Conciliis. That day was the pinot noir battle in which we raided Bruno's cellar for 3 different pinots: one from Italy (1998 La Palazzola), one from France (2005 Domaine d l'Arlot) and one from Oregon (2006 Drouhin). Italy won! And we were not at all biased, of course.
A Saturday night lamb bbq at my boss Bruno's home where we proceeded to open up 8 different fantastic Italian wines (and way too much grappa). At the end of it all, he stuck his knife in the neck of the winner (we liked having competitions, if you couldn't tell.) A 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo from Bartolo Mascarello.
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by whitney on October 31, 2009
The Medici family not only makes great wine, but fantastic Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia as well. This is balsamic classified as being made in the traditional method by a consortium in Emilia Romagna (there is also the famous Aceto Balsamico di Modena nearby.)
I thought I knew a bit about balsamic, but I didn’t really. Not until I could physically see the process. So, this is the breakdown of the process in a sort of “Dummies Guide to Balsamic Making”. Because I am, by no means, an expert:
- Take must (freshly pressed grape juice, basically) from the winemaking process. In this case, Lambrusco juice. Cook over an open flame for about 24 hours.
- Put in the barrels you see above. Wait. Wait some more. Until 1st fermentation occurs, turning the must into wine. This can take up to a year…these barrels are open to oxygen and can’t be temperature controlled.
- The “wine” is then moved to a series of smaller barrels up in the attic above, called an acetaia. The barrels, 5 in this case in descending size, can vary in wood type or be the same. The wood in the Medici Ermete acetaia ranged from cherry, oak, juniper, apple to chestnut and a few others. Each wood lending a different quality and aroma and taste.
- Wait some more. Now, the waiting gets longer. Acetic oxidation or fermentation must now take place. The liquid is moved from bigger barrels to smaller barrels as the amount of liquid is reduced due to evaporation.
- Wait again. For like 12 to 15 years minimum. You might have children in this time, your children may even have children. You get the point. There is balsamic still aging that started before Alberto was born some 45-50 years ago. It is for family consumption only I am told. Damn.
- Bottle it. 12 years and up is sold as “tradizionale”. 25 years and up is “extra vecchio.” Medici Ermete makes: Red label 18 years, Silver label 25 years, Gold label 30 years. And that gold label….it is beyond amazingly good.
by whitney on October 31, 2009
The Medici Ermete cellar is a masterpiece of modern technology and equipment. It is massive in size and houses huge tanks, millions of bottles for shipping, filtrations systems, an in house laboratory and a bottling and labeling machines bigger than most cellars. They are producing several million bottles a year; a number that I can’t even comprehend after spending most of my time with producers that usually make 30,000-300,000 bottles.
The Medici family has been producing wine (mainly lambrusco) in Reggio Emilia for over 100 years. This is a family business through and through and one with a lot of history. Alberto Medici, the fourth generation, is now “running the show.” We left the bright, clean, modern world behind and ventured out to the Tenuta Rampata vinyeard a few kilometers away which grows their prized (see note below) lambrusco salamino varietal. This property has a completely different presence and energy than the cellar. Alberto unlocked the door to a veritable museum of winemaking for me. Alberto’s father has preserved the tools that remain from his family’s property and has also become quite the collector of artifacts from auctions and estate sales.
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