Italy – Page 2 – Deep Red Cellar

Where the “Bufala” Roam…

Recently, my family and I visited Paestum, Italy, known for it’s ancient Greek ruins. The ruins, with structures similar to the Parthenon in Athens, are fascinating because they are in impeccable condition.

I have to be honest though…I didn’t go to Paestum to gaze upon the ancient rubble. I went to gaze upon a mozzarella farm and to see where the world famous “Mozzarella di Bufala” (mozzarella of buffalo) is produced. After all, the origin of the water buffalo comes from Paestum.

Let me take a quick moment to mention our lovely lodging. We stayed at Il Cannito. An exclusive, intimate complex with contemporary rooms equipped with amenities such as original art pieces, heated floors, and hydro-sonic/hydro-massage tubs (such a treat!). The food is prepared with passion and the wines carefully selected. All of this plus a private and picturesque setting in the hills of Capaccio.

Now, onto the star of the show….mozzarella. The origin of the word mozzarella comes from the Italian word “mozzare” meaning to cut off. Only seven provinces in Italy produce this world famous product and their all located in the South-Central area of the country.

We toured Tenuta Vannulo, founded in 1988 and located on 200 hectares of expansive farmland. The farm is innovative with it’s use of new technology while respecting old time tradition. In 1996, Tenuta Vannulo started organic farming and became certified by the ICEA (the Italian Association for Organic Farming). This farm promotes sustainable agriculture and is the only organic buffalo farm in Italy. Tenuta Vannulo has approximately 600 buffalo of which, 300 are adults. One buffalo cost roughly $4,000 and weighs a little over 1,300 pounds!

Hands down, my favorite part of the tour was visiting these mighty beasts, close relatives to the Indian and North American buffaloes. Although enormous, they seemed rather tranquil and friendly. I think it had something to do with the fact that these fellas are pampered as if vacationing in Sedona. Music is pumped in, massage brushes are available on demand, and plenty of space to roam helps them feel content. While I was there, I noticed one particular buffalo use the massage brush for the best head massage I’ve seen. These guys deserve it though, they get milked three times a day. That may seem like a lot of work to us, but they were lined up at the milking machine as if it were a 5 star restaurant. I think the fact that they get a private feed bucket while in there may have had something to do with it.

At Tenuta Vannulo, the process is fairly quick and simple as is the case at most farms. Milk is collected at 4am daily, curdled then drained to eliminate the whey. The curd is put into a mill to be ground into chunks then set in a mold, immersed in hot water and stirred until it’s rubbery. After this, the cheese-maker kneads the cheese and when it becomes shiny and smooth, pulls a piece off and forms a ball by hand. Once the ball is formed it is put into a cold water brine. The end product is a fresh, porcelain white cheese with a thin rind and delicate flavor. When cut, fresh mozzarella oozes a watery, milky fluid and smells of milk enzymes. If you’re lucky, you can taste it when it’s so fresh, it is still slightly warm and squeaks when you eat it. I have to tell you, after this foodie experience, I am clearly second guessing my upcoming move away from Bella Italia!

*Some information gathered from: www.vannulo.it and www.mozzarelladibufala.org

Wine Pairing Lunches

The list of why I love Italy is long and has consistently expanded since I moved here in 2007. Near the top of my list, is the wine pairing lunches offered at many wineries. Most of the time, a meal with wine is pleasantly inexpensive. That is not necessarily the case at these feasts, however, but they serve their best. The meticulous attention of pairing wine with well thought-out, exquisite dishes is magical.

Recently, I enjoyed this experience at Feudi di San Gregorio and Mastroberardino. Both were lovely but I would have to say, I preferred my experience at Feudi di San Gregorio best.

Mastraoberardino offered a small tour of their wine cellar followed by lunch at their restaurant, Morabianca (a scenic 30 minute drive from the winery). The restaurant is part of Mastroberardino’s Radici Resort which was built approximately 2 years ago. The resort is nestled in the Taurasi DOCG region and surrounded by vineyards. In addition to the restaurant, there is also a hotel with stylish, modern rooms, and believe it or not, a golf course which is a novelty for the hills of Campania.

Morabianca offers regional cuisine with careful preparation and attentive service. My handsome date (i.e. my husband) and I were served 3 beautiful wines during the 7 course meal – yes, an amazing 7 courses. As you can imagine, we were quite full walking away from this adventure. After lunch, our waiter graciously showed us a couple of the rooms as well as a glimpse of the grounds.

Feudi di San Gregorio also offered a tour of their facilities, built in 2000 by a Japanese architect, and is the picture of modernism at it’s finest. The restaurant, Marenna, promotes Slow Food and is very chic with a state-of-the-art, glassed in kitchen. Views from the kitchen and restaurant are open to the vineyards. It is evident that this ambiance inspires the menu preparation as well as delights the guests. The food planning is conscientious and announces itself with impecable presentation. I embarked on this adventure with my husband and friends. There is nothing better than sharing such experiences with those you wish to hold in your memories. Upon savoring 5 courses with 5 flawlessly paired wines, we all agreed, it was quite possibly the best meal we’ve had in the Campania region. By the way, we were not just poured glasses of wine during our meal. Once our glasses were filled, the bottle was placed at our table for the remainder of the meal. This did not go unnoticed – especially by my husband.

After enjoying an afternoon of gastronomic indulgences, we were full and completely satisfied but just had to inquire as to what the chef’s were working on in the kitchen. Throughout the meal, we observed the chefs in their prestine, glass cube taking turns stirring something in a large pot. When we inquired into what could possibly merit such time and care, we were told it was risotto with truffles and goat cheese. As full as we were, we couldn’t help but oblige when asked if we’d like to try some. Although the chef was preplexed as to why we wanted risotto after our dessert, he gave each of us generous portions to taste. In my opinion, it may well have been the best dish I ate….although that is hard to tell since I would easily request any of the dishes as my last meal.

I walked away probably a little too full, but full of some of the best wine and food I’ve had during my time in Italy and that is exactly why it’s earned a place at the top of my list!

*Wines from Mastroberardino & Feudi di San Gregorio can be acquired through: WineAccess.com or my “Snooth” search window.

Feudi di San Gregorio: Feudi di San Gregorio.com
Mastroberardino: Mastroberardino.com

Boots And Brunello In Montalcino

Most people know the Italians are good at making leather products and wine (among other things) so it stands to reason that when my family and I took a trip to Montalcino, those two things were on my mind.

Montalcino is located in the Val d’Orcia portion of Tuscany about 29 miles from Sienna. Settled during the Etruscan times, it was named after the “holm oak” which used to cover it’s terrain. Montalcino was known for it’s tanneries and high quality leather goods before it fell on hard times. It’s economic boost was enhanced due to the production of Brunello di Montalcino, the long-aging, luscious, red wine made from “Sangiovese Grosso” grapes. Brunello di Montalcino was the first wine to be designated as DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). Today, there are over 200 producers of Brunello di Montalcino (aka “the little brown one” in reference to the color of the grape). In addition, Montalcino also produces Rosso di Montalcino and many lovely Super Tuscans among other wines.

I discovered while doing my research that there are clones of the Sangiovese grape which make up the different types of wine (i.e Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti, Nobile di Montepulciano, etc.). To be honest, I could not find a definitive answer as to exactly how many clones are in existence. I read anywhere from a whopping 650 “presumed” clones, to about 100 or so nationally recognized clones, to as little as 12 types of strains. Regardless of the type of clone, Sangiovese is characteristically known as a quality grape that has the ability to age at least 10 years.

It was incredibly cold as I walked through this beautiful, little town – amazed at the number of Enotecas that lined the streets. I couldn’t help but be excited at the thought of 1,000’s upons 1,000’s of bottles of wine surrounding me! I stopped in two shops (below is Enoteca di Piazza), was given generous tastings at both, and piled the car with cases of wine.

Hungry from the shopping extravaganza, my family and I headed to “Taverna del Grappolo Blu.” A restaurant which came highly recommended from several reading sources as well as my tour guide from “Banfi.” This is a cozy niche run by Luciano and Maria Pia. It’s tucked in a small alley and offers authentic, rustic food. I ordered “Pinci al Ragu di Carne,” a house specialty made of a meat sauce and hand-rolled pasta. The “Pinci” looked sort of like a cross between spaetzle and thick spaghetti. To say it was delicious is an understatement. It tasted so warm and comforting after a day out in the cold. After the extensive Brunello tasting earlier in the day, Rosso di Montalcino was the perfect choice to accompany this meal.

All trips I take are for different reasons but this particular trip had a purpose – to buy regional wines that stood out and begged to come home with me. That was easy to accomplish. And if you’re wondering about the boots…that was also easy to accomplish. As a matter of fact, even my husband purchased some fashion-forward models.

NOTES:

-Wines from Montalcino can be purchased from my affiliates: WineAccess.com, Wine Messenger and Snooth

-Taverna dei Grappolo Blu, Scale di Via Moglio 1, Montalcino, IT +39 0577847150

Wines Of Italy

To write about the wines of Italy, is almost like attempting to write about the creation of the world. It could, quite possibly, take my lifetime and I still wouldn’t be done, nor would I know everything there is to know. So, I thought sifting through the designations might be a good place to start.

There are 19 wine regions in Italy and upwards of 1,000 different grape varieties. In some areas, the countryside is boundless in graceful vineyards spreading as far as the eye can see. Many people are familiar with varieties such as Chianti (the good and the bad), Amarone, Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello di Montalcino. Or, if you’re a wine drinker from the 70’s, wine in a straw cloaked jug. But there are many, many lesser known varieties. Some are not even open to exportation and only known in their local area. Since living in Italy, I’ve also become familiar with landlord wine which can range in taste anywhere from a dirty, wet sock to a lightly refreshing, frizzy summer pick-me-up. Believe me……..I’ve had both.

The wines in Italy are designated much like the wines of France. Specific regulations are followed in order to be named in a designation. These designations can help land you a good bottle; however, they don’t always guarantee a good one. As a matter of fact, surprisingly, many wines with lesser designations are just as good, if not better, as some of the ones with the more controlled regulations.

There are 4 basic designations for the wines of Italy: Vino da Tavola (VdT) – Table Wine, Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) – typical geographic location, Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) – denomination of controlled origin, and Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita (DOCG) – guaranteed denomination of controlled origin.

VdT is wine classified as table wine but that’s about it. It can be made of any grape(s), grown in any area of Italy and is often sold as bulk or blending wine. Many of the house wines in restaurants are of this designation. Although they don’t carry an illustrious designation, some of these wines are the perfect compliment to casual, al fresco dining in a scenic, little village. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, as some “Super Tuscans” are classified as VdT (more on Super Tuscans later).

IGT is wine classified as having been grown in the appropriate geographic location but other than that, no specific regulation is required. These wines encompass a large playing field and can be some of the best. In Italy, they are plentiful in enotecas, restaurants, and grocery stores.

DOC is wine classified as having followed the appropriate guidelines for growing region, varietal, production formula, and aging. Wines that fall under this designation go through rigorous tasting from a committee for every production year before they can be certified. Many of these wines are excellent; however, when you see this designation, it does not necessarily assure exceptional wine.

DOCG specifies the same as the DOC but, as mentioned above, the “G” stands for “garantita” (or guaranteed). This designation is usually set aside for the more historic wines like Brunello di Montalcino, Barbaresco, Chianti, etc. and is considered more strictly regulated.

In upcoming posts, I will travel through specific regions and wines (there’s a great white wine I want to tell you about). If you desire an in-depth look into the designations or any other wise counsel on the wines of Italy, I suggest Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy . This book is chock-full of information and has been invaluable to me as I’ve trekked through the different regions of Italy.

In the meantime, may I suggest going to your favorite wine store, and picking up a bottle of Italian wine. Whether you find a VdT, IGT, or DOC, I hope you have fun exploring.

Sources: Joseph Bastianich & David Lynch, Vino Italiano. The Regional Wines Of Italy, (New York, New York, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2002); Robert M. Parker, Jr., Parker’s Wine Buyer’s Guide, 7th Edition, (New York, New York, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2008); Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson, The World Atlas Of Wine, (London, England, Octopus Publishing Group, 2007)

photo by Joe Overstreet

Insalata Caprese

It was 1992 and I made my maiden trip to Naples, Italy to visit my husband when I stumbled on “Insalata Caprese.” What – this is a salad? Who knew there could be variations.

As a child, I was used to salads consisting of that pale green and yellowish stuff called iceberg with maybe some carrots, radishes, a few tomatoes and trans fat laden bottled dressing. I had no idea something so fresh and yet so simple could be so good. That first bite of mozzarella di bufala was almost an outer body experience. It was like nothing I had ever tasted and just seemed to smoothly run down my throat. The contrast of the sweet, fresh, tomatoes that the Campania region is famous for along with sprigs of fresh basil, olive oil and the perfect amount of salt was what has kept me on the quest for more.

Fast forward to 2007 when I found myself moving to Naples and ecstatic at the prospect of tasting all the wonderful food (and wine 🙂 ) Italy has to offer.

Of course, I returned to the quest for more caprese and found that there are even slight variations on this salad…..some come with oregano instead of basil, some with a squeeze of fresh lemon, some chunk the tomatoes and mozzarella, and some slice them. The key ingredients – tomatoes and mozzarella di bufala – remain the same.

So, after living here for almost two years, I not only have my favorite way of making “Insalata Caprese,” I can actually tell the difference between good mozzarella di bufala and bad. Now, before I get the Italians mad at me, let me clarify. By bad, I don’t actually mean it is indigestible, I mean, it is not my preference. Because what I’ve also learned from living here is that many people have different opinions about what makes good mozzarella di bufala. Some prefer it slightly firm, some think salt destroys it, some only buy it from the town they live in or even more specific, from the same vendor they’ve been buying it from for years (because so-and-so’s brother owns the caseficio).

I can’t say I’m much different because I have tried almost all the shops that sell it in my town and can even tell who makes it slightly firm, with little or no salt, etc. Now, many Italians would probably think I’m crazy (although admire me for sticking to my personal quest for the best) but I don’t buy my mozzarella from any of the shops in my town. Instead, I drive to a nearby town and buy mine from a local Caseficio which, in my opinion, produces the most perfectly balanced, melt-in-your-mouth, mozzarella di bufala I have ever tasted. Add the freshest tomatoes, ripped (not cut) basil, enough salt to compensate for the exquisitely sweet tomatoes, top quality extra virgin olive oil and that, my friend, is what the love of food is all about! My quest has come to a very happy end!

Recipe: Insalata Caprese

2 servings

1 large ball mozzarella di bufala

8 cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 large leaves basil

extra virgin olive oil

kosher or sea salt

Cut mozzarella in half then each half into 4 pieces. Place on a serving dish with the tomatoes. Rip fresh basil over the insalata and drizzle extra virgin olive oil on every piece of mozzarella and tomato. Sprinkle salt to taste making sure you generously sprinkle on the tomatoes if they are sweet. Serve immediately.