Italian Wine and Food

                 

Steeped in Italian Wine and Food, Le Marche region encompasses a territory that rises gently from the beaches of the Adriatic, towards the rolling hills of the Esino valleys, to reach as far as the mountains where history and culture, quality wines and food have created a land built on simple human endeavour. To live among these hills is a pleasure, an honour and a privilege.  

Italian Wine and Food of Le Marche Regione  

Simple phrases often heard in the piazzas after the Sunday church service are the quest for slower pace of life, healthier tastes and smells. A return to traditional products of the Marchigiana region, a stoppage of time and the daily race against time, relief from the stress that we build up in our lives are mentioned.

Amongst the verdant hills of Verdicchio,Rosso Piceno and Rosso Conero country it comes naturally to stop every now and again, to take back a bit of our lives, to enjoy the light and heat of summer. The grapes growing along the neat rows in the vineyards are getting plumper every day. Once again, you might feel the promise of being able to raise a glass of wine in the company of friends.

For the first time, may be you can taste the new red, the new white wine vintages and offer a special spumante wine to clients and friends. For the spumante wine is not new but is reviving and that’s a pleasant surprise; to taste a Spumante made exclusively from Verdicchio grapes to those made from carefully selected and researched grape blends is a treat not to miss.

In Le Marche you’ll find bottles of bubbly produced by the Metodo Classico as well as by the Charmat Method. You’ll find reds, whites and rosé. Le Marche is a land of Sangiovese, Montipulciano, Verdicchio, Rosso Piceno and Rosso Conero winegrowers and are producing some truly splendid wines and champagnes.

Le Marcie wine-makers are focusing more and more on exports and are regular features in supermarkets around the globe. But take some time whilst touring around Le Marche and call in to the many cantina, that perhaps do not advertise vulgar bill boards for wine tasting but nevertheless encourage and are proud to tell the history of the wine and let you taste their produce with maybe some home made farmhouse cheese or salami. 

And, I am happy to report Le Marche wines are meeting with increasingly positive reactions on International markets, both for the high level of quality achieved as well as for the good price/quality ratio.

 The awards earned by our producers who have competed in international contests serve to further encourage their commitment to reach even higher pinnacles of excellence. The figures emerging from 2011 and the early months of 2012 are very positive. In the next post I will provide details of cultural tours and/or food and wine tours here in our region.

About the Author

Maxine Ford is a wine expert from Le Marche Central Italy. She lives with husband Francesco and son Michele in San Severino Marche in the province of Macerata, Le Marche.  Prolific writer on all things wine and is a regular contributer to Wine Tasting, Vino Marche and Tasting Italian Wine and Wine Tasting Tips.  She also runs an Italian Real Estate Agency in Le Marche.

The Super Tuscans

Super Tuscans Wine Region

Tuscany is now identified by its largest and most prestigious wine regions such as Brunello di Montalcino, Bolgheri Sassicaia, and Chanti Classico. All of those selections and some base wine varieties  as Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, the so-called Super Tuscans that are reconised today and represent an elite group of world-class quality wines. The Super Tuscans

History of Super Tuscans

In the late sixties and seventies wine producers in Toscana/Tuscany started experimenting with non-ingenious French grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah which seemed to thrive in the Tuscan sun and soli achieving amazing results.   It was impossible to classify these wines within the DOC and DOCG rules and therefore producers were forced to classified these wines as Table Wine Vino da Tavola.   Now the Super Tuscans are DOC and DOCQ wines with world wine recognition for quality.  It was the English speaking trade that coined the phrased “Super Tuscans” and are usually known by their single name like the first in 1968 called Sassicaia (seen in the image above) by wine producer Bolgheri or followed in 1970 by Tignanello from  Antinori .  Nowadays every reputable wine producer has a Super Tuscan which represents the gem and the pinnacle of his production.

Super Tuscans are the supreme expressions of quality and skill of the wine producer and his oenologist.  The wine can be made with any grape variety, blended with others or produced pure.  The prices tend to be high due to strict and time consuming methods of production, namely harsh pruning to give low yields, lon and cool maturation to release the tannin which gives the intensity of colour and body .  The wines are matured in oak barriques and age well.  Prices are high but can double or triple in time.

Bolgheri and Antinori have been the trend setters for Super Tuscans but others have also followed.  Here’s a list of the most significant ones with the wine producer first and then the name of the Super Tuscan.

Significant Super Tuscans

Antinori – Tignanello

Made under the appellation Chianti Classico DOCQ rules is made from 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc and was one of the original super Tuscan.  Produced by Antinori wine Italian wine makers since 1385 and 26 generations later.  Tignanello  from Val di Pesa in the province of Florence is a ruby red in colour, dry, little tannin, elegante and balanced wine.  Best at 18 – 22 degrees and can be served with grilled meat, wild game dishes, mature and spicy cheeses.

Avignonesi – Toro Desiderio

Merlot is a blended grape wine Grapes 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Deep ruby red colour, with inviting aromas of undergrowth, redcurrants and blackberries, spiced with hints of mint and sage.  A lush, long-lasting full-bodied wine with elegant tannins and fresh acidity. Alcohol content is 14.5%.  Ageing 24 months in new French barriques and refinement in bottles for at least  6 months . Serving temperature is 18 degrades.

Badia di Coltibuono – Sangioveto.  

‘San Zoveto’ which later became ‘Sangioveto’,  was the name ommonly used in the past in Chianti for the Sangiovese varietal. The Sangioveto di Coltibuono was created to honour a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. It is only produced on better vintages. Some of the most noteworthy are: ‘82, ‘85, ‘88, ‘90, ’95, ‘97, 2001 and 2006. Intense, deep red color with light pomegranate glints. Delicate aroma with scents of wild blackberries and pleasant, spicy notes. Balanced, full flavored, with good acidity. Great aging potential. Recommended serving temperature: 64oF (18°C). Serving suggestions: Ribollita (Tuscan bread, bean, and vegetable soup), pheasant, wild game, and stews, aged cheeses and chocolate.

Bolgheri – Sassicaia is a Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine of ruby red colour, intense , rich, vinous, dry and elegantly harmonious with alcohol content of at  least 12 degrees. Produced in the town of Sassicaia in the municipality of Castagneto  it is aged in barrique for  of two years with minimum period of eighteen months.  It is best served at 18 - 20 degrees with well savoured roast meat and wild games dishes.

Others worth tasting are:

• Capezzana- Conti Contini Bonacossi
• Castello Banfi – Summus e Excelsius
• Fattoria di Felsina- Maestro Raro
• Fattoria Montelloni - Salamartano
• Frescobaldi - Mormorello
• Tenuta dell’Ornellaia – Ornellaia
• Rocca delle Macie - Roccata

About the Author - Maxine Ford

Maxine Ford is a wine expert from Le Marche Central Italy. She lives with husband Francesco and son Michele in San Severino Marche in the province of Macerata, Le Marche.  Prolific writer on all things wine and is a regular contributer to Win Tasting

Wine Tasting Tips: Choosing the Right Wine Glass

A good wine yearns to be adored for its looks, its bouquet, and its taste and after taste and therefore, holds so much for the eyes, nose, and mouth.  Tasting is not the same as drinking but follow the tips in this post and your enjoyment will be enhanced. The Right Wine Glass for the Right Wine Professor Claus J. Riedel was the first designer to recognize that the bouquet, taste, balance and finish of wines are affected by the shape of the glass from which they are drunk. Fifty years ago he began his pioneering work to create stemware that would match and complement different wines and spirits. In the late 1950s, Riedel started to produce glasses which at that time were a design revolution. Working with experienced tasters, Riedel discovered that wine enjoyed from his glasses showed more depth and better balance than when served in other glasses. Claus J. Riedel laid the groundwork for stemware which was functional as well as beautiful, and made according to the Bauhaus design principle: form follows function. The Perfect Wine Glass For Wine Tasting He worked with experienced tasters to determine aspects such as: Which sizes brings the appropriate intensity of aromas for different wines Which shapes direct wines to specific parts of the tongue Which shapes and sizes emphasize fruitiness Which shapes and sizes emphasize tannin Which shapes keep Champagne from going flat The whole approach is not about correcting flaws in certain styles of wines, but of achieving balance in bringing out the distinct characteristics of each style of wine. Today, you don't have to buy expensive Riedel glasses to enjoy wine but appreciating some of the principles discovered by Riedel will help you enjoy your wine drinking more. Choosing the Perfect Glass for Your Favourite Wines: Maxine Ford our Wine Tasting expert give basic tips for choosing the perfect Glass for Your Favourite Wines: "1. The Glass: should be thin and clear - this is to appreciate the beauty of wine. Get glasses that are not coloured or decoratively chiseled. 2. The Stem or Stemless Tumblers? - You should drink from a stem glass due to three  reasons: Helps the enjoyment from seeing the colours of the wine as  you swirl it around) Keeps your hands from warming up the wine Keeps body odours away from the bouquet of wine for those with veru acute sense of smell." Typical Wine Glasses for Reds:   The Bowl: Wide - The bigger flavours in reds need to spread out. The wider bowl also lets in more air, which releases bold aromas and flavours. The Opening: Wider - Dip your nose into the wider bowl to get a load of more complex aromas. Tip: When pouring wines, keep the wine level to the lower one-third of the glass. This leaves lots of air and swirl room, both of which enhance the enjoyment of your wines. Heavy reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, should be served in  a big bowl wine glass with a big opening. Medium reds like Pinot Noir and Merlot should be served with a  big bowl that narrows a tinge at the opening. Wine Glasses for Whites: The Bowl: Narrow - The smaller capacity helps keep temperatures cool longer. The Opening: Narrower -The lighter aromas waft well in a narrower glass.  White wines with high acidity like Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and  Chardonnay should be served wuth a  bowl with a little room that narrows slightly at the opening. Medium bodied white wine like Riesling, Pinot Gris, and  Gewurztiminer should be served witht a narrow bowl and a narrow opening. Tip: If you plan to serve several types of wine but don’t want to shell out the cash for several types of glassware, buy the generic tulip-shaped wine glasses. The Washing of Glasses: I recommend always washing your wine glasses in hot water only. Soap can build up inside the glass and affect a wine’s flavours.

Summary

There is no doubt that the shape of a wine glass can play a part in how your senses perceive the wine. All good wine glasses are narrower at the rim than they are at the bowl (the widest part of the glass). This is so that the escaping aromas, the bouquet of the wine, are concentrated through a smaller area, making it easier to smell them as you taste. Also, glasses should have a wine  bowl that you can easily swirl the wine without spilling it.

Minke Oving our wine tasting expert says

"Since the taste buds that register the different tastes are located in different places on our palate, some of the more intricate wine glass styles are designed to direct the wine to the appropriate part of the mouth for tasting that style.

So, do you really need ten to fifteen different wine glasses to be socially acceptable? No, of course not, but there are four basic shapes featured in this post that are good to have in any serious wine consumer's collection."

About the authors

Maxine Ford is a wine expert from Le Marche Central Italy. She lives with husband Francesco and son Michele.  Minke Oving lives in The Netherlands and is a contributor blog writer on various topice including rare wines from Le Marche.