A Southern Barbera

We all know and love the Barbera varietal, and we also know that The Roman Wine Company loves to seek out "out of the ordinary" wines. Now, you're probably thinking, what is so out of the ordinary about Barbera? When someone hands you a glass of a a Piedmont grown and vinified Barbera, you would think nothing of it. Unless it is exceptional. Ciabrelli took Barbera out of its native home in northern Italy, brought it down south to Campania and planted it on their vineyard in Castelvenere. The results were quite pleasing. The lovely film on the side of the glass indicates a very "present" wine, no dripping back down, no "legs". The reflection was a deep red distinct inkiness. It emits a refreshing peppermint scent, with a tinge of spiciness. The nose softens a bit as the wine is left to decant (in the glass). In the mouth, there is an initial "hotness" that is true to its peppermint nose. As an added treat, the bottle has a curious looking nobleman on the label. The wine went exceptionally well with fresh chicken breast rolled with ham, cheese, and sage over a bed of roasted potatoes, garlic, and rosemary. We would suggest that it be drunk with chicken or pork dishes that aren't particularly heavy, because it needs to be given the opportunity to "hold its own" on you palate. The best part about this wine is its price, €9.60! We suggest that you grab a few bottles while supplies last.

Primitivo vs. Zinfandel

My colleague was nice enough to pick me up a bottle of some fine Californian Zinfandel (In Italy Zinfandel is known as Primitivo) on his last trip to the US. I regret not appreciating wine more before I left the US. Californian wines are expensive to begin with, and if you do happen to find them in Italy then they cost twice as much as they do in the US. Plus, due to what is available in Italy it does not make much sense to buy a US wine. That said, I really enjoyed This one was St Francis Winery's Old Vines Zinfandel.

Zinfandel has supposedly been genetically proven to be the long lost American cousin of the Italian Primitivo Varietal, a grape native to the Apulia region of Southern Italy. Just because I like to do things like this, I went out an bought an Italian Primitivo so I could do some comparing. I grabbed a bottle of Soloperto Primitivo di Manduria DOC off the shelf and brought both wines home to decant. It is fair to say that the Italian Primitivo, being from 1997, might have been at a bit of an advantage, but I put them both to the test. The wines were really similar in consistency. Both were peppery and fruity, and went very well with pan-seared steak and oven roasted potatoes. The Zinfandel was sweeter and stronger, and the Primitivo was more acidic. Both were very good and I will certainly be drinking them again.

I recently watched the documentary Mondovino. It was a little slow and boring, but it had some interesting comparisons of the new school and old school wine industry. The director would go back and forth between little old peasant winemakers and younger "wine-consultants" decked out in Armani suits and driving around in expensive cars. Of course, I agree with the idea that quality is lost on all things mass-produced, but at the same time we cannot deny that technology has helped the winemaking industry enormously. Multi-billionaire wine producer Robert Mondavi was portrayed as the evil American plotter set out to "Cocacola-ize" wine. He was of course helped by the even more evil enologist Michel Rolland and the famous American wine critic Robert Parker. The director did a good job of pointing out how the world may be in danger of fat cats set out to create un-unlikeable sweet vanilla oaky wines because of the sinister collaboration between these 3 individuals. One buys up land, 1 "makes" the wine, and the other writes favorably about it, knowing that the combination of these actions is bound to generate billions in sales. It was funny how a small French town resisted Mondavi's billion dollar takeover of their land to preserve their wine-making traditions.

Sicilian Invasion

I tend to be biased when it comes to Sicilian wines. I am almost certain that I am going to like them even before I try them, therefore, I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt over wines from other regions.

Cantina Rinascita

Don't be put off by the tacky label, the Nero d'Avola Cabernet bi-varietal is an excellent, plummy, juicy thick wine with barely an acidic aftertaste. Drink it to cut down on your heartiest dish.

Cusumano

Definitely one of the more popular wine producers in Sicily at the moment. Sagana' (Nero d'Avola) and Noa' are two excellent wines. Both of these wines got a "3 glass" rating from Gambero Rosso (the highest classification from a very trusted Italian wine guide). Being that these wines are very tasty, I would try them with heavy dishes should as roasted meats and hearty pasta dishes. Or, if you're a purest, on their own.

Sallier de la Tour Winery

Sempre Siciliano. The Cabernet was everything one could want, spicy, fruity and smooth (but not too smooth where something is lost) on its way down. I bought their higher end wine to do a comparison, but since I was so satisfied with the Cabernet, I am saving the good one for a special occasion. The "Sallier de la Tour" is made from Cabernet, Merlot, Nero d'Avola, and Syrah.

Welcome to The RWC Blog

With this new blog we hope to add our contribution to the established online community devoted to Italian wine. You will find reviews of the wines we stock (and some that we don't), pairing tips, recipes, and just about anything that has to do with Italian wine. We also plan on using the blog as a way of archiving our past emails and newsletters, and to announce specials and promottions.

Comments are of course encouraged.

A presto (See you soon),

Brendan & John
The Roman Wine Company