A few weeks before Christmas my husband had the idea to take a ride over to the Langhe to taste some wines.  He had a specific goal:  he wanted to go to the Bottega di Dolcetto di Dogliani the regional enoteca that is snuggled below the Municipio, right next to the splendid Chiesa dei Santi Quirico e Paolo in the heart of the city.

We had been to the enoteca before; it was from there that we visited the wonderful Chionetti winery for the first time in 2005.  Dogliani was actually the center of our property search in  2001 and 2002 before we discovered our hill in the Monferrato.  Contructed in the 12th century, Dogliani lies at the basin of the Barolo Valley.  The nutrients  and minerals that help the Nebbiolo grapes to flourish wash down to provide the perfect conditions for  growing the Dolcetto grape.  Of the eight zones officially designated to produce Dolcetto DOC, Dogliani is one of the top two.  In 2005, Dolcetto Superiore di Dogliani received its DOCG status.  With a minimum of 12.5% alcohol content and a hint of oak (the level depending on the winery) aging, Docetto has moved from a sharp, high tannin, low acid,  quick-to-table wine with a slightly bitter residual flavor to a more rounded, softer wine that can sit in the bottle a few more years before being enjoyed with a variety of dishes typical to the region.

Enzo Romano, who runs the bottega, greeted us and helped Micha find the selection of wines he had been searching for.  The Enoteca Regionale in Dogliani is one of the most organized and best run enoteche in the system.  It has a current selection of all the producers in the appellation and a good breath of different vintages as well.  Enzo helped Micha put together a healthy selection of twelve bottles of Dolcetto, both regular and superiore (wooded), for us to try.  After trying, we notate the bottles we like the best and make appointments to visit those wineries.

An ideal combination of classic Piemontese food and wine might be.  brodo broth made from winter capon  served with boiled vegetables and agnolotti Piemontesi, along side  a 2008 Dogliani Bricco  DOCG from the  Cascina Minella, a vineyard brought to new life in 2002 by Livia and Gianluca Marchisio. I love this wine.  It’s everything a good Dolcetto should be.  It has character and bite without being agressive.  Its 14% alcohol content and fullness of flavor speak of the patience and timing that the Marchisios exercised in picking the correct moment to harvest.

Dolcetto is not an easy wine to get right.  We’ve been experimenting with the wine (from the tasting perspective) for years. To find dolcetto that truly maximizes the grape’s potential requires a producer with excellent soil conditions, the willingness  to dedicate precious, southern exposure territory to a relatively humble wine, a sixth sense of timing regarding the harvest, the ability to stave off  the many diseases this grape can contract and strong cellar knowlege.  In our opinion, the two regions that have a concentration of these types of Dolcetto wineries are most likely to be found in Dogliani and Diano d’Alba.

Of course, there is tremendous enjoyment attached to searching out really spectacular wines from the bunch.  Especially when that search takes you through some of the most bucolic and historic growing regions in Italy.  We look forward to sharing our thoughts on the wines we’ve bought as we try them.

Italy continues to fascinate us and each time I return I find the pull to visit the bel paese only getting stronger. Whenever we are fortunate enough to travel across the border, I spend a lot of time thinking about just what it is that makes Italy so special. Surely we have the food, wine, and history to draw us in and keep us coming back.  And there’s always a new mystery to unravel in each unexplored region. The opportunity to look deeper, for example, at those dazzling Romans with their amphitheaters, grand monuments, and grander ambitions. And what of Tuscany with its few hundred years that changed the face of art and architecture?  Then we’d be forgetting Umbria, with its beautiful hilltop towns, incredible vistas & equally formidable cuisine. In Italy, there always seems to be a “more”.

And then there’s Piedmont.  More to learn, more to discover, and more world-class gastronomy packed into this relatively small corner of the world than seems humanly possible.  Throughout our one-week tour of the region, I felt thoroughly (albeit happily) overwhelmed. Of course there were the wines. Too many to list and too many to really get more than a heady overview of.

We sampled Barberas from Asti, Monferrato, Agliano Terme and from a sprinkling of villages in between. Meals found us opening with spumantes and finishing with desserts served with a splash of Moscato (which almost made me overlook how good the homemade peach gelato was…almost).

There was the half-day trip to Barolo where we managed to get in a little tasting but still really only scratched the surface of this great wine. We ate way beyond our budget, happened upon tours of local sheep-cheese producers and hazelnut farmers, and, after tasting the difference between a cheese aged for two, four, or eight days, I felt a bit depressed that I had ever shopped at a supermarket.

All this to say that, like its chic cousin France, Italy is an absolute feast for the senses.  The first thing that always hits me upon arrival are the colors. We’ve got our fair share of beauty in the south of France mind you, but everything here is a touch more subdued.  This is Provence after all.  We all expect a bit of quiet and relaxation from the land of Cezanne  and Van Gogh. Traveling to Italy is like have the volume turned up on your day. Everything is a bit louder, brighter, more vivid. I notice it the minute I see those multicolored palazzos, red Vespas, and rolling green hills.  Even in the relatively reserved Piedmont, Italy is life in technicolor.

So while I’m dreaming of my next trip, I’ve got over 900 photos snapped in Piedmont to remind me of why we keep coming back to this enigmatic, complex, but forever beautiful country. That, and the ten bottles of wine we hauled over the border, might just help me get through the waiting until the next rendezvous with fair Italia.

Earlier this week, we took our friends/guests Gina and Dennis to visit the Viotti winery.  It was a beautiful, breezy, Indian summer afternoon, the perfect moment to visit a winery in the throes of preparing for the vendemmia.

Guido Viotti, who owns one of the most beautiful 17 hectar wineries in the area, was our gracious host as we walked through the almost- bursting Moscato portion of his vineyard — the grapes were to be harvested the next day.  Bat houses are located throughout the vineyard — a natural way to rid the vines of insects is the utilization of bats.

Guido set up a wonderful degustazione of his Dolcetto, Barbera/Cabernet blend (my personal favorite – a well balanced ration of acid to tannin, deep plum overtones, rich and lush body), Albarossa (a hybrid grape cross of Barbera and Nebbiolo) and his wonderful Brachetto Passito, a dessert wine made from dried and pressed Brachetto grapes. We also tried his newest creation, a Rose made from the Albarossa grape.  Lovely, fruity and crisp.

Guido takes great pride in his wines – and the beautiful labels as well.

Viotti Vini

Strada Moirano, 3

14010 Castel Rocchero

+39 0141 595505

http://www.viottivini.it

Anchovies and Roasted Peppers, A Piemontese Classic

It has been said that Piemonte has the finest cuisine in Europe.  While some may argue this, it is certainly true that Piemontese cuisine utilizes basic, natural ingredients in such a way as to maximize and enhance their natural characteristics, preserve their longevity, and challenges everything you might think you know about Italian cooking.

Take butter.  Butter is used extensively in Piemonte, olive oil to a lesser degree than in many regions. Blame it on our proximity to France.   Oil is often used here as a dressing for salad, or for a final splash on steamed vegetables or boiled meats.  But agnolotti plin, the classic Piemontese ravioli that get their name from the Piemontese word for “pinch”,  are more often than not served with melted butter flavored with whole sage leaves.

Our proximity to the Ligurian coastline has fostered a tradition of using anchovies in so many of the dishes found here.  Bagna Cauda, which consists of hot oil, aromatic with garlic and anchovies, served in a heated bowl with raw vegetables prepared for dipping.

An updated version of Bagna Cauda is often served by simply roasting peppers in hot oil with garlic and anchovies and serving.  Another possibility is to roast the peppers, and fill them with Salsa Verde, a sauce made of parsley, garlic, anchovies and olive oil.

It’s said that Vitello Tonnato, veal with tuna sauce, was formed out of an alliance between Liguria and Piemonte in the 19th century.  Whatever the history, the famous Piemontese Noce di Vitello, shoulder round of veal, is browned and then simmered in a broth of onions, carrots and celery until it is a light pink in the middle.  It’s then sliced paper thin and served with a sauce of tuna that has been creamed with homemade mayonaisse and capers.

The cuisine of Piemonte is multifaceted and superb.  I will be presenting classic dishes as well as interesting twists here from time to time.

Buon Appetito!

]]> http://www.piemontescapes.com/2010/09/03/piemonte-cuisine-101/feed/ 3 http://www.piemontescapes.com/2010/08/31/day-tripping-nizza-monferrato/ http://www.piemontescapes.com/2010/08/31/day-tripping-nizza-monferrato/#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:17:39 +0000 admin http://www.piemontescapes.com/?p=214 A short hop over the hill from Acqui Terme  is the town of Nizza Monferrato.  Well, a small city, really, of about 10,000.  You won’t find much written about Nizza on line, unless it was written by me.  I like Nizza.  It’s a comfortable place to visit.  A lovely shopping zone with arcades, cool shops, nice bistro-type restaurants.

Take interior design. On Via Maestri, there is the wonderful shop Giorgio.  It’s where I get all kinds of trinkets. Giorgio is actually a restoration specialist.  But on Fridays and Saturdays he opens his shop to the public.

Or food.  Right up the street from Giorgio’s shop is the great new bistro, Via Maestra.   I tucked into a plate of Vitello Tonnato and some fresh steamed vegetables.  Six euros.  A steal. And fabulous.

Nizza is really all about Barbera, as I have written before on Slow Travel. To go to Nizza and not visit the Enoteca Regionale would be a shame.  But it easily happens because the opening hours are, at best, inconsistent.  But even if you miss the Enoteca on Via Crova, you will enjoy your day trip in Nizza.  It’s quieter and less primped than Asti or Alba or Acqui Terme, but it’s just right for a relaxed afternoon in the Monferrato.

Piemonte.  The foot of the mountain.  The name alone conjures up images of endless roads that wind you through bucolic hills of Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto vineyards. Ancient villages dot the crests, sparkling like jewels in the setting sun.  Well-tanned faces and sinewy bodies tend the vines, looking up only when a car passes.  A stone house, the grey facade dotted with the red of old bricks, sits sternly along the roadside, a Fiat Panda (the old fashioned kind with its high suspension) waiting in the cortile. The sign at the entrance makes it clear, in Italian only, that one can buy wine and maybe even honey and jam at this Azienda Agricola.  Will you venture in?  Will the owner speak English? You slow down, but drive by, unsure.  Maybe the next one…

The allure of Piedmont.   The food, and invariably the wine.

There are four distinct wine producing regions in Piedmont, but only two of these dominate. The Langhe and the Monferrato - the yin and the yang of Piedmont’s wine country.  One region is not complete without the other, although neither would admit it, ever.

The Langhe, the nobile wine region that encompasses the western portion of Southern Piemonte, is rich – with history, with soil, with family tradition in winemaking that dates back centuries.  The entire feel of the Langhe is one that makes you sit up straight in the seat of your car and take notice. Popping in an opera CD, maybe Verdi, would be in order. Alone the übermanicured vines, which seem almost to defy nature in their geometric perfection, their elegance, and their sheer quantity, take your breath away.  Many of the wineries you pass are clearly well heeled.  Gaja. Pio Cesare. Fontana Fredda. Da Milano.  Whether it’s Barbaresco or Barolo you are interested in, the concentrated wine region with its heart in the city of Alba makes it all very reachable and tactile.  You can have a leisurely lunch at the fabulous Trattoria nelle Vigne in Diano d’Alba and easily make your three o’clock wine tasting at Massolino in Serralunga.

In fact, if you find yourself at the Massolino winery, which is right at the entrance of town, ask Franco if you can take a walk into their stunning vineyard, which literally spills out and down from the ancient fortress.  The winery, a masterpiece that is dug four floors down into solid rock, proudly produces several levels of excellent Barolo, a Chardonnay, as well as selection of Barbera and Dolcetto.

The eleven villages that are licensed by the DOCG to produce Nebbiolo under the Barolo name each have a distinctive character.  It’s impossible, for example, to compare Serralunga d’Alba with Diano d’Alba.  The best Barolo in Serralunga is grown on the Rionda, Parafada or Margheria “vigne” – hills with the best exposure and protection from the elements.  Diano, on the other hand, is licensed to produce Barolo, but instead of capitalizing on this right, most wineries in this town give up their best “vigne” to produce Dolcetto instead.  Diano d’Alba produces some of the smoothest, roundest, highest quality Dolcetto in Piemonte.

But to truly get a feel for Barolo the wine, it is essential to go to the village of Barolo itself.  While it’s not necessarily the most beautiful of the eleven villages, it is the hub that serves to provide the best information about all things relating to Barolo production.  In Castello Falletti, located directly in the center of town, you will find the Enoteca Regionale di Barolo and be able to choose from a wide array of Barolo produced in all of the villages.

Barbaresco, also produced from Nebbiolo grape, is a wine of completely different character from Barolo, just a touch younger, and is created under a separate set of DOCG rules.  The deconsecrated church at the center of Barbaresco serves as the Enoteca Regionale di Barbaresco, the location where you can go and find out information about all of the local producers.   One that comes to mind immediately is Cascina Bruciata, located on the Rio Sordo ridge directly outside of town.  Carlo Balbo always has time for a visit – and will tell you, in the most complete detail and with the greatest of pride, all about the production of his famous Barbaresco Rio Sordo Riserva, the top of the line Barbaresco at this cantina and one of the finest in the region.  One of his best-kept secrets is his Dolcetto d’Alba Vignetto Rio Sordo, so make sure to ask him about it.

And so it is in the Langhe.  There is a common thread that runs through all of the villages here, from Barbaresco to Neive to Verdunno  to Cherasco , but there is a stunning sense of proud individuality as well. Each village has its own story, its own way of being.  This fact alone makes multiple trips to the Langhe inevitable for the wine and food lover who enjoys immersion in excellence.

But now it’s time to change CD’s and drive east to the Monferrato.   How about some Eros Ramazzotti or Zucchero?

You feel it immediately.  The hills are softer, the towns slightly less perfect.  It’s all a bit, well, more relaxed. No more English or German can be heard on the streets – the tourists haven’t really caught on to this place yet, at least not in any kind of density.  The wines here are primarily Barbera d’Asti and Dolcetto – d’Asti, d’Acqui and d’Ovada.  Cortese, the King of Monferrato dry whites, with its premier Gavi di Gavi DOCG version, is reminiscent of a summer afternoon, full of citrus and zingy acids.

Don’t get me wrong.  The vineyard density is just as intense as in the Langhe, and the enveloping beauty of the region is just as seductive.  But that is where all comparisons end.  Langhe is the place you will go if you follow the tourist guides.  The Monferrato is the place you will go if you have finally thrown the tourist guides out the car window.

The Monferrato is the place to come if you want to sense what working wine villages are about.  Take, for example, Nizza Monferrato.  The Monferrato was added to differentiate it from that other Nizza, the one on the Cote d’Azur.  Nizza Monferrato sits about ten kilometers from the border with the Langhe and is surrounded by some of the finest Barbera vineyards in Italy.  The town is decidedly working class with a touch of elegance – the architecture is a smaller scale representation of Torino, with arcades in the shopping district and ornamental balconies of wrought iron.   The town is the annual host to the one of the region’s premier Barbera Festivals, Nizza è Barbera, which takes place in mid-May.   And Nizza Monferrato is, at its heart, indeed Barbera.  The current Barbera tradition has brought the wine into the realm of superior reds, in no small part thanks to the efforts of the world famous Braida Winery in the village of Rocca Tanaro, a few kilometers from town.  In developing soft, full Barbera Superiore, not nearly as acidic as its more carelessly produced predecessors, and aged slowly in “barrique”, or small oak barrels, they have helped set a new standard of thinking about Barbera, moving it to front and center on the international stage. In the beautiful Palazzo Baronale Crova, you will find the Enoteca Regionale di Nizza Monferrato, again, the place to go to sample the full variety of Barbera from the surrounding region.

Asti, the pumping heart of the Monferrato and the home of the oldest Palio in the country (the colorful horse race, which winds its way through center of the city, is held every year in mid-September), is now also a secondary location for Eataly, the food and wine extravaganza with its home base in the city of Torino.  The city, with its proud handcrafted brick architecture, ample shopping zone, indoor and outdoor food markets is only a half hour away from Alba – a new Autostrada, the A33, does a good job of connecting not only the two cities, but the two regions.  The most important Barbera d’Asti festival of the year, the Douja d’Or, is held here every year in the streets of Asti in conjunction with the Palio.

Come further south on the SS456, leaving Asti and Nizza Monferrato behind, and the terrain changes again, becoming even softer and rounder as you approach the foothills of the Apennine that separate Piedmont from the coastal region of Liguria.  Enter the 2000 year old spa city of Acqui Terme and you will find completely different architecture – the colors of the facades have more in common with the Cinque Terre than they do with Asti – and the 75 degree Celcius thermal waters that made this city home to the Romans two millennium ago continue to bubble in the city’s central piazza.  Stop and enjoy a few hours at the spa located in the center of town, along the route that follows the hot sulphur water’s bubbling path, in the Nuovo Terme Grand Hotel.  The small, stunningly beautiful city of 22,000 is bustling with shops and gourmet restaurants, such as the notable I Caffi, considered to be one of Piedmont’s finest and best-kept gourmet secrets.  The famed DOCG dessert wine, Brachetto d’Acqui, with hints of rose and lavender, has its home here.  For a full variety of the wines available in the hills surrounding Acqui Terme, including Dolcetto d’Acqui DOC, be sure to visit the Enoteca Regionale di Acqui Terme.

The Langhe and the Monferrato. So many secrets to tell and so many layers to unfold.  So many wines to try, foods to discover, hills to wander through.  Which wine region is better?  That’s an impossible question to answer – it’s highly subjective, and to even be able to address it, one must spend weeks, months, possibly years discovering what each is truly about.

Come, enjoy, share in one of Italy’s most proud and beautiful corners, and get some answers for yourself.

Flying in to visit the Piemonte wine region is easy.  You can either fly into Milano Malpensa (1.5 hours), Torino (1 hour), Genoa (1 hour), or even Nice, France (2 hours).  Car rentals are less expensive in France, so that might be an incentive to fly into Nice.  The autostrade, or highway system, in Italy is very developed and efficient.  It is also a toll system.  You can pay by credit card or in cash at the toll stops.

Touring in the wine country should be done by car.  The reason I say this is because while the train system in Piemonte is great, you will miss some of the most lovely precious jewels simply because the trains don’t stop in those places.  Having said that, the network of country roads are a pleasure.  They are well maintained and using them will give you the feeling of immersion in the culture.

The Four A’s. Asti, Alba, Alessandria and Acqui Terme.  These are four gorgeous small cities all within about an hour of each other.  Every one of them has an individual flair:  Asti has its sparkling white wine culture and the oldest Palio (in-town horse race) in Italy,  Alba has its white truffles, Alessandria has the world famous Borsalino Hat Factory and Acqui Terme has its spas and thermal waters. Take a day and visit each — and don’t forget to take your time and stop to enjoy the surrounding wine hills along the way.

Wine is King.  Almost every town in the Piemontese wine country has its own Enoteca Regionale - a local spot where wines from that specific area are showcased and sold.  Go and discover the local wine culture and learn about the territory from people who are very passionate about our wines.

From here, you can reach all of Italy.  All roads lead out of Piemonte, or to it, making it the ideal place to either start your Italian holiday or finish it.  Whichever it is, I am sure you will find it difficult to say goodbye.

A breezy summer evening. A winery perched on top of a hill overlooking almost all of the Piemonte wine country.  A walk along the ridge. Romantic tables set to view the sunset. Wonderful hosts. Delicious food. And of course, fabulous wine.

The beautiful Forteto della Luja sits on a hill that divides the Monferrato wine region from the Langhe.  In Piemontese terms, it’s the best of both worlds.  It’s an energy passive World Wildlife Federation Oasis, where horses are used instead of tractors to tend and harvest the grapes.

The Forteto loves to receive visitors and Gianni, Silvia and Christina will treat you like friends.  Taste some of their wonderful wines, enjoy the magical location, and immerse yourself in local culture.  For details, click on the website.

]]> http://www.piemontescapes.com/2010/08/17/paradise-revisited-forteto-delle-luja-winery-dinner/feed/ 3 http://www.piemontescapes.com/2010/08/17/frittata-delle-donne/ http://www.piemontescapes.com/2010/08/17/frittata-delle-donne/#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:08:48 +0000 dianabaur http://piemontescapes.wordpress.com/?p=45 There were two women in my field, picking greens. I approached them, asked them what they were picking.

Just greens for the frittate, they said.

Can you show me some to pick? I asked. I figured it was ok to ask them to share their secrets since they were on my property.

Here, take this bag, one woman said.

What are these greens called? I asked.

Erbe delle donne gentile, she said. Herbs of the nice women.

Pause.

You just made that up, I said.

Laughter.

No, really! That’s what they are called. They make a great fritatta!

Always trust women you meet in fields in Italy.

I went to the outdoor market in Acqui and at my fish monger’s, the Ligurian calamari caught my eye. These calamari are not to be compared with those things you find in cheap restaurants which come directly out of the freezer and go into the deep fryer. These are delicate, tender, small calamari that melt in your mouth.

The recipe is as simple as can be. Four small calamari, cleaned and cut, one chopped peperoncino, two chopped shallots, two slivered garlic cloves, four diced Roma tomatoes and a handful of parsley. Sautè the garlic, shallots and peperoncino in a decent amount of olive oil. With the flame fairly high, add the calamari. Allow this to sautee about 3-4 minutes, stirring. Add the tomatoes. Just allow the calamari to finish cooking and the tomatoes to heat through, and toss the pasta. Add the parsely and another swig of olive oil, as well as a some course sea salt. Toss.