Italy: Terredora di Paolo

by Gary Faust

The wines of Campania are not always on the radar for wine drinkers, but they should be. Wines from this region are distinctive and the best examples focus on varietals indigenous to the area. Great examples can be found in the wines of Terredora di Paolo. They have become a staple at Hi-Time and demonstrate the heights which wines from Southern Italy can achieve. No discussion of wines from Campania is complete without recognizing the important contributions of the Mastroberardino family.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Daniela Mastroberardino to discuss and enjoy the wines of Terredora di Paolo. Chatting over a leisurely lunch, Daniela said Terredora di Paolo focused on rediscovering and restoring Campania’s ancient and native varietals such as Aglianico, Fiano, Greco and Piedrosso. These varietals are key players that have brought about Campania’s wine renaissance and have inspired a qualitative revolution.

Campania is a beautiful region in southern Italy known for its famous cities of Naples and Sorrento, as well as the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri. Nestled inland, the Mastroberardino family’s vineyards have taken these wonderful indigenous grapes and elevated them into wine worthy of seeking out.

The wines exhibit a distinctive personality due to the unique microclimate. The climate is Mediterranean along the coast, but becomes more continental in the interior, especially in the hilly and mountainous area as the altitude increases. The days are sunny, which aids in ripening the grapes while the cool nights help maintain acidity. The altitude, volcanic soil and climate yields wines that are intense yet elegant with complex bouquets.

As we progressed through lunch, it became apparent that the wines of Terredora di Paolo are distinctive, food friendly wines. They definitely paired well with the cuisine of Cucina Enoteca. If you have not dined at their Fashion Island or Irvine Spectrum restaurant, you owe it to yourself to do so. The food is fantastic and very flavorful.

The Fiano di Avellino Campo Re is a white wine that is so versatile, going beautifully with the burrata and prosciutto as well as the grilled octopus. Located on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius near Naples, the vineyard name “Campo Re” means royal vineyard and it’s arguably the most famous single site in Campania for the famed DOCGs of Taurasi and Fiano di Avellino. The Campo Re is a complex and compelling wine.

Next we tried wines made with the Aglianico grape. Aglianico is the primary grape of Southern Italy’s most famous wine region, Taurasi, and hails from the slopes of Mount Vesuvius outside of Naples. Sometimes referred to as the “Barolo of the South,” it is the latest ripening grape variety in Italy and often shows significant structure. Terredora’s Taurasi are great wines with impressive stature and ageability. These wines display a fantastic spicy and smoky volcanic minerality.

The Aglianico Campania IGT proved to be a delicious accompaniment to the meat-based dishes which were served. This is an accessible, crowd-pleasing version of Aglianico, which is not over-extracted and is made to be approachable upon release. It has a terrific sense of place and you really know you are drinking wine from the South of Italy.

The short rib with cremini mushrooms over pappardelle pasta was fantastic with the 2010 Taurasi. This also went well with other bold dishes such as the chef’s ragu over creamy mascarpone polenta and the lamb brasato. This wine could be considered the big brother of the previous wine, showcasing more power, breadth and depth.

The Lacryma Christi is a lesser known wine endowed with power and character. Made of 100% Piedrosso, ancient legend has it that God cried as he found a corner of heaven stolen by Lucifer. His tears fell near the Gulf of Naples and the vines that make comprise Lacryma Christi appeared. This wine had good structure and complexity and also paired well with the meat dishes we enjoyed at Cucina Enoteca.

Daniela Mastroberardino’s passion and commitment are evident and she is a great ambassador for Campania and Southern Italy as a whole. That passion is clearly reflected in the delicious wines she and her family craft. These wines are distinctive, worth seeking out and should definitely be on your radar.

 

TERREDORA 2011 FIANO DI AVELINO "CAMPO RE" $31.95 [302655]
This special single vineyard bottling shows creamy lemon-chiffon fruit with acacia and a mellow citrusy edge, like mandarin orange and bergamot. Elements of honey, nutmeg spice and toasty oak lend this Fiano a depth that reminds us of a fine white Burgundy. There is also plenty of volcanic minerality laced throughout the mid-palate sure to please the terroir hunters and purists.

TERREDORA 2012 AGLIANICO $12.95 [301006]
JAMES SUCKLING 93 POINTS - "A full-bodied red with dried-plum and berry aromas and flavors. Full body, velvety tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Read More...A Taurasi with balance and suppleness. Shows the soul of Campania. Drink now."

TERREDORA DIPAOLO 2010 TAURASI $26.98 [303406]
Intense ruby in color with garnet reflections. The nose is complex with aromas of black cherry, violet, spice, tar, tobacco and mineral notes. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and round with velvety tannins. Black cherry, plum, spice and smoky minerality linger on the long, flavorful finish. This wine will age well and is approachable with decanting.

TERREDORA 2011 LACRYMA CHRISTI ROSSO 100% PIEDROSSO $18.95 [302369]
 100% Piedrosso and planted from ancient vines planted into the sides of dormant volcano Vesuvio it is aged 8 months in French barrels. It has a dark ruby color with a very ripe berry, cherry and liquorice aromas and flavors. Rounded with loads of spicy black pepper character, medium-full bodied with chewy tannins and a long finish. Great pairings would be spicy roast dishes of roast meats, pork, lamb and cheeses.

Carlo Mondavi, Continuum, visits Hi-Time

Big thanks to Carlo Mondavi for stopping by the cellar and tasting us on the soon-to-be-released (next week!) 2013 Continuum... Our California wine buyer Dan Williams says this release was '...hands down one of the best two or three wines I tasted on my recent Napa trip." As he was there for the Premiere Napa Valley auction, he was tasting top shelf wines only. And today? An easy two thumbs up. Don't miss this wine!

Spring Paella Party, Saturday, March 26th

Wine Bar Notes - Tobin Sharp

Though he now has a proper stand to cook on, we could not pass up a chance to showcase Todd's ability to adapt to & overcome any obstacle attempting to keep him from his paella.

This is a good thing as we have a Spring Paella Party at the wine bar tomorrow, Saturday, March 26! We will drink Spanish wines and seize the day. $30, 2-8:30pm.

Next Week at the Wine Bar:
Ten Dollar Tuesday 3/29 - The Wines of Gérard Bertrand. 6-8pm, $10!

Thursday, 3/31 - California Chardonnays!
Spring is here, and we’ll kick it off by tasting some fantastic Chardonnays! What kind, you ask? Well, let’s taste Kistler, Hudson, Rochioli, Patz & Hall, and many more! $25, 4:30-8:30pm.

Wine Bar: This Weekend

Tonight (Thursday, 3/24) at the winebar it's all about 2011 Barolo!  We will taste a fantastic lineup of classic, classy Italian wines... $35, 4:30-8:30 p.m.

Friday night (3/25) we are tasting new releases from France and it will be another excellent night for wine tasting! $25, 4:30-8:30 p.m.

We don't have the lineup yet but Saturday's tasting (Spring Paella Party with Spanish Wines) looks to be another great time at Hi-Time! ($30, 2-8:30 p.m.).

Quick Sips: Produttori Del Barbaresco

by Gary Faust

Gary, alongside our Italian wine buyer Patty Quick, had a chance to try some excellent Italian wines: "Tasting the 2011 single vineyard crus from Produttori Del Barbaresco. All wines Vinified in the same manner, but each has its own personality due to soil, aspect, etc."

Easter Treats at Hi-Time

Of course we have excellent choices for wines (and/or beers, spirits) when it comes to the traditional Easter meal-- from California or Oregon Pinot Noirs to German Rieslings and all points in between, the bases are covered!  And we will be prepared for Passover in April with appropriate kosher wines, as well.

We have another section in the store where we tend to focus on the cheeses and charcuterie--  the Hi-Time Foods Dept. and Chocolatier!  Tracy and her girls have been diligent in setting up their display of special candies and related goodies: from chocolate bunnnies to jelly beans, truffles to cookies & imported treats, come fill your basket at Hi-Time!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We had some specials on Irish whiskey this month (March 2016)-- to check our current list of prices, please follow this link.

Wednesday Wine Workshop March 16th: California Rhone Rangers!

Up for some adventure, some excitement?!?
Wednesday Wine Workshop, Wed. March 16th
California's Rhone Rangers with Dan Williams!

  
What's the difference in flavor and body between Syrah and Petite Sirah? Why is Viognier
the Chardonnay drinker's alternative? Why is Grenache an alternative to Pinot Noir?
Our California Wine Buyer (the guy on the bike!) is going to talk about Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Grenache, Syrah, Petite Sirah and more during this class! He'll focus on wines from Paso Robles and Santa Barbara for this tasting, and since these are some of his favorite varietals, you can bet that he'll pour some fantastic wines! 7-8:30pm, $20.

French Wine - New Releases!

Freshies!  New wines in the French wine category...click on the photograph to get a 'close-up' view.  We will be telling you more about some of these shortly or look for them on our website... cheers!

Winemakers Visit Hi-Time Wine Cellars

Gary Faust reports: Winemakers David Duband from Burgundy and Jean-Louis Dutraive of Domaine de La Grand'Cour from Beaujolais, visited Hi-Time from France (...and lucky for us, they brought some of their wines with them! -ed.).

Classic Cocktails: The Sazerac

Classic Cocktails: Sazerac
by Michael Frank 

Whenever I go to one of those speakeasy type bars, I like to order a Sazerac or two. There's something special about how the bitter green herbaceousness matches with the anise flavors of the absinthe while embracing the sweetness and terroir of the Cognac with open arms. Without absinthe or in some instances Herbsaint, the Sazerac would simply be an Old Fashioned with a different base spirit. And while a good Old Fashioned is great, the luxuriousness and deeper complexity of a good Sazerac transports you to a different place in time. Or perhaps it’s just me getting caught up in the moment. Either way, it’s a really good drink. While you can have a Sazerac with a good meal this one stands up on its own as a companion to a long evening of deep discussion and good times-- I suggest you pair it with rich, decadent chocolate desserts. 


Besides the time of its first inception, the history for this cocktail is surprisingly concrete. It all started to come together In the early 1850s. It was a time long ago in New Orleans, Louisiana, when our nation was just getting geared up for the civil war. The newly formed nation was doing a lot of international trade with Europe in exchange for our cotton, furs and many other hard goods that were abundant in the new world. In exchange, we saw a great era of prosperity and, more importantly for this story's sake, fancy European booze flooding the American market. The temperance movement was in its infancy and the wheels of progress were the hot topic of the day. Needless to say, it was a stressful time, an uncertain time and a perfect time for a stiff drink.

In the early 1850s a businessman by the name of Sewell E. Taylor had a thriving business importing goods from France, particularly the Sazerac de Forge et Fils brand of Cognac. He also had a bar to peddle his wares: the Sazerac House Bar. At the time, absinthe was all the rage in France and being a successful merchant he was also importing this inebriating elixir. Now, as I can tell you from personal experience, you do not want to serve customers a lot of absinthe in the traditional method. I won’t go into details but I’ll say this: whatever reason you think it is, yes, that and more.

Sewell being a smart man knew this and to keep his customers drinking, safe and alive he had his team come up with a cocktail. Thus, the Sazerac is born. It’s worth noting that one of his main conspirators in this was the pharmacist Antoine Peychauds, the creator of Peychaud's Bitters that are used in Sazeracs. It may seem funny to us now to have a medical professional collaborating with a booze slinger. For context though, cocaine and opium-laced drinks were the primary medicine at the time.

Over the years this cocktail has evolved and adapted to stay alive and relevant. Most notably, when phylloxera swept across Europe in the mid-19th century, destroying grape vines and vineyards, Cognac became all but a thing of memory and was replaced by rye whiskey. The second is the outlawing of absinthe in the early 1900s. Absinthe was quickly replaced with Herbsaint and the Sazerac tradition moved on. Depending on whether you want to maintain historical accuracy or not, you’ll have a lot of options. For a base spirit you can go the original pre-phylloxera route and use a Cognac. Or, you could go with the more new school route and use a spicy American rye whiskey.

For bar tools

Jigger 666444
Rocks Glass 106639
Barspoon 612123
 

For consumables

Herbsaint 112800
Peychaud's Bitters 120540
Hennessy Privilege VSOP 112720
Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey 166244
Sugar Cubes
Ice 





Step 1
Start by taking your two rocks glasses and putting them side by side. Fill the one on the left with ice and the glass on your right throw in about three dashes of peychaud's bitters.

Step 2
Add half an ounce of Herbsaint to the glass with ice. Give it a quick stir and then let it sit. Don’t worry, we want it to get all melty and weird for something later. Although the original calls for absinthe, I prefer to use the wormwood outlaw substitute. My primary reasoning is that I’m going to be dumping it all out later and Herbsaint is significantly cheaper and as far as your palate is concerned it’s practically the same thing

Step 3
Now take your jigger and measure out one ounce of Cognac and one ounce of rye into the glass on the right that you dressed with Peychaud's Bitters. Normally I would tell you to stir, but in this case don’t worry about it. As I noted up above some people like to build this cocktail with rye and some wirth Cognac. I ,however, am an indecisive kind of guy so I use both. I use Rittenhouse for it’s spicy clean finish and Hennessy VSOP because my research tells me that it’s going to be the closest in style to the smaller Cognac house of the era. Also, I really like Hennessy VSOP.

Step 4
Take the glass on the left, the one with the ice and Herbsaint. Give it one last quick stir and dump it all out. Don’t be scared, just throw it all out. This, is how you create what we like to call a rinse. I know it seems wasteful… and it is. Unfortunately, none of the other methods I’ve tried work the same. If you would like to experiment you could try using a spray bottle, a spritzer or a swab brush.

Step 5
Take the Herbsaint-rinsed glass you just dumped out and throw some more ice in it. Then take that boozy concoction you have sitting aside and slowly pour it over the ice and discard the now empty glass. Take it easy with the transfer to make sure you don’t spill anything.

Step 6
Peel your lime, zest it, rim the glass the place it nicely on the rim to garnish.

Step 7
Enjoy!

 
Some of the fun ways to play around with a Sazerac is by playing with the rinse or the base spirit. Instead of Cognac perhaps a good Spanish brandy or Armagnac? Maybe even a bourbon or Scotch for the base. I did one with an Ardbeg 10 and it was awesome. In place of Herbsaint or absinthe try a green Chartreuse. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination and ingenuity.

To see our above cocktail aficionados in action (L to R: Michael, Don, Sean), check out their YouTube channel and find out "What Do Billionaires Drink?"

May your cocktail adventures be glorious!

William Fevre Winemaker at Hi-Time

by Gary Faust

Didier Seguier, winemaker for William Fevre, stopped by Hi-Time Wine Cellars today with Gina Schwan. Quote of the day from Didier,"I want to make Chablis, not Chardonnay." From top to bottom, the wines were clean with brilliant acidity and minerality.

Our Fevre offerings at hitimewine.net.

Winemaker Mark Fincham from Maison Marchand-Tawse Visits Hi-Time

Winemaker Mark Fincham from Marchand-Tawse, no stranger to the Hi-Time wine bar, was back again as we tasted through their Burgundy lineup, seen here with our own Gary Faust.  We had a nice crowd here last night (Thursday, 3/3) but that's not a surprise as it's a. Burgundy and b. Marchand-Tawse (always a crowd favorite).  Keep up with our wine bar schedule here.  Cheers!  -Tobin Sharp

Wine of the Month 2: A Fantastic Sicilian Red

Vivera Terre Siciliane Terra dei Sogni 2012 $16.95 [301144]
by Tobin Sharp

"Corleone. My Corleone, green vineyards and hot sun. There is no other place in the world with this beauty. A beauty somehow misunderstood and hidden, that my husband and I want to express through the wine we make, in an embrace that can tell a different story of Sicily, through the language of its flavor and its smells." -Armida Vivera

Terra dei Sogni is a young wine, fresh and natural, a bold blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from a vineyard of clay in Corleone, wedded to the mineral and fruity Nerello Cappuccio variety from Martinella, on the Etna. Terra dei Sogni is the land from which the wine is born: dreamt, grown and made to excite emotions and enchantment.

We knew when we tasted it that it was a clear winner for the Wine of the Month 2 slot. The nose was sexy, sultry and sweet with shades of berries and plums, smoky mineral and grilled bacon, incense, charcuterie and dark florals. The palate is lush with a viscous mouthfeel and tons of fruit flavors, echoing the nose: sweet berries, red plums, sun-dried cherries. Vivid minerality and a touch of red licorice are uplifted by brisk acidity and subtle tannins. Lovely in Springtime, perfect for Summer.

WINE SPECTATOR 90 POINTS: "Finely balanced, this medium- to full-bodied red integrates supple tannins, with a lovely range of ripe black currant and mulberry fruit, accented by tarry mineral, grilled herb, licorice drop and mocha hints that linger on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Nerello Cappuccio. Drink now through 2025. 2,667 cases made."

A 96 Point No-brainer from Some of the Oldest Vines in the World!

CIRILLO GRENACHE 

by Gary Faust

Wow, those are gnarly, old Grenache vines! We are excited to introduce our newest discovery, Cirillo wines, which are appearing for the first time in the country. This new discovery perfectly illustrates the benefit and joy of being an independent retailer. Being able to taste unique, small production wines and bring them into the store to share with our customers is something we really love to do. Of course, we wouldn’t bring them in if we didn’t think they tasted great. In this case, the old vine Grenache yields wines of uncommon elegance and grace, displaying an almost Pinot-like ethereal quality.

The Cirillo family are custodians of what it is believed to be the oldest continuously producing Grenache and Semillon vineyards in the world. Planted in 1848, these vines are not only a part of the Barossa history, but Australia’s winemaking heritage. That is a long time ago! To put it into perspective, the California Gold Rush, when the precious metal was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, took place the same year these vines were planted. The Cirillo’s winemaking heritage spans back over 9 generations to the Southern Italian province of Calabria.

The vineyard sits on what was an old inland lake over 100 Million years ago. The soil is deep silt sand over limestone and clay. This combination of free-draining topsoil and water-holding subsoil has sustained the 7 acres of grenache.

The gnarled and wizened basket pruned bush Grenache vines stand up to 6 feet high and nearly 6 feet wide. For these vines to survive at this age, they need constant attention through-out the year. Owner and Winemaker Marco Cirillo spends every spare moment training, pruning and nurturing each vine through its fragile life. The result is fruit with incredible intensity and old vine richness not often seen.

During primary fermentation the wine is hand tended 2 to 4 times per day. Once the ferment is complete it is carefully transferred into an 800kg basket press which will then allow intimate control of the tannin, fruit and overall structure of the wine. It is then stored in seasoned 60% French and 40% American oak hogsheads for up to 24 months.

Most of the grapes from these ancient vines are sold to the great Australian producer, Torbreck, leaving only a small portion for Cirillo to craft into these wines. These wines produced from gnarled and wizened trunks are something to be treasured and enjoyed.


CIRILLO 2014 THE VINCENT GRENACHE $29.98 [381616]
Medium ruby in color. Red fruits, Eucalypt and mint, grilled herbs and cedar aromas greet the nose. Medium –bodied with nice acidity, the wine is fresh with flavors of forest berry fruit, leather, sweet tobacco, clove. There is no drop off in flavor from beginning to end. Easy to like with a long finish.

JAMES SUCKLING 96 POINTS - "From 80-year-old vines this has a very attractive nose with plenty of wild raspberry perfume and a hint of some darker purple fruits, lightly herbal, really pure and assertive. The palate has a beautifully complete and silky texture with a long and sustained core of fine yet strong tannin; great depth and detail, finishes strong, fresh and on point."
  

 CIRILLO 2010 1850 GRENACHE $74.98 [381827]
Medium ruby fading to a garnet edge. The nose is very complex with dusty cherry, strawberry, vanilla, sassafras, sweet tobacco, and savory meaty notes. On the palate this wine is medium-bodied with silky tannins and a Pinot-like ethereal quality. There is a subtle intensity to the currant and cherry flavors, olive and vanilla. Again the savory notions of umami and meaty notes are fantastic. The finish is very long. This a wine to ponder and enjoy the nuanced filled deliciousness.

Hi-Time Invades San Pedro!

by Tobin Sharp

What?!? Hi-Time invades San Pedro? Well, not really.  But I was up there on Saturday night (Feb. 27th) to take part in an annual activity for me. Many moons ago I worked at a Boy Scout camp on Santa Catalina Island, Camp Emerald Bay; each year, our alumni group (Emerald Bay Association) puts on a charity wine tasting in order to provide funds for Boy Scouts who otherwise would not be able to attend our camp due to financial hardship.  The camp has been operating on Catalina since 1925 (with a break for a few years during World War II when it was used by the Navy) and I spent my summers from 1984-1994 there.  As I now work in the wine biz, it was natural for me to help with the 'wine' part of the wine tasting (which I have been glad to do each year).

This year we are very fortunate in that the Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club invited us to use their facility to host the tasting.  We met last Saturday to help select the wines we would taste for our upcoming (April 30th) event.  The club itself is gorgeous and appointed beautifully; we had the chance to meet some of the club board members (who tasted with us) who were down-to-earth, gracious and interested in what we do at camp.  We look forward to returning there in April.

Relatively inexpensive and offering much "bang for the buck" in terms of quality, we selected five of the 12 I brought (though I was very happy in that there wasn't a "stinker" [or corked wine] in the bunch):
Gerard Bertrand 2013 Reserve Chardonnay
Riff 2014 Pinot Grigio
Valentina 2012 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Entresuelos 2012 Tempranillo
Delas Esprit 2013 Côtes du Rhône.

Claudio Fenocchio Visits Hi-Time

"Claudio Fenocchio and his fantastic wines with Italian wine buyer, Patty Quick. The 2011 Bussia Barolo is deep, approachable and in stock at HT. The '13 Langhe Freisa and '13 Barbera Superiore will be in next week."
-Gary Faust