The Magic of Bruno Giacosa

Our NY Vinous group met earlier this month at DeGrezia Ristorante in NYC for an epic tasting of Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco and Barolo.  We welcomed Vinous founder Antonio Galloni who joined us for the evening.  As is our custom we each bring a bottle (sometimes two) of wine to the dinner. A list of the wines and who is to bring them is agreed upon ahead of time to prevent duplication.

I have always been a fan of the amazing wines that come from the Giacosa estate.  However after having the chance to taste some of the older vintages I could only lament that it took me far too long to discover the wines when I started collecting some 35 years ago.  They are pure expressions of how good wine and the Nebbiolo grape can be when in the hands of a master.  The estate did suffer what us Giacosa lovers hope is only a hiccup when Bruno had a stroke in 2006.  A couple of subsequent vintages were not very good after oenologist, Dante Scaglione left the winery and the direction fell solely into the lap of Bruno’s daughter, Bruna.  Fortunately Bruno is back on his feet and Scaglione has returned, thus I am very optimistic of a return to greatness at the estate.  I suggest you check out Eric Guido’s excellent blog about the evening and the Giacosa estate at  The Cellar Table at Morrell Wine.

Before getting into the wines a few words about the food.  It was fantastic and enjoyed by all. Since we ordered ala carte I can not recall all the plates.  I do recall mine however quite fondly.

Sweetbreads with Mushrooms (Animelle ai Funghi) 

Spaghetti Carbonara

Fegato (Liver)ala Venezia 

The Wines

2008 Bruno Giacosa Spumante Rosé.   Made from purchased fruit this Pinot Noir sparkler had a nice yeasty nose and palate.  

2008 Bruno Giacosa Barolo La Rocche Riserva .  While the palate was soft, there was very little going on here.  One of the hiccup wines for sure, it was my least favorite of the evening.

2007 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva.   Gorgeous nose, beautiful palate and a lengthy and elegant finish sums up this beautifully made wine.

2004 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva.  A stunning example of why ’04 vintage in Piedmont was so extraordinary.  Round and delicious wine with a lengthy and elegant palate. Giacosa fans if you don't own any, loosen the purse strings and pick some up.

2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabaja Riserva.  This was simply fantastic, displaying impeccable balance and a long elegant finish.

2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Rocche Riserva.  This started out with a monstrous enticing bouquet on the nose.  I detected a bit of oxidation on the palate but the overall depth, balance and complexity and elegant finish made for one terrific wine.

1996  Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba.  While this is still a young wine it is oh so round and delicious.  A bouquet of dark berries fills the nose in anticipation of the first sip which does not let you down.  Many years ahead for this Giacosa classic.

1996 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva.  As good as the white label was, the riserva is on another plateau.  Another contender for WOTN, the bouquet kick starts the senses and delivers in spades on the palate a gorgeous feminine elegance that is echoed in the monster finish.  Truly a wine with soul!

1989 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero.  My first Giacosa Villero and it was quite special.  The wine began with an earthy bouquet and a soft beautifully textured palate.  The wine finished with a long, feminine elegance.  A wine with soul!

1989  Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto Riserva.  This definitely took a back seat to the Villero.  The wine exhibited an old and earthy bouquet and aged palate marked by hints of chocolate.  

1986 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Rocche Castiglione.  Lush, fruity and vibrant palate made for a delicious glass of wine.

1985 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Rocche Castiglione.  A round and delicious wine that was firing on all cylinders.   Enticing bouquet with a superbly balanced palate and long elegant finish.

1985 Bruno Giacosa Falletto.  Corked

1980 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Rocche Castiglione.  The wine possessed a very old nose and an earthy palate.  For me the wine is on a downturn.  

1979 Bruno Giacosa Barolo.  Gorgeous bouquet, however a one-dimensional palate and short finish.

1978 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano.  Simply an awesome bottle of wine that showed beautifully in the presence of so many red label reserves.  An elegant and beautifully balanced wine with a long and elegant finish.  Round and delicious with lots of soul!  I wish I had some of this in my cellar. 

1967 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili Riserva.  Deep earthy bouquet and a nice balanced palate.  While it had an earthy finish, it was shorter than the previous two wines.

1964 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva.  This was simply awesome and a contender for WOTN.  I sipped it slowly and reveled as each sip evolved with more fruit than the previous.  Truly a wine with soul! 

1961 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Speciale.  Sourced from the Gallina and Santo Stefano vineyards, this was excellent. One sip of this wine and you are given an insight into why 1961 was one of Piedmonts greatest vintages.  The fruit was amazingly vibrant and the finish was long and elegant.

Very hard to choose a wine of the night but I thought the '64, both the '96s, '04 and '61 were all in contention.

Photo courtesy of Eric Guido

It was truly a magical evening of wines with a very special group of guys.

Saluté

Another Evening of Aged Red Burgundy

Since December is a busy month for our local wine group, we decided to meet just one week after our last dinner.  Howard was in the wine queue, and selected 5 aged Burgundies for the evening. Since Emil was a bit under the weather and unable to attend we showed some restraint and drank only 4 of the 5.  Howard selected Scalini Fideli, Chatham, NJ as the venue for the tasting. Scalini Fideli is an upscale Italian restaurant with an inclination towards modern Italian cuisine. While the food is deftly prepared, for my palate I find the preparations to be on the rich side. Highlights of the evening included:

Chicken liver and pancetta ravioli in a boscaiola sauce with marsala wine

Butternut Agnolotti with a sage brown butter, amaretti and buffalo mozzarella

Pappardelle in a braised veal shank and marrow sauce with minced cherry pepper and a hint of Italian mascarpone

Veal chop with a porcini-dijon sauce served with braised vegetables

Jeff brought along a bottle of white, 2011 Francois Carillon Bourgogne, to kick off the evening. The Domaine has been located in Puligny-Montrachet since the sixteenth century and produces white wines racy, elegant, fruity while embodying perfectly the terroir of soil their Chardonnays come from.  Bourgogne is the entry-level wine in Burgundy.  The wines are made from the grapes that don’t qualify for Permier Cru or Grand Cru wines.  From producers like Carillon they represent great value and can be enjoyed in their youth as well as with age.  Tonight’s wine was crisp, round and delicious with a wonderful finish.  $25.  Wine-Searcher.

1996 Robert Arnoux/Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots.   One of the flagship wines of the estate, the wine is aged in 40 – 60% new oak for 16 months.  The wine drank very well, like a good aged Burgundy usually does.  The oak was seamlessly integrated.  A nicely balanced wine that was a bit too cold to appreciate the underlying fruit and pedigree of the wine.  I would love to drink this after about 3 hours of aeration.  $249.  Wine-Searcher.

1999 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux.  This famous Clos, a magnificent parcel of five hectares, is one of the 10 largest premier or grand cru monopolies of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits.  The wine is made from 100% de-stemmed fruit, keeping most of the berries whole, not crushed.  Depending on the appellation and age of the vines, the wines age18 to 24 months in barrels, with a percentage of new oak ranging from 0% for the Village appellations to 30% for the old vines of Clos des Epeneaux.  I really liked this wine.  The purity and complexity of the wine was apparent with the first sip.  The wine had a beautifully elegant feminine palate and finished with considerable length.  It was my favorite of the evening.  $183.  Wine-Searcher.

1989 Domaine Maume Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru.  Maume is a relatively tiny estate in Gevrey-Chambertin.  The vines average 50 years of age.   A nice bottle of wine, that was a bit more tired than a bottle I had 3 years back.  It lacked the purity and vibrancy of the Armand.  More recent vintages will cost in the neighborhood of $150 to $200.

1985 Louis Jadot Chambertin Clos De Beze Grand Cru.  Louis Jadot has been making superb red and white Burgundy wines since 1859.  The estate produces wines that are rich and sumptuous with terrific balance of power, elegance and finesse.  The wine sees 18 to 20 months in oak barrels before bottling.  I found this to be much better than the Maume with more vibrant fruit and balance on the palate, yet with much less complexity, finesse and depth than the Armand.  A wine that should be drunk sooner than later in my opinion.  This vintage is also no longer available. More recent vintages will set you back around $400.

Nicely done Howard.

Saluté

Super Tuscans

Our local wine group met once again at Sette Cucina Italiana, Bernardsville, NJ this past Monday evening.  Owner/chef Allan Russo was absent attending a wedding, however his sous-chef did not miss a beat in as he prepared yet another fantastic meal for us. New to the table for this dinner the chef prepared:

Perfectly roasted Jumbo Shrimp atop a bed of sautéd cabbage offered a balanced melange of flavors and textures that was applauded by all.

The shrimp were followed by Risotto Alla Crema Di Funghi.  The dish is made with Piemonte Vialone Nano Rice which produces the most creamy textured risottos of any grain.  A Béchamel Di Crimini, Parmigiano Reggiano, Black Truffle Carpaccio added an ethereal flavor to the dish. Like a fine wine, each bite seemed to evolve to a new level.

For our main course we were served a Stuffed Roast Porchetta with mushroom gravy.  All plates were cleaned down to the last morsel.

So what wines did we drink with these wonderful dishes...Super Tuscans.  Quite a departure for our group, but Emil, who was in the wine queue, decided to mix it up a bit.  He brought along a selection of some of Italy's biggest wine names.  Before getting into them we began with a bottle of 2015 Ronco del Gnemiz Friulano San Juan from the Friuli-Venezia region of Italy.  The estates vineyards are located on Friuli's prized sandstone soil ‘Ponca’ which comprises many layers of soil built up over millions of years making it rich in minerals and microelements which give the wine a highly distinctive character.  The wine showed bright acidity and a touch of viscosity to give in an added dimension of depth and character.

What does Super Tuscan wine refer?  The designation emerged in 1970 for a wine made outside the formal Italian DOC or DOCG regulations. Traditionally, the term has most often been used to describe wines made partly or wholly from international French grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Cabernet Franc.  Many of the wines, Sassicaia, Tiganello, Solaia and Ornellaia became “cult” wines, and as such command high price tags. In the reformation of the Italian classification system many of the original Super Tuscans now qualify as DOC or DOCG wines (such as the new Bolgheri label) but some producers still prefer the declassified rankings or to use the Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) classification of Toscana.  While each of the wines we had tonight was its own unique blend of grapes, to my palate they were for the most part one-dimensional.   I attribute this to the more modern wine making techniques and the high amount of new oak (Barrique) used in making the wines.  I, for one, can not justify the high tariff one has to spend to acquire them.

2007 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Ornellaia DOC.   This wine is a blend Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot.  Fermentation took place primarily in oak barriques, 70% new and 30% once-used.  After fermentation the wine then remained in barriques for about 18 months. After the first 12 months of maturation, the wine was assembled and then returned to the barriques for an additional six months. After bottling, the wine aged a further twelve months prior to release. While the oak was present it was not as overpowering as I would have expected.  The one-dimensional palate was soft and velvety yet lacked complexity.  $230.  Wine-Searcher.

1997 Antinori Solaia IGT.   80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Sangiovese blend (the current blend is Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Franc). The wine is aged in barriques, mostly new I believe, for about 12 months and for a further 12 months in the bottles.  The oak was very well integrated here and unlike the others displayed a bit of complexity and depth.  While it was my favorite of the evening, I'd be hard pressed to justify the very high price tag.  $350.  Wine-Searcher.

1971 Antinori Tignanello IGT.  This was the debut Super Tuscan wine and was a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc.  It was the first modern wine of Chianti to contain a nontraditional grape—Cabernet Sauvignon—while omitting white grapes, and the first wine to be aged in small new Barrique barrels.  Like the Solaia the wine is aged in barriques for about 12 months and for a further 12 months in the bottles.   I thought the wine had a nice bouquet for a 45 year old wine.  The palate was similar to the Ornellaia.  This vintage is no longer available, while current vintages will run you about $100.

1989 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia VDT. A blend of 85 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 % Cabernet Franc.  Sassicaia is a cuvée of the best Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes from the vineyards of Castiglioncello, Doccino, Quercione, San Martino, Mandrioli, Sassicaia, and Aianova, all of which are situated on hilly slopes in a sub- zone of Bolgheri.  The wine sees 20 months in 40% new Barrique.  This lacked fruit, complexity and depth.  Far behind the others in my opinion.  $299.  Wine-Searcher.

1995 Gaja Sori Tildin Barbaresco.   While not a Super Tuscan wine, the modern wine making style of Gaja fits in with the Super Tuscan style.  Angelo Gaja is a major player in the high priced Italian "cult" wine scene.  Italian wine laws governing Barbaresco mandate that the wine must be made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes to include "Barbaresco" on the label.  Since Gaja blends 5% to 10% Barbera grapes into the wine he must forgo the "Barbaresco" name.  I found tonight's wine to be quite drinkable, and placed it just below the Solaia.  The wine was well balanced with nice complexity and well integrated oak.  $318.  Wine-Searcher.

1990 Quintarelli Amabile del Cere.  Emil brought along a half bottle of this remarkable dessert wine so that we could toast group member Jim on his birthday.  What can I say other than, awesome. A magical blend of Trebbiano, Garganega, Saoarin, Chardonnay and  Sauvignon Blanc that have been attacked by noble rot, it produces a sumptuous, rich and profound dessert wine.  $230 (375ml); $473 (750ml).  Wine-Searcher.

A great job by Emil and Sette made for yet another wonderful evening.

Saluté

Wining and Dining with Franco Massolino and Franco Conterno

I had the opportunity to once again break bread and sip wine with two icons of Barolo, Franco Massolino and Franco Conterno.  My friend Tony has been a friend with both since he visited their estates a few years ago, so when they are in the United States he likes to host them and a few of his wine geek friends at his home.  Such was the case this past Saturday. Tony’s mom and wife are both exceptional cooks and prepared a fantastic lunch to go with the wines we all brought. Since they drink lots of Barolo, it was taboo at the luncheon.  Each of us brought along a bottle or two of wines we thought they would enjoy.

Unfortunately I did not take photos of the food, but suffice it so say that it was excellent.  Since my wife and I would be attending a wine dinner featuring the wines of Franco Massolino's later in the evening, I paced myself accordingly and made an early exit but not before enjoying a bit of:

Assorted Cheeses 
Homemade (Tony’s mom) dry sausage & sopresatta
Mozzarella di Bufala 
Roasted Baby Peppers 
Sautéed Mushrooms 
Homemade pasta (Tony’s mom again) with sausage and meatballs (Tony’s wife) 
Roasted Prime Ribs of Beef 
Italian Salad

Wines

Unfortunately a few of the wines were undrinkable.

1975 Chateau Musar: Corked
1985 Chateau Soldera Brunello di Montalcino: Oxidized and flawed.
1953 Chateau Lafite: I did not taste this wine, but was told later in the evening that the wine suffered from the same fate as the Soldera.

1996 Moët & Chandon Cuvée Dom Perignon. This bubbly is drinking beautifully and should do so for some time.  Great depth and focus.

2010 Dominique Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots. Superb wine that showed fantastic depth with bracing acidity, stony minerality and a lengthy, almost bubblegum like finish.  I preferred it to the Dom.

1993 Domain Maillard Pere et Fils Alex Corton 1er Cru.   Big barnyard bouquet and brownish hue upon opening.  Many felt the wine was bad, but I liked the smokey bacon bouquet and thought that given time the palate would evolve.  I turned out to be right (happens once in a while) as the wine really blossomed after about an hour in the glass.  The brownish hue became more ruby red and transparent and the barnyard funk blew off completely, leaving a delicious Burgundy.

2005 Bouchard Pere et Fils Beaune Greves L’Enfant Jesus.  The first bottle opened was corked, but the second was awesome.  I find that the 2005 Burgundies from top producers like Bouchard to be  classic Burgundy style wines that are drinking beautifully now.  One of the best wines of the luncheon.

1999 Soldera Brunello di Montacino.   Easily the wine of the luncheon.  This was classic Soldera, a wine with great balance, depth, focus and elegance.

2005 Opus One and 2005 Masseto.   Two very young wines that have never been my cup of tea. I find them over extracted and ridiculously overpriced.

2004 Quintarelli Alzero.   A magnificent wine that had it been given a few hours in a decanter probably would have nudged the Soldera as wine of the day.  Everything was here, just a bit asleep upon opening.

At 7PM Carol and I attended the aforementioned Massolino dinner hosted by Mahesh Lekkela, owner of the Wine Legend stores.  This event was held in his West Orange location, which has a bar and dining area to accommodate such events.  Chef Bryan Gregg of Think Local Foods is on hand Thursday, Friday, & Saturday evenings to prepare the food.  Chef Bryan is a proponent of farm-to-table cuisine and is very adept in his preparations.  Tonight’s plates were outstanding.

Foccacia with Fall Flavors.  Kale, mushrooms and grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese was paired with 2014 Massolino Langhe DOC Chardonnay.  This turned out to be a terrific pairing. This was my first experience with a Massolino Chardonnay.  Crisp fruit and a Burgundian palate made for a very nice glass of wine.

Lomo and Plum Aguadolce was was paired with 2014 Massolino Dolcetto d’Alba DOC.  Lomo is the Spanish word for tenderloin.  This plate was composed of a couple of slices of thinly sliced ham topped with Arugula in a sweet/sour sauce.  It was delicious, pure and simple.  Like the ham, the Dolcetto was delicious with lively pure fruit on a medium-bodied round palate.  This was one of the best Dolcetto’s I have ever had.  Franco explained that on day two of the fermentation process, 75% of the seeds are removed which leads to the roundness of the wine.

Lobster Risotto with Black Truffles was paired with 2012 Massolino Barolo Seralunga DOCG. Perfectly cooked risotto is al dente and creamy and this was just that…perfect.  All the elements of the dish were in perfect harmony with each other…and with the Barolo.  This bottling, the estate’s entry level, had fantastic freshness and ripe fruit that danced with elegance on the palate before finishing with very nice length.

The final wine of the evening was 2009 Massolio Barolo DOCG Parafada and was paired with Roasted Veal Saddle, Charred Cauliflower and Alluims (onions).  How chef Bryan turns out dishes of this quality in what is basically a kitchen-less facility is amazing. The Parafada vineyard benefits from Southern expoure and consists of marly lime soil.  These conditions yield a complex Barolo built for aging.  The ’09 is drinking beautifully today and should do so for another 20+ years. The wine possessed a gorgeous translucent red hue, earthy nose and a focused and beautifully balanced palate.  The wine finished with length and elegance.  

It was great to see both Franco's again.  Thank you Tony and Mahesh for making it possible.

Saluté

An Italian Wine Tour

Our local wine group met last night at Fascino in Montclair.   Chef/owner Ryan DePersio describes his style of cooking as Italian Without Borders.  It takes talent to succeed when you push the culinary envelope.  And while there is no denying his talent, not all dishes succeed at the same level.  Highlights from our meal included Mascarpone Polenta Fries with a Gorgonzola Fonduta (no photo).  The Polenta was perfectly cooked, while the Gorgonzola fonduta was much too watery for my liking.

Foie Gras receives a different preparation on most nights.  Tonight it was pan-seared with sautéed apples and served atop crostini.  It was a perfectly prepared dish that really did not need the crostini.

The star pasta of the evening was Bucatini sauced with a little neck clam ragu and sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs and chilies.  Pasta was cooked perfectly and sauce was balanced with a hint of the briny sea.

Jim was our wine guide for the evening and he escorted us on a terrific tour of Italy, beginning in the Veneto region of Northern Italy.  There are many estates in the area, but none, in the opinion of many, better than Giuseppe Quintarelli.  The essence of his wines is captured in his own words. “The fundamental problem in wine today is that too many producers ‘hurry’ to make their wines: they hurry the fruit in the vineyard and they hurry the vinification and rush to bottle. They rush to sell their product without allowing it the proper time to age. Patience – this is the most important attribute in winemaking. Patience in growing, patience in selection, and patience in vinification.”  One can taste the patience that is given to each wine with each sip taken.

Quintarelli wines, especially the Amarone and dessert wines do not come cheap.  However he makes two wines that allow wine lovers to enjoy his talents at a very reasonable price.  Jim began the evening with both of them.

2014 Quintarelli Secco Ca del Merlo Bianco Veronese. This stunning white wine is an artful blend of Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Saorin (believed to be a clone of the Tokay grape and meaning "flavor" in Veronese dialect).  The wine showed a round and delicious palate accentuated by great balance and bracing acidity.  $43.  Wine-Searcher.

1999 Quintarelli Primofiore.  Primofiore (first flower) is the only red wine at Quintarelli that does not employ dried grapes or the ripasso technique. It is also the youngest red wine released by the estate every year.  The wine is a blend of 50% Corvina and Corvinone, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.   After harvest, the grapes are left in wooden boxes to continue ripening, then after pressing and fermentation, the wine is aged for several years in Slavonian oak barrels.  While tonight’s wine is getting on in age, it still showed wonderful fruit and complexity.  $60.  Wine-Searcher.

From the Veneto we traveled south to the Campania region and two wines from Feudi di San Gregorio.  The estate is located in Sorbo Serpico, a commune in the province of Avellino. Under the winemaking of renowned winemaker Riccardo Cotarella, the more stylistically modern wines have a tremendous following

2001 Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico Irpina.  The wine is made from 100% Aglianico, the indigenous red grape of the area.  Fermentation and maceration take place in stainless steel tanks for about 3-4 weeks before spending a minimum 18 months in small barrique barrels.  The wines are then aged for a minimum 12 months in bottle before being released.  I was pleasantly surprised with how well the oak was integrated into the wine, which had a soft palate, nice fruit but little depth and a short finish.  $73.  Wine-Searcher.

1999 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi Piano di Montevergine.  Also 100% Aglianico. Fermentation is similar to the Irpina, while the aging in barrique and bottle is about 12 months longer.  Here too, the oak was very well integrated and the wine showed considerably more depth than the 2001.  $68.  Wine-Searcher.

We completed our journey in Abruzzo a region of Southern Italy about 50 miles east of Rome along the Adriatic Sea), with a bottle 2000 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.  Made from 100% Monepulciano grapes it was the consensus wine of the night.  Full of terroir and a bit of funk that is the hallmark of Pepe’s attention to old world style wine making.  The wine kept evolving with each sip and finished with amazing length and focus.  This is a wine built to last for decades.  $145.  Wine-Searcher.

What a lovely way to spend an evening, touring Italy.

Saluté

The Belmont Tavern

Every couple of months I join a group of friends for a Monday night dinner at The Belmont Tavern on the Newark/Bellville boarder.  The Belmont Tavern is more than just a bar/restaurant; it is an “institution”, and has been for the past half century. This cash only spot has separate owners, the Cuomo family owns the bar concession, while Annette Wroblewski maintains and owns the kitchen since Stretch passed away in 1989.

I will do my best to provide an historical glimpse of the Belmont.  If any one has any corrections or additional information please leave them in the comments section.

The Cuomo family took over the tavern in 1965.  Tommy Cuomo aka "Cowboy" and his brother John ran the bar in those early days.  They were later joined in 1969 by John’s son, Jimmy, who runs the bar today.   Two years later they brought in Charles "Stretch" Verdicchio, to cook for the regulars. Stretch introduced the Verdicchio family recipe for Chicken Savoy to the Belmont and it has been the main attraction ever since. A relatively simple dish, in which chicken is cut up, rubbed with spices and herbs and then roasted in a extremely-hot oven and splashed with red wine vinegar before being served. While the dish is often imitated throughout all of northern New Jersey, it has never been duplicated.

Stretch with Joe DiMaggio

While the perception is that the Belmont is a “wise guys” spot, the food and aura of the Belmont attracts movie stars and professional athletes in addition to the loyal crowd (predominantly Italian) of local regulars.

In addition to the “Savoy” most items on the small menu are standouts on their own.  These include Clams Oreganata; Scungilli Salad; Shrimp Beeps (shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce); Cavatelli with Pot Cheese (Ricotta) and Pork Scallopine Francese.  The Belmont serves no dessert, unless you bring your own.

If you are looking for fine wine, “fugget-about-it”.  The list ranges from red to white.  Opici is poured from gallon bottles. Bottle selections consist of  Corvo Red (cold or warm), Corvo White, Ruffino and Travaglini Gattinara.

Reservations are not accepted.  Unless you get there very early, be prepared to wait.  Service, once on the blatantly un-courteous side, is now quite good and friendly.

The food is consistently good here.  No fancy preparations, just the dishes they are known for.  We began with a basic salad of Iceberg lettuce, onions and tomatoes perfectly seasoned with vinegar and oil.  It is the salad that graced our table at home every night while growing up.  I loved it then and I love it now, especially compared to the fancier limpy mesculan concoctions served today.

Clams Oreganata are perfectly cooked as always, crunch crispy breadcrumbs cover a barely cooked, briny clam beneath.  I could eat dozens of these.

Italian Long Hot Peppers (no pic) sautéed in olive oil are not lethal tonight, so I had a couple and enjoyed them very much.

The Belmont serves 3 pasta dishes, Cavatelli with Ricotta, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (oil and garlic) and Spaghetti with Shrimp Beeps.  While all are great, our favorite is the Beeps. The shrimp is never overcooked and is dressed in a delicious and slightly spicy tomato sauce.

In addition to the famous Chicken Savoy, we ordered Mad Chicken (Oven Roasted without the addition of the Vinegar) and Pork Scallopine Francese.

Chicken Savoy

Mad Chicken

Pork Scallopine

A few bottles of 2013 Corvo Red, served at room temperature, complimented the food nicely.

A cup of Espresso brewed and served from a Maganette ended a delightful evening.

If you have never been to the Belmont, make it a bucket list item...and tell Jimmy that Mark sent you.  You will be glad you went.

Saluté

Three Generations of Bartolo Mascarello

Our New York Vinous wine group got together recently for a simply magical evening of the wines of Bartolo Mascarello spanning 1955 to 2009.  The tasting was held at Hearth in the East Village. We were provided with a private room and received gracious service and excellent food.

We began the evening as we usually do with a bottle of bubbly.  Michael treated us to NV Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru VP. V.P. stands for Vieillissement Prolongé, or extended aging.   In this case the wine was aged 84 months on the lees, contributing to its unique character, and was disgorged May 2015. The wine is crafted from 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay of which 90% is from Grand Cru Ambonnay with the rest coming from Grand Cru Verzenay and Bouzy and is made up of equal parts from the 2007, 2006, and 2005 harvest. I loved the yeasty bouquet, crisp and complex palate and bright, lengthy finish.  This is my third or fourth bottle of Champagne from Egly-Ouriet and I have been impressed each time.



Each of us brought along a bottle of Bartolo Mascarello Barolo to the tasting.  The wines which were separated into four flights ranging from oldest to more recent vintages.  Although not planned, the wines spanned three generations of winemakers at the estate, Giulio, Bartolo and Maria Teresa.  All the wines were open around noon and allowed to breath for 5 to 6 hours before being transported to the restaurant.

The wines of Bartolo Mascarello were my epiphany regarding how good wine can be and the pure elegance of the Nebbiolo grape when put in the hands of a master.  The wine making principals established by Bartolo’s father Giulio have never changed and continues today under the very capable direction of Bartolo’s daughter Maria Teresa.  The estate owns vineyards in four of the most prestigious crus in Barolo…Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Rué and Rocche dell'Annunziata.  The fruit from these holdings is co-fermented in cement and then racked into large, neutral oak, where the wines are aged for roughly three and a half years before being bottled.  Until 1982 the wines were labeled Cantina Mascarello when Bartolo changed the name to Bartolo Mascarello.  For more comprehensive information regarding the estate, complete with great photos, visit Ken Vastola's blog Visit to Cantina Bartolo Mascarello.

Flight One

1955 Cantina Mascarello Barolo Cannubi Riserva.  Ken was given this bottle as a gift on his trip to Piedmont last month and he generously brought it along.  We thank you Ken for your generosity. The wine displayed a brackish-red hue in the glass with a smoky old world bouquet. We were all amazed at how youthful the wine was.  It was a joy to drink.

1958 Cantina Mascarello Barolo Cannubi.  Like the ’55 this was made by Giulio and it too was a joy to drink.  It was similar in appearance and character to the ’55 but took a bit more time to open in the glass.  When it did open it was glorious and a match for the ’55.  I enjoyed them both immensely.

1982 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  Made by Bartolo, this was pure elegance and finesse in a glass. A darker and more translucent red hue than the ’55 or ’58, the wine soared from the glass with each ship in perfect balance marked by fantastic depth and complexity.  The finish was lengthy and pure feminine elegance.  It was my WOTN and has the stuff to continue to drink well for many years to come.

1990 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  Like the ’82 this had a darker and more translucent red hue than the ’55 or ’58.  It too soared from the glass with an amazing youthful energy and tremendous balance and a long elegant finish.  This should easily last for another few decades.

L to R: 1955; 1958; 1982; 1990

Flight Two

1995 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  I have been enjoying this beautiful wine since my first bottle in 2009.  It is a daunting wine possessing a fabulous bouquet; pure fruit on the palate and a lengthy, velvety finish. I thought it was clearly the wine of the flight.

1996 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  From a legendary vintage, the pedigree of this wine is eminently apparent with its deep and enticing bouquet and full-bodied palate.  I found the fruit to still be a bit tight and tannic however.  I’d give this another 4 to 5 years of cellar time.

1997 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  This was the surprise of the night for me.  I gave up on the ’97 vintage of Barolo a few years ago after numerous oxidized bottles.  Tonight’s bottle was really good.  While not in the class of the others in the flight, the fruit was alive, the tannins soft and there was more than a bit of complexity on the palate and finished with elegant notes.  It reminded me of earlier bottles I had the pleasure to drink.

1998 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  Like the others in the group, this bottle was a bit off.  Perhaps a damaged bottle.  A bottle last year was much better.

Flight Three

1999 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  This was superb. Classic Bartolo.  Gorgeous translucent red hue with a wonderful bouquet of earth and fruit.  Well balanced and pure on the palate.  The wine evolved with each sip and finished with terrific length and elegance.  Easily the wine of the flight for me.

2001 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  This wine, like many of the vintage, is beginning to wake up after being asleep for the past 5 years.  In my opinion it still needs cellar time.

2005 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  Made by Maria Teresa, this is a beautiful wine and drinking beautifully and should continue to do so for another 10+ years. Enticing Piedmont earthy bouquet.  Balanced and focused palate and a monster finish.

Flight Four

2006 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  A prodigious wine that underscores the amazing wine making talent of Maria Teresa.  Many believe, myself included, that she has taken the estate to a new level of excellence in the world of traditionally made Barolo.  This is a big, powerful wine with fantastic potential.  The wine has all the makings of a great Barolo; depth, complexity, balance, energy and elegance.  My favorite of the flight.  Give this another 4 to 5 years of cellar time and then enjoy it over the ensuing 3 or 4 decades.

2007 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo.  I was surprised that this did not show as well as I thought it would, given the excellent vintage.  It possessed a lovely nose and soft palate, but the fruit I felt was hard.  The underlying pedigree is evident, but either it was a slightly off bottle or is simply going to require more cellar time.

2009 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. I liked this a lot.  The wine had a gorgeous bouquet and a graceful and focused palate with an elegant finish.  I look for this to age gracefully over the next 10+ years.

I brought along a bottle of 1993 Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Mollieux 1er Trie to complete the evening.   100% Chenin Blanc dessert wine with a golden hue and big honeycomb nose.  The palate is rich with honey notes and great acidity.

This was truly a remarkable evening.  I am honored to be a part of this NY Vinous group.  A group of generous and knowledgeable guys who's contributions to the experience of great wines is second to none.

Please check out Eric Guido's notes on the tasting at his blog The Cellar Table at Morrell Wine.


Saluté

A Unique Burgundy Experience

Our local wine group met this past Monday evening at Sette Cucina Italiana in Bernardsville. Readers of this blog realize by now that Sette has become a regular venue for us (9th visit in the past couple of years).  Needless to say owner/chef Allan Russo prepared another exceptional meal for us. While everything was delicious we were rocked by the Onion Tart, Risotto and Pasta Bolognese.  Alan explained that the tart was his Swiss mother's recipe.  Thank you mom, simply delicious.   The Risotto was ethereal, made with the very small Vialano Nano rice grains, it had a fantastic creamy texture highlighted by the Crimini mushroom béchamel and black truffle shaving.  I have had many a Bolognese sauce, both here and in Bologna, Italy.  This is one of the best versions I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy.  Allan explained that his research for real "authentic" Bolognese led him to the recipe he used to prepare the sauce.  All the meats, veal, pork, beef, pancetta and Mortadella were ground in house and incorporated into the sauce with a bit of milk and a touch of tomato passato.  Finished with a bit of Pecorino, the flavors were fantastic.  The final dish was an Australian Lamb Chop with sautéed Broccoli Rabe which I did not eat.  I am not a lamb eater and I was very content after the risotto and pasta.  My friends however raved about the chop.  Profiteroles completed the meal.

Jeff, our Burgundy expert, selected the wines for the evening and as always wowed us with his lineup of aged Burgundies.  With the exception of the Champagne, Montrachet and 1966 Chambertin, he brought along 5 half bottles for us to taste.  An avid auction buyer, all were purchased at auction at exceptional prices.  All wines were opened at dinner.

1996 Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame Champagne.  1996 was an extraordinary vintage in Champagne. The yeasty and peachy nose was intoxicating to inhale.  On the palate the fruit was crisp and vibrant with terrific acidity making for a soulful bubbly that was a joy to experience. Verzenay & Avize are the two dominant crus in a blend of 8 grand crus.

1994 Etienne Sauzet Montrachet Grand Cru. Absolutely fabulous wine.  The wine displayed a viscous palate with great depth and balance and a lengthy and provocative finish. The wine never stopped evolving throughout the course of the dinner.  Montrachet is at the very top of the various Montrachet designations.  Production is very limited and is reflected in the very high prices for the wine.  While 1994 was at best an average year this bottle of wine is another example of how great producers often make exceptional wines in these types of vintages.  This was my WOTN.

1972 Marius Delarche Corton-Renardes Grand Cru, 375ml.  The wine began with an earthy, Burgundian bouquet on the nose before moving to a wonderfully pure and focused palate and velvety finish. 

1972 Pierre Engel Alexis Lichine Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, 375ml.  A négociant is a wine merchant who assembles the produce of smaller growers and winemakers and sells the result under its own name. Négociants buy everything from grapes to grape must to wines in various states of completion.  Alexis Lichine was a major wine Négociant from the mid fifties until the end of the 20th century. According to Jeff, Alexis Lichine wines were actually domaine bottled but sold under the "Alexis Lichine" name.   The Domaine René Engle predominantly dealt with négociants until 1988 when 3rd generation owner and winemaker Philippe began making his own wine in house.  This wine was probably bottled by Engel but sold under the Alexis Lichine label, where his name appears on the lower left side of the label.  In any case the wine was terrific.  Translucent red hue in tact with no browning at the edges and a classic Burgundy palate with the fruit still very much in tact.  

1972 Jean Meo Alexis Lichine Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, 375ml.  Jeff explained that this wine was most likely made by Henri Jayer, the iconic Burgundy producer.  Under a contract with the Meo Camuzet estate, Jayer managed and farmed the land.  He received 50% of the fruit, which he bottled and labeled under his own label, and 50% he bottled under the Meo Camuzet label. Thus this bottle was most likely made by Jayer.  Jayer wines sell for thousands of dollars a bottle at auction today, as they are highly sought after and considered to be the ultimate expression of red Burgundy.  This was lovely.  Big earthy, Burgundian nose with lively fruit.  On the palate it showed great depth and complexity for a 40+-year-old wine.  The finish was quite lengthy and elegant.  This was my runner up to WOTN.

1985 Tollot-Beaut Beaune 1er Cru Clois du Roi, 375ml.  The ’85 vintage in Beaune was an excellent one and this wine was a great example of the vintage.  The wine showed great balance, a hallmark of the vintage.  The wine had ripe fruit, focus and finesse with a lengthy finish. 

1966 Alexis Lichine Newman Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru, 375ml.  1966 was a magnificent vintage in Burgundy characterized by elegant, balanced wines with terrific purity.  All of these were in evidence here in addition to a lengthy and focused finish.

1964 Domaine Merme Alexis Lichine Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru, 375ml.  Another excellent vintage in Burgundy, which was evident in the wine, which showed excellent concentration of fruit, purity and balance.  This finish was long and elegant.

1971 Vogue Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru 750ml.  Another excellent vintage in Burgundy, this wine showed terrific balance and and complexity with a lengthy and elegant finish.

It was a great evening.  We ate great food, drank wonderful wines (thanks again Jeff) and learned a great deal about Alexis Lichine and his negociant business…and had a chance to taste a wine made by Henri Jayer.

Saluté

The Magnificence of Rayas & Bonneau

At the end of June, 8 fellow Vinous members met at Satis Bistro in Jersey City for a BYOB Henri Bonneau and Chateau Rayas tasting.  As Guy Fieri says on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, it was "off the hook".   The event was the idea of Canadian Vinous member Philippe who, like me, is a fanatic for these wines. Philippe also knows more about Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines than most people I know.  Portions of what you will read in this post I have taken from his notes and comments.  Philippe, who was vacationing in NJ with his lovely family, selected the restaurant. None of us had been there before, but I for sure will be back.  It was a great choice.  Satis specializes in homemade Charcuterie, Patés and eclectic Bistro fare.  We enjoyed a full sampling of all of them (sorry no pics, too busy eating and savoring the wine):  The food was delicious and complemented the wines beautifully.

Tuscan Pâté of Soft Chicken Liver Mousse

Duck Rilettes  made from Shredded Duck Con t with Pink Peppercorn and Thyme

Clasic Country Style Pâté

Prosciutto di Parma from Parma, Italy. A Hint of Nutty Fl avor from the Parmigiano Reggiano used in the Pig’s Diet

Soppressata Picante A Coarsely Ground, Dry-cured Spicy Sausage Made with Lean Pork Meat,

Pork Fat and Delicious Spices

Saucisson Sec Dry Cured Peppery Garlic French Sausage

Chorizo Secco Dried Berkshire Pork Sausage seasoned with Smoked Paprika, Garlic and Hot Pepper

Speck Black pepper rubbed and smoked prosciutto

We began the evening with a bottle of  Jacques Selosse V.O.(Version Originale) Champagne that was disgorged on April 9 2014.  When I think of Champagne, Selosse is who I think of.  I am enraptured by the seductive yeasty nose and palate that is a signature of his wines.  Like every other wine I have had by him, the wine evolved with each sip and was completely round and delicious.  It is made from 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the Champagne communes of Avize, Cramant and Oger from three successive vintages.

We followed this with a 2007 Chateau Rayas Blanc Reserve that was spectacular and stood toe to toe with the Selosse tonight.  Philippe explained that this was "a 50-50 mix Grenache Blanc and Clairette, vinified from 100% whole clusters, 30+ year old  vines aged in demi-muids with malolactic not blocked and then 9 months in tank."   In fact in his post on Vinous he said "...Montrachet from the Southern Rhone could well be the nickname of this wine..."  There was no argument from me or the others who enjoyed the wine.  The wine simply soared from the glass and danced on the palate in balance and harmony.  A wine with soul!

Our first flight of reds was 2001 Rayas Réservé, 2004 Pignan Réservé and 2008 Rayas Réservé.  Each of the wines are 100% Grenache (Rayas signature). In the glass they all exhibited a brilliant translucent red hue and an enticing aroma of pepper and spice.  The 2001 was the most evolved of the three.  It displayed wonderful depth and balance.  The '04 Pignan was great with it's vibrant fruit and impeccable balance.  The '08 Rayas was the surprise as the night. Not considered a very good vintage, the wine was the consensus WOTN.  The peppery bouquet was really present here and echoed beautifully on the soft and elegant palate.  The wine is still in its youth and based on the pedigree in the glass this is destined to be a great wine.  When I think about it though, there is really no surprise here.  Great producers are capable of producing great wines even in off vintages. 

2001 Rayas                2004 Pignan         2008 Rayas

We then moved to the wines of Henri Bonneau beginning with the Rouliers NV. This wine is made from a vineyard worked by his son in the Gard (west of Chateauneuf on the western side of the Rhone River). The wine shows all the hallmareks of a great Chateauneuf with astonishing freshness, depth and complexity.  According to Philippe the wine contains some declassified wines from Bonneau's main CDP estate barrels.  Classified as a basic wine, it shows a wonderful earthy nose and peppery palate with nice fruit and balance.  

Next up was Henri Bonneau Reserve des Celestins from 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2009.  Philippe added some excellent information on Bonneau from the Harry Karis book "The Chateauneuf-du-Pape Wine Book"..."the regular cuvee "Tradition" is what Bonneau deems "good", the Marie Beurrier what he feels is "very good" and the Celestins is "Grand Vin" status. All wines are made from 90% grenache and 10% from a mix of Mourvedre, Syrah, Counoise and Vaccarese  from 30+ old vines, 100% whole clusters and aged 3-5 years in some very old demi-muids and small oak barrels."  I have had the fortune to taste and own all three and they are, in a word, spectacular.   They possess a darker hue and a more masculine palate than the more feminine elegance of Rayas. Like Rayas they are round and delicious wines that soar from the glass and evolve with each sip.  The '01 was clearly the wine of this flight.  I have had this vintage on many occasions and it has never let me down.  Tonight was no exception.  The earthy bouquet filled the nose in grand expectation of what the palate was about to experience...and then delivered in spades.  Superb balance and complexity with a forever finish.  The '04 began very tight in the glass, but after about 30 minutes came around beautifully.  The '07 and the '09 were much too young to appreciate.  At this point in time I would give the edge to the '09 in terms of approaching its drinking window.

Celestains, left to right: '01;  '04;  '07;  '09

We finished this magnificent evening with Quintarelli's Bianco Amabile del Cere Bandito from the '86 and '90 vintages.  This very rare dessert wine is a blend of Garganega, Trebbiano and Saorin that have been attacked by noble rot like Sauternes.  Quintarelli has only released it a few times in his lifetime.  It is only made in great vintages and is then "banished" as the name "Bandito" suggests.  The wine is marked by a seamless balance of tannins, acidity and sweetness.  A profound wine for sure as both of these attested to.  I have enjoyed the '90 on multiple occasions, but this was my first taste of the '86.  Wow!  This was more evolved and displayed a bit more depth than the '90,  which was no slouch.  In my opinion, Amiable is the greatest sweet wine one can buy.  

Well there you have it, a really remarkable evening thanks to the efforts of Philippe and the attendees who dug into their cellars to provide these provocative wines.  If you are a Vinous member be sure to check out Philippe's notes http://vinous.com/forums/index#/discussion/5414/vinous-friends-chateau-rayas-and-henri-bonneau-grand-tasting

1986 Amabile         1990 Amabile

Saluté