Parties, feasts, holidays and more celebrations. It’s always good to have something special to enjoy before, with or after your meal – especially this time of year. Below are a few ideas we highly recommend.
Elegant dry Nero d’Avola Morgante Sicilia DOC
A beautiful wine from Sicily is sure to please the dry-red-wine-loving souls with a place in your heart or your holiday plans. I was recently able to sample Morgante and Mandrarossa, two delightful wines from Sicily with Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) designations. These two fine dry red DOC wines make perfect complements to meals, at home or eating out in a restaurant. The Mandrarossa is fresher (more acidic) and the Morgante smoother and deeper. Read more about these two Sicilia DOC wines here.
Nero d’Avola dry red Mandrarossa Sicilia DOC
Whatever wine you choose from Sicily, make sure it has the DOC label so you know it’s made with the careful growing conditions and the attention to detail that are required to earn that designation. Read more at http://winesofsicily.com/.
Look for the DOC label on all your wines from Sicily
And how about something truly unique? We’re hearing more and more about this spirit distilled from Peru’s national spirit, Pisco. Portón is an even finer distillation of that spirit into a colorless brandy that mixes beautifully with rich drinks like eggnog and/or gives a shot of sweet complexity to other creamy spirits such as SomruS or Irish cream liqueurs.
Pisco Porton makes a fabulous holiday libation
Pisco can boast what only a handful of other spirits enjoy: a Denomination of Origin. That means all pisco must be made in vineyards along the south western coast of Peru and must be distilled from any of eight specific aromatic and non-aromatic grape varietals under the strictest of guidelines. Just for fun this holiday, try making this elegant creamy recipe: CASPIROLETA with Pisco Portón.
You may be wondering what to toast the holidays with this year. Even though we Americans are welcoming sparkling wine for more and more occasions all year long, Christmas and Hannukah and so on are perfect opportunities to treat ourselves to this most delightful of libations. Below are a few ideas for sparkling wines and suggestions for a fine red Cabernet, a unique creamy liqueur and a few elegant brown spirits.
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Segura Viudas Brut
Segura Viudas Brut Cava comes from the sparkling wine experts at Freixenet. It’s their value-driven offering–fine bubbles and sophisticatedly dry, Segura Viudas is a bargain at ~$9.95/750ml. Serve as an aperitif or to toast with, or with salmon, chicken and lighter meats for lunch or supper, or even with nuts or cookies after a meal or for an afternoon visit. Nothing says “I’m glad to see you!” like a glass of good bubbly. Like its parent company,The Freixenet Group, this year Segura Viudas is introducing its own iconic holiday commercial.
English: Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2011 Venice Film Festival (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Freixenet brand is a pop culture icon in Spain thanks to its annual “Felices Fiestas” ad campaign. The company enlisted superstar Liza Minnelli in 1977 and thus ushered in a new era in advertising. Their ads have featured international superstars like Gene Kelly, Shirley McLaine, Paul Newman, Kim Basinger, Penélope Cruz, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Shakira as seasonal spokespersons. Now the people of Spain happily anticipate the appearance of the Freixenet holiday ad each year.
This year the Segura Viudas holiday commercial features indie rock artist Eleanor Friedberger – watch for her imminent CD release and tour – playing the holiday classic “Auld Lang Syne” by clinking flutes filled with Segura Viudas cava. The spot was produced by Segura Viudas brand manager Josep Ferrer, a 4th generation member of the family that founded Freixenet. “It’s been an honor to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather and father in producing this holiday themed ad for one of our younger brands,” he said of the spot. While honoring the Freixenet tradition, he created this one especially for the Internet generation.
Reserva Heredad’s pewter-embellished bottle
Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad is a Spanish Cava made in the traditionalméthode champenoise. The elegant bottle reflects the premium quality of the cuvée and makes Reserva Heredad an impressive-looking gift for any wine lover. Open the pewter-embellished bottle with the crest of the Segura Viudas family and catch the aroma of brioche followed by hints of honey and dried fruit. ~$25
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And just for fun, here are two recipes to liven up your holiday parties using another of Freixenet’s star products, Cordon Negro Brut cava (they ought to work as well with Segura Viudas):
The Cinnemosa:
Pour 1.5 ounces of Cinnamon Whisky into a glass with 3 ounces of Cordon Negro Brut Cava. Fill remainder of glass with 1 ounce of blood orange juice. Garnish with orange peel.
The Cava Julep:
Combine 4 mint leaves with 1tsp superfine sugar, blueberries and a few drops of water, and muddle well. Add 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey, and stir well. Strain into a Collins glass; add ice cubes and 4 ounces of Cordon Negro Brut cava. Garnish with 2 mint leaves, and serve.
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This year Freixenet is importing a limited supply of Katnook Estate, a premium Cabernet Sauvignon that might bring you red-wine lovers into closer communion with your higher wine self this holiday season. Katnook is one of Australia’s premier South Australian wineries that produces a full line of highly praised Cabernets. The Katnook Estate brand is from the vineyards around the town of Coonawarra in the Limestone Coast zone of South Australia and has been producing wines there since 1896. Today they craft these exceptional Cabernets from vines growing in the ideal climate conditions of the “terra rossa” soil of the region.
The Katnook Estate Founder’s Block Cabernet 2013 is a lovely, medium-bodied wine, with a refined nose of red berries, violets and hints of mint. It will make any meal special – pasta, red meats, quail, and smoky or spicy flavors. Tasting notes say: “Well proportioned with generous fruit and a persistent finish.” We say it’s just a beautiful wine that gets 92 points from multiple reviewers. Prices for Katnook Estate Connawarra Cabernet Sauvignon vary by vintage and may range from ~$15 for younger years up to ~$30 and more for older vintages. Get one for now and one for your cellar.
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SomruS – exotic creamy liqueur in a gold bottle
SomruS (it means “nectar of the gods”) is a creamy liqueur made with an intricate blend of exotic Eastern spices, nuts, Caribbean rum and pure dairy cream. Your nose will detect hints of cardamom, saffron, almonds, pistachios and rose in this Original Indian Cream Liqueur that goes beautifully on its own in a chilled glass or can be used in cocktails, baked into desserts or added to a cup of chai. Let your imagination take over. It’s much more exotic than, say, Irish cream liqueur, and unless your guests have themselves already purchased a gold-coated, UV-protected bottle of this modern interpretation of a beverage that has its roots as far back as 2600 B.C.E., they’ll never guess what you’re serving or how you flavored that custard or cake.
Try this simple, rich cocktail: Decorate a martini glass with liquid chocolate. Then mix in a shaker 1-1/2 oz. chilled SomruS with 1-1/2 oz. chilled Kahlua, shake vigorously, pour and enjoy. N.B. You can skip the decorating part, and the drink will taste just as good.
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Cruzan Single Barrel – smooth sipping rum
Cruzan Single Barrel rum. FYI, “single barrel” refers to the fact that after its initial aging, the rum is handpicked and blended before it is barreled for a second time in new American oak barrels and slowly aged again to perfection. Smooth and silky and spiced with toffee, vanilla and a slightly smoky fruitiness. So beautifully blended that it makes a perfect aperitif or after-dinner libation all by itself or on the rocks. Chill it on the rocks and drink it as a smoother alternative to bourbon or Scotch whisky. It’s subtler yet more harmonious in a mixed cocktail than most regular rums. It’s so fine, we love to sip it straight like a brandy/Cognac. Be sure to use your most elegant crystal glass.
At $29.99 for a 750ml bottle, Cruzan Single Barrel makes for an affordable, yet premium option for the holidays. It goes great with your favorite holiday fare – or even with deep dish pizza. Single Barrel is versatile enough to go with whatever you’re serving this time of year. And it makes an impressive host/hostess gift when you’re off to a party.
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Beautiful cut-glass decanter shows off the amber liquid
Hibiki Blended Japanese Harmony Whisky. Embodying the soul of Japanese craftsmanship, this harmonious blend resounds with calm complexity and “Wa”, oneness. “Kanzen”or complete, Hibiki is a harmonious blend of many malt and grain whiskies meticulously blended to create a full orchestra of flavors and aromas. Seductive, blossoming and enigmatic, Hibiki celebrates the art of blending and fine craftsmanship and offers a sense of luxury in your glass. From the House of Suntory, prices range from $65 for Hibiki Japanese Harmony to $250 for Hibiki 21 Year Old. We are talking treating yourself, folks. Don’t mix this whisky in a cocktail or you might miss the subtle pleasure provided by the masterful blending process. Plus the bottle is lovely; you might not even need a decanter.
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Auchentoshan Single Malt Scotch Whisky isScotland’s only whisky that triple distills every drop, making for a spirit that is approachable (no smoky peat flavor) that works as well sipped neat/on the rocks as it is in cocktails (try the new American Oak, aged solely in first-fill American oak barrels). Prices: $40 for American Oak to $450 for 1988 Wine Matured.
_____________________________________________ Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky is ideal for the smoky Scotch lover. Made in Islay’s first distillery (since 1779), Bowmore offers just the right amount of smoke and sweetness to make this whisky a favorite for those who love that peat-infused aroma and taste. From the newest, recently launched Small Batch aged in 1st and 2ndfill ex-bourbon casks to the collectible Bowmore Black, Gold or White, Bowmore is one of the most well-known whiskies in the world and one of the most collectible. Prices: $40 for Small Batch to $650 for Port Matured.
Whether you like to read about wine, beer and spirits or drink them, or both, here are a few ideas for your edification that might also make potentially interesting holiday gifts.
Bourbon Curious book of tastes
One bourbon. Book review: Bourbon Curious: A Simple Tasting Guide for the Savvy Drinker. If you are indeed curious about bourbon, this excellent book may help you become something of an expert. Written by a guy named Fred Minnick, noted whiskey authority who also wrote Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch and Irish Whiskey. The new book presents an easy-to-use interactive experience that helps you pick bourbons based on your flavor preferences.
Using the same tasting principles he offers in his Kentucky Derby Museum classes and as a judge at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Minnick dismisses all the brand marketing hype and judges only the flavor of the bourbon. His guide starts by grouping bourbons into four main flavor profiles—grain, caramel, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Isn’t it cool to think of bourbon as having those surprising sweet/spice flavors? While many bourbons have all four of these flavor notes, one sensation usually overpowers the others. In the book you’ll learn about the predominant tastes of fifty different bourbon brands. Plus, you’ll find a bunch of cocktail recipes for making the most of the bourbons in each profile.
The expert author debunks a lot of myths surrounding the drink and tells why these legends came to be. He explains the mysteries of making bourbon and reveals a few distillers’ secrets and even discloses some of their recipes for making this celebrated spirit. A great gift for a bourbon lover.
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Spirit of Place book
One Scotch. Book review: Spirit of Place: Scotland’s Great Whisky Distilleries, by Charles MacLean. They say Scotch is an acquired taste. Certainly the peat-y, smoky taste and aroma of some varieties can take getting used to. But if you admire Scotland and its iconic Scotch whisky—no “e” please in Scotch whisky—or are planning to visit or have visited the distilleries, or just want to know more while you enjoy a drop at home, check out this recently released book.
The book takes you on an annotated photographic tour of Scotland’s various distilleries–from Talisker to Lagavolin, Laphroaig to Dalwhinnie, the Isle of Arran to Glenkinchie. You’ll get a feel for the spirit of the place without having to hop an airplane. More than 250 specially commissioned photographs capture the beauty of the changing seasons in the landscapes around the distilleries, portray the skill and dedication of the craftsmen who work in them, and reveal the fine details of the buildings themselves.
MacLean has authored 10 books including Malt Whisky and Scotch Whisky, both of which were shortlisted for Glenfiddich Awards, and Whisky: A Liquid History, which the James Beard Foundation named Wine and Spirit Book of the Year 2005. Lara Platman and Allan MacDonald, both professional photographers, took the beautiful photographs that give this book such a powerful feeling of place. It would make a lovely gift to yourself or your favorite Scotch lover.
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Birra Capri luxury Italian brew
One beer. Birra Capri luxury Italian beer has just been picked up for distribution in Chicago. Known as “a wine drinker’s beer,” this unique brew—not many truly luxury Italian beers are available—is soft, light and refreshing, with very particular yeasts that give it a fruitful taste. It’s made to pair well a wide variety of cuisines. Made by the Brunetti brothers, Birra Capri was born in 2006 out of the family’s café in the heart of Anacapri. Birra Capri is unpasteurized and unfiltered, and is locally sourced and brewed in Capri, Italy.
Recently was invited to sample a complementary dinner at one of the city’s newest Mexican restaurants, Ixcateco Grill, 3402 W. Montrose. It’s a very nice place to BYOB and enjoy some casual but sophisticated Mexican cuisine. We arrived a bit ahead of their 5 pm opening, but they let us sit on a ledge by the front window until they could seat us.
Iscateco’s bright walls and artwork
Ixcateco house-made chips ‘n’ salsa
Piscaditos filled with roasted pulled chicken
Though we hadn’t requested it and it was not listed on the menu, our server apologized when he arrived at our table for not bringing us Chips and Salsa and promised he was on his way to get it then. Soon he returned with a basket of fresh, crunchy house-made tortilla chips with a small dish of their own really tasty green salsa (made with fresh tomatilloes). Excellent stuff.
Ixcateco’s Chef Anselmo Ramirez learned by working closely with Rick Bayless and other well-known culinary artists before opening his own place in Albany Park, tucked-away on Chicago’s northwest side. But he also creates with the inner wisdom imparted by years of cooking with his grandmother. The unassuming storefront opens into a simple single room that’s painted in large swaths of bright color and hung with small Mexican art works. Spare but comfortable, except at our table the intense spot lighting was almost uncomfortably bright.
The Piscaditos ($7) starter came as two corn pastry “boats” stuffed with pulled chicken and decorated with squiggles of avocado cream sauce. The pastry was tasty but fairly heavy, and we both left most of that on the plate. The roasted chicken was tender and juicy, and parts of it looked enhanced with a crunchy deep-fried crust. The meat was sparked with light spice from strips of pickled cactus. A rich and hearty appetizer.
Tender red and golden beet and jicama salad
Wood grilled Langostinos al Ajo
Wood grilled carne asada
The Ensalada de Betabel ($7), a tender red-and-gold beet salad accented with crisp strips of jicama, studded with bits of goat cheese and sprinkled with tiny bites of toasted pecans, made a lovely counterpoint to the heavier appetizer. As for entrées, the Langostinos al Ajo ($17)—several cut-in-half-the-long way, wood-grilled, fall-apart-tender prawns in a salty, creamy garlic sauce—were served with a melange of avocado, tomato, onions and garlic chives that felt just right mixed into the mound of white rice. The Carnitas Asada ($16.50) was a generous slab of skirt steak marinated in an Adobo sauce, then beautifully grilled to a dark crusty exterior and a nicely chewy rare inside. It was served with a small scoop each of black beans and guacamole and a helping of tomato/garlic/serrano chile Molcajete sauce on the side.
Desserts—also not listed on the menu—were few and simple when we asked the dining attendant. The Tres Leche cake was very light, sitting in a milky sauce and neatly capped with a layer of whipped topping. The flan was dark, roasted-tasting, thick and delicious with a thin layer of caramel on top. Ice cream was a third choice.
The fact that this place is BYOB makes it especially attractive—no bottle charge. Every table filled as we ate, and each group brought its own libations. Service was attentive until the place got busy and our server seemed to forget us. We had to wait a noticeably long time to order desserts, and then had to again petition the dining attendant before we finally received them.
The Chef says he will be regularly adding or adapting items on the limited menu to showcase the bounty of each season. Good, because judging by how busy it got on a Tuesday night, local residents are already thinking of this as a go-to dining choice; they’ll certainly want changing options on the menu. Although the location is far out-of-the-way for the average center-city dweller, folks in the neighborhood may find this a hidden gem.
The Food Substitutions Bible, by David Joachim. Don’t have any XO sauce to make that cool Asian recipe? How about agave nectar for that delicious-sounding dessert? This book is full of practical ideas for coming up with things you have around the house that can take the place of both food ingredients and cooking materials and equipment. Don’t have a pastry bag? Try a plastic resealable bag or rolled parchment paper. Don’t have any dry mustard (sound familiar to you, too)? For 1 teaspoon of powdered, substitute 1 tablespoon prepared mustard minus 1 tsp liquid from the recipe. How about this surprise—if you don’t have coriander root (who does?), for 1 tablespoon, substitute 2 tablespoons of thick cilantro stems!
Whether you need a substitute for a key ingredient or utensil, want to vary the flavor or texture of a recipe or even just figure out a healthier version of an old favorite, this book has some great ideas for improvising with confidence. The first edition of this book won the prestigious International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) award. Now Joachim, author, editor and collaborator on more than 30 cookbooks, includes 50 new recipes in this revised edition. Just reading the pages—all information is clearly laid out in neat, easy-to-read boxes—may inspire you to new culinary efforts. Fun to read.
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The Field Guide to Bitters & Amari, by Mark Bitterman. This book addresses the mysterious substances known as bitters. The book contains photos of some of the 500 different bitters it lists, along with flavor profiles and tasting notes for each—it’s a genuine field guide (p 137). You’ll learn that bitters come in categories: aromatic, citrus, fruit, spice, spicy, herbal-floral, and nut. In addition to the extensive information on bitters, the book also talks about 50 different amari, the popular after-dinner digestif drinks considered the kindred spirits of bitters because they’re based on roots and herbs, and gives instructions on how to build a well-balanced cocktail with an amaro (p 87).
Plus the book contains dozens of recipes for sophisticated drinks and cool food items like Bittered Fried Chicken and Fried Olive-stuffed Olives with Bitter Lemon Olive Oil-Parsley dipping sauce. How about a Bittersweet Chocolate Torte that uses black walnut bitters in the cake and spiced bitters in the glaze? Aren’t you just ready to run out and buy a dozen bottles of bitters right now? The author clearly knows whereof he speaks—he actually runs a store called The Meadow that sells the largest selection of bitters in the world at all three of its locations. He even gives instructions in the book on how to make bitters and amari at home.
The book comes with a heavy, rich-looking, leather-like cover with orange/gold debossed printing and would make a wonderful gift for any food and/or drink aficionado looking for some excitement.
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Own work (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Spice & Herb Bible, by Ian Hemphill with recipes by Kate Hemphill. What is the difference between a spice and an herb? How did people use spices in 1700 BCE? How about a recipe for Chocolate and Wattleseed Truffle (p. 674) to crown your dinner party? Think about making Indian Butter Chicken (p. 156)—with a homemade 11-spice blend and chicken breasts marinated in a yogurt curry accented with tomato paste, brown sugar, almonds, tomato chutney, grated onion, garlic and more spices. Num.
This revised edition is a heavy, massive paperback book with glossy photos and lots of white space, boxed information, easy-to-read lists, and good ideas for how to buy and store, along with creative uses and recipes for everything from allspice to zedoary (white turmeric). Be aware that all recipe ingredients are given in milliliters and grams rather than ounces—an opportunity to polish up your knowledge of converting to and from the metric system. This book is great for a wannabe chef or someone who just wants to spread her wings and try new things in the kitchen.
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New ways to enliven your cooking–or just read food history
The Cook’s Essential Kitchen Dictionary, by Jacques L. Rolland. Sure, we can look up anything we want online. And that’s great, but there’s really no substitute for a book when you want to explore something at your leisure. Here you’ll find food history, anecdotes, and information about origins and cultures along with 5000 definitions for familiar and not-so-familiar food and ingredient terms like distillation empanada, jicama, kohlrabi leavening, nam pia, orgeat, ratatouille sake, zabaglione and more. Use this for practical assistance when making a recipe with strange ingredients, or just read it for the joy of learning more about the amazing things people eat and season their food with.
The author of this book is a Frenchman with a degree in culinary arts and hotel management and also a certified sommelier (a very tough exam to pass). In this book (he also wrote The Food Encyclopedia) he shares his extensive knowledge of current realities of the world’s culinary landscape and intersperses it with his experiences teaching classes in etiquette, service and wine.
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Eat Mediterranean for health, longevity and FLAVOR!
The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, by Amy Riolo, chef, television personality, cuisine and culture expert, is an Italian American of Calabrian descent. The focus here is on the health benefits—living longer and better—of the delicious dishes that characterize the Mediterranean diet—said to lower your chance of developing heart disease by nearly 50%. Author Riolo talks about what you should eat and why, as well as when you should eat it.
You’ll find, for example, a thorough explanation of how and why vegetables are part of the foundation of Mediterranean eating (often the basis for entire meals) just before recipes for asparagus soup, spaghetti squash “pasta,” and a Moroccon Vegetable Tajine. Read a write-up on the nutritional benefits of fish and seafood, just before recipes like Greek-style Roasted Fish and Vegetables, and a boxed tip explaining that marinating seafood, meat or chicken before grilling it doesn’t just taste great. It also “reduces the harmful cancer-causing substances” that open-flame cooking can produce.
Riolo groups meats with sweets in the book because, as she says, both are rich in fat and eaten quite sparingly in the typical Mediterranean diet. The book contains 100 recipes from 25 different countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Riolo is also the author of The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook, Nile Style: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture, Recipes & Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula, and several others.
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Discover the joys of pairing beer with cookies!
Cookies & Beer: Bake, Pair, Enjoy, by Jonathan Bender. Yes, you read it right: Cookies and beer. While this may seem like heresy, the more you read about it, the more sense it makes. Both things have important ingredients in common: grains, spices and fruits. The book points out how the perfect beer can bring out unexpected flavors in a cookie, and how the right cookie can awaken flavors hardly noticed before in a beer.
The cookie recipes are fascinating—some of them even include beer as an ingredient as in, for example, Rye IPA Apricot Crumble Bars, which are made up of an apricot-beer-lemon-maple-sugar compote, a rye-flour-sugar-butter shortbread, and a caraway-black walnut crumble. Isn’t your mouth watering just thinking about that? The chef’s notes say: “Rye beers (IPA or otherwise) will amplify the rye and caraway seeds in the bar cookie and tease out a bit of sweetness from the apricot filling.”
You can tell this guy’s a food writer. This book is fun to read and dream about—even if you never make any of the recipes.
If you haven’t heard of this group and you love dogs–and wine–you’re in for a surprise. Chateau La Paws (CLP) supports no-kill shelters all over the U.S. and to support its work, sells some very good wines from the folks at Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines (DC&E). Even more fun, they put pictures of their still-need-a-forever-home dogs on all the wine labels!
And just recently CLP announced the release of four new Sonoma varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sweet Red Blend and Sauvignon Blanc). Now available nationwide, the new bottles feature 28 additional North Shore Animal League America (NSALA) rescue dogs. The new offerings join Chateau La Paws Chardonnay, Red Blend and Pinot Noir, launched earlier this year. I was sent a sample and can say their new Cabernet Sauvignon was light but still complex enough to go well with almost any food.
At the checkout of my local Binny’s the other day I was surprised when the young lady remarked that she liked my headband with paws all over it. I laughed and told her it was from Chateau La Paws and she said, oh, yes, I always buy wines from them as gifts to bring to friends’ houses for dinner–a regular CLP customer.
Both CLP’s Chardonnay and its Red Blend received Gold medals at the 2015 Los Angeles International Wine Competition with the latter, in fact, receiving the honor of “Best in Class.” Impressive. Along with well-respected wines, the official national partnership with NSALA helps shelter dogs find a chateau of their own. Chateau La Paws encourages wine lovers to always support rescue adoption.
English: From top left: Downtown Chicago, the Willis Tower, the Chicago Theater, the Chicago “L”, Navy Pier, the Field Museum, and Millenium Park (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Chicago loves French cooking, and during the week of November 9-19, a bunch of French restaurants are inviting Chicagoans to sample the French table with prix-fixe menus for $33 or $44. Like Restaurant Week, this festival, called a la carte Chicago, gives you a chance to try a restaurant’s offerings at a reduced price—a great way to expand your culinary horizons.
A la carte Chicago also gives you chances to go behind the scenes. Hone your culinary skills with cooking workshops—say, how a French chef does hamburger! Follow a French Chef throughout the day and experience the life of a master at work. Discover new cookbooks at special events. Indulge in an Oscar-winning French film. Share a lunch with the Consul General of France.
The final event of a la carte Chicago will be the 31st annual Passport to France—basically a huge party where you get to savor specialties from more than 50 local chefs and vendors. Get the word out to your friends:
Partners include: Bistronomic, Chez Moi, Shaw’s Crab House, Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, Kendall College, French Pastry School, Viktorija Todorovska, Sommelier and Author of Provence Food and Wine: The Art of Living, Consulat General de France a Chicago, French-American Chamber of Commerce Chicago, Alliance Francaise de Chicago, Business France, Kendall College, and Watel / Davis.
Out in the Sicilian countryside near Palermo in Sicily nestles a deceptively simple-looking cluster of buildings known as Baglio Di Pianetto. Surrounding it are acres of vineyards and olive groves that supply the resort’s extraordinary house-made wines and olive oils—the two unshakable cornerstones of Italian cuisine, done to passionate perfection here.
Alberto Buratto, CEO of Baglio Di Pianetto
But Alberto Buratto, CEO of this five-star resort and winery, lives in Verona in northern Italy and commutes an hour and a half by air every day to play his role here—except on the many days he travels the globe as the representative of these lovely wines, telling their stories to consumers and industry experts around the world.
Signor Burrato, a handsome man with kind eyes, a warm smile and a strong yet gentle manner, was in Chicago recently representing Baglio Di Pianetto (BDP) at an Italian wine event at Eataly. At dinner at Pane Caldo, 111 E. Chestnut, he set to ordering, in mellifluous Italian, bread to go with tasting the wines. Once the house bread arrived—a small, muffin-shaped, soft-crusted loaf of bread served with tapenade and bruschetta spreads, Alberto began to tell how BDP came to be.
The story begins
The founder of Baglio Di Pianetto, he said, is Paolo Marzotto, who was once president of Santa Margherita—where he invented Pinot Grigio—and is, according to Alberto, “really a tough guy.” He even drove Formula 1 race cars, that is, until he met his then-future wife, a French Countess named Florence. In 1955 a terrible accident at LeMans killed 18 people. The Countess, who had come that day to watch Paolo race, came down from the stands while he was off the course and told him that if he wanted to be with her, he had to stop racing. He quit that day, and they were married two months later. He turned 85 this year.
In 1990, Count Marzotto’s wife asked him to make a new kind of wines—Sicilian, yes, but with also the elegance of the French chateaux. That was when he asked Alberto to partner with him and commute to Sicily. Eventually, Alberto agreed to help Paolo fulfill his wish to please his wife with these elegant new wines.
Paolo bought two properties in Sicily, one in the north, Pianetto, one in the south, Baroni, one higher and one lower, one in the mountains with wide variations in temperature between night and day, and the other by the seaside, where temps don’t vary so much between night and day. These dramatically different terroirs would provide great possibilities for creating different wines and making different olive oils. Then he planted Viognier grapes because these French grapes were favorites of the Countess. He also planted Petit Verdot and Merlot, along with Sicilian grapes.
To provide the elegance they sought, they experimented with different oaks from different areas in France. American oak that comes from Oregon or Michigan is completely different. “Where and how the oak grows makes a big difference,” said Alberto. While the rings of a tree show its age in years, a six-year-old tree could be smaller than a four; the space between the rings controls its size and how it will behave in a barrel. “Smaller rings make a harder wood that lets in less air. And this is how the wood in a barrel affects the evolution of aged wine or beer.”
The passion of making wine
Alberto in the vineyard with Cembali–BDP star red wine
“To make wine, you must have passion,” said Alberto. “And the more you study, the more you know how much is yet to learn.”
Having learned early from his grandfather about timing, Alberto said they harvest three times each year: August, September and October. “Now, when we make the blend, we use a little bit from each harvest to change the character of the finished wine. Ficiligno is fruitier because we add more Viognier from September. Freshness comes from August. Sweeter comes from the October harvest. We taste to decide how much of each to use. Some years it’s very sunny and makes wonderful maturation—less Viognier, more Insolia.”
Baglio Di Pianetto wines and olive oils
With the arrival of the seafood risotto, Alberto called for BDP’s two dry white wines. The first, Baglio Di Pianetto Ficiligno 2014 ($19) is a blend of Insolia and Viognier grapes and epitomizes the personality of Pianetto: fresh, pleasant and mild-flavored, leaning towards savory with hints of exotic aftertaste. A lovely white wine that first gives off floral notes, and then slowly changes to tropical and fresh fruits like pineapple and mango. It was beautiful with the risotto.
The second white, Baglio Di PIanetto Ginolfo 2012 ($33), a pale golden yellow color, is richer and more full-bodied. Made of 100% Viognier grapes it, too, is the result of three different harvests. Its aroma has tropical hints and notes of toasted vanilla. It’s a beautifully dry, rich yet mellow wine—and went wonderfully with the seafood. Listen to this description of the loving process they follow in making this wine:
“The grapes were harvested by hand in crates in 3 different harvests (the first at pre-technical ripeness to create an acidic base, the second at technical ripeness and the third with the grapes slightly overripe). After sorting, half the grapes were de-stemmed, crushed and left to macerate 18 hours with their skins. The other half was pressed directly. The must was cooled once again, favoring the natural settling. The fermentation began in stainless steel tanks, then continuing for only a portion of the wine in new 225 litres French oak. In June 2012, the wine was blended.”
Baglio di Pianetto winery also grows its own olive trees and makes its own olive oil. When I asked why so many wineries do this, he looked astonished. He said that was like asking why you would want the best wine you could afford. The answer is obvious: if you control the production of your olive oil, like your wine, you know you are getting the highest possible quality. On his iPad he displayed multiple pictures of the BDP olive oil processing equipment at work—clearly as much a labor of love as the making of their wines.
Baglio Di Pianetto Ramine 2011–fresh and food-friendly
With the cheese course, Alberto presented two of the company’s seven reds. The first, Baglio Di Pianetto Ramione 2011 ($23) is a fresh red blend of Merlot and Nero d’Avola (a grape exclusive to Sicily), again made with grapes selected from early, middle and late harvest. It has a deep ruby color with an intense and elegant bouquet of red berries followed by vanilla and licorice hints. On the palate it feels mellow and well-balanced with a long and persistent finish. “You feel this red,” said Alberto, “with a little bit of tannins that later give a powerful feeling.” This red made a nice accompaniment to Pane Caldo’s selection of six different cheeses, especially the soft creamy triple-cream one.
Baglio Cembali 2007–a rich, deep red that loves food
And then, Alberto presented another exceptional red: Baglio Di Pianetto Cembali 2007 (bottled in 2011), a 100% Nero D’Avola Reserve (~$44). He waxed eloquent: “Think how you taste: very powerful but with a velvet feeling.” He described the process: Two harvests and age 9 months in five different types of oak, a little bit in several separate barrels. Then they blend and age that, first in stainless steel, then for 10 months in a larger oak barrel. Then 36 months in the bottle before it goes to market. Four years from harvest to table—talk about tender loving care! And the wine shows it—a deep ruby color with a spicy palate of blueberries, cherries, balsamic. Warm, savory and intense, it expresses all the specific characteristics of Nero D’Avola grown in the Noto area of Sicily. Absolutely lovely.
Eating and drinking in America
Alberto noted that American palates are changing, and he feels BDP’s mostly medium-bodied wines will find a warm welcome here. “The previous mentality of Americans,” he said, “was they wanted powerful, tannic, structured wines—the big Cabernet.” He said American menus typically featured mainly steak and fish and potatoes and fries, hot dogs and hamburgers. While it’s probable that most Chicagoans haven’t lost their taste for those food items, the city certainly now has many international cuisines to choose from.
People ask Alberto what it’s like eating in America. He feels the difference is that the average meal in America is better than the average in Italy, but that to eat extremely well in the U.S. is hard to find and costs a fortune, whereas you can find very good eating in many places in Italy. He said in Italy from 1998 to 2007, for ten years many Italian restaurants began offering many other cuisines, like Peruvian, for example, and not so much Italian. Now for five or six years, Italian cuisine is again popular. His love and appreciation for his country’s cuisine shone forth when he said, “Why must we do something else? Italian cuisine is about the purity of the essences of the food.” Impeccable for pairing with fine wines.
When asked about the “smelling kits” growing popular in the U.S. now to help people learn to recognize “the nose” of wines, he said many winemakers start teaching their children, from as early as age 2, to identify the aromas of everything. He suggests putting a bit of something in many small containers—rosemary, tea, cream, thyme, and so on—then making a game of having the child learn to identify the scents. “Most city people have no idea what is the smell of the leaves of a tomato plant.”
Accept and appreciate
As to how a winemaker deals with changing weather—including global warming, hail storms and soaking rains in areas of Sicily where it has never rained—Alberto said it is simple. “Patience. You accept what God sends you, and know that not all bad things are bad. If you can see in a different way, sometimes what looks bad can give you more opportunity for the future.”
He said, in the end, it comes down to one thing. “The most important thing in this company is our people,” he said.
For those who care about truth in labeling and potential contamination in seafood, it’s nice to know there’s a commission that’s recently made recommendations on reducing or eliminating fraudulent seafood labeling. You can help by encouraging the administration to enforce these transparency standards:
Documentation for all seafood sold in the United States — require details such as what fish it is, whether it was farmed or wild caught, where and how it was caught. This information helps verify that the seafood came from a legal source.
Full chain traceability — require key information to follow the fish through the supply chain, tracking the seafood from fishing boat or farm to the dinner plate.
Consumer information — provide seafood buyers with more information about their purchase, such as what fish it is, where and how it was caught, so they can make more informed decisions.
Sukkah Hill liqueurs fabulous for holidays and special occasions
Liqueurs are traditionally thought of as après dinner, but these two I recently received to sample look to be comfortable just about any other time as well. Strangely named—one is Besamim and the other is Etrog—these are hand crafted with meticulous care in small batches using locally sourced ingredients as much as possible—including from the maker’s own orchard.
The tastes are distinctive for sure. Besamim (74 proof) is described by the Beverage Tasting Institute as “Vibrant aromas and flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove with a silky, moderately sweet, medium body and a gently warming frosted carrot cake and candied spiced nut finish. Elegant, natural and balanced spice flavor that is great on its own and in holiday cocktails.” I can’t improve on that. To put it simply in my words, it tastes like Christmas in a glass. Think of mixing or serving with creamy or apple-y or pumpkin-y things. The flavor is intense but beautifully balanced. My mouth is watering at the thought of a glass of this with a piece of pumpkin pie.
Etrog (76 proof) is a more mysterious combination of flavors that inventor, Marni Witkin first created by adding leftover holiday etrog – the yellow citron, a fruit traditionally used by Jewish people during the week-long holiday of Sukkot—into some vodka to see what would happen. As it happened, she passed the drink around to her friends, and they all liked it—a lot. She and her husband planted an orchard and now grow these unique fruits.
English: Etrog, silver etrog box and lulav, used on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The finished commercial Etrog product likely tastes more complex than that first accidentally infused spirit. On its own, the liqueur has a tiny bit of a medicinal taste that’s similar to an amaro, the popular Italian digestif, but Etrog is somewhat lighter and lemon-based rather than evocative of dark roots and herbs. Mixed in cocktails, Etrog layers in a unique citrus-y subtlety that works well with a variety of liquors and other mixers. From gin (the Etrog Ricky recipe is super refreshing and a bit more complex than the traditional simple gin rickey) to bourbon, this liqueur is a star when it comes to building a cocktail with layers of flavor. Read here for more recipes.
Now available at your local Binny’s for $24.99 for a 375ml bottle. More locations on the way as these unique new cordial/liqueurs make their way into outlets across the country.
