Do Bianchi

Maremma, part 2: bistecca panzanese at Osteria Magona in Bolgheri

Above: Omar Barsacchi and Gionata d’Alessi, chefs at Osteria Magona, the coolest joint in Bolgheri. Osteria Magona 57022 Bolgheri (LI) Piazza Ugo, 2/3 tel. 0565 762173 Whey they hear the toponym Bolgheri (pronounced BOHL-geh-ree), many think immediately of the Maremma coastline where Italy’s famed Super Tuscans are produced. But the appellation gets its name from Bolgheri the beautiful borgo medievale [...]

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Maremma, part 1: an unforgettable evening at La Pineta

Above: enologist Luca d’Attoma, restaurateur and chef Luciano Zazzeri, and winemaker Cinzia Merli at La Pineta in Marina di Bibbona (Maremma, Tuscany). La Pineta 57020 Marina Di Bibbona (LI) Via Cavalleggeri Nord, 13 tel. 0586 600371 The celebrated Trattoria La Pineta in Marina di Bibbona (Maremma) needs no plug from Do Bianchi. No visit to this stretch of the [...]

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A favorite Chianti at Bahia

Above: Dora was in the kitchen the other night at Bahia and the food was just smoking good! The best chile relleno I’ve ever had there. Last Sunday, Tracie B and Jayne and Jon and I headed over to Bahia Don Bravo in Bird Rock (La Jolla) for some corkage a la acapulqueña. (Tracie B was [...]

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Che due marroni! and more thoughts on the Berlusconi gaffe

Above: this morning, my college friend Steve Muench sent this pic of chestnuts roasting in Piazza della frutta in Padua, where he and I attended university in 1987-88 (my first year in Italy). I played my first Italian gig in that square, at Bar Margherita. There’s a saying in Italian, che due marroni!, literally, what two [...]

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Apulia in New York and a visit with Obi-Wan

Above: the Obi-Wan Kenobi of the Italian wine world, Charles Scicolone (left), with Tom Maresca, another one of New York’s great wine experts and writers and an authority on Italian wine. As the newest member of the New York Wine Media Guild, I was asked to help organize and co-chair last week’s tasting of Apulian wines [...]

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Le monde entier est un cactus: the Berlusconi gaffe

The whole world is a cactus and it’s impossible to sit down… Photo courtesy Scribbles of a Dutch/Polishman. Do Bianchi’s habitual albeit well-meaning detractor often chides me for including geo-political commentary and notes on Japanese food on the blog. And he’s right: I really don’t have any business posting on either topic. But I do feel the [...]

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Don’t cry for me Montalcino

In an interview published this week by the Italian Sommelier Association, Ezio Rivella has called the results of the Brunello vote “a disaster.” “I believe,” said Rivella, “that there is nothing left to do but cry for Brunello and its future!” Click here to read my translation of an excerpt of the interview by Franco. Don’t cry [...]

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New York stories

N.B. this post will be thoroughly more enjoyable, if you click the YouTube below for the post’s soundtrack. Next week, I’ll post on the Apulian tasting that Charles Scicolone and I presented at the New York Wine Media Guild luncheon on Wednesday. In the meantime, here are some images from my quick trip to the Big [...]

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Brunello vote, a different perspective, and some blogs I’ve been reading

Above: this photo of me and Gianfranco Soldera of Casse Basse appears in this month’s issue of The Tasting Panel Click the image to read my piece, “The Sun Also Rises, a dispatch from Montalcino” (photo by Ben Shapiro). The sun also rises in Montalcino… My relief to read that Brunello producers had voted to “let [...]

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Montage of a dream deferred (but now realized)

Yesterday I flew to NYC where I’m presenting an Apulian tasting at a New York Wine Media Guild luncheon today. Last night, my buddy Greg Wawro and I headed to Harlem after dinner to celebrate the election and drink it all in… Outside the Apollo theater people gathered and cheered. Everyone was high-fiving and hugging [...]

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For what it’s worth…

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Yesterday’s wine: Willie Nelson at the Backyard

Miracles appear in the strangest of places… Above: no synthesizers allowed… Willie played with a piano player, bass, drums, percussion, and harmonica. He played all the guitar himself on that same old acoustic guitar he’s used on all his albums. Man, that dude can play the guitar. I love his signature chromatic scales in his solos. A [...]

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Rolling with MZ at Jaynes

From the “I may not be a rock star but I get to hang out with rock stars” dept… Above: we paired Ca’ del Bosco 2001 Annamaria Clemente — one of the greatest vintages for this wine, said Maurizio Zanella — with steamed Baja mussels at Jaynes last night. It’s a tough life, but someone’s gotta [...]

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LONG LIVE BRUNELLO! LONG LIVE SANGIOVESE! PRODUCERS VOTE NOT TO CHANGE APPELLATION

Alessandro just posted the results of the voting here. Brunello will continue to be made with 100% Sangiovese grapes. Long live Brunello! Long live Sangiovese! (And nicely done, Alessandro!).       

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Brunello vote results expected shortly but looking good

I wish I could say I broke this story at VinoWire but I must give credit where credit is due: my buddy Alessandro Bindocci is posting on the Brunello vote results at his blog Montalcino Report. I’m glued to my seat and am keeping my fingers crossed for Brunello to remain Brunello (100% Sangiovese). Long [...]

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Sue me, Summus… Banfi proposes 3-5% “tolerance” of international varieties

That’s Cristina Mariani to the left, owner of Banfi Vintners, one of the world’s largest and most powerful winemakers. Her family’s winery is one of the largest producers of Brunello di Montalcino. Yesterday, on the eve of the Brunello Consortium’s historic vote on whether or not to allow blending of grapes other than Sangiovese, she and [...]

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On the eve of a historic vote, a 1975 Brunello by Lisini

Above: the 1975 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino was one of the most beautiful expressions of Sangiovese I’ve ever tasted. The wine was so bright and alive, with gorgeous acidity, red fruit flavors, and the elegant tannin that defines truly great Brunello. Look at the clear color of the wine: 100% Sangiovese. THANK YOU ALFONSO! Austin, Texas—Last [...]

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Live guest blogging: Salone del Gusto 2008 Turin

This just in from my friend and colleague Carla Ranicki who’s working at the Salone del Gusto in Turin today. Thursday at Salone del Gusto is always fairly calm, with everyone gearing up for the huge crowds that will pack into Turin’s Lingotto exhibition center over the weekend. The buzzwords this year are sustainability and education, [...]

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Do the math: Siena prosecutor speaks out on Brunello investigation

Earlier this week, Banfi issued a press release announcing that its 2003 Brunello di Montalcino had been released by Siena authorities (it was impounded in April 2008). Evidently in response to Banfi’s press release and the newspaper articles and blog posts that followed, the Siena prosecutor sent a statement to members of the press today. [...]

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Dear Ezio Rivella and Thomas Matthews, please give me a call…

In his post on Friday, Eric referenced my post at Do Bianchi (please see also the post published by me and Franco Ziliani at VinoWire). In my post on the October 3 Brunello debate, I wrote: As I watched the live streaming of the Brunello debate on Friday, I couldn’t help but think of Marinetti’s calls to [...]

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