A view from Il Palazzone

Upon my return from Dallas earlier this week, I learned that I’d have the opportunity to participate in a winemaker event featuring Dick Parsons.  Mr. Parsons, Chairman of Citigroup and former CEO of Time Warner, has owned the legendary Il Palazzone estate in Montalcino since 2000 and is responsible for the estate’s Brunello di Montalcino 2004 Riserva, a wine that was named one of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s 100 Best Wines of the Year in 2011 and one included in the lineup Tuesday night.

We began the evening with Il Palazzone Rosso di Montalcino and Lorenzo & Isabelle IGT.  The former is an expression of young Brunello vines; the latter is a dark, sumptuous blend of Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, and a drop of Petit Verdot (for aroma, Parsons says).   Chef Kevin Sippel matched the first two wines with traditional lamb shank risotto; the richness from this dish highlighted delightful contrast between the two wines and set the bar for what was to come.

Tender Sangiovese vines at Il Palazzone

The next course featured Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino normales from 2004 and 2006, two vintages that were rated 5 out of a possible 5 stars by the Montalcino consortium.   Served with Chef Kevin’s Pici and Wild Boar, this was my favorite pairing of the night.  Not only was the pairing harmonious on the palate but also it was steeped history and cultural significance, giving greater meaning to the course and to the authenticity of Il Palazzone’s Brunelli.  These wines are rustic in the best possible way.  They offer nuanced fruit with an almost macho structure that suggests that you could lay these bottles down for another decade.

The evening’s main course highlighted Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino 2001 and 2004 Riservas. This was an easy favorite for the guests as they happily enjoyed each sip with a complementary bite of dry-aged Wagyu T-bone.  The Riservas are intensifications of the normales with more intensity, structure and concentration healthy components for wines with seemingly endless ageing potential.

It was a great evening of amazing wines, tasty food and fabulous company. And there’s nothing to help you appreciate a wine like enjoying it in the presence of its maker.

Here are a few cool last minute options for the people who remain on your gift list. The wines of Bartolo Mascarello are always an excellent gift, specifically for the tough-to-buy-for wine lover. You might give an Italian wine novice the Bartolo Mascarello Barbera 2009, and save the Mascarello Bartolo Barolo 2007 for a more experienced wine-lover.

This choice is no brainer–an enrollment in one of our wine clubs is an incredibly thoughtful gift. It’s an excellent choice as a gift for people who might want to explore Italian wines leisurely in the comfort of their own homes.  We offer several levels to choose from, so you are well equipped to match the needs of your gift recipient.

The wines of Giuseppe Quintarelli offer something special for everyone.  As I have mentioned several times before, I have a passion for these wines since they are unique in their character and profiles.  From the Bianco Secco 2010 to the Recioto 1997, you’ll find something for every different palate.

Lastly, instead of a traditional gift of physical wine, an afternoon in our own Studio del Gusto is a downright awesome gift for anyone who wants to experience the glory of wine. Our Studio Regionale tastings give an in depth guided look at our wines, and the calendar is up for January and February events.  However you decide to spend this holiday season, do so in love, compassion, giving, and gratefulness. I know I will.

Sure, last week’s visit featured its share of ballroom dancing in elevators, walking up down escalators, and some very suggestive commentary, but I’ve learned to notice the “off-moments” when Ales pulls Sommeliers to the side for private tutorials and explains the methods to the madness.

So why does Ales frequently reference chickens smoking Marlboros? As it turns out, he’s referring to billboards in Yugoslavia that featured Marlboros as a taste of freedom. While the familiar color of red worked, the message caused a particular problem and thus Marlboros were banned. As you can imagine, smoking Marlboros in public then became the ultimate expression of freedom and being beyond the law.  Happy chickens who “know the rooster” and smoke Marlboros are the most free and happy chickens. They transmit positive energy to us, as a biodynamic vineyard and wine can do. Or so I’ve gleaned from spending a lot of time with Ales.

As we learned when Ales arrived, we were lucky to have him. The visit was in doubt when it seemed the 2011 harvest would never end. In order to harvest in the meticulous grape-by-grape nature that Ales demands, he headed to Serbia to recruit a band of literal gypsy blueberry pickers to help ensure proper selection and adequate coverage for the difficult 2011 vintage. Admitting to great concern during the summer, Ales now considers this one of Movia’s greatest ever vintages and offers full credit to his longtime Movia team and their last-minute teammates.

It has taken quite a bit of time with Ales, but I’ve become a better listener. It’s easy to get caught up in moments Crocodile Dundee moments, like when Ales introduced himself as the President of Turbojet to everyone waiting in line to board the Macau ferry, but in learning to listen to his subtext, I’ve gained an even greater appreciation for how some of my favorite wines have become what they are.

Franco Conterno addresses a rapt audience

As the fall approaches and the brisk air sweeps across New York City, there is nothing more comforting than a meal shared at the IWM table.  Over the past two weeks we have hosted two winemaker dinners and a winemaker lunch showcasing producers that have created some of the most precious and sought-after wines. We’ve featured Aldo Conterno, Gravner, Fiorano, Bodega Chacra, Tenuta San Guido and, a more recent addition to the IWM roster, Paolo Vodopivec.  All events paired food and wine, complemented by the company of great friends and fellow wine enthusiasts to create an atmosphere unlike no other.

The first dinner featured the wines of Aldo Conterno, accompanied by a five course regional meal prepared by our chef Kevin Sippel and hosted by Franco Conterno, the son of Aldo.  The evening highlighted the much awaited and sumptuous vintage of 2007 among assorted antipasti, butternut squash ravioli, and braised short rib with black truffles and chestnut.

The second dinner exhibited new releases by a vast array of producers, with a vintage gem of Fiorano.  In addition to tasting wines like Sassicaia 2008 and Gravner 2005 Breg Anfora, guests had the rare opportunity of being among the midst of Filippo Polidori, wine journalist/brand ambassador, and Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, producer of Bodega Chacra and Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia.

We also had Paolo Vodopivec made the trip from his winery in the small Carso area of Friuli to share his philosophy and experiences in wine making. Paolo looks like a “cool dude,” a tall man in his late 30s tall, with spiky hair and a leather jacket.  If there had been a motorcycle parked out front, it could easily have been his.  Not what one usually expects when meeting a winemaker from this area of the world.  He brought a couple of bottles from his personal cellar to add to the lunch, which was dedication above and beyond expectations.  The lunch was spectacular with the Butternut Squash Cajoles pairing perfectly with his wines, Paolo himself giving thumbs up to this magical food and wine combination.

Check our events page for upcoming winemaker events. Your favorite winemaker could come to break bread with IWM—and you.

If you could teach American wine-lovers one thing, what would it be? I want people to respect all grapes and wines.  Whether it’s Nebbiolo, Pinot, or Cab, every wine deserves its place.

What do you drink when you’re not drinking your own wines? I love the elegance and complexity of great burgundy. I also appreciate what some American pinot has to offer, and from time to time, I’ll drink Bordeaux.

How do your wines reflect your winemaking philosophy? Firstly and foremost, I make wine that my family likes and I don’t give in to market/consumer trends.  Our ultimate goal is to make a wine that represents our soil. I have done my job if when people taste my wine they can recognize it as an “Aldo Conterno” Barolo.  There is nothing more important than this.  Every wine must have a stamp.

What is your favorite wine and food pairing? Because I am firstly Italian, it would have to be pasta dish with some sort of ragu.  Secondly I am from Piemonte, so I would choose to drink this with a Barolo. IWM was delighted to host this dinner that brought Franco together with our clients.

We’re also delighted that we introduced Franco to Nocciolo cheese, which we served with the ’88 Granbussia.  He was very impressed being a Piemontese. He had never tasted that cheese before and thought that it was wonderful and found it funny that he had to come to the States to try it.

Our next winemaker dinner will actually be a winemaker lunch with cult-wine producer Paolo Vodopivic from Friuli. It’s 1:00-3:00 this Saturday in New York City. Join in the conversation; it’ll be spirited!

The 2008 Conca Tre Pile may not be an ornate or thought-provoking wine, but it is a welcome complement a simple meal. Sometimes simplicity is what you really want.

Just a note, you can taste this wine and many of Aldo Conterno’s thrilling Barolos at our Legends of the Cellar dinner on Wednesday, October 19—along with many other great wines from this master winemaker. Moreover, you can chat with Franco Conterno himself!

Tasting wine and learning to verbalize that experience is no different than anything else in life; the only way to get better at it is to practice.  Whether you are tasting wine on a more formal level or just enjoying it with some friends, it’s always important to take a couple of seconds and describe to yourself what you have in front of you. Especially when blind tasting, your ability to recall previously tasted wines is a huge factor, so writing notes and going over them the next day are extremely helpful.  This is just like any other muscle, the more you work it the bigger it gets.

When you are done, you should be able to tell the type of the wine you tasted by just reading what you have written. Here is how I like to compose my notes (I’m looking specifically at red wine because it’s kind of the default setting for red wine. The process, though not the details, is mostly the same for white wines):

Sight: This might be the least helpful of them all, but it will still give you some clues as to what grape it could be and how old the wine is, especially when tasting red wine. Look at the wine in the glass; then swirl it and see how the legs, or the rivulets that run down the side of the glass look. Red wine starts our purple, then moves to ruby, red, brick and finally brown as it gets older. Also take note of the viscosity as this will help make confirmation of the weight on the palate. Don’t get too hung up on the legs, just take note on how prominent they are.

Smell: This sense is perhaps the most important. We have the ability to distinguish over a thousand aromatic compounds, and certain grapes show specific aromatics, making smell wildly helpful. I always check for the ripeness of the aromatics in every glass that comes close to my nose.  Riper aromas will give a good indication of warmer climates and vice versa. Also, it is important to note the maturity of the fruit.  Are the aromas still primary?  Or have they evolved secondary and tertiary characteristics? Secondary and tertiary characteristics—notes such as leather, cigar tobacco and tar—can indicate an older vintage or a wine that’s mature despite its chronological age.

Taste: This sense is smell’s conjoined twin. What you taste in your mouth is more or less an extension of what you smell, but despite that closeness in physical processes, the aroma of a wine and the taste of a wine can be very different–or very much the same. See what aromatics get replicated, amplified, or excluded from the wine’s taste. See also whether the taste changes. Many wines start out fruity and end dry, or build from woody to flowery, or undergo some other transformation. Note too how “clean” the flavors are, whether they seem to unfold in the glass or over time, and how long they last.

Feel:  This part, when assessed correctly, is the most helpful part in describing a wine to someone. In your mouth, does it feel more like water or more like cream?  Does the wine feel angular on the palate or round and smooth?  Also take note on how dry the wine is and how much you can feel the alcohol, as these will both give indication as to origin and variety. Now it’s time to look at the structure as this will determine how long a wine can last.  Tannins can either be very prominent or very light.  Are they rough or silky? Green or ripe? Harsh green tannins are never good, but round silky tannins are a sign of balance and maturity.

Conclusion:  The finish of wine might be the most important quality. After all, if you are drinking a $100 bottle, you should let that delicious flavor linger for a while!  You also want to take what you have written down qualitatively and transform it into a brief tasting note.  This is what you will ultimately remember, and it can help you buy wine that you suspect you’ll like even when you’ve never had it before. It’s also fun to impress your friends with your newfound skills.

Join us for one of our wine events to help hone your palate. There’s nothing like experience–delicious, delicious experience.

To kick off this reunion, those of us in the wine industry can be found at portfolio tastings across the city.  I headed uptown yesterday with a colleague to volunteer at the Domaine Select portfolio tasting and, upon entering, came to find out I’d be pouring through some sensational biodynamic wines from Friuli.  If you’re not familiar with producers like Gravner, Movia, Vodopivec, Edi Kante and La Castellada, you should be; they make some great wines to get into this season.  They produce everything from dry sparkling wines to sweet dessert wines.  And they do it using biodynamic techniques, an approach put forth by Rudolf Steiner and one that goes beyond being organic and harnesses the energy of the planets and the stars.

Grand tastings are always a hoot.  It seems like these importers and distributors invite anyone and everyone to these events and, well, you can imagine there are many people who know, or think they know, a lot about wine.  Some folks discuss pH levels, residual sugars and polyphenols over crudités, while other people are just there to drink.  Nevertheless it’s always great to reunite with friends, taste through some of the current vintages of our favorite producers, and catch up with some of the producers themselves.

Mostly, it’s super to spend time with people who are passionate about wine–lots and lots of people, drinking lots and lots of wine.

Gonzolo was an engaging speaker. Not only did he give great insight into the wines themselves—for example, he informed us that the estate chose the thistle for its logo because thistles don’t die after cutting and this represented the wines’ ability to age in the bottle—but he tied the importance to the wines to Spain’s present and its past. Guests learned about Spain’s 21 percent unemployment rate, but they also learned that the term “Riserva” comes from when Spain would send its wines to Bordeaux during the phylloxera epidemic of the nineteenth century.

The 2004 Roda Rioja Reserva and Cirsion were voted the wines of the night, but the 2005 Roda Riserva actually complemented Chef Kevin Sippel’s fantastic Grilled Wagyu Ribeye with Olivado and Roasted Shallots better. This dish was so good that it prompted Gonzolo to exclaim, “Forget about the wine. What about this steak!”

IWM is always proud to lead and to set the standard for fine wine for our clients. Last night’s guests were the very first to taste Roda’s 2005 Riojas and Corimbo I, and they were among the first to taste their 2009 Ribera del Duero, a new venture for Roda who only last year released the inaugural vintage of their holdings outside of Rioja. What’s really fabulous about these wines—aside from their high quality and extreme food-friendly nature—is their price points and accessibility. One of our Portfolio Managers sold fifty bottles to one of his clients.

Bodega Roda puts us in mind of the wines of Fontodi or Tua Rita, estates that embrace modern techniques but define themselves by a dedication to a single grape. In Roda’s case, that grape is the noble Tempraniallo. Roda gives a modern turn to Rioja; the wines shine with vibrant fruit, but feel silky with the smoothness of traditional Rioja.  Roda embraces the new while striving to preserve some of the best qualities of the traditionalist.

If you’re interested in the wines of Bodega Roda, contact a Portfolio Manager or go here for more information. And if you’re interested in upcoming events at IWM, please subscribe to our weekly eletter.

What do you like best about the wines of Sicilia, Sardegna and/or Corsica? Are they really that wild?

Andrew: Value is one of the best things about island wines.  Also they are unique in character.  You really can’t compare them to wines from other regions because these islands have their own set of varietals and their own unique terroir.

Michael: These wines have character that can’t be duplicated anywhere else in the world.  There’s an unfamiliar authenticity that rejuvenates the palate and opens the mind.

You’re serving meats and cheeses at the tasting, but what other foods do these wines pair with?

Evan: They are the perfect example of cultural and cuisine typicality in wine. If you are making seafood dishes of all kinds, a white or red from Sicilia, Sardegna, or Corsica are no-brainers.

Andrew: These are great barbecue wines.  Many of these wines have a nice smoky quality to them.

How do people prepare for a tasting? Is there anything they should or shouldn’t eat or drink before? Or any other tips?

Andrew: Definitely have a light breakfast.  Maybe some toast or a bagel.  You want to have something to soak up the wine going into your stomach.  It may be a tasting, but the wines sneak up on you real fast.  That being said, don’t eat too much as you will definitely want to sample the meats and cheeses.

Evan: No gum! No coffee one hour before hand. Water is good, but make sure to start with a sparkler to get the palate going.

Michael: What makes the experience valuable is when our guests have questions about the wines.  We love telling stories about producers and the rich history of an estate and how the wine came to be what it is.  It’s important to have a relationship or connection with a wine.  In other words, it’s a great feeling to know why you like or dislike a wine.

We’re talking island wines, so if you were stranded on a desert island, what two or three wines (any wines) would you take with you?

Evan: Rinaldi Barolo 1999. Soldera Brunello 1992, and Gravner Breg Anfora 2003.

Michael: Anything from COS, really.  Honestly, I feel really good every time I open a bottle.  My favorite is the Nero di Lupo made of 100% Nero d’Avola.  It’s unlike any Nero I’ve had.

Andrew: It’ll take me too long to decide. I’ll go with whisky.

Check out our weekly events page for ongoing tastings. We’d love to meet you.