Waking up in Thessaloniki was quite a treat. I still had no idea where to meet everyone I was supposed to be with –  but no matter- According to the itinerary we were not going anywhere until 9 am so I figured I would meet everyone in the lobby. The important thing was I knew I was on the water so a quick jaunt outside before breakfast was a must.

Gorgeous. It was cold but SO pretty. Check out the video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLYNMt0nLOk

So, then breakfast. Europeans know how to do a “continental breakfast”…man I wish I could have that every day. Poached eggs, Greek Yogurt, meats, cheeses…anything you want really and the coffee….the coffee doesn’t even compare to what we have. *sigh* I want to go back….

Anyway…I finally did catch up with my group and we chatted for a bit at breakfast. I found some quick friends in this group and I knew that almost instantly, which was nice.

So on the bus with George, our host and off to Gerovassiliou Winery. Great scenery and an incredible lunch. First we toured the grounds AND it was raining a bit…BUT the rain was brown; it still stains the pages of my notebook. I asked Master Sommelier Ron Edwards about it and we eventually found the answer….

The rain is stained with dust that blows off the Sahara…think  about that…the dust travels about 2,000 miles from Africa and lands in Greece.

That gives me goosebumps (cuz I’m a geek).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsIDbH4Cezw

So, from the grounds we enter the winery/museum…the largest collection of corkscrews I have ever seen…ever. The most interesting part was, however, was that there was also a group of school kids on a field trip….YES A FIELD TRIP. Unlike our backwards view of wine, the Greeks view wine as a major part of their culture and economy and embrace it as such….jeesh…why don’t we do that here?

Upsetting…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHHoaH6cJGM

Next came the wine tasting…ooohhh…I was excited…my first round of Greek Wines to be tasted in the presence of 4 Master Sommeliers…I was ready to LEARN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eTviGO5qnY

Gerovassiliou Winery is in an appellation in Macedonia called Epanomi. Evangelos Gerovassiliou is arguably one of the best winemakers in Greece –  if not in all of Europe. He studied at the University of Bordeaux under the Father of Modern Oenology, Emile Peynaud….and what is most important  - he is a VERY nice man.

So the wines….YUM.

2009 Gerovassiliou Malagousia

This is a grape that would have been lost without Evangelos Gerovassiliou -he quite literally saved it.

-Stainless steel fermentation

- 09 saw a lot of rain but they had great success with the whites

-Peaches, apricots, pear and mango intermingled with good acidic balance and 12.5% alcohol

2009 and 2007 Gerovassiliou Vin Blanc de Pays d’Epanomi

These are 50% Assyrtiko and Malagousia Blends and quite lovely, I might add.

There were hints of green pepper, lemon, orange, almond skin and a haunting little jasmine note that I can still taste. The 07 had slightly lower acidity than the 09 and had a leesy creaminess with a slight smoky charterer.

2006 and 2009 Viognier

Perfect.

They were barrel fermented with about 5 months on the lees…peach pit, smoke and fruit loops. Yum.

2008 Chardonnay

Textbook.

2006 Estate Red

Syrah, Merlot and Genache – Soft tannins – black fruit and oregano

2006 Syrah

Nice tanin structure

2006 Evangelo

92% Syrah and 8% Viognier

Candied Black Cherry and something that reminded me of Christmas….

Though I prefer the indigenous Greek varietals, Gerovassiliou had some of the best examples of European Varietals that I experienced on this tip. They, unlike many other Greek wineries, were created in a typical style for the grape but you were still able to tell that they came from Greece – Interesting.

2005 Avaton

This was fun because it was made with 50% Limnio which is the oldest known grape vaiety. It also had 25% Mavroudi and 25% Mavrotrgano.

It had that good kind of funk to it –  it was a little stinky and I liked it…I liked it a lot. Lots of leather and game – very masculine.

So, in a nutshell…that was Day 1. After Gerovassiliou we went back to the hotel and did a tasting of more Macedonian wines –  most of whom we saw again on day 2 – then we had dinner in a VERY smoky restaurant….blech. Despite that, the dinner was fun and I was starting to learn more about the people I was with and I realized that I was very fortunate to be getting to know all of them. Gratitude remains a running theme in my life……

Okay kiddies –  here we go…

I decided the best way to do this is by day and let you draw your own conclusions about everything from there…

Each day had its own special feel  - – I may throw 2 together..who knows…but the important thing that you take away is that Greece is Ah- Ma- Zing…the food, the wine, the people, the landscape, everything about it still haunts me and I want to go back.

I yearn to go back.

The thing for me is that I am Italian and I have never been to Italy….but because I am only second generation I am not so far removed from the culture. Greece, though…well..it is the birth of civilization as we know it and that is a difficult point to argue. What I am saying is that when you go to Greece you just feel a sense of personal “terroir”…it is where you came from..it is. It is where we all started…at least that is the feeling that it exudes and the reason it is so amazing.

I promise the videos will get better and more succinct…this was my first attempt, so bear with me and FF thru parts you don’t want to see…but at least give it all a chance….like I said…they get easier on the eyes as I gain camera experience.

Oh…and there will be a cast of characters as we go forward. I went on this trip with seven people I had never met before and left with seven good friends…a rare happening on a trip like this…very rare.

So..on with the videos then…

Munich Airport – Very nice and I ran into a friend in the Duty free….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXJ7bCiUPdk

Then …Munich to Thessaloniki…travelling in a strange country by yourself not knowing what the plan is for the next day may sound daunting to some, but for me it was empowering and exhilarating.

I had no idea who any of the people were or how I would find them when I got to the hotel. I didn’t arrive until about midnight so everyone had already been there and had dinner together.

C’est la vie…Carpe Diem…Whatever…I was adventuring and it was FUN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-CaG2kVTiU

Triple Dog Dare Ya

Day #2

Is That Really Salmon I Am Eating? Really?

Day 2 @ilkandcookies ….bite me…

Well….I can’t lie; I woke up this morning and felt great. I went to the gym, did my “Hot Bod” class with the close talking, touchy and relentless trainer and felt even better (because of the relentless, not because of the close talking or touching…those were a little weird).

I meant to have some milk before the workout so I wouldn’t be starving when I finished but I am a totally creature of habit and forgot.

So I came home, walked Murray The Dog and popped a Smart Ones “Breakfast Sandwich” into the Microwave. I gotta say…it didn’t suck. Billed as egg whites, turkey bacon and vegetables this pastry sandwich was a quick and easy breakfast that traveled well – I like to nibble my breakfast on my walk to the bus stop; it helps pass the time. I had one thought nagging me at this point. I looked at the nutritional values but I have yet to read the ingredients. Was it really what they claimed in the description? I had left the box at home so I couldn’t find out right away and with seed planted I was kinda fixated…..That is until I got a little e mail that was FINALLY my flight information for my trip to Greece – -then (my boss will be happy to hear) my attention span was shot for a good hour.

Just to bring you up to speed: I belong to a group called the Guild of Sommeliers. Essentially they are the Educational Foundation for the Court of Master Sommeliers and my job requires me to work closely with both groups – and finally…finally I won one of their scholarship trips! So I leave for Greece on Saturday …no worries – I have nothing of value to steal. In fact, I would love to see the look on a thief’s face as they finally gained entry to my 3^rd floor space – with all my neighbors knowing I was gone…the risk taken and only to find a dining room table, a borrowed Polaroid TV and a crappy DVD player. THAT, my friends would be funny…again…I digress….

This said, the “experiment” is going to stop for a week and I will pick back up on my return….promise….I know you will all be chomping at the bit to read more…

Okay…so where was I…made it to the office….attention span shot shortly thereafter…. Ah…yes…work….kept me busy and I did not really realize my hunger until about 1 pm.

Today’s beverage of choice was hot water with lemon. I HIGHLY recommend this. It is vitamin C….warm, soothing, refreshing and really kind of filling for some reason.

1:00 A Smart Ones “Grilled Chicken and Mozzarella Flatbread”…I chose not to fold it – -I think so it would seem bigger….and that seemed to work.

It did not suck and I think if you put a Subway sandwich and this in front of me I would have a difficult time choosing between the two….but that is just me. Work had me so busy that I forgot to save the box so again, I do not have the ingredients! Damn! Is this “really” chicken? Are these “really” vegetables? I …must …know!

Good work day in all and I was happy to get home and take Murray The Dog on our newly found “long walk” now that it is above 30 degrees Celsius outside.

And now for dinner; “Salmon with Basil.” We will quickly find that dinner is my favorite not only because I am not nuking these but cooking them in an oven AND…yeah…I get to properly pair wine with these. So today after obtaining the flight information for the long anticipated trip I decided bubbles were in order. Nights like this are those which you pair food with the wine and not wine with the food. So ….Chandon Rose (nothing too fancy) and Salmon with Basil it is. Now on the surface this seems like it would be a good pairing. I did check the ingredients this time and it was, in fact, Salmon that I was eating…of the Alaskan sort; whole wheat orzo and a variety of different colored veggies. Other than a few mysterious “Flavor” listings in the ingredients everything seemed identifiable. Now –I have had this particular Lean Cuisine before and was pleasantly surprised which is why I was a bit shocked when I found a baby aspirin taste in my mouth after placing both the Lean Cuisine and the Chandon in my mouth at the same time. What was this, then? Where did this come from? I have had both of these things separately and never had this experience from either one on their own…but together? …..wow….WOW…powdery baby aspirin.

WEIRD.

I do not have an answer as of yet, but I promise to find one for you.

So today’s total:

Calories: 750

Fat: 19

Sat Fat: 5.5

Sodium: 1820 – OMG!!!!

Carbs: 97 – jeeze!

Fiber: 11

Protein: 50

Triple Dog Dare Day # 1

 Monday March 1, 2010

Today was an odd day to begin this program because I had a video shoot early in the morning which meant a few different things:

 1.)    Adrenaline Rush

2.)    Having to stop and get the requisite “Go Team!” pastries from Corner Bakery

3.)    A morning away from the office which means – -just a weird start to the day

 So, to make my life easier I started by popping the Smart Ones Breakfast Quesadilla into the Microwave before walking Murray The Dog (this of course after I have showered and gotten ready for the day). I return from the walk, pack my things, feed Murray The Dog, feed myself and leave.

Easy enough. The Quesadilla was… well…it was mushy….the insides almost gummy in texture and that may have been my saving grace thru the day as it sat in my stomach like oh so much elementary school paste (or so I would imagine, I was never an addict like some).

 Belly full of thickness, away I went to Morton’s on Wacker Place where I was to meet the camera man. Crap….almost there and I forgot my gesture of good will…pastries. *Sigh*…to Corner Bakery; I walked as if condemned. I entered into the warm, cinnamomy environment stood straight backed and strong willed in line, walked up to the counter and ordered one medium cinnamon crème cake, a cup of coffee and an Odwalla OJ- all to go.

 The cake, being wrapped with a nice bow was safe territory. There was no way I could sneak a pinch between the Corner Bakery and the Morton’s on Wacker….trust me, I thought about ways to make that happen.

 Okay….I arrive at Morton’s and set up for said video shoot. Piece of cake; no pun intended. For me, talking to a camera is so much easier than carrying on a conversation…I have no clue why; I stare at the small square and it is as if everything suddenly becomes organized in my brain and I can speak in an orderly pattern – no fear – no anxiety – it just happens. I suppose it is like a person with a stutter who can suddenly speak clearly when they are on a phone. Anyway, I digress….

 Video shoot finished and cake left at the restaurant for the team there I made my way back to the office. I do not know if it was the gummy quesadilla or the 2 hour adrenaline rush of being in front of a camera but it was nearing lunch time and I was no where near hungry. I received a phone call that made me realize it was an adrenaline rush because when my friend called I was clearly in “crash” mode. I was head deep in a spreadsheet and halfway through our very exciting conversation (we are headed to Niagara ice wine country together in April) she asked me if everything was okay. It is nice to have good friends. I was fine….just a little adrenaline crash and a belly that was still full of paste, I explained. Now, it is important to note that the quesadilla was not bad in taste; it just had an odd texture.

 Because of a series of back to back meetings at 3:00 I finally popped my Lean Cuisine Chicken with Peanut Sauce, Noodles and Edemame into the microwave….not bad at all, really. If I had a glass of Riesling it may have even been pretty darn good. I am willing myself to never eat these things out of the plastic containers that hey arrive in and instead transfer them to actual plates. Shocking how large the portion seems this way….almost as if it is real food.

 Between my arrival back at the office at about 11:30 and the time I called it a day I had about 5-6 glasses of water. Trust me when I say I am well hydrated so far; several bathroom trips tell me so.

 Ahhh….home. By the time I got there I had to rush to the bathroom again (I guess I drank a lot more water than normal) and then Murray The Dog and I headed out for a long walk. I think the adrenaline really got to me and I just needed to expel some energy. Plus, Murray sure likes it when we do the long walks….

 Okay, so meal 3: Meatloaf with Whipped Potatoes paired with St Supery, Merlot, Napa, 2005. This was chosen because of the twitter suggestion to have #merlotmonday and I thought the soft tannins would pair with the “meat” and what appeared to be a tomato sauce (though billed as gravy on the label)….shocker…it really did pull all of the flavors of the dish together without over powering anything.

 Soooo…..Day 1 and I really can not complain…..yet.

 THE BREAKDOWN

6:30 am Breakfast:

Smart Ones Breakfast Quesadilla

230 Calories

7 Grams Fat

3.5 Grams Sat Fat

730 mg Sodium

29 Grams Carbs

6 Grams Fiber

12 Grams Protein

8:45 am Snack

Odwalla OJ

110 Calories

0 Grams Fat

 25 Grams Carbs

24 Grams Sugar

15 Grams Sodium

3:00 pm Lunch:

Lean Cuisine Chicken with Peanut Sauce

290 Calories

7 Grams Fat

1 Gram Sat Fat

570 mg Sodium

33 Grams Carbs

5 Grams Fiber

24 Grams Protein

7:30 pm Dinner

Lean Cuisine Meatloaf with Whipped Potatoes

260 Calories

8 Grams Fat

3 Grams Sat Fat

610 mg Sodium

25 Grams Carbs

3 Grams Fiber

21 grams Protein

Wine: 2005 St Supery Merlot

TOTALS (Food Only—Sommy Sar doesn’t count wine):

Calories: 890

Fat: 22 Grams

Sat Fat: 7.5 Grams

Sodium: 1,925 MG

Carbs: 112 Grams

Fiber: 14

Protein: 57

About two weeks ago I was sitting at my desk, having a lunch of a Lean Cuisine of some sort and a random thought popped into my head : What would it be like to eat only Lean Cuisines and/or Smart Ones for every meal all the time? My grocery bill would certainly shrink…but what about me? Would I shrink? Would my hair get dull? Would my skin be dry?  Would my energy level drop? Would my well honed Sommelier’s palate change?

As my random thoughts often tend to do, this one ended up in my twitter stream….what would happen? I am, afterall, a food and wine centric person so to go to all microwavable food for a period of time would seem…well…against my very religion….not to mention that I do enjoy keeping myself healthy and active….

What….Would…Happen…..

My curiosity began to pique even more when the twitter responses began to come back…”your palate will die.”….”you will explode with sodium intake”….but there was one response I couldn’t ignore….yes…that’s right….a Triple Dog Dare from @ilkandcookies .

Much like “A Christmas Story” he skipped the requiste “dare” protocol and went straight for the jugular. How was I to respond? How could I possibly deny this dare?

I can’t.

So I’m going to.

Now -  for health reasons I am going to do this for 5 days on a trial basis. After 5 days 1 of 4 things is going to happen:

1.) I feel like crap and stop the experiment

2.) I am in Greece on a wine excursion and will resume the experiment for 3 weeks upon my return

3.) I feel fine and continue the experiement for a month

4.) I feel like crap, stop the experiment entirely and go to Greece for a week on a wine excursion

At any rate it will be an amusing read for at leat 5 days…maybe more…..

Now….here is how we will do this:

I eat Lean Cuisines or Smart Ones for every meal and snack for 5 days beginning tomorrow,  3/1/2010

I have taken my measurments and weighed myself.

I will not tell you these proportions but I will share with you the amounts by which the increase and or decrease at the end of 5 days.

I will also keep track of what I eat and how I feel along with any wine pairings that I come up with good or bad.

So….I can’t believe I allowed @ilkandcookies to talk me into this…..

*sigh*

Here goes nothing……

I sure hope you all enjoy reading this……

PAUL ROBERTS

PAUL ROBERTS
RESUME IN BRIEF:7th Generation Texan Hung out w Julia ChildFrat BoyChef Robert Del Grande, Café AnnieChef Thomas Keller, Per Se, Bouchon, etcBond
RECOMMENDED READING:Winery Technology and Operations Adventures on the Wine RouteFrom Vines to WinesScience of Wine from Vine to Glass

Paul is an interesting man and the best part is he is an approachable and friendly person. Sure, he has had the life that all of us wish for, perhaps, but he is without pomp and circumstance about every bit. When you talk with Paul it is as if every success that has happened has…just…well…happened. He has a clear view of how the people in his life have influenced him and I am guessing that this innate sense of humility is one of the many keys to his success.
The concept that grabbed my attention the most; the running theme, if you will, was that he never once said “I did this” or “I made that.” Instead – everyone that he spoke about was in the manner of “this is what I learned from that person.”

So, let’s get to the interesting points, shall we?
It is Texas and Paul is 5 years old. His Aunt and Uncle own a small gourmet grocery store where he “works” and is paid. At this point no one in his life has any strong interest in wine. At the store one day a woman shows up to do a cook book signing. Paul, immediately taken with this woman decides to buy his mother one of these books with his own hard earned money. Thank goodness she signed the book for him. Yes. Suspense drawn and flushed she was no other than the lovely Julia Child.
Food was definitely a major influence in his childhood, but what about the wine?
Pan forward to Paul’s college career where he was a self admitted Frat boy. One Semester he had an accident that left him with a leg fractured so severely that he was going to have to be out of school for a semester and in physical therapy. Well, Paul is a smart one…he negotiated with his parents and convinced them to let him stay in his college city while having physical therapy AND taking a semester off….Nice work Paul…..
Well, here he is… a smart PoliSci major with a broken leg and a whole semester to blow off while his friends study…hmmmmm…..what to do? Well, it just so happened that the girl he was dating at the time talked him into taking a wine class at the University of Texas. I am guessing there was not much arm twisting there.Class 1: Gran Reserva Rioja….with Spanish cheese….to a bored Poli Sci Major this was some much needed brain candy….he was able to understand and learn the wine pairing with the cheese and put it into context of what was happening in the world at the time.Wine Interest Piqued.
He learned bits and pieces about wine in this class and really began his appreciation. While his friends went to the class to get a buzz, Paul went to learn. Over the next few months and years Paul eventually decided that his interests mainly lied in the restaurant industry and he went to work in the back of the house. Again, Paul is a smart man. He had no clue at the time what a Sommelier even was, but he knew what he saw: him in the back, peeling 100 pounds of onions and a guy in front in a nice suit showing people wine and getting handed 100 dollar bills; time to make the change to the Front of the house.
Here is where he meets his first main mentor, Chef Robert Del Grande, while working at Café Annie. “He taught me how to taste,” says Paul. This is where he earned his chops and paid his dues. What intrigues me is Paul’s humility. He knew he had a great mentor in front of him and he went in with eyes and mind open ready to learn everything he could. This was also the time of his life when he learned about the Court of Master Sommelier’s and began taking the exceedingly difficult exams to become a Master Sommelier. 3 exams, and a veiled threat from his wife to pass the final exam quickly Paul Roberts not only passed the Master Sommelier Exam but was the 2002 Krug Cup Winner…..a small detail he practically glossed over during our chat. Winning the Krug Cup means that you pass all three sections of the Master Sommelier Exam on your first try. Trust me – that is hard to do….
So now, Master Sommelier from peeling potatoes in about 4 years….impressive. This is when the likes of Chef Thomas Keller call you. That’s right; Thomas Keller called Paul and offered him a job. Enter mentor #2. “We were simpatico in our beliefs,” Paul commented and in 2003 he was hired. Thomas Keller taught Paul about focus and attention to detail – “about the here and now and its importance.” I had to laugh when he told me within months of his being hired they opened Per Se and Bouchon in Vegas within seven days of each other. What? – That’s insane – He managed a 16 million dollar wine inventory and a 22 million dollar total beverage inventory combined among the restaurants. Focus and attention to detail, indeed.
“I wouldn’t know what I know if I didn’t live in Napa.” Living in Napa is where Paul’s interest in production became piqued and he began making Syrah and Chardonnay. Paul remarked that wine is intellectual, sensual and tactile and “watching the seasonal change of the vines was drawing me more than working in the restaurants.” So, now what? Well, this is when Bill Harlan and Don Weaver call you and ask you to oversee Bond. I…know…right? CRAZY stuff. Enter Mentor #3. Bill Harlan taught Paul the importance of the big picture and the long term view point. So, August 2008 he goes to Bond.
I don’t know how familiar you are with the theory behind Bond but it is quite interesting and something I could totally get on a soapbox about so I will try to refrain. Basically, they believe that, like Burgundy, if you control the land, have the best farming and best vinification the only thing that will be different among the wines is the terroir. Basically, the DRC model –one producer, different vineyards, same team and the only difference in the wines will be the way the different sites come through the wine itself. Paul believes that at Bond, they have found the best vineyard sites in the Napa Valley. “In 50 to 100 years we will talk about all new world wines like we do old world; right now we just do not have the language. We will talk about individual sites of Napa like we talk about individual sites of Burgundy and Bordeaux.” I don’t know about you, but this makes perfect sense to me.
So Paul learned how to taste from Robert Del Grande. He learned focus and attention to detail from Thomas Keller and Bill Harlan taught him the importance of the big picture and long term planning. What did Paul Roberts teach me? A business mindset and a passionate mindset must be aligned to achieve success and humility, my friends…humility is key.

AN OLD WORLD WINE MAKER’S TAKE ON NEW WORLD WINES

Any person of Italian descent knows what it means to be passionate. We are intrinsically programmed to throw ourselves “all in” when we find our heart’s desire. For Renzo Cotarella, Italy’s premiere winemaker and head enologist for the wine icon Antinori, his passion is wine making. The histories of both Renzo and the Antinori family are well embedded in the wine industry. Their beliefs, values and passions are what have added to the longevity of their careers and the quality of their craft. Antinori currently has vineyards in several different winemaking regions around world. The ability to produce wines of such quality at vastly different locations is an art form that Renzo seems to have mastered. He is one of the lucky few to be able to produce wines in both the old world (Europe) and in the new world (The rest of the World). Along with overseeing the wine making at eighteen Italian locations producing Super Tuscan wines like Guado Al Tasso and Umbrian Chardonnay blends like Cervaro della Sala he is now also producing California Cabernet and Chardonnay at Antinori’s newest venture, Antica Napa Valley.

The Antinori family has been producing high quality wines for over six centuries. Their philosophy stands in their roots and reaches for innovation. For Renzo Cotarella, the passion for wine came very early. Both his father and his uncle were wine makers and as Renzo says, he was “born with the smell of wine.” When Renzo was very young Piero Antinori offered him the opportunity to make wine at the Cervaro della Sala property near his home in Umbria and thirty years later the relationship is as strong as ever. Over these many years Renzo has come to believe that there are two different categories of grapes. The first are grapes like Cabernet and Merlot where drinakability is the main factor. The second are grapes such as Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese that have strong personalities. He says, “you feel more involved with these grapes and once you succeed – they are yours – you feel more complete.” To be certain, in Renzo’s eyes, it is not a matter of one grape being better than the other he simply feels that one is more intriguing, more challenging. For Renzo, working with grapes like Pinot Noir is “something you feel in your soul.”

Being able to produce wines in both the old world and the new world is a challenge that is unique to few winemakers and it is a challenge that feeds Renzo Cotarella’s passion for winemaking. To Renzo, the old world and the new world are two different “ideas” of wine. He believes that with old world wines there is an identity, elegance and a soul that comes from its long history. The new world is fruit driven, approachable and muscular. In an old world wine makers approach to new world wines Renzo tries to capture some of the soul and the fire of the old world style and impart this on the new world grapes. “The ideal wine is a blending of the two ideas,” he says. Renzo’s goal is to impart the elegance of place as well as the history of the vine in each wine that he makes whether it be new world or old world.

Renzo’s philosophy on grapes and wine making is proven in the quality of wine that he makes and the consistent high ratings that he achieves. The proof is in the bottle. I recently had the opportunity to taste four of the Antinori wines. The 2005 Cervaro della Sala and the 2006 Antica Napa Valley Chardonnay were the two whites. The 2003 Guado al Tasso and the 2004 Antica Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon were the two reds. All were simply amazing in their own ways.

The Cervaro della Sala in Renzo’s words is “a mix of Mediterranean with a touch of minerality, citrus and white flowers.” This wine is an Indicazione Geographica Tipica (IGT) classified wine made from 85% Chardonnay and 15% Grechetto. There is more flower than fruit to this wine and it is, in my opinion, savory without being heavy. In our conversation about the wine Renzo told me that the previous Friday he had the opportunity to taste the 1988 vintage and remarked that it was fabulous. 1988 would have been Renzo’s third year as a winemaker for Antinori. The Antica Napa Valley Chardonnay is a completely different wine, as you may have guessed. This is the first vintage of this 100% Chardonnay wine and has much more alcohol, intensity and weight than her Italian counterpart. This wine is not an over-the-top California Chardonnay, but it is very intense; the balance of oak and acidity is simply amazing.

The reds were an even bigger treat for me than the whites. The 2003 Guado al Tasso is a Super Tuscan wine from the Bolgheri region on the coast of Tuscany and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Renzo describes this wine as being “spicy, approachable, salty, big and intense.” I had the good fortune of also recently trying the 1993 Guado al Tasso and can tell you first hand that these wines are huge. They are almost too big for the bottle that contains them. Give them a few moments to catch their breath after you open them. A few minutes in a decanter and a sip of this wine will make you throw your head back and surrender to its intrinsic beauty. I was also honored to try Renzo’s first vintage of Napa Valley Cabernet. The 2004 Antica Napa Valley Cabernet was, for lack of a better term, pretty. Renzo feels that this wine has a little more minerality than the Guado al Tasso mostly because of the soil. It is one of those wines that has the complex duality of being approachable now but will age as well as Sophia Loren.

For Renzo, there is nothing in common with these wines except the wine maker and “that is me,” he said. I could almost hear the smile of pride on his face as he said that to me over the phone. With Renzo, there are no favorites among the wines that he produces. All he will tell you is that because the Cervaro della Sala was his first winemaking position with Antinori he is emotionally attached to the wine. He says, “It is like your first love; you never forget.” So wondrous is the Italian passion for what we love.

Sara Jane Fasolino
Certified Sommelier
CSW
Mixologist

SommySar Talks About Bubbles