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| [05/15/2019, 10:41] | Ramato ? call it ros? or call it orange wine - the realm has gone gaga for it |  | Pinot Grigio is like this well-worn football that keeps getting kicked and keeps staying in the game, wanting to play. Wine trekkies have long embarked from those shores to the lands of Friulano, Erbaluce, Carricante or Timorasso, but Pinot Grigio keeps reinventing itself. Or, rather, we keep thinking it is. In reality, Pinot Grigio was cool before it wasn?t. And now it?s cool again. For some folks.
For those who have a definite thing against fresh and light and fruity and popular, Pinot Grigio is a super-villain. But it also wears another cloak, with a caliginous umbrage. But fear not, it?s not some shadowy creature lurking in a dark alley, lying in wait to steal your soul. It?s part of the cool kids club now, because it?s also having a renaissance moment - It is once again ramato - which depending on which cool kids club you shower in, is either a ros? wine or an orange wine. And that makes all the difference in the world. We all need something to go with our pineapple pizza, dontcha know?
If you want the history lesson, my first foray into the world of ramato Pinot Grigio was 1982, when I had several to sell my local restaurants and wine shops. But, at the time, white wine from Italy had a pretty bad reputation. The wine never seemed to show up fresh and lively (like we experienced when we went to Italy). A huge part of the reason was because the preponderance of reefers (refrigerated shipping containers) had yet to make its mark on orbis terrarum, et qui (and the rising carbon dioxide count, as well). So, when I brought in a bottle of ?dark? Pinot Grigio, the buyer assumed it was faulty from the git-go. I ended up drinking a lot of Pinot Grigio ramato in my 30?s. And waiting to get older, so the yet unborn could arise a visceribus terrae and make Pinot Grigio great again. And how to do that? Well, of course to give it some color to make it cooler. And that is exactly what happened. If you were to fall asleep for 30 years and wake up, it might be a bit confusing. But a white wine with color would probably be the least of the perplexing things one would encounter after taking a 30-year nap.
That said, I did a short wine piece in the Dallas Morning News on a couple of ramato Pinot Grigios that I found in my local wine shops. For my European readers, I?m sorry the link won?t let you see it, so I have attached below a jpeg of the article.
Regarding the orange wine version. Lately, orange wine has being bantered about as a #dogwhistle or bobo chic catch-all for those frantic to belong to ?something real and authentic before we all burn up on this rapidly heating up planet.? And one can find Pinot Grigio in that form, especially in Friuli. Methinks the ros? craze has eclipsed orange wine in Instagram-world. Not that any of us would do anything as a result of being influenced by anything on social media. But it does seem like a bit of a tussle. Chic, slick smooth ros? wine vs. hairy armpit ?Burning Man? orange wine. My advice? Go for delicious in any color or flavor. Follow your bliss.
Popping into the way-back machine, went to Valter Scarbolo?s restaurant, Frasca, about six years ago, with a wine buyer and an importer. We had a lovely meal with Valter who guided us through his wines over a few hours.
Valter?s label, Scarbolo, was one of the trailblazers for ramato, with a handful of bottlings of Pinot Grigio as it was caught in first blush. Look, it wasn?t an easy sale in 1982, not for a Ramato Pinot Grigio from Friuli or the Veneto or for a Vin Gris from Santa Barbara. The world was looking for sweet and fruity, blushing impersonations of Blue Nun or Zeller Schwarze Katz. California was roaring ahead with White Zinfandel, and that satisfied those who were looking for more residual sugar in their wine. But bone-dry white wines with a tinge of copper or orange? Nah, we drank as much as we could and then we closed ?em out. Over and over again.
And then the world changed. Suddenly. It only took 37 years. And now ros? is no longer outr?. And Pinot Grigio is reminding everyone that they too, were there, in the beginning, with Tavel and Bandol, as ros? forerunners.
Finally, a native expression of Pinot Grigio can come out from the shadows, thanks to the world being gaga for ros?.
written and photographed by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [05/05/2019, 20:16] | Personal thoughts about life after the wine business (*with tasting notes at the end) | | ...no longer selling water by the river
I am one who has recently been emancipated from the fatal attraction of the wine business, but one who still appreciates a good glass of wine, regularly. I no longer have to go into a restaurant and make sure the list is compliant with the wishes of some vice-president who lives 10 hours a day in a windowless cell looking at spread sheets and regularly attends yearly review meetings. I no longer have the need to spend money in an account, for the sake of spending money in an account. I now go out to eat, and drink, because I want to. If not, I am just as happy at home raiding my wine tomb, searching for a long-lost bottle of Nebbiolo or Montepulciano, Sangiovese or Nerello Mascalese. They?re all there, resting in the cool darkness of the catacombs. Wine, you see, is no longer an obsession or a mania for me. Or, I?d like to think so.
In reality, it is damn hard to pull the cannula out of the arm and walk out of the asylum. It is after all, part of one?s identity, n'est-ce pas? And the big world out there, it isn't becoming kinder or gentler in the last decade or so, especially in the cities.
So here are a couple of things that I?m working on.
Hyper-sensitivity ? I saw this in my father when he was past his middle-age rage period. He calmed down, and along with it he became easily overwrought. I sense that might be happening to me. I view a field of wildflowers as the mower is heading towards them and I cringe. I see a stray dog or cat in the street and it unnerves me. I stop at the gas station to fill up the car and if there is loud music playing, something snaps inside of me. As I drive from home to the store and I see a man passed out in a wheelchair on the side of the road, in full sun, one would think, if you were to be crawling inside of my brain, that something cataclysmic on a global scale had just taken place. It?s as if all the sensitivity I developed and focused in wine tasting, has been diverted to other planes of being. I haven?t gotten used to it, not sure if I will. And there is something that is tied to that sensitivity.
Severe anxiety in a car ? The other day, I?m tooling down the expressway, minding my own business, when I hear two cars at 70+mph, screeching, and careening over the three lanes to the left of me. And in case they wanted a piece of the fourth lane, which is where I was in, I immediately put the pedal to the metal and got the hell out of their out-of-control way. That is an extreme example, but almost daily I see a near accident, or someone who is behind me, cutting a little too close to me, in an effort to veer around me. And it?s not like I?m driving like I?m in the school zone. I don?t know where this comes from. Maybe the accident in Sicily in 2016. But I don?t even remember that one, other than waking up with blood on my skull, several broken ribs and a rapidly developing hematoma on my right knee. Maybe it was that. Or maybe it was the one in Bordeaux a few years before, when someone ran a light in a rainstorm and plowed into the car in which I was a passenger, sustaining several broken ribs, a sore wrist and a foggy brain. Maybe. Or maybe when I was in Sonoma and our car went off the freeway and into a ditch and back out into the freeway, careening and clipping several fast-moving cars. Again, a passenger. Again, broken ribs. Again, a mist of fog over the normally clear and clever world in which I inhabited.
Maybe I have too much time on my hands? Nonetheless, travel, especially in a car, is a precarious undertaking in 2019. One third of the folks are more interested in looking at their texts than looking at the road. It?s like I?m in a foxhole and we?re constantly being bombarded with shells. I guess that?s what some folks call PTSD. Anyway, I?m noting that is part of my world lately, too.
Animals ? They all seem to say the same thing ? Help me! Well, not exactly that, but they all seem to be singing from the same hymnal, and as innocent as they all are, and they are, they are caught in a world which is far from squeaky clean. And it is affecting them. And I feel it. And, if we?re being totally candid, I actually like them more than most of the biped hominids who are mucking about the place. So, if I?ve offended you, I apologize. But honestly, I?d rather be sitting on my couch, reading a book with little Luigi sitting nearby. Or playing with them. Which leads me to the next subject.
Play ? I was making the bed this morning thinking about folks who don?t have a 9-5 job. People like actors. They work a movie or a play and then they aren?t working for a week, a month, a year. Once, I thought that was unimaginable. Now I realize what a sucker I?ve been. They?ve learned the secret about play, the thing we all used to do, all of the time, when we were children.
And that is, that play is restorative, whether you are 6 or 66. It feeds the imagination. It provides a break from the daily drudgery of working, shopping, doing laundry, washing the car, whatever. Now, I have much more time for play, and while it is taking a little getting used to, I remember what it was like from being a kid. And I like it. It?s like your favorite song, the long version, is playing and your mom is making your favorite lunch and the temperature in the pool is perfect and the weather is warm but not too hot. Inotherwords, the perfect scenario. But it is an active, not a passive, act. It isn?t work, but it isn?t sleep. And I really love it. It?s the creative process, whether I am building a fort for the cats or planning a photo portfolio for a show. There?s more, but essentially, it?s play I?m really getting hooked on these days. Which leads me to the next subject.
Sleep ? I go to bed early and I get up early. I cannot wait to get up in the morning. I love waking up. But if I've had a long day, whether it is working in the garden, or lots of exercise, or all of the above, and it?s about 2PM and I?ve had a nice lunch, the only thing I want to do is find my couch and my special pillow and take a nap. Not for long. But long enough. With or without a cat or two on top of me, humming and trilling, like the waves of a small ocean. I like sleep, but not like I used to. It?s like I?ve met an old friend after 40 or 50 years and he?s different; And I?m different; But it?s still a working friendship. It?s just different. And it?s nice. Ok, I?m going all Rod McKuen on y?all. I guess I need to plunk down a tasting note or two, right? Isn?t that what a wine blog is for, isn?t that what y?all came here for?
Tasting Notes
2017 Sandlands Red Table Wine ? I probably shouldn?t have opened this wine so young. But we were having something to eat that this wine sounded like it might be good to have with it.
Old vineyard, planted almost 100 years ago in Contra Costa County. 65% Carignane and 35% Mataro. I?ll just say it, I was an idiot to open it up, and I knew it. But I was too lazy to dig around in my wine mausoleum to find the 2014 Carignane I have stuffed away.
The fruit was strong and heady. The aromas were young and skittish. The wine had rested plenty, I just robbed the cradle by opening this wine to early. I won?t do that with the other bottle. Now I just have to remember where I put them in 5-10 years. In the meantime, I?ll be drinking their Chenin Blancs, which I am a total wine whore for.
2015 Colombera & Garelli Bramaterra ? our new neighbors invited us over for a happy hour recently, and neighbor Bill poured me a glass of this. Ok, I live in Dallas, Texas, in a relatively conservative (i.e. red) neighborhood. I?d sooner get a glass of Belle Glos or Meiomi Pinot Noir (or a Coor?s Light) handed to me in this zip code. So, suffice it to say, I was blown away. Bramaterra, for God?s sake! How awesome was that? Oh yeah, what it tasted like: It was rich and velvety, but not too smooth. I mean, there was a nice edgy texture to it. And it had just the slightest hint of volatile acidity, which I love. Yeah, that was a good night. And we love our new neighbors, big time!
2016 Mayacamas Mt. Veeder Chardonnay ? There is usually never enough white wine in our house. But one of the wine fairies left a box on our doorstep. Yeah, ok, sure. And this was one of those wines. Oh man, all the old Stony Hill and Forman Chardonnay I?ve had over my life has left me a bit cynical about other California Chardonnay. But this is Mayacamas. And It didn?t disappoint. What I love about classic California wine, as I have been drinking for the past 40+ years, is that there is a timeless quality about it, but also it is uniquely Californian. I say this as an indigenous Californian. It just hits me like it knows me. And I know it. And this Mayacamas was rich and full and fruity and dry and nuanced with many levels of flavor and I wish I had more.
Ok, that?s it for now - Miss Buttercup wants to go outside and play.
written and photographed by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [05/03/2019, 22:06] | Ristorante Marzapane ? Roma ? Patron Mario Sansone | | Dalla Spagna alla Francia restando a Roma. Potremmo riassumere cos? il radicale cambio di filosofia di Mario Sansone, patron di Marzapane che dopo 5 anni di sodalizio lavorativo e di successo con Alba Esteve Ruiz, ha optato per un cambio di registro. Per farlo si ? affidato a forze interne: il giovanissimo Francesco Capuzzo Dolcetta, approdato gi? un anno fa in queste cucine dopo importanti esperienze francesi, che da qualche mese si occupa di coordinare le altre figure della brigata. Francesco sembra partire gi? con idee molto chiare: ricette intense e di impatto, dettate da un continuo dialogo con produttori e fornitori, sostenute da sapidit? e rosolature robuste. Le carni vengono da Franco Cazzamali e da Roberto Liberati, nomi che da soli bastano a mandare in sollucchero i palati degli appassionati e che contribuiscono ad ispirare piatti costruiti intorno a tagli ricercati o quinto quarto, i vegetali sono proposti in composizioni golose e contemporanee. Ma le sfumature francofile si trasformano in omaggi sontuosi nella pasticceria, vedi la clamorosa Paris-Brest al pistacchio. Il borsino delle guide cartacee 2019
Michelin?assegna il piatto e 2 coperti 
Espresso assegna 2 cappelli  (nel 2018 segnalato)
Gambero Rosso assegna 83, cucina 52 (nel 2018 81, cucina 51) La squadra Direttore/Patron: Mario Sansone Lo staff di cucina Chef de partie agli antipasti: Alessio Benedetti
Chef de partie ai primi: Ciobanu Andrian
Chef de partie ai secondi: Francesco Capuzzo Dolcetta
Pastry chef: Alessandro Lucci? Lo staff di sala Filippo Bassetti
Costance Riviere
Stefano Cavaterra L’insegna e l’ingresso del ristorante 
Sala e mise en place 
Men? Riportiamo, come sempre, il men? alla carta. Quello?degustazione ? realizzabile al momento solo su richiesta del cliente. La carta Antipasti Topinambur, nocciola e erbe acidule ? 13
Agnello, indivia e sesamo ? 16
Anguilla e cavolfiore ? 15
Verza ? 13 Primi Fettuccine al rag? ? 16
Tortellini di cappone e Parmigiano Vacche Rosse ? 16
Carbonara ? 15
Paccheri al rag? di pesce ? 16 Secondi Omelette souffl? ? 18
Manzo e barbabietola ? 24
Morone, mandorla e carciofi ? 24
Piccione per due ? 24 (a persona) Dolci Cioccolato e caramello ??10
Paris-Brest al pistacchio ??9
Frutta secca, miele e agrumi ??9
Gelato ??7 Abbinamento Vini
Optiamo, come di consueto, per il servizio al calice. Aperitivo 
Champagne Cuv?e Brut – Piper-Heidsieck Crostino con lardo di morone 
Crostino di pane con pastrami di loro produzione e fondo di manzo 
Pane 
Tipologia di pane: panificazione con farine del Molino Riggi. 
Catarratto Bianco 2017 Terre Siciliane Igp – Porta del Vento Piattooo! Indivia con tartufo bianco 
Topinambur con pralinato di nocciola tonda gentile del viterbese e erbe spontanee acidule 
Cannolicchi cotti al BBQ con crema di mandorle e olio all’erba cipollina 
Collo d’agnello con cr?me ?paisse 
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Dop – Tiberio Rosso del Soprano Sicilia Igt – Palari di Salvatore Geraci Verza cotta al cartoccio, glassata con fondo vegetale e cr?me ?paisse 
Cuori di pollo di Pulicaro, radicchio e rape rosse 
Il tocco finale 
Plin ripieni di caprino nobile e fondo di vegetali 
Genovese con candele spezzate del Pastificio dei Campi? 
Il rag? ? preparato con girello di fassona e cipolla ramata. 
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Dop – Tiberio Schiaffo 2015?Lazio Rosso Igt – Colacicchi Morone con maionese alle mandorle e carciofi 
Diaframma di manzo al BBQ servito con fondo di manzo, cipolla ramata, cipolla giarratana, cipolla borettana 
La selezione di formaggi 
Passito 2017 Malvasia delle Lipari Doc – Fenech Passito 2014 Terre Siciliane Igp – Colosi Cioccolato, caramello e fave di cacao 
Paris-Brest con crema al pistacchio 
Caff? e coccole finali 
Tipologia caff?: torrefazione?Art Caff??80% arabica 20% robusta. Tipologia piccola pasticceria: Madeleine. VG insieme allo staff del ristorante 
Cucina Golosa e di carattere, basata su grandi materie prime, tanto pop quanto gourmet. Un equilibrio difficile, ma riuscito. Servizio e accoglienza In linea con lo spirito del locale troviamo un servizio informale e giovanile, comunque ben coordinato e sempre attento ai dettagli. Conclusioni Questo nuovo corso di Marzapane si dimostra gi? deciso e concreto, con un’identit? definita seguita con coerenza.  Viaggiatore Gourmet
Ristorante Marzapane
00198 Roma
Via Velletri, 39
Tel. (+39) 06 6478 1692
Chiuso luned? tutto i giorno, marted? e mercoled? a pranzo
E-mail: info@marzapaneroma.com
Sito internet: www.marzapaneroma.com L'articolo Ristorante Marzapane – Roma – Patron Mario Sansone proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [05/03/2019, 22:05] | Cartoline dal 873mo Meeting VG @ Ristorante IYO ? Milano ? Patron Claudio Liu, Chef Michele Biassoni | | Dal 2012 siamo assidui frequentatori del ristorante IYO – taste experience in via Piero della Francesca a Milano e da allora una volta l’anno torniamo con i nostri Amici Gourmet. Dunque siamo sicuramente tra i testimoni pi? attendibili degli enormi passi avanti che questo ristorante di cucina orientale – o etnica se preferite – ha fatto nel corso degli anni e che continua a fare sia a livello di cucina che a livello di servizio, tanto da essere stato insignito della stella Michelin nel 2015. Merito della passione?per questo lavoro del patron Claudio Liu, che ? riuscito a trasmettere tutto l’amore per il suo ristorante anche allo staff. Cos? pur lavorando a ritmi infernali, tant’? che sono rari i servizi in cui si trovano tavoli vuoti, il locale migliora constantemente i suoi standard.
Durante il nostro ultimo evento?abbiamo riscontrato?un livello di complessit? nei piatti firmati da?Michele Biassoni mai visto prima: lo chef cerca di sorprendere il palato con sferzate nette e divertenti, ma mai eccessive. La squadra in sala diretta da Danilo Tacconi si dimostrata puntuale e cortese, non viene risucchiata dalla frenesia del servizio. Molti poi sono i piatti che vengono completati al tavolo sempre con precisione, cos? come i t? che vengono serviti in accompagnamento alle portate e preparati direttamente davanti agli ospiti. Qui il reportage dettagliato della nostra esperienza… Archivio storico reportage: ->?Reportage del 23 Febbraio 2012
->?Reportage del 13 Febbraio 2014
->?Reportage del 2 Febbraio 2015
->?Reportage 30 Ottobre 2015
->?Meeting 9 Febbraio 2016
->?Meeting 26 Aprile 2017
->?Meeting 20 Febbraio 2018 La squadra? Patron: Claudio Liu? Lo staff di cucina Chef: Michele Biassoni? Sous chef: Giampiero Brotzu? Pastry chef: Juhee Hwong? Lo staff di sala Ma?tre/sommelier: Danilo Tacconi? Chef de rang: Angela Lonetto? Il tavolo Amici Gourmet 
Il nostro men? personalizzato 
Abbinamento Vini
Nei meeting utilizziamo i vini messi a disposizione dai nostri Partner. Acqua Filette, Premium Water Partner del nostro?Roadshow 
Acqua?Filette?Decisamente?Frizzante,?Delicatamente Frizzante e Naturalmente Naturale 
Aperitivo 
Vintage Collection Sat?n 2013 Franciacorta –?Ca? del Bosco Tipologia degli stuzzichini: dashi di calamaro; tartare di tonno profumata alla ponzu, riso soffiato alla soia e arachidi; chips di tofu. In accompagnamento, salsa di soia. 
Il brindisi 
Piattooo! Hotate kobujime 
Noce di capasanta della Normandia marinata nella kombu, latte di capra e sudachi. 
Kinmedai usuzukuri 
Sashimi di berice con salsa ponzu. 
Amaebi carpaccio 
Gamberi rossi scottati con olio al sesamo, erba cipollina e zenzero. 
Sushi IYO 
Cuv?e Annamaria Clementi Magnum –?Ca? del Bosco 
Somen mentaiko 
Spaghetti di frumento, salsa d?uovo al mentaiko, gambero e zenzero. 
Kakisu subimiyaki 
Ostrica Regal Irlandese subimiyaki, sak?, miso caramellata e caviale Kaluga Amur. 
Fukusa age king crab 
Granchio reale croccante arrotolato con alga nori, shiso, funghi pleu rotes e dashi. 
Cuv?e Annamaria Clementi Franciacorta Ros? –?Ca? del Bosco 
Tenagaebi yaki? 
Scampo in padella accompagnato da una crema di carciofi, estrazione di cavolo Kale e aceto di riso, carciofi marinati alla miso e cotti sul carbone. 
Kamo?: anatra francese in tre lavorazioni 
1. Petto cotto a bassa temperatura e rifinito in padella con saut? di funghi Shimeji,?salsa di melagrana, vino rosso e miso. 
2. Okonomiyaki di cavolo cappuccio al nero di seppia con coscia d?anatra marinata al sak?. 
3. Kamo dashi profumato allo zafferano. 
Pre dessert: clementina confit accompagnata da gelato al t? Earl Grey, sansho fresco? 
Passione Passito Strevi Doc 2008 –?Bragagnolo Vini Passiti 
Macigaeta tacos 
Spuma al cioccolato Ecuador e cannella. 
Granita al vermouth bianco e wasabi. 
Biscotto croccante con banana caramellata e granola. Chiudiamo in bellezza 
Trinidad Rum 15 years old – Caroni 
Tipologia piccola pasticceria: cioccolato fondente ripieno di ganache al cioccolato bianco e kabosu. Tisane du Soleil e coccole finali 
Tipologia piccola pasticceria: meringa profumata ai frutti rossi; cioccolatino al t? verde, zenzero candito e frutta secca. 
Il patron Claudio Liu ci raggiunge al tavolo per un saluto 
Un grande GRAZIE a tutti! Per la prossima tappa aspettiamo anche te! Consulta il calendario eventi qui e iscriviti! Viaggiatore Gourmet – Viaggiare, conoscere, esserci! Partner della 873esima edizione Meeting di Altissimo Ceto Ristorante IYO
20154 Milano
Via Piero della Francesca, 74
Tel. 02 45476898
Chiuso luned? tutto il giorno e marted? a pranzo
E-mail:?info@iyo.it
Sito internet:?www.iyo.it I prossimi meeting di Altissimo Ceto: www.altissimoceto.it/meeting-eventi/ 
Essere un nostro associato significa ricevere inviti personali per oltre 100 eventi (annuali) imperdibili che organizziamo per i nostri soci, un ricco calendario di eventi settimanali (aperitivi, pranzi, cene, serate mixology, degustazioni di grandi vini e di cibi rari e preziosi) privati ed esclusivi (Roadshow of Excellence Tour), tappe ufficiali che in Italia ogni anno vengono ospitate dalla migliore selezione di tutti i 9 tre stelle, dei 41 due stelle e da una buona parte dei 306 ristoranti stellati Michelin, oltre che da una attenta selezione di Hotel 5 ***** stelle, SPA resort e relais selezionati tra i pi? prestigiosi e rappresentativi. 
Breaking News – Eventi Enogastronomici esclusivi. (Media Partner) Sponsored By Amici Gourmet – Network esclusivo di appassionati Gourmet. 
L'articolo Cartoline dal 873mo Meeting VG @ Ristorante IYO ? Milano ? Patron Claudio Liu, Chef Michele Biassoni proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [05/02/2019, 23:40] | Emporio Armani Ristorante ? Milano ? Executive Chef Ferdinando Palomba | | Questo di Milano ? stato il capostipite degli Emporio Armani Caff? (ora se ne trovano anche a Bologna, Dubai, Tokyo, Monaco e Parigi) e compir? 20 anni l’anno prossimo. Lo ritroviamo, a 19 anni dalla sua prima inaugurazione, completamente ristrutturato e riaperto giusto in tempo per accogliere il variegato ed esigente pubblico della fashion week. C’? un nuovo dehors, il caff? al piano di sotto in cui regnano risotto allo zafferano e cotolette alla milanese, ma noi, si sa, siamo qui per il ristorante gourmet guidato dallo chef Ferdinando Palomba: anima mediterranea e ottica globale, ha pensato a una linea di cucina inconfondibilmente italiana, golosa e dalle esecuzioni impeccabili, che potesse incarnare gastronomicamente lo stile di uno dei brand pi? importanti e storici d’Italia. Il borsino delle guide cartacee 2019 – Il ristorante ha riaperto nel 2019
Michelin?non segnala il ristorante
Espresso?non segnala il ristorante
Gambero Rosso?non segnala il ristorante Sala e mise en place 
Men? Riportiamo, come sempre, i men? degustazione e quello alla carta. Degustazioni Set men? 5 portate ? 80 Granchio reale alla catalana, emulsione del suo corallo e caviale
Ravioli ai tre arrosti, spuma di cipolla e brodo di verdure d’inverno
Zuppetta di scorfano, calamari e gamberi, con bottoni fondenti di patate e gnocchi di bietola
Costolette di agnello alla griglia con crema di topinambur, finocchio e spinaci al salto
Le 5 strutture del cioccolato Set men? 8 portate ? 110 Granchio reale alla catalana, emulsione del suo corallo e caviale
Tartara di fassona con pesto di prugne, pomodori secchi, e caprino
Involtino di scarola ripiena con capperi e olive, fagioli di Controne e biscotto di grano arso
Tagliatelle con rag? di faraona, funghi e tartufo
Zuppetta di scorfano, calamari e gamberi, con bottoni fondenti di patate e gnocchi di bietola
Costolette di agnello alla griglia con crema di topinambur, finocchio e spinaci al salto
Verdure, puttanesca di cipolle e pesto trapanese
Millefoglie con crema di liquirizia, gel di frutto della passione, gelato di yogurt e banana La carta Antipasti Pesce bandiera in saor con puntarelle, mandorle e centrifugato di erbe aromatiche ? 26
Granchio reale alla catalana, emulsione del suo corallo e caviale ? 28
Tartara di fassona con pesto di prugne, pomodori secchi e caprino ? 24
Seppia inchiostro, fegato, cremoso di pomodoro del Piennolo e pane di limone ? 24
Involtino di scarola ripiena con capperi, olive, fagioli di Controne e biscotto di grano arso ? 18 Primi Risotto allo zafferano con capesante, arancia e finocchietto ? 24
Ravioli ai ?tre arrosti? con spuma di cipolla ? 22
Spaghetti al pomodoro del vulcano ? 18
Linguine con lumachine e ricci di mare ? 24
Tagliatelle con rag? di faraona, funghi e tartufo nero ? 20 Secondi di pesce Zuppetta di scorfano, calamari e gamberi con sfera di patate e gnocchi di bietola ? 28
Sogliola alla mugnaia con variazione di verdure di stagione ? 32
Filetto di spigola d?amo con rape, broccoli calabresi e essenza della sua testa profumata al limone ? 34 Secondi di carne Costolette di agnello alla griglia con crema di topinambur, finocchio?e spinaci al salto ? 34
Piccione cotto intero, salsa ai frutti rossi, purea di sedano rapa e chutney di mela annurca ? 48
La nostra interpretazione della scaloppina al marsala con cianfotta di verdure, puttanesca di cipolle e pesto trapanese ? 32 Dolci Mela caramellata, frutti rossi, cremoso al whisky e gelato al kefir di bufala ? 15
Millefoglie, crema di liquirizia, gel di frutto della passione e gelato di yogurt e banana ? 15
Mousse di mandorla, confit di mango, cremoso finocchietto selvatico e sorbetto al lime ? 15
Ricotta & pera ? 15
Selezione di sorbetti o gelati?? 12 Abbinamento Vini
Optiamo, come di consueto, per il servizio al calice. Aperitivo 
Un ultimo tocco… 
Holistic Negroni 
Una nuova versione di un cocktail classico e storico al quale viene aggiunto un nuovo ingrediente, l?olio di nocciola. Champagne Mary? 
L?unione di due cocktail completamenti diversi, il Bloody Mary e il cocktail champagne per creare un signature cocktail esclusivo. Bon bon di scampi con crema di sedano, sale affumicato e maionese di bisque 
L’executive chef Ferdinando Palomba 
Acqua Armani 
Pane 
Tipologia di pane:?di grano arso;?ai cereali;?bianco;?al limone; focaccia; grissini; schiacciata con semi di papavero e chia. Tutto?prodotto con farine biologiche certificate e lievito madre. 
Toscana Vermentino Igt – La Spinetta Piattooo! Granchio reale alla catalana, emulsione del suo corallo e caviale 
Il tocco finale 
Pesce bandiera in saor con puntarelle, mandorle e centrifugato di erbe aromatiche 
Involtino di scarola ripiena con capperi, olive, fagioli di Controne e biscotto di grano arso 
Tartare di fassona con pesto di prugne, pomodori secchi e caprino 
Vulcaia Fum? 2016 Sauvignon del Veneto Igt 25? anniversario – Inama Risotto allo zafferano con capesante, arancia e finocchietto 
Linguine con lumachine e ricci di mare 
Il prossimo piatto ? completato al tavolo 
Zuppetta di scorfano, calamari e gamberi con sfera di patate e gnocchi di bietola 
Filetto di spigola d?amo con rape, broccoli calabresi e essenza della sua testa profumata al limone 
Tonno scottato, salsa puttanesca, cianfotta di verdure 
Maurizio Zanella 1998 Rosso del Sebino Igt – Ca’ Del Bosco 
Piccione cotto intero, salsa ai frutti rossi, purea di sedano rapa e chutney di mela annurca 
Le 5 strutture del cioccolato 
Ricotta & pere 
Coccole finali 
Tipologia piccola pasticceria: gel?e al lampone; bign? con crema al limone; tartellette liquirizia e mirtillo. VG insieme a Ferdinando Palomba 
Cucina Tutt’altro che modaiola, la cucina di Ferdinando Palomba ? concreta e golosa, giocata com’? su note accomodanti. Sempre correttamente alleggerita, si basa su grandi materie prime, tecnica inappuntabile e un accurato lavoro sui contrappunti vegetali. Servizio e accoglienza Com’? giusto che sia, un servizio raffinato e di alto livello, in grado di destreggiarsi con eleganza tra ottimi cocktail, rifiniture dei piatti al tavolo e una valida proposta vini. Conclusioni Un locale che (ri)parte benissimo, con idee chiare e grandi competenze. Una cartolina gastronomica impeccabile per una citt? internazionale come Milano e un marchio planetario come Armani. Viaggiatore Gourmet Ristorante Emporio Armani
20121 Milano
Via dei Giardini, 2
Tel. (+39) 02 62312680
Domenica orario continuato
E-mail: events.restaurants@giorgioarmani.it
Sito internet: www.armani.com L'articolo Emporio Armani Ristorante – Milano – Executive Chef Ferdinando Palomba proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [05/01/2019, 22:55] | Cartoline dal 870mo Meeting @ Ristorante Blend 4 ? Azzate (VA) ? Chef Alessandro Ballerio | | Grandi novit? in quel di Azzate. Infatti al Blend 4 c’? stato un cambio della guardia dietro i fornelli: lo chef Davide Gambitta ha lasciato il locale dopo quasi 3 anni e al suo posto i patron Ivano Antonini e Luigina Gazzola hanno promosso come chef il ventunenne Alessandro Ballerio, che era gi? presente nella brigata del ristorante. Ivano e Luigina hanno puntato dunque sulla continuit? della linea di cucina, ma anche sulla seriet? e la passione che il giovane Alessandro aveva gi? fatto intravedere. Noi siamo andati con gli Amici Gourmet a testare subito la nuova cucina del Blend 4 e siamo rimasti piacevolmente colpiti dalle capacit? di Alessandro, che ha presentato piatti davvero golosi e ben concepiti. Come sempre il meeting al Blend4 ? iniziato con un godurioso aperitivo e si ? concluso con la merenda al bancone assaporata in compagnia dello staff del locale. Qui il racconto del nostro pranzo… Archivio storico reportage (gli articoli fanno riferimento agli chef precedenti): ->?Reportage del 7 Ottobre 2013
->?Meeting dell?11 Gennaio 2014
->?Meeting del 28 Febbraio 2015
->?Meeting del 27 Febbraio 2016
->?Reportage del 1? Dicembre 2016
->?Reportage del 18 Febbraio 2017
->?Reportage del 4 Febbraio 2018 La squadra Patron: Ivano Antonini e?Luigina Gazzola Lo staff di cucina Chef: Alessandro Ballerio Lo staff di sala Sommelier: Luigina Gazzola Sala? 
Il tavolo Amici Gourmet 
Mise en place 
Il nostro men? personalizzato 
Abbinamento Vini
Nei meeting utilizziamo i vini messi a disposizione dai nostri Partner. Il tavolo d?esposizione dei nostri partner di giornata 
Acqua Filette, Premium Water Partner del nostro?Roadshow 
Acqua?Filette?Decisamente?Frizzante,?Delicatamente Frizzante e Naturalmente Naturale 
Aperitivo La patron Luigina Gazzola al taglio del prosciutto toscano della Fattoria di Rimaggio 
Selezione dei salumi e affettati toscani della Fattoria di Rimaggio 
Bollicine! 
Champagne Brut –?Roger Desivry Triglia rocher, mandorle e castagne 
Piattino?Diva SuMisura?personalizzato per Viaggiatore Gourmet da?Royale. Per la preparazione dello stuzzichino ? stato utilizzato il burro piemontese Inalpi. 
Foie gras e scalogno in agrodolce 
Baccal? fritto con caviale d?aringa 
Piatto Mepra. In arrivo altri stuzzichini! 
Pancetta di maialino croccante, biscotto all?alloro e fonduta di Bra duro d’Alpeggio Dop Inalpi 
Il patron Ivano Antonini ci raggiunge al tavolo per il servizio del prossimo vino 
Franciacorta Blanc de Blancs 2011 – Le Marchesine Pane 
Tipologia di pane:?toscano; focaccia. In accompagnamento, burro piemontese Inalpi. Piattooo! Capesante rosticciate, guanciale e topinambur 
Ivano ci serve il prossimo vino 
Brut Grand R?serve – Comte de Montaigne Crudit? di mazzancolle, cavolfiori e anice 
Sella di coniglio, verdure di stagione e rosmarino 
Linguine Gerardo di Nola mantecate al riccio di mare e peperoncino, stracciatella e tartare di gamberi rossi 
Tortelli di costine, spuma di birra, senape, cipolle e paprika 
Per la preparazione del piatto ? stato utilizzato il burro piemontese Inalpi. 
Erdener Treppchen Riesling Sp?tlese Mosella 1981 –?Dr Loosen 
Tonno rosso scottato, fave, wasabi, pasta kataifi e cipolle borettane 
Trancio di ombrina al forno, bietola a coste, mandorle e limone 
Vigneto Ninan 2010 Ovada Docg – Rossi Contini? Petto d?anatra, barbabietole, carciofi e arachidi 
Barolo Docg 2015 – Prunotto Dolce fatto al momento al limone, salvia e fior di latte affumicato 
Coccole finali 
Tipologia piccola pasticceria: cremoso al gianduia, mela verde e crumble di pan speziato; tartufini al pistacchio; brownies al cioccolato e frutta secca, gel alle clementine. 
VG insieme a Luigina 
? ora della merenda! 
Il piatto ? servito in pentola d?oro Agnelli 
Un ultimo tocco e il piatto ? pronto 
Zuppa di cipolle, animelle glassate e pane 
Cuv?e Annamaria Clementi Ros? 2006 – Ca? del Bosco Un ultimo brindisi! 
Un grande GRAZIE a tutti! Per la prossima tappa aspettiamo anche te! Consulta il calendario eventi qui e iscriviti! Viaggiatore Gourmet – Viaggiare, conoscere, esserci! Partner della 870esima edizione Meeting di Altissimo Ceto Blend 4 – Spirito Enogastronomico
21022 Azzate (VA)
Via Piave, 118
Tel. 0332457632
Chiuso il mercoled? e la domenica a cena
E-mail:?info@blend4.it
Sito internet:?www.blend4.it I prossimi meeting di Altissimo Ceto: www.altissimoceto.it/meeting-eventi/
Essere un nostro associato significa ricevere inviti personali per oltre 100 eventi (annuali) imperdibili che organizziamo per i nostri soci, un ricco calendario di eventi settimanali (aperitivi, pranzi, cene, serate mixology, degustazioni di grandi vini e di cibi rari e preziosi) privati ed esclusivi (Roadshow of Excellence Tour), tappe ufficiali che in Italia ogni anno vengono ospitate dalla migliore selezione di tutti i?9 tre stelle, dei 41 due stelle e da una buona parte dei 306 ristoranti stellati Michelin, oltre che da una attenta selezione di Hotel 5 ***** stelle, SPA resort e relais selezionati tra i pi? prestigiosi e rappresentativi.
Breaking News – Eventi Enogastronomici esclusivi. (Media Partner) Sponsored By Amici Gourmet – Network esclusivo di appassionati Gourmet.
L'articolo Cartoline dal 870mo Meeting @ Ristorante Blend 4 ? Azzate (VA) ? Chef Alessandro Ballerio proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [05/01/2019, 22:25] | Cartoline dal Dopocena della Festa delle Feste 2018 Winter edition by Viaggiatore Gourmet ? Villa Necchi alla Portalupa ? Gambol? (PV) | | Ultimo capitolo del nostro racconto della Festa delle Feste Winter Edition 2018. Cos? dopo aver raccontato il backstage, l’aperitivo e la cena, eccoci al gran finale, iniziato come di consueto in dolcezza con la torta monumentale del pasticciere Davide Marcelli dell’omonima pasticceria di Oleggio (NO) e con la degustazione di alcuni dessert al piatto preparati dagli chef protagonisti della cena. Da amanti del gelato poi non ci siamo fatti mancare nulla: partendo da quello preparato al momento da Massimiliano Scotti?di?Vero Latte, per poi passare ai pinguini Pepino e ai gelati di William Legati della Gelateria Cool. I dessert sono stati accompagnati dai vini dolci di Bragagnolo, dagli amari della Compagnia dei Caraibi e dalle grappe delle Distillerie Francoli. A seguire le premiazioni dei Senatori Amici Gourmet, che sono stati omaggiati con dei cadeau da Mepra e il tradizionale?Celebration Party?con una spettacolare?Balthazar Cuv?e ’61 Berlucchi, i panettoni artigianali Loison e l’open bar a cura della Compagnia dei Caraibi. Quest?anno lo?spaghetto della mezzanotte griffato Felicetti ? stato realizzato dallo chef resident Antonio Danise, ultima coccola prima di aprire le danze nella Disco Lounge?fino al mattino! Archivio storico reportage: ->?Festa delle Feste 2010
->?Festa delle Feste 2011
->?Festa delle Feste 2012
->?Festa delle Feste 2013
->?Festa delle Feste 2014
->?Festa delle Feste 2015
->?Festa delle Feste 2016
->?Festa delle Feste 2017 La torta Monumentale della Pasticceria Marcelli 
Qui il pasticciere Davide Marcelli mostra anche i suoi bab? in vasocottura 
Ivan Famanni, grande maestro di sala, alle prese con la preparazione dello zabaione alla lampada… 
… per accompagnare i bab? del pasticciere Davide Marcelli 
Il cooking show del gelatiere Massimiliano Scotti, patron di Vero Latte di Vigevano 
Il primo assaggio di gelato ? per VG 
Assaggi anche per i pi? piccoli 
Qui Massimiliano con Dino Massignani di Riserva San Massimo 
Degustazione di pinguini della gelateria di lusso?Pepino 
VG con William Legati della Gelateria Cool 
L’isola del dessert di Villa Necchi alla Portalupa con la sua giovane brigata 
Sotto il Paradiso 
Lo chef Andrea Bozzato della Posa degli Agri alle prese con il servizio del dessert 
Pollini & Pistilli, semifreddo al miele delle nostre api, orzo, polline, riso, camomilla 
Lo chef Matteo Morra del Matteo Morra Restaurant presenta il suo panettone con lo zabaione 
I vini dolci di Bragagnolo Vini Passiti 
Iniziano le premiazioni dei Senatori Amici Gourmet, che vengono omaggiati con dei prodotti Mepra 
Il presidente dei Senatori Amici Gourmet ? Enzo Fulginiti 
Qui con il premio Mepra e la targa 
Passiamo al momento celebrativo stappando il Franciacorta Balthazar Cuv?e ?61 Berlucchi 
Per la foto ricordo arrivano anche i figli di VG 
VG con lo chef resident Antonio Danise e Romina Castelletti, responsabile marketing di Berlucchi 
VG con Carlo sacco del Grotto La Dispensa che ha preparato il vin brul? 
I cocktail con i prodotti della Compagnia dei Caraibi preparati da Lodovico Calabria e Simone Bani di Al Mal? Cucina e Miscelazione 
Caorunn Tonic: Caorunn Gin ? tonica fusion blu
Malfy tonic: Malfy Gin ? yuzu tonic
Mantuano Ale: Diplomatico mantuano ? Superior thai ginger ale 
Massimiliano Scotti nel frattempo continua a far degustare il suo gelato 
Lo chef Antonio Danise torna in cucina per lo spaghetto di mezzanotte… 
… che vengono presentati in sala in pentola d’oro Agnelli 
Spaghetti monograno?Felicetti, aglio, olio e peperoncino 
In accompagnamento gli champagne distribuiti dalla Compagnia dei Caraibi 
Champagne Cuv?e Brut – Carbon 
Champagne Cuv?e Victoire Ros? – G.H Martel In sala partono le danze… 
Anche i ragazzi della manuelina non si tirano indietro… 
Tra una focaccia e un’altra… 
I cadeau dei nostri partner per gli ospiti della serata 
Un grazie di cuore ai partecipanti e ai partner. Non vediamo che arrivi l’estate per la Summer Edition… Viaggiatore Gourmet – Viaggiare, conoscere, esserci! Location partner Festa delle Feste 2018 ? Winter Edition Villa Necchi alla Portalupa
27025 Gambol? (PV)
Via Cavalier Vittorio Necchi 2-4
Tel. (+39) 0381 092601
E-mail:?info@villanecchi.it
Sito internet:?www.villanecchi.it L'articolo Cartoline dal Dopocena della Festa delle Feste 2018 Winter edition by Viaggiatore Gourmet ? Villa Necchi alla Portalupa ? Gambol? (PV) proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [04/30/2019, 22:20] | Cartoline dalla Cena della Festa delle Feste 2018 Winter edition by Viaggiatore Gourmet ? Villa Necchi alla Portalupa ? Gambol? (PV) | | Continuiamo il racconto della nostra Festa delle Feste Winter edition 2018. Dopo il backstage e l’aperitivo, passiamo a mostrarvi le cartoline della cena. Quest’anno VG ha deciso di cambiare il format, quindi non pi? una cena di gala, in cui degustare le portate proposte dagli chef da seduti, ma una degustazione itinerante. Protagonisti della cena 7 ristoranti gestiti da giovani chef e patron, scelti tra quelli che pi? ci avevano colpito durante il nostro girovagare gastronomico. Ogni ristorante ha presentato una sorta di mini men? degustazione, lasciando totale libert? ai partecipanti di degustare quello che pi? preferiscono. Oltre allo chef resident Antonio Danise e la brigata di Villa Necchi alla Portalupa, durante la serata hanno cucinato Mauro Zacchetti chef di Al Mal? Cucina e Miscelazione, Marco Acquaroli del Ristorante Natura, lo chef Andrea Bozzato de La Posa degli Agri, Roberta Mirarchi che gestisce il Grotto La Dispensa con il marito Carlo Sacco, gli chef Marco Cozza e Andrea De Carli de l’Antica Trattoria alle Rose?e lo chef Matteo Morra del Matteo Morra Restaurant. Archivio storico reportage: ->?Festa delle Feste 2010
->?Festa delle Feste 2011
->?Festa delle Feste 2012
->?Festa delle Feste 2013
->?Festa delle Feste 2014
->?Festa delle Feste 2015
->?Festa delle Feste 2016
->?Festa delle Feste 2017 VG con Simone Vizzari, Brand ambassador di Bellavista 
Franciacorta Brut Teatro alla Scala 2013 – Bellavista Acqua Filette ad accompagnare anche la cena 
Ci spostiamo nell’altra sala per la cena itinerante VG con lo chef resident Antonio Danise e la sua brigata 
Carnaroli Riserva San Massimo in risotto, astice, vaniglia e liquirizia 
Qui gli altri due piatti 
Spaghetti di Gragnano del Mulino Marino, crema ci cavolfiore, cipolla bruciata e tartufo nero 
Guancia di vitello, crema di tuberi e radici e salsa di mela annurca 
Lo chef Matteo Morra del Matteo Morra Restaurant di Cherasco (CN) 
Battuta di fassone piemontese al coltello con colatura di Roccaverano e croccante di nocciole salate 
Ravioli del plin al tovagliolo 
Guancia di vitello brasata al Nebbiolo con fonduta di patate ratte e salsa alla senape e miele 
Lo chef Mauro Zacchetti di Al Mal? Cucina e Miscelazione alle prese con la preparazione 
L’impiattamento 
Calamaro, broccolo, aglio, olio, peperoncino e Franciacorta ’61 Sat?n Berlucchi 
Mauro durante la prepazione del prossimo piatto 
VG con lo staff del Mal? presenta il prossimo piatto 
Riso Riserva San Massimo Rosa Marchetti, soja tamari, katsuobushi e funghi 
I tre soci del Ristorante Al Mal? Cucina e Miscelazione: Alberto Bergomi, Lodovico Calabria e Mauro Zacchetti 
Il servizio continua… 
Lo chef Andrea Bozzato della Posa degli Agri di Polverara (PD) 
VG e lo staff della Posa degli Agri presentano il piatto 
Tramezzino di baccal?, spezie e cipolla caramellata 
L’isola del Grotto La Dispensa con la chef Roberta Mirachi e il patron Carlo Sacco 
Lavarello in carpione 
Gnocchi di castagne, crema di anguilla affumicata 
Zuppa Walser: pane, formaggio, cipolle, pancetta e patate 
Enzo Fulginiti, Presidente degli?Amici Gourmet 
Lo chef Marco Acquaroli del Ristorante Natura 
La presentazione del piatto con VG e il grande Ivan Famanni 
Sottobosco: funghi spadellati, crema all?uovo, essenza di canfora, pino e erbe 
Passiamo all’isola dell’Antica Trattoria alle Rose con gli chef Marco Cozza e Andrea De Carli 
Insalata di erbe spontanee alla griglia, bagna cauda 
Ravioli di tarassaco, taleggio e polvere di porcini 
Faraona, torrone e indivia belga in salamoia 
Piccola lezione didattica con l’azoto liquido a un piccolo gourmet del gelatiere Massimiliano Scotti di Vero Latte 
Viaggiatore Gourmet – Viaggiare, conoscere, esserci! Location partner Festa delle Feste 2018 ? Winter Edition Villa Necchi alla Portalupa
27025 Gambol? (PV)
Via Cavalier Vittorio Necchi 2-4
Tel. (+39) 0381 092601
E-mail:?info@villanecchi.it
Sito internet:?www.villanecchi.it L'articolo Cartoline dalla Cena della Festa delle Feste 2018 Winter edition by Viaggiatore Gourmet ? Villa Necchi alla Portalupa ? Gambol? (PV) proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [04/30/2019, 22:01] | Cartoline dall?Aperitivo della Festa delle Feste 2018 Winter edition by Viaggiatore Gourmet ? Villa Necchi alla Portalupa ? Gambol? (PV) | | Dopo avervi svelato il dietro le quinte, continuiamo il racconto della?Festa delle Feste 2018 Winter edition con le pi? belle immagini del nostro godurioso aperitivo. La serata ? iniziata con i Franciacorta di Berlucchi, per poi passare alla degustazione dei prodotti dei nostri partner: Formaggi Dop Inalpi, i salumi dei Fratelli Spigaroli e quelli del Salumificio Squisito, la mitica focaccia di Recco e la pizzata preparate live in sala dallo staff della Manuelina, il Caviale Calvisius by Agroittica, le lussuose Patatas Nana, le bollicine ros? griffate Olmo Antico, gli snack Leg? reinterpretati in un finger dallo chef resident Antonio Danise, che ha preparato anche la sua famosa pizza fritta, i formaggi selezionati da Guffanti e?le birre Hordeum. Insomma ce n’era davvero per tutti i gusti! Archivio storico reportage: ->?Festa delle Feste 2010
->?Festa delle Feste 2011
->?Festa delle Feste 2012
->?Festa delle Feste 2013
->?Festa delle Feste 2014
->?Festa delle Feste 2015
->?Festa delle Feste 2016
->?Festa delle Feste 2017 La sala ? pronta ad accogliere gli ospiti per l’aperitivo 
La lounge riservata ai Senatori Amici Gourmet 
VG prende parola sul palco per dare il suo personale benvenuto 
Come da tradizione il brindisi inaugurale con VG 
Franciacorta Sat?n ’61 –Berlucchi Brindisi tra ristoratori bresciani: i ragazzi del Mal? di Rovato, quelli dell’Antica Trattoria alle Rose di Sal? e lo chef Marco Acquaroli del Ristorante Natura di Adro 
I formaggi DOP del nostro Main Partner Inalpi 
L’isola con i salumi dei Fratelli Spigaroli 
Dietro al bancone Lodovico Calabria e Simone Bani di Al Mal? Cucina e Miscelazione sono gi? all’opera 
Americano e Negroni con i prodotti della Compagnia dei Caraibi 
Americano: Riserva Carlo Alberto Rosso Vermouth ? Bitter Rouge
Negroni: Riserva Carlo Alberto Rosso Vermouth ? Bitter Rouge – Caorunn 
I ragazzi della Manuelina sono alle prese con la preparazione della mitica focaccia di Recco 
Ed eccola pronta 
L?originale e unica focaccia di Recco by?Manuelina 
Degustazione di Caviale Calvisius by?Agroittica 
Pizza fritta, acciughe del Cantabrico Nard?n, pomodoro secco, stracciatella di burrata dello chef resident Antonio Danise 
Dopo la focaccia ? pronta anche la pizzata della Manuelina 
Assaggio di pizzata anche per gli chef che stanno preparando la cena itinerante 
L?isola con i prodotti del salumificio?Squisito 
Chips con lime e pepe Patatas Nana 
VG con lo staff dell’Antica Trattoria alle Rose di Sal? 
VG con Paolo Baggini di Olmo Antico e il suo spumante brut ros? Marty 
Chiacchiere tra gli chef protagonisti della cena 
VG con lo chef resident Antonio Danise e Monica Neri di Leg? 
Snack Leg? curcuma e pepe, castelmagno Inalpi e polvere di capperi essiccati 
I formaggi della selezione Guffanti 
VG e Roberto Lentini di Birra Hordeum 
Intanto Tigre Ciliegio, patron della Compagnia dei Caraibi, presenta lo champagne che ha appena fatto degustare ai Senatori Amici Gourmet 
Champagne ??Roger Desivry I fratelli Bragagnolo 
Musica live con Alessandra Peretti, che animer? la nostra serata 
Americano anche per VG 
Andrea Balotelli di Mepra e Simone Vizzari di Bellavista 
Foto ricordo della serata 
Due chiacchiere tra produttori di salumi 
I ragazzi del Mal?, locale di recente apertura a Rovato 
Aperitivo finito e VG invita tutti a raggiungere l’altra sala per la cena itinerante… 
Viaggiatore Gourmet – Viaggiare, conoscere, esserci! Location partner Festa delle Feste 2018 ? Winter Edition Villa Necchi alla Portalupa
27025 Gambol? (PV)
Via Cavalier Vittorio Necchi 2-4
Tel. (+39) 0381 092601
E-mail:?info@villanecchi.it
Sito internet:?www.villanecchi.it L'articolo Cartoline dall?Aperitivo della Festa delle Feste 2018 Winter edition by Viaggiatore Gourmet ? Villa Necchi alla Portalupa ? Gambol? (PV) proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [04/29/2019, 22:20] | Cartoline dal 869mo Meeting VG @ Ristorante Gardenia ? Caluso (TO) ? Chef Mariangela Susigan | | Tappa piemontese per il Roadshow of Excellence 2019, il nostro tour itinerante nei migliori ristoranti d’Italia e d’Europa. Siamo a Caluso, in provincia di Torino, pi? precisamente nel canavese, dove dal 1977 splende l’insegna del Gardenia, una stella Michelin. Da oltre 40 anni al timone di questo locale c’? Mariangela Susigan. Una cuoca rock, come ama definirsi lei, un po’ perch? ama questo genere musicale, tanto da ascoltare a tutto volume anche gli AC/DC,? un po ‘ per come interpreta la cucina e la vita. Sempre in costante movimento, sempre in costante evoluzione. E a noi questo piace tantissimo quando ci sediamo alla sua tavola, come in questo caso, perch? non si limita a reinterpretare le ricette piemontese o del canavese in chiava moderna, cosa che tra l’altro fa in modo sempre convincente e ineccepibile, ma continua a sfornare piatti contemporanei, dove d? libero sfogo alla creativit? e all’uso di erbe “selvagge” e fiori, una delle sue innumerevoli passioni. Qui il racconto del nostro pranzo… Archivio storico reportage: -> Reportage dell?11 Dicembre 2006
-> Reportage del 31 Marzo 2012
-> Meeting del 10 Novembre 2012
-> Meeting del 14 Marzo 2015
-> Meeting del 5 Aprile 2017 La squadra Lo staff di cucina Chef: Mariangela Susigan
Sous chef: Satoru Ueda
Chef de partie ai primi: Keita Muramaki
Chef de partie agli antipasti: Andrea Tedesco
Pastry chef: Riccardo Merlo Lo staff di sala Ma?tre: Mauro Crosio
Sommelier: Carmine Aquila Il nostro men? personalizzato 
Abbinamento Vini
Nei meeting utilizziamo i vini messi a disposizione dai nostri Partner. 
VG scambia due chiacchiere con la chef Mariangela Susigan 
Acqua Filette, Premium Water Partner del nostro?Roadshow 
Acqua?Filette?Decisamente?Frizzante,?Delicatamente Frizzante e Naturalmente Naturale Pane 
Tipologia di pane:?bianco al lievito madre AgriForneriA; nero con noci e uvetta; focaccia al rosmarino; tegole di mais; grissini Panificio Patti. Aperitivo 
Riserva Lunelli Trento Doc 2007 – Ferrari 
Ostrica Gillardeau, erba ostrica, neve d’olio all’abete rosso 
Panino di canapa 
Burro piemontese Inalpi, maggiorana, acciuga del Cantabrico 
Il servizio del prossimo vino 
Blanc de Blancs Grande R?serve Brut – Comte De Montaigne 
Piattooo! Il rosso ? passione 
Tonno rosso, radici rosse, levistico, essenza di vin br?l?. 
Crema di zucca, ortaggi alla cenere, aglio nero, pop corn d’amaranto 
VG e la chef Mariangela Susigan presentano il piatto in pentola d?oro Agnelli 
Pasta Verrigni, Bra duro d’Alpeggio Dop Inalpi, pepe nero 
Dall’Isola Campania Bianco Igt 2015 – Joaquin Triglia di scoglio al croccante d’erbe, zuppa di pesce e crostacei allo zafferano 
Zuppa Francigena: legumi, cereali, erbe selvatiche 
San Pietro 2005 Barolo Docg – Tenuta Rocca Piccione in cascina, cicoria di campo, polline fermentato 
Zuppetta di kumquat, sorbetto al mango e bergamotto 
Sant?Ilario 2016 Moscato d?Asti Docg –?Ca? D?Gal Morbidoso di cioccolato Jivara, pistacchio e lampone 
Concludiamo al meglio con un dessert golosissimo 
Torcetti di Agli? e zabaione 
Caff? Piovano e coccole finali 
Tipologia piccola pasticceria: brutti e buoni; bon bon di cioccolato e cocco; bugie; lecca lecca con bavarese al tiramis?; tartelletta con crema di marroni della Val di Susa. La chef insieme a Enzo Fulginiti, Presidente degli Amici Gourmet 
Un grande GRAZIE a tutti! Per la prossima tappa aspettiamo anche te! Consulta il calendario eventi qui e iscriviti! Viaggiatore Gourmet – Viaggiare, conoscere, esserci! Partner della 869esima edizione Meeting di Altissimo Ceto Ristorante Gardenia
Corso Torino, 9
10014 Caluso (TO)
Tel. 0119832249
Chiuso marted?
E-mail: info@gardeniacaluso.it
Sito internet: www.gardeniacaluso.it I prossimi meeting di Altissimo Ceto: www.altissimoceto.it/meeting-eventi/
Essere un nostro associato significa ricevere inviti personali per oltre 100 eventi (annuali) imperdibili che organizziamo per i nostri soci, un ricco calendario di eventi settimanali (aperitivi, pranzi, cene, serate mixology, degustazioni di grandi vini e di cibi rari e preziosi) privati ed esclusivi (Roadshow of Excellence Tour), tappe ufficiali che in Italia ogni anno vengono ospitate dalla migliore selezione di tutti i 9 tre stelle, dei 41 due stelle e da una buona parte dei 306 ristoranti stellati Michelin, oltre che da una attenta selezione di Hotel 5 ***** stelle, SPA resort e relais selezionati tra i pi? prestigiosi e rappresentativi.
Breaking News – Eventi Enogastronomici esclusivi. (Media Partner) Sponsored By Amici Gourmet – Network esclusivo di appassionati Gourmet.
L'articolo Cartoline dal 869mo Meeting VG @ Ristorante Gardenia ? Caluso (TO) ? Chef Mariangela Susigan proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [04/29/2019, 07:12] | Ristorante daGorini ? Loc. San Piero In Bagno di Romagna (FC) ? Chef/Patron Gianluca Gorini | | Gianluca Gorini sta mettendo d’accordo tutti?e dopo esserci avventurati su per la Valle del Savio per andarlo a trovare nella sua casa di San Piero in Bagno ? facile capire il perch?. ? un talento cristallino che si trova in quel momento magico in cui i pianeti si allineano per permettergli di trovare la propria voce, unica e riconoscibile, con chiarezza e lucidit?. Gi? considerato un predestinato in quanto pupillo di Paolo Lopriore, da quest’ultimo ha sicuramente ereditato un palato intelligentissimo, che gli consente di comporre piatti di complessit? ed eleganza incredibile, pur mantenendo il tono naturalmente imposto dalle scelte di Gianluca in fatto di rapporti coi produttori e il territorio circostante. Note amare, sapidit?, contrappunti aromatici sono gestiti con maestria e consapevolezza disarmanti e con costanza e coerenza di risultati, sia partendo da presupposti pi? “difficili” come i tannini del carciofo, che sviluppando temi pi? accomodanti, vedi patate e cozze o funghi e Parmigiano. Il borsino delle guide cartacee 2019
Michelin assegna il piatto e 2 coperti (nel 2018 non segnalato)
Espresso assegna 3 cappelli (nel 2018 non segnalato)
Gambero Rosso assegna 85, cucina 52 (nel 2018 segnalato come novit?) La squadra Lo staff di cucina Chef/patron: Gianluca Gorini
Sous chef: Filippo Tura
Chef de partie: Stefano Palmieri, Carlo Coppola e Simone Nardi Lo staff di sala Accoglienza: Silvani Sara
Sommelier: Mauro Antonio Donatiello
Chef de rang: Giovanni Del Testa
Commis: Francesco Lupidi e Sofia Poli L’ingresso del ristorante 
Men? 
Riportiamo, come sempre, i men? degustazione e quello alla carta. Degustazioni La vostra mano libera 4 portate ? 46?(abbinamento vino al calice ??18)
5 portate ? 54 (abbinamento vino al calice ? 22) La mia mano libera 7 portate ??75 (abbinamento vino al calice ??35)
9 portate ??95 (abbinamento al calice, non solo vini ? 45) La carta Antipasti ? 16 Seppia sporca e rosolacce alla brace, aneto, salicornia e limone
Cozze e vongole in tegame, patate alla cenere, semi di ?nocchio e pepe verde
Carciofo arrosto, salsa di carciofo, capperi e t? matcha
Battuta di daino, miele di castagno, bergamotto e caff?
Coniglio alla diavola, maionese alle erbe, fave e radicchi di campo Primi ? 16 Elicoidali agli asparagi, battuto di gamberi rosa, mandorla e timo cedrino
Gnocchetti so?ati, zuppa di pesce, dragoncello e olive taggiasche
Ravioli ripieni di scalogno, primo sale di capra e cicoria appassita
Risotto agli stridoli, estratto di salvia e pecorino di fossa
Spoja lorda al tartufo nero e salsiccia, brodo di funghi e tabacco Secondi Triglie gratinate, cavol?ore, curcuma e arancio ? 22
Faraona arrostita alla vaniglia, carota fondente e arachidi ? 22
Agnello bianco Igp alla brace, tarassaco, aglio dolce e pesto di pomodori secchi ? 22
Piccione scottato alla brace, estratto di alloro, cipolla al cartoccio e salsa di cipolla ? 26
(ordinato nel percorso degustazione ?La vostra mano libera? comporta una maggiorazione di ? 2)
Cervo arrostito alla liquirizia, fragole al bitter, rapa rossa e radicchio marinato ? 24
(ordinato nel percorso degustazione ?La vostra mano libera? comporta una maggiorazione di ? 2) Dolci ? 12 Zuppa inglese daGorini
Semifreddo al raviggiolo, amarene sciroppate, croccante alle noci e vermouth 721
Fucsia: rabarbaro al gin, crema di mandorle armelline e sorbetto di lamponi
Pera all?idromele, crema e biscotto alla nocciola, gelato d?orzo
Mandarino tardivo ripieno al mandarino e punch al mandarino Abbinamento Vini
Optiamo, come di consueto, per il servizio al calice. Lo chef Gianluca Gorini ci d? il suo benvenuto 
La visita alla cantina 
Dettagli… 
Sala e mise en place 
Aperitivo 
Rimosso Lambrusco di Sorbara Doc – Cantina della Volta 
Tipologia degli stuzzichini: susina macerata in essenza di bitter BBB; crosta di Parmigiano soffiata e riduzione di vermouth 721; cuore di spinacio, mostarda di mandarino e semi di zucca tostati; rapa rossa marinata, burro d’acciuga e bergamotto; bon bon di patate, nocciole e tartufo nero; tartellette salate con broccoli, mandorla e paprika. 
Pane 
Tipologia di pane:?a lievitazione spontanea con farina tipo 1 integrale; grissini all’olio di oliva; crackers al sale di Cervia. Piattooo! Cozze e vongole in tegame, patate alla cenere, semi di finocchio e pepe verde 
Cremoso al Parmigiano Reggiano, funghi crudi e cotti, noci, nepetella e tartufo nero 
Tuorlo d’uovo montato al tartufo bianco, guanciale croccante e tartufo bianco 
Carciofo arrosto, salsa di carciofo, capperi e t? matcha 
Lo chef ci serve il prossimo piatto 
Tagliolini verdi all’erba cipollina, uova di aringa e cedro essiccato 
Passatelli romagnoli affumicati, brodo di verza, semi di zucca e soia 
Passatelli romagnoli, crema di Parmigiano Reggiano, funghi porcini e tartufo bianco 
Primo Segno Sangiovese di Romagna Doc Superiore – Villa Venti Ravioli ripieni di scalogno, primo sale di capra e cicoria appassita 
Cappelletti ripieni di cacciagione, pera cotogna e liquirizia 
Anguilla cotta alla brace, radicchio marinato e scalogno soffiato 
Capriolo marinato, cavolfiore, mandorla e melograno 
Baccal? alla brace, cime di rapa e latte di baccal? all?olio di oliva taggiasca 
Lepre arrostita, verza, mandarino, essenza di ginepro e timo cedrino 
Piccione scottato alla brace, estratto di alloro, cipolla al cartoccio e salsa di cipolla 
Quinto quarto di piccione speziato 
Pre dessert: spaghetti al burro di genziana, caciotta di capra e bergamotto candito 
Il tocco finale 
Zucca, castagne, uva passa e arancio, infuso di cannella al rum 
Semifreddo al raviggiolo, amarene sciroppate, croccante alle noci e vermouth 721 
Il 28 di Via San Nicolao Amaro d’Erbe – Berta 
Idromiele Versione ? Agrumi – Mieli Thun Crema bruciata alla patata, nocciola, limone, gelato al miele e rosmarino 
Zuppa inglese daGorini 
Caff? e coccole finali 
Tipologia caff?:?selezione Gold Torrefazione Pascucci. Tipologia piccola pasticceria:?clementina; ventaglietto di pasta sfoglia; tegola alla frutta secca; gel?e al frutto della passione; marshmallow anice e limone; bon bon al cioccolato e miele di castagno. 
VG insieme allo staff del ristorante 
Cucina Una romagna inedita, raccontata con profondit? e ricchezza di sfumature. Servizio e accoglienza L’atmosfera ? volutamente casalinga, ma questo non impedisce alla brigata di sala di esprimere attenzione e tecnica, oltre che coerenza di scelte con la cucina. Conclusioni Un ristorante gi? grande che diventer? grandissimo, in un momento ideale per scoprirlo. Viaggiatore Gourmet Ristorante daGorini
47021 San Piero In Bagno (FC)
Via Giuseppe Verdi, 5
Tel. (+39) 0543 1908056
Chiuso marted? e mercoled? a pranzo
E-mail: info@dagorini.it
Sito internet: www.dagorini.it L'articolo Ristorante daGorini – Loc. San Piero In Bagno di Romagna (FC) – Chef/Patron Gianluca Gorini proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [04/28/2019, 17:49] | The wine that tried to kill me | | Oh, how we?ve aggrandized wine to a beatific eminence. It is the alpha, the omega. It is sexy. It is alluring. It is dangerous. And it?s a killer. Or at least, on one occasion it tried to kill me. No, I?m not talking about excessive intake of alcohol, getting into a car and heading down the tollway, on the wrong side, at 2 AM. This attempt on my life was imbued with further nuance than that.
It was in a little town in southern Italy, a few years ago. I?d been traveling around the country for work and had some free time. I?d read about this recluse of a winemaker, whose name I cannot reveal, for a number of reasons, the first being I don?t want anyone else to know about this person or their wine. Consider it my way of potentially saving your life.
It was up in one of those hill towns famous in southern Italy, where there are brick structures, as old as time. The kind of place where little old ladies in black peer out from behind lace curtains, most likely ones they have woven themselves.
GPS was no help in finding the place. And there were no signs telling one which via one was on. You either had to know or you had to have faith. I didn?t know. I was blindly plunging ahead.
I dropped my rental car in a parking area by a caf?. The streets were getting smaller. This would be a search on foot.
Eventually, with the help of a local, who decided I looked southern Italian enough to respond to my vaguely familiar version of Italian (with liberal use of the more formal ?lei? rather than the now more commonly used ?tu?). An old fellow (really not much older than I was) led me to a door and pointed. ?You can knock, but he rarely answers. You might think about it before you go through that door.? And he bid me a good day as he disappeared around a corner.
I poked my head inside the door and said my best, nonthreatening ?buon giorno.? Nothing. I moved more of my body inside. No dogs. Good. And saw a little courtyard and what looked like, on the other side, a cellar door. So, I proceeded towards it. It was close to 1 PM. The sun overhead was bright and intense.
At the cellar door, I knocked and, again, chanted my friendliest ?buon giorno.? At which time, an elderly (and yes, even for me, he was old) gentleman came to the call.
?I suppose you?ve come to taste my wine?? He was matter-of-fact about it. ?Well, come on in, it?s much cooler inside.?
He took me to a small room with a few timeworn barrels, an amphora or two and a small row of concrete tanks that looked as if a roman garrison had poured them a few millennia back. A small table was placed in the center of the room, while a bare bulb provided the sole light. And on the table was one bottle, bare, no label, no cork, filled with wine.
?I have few rules, but you found me, so you may taste. But you may not talk or ask me incessant questions. I made the wine, as I have for nearly 50 years. I am not long for this world, and I?d rather spend the time drinking my wine rather than talking about it. If that?s not what you came for you know where the door is. Agreed??
I was in no mood to debate the issue, and quite frankly I?d stretched what little I knew about the Italian language about as far as I could. And, being a visual person, not a talker, that was fine with me. And I told him so.
He seemed pleased. ?You?re not like the others.? And he poured me a taste.
No notes, no camera and no discussion. An introvert?s dream. What happened next wasn?t exactly the bright side of what we?d call the dream world. But it definitely belonged to the realm of the world of dreams, just a bit darker.
The first sip virtually took my breath away. And the lights dimmed above me. The silence was replaced by a whooshing sound, which I took for the sounds of waves hitting the shore, but which I found out later from the town doctor was the sound of my blood pulsing through my being.
I must have blacked out. When I revived in a spartan room, a doctor asked me a few questions. I don?t remember what they were, I barely remembered where I was. I was told that my heart rate reached 200, according to the instruments. And no, I hadn?t had a heart attack. I was in too good of a shape for that.
When he released me a few hours later, I stumbled out into the dusk light of the end of day, and reached for the keys to my car. But I thought I?d retrace my steps first, try and find the old man and his cellar and ask him a few questions.
When I got to the door that I remembered, I knocked. An old lady in black answered, with needle and lace in her hands. I asked about seeing the old man in his cellar.
She gave me the oddest look, as if I?d said something crazy. And then like that she simply said, ?No man here, no wine here!? and shut the door with more force than I imagined she had. Nothing.
Later that night, in my room in the hotel by the sea, I contemplated what had happened. I wasn?t dead, I was very much alive. But I was for a moment, earlier in the day, somewhere between. As if I?d peered over into some open vat of abyss and stepped away.
As if the wine called me to the other side. And I stepped back, away. Not ready for that wine. The wine that tried to kill me. Not today.
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [04/21/2019, 13:02] | From the Archives - My Consigliere of Consciousness | | Originally posted December 28, 2008
 When I was thirteen I thought I was going to grow up to be a photographer. I spent endless hours in the darkroom and carrying my cameras everywhere I went. Being shy, it was the perfect date for me at a youth dance. I could take pictures of the action and go into the darkroom later that night to print them. Often folks would come into the darkroom (it was at the same place the dance was, usually) and see what I was doing. Photography was a social magnet.
 A few years later, in college and during the Vietnam War era, photography opened up the greater world to me. I met different folk than the ones in the small resort town where I had grown up. I even met a famous one from time to time.
 A word about fame, something I know a little about. I grew up in a town filled with famous people (Palm Springs, CA) and learned very early not to make a fuss over folks who have been afflicted with it. Leave ?em be, talk to them normal, change the subject away from them. Some of them might even make the grade to friendship. But, I ramble.
 I am a walker. Love to walk the streets of a town. Rome, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Palermo, Naples, Chicago, Dallas. I once walked the route on Elm Street in Dallas where JFK was shot (grassy knoll) to the shop on the same street where John Hinckley bought the gun that he shot Ronald Reagan with. On a hot July day I took my trusty Canon VIT rangefinder and a new Canon AE1 and did my own shooting. The Dallas of that day has altered greatly.
 New York? Since 1975, I have trudged the streets of that city camera and wine bag in tow. My childhood friend and photography co-conspirator Bruce took a fabulous street shot, worthy of a Weegee. Bruce went on to become a movie mogul and one of the greatest collectors of photography in the world. And still a friend and drinking buddy.
 I spent time in the NY scene with Diane Arbus? teacher, Lisette Model. Not much time, but enough to remember one cold afternoon in January in her apartment. I had already been to Arbus boot camp. It started in California and concluded in a bar in Milwaukee, a bar right out of the collective mind of Kubrick, Serling and Lovejoy. I had walked onto the set of a world that someone like Diane Arbus lived daily. And it scared the holy crap out of me.
 I had my time with the world of reportage and photojournalism. One photographer from Magnum, to remane unnamed, asked my help in getting him and his art director through Tijuana for a photo shoot. An ad campaign for Pentax. I thought it odd that the photographer almost exclusively used his Leica M3 for the assignment. When I asked him, his answer seemed cynical at the time. Now, I think he was like a sushi chef, just using the best knife he had to cut the Toro.
 And the old masters, so many of them I was lucky to encounter, sit awhile and soak up their greatness. They were called the f64 group. My entry was through Imogen Cunningham and Ansel Adams. In the darkroom with Ansel was a breakthrough, I still remember the warmth of that little room, and not in a creepy way. How often is it you can stand in the dark and be dazzled with brilliance?
 Imogen, petite, but never diminutive. Cantankerous, strong willed and boy crazy. But a vision and a determination to walk her trail without fear. Imogen was a wonderful mentor to me in life.
 On the fringe of the f64 group was Wynn Bullock. Wynn was the one who taught me about the vision thing. He schooled me in the philosophy of perception. Thanks to Wynn, some of the best photography I have ever taken was without a camera. I remember how supportive he was when I came back from NY, explaining to me that he also had to take NY in measures, not in giant doses. Like him, I needed the horizon.
 My dad was a photographer and a film maker. I still have hours of 16mm reels of film he shot, some of it family, some Italy, and also Old California footage. He always thought I should take more sunset pictures.
 Being a black and white kind of guy, I could never understand why he wanted to thwart my path. But fathers do that to their son?s even when they aren?t conscious of it. I love to watch sunsets (like sunrises better) but not to shoot.
 My college teacher, Philip Welch, introduced me to many of the West Coast school. He was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright and had given me the entr?e to that world. He told me about famous people. He said, ?Call them up, knock and their door. If they are truly great they will talk to you, if not, they are only famous. You want to meet greatness, not fame.?
 I?ve had a few friends through the years who made it to fame, but not quite to greatness. I have also had more than my share of friends who bypassed fame and went straight to greatness. I have photographed them, opened bottles of wine with them, danced with them, laughed with them, cried with them and walked through pools of Jell-O with them.
 All along the way there has often been a camera nearby, my consigliere of consciousness.
written and photographed by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy
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| [04/14/2019, 12:56] | The Best Day of My Life | | For an Italian wine lover, or for anyone, the idea of having something like the best day ever in this life is a ponderous matter. Not heavy, let?s not go there. But could such a day revolve around one?s life in wine in Italy?
Can we have more than one best day in a life? If so, the day my son was born is a day I?ll remember as one of those days. But can wine elicit such an emotion that it will be remembered for decades through the passage in time and give that day a place on the best of days in one?s life?
I?m not necessarily talking about a day in which you or I had one of the greatest wine encounters, like the day I had the 1964 Monfortino. Or the two days in a row in which I was fortunate to be present when the 1961 Lafite Rothchilds were opened. These were awesome occurrences, which when I collect memories of those moments in wine which made an impression, these certainly did. Of course, the day I was hiking in the Upper Yosemite and over dinner that night, when I opened the 750ml bottle of Almaden Vineyards Mountain Nectar vin ros?, that was for me, unforgettable. Hmmm, the brain curates our memories in its own way sometimes.
But that?s not what's at the end of this rabbit hole. I?m thinking about a day, somewhere over a 24-hour period, in which the affair created a gestalt of something that one could put at the top of a list with the heading ?the best day of my life.? I know it must occur to someone, I?ve seen it numerous times on Instagram and Twitter, #?d as #TheBestDayOfMyLife.
What I found, while scrolling through those thousands and thousands of hashtags wasn?t what I thought I?d find. Mostly marriage pictures of pictures of beautiful and famous people. I don?t think I could list the times I met John Kennedy or encountered Ronald Reagan as the best day of my life. The closest thing in that orbit, again, would be the birth of my son. And maybe in a personal sense, that should be good enough.
I know I?m stretching the metaphor here, all the while my brain is defragging and searching the synapses for an iota of what I?m looking for in this search. Maybe there?s an amalgamation, a construct that will surface.
After a short break, I?ve returned to the screen and the keyboard in front of me. I have a vision of that day now. I?m in Italy, it?s a sunny day, temperature around 20? C. a light breeze coming from the west over the mountains. We?ve just come here, after several days in Verona at Vinitaly, and a few days touring through vineyards.
In the distance the clinking of the bell from the lead sheep, perhaps coming over from the other side of the dale. The aroma of wood burning, as if to warm the nearby cottage or an outside fire, maybe a campfire, drifts by. A slow but steady hum, as the bees working the nearby rosemary in bloom, go about #TheBestDayOfMyLife as they know it. And surely there are small insects flying around, ones that live for only day ? surely this is, for them too, #TheBestDayOfMyLife.
The sun, as the earth revolves around it, changes position from low in the east to high above. A dove coos, consigning one?s consciousness, for a brief moment of satori, where everything is in harmony.
And somewhere inside the nearby cottage, are the sounds of our mothers and aunts singing and making fresh pasta, clanging of spoons and the opening burp of tomatoes, put away from last season, to envelope the noodles. Nearby the brief aroma of basil, just picked by one of the cousins, to take inside for the sauce. And out of the nearby cellar an elder uncle appears with an aged pecorino, to be grated for the pasta, first, and then chipped away and served after the lunch for dessert with the wild strawberries.
Will there be wine? Are we not in Italy? And is this not #TheBestDayOfMyLife? That same uncle goes into another room and appears in the now brighter and warmer day with several bottles with swing tops, which he siphoned from the demijohn in the cellar. It?s red, it?s rustic, and it?s what we will drink on this day.
The whiff and pop of a checkered tablecloth is placed on the table outside near the cottage, on the warm side. The smell of bread baking in the outside oven wafts past me. I haven?t had a sip and already I?m drunk on this day.
A piquant tinge of vinegar, the real stuff, with fruit and acid and backbone, tickles my nose. The ominous verdancy of last seasons olive oil crowds the vinegar for attention. The tomatoes, the basil, the bread, the fresh pasta boiling, everything, everything, everything. Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!
We sit down outside and the elder woman at the table makes the sign of the cross. And a short, silent prayer of gratitude. And the children squirm on the wooden bench, inevitably getting splinters on the bottom sides of their legs. And the breeze and the sun and the food and the people and the birds. And the wine? It?s part of this too?
And yes, the inevitable #TastingNote.
The wine had the freshness of that mountain nectar ros?, had long ago in the mountains of Yosemite. And it had the rustic quality of that ?64 Monfortino, in that is was rich and deep and portentous. In the finish I could sense it might be a long-lived wine, like the ?61 Lafite, although if it was, I wouldn?t see it. This was a young wine, tasted by someone not as young, and our paths wouldn?t cross that many more times.
The uncle nodded as he saw the pleasure the wine gave me. ?Not bad, is it?? He seemed pleased. ?I think the 2018 is going to be a great one, one of the best we?ve seen come off of our land in many years.? ?Certamente,? I agreed with him. And it, along with everything on that day, served to make that day one of the many days I?ve lived, that will go down as the best day in my life.
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| [04/08/2019, 14:05] | How tall is your mountain? How important are you? How do you rank? | | Life, after years of work and a "career," is an unknown until you get there. Just like life after school, or life after an eventful course of certification. For many of us, we just don?t know what lies ahead in our future heres and nows. What I do know, here and now, is that mountain climb we call a career is just that, ?a? mountain climb. Not all mountains. Just one. Maybe a tall one, maybe not the tallest. And not the only mountain on earth.
When I first went to Italy, I had this idealistic notion that all the people in Italy were kind, generous, loving people. How could it not be? Here I was in the land of my ancestors, walking the streets and alleys of Rome, everything so bestowed towards my Utopian vision of Italy and Italians. With a war waging in Vietnam, and a low lottery number (90) and being all of 20, I wanted a world in which there was peace and happiness. And time.
And there I was, one day, walking in the hills above Rome on the Viale del Museo Borghese, when I saw a car screech to a halt, a man get out of the car, pull a woman out and start beating on her. She screamed bloody murder and I?d like to say people came out in droves to rescue her. But no one did. It all happened so fast. Like he was getting out of the car to pee. He threw her back into the car, tires squealing, and tore off. It took maybe 15 seconds.
I was petrified. I remember my parents having arguments almost like that, and as a young child, I would eventually run out of the house and head into the desert, far away from their yelling and anger.
But this was Italy, my precious vision of peace and harmony shattered, just like that. So, it wasn?t Utopia?
Years later I went to my first Vinitaly, the 17th (we are now in the 53rd year). I was full-on with a career in the wine business. Again, I was exhilarated with the notion that everyone who was anyone in the world of Italian wine was here. And so was I. I was part of this great thing, which in my head I had built up, as most of us do, with the full force of the illusions we splay about with our careers, over how important we are, the job is, it all is. And in the presence of Piero Antinori and Angelo Gaja, and Luigi Veronelli and, and, and.
Twenty or so years after that, I was dug in on base camp of that mountain. I had made it so far, but I had to take the summit. And I spent hour after hour chasing the sun and the moon. My identity was all tied up in being the Italian wine guy. And the company I worked for was powerful and bought a lot of Italian wine. I calculated that for every case of Italian wine that came into America, the company I worked for (and the category which I was accountable for growing and looking after) imported and sold one bottle in every of those cases, about 8%. It would eventually grow to somewhere around 12-15%. This was a very tall mountain.
Along the way, I spent three years caring for my wife who had a debilitating disease of the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis. It killed her. And it threw me into a valley. And the only way out of that valley was through a tiny little tunnel, which I had to crawl through on my hands and feet. Slowly, slowly, one day at a time. For years. The tall mountain was of little concern to me at that time.
As I wrote here in 2011, ?There is luck, good and bad, but there is resilience. Resilience is good luck combined with a spirit to overcome the disappointments life hands you.? Yeah, I had some bad breaks, not as bad as my wife, for sure. But I was going to climb that mountain, if it was the last thing I did.
And I did. And along with it, success, recognition, accolades, awards, even a trophy.
But once I got there, I decided not to climb down the mountain. I jumped off of it. The words of Richard Alpert (now Ram Dass) emblazoned upon my windscreen as I fell to earth, "I was no longer needing to be special because I was no longer so caught in my puny separateness that had to keep proving I was something. I was part of the universe, like a tree is, or like grass is, or like water is." Ever the idealist, always searching for Utopia, be it an outer manifestation or an inner aspiration.
I?m really happy that the wine community in Italy is making wine better than they ever have. And I?m pleased that the world is responding, by obtaining, enjoying and promoting their vinous joy in ways that the rest of us can see and feel and hear, 24/7. It?s like watching millions of people climbing their very own mountain, all at the same time. It?s a moment in time which I?m sure the likes of Gaja and Antinori, and Veronelli, if he were still alive, revel in. It?s a victory. It?s a cause for celebration. It only took a couple of millennia. And the sweat and blood and dreams of scores of farmers, winemakers, and all the friends and families that supported that surge to their personal mountaintops.
If one could look at Italy from space and see the emotion of time as manifested in the hard work that all these souls have put into making Italian wine great, it would probably be ten times taller than Mt. Everest. I have no doubt. And we are all here to witness this great success.
As far those of us who fell to earth? Well, it?s not so bad. I mean, look at all the wonderful wine we have to enjoy now? And if one is healthy, there is that great gift. If one misses a seminar here or there, a tasting here or there, or a not-to-be-missed event here or there, so be it. It?s somewhere on someone?s journey to their mountain top. I?ve been there, had those longings, those unstoppable goals that I thought were so very important at the time.
But I?m on another journey now, to another mountain. I?m not sure if there is a mountain top or even if there is, if I?ll get there. I?m fine with that, for when I fell to earth, something inside of me broke open. It was like being born again, except I didn?t have to learn how to walk or talk. The child inside me, and the childhood I left behind as an adult, broke open. And along with it, creativity, and fun and time, or what is left of that time. I?m really excited, I have to tell you all. I never imagined all the things I thought were so important could be supplanted with a deeper sense of direction, a journey that will take me to God knows where. What I do know is this: I don?t have that insatiable drive for success, for recognition, for some kind of elite ranking in the world of wine. Or even another mountain top. The folks at base camp can have at it now. I?m good, right where I am.
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| [03/31/2019, 15:00] | Where is the epicenter of the wine world today? | | In these moments, social media sites are ablaze with folks making their yearly pilgrimages to wine fairs. A few weeks ago, it was to Germany and Prowein. Right now, the faithful are walking from shrine to shrine in Bordeaux for Primeurs 2018. I?ve done it a handful of times, it?s a great event. And in a week, over in Italy, the 53rd Vinitaly will commence. All three of these events in the Western World, could easily qualify as being in the epicenter of the wine world today. If you are fortunate enough to attend one or all of them, consider yourself one of the lucky few. And if you are not there but you are right here, staring at the screen, as I am, right now, that?s the new epicenter. And that is perfectly fine by me.
I made the Vinitaly trek last year, after I had ?retired? from a career in commercial side of the wine business. It was a lovely experience to just walk the halls, visit old friends and taste some new wines. I?m sure I?ll go back again someday (not this year) and if I do, I?ll be happy to do so. For it truly is a gathering of most of the wine energy of Italy, which is considerable.
But I can also travel right here, right now. I am finding that my world, especially the center of it, is best viewed from a calm, quite place. Maybe that?s the introvert in me. Maybe it?s the years telling me that it?s been great and now this time is for reflection, for intention and for looking at the bigger picture from the perspective of my many experiences in the wine world.
Last week, in my home town, in Dallas Texas (the lower-midsection of flyover country) I tasted wine from Greece (along with an amazing 2 hour ?master class? from Ted Diamantis). I spent an hour with two young wine makers from Washington state. I ran into an importer and his new property from the Maremma and tasted through those new and exciting wines. I went to a medium sized distributor?s Spring showcase and tasted wines from Italy, France, Texas, California, South Africa, Australia and Oregon. And dropped in on a pop-up tasting of Luca Currado's lastest wines from his Vietti winery. Not to mention the many wines I opened, to taste for upcoming articles. And topped it off on Saturday night at an Italian spot with friends enjoying lovely bottles of Lugana and Nebbiolo. I may not be in anybody?s epicenter but my own, but from where I sit, I?m not complaining. And I like to think that many of us now have that rolling, flexible nucleus that the wine world has become in the last generation or two.
Chenin Blanc from Lodi with an arugula Caesar? Surf?s up! Cru Beaujolais with my chicken sausage lasagna? Tout ? fait. Sparkling Xinomavro ros? with fig and prosciutto pizza? ????????? ????. Barbera D?Asti with Guac-toast? Volentieri! We wanted the world and we wanted it now ? well, we got it. And anybody with their eyes open have got to see, that even with all the bad stuff happening all around us all the time, you?ve got to be grateful for the moment we live in to have the access and the opportunity to enjoy a life in wine ? because there are 6 ? billion souls on earth who are just trying to get through the day, and many without clean water, a dry place to sleep and a world in which they don?t fear getting raped, assaulted or exploited for the gain of others. While for many souls their life is a climb up their personal Scala Sancta, those fortunate to be in the right place and the right time are, as I?ve said a million times, living in a Golden Age.
So, if you cannot be in Bordeaux this week, or Italy next week, or Germany last month, or Tianjin in the Fall, or anywhere else where you might think the center of things are, just take a moment and step away from the screen and look out your window. You are in the center of your universe. You are on the mountaintop of your world. As we all are. Please enjoy the moment, the wine and the people who are right in front of you. And it will make your wine even more delicious, make you a better taster and honor the farmers and winemakers who toiled to bring that glass of wine sitting in front of you all those thousands of miles and years to you for this moment ? right here, right now.
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| [03/25/2019, 04:59] | Carema - ?Strong and Likeable as the Sun and the Stone? | |  | | Image courtesy of Cantina Produttori Nebbiolo Di Carema |
Imagine families, perched precariously on the side of a mountain, working the land, generation after generation, tending their vines, to make a wine from their grapes. And imagine, on the other side of the planet, nary a person knows about the many souls who have poured out their life?s effort, their heart and soul, for a wine that is virtually unknown. This is one of the existential problems facing the winegrowers and winemakers in northern Italy who make the wine from Nebbiolo grapes called Carema.
 | | Ian D'Agata and Roberto Ferrando |
It isn?t unique to them either. When I was last in Italy for Ian D?Agata?s Gastronomix, we were days in full immersion over the wines of Grignolino, Erbaluce and Ruch?, among others. But as I scan my local wine shops, I?m not finding much of these wines. Why? Aren?t they quintessentially Instagrammable? Maybe they aren?t Unicorn wines? But they are at the very least, Pegasus wines? Or Griffins? Or maybe they are just garden variety goblins. Or gnomes. However, they have come to be overlooked in the vast badlands of Middle America, the truth is that those families clinging to their hillsides aren?t going to stop making Carema just because the heartland is unsuspecting of these gems. That just makes more for those of us with our high beams on.
Here are some basic numbers relating to Carema (with data from Italian Wine Central):
- 1967 ? The year Carema became a DOC.
- 35 ? Acres under vine (as of 2015).
- 3.410 ? Cases produced (as of 2016).
- 2 ? Main producers - Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema and Ferrando Vitivinicola.
- 4 ? The amount of potential additional producers.
- 0.5 ? The average landholder size in acres.
- 55 ? The average age of the vineyard owner.
 | | Image courtesy of Cantina Produttori Nebbiolo Di Carema |
So little wine, so few producers, why should we care? I don?t know. Why should we care about Menetou-Salon in France or any other obscure vineyard area? The short answer is: You don?t have to. But someone needs to give a care about Carema. And I?m glad if you wish to join our coterie of Carema devotees.
What can you expect to find in Carema that you cannot already have in Barolo, in Barbaresco, in Gattinara? Ideally, one wouldn?t make the comparison, anymore than one would weigh a Gevrey-Chambertin against a Volnay. Oh, but we are only human, so comparisons are wired in our chattering little monkey brains. So, go ahead and submit to another exercise of compulsion.
Not to take away from anything my dear friends do in Barolo and Barbaresco, let?s just consider the region in which Carema is placed. More akin to the Valle d?Aosta (or perhaps even the Haute-Savoie), this are mountainous high elevation wines, up to 2,000 feet. The Nebbiolo bio-type is 308 Picotener, which is better suited to Carema than Barolo. In Carema it makes a light colored, highly perfumed wine.
 | | Roberto Ferrando - Image courtesy of Ferrando Vini |
If you can find the wines in America one first must give thanks to Neal Rosenthal, who early on, forged a deep relationship with Luigi Ferrando, and fiercely listed the wines next to his Burgundy finds. While every sommelier on the search for the Holy Grail of Pinot Noir has endlessly stuck their nose in every nook and cranny of the C?te de Nuits and C?te de Beaune, Carema was the forgotten child by that crowd. Not to Neal. And those of us for which Italy is not an also-ran. ?Strong and likeable as the sun and the stone,? Mario Soldati once wrote.
With only 35 acres of vineyard planted to the appellation, that?s less than half of the space that the Dallas Cowboy stadium takes up. And with only 3,410 cases produced, that?s just a little more than a 10-ounce beer for every game-goer in that often filled-to-capacity arena. It?s not a lot of wine. But with under 80 winegrowers, that?s a village of families that rely on this agricultural product, generation upon generation. And with the average age of the vineyard owner being 55 (with many well beyond that age) can you see these could be endangered goods.
When you are delving off into the world of esoterica, whether it be old-vine Carignane from Contra Costa County or Ramisco from Colares, think about Carema. Here today ? who knows where it?ll all be in 20 years?
Oh, and the inevitable tasting notes from the Gastronomix Mini-Master Class.
2015 Carema Classico ? Cantina dei Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema ? this is the ?entry level? wine, in a black label (their Riserva comes in a white label) - Tar (which according to Ian, one does not find in young Nebbiolo) ? powerful ? lovely perfumed light color, beautiful balance (note to self: Get Some).
2014 Carema Ferrando Etichetta Bianca ? this is the ?entry level? wine of Ferrando, the white label (their Riserva comes in a black label) ? Richly perfumed, cherry, nice fruit, dry, no discernible tannins.
These are not wines to search out because they are better values than their Barolo or Barbaresco counterparts. In fact, they are often priced higher. But the figures are what they are. You are either in or you aren?t.
As for myself, I think I can find a little more wiggle room in my wine closet for a few more bottles of wine. And why shouldn?t it be Carema?
 | | Image courtesy of Cantina Produttori Nebbiolo Di Carema |
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| [03/17/2019, 18:54] | Grignolino and its Indomitable Illuminance on Individuality | | ?Do you want to know how good a winemaker in the Langhe or Monferrato is? Try their Grignolino. If it?s a good one, chances are their other wines will be as well.? Thus spoke The Maestro, at a recent gathering of chefs and writers at the food and wine workshop, Gastronomix, where we gathered in the Monferrato and Canavese areas of Piedmont.
My first exposure to Grignolino was thousands of miles from northern Italy. In fact, it was in the Santa Clara valley of northern California where I went to college and tasted my first one, from a local winery there that had been established by Italian immigrants.
Years later, while working in the trade, I encounter upon and sold, Heitz wines. And their Grignolino (and Grignolino ros?), while different from their Italian counterparts, made me a fan. (There is some speculation concerning Heitz's Grignolino and if it is really Brachetto).
Gerald Asher wrote of Grignolino, that it can be ?drunk young with pleasure and old with delight.?
Veronelli felt the Grignolino from Alessandria was not suitable for ageing, whereas the one from the Asti area was a ?superior wine if properly aged.? He characterized Grignolino as ?anarchistic and individualistic.?
Patricia Guy wrote ?Grignolino is not an easy variety to work with, and the resulting wine usually has a tannin level that is at odds with its light color and body. The old-fashioned wine it yields was much appreciated back in the days when Piedmont was under the House of Savoy. Its acidity and structure were an ideal foil for the rich, buttery French-influenced foods of that period.?
In today?s climate, young palates are seeking out higher acidity and lighter color, having been weaned on the tannic monsters of Napa Valley. Grignolino is in a crossroads of time and mood, where a wine like it can be an attractive proposition. Like Aligot? is to the white grapes of Burgundy, Grignolino, for me, is a red wine that expresses a measure of Piemontese-ness that is different than Barolo or Barbaresco. And it can be drunk young and is within the reach of most people?s budgets. It is enormously flexible with regards to all the varied comestibles that grace our dining tables. It goes well with the classic Italian dishes from the era, as well as dovetailing easily into other food cultures: Mesoamerican, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, regional American. Grignolino with a hot steaming plate of Nashville hot chicken is alluring and practical. The cool, fruity light red with a backwash of acid and light tannins is more than enough to cleanse the palate for another wave of hot, greasy, delicious spicy chicken.
Grignolino definitely has a place on my table. It?s just a matter of finding the well-made ones and drinking them in the right time.
My go-to Grignolino, here in flyover country, is from Cantine dei Marchesi di Incisa della Rocchetta. It?s available, for one. And it?s usually under $20. And it?s fresh, not cooked in some large warehouse where it is lost between the massive stacks of Yellow Tail and Jack Daniels. The wine is correct, with healthy (but not overpowering) tannic structure, and great color and fruit to go with it.
Gaudio Bricco Mondalino Grignolino del Monferrato is another reliable one, provided you can find a current vintage, which right now would be the 2017, with the 2018 coming later this year. I go back many years with this wine and it is one of those wines that proves if you make Grignolino well, anything else you make will be well-made also. Lovely wines, classic style, in which I mean they are timeless.
At Gastromonix we also we tasted several notable examples:
2017 Grignolino D?Asti from Garrone Evasio & Figli ? Nice bitterness, good fruit and was slightly tannic. It paired up fabulously with vitello tonnato and fried anchovies.
2017 Grignolino D?Asti ?lanfora? from Montalbera ? we enjoyed this wine over several nights during dinner, and I got to spend time with this wine with many kinds of foods. This wine gestates for 8-10 months in terracotta amphorae. An important producer (12% of all Grignolino D?Asti is produced from their vines) and this example tests the waters in the realm of natural wine. It?s a lovely and successful embark upon that restive sea. Using terracotta as an incubation vessel has been most serendipitous for this wine. It is a classic example, yet it proudly reflects, in the best way, Veronelli's portrayal of Grignolino as ?anarchistic and individualistic.?
Other producers of Grignolino to look for:
? Braida
? Crivelli
? Pio Cesare
These are wines of individuality with moments of brilliance and a fierce independent streak. In this age of disruption, it?s a good time for Grignolino. Give one a try, soon.
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| [03/16/2019, 09:48] | Genova Wine Festival visto da qui | | Di l?, cio? su Intravino, ho dedicato al Genova Wine Festival tre post. Pure troppi, verrebbe da dire - ma comunque eccoli:
Qui racconto la genesi di tutto quanto: ? stata una vicenda a lungo pensata, e desiderata.
Qui promettevo cosa avremmo fatto, in sostanza - e abbiamo mantenuto le promesse, si pu? dire.
Qui spiego com'? andata alla fine: in modo parecchio soddisfacente.
E allora, c'? bisogno di un altro post che parli di Genova Wine Festival? S? e no: non esiste una cosa come bisogno di un altro post, a meno che questo non sia un blog personale nel quale chi scrive riversa il suo flusso di coscienza. Indovina un po', Diario enotecario ? anche quella roba l?.
Cos? mentre Intravino alla fine ? la blogzine istituzionale nella quale in un certo senso era necessario parlare di GWF, qui non c'? nessuna necessit?, nessuna istituzionalit?. Quindi uno pu? lasciarsi andare a considerazioni traverse, che magari non infilerebbe in un comunicato stampa o in un ambito istituzionale dove i discorsi si impostano.
Gi?, cosa ci ? successo nel frattempo? Siamo diventati pi? adulti? Mettere mano a GWF ? stato anche quello, fare una cosa da adulti. Ora che ? passato, per?, a me lascia quella sensazione un po' straniante, come dopo un esame scolastico. Ora che ho passato questo test, penso al prossimo. E s?, appunto, ? straniante. Poi mi pare di averne parlato in tutti i modi, ma i modi erano quelli istituzionali. Che ci ? successo, che mi ? successo? Eravamo quelli cazzari, e adesso ci escono di bocca cose come signore e signori, benvenuti nella splendida cornice.
Per questo uno tiene un blog personale, per dire: caro Diario, GWF ? stato anche altro, per me.
Per esempio, ricordo domenica sera quando tutto era finito, e le ultime cose erano state smontate. Quella sera, quando era molto tardi ed ero in uno dei miei soliti posti a bere, mi prende una grande, profonda, improvvisa tristezza. Al punto che ero arrabbiato con me stesso, e mi dicevo: ma che diavolo ti prende? E niente, era pi? forte di me, era arrivata una botta improvvisa, come se i nervi avessero ceduto - e immagino sia stato qualcosa del genere. Mesi e mesi a pensare a un progetto, e ora era tutto passato.
Il fatto ? che davvero, tutto quanto, ? cominciato molto tempo fa. Ero a Vinitaly 2018 e gi? ne parlavo, con alcuni produttori. Le aziende che hanno partecipato a GWF sono state scelte, tutte, una per una, contattandole personalmente. Ad ogni produttore abbiamo spiegato il nostro progetto, ma parlavamo di qualcosa che esisteva solo nella nostra mente, fino ad allora. Li abbiamo dovuti convincere, a volte, e a volte come ? normale non ci siamo riusciti: qualcuno non poteva partecipare, qualcuno aveva terminato il vino disponibile, qualcuno, legittimamente, potr? aver pensato: ma chi sono, questi qua? Sia come sia, ? stato un lavoro lungo, passato per infiniti contatti telefonici e di persona. Alla fine lo scopo era mettere assieme una specie di dream team di produttori che ci piacevano. Adesso che vedo la bolletta telefonica, vedo anche quanto a lungo sono stato al telefono. Insomma, ci abbiamo infilato una quantit? di energia pazzesca, in questo progetto. Mi piacerebbe adesso ringraziare, uno per uno, tutti i produttori che ci hanno creduto, e ci hanno detto di s?.
Per me poi questo lungo lavoro ? stato un fatto nuovo: lavorare con un gruppo di persone abbastanza numeroso, una squadra, e mi riferisco ai ragazzi di Papille Clandestine che hanno reso possibile concretamente tutto quanto. Io che sono un solitario, una ditta individuale e anche abbastanza individualista, ho cercato di lavorare in squadra, ho cercato di capire come ci si muove in una realt? complessa come quella - e mentre per qualcuno il lavoro di squadra ? pane quotidiano, per me era una novit? ed anche una sfida. Spero di aver fatto quel che ci si aspettava da me, ma adesso che sono nella fase dei ringraziamenti, dico grazie ai papilli che mi hanno voluto, assieme a Pietro, nel gruppo operativo di organizzatori, visto che GWF ? stato appunto una joint venture tra loro e il settore genovese di Intravino.
E siccome la rete non dimentica, e alla fine questo ? un quartierino ristretto, in questo post del 2010 (duemiladieci, ehm) scoprivo pi? o meno l'esistenza dei papilli. Ragazzi, ne ? passato di tempo, eh?
Adesso per? per non esagerare coi sentimentalismi, facciamo i buoni propositi. Si avvicina il prossimo Vinitaly, e gi? so che contatter? alcune aziende che sono nella nostra wish list, per il prossimo Genova Wine Festival. Perch? s?, pensiamo gi? all'edizione 2020. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [03/10/2019, 16:30] | So you think you want to import Italian wine? | | While I have, more than once, addressed the challenges of selling one?s Italian wine to America, it seems I haven?t touched enough upon the complexities of importing Italian wine into America. Since I am no longer ?ITB? (in the business), I have gotten a barrage of emails from people looking to ?get into the business,? from both Italy and America. It?s probably time to go over some things in relation to the realities, in 2019, of pursuing that path.
First let me offer an anecdote. In the fall of 2008, I decided to buy a condo in Dallas, Texas, as a rental property. I was debt free, had some cash to invest in something, and the property I bought was in a very good zip code, one of the wealthiest in my town, and one of the top 50 zip codes in America. I bought a little on the high side, at the time, which was probably not a good omen. But It was still an affordable investment, and within the confines of my comfort zone with regards to the risk, even though Wall Street was melting down.
What I didn?t take into account was that folks who rent might be affected by the downturn and my rental property might be vacant for a time.
Well, my first renter got hit hard and within a year she bailed and moved back home. The place stood empty, and after several months and lowering the rent, I found some college students to lease it to.
They were fine enough, but college students are not stationary. So again, the place stood empty.
I ended up selling the place, and factoring in the initial cost (and improvements and repairs) on the place, not to mention the months it sat empty not collecting rent, I lost some dough. Enough in fact, that if I hadn?t bought the place and just taken the amount of money I eventually lost, I could have bought a fancy sports car (like a Porsche Cayman) driven it into the ground for two years, wrecked it and left it on the side of the road, and I would have been ahead of the game. I wouldn?t have had to take those 2AM wake-up calls about a stopped-up toilet or a kitchen sink that overflowed because the garbage disposal just couldn?t grind up raw Brussels sprouts. But I didn?t. And I learned a valuable lesson:
"Something from the outside can appear to be more glamorous and not as risky as it can be inside reality."
This is merely to say, when folks go to Italy on a vacation, let?s say Puglia, and they spend their vacation in a leisurely manner, eating, drinking, making love, swimming, etcetera, their defenses have been lowered. Then they go to their little trattoria by the seaside and drink that lovely, inexpensive Chardonnay or Negroamaro rosato from the area, and someone says, ?We should import this to America, they?d love this!? It sounds simple enough, it sounds innocent enough. My answer to them, now, would be: ?Buy the Porsche!?
I?ve gone enough into the logistics on other blog posts, and if interested, please read them. What I will never be able to do will be to convince someone that the investment in importing Italian wine into America, in these times, is time-consuming and highly risky. And if you have ?The Dream,? far be it from me to rain on your parade. I will try, anyway.
But the competition will do that much more effectively. And it will be an expensive lesson. But, hey, you made your money, and like me, you can throw it in any direction that you?d like to. But know this: You are a minnow in a sea filled with sharks. They jump higher, their pockets are deeper, they know more about how we got here and they don?t like to lose. This isn?t TBall, hey it isn?t even softball. It?s sliders and spitballs. It?s a fastball heading at 97mph right to your head and you don?t have a helmet on - you are the target. So, know that.
When I was working for a large distributor, who recruited me to look after their Italian wine business, for every case of Italian wine that was imported, we accounted for 1 bottle in every 12-pack case that came into America. And that included everything from the low to the high. The business grew amazingly in the 14 years I looked at the business. This is not a brag. As the business consolidated, what I saw was that fewer and fewer players at the top grew to dominate the Italian wine landscape in America.
You think you have an organic Pinot Grigio that Whole Foods is sitting there, waiting for you to bring to them? Think again. You?ve found a Chianti that Total Wine cannot live without? Don?t bet your life on it. You have found a Sicilian Grillo and Nero d?Avola that Kroger cannot say no to? If they aren?t returning your emails, don?t assume their silence means maybe. The big import companies struggle with these issues all the time. Like I said, you are a minnow in shark-infested waters. Don?t jump in the deep water if you cannot swim faster, deeper and longer. And most likely you cannot. Don?t even go there.
You?ve found a region, let?s say the Marche, where their business in Missouri is severely underrepresented. With all respect to my friends and colleagues in Missouri, have you tried to understand the why of that? I remember going into a restaurant, in Kansas City, owned by a large and famous group, who also make their own wine. What was I thinking trying to sell them a Verdicchio, let alone a Pinot Grigio or Prosecco or Chianti? But what the wine buyer showed me, chilled me even more than the lack of a selling opportunity. ?Look at that wall, Alfonso. I have four vintages of our proprietary Pinot Grigio stacking up. I have Sangiovese coming out of my pores. And I have more Prosecco than I will sell in six years, and in six years I will have accumulated six more vintages of the stuff. I?m drowning in wine I have to take, and it isn?t selling fast enough.? And that was Missouri.
Which, while we?re talking national accounts, let?s talk about the on-premise channel. First things first: You don?t sell wine to them ? you buy real estate. That?s right, if you want a slot on that list, it ain?t a butterfly. It?s not free. It?s going to come with a slotting fee. And you better have the wine in all 30-40-50 states, at the same price, and you better not run out in Austin on a Friday night. Because you will get a call from an angry restaurant manager threatening to pull your wines off (he can?t, not so easily, but he can phone up to his company and complain, complain, complain until the wine buyer in Tampa, or Newport Beach or Dallas gets sick of hearing about it and ?sources? another wine). And your hard work, and all the money you paid to get there is a memory.
Why this screed? Because I know, with Vinitaly (and Prowein) coming up, and with the better weather, people start getting out and about, the new vintages start being released, and all of a sudden there are innocent folks out there who might be tired of their job or who think this could be a good sideline to their paying gig. And I get emails, and have gotten them for 15+ years, thinking they?ve discovered something someone ?ITB? just hasn?t gotten around to discovering. But sadly, in most cases, they have. And it has either worked. Or in many cases, it hasn?t. Hey, don?t let me stop you. But don?t expect a lot of people waiting around for you to make a call to their office with your dream. They will crush your dream, as I am doing right here, right now. Except I?m trying to help you before you waste the time and the money. Just go buy the Porsche.
And when you tire of driving it around, give me a call. I?ll make you a deal you can?t refuse.
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [01/22/2019, 08:48] | Nuovi orari in enoteca (ed altri cambiamenti) | | Caro diario, le cose cambiano. Potrei scriverlo sulle reti sociali, potrei scriverlo su Linkedin dato che parlo di cambiamenti lavorativi - e lo far?. Ma adesso lo scrivo qui: cambiano alcune cose intorno al mio lavoro.
Sto cominciando una nuova attivit?. Faccio il rappresentante, il venditore - di vini, ovviamente, resto con la bevanda odorosa. Sto esaminando proposte, qualcuna l'ho gi? accettata, solo non avevo ancora detto ufficialmente che all change.
E siccome il cambiamento riguarda anche l'enoteca, l'enoteca rimane, ma ad un regime di apertura ridotto. Cambia l'orario, rester? aperta solo nel pomeriggio, dalle 16 alle 19,30.
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| [01/10/2019, 17:02] | E adesso anche Genova Wine Festival. S?, sta arrivando una fiera del vino in citt | | Il primo post dell'anno ? inevitabilmente in modalit? caro diario: in questi giorni di l? ma pure di qua, si preannuncia la cosa alla quale sto lavorando da tempo, assieme ad un gruppo nutrito (ci piace nutrirci, in effetti) di gente in gamba. Papille Clandestine e Intravino assieme, a Genova, preparano Genova Wine Festival, ed ecco fatto: vi annuncio che sta arrivando una fiera del vino in citt?, ed ? una cosa bella, grossa, nella quale stiamo mettendo il cuore e altre importanti frattaglie.
Dove: Palazzo Ducale, a Genova
Quando: sabato 2 e domenica 3 marzo
Questa ? la homepage
Questa ? la pagina Facebook
Questa ? la pagina dell'evento
Direi che per adesso basta, prendete appunti, e ovviamente ci vediamo l?. Sar? grandioso. Insomma s'? capito, ci tengo. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [12/31/2018, 18:45] | Notizie che nessuno ti dir? mai: ? finito un altro anno | | Adesso che ho spento le luci e chiuso le serrande, accendo l'ultimo sigaro in ufficio e metto in ordine le ultime carte. La sera del 31 dicembre in enoteca ? tutto rituale, resto qui a vedere che succede, e mi prendo il tempo per pensare a quel che ? successo. Potrei andare via prima - ogni anno mi dico, il 31 pomeriggio non lavoro, che diavolo. E poi ogni anno resto qui, accanto alla mia creatura fino all'ultimo - perch? questa ? la mia enoteca, una mia creatura.
Me ne vado sentendo una canzone che mi si ? infilata in testa, tratta dalla scena del film che vedete qua sotto. The ballad of Buster Scruggs ? uno strano western, e non c'? modo di raccontarlo senza spoilerare quindi siete avvisati. ? la scena di un finale di partita inaspettato, uno dei due pistoleri cade a terra morto e non doveva andare cos?. ? una sorpresa, brutta per quello che cade, brutta per chi guarda, e ti mette davanti per l'ennesima volta al fatto che ti devi aspettare l'inaspettato.
Soprattutto, non passer? molto tempo, e ti ritroverai (inaspettatamente) a cantare la tua ultima cowboy song.
Let me tell you, buddy
There's a faster gun
Coming over yonder
When tomorrow comes
Let me tell you, buddy
And it won't be long
Till you find yourself singing
Your last cowboy song
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| [12/27/2018, 10:50] | Dieci assaggi memorabili. S?, ecco un classico post di fine anno | | Si pu? finire l'anno in due modi: fare un bilancio degli eventi e buoni propositi per l'avvenire, oppure elencare dieci assaggi memorabili del 2018. A me quest'anno andava di gran lunga la numero due.
Anche la classifica dei dieci non ? esattamente una top ten di etichette - semmai ? un elenco di aziende interessanti, con magari un assaggio specifico che ha brillato pi? di altri. In fondo anche l'idea di classifica si smaterializza. Alcuni di questi vini li vendo, altri non li vendo perch? li ho esauriti, altri non li vendo perch? (ancora) non li ho comprati, e questo pi? che un disclaimer ? un fatto.
L'ordine non ? in base alla preferenza, ma in base a quanto velocemente mi sono tornati in mente, essendo io affezionato al famoso "la cultura ? ci? che resta nella memoria quando si ? dimenticato tutto" - che ho sempre opposto alle scene mute che facevo durante le interrogazioni a scuola, senza successo, ma siccome mi piace tiro sempre fuori la citazione.
1. San Cristoforo, Franciacorta
? un po' che li tengo d'occhio, e il riassaggio del loro Brut, ma pure del finissimo millesimato, mi confermano l'idea di franciacortino di riferimento. Buoni, eleganti, di bella personalit?. Bravi insomma.
2. Andreas Berger, Alto Adige
Ho notato che non esiste un vino di questa azienda (Thurnhof) che sia, semplicemente, sotto il livello dell'eccellenza. Potrei dire del loro Moscato secco (fermo) 2017, piccolo capolavoro, e farei un torto a tutti gli altri. Vabbe'. Per me cult.
3. Vis Amoris, Liguria
Qui pi? che il loro Pigato, la sua derivazione metodo classico. Le bollicine in Liguria per me restano un fatto difficoltoso, qui invece ho cambiato idea all'istante. Esiste anche una versione sur lie, col fondo, insomma quella cosa l? ancestrale, ci siamo capiti. Ottimi livelli pure l?.
4. Garnier, Borgogna
Durante l'ultimo corso avevo inserito il loro Chablis 1er Cru, e capirai, ? stato come vincere facile. Invece qui memorizzo il loro Pinot Noir Epineuil 2015, che ? - come dirlo in modo non riduttivo? un Borgogna base, ma io direi basilare. Fruttini accennati, stile e trama, godevole e succoso.
5. Tenuta Belvedere, Oltrep? Pavese
Io credo che la Bonarda, quella frizzante, dovrebbe essere salvata dal destino di vino triste da supermercato. Ci riesce Gianluca Cabrini con questo 2016, un campione delizioso di piacevolezza bevibile, poi zero solfiti aggiunti che fa molto figo ultimamente.
6. Miotto, Veneto
Tra tanti prosecco a rifermentazione naturale, con il doveroso tappo metallico e il fondo, questo Profondo si piazza fisso nella memoria, e nella voglia di berlo e riberlo - pure troppo, l'ho venduto tutto e a me non ne resta, ma che ho combinato? Accidenti a me.
7. Weingut Am Stein, Franconia (Germania)
Poi giuro la smetto con i rifermentati naturali, ma questo Pure & Naked, pet-nat (petillant, naturale), ? un capolavoro di memorabilit?, anzi vorrei riberlo circa domani (a trovarlo: assaggiato durante una fiera). Leggiadro come una piuma e nello stesso tempo col cipiglio germanico. Comunque lo struggimento ? tanto che gli dedico la foto del post.
8. Dettori, Sardegna
S? va bene il loro Chimbanta, va bene l'Ottomarzo, ma pure il Tenores. Io quest'anno memorizzo il Renosu bianco, un colpo al cuore di sale, mare, erbe aromatiche, ma che ci hai messo l? dentro? E questo sarebbe il loro bianco cadetto. Ma avercene.
9. Terre Bianche, Liguria
Cos'? che mi piace di pi? nel Rossese di Dolceaqua? ? perch? ? ligure? ? perch? ? teso e leggiadro? Sono le spezie, il marino, ? perch? ? un vino di montagna? ? perch? parte piano poi si svela alla grande, e quando credi di averlo compreso ? finita la bottiglia? Comunque parlavo del Rossese 2017.
10. Poderi Cellario, Piemonte
C'? questa generazione di vini minimalisti, nella bottiglia da litro, col nome pure lui minimalista. Per esempio "? Rosso". E di pi? non chiedere, bevi e poche pippe. E noi wine blogger allora che dovremmo fare, bere e zitti? Ecco, non sempre: ? Rosso mi piace tanto. Va bene come rece minimalista?
Buon anno nuovo, e tutto quanto. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [10/29/2018, 15:52] | I vini toscani | |
Quali sono i vitigni in Toscana?La Toscana ? una zona famosa nel mondo per la sua produzione di vino, e di vini rossi in particolare con il 70% della produzione. Il vitigno principale ? il Sangiovese con le sue varianti come il Canaiolo nero ed il Ciliegiolo. I vini classificati come supertuscans hanno portato l'integrazione ad altri vitigni a bacca nera internazionali, come il Pinot Nero, il Cabernet sauvignon, il Merlot e lo Syrah. Per quanto riguarda le uve bianche, la pi? diffusa ? il Trebbiano Toscano, seguito dalla Malvasia Bianca Lunga, la Vernaccia di San Gimignano e l?Ansonica. Anche lo Chardonnay, con cui producono vini bianchi spesso maturati in Barrique, ha una buona diffusione. Zone di produzione in ToscanaIl Chianti e Chianti Classico Comprende in tutto o in parte le province di: Firenze, Siena, Arezzo, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato Vi sono diverse tipologie di Chianti, sette delle quali ricadono come sottozone all?interno della Chianti DOCG e sono i Colli Aretini, i Colli Senesi, i Colli Fiorentini, le Colline Pisane, Rufina, Montalbano e Montespertoli, alla quali si aggiunge la DOCG Chianti Classico, prodotto nella zona pi? antica e tradizionale, dalla quale provengono i Chianti pi? celebri. Il Vino Nobile di MontepulcianoIl Nobile di Montepulciano era noto gi? nel 1500 per la sua qualit?, ma fu negli anni '60 che si inizi? a riscoprire questo vino del territorio di Montepulciano, splendido borgo in provincia di Siena, ed inizi? un processo di recupero dell?immagine che ebbe il suo compimento nel 1980, quando al Vino Nobile di Montepulciano venne riconosciuta la certificazione di DOCG. Il Brunello di MontalcinoIl Brunello di Montalcino ? sicuramente il vino Toscano pi? famoso, non solo in Italia ma in tutto il mondo. Il nome deriva dal nome dell'uva Sangiovese Grosso chiamata appunto Brunello, con cui viene prodotto. Fu ad opera di Ferruccio Biondi Santi, che avvenne la rinascita di questo vino ed il relativo successo e fama internazionale. Il Brunello di Montalcino, oggi riconosciuto come DOCG, viene prodotto con Sangiovese grosso in purezza e pu? essere immesso al consumo solo dopo 5 anni dalla vendemmia (6 per la riserva), con un periodo minimo di maturazione in botte di due anni. Oggi sono circa 250 le cantine che propongono il vino Brunello per una produzione di 6,5 milioni di bottiglie. Le altre zone vinicole della ToscanaLa Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG ? un vino bianco prodotto prodotto appunto con l?omonima uva. Il Morellino di Scansano, prodotto prevalentemente con uva Sangiovese, localmente detto Morellino. Il Vin Santo, prodotto anche in altre regioni d?Italia, in Toscana ? riconosciuto come DOC nelle denominazioni del Vin Santo del Chianti, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico e Vin Santo di Montepulciano. Il Vin Santo Toscano viene prodotto con uve Trebbiano Toscano e Malvasia Bianca, ma esiste anche una versione rossa da uve Sangiovese, che prende il nome di Occhio di Pernice. La Carmignano DOCG si trova in provincia di Prato e produce esclusivamente vini rossi da uve Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon e Cabernet Franc. Cosa sono i Supertuscans? I Supertuscans, appartengono generalmente alla categoria IGT. I Supertuscans sono vini robusti e complessi prodotti in prevalenza con uve ?internazionali? quali Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot e Pinot Nero, alle quali in alcuni si unisce il Sangiovese.
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| [10/25/2018, 09:33] | Smellier, cloudier, juicier, more acidic and generally truer | | Leggo solo oggi questo vecchio pezzo di The Guardian, che parla di vini naturali - quasi fosse un wine blog, per attirare click. No vabbe' dai, sto scherzando, si capiva, s?? Guardian scrive di vini naturali a modo suo, e cio? in modo assai rilevante e quindi questa lunga, lunga lettura la mettiamo da parte, perch? ? un ritratto molto esauriente. Prendetevi il tempo per leggere tutto, se ancora vi mancava.
Guardian riesce anche a dire alla veloce cosa sia un vino naturale, e per questo l'ho adoperato per titolare il mio post: "they tend to be smellier, cloudier, juicier, more acidic and generally truer to the actual taste of grape than traditional wines". Notevole anche l'immagine, che riciclo - una cosa a met? tra lo steampunk e il disaster movie. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [10/20/2018, 07:05] | Cose da fare a Genova (questo fine settimana) | | Anzich? spiegare tanto, ecco che annuncia il Tg3 Liguria: ? di nuovo tempo di Genova Beer Festival, la meglio rassegna birraria della regione, ma che dico, del mondo - dove peraltro il quipresente vostro si accinge ad abbinare sigari (sul genere toscano) a birre, come da foto, nel laboratorio di domenica sera. Insomma, che aspetti, ci si vede l?, sabato sera e domenica all day long.
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| [09/04/2018, 07:01] | Guide for Choosing a Good Dentist | | If you have dental issues or complications, it is necessary that you find a good dentist who will take care of your needs. However, the issue is, there are many dentists the market today and settling for the best may be tricky. For this reason, you need to take time and find the?best dentist in Miami who will offer the type of services you require. Dentists have various types of services they offer. There are those who have specialized in a particular field while some are general dentists who deal with almost all dental issues. If you are looking for a dentist, here are quick factors that you can consider looking at so that you get the best dentist. Check on Experience  First, when searching for a dentist to offer dental services to you, we recommend that you try checking out the experience of your prospective dentist. This is a crucial aspect to check on because the longer the experience, the more quality services the dentist will offer. A dentist who has been offering dental services for years will be well placed to handle your dental needs than one who has just started practicing. This is applicable because past experiences will help the dentist be in a position to handle and manage any dental complications.
Check on Specialization Secondly, when you want to settle on the best dentist, it is essential that you first understand the kind of dental service you need. This will help you know the kind of dentist you need. Dentists have various services that they offer. Some offer specialized dental services, and that means you need to know exactly what you are seeking for. Check on Training  With the increased need for dental services, some individuals will want to take advantage of that and start offering dental services but they are not qualified. Therefore, to avoid falling prey for such fake dentists, it?s essential that when searching for a dentist, you should check to know if the dentist is trained. The dentist should declare his or her qualifications and show you the documents which give evidence for that. This way, you will get dental services from dentists who have undergone proper training in dental health.
Consider the Reputation When searching for a good dentist, it is also advisable that you consider knowing the reputation of your prospective dentist. You need to know how many successful cases of dental procedures the dentist has offered. Similarly, you need to know what people feel about the services that the dentist offers. This way, you will understand if the dentist will be suitable to offer dental services that you may need.… | | TrackBack | | | |
| [08/26/2018, 05:19] | Six Hints to Choose the Best Drug Rehab Nj | | Addiction to the drug can ruin your life. It reaches a point where you want to get rid of the addiction, but you cant that easily. If you are at this juncture, you should visit a respected and reliable drug rehab NJ. An excellent drug rehab center will help you to stay away from drug or alcohol addiction. The hints as discussed below will help you to decide the best drug rehab NJ for your recovery. Licensing Perhaps, this is the first issue that you should reconsider before determining a drug rehabilitation center. Facilities that don’t have valid licenses might not help you to recover fully. Lack of a valid license means that the facility that you are visiting is not recognized by the authorities and might be operating against the law. Stay away from rehabs without licenses as they will only rob you of your hard earned money.
? Treatment Procedures The treatment protocols used at a facility might raise or reduce your chances of recovery. For instance, you should find out whether your chosen facility provides detox together with other therapies and counseling. When you come across a drug rehab?that offers such treatment, then you will be on the right path to quick recovery. High-end facilities also offer yoga when they think its necessary. Highly Qualified Staff The level of experience of the employees working at the rehab center that you choose might impact negatively or positively on your recovery. If you decide to go for an inpatient facility make sure that that the staff are available around the clock. You should also check whether the staff are registered by the relevant authorities to confirm that they have the necessary experience. High Patient Staff Ration If you get admitted to a rehab center with few staffs, then you might not get the attention that you want. Rehab centers that have more doctors and nurses will give you the care that you need for quick recovery. Aftercare Treatment Once you are done with your rehabilitation program, it’s essential that you are closely monitored to reduce your odds of succumbing to drug abuse again. The aftercare you require varies depending on your requirements as well as the degree of addiction. However, it’s suggested that you see your doctor weekly or once in a fortnight after leaving the rehab center to chat about your progress and the difficulties that you might be encountering. 
Pricing and Insurance Most people don’t know that rehabilitation therapies can cost you a fortune. For this cause, you should find out how much the treatment will cost in advance to avoid nasty surprises. In most cases, expensive rehabilitation centers offer the best care. If you have a valid medical insurance policy, you should discover whether your chosen facility accepts it and how much it can cover. If you are having an uphill task trying to get away from drugs, it’s better to get treatment sooner than later. You will come across a number of drug rehab NJ centers to pick from online and to make a sound decision keep the hints as explained above in mind.… | | TrackBack | | | |
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