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| [09/13/2020, 23:15] | A letter, found in an abandoned home, next to a stream of unconscious and constant agitation |  | [Editor's note: this letter was unsigned inside an envelope on the desk of the empty home. It could be the letter was written by the owner of the home. But we have no idea who lived there as all records disappeared after the Great American Passage in 2021.]
Dear Italy,
What I am about to write to you might not be welcome. After all, I am merely an imperfect American. And we all know now that Americans are finally being leveled by their own foolish acts after all these years. Finally, the chickens have come home to roost.
And that is what I am writing about to you today ? home. Yours. And ours. Let?s start with yours.
You all spent three months in isolation, through the late winter and all through the spring. I know how hard it must have been to isolate in your room, your apartment, your chalet, your villa or your castello. You live to be with the others. And this confinement must have made you anxious for the outside world.
And so, as summer approached and as your country started lifting the restraints upon your personal freedom, seeing as the collective good was deemed to be no longer in jeopardy, you went out in the world.
Well, you couldn?t go to Thailand or New York, Singapore or Copenhagen, not so easily. But you still had Italy. And you went about country, making up for lost time.
And we all saw it in glorious color. The elaborate foods, the wonderful restaurants. Posing with the chef, sans masks. You were all so very daring. But not really. You believed you had conquered the coronavirus. Italy won in record time and had vanquished the interloper.
You took to the beaches and became as bronze as Zeus. You took to the sea and commanded the waves like Poseidon. You hiked in your mountains and became as Artemis. Because you are young and have been young all your life. As are the gods. And both immortal, as you like to believe.
But now summer is over. Coronavirus did not take the summer off. It took to the air and came to America. Here, in the realm of magical thinking, where no virus can ever conquer one?s thoughts or hopes or fears or ignorance. And here it had a field day. ?Like shooting fish in a barrel,? one overheard one of the coronae saying to another at a crowded bar. ?Another round for the house,? the other one said, and they laughed like the god Hades. And they moved down the street to another bar, and another bar, until the bars closed for the night.
And so it went. And so it still goes. America can look back to that first spring as the ?golden days? of the coronavirus. And as the days get shorter, and the weather gets colder, and the leaves begin to fall from the trees, the work here is just getting started. There are plenty more fish in the bucket.
Meanwhile, back in Italy, you are looking to your vines, and picking the grapes. Now the pictures on your social media feed will curate clusters of ripe grapes, and bladder presses and cute little videos of fresh grape juice waiting to metamorphose into wine. And in 9 months you will put pictures of glasses and bottles of the fresh ros? on your Instagram feed, along with your perfectly arranged plates of grilled calamari. And those of us watching from our 7th circle in Hell will wish we had found the cure, like you showed us you had. And we will once again be a little jealous of your freedom and your innocence and your youth and your resilience, #LivingYourBestLife, right in front of all of us ? suckers and losers ? Americanos. At least, those of you who survived the winter and the resurgence and the virus that knows nothing of miraculous ratiocination and social media and posts and stories and reels and likes and more likes.
And one of you will write to me, asking me why I am so angry, why cannot I just let you enjoy your life and your country and your home (or homes). And I will not say anything more, because, I will still be home, waiting for the storm to pass. This home, which is on this giant ship of fools, flinging itself across space at speeds unimaginable.
But if you have found this letter, chances are I have not made it through the winter and am now ambling about in some bardo looking for the door out. And you will have been right, for you are still alive and reading this, and I am no longer.
And who now, will drink your wine?
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [09/06/2020, 17:44] | Dismantling the First Mountain | | The life of a career. It?s a curious ascent. One spends so much energy in getting to the top of the mountain. To be the best. Number one. To master your craft. And to represent all that you stand (and climb) for the best that you can. To spend years climbing to the peak. To sacrifice any number of things, material and personal, in order to behold the sunrise at the summit. And then?
Then is now. How does the song go, ?First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is?? Well, I?m in the wind up of ?then there is no mountain? stage. That first mountain has become an obstacle, and it must go.
And along with it, a lot of the habiliments that accompany it.
I?ve said many goodbyes to people and things during this moment of exile and self-examination. Just like in the garden, when a summer plant cannot live in the colder months, so it must be cleared out. Mind you, it isn?t just me doing it. It?s also being done to me. I?m no longer producing fruit, so I must not take up space in the garden. I?ve had my day; I?ve delivered my harvest. Now, it is on to the next mountain.
Does it mean I?m no longer a knight of the vine, or whatever it is they will now call it? Frankly, I don?t care. I spent 40 years doing what I did on those slopes. 40 harvests. Millions and millions of bottles of Italian wine. But the cycle doesn?t stop because someone gets off the merry-go-round. It needs to keep on spinning. But with younger energy. So it goes.
Years ago, I took apart a small building the owner of the property wanted to develop it into something else, and he gave me a couple of months to salvage the materials. You can learn a lot about building something by taking it apart. And I did. I took those materials and built a workshop and started a business.
So, I?m not thinking, necessarily, about blowing the mountain up. There are a lot of good bits in that first mountain. Maybe not for making a second one. Maybe just for the mindfulness one was given on that mountain, to know that even when it has been leveled, the climb isn?t over, not quite yet. But the shroud of unknowingness around the second one is lingering, like the fog one sees in Piedmont, around this time of the year, in those hills where the Nebbiolo and Barbera are coming into ripeness.
It?s funny, I wander around the screen before me and watch all the drama of those still climbing their first mountain. I did it too, so I cannot fault them or criticize them. They feel the urge to ascend and achieve. I understand. I?m just not there, anymore. I?m occupied with unveiling the shroud from before me, here on my new base camp, in this dawn of a new ascent.
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [08/30/2020, 14:34] | Everyone?s gone to the moon (or ?We?re here and they?re not?) | |
As we beat the month of August, once more, to death, September howls like a newborn that was cast away into a dumpster. No one hears her little cries to a universe unprepared and unattended. For Italy, as for much of the world, has been abandoned.
How many times can one walk the beach between Alcamo Marina and Castellammare del Golfo in the shortened summer days of September and feel any of the hope one felt in May or June, when the Linden trees were in bloom on the Adriatic? Now, in New York City, at Fifth Avenue and 54th Street, at noon, an eerie and similar scene mirrors Sicily. An unattended world. Where has everyone gone?
To the solitary traveler, it isn?t anything new. All the years I?ve wandered the earth, whether in Italy or in America, I never felt isolated as much as liberated. To crawl up the grimy streets of Pozzuoli, with the raw balm of anchovies and lemon, the baked focaccia streaming the aroma out into the streets, mingling with the smoke of a Nazionale offering up base notes. Where is everyone? (nearby, a Greek Chorus refrains, ?We?re here and they?re not.?)
From a window above the little shop, where the merchant in rolling down the door for his afternoon nap, above him a woman calls, ?Ma cche staje faccen'? O ppane?? Ah, so, once again the furast?re is sleepless, roaming the streets like a scugnizzo. Once again, "nun sacc? niente."
And once again, many of us now are wandering, roaming the streets at all hours of the day and night. But everyone on a street in their own little world. We?ve masked up and in doing so, it seems like we?ve found a secret door into another universe. And like Rome on August 15th at 1 PM, where is everyone?
It?s an odd thing, to be strolling around an abandoned Italy in September, when just a few weeks before, typically, it would be teeming with bodies. Children running where the sand meets the sea. Pensioners, sitting under an umbrella sipping on a gassosa or a cedrata. Music playing from a number of things, phones, Bluetooth speakers, cars, overhead PA systems. Songs, cries, pleas, whispers. Humanity buzzing about. But not now, not in September. Not in 2020. Now, everyone?s gone to the moon.
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [08/23/2020, 17:39] | Italy, a beacon for continuity in the realm of magical thinking | | Yesterday a young friend called me from Italy. Not just anywhere in Italy, but one of my favorite places in Italy ? San Benedetto del Tronto ? on the Adriatic coastline. And not just anywhere in San Benedetto del Tronto, but from the bar at the Excelsior Hotel. And there he was with a dear old, friend, Piero, the bar manager. He was alive. He was well. And he was reflecting the sunny life of summer in Italy. It made my day.
Actually, it shook me to my core. I was elated to see and talk to Piero. I didn?t know if he would still be working, he?s almost the same age as Anthony Fauci. But he was like a constant beacon, a lighthouse, just like I?ve always known him. It was a thread of continuity that reinforced my faith in enduring things.
It was as if all the changes we have seen recently were vanquished to a bubble of memory and sent to a room, to hover all by itself, alone. It would be fitting, seeing as that is much of what many of us have been doing. But the moment in which I saw something familiar, and dear, brought me back to a life of hope.
I haven?t been to Italy in a year and a half. All those plans to go were put on hold, while this storm crashes and keeps crashing upon our shores. I see Italy, if not in reality, at least pretending that things were getting back to normal. The bar at the Excelsior, where one could get a good coffee. Where one could have a chat with a friend, who has seen it all, behind his bar, as the world came to him.
I played along. I pretended. After the call, I ?went? back up to my hotel room and put on my walking shoes. And headed out the door, straight to the Lungomare and turned left. I walked to the center of town, to the square, where the Hotel Calabrese sits. Where children were playing. Where youths were engaged in a tennis match. Where a pair of aged men were playing checkers, while the breeze off the sea lilted through the palms, and the full tufts of white hair of the elders. It was a beautiful afternoon, and it was aperitivo time.
So, I strolled to our favorite bar nearby the Florian, and had a glass of water, with a dash of Anisette, made nearby, and a slice of orange. And sat outside and watched the passage of time. Nearby young women were staring at the newly arrived shoes in the window of the boutique. And across the street, the bookstore, long gone, but still there in my memory, announced the latest novel by Elena Ferrante.
One of my local friends stopped by and said hello. He was on his way to the Caff? Sciarra, his favorite. ?Yes, yes, we?ll stop by after dinner and have a gelato or a cognachino with you all, by all means.? I knew that would be hours from now, so I bided my time sitting here, enjoying the continuity of a life I only get to touch occasionally.
But it all seems so much more real to me than this world we are living in now. Oh, not to worry, I?m not going to fool myself into some kind of magical thinking. I?m just taking a break from the harsh reality, an aperitivo della fantasia.
Meanwhile dinner time is approaching. Let?s see, what to eat and drink? It?s warm here on the coast in August, and this is a pasta and seafaring dominant food destination.
Let?s start with the traditional appetizer, Olive Ascolane, with a nice Pecorino wine from the region, the Ciprea from Simone Capecci. Ciprea is a full-bodied white, almost with the weight of a red. The wine sees no oak, only stainless steel and long ageing on the lees. What was once an obscure wine is now a DOCG (Offida).
Let?s also have some olive ascolane and squash wrapped shrimp. Maybe a plate of calamari, some grilled gambero and langosto, and some baby clams. As well, a bottle of Trebbiano d?Abruzzo, for Gambero old times sake. Maybe something fancy. Why not? The asteroid is heading our way, supposed to be here November 3rd, what are we saving it for?
I know we?re in the Marche region, and most people never even get to Marche, or their neighbor, Abruzzo. Their loss. Our gain, for those of us who pilgrimage there more than the occasional wine junket. Great weather, fabulous food, reasonably priced, great beaches (which means great seafood) and therein provides the attraction for a crisp clean white like Trebbiano. And Abruzzo is the omphalos for this wine. Trebbiano soothed many a sunburn, assuaged many a plate of mezze manche with tiny clams and helped expedite the finishing off a plate of grilled langosto.
Speaking of pasta, I?m in the mood for something spicy. Abruzzo has long had a tradition of deeper colored ros?s. The spicy arrabbiata pasta I?m thinking of having infused in me a love for Cerasuolo d? Abruzzo. Made from the Montepulciano grape, this is a good fix for folks who love fruit-driven red wines that are spicy but who want to power down from the big red when the weather is warm. Again, not so fashionable in the world of marketing, where the anemically pale Provence style of ros? is currently de rigueur. But one would never know that on the Adriatic coastal towns, where Cerasuolo flies off the tables, and where we like our ros? wines, like our summer bodies, well-tanned.
Is there anything more we can eat? Well, we have one more wine to drink, another white, so something must show up, if only a nice clean, simple plate of grilled fish with olive oil and lemon.
How about a bottle of Verdicchio from Matelica, from La Monacesca? Maybe something with a little age on it, when it gets a (secondary) toasted coffee bean aroma and nutty flavor? I?m all in.
Look, I cannot travel like friends Ian or Roger, or decamp to my Tuscan hideaway like my Texas friend (who will not be named). I?m completely at the mercy of my magical thinking at this point. What, I should follow the upcoming political party convention instead? I ?d rather weekend in Guantanamo.
Before this fantasy ends, though, we must find my way to Caff? Sciarra, for a nightcap of an aromatic grappa and a cone of pistachio gelato, to gird us for the walk back to the hotel. It?s almost midnight, the dance music is bleating in the little piazza in front of the caff?. The revelers would be going at it until 2021, if they could. I have about 45 minutes left in my tank.
Continuity. The compost of memory. It keeps the good vibrations fertilized and ready for the next season. Maybe like Piero, always there, always a comforting constant, maybe we can just pretend some things will never end, while we wait for this scourge we currently find ourselves held hostage in, to finally cease.
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [08/18/2020, 09:28] | Ristorante Panorama Golf ? Varese (VA) ? Chef Alberto Broggini | | Il ristorante e wine bar Panorama Golf vanta una location molto piacevole, circondato da un meraviglioso parco e immerso in un ambiente con panorami mozzafiato, dallo stile moderno con ampie vetrate sul parco e sul laghetto. Un luogo tranquillo e di modesta eleganza che gi? vale gi? la permanenza. La cucina ? saggiamente diretta da un giovane cuoco dalle grandi idee, lo chef Alberto Broggini, le cui parole d?ordine sono?passione e qualit?. Piatti innovativi, con accostamenti a volte inusuali ma mai oltre il limite di un equilibrio ben riuscito. L?impegno quotidiano ? quello di proporre men? sempre vari, mantenendo la massima qualit?, che seguano la?stagionalit? dei prodotti?e che sappiano conquistare anche i palati pi? esigenti senza dimenticare i pi? tradizionalisti. Per la?pausa pranzo, viene proposta una linea di piatti gustosi ma veloci e leggeri affiancati da un’opzione di club sandwich gourmet da consumare in un luogo in cui il tempo ? quasi sospeso, immersi nel verde e nei profumi del bosco. Lasciatevi coinvolgere come abbiamo fatto noi da un’atmosfera che non potrete pi? dimenticare. La squadra Staff di cucina Chef:?Alberto Broggini
Aiutanti?in?cucina:?Andrea?Gandini,?Pietro?Marelli Staff di sala Maitre:?Paolo Femia
Chef?de?Rang:?Marta Garavaglia L’ingresso del ristorante Panorama Golf… 
Gli ampi spazi interni. 
Il nostro tavolo nel dehor con vista sul campo da golf! 
Aperitivo in arrivooo! 
Panzerotti al pomodoro e mozzarella. 
Americano Classico e Rabarbaro Zucca shackerato. 
Ostica Krystale con spuma di pomodoro datterino. 
Panelle fritte di farina di ceci. 
Mondeghili. 
Focaccine all’olio EVO con datterini. 
Cappuccino estivo: passata di datterini, burrata e croissant salato. 
In abbinamento con Cr?mant de Bourgogne Brut, Blanc de blancs – Tr?nel Si presenta di colore chiaro con riflessi dorati, con un sottile perlage. Al naso ? un connubio di aromi freschi di acacia, mela verde e pesca bianca e note pi? evolute di burro, frutta secca e torrone, dovute alla sua stagionatura particolarmente lunga. Conferisce inoltre grande complessit? e una bella rotondit? al palato. 
Iniziamo con uno straordinario midollo di vitello arrostito, gamberi rossi e cipolla di Tropea. 
Anguria in osmosi e cicale di mare crude. 
Tipologia di pane: ciambellone pugliese a lievito madre, grissini stirati a mano, pane alle olive e focaccia al pane nero integrale con curcuma. 
Da degustare con Olio Extra Vergine d’Oliva dell’Olearia Cladera. 
Proseguiamo con capesante scottate con pinoli, olive e maggiorana e pomodoro San Marzano. 
Cecina da Leon con giardiniera fatta in casa. 
Abbinata a un calice di Franciacorta Riserva DOCG Dosaggio Zero ?Sublimis? 2012 – Uberti Di colore giallo paglierino, con sfumature verdi, ? caratterizzato da una spuma abbondante e cremosa e da un perlage sottile e persistente. Al naso si apre con un bouquet intenso ed elegante, con sentori di frutta esotica e fiori gialli, arricchite da delicate note di frutta secca e di tostatura. Al palato risulta morbido e rotondo, di ottima persistenza. 
Segue lingua di vitello, bagnetto verde e melanzana affumicata. 
Spuma di patate, ostrica poch? marinata nel miso e foglia d’oro. 
In degustazione Friuli Isonzo Pinot Grigio DOC ?Dessimis? 2018?– Vie di Romans. Giallo paglierino?con profondi riflessi ramati. Il naso ? inizialmente fruttato, e ricorda il pompelmo rosa, la fragola e i corbezzoli, per poi lasciar percepire anche sfumature vanigliate e floreali. Rotondo e succoso il palato, morbido ed equilibrato, lungo nella persistenza. 
Abbinato a agnolino di piccione e foie gras con tartufo nero. 
Passiamo adesso al meraviglioso e profumato riso al salto alla Milanese con luccioperca al burro e salvia e riduzione di luccioperca montata al burro.?Una vera delizia! 
Degustiamo la birra VAR vpa (varese pale ale) la cui caratteristica ? ha la presenza, in fermentazione, di pesche bianche di Monate (un paese della provincia di Varese). 
Abbinata all’agnolotto del plin ripieno di squauerone, estratto di ricola, prosciutto crudo e brodo vegetale. 
Assaggiamo Pinot Nero Ros? 2019 – Franz Haas. Cristallino, di colore rosa cerasuolo, abbastanza consistente. Abbastanza intenso e complesso. Apre con leggere note vinose ed erbacee, cotinua con note pi? fruttate di ciliegia per chiudere con una piccola speziatura dolce. Un vino fine, secco, fresco e sapido. 
Lo abbiniamo a uno scampo dell’adriatico grigliato crudo con pancarr? tostato alle erbe aromatiche. 
Nizzarda di polpo con pesto leggero, maionese di polpo, patate ratte, fagiolini e fiori di zucca. 
Segue Alto Adige Pinot Nero DOC 2017?– Franz Haas Si presenta con sentori fruttati che ricordano lamponi, marasche e aromi di sottobosco. Si percepiscono profumi di marzapane e marmellata di prugne, a cui si unisce una speziatura di cannella e chiodi di garofano. In degustazione ? fresco e vivace, con tannini eleganti che lo rendono rotondo e armonico, offrendo una beva molto piacevole. 
Triglia scottata in padella con tatin di datterini, olive taggiasche e acqua di pomodoro Camone. 
Ganassino di vitello cotto a 68 gradi per 24 ore con finferli, pur? di patate di montagna e salsa al Gin. 
Gran misto di verdure con melanzane affumicate. 
Ci avviciniamo alla conclusione con un assaggio di: - Moscato d’Asti DOCG “Tacco 12” 2019 – Scarpa
- Elisir Gambrinus 2014 – Gambrinus
E’ il momento dei dessert! Iniziamo con cioccolato bianco, ciliegie e lamponi. 
Millefoglie con crema alla vaniglia bourbon. 
Abbiniamo il prossimo dessert a Salina Passito Malvasia “Capofaro” 2018 – Tenuta Capofaro, Tasca d’Almerita? 
Cr?me Brul?e, caramello salato e passion fruit. 
Frangipane fragole e rabarbaro. 
Perch? no, anche un assaggio di sorbetti! 
Gusti: al mango, alla pesca e basilico e alla albicocca e verbena. 
Mousse al the matcha, ananas spadellato, sorbetto al cocco. 
Un GRANDE GRAZIE e…a presto! Cucina Una proposta, per nulla banale, in cui la tradizione incontra la creativit?, guidando percorsi gastronomici ogni volta diversi ed emozionanti. La cucina di Alberto rispetta la filosofia degli ingredienti come tributo al territorio e alla qualit?, opera infatti con un?attenta scelta della materia e profonda cura della presentazione dei piatti che serve. La sua idea di cucina prevede preparazioni il pi? possibile ?in casa?, per questo la pasta ? freschissima, la panetteria ? operativa ogni giorno e i dolci sfornati con amore nella stessa cucina del Ristorante Panorama Golf. Servizio ed accoglienza Ogni piatto viene servito con passione e professionalit? da uno staff preparato e attento. Con l?arrivo della bella stagione non manca una proposta studiata appositamente per un?aperitivo rigenerante, magari dopo una lunga giornata di lavoro o per iniziare al meglio il weekend. Verrete piacevolmente accolti e accompagnati in un?esperienza a 360? che difficilmente dimenticherete! Conclusione Il Ristorante Panorama Golf con i suoi ampi spazi ? il luogo ideale per un momento di relax, ma anche una?perfetta location per festeggiare una ricorrenza importante. Vincente l?idea di modificare spesso la proposta enogastronomica per accompagnare i clienti in una concreta e non banale esperienza del gusto.  Viaggiatore Gourmet ? Viaggiare, conoscere, esserci!
Ristorante Panorama Golf Wine Bar
Via Belmonte 169 – 21100 Varese
Tel: 0332 335782
E-mail: ?info@ristorantepanoramagolf.it
Sito: www.ristorantepanoramagolf.it?
Pranzo: Tutti i giorni
Cena:?Tutti i giorni tranne il Marted? L'articolo Ristorante Panorama Golf – Varese (VA) – Chef Alberto Broggini proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [08/16/2020, 18:31] | A most unusual Ferragosto | | Ever since I have been decamping to Italy, almost 50 years now, the middle of August (Ferragosto) signaled a time to recharge, rest, play, sun, eat, drink and love. I cannot remember a time in my life when that cycle has been interrupted for so many Italians, and really, anyone who is in Italy in this moment. 2020 - It has been a most unusual Ferragosto.
From what I am reading and seeing from my Italian friends, it?s a mixed bag. The young ones seemingly are unphased over the virus, and if they are economically advantaged, they are enjoying a moment of rare privilege. The older adults in my feed tell a different story. They are exhibiting a more sedate moment in time. After all, 35,000 of their countrymen and women died this year from the virus. It certainly is not anything to celebrate over a bottle of growers Champagne and beluga caviar.
It is as if Italy, and by extension, the western world is split. Many have hunkered down, and are still laying low. It isn?t as if anyone has found a cure. And it isn?t like the virus has magically disappeared.
There are, however, a surplus of folks employing magical thinking about the world they live in. But is that really anything new? Haven?t there always been scores of humans who live in a world of their own facts and fantasies, often with rarely a distinction between the two?
Meanwhile, the grapes are growing. Harvest is coming. And the summer of 2020 will soon fade into the past.
I am not someone who lives in fear of the future. I am hopeful it will be better, but I cannot simply will it to be so by wishing it so. My Italian friends who have vineyards, though, must prepare for harvest, even if the virus is resurgent. Even if there are fewer workers to pick the grapes. And even if the demand for wine in the near future might not be so great. That?s a farmer?s fate.
What will the wines of 2020 be thought of, say, in 2040, or 2060? I won?t be around to find out. And even if I make it to 2040, I will still have wine enough from the 1990?s and the early 2000?s to supply any need for wine. So, once again, I am an observer. As we all are right about now.
What would I like the wines of 2020 to be remembered as? Well, for one, as having been made, first and foremost. Look, 2002 and 2003 were very challenging years. But we made it through them, and the wines that were made, managed to give pleasure to some. Not great, in general, but the show went on.
And in 2020, the show must go on, too. I look forward to Verdicchio, Trebbiano, Soave, Vernaccia. And Pelaverga, Arneis, Barbera, Montepulciano. These, and others, we will be able to dip in and try relatively soon. Maybe even before we find a total solution to this worldwide scourge.
If not, we might have to crash the Ferragosto 2021 party of the young and the privileged, and help them drink all their fancy wine and food that they have so carefully curated, as they are #LivingTheirBestLife somewhere, on a secluded, and, most likely, exquisite island.
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [08/14/2020, 10:14] | Ristorante Cracco ? Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Milano ? Chef Carlo Cracco | | Cuoco e sperimentatore, libero dagli impegni televisivi, quello che abbiamo trovato nel ristorante pi? esclusivo della Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ? un Carlo Cracco ed un gruppo di lavoro in grandissima forma, che ha ritrovato il tempo e l?estro per proporre nuovi piatti, presenti in men? accanto a signature dish immancabili, cui noi, come molti altri, siamo davvero affezionati. Tutte le proposte esprimono sapori decisi e di carattere, partendo dall?ingrediente e raccontando un estro moderno ma con solide radici nella conoscenza della tradizione. Dalla prima colazione al drink serale, Cracco in Galleria ? una realt? gastronomica polivalente, per trasmettere la ricerca costante di un?armonia sospesa tra tradizione e innovazione. La cucina lavora perfettamente anche grazio allo staff di sala, sotto l?attenta regia di Alessandro Troccoli, in grado di accogliere e ricoprire di attenzioni gli ospiti, senza mai essere invadenti.
Cracco In Galleria?sfoggia uno stile, che rende onore alla location, trasmettendo raffinatezza senza eccessi o sbavature. Uno stile ?prettamente milanese? se cos? si pu? dire, l?omaggio di Carlo Cracco a Milano. Archivio storico reportage: ->?Reportage Cracco-Peck del 28 giugno 2006?
->?Reportage del 09 maggio 2007
->?Reportage del 20 gennaio 2009
->?Reportage del 10 ottobre 2009
->?Meeting del 2 dicembre 2009
->?Meeting del 17 novembre 2010
->?Meeting del 9 novembre 2011
->?Reportage del 4 marzo 2013
->?Reportage del 19 ottobre 2015
->?Meeting del 2 dicembre 2015
->?Meeting del 19 luglio 2017
->?Reportage del 15 Maggio 2018?(nuova location)
->?Meeting del 21 Maggio 2018
-> Meeting del 9 Luglio 2019 La squadra Staff di cucina Chef e patron: Carlo Cracco
Chef e Pastry Chef: Luca Sacchi
Sous Chef: Mattia Mangolini Staff di sala Direttore: Alessandro Troccoli
Head Sommelier: GianLuca Sanso
Sommelier: Stefano Attanasio
Chef de Rang: Zoya Kucherova, Niccol? Nowitarger
Demi Chef de Rang: Andrea Alfano, Giada Porri
Commis: Kevin Bagaoisan
Prenotazioni e accoglienza: Francesca Mongiardo, Valeria Corona Uno sguardo in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II di Milano. 
Una foto con lo chef! 
La celeberrima insalata russa caramellata. 
Tartare di carota al sale e aneto. 
La “Caprese“. 
Grissini all?olio extravergine di oliva stirati a mano e ?semolati?. 
Cozze alla marinara. 
Nespole al pepe bianco, ricotta di mandorle e affumicata e basilico. 
“Minestrone” di pesce. 
Gamberi in acqua di mare, tabasco e mela verde. 
“Vignarola” dal nostro orto, capperi e bruscandoli. 
Un’esplosione di colori e sentori perfettamente equilibrati: carpacio di papaya grigliato, frutto della passione e ‘nduja. 
Carpaccio di patata dolce, ortiche e lardo bollito. 
Pane, burro e marmellata! 
Pane farro monococco, la cui ricetta li accompagna dall’apertura, fatto con il loro lievito madre (di ben 60 anni) che vive in acqua e deriva dal ceppo “Morandin” da cui ricavano anche le loro brioches, Veneziane, panettoni e colombe. Un blend di farina di farro monococco e farina tipo 1 macinata a pietra, idratazione? di acqua al 70% Pane maltato ai semi, fatto invece con il lievito “liquido” (Licoli) di 5 anni derivante sempre dal ceppo precedente, che vive costantemente a basse temperature. Farina tipo 1 macinata a pietra e semola di grano duro a cui viene aggiunto un bouchet di semi tra cui di girasole, sesamo, miglio, lino e soja. Idratazione del 75%. 
Raviolo aperto, tuorlo di montagna, erbe di campo, salsa di pomodoro verde e pinoli tostati. 
Tuorlo fondente, albume soffiato, cipolla e pane arso. 
Spaghettone al pesto di capperi, finocchio e sarde. 
Riso mantecato, rapanelli e gorgonzola dolce. 
Dentice arrosto con asparagi al limone e pepe nero, carote e radice di curcuma. 
Rognone di vitello alla senape con rape affumicate al lime e cumino tostato. 
Passiamo ai dessert. Crema “antica” di mascarpone con albicocche alla vaniglia e pepe lungo. 
Ciliegie affogate e granita ai fiori di sambuco. 
Souffl? al frutto della passione, croccante al cacao e gelato alle arachidi salate. 
Cestino di frutta fresca. 
Cioccolato al 72% di cacao, di loro produzione, viene ottenuto tramite la lavorazione di granella tostata di cacao venezuelano Criollo Domori e zucchero semolato di canna. Nato dalla collaborazione instaurata tra l?azienda Domori, i tecnici di Domori, la cucina del ristorante e la sinergia tra Carlo Cracco e Gianluca Franzoni. 
Un grande GRAZIE a tutti! Cucina Una cucina chiara, a volte inaspettata nella location pi? ambita della citt? Meneghina in cui vengono rivisitati i?piatti della cucina tradizionale milanese proponendoli in una chiave contemporanea,?combinando i sapori e giocando sui contrasti per un?esperienza gastronomica decisamente stimolante. Servizio e accoglienza La musica non invadente, l?ambiente prestigioso ed elegante, la solerte discrezione dei camerieri guidati dall?esperte mani di Alessandro Troccoli, direttore di sale, fanno le scintille e rendono l?esperienza indimenticabile. Lo staff ? composto da giovani talenti, in grado di coccolare l?ospite a dovere, tra cui il sommelier GianLuca Sanso che dalla ricca ed attraente cantina allestita al piano inferiore, dentro vetrine in legno d?abete circondate da pareti rosso lacca, gestisce pi? di duemila etichette e diecimila bottiglie. Conclusioni La location estremamente raffinata, senza eccessi o sbavature permea perfettamente nello stile milanese riuscendo a convergere una moltitudine di esperienze da quella della ristorazione gourmet, ad un incontro al Caf?, eventi privati e degustazione in Cantina in un unico ambiente con estremo successo. Viaggiatore Gourmet ? Viaggiare, conoscere, esserci! Ristorante Cracco
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – 20121 Milano
Tel. (+39) 02 876774
Il ristorante ? chiuso il sabato a pranzo e la domenica tutto il giorno. Il caff? ? aperto tutti i giorni dalle 8 alle 24.
E-mail:?prenotazioni@ristorantecracco.it
Sito internet:?www.ristorantecracco.it 
L'articolo Ristorante Cracco – Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Milano – Chef Carlo Cracco proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [08/13/2020, 10:37] | 954mo Meeting @ Ristorante Piccolo Lago ? Mergozzo (VB) ? Chef Marco Sacco | | Al?Piccolo Lago?ci sentiamo sempre come in famiglia, anche per questo Meeting abbiamo avuto l?occasione di pranzare in una delle location pi? suggestive e affascinanti d?Italia. Una cucina dai sapori autentici e un servizio rassicurante, caratteristiche proprie di un pranzo in famiglia. Lo Chef Marco Sacco, promotore della valorizzazione del patrimonio dei prodotti ittici del lago, offre una cucina meditata in cui spazia tra i grandi classici e l?innovazione. Non si pu? non rimanere affascinati da questo luogo incantato circondato dall?acqua dolce, a due passi da Verbania, con la vista mozzafiato delle montagne all?orizzonte. Archivio storico reportage: ->?Reportage del 24 Giugno 2006
->?Reportage del 14 Ottobre 2006
->?Reportage del 31 Luglio 2008
->?Reportage del 10 Dicembre 2010
->?Meeting del 4 Maggio 2011
->?Meeting del 7 Dicembre 2011
->?Meeting del 23 Maggio 2012?
->?Meeting del 5 Dicembre 2012?
->?Meeting dell?8 Maggio 2013?
->?Meeting del 4 Dicembre 2013?
->?Meeting del 13 Giugno 2015
->?Reportage del 24 Marzo 2016
->?Meeting del 25 Giugno 2016
->?Meeting del 1? Luglio 2017
->?Meeting del 30 Giugno 2018
-> Reportage del 11 Luglio 2019 La squadra Lo staff di cucina Chef/Patron:?Marco Sacco
Executive chef:?Silvestro Zanella?e?Francesco Mirolla
Pastry chef:?Marco Pasquettin Lo staff di sala Restaurant Manager:?Raffaella Marchetti
Ma?tre:?Giacomo Pagani
Ma?tre events:?Francesco Fiore
Sommelier:?Alessandro Mantovani, Sayaka Anzai, Camilla Mora 
Il tavolo dei Viaggiatori Gourmet! 
Il benvenuto dello chef vista lago! 
Lo chef Marco Sacco ci porta a fare un giro al lago. 
L’entrata del ristorante… 
Iniziamo con pesce crudo del Mediterraneo e ostriche accompagnate a un Americano base White Vermouth Carlo Alberto e bitter Rouge Red. 
La portata viene finalizzata al tavolo con Olio EVO Embrace a filo per esaltare i sapori... 
Iniziamo con un calice di Franciacorta Sat?n DOCG ?Vintage Collection? 2014 Magnum – Ca’ Del Bosco Si presenta di colore giallo dorato, leggero, attraversato da un perlage fine e sottile. Al naso si avvertono note fruttate e leggeri ricordi di confetti e pasticceria. Al palato ? di buon corpo, con un sorso sapido e fresco, che sul finale evidenzia un gusto leggermente agrumato. 
Il pane viene servito ancora caldo. Tipologie di pane:?di segale a lievitazione naturale,?grissini all?olio, cracker alla brace con olio alle erbe e fiocchi di sale. 
Iniziamo con “La Piola” Piemontese: una selezione di portate che rievocano la convivialit?, da dividere tra i commensali scambiandosi i piatti. Vediamoli nel dettaglio: porcini, grana, fagiolini al basilico, olio al prezzemolo. 
Vitello tonnato. 
Carpione di lavarello e verdure. 
Insalata russa. 
A seguire un calice di Franciacorta Brut DOCG ?Vintage Collection? 2014 Magnum – Ca? del Bosco Alla vista si presenta giallo paglierino, leggermente dorato. Il perlage ? fine e persistente. Al naso si avvertono interessanti sentori che di frutta a guscio, lieviti, pasticceria e leggeri accenni agli agrumi. Un vino di buon corpo, ampio e con un sorso elegantemente sapido, persistente anche nel finale. 
Piattooo! Proseguiamo con la condivisione: prima frittura di lago e la nostra Partner Prime Water Filette. 
Seconda golosa frittura di lago con patate croccanti, zucchine e menta! 
Degustiamo ora Franciacorta Dosaggio Z?ro DOCG ?Vintage Collection? 2014 Magnum – Ca? del Bosco Di colore giallo paglierino carico, attraversato da un perlage?fine e persistente. Al naso si avvertono sentori fruttati, arricchiti da note di crosta di pane e lievi accenni di nocciola. Al palato ? pieno e rotondo, di ottimo corpo, regalando una piacevole nota pi? amara nel retrogusto. 
In abbinamento le cremosissime linguine, bisque di crostacei, scampi marinati al limone candito e salsa d’anemone di mare servita nella Pentola d’Oro Agnelli. 
Lo staff di cucina impiatta in sala davanti ai Viaggiatori Goumet! 
Con noi non avanza mai niente! Scarpetta direttamente dalla pentola! 
In abbinamento con la prossima portata Curtefranca Rosso DOC ?Corte del Lupo? 2016 Magnum – Ca? del Bosco Alla vista si presenta di colore rosso rubino profondo. Al naso si percepiscono intense note fruttate impreziosite da sentori terziari, derivanti dal periodo di affinamento trascorso in legno. Il palato ? caratterizzato da una bella armonia in perfetto equilibrio gusto-olfattivo. 
Sentori marini intensi regalati dall’anguilla e verdure alla brace accompagnata da salsa agli agrumi. 
Piattoooo! 
Tutto il sapore dell’estate, un piatto fresco, ben pensato che non stanca mai: mozzarella e pomodori… 
Cotoletta di vitello su pur? di patate e fiocchi di sale con pomodorini e anelli di cipolla. 
In abbinamento Moscato d’Asti DOCG “Sant’Ilario” – Ca’ d’Gal Giallo paglierino intenso con riflessi dorati. Al naso ? ampio ed elegante, con note di pesca gialla, albicocca e acacia. Al palato si apre dolce, vanta una buona acidit??non invadente, di buona e persistente freschezza. 
E’ il momento del dessert! Gineprozzo: maritozzo aromatizzato al genepy, gelato fior di latte e frutti di bosco. 
Per concludere una generosa spolverata di zucchero a velo! 
Gelato alla pesca! 
Un bis di frutti di bosco! 
Concludiamo con un gin tonic con scorza di limone defaticante, vista lago! 
Un GRANDE GRAZIE come sempre e…a presto! Per la prossima tappa aspettiamo anche te! Viaggiatore Gourmet Ristorante Piccolo Lago
28924 Verbania (VB)
Via Filippo Turati, 87
Tel. +39 0323 586792
Aperto tutte le sere da martedi a domenica, sabato e domenica anche a pranzo
E-mail:?info@piccololago.it
Sito internet:?www.piccololago.it L'articolo 954mo Meeting @ Ristorante Piccolo Lago – Mergozzo (VB) – Chef Marco Sacco proviene da ViaggiatoreGourmet alias AltissimoCeto!. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [08/13/2020, 05:34] | #TBT - Master Class in Indigenous Wines ~ As Taught by a Donkey, a Rooster and the Spirit of Place | | #TBT - from the archives
There are aspects to life that don?t travel so well on the road. One of them is the lack of interaction with creatures other than humans. Maybe it is a pet, or the birds in one?s back yard, any number of life forms that constitute the daily connections one has, sometimes not even thinking about it. The other, if one is so inclined, is the interplay one has with nature, the grounded lifeforms that don?t move. Maybe it is a tree, or a bush, a plant with fruit or vegetables. And while traveling, those elements that form part of the identity of one?s life, be it only an inner one, they aren?t able to be packed into the suitcase.
This week, in and around Bari in Southern Italy, has been a wonderful experience tasting many wines from indigenous varieties, thanks to all the great folks at Radici Del Sud. Meeting people, some old friends, and some new, getting them to tell their story, opening a wine or two, an immersion of sorts. It has been a really great way to have an exposure to a world that is vibrant, and to a large part, unknown to wine drinkers back in places like Texas, or for that part, California and New York. These aren?t household names, Susumaniello, Nerello Mascalese, Verdeca, Aglianico, Nero di Troia, Minutolo. Oh yes, the somm-set or the wine geeks are fully briefed on these matters. But for the other 99.9%, these are exotic, foreign, unknown.
While at one of these tastings, there came a point when the introvert within pulled the car over to the road and had a little talk with me. ?Look, this is all fine, but you?ve got to give me a moment to breathe. Meeting 35 people in 2 hours and having them tell us their story, and taste their wine, well, it?s taxing. I need to step way for a moment and recharge.?
We were in Minervino Murge at Masseria Barbera, tasting Nero di Troia, Primitivo and other indigenous wines. All well and good, but the alcohol was searing my throat. I needed a breather. So I quietly slipped off from the group for a moment and walked outside to smell the rosemary.
Once outside, the forces of nature led me in a new degustation; a little like tasting a wine, but the glass is a bit larger. Here a kitten searching for the warmth of her mother?s bosom. There is the bouquet of wild flowers gathered by a darkly tanned man, the same one who rakes the rocks with a handmade tool, smoothing them out with as much intent as a Zen monk in his rock garden.
Walk a little ways and there is a secret little pine forest, where the breeze choreographs the branches beyond anything Diaghilev dared dream possible. In the middle is a worn down stone trough, perhaps carved hundreds of years ago by a soul who could never have dreamed what the 21st century would bring. Nonetheless, his (or her) influences, their touch, still makes an impression across the span of those many years.
A ways off, there is the call of a peacock, the nervous murmur of the chicken, the assertive alarm the rooster makes to all those under his care, all assembled in their courtyard, taking on the seeds and the little dramas of their daily lives.
Nearby is Maria Pia, the chef?s solitary donkey, penned in and shaking off the flies that swirl around her legs, eyes and back. How patient she is. She comes up to me, looks me in the eye, and that missing connection, one that is had at home with the cat or the dog, is made. ?Tell me about your land, Maria Pia,? I ask her with my eyes. And her eyes answer back. And we walk alongside each other for a moment, before another tree, a peach or a plant, a wild artichoke, calls me over to tell me their story.
And so it goes.
Understanding wine, especially esoteric ones that showcase the distinctive richness of Italy, isn?t always just a matter of tasting them. What makes these wines so unique are also the little swirling stories around the wines. If one is to understand Nero di Troia or Primitivo, I need to also know what the animals think is important about this place, what compels the cardoon to grow abundantly in the clearing, why the peaches here are so sweet and so close to the sea at that. Then I can try to ask myself what is this Nero di Troia, what is this Minutolo, and perhaps find a better understanding of why they have decided to live out their life here, while I flit about the earth, from place to place, missing what it is I have left behind.
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| [08/09/2020, 16:38] | Taking one's place along the river | | ?All we are not stares back at what we are.? - W.H. Auden
What are we looking for? Whether it is in a vineyard or a desert? In a lover or in the mirror? On the road or self-quarantined? What do we expect to find? What has been lost? Where is this all leading to?
You?re staring at a TV screen for months and the story is laced with fear and woe. The next day, you?re sitting behind a windshield, and the landscape of the great American West is cascading by you at 60-70-80 miles per hour. Inescapable though, is the hope that ?the crisis? is far away. The land, the great healer, is now weaving the tales, and it is long, and hot, but endurable. I say this with gratitude, that one can witness this other side of the world we live in.
That couldn?t always be said for how we encountered this land, 200-100-50 years ago. I drove through New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Nevada, in the span of one day. Now, all I have to do is get to Oregon.
It?s a strange rhythm that invades my little ecosystem in the car. After three days, and over 2,300 miles, it begins to feel like one is in another reality. Driving through the states I drove through, there was this intensified energy, like I?ve felt nowhere else on earth.
Growing up on the west coast, there is an inexorable gravitational pull from the coastline. Maybe the present moment doesn?t provide the best juncture for a breather. Nonetheless, it?s happening.
Although Oregon isn?t the final destination on this journey, it is a short layover. After driving three long days, through mostly desert, the lakes, rivers, forests and mountains of Oregon will provide a cooler breathing space.The sound of the road relieved by the sound of the river.
It was as if, while on the road, the problems that bombard us on the screens weren?t there. But they didn?t really go away, did they?
That is one of the questions that comes to the surface, as I put the car in park and pull over for the day.
I opened a bottle of wine, while the river below bubbled and swirled. Rosabella it was called, and it was both ros? and beautiful, as the Italian name connotes. The wine was slightly petillant with a mid-summer?s blush. It tasted like a peach, was all I wanted in a bottle of wine, or, from a summer day. It was drinking marvelously right now. It had that perfect blush peach color with aromas of fresh berries. The flavors, dry and crisp, but in its youthful stage, were vibrant and vivacious. A perfect drink for the moment.
The full moon of Oregon?s July was waning, but still burned bright in the western sky. The nearby river was churning, with the Cutthroat trout in the last throes of procreation on the shallow beds of gravel at the river bottom. Unlike their cousins, the Pacific salmon, they do not die after they spawn. Lucky them. They?ll have another go at it, next year. Will we?
Calmness, comfort and communion with the nature all around me. I drove to find this, not knowing I was looking for it. Often, I would find this, in the past, in Italy. In a meal, in the sharing of a bottle of wine, in the rapport of friendship and community. But now, on a smaller, more intimate scale. Just that which is presented before me, Nature in all her grand efflorescence.
I slept as if dead to the outside world. It was curative and invigorating. I was ready to take on the day. Again, not knowing what to look for. But to make the stab, one more time. What funny creatures we humans be.
Now, Italy has receded into the rear-view mirror of the past. The Italy I know faded away as soon as I saw it. The endless files of photographs from the past attest to a place that once existed. Now, only in our memories and in the old films of the time. I?ve been watching a lot of them, trying to reconnect with the Italy I fell in love with.
But when something dies, do you stop loving it? Or, do you stop loving the living? The wine we drank last year is gone. The wine in the cellar awaits. That is the Italy that, even though it will never be the same, I will love it as it presents itself to me in all its guises and contours.
?Love each other or perish? - W.H.Auden
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| [08/02/2020, 20:03] | The valley between the mountains | | "Gone to look for America"
The assistant at the hotel reception desk in Farmington was Navaho. He bore familiar marks of his tribe, even shielded by a mask. He was friendly, asked me where I was from and where I was going. ?Made it here from Texas. Dallas. Heading to the Pacific Northwest. Hoping to make it as far as Elko, Nevada today. Ruby Valley nearby, great place.? His attention had wandered after Dallas. Maybe he had other things on his mind. In New Mexico, where Native Americans are 9 percent of the population, they make up 75 percent of the state?s deaths. And with Covid19, that number wasn?t decreasing anytime soon, from what I witnessed the day before.
I was in for a long haul today and needed to get on the road. I had several states to plough through.
Colorado came up fast and disappeared in the rear-view mirror almost as rapidly. I was cutting through a corner of the state. But the part of Utah which bordered Colorado was gorgeous, even if it seemed deserted at 9AM on a Monday morning.
So many years I?d gotten onto the freeway for work on a Monday, only to stop and slow and then wait for the bottleneck to clear up several miles down the road. Just so I could get to the office and try and figure out how to get more people to order and buy and drink Soave, Verdicchio, Chianti and Nero d?Avola. Those days are also in the rear-view mirror, fortunately. I?m free from the daily toll of convincing buyers and consumers that Italian wine is just as good as French or California wine. Now it seems more like folly than livelihood. For the journeymen and women knee-deep in the must of their careers, it isn?t, it?s serious stuff. Yeah, serious stuff.
Utah eventually flattened out around 11 AM. An inversion layer was building around Salt Lake City, as the temperature outside rose to almost 100?F. The shock of seeing (barely) a city in this desert woke me up. I drove on, past the never-ending Salt Lake, until I saw the welcome sign for Nevada.
I was close to Elko, and even though the day was not even close to being over, I decided to take a run around the town. I?d first been there in 1971. A college friend was from there, and one Thanksgiving I was invited to join her family for the holiday.
In August of 1971 I?d first set foot on Italian soil. The experience still lit me up, electrified me into November when we drove across Nevada, without speed limits at the time. It was nothing to go 100 mph on Interstate 80. And my friend?s Challenger, a 70?s pony car, was definitely up for the drive at any speed. This was better than the autostrada. Way better.
Once we arrived to Elko and settled in, my friends parents asked me if I?d like to go out into the country to their ranch for a day. Why not? I had no idea what awaited me.
Well, really no one was waiting. I was crashing their party. More like hindering their work. The ranch manager, Frank Temoke, was also the hereditary chief of the Western Shoshoni.
My recollection of Frank was that he was a strong person. He also didn?t talk much. But he was warm and friendly to this tenderfoot. They found a horse for me, Buck, who had a sweet temperament. It had been snowing, lightly, and the temperature was in the low 40?s. So, moving around on a horse kept my mind off of the cold.
After Frank and his crew rounded up a few cattle, he wanted to show me an area nearby. We were in the Ruby Valley, between the Ruby Mountains and Pearl Peak. This was long a Native American place. The white men who came did their best to subjugate the indigenous folks. In 1971 there was still a long way to go before there would be social justice. 50 years later, it?s as if we?ve gone backwards. And we have. But back in 1971, for one brief afternoon, I was riding Buck and following Frank to a grove of pine trees.
?We?ll stop here awhile. Frank started bending down to pick up little nuts. ?Depa,? he said. ?Maybe you know them as pine nuts.? Indeed. Pine nuts were important to Italians as well as the Shoshoni. Frank gather several handfuls, made a quick campfire and scattered them in a skillet to roast. And we sat out among the fire roasting the pine nuts, cracking them and eating them, while he told me stories of this place he called home country.
These ancient memories were emblazoned upon my psyche, and the photographs made that day aid in the recollection. Always with a camera. Wherever the trail may lead.
Back in 2020, as I pulled back on the highway, I looked over at the direction of Ruby Valley and the Ruby Mountains. How could 50 years have passed that fast, as the car reached 75 mph heading west, chasing the sun.
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| [07/26/2020, 05:00] | Looking for another mountain | | "Gone to look for America"
Driving through the Texas Panhandle seemed interminable. Speed up, slow down, pass through a little town. Bogdanovich redux. And repeat. Until the border. The further north and west one goes in Texas, the more red-hot it gets. And flat. Not to say there?s no life out there. There must be some life worth preserving, why else would everyone need a gun, as the endless billboards proclaim? That part of Texas is locked in a scenario that time has passed by. Every town is portraying their version of Mayfield. Everyone?s parents are Ozzie and Harriet. There is no pandemic. There is no need for a mask. Move along, nothing to see here. Leave us alone. Go back home. Leave it to Jesus.
One town I drove by, Memphis, looked like a set-in-waiting for a Sergio Leone revival. I could hear Morricone?s soundtrack as I crawled, at 35 miles per hour, through the place. Glen Rio, New Mexico was still 2+ hours away, as Elvis crooned Heartbreak Hotel on Spotify.
This week a young friend texted me and wanted to talk. I gave young friend a call. ?I want you to know I love you as a friend. But you are one privileged sonofabitch, being able to drive around like you did and then write about it as if there wasn?t anything else going on in the world.? ?Like what?? I asked. ?Like how are we young parents going to get back to work and how are we going to be able to educate our young children safely?? Young friend had a good point. I promised I would try and check my privilege (and enthusiasm) safely from the keyboard.
New Mexico finally appeared. It was noon, the day was heating up. My little car was cool as a cucumber. I pressed on, thinking maybe get to Albuquerque, or Santa Fe before calling it a day. But Albuquerque just sailed on by the windshield. And somewhere along the way north, the junction to Santa Fe went unnoticed. I was moving well, within the law, was it ever gonna get dark? Why not press on to Farmington, see if I could make some tracks?
Highway 550 from Bernalillo to Farmington goes through the heart of Navaho country. The road was nearly deserted on the Sunday after July 4th. It was eerie.
Even more so with the outdoor signs dotting the road and entrances to the pueblos, urgently advising Native Americans to stay home, don?t venture out, this is a real emergency. Virus outbreaks in the pueblos, and in Sandoval county, where I was driving through, had been ravaging the Navaho Nation.
I?m not a Native American. But I am an American who is native to this country. I?m not claiming to be anything I?m not, but I feel this. It was as if the constant sun of noon had gone behind a larger-than-life moon. It was a dark ride. I could hear souls crying, lamenting one more incursion, this one as deadly as the ones before, ever since the Spanish conquistadors arrived here 400 years ago. ?Nothing but death and destruction, they bring,? one soul whispered in my ear, as I slowed down for a curve ahead. I wanted to turn around, go home and put my head under the covers.
But I couldn?t. My young friend might say ?That?s because your white privilege, just like those Spanish bastards, gives you license to push on, while the Navaho Nation must shelter and wait for the virus to move on.?
I was looking for another mountain, one apart from the mountain I climbed as a father, a husband, an employee, a son, a brother. It was out there, in the guise of a deferred vision quest. ?See,? I?d tell my young friend, ?I?ve gone from Kerouac to He?Mene Mox.? I imagine my young friend responding with a phrase not printable here.
But there was no turning back.
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| [07/19/2020, 17:39] | Finding a new Italy while "gone to look for America" | | It must have been on the last leg of my road trip around America, when I realized the Italy I was missing was passing by me at 75 miles an hour. How could it be? I wasn?t in Piedmont or Tuscany, Sicily or Abruzzo. I was somewhere between Utah and Colorado. It was the American West, not the Old World. There were no ancient buildings. But there were scores of ancient rocks, mounds, mesas, mountains. It was a bit disconcerting. There were no plethora of wineries, although there were the occasional ones.
No, it was something else I had tapped into. It was the road. The trail. The journey.
All those times in Italy, we were going from one place to another, visiting wineries. Long hauls of 5-6 hours, going from Tuscany to Calabria, Alto-Adige to the Marche. Drive, drive, drive. Italy as a series of roads and autostradas, all the way down to narrow little lanes. Going from fast (140kph+) to a gravity defying crawl up a goat trail. All for the sake of wine.
Now it was different. It wasn?t about wine. Or Italy. I?d decided after the 4th of July to take a road trip to check in on an elder sister. She was about 2,200 miles from me. So, I was looking at a round trip of 4,400 miles, door to door to door. 69 hours of driving time. And when it would be completed, those 69 hours of drive time, I?d arrive at the very same age, for the plan was to be back in Texas for my birthday. It seemed so predesigned, so symmetrical, well-proportioned. So intentional. It wasn?t. But it was an odyssey of sorts.
I?d driven around America in the past. You know, the Kerouac-ian adventure with several buddies. Stopping in towns one would never had deigned to go. But we hit the road, all ?gone to look for America,? as the song went.
Now, 40+ years later, solo, with my little car packed with dried fruits and nuts and jerky and water (still and sparkling), and my towels and hand sanitizer and masks and podcasts and playlists, and the new Bob Dylan CD just for old time analog?s sake. I was getting up close and personal with my windshield.
It wasn?t so much where I was going, or even what I was going to do, as much as just the sheer act of getting out in the world in a time when there is so much upheaval, so much apprehension, so many people wanting answers and so many answers which aren?t addressing the real issues in our world. But the world wasn?t crashing in on me. In fact, I didn?t mind the four months of self-quarantine. I mean by that, while the world was experiencing unimaginable upheaval (and still is) I managed to get out of the way and tether my boat to an eddy on the river. I?d wait it out, be a good citizen, and let the storm rage above.
And it was so, just like that.
And then it wasn?t, for two weeks. I was venturing out from the cave, even though I saw blood on the ground in front of it. It was dried blood, I told myself, as I put my vehicle in drive and headed west.
The rhythm of the road soon replaced the ones we?d adopted early on in 2020. I had plenty of food and water, so no need to stop for them. Only for gasoline, the occasional pit stop and a resting spot. I could do this. With cameras charged up and SD cards empty, I had endless opportunities to take photos along the way, if I so desired. But I placed no demands upon myself, save for getting from point A to point B and so on. Without any rush, but also not to dawdle.
That rhythm I mentioned above? It kicked in, and with it, a mindscape that was alert but calm. It was all passing before my eyes. I searched for the apt metaphors, and probably should have written them down (or recorded them), but I didn?t. I just wanted to be unencumbered, wanted to see the America that was right in front of me, without making a fuss about it, bypassing any interface with my ego. I played one of my favorite roles in life, that of the invisible man. At 75 miles per hour.
And that?s where I?ll leave it for now. This was a long trip, and not one that can be approached in one blog post. There?ll be more. Soon.
wine blog + Italian wine blog + Italy W | | TrackBack | | | |
| [06/11/2020, 09:44] | Cronache della fase due. Nelle Cinque Terre, per vigneti e terrazzamenti | | La festa della Repubblica, il 2 giugno, ? stata l'occasione propizia per la prima uscita dopo-lockdown, e nello spirito localista che animava ancora la normativa di quei giorni, solo le gite regionali erano concesse: ? un segno, ho pensato, me ne sto nella mia Liguria - a Vernazza, nelle Cinque Terre, per la precisione, dove c'? la cantina di Cheo. Quanto tempo ? che rimandavo? Troppo. E dire che sono un po' di anni che quel cinqueterre ? uno dei miei vini del cuore. Anzi, come fosse un wine blog, ecco gli assaggi recenti.
Cinque Terre Perci? 2019. Che deve il suo nome al contadino che conduceva quel (micro) vigneto prima di Bartolomeo Lercari, che con la signora Lise Bertram oggi manda avanti l'azienda. Quello aveva un intercalare, diceva sempre "perci?", e tac, ecco fatto il nome del cru. Che contiene tra l'altro un vitigno un po' inedito, il piccabun. Il risultato ? un biancone fragrantissimo, tutto mare e luce, e non sono condizionato dalle visioni del panorama. Fiori frutti e salsedine, in bocca guizza come un'acciuga. Vabbe' sono un po' condizionato.
Liguria di Levante Rosso 2018. E a proposito di vitigni insoliti, Cheo ha un bel po' di filari di refosco dal peduncolo rosso, gambu russu lo chiama, finiti su queste terrazze a causa di un'ascendenza friulana tra i parenti. Assieme c'? syrah e cabernet sauvignon, si fa un anno met? in barrique e met? in acciaio, poi in bottiglia. Il risultato (again) ? un rosso esorbitante di frutti e succo, davvero una roba pi? unica che rara per le Cinque Terre (qui ho peraltro messo la mia rece su Intralcio) e per me ? stato ammore con due emme a prima vista. Mai pi? senza.
Vi risparmio la rece sul loro Sciacchetr? 2017 perch? ho finito le esagerazioni. Negli appunti per la prossima Guida Essenziale ai Vini d'Italia che ? in lavorazione ho scritto, tra l'altro: "bocca dalla dolcezza gloriosa, miele amaro e inedita astringenza, potenza in equilibrio con un corroborante finale di freschezza agrumata". A volte faccio l'assaggiatore serio.
Ma di un tour del genere, quel che merita sono i paesaggi. I terrazzamenti delle vigne a picco sul mare danno dignit? di fotografo pure a un incapace, quindi come se fosse un photoblog ecco un po' di immagini.
Sulla spiaggia di Vernazza potreste scorgere la lussuosa imbarcazione aziendale dei titolari. Il tipico gozzo ligure
Il panorama dai vigneti, sopra Vernazza
Il panorama come sopra, col particolare dei carrelli della monorotaia che ci porta quass?. Bello ripido, eh
Bartolome Lercari
Una botticella che contiene Sciacchetr?
La cantina, con gli spazi ristretti, tipicamente Cinque Terre
Ultimo ma non ultimo: per salire fin lass? serve accomodarsi (si fa per dire) sui carrelli della monorotaia che risale i pendii. E come fosse un videoblog, ecco com'? stare l? sopra.
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| [05/06/2020, 15:02] | Fase due, e altre forme di Intralcio | | Ora che ? iniziata la fase due, sto in enoteca con un orario quasi normale - pomeriggio, ma anche la mattina quando capita. Sempre meglio che far niente, e comunque mi piace stare qua, nel mio luogo deputato, nella mia enoteca. Anzi, in un momento di incoscienza, sto dilapidando gli ultimi spiccioli in acquisti di nuovi vini - ne riparleremo. Mi piace, come sempre, far entrare cose nuove, ed ora pi? che mai compro cose che mi piacciono o che mi sarebbe piaciuto comprare, solo rimandavo perch? boh, aspettavo tempi migliori. Ma 'sti benedetti tempi migliori non arrivano mai, tanto vale buttarsi avanti. E siccome sono un enotecaro indie, compro e vendo quel che mi va, a volte faccio entrare etichette che i clienti guardano un po' sconcertati: ma questo che ?? Perch? ce l'hai? La risposta a queste domande, il racconto, ? una delle cose divertenti del mio lavoro.
Con il dovuto ritardo, manco avessi molte cose da fare, annuncio anche che ? partito il progetto di Intralcio, un nome a caso, un ripostiglio di appunti di assaggio ad opera di una squadra molto nutrita (doppi sensi) di assaggiatori. Nel manifesto c'? spiegato cosa io, e tutti quanti, facciamo l?: riversiamo assaggi. Non ? un blog (basta, abbiamo gi? dato) e non ? nemmeno un magazine. E' un posto dove mettere quelle cose che forse buttavamo un po' incoscientemente nelle reti sociali, Facebook soprattutto, e lasciavamo che l? tutto affondasse nel nulla. Ecco cos'ha di buono (tra le altre cose) Intralcio, non ? una rete sociale, siccome di quelle reti sociali io ne ho davvero abbastanzissima. Molto tempo fa scrivevo qui il perch?. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [04/06/2020, 13:57] | Cronache dall'Area X. Oppure: vini da bere a casa | | Raro caso di post in cui ci sono due titoli, il secondo ? quello sensato. Il primo si riferisce al libro che sto leggendo, e sembrava comunque riferibile ai tempi che viviamo. L'enoteca durante il lockdown resta chiusa se non in modalit? on demand, cio? su appuntamento, oppure con consegna a domicilio: basta una telefonata e si decide assieme che vi pu? servire (a proposito, il mio cellulare ? sempre: 347 5566554). Comunque sia venerd? che sabato prossimi l'enoteca ? aperta con orario pomeridiano, 16-19,30, che hey, arriva Pasqua.
Nel frattempo che si beve, chiusi a casa? Difficile fare una statistica ma in generale a me pare che stia fissando una specie di tendenza. Nel cartoncino da sei bottiglie, che viene acquistato per la consegna a domicilio, normalmente ci stanno un paio di rossi leggeri, un paio di bianchi altrettanto, una bottiglia di bollicine e un rosso, o bianco, un po' pi? importante e/o tosto. Si copre, all'incirca, il fabbisogno della settimana - che, lo sapete, dovete bere poco. Lo sapete, vero?
Il magazzino non si rifornisce facile, data la situazione (non ho ancora scritto coronavirus e scusate, mi faccio i complimenti da solo). Un po' per fortuna e un po' perch? a me le cose easy piacciono, combinazione di 'sti tempi ho trovato le due etichette che vedete in immagine, e taac, sono davvero i vini che servono, adesso. E infatti si avviano ad essere best seller - o almeno, io me lo auguro, ecco.
Roagna, il nome del produttore, non ? quel Roagna di Langa, quello superfigo e costoso, ? Giuseppe Roagna, quell'altro, area Roero. per la precisione, abbiamo:
Langhe Dolcetto 2018. Finalmente un tono alcolico non ingombrante, 12,5%, che mi consente di iniziare una scheda con il grado, cosa che non faccio mai. La leggiadria ? la cifra di questo rosso fragrante e croccante, coi tannini accennati e un finale di mandorlina che innamora. Jolly per molti abbinamenti possibili, compagno di tavola confortante. Di questi tempi, poi. Prezzo: euro 10,80.
Langhe Favorita 2018. "Attento a quel che cerchi, potresti trovarlo". Io cercavo un bianco fine e teso, appena petillant (eh s?, l'hanno imbottigliato con un soffio di bollicine, solo un soffio), con frutta bianca e freschezza scattante in bocca, che il bicchiere finisse in un sorso solo. Ol?, trovato, adesso devo resistere alla tentazione di aprirne un'altra bottiglia. Sui nove euro.
E questi sono solo due esempi. Restate a casa, bevete poco ma insomma, bevete bene, e per ogni altra cosa restiamo a disposizione. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [03/20/2020, 10:42] | Cronache da qui, puntata indefinita | | Sta finendo la seconda settimana di fermo, e non credo che vedremo presto la fine. La cosa peggiore, ammesso che si riesca a fare una classifica, ? non capire bene quando finir?. Tanto vale attenersi a quel che dicono i dottori, e non uscire, stare a casa il pi? possibile e resistere. Per quanto mi riguarda so che posso reggere su tempi lunghi, in questo genere di prove, ma appunto: quanto lunghi? Pure il mio lavoro non regger? questo fermo per molto. Ma adesso non ci penso.
Intanto leggo, guardo film e serie (come tutti quelli che conosco, direi) e bevo cose messe via o pescate a caso nella mia enoteca. Anche il lavoro, fermo com'?, ? una scusa per uscire se e quando c'? un cliente che ti chiama per una fornitura. E comunque esco col senso di colpa. Ieri sera ho risentito la lumassina (rifermentazione naturale in bottiglia) di Cascina Prai? (prodotta assieme a Sancio, raro caso di collaboration tra cantine) ed ? stata decisamente una bevuta confortevole e confortante. Soprattutto, ? sempre la solita storia del vino che quando arriva in enoteca ? poco pronto, ma dagli un po' di tempo e taac, diventa un capolavoro. Peccato che sia anche finito. Davvero, questo 2017 appena arrivato era tipicamente citrino, immaginate un succo di lime alcolico ed effervescente. Ieri sera invece era disteso e complesso.
Bevuto nel gotto sbagliato apposta, niente calice da assaggio: non si tratta di abbruttimento da casalinghitudine, era pi? una scelta ideologica, essendo quello vino contadino e retr?, ci voleva il bicchieraccio proletario. Quindi ? un'altra forma di snobismo, s | | TrackBack | | | |
| [03/16/2020, 14:56] | Tutti a casa | | Alla fine pure qui si cede al virus, e si sta a casa. Direi che non serve spiegare quale virus, nemmeno si sente il bisogno di scrivere ancora mezza parola in pi? su quel che succede - e su quanto surreale e pazzesco sia tutto. Che poi, in effetti, nemmeno ho idea di quanto tutto sia in corso di sovversione e cambiamento. Come cambieranno le cose, da adesso in poi? Non sono in grado di formulare risposte. Posso immaginare scenari, e non mi piacciono. Cerco di ridurre al minimo il rumore di fondo, e questo post serve solo per annunciare che l'enoteca ? chiusa fino a nuovo ordine. Sono possibili acquisti su appuntamento, e/o consegne a domicilio (gratis) chiamando il numero 374 5566554.
Lavorare, cio? stare aperti, con un clima da coprifuoco era impossibile. E probabilmente non aveva gran che senso: per ora ? chiaro che stare a casa previene le possibilit? di trasmissione e contagio, quindi per la salute mia e di tutti, ? meglio ridurre in ogni modo le occasioni di uscita. E fine.
Quindi tutti a casa, anche io. Credo che sar? un periodo interessante, mi dedicher? alle letture e prover? a tenere un diario. Magari, anche, delle cose che bevo e leggo, a partire dall'immagine l? sopra, pescata a caso nella mia galleria del cellulare (in questi giorni pure troppe foto cos?, ho inserito). Esco solo nelle situazioni consigliate (o consentite), lavoro ad un nuovo progetto, vivo e attendo. Spero tutto bene anche voi. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [01/24/2020, 14:11] | Grillo, nel senso del Rossese di Dolceacqua (non quell'altro) | | I lavori in corso per il prossimo Genova Wine Festival hanno lati positivi e divertenti. Per esempio si cercano, e si trovano, aziende nuove e inedite. Succede anche di trovare un produttore del quale non ci sono nemmeno due righe sull'internez. Mai recensito, sconosciuto. Sito in costruzione. E allora che si fa? Facciamo noi il primo passo.
Grillo ha due ettari di vigneto nella zona del Dolceacqua (Rossese di). L'azienda in realt? fa olio, il vino ? un fatto recente - e almeno quel sito esiste. "La passione per il nostro territorio ci ha invogliato a creare un'azienda vitivinicola, che si estende per due ettari, dove nasce la nostra produzione di Rossese". E fine della presentazione, non male come minimalismo ligure, vero?
Quindi che vuoi fare, assaggiamo. Ho aperto i vini in due riprese. Prima il Rossese di Dolceacqua Superiore 2018, che dal colore profondo si annuncia un po' stipicizzato, se per tipico intendiamo il colore scarico. Il naso segue a ruota, pi? frutta che scattanza, ma comunque bella bevibilit?, certo non pesante nell'esecuzione (per fortuna). Piacevole, e da risentire. Il Rossese "base", o classico, sempre 2018, aperto il giorno dopo ha dato una gran bella prova, forse anche pi? attraente, adesso, rispetto al pur buono Superiore: ? scarico al colore e il naso ? un mix un po' selvatico di terra e frutto, la bocca ? snella, insomma scatta bene. Mi piace.
Alla fine promossi, saranno al Festival. L'impressione ? positiva anche data la vendemmia 2018, che da quelle parti non ? stata facilissima. Ai posteri (e ai visitatori del GWF) la sentenza, speriamo non ardua. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [09/27/2019, 07:38] | Gli anni passano anche qui | | Ogni tanto mi chiedo a che serva esattamente Linkedin, e finisco per darmi la solita risposta: serve a creare connessioni. Tutto molto bello, ma insomma, anche molto distante e vaporoso. Qualche giorno fa per? Linkedin mi ricorda che questo blog compie quindici anni - e le prime reazioni che ho avuto erano del tipo "com'? potuto succedere?"
Poi non contento, Linkedin mi consiglia modi per diventare pi? sharp, ch? evidentemente i suoi insondabili algoritmi hanno rilevato questa necessit?. Se ? vero, ecco un altro punto di utilit? in quella rete sociale.
Certo, quindici anni di chiacchiere in questo belmondo sono stati un bel giro. E siccome non ho ancora finito, si continua, possibilmente sharp. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [09/09/2019, 15:27] | Ricomincio da Montalcino (un posto a caso) | |
Settembre, andiamo. ? tempo di... poi non mi ricordo come fa. Si ricomincia, insomma, ? settembre, e questa ? la non-notizia. Questo settembre per me arriva dopo un lungo periodo un po' particolare, convalescenza post-operatoria, e vi risparmio i dettagli - ma sono quelle vicende del tipo "il dottore dice che devi stare a riposo ALMENO un mese". E sono quei momenti in cui volevi essere davvero un dipendente del parastato, ma ? andata come ? andata, sei enotecaro. Quindi con qualche ritardo alziamo la serranda, e davvero si ricomincia.
Alla fine della lunga pausa riesco a fare una fuga veloce a Montalcino (un posto a caso). Bravo me, me lo dico da solo. Cos'? quella? Una breve vacanza? Una trasferta di lavoro? Tutte e due le cose assieme. E alla fine se devo prendermi un periodo pure breve per, boh, rimettermi assieme, scelgo di camminare le vigne di Montalcino. A 'sti punti il wine blogger pubblica qualche foto da paesaggio meraviglioso e settembrino come solo da quelle parti pare di trovare, e risolve la questione narrativa.
Long story short, al ritorno da laggi? ho appena scaricato una cosa di Montalcino che mi piace assai. Fattoria del Pino, cos? si chiama la new entry in enoteca, ? una produzione manco a dirlo piccola e bella, in stile con la casa (la mia, di casa, intendo) perch? qui si selezionano cose di quel genere. Poi ? emergente, ? nuova, ? fuori dai giri. Lavora in naturale, niente interventismi, pura espressione del sangiovese di quel territorio. L'azienda presenta tre etichette che elenco in ordine di peso, importanza, prezzo.
Vin Val? 2016 ? un Rosso di Toscana IGT, e proviene da un vigneto di impianto recente. Ha la grazia del frutto e la veemenza del sangiovese, un piccolo passaggio in legno (solo grande, in azienda) lascia alle note ancora fresche e fruttate uno spazio maggiore, a renderlo una piccola delizia. Sta sui 15 euro.
Rosso di Montalcino 2015 esce da un'annata abbastanza benedetta. Ci sarebbe da dire, ora, su questo vino, quella formula abbastanza abusata e nemmeno simpaticissima, "? un piccolo Brunello". Ci ho pensato un po' a come evitarla questa formula, ma si vede che non ci ho pensato abbastanza. Veramente un assaggio del tipo "comprare subito". In enoteca costa un po', sui 22 euro. Li vale tutti. E per me vale pure di pi?.
Brunello di Montalcino 2014, scelto apposta dalla famigerata annata poco fortunata. La produttrice in quella vendemmia ha ridotto le rese in misura drastica, e l'effetto ? quello che mi piace tanto: ? nelle annate difficili che esce fuori la classe dell'azienda. Questo Brunello '14 ? un capolavoro. E con lui ho una panoramica di tre annate, quanto basta per cominciare a conoscersi. E fare amicizia. Costa euri 59.
E siccome ci piace tanto, Fattoria del Pino entra a far parte delle aziende che vendo anche in rappresentanza, quindi i colleghi operatori si fanno un nodo al fazzoletto - e presto qui si apre qualcosa da assaggiare, sempre per quella cosa "bello parlare di vino, ma assaggiarlo ? meglio". | | TrackBack | | | |
| [05/21/2019, 14:08] | Mare&Mosto, ma anche diavolo&acqua santa | | Si va a Sestri Levante, a girare per i tavoli di Mare&Mosto, per quella cosa che chiamiamo location, che pure in due giornate grigie e di pioggia merita abbondantemente il viaggetto. La Baia del Silenzio, la spiaggia, le barche a riva, con l'effetto mare d'inverno di questo memorabile (in quanto invernale) maggio 2019 sono tutti elementi di grande bellezza che hey, quasi ti potrebbero distrarre dagli assaggi. Fortuna che piove quindi si sta dentro al Convento dell'Annunziata, belli concentrati.
Siccome serve sempre un filo rosso che connetta la rassegna e le dia un'identit?, qui si assaggia solo Liguria. E accade un fatto insolito, vista lo schieramento tra filosofie produttive che ormai s'? determinato: da una parte le fiere di vini naturali, dall'altra tutto quanto il resto - qualunque cosa sia, e pure la prima categoria non ? facilissima da definire. Qui invece li troviamo tutti e due, i produttori: i naturali un po' radical e i convenzionali che boh, ti dicono: eh, s?, ci sono anche io.
Il diavolo e l'acqua santa assieme. E siccome a me le categorie, soprattutto quando sono schieramenti, finiscono per sembrare respingenti, mi piace saltare, qui a Mare&Mosto, di palo in frasca. Quindi assaggio serenamente Possa e Bosoni, che, vi assicuro, sono un po' come il giorno e la notte. Quale ti piace? Quale ti dispiace? Per me funziona (alle solite) nello stesso modo: dipende da che c'? nel bicchiere. Per esempio: Possa ha schierato, di nuovo, uno Sciacchetr? encomiabile. Bosoni aveva il Vermentino Etichetta Nera che (giuro) profumava di pesto. Ma mica solo basilico, eh. C'era tutta la ricetta, i pinoli il pecorino l'olio di oliva. Insomma una cosa mai vista e un bel po' spiazzante. Mi ? piaciuto? Beh, s?.
In generale di questa rassegna potrei segnalare le produzioni che vendo, come fossi un auto-influencer. Quindi meraviglioso il Cinqueterre 2018 Perci? di Cheo. Altrettando il Rossese 2018 di Terre Bianche. Ma siccome non ce la faccio, devo dire strabene di quelli che non vendo e che berrei e riberrei un giorno s? e uno no. I Rossese (tutti) di Giovanna Maccario. Quello di Ka' Mancin?. Tra l'altro ? stata una rassegna interessante per i rossi, che insomma identifichiamo un po' meno con la liguritudine, e invece sui miei appunti ci sono punteggi altissimi per Pulin 17 di Bruna (granaccia e un po' di syrah e barbera), Shalok 16 di Poggio Gorleri (granaccia). Sui bianchi per me trionfano sempre, alle solite, Maria Donata Bianchi (vermentino) e Laura Aschero (pigato). Sul fronte che definiamo naturale, ma sappiamo che la definizione sfugge tra le dita come la sabbia fine della Baia del Silenzio, per me c'e' Daniele Parma e Casa del Diavolo - con tutta la produzione.
Il fatto ? che non so risolvermi nella scelta tra i due stili. Non ne ho proprio alcuna voglia. | | TrackBack | | | |
| [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 | | | |
| [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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| [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 | | | |
| [08/23/2018, 14:03] | Coming up With a Weekly Meal Plan | | Healthy eating is essential for your general well-being. The type of food you eat plays a critical role in determining the health status of your body. Most health or diet experts advice one to take in a balanced diet to keep their bodies in the perfect shape. The Dad Quarters have some of the best reviews and health advice that can help keep you in good shape. Your food should be made up of proteins, vitamin, carbs, and irons. There are a number of food deficiency illnesses you can contract if you fail to consume a balanced diet. The most common ones include malnutrition, rickets, and scurvy. Most of these conditions are usually common among kids. Failure to take in a balanced diet can also weaken your body?s defense system. Your body will not be able to fight certain conditions, and this will leave you weak or falling sick most of the time. Proteins play an essential role in the growth and development of your body. They do help increase muscle mass. Carbohydrates help provide your body with energy to carry out some activities. They act as fuel to your body. Vitamins boost your immune system and improve your body functions. You can find all these nutrients in different foods. One thing you can do to make sure you consume a balanced diet is come up with your own menu that has all types of meals. This might be a difficult task for many. Here is how you can come up with a weekly meal plan that is made up of a balanced diet. Look for Recipes The first thing you should do when coming up with your home menu is to look for recipes. Look for recipes used in making different types of meals. Make sure the different types of meals make up a balanced diet. Getting different recipes will help make your job more comfortable when it comes to creating a weekly meal plan. Sort your Recipes The next thing you should do is sort out the different recipes according to the nutrients contained in them. One that is used for cooking a protein-rich meal should be separated from one that is used to prepare a meal with any other type of nutrient. Make sure that each day you have a meal rich in a specific type of nutrient. Stock your Kitchen You can now stock your kitchen with the different types of foods so that you can have easy access to them. Failing to do so may see you change your meal plan because you are not able to reach the type of meal for that particular day. Do not overstock because some of them may go bad quickly. Cook the perishables first.… | | TrackBack | | | |
| [08/22/2018, 16:17] | Facts About Provillus | | This is one of the hair supplement used in preventing hair loss. Hair loss is common in both men and women. This condition is associated with family history, hormonal changes, and certain medical conditions. It is also caused by scalp infections such ringworms. Drugs uses in treating cancer, arthritis, heart problems and blood pressure are the ones that cause hair loss. The other causes of this issue include emotional shock, excessive weight loss, a high fever, and radiation therapy. Provillus is purely natural and it can be used by both women and men. Apart from preventing hair loss, this product is effective in promoting regret of the lost hair. Again, it has complex ingredients that prevent hair loss. Ingredients of Provillus  It contains natural ingredients such as pumpkin seeds, zinc, propylene glycol, nettle root, water biotin, and vitamin B6. These components are beneficial for hair growth and for the hair follicles? health. Again, they are well combined to bring the desired results. Provillus works by providing vital elements and necessary?nutrients needed by the hair.
Vitamin 6 is one of the essential vitamins for maintaining a healthy hair. Its natural character is helpful for reducing side effects and allergic reactions. It should be used regularly to restore weak hair, prevent hair loss and make hair thicker. Individuals who take this supplement regularly can enjoy their hair coverage after three months. You can get many customers testimonials in the internet. Advantages of Provillus - It is effective in promoting hair growth in bald spots and other hair thinning areas
- Its active ingredients have potent hair regrowth properties
- It shows positive results after a few months or weeks
- It has become very popular due to its many positive reviews and effectiveness.
- It contains essential vitamins, and minerals making it easy for use.
Negative Effects of Provillus 
- You will be required to use this product continuously for you to enjoy its benefits
- It can cause some side effects when used in higher amounts than indicated. It can lead to a feeling of?light-headedness or dizziness, and swelling of tongue and lips. Individuals who experience these side effects are advised to consult a doctor.
How is Provillus Used? You should take one capsule every day. It should be taken with food such as breakfast. It is very hard to get it for the local drugstores. It can be purchased from its official website.… | | TrackBack | | | |
| [07/07/2018, 03:48] | Factors to Consider When Choosing Pet Food | | Age of the Pet Age is an important factor to consider when choosing your pet’s food. Your pet needs to be fed appropriate food for his or her age. This is important as a certain amount of calories and proteins are needed for your pet to grow to adulthood properly. By providing your pet with his important current life stage diet, you will be meeting his growth requirements. There are different types of pet food ranging from those for young pets, adult, and senior pet. If it?s your first time buying packaged food, read the labels to know what components a certain pet food has. Consider the Breed Size  Choose the pet food based on the size of your pet’s breed. Young pets will need to consume well-balanced nutrients for immune functions, healthy skin, bone development, and growth. Most pet foods are usually categorized by specific breed factors which only include breed size since there is no other major difference between breeds.
Small breed pets have fast metabolism rates compared to medium and large breeds. That is why small pet breeds need more fatty nutrients than others. Check for Food Allergies Be extremely careful while choosing the food for a pet with thin coat quality, sensitive skin or redness of the skin. Food allergies are most common in dogs so if your pet is a dog lookout for allergy signs like scratching. Don’t confuse food intolerance with food allergy; this is because lactose intolerance and poor digestion are as a result of food allergy. Feeding your dog sources of carbohydrates and protein for 3 months triggers a strong immune response that helps alleviate allergic reactions. Dietary Supplement If you are feeding your pet a complete commercial balanced diet, you might not require adding a nutritional supplement like vitamins. However, with old pets, of a particular breed or with a certain disease condition may need a dietary supplementation. Check with your veterinarian whether supplementing your pet with fish oils, additional anti-oxidants or joins supplement could improve your pet’s health. Reproductive Status of a Pet A pet that is neutered or spayed has minimal maintenance energy requirements. It is, therefore, recommend to reduce their calories intake by approximately 25-30 percent from the usual recommendations. If a bag of your dry pet food recommendations is feeding approximately one cup daily, you should only feed 2/3 to 3/4 of the same cup daily. Always consult the veterinarian while changing the diet and before starting a pet on any weight loss program. Is the Food Easy to Digest?  Just like humans proper digestion is very important and affects the pets well being too. If essential nutrients in the dog food are not digestible, then look for another food. You can determine whether you have the right food by checking how well your pet defecates.it will tell you whether what is in the food bonds well with the pet.
Expiration Date Packaging and manufacturing of the pet food products is also an important factor that you must consider. Pet food has certain health limitation that comes with food use and quality. This involves both packaging and the pet food. Go for pet food that has packaging date labeled. Food with short shelf life should be consumed faster than those with a longer shelf life. This ensures … | | TrackBack | | | |
| [07/06/2018, 11:45] | Do You Need Massage Therapy? | | Going for massage therapy is the best way to relax. If you have been working very hard, then you need to look for a way to relieve the stress and tension. When going for massage therapy, it is important to look for a skilled and experienced therapist. A Massage therapist in Glasgow will help you in achieving the full benefits of the therapy. When choosing a massage spa, make sure that you look for factors like hygiene and also the massage methods that they use. Here are signs that you need to go to massage therapy: You are tired Massage therapy is very important in helping you relieve fatigue. Working six days a week can be very tiring. You need to take one day to work and go for a massage. The therapy will help you in relieving fatigue. When we work in many ways, our body builds up tension in various parts of the body like the neck, shoulders, back and also limps. It is important to look for a way to get rid of this tension so that you can relieve fatigue. When you relieve fatigue through massage, you will increase productivity at work. You are in pain If you are dealing with pain from an injury or ailment, then massage therapy will help you. Going to therapy will help you in healing the affected areas. This is better than taking painkillers that might be detrimental in the long run. The massage therapy will encourage the flow of blood to different parts of the body. With a proper flow of blood in the body, it will be easy to relieve pain. You have poor posture It is possible to improve your posture just by going to the  gym. Improving your posture is the best way to live a healthy lifestyle. If you have a desk job, then you might be having problems with your posture. The good news is that you can improve your posture by going for a massage. The massage therapist will work on your back muscles and help you in restoring your posture. You need to relax Living a high-stress life is not good for your health. You need to make sure that you live a stress-free life. The only way to relax is to go for a massage once in a while. Going for massage will help you to relax and avoid tension that comes with stressful activities. Living a stress-free life means that you will live a healthy life.… | | TrackBack | | | |
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