Mar
3
2010
The following review appears in this month’s [April 2010] edition of “ITALIA !” where Paul Pettengale sorts the wheat from the chaff, tasting some of the best-quality Pinot Grigios, while hoping that today’s producers will learn from the past to keep standards high. He observes that “It’s taken a couple of decades to get Pinot Grigio to where it is now… ”
PINOT GRIGIO Veneto DOC 2006, La JARA
La Jara has an innovative approach to tending its vines: using large stones picked from the bottom of a river to soak up heat from the sun during the day, and then placing them at the base of the vines so they release that heat into the vines overnight.
The resultant wine (which is totally organic) is pale in colour but rich in flavour. Medium bodied, it’s nice and light, suiting most varieties of white meats and fish. Alternatively, you could enjoy this as a refreshing aperitivo with bruschetta rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil.
He continues … “Of all the hundreds of grape varieties that are used to make Italian wines, Pinot Grigio is the one that has changed the perception of Italian wine across the globe. Once considered the poor relation of a decent French white, Pinot Grigio is now achingly trendy – it commands prices that would have once been deemed laughable, it’s drunk by those in the know as well as those that follow wine fashions, and it’s become a firm fixture on the wine lists of the best bars, restaurants and even pubs across the UK. Its international reputation as the wine that made Italian plonk not only acceptable but downright desirable has grown and grown. But there is a danger: its popularity could become its undoing – it’s gained a reputation for being good because right now it is. It never used to be: producers dumped vast quantities of the stuff onto an unwilling market, hoping to get rich by flooding the European stage with wines made from vines that were forced, from grapes that hadn’t had a chance to ripen properly and from production techniques that didn’t even bother looking in the direction of modernisation. Flaccid, acidic wines were the result. Only when the producers made the effort to slim down their production, to invest in modern machinery, to take on oenologists who knew what they were doing and – crucially – to treat their vineyards and the vines that grew within them with respect, did quality improve and demand increase along with it. It’s taken a couple of decades to get Pinot Grigio to where it is now. As wine lovers we must hope that these modern, educated producers don’t get greedy, that they learn from the past and they don’t slip back into the trap of over-production in an effort to meet burgeoning demand. For that would be a great disaster for all.”
Nov
18
2009
The following review appears in this month’s [December 2009] edition of “ITALIA !” where Paul Pettengale pops the cork on some of the best PROSECCO wines from this region are more rounded, complex and intense than those from further south. The north-eastern Italian fizz has just been awarded the highest classification possible under Italian wine laws.
PROSECCO MILLESIMATO, La JARA
“As well as the lightly sparkling Tappo Spago, La Jara also produces this lovely, fully-sparkling prosecco that uses a wire-bound cork enclosure. It’s made with grapes that have been ripened to perfection, with heat-retaining stones from the local riverbed placed at the foot of the vine. The resultant wine presents a bounty of floral notes wrapped up with apricot and apple peel aromas. It drinks elegantly with medium body and a fine mousse of tightly-knit bubbles. It’s not cheap, but it is worth the money.”
He continues … “Prosecco is growing up. Just a few years ago it was widely regarded as cheap Italian fizz served up at weddings when champagne was beyond the budget and the father of the bride hoped the guests wouldn’t notice. Unfortunately, a lot of the prosecco that gets exported still falls into this category, but there is an increasing awareness of just how good prosecco can be beyond Italian borders. Those in the know look for two words on the bottle label: Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. These two small towns (villages, really) lie north of Treviso, tucked up against the Alps. The vineyards are incredibly steep, the vines seemingly hanging off the face of mountains, but the growing conditions suit the troublesome prosecco grape variety perfectly, ensuring that the wines from this region are more rounded, more complex and far more intense than those that hark from further south. Indeed, right now, Conegliano Valdobbiadene prosecchi are the only prosecco-based wines that are protected by DOC status and, furthermore, as of April 2010, the legal protection for Conegliano Valdobbiadene wines is due to be upgraded to the highest level, that of DOCG.
This is a big deal for the producers of prosecco in the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene zones. Their wines are now regarded with the same protection as the mighty Barolos, Amarones and Chianti Classicos of the Italian wine world. They’ve achieved the pinnacle of respect, and it’s well deserved, for they’ve flown in the face of international wine snobbery and triumphed, producing exciting, flavoursome wines that no man should be embarrassed to serve at his daughter’s wedding. Indeed, any of the wines we’ve selected over the page would grace the menu of any wedding breakfast.”
Nov
12
2009
The following review appears in this month’s [December 2009] edition of “ITALIA !” where Paul Pettengale pops the cork on some of the best PROSECCO wines from this region are more rounded, complex and intense than those from further south. The north-eastern Italian fizz has just been awarded the highest classification possible under Italian wine laws.
“It’s not common to come across spumante wines that utilise the traditional cork and string method of enclosing a prosecco, but here’s one from La Jara. Take extreme care when removing the cork – it’s easiest with a corkscrew – but watch out for an explosion of gases as the cork leaves the bottle. It’s worth the effort, however, because this lightly sparkling wine is a delicate delight. It has a floral nose with aromas of white peach flesh, a light touch in the mouth, a medium body and a rewarding finish. Drink it on its own in the sun, ideally.”
He continues … “Prosecco is growing up. Just a few years ago it was widely regarded as cheap Italian fizz served up at weddings when champagne was beyond the budget and the father of the bride hoped the guests wouldn’t notice. Unfortunately, a lot of the prosecco that gets exported still falls into this category, but there is an increasing awareness of just how good prosecco can be beyond Italian borders. Those in the know look for two words on the bottle label: Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. These two small towns (villages, really) lie north of Treviso, tucked up against the Alps. The vineyards are incredibly steep, the vines seemingly hanging off the face of mountains, but the growing conditions suit the troublesome prosecco grape variety perfectly, ensuring that the wines from this region are more rounded, more complex and far more intense than those that hark from further south. Indeed, right now, Conegliano Valdobbiadene prosecchi are the only prosecco-based wines that are protected by DOC status and, furthermore, as of April 2010, the legal protection for Conegliano Valdobbiadene wines is due to be upgraded to the highest level, that of DOCG.
This is a big deal for the producers of prosecco in the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene zones. Their wines are now regarded with the same protection as the mighty Barolos, Amarones and Chianti Classicos of the Italian wine world. They’ve achieved the pinnacle of respect, and it’s well deserved, for they’ve flown in the face of international wine snobbery and triumphed, producing exciting, flavoursome wines that no man should be embarrassed to serve at his daughter’s wedding. Indeed, any of the wines we’ve selected over the page would grace the menu of any wedding breakfast.”
Tags: ITALIA !, La Jara, Organic, Organic White, Paul Pettengale, Prosecco, TAPPO SPAGO | 
Comments (1)
Comments (1)
Oct
15
2009
The following review appears in this month’s [November 2009] edition of “ITALIA !” where Paul Pettengale looks at the relatively unknown Piedmont’s Gavi – and Gavi di Gavi – wines which remain in the shadow of the region’s mighty reds.
“The lovely picture on the front of this bottle of organically-certified wine was painted by the daughter of Maria Angela Scotto, the winemaker. The wine behind the bottle is equally lovely – a delicate delight that brings together subtle citrus and honeysuckle aromas with a layered acidity and flinty minerality. It’s a gentle, pleasing wine that like so many made with the Cortese grape should be drunk in its relative youth, ideally with seafood. Rare & Organic recommends salty fish such as anchovies, but we feel that grilled flatfish would also work well and won’t risk swamping the delicate flavour.”
It was the only Organic Gavi di Gavi reviewed and yet was amongst the lower priced bottles ! Available as ever, to buy online …
Tags: "I Tre Quadri", Cortese, Gavi di Gavi, ITALIA !, Italian, Organic White, seafood |
Comments (1)
Comments (1)
Oct
2
2009
Welcome to Rare-view Mirror the Rare & Organic comments page with posts to include comments on the industry, reports of supplier visits, and words about the products themselves – written by James MacNay.
Cinzia Long and I founded Rare & Organic as an expression of quality and integrity above all, guided by the following important principles:
- The best version of a product is the one made in a sustainable manner, by small producers, and in its region of origin (the source; as we like to call it);
- The small producer who turns organic does not do so of a desire for profit, but for passion.
We do not believe that organic certification is an end in itself: rather it is a useful indicator. Indeed, we maintain that there are many shades (including food miles and the commercial imperative that drives supermarkets) between the simple black and white that underpins much of the organic industry.
We buy all of our range direct from the producer, and, very importantly, maintain personal relationships with all of these inspirational people. Not all of our range is certified organic, but all have been selected according to the two principles above, and most importantly, as an expression of quality and integrity.
Our products are principally Italian and British in origin, and include:
- A range of over thirty organic wine varieties and beer;
- Finest quality Parmigiano Reggiano biologico (organic parmesan) and other speciality organic cheeses;
- Organic pasta made from segale (rye), castagne (chestnut) and farro (spelt);
- Organic vinegars, including aceto balsamico di Modena biologico (organic balsamic vinegar of Modena) and condimento alimentare bianco biologico (organic white balsamic condiment);
- Jersey Black Butter;
- Tartufi (truffles) and associated products.
The Rare & Organic website is www.rareandorganic.co.uk and this includes an online ordering service – UK delivery is overnight and stillcosts only £6.50. We also sell to the trade.
We provide product research and procurement services of Italian and British products for distributors around the world.
Thank you for reading.
JM