Alto Adige, a small, mountainous  sub-region (part of the greater Trentino-Alto Adige) in the northwest of Italy, has always had more in common with its Germanic neighbors to the north than any of  its fellow Italian counterparts.  This is because, historically, the land on the northern (alto, or high) banks of the Adige river has long been part of the Austrian landscape, officially under Austrian rule since the Middle Ages until 1919, when it was annexed to Italy at the end of World War I.  The Treaty of Versailles may have officially changed the government of this territory, but certain historical, cultural, and linguistic traditions persist.  German is the common tongue, seen on road signs and menus and wine bottles all over this unique patch of Italian countryside.

In addition to oceans of ever-popular pinot grigio, it is the white wines, made primarily from German varietals, gewürztraminer, sylvaner, müller thurgau, for which the region is well-known.  Despite perception to the contrary (due, in large part, to importers favoring the regional white wines) more red wine is actually produced in Alto Adige than white.  For centuries, the farmer-winemakers who work these northern vineyards have made the wines they themselves want to drink: generally lighter bodied, fruit and mineral-driven reds made from the native schiava grape.  These are easy-drinking wines, naturally refreshing with bright acidity and mountain minerality that compliment (by contrast) the heavier, Germanic fare of the region (schnitzel, gulasch, knodel with speck, etc.).  The vast majority of these wines are consumed locally, with limited export to Germany and Austria (and to a much lesser extent, the United States).

With the body of a pinot noir, delicate and graceful, wine made from the schiava grape would no doubt enjoy increased popularity, were it more widely available outside of its remote mountain home.  Bright and fresh,  generally meant to be drunk within a year or two of bottling, these wines are natural picnic pairings, versatile and complementary to a wide variety of foods.  Generally no more than 12.5% ABV, they are soft and easy-drinking, enjoyable at the beginning of a meal any time of the year, or served with a slight chill as a simple summer sipper.

Try a lovely schiava red (at publication time we had three different versions on hand at Dave’s Fresh Pasta), produced by a co-operative of small farmer-producers under the name “St. Magdalener” and toast some interesting and tasty history-in-a-glass.  As the Germans say:  P’rost!

-Sam.

Alto Adige Vineyards in the shadow of the Dolomite Mountain Range

There exists many an impassioned opinion on the best enclosure for a wine bottle.  Traditionalists naturally favor the cork, tried and true, while the more modern-minded among us, both winemaker and enthusiast alike have begun to appreciate the virtues of the so-called Stelvin enclosure, or screw-top, both for its true airtight seal and obvious convenience factor.  Some quirky winemakers have embraced the pop-top, dispensing with all the romance and serious opening rituals of the past, in favor of a more playful, unpretentious approach to getting that wine in the glass.  That said, pretty much everybody agrees that artificial corks suck.  They’re tough to remove and offer little more protection from oxidation than real cork itself.  Indeed, much has been written and opined on this banal subject matter.  The debate continues.

On the other hand, the method by which one should open one’s wine has really never been in question; the enclosure itself dictating the proper tool and technique, be it corkscrew or hand. Until now, that is.  Leave it to the French to find a creative, relatively elegant way of liberating a bottle from its cork,  when a corkscrew is simply not an option.  Behold:

Frenchman+Wine+Shoe+Wall= Voila!!

-Sam

If you appreciate the virtues of charity, fine wine and good company, then we most cordially invite you to DFP for Saturdays Tasting Benefit and Sale. From six o’clock until eight-thirty the store will play host to this unique event, where fifteen different fine wines will be offered for tasting and discounted purchase. All this for the low, low price of fifteen dollars, 100% of which goes directly to the Greater Boston Food Bank (the charity part!).
It will be an open-house, meaning there’s no beginning, middle or end to the event. However, to avoid a six o’clock crush, DFP suggests planning a fashionably late arrival. Fear not, there will be
no shortage of wine to sample and taste!
Here’s a heads up on a couple of the featured wines:

“Uvaggio” by Paolo DeMarghi, a lovely Nebbiolo-based wine from
Piemonte, Italy that drinks like a Burgundy, with both grace and
power.
“Renaissance”, by Gideon Beinstock, Cabernet Sauvignon from Sierra
Foothills, CA. All-natural winemaking from the northernmost
vineyards in CA.
Two great three-liter box wines not to be missed: Poderi Zanusso,
by iClivi wines from Venezia-Giulia, Italy. One white (100% tocai)
and one red (100% merlot), both headturning examples of how good
wines in a box can be these days.
We hope to see you on Saturday the twenty-fifth. A fifteen dollar
donation at the door to Greater Boston Food Bank gets you one
pristine wine glass for the evening and fifteen different fine wines to explore. You can’t miss!

-Sam

Join us at DFP on Saturday, September 25 where from 6-830p we will be hosting a grand-tasting of fifteen fine wines of the world.  All proceeds from a $15 donation at the door will go directly to the Greater Boston Food Bank.  It’s a win-win! Three of our favorite importers/distributors will be on-hand to provide background information on and pour copious samples of reds and whites we do not normally open for tastings.  This promises to be a great opportunity to sample and purchase a range of truly extraordinary wines.  Any of the fifteen wines tasted will be offered at a 10% discount, and we will be extending a 15% discount on six or more bottles.  If you are planning to re-stock your cellar or even if you enjoy a tasty wine every now and again (or more often than that) this event is for you!  Your charitable donation to Greater Boston Food Bank will be, of course, most appreciated.

-Sam.

One Night (9/25)...15 Wines To Taste!!! All for a great cause!!

Recently, Governor Deval Patrick declared Saturday August 14 and Sunday the 15th a tax holiday for Massachusetts.  This coming weekend,  we humbly suggest celebrating freedom from sales tax in the most patriotic of ways, by purchasing some lovely wine from Dave’s Fresh Pasta!  On Friday night (8/13) between 5-7p come out for a free tasting “preview” of select wines that we will be discounting by 20% for Saturday only.   Throw in the extra 6.25%,courtesy of the Guvna, and save a whopping 26.25% on these wines which might ordinarily only be expensive “special occasion” wines..Exciting!! Additionally, all single bottles will be offered at a 10% discount, and six or more wines will be 15% off.  Essentially, it’s a great time to stock your cellar with some tasty beverages.  We want to help.  Stop by on Friday and reserve your wines for Saturday’s sale.  As the DFP is closed on Sunday, transactions will take place only on Saturday.

-Sam.

Recently we welcomed two additions to the “new Spring arrivals” section of the DFP wine department.  Hailing from the Loire Valley in France, one is white, one is red, both are tart and bright with fresh acidity.  They have the added bonus of being all-natural wines, sustainably produced using indigenous, wild yeast and a bare minimum of added sulfites.   In fact, since 1982 the estate Domaine les Hautes Noelles has been a certified, practicing organic/biodynamic operation.  Renowned Muscadet winemaker Serge Batard produces these easy-drinking, straightforward wines with the playfully unassuming name, “hého”.  Hého le blanc is made from 100% Grolleau Gris grapes, while le rouge is a blend: 45% Grolleau Noir, 45% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Gamay.  Bright citrus fruit and attention-grabbing acidity are stand-out attributes of the former, while the latter offers tart, juicy red berry fruit and pinot-noir-like delicacy.   These wines, from the 2009 vintage, are meant to be drunk young, soon and without too much fuss.  They would both make lovely additions to a picnic basket, along with a fresh baguette and tasty cheese, or as the  light and refreshing go-to  beverages of a mid-summer cookout extravaganza.  Balanced, clean and naturally refreshing (especially after a stint in the fridge, yes the red, too), these are quintessentially warm weather wines.   Now, ready for the best part?  They’re both only $9.95!!

-Sam.

The Basque Country spans the border between France and Spain, on the Atlantic coast,  in the western Pyrenees.  The Spanish Basque Country is made up of three provinces; Alava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa.  Txakoli is a slightly sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity and low alcohol content (usually 9.5-11.5 ABV) produced in the Basque Country.  It is normally served as an apéritif or consumed in the first year of bottling.  Most of the wine made is white but a small amount of rosé and red is made too.

In  the DO Getariako Txakolina the majority of  grapes planted  are the white variety Hondarribi Zuria and the red variety Hondarribi Beltza.  Both white and red grapes are used for making txakoli in Biscay. White varieties are Hondarribi Zuria and Folle blanche (called Munemahatsa in Biscay); the red variety used is Hondarribi Beltza (“black Hondarribia”).  The  youngest of the three DO is Arabako Txakolina  having gained certification in 2001.  It is yellowish in color, very acidic and slightly frothy.  The most commonly used grape for this txakoli is Hondarribi Zuria.

We are pleased to offer four wines from this region.  We have two whites, a red and a rosé.  Come in and try something  different that’s  great for summer drinking.  I promise you won’t be disappointed.

2009 Ameztoi Txakolina                             $18.95

2009 Gurrutxaga Txakolina                     $18.95

2009 Ameztoi Rosé $18.95

2008 Gorrondona Red                                   $25.95

~FLEA               

Summer is fast approaching.  Soon friends will be convening on decks and porches, patios and side-yards alike for weekend cookouts and informal, post-work gatherings to celebrate the promise of the season: fresh, local produce, marinated meats simply grilled, mild and lovely evenings…  Now picture these same friends clinking glasses and sharing a lovely grill-side beverage (or three).  Easy enough.  Something tasty and red, not overpowering, not too expensive and versatile enough to pair up with almost anything that might come off of that grill.  Indeed, there are lots of tasty options out there, but quite recently Felisha and I tasted a wine that really seemed to hit on all cylinders.  Dare I say it could be the perfect Summer wine? Indeed I do.

It’s a 2009 Pinot Noir from Martinborough, New Zealand and it’s delicious, with lush and ripe  fresh spiced cherry fruit

and subtle aromas of red fruits with toasty accents.  The wine has a nice balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity making for one tasty, well put-together beverage.  And at $14.95 it’s a pretty terrific value to boot.

May I humbly suggest you fire up the BBQ, twist open a bottle of Over the Edge Pinot Noir (throw it in the fridge for a half-hour before drinking) toast the Summer of ’10 and the start of something new.

-Sam

Cocchi Americano Aperitif Wine

We’re very excited to offer the Cocchi Americano that just hit the Boston market.  It’s clean, bright and refreshing.  We believe we’ve found the perfect summer sipper.  Come in and see for yourself.

As posted on Haus Alpenz’s website:  “Made to the same recipe since 1891, this extraordinary aperitif wine has long been a staple of Asti. On a base of Moscato di Asti is infused a blend of herbs, fruit and spices, most notably cinchona, gentian and citrus, and laid down for a year before being released.  In Piemonte it is served chilled with ice, a twist of orange peel and a splash of soda to bring out all its natural aromas and fragrances. Outside of Italy it is revered as one of last great blanc/bianco aperitif wines, essential to a wide range of classic mixed drinks.”

Product of Italy. 16.5% Alc./Vol., 750ml- $18.95

~FLEA