Bottling Rosé outdoors!

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This past monday we stopped by the Nada Giuseppe Winery to watch
them bottle their rosé. The equipment is a little more specialized ( for rosé )
so they are using a mobile bottling machine. All of their other wines are
bottled in the winery.
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This self contained bottler is delivered by a flat bed truck, then setup on the ground.
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Barbara loading bottles with Valle Grande vineyards in the background
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Nella and Giuseppe along with there grandson filling cages that are moved into
the winery for labeling at a later date.
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Rosé from 100% Nebbiolo, just in time for spring!

Treats from France

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While Robert enjoys some great bubbles (and working very hard to compose
great photos) Chiaro along with our friends Weston and Elisa are cooking
vegi curry. They just returned from Burgundy with great treats to share: cheese,
mustard, and of course, wine. It was all fabulous, especially the wine.
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The REAL thing !! another foodie moment
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Our fist time trying this producer Michel Lafarge this wine was a reminder
that wines like this only come from a very small piece of real estate in the
world.
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Who say's you can't get ethnic food in Italy? You just have to cook it yourself!

Bulgarian Bubbles?

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What can be more interesting than trying new bubbles
from off the radar wine regions.
Recently we tried a wine from Bulgaria.

Edoardo Miroglio
Brut Rose
Metodo Classico 2006


It appears to be vintage, the label says 2006, but we are not
clear on Bulgarian wine laws.
It was disgorged in September 2008.
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We poured some and gave it a try. Light salmon in color with a fine bead
of bubbles. Looks promising. We try a taste. Very dry and crisp with
lots of cherries and fresh cranberries. Balanced with a nice yeast component.
Fairly strong enjoyable yeasty finish. We approve.
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A few days later we tried their rose made from Pinot Noir even though
it was a 2005 still showed lot of fruit. Makes us want to try a current vintage.

Fog and Rain

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It's been very,very fogy and rainy almost seems planned. Step 1.
finish harvest. Step 2. rain like hell for 2 maybe 3 weeks.
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good time to try a new varietal how about
PELAVERGA PICCOLO anyone ? Tasted like dolcetto
mixed with gamay not fantastic but a very serviceable
BBQ wine only a small amount makes it to the states
( the hunt is part of the fun right ?)

Touring new wine region

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On tuesday we travelled to CALUSO a small town north/west of torino to
visit a wine region called ERBAUCE DI CALUSO well known for producing
crisp,acidic,dry whites and fantastic sparklers all made from the local
varietal ERBALUCE also a few reds from nebbiolo,barbara and local varietal
NERRETTO. The passito sweet wines are a must try !! Above is the barrel
ROOM of the CIECK winery where they age there passito for 3 years.
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Robert learning how to "Riddle" what fun!
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Inspecting dead yeast cells in a bottle of aging sparkling rose yum!!
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The full line of CIECK wines
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Back home for a BBQ with the langa style boys and a few local
restauranteurs a fun way to sell wine.
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Chiaro with her bubble friend milena the other half of LA GANGHIJA
wines