Monday, February 27, 2017

Veneto's Cantine Tinazzi Is A Family Affair by Philip S. Kampe



                                                 Tinazzi   Tinazzi   Tinazzi   Tinazzi


Eugenio Tinazzi founded this wonderful winery, Casa Vitivinicola Tinazzi in 1968. Nearly 50 years later, the vitivinicola is referred to just as ‘Tinazzi.’ The company has grown during the tenure and has a sister industry in Puglia.

During my visit to Tinazzi, my focus was solely on the wines from the Veneto, specifically, Valpolicella. (I did sample the wines from Puglia and loved them, but, that’s another story)

Winemaker Giuseppe Gallo leads  the team at Tinazzi, made up of family members that include Eugenio’s son, Gian Andrea and grandchildren Francesca and Giorgio.

During the visit to the company’s Veneto headquarters, granddaughter of the founder, Francesca led a spirited tour of the more than-life-sized winery, which was in full operation, performing the daily ritual of bottling wine, taking barrel samples and loading sixteen-wheelers for worldwide distribution.

The modern factory bottles two million bottles a year and employs 25 workers. Automation has replaced numerous jobs throughout Tinazzi’s growth. The company has a second production facility, located in Sant’Ambrogio, the heart of Valpolicella, where Amarone della Valpolicella and Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso are vinified and bottled.

The vineyard is 110 acres in size and to keep up with demand, half of the grapes are sourced. The wines are distributed internationally to 30 countries, with Russia (20%) and the U.S.(15%) as the largest export markets.

The family business has blossomed since Gian Andrea started working in tandem with his father in the late 60’s. With an eye to the future and natural entrepreneurial skills, Gian and his father have grown the business into a worldwide leader. 

On the tour of the facility, several wines were tried over lunch with winemaker Giuseppe Gallo.
These were my favorites:

2013 Ca’ de’ Rocchi La Bastia Amarone della Valpolicella
Aromas of cherry and anise, full body, warm mouth feel, ripe fruits, complex with manageable acidity.

2013 Ca’ de’ Rocchi Valpolicella Montere Superiore Ripasso
A splendid, juicy, velvety wine with concentrated black cherry puree and strawberry essence, Elegant and balanced with a long finish.


Philip S. Kampe

                                                                  Francesca Tinazzi




                                                    Tinazzi is an Award Winning Winery








Saturday, February 25, 2017

Taste The Iconic Wines of Mount Veeder on March 1st in La Quinta, California by Philip S. Kampe



                                                         Map of Mount Veeder


 “A Taste of Mount Veeder at La Quinta Resort & Club”

If you are in or near La Quinta, California, several hours east of Los Angeles and half an hour from Palm Springs, why not consider attending one of the Most Prodigious’  consumer wine tasting events on the west coast.

Thirteen ‘World-Class’ wineries from the iconic vineyards of Mount Veeder fame will pour their hard to acquire wines at the world famous La Quinta Resort & Club from 3:30pm-6pm on Wednesday, March 1at.  

Many of the vineyards are pouring those special wines that are not available to the public. That is what makes this wine tasting so special and unique, You literally have the opportunity to sample wines that have been sold out or are so rare that this is your only chance.

Advance tickets are only $75, which gives you the opportunity to sample wines from these Mount Veeder wineries:

Participating wineries include:
The Hess Collection Winery
Lampyridae Vineyards
O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery
Random Ridge
Rubissow Wines
Y. Rousseau Wines
Fontanella Family Winery
Lagier Meredith
Marketta Winery
Progeny
Robert Craig Winery
Vinoce Winery
Yates Family Vineyards

What a perfect way to start the month of March.

To purchase $75 Advance Tickets, visit: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2826108  or call (707) 266-1296

When: March 1
Time: 3:30-6pm
Where: La Quinta Resort & Club
            49499 Eisenhower Drive
             La Quinta, Ca.

                                           

           

Friday, February 24, 2017

Valpolicella's Villa San Carlo Makes Terroir Driven Wines by Philip S, Kampe



                                                              Villa San Carlo
                                                           Antonia Pavesi
                                                              Andrea Pavesi

On a recent visit to the Valpolicella region of Italy, I had the opportunity to visit the magnificent estate of San Carlo, known for its traditional and sustainable approach  to winemaking.

The estate is referred to as Villa San Carlo and is family run by father, Gianni ‘Babbo’ Pavesi, daughter Antonia and son, Andrea, who are the owners of this ‘Top of the Hill’ vineyard, located a short distance east of Verona.

After driving up a narrow and winding dirt road, passing through rows and rows of olive trees, orchards and grape vines, the first sight of the 17th century villa is certainly breathtaking.

The majestic Villa San Carlo,  perched on top of the hill is the focal point of view from the plain below.

The estate, owned by the Pavesi family, is 175 acres in size, with approximately 60 acres occupied by vineyards. Most of the vineyards are located near the crest of the 1100 foot mountain and in-part, are divided climatically.

The wines made by the Pavesi family are complex, well-structured and express the terroir of the mountain.

Sampling the wines with the Pavesi family was a true privilege and a hands-on introduction to the various styles of Valpolicella.|

The four wines we sampled were:

2015 Valpolicella
A soft, velvety, medium weight delightful wine, with a pronounced sour cherry and violet flavor, balanced and seamless.

2010 Amarone Della Valpolicella
Aromas of strawberry, raspberry, dried cherries and spice open up immediately as your mouth feels pleasant acidity, red plums and dark licorice.

2009 Valpolicella Rioasso Superiore
Ruby in color, with notes of lavender, rose pedal and sweet plum followed by lively acidity and a long finish

2009 Amarone Della Valpolicella Reserva
Vanilla cream and black cherry on the nose allures you and opens up to a palate full of Australian red licorice, dark cocoa and blackberries. Smooth, alluring and velvety on the palate, this first vintage of the Pavesi Family is sure to seduce your flavor buds.







Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com
Philip S. Kampe


Thursday, February 23, 2017

I am back... And it feels great!!


My dear friends and fellow #winelover-s,
On December 13th, with a huge knot in my stomach, I announced "I need a break". Today, with a lot of joy in my heart, I announce that I'm back. I know that for some of you this period will sound like a quick break... But it was not. These 69 days felt like an ever ending eternity to me.
Anyway, the people who joined me in Greece in Cyprus inspired me to come back. They showed to me that the power of our community is in the relationships with the people that surround us with love and care. Yes, we love wine, there's no doubt about that! But we also love feeling loved by the people who share our passion. We love to know that they are there when we need help, we love to know that these people - YOU - care about us.
Magnus Reuterdahl, Ted Lelekas, and Fabien Lainé (my friends at the core of the community who were holding the torch while I was away) come with the idea that we should call it a reboot - "taking us back to the roots, concentrating on a few things, mainly to make sure that we all have fun." And I totally agree with the concept. But I prefer to call it a rebirth... like a flower that comes back in the spring... back from our own roots!
Before I go, I would like to send a HUGE thank you to all of you who supported me during this process. Thank you!!!

Cheers to loving and caring!! Cheers to our rebirth!
Long live the #winelover community!!

Luiz Alberto
  • Master of Wine candidate
  • Member of the Circle of Wine Writers
  • Italian Wine Ambassador
  • I combine my passion for wine with social media

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Discover the Wines from the country of Georgia by Philip S. Kampe & Maria Reveley







Discover the Wines of Georgia

My pursuit of Georgian Wines has led me to the metropolis of New York City, where there was a wine tasting that brought over forty wines from the country known as the ‘cradle of wine’ with over 8,000 vintages and possibly the world’s oldest wine region and traditions to the forefront of the unsuspecting, but, overly curious crowd.

Georgia is home to over five hundred (500) indigenous varietals, but, only a few venture into the world market. Old World winemaking paired with New World styles drive many of the exported wines into the palate of veteran wine tasters into a frenzy. With the introduction of the ‘Qvevr’ clay vessel used for winemaking and storage, the end result in the palate dominates the taste buds.

What I learned at the Wines of Georgia tasting:
Kakheti, located at the extreme eastern edge of the country, is the main wine producing region. Grapes have been cultivated for over 8,000 years in this area, hence, the 8,000 vintages this country boasts about. Kakheti is divided into two regions: inner and outer Kakheti.

Georgia has eighteen (18) appellations and fourteen (14) are in Kakheti, making it, historically, the largest wine growing area in Georgia. Winemaking practices have been transferred from generation to generation in Kakheti, making the regions winemaking traditions unique, mainly due to the use of Qvevri, also known as the Churi in western Georgia. The Qvevri is a clay vessel used for fermentation, aging and storage of traditional Georgian wines. Wines made using the Qvevri are unique wines on the palate and especially on the nose. These wines make Georgia unique. Yes, oak and stainless steel are used for the modern style wines, but wines aged and stored in these terra cotta vessels are the lifeblood of Georgian wines.

My journey through the wines of Georgia is just beginning.

*The photos represent the wines that stood out at the tasting-yet, need more exploration for me to understand why they are so good. The styles range from white to red to fortified.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Giorgio Samanishvili Knows the Wines of the Country of Georgia by Philip S. Kampe

                                           
                                                          Giorgio Samanishvili



Meet Giorgi Samanishvili, Chairman of the National Wine Agency of Georgia.
He was my introduction to the wines from the country of Georgia, located between the Black Sea and the Caucasus- a rather small country that is home to ‘8000Vintages.’.

Georgia, for those of us in the wine world is known for wines that ferment the traditional way-in a Qvevri-a 1000 liter, beeswax coated terra cotta jug that has been buried into the earth. The wines from this method versus oak barrels or stainless steel are more assertive wines and more intense in color. Red wines are often closer to black in color, while white wines are a dark amber.

Wine was born in Georgia, according to Mr. Samanishvili. The qvervi jugs that most households in the ten wine regions of Georgia that make up this small country are home to the 30-40 more common grapes that used in the qvevri, from the possible 500 indigenous grapes that thrive in this country.

Soil types vary, as do water sources. Georgia has over 1000 rivers and an equal amount of wine producers. The average vineyard is about three acres, where more white wine is produced then red.

The new breed of winemakers vineyards are medium in size and focus on small production. Half of the wine that is produced is exported. Georgia’s moderate climate and moist air are ideal conditions for the varietals to thrive.

I was overwhelmed by the wines of Georgia that I sampled. The red ‘Saperavi’ grape is the most influential red grape used in winemaking,while the Mtsvani and Rkatsiteli are the top white grapes.

The Georgia people have their own alphabet and language. As I explore the wines from Georgia, in the near future, I hope to share some of the new language of Georgia with you.

Philip S. Kampe


Friday, February 17, 2017

It's A Holiday Weekend..Why not attend the Boston Wine Expo by Philip S. Kampe


Advance tickets are still on sale online at www.wine-expos.com for this weekends Boston Wine Expo.

The event takes place at the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center in downtown Boston..
Ticket prices for the Grand Tasting are $110 for Saturday and $100 for Sunday
A Weekend Pass costs $160
VIP Passes are $160 for Saturday and $150 for Sunday
Vintner's Reserve Lounge is $210 for either day
Seminars Vary in Price

Event Hours 1-5pm both days
Trade 11-1pm on Sunday

Contact info: bostonwineexpo@conventures.com

Directions: Seaport World Trade Center and Seaport Hotel  200 Seaport Boulevard  Boston.Ma

Seminars start at 11am on Saturday, February 18th
11am  Bob Mondavi hosts a vertical tasting of Animo and M by Michael Mondavi  $58
11am Why You Like The Wines You Like with host Tim Hanni  $35
11:30am The Superstars of German Riesling  $53
11:30am Wine 101 with the Wine Spectator  $43
11:30am Napa Valley Rocks  $53
Noon  American Rhone  $35
Noon  Prosecco Beyond the Bubbles  $38
12:30pm  King Estate  $48
12:3-pm South Africa's Chenin Blanc  $43
1pm  Cote-Rotie Vertical  $203
2pm The Secret Life of Pinot Noir  $53
2pm Chianti Classico  $53
2:30pm  Sweet Wines of the World  $35
3pm  Chateau Picque-Calliou Vertical  $35
3pm Amarone and Beyond  $43
3:30pm  Sweet Wine Lovers  $30
3:30pm  Ports  $43
3:30pm  The Taste of New York Gold  $43
4pm  Artisan Domestic Whiskies  $43
4pm  Liguria Gourmet Journey  $43

Check the Seminar Schedule for Sunday online..

Philip S. Kampe
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com


40 Years of Winemaking at Russian River Valleys Sonoma-Cutrer by Philip S. Kampe

 Innovation in Winemaking at Sonoma-Cutrer began forty years ago. The focus has always been innovation for this Russian River Valley winery....