Although I love to share the lesser known grapes and wine regions throughout Italy, I also can’t pass up sharing wines I come across in tastings with a fantastic QPR, the quality relative to the wine's price. This week that wine is the 2019 FalescoTenuta Vitiano Rossounder Famiglia Cotarella.
The winery – Falesco
Falesco began 3 generations ago in the 60’s with Antonio and Domenico Cotarellawhom wanted to start a winery and make their own wine. In 1979 the Falesco brand was born under brothers Renzo and Riccardo Cotarella. You may have heard me speak about Riccardo multiple times here at Vino Travels as he is a well-respected winemaker and consultant for over 80 wineries all throughout Italy. The initial beginnings under Renzo and Riccardo Cotarella were to recover ancient vineyards and varieties through a multitude of experiments and research over the years.
In 2016 the Famiglia Cotarella umbrella was established over the family’s 4 brands as Renzo and Riccardo’s daughters, Dominica, Marta and Enrica took over the leadership of the business.The daughters continue to remember the origins of the winery while also allowing the wines produced today to show “elegance and modernity”.
The vineyards within the Cotarellafamily span between both the Umbria and Lazio regions from Lake Bolsena in Lazio up to the hills of Orvieto in Umbria occupying over 740 acres.
The Wine
The 2019 Falesco Tenuta Vitiano Rosso Umbria IGP is one of the traditional wines under the Falesco line of wines. The vineyards are located in the comune of Montecchio in Umbria.
This wine is made up of equal parts Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and is aged 3 months in neutral oak barrels. This wine was medium-bodied with firm tannin on the palate, but balanced with fresh acidity. Ripe cherries with a hint of tobacco. At only $10 a bottle this wine is a no brainer. It also seemed to be the hit with the surrounding tasters.
Over the past few months I’ve been highlighting some of the
wines of southern Tuscany highlighting some of the differences of those from
the more northernly neighbors in Tuscany.
This week we’re exploring the area of Suvereto checking out the
Bulichella winery and their “super Tuscan” style wines.
The southern Tuscany region
Suvereto is said to be the “borghi piu belli di Italia”, one
of the most beautiful villages in Italy, based in the Livorno province of
Tuscany about 50 miles southwest out of Florence bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea.This area is considered the Maremma, which
you may recall me talking about some weeks back.It’s situated between the hills and the sea,
also known as the Etruscan coast, “costa degli Etruschi”.
Suvereto is in the Val di Cornia which is full of forests
and a variety of trees, especially the cork trees from which it takes its name,
sughero translating to corks.Records
show that back in 973 the area was known as Suberetum and in local dialect,
Sughereto.It’s no wonder this area is
full of craftsmen including carpenters and cork workers.
The closest I have come to visit this area is the nearby
island of Elba right off the coast.The
area surrounding Suvereto is full of wonderful outdoor activities including
walking and biking trails as well as thermals baths.Multiple festivals take place throughout the
year including the “Calici di Stelle”, the chalice of the stars, that takes
place in mid-August.There is also the
Sagra del Cinghiale, the wild boar festival, held the first week of
December.
The winery – Bulichella
I’ve mostly always written about the decades or centuries of
traditions within wineries that families have passed down from generation to
generation.Today, the story behind
Bulichella is different.Owner Hideyuki Miyakawa
first ventured to Italy in 1960 from Japan during the Olympics with some
friends.To earn more money during his
travels he became a correspondent covering the car show in Turin, where he
happened to meet his future wife, Maria Luisa Bassana, that he married 2 years
later in 1962.
Hideyuki Miyakawa
Hideyuki established strong relationship with prominent
figures in the car design industry where he later became partner in 1968 to the
company Italystyling that is now known as ItalDesign.He also became a large influence in exporting
the Italian car design to his home country of Japan, which earned him in 2007
the award and honor of Grand Officer Order of Merit of Italian Republic by the
President at the time, Giorgio Napolitano.
Hideyuki Miyakawa
The clay mineral rich soils of the surrounding land along
with the maritime climate create ideal conditions for making quality
wine. The vineyards are well ventilated from the breeze off the sea.The Maremma territory is known for their
“super Tuscan” style wines, which are Bordeaux based wines primarily made of
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot that show great balance and
elegance. They don’t conform to Tuscany’s regulations and the rules
of its northernly neighbors so winemakers have branched out experimenting with
how they would like to produce wines without the restrictions.
Soils of Montepeloso
Some of Italy’s top wines hail from the
Maremma. Point proven that it isn’t always about the designation
that one label bears, but rather the quality within the
bottle. Personally I’ve always been hesitant when I see wines
marketed in the US as “super tuscans” as I feel many have used this as a
marketing technique, but you decide.
For a couple of the wines that I’m sharing from Bulichella,
these wines fall under the Suvereto DOCG that was established in 2011 in which
Hideyuki played a large role in getting established when he was the prior
President of the Val di Cornia DOC Wine Consortium.This area had previously fallen under the Val
di Cornia DOC.You may find wines
produced there as single varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese
or blended with at least 85% minimum of one of the grapes.
Bulichella was one of the first organic estates in Tuscany
and is ICEA Organic certified throughout their entire production chain
including their photovoltaic system.Today their estate is comprised of about 103 acres of which 35 acres are
vineyards and 25 are olive groves.
The Wines
I sampled 4 wines from the Bulichella winery mostly made of
blends with one based 100% on the Syrah grape.I’m not a huge fan of oak usage, primarily newer oak, but what stood out
to me about these wines was their elegance.My favorite of the bunch was the Montecristo, but I tend to prefer
Merlot and with a blend dominated by Merlot that took my preferable spot.
The 2020 Bulichella Rubino Costa Toscana Rosso IGT
was made of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 14% Petit
Verdot.This wine was fermented in
stainless steel, macerated for 8 days.It was matured in stainless steel and spent 6 months in 3rd
and 4th usage of French oak.This was an enjoyable every day wine.Transparent ruby colored with sweet cherries with a hint of licorice on
the nose.Medium bodied, but on the
lighter end of the scale, with fresh acidity, red fruits and savory notes.A nice silkiness on the palate, light on the
tannin with a lingering finish.ABV 14%
The 2018 Bulichella Hide Syrah Costa Toscana Syrah IGT is
made of 100% Syrah.This wine had
spontaneous fermentation in French oak with 25 days maceration.Aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak
barriques and tonneaux plus an additional 6 months in the bottle.Transparent ruby colored with ripe, sweet red
fruits with a hint of white pepper. Medium to fuller bodied with juicy acidity.Blackberry fruits with smoky notes.Smooth tannin with cedar towards the finish
that was lengthy.ABV 14.5%
The 2018 Bulichella Montecristo Suvereto DOCG Rosso is made
of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon (old vines) and 10% Petit Verdot.This was was fermented in stainless steel
with 24 days maceration.Aged 22 months
in 100% new French oak barriques and 6 months in the bottle.More intense and deeper ruby in color than
the prior wines.Bold aromas of ripe
cherry and cocoa with a touch of balsamic.Full-bodied with mouthwatering acidity up front upon opening.Plush red fruits and black currants. Fine,
elegant tannin with a lengthy finish. ABV 14.5%
The 2018 Bulichella Coldipietrerosse Suvereto DOCG is made of 75%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 20%Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Fermented in stainless steel
with 25-30 day maceration.Aged 18
months in 50% new French oak barrique and 6 months in the bottle.Transparency ruby colored with notes of
cassis on the nose.Medium bodied with
nice brightness and freshness that I wasn’t expecting.With a 15% alcohol level I found it to be
rather balanced.Dark fruits with notes
of tobacco and polished tannins.
Wine Pairing
One of my favorite dishes when in Tuscany is eating wild boar. I was intrigued to discover that Suvereto has a wild boar festival. Although I didn't prepare wild boar to taste with these wines I used the brisket that we bought from our local farm and cooked it in the slow cooker for about 7-8 hours for a quick, but delicious meal. I browned the brisket first on both sides for 2-3 minutes for added flavor and set it on low with some water and wine (of course) along with garlic, onions and varied seasonings to include bay leaves, salt and pepper. Once the brisket was done I pulled it out and added some corn starch to the remaining juice to thicken the sauce. I added the brisket back in once the sauce thickened and shredded the brisket upon removing much of the fat.
I have to say all these wines paired just lovely with this dish. Between the complexities of the flavors and fat in the meat matched to the flavors in these wines with their fruit, acidity and tannin made for a delightful pairing.
*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are my own.
The Finger Lakes wine region holds
a special place in my heart. It’s where I first grew to like and
appreciate wine. A dear friend introduced me to the area many years ago
since he used to work at Fox Run Vineyards. I used to take annual
trips there, the last one being a couple years back now. I was thrilled
to have the opportunity to receive a number of samples and have fun
pairing some of them with our Wine Pairing Weekend (#winePW) crew. Let’s get started!
Where
is the Finger Lakes wine region? It’s located in upstate New York,
just south of Ontario Canada. The drive for me is about a 6 hour ride
from Boston. There are eleven lakes parallel to each other that look like fingers from north to south. The main viticultural
lakes are the Seneca, Keuka and Cayuga lakes along with Canandaigua.
These lakes were developed during the Ice Age by glaciers that
left behind soils like shale and limestone that give
these wines their particular mineral characteristics.
View over Keuka Lake from one of my favorites, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
This
region has so much to offer in addition to its wineries, including
breweries, distilleries and wonderful farm-to-table experiences at many
of the wineries and local restaurants. In addition, the miles upon
miles of farmland, corn fields and vineyards overlooking the lakes is
simply beautiful. Many of the wineries operate events throughout the year to giving you the perfect excuse for a visit. I used to attend an annual multi-course wine
paired “garlic dinner” at Fox Run Vineyards attended by the owners and
winemakers. It was just glorious set in the vineyards under a tent
overlooking Seneca Lake.
The
climate of the area is tempered by the lakes allowing ideal conditions
for the grapes of the area to grow. The Finger Lakes is best known for
their Rieslings and Gewurztraminer wines and I feel in love with the enticing aromatics and flavors of these wines. I’m also a fan of their Cabernet Franc and I’ve enjoyed
many other unique Cornell developed grapes as well as cold climate
grapes that do particularly well there.
I’ve
been fortunate to visit 3 of the 4 wineries I sampled this week and
just imagined myself there in the tasting rooms. We all need a getaway
at this point with everything going on so it was nice to mentally escape
for a bit.
Lakewood Vineyards
My
last visit to the Finger Lakes was the first time I visited Lakewood
Vineyards located in the town of Watkins Glen on the southwestern side
of Seneca Lake. If you visit this area you must stop and visit Watkins
Glen State Park. It’s a beautiful place to walk off many of the
calories consumed upon your vacation.
Lakewood
Vineyards is family owned and was founded in 1988. The grandsons of
the founder today run the winery with Chris Stamp producing every
vintage to date since their establishment and David Stamp overseeing the
vineyards that date back to 1952. I really enjoyed both of these
Rieslings with varying levels of residual sugars and they both paired
perfectly with the dishes I prepared.
2018 Lakewood Vineyards Dry Riesling
– A dry Riesling with crisp acidity and peach and lime notes. ABV 11%
SRP $15. I paired this wine with a grilled pork chop and pear risotto.
I also added a side of bruschetta topped with ricotta and truffle honey. It particularly complemented the pears in the risotto.
2018 Lakewood Vineyards Riesling
– Straw colored and floral aromas with ripe peach, pears and citrus.
It was rather light and delicate with good acidity up front with peach
satisfying the palate. ABV 10% SRP $15. I paired this wine with a thai
shrimp pasta comparing it with the Red Newt Riesling mentioned next.
As I assumed based on the amount of residual sugars listed on the bottles
that this wine would pair better with the dish. It brought out the
lime flavors in the thai peanut sauce.
Red Newt
Red
Newt is located in Hector, NY on the southeast part of Seneca Lake.
Started in 1998 by David and Debra Whiting, Red Newt provides an
opportunity to experience food and wine of the Finger Lakes at its
finest with their onsite bistro. I sampled their flagship wine, Circle
Riesling that I’m very familiar with, but wanted to call out to their
single vineyard Sawmill Creek Riesling.
2013 Red Newt Sawmill Creek Vineyards North Block Riesling
- It was quite interesting to experience the difference in this single
vineyard compared to the Circle Riesling. Sawmill Creek Vineyards
belongs to the Hazlitt family of Hazlitt Vineyards that have been growning grapes
there since 1862. It is only about a half mile from Red Newt. This
single vineyard is located on steep slopes made of shale soil. This
wine was pale straw colored with a distinct nose of ripe peaches, apricots and especially petrol. Very luscious, ripe fruit dominating the palate.
With very low alcohol at 8% and high residual sugars I enjoyed drinking
this wine on its own. Although you’ll see I did pair it in a standoff
with Lakewood Riesling for comparison this is the type of Riesling I
like to sip solo. SRP $24
Buttonwood Grove Winery
Buttonwood
is the only one I haven’t been to although I have heard of it before.
It’s amazing to me over the years from when I first started going almost
20 years ago to see how many wineries have been established in that
time frame. Every time I go there always seems to be a new one.
Buttonwood was purchased by the latest owners, Dave and Melissa Pittard,
in 2014. Located on the western side of Cayuga Lake they make classic
vinifera grapes on their 25 acres. It seems you can stay at the
property and they also have a summer music series. Sounds wonderful!
2019 Buttonwood Grove Winery Rose' –
This wine is made from 100% Cabernet Franc grapes. Juicy acidity with
wild strawberry flavors. I picked up a hint of wet stone as well. It
had decent weight and was rather refreshing. ABV
12% SRP $16. This warmer weather has us using the grill a lot as you
can see so I paired it with a grilled chicken dish topped with a
blueberry, balsamic and maple syrup sauce and a side of kale. The blueberries in the sauce paired nicely with the red fruits of
the rose’.
Have you been to this wine region? I’d love to hear all about it!
Join
my fellow food and wine lovers as they share their journey through the
Finger Lakes wine region. Catch us live on Twitter this Saturday at
#WinePW 11am EST. See you there! Also, some of the wineries of the region are having great free shipping deals on 6+ bottles so make sure to check them out.
