Slow Cooked Brisket Pairing with Bulichella Wines of Suvereto

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 3^rd and 4^th 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.    

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*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are my own.

 

A Visit to Sanctuary Vineyards in the Outer Banks of North Carolina

In October I reached a milestone birthday, my 40th , and was looking for a place to celebrate with my family.  We decided to venture down to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, which I have always wanted to visit and it wasn’t too far of a flight from the Northeast so it worked out just perfect.  We rented a beautiful home right on the beach in Corolla with perfect weather every day.  I couldn’t have asked for more.   

Of course, venturing to an area I’ve never been to, I am always curious to scope out the local wine scene.  I wasn’t expecting much to be honest since I really hadn’t heard of North Carolina wines nor had I ever tried a wine from North Carolina.  I was pleasantly surprised that there were multiple wineries in the Outer Banks area. Although most of them were fruit-based wines, my wine loving friend whom travels to the Outer Banks annually recommended I visit Sanctuary Vineyards located in Currituck County in the town of Jarvisburg.  I reached out to the General Manager, John Wright, whom thankfully invited me to visit with my family and taste through a variety of their wines. 

The Winery ~ Sanctuary Vineyards 

The Wright family that owns Sanctuary Vineyards, has been in and out of the Outer Banks area for 7 generations.  I can only imagine that with such a rich history in the area that the family in some shape or form must be related to the Wright brothers whom invented the first airplane venturing on their first flights in Kitty Hawk, NC.  Although we ran out time, we did drive by the Wright Brothers National Museum that you can visit in Kill Devil Hills.   

John’s ancestors settled in the area after a ship wreck in the town of Duck in the 1800’s.  The winery and vineyards, that occupies 28 acres, was established about twenty years ago by John, his father and uncle.  The Currituck County is known for being an area that grows Muscadine grapes well and it received more recognition for these grapes between the Civil War and Prohibition time period.  Although the Muscadine grapes grow well in the area, Sanctuary Vineyards has chosen to focus on European varietals.  John grew to appreciate wine during his studies at UNC.  Once his education was completed he saw that a few farms in the area had begun to get involved in viticulture.  He felt this was the perfect opportunity to expand their farm and build upon their legacy for future generations. 

I was pleasantly surprised upon my visit to see Aglianico on my tasting list.   I had also seen in my research that they had grown Sangiovese, but John had ripped up the Sangiovese vines 10 years ago and I’m sad to say has also now done so with the Aglianico vines.  This happened to be my favorite wine from the tasting so unfortunately you cannot buy it anymore.  John’s experience has shown that thick-skinned Italian grapes that can handle humidity do well in the area.  If he ever tries to plant Italian varietals again in the future his plan is to plant Vermentino. 

Their vineyards are located on both a North and South block with unique soils.  The different blocks all consist of loamy sand with some of the vines located on ancient sand dunes from the Paleolithic era that form the central ridge of Currituck County near the Outer Banks.  Since these soils were scoured by an ancient glacial movement during and after the Ice Ages, they are devoid of much mineral content and organic matter.  This allows the soils to not retain much water and as well all know stressing the vines allows for better wines.   

The Wines 

I sampled seven wines during my tasting and my top choice was the Sanctuary Vineyard Aglianico Rose made 100% from estate grown Aglianico grapes.  According to Sanctuary Vineyards this was the only Aglianico produced in the state of North Carolina.  I believe this may have been the first Aglianico rose I had ever tried.  I loved the juicy strawberry flavors on this wine and it was refreshingly smooth and perfect drinking on that mid 70 degree day.   

My second favorite wine was the 2019 Sanctuary Vineyard Shipwreck red wine produced from North Carolina grown Syrah blended with Tempranillo and some Petit Verdot.  A dark profile of blackberries with some smokiness along with hints of vanilla.  Medium-bodied with silky tannin.  SRP $25.   

They even had a variety of other wines I tried including Viognier, Albarino, Pinot Gris, Tannat and even an orange wine.  

Have any of my readers visited this winery or even tried other wines from North Carolina?  If you visit the Outer Banks Sanctuary Vineyards is worth a visit.   

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*My visit was comp'd, but opinions are always my own.

Pairings with Wines from Israel

I must say I was completely ignorant to Israel producing wines prior to today’s feature.  When presented with an opportunity to try something new and educate myself I’m always on board.  Wines have been produced in Israel for over 5,000 years and continue to do so under a new generation of winemakers looking to carry on the traditions while further advancing their presence in the market and demonstrating the quality being produced there that many of us are not aware of.  With a variety of terrains from the coastal land, to the mountains, hills and even desert there are a variety of climates, therefore a variety of styles produced this eastern Mediterranean country. 

Today I’m presenting the Galil Mountain Winery and Golan Heights Winery of Israel.  

The Wineries 

Galil Mountain Winery: Beginning in 2000, the Galil Mountain Winery is a joint venture with Golan Heights also featured today along with Kibbutz Yiron.  It’s located in the upper part of the Galilee mountain range, considered one of Israel’s best area for wine production.  The winery contains 6 different vineyard sites with varying topographies and climates.  Their vineyards range up to 2,800 fee and there are a variety of soils from basalt, terra rossa and limestone and flint. They believe in “green living” allowing minimal intervention.  Their chief winemaker, Micha Vaadia, believes in “harmony in nature” focusing on sustainability featuring solar power, composting and wastewater management.   

Copyright of Wines of Israel

Golan Heights Winery: This winery started in 1983 and includes 4 different brands: Golan Heights, Gilgal, Yarden and Mount Hermon all considered to be some of the leaders in the Israel wine industry.  Located in northeast Israel they are based on a high elevated volcanic plateau covering 1,500 acres.  Due to the elevation up to 3,900 feet their vineyards are some of the coolest sites in Israel.   Golan Heights Winery is known for their advances in the modern wine industry including their technological innovations and especially their replanting initiatives in Israel.  In 2007 they partnered with ENTAV, the leading vine nursey.  Their vineyards are spread across 400 different blocks that are all harvested and kept in stainless steel separately until selected for blending.   

Copyright of Wines of Israel

The Wines 

2016 Galil Mountain Winery Ela Galilee – This wine is made of 62% syrah, 33% barbera and 5% petit verdot.  Yes, I said Barbera.  Even Italian grapes in Israel?  Amazing!  Deep ruby in color with aromas of black cherry and ripe raspberries.  A smooth, fruit forward wine with jammy fruits, medium in body.  ABV 14.5% SRP $19.99 

The Pairing: Quarantine life has definitely pushed me to try out some new programs.  In the last week we decided to purchase part of a cow from a local farm in the mountains of New Hampshire.  When I saw the makeup of this wine combined with the warmer temperatures that we are experiencing in New Hampshire, it was the perfect time to grill up some tenderloins.  I used a coffee rub that I brought back from Keuka Lake and added some organic roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash with some added nutmeg and cinnamon.  Definitely lots of flavors going on in the dish, but the juicy, ripe fruits of the wine paired just right with the tenderloin. 

2019 Golan Heights Winery Gilgal Chardonnay – Pale straw colored.  The aromatics of this wine reminded me of sauvignon blanc from New Zealand.  Grassy, floral and hints of stone fruit.  Light in body, again grassy, nice and crisp with lime notes.  Not what I was expecting from a chardonnay, but this was definitely a favorite for me and just my style!  ABV 13% SRP $15.99 

The Pairing: I kept this dish simple and straight forward and with this wine being my fan favorite it was quite the enjoyable evening.  A tomato basil marinated grilled chicken breast with an orzo salad combined with organic vegetables. 

Have any of you ever experienced wines from Israel?  If you’d love to learn more join my fellow food and wine lovers as they too explore a variety of wines from Israel. We’re chatting live on Twitter at #WinePW this Saturday at 11am EST.  See you there!

• Terri at Our Good Life shares “Grilled Mahi Mahi and Gilgal Sauvignon Blanc”
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares “The Eternal Light Shines in Galilee: Yarden’s Merlot, Pinot Gris with Acorn Squash Couscous, Tangerine Feta Spring Salad"
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “Lamb Stuffed Eggplant and a perfect Wine from Galilee”
• Deanna at Asian Test Kitchen shares “Yarden Wines Paired with Japanese Surf ‘n Turf”
• Rupal at Syrah Queen shares “Off The Beaten Path – Two Wines From Isreal’s Galilee Appellation”
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares “Of Israeli wines, long-ago memories, and Harvey’s takeout”
• David at Cooking Chat shares “Pairings for Gilgal Sauvignon Blanc from Israel”
• Payal at Keep the Peas shares “Israeli Wine with the Diverse Cuisine of the Diaspora”
• Nicole at Somms Table shares “Memories of Yarden Wines with a side of Meatball Shakshuka”
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “Peppered Brisket, Honeyed Onions, and the 2106 Galil Mountain ‘Ela'”
• Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings shares “Enjoying Gilgal Cab Sauvignon – Merlot and Yarden Pinot Gris with Grilled Wagyu Steak, Alaska Sockeye Salmon and Poke Ahi Tuna Bowl”
• Susannah from Avvinare shares "Visiting Israel for Memorial Day Through Yarden Wines"
• Jeff at Food Wine Click!shares “Two Fisted Wine Pairing with Yarden Wines”

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*The wines were provided as samples, but opinions are all my own.  Importer: Yarden Wine Imports.