Day 1: Tour of Bolla winery & wine dinner

I was lucky to escape the unbelievable Boston storms that we have been experiencing over the past 2 weeks a day early by venturing over to Italy for my 8^th trip. I was provided the opportunity by the Consorzio della Valpolicella to discover not only all the wines of the Valpolciella, but in particular Amarone and the 2011 Amarone release that will lastly be revealed in my blogs with the Anteprima Amarone event. I'll share with you throughout the next couple weeks my visits to the wineries of this region, wines I've tasted and the winemakers I met. Of course food needs to be integrated since it's such a part of the Italian lifestyle as well.

Bolla tasting room

On my first day of arrival into Verona I attended my first winery tour of the trip that night of the Bolla winery. The Bolla winery located in San Pietro in Cariano is their headquarters that is located in the southwestern part of the Valpolicella area in the Veneto. The Bolla winery began in 1883 by Abele Bolla. The current owner today is the Gruppo Italiano Vini that took part ownership in 2006 and then later bought the company outright in 2009. We were introduced to the winemaker Christian Scrinzi, Wine Director Giannantonio Marconi and Wine Educator Roberta Speronello. 

Left to Right: Christian Scrinzi, myself, Giannantonio Marconi

Bolla manages about 15 cellars and 800 hectacres, about 1975 acres, with corvina and rondinella being the most planted grapes.  Bolla's production is 10 million bottles with about 150,000 of those belonging to Amarone. Giannantonio has partaken in 22 harvests with Bolla so both him and Christian were able to provide a lot of insight into what they have seen take place over the years and the changes. 

 











A hundred winegrowers are part of the Gruppo Italiano Vini. The Bolla facilities in San Pietro is where Bolla also vinifies for the Santi and Lamberti wineries. In Bolla's wine cellar, known as “Cantina del Nonno” or “grandfather's cellar”, it contains almost 2000 barrels with the oldest barrel, Slavonian, dating back to 1883 and is still used to this day mostly for storage.

1883 wine barrel

One of Bolla's successful projects over the years has been the education centers they have established for wine growers. They have created 10 pruning schools to further educate the appropriate way to prune vineyards since this is where a lot of it starts for the producers. In this region in particular the pergola system is used a lot in addition to guyot.

Following our tour we sampled from the barrel the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico “Le Origine” 2011 that is made available in November 2018 and the Amarone della Valpolicella Classico “Rhetico” 2011 which will be made available November 2016. According to Giannantonio 2011 was a textbook year.  In the Anteprima Amarone event at the end of my trip I attended a blind tasting lead by Luca Martini whom is AIS (Associazione Italiana Sommelier) world's best sommelier in 2013. In the blind tasting of the 1998 bottles one was revealed to be the Bolla Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 1998 Le Origini.

Our wine tasting at Bolla was followed by a wonderful dinner at the Enoteca della Valpolicella in Fumane of the Valpolicella with Christian, Giannantonio and Roberta. It was a wonderful opportunity to sample many more of the fine wines of Bolla paired with courses chosen by the Enoteca. As you'll see we sampled the following pairings:

• 2013 Bolla Tufaie Soave Superiore Classico
• 2012 Bolla Colforte Valpolicella Classico Superiore
• 2011 Bolla Creso Rosso IGT
• 2009 Bolla Rhetico Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
• 2008 Bolla Le Origini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
• 2003 Bolla Le Origini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
  
  

  

   
  

   

  
  
   
  

  

  
  

  

  
  
  

  

To say the least it was a great way to start the week and I look forward to sharing with you many more winery visits over the next couple weeks. Stay tuned and ciao for now!

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The clones of sangiovese in Tuscany

Welcome to our 4th #ItalianFWT (Italian Food, Wine & Travel) event featuring Tuscany this month.  Contemplating what to write about for this months focus on the region of Tuscany in Italy brought about too many ideas.  

I lived in Florence, Firenze in Italian, back during the tragic 9-11 in 2001.  I have returned there a number of times since then so needless to say this is the region that I feel the most comfortable with.  I have explored many of the small medieval towns and have tasted a number of wines from the wineries throughout the region.  Being an Italian wine blog, I decided to focus on the wines of the region, but it was tough also not to write about all the wonderful towns I have visited like Cortona, Volterra, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, etc..  

Vineyards of Tuscany

Chianti is one of the most popular wines known throughout the world.  It is based on the sangiovese grape, but there are many clones of it that you can find throughout Tuscany.  Depending on which region you are in or even which area of that region, you can get many versions of what this grape is capable of producing.  Tuscany alone has a number of different expressions of the sangiovese grape so I wanted to share those that are within the region.

Chianti & Chianti Classico
Within the Chianti region there is the Chianti DOCG and the Chianti Classico DOCG.  Obviously what is considered to be the better quality comes from the historical and renowned area of the Chianti Classico, but this isn't always the case either.  

Within the Chianti DOCG you can locate 7 different subzones each with their own characteristics: 

·         Colli Pisane- lightest in body

·         Colli Aretini – the newest subzone

·         Colli Fiorentini – Good character and fruit, but simple

·         Colli Senesi – this is the fallback appellation for the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG

·         Montalbano – this is the fallback appellation for the Carmignano DOCG

·         Montespertoli – used to be part of Colli Fiorentini

·         Rufina – considered the highest quality

The Chianti Classico DOCG has its own subzones:

·         Gaiole in Chianti

·         Greve in Chianti

·         Radda in Chianti

·         Castellina in Chianti

·         Panzano in Chianti

·         Castelnuovo Berardegna

·         Barberino Val d’Elsa

So as you can see there can be many variations of the sangiovese grape depending on not only the area, but the subzones as well.  Chianti DOCG was established in 1984 and requires at least 70% of the varietal vs. Chianti Classico DOCG established in 1996 requiring at least 85% sangiovese.  Additional indigenous grapes are blended including canaiolo, colorino, mammolo, etc.  Whites as of 2006 are no longer permitted in the Classico versions.

Vineyards of Brunello di Montalcino by Megan Cole

Outside of these classic areas of Tuscany there are also 3 other areas that are recognized for producing some of Italy’s top wines including Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano as well as southern Tuscany’s Morellino di Scansano.  

Brunello di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is really the top wine of Tuscany produced 100% by the sangiovese clone known as sangiovese grosso.  This wine is produced in the town of Montalcino in a warmer south-western section of Tuscany that produces riper, fuller bodied versions of sangiovese.  In addition the wine is aged 4 years in barriques and 5 years for a riserva.  

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
About 30 minutes away, east of Montalcino, you come across the town of Montepulicano where Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG is produced.  Make notice we are not talking about the grape montepulciano.  This sangiovese clone, prugnolo gentile, is required to produce at a minimum of 70% with additional grapes added such as canaiolo and mammolo.  This area has a little more sand and less fluctuations in temperature, but still produces wines that are fuller than chianti versions.  These wines must be aged 2 years and 3 years for a riserva.  

Vineyards of Montepuliciano by Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Morellino di Scansano
Lastly, if you weren’t confused by the many clones of sangiovese there is one other part of Tuscany that also uses sangiovese.  This area is considered the New Tuscany located in the Maremma area of southern Tuscany in the town of Scansano.  

In 1992 the IGT designation, Indicazione Geografica Tipica, was established as many producers didn’t want to follow the rules and they started experimenting with other grapes, in addition to the main varietal sangiovese, and starting blending cabernet sauvignon and merlot.  Hence was born some of the most popular wines in Italy known as Super Tuscans that include Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Tignanello.  

The Morellino di Scansano DOCG, in particular the morellino clone, is a darker version of sangiovese and in this area is produced with at least 85% of morellino.  It can be aged 4-12 months or 2 years for a riserva.  This particular area contains both volcanic soils that add minerality to the wine and some sea fossils as this area was once a marshland that drained in the 1930’s.  The morellino here shows fresh, rounder fruit with some chewiness.

Morellino di Scansano - Rights of consorzio di tutela del morellino di scansano 

I could go on and on about sangiovese, but this covers it for Tuscany.  Our Tuscan journey doesn't stop here.  Join all of our other bloggers as they share with you their experience through the region of Tuscany.


Cooking Chat - Tuscan beef stew and wine pairing
Food Wine Click - In Tuscany, red wine pairs with fish
Curious Appetite - Tuscan baked goods and secret bakeries in Florence
Flavourful Tuscany - Tuscany: the cult of wines and the dining pleasure
Enofylz - A Taste of the Tuscany coast
Rockin Red Blog - Travel to Tuscany without leaving home with #ItalianFWT
Girls Gotta Drink - What is up with the Chianti Classico black rooster?
Italophilia - Castello di Poppiano
Orna O'Reilly - Five days on Elba

Join us next month on Saturday March 7th as we travel to the region of Trentino-Alto Adige in the northeastern part of Italy in the Dolomite mountains.  For additional Italian related blogs on the food, wine and travel of Italy stay tuned to #ItalianFWT on Twitter throughout the month.  Ciao Ciao!

If you'd love to experience this region for yourself please inquire with me at vinotravels @ hotmail . com.

Italian Food, Wine & Travel Discovers Tuscany

We're here celebrating our 4th Italian Food, Wine & Travel (#ItalianFWT) bloggers group and this month we travel to central Italy to the region of Tuscany! If you didn't get to join us last month we featured the Emilia Romagna and had great blogs to share. 

View from Torre delle Ore in Lucca, Italy

This group consists of bloggers that have a deep appreciation and passion for Italy whether it comes from their travels to Italy or their appreciation of the fine wines and amazing cuisine. 

Tuscany, one of the most traveled of all the regions in Italy and it's no surprise as to why.  From the rolling hills vineyard filled from town to town, to the medieval cities, to my "hometown" and one true love - the capital of Tuscany Florence (Firenze in Italy), to the simple but flavorful cuisine.  Let's not forget about one of the most popular wines of the world that Tuscany gives to us, Chianti.  

Duomo in Firenze, Italy

We have a group of bloggers ready to share with you their insights into the region of Tuscany.  This Saturday February 7th will be our 4th event.  You can join us all day live on twitter Saturday at #ItalianFWT and make sure to check back at Vino Travels Saturday for a list of wonderful blogs to enjoy throughout your weekend.

Here are our featured articles this month on Tuscany:

Vino Travels – The clones and wines of sangiovese in Tuscany 
Cooking Chat – Tuscan beef stew and wine pairing
Food Wine Click – In Tuscany, red wine pairs with fish
Curious Appetite - Tuscan baked goods and secret bakeries in Florence
Flavourful Tuscany - Tuscany: The cult of wines and the dining pleasure
Enofylz - A Taste of the Tuscany coast
Rockin Red Blog - Travel to Tuscany without leaving home with #ItalianFWT
Girls Gotta Drink - What is up with the Chianti Classico Black Rooster?
Italophilia - Castello di Poppiano
Orna O'Reilly - Five days on Elba

Vineyards in Tuscany

There is still time to join before Saturday.  Please reach out to me at vinotravels at hotmail dot com.  Otherwise we would love to have you join us for next month's event and region to be announced Saturday!

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