Pairing Madeira Wines with Food – Amazing 5 Course Meal at Chalet Vincente in Funchal

(June 11, 2013) - We enjoyed a 3.5 hour lunch at Chalet Vincente, a charming restaurant near the ocean in Madeira’s main city of Funchal. The menu was impressive, custom ordered in advance, and served with both Madeira fortified and still wines which accompanied traditional Madeira dishes.

Appetizer: 5 year old H&H Sercial with Marinated Octopus and “Bolo do Caco” (Madeira Bread, unleavened with garlic)

First Course: 5 year old Barbeito Verdehlo with Tuna simmered in a Tomato & Onion Sauce

Second Course: Still Verdelho Wine Terras do Avô with "Espada Preta" (Black Scabbard Fish) lightly battered in a local passion fruit & banana sauce

Third Course: Still Red Wine Beijo (Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz & Cabernet Sauvignon) with Cubed Pork slow cooked in garlic & vinegar and garnished with fresh orange.

Dessert: 10 year old Barbeito Boal and 10 year old H&H Malvasia with local goat cheese sprinkled with walnuts, spaghetti pumpkin jam, chocolate mouse, and cake and fresh fruit soaked in a warm custard sauce

Buying Wine in Moorea, Bora Bora & Tahiti

May 2013 – My husband and I decided to celebrate our anniversary in the Tahitian Islands on an 8 day/6 night trip. The reason it was 8 days is because the non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Papeete only fly at night, so we spent two nights trying to sleep on a plane, and the other 6 nights sleeping in beautiful resorts.

Naturally we packed some wine to take with us – 3 bottles – but quickly discovered that we should have brought more, or purchased it in duty free as we witnessed many other people doing. This is because wine prices are quite high in these islands. For example, we found Veuve Clicquot orange label in a grocery store on Bora Bora for 11500 Pacific francs, or approximately $127! In restaurants, it was even pricier. But since the wine must be imported a very long way, I guess this is to be expected.

Moorea – Incredibly Beautiful, With Manutea Tasting Room

After traveling 12 hours from San Francisco (SFO to LA on American, 2 hour layover, then 8.5 hours Air Tahiti), we finally arrived in Papeete, the capital and largest city on the island of Tahiti. It was 5.30 in the morning, and there was a 3 piece band singing local songs, which was quite nice, but the hour long wait in the customs line was exhausting. There were no seats, and no air conditioning in the humid 80 degree climate.

Once through customs, our luggage was waiting, and we were greeted by our travel agent rep with fragrant tuber rose leis and then asked to wait another 2 hours before our 15 minute flight to Moorea across the bay. We were happy to reach our hotel, the Pearl Beach Resort & Spa (see review on Trip Advisor link at end of post), around 9:30am, but had to wait until noon to get into our room. However, they allowed us to take a shower in the hospitality room, and relax by the beautiful infinity pool with view of the ocean.

Our first wine experience was that evening at their restaurant when I ordered a glass of the house white. It was a basic Vin de France of no clear varietals, but was serviceable with the grilled mahi-mahi with vanilla cream sauce.

The next day we rented a car to drive around the island, and the first stop – as recommended by our guide book – was the Manutea Tasting Room, a mere 20 minutes from our hotel. We were expecting to only find fruit liquors, such as their famous pineapple brandy and vanilla cream which were delicious to taste, but imagine my surprise to find they also stocked the only wine made in the Tahitian Islands – the Tahiti wine brand made on the island of Rangiroa (see below).

The next evening, we ordered some of the excellent local BBQ and had it on our private pool patio with a wonderful Alexander Valley cabernet sauvignon, which we had brought with us. The final night on the island, we walked 10 minutes to the Moorea Beach Club (see Trip Advisor review below) and had a fabulous dinner of fresh fish with a minerally 2011 Macon recommended by the French owner. Overall we were quite happy with our wine experiences on Moorea.

Tahiti Winery on Rangiroa Island - Domaine Ampelidacees

The Tahiti Winery is located on Rangiroa Island, which we did not visit, but we found their wine in several locations. The actual name of the winery is Domaine Ampelidacees, established in 1992. They currently have 8 hectares of vineyards, produce around 40,000 bottles per year, and because the climate is so warm, they have 2 harvests.

The primary grapes they are using are Carignan Blanc and Muscat of Hamburg. Both perform well in warmer climates, so they are apparently able to grow it successfully here, even though the humidity is a problem at times.

I tasted three of their wines. The first was the Blanc de Corail, made from a blend of carignan red and muscat, which they were selling by the glass at our hotel on Bora Bora – the Pearl Resort. It had a perfumed nose similar to gewürztraminer and some residual sugar on the palate, and was perfect as an aperitif by the pool.

The second two wines I tasted at the Air Tahiti lounge on our way home. The first was the Blanc Sec, which was made in an old world style (oak aged 12 months, carignan red). The next was the Rose Nacarat (same grapes as Corail), which was similar to a dry Provence rose, with muted berry and hints of earth and minerality on the palate. All three wines had a distinctive character, and I found them quite interesting.

Bora Bora – Even More Expensive Wine

We arrived in Bora Bora on our fourth day, after a 40 minute flight from Papeete (yes we had to fly back to Papeete from Moorea first). From the tiny airport, you must take a boat to all of the hotels, and we arrived at the Bora Bora Pearl around 10am, but were able to check into our over-water bungalow around noon (See review on Trip Advisor below). Even though expensive, I think this is something everyone should do at least once in a lifetime, if possible. It was one of my bucket list items, and worth it.

Bora Bora is stunningly beautiful with turquoise water, white sand, jagged mountain peaks, and some of the best snorkeling I’ve ever experienced. The first day we snorkeled off our deck, worked out in the gym, swam in the pool and just relaxed. My husband also continued to drink the local beer, Hinano, which he had discovered on Moorea and was around $5 per can.

Since the resort was so beautiful – and you had to take a boat and expensive taxi into town – we ate at their restaurant the first night and were impressed with the food. Because the weather was so hot, I was craving a glass of NZ sauvignon blanc, but couldn’t find one on menu, so I settled on a bottle of basic French rose. My husband ordered a glass of 2009 Bordeaux Superior to go with his beef, and really enjoyed it. However, I have discovered that even the cheapest 2009 Bordeaux are usually quite good.

The second day we did the Lagoon tour and went snorkeling in 4 different locations, including the Coral Gardens, which was amazing! I’ve never seen so many fish, plus a huge moray eel with sharp teeth. That night we ordered room service of fresh fish and paired it with the last bottle of wine we had brought with us – a vintage Champagne.

American Brands in the Islands – Mondavi and Barefoot

The third day we took the resort bus into the small town of Vaitape to go shopping and buy wine at the grocery story. We had noticed that Mondavi and Barefoot (Gallo) seemed to dominate at restaurants, and so I was curious about grocery stores prices. Here I found Barefoot to be 1995 Pacific Francs, which equaled to around $22 US dollars per bottle! However at our unpleasant experience eating at Bloody Mary’s restaurant that evening (see Trip Advisor links below), I found that it cost around $40 per bottle!

At the grocery store, I ended up buying an IGP sauvignon blanc from Languedoc for around $18 to drink on the deck (the resort has small refrigerators and plenty of ice). It was pleasant when chilled. We also did other shopping in Vaitape at the local craft market, and enjoyed wondering around the art galleries.

Where is “New Zealand Wine” in Tahiti?

During our time in the island, I couldn’t help but wonder why New Zealand wine was not more prevalent. Tahiti is only a 6 hour flight from New Zealand (in fact, one of our flight choices was to fly to Auckland and then back to Tahiti), so I was expecting a lot of cold, crisp NZ sauvignon blanc in such a hot climate. However, I found very little NZ wine, with French wine dominating the market here. Obviously the French heritage of the islands and the fact that it was Gauguin’s adopted home, and is a primary reason for this.

Overall Impressions

I am very happy we had the opportunity to travel to Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora. It is worth saving up for at least once in your life, though I’m not sure I would go again because there are so many other beautiful places that are less expensive. Also there is more poverty in the islands that I was expecting.

Overall, it is a very romantic place. Most everyone there was either on his or her honeymoon or celebrating an anniversary.

In terms of wine, I would recommend bringing your own, buying in duty free in LA, or just accept that you must pay high prices.


Links for Trip Advisor Reviews

Moorea Pearl Resort
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g303860-d307161-r162458323-Moorea_Pearl_Resort_Spa-Maharepa_Moorea_Society_Islands.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

Moorea Beach Cafe
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g303860-d4055008-r162459651-Moorea_Beach_Cafe-Maharepa_Moorea_Society_Islands.html#REVIEWS

Bora Bora Pearl Resort -
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g311415-d307150-r162460900-Bora_Bora_Pearl_Beach_Resort_Spa-Bora_Bora_Society_Islands.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

Bloody Mary’s, Bora Bora
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g311415-d1093810-r162461010-Bloody_Mary_s-Bora_Bora_Society_Islands

Wine and Food in Hilton Head and Savannah Georgia

One of the items on my husband’s bucket list is to play golf on Hilton Head Island, so when I was able to get a good deal on a weekly condo rental there recently, we jetted off to the South Carolina island covered with long white sandy beaches, swaying palms, pink azaleas, and oak trees dripping with lacy moss.

He was happy because he was finally able to play Harbour Town golf course with the famous red and white lighthouse on the 18th hole. He also enjoyed the challenge of Sea Pines Ocean course, Palmetto Dunes and Shipyard. I was pleasantly pleased because I stumbled across some wine by the glass lists with unique wine choices, while also managing to get in a little golf and take an excellent short game clinic with Doug Weaver at Palmetto Dunes.

Unique Wine by the Glass Selections

In general, I find many wine by the glass lists rather boring in that they carry the same major brands, although I do recognize that many consumers are seeking the comfort of a familiar wine, and that restaurants want the reassurance of solid cash flow. Therefore I was quite surprised to find buried within the KJ Chardonnays, Beringer White Zins, Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blancs, Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon, and Apothic Red Blends, a few unique gems.

The first surprise was at the Topside Waterfront Restaurant where we found a Picpoul (white grape from the South of France with a zippy lemony edge) and a Chapoutier Grenache Blanc and Clairette blend on the extensive wine by the glass list – both for under $10. When I asked to see the complete wine list by the bottle, I found it was the same as the by the glass list, but with the prices inflated by four. Therefore it made no sense to buy a bottle, so instead we opted for 4 different glasses.

Pink HouseThe next day in Savannah when dining at the famous Old Pink House, we were quite surprised to find a Godello on the wine by the glass list. This is a white wine from Spain that is rarely found in the US. It was crisp with sharp acid, grapefruit notes, and a mineral edge. They also carried a Lioco unoaked chardonnay, which is a tiny artistic winery in Sonoma that most people have never heard of – including me, and I’m from Sonoma!

Probably one of the best culinary experiences we had was at a restaurant that I didn’t want to enter because it looked like a nightclub with a dark interior, red lights, and bar stools at high tables. However, we had been told that Daniel’s at Coligny Beach on Hilton Head featured a creative chef with artistic large tapa plates like the angry lobster, lamb lollipops, and tableside hummus preparation. The wine by the glass list was equally innovative with several flights served in a tiered candelabra presentation (see photo), as well as Naked “natural” wine from Snoqualmie Washington and two unique styled malbecs from Argentina. Equally intriguing about Daniel’s were their homemade liquors, such as vodka with Skittles, peach and bacon soaked bourbon, and many other unusual concoctions.

Difficult to Get a Wine List

One interesting observation at all three of these higher-end restaurants is that none of them brought the complete wine list with bottle prices to the table with the menus. Instead they featured extensive wine by the glass lists inside the food menu. Perhaps this is a custom in this part of the country. I’m not sure what the explanation is, but I did notice that a lot of people were drinking wine in Georgia and South Carolina – a good sign for American culture because as Thomas Jefferson said, “No nation is drunken where wine is cheap; and none sober, where the dearness of wine substitutes ardent spirits as the common beverage. It is, in truth, the only antidote to the bane of whiskey.”

Costa Rican Cuisine, Wine & Ecotourism – Living the “Pura Vida”

March 13, 2013 –This past week I enjoyed my first visit to the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Though better known for coffee than wine, since I was in the country to present a paper on the wine supply chain at the NBES academic conferences, I was naturally curious to learn about the types of wine available in Costa Rica. Therefore I made it my mission to investigate wine lists and store selections during my stay.

Chilean Wine Dominates, Followed by Argentina and Spain

After visiting six restaurants, three grocery stores and four wine shops, I would have to say that Chilean wine seems to dominate the market place by about 50% – at least on the Pacific Coast near Jaco where I was staying. This was followed by Argentinian and Spanish wine, both with estimates of around 20%, and California wine making up the last 10%. The most common US brands were KJ, Robert Mondavi Woodbridge, and Barefoot (Gallo).

Obviously this was not a scientific poll, but it does provide an idea of what types of wine you will find when visiting the country. In addition, Costa Rica actually produces some fruit wines, because wine grapes cannot grow in such a hot, tropical climate. It is interesting to note, that since their alcohol taxes are higher, wine prices are more expensive as well. For example, a bottle of 2011 Barefoot Chardonnay was $12 in the grocery store, whereas in the US it usually sells for around $7. In a restaurant I paid $11 for a glass of 2012 Montez Alpha Sauvignon Blanc.

Hot, Humid Climate Calls for Chilled White Wine, Beer or Rum Drinks

Since Costa Rica is covered with many rainforests and volcanoes, and is known for producing coffee and bananas, it obviously has a warm and moist climate. Indeed, from December through May, the Pacific side of the country where I visited is very hot and sunny. Everyday the temperatures hovered in the high 90’s F with 90% humidity. Then during July through November, the rains come – dumping an average of 400 inches on the land, and allowing them to grow rice in the fields.

Because of the warm climate, most locals drink beer or rum with a preference and pride in their homegrown brands of Imperial beer and Cacique Guaro rum. The latter is blended with fruit juice or “agua de pipa” - coconut water. Because of the intense heat, when I bought wine, I was drawn to the crisp, chilled sauvignon blancs from Chile and verdejos from Spain. At the Marriott Los Suenos, I was interested to see that when they did serve cabernet sauvignon, it was chilled because they kept the bottles on ice. Though that may sound strange for a red wine, it made sense in Costa Rica because the nights were so sweltering and sticky.

Costa Rican Food – Fresh and Simple

Not much has been written on Costa Rican cuisine, and that is because it is rather simple, consisting of fresh fish, fruit, rice, and beans. They also enjoy chicken and fried plantains, and craft some local cheeses. The food has a bit of Caribbean flare, but I found I was missing sauces, salsas, and spices in general that would make the cuisine more interesting.

A very strange experience occurred when I ordered a whole red snapper, which is supposed to be a specialty of the region. However when it arrived, it was so tough and rubbery I could barely eat it. Apparently the custom is to flour and salt it, then deep fry it for about an hour. It is served with fresh lime, but no sauce. I found the best bet is to order fresh filet of sea bass or mahi mahi. They also make good ceviche with tilapia and/or mango.

Costa Rica is World Class in Ecotourism

Where Costa Rica does excel is in ecotourism. I have never visited a country that has perfected this subject to such an art form. It is very inspiring how the whole economy seems to revolve around protecting the rainforests, their national parks (which make up more than 25% of the country), conservation, recycling, and education on all of these issues to tourists.

We visited Manuel Antonio and Carara National Parks, and in both cases had professional guides with degrees in biology and conservation that guided us through the rainforest. They carried large telescopes and could easily spot toucans, red macaws, sloths, monkeys, fruit bats, and other exotic rare birds and creatures. They knew the name of every tree, bug, and bush, and showed great enthusiasm in explaining nature and the impact of man on the environment.

We also did a kayak trip through a mangrove swamp and learned how the mangroves protect the land from erosion. We visited a few beaches and discovered that they are quite varied, with some having rocks and grey sand, whereas others are pure white sand with native coconut palms. Another highlight of the trip were the very large crocodiles that live in the many rivers and crawl out to rest in the sun on muddy banks.

Overall, Costa Rica is a beautiful country with abundant wildlife, friendly and enthusiastic people, and a belief in enjoying life as illustrated by their motto of “pura vida”, which means “pure life” or “live life in the moment.”

Enjoying a Slow Food Feast in San Minato and Visit to Falaschi Butcher Shop

Jan. 10, 2013 – After leaving Bolgheri the evening before, we arrived back in Florence rather late and checked into Hotel Donatello. This is a beautifully decorated hotel with ornate furniture and draperies in the rooms, but rather tense and unfriendly service. Its upside is a location that is within easy walking distance of downtown Florence, the Duomo, and the railroad station.

We awoke the next morning to our first raindrops of the trip and were grateful the rain had waited until our last day to arrive. As it turned out, it only sprinkled during the morning, and dried up in the afternoon.

The Slow Food Butcher Shop of Macelleria Sergio Falaschi

We boarded the bus and drove about 45 minutes to the ancient town of San Minato, home of the slow food movement. Our first appointment was at the famous butcher shop of Macelleria Sergio Falaschi where we saw a demonstration of how to make sausage. I never realized they used the real pig intestines as the cases of the sausage, and will now make sure to always remove them before I cook my sausages.

We were impressed with how concerned the butchers were with the source of the meat, how the animals were treated, and what they ate. The samples of salami, sausage, and prosciutto they shared were excellent, and my favorite was one that was made with fennel seeds and vin santo. I purchased some to take home and was allowed to bring it back into the country when I told US customs I had bought it in Italy. Unfortunately others in our group had their meat confiscated when they arrived – not sure why.

Wandering Around San Minato

Another ancient hill-top city, San Minato is extremely charming with many small winding streets, a few shops and restaurants, a famous church that was bombed in WWII, and a tower on the top of the hill which a magnificent view. We climbed to the top and enjoyed taking photos of the misty countryside.

Slow Food Lunch at La Colombaie Restaurant

La Colombaie is a small, casual restaurant outside the town of San Minato, and is apparently known for its slow food meals. We sat down in a private dining room upstairs where they had a table that seated 30 people. It was very nice that we could all be together for this last meal.

They served five courses with a tasty Chianti Classico and a local vermintino to wash it down. The first course was a nice soup made of winter vegetables, but the second course (my favorite) was frowned upon by many of the chefs within our group because it was fried zucchini blossoms. Though excellent, they were not in season, and philosophically, all slow food meals should only be made from local foods that are in season.

This was also a problem with the next course, which was pasta with tomato sauce. They mourned the fact that tomatoes were not in season, and therefore, the course was not authentic. The remaining three courses were average – another pasta, a shredded chicken in orange sauce, and an Italian cake for dessert. So all in all, our slow food lunch was slightly disappointing – including the fact that the ingredients were not explained to us – but the company was great, and the wine flowed freely, and we could all relax on the bus back to Florence.

Last Evening in Florence and Flight Home

That evening, I went out for a light calzone dinner with Janeen and found a new digestif which I greatly enjoyed, Fernet Branca Mint – very refreshing. Later we met up with some other members of the group in an Irish pub and celebrated with lemoncello shots. The next morning, I caught a taxi to the airport around 6:45am, and flew back to San Francisco via Zurich, while the rest of the group enjoyed one last free day in Florence and day trips to Rome and Venice.

Video of the Trip

When we all returned to San Francisco, each person sent their 5 top photographs and we put together this YouTube Video (7 minutes) highlighting our trip. Enjoy! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-cOIEqE4-I)

Lunch in Bolgheri and Amazing Visit to Tenuta dell 'Ornellaia

Jan. 9, 2013 - The road to the small town of Bolgheri is lined with ancient cedar trees that give it a very royal feel. A small castle near the entrance enhances this feeling, and the tiny streets with small shops and restaurants complete the fairytale atmosphere.

Lunch at Bionda Maria Societa

After our tasting of Sassicaia at Tenuta San Guido, the bus dropped us off outside that town walls and we walked into town in search of a restaurant. One of the first we saw was Bionda Maria Societa where the owner stood on the doorstep and beckoned us in with a big smile.

We started with a local vermintino, which jumped out of the glass with crisp acidity and fresh lemon notes. We tried this with a huge platter of local cheese and honey. The main course was fish in red tomato sauce that I had with a glass of the local Super Tuscan. What a match – it isn’t everyday that you can pair fish with a big red, but in this case, the hearty sauce on the fish worked perfectly with the cab based wine.

Visiting the Vineyards of Tenuta dell'Ornellaia

After lunch, we walked back to the bus and were very impressed that Ricardo, Hospitality Director at Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, had come to greet us and personally direct us to one of their vineyards.

We drove a short distance to a merlot vineyard further up the hill and Ricardo took us to an outlook where we could see the sea in the distance. I’m not sure why it is so exciting for me to see vineyards and the ocean so close together, but I am always filled with delight. Perhaps it is because there are not that many vineyards in the world with a view of the sea.

Ricardo explained that Bolgheri was originally a very poor area known for muddy soils and malaria. However, now there are 45 to 50 wineries here, and many cabernet sauvignon, cab franc and merlot vineyards. He said the soil is too rich and the climate too warm for sangiovese to do well here.

Tenuta dell 'Ornellaia", founded in 1991, has over 100 hectares of vineyards, and they employee 140 workers year round to take care of the vineyards and olive orchards. The cab is primarily cordon whereas the merlot is guyot cane-pruned. They are not organic, but try to farm sustainably. Spacing in the modern vineyards is 1.2m by .75cm, and ranges from 8,000 to 12,000 plants per hectare.

Massetto Vineyard, a merlot vineyard planted in 1986, has now become so famous that it has its own label, and they are designing a new winery there. We stopped at the Massetto vineyard, which is next to the entrance to Ornellaia winery, and I was impressed with its vastness and hillside position.

The Art of Ornellaia

Entering the winery is like visiting an art gallery. There are beautiful sculptures on the lawn, and the architecture is an amazing pentagon design. Ricardo said, “We link wine with art. Italians do this naturally.” I have to agree that they do it very well.

He explained their practice of hiring an internationally acclaimed artist to create art to match the theme of each vintage. I really enjoyed the theme aspect, because this reminded me of poetry and each year really is quite different in a vineyard and for the resulting wine. Thus they had named 2006 Exuberance, 2007 Harmony, 2008 Energy, and 2009 Equilibrium.

Winemaking at Ornellaia

Ricardo toured us through the cellar and we were very impressed with the state of the art equipment, and the red lacquered floor of the barrel room (see photo). They do sort berry by berry at this winery, use a basket press for more general winemaking, and are beginning to resort back to concrete for fermentation though currently they are still using large foudres. Especially impressive was the bottling machine which can do 6000 bottles per hour.

Tasting at Ornellaia

The winemaker, Axel, joined us for the tasting of 3 wines and provided an excellent commentary on his winemaking philosophy. We were impressed with the wide variety of wines and price points they are producing at this winery. I did not know it was so large, with more than half a million bottles produced of the entry-level wine.

We started with the entry level 2010 Le Vogt which is a Tuscan IGT, (50% merlot, 25% cab, and 25% sangio), which they said was a great pizza wine. Next was the 2010 Le Serre Nuova, which I very much enjoyed. It is their second label, and has big structured tannins, cassis, tobacco and excellent concentration.

We concluded with the 2009 Ornellaia that was very approachable now due to the hot vintage. Most Americans will enjoy the ripe lush fruit on this wine with its softer tannins and opulence, though it may be too ripe for Europeans. Regardless, it was a beautiful wine, and everyone was quite impressed with its length and concentration.

World-Class Marketing at Ornellaia

A special treat of this visit was a chance to meet with Alex, the legendary marketing director at Ornellaia. She entranced the group with her knowledgeable presentation on their marketing and PR efforts, and everyone wished they could have listened to her much longer. She did say Italy was their best market, with the USA being the second major consumer. This was refreshing as many wineries told us Italy had been a tough market in the past few years due to the recession. Italy, though, is proud of its Super Tuscans, and Ornellaia wants to make sure they are well-represented in the local market.

We left Ornellaia with a sense of awe and appreciation for all they are doing -- not only crafting beautiful wines, but by marrying art and wine for the beautification of the world.

Beautiful Bolgheri by the Sea and Tasting Sassicaia

Jan 9, 2013 – We checked out of our hotel in Siena early so we could drive 2 hours through the Tuscan countryside to Bolgheri by the sea. Linda, our tour director, considered asking our bus driver to take the longer route via freeway to avoid the chance of people getting car sick again on the very twisting roads through the hills, but in the end everyone voted that we take the faster and more winding route past the ancient hilltop town of Volterra. The drive ended up not being as bad as we feared and we arrived at Tenuta San Guido, the home of the very famous Super-Tuscan wine, Sassicaia, a little earlier than our appointment – which made me feel quite relieved.

It had taken months to schedule our trade delegation appointment here, and I was fearful of any delays that could cause it to be canceled. However, we were greeted by the friendly, smart and energetic, Elena, who made us feel very welcome and many people in our group said this winery was the highlight of the trip.

Vineyards of Tenuta San Guido

Elena started with an overview of the vineyards and explained that though Bolgheri was a DOC on its own, they also had their very own Bolgheri Sassicaia that was granted in 1994. All together Tenuta San Guido has 77 hectares of vines, with the first cabernet sauvignon being planted in 1944; the first vintage for the market was not released until 1968.

They are located 10 kilometers from the sea, with the vineyards ranging from 36 to 60 meters above sea level. The soil is a combination of stones, clay, and sand. The term “Sassi” means “wines from rocky soil.” Most of the vineyards are on a north/south orientation in order to avoid the salty ocean breezes. The soil is rather rich, so they have had to use wide spacing and VSP cordon trellis in order to achieve the “power and elegance” they want in their wines. The average age of the vineyards is 30 years.

Winemaking at Tenuta San Guido

After reviewing the vineyards, Elena led us into the first year barrel room where we were all overcome with the sweet smell of aging Sassicaia in French oak barrels. Though we were not able to see the fermentation tanks, Elena explained that the grapes are first sorted before being transferred into stainless steel tanks where they undergo fermentation using natural yeast for around 15 days at an average temperature of 31C. Pump overs and delestage are used, and ML occurs in tank.

Next the wine is moved to 225 liter French oak barrels where it ages for 2 years in 20 to 25% new oak with medium toast. The wine is racked 5 to 6 times with no topping. The cellar has excellent humidity control so topping is not necessary. The wine is not filtered, and nitrogen gas is used to protect the wine when being transferred.

After the blend is assembled, it marries for one month in tank and 3 months in bottle before release. In general, Sassicaia should be saved for 10 years before drinking. Elena explained that Jacomo, their winemaker had just retired, so now a team of people under the leadership of Niccolo, the present owner, makes the wine.

Marketing of Sassicaia

Since the majority of Sassicaia wine is allocated, “soft marketing” was the term Elena used to describe their promotion methods. They do submit the wine to very high end auctions, and make sure to pour at key events such as Vin Italy. They work very closely with selected distributors within Italy and around the world. Currently they export 45 to 50% of their wine with the USA being the largest market.

Tasting of 4 Wines at Tenuta San Guido

We were honored to be able to taste 4 wines from this estate, with the first being the 2009 Barrua from their sister estate in Sardinia. Though I generally do not care much for the rough taste of carignan, this had to be the best example I’ve ever tasted. It was 85% carignan and 15% merlot and cab, and had a savory, dark berry and herb nose and palate, with fresh acidity and a long finish.

Next we tried the 2010 Le Difese, 70% cab and 30% sangiovese, and named after the wild boar tooth. It was a light and elegant drinking red which Elena said pairs quite well with the local fish in red tomato sauce.

Third was the 2010 Guidalberto, 60% cab and 40% merlot aged 15 months in French oak with a touch of American oak as well. Some people refer to this wine as a “Baby Sassicaia,” and I must admit it still needs some time to open. It had a beautiful nose, but was tight with dark berry, earth and a long finish.

The last wine was the 2009 Sassicaia, which exploded on the palate with rich plum, berry, and spices of nutmeg and pepper. It is 85% cab and 15% cab franc with good balance, softer tannins and medium-high acidity. I was surprised at how approachable it tasted, since other young Sassicaia’s I have tasted are often rather tight with strong herbal notes. This was full of fresh fruit and spice, and I wondered about its aging potential. Most probably because of its fruit-intensity, this wine was an immediate hit with everyone in the room.

After the tasting, Elena made arrangements for us to visit the Tenuta San Guido wine shop across the road from the winery. Here we purchased olive oil from the estate, and many people picked up a bottle of the Sardinian wine, but we didn’t buy the Sassicaia because we realized we could purchase it for the same price in San Francisco ($155) and not have to risk breaking it in our luggage on the way home.

Visiting & Tasting Sassicaia – A Dream Come True

For most people in our group, visiting this estate was a dream come true. The wines were spectacular, and everyone was charmed by Elena. Sassicaia is definitely a “bucket list” wine for most wine lovers, and this visit is one that all will remember fondly for the rest of their lives.