Michele and I always look forward to Christmas dinner with Tom Maresca and Diane Darrow. For a number of years it has been our tradition to invite Tom and Diane to our house for Thanksgiving dinner, and they have us to their home for Christmas. They are excellent and adventurous cooks and Diane often chooses recipes from books she has written about in her blog http://dianescookbooks.wordpress.com
Tom www.ubriaco.wordpress.com has a great wine collection and will try to find the perfect wine match for each course. Though all of our previous holiday celebrations have been wonderful, it seemed to be extra-special this year.
The meal began with a series of appetizers, several of them made with truffle products from Tartuflanghe. This company specializes in white truffles and related products from Piedmont.
Prosciutto wrapped truffled grissini
Toast topped with beef tartare seasoned with truffled salt
Savory salame and cheese puffs
Cashews coated with salted truffle juice
These treats were served with two Champagnes:
Gosset Champagne Brut made from 45% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier. Malolactic fermentation is avoided. It has hints of apple, citrus fruit, lime, almonds and a touch of lemon. 8g/l dosage. Gosset is the oldest Champagne House in Aÿ.
Guy Larmandier Champagne Cramant Grand Cru Blanc des Blancs Brut Zero The wine has hints of citrus fruit, white peach, apple, and a touch of almonds. This is a full bodied champagne.
Cotechino sausages wrapped in pastry. These large pork sausages are a specialty of the Emilia-Romagna region and are typically served as part of a bollito misto with fruit mostarda. We always have cotechino on New Year’s Day with lentils, a tradition in many parts of Italy.
The sliced Cotechino with Mostarda di Cermona- -it was so delicious I had two slices.
Elvio Cogno PRE–Phylloxera Barbera d’Alba 2010 made from barbera vitis vinifera from a 0.25 hectare plot at 520 meters. There are 4,500 vines per hectare vertically trellised with guyot pruning. Harvest is at the beginning of October. Vinification is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with controlled automatic pumping over. The wine is aged in large Slavonia oak barrels for 12 months and in bottle for 6 months before release. This is a well-structured wine with hints of raspberry, strawberry, ripe cherry, a note of blackberries and a touch of prune and spice. The aroma is aromatic and deep with a perfectly balanced acidity. Only 2,000 bottles are produced. The wine was showing no signs of age and will last for many more years.
This was for me the wine of the evening and the best Barbera I have had in a long time — and I have had many great ones.
This is the story behind the wine according to the producer: “Produced from one of the last archaic vineyard of Langhe region, an open air museum from a time gone by, with vines older than a hundred years. The vines are on 100% Vitis Vinifera roots and replicate by layering. They have therefore maintained, over the decades, the original Barbera characteristics. The small plot, situated in Berri near La Morra, has an excellent exposure and sandy-chalky terrain which guarantees a natural protection from Philloxera. This mixes with the intriguing vine resiliency and its most typical charms imparted from the microclimate and a particularly favorable altitude. The low production per hectare guarantees an intensely rare and rich organoleptic concentration. The wine is refined in oak casks which slowly develop all primary aromas. Pleasant and refined, complex even as a young wine, it is not afraid to be aged in bottle, expressing its solid uniqueness even over the years.”
Perfectly roasted 8 pound Capon with stuffing of apples, pears, prunes, chestnuts, walnuts, ground veal, pancetta and cognac. What a beauty!
Perfectly carved by Tom and on the plate with butter browned boiled potatoes and sautéed green beens.
Tenute Cisa Asinari die Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga 2004 made from 100% Nebbiolo from a 11.93 single vineyard with a south/south east exposure at 220/290 meters. Soil is limestone and blue marl and the training system is guyot. The vines are 30 to 40 years old or more. Fermentation is with selected yeasts with a submerged cap for 10 to 14 days. Malolactic fermentation is completed. Farina fossile and micro filtration during bottling. The wine is aged in French oak allier barriques, 30 percent new and 70 used and then 12 to 18 months in Slavonian oak casks. The wine then remains in the bottle for 12 to 18 months before release. The wine has hints dried cherries, tea, licorice a touch of tobacco. It is starting to drink now but will last for a few more years at least. This is a practicing organic winery.
The cheese
Bodegas y Viñedos Vega Sicilia 2001 made from younger vines of Tinto Fino (Tempranillo). Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is added to a greater or lesser extent depending on the vintage. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks as does the malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged for five years in wood and in the bottle which is why it is called Valbuena 5. The oak is French and American, new and used 225 liter barrels and 20,000 liter vats. The wine has hints of red fruit, black cherries, raspberries, mocha and vanilla. It will last for at least 10 more years. The winery is located in the Ribera del Duero region, an appellation under the Spanish DOP. Lars Leicht, another guest, brought this wine.
Michele made this delicious lemon tart in an almond crust.
Tom has a large grappa collection and all meals end with a selection of grappa and other after-dinner spirits.
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I had one of my favorites. A traditional grappa Capo di Stato from Loredan Gasparini in the Veneto, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.
The moderator was Gregory Dal Piaz. I have known Gregory for a number of years and was very pleased that he was the moderator.
Titon, Nizza,
Cremosina, Nizza 2019 Bersano (Nizza Monferrato) the soil is calcareous and clay and the training system is guyot. Vinification is in stainless steel barrels. The wine is aged in for 12 months in 56 hl oak casks then 6 months in bottle before release. The wine has hints of red fruit, cherry, a touch of spice and note of chocolate and an intense fruity finish.
Tre Roveri, Nizza 2019 Pico Maccario (Mombaruzzo) The soil is clay and the training system is guyot. The grapes are harvested at the best maturation level. There is a soft crushing of the grapes, destalking and
La Giulia, Nizza 2019 Cascina Lana (Nizza Monferrato). The soil is sandy with clay and the training system is guyot. Harvest takes place at the end of September. The grapes are destemmed and then pressed. Fermentation with selected yeasts and skin contact at a controlled temperature. The wine is aged in French oak tonneaux for 16 months and in bottle for one year.
Favà, Nizza 2019 Tenuta Garetto (Agliano Terme) The soil is clay. Maceration is in stainless steel and concrete tanks for about 10 days. The wine is aged for about 10 months in 25 & 50 hl wood casks. The wine has hints of fresh ripe red fruit, floral notes and a touch of wood.
Vigna Dacapo, Nizza Riserva 2018 Dacapo-Cà ed Balos (Agliano Terme). The soil is marlstone, calcareous and clay and the training system is simple guyot with the Simon & Sirch pruning method for the well being of the vine. Fermentation is in a big non-toasted vats of French Allier. The wine remains in big barrels for 24 months and then in bottle for 10 months. The wine has hints of cherries, plum and licorice and a touch of cinnamon. Organic certification in 2019.
La Court, Nizza Riserva 2018 Michele Chiarlo (Nizza Canelli) The soil is calcareous clay marl of sedimentary marine. Malolactic fermentation takes place for 15 days in 55hl oak vats with the skins. There is a soft shower system of wetting the cap at an initial temperature of 30 degrees C, then decreed to 27C. The wine is aged for 30 months with 50% in cask and 50% in large barrels and then 18 months in bottle before release. The wine has hints of cherry, plum, violets with a note of chocolate and a touch of spice.
Costamiòle Nizza Riserva 2018 Prunotto (Alba-vineyard location Agliano Terme) The soil is marl, known as Toét in local dialect. When the grapes arrive in the cellar they are destemmed and crushed. Maceration lasts for 12 days at a maximum temperature of 30 degrees C. After fermentation the wine is transferred into stainless steel tanks where malolactic fermentation takes place. The wine is aged in oak barrels for 12 months and then in bottle for another 12 months before release. The wine has hints of cherries, plums and vanilla.
Nizza Riserva 2018 Tenuta Olim Bauda (Incisa Scapaccino) The grapes are harvested by hand between the first and second week of October and crushed in the evening of the same day they are harvested. Then they are placed in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. After alcoholic fermentation the wine is put into 25hl French oak barrels where it remains for 30 months, followed by aging in bottle. This is a full and balanced wine with hints of red fruit and cherry.
Mortadella,
Arancini
Prosciutto and melon
Asparagus with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
Roasted Sweet Peppers
Chianti Classico Riserva Villa Antinori Riserva 1980 L&P Antinori the wine is mostly Sangiovese with some Cannaiolo and a very small amount of Trebbiano. Some of the wine was aged in 225 liter barrels. The wine has hints of sour cherries, leather, herbs and a note of violets. It had a low shoulder but was still drinking very well.
Barbera D’Asti “Scarpa” 2010 Antica Vinicola Casa Scarpa made from 100% Barbera from Monferrato. The vineyard is at 400 meters and the soil is clay. The vines were planted in 2000 and the training system is guyot. Harvest is by hand.
Ravioli stuffed with Four Cheeses from Eataly.
With Buffalo ricotta on top
Fettuccine with Fresh Tomatoes and Ricotta
On the plate
Pasta Amatriciana
Figs — New Jersey grown by a friend.
Deb’s Homemade Chocolate Cake and Ice cream — One of the best chocolate cakes I have had in years.
We had this with rack of lamb.
Passum 1985 had the same profile as the 2016. But the flavors and aromas were more developed and a little more prune-like. I had not had the 1985 in a number of years and was very happy to see that it was holding up so well.
Pork spare ribs on the plate
In the dish
Passum 1979 This was the first time I tasted the 1979 and it had a different label. I tried two bottles. The first bottle was showing its age but was still very drinkable and we had it with pizza. The second bottle was not showing as well.
We had pizza with the wine and it worked very well.
Caponata – Sweet and sour eggplant, celery, green olives, capers, onions and tomatoes served with crostini
Foccacia — The warm focaccia is irresistible with Caponata.
Timballo di melanzane alla parmigiana – Eggplant parmigiana timbale with mozzarella ane Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, basil and tomato sauce
Arancine “Ragu” — Fried saffron rice balls stuffed with Bolognese meat sauce, green peas served over tomato sauce.
Pasta alla Norma- Paccheri from Gragnano with fresh tomato and garlic sauce, basil, eggplant, pecorino and ricotta salata cheese.
Pasta con Sarde in Timballo – Spaghetti alla chitarra “Setaro”, fresh Portuguese sardines, wild fennel, pine nuts, and saffron baked in mold. There is an unbaked version of pasta con sarde on the menu as well. Both are excellent.
Porchetta Sandwich — Roasted porchetta, arugula, provolone cheese, spicy mayo
Pizza alla Norma — Pizza topped with eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella and ricotta salata
Barbera d’ Asti “Vigna Noce” 1999 Antica Azienda Agricola Trinchero. Made from 100% Barbera. The winery belongs to the Triple “A” Agriculture Artisans Artists, an association of wine producers from around the world that believes in Organic and Bio-Dynamic production, terroir and as little interference as possible by the wine maker. Only natural yeast is used, there is no acidification of the wine, clarification and filtration does not take place. Chemical treatments are not used in the vineyards; copper and sulfur are used but only when it is really necessary. The wine is aged for 7 years in large chestnut barrels. This is a traditional, classic Barbera that will last for at least another 10 years. I was very impressed with this wine.
Pistachio Tartufo — Pistachio gelato filled with caramel and rolled in Sicilian pistachios.
Lunch in the garden
An entire wheel of Tuscan Pecorino cheese inspired the first course.
Pecorino Cheese cut
Barbera d’ Asti “Vigna Noce” 2010 Antica Azienda Agricola Trinchero The winery belongs to the Triple “A” Agriculture Artisans Artists, an association of wine producers from around the world that believes in Organic and Bio-Dynamic production, terroir and as little interference as possible by the winemaker. Only natural yeast is used, there is no acidification of the wine, and clarification and filtration does not take place. Chemical treatments are not used in the vineyards; copper and sulfur are used but only when it is really necessary. The wine is aged for 7 years in large chestnut barrels. This is a traditional, classic Barbera. The winery is strictly organic. This is a full-bodied robust wine with hints of cherries, plum, and leather, balsamic touches and a note of smoke. This is a very impressive Barbera that will last for at least another 15 years. I had the 1999 recently and it was in perfect condition.
Michele made sausage ragu which she tossed with mezzi rigatoni, grated pecorino and arugula.
Pasta in the dish
Barolo 1998 “Bricco Francesco” Rocche Dell’Annunziata Rocche Costamagna made from 100% Nebbiolo from the Rocche dell’Annunziata vineyard one of the historic crus of La Mora. The soil is calcareous-clayey and there are 4,800 vines per hectare Traditional vivification wit a maceration that lasts for about two weeks. The wine is aged for 24 months in 30 hl Slavonian oak barrels and the at least one year in bottle before release. This is an elegant Barolo with hints of raspberry, violets and a touch of spice.
The last of Michele’s precious stash of Piemontese hazelnuts went into making these brutti ma buoni, ugly but good cookies. Not very ugly, but very very good.
A guest brought ice cream from a local shop which went great with the cookies. The flavors were rum raisin and dark chocolate.
Charles Scicolone on Wine