October 20, 2026

Italian Wine Club October 2026

ABRUZZO Abruzzo may be only a few hours east of Rome in central Italy, but it’s a whole ‘nother green world. The region squeezes three national parks, 38 nature reserves, and a whopping  75% of the flora and fauna on the continent into the space between the Apennine Mountains to the west and a long Adriatic coastline to the east. A third of its 4,900 square miles consists of officially protected land, and two thirds are covered by rugged peaks, which provide great (if labor intensive) conditions for viticulture. Thin soils, big diurnal temperature shifts, and cool mountain air currents, moderate the temperatures in the vineyards on the slopes furnish an ideal microclimate for the vines. Closer to the coast, the climate becomes wetter and more temperate, receiving a decent amount of annual rainfall.  So it’s no surprise that Abruzzo goes way back with wine. Officially, the local tradition starts with the Etruscans in the 6th century B.C.E., but there is evidence that vine growing began in the 4th century B.C.E., when a sweet, Moscato-style grape called Apianae was grown. It is also believed that when Hannibal made his epic journey over the Alps, his soldiers were given Abruzzo wine from Teramo (historically known as Pretuzi). Whatever the case, today Abruzzo ranks fifth amongst Italy’s 20 regions in terms of wine production per annum - which is remarkable given its relative size: Tuscany has twice as much land under vine and makes far less. This is due in part to the high permitted yields of Abruzzo's main DOC region (as much as 100 hectoliters) as well as the government mandated use of high-producing tendon vine-training systems installed in the 1970s. This fecundity arguably comes at the expense of diversity though: more than ⅔ of Abruzzo’s juice is made by co-ops and/or sold in bulk to negociants for blending elsewhere - in Tuscany, Piedmont or Veneto. Abruzzo’s two most famous red and white varietals: Montelpuciano D’Abruzzo* and Trebbiano D’Abruzzo, respectively, account for a combined 86% of all plantings.  Our red this month is indeed a classic Montepulciano D’Abruzzo from the excellent Tiberio winery. For the white however, we have a new (to the club - it’s ancient actually) indigenous  varietal called Cococciola. Bright, clean and dry, it is great for the belated  summer weather we are experiencing right now.  Salute! Alan Hicks - PlumpJack Noe Wine Buyer  *(Forever fated to be confused with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a famous wine from the Tuscan medieval town Montepulciano that is mainly produced with a local Sangiovese clone known as Prugnolo Gentile. In fact, the grape Montepulciano is not grown in the town of Montepulciano at all, despite being widely planted all over Central Italy – in Marche and Emilia Romagna, for instance - and having more than 50 DOCs dedicated to it.)    Tiberio Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2023  Region: Abruzzo, Italy About the Winery: Inspired by his discovery of a very old plot of  Trebbiano Abruzzese vines, in 2000 Ricardo Tiberio  purchased 39 hectares of  prime vineyard land at 50 meters above sea level, twenty-three miles inland from the coastal city of Pescara, near the lovely medieval hillside town of Cugnoli.   Guided by decades of personal experience, Riccardo planted a selection of indigenous varieties matched to the different soil characteristics in the vineyard. Montepulciano, Trebbiano Abruzzese, were planted along with Pecorino from ancient vines in the property. Experiments with small plantings of international varietals were also undertaken. And so it was that when Tiberio released its first vintage in 2004, the wine cognoscenti took notice of Tiberio’s mineral whites and fruit forward reds. In 2008, Riccardo Tiberio handed over the reins of the winery to his highly competent children, daughter Cristiana and son Antonio. The role of viticulturalist goes to Antonio while Cristiana handles the winemaking duties. She is a chemistry graduate with training stints in Champagne and Australia backed by repeated visits to the Mosel and Chablis. In 2011 she took over all the winemaking duties and is now solely responsible for the wines made at the estate. At that time, Antonio and Cristiana also decided to uproot the international varieties and to replace them with more Pecorino and Trebbiano Abruzzese. They chose to use massal selections from their oldest vines because over the years they found that their massal selections gave much deeper, more complex, and altogether better wines than those made from clonal selections. About the Winemaking: Hand harvested in October. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks using only indigenous yeasts for 15 daysSpontaneous malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. Aged in tank and bottle 3 months 100% massal selection Montepulciano d’Abruzzo; alcohol: 14.5%; vines averaging 63 and over 20 years old grown in 2 plots at 1150 feet/350 meters altitude; hand harvested; fermented in stainless steel using only indigenous yeasts for 15 days; spontaneous malolactic fermentation in tanks; aged 3 months in stainless steel tanks and bottle. Tasting Notes: Violet tinges in brilliant, deep red-ruby color. Refined and elegant, yet saturated and intense aromas and flavors: sour red cherry hints, blueberry, violet and flint. Mouthfilling with smooth tannins and a fresh long finish. Winemaker: Cristiana Tiberio Price per bottle / varietal $35.99 100% Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Suggested Food Pairing:  Bucatini alla Amatriciana, pappardelle with wild boar ragù, arrosticini, barbecue,  shepherd's pie, stuffed baked potato, aged cheddar, roasted mushrooms. Ciavolich Cococciola Colline Pescaresi IGP 2025 Region: Abruzzo, Italy  About the Winery: : The Ciavolich family traces their roots back to Bulgaria in the 1500s.  A family of wool merchants by trade, they eventually left their homeland to escape the Saracen invasion. They settled in Miglianico in the province of Chieti around the year 1560. In 1853, they built their first wine cellar which still stands today as one of the ancient winemaking landmarks of the Abruzzo region. The cellar was built underground beneath Via Sud and connects to the barrel rooms under the palace.  A wide cave on the Eastern wall of the winery was expanded during the Nazi occupation and reached under the convent of Suore di Sant'Anna.  This tunnel was used during WWII as a bomb shelter until the family was finally forced from the estate in December 1943. At the end of the war, the family returned to Miglianico.  Life and winemaking eventually began again.  In the 1960s the family inherited from Donna Ernestina the Loreto Aprutino estate in the province of Pescara. Since 2004, the estate has been run by Chiara Ciavolich and her husband Gianluca.  They have brought a modern approach with traditional philosophy to the viticulture and winemaking. Sustainable methods are employed both in the vineyards and throughout the entire winemaking process.   About the Winemaking: This Coccocioal comes from one hectare of pergola abruzzese planted in 1985 in Loreto Aprutino’s estate. Its thick, green coloured bunches are hand harvested and immediately taken to the winery to be destemmed and softly pressed. The must is fermented in inox vats under controlled temperature with the help of selected yeast. Finally the wine is aged for at least four months before being bottled.  Tasting Notes: Characterized by a soft straw yellow colour with green notes, citric and green fruit aroma. A well balanced acidity followed by a good persistency marks it on the palate Winemaker:  Chiara and Gianluca Ciavolich  Price per bottle/varietal  $26.99 100% Cococciola  Suggested Food Pairing:  Battered courgette flower stuffed with burrata (see recipe), potato gateau, crispy vegetables. Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Burrata Cheese and Dried Tomatoes (serves 4 as appetizer)  INGREDIENTS 8 Zucchini Flowers 4 Dried Tomatoes 2.5 oz Burrata Salt to taste Sunflower Oil ½ cup Ice Sparkling Water 4 Ice Cubes 1 Yolk A Pinch of Salt 3.5 oz White Flour Instructions Wash the zucchini flowers by soaking them in cold water. Let drain on a cloth. Using your hands eliminates the pistil being careful not to break the flower. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes to eliminate oil and cut them in half. Slice the Burrata Cheese. When the flowers are dry, fill them opening them very carefully. To close the flowers make a twist with your fingers, then set aside your stuffed zucchini flowers. How to prepare a crispy batter In a bowl mix yolk and flour. Add ice water and ice cubes. With a whip mix the ingredients to obtain a liquid batter without lumps. A tip: before using the batter you have to see some bubbles on the top. In a pig pan heat the oil to 350° F. In a bowl put some flour: put the flowers in the flour before soaking them in the batter. Drain the excess batter, andfry your flowers until they turn golden brown and crispy. Salt and serve hot.  

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October 4, 2026

Italian Wine Club September 2026

The Adriatic Coast  First off, apologies for the tardiness of this (er, last)  month’s club. Long story short: September took an extra long time to come together because we are making two stops this time, rather than one.  Usually we visit a single Italian region each month, featuring a red and a white selection from the  area to best highlight  its particular oenological history and tradition. We’ve had the red here ready to go since August: The newest bottling from one of Italy’s oldest wineries, it hails from Puglia, the ‘heel’ of the Apennine Peninsula's famous boot; it’s made from an ancient and almost extinct varietal called Susumaniello, which is making its debut in the Italian Wine Club.  So far, so good. The problem turned out to be finding a Puglian white with which to pair it. Although Puglia ranks 2nd to Veneto amongst all Italian regions in terms of vino volume  per annum, the vast majority of that is red. There are great Puglian whites - just not that many and not necessarily in the quality and cost range that works for the club. Rather than adjust the  standards (or simply slot in a new vintage of a wine we’ve featured before), we decided to head north along the gorgeous Adriatic Coast to Marche, where we likewise find a  very old and obscure indigenous  grape - Albanella in this case - also new to us here in IWC.   You may have to look a little harder sometimes, but Italian Wine remains never not amazing.  Salut, Alan Hicks - Wine Buyer, Noe Valley Selvagrossa Marche Bianco 'Cuchen'  Region: Marche, Italy About the Winery: Selvagrossa Winery is a small, family-run estate in northern Le Marche, just a few kilometers from the Adriatic coast near Pesaro, founded in 2002 by brothers Alessandro and Alberto Taddei. The Taddei family has deep agricultural roots in the area, and the brothers grew up surrounded by the mixed farming landscapes and rolling coastal hills that now define their vineyards. What began as a modest family project—reworking parcels of inherited land and replanting them with a focus on quality over quantity—gradually evolved into one of the most respected artisanal estates in the Pesaro hinterland. From the outset, their goal was to highlight the identity of their corner of Le Marche rather than follow international trends, emphasizing native varieties alongside carefully chosen complementary grapes. Over time, they transitioned fully toward organic farming and low-intervention winemaking, building a reputation for honest, site-driven wines that reflect both the maritime influence of the Adriatic and the limestone-rich soils of the surrounding hills. About the Winemaking: Production Area: Hills of Pesaro, 12 km east of the Adriatic coast. Limestone and clay soil. After a two-day cold maceration, fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks and is bottled with no fining 400 cases produced.. Tasting Notes: Pale straw yellow in the glass, showing light green reflections Bright orchard and stone fruit on the nose  – pear, yellow apple, ripe white peach – with distinctively greener elements close behind – cut grass, peppercorn, gooseberry, lemongrass, camomile leaves and flowers. Palate is zippy but never sharp with flavors of  golden raspberries, leading to a long, supple, and savory finish. A lingering tang, like a refreshing seabreeze, recalls the wine’s coastal origins and keeps you at the table Winemaker: Alessandro and Alberto Taddei Price per bottle $ 28.99  Varietal: 100% Albanella       Suggested Food Pairing: Best with fresh seafood such as oysters, clams, grilled shrimp, and simple white fish dishes where its saline freshness and bright acidity can shine. It also pairs beautifully with light Mediterranean fare like lemony pasta, vegetable antipasti, and fresh cheeses that echo its clean, coastal character. Duca Carlo Guarini Susumaniello 2024 Region: Puglia About the Winery: Duca Guarini is a Norman family that arrived in Puglia around the eleventh century. They are among oldest wine-making families in Italy, active in the same location since 1114 when Accardo Guarini, Count of Valesio, cultivated his vineyards between Lecce & Brindisi. The estate holds 70 hectares that are dedicated to vine in Salento, farmed with a commitment to preserving the wine heritage of Salento. The Guarini family specializes in Negroamaro, Primitivo and Malvasia. The certified organic wines from native grapes represent the tradition, such as Primitivo Vigne Vecchie, that since 1985 is one of the first wines in Puglia to proudly have the name of the grape on the label. An ancient grape variety of Apulian origin, Susumaniello was almost lost to history before being rediscovered. Its curious name recalls the abundant yields of young vines, “loaded like a donkey”. Today it expresses a unique and authentic character of Salento terroir About the Winemaking:  Certified Organic. All of Guarini’s vineyards are dry-farmed, and the family works with nature and total respect for the environment. The grapes are macerated on the skins for 5 days. Temperature-controlled fermentation follows, and then aging in barriques for 8 months and 3 months in bottle.  Tasting Notes: Intense ruby red with purple highlights. It boasts an intense aroma of ripe fruit, spices, and aromatic Mediterranean herbs, with spicy nuances of black pepper, licorice, and sweet spices. On the palate, it is full-bodied and juicy, dominated by red and dark berries. Good structure, supported by velvety or fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps the wine balanced and avoids heaviness, with fruity and spicy notes returning on the finish. Winemaker: Carlo Guarini Price per bottle:  $32.99  Varietal:  100% Susumaniello          Suggested Food Pairings: Roasted and grilled meats, hearty and/or tomato based pastas, rice dishes, aged or blue cheeses, charcuterie, and spicy southern Italian dishes like Cavatelli w/ Oyster Mushrooms and Sausage (see recipe)   Cavatelli with Oyster Mushroom and Sausage (serves 3)  Ingredients  320 g cavatelli pasta 11 oz (homemade or dried) 300 g pork sausage (10 oz) skin removed and chopped 250 g oyster mushrooms (9 oz) In Puglia they use cardoncelli/king oyster mushrooms 250 g plum tomatoes (9 oz) peeled and chopped 150 g tomato passata (5 oz) I use Cirio passata rustica 50 g salted sheep's ricotta (2 oz) In Puglia, they use marzotica ricotta 3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove peeled and crushed 2 bay leaves 1 glass white wine 1 teaspoon peperoncino flakes (red chili pepper) salt for pasta and to taste black pepper to taste 1 handful fresh parsley chopped Instructions  Clean and cut the mushrooms into slices, peel and crush the garlic, remove the skin from the sausages and chop into small pieces, peel and chop the plum tomatoes. Chop the parsley. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan or skillet, add the garlic peeled and slightly crushed and fry. Add the chopped sausage meat and brown a little then add the mushrooms previously cleaned and cut into strips. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate. Add the peeled tomatoes. Crush them with a fork and, after a few minutes of cooking, add the tomato passata. Season with a pinch salt, peperoncino and black pepper and add bay leaves, then simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the garlic. In the meantime, put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil. Bring to the boil again and add the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet (if dried). Fresh cavatelli will rise to the surface when they are ready, remove with a slotted spoon. Save a cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.  Finally, remove the bay leaves and add the cavatelli to the pan with the sauce. Mix together. If the sauce seems dry, add a little of the saved pasta cooking water. Add chopped parsley. Stir in the grated marzotica ricotta. Serve immediately with more grated ricotta if required.

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August 29, 2026

Italian Wine Club August 2026

UMBRIA In 1906, the poet Giosuè Carducci became the first Italian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, largely on the strength of 56 poems he composed between 1877 and 1889, comprising three volumes that are collectively known as the Odi Barbare or The Barbarian Odes. The English translation of the title carries a pejorative charge its author did not intend; rather than referring to violent savages, Barbarians here are just the pre-Christian, Greek and Roman civilizations often celebrated in Carducci’s verse. The poet, an ardent patriot, connects these legends of antiquity to contemporary avatars of the Italian state like Garibaldi and Queen Margherita, forging and celebrating a usable collective past for a peninsula less than a decade removed from unification. The most famous lines though, are about Umbria: “Hail, green Umbria…..I feel in my heart the ancient home, my fevered brow touched by the olden gods of Italy.”   The region has been known as Italy’s “green heart” ever since - a sobriquet ubiquitous enough to come off as a cliche, but it’s more like a proverb. Though small, rugged, and perpetually in neighboring Tuscany’s shadow, there is something about Umbria that really ties the Italian tasting room together; its rolling hills and medieval towns occupy the center square of the Apennine peninsula, and it is the only Italian region without a coastline or international border. From Umbria, all you can see is more Italy/other Italians, in other words; perhaps that’s why Carducci (originally from Tuscany and a resident of Bologna for most of his adult life) thought it appropriate to make the place his conduit to the ages.  But there’s also more to Umbria than timeless, platonic Italianness. Like most ancient places where it’s easy to observe your neighbors but hard to escape them, the region has a complicated relationship to its surroundings. Umbria is eccentric: it houses old, relatively un-touristed villages with venerable but unfamiliar folkways; the giant lake Trasimeno, to rival the more famous Como, (featuring an island, Maggiore, in the center with exactly 12 residents), its own tiny Venice (the 50 house village of Rasiglia, with canals and waterways dating back to the Middle Ages) and the world’s second largest human-made waterfall, Marmore, which the Romans initially constructed  to divert unsanitary water away from a nearby town, but now produces hydroelectric power.  It is also the onetime site of the accidental republic of Cospaia (1440-1826.) Forgotten in a real estate transaction between Pope Eugene IV and the republic of Florence  on account of confusion over two local streams with the same name, this tiny strip of land found itself abruptly without landlord, and the inhabitants took the opportunity to declare independence. They also declined to institute a formal government or legal system, build jails, prisons, police or military, and instead attempted to live by one written maxim, inscribed on a church door and parish bell: Perpetua et firma libertas or “Perpetual and secure freedom.” During its surprisingly durable existence, Cospaia became a tariff-free special economic zone, and buffer between the Papal States and the Duchy of Tuscany. Beholden to the laws of neither, it was also exempt from a tobacco-growing ban and thus had a monopoly on the production of the crop. This relative lack of rules predictably attracted all kinds of exiles, fugitives, mountebanks and annoying libertarian types who made the place a byword for contraband, leading to its incorporation into the Papal States at the end of the Napoleonic era. Each of its residents received a silver Papal coin and the authorization to continue tobacco production as compensation. I don’t know why there hasn’t been a prestige cable drama set there yet.  I would also love to find bottles I could claim were Cospaian for the club, but the wine from Umbria is distinctive enough on its  own - it doesn’t require (sorry) cosplay. This month we have a Sangiovese based blend that incorporates Sagrantino, the tannic, full-bodied red grown almost exclusively here.  And our white selection is made from Trebbiano Spoletino, an ancient varietal, indigenous to Umbria and totally distinct from other grapes under the ‘Trebbiano’ umbrella. Both are great.  Alan Hicks  - Wine Buyer, Noe Valley  Scacciadiavoli Trebbiano Spoletino  Region: Todi, Umbria, Italy About the Winery: The Scacciadiavoli winery was founded in 1884 by Principe Ugo Boncompagni Ludovisi and got its name from an exorcist who used to live near the property that utilized the wine for his rituals. Scacciadiavoli means literally ‘devil chaser’. The winery was already advanced by the standards of that time. In 1954 Amilcare Panbuffetti was 71 when he acquired the property although he had worked there sincehe was 14. Alfio, Settimio, and Mario, his three sons, followed in his footsteps in 1977 and another Panbuffetti generation came after that in 2000. The future appears to keep the family together aroundthe commitment of making good wine and gratefully continuing their ancestors’ trail. The estate now comprises almost 322 acres of which 87 are dedicated to vineyards. They cover the hillside of Montefalco and the surrounding area. About the Winemaking: Fermentation in stainless steel at controlled temperature Aging is stainless steel on fine lees for 3 months   Tasting Notes: Bright straw yellow with delicate greenish highlights. Fresh and delicate, with notes of green apple, pear and white peach, followed by citrus hints of lemon and citron. Lean and vibrant, defined by lively acidity and pleasant sapidity that enhances freshness and drinkability.   Winemaker: Paolo Cotroneo Giovanni & Eleonora Morone Price per bottle / per case $ 33.99        $367.10 Suggested Food Pairing:  Ideal with simple, delicate, low-fat dishes:  Bruschetta with new olive oil: Grilled vegetables or crudités, fresh or semi-soft cheeses “Umbrian Style” Tip: Torta al testo with wild herbs, scrambled eggs with summer truffle (if used moderately)  Roccafiore Montefalco Rosso 2022 Region: Todi, Umbria, Italy About the Winery: Cantina Roccafiore farms 15 hectares (almost 40 acres) of vineyards in the rolling hills of the Umbrian countryside near the town of Todi. The Baccarelli family (father and son) bought the property in 1999, planted the local Grechetto and Sangiovese along with small parcels of Moscato Giallo, Sagrantino, and Montepulciano, and made their first vintage in 2005. Formerly in the energy business, they kept a mind toward sustainability from the beginning, building a renewable facility, using organic fuels for their tractors, and farming organically. Young Luca Baccarelli feels that this form of cultivation makes for soils richer in organic materials, fewer vine diseases, and healthier grapes. (See more on their sustainability program below). The training system is Guyot, on terraced hillsides; the soils are whitish clay, rich in limestone and chalk; and all vineyards face South-East, catching fresh winds from the nearby mountains. There are 6,500 vines per hectare, mostly from massal selection, and the yield is 85 quintals of grapes per hectare (roughly 3.5 tons per acre). Indigenous yeast fermentations. They use only estate-grown fruit.  About the Winemaking: Totally hand-picked, the grapes are separately collected in the last week of September and the first half of October The grapes are separately destemmed and pressed, the skin maceration lasts 8/10 days and the fermentation takes place with wild yeast in stainless steel tank, where temperatures are strictly controlled, followed by the racking and the malolactic fermentation 70% sangiovese, 15% sagrantino, 15% merlot and cabernet sauvignon Ageing: 18 months in neutral large barrels of Slavonian oak, after being blended and bottled, it refines at the least 6 months in the bottle  Tasting Notes: Brilliant and intense red ruby colour. Tones of ripe plums, small red fruits, notes of sweet spices. Pleasant, flowing and fresh, with soft and elegant `tannins  Winemaker: Paolo Cotroneo Price per bottle / per case $33.99                $367.10 Suggested Food Pairing:  Excellent with roast or grilled meats, stews and wild game, fettucine with wild boar ragù, truffle ravioli, spaghetti alla norcina (see recipe below). Spaghetti alla norcina (Spaghetti Norcia style) Norcia is a small town in the southern part of Umbria, up in the mountains over 6500 ft. altitude. This place is known for the skills of the local butchers with cured pig meats like salami, prosciutti, sausages and other preparations. The area is also famous for the black truffle (tartufo nero di Norcia) that is foraged by locals that pass on the secret of this tradition from generation to generation. INGREDIENTS (serving 4) 320 g spaghetti 100 g fresh black truffle 4 anchovies fillet in olive oil 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 sprig of thyme 1 clove of garlic Instructions - Bring a pot with water to boil then add the spaghetti - Clean the truffle with a brush for vegetables if it needs it - Thinly slices 3⁄4 of the truffle with a truffle slicer if you have or with a sharp knife - Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and before it starts sizzling remove from the flame, add the truffle and mix to obtain - a sauce. If too thick add one or two tablespoons of water - Bring back the pan on the burner keeping the flame low - Add the garlic clove and the anchovies. Using a wooden spoon mix delicately all the ingredients for the sauce - When the spaghetti is done drain them, saving a cup of pasta water in case the sauce get to dry - Add the spaghetti to the sauce and sauté at medium-low heat for a minute - Check if it needs any salt and serve in pasta bowl with the rest of the truffle, more anchovies if you like, and thyme leaves  

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June 27, 2026

Italian Wine Club June 2026

CAMPANIA The ‘shin’ of Italy’s boot, Campania is one of the country’s oldest wine regions (the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines all planted grapes here), anchored by its capital city, Naples. The name is derived from the Latin Campania Felix meaning ‘happy land’ or ‘fertile countryside’ — and while not affluent in the pecuniary sense (it ranks 18th out of 20 Italian regions in GDP), Campania is flush with the stuff most of us conjure when we contemplate Italy. Naples, the country’s third largest city (after Rome and Milan), is the historic capital of Baroque style, the cradle of pizza and pasta, home to Europe’s largest old town center (a UNESCO world heritage site) and some 500 domed churches dating back to the early Christian era. It sits in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius, an active volcano whose 79 AD eruption created the famous ruins of Pompeii, and splashes into the Gulf of Naples, populated by the postcard islands of Capri, Ischia, and Procida. The city remains a vibrant culinary, cultural, and artistic hub today, with more Michelin starred restaurants than any other place in Italy, world famous palaces, museums, and public art, including street murals and celestial metro stations. Venture outside Naples and Campania continues to astonish. There’s the famous Amalfi coast — 34 of Italy’s most fabled miles, where the towns of Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi itself, and Ravello sport brightly coloured dwellings in, around and down the crags of jagged cliffs that pierce the azure brushstrokes of Tyrrhenian Sea and sky. Head further inland and you’ll discover no less eye-popping landscapes composed of verdant forests, hills, valleys, and mountains. And everywhere, there are grape vines. Five provinces comprise Campania: Napoli, Avellino, Benevento, Caserta, and Salerno, and they all produce wine. Viticulture has flourished in the region’s abundant sunshine, hot and dry summers, mild winters, volcanic soil, and cool sea and mountain breezes since antiquity. The legendary Roman fortified wine Falernian, for instance, ostensibly gifted by the god Bacchus to local farmer Falernus and famous enough in its day for several ancient sources to extol the 121 BC vintage in particular, comes from Campania. And if now no one can agree on its precise recipe, that’s in part because the region continues to host a feast of native varieties that date back to the ancients and are found virtually nowhere else. But Falernian was definitely a white wine, which makes Falanghina (“fah-LAHN-ee-nah”) the grape in our white selection this month, and one of the most likely source ingredients. It is ancient, indigenous to Campania, and distinctive enough to demand inclusion in local tipples worth remembering. Falanghina is revered for its crisp acidity, aromatic intensity, lively citrus flavor, and delicate floral and herbal undertones. Campanian white wine specialist Guido Marsella makes an unsurprisingly great one. The red is made from the Aglianico grape, which arguably remains Campania’s calling card. Full bodied and late ripening enough that it cannot be grown any farther north, Aglianico is sometimes known as the ‘Barolo of the South’ due to its elegant tannins and aging potential. In the past when we’ve featured Aglianico, the bottles have come from the Taurasi or Vulture DOCs. Our producer this month is Fattoria La Rivolta (Farmhouse of the Revolution), located in the Benevento province and part of the Taburno DOC, one of the smallest in Campania. The soil is volcanic like in Taurasi, but with more sandstone, and has hotter days and cooler nights tempered by the mountains. The resultant wines are generally a little lighter and higher in acidity than their brethren, but still substantial — ideal for whatever the San Francisco Bay summer has in store this year. Salut, Alan Hicks - Wine Buyer, Noe Valley Guido Marsella Falanghina 2022  Region: Benevento, Campania About the Winery: After working as a building contractor for the family business, Guido, who loved the countryside, bought land in the Summonte area, in Iripinia, and founded the winery in 1995. He was the first Fiano producer to release his wines on the market a year after the harvest, in a mature state, inaugurating a new approach which was later taken by other producers. Today, backed by years of experience and prestigious accolades, Guido has chosen to wait two years after harvesting to release some of his wines, reinterpreting the territory in terms of aromatic complexity and longevity. Guido Marsella’s vineyards are in the Partenio Regional Park, at an altitude of around 600 meters. The hilly terrain, the high altitude, the clayey loamy soil, rich in volcanic elements, with a rocky structure, and the presence of favorable winds all contribute to the health of the vines, the preservation of environmental balance and low yields, in order to favor quality. This is one of the best terroirs for the cultivation of Fiano, a very ancient vine that has always been tied to the history of wine-making in Campania and to the traditions of the area, as well as Greco di Tufo and Falanghina. About the Winemaking:  The vineyard is 500 - 700 meters above sea level and features rocky-volcanic soils with limestone-clay subsoil. Organic farming practices Vines are 25 years old on average. After harvest, grapes are cleaned, gently pressed and fermented with native yeasts at a controlled temperature in stainless steel, with fine lees contact 10-12 months in the tank, followed by 10-12 months aging  in the bottle. 5,000 cases total production  Tasting Notes: Bright straw yellow; freshly-picked flowers and fruit capture your senses. Lively flavours of minerals and complexity unfold. Light-bodied, lively and dynamic. Winemaker: Guido Marsella  Price per bottle / per case $29.99        $323.90 Suggested Food Pairing:  All kinds of seafood dishes: clams, mussels, prawns, Paccheri with seafood ragout au gratin, spaghetti allo scoglio, rigatoni with octopus, risotto with scampi, grilled or baked salmon, any preparation that includes lemon, garlic and parsley.  Tuna & Anchovy Vermicelli (see recipe)   Fattoria La Rivolta Aglianico del Taburno 2018 Region: Benevento, Campania  About the Winery: Located in Torrecuso, in the province of Benevento, Fattoria La Rivolta consists of hilly lands that range in altitude from 300 to 600 meters. With unique soils of limestone and clay, the vineyards are located in one of the smallest DOCs in the region, Campania's Taburno, home to some of the most picturesque and mountainous vineyards in all of Europe. Here, the Cotroneo family has been living in the region for several generations. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the grandparents Giovanni and Teresa maintained and cultivated one of the largest agricultural farms in Benevento, which was later divided amongst their eight grandchildren. After joining lands with his brother Mario, Paolo Cotroneo launched Fattoria La Rivolta in 1997. A third generation farmer, Paolo immediately began to organically cultivate his vines, earning certification from ICEA, the Istituto per la Certificazione Etica e Ambientale, in 2001. A family affair that includes two sisters and a cousin, these 29 hectares of cultivated vineyards are hand harvested to produce low yields and farmed without the use of chemical treatments. About the Winemaking: Grapes are sourced from low-yielding vines (~70 q/ha) and hand-harvested in mid to late October. The vineyards are planted on south–southeast facing slopes with marl and sandstone-calcareous soils.After fermentation, the wine is aged for 18 months in large 25 hL French oak barrels, followed by an additional 12 months of bottle ageing before release. ~25,000 bottles produced. Tasting Notes: The nose is smoky, earthy and umami, with aromas of tobacco, dirt, pepper and tart blackberries. The palate brings sweeter berries and citrus, plus more earth and pepper for balance, but the tannins are absolutely militant and have everything very tightly sewn up. — Danielle Callegari, Wine Enthusiast.  Winemaker: Paolo Cotroneo Price per bottle / per case $28.99                $313.11 Suggested Food Pairing:  Grilled meats, including barbecue,richer pastas with truffle or red sauce, cheeses like Pecorino, Asiago, Grana Padano, vegetable dishes with  black bean sauce, soy sauce, tempeh or roasted mushrooms. Tuna and Anchovy Vermicelli  Ingredients  400 g vermicelli pasta (140z) or spaghetti 200 g canned tuna (7oz) in olive oil 2-4 anchovy fillets in oil or salted 250 ml beef broth (8.5 floz) I used homemade salt for pasta and to taste black peppercorns as required pink peppercorns as required (Peruvian pepper) 1 sprig fresh parsley 1 knob butter 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Instructions Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Wash and chop the parsley. Drain the oil from the tuna. Rinse the anchovies well if they are salted. Cut them into small pieces and together with ¾ of the tuna, puree in a blender with a little of the beef broth. Put this sauce into a saucepan and add the rest of the broth and a few pink and black peppercorns. Stir and cook over a low heat until the sauce reduces and thickens (5-10 minutes). Add the rest of the tuna to the sauce and stir to mix in. Add salt to taste. Cook the vermicelli al dente according to the instructions on the packet, save a cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Return it to the pot or put it in a bowl and add the butter, olive oil and chopped parsley. Toss to mix well.  Then add the tuna and anchovy sauce, mix everything together well. Return to the heat and cook for another minute to allow the pasta to absorb the flavours of the sauce. If the sauce seems dry, add some pasta cooking water. Serve immediately with a little more chopped parsley and a few peppercorns.  

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May 26, 2026

May 2026 Italian Wine Club - Sardegna

SARDEGNA We like to visit Sardinia at least once a year here in the Italian Wine Club. We also like to tell people: “You simply must visit Sardinia at least once a year, as we do.” And while we’ve yet to actually set foot on the island (2nd largest in the Mediterranean, after Sicily), Sarndina is a very easy place to revere/ rhapsodize - either up close (DH Lawrence ca. 1921: (“This land resembles no other place. It is like freedom itself”), or from the distant/intimate perspective a great glass ofwine and/or a meal* can pleasantly force.When we get there for real one day, hopefully it will feel at least a little bit familiar. 150 miles off the west coast of mainland Italy, flaunting white sand beaches and alpine forests, and stretching across mountains, hills and plains, Sardinia is 9,300 square miles of such manifold ecological and topographical plenty that it's been called an island that’s almost a continent. Consequently, numerous foreign invaders have tried to conquer it over the years. Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Saracens, Spanish, French and Italians all made attempts, and the landscape is dotted with evidence of the inhabitants' fierce resistance. There are some 7,000 ancient Nughari, or Bronze Age dressed stone circular defense towers built by the Nugari civilization (and for which no parallel exists anywhere else in the world) all over the island. Even Italy, the last and most successful of these would-be hegemons, hasn’t found full acceptance: you can still find the slogan “Sardigna no est Italia”, which translates to “Sardinia is not Italy”, graffitied on many village and town walls.  One result of all this obstinance is a local culture and tradition that, while recalling Italy and Spain and other Mediterranean neighbors, is quite unique - from the cuisine to, of course, the wine. Besides being responsible for a whopping 80% of Italy’s cork production, Sardinia has more DOC and IGT titles than Calabria and Basilicata combined, inclusive of one DOCG wine, 19 DOC zones and 15 IGT zones, despite having the lowest wine production per acre of any Italian wine region. There are some 120 indigenous varietals grown in Sardinia, but the vast majority of planting and production is given over to just two: the red Cannonau (which is genetically identical to Grenache) and the white Vermentino (also grown in Tuscany, France, where it is called Rolle, and increasingly, California.) This trip we have a beautifully expressive Cannonau from Michele Cuscusa who, in addition to being a vintner, is also a shepherd and cheesemaker - and was apparently recently featured on the National Geographic program Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy. The white comes from the great Deperu Holler winery, whose Vermentino we’ve featured in the club before. This time we have their delightful ‘Maria Tzufia’ bottling. Titled after a character in local folklore - a little girl in a rural area with unkempt hair - it is mostly Moscato Giallo (Yellow Muscat) - a highly aromatic grape sometimes used in dessert wines, but vinified completely dry here, with just a touch of skin contact. Salut,Alan HicksWine Buyer, Noe Valley *check out SF institution La Ciccia for both. May 2026 Deperu Holler ‘Maria Tzufia’Region: Isola Dei Huraghi,Sardinia About the Winery: In the north of Sardegna, Carlo Deperu and his wife TatianaHoller are carrying forth Sardegna's winemaking traditions with passion, joy, andinfectious zeal. The couple met in Milan, where Carlo earned his degree inviticulture and enology while Tatiana had come to study advertising from hernative Brazil. In 2005, they settled back in Carlo’s hometown of Perfugas, wherehis family had long made some wine for home consumption. Carlo and Tatianareplanted the family vineyards and expanded their holdings, bringing the surfaceunder vine to six hectares.This intersection of the hilly Anglona region and the more mountainous Gallura(home to Sardegna’s only DOCG, Vermentino di Gallura), features a fascinatingmix of soils of sedimentary and igneous origin including limestone, clay, chalk,marl, shale, decomposed granite, and volcanic rock. Situated just ten kilometersaway, the sea brings constant fresh breezes, while the cleansing maestrale windplays a crucial role in facilitating organic viticulture. In fact, Carlo and Tatianaeschew herbicides and synthetic fertilizers in the vineyard, opting instead forregenerative solutions like herbal tisanes to treat the vines and planting covercrops to balance and protect their soils.Deperu Holler was among the first Sardinian wineries to bottlenative-yeast-fermented whites, and they pay homage to the local field blends ofthe past through a deliberate use of skin contact to achieve deeper aromas andtextures. Carlo avoids manipulations in the cellar as much as possible, workingwith gravity and in accordance with lunar cycles to bypass operations such aspumping, fining, and filtrationAbout the Winemaking: 95% Yellow Moscato, 5% Vermentino. The grapes arehand-harvested. The two varieties are macerated separately: the Vermentino fora shorter period, while the Moscato remains in contact with the skins for longerto extract all its aroma and color. Subsequently, the musts are blended to achievea balance between minerality, freshness, and body. The pressing is gentle, and thefermentation is spontaneous. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration.Tasting Notes: Wide-ranging aromas, with notes of white-fleshed fruit and citrus,orange blossom, and pastry cream. Dry, fresh, and savory on the palate, withgood structure and an almond finish. Winemakers: Carlo Deperu &Tatiana Holler Price per bottle / Price per case$29.99 $323.90 Suggested Food Pairing:Ideal for aperitifs, risottos withshellfish, soups, and dishes withexotic spices. May 2026 Cuscusa ‘Crobia’ Cannonau di Sardegna 2023Region: Cannonau di SardegnaDOC About the Winery: Cuscusa Farm is a family-owned agricultural estate in Sardiniamanaged by Michele Cuscusa and his brothers. For more than 30 years, the farmhas specialized in sheep and goat farming, organic agriculture, artisanal cheeseproduction, olive oil, and wine. The estate also operates a small dairy, agriturismohospitality, and the Transumanza restaurant in Cagliari. The philosophy of the farmis deeply rooted in Sardinian agropastoral tradition, sustainability, biodiversity, andauthentic craftsmanship.Michele became a shepherd at the age of 13, when his father entrusted him withthe family’s finest flock of sheep. Despite other plans for his future, Michelebelieved that “when someone is born a shepherd, they cannot lose their identity.”Today he remains actively involved in every aspect of the farm and stronglybelieves that organic farming is the only sustainable way to offer healthy andauthentic products to consumers. For Michele, quality is not measured by numbersalone, but through emotion, tradition, and sensory experience.About the Winemaking: Crobia is the flagship Cannonau from Cuscusa Farm,expressing the volcanic and Mediterranean identity of Sardinia. Produced fromorganically farmed Cannonau grapes, the wine reflects the wild herbs, mineralsoils, and pastoral culture of the island. The wine is powerful yet elegant, withexcellent freshness and savory complexity. It is made from organically grown, handharvested grapes and fermented in stainless steel before aging in a combination ofstainless steel and oak.Tasting Notes: Deep ruby red with garnet reflections. Aromas of ripe red cherry,blackberry, Mediterranean herbs, pepper, dried flowers, and sweet spices emergefrom the glass. On the palate, Crobia is medium to full-bodied with velvety tannins,vibrant acidity, and a long mineral finish. The wine combines richness withfreshness, characteristic of high-quality Sardinian Cannonau. Winemaker: Michele Cuscusa Price per bottle / Price per case$36.99 $399.50 Suggested Food Pairing:Grilled lamb and roasted meats,wild game and braised dishes,aged Pecorino cheeses,mushroom risotto, mediterraneancuisine with herbs and olive oil,charcuterie and rustic pasta dishes Pane Frattau A thrifty dish devised to use up day-old bread, pane frattau features the uniquely paper-thin flatbread from Sardinia,pane carasau. The bread is moistened in broth and then it’s layered with tomato sauce and grated cheese, so as toresemble a lasagna of sorts. The final touch – a poached egg with the runny yolk oozing over the top of the dish – addsflavour and substance to the lot, making it both scrumptious and nutritious.Finding pane carasau is mandatory here, as nothing will really do in its place. The rest of the ingredients, on the otherhand, are nothing more than pantry staples, and the dish itself, you’ll see, is as easy to whip up as it is delicious. May 2026 INGREDIENTS (serving 4)● 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil● 1⁄2 yellow onion, chopped● 1 clove of garlic, crushed● 800g tomato sauce● 500mL vegetable stock● 4 eggs● 12 sheet of pane carasau● 2 cups pecorino sardo cheese● Salt & Pepper 1. Place the oil, onion and the garlic in a medium saucepan set over a medium heat. Fry gently, stirring often, untilthe onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the passata and 60ml water, lower the heat, cover andcook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season.2. Poach the eggs in boiling water, one at the time, until the white is set but the yolk is still runny, about 4 minutes.Drain with a slotted spoon and set aside.3. Heat the stock in the widest stockpot you have – it should be wider than the sheets of pane carasau. Dip a sheetof bread for a few seconds to soften it, then lift it up and ease it on a plate over a bed of tomato sauce. Top itwith more tomato sauce and some grated pecorino. Repeat with two more layers per serving – each person getsthree layers of bread – finishing with the sauce and cheese. Serve hot with a poached egg on top

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April 26, 2026

Italian Wine Club April 2026 Lazio

Lazio, our destination this month, is located in west-central Italy, home to Rome, and so-named for the original inhabitants of the area, the “Latini.” The Latini language served as the basis for Latin, from which English derives so many words and concepts. One word I want to emphasize right now is palimpsest, which is defined as a document whose original text has been effaced, written over, or otherwise bullied by other text, but remains partially visible. Italy, as you might imagine, possesses a bunch of literal such records. (The Institutes of Gaius, the first textbook on Roman law, discovered in 1816 hiding underneath letters by St. Jerome and Gennadius in the Library of Verona Cathedral, for instance.) Apply the term’s broader, more metaphorical reverb to the country as a whole though, and you arrive at something that feels fundamental to the place, its history and, of course, the wine. Italy-as-palimpsest begins to make legible the Babel of furiously gesticulating narratives - recent, living memory, modern, old, ancient, mythic - jostling for your present attention across the breadth of the Boot. Our two wines this month, like everything else we sample in this club, are both products and participants in this argument, excavations of primeval tipples with multiple names, guises and fantastical origins to explore. Or ignore, as they both translate just fine without all the lore as well.  Legend has it that after Aeneas escaped the fall of Troy, he sailed around the Apennine Peninsula and landed in modern-day Lazio. Here, he bore a line of descendents that would eventually lead to Romulus and Remus. These two brothers, the story goes, decided to found the allegedly Eternal City on April 23, 753 BC. The more likely and prosaic version is that the city grew from settlements on the Palatine Hill that had sprung up because the area at the base of the hill was ideal for pasture. Either way, Rome has dominated the area and much of the popular imagination; re: Italy ever since, but winemaking in the area actually predates its establishment. The Etruscans introduced the culture of the vines to the Romans, who were largely shepherds and warriors up to this point and more used to labor and conflict than convivial pleasures. Eventually the Romans assimilated not only the Etruscan’s land but also some of their customs and traditions, wine cultivation and appreciation very much among them. Roman viticulture wasn't built in a day, in other words, but developed over the millenia, primarily in the volcanic hills surrounding the city, an area known as Castelli Romani. Lazio’s overall geography is quite varied, with a wide coastline and sandy beaches extending from Tuscany in the north to Campania in the south, the Apennine mountain range providing protection from cold winds from the north, and several large lakes that constitute their own microclimates. Among Italy’s 20 wine-producing regions, Lazio ranks 8th for output, with 80% of total wine production being white. Two grapes, Malvasia di Candia and Trebbiano, account for 58% of the plantings for white wines; the most famous wine to come from Lazio is Frascati, made primarily from the former.  Of course our white this month comes from none of these aforementioned varietals. Nor is it grown on continental Lazio. Instead, in what I think is a first for the club, this wine, which is 100% Biancolello (a white grape originating in Campania, just south of Lazio), comes from the island of Ponza, the largest member of the Pontine archipelago, a string of 6 islands in Tyrrean Sea, a little over 110 kms south of Rome. Ponza on its own boasts fascinating and eventful history, starting with its name, which was thought to be derived from Pontius Pilate (his family owned a grotto there), but the actual origins of which are now a matter of dispute. In any event, Ponza was first colonized by the Estrucian and is reputed to be the inspiration of the island of Aeaea, home of the sorceress Circe in The Odyssey. In most of the years since, it has functioned as a penal colony and exile destination for enemies of everyone from Caligula to Mussolini. (The latter was briefly a prisoner there himself after being overthrown and arrested in 1943.) Today it exists mostly as a tourist destination and picturesque backdrop for films (Fellini’s Satyricon, The Life Aquatic.) There are also 5 hectares of vines currently under cultivation, of which Casale del Gigio, our producer this month, farms 2. Named for the majestic lighthouse that towers over the vineyards, the Faro della Gaurdia bottling is a singular white wine that faithfully reflects its coastal volcanic terroir and can age beautifully.  The red comes from Casale del Giglio’s mainland vineyards, about 50 km south of Rome and is composed of Syrah and Petit Verdot. It is the estate’s flagship bottling, full-bodied, intense and layered - especially with a few years of age on it, as presented here.  Salut!  Alan Hicks - Wine Buyer, Noe Valley  Casale del Giglio ‘Faro della Guardia’ Biancolella 2024 Region: Lazio, Italy  About the Winery: The Santarelli family has been in the wine business since the beginning of the last century. Antonio’s father, Dino, bought an estate in the Agro Pontino in 1967 in what was once part of a large swamp that extended from lower Lazio up to Maremma in Tuscany, a land of mosquitos and malaria. In the 30’s that territory was reclaimed and became a fertile plateau. The property is located in Le Ferriere, in the province of Latina. In the 90’s Antonio took over the lead of the family business and hired a young and talented winemaker, Paolo Tiefenthaler. Through experimentation and new techniques he made Casale del Giglio one of the top players in the region. About the Winemaking: A native of Italy’s Campania region, the Biancolella grape was introduced to the Island of Ponza from the Island of Ischia (in the Bay of Naples) during the 18th century, when the city was ruled by the Bourbon monarchs. Cultivation of the grape in the Lazio region is authorized exclusively on the Island of Ponza where it grows at the base of a sheer sea cliff surmounted by the imposing lighthouse, ‘Il Faro della Guardia’. Built in 1886, the lighthouse rises 112 metres above sea level. Its rotating beam of white light has a range of 24 nautical miles and a mainly southerly sweep through 225 degrees. The deepest part of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the trench known as ‘La Fossa del Tirreno’, lies some eleven miles to the southwest of the lighthouse rock.  This white wine is produced exclusively from Biancolella grapes, a typical variety from central Italy and the islands. The grapes undergo a Grape Varieties and Vinification Technique ‘traditional’ white wine vinification process starting with a soft pressing of the whole grapes and a subsequent spontaneous fermentation at 20°C on indigenous yeasts. It is then aged on the lees for about 7-8 months before bottling. Tasting Notes: Pale yellow with a greenish hue. An intense perfume of hawthorn blossom, ripe golden peach and fresh apricot. The palate is flinty and fresh, reminiscent of the ‘volcanic – calcareous’ vineyard soils and sea breezes that sustain the vine. A lingering fruitiness on the finish and a hint of citrus. Good body and firm fruit make the wine suitable for prolonged bottle aging. Winemaker: Paolo Tiefenthaler Price per bottle / per case $51.99 / $611.12  Suggested Food Pairing: Seafood dishes of all kinds, including Crab Linguine, fried calamari and shrimp, dover sole with butter-caper sauce, but also Pizza Romana topped with olives, garlic, anchovies and chili oil.  Casa del Giglio ‘Mater Matuta’ IGP 2017 Region: Lazio, Italy  About the Name: ‘Mater Matuta’ derives from that of the ancient Italic goddess of the dawn, protectress of fertility and birth. Her cult extended throughout central Italy and the famous temple of the ancient city of Satricum, situated close to Le Ferriere in the Province of Latina, was dedicated to her About the Winemaking: Composed of 85% Syrah, 15% Petit Verdot*. Both red grape varieties are harvested when fully ripe (the Syrah may even be slightly shrivelled) and vinified in different ways. The submerged cap technique is favoured for the Syrah which ferments on native yeasts for 18-20 days. During the first few days of this process the fermenting must is racked and returned (the process of délestage) several times. Punching down is the technique adopted for the Petit Verdot as this approach guarantees an optimal extraction of the grape’s tannins and polyphenolic compounds. It is the resulting full-bodied Petit Verdot which gives Mater Matuta its long aging potential while the Syrah gives it its complexity of character. Highlighted by smooth tannins and an intense aroma of black cherry and spice. As the new wines are carefully drawn off, each to its own first-fill barriques, the colour, tannins and aromas still present in the fermented skins are extracted in the soft presses to which they slide, aided by nothing more than natural gravity. After 22-24 months in oak the wines are blended and left undisturbed in the bottle for a further 10-12 months. Tasting Notes: A deep, dense, ruby-red wine which displays outstanding personality both on the nose and on the palate with its aroma of coffee beans, violets, ripe black cherry, coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon. Silky and seductive, but perfectly supported by fine tannins and a pleasing astringency, Mater Matuta delivers a long, lush finish. Winemaker: Paolo Tiefenthaler Price per bottle / per case $29.99 / $353.03 Suggested Food Pairing: A wide swath of Roman cuisine, from spaghetti carbonara to medium aged cheeses like Provola di Bufali to meat dishes like bucatini all’Amatriciana (see recipe) to saltimbocca alla romana (veal and prosciutto in white wine sauce) Bucatini all’Amatriciana This is a classic Lazio recipe that originated in Amatrice, a town in the northeastern part of the region. Ingredients (serves 4) • 400g bucatini pasta • 250g guanciale • 500g whole peeled tomatoes • 150g pecorino cheese grated • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil • 1 crushed chili pepper • 2 tbsp. rock salt Instructions Crush the tomatoes either with your hands or using a knife Slice the guanciale (pork jowl) in long thin slices Heat the oil in a saucepan Add the guanciale and let cook until golden (make sure it doesn’t burn!) Add the chili pepper Lower the flame and add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce gets a nice orange/red color Put a pot of cold water on the burner and bring it to boil, add the salt, then the bucatini When the pasta is done, drain, and pour into the saucepan and sauté for a couple of minutes until the sauce has coated all the bucatini Sprinkle the pecorino cheese on top and serve.  

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April 6, 2026

Italian Wine Club March 2026

As the least heralded region in a North Central Italian triumvirate that includes Tuscany and Umbria, Le Marche sometimes gets lost in the stampede of visitors thronging its famous neighbors. It’s also easy enough to mistake for Abruzzo, which it borders to the north; both are sandwiched between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, with long coastlines, lots of rustic greenery and no large, iconic cities (the biggest town, and the regional capital, is Ancona, pop. 100,000-ish.) But from the definite article on down, Le Marche is a place with specificity to spare.  Let’s start with the name: Le Marche (pronounced “leh-markeh”) is the only Italian region with a title in the plural form. The moniker dates back to 800 CE, when Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne assumed the throne and divided his possessions into fiefdoms, each one of them entrusted to a noble Marquis. The term “marche” derives from the German word “mark”, which means “border”; hence, Le Marche started as a group of possessions delimited by a “mark.” The literal English translation would be “The Marches” - and so my intention was to feature it in the month of March. Which almost happened. But here we are in the first week of April instead (look out for the actual April selections the week of the 21st.) Which is probably for the best, syncopation being > symmetry in music, wine and life more generally.  Anyway, Le Marche is also a great historical source of art and culture, the birthplace of the composer Gioacchino Rossini, the poet Gacomo Leopardi and most famously, the late Renaissance painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio, better known as Raphael. In fact, the story of just how Rapheal came to grow up in the region is an excellent synecdoche for its layered treasures so, if you’ll indulge a[nother] digression, let’s take a day trip to Urbino, the town where the painter was born. Today it is the hilltop home of some 24,000 inhabitants, most of whom are students at the local university; when Rapheal was born it was an unlikely Renaissance center due to the efforts of Federico the Duke of Monteferalto, who had hired the painter’s father Giovanni Santil, as his court artist. The out-of-wedlock son of a small-town noble, Frederico became a duke by killing the apparent heir, his half-brother and went on to get rich as a soldier-for-hire with his own private army, fighting for Florence against the pope, then for the pope against Florence. In the process, he lost an eye and a hunk of his nose, and consequently is portrayed only in profile — with his (relatively) good side showing. He also expanded his duchy into an Italian power, before settling down to life as a scholar and gentleman, studying Latin, collecting manuscripts, and renovating the local Ducal Palace, aiming to make it the "dwelling place of the Muses," and bringing the Renaissance to this relatively remote destination 50 years after it flourished in Florence.  Turn over another stone in Le Marche and who knows what you’ll find. Get thirsty and there’s a number of variegated terroirs extremely well-suited to the cultivation of vines. Due to the influences of the Apennines, the Adriatic, and the region’s rivers, there are various microclimates, giving wine producers both warm and cool viticultural zones to work with. Currently there are 15 DOC and DOCG classified wines, the best known of which is the white wine Verdicchio, It is grown in two appellations in the Marche region, Castelli di Jesi and Matelica, and is also genetically identical to a constituent grape of Soave called Trebbiano di Soave. Wines made from it show a range of zesty aromas and flavors, including green apple, flower, citrus peel, and almond, depending on where it is grown; the best examples can age very well in the bottle, but when they are as good as this month’s example, it’s hard to keep them around that long.  The red is a little more unusual. Red wines from Le Marche are chiefly based on Sangiovese or Montepulciano, but this month we instead have the rare Lacrima varietal, which means “tear” in Italian, and is so named for either its tear-like shape, or its thin skin that allows tear-like drops of juice to drip from the grape. It is found almost exclusively in the Lacrima Morro D’Alba DOC in Le Marche and is ancient enough that its origins remain something of a mystery.  Salud, Alan Hicks Wine Buyer PlumpJack Wine & Spirits Noe Valley Tenuta Grimaldi Verdicchio di Matellica 2022 Region: Matelica, Marche, Italy About the Winery: The Matelica appellation is in the west of the Marche, in the foothills of the Apennines, not far from the border with Umbria. Grimaldi is just outside the little town of Matelica itself, at between 450 and 550 meters (1,500-1,800 feet) above sea level. The elevation of the vineyards is important to the character of these wines; higher elevation makes for a cooler climate, and better retention of acidity. The soils at Tenuta Grimaldi are rocy, and; the vineyards face east and north-east.  Tenuta Grimaldi produces only Verdicchio, from four different clones. They grow grapes organically, at relatively low yields; the fruit is picked by hand into small boxes; the whole bunches are pressed, and the juice is settled out and fermented in stainless steel tanks and large wooden barrels (Fermentation and aging in large barrels is quite different from the same process in barriques, the goal with larger barrels being to add complexity to the wine without adding oak flavors.) As of this writing, the winemaker Mirko Mattana is experimenting with both indigenous and selected yeasts, to see which he prefers. After the alcoholic fermentation, the wine is then aged in the same vessels on the fine lees until bottling, which takes place in June. About the Winemaking: From vines planted in 2016 and 2017 Altitude 450 - 550 M, E-NE, clay/ marl and limestone/ marl with a topsoil of light sand. Grapes harvested in September Fermentation mostly in stainless steel (~80%) and the rest in large Austrian and French barrels. Aged for 8-10 months on fine lees. Gentle filtration. Tasting Notes: Bright pale yellow with greenish reflections; aroma and flavor of Granny Smith apple, orange peel, cut grass and almonds; mouthwatering acidity, very long finish. Winemaker: Mirko Mattana Price per bottle / per case $30.99/$334.70 Suggested Food Pairing: works as an aperitif, but also with roast chicken, fish tacos, Vietnamese spring rolls, grilled salmon, pasta with shrimp.  Luigi Giusti Lacrima di Morro D’Alba ‘Rubbjano’ 2018  Region: Lacrima Di Morro D’Alba DOC, Le Marche, Italy About the Winery: Cantina Luigi Giusti has roots that go back to 1903, when Filippo Giusti returned to Italy from the United States and bought a piece of property near his hometown. His family grew along with a passion for the land and, since the 1930s, for the cultivation of the vine. In the 1950s, Filippo’s son Luigi and daughter-in-law Maria, acquired the historic cellar of the Cantina Castelferretti. The winery began a long agricultural project focusing on the cultivation of the Lacrima varietal. While the Castelferretti cellar is still used for the sale and aging of bottled wines, in 1997 Luigi ’s son Piergiovanni Giusti, with the help of his wife Elena, bought a new cellar in Montignano, within the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba DOC boundaries. In 2000 they enlisted the assistance of enologist Giancarlo Soverchia, a specialist in the traditional grapes of the Marche. Today Piergiovanni continues his parent’s vision – to produce quality wines from the native grape of the Marche which are a distinct expression of the land and the indigenous Lacrima di Morro d’Alba. About the Winemaking: Rubbjano comes from the winery’s oldest Lacrima vineyard. Soil is Clay-based, with medium density .Elevation is160 meters (520 feet) above sea level. The vines were planted in 1994. Grapes are harvested in early October, after which they are gently pressed and undergo a slow maceration. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature with pre-fermentative and post-fermentative stages of 20-22 days. The wine is aged for 10 months in small French oak barrels, six-months in bottle before release. Production: 3,400 bottles. Tasting Notes: On the nose it has an ample and persistent bouquet, with notes of withered roses, violets and nuances of vanilla. Notes of black cherries and tobacco with very gentle tannins on the palate. The mouthfeel is soft, velvety and well structured. Winemaker: Giancarlo Soverchia Price per bottle / per case:  $34.99/$377.90 Suggested Food Pairing:  Cold cuts, Ciauscolo (a spreadable salami from the region), medium-aged cheeses, truffle risotto, pasta dishes with red sauces, pasta with meat sauce, Vincisgrassi (see recipe), gnocchi with Bolognese, pasta Amatriciana, pulled pork, Argentine meat empanadas, burritos, polenta with meat sauce, grilled meat; beef fillet with porcini mushrooms, lamb kebabs and roasted rabbit. Vincisgrassi (Wild mushroom & prosciutto lasagne) Ingredients: 500g chicken stock 30g pack dried porcinimushrooms 2 tbsp olive oil 100g butter 1 bay leaf 300g Portobello mushrooms or chestnut mushrooms, halved and sliced 1 garlic clovecrushed 75g plain flour 500ml hot full fat milk 100g double cream 140g prosciuttoroughly shredded Handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped 12 sheets fresh lasagne 140g parmesanabout two-thirds finely grated, the rest shaved Truffle oil (optional)Instructions:1. Pour the stock into a saucepan, bring to the boil and tip the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl or jug. Pour over the hot stock and leave to soak until it has been absorbed and the mushrooms have cooled. Drain the mushrooms over a bowl, pressing down on them to release all the stock. Reserve the stock, roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.2. Heat the olive oil and two-thirds of the butter in a large, shallow saucepan. Add the soaked mushrooms and bay leaf, and sizzle for a few mins. Turn up the heat, add the fresh mushrooms and garlic, and fry until soft. Season, scatter the flour over the mushrooms and cook until you have a thick, sticky paste. Pour in the mushroom stock and boil until everything is gloopy. Gradually add the hot milk, stirring between each addition, until you have a thick mushroom sauce, then simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, fish out the bay leaf, then stir in the cream, prosciutto and parsley, and leave to cool slightly.3. If cooking straight away, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grease a rectangular casserole dish (about 22 x 30cm) with the remaining butter and cover the bottom with a layer of lasagne sheets. Using a slotted spoon, layer about a third of the mushroom mixture and some of the sauce over the lasagne sheets, then scatter over a little grated Parmesan and drizzle with a few drops of truffle oil, if using. Repeat until you have three layers of mushrooms (save some sauce in the pan), then top with a final layer of pasta. Now spread over the remaining sauce – it should be reasonably mushroom free. Scatter over the remaining grated Parmesan and drizzle with more truffle oil, if using. Can be made a day ahead, covered and chilled.4. Bake the lasagne for 20-25 mins until golden and bubbling. Turn the oven up at the end of cooking if it’s not brown enough. Remove from the oven and leave for a few mins to stand. Cut into squares, scatter over the Parmesan shavings and drizzle over some more truffle oil just before serving, if you like.

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February 8, 2026

Italian Wine Club February 2026: Piemonte

French historian Jules Michelet used to begin his lectures on British history, with the seemingly unnecessary proclamation, “Messieurs, l’Angleterre est une ile.” “You guys, England is an island.” Obvious certainly, but it sure clarifies all that is to follow. There is, after all, an important difference between “simply knowing that Britain is an island” and “whether we interpret its history in the light of that fact, which thus takes on a significance of its own.”*  Take this tack with Italy/Italian wine, and we might lead with: Italy is mostly uphill. The fact that it occupies a peninsula (Appenine) named for the mountain range that traverses it, is probably the biggest clue, but if (like me) you haven’t spent much time there you might be surprised to learn that fully 75% of Italy is hills and mountains. It is a geographical characteristic that has had a dramatic effect on pretty much every aspect of its development, cuisine and wine included. For centuries, getting from one town to another was a huge hassle, and as a result, products grown successfully in one valley might never make it to the valley next door. So even though both wines we are featuring this month technically come from Piedmont, the northeastern region famed for its Barbaresco and Barolo, they each very much occupy their own altitude, offering singular vistas that warrant a separate summit. To the funicular! Indeed, Piedmont actually means “at the foot of the mountain” in Italian. It’s surrounded on three sides by the Alps, including the Monte Rosa, and the Monviso, where the Po River rises. The region borders France, Switzerland, and the Italian regions of Lombardy, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna and Val d’Aosta, and encompasses 8 provinces: Turin, Alessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, and Vercelli. Located in the southeastern part of Piedmont, in the Alessandria province bordering Lombardy, Colli Tortenesi is mostly hills and valleys as it rises from the Po River plains to heights of 1,700 meters in the Apennines. The climate is humid, influenced positively by the Ligurian sea and receives the lowest rainfall in the region, with a considerable temperature range throughout the day, which contributes to the intense aromatics of the wine. Located in the southeastern part Piedmont, adjacent to Oltrepò Pavese in Lombardy, Colli Tortenesi was founded by the Ligurians, before becoming a Roman colony called Derthona in 148 BCE, the first such outpost under imperial rule west of the Po River Valley. The area has a transitional topography of hills and valleys as it rises from the plains of the Po River to heights of 1,700 meters in the Apennines, all of which contribute to the diversity of soil and climate. Much of the soil, formed during the Tortonian age, between 5 and 15 million years ago, is a mix of calcareous clay, with ancient marine deposits, limestone and a surface layer of sand. The climate is humid, influenced positively by the Ligurian sea and receives the lowest rainfall in the region, with a considerable temperature range throughout the day, which contributes to the intense aromatics of the wine. It has historically been known for the red grape Barbera, which is grown in many other places in Northern Italy (see below), but today its calling card is arguably Timorasso, a highly distinctive white grape and Colli Tortenesi’s only autochthonous varietal. On the verge of extinction as recently as 1987, a local winemaker Walter Massa began acting on his hunch that some of the family vineyards were better suited to growing white grapes. The (eventual) result has been a Timorasso renaissance as others have discovered that this thick and waxy skinned varietal produces age-worthy and distinguished white wine, boasting floral notes, bright acidity and orchard fruit flavors in its youth, and capable of developing petrol, almond and honeyed characteristics as it matures. Timorasso has been alternately likened to Chablis, Riesling and Chenin Blanc which is proof enough of its uniqueness. La Colombera’s version, which we are featuring this month, is excellent.  The red hails from Alba, in the Cuneo province, in the South west corner of Piedmont. It is made from the aforementioned Barbera grape, which is believed to be native to Italy, though its origins are obscure enough that it is difficult to be certain. In any event, Barbera is today one of Italy’s most widely planted red varietals, prized for its ability to shine in all kinds of contexts, from a reliable single varietal table red (it is known as the “people’s wine” in Piedmont) to a sympathetic blending partner to a sparkling version known as Verbesco.  This ubiquity is probably why we’ve never featured a single varietal Barbera in IWC before; it's an easy grape to take for granted. But having sampled the new vintage from Oddero, one of my favorite Piemont producers, recently, I was struck anew with all the qualities that make Barbera such a popular dinner guest. At its best, which this bottling is, Barbera is conversant with most social and/or culinary lingua franca - and comfortable enough in its own skin not to try too hard to prove it. You rarely encounter a less needy wine, in other words - and sometimes that demands recognition. Salud, Alan Hicks- Wine Buyer PlumpJack Wine & Spirits Noe Valley *(Appropriating this story from Leszek Kolakowski’s Main Currents of Marxism where he uses it to explain starting his tome with the similarly dome-cracking: “Karl Marx was a German philosopher.”)  Le Colombera Timorasso 2024 Region: Collo Tortonesi, Piedmont Italy  About the Winery: Based in the village of Vho on the outskirts of Tortona, or Derthona as the Romans called it, La Colombera is a third generation, 22 ha property planted most notably with the indigenous white wine grape Timorasso; all within a mile of the winery. In 1961 Renato Semino planted the first of La Colombera’s vineyards: Vigna Brusa. During the 1970s, Renato’s son, Piercarlo began working the vineyards and decided in the 1980s to begin making wine himself, rather than sell off the fruit, building a small winery in 1996. Then, in 1997, with the outbreak of flavescenza dorata that decimated their largely rented vineyards, they were encouraged to plant the varietal that would become their passion, Timorasso, for the first time. Over the next two years, the Semino family took a leap of faith, purchasing their vineyards and building a new commercial winery. In 2000, Piercarlo’s daughter Elisa returned from her viticultural studies in Milan to join the family business & to focus the family’s energy on the production of Timorasso. In 2013, Elisa’s brother Lorenzo joined the family business, and in 2014 they fermented the Timorasso wine, ‘Derthona,’ for the first time, using wild yeasts. Today, the Semino family continues to expand their viticulture, adding three new hectares to their holdings in 2017.  About the Winemaking: '100% Timorasso, from several vineyards on our property, planted between 1997 and 2000. The vines are located between 270 and 300 meters (900 to 1,000 feet) above sea level. The soils include both light and dark limestone-rich clay. Harvest takes place typically in the middle of September. The grapes are macerated in the press for three hours before pressing; the wine is then fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks, and aged on the fine lees for at least 10 months before bottling. The wine is cold-stabilized and filtered. Residual sweetness is 1.2 g/L (dry), and the SO2 is 70 ppm at bottling. Sixteen thousand bottles are produced each year. Tasting Notes: On the nose the young wine shows notes of white peach, honey, acacia, hawthorn blossom, and chamomile, developing smoky and mineral notes with age. On the palate, there are savory notes that remind one of our clay soils. The fresh acidity of the wine allows it to improve in the bottle for many years.' Winemaker: Eliza & Lorenzo Semina  Price per bottle / Price per case $33.99/$367.10 Suggested Food Pairing:  Fonduta (Piedmontese cheese fondue)  Risotto w/ white truffle Raw vegetables with bagna cauda (the local dip made from hazelnut oil, anchovies, peppers, garlic and cream.)  aged cheeses like Montebore  Seafood,  Spicy foods Oddero Barbera D’Alba 2022 Region: Barbera D’Alba DOC, Piedmont. About the Winemaker: Oddero is one of the great, historic, traditional Barolo houses with a long history spanning over 200 years. There are mentions of the Oddero family in La Morra as far back as the 1700s, though the family was likely there even before that point. The winery was among the first producers to estate bottle their Barolo – in the late 1800s, a time when most wine was sold in bulk either by demijohn or barrel. There are even records of their wine being sold to the USA at that point as well. It was Giacomo Oddero (born 1926) and his brother Luigi (born 1928) who brought the winery into the modern era. They renovated their ancient farmhouse, elevated their wine quality, and extended their vineyard holdings. For years, the estate has quietly sold a good portion of its wines to a loyal clientele, much of it to restaurants in Italy. As such, they have remained somewhat under-the-radar amongst the tier of traditional Baroli. Giacomo’s daughter Mariacristina joined the winery in 1997 after studying Agronomic Science and Enology at the University of Torino. But after a few years, she and Luigi, both very strong-headed characters, had a challenging time working together and decided to separate. She kept the historic cellars in La Morra and much of the historic vineyards, and he formed his own winery in 2006, called Luigi Oddero e Figli. Today, Mariacristina’s son Pietro and niece Isabella are taking over and represent the seventh generation in the family to run the winery. They are both hugely committed to raising the reputation of the winery and have made significant investments in the vineyards and cellar to continue to help elevate the level of quality at this venerable estate. About the Winemaking: 100% Barbera. Certified organic. From vineyards planted between 2000 and 2005, on Tortonian soil (calcareous marl and sandstone.) Harvested in late September it goes through 10 days maceration and controlled low temperature fermentation in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts , followed by malolactic fermentation in November. 100% aged in 50-hectoliter Slavonian oak barrels for 12 months. Blended in the spring, bottled in the summer. Tasting Notes: Intense ruby-red color with purple tinges, a bouquet of pure cherry, blackberry, black pepper and mineral flavors with an excellent dash of freshness. Elegant but intense, tannins are soft and fresh in the mouth, with a fine length. Winemaker: Pietro & Isabella Oddero  Price per bottle / Price per case $29.99/$323.90 Suggested Food Pairing:  Pretty much any tomato based dishes Pizza Grilled meats or vegetables Risotto Mildly spicy Asian dishes Panissa (Piedmontese Rice & Beans)  This rich, robust dish makes the most of Piedmont’s famous rice and wine, with plenty of salami and beans strewn throughout. Cooked like a risotto but with a firmer, thicker texture, it’s a beautiful dish, which deserves to be more well-known outside the region.  Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil  1 onion, finely chopped 200g salami, finely chopped or whizzed into a paste (see Know-how) 800ml vegetable stock 400g tin or jar borlotti beans, including their liquid 300g carnaroli risotto rice 2 tbsp tomato purée 300ml robust red wine, ideally barbera d’asti 100g parmesan, finely grated 20g salted butter Parsley to serve Bread to serve (optional) Instructions: Heat the oil in a large hobsafe casserole or pan over a medium heat. Stir in the onion and a pinch of salt, then cook for about 8 minutes until softened. Stir in the salami and cook for about 4 minutes until starting to brown. Meanwhile, heat the stock in another pan and add the beans, including their liquid. Keep warm over a low heat. Stir the rice into the onions and cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until starting to turn translucent. Add the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute Pour in the wine and simmer for a few minutes. Add a few ladlefuls of the stock mixture to the rice at a time, ensuring the rice is always covered with liquid, and allow to bubble gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring constantly and topping up as needed, until all the liquid and beans are added and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Stir in most of the parmesan and the butter. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Serve with the remaining parmesan and some parsley leaves scattered over.  

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January 25, 2026

January 2026 Italian Wine Club: Trentino-Alto Adige/Suditrol

This month we’re taking it straight to the top, visiting Italy’s northernmost region and leading source of stunning Dolomite peaks, subsequent green valleys, and befuddling nomenclature. Even the above mouthful is an abbreviation, the hyphens and slashes at once repping and yadda yadda yadda-ing centuries of tradition, turmoil, contestation andchange. But it’s worth it to do the toponomastics (a real, actual word that means: the research and study of place names) when it comes to Trentino Alto-Adige; the guises it has gone through over the years are the story of the place, inscriptions of its singularity, in terms of wine and every other thing.  Trentino-Alto Adige holds a special, semi-autonomous status and consists of two territories: Alto-Adige in the north, also known as Sudtirol, which corresponds to the  autonomous province of Bolzano, and Trentino in the south, corresponding to the autonomous province of Trento. Though this arrangement dates back to 1948, the last local holdouts only officially it in 1992. The population of Bolzano is largely German-speaking, while Trento primarily uses Italian. You can trace this bifurcation back to the Romans, who invaded in 15 BC and divided the area into two separate states. Following the fall of the Empire, the Bavarians took over present day Alto Adige, while the Longobards extended their influence to the Duchy of Trento. The two provinces then spent centuries as contested spaces for invasions, peasant rebellions, various struggles between Church and Empire - and were mostly administered separately, before Napoleon briefly united them, and named the northern part Alto Adige to efface its prior relationship with Tyrol. After his exile, the place passed into the hands of the Hapsburgs, where it was again called Tyrol - though today’s Alto-Adige/Sudtirol was sometimes referred to as Mitteltirol, i.e. Middle Tyrol while Südtirol, i.e. South Tyrol, indicated mostly today's Trentino, which is not called Sudtirol anymore.  Confused? There’s more: after World War I and the dismantling of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the whole region was awarded to Italy, just in time for Mussolini to engage in a campaign of forced Italianization, outlawing references to Tyrol and renaming it Venezia Tridentina to emphasize a historical link with one of the Roman states that used to constitute it. Nazi Germany also occupied its heights for a brief period, but several post-war treaties between Austria and Italy later, things seem as settled as plausible: a 2006 attempt to mount a referendum, in which the electorate could vote to stay with Italy, become fully independent or return to Austria, was soundly rejected. Wine-wise, Trentino-Alto Adige boasts one of the most unique and variegated scenes anywhere: 3/4 of all the juice coming down this mountain is produced collectively, by 12 co-operatives composed of 3300 mostly small (avg. plot size: 2.5 acres) growers and their families. The co-ops are organized by town (and thus, terroir) and most focus on a handful of local varietals. It’s a division of labor that contrasts sharply with the visionary individual winemaker narrative we usually encounter, but you can’t argue with the results. Responsible for less than one tenth of Italy’s total wine production, Trentino-Alto Adige leads the nation in bottles meriting a DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) designation, as 98% of the output qualifies. For January we are featuring two outstanding examples of all this collaborative élan. Catina Terlano is one of the oldest co-ops in Tretino-Alto Adige, founded in 1893 by 24 farmers. Today it has 140 members and is arguably the most famous and celebrated of the region’s dozen group efforts - in part because it produces maybe the planet’s greatest Pinot Bianco, which is what we have here. The rosso comes from the Colterenzio collective, which was established in 1960, making it one of the youngest around. It has 300 members and makes mostly white wine, but the reds are fantastic, especially this Riserva Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir.)Prost/Salut! Alan Hicks - Wine Buyer, Noe Valley Terlano Pinot Bianco Tradition 2024Region: Alto-Adige About the Winery: The foundation of the Cantina Terlano in 1893 took place at atime when agriculture was the mainstay of the regional economy. Apart from a fewinnovative winegrowers, however, who looked to the Rheingau region for new ideasand brought grape varieties from Germany and France to South Tyrol, agricultureunder the domination of a few big landowners was backward.The landlords were also the dominant factor in winemaking in the region. In orderto liberate themselves from this domination, 24 Terlano winegrowers decided tojoin forces and founded the Cantina Terlano. Whereas red wines were morecommon in South Tyrol at the end of the 19th century, with a red to white ratio of80:20, Terlano was already well known as a white wine area in 1893. Over the yearsthis focus on white wines has been consolidated, and today the ratio of whites toreds at the Cantina Terlano is 70 percent white to 30 percent red.About the Winemaking: Manual harvest and selection of the grapes; gentlepressing and clarification of the must by natural sedimentation; slow fermentationat a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, aging on the lees in steel tanksfor 6-7 months.Tasting Notes: On the nose this classic Pinot Bianco has crisp notes of apple andpear mingling with aromas of raspberry and lime, plus a touch of camomile andlemon grass to round off the composition. On the palate, pear and quince flavorswith a salty minerality. The wine tickles the tongue and goes on to deliver apersistent aftertaste. Winemaking: CollectivePrice per bottle / per case$30.99/334.70Suggested Food Pairing: salmonand tuna carpaccio; courgetteflowers with a stracchino cheeseor burrata; avocado salad;regional dishes like spinachspaetzle; spaghetti allacarbonara; scallops au gratin, andgrilled scampi, dentex or seabream Colterenzio St. Daniel Pinot Nero Riserva 2020 January 2026 Region: Trentino-AltoAdige/Südtirol About the Winery: Founded in 1960, the Colterenzio winery is one of the youngestwinegrowers’ cooperatives in Alto Adige. In 1960, 26 winegrowers founded theirown winery to be more independent – and named it after the hamlet they camefrom: Schreckbichl in German, Colterenzio in Italian (meaning: terrible hill.) Thesewinegrowers can be considered rebels but at the same time pioneers for right afterthe foundation of their own winery they were setting the course towards quality.Today, 300 winegrowers together with the people working at Colterenzio continuedthis path.The winegrowers grow their grapes on a total of 300 hectares; the vineyards arelocated in one of the best wine growing areas of Alto Adige, on altitudes from 230to 650 meters. 14 different varieties are cultivated. 35% of the wines at Colterenzioare red, 65% are white. The Colterenzio winery cares about the environment, notonly in the vineyards, but also in the cellar. In the vineyard this means sustainableviticulture and handpicked grapes. In the winery itself most of the electric energyused in the winery is supplied by a photovoltaic installation, 100% of the electricpower is certified green and 70% of hot water requirements is provided by solarpanels and a heat recovery system.About the Winemaking: Vineyards at an altitude of 350 – 450 metres a.s.l.; soilsare volcanic with an overlay of morainal deposits. The climate is cool with strikingdifferences between day and night time temperatures.The grapes are destemmed, softly pressed and briefly cold-macerated; thefermentation occurs at a constantly controlled temperature of 25° C for 14 days.The young wine then refines into casks – 2/3 in large 35 hl casks and 1/3 inbarriques – where it goes through malolactic fermentation and remains for 12months before bottling. The wine ages in bottle for further 12 months beforerelease. 100% Pinot Nero from 15-20 year-old, vertical espalier-trained vines.Tasting Notes: Medium-intense garnet; red colour a seductive bouquet of cherry,damsons, red fruits and cinnamon; medium-rich on the palate, supple and lusciouswith flavours of black and red berries, velvety tannins and discreet hints of oakspice. Winemaking: Collective Price per bottle / per case$35.99/$ Suggested Food Pairing:Delicately flavoured starters,charcuterie veal escallops inginger sauce, roast partridge,seared duck with plum glaze, andmeaty fish. January 2026 Strangolapreti (Bread and Spinach Dumplings) Made from stale bread, these hearty mountain dumplings are a great way to use leftover loaves. Enjoy with brown butter and sage or floating in your favorite chicken or vegetable broth. Ingredients 1 1/8 lb of spinach7 1/16 oz of stale bread, blitzed into breadcrumbs6 1/16 fl oz of whole milk2 large eggs3 oz of plain flour, plus extra for dusting1 3/4 oz of Grana Pradano*, grated1 pinch of nutmeg, freshly gratedSalt & pepper to taste1 3/4 oz of buttersemolina flour, for dusting*(A hard cheese from the Po River Valley similar to Parmesan.)Instructions 1. Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl with the milk, mix well and leave to soak.2. Place a large frying pan over a high heat and add the spinach with just a sprinkle of water. Cover with a lidfor a couple of minutes whilst it wilts. Use kitchen tongs to stir the spinach until all the leaves are wilted.Squeeze the spinach with the tongs to release excess liquid, then place in a sieve to drain and cool.3 .Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out any more liquid and finely chop.4. By now, the bread should have absorbed most of the milk. Place the bread in a bowl with the spinach, eggs,nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix well.5. Add the flour bit by bit until the mixture starts to dry up and forms a dough – the less flour you use, thelighter and airier the dumplings will be. The mixture should be just stiff enough to roll into the dumpling shapes.6. It is a good idea to cook a tester dumpling at this stage to check if the flour quantity is correct. Simply dollopa spoonful of the mixture into salted boiling water– it should float to the top after a minute. If the dumpling fallsapart, add a little more flour. Taste and check the seasoning, too.7. Use your hands to roll the mixture into little cylinder-shaped dumplings. If the mixture is very sticky, greaseyour hands a little with vegetable oil which should make things easier. Place the dumplings on a tray sprinkledwith semolina flour to stop them from sticking.8 .Cook the dumplings in salted boiling water in batches so as to not overcrowd the pan. They're cooked oncethey rise to the surface.9. As the dumplings are boiling away, add the butter to a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once the buttermelts, add the sage leaves and continue to cook until the sage starts to crisp up and the butter turns a nuttybrown.10. Once the dumplings have floated to the top, drain and add to the flavoured butter. Toss to evenly coat thenserve up warm, with extra grated Grana Padano if desired.

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