Vinarkia della Pavona Vineria, Notte Due

Via Fillungo 188, 55100 Lucca, Italy

Happy days happy days, the San Francisco Giants are World Series Champions! I’m sure the parade was amazing and there are many people still staggering around drunk off of the excitement. I would tell everyone I saw how happy I am, but American baseball isn’t on many peoples’ radars over here in these parts. Oh well, I am keeping the Orange and Black Pride proud on this side of the pond. It’s Thursday night, about 7:15 PM my time, and I am tired from a day of travelling to Grosseto, the main metropolitan city in the Maremma area of Southern Tuscany. It reminded me a lot of Lucca in that it also has an old center surrounded by walls and I went not only to check things out but they have a big open air market on Thursdays, and it was big. Clothes, kitchen items, food, flowers, etc. A good way to eat up the better part of a day, I would definitely go back just to people watch. And it’s always good to get the lay of the land the first time through, especially when you don’t have a map in hand.


To get down to some wine business though, we need to finish up with Lucca and get into talking about some Maremma wines, which will come very soon-I promise. So like I said I had found a great little spot in Lucca right by the hostel and enjoyed dinner there both nights. Vinarkia-Part Due:

Vinarkia della Pavona Vineria, Night Two

1) Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Rose’ D.O.C.G. Non-Vintage
I have found so far from my travels that almost no places list the name of the producer of the Prosecco that they serve. It’s one of those nonverbal agreements between the buyer and the seller, if we are pouring it then trust us that it’s good. Also, Prosecco Rose’ is a bit of a rarity, especially in the US. Off the top of my head I am hard pressed to name a producer, oh well, I’m sure it’s out there all you have to do is ask. This is one of Italy’s most popular sparkling wines, and is almost always dry to taste. The grape used is of the same name, Prosecco, and comes from the Veneto in Northeastern Italy. Valdobbiadene is known as a premier sub-region, and thus it bears the highest denomination, the D.O.C.G. The other you will see on labels is Conegliano, which is also top tier. The big thing to note about Prosecco that differs from true Champagne or many of the California sparklers you may be more familiar with is how it’s made. Inexpensive stuff is almost always done in the quick easy method (Charmat Method), where they pump Carbon Dioxide (the bubbles) into the tanks of still wine. The good stuff, Metodo Classico, is the same way that true Champagne is made with the 2nd fermentation done in the bottle so as to give it the Carbon Dioxide. Either way its fun to try the two styles side by side and see if you can tell a difference. This Rose’ style was atypical, light and dry with straightforward strawberry and peach flavors with a light dry body. Uncomplicated and easy drinking, the way it should be. Think about it with starters or anytime during the summer months on the patio.

-1st Course: Zuppa, a fall style Tuscan Ribollita with vegetables, beans and bread with good olive oil

2) Marchesi Frescobaldi Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva 2007 D.O.C.G.
Ok, now I know this is a wine you can find at almost any respectable wine shop. Bevmo for sure among others. Volume wise, one of the biggest producers in all of Italy. Quality wise, if it says Frescobaldi on the label it’s going to have a good consistent flavor. This specific wine is one I have personally sold for a number of years and have always had very good results with it. Sangiovese dominant (90%) with complimentary grapes added to round out the palate; this was my first time tasting the 07 vintage, and it was out of a fresh half bottle. Proper ruby color with a medium concentration, star bright and youthful looking, the legs had some moderate weight to them and a fair amount of staining to them. Traditional red berries fruits with the key notes for a Chianti, woodsy herb sticks like rosemary underneath. The wine did take a bit of time in the glass to open up; it was initially tightly wound from still being a bit young. I know this wine gets a fair amount of oak influence and that could be part of the reason. It was well structured and had a long finish which had great balance. Being a Riserva, it was a bit bigger than many Chianti’s and should, like many Riservas, be given some additional time in the bottle to harmonize. I’d be willing to put some money on the line that the 2004 vintage is drinking quite well right now, hmmm maybe I have some homework to do?! Enjoy with heavier fair and robust sauce type pasta dishes.

http://www.frescobaldi.it/en/our-wines/from-our-wine-estates/nipozzano-riserva-chianti-rufina-docg.html

2nd Course: I had to confirm that the Carpaccio from the night before was the best I had ever had, and indeed it was. Something about the Chianina beef and that pecorino cheese-I can still taste it!

Dessert Course: Crème Brulee, so nice I did that twice too.

Salute!