Il Comm. Ensale

The wine meeting of Fall 2008.
In the splendid area of the Berici hills, an area of great tradition and wine vocation, south of Vicenza, the eighteen century Villa Da Porto “La Favorita” of Sarego will host on the 22nd and 23rd of November, the third edition of an exceptional event in the world of luxury wine: “BCM: Bordolesi, Cabernet, Merlot”.
The event, of International relevance, dedicated to bordolese wines will show the most noble bottles of the Italian and worldwide enological panorama that, for both their preciousness and their very high price, have to be considered “rare pearls ” even by a public of connoisseurs.
The event this year has the subtitle of “Aristocratic Wines, noble producers “, to emphasize the world of nobility and the close link it has with bordolese vairety. In fact more then twenty blue-blooded producers will attend it: Diego Planeta from Sicily; Enrico Drei Donà from Emilia Romagna; Aldo Maria Brachetti-Peretti from Marche; Duccio Corsini, Alessandro François, Leonardo Frescobaldi, Luigi Malenchini, Marco Ricasoli Firidolfi, Luca Sanjust and Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini from Tuscany; Michael Goëss-Ezenberg from Alto Adige; Ruggero de Tarczal and Maria Josè Fedrigotti from Trentino; Alberto Cisa Asinari of Grésy from Piemonte; Lorenzo Borletti, Lorena Camerini Montruglio, Giordano Emo Capodilista, Giulio da Schio, Paolo Marzotto and Tommaso Piovene Porto Godi from Veneto. Together with those historical peerages, some preminent fashion houses, will attend like Caprai and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Not only bordolesi though at “BCM”, but also Merlot, Cabernet, Petit Verdot, Carmenère and Malbech.
At the very unique price of 15 Euro, Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd November more then 250 wines will be available for tasting, from of all the Italian regions. Fifty labels from only the province of Vicenza alone, plus some foreign countries like Argentina, U.S.A. and Israel.
Finally, not only wine at “BCM”, but there will also be local products: during the event one can enjoy a guided tastings that will take the participants to a journey discovering food and agriculture from Vicenza area.
The third edition of “BCM” is organized by Co.Vi.Vi - Consortium of Wines from Vicenza Area, that includes Vicenza, Berici Hills, Arcole, Breganze, Gambellara and Lessini Durello DOC, gathered at “Palazzo del Vino (Palace of Wine)”, with the contribute of the Chamber of Commerce of Vicenza, Vicenza Province and Veneto Region, in cooperation with Vicenza Quality and the Association of Restaurateurs “Le Buone Tavole dei Berici (The good food of Berici) “.

SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC TASTING:
SATURDAY 11/22 FROM 2 P.M. TO 8 P.M.
SUNDAY 11/23 FROM 10.00 A.M. TO 8 P.M.

TICKET PRICE: 15 €

The ticket includes:
• Access to the public tasting
• Tasting glass
• Tasting guide

THE DEFINITIVE PROGRAMME

SATURDAY 22nd NOVEMBER

From 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. 14-20 Public tasting of the 250 wines present
“Discovering treasures of Vicenza area” exhibition and tasting of the local products.
From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. “The treasures from Vicenza area marry Bordolesi nobles”: theme guided tasting of bordolese wines combined with local products (only upon reservation)

SUNDAY 23rd NOVEMBER

from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Public tasting of the 250 wines present
“Discovering treasures of Vicenza area” exhibition and tasting of the local products.
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. “The treasures from Vicenza area marry Bordolesi nobles”: theme guided tasting of bordolese wines combined with local products (only upon reservation)

HOW TO REACH THE PLACE
The antique residence is at 3 Km from the A4 highway, Lonigo direction, Montebello Vicentino exit.

Scritto da vincenzod alle 15:59, in Veneto

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CASEUS VENETI is the most important exhibit focused on the cheeses made in Veneto.
By the way, the cheeses made in Veneto are among the best cheeses made in Italy; in fact we can find here the following DOP cheeses: ASIAGO, CASATELLA TREVIGIANA, GRANA PADANO, MONTASIO, MONTE VERONESE, TALEGGIO and PROVOLONE VALPADANA.
The location of this current edition was unique and magical: the Castle Porto Colleoni in the historical center of Thiene.
Thiene is a very cute town close to Breganze and in the middle of the tour of ville palladiane.
During the event we participated to several guided tastes and, at dinner time, I enjoy a dinner whose menu was particularly focused on the local cheeses.
By the way let’s talk about the cheeses now, the magnificent seven cheeses from Veneto.
And let’s begin from ASIAGO DOP.
As maybe you already knwo there are two different typologies of Asiago: Asiago pressato and Asiago d’Allevo.

The official website is: www.caseusveneti.it

Scritto da vincenzod alle 14:29, in Veneto

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Do you know Asiago ?

How many, among you, are ready to reply, “oh yes it is a very delicious cheese” and, how many are ready to reply, “oh yes it is a sweet mountain town located in Veneto”
And, let’s say the truth, how many will reply “sorry, I know nothing about Asiago “.

OK. Lets’ reply to everyone ! Asiago, the town, is one of seven towns in the unique and gorgeous mountain range called Altopiano di Asiago. It is the widest plateau on a mountain in all of Europe and its level above the sea is, more or less, 1000 meters

Asiago is very elegant and never too crowded. It is so nice to visit here as you immediately feel as like temporary citizen rather than a tourist.

Summer is a very special season to visit Asiago and its Altopiano, because the very large and very green hills are full of several breeds of calm and happy cows. They arrive here in the first days of June coming from the valley where they spent the previous three seasons.

Now, finally, they are free to roam and be outdoors both day and night; those magical nights in the Altopiano di Asiago, where the brilliant sky is closer and closer !

The cows live in the malga, which means the farm and its surrounding pastures where the cows can eat the best grass and therefore produce the best milk, rich of aroma and flavour. From this milk the cheese makers who live in the malga during the summer, make the cheese named Asiago. Asiago is a DOP cheese and it is available in few different typical versions.

When it is fresh, meaning that it has been aged not longer than 1 month, it is called fresco or pressato. Besides having a wonderful flavour when fresh, the cheese was originally sold fresh so that the farmers and cheese makers could earn some money early in the cycle.

When the Asiago is more or less six months old its name becomes mezzano.

And then ? And then, listen, we are heading towards the excellence of this DOP cheese as we are now talking about the two most important versions of Asiago: vecchio and stravecchio.

Vecchio means old and is aged for a period of 12 months. Stravecchio means very old and is aged for of 24 months. The flavour of the cheese changes a lot depending on its age. When it is Asiago fresco, the best ways to taste it is cut it into cubes and eat it out of hand or use to flavour a fresh seasonal salad. It is delicious melted onto grilled bread or in a roasted pasta dish, even over fried eggs. The older versions of Asiago are at their best served with condiments on a plateau, perhaps with slices of speck.

Anyway, let’s come back to talk about the life in the malga and let’s understand better which is the difference in flavours between Asiago cheese made using the fresh milk, daily obtained by the cows which spend their days slowly walking and eating the best fresh grass and Asiago cheese made from milk of cows which spend their boring days indoor eating hay. When you taste, in a guided way, these two different cheeses, you will choose and appreciate quite better the first kind of cheese. That’s why there is a further label for these two particular types of cheese. Both are named “di malga” and, according to the official labels, one is named “vecchio” when it was made in the summer of the past year, and the other one is named “stravecchio” when it was made in the summer of two years ago.

In normal distribution it is very hard that you will find these two kinds of “Asiago di malga”.

You will find and enjoy the other Asiagos, anyway, very delicious and unique. So, why not plan a trip to the Altopiano di Asiago so that you will enjoy this magical place and you will visit several malghe and taste their aged cheese made in the previous summers.

Oh, but not yet have we talked about the match of Asiago DOP with wine. Well, let’s say that there are several well done and well known matches: here are a few of them.

With the Asiago fresco, you will thank me after you follow my suggestion to match with a great white wine, the Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG.

Let’s match Asiago mezzano with a pink wine; I suggest an elegant and genuine Biferno Rosato DOC.

With the aged Asiago we search and find a few red wines: Valpolicella DOC, Cabernet dei Colli Berici DOC, Colli del Trasimeno Rosso DOC and Solopaca Rosso DOC.

And I think these are very good matches.

But, but, but . . . .
The Altopiano di Asiago is in Veneto and in the eastern part of Veneto there is a territory whose vocation is an unique sparkling wine, famous in the world: Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene DOC.

In a recent past someone had the funky idea to marry Asiago fresco and Asiago mezzano with the two versions of Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene DOC: the brut and the extra dry. The results are very good, especially between the Asiago mezzano and the Prosecco extra dry.

Do you know Asiago better now ?

I hope yes !

Scritto da vincenzod alle 18:14, in Veneto

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I know a place where the smooth wind blows sweetly and where my eyes can see the real picture of the Paradise, with its mountains, its hills, its rivers and, everywhere, its vineyards which are eventually realized in several excellent wines.
This magical place does exist and its location is in Veneto, close to the well known art town of Vicenza. Its territory includes the towns of Breganze and the very cute and characteristic Bassano del Grappa, with its famous Ponte degli Alpini, its delicious historical center and the wonderful scenery of the mountain called Grappa.

And, by the way, Bassano del Grappa is also the headquarter of grappa.
You cannot miss to visit the museum of grappa at Poli, a very clever and famous grappa maker and then taste there its delicious grappa (www.poligrappa.com).
In October, from 5 to 12 in Bassano del Grappa there is the event named distillerie aperte meaning that you can visit the grappa makers when they distil the vinacce to make grappa and, perhaps, enjoy the youngest grappa you ever tasted !
In this area the great architect Andrea Palladio is everywhere and, by the way, this current year is the 500th anniversary of his birth.
The delicious town of Marostica is a small jewel of this area and the Altopiano di Asiago is the dear dad that watches and sweetly smiles on everything.
The two holy rivers which hug these places are Astico and Brenta.
Sometimes here the local people, if thirsty, drink water but, believe me, it happens rarely !!!

We are in the kingdom of the wines Breganze DOC.
And, among these wines we’d like to focus on two of them: Vespaiolo and Torcolato, made with the same grape: Vespaiola.
First of all, why this name ? Because the wasps like these grapes very much. And why wasps like these grapes so very much ? Oh, because of the sugar in it !

Vespaiolo has a charming yellow color, almost golden; the nose receives a very nice smell of fruit, agrumi (citrus) especially. The flavour is fresh and full.
There is no doubt that the best match of Vespaiolo is with fish, especially, in my opinion, fish cooked in the salt and, of course, also with baccalà whose headquarter in Italy is this area.
The winemakers of this wine are, more or less, sixteen.
Among the bottles that we tasted, we appreciated particularly the Vespaiolo made by Az. Agr. Vitacchio Guerrino, where the winemakers are the two very nice brothers Vitacchio with their father Guerrino, older then 90 years, still in the winery! Az. Agr. Villa Magna (www.villamagnawines.com) whose soul and brain is the charming Lady Graziella Novello and Vignaioli Contrà Soarda di Mirco Gottardi (www.contrasoarda.it), famous also for their restaurant in Bassano del Grappa, Il Pulierin.

About Torcolato, it is a very elegant wine whose role is at the end of a delicious dinner.
The grapes are also Vespaiolo but they are hung and dried to concentrate the flavour, the added benefit is they also become sweet. The color is aged gold, the smell is strong and elegant with nuances of honey and dried grapes. In the mouth it becomes smooth in a very elegant way and it asks for biscotti.
Among the bottles that we tasted, we enjoyed particularly the Torcolato made by Maculan (www.maculan.net).
Maculan processes the grapes in January, then they are aged in barriques for 12 months, but before they are declared ready, they stay another 6 months in the bottle.
In his opinion, the opinion of Mr. Maculan, the best moment to taste Torcolato is after five years of its harvest.
A further jewel of this wonderful area of Veneto is the famous cheese Asiago DOP and soon we will talk about it.

Scritto da vincenzod alle 17:40, in Veneto

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