I served two outstanding “Uncorked” wines last week at a fundraising event for Park Sitie, which is located in the favela of Vidigal in Rio De Janiero. The Espasso Brazilian furniture and design gallery in Tribeca, hosted the presentation.
Case Coste Piane Prosecco di Valdobiaddene DOCG, from the Veneto region in northern Italy, is a not a usual Prosecco wine even though it is made 100% with Prosecco grapes. The first fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts, and the second fermentation occurs naturally in the bottle with no added sugar. The spent yeasts are not removed from the bottle and serve as a natural preservative. The wine is slightly cloudy with elegantly fine and persistent bubbles. It is classified as “frizzante” rather than “spumante” sparkling wine made with meaning that is it less fizzy. It is crisp and dry with delicate aromas and flavors. Here is a photo of one of the crazily steep vineyards above the village of San Stefano. (Read the blog post.)
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Viticoltori de Conciliis “Oro” Greco di Tufo DOCG , is from the southern Italian region of Campania. Although is the color of gold, “oro” in Italian, it has a clean, fresh, light, citrusy taste.
Three siblings of the De Conciliis family, Bruno, Luigi and Paola, along with Paola’s husband, Giovanni, returned to the family farm two hours south of Naples, one hour south of the Amalfi Coast and 15 minutes south of the ancient Greek city of Paestum to make wine on what had been the family’s poultry farm. Their vineyards for Fiano di Avellino and Aglianico, two native varieties, are there.
The Greco di Tufo wine, also a native variety, comes from vineyards two hours inland in Avellino where Bruno is a consultant to the vineyard owner. The common thread among the wines are organic/biodynamic vineyards, fermentation with indigenous yeasts and minimal sulfites. (Read the blog post.)
Here is a photo of one of the family vineyards overlooking the sea.
These two wines from very different parts of Italy both have lots of personality and character that “tell a story” of people and place. They are not “constructed” with industrial methods. They are made with native grapes grown in organic vineyards and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The environmentally friendly methods and “natural” character of the wines were in keeping with the focus of the event.
Joshua David, Co-Founder of the High Line, and Regina Meyers, Director of Brooklyn Bridge Park, opened the evening congratulating the founders of Park Sitie and underlining the importance and the proven impact of creating public open space. Afterwards, Pedro De Cristo, Caroline Shannon di Cristo, and Mauro Quintanilla, spoke about the mission and plans for their work in Vidigal. More info
Both wines were purchased through New York Vintners at 21 Warren St. in Tribeca (ph.212-812-3999). Both cost $23.99/bottle.
DomaineLA in Los Angeles currently has Case Coste Piane.
Quality House Wines in New York has Viticoltori De Conciliis “Oro” in New York.
or look on Wine Searcher.
If you are having an event and would like help selecting, presenting or ordering the wines, contact me at [email protected].
