I Love Organic Wine - A Piedmont, Italy Biodynamic Wine

Author: Levi Reiss

The Piedmont region of northwestern Italy is very well known for red wine, such as Barolo that is often considered Italy's finest wine. Today's wine is 100% Cortese, a white grape from part of the Piedmont situated fairly close to the Mediterranean. It was considered to be one of Italy's finest white wine way back in the 1970s. Gavi holds Italy's finest wine designation, DOCG, where the G stands for guaranteed. But this designation is no guarantee. Let's be frank. You probably won't get one of Italy's best whites, and organic to boot, at this relatively modest price. But we can't be sure until we taste it.

Before reviewing this wine I want to mention a policy change. Starting now I will usually taste two wines with the same meals and cheese. One will be a $10 wine and the other will cost more, perhaps a lot more. My wine cabinet is brimming and this is the only way that I can manage to taste and review so many wines that interest me and hopefully you as well.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed La Raia Gavi DOCG 2007 12.8% alcohol about $17
Let's start by quoting the marketing materials.
Description: La Raia has been certified organic since 2005 and certified biodynamic as of the 2007 vintage. It is one of only 23 wineries or vineyards in Italy that have obtained this certification. Their eco-friendly techniques result in a Gavi that is crisp and fresh with flavors that hold a strong connection to the land. Enjoy as an aperitif or with lighter seafood dishes. Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this wine contains 21 mg/L of free sulphur.

And now for my review.
With the first sips the wine was slightly sweet and quite long. It was almost feathery.
The first meal was a chicken leg baked in a soy, garlic, and black pepper sauce with potatoes and onions. There was a side of green beans in tomato sauce and another side of okra in a similar sauce that contained ginger. The wine enveloped the chicken and had no trouble cutting the grease. It was delicate but it was definitely present. The okra's ginger made it stronger.

The second meal started with Matjes herring. The Gavi was round with a touch of sweetness. With the omelet the wine was almost unctuous, and light but pleasant. But when paired with roasted, unskinned eggplant containing lots of oil and garlic, the wine was overwhelmed. It fought back by presenting notes of gooseberry. I finished the meal with a high-quality French style lemon pie with a buttery crust. The Gavi was fleeting and yet long.

The final meal was a vegetarian box called baked ziti siciliano containing eggplant and mozzarella cheese. I slathered on lots grated Parmesan cheese. The wine was feathery and yet crisp but didn't give a lot of flavor. If you like subtle wines you'll go for this one.

I finished the meal with slices of fresh pineapple; perhaps surprisingly the wine picked up strength and was round. As usual, I tasted this wine with two cheeses; a marbled Cheddar and a sheep's milk Feta. The cheddar let the Gavi present its nuanced layers; the cheese served well as a foil. With the Feta the wine had a fine, fine length. I'm not used to such good wine and cheese pairings.

Final verdict. I'm on the borderline between never again, and I'll put this on my purchase again list. I guess that's because I'm not committed to organic wine and for me cheese pairings are quite secondary. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that a better producer would have made a fine wine. But then you would have to pay more.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/i-love-organic-wine-a-piedmont-italy-biodynamic-wine-2108486.html

About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but definitely prefers drinking fine French, German, or other wine. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and new sections writing about and tasting organic and kosher wines. Visit his Italian wine website www.theitalianwineconnection.com .

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Barbaresco Docg - Manera

Azienda vitivinicola: Manera Vini - Piemonte (www.maneravini.com)
Grapes: Nebbiolo 100%
Color: Dark red with hints of orange
Bouquet: An intens bouquet with a nose of fruits, almond and vanilla
Taste: Dry, strong but still with volume, good body, a persistent and long taste

Very well with red meat, roasts and stuffed meat.

A family winery where 2 generations of the family is involved in the production of the traditional piedmontese wines.
Allthough the cellar isn't very large, it is very modern - thanks to the 3 brothers Daniele, Gabriele and Carlo.

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Bagna Cauda

Autumn and winter is the time for Bagna Cauda (Hot Piedmontese Dip) in Piemonte. Bagna Cauda is definitely a dinner very suitable for having friends over. Sitting around the table and dipping the vegetables into the sauce and solve the entire worlds problem – that’s not the worst thing to do.

Again this year does the Alpino Group organize a typical Bagna Cauda dinner in La Morra. The event takes place on the 15th November. For further information take a look at www.la-morra.it.

Traditionally, Bagna Cauda is made in a small fireproof pot which is placed in the center of the table and kept hot over a sprit lamp.

Ingrediens (serves 6)
18 cloves garlic
Milk
350 g anchovy fillets
250 g butter (unsalted)
3 dl olive oil
1 dl heavy cream

A selection of fresh raw vegetables such as artichokes, radishes, peppers, carrots, celery, asparagus, radicchio, tomatoes etc.

Put the garlic in a small casserole and cover the cloves with milk. Cook it over a very low heat for 15 minutes until the garlic is tender. Remove the casserole from the heat and mash the garlic into the milk until it gets a creamy consistent.

A wine suggest for this dish would be either a young Dolcetto or a young Barbera d’Asti (they often have a higher acidity than Barbera d’Alba). It’s important that the wine can match the oil and cut through the richness of the Bagna Cauda. Put the casserole back on the stove and add the anchovy fillets. Cook as gentle as possible for another 30-40 minutes until the anchovy fillets are melted. Then add the butter and the olive oil. For a rich sauce add the cream 5 minutes before the end of cooking time.

Wine suggestions:
Barbera d’Asti Vigna Moore from Cascina Gilli
Dolcetto d’Alba 2007 from Gigi Bianco

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