may 2024
CA’ VIOLA
Some noses are better than others, and a good nose will get you far. It’s the story of Beppe Caviola, who went from making wine in his parents’ garage to becoming one of the most renowned enologist in the country.
No land but a great amount of talent and passion, Beppe started consulting for important brands in Piemonte like Elio Altare, Abbona, Bruno Rocca, Vietti, Domenico Clerico and Walter Fissore. As the years rolled by, Beppe was able to acquire some of the vineyards he once rented and slowly built his dream. In 2002 he was “Winemaker of the year” for Gambero Rosso and Slow Food.
Besides consulting for several wineries all over Italy, Beppe crafts his own Ca’ Viola wines at Villa Bracco, their beautiful estate in the Dogliani area. Native yeast, unfiltered, terroir-driven and truly authentic.
Our selection and when you should pop that cork (our modest opinion):
- Barolo Caviot 2019: Silky, herbaceous, botanical. Drink 2025 - 2030
- Dolcetto d’Alba 2022: Fruit forward, dynamic, gastronomic. Drink now
- Nebbiolo d’Alba 2021: Elegant, earthy, snappy. Drink now
MORRA GABRIELE
A small project born out of passion and friendship: Gabriele Testa is a farmer from Piemonte who spent most of his time in the vineyards, Stefano Campaniello a Sommelier with international experience. The label Morra Gabriele is taken from the name of Gabriele’s grandfather, who started this traditional Piemontese winer formerly knowned as Pautasso.
Today, inspired by the traditions of the famous grandfather, the winery continues its operations and relies solely on the dedication of two young men who preserve the legacy. Gabriele loves and nurtures the balance between the vines and its earth, while Stefano has clear ideas, making use of long fermentations, concrete tanks, oak barrels with the aim to have territorial wines.
No chemical products, natural practices and clear, expressive wines.
Our selection and when you should pop that cork (our modest opinion):
- Barbaresco 2020: Elegant, spicy, complex. Drink now - 2030
- Nebbiolo Foravia 2022: Fruity, fresh, pure. Drink now
- Barbera 2022: Aromatic, ripe, crunchy. Drink now
SCARZELLA
3 stones on the label for 3 brothers from Monferrato, Rocchetta Tanaro to be precise: Barbera and Grignolino land. Our contact here is Alessandro, who after some time spent making wine in Australia as an enologist, decided to return to Piemonte and start the project.
The property has been in the family for generations: it accounts 50 thousand square meters of vineyards and orchards surrounded by 40 thousand square meters of woods. For the Scarzello brothers, biodiversity is one of the key principles, as well as a reality they live with and nurture every day.
All operations are carried out by hand, practicing a green and sustainable agriculture. Every year they sow between the rows flower essences to introduce pollinators and other useful insects, and leguminous to enrich the soil with organic matter, without any use of chemical fertilizers.
The wines are pure and show great attention towards terroir: the Grignolino is very elegant with beautiful herbal tones, the Barbera is ripe, fruit forward and fresh just like the Asti province wants. The rosato is floral and the quintessential pairing for a warm summer day.
Our selection and when you should pop that cork (our modest opinion):
- Grignolino 2022: Low alcohol, herbal tones, elegant. Drink now - 2027
- Barbera d’Asti 2021: Ripe, fruit forward, high acidity. Drink now - 2027
- Rosato 2022: Fun but serious, floral tones. Drink now
BEIVA
Beiva winery was born from the idea of two brothers, Lorenzo and Alberto, and their desire to recover the Roero vineyards long cherished by their father Giovanni. I spent a beautiful day with Lorenzo learning about their history and philosophical approach to wine.
Their believe “art is research” and love to call their wines “artisanal”, trying to transform their 4 hectares of grapes into the expression of their Roero terroir. To do this, the winemaker's hand must be invisible and winemaking as low impact as possible: short macerations, no additions, no clarification or filtration, short aging in used barrels, and low dosages of sulfites. However, nothing is left to chance, the choice of having few tools at their disposal requires extreme care.
The name comes from the Piedmontese word "Bèive," meaning "to drink." For them, producing good, ethical, and healthy wine is of paramount importance, beyond poetry. What is essential is the perception of the person who drinks the wine. Their history and experiences are only parentheses that contain the spirit of their territory.
Their approach to viticulture is ethical and sustainable: they believe sustainability and naturality do not come through the rejection of new cultivation techniques, but through their conscious and rational use, aimed at minimizing environmental impact without compromising the quality of production. No herbicides, no chemical fertilizers and no tillage to safeguard soil biodiversity and from erosion.
Our selection and when you should pop that cork (our modest opinion):
- Roero 2021: Elegant, fresh, one of the best vintages of all time. Drink now - 2030
- Nebbiolo 2021: Ripe, floral, dangerously charming. Drink now
- Barbera d’Alba 2021: Fruity, bright. Drink now
Vitello Tonnato
What you need:
- - Beef bottom round 1kg
- - Butter 250g
- - Bone broth 350g (or any beef stock)
- - Red wine 50g
- - Carrots 2
- - Celery stalks 2
- - Red onion 1
- - Tuna in oil 400 grams (drained)
- - Cured anchovies 8
- - Caper berries 80g
- - Mustard 30g
- - Extra virgin olive oil 70g (approx)
- - Salt and pepper
- - One saucepan
- - One large pot
- - One large baking tin
- - One steamer
How it is done:
For the roast: Trim the bottom round, rub with salt, and set outside the fridge for around 30 minutes. Heat a large frying pan to high heat and sear the bottom round on each side. Set it aside in a baking tin. Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter and let it melt. Bring the pan back to medium heat, add the red wine and the stock, and let it reduce by 1/3. Clean the vegetables, add them to the baking tin, and pour in the broth/wine mixture. Cook in a preheated oven at 390°F for 1 hour.
For the tuna sauce: Drain the tuna and clean the caper berries and anchovies to remove excess salt and vinegar. In a blender, add the tuna, capers, anchovies, and mustard, then blend until smooth and thick. Add the vegetable stock and half of the olive oil, blend again, then slowly and continuously add the remaining oil. The result will be a mayonnaise-like sauce.
How to serve:
Cut the veal roast into big cubes and add a generous amount of tuna sauce on the side.
Asparagus Risotto
What you need:
- - Baldo (or Carnaroli) rice 200g
- - Vegetable stock 500g
- - Asparagus 150g (uncleaned)
- - Butter 100g
- - Parmesan cheese 80g
- - Gin 50ml
- - One saucepan
- - One large pot
- - One large pan
- - One steamer
How it is done:
Clean the asparagus, shaving the outer part and removing the tough ends. Wash carefully and separate the tops from the stems. Slice the stems into small pieces and steam the tops for around three minutes or until tender. In a small saucepan, melt 50 grams of butter, add the cut stems, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender. Add half the gin and 100g of vegetable broth, and cook for another two minutes on low heat. Blend until smooth and silky.
Bring the broth to a boil and add salt. In a pan, melt 70g of butter over low heat. When very hot, add the rice and toast it until mostly translucent. Add the remaining gin and let the alcohol evaporate completely. Add the boiling broth, lower the heat, and let the broth be completely absorbed by the rice. Keep adding the broth until the rice is cooked. Remove from heat, add the remaining butter, Parmesan, and asparagus cream. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
How to serve:
Put the risotto on a big plate and decorate with the asparagus tops.
Leeks Pes Coj
What you need:
- - Leeks 2 (medium size)
- - Wholegrain rice 200g
- - Carrot 1
- - Celery 1
- - Green onion 1
- - Turnip 1
- - Zucchini 1 (small size)
- - Butter 50g
- - Lemon zest
- - Salt and Pepper
- - Cumin
- - One cheesecloth
- - One sieve
- - One whisk
- - One saucepan
How it is done:
Clean the vegetables properly. Peel the carrot and turnip, and remove the outer parts of the green onion and leeks. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the rice until tender. Drain and let cool.
Separate the green part of the leeks from the white part. Cut the leek layers vertically, blanch in boiling water for thirty seconds, then plunge into chilled water. Set aside.
Cut all the vegetables and the green part of the leeks into small pieces. In a large pan, melt half of the butter, then cook the vegetables in this order: turnip and carrot, onion and the green part of the leeks, and finally, zucchini. Season with salt and pepper, then add the boiled rice and cook until glazed. Add cumin, pepper, and lemon zest, mixing evenly.
Use the cooked vegetables as filling and place them in the center of the leek layers. Roll them up and bake in the oven at 350°F for ten minutes.
How to serve:
Cut the leeks per cow in half and place them in the center of the dish. Complete with some crème fraîche.
Coppa Sabauda
What you need:
- - Ricotta 1kg
- - Whole cream 500g (200g for the ricotta mousse, 300g for the ganache)
- - Sugar 80g
- - Vanilla beans 2
- - Dark chocolate 200g
- - Hazelnuts 150g
- - Powdered sugar 20g
- - Honey
- - Salt
- - One cheesecloth
- - One sieve
- - One whisk
- - One saucepan
- - One bowl
How it is done:
For the ricotta mousse: Rinse the ricotta and let it rest in the fridge in a cheesecloth for at least 1 hour to let most of the serum drain out. Pass the ricotta through a sieve, then add sugar, vanilla seeds, and two tablespoons of honey, blending evenly. Whip the cream until firm and gently fold it into the ricotta until uniform and foamy. Let it rest in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.
For the gianduja cream: Process the hazelnuts with the powdered sugar until smooth and silky (about 1 hour). Cut the chocolate into small pieces and place them in a bowl. Bring the whole milk to a boil with a pinch of salt. When hot, pour it over the chocolate in three batches, whisking continuously until the ganache is liquid and smooth. Add the hazelnut spread and mix until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
How to serve:
Put the ganache at the bottom of a deep dish, add some rough pieces of meliga biscuits and a strawberry brunoise, and cover the whole with the ricotta mousse.