Coppola Names Latest Winery Rosso & Bianco

by Frank Mangio

After over a year of silence on what he would call his newest acquisition in Geyserville, Sonoma, Francis Ford Coppola of “Godfather” fame finally broke his silence. He purchased his second winery (the first one is in Napa), formerly Chateau Souverain, and let it sit while he thought about it.

The new winery is now Rosso & Bianco. His grandfather from his Italian family back in New York used to make “Rosso y Bianco,” which means simply red and white wine. Coppola wanted to pay honor to his Italian ancestry, so he describes his latest winery as one that will “provide the theme of life with a happy Italian family, where I have provided my private collection of film and personal memorabilia for public enjoyment.” An Italian Pizzeria has been open, with beautiful views of the Alexander Valley, where diners can savor rustic dishes including Neapolitan style pizzas. Visit the website at www.rossobianco.com.

Coppola himself has named his recent favorite wines and none are from Napa or Sonoma. They are: a white from Romania, Feteasca Alba; three wines from Argentina: a Malbec, a Cabernet and a Torrentes; and finally a Southern Italian wine, a “Negromaro, which has a fruity, rich flavor. This wine is where my people come from,” he proclaimed.

Hot Wines and “Fruit Bombs”

by Frank Mangio

Wine has long been a civil drink for just about as long as history. It can be found in most adult gatherings as people sip wine, exchange pleasantries and use wine as a catalyst for occasions from a small family gathering to large elegant weddings. To underline this cultural tradition, the latest worldwide retail sales figures show wine increasing to 27 billion dollars compared to 18 billion in 2000.

What started out as a whisper has now mushroomed to grab more ink in the trade publications: the alcohol content of certain California wines is starting to creep up. What really caught my attention was a letter to the Wine Spectator from the respected and widely known vineyard owner from Napa, Andrew Beckstoffer.

I walked and tasted Beckstoffer grapes a couple of years ago, in the Dr. Crane and To Kalon vineyards off the 29 near Oakville. They were perfectly balanced with hang-time orchestrated for under 15% alcohol in red wines. Lately, wines from a number of California appellations have been bottled too “hot,” are lighting fires on the palate, and are clearly “fruit bombs.” These wines are not made as a complement to food, but are made to appease certain influential wine critics who drop strong hints that these higher alcohol, overripe “fruit bombs” will automatically get higher ratings.

Beckstoffer in his alert letter said “I really don’t think that veteran winemakers want to make these wines. I believe they are pressured by new owners to get scores ….we need wines that compliment food and present the subtleties of our various terroirs and regions.”

A fellow columnist of mine and a long-time wine writer, Robert Whitely, co-incidently wrote on this very subject last week. He wondered aloud whether consumers who are running up sales of these type of wines, really want wines with high alcohol, so he put the question to his constituents. He found out that he touched a nerve with his readers. “Never in my 17 years as a wine journalist have I seen such an outpouring from readers on a single subject. A majority of readers who responded are fed up with the high octane wines” he declared. Many readers decried the fine print, tucked-away information on alcohol content on the label. Some feared that if the trend continued, wine would be just a bar drink and not for family and special occasion table consumption.

Wines for your Must-Try List

by Frank Mangio

Over the holidays, I had the pleasure to attend parties, dinners at homes and lovely restaurants, as I am sure most of you did also. A select group of wines from the latest releases caught my eye and palate that I want to share with you.

My goal in wine consumption is to inventory a “core” group of wines that I can count on to be superior in taste and value, but leave about 40% of my wine budget for wine to “explore,” new wines that I not familiar with. The following would be “explore” wines that were very impressive:

§ Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc ‘07, Marlborough, New Zealand $20. Perennial favorite, focused citrus with crisp acidity.

§ Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico ’04, Tuscany, Italy. $16. A surprisingly pleasant discovery from the one of the first families of wine in Italy. Smooth entry with lovely earthy mouthfeel.

§ Cuvaison Merlot ’01, Carneros, Napa Valley CA. (latest release is ’04) $29. Highly acclaimed, bright fruit, low production.

§ Elk Cove Pinot Noir ‘06, Willamette Valley Oregon. $29. Introduced to me by Sommelier Jesse Rodriguez at Addison, The Grand Resort, Del Mar. Careful hand-worked grapes from the Northwest Winery of the year.

ZD Winery Chooses Azul for Unveiling New Releases

(Frank Mangio/SD/11-30-07)
ZD Winery, that respected family winery along the Silverado Trail in Napa, was in San Diego recently and stopped at the Azul La Jolla for a formal wine dinner to present its new releases. Chris Pisani, the winemaker, has a lineup of lovely wines that I wanted to taste. I visited this innovative winery in 2005 and now the harvested grapes were ready for release. Azul La Jolla is a member of the Brigantine Family of Restaurants and is the showcase for the company with a lovely bay view and richly appointed furnishings. Helen Nguyen, manager; Kendra Morales-Gillette, ZD Sales; and Summer Lang, Azul Sommelier and wine director, all shown in the accompanying photo, tasted the wines and matched the menu. They paired the 2005 Reserve Chardonnay with the White Truffle Lobster Purse and the 2005 Napa Cabernet with Tahitian Vanilla & Cracked Peppercorn Crusted Tenderloin of Beef. Both wines were the standouts in a memorable evening. For more on Azul, access www.azul-lajolla.com. ZD’s site is www.zdwines.com.


San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival Wrapup
November 14 thru 18 was an incredible wine week in San Diego, thanks to the efforts of event producers Michelle Metter and Ken Loyst. Just in, the winner of the “Chef of the Fest” out of 55 creative makers of cuisine is Chef Gary Thompson of Viejas Casino, taking home first place honors for his Grilled Tequila Marinated Shrimp and Spicy Tomato Gazpacho. A Fiji Island trip and $3,000. in cash were among the prizes in the contest, presented by Nature Sweet D’vines Tomatos. Over 700 wines were poured in the 5 day extravaganza.

San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is Just About Here

If there is only one wine event that you must experience, it’s the San Diego Bay 4^th annual Wine and Food Festival, ready to go Wednesday November 14 thru Sunday November 18, at several locations downtown. World of Wine Events, the producers, have five days of fun and education on wine and food, unmatched anywhere in Southern California.

I do hope my readers and viewers come to the Saturday Grand Tasting at the Embarcadero North Park next to Seaport Village from 12 Noon to 4pm.

Just beyond the entrance, Mike Bragg, executive producer of Taste of Wine Tv.com and myself, (shown in the attached photo) will be interviewing several wine and food personalities from Noon to 2pm and would love to have you stop by and talk wine with us. Over 160 wines will be poured, with food service from 60 restaurants and food suppliers. The “chef of the fest” is a highlight competition that’s sure to attract. Olive oil tasting, fine wine auctions and entertainment put a bow on the whole scene.

Start-up is the Wednesday “Wine Rave 2007” from 7 to 10pm at the Little Italy Urban Bar and Restaurant. A hip “Bling and Bubbly” will rock the downtown Ivy Hotel from 6:30 to 9pm with fashion and show-stopping champagnes and cuisine. Thursday has 7 seminars on wine and cuisine at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center and Macy’s. Friday finds 8 seminars at the same venues, and a super Reserve and New Release Tasting from 6:30pm to 9:30pm on the good ship Inspiration, docked near Broadway and Harbor Drive. 150 wineries and spirits producers will wow the visitors, along with delicious cuisine from notable restaurants and caterers.

Sunday from a 10:30 am boarding to 1pm, the table is set on the Hornblower with a cruise around the bay that includes a lavish brunch, free-flowing Mumm Napa Brut and other fine champagnes from Mumm. The music’s on fire too with the David Patrone Band. Reservations are a must for this attraction.

Now to the most important part of this journey of wine and food, how to get tickets and get in on the action. Two ways to do it: Call 619-342-7337 for any date, or a package for all! You can also access ticket information on-line at www.worldofwineevents.com.