RUCHE & RAVIOLI

RAVIOLI di UOVO

SD 26

RUCHE The PRINCE of RED

Enrico B. of Solaire Wines and Paoulo the export manager at Montalbera wine estate in Monferrato (Peidmonte) held a nice little wine lucheon at SD26 Restorante in New York today .. Montalbera is a little gem of a wine property of Monferrato near Asti in the Peidmont wine region of Italy that is most famous for the celebrated wines of Barolo and Barbaresco .. Also well known but more of everyday wines of Peidmont are Barbera and Dolcetto … Yes, Americans know these wines but Peidmont as well as the whole of Italy has many lesser known gems available for those who journey furhter into wines, the world of wine, and Italian Wines in particular. In Peidmonte they have a number of wonderful wines that are relatively obscure and unknown. Very few Americans ever drink them, and even not that many Italians in other regions know of the wines as well. Some of these tasty little gems of Peidmonte are wines such as; Freisa, Brachetto, Grignolino, Arneis, and Ruche .. At this particular luncheon / tasting we were lucky enough to be drinking 2 of the previously mentioned wines of Ruche and Grignolino .. And the producer of Montalbera is a specialist of both .. We started the luncheon with a very rare wine of Sparkling Grignolino which was a truly pleasant little surprise that everyone at the table loved. The wine was light and crispy and a joy to drink and was a perfect pairing for our tasty antipasto of Carpaccio of Big Eye Tuna & Wild Bass with Blood Orange and Fennel Pollen “Delish” !

For the second course of our luncehon we were served the signature dish of the former San Domeneico Restorante which has now morfed into SD26, signify SD= San Domenico and 26 for 26th Street where SD26 resides. The famed signature dish in question is SD26’s Raviolo di Uovo, which is a jumbo homemade ravioli filled with Ricotta Cheese with an egg yolk in the center. When cooked the egg yold stays lush and parially cooked and the Raviolo is dressed in a decadent Truffle Butter Sauce … We were served the Montalbera Ruche di Castignolae Monferrato Tradizione 2012 wthe the Raviolo, and the two were a match made in heaven, abosluely fabulous. The Ruche Montalbera is text-book Ruche, whhich is to say alight bodied wine, full of flavors of ripe small red berry fruits like Rasberry and Red Courrant with nice floral notes and a twinge of spice. This wine is a pure joy. We also had a the Montalbera Grignolino d Asti Grigne 2012 which was in perfect balance and very pleasant .. The Montalbera Ruche L’Accento is a pumped-up Ruche that has 5% of the grapes dried (Apassimento) and is aged in barrique .. This wine is nice, but I feel it distracts from the true Ruche just a bit and I wholey prefer the Ruche Tradizione … The Montalbera Barbera d’Asti “Lequilibrio” 2010 is a bit of a pumped up syle of Barbera being aged in French Barrique. The wine is just slighly big, but not too over the top. It’s pleasant to drink and will be very satisfy for those who like a Barber that is a little bigger and more full bodied than the Barbera norm.

The luncheon was quite nice, tasty the wonderful wines of Enricao Morando and his Montalbera Estate … Everyone at the luncheon truly enjoyed the line-up of lovely wines, paired beautifully with our menu by Chef Matteo Bergamini, and the company of people on hand …

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Note: I’ve been serving The Montalbera Ruche Tradizione 2102 at my restaurant for the past two months now .. The wine is truly wonderful and his been a big hit with each and every customer I’ve served it to. They love it …

RUCHE di MONFERRATO MONTALBERA 2012

SUNDAY SAUCE
by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
Available on AMAZON.com at
http://www.amazon.com/Sunday-Sauce-When-Italian-Americans-Cook/dp/1490991026

GREENWICH VILLAGE NEWPORT STEAKS BAROLO BRUNELLO DINNER

Greenwich Village Newport Steak, French & Italian Wine Dinner on Thompson Street in “The Village.” My buddy Chris B. and I had another nice little Wine-Dinner this past Sunday with his girlfriend Maria … It was quite the dinner … We had some really nice wine to drink, with cheese a Steak-House Salad, and the famed Newport Steaks of Greenwich Village … Chris gave me a call on Wednesday and said we where on for dinner this coming Sunday Night (Jan. 12, 2014) .. We were both quite excited for a nice dinner and the prospect of drinking some great wines and The Newports, our favorite steaks. “A little Cote de Beaune” Chris uttered, immitating Miles in the greatest wine movie of all-time “Sideways” And so it was to be “a little Cote de Beuane” from Michele Bouzereau 2001 and Sancere from Les Mont Damnes 2012, both wines quite lovely and very good examples of their prospective zones … Chris always picks out nice White Burgundy’s and the Bouzwereau was no exception, it was wonderful … Anyway, let me get back to the Newports and the order of things as concerned the dinner which was awesome as usual, and maybe a bit more awesome than usual … So Friday I called Chris and asked hwo many we were gonna be for dinner as the butcher shop is closed Sunday and I was going to get the steaks on Saturday for Sunday . We agreed on the 3 of us so I was set with the number of Newport Steaks I needed to pick up … Oh yes, and the butcher shop in question was none other than the butcher shop where the Newport Steak was invented by one Italian-Butcher named Jack Ubaldi way back in 1947 .. Jack wanted to able to sell his cuts of Tri-Tip Sirloin more readily, so instead of selling

Our THREE NEWPORTS From FLORENCE MEAT MARKET, GREENWICH VILLAGE

continued

Tri-Tip in one piece which didn’t sell as well, Jack cut the Tri-Tip Sirloin into 3-4 individual Steaks from the one triangular cut of beef .. He named the Steak after the Nike-like logo on a box of Newport Cigarettes and the rest is history as they say .. Florence Prime Meat Market is still open on Jones Street in Greenwich Village and that’s where I get my Newports, either there or at Pino’s Prime Meats on Sullivan Street which cuts a Great Newport and makes tasty home-made Italian Sauages as well .. Pino’s is great, but I prefer and give an edge to Florence Market as they are the originator of the Newport and they look of the shop is much “Cooler” with all its original old fixtures …

Our Line-Up of WInes For The Night

NEWPORTS in The PAN

NEWPORTS In THE PAN

NEWPORTS COOKING on 2nd SIDE

So I go to Florence and ask them to cut me 3 nice Newport Steaks .. One of the butchers goes to the walk-in (Refrigerator) and comes out with a nice fresh looking Beef Tri-Tip .. He puts it down on the thick wooden butcher block and starts trimming the tri-tip of some of its fat .. He then cuts me off three nice 2 1/2″ thick Newports and wraps them in butchers paper .. The counter lady tells me it $18.99 for the Newports (about $6.50 a piece for 3 Prime Steaks). “A Bargain.” I pay the lady, get my steaks and walk the 3 blocks back to my apartment, where I put my Newports in the frig to the next day.

The Hearts of Romain with Tomato Onion & Bleu-Cheese Dressing “A STEAK HOUSE SALAD”

So I get to Chris’s house and as I’m climbing the stairs to his apartment I can hear some great Jazz playing . It was Dexter Gordon and quite fine . I was tired from walking up 5 flights of stairs, so I told Chris to crack open a bottle of wine, “I need to relax.” Chris cracked open the Cote de Beaune Bouzereau, and it was quite nice and everything you’d expect from a nice mid-road White Burgundy. We both loved it .. Chris broke out some nice Brie Cheese and we sipped the wine, ate cheese and relaxed listening to some nice tunes before I started on the dinner; prepping the salad, the mushrooms, potatoes, and onions for our dinner to come ..

FLORENCE MEAT MARKET GREENWICH VILLAGE “HOME of THE NEWPORT STEAK”

Learn How To Make GREAT STEAKS, SUNDAY SAUCE MEATBALLS and More in SUNDAY SAUCE When Italian-Americns Cook by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

NEWPORTS on The PLATE With MUSHROOMS & ROAST POTATOES …

REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS “THE PERFECT DESSERT”

by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

LEARN HOW To MAKE GREENWICH VILLAGE NEWPORT STEAKS

WATCH THE VIDEO

THE BEATLES, ROLLING STONES & NEWPORT STEAKS In GREENWICH VILLAGE

The ROLLING STONES,

NEWPORT STEAKS, ITALIAN WINE, & REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

Yummmmm !!!!!!

DANNY BOLOGNESE Meets With ANGELO GAJA

The “GREAT” ANGELO GAJA And DANNY BOLOGNESE CHATTED at WS GRAND TASTING NEW YORK … Angelo POURED Danny a GLASS of HIS GAJA BARBARESCO 2009 … ANGELO’S DAUGHTER GAIA GAJA Tasted DANNY on THE GAJA COSTE RUSSI 2009, BAROLO DAGROMIS and GJA BRUNELLO

SASSICAIA WINEMAKER “SEBAStIANO ROSA” TOAST A GLASS of SASSICAIA Then BARAU With Author “La TAVOLA, SUNDAY SAUCE) DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE at WINE SPECTATOR NEW YORK WINE EXPERIENCE GRAND TASTING at MARRIOTT MARQUIS, NEW YORK, NY .. October 25, 2013

GAIA GAJA at TERLATAO GAJA TASTING NEW YORK “Yes ANGELO’S DAUGHTER”

GAIA GAJA Is Almost LIKE SHRIMP SCAMPI or “SHRIMP SHRIMP”

ITALIAN WINE GUY / WRITER DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE With Two of HIS IDLES MARCHESE LAMBERTO FRESCOBALDI And His UNCLE “MARCHESE LEONARDO FRESCOBALDI” DANIEL SANDWICHED IN-BETWEEN The TWO MARCHESE’S

Sebastiano Rosa, Daniel Bellino, Giovanni Folnari

WINE-DIRECTOR DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE With CAVALIER LUIGI CAPPELLINI of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO (Owner) at DeGrezia Restorante NEW YORK …. CHIANTI !!!

It has Been a Busy 2 Weeks .. Met with and tasted Wine with Some of Italy and The WORLD’S Top Wine People, Estate Owners and Winemakers alike .. Winemakers like the Great SEBASTIANO ROSA Winemaker of SASSICAIA and His Sardegnian Property Producing “BARRUA” … Other Great Winmakers included the Talented ALESSANDRO CELLAI, Winemaker at CASTELLARE Which Produces wonderful CHIANTI, Lush VIN SANTO, and The Famed Flagship Wine of The Estate of which Alessnadro tasted me on at DeGrezia Restorante “I SODI SAN NICCOLO” 2008 “LOVE IT !!” To start off the 2 weeks of Heavy Hitting Italians and Other WINE LUMINARIES, my good Friend CAVALIER LUIGI CAPPELLINI came to See Me at Degrezia, hueling his llatest Vintages from his renowned Wine Estate CASTELLO VERRAZZANO in GREVE in CHIANTI CLASSICO .. LUIGI Had Me Taste His CHIANTI CLASSICO, VERRAZZNAO ROSSO “MiniTuscan” VINO SANTO and HIS Fabulous CHINATI RISERVA “SASSELLO” a Marvel of a Wine, “Just Love It” !!!

This Past MONDAY I Had Dinner with CINZIA TRAVAGLINI of The Famed Travaglini ESTATED and WORLD FAMOUS GATTINARA WINES … We Had a Great Meal, Joined By GUGINO CHEF LUIGI … Graet Food and Great Wines; Nebbiolo and The World’s Best GATTINARA From CINZIA’S FAMILY’S ESTATE .. The Dinner / tasting was Amazing …

Then I had ALESSANDRO CELLAI of CASTELLARE Visit me Friday Afternoon to Tatse Me on CASTELLARE CHINATI and The FLAGSHIP CASTELLARE Wine “I SODI SAN NICCOLO” Vintage 2008, a Truly Amazing Wine .. Can’t Wait to Put it on Our List .. “Next Week” Later That Night it was On to One Of New York’s and America’s Most Prestigious Wine Night of The Year, akin to THE ACADEMY AWARDS or Shall I Say “The SUPER BOWL of WINE” The Wine Spectator Grande Tatsting “New York Wine Experience” at The Marriott Marquis in Time Square, NEW YORK, NY

More to report on Later … To MUCH STUFF RIGHT NOW “Daniel”

WHAT WINE For SUNDAY SAUCE

CHIANTI?

Wine for Sunday Sauce? What do you drink? Which wine pairs best with Sunday Sauce, thee Supreme Dish of Italian-America? Is it Chianti, most iconic of all Italian Wines? Perhaps Aglianico or Piedrossa from the region of Campania where the roots of Italian-American Sunday Sauce Gravy begin? Or a Sicilian Wine like Nero d’Avola or Norello Mascallese? If you trace the roots of Italian-American Sunday Sauce and the people who created it, Sicilians are among the top of the list. Now, I know since you came to this page that bottle of Carlo Rossi “Paisano” just had to catch your eye. And I’m sure most of you are asking the question, “Carlo Rossi Paisano, are You Kidding?” The answer. “No, Not Really.” Well I’m not saying it’s the best choice. OK so we have to match a good wine with that fabulous Sunday Sauce of yours. What to drink?

I’m here to tell you, it can be one or more of many wines, and don’t count a wine like Carlo Rossi Paisano out. “You’re Joking?” You say. No. Listen, this can be your wine, maybe not. I myself have drank some of the World’s Priciest, and so-called greatest wines in the World, “Trophy Wines,” like; Sassicaia, Gaja Barbaresco. La Tache, Chateau Petrus, Cahteau Haute Brion, Petrus, Chateasu Cheval Blanc, Chateau Latour, all the great Brunello and barolo wines, great vintage Champagnes, you name it, “I’ve had it.” And with my knowledge of wine, I can tell you, a lot of it is hype, and Marketing BS, and sometimes not. And I’ll tell you this, do not be so much of a snob, a Wine Snob. You see that Carlo Rossi, with all the prestigous wines that I’ve consumed over the years, I’m not above drinking that. Carlo Rossi .. The wine has special meaning and affection for me. It’s one of the two wines my uncles always bought for our Sunday Family Meals. Meals of Meatballs, Sunday Sauce “Gravy,” Ravioli, Veal Marsala, Chicken Cactitore. My Uncles Tony and Frank always had either Carlo Rossi paisano or Gallo Hearty Burgungy on hand. They were their wines, and they only had other wines if someone brought something like Bolla Valpolicella, Rufino Chianti or some other wine. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Paisano or Gallo Hearty Burgundy are great wines, “No.” But they are not that bad. They are Italian-American Wines made by Italian-Americans and have social significance to Italian-Americans. These wines are part of our history, as are the wines from the great Robert Mondavi, The Mondavi Family, Francis Ford Coppola and other Italian Families in America.

So what am I saying? What wines to drink with the Sunday Sauce or any home-made Italian American Meal? Well, actually most of the time I do drink wines from Italy with my Sunday Sauce or whatever Italian food we’re making. The Carlo Rossi is just when we eat over Uncle Tony’s house with Uncle Frank and all the wonderful meals with Aunt Fran, Aunt Helen, Mommy, Cousin Tony, and my brothers and sister and the whole family. No, I’m not above drinking Carlo Rossi or Gallo if my Uncles are serving it. When we’re eating at home, we usually love to drink Chianti, most times, sometimes Barolo, Barbera, or Brunello. But most often it’s Chianti which I love and it goes quite well with just about anything we eat, especially Meatballs, Sausage, and Sunday Sauce. Chinati comes from Tuscany and is a medium bodied wine made mostly from Sangiovese (The Blood of Jobe), and with small percentages of other native Tuscan grapes like; Colorino, Malvasia Nero, Cannaiolo, or Ciegolo.

One thing I must say is, that I usually don’t like wines like Big, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah from California or Australia. To me, these are the last wines I would ever want to drink with Italian food. Reason. These wines are usually to rich, and because of that, they clash with the food instead of complementing them. the wines you want to drink should have good flavor, but be light to medium in body and weight. Not Bif, Fat, Rich, and concentrated. “No Bueno!”