TerraMia Pizzeria and Trattoria: Death and rebirth of a neighborhood icon

Up until Christmas of last year, the TerraMia Orlando stable of restaurants consisted of TerraMia Wine Bar and Trattoria on SR 434 in Altamonte Springs (FL) and TerraMia Brick Oven Pizza and Trattoria located on SR 46A in Heathrow. The divergent performance characteristics of the two restaurants led management to close the Altamonte Springs location and to re-open in a new location (1150 Douglas Avenue, Suite 1040, Altamonte Springs) with a new name (TerraMia Pizzeria and Trattoria) and the cuisine associated with the Brick Oven facility in the Heathrow market. I accompanied my wife to the restaurant on opening day (Monday of this week) and provide my overall observations in this post.

The TerraMia eateries are owned by the locally well-known restaurateurs Rosario Spagnola and Massimo Nobile. These gentlemen have opened a number of Italian restaurants in the Greater Orlando area and sold them off after a few years of operation. After selling Cafe Allegre in Winter Park in the mid-1990s, they opened TerraMia Wine Bar, a restaurant featuring well-prepared Italian dishes, a wide variety of wines, a large homey bar, a piano that was the basis for weekend music, and a separate room for private parties. In 2009, in the midst of the recession, they opened TerraMia Brick Oven and it was an unqualified success from day one. This mix of restaurants was viewed favorably by regulars. If you felt like a long, lazy, fine-dining experience with music, you went to the TerraMia Wine Bar. If you wanted trattoria-style food or a Pizza, and wanted to get in and out quickly, you went to the Brick Oven. In any case, you stood a good chance of being able to spend time with either Rosario or Massimo who alternated between restaurants.

With the passage of time, the electricity that was evident in the early days of the Brick Oven remained constant; as did revenue. As the Heathrow location continued to outperform Altamonte Springs, the managers began to question their diversity strategy. After some thought they decided that their interests would be best served if they had a Pizza capability in Altamonte Springs. The building in which they were situated could not accommodate a Pizza oven so they secured new facilities and closed the old concept down for 4 months while they built out the new. I was a little concerned by the length of the hiatus because of its potential impact on staff and regular customers but, like me, the old customers had been anxiously awaiting the summons.

As I pulled up to the restaurant, one of the advantages over its predecessor was immediately apparent. The restaurant was clearly visible -- as well as easily accessible -- from the main street, conditions that did not hold true for the old facility. The restaurant occupies a central position on the ground floor of a two-story building and its position is heralded by prominent signage. There was ample outside seating in a covered area just outside the main entrance and this seating was itself an indication of the transformation that the restaurant had undergone. In the old restaurant, the outside seating was a white-tablecloth affair while in this incarnation the table tops were unclad and the chairs had a rattan-like look. The hours of business posted on the door was 11:00 am to 10:00 pm; I had arrived at the old restaurant at 10:00 pm on many a night and left in the wee hours of the morn.

Looking through the glass which fronts the central core of the restaurant, I saw a brightly lit interior with two circular high tops (one on each side of the door), a circular bar in the middle distance (the circle broken only by the entry/egress point for staff), and, in the furthest distance, a dining area populated with high tops and open-booth seating. Chairs and tables are also positioned along the wall to the right of the bar.

The setup at the entrance was a little congested/confusing with the presence of a bottleneck at the point where the bar is closest to the tables flanking the entrance. Customers and staffers have to thread their way through this choke point causing, in some cases, a backup of bodies. As you turn to the left after entry, and wend your way past the table that occupies the position to the left of the entrance, you encounter the hostess station. I found it confusing to pass diners before hitting the welcome station. Secondly, patrons sitting at these "guardian tables" will have the experience of everyone entering or leaving the restaurant -- or taking food to, or removing empty dishes from, the rear seating areas -- passing by their space and food at close quarters.

Looking past the Hostess Station I see the gleaming stainless steel kitchen bounded by brown marble countertop and another seating area outfitted with high-top tables and seating positioned against the north-south wall that serves as the western boundary of this room.

By this time I begin to encounter old familiar faces (plus a lot of faces that I have not seen previously). There was Lisette behind the bar and, to the left, the smiling mugs of Rosario and Massimo. I was guided to my seat by the hostess as I continued to take in my surroundings. I examined the menu and and noted that, with a few exceptions, it was similar to the one employed at TerraMia Brick Oven. The wine list was more extensive than the list at Brick Oven with a good mix of Italian and domestic bottle and by-the-glass offerings.

Massimo and Rosario

This was the first day that the new restaurant was open and, not surprisingly, there were a few kinks (long time to fulfill my wine order, cold main course) probably attributable to the size of the turnout. Based on my experience with this team, these mis-steps will not be a feature of future operations.

I ordered mussels in a Fra Diavolo sauce as my appetizer and a Short Rib with Red Sauce and Penne Pasta as my main course. The mussels were fulsome, spicy and flavorful with a pleasing texture. The Short Rib is a totally new item for either restaurant and with its size and tastiness, is not meant for the diet-conscious. My wife ordered an Aragula salad with leeks, citronelle vinaigrette and ricotta cheese as a starter and a Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes and Asparagus in a white wine sauce as her main course. Both plates were excellent.

The mashup at the door notwithstanding, this is a great setting. You can relax inside or outside and, if you are outside, the large plate glass panels give you a broad-spectrum view of the goings-on inside. If inside, you can choose between sitting at the copious bar or at the high tops or regular tables in the "wings" off the bar. There is a high level of energy and the open-space setup ensures that the buzz percolates to every corner of the restaurant.

With the new menu and hours, the restaurant is now kid friendly (And the word had gotten out because a number of kids were in attendance. They hardly ever graced the old restaurant with their presence.). Peter, one of the original waiters, had left the restaurant years ago to work at Bice at Universal and then went back to Boston. He is back and as funny and knowledgeable as ever. The piano is no more.

The change of location, outfitting, and menu -- and the lowering of prices to matchup with the new approach -- will no doubt result in the outcomes that Rosario and Massimo are pursuing. Another win for this dynamic duo.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

The soils of the Burgundy wine region

Winegeeks has identified Kimmeridgian soil as the top vineyard soil in the world but has erroneously attributed that soil type to the totality of vineyards in Burgundy, Champagne, and the Loire Valley. I have begun a process to set the record straight by, first, identifying the locations where Kimmeridgian soils can actually be found and, second, clarifying what soil types are to be found in Champagne, Burgundy, and the Loire. In this post I identify the soils of Burgundy.

Excluding Chablis, the Burgundy vineyards occupy hills and slopes along a 100-mile (160-km) stretch of the western side of the Sâone Valley. The region is noted for its diversity of soils -- both within and between vineyards -- but bourgogne-wines.com still sees "a unity of geology and soil" from north to south; a unity characterized by sedimentary soils comprised of clay, marls, and limestone over an older substrate of granite, lava, and schist.

During the Mesozoic era, most of mainland France was covered under a warm sea which was favorable for coral development and limestone deposits. During the Jurassic period (150 million+ years ago), calcareous sedimentation converted the deposits into rocks comprised of clay, marls, and limestones. The sea withdrew approximately 65 million years ago and erosion of the exposed sedimentary rocks led to the creation of valleys and clay-limestone soils. Thirty million years ago (Tertiary era), the action of the African plate pushing against the European plate resulted in the formation of Mont Blanc and the Massif Central as well as the landscape in evidence today between Dijon and Macon. Glacial activity during the Quaternary period eroded existing slopes to form the Côtes we know today.

Faulting has been a key contributor to the lay of the Burgundy land. Wilson (Terroir) describes a fault zone that runs the entire length of the Sâone Valley and provides a "profound break between two different geologic worlds." The faulting lowered the strata one mile deep into the trough and fractured its western edge into the scarps and hills of Burgundy. Upslope of the fault the soil is comprised of Jurassic limestone and marls while the valley-side soils are comprised of Tertiary era sands and clays which filled in the trough (All of the great Grand Cru vineyards are located upslope of the fault line.). Faulting in the Dijon-Macon corridor has also served to create three of the four distinct viticultural compartments extant today(Wilson). The Blanzy Rift separates the Côte d'Or from the Chalonnais which is, in turn, separated from the Mâconnais by the Grosne Rift. The fourth viticultural zone -- Beaujolais -- is the result of a bulge in basement granite.

The Côte d'Or "dominates the Bressan plain from Dijon to Maranges at a height of 150 - 200 metres" (bourgogne-wines.com). Rendzinas (a type of shallow intrazonal soil rich in lime and formed from  underlying limestone or chalk rocks -- botanydictionary.org) and brown limestone soils with a covering of broken rock fragments predominate in this zone with Côte de Nuit soils dating to the mid-Jurassic (175 million years ago) and Côte de Beaune soils dating to the Upper Jurassic (150 million years ago). Gravel and red silts have slipped down the slopes and come to rest on marl or limestone bases. The arable land is generally very shallow and in close contact with the source rock but the vine roots are able to exploit any weaknesses in the rock to dive deep for water and nutrients. The cap rock from Dijon to Prémeaux is Comblanchien limestone (hard pink-beige limestone laid down during the Bathonian epoch) which re-appears at Puligny and is the cap rock for the rest of the Côte de Beaune. The cap rock from the Hill of Corton to Puligny-Montrachet is Nantoux limestone (Wilson). The bedrock in the Côte de Nuits is calcaire à entroques, a crinoidal limestone whose many fractures provide a water-storage system for the thin soils.

The soils of the Hautes-Côtes are a mix of hard limestones and clays with pebbly limestones on the flank and limestone pavement and gravel at the foot of the slope. The cap rock is Rauracian limestone.

Côte Chalonnais is part of the northeast face of the Massif Central with differing soils characteristics in its northern and southern portions. The cap rock in the north is Nantoux limestone with Jurassic limestone soils dominant. In some villages, Liassic and Triassic soils surface. In the south the cap rock is Bajocian limestone while some soils are Liassic/Triassic assemblages with a high clay content while others are mid- and upper Jurassic assemblages where hard limestones and softer marls alternate. The lower slopes exhibit leached-out brown soils -- the result of a pebbly alluvium overlaying the limestone -- while the base of the hills are covered with sand and flinty clay.

Variations in the Maconnais landform has led to a diversity of soils to include rendzinas and brown limestone and flinty, clayey, and sandy soils mixed with sandstone pebbles. Vines growing around the base of Solutre are rooted in reddish Liassic marls that have washed down the slopes and have been covered with limestone scree.

Beaujolais and Chablis soils have been covered elswhere.

The soils of Burgundy are summarized in the following figure.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Beaujolais and Douro (Portugal): Contrasts in the utilization of granite and schist soils

The Beaujolais and Douro wine regions are both "blessed" with granite and schist rock types in their wine growing regions but they take contrasting approaches in dealing with this reality. In this post I will define the two rock types, address their distribution in the wine regions, and describe how they are incorporated (or not) into the vine-growing strategy.

The Rocks

According to geology.com, "granite is a light-colored, igneous rock with grains large enough to be visible with the unaided eye." Its primary constituents are quartz, feldspar, small amounts of mica and what Wilson (Terroir: The Role of Geology,Climate, and Culture in the Making of French Wines) calls "dark" minerals.

Source: granite4less.co.uk

Granite formation (Source: tovisitportugal.blogspot.com)

The feldspar, mica, and other minerals in granite are susceptible to chemical weathering which, if it occurs, alters the feldspar and mica to "easily removed" clays and causes the remaining rock structure to disintegrate to a sandy granite wash (Wilson).

Schist, again according to geology.com, "is a metamorphic rock with well-developed foliation. It often contains significant amounts of mica which allow the rock to split into thin pieces."

Schist (Source: earth.ox.ac.uk)

Granite and Schist in Beaujolais and Douro

The Beaujolais wine region is effectively divided into an upper and lower Beaujolais based on the soil composition north and south of the Nizerand River. The landscape south of the river is comprised of flat limestone-clay plains interspersed with sandy patches. North of the river, light granite- and schist-based soils predominate in the hills and stone and clay soils on the lower slopes.

The granite in Beaujolais was formed at great depth over 300 million years ago and was brought to the surface in the mid-Tertiary period by the uplift of the Massif Central and the Morvan. On its way to the surface the molten mass intruded into a crust of ancient lava and ash and metamorphosed that material into schist which accompanied the granite on its upward journey (Wilson). The principal vineyards of upper Beaujolais reside on a large massif known as the Odenas granite, a rock which weathers readily to clay minerals.

Beaujolais (Source: vineyardsandvignobles.com)

The north of Portugal consists almost exclusively of granite, the uniformity of which is interrupted by a massif of shale that extends from Barca d'Alva almost to Régua. This schist is a slate-like metamorphic rock which frequently splits into vertical layers below the surface, allowing moisture to seep in as well as providing growth pathways for the vine roots.

Lithology of the Douro region (Source: ivdp.pt)

The soils

Beaujolais is divided into Haut- and Bas-Beaujolais, based on distinctions in the soil and the intervening Nizerand river valley, with Haut-Beaujolais to the north and Bas to the south.  The north is characterized by rolling granite hills pock-marked with patches of clay and limestone and with granite and schist in the upper slopes and higher stone and clay content in the lower slopes.  The south has a flatter topographical profile than the north and has primarily clay and sandstone soils. For the purposes of our analysis, we will concentrate on the soils of Haut-Beaujolais.

The hills in the north of Beaujolais are convex and have no bellies in which to collect slope wash. As a result, the soils here are thin and primarily crumbled granite bound together by sparse clays resulting from the weathering of feldspars and micas. The sandy soils are known locally as "arene," "gore," or "gorrhe." These soils are thin, acidic, and lacking in nitrogen but contain high concentrations of mineral nutrients (potassium, phosphorous, magnesium).

The Douro soil is schistose with granite at the borders and, in some cases, penetrating horizontally into the schist layers.  Prior to its current state, the Douro land under vine was characterized by "the presence of bedrock at less than 15 cm (5 inches) below the surface" (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (IVDP)).  This was untenable for vine growth given the rooting requirements of the vine.

According to IVDP, the Douro soil has been created by man "digging down deeply and forcing the vertically layered rock to break up, thus totally altering its original disposition and creating changes to its original morphology, added to which he has applied fertilizers."  This scarification has resulted in soils with depths of between 1 and 1.3 meters.  In both cases the roots take advantage of the pliability/makeup of the underlying bedrock to dive to great depths.

The Douro soil profile consists of a 12.5-cm layer -- "the result of the digging that is done around the roots of the vines every year" -- followed by a layer of between 87.5 centimeters and 1.17 meters thickness, and then bedrock.  The composition of this topsoil is a clay-rock mix with (IVDP): little organic matter; low calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous levels; and medium-high levels of potassium. The soil pH is predominantly acid (4.6-6.5).

Vineyard characteristics and practices

There are approximately 3600 vineyards in the 55,000 acres that constitute Beaujolais. The vineyards tend to be small to mid-sized plots owned by hundreds of farmers and carrying between 9000 and 13,000 vines per hectare.  For the most part, the fruit is sold to negociants who produce and market the wines.  In the north the vineyards sit on gently sloping hills at elevations that range between 500 and 2000 feet. The resultant exposure to the sun allows quicker ripening and harvesting in the north when compared to the south.  Vine training is primarily Goebelet but, recently, some Guyot training has been utilized in the south.

The low nutrient levels in the Douro will act to reduce yield and retard fruit ripening if unaddressed.  The solution is the application of fertilizers for the macronutrients and foliar sprays for the boron deficiency. Lime is added to the soil as necessary to counteract the effects of low pH. The vines reside on hillside terraces and are Guyot- or cordon-trained. Planting density is on the order of 6000 vines/hectare.  Drip irrigation is shunned.

Comparative utilization of available soils

Gamay has found a home in the granitic soils of Haut-Beaujolais. This vine was ripped out of the primary areas of Burgundy by Philip the Bold in 1395 due to its fecundity but the thin, sandy soils of Beaujolais are the "right challenge" for its voracious growth. The principal vineyards of Haut-Beaujolais are situated on a large massif known as the Odenas Granite which contains black mica, a material which weathers easily to clay minerals. The thinness of the Beaujolais soil is, therefore, compensated for by high levels of nutrients such as potassium, phosphorous, and magnesium. It should be noted that the wines produced from this combination of soils and vine are not prone to extended longevity.

The opposite is the case in the Douro region where schist reigns supreme. Its water acquisition and retention properties, as well as its provision of growth pathways for the vine roots, make it the soil of choice in the region. Its low nutrient levels are compensated for by the addition of fertilizers for macronutrients and foliar sprays for boron deficiency. When granite breaks through to the surface, the terrain is considered unplantable and vineyards planted on granite are penalized in their Casa do Douro classification (rating of Douro vineyards on a quality scale ranging from A to F) as assigned and maintained by the regulatory authorities. The grapes produced from this regime yield intensely flavored wines which can stand up to the intensity of 20% alcohol fortification and long aging while retaining their fruit characteristics.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

The soils of the Champagne wine region

In a recent post I refuted a winegeeks assertion that Kimmeridgian soil extended across the wine regions of Champagne, Burgundy, and the Loire Valley. I was, instead, able to show that the primary Kimmeridgian vineyard sites in France are: (i) the Aube sub-region of Champagne; (ii) the Chablis, Tonnerre, and Auxerrois sub-regions of Burgundy; and (iii) the Pouilly, Sancerre, and Menetou-Salon sub-regions of the Loire Valley. This finding begs the question "If not Kimmeridgian in those three regions, then what?" I will attempt to answer that question in this and two subsequent posts.

The figure below places a map of the French wine region side-by-side with a geological map of the country. The geological map clearly shows that, contrary to the winegeeks article, a single soil type is not possible for the three wine regions under discussion. If we just follow the course of the Loire as it wends its way through the Loire region, we see it passing through Jurassic period stratigraphy, then through the Cretaceous and Tertiary stratigraphy of the Paris Basin, then through the paleozoic rocks of the Massif Amoricain before debouching into the Atlantic Ocean.

So lets look at each one of the regions of interest, beginning with Champagne.

The soil in Champagne is, for the most part, comprised of massive chalk deposits interspersed with rocky outcroppings and covered with a thin layer of topsoil (mix of sand, marl, clay and lignite) which requires constant renewal through fertilization.

Champagne soil (Source: Fatcork via drinks.seriouseats.com)

The slow sagging of the Paris Basin caused an upthrusting of ancient geologic formations at the outer perimeter with each formation exhibiting as a concentric, outward-facing escarpment. One such escarpment was the Kimmeridgian chain of Jurassic soils discussed previously. In the case of Champagne, the escarpment is comprised of sands, marls, and lignitic clays of the Tertiary period capping chalk from the upper Cretaceous and, below Chalons, clays and sands of the lower Cretaceous. It is the marriage of the Tertiary and upper Cretaceous strata that "is the parentage of the unique soils of Champagne."

The components of the Tertiary strata function as follows (Wilson):

• Sands -- provide coarse ingredients which help in building good soil structure
• Clays, marls, weathered chalk -- bond with particles to give good body to the soil
• Lignite -- a soft, low-grade coal which "seasons" the soil. Rapid burial resulted in concentration with iron, sulfur, and zinc from plant material

Chalk, according to Wilson, is composed of calcareous algae (a form of seaweed) and shells of tiny organisms that settled in a uniform manner at the bottom of the Cretaceous seas. The chalk deposits in Champagne are finer-grained and more porous than other French limestone soils -- and have extremely high concentrations of the mineral marls Belemnite (younger and found higher up on the growing slopes) and Micraster (older and located on the valley floors). Chalk has excellent drainage as well as water-retention properties in that its micro-pores can absorb water during wet periods and slowly release it during drier periods. In addition chalk will also reflect sunlight and heat thus aiding in the ripening of the grapes. The chalk soil allows the vine roots to dig freely and deeply in search of water and nutrients and also retains a constant temperature year round. Chalk weathers to a fine dust which is easily dispersed. In the case of Champagne, the Tertiary slope wash collects in the belly of the concave hills serving a binding function as well as providing mineral content. The chalk provides excellent drainage and water retention, which, when combined with the Tertiary soils, results in one of the best vine-growing soils in France.

The soils in the defined Champagne region is not monolithic, however. The Côte de Bars region of Champagne has Kimmeridgian soil of the same construct as the soils that underpin the vineyards of Chablis and Sancerre. In the Aisne region the upper Cretaceous has dipped into the Paris Basin  and the soil is comprised entirely of Tertiary clays and sands. In the area below Chalone -- referred to as wet Champagne -- the poor-permeability clays and sands of the lower Cretaceous period are dominant.

The Champagne soils distribution is illustrated graphically below.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Antonio Galloni's La Festa del Barolo: Guest post by Ron Siegel

Last weekend, Antonio Galloni -- fresh from his settlement with Robert Parker -- hosted the second edition of his La Festa del Barolo in New York City. The event, touted as a “special weekend celebration dedicated to the great wines of Barolo,” included a Rare Wine Charity Dinner benefitting The Robin Hood Relief Fund and the victims of Hurricane Sandy on Friday night and Saturday events to include a tutored tasting and a subsequent dinner at Del Posto.  This post covers the Saturday events.

Galloni flew in 15 of the top producers from Piemonte to participate in the event and had the highly acclaimed restaurant Del Posto host the tasting and the dinner in their private downstairs banquet room. The tasting -- titled 2008 Barolo: An Exploration of Terroir and held earlier in the afternoon -- consisted of 15 wines of the 2008 Barolo vintage in four flights. 

Ron, Bev, and Galloni

Bev with Pete Wasserman

The tasting and dinner were both well organized and extremely well run with top Sommeliers from NYC and around the country opening and pouring the wines. We had Gianluca Grasso -- from Elio Grasso -- at our table with Marta Rinaldi from the Rinaldi  winery as our special guest. Marta was so much fun to be with and kept bringing us wines to taste and introducing winemakers to our table. 

Ron, Bev, and Marta Rinaldi

The following wines were poured at the tasting. The winemakers would talk about the wines and the vintage with Galloni moderating. A cool growing season and late harvest were some of the hallmarks of 2008.

Flight 1

2008 E Pira Barolo Cannubi. Surprisingly showing some sediment. Nice red fruit. Smoke, soy, and balsamic notes. 

2008 Borgogno Barolo Cannubi. Slightly muted nose. Tar and rose petals. Made in the classic style. 

2008 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Bosch is concentrated cherry. Very structured with violets and camphor notes. Nice acidity. Will need time but I like this producer.

2008 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio. Huge nose of black cherry. Very floral with violets and rose petals. Spice and tar notes. Long finish. We loved this wine. My wine of the flight.

Flight 2

2008 Elvio Cogno Barolo Bricco Pernice. Higher altitude vineyards which showed a somewhat muted and closed nose. A lighter and more elegant style of Barolo. Not my favorite today.

2008 GD Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole. Very aromatic and complex bouquet. spice, forest floor, cherry, sandalwood, bay leaf, roses, licorice, and tar and slightly medicinal. Very elegant on the palate. I would buy this!  

2008 Vietti Barolo Rocche. Wow! Love Vietti's Rocche. Great intensity with a nose of strawberry, licorice, and tar. Big, structured, and rich. Showing lots of depth but still very elegant and no harsh tannins. My wine of the flight

2008 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Bric del Fiasc. Nice red fruits, floral notes, smoke and spice.

Flight 3

2008 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sori Ginestra. Sweet red fruit, licorice, cherry, smoke and vanilla. Nicely structured and ripe. Long maceration plus 24 months in 80%-90% new oak.

2008 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Vigna Case Mate Large, structured, and tannic. Very complex nose of cherry, strawberry, dried herbs, and licorice. Needed more decant time. Galloni gave this 98+. 

2008 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco. Very spicy. Red berry fruits, roses, and mint with some smoke, mineral, and balsamic. Full-bodied and made from one of the best vineyard sites, Bussia. My wine of the flight.

2008 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato. Nice round, lush cherry fruit with some cinnamon and licorice notes. Ten thousand bottles produced and in only good vintages. Very nice Barolo.

Flight 4

2008 Giacoma Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia. Barolo made in the traditional style with black cherry, rose petals, tar and licorice notes.   

2008 Brovia Barolo Ca' Mia. Dark color. Lovely complex nose of cherry and strawberry. Very floral, spicy, tarry and meaty. Reminded my wife of a Dr pepper. Big structured Barolo. My wine of the flight.

2007 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe. The only 2007 in the tasting as the 2008 was yet to be bottled. Very approachable with red fruits and floral notes of roses and violets. Nice spice.                

Below are most of the wines that we tasted at the dinner arranged by decade. 

I got a little taste of what La Paulee must be like for their Gala dinners as we had to taste quickly as there were new wines ready to pour one after the other into our already filled glasses. A great night of Giacosa Riservas and Monfortino's.

1950s

1957 Cappellano Barolo (slightly over the hill)

1960s

1964 Giacomo Conterno Barolo

1970s

1970 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino

1971 Giuse

1978 Borgogno Barolo Riserva (poured to us by Andrea Farinetti - the son of the owner of Borgogno)

1980s

1982 Giuseppe Mascarello Barbaresco Marcarini (corked)

1982 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Cascina Francia

1985 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Riserva

1988 Aldo Conterno Barolo Granbussia from Magnum (poured for us by Roberto Conterno - the owner of Giacomo Conterno)

1988 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano (Red Label)

1989 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano (Red Label)

1989 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia

1990s

1990 Brovia Barolo Monprivato from Magnum

1990 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Rionda (Red Label)

1990 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto (Red Label)

1990 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino from Magnum (poured for us by Roberto Conterno - the owner of Giacomo Conterno)

1994 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste

1997 Roberto Voerzio Barolo La Serra

1998 Cappellano Pie Rupestris (normally this is Barolo DOCG but in 1998 it was not approved as Barolo DOCG and was bottled as a Vino de Tavola)

1998 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano (Red Label)

1999 Elio Grasso Barolo Riserva Rüncot

2000s

2000 Roberto Voerzio Barbera Riserva Pozzo dell' Annunziata (only bottled in Magnum)

2001 Elio Grasso Barolo Casa Maté

2002 Cascina Ebreo Limpido

2008 Elio Grasso Barolo Casa Maté

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Contextualizing Kimmeridgian soils

Writing on winegeeks.com (The World's Top 10 Wine Soils), Sunny Brown undertook the description of the top 10 wine soils ranked based on "... the unique qualities, historical importance and market appeal of the wines." The top rated soil was "A basin of limestone marl that starts in England and runs all the way down through the vineyards of Champagne, the Loire Valley and ultimately Burgundy. It is on this ridge, known as the Kimmeridgian, that the best vineyards lie." While the soils underlying Burgundy, Champagne, and the Loire may be the best in the world -- and while Kimmeridgian soil can be found in each of these regions -- Kimmeridgian soil is given broader scope in the Brown post than is the case. I present my arguments below.

At varying periods of the earth's history, portions of present-day Europe were covered by shallow seas. Such was the condition during the Jurassic period in the time span we now call the Kimmeridgian Age, identified by ammonite and oyster fossils found in associated strata.

Modification of IUGS Chronostratigraphic
Chart (stratigraphy.com)

Ammonite -- Kimmeridgian marker

Exogyra virgula -- Kimmeridgian
marker (Source: zeably.com)

According to James Wilson (Terroir: The Role of Geology, Climate and Culture in the Making of French Wines, University of California, 1998), French geologist Alcide d'Obigny, while working in the south of England in the middle of the 18th century, named the Jurassic limestone in Dorset as Portlandian. In his work east of that site, in the vicinity of the village of Kimmeridge, he encountered a dark marl in the layer below the Portlandian and named it Kimmeridgian. The Kimmeridgian soil found in France differs from that found in Britain in that it is a "relatively uniform chalky marl and thin marly limestone containing many lenses or banks of seashells" (Wilson).

Strata from periods post the Jurassic continued to be deposited into the shallow seas and many of these layers were forced to the surface when the area that is known today as the Paris Basin began a slow sag during the late Tertiary and Quaternary periods. This slow tilting of the Basin allowed the Seine, Aube, Yonne, and Loire rivers to "downcut through the rising ridges, thus cutting the Kimmeridgian-Portlandian outcrop band into an archipelago of wine areas" (Wilson).

Source: timkeen.com

Now that we know the origin of the Kimmeridgian, lets examine its extent. In the 10-best-soils article, Brown indicated that the vineyards of Champagne, Burgundy, and the Loire Valley reside upon this hallowed soil. But the images above would seem to indicate otherwise. The figures show that upper Jurassic deposits (which would include Portlandian and Kimmeridigian deposits) came to the surface in a band that falls below the Champagne  and Loire bands and above the Burgundy band.

And Wilson supports this observation. He, in fact, refers to the Kimmeridgian outcrops as as the Kimmeridgian Chain in that they are distinct and separate from their associated wine regions. The primary Kimmeridgean vineyard sites in France are: (i) the Aube sub-region of Champagne; (ii) the Chablis, Tonnerre, and Auxerrois sub-regions of Burgundy; and (iii) the Pouilly, Sancerre, and Menetou-Salon sub-regions of the Loire Valley.

Wilson sees the key to Kimmeridgian soil as the way it works with its Portlandian partner. The marly soil of the Kimmeridgian develop good structure and water-retention characteristics and is easy to cultivate. The hard limestone of the Portlandian contains many fossils and fragments and is also cracked by frost. This enables aeration of the slopes as well as aiding in drainage.

Chablis is the "big island" in the Kimmeridgian chain and is home to some of the finest Chardonnay known. The defined region was recognized in 1923 by the Wine Tribunals as being grown on a sub-soil of Kimmeridgian limestone while wine grown anywhere else in Chablis would be classed Petit Chablis. The mid-slope in Chablis maps almost perfectly to the Kimmeridgian outcrop with the soft, carbonate-rich mud rock being capped by Portlandian Barrios limestone and supported by Calcares à Astarte, itself a limestone (Jennifer Huggett, Geology and Wine: A review, Proceedings of the Geologists Association, 2006). This south-facing Kimmeridgian slope has significant sun exposure and is home to the Chablis Grand Cru vineyards.

Source: justburgundy.com

Wilson notes that geologic conditions identical to those experienced by the Grand Cro slope extend both northeast and soutwest but that the vineyards on those sites are classed as Premiers Crus. That is an indication that Kimmeridgian soil is not the key ingredient in the making of a Grand Cru Chablis. As a matter of fact, the reference to Kimmeridgian limestone in the definition of Chablis was discontinued in 1976, a tacit admission, according to Huggett, that "slope and orientation are of greater importance to wine quality in Chablis."

To summarize then, Kimmeridgian soil is the result of the Paris-Basin-sag-related upthrusting of sedimentary layers that were laid down during the upper Jurassic age. Kimmeridgian formations usually exhibit as slopes capped by Portlandian limestone and generally exist as islands remote from their associated wine regions; regions which have soil profiles that are dependent on the era and types of their formations.


©Wine -- Mise en abyme

Part X -- The Future: The definitive comparison of Champagne, Franciacorta, Prosecco, and Cava

Over the course of nine prior posts, I have explored varying characteristics (Origins, regulatory histories, macro-level characteristics, production zones, vineyards, fermentation and aging, wine styles, nonconformity, and production levels) of Champagne, Franciacorta, Prosecco, and Cava. In this post I explore the future of these wines.

Broadly speaking, the sparkling wine markets of the future will not map seamlessly to the markets of the past: they will differ in both size and scope. According to a study done by the research firm TNR (Glittering future for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, beveragemedia.com, 8/16/12), the share of drinking dollars devoted to Champagne and sparkling wines will grow from 5.1% to 7.8%, growth resulting both from increased consumption in existing markets as well as new drinkers in the developing world. According to TNS, spending in this category will increase by 4.2% in Brazil, 5,4% in Nigeria, 4.2% in South Africa, and 4.1% in the UK. Factors that could potentially mitigate these growth projections are perceptions that these wines are (i) indulgences and (ii) only to be consumed on special occasions.

Now let's look at the prognosis for each of the wines under consideration.

Champagne

Champagne has experienced a decline of 4.4% in shipments from 2011 to 2012 with declines occurring across all producer types: 5.3% for Growers; 4.2% for Champagne Houses; and 3.5% for Cooperatives. The challenges faced by Champagne include:

• Customers turning to lower-priced alternatives
• Declining wine consumption in traditional wine-producing European countries 
• Grape price increases averaging 3.5% over the last three growing seasons .

Jean-Marie Bassillère, President of Unions des Maisons de Champagne sees the Champagne growth markets as being primarily non-European with an especial focus on America and Asia. Retooling for those markets will require extensive planning and bountiful resources (Giles Fallowfield, UK "not the future of Champagne growth," decanter.com, 4/2/2013). Luxurysociety.com (BRICs: The Future of Champagne, 5/28/12) supports the focus on emerging economies because (i) there are now more high-net-worth individuals in the Asia/Pacific region than anywhere else outside the US and (ii) they are conspicuous consumers of luxury items, a mantle that Champagne wears easily.

Africa is also viewed as a key target market of the future. Nigeria and South Africa have in common cultural linkages to European countries to go along with oil wealth (Nigeria) and an in-place and growing wine culture (South Africa).

The combination of declining regional consumption, shifts in destination markets, and increasing product costs may have a deleterious effect in the producers lacking strong brands. Without strong presence, the smaller players will be poorly positioned to pass price increases along to the market with attendant negative effects.

Franciacorta

As was shown in Part IX of the series, Franciacorta production levels pale in comparison to the levels of its compatriots. Further, only 8% of its production is exported. That dynamic represents a potential future problem for this wine. Small production and declining consumption could place a squeeze on the product. It will face the uphill task of seeking growth in strange new markets  -- that may be more amenable to the luxury cachet associated with Champagne -- while its home base is being eroded. The region is blessed with deep-pocketed owners with capital from other industries and the ability to stay in the game until they figure it out.

Prosecco

A key driver of Prosecco's growth is the overall growth in sparkling wine sales in the US, UK, and Australia, a result of the breaking of the linkage between sparkling wine and celebration.  In these countries sparkling wine has become an everday drink and this plays right into the hand of Prosecco, the quintessential everyday drink: low in alcohol, light, and affordable.

Also, Prosecco is a key ingredient (along with Aperol orange liquer and soda) in the Aperol Spritz, an aperitif that originated in Italy in the 19th century and is growing in popularity in the major Prosecco markets.  According to italiandishblog.com, this aperitif is a great way to start a meal because it is (i) low in alcohol and (ii) light and refreshing.

And there is no wane in sight.  First, the extra-territorial "imitators" have been cast into disarray by the shrewd strategic move of the Prosecco producers to take their future back into their own hands.  The Prosecco DOC was first awarded in 1969 and was restricted to wines produced in the Conegliano-Valdiobbadene region.  Growers felt that the brand was under attack by "imitators" using just the grape variety and moved to isolate those competitors by changing both the rules and the venue of the game.  Prosecco growers agitated for, and gained regulatory acceptance of: (i) the extension of the Prosecco DOC to cover all of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and approximately two-thirds of Veneto; (ii) promotion of the original Prosecco DOC to DOCG status; (iii) changing the name of the source grape from Prosecco to Glera; and (iv) restricting the use of the name Prosecco only to Glera sparkling wines produced within the delimited zones.  The growers felt that these actions would serve to protect their territory, the brand, and the quality of Prosecco.  The regulations authorizing these actions came into law in 2009.

Second, the Managing Director of leading Prosecco player Mionetto USA sees the current sales levels as just scratching the surface (shankennewsdaily.com).  The core consumers of the product are 40- to 50-year-old women and this segment has been lightly penetrated.  Younger drinkers are still experimental but they are trading up to Prosecco from "cheaper Cava."  Deeper penetration of these markets, plus pushing into other market cohorts and demographics, provide plenty of opportunities for this wine in the future. As a matter of fact, the Prosecco region estimates that its production will grow from 220 million bottles today to 1 billion bottles within the next 25 years (Rebecca Gibb, Prosecco region "to grow fivefold," Decanter, 11/10/11).

Cava

Spain, currently with an 8.7% share of the sparkling wine market, is the only country projected to show declines (0.4%) in market share over the course of the study period. Cava is a low-cost alternative to Champagne in a future where consumption is declining locally and the newer markets are susceptible to luxury and status as buying decision points. In addition, Cava has some internal issues which need to be addressed in order to retain the long-term viability of the brand.

First, Cava has to deal with the causes and effects of a breakaway wine appellation. Ravento i Blanc had quit the Cava DO appellation because of its "low image." The DO is perceived to: be volume oriented; have no geographical distinction as it relates to climate and soils; have low viticultural standards (Jane Lawrence, decanter.com, 3/15/2013). Ravento I Blanco sees its proposed new appellation -- to be presented to the Consejo Regulador this spring -- as addressing the problems of the Cava DO. The appellation will be built around a small geographic area surrounding the Anoia River and will have tighter production rules than is the case for Cava DO. The risk for Cava is defections of producers to this, now competing, brand or the formation of multiple breakaway appellations by similarly disenchanted current members.

There is another faction within the Cava DO which acknowledges that the described problems exist but see breakaway appellations as a cowardly solution (Lawrence). According to this faction, change should be wrought from the inside where the benefits would accrue to all members. Towards that end, two recommendations will be made to the authorities as potential solutions to the problem: (i) shrink the appellation and (ii) have the entire Penedès region designated organic. The latter proposal is seen as adding value and allowing market differentiation.


Either way, Cava has to resolve these internal issues so that it can quickly pivot to addressing the shifting market dynamics. Its past success as an export-driven brand will stand it in good stead in this new environment. Cava needs for Champagne to be successful in the new markets so that it can come in and pitch itself as a low-cost alternative.

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Well this has been a long and, on my part, pleasurable trip. I hope that the insights provided will aid in your thoughtful exploration of these brands in the future. Thank you for accompanying me on this trip.

For a look back at previous posts in the series, please click on the appropriate link below.

Part I -- Origins
Part II -- Regulatory histories
Part III -- Macro-Level characteristics

Part IV -- Production zones

Part V -- The vineyards
Part VI -- Fermentation and aging
Part VII -- Wine styles
Part VIII -- The nonconformists
Part IX -- Production levels and markets

©Wine -- Mise en abyme