An Italian Wine Grape You Have Probably Never Heard Of – Cari (or Pelaverga)

Written by Allison Levine on June 21, 2018

Wine

If you read Ian D’Agata’s comprehensive guide, Native Wine Grapes of Italy, you will learn that there are approximately 2000 indigenous grape varieties in Italy, although only 400 of them are currently used to make commercial wine. Italy is home to more indigenous grape varieties than anywhere else in the world and sometimes you have to be in Italy to find them. On a recent trip to the Piemonte region, I was introduced to a wine varietal that I had never had before – Cari.

Cari is a rare red grape from the hills of Piemonte. It is also called Pelaverga, Carola, Fra Germano and Taddone. Cari (Pelaverga) can be found in the domination Collina Torinese DOC, established in 1999. One of the smallest DOCs in Italy, there are only two producers left producing Collina Torinese Cari (Pelaverga) for a total of 6000 bottles annually. Cari is a very delicate grape and very rare.

One of the two producers is Balbiano and I tried the Balbiano Collina Torinese Cari 2017 on a recent visit to the winery in Torino. The wine is served as a dessert wine. At only 6% alcohol, it is a cherry-red color and looks like Brachetto (one of my favorite wines). But, unlike Brachetto or Moscato, Cari is not an aromatic grape. The Balbiano Collina Torinese Cari 2017 has fruit and floral notes on the palate. It has half of the residual sugar of Brachetto or Moscato. Unlike these two wines whose sweetness coats the mouth, the Cari is higher in acidity and this acidity can pair with any sweet dessert, especially pastries, cakes, cookies and creams.

DoctorWine’s tips on food and wine pairing

Written by Allison Levine on June 12, 2018

Lifestyle Food Wine

The story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register.

I spent the past week traveling around California with Daniele Cernilli, aka DoctorWine.

Daniele is one of the most renowned wine critics and journalists in Italy and he came to California for a series of wine seminars and tastings for both the trade and consumer in conjunction with his book The Ultimate Guide to Italian Wine 2018.

While I was organizing these events, I worked with him to design menus for four meals to pair with the wines. From planning the menus to sitting down for the meals, I absorbed much of the insight he had to share about the importance of food and wine pairing.

Daniele made a point of the fact that Italians eat and drink together. They believe that wine is meant for food and explained that pairing wine and food “is a religion for us.” There are many considerations when it comes to food and wine pairing, and Daniele offered a few key tips.

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Grignolino

Written by Allison Levine on May 19, 2018

Wine

As the glasses sat in front of me, I looked at them and all I could think of was how sexy they looked. Transparent garnet in color, it is the lack of color intensity that drew me in. There was something so inviting about the wines and hence Grignolino is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Grignolino is an indigenous variety from the Monferrato Hills in Piemonte, Italy. It has been a noble grape since the 8th century. In fact, a document from the year 1243 mentioned Grignolino which may make it one of the most historic of grapes. Grignolino was one of the primary grapes in Asti, in northern Italy, for more than 1000 years but much was replaced with the easier-to-grow Barbera and for 50 years, Grignolino was close to abandonment. But Grignolino is being revived and it is a wine to look out for.

Grignolino produces a pale red wine that has naturally high levels of tannin and acidity. It is a food-friendly wine and has great aging potential. It may seem strange that it does not have intense color, like other red wines, but that is because the skins of the Grignolino grape do not have a lot of phenolic compounds. The color of the wine does not determine the quality of the wine.

One of the standouts was the Tenuta Santa Catarina Arlandino 2010 Grignolino d’Asti, a light red wine with an orange tint and aromas of wild strawberry and raspberry and savory notes. A medium-bodied wine, this wine is produced in stainless steel and has medium tannins and medium plus acidity.

I also enjoyed the Tenuta Santa Catarina M2012 Grignolino d’Asti DOC. This Grignolino has a longer maceration period and spends two years in tonneau barrel (900 liters). The resulting wine has aromas of stewed fruit and soft tannins and, after six years, still has high acidity.

Grignolino is sexy to look at and to drink and that is why it is the Please The Palate pick of the week.