Italian Wine Merchants UK - Cantina Caputo - Wines of Italy - Prosecco, Amarone, Chianti, Brunello, Barolo

The Big Chester Wine Quiz 2012

Paul Caputo — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:40:35 +0000

Following the success of last years ‘Big Chester Wine Quiz’ we are delighted to hold another one, only this time bigger and better. Cantina Caputo and Zebra Marketing are once again teaming up and in support of local charity, EYF, are hosting an evening of wine tasting and local trivia.

The previous event was a huge success with teams from key local businesses taking part before local law firm Walker Smith Way eventually lifted the trophy. They will be keen to take it home again and will no doubt be in competitive form.

The event will take place on Thursday May 31st at the Guildhall, Chester and will be an excellent lead into the summer. Join us at 6.30pm for a glass of Prosecco and mingle with other local businesses before the quiz starts. Regroup with the rest of your team at 7.30pm and try to identify five blind wines. Don’t worry if your wine skills are not too polished as there will be plenty of opportunity to redeem yourselves in a variety of different quiz rounds.

We hope you will consider entering a team of between three and six people for a fantastic night of fun, food and wine with … Read more...

Barolo

Paul Caputo — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:36:06 +0000

Many would argue that Barolo needs no introduction, yet for an equal amount this legendary wine remains shrouded in mystery as jaw dropping prices only create more barriers to discovery. Iconic names such as Aldo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa and Paolo Scavino are well coveted, their presence compulsory in any serious cellar, but what of the other tiny estates of Barolo and where does one start when seeking to indulge in the hedonistic pleasures originating from this infamous stretch of land?

Barolo should be and often is, the rich, dramatic, powerful and masculine expression of the Nebbiolo grape, a grape that has found a perfect home in the subtle microclimates of elven communes of the Langhe area of Piemonte in North West Italy. The name Barolo takes its name from the commune of Barolo, which along with La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba is the most important.

So why is Barolo so good? Well firstly, in 1980 Barolo was promoted from its DOC status to DOCG and subsequently new, sensible and forward thinking conditions were set down to ensure overall quality was maintained and a few poorly made examples didn’t spoil the wine’s historically good reputation. Maximum yields were … Read more...

Brunello di Montalcino by Azienda Agricola Verbena

Paul Caputo — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:19:09 +0000

Brunello di Montalcino is part of the historic elite of Italian wines. Centred around the small town of Montalcino in the south of Tuscany, this Sangiovese based treasure is often labelled as one of the finest wines in the world. Brunello, on it’s day, is a big rich wine of full body, fleshy texture and dry velvety tannins. Common aromas of black berry, black cherry, chocolate, leather and violets contribute to the complexity normally found in Brunello wines and combined with a lively acidity they are often the perfect partner for Italian cuisine.

Like many Italian wines deeply rooted in the areas cultural heritage, there exists the usual philosophical clash on what Brunello should actually taste like. At the centre of the debate is the variations of wood ageing. Traditionalists argue that true Brunello should spend far longer in large oak barrels to soften and refine the wine. Modernists however have successfully lobbied to reduce the minimum ageing requirement down to two years with at least four months in bottle. A reduction in ageing requirements ultimately facilitates the use of more charred barrique which imparts more internationally fashionable flavours such as vanilla, woodsmoke and chocolate. While there is weight behind both … Read more...

Sagrantino di Montefalco – A rustic gem in the heart of Umbria

Paul Caputo — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:45:11 +0000

Tucked away in the heart of Umbria is Montefalco, the quintessential Italian wine producing town. Steeped in history and staunchly resistant to conforming to the global wine palate, Montefalco gives its name to the DOCG wine, Montefalco Sagrantino. Rumoured to have been brought here from the middle east by Saint Francis, or perhaps even ancient Greek in origin, the Sagrantino grape is similar in a way to it’s Tuscan neighbour Sangiovese, yet shows a considerably wilder edge in youth. In fact the grape’s boisterous tendencies in adolescence have no doubt contributed to the legal requirement of ageing Montefalco Sangrantino for at least 3 years, 12 months of which must be in oak.

Softening and smoothing out these rough edges is the key to making great Sagrantino. Developing and maturing the grape’s naturally aggressive nature into elegance and grace, balance and harmony is often an exercise in both patience and understanding the potential of this mysterious and frustrating grape. Frustration and lack of patience nearly got the better of Sagrantino growers in the 1960s when the grape verged on extinction. But for the courage of a few brave and perhaps even crazy wine makers, Sagrantino would have long sine disappeared. Following … Read more...

Tasca d’Almertia – Rosso del Conte

Paul Caputo — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:47:59 +0000

Tasca d’Almerita is one of the leading players on the Sicilian wine scene, making a number of wines from both indigenous and international grape varieties in the Sclafani countryside between Palermo and Enna. Their 100% Nero d’Avola named ‘Lamuri’ is a customer favourite while ‘Camastra’, a blend of Nero d’Avola and Merlot, is also hugely popular. A white wine named ‘Nozze d’Oro’ made from Inzollia and Sauvignon Tasca has an increasing following and although not cheap, their Chardonnay is of the highest quality.

One wine in particular though has stolen our hearts and continues to wow us every time we pull the cork. Created in the early 1970s by Count Giuseppe Tasca, the Rosso del Conte is considered to be one of the founding fathers of high end red wine in Sicily. Over the last 40 years it has mirrored the company’s forward thinking approach to modern wine making and has often led by example in the quest to make premium quality Nero d’Avola. A wish to also craft a wine as age worthy as Bordeaux’s Cabernets, led the family to practise careful experimentation with oak ageing, something of a first in Sicly. Such maturation has led to a refined an … Read more...

Barolo 2004 Vintage Report

Paul Caputo — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:44:28 +0000

The 2004 Barolo vintage was one of the most hyped vintages of the decade and in a region where outstanding years come once or twice in ten, the excitement was justified. A good deal of the wines are already being enjoyed, fragrant and perfumed, yet displaying a backbone suitable for years of cellaring. Many of the top wines were tipped to go on proudly until 2035 and nothing yet suggests otherwise. If anything, they are likely last longer.

The long 2004 growing season was ideal for the development of those hallmark Barolo aromas of rose petal, tar and leather, the subtle beauty of which have long kept Barolo elevated as the ‘wine of kings and the king of wines’. Lengthy, slow maturation on the vine is crucial for the Nebbiolo grape, a grape traditionally among the last to ripen in Italy, to achieve not only it’s legendary aromatic complexity but also a phenolically ripe tannic structure.

After the very tricky vintages of 2002 and 2003, where both excessive rain and excessive heat contributed to some very disappointing wines, 2004 was a much needed bonus for many producers. Glorious sun shine in September meant the majority of producers were harvesting by … Read more...

Happy New Year – Cantina Caputo Buying Trip

Paul Caputo — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:59:28 +0000

Happy New Year Everyone. Hopefully most of you have reflected on another fortnight of failed resolutions and are now emphatically back on the wagon. If you are, you have made the right choice, for the annual Cantina Caputo buying trip to the continent is in full swing. A new selection of producers, wines and vintages is on it’s way. This year however it is being done slightly differently, with a Honda S2000 and a very confused TomTom navigating us all the way from Chester, through Champagne, Burgundy and into Bordeaux. The vineyards and estates of the Rhone Valley, Languedoc and northern Spain also remain, excitingly, on the itinerary.

January is both the best and worst time of year to make any buying trip. Taking a well earned break from the Christmas rush and missing relatively little activity is balanced by the fact that life is very, very cold and most of Europe is closed. Nevertheless, consensus was reached and we arrived in Champagne on January 2nd, to be met with howling winds, driving rain and a serious thirst for some New Year fizz; Grand Cru if possible.

Epernay is Champagne HQ and a brief stroll down the infamous Avenue de … Read more...

Vigne Mastrodomenico – Aglianico del Vulture harvest 2011

Paul Caputo — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:32:51 +0000

Sunshine and temperatures resembling the summer months greeted us on Tuesday the 4^th of October as we geared up for the harvest at Vigne Mastrdomenico, producers of one of our favourite wines, Aglianico del Vulture ‘Likos’ from Basilicata in the south of Italy. 2011 is in many ways an unusual vintage, reduced crops and high sugar levels posing an economical challenge for some of the smaller estates. Nevertheless wineries with the potential to blend fruit from different parcels of vines will no doubt make balanced wines brimming with juicy dark fruit and the potential to sleep in the cellar for years to come.

Vigne Mastrodomenico, although being a relatively small outfit with a production of around 60,000 bottles a year, has 8 complex hectares of volcanic soli which have historically yielded grapes with the potential to create different styles of wine. Consequently a deep-rooted knowledge of what each row of vines will achieve means they can consistently produce balanced wines with finesse and character.

After the excitement and apprehension, the banter and speculation, heated discussion over the pros and cons of harvesting on any given day, the date was decided and an 8am start beckoned. With company owner Giuseppe … Read more...

The Big Chester Wine Quiz Winners….Walker Smith Way

Paul Caputo — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:47:02 +0000

The Guildhall in Chester provided an impressive setting for the first ‘Big Chester Wine Quiz’ hosted by Cantina Caputo fine wine merchants and Zebra Marketing. An noteworthy 75 people, representing various local businesses settled into an hours networking and with the help of Beato Bartolomeo’s refreshing extra dry Prosecco which needless to say went down very well, the evening was off to a great start.

As excitement grew and sporting banter flared up teams made their way to their seats and with five blind wines requiring the identification of both grape and country the candlelit 14^th century church descended briefly into silence and head scratching.

The jovial atmosphere soon returned however as a combination of dingbats, celebrity pictures and tough trivia rounds on Chester, current affairs and of course wine, soon provoked intense discussion. Naturally proceedings were washed down with Sicilian specialities, Nero d’Avola and intense white wine, Catarratto.

Walker Smith Way were worthy winners in the end after a close running battle with West Coast Energy. Holly Nelson, marketing manager at the Chester solicitor firm said, “We were delighted to have won the quiz and be presented with the trophy. It was an excellent event and we will … Read more...

Aglianica 2011…..Aglianico del Vulture festival

Paul Caputo — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:28:12 +0000

Every year producers from Basilicata’s Aglianico del Vulture D.O.C. production zone take part in ‘Aglianica’, a wine festival held in the city of Venosa’s Castello di Pirro del Balzo. Local wine enthusiasts are encouraged to go along to celebrate the regions most acclaimed wines as well as artisanal salamis, cheeses and olive oils.

A Sunday evening presents a more intimate ambience and in many cases an opportunity to talk with wine makers without the trappings of the surroundings and clever marketing, an opportunity to contemplate solely what’s in the glass you might say.

Traditional folk music and a beautiful October’s evening did however get the better of me and in no time at all was compelled to taste through a whole host of wines. Regio Cantina’s Don Pa’ fermented in steel vats under controlled temperature was one of my favourites, 12-14 months in French barrique imparting an elegant mouth feel, silky tannins and a lovely explosion of black fruit on the palate.

With Basilicata offering mainly just Aglianico del Vulture’s I was able to taste pretty much as when something caught the eye. Bisceglia’s Gudarrà was one such wine; pleasantly refreshing as a dusty, dry tannic grip combined with youthful … Read more...