Cantina Caputo - UK Fine Wine Merchants

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...

The Big Chester Wine Quiz

Paul Caputo — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:27:23 +0000

You are invited to ‘The Big Chester Wine Quiz’

‘The Big Chester Wine Quiz’ is a combined wine tasting and general knowledge quiz hosted by Cantina Caputo and Zebra Marketing & Communications. This event is a fun opportunity to team build and an excellent chance to network with businesses within Chester and the local area, while testing your wine expertise and general knowledge.

When: Venue: Cost:

Thursday 22 September 2011 starting at 6 pm Chester Guildhall, Watergate Street (opposite Bar Lounge) £50 per team of four to include Wine Tasting and Italian Supper

The evening begins at 6 pm with the opportunity to catch-up with other local businesses. The quiz will kick off at 7 pm with five fine Italian wines to taste and identify, before moving on to a couple of rounds of general knowledge questions. Supper will be served halfway through the quiz and the evening will round off with results, a raffle and prize giving.

The proceeds from the raffle will be in aid of Empowering Youth Foundation (EYF), a locally- based national charity that teaches life skills to children via sport. EYF currently hold the only license in the UK

Good value Italian wines

Paul Caputo — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:54:47 +0000

Sometimes we just want some good, simple wines to fill the racks with and enjoy drinking without having to weigh up the price against the occasion. We are regularly asked to recommend a few good pouring wines and so we are sure many well find this little list useful.

At £7.50 this Soave Classico is one of the most enjoyable white wines we have at this price point. The producer, Cantina di Monteforte d’Alpone, was founded in March 1952 as a society of 80 local winegrowers all sharing a common love of the land and the grapevine. Situated on a sunny hillside exposure, Cantina di Monteforte S.c.a, today, amounts to 600 members with 1300 hectares of vineyard 80% of which is D.O.C. classified. The vineyards are situated in the heart of the Soave Classico zone and depending on the ripeness of the vintage the grapes are harvested in mid October with the fruit from each vineyard vinified seperately. The grapes are pressed gently and a slight contact with the lees is permitted to increase character. The must is fermented in small barrels where it remains to refine for about a year. Fresh and lively Garganega grapes burst with citrus, green fruit and a … Read more...

Malbec ‘Finca la Linda’ by Luigi Bosca

Paul Caputo — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:25:25 +0000

After a quite frankly dark, dismal cold and wet weekend, writing about Luigi Bosca’s ‘Finca la Linda’ Malbec does at least conjure some notions of sunshine. Just 15 km south of Mendoza in the tranquil countryside of Luján de Cuyo the Arizu family make a number of single variety wines that are fresh, clean, brimming with ripe fruit and indicative of the quality modern wines coming out of Argentina at the moment.

Although the full Bosca range is very impressive it is the basic entry level Malbec that has become my house wine at the moment, the kind of wine you can whip the top off without stopping to think about food pairings, price or who will be drinking it. It is just a really good pouring wine for those moments when unwinding is the priority.

Don’t however be fooled though into thinking this is just another bottle of mass produced red juice from a faceless source. The Arizu family have been striving to understand their terroir and deliver quality wines since the late 19th century and although the company now includes six estates it is once of the few wine firms still in the hands of the original owners. They … Read more...

Fiano di Avellino by Vesevo

Paul Caputo — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 06:29:15 +0000

Over the last couple of months I have often found myself recommending wines from Italy’s southern Campania region. The three main indigenous white grape varieties, Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Falanghina have benefited from a new international approach to winemaking, while the most noteworthy reds, produced from Aglianico are showing signs of being able to stand up to what many consider as the more serious wines from Tuscany and Piedmont.

Campania as a wine region can be traced back as far as the 12th century BC, always being referred to as a fertile land, rich in minerals and ideal for the production of quality wine. The influence of Vesuvius is evident here as a complex and diverse combination of volcanic terroirs, combined with hot dry summers and mild winters have for centuries provided the conditions for a number of rare varieties to feel right at home. Grapes such as Coda di Volpe, Piedirosso and Asprino, although not renown for premium wine production are now starting to appear on the international radar.

Today, wines from Campania are considerably better than they were even 10 years ago. It is no longer a surprise to see these grape varieties sitting on wine … Read more...

Cantine Lenotti

Paul Caputo — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:45:22 +0000

Two wines have caught my attention in this recent spell of bad weather, mainly due to their ability to put a little bit of sunshine in my glass. A Valpolicella and a very unpretentious Sangiovese and Merlot blend going by the name of Rosso Passo. Both of these wines are produce by well respected producer in the Veneto called Cantine Lenotti.

Lenotti’s winemaking credentials can be traced back to 1906 where a reputation was earned selling local wine of recognised quality.

The Rosso Passo is a blend of Sangiovese and Merlot and is perfect for those lazy evenings where unwinding is more important than contemplating the subtle nuances of a finer wine. It is simply good juice from good fruit vinified in stainless steal and released early while the wine exudes the natural Cherry and plum characteristics of the grapes. At just 12.5% you forgive yourself for finishing the bottle.

The Valpolicella, as you might expect, is richer with an ethereal, velvety texture of red fruits and just a touch of bitter almonds. The grapes of the region, Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara come together to form a blend that, at this price point, shows brilliant balances and depth of flavour.… Read more...

Barolo 2005 Vintage Report

Paul Caputo — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:33:19 +0000

Barolo, when done properly is magical and ‘the king of wines’ needs little introduction. With just one or two outstanding vintages per decade and the price of the top wines well above £50 a bottle the importance of estate and vintage becomes crucial to purchasing decisions and so with the 2005s starting to appear on restaurant lists and in independent shops a run through of the vintage seemed a useful exercise.

The DOCG regulations stipulate that Barolo must be produced from 100% Nebbiolo and with the grape being one of latest to fully ripen in Italy it is clear that the quality of the wines are reliant on favourable weather conditions just before the harvest. 2005 was certainly a tricky vintage with the summer seeing extended wet periods and relatively cool temperatures while October rains just before picking did some damage, although the more established names managed to get the fruit into the winery avoiding dilution. A little evidence of rot and uneven ripening can be found but like most years, there are plenty of growers who made excellent wines.

The vintage was different from the preceding 2004, which is considered to be one of the best of the decade, due … Read more...