Unusual Italian Varietals Paired with Italian Cheese and Charcuterie Chez Wendy

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http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negroamaro

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(These wonderful photos were taken by Bernard at the Sicilian cooking meetup by Sal at Eugene's place. Thank you all again!)

https://www.meetup.com/LACooking/photos/1426941/#24132181

(6-27-2012)

OK, here are the final selection. Wendy's got the following wines:

-Tenuta dell'Ugolino Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico DOC 2010

-Terre al Sole Zibbibo IGP 2011
-Stefano Mancinelli Lacrima di Morro d'Alba DOC 2009
-Tabarrini Montefalco Sagrantino, Colle Grimaldesco DOCG 2006
-Cortesole Sangue di Giuda dolce DOC NV

(6-23-2012)

Wendy told me that she's thinking of having the following wines:

---Tenuta dell'Ugolino,Verdicchio di Castelli di Jesi (bianco, Le Marche)

---Terre al Sole, Zibbibo (bianco Sicilia)

---Stefano Mancinelli, Lacrima di Morro d'Alba (rosso Le Marche)

---Tabarrini Montefalco Sagrantino (rosso Umbria)

---Cortesole Sangue di Giuda (rosso frizzante Lombardia)

(Subject to change)

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LACRIMA DI MORRO D’ALBA D.O.C. SUPERIORE:

http://www.mancinellivini.it/lacrima_superiore.html

VITIGNO lacrima, clone autoctono di Morro d’Alba, ottenuta da vigneti con resa massima di 60 Ql / Ha.
COLORE rosso rubino molto intenso
ODORE molto intenso con sentori di rosa, viola e di frutti di bosco
SAPORE con intense speziature, di corpo, persistente, morbido ed equilibrato
VINIFICAZIONE breve macerazione in rosso, successiva fermentazione in bianco a temperatura controllata, maturazione per 1/5 in barriques e tonneaux e per 4/5 in inox per 12 mesi, affinamento per 3 mesi in bottiglia
ABBINAMENTO piatti importanti in genere, speziati ed aromatici di carni bianche e rosse
TEMPERATURA DI SERVIZIO 16-18° C

To attend, RSVP with prepayment and please bring 2 glasses. Tomorrow I'll send the address to the attendees who have paid.

Sally

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Dear members,

We're moving this event to July 1st with a changed theme - Unusual Italian Varietals chosen by Wendy such as the following:

Vespolina (Piemonte)

Lagrein (Alto Adige)

Negroamaro (Puglia)

Schioppettino (Friuli Venezia Giulia)

Lacrima di Morro d’Alba (Le Marche)

Malvasia Bianca (Puglia)

Pecorino (Le Marche)

Zibibbo (Sicily)

We're planning to have 5 different wines from Italy, mainly Southern, served with Italian cheese and charcuterie. To be able to have quality wine, we're really hoping to have at least 8-10 participants.

To attend, please RSVP with Paypal prepayment of $20. If you have any problem with Paypal, please contact me. The address is only going to be sent to the attendees who have paid.

Here's my practice translation of the description of Negroamaro from Italian to English. Feel free to contact me to make corrections!) I wasn't sure about "non è altro che la ripetizione".. I translated as "nothing but".. is it appropriate? Also "In commercio".. I translated as "Commercially," but could it be "On the market" perhaps?

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Negramaro.JPG

"Il Negroamaro (o Negramaro) è un vitigno (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitigno) a bacca nera coltivato quasi esclusivamente in Puglia (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puglia), in modo particolare nel Salento (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salento).

The Negroamaro (or Negramaro) is a wine of black berries grown almost exclusively in Puglia, particularly in Salento.

L'origine del nome non è altro che la ripetizione della parola nero in due lingue:nigerin latino (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingua_latina) e mavros in greco antico (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco_antico) (da cui il dialettale maru). È uno dei principali vitigni dell'Italia meridionale (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezzogiorno).

The origin of the name is nothing but a repetition of the word nero (black) in two languages: nigerin in Latin and mavros in Ancient Greek (from the dialect maru). It is one of the main wine grapes of Southern Italy.

E' un'uva estremamente versatile, molto utilizzata anche per la vinificazione (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinificazione) inrosato (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vino). In commercio è possibile reperire sia prodotti vinificati in purezza che blend.

It is extremely versatile grape, also more used for the rose wine. Commercially you can find products either purely made or blended.

Molto noto è il Salice Salentino DOC (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salice_Salentino) che per disciplinare è ottenuto attraverso un blend di uve Negroamaro 85% e Malvasia Nera 15%, la quale affievolisce le caratteristiche note amarognole tipiche del Negroamaro.

Most well-known is the Salice Salentino DOC which by regulation is obtained through a blend of 85% Negroamaro grapes and Malvasia Nera 15%, which weakens the known characteristic bitterness of typical Negroamaro.

Il gruppo musicale dei Negramaro (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negramaro) deve il suo nome a questo vitigno (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitigno).

The music band of Negramaro owes its name to this variety."

Hope to see you there,

Sally

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(below is the original writeup of the meetup)

Hi everyone,

It's a wine flight by our member Wendy!)) She's a fluent French and Italian speaker and works at the famous wine store called 55 Degrees in Atwater Village between Silver Lake and Glendale:

http://www.55degreewine.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/55-degree-wine-los-angeles-2#query:55%20degrees

We went to her fun event there before:

https://www.meetup.com/LACooking/events/15303267/?action=detail&eventId=15303267

I'm excited to have this meetup by Wendy - it's a flight of 5 different wines (this time 1 white wine, 1 sparkling wine, 1 rose and 2 red wines) with cheese (such as blue, goat, aged gouda, sheep and brie type) for $20 per person. Wendy and I know it'll cost more, but I told her that I'll cover the rest as this is also to celebrate my return.) Yes, I feel so happy and festive now! Hope you can join the celebration, too!)) Thank you, Wendy, for kindly opening your house to us, it's going to be very cozy and fun!)

Mais... elle a un petit problème....

Well, since Wendy's so passionate and knowledgeable about wine... plus she can purchase all kinds of wines from her work.... She's having a very hard time choosing which wines...)) Too many great choices, combinations are just limitless.... It's almost like a sweet torture lol

OK, let's take a glimpse of her scribbling...

"...I have a cava I really like from Spain or a very nice cremant de Bourgogne.... I have a fantastic Sicilian white ....crisp and lovely, then there are a few nice roses from Italy Spain France to choose from... I was thinking one Pinot from Italy, close to MntBlanc and another red from Mntepulciano...or we could throw in a nice white from Argentina or a red from Portugal..."

....You will know when you get there))

If you'd like to attend, please RSVP with Paypal prepayment. If you have any problem with Paypal, please contact me. The address is only going to be sent to the attendees who have paid.

Thank you very much, Wendy, I just cant' wait to celebrate my safe return to LA and meetup!))

Sally