This may seem like strange advice. Lasagna is not the easiest thing to do, but when my mind is going in too many directions and I feel like I am swimming upsteam, I need to put my hands to a task that removes and quiets my mind. It is therapeutic for me. Some people do yoga; I cook.

What you will need:

2 Quarts of sauce (your choice of meat or no meat, either is delicious). You can buy a good one already made for you, or whip one up, as you wish. I have blogged about my gravy before, so I won’t bore you with those details here. If you want my recipe, email me, I am happy to share. Truth be told, I have a mix of marinara and bolognese, and I am just going to combine them—call me crazy, but I am just having some fun! I have them both left over in the freezer, so this makes life easier.

1 Quart of good quality grated Parmesan cheese, please grate it yourself, it is a good arm work out & the result is exponentially better.

1 ball of fresh mozzarella, yes, quality matters here, so get a good one, you only need one! Pomelo Imported Buffalo mozz for me today, but there are a lot of good quality choices. Even here in Rhody, Narraganset Creamy makes a delicious fresh mozzarella.

1 Pint of ricotta. I like Bellweather Farms Sheep’s milk, but you choose. Sheep’s milk adds a tang that I really like, but this is personal. Again, the end result will only be as good as the ingredients with which you begin, so choose wisely.

a dozen eggs, this will vary depending on size.

4 cups of flour

salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 350.

The pasta. Yes, you can use dry or buy fresh lasagna noodles, or if time allows, and you are trying to process some emotion, make your own. This is a good indication of how Italian women work through their emotions. Have you ever kneaded the dough? It is better than a punching bag! It may seem difficult, but there is a way to spead it up & ensure success—use a Kitchen Aid mixer to help. I begin with 4 cups of flour, make a well, and put 4 whole eggs and 5 yolks in the center. If your eggs are small, you may want to add 1-2 eggs to get the right consistency. (Look on Ytube, there are videos for everything on there. But try, it is worth it!) With a fork, stir, and incorporate the flour gradually. When a ball starts to form, I turn on the mixer on 2 and let it do some of the kneading for me. Then place it on a floured boad and finish it by hand. Press from the heal of your hand, away from you, roll, press, roll, press. Use your fingers to roll it, then your palm to press away. Work it until it is smooth and has a light sheen. Wrap and rest for 30+ minutes. (Not going to lie, this takes a little practice, but is a skill worth developing.)
During the resting time, prep your ingredients: pull out the gravy, mix your ricotta with an egg, a handful og fresh minced parsley, grated parmesan, and half of your ball of mozzarella cut up in small cubes, if you are adding meatballs or sausage, roughly chop those, too. If this seems less than precise, that is because it is. You cannot mess this up. Just keep in mind that the more you pile in, the finished product may be a little messier; the less you put in, the more likely it will stay neatly stacked when you cut it. I feel strongly in favor of both styles, so just go for it.
If going for fresh pasta…Roll out your pasta. You want it thin enough to see the shape of your hand as it lays over it. On my machine, I roll to 6 out of 9. The pasta can sit while you roll out enough for your recipe, just be sure to flour each side well, so they do not stick. I like a lot of layers, but this is up to you.
Be free. Lasagna is personal, so just follow your gut and make it as you like. There is no perfect recipe, though there are tons on the internet. That is more of a philosophy than an actual step. Truth be told, each time I make it for my Dad (who loves me a lot), he tell’s me “it is almost as good as your mom’s.” It is just different, so be you and do you pasta as you wish. My mon’s was damn good, but what made it good was the love and her confidence, so be liberal with both.
Boil a shallow pot of water and salt the water. Lay out the containers of ingredients, so everything is within reach. This is the assembly part. Don’t freak out. Put all your ingredients next to you with spoons in each one, have a baking pan ready. You are going to layer. Put a single noodle into the water for a minute (no more), pull it out and lay it on top of a some gravy—be generous with the amount of gravy on each layer, your pasta needs to absorb the liquid. Also don’t worry about pasta water, that will add moisture, texture and flavor. Now, layer. I put some gravy on each layer, but I like to put the “stuff” on every other layer—so if you have meat or your cheese mix, stager them. I want a lot of pasta in each bite. A sprinkle of parm on every layer. And Salt & Pepper to your taste, but use some, please.
On the top, place the remaining gravy (yes, this is synonymous with tomato sauce if you are from New England), any parm, and the other half of fresh mozzarella sliced.
Place uncovered in your preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. You want the corners to get a little crispy; they are worth fighting over. Allow the lasagna to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Open a good bottle of Sangiovese.
Enjoy.

Sometimes, we just need to stop whatever we are doing, and do what makes us feel good, confident, and happy.

Cheers, Maria

Maria ChiancolaOctober 13, 2020

september wine notes

Some heartier flavors for dropping temperatures and richer menus!

Indulgence

September 2020

Wine Notes

The weather has already begun to shift to cooler temperatures, and I have had lots of requests for more robust reds, so this month's selections are geared toward a balance of summer flavors in fall styles. That means a little more full bodied complex wines that will accompany the menus for cooler evenings, and pair well with boots or flips! The move to our new location has given me the opportunity to add more inventory, so this month’s selections are almost entirely new to the shop, which is exciting for me. I hope you are enjoying the bounty of the summer harvest, and that my wine selections inspire you to eat, drink, and think.

Cheers, Maria

Super Value 3 Pack

2014 Palestra, Porto, Douro, Portugal. When I talk about great values in the shop, this one always come to mind. This red is a crowd pleaser, medium body, ruby colored red with richness of flavor and a little spice on the finish. It is a blend of Tinta Roriz (50%), Touriga Franca (25%) e Tinta Barroca (25%). The Tinto Roriz, aka, Tempranillo, will be familiar to you, but the other grapes give it a complexity that make it unique and interesting. It gets just a couple of months in oak before bottling, giving some structure and tannins, with a nice earthy mouth feel. I recommend this with a hunk of gouda and the new harissa crackers we just got in!

2019 Esperao Bico Amarelo, Vinho Verde, Portugal. This is brand new to the store, and I have you all to thank because you tell me about the wonderful wines you try at local restaurants. You are helping with my research! I am a fan of Vinho Verde because they are delicious, fresh, and easy wines that you can just throw back by themselves or with light fare. That said, once in a while, one comes along that is more than your average bear, if you know what I mean, and the Bico is that wine. It richer in texture than you expect, with interesting fall fruit notes, more quince, citrus, and kumquat with a touch of honey. Still bright acidity, but a smoother texture. Enjoy this one with your next ear of corn, grilled and smothered down with some salted French butter!

Think that sounds quick, you are spot on, it is! It preserves the freshness of the wine, giving it a youthful “green” expression. This rosé version is exactly that, young and fruity with crisp citrus notes, and a lively delicate berry bouquet. I am going to pair this one with my roasted whole fish tonight, flavored with our new NY Shuk Harissa and roasted potatoes!

Value Wines

2019 Esperao Bico Amarelo, Vinho Verde, Portugal. This is brand new to the store, and I have you all to thank because you tell me about the wonderful wines you try at local restaurants. You are helping with my research! I am a fan of Vinho Verde because they are delicious, fresh, and easy wines that you can just throw back by themselves of with light fare. That said, once in a while, one comes along that is more than your average bear, if you know what I mean, and the Bico is that wine. It richer in texture than you expect, with interesting fall fruit notes, more quince, citrus, and kumquat with a touch of honey. Still bright acidity, but a smoother texture. Enjoy this one with your next ear of corn, grilled and smothered down with some salted French butter!

2019 Aveleda Fonte Vinho Verde Rosé, Portugal. What makes Vinho Verde is age and region. This is a region in the far north of Portugal, where they often blend several varietals, like Loureiro, Alvarinho, Arinta, Touriga National, to just name a few. The key character of VV is that it is bottled three to six months after harvest, and if you think that sounds quick, you are spot on, it is! It preserves the freshness of the wine, giving it a youthful “green” expression. This rosé version is exactly that, young and fruity with crisp citrus notes, and a lively delicate berry bouquet. I am going to pair this one with my roasted whole fish tonight, flavored with our new NY Shuk Harissa and roasted potatoes!

2017 Pierazzouli Chianti Montalbano DOCG. This is 100% Sangiovese from Tuscany, and there is no mistaking that. It has that wonderful salumeria aroma that is unmistakably Chianti. This value red offers a lot for those who are seeking more full flavors for fall menus. It has ample fruit, with a wonderful ripeness that invoked brandied cherries both on the nose and the palate. The supple tannins and ample acidity cleanse the palate, preparing you for your next bite...and what should you eat with it? I suggest pizza. Perhaps that is just because I am in the mood, but the flavors would be ideal together!

2018 Domaine de Castalnau Picpoul de Pinet, Northern Langueduc, France. “Domaine de Castelnau’s origins date back to the 13th Century when it was the property of the Seigneurs (Lords) de Guers. Situated between Béziers and Montpellier, Castelnau-de-Guers is one of six communes that make up the Picpoul de Pinet appellation. This Côteaux du Languedoc sub-region is dedicated entirely to white wine made from the Piquepoul grape. Now owned by Christophe Muret, Domaine de Castelnau is one of only 20 independent domaines in the appellation, as cooperative wineries account for nearly 80% of Picpoul de Pinet production. About 32 of the domaine’s 240 acres are planted to Piquepoul, a variety that has been growing near the Mediterranean’s Thau Basin for centuries. This natural lagoon is one of the finest sources for shellfish in southern France and particularly renown for commercial cultivation of oysters. Languedoc locals and tourists agree that the citrus and mineral characteristics of well-made Picpoul de Pinet make it the perfect accompaniment to les Huîtres de Bouzigues, the basin’s famous bivalves. The rich marine fauna and flora of L’Etang de Thau also make it a desirable habitat for migrating birds including grey herons and pink flamingos, the latter adorning the label of Domaine de Castelnau’s Cuvée L’Etang.” Wine maker’s notes.

I love this wine. It is fermented in stainless steel, so crisp and lean with lots of texture from the fine lees that it is fermented on until well into February, when it is lightly filtered and bottled. The result is a complex aroma of green apple and candied lemon peel, soft beeswax notes on the palate with a finish of lemon verbena and salinity. I want oysters and lots of them!

2018 Chateau Faugere, Bordeaux, France. For those of you who have been nudging me for some “bigger reds,” you are welcome. It is rich, full flavored, supple and so satisfying, and it is prefect for these cooler nights. Think brambly fruit, with interesting dark cherry notes, hints of tobacco and licorice. The tannins are present but not drying, just giving texture and structure. You could go big with this one and throw some steaks on the grill, or just roast a pile of late summer beets, potatoes, and carrots with some of the NY Shuck Ras al Hanout, and enjoy with some crusty bread.

Select Wines

2019 Domaine Salvard Rosé, Chevery, Loire, France. This is a perennial favorite around the shop and beyond. Kermit Lynch imports rarely disappoints, but this one really shines. For me, this is a wine that dances with me. It has all the wonderful berry notes on the nose, more blue than straw, but on the palate, think fresh cranberries and citrus. I love it on it’s own, or with the Nettle Meadow Lavender Honey Goat Cheese & the Rosales tostados.

Kermit’s notes “Domaine du Salvard has been a working domaine since 1898, through five hardworking generations of the Delaille family. Today, all forty-two hectares of vineyards are farmed by the capable brother team of Emmanuel and Thierry Delaille, with help from their father Gilbert. To our delight, they have carried on the traditions established by their ancestors, producing a true, classic Cheverny that is both simple and elegant. The Delaille brothers have focused their attention on growing fresh, lively Sauvignon Blanc, deeply rooted in the sand, clay, and limestone plains of northeastern Touraine. Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Cot constitute their red grape holdings, creating youthful reds with great aromatics. Gilbert and his sons have also made their own contributions to the heritage of the domaine, including the introduction of sustainable farming practices into the vineyards, as well as temperature-controlled vinification equipment to the winery.

Until finally achieving A.O.C. status in 1993, Cheverny was widely regarded as one of the best V.D.Q.S. (Vin de Qualité Superieur) of the Loire. However, some argue that this A.O.C.-in-waiting designation was a political maneuver by the I.N.A.O. to keep Cheverny’s delicious, sprightly Sauvignon Blanc out of competition with the other more famous appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Kermit was the first to discover the charm and value of Cheverny back in 1978 when he imported the Domaine Jean Gueritte. He took on the Cheverny of Domaine du Salvard in 1992, a year before the status change in the appellation. We continue to tout the domaine’s wine as one of the greatest values for Sauvignon Blanc perfection.”

2018 Balestra Valda Soave, Italy. This organic Garganega and Trebbiano blend from the hills of Soave needs to be part of your next summer meal. It has abundant fruit and a weightiness that makes it ideal for some intense flavors like tomatoes, sea bass, scallops, and even a charcuterie platter! The Rizzotto’s farm old vine vineyards organically producing a high toned, tasty white that will please the Pinot Grigio drinkers in your life. Next time you have a hankering for Italian white, try it & tell me what you think. I loved it with a watercress pesto over grilled whole black bass with roasted vegetables.

2018 Cantina Castello di Torre in Pietra Vermentino, Lazio, Italy. If you love Sauvignon Blanc, and want to try something new, this is a super safe choice for you. It has all the citrus, apple, and nuttiness, with those grassy notes that you love. The great thing about Vermentino is that it is underrated and not well known, so you can grab one for under $20 that will rock your world. This wine will surprise you with its complexity and acidity—it is grown in sandy soil, hand harvested slowly over a two week period to allow for preservation of acid and brightness, it spends 3 months in stainless steel on the lees which gives it texture, and then one more month in bottle before release. It’s aromatics will seduce you! The wine maker’s tasting notes: “Bright straw yellow in colour, with intense notes of white flowers, citrus fruits, yellow peach and the scents of the Mediterranean scrub, from broom to aromatic herbs, in particular sage and thyme. In the mouth it is fresh, lively, savory, with mineral notes typically marine.” I would pair this with some tuna carpaccio!

2016 Monteversa, Versacinto Rosso, Veneto, COLLI EUGANEI, Italy. This Bordeaux blend comes from a small DOCG in the Veneto, where a family began their wine journey not long ago. Their purpose is to make delicious organic wine naturally (certified in 2010), and they are really crushing it! While these grapes often make their way into Italian wines, this Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc blend is a bit surprising to most wine drinkers as being from Italy. I love to bring you those surprises. This wine is medium in body, juicy ripe brambly fruit on the midpalate, with a brightness and freshness that surprised me when I first tried it. The acidity is subtle but cleanses the palate, and there are some notes of tea leaves, graphite, and mushrooms on the finish. The care of this handcrafted wine is so apparent when you take your very first sip. When I first tasted in, I was stopped with the glass just an inch from my lips with a question and a smile. It is a surprising wine, not so much in flavor, but in its uniquely Italian character. There is something meaty about it for me, scents of the butcher shop. It is food flexible, so enjoy it with pizza or a steak on the grill, or with bolognese.

2017 Presqu’ile Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara. This balanced and elegant pinot comes from Santa Barbara county in California and is the result of a multigenerational project between the Murphy parents and their three adult children with a shared goal to make balanced nuanced wines. I am impressed with these wines for the grace and finesse, food friendly nature and subtly of flavors—black cherry, a touch of blackberry, notes of mushroom and toasted almond. This is a wonderful dinner party meal to share with friends, as it will please all palates.

Wine maker’s notes, “Our 2017 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir offers what we consider the hallmarks of our AVA: balance, complexity and the ever-present "Santa Maria spice". We prize the complex combination of fruit, earth and spice, the qualities which made us fall in love with this region. When compared to our single vineyard offerings, this wine is less tightly wound, offering early enjoyment without lacking the bones to age.”

Domaine de la Chanteleuserie, Loire, France. Ok, I am just going to say it, I love this wine! I know, I say that I am polyamorous when it comes to the wines in my shop, but every once in a while, I just cannot get enough of one, and this one is on that short list. First, flavor. It is down right delicious, simple as that. With raisiny quality without an extracted taste or weight. The balance of flavor to the delicate nature of the style and build of the wine is a pleasant surprise. It is power without overwhelming the palate. The finish has a touch of pepper, but again nuanced and blended with a touch of smoked paprika. I want to make a tagine for this one.

Kermit’s notes, “Just outside of the village of Benais, in the heart of the Touraine, sits the lovely Domaine de la Chanteleuserie. This “place where the larks sing,” as the name means, is perched on a limestone plateau in an idyllic landscape. Moïse Boucard, a respected vigneron whom Kermit discovered in 1976, has not only given his good sense of humor and modesty to his son, Thierry, but his winemaking skills, too. The seventh generation of winegrowers at Chanteleuserie and the second generation to be working with KLWM, Thierry now shares the Domaine with his wife, Christine.

This is the land of Cabernet Franc, better known locally as “Breton.” While some vignerons in the area add up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Boucards make pure varietal wines. Bourgueil is among the most age-worthy of the Loire Valley’s reds, and the wines from Domaine de la Chanteleuserie are no exception: their 1976 still drinks well today! Despite their structure, these wines have a suppleness and generosity of fruit that set them apart from most wines produced in the area today.

The Chanteleuserie vineyards enjoy full southern exposure on limestone and clay, with a subsoil of porous, chalky tuffeau that also provides cellars with naturally ideal aging conditions. Thierry keeps yields low and protects his harvest by bringing the grapes in quickly and keeping them cool during destemming. Temperature control continues during fermentation to preserve freshness and acidity, thereby avoiding the rude tannic bite found in some Bourgueils. The wines are later racked into foudres for additional roundness of texture and depth. The “Cuvée Alouettes,” alluding to the name of the domaine, is fresh, supple, fruity, and ready to be drunk young. The Bourgueil “Vieilles Vignes” hails from vines 40-80 years old, and the “Cuvée Beauvais,” from one of Bourgueil’s greatest sites, originates from the tuffeau hillsides near the domaine. Both are delicious young and outstanding when aged.”

Collector’s wines

This month I had an opportunity to get my hands on a few special Loire wines, and I am so excited for you to try them. It is rare that I claim to love one region over another. I am a firm believer that there are good wines from all regions, and I love well made wines, regardless of where it originates. That said, if pressed with the deserted islandquestion, I would pick the Loire, seven days a week and twice on Sunday. Consistently, the wines please my palate, and that is personal, but it is more than that. The wines from the Loire, for the most part are undervalued, so you get a superior quality product for less money. The Vacheron Sancerre Rouge, for example, offers an exceptional glass of French pinot noir that would be impossible to find in Burgundy at the same price. Admittedly, Sancerre’s are gaining still in popularity, and therefore have a higher ticket price, but arguably still a good value. These are no exception.

The 2016 vintage was devastating for many wine maker’s with harsh early frosts that destroyed vineyards and profoundly reduced yields. 2017 began with some frightening familiar early spring weather, but the harvest recovered with a balmy summer that allowed the grapes to develop and mature and produce superior wines. The vintage does have a slightly higher concentration of flavors, but there is no loss of elegance. The wines merit aging, particularly Sancerre, which enjoyed ideal growing conditions for wines through the summer, resulting in an early pick time. That is always good for preserving the necessary acidity to keep the wines lively, albeit a bit richer.

These wines are special, enjoy them now or lay them down and the they will reward you for your patience.

2017 Vacheron Sancerre Rouge

Importer’s Notes:

The Vacherons without question are Sancerre’s leading winemaking
clan. From the family’s pioneering work in identifying and exploring the region’s top terroirs to their leading position in biodynamic viticulture, there are few if any artisans today in Sancerre as exacting or as respected. The estate’s peerless older vines, planted and cultivated by generations
of family members, are cared for fastidiously. Yet it is the their single- vineyard wines—terroir-based selections recalling the painstaking work of Burgundian monks in the Côte d’Or—that have shown the world the heights and complexity that Sancerre can reach.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC

WINERY: Domaine Vacheron

WINEMAKERS: Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron (cousins)

ESTABLISHED: 1900

REGION: FRANCE • Loire Valley • Sancerre

APPELLATION: Sancerre AOC

BLEND: 100% Pinot Noir

VINEYARDS: A peerless collection of hillside vineyards around the town of Sancerre, with a mix of chalk and flint (silex) soils.

AGE OF VINES: 30 to 50 years

WINEMAKING: Hand-harvested. Fermented on indigenous yeasts and aged in a combination of foudre and older French barrique. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

TASTING IMPRESSIONS: Aromas of red berries with hints of orange zest. Peppery spice blends with ripe raspberry and pomegranate flavors.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: Grilled chicken; French charcuterie

2017 Comte Lafond Sancerre Blanc

Importer’s Notes

Baron Patrick de Ladoucette produces this wine. The growing area is the Sancerre Controlled Appellation area, which includes the villages of Bué, Chaudoux, Chavignol and Verdigny. Vines are aged from 25 to 35 years. The soil is a combination of clay, limestone and silica.

Winemaking

The grapes are transported in wagons which have bases that open to allow the grapes to empty uniquely by gravity.

The winery is made up of three levels. The first level is where the grapes are received and sorted without crushing keeping the grapes from the different parcels separate. The juice then flows simply by gravity to the second level where the pressing with the division of the juice "à la champenoise" takes place. The third level is where the wine clarified using a cooling system to regulate the temperature of the juice with maceration “pulpaire”.

In stainless vats thermostatically regulated to 64°F for six to eight weeks. On lees for three to six months with regulation agitation. The wine is never placed in wooden barrels in order to preserve the natural aromas of the grapes.

Tasting Notes

Beautiful crystalline dress, pale gold.

The olfactory expression opens immediately on a succession of shades that are constantly renewed. First citrus fruits (orange peel and lemon), then summer fruits (white peach and pear) finally honey notes on a subtle background of peppermint... an excellent complexity that translates richness and elegance.

The lively and very frank attack precedes the acidulous roundness of the summer fruits expressed by the nose which are mingled with the refreshing flavors of exotic fruits (lychee, mango). Then, in delicate harmony, the fat and smells of fresh almond and pear are revealed. The finish, based on a stony minerality, is prolonged on notes of very ripe lemon.

Food Pairing

This wine pairs beautifully with shellfish, seafood and goat cheeses.

Reviews

92 POINTS

July 2020, John Gilman

“Patrick de Ladoucette sources the grapes for this bottling from the villages of Bué, Chadoux, Chavignol and Verdigny, with the vineyards ranging from twenty-five to thirty-five years of age. It is fermented and raised entirely in stainless steel. The 2018 Comte Lafond Sancerre is a very refined and fairly powerful example of the vintage, offering up a complex bouquet of gooseberry, lime zest, a touch of clementine, complex limestone soil tones, fresh-cut grass and a topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with superb acids and grip, fine backend mineral drive and a long, complex and very well-balanced finish. This is a really fine bottle of Sancerre that should age very gracefully. 2020-2030+.”

Wilfred Wong

90 POINTS

August 22, 2019, Wilfred Wong

“In my close-knit wine group, the word, "Sancerre," always gets a smile. The 2018 Ladoucette Comte Lafond brought pleasing thoughts to my palate. This wine is Sancerre à point. Its aromas and flavors of dried earth and lively mineral notes should be perfect with a bowl of clams and linguine.”

Maria ChiancolaAugust 31, 2020