L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano W hen psychedelic rock great Jimi Hendrix wrote "Purple haze, all in my brain ", I am pretty sure that the distinctive pomegranate- toned foam of Gragnano, a friz- zante red wine hailing from around its namesake town on the Sorrento Peninsula south of Napoli, was not the subject of his artistic reference. But, at the moment, it is exact- ly what is all in my brain. And I want some. Now. It is 127 miles, give or take, the distance between me and the nearest bottle of evanescent Gragnano, according to Winesearcher.com, a fact which continues to confound me. I JOEL MACK mean, here we are, in pizza- obsessed USA, in a corridor where pizza shops seem to out- number people. And yet, the task of locating a bottle of Gragnano - a wine that delivers one of the best pairings to pizza that you can imagine - is turning out to be, well, no easy task. Go figure. At the top of the year 2017, a time when one imagines busi- ness-minded folk taking stock of the coming year's entrepreneurial possibilities, it would seem some- one is missing out on a real opportunity in wine sales by not addressing better market avail- ability for Gragnano. If you are one of those importer / distributor / retailer types who still believe the national palate is not ready for Gragnano, well, that person may be you. And why, by the way, is poor availability of product not (so much) the case with the compara- ble, but more easily located Lambrusco wines, I wonder? I digress. Anyway: Gragnano, again, is gently frizzante (sparkling), low in alco- hol, perfumed of violets, with a distinct taste of grapes and nuances of berries. It has a slight- ly sweet vein balanced by savory/bitter notes. The wine pours with a loveable purple foaminess which dissipates quick- ly and has the kind of acidity / effervescence that makes it a sen- sational partner to street food, cutting through the fat of cheese and oil, and yet, accompanies classic dishes, too, with unpreten- tious dignity. Massively thirst- quenching, Gragnano is a wine meant to be drunk young. Although I have enjoyed it on occasion at room temperature, Gragnano is best served with a slight chill. Gragnano can be an especially easy crossover for Lambrusco lovers as it offers a similar drink- ing experience, however, Gragnano, comparatively speak- ing, impresses me as having a somewhat larger frame, finer per- lage (bubbles) and registering a different tone of earthiness. Principle grape varieties in Gragnano include the more wide- ly recognized Aglianico and somewhat offbeat Piedirosso and Sciascinoso, always grown on volcanic soil. Piedirosso, one of Italy's most ancient vines, coun- ters the more tannic Aglianico with softness. Sciascinoso, which doesn't accumulate much sugar, helps balance the contribution of Piedirosso's tendency to do so. Despite the romantic imagery of pizza and wine and red check- ered tablecloths in intimate restaurant surroundings, pairing wine to pizza can be sometimes tricky. But, this is home turf for Gragnano. So, let's consider some food pairings, and pizza, of course. But please - let us not speak here of toppings such as pineapple. You will not regret ordering a bottle of Gragnano with pizza margherita or white pizza topped perhaps with salami or prosciutto. Cecina / farinata (chickpea flour "pizza") and the always comforting mozzarella in carrozza (Italian grilled cheese) are simple and sensational pair- ings with Gragnano. Sausages with mascarpone, a favorite dish of Italian cyclist Marco Pantani, may he rest in peace, I imagine as insanely good company to Gragnano. Calzone stuffed with salami and ricotta; peppers and egg panino; cheeses like pro- volone, smoked scamorza, moz- zarella di buffala; cured meats such as salami, capicolla, pro- sciutto cotto. Gragnano is a per- fect wine for ever classic eggplant parmigiana or spaghetti with mus- sels in light marinara sauce, and a slam-dunk winner with fried seafood like squid, octopus, fried fish, especially pan-fried bacala. Get "take out" from your local Italian deli. Bring it home – turn on your favorite television show – wash it all down with copious amounts of Gragnano. Who can bother you??? Whether you are interested in exploring off-beat, indigenous varieties or just want to lay your lips onto something new and deli- cious, I encourage you to give Gragnano a try. When searching out Gragnano, look for Penisola Sorrentina DOC. Be sure to give the wine a chill before serving. And if you don't find Gragnano on the bottle shelf of your local wine shop, be sure to politely inform your retailer of the over- sight. Tasting Note Cantine Federiciane Gragnano Monteleone Intense and aromatic, with a lively pomegranate-toned froth, the wine shows notes of grape and berry with hints of violets, earth and spice. A slight, bal- anced touch of sweetness is joined by a note of smoke and gentle tannins for a lip-smacking finish. Serve slightly chilled. Gragnano is gently sparkling, low in alcohol, perfumed of violets, with a distinct taste of grapes and nuances of berries WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES Gragnano: All In My Brain Remix

• Cover