Italo Cescon’s Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio is one of the most recognized Italian white wines and comes from a mutation of Pinot Noir. The Pinot Grigio is one of Italo Cescon’s oldest wines. Production of the wine began when the family business was founded in 1957. In 2008, Decanter Magazine listed it as a best value white wine. This wine is made from 100% Pinot Grigio grapes, which are harvested during the last week of August. The vinification process includes light pressing with 60% free run-must and fermentation with cultured yeasts over 12 days. The wine is aged in stainless steel tanks for five months and in the bottle for three more months. Italo Cescon’s Pinot Grigio is straw yellow in color and has an intense aroma with lingering fragrances of nutmeg, vanilla, peach, ripe tomato and acacia blossom. It is a dry and crisp wine with hints of orange zest with full flavor and an elegant finish. Pinot Grigio is best served with seafood in a tulip-shaped glass and chilled to about 42 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chardonnay grapes are green-skinned and originated in Burgundy. These grapes are included in many sparkling wines, including champagne. Italo Cescon’s Chardonnay is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes harvested during the last week of August. The grapes are fast chilled before light pressing followed by cool temperature fermentation for about 15 days. The wine is aged in stainless steel tanks for four months and in the bottle for six months. The color is straw yellow with pale green highlights. It has an elegant and delicate aroma with notes of apple and banana. Chardonnay is a full and complex wine with a fresh and fruity taste. Like the Pinot Grigio, it can be paired with fish and served in a tulip-shaped glass at about the same temperature.

Pasta with Chickpeas

This delicious stew-like meal with cavatelli pasta and chickpeas will make everyone think you spent hours cooking!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Astorino Cavatelli
• 2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 3 T + 3/4 cup Migliarese Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 2 cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Grated Pecorino Romano cheese and crushed red pepper for serving

Directions

1. Put drained chickpeas in a pot filled with water. Be sure the chickpeas are completely covered. Pour 3 T of extra virgin olive oil on top. Bring to a boil over medium head. Add bay leaves and continue to boil for about 30 minutes, adding more water if needed to keep the chickpeas covered.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and 1/4 cup olive oil.

3. Pour teh tomato mixture into the pot of chickpeas and cook for an addition 45 minutes on medium-low heat. Check on the pot occassionally and add more water if needed. If time allows, this sauce can continue to cook longer to enhance the flavors.

4. Add the cup of cavatelli pasta to the pot and allow it to cook until the pasta is your desired tenderness. Again, add more water if needed.

5. Ladle the stew into bowls and serve with a generous a mount of grated Pecorino Romano cheese (adding salty, creamy flavor) and crushed red pepper for a bit of a kick.

6. Serve with thick slices and bread and a glass of Italo Cescon Cabernet. The complex and well-balanced taste of the Cabernet will enhance the rustic flavors of the dish.

A Look at Italo Cescon’s Red Wine Portfolio

Di Vino carries three of Italo Cescon’s red wines – Cabernet, Merlot and Pinto Nero. A quick guide to each is listed below.

Cabernet’s ability to adapt has made it one of the most recognized red wine grape varieties in the world, growing in every major wine producing country. For most of the 1900s, it was the most widely planted premium red wine grape until Merlot passed it in the late 1990s.

Italo Cescon’s Cabernet Doc Piave “Il Tralcetto” is made up of 100% Cabernet grapes and is grown is a clay-based soil in the Piave area. The grapes are harvested during the third week of September and spend four to five days in cold pre-fermentation maceration, followed by traditional maceration. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations last about 20 days. The Cabernet is aged in an oaken barrel nine months and in the bottle for six more months. This wine is ruby red with hints of purple and has a rich aroma of fruits and spices. The Cabernet has a dry, fruity taste with notes of vanilla. Serve this wine with roasts, poultry, game and aged cheese in a glass with a large bowl at about 64 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Merlot grape originally came from the Bordeaux region in France. It’s name supposedly comes from the blackbird that has a preference for it’s berries. The Merlot became widely cultivated in Italy in the 19th century. The Merlot grape loves cold soils with good humidity, making it perfect for Italo Cescon’s vineyards along the Piave River.

The Merlot is made up of 100% Merlot grapes and also is grown in a clay-based soil. These grapes are harvested during the third week of September before spending two to three days in pre-fermentation maceration. The grapes then spend 10 days in traditional maceration. The wine is aged in French wooden oak barrels for nine months and then in the bottle for four more months. The Merlot is a dense ruby red with an intense aroma with pronounced fruit and spice. The taste is warm and generous with a dry, full-bodied, lengthy finish. Pair this Merlot with roast light meats and poultry at about 64 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pinot Nero, or Pinot Noir, is one of the oldest grape varieties to be cultivated to make wine and often is described as a difficult grape because of it’s need for particular climate conditions to thrive. The Pinot Nero is made with 100% Pinot Nero grapes and is harvested during the first week of September before spending four days in pre-maceration. The grapes then spend six days in traditional maceration and alcoholic fermentation. The Pinot Nero is aged in tanks for four months and then in the bottle for three more months. This wine also is ruby red in color. It’s aroma is elegant with fruit and rose petal notes. It is full flavored with  spicy notes and a lengthy finish. Serve this wine with roasts (both light and red meat) and game a little cooler than the Cabernet and Merlot.

Italo Cescon Profile

Italo Cescon has been producing wines in the Italian region of Veneto & Fruili since 1957. Italo Cescon wines are natural wines that have been carefully studied and developed by the Cescon family. The vineyards are made up of 115 ha spread among six estates. Sustainability and preservation are top priorities for the Cescon family. They use mostly natural fertilizers and no preservatives. Italo Cescon was also the first producer in the Veneto region to include braille on a wine bottle. Five lines make up the Italo Cescon wine portfolio – Il Tralcetto, I Cru, I Collinari, Amaranto 72 and Grappa.

Italo Cescon is most noted for its Il Tralcetto wines. This line of wines is distributed all over the world and can be identified by their unique presentation. Each bottle comes with a piece of vine tied to the neck. While collecting the vines that had been pruned on a winter day in 1957, Grandmother Anna saved a small piece of the vine and placed it in her apron pocket. When she returned home, her son and grape grower Italo, helped her tie the piece of vine with a string to the neck of a wine bottle from their vineyard. The piece of vine symbolizes the land, vine and hard work that help make the wine. The story of the tralcetto continues today, showing Italo Cescon’s classic production of genuineness and the simple way to preserve it. Twelve wines make up the Il Tralcetto line including Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero, Raboso, Refosco and Riesling.