This is how I work post Christmas: spritz & emails…

Whilst we still have two @mondoimports vans on the road delivering stocks to restaurants in the Melbourne, there is definitely a more relaxed vibe in the air. This means more time to get stuff done and having time to check emails (and enjoy an Aperol spritz) and reply with thought, rather than always being 100 miles an hour.

The last twelve months have been crazy, the next twelve months ahead will probably make this year look like a stroll in the park. With all systems go with the redevelopment of our buildings, more wines, beers, digestivo’s and aperitivo’s for @mondoimports either about to leave Italy or on the water on the way it seems like it is going to get out of control pretty soon. Well, as they say, if you stand still you get left behind.

I hope everyone has had a relaxing Christmas, taken time to sit back and eat and drink with family and recharge those batteries for another year head.

 

Eating like a king and getting into the festive spirit..

Whilst I hate the craziness of Christmas, it is a good time to catch up with old friends and share a glass of wine and meal. Via @mondoimports we sell to restaurants all over Australia.

At the top end of Australia in Port Douglas, Tony Sassi of Sassi’s has been turning out some of the best Italian food in the north and originally from Melbourne he has quiet a following from all over Australia.

I supply Tony with Rosato from Basilicata and Abruzzo for his restaurant and they sell truckloads. The tropics is the perfect environment for cold Rosato and cold beer.

Over Christmas, Tony shuts the restaurant and returns to Melbourne to visit family. On his return last week, he cooked the team a fantastic Risotto, washed down with cold beer and Rosato or course.

If you are ever in Port Douglas, you should make the visit and eat at Sassi.

Sassi Cucina
9 Grant Street
Port Douglas
t: 0740996744
w: http://www.sassi.com.au

#realperoni: couldn’t have said it better myself…

Love the description of #realperoni cans at Darmagi in Hepburn Springs, Victoria. Classic….!

Darmagi
97 Main Road,
Hepburn Springs, Victoria
http://www.darmagi.com.au

December: a crazy month for all….

Well there is no such thing as a quiet December. I am sure everyone is trying to get as much done before Christmas rolls around.

Containers of Peroni Rosso arrive from Italy.

Over the last couple of weeks it has been all systems go with lots of containers of Italian beer and wine arriving which will keep everyone well stocked well into summer. I have spent the last two weeks at home which has been great and really only have two more dinners before we break for Christmas. Tomorrow night will be one of the years’ highlights with lots of great wine on the menu.

I will report back later in the week on the wines we will drink tomorrow night.

As pizza should be….

Next year before Vinitaly I will be travelling to Campania and Basilicata to see the producers we import via @mondoimports

I will be using Napoli as my base and can’t wait to eat Pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the meantime, I will be reading about the food that I love: pizza!!

Vandals wash away 600 hectolitres of Soldera Brunello from 2007-2012….

Large botti at Soldera

I can’t believe the news.

Vandals have broken into Gianfranco Soldera’s winery and opened the vats on all the wines from 2007-2012 vintages. Rougly 600 hectolitres were washed away. Once more information comes to light, I will post links to the news.

Gianfranco Soldera

Gianfranco Soldera will bounce back from this tradegy and those of us with bottles of Soldera in our cellar, should drink a bottle and the salute the gtreatness that is Soldera.

Updated news links 05/12/2012:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/04/vandals-destroy-prized-brunello-di-montalcino-wine/?smid=tw-share

http://dobianchi.com/2012/12/04/soldera-vandal-brunello/

http://www.vinoalvino.org/blog/2012/12/attentato-a-case-basse-a-montalcino-sono-in-tanti-a-dovere-recitare-il-mea-culpa.html

http://www.vinoalvino.org/blog/2012/12/mafia-a-montalcino-mascalzoni-vuotano-nella-notte-600-ettolitri-del-brunello-di-case-basse.html

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/dailydish/la-dd-vandals-destroy-six-vintages-of-case-basse-in-montalcino-20121203,0,7899447.story

http://dobianchi.com/2012/12/03/soldera-vandalized-brunello/

http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/italy/reports-of-vandalism-at-soldera

My idea of a great Friday night….

Typical Friday BBQ in the D’Anna family 🙂

Piero Benevelli Langhe Nebbiolo 2011: the eagle has landed…

If there was one wine that bowled be over on a trip to the Langhe earlier this year, then hands down it was the Piero Benevelli Langhe Nebbiolo 2011. This wasn’t the most expensive wine I tasted on the trip: in fact it will retail for $30 in Australia. What blew me away is that this wine has serious complexity, structure and Nebbiolo fruit tannins that made me do a double take when I tried it.

It was amazing wine and as soon as the wine past my lips I twisted Massimo’s arm for a large allocation for the Australian market.

Massimo Benevelli knows how to make wine. He has been running the winery for many years and at 35 years old, he is an old head on young shoulders. He is not a person who wants the limelight. Rather he is crafts some amazing wines and let’s the wines do the talking. The 2011 Langhe Nebbiolo certainly does that and this wine highlights just how talented Massimo is.

The historical town of Monforte.

My notes on the 2011 Langhe Nebbiolo winery visit was brief but to the point:

Perfumed, intense, underlying power, intense red savoury fruits, benchmark tar and roses balanced by bright acidity.

This wine has just landed in Australia and it will be interesting to see this wine now in Australia and I can’t wait to see it in four or five years bottle age.