GUIDE BOOK
Online Guidebook
H I S T O R Y O F c h e e s e -
& w i n e -
TABLE OF CONTENTS THE LEGENDARY ORIGINS .................................................
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MAKING OF CHEESE .............................................................
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MAKING OF WINE .................................................................
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CHEESE CLASSIFICATION ....................................................
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WINE TASTING TECHNIQUES .............................................
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ITALIAN WINE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM ......................
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TYPES OF WINE GLASSES ....................................................
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MATCHING CHEESE AND WINE .........................................
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LABELS .......................................................................................
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE THE LEGENDARY ORIGINS
The cultivation and production of vines are known in Mesopotamia
Cheese, as heavenly tasteful as you might imagine, have a quite humble origin. In fact, cheese kept on being associated with archaic agricultural traditions and mostly consumed by peasants. For example, in the Odyssey, the story of Ulysses’s 10 year-adventure in the Mediterranean Sea, it was the Cyclops Polyphemus, a one-eyed giant, that dedicated his life to pastoralism and the production of fresh cheeses. Despite its less “noble” role in the Roman culture, the Romans were also producers and consumers of cheese. In addition to sheep’s milk, they learned how to season cow’s milk, which was wrongly considered harmful by other civilizations. This led to the diversity in the productions of cheese. Alongside the notorious Pecorino cheese, Latin documents mentioned how the flavor of the time was aimed at cheeses made with hare or kid rennet, rather than lamb. The syncretism of Roman and Etruscans, another civilization that used to live in the Italian Peninsula, perfected the use of vegetable-type coagulants, such as thistle flower, saffron, vinegar and fig milk, and their application techniques. In addition, to speed up the maturing of the cheeses, cheese was put under pressure with perforated weights. This was real dairy art. Cheese and wine share the same dark period, marked by the birth of Christianity and the consequent decline of the Roman Empire. At the time, wine was accused of bringing inebriation and ephemeral pleasure. However, the monks of that period, together with the Jewish communities, continued the viticulture and the practice of winemaking to produce wines for religious rites, almost clandestine. For cheese, darks times continued in the Middle Ages as the public held some prejudices over milk’s “toxi, because the dietetic treatises limited its consumption, falsely believing that only small doses did not harm health. During the late Middle Ages, the “food of the poor”, as Cheese was known as the time, was re-evaluated as a substitute dish for meat in the days of midweek abstinence, a Christian tradition, for this reason the monasteries gave an important boost to dairy production. In Italy and Europe the cheeses we consume today originated in this period.
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE THE LEGENDARY ORIGINS The origin of wine is so old to the point of fading into legends. Some of them trace the origin of the vine tree back to Adam and Eve, claiming that the forbidden fruit of the earthly Paradise was grape, not apple. Other stories tell of how Noah saved the Vine from the Great Flood, reserving it a safe spot on his Ark for the sake of humanity. From the creation of the world we move towards human history. Rumors say that the Vine tree originated in India and then spread to Asia first and then the Mediterranean basin. The cultivation of the vine and the practice of winemaking were known in Mesopotamia, in the so called, “fertile crescent”. This was a geographical area which became known as the mother of cereals and laboratory for the discovery of the fermentative processes from which bread, cheese and drinks as wine descend. The cultivation and production of vines are known in Mesopotamia The role of Wine and its diverse types were known since ancient times, and this euphoric drink was consumed with great pleasure by the people at the top of their societies. In ancient Egypt, for example, the practice of winemaking was so consolidated that in the funeral equipment of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (1339 BC) amphorae containing wine were included with the area of origin, the vintage and the producer some contained wine aged for several years. Isn’t this an example of the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) that dates back to the dawn of time? Moving to the Mediterranean Sea, where Italy enjoys its central position, the role of wines was so central that a deity was dedicated to wine: Bacchus, God of conviviality. It can be said that the divine drink of the God contributed to the birth of the RomaVn empire: the ancestors of modern Italians were in fact aware of the bactericidal properties of wine and as usual they brought it to their countryside as a drink of the legionaries. Plutarch reports how Julius Caesar distributed wine to his soldiers to eradicate a Bacco adolescente - Caravaggio disease that was decimating the army. 05
HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE THE LEGENDARY ORIGINS Moving back to wine, it is in Renaissance to find a literature that gives wine back its role as a protagonist of western culture and returns to praise its qualities. In the seventeenth century the art of coopers was refined, the bottles became cheaper and the cork stoppers spread. All this contributed to the conservation and transport of the wine favoring its trade. The nineteenth century saw the consolidation of the distinctive and extraordinary position that wine occupied in western civilization. The contribution of illustrious scholars who work for the creation of wines of ever better quality and goodness begins to join the peasant tradition. Wine becomes the subject of scientific research. In 1866 L. Pasteur in his writing Etudes sur le vin, studies upon Wine, states that “wine is the healthiest and most hygienic of all drinks”. 1 The twentieth century sees wine through the novelty of chemistry, introduced the previous century, and all the modifications it has entailed. In this era there was a constant reorganization of companies with the attempt to generate new markets and expand the possibilities of Still Life with Hare, Duck, Loaf of earning, but also to reduce costs. Only during the sevenBread, Cheese and Flasks of Wine Jean-Baptiste Oudry ties the situation improved considerably, thanks above all to a changed relationship between man, nature and the rural world. In the following decades research and continuous experimentations led to today Wine’s philosophy, that is a very strong and ever more winning link: quality, territory, innovation. Nowadays this philosophy is transmitted through quality, which is perceived all over the world, and Vietnam is no different! In fact there is a considerable amount of wine exported from Italy. In the last two decades there has been an annual growth rate of 25% in Vietnamese imports of wine from Italy. To this day, there were more than 150 Italian wine brands in Vietnam! Such history became a source of pride and a perfect example of the Made in Italy excellence. In fact, it became such a symbol that good Italian wine gained a starring role even in the shining world of cinema! Winemakers and film lovers toast together watching Lawrence Kasdan’s French Kiss, with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline, Jonathan Nossiter’s Mondovino, Sideways, a fantastic comedy that won an Oscar for the screenplay, with Paul Giamatti, or A good year by Ridley Scott, with Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard. And what about the unforgettable James Bond with his predilection for Bollinger champagne, or the quintessential villain Hannibal Lecter who cannot resist a good Tuscan Chianti? 1
Italyeno, Storia del vino, 2020
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE MAKING OF CHEESE Cheese is made from whole milk, partially or totally skimmed from cream. The phases of the described production process require a high level of experience, precision, and meticulous attention to details, and it is in fact the master cheesemakers who follow the production chain. A fundamental part of cheese production is the choice of milk, which is a complex and complete product, as it contains protein, fat, lactose, mineral salts, vitamins. In particular, the milk that contains less fat and less protein is cow’s milk, while the more proteinic milk is goat’s milk, and the fatter milk is buffalo’s milk: these differences are then found in the different flavour balances of the resulting cheeses. Finally, the components of milk, even if they are of different milk sources, are always influenced by the animal’s diet, climate and environmental factors. The first stages of milk treatment take place, albeit with small differences, for all types of cheese, from hard to soft cheeses, from washed-rind to soft-ripened. The production of the cheese begins with the pasteurization of the milk, that is a heat treatment to reduce bacteria harmful to our organism. Cheese that bear the PDO, such as the famous Parmigiano Reggiano, are usually not made with pasteurized milk, but raw milk, which will then be grafted with milk enzymes. The milk should not be too “clean” in terms of bacterial load, otherwise it will need to undergo a maturation process to facilitate fermentation. Before cheesemaking, the fat in the milk often is brought to the surface. Immediately afterwards the milk is poured into different recipients depending on the type of cheese, but the most typical container is the copper pot. Some cheeses, such as soft-ripened, washed-rind or blue, such as Gorgonzola, require the grafting of molds, generally some varieties of penicillium.
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE MAKING OF CHEESE The production process here is divided into two macro categories, rennet or lactic curd cheeses. The first are characterized by the coagulation of milk through rennet or other coagulating agents; later, through the sapient use of sharp instruments, the product, now called curd, is broken into granules, heated, and “extracted� (which means that the water is drained). Precisely at this point the curd is put into circular baskets called fuscelle that will give it the desired shape. Before ripening, the cheese must be skillfully salted according to the type of cheese, and then let stand for a very variable period, which may take from few hours to several months. Ripening is a very delicate process, but it is what gives the final physical and organoleptic characteristics.
Still Life with Cheese Bread - George Bouzianis, 1932
Lactic curd cheeses, on the other hand, do not contain coagulating agents, and the cheeses obtained are smaller because small containers are used; often these are spreadable cheeses or packaged in sealed packages. The sort of dough obtained by letting the milk stand in these small containers should not be broken into granules, but simply left to fall into small fuscelle. Finally, ripening lasts approximately 15-20 days, being fresh cheeses. This is also reflected in organoleptic differences, as in low-matured cheeses, enzymes do not have time to break down fats into fat acids, which give rise to a high aromaticity - typical of long-matured cheeses. 2 2
Formaggio.it, 2020
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE MAKING OF WINE Throughout this journey, we have discovered the history of wine, but how is this delicious drink made? After cultivating the grapes from the vine tree, is all starts with the Vendemmia, the Italian word for grape harvesting in the vineyards. This is an operation all carried out by hands, although nowadays it can be mechanized. The manual harvesting, however, guarantees greater accuracy in the selection of the bunches. The harvest takes place in fall, between August and October, depending on the right degree of maturation of each type of grape, while for some late fermented grapes such as raisin wines it can go up to November. Some good rules when harvesting grapes are not to pick wet grapes to prevent water from affecting the quality of the must, not to harvest during the hottest hours of the day to prevent unwanted fermentations and to spend as little time as possible between the harvest and the pressing to avoid the deterioration of the grapes, since the whole bunches are the premise for having a good wine. After collecting the grapes, the fruit is gathered in a big container, usually in wood, called Tino, where the pressing process can take place. Even the pressing was traditionally done by hand or even feet! This method consolidated a joyful tradition among peasant families, whose members would gather to jump inside the large containers in which grapes were collected. However, today the pressing is carried out with the aid of machinery. The grapes are squeezed and the must obtained, corrected for acidity and purified from impurities and bacteria, is then collected in large vats. And in some case the eliminations of stalks, pips and seed take place at this part of the process. The press must be soft, squeezing the juice without excessively deterioThe pressing was traditionally done by hand or even feet! rating the skins. 09
HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE MAKING OF WINE In the basins, the must, in Italian well-known as Mosto, will then ferment for an average period of 7-10 days. By fermenting, the sugar contained in the must begins to turn into alcohol and carbon dioxide. In the case of white wines, the grape juice is separated from stalks, marc (skins) and seeds, while in the case of red wines it ferments together with the solid components, which affect the color and tannic component of the wine. And for rosé wines, there are three main methods of making: skin contact, saignée, and blending. Rosé wines can be made still, semi-sparkling or sparkling and with a wide range of sweetness levels from highly dry Provençal rosé to sweet White Zinfandels. White wines require minimal or even no aging before bottling. Red wines, on the other hand, can rest for up to 5 years (with some exceptions of longer duration). The refinement, during which the transformation of sugars into alcohol continues, can take place in oak, steel, cement or amphorae barrels: the choice of material and the size of the container change the characteristics of the wine. Finally, the wine is re-filtered to eliminate impurities, deoxygenated through the addition of substances such as gaseous nitrogen and then bottled. The aging of the wine continues in the bottle, and the producer, then the retailer and finally the buyer are responsible for it. In the bottle, wine, being a “living matter”, continues to evolve, adding a fascinating value to such beloved creation.3
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Eataly.net, 2020
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE CHEESE CLASSIFICATION Cheese can be divided according to several classifications, all referring to both the different aspects of the product and the differences existing in the phases of the production. A first division that can be done is related to the origin of the milk. In the majority of cases the milk used comes from cows, but in Italy there are also several kinds of cheese made on sheep’s, buffalo’s and goat’s milk. Moreover, in many cases the final product is derived by a mix of milks with different origins, like a combination of two out of the three possibilities. Secondly, the milk can be used raw, thermised or pasteurized. In the first case, all the processes carried on during the production of the cheese are made using raw milk, whereas in the second case the milk is heated up to 63°C, and then brought back to the coagulation temperature, which is around 37°C, which is also the maximum temperature that the cheese made with raw milk reaches throughout the process. Finally, pasteurized milk is led to 73°C and left there for a short time, about 15 seconds, and then it is left cooling back to the coagulation temperature. In the last two cases the high temperature reached has a hygienic function. Clearly, a fundamental distinction between kinds of cheese is the seasoning point. The process of seasoning requires the “rest” of the cheese for a precise amount of time in an environment with a percentage of humidity close to 90%. A very common place for this process is a cellar. Fresh cheese should not have any crust, and its content of water is closed to 80%. To be considered fresh, cheese cannot exceed 30 days of rest. In this cluster are Squacquerone, Crescenza, Mozzarella and Stracchino. Periods between 15 and 60 days are typical of cheese with low seasoning time, and if the days are up to 180 it becomes medium-aged. Examples are Asiago, Fontina and Toma. Finally, highly seasoned cheese requires at least 180 days and can go up to extremely long time (even several years). 11
HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE CHEESE CLASSIFICATION The more aged the cheese is, the hardest its consistency. The flavour becomes more intense and sometimes sharp. A typical example is Parmigiano Reggiano. The content of water is a parameter that discriminate soft and hard cheese. Soft cheese must include at least 45% of water, such as in Burrata. Hard cheese requires less than 35% of water in it, as in Parmigiano Reggiano. There are some kinds of cheese that can be considered in between (35-45%): it is the case of the softer version of Pecorino Toscano, a cheese made of sheep’s milk typical of many regions in Central Italy, among which Tuscany. Furthermore, we can distinguish between stretch-curd cheese and pressed cheese. In the first category the curd is stretched and kneaded in hot water, and this treatment gives to the cheese its characteristic fibrous shape. The classic example of this process is mozzarella. Vice versa, in pressed cheese the curd is pressed into forms with a mechanical press, in order to eliminate the serum from the final product and give to the cheese a homogenous, compact shape. Canestrato pugliese is the perfect example of this second category. Finally, we can consider the crust. This can be cleaned during the process of transformation from milk to cheese: it is the case of “a crosta lavata”, washed crust cheese. Beer, brandy or water are used. This process guarantees the perfect environment for selected bacteria to grow, which donates an aromatic flavour. Cheese “a crosta fiorita”, flowered crust has instead a white, soft crust made of mold that usually can be eaten. The flavour here is strong and sometimes sweet, although always sapid nearby the crust. Examples of crosta fiorita are mainly French, but they are produced in Italy too: for example, in Tuscany, where a “a crosta fiorita” cheese from sheep’s milk is traditionally made: Pecorino a crosta fiorita. A typical example of crosta lavata is Taleggio. 4,5
4 Formaggio.it. 2020. Classificazione Dei Formaggi, 2020 ⁵ Onaf.it. 2020. Onaf.
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE WINE TASTING TECHNIQUES Food and particularly wines are tasted on the basis of their appearance, aromas and flavors, to establish their sensory profile and consequently their quality. From Wine tasting to Wine drinking, it depends on a series of logical observations dictated by precise techniques, which enable all the various aspects of the wine character to be appreciated. Capturing the true nature of wine requires attention and concentration, great care and passion, but anyone who learns the art is rewarded with great emotions. The process of Wine tasting can be divided into three parts: a visual exam, an olfactory exam and, finally, a tasting exam. 6 Visual exam The visual examination is the first step in the sensory analysis for tasting wines. It gives us information that is often confirmed in the later olfactory and tasting examinations. Visual analysis addresses four aspects of the wine’s appearance: it considers clarity, color, consistency and effervescence. As regards clarity, the wine can be: • veiled: refers to a wine with accentuated opacity and heavy cloudiness • moderately clear: refers to a wine with some suspended particles • crystal clear: refers to a wine completely free from suspended particles with a particularly intense brightness • brilliant: wonderfully bright, often heightened by the presence of carbon dioxide bubbles that reflect the light, so it’s most often found in sparkling wine To judge a wine’s clarity, one must look at it against the light, holding the glass at a 45° angle over a white surface and looking down at the wine from above. If a wine is clear it displays no particles in suspension. Otherwise, it is said to be hazy or fairly clear. If a wine not only shows no suspended particles but also exhibits an intense luminosity, then it can be described as crystal clear. A wine’s color is determined by the length of contact of the must with the grape skins, a process called maceration. A lengthy maceration gives red wines their full red colour, while a partial or brief maceration yields a rosé. Other factors that influence a wine’s colour are the temperature and length of the fermentation process, and the number of pumpovers, a “re-mixing” operation in which the fermenting must is pumped over the grape skins which rise to form a layer, or “cap,” over the fermenting mass.
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BIBENDA WINE 2012 - The Guide to the Finest Italian Wines, 2012, BIBENDA Editore, Roma
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE WINE TASTING TECHNIQUES Colour
Consistency
Consistency
lemon green/greenish yellow very pale yellow with strong green reflections usually found in very young wines
fluid refers to a wine that flows lightly into the glass like water
perlage large: the size of the bubbles found in mineral water moderately fine: average sized bubbles fine: very small bubbles, like pinheads
straw yellow straw coloured, with different intensities
barely consistent moderately free-flowing with wide tears
bubble count very few: the number of bubbles is exceptionally low, almost non-existent moderately numerous: bubbles appear in an inconsistent flow and form in few points in the glass numerous: plenty of bubbles rise continuously in many starting points of the glass
golden yellow reminiscent of the colour of yellow gold; this shade is found in more mature white wines
moderately consistent refers to a wine that flows into the glass with moderate consistency, forming medium sized arches or tears
perlage persistence fading: bubbles vanish within a few seconds moderately persistent: bubbles appear for a few minutes persistent: bubbles rise quickly and continuously
amber found in fortified or passito wines, reminiscent of amber and topaz
consistent refers to a wine that flows in the glass slowly and heavily, forming slow and abundant tears
soft rosĂŠ the color of peach blossom or pink roses
viscous refers to a wine that flows heavily into the glass, like syrup; it has very close tears, typical of certain fortified wines
cherry rosĂŠ similar to the pulp of some cherry varieties
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE WINE TASTING TECHNIQUES dark rosé very light ruby red purple red intense red with a marked purple glint, typical of dark young red wines ruby red this shade resembles the colour of the gemstone garnet red similar in colour to the gemstone orange red a brick red hue often associated with red wines which have undergone a long ageing period
Olfactory exam: The olfactory examination is the most complicated evaluation of the entire sensory analysis, since recognising all of the aromas released by a glass of wine can be quite challenging. It is important to hold the glass by the stem, with the taster’s hand as far away as possible from the wine in the bowl of the glass; this will prevent any odour or perfume from interfering with the wine’s aromas. This examination takes into account intensity, complexity, quality, description. Let’s analyse these features furtherly.
Intensity
Complexity
Quality
Description
lacking refers to a wine that has very delicate, almost imperceptible aromas
lacking refers to a wine that has a very limited range of aromas
coarse without any particular aroma
aromatic it is used to describe the primary aromas of wine obtained from aromatic grapes such as Muscats, Malvasias, Bracchetto and Gewürztraminer
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE WINE TASTING TECHNIQUES barely intense refers to a wine with delicate aromas
barely complexity refers to a wine that a has a small range of aromas
barely refined without many pleasing elements and poor quality
wine scented generally found in young red wines. This is the scent perceived in a winery during vinification
moderately intense refers to a wine with fairly perceptible aromas
moderately complex refers to a wine with a sufficient or medium range of aromas
moderately refined quite pleasant aromas with reasonable intensity and a variety of nuances
floral used to describe floral scents, which may be numerous
intense refers to wine that has distinct, pronounced aromas
complex refers to a with with an abundant range of different aromas
elegant refined aromas and good intensity, showing a good range of aromas and qualities typical of the variety
fruity reminiscent of a wide variety of fruit including fresh fruit with pale or dark pulp, very ripe, exotic and dried fruit
very intense refers to a wine that has particularly marked and well rounded aromas
broad a broad range of very different aromas
excellent a particularly elegant bouquet of great intensity and an ample range of aromas that are great expression of style and the grape variety
frank a clear, well defined aroma not masked by other sensations however pleasant
fragrant refers to the freshness of floral and fruity essences. It may also call to mind the fragrance of bread crust in sparkling wines herbal/herbaceous green vegetable or herbs and the smell of cut grass
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE WINE TASTING TECHNIQUES mineral mineral and salty scents, such as flint, graphite or brackish notes spicy various spice aromas ethereal the aromas of a mature wine
Taste exam: The taste examination represents the third and final step in the sensory analysis of the wine. It is also the summarizing step, since it permits us to draw a final conclusion about the wine being tasted. The taste of a wine is the product of three different “families” of sensations: • Flavour: sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness. • Tactile sensations: pseudo-warmth, smoothness, astringency, prickle, thermal sensation, and weight on the palate • Retro-nasal or palato-nasal sensations The retro-nasal or palato-nasal sensations impressions pertain to the final phase of the tasting because they refer to the complex of aromas that one perceives after swallowing and after exhaling through the nose. These sensations afford the opportunity to re-experience some of the impressions already perceived and to actually discover some new ones. This is made possible by the higher temperatures that various substances display after passing through the oral cavity; these higher temperatures encourage the volatilization of these substances. 7 Serving temperatures • The ideal temperature at which to serve red wines is around 16-18oC. • The ideal temperature at which to serve white wines is around 12oC. • The ideal temperature at which to serve sparkling wines and champagnes is around 6-8oC.
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Frescobaldi Toscana, Cultivating Toscana Diversity, Tasting wines, 2020
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE ITALIAN WINE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM In 1963 the official Italian Wine Classification System was introduced. Since then, after a number of amendments and supplements and officially issued into regulations (1992). The last revision in 2010 established four basic categories to conform with the rules of the European Union (EU), including: Vino da Tavola: means “table wine� - wine with moderate quality. This classification represents the most basic of Italian wines. The Vino da Tavola classifying catalog was established in the 1970s and 1980s by experienced winemakers who produce top quality (but unorthodox wine bottles because they cannot meet DOCG or DOC). This condition has gradually declined, however, since the introduction of the IGT classification with its more flexible production conditions, and the Vino da Tavola has gradually returned to its original state as the lowest rank of Italian wine quality ladder. These bottles often have no indication of the geography, grape origin or age on the label. (The label indicates alcohol basic indexs.) Vini Varietali: (Varietal Wines) These are wines made mainly from (at least 85%) international popular varieties of grape (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah) or combinations of these grapes. The name of the grape variety and the season may be on the label but not geographically. (These bottles can be produced anywhere in the EU) Vini IGP: Also known as IGT for wines produced in a specific region in Italy and follow certain rules regarding grape use, producing process, labeling instructions... As of 2016, there are about 118 IGP / IGT in Italy Vini DOP: This category is divided into two different ranks for specific distinction. These are Vini DOC and Vini DOCG. In order to achieve DOC classification, wine bottles must be labeled with IGP / IGT for a minimum of 5 years and clearly defined for certain varieties and methods of production. As for DOCG, wine must reach DOC level for a minimum of 10 years with very strict regulations on grape use and wine production. This wine must be bottled where it is grown. It is not allowed to be carried in large boxes and bottled elsewhere.
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE TYPES OF WINE GLASSES Wine is known as a sophisticated and luxurious drink. Many types of wines are invented around the world, but whether sweet or dry, white or red, robust or light, wine requires very specific serving procedures in order to reach its full flavor potential. In addition to proper serving temperatures, each type of wine requires a specific style of glass for service. Anatomy of a Wine Glass A wine glass is composed of four parts – the base, the stem, the bowl, and the rim. The base: usually has a circular shape to keep the cup upright. The stem: varies in length depending on the type of wine served. This is also a place where the handle helps avoid fingerprints when holding the glass, while helping the wine to stabilize the temperature to help the flavor of wine served stays ‘original’. The bowl: usually has an “U” shape which are stroked upwards to create a sense of elegance and sophistication. Different types of wine glasses have a clear difference in the shape and bulge of the wine. The rim: this is the most important part of the glass, deciding the taste of wine that people enjoy. The Rim is made by advanced laser cutting technology to ensure the rim is always thin, rounded to help drinkers fully enjoy the taste of wine. Red Wine Glasses Below are the typical characteristics of a red wine glass: - Large glass with a full, round bowl and large opening - Opening enables you to dip your nose inside to detect the aroma - Full bowl provides air contact for the complex aromas and flavors - Increases the oxidation rate, which smooths out the complex flavors
White Wine Glasses Below are the typical characteristics of a white wine glass: - Bowl is more u-shaped and upright than a red wine glass - Slightly smaller bowl than red wine glass - The shape enhances and preserves aromas while also maintaining the wine’s cool temperature
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE TYPES OF WINE GLASSES Sparkling Wine and Champagne Glasses Below are typical characteristics of sparkling wine glasses: - Upright, narrow bowl to preserve carbonation and flavor
All-Purpose Wine Glasses If a single glass type is all that your circumstances permit, an all-purpose wine glass is the way to go. Although the experience may not be the same as when you use the proper glass type for the application, these glasses offer a similar function at a lower cost and increased efficiency. Crystal vs. Glass Wine Glasses Below we go through the differences between crystal and glass, so you can choose the best material for your needs
Crystal wine glasses enhance the aromas in wine and offer an elegant design, making them perfect for high-end dining rooms and formal events.
Glass wine glasses are more durable than their crystal counterparts, making them a better fit for bustling casual restaurants and bars.
Pros
Can be spun very thin to create a very thin rim Yields a smoother drink flow against the tongue because it eliminates the thicker lip edge
More durable and less likely to break. Non-porous and usually dishwasher safe. Less expensive
Cons
More expensive than glass Very fragile; can easily break Porous and must be washed by hand
Not as delicate as crystal Usually not as well designed as crystal glasses to enhance wine’s flavors
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE MATCHING CHEESE AND WINE As we have seen so far, there are multiple kinds of wine and cheese, and there is a solid theory about their matching, aimed at exalting the mutual taste. The first general rule to consider when analyzing the accompaniment of wine and cheese is that a cheese with stronger taste requires a full-bodied wine. However, there can be made several differences. 8,9 According to seasoning Fresh cheese has usually a more delicate taste. It is softer and its taste is lighter and sweeter, due to the higher presence of the taste of milk. Because of the clear scent of milk, the taste is also pleasantly acidic. In order to clean your mouth from the fat and pasty consistency and from the acidulous scent, you need to associate these kinds of cheese (such as Crescenza, Robiola e Squacquerone) with a white wine, dry and not sparkling. It should therefore be fruity and not sour. Match with: Soave; Colli di Romagna Bianco; Bianco di Pitigliano; Lugana; Verdicchio; Pinot Bianco; Chardonnay. Seasoned cheese has a generally harder consistency and a strong, sapid aroma. This scent is persistent in the mouth after savouring the cheese, and the related wine should not fight this feeling but enhance it. Thus, the perfect wine with a mature cheese is a red, full-bodied wine, which does not clean your mouth, unlike fresh cheese, but co-habit in it, and increase the aroma melting in an overall well-rounded flavour. Match with: Brunello/Rosso di Montalcino; Nobile di Montepulciano; Chianti Classico Riserva; Montepulciano d’Abruzzo; Barolo; Amarone; Cannonau; Malvasia di Bosa. According to the crust “A crosta fiorita” cheese (with flowery crust) goes through a process of insertion of bacteria, which guarantees a strong flavour, sapid (especially for parts close to the crust) slightly spicy and, in the central bits, leaning towards sweet. For this reason, they should be consumed with red wines that have a rounded flavour and are medium-bodied: this last thing is important to avoid the wine stealing the scene. Match with: Sangiovese from Tuscany and Romagna; Chianti; Nobile di Montepulciano 8 9
Assovini.it. 2020. Abbinamento Dei Formaggi Con Il Vino Bresciani, C., 2020. Formaggi E Vino: La Guida Per L’abbinamento Perfetto | Buracchi Ultimo
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE MATCHING CHEESE AND WINE “A crosta lavata” cheese (with washed crust) has its crust washed several times, so that specific and selected bacteria naturally grow on it, giving to the cheese an aromatic and sometimes spicy flavour. The taste is thus softer than the previous one, but it can be more aromatic. It should therefore be balanced with a fruity red wine with a slight tannic presence. Also sapid and fresh white wines could be a good fit, if the cheese is particularly fat and sweet, with a mechanism similar to the one seen for non-seasoned cheese. Match with: Teroldego Rotaliano or Dolcetto from Pidmont; Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit or Gewürztraminer Alto Adige. A particular kind of cheese: “erborinato” Erborinato cheese is a product in which cultures of mold are encouraged to grow. They are usually Penicillium and give to the cheese blue spots and a characteristic odour and flavour. This is a very strong and sapid taste, which is persistent in the mouth for a long time. It can also be extremely spicy and sharp. According to the sharpness of the cheese it is accompanied with different wines: if it is not heavily sharp it should be consumed with a red, round and alcoholic wine, which enhance the depth of the cheese. Otherwise, if the sharpness is extreme, a fortified and sweet wine should be preferred, in order to distinguish and highlight both flavours, instead of reciprocally cancelling the taste. Match with: Barolo; Barbaresco; Amarone (less sharp cheese). Passito di Pantelleria; Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà; Vin Santo (not the sweet version for desserts); Moscato (sharper cheese).
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HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE LABELS In the European context a system of quality labels is present, in order to protect and promote products with special quality or characteristics. The consumer is informed about specific parameters of the product such as the provenience of ingredients, and the product is thus protected from competitors that claim to have a similar good that nonetheless does not have the same quality standards. Italian cheese can be labelled with three different marks, according to the European framework: PGI (Protected Geographical Indication); PDO (Protected Designation of Origin); TSG (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed). PGI, the Italian “IGP”, “indicazione geografica protetta”, is the second label issued and registered by the European Union. Again, it associates the name of a region, specified area or country to a foodstuff. It is however less strict than the previous one, as it requires that the product can be tracked back to the geographical origin in only one of the three phases of the production process , either it being prepared, processed or produced there. PDO label, the Italian “DOP”, “denominazione di origine protetta”, is issued and registered by the European Union, upon proposal of the Minister of Agricultural Policies. It associates the name of a region, a specified area or, in particular cases, of a country to an agricultural product or foodstuff which is typical of that region. It then requires the product to be manufactured (prepared, processed and produced) exclusively within the specific region and thus acquire unique properties which cannot be replicated. The ingredients and the human capital must therefore come from the certified region, and in the same area the whole production process must take place. Independent competent authorities are appointed to control and certify that all these standards are respected. Finally, TSG, or in Italian “STG”, “specialità tradizionale garantita”, does not require any ingredient to come from a specific area, nor it specifies that the process must take place there. It simply recognizes that the raw material, production and composition of a foodstuff is “specific” and “traditional” of a given geographical area. The European regulation that settles the certification (1151/12) clarifies that “specific characteristic” means “the characteristic production attributes which distinguish a product clearly from other similar products of the same category”, whereas “traditional” means “proven usage on the domestic market for a period that allows transmission between generations; this period is to be at least 30 years”. TSG has therefore the distinctive function of certifying that “a particular agricultural product objectively possesses specific characteristics which differentiate it from all others in its category”. 23
HISTORY OF CHEESE&WINE LABELS Concluding this excursus about European quality labels, we will now explore the most famous kinds of cheese marked by them. To avoid eating an Italian Sounding product, with none of the real qualities that that product should innately own, be sure to double-check if that foodstuff is certified, beacause life is too short for fake cheese, wine and people! PDO PGI
Asiago, Caciocavallo Silano, Canestrato Pugliese, Fontina, Gorgonzola, Grana Pada no, Mozzarella di Bufala campana, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino (Toscano, Sardo, Romano and many more), Squacquerone di Romagna, Taleggio, Toma Piemontese Burrata di Andria, Canestrato di Moliterno.
TSG Mozzarella. The list for the PDO cheese is much longer as there are currently 51 kinds of PDO cheeses.10
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Politicheagricole.it. 2020. Mipaaf - Elenco Dei Prodotti DOP, IGP E STG
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