Farmstead Wines

Italian wine harvest- thoughts from Barbara-jo McIntosh of Books to Cooks

anthony — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:30:32 +0000

Why we work with the top farmer in each wine region- how to grow grapes

anthony — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:09:54 +0000

I am working with Renato Fenocchio at the 2008 harvest. The wines are going to be quite tasty, a slightly cooler year has encouraged complex aroma development in the grapes.

News from the 2008 harvest in Italy

anthony — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:06:00 +0000

Barbara-jo and Milva both seem quite happy to be picking nebbiolo

Renato Fenocchio Dolcetto 2008- great sustainable wine value, versatile food wine

anthony — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:53:11 +0000

What is it like to pick grapes for the first time?

anthony — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:26:28 +0000

The third installment- the Nebbiolo isn’t quite ready to pick yet with Renato Fenocchio, but Barbara-jo manages to find some work with Renato’s father in law, Dario Giacone.

See episodes one and two by searching the tag "vendemmia08"

First impressions of wine travel to participate in the harvest

anthony — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:22:00 +0000

After 18 hours of travel and a delicious, wine soaked dinner at Trattoria Bercau , Barbara-jo McIntosh shares her first impressions…if you want to see all of the videos of Barbara-jo’s experience in Italy search for the tag vendemmia08.

Italian wine tour, know your farmer with Barbara-jo McIntosh

anthony — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 10:07:40 +0000

I was browsing the Italian gastronomy section in Books to Cooks and chatting with Barbara-jo when she casually mentioned that she had always dreamed of going to Italy to pick grapes. I said, "Let’s go," and we booked our flights soon after. We are flying to Torino today and will be in Barbaresco for a week starting September 28. We will be staying and working with Renato Fenocchio’s family. Participating in everything from picking grapes to cellar work. We will also be cooking and eating nearly every meal with the family. We have also arranged a tour of the famed University of Gastronomic Sciences with Canadian Rachel Black, who is currently studying there.

Video one in the trip documentary…*special thanks to Nadia for lending her Flip

How to choose a good bottle of wine

anthony — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:00:22 +0000

Ask your server which wines are from Farmstead. Ask your local retailer to point out the Farmstead wines. Look for the Farmstead seal.

When you select a Farmstead bottle you will get a wine that is not only delicious, well balanced, and pure, but one that meets a list of exacting criteria. Much like farmstead cheeses, which are made by the same people who keep the animals that produce the milk, Farmstead wines are made by the same people who grow the grapes. In other words, they are cheeses or in this case, wines "from the farm."

1. Small, family farm – We know each farmer personally and have inspected the vineyards and cellar carefully. An ideal partner produces a maximum of 200,000 bottles, preferably less.

2. Wine is grown, not made- Our farmers concentrate their efforts in the vineyards and then take a handcrafted, non-manipulative approach to winemaking.

3. Vinaroon – all Farmstead Wines are made by the same people that grow the grapes. Vinaroon is old English for vigneron, the French word inseparably meaning farmer and winemaker.

4. Naturally farmed– We certify that all Farmstead wines are naturally farmed. Our farmers work in harmony with nature. No synthetic chemicals, no herbicides, no pesticides and no irrigation.

5. Delicious. The wine itself is balanced and harmonious with a focus on depth and complexity of flavors. It delivers value for its price.

Renato Fenocchio Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2008 has arrived!

anthony — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:07:21 +0000

As a chef, I had tasted a lot of olive oil, but none so rich, buttery and pure. I had to bring their oil to North America. Other top chefs and restauranteurs agree- Angus An at Gastropod, Jeremie Bastien at Boneta, Kurtis Kolt at Salt, Neil Taylor at Cibo and Melissa Craig at Bearfoot Bistro. Andrey Durbach is using it to finish dishes at all three of his restaurants, Parkside, La Buca and Pied a Terre. Renato and Milva’s love of farming and the land presented them a unique opportunity just over the Langhe hills in Liguria. In 2007 they acquired an olive grove at the foot of the Mediterranean Sea and began the work of organically farming olive trees, the oldest dating over 400 years. Their single varietal extra virgin olive oil is made with handpicked Taggiasca olives. A tiny olive with extremely low yields makes a truly limited amount of very flavorful oil. Just 1000 unfiltered bottles were made of the 2008 vintage. Contact us at info@farmsteadwines.com to order yours today.

The Fenocchio family settled in the Barbaresco region of northwestern Italy at the turn of the eighteenth century. For four generations, Fenocchio’s have tilled the earth, cultivated grapes and hand-crafted beautiful wines - the land becoming apart of the family. In 1993, the Fennochio family vineyards in Nieve, Italy were turned over to Renato and his wife Milva. Much like his forefathers, Renato Fennochio carries on the winemaking traditions unique to the region and the family.

Why we need to go beyond organic- understanding what is in a typical bottle of wine

anthony — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:16:33 +0000

Our certification standards go beyond merely being a "product of organically grown grapes." A big part of sustainability is reducing outside and artificial inputs. More to come on this topic in the coming weeks, but an article in The Telegraph caught my eye this morning. You can read it here.

Do you care about avoiding additives in your food? What about wine?