Visiting Vini Alois

Frattoria Alois, Caserta, Campania

Located in the Caiatini Mountains of Campania, the beautiful property of Fattoria Alois is literally situated between 3 volcanoes.  With Roccamorfina to the North, Monte Nuovo to the west and the infamous Monte Vesuvio just south east, the town of Caserta sits amongst multiple extinct and active volcanoes.  It is here that for centuries the Alois family has been associated with the fine textile industry, their famous silks adorning the walls of the Louvre and the White House.  But more recently Michele Alois and his son Massimo have been taking advantage of their location and the volcanic soils that surround them by applying their talent and passion for quality products into Vini Alois.

But it is not just the soils that make these wines special.  Because while Campania is known for its expressive whites like Falanghina, Fiano and Greco and the dark, earthy Aglianico, the Alois wines are focused around some rediscoverd ancient varieties.  Twenty years ago the Italian government launched a project that was devoted to finding grape varieties that survived phylloxera, but were no longer being cultivated. Massimo has been a champion for those forgotten indigenous grapes and with his efforts Casavecchia, Pallagrello Bianco and Pallagrello Nero are making a comeback. See the video above as Massimo discusses the origins of the Casavecchia grape.

The Audelino vineyards surrounding the property

Thanks to our friend Matt Lirette of Lirette Selections, Kerry and I had the good fortune of staying with Massimo and his family at their estate in Caserta a few summers ago.  He spent the day with us, taking us to their different vineyard sites and cooked a fabulous dinner that we shared with his wife and children, of course accompanied by his amazing wines and great conversation.

In the Morrone della Monica vineyards with Massimo and his son Gianfranco

The next morning we  met his father Michele and oenologist Carmine Valentino in the winery for a tank tasting.  One of the things that struck us about these somewhat famous, southern Italian male winemakers was their genuine interest in what we thought about their wines.  Their humility, pride, respect for our opinions and the amount of time we spent together has left a long lasting impression about the people behind these very distinct and fascinating wines.

Oenologist Carmine Valentino and Michele Alois

Tank tasting with Carmine & Michele

We are excite to have Massimo visit us next week and you can join him at Swirl on Wednesday February 4th for a seated tasting of his wines accompanied by the cheeses of southern Italy.  Reservations are required and you can do so here:  Vini Alois

Massimo Alois

The Somm's Pick Buyers Club

The Somm’s Pick Buyers Club 

Intriguing selections chosen by New Orleans’ sommeliers brought to you 

by Swirl Wine Bar & Market

The Program

Swirl’s tasting and education series, The Somm’s Pick, puts you in direct contact with some of New Orleans' finest sommeliers.  During their monthly presentations you'll have the opportunity to taste with them and discover wines they have chosen as some of the most intriguing in the market. Plus as a member of our Somm’s Pick Buyers Club you'll be able to purchase the wines at a discount and receive a special advanced notice for all tastings and events associated with the program.


What’s Included

• Access to wines chosen by New Orleans’ Sommeliers as some of the most interesting wines in the market

• Advanced invitation plus half priced admission to the Somm’s Pick Tasting held on the first Tuesday of every month

• 10% discount on the featured selections available to you throughout the month

• Exclusive offers and discounts on other special events associated with the program

 How it Works 

• Download the form here: The Somm's Pick Buyer's Club Application
• Fill out the application with billing information and send via email to sommspick@gmail.com 

• On the first of each month you will be billed for the featured somm’s selections of wines with a 10% discount.  The cost for the 2 wines can range in price from $40 - $80 depending up the wines chosen.  The wines will continue to be available to club members at the discounted price through the month or while supplies last should you wish to purchase more

• Wines will be available for pickup at Swirl after the first Monday of the month

• You will receive a special eventbrite invitation via email for advanced reservation to attend our Somm’s Pick tasting for half price ($5) The invitation will arrive 24 hours before the event is publically releaseYour membership commits you to 3 consecutive months of the program, after which you can cancel anytime via email to sommspick@gmail.com

 Questions?

•      Email us at the sommspick@gmail.com or call Swirl @ 504.304.0635

The Somm's Pick, an Engaging New Program at Swirl

Tasting wine @ Ken Wright's Tasting Room in Oregon

American wine consumption has been on the rise now for 20 consecutive years, in fact we've been setting records recently and the market is predicted to continue to grow.  And as Americans are getting more and more into wine, earning the title of certified sommelier has become a hot career path.  People are signing up for sommelier programs in droves and schedules fill up almost immediately when new training and certification dates are released.  Movies, national and international "top somm" competitions and the media have brought an intense, almost cult-like focus on this once somewhat stuffy and obscure wine and service career.

While there are many excellent wine education programs out there, there is no doubt that the title of "sommelier" is the most recognized by the American public.  In terms of certification organizations it is the Court of Master Sommeliers that tends draw the most attention with its multi tiered system where different levels of certification are obtained through rigorous study, exams and blind tasting evaluations. To earn the title of sommelier students must first pass an introductory level exam to then be eligible to take the Certified Sommelier exam which entails written theory, demonstration of service as defined by the Court and blind tastings.  This is just the tip of the iceberg as there are then 2 more levels in the Advanced and the coveted title of Master Sommelier.
 

Blind tasting is an important component of all CMS certifications

The post Katrina exploding New Orleans dining scene has brought with it a demand for wine professionals and there are probably more certified somms than ever before in the Crescent City. Helping to meet that demand, each year Commander's Palace hosts the Court of Master Sommeliers as a site for their workshops and exams, giving New Orleans service industry easy access to the program.  Dan Davis, sommelier and wine director at Commander's has been a driving force behind getting more New Orleanians educated through CMS and hopes to offer two certification dates in 2015.
 
At Swirl we have always tried to make it fun to learn about wine and I think our new program, The Somm's Pick, will be one of our best yet.  Through our new tasting and education series at Swirl, we will put you in direct contact with some of New Orleans' finest sommeliers.  During their monthly presentations you'll have the opportunity to taste with them and discover wines they have chosen as some of the most intriguing in the market. Plus you'll be able to purchase the wines at a discount should you decided to participate in our Somm's Pick Buyers Club.

Our guest sommeliers will include Dan Davis of Commander's Palace, Liz Dowty of Square Root,  Michelle Gueydan from Vino Solutions/Neat Wines, John Mitchell of the Windsor Court, our own Kimi Kivirana and more.  We'll meet at the shop once a month to taste their selections and pick their brains on the who, what, when and whys of the bottles they've chosen.  And if you have an interest in becoming a sommelier this will be the perfect time to learn what is involved with obtaining the title from professionals who have made it through different levels of the program.

So here's how it works.  The first Monday of the month my weekly newsletter will  introduce a featured sommelier and their picks of the month.  The next evening, the first Tuesday of the month, is The Somm's Pick Tasting.  Our featured sommelier will be in the house from 6-8pm pouring their 2 wines which can be sparkling, red, white, rose' - sometimes it may be 2 reds, sometimes mixed, who knows?  It's their call!  The wines will be priced somewhere between $19.99 and $39.99.  Plus we'll have a third selection from the shop that we'll pour blind to give you a little insight into how to evaluate an unidentified wine.  It is $10 to attend the event, that will include tasting the 3 wines plus a free Reidel crytstal wine glass that is yours to keep.  The wines will be available for sale starting that evening and will be featured in the store through the month.

Then there's the Somm's Pick Buyers Club.  If you decide to join, each month you will be billed for the 2 wines with a 10% discount for being part of the club.  You can attend the tasting for half price and receive your free wine glass.  If you choose to purchase more of the wines anytime throughout the month you will continue to receive the 10% discount.  You'll also receive exclusive offers and discounts for any other events associated with the program.  The best part is, there's no long term commitment or obligation - after the first 3 months you can cancel at any time!

Dan Davis, Commanders Palace - Photo by Sara Essex Bradley

Intrigued?  Our first tasting is on Tuesday, February 3rd at 6pm and our featured sommelier is Dan Davis of Commander's Palace.  I'll have more details in next week's email, but mark the date, this should be one exciting kick off!