The folks at Sotto in Los Angeles began pouring Cantele Chardonnay by the glass last night. That’s celebrity mixologist Julian Cox in the background of the photo (he’s been using Cantele Salice Salentino in one of his cocktails and we’ll post the recipe in a few days).

Not only was Sotto named “Best New Restaurant 2011″ by Los Angeles Magazine, it was also named one of the “Best New Restaurants in the U.S. 2011″ by Esquire Magazine.

Sotto currently serves Cantele Chardonnay, Rosato di Negroamaro, and Salice Salentino by the glass.

Le Passanti Fiano Passito

Appellation: I.G.T. Salento
Grape: 100% Fiano
Production area: Manduria, Pulsano
Yield per hectare: 50 tons (4,500 plants per hectare)
Harvest: second half of September with some late harvest
Training: Spurred cane Guyot
Vinification: Grapes are picked in small crates that are then used to dry the grapes in a single stack in a covered loft with temperature and humidity control. After roughly 2 months, the dried grapes are pressed to obtain a dense sweet must that ferments slowly for a few weeks, first in stainless steel vats and then in barrique and tonneaux.
Aging: At least 2 years in cask and then in stainless steel and bottle
Aging potential: This is a very distinctive wine that will continue to evolve over time and reward the patient wine lover.
Color: Brilliant gold with sunny, bright nuance
Nose: Very intense, as if it were produced in a bee hive rich with floral and fruit aromas. Acacia honey and Cane apple. Orange flower and bergamot.
Palate: On the palate this wine reveals endless layers of delicate, smooth sensations, with superb balance between its freshness and aromatic character. The sweetness of this wine on the palate reminds some of “kisses that were never dared to be given…”
Pairing: Classic pastries filled with cream or almond paste. Piquant, rich cheeses.

The founder of the Cantele winery, Giovanni Battista Cantele — grandfather to the current generation — was born in 1907 in Pramaggiore (in the Province of Venice). During the Second World War, he moved to Imola (Province of Bologna) where he met and married the beautiful Teresa Manara. The couple had two sons, Augusto and Domenico.

After the war, Gianni — as he was known — made a career for himself in the wine trade. Like many in his generation, he found steady work as a broker of bulk wine that he would purchase in Puglia and then sell in Northern Italy. At the time, winemakers in northern Italy had difficulties in achieving the desired alcohol content and body in their wines — in part because of the climatic conditions and in part because of the available winemaking technology. It was not uncommon to ship wine from Puglia (where grape growers had no problems in obtaining fruit with sufficient sugar levels) to blend into the wines of the north. Expanding prosperity and a population explosion in the north had led to growing demand for quality wine.

The current generation of Cantele, from left, Umberto, Luisa, Paolo, and Gianni.
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Ristorante La Quinta Stagione
Chef Franco Tornese
Lecce, Italy

highly recommended

Nobody does crudo as well as the pugliesi. After all, all they need to do is go down the sea and pluck their catch from the warm waters of the Adriatic!

Tuna “four ways.”

Chef Franco’s creative take on the Pugliese classic, Ciceri e Tria.

The following recipe comes to us via the excellent blog Qualcosa di Rosso, a contribution to the Cantele Food Bloggers Project.

“Purse” Ravioli Stuffed with Lamb Ragù and Served with Broccoli Raab Sauce

3 to 4 servings

for the pasta:
3 cups flour
1 egg
¾ cup water
salt to taste

for the ragù:
extra-virgin olive oil
1 stalk celery, peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
flat-leaf parsley stalks
1 clove garlic unpeeled
1 clove
chili flakes
1 sprig rosemary and 1 sprig sage bound with butcher’s string
¾ lb. lean lamb, finely chopped
¼ cup Cantele Negroamaro Teresa Manara
1 ½ cups peeled canned tomatoes, crushed, juice reserved

for the sauce:
1 bunch broccoli raab, washed, trimmed, and finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt

to finish the dish:
freshly grated Pecorino
extra-virgin olive oil
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Trattoria Cucina Casareccia “Le Zie”
Via Colonnello Archimede Costadura, 19
73100 Lecce, Italy
+39 0832 245178

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Pittule (classic Pugliese fritters)

Fave e cicoria (fava beans and chicory)

Tiella di riso (rice, mussels, potatoes, zucchine etc.)

Ciceri e tria (chickpeas and noodles)

Favas braised in vegetable stock (this was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten in my life)

Polpette (meatballs)

Recommendation: WALK DON’T RUN!

We can’t think of a better way to start of the new year than with a nod from Puglian cooking expert Viktorija Todorovska who recently included our Primitivo in a roundup of recommendations for her readers at She Knows Food & Recipes.

Viktorija’s The Puglian Cookbook was published last year by Agate Surrey and is already considered one of the top titles in the field — a hot category in Italian cookery these days.

Thank you, Viktorija! We’re hoping to see you in Salento when you come to visit this year!

Congratulations to our friends at Sotto for being named “best new restaurant 2011″ by Los Angeles Magazine!

We’re proud to be part of your wine program!

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Who knows why talking about non-indigenous red grapes in Salento prompts comments that generally range from the perplexed to the unflattering, especially when it comes to supporters of enological fundamentalism and their feelings about so-called international grape varieties.?

I firmly believe that our future success as Salento producers will come to pass only by continuously improving the quality of wines made from Negroamaro and Primitivo.

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