Thursday, May 21, 2015

Wine & Food of the Giro 2015 Stage 12: Alanera Rosso Veronese & Asiago



Imola - Vicenza (Monte Berico)  190 KM - Medium Mountain


Unesco tells me that "Founded in the 2nd century B.C. in northern Italy, Vicenza prospered under Venetian rule from the early 15th to the end of the 18th century. The work of Andrea Palladio (1508–80), based on a detailed study of classical Roman architecture, gives the city its unique appearance.
Andrea Palladio (1508-80) was profoundly influenced by his study of the surviving monuments of classical Rome and of the works of Vitruvius. For Vicenza he created both public (Basilica, Loggia del Capitaniato, Teatro Olimpico) and private buildings. A total of 26 individual buildings or parts of buildings known to have been designed or reconstructed by Palladio or attributed to him make up the World Heritage site - 23 in the city itself and three villas in its immediate environs. The palazzi or town houses were fitted into the urban texture of the medieval city, creating picturesque ensembles and continuous street facades in which the Veneto Gothic style combines with Palladio's articulated classicism. These urban compositions closely related to theatre design, which link reality and make-believe, are unique to Vicenza. A similar approach to composition is shown by the location of the suburban villa known as La Rotonda, as seen from the Villa Cricoli."

The stage: Rain again today. The break of the day contains Gretsch (AG2R) Appollonio (Androni) Barbin (Bariani) Elissonde (FdJ) and Van der Lijke (Lotto NL). With one hundred kilometers to go, they had about 1:30. The bunch is in a hurry today.
 

Seventy kilometers to go and the gap was around one minute. The weather was just awful. 
 





Thirty kilometers to go and he was caught. Lots of riders were being dropped off the back as they climbed. A little over twenty seven kilometers to go and Contador went to the front to pick up the pace. Caduta! Among those down, Simon Gerrans, one of the favorites for the stage. Ouch, some bad bike handling by Geniez as he almost hits both a child and a dog. Lots of slipping and sliding now. with lots of small groups forming.

Ten kilometers to go and Pellizottii was in front by under twenty seconds. 
I laughed:

A bit more than five kilometers to go and Kangert had caught Pellizotti, but their lead was small. Four kilometers to go and they had eigthteen seconds. Two kilometers to go, BMC was on the front for Gilbert, but the duo out front had thirty seconds. One kilometer, twenty one seconds. Gaps were forming behind as they closed in. And the work by BMC paid off: Gilbert! Plus, bonus seconds for Contador.

Stage: Philippe Gilbert
 

GC:
1 CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto TCS 51 h 17 m 6 s
2 ARU Fabio AST + 17 s
3 LANDA Mikel AST + 55 s
4 CATALDO Dario AST + 1 m 30 s
5 KREUZIGER Roman TCS + 1 m 55 s
6 URAN Rigoberto EQS + 2 m 18 s
7 VISCONTI Giovanni MOV + 2 m 21 s
8 CARUSO Damiano BMC + 2 m 28 s
9 AMADOR BAKKAZAKOVA Andrey MOV + 2 m 38 s
10 KONIG Leopold SKY + 2 m 44 s




Wine: Alanera Rosso Veronese IGT 2012
Sample from Winebow SRP $20.00

Alanera translates as "black wing," a reference to the raven, "corvino" in Italian, and an homage to the Valpolicella region's treasured indigenous grape, "Corvina".  

From the importer : The Zenato winery possesses a strong link to the richness of its local history and culture, and continues to develop this connection today. The estate is based in a territory that surrounds Lake Garda, with an extraordinary microclimate that allows for an optimal growing season. Cherishing a ‘frank and simple’ approach to life, Zenato is committed to producing affordable wine of exceptional quality. With a passion for the land and a dedication to vigorous research, innovation and quality improvement, Sergio Zenato strived to eclipse past results. He crafted wines that are known for their quality and consistency.
Founded in 1960 by Sergio and Carla Zenato, the Zenato winery was originally based on the production of quality wines from an indigenous varietal, Trebbiano di Lugana. Over time, the winery has been passed to Sergio and Carla’s children, who have maintained and expanded upon this vision. Their daughter Nadia currently handles the marketing and promotional activity for the company, while their son Alberto oversees all aspects of production, from the growing of the vines to the completion of the bottling process. Zenato has also explored another important area of Italian wine production — Valpolicella. It is here that they have dedicated endless efforts to the improvement and success of Amarone production, a wine of noble attributes and prestige.

I say: Oh reds of Northern Italy, I am very fond of you. Plum and spices with enough acidity to balance the fruit and tannins.  Reading the tasting notes online, I was worried that this would be bigger than I like. But once again, Melissa Sutherland has steered me to a wine I like.




Food: Asiago
Did I mention that there would be a lot of cheese?
From the Asiago Consortium:
In the Asiago Plateau, from which Asiago cheese takes its name, a tasty cheese has been produced ever since the year 1000. Initially sheep’s milk was used, but from the 1500s, with the gradual increase of cattle farming on the plateau, cow’s milk became the raw material used. The cheese making technique developed, and, during the early seventeenth century, production expanded into the neighbouring areas of the Asiago Plateau: the foothills, the surrounding plains and the nearby Alpine huts of Trentino. The oldest version of Asiago, most faithful to the traditions of the plateau’s cheese makers and with the fullest, most intense flavour, is the Seasoned cheese. In the early twentieth century, Fresh Asiago was born from the traditions of the DOP region combined with innovative cheese making technology. The flavour of this cheese, sweet and mild, has led to its international popularity.



n the Asiago Plateau, from which Asiago cheese takes its name, a tasty cheese has been produced ever since the year 1000.
Initially sheep’s milk was used, but from the 1500s, with the gradual increase of cattle farming on the plateau, cow’s milk became the raw material used.
The cheese making technique developed, and, during the early seventeenth century, production expanded into the neighbouring areas of the Asiago Plateau: the foothills, the surrounding plains and the nearby Alpine huts of Trentino.
The oldest version of Asiago, most faithful to the traditions of the plateau’s cheese makers and with the fullest, most intense flavour, is the Seasoned cheese.
In the early twentieth century, Fresh Asiago was born from the traditions of the DOP region combined with innovative cheese making technology. The flavour of this cheese, sweet and mild, has led to its international popularity. - See more at: http://www.asiagocheese.it/en/cheese/history-of-asiago/#sthash.NaNaHKAa.dpuf
Both Fresh and Aged Asiago are produced in an area reaching from the irrigated fields of the Po Valley to the hills of the Asiago Plateau and Trentino.
The area from which milk is obtained and in which Asiago DOP cheese is produced comprises four provinces: Vicenza, Trento and part of Padua and Treviso.
This consists of the area in which Asiago cheese was originally born, the Asiago Plateau, and of the surrounding territories to which production of this cheese spread.
Asiago cheese that is produced entirely at an altitude above 600 metres and with milk from farms within this area may also bear the distinction “Product of the Mountain”.
Only Asiago cheese produced within this area is authentic Asiago DOP. - See more at: http://www.asiagocheese.it/en/cheese/where-asiago-is-produced/#sthash.Z7t4YKr8.dpuf
n the Asiago Plateau, from which Asiago cheese takes its name, a tasty cheese has been produced ever since the year 1000.
Initially sheep’s milk was used, but from the 1500s, with the gradual increase of cattle farming on the plateau, cow’s milk became the raw material used.
The cheese making technique developed, and, during the early seventeenth century, production expanded into the neighbouring areas of the Asiago Plateau: the foothills, the surrounding plains and the nearby Alpine huts of Trentino.
The oldest version of Asiago, most faithful to the traditions of the plateau’s cheese makers and with the fullest, most intense flavour, is the Seasoned cheese.
In the early twentieth century, Fresh Asiago was born from the traditions of the DOP region combined with innovative cheese making technology. The flavour of this cheese, sweet and mild, has led to its international popularity. - See more at: http://www.asiagocheese.it/en/cheese/history-of-asiago/#sthash.NaNaHKAa.dpuf
n the Asiago Plateau, from which Asiago cheese takes its name, a tasty cheese has been produced ever since the year 1000.
Initially sheep’s milk was used, but from the 1500s, with the gradual increase of cattle farming on the plateau, cow’s milk became the raw material used.
The cheese making technique developed, and, during the early seventeenth century, production expanded into the neighbouring areas of the Asiago Plateau: the foothills, the surrounding plains and the nearby Alpine huts of Trentino.
The oldest version of Asiago, most faithful to the traditions of the plateau’s cheese makers and with the fullest, most intense flavour, is the Seasoned cheese.
In the early twentieth century, Fresh Asiago was born from the traditions of the DOP region combined with innovative cheese making technology. The flavour of this cheese, sweet and mild, has led to its international popularity. - See more at: http://www.asiagocheese.it/en/cheese/history-of-asiago/#sthash.NaNaHKAa.dpuf
n the Asiago Plateau, from which Asiago cheese takes its name, a tasty cheese has been produced ever since the year 1000.
Initially sheep’s milk was used, but from the 1500s, with the gradual increase of cattle farming on the plateau, cow’s milk became the raw material used.
The cheese making technique developed, and, during the early seventeenth century, production expanded into the neighbouring areas of the Asiago Plateau: the foothills, the surrounding plains and the nearby Alpine huts of Trentino.
The oldest version of Asiago, most faithful to the traditions of the plateau’s cheese makers and with the fullest, most intense flavour, is the Seasoned cheese.
In the early twentieth century, Fresh Asiago was born from the traditions of the DOP region combined with innovative cheese making technology. The flavour of this cheese, sweet and mild, has led to its international popularity. - See more at: http://www.asiagocheese.it/en/cheese/history-of-asiago/#sthash.NaNaHKAa.dpuf

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