Wines of the Giro Stage 12: Monteforche & Cav

 

 Longarone - Treviso 134 kilometers

 From the Garibaldi:
Very short stage, mostly descending. Short climbs interrupt the descent: Pieve di Alpago (intermediate sprint), the Muro di Ca’ del Poggio (max 16% - GPM) and Santa Maria della Vittoria on the Montello (max 14% - GPM). Roads generally straight and flat. Final urban circuit 7.5 km long, ridden once. 
Final circuit entirely within urban area, with two technical sections, each with a left-hand bend (6800 m from the stage finish and 1700 m from the finish line). Wide, well-surfaced roads. Momentary narrowing at 400 m. Finish straight 1100 m long. Road width 7.5 m, surfaced with asphalt.

A day for the sprinters, unless they can be dropped on the early hills.  Hoping for some points for my fantasy cycling team from Mark Cavendish today.  Though perhaps he will be off his game?

Taylor Phinney ‏@taylorphinney 3h

Beat @MarkCavendish 3 times in a row last night at Chess, so expect him to be reeling from those devastating losses a bit in today's sprint.

Also, on the weather front:

CadelOfficial 3:20am via Echofon

Shortest flatter day of this Giro also coincides with wettest day seen in Italy for months. Who said 'this Giro's full of surprises?' #giro

Wiggins announced yesterday that he is suffering from a cold/chest infection. Weather like today will certainly not make him feel better.  Severe weather alert apparently. Plus, The jury has said it will take the time for GC at the 3km-to-go marker, in an effort to reduce the chance of crashes at the line. The early break: Felline, Belkov, de Backer and Lammertink, soon joined by Mercato. With about 103 km remaining and the gap at three minutes, four out of the five break riders slipped on the very wet roads. Somehow though, probably because the main field slowed down after hearing the news, their gap continued to grow. 

Behind:

inrng 6:23am via Web

Torrential rain in Giro. White plumes of spray as the wheels sluice through the water. Wiggins cornering nervously, last man in bunch

With under 90km to go,  the five up front still had just over three minutes. 

nyvelocity: Today's Giro action, watch for descent mayhem, tread water until 20k to go, watch race begin.  

giroditalia 6:49am via Web

75 km to go: the Gap for the Break is 2'53'' / 74 km al termine: la fuga ha un vantaggio di 2'53'' #giro

With the rain and slick roads, fingers will be crossed that the riders all make it around the finish upright. Lots of turns there at the end:

http://www.podiumcafe.com/2013/5/16/4335956/giro-ditalia-stage-12-live

 Meanwhile, his team is still working for a Cavendish win:

opqscyclingteam 7:06am via TweetDeck

The black rain jackets of #OPQS lined up on the front of the peloton. 62km to go, 2'36" gap. #Giro

opqscyclingteam 7:19am via TweetDeck

52km to go, gap 2'19" #Giro. Someone is actually walking around at the finish wearing diving flippers.

giroditalia 7:50am via Web

30 km to go: 2'43'' for the break / 30 km al termine: 2'43'' per la fuga #giro

Twenty kilometers to go and the break had 1:50. Behind, Wiggins had fallen back and was losing more time.  

Despite the lack of a Giro Love Story this year, Taylor Phinney sent a kiss from the peloton:

http://www.podiumcafe.com/2013/5/16/4335956/giro-ditalia-stage-12-live

opqscyclingteam 8:06am via TweetDeck

19km to go, #OPQS still chasing. Wiggins is off the back. 1'36" to #OPQS/maglia rosa group, 3 minutes to the Wiggins group. #Giro

  EuroHoody 8:09am via Web

Looks like Wiggins has waved off his teammates; could be the end of this Giro

Ten kilometers and 34 seconds to the main group. Wiggins remained off the back. Five kilometers and an 18 second gap. In case you are curious, at this point of a race, I can be found inches from my tv screen, screaming. Really. And with his third stage win of the race, Mark Cavendish gets his 100th career win. 

nealrogers 8:30am via TweetDeck

100 career wins for @MarkCavendish. What more can you say? Best sprinter ever, and he's just getting warmed up.

https://twitter.com/opqscyclingteam/status/335055986014429184/photo/1

Stage:

1 Cavendish 

2 Bouhanni 

3 Mezgec 

4 Nizzolo 

5 Lancaster 

6 Belletti 

7 Ferrari 

8 Modolo 

9 Tamouridis 

10 Ventoso

GC:

1	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team	46:28:14
2	Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team	0:00:41
3	Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling	0:02:04
4	Robert Gesink (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team	0:02:12
5	Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-Merida	0:02:13
6	Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia	0:02:55
7	Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida	0:03:35
8	Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team	0:04:05
9	Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale	0:04:17
10	Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo-Tinkoff	0:04:21

Monteforche Vigneto Carantina 2010, $24.99

From 67 Wine:
Winemaker Alfonso Soranzo manages a small property with his father in the Colli Eugani. Soranzo, a horn player, decided to leave music five years ago to devote – body and soul - to viticulture. Helped by his father in the vineyards, he personally helms all the cellar operations. The family’s tiny estate is on one of the best plots of Colli Euganei, southwest of Padova. Colli Euganei, while certainly not a well-known appellation in the Veneto, is one of the best areas to grow vines in Italy. Volcanic soils with marl and limestone, good aeration, mild constant winds and average rains make it one of the best growing areas in the Veneto. Particularly, the Vo area (western slopes of mount Venda) is the cooler and fresher of the whole appellation, giving finesse and balance. Using biodynamic practices and ambient yeasts, Alfonso crafts unique wines that reflect the terroir of the Veneto.

From the importer:
Garganega Vigna Carantina

Producer: Monteforche

Region: Veneto

Legal Designation: Bianco del Veneto IGT

Grape Varieties: Garganega

Wine Type: White, dry

Viticulture and Vinification: Winemaker Alfonso Soranzo manages a small property with his father in the Colli Eugani. Volcanic soils with marl and limestone, good aeration, mild constant winds and average rains make it one of the best growing areas in the Veneto. Using biodynamic practices and ambient yeasts, Alfonso crafts unique wines that reflect the terroir of the Veneto.  

From the Wine Trio:

The Estate: This tiny estate owns his vineyards in one of the best plot of Colli Euganei (south-west of Padova, northern Italy). Colli Euganei is certainly not a popular appellation, but is one of the best place to grow vines in Italy. The volcanic soils with marls and limestone, the good areation (mild constant winds) and average rains make this place extremely appropriate for wine. Particularly, the Vo area (western slopes of mount Venda) is the cooler and fresher of the whole appellation, giving finesse and balance. Biodynamic farming

Philosophy: The sole thing that make a producer different is the place where he grows the vines. Wine must express the aromas that result from the interaction between grape variety and place. Beside soil and micro climate, a place is characterized also by flora and fauna, like the native yeasts that grow on the grape skins. That’s the reason why the vineyards are cultivated without any chemicals and the wines are made without selected yeasts and any kind of biotechnology.

The People: Alfono Soranzo is a horn player (diploma in Padova School of Music), but some 5 years ago he decided to leave the music to devote - body and soul - to the viticulture. Helped by his father in the vineyards, he personally follow all the cellar operations.

I say : Another recommendation from Melissa Sutherland. Very golden in color.  Rich, expressive, very aromatic. Minerals and herbs.