Welcome to Nebbyolo!
Bringing Pittsburgh the best Italian wines (& some from Slovenia too!)
Benvenuti to the inaugural edition of Allora Wine Group’s newsletter, Nebby-olo!
We’ll use this space to drop wine knowledge, share scoop about upcoming events and highlight where you can savor our boutique, Italian wines, along with other fun and interactive extras related to Italian food, drink and travel.
[For those unfamiliar with our uniquely Pittsburgh patois, nebby is an adjective that means curious or nosy, but it can also be a verb if you’re nebbin’ around or a noun if you’re a nebnose]
Grazie for your support and, as always, drink good wine!
Ciao, Michel
We're celebrating Leo season! And we aren't talking about the mighty and regal astrological lion. Rather, we're referring to our Umbrian friend and winemaker Leonardo "Leo" Bussoletti, who, in an interesting twist, traces his roots all the way back ... to Pittsburgh!
Sometime in the early 1900's, his great-grandparents were among scores of Italian immigrants who made the journey by boat from Naples to America to work in coal mines in Western Pennsylvania.
All nine of the family's children were born here, including Leo's grandfather Riccardo, the baby of the bunch. The family stayed for roughly a decade before returning to Italy.
Michel visited with Leo in late spring at his winery in Narni, the namesake town of C.S. Lewis's luminary Chronicles of Narnia).
"With the money [his great-grandfather] got in America, he came back and purchased a little estate for agricultural purposes," he told Michel, adding that growing up. his grandfather's friends referred to him as "The American." (listen to their conversation below)
Leo's been instrumental in the revival of the Ciliegiolo grape, the parent grape of the much better known Sangiovese.
Pronounced "Chilly-Ah-Joel-Oh" it's a light-bodied red and appropriate that 'chilly' is in the name as this is one of those summertime reds you could throw in the fridge for a little chill before bringing it out. In addition, his ‘Colleozio’ Grechetto white will take you on a journey from its lush fruity nose which gives way to a crisp minerality.
In his book, ‘Vino: The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine,’ author, sommelier and restaurateur Joe Campanale is effusive in his praise of Leo and his wines.
“As tastes change, winemakers are also recasting bit players as stars. In Umbria, Ciliegiolo, a milder Sangiovese relative that’s often used as a blending grape in Chianti, takes center stage in three different monovarietal wines by its greatest champion, Leonardo Bussoletti.
“Cherry-like in name and color — Ciliegiolo is grown in other parts of central Italy, [but] Umbrian winemakers have seized upon the grape as their own … creating wonderfully monovarietal wines that burst with succulent fruit, soft texture, and the furious pride of the long overlooked.
“Obscure grapes need cheerleaders to pluck them from vineyard obscurity and bottle their magic. Leonardo Bussoletti cottoned on early to Ciliegiolo’s potential and, working with researchers at the University of Milan, honed its clones. On his seven-hectare organic vineyard in Narni, a town in southern Umbria, whose castle inspired C.S. Lewis’s Narnia, Bussoletti and his Ciliegiolo make a happy pair. He produces three different bottlings of the grape, preferring natural fermentation to cultured yeasts. These include my favorite, “Narni Ramici,” and he also cites the 05035 (pictured above) which “is made without any wood aging and is an agile, sublime expression of the grape.”
In an excellent and informative recent piece in Wine Spectator, Leo declared “Ciliegiolo is my life!”
We're honored to import Leonardo Bussoletti’s exceptional Italian wines back to their “ancestral homeland” here in Pittsburgh ;-)
See us in the wild!
Allora capitanos Dominic Mantella and Brian Cubellis will host a happy hour from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 16 at Fl.2, the restaurant inside Downtown Pittsburgh’s Fairmont Hotel. A signature drink from Il Calabrese liqueurs will be featured as will a selection of wines from Allora’s portfolio, including CVA Canicatti Syrah & Grillo from Sicily, Marotti Campi Rose and Revino Prosecco.
Also, Allora’s resident FNG Dan Gigler will be pouring Allora wines at 7 p.m. Saturday, August 17, at Atithi Studios in Millvale for the opening reception of ref-u-gee an exhibition by artist Michael Fratangelo that’s inspired by the masses crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa. The event is free and open to the public and will feature live music by The Regal Sweet.
Signore Mantella will also host an Italian summer wine class at 6 p.m. , Thursday, August 22, at at Cadence+ Cellars Speakeasy in the Strip District. He’ll be pouring a range of Italian styles and including Conte Emo Capodilista’s Sparkling Orange Blossom Moscato, Tenuta Spinelli Pecorino, Marotti Campi Rose and Casa Comerci Libici.
NEBBYOLO! What an absolutely perfect and brilliant name for an Italian wine newsletter for Pittsburgh! Grazie! We're looking forward to the events and information!