February Organic Wine Dinner

Naked Wine 2 1/2: Same Philosophy, Different Terroir: Organic Winemaking in Tuscany, Burgundy and California

On February 16, 2012 Amali, in partnership with the Organic Wine Journal and Jenny & Francois Selections, will feature winemakers who espouse the same winemaking philosophy but make wine in three different and storied regions.

The winemakers will be on hand with a limited amount of barrel samples or older vintages as well as the listed vintages below to showcase each each winemaker’s philosophy.

Chef Gilroy’s four course menu will highlight lamb from Fossil Farms and Elysian Fields Farm in Pennsylvania, locally raised seafood and vegetables with traditional French and Italian cooking techniques. (we won’t forget to give a subtle nod to California in our dishes that evening, however)

Dinner will begin at 8:00 sharp. Price is $85 (exclusive of tax and gratuity).

FEATURED WINERIES & WINEMAKERS AT THE FEBRUARY 16, 2012 DINNER

Wineries

Domaine Guillot-Broux

Domaine Guillot-Broux is a 16 hectare certified organic vineyard in the Macon. The vines can be found thriving on three separate appellations within the Macon; Cruzille, Grévilly and Chardonnay. Winemaker Emmanuel Guillot-Broux makes quintessential high-quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay in northern Burgundy. The vines are on eastern facing slopes that mainly consist of clay and limestone with a subsoil of compact blue clay. With vines producing between 30 and 55 hectoliters a hectare, the dense planting of the vines increases competition between the vines, making the fruit in each grape highly concentrated. Emmanuel’s goal is to have as few grapes per vine naturally; this increases the concentration of flavors and the balance of the wine.

Colombaia

Colombaia was established in the early ’70s in the hamlet of Mensanello. Piero Lomazzi-who was brought up in a southern Italian winemaking family- reclaimed a long-abandoned Tuscan farm and extending the existing vineyards.Two decades ago Piero’s son, Dante and his wife Helena took over the winemaking reins at Colombaia.

The complete conversion to organic farming methods (certified by Istituto Meditteraneo di Certificazione) took place in ’90. Dante and Helena have recently begun making the switch from organic to biodynamic farming methods. The house and wine cellar are located on a wide hill that is surrounded by 4 hectares of vines containing the indigenous Sangiovese, Colorino, Malvasia Nera and Canaiolo varieties.

The vineyard is 220 meters above sea level and benefit from an outstanding Southwest exposure. Dante, named for his winemaking grandfather, is a third generation winemaker and he takes a great deal of pride in farming his vines organically. His respect for the environment and complete rejection of industrial-produced wine is a refreshing change for Tuscany

Hardesty Cellars

Hardesty Cellars, founded in ’06 by organic grower, natural winemaker & surfer Chad Hardesty, produces all estate grown & bottled wines. Chad was born in southern CA, but headed north to work on, and later start, an organic fruit & vegetable farm, producing for local restaurants & farmers markets. With this background in agriculture & a firm belief in the natural & organic production of foods, Chad set out to grow & make high quality wines that are true to their terrior & not manipulated.

Producing several non-commercial vintages after apprenticing under Tony Coturri, the ’08 wines, are his first commercial vintage. Located in Willow Creek, Humboldt County, along the far reaches of coastal northern California some 200 plus miles north of Napa. Willow Creek is a designated AVA or American Viticultural Area, & the only one in Humboldt County. Geographically it shares a boarder with Mendocino along the rugged North Coast. Willow Creek is a small community in the Trinity River Valley, a wild & mountainous valley. Warm Inland air during the day & cool ocean breezes at night coupled with a fairly long growing season make for optimum ripening of lush, full fruit flavors while maintaining good, crisp acidity. Hardesty is located on a south/southwest facing hillside at 900 feet. There are only 3 other producers in Willow Creek. Hardesty Vineyard is the largest at 8 acres.