louise brison

Hiking, Swimming and Eating – The Best of Lake Como

/ trwk1966 / 1 Comment

The summer weather on the Italian lakes can be quite unpredictable with the searing heat causing dramatic thunderstorms to blow up. Today was no exception with one forecasted for around 4pm.

We breakfasted like kings on the terrace with a traditional Italian spread of local cheeses, hams, pastries and jams all washed down with a large dose of espresso! Made all the more dramatic against a backdrop of bells peeling from a nearby church.

Lake Como with Church Bell Soundtrack

Deciding to maximise our day and beat the storm we packed our rucksack and headed off on the “Greenway del Lario” a 10km trail that takes you between Lake Como and the many villages behind away from the busy main road between Colonno and Cadennabia.

We joined the trail just a distance from our hotel in the village of Susino. Here we were afforded stunning views of the lake and this striking church.

image

We pressed on through Azzano before descending down to the lake from Mezzegra, pausing for a few moments to take in this view towards the Lido di Lenno.

image

As the path weaved through a few lanes and brought us right onto to the lakeside the heat of the morning sun was becoming intense. Just before the San Giorgio Hotel there was a little beach and so we decided to take a refreshing dip with a little open water swimming to cool off.

We then headed off to the bustling lakeside town of Lenno which is one of the stopping points for the many ferry boats which are the essential mode of transport for travelling round Lake Como.

Jostling our way through the crowds at the busy Tuesday street market we soaked up the atmosphere by the little marina and admiring the view towards the Villa Balbianello.

imageA closer view shows the stunning opulence of these lakeside villas with  contrasting shades of terracotta, probably the holiday home of some A lister or millionaire!

image

We headed back up through the market to pick up the Greenway again and as we did we heard “Bonjour” and not “Buongiorno”. It was our new found French friends Laurence and Rèmy and their families out exploring in Lenno! With a  “Bonne journée” we left them and continued on into Lenno to pick up the trail.

In Lenno we found a real gem. “La Cantina Vini Sfusi di Lenno”, or bulk wine cellar in English!image

Here you bring along your container and they fill it straight from these steel tanks at €2.20 per litre! We tried the Bonarda which was surprisingly drinkable for an everyday table wine!

They also sell lots of high end Italian wines and spirits too. We had hoped to go to one of the legendary Valtellina vineyards Pelizatti Perego, but having phoned Isabella one of the winemakers that morning she apologised that no one was available and advised me to book in advance for our next trip. As a comprise for not getting to Valtellina we decided to splash out on a bottle of the Passito style red wine that this region is famed for.

Sfursat di Valtellina, one of the two DOCG in Valtellina, is a dry red wine made by drying grapes in much the same way as in Amarone, the grapes being dried out in specially vented cellars before pressing, the wine is aged for a minimum of 18 months, with the key grape variety being Chiavennasca  (The local name for Nebbiolo), DOCG rules dictate at least 90% Nebbiolo in the blend.

Scanning the shelves in the Cantina we spotted one bottle of this treasured beauty left. We made our purchase and asked the owner which Valtellina foods would accompany this best. The answer came local aged Braesola, and any good local hard cheeses such as Bitto or Casera. With this crucial information carefully written down we continued along the Greenway trail.

image

Just past Lenno, sauntering along the Greenway we passed a convent with a cobbled path on the opposite side going down to the lake. A chain cordoning the access off was down so we took this as in invitation to swim in this idyllic spot above.

Quiet and secluded away from the bustle of Lenno it was only as we swam out to the white buoy in the middle that we noticed a sign saying “Privado” ! At this point we took our chances and continue with our swim with no adverse consequences.

imageOut of the water and continuing back on the trail it took us past the stunning if not lesser known Villa Balbiano, where we paused to admire the perfect symmetry of the gardens.

Noticing that the weather was on the turn and anticipating the storm’s earlier arrival we doubled back along the route towards Lenno before we got to Colonno arriving just in time to pick up the shuttle boat to Tremezzo which took us a mere 10 mins.

imageBack at the hotel we jumped in the car to head down to the nearby village of Mezzegra to use the local laundrette and to buy our essential Valtellina cheeses for our locally themed picnic dinner.

As we arrived in Mezzegra the heavens opened and the streets became awash with raging torrents of water. We sat for a while sheltering in the car before making a run for it to the nearby laundrette . Whilst trying to figure out the operating instructions we met another couple in there who offered assistance.

Andy was a Swiss-German architect and his partner was a German neurologist. As our respective loads spun through their 35 minute cycle we chatted partly in German, partly in English.

They told me they had a boat on the lake. It turned out that is was more than just a boat! A magnificent 35 foot hand built Tuillo Abate powerboat which was moored nearby. Fast boats were Andy’s passion and we learnt a little of the history of Tuillo Abate whose shipyard was in the village of Mezzegra.

We all remarked it was like one of those random meetings in a movie where strangers connect and chat like old friends!

As the dryer finished its cycle we headed off the the little deli opposite to buy our cheese and then made our way back to Hotel La Perla in Tremezzo.

As we got ready for dinner the storm clouds started to lift, so we cracked open the 1999 Louise Brison champagne and enjoyed our aperitif on our balcony.

image

We had planned to picnic on the balcony, however Clilia and Mara were having none of it! Instead, as their “snackbar” was closed they offered us the use of the main hotel terrace, put us out plates and crockery and some really lovely Bordeaux style wine glasses! It really was a very special picnic!

The freshest local ingredients; The Braesola was strongly flavoured from months of maturation seasoned with the fresh peppery rocket and offset with sweet plum tomatoes.

image

The Sfursat was exceptional! A nose of plum, damson and chocolate. Really soft tannins, a dry long lingering finish with violets and damsons. It was the perfect partner to the local cheeses and Braesola. There’s always something really special about enjoying wine and food that are coterminous with the same terroir!

imageimageThe cheeses were pretty exceptional too especially the Casera with its hard, texture and intense mature flavour!

During dinner we had the added spectacle of the seeing the sunset again over the pink tipped mountain tops and as the terrace became enveloped in darkness, we looked out across the sparkling lights of the lakeside villages and decided to head back to our room in anticipation of a long drive the next day!

We were just about to crash out when there was a knock at the door; We’d forgotten that we had promised to meet our new found French friends for a final Grappa on the terrace! Again entering into the Entente Cordiale spirit and banishing those Brexit demons we joined Rèmy and Laurence on the terrace for a final Grappa and late night conversation!image

The Great Gastro Adventure (three countries, two foodies one mission)

/ trwk1966 / Leave a comment

( It seems hard to believe that I started timsfoodandwinetravels.com on a whim just before last years food and wine tour to France. Sitting in the co pilot seat with my iPad on my lap I’m looking forward to sharing with you the next great Gastro Adventure. A two week tour to the heart of the Tuscan wine country via
Champagne, the Bernese Oberland and Lake Como. Our return taking us via the stunning Val d’Aosta and my Achilles heel Burgundy.

Our journey started with a bleary eyed slog to Dover. Heading the Twittersphere advice of both P and O and Dover Port authority to allow extra time for check in due to additional security.
As the Pride of Canterbury slipped her mornings and we edged out into the Straits of Dover we took up pole position on the top deck, soaking up the warmth of the sun’s rays as we saw the iconic cliffs of Dover shrink onto the horizon.
In less time than it it takes me to drive the 20 miles or so to London we were embarking onto the Calais quayside and out into the French countryside.
Our first destination was Courban in the Côte d’Or via the Route du Cremant. The area around Chatillon-sur-Seine is known as the Chatillonnais. It’s renowned for making the sparking wines made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir called Cremant du Burgogne.
The thing I love about these adventures is the serendipitous finds that come from the least likely of places. Day one of this trip was no exception. As we neared our first destination I saw a sign proclaiming “Champagne vigneron”. My analytical brain starting processing this information. Was this a random Cremant producer pushing the limits of the AOC or did the Champagne AOC really extend this far south!
image
By the time I’d come to the conclusion it could well be the later we were already 2km down the road when we passed another Champagne house by the road side. Curiosity well and truly got this cat and I lept out of the car like a fan who had his last Pokemon in sight!

image
I approached the cellar door of   Champagne Louise Brison with an air of trepidation, I was really hoping that they would be open. I wandered into the tasting room and saw a wall adorned with award winning accolades from such prestigious sources as Decanter, Vinalies Internationales Concors des Oenologues de France and the International Wine Challenge.

My heart started beating faster with the anticipation that I had stumbled across by chance an award winning champagne house at the very southern tip of the Champagne AOC.
The office door swung open and we were met by the charming Julie Gallecier, their Sales Assistant.

image
What struck me as we were driving through this area is that unlike the Epernay and Reims areas to the north west where the terroir is dominated by viticulture in the Aube area it’s farming that dominates with small pockets of viticulture.

What makes this area different is also the terroir, Burgundian in character (Clay/limestone) and suited to the staples of Burgundy; Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It doesn’t suit the other grape varietal used in Champagne the Pinot Menier.

A family concern, the estate of 13 hectares is named after his maternal grandmother, who have farmed the area for generations it was the courage and determination of the current owner Monsieur Earl Brulez, who loved champagne that led to the creation of Louise Brison. Unlike generations before him who sold their precious grapes to the cooperatif for the guarantee of financial security but the anonymity of the cooperatif; instead he choose the high stakes of going it alone to produce his own individual style vintage champagne. If that wasn’t setting the bar high enough he further set out three golden rules to which he wanted to produce his first champagne.

1. Reasoned and Reasonable – affordable vintage champagnes that had purpose.

2. Respectful of the Harmony – although not certified biodynamic, the wines are produced to biodynamic standards to preserve the microbiology of the soil. By avoiding chemical fertilisers, insecticides and fungicides and maintaining these organic conditions the vines are free to draw minerals from the subsoil and to improve their metabolism and production of organic compounds.

3. Revelation of the Aromas – this house only produces vintage champagnes with huge ageing potential. It’s no accident that each vintage is cellared for a min of 6 years to allow all their flavours and aromas to develop. This gives their champagnes refinement, roundness and character. It also means that half a dozen bottles of say the 2009 vintage purchased now but opened each year for the next six years are likely to taste different each year. This will also effect the suitability of the champagne to be either any aperitif or accompany a certain food style.

This schematic nicely illustrates how these champagnes change character over their life.
imageAnd so to the tasting….

image
Louise Brison, 2010 Brut Vintage. A 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend. A nose of citrus especially grapefruit and toasty brioche from the oak ageing. By their standards this is a young vintage but had a surprisingly long finish; in its current form would be an ideal aperitif but showed great promise of good food pairing in future.

Louise Brison, 2009 Brut Vintage. Has received 6 accolades.
Gault Millieu, 2015 Effervescents du Monde, Silver Medal/ 2016 Decanter World Wine Awards, Silver Medal/les Vinalies 2016 Grand Prix d’Excellence

Notes of spice, violets, quince, pineapple and oak on the nose. Similar on palate with a  little oak. This champagne has great ageing potential.

Louise Brison, 2008 Vintage, Blanc de Blanc. This has won 2 medals, a gold medal in Chardonnay of the world, and a gold medal in best French wine in USA.

A nose of wet stones yielding an overall minerality with a hint of oak after spending 9 months in barrel. On the palate there are both salty and citrus notes, a perfect partner to fruit de mer.

Champagne Rose  L’impertinente. A 100% Pinot macerated Rose, 2010. An deep pink colour with a dark orange hue. Notes of wild strawberries, red fruits on the nose, with oak toastiness. On the palette the red fruit theme continues with further hints of morello cherry. The finish is long and fat. Whilst this would be an ideal aperitif, suit white meats and work sublimely with a strawberry Charlotte it surprisingly partners BBQ meats.

We thanked Julie for the degustation, made a few purchases and then headed off to Courban. Before we left, Julie suggested we take the slightly longer route via the champagne villages of Noe les Malettes and Fontette. Between these two villages is a panoramic view across the vineyards called Plateau de Blu.

image

Plateau de Blu. A stunning view of the champagne vineyards.

As we pulled up into the car park of the Chateau du Courban we reflected on the fact that we hadn’t made it to the Route du Cremant but had discovered instead one of the hidden jewels of champagne.