Ep. 2117 Livin' The Dolce Vita With Jeff Porter: Age-Worthy White Wines | On The Road With Stevie Kim

For me, I think that the important part is that you don't have to wait, but you can wait. Whereas, like, a lot of people, I always hear like, oh, this this wine's gonna turn around eventually. And the beauty of it for Ken Busley Gray, the Falangina, like, the fresh Valentino that you get absolutely stunning. But then you stock stock it away and you stumble upon it on some random Wednesday night, and you and you're like, holy shit. What is this? And it it'll literally change your mind. About everything. Welcome to another episode of On The Road Edition, hosted by Stevie Kim. Each week, she travels to incredible wine destinations, interviewing some of the Italian wine scene's most interesting personalities, talking about wines, the foods, as well as the incredible travel destinations. Hi, you guys. Welcome back. My name's Stevie Kim, and it's been a while. It's been about two months actually, and we are going to do our live with Jeff horta. And I'm today in Port Swaddlersley. It is extremely hot here. Let me see if Hey. How are you, Jeff? I'm well. How are you? You have no idea. We have kind of an, ad hoc because I forgot my girl in the car. We were running late. So I'm in, Portswale right now at a bar. How are you? I'm well. I'm well. You know? It's been, you know, it's been about two months already, I think. Yes. It has. The last time we did a live was, before, Vineetley. Right? And we tried doing it Vinetley. Of course, that got completely crazy. So you're back now back in Italy? Back in Terino in full swing. Schools about to end. Your school or your daughter's school? Right. Right. My school is always going. How's that going? Piano, piano, ma, o g e o, Duway telephone calls. It was amazing. I understood what they were saying, and they understood what I was saying. Well, what was the call about? Delivering wine. Oh, fuck. So you got some wine delivered? What what what did you order? Where did you order it from? I was I ordered directly from some from some wineries. Okay. And, you know, just that you go on their website, you're looking Like, I needed some white wine for the house, and I I wanted this wine from the market. So I ordered it. I went to their website and ordered it. So listen, that's actually a great segue because today, I do want to talk about age worthy white wines. I mean, Campis Figre. Have you been here? I have. Have you ever been? Been a long time, but Oh my god. It is absolutely amazing. And I know you are writing an article about white wines. So tell me about that. What are you working on? So I'm in the process of writing a piece for online publication, and it's it's gonna be about five wines in Italy that I think will surprise everybody that they taste good today and they just taste that much better ten years from now. The beauty of Italian wine, I think, is that everyone thinks it's just cold white wine, and it's it's it's far from that. Like, places, like, I I I had been experiencing gabi recently Cortese and Swave. I'm Verdicchio. Verdicchio, I've known to the age for a long time, Swave, the same thing, but I went to Gave and Cortese, and I was, like, blown away by the wines today. The wines are better than they were years ago, and now, like, with some age and the value proposition. And then in the south, I'm looking at at Fiano and Catacante. So give me, when will this article be coming out? Probably in about four weeks. Okay. And are you choosing areas specifically or wines? I'm choosing grapes. Oh, grapes. Okay. And because I just feel, you know, as a evangel Evangilous. I call myself the Italian wine evangelist. You know, you can be Saint Peter, because he's meant to cope, and I'll be I'll be Mary Magdal. Okay. Alright. That sounds good. But it's it's just, people have just over, like, years glossed over the the age ability of Italian white wine and the beauty of them. And it's the best part about it is that if you're interested in starting your own wine cellar, it's not a wine that is gonna, like, set you back. You're not gonna have to pay your your rent on a credit card. Right? Like, these are wines you can buy six, eight, twelve bottles of, and still go out to dinner the next night and not sweat the the economic cost. Yeah. I really feel like the future of Italian wine will be ageable white wines. I don't know. That's kind of the feeling I get. I've been in the business for about twelve years now. And the more I see the potential aging capability of the Italian whites, because in the past, you know, everyone just thought, you know, you drink it immediately and that was it. But the more I get to know different areas, like, here in Kompi Felegre, because it's this volcanic area. And it's very, very interesting because it's quite different from other areas, like from the souvenir or Sanju. And the grapes here especially the, and as well as they never quite get that high alcoholic level ever. And it's been that way I've discovered today for the first time. It's been that way forever since the get go. And I think that's pretty amazing, especially because of the climate change. Right? So in a way, this could be a very interesting grape for the future. I totally agree. And and that there's a comment right now, like, any grapes from Abruzzo, and I was just in Abruzzo two weeks ago. And, you know, I mean, Treviano, the is arguably, you know, one of the great white wines of of Italy and and has deliciousness today and deliciousness tomorrow. And and it's it's it's an amazing grape. Obviously, pecorino is also good. I I did a little mini vertical maybe like eight years of pecorino, which I'd only had fresh versions of pecorino, and so it's interesting to see that wine's aging potential. And for me, I think the the important part is that you don't have to wait but you can wait. Whereas, like, a lot of people, I always hear, like, oh, this wine's gonna turn around eventually. And the beauty of it for Kemba, flee gray, the Falangina, like, the Fresh Falangina that you get absolutely stunning. But then you stock stock it away, and you stumble upon it on some random Wednesday night, and you and you're like, holy shit. What is this? And it it'll literally change your mind about everything. Yeah. You know, you never think about Falingina to you you'd think more about the the piano or the reca, right, in terms of the potential aging capability. But you don't really think about it's kind of the the minor grief, if you will, right, in terms of this area, but it is absolutely surprising. I found on this trip for me. I wish I was there with you. How hot is it there right now? I can see you're a little I'm I'm completely I'm I'm drenching. I'm completely drenched. It's only about, I think, about thirty degrees, but it feels like hundred. I mean, it's just, you know, just yeah. It's very humid. And, you know, so there's been some earthquake last night. Actually, this morning, three forty eight, my bed started shaking. There is this certain type of earthquake, and it's there's a lot of activity. Right? So they kinda live with this because this is kinda what they called the bradadismo. I I don't I don't even yeah. It's a different kind of earthquake. Compared to, like, tectonic earthquakes. So what what she explained to me, Christina, who's with me right now said it's more like if they breathe all year around. And so there are many numerous, you know, these So it it turns out it's the way that it breeds. Right? They're about forty forty four zero volcanic craters in this area. And last night, this morning, it moved again. So I felt it. My the kids, my team, they slept through it. But I I got up, and I was like, what's going on? And I'm going through the Twitter feed, you know, like, what is is there anything going? And no one said anything? Until this morning, there was some news which confirmed that it actually happened. It was only three point four on the richter scale. But, I mean, you feel it. Right. Yeah. You know? But I I suppose this is kind of the resilient people. Yeah. Living here because they cohabitate with this life. There's no other way. Right. It's it's something you live with. Yeah. Cheeto is like it's like being on a roller coaster because he's from, I think, Campania. So, yeah, it's it's absolutely crazy. Only people who comes from a quick country can relate, and yes, we sleep through it. My wife's from LA, and she was in the ninety four LA Quake, and she she she remembers it vividly. But I I lived in California for ten years, and I only fell two earthquakes in ten years. But it's a it's such a crazy phenomenon for for places, like, on the Pacific rim, and then in all of Italy, like, when I was in, when I was in a veruso inumbria, earlier this year that we, you know, we went through this village that was destroyed, right, like, two thousand nine. So that huge earthquake that was there. And it's a it's a it's an amazing phenomenon, but I think this is a great comment. Italian bridals are the answer to climate change, and Italian wine will be the future of winemaking. For my experience when I was in Australia last year, I saw more plantings of Italian white varieties throughout the Victorian region than I ever thought. Oh, really? Fiano Greco, Arnaise Pecarino, Treviano Bracez. It was amazing, and they're doing really great work. And I think the grapes are just adaptable. They they they get it, and their ability to be ripe in a acidic at the same time is the thing that sets them apart that from from other varieties from around the world. So I think in terms of also value. Right? The only problem is that this area, from what I understand, there are only about a million bottles produced. In total. Well, it's super small. It's tiny. So it is it's going to be very difficult to make a dent and, you know, be effective in in the market because it's so, so tiny. Right? So so I see that as a little bit of a challenge. Although wine itself, I think it has great, great potential. Even per di di Roso, I mean, it it shrinks so nicely. It's It almost kinda gives you that, you know, kind of feeling or something between, but it's tiny. The production is tiny, tiny, tiny. So there are about forty producers and But in total, they make about a million bottles. So where do where are they going to go with this? I I don't know. That's the only problem. Mostly so locally in one, that cantina that I came to visit. It's their twenty fifth anniversary. It's called a astronomy, country, astronomy, and they sell seventy percent in Naples, then another twenty percent in Italy. That only leaves a ten percent. Right? So what is that? At the moment, it's only about you know, fifteen thousand bottles for the entire foreign countries, foreign markets. So that's still very, very tiny, and it's a damn shame because I think it is a very interesting area, but no one will really know. Right? Because it's just so tiny. But that's why they follow us. Right? And I think the beauty of it is always the search. Right? At least in the States. Like, some of it comes to the States. There's there's Campbellfully gray. I I had some at Artart various restaurants. And it was always a crowd pleaser, but the the beauty is you have some, and then it runs out, and then you could switch to another cool region, then it runs out. I know for them, they they'd love more to to make more money. But at the at the end of the day, I think, like, if they could think of the Bay of Naples, where you are Mhmm. Physically, what makes it so special besides being on top of a Super Volcano. I know crazy. Crazy. We went to see act actually because it's it's like all year round. The Solfatara. One of the last volcanic eruption that is called Solfatara. So we went to actually see it. And until two thousand seventeen, two million people visited. There was even a camping site. It was more like the Yellowstone, you know, reserve. But then, of course, a family died and they closed it a lot. Right? But we so it was all closed in, but we went to see it. And you see the pomerols, like, I mean, it's it's happening. Like, you know, like twenty four seven all year round. It's absolutely mind boggling. And speaking to them, is it kind of is it better that it's always kind of fuming so it's releasing pressure and releasing something versus if it's bottle up and then one time it just explodes. I have no clue. I have to be honest, but that seems to be kind of the rationale. I mean, it makes sense to me as you're speaking to me, but I have no clue. I have to be honest. But it is very fascinating like Aetna. Right? It's It's different kind of volcano, but it's still fascinating. And here, everyone speaks about vesuvia, but to be quite honest, Pompei Felegre is very, very interesting in terms of the wines that they produce, especially the Falangina and pi di de rochelle. Did you any of the growers you go to? I know last time I was there, I saw some of the really old training methods of the P and A rosso kinda growing up those big poles. So, I mean, you know, there was there are some pre voloxera right here because because of the Sandy soil. It didn't really affect the phylloxera. Right? They weren't able to penetrate here. But a lot of the from what I understand, most of the the new generation winery started about twenty five years ago. There was a group like, mike Tushielo, and then they were kind of the biggest and then they fold it. So then after that, there were a series of other producers. There was And they kind of they're fairly new. So most of the vines now are, you know, like, maybe, let's say, thirty, thirty years old. Right. Right? But they did suffer from, last year. Dave, I think, lost about thirty percent. This year, it's it's crazy. Right? Because it's you you don't think it would happen. It's so hot. Right. And when it get it when it pours, it pours. You know, a lot of them, they're organic, so they don't really use any you know, pesticides, nothing in particular. So they've suffered. And, hopefully, this year, it will be bad. It's it's hot now. So, hopefully, it will be a better season for them this year. Let's hope. So we got some other comments here, like, There's a in the Pacific Northwest. They're growing a lot of Italian varieties. There's a mention about La Gryne showing up in California and Texas. You know, I think, you know, you and I have been talking about Italian wines for decades now, and it's it's It really is a beautiful thing to see that the global community from winemakers to consumers to sommeliers really, really finally discover this place that's been making wine for thousands of years. And I I think we're in this golden age right now. And it's it's absolutely beautiful. So wine wine or lettuce at something. Can you read that? Yeah. It says phylloxera did not affect the big part of Compania region. That's why lots of beetles conifers look like trees. I have been a clue what that means, but But it's true. I mean, the the volcanic soil in the region, there's a lot of influx or vines, and you can still plant Pietta Fronco in certain parts of Compania, which I I think is really interesting. So So, Jeff, give me a little bit about the Dolcebito. What are your plans now? Are you staying in Italy? How are you staying? We we have decided to continue to stay. We signed up for another year of school of my daughters. My language is is definitely progressed, but it's still, you know, I'm just kind of at the I think it's the What's the verb tense call when you use, like? A conditional. So I I'm working on that. And, I stop my lessons at the moment just because I'm I'm so busy with work. What are you working on in terms of work? Are you writing? Are you tasting? I'm writing. I'm doing lots of tasting. And so doing the writing for wine enthusiasts. And then I I consult for this hotel in the long a still. I'm going there on Thursday to to work with a small a team there. And then I've been working on I'm doing some some tour groups for sommeliers and or just private clients. And so I've got some of that coming up September and October and November is all like taking people all over Italy, which is exciting. And then Oh, so you have clients coming into Italy. Mhmm. And where are you checking them? Just mostly We're doing it. Or for yoli, Piedmont, and Obertsso. Okay. I just came back for a few days and call you. That's another area of whites, excellent and whites. I mean, kind of high in alcohol. What do you think about that? I I think I I I'll use my favorite Italian word, which is dipende, which, you know, everything depends. But Yeah. It it it depends. Some people push it a little bit, but there's there's a, I think for me, I really, really love the Colio. I really, really love the lines also from on the border between, you know, in in Prada, like in Slovakia. Right. Like Edie Cabers, I think for me, one of the, like, the standouts of the whole region because the wines are just so specific and really, really beautiful. Freuly to me is this, like, really, really special undiscovered country from, like, Skia patino. Oh, Arifolsco, all the native, white bridal, but then also my very first article for wine enthusiasts was about chardonnay, which I thought was really funny, chardonnay, Italy, I've done all these big tastings of chardonnay and friuli, and it's it's such a unique expression of the variety. And, I I really dig it. But the the article that I'm writing now is specifically on native grapes and regions that I thought were, like, undiscovered. Like, custodza was this huge, like, big, big, big eye opening trip for me. Like, Kristoza's known, basically, for those that don't know. Kristoza is on the East coast of Lake Garda halfway in between Verona and Garta, basically Lake Garta. And it makes what everybody assumes is just basically a beach wine. Like, it's a blend of Cortes Rilano and two other grapes. My my brain my, they're gonna be very embarrassed that I couldn't remember. It's such a stunning, stunning wine truly blew my mind, and you could pick up a great, like, a great bottle of wine for, like, eighteen bucks. Yeah. And that that's that's that's something that I think people just don't realize because they don't they haven't marketed like that. You know, they've marketed as a lake wine. And then Gavi was another place. Like, I've always enjoyed Gavi, but I've never had, like, serious deep dive into it. And it's kind of a feral wild place in Piamonte that you don't expect, and there are these big mountains, and you got the Maritime Alps right there. And the the Cortes is just this mineral, very, like, if you like Chablis, you're gonna really dig aged God. Yep. I think next time. What would you like to talk about next time? I think we should choose a topic. Maybe summer, Rosets. Oh, I love it. Rosets are so undervalued in Italy. It's kind of the everyone considered it. It said kind of the the b series, the second category. But how about we choose, like, our favorite Rosets? Oh, hey. I got that. Next time. What do you think? I'm down. I I love I love a good Rose. Listen, before we go, what are your summer plans? Are you staying stateside? Or are you doing stateside? Or We're you're staying. So I I'm not going back to New York until September. We are doing Lake Garda with my wife's family, and then I'm going up to Altologicay to taste for a week and then Trent the doc, then back to Sereino. And then I think to Austria and German. Yeah. Jessica said that you are coming to Garlda soon. Yeah. So maybe I'll meet up with you guys. Yeah. It'll be fun. We have Beverly from Canada. She said She's already giving her suggestions. I love that wine. It's really delicious. I'm actually going to go see him in couple of weeks. So that's you're gonna be even hotter. I know. I know. It's going to be it's going to be sisley for, like, five days. So it's going to be very interesting. An amazing place. Some of the best food in the world. So listen, Jeff? Rosay. You take care. For next next week. Okay. Next Monday or Tuesday or whatever. We'll we'll get our act together. Next. Okay. Bye right. Thank you for joining us on another install of On The Road Edition, hosted by Stevie Kim. Join her again next week for more interesting content in the Italian wine scene. You can also find us at Italian wine podcast dot com or wherever you get your pods. You can also check out our YouTube channel. Mama jumbo shrimp to watch these interviews and the footage captured of each location.