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Month by month the calendar takes you through the seasons, telling the story of the vinicultural year. The art consist of 12 original, vibrant, semi-abstract illustrations of the grapes' journey from vineyard to bottle. As an accompaniment to the calendar, check back here monthly for a new wine of the month. The wines were selected because they are unusual, generally available and artisanal. They are deserving wines that do not get enough attention in a crowded wine market. It will make a colorful reminder that wine is an indispensable pleasure of life. Hang it in your kitchen, your wine space, your office. Give it to your family and friends, your clients, anyone who aspires to know a little more about distinctive wines. |
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The remaining months of the 2010 calender will be available for purchase or download here in mid-March.
Each printed calendar is $20 + tax
Shipping is $2
Downloading the calender is free. You may print it out yourself or use it as a screensaver on your computer. We ask for a $10 donation to support all of the creative effort that went into the calendar's creation. Thank you!
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January, 2010 Never say never…. The original calendar came out at the same time the economy took a major dip in 2008. Given the financials, we’d made the decision not to produce another calendar for 2010. But, due to much interest at the end of the year, we decided we’d continue – only this time in a smaller, more compact format. If you wish to receive the first 4 months of the 2010 calendar, compliments of vinartculture, please send your request and address to us. If you enjoy the calendar, the remaining 8 months will be available here around March 15, 2010. There you will be able to either download and print the calendar yourself, or order a printed copy. We’ve made a few changes based on the feedback we got from friends and fans. As it did last year, each month’s page contains an original work of art that is inspired by the year in wine (along with relevant calendar-y graphics). But this year, instead of the text page, we decided to post the information about the wine of the month on our website. The highlighted dates on the calendar are important holidays. Be sure to check back each month for the latest installment of wine writing and seasonal food pairing ideas. And for more information on the latest in food, wine and art, you can always check out our blog at vinartculture.wordpress.com (where we also detail the monthly wine dinners we’ve been holding, centered on the calendar wines). Cheers, and here’s to a year full of art, wine and sustenance. Carla Aurich vinartculture |
Artwork: Carla Aurich Graphics: Peter Ferko Photography: Antoon Tagon Website: Daniela Molnar |
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Brachetto d’Acqui It’s February. Winter has gone on too long, but spring is still too far away to even think about. Cabin fever has set in. In the immortal words of my mother, ‘February is a s#!t month.” And so, this month, we suggest a vinous antidote. To lift your spirits (and possibly also those of a loved one) here is a wonderfully frivolous, softly sparkling red with a delicate touch of sweetness: Brachetto d’Acqui. Consider Brachetto as the red-wine cousin of the better-known Moscato d’Asti. Both hail from the southern area of Piedmont near Asti (and Acqui). And the two are similar in that they are both frizzante, rather than fully sparkling, similar in that they are low in alcohol (usually around 5%), and similar in that they are, purely and simply, delicious. The producer Elio Perrone has even created a 50/50 Moscato/Brachetto blend (Bigaro) that marries both grapes in a beautiful bright-pink rosato. But the rarer Brachetto is, in fact, something quite different. One sip, and the Valentine’s Day descriptors become irresistible – the fruit that invites your nose to dive into the glass is like a bowl of ripe strawberries, with hints of rose petal thrown in. Yes, this wine reeks of the conventions of romantic love… but in a way that is charming rather than cheesy. If you’d like to indulge in a few more Valentine clichés, of course Brachetto is wonderful with chocolate. It is good with chocolate in the same way that strawberries and raspberries are – a lightly sweet and tart counterbalance to the dark heaviness of the chocolate. Or a fresh fruit tart would be a nice winter indulgence, to bring out the fresh and fruity qualities of the wine. But if you have a saltier palate, you could also enjoy a glass (or two) with a plate of finely sliced prosciutto (get the very best you can find). It seems moot to recommend specific producers of Brachetto. Given its comparative rarity, most stores, even good ones, are unlikely to stock more than one. And all Brachetto is delicious. Don’t buy it unless the vintage is extremely recent (2008 or even 2009, if it has appeared), and if your store stocks the Marenco “Pineto” or one from Cascina Sant’Ubaldo, consider yourself especially lucky. Then chill the bottle well and share it with someone you love – it’s a wonderful way to raise a smile together despite the dragging on of winter. Go ahead and giggle as you remember your most romantic times – or better still, create a new one to recall every time you have a bottle of Brachetto (because won’t it be lovely to drink some again, in May, when there are strawberries?). |
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