The Coast News Group
Mary Cassoni holding a Neapolitan margherita pizza as Rico Cassoni looks at the underside leoparding of the crust. Photo by Rico Cassoni
Mary Cassoni holding a Neapolitan margherita pizza as Rico Cassoni looks at the underside leoparding of the crust. Photo by Rico Cassoni
ColumnsFood & WineTaste of Wine

Gianni Buonomo picnic highlights Blaufränkisch, Neapolitan pizza

Gianni Buonomo Vintners, an urban winery in Ocean Beach, secured its sixth consecutive Best of 2023 Readers’ Choice award from San Diego Magazine.

GB Vintners also earned Critic’s Choice recognition for the third time in six years. Celebrating the Blaufränkisch Appreciation Day Picnic, we explored the winery’s latest 2019 vintage while catching up with Keith Rolle, GB Vintners’ winemaker and managing director, and Al Dorvinen, the winery’s general/wine club manager.

Blaufränkisch, a wine tracing its roots to Eastern Europe, mainly present-day Slovenia, found an unexpected home in SoCal at GB Vintners. Rolle, who studied enology and viticulture in Walla Walla, Washington, first encountered this distinctive varietal, also known as Lemberger in the U.S., and was captivated by its unique flavors of cranberry, rhubarb, and white pepper, accompanied by lively acidity.

Despite initial challenges, Rolle persevered, introducing and championing Blaufränkisch in San Diego. His dedication and award-winning success have transformed the wine’s reception into a sought-after choice embraced by enthusiasts, a remarkable feat that unexpectedly established Rolle as a pioneer of Blaufränkisch in Southern California’s wine scene.

Left to Right) Gianni Buonomo Vintners General/Wine Club Manager Al Dorvinen and Winemaker and Managing Director Keith Rolle. Photo by Rico Cassoni
Gianni Buonomo Vintners’ Al Dorvinen, left, and winemaker Keith Rolle. Photo by Rico Cassoni

The 2018 vintage was awarded Platinum, the highest award, at the 2022 Great American International Wine Competition in Rochester, New York.

At the picnic, Rolle and Dorvinen, renowned six-time awardees of San Diego Magazine Reader’s Best of Winery, delighted their wine club members with warm interactions. Guests relished the camaraderie and savored grilled bratwurst, potato salad, chips, Blaufränkisch t-shirts, and a glass of their celebrated Blaufränkisch.

Rolle and Dorvinen returned to Casa Cassoni for the third consecutive year, indulging in my Neapolitan pizzas crafted from homemade dough and my cherished homegrown San Marzano tomatoes. Frank Mangio, Taste of Wine and Food founder and now consultant, joined in on the fun.

Like the two previous years, the GB Vinters duo spoiled us with four outstanding wines, three of which were prereleases. The lineup included Lagrein, Sangiovese, Dolcetto, and Nebbiolo. The first two are 2019s, and the latter two are 2020s.

We began with the 2020 Nebbiolo from Amador County’s Sierra Foothills AVA, sourced from Terry Harvey’s famed vineyard, known for the Ménage à trois label. Rolle’s wines impress with exceptional value, aged two years in once-used French oak and then bottle-aged for one year, yielding a velvety texture with gentle tannins.

(Left to Right) Taste of Wines' Frank Mangio, Gianni Buonomo's Al Dorvinen, Taste of Wine's Rico Cassoni, and Gianni Buonomo winemaker Keith Rolle. Photo by Mary Cassoni
(Left to Right) Taste of Wines’ Frank Mangio, Gianni Buonomo’s Al Dorvinen, Taste of Wine’s Rico Cassoni, and Gianni Buonomo winemaker Keith Rolle. Photo by Mary Cassoni

The Nebbiolo featured a pale garnet hue, fragrant with rose and black pepper aromas, a dried cherry palate, and hints of baking spice on the finish. We then explored the 2020 Dolcetto, named “little sweet one” in Italian, despite being a dry wine.

While originating in Piedmont, Italy, Rolle’s version used grapes from Rattlesnake Hills in Eastern Washington. Our third selection, the 2019 Sangiovese, also sourced from Rattlesnake Hills, was skillfully blended with 10% petit verdot, resulting in a Super Tuscan-style blend.

Benefiting from Rattlesnake Hills’ ample sunlight and large diurnal temperature fluctuations, both the Rattlesnake sourced wines exhibited ripe fruit flavors.

The Dolcetto and Sangiovese paired perfectly with my homemade Neapolitan margherita pizzas topped with freshly harvested San Marzano tomatoes. I was thrilled to experiment with a new Neapolitan pizza dough recipe that requires 24 to 30-hour proofing and uses minimal yeast, resulting in an easily digestible crust.

Keith Rolle, Gianni Buonomo winemaker and managing director, talks with guests at Blaufränkisch Appreciation Day Picnic. Photo by Rico Cassoni
Keith Rolle, Gianni Buonomo winemaker and managing director, talks with guests at Blaufränkisch Appreciation Day Picnic. Photo by Rico Cassoni

The low hydration also contributed to a beautifully leopard-spotted crust from the 900-degree Kamado Joe ceramic egg. The flavors improved with each pizza I baked, possibly influenced by the exceptional wines.

Sourced from El Dorado County in Sierra Foothills AVA, the 2019 Lagrein, an Italian grape, exhibited a deep, opaque purple hue due to the warmer Foothills climate. This big and grippy wine, reminiscent of its Italian origins, was an enjoyable conclusion. I remember trying this one last year. Rolle held the release for another year of bottle aging to refine further.

Life gets no better than enjoying a summer evening with a local award-winning winemaker and friends enjoying beautiful Italian wines and eating freshly made Neapolitan margherita pizzas. See more information at gbvintners.com.

— Story by Rico Cassoni 

Wine Bytes

Victor Magalhaes, owner of Vittorio’s Italian Trattoria, is hosting a Justin Winery Wine Dinner narrated by Sommelier David Sheline at 6 p.m. on Aug. 31. The four-course dinner features roasted venison chops, asparagus, and potato souffle paired with flagship 2019 Isosceles Paso Robles Red Blend. Cost is $75 per person + tax/gratuity. RSVP at 858-538-5884.