Wine Tasting: Italian Wines
Orvieto Classico Superiore, “Terre Vineate”, Palazzone, 2021
The Palazzone estate in Orvieto is practically the last bastion of estate-bottled wine in this historic Umbrian appellation that dates back to Etruscan times. The soil here is complex - 3million years ago the land was under sea, leaving much sedimentary clay and limestone with little organic matter. Volaconic eruptions nearby later covered the area with volcanic rock, ash and pumice while also protecting Palazzone from extreme weather.
Once harvested, grapes are soft-pressed and fermented in temeprature-controlled steel vats for 20 days and aged entirely in stainless steel. The name Terre Vineate comes from medieval map of the estate in which the property was indicated as “vineyarded lands”.
Dull, straw yellow color with fresh, simple aromas of wet stone, grass and citrus. Chalky texture, yet light. Highly acidic with notes of apples and citrus. Ultimately very clean, crisp and simple.
Fiano di Avellino, “Sequenzha”, Benito Ferrara, 2022
In Southern Italy, Fiano and Greco are the two big white varietals specifically found in Campania and Basilicata. These Fiano vineyards are 500M above sea level, grown on 20-year old vines facing east. The clusters are soft-pressed and then fermented in stainless steel, where it matures for 8 months before bottling.
Bright yellow to light green. Aromas of ripe fruit - honey, melon and peaches on the nose. Medium bodied, with low / balanced acidity to allow for a very smooth wine. Flavors of peach, apple with honey and pear on the finish.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Tenuta Le Calcinaie, Simone Santini, 2022
Vernaccia grapes of San Gimignano undergo a brief maceration, separated from the bunch and crushed - the juice is is taken away from the skins, allowing for powerful aromas and concentrated flavors. Following the maceration, a static decantation of the must and finally, the wine is fermented in steel vats. An extended fermentation enriches the wine with floral aromas, complexity and intensity.
A pigmented, straw yellow, the aroma is earthy, herbal and has a hint of almond or nuts. Very smooth with low acidity, fruity with notes of tropical fruits and citrus, with a slightly savory hint. A taste of minerality lingers on the finish.
Dogliani, Pianezzo, Boschis Francesco, 2021
As a family farm, the Francesco Boscis estate is run by Mario Boscis, his wife, and their two adult sons. They not only have the best high-altitude, old vines of Dolcetto in the Dogliani appellation, but also grow hazelnuts, keep bees and cattle on their farm.
Dolcetto di Dogliani has always been acknowledged as the finest expression of the variety. The Bosci’s old vines, in particular has a red stem, very low yields and small berries with thick skins. At this elevation and a slightly cooler climate, the grape was the first of choice for all of the best exposures since it was a bit too cool for Nebbiolo. Soil here is full of calcareous clay - giving the wine a powerful bouquet and mineral structure.
Bright, ruby, almost purple color with a light texture. Fresh, fruit-filled aromas of strawberries, raspberries with a very acidic attack with young tannins. Tastes of vibrant, younger berries, cherries and cranberries and a short to medium finish. This can pair well with black-pepper seasoned dishes.
Aglianico del Vulture, “Alto Vulture”, Macarico, 2020
Northern Basilicata is home to an old volcano - while it remains dormant for over 100,000 years, it’s impact on the landscape and the region’s wines can still be felt today. With ash deposits, the areas soil soaks up the abundant rains in the spring, holding them for the deep-rooted Aglianico vines during the hot Summers. Additionally, the volcano’s cone plays a crucial role in regulating the weather - expending cooler air to counterbalance the hot, dry summer winds.
Made of 100% Aglianico grapes sourced from six different vineyards (ranging from 15 - 50 year old vines), this wine undergoes a 10 day maceration-fermentation in stainless steel, followed by aging in French oak barriques for 12 months.
Dark cherry with aromas of dried herbs, cedar, dried fruits and baking spices. Full-bodied and full of tannins. Earthy notes and spices are prevalent, muted by dark plum. Medium to long finish.
Chianti Classico, San Felice, 2020
Produced entirely from native grapes, this wine is a typical, medium-bodied Chianti Classico. The terroir consists of medium-textured, predominantly calcareous marl breakdown of alberese and galestro strata, with abundant gravel-pebble mixture, with some extension into silt and sand-rich alluvial soils.
Deeply pigmented dark red, aromas of neutral fruits, clean and crisp on the nose. Light to medium body with high tannins and acidity. Notes of cherry, red plum and other sour, young red fruits. Would pair best with antipasti, full-flavored first courses/appetizers and most red meats.
Brunello di Montalcino, Tenuta Col d’Orcia, 2018
As one of the original estates of Montalcino and now the largest certified organic estate in Tuscany, Col d’Orcia is a leader in Brunello di Montalcino. It’s name translates to “the hill overlooking the Orcia River” due to it’s position in the undulating hills between the Orcia River and Sant’Angelo in Colle. Southern orientations provide the vines ample exposure to sunshine and the soils comprised of limestone and marl facilitate natural irrigation.
Manual harvested with rigorous selection of the best grapes in the vineyard and cellar. 18-20 day fermentation on skins in shallow stainless steel tanks extract tannin and color efficiently but delicately. The wine is then aged for 3 years in French oak casks, followed by further refinement of at least one year in bottle prior to release.
Muted dark red with a heavy to medium body. Aromas of leather, dried florals and cedar. Rich, earthy taste with hints of dark cherry, mushrooms and other red fruits. Good, smooth and balanced tannins with a long, savory finish.
Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, “Margone”, Zeni 2020
Zeni Winery is a family-run winery dating back to 1870. Grapes are hand selected from the hilly vineyards and picked at the beginning of the harvest. They’re then left to raisin before being vinified with the rest of the grapes picked by the end of the harvest. Traditional skin fermentation is followed by 10-15 days maceration. After fermentation the unpressed Amarone skins are added to the Valpolicella wine, according to the traditional Valpolicella “Ripasso” technique.
Dark, pigmented red with a subtle aroma of coffee, dried cherries and wood. Medium to full-bodied, smooth and structured tannins and bold tastes of dark plum and cherry. Relatively acidic with a long finish.
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, “Punta di Villa”, Mazzi 2018
A deep, dark red with aromas of dried fruits, baking spices and a hint of petrol. Lush and full-bodied, it is plentiful of soft tannins and tastes of rich black fruits, plums and prunes. Very long finish with a hint of wood, likely from the oak barrel aging. This would bode well with a red meat - braised- or a fermented, funky cheese.
Barolo, Cannubi, Serio & Battista, Borgogno, 2018
The rolling hillside vineyard of Cannubi - where the Serio & Battista winery is based - encompasses only 15 hectares, about the same size as the prestigious Burgundy plot of Clos se la Roche. Among the cognoscenti, Cannubi is held in the same esteem as many Grand Cru Pinot Noir vineyards in Burgundy. The winery is located on fine sand and limestone soils with southern exposures.
Wine undergoes maceration with a cap of 30-40 days in wooden vats, and later malolactic fermentation in steel barrels. It’s then aged for 30 months in oak casks, plus another 6 months in horizontal racks.
The Barolo Cannubi is a dark, faded brick red with an herbal, spicy nose layered with a bouquet of teak and dried roses. It’s medium in body with high, yet balanced tannins, allowing for notes of dark cherry, tobacco, dark plum and licorice to come through. Medium finish.
