Waitrose, Prosecco, Italy
Its a Procecco under the Waitrose supermarket brand in the UK is the best description I can gave. Its very nice, flavour is pear, its light in a good way and not overly sweet. Its one of the better Prosecco’s I’ve tasted and at £8 worth trading up to from the £5-6 bottles you see in many supermarkets. Its like the new wave of Chinese electric cars coming to the UK, much better than many European cars especially at the cheaper end.
I did like this dry, smooth red italian wine. 90% Sangiovese with a bit of Merlot and Canaiolo. Its a juicy wine with plenty of black cherry that has long length and while not as complex as many Chianti Classico’s its very easy drinking and at £16 a bottle its very good value and one to try.
Ermacora, Schioppettino, 2020, Italy
You can’t really go wrong with Italian red wine and this one from Ermacora in Northern Italy almost proves it. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it, its just a dry red wine. Red fruit and pretty light is the best any of us that tried it could say. When tasted one evening with 2 other reds, it was left limping into 3rd.
Fondo Antico, Nenè Nero d’Avola, Sicilia, Italy
Dry and bold but pretty smooth best describes this southern Italian red wine, or great red to just enjoy. With Red cherry and redcurrent flavours and notes of oak and leather with a very slight smokiness and chocolate poking though its very easy drinking and doesn’t need food to be enjoyed, just what I like. Pasta and red meat would still go very well with this. At about EUR12 a bottle its a wine to buy by the case.
Villa Schinosa, Moscato di Trani, 2019, Italy0
Don’t be seduced by the sugar a head judge once said to his young judges on their first judging competition and this dessert wine from villa schinosa is a good example. Loads of honey and rich tropical fruit flavours with good length it goes a little over the top on its components. It’s a little too rich and too sugary taking away any delicacy it could have. Sure at yhe end of a mesl with the wine flowing all night this may not be an issue especially with the right dessert. At £19 per 500ml bottle it’s not massively expensive but for me the LFE dessert wine from Majestic Wine at £7 per half bottle is much better.
Le Quattro Terre Bianco, Chardonnay, Nebbiolo, 2019, Piemonte, Italy
This is a different blend than many white wines from Italy with Chardonnay making up 60 % and Nebbiolo making up 40%. Dry and crisp with rich aromas it’s fresh and ‘pointed’ in that its flavours ard there from the beginning but fade a bit quick. Lemon and citrus are thd main flavours with a hint if nuttiness in there.
At £15 a bottle it’s too expensive.
Orsogna, Nican, Montepulciano, 2009, Italy
Ooohhh, it’s good. Orsogna realy know how to make quality wine. Dry with soft integrated tannins this is a quality red wine. Aromas and flavours of blackberry, plum, chocolate and oak with notes of leather and slight herby undertone poking through.
At about £30 a bottle it’s not cheap but rather good and you are unlikely to disappoint any you serve, unless they are tea total 😀
Val di Luna, Bric del Cedrone, Barbera d’Asti Superior, Italy
Val di Luna’s Bric del Cedrone from Barbera d’Asti region of Italy is rather good. Dry, smooth and on the bolder style it’s got good length in the flavour department. Blackberry, plum, hint of blueberry and soft oak undertones. It’s the price that’s an issue,because at £30plus a bottle it’s a bit expensive. More a sub £15 bottle to me.
Nardello, Turbian, Soave, 2019, Italy
Yep another italian white wine! Which for about £10 is pretty good value. It’s a typical Soave, dry and reasonably light with a soft and roundness feel. There’s flavours of peach, citrus, apple and hints of pear and honey. It won’t set the wine world alight, but it’s rather good and worth trying.
Bindi Sergardi, La Ghirlanda, 2018, Chianti Classico, ItalyBindi Sergardi in their La Ghirlanda have produced a wonderful Chianti Classico. Dry, full bodied with well integrated tannins and masses of black and red fruits. There’s spice and oak undertones knitting in perfectly. The down side is the £28 price tag, although I have seen it at a very reasonable £18 for the 2016 variety. Very much worth trying even at the higher price, but better at the lower price of course 😉