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 😉
Wine made with the Solaris grape is usually found in England as its a grape that grows very well here. In England it produces a crisper wine with green apples, grass and hints of gooseberry. This wine from high in the Dollomites in Italy produces something different. Its dry, crisp with citrus and stone fruit flavours and a hint of gooseberry and very clean.
At £8 a bottle at Majestic Wines It’s got to be the best value white wine of the year, absolutely cracking.
Concilio, Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Solaris, 2021, Italy
Kellerei Bozen, Cantina Winery, Mumelter, 2019, Italy
From northern Italy, this Cab Franc and Cab Sav blend is rather good, dry, smooth and booasting great length and flavours of black fruits, chocolate, coffee, leather with a earthiness and smokey undertone. The down side is at £24 a bottle it will prevent some from trying it. Sub £20 it would be highly recommended, but over the £20, there are others that are as good but cheaper.
Vigneti del Salento, Negroamaro, Italy
Vigneti del Salento make a lot of wine, although thats partly expected as Puglia in Italy make more wine than Australia. This though doesn’t taste like a mass produced red wine. Its dry, medium tannins with excellent length. There’s plenty of black fruit with a bit of spice and a freshness that’s very welcome as it lifts the wine a little.
Great with red meat or a tomato sauce pasta it’s what this region does well.
Cantine di Dolianova, Anzenas Cannonau di Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy
This red wine from Sardinia is not going to set the world alight, its not a gold medal winner but Cantine di Dolianova has produced a well rounded red just to drink. Its dry, medium tannins and good length of flavours. There’s plum, blackcurrant and cherry in there. Pair with a tomato pasta or red meat dish. My only issue is at £15 a bottle it’s pricy for what it is.
Rinomata Cantina, Tombacco, Rosso Piceno, 2020, Italy
Madd with Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes with red wine from Tombacco in central Italy is just great. Reasonable bold, dry but with lots of black and red fruit flavours and aromas. There are underlying notes of chocolate and tobacco and our earthiness which is very very subtle it makes this wine superb to go with red meat or to sip on its own. At £12 a bottle it’s excellent value
Villa Sandi, Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore, Millesimato, 2020, Italy
Another prosecco that delivers on being easy to drink with decent bubbles and taste. Green apple, melon, lemon, hints of honey and an undertone of minerals make it very enjoyable.
Pontenari, Toscana Rosso, 2020, Florence, Italy
Marks and Spencer sell some excellent wine and this is one of them and at £12 a bottle it’s decent value. Loads of black fruit flavours with notes of spice in the background. It’s a big bold wine that would benefit from food, a jiucy steak or big bowl of pasta.
Tenuta di Angoris, Collio Bianco, Angoris Riserva Giulio Locatelli, 2018, Italy
Tenuta di Angoris, Collio Bianco, Angoris Riserva Giulio Locatelli, 2018, Italy
Tenuta di Angoris has been making wine for generations and this Angoris Riserva Giulio Locatelli shows that. It’s a dry bold white wine with flavours of green apple, grass, ripe citrus and hints of peach poking through. It’s a little austere but goes well with fish and white pasta sauce dishes.
At £18 a bottle it’s a little pricey but worth a try.