Tag Archives: Italy

LaSelva, Prima Causa, Rosso Toscana, 2018, Italy

Posted on by
Reply
LaSelva, Prima Causa, Rosso Toscana, 2018, Italy

LaSelva, Prima Causa, Rosso Toscana, 2018, Italy

Made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot this blend from LaSelva in Itlay isn’t bad. Its a dry red with firm tannins and decent lengh. There’s the typical black fruit flavours with licorice and a little oak in the back ground.  I can’t help feel that there’s something missing from this wine and I can’t think what. All the components are there but the pulling together is missing something.

A good wine but not one to go back to in a hurry.at about £10 a bottle it’s decent value.

St. Michael-Eppan, Montiggl, 2017, Riesling, Italy

Posted on by
Reply
St. Michael-Eppan, Montiggl, 2017, Riesling, Italy

St. Michael-Eppan, Montiggl, 2017, Riesling, Italy

Riesling is not a wine that I would expect to come out of Italy but this one from St Michael Eppan is pretty good.   It’s a dry wine, fairly bold with good length on flavours. On the flavours and aromas side  rheres peach, green Apple, lemon, hints of grapefruit and undernotes of minerals with a little honey in a background, a very pleasant surprise.

At £25 a bottle it’s to much at recommend, good but not that good.

Marco Scolaris, Ribolla Gialla, 2018, Collio, Italy

Posted on by
Reply
Marco Scolaris, Ribolla Gialla, 2018, Collio, Italy

Marco Scolaris, Ribolla Gialla, 2018, Collio, Italy

With aromas and flavours of citrus, lemon and grapefruit, apple and melon with a richness in the mouth this is quite a white wine from Marco Scolaris. It’s a wine to sip or have with food rather than to be guzzled. Pair it with fish, soft cheeses or cured meats.

I’m not sure it’s worth the £15 or more per bottle, but then again it’s an interesting wine.

Villabella, Fracastoro Riserva, Amarone Della Valpolicella, Italy

Posted on by
Reply
Villabella, Fracastoro Riserva, Amarone Della Valpolicella, Italy

Villabella, Fracastoro Riserva, Amarone Della Valpolicella, Italy

I’m sure you can get bad Amarone but this one from Villabella is not one of them, quite the opposite. Decanter wine magazine save this 90 points and I can see why.

It’s a bold wine but pretty smooth and also not necessarily particularly dry, there’s softness and sweetness in this bottle too. You get flavours and aromas of plum and blackberry, blackcurrant, chocolate and tobacco. Theres oak and a smokiness in there.

Drink with food, BBQ in the garden is a good starting point. At £20 a bottle it’s reasonable value for what you are getting.

Mate Marinaia, Toscana, Italy

Posted on by
Reply
Mate Marinaia, Toscana, Italy

Mate Marinaia, Toscana, Italy

Italian red wine is normally as a very high quality if you spend the money and £30 a bottle you expect something quite special and this Mate Marinaia, Toscana is just that.

Made with sangiovese grape medium bodied wine with good subtle tannings, quite dry and balanced acidity. You get lots of flavours ranging from sour cherry and cranberry to blackcurrant and plum with tobacco and Oak notes coming through which are all well-balanced.

Tenuta Carretta, Canorei Romero Arneis, 2013, Italy

Posted on by
Reply
Tenuta Carretta, Canorei Romero Arneis, 2013, Italy

Tenuta Carretta, Canorei Romero Arneis, 2013, Italy

It’s my first time having this Tenuta Carretta, Canorei Romero Arneis, 2013 from Italy and it was quite wonderful. It’s quite a boldwine, dry with reasonably acidity.

There are massive amount of flavours in here with a melon, apple, citrus – limes and lemons with an open vanilla, buttery undertone and frankly it’s magic.

It’s £15 to £20 for bottle but it’s worth it it really is.

Patrizia Cadore, Lugana Riserva, Lombardy, Italy

Posted on by
Reply

 

Patrizia Cadore, Lugana Riserva, Lombardy, Italy

Patrizia Cadore, Lugana Riserva, Lombardy, Italy

Made with 100% Turbiana grapes this white from Lombardy, Italy is fresh, clean, fruity with hints of stone fruits. It’s uncomplicated but its a lovely wine that is meant to be drunk in the sun, with food and not thought about too much. Its a wine to have with friends.

Cantina Negrar, Vigneti Di Roccolo, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico, Italy

Posted on by
Reply
Cantina Negrar, Vigneti Di Roccolo, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico, Italy

Cantina Negrar, Vigneti Di Roccolo, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico, Italy

There are many Amarone’s out there and this Vigneti Di Roccolo from Cantina Negrar is one of the best Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico wines I have tasted in many years

There is just so much going on, sure it’s bold, it’s also quite smooth. It’s not overly dry and there’s definite softness on the texture. You’ve got cherry, raspberry, redcurrant, you got some plum, BlackBerry, there’s chocolate and tobacco. Hints of coffee and there’s some smokiness and in a bit of earthiness in there as well, which just complement each other superbly.

The only sad thing is that with spring upon us there will be probably be less opportunity to drink Amarone, you really want to drink this in front of the fire or with a hearty stew. We did have it with homemade pizza which which was probably quite decadent. At £25 a bottle it’s actually good value for Amarone, sure it’s £25, but it’s Amarone.

Franchini, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sedèse, 2017, Italy

Posted on by
Reply
Franchini, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sedèse, 2017, Italy

Franchini, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sedèse, 2017, Italy

Oohh this a great example of Valpolicella Classico from Italy. There are red and black fruit aromas with a dry, medium tannins and good length in the flavours. It’s a firm but soft red wine that lends itself to red meat meals or cheese and biscuits in front of a wood fire.

At £20 a bottle it’s not cheap but for a Decanter Silver medal winner it’s a fair price.

Gamba, Campedel, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy

Posted on by
Reply
Gamba, Campedel, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy

Gamba, Campedel, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy

There are Amarone’s and there are Amarone’s and this one from Gamba is a great Amarone wine. Made with the Corvina, Rondinella, Croatina and Corvinone grapes, its a dry red that has great length and is smooth with well integrated tannins. There are plenty of flavours of red and black fruits, notes of tobacco, leather and chocolate, a bit of earthiness brings this back from being in heaven to a reality that this is just wine but great wine at that. Its a Bentley of the wine world.

The down side to this is the price of £30 a bottle, but thats Amarone for you.