Case D’ Alto, Eclissi Fiano di Avellino, DOCG, Campania, Italy

Posted on August 18, 2020 by richardgore1200

Case D’ Alto is an organic vineyard in Campania, Italy and makes DOCG wine. This guarantee level of quality is not always what its meant to be.

Its made with the Fiano grape and has decent straw coloured with floral notes on the nose and a fresh clean taste, slight minerality on the taste with flavours of pineapple, melon and grapefruit.

Its a decent wine but the silver medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards I think is a little generous.

Case D’ Alto, Eclissi Fiano di Avellino, DOCG, Campania, Italy

La Gerla, Rosso di Montalcino, 2016, Italy

Posted on June 30, 2020 by richardgore1200

ToYou get red fruits of stawberry, cherry, raspberry with chocolate and earthy notes on the nose that are then added to with vanilla, sour cherry and herbs. Its a medium body wine that has firm but not overpowering tannins.

Its a pretty classy wine, good flavours but “not to in your face”. At £20 a bottle its not cheap and I suspect that there are better Italian reds out there, but I’m not disappointed.

Have with red meat, tomato based dishes or strong cheese.

La Gerla, Rosso di Montalcino, 2016, Italy

Giusti, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012, Veneto, Italy

Posted on June 15, 2020 by richardgore1200

Amarone was a wine that i could not see the point of the generally high price tag, this classico from Giusti shows why you may have to pay a high price to get a real cracker of a bottle.

At 16.5% alcohol strength this is a bold wine with a capital B. Its dry, but as about 30% of the grapes are dried you get a sweetness which is very seductive. There are aromas of cherry, plum, herbal and vanilla notes. These follow through in the taste and you get a long finish and real smoothness to boot

At about £40 a bottle is not cheap but its a great wine.

Giusti, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012, Veneto, Italy

Claudio Alario, Barbera d’Alba Valletta, 2017 from Piemonte, Italy

Posted on May 22, 2020 by richardgore1200

Claudio Alario makes some great wine. This “Valletta” is made with 100% Barbera grape from the Barbera d’Alba DOC in Piemonte, Italy.

You can read what comes next or you can just buy it, it’s absolutely beautiful, wonderful, magnificent.

Its a bold, dry with a big hit of balanced acidity that makes it so smooth. There aromas of cherry, smoke and plum thats joined with vanilla, pepper, sweet spices, nutty, cassis and dried fruit flavours, so much going on. Its the wonderful balance and smoothness that I love.

At £23 a bottle its not cheap but so worth it, Magic in a bottle.

Claudio Alario, Barbera d’Alba Valletta, 2017 from Piemonte, Italy

Maschio Cadoro, Valdobbiadene, Prosecco Superiore 2017, Italy

Posted on May 16, 2020 by richardgore1200

Prosecco gets a bad name as there is a lot of rubbish stuff out there but Maschio Cadoro produce some good stuff. Get a good one and it’s a viable alternative to Champagne. Many people don’t like the full on Champagnes with there bready, toast notes. Prosecco with its fruity and easy drinking can go down a treat.

This is one of the better ones out there, there’s peardrop on the nose which is joined with subtle hints of citrus and peach. Light and refined sum this Prosecco up.

Maschio Cadoro, Valdobbiadene, Prosecco Superiore 2017, Italy

Tenute Cadorin Le Favole, Vigneti Castello Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Italy

Posted on February 18, 2020 by richardgore1200

Aromas of grass, grapefruit and citrus, although the citrus is more a hint. This medium colour but slightly heavier than you expect from a french Sauvignon Blanc.

I want to say this is acidic but the dribble taste says no. The grapefruit is quite domineering, theres tropical fruit flavours and hints of apple in there but it all makes for a harsh wine. This got a bronze at the Decanter International Wine Awards with 88 points but I can’t see why, sorry but I would expect far more balanced fruit flavours for a wine that got a medal.

At about £10 a bottle there’s better out there. Not one I’ll try again.

Tenute Cadorin Le Favole, Vigneti Castello Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Italy

Zenato Lugana 2016, Trebbiano Di Soave, Italy

Posted on December 30, 2019 by richardgore1200

Trebbiano Di Soave is a major Italian grape that has a lot of characteristics of Chardonnay. The major issue I had with this wine was you need to allow it to warm up. When cold it’s very neutral on the aromas and you taste Oak, very little other flavours. Give it an hour out of the fridge and you get citrus, floral notes and some creamy undertones.

It’s a nice white wine from Italy but at a little under £25 a bottle it’s very overpriced. £10 is more like the right price to me.

Zenato Lugana 2016, Trebbiano Di Soave, Italy

Al Cantara, O’scuru O’scuru 2016, Sicily, Italy

Posted on December 24, 2019 by richardgore1200

In the UK for £28 a bottle you expect something quite special. This is made from the Nerello Mascalese grape. You get smells of red and black, hints of oak and spice. The flavours are fruity with herbaceous undertones and an earthy nuance, all of which have decent length. It’s a very nice wine, esp with food. We had it with a Quorn Bolognese and it complemented it well.

I would have expected it to be a little smoother and a bit more refined for £28 a bottle. That said, nice bottle.

Oh and cat was found of it too.

Al Cantara Oscuru Oscuru 2016, Sicily, Italy

Sacchetto, Il Bianchetto, Sauvignon Trevenezie 2018, Italy

Posted on December 11, 2019 by richardgore1200

From the north east of Italy this is a pretty standard italian white wine ready to drink sooner rather than later.

This is a light wine in smell and taste, there’s a decent amount of fruit, tropical fruits flavours of lemon, pineapple and a good hit of acidity but the fruit helps off set the acidity making it easy drinking. This is a good drink now wine, ideal with fish or shell food or just on its own. At about £6 a bottle its fantastic value.

Sacchetto, Il Bianchetto, Sauvignon Trevenezie 2018, Italy

Maxale, Appassimento Primitivo, Italy

Posted on October 11, 2019 by richardgore1200

There are many Primitivo’s on the market, Puglia produces more wine than almost any region in the world. Its good stuff, its hard to get a bad bottle of Primitivo.

This is one of the better ones, its very good, really good. made in the Appassimento way where some of the grapes are dried to concentrate the flavours. Its a dry red with aromas of spice, coffee and dark fruits. The taste is a mix of red fruits and dark fruits – red and blackcurrants, spice, chocolate, plum, so much going on.

At about £11 a bottle its great value and a wine that beats many that are twice the price.

Maxale – Appassimento Primitivo, Italy

The accidental drinker

Wine talk and reviews by an accidental drinker

Tag Archives: Italy

Case D’ Alto, Eclissi Fiano di Avellino, DOCG, Campania, Italy

La Gerla, Rosso di Montalcino, 2016, Italy

Giusti, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012, Veneto, Italy

Claudio Alario, Barbera d’Alba Valletta, 2017 from Piemonte, Italy

Maschio Cadoro, Valdobbiadene, Prosecco Superiore 2017, Italy

Tenute Cadorin Le Favole, Vigneti Castello Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Italy

Zenato Lugana 2016, Trebbiano Di Soave, Italy

Al Cantara, O’scuru O’scuru 2016, Sicily, Italy

Sacchetto, Il Bianchetto, Sauvignon Trevenezie 2018, Italy

Maxale, Appassimento Primitivo, Italy