David’s ‘Special Italian Wine’ – February 10
Each month, David Brenner of Villasfor2 in Abruzzo selects a delicious, affordable 'Special Italian Wine' you'll enjoy drinking at home – or in your Abruzzo holiday villa
A little background. In February 2008 I began a series of weekly wine blogs called David's Everyday Italian Wine, featuring wines costing under €10 a bottle.
A year and some 50 bottles of everyday Italian wine later, this series had pretty much run its natural course and morphed into the monthly David's Special Italian Wine, raising the price bar to wines costing over €10 a bottle.
The instant observation is that paying over €10 a bottle provides a quantum leap in quality ahead of those wines costing maybe just a few Euros less. The wines below all fall into the good/better/best category and most provide stunning value for money – far better than you'd get from an equivalent-priced bottle in France.
In February 2009, we started off the series with Montepulciano D'Abruzzo DOC. 'Il Fondatore' 2003. Cantina Miglianico. I've long had a soft spot for Miglianico and although their top-of-the-range offering isn't yet up in the super-league of premier Montepulciano D'Abruzzo wines, it's still a terrifically good bottle.
In March, a taste test. How did 'ordinary' Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, 'Le Casere'. DOC. DVS Co-Op stand up to the more highly rated (and much more expensive) Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, Superiore di Cartizze, 'Tenimenti Dogali'. DOC. MVS Co-Op ? The answer ? Very well. The Cartizze's excellent. But for the same money, I'd rather have a couple of bottles of 'Le Casere'. And some loose change left over.
The new superstar Italian white Fiano di Avellino. DOCG 2007. Mastroberardino came under the spotlight in April. More on Italian whites in a moment – this bottle was extraordinarily fine.
The town of Montalcino in Tuscany is renowned as the home of Brunello. As we discovered in May, for less money – much, much less – the town's 'second growth' Rosso di Montalcino 'La Magia' DOC 2006. Schwarz is a highly acceptable alternative.
In June, July and August, we looked at whites to drink in summer: Soave Classico 2007. DOC. Tommasi Viticoltori; Greco di Tufo DOCG, 2007.Mastroberardino; and Pinot Grigio. Venezia Giulia IGT. 2008. Jermann.
For me, it's the development of white wines – especially from Campania in southern Italy – that really captures the imagination right now. The region produces two oustanding DOCG whites in Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo – as well as the stellar red Taurasi DOCG.(Which we'll be trying out very soon…)
The production of classic Italian reds, all situated in Tuscany and northwards, is estabished, traditional and settled. Why fiddle around with wine that sells in crateloads worldwide and commands premium prices ? Why indeed…
Not so with production of white wine, which has become dynamic and innovative, with excellent production techniques and the reintroduction of many heritage variety grapes. This all provides an infinitely more exciting range of wines than NZ SauvBlancs and endless and depressing rows of Chardonnay and Pinot Grigrio and for now, at incredible value.
After the summer excursion into white wine, in September, we were back with the reds – Barbaresco. DOCG. 2005. Terredavino. Safe ground really. Barbaresco's a bit under-valued and this was a grown-up and good value bottle.
The onset of autumn in October provided one of the hits of the year. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. DOCG. 1998. Talosa. Pure good fortune to find a very good wine, from a very good year, at a very good price, eleven years after the vintage. Peak condition and utterly delicious.
In November and December, we suggested a couple of wines for Christmas. Pantelleria Passito Liquoroso. DOC. 2008. Cantine Pellegrino really did provide the perfect accompaniment to everything from creamy young gorgonzola, to Pannetone, and very English Christmas pudding, mince pies, dates and walnuts.
On Christmas Day itself, Barolo. DOCG. 2004. Fontanafredda just drank like a dream with a crown roast of turkey and all the traditiona trimmings. Fontanafredda is a terrifically good producer – as I never tire of saying, proof that 'big' doesn't necessarily equal 'bad'. Their wines across the board are of consistently excellent standard and keenly priced. For around €18, this Barolo was unbeatable.
And so to January 2010 and another new white. If Campania is leading the way in this field, the good news for us is that Abruzzo's not far behind. Pecorino 'Unico' IGT. 2008. Tenuta Ulisse is made from a recently rediscovered heritage grape variety, laden with fruit, locally-produced and really rather good.
The best ? A coin-toss between this Pecorino and the Fiano di Avellino if you're after a white; between the Talosa Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the Fontanafredda Barolo for the reds. Your choice. Tough call…
Next Month…
Back on the tasting trail with something of a scoop – a wine from Italy's newest and smallest DOC region – right here in Abruzzo. It's a white wine – and one you'll definitely enjoy drinking at home, or in your Abruzzo holiday villa.
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