The True Italians

Last month I looked at the Italian varieties in Australia so this month I thought it would be good to see what was happening back in the home land. Many of these imports can be found cheaper than what you would have paid for them 10 years ago due to the economic climate in Europe at the moment.

Francesco Scanavino Moscato D’Asti

Moscato D’Asti is a traditional North-Western dessert wine that is sweetly fruited and extremely low in alcohol. The D’Asti region sits in between Alessandria, the third largest region in Piedmont, and Coni which is the last region before it turns into France. In Australia many people use this style of wine as an aperitif or even as a drink throughout the meal.  Either way it doesn’t matter as this style is something to really get your teeth into.  Neville Yates from Eurocentric imports this wine exclusively so it might be easiest to get it through his website. Francesco Scanavino is a small family run Estate run in the heart of Langa. They make wine from a variety of indigenous Italian grape varieties. This Moscato D’Asti is highly fragrant and inviting with aromas of musk stick and lychee filling the room. On the palate these flavours lead the way but they are joined by lemon rind and a rice bubble note. The palate weight is thick yet lively with the flavours attacking the front of the palate and then finishing with a wedge of acidity.

Alcohol: 5.5%

Price: $29

Rated: 86

Drink: While the sun shines.

Cantine Pra Soave Classico Superiore 2011

Soave or Garganega is the primary white variety that is grown in the Veneto region. Mainly it is dry and alluring with no oak influence at all. Some producers produce a reserve label that may see a proportion of the wine aged in older oak barrels but these wines still feel lively and engaging. The grapes that comprise this wine are grown on the hillside near the town of Verona. These soils are infertile thus the vines have to work hard to produce anything. The Classico area only comprises 2,700 hectares of vines but it produces almost 100% of the top quality wines. The Estate of Cantine Pra is breathtakingly beautiful and is run by brothers Serge and Graziano Pra. The Estate is run conventionally and year in year out produces benchmark wines for the region. Cantine Pra is imported by Negociants Australia, who brings in so many bench mark wines it is scary. Many of these wines are easily accessible which is great for the wine consumer.  This Soave Classico taste of pears and almond meal but it is the transition from lightness to richness then back to ultra-lightness that is the most appealing. There is a textural component that kicks in on the mid-palate and then disappears before a lemon blossom note takes over. The whole package of this wine is beautiful as it offers texture and flavour complexity with a hint of richness on a mainly refreshing palate. All this for only 30 bucks? Well the RRP is that but I bet you could find it for less.

Alcohol: 13%

Price: $30

Rated: 91

Drink: Now or over the next 6 years

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2010

Tenuta San Guido is located in the Bolgheri region in Tuscany. This maritime area is known for the development of the Super-Tuscan wines which command huge price tags.   The region is rather impressive with many castles jutting out from the forest areas. In the old days the aristocracy would have ruled this area which might be why they had time and resources to develop vines. The Tenuta San Giudo Estate is another import from Negociants Australia and is the leading light of the area and each year they produce a wine, Sassicaia, that ranks in the top 5 best wines produced in Italy. In some years, like 2006, they produced one of the best wines in the world. The Le Difese label is their entry level wine and is supposed to be drink young and fresh. The aromas of this wine are rustic and wild with notes of black and red currants, savoury cherries, fresh cut herbs, iodine and spicy earth. The flavours mix well with the chalkiness of the structure and the medium palate weight.  I could see myself ploughing through cases of this as it is light enough to pair well with a variety of foods yet could still hold its own by itself.

Alcohol: 13%

Price: $32

Rated: 89

Drink: Now – 2015

Occhipinti SP68 2011

This maker is located in Sicily which is a Mediterranean Island just of the coast of most southern Western area in Italy. This area is pushing the boundaries in term s of natural wine-making with most of the producers focusing on the native grape varieties of the region. Addley Clark in the importer for this producers and they have amassed a large portfolio of highly sort after interesting wines. On the palate this wine tastes of dried licorice and herbs mixed with plum skin and dried clay. These savoury flavours flow easily as they attack my front palate and there are moments of sweetness thrown in. The wine drops away on the mid-palate before a lemon rind component kicks in on the back end. While this wine won’t be for everyone, I loved the flow of the wine and the easiness that I could suck down a glass.

Alcohol: 12.5%

Price: $45

Rated: 86

Drink: Now – 2016

Pizzini Per Gli Angeli 2006

Now I know that this wine isn't an Italian but it was just so good I had to add it in. There are not many Vin Santo style wines made in Australia and this is the best of them all. This wine spends so much time in barrel that it is a wonder why anyone would make it in the first place. The initial aromas smelt like a sherry but then on the palate notes of chocolate covered caramel and lemon pith carry the wine from the mid-palate on. The wine balances richness and lightness extremely well with the wine mainly feeling sweet yet doesn't leave me heavy or tired.

Alcohol: 14.1%

Price: $65 (375ml)

Rated: 92

Drink: Now - 2022