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.
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 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
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
