9.18.2008

Sagra dell'uva a Marino

The famous "Sagra dell'uva" (Feast of the grapes) in Marino, a village in the southern hills of Rome. In the end of the video you can see the traditional "wine fountain"...

9.17.2008

Chianti Classico Tenuta Sant'Alfonso 2005- Rocca delle Macìe: finally a great Chianti!


Sadly we are used to many horrible waterish Chianti that invade the wine market...many bad wines that are spoiling the name of (probably) the most famous Italian wine in the world. For luck it's also possible to find nice, elegant Chianti wines which have nothing in common with those straw-covered bottles that you can find in the souvenir shops...

That's the case of Tenuta Sant'Alfonso, the basic Chianti of Rocca delle Macìe winery. Vintage 2005 has a nice, inviting ruby red...a fresh note of juicy, "crunchy" berries is coming to our nose, together with pepperish spices in a background of a balsamic perfume. Tasting is dominated by freshness and acidity...that's exactly what we would expect from a Sangiovese (the vine of Chianti), but with a component of roundness which donates the necessary balance to the wine.

Let's try it with a typical lasagna made with a juicy heavy meat sauce...
Price in Italian wine stores: 12 euros
Price abroad: about 20 USD

9.16.2008

Pinot Nero Cornell 2004 - Colterenzio: Elegance near the Alps


Colterenzio is an association of winemakers, in the region of Bolzano, not very far from the border with Austria. We are in a mountains region and weather here is different from any other part of Italy. The high difference betwen the lowest and the highest temperature in a 24h period represents a perfect micro-climate for a difficult vine like Pinot Noir.

Pinot Nero Cornell 2004 has a bright ruby red...elegant nose with a balsamic note,mixed with a delicate perfume of red flowers and spices such as coriander and cumin...splendid acidity in the mouth, together with adeguate roundness and a sapid note which makes the persistence longer...

I'd match it with pork steaks spiced with fennel seeds.
Price in Italian wine stores: 23 euros
Price abroad: about 35 USD

9.15.2008

Terra Riserva 2004 - Conti Zecca: from Apulia, a good price for a good wine


Conti Zecca is an awsome winery located in the extreme South-East of Italy,a zone of Apulia region called Salento. If you are travelling around there, a visit to the wonderful vinyards of this winery is a must, after visiting the gorgeous Baroque churches of Lecce.

Even if their top wine is Nero, (Negroamaro 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%), today I'd like to introduce you their Terra Riserva, a mix of Negroamaro and Aglianico varieties of grapes. This wine represents for me the perfect example of good relaction betwen quality and price that you can easily find in many of southern italian wines...

Terra Riserva 2004 is showing up an elegant garnet red which invites us to a large,fine bouquet of mature black berries, dried roses, sweet spices and toasted coffee. Silky tannins and long persistence in the mouth.

Try it with long-cooked beef meat, together with Digione mustard.
Price in Italian wine stores: 14 euros
Price abroad: about 20 dollars

9.04.2008

Tasting from "Compagni di Scuola"

Ronco delle Acacie 2005 - Le vigne di Zamò: quality from norteastern Italy


Le Vigne di Zamò is an important winery located in Friuli, a region next to the border with Slovenia, famous for its elegant and mineral white wines, which are probably, the best ones in Italy. Today's wine is Ronco delle Acacie, their top wine, made with Chardonnay (60%), Tocai Friulano (35%) and Pinot Blanc (5%). Vintage 2005 is characterized by a bright golden colour but what is surprising us the most is the intensity and finesse of perfumes...yellow flowers (broom, mimosa), tropical fruit, williams pear, pineapple and a gentle note of minerality (I'd say a flintstone) which takes us all along the tasting...strong, round body and an extraordinary harmony among all the components of the wine...

You can try this with marinated salmon but complexity of the wine suggests us even a match with white meats...like Thanksgiving turkey.

Price in Italian wine store: 22 euros

Price abroad: around 40 USD