Wine Tasting: Italy Off the Beaten Track

 In my latest wine tasting class, we learned about and sampled several Italian varietals that are largely unknown to the average wine consumer.  These are wines that do take some extra diligence to obtain but are definitely worth the effort as they offer tasting profiles that differ notably from the most popular Italian wines such as Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Moscato and the like.

I have included notes on these little known varietals at the end of this post, including historical background and general tasting profiles. Many of these were brought back to life by forward thinking wine growers and producers who realized the value of giving rebirth to important traditional wines and enhancing the overall wine culture of Italy.

Most of these wines I obtained through wine.com with additional sources including PA Fine Wines & Spirits (Special Order) and Wine Works in Marlton, NJ.

Enjoy exploring these wines to expand to your tasting experience!

Cheers!

Umani Ronchi Pecorino Terre di Chieti Vellodoro 2024 ($17 + Tax; Wineworks, NJ)

Origin : Terre di Chieti IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica), Abruzzi

Varietal : 100% Pecorino

Production/Tasting Notes : Fermented in stainless steel for 10-15 days; 4 months aging in stainless steel on the lees.; no malolactic fermentation;  aromas of green apple, pear, lime, white flowers; notes of wet stone, mineral; medium-bodied, fresh, savory; lively acidity.

Food Pairing: Steamed fish with ginger; shellfish; fresh cheeses, especially pecorino; vegetarian dishes.

Alcohol: 12.5%

 

Villa Corniole Teroldego Rotaliano PietroMontis 2020 ($17 + Shipping & Taxes, PA Special Order)

Origin: Teroldego Rotaliano DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata)

Varietal: 100% Teroldego

Production/Tasting Notes: Hand harvested; fermentation and maceration on the skins for 8-15 days; aged in stainless steel with a small amount in barriques; intense, fruity nose with notes of raspberries, currants; soft tannins.

Food  Pairing: Lasagne; pasta ragu; risotto; lamb; game; beef; cured meats; medium to aged cheeses;mywine

Alcohol: 12.5%

 

Laura Aschero Rossesse 2024 ($30 + Shipping & Taxes; wine.com)

Origin: Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC

Varietal: 100% Rossesse

Tasting Notes: Hand harvested; 15-day maceration; stainless steel fermentation; 5 months aging in stainless steel, fiberglass tanks; fine lees aging for 30 days with batonnage; nose of dried rose, wild strawberry, blackberry, currant; strawberry, currant, cranberry and mineral flavors; taut tannins; bright, tangy; light tannins.

Food Pairing: Vegetable ravioli; stuffed cabbage; rabbit alla ligure; stewed stockfish (cod or hake)

Alcohol: 13%

 

Feudo Montoni Perricone Corre 2022 ($32 + Shipping & Taxes; wine.com)

Origin: Terre Siciliano Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) (Cammarata)

Varietals: 100% Perricone

Production/Tasting Notes: Certified organic; sandy, clayey soil; 40-year old vines; fermentation and 12 months aging in cement containers; 3 months in barrels; 6 months bottle aging; spontaneous malolactic fermentation; notes of prune, blueberry, black pepper interspersed with hints of cocoa, licorice; fresh, round, soft on the palate; bold tannins; polished. (92 points, Vinous; 90 points, Wine Spectator)

Food Pairing: Braised lamb ragu; eggplant parmagiana; pasta with Italian sausage, mushrooms and peas.

Alcohol: 13.5%

 

Ronchi di Cialla Schioppettino-RiNera 2023 ($27 + Shipping & Taxes; wine.com)

Origin: Friuli Colli Orientali DOC (Cialla valley in commune of Prepotto, Udine)

Varietals: 100 % Schioppettino

Production/Tasting Notes: Maceration of 4-5 weeks; native yeasts; aging in French barriques for 14-18 months; further bottle aging for 30-36 months; average vine age – 50 years; aromas of red fruits, currants, blackberries, balsamic, undergrowth (sous-bois) and white pepper; flavorful, fruity sensation; well-balanced minerality; supporting tannins; silky balance; full bodied; elegant.

Food Pairing: Roasted red meats; free range poultry and game; mushroom-based dishes; truffled dishes; medium and hard cheeses.

Alcohol:  12%

 

Goretti Montefalco Sagrantino 2019 ($30 + Tax; PA Wine Store)

Origin : Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG (Umbria)

Varietal: 100% Sagrantino

Production/Tasting Notes:  Hand harvested; aged 14-18 months in barriques; 30 months maturation in total; limestone-clay soil; concentrated, rich, spicy; aromas of dark, ripe red fruit, underbrush, prune, mocha; rounded, full-bodied; dried cherry, raisin, licorice, tobacco on the palate; well-structured with tightly-knit, gripping tannins. (90 points, Wine Enthusiast)   

Food Pairings: pasta dishes with intense tomato sauce, roast and grilled meats and fish, excellent with spicy chicken, beef, lamb, game or cheeses.

 

Alcohol: 15.5%

 

Italian Varietals

Pecorino

The name is derived from the strong connection between sheep farming and agriculture and the presence of the variety in the areas of shepherds’ transhumance. Pecorino almost disappeared because of low productivity.  Umani Ronchi began producing Pecorino in 2005. Primarily grown in the Marches (le Marche) and Abruzzo, has been cultivated for hundreds of years but fell out of favor due to more productive grapes, most notably Trebbiano.

Rossesse

Also known as Rossesse di Dolceacqua, it is grown in the commune of Imperia within the Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOP/DOC.  DNA profiling indicates that it is identical to the Tibouren variety grown in Provence, France.  (There are also white varieties produced under the Rossesse label.)

Schioppettino

Cultivated since the Middle Ages, Schioppettino was almost completely destroyed during the phylloxera epidemic during the mid-1800s.  In the 1970s, the Ronchini di Cialla winery launched the rebirth of this varietal with 60 surviving vines, producing their first vintage in 1976.  Locally known as Ribolla Nera, Schioppettino wine is typically deeply colored, medium-bodied, has an aromatic nose and a spicy or peppery palate.  Most often rroduced as a dry wine, it is sometimes made into a sparkling spumante style. 

Perricone

Grown principally in higher altitude areas of northwestern Sicily, Perricone is highly tannic and acidic with characteristics of red berries, earth and herbs and is often toned down by blending with Nero d’Avola, but has the potential to produce beautifully aromatic single varietal wine of elegance and polish. It is also known as Tuccarino or Pignatello.  Hit hard by the phylloxera epidemic in the 1860s, it was largely replaced by Nero d’Avola which was considered higher quality.

Sagrantino

Associated with Umbria for centuries, Sagrantino is a dark, dense wine widely considered the most highly tannic of all Italian varietals with a fruit profile that ranges from black cherries to ripe blackberries with secondary spicy, earthy characteristics.  Due to its high tannins and its affinity for oak aging, it matures especially well. As such, local wine regulations call for a minimum aging of 37 months, at least 12 of which must be in oak barrels. Single varietals from the Montefalco DOCG are regarded as the preeminent expression of the grape.

Teroldogo

A deeply colored red wine grape, it is grown mostly in the mountainous Trentino wine region of  northern Italy. Intensely fruity, soft and needing little aging, it’s often blended to add color, but single varietals are becoming more common.  There is just one DOC for Teroldego wines – Teroldego Rotaliano where the plain soil is sandy and gravelly, widely regarded as the best site for the varietal.

Wine Dinner - Sommelier's Choice

 A week or two ago, I selected wines for a wine dinner with friends, and I'm pleased to share the selections with the blog readership.  The theme of Sommelier's Choice basically means wines that I like and that are a good value, so many of these were Chairman's Selects at Pennsylvania Wine & Spirits stores, or otherwise discounted.  They are all available then at your local PA wine store at very affordable price points.  The Encanto and Allan Scott were especially popular among the group, and the Agiorgtiko and Monastrell also went over very well.  The Morgon was too "forest floory" or earthy for at least one taster, but there are 9 other Beaujolais "Crus" to try if the Morgon isn't your cup of tea.  (Crus are the top appellation for Beaujolais and are identified by the particular district where they are sourced. Others include Fleurie, St Amour, Régnié, Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Moulin-à-Vent, Cotes de Brouilly, Juliénas.)

Cheers!

Encanto Vinos de Arganza Verdejo Godello  2023

Origin: Castilla y Leon, Certificacion de Origen, Spain

Varietal: 80% Verdejo; 20% Godello

Production/Tasting Notes: Intense fruity and floral notes on the nose, distinct petrol note (?);  fresh taste on the palate with balanced acidity and structure; creamy texture. (91 points, Wine Enthusiast; 92 points, Jame Suckling)

Food  Pairing: aperitif; shellfish

Alcohol: 12.5%

 

Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Origin: Marlborough, New Zealand

Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Tasting Notes: Quintessential Marlborough SB offering up fresh, crisp and juicy bouquet; mouthwatering flavors of ripe tropical fruit (passion fruit, grilled pineapple), citrus fruit, key lime and ruby grapefruit with accents of lemongrass, freshly grated ginger; note of lingering crunchy sea salt. (93 points, Wine Spectator)

Food pairing: Light hors d’oeuvres; sauteed fresh branzino

Alcohol: 12.5%

 

Joseph Jacôme Morgon 2023

Origin: Morgon AOC, France

Varietal: 100% Gamay

Tasting Notes: Terroir-driven, exuding stone fruit aromas (cherry, peach, plum); dried papaya; forest-floor flavors on the palate, followed by crushed stone and dried lemon zest. (93 points, Wine Enthusisast)

Food Pairing: Roast chicken; Lyonnaise salad

Alcohol: 13%

 

Gaia Notios Agiorgitiko – Syrah 2023

Origin: Peloponnese PGI, Greece

Varietals: 85% Agiorgitiko; 15% Syrah

Production/Tasting Notes: Vibrant red fruit aromas, supple tannins (Agiorgitiko), harmoniously balanced by rich, spicy character and full-bodied profile of Syrah; complex bouquet, velvety mouthfeel.

Food Pairing: Eggplant/lamb moussaka

Alcohol: 13%

 

Los Frailes Caliza Monastrell Vinas Viejas 2022

Origin: Valencia, Denominacion de Origen Protegida (DOP), Spain

Varietals: 100% Monastrell

Production/Tasting Notes: Organic grapes; single vineyard at 600 meters altitude; fresh, aromatic; notes of orange peel, red fruit and aromatic herbs; medium-bodied, fine tannins; concentrated, complex; plush. (93 points, Wine Advocate)

Food Pairing: Braised oxtail stew; baked eggplant

Alcohol:  14%

 

Siena (Italy) Winery Tour and Tasting

In the latter part of this past March, I made a long-awaited, long-postponed return to Italy after an 18 year absence. Given that I teach Italian, and have for many years, it was way past time to get a booster shot of Italian food, culture and language.  Indeed, in the last few years, it seems everyone I knew was making a trip to the Boot, many for the first time, so I was very excited for them and looking forward to when I would finally make my return.  I was slightly trepidatious given how much things have changed in the intervening years, particularly as it relates to technology and tourism.  As it turns out, in a lot of ways, the advances in technology and the Internet make it a lot easier to plan and book ahead.  In fact, I pre-booked all my train travel, all my BnBs and Airbnbs and all my tours, including the winery tour that I report on in this blog post.

Since I wasn't renting a car this time around, I was rather restricted in places I could reasonably travel to given that most wineries open for visits are not easily accessible, if at all, by train or bus.  In the tours that popped up on my screen after booking my stay in Siena, one particular winery appeared to be well within my transportation options.  Indeed, I ended up walking to the cantina as it was located only about 2 miles from the town center of Siena, and the weather had turned quite sunny and pleasant after a few days of unseasonably cold, windy and rainy conditions.

Located so close to the town, one would not have expected to enjoy such lovely, picturesque landscapes, and vineyards. The Azienda Agricola "La Lastra"  lalastra.it is quite small in terms of hectares under vine and total production and as such, it is not surprising that the quality of wines is quite high, even at very reasonable price points.

As soon as I sauntered into the gravel courtyard, I was greeted by a couple of young women (in fact, a mother and daughter) who, along with a gaggle of four or five other American co-eds plus one other mother, were already well on their way in enjoying the libations produced on site.  They were not, in fact, doing the tour, but just came to savor the wine, and take in the beauty of the surrounding countryside.  We enjoyed getting to know each other and telling travel stories as I waited for other participants in the upcoming tour.

Our guide and host, Lorenzo, was a young, tall and good-looking fellow with curly, tousled hair and an easy-going nature about him, which belied the depth of his knowledge of the grape-growing and vinification processes, let alone the wine business at large and tasting expertise.  In fact, he had grown up working in the winery as a young boy before studying enology at the local university and subsequently spending a year in Napa to further his wine education and hands-on experience.  (I'd introduced myself before the tour began, and chatted with him in Italian, though the tour would be in English as everyone else in the tour group were Americans.  His English was perfectly fluent.)

Lorenzo began our formal visit with a stroll over to the vineyards where he proceeded to give an extended explanation of the efforts and challenges involved in planting, maintaining and harvesting the vineyards as we took in the stunning views of the rolling hills replete with several different varietals and dotted with small olive groves.  (The intricacies of wine cultivation and production were perhaps more than the average consumer really cares to know about, but I, as a self-confessed wine nerd, certainly appreciated hearing him expound at length on such details.)

Sangiovese, the main varietal used in their Colli Senesi Chianti, constitutes the lion's share of the plantings, but Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Trebbiano, among a few other varietals are also grown and vinified.  (We were soon to be treated to a tasting of many of these varietals, either in a blend or as a single varietal.)

Next on the itinerary was a brief visit to the barrel room where Lorenzo explained the production processes and facilities and how it all comes together to create high quality wines to be appreciated by the discerning consumer.

All these educational and informative precursory exposés naturally led, of course, to the part of the tour everyone most looked forward to - the actually tasting and appreciation of the wines accompanied by a light meal of local specialties.

We started the tasting with the Vernaccia di San Gimagnano, a delightfully crisp, fruity and refreshing white which is pretty much synonymous with the picturesque medieval town just north of Siena. (La Lastra originally established their winery with 7 hectares of vineyards in the SG district to produce this wine, and later acquired 23 hectares just outside Siena to expand their production into a full portfolio of regional red wines.)  Fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks, the Vernaccia features a complex bouquet of floral, citrus, tropical and mineral notes with a zippy mouth feel and lively acidity to whet the appetite and pair well with antipasto, fish and white meat or on its own as an aperitif.

Moving onto the reds, next in our tasting was the Rovaio, an IGT Toscano Rosso (Super Tuscan) blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, approximately 1/3 each, which are fermented and matured separately for 18 months, then blended and bottle aged for 6 months before release.  Exuding aromatic notes of red fruits, raspberry currant and black cherry with spicy notes of green pepper, its harmonious balance of soft tannins, fresh fruit and moderate acidity lends itself to pairing with grilled or game meats and medium and long-aged cheeses.

If I remember correctly, we then tasted the Chianti Colli Senesi, a delightful, quintessential Sangiovese-based red from the hillside vineyards outside Siena,

 but it was the subsequent red - the Cabernet Franc - that stood out for me in terms of its rarity and quality for this particular region. Indeed it took several years of painstaking effort and perseverance before the plants reached maturity and the winemakers were able to produce a wine with toned down tannins and herbaceousness that melded together fruity raspberry, cherry, blackberry notes with good structure, intensity and full-flavored body.  Fermented in small stainless steel tanks and matured in new barriques for 14  months, the wine is then bottle aged for another 6 months before release.  Velvety and elegant with spicy, herbal notes to supplement and enhance the red fruit flavors, this Cab Franc would pair nicely with seasoned meats and aged cheeses or pizza with red sauce and goat cheese.

Lest I forget, I need to make note of the serving of ravioli pasta,  salami, cheese, salad, and heirloom tomatoes which was just the right, light pairing for the wines, and in fact, the delicious buttery, cheesy ravioli was the best pasta dish I tasted on this particular trip to Italy.

To top off our tasting of the red wines, although it was not on the original wine tasting list, Lorenzo was quite gracious in offering the table of guests a sample of La Lastra's most prestigious cuvee, SG Rosso, which is also a Super Tuscan blend whose primary client is actually a Michelin-starred restaurant not far from Siena. Sadly, I did not write down the name of the restaurant, but if I do find it, I will add it to this post.  Nonetheless, I can attest to its high quality, opulent, full-bodied, richly textured profile, replete with dense dark fruit enveloping the palate with structured tannins and long-lasting finish. An exceptional wine indeed!

Last but not least on our tasting journey was La Lastra's Passito, a sweet, dessert wine vinified from equal parts Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca in which the grapes are left to dry for 20 days, concentrating the juice and sugar,  then slowly fermented over 24 days, and finally aged in small steel steel container and barriques for nearly 4 years resulting in a moderately sweet, intense, high alcohol (15%) wine exuding aromas of apricot jam, peach, and vanilla. Soft, sweet, and persistent on the palate, it pairs superbly with soft, spicy cheeses, goose liver pate and ricotta or cream pastries. (I can't remember precisely the pastry we were served with the Passito, but I do recall it was a perfect match!)

In somma, if ever you find yourself in Siena, do yourself a favor and take a little detour outside the Centro Storico and treat yourself to a delightful wine and food tasting that will no doubt tantalize your senses and leave you with savory memories.  Cincin!

Wine Tasting: Natural, Organic, Biodynamic, Sustainable and Low-Intervention Wines

 In the past several years, there has been a noticeable movement in the direction of natural wine-making, that is, wines produced with a minimum of manipulation, chemical additives, synthetic fertilizers or processed yeasts. At the same time, more and more wineries are touting their adherence to sustainable farming practices which may include using only organic grapes and following biodynamic principles with great attention paid not only to responsible maintenance of their own vineyards but the surrounding ecosystem of flora, fauna and natural biological cycles.

For my most recent wine tasting class,  we took a deep dive into a wide variety of natural/organic wines, including white, "orange" or amber (aka skin-contact whites), rosé and red wines.  We sampled several wines from around the world that fall under these nomenclatures, dispelling some of the myths about so-called "natural" wines - often derided as too funky, barnyard-y, overly rustic, rough or just unpleasant - to find that indeed they are often quite delicious as well as reasonably affordable. 

Most of these wines can be found in local bottle shops, such as DiBruno Bros., since these emporiums deal almost exclusively in natural/organic wines from small, independent producers.  See a list of Philly wine boutiques at the end of the tasting notes below.

For further recommendations on natural/organic wines, please see my previous two blog posts featuring tastings and visits from my fall trip to Central Coast wineries in the Paso Robles area, and the preceding post on my class on Bottle Shop wines from last fall, which highlights many organic/natural wines.

Ciello Bianco Catarratto 2024

Origin: Terre Siciliane IGP, Italy

Varietals: 100% Catarratto

Production/Tasting Notes: Organic; no filtration; savory flavors on the palate; quince, apricots, almonds; refreshing acidity; touch of salty ocean brine, preserved lemon, ripe orange on the mid palate; earthy body.

Food Pairings: Shellfish; oysters, clams on the half shell.

Alcohol: 12%

 

Camurria Orange 2024  ($23)

Origin/Classification: Terre Siciliane IGP

Varietal: 100% Grillo

Production/Tasting Notes: Organic; hand harvested; volcanic tuff; 30 year old vines; spontaneous fermentation; 5-day skin maceration; malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks; neutral barrel aging for 2 months; 9 months on fine lee before bottling; unfined, unfiltered; bouquet of wild flowers, almonds, marzipan, orange peel; medium bodied; layers of citrus, stone fruit, sweet spice; taut acidity.

Food Pairings: Fresh grilled fish;

Alcohol: 11.5%

 

Enguera Bodegas “Aliats” Verdil 2022 ($9 @ PA state store)

Origin: Valencia, Spain

Varietal: 100% Verdil

Production/Tasting Notes: Sustainable family farm; organic; several weeks of skin contact; citrus notes; ripe fruit aromas; Verdil is a native varietal nearly lost to time, but revived by Bodegas Enguera among others.

Food Pairings: Asparagus goat cheese pizza; poke bowl with salmon, mango; potato gnocchi with marinated artichokes

Alcohol: 12%

 

Bibich Think Pink 2023 ($28)

Origin: Dalmatia, Croatia

Varietal: 100% Syrah

Production/Tasting Notes: Organic; indigenous yeast fermentation in stainless steel tanks; minimal intervention; strawberry, raspberry on the nose; fresh, savory, bright, spicy, fruity.

Food Pairings: Light hors d’oeuvres; aperitif

Alcohol:   13.5%

 

Echeverria “No Es Pituko” Cabernet Franc 2023 ($20)

Origin: Curico Valley, (200km south of capital Santiago) Chile

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Franc

Production/Tasting Notes: Organic, unfiltered, unfined, no added sulfites; Beaujolais-Nouveau style ; bouquet of black cherry, black currant;  violets; plum; hints of green pepper, herbs; medium bodied; juicy; soft tannins

Food Pairings: Charcuterie; roast pork; spicy dishes

Alcohol: 13.5%

 

 Meinklang Burgenlandred 2023 ($28)

Origin: Burgenland (Neusiedlersee), Austria

Varietal: 60% Zweigelt; 30% Blaufrankisch; 10% St Laurent

Production/Tasting Notes: Biodynamic farming; unfiltered, unfined; no added sulfite; aged on the lees in stainless steel; semi-carbonic maceration; ripe blackberry; bright juiciness.

Food Pairings: Roasted pheasant; stir-fried duck dishes; sauteed calf’s liver.

Alcohol: 12%

 

Iuli Umberta Vino Rosso  2021 ($30)

Origin: Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy

Varietal: 100% Barbera

Production/Tasting Notes: Organic; indigenous yeast; aged 10-11 months in cement; malolactic fermentation; no filtration or fining; fresh, fruity, black cherry, black raspberry; violets; plum; touch of cedar on the finish.

Food Pairing: Pizza; pasta with red sauce

Alcohol: 14.5%

 

 

Philadelphia Bottles Shops

 DiBruno Bros.

920 S. 9^th St.

 

Vernick Wine

2029 Walnut St

 

Cork

253 S. 20^th St.

 

Jet Wine Bar

1525 South St,

 

Bloomsday

414 S. 2^nd St

 

Le Caveau

614 S. 7^th St.

 

Sally Philadelphia

2229 Spruce St.

 

Solar Myth

1131 S. Broad St.

Lovats Square 

184 E. Evergreen Ave. 

Market Square

Chestnut Hill