Franciacorta, quality sparkling wine

Franciacorta is a sparkling wine from Lombardy. These are made almost exactly like champagnes and the only one I have tried so far were very good. Now I have finally found some more of these Franciacorta sparkling wines.

The wine Animante is from producer Barone Pizzini. It is a non vintage Franciacorta made of the famous grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc with the Chardonnay dominating. It has an alcohol level of 12%. This is a good wine. The smell is very nice and smells apples and pears. The taste is of Bread, citrus, minerals and with a long strong after taste. Yet another good wine from this area. Unfortunately I cannot find this producers wine in Sweden. I bought this wine on a ferry.

Moving away from the north of Italy towards the centre of Italy and the region Umbria and the area Montefalco. Here I find the wine Montefalco by producer Arnaldo Caprai. It is vintage 2012 and the wine consists of the grapes Sangiovese, Sagrantino and Merlot. It has a very deep colour, almost blue reddish colour. The taste is strong with notes of Violet, Black Currants and liquorice. A good wine.

France vs Italy and some Prosecco

Been a while since the last update as a cold has put the blog on the backburner.

First up is two very different white wines. The first wine is from Languedoc in France. It is called Fleur de Vignoble from the AOP Picpoul de pinet. Picpoul is a grape in this region. The color is very light. Almost water like. A bit sharp and fruity in the taste, some hawthorn.
The next wine is the wine Falanghina from producer Villa Schinosa in Puglia, Italy. It is made by 100% of Falanghina grapes. The color is straw yellow and the nose is very strong. It smells delicious. The taste is strong and it has some acidity. Citrus and fruits in the taste.

Lastly I have tried yet another Prosecco. It is Prosecco Extra Dry by producer Farina. It is as a Prosecco should be, Good, light and well tasting,

Bambino Bianco and Tocai Friulano

Italy has many different grape varieties and many of them only grows in Italy. This time I have had the chance to try two, Bombino Bianco and Tocai Friulano.

The wine Marese from producer Rivera is made from the grape Bombino Bianco. It is from the DOC Bombino Bianco Castel Del Monte in Puglia. This grape is mostly grown in Puglia but can be found in several other regions in Italy. This wine were very nice to drink. Interesting and I have to try more of this grape.

The second wine I had the chance to try is the wine Friulano from producer Guerra Albano, whose winery Guerra Albano is located in the DOC Colli Orientali del Friuli area in Montina, near Cividale del Friuli. The wine is very strong and tastes like green apples, pear, grass some citrus and is very intense and fresh. Quite interesting wine and needs some food with the wine. The grape used for this wine is called Tocai Friulano. These wines were also called Tocai Friulano earlier but had to change the name due to name regulations of the EU to Friulano. This grape is mostly grown in Friuli Venezia Giuli and recently scientists have found out that the grape Sauvignon Vert is the same grape. For more information about this grape I recommend the book "Native Wine Grapes of Italy" by Ian D'Agata.

Two different Vermentino from Tuscany

It is fun to try different wines of the same grape from the same region to see the difference from different producers. This time I had one wine each from Bolgheri and Mazzei.

The Bolgheri Vermentino is called Solosole and is from 2014. For me it is definitely a foodwine. It has a strong taste of citrus and a strong acidity. It need food to make it shine like a sun.

The Mazzei Vermentino is called Codice V and is from 2014 also. This is more fruity with some citrus and pear in the taste. The acidity is there also. Goes also very well with food but also good on its own.

Verdeca wine from Puglia

Verdeca is an Italian indigenous grape to Italy. It is mostly grown in the region of Puglia i Italy. It is only in the last couple of years that Verdeca has been used to make monovarietal wines. I have tried the white wine Askos Verdeca from the producer Masseria Li Veli. Askos is the name that they have given to the selection of ancient Apulian grape wines. It is a good wine.The colour is bright yellow. The taste is very fruity and strong. Very good and interesting. Would buy it again if I have the chance.

I have also tried two more "normal" Italian white wines. One made by Pinot Grio by producer Tenuta Ca'Bolani. It is a good Pinot Griogio. The other is a Vermentino called Prelius from Maremma in Tuscany. It is very fresh and very good.

Take it easy and just enjoy

There are many wines that are very good and not overly complex. One such wine is the wine Lighea from the producer Donnafugata. It is made with Zibibbo grapes ( the grape is called Moscato d'Alessandria outside of Sicily). These grapes are grown on the island of Pantelleria south of Sicily. I have only drank sweet wines from Pantelleria such as the Passito so this is something new for me. The alcohol level is 12,5%. One can feel on the smell that it is Zibibbo. The taste is aromatic. Not strong aromatic as a Gewürztraminer but more gentle. The taste is hard to describe but has notes of grape, almonds and fruits. A very good easy wine perfect to have a glass and just sit back and enjoy. Another good wine from an excellent wine producer.

I really like the paintings that Donnafugata has on their wines. Reminds me of Sicily.

Rubrato from Campania

Aglianico is a grape grown mostly in Campania and is used to make wines like the Taurasi. It is a very important grape in this region and in previous times it was shipped northwards in Italy to augment "weaker" red wines, the so called "wine railroad".
The wine Rubrato Aglianico from 2012 by producer Feudi Di San Gregorio in Campania is made by 100% Aglianico grapes. This wine is from the Irpinia Aglianico DOC. The colour of the wine is very dark. The taste is of black currant and dark cherries, it is very strong and leaves a long after-taste. This wine needed to breath before drinking. When drinking it at once it showed to be very closed and after twenty minutes it had reached it full potential. Like the Aglianico wines I have drunk previously it need some time in the glass before drinking. Yet another good wine from Feudi Di San Gregorio.

I tried the producer Peter Semmers Chardonnay a couple of months ago and this time I had the chance to they Peter Semmers Pinot Grigio from 2013. This one is better than the Chardonnay. Taste like what a Pinot Grigio should taste like and is a good wine. Yet another good wine from Alto Adige.

Visit to the mountains and the good wine

In Italy many good wines produced in lesser known mountain areas such as Valle D'Aosta and Trentino. When I visited Valle D'Aosta  had the chance to visit the La Grotta Di Vegnergons store and I wish i could bring a lot of their wines back to Sweden. The white wine Chambave Mucat from 2013 by La Grotta Di Vegnergon I received as a gift. This is the perfect aperetif wine. It is a very fresh aromatic wine with taste of yellow peaches and thyme. Very good.

In the dolomites in the Trentino region the native grape Lagrein is very popular. I have tasted this grape before and liked it. The wine that I have sampled is from Cantina Mori in Trentino which I had the chance to visit in 2013.  The wine is called Terra Di San Mauro and is from 2010. It is very good. Not to heavy as some red wines can be but has a taste of plums, red cherries and dark currants. Some tannins to round it out.

Passito from Lipari

The last year I have not drank so much sweet wine but now I had the chance to try a passito wine from the island of Lipari north of Sicily. Passito wine is a sweet wine made from dried grapes.The wine is Colosi from 2007. It is made of Malvasia grapes and the colour is deep amber.. The taste is very strong and so wonderful. Almost like a passito di Pantelleria. Excellent wine.

The wine La Frosca from producer Gini in Soave is from 2013. The colour is yellow and the smell is good. It is made of the grape Garganega. The taste is good and has a good aftertaste. Very nice.

Returning to Sicily for the wine Planeta Carricante which is made of the grape carricante. This wine comes from  the wineyard Sciara Nuovo on the north side of the Volcano Etna. It is on 870 meters of height and produces according to Planeta ageworthy white wines. The wine is from 2011 and he smell is good. The taste is almost like an excellent riesling. It has a fresh mineral style with tastes of apples. An excellent wine.

Finally summer and another batch of wines

Finally the sun arrived this summer and parts of the summer were saved. This time I have tried three Italian wines and a German wine.

The most interesting wine is the red wine Torrette Superior from Valle D'Aosta in Italy. It is the first time that I have been able to buy a wine from this region in Sweden. Valle D'Aosta is a region that has many local varieties of grapes of which many were close to extinction bur fortunately many of these grape veracities have been saved for example Fumin. The Torrette Superior is from producer Maurizio Fiorano Chateau Feuillet. It is made by the grape Petit Rogue which is only grown in Valle D'Aosta in Italy. It is not a heavy wine but a medium bodied wine with a taste of cherries and liquorice. Very good wine.

Next are the wine Coste Di Riavolo by producer San Fereolo whoch is from the Langhe DOC Bianco. This is a wite wine and since it is from 2010 I had high expectations from it. But I were dissapointed, a weak taste and not to my liking.

South Tyrol or Alto Adige as it is called in Italian makes very good white wines. A new producer for me is Peter Zemmer. I tasted the wine Chardonnay from 2010. this were better than the previous wine. Nice wine but I had better Chardonnays from Alto Adige.

I don't drink so much wine from Germany but when I see wine from Franken I usually try to buy a bottle. Producer Brennfleck has made a wine which is by the grape Silvaner and it is a dry one. It is from 2013 and the taste is of Peaches, hoey and spices. Very good wine.

Etna Bianco

There are many good white wines from Sicily and wines grown on the volcano Etna I have not tried many of.  Tenute Delle Terre Nere is a producer with wine yards located on the northern slope of the volcano. They produce two kinds of white wines. One from a blend of Carricante, Catarratto, Grecianico and Minella. The other, from Carricante alone, is fermented in barrels. The one I have drank is the blend which contains approximately 65% Carricante. The vintage is 2014 and this is a good wine. The taste is of citrus, minerals and peaches. It has a strong acidity and I think that it can be stored for a couple of years if needed.

SurSur and Lugana

This time I have tried two different white wines from Italy. One in the extreme north while the other from Sicily in the south.

From producer Donnafugata I have drank several wines and they have all been excellent. Their white wine SurSur from 2013 is a new experience. It is made of the grape Grillo which is a grape widely used in Sicily and is used also for the production of Marsala wine. SurSur has a good smell and the taste is excellent. It has notes of grapefruit, peaches and some aromatic notes and has an excellent structure. Goes very well with seafood. Very good wine and the white wines from Sicily continues to impress me.

From the south to the north of Italy. The wine Lugana from producer Casello Bondoni on the western side of lake Garda in the Lombardy region. Very close to Switzerland. The grapes used for this wine is the grape Trebbiano di Lugana and the alcohol level is 13%. The colour is yellow with almost greenish tints. The taste is of peaches, pears and herbs. Good structure and very fresh. A nice wine.

Good new white wines from Italy

Systembolaget has several new wines from Italy in their store now and of the ones I have tasted they are a good addition. The first new wine in their standard range is the Terre Fenicie by producer Sardus Pater from DOC area Vermentiono Di Sardegna. As the name says it is made of Vermentino grapes and is from 2014. It is a good wine with a lot of acidity and a taste of citrus, peach and herbs. Good wine and serve it chilled. Time to visit Sardinia soon for me?

The next new Italian wine in Systembolagets ordinary range is the white wine Collevite Verdicchio from the DOC area Dei Castelli di Jesi. The producer is Cantine della Marca and it is from 2014. This area is situated in Marche on the west coast of Italy. It is yet another good wine. Good bouquet from the smell. The taste if of grapefruit and some very aromatic taste. It has a taste that lingers. Good wine.

To finish off this trio of Italian white wines is a wine that was just on a temporary sale and I bought one of the last bottles in the store. It is Planeta Cometa from producer Planeta in Sicily. It is made by Fiano grapes from the Cantina Dispensa in the south west corner of Sicily. It is a complex wine with a good taste and not to strong. Very delightful together with seafood. Good aromas in the taste. Excellent 2013 wine.

From still wine to sparkling wine. I like Prosecco from the north of Italy. Normally it is good or it is bad. Nothing in between. It should be easy drinking, youthful but with a good taste. The wine Bosco Di Gica is a dry and a good Prosecco.  Nice to drink and goes very well with food when it is warm outside.

Finally one reason I started drinking wine, namely Eiswein. The nectar of the Gods. This time I had the chance to sample the wine Edenkoben from producer Rhodter Klosterpfad from 2012. The grapes used are Weisser Burgunder. It has a very strong taste with sweet tones. It is a good Eiswein.

Sparkling to white to red

Mezzacorona in Trentino Alto Adige produces very nice sparkling wines. Their sparkling wine Rotari Blanc De Blancs extra brut from 2009 is no exception. The grape used are Chardonnay. The taste is very dry as expected and the taste is of citrus and minerals. Very good.

Vermentino is a grape that I have come to appreciate. The bottle Calasole is is from producer Rocca di Montemassi in the region of Maremma in the south of Tuscany. Very good wine and my appreciation of the Vermentino grape continues.

Lastly I have tried a bottle of red wine called Lacrima Di Morro D'Alba from producer Marotti Campi in Marche in Italy. It has a ruby colour and the taste is of violet and tannins. Maybe a bit one dimensional but works together with good food. No as heavy and can be drunk as it is.

Sicily and Alto Adige

Two of my favourite wine regions in Italy are Sicily and Alto Adige. And this time all three wines are from these regions.

The first bottle is the wine Chardonnay from Planeta. It is from 2012 and the grapes came from Cantina Ulmo which is near Marsala in the southwestern corner of Sicily. On this wine they have tried to make an unmistakably Sicilian Chardonnay. I have to agree with this as it tastes a bit different from other Chardonnays that I have drunk. The taste is of apricots, citrus and some tropical notes. The colour is very straw yellow. It is good with food but also good to drink as it is.

The next wine I have tried before and it is from producer Donnafuga in Sicily. It is the wine Kabir which is a Moscato Di Pantelleria from the island of Pantelleria. It is vintage 2012 which the last time I tried it was very aromatic. With one more year in the bottle it has become more well rounded with the aromatic note still there but now with more smooth style. Very good and I think it will be even better with some more storage, luckily I have several bottles at home.

From Alto Adige comes the wine Winkl  Sauvignon from 2013. It is produced by the one of Alto Adiges leading wine growers’ cooperatives. The colour is straw yellow with and almost green tint. The taste is as usual with Sauvignon full of gooseberrys and some elderberry. Very aromatic and a good wine. Tasted it last year and it still is very good.

Ca' del Bosco Curtefranca Bianco

A wine that I have tasted is Ca' del Bosco Curtefranca Bianco from Lombardy in Italy. It is produced in the same region as the more famous sparkling Franciacorta wines but due to the elevation of the sparkling wines to the Francicorta DOC the still wines had to choose the name Curtefranca DOC. The Ca' del Bosco Curtefranca Bianco is fro 2013 and contains 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Bianco. It has a taste of apples, pears and minerals and is very good. Highly recomended.  Ca' del Bosco also produces a sparkling wine which unfortunately I cannot buy at this moment.

Back to normal

Over five weeks since my last blogpost. Visits to Italy and Japan took has taken a lot of my time but now it is back to normal. A longer report from Italy will come one of these upcoming days but until then some wines that I have tasted.

White wine from Spain is something that I almost never drink and the wine Rueda by Marques De Riscal is a new experience. This wine is made from the Verdejo grape which is also new for me. It is grown in the Ruedo region in Spain. This wine is aromatic, but for me a bit single minded and lacking some freshness. Definitely needs food with this wine.

My favourite wine region in France is the Alsace region. They produce very good white wines. Turckheim is a small commune in Alsace that produces very good wine. Their Pinot Gris from 2012 is very good. It has a freshness and acidity that makes it so easy to drink. Highly recommended wine.

I like red wine from the Veneto region in Italy and one wine is the Millefiori by producer Traditional Wine Innovations. It is made by using the appassimento method, which means drying of the grapes like they do for Amarone wines. It has a strong taste of cherries but also feel a bit simpleminded. It lacks something and there are better red wines from Veneto region to buy.

Nebbiolo and Nero D'Avola, great red wine grapes

Nebbiolo is a red wine grape grown mostly in the Piedmont region where it is used to make Barolo and Barbaresco wine. But no such monster wines this time, just a Lange DOC wine from producer Fontanafredda. The wine is called Ebbio and is from 2013. The smell is nice and the taste is very subtle. Strong taste of viols and some cherries. A good drinking wine.

Nero D'Avola is a red wine grape mostly grown in Sicily. This grape makes good wine which I like. The wine Regieterre Nero D'Avola from 2012 by producer Musita is made from 100% nero D'Avola grapes. There is a sharpness in the taste and I can feel liquorice, black currants and cherries. A good wine and the third wine from producer Musita that I like.

From Austria to Italy

I have tried the riesling wine from weingut Stadt Krems in Steinterrassen earlier, now I have tried the vintage from 2011.  It is still excellent. The colour is straw yellow with some hits of green.  A lot of acid, excellent structure and so good. I wish I had more bottles at home. Despite the alcohol level is only 12,5 % it goes well together with heavier food such as schnitzel.

The region of Trentino/Alto Adige produces some of Italys finest white wines. I have tried the producer Mezzacorona white dry wine PG. The grapes for this wine is Pinot Grigio and are from the wineyards in the dolomites in the Trentino area. It has an alcohollevel of 13% and is from 2013. The taste if of pears, citrus and some grapefruit in the aftertaste. A good wine.

One place in Italy I would like to visit is the island of Elba, until then I have to do with wine from the island. I have tasted an Elba Bianco from producer Aquabona. It is from 2010 and with an alcohol level of 12,5 %. It is flavourful, some acidity and have a taste of peaches. A very good food wine.

Primitivo from Salento

Primitivo grapes is grown a lot around the Salento region in Puglia. And from this region I had the chance to try the Primtitivo Di Manduria (2013) from producer Paololeo. The colour is dark ruby. The taste is of red cherries, woody with strong chocolate flavour. One can feel the tannins in the back of the throat. Decent wine. Primitivo is the same grape as Zinfandel.

Two white Sicilian wines from producer Musita

When I visited Italy at the end of Italy it was still very cold although the front façade of the Duomo in Bologna was finished with the restorations now. But at least in Sicily it is warmer.

Producer Musita is located in Salemi in the Trapani province of Sicily. Through luck I found myself with two different wines from this producer. Both white wines and containing the grape Catarratto.Although the wine Regieterre Catarratto is from 2013 while Passocalcara Bianco contains also 40% Chardonnay and is from 2012. Both are similar both has differences.
Regiterre Catarratto has a good aromatic smell. The taste is also aromatic and with pears and citrus. Very good. The Passocalcara has a taste of citrus, grapefruit and peaches in a very good mix. Also a very good wine. Sicily continues to impress with its wines.

From a red wine in the north to red wine in Sicily

The red wines of the Veneto region is something I will try to discover more of in the future. One small step is the wine I had in the weekend. It is called Mattarana Valpolicella Ripasso from 2012. Where Mattarana is the producer. Valpolicella is an area in the Venoto region and Ripasso is the production method. In Ripasso the grape juice is fermented together with the pressings from the Amarone production to give the Ripasso wine  stronger touch.
This wine has an alcohol level of 14% and the wines colour is deep red. The taste is very good, almost red fruits such as cherries and with some herbs. Not as much tannins as one would expect.

Firriato is a producer in Italy. They have estates all over Sicily such as near Trapani for example. Altavilla delle Corte is a wine made out of Nero D'Avola and Caberet Sauvignon grapes. And the grapes comes from the Borgo Guarini estate outside of Trapani. It is of vintage 2010 and later vintages of this product has only Cabernet Sauvignon. It smells good and the colour is very dark. The taste is good. Strong red cherries with some herbs and tannins in the back. Very nice wine.
Altavilla were one of the first Norman families to settle in Sicily and from this family comes the name of this wine.

 Trapani is a very nice town and is highly recommended to visit the town. The old town in Trapani is very beautiful and lovely situated along the water. This is how Trapani looks from the old town of Erice.

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From the capital of Italy to Alsace in France

I have never tried much wine from the Lazio region in Italy where Rome is situated. I did drink some local wine when I visited Rome but that was a few years ago and the wines from Lazio don't have such great reputation. Now I have tried the wine Ville Simone from the Frascati DOC. Fracsati is a wine region about 25 km from Rome. For me it is an easy drinking wine with no special characteristics. Easily forgotten after drinking it. Maybe they have good wines in Lazio but this is not one of them.

One grape that I like is the Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris as it is called in France. In Aslace they make many good white wines and the white wine Pinot Gris from producer Cave de Turckheim is nice to drink after tasting the Villa Simone wine. It has a very fresh taste. Very much fruits such as apples and pears with acidity. Nice wine and would go well with fish and probably asian food.

Vermentino, a grape that has promise

I have tried the grape Vermentino once earlier and now I have the chance again with the wine Papiri from Sardinia of vintage 2011. It is a wine from producer Cantina Santa Maria La Palma and the DOC is Vermentino Di Sardegna. It is a flavourful wine with citrus and grapefruit. Almost some minerality and tastes very good.  I must now try more wines by Vermentino to see if I have found another favourite grape.

A Soave wine which goes well with food is Esperia made from the grape Garganega from 2010. It has a taste of fruit, grapefuit and some minerality. A bit one dimensional if drank without food but very good with food.

From white to red and north to south

One regions wines that is impossible to find in Sweden is Valle D'Aosta in the northern part of Italy bordering France.  Many of the grapes used in Valle D'Aosta is more French than Italian. One grape used is the Petite Arvine. It gives a white wine that I like. I have tried the producer Les Cretes wine made by this grape with no oak. The colour were straw yellow.  The taste is of fruits, minerality and lingering grapefruit. Very good, fresh and rich. When I visited Valle D'Aoste I had the chance to visit Les Cretes. It is beautifully situated in the Aoste valley and is nice to visit. Still have their Fumin wine to taste.

Down in Sicily the local grapes Gracianico and Catarratto were used to produce the wine Lausu Bianco from producer Costantino. The taste is of apples, strong citrus and an aftertaste of grapefruit. Very good wine.

A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to sample a bottle from producer Mazzei. Now is the time for yet another of their bottles. Namely their Belgvardo Serrata from 2012. It is a blend of San Giovese and Alicante aged 12 months in barrels. The nose is very strong and it smells very good. The taste is rich and complex. Dark cherries, sage and vanilla. Very good. 

From south to north

The grape greco is used to produce the wine wine DOGC Greco di Tufo in Campania in southern Italy. One producer from Campania is Feudi di San Gregorio. I have tasted their Taurasi before but now it is time for their white wine Greco di Tufo from 2013. It is a strong wine but very well tasting. Notes of apples, pears and minerals. Very good and can be probably stored for a couple of more years before drinking.

Going north we have the Soave region and this time I taste to the big producer Masi and their white wine Levarie Soave. This wine is also from 2013. The taste is  fresh, pears and some citrus. A decent wine.

Planeta and Fonterutoli, two producers from Italy

Planeta started their production of wines in 1995 and they have been producing many good wines since then. They have many different wineyards in Siciliy. On a airplane trip I found a bottle of Planeta Syrah Maroccoli from 2009. It is produced in the wineyard Maroccoli in the south western corner of Sicily near lake Arancio. The grape is Syrah which I have never drank so much of before. The colour is very deep red. The taste is of black peppar and red cherries. A very strong wine with long aftertaste which can handle spicy food very well. And I can imagine that this wine can be stored for several years before drinking.

I have not drank so much wine from Tuscany as there is so much different wines produced in Tuscnay. I received information that the Fonterutoli No 10 was a very good wine so I decided to try a bottle. Fonterutoli is owned by the Mazzei family and is situated in the heart of Chianti Classico. The No 10 is made of Merlot grapes with a small amount of sangiovese grapes added and it is from 2012. The colour is deep red and the taste is of red cherries with herbs and soft tannins. Very nice.

Two very good red wines from Italy.

Heavenly wine from Abbazia Di Novacella

Abbazia Di Novacella in Alto Adige (South Tyrol) produces very fine wines. I have tasted some earlier but in 2013 I had the chance to visit the monastery and buy wine at the monastery. One wine that I bought were their white wine Praepositus Kerner from 2011. The Praepositus is their premium line. Kerner is the grape and is usually grown in German speaking countries. The smell is pleasent but the taste surprised me, especially as the alcohol level is 14% and I was expecting a very strong wine. Instead it is very elegant with an almost pear like taste with a lot of aromatic taste. A wonderful wine, unfortunately I cannot find it in Sweden.

Sardinia is a place I would like to visit and until then another wine from Sardinia. Aragosta is a white wine made from Vermentino grapes. It is of vintage 2013 and has a very good taste of apples and pears with acidity. A very good drinking wine.

Soave is a very nice place to visit and especially to see the beautiful castle. The wines from Soave classico is quite famous. I tasted the white wine Monte Tondo from 2012. It is of straw yellow colour and should be served very cold. It has a taste of apricots and some citrus. If it gets to warm it loses some of its charm.

Sparkling wine from new year

A tradition on new year is to drink sparkling wine. But the best idea is to start with the best wine first before ones taste buds have become numb.

A bottle which has been lying in my cellar for a couple of years now is a Ruinart brut Millésimé from 2000. It is dry and has a taste of apples, bread, some citrus and blood oranges. Very good and a perfect start of the evening. Very elegant sparkling wine.

A sparkling wine producing region that I have never tasted anything from before is Franciacorta in Lombardy in Italy. But this were to change after tasting the wine Lo Sparviero brut of vintage 2008 by the producer of the same name, Lo Sparviero. It is very nice, taste of citrus and bread. Lot of bubbles to start with so I had to let it rest a half a minute before drinking it.

Birthday and good wines

When it is time for my birthday it is always nice to celebrate it with good food and wines. This year the food was four cheeses from Italy, a tuscan brasato and a lemon meringue pie.

The first wine of the day were a Rotari Millesimato from 1999. This sparkling wine has character and tasted of citrus and bread. A strong vintage that worked very well with the cheeses. Next wine up was a Taurasi from 2003 from producer Di Prisco in Campania. Has a misfortune with the cork but after some struggle I could decant the wine. It is interesting how the older wines change their character with decanting. Just poured into the container it tasted very closed and not that good. But after an hour it had completely changed character. Now it was very elegant with notes of tobacco and liquorice. Very good. To finish the evening off were the sweet wine Kabir from island Pantelleria from producer Donnafugata. As usual one can through the smell say that this wine is from Pantelleria. Very good and full of flavour. Since this was from 2010 it didn't have the strong perfume tones of the 2012 vintage.