Three reds from Italy

Italy produces much good red wine. Some of it are made with indeginous grapes while other are made from international grapes.

The wine Syrah Maroccoli from producer Planeta is made using 100% Syrah from the vineyard Maroccoli situated at 400 meters height near Menfi in south western Sicily. The winery is Cantina Ulmo. The wine is matured in oak barriques of which 30% is new. The ABV is 14% while the vintage is 2010. The taste is rich and spicy, some black pepper. I think that this wine would go very well together with Oriental spicy food.

The wine Un Poco is a red wine from Puglia. It is made of the primitivo grape, in USA it is known as Zinfandel. This wine comes from producer Cantine San Marzano, however this is not written on the label. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. The nose is very good on this wine. The taste is spicy and cherries with some soft tannins.A good wine.

The last wine comes from the one of the most famous wine districts in Italy, namely Chianti. Terreno Chainto classico from 2013 has and ABV of 13,5%. The grapes used for this wine is Sangiovese and Merlot.  The fields are located at a height of 350 meters above sea level. The smell is of red fruits. The taste is of cherries with some violets, a bit softer than expected. Some mild tannins. A nice wine.

Two whites from Italy, Arneis vs international grapes

Auelente is a white wine from San Patrigano in Emilia Romagna. San Patriagno is a place for youths who has lost their way and here they can be rehabilitated. They produce a white wine called Aulente. The wine consists of the grapes Chardonnay and Sauvignon. The vintage is 2015 and ABV is 13%. The taste is of fresh apples and gooseberries. A very nice mix of these grapes.

Arneis is a grape from Piemonte that is a bit rare. I think that this is the first time I have tasted this grape. The producer is Antica cascina dei Conti di Roero, that was quite a mouthful. The vintage is 2016 and the abv is 13%. The wine is very fresh with some citrus and acidity. Perfect for fish. An interesting wine from an interesting grape.

Planeta Eruzione 1614

In 1614 the volcano Etna on Sicily in Italy erupted and it lasted for ten years. The winemaker Planeta say that the lavaflows reached the edge of Planetas estates before they stopped. In remebrance of this Planeta has two wine named Eruzione 1614.

The first wine is the red wine Eruzione 1614 made by 100% Nerello Mascalese grapes. The vintage is 2014 and the ABV is 14%. After fermentation the wine is stored in oak barrels for 12 months. The colour is ruby red. The nose is very soft with some red fruits. The taste is of some spices and cherries with some well structured tannins from the oak and a long aftertaste. A very good wine.

The second wine is the white wine Eruzione 1614 made by 90% Carricante and 10% Riesling. The grapes are grown high up and up to 850 above sealevel. The wine is made without the use of any oak barrels. The colour is pale yellow, with almost some green. The nose has some flowers in it. The taste is excellent. It is fresh, apples and minerals. A lovely wine, highly recommended. The only negative thing about this wine is that it tastes so good that it disappears very quickly.

Pinot Noir from France

It is not often that I get to drink a red wine from the French region of Languedoc, or even French wines. The wine is Ferrandiere and is from 2015. The grape is pinot noir and the ABV is 13,5%. The taste is spicy, some violets and some harsh tannins in the back of the throat. A decent wine.

So lets return to Italy after the short visit to France. Dogajolo is a white wine from producer Carpinetto in Tuscany. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 12,5%. The grapes used for this wine is Chardonnay, Grechetto and Sauvignon Blanc. Already in the nose I can feel the Sauvignon Blanc grapes. But it is the taste that I find lacking. It is fruity aromatic just lacking some acidity. For me it gets a bit tiresome after one glass.