Tola Grillo vs Tola Catarratto

I have tried both of these wine before but different intages and never together so tat I can compare the, The wines are from producer Azienda Tola in Sicily and the grapes Grillo and Catarratto which are very common is Sicily. Both vintages is 2016 and the ABV is 13%.

The grillo has a taste of pears, grapefruits and some gooseberries. While the Catarratto has citrus, pears and some minerals. I found the Catarratto 2016 to be a bit lighter than the vintage 2015. I find them both to be good and both goes very well with seafood or a lighter pasta dish. The quality over the years are consistent.

Susumaniello, a rare grape from Puglia

Susumaniello is a rare grape from Puglia in Italy. It is only grown on the heel of Italy and not much wine made from this grape reaches Sweden. It is only in the last ten years that this grape has become more popular in  Puglia. Earlier on it was used as a blending grape but nowadays it can also be found as a single grape wine.

I Pastini is a producer in Puglia. It is a small family owned vineyard near Locorotondo in Puglia. Never seen these products in Sweden before before a friend told me that a small wine importer called Solo Io imported their wines. I pastini also makes other wines with some rare grapes.

The wine made by 100% Susumaniello grapes is called Verso Sud. The vintage is 13,5% and the vintage 2016. The grapes were grown at a heigh of 50-100 meters above sea level. it has been aged four months in a steel container, barrel for six months and finally four months in the bottle before being sold.
The colour is deep ruby red. It is a dry spicy wine with a taste of dark cherries and black currants. A long after taste with softer tannins.I think that this wine will gain by two more years of ageing but it is very good right now.

Col D'Orcia Brunello Di Montalcino 2010

I have tasted the Col D'Orcia Rosso di Montalcino but I have never tasted their Brunello before. Col D'Orcia is one of the biggest producers of Brunello but is still family owned. The vintage is 2010 and it is not that old for a Brunello wine. The ABV is 14,5% and the colour is red with some brownish tints. The growing of the grapes have been done at an average height of 300 meters. The grape is Sangiovese and this clone used has been specialy selcted by Col D'Orcia. The wine is stored in oak casks for three years before being bottled and let it rest for one year before being sold to the public.

So how is the taste? I get cherries, currants, some oak and hints of tobacco. It is elegant and complex and with a good nose. The soft tannins are in a perfect balance with the wine. A wonderful Brunello which showcases the Sangiovese grapes perfectly. 

Montalcino in Spring.

Two red wines from Alba and Aosta

Let us go and start with A. With wines from Alba and Aosta. First up is a Barbera D'Alba from producer Camerano who I visited in 2017. It is made of 100% Barbera grapes and the ABV is 14%. the vintage is 2013. This wine has soft tannins with red and black currants and hints of cherries. A good Barbera which is quite easy drinking.

Next wine is from Valle D'Aosta next to the border of France. It is from producer Grosjean and when I was in Aosta earlier on this year I tasted several of their wines but not this red wine made of the grape Cornalin. It is called Cornalin Vigne Rovettaz 2014 with an ABV of 13%. Not a complex one but in the taste I get raspberry, some acidity followed by cherries. Some tannins later on followed by black currants. I like the Grosjeans wine Fumin better but this is a good red wine also. Good quality by Grosjean.

Two white wines from Langhe

Langhe in Piemonte produces several good white wines, some based on local grape varieties and others on international varieties. This time I will focus on two white wines with international varieties.

First up is a favourite producer of mine called Fontanafredda, they are one of the biggest private producers in Langhe. The grape is Chardonnay and the vintage is 2017. The ABV is 12,5%. This wine a quite varied taste with some apples, gooseberries, minerals and some citrus. A good wine.

The last wine is a Riesling wine from producer Saracco also located in Langhe. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. I get some apples, minerals and some citrus. A bit different from a German Riesling. Also a good wine.

Soave and Alsace

The first wine is a white wine from Soave in the Veneto region of Italy. It is called Farina and is a Soave classico wine. The ABV is 12,5% and the vintage 2016. It has a taste of green apples and a lot of grapefruit. Definitely a food wine and goes very well with fish which balances the grapefruit flavour.

The next wine is a white wine from Alsace in France The producer is Leon Beyer and the wine is called Fruits De Mer. The grapes being used are of the Pinot Blanc variety and the vintage is 016. the taste is fresh and fruity with apples, honey and some citrus. Lacking some acidity to raise to another level. A decent wine.