Komjanc, a wine producer in Friuli Venezia Giulia

For my second instalment about Friuli Venezia Giulia I write about the producer Komjanc. The winery Alesssio Komjanc was founded in the seventies by Alessio Komjanc and is situated in San Floriano del Collio. When visiting this winery the one showing us around were Roberto Komjanc, one of the four sons of Alessio Komjanc. This winery has 24 hectars of vineyards. And they focus on many of the grapes used in Friuli Venezia Giulia. For white wines Komjanc uses regional grapes as Ribolla Gialla – still and sparkling; Friulano, Malvasia Istriana, Picolit and the international grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon and Traminer Aromatico. Komjanc also produces some red wines on grapes such as Schioppettino, Pinot Nero, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Also there is a production of olive oil.

The area is very hilly and the local climate makes it very peculiar. The temperature normally drops at night and the soil is made of silt and sandstones. Winemakers plant grass between every row of vine in order to get a better soil structure and to slow erosion. From the house of Komjanc one can see Slovenia, only about 2 km away.

The wine I will focus on here is a  Komjancs white wine made from the grape Ribolla Gialla. The grape is a white grape grown mostly in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. In Slovenia it is known as Rebula (the name Komjanc is Slovenian). Nowadays it is thought that Ribolla Gialla originated in this region.
The wine from Komjanc is their Ribolla Gialla from 2017 with an ABV of 12,5%. I find this wine to be quite light and easy drinking but full with flavours. In the taste I get peach, tropical fruits and some floral notes with a light hit of citrus. I just love these Ribolla Gialla wines.

From the tasting I had at Komjanc I tasted several of their other wines and some I will review later on. They have very good wines along the board and it is a fun visit at the winery.

Gradiscutta, wine producer from Friuli Venezia Giulia

For the next upcoming blogposts I will focus on wine from region Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy. This region borders to the east Slovenia and to the north Austria. This region is known for their white wine and one famous region here is the Collio area which is in the north-east area of Friuli Venezia Giulia and it is quite a hilly area bordering Slovenia. In the photo below the border to Slovenia is about 2km away.

During spring 2019 I visited the producer Gradis´cutta. Gradis'cutta is a producer which have 20 hectares of vineyards in the communes of Gorizia, Capriva del Friuli and Dolegna del Collio.

The locations of the vineyards are at different elevations and therefore they have many different growing conditions for indigenous grapes, such as Ribolla and Friulano, and international grapes such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Gradis'cutta produces a multitude of wines, from white to red to sprakling wines.
The indigenous grape Friulano was known as Tocai or Tocai Friulano until 2007 when the name had to change to due EU regulations. This grape has nothing to do with the Hungarian wine Tokaji.

When I visited Gradis'cutta one of many wines that I tasted was their wine Friulano of the vintage 2018 with an ABV of 12,5%. It is made of 100% Friulano grape. This wine is very fresh and crisp. In the taste I get tropical notes and citrus with some minerals. One day earlier I had tasted the 2017 vintage at a bar in Goriza and that vintage was very good also and that shows a good quality over the years. Highly recommended wine and from the wine tasting I had at Gradiscutta they have a very good quality for all the wines that I tasted. A very good producer from a relative unknown wineregion and if you have the chance, please visit them.

A review will come later for their sparkling wines which have interesting stories behind them.

Camparo Langhe rosso 2015

Last week I tasted a white wine from the producer Camparo in Langhe, Piemonte, Italy. This week I have tasted one of their red wines. Their Langhe Rosso from 2015 with an ABV of 13,5%. The grapes used are 50% Dolcetto, 25% Barbera and 25% Nebbiolo. I get a lot of red fruits in the nose. In the taste I get red and black currants, some cherry with some slight bitterness and tannins with some oak. Very nice Langhe blend.
I like the butterflies that they use for the bottles.

Two Arneis from Langhe

Arneis is a white wine grape Piemonte in Italy and this time I have tried two differet white wines made from this grape from langhe in Piemonte. The first wine is Il Nespolo Langhe Arneis from the producer Prinsi. The ABV is 13% and the vintage is 2018. Azienda Agricola Prinsi is a family owned company in its third generation run by the family Lequios near Barbaresco. In the taste I get peach, lime, gooseberry and some minerals. A young and fresh wine.

Next Arneis wine is the the Langhe bianco by Camparo. It only contains 95% Arneis grapes while the rest of the grapes are Favorita. The vintage here is 2017. In the taste I get pear, butter and some citrus with a hint of grapefruit. Very good and nice.

Some similarities and some differences but still the characteristics of the  Arneis grape shine through. Arneis is definitely a grape that is overlooked.

Marchesi Antinori Tenuta Montenisa Cuvée Royale

Marchesi Antinori is a big producer of wine in Italy and they own several estates all over Italy. One such estate is the Tenuta Montenisa in the region of Franciacorta in Lombardy, this esste is situated in the hamlet of Calino near Lake Iseo. Franciacorta is famous for their high quality sparkling wine production. For the Cuvée Royal the grapes used are Chardonnay, Pinot nero and Pinot Bianxo grapes. The wine was fermented in stainless steel tank and the second fermantion is done in the bottle before degorgement.
On the nose I get some brioche. In the taste I get pear, minerals and some brioche. A well-balanced very good Franciacorta. 

Barolo Vigna Rue 2011 by Germano Angelo

When visiting Barolo in 2017 I bought several Barolo wines from the producer Germano Angelo. And I drank this vintage last time 18 months ago and let us see how it had developed since last time.

It is called Barolo Germano Vigna Rue and the vintage is 2011. The ABV is 15,5% and that is quite high. It is made of 100% Nebbiolo grapes. The grapes are grown of 300 metere above sea level. The year 2011 was very hot which elevated the sugar in the grapes and therefore the high ABV of 15,5%.
In the taste I get black currants, tobacco and some earthy notes. The tannins are well rounded and very integrated and brings another dimension to this wine. A lovely Barolo which can be stored for many more years before.

Ziggurat, Montefalco Rosso from Lunelli

The wine Ziggurat from Tenute Lunelli, which is an Italian wine producer in Italy and they have estates in Tuscany, Trentino and Umbria. Their Umbria estate is called Tenuta Castelbuono and is near Montefalco. Their wine Ziggurat is a Montefalco Rosso and contains 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and the rest 15% is Cabernet and Merlot. The ABV is 15% and the vintage is 2015. I tasted this wine 18 moths ago and I wrote that I thought that the would become better with a few more years of ageing so let us see how 18 extra months of ageing has treated the wine.
In the taste I still get the black currants, dark cherries and the strong tannins but also some tones of tobacco now and I feel that the various elements of the wine has been better integrated. I wonder how it will be in yet another 18 months? A very good wine with storage capability and interesting to follow this over the years.

Vindia, a rosso Toscano from Corte Di Valle

Corte Di Valle is a wine producer in Tuscany but they also is an agroturisimo and produce such products as Saffron and olive oil. They are situated right in the middle of the Greve in Chianti area in Tuscany. The wine I have tasted is their Vindia wine of the vintage 2011 so this wine has been stored for quite a long time before being released. It is a Rosso Toscano IGT since it contians 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It is aged for 12-14months in French barrels before being aged in the bottle.
This wine has a lovely smell with with some spice and red berries. In the taste I get black currants, dark cherry with some spice and tannins in the back. Quite a long aftertaste. Quite a complex wine that has aged well. An excellent wine.

Sedura from Donnafgata and two other red wines from Italy

Finally I have found a different wine from Donnafugata which is not usually available and it is the wine La Bella Sedara.  The ABV is 13,5% and the vintage is 2017. This wine is made from several different grapes with the main grape being Nero D'Avola blended together with Cabernet Sauvigno, Merlot and Syrah.In the taste I get black currant, cherry and some spices and black peppar. A very nice easy drinking wine.

The wine Aglianico is from the producer Fattoria Pagano in Campania. It is made from 100% Aglianico grapes. The vintage is 2017 and the ABv is 14%. The vineyard lies at 270-300 meters above sea level in Casale Carniola in Campania. The taste is of black currant and plum with some tannins which some are a bit unripe. It is a decent wine which gets much better when paired with spicy food.

The last red wine is from the producer Bepin De Eto in Veneto. I have tasted the wine Cabernet earlier and still my thought is that it is a decent wine but I prefer the other red wines from Bepin De Eto which in my mind are better.

Fontanafredda and their wines Barrbaresco, Pradalupo and Raimonda

Fontanafredda is a big producer in Piemonte who produces many different wines. They have 122 ha of land of which 100 hectares is vineyards. Fontanafredda produces many different wine but here I have only tried three.

Pradalupo is a white wine made from 100% Arneis grapes with an ABV of 13,5% and the vintage 2017. Arneis is the grape and for this bottling all the grapes has come from the Roero hills in Piemonte and therefore the wine is a Roero Arneis DOGC. Unfortunately the grape Arneis production areas continues to decrease but hopefully the world will see what a good wine this grape can give. The Pradalupo wine has a taste of apple, grapefruit, minerals and some citrus. Quite a sharp wine but goes excellent with spicy food.

Next up the the wine Raimonda which is a Barbera D'Alba wine with an ABV of 13,5% and the vintage 2016. This is made from 100% Barbera grapes. Part of the wine is matured in larger oak casks while the remaining wine is matured in smaller barrels (225 l) of medium tosted French and American barrels. Before bottling these two parts are the blended. In the taste I get black currant, plums and then some oak and soft tannins with some bitter almonds at the end. Quite an interesting Barbera and a very good food wine.

The last wine is Barbaresco of vintage 2013 with an ABV of 13,5%. Despite being a famous wine I have drunk very little Barbaresco. As with the more famous Barolo a Barbaresco is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. This wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels and then 12 months in the bottle before being sold. One thing I noticed with this wine was that this Barbaresco gained a lot by having air contact. So I would suggest to open the bottle one or two hours before being served or to decant it. In the taste I get  black currants, leather and some tobacco with tannins at the end. This is a wine that is still developing and is quite strong. Good now and will gain a bit extra with two-three more years of ageing.

The white wines from Germany and Italy

Sometimes I try some rieslings from Germany since the rieslings in Germany can give very good wines. The last one I tried was Georg Breuer and the Sauvage riesling from 2018.  Georg Breuer is a producer in the region of Rheingau. The ABV of this vintage is 12%. In the taste I get green apple, petroleum and some minerals. In the aftertaste I get some slight bitter almonds. A nice riesling.

The next wine comes from Italy and the region of Sicily. It is the wine Colomba Platino from the producer Duca Di Salaparuta. It is the vintage 2016 and the ABV is 12,5%. The grape used is 100% Inzolia or Ansonica as it is also known as. It is a native grape to Sicily and is quite rare. In the taste I get peach, apple and some citrus with some tropical fruits in the back, This is a very good white wine from Sicily.

For the last wine is we go from the south to the north and the region Friuli Venezia Guilia. I have tasted wine from Villa Chiopris before and this time it is their wine Sauvignon Blanc from 2014 that I have tasted. This wine is five years old and that is quite old for being a white wine. In the taste I get tropical fruit with goosberry and apple. Very nice and fresh despite being five years old. Together with spicy food this wine becomes even better. So try it with spicy food and you will not be disappointed.

Three wines from Monte Del Frá

The producer Monte del Fra was founded in 1958 by Massimo Bonomo and his two sons Eligio and Claudio. The company is situated near Verona in the area Bianco di Custoza where they have most of their vineyards, however for about ten years they also have a an estate in Fumane, Lena di Mezzo in the heart of the Valpolicella classico area. The company produce many different wine and I had the fortune to try three of them.

First up is the wine Ca Del Magro Custoza Superiore of vintage 2016 and has an ABV of 13%. This wine is from the heart of Custoza in the hills near Sommacompagna. Grape varieties are 40% Garganega, 10% Trebbiano toscano, 15% Trebbianello, 35% Cortese and Incrocio Manzoni.In the taste I get apples, citrus and some minerals. This is a lovely white wine which I think can be stored for a couple of years before drinking.

Next wine is the Valpolicella Classico Lena Di Mezzo of vintage 2017 and ABV 12,5%. The vineyard is located in the heart of Fumane and this area is full of hills and the mean altitude is about 300 metres above sea level. The grape varieties are 80% Corvina veronese, Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, the classic grapes of Valpolicella. In the taste I get strawberries, red cherry some oak and tannins. Quite dangerously easy drinking wine. A very good Valpolicella.

The last wine is the Valpollicella Ripasso classico superiore from 2016 and this wine is also from Lena di Mezzo. The ABV is a bit higher and is at 14%.  As usual for the ripasso the skins of the grapes from Amorone is added for a slow second fermentation when making this ripasso. Lastly the wine is stored in French oak casks for 18 months before being bottled. In the taste I get plum, oak and some red fruits. Very nicely balanced and yet another very good wine from Monte Del Fra.

Thre red wines from Italy, Lungarotti , Mandrarossa and Vajra

The first red wine is from Producer Lungarotti in Umbria. It is called Rubesco and is of the vintage 2016. This is a wine that I have tried several other vintages before. In the taste I get dark cherries and black currants. The 2016 vintage is slightly better than the 2015 for me. A good buy.

Next up the the producer Mandrarossa from Sicily in Italy. The wine s called Frappato Costadune and it is made of 100% Frappato grapes. Frappato is an Italian red wine grape that is mostly grown in Sicily. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 13%. In the taste I get raspberry, strawberries and viols. A good nice easydrinking wine.

The last wine is from producer G.D. Vajra in Piemonte, Italy. It is the red wine Langhe Rosso and is a mix of the grapes from the Lange region such as Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto and small amounts of Albarossa, Freisa, Pinot noir. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV 13,5%. I get dark cherry and black currants with some earthy notes and tannins in the back. A very good Langhe Rosso from producer G.D. Vajra.

Leacock's ten year old Sercial Madeira and Blandy's 2010 Colheita Madeira Malmsey

One type of wine that is many times overlooked are Madiera wine. Once you get by the cheaper cooking wines you will find a lot of very good Madeira wine.

Leacock's is part of the Madeeira wine company, this company also includes Blandy's and Cossart Gordon and is run by the family of Blandy's. The Leacock's ten year old Sercial is not for sale at the moment as I bought it several years ago and it has been replaced by a Tinta Negra ten year old dry in the wines from the company.
What is Sercial? It is a green grape grown on the Island of Madeira. It is considered one of the four classical Madiera grapes. This Madeira wine is ten years old and the ABV is 20%.
I get a dry nutty taste with some citrus and some oak. This is true to its name, dry Sercial as the wine is very dry. I had a 10 year old Sercial from Blandy's a couple of months ago and that one felt sweet compared to the Leacock's Sercial. It is very good and I feel that this wine should be more as an aperitif or as a wine during some anti pasti dishes.

Net up is the Blandy's 2010 Colheita Madeira Malmsey which was bottled in 2017 giving it an age of seven years. Malmsey also known as Malvasia is also one of the four classic grapes of Madeira and these grapes gives an extremely sweet Madeira wine. A colheita wine must be at least five years old and older, however after twenty years a colheita wine can be called vintage wine and then the name colheita is dropped. The colheita allows the producers to showcase one year without having to wait 20 years for a vintage.
In the nose I get a nutty caramel smell. In the taste a deep lingering taste of nutty caramel and raisins. A very good dessert wine. It is a bit different from the ten year old Malmsey from Blandy's that I tasted a few months ago and it is a very good Colheita and showcases a good style from Blandy's.

Two white wines from Sicily from Mandrarossa and Teuta Regaleali

Sicily is a big wine producing region in Italy. You can find so many different types of wine from Sicily, both international grapes to the local grapes. Quality can shift a lot as is usual with big wine regions.

Mandrarossa is a relative new acquaintance for me and their vineyards are situated along the south coast of Sicily. I have tasted their wine Zibibbo secco Costadune. It is made of 100% Zibibbo grapes in a dry style. Normally zibibbo is used to make sweet wines. These grapes come near Menfi in the south west of Sicily and the grapes are grown on hills there. The vintage is 2018 and the ABV is 12%. I get peach and tropical fruits on the nose. In the taste I get pear, some mineral and citrus. A nice dry zibibbo.

Next is the wine Cataratto Antisa from the estate Tenuta Regaleali run by Tasca D'Almerita situated in the middle of Sicily. It is made of 100% Cataratto grapes and the ABV is 12%. The vintage is 2017. The taste is fresh with peach, citrus and some minerals. A very good cataratto.

Torcicoda Primitivo from Tormaresco

Primitivo is a grape that in Italy is grown in Puglia. In America it is known as Zinfandel which is the more famous name. Tormaresca is a procucer of several different wines in Puglia in Italy and the wine Torcicoda is made of 100% Primitivo grapes. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 14,5%.

The grapes for this week were harvested in the first week of September. After fermentation it was stored in oak barrels for ten months and in bottle for eight months before being sold. This is a rich heavy young primitivo. It has a very nice smell on the nose. In the taste I get leather, black currant and some oak. An excellent primitivo from Italy.

Two wines from Italy, Pian Del Griso and Bianca Vigna

The wine Pian Del Griso Conti Bossi Fedrigotti is from the produer Masi and this is a white wine made of Pinot Grigio grapes from Valdige in Italy. Masi is a big and famous wineproducer in Italy and is very known for some of their red wines. The grapes used for this wine is grown at 300 meters of height. The vintage is 2018 and the ABV is 12,5%.  I get a lot of pear in this wine with some citrus and minerality. A good pinot grigio.

Next wine is a sparkling wine  called Bianca Vigna Cuvee 1902 from the producer with the same name, Bianca Vigna. It is a non vintage wine and has an BV of 11,5%. The wine is from Veneto in Italy. This is a nice Spumante with a taste of citrus and some brioche.

Barbera and Gavi wines from Marchesi di Barolo

Marchesi di Barolo is an old producer of wine in Barolo, Piemonte. They do much more than Barolo wines and nowadays Marchei Di Barolo is run by the Abbona faily for a long time.
 

Unfortunately their Barolo wines are at this moment not available in Sweden but I have found some of their other wines. For this tasting I have one red wine and one white wine. The red wine is called Rure Barbera d'Asti which is made of 100% Barbera grapes. The ABV is 13% and the vintage is 2017. The wine is aged in traditional Slavonian oak barrels before being bottled. The taste is of black currants, blueberry and some red cherry.  A quite stringent wine with some tannins. I like this Barbera wine.

The next wine from Marchesi di Barolo is the white wine Gavi. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 12,5%. As for the rule for Gavi wines it is made of 100% Cortese grapes. I fins this white wine to be quite austere with a taste if apple and citrus. A lovely wine.

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Sparkling Elena from Azienda Agricola Stefanio Morra

Elena is a sparkling wine from Azienda Agricola Morra Stefanino in Roero, Piemonte, Italy. It is made 100% Arneis grapes.It is made in the classic sparkling method and the wine is made to rest two years on the leese of the yeast. The ABV is 13% and the vintage is 2014. There is a lot of bubbles and taste of lemon and brioche. It is a very nice complex sparkling wine from Stefanino Morra.

Three sweet wines from Italy from I Pastini, Fattoria Zerbina and Monte Del Fra

Sweet wines are one of my favourite kind of wines but unfortunately I don't have so much chances to try them out but here are three wines that I have tasted over the last three months.

First up is the sweet wine Elogio Alla Lentezza from producer I Pastini in Puglia from the Valle D'Itria. I have tasted several good wines from I Pastini so far and it will be interesting to see how this sweet wine is. This wine is made of the grape Minutolo and the grapes are grown at 350 above the sea level. The grapes are picked in October after the berries has been left to wither on the vine. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 13,5%. In the taste I get some spice with dried apricots and some flowers.  A nice wine but I expected more. I think that this wine would go very well with some strong cheese.

Next up is the wine Arrocco from producer Fattoria Zerbina in Romagna in Italy. This wine is a passito wine made from Albana grapes and the Arrocco wine is only produced in 3000 bottles each year. Passito is a wine made from grapes that has been left to dry. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 12,5%. The taste is deep and rich. I find apricot, orange and some honey. This is a very good passito that will probably get better with a couple of more years of storage.

The last wine is a passito wine from Veneto in Italy. It is Monastero from the producer Monte Del Fra. It is made of 60% Garganega, 20% Cortese, 20% Chardonnay. The grapes comes from a vineyard in Custoza in Veneto. The grapes are harvested in October after some withering on the vine they are dried in boxes. The wine is aged 6 months in Barrique and then 8 months on the bottle. The wine that I tasted is from 2012 and the ABV is 12%. The colour is deep amber as it has been aged for a couple of years before drinking. On the nose I get almost a smokey raisin smell. In the taste I get a lot of raisins and apricots with an abundance of sugar. Not for everyone due to the strong taste and the sweetness but for me this is a wonderful passito. Love it!

Two older red wines from Italy, Capo di Terra and Syrah Maroccoli

Time to taste two older red wines from Italy. The first red wine is the Syrah Maroccoli from the producer Planeta in Sicily. The grapes for this wine comes from the estate Cantina Ulmo near Menfi in Sicily. It is made of 100% Syrah grapes and the vintage is 2010. The ABV is 14%. It has been two years ago since I tasted this vintage so it will be interesting to see how two years has changed the wine.The spicy tones in the wine remains but the extra two years has toned down the strength a bit leaving a more complex wine. Very good.

Next up is a wine from Valtellina in Lombardy. It is the wine Capo di Terra from the producer Conti Sertoli Salis. The ABV is 12,5% and the vintage is 2009. The grapes used are Nebbiolo. I get black currants, plum and some tannins. A bit lighter than I expected maybe due to the 12,5% ABV. A nice wine that is easy drinkable despite the age.

As a bonus review a younger red wine from Sicily. The de Aetna from Terra Costantino is made of 90% Nerello Mascalese grapes and 10% Nerello Cappuccio grapes. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. In the taste I get strawberry, oak and red cherries all superbly balanced by a high acidity. A very good younger red wine.

White wines from La Staffa, Fontanafredda and Rocca di Montemassi

This time I have one new wine and two wines with a new vintage.

First up is the new experience and that is the wine Verdicchio from La Staffa. This wine is produced by Ricardo Baldi who is a wine producer near the village of Staffolo in the Marche region and makes about 2500 cases of wine a year. This Verdicchio is of the vintage 2017 and the ABV is 13%. This is a very fresh Verdicchio. I get apples and minerals in the taste. Probably the best Verdicchio that I have ever tasted.

Next up is one favourite producer for me, namely Fontanafredda situated in Piemonte. I have tasted this wine before but it was another vintage. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 12,5%. This is a white wine made of the grapes Chardonnay and Nascetta. Being a rare grape is true of Nascetta as at one time it was only grown around the hamlet of Novello in Piemonte. Now it is more spread around in Piemonte.How is the taste? It is a very fresh wine with some tropical fruit, honey, apple and some acidity. As last time it was very good.

Driving from Montalcino towards Pitigliano in southern Tuscany one passes by the town of Montemassi. It is situated on top of a hill and is dominated by old Rocca (castle) looming over the village. Here they produce a wine called Calasole made of Vermentino.I have tasted several vintages of this wine such as 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017 and they have all been good. The 2018 vintage gives me green apple, papaua, citrus ad some almonds in the taste. A very fresh and fruity wine. This is the best vintage that I have tasted from this producer.

Two white wine from Friuli Venezia Guilia, La Cricca and Les Enfants

Friuli Venezia Giulia is a beautiful region in the northeastern part of Italy. This region borders Slovenia and the white wines are not that famous as for example the white wines from South Tyrol.

The producer La Cricca is situated in Craeretto, a small village situated in Friuli. La Cricca is four people making wine and they say that their mission is to respect the heritage. The wine I have tasted is their white wine Friulano from 2016 with an ABV of 13%. This wine if from the Colli Orientali are which is a winemaking region near Udine. This vintage was of only 1322 bottles and the grape used is the native grape Friulano which has been cultivated in Friuli since 1600. This is a fruity wine with a long aftertaste. I get honey, pear and some citrus and flowers. A delightful wine.

Next up is the white wine Les Enfants from the producer Villa Russiz which is a big producer in Venzia Giulia. This wine is a blend of several grapes,  50 % Pinot Grigio, 25% Pinot Bianco, 20% Ribolla Gialla and 5% Sauvignon. This wine is fresh, crisp and with a taste of citrus, pear and some mineral. Yet another good white wine from Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Two proseccos, Serenello and Bisol 1542

I quite like drinking lighter sparkling wine in the heat of the summer. I find it quite refreshing and Prosecco is one to go to of one wants a lighter sparkling wine.

The first Prosecco is Serenello which is an extra dry Prosecco.I get apple, pineapple and some citrus. As they say quite dry and I fins it to be good Prosecco.

Next one is Bisol 1542 Riva di Campea and Bisol is the producer here. This is from the prosecco region of Valdobbiadene prosecco Superiore and it is extra dry. I find it very mineralic and quite dry. This one I like a lot.

Two very good proseccos.

Dolcetto wines from Alba

Dolcetto is a black wine grape grown in Northern Italy, especially it is grown in Piemonte around Alba and is considered more of a table wine compared to the Barbera and Nebbiolo. The first bottle is  a Dolcetta d'Alba from producer Grimaldi Luigino. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 13,5%. In the taste I get Black currant, blackberry and some sourness. A decent Dolcetto but I have had better ones. I think that this Dolcetto would benefit from one or two years of aging.

The next Dolcetto is a Dolcetto d'Alba from Cascina Ballarin and it is called Pilade. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13%. In the taste I get cherry, some viols and some juniper. This one I find to be very good.

Three red wines from three mountainous regions of Italy

This time I will try three different red wines from three different mountainous regions in Italy. First up the the most southern mountain in Italy, the Volcano Etna in Sicily. Around this Volcano there is several winegrowing areas. This wine is called Alta Mora from producer Cusumano. It is an Etna Rosso DOC and the vintage is 2016. The grapes are Shiraz and Nero D'Avola. I get red fruit on the nose and in the mouth. Some oak and tannins also in the taste. Nice but nothing special.

Next region is Valle D'Aosta in the north, close to Mont Blanc. This wine is a Petit Rogue wine which is a rare grape from Valle D'Aosta. The producer is Institut Agricole Regional and the vintage is 2016. The colour is a light ruby. I get red berries on the nose. In the taste I get acidity which is quite high and then I get black currant with with some plum and strawberries. A good lighter delicious red.

The final mountainous region is Trentino and here I have a wine made on one of my favourite grapes used for red wines, namely Lagrein. The producer is  Cantina ViticoltoriTrentino and it is from 2017. On the nose I get a nice red fruit.On the taste blackberry, some coffee and leather notes. A nice Lagrein for the price.

Grillo, Passerina and Vermentino

Grillo, Passerina and Vermentino are three white wine grapes found in Italy. So lets try a wine from each of these grapes.

First up is the Grillo grape and this grape is mostly grown in Sicily since it is especially used for Marsala wines. The cooperative Mandrarossa in Sicily produces a wine called Grillo Costadune. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 13,5%.  In the taste I get mineral, citrus, papaya and some green fruit such as apples and pears. A very good Grillo expression.

Next up is the grape Passerina which is grown mostly in the Marche region of Italy. The name of the wine is Rondineto and it is produced by Guiseppi Savini and the area which these grapes are grown are called Colli Aprutini. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 12,5%. In the taste I get apple, pear, some minerality. A nice surprising wine with a lot of freshness.

Last up is the grape Vermentino and here I choose a wine from Sardinia. The producer is Mesa and the name is Primo Bianco. It is a Vermentino Sardegna DOC. The vintage is 2018 and the ABV is 13%. This is a young fresh Vermentino. It has a taste of tropical fruits, apple and some citrus. Very good.

Montefalco rosso from Colsanto and Dolcetto d'Ovada from Tachino

One of my favourite wineregions in Italy is Montefalco in Umbria, especially their Montefalco Rosso and the Sagrantino di Montefalco. These wine can be quite strong but balanced by a lot of flavour. This time I am tasting a Montefalco Rosso from a producer that I have never tasted anything from before, the producer is Colsanto. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2014. The grapes used are Sagrantino and Sangiovese. This wine has a lot of red and dark berries on the nose. There is deep structured tannins which linger for a long time and combines well with the dark cherries and black currants in the taste. This is a very good wine which I think that will age well for a couple of more years gaining more complexity. But beware, It is a very strong wine.

Next wine is made from one of the lesser known red grape varieties from Piemonte, namely Dolcetto. The wine is Dolcetto D'Ovada from producer Tachino. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 14%. In the taste I get black berries, viol, plum and some black currant. A very nice Dolcetto that shows that Dolcetto is under appreciated grape.

Arpago and Cupa from I Pastini

Producer I Pastini in Puglia has become a favourite of mine due to the good wines that I have tasted. This time I have tasted yet another two wines from this producer.

First up is the red wine Arpago which is a Primitivo wine made from 100% primitivo wines. The grapes is grown at 50 meters altitude. The wine is from 2015 and the ABV is 14%. I find this wine to be a very fresh primitivo with a taste of cherry, plum and some lingering soft tannins. This is an excellent primitivo. Probably the best that I have ever tasted.

The second wine is the white wine Capa made from the grape Bianco D'Alesanno which is quite an unknown grape. This grape is grown in the hills of Valle d'Itra at a height of 350 meters. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 12%. In the taste I get tropical fruits, peaches and some bitterness at the end.  Yet another food wine from I Pastini.

So far everything has been good to excellent from I Pastini.

Red wine from Cantina Lavis, Casisano and Rosset

This time I try three red wines from Alto Adige, Tuscany and Vallé d'Aoste. First up is the wine Lagrein from Cantina Lavis. It is made of 100% Lagrein grapes, the vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 13%. Very dark ruby colour. Almost an earthy red fruits smell. On the taste I get blueberries and some plum with some leather notes and viols. A very nice wine.

Next is a Rosso di Montalcino called Casisano from the producer Tommasi. The grape is Sangiovese, the vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 13%. Red fruit on the nose. In the taste black currant, cherries and some tannins. I get some mushrooms in the aftertaste. A nice complex rosso di Montalcino.

Last is a red wine from the small province of Valle d'Aosta from the producer Rosset. It is a wine made with 100% Cornalin grapes. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 12%. In the taste I get viols, red currants and some acidity. A nice Cornalin.

Ponka 2010 from Paraschos

The wine Ponka from 2010 by producer Paraschos in Friuli is what people would call an orange wine or natural wine. This wine is done without any sulphurs, filtration and things like that, therefore this wine is orange. It is only the third orange wine that I have tasted.

The colour is definitely orange. I get minerals and apricots in the taste. Quite a mature wine at nine years old. Not much acidity but a powerful taste. A bit simpleminded and it screams out for food. The verdict is that the wine is nice but not worth the cost which is way too high for a wine with this quality. Fans of orange wines will love this one.

Let us go back to Friuli and for a normal white wine called Ribolla Gialla from producer Villa Chiopris. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 12%.  In the taste I get grapefruits pear and some minerals. A nice white wine.

Sparkling wine from France and Italy

Three sparkling wines in different styles and countries and regions. First up is a sparkling wine from Champagne. It is a Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage Rose from 2006. It has an ABV of 12,5%. Vintage champagne is not made every year. Year 2006 had a hot July followed by a cool and rainy August. But when the harvest started it was hot and dry. Then the wine rested seven years on the yeast before being degorged. I let it rest for four more years before opening the bottle. In the taste I get raspberry, spicy bread with good acidity and body. A lovely rose wine which could probably been resting for many more years.

Then going south to Italy we find the producer Ciu Ciu and the wine Altamarea which is a Vino Spumante Brut. The ABV is 12% an it is a non vintage sparkling wine. On the nose I get some pear. The taste is light and slightly bready. Could work as an alternative to Prosecco.

Last is the sparkling wine Spumante brut from producer I Pastini in Puglia in Italy. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV 12%. The grape used for this wine is Verdeca. The taste is of melon, apple and some bread notes. Quite nice and light. Short to medium finish. A nice sparkling wine.

Two red wines from Adanti in Montefalco

Cantina Adanti is a family owned winery near Montefalco in Umbria, Italy. This winery started in the sixties and nowadays they own 40 hectars of land of which 30 is used for vineyards. They make several wines, both red and white wines. When I visited Umbria in 2016 I bought several of their wines typical of the region. One each of their Montefalco Rosso, and Montefalco Rosso Riserva. Both of these winetypes must contain 60-70% Sangiovese, 10-15% Sagrantino and the rest of the grapes can be any red grape variety. For the Montefalco Rosso it must be aged for 18 months before being sold, while for the riserva it has to be stored for 30 months being sold with at least 12 months in wood.

First up is the Montefalco Rosso from 2011. It has an ABV of 14,5%. It has the following grape composition: 70% sangiovese, 15% sagrantino, 5% barbera, 5% merlot, 5% cabernet. This is a rich red wine with some strong tannins. In the taste I have cherries, some earthy notes and rich black currants. Very good but you need some strong food with it.

Next up is the Montefalco Rosso Riserva from 2011 with an ABV of 14,5%. It has the following grapes: 70% sangiovese, 15% sagrantino, 15% merlot. On the nose a lot of cherry. The taste is of dark cherry and some black currant with some plum and some lingering tannins. Very good and feels very elegant. I could have mistaken this for a very good Brunello in a blind tasting. This is a wine which would have been fun to have 12 bottles of and drink one each year just to follow the progress of the wine.

Two very good wines from Cantina Adanti. Both highly recommended.

Three wines from Cantina Lavis

Cantina Lavis is a producer in the region of Trentino in the the northern part of Italy. The first wine is a Riesling wine from 2017 with and ABV of 12,5%. It has a lovely tropical fruit smell on the nose. The taste is of pineapple, citrus and some more tropical fruits. A nice wine.

Next up is a Müller Thurgau from 2017 with an ABV of 12,5% also. The nose on this one is great, with pears and flowers. The taste is of pear, citrus and floral notes. Very nice and a good drinking wine.

The last wine is a red wine made from Lagrein grapes and the vintage is 2017. The wine has a very dark ruby colour. Almost an earthy smell on the nose. On the taste I get blueberries and some plums with some leathery notes and viols. A very good young red wine.

Ciu Ciu, four wines from Ciu Ciu

Ciu Ciu is a big producer fro Marche in Italy and I have tried four of their wines. Two white wines and two red ones. Let us start with the red wines of which the first is a Sangiovese based wine called Ciu Ciu Limitato Sangiovese. In the taste I get red fruit with some coffee and some black currant. A nice red but nothing special.
Next one is called Piceno Bachus. This is from 2016 and has an ABV of 13,5%. This wine consists of the grapes Sangiovese and Montepulciano. It is a very good mix of these grapes. I get dark cherries with some plums and some earthy notes and with some oak in the back. Much better than the Limitato.

Next up is two different white wines from Ciu Ciu. First one is the wine Merlettaie Offida from 2016 with an ABV of 13,5%. This consists of 100% Pecorino grapes. This is quite an austere white wine and the taste if of apple and some minerals. It is very dry and I would say that this is a food wine.

The last wine is the the white wine Falerio Oris from 2016 and the ABV 13%. The grapes are Pecorino and Passerina with some Trebbiano. In the taste I get some pear, acidity (citrus) and some minerals. A very good white wine. The best wine of this tasting.

Two older white wines from Peter Zemmer

This tasting is of two white wines from the producer Peter Zemmer in South Tyrol or Alto Adige/Südtirol as it is also know as. This time it is a bit special as it is two older white wines that I am tasting are from 2013 and the recommended storage age is 2-3 years. So how have they aged during these years and how do they taste?

First up is a Chardonnay from 2013 with ABV of 13,5%. The taste is of melon, citrus and some apricot. I can feel that it is starting to change from a young fresh wine to a more aged wine. Not for everyone but quite good.

Next up is a Pinot Grigio from 2013 with an ABV of 13,5%. After six years this wine has still freshness but shows some signs of maturity. In the taste I get pear, citrus and some gooseberry. Very good.

I have tried younger versions of this wine and it is interesting to try older versions.

Barbera D'Asti from Rovero

Time to go to Piemeonte and taste a Barbera D'Asti. The producer is Rovero and the wine is called Sanpansè. This wine is made with 100% Barbera grapes. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 14%. The taste is of cherry, dark currants, tannins and some oak. A nice Barbera.

A white wine from Aglianico, by Mastroberardino

Aglianico is a red wine grape that is used for example for the mighty Taurausi wines from Campania in Italy. However, Mastroberardino has made a white wine called Neroameta from Aglianico. So that is one wine that I had to taste. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 13%.
The colour is very light. In the taste is apples and some pear with citrus and some flowers. Very fresh and crisp. A very nice and good white wine. Reminds me of a very good Verdicchio.

Next up is the producer Ca dei Frati and the wine I Frati Lugano, it is made of a local variant of the grape Verdicchio. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV 13,5%. I get gooseberries on the nose. In the taste I get minerals with some citrus and pear in the taste. A very good wine.

Not a rosewine, Prëmetta from Grosjean

One unusual grape from Valle D'Aoste is Prëmetta. Because of the large grapes and the lack of pigmentation in the skins the Prëmetta grapes gives a lightly red coloured wine. Some mistake it for a rosewine because of this. Producer Grosjean makes a wine from Prëmetta and I have tried the 2015 vintage. The ABV is 12,5. The colour is very light red going up almost into pink territory. In the nose I get light red fruits. In the taste there are strawberries and red currants with some acidity and some light lingering tannins. A wellbalanced and very good wine  from this rare grape Prëmetta. I think that this wine should be drank young but it would be interesting to try a well aged Prëmetta.

Two wines from Mezzacorona in Trento

The producer Mezzacorona is situated in the mountainous area called Trento in the northern part of Italy. First up is their Merlot from 2016. This wine consists of 100% Merlot grapes and has an ABV of 13%. In the taste I get dark plums, some oak, some spices and a few dark cherries. A nice Merlot.

Next up is the white wine Chardonnay from Mezzacorona. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 12,5%.  This wine has a crisp fresh smell. Almost grassy. The taste is fresh and mineralic with a hint of citrus and green apples. Yet another nice wine from Mezzacorona.

Gavi and Chardonnay from Fontanafredda

Fontanafredda is a big producer of wines from the Piemonte are and especially Barolo and Barbaresco. However this time I have tried two white wines from Fontanafredda. First up is their Gavi wine from 2016 which contains 100% Cortese grapes. The ABV is 12% and the grapes were harvested in mid September. In the taste I get apples, minerals and some citrus. A very good and well balanced wine.

Next up is Fontanafreddas Chardonnay from 2017 which has an ABV of 12,5%. This wine has a quite varied taste. Some apples, gooseberries, minerals and some citrus. A good Chardonnay.

Chianti classico and a Prosecco

Time to go to Chianto region in Tuscany to try red Chianto classico riserva from producer Castelgufo. It is of the vintage 2015 and the ABV is 13%. In the taste I get black currants, some red cherries and some tannins and oak. Quite light for being a riserva. Nice and easy drinking wine.

Next up is the Prosecco Astoria Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. As the name says, it is not the normal Prosecco but a higher quality prosecco.   It is light with citrus with a bit of yeasty character. A very good Prosecco, light but still flavourful.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano

First up is a wine that I drink to little of. It is called Torrebona and it is a Vernaccia di San Gimignano from Tuscany in Italy. From the name one can see that the grape is Vernaccia di San Gimignano. The producer is Cecchi and the vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 12,5%. The taste is of some tropical fruits with citrus and some minerals. A bit softer than previous Vernaccia di San Gimignano that I have tried but it is is good. The town San Gimignano is famous for the towers and is worth a visit. But there are to many tourists during day time so visit in the evening.

Next up is the Bosco Del Gal Custoza from produer Tommasi. This white wine is from Veneto region in Italy. The year is 2017 and the ABV is 12%. The taste is of pears, citrus and some minerality. A good well balanced wine.