Terre Magre, Refosco and Ribolla Gialla

 The producer Terre Magre is run by Piera Martellozzo who has vineyards is the regions of Friuli, Veneto and Trentino. From the the Friuli vineyards I have tasted two different wines made from two local grapes. The first wine is the Refosco Dal Penducolo of the vintage 2019. I get black fruit, cherry, black currants, and some blackberry on the taste. A medium aftertaste and it is a nice young Refosco.

The next wine is the Terre Magre Ribolla Gialla also from 2019. In the taste I get melon, pear and some citrus. Quite light and fresh, just missing out on some aftertaste.

Monte del Fra, Ca Del Magro 2018

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 wines and the Ca Del Magro I have tried the 2016 vintage before but now it is time for the 2018 vintage.

The wine Ca Del Magro Custoza Superiore of the vintage 2018 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, peach and minerals and with a citrus acidity that binds it all together. This is an excellent vintage that is a wee better than the 2016 vintage. I think can be stored for a couple of years before drinking and gain some complexity.

Panizzi, Vernaccia di San Gimignano

 Vernaccia di San Gimignano is both a grape and and a DOGC wine from Tuscany in Italy. Maybe San Gimignano is most famous for the many towers that the city has of some can be seen in the picture below.

The wine producer is Panizzi and the vineyard is called Vigna Santa Margherita. In 1979 Giovanni Panzzi bought Vigna Santa Margerita. He worked there until 2005 when he left the vineyard to his son Niccolai. This wine contains 100% Vernaccia di San Gimignano. The vintage is 2018 and the ABV is 13,5%. Half of the wine is stored in barriques and half of the wine is stored in steel tanks. On the nose I get grass and Butter. In the taste I get  citrus, mineralic stone and and apple. Very good structured and I like this one a lot. 

Four Sangiovese wines from Umbria and Tuscany

Time to catch up on some new vintages from some producers that I like.

First up is Lungarotti from Umbria in Italy. Their wine Rubesco is made from mostly Sangiovese grapes and some colorino grapes from the Torgiano area in Umbria. Compared to the 2015 and 2016 vintages  the 2018 vintage has more red berries and less black currant. A very good Sangiovese.

Antonellis Rosso di Montefalco is of the vintage 2012 and I have stored it for five years. The grapes used are 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Montepulciano. In the taste I get a lot of red cherry and some sour cherry with black currants and some tannins. This red wine can handle several years of ageing very well. Still well structured and quite powerful.


For the next two wines we move from Umbria and travel to Tuscany. Forst up is the Cold D'Orcia 2018 Rosso di Montalcino. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes. This is a quite a multifaceted wine.  Red cherry and red currants first on the taste followed by blask currants and tannins in the back. Quite a long aftertaste. A very good expression of a Rosso Di Montalcino.

Last up is the Chianti Classico wine from Terreno of the vintage 2017. It is made from Sangiovese grapes and a little Merlot grapes. In the taste I get red cherry, red currant and some violet. Some smooth tannins in the back. Better than the 2013 vintage.

 

Ferrari Perle 2015 and Maschio Dei Cavalieri prosecco

Ferrari is a big sparkling wine producer in the Trento region in Northern Italy. It is made with 100% Chardonnay picked by hand. It is aged at least 50 months on the yeast before being bottled. The ABV is 12,5% and the vintage is 2015. The nose is very fresh. The taste is of brioche, citrus and  apple. A very good sparkling wine.

Next up is a prosecco from producer Maschio Dei Cavalieri. It is a Rive di Colbertaldo 2018 and is a Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore. Rive is like a quality designation. It demands that the grapes are handpickes, the grapes are from the same farm and that they are from the same vintage. Here the grapes used are 85% Glere and 15% other grapes. Maschio Dei Cavalieri is a big producer of wine but they don't grow any wine. They buy grapes from different growers in the area. In the taste I get pear, apple and citrus in  a good and fresh mix. This is an excellent Prosecco.

La Corte Del Pozzo Bardolino 2019

La Corte Del Pozzo Bardolino 2019 is from the producer Fasoli Gino. They are a producer of wine in Veneto region in Italy. This wine is from the slopes facing the Lago del Gardas east side. The mix of grapes are Corvina (60%), Corvinone (30%). and Rondinella (10%). The vintage is 2019 and the ABV is 13%. The grapes that are used for this wine are the same as they use for the more famous ripasso and amarone wine but here they have been grown in Bardolino and here the wine will get another character. The wine is fermented in steel tanks and then is stored also in steel tanks until bottling. So no oak character or any ripasso character here.

This wine is quite light and young but shows off the grapes used in the wine. in the taste I get strawberry and red cherry with some black pepper at the end. Interesting and a fresh young red wine which is very good.

Broadbent 10 year Verdelho and Blandy's 15 year sercial, Madeira wine

Broadbent is a bottler of for example Madeira wine. I have tasted their 10 year old Verdelho. Here the Verdelho is a grape that produces semi sweet Madeira wine going over to almost a bit dry style. In the taste I get notes of caramel, orange and some walnut in a drier style. Quite a delicate and not in your face as some other Madiera wines can be. A good meditation wine.

The Blandy's 15 year old Sercial is made with the grape Sercial with makes this Madeira wine to be quite dry. In the taste I get walnut, burnt almond, oak and it is quite dry. Perfect as an aperitivo or an after dinner drink.

Gradis'cutta Malvasia 2017, Collio, Friuli, Italy

 

During spring 2019 I visited the producer Gradis´cutta in Friuli, Italy. 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 sparkling wines.

The wine that I have tasted is the Malvasia 2017. This grape is a grape called Malvasia (Istriana). There are many grapes with the name Malvasia but this grape is native to Friuli. The Malvasia that is used for this wine is grown at 180 meters above sea level. The wine is kept on the yeast until bottling.

 

In the taste I get peach, apricot and some citrus and honey. A very good Malvaia that works well with spicy food.

 

Rotari Flavio 2011

The Rotari Flavio is a sparkling wine of the 2011 vintage. Rotari is a big producer in Trentino in the northern parts of Italy in the Dolomites. Rotari Flavio is a Metodo Classico wine which means the wine is produced in the same way as a champagne. The grapes used are 100% Chardonnay. The long secondary fermentation and refinement takes place in the bottle. For Rotari Flavio it is stored in the bottle on the yeast for at least 5 years. That is quite a long time and will give increase flavours to the wine such brioche. 

On the nose I get brioche and apple. In the taste I get toast, yeast and citrus, Quite a big body wine with very good flavours.

Nero D'Avola from Sicily of the vintage 2016, Tolo and Principi Di Butera

Nero D'Avola is a red wine grape that is grown primarily in Sicily and is very common in that region. From what I know it is the most grown grape in Sicily. 

The producer Tola I have tried several of their white wine expressions but their Nero D'Avola is the first red wine from them. It is of the vintage 2016 and has an ABV of 13,5%. The grapes are picked in September. The wine is aged first three months in steel vats and then stored in the bottle for three months before sale. In the taste I get red fruit with some violet and a few tannin in the back. A nice easy drinking Nero D'Avola.

The next wine is a Nero D'Avola called Amira from the producer Principi Di Butera. This producer is owned by the family Zonin who owns several vineyards all over Italy. Half of the wine was stored in 350 l Tonneaux and the rest of wine in large bottis. It is a very good structured wine. In the front I get red cherry and some blackberry before the taste brings out some black currants with some tannins in the back. Quite elegant and a very good Nero D'Avola.

Agliancio and Falanghina from Fattoria Pagano

Fattoria Pagano is a producer in Campania in Italy. The vineyard is situated in the area of Casale di Carniola in the sout of Campania. The company was founded by in 2001 by Antonio Pagano. The vineyards are situated on a height of 270-300 meters above sealevel and the soil is old volcanic soil.

The first wine is a young Falanghina wine from 2019. It is made of 100% Falanghina grapes which is a white grape that is common in Campania. Before being bottled it has been aged two months in steel vats. In the taste I get apple, pear, grapefruit and some minerals. A nice good Falanghina which is very easy drinking and is perfect for an aperitivo or together with fish or spicy food.

The second wine is a bit more mature. It is an Aglianico from 2017 made from 100% Aglianico grapes. Agliancio I have talked about in my previous posts and it is the red wine grape of southern Italy. This wine has been aged 6 months in steel vats and then 10 months on the bottle before being sold. One year ago I tasted the same vintage so it will be interesting to see how it has changed. In the taste I get cherry, black currants and with big powerful tannins. One more year of storage has integrated the flavours in the wine and I think one more year would make this wine even better.

 

Moncaro Vigneti Del Parco, Conero, 2010 Riserva

Moncaro is a coop in Marche Italy, with about 900 members. In Sweden Moncaro is mostly known for their white wines but the Conero DOGC produces only red wines. The Conero DOCG appellation is located on the slopes of Mount Conero in Marche, produces full-bodied dark red wines with aromas of black cherry and herbs, mainly from Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes. The wine Vigneti Del Parco from 2010 is a riserva and is made from 100% Montepulciano grapes. the wine has been aged for 18 months in French oak barriques and then aged in the bottle. I bought it 2019 so it has been aged a lot in the bottle before being sold.

The taste is of sour cherry, black currants and some oak and liquorice with some soft tannins in the back. Very good wine but remember to let it breath before drinking. As air makes it better and the sour cherries transforms into dark cherries then.

Gricos, Aglianico Del Vulture from Basilicata

Gricos is a red wine from the Aglianico Del Vulture area in Basilicata and the producer is Gricfalco, which is is a produer i Basilicata. The Grifalco company was founded in 2004 by the Fabrizio and Cecilia Piccin after having been a wine producer in Montepulciano, Tuscany, for 20 years. They wanted to forge a new path and start producing Aglianico wines in Basilicata. Thi project is run by their sons Lorenzo and Andrea. Grifalco has 16 hectars of vineyards with different age of the vines. They have five different vineyards around the extinct volcano Vulture in the wine area called Aglinico del Vulture. 

The grape that Grifalco is focusing on is the Aglianico grape. Which is one of the best red wine grapes of southern Italy which requires a long ripening time with an harvest in early November. They produce only wines using the Aglianico grape, no other grapes. Currently for red wines and one rose is produced using the Aglianico grape. The wine Gricos is a basic Aglianico and is normally produced using the grapes of the youngest vines coming from Venosa, Maschito and Forenza vineyards. They produce 40000 bottles per year of this wine. The altitude of the vineyards are at 450-550 meters a.s.l. The wine is fermented in steel tanks and then aged in reused American oak barrels and French oak barriques. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 13%.

On the nose I get black and red currants. In the taste plum, black currants and some tannins. This is a good wine and I believe that with 2-3 more years of ageing this wine will be even better and more complex. Works very well with food.

The region Friuli Venezia Giulia in Italy 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.

 

 

In this blogpost I will focus on their white wine Collio Rierva. This wine was produced for the first time in 1999, at their winery, This Collio riserva, is vinified exclusively with the indigenous varieties, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia and Friulano.  The fermentation is don in large wooden casks (botti) of 10 hectoliters in size. After almost one age of ageing in the bottis itis tranferred to bottle and is aged for at least 15 more months., hence the name riserva.

The vineyards in which these grapes are grown are located in Bukova at Monte Calvario and in the vineyards of Ruttars, a frazione of Dolegna del Collo, at an altitude of 120 to 180 meters (400 to 600 feet) above sea level.

The vinatge is 2015 and the ABV is 13%. A very nice smell of white fruit on the nose.Taste of almosnd, grey pear and some grapefruit and the wine also has a very good body. A long aftertaste in the mouth. A lovely wine that is good as a food wine but also to drink on its won.

 

 

 

 

Feudi Di San Gregorio part 3

For the last part on Feudi Di San Gregorio I will focus on one Aglianico wine from them. The wine is Dal Re and is made from 100% Aglianico which is considered one of great red wine grapes of Italy. It is mostly grown in Southern Italy because Aglianico needs a long maturing period and is normally picked in November which is quite late for a grape. This grape tends to do well in Volcanic soils which can be found in Campania and Basilicata.  The Dal Re is an Irpinia Aglianico DOC wine. It is aged six months in French barriques and the rest of the time in stainless steel vats. Before being sold it is then aged six months in the bottle. This wine is part of their more exclusive line for the best restaurants and wine bars. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%.

The taste is of black currants, coffee, blackberry, dark cherry and nicely integrated tannins. A very good wine. Feudi Di San Gregorio is a big producer in Campania and they know how to produce good wines and I love that they focus on the indigenous grapes of Campania.

 

Feudi Di San Gregorio part 2

For the part two of Feudi Di San Gregorio I will try two wines, one Greco Di Tufo and one Sirica wine. First up is the Greco Di Tufo wine. It is a white wine and the name Greco says that the grape is the Greco grape. Many times one also use Greco Bianco to differentiate it from Greco Nero, but the Greco di Tufo is an area of growing only the white Greco grape in Campania. The name Tufo comes from a rock formed by volcanic ash. The Greco Di Tufo from Feudi Di San Gregorio contains 100% Greco grapes and the vintage is 2018. It is stored for 4-6 months in steel tanks before being bottled. This is a very elegant wine. A taste if minerals, apple and grapefruit. Very good and I think that this wine can be stored for a couple of more years to bring out some extra flavours but it is good to drink now.

Next wine is the Sirica red wine from 2015. Sirica is a rare grape from Campania. In 2005 Feudi di San Gregorio found three very old, tree-sized vines in an Aglianico vineyard in Taurasi. They weren’t Aglianico, it was a mystery, until DNA analysis established that these were descendants of Sirica – the only ones known so far. Now Feudi Di San Gregorio has three hectars of Sirica growing. So a quite rare wine. This wine has been aged for 12 months in french barriques of medium toast. This is a very well integrated wine with a taste of blueberry, plum, cherry and some tannins rounding out the wine. A very good wine yet again and a very interesting wine, Reminds me of Teroldego which is a relative of this grape.

Feudi Di San Gergorio, part 1

This will be the first blogpost on the wines of Feudi Di San Gregorio. Feudi Di San Gregorio is a wine producer from Campania in Italy. They are situated in the area known as Irpinia which is the old historical name of Province of Avellino. This area is divided into Taurusi, Greco Di Tufo and Fiano Di Avellino. All area that are famous for their wine production.

The Feudi Di San Gregorio was founded in 1986 by two Irpinian families. This winery has focused on quality production and also on the native grapes of Campania such as Falanghina, Greco and Aglianico. They are quite big with 300 hectars of vineyards. For this part, I will try two wines one white and one red.

The Albente wine from 2019 is made of the white grape Falanghina. Falanghina is a grape that went almost extinct but has made a big comeback in recent years. The wine is stored for four months in steel tanks before being bottled. The taste is of pear, tropical fruits and citrus. It is very fresh and aromatic and is very good. Goes very well with fish due toe the acidity.

The Trigaio wine from 2018 is made of 100% Aglianico grape. I will write more about this grape in the next part but this red grape is one of the famous grapes of South Italy. Also this wine has been aged for four months in steel tanks before being bottled. On the nose I get a nice red fruit smell.  In the taste I get black currant, plums and some sour cherry. A bit lighter Aglianico with a lot of fruit character. Nice.

Remole biancoand Ripa Delle Mandorle, two white wine from Tuscany

 Frescobaldi is a producer from Tuscany in Italy and I have waited for a long time to try one of their wines. The Remole bianco is from their Remole estates in the middle of Tuscany, it is one of many estates that they have. The wine is from 2018 and the ABV is 12%. The grapes are Vermentino and Trebbiano. The maturation was done for four months in stainless steel. This is a crisp and fresh wine with a good nose. The taste is of pear, apple, citrus and some tropical fruit. A nice easy going wine.

Next is the white wine Ripa Delle Mandorle from the producer John Matta in Tuscany. It is of the vintage 2019 and the ABV is 12%. I get pear, aplle and some lemon and citrus in the taste. Quite light and easy drinking but nothing to remember.

Basilisco, Teodosio Aglianico Del Vulture

With this review I will start looking into the wines from Feudi di San Gregorio. But first we have the producer Basilisco In Basilicata that is owned by Feudi di San Gregorio. Basilicata is not a famous wine region and finding wines from there in Sweden is rare. Basilisco was founded in early 1990 and from 2011 it is run by the Campania producer Feudi di San Gregorio. 

The wine Teodosio Aglianico del Vulture is named after an Roman emperor and the name Basilisco means little king in Greek The Vulture is an extinct volcano in Basilicata. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13%. It is made from 100% Aglianico grapes that is grown at 500 meters above sea level near Barile in Basilicata province of Italy. The wine is aged for 10-12 months in French oak barriques. The taste is quite strong, I get oak, black currants, sour cherry and some plum. Quite tight at the beginning and it almost feels like a 15% ABV wine. This wine needs some air to open up an is quite dry, because of the tannins. Good to drink now but I think 2-3 more years of ageing will bring out some more complexity.

Galaverna brut from Ca' De Lion

Ca' De Lion is a producer of wine from Asti in Piemonte, Italy. This company was founded by Luigi Ghione in 1871. They produce everything from white wines to red wines and even some sparkling wine. One of their sparkling wines is Galvaverna which is a Piemontese word. To produce this wine they use the secondary fermentation with Martinotti method (Charmat). This is a method where the bubbles are created while the wine ferments inside a steel tank.

The wine has a taste of pear, brioche with a quite high acidity which makes the wine work well with food. However, the high acidity may put some people off this wine. I recommend serving this wine with food and not as an aperitif. 

Leacock's Medium Rich Bual aged 15 years

Leacock's Medium Rich Bual aged 15 years is a madeira wine from the Portugese island of Madeira far out in the Atlantic.

Leacock's is part of the Madeira wine company, this company also includes Blandy's and Cossart Gordon and is run by the family of Blandy's. The Leacock's 15 year old Bual is not for sale at the moment as I bought it several years ago and it has been replaced by a Tinta Negra 15 year old medium rich in the wines from the company.  

Bual is one of the noble grapes that is grown on the island of Maderia. It is used to make medium rich sweet maderia wine. Only Malmsey maderia wines are sweeter. 

The wine has a high ABV of 19%. In the nose I get a smell of nuts. The taste is of raisin, some tobacco, caramel with some burnt fudge. Quite a long aftertaste. This is one wine that slowly grows on you the longer you keep sipping on it. 

Bepin De Eto, Greccio Rosso 2012

 Three years ago I drank Greccio Rosso of the vintage 2012 for the first time from producer Bepin De Eto in Veneto, Italy. That time I thought that the wine was good but it probably needed some more ageing.  The Greccio Rosso is a Colli Di Conegliano DOCG. The grapes used for the wine are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Marzemino. So mostly international grapes. The wine is then stored in wood for 12 months before being bottled. The extra years of ageing has brought out some more complex  and integrated flavours. Red currant, black currant, plum, some oak and tobacco. Excellent.

Cantina D'Isera, Teroldego 2018

 In Italy there are so many grape varieties and in the northern region of Trentino - Alto Adige there are many that are indigenous to that region. When I hear the grape name Teroldego I always think of Trentino - Alto Adige. And the origin of this grape is clouded in mystery but some its relatives are Syrah and Pinot Nero.

 Cantina D'Isera is a producer from this area and they make a wine with 100% Teroldego  with the IGT typification Vigneti Delle Dolomiti. The vintage is 2019 and I have tried the 2013 vintage earlier on. The nose is of red deep fruits. The taste for the 2019 vintage is of red currants, red cherry and just a hint of black pepper and some cinnamon in the taste. very nice and smooth.  

 

Manzone Rosserto Langhe Rossese Bianco 2016

Rossese Bianco is a rare grape that is grown around the communes of Roddino and Sino in the Langhe area of Piemonte in Italy. The producer Manzone is credited for saving this grape from extinction. From 2012 the grape has the DOC Langhe Rossese bianco denomination. The harvest is done in the first week of October. The wine is aged for 12 months in 500 litre barrels on the leese. I find this wine to be quite full bodied with a taste of pear, grapefruit, minerals and butter. A nice aftertaste of citrus and pear. Very good and interesting. Will handle some ageing very well also. A n excellent foodwine and I am quite lucky that someone decided to save the Rossese Bianco grapes.

Planeta Chardonnay 2015

Chardonnay is a grape that grown all over the world but producer Planeta in Sicily has been doing a Chardonnay that should be unmistakeably Sicilian.It is a Sicilian Menfi DOC wine that consists of 100% Chardonnay grapes. The grapes comes from Cantina Ulmo in the south west of Sicily. The altitude of the vineyard is 250 meters above sea level. Time of harvest is in the beginning of September. The maturation is done in oak barriques. So how is the wine? In the nose I get a lot of white fruits. In the taste i get butter and apricot, a very full bodied Chardonnay which can handle ageing very well. A very special wine that may not be for everyone that expects a younger fresher wine, instead what you get here is a more mature wine which is very good.

Villabella Morlongo Bardolino classico 2017

Bardolino DOC is a wine region In Italy in the province of Verona on the south eastern shores of Lake Garda. Like in Valpolicella the three main grapes of Bardolino are Corvina, Rondinella and Corvinone, but Bardolino wines normally uses less Corvina and more Corvinone. The producer Villabella was founded in 1971 and makes wine from all over Veneto but the major part is Bardolino wine. The Morlongo Bardolina classico 2017 has an ABV of 13%. For the production of this wine no oak was used instead the wine is stored in stainless steel tanks.

The taste is of cherry and some spice. Quite a nice easy drinking wine which showcases the grapes used in the production.

Two Montepulciano D'Abruzzo wines

Montepulciano is a red grape that is mostly grown in the southern parts of Italy and especially in the region of Abruzzo in Italy. Due to that the grape ripens late it is not grown in the north of Italy. The first wine is the Montepulciano D'Abruzzo from producer Terraviva from the hills of Teramane (Colline Teramane). The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 13,5%.This is a very fruity wine with taste of cherry, some strawberry with some acidity and just a hint of tannins. A nice quite easy drinking wine.

The next wine is called Valle Reale and it is a Montepulciano D'Abruzzo from producer Botteotto in Abruzzo. This wine has been stored 12 months in French wine casks so it should be a bit heavier than the previous wine. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. This is a medium bodies wine with dark cherry, plum and some oak. A nice wine also but a bit heavier than the previous wine..

Alessio Komjanc, wine producer in Friuli Venezia-Giulia

One year ago I visited Friuli Venezia Giulia and visited the producer Alessio Komjanc near the Slovenian border in the area of San Floriano del Collio. It is a family owned business. The winery Alesssio Komjanc was founded in the seventies by Alessio Komjanc. 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.

 

For this tasting I have focused on the red wines, made from Cabernet Franc and Pinot Nero. The first bottle is the Cabernet Franc red wine.  It is made of 100% Cabernet Franc grapes and is of the vintage 2016. In the taste I get black currant, strawberry and some cherry. This wine is very slightly sparkling which gives it a bit more refreshing taste when it is warm outside. A good wine which for me is perfect in summer time.

 

Next wine is the Dedica Pinot Nero, which is made from Pinot Nero grapes and has the vintage 2016. This wine has been aged for 18 months is French barrels. The ABV is 14,5%. In the taste i get sour cherries, tobacco, oak and some black currant. Nice structure with the tannins in the back. Works best with food as it complements food very well.

 

 

Monte Vibiano, wine producer in Umbria

Monte Vibiano is a wine producer in the green heart of Italy, Umbria, and I have tasted some of their wines before and this time I have tasted three of their wines. First up is the Villa Monte Vibiano Bianco of the vintage 2017. This is a white wine with the ABV of 12%. The grapes used are 40% Trebbiano spoletino, 35% grechetto di Todi, 15% sauvignon blanc och 10% viognier. The storage is done in steel tanks to preserve the freshness of the wine. In the taste I get pear, citrus and grapefruit. When I had this wine two year ago I found it a bit unbalanced but two more years in the bottle has brought out a more harmonious wine which I find now to be quite good. Lovely to have with some spicy food.

Villa Monte Vibiano Rosso is from 2017. The grapes used for this wine is the following. 55% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon och 5% Cabernet Franc. It has been stored in steel tanks for six month before being bottled. In the taste I get cherries, some coffee and some soft tannins at the end. More easy drinking than the 2016 vintage. Very good.

The last wine is the red wine Monvi from 2014. The grapes used here are 52% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot och 8% Cabernet Franc. The Sangiovese were stored for 15 months in steel tanks while the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Merlot grapes were stored for 15 months in oak barrels. So this should have more oak character compared to the Rosso. Here I get cinnamon, red fruit and dark fruits in the mix with tannins in the back. I like it and it is quite structured and it gets better with food. Takes some time to open up so open the bottle one or two hours before dinner.

Manzone Dolcetto D'Alba and Cantina di Gasorga Barbera D'Asti

Nebbiolo is the famous grape from Piemonte but two other good grapes are Dolcetto and Barbera. Manzone is a producer in Monforte D'Alba. The Manzone Giovanni winery was founded in 1925. The production is limited to about 50000 bottles per year. The bottle I have tried is their Dolcetto D'Alba Le Ciliegie with the vintage 2016 and an ABV of 13,5%. It consists of 100% Dolcetto grapes which are harvested in the beginning of September. The ageing is all done in steeltanks for 11 months after which it is bottled. So this is a Dolcetto which is to be enjoyed young. In the nose I get a lot of red fruit. In the taste I get blackberry, plum, sour cherry and tannins in the back. Quite a punchy straight in your face Dolcetto which I love.

The next wine is a Barbera D'ati from producer Cantina di Gasorga. It is made of 100% Barbera grapes and the vintage is 2017. This is a very much berry driven wine. In the taste I get  a lot of cherry and red currants. Nothing wrong and it is drinkable but a bit one dimensional for me. For those who love a lot of red fruits this will be a winner.

Bocale Montefalco Rosso and Villa Poggio Salvi Caspagnolo

Bocale is a producer in Montefalco, Umbria. The Valentini family created the Bocale winery in 2002. This winery produces several different wines such a Sagrantino di Montefalco and Montefalco Rosso. For their Montefalco Rosso the following grapes are used, 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot and 5% Colorino. The ABV is 15% and the vintage is 2017. The wine is aged in Bottis and Barriques for 12 months before being bottled. In the taste I get black pepper, dark sour cherry, some blackberry and tannins. Very well integrated and the taste is very good. Yet again a wine from Montefalco delivers. And as always I would recommend to visit Umbria, one of the hidden gems of Italy.

The next wine is the wine Caspagnolo from producer Villa Poggio Salvi. This wine is from the Chianti Colli Sienesi. I have tasted one wine from Villa Poggio Salvi earlier and that was their Brunello di Montalcino. So it will be interesting to see how a non Brunello tastes. This is a Chianti wine and the grape composition is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. This is a nice light red wine. I get cherry, some strawberry and some tannins in the end. Very good and it looks like Villa Poggio Salvi delivers all across the board.

Ragaletti, Castel Del Monte Riserva 2008

From the heel of Italy (Puglia) comes wines from the Castel Del Monte area and most of them have pictures of the famous castle. The Ragaletti Reserva consists of 100% of the grape Nero di Troia. It was aged for 14 months in barrels before being aged 8 more years in other containers. I get red currants, spices and some tannins in the end. Quite nice and interesting wine.

Dr Loosen Riesling Spätlese Graacher Himmelreich 2007

Dr Loosen Riesling Spätlese Graacher Himmelreich 2007 is a bottle that I bought together with the  Dr F. Weins-Prüm Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese 2006. It will be interesting to see how these two different wines have developed.

In the taste I get apricot, citrus and some peach. It has kept up well for being so old but I am lacking some acidity to balance this wine and get it up to the excellent Dr F Weins-Prüm wine. For this wine I would say drink now, it won't get better and the chance is that it will get worse.

Domaine Pouderoux, Maury, Grande Reserve 2003

The wine Maury, Grande Reserve 2003 from producer Domaine Pouderoux is a wine that I had bought a bottle of around 2009 and had forgotten about. It was lying on a lower shelf hidden away. So what is this wine? It is a fortified wine from the Maury district in the Languedoc region of France.
Maury is a "vin doux naturel" style where by adding fortifying spirits (brandy)  to the wine in mid-fermentation the fermentation is stopped. This kills the yeast leaving the wine with a high sugar level. Maury is vinified in a manner similar to port, but initial ageing is often conducted in large 25 liter glass jugs known as bonbonnes or les dames jeannes to get an oxidative ageing. The wines may also be aged in wood for up to 15 years.
Domaine Pouderoux is a producer of wine in Languedoc. This family has been wine producers for six generations and the wine here comes from the middle of Maury.
The wine Maury, Grande Reserve 2003 is made from 100% of Grenache Noir grapes. For this wine several ageing methods are used such as wooden barrels and bonbonnes.
So how does it taste after being forgotten on the shelf for 11 years? It has a very deep red colour, almost dark mahogny. In the taste I get plum, leather, fig, raisin, cinnamon an some vanilla. Quite a complex wine with a lot of flavours and taste. A very good wine that has developed nice over the years.
Maury is an underrated region of fortified wines.

Fondo Antico, Memorie 2010

The wine Memorie 2010 is a rose (rosato) wine from the producer Fondo Antico in Sicily, Italy. It is a very special kind of rose wine. It is made of 100% of the grape Nero di Avola. This wine is then aged in oak barrels for a year and from what I understand the following the following four years the maturation is done in Acacia barrels before being bottled. This is done to give the wine an oxidative character So this makes the wine have a more amber rose colour that showcased the age of the wine.

Because of the oxidisation this wine feels like a lighter sherry. It is very interesting and this wine feels bone dry. This is not a wine for normal rose wine lovers but it is a wine for people who likes the dry sherry styles with a hint of rose mixed in. For me this is a good wine which is very interesting.

Rabl Grüner Veltiner Eiswein 2006

This bottle of Rabl Eiswien from 2006 is one of several bottles that I had forgotten about that I had. The last time I tasted it was in 2012. It was undergoing a metamorphosis changing from a youthful Eiswein into an older wine. So what has eight more years done to this wine? In the taste I get dried fruits, raisin, honey and some acidity. Such a lovely eiswein. Will probably keep for some more years but my recommendation is to drink it now. It is at the peak of perfection right now.

Dr F. Weins-Prüm Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese 2006

For a couple blog posts I will look at some older wine that I have tasted. First up is the Dr F. Weins-Prüm Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese 2006. It is made with 100% Riesling and Spätlese means that the grapes are picked at least seven days after normal harvest. This means that the grapes will have a higher sugar content and probably that the wine will be a bit sweet. The ABv is 8,5%. This wine is from Mosel in Germany and this area is famous for their Riesling wines. Graacher Dompropst steeply rises directly above the village of Graach. Dompropst is an enclave of Graacher Himmelreich, and is thus the core part of the Graach sites.

The wine has a lovely light amber colour which shows  that this wine has been aged for over a decade. The nose is very nice. The taste is of minerals, honey and some sugar with a high acidity. It is an excellent wine which were a bit sweeter than I expected but it goes wonderful together with salmon. It can also be drank as a meditation wine.

Three wines from Abruzzo

Abruzzo is a region in Italy which is famous for two grapes. The green grape Trebbiano and the red grape Montepulciano (not to be confused with the wines made from the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany).

First up is the white wine Mario's 45 made with 100% Trebbiano from the producer Tenuta Terraviva. The Trebbiano grapes for this wine is grown in the traditional Pergola Abruzzese. Harvest time is at the end of September. The wine is aged 12 months in casks, 6 months in steel containers and finally six months in the bottle before being sold. The vintage is 2017. In the nose I get pineapple and in the taste I get pear and grapefruit, It is a nice wine that goes perfectly with spicy food due to the acidity. Will also go very well together with fish.

The next two wines are red wines made from the Montepulciano grapes. First up is the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from producer Umani Ronchi. The vintage is 2018. In the taste I get some oak or dark chocolate with dark cherries  and some blackberry. A very fruity wine. Nice for the price.

The last Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is the Annata Historica from the producer Ripresa. This is an older expression from 2012. The colour is quite dark. The nose is quite soft. In the taste I get cherry, blackberry, violet and some tannins in the back. It has a medium finish, Very nice and I think it will get better with a few more years of ageing.

Colle Del Re passito and Monte Del Fra passito

Both of the Colle Del Re passito and Monte Del Fra passito I have reviewed before but it is fun to go back to great wines that I have drank before to see if my opinion has changed anything.

The Colle Del Re Albana di Romagna passito from producer Umberto Ceari is a sweet wine made from 100% Albana grapes. I have earlier tried the 2008 vintage and it was exellent. This wine is as I remember it. A lot of figs and apricots with well integrated sweetness. Still very exellent. Luckily I bought several bottles when I visited Bologna.

The next wine is the Monte Del Fra passito bianco of the 2012 vintage. A lot of raisins and apricots in the taste and here you can feel more sugar. Still very good and an excellent meditation wine.

Three red wines from Italy: Kellerei Bozen, Terre di Giurfo and Zenato

Kellerei Bozen is located in South Tyrol in the far north of Italy. It is located in the town of Bozen which is the German name, for Italians it is more known as Bolzano. From what I could read with my school German Kellerei Bozen is a cooperative started to promote the wines of the region. The wine I have tasted is a Lagrein wine called Perl from the vintage 2018. Lagrein is a hard grape to grow but the wine it produces is very good. This particular Lagrein has been grown in Bozen at the height of 250m and the grapes are picked at the end of September/beginning or October. It is fermented in steeltanks before being stored in big oak casks before being bottled. In the taste I get cherry, plums and some tannins. A very nice and well structured Lagrein.

Next wine is the Valpolicella Classico Superiore from the producer Zenato in Veneto of the vintage 2017. Zenato is a quite big producer and is run by Carla Zenato together with her children Alberto and Nadia. This Valpolicella wine contains 85% Corvina Veronese, 10% Rondinella, and 5% Corvinone. In the taste I get a mix of red and black fruits and berries with some oak in the back. A nice Valpolicella.

The last wine is a Frappato from Sicily. The wine is called Belsito Frappato DOC Vittoria by the producer Terre di Giurfo of the vintage 2016. Terre di Giurfo is situated in Ragusa in Sicily and specialises in native grapes from Sicily. Frappato is not a known grape and it is native to Sicily. It is mostly grown in Sicily and has been mostly used for blending and there has not been many monovarietal wines made from Frappato. This frappato wine is harvested in the middle of September from vineyards at a height of 500 meters above sea level. It is then fermented and stored in stainless steel tanks before being bottled.  In the taste I get cherry, strawberries and some acidity with a hint of tannins. Quite light and good,  quite a typical Frappato.

Two white wines from Friuli, Tonon and Guerra Albano

Friuli region in Italy is a relative unknown producer of high quality white wines. From the Friuli Grave DOC in the province of Pordenone comes a sauvignon wine from the producer Tonon. This winery was founded in 1936 by Pietro Tonon. The winery itself is situated in the north eastern part of Veneto very close to the border of Friuli. Their Sauvignon wine is the only wine they make with grapes from Friuli, otherwise they are mostly focused on for example prosecco wines and other wines from Veneto. The Sauvignon wine is fermented slowly for 15-20 days and then the wine is stored in tanks until bottled. The vintage tasted is the 2016.
In the taste grass, papaya and some gooseberry. Quite a soft Sauvignon, perfect for warm days. Could be the slow fermentation that keeps it under control.

Guerra Albano is a winemaking company in the Friuli Colli Orientali DOC in the Montina village. They have a wine called Friuliano. This grape is an autochthonous grape from Friuli. This grape was know previoulsy as Tocai Fruliano before EU regulations regarding names came into use. In Slovenia this grape is known known as Jakot, whih is Tokaj spelled backwards. The vintage of this wine is 2018.
This wine is quite mineralic with some grapefruit and melon. It is quite an austere vintage and works perfectly together with fish. It seems that Guerra Albono makes quite strong Friulianos.

Two Vermentino from Italy

Vermentino is a grape that I like and it is especially grown in the areas of Sardinia and Tuscany in Italy. The producer Sella & Mosca in Sardinia I have tasted several Vermentinos from but the wine Cala Reale is a new wine that I have not seen before. It is made from 100% Vermentino and is the vintage 2019. It is a nice vermentino with a huge pear taste and grapefruit with some honey in the back.

The next Vermentino is from the producer Col D'Orcia in Tuscany. It is of the vintage 2017. This is a good solid Vementino with a taste of green apples, citrus and some minerals.

Sparkling wines from Rotari and Sella & Mosca

Rotari is a producer of sparking wines from Trentino in Northern Italy. Their Blanc de Blancs Millesimato is an extra brut (dry) from the vintage 2012. Since it is a Blanc de Blancs it is made of 100% Chardonnay grapes. The wine is fermented 36 months on the leese before it is degorged. In the taste I get apple, brioche and citrus. A very good sparkling with complexity and that can probably age a couple of more years.

The next wine is from producer Sella & Mosca from Sardinia. It is their Alghero Torbato spumante. I have tried the 2017 vintage earlier and this is the 2018. This has a lot of brioche with some citrus and apple. Compared to the 2017 vintage the 2018 vintage has a lot more brioche in the taste.