Velenosi, wines from Piceno in Marche, Italy

Velenosi is a wineproducer in the Piceno area of Marche in Italy. They produce all kinds of wines, from red to sparkling wines. The company started in 1984 by Angela and Ercole Velenosi. The heart of the company is situated in the town of Ascoli Piceno in Marche. They have several vineyards located in the area and also in the area of Castelli Di Jesi.

For this tasting session I have tasted two of their white wines. The first one is the Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi Classico. The Verdicchio grapes come from 100 meters above sea level. The grapes are handpicked. For the vinification the must is aged in stainless steel tanks. The vintage is 13% and the vintage is 2019. In the nose a floral smell. In the taste a pear, grapefruit and citrus. It is a very fresh and crisp wine and goes very well with spicy food.

 

The second wine is the Rêve offida DOGC Pecorino. And I have to say that this bottle is the heaviest I have ever lifted. Massive amounts of glass must have been used. This wine contains 100% Pecorino from the Offida area. The hand picked grapes comes from 200 meters above sea level. Half of the wine is aged in barriques while the half of the wine is aged in stainless steel tanks. After 24 months the wine is blended together before the bottling.The ABV is 13% and the vintage is 2018. In the nose I get white fruit smell. In the taste I get pear, grapefruit, tropical fruits and an oak influence. A quite rich wine and very good.

 

Yet again excellent white wines from Marche and Velenosi is a producer to watch. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I will try some of their red wines and maybe even some sparkling wines.

Demarie, Langhe Dolcetto and Nebbiolo

 Demarie is a producer in the Roero area in Piemonte, Italy. They have been there for three generations running vineyards. They use only grapes from their own vineyards. For this tasting I have tasted two different grape varieties that is usually grown in the Langhe area of Piemonete, namely Dolcetto and Nebbiolo.

The first wine up is the Langhe Dolcetto 2020. This wine has been fermented in steel tanks and contains 100% Dolcetto. A very fruity wine with a taste of blackberry, red currants, and some plum and violet. Nice and easy drinking with some acidity. An everyday wine as I would call it.

The next wine is the Langhe Nebbiolo 2019 made of 100% Nebbiolo. This is quite a strong wine.  A lot of black currant, plum, sour cherry, leather and some coffe. A very good Nebbiolo.

 

Lunadoro Pagliareto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016

Montepulciano in Tuscany is a place that I just drove by and never had the time to stop and visit unfortunately when I visited Tuscany last time. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a red wine with a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita status produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano, Italy. The wine is made primarily from the Sangiovese grape varietal (known locally as Prugnolo gentile) (minimum 70%), blended with Canaiolo Nero (10%–20%) and small amounts of other local varieties such as Mammolo. The wine is aged for 2 years (at least 1 year in oak barrels). Three years if it is a riserva category.

 Lunadoro is a wine producer in Montepulciano and the vineyards is situated in Valiano. Their wine Lunadoro Pagliareto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016 is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes and has an ABV of 14,5%. The wine is stored in oak barrels for 24 months before being bottled. The barrels used are French oak barriques.

In the nose I get a lot of red fruits.The taste of cherry, black currants, oak and some leather with pepper at the end. In the beginning quite closed as it need some air to open up. But after some time in the glass the taste is integrated and quite complex. Quite a strong wine which will benefit from a couple of more years of ageing before drinking. A very good wine now for me but with a couple of years more in the bottle it would be an excellent wine.

Bolla, Prosecco Superiore

The Bolla Prosecco Superiore from Valdobbiadene from Veneto in Italy. Prosecco is a sparkling wine in which the sparkling made is pressure tanks.  The grape is 100% Glera and the company was founded in 1883. In the taste pear, citrus and some minerals. A very good prosecco.

Grifalco, Damaschito, Aglianico Del Vulture superiore

The wine Damaschito from the DOCG area Agianico Del Vulture Superiore is from the producer Grifalco in Basilicata in Italy. The wine is made from 100% Aglianico grapes and the vntage is 2015. Basilicata is an unnown region region in the south of Italy and Vulture is an extinct volcano in that area. Around the volcano a lot of good Aglianico grapes are grown.

Grifalco was funded in 2004 by Fabrizio Piccin and Cecilia Naldoni after they tired of Tuscany and moved to Basilicata. Today it is the sons Lorenzo and Andrea who runs the business. The grapes for this wine comes from the place Maschito and the vines are about 80 years old. Altitude is 580 meters above sea level.  Fermentation takes place with a temperature that never exceeds 28 degrees, followed by a period of maceration on the skins that reaches and pass the 60 days in which the malolactic fermentation takes place. It ages in Slavonian oak for the next 12/18 months. Then it is aged in bottles for at least 12 months.

This is a strong wine  with a taste of black currant, leather, plum and strong tannins. It needs time to open up so open the wine at least one hour before consumption. This is a wine which can be easily stored for at least ten more years and I think that 4-5 more years of ageing will bring out the best of this wine. Now it is very good but give it 3 more years and it will be excellent.