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.

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.  

 

Two white wine from Trentino Alto Adige

Mezzacorona is a big producer in Trentino and they produce a lot of different wines. One of their wines is the Pinot Grigio Riserva. I have taste this before but never the 2017 vintage. In the taste I get peach, butter and some citrus. A nice easy drinking Pinot Grigio and here the extra ageing has brought out some butter taste.

The second wine is a Chardonnay from Kellerei Schreckbichl (Cantina Colterenzio). The vintage is 2017 and the name of this wine is Altkirch. I get a nice smell of apple of pear. In the taste I get banana, apple, some citrus and minerals. A nice pure Chardonnay from Alto Adige.

Two wines from the mountains of Italy

Several mountain regions of Italy produce good wine. Two of them are Valle D'Aosta and Trentino-Alto Adige. The first bottle is the Petit Arvine from Les Cretes in Valle D'Aosta. Petit Arvine is a grape mostly planted in Switerland but also in Valle D'Aosta due to the close proximity to Switzerland. I have visited Les Cretes and it is situated in a beautiful spot in the valley of Aosta. The wine is of the vintage 2018 and the ABV is 13,5%. I get pear, lemon and some grapefruit on the taste. Powerful but quite fresh.

Next up is a wine from Trentino-Alto Adige and the producer Abbazia di Novacella or Stiftskellerei Neustift as it is known in German. The wine is Praepositus Riesling of the vintage 2017 and the ABV is 13%. There is a lovely smell on the nose. On the taste I get minerals, some peach, honey and some citrus, Lovely clean riesling.

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.

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.

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.

Two sparkling wines from Italy, Cesarini and Dalfiume

Today I review two sparkling wines from Italy which I have some family connections to them.

First up is the wine Cesarini Sforza Le Millesime of vintage 2014. It has an ABV 12,5% and the production method is Metodo Classico which is the same technique as Champagne production. The producer Cesarini Sforza is situated in Trento in Italy. The grapes used are Chardonnay and Pinot nero. The taste is a dry bready taste with some citrus and pears. A very good sparkling wine.

Next up is a sparkling wine from near Bologna, namely the wine Pignoletto Vino Frizzante from producer Dalfiume. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 11,5%. From my experience these sparking Pignoletto wins are usually only lightly sparkling. When opening the bottle I only get a small pop and the wine is just slightly sparkling. The taste is light and quite easy drinking. Made for a warm summer day. For those who loves a lot of bubbles in their wine stay away.

Four new white wines from Italy

The first white wine from Italy that I have tried is the Vette di San Leonardo in Trentino/Alto Adige. It is made from 100% Sauvignon blanc and the vintage is 2016. I get white fruits in the nose. Gooseberries in the taste with some citrus and almost some butter. A very well balanced wine which is very good.

The second wine is the Mafefa wine from Tuscany which is from producer Agrisole. It is of the vintage 2016 and has an ABV of 13,5%. The grapes used for this wine is Vementino, Grechetto and Malvasia Bianca. It is a fresh wine with a light taste. The taste is some citrus with pears and grapefruit.

The third wine is a Vermentino wine from Liguria. It is called Armentin Valpolcevera by producer Andrea Bruzzone. It is of the vintage 2016 and has an ABV of 12%. The taste is fresh with soemmelons and pears and finish with some citrus. A good Vermentino for seafood.

The last and fourth wine is a wine from Sicily. It is a Fiano wine from procducer Colpasso. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. It is a floral taste with honey, pineapple and acidity. A good  wine.

Ferrari Perle, another chance

Last time I tasted a Ferrari Perle I found it lacking and I wondered if I had gotten a bad bottle or if the vintage maybe was not so good. This time I had the chance to try the Ferrari Perle 2010. Now this was completely different than the 2008 vintage that I had tried before. The taste was full of citrus, apples and bread and it felt quite fresh for being seven years old. I liked this vintage a lot. As usual it is made of 100% Chardonnay.

Sardina and sparkling wines

Sardinia is not the place when I think of sparkling wines but they have some sparkling wine production. I got to try the wine Akenta which is a Vino Spumante by producer Cantina Santa Maria La Palma. It is from the DOC Vermentino di Sardegna which means that it is made of Vermentino grapes. This wine is good. It has the freshness of a Vermentino and is quite light to drink but with a good flavour. Very good wine to enjoy. Could give Prosecco a challenge.

Next wine is a Ferrari Perle from 2008. I found this wine a bit non descriptive when I tasted it. Was it a bad bottle or where I a bit off that day? Because all other Ferrari wines I have tasted have been very good. Will have to try another bottle one day to see.

Rubesco and Ferrari

For my birthday I always serve wines that I have never tasted before. As an aperitif was the sparkling wine Riserva Lunelli from producer Ferrari in Trento. The vintage is 2006 and it consists of only Chardonnay grapes. It has spent seven years on the yeast. The alcohol level is 12,5%. The taste is deep and one can feel apples and bread. A powerful vintage, I think that this one will be better if stored for a couple of years more. A long aftertaste. An excellent vintage.

The next wine were the Rubesco Vigna Monticchio from 2005 by producer Lungarotti in Umbria in Italy. The grape is primarily Sangiovese with up to 30% of the grape Canaiolo. It is from the DOGC Torgiano Rosso Riserva. I have heard that this wine is made for storing and can be stored for a long time. The smell is nice but the big surprise is the taste. I had expected a strong wine with a lot of tannins. But I got a very elegant wine which were surprisingly very easy to drink but with a great character. Yet another excellent wine from Italy.

Visit to the mountains and the good wine

In Italy many good wines produced in lesser known mountain areas such as Valle D'Aosta and Trentino. When I visited Valle D'Aosta  had the chance to visit the La Grotta Di Vegnergons store and I wish i could bring a lot of their wines back to Sweden. The white wine Chambave Mucat from 2013 by La Grotta Di Vegnergon I received as a gift. This is the perfect aperetif wine. It is a very fresh aromatic wine with taste of yellow peaches and thyme. Very good.

In the dolomites in the Trentino region the native grape Lagrein is very popular. I have tasted this grape before and liked it. The wine that I have sampled is from Cantina Mori in Trentino which I had the chance to visit in 2013.  The wine is called Terra Di San Mauro and is from 2010. It is very good. Not to heavy as some red wines can be but has a taste of plums, red cherries and dark currants. Some tannins to round it out.

Sparkling to white to red

Mezzacorona in Trentino Alto Adige produces very nice sparkling wines. Their sparkling wine Rotari Blanc De Blancs extra brut from 2009 is no exception. The grape used are Chardonnay. The taste is very dry as expected and the taste is of citrus and minerals. Very good.

Vermentino is a grape that I have come to appreciate. The bottle Calasole is is from producer Rocca di Montemassi in the region of Maremma in the south of Tuscany. Very good wine and my appreciation of the Vermentino grape continues.

Lastly I have tried a bottle of red wine called Lacrima Di Morro D'Alba from producer Marotti Campi in Marche in Italy. It has a ruby colour and the taste is of violet and tannins. Maybe a bit one dimensional but works together with good food. No as heavy and can be drunk as it is.

From Austria to Italy

I have tried the riesling wine from weingut Stadt Krems in Steinterrassen earlier, now I have tried the vintage from 2011.  It is still excellent. The colour is straw yellow with some hits of green.  A lot of acid, excellent structure and so good. I wish I had more bottles at home. Despite the alcohol level is only 12,5 % it goes well together with heavier food such as schnitzel.

The region of Trentino/Alto Adige produces some of Italys finest white wines. I have tried the producer Mezzacorona white dry wine PG. The grapes for this wine is Pinot Grigio and are from the wineyards in the dolomites in the Trentino area. It has an alcohollevel of 13% and is from 2013. The taste if of pears, citrus and some grapefruit in the aftertaste. A good wine.

One place in Italy I would like to visit is the island of Elba, until then I have to do with wine from the island. I have tasted an Elba Bianco from producer Aquabona. It is from 2010 and with an alcohol level of 12,5 %. It is flavourful, some acidity and have a taste of peaches. A very good food wine.

Sparkling and then Sicilian again

I have drunk many sparkling wines from Trentino in Italy but this time it is the first time I can sample Rotari Flavio from 2006 by the producer Mezzacorona.  It is made by the metodo classico, which means that the second fermentation is made in the bottle. The grape is 100% Chardonnay, the classic champagne grape. The colour is yellow with a lot of bubbles. The nose is pleasant. The taste is quite strong of apples and oranges. Very good, Mezzacorona has made another good sparkling wine.

Another wine from Sicily that I have tried is Canti. This wine is made by the grapes Catarratto and Chardonnay and is a IGT wine. The colours is straw yellow. The taste is of citrus with some hints of fruit and is light and quite nice.

Dreaming of Taormina

Yet another blogpost and guess what land wines I have tasted. Italy again and the first wine is from Sicily. The Island that has everything from history to good food and wines.

The wine Feudo Zirtari is a new aquaintance for me. It is made of Inzolia and Chadonnay Grapes. Just Inzolia makes me remember the evenings in Taormina sitting in a back yard drinking wine made from the grape Inzolia in a very nice wine bar.

So rustic and very Italian. This wine, Feudo Zirtari, is a very good wine. Almost yellow colour with strong aromas and an acidity that leaves a good aftertaste in the mouth. Very good together with food. I feel like I am back in Sicily when drinking this wine.

Another good wine if from 2013 in Lavis,Trentino by the producer Casata Monfort in and made with one of my favourite grape varieties, Pinot Grigio. This is a good aperetif wine. Mellow with big notes of apples and grey pears, very nice aromas. Very good and is also so good as an easy drinking wine.

When Swedish summer goes Italian heat, one goes drinking Italian wine

When the Swedish summer is almost like an Italian summer with temperatures above 30 degrees it is very nice to try out some good Italian wines.

As usual I tend to favour the wines from Trentino/Alto Adige and this time it is no difference. The wine is from producer Ca' Montini and it is called  Terre Di Valfredda and is made by Pinot Grigio grapes. Very good taste and very enjoyable. The bottle is of a beautiful design.

Another favourite of mine is the vernaccia wines from San Gimignano. I have tried one wine from producer Montenidoli before and it was their Tradizionale wine and this time it is their Fiore wine. The Fiore Vernaccia di San Gimignano is from 2011 and it is recomended that it gets some air before drinking. This is true as it tasted better the second day. It is a strong wine with a long aftertaste. Wonderful. The only problem is that I have no more wines from this producer at home now.

The final white wine of this Italian tour is from Tuscany. It is the wine Tonicella by producer Barone Ricasoli from 2011. It has strong taste of grey pears and green apples with some hint of citrus. A lovely drinking and food wine.

Four Italians

I have had the choice to test a couple of different wines the last month. First up is La Vis Gewürztraminer. I didn't have much expectations for this wine as it was very cheap but to my suprise it were very nice. Very light and tastes of elderberries and spices. Perfect as an aperitif wine.

Next wine is from the beautiful medieval town of San Gimignano, a so called vernaccia San Gimignano by producer I Mocali and from 2008. Very good and a bit stronger than the Vernaccia I had in Sam Gimignano. Not as much bitter almond in the finish but a very strong clear flavour. Unfortunately it is very hard to find this wine in Sweden.

The third wine is an older wine from Valpolicella from the year 2000. It is by producer Vigneti di Torbe and is a ripasso wine. This bottle has the label Domini Veneti, aka the golden era which is  a label for good wines by Cantina Valpolicella Negrar. Now this Vigneti di Torbe is very strong and it took at least half an hour for the wine to open up in the glass. When it did it was majestic. Strong black currant taste and a long finish. Would go really well together with red meat.

When eating an Italian dessert, panatone from Siena, what better wine to go with it then an Italian sweet wine and this time it was a Recioto Di Soave. Good taste and worked very well together with the dolci.

Rotari Rose 2007

Time again to try yet another Rotari sparkling wine and this time it is their Rose from 2007. Rotari is a producer from Trento region in northern Italy and this rose sparkling wine is made from Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes. I have a weakness for sparkling rose wines. For those who want to know more about Rotari can go to , this page is in Swedish.
The wine has a weak salmon colour. The smell is nice very nice. Smells a bit like red berries. The taste is dry and reminds me of wild strawberries and grapefruit. Nice and as strangely enough it tasted better the day after opening the bottle.