Tordiruta, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, passito 2011

 Passito is a sweet wine type from Italy in which the grapes are dried in the production process. The Tordiruta, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, passito 2011 is made of 100% Verdicchio grapes and it comes from the area Castelli di Jesi in Marche. The exact location is the village of Castelplanio. The grapes are dried for 12 weeks before the pressing. The fermentation and maturation red one in oak barriques for 12 months before being bottled. In 2016 the Tordiruta was the chosen sweet wine for the Nobel prize dinner.

In the nose I get a smell of honey and dried fruit. The taste is of dried apricot, honey and citrus. An excellent passito.

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.

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.

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.

Brunello Di Montalcino and onwards to Umbria

It is always good to taste a Brunello di Montalcino and I do it too seldom. This bottle from producer Bartoli Giusti I bought myself when I was in Montalcino in 2016.

It is a Brunello di Montalcino from 2011 and the ABV is 14%. The grape is 100% Sangiovese which is grown on a height of 300 meters. In the taste I get cherries, some black currants and liquorice with well structured tannins. The taste lingers in the mouth afterwards. A well structured wine and a bit lighter than I expected.

From Tuscany I go to the green neighbour Umbria. Here the producer Cantina Monte Vibiano is a new acquaintance. They are situated near Perugia and they are also have eliminated greenhouse gas emission in their production of wine. Their red wine Villa Monte Vibiano is a younger Sangiovese majority blend which are produced from the younger Sangiovese grapes in their vineyard. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. This wine has a good red fruity nose. In the taste I get red cherries, red currants and some soft tannins. A younger wine but a good Sangiovese based blend.

Barolo 2011 from Germano

When I visited Barolo last year I had the chance to buy some wines from producer Germano. They have a nice shop in Barolo while the winery is situated near La Morra. I could choose between two vintages and I bought only bottles from the 2011 vintage since I found the 2012 vintage to be a bit stronger and less elegant. I like elegant wine more than strong wines. If you have the time when visiting Barolo please walk between the different villages. It is very nice and one can walk in the vineyards and is very beautiful.

 The view from la Morra ins one of the best in the Barolo commune.

The wine is the vintage 2011 and has and ABV of 15,5%. It is a Barolo wine made from Nebbiolo grapes from the vineyard Vigna Rue. In the nose I get red fruits and some alcohol in a nice mixture. The taste is of tobacco, black currants, cherries and some dark chocolate. I think it is very complex and has an elegant character. It has tannins in the back of the mouth but they are quite well balanced. I like this wine quite a lot. I think this wine a great aging potential. An excellent Barolo.

Torlasco Barbaresco versus Umbrian red wine

For the second time in my life I tried a Barbaresco. It is the wine Torlasco of the vintage 2011 and the ABV is 14%. When trying to find information about this wine I find the following: "Torlasco is a line of wines born to satisfy the most exclusive markets and customers." This does not sound so good but in the end it is the taste that matters. The grape is 100% Nebbiolo and the grapes have been grown in the Barbaresco area of Piemonte. I find a lot of red berries on the nose. The taste is of black currants, tobacco and some violets. Some harsh tannins in the aftertaste. It is a decent wine but I expect more from a Barbaresco. I think this has been made for American tastes.

Next up is a wine from Umbria in Italy. It is from producer Cantina Roccafiore and the wine is called Rosso Melograno. The grapes is Sangiovese and Montepulciano and the vintage is 2013. ABV is 12,5%. The nose is full of light red berries. The taste is of red currants, raspberry with some herbs like sage. Nice easy wine, not so complex but clear flavours.

From Montalcino to two new places, Montepulciano and Molise

Tody it is all M, red wine from Montalcino, Montepulciano and Molise.

First up is a red wine from Montalcino in Tuscany, it is the Villa al Cortile Rosso Di Montalcino from 2015 with an ABV of 13,5%. The bottle says the the grapes comes from the south and north slopes of the Montalcino territory. As usual the grapes are 100% Sangiovese Grosso. The taste is of red fruits, red cherries, soft tannins, some liquorice, and a good aftertaste. A good wine.

Next we move to the town of Montepulciano also in Tuscany. It is the wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from producer Poliziano, with the subname Viti nuove. The vintage is 2014 and the ABV is 13,5%. It is made of 85% Prugnolo Gentile and 15% of other grapes such as Colorino and Canaiolo. The Prugnolo Gentile is the name for Sangiovese in Montepulciano. The taste is very spice, some black peppars, black currants and some liquorice. There are some tannins lingering in the aftertaste. Also a good wine.

The last bottle is a red wine from the little known region Molise in Italy. It is called Biferno Rosso Riserva by producer Zengarello. This wine is of the vintage 2011 and the ABV is 14%. The wine is made of the grapes Agliancio and Montepulciano, not to be confused with the town Montepulciano. The taste is of black currants, tobacco and liquorice. The tannins are quite strong. This is a wine that will age very well and I would probably like it even more when it becomes older. A good wine today with some ageing potential.

Passito from La Crotta Di Vegneron

I love sweet wines but I drink it so seldom. In my winecellar I saw a bottle of passito from La Crotta Di Vegneron so why not try it out? La Crotta Di Vegneron is a cooperative in Valle D'Aosta in Italy and it consist of 75 partners today. The production is approximately 200 000 bottles a year. All the wineyards are facing south and they are at altitudes 500-850 meters above sea level. In 2014 I had the fortune to visit La Crotta Di Vegneron shop in Valle D'Aosta. Unfortunately I could not buy as much as I wanted but a bottle of Chambave Moscato Passito from 2011 I managed to bring home.

Passito wines are made from dried grapes. This Cambave Moscato Pasito has an interesting story as in 1494 George of Challant gave Moscato Passito di Chambave to Charles VIII, King of France. So this golden nectar has been produced for a long time. It consists of 100% Moscato grapes and has an ABV of 13,5%.

The colour of this wine is amber. I think that the three year of extra maturation has deepened the colour. In the nose I can feel aromatic fruits. It smells like a passito from Pantelleria. The taste is sweet and warm. The wine has a taste of dried apricots, honey and very intense. An excellent wine, as good as a passito wine could be. I think that with a few more years the taste would increase even more, alas this was my only bottle. Next year when I hopefully will travel to Valle D'Aosta and then I will make a longer visit to La Crotta Di Vegneron.

A note on the spelling. I write Valle D'Aosta but in the local spelling Valdôtain it is spelled Vallée d'Aoste. And this is the spelling that you see on the bottle.

Les Cretes, wine from Valle D'Aosta

Les Crêtes is a producer in Valle D'Aosta. I visited them in the Autumn of 2014 and they are located very beautifully. The label is based on the landscape around them. The fun with producers in Valle D'Aosta is that this valley has so many interesting local grapes. One is the grape Fumin. Funnily enough in the sixties it was suggested that Fumin should not be produced any more due to that Fumin could not produce a good wine. Nowadays, it is recognized as the most famous grape in Valle D'Aosta.
Les Crêtes has a wine made from Fumin. I have tried the vintage of 2011. The colour is dark red and almost ruby like. The taste if of black currants, coffee and liquorice. Very nice and good. And I think that this wine can be stored for a many more years. In comparison I would say that this reminds me of a red wine from Montalcino.

If you are near Les Cretes, please visit them.

 

The landscape of Valle D'Aosta is  amazing with the beautiful valley and the wine growing on the sides.

Birthday and wine from Montefalco

For my birthday I always try to celebrate with good food and wine. This year I choose wine and food from Italy and especially Umbria. All the wine were from Umbria and from the town of Montefalco. The town Montefalco is famous for their Sagrantino ´grapes that are used in the Montefalco wine. Sagrantino is a grape that is indigenous to Umbria and has a very high tannic level. First up for the evening were the the Montefalco Rosso DOC wine Cocchino from producer Podere Castorani and the vintage 2006. The taste is of spices and richness with huge tannins that are well structured. A very good wine.
Next up were the Sagrantino Di Montefalco DOGC wine from producer Cantina Fratelli Pardi and the vintage 2011. This wine is made with 100% Sagrantino. Like the previous wine one can feel the tannins and in this wine they are even stronger but the tannins are very well structured and the taste goes very well together. One could always store this wine for several years. An excellent wine.
The last wine were the Sagrantino Di Montefalco DOGC passito wine from Cantina Fratelli Pardi from 2010. This passito wine is quite a rarity and is very hard to find outside of Umbria. This wine is spicy, sweet but still a bit tannic and is very interesting. A lovely passito wine that is a must if one can buy it.

And if you happen to be in Umbria. Take the chance to visit Montefalco as it is a lovely small medieval town.

Barolo and Barbaresco , a comparison between two Fontanafredda wines

Barolo and Barbaresco are two famous wine producing regions in the north of Italy in the province of Piemonte. Barolo is situated southwest of Alba while Barbaresco is northeast of Alba. The saying is that Barolo is the king while the Barbaresco is the Queen. The king is more powerful and the Queen is more elegant.

I had the chance to try two wines from Fontanafredda. One Barolo from 2011 and one Barbaresco from 2012 so I could compare them. Both are made from 100% of the grape Nebbiolo. The grapes for the Barolo wine was picked in beginning of October while the grapes for the Barbaresco were pickes at the end of September. Also the rules for a barolo stipulate at least three years of ageing while for barbaresco it is two years.

I had tasted the Barbaresco a couple of months earlier so the Barolo were news for me. Both wines have an excellent taste but the difference between them is that the Barolo is more powerful and lacks some of the elegance of the Barbaresco. I also felt that I should have stored the Barolo maybe two more years before drinking while the Barbaresco is ready for drinking now.

So right now I prefer the Queen. Maybe that will change in two years time when I make another comparison.

Passito from Lipari

The last year I have not drank so much sweet wine but now I had the chance to try a passito wine from the island of Lipari north of Sicily. Passito wine is a sweet wine made from dried grapes.The wine is Colosi from 2007. It is made of Malvasia grapes and the colour is deep amber.. The taste is very strong and so wonderful. Almost like a passito di Pantelleria. Excellent wine.

The wine La Frosca from producer Gini in Soave is from 2013. The colour is yellow and the smell is good. It is made of the grape Garganega. The taste is good and has a good aftertaste. Very nice.

Returning to Sicily for the wine Planeta Carricante which is made of the grape carricante. This wine comes from  the wineyard Sciara Nuovo on the north side of the Volcano Etna. It is on 870 meters of height and produces according to Planeta ageworthy white wines. The wine is from 2011 and he smell is good. The taste is almost like an excellent riesling. It has a fresh mineral style with tastes of apples. An excellent wine.

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.

Vermentino, a grape that has promise

I have tried the grape Vermentino once earlier and now I have the chance again with the wine Papiri from Sardinia of vintage 2011. It is a wine from producer Cantina Santa Maria La Palma and the DOC is Vermentino Di Sardegna. It is a flavourful wine with citrus and grapefruit. Almost some minerality and tastes very good.  I must now try more wines by Vermentino to see if I have found another favourite grape.

A Soave wine which goes well with food is Esperia made from the grape Garganega from 2010. It has a taste of fruit, grapefuit and some minerality. A bit one dimensional if drank without food but very good with food.

Heavenly wine from Abbazia Di Novacella

Abbazia Di Novacella in Alto Adige (South Tyrol) produces very fine wines. I have tasted some earlier but in 2013 I had the chance to visit the monastery and buy wine at the monastery. One wine that I bought were their white wine Praepositus Kerner from 2011. The Praepositus is their premium line. Kerner is the grape and is usually grown in German speaking countries. The smell is pleasent but the taste surprised me, especially as the alcohol level is 14% and I was expecting a very strong wine. Instead it is very elegant with an almost pear like taste with a lot of aromatic taste. A wonderful wine, unfortunately I cannot find it in Sweden.

Sardinia is a place I would like to visit and until then another wine from Sardinia. Aragosta is a white wine made from Vermentino grapes. It is of vintage 2013 and has a very good taste of apples and pears with acidity. A very good drinking wine.

Soave is a very nice place to visit and especially to see the beautiful castle. The wines from Soave classico is quite famous. I tasted the white wine Monte Tondo from 2012. It is of straw yellow colour and should be served very cold. It has a taste of apricots and some citrus. If it gets to warm it loses some of its charm.

Back to France and then Italy again

It has been a while since I drank French wine and when going through some wine in the corner of the cellar I found a bottle of Rochemorin from 2005, which I had totally forgotten about. It had been there for almost five years. Chateau De Rochemorin is in the region of Pessac-Leognan in Bordeaux and is a Grand Vin de Bordeaux. The colour is very dark straw yellow. It has a big taste of gooseberries. I had it with lentil soup and it overpowered the soup and also were to strong for pork schnitzel. However, it went well with breasola with Parmigana cheese.

The Italian wine Michele Chiaro from DOCG Gavi is a bit similar to the Rochemorin but lighter. But this wine is younger, from 2011. The colour is light straw yellow with some hint of green. It also has a taste of gooseberries but with stronger notes of citrus and a very dry aftertaste. A good wine.

Tasca yet again

I found the wine Regaleali Bianco so good that I bought Regaleali Nero D'Avola from producer Tasca D'Almerita in the middle of Sicily. Next time I visit Sicily I will see if I can visit this producer. As usual this Nero D'Avola wine is very dark in colour. The taste is of black currants, dark cherries, cacao and liquorice and the taste lingers in the mouth afterwards. Nice wine.

Back to Germany with a riesling

A riesling from Germany is never wrong and to drink something that is not available from Systembolaget is nice. Adam Müller is a wine producer of nine generations in Baden. The wine is a Leimener Herrenberg Kabinett made of Riesling from 2011. The colour is straw yellow and it smells of citrus. It tastes of citrus, grapefruit and minerals. There is a very long strong aftertaste of grapefruit. Very good.

Sicily and Nero d'Avola

Sicily may not be that known for wine but one grape that is famous is the Nero d'Avola. It is the only grape with red pigmentation in the fruit meat which means that one can only make red wines using Nero d'Avola. Producer Planeta has a wine called Plumbago made by the grape Nero d'Avola from 2011.
It has a very good taste of red fruits, cacao and some plums. Not to strong and works very well with Mediterranean food. Not as deep red colour as red wines can have.