Three Sangiovese from Italy

Three different Sangiovese blends from three different regions in the central Italy wine growing regions. Let's start with the northern most region which is Emilia-Romagna. Here the producer Nespoli makes a Romagna Sangiovse Superiore Riserva wine made of 100% Sangiovese grapes. The vintage is 2013 and the ABV is 13,5%. I find this wine to be very full bodied oaky wine with a taste of tobacco and dark cherries. A very good wine which will become better with a couple of years storage.

Next we move south to Tuscany and the wine la Bestia Governo which are made from the grapes Sangiovese and Colorino. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 14%. I get red fruits on the nose and the taste is of red cherries, vanilla and some coffee. A nice rich fruity wine. Almost ripasso like in the style.

The last wine we find in Tuscany's south eastern neighbour Umbria. The Montefalco Rosso from producer Arnaldo Caprai I have tried before but this time it is their new vintage from 2016. It consists of 70% Sangiovese grapes, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon. It is strong with cherries with spice and tannins. Almost tastes like the 2015 vintage but I think that this vintage won't get much better with storage, very good to drink right now.

Umbria, the region of good red wines

Umbria in Italy may not be that known but it is a very good wine producing wine region. Beautiful landscapes and the rolling green hills and not so many tourists.

Several of the wines I review here I have tried earlier but there are some new vintages for sale.

First up is a lighter red wine from the producer Lungarotti in Torgiano. It is a Rosso di Torgiano DOC wine consisting of Sangiovese and Colorino grapes. The vintage is 2012 and the ABV is 13,5%.  I get red fruits on the nose. Cherries and black currants in the taste with soft smooth tannins that linger in the mouth. This one is better than the 2015 vintage that I have tried. This is a wine that gains by storing it for a couple of years. A wine that is very good year from year.

Next up is Arnaldo Caprais Rosso di Montefalco of the vintage 2015. Now it has been stored for another year so let's see how it is. The ABV is 2015 it is a combination of Sagrantino, Sangiovese and some Merlot grapes. This wine is strong with cherries, tannins and spices. It could be stored for several more years before drinking. A good wine now and will last for several more years in the cellar. The vintage 2016 is now available to buy.

The third wine is from producer Sportoletti and this wine focuses on the international grape varieties merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. the grape blend is as the following: Merlot 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, Cabernet Franc 10%. The name is Villa Fidelia Rosso and the grapes are grown on the Spello and Assisi hills. The ABV is 15%. This is quite a heavy wine. Strong taste with tobacco, dark cherries and black currants. Should be stored a couple of more years before drinking.  After aerating the wine it got smoother and more black currants. This confirms that this wine should be stored for a longer time. A good wine today and will be even better in a few years time.

From rock to Montefalco

Rock is a Valpolicella Ripasso from 2015 from ITALIANS. Bought in Germany so a strange producer and also the text on the label is all about rock in various forms. So how does it taste? It is spicy with some liquorice and a lot of tannins. Feels a bit unbalanced and after my trip to Verona I can say that there are much better Ripassos.

I have tried the Montefalco rosso from producer Arnaldo-Caprai earlier. This time it is the vintage 2015 with and ABV of 13%. It is a combination of Sagrantino, Sangiovese and some Merlot grapes. It is aged 12 months in wood and then four months in bottle before being sold.  The taste of dark fruits and cherries and the tannins are in a very good combination. It is an excellent food wine.

Franciacorta, quality sparkling wine

Franciacorta is a sparkling wine from Lombardy. These are made almost exactly like champagnes and the only one I have tried so far were very good. Now I have finally found some more of these Franciacorta sparkling wines.

The wine Animante is from producer Barone Pizzini. It is a non vintage Franciacorta made of the famous grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc with the Chardonnay dominating. It has an alcohol level of 12%. This is a good wine. The smell is very nice and smells apples and pears. The taste is of Bread, citrus, minerals and with a long strong after taste. Yet another good wine from this area. Unfortunately I cannot find this producers wine in Sweden. I bought this wine on a ferry.

Moving away from the north of Italy towards the centre of Italy and the region Umbria and the area Montefalco. Here I find the wine Montefalco by producer Arnaldo Caprai. It is vintage 2012 and the wine consists of the grapes Sangiovese, Sagrantino and Merlot. It has a very deep colour, almost blue reddish colour. The taste is strong with notes of Violet, Black Currants and liquorice. A good wine.