Wachau Riesling and Cotes Du Jura Chardonnay

 Time to step outside of Italy for some white wine from Austria and France. First is a the Riesling wine from the Region of Wachau in Austria. It is called Selection Riesling and is made by Domäne Wachau. it is a big producer and the cooperative owns at least 420 hectars of vineyards and that is almost 30% of the vineyards in Wachau. The wine is of the vintage 2019 and the ABV is 13%. In the taste I get pear, melon and some stoney minerality, A nice easy drinking Riesling.

The next wine is  Chardonnay from the Cotes Du Jura region in France. The producer is Fruitiere Vinicole D'Arbois which is a cooperative having 250 hectars of land and consist of 100 members. The vintage is 2019 and the ABV is 13,5. This is  dry style Chardonnay with a taste of pear and apple with some grapefruit. A good wine but some higher acidity would have lifted the wine.

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.

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.

Il Roncal, wine from Friuli part 2, sparkling wines

Time for the second part about the wines from producer Il Roncal in Friuli, Italy, close to the border of Slovenia. This time my focus is on their sparkling wines.

The first sparkling wine is the Aurerum Ribolla Gialla Brut. For this sparkling wine the first fermentation is done in stainless steel tanks for 8-10 days. After that the wine ferments in pressure tanks for 180 days until the pressure reaches 6 bar, then it is bottled. The ABV for the bottle I have is 12%. In the taste I get citrus and some apple with brioche. This is a nice dry sparkling wine that goes well with fish for example or just as an aperitivo.

The second sparkling wine is the Argenteum Extra Dry. For this sparkling wine Il Roncal uses 50% Chardonnay and 50% Ribolla Gialla. The first fermentation is done in stainless steel tanks for 8-10 days. After that the wine ferments in pressure tanks for 60 days until the pressure reaches 6 bar, then it is bottled. For this wine I get a lot of brioche, apple and citrus and the mouthfeel is very dry. Yet another good sparkling wine from Il Roncal. May be too dry for some people.

The last sparkling wine is the Roseum Demi Sec which is a sparkling rose wine. The grape used for this wine is 100% Schioppettino, a rare red wine grape from Friiuli. For this wine wine they do the same fermentation and pressurisation as the Ribolla Gialla brut. I get a taste if rasperry, strawberry and some citrus. A very good rose sparkling with a very good structure. It went very well together with salmon and herring.

The region Friuli Venezia-Giulia is not known for their sparkling wine but it is a regions that produces very good sparkling wine. But it is hard to find it outside of Friuli Venezia-Giulia.

A batch of white wine from Italy

Some of these white wines I have tried before but there are some new vintages and it is interesting to see how wines change of the years and also how ones taste can change.

Mezzacorona in Trentino has a new vintage of the Chardonnay from 2017. It is a quite light Chardonnay with notes of apple and some grapefruit. A decent white wine but the 2015 vintage was better.

Torrebono has a Vernaccia di San Gimignano of the vintage 2018. In the taste I get citrus, almond and some pear. A nice light Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

The third white wine is the wine Monteoro from the producer Sella&Mosca. It consists of 100% Vermentino grapes. The vintage is 2017 and I tried this vintage one year ago. One more age of ageing has brought out honey in addition to the apple and grapefruit. Even white wines can gain complexity by being stored.

Fontanafredda Langhe Chardonnay with the vintage 2017 I have tried before and this one remains the same with apples, gooseberries, minerals and citrus.

The last wine is a Pinot Grigio from Santa Margherita. The vintage is 2018  and I get apples pear, citrus and some honey. A very nice Pinot Grigio.

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 older white wines from Peter Zemmer

This tasting is of two white wines from the producer Peter Zemmer in South Tyrol or Alto Adige/Südtirol as it is also know as. This time it is a bit special as it is two older white wines that I am tasting are from 2013 and the recommended storage age is 2-3 years. So how have they aged during these years and how do they taste?

First up is a Chardonnay from 2013 with ABV of 13,5%. The taste is of melon, citrus and some apricot. I can feel that it is starting to change from a young fresh wine to a more aged wine. Not for everyone but quite good.

Next up is a Pinot Grigio from 2013 with an ABV of 13,5%. After six years this wine has still freshness but shows some signs of maturity. In the taste I get pear, citrus and some gooseberry. Very good.

I have tried younger versions of this wine and it is interesting to try older versions.

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.

Gavi and Chardonnay from Fontanafredda

Fontanafredda is a big producer of wines from the Piemonte are and especially Barolo and Barbaresco. However this time I have tried two white wines from Fontanafredda. First up is their Gavi wine from 2016 which contains 100% Cortese grapes. The ABV is 12% and the grapes were harvested in mid September. In the taste I get apples, minerals and some citrus. A very good and well balanced wine.

Next up is Fontanafreddas Chardonnay from 2017 which has an ABV of 12,5%. This wine has a quite varied taste. Some apples, gooseberries, minerals and some citrus. A good Chardonnay.

Chardonnay from Bourgogne and Grillo from Siciliy

France is a country which I don't drink that much from and time to investigate some wines from Burgundy and name a Chardonnay from producer Patriarche  Pere & fils and it is called Chardonnay Bourgogne Couvent des Visitandines. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 12,5%. I get some tropical fruits with citrus and lime but with a long aftertaste of grapefruit.

Next up is a white wine from Sicily made with the grape Grillo. It is from producer Feudo Arancio and the vintage is 2017. In the taste I get tropical fruits like papaya and citrus. Very fresh and nice.

Two white wines from Langhe

Langhe in Piemonte produces several good white wines, some based on local grape varieties and others on international varieties. This time I will focus on two white wines with international varieties.

First up is a favourite producer of mine called Fontanafredda, they are one of the biggest private producers in Langhe. The grape is Chardonnay and the vintage is 2017. The ABV is 12,5%. This wine a quite varied taste with some apples, gooseberries, minerals and some citrus. A good wine.

The last wine is a Riesling wine from producer Saracco also located in Langhe. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. I get some apples, minerals and some citrus. A bit different from a German Riesling. Also a good wine.

Two white wines from Italy

First up is the the white wine Bianco passivento from producer Barone Montalto in Sicily. It is made by putting the grapes in baskets to be dried by the wind. The taste is fruity with some melons and freshness, in the aftetaste one can feel some sweetness. Loses a bit in the long run.

Next white wine is from the region of Veneto. It the called Oropasso from the winemaker Biscardo. It is of the vintage 2016 and has an ABV of 13%. The grapes used are Garganega and Chardonnay. The wine has a very good smell. The taste is of melon, apples and citrus. A very good wine.

A trio of Italian white wines

I have tasted three Italian white wines from south to north. The first is the wine da Sergio made by the grapes Inzolia and Cardonnay. It is from the big producer Mare Magnum based in Montalcino. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13%. The wine is light and fresh with some tropical fruits. A wine for a very warm summer day.

For the second time I tried a Roero Arneis from Piemonte. It is by producer Matteo Correggia and the vintage is 2015. The ABV is 13%. It has a fresh acid citrus taste with some almonds in the aftertaste. A good wine.

Gavi is a white wine produced in Piemonte in a limieted area. If the wine is produced within the commune of Gavi it is allowed to be called Gavi di Gavi. Gavi wines contains 100% Cortese grapes.  Producer Roberto Sarotto makes the wine Di Capo which is a Gavi di Gavi. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 12,5%. The taste is of citrus, grapefruit and some grey pears. A lovely wine.

Pinot Noir from France

It is not often that I get to drink a red wine from the French region of Languedoc, or even French wines. The wine is Ferrandiere and is from 2015. The grape is pinot noir and the ABV is 13,5%. The taste is spicy, some violets and some harsh tannins in the back of the throat. A decent wine.

So lets return to Italy after the short visit to France. Dogajolo is a white wine from producer Carpinetto in Tuscany. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 12,5%. The grapes used for this wine is Chardonnay, Grechetto and Sauvignon Blanc. Already in the nose I can feel the Sauvignon Blanc grapes. But it is the taste that I find lacking. It is fruity aromatic just lacking some acidity. For me it gets a bit tiresome after one glass.

Dolcetto D'Alba by Scanavino

Dolcetto is an Italian grape variety grown in the Piedmont region in northern Italy. Producer Scanavino produces a wine using the Dolcetto grape called Dolcetto D'Alba and I could taste their 2014 vintage. It is lighter than the heavy barolos and Brunellos of Italy. The taste is of red currants, berries and has a sharpness in the after taste. A very good wine that goes well with food.

It has been two years since I tasted Planetas white table wine Casa Planeta. The grape mix is still Chardonnay and Grecianico. For this vintage is get a taste of citrus, grapefruit and some apples. A very fresh wine that is still very good.

Planeta and Candido from southern Italy

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. The vintage 2013 has a taste of apricots, citrus and some tropical fruit notes. Planeta continues to produce quality wine year after year.

Fiano is a grape grown in southern Italy, primarily in the Campania region. The wine Tenuta Marini is 100% made of Fiano by producer Candido of vintage 2014. The taste is very aromatic and taste is apple and apricots. A good wine.

Finally summer and another batch of wines

Finally the sun arrived this summer and parts of the summer were saved. This time I have tried three Italian wines and a German wine.

The most interesting wine is the red wine Torrette Superior from Valle D'Aosta in Italy. It is the first time that I have been able to buy a wine from this region in Sweden. Valle D'Aosta is a region that has many local varieties of grapes of which many were close to extinction bur fortunately many of these grape veracities have been saved for example Fumin. The Torrette Superior is from producer Maurizio Fiorano Chateau Feuillet. It is made by the grape Petit Rogue which is only grown in Valle D'Aosta in Italy. It is not a heavy wine but a medium bodied wine with a taste of cherries and liquorice. Very good wine.

Next are the wine Coste Di Riavolo by producer San Fereolo whoch is from the Langhe DOC Bianco. This is a wite wine and since it is from 2010 I had high expectations from it. But I were dissapointed, a weak taste and not to my liking.

South Tyrol or Alto Adige as it is called in Italian makes very good white wines. A new producer for me is Peter Zemmer. I tasted the wine Chardonnay from 2010. this were better than the previous wine. Nice wine but I had better Chardonnays from Alto Adige.

I don't drink so much wine from Germany but when I see wine from Franken I usually try to buy a bottle. Producer Brennfleck has made a wine which is by the grape Silvaner and it is a dry one. It is from 2013 and the taste is of Peaches, hoey and spices. Very good wine.

Sicily and Alto Adige

Two of my favourite wine regions in Italy are Sicily and Alto Adige. And this time all three wines are from these regions.

The first bottle is the wine Chardonnay from Planeta. It is from 2012 and the grapes came from Cantina Ulmo which is near Marsala in the southwestern corner of Sicily. On this wine they have tried to make an unmistakably Sicilian Chardonnay. I have to agree with this as it tastes a bit different from other Chardonnays that I have drunk. The taste is of apricots, citrus and some tropical notes. The colour is very straw yellow. It is good with food but also good to drink as it is.

The next wine I have tried before and it is from producer Donnafuga in Sicily. It is the wine Kabir which is a Moscato Di Pantelleria from the island of Pantelleria. It is vintage 2012 which the last time I tried it was very aromatic. With one more year in the bottle it has become more well rounded with the aromatic note still there but now with more smooth style. Very good and I think it will be even better with some more storage, luckily I have several bottles at home.

From Alto Adige comes the wine Winkl  Sauvignon from 2013. It is produced by the one of Alto Adiges leading wine growers’ cooperatives. The colour is straw yellow with and almost green tint. The taste is as usual with Sauvignon full of gooseberrys and some elderberry. Very aromatic and a good wine. Tasted it last year and it still is very good.

Two white Sicilian wines from producer Musita

When I visited Italy at the end of Italy it was still very cold although the front façade of the Duomo in Bologna was finished with the restorations now. But at least in Sicily it is warmer.

Producer Musita is located in Salemi in the Trapani province of Sicily. Through luck I found myself with two different wines from this producer. Both white wines and containing the grape Catarratto.Although the wine Regieterre Catarratto is from 2013 while Passocalcara Bianco contains also 40% Chardonnay and is from 2012. Both are similar both has differences.
Regiterre Catarratto has a good aromatic smell. The taste is also aromatic and with pears and citrus. Very good. The Passocalcara has a taste of citrus, grapefruit and peaches in a very good mix. Also a very good wine. Sicily continues to impress with its wines.

Two on the road

While being away on business i had the chance to try two different white wines. One from Chile and one from Italy.

Wine from Chile is not normally on my menu but it is nice to try new things. this wine is from producer Errazuriz and is from 2013 and the grape used is Sauvignon blanc. I had a couple of Sauvignon blanc of the years and they have tasted nice but this wine tasted all gooseberry and not much else. Not very nice to drink for me. I have had better.

Better is the wine Da Luca from Siciliy.It is made from pinot grigio and chardonnay grapes and is from 2012. It has a taste of apples, pears and some citrus and with a long finish. Decent wine.