February 2018 Meeting - A taste of Italy

This month's hosts were Julie and Jerry (in absentia) who provided a selection of wines from Italy...

 

Wine

Tasting notes

Supplier/price

Ammazza,

Trento

Italian wine producers Pasqa have learnt more than a thing or two about fantastic quality fizz over the generations. Ammazzaa translates as ‘wow’. Technically not a Prosecco.

Majestic

£11.99 or £9.49 for 6 (£7.99)

Sassi del Mare Falanghina Beneventano, Campania 2016

Great value for a dry white with all the charm of the great Southern Italian grape falanghina. It has the unoaked juicy succulence of ripe stone fruit, orange citrus and crisp freshness and makes a perfect “buy-a-case” fridge-door standby. (Guardian review)

Lidl

£6.99

Gavi del Comune di Gavi ,Ascheri,

Piedmont

Grape Variety: 100% Cortese

Usual harvest time: 10th / 20th September

Fermentation: about 15 days at 18°C

  • pale straw yellow colour with a green nuance
  • fragrant, very fresh bouquet of wild flowers and citrus fruits
  • dry, pleasant, harmonic palate with a remarkable freshness
  • delicate and pleasant wine of great tipicity

Sainsbury’s

£12

Piccini

Buon Governo

2015

Buon Governo by Piccini is a red Tuscan blend made using the traditional method of wine making typical to the region (called Governo al Uso Toscano) which consists in inducing a second fermentation by adding a small percentage of dried grapes. The vineyards of Buon Governo are planted on rich soils of clay and sediments in central southern Tuscany. Buon Governo is a Sangiovese based wine blended with small percentages of colorino, merlot and cabernet picked usually between the last week of September and the first week of October.

Morrison’s

£7

Pillastro

Primitivo

Puglia 2014

Packed with spiced plum and raspberry flavour, the dark velvety Pillastro has bagged dozens of awards in recent vintages, while the winery has twice been voted southern Italy's finest. It's no coincidence Pillastro is one of our bestselling Italian reds. Customers love all that richness, warmth and bold, ripe fruit. This 2014 is from Angelo Maci, a leading figure in the quality revolution of the last two decades, and whose cellar Cantine due Palme was twice named 'Winery of the Year'. Angelo made this wine purely from Primitivo, which produces rich, powerful reds with plenty of ripe fruit. A period of oak ageing has infused the wine's generous plum and damson character with notes of spice and vanilla. Enjoy with hearty casseroles, pasta with a rich tomato sauce or garlic roasted lamb.

Laithwaites

2014 sold out

£9.99 for 2015/

2016

Valpolicella Ripasso

2014

Refermented on amarone skins. Richer and sweeter than valpolicella, but not as alcoholic as amarone, this would be great with rich meats.

(Guardian review)

Grape varieties : corvine, molinara, rondinella

Morrison’s

£7.50 (now £9)

Vin Santo del Chianti

2009

It’s rare to find this sophisticated Tuscan sweet wine at such a knockdown price. Drink as you would a tawny port, with blue cheese and/or dried fruits. This 16% avd beauty would even go with the Christmas cake.

(Guardian review)

Grape varieties : trebbiano, malvasia

Lidl

£9.99