What would you curate at an Italian oenophilic museum? I’m sure your choices would be varied and different than mine. The wines listed are from our personal tasting experiences eating and drinking at the tables of our Italian family and friends and at trattorie, restaurants, wine bars, vineyards and farms throughout Northern Italy, Tuscany and Umbria.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Tuscany in a glass. Sangiovese wine produced in or around the town of Montepulciano. Evidence suggests it dates as far back as the Etruscan period, several centuries BC. Not to be confused with Montelpulciano di Abruzzo. A good general rule of thumb to avoid this confusion is if you see Montepulciano at the end of a wine name, it’s the place. In the beginning, it’s the grape.
Brunello di Montalcino
One Italy’s most famous and prestigious wines. Made exclusively from Sangiovese grapes grown on the slopes around the Tuscan hill town of Montalcino. Our tasting at Tenuta Vitanza was wonderful.
Barbera
The third most planted grape in Italy, popular because of its low tannins and high acidity making it a perfect pairing for tomato sauced pasta.
Nebbiolo
The grape grows in the foggy mist of the Langhe region of Piedmonte (nebbia is the Italian word for fog) used in the making of two of the classic bold wines of Italy, Barolo and Barberesco, the king and queen of Italian wines.
Chianti Classico
The iconic Chianti Classico. The oldest and most genuine expression of the wines in the Chianti region. Follow the Trail of the Black Rooster (Gallo Nero) for memorable tastings in Tuscany.
Chianti Colle Senesi
From the crete senesi the hills surrounding Siena in the southern part of the Chianti region. A masterful landscape that affords a slightly lighter, less expensive taste of rustic Tuscany.
Albana di Romagna
From Emilia Romagna a rich, sweet passito wine made from partly dried grapes. I first had this wine after dinner at Trattoria La Romantica in Ferrara for an out-of-body wine experience.
Vin Santo
Wine of the Saints. Grapes are held in baskets then strung together on cane stands where they are dried for several months in a large ventilated room (vinsantaie) then fermented and matured for over 4 years in caratelli (small chestnut barrels). Recommended – Vin Santo di Carmignano (Prato) from Capezzana. Vin Santo from Avignonesi in Montepulciano including Occhio di Pernice (the Eye of the Partridge).
Teroldego
We first tasted this wine in March 07 on a trip to the Trentino Alto Adige region of Northern Italy. After many trips to Italy, my Italian cousins decided that it was about time for me to venture into the Sudtirol. They wanted me to see the Dolomites, visit the Ice Man, eat some Italian/German food and taste Tyrolean Gold . The urban legend surrounding the wine says that its name is the German dialect for gold of Tirol.Grown primarily in the northeastern region of Trentino-Alto Adige.
Sagrantino
The main red grape of Umbria used to make the most excellent DOCG Sagrantino di Montefalco; “la dolce vita” squared (to the highest degree); high regard for the wine of this grape begins with an afternoon spent in a wine bar in Umbria with my friends, Luca and Luigi over a bottle of Montefalco Sagrantino
Brachetto d’Aqui
I first tasted this wine at an afternoon reception in the Milanese apartment of my friends Laura and Luccio and I have loved it ever since. The color of rose petals, it has been described as soft and creamy with hints of wild strawberries and raspberries. Brachetto d’Aqui is from the Piedmonte region of Northern Italy in an area known for its effervescence. Asti Spumanti comes from this region.
Dolcetto
Another Piedmontese grape; dark, purple skinned; the everyday wine of the region.
Prosecco
From the vineyards of Valdobbiadene, north of Venice, the Colli Trevigiani and Brenta Canal.One of the most memorable glass of Prosecco was part of an afternoon meal I had with my Italian cousins in a restaurant along the Brenta Canal in a town called Mira. We had a spectacular feast of scampi giganti alla griglia (giant grilled shrimp) and other assorted fresh seafood. Our cousin Roberto suggested we begin our meal with a glass of Prosecco which we did. His suggestion was perfect.
The Wines of Carmignano
Tuscan wine is more than Chianti. So I traveled outside the belt way, NW of Florence to Tenuta di Capezzana near Carmignano outside of Prato. Here I spent a wonderful afternoon experiencing the warm hospitality of the Contini Bonacossi family at the table in the dining room of their villa eating a Tuscan meal fit for a Medici and tasting their signature wines. In 1716, Grand Duke Cosimo III de’ Medici issued an edict identifying the region as producing one of the highest quality wines.
The Wines from the Hills of Piacenza
The wines from the hills of Piacenza have been appreciated by popes and kings and those who would be including Napoleon and Michelangelo. Colli Piacentini Mont’Arquato Duca di Ferro Gutturnio Riserva is made from two of my cousin Roberto’s favorite grapes, Barbera (70%) and Bonarda (30%). It has a brilliant ruby red color with shades of purple red and an aroma of dried cherries and spice. Paired with the illustrious pecorino formaggi of Piacenza.
Malvasia
The vine was introduced to the area by Venetian merchants who brought cuttings from Greece; my favorite is the sweet Arquatum-Passito di Malvasia that I have had at the Leon D’Oro Castell’Arquato Hotel de Charme Ristorante Don Ferdinando in Castell’Arquato with my friend Rita.