Italian Wine Tips

We were in the Castelli Romani region just 30+ minutes south of Rome. This is where the Castello Gandolfo Pope's summer palace is located and there are frequent daytrips from Rome. We stayed a few nights. We visited 2 local producers and had wonderful experiences. The 2 important wines from this area are White Frascati and the Red Cesanese wines. The Frascati wine is made from the Malvasia (Mal-va-See-ya) grape and is a dry white wine. It is very refreshing with citrus and mineral notes. The red wine called Cesanese (Chae-sah-NAE-say) is an ancient Roman wine. It is not well known outside of the Lazio/Rome area but is cost friendly and tasty. This dry red wine is somewhat tannic at first but fruity and medium bodied. Generally, it is aged in either large or small oak. It was served with various kinds of ham and porchetta although my daughter is Vegan and enjoyed it with bread, veggies and jam. These wines might not be as easy to find but if you see them give them a try! Fun Food to try: While in the Jewish Ghetto area of Rome we had the Jewish Artichokes known as Carciofi alla Giudia. These are deep-fried globe artichokes and fun to eat. The leaves are crispy like chips and the inside soft. You can find recipes online if you want to try them.

I haven't sent an Italian wine tip in quite a while, so here goes a quick one. The 2018 and 2019 vintages in Northern and Southern Italy were excellent vintages and many of the Reds are now on the shelves. From Tuscany, Bolgheri and Piedmont in the North to Southern Italy Reds such as Aglianico and Taurasi you can find both drinkable-now wines and those to hang onto for several years. Buy what you can while they are available.

I'd like to talk about an Italian Red (what a surprise) and for the first and probably only time, some white wines. The Italian Red is called a Carmignano. Carmignano is a wine region (and city) in Tuscany, not too far from Florence. Carmignano wine was the original 'Super Tuscan' wine before that term actually came into existence due to its mixing of Sangiovese with Cabernet dating back to the 18th century. It is one of the lesser known DOCG wines in Italy and not as easy to find even though it has been around such a long time. Carmignano is a dry red containing a blend of at least 50% Sangiovese and then including a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, and Canniolo Nero (up to 20% each). It is a medium-bodied wine with a nice dark red color, fruity and very smooth to drink. It pairs with many foods but especially with pasta (red or pesto sauce), veal, cheeses and red meat as well. My favorite wine is called Piaggia Riserva, produced by Mario Vanucci. Cost varies around $28-$38 a bottle. Other producers are Ambra and Cappezzana, both around $27ish a bottle. The wine stores well too but probably should be drunk within 10 years. Italian Whites: The white wines I'd like to mention are from the Avellino region of Italy (where my ancestors hail from). They are Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino. I find the Greco to be a little more dry than the Fiano but both are fruity. The Fiano is also a bit heartier and can be held 3-5 years. The producer I like is Feudi do San Gregorio and the wines are priced in the high teens ($).

Today you get 2 tips for the price of one — free; a higher-end wine and an everyday wine. One of my favorite Italian wines is said to be the best red wine you never heard of — Sagrantino de Montefalco. Although a little pricier ($25-$60), it is a wine you can buy and put down for a few years before it really opens up and matures. Sagrantino is made in the Umbria region of Italy from 100% Sagrantino grapes. If you have a special occasion and want a dry, ruby red, big, full bodied wine with great fruit that goes great with meats, fowl and hearty pasta with a red sauce — pick-up a Sagrantino. Arnoldo Caprai is the premier producer and makes the pricier wines but the highest rated ($50+). Colpetrone makes a wine in the $23-$30 range that is also very good. The wine should probably be at least 5 years old to open up (but preferably closer to 10+ years old if you can find and afford them). For an everyday wine that can be drunk young, try a Dolcetto. This red wine is meant to be drunk while it is young so you can drink the current releases. The wine is light, dry and fruity with a dark red color and goes great with pizza and tomato-based pasta, game, pork, Italian hams and cheeses. Cost is $11-$18 per bottle.

I have listed below some of our favorite Italian Wines. Remember that when buying any wine, knowing the year is about as important as knowing the producer. Weather plays a big part in the quality of a wine each year. (Btw, if you can find a 1997 of anything, buy it! It was one of the best years ever in Tuscany.) Chianti — Some of the best years recently were 2006 & 2007. Our favorites: Querciabella (~$28), Villa Caffagio (~$20), Nippozano Riserva ($17-$19), Carpineto Riserva (mid-teens). Vino Nobile — Our favorite producers: Fattoria Del Cerro ($20), Avignonesi, Poliziano (Asinone in the $30s+), Valdipiatta (high $20s to low $30s), Crociani (~$20). Brunello — Great producers: Argiano, Fattoria Barbi, Castello Banfi, Ciacci Piccolomini, Altesino, Camigliano, CastelGiocondo, Casanova de Neri (our favorite producer). Super Tuscan — Our favorites: Flaccianello by Fontodi (hands down favorite, $70s+), Cepparello by Isole & Olena ($60+), Le Volte dei Ornellaia (mid $20s, a baby Ornellaia and very good), Terrabianca Campaccio ($20s, always highly rated).

I'd like to talk about Primitivo wines. Primitivo is a dark-skinned grape variety used from the Puglia region of deepest southern Italy. It is perhaps better known under its American synonym Zinfandel, which has become one of the most widely planted vinifera vines in the western United States. A classic Primitivo wine is high in both alcohol and tannins, intensely flavored and deeply colored. It does need to age a few years in bottle or barrel. The flavor of Primitivo reds vary somewhat depending upon growing conditions; wines from cooler climates have a light fruity flavor, while wines from warmer districts offer a more peppery taste. Good pairings for a Primitivo include spicy seafood dishes, lamb, Pizza with toppings and cheeses like Taleggio, Asiago, Jack or Goat. To make some fun out of it, taste it alongside your favorite Zinfandel for a comparison.

I can't believe I haven't talked about two of my favorite and most versatile wines yet — Barbera di Asti and Barbera di Alba. Made from the Barbera grape in Piedmont, the same locale from where we get Dolcetto as well as the great Barolo and Barbaresco, these 2 wines are very similar but different at the same time. The towns of Alba and Asti stand only about 10 miles apart and are two beautiful ancient villages with long traditions. Barbera is the 2nd or 3rd most produced grape variety in Italy, so the wines are abundant and easy to find. The wines are very fruity, dark in color, generally aged in oak for some time and very smooth. They can be drunk soon after a vintage is released or aging for a few years is preferred. Barbera is a great everyday wine and whether you get an Asti or Alba, they both tend to be consistently good. They pair well with many everyday foods including pizza, pasta, tomato-based dishes, meats and soft or aged cheeses. Alba wines tend to be fuller-bodied with less acidity while Asti is lighter-bodied with tarter fruit flavors and more acidity. The wines are priced to sell ranging from $12-$20 generally.

Brunello di Montalcino, alongside Chianti is arguably the most prestigious of all Italian wines. The wine is made exclusively from Sangiovese grapes grown in Montalcino — a classic Tuscan hilltop village 20 miles south of Siena. I've been fortunate enough to be in Montalcino several times and have never been disappointed either with the wines or the beauty of the countryside and the town itself. Brunellos should be aged and drunk after at least about 5 years, more like 10+ years. We have some 1995-1997 Brunello that still taste fantastic. My advice if you want to pay-up and buy some Brunello is to look for the 2004 and buy them up. The 2006 which should be released this year is also going to be a great vintage. Going back a few years, 2001 was one of the greatest ever. Stay away from 2002 as Italy had a lot of rain and the wines in Montalcino were not very good that year. The prices range all over the board but you can find great wines in the $40-$60 range. If you can't afford a Brunello, try its baby brother — Rosso di Montalcino. The Rosso is aged less than half the time but is generally made from the same grapes. It can be drunk a little younger and tends to cost in the $16-$22 range. For me, it is the big fruit flavor that I like so much and its deep purple color. It goes great with hearty pasta with red sauce, steaks and especially veal.

Today I'd like to tell you about another one of my favorite versatile wines — Aglianico (for you non-Italians it is pronounced 'ahh-lee-ahn-ico'). It is also known as a Taurasi — this is a region where typically some of the better Aglianico wines are produced. Aglianico is an Italian red wine based on the Aglianico grape and produced in the Basilicata region of Italy (near Potenza and east of Naples). It's a beautiful dark Purple color and is medium to full-bodied. There are many Aglianicos that can be drunk within 2-3 years but they age well and the top wines can be aged up to 20 years. I like drinking them when they are 4-5 years old if you can find them. They are reasonably priced and there are many producers selling around $14-$18 per bottle. I think it pairs well with all kinds of meats, pasta with red sauce and other hearty and spicier dishes. You can even try it with Chili! Two good producers are Feudi San Gregorio and Irpinia. Feudi also make some great white wines as well and a high end Aglianico called 'Serpico' that is great if you can afford it.

One of my favorite Italian red wines is an Amarone. Amarone and its cousins Valpolicella and Ripasso come from the Veneto region of Italy, also known for the white wine Soave and Prosecco. One of the problems with Amarone is that it is also a bit expensive. Usually a good bottle will be upwards of $40 and more like $50+. But there is a way to get the taste of an Amarone at a better price point and that is by buying a Ripasso. In a nutshell, Valpolicella is the everyday wine, cheaper and very average in my book. The Amarone is made by letting the grapes grow longer so they ripen more and then letting the grapes dry for 3-5 months before crushing. This produces a full bodied wine that is higher in alcohol and often spicy and raisiny. Amarones are aged about 5 years before they are sold. They go great with hearty dishes, steaks, cured meats and especially with a Bolognese sauce. The Ripasso is in-between the two wines. It is made by taking Valpolicella Classico wine and allowing it to ferment in the Amarone pomace for 2 weeks. This way you get a baby Amarone and for half the cost. So, for $20-$30 you can almost get the taste of an Amarone. Goes great with game, roast pork and mature cheeses. Btw, Amarones can age for many many years.

Looking for a good wine that pairs well with Pizza? Pizza has a lot of flavors going on so other than beer which goes with everything, a good red is sometimes hard to find. Well fear no more. A 100% Sangiovese wine from Tuscany goes great with Pizza. Also, from the Piedmont region look for a Dolcetto di Alba or Dolcetto di Asti. Both these wines can be drunk 'young', only a few years old, right after release. There are many good producers and you should only have to spend between $10-$15 for a nice bottle.