At the beginning of this new year, I looked back at just some of the great Italian wines I enjoyed over the last year, each one matched with a favorite dish.
l Frappato Vittoria Frappato Sicily DOC 2020 Valle Dell’ Acate (southeast corner of Sicily) made from 100% Frappato. There are 80 hectares of organically cultivated vineyards. The vineyards are at 100 meters and the soil is black, relatively compact and riddled with white stones. The soil structure makes it possible for plant roots to oxygenate freely, extending down deep into the ground. There are 5,000 plants per hectare and the training system is espalier. Harvest takes place the first week of September. The wine is aged in steel vats for 6 months and in bottle for at least 3 months before release. This is a fresh aromatic wine with hints of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, with a hint of violets and a touch of sage.
Roasted Chicken with Potatoes
Duca Enrico IGT 2012 Duca di Salaparuta (Corvo) made from 100% Nero d’Avola grapes grown in South Central Sicily. Soil is a mixture of calcareous-siliceous composition. The vineyard is at 200/300 meters and the vines are bush trained. There are at least 5,000 plants per hectare. Grapes are hand picked at full ripening and then destemmed. Maceration at 28/30 degrees for 8/10 hours followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged in oak casks for 18 months and then 18 months in bottle before release. First vintage was 1984 and it was the first 100% Nero d’Avola to be bottled in Sicily. The wine has hints of ripe dark-skinned fruit, blackberry jam, ripe black cherry, a hint of leather and a note of licorice.
Braised Quail with Prosciutto and Sage, Mashed Potatoes and Artichokes with Peas
Negroamaro Salento IGP Rosso 2013 “Patriglione” Cosimo Taurino made from 100% Negramaro from 40 to 50 year old vines. The vineyard is 15 hectares with a east/west exposure, flat elevation and the soil is calcareous. There are 6,000 plants per hectare and the training system is spurred Apulian small trees. The grapes are picked late the second week of October. The fermentation tanks are vitrified concrete and there is an automatic cooling system. Fermentation is for 10/15 days with 8/12 days skin contact.This is a wine that will age for many years. It has hints of dry black fruit, blackberries blueberries, prune and raisins. I have been drinking the wines from Cosimo Taurino for many years.
Sausages from Puglia with Potatoes
Chianti Classico 2021 Lilliano made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. After the quality-selected clusters are destemmed and pressed, the must is fermented and macerated in stainless steel for 18-20 days at a controlled temperature with programmed punch-downs and daily pumpovers. Maceration fermentation takes place in concrete and small stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 18-20 days depending on the vintage. The wine ages for about 12 to 14 months in large casks of French oak and partly in concrete. After maturation, the final blend is assembled, bottled and aged in glass for a minimum of 3 months. This is a wine with hints of red fruit, cherry, violets and a touch of cassis.
Braised Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers and Black Olives
Monsanto Chianti Classico “IL Poggio” made from 95% Sangiovese and 5% Colorino and Canaiolo. The training system is guyot and spurred cordon. The wine is vinified in temperature controlled conical steel vats. Delestage and pumping over for about 20 to 22 days. The wine is aged in 500 liter oak barrels, partly new and partly secondhand for 18 to 20 months. The wine remains in the bottle for 2 years before release. The wine has hints of blackberries and blueberries with a hint of violets. Monsanto is located in the western-central area of the Chianti Classico region in the municipality of Barberino Tavarnelle.
Grilled steak
Carmignano 2017 Capezzana by Conte Contini Bonaccossi Villa di Capezzana. Made from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The elevation is 180/220 meters and the soil is clay, limestone, schist and marl. The age of the wines is 20/40 years and the training system is guyot cordon spur. There are 4,500 vines per hectare and they use organic farming practices. Fermentation is with native indigenous yeast. There is a 13 day extended maceration period. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French tonneaux. Aging: 60% in 2nd and 3rd or 4th passage French oak tonneaux, 10% in new French oak tonneaux and 30% in 5/30 year old untoasted Allier or Slavonian 24 HL barrels for 12 months. The wine is aged for another 12 months in bottle before release. This is an elegant wine with hints of red berries, a note of blueberries and a touch of violets. I have a long history with this estate going back 40 years. This is a wine that can age. I had the 1985 last month.
Pork Loin Tonnato
Venegazzú Della Casa Azienda Agricola Loredan Gasparini DOC Montello Venegazzu 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon 60% is always predominant and combined with a good part of Merlot 25%, and a small amount of Cabernet Franc 10% and Malbec 5%. The vineyards are at 150 to 400 meters and the soil is red, clayey and rich in minerals. Grapes are hand-picked. Maceration with skin contact for 8 days and fermentation in steel tanks for about 10 days at controlled temperature. Malolactic fermentation takes place.
The wine is aged for 18 months in large 25hl large Slavonian oak barrels before being bottled and placed on the market. The wine drinks like a Bordeaux with hints of black cherry, plum, cassis, tobacco, licorice, herbs, and mushrooms. It continues the blending tradition of the Gasparini Estate. When introduced in 1951 it was one of the first Cabernet and Merlot blends in Italy. The wine can age and is a bargain at $26
Pizza with Mozzarella, Prosciutto and Basil
Capo di Stato DOC Montello Venegazzu’ Superiore Riserva della Casa 2019, Azienda Agricola Loredan Gasparini Capo di Stato starts life in a selection of grapes, from the historic “100 plants” vineyard. This vineyard is located in Venegazzù 40km north of Venice in the province of Treviso, where the Montello terroir confers its unique character. The grapes are from two vineyards, the original or mother vineyard planted in 1940, and a second vineyard planted in 1990 using a selected clone of the mother vineyard.
The grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec from old clones. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. It changes from year to year depending on the vintage. The vineyard is at 90 to 120 meters and the soil is red, clayey, rich in iron and minerals. The grapes are hand harvested. Maceration on the skins with fermentation in oak vats at a partially controlled temperature with complete maceration. The wine is aged in large oak barrels 25 hl and new French oak barriques for 30 months. The wine remains in bottle for 12 months before release. This is a full bodied, complex and balanced wine that has deep aromas of very ripe fruit, blackberry, blueberry, black currents, hazelnuts and sweet spices with a touch of licorice. It has a pleasing aftertaste and a long finish. This is a wine that needs a lot of the time. $60.
Roast Rack of Lamb with Crushed Potatoes and Green Beans
Freisa D’Asti Superiore DOC Arvelé 2018 Cascina Gilli made from 100% Freisa D’Asti from the Cornareto Cru inside the Romanesque Astigiano. The best grapes are selected from the slopes facing south/southwest at 360 meters. The soil is rich in sand particles with good drainage. There are 4,100 plants per hectare with vines up to 40 years old. Training system is traditional trellised, head trained with replacement cane pruning-guyot. The harvest is in October, when the grapes are slightly overripe. The production aim is to maximize the extraction from these overripe grapes, with a very high skin-pulp ratio. 10 days of maceration to extract a lot of color and aroma compounds and precursors, soft and ripe tannins. The wine is aged for 18 months in French barrels and at least 12 months in bottle. It has hints of ripe fruit, jam, pepper, and coffee with a touch of leather and a balsamic note.
Cotechino Sausage with Lentils
Barbaresco DOCG 2016 ‘Manzola’ Nada Fiorenzo made from Nebbiolo (Lampia and Michet) from Manzola in the commune of Treiso in Piedmont. The vines were planted in 1998 and the soil is calcareous-clayey with sandy outcrops. Exposure is southwest at 230 meters. Manual harvest followed by a soft pressing of the grapes and separate vinification for each single parcel. There are no herbicides and other invasive vine protection products used and there is a return to old practices such as hand-hoeing. Aging is in oak for 24 months and in bottle for 6 months before release. The wine has hints of cherry, licorice, leather, tea, and a hint of spice. It is a wine that can age.
Borlotti beans with pork skin and tomatoes
Südtirol-Alto Adige DOC Select Lagrein Gries Riserva 2021 Rottensteiner made from 100% Lagrein which grows in three vineyards in the center of Bolzano Gries where there are deep sedimentary soils with more than 30 year-old grapevines. The training system is guyot. Vinification is in French barriques. This is a full bodied red wine hints of violets, chocolate, blackberries and a touch of tobacco. The owner told me that the tradition and modernity of the Rottensteiner family finds its clearest expression in this wine.
Roast Pork with Pork Ribs, Braised Red Cabbage and Mashed Parsnips
Turchetta Veneto IGT 2020 made from 100% Turchetta. Corte Carezzabella. The training system is Sylvoz. Manual harvest takes place the 3rd week of October. Destemming and pressing of the grapes, then fermentation/maceration at a controlled temperature and the wine is in contact with the skins for 21 days. Aging is in concrete and in bottle until it is released. The wine has hints of cherry, blackberries, violets and a touch of spice. Turchetta is a local red grape found around the Rovigo area. There are very few hectares under cultivation.
Pasta with Tomato and Meat Sauce 
Beneventano Falanghina IGT Donnachiara made from 100% Falanghina. The vineyard is the Torre Cuso, the best location for Falanghina. The soil is volcanic, chalky clay, the vines are 16 years old, the training system is guyot and there are 2,500 vines per hectare. The grapes are not destemmed or crushed before pressing. Cold fermentation is in stainless steel and there is extended maceration. This is a crisp white wine with citrus fruit aromas and flavors, nice acidity and good minerality. It’s a pleasure to drink.
Pasta alle vongole — spaghetti with clams
KATÁ IGP Catalanesca Del Monte Somma 100% Catalanesca Cantine Olivella The grapes are carefully selected and hand harvested in the first half of October. Fermentation and maturation is with natural yeast and takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The refining process sur lie, lees contact starts in stainless steel and ends in the bottle after a three month period. The wine has very nice citrus aromas and flavors, with hints of apricot, cantaloupe and acidity. There is a mineral aspect to the wine, which may come from the volcanic soil.
Seafood Salad — mixed seafood with lemon and olive oil dressing
Pallagrello Bianco “Caiati” 2015 Michele Alois 100% Pallagrello Bianco from a 2.13-hectare vineyard at 280 meters, soil is volcanic with minerals. The training system is guyot, there are 4,800 plants per hectare and the harvest is in the middle of September. Fermentation takes place on the lees for 30 days. Malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel controlled temperature vats. The wine remains in the bottle for 4 months before release. It has hints of almonds, citrus fruit, melon and grapefruit with a long finish and pleasing aftertaste.
Capolemole IGT Lazio Bianco made from 80% Bellone and 20% Greco. Marco Carpineti There are 4,500 vines per hectare and the harvest takes place in September. There is a soft pressing of whole grapes and fermentation is at a controlled temperature. The wine is aged in steel. This is a fruity wine with hints of lemon and other citrus.
Pasta with Artichokes and Pecorino Romano
Garganega Soave DOC made from 100% Garganega Sandro De Bruno The production zone is Soave, Roncà-Calvarina. The vineyard is 15 acres at 262 to 452 ft., the exposure is south and the soil is volcanic. There is a manual harvest in small crates during the 3rd week of September followed by a soft press in a nitrogen saturation with a low temperature of 10°C. Before the fermentation, the must is decanted getting rid of the first gross lees. Noble lees are preserved and worked with continuous batonnages for 3 months. Maturation is in stainless steel tanks. The wine has aromas and flavors of citrus fruit, with a hint of white flowers, nice minerality and a touch of peach.
Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Green Beans and Basil
Le Morette – Azienda Agricola Valerio Zenato Lugana DOC “Mandolara” made from 100% Turbiana grapes from the La Mandolara vineyard on a narrow strip of land on the shore of Lake Garda. The training system is guyot, double and short modified and there are 3,500 plants per hectare. The soil is clayish. Harvest is by hand in the second half of September. After a very soft crushing, vinification takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and the wine remains in the bottle for at least one month before release. This is a fresh fruity wine with hints of apple, peach pear and a touch of bitter almonds in the finish. The name of the wine comes from a particular protected species of wild ducks which nest in Lake Frassino. The ducks are the symbol of the farm. I visited the winery a few years ago and was very impressed with all of the wines.
Lugana Superiore DOP Madonna Della Scoperta made from 100% Turbiana from the hills of Lonato dei Garda at 150 to 250 meters. The soil is calcareous clay of morainic origin and the vines are 20 years old. The vineyards are at 150 to 250 meters and the training system is guyot. Harvest is by hand in September. There is a thermal conditioning of the grapes at 10C and then a careful selection of the grapes followed by a soft pressing of whole grapes. Fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at 15C for 8 to 10 days. Aging is in stainless steel tanks and in barrels. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, green apples, and peach, with a hint of white flowers and a touch of almond in the finish.
