Our new publication that starts just after Easter is all about Italian wine.
A country synonymous with great food, a multitude of grape varieties and lots of hand waving (it is the Italian way).
There are tastings in store every Friday and Saturday through April and May. A great way to learn more and taste the wines on promotions. Here is a quick overview to get you all set to explore Italian wine.
Firstly, Classifications – in a similar style to the French, the Italian classifications can be broken into:
· Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) – similar to the AOC, wines from the specific area with criteria around the production.
· Denominazione di Origine Controllata et Garantita (DOCG – DOC with a G, a quality indicator) – the next level up.
· Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) – similar to Vin de Pays in France, a quality level that is often used for top end wines that for some reason don’t meet the DOC or DOCG criteria.
· Vino d'Italia, what sits below IGT and those that break the rules fit here too. Let me clarify that a little. There are many high flying super premium wines that are made outside the rules. So, they will be labelled Vino d’Italia.
Northern Italy
There are four regions in the north including the region of Piedmont. Home to the Nebbiolo grape variety which is what is used to make Barolo and Barbaresco. Nebbiolo is a great grape for those who love pinot noir – from a growing point of view it has similar characters, the final wine also shares similarities. Top producers in the region include, Gaja, Fontanafredda, Marchesi di Gresy, Gianni Gagliaro, Tenutto Cuco and Damilano.
Northeast Italy
The main region here is Vento, home to Soave, Valpolicella and Amarone. Soave is a light fragrant white wine best drunk young and cold. Valpolicella is fruity red wine, best with pizza and pasta. Amarone is made from air-dried grapes, a concentrated wine that rewards ageing. If Amarone is a little rich for your wallet, Passiemento is made in a similar way, with a smaller percentage of air-dried grapes retaining a bit more of the primary fruit characters and Ripasso which is made by passing the red wine over the dried grape skins used to make Amarone. Look out for Santa Margherita and Pasqua – who make the three delicious wines, Ripasso, Passiemento and Amarone.
Central Italy
Home to the region of Tuscany, wines produced here include Chianti from the Sangiovese grape variety. There are varying levels of quality – Chianti, Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Superiore. All a step up from each other. Look out for Cecchi and Villa Cerna and at the top end the wines from Biondi Santi. A producer that is interlinked with the history of the region and whose wines simply make time stand still.
Southern Italy
There’s significant volume produced in the south of Italy. An area not to be overlooked, it is not all about volume, there’s incredible quality in the south. Look out for quality value for money producers like Rivera and Illuminati. (LIZ WHEADON)
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Published: March 2024