Italian Wine Region
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Northern Italy
The northwest of Italy is divided into
four regions, Valle d-Aosta, Lombardy, Liguria and Piedmont.
This latter may be regarded by some as the most significant
Italian wine region
for it is the origin of perhaps the
greatest Italian red wine, Barolo. This is a frequently
age-worthy wine made from the Nebbiolo grape, which may be
searingly tannic in its youth. Many of the wines produced
deserve ten or fifteen years of cellaring. Many producers
now bottle single vineyard cuvées as well as basic styles.
Top Wines Of The
Region:
The cream of the crop include:
- Aldo Conterno
- Giacomo Conterno
- Enzo Boglietti
- Pio Cesare
- Mascarello
- Luciano Sandrone
- Angelo Gaja
Other good producers include:
- Fontanafredda,
- Michele Chiarlo
- Prunotto
- Poderi Colla (one-time owner of
Prunotto)
- Luigi Einaudi
- Marcarini
- Massolino (Vigna Rionda)
Nearby is Barbaresco, another red wine
made from Nebbiolo, which is more approachable in youth and
may also be more affordable - although top examples still
command a high price.
Barolo and Barbaresco may be designated as
Riserva if aged in barrels for four years or three years
respectively. Both Barolo and Barbaresco are DOCG wines.
Top wines:
- Marchesi di Gresy
- Angelo Gaja.
There are other important wines made in
Piedmont apart from Barolo and Barbaresco, many of which are
unconventional blends, or use international varieties.
In particular Gaja, responsible in part at
least for revolutionizing wine making (and wine prices) in
Piedmont makes Sito Moresco (Nebbiolo, Barbera and Merlot)
under the Langhe DOC as well as a number of fine Barolo and
Barbesco cuvées. La Spinetta makes Pin (Nebbiolo, Barbera
and Cabernet) under the catch-all (designed to bring these
producers into the fold) DOC Monferrato Rosso.
Top wines:
- La Spinetta (Pin)
- Gaja (Sito Moresco
- Darmagi
After Nebbiolo, Piedmont's second grape is
Barbera (used in the blends mentioned above). Great value
wines can also be sourced from a number of top producers who
bottle under the Barbera d'Alba and Barbera d'Asti DOCs.
The third most important grape is Dolcetto
- the occasional Dolcetto d'Alba can be wonderful, although
most are light, wines.
Top wines:
- Aldo Conterno
- Enzo Boglietti
both produce lovely Barbera and Dolcetto.
In the northeast there are three
Italian wine regions but
like the northwest only one of them is of great importance.
This is Veneto, the other two being Trentino-Alto Adife and
Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, often abbreviated to Friuli. The
latter two produce some pleasant varietal wines, and there
are a few stars - such as Silvio Jermann in Friuli. In
Veneto, however, there are a few DOC areas worth a little
more attention.
Nearby is Valpolicella, a red wine DOC. Straight
Valpolicella may be a pleasant easy drinking red, whereas
Valpolicella Classico (from the central region) and
Superiore (which denotes a higher alcohol content) may be a
little more substantial.
Recioto della Valpolicella is a red
wine made here, but clearly way out in front is Amarone
della Valpolicella.
Both of these wines are made from
air-dried grapes, predominantly the Corvina variety, and
fermented out to dryness for the Amarone, whilst the Recioto
is kept sweet.
They are concentrated, complex, and
frequently beguiling.
Basic Valpolicella, once made, may be
passed over the lees of a Recioto or Amarone wine giving a
slight re-fermentation, producing what can be a beguiling red
wine known as a Ripasso di Valpolicella.
This DOC is in the
running for top
Italian red wine
bargain, as a good producer
will often fashion a mini-Amarone at a fraction of the price
of the real thing.
Top wines (DOC):
- Allegrini
- Tommaso Bussola
- Romano dal Forno
- Quintarelli
Good value, typicity and
the occasionally great wine may be had from:
- Ca del Pipa
- Speri
- Tedeschi
- Zenato
- Brigaldara
- Campagnola (Caterina
Zardini cuvée)
- Tommasi
- Masi
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