Tasty, Inexpensive Puglian Wines from Cantine San Marzano

When I was first legally able to purchase wine, a lot of my early buys hailed from Puglia. These wines were inexpensive, reliably delicious, and they paired with the kinds of food I was cooking at the time (bastardized New Jersey/Italian dishes, mainly).

Puglia is still home to inexpensive, tasty (mainly red) wines, including a lineup from from Cantine San Marzano. These wines are cost about $17 bucks, and a few of them are seriously good for that price. These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

2016 Feudi di San Marzano Rosé di Primitivo Tramari - Italy, Puglia, Salento IGT
SRP: $17
Pale copper color. Nose is zesty and bright with white cherry, red apple, nettle, perfume, a mixed garden of green herbs thrown in. Plush presence but fresh acidity. Juicy melon, cherry and red apple mixed with dusty, earthy tones and some peppery spice, which keep it interesting, but it’s also simply delicious. (87 points)

2013 Cantine San Marzano Primitivo di Manduria Talò - Italy, Puglia, Primitivo di Manduria
SRP: $17
Deep ruby. Aromas of spicy red currants, raspberries, rhubarb, pepper, leather, roasted herbs. Juicy but tangy on the palate with medium tannins and medium acidity. Juicy but tangy red currants and tart plums, mixed with baked figs and sweet jammy notes. Notes of coffee grounds, violets, roasted herbs, tobacco pipe, pine resin — cool stuff! Rich and chewy, hint of sweetness, yet stays bright and lively, showing significant complexity and depth. (89 points)

2013 Cantine San Marzano Salice Salentino Talò - Italy, Puglia, Salice Salentino
SRP: $17
Medium purple color. Aromas of roasted figs, dark plums, black cherry jam, a cool mix of coffee, spicy black pepper, and sweet lavender. Good tannic backbone, medium/low acidity, dense with black fruit (currants, blackberries). Laced with graphite, dark chocolate, sweet coffee, cola, incense sticks. A pleasantly earthy quality lingers on the finish. Still quite young and capable of improvement, this is very pretty despite its density. (89 points)

2014 Cantine San Marzano Malvasia Nera Talò Salento IGT - Italy, Puglia, Salento IGT
SRP: $17
Medium ruby color. Aromas of spicy raspberries, juicy black cherries, green herbs, black pepper, some vanilla, too. Fleshy texture, dusty-light tannins, medium-low acidity. Cranberry jam and baked plums and figs mix with rich, hedonistic flavors of sweet cola, vanilla, anise cookie. Ripe, chewy, a bit baked, makes it hard to discern the regional and varietal nuances underneath, but it’s still a fun and tasty wine for near-term consumption. 85% Nergroamaro, 15% Malasia Nera. (86 points)

2014 Cantine San Marzano Negroamaro Talò Salento IGT - Italy, Puglia, Salento IGT
SRP: $17
Medium purple color. Aromas of black cherry ice cream, juicy blueberries, rich and jamy with some anise, tobacco pipe and asphalt notes. Some structured tannins but rounded edges, medium acidity helps balance it out against the loads of black cherries, blackberry and blueberry jam. I love the combination of dark soil, smashed rocks and gravel, and the way it mixes it with coffee, dark chocolate shavings, sweet black pepper glaze. Could open up with a few years but this is good to go, and straight-up delicious. (89 points)

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

Good, Cheap Italian Wine is an Awesome Thing

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

$12 Italian wines — it’s a minefield I rarely enter on my own choosing. See, as a 21-year-old, I spent way too much of my hard-earned dough searching for good Chianti and Pinot Grigio for $10 to $15.

I was living in Brooklyn and, having grown up on the Jersey Shore, random bottles of cheap Italian wine was the natural place to go. Now that I was pulling down decent cash at Kinko’s, and saving money by sleeping in an illegally-rented basement in Brighton Beach, I had some extra money for the first time in my life. So I spent a lot of it on cheap Italian wine. Surely those classy-looking bottles at the corner store would be delicious and pair well with my homemade eggplant parm — right?

Bueller?

 

For a while, I wondered if something was wrong with me. Why were these wines so lifeless?

Look, there are plenty of decent, inexpensive Italian wines. But the bottles you see on every shelf and grocery store (with the kitschy labels and castles and Renaissance sketches) these wines can be so boring you’ll wish you bought grain alcohol and grape juice.

But, like in most every wine-producing country, someone, somewhere is producing wine on the cheap worth getting excited about. These usually hail from the lesser-heralded regions, from grapes you may not be familiar with, and — damnit — Safeway may not carry them.

But if you find the good ones, it’s worth the effort. Trust me.

I was recently impressed with the overall quality of this Vento Di Mare brand of wines from Sicily. For $12 a pop, I’d gladly buy up any of these wines to open at big family gatherings.

Actually, I tested these wines out on my family. I tasted through the Vento Di Mare lineup before my Ma was passing through town on her way to a sister’s weekend in PA. After tasting and writing about these wines, I sent the bottles with her so she and my four aunts could enjoy them. They drank these wines with charcuterie, cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, baked ziti, ravioli — you get the idea. The next week, I got a postcard, signed from all of my aunties. “We loved those wines! They made the food and fellowship so much better!”

See? This is what I was looking for when I was scouring shelves for cheap-o-vino. Wines that cost little money, but were delicious with food and enjoyed by everyone at the table. 

If you’re looking for something like that, you may want to seek out Vento Di Mare.

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

2014 Vento Di Mare Grillo Organic Terre Siciliane IGT - Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane IGT

SRP: $12

Smells of lemon, green apple, green melon and slight grassy note. Medium bodied, moderate acid, a freshness to the wine with a bit of creaminess to go along. Sliced green apples mix with a bit of pineapple. Hints of green grass and cut floral stems as well. (85 points)

2014 Vento Di Mare Grillo Terre Siciliane IGT - Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane IGT

SRP: $12

Lime, sliced apple, a bit richer melon notes with a hint of chalk. Fresh and vibrant with a salty aspect to the lime, green apple and pineapple notes. Slight spice and grass note on a fresh finish. A bright and clean, easy-sipping wine that’s good for the price. (85 points)

2014 Vento Di Mare Pinot Grigio Terre Siciliane IGT - Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane IGT

SRP: $12

Bright, floral and peach aromatics, some honeysuckle as well. Smooth, slightly creamy but some bright acid. Tart green apples mix with creamy peaches, and the wine shows some floral spice and honeyed tea. Not super complex, but quite balanced and impressive for the price. (85 points)

2014 Vento Di Mare Pinot Grigio Organic Terre Siciliane IGT - Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane IGT

SRP: $12

Slightly brighter aromatics than the regular bottling, still peachy and full of honeysuckle, but some lime and chalky elements as well. Clean and crisp with lively acid. Limes, green apples and white peaches topped with honeysuckle, lemon zinger tea and a hint of chalk. Interesting comparison to the regular bottling, this one shows a bit more zip. What a value for $12, more interesting than the vast majority of Veneto Pinog Grigios at this price point. (87 points)

2013 Vento Di Mare Nerello Mascalese Terre Siciliane IGT - Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane IGT

SRP: $12

Medium ruby colored. Smells of red plums and raspberries with a hefty dose of pepper, leather and bloody steak. Juicy texture on the palate, light tannic structure, moderate acid. A good introduction to this variety, with simple flavors of strawberry, raspberry and red plum, backed up by notes of smoke, roasted chestnut and black pepper. Drink now. (85 points)

2013 Vento Di Mare Terre Siciliane IGT - Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane IGT

SRP: $12

Deep ruby colored. Juicy red cherries raspberries, along with a fun mix of tobacco, black pepper and roses. Fleshy red fruits, medium-dusty tannins, bright acid. Juicy raspberries and strawberries mixed in with black pepper, roasted chestnut and coffee. It’s a bright and approachable wine but showing some good structure. (86 points)

2014 Vento Di Mare Nero d'Avola Organic Terre Siciliane IGT - Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane IGT

SRP: $12

Deep ruby colored. Smells of tart red currants and bright raspberries, along with spiced coffee and rose hips. Medium-bodied with some moderate tannic structure and medium acid. Juicy blackberry and tart raspberry fruit, which is tossed together with some pepper, tobacco and roasted coffee. An interesting floral and earthy note lingering on the finish. Great pizza wine for the price, that’s for sure. (87 points)

Hearty Italian Reds for Winter

Amarone on a cold night - good call.

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

I don’t spend nearly enough time with Italian wine, and every time I sit down to an Italian tasting, I think the same thing: Why don’t I buy and collect more Italian bottles? Sicily, Veneto, of course Tuscany, there are so many exciting wines and only one lifetime.

But now that it’s cold outside and dark by afternoon, and I find myself at home cooking a lot of hearty fall fare, vino rosso is a no-brainer.

This grab bag report focuses on a few interesting reds from Sicily, Tuscany and Veneto. All these wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

2009 Donnafugata Contessa Entellina “Tancredi” - Italy, Sicily, Contessa Entellina

SRP: $45

Bold purple color. Big-time aromatic display: dark cherries, blueberries and blackberries, laced with smoke and cocoa powder and anise. Sturdy tannins and medium- acid, but the complexity is impressive. Bluberries and black cherries covered in pepper, cocoa powder, loamy soil and roasted chestnuts. Finishes with anise and a flavor that reminds me of an herbal liqueur. Very young, this needs a few years before it settles down. A blend of Cabernet, Nero d’Avola and Tannat. (90 points)

2008 Donnafugata Contessa Entellina “Mille e una notte” - Italy, Sicily, Contessa Entellina

SRP: $89

Beautiful purple-ruby color. Black cherries, plums and blackberries on the nose, dusted with loamy soil, charcoal, grilled steak and cedar notes. Medium+ bodied with sturdy tannins, medium acid. The currant and blackberry fruit is concentrated buy not jammy, and it’s laced with lots of earth, charcoal, graphite, some balsamic glaze, chewing tobacco and sawdust notes. Cedar and mocha accents linger on the finish. Quite dry and tannic, but it smooths out a bit with some air. Aged in French oak for 14 months, then two years in bottle, this is a beautiful wine but it needs time, probably two years and will hold for many more. 13% alcohol, made from Nero d’Avola. (91 points)

2011 Avignonesi Rosso di Montepulciano - Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano

SRP: $20

A kind of ruby-auburn color. Fresh and juicy on the nose (cranberry, raspberry, wild cherry) along with some tobacco, rose hips and pine resin complexities. Tangy acid and fine tannins provide a silky setting for the red cherry and raspberry fruit. I like the rhubarb, white pepper and rose hip notes, which add a pleasant amount of spiciness. Fresh, approachable, but enough structure. (87 points)

2011 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano - Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

SRP: $30

Bright ruby colored. Lovely bright red berry fruit on the nose, laced with lavender, some sweet pipe tobacco and cedar. Fresh and vibrant on the palate, with medium tannins and acid. The strawberry and cherry fruit is tangy but round at the same time. I like the secondary flavors of roses, tobacco, cedar and charcoal. The oak adds some spice and coffee elements, but I don’t find them bothersome at all. Well-integrated, tasty stuff. (88 points)

2011 Ruffino Modus Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

SRP: $26

A ruby-violet color. Spicy berries on the nose, with notes of cedar, violets and wet leaves. Fresh and juicy on the palate with chewy tannins. Fleshy black cherries mix with notes of cedar, wet leaves, tobacco and sweet spice. Crowd-pleasing stuff, a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet and 25% Merlot. (87 points)

2011 Brancaia Tre Toscana IGT ­- Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

SRP: $24

Nose of red currants, plum skin, tobacco and cedar, some violets. Loving the nose. Smooth and silky on the palate with velvety tannins and medium+ acid. Juicy red and black currants and cherries blend with notes of rosemary, tobacco and cedar. A forward and ripe wine, but it’s also very food friendly. 80% Sanviovese with Merlot and Cabernet mixed in. (87 points)

2011 Perticaia Montefalco Rosso - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Rosso

SRP: $19

Clear light ruby color. On the nose I get blackberries and raspberries, some charcoal, green herbs and some bright red floral tones. Bright acid on the palate, some moderate and dusty tannins, a fresh and food-friendly approach. Bright raspberries and tart blueberries mix with rose petals, incense sticks, tobacco and radish elements. A tangy blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Colorino, this shows quite a bit of complexity and could probably improve over the next three years or so. (87 points)

2009 Rocca Sveva Ripasso della Valpolicella Superiore - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Ripasso della Valpolicella Superiore

SRP: $22

Bright ruby color. Nose of cherries, plum sauce, violets, coffee, tobacco and anise. On the palate, good structure, fleshy but firm, with juicy red and black fruit. Accents of kirsch, coffee grounds, candied raspberry, earth and mocha. Some baking spice and vanilla on the finish. 75% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Molinara. Drinking well now but could improve. (87 points)

2008 Rocca Sveva Amarone della Valpolicella - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella

SRP: $60

Rich purple color. Dark and plummy on the nose, smells to me like some sort of mix of kirsch, yogurt-covered raisins, fig cookies and vanilla. Full bodied, fresh acid and fine tannins combines in a chewy texture. Elements of vanilla and root beer accent the black cherry and saucy plum fruit. Notes of anise, sweet cola, cherry pits and roasted chestnut. Velvety, rich, yet fresh with a long finish. Very pretty stuff that would be worth cellaring for a few years. 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 5% Molinara. (90 points)

2010 Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Costasera - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

SRP: $63

Deep ruby color. High concentration on the nose, black cherry jam, blackberry pie, red currants, very earthy, dried flowers, incense, some anise cookies. On the palate, full-bodied with solid structure to the tannins but some freshness as well. Blackberries, red and black currants, add in some charcoal and graphite, balsamic glaze, roasted figs. Lots of complexity this wine takes a bold and high-octane approach, but so deep and full of life as well. One to bury for 15 years or so, if we’ll all still be around then. Aged 24 months in 40% new Slavonian oak. (91 points)

A Dessert Syrah from Italy's Heel

For me, wine is all about exploration. I love exploring different regions, different grapes and different styles of winemaking. So when I came across a dessert-style syrah from the southern Italian state of Puglia, I had to try it.

I picked up this 2008 Alberto Longo Il Griccio (Italy, Puglia) for $10 at auction, and the pleasure it brings is worth far more than that. (The wine retails for around $25 for a 500ml bottle, which is still a good deal.)
 

Made from 100% syrah, the grapes are harvested and laid out to dry so the sugars concentrate, similar to the process of making the northern Italian wine Amarone. The dried berries are then pressed and the concentrated juice and skins are allowed to ferment in stainless steel. The resulting wine is 16% alcohol and this wine contains 6 grams of residual sugar. Then the juice is then aged in French oak barrels, which give the wine a toasty-chocolatey character.

And what a unique wine it is. Aromatically, this stuff is awesome: sweet blackberries, raspberry tart, fig paste and a mineral-rocky aroma. Notes of olive and raisins came out with time. On the palate, there’s a lot of sweet fruit, but it’s still tart, reminiscent of wild blueberries, blackberries and currants. The tannins are firm and the acid is surprisingly fresh, making this balanced and effortlessly enjoyable. Lots of secondary earthy, herbal and tar flavors come out, but they’re also mixed with raisins, caramel and fig paste. A bit of smoke lingers onto the finish, which is long and balanced. One of the most unique dessert wines I’ve had in a very long time. Absolutely delicious. I rated it 91 points non-blind.

I only bought one bottle, but this wine is definitely worth revisiting over the next few years, preferably on a cold winter night by the fireplace surrounded by a plate of desserts and/or strong cheeses.

Cheers!

Aglianico — Southern Italy's Big Red

This is the first in a series of posts on red wines from Southern Italy. Ever since I got into wine I've been buying and drinking red wines from Puglia (the heel of the boot), Basilicata (the curve at the bottom of the foot), Calabria (the toe), and Campania (the shinbone). With a seemingly endless variety of unique local grapes — negroamaro, nero d'avola, primitivo, just to name a few — Southern Italy can produce a tremendous range of wines.

Sure there are some white wines produced from these regions, the best coming from Campania, but when I think Southern Italian wine, I think red. And today I'm thinking specifically about a red wine made from the aglianico grape. The wine in question is the 2006 Mustilli Aglianico Cesco di Nece, a 100 percent aglianico from the Campanian appellation of Sant'Agata dei Goti.

I appreciate aglianico for its dense tannins and rustic, savory Italian flavors. This wine in particular comes from a mix of clay and limestone soil. The wine is aged 18 months in French oak and another year in the bottle before it is released, which helps tame those intense tannins that are so evident in young aglianicos.

This wine is dark purple color and thick as it streaks down the sides of the glass. Right out of the bottle, the nose explodes with cocoa powder. It's seriously like smelling Nestle Quick mix. There's also some red plum, sour cherry and nutmeg. Over time, I picked up some rose petal and orange rind as well.

On the palate, this wine is as tough as Sicilian mobsters. It’s feels like coffee grinds mixed with ink. The tannins grip my palate and refuse to let go. The wine smoothed out a bit over the course of a few hours, but the tannins were always there in force. Cocoa powder and coffee are the lead flavors, backed up by some red plum and black licorice. The 18 months this wine spent in French oak is noticeable, but not overwhelming. In my opinion, the oak actually helps tame the dense tannins a bit, adding some creaminess to the wine. Overall, the acid in this wine is lower than I usually like. Cocoa powder and green bell pepper linger on the finish.

This is a solid wine, and I mean solid. I scored it 90 points. It tastes great, but it is so young that a couple years in the cellar would seriously pay off. Unless, of course, you’re cooking a lamb shank with chocolate sauce tonight, in which case, pop this wine and prepare for quite a hedonistic evening. Just like many Southern Italian reds, this won't break the bank either. I picked this up for $16 from Wine Library last year. It appears to be sold out, which is a bummer because I'd love to age this wine for five years or more. But keep your eyes peeled for future vintages from this producer. It's a great example of a unique Italian grape.