Wine Reviews: Italian Grab Bag

The Sudtirol appellation of Alto Adige is home to some seriously good Pinot Grigio.

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

A lot of wine-lovers are skeptical about Pinot Grigio, and rightly so. All of us have been thoroughly bored by insipid Pinot Grigios from various Northern Italian regions. But, like every large production category of wines, there are producers taking it seriously. For around $20, producers in Alto Adige are crafting some really bright and compelling wines —three such wines from the 2014 vintage appear in this report.

Add in an exciting Soave Classico for $20, the ever-reliable Veronese red blend Palazzo Della Torre, and a few others, and you have yourself a good spread of Italian bottles.

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.


2014 St. Pauls Pinot Grigio - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol
SRP: $24
Pale straw color. A bit more tropical aromatics here (papaya, guava) on top of limes, fresh flowers and salty air. Waxy feel on the palate but precise acid. Orange peel and papaya flavors, drizzled with lime, topped with honey and peanut shells. An underlying sense of chalk, jetty rocks and mineral. (87 points)

2014 Cantina Produttori Bolzano Pinot Grigio - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol
SRP: $17
Deeper straw color. Aromas of lime pith, green apple peel, cut flower stems, hints of cucumber water. Bold presence on the palate with a creamy texture but the acid screams across the palate, this is a very lip-smacking white but by no means lean. Crunchy green fruit, also very chalky and smoky with white tea, chamomile and cucumber. Long, zesty finish with lingering sea salt and lemon meringue. Amazing stuff for the price. (89 points)

2014 Muri-Gries Pinot Grigio - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol
SRP: $19
Pale straw color. Smells of clean laundry, bright limes, kiwi, green apple, breezy air and white flowers. Crisp and clean on the palate but a nice silky mouthfeel. Bright and zesty with nuanced kiwi, tangerine and lime fruits. Notes of quinine, white tea, saline and a smoky-mineral touch. Bright and zesty but enough texture and structure to make it pop on the palate. Medium-long finish. Exciting, versatile stuff. (88 points)

2014 Pieropan Soave Classico - Italy, Veneto, Soave Classico
SRP: $20
Medium yellow color. Refreshing and floral on the nose, I get cut flower stems, honeysuckle, crusty sea salt, lemon peel, green pears. Bright acid on the palate, a very clean and precise wine with a moderate amount of creaminess. Green pears and lemon/lime fruit abound. So delightfully gluggable but I’m impressed with the complexity. Lots of minerals, chalk, floral and spice potpourri, almond skin. Lovely stuff that is sure to please all kinds of palates (and wallets). 85% Garganega and 15% Trebbiano, 12% alcohol. (88 points)

2012 Inconceivable Wines Terre Siciliane IGT - Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane IGT
SRP: $25
Juicy ruby color. Smell of rich red berries and plums along with roasted earth, baking spices and tobacco. Medium-full bodied with some refreshing tartness and legit structure from the tannins, which all combines for a chewy but tangy feel. Tart black cherries and red currants mix with elements of green coffee, raspberry tea, sweet cocoa and some dusty, earthy accents. Impressive structure but also straight-up fun and tasted. A bit modern with its oak and velvety feel but plenty of savory Sicilian elements, too. 50% Nero d'Avola, 30% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Frappato, aged 18 months in half French, half American oak. (88 points)

2011 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT - Italy, Veneto, Veronese IGT
SRP: $23
Bright ruby color. Aromatic right away with juicy black and red currants and plums, the fruit is tart but juicy and I get an interesting mix of eucalyptus, smoke, cocoa powder and balsamic aromas as well, and it all works together very well. Juicy red and black fruit on the palate, this takes a smooth approach with a dusty-fine tannic structure and medium-plus acid. Lots of spice elements to unpack (pepper, rhubarb, balsamic) with some sweeter notes of caramel and coffee. Always reliable, tasty and good for the money. 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Sangiovese. Great value, as is usually the case with this wine. (88 points)

2010 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
SRP: $85
A compact wine out of the bottle, but air and time coax out all sorts of deep, roasted, dark essences — blackberry-currant jam, dark chocolate shavings, dried violets, cocoa powder. On the palate, this is a full and surly wine with tight-fisted concentration and strong dark fruit (roasted plums, tart black currants, dense blackberry). Sturdy tannins, medium-low acid, a bold and demanding presence on the palate. Despite the richness it maintains a velvety quality that is really attractive. I get dark chocolate and roasted nut notes along with some violets, smoke and tilled up soil. A long, warm finish, rich but so smooth. It’s very impressive at this young age, but the realization of its full quality is a decade away. 90% Corvina, 5% Rondinella and 5% Oseleta, 15.9% alcohol. (90 points)

<85 points
2014 Criterion Collection Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Grave
SRP: $11
Pale yellow color. Nose of juicy white peaches, kiwi and pineapple, some baby’s breath. Medium-light bodied with a pleasantly creamy texture, medium-low acid. Yellow apple, sliced peaches, some mango, but not much else. Simple, pleasant, uncomplicated. (83 points)

2011 Criterion Collection Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
SRP: $14
Medium ruby color. Tart currants, cranberry sauce, rose hips and toast on the nose. Tart acid, light tannins, a bit crunchy and overly tart but shows a nice range of red fruits (red currants, Thanksgiving cranberry sauce) backed up with notes of tobacco, toasted nut and soil. Perfectly pleasant and shows well for the price, a simple wine to drink in the near term. (83 points)

Cost vs. Quality: Four Veneto Reds

With wine, you generally get what you pay for. But I emphasize the qualifying word generally. I love highlighting those lovely, complex wines that cost $15 or $20. And I'm too often left wanting more from bottles in the $50-$70 range.

I was thinking about this complex cost-to-quality relationship when tasting through a few Italian reds from the Veneto region. Yes, I found the cheapest ($17) to be the least interesting, albeit still of decent quality. And, yes, I found the most expensive wine (an $85 bottle of Amarone Classico) to be the best. But the quality (as I see it) didn't necessarily increase along the same trajectory as the increase in cost. This same dynamic is reflected in almost every wine region. Is Dom Perignon three times as good as a non-vintage brut at one-third the cost? Probably not. Is Screaming Eagle twenty times better than Mondavi Reserve? I've never tasted Screaming Eagle, and most likely never will, but you see where I'm going with this.

For my palate, the Allegrini Palazzo della Torre (from the Veronese IGT appellation) is a solid value, year-in, year-out. You get the flavor profile of an Amarone, but it's lighter, more refreshing, and far cheaper. It delivers almost the same amount of palate pleasure as the $85 Amarone, for about a quarter of the price.

Don't get me wrong: The velvety sweetness of an Amarone cannot be matched, and I can't deny the difference in mouthfeel and complexity from the $85 Amarone. But is it $85 good? Umm...

Amarones have been hot stuff for centuries, and they still adorn the cellars of many collectors because of their richness, downright deliciousness and aging potential. If you haven't tried one, you should. Part of the reason they're so expensive is their production method. When making Amarone, the grapes are allowed to partially dry out over the course of several months through a process called appassimento. This process concentrates the juice and gives the resulting wines a unique density and intensity. But it's not cheap and, in the end, there's less juice left over to sell.

High quality + cost of production + solid demand = a justifiably expensive wine. But when I can get a good bottle of Veronese red for $23? Well, I'll leave the Amarone for special occasions.   

2010 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
SRP: $85
A kind of plum-maroon color. Deep nose of candied berries, milk chocolate, vanilla extract, lots of sweet floral tea and berry jam aromas, needs time to fully unpack these aromas. Full bodied and very creamy, the tannins show serious structure, the acid is low, the wine is chewy and creamy. Blackberry, plums, dark currants, laced with campfire, caramel, Brazil nuts and sweet cocoa powder notes. Full and bold but showing some complexity, probably needing 5+ years to unravel. (89 points)

2011 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT - Italy, Veneto, Veronese IGT
SRP: $23
Vibrant ruby colored. Plummy and rich on the nose, dark berries with jammy elements, some smoke and cocoa powder notes. On the palate the wine is velvety with fine tannins and medium+ acid. Tart red and black berry fruit, refreshing spice and rocky elements, some rhubarb, sweet violets and some cocoa powder. Some raisin and caramel notes linger on the finish. Very approachable. (88 points)

2012 Zenato Rosso Veronese Alanera Veneto IGT - Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT
SRP: $20
Deep purple color. Lovely nose of violets, roasted coffee and earth on top of sweet currant and plum fruit, some nutty elements as well. A bright sense of acid helps balance the rich fruit, blackberries, currants and plums. Notes of earth, grilled herbs, toasted oak and coffee. Structured but still fresh and quite approachable. 55% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 10% Corvinone, 5% Merlot, 5% Cab. (87 points)

2013 Allegrini Valpolicella - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella
RP: $17
Light ruby colored. Tart berries on the nose, some roses and wet soil notes, some rhubarb. Juicy red and black currant fruit on the palate, tart and crunchy, with fine tannins and tangy acid. Strawberries, red apple and red currant fruit mixes with some raisin and rhubarb. Dusty, rhubarb, charcoal and some coffee bean notes as well. A bit harsh and bitter at first, but it smoothed out a bit with time. (84 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)