The wines of Roberto Anselmi, Veneto, Italy

Via San Carlo 46, 37032 Monteforte d’Alpone, Verona, Italy
Tel: +39 0457 611488 Fax: +39 0457 611490
E-mail: capitelfoscarino@libero.it
UK agent: Enotria (020 8961 4411)

Roberto Anselmi is widely regarded as one of Italy’s leading white wine producers. Frustrated by the low quality and general lack of ambition in the Soave region, in 2000 he chose to leave the Soave DOC, and his wines are now labelled as IGT Veneto. He takes a quality minded approach, starting in the vineyard with densely planted Guyot-trained vines and corresponding low yields (the typical pergola-trained vines in Soave can produce absolutely heroic yields, and correspondingly dilute wines).

Anselmi took over running his family property in the 1980s, and his wines are very impressive in quite a modern, forward style. The San Vicenzo is a favourite of mine: lovely fruit quality unobscured by oak, and at around £8, very good value. Prices for the Foscarino and Capitel Croce are also pretty sane, at around £12, and the sweet I Capitelli is lovely. 

Anselmi San Vicenzo 2002
Nice soft, herby white which is quite beguiling with its soft texture. There’s a good concentration of fruit here with a straw-like character. Satisfying stuff. Very good+ 89/100

Anselmi Capitel Foscarino 2001
A single-vineyard wine. Pronounced forward nose with a lovely straw-like herbal character. Good concentration on the firm, savoury palate which is dominated by rich herbal fruit. Full flavoured, and no oak apparent. Very good/excellent 91/100

Anselmi Capitel Croce 2000
A barrel-fermented single-vineyard wine. Lovely nose with classy toasty, nutty oak and rich herby fruit. The palate is creamy, savoury and quite firm, with quite a bit of oak evident. Impressive stuff. Very good/excellent 90/100

Anselmi I Capitelli 2001
A very deep coloured passito-style wine (where the grapes are dried on mats to concentrate the sugar). Intense straw and toast nose is quite sweet but has a savoury edge, with hints of lemon and caramel. The palate is lovely, with a rich texture and lots of herby, savoury complexity. Great balance to this sweet wine. Very good/excellent 93/100

see also: Spotlight on the wines of Soave; tasting notes of Italian wines

Back to top