Divino:
tasting
five wines from this new Italian merchant
www.divinowines.co.uk
Tel: 0845 223 5437
Fax : 0845 223 5437
Email: sales@divinowines.co.uk
DiVino is a new Italian wine specialist who launched
this month on the web. I was sent some of their wines a few weeks back
and tried them. If anything, this mini-tasting reminded me just how
diverse Italian wines are, and how frighteningly bad their
representation is in the UK. No other country produces wine in every
region—from furthest north to furthest south—in the way that Italy
does. Yet while English-language guides to world wines tend to have a
separate chapter for each region of France, the whole of Italy is
lucky to get more than one chapter in all.
Jake Woodhouse, the man behind Divino, is a Brit who
trained as a winemaker in New Zealand. He’s put plenty of legwork
in, getting this business going, spending a few years based in Italy.
The result is a hand-picked selection of some very interesting wines
that otherwise aren’t available here, delivered via a highly
functional website.
Ramato
Pinot Grigio 2004 Veneto
Seven days’ maceration on skins gives a pale
salmon/copper coloured wine with an intensely fruity, slightly herby
nose. The palate has a lovely subtly herby cranberry fruit character:
quite deep with a tangy, savoury finish. A moderately serious wine.
Very good+ 88/100 (£7)
Collosorbo
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1998
Aged in large slavonian oak barrels. This has an
old-fashioned but lovely complex, perfumed, rather refined nose with a
sweet menthol-like spicy edge to the red fruits. There are also subtle
green notes and some old cedary wood hints. The palate is spicy and
dry with a tarry, savoury streak, lots of concentration and a dry, but
elegant structure. A rich, savoury style. Very good/excellent 93/100 (£30)
Carminucci
Naumachos Rosso Piceno Superiore 2002
Very deep red/purple colour. Enticing nose of lush,
sweet dark fruits with hints of black cherries. The palate shows super
smooth structure underneath the concentrated, dark, lush fruit. Modern
and rich with some earthy, spicy structure under the fruit. Quite a
serious wine but also accessible. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£10.50)
Alvolo
Alovini Aglianico del Vulture 2000
Lovely rich, dense, slightly tarry savoury nose: very
full and savoury. Concentrated savoury spicy palate with lots of rich
dark fruits. This is a serious, tight, structured spicy wine with a
savoury character. Full and fruity, but lots of structure hiding under
the fruit. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£16)
Catabbo
Tintilia del Molise DOC 2004
Dark coloured. Rich, spicy black fruits (black cherry,
blackberry) dominate the nose which is quite rich and fruit driven
with a chocolatey edge. The palate is showing predominantly dark
fruits. It’s in a modern mould but isn’t oaky. Quite low acidity
with high-ish alcohol. It’s a bit of a conundrum: rich and ripe, yet
quite elegant and complex. Perhaps this is one for the long haul? Very
good/excellent 90/100 (£13.50)
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