This is a striking wine. It’s incredibly concentrated and intense, but also has a bit of class. It’s modern, but still has some soul. Currently, it still tastes very youthful,…
Planeta’s first Mount Etna wine: the Carricante
Almost two years ago I visited Sicilian producer Planeta. One thing they talked about was their new project on Mount Etna, which has some really interesting terroirs. At this stage,…
Schioppettino!
I’m strongly drawn to lesser-known grape varieties like Schioppettino, both for the wines they produce, and also for the fact that they tend to be restricted to certain localities. This…
Gatti Lorenzo Raboso – something a little different
One thing I love about the world of wine is its diversity. Here’s an Italian wine that stretches the boundaries of that diversity, and I love it. Gatti Lorenzo Raboso…
Superb Pinot Noir from northern Italy: Gottardi
This is nice. It’s a Pinot Noir from Gottardi, a grower in the northern Italian region of Alto Adige, which is often referred to by its Austrian name of the…
A pair from Nicodemi, in Italy’s Abruzzo
Two nice wines here from Abruzzo producer Nicodemi. Affordable and delicious, with plenty of personality. Nicodemi Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2009 Italy 12.5% alcohol. Really lovely aromatic nose with citrus, grapefruit and…
Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria: an elegant Sicilian red
Back in February 2009 I visited Sicilian producer Planeta (report here). It was a great visit, and I particularly enjoyed the Cerusuolo from Vittoria, a blend of Nero d’Avola with…
A wonderful evening at Terroirs
Spent the evening with Doug Wregg at Terroirs. It’s hard to imagine a better evening of food and wine: authentic, expressive and in good measure. It proved hard to draw…
In Piedmont
So I arrived in Italy courtesy of the world’s worst airline last night at 10 pm. I was staying at a nearby hotel, but it’s proximity really upset the taxi…