SWA 2011: REST OF ITALY - RED

Rest of Italy: Red
The mid-weight wines of the North-East were the stars, but overall Italy succeeded in providing a wide range of good food-friendly reds at decent prices

How, you might wonder, is it apparently so much easier for Italy to produce good, cheapish red wine than white? While there were relatively few well-priced whites, the country knocked out a stack of decent sub-£8 reds with a couple of well-priced Golds and no fewer than 14 wines under £10 getting Silver or Bronze medals. Answers on a postcard, please.

Bearing in mind that Tuscany and Chianti were large categories of their own, most wines came from the South and North-East. While most of the Southern reds were sent
to bed without their supper, the lighter Valpolicellas and Pinots et al from the top right corner made up one of the top flights of the competition according to some judges.

‘There were some good wines here, interesting and individual, showing restraint and fine structure. There was also good value,’ approved Olivier Gasselin.

Indeed there was. The North-East supplied two Golds and dominated the Silver medals, with wines from cheap to pricey. Even the more serious wines would squeeze in under £50 on a list, genuinely over-delivering in the process. ‘I think if you could give a medal for the best overall flight then this would get it,’ said Mikaël Hannequin.

West of Milan found the tasters engaged in a game of ‘spot the winemaking fault’, and with high prices and low average quality, a lot of terse, tannic wines were thrown out before the medal stage. This said, those that were left in did pretty well, with Araldica providing a couple of well-priced Barberas for the Gold List to add to last-year’s Gold.

Central Italy was better. A very solid line-up, with good wines at every price level – from a barely believable £3.95 (Waverley TBS’s Bronze medal-winning Montepulciano) to over £20. The key to the success was not simply well-made wines, but wines that were also distinctive. Those that tasted proudly Italian. In fact, the more international wines were weeded out on the basis of style rather than because there was anything inherently wrong.

However, across the board they were better than those from the South. Three medals (one in each colour) was a disappointing haul for a region that makes (and submitted) a lot of wine. Bizarrely, for a region best known for great, affordable, characterful stuff, our tasters were left complaining about a lack of typicity. Where were all the Primitivos and Nero d’Avolas? Who knows. Maybe at a bunga-bunga party with Silvio Berlusconi.

Our tasters struggled to detect a coherent style at all. Cheap, commercial and soft,
the wines had none of that ballsy Italian attitude. ‘I was expecting great flavours and minerality, but they didn’t have any of the chewiness, tannin or structure I was hoping for,’ complained Nicola Thomson.

They weren’t especially cheap either, few wines made it through under £10. And yet, when it gets it right the South can beguile. Planeta’s Santa Cecilia was a big, chunky beast of a wine, but the tasters loved it. ‘It delivers a lot in its price bracket,’ said Sara Bachiorri.

“The flight of Central Italian reds was one of the best so far, with great flavour at the entry level and great length for food which you don’t often find at this price. ” Ivo Stoyanov, L’Atelier

GOLD LIST

Ritratti Pinot Nero 2008, Gruppo La-Vis, Trentino, Italy
£5.99 @ United Wineries
Cooked red berries and roses on the nose with a dash of herbs and a savoury feel, this sports supple fruit with hints of spices and well-balanced acidity. ‘Dry, very rich, persistent and juicy,’ said Roberto Loppi approvingly. ‘A very exotic style of Italian red. Light and fresh,’ said Mikaël Hannequin.

Araldica Rive Barbera 2007, Piedmont, Italy
£8.84 @ Boutinot
Enthusiastic approval for this complex wine from one and all. ‘Absolutely great value for money,’ said Irina Atanasova. Olivier Marie found it well balanced and harmonious, noticing smoky, dark, rich black fruit and cocoa beans on the nose. ‘Ripe and ultra-concentrated, this is rich and unctuous,’ he said. ‘With pleasant, finely grained tannins.’

Araldica D’Annona Barbera d’Asti 2007, Piedmont, Italy
£10.84 @ Boutinot
Deepest black-purple in colour, this shows plenty of blackberries, leather and dark chocolate with a deft touch of spice. It has good balance and structure, and a pleasant finish. ‘Full, round black fruits nose with fine oak and stunning acidity,’ said Joris Beijn, before adding ‘I love Piedmont!’ ‘Very smooth and polished,’ said Angela Reddin.

Ruberpan Rosso Soave 2007, Veneto, Italy
£13.38 @ Liberty Wines
Ripe, supple and lush on the palate, this begins with a broad, almost port-like nose with hints of spice, leather and orange-coated chocolate. ’The palate has a fresh, pure and juicy style with a great ageing potential,’ said Mikaël Hannequin. ‘Expressive and fruity with a nice spiciness,’ said Jamie Goode.

Planeta Santa Cecilia 2006, Sicily, Italy
£15.40 @ Enotria
Don’t you love it when everything comes together,’ enthused Matthew Cocks, Cubitt House. ‘Here it is: complex, wild berry fruit, old oak and dusty tannins, well integrated with persistence.’ ‘Dense and rich with tight tannins and structure,’ added Team Leader
Caspar Auchterlonie.

SILVER

Terre D’Alteni Pinot Noir 2007, Pavia, Lombardy, Italy
£5.90 @ Matthew Clark
Olivier Marie found plenty of cherries and cranberries, alongside red flowers – pansy, violets, tulips and roses – on this expressive wine. Light bodied, with good acidity and balance. ‘Good value,’ commented Irina Atanasova.

Bottega Vinaia Merlot 2008, Trentino, Italy
£6.59 @ Boutinot
Deep coloured with a big concentration of cassis, spice, cacao and pepper on the nose, this is juicy and spicy with dark chocolate, violets and plenty of tannins. ‘Lots of flavour,’ said an approving Jamie Goode.

Bottega Vinaia Lagrein 2008, Trentino, Italy
£6.59 @ Boutinot
Earthy notes on the cherry, berry and cocoa-bean nose lead to a medium-bodied palate with flavours of ripe and sour cherries, tomatoes, mulberry and red flowers. ‘Strong oak notes complete the picture. ‘There’s a smooth spiciness on the palate,’ said Roberto Loppi.

Cimerio Conero Riserva 2008, Marche, Italy
£7.56 @ Eurowines
A good value, relatively complex proposition with good concentrated bramble fruit, bolstered by some oak spice and smokiness from the tannin. ‘A solid, reliable wine,’ thought Matthew Cocks.

Masi Campofiorin 2007, Veneto, Italy
£8.73 @ Berkmann Wine Cellars
Violets, iris and tulips add to a complex nose of red berries and currants, and a medium-bodied palate with high tannins and acidity. ‘Very ripe fruit on the palate finishes with spicy pepper and oak,’ said Team Leader Sarah Jane Evans MW.

Indio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2007, Abruzzo, Italy
£9.33 @ Hallgarten Druitt
A well-integrated wine, with plush, dark prunes and ripe plums, plus good, sweet oak spice, chocolate mint notes, tight tannins and a good length. ‘Shows both balance and good persistence,’ said Matthew Cocks.

Tasca d’Almerita Lamuri 2008, Sicily, Italy
£9.63 @ Berkmann Wine Cellars
This wine’s meaty, savoury nature won through, with truffles and baked rhubarb showing on the nose. ‘Sour cherries,’ noted Nicola Thomson. ‘The palate is smooth and juicy with baked and dried fruit through to the finish alongside dried herbs,’ said Christine Parkinson, Hakkasan.

Morandina Valpolicella Ripasso 2008, Veneto, Italy
£13.84 @ Boutinot
Lively with sappy freshness and a nice spiciness, Sarah Jane Evans MW found ‘dancing black fruits. This is elegant and very long.’ Roberto Loppi thought it might be too young, ‘but it has good potential’.

Ca’Dei Noni Cabernet Riserva 2006, Montello e Colli Asolani, Veneto, Italy
£15 @ Follador UK
A wine that fascinated and intrigued, with Olivier Marie finding tar, soot, and dark, smoked bacon, while Irina Atanasova identified berry jam, chocolate, Christmas pudding and vanilla flavours alongside notes of leather. ‘Well balanced,’ she concluded.

Sanct Valentin Pinot Nero 2008, Alto Adige, Italy
£19.56 @ Eurowines
Sweetly aromatic on the nose, this wine shows fine, savoury, spicy fruit with hints of leather and smokiness. ‘Rich and luscious,’ said Olivier Gasselin. ‘Lovely complexity,’ added Jamie Goode.

BRONZE

Trulli Montepulciano 2009, WTBS, abruzzo Italy
£3.95 @ Waverley TBS
Medium-bodied with good length. ‘Great for entry level, where the length of the sour red fruit flavours makes this a food-friendly option,’ said Matthew Cocks.

Adria Montepulciano Collezione 2008, Abruzzo, Italy
£5.34 @ Boutinot
Juicy and bright, this has cassis-soaked strawberry fruit and spicy peppery notes. The tannins felt a bit dry and green, emphasising the alcohol.

Copertino Eloquenzia 2007, Puglia, Italy
£6.04 @ Boutinot
Savoury and medicinal aromas precede a palate of some persistence, with sweet fruits intertwined with herbal, mineral and leathery notes.

Mezzacorona Teroldego Rotaliano Riserva 2007, Trentino, Italy
£7.08 @ Berkmann Wine Cellars
Great value wrapped up in an interesting package, with sour cherry, blackberry and cranberry flavours alongside meaty notes and cocoa beans. ‘Well balanced and juicy,’ said Irina Atanasova.

Alpha zeta ‘R’ Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso 2008, Veneto, Italy
£8.17 @ Liberty Wines
Delightfully complex, with dark cherries and chocolate flavours mingling happily with spicy, savoury notes. ‘Fine acidity and balance,’ said Olivier Gasselin.

Marco Porello Barbera d’Alba Mommiano 2009, Piedmont, Italy
£8.41 @ Winetraders UK Limited
We’re in sour cherry and fresh red berry country with this wine, with its leather and earthy notes, and hints of almond nuttiness. ‘The high acidity is well balanced,’ observed Irina Atanasova.

Villa Matilde Aglianico 2008, Campania, Italy
£9.41 @ Eurowines
A wine that some felt needed a bit of time to be at its best, but it had plenty of potential,
with its red fruit, sweet spice, and notes of gun flint and smoke. ‘Dense but well structured,’
said Caspar Auchterlonie.

Zenato Valpolicella Superiore Ripassa 2007, Veneto, Italy
£13.18 @ Eurowines
Dark, inky squid nose with mocha characters alongside curranty fruit, roasted herbs and ripe, pleasant tannins. ‘Very well put together,’ said Angela Reddin.

Fattoria colsanto Sagrantino di Montefalco 2006, Umbria, Italy
£19.98 @ Eurowines
Much enjoyed for its concentration and mature flavours, with bramble fruit, mushrooms and truffles, smoky notes and dusty tannins. ‘Perfect maturity and high quality,’ said Ivo Stoyanov.
‘A great red.’

Sperino Lessona 2007, Piedmont, Italy
£32.08 @ Liberty Wines
Class and beautiful complexity shine out, with Olivier Marie finding sandalwood and cedar alongside red flower and tomato vine aromas, sweet, ripe tannins and a long, lasting finish. ‘Delightful palate with cashmere tannins,’ said an approving Angela Reddin.

“From the North-East, I was looking for lighter reds, with freshness and cherry fruit. Quality was consistent with some good fruit, fine structure and good value. ”
Irina Atanasova, Les Deux Salons

Editorial feature from Imbibe Magazine – May/June 2011

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