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The Wine Cellar: The Road Less Traveled – Unique Italian Wines
By Gordon Gilbert
Italy and wine have always been a match made in heaven, with a diverse selection that calls to mind distinctive aspects of this beautiful Mediterranean country. Chianti may remind us of a Tuscan villa situated on a lush green hill. Barolo may evoke thoughts of delicious white truffles from Albo. Pinot Grigio might conjure a warm spring day and a Florentine picnic. These are certainly the more prominent wines Italy has to offer, but what about its hidden treasures? Let’s take a moment to explore some of these lesser known gems from the heart of the Mediterranean.
Fatascia Almanera; Nero d’Avola; Sicily ($21)
We’ll make the island of Sicily our first stop. In the foothills of Mount Etna, we’ll find rich volcanic soils and the coating warmth of the sun, which combine to create the perfect environment for Nero d’Avola, a lush, full bodied wine that pairs well with a rich osso bucco.
Laden with ripe black fruit with touches of lily, violets and spice, the wine stands heavy on the palate with a juicy quality and offers low acidity and gentle tannins for a wine of this power.
Tenuta del Portale; Aglianico del Vulture Riserva; Basilicata ($19)
After crossing over from Messina to the toe of the Italian “boot,” we’ll breeze through Calabria on our way to Puglia or Campania. Nestled in between all three of these regions is Basilicata, which offers the Aglianco di Vultura, a wine that lovers of dry reds should not miss. It grips the palate like few others, a beautiful complement to grilled, gamey meats or heavy-duty cheeses.
Strong, intense flavors of stewed dark fruit are accented with anise, spice and a soft hint of pepper, along with an undercurrent of dusty earth. With a lengthy time aged in oak, this wine attacks the palate with high tannin levels that one would easily expect from a wine of the size.
Caleo; Primitivo Salento; Puglia ($10)
Moving up the road to Puglia, we’ll try to avoid the backpackers fighting to get to the ferry terminal at Brindisi as we search out yet another great red wine hailing from this region. The Primitivo grape is thought to be the origins of the now-classic Californian Zinfandel. For those that love the robust cherry notes of that wine, Primitivo will supply all they desire in a bottle.
Sweet red and black cherry, pepper and hints of spice personify this rich yet medium bodied wine from Puglia. The tannin levels are medium and the wine offers a short yet lush finish.
Cantina del Taburno; Fiano; Campania ($15)
Heading back towards Naples, we’ll cross through Campania and find ourselves in the town of Avellino, where we’ll be sure to discover the most elegant forms of the Fiano grape. This white wine is found throughout the region, with this offering sourced from the village of Taburno, and its flavor profile serves as a natural match for dishes containing pesto or roasted pine nuts.
A fuller bodied white, this wine has touches of white peaches, under-ripe apricot and hints of marzipan. The low acidity of the wine creates a lush feel on the palate with a medium finish.
Mauro Sebaste; Roero Arneis; Piedmont ($17)
Now we’ll hop aboard a ferry and travel past Capri, moving on to Genoa. Heading north into Piedmont, we’ll land right in the middle of Barolo country, where we’ll discover a medium bodied white wine called Arneis that is at once pleasant, crisp and clean. One of the lesser known white wines, Arneis will undoubtedly make an easy convert of any regular Pinot Grigio drinker.
This wine offers notes of Meyer lemon zest and elements of daffodils and daisies. Fresh and smooth, it’s got a long finish that makes for quite the refreshing aperitif on a warmer spring day.
Tamellini; Soave; Veneto ($16)
Moving on toward the canals of Venice, we’ll make a final stop near scenic Lake Garda. In the hills on the eastern shore is where we’ll find the Garganega grape, which produces Soave, a wine that’s clean and refreshing but has enough weight to pair well with grilled chicken or fish dishes.
Stacked with tropical fruit, ripened cantaloupe, creamed honey and yellow floral elements, the wine has a moderate acidity and gentle touches of wet river stone with a balanced, lush finish.
While Italy may always be known for its more popular grapes such as Sangiovese and Pinot Grigio, it’s a country that has so much more to offer wine aficionados. Explore some of the lesser known regions and you’re sure to find some hidden treasures to delight your palate.
