Wines of Italy Archives

Grand Tasting of Abruzzo at Palazzo D’Avalos, Vasto – Part l

I was thrilled to be invited by the Consorzio Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo to take part in the “Grand Tasting Vini d’Abruzzo 2022”. This year, the event was held on June 8^th at the historical Palazzo d’Avalos in the town of Vasto, Province of Chieti.

The Palazzo d’Avalos showcases some important examples of Abruzzese Renaissance architecture. It not only has stunning views the Adriatic Sea, it is also home to the Museo Civico Archaeologica. A long leisurely lunch with breathtaking views was held in the magnificent Neapolitan-style gardens.

For the Grand Tasting, there were 120 national/international journalists and sommeliers in attendance. We had the opportunity to taste over 300 labels from the Abruzzo region. Wines were organized and poured by members of the Italian Sommelier Association, ‘AIS’ / Associazione Italiana Sommelier. I’m happy to say that there were over 76 wineries who participated in the tasting this year. It was a wonderful opportunity to taste wines from the four production areas: Chieti, Pescara, Teramo and L’Aquila, which included DOCG, DOC and IGT: Abruzzo DOCGs, DOCs and IGTs: Abruzzo DOC, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC, Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG, Controguerra DOC, IGT Colli Aprutini, IGT Colli del Sangro, IGT Colline Frentane, IGT Colline Pescaresi, IGT Colline Teatine, IGT del Vastese / Histonium, IGT Terre Aquilane / Terre de L’Aquila, IGT Terre di Chieti, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Ortona DOC, Terre Tollesi / Tullum DOCG, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC, and Villamagna DOC.

Opening speeches were delivered by: Valentino Di Campli, President Consorzio Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo and Licia Fioravante Councilor for Tourism.

“We are honored to be able to host in Vasto, in the marvelous setting of Palazzo d’Avalos, over 120 specialized journalists who have come from all over the world to learn about our good wine. Thanks to the president Valentino Di Campli and the Consorzio Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo – concluded the councilor for tourism, Licia Fioravante – for having wanted to include us in the “Grand Tasting Vini d’Abruzzo 2022” and in the broader program of the Abruzzo Wine Experience” which aims to make known the extraordinary increase in the quality level of Abruzzo wine, in the wake of a path that links the good product of our land, culture and traditions. To the kind guests the warmest “Welcome to Vasto”, certain to offer a beautiful experience in this splendid part of Abruzzo ”

My tasting notes and further details will follow in Part ll.

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#montepulcianodabruzzo #trebbianodabruzzo #abruzzodoc #cerasuolodabruzzo

Casa Grazia, a Sicilian Winery by Lake Biviere, that is fully immersed in biodiversity

Prior to Sicily en Primeur 2022, we visited a number of wineries. One winery that stood out was Casa Grazia. Maria Grazia Di Francesco, CEO of Casa Grazia opened to the doors of her new cellar and welcomed us to the magnificent rural landscape of Lake Biviere Oriented Reserve. Maria is truly an advocate for women in wine – I was thrilled to meet her and her daughter. The Casa Grazia Winery is located in Gela, Southern Sicily. The family has been grape producers since the 1980’s and starting from 2005 they bottled their first wine. More recently, in 2020 they achieved organic certification.

Casa Grazia covers an area of about fifty hectares, almost completely planted with vineyards, is 120 meters above sea level and a few steps from the sea. The vineyards are influenced by Lake Biviere, a natural saltwater reservoir rich in biodiversity. In this area the mild winds and sea breeze meet the warm and dry air currents of the Sicilian hinterland, creating a unique microclimate which is favorable for the cultivation of both native and international grapes: Frappato, Nero D’Avola, Moscato and Grillo along with Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon all on limestone-sandy soil.

The estate has eight labels:
Two white wines: Zahara and Adorè;
Five red wines: Laetitya, Victoria 1607, Gradiva, Emiryam and Vi Veri, and
One Sparkling wine: (rosé) Euphorya.

After the tour we had a technical tasting of seven wines:

2020 ‘Euphorya’ Spumante Rose; 2021 Zahara; 2021 Adore; 2021 Laetitya; 2020 Victorya 1607; 2019 Gradiva and Emiryam.

All the wines have great balance, wonderful character, and elegance. My favorite wine was Victorya 1607. I found out after the tasting that this wine was named as a tribute to Vittoria Colonna Enriquez, Countess Consort and regent of Modica , who in 1607 gave 75 settlers two hectares of land, on condition that they cultivate one vineyard. The vineyards also fall perfectly in the D.O.C.G. of the Cerasuolo of Vittoria, the only Sicilian D.O.C.G. The 1919 vintage of Cerasuolo di Vittoria “Victorya 1607” received a Gold Medal with 96/100 from “Decanter World Wine Awards 2021.” It was such an honor to have tasted this wine knowing the backstory.

It was wonderful to meet Maria Grazia Di Francesco, like her wines, she also has wonderful style and elegance. Maria presented all the women at our tasting a beautiful bouquet of flowers – what a lovely surprise and memorable experience.

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Firriato “Gaudensius”: A Collection of Impressive Sparkling Wines from this Etna Producer

A few weeks ago, I had an amazing tasting experience with Federico Lombardo di Monte Iato, COO of Firriato Winery, and Rossella Marino Abate, Consulente presso Firriato at Riserva Bistrot at the beautiful Cavanera Wine Resort. Federico gave me an extensive overview of the four different expressions of their sparkling wine label “Gaudensius”.

Cavanera Wine Resort

Cavanera and its surrounding vineyards are among the most beautiful in the area. We had views of one of Firriato’s treasures, their pre-phyilloxera vineyards, with an age, determined by a dendrochronological analysis, which has certified the age of the vines to be well over 150 years. Cavanera Etnea is Italy’s first carbon neutral winery and is highly recognized for its bio-architecture.

Gaudensius – Volcanic Line

The Nerello Mascalese and Carricante varieties are grown on specific slopes on Mount Etna, which give a substantial impact on the characteristics, as well as the Etna terroir, with its mesoclimate and its sandy soils of volcanic – these all offer ideal conditions for sparkling wine.

The combination of the pedoclimatic characteristics of Etna contributes to the development of grapes that are characterized by the intensity of the aromas and aromatic finesse.

The Gaudensius label now offers four different types of sparkling wines: Blanc de noir (Etna Doc Metodo Classico Brut made with Nerello mascalese grapes, Blanc de blancs (from Carricante grapes), Rosè, also Etna Doc from Nerello Mascalese and Pas Dosè.

The Gaudensius label is the culmination of a sparkling wine project that now makes Firriato the most important producer of the classic method on Etna.

Here are my tasting notes and other details of the four Gaudensius wines, which are produced from Nerello Mascalese and Caricante, two historical native varieties growing under the volcano.

NV Gaudensius Blanc de Blancs

Classification: Terre Siciliane Bianco Spumante

Grape Variety: Carricante 100%

Subzone: Zucconerò, Zottorinotto, Imbischi

Exposure: North (650 m a.s.l)

Soil: Volcanic, highly draining in the Cavanera Etnea estate

Training System: Guyot, permanent cordon

Harvest: Hand-picking, 2nd week of October for Carricante

Vinification: Soft pressing of whole grapes and fermentation at controlled

temperature, second fermentation in bottle

Disgorgement: 2021

Production Method: Classic method

Aging: In bottle, in contact with the yeasts for over 36 months

Dosage: Brut

Alcohol: 12.60 % vol.

Pale straw yellow in color; the nose is fresh, elegant yet complex with notes of white fruits, hazelnuts and honey, enhanced by some wonderful mineral sensations; In the mouth, it is delicate, elegant and concentrated, with a long persistence on the palate and good aromatic persistence with a savory finish perlage: fine and concentrated
Overall, a great personality – dry crisp, light with a clean finish

91/100

NV Gaudensius Blanc de Noir

Classification: D.O.C. Etna Spumante

Grape Variety: Nerello Mascalese

Vineyard Location: North/northeastern slope of the countryside around Mt. Etna

Subzone: Verzella, Feudo di Mezzo, Sant’Antonio – Cottanera

Exposure: Northeastern side of the Volcano (650 metres above sea level)

Soil: Sandy, with high drainage capacity

Training System: Alberello Etneo

Harvest: Second week of September

Vinification: Soft pressing of whole grapes and fermentation at controlled temperature

Disgorgement: 2021

Production Method: Second fermentation in bottle (classic method)

Aging: In contact with the yeasts for over 36 months with frequent “Coup de poignet” to favor the complexity on the nose and palate

Dosage: Brut

Alcohol: 12.60 %

Pale straw yellow with some elements of bright gold hues; delivers some intense fruit and delicate Sicilian citrus notes on the nose; complex flavor, good structure – remarkable elegance; long-lasting sapid with mineral persistence – the freshness is ornamented with sense of nut and toast; perlage: fine and concentrated – an outstanding wine

92/100

NV Gaudensius Rosé Etna

Classification: D.O.C. Etna Spumante

Grape Variety: Nerello Mascalese

Vineyard Location: North/northeastern slope of the countryside around Mt. Etna

Subzone: Verzella

Exposure: Northeastern side of the Volcano (630 metres above sea level)

Soil: Sandy, with high drainage capacity

Training System: Alberello Etneo

Harvest: Hand-picked. Second week of September

Vinification: Soft pressing of whole grapes and slight skin maceration. Fermentation at controlled temperature

Disgorgement: 2020

Production Method: Second fermentation in bottle (classic method)

Aging: In contact with the yeasts for over 24 months with frequent “Coup depoignet” to favor the complexity on the nose and palate

Dosage: Brut

Alcohol: 12.50 % vol.

This wine takes on transparent shades of pale peach and pink; aromas of strawberries and raspberries are quite exquisite, with some light floral notes; on the palate imparts fresh, caressing sensations; a well-balanced wine, with good structure and acidity; an extremely prolonged aromatic persistence

91/100

Gaudensius Pas Dose

Classification: IGT Terre Siciliane

Grape Variety: Nerello Mascalese

Vineyard Location: North/northeastern slope of the countryside around Mt. Etna

Subzone: Verzella

Exposure: Northeastern side of the Volcano (650 metres above sea level)

Soil: Sandy, with high drainage capacity

Training System: Traditional Gobelet from Etna

Harvest: Hand-picked. Second week of September

Vinification: Soft pressing of whole grapes and fermentation at controlled

temperature

Disgourgement: 2021

Production Method: Second fermentation in bottle (classic method)

Aging: In contact with the yeasts for over 48 months with frequent “Coup de

poignet” to favor the complexity on the nose and palate
Dosage: Pas dosè

Alcohol: 12.50 % vol.

Production: 3,000 bottles produced

Pale golden yellow in colour; very fine bubbles transported me to complex and a harmonious nose of white flowers, orange peel, lime, bread, and nuts; on the palate there is a beautiful savory trail of Sicilian citrus with mineral persistence – long lingering finish; A wonderful olfactory complex wine

94/100

” The demand for Etna wines is growing and is moving towards increasingly identifying and medium-high range choices ” said Federico Lombardo di Monte Iato, Coo di Firriato.

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Drone Footage on Mount Etna [The Highest Active Volcano in Europe]

…….Pls note: DF will be found on my Instagram @lizpalmer_

One of the most memorable highlights of my trip to Sicily was a 1.5 km hike up Mount Etna with Federico Lombardo di Monte Iato, COO of Firriato wines, and Rossella Marino Abate, Consulente Social Media presso Firriato and to celebrate the trek tasting Le Sabbie Dell’Etna Rose 2021 on lava rocks.

Experiencing Mount Etna in person was like visiting a distant planet, as you can see from the footage. We had clear visibility with various cloud formations which made the trek more magical. Views of the terrain were spectacular….

We walked through startling volcanic landscapes: silver birch woods, pine forests, and lava flows. The terrain was very challenging with the altitude changes and unstable volcanic rock, but worth it!

There are documented records of Mount Etna historical eruptions dating back to 1500 BCE. Scientists have found that activity has frequently originated from its summit areas, which include the Northeast Crater, the Voragine-Bocca Nuova complex, the Southeast Crater (formed in 1978) and the New Southeast Crater (formed in 2011). Another crater, the “cono della sella” developed during 2017 between SEC and NSEC. Its most recent eruptive period began in September 2013 and more recently has been characterized by Strombolian explosions, ash plumes, lava fountaining, and flows.

According to the Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Mount Etna has three volcanic types: Stratovolcano, Caldera, and Pyroclastic cone.

Stratovolcano is located:

Latitude 37.748°N

Longitude 14.999°E

Summit 3320 m

Elevation 10,892 ft

And believe it or not scientists have numbered the volcanos and Mount Etna is active Volcano Number 211060. Its last known eruption was February 23-25 2022 CE. A brief overview of the report follows.

Last Report
February 23 – March 1 2022

INGV reported that during 23-25 February activity at Etna’s Southeast Crater (SEC) was characterized by Strombolian activity and occasional ash emissions that rapidly dispersed to the SSW and SSE. At 1338 on 24 February a forceful ash emission from Northeast Crater drifted SSE. A diffuse ash emission rose from the same crater at 1642. Emissions at Bocca Nuova Crater consisted mainly of gas with occasional minor ash content during 21-27 February.

Source: Sezione di Catania – Osservatorio Etneo (INGV)

Wine Tasting on Mount Etna

Le Sabbie Dell’Etna Rose 2021

Grape Variety: Nerello Mascalese 100%

The grapes come from different areas of the North side of the Etna. The soil

composition is Loamy –sandy of volcanic origin, highly draining. Exposure is

the Northeastern side of the Volcano (720 metres above sea level).

Tasting Notes

Beautiful fine pink colour; The wine has pronounced intensity on the nose with aromas of ripe raspberries, pomegranate, and minerality; on the palate there is freshness, medium acidity, with flavors of strawberries lots of minerality through to a long finish. A great elegant wine that reflects the territorial characteristics of its origin.

Thank you Federico Lombardo di Monte Iato, Firriato wines, and Rossella Marino Abate for this amazing memorable experience!

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@assovinisicilia @just_sicily @wineinsicily

Anteprima Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2022 – an immersive experience in one of the most ancient red wine zones of Tuscany – Filippo Magnani

The unmissable preview of “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” was held inside the Fortress of Montepulciano at the end of March in the centre of the medieval town. The doors were officially reopened to the public. For the first day of the event, wine journalists and Trade from the Montepulciano area had the opportunity to not only taste the wines, but to also meet the producers behind these beloved productions of refined quality. Two main vintages were presented: Nobile di Montepulciano 2019, considered a great vintage, and the Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva 2018.

The Consorzio of Nobile di Montepulciano had previously introduced a variation to the chart of regulations last year introducing 12 Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive called “Pievi .” The name conceals the roots of the past of this Tuscan territory, and it refers to the social organization in smaller areas and the role of the monastic orders since late Roman and Lombard times.

The wine estates together with a select scientific research group, have carried out studies on both the geological and pedological side of the territory and an in-depth analysis of the territory’s history. The project started during the pandemic, and it has culminated with the production of 500,000 bottles that will be labelled Pieve, and which oversaw the public administration and its boundaries.

The bottles waiting to become Nobile di Montepulciano Pieve are now maturing, and we will have to wait until 2024 to appreciate the extraordinary work done by the consortium and the producers. The new qualification of the vineyards of Montepulciano lays another brick in the consolidation of identity and a clearer recognition of the extraordinary Tuscan wine territory.

MY TASTINGS at “ANTEPRIMA”…

My favourite wines:

Winery: Poliziano
Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2019

Ruby core with rims. Intense bouquet of cherry with balsamic overtones and slight scent of black pepper. Lovely entrance, round with ripe fruit, medium body. Firm, velvety tannins with a long finish.

Winery: Dei
Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2019

Brillant, ruby red with compacted rim. Pronounced flavour of cassis and violet. Spicy with overtones of leather. Full bodied with quite bright acidity. Well balanced with rich red fruit and elegant tannins. Harmonious finish. A charming wine with aging potential.

Winery: Il Mulinaccio
Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano “La Spinosa” Docg 2019

Clean with a deep ruby core. Lovely aromas of ripe plum with a touch of vanilla. Black cherry in the palate with a light toasty scent. Full body with round, sweet tannins. Fresh and harmonious finish. I liked it!

Winery: Bindella
Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2019

Ruby colour turning slightly purple. The nose expresses flavours of red fruit and rhubarb with a hint of mint. The palate is balanced with notes of ripe cherry and prune. Dry and fragrant, with soft tannins and long persistence. Full body with a nice end. A great wine.

Winery: Tenuta della Talosa “Alboreto”
Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2019

Brilliant, deep ruby core with violet hues. Intense flavour of black cherry and liquorice with overtones of lavender and new leather. Fragrant entrance with discrete alcohol and ripe fruit. Sweet, velvety tannins and quite long aftertaste. A harmonious, charming wine…

Winery: Boscarelli
Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2018 Riserva

Bright with paler reflections. Pronounced flavour of red cherry, wild blueberry, and balsamic notes and anise. Rich and well structured, good balance of body, fruit, acidity, and velvety tannins. An excellent wine.

Winery: Le Berne
Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2018 Riserva

Brilliant deep red. Attractive bouquet of strawberry and violet mixed with spicy notes of black pepper. Full body with lots of red fruit in the centre palate with smoky scents on the back. It expresses harmony with velvety tannins and long, fresh finish. A lovely wine.

Winery: La Braccesca
Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2018 Riserva, Vigneto Santa Pia

Medium ruby core, paler towards the edge. The wine displays intense flavour of wild berry with scents of new leather. Rich and powerful, good balance of body, fruit, acidity, and firm tannins. A lovely wine with great potential.

Winery: Contucci
Wine: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Selezione “Mulinvecchio” 2017

Intense and brilliant garnet colour. Its bouquet is intense and ample with notes of blackcurrant and violet. The palate is rich and elegant. Full bodied with impressive freshness and velvety tannins. A long finish. A great wine.

About Montepulciano

The village of Montepulciano is situated on a gentle sloping hill of limestone composition that separates the Val di Chiana from the Val d’Orcia. It is in one of the most popular and explored wine destinations in Tuscany, a symbol of local culture. Montepulciano has been a wine production zone since ancient times and witness to the progress in the cultivation techniques from the Etruscans to the modern days. Among the pillars of the Olympus of wine production in Tuscany, Montepucliano represents an open-air museum of the wine culture of the region. It is an extremely interesting destination for wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs who arrive in this magnificent territory from all over the world.

The charming old town is enriched by Etruscans finds, large Renaissance structures, important churches decorated by illustrious artists, ancient theatres, and local artisan’s shops. It is a charming village full of wonderful peculiarities where you can emerge yourself in its beauty and history and explore with help of one of the best guides of the Tuscan territory: WINE!

Production zone

Vino Nobile Vintage Chart

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