An Italian Finale
The past two months have featured wines from my January trip to Piedmont and Tuscany. This month we visit Italy once more, heading east via four wines that carve a path from Umbria all the way up to the Swiss/Austrian border in Alto Adige. These are a collection of wines we’ve either been itching to bring into the shop for a while or are very limited and the amount we were able to get works perfectly for a wine club! They’re also a wonderful little snapshot of summer sippers as we oh-so-slowly emerge into warmer weather. Bright, crisp whites and energetic, punchy reds.
Some firsts for the shop in this month’s bag: Umbrian wine, Italian Gruner Veltliner, and Schiava (or Trollinger in German-speaking countries). Umbria, one of Italy’s few landlocked regions, is also one of the most difficult from which to find wine. Rural, mountainous and out of the way of prime Italian tourist destinations (despite proximity to Rome), Umbria has deep historic roots in both its culture and winemaking. The Gimo Rosso, from ancient winery Vini Conestabile della Staffa, highlights traditional winemaking methods and is a great introduction to the region, which we hope to expand upon as more great wines reveal themselves. The Gruner Veltliner from Alto Adige, where Italy climbs up the Dolomites towards Gruner’s home of Austria, is a wonderful representation of this classic grape. Sadly, the cases we got for wine club are all we’ll have for a while, so if you love this one you may have to wait a bit! And finally a red we’ve long been waiting to use in a wine club, Rottensteiner’s Schiava, also from Alto Adige. This intensely floral red varietal finds its home in the mountainous regions around Switzerland, also grown in Austria and Germany. But Alto Adige produces some of the most approachable versions of it, definitively alpine in its finesse.
The final wine, from the Marche, is a straight-forward Verdicchio, one of Italy’s well-known white varietals. This is just a delicious wine that we’re excited to include! Now, on to the wines:
Colpaola - Verdicchio di Matelica
Marche
The Grapes
100% Verdicchio - Organic
Producer Profile
Tenuta Colpaolo is an old estate that was purchased in 1967 by the current owner’s grandfather. He sold grapes to the coop until, in 2007, Francesco and Stefania Porcarelli began a conversion to organic farming in tandem with producing their own wines. Their Verdicchio vineyards are at high elevation for the appellation, adding to the fresh, crisp quality of this wine.
Tasting Notes
Bright citrus and stone fruit, herbaceous and mouthwatering. Hints of almond skin on the finish with a slightly saline/oily texture. Crisp and clean!
Pairing Suggestions
Light salads or most fresh fish dishes. With fishing opener coming up, this and the Gruner Veltliner would be excellent fish fry wines.
Can it Age?
Drink now.
Abbazia di Novacella - Gruner Veltliner
Alto Adige
The Grapes
100% Gruner Veltliner - Organic
Producer Profile
Founded in 1142, Abbazia is an Augustine abbey that has been making wine since the 12th century. The monks have a multiuse farm from which they grow all sorts of fruits and vegetables to sustain themselves and the community. This Gruner is a selection of grapes from the best sites across their vineyards.
Tasting Notes
Key lime, lemon pith, and peppery on the nose. Tight citrus and minerality make a nice backbone on the palate. White pepper on the finish.
Pairing Suggestions
Veggie stir fry or, like the Verdicchio, fish fry.
Can it Age?
Drink now.
Rottensteiner - Schiava
Alto Adige
The Grapes
100% Schiava
Producer Profile
Located in southern Tyrol, Rottensteiner is a classic Italian winery: three generations working hand-in-hand on land that’s been in the family for many decades. Their focus is on bringing the indigenous grapes of Alto Adige to a broader market by making very high-quality wines at price points that are broadly attainable. This Schiava is exactly that!
Tasting Notes
Intensely floral: rose petal and crushed violet. Delicate wild fruit peeks through the florality, nice balanced acidity and pretty much no tannin to speak of. Very approachable and easy-going. Long finish with the rose petal lingering.
Pairing Suggestions
Lighter chicken dishes would be perfect with this wine.
Can it Age?
Drink now.
Vini Conestabile della Staffa - Gimo Rosso
Umbria
The Grapes
70% Merlot, 30% Aleatico - Organic, Natural, Biodynamic
Producer Profile
Della Stalla is an ancient estate of old Roman patrician families that has been revitalized in the 21st century, with its vineyards being reclaimed and nurtured back to health with organic and biodynamic practices by winemaker Danillo Marcucci. This wine is made with a very short maceration to keep it light on its feet and bottled with only a dash of sulfur.
Tasting Notes
High-energy acidity and punchy red fruit right off the bat. Layers of herbaceousness and minerality. Strawberry and cherry dominate the finish.
Pairing Suggestions
This is our pasta wine this month. Spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli… any will do!
Can it Age?
Drink Now.
