Friday, July 5, 2019

Prosecco DOCG is More Than Just Prosecco

 
It’s amazing to me that this past weekend into this week we celebrated my first born’s 3rd birthday.  It was the perfect opportunity to pop some prosecco that was sent from the Consortium for Prosecco Superiore DOCG and highlight it for this month’s Italian Food, Wine & Travel group. 

The Region ~ Conegliano Valdobbiadene 
Prosecco hails from the Veneto region in the northeastern corner of Italy.  The core of its production is found in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene area of the Treviso province, which has been producing prosecco since the late 19th century.  Located at the foothills of the Belluno Alps and north of the Piave River.   

Conegliano Valdobbiadene spans over 15 communes covering 15,000 acres from east to west.  Conegliano is located in the eastern part with lower hills closer to the Adriatic.  The weather is warmer resulting in softer, fruitier wines.  The Valdobbiadene is located on the western side on higher hills closer to the mountains.  There the climate is cooler with higher acid wines.   
Prosecco vs. Prosecco DOCG
Look at the comparison on the small parcel of Prosecco DOCG vs. Prosecco DOC.  Copyright of Federdoc
The Grape ~ Glera 
Prosecco is primarily based on the glera grape, which was previously known as prosecco tondo.  Many producers will utilize 100% glera, but they are only required to use at least 85% with 15% of other local varieties.  Glera is a late ripening grape that is widely planted and found in the province of Treviso.  It is a rather aromatic grape that produces light, refreshing wines with notes of apple, pears, white flowers, peaches and lemon.  Of course there are many different styles and those of the cartizze sub-zone show every more depth and complexities.
Prosecco DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene Adami Astoria Valdo
The Wines 
Valdo Cuvee 1926 Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry – Started in 1926 by some winemakers and later sold to Bolla of Verona.  The wine is made of 90% glera with 10% chardonnay. Pale straw colored.  Florally with notes of lemon and stone fruits/peaches.  Abundant bubbles with a persistent finish.  Lemon, apple, pineapple on the palate nicely balanced with a tingly finish.  This wine spends 5 months with the charmat method and 3 months in the bottle.  ABV 11.5% SRP $19.99 

Astoria Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG Extra Dry – Astoria was founded in 1987 and is located in Refrontolo on 40 acres.  Surrounded by the Alps and the winery is located at the Val de Brun Estate.  A rather stylish bottle I must say.  Pale straw yellow color.   Refreshing with a hint of sweetness lending to a little more tropical notes than the others with citrus and green apple.  ABV 11% SRP $15 

Adami Bosco di Gica Brut Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCGNamed Bosco di Gica after the ancient land where the vineyards are located.  Made of about 95% glera with 5% chardonnay.  Pale straw color with lots of green apple and citrus with a very crisp, fresh acidity.  Nice lingering finish.  I’ve tasted this wine prior along with some of the others from Adami that you can read about hereABV 11% SRP $19  
At the Gambero Rosso I also tasted a couple of the wines from Botolomiol including their 2018 Bortolomiol Valdobbiadene Brut Prior and their 2018 Bortolomiol Filanda Brute Rose’ Riserva.  Out of all these wines shared today these were my favorite.  It could be partially because I’m not a fan of bubbles period and what I loved about the wines from Bortolomiol were the soft, frothy bubbles and elegance of the wines.  Wine is a beverage of personal choice always so this was just my personal preference.  

Join my fellow wine and food lovers as they too explored prosecco this month.  If you catch us in time we'll be chatting live Saturday July 6th on Twitter #ItalianFWT at 11am EST.  Hope to see you there!


*Most wines were received as samples, but opinions are all my own.

Friday, June 21, 2019

Montepulciano of the Conero in Le Marche

This past month I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to attend a few Italian wine trade tastings in the Boston area.  I’ll be sharing many of my great picks from these events in upcoming blogs including today’s feature on Rosso Conero from Le Marche wine region of Italy.

The Wine Region ~ Le Marche 
Le Marche is located in the central eastern part of Italy and is the 2nd hilliest region after Umbria.  Its capital is Ancona, which runs down to Monte Conero, the highest cliff on the east coast.  It forms what is known as the elbow of Italy or il gomito d’Italia.  Le Marche is dominated by mountains and hills and is a rather undeveloped region compared to others.  These are the ones that I love discovering.  Beautiful rolling hills, medieval villages and a long, rather flat coastline along the Adriatic.   

Many of the vineyards are located inland on the hills that climb up towards the Apennines.  As you can imagine located along the Adriatic the climate here is Mediterranean with sea breezes making ideal conditions for grape growing.   
Copyright of Federdoc
The Grape ~ Montepulciano 
The Conero wine area of Le Marche is entirely based on red wines.  Here is where Montepulciano shines.  In Conero you’ll find the Rosso Conero DOC and Conero Riserva DOCG.  Typical characteristics of Montepulciano include a deep ruby color in the glass.  On the palate they are full-bodied and rather fruity with cherry notes and tend to be higher in alcohol with ripe tannins.   

The Wines ~ Rosso Conero 
These wines I’m sharing today come from both the Rosso Conero DOC and Conero Riserva DOCG.  These wines require a minimum of 85% Montepulciano plus an optional addition of other reds from the region.  Many probably think of the Abruzzo wine region when they think of Montepulciano, but those produced in Conero in Le Marche are well worth seeking out.   

Garofoli  
Started in 1871 by Antonio Garofoli.  Today the winery is operated up to the 5th generation of family members.  A winery large in size producing about 2 million bottles annually and 60% of it is exported worldwide.  Although it is large in size these wines that I’m sharing today show that really large wineries can still produce great wines.  Produced in their Castelfidardo winery these wines really demonstrated to me the potential of Montepulciano in the Conero area of Le March. 

The 2015 Garofoli Rosso Conero “Piancarda” DOC Montepulciano from their “Linea Famiglia” line of wines is solely produced from the Montepulciano grape.  It’s aged 1 year in traditional oak casks.  Ruby red in color.  This wine had good fruit with ripe plums and cherries, bright acidity and silky, elegant tannins.   

The 2012 Garofoli Rosso Conero Riserva “Grosso Agontano” DOCG Montepulciano is from their “linea selezione” line and is definitely a step up from the previous wine.  Dark ruby in color also produced from 100% montepulciano.  This wine was intense and jammy on the nose.  Aged about 18 months in French barriques about 10-15% new.  A very round, fruit forward, structured and complex wine with ripe plums and cherry with notes of vanilla from the wood aging.  Even more elegant than the last.  My pick of the two!  I love when a wine changes in the glass the longer you sip it. 

Fattoria Le Terrazza 
This winery was established in 1882 by the Terni family.  Located at the foothills of Monte Conero on a hilltop about 1 mile from the Adriatic coast.  Antonio and Georgina Terni hit a turning point when they decided to experiment in 1995 with some clones of Montepulciano.  By 1999-2001 they replanted all their vineyards with the new clones.  Their principal grape production is with Montepulciano, but they also produce Syrah, Merlot and Chardonnay.   


The 2015 Le Terrazze Rosso Conero Montepulciano is made from 100% Montepulciano and spends about 15 months in large oak casks.  Deep ruby in color with some purple tinges on the rim.  A rather fruity nose of red berries.  Medium bodied with a mix of ripe red and black fruits on the palate.  Rather soft and smooth with supple tannins. 

Explore montepulciano outside of the typical “Montepucliano d’Abruzzo” and seek out those of the Conero in Le Marche.