Wine editor Joelle Thomson shares some of her favourite Italian wine to try this winter.
Italy has more grape varieties than any other country in the world. That’s why it’s the world’s most fascinating wine-producing country for those of us who enjoy living by the mantra that variety is the spice of life. We’ve all heard of Pinot Grigio (the Italian name for Pinot Gris), Prosecco (the wine made from a grape called Glera) or Montepulciano (a grape, a wine and a town) - however, it’s estimated that there are over 2000 different grapes used to make wine in Italy, writer Ian d’Agata, of The Native Wine Grapes of Italy, is more modest, suggesting a mere 500 or so, which is still a lot more than anywhere else on earth. And if anyone would know, d’Agata would. He spent the best part of two decades walking through vineyards, interviewing grape growers to find that out. Italian grape growers come from humble farming families whose ancestors have been making vino for centuries. It’s the humility as much as the history and the sheer diversity that has made Italy my favourite wine making country in the world. There’s far more to life in Italy than pizza and pasta, Chianti and Prosecco. There is Verdicchio, incredible with seafood and vegetable-based Cucina of the south - I could talk Italian wine all day, be still, my beating heart.
Santa Cristina Toscana Antinori $17
Tuscany is one of the most famous wine regions in Italy. This 2017 Sangiovese is its main grape; it’s blended with Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with this wine. You could call it an international style, but this dry, impressive red is unmistakably an Italian wine from the first whiff to the last savoury sip. It’s a juicy little number with beautiful plummy rich sweetness, and a dry finish.
Graze with: Prosciutto, salami and savoury antipasto meat.
Dine with: Mushroom pappardelle.
Rating: 17./20
Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio $24
Verdicchio is the name of one of Italy’s greatest white grape varieties. The word Verdicchio (pronounced Ver-deek-ee-o) takes its name from the word 'verde', which means green and refers to this green-skinned grape, which has its home in the Marche region in Central Italy. There are currently 2,220 hectares of Verdicchio in this region, most of it around the town of Jesi (Yay-see) on the slopes of the Apennine mountains. This 2019 Casal di Serra Verdicchio was first made in 1983. The grapes are fermented with natural yeasts in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness, and the wine is then aged in a tank for five months in contact with yeast lees but with no malolactic fermentation, which makes it taste dry, savoury and full-bodied with the awesome balance of refreshing acidity.
Graze with: Fresh shellfish or seafood bites with lemon and salsa verde.
DIne with: Spaghetti vongole – fresh clams, tomato and fresh pasta. A match made in heaven.
Rating: 19/20
Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico $37
Chianti Classico is one of Italy’s great wine production areas and is situated in the heart of Tuscany, where cypress trees rule the landscape and the Sangiovese grape is the queen of the great reds. It adds great concentration, richness, elegance and length to this outstanding red vino, which drinks beautifully now with its lively freshness, great body and long, long finish. This 2018 great wine for now and the future – if willpower allows it, this is a keeper in a dark, temperature-controlled wine cellar.
Graze with: Finely sliced top quality prosciutto with slivers of sourdough and extra virgin olive oil.
Dine with: Slow cooked wild venison or wild pork.
Rating: 18.5/20
