Wine with Leslie: Italy still pouring out new surprises
All the wines I feature are from grapes unique to Italy.
This week I’m returning to Italy, and almost all the wines I feature are from grapes unique to that gorgeous country. I’ve written before about the diversity in Italy’s grape stocks and I should be well used to it by now. Yet Italy constantly surprises me, and it is the diversity of flavours that keeps me coming back for more.
The Famoso grape almost went extinct and has only recently been revived. This is intensely fragrant with tropical fruits, jasmine and orange flower aromas, lively and crisp on the palate with green apple flavours and a stony freshness on the finish with pleasing structural touches.
Another grape variety little known outside its region — the Albana grape has a pleasing almond character and is often used for dessert wines. Aromas of marzipan with some peach and floral notes — rounded and textured with pleasing weight and stone fruit flavours and balancing acidity.
This is one of the wines I drink most often every year, and is a fine example of all that is good about Primitvo. Ripe blackberry aromas with a touch of earthy plum — juicy and chocolatey on the palate with ripe savoury dark fruits and good concentration and depth.
This ‘natural wine’ is from three young winemakers — Marco, Giulio and Tommaso. A blend of Merlot, Cab-Franc and Raboso (native to Veneto) — this pours a light crimson and is packed with juicy and crunchy red fruits (cherry, red-currant) with balancing acidity and a refreshing tang. Also, watch for their white ‘field blend’.
Manduria is the one Italian region dedicated to Primitivo and it always seems to have a little more finesse here, on the western side of Italy’s heel. Liquorice and dark berry fruit aromas, luscious and layered with blackberry and cassis flavours balanced by acidity and grip, and a hint of spice on the finish.
I’ve featured Scala Rosso Cirò in the past but never this Rosato. We think of Rosé as a summer wine but this has more heft than most and will absolutely suit the Autumn weather. From old 100% Gaglioppo organic vines this has ripe raspberry fruit aromas with a herbal, earthy touch — mineral and fruity with depth and elegance and a tangy cherry skin finish.
Every home in Ireland discovered cocktails in recent years thanks to lockdowns and the diversity of new Irish spirits. Beara Bitters appeared just a year or two ago and inevitably won prizes at Blás na hÉireann and you need some in your cocktail cabinet.
All three are worth trying with the Smoked Pear perfect for rounding out a fruity gin or adding pep to vodka — the Orange Bitters meanwhile could add accents to whiskey on the rocks or even a Margarita. The classic Aromatic Bitters has lime-lemon notes mixed in with the anise and bitterness and is the all-rounder. Cocktail creativity awaits!
