I don't have a lot of "other Italy" in my cellar at present; just one bottle of Serpico 2000, an Aglianico derived wine from Campania, a small handful of Sagrantino di Montefalco 2004 and 2003 and a couple of young Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (of which TN below). As Germaine is just getting over an attack of osteo-arthritis, she is not doing justice to my bottles and I am reluctant to open 10+ year old bottles if we can't finish them in one sitting but we will see during the rest of the month. Meanwhile I am surprised to see how much "other Italy" we have consumed in the last 12 months. This gives a partial glimpse of the diversity.
NV Pojer e Sandri Merlino Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT (5/7/2017)This is a fortified wine made from the Lagrein grape and brandy from Schiavia and Lagarino grapes. On the first evening, I found this too perfumed for my taste and quite strongly marked by vanilla aromas. A day later the exaggerated perfumes had become more discreet and complex allowing enjoyment of some rich chocolate tinged fruit but the vanilla notes still dominated the mid-palate and finish. Quite good.
2015 Le Colline Dei Filari Pinot Grigio - Italy, Venezie IGT (6/23/2017)Fresh and pleasing without a lot of personality.
2014 Fontanafredda Langhe Nebbiolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (7/6/2017)Much more sweetly and graciously fruited than wines of similar youth from "important " Nebbiolo using appellations showing just a hint of tar and orange on its finish and good acidity and enough backbone for balance. Good+.
2016 Roberto Anselmi Bianco San Vincenzo Veneto IGT - Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT (7/7/2017)Agreeably easy drinking and slightly creamily fruited white with enough acidity for freshness. Good.
2012 Pieropan Soave Classico - Italy, Veneto, Soave Classico (8/9/2017)Medium- bodied with attractive citrus tinged fruit, minerality and a bitter touch adding firmness to the finish. Quite good and pleasant drinking but disappointing in relation to the producer's reputation and the price c.€15.
2001 Binomio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (8/19/2017)I opened my previous bottle of this 15% alcohol "prestige" cuvée about 10 years ago and thought then that it needed a lot more time to civilise its excesses but now feel that I may have held off longer than ideal. Colour was very dark and opaque with rust tints visible during the pour. The nose reminded me of a slightly oxidative port with varnish touches. The palate was full bodied and dark complexioned with rich fruit similar to that of an English malty and sherry tinged currant and candied fruit cake, texture was suave and balance of a sort and contrast was achieved by fair acidity and an attractively bitter note on the quite long finish. This still does not convince me that the Montepulciano grape is capable of great things in Abruzzo and Marche but it was undeniably an interesting and original drink for once in a while. It rather overpowered its pairing of succulent lamb and it is hard to know what would suit it best. I guess that it is now on the way downhill and am not sorry that it was my last bottle. But very good in its way.
2015 Tenuta i Fauri Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Ottobre Rosso - Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (9/28/2017)This is just what I want from M d'Abruzzo. Medium+ bodied, robust, bursting with plum fruit, dried herbs, orange peel, earth, fresh acidity and slightly rustic vigour in its ripe backbone. IMO this grape variety is in its element producing joyful entry level quaffs like this rather than most of the over-priced, over-extracted and over-oaked prestige bottlings which rarely convince me. Good+ and I hope that the store is not sold out.
2015 Tenute Girolamo Aglianico La Voliera Puglia IGT - Italy, Puglia, Puglia IGT (10/27/2017)Medium bodied and quite enjoyable with fresh dense red fruit sprinkled with orange peel, a touch of boiled sweet, olives, herbs, fair acidity and grip. There is little in common with the complex and austere grandeur which this grape can achieve round Avellino and Vulture. Quite Good.
2015 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso - Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC (12/26/2017)This bottle did not move me as much as the 2014 at a similar stage; maybe as much a matter of mood and pairing as of intrinsic quality. It showed similar features of an elegant linear shape on the palate, savoury fruit with a cherry tinge, earthy minerals, fresh acidity and backbone. My son asked "is this from Pinot Noir?"; IMO a pertinent observation. Good.
2012 Vini Valli de Verona Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Prodotto In Italia - Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (1/18/2018)Rich high alcohol wines like Amarone are not my favourites but when I saw this bottle at c.€10 at Lidl I gave it a whirl. Because of the 15.5% alcohol I initially served it at close to cellar temperature which emphasised brightness and acidity but did not much tame the alcoholic burn. I was agreeably surprised that approaching room temperature did not further emphasise the alcohol and did bring out greater roundness with cherry touches in the fruit and better balance without veering towards cloy. I have found a number of good QPR offers like this at this supermarket chain. Good.