Buying the Label: Tuscany
All too often, we look to Tuscany to fulfill our Northern Italian red wine needs, but there is more to Italy’s patchwork of appellations — especially in the northern reaches of the “Land of Enotria.”
Choices range from the bold reds of Piedmont’s Barolos and Barbaresco districts, to the famed sparkling wines of Lombardy’s Franciacorta region, Alto Adige’s stunning whites and reds and the smooth, easy-sipping Valpolicella and its legendary amarone labels from the Veneto.
With so much diversity, it is easy to see why the attraction of Italian wines is as strong as ever. Whether you are rediscovering an old favourite, or looking for something new, Northern Italy is the place to begin your search.
95 Pio Cesare 2005 Barolo
Barolo, Italy
BC $82, AB $77, QC $62, NS $74
Still youthful, the 2005 is slightly stemmy, with tar and sweet black vanilla aromas, but it has structure and there is plenty lurking under the surface. Jaw-dropping, tannic and massive in the mouth, with intense dark berry fruits, tobacco/tar flavours and great depth. This is a keeper. Try one now, but wait at least 10 years before opening another.
95 Serego Alighieri 2004 Vaio Armaron Amarone Classico
Veneto, Italy
BC $143, AB $120
The Vaio, which spends three years in Slovenian oak barrels, is only made in great vintages and the quality is readily apparent. Complex and evocative on the nose, smoky and herbal tones come to the fore, but are pleasantly wrapped around dense berry fruits, with mocha and leather. Robust and spicy on the palate, the wine is a touch too young still, but is continually evolving in the glass and with loads of structure. Cellar until at least 2012, but this is a long-term cellaring wine and should keep and improve until 2030 to 2040.
91 Alois Lageder 2004 Cor Römigberg Cabernet Sauvignon
Alto Adige, Italy
AB $60
Fantastic expression of cabernet sauvignon, with intense fruit and complexity. Fresh cedar, smoke, leather, chocolate, rich soil, eucalyptus, brine, blackberry and ginger notes. A bit of petit verdot in the bottle adds some floral character, while on the palate the flavours are true and elegant. Still very young, this was recently tasted along with the first vintage from 1989, which was still showing some power. Drink now, soon and through 2020.
91 Pio Cesare 2007 Fides Barbera d’Alba
Barbera d’Alba, Italy
AB $51, ON $45, NB $48, NS $48
This single-vineyard barbera is labelled “Fides,” which translates to “trust” or “faith” in Latin. Although slightly clunky and smoky right now (after 20 months spent in medium-toast French oak), the nose shows plenty of classic barbera notes in a fairly masculine package that is perfect for big meals or big palates. A minimum 2 to 3 years cellaring should allow the flavours to integrate more, but this will knock your socks off then and well into the next decade.
89 Pio Cesare 2007 Barbera d’Alba
Barbera d’Alba, Italy
AB $36, QC $21, NS $36
A brilliant nose from this 100 percent barbera wine — coffee bean, spice, cedar, cocoa, and tobacco leaf, with tight berry fruit notes. The palate is lively, with more fruit than the nose and nice added complexity from the year and a half in oak. This potential cellar dweller is a steal.
90 Masi 2006 Brolo di Campofiorin
Veneto, Italy
BC $26, MB $27, ON $25, QC $26, NS $35, NL $37
A higher tier of the classic Campofiorin, with its semi-dried grapes and double fermentation, this bottling has an addition of about 20 percent rondinella. Deeply coloured in the glass, with a touch of plummy red, the nose is both jammy and spicy, with dried fruits, cranberry, leather, spice box and blackberry jelly. In the mouth — where it is velvety smooth and full-flavoured — look for the same flavours found on the nose, with a beautiful illusion of sweetness.
89 Michele Chiarlo 2006 Nizza La Court Barbera d’Asti Superiore
Asti, Piedmont, Italy
AB $62
The single-vineyard La Courte is top-shelf barbera. Lush and smoky on the nose, with some alcohol heat and salted chocolate, coffee, and leather notes. Look for candied cherry and black raspberry, as well. The wine is a touch lean on fruit for some palates, but shows power and depth, with an evolving range of flavours as the wine opens in the glass. You could drink it now, but the smart move is to wait until 2012 or so to start opening those bottles.
90 Alois Lageder 2008 Pinot Grigio
Alto Adige, Italy
AB $24
This is certainly not your everyday, run-of-the-mill pinot grigio. The Lageder is initially quite leesy and floral on the nose, while working towards herb, spice and apple notes, with a healthy dose of mineral tones of lime and soapstone. The palate brings more fruit and creaminess to the fore, while bigger acids and the lees aging should allow for short- to mid-term cellaring, and help it pair well with an impressive array of foods. Think savoury poultry and game, fish in cream sauces and sushi.
90 Bellavista NV Cuvée Brut
Franciacorta, Italy
AB $21/375 ml, $45, QC $45
A pleasant glass of bubbly for any occasion. Light toasty notes, along with fresh citrus, baked pear, apple and decent, expressive mineral tones, finished off with a creamy mousse. Good acid structure and a pleasant finish that goes on for miles round out this excellent bottle of Franciacorta. Franciacorta can age just like champagne. Serve chilled.
91 Ca’ del Bosco N/V Franciacorta Cuvée Prestige
Franciacorta, Italy
BC $49, AB $42, MB $50, ON $40, QC $38
This cool climate sparkling wine from Northern Italy is based on chardonnay, with pinot blanc and pinot noir rounding it out. Good mousse, with crisp apple fruits and a slightly baked note. There is plenty of biscuit and mineral, both on the nose and palate, in a refined and elegant wine. Made in the traditional method, the wine is complex, tasty and a perfect alternative to that other sparkling wine.
89 Alois Lageder 2005 Löwengang Cabernet
Alto Adige, Italy
AB $50
This is a blend of cabernet franc and sauvignon, with a touch of merlot. Rich and intense on the nose, with heady aromas of cedar, peppers, liquorice and cassis. Flavours stay true on the palate, with a few floral characteristics, while leather and tobacco complement generous berry fruits. Oak aging for 18 months softens still-firm tannins and provides a hint of sweet vanilla. Drink now or over the next 10 years.
89 Masi 2008 Masianco
Venezie, Italy
BC $16, NB $20, NS $18, PEI $19, NL $17
A blend of pinot grigio and verduzzo, the 2008 shows fresh sea salt, apple, fresh-cut wood and mineral notes, with a touch of match head and almond. On the palate, the wine is rich and full-flavoured for a white wine — part of which is due to the late-harvested verduzzo. Masianco is billed as a white super-Veneto and is the partner wine to the well-known Campofiorin. Serve chilled and it should go well with a variety of white-friendly dishes.
89 Michele Chiarlo 2007 Le Orme Barbera d’Asti Superiore
Asti, Piedmont, Italy
BC $24, AB $20, QC $16
Le Orme is the number one export wine from Michele Chiarlo and it will blow you away with its quality. A little more fruit-driven than some other offerings from Chiarlo, the ‘07 has fresh, spicy notes on the nose, with juicy, fruity tones and a cool, floral touch. Lighter in body, but clean, with woody flavours and ripe berry. Finish is good, but with a light touch of bitterness. This wine can age, but it will shine with hearty stews, game, hard cheese and rich sauces.
90 Michele Chiarlo 2009 Nivole Moscato d’ Asti
Asti, Piedmont, Italy
BC $17/375 ml, AB $16/375 ml, QC $11/375 ml
Perhaps the best-known Moscato d’Asti to Canadians and often found in a half bottle, the Nivole is summer in a glass. Ripe melon and honeydew, with floral, honey, peach, mango and a soapstone minerality. Good mousse, the bubbles are tight and delicately offset the sweetness of the wine. Serve chilled and soon — this is not meant for cellaring.
