7 BEAUTIFUL ITALIAN WINES TO TRY THIS WEEK!
Hi Everyone,
This week’s selections are all from Italy. I have really been enjoying learning about all that Italy has to offer when it comes to wine and I want to share this information with you. Check out the fantastic bottles below that I’m recommending you try so you too can get better acquainted with the beauty of Italian wine. I think the wines below are all top notch, and offer great value for money, regardless of their price point.
NOTE - If you’re shopping at the LCBO, remember that product availability will vary from location to location, and not all products last very long. Click the links below to check availability at your preferred store, or online.
All images below are taken from the LCBO website.
Arno River, Florence. Image by Michelle Raponi from Pixabay
MY TOP PICKS THIS WEEK!
2019 Zenato San Benedetto Lugana Product #707158
Hailing from the Lake Garda region of Italy, Lugana wine is a little known rising star. These wines are made from a unique grape that is native to this region called Turbiana and they are elegant, structured and full of minerality. This particulat Lugana is made by a very well known producer and therefore comes with the mark of quality.
You can expect this wine to display stone fruit, pear, floral and almond notes. Pair it with grilled or poached white fish or sushi.
93 points - James Suckling
90 points - Wine Enthusiast
2018 Ponte Pellegrino Aglianico $14.95 Product #18611
Aglianico (pronounced “ah-lee-yawn-eeko”) is a full bodied red that is primarily found in Southern Italy and is probably third in line behind Nebbiolo and Sangiovese in terms of important and noteworthy grapes grown in Italy. It is generally a very firm wine, with sharp tannins in its youth and it can be aged for long periods of time.
I love this example for its incredibly fair price. And its the perfect pick for someone who is looking to branch off from the beaten path of grape varieties. I would recommend pairing this with a heavy and fatty red meat dish, or if you want to keep things simple, with italian sausage.
2018 Michele Chiarlo Le Orme 16 Months Barbera D’Asti $15.95 Product #265413
Another very well priced choice, this wine is made from a varietal that is grown in many places but most famously associated with the Piedmont region. Barbera as a varietal is fruity and highly acidic, with low tannins, which can make it a good choice for drinking young. This particular example is made with fruit from very carefully selected plots of land and the wine has been aged for a total of 16 months, which is intended to increase its overall elegance and complexity.
Due to the highly acidic nature of this wine, it’ll be a beautiful match for tomato-heavy dishes such as pizza and pasta. It could also work with chicken.
2017 San Claudio II Vino Nobile de Montepulciano $22.95 Product #541292
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is simply a wine that I don’t think you can afford to miss. Hailing from Tuscany, from vineyards in the rolling hills around the historic and picturesque town of Montepulciano, Vino Nobile doesn’t get its due credit when it comes to Tuscan wines as far as I’m concerned because it is often overshadowed by the more famous icons Chianti and Brunello, even though it is just as good.
This wine is made from 85% Sangiovese, with the remainder consisting of two local varietals. Expect this wine to be full of red fruit, floral and herbal notes, with medium body and a nice long finish. Pair this wine with cacio e pepe pasta or lamb ragu and watch it sing.
90 points - David Lawrason, winealign.com
2018 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto $67.95 Product #72439
Made by the producers of the world famous Sassicaia wine, this “second” wine is not to be missed by serious wine enthusiasts. Consisting of a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this wine is rich and delicious, and can be aged for some time to come.
This wine presents a fantastic opportunity to taste the wine of a benchmark Italian producer for a serious fraction of its flagship wine. Though you could drink it now, I would wait for a few years. Pair this wine with meat based pasta dishes or roasted meats.
92 points - Wine Enthusiast
90 points - Wine Spectator
2016 Valore Di Famiglia Gran Selezione Chianti Classico $39.95 Product #18925
No list of wines to try from Italy is complete without the inclusion of a Chianti and here is my pick this particular time around.
Made from 100% Sangiovese, this Chianti comes from the heart of the Chianti region and has earned considerable merit from noteworthy wine publications. The fact that it is a “gran selezione” means it has been aged for 30 months prior to release and is composed entirely of fruit from the producer’s own estate.
Perfect for roasted meat and aged cheese. this is one that you want to put away for a while - that is, if you can get your hands on it! Only 13,000 bottles were made.
95 points - Wine Spectator
90 points - Wine Enthusiast
2017 Remo Farina Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico $42.95 Product #995910
Made from grapes that have been dried to the point of practically being raisins. Amarone is a rich and unctuous wine that is delight for the senses. Though not for the faint of heart due to its high alcohol content, I find this to be beautifully balanced by the rich fruit and earthy flavours of Amarone. It’s a wine I’m always recommending to others and this particular example is made by a first rate producer.
Enjoy this wine with good friends or your favourite family members, and good food, and you won’t regret it!
And there you have it - my top Italian wine picks this week! I hope you enjoyed going through this jaunt with me. Be sure to let me know what you think if you buy any of these wines - I always love to hear from my wine-loving tribe! :)
Cheers!
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