Italian Wines $20 and Less for Drinking Any Time

Here are 12 Italian wines I have tried lately priced under $20 that I have enjoyed and you might too.

 

Garganega- Soave DOC 2018 made from 100% Garganega. Sandro De Bruno The production zone is Soave, Roncà-Calvarina. The vineyard is 15 acres at 262 to 452 ft., the exposure is south and the soil is volcanic. There is a manual harvest in small crates during the 3^rd week of September. A manual selection takes place followed by a soft press in a nitrogen saturation with a low temperature of 10°C. Before the fermentation, the must is decanted getting rid of the first gross lees. Noble lees are preserved and worked with continuous batonnages for 3 months. Maturation is in stainless steel tanks. The wine has aromas and flavors of citrus fruit, with a hint of white flowers, nice minerality and a touch of peach $14

Gewürztraminer “Classic” Südtirol- Alto Adige DOC 2015 made from 100% Gewürztraminer, Tiefenbrunner. The vineyards are in Kurtatsch and Entiklar on south/southeast facing hills at 260 to 470 meters. The training system is pergola and guyot and there are 3,500 t0 7,000 vines per hectare. The vines are up to 35 years old. The soil is chalk moraine in the hills of Entiklar and alluvial in Kurtatsch. Fermented at a constant temperature at 20C in stainless steel tanks. Maturation is on the fine lees for 4 months in stainless steel tanks and concrete. The wine has hints of ripe grapes, candied fruits, a hint of honey and a touch of spice and sage. $18

Pallagrello Bianco “Caiati” 2015 Michele Alois 100% Pallagrello Bianco from a 2.13-hectare vineyard at 280 meters, soil is volcanic with minerals. The training system is guyot, there are 4,800 plants per hectare and the harvest is in the middle of September. Fermentation takes place on the lees for 30 days. Malolactic fermentation is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature. The wine remains in the bottle for 4 months before release. The wine has hints of almonds, citrus fruit, melon and grapefruit with a long finish and pleasing aftertaste. $18

Falanghina Beneventano 2018 DOC 100% Falanghina. Campania, Italy Donnachiara  The soil is volcanic, chalky clay, the vines are 16 years old, the training system is guyot and there are 2,500 vines per hectare. The grapes are not destemmed or crushed before pressing. Cold fermentation is in stainless steel and there is extended maceration. This is a crisp white wine with citrus fruit aromas and flavors, nice acidity and good minerality. This is one of my favorite white wines and I always have a bottle or two on hand.  I first had this wine at the winery. $17

KATÁ IGP Catalanesca Del Mount Somma 100% Catalanesca. Cantine Olivella The grapes are carefully selected and hand harvested in the first half of October.  Fermentation and maturation is with natural yeast and takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The refining process “sur lie” (lees contact starts in stainless steel and ends in the bottle after a three month period. The wine has very nice citrus aromas and flavors, with hints of apricot, cantaloupe and acidity. There is a mineral aspect to the wine, which may come from the volcanic soil. $18

Ippolito 1845, “Pecorello” Calabria Bianco IGT 2018 Ippolito made from 100% Pecorello Bianco.  Pecorello means little sheep. It is an ancient grape variety of Calabria and was almost extinct until Ippolito began producing it again. Manual harvest takes place in early September, then cold settling and fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine is aged in stainless steel tanks until the end of January. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, with notes of peach and pear and nice minerality $19

Umbria IGT Bianco Grechetto 2018  Argillae made from 100% Grechetto The training system is guyot, there are 4,000 vines per hectare and the harvest takes place in September. After a careful selection in the vineyards, cold maceration takes place. There is a brief pressing and the juice is racked and fermented in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine remains on the lees in stainless steel tanks before the wine is bottled in February/March. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, a touch of jasmine, good acidity and a typical almond finish. I tasted this wine with a group of friends at the winery and they all really liked it. $18

 

Irpinia Rosato DOC 2018 “Vela Vento Vulcano” made from 100% Aglanico Tenuta Cavalier Pepe. The estate vineyards are in the hills of Luogosano and Sant’Angelo all’Esca at 350 meters. The soil is claylike and chalky. The grapes are hand picked, destemmed and undergo an initial cold maceration. After a few hours of skin contact, the grapes are pressed and the must ferments at a low temperature. The wine matures in bottle until release. This is an easy drinking fruity wine with hints of cherries, strawberries and a touch of raspberries. I visited the winery in February and was very impressed with all of the wines.$18

Primitivo Salento “Mezzapezza” 2016 Trullo di Pezza made from 100% Primitivo from vines 20 to 30 years old at 5 meters. The soil is sandy clay, south exposure and the training system is Espalier. Harvest is manual. Fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel vats with maceration for 8 to 10 days. The wine is aged in stainless steel for 5 months and 1 month in bottle before release. This is a fresh intense fruity wine with hints of cherry, plum, and a touch of spice.$17

Montefalco Rosso 2016 Bocale made from 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot and 5% Colorino. Harvest takes place by hand from the last ten days of September to early October. Vinification is exclusively with natural enzymes. The wine does not undergo any kind of stabilization or filtration. The presence of sediment should be considered a guarantee of authenticity. The wine is aged in barrels and barriques for about 12 months and aged in bottle for at least 6 months before release. This is a balanced wine with hints of cherry, violets and floral scents and a touch of spice. $19

Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba DOCG “Garabei” 2017  Giovanni Abrigo made from 100% Dolcetto planted in 1968. The estate is situated on a hill in Diano d’Alba at a high altitude. They own 11 hectares of vineyards. The soil is sandy with a lot of gravel. The juice is fermented naturally on the skins for 8 days in stainless steel tanks. After racking the wine is aged for 12 months in stainless steel and spends 4 more months in bottle before release. The wines are not filtered or fined. Sustainable farming methods are used. The wine has hints of red fruit, cherries. $16

Irpinia Aglianico DOC 2015 Tenuta Del Mariggio made from 100% Aglianico from estate vineyards located in Montemiletto at 500 meters and in Taurasi at 300 meters. The vineyards were planted between 2003 and 2012. There are 4,000 plants per hectare and the training system is guyot. Harvest takes place at the end of October and the beginning of September. This is a wine with red and blackberry flavors and a hint of spice and should be drunk within the next 5 years.$16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gewürztraminer from the Alto Adige Under $20

The Alto Adige region of Italy is located at the foot of the Alps and the Dolomites. It borders on Austria and Switzerland. The Alps protect it from inclement weather from the North and Atlantic, while the Dolomites protect the vineyards from the cold, damaging winds from the east. Along with its proximity to the Mediterranean and Lake Garda, this makes it an excellent region to grow grapes.

This is a region famous for Gewürztraminers wines. Gewurz means spice in German and Tramin is a village in the South of Alto Adige where the grape originated, though some experts say that it is Germanic in origin.

Listed below are three that I have enjoyed this summer and all are under $20 dollars.

Gewürztraminer Alto Adige DOC 2015 100% Gewürztraminer Tiefenbrunner. The grapes are grown on hillside vineyards surrounding the towns of Entiklar and Kurtatsch. The vineyard is 16 acres and the soil is calcareous silky sandy-loam and gravel Training system is a combination of pergola and single-guyot and the vineyard is at 858/1,551 feet. The vines were planted 1978/2008 and the exposure is southeastern. Harvest takes place in September/October.

The wine is vinified in a combination of stainless steel and cement. Alcoholic fermentation is 6 to 10 days and the wine remains on the fine lees. It is aged for 4 months is stainless steel tanks and one month in bottle before release. The wine has hints of peaches and apricots with a touch of honey and spice. It is full bodied with a long finish. $19

Gewurztraminer Alto Adige DOC 2015 “Vom Lehm” 100% Gewurztraminer from selected vineyards in Tramin, Egna and Margre. Castelfeder The training system is a combination of the traditional pergola (50 year old vines) and guyot (3 to 8 year old vines.) The soil is sandy, medium-deep clay and there are 3,500/7,000 vines per hectare.

Vinification: The grapes are softly pressed and clarified through natural gravity settling the sediment. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks at a low temperature (12 to 18C). Before bottling, the wine is aged for a minimum of 4 months on the fine lees. Residual sugar is 2.5g/l

It is a fruity wine with intense spice, floral notes and exotic fruits. Rich and full bodied with a very pleasing aftertaste. $19

Gewürztraminer Alto Adige South-Tyro 2016 DOC made from 100% Gewürztraminer from vineyards in the hills of Kurtatsch with a southern exposure. Kellerei Cantina. The soil is clay and chalk. The wine is a highly aromatic and spic, full bodied, with good minerality and hints of roses and lichees. Residual sugar 5.6g/l $12

All of these wines work very well with Asian food, lobster, shellfish, grilled fish and foie gras.

White Wines of the Alto Adige that can Age

A few years ago Michele and I were in Italy and drove north from Lake Garda to the Alto Adige. As we left the city of Trentino and headed toward Bolzano (Bolzen), the countryside started to look more German than Italian.  Even the road signs changed:  they were written in both German and Italian.  This is a fascinating region with characteristics of two cultures.

I accepted an invitation to a seminar and panel discussion of wines of the Alto Adige that can age.

The moderator of the panel was Tim Gaiser, MS.  Tobias Zingerle of Kaltern Caldaro, Martin Foradori Hofstâtter of Tenuta J. Hofstâtter, and Ines Giovanett of Castelfeder made up the panel.

Alto Adige, also know as Südtirol due to its deep-rooted bicultural heritage, is Italy’s northernmost wine region. Located at the foot of the Alps and the Dolomites, the region borders on Austria and Switzerland. The Alps protect it from inclement weather from the North and the Atlantic, while the Dolomites protect the vineyards from the cold, damaging winds from the east.  Along with its proximity to the Mediterranean and Lake Garda, this makes it an excellent region to grow grapes. The vineyards range from 600 to 3,300 feet and the soil is mainly porphyry, limestone and slate rock with glacial deposits of gravel, sand and clay. It is interesting to note that in the summer, the temperature in Bolzano is higher than in Palermo in Sicily. The people that live here call their region the Sud Tyrol and themselves Tyroleans.   The food is decidedly Austrian with only a hint of Italy.  Ham is called Speck and they have a cheese called Weinkase Lagrein and bread called Schuttelbrot.

Mr.Gaiser said that in the Alto Adige 70% of the production is from 13 cooperatives,  25% from 40 larger wine estates  and 5% from over 100 private producing winegrowers.

Südtirol Wein/Vini Alto Adige: Wines of the Italian Alps

The first two wines are made from the Pinot Bianco grape. This is a grape variety that I feel is not appreciated and under valued. I have had wines made from the Pinot Bianco grape from the Alto Adige that have been 20 years old and have stood the test of time. Therefore I was not surprised to see the older examples showing so well.

Mr. Zingerle said the Pinot Bianco was the local wine of the area, the everyday wine. He said that the training system was pergola and guyot trellises and hand harvesting was the rule.

Kaltern Caldaro Pinot Bianco Vial 2014 & 2008 DOC   100% Pinot Bianco. Kaltern Caldaro is a co-op with 440 members. The 300 hectares of vines are located around Lake Kaltern, the warmest lake in the Alps. The Vial vineyard is  between 500 and 550 meters and is located at the foot of the Mendel Mountain range.  Whole cluster pressing takes place, then a natural must clarification and slow fermentation at 16% of which 10% is in large casks. The wine remains on the lees for 5 months and is then filtered and bottled in March. The residual sugar is 3g/l for the 2014 and 3.5 for the 2008. It is a full bodied wine with hints of apple, pear and a touch of almonds. The 2008 was showing very well with  pear flavor becoming more pronounced. Mr. Zingerle said that all the production must go to the cooperative.

Cantina Terlano Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg 2012 & 1999 DOC  100% Pinot Bianco Cantina Terlano is a cooperative founded in 1893. Today there are 143 growers with 165 hectares of vines. The Vorberg vineyard is in the Southern Tyrol facing the slopes of the Monzoccolo in the Terlano DOC area. The vineyards are between 450 and 950 meters. Harvesting is manual, followed by a gentle pressing of whole grape clusters and clarification of the must by natural sedimentation. A slow fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in 30HL barrels. Malolactic fermentation and aging on the lees in traditional wooden barrels for 12 months. The residual sugar is 3.2 for the 2012 and 2.5 for the 1999. Mr. Zingerle said that the winery was known for making white wines that can age and after tasting the 1999 I have to agree with him. The 2012 had aromas and flavors of citrus fruit, with hints of apple and a touch of grass and herbs. The 1999 was more subtle with a creamy finish and aftertaste. He added that 2012 and 1999 were very good vintages.

The panel members agreed that Gewürztraminer probably originated in Germany.

Mr. Hofstâtter said that the grapes for Gewürztraminer are picked when they are over ripe and the harvest usually takes place at the end of September and the beginning of October.  The training system is pergola and guyot. He also said that a touch of smoke is typical of the wine.

He said that  wines made from this grape are very aromatic with hints of  lychees, mango, peach and apricot and they can age.

Tramin Gewürztraminer Nussbaumer 2013 & 2009 DOC 100% Gewürztraminer  This cooperative was founded in 1889. 100% Gewürztraminer. The  14 hectares of vineyards are at 300 to 400 meters and the soil is calcareous and gravel in the area of Tramin and Montagna. There is a gentle pressing of the grapes immediately after harvest. Fermentation is in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and malolactic  fermentation does not take place. Residual sugar is 8g/l for the 2013 and 8.6 for the 2009.

Tenuta J. Hofstâtter Gewürztraminer Vigna Kolbenof 2013 & 2006 DOC 100% Gewürztraminer. This is a family run winery. There are 50 hectares of vines  between 250 and 750 meters on the slopes on both sides of the River Adige. The grapes for this wine are grown in the hamlet of Söll overlooking Tramin. The grapes are lightly crushed and the juice is left in contact with the skin for a few hours. The juice is clarified using natural sediment and fermentation takes place in temperature controlled tanks. The wine is on the lees for eight months and the lees are stirred up once a week (battonage). It is a full bodied wine with hints of apricot, peach and passion fruit. The residual sugar is 8.4g/l for the 2013 and 8.2 for the 2006. Only the Vigna on the label guarantees the origin of the single vineyard in the Alto-Adige.

Alto Adige: Why is it also called the Sudtirol?

 The Alto Adige

Urs Vetter of the Alois Lageder winery

Driving north passed the city of Bolzano, the countryside started to look more German than Italian.  Road signs were in two different languages: German and Italian. When we reached the Alois Lageder winery, we were greeted by Urs Vetter the export manager who gave us a tour of the winery and a wine tasting.  When it was time for lunch, he said that he knew an excellent restaurant not far away. He called the restaurant and spoke in German. When he looked up and saw the surprised look on our faces he simply said that in the Alto Adige, German is the first language.

 Located at the foot of the Alps and the Dolomites, the region borders on Austria and Switzerland. The Alps protect it from inclement weather from the North and the Atlantic, while the Dolomites protect the vineyards from the cold, damaging winds from the east.  Along with its proximity to the Mediterranean and Lake Garda, this makes it an excellent region to grow grapes. It is interesting to note that in the summer, the temperature in Bolzano is higher than in Palermo in Sicily. The people that live here call their region the Sud Tirol and themselves Tyroleans.   The food is decidedly Austrian with only a hint of Italy.  Ham is called Speck and they have a cheese called Weinkase Lagrein and bread called Schuttelbrot. 

  Recently in NYC I was invited to attend a seminar followed by a tasting of the wines of the Alto Adige moderated by Mary Ewing Mulligan, MW (the first American Woman Master of Wine).  The seminar was entitled “Distinctive White Wines of the Alto Adige” and included eight wines in the tasting.

Mary began with a few remarks regarding the enormous range in vineyard altitude and temperature between the southern and northern areas of the Alto Adige which results in a huge diversity of microclimates. She also went on to say that the most important grapes from the area for the American market were: Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and Lagrein.

The Wines

Pinot Grigio “Punggi” (single vineyard) 2007 DOC Alto Adige Nals Margreid 100% Pinot Grigio. The vinification of the grapes and the wine’s storage are carried out half in large oak barrels and half in stainless steel. The speaker for this wine was Klaus Gasser, sales director of the Cantina Terlano cooperative.  He said that Pinot Grigio grows better in the southern half of the Alto Adige where there is less elevation and higher temperatures. It is also grown in the north but as he put it “in the south it is the right grape in the right place”. He described the wine as balanced, fresh with crisp acidity, minerality and nice fruit. Mary asked him how long the wine would age, he said this was not his wine but he knew it well and his answer was 10 years. Klaus also said that to make a great wine the vines must be at least 15 years old. He also added that while they still were training the vines using the Pergola Trellis, most were switching over to Guyot.  $24

Manna 2004 IGT Dolomiti Franz Hazz made from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling and Traminer Aromatico.  Because of the different maturing times, the grapes are harvested and worked separately. The Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are fermented in barriques, the Reisling and Traminer Aromatico in stainless steel. The wine does not go through malolatic fermentation.  The Traminer Aromatico is late harvest and there is only a small percentage of Sauvignon Blanc .The wines are then blended together and rest on the lees for 10 months and remain in the bottle a few months before release. The speaker for this wine was Tobias Zingerle.

He is the General Manager of the Kaltern-Caldaro cooperative. Mr. Zingerle said that it was interesting to note that the four vineyards are in the municipalities of Montagna, Egna and Aldino, all very close to each other. The altitude is between 350/800 meters. The sites however are very different from each other, are of Dolomite origin, prophyric, sandy and marly, with a south-west exposure. This was not Mr. Zingerle’s wine but the winemaker told him that he blended these grapes together so that this wine would go with all types of food. The wine was big and complex with hints of spice, honey and a surprising fresh fruit finish and after taste. However it lacked acidity which I believe is necessary to make it a good food wine. $40

 Pinot Grigio “Sanc Valentin” 2006 DOC Alto Adige San Michele Appiano 100% Pinot Grigio. This winey is also a cooperative. The grapes come from selected vineyards in the Appiano Monte at an altitude of 450 meters and the wines are 25/40 years old. 40% of the wine is fermented in new barriques and 60% in used ones, where the wine stays on the yeast for 11 months. The speaker for this wine was Wolfgang Klotz. Mr. Klotz is the marketing and sales director. He said that 2006 was the driest vintage in the last ten years and that the berries were very small and concentrated. The wine had a very distinctive aroma that I could not quite place. On the palate it was very mineral. Over all it had more oak and vanilla then I expect from this producer.

 Sudtiroler Sauvignon Castel Giovanelli 2007 DOC Alto Adige Caldaro 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Castel Giovanelli is 2.5 hectares of vineyards which are bio-dynamically cultivated. There is extreme prolonged pressing of the grapes in their entirety, spontaneous fermentation of the unfiltered juice in 500 liter oak casks. The wine is aged in wood for 12 months, then a light filteration and bottled in August 2008. The speaker for the wine was Tobias Zingerle. He said that the vineyard was an east facing slope of 500 mt above sea level. The soil is loamy, chalky gravel with porphyry and weathered granite, providing a prominent mineral character to the site. This was the most vegetative of the wines with a lot of citrus fruit which I found to be a strange combination. Mr. Zingerle found it less vegetative. Mary commented that this was more of a winemakers wine than a natural fresh wine but did not find it “over worked.”  I did.

 Nova Domus 2005 Riserva DOC Alto Adige Terlaner The wine is made from 60% Pinot Bianco  30% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. Fermentation: 50% in large oak casks and 50% in Tonneaux (500 liters). Maturation and aging for 12 months on fine yeast in large oak barrels. This was said to be in keeping with tradition. The assemblage took place in March 2007 and bottled in August 2007.  The panel member speaking was Klaus Gasser. The producer feels that the wine can age and the 2005 is the current release in magnums. He said that the 2007 would be available in 750’s and went on to say that 2005 was a warmer vintage while 2007 was cooler and made a more elegant wine. Even thou there is only 10% of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend it was the dominant aroma and taste along with a mineral character in the mouth. It is an interesting wine. $N/A

 Chardonnay Lowengang 2002 DOC Alto Adige Alois Lageder 100% Chardonnay The  grapes come from selected vineyard sites in the Magre and Salorno area. Using natural yeasts, the wine is aged for 11 months on the lees in barriques made of Alliers, Nevers, Troncais, and Vosges of which one half are new. The vines are between 45/60 years old and are at an altitude of 260/450 meters. The soil is sandy and gravelly with high limestone content. It is a warm mesoclimate with vast contrasts between warm days and cool nights. The harvest was the 19/20 of September. This was the oldest wine that we tasted. The speaker was Urs Vetter, our old friend now the VP for the Alois Lageder winery and their director of sales and marketing. He said that all their wines go through malolatic fermentation. Urs also said 2002 was a very good year for Chardonnay and the secret to making great Chardonnay was the age of the vineyard. The wine was an interesting combination of citrus fruit, vanilla and oak.  In the mouth the sensation was very strange; the oak, vanilla and citrus were all there but you tasted them separately! The current release is the 2006. $N/A

 Gewurztraminer Reserve 2006 DOC Alto Adige Peter Zemmer 100% Gewurztraminer.   The vines are grafted on slow-growing rootstock and trained on traditional trellises (Guyot), the grapes are grown in the best vineyard zones in the valley floor around the center of Cortina. Before the grapes are pressed 6/8 hour long cold maceration takes place. The grapes are gently pressed and the stems are removed in the pneumatic tank press. The wine is clarified through the natural setting of sediments. The alcoholic fermentation is carried out with pure strains of yeast at a controlled temperature. The speaker for this wine was Urs and he said the Gewürztraminer was the most typical white wine of the Alto Adige. $ N/A

  Nussbaumer Gewurztraminer 2004 DOC Alto Adige Cantina Tramin. 100% Gewurztraminer The speaker was Wolfgang Klotz from the Tramin winery and Urs introduced him as a Gewurztraminer expert.   He said that Gewurz means spice in German and Tramin being a village in the South of Alto Adige where the grape originated. Others believe that it is Germanic in origin. The Nussbauner estate is located in Sella, a small village above Tramin. The vineyards are between 350/550 meters on the slopes below the Roen mountains. Dry winds blow from Lake Garda during the entire growing season. The soil is clay and gravel with a limestone layer from 20-100cm and porphyry subsoil. The grapes were harvested in small bins, gently crushed and left to macerate with their juices for a brief period.  Mr. Klotz said this was done to capture the characteristic aromatics of the grape. After pressing the grapes are fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks. This wine was balanced, complex elegant and subtle all at the same time. It was one of the best examples of Gewürztraminer that I have ever tasted. $40

 Mary said that the cooperatives in the region were quality-focused and overall the region has the best cooperatives in Italy. A typical cooperative will have several hundred members cultivating a plot that is on average less than 2.5 acres. Fifteen cooperatives produce almost 70% of the regions wine. The remaining 30% is produced by wine estates and independent winegrowers.

There was a brief discussion on how well the white wines of the Alto Adige age. Mary said that she was surprised that the panel members did not chose a Pinot Bianco as part of the seminar. She agreed that the white wines do age but believed that the Pinot Bianco aged the best. She went on the give examples of Pinot Biancos that she had in the past that were 20 and 30 years old and in great condition.  This was why she believed that the best place to grow Pinot Bianco was in the Alto Adige.

Ms. Walch of the Elena Walch winery

 In the walk around tasting here are some of the wines which I found interesting and show the great variety of wines produced in the Alto Adige:Abbazia di Novacella – Kerner 2009, Cantina Bolanzo- Santa Magdalena Pinot Grigio 2010, Franz Hass Moscato Rosso 2009, Alois Lageder Muller Thurgau 2010, St Michele Appiano Sauvignon Sanct Valentine 2009, Elena Walch Beyond the Clouds 2008 and Schiava 2009, Peter Zimmer Lagrein 2009 , Manincor Moscato Giallo 2009  Tiefenbrunner Pinot Nero Turmhof 2009 and the Pinot Bianco 2009 and the Nussbaumer Gewurztraminer  2009 from Tramin.

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