From the category archives:

Italy

NV Araldica Asti Spumante Moscato

11 January 2012
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The only word I understand in the title is “Asti“, but I suppose that’s all one needs to know. Being on a need-to-know basis with a wine has its benefits, especially an Italian wine, where there’s often so much to no, but so little to gain by knowing it. As a clue, the word “sweet” [...]

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Marks & Spencer Bianco Sicilia 2010

5 October 2011
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My experience of Italian white wines isn’t amazing – but nor then is it particularly bad. It’s the reds that I’ve taken some time coming around to (and bad-mouthed along the way): not least because they differ from the bolder, cleaner flavours of familliar grapes (often from New World producers) that I’ve got used to [...]

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La Toledana Gavi Vendemmia 2010

17 August 2011
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I find it hard to drink red wine in this hot and sticky weather we are having at present. I used to drink beer on days like these but I’ve since weened myself off the amber liquid and onto white and rose wines. While its difficult to replace beer as a thirst-quencher (and I still [...]

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Maestro Italiano Chardonnay Pinot Grigio 2008

27 July 2011
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Why do I do these things to myself? I could quite happily go through life without ever buying any Italian wine – let alone any Pinot Grigio – and just enjoying my NZ Sauvignon Blanc, Californian Chardonnay and German Riesling in peace. But there’s the constant nagging suspicion that I’m missing out: that I’m just [...]

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Villadoria Gavi di Gavi

29 June 2011
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Gavi is one of the many Italian appelations famed for a wine few others make. The constituent Cortese is certainly not a high street or supermarket-recognised grape, nor is it one of any recognised big five, big ten or big twenty, as far as I know. It is, however, relatively well-represented outside of Italy in [...]

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2009 Monte Schiavo Verdicchio

22 June 2011
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For me, by far the most interesting thing about this wine is the bottle. And, as with the wine, I’m in two minds about it – possibly a product (or a tradition) of the region from whence it hails, it’s kind of quirky and interesting and different, but it looks a little funny: awkward perhaps; [...]

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WSET Diaries – Part 3: Facing One’s Prejudices

18 March 2011
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Read Part 2 on our sister site RedWine.co.uk. Well, I went into week three of my WSET Intermediate wine course thinking Spain makes great, affordable reds and passable whites; Portugal makes port and not much else; and Italy makes a load of old rubbish that tastes like watery tar and invariably costs too much. (The only [...]

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Tesco’s Finest Gavi 2007

24 September 2010
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I tend to buy my wine either online or from independent wine merchants so when we had to duck into Tesco for an emergency bottle of white wine on the way to a supper club in West London, I wasn’t holding my breath. My dining companion likes Italian whites and since the first course was [...]

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La Prendina Estate 2008

27 August 2010
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Pinot Grigio Italy Marks & Spencer Mixed case £45 Natural Cork 12.5% This is a wonderfully-crisp, modern, aromatic, dry medium-bodied white wine from the Lombardy region in the North of Italy. The initial bouquet on the nose was of lemon and lime, pear drops and a hint of spiciness. I feel this is a well-knitted, [...]

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Tesco Finest Gavi 2008

10 May 2010
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Retailer: Tesco ABV: 12.5% Closure: Cork Price: Tesco Finest 2 for £10 on offer After watching James Martin on Saturday Kitchen on the BBC on Saturday May 1st and watching Chef Bjorn Van Der Horst cook a dish called Al cremate with a little gem, dandelion and watercress salad served with homemade aioli. They recommended [...]

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Lidl Orvieto Classico 2008

4 January 2010
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Retailer: Lidl Closure: PLASTIC CORK ABV: 12% Price: £2.98 (Special Offer) This pale straw coloured Orvieto Classico is indeed a classic Italian wine. I first encountered Orvieto as my Italian friend Doriano used to drink it and serve it in his restaurant. On putting my nose to the glass and inhaling deeply, immediately got the [...]

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