Wines of North Italy

Laura Goddard
Wines of North Italy
 

Wines of North Italy ...

... from fizzy to super serious!

  

 

Not sure where to begin your NORTH ITALY wine journey?

Scroll down for inspiration on Prosecco or Metodo Classico (Champagne-method); local or international varieties; simple and elegant or complex and age-worthy. North Italy has it all :)

Or skip straight to the NORTH ITALY collection here: onceuponavine.sg/collections/north-italy

And, as always, if you need a personal recommendation please EMAIL or WhatsApp me at +65 8322 5042.

   

 

Fun, fruity bubbles:

 

 

 

PROSECCO by Tasi: one of the most important wines of Italy, this is made from Glera grape and uses the tank method to create a spumante wine (rather than the 2nd fermentation in the bottle, like in Metodo Classico or Champagne) that emphasises the grapes fruity and floral notes! Buy it HERE.

 

GILLI ROSATO by Cascina Gilli: this is another tank method, but a rosato, made from the little-known red grape of the Torino hills, Malvasia di Schierano. Buy it HERE.

 

GILLI by Cascina Gilli: the fizzy red from the same rare grape as above, under the Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco appellation just to the east of Turin. Think of this like North Italy's answer to Lambrusco. It's off-dry, frizzante and fabulous!! Buy it HERE.

 

 

Richer, complex bubbles: 

 

 

KK by Kante: the bone dry Metodo Classico (aka Champagne-method) from cult winemaker Edi Kante. His vineyards and underground cellar are located in the Carso (limestone plateau in far east Friuli, close to Slovenia and Croatia) and his wines are elegant and complex. Buy it HERE.

 

MORATI ROSE by Castello Di Cigognola: the delicious bubbles with the very long appellation name (Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico Pinot Nero DOCG) is 100% PN and spends 60 months on the lees to develop those classic toasty notes we all love from complex sparkling wine. Buy it HERE.

 

MOLINAR by Pojer e Sandri: one of my all-time favourite Metodo Classico wines, made by the unforgettable duo Mario Pojer and Fiorentino Sandri, in the stunning Dolomite mountains. This is a very light pink sparkling wine, thanks to the gentle extraction from the skins of the Pinot Meunier grapes (rare to find 100% PM bubbles) with a limited production of 2,500 bottles. We are delighted to still have a few left in Singapore! Buy it HERE.

 

  

Key (need to know) whites:

 

 

 

SOAVE by Fasoli Gino: one of the most famous wines from North Italy, this is made from the Garganega grape in vineyards that sit in the foothills of the Monte Lessini, to the east of the famous Valpolicella area. Buy it HERE.

 

CHARDONNAY by Pojer e Sandri: this international grape grows well in the valleys of Trentino (where it is widely planted for sparkling TRENTO DOC) and thanks to the freshness of style it can be a perfect introduction to Italian whites for those more familiar with wines like Chablis. Buy it HERE.

 

POLIN Pinot Grigio by Pravis: this well-known grape can be found in many parts of Italy, from the mountains of Aosta (where it's called Malvoisie) to the plains of Veneto and Friuli, but it is perhaps most interesting when made as a 'ramato' style (short skin contact) in the Valle dei Laghi, north of Lake Garda, where the vines are caressed by the Ora breeze. Buy it HERE.

  

 

Rare grape / special whites:

 

 

RECIT by Monchiero Carbone: the white grape of Roero, Arneis, is a tricky grape to grow but one of the most important of Piedmont. The Roero DOCG appellation is north of Barolo, on the other side of the Tanaro river. The wine from Arneis has bright acid and subtle aromas, with a pleasant almond-note finish. Buy it HERE.

 

FRIULANO by Draga: this grape is key to the vineyards of Friuli (although it can also be found in Veneto, called Tai) and specifically in the Collio DOC appellation. Expect a fresh white, with lime skin, stone fruit and tropical notes, and tertiary complexity from bottle ageing. Buy it HERE.

 

VITOVSKA by Kante: this Friuli grape was almost lost to extinction but thanks to the efforts of Edi Kante (and Zidarich) it now boasts a growing following of wine lovers who are looking for something unique. This is a very 'mineral' white. That's a controversial term to use, since you can't actually smell or taste minerals, but somehow we instinctively know how to imagine "licking a wet rock"!!! Buy it HERE.

 

 

Everyday drinking reds:

 

 

BARDOLINO + VALPOLICELLA: these simple red blends are mostly Corvina and Corvinone (Bardolino also includes Molinara, whereas Valpolicella adds Rondinella) made in north Veneto, from vineyards east of Lake Garda and in the foothills of Monte Lessini. They are made to be easy-drinking reds, bursting with red fruit notes. Buy them HERE.

 

DOLCETTO by Brezza: once the most planted grape of Piedmont, this 'farmer's grape' is loved because it can be planted higher up the slopes than Barbera and Nebbiolo, plus it ripens earlier so wineries can get the wines to market sooner (helpful for cash flow). It is juicy and packed with dark berry notes. It has medium acidity with a nice tannic structure. Buy it HERE.

 

BARBERA d'Asti Superiore by Cascina Gilli: this is a great example of the superiore category within the Barbera D'Asti DOCG appellation. As a starting point to explore the reds of North Italy, tasting a range of different Barbera wines would be really helpful. It is the most widely planted grape of Piedmont and also popular in neighbouring Lombardy. Generally the grape is high in acid, medium in tannin, with red fruit notes. The difference between Alba and Asti, or the superiore category, or the special cru like MonBirone, would make a great study plan!! Try the Asti Superiore HERE or explore all the Barbera options HERE.

 

  

Rare grape / special reds:

  

 

TERRANO by Kante: this red grape is at home in the Carso, in Friuli. It makes bright red wines, so could be a lovely option on a hot Singapore afternoon when you fancy a glass of red but don't want anything too heavy that might send you to sleep!! It's sometimes called 'rustic' in style but after bottle ageing (we stock the 2014) it settles into a smooth, fruity, moorish red wine. I'm sure that Edi would be excited to know this rare Friuli red wine was being enjoyed many miles away from his remote cellar, here in Singapore! Buy it HERE.

 

RUCHE wines by Ferraris: anyone who's joined one of my tasting events should know this obscure grape. I love these wines by Luca Ferraris - from the fruity Clasic, to the historic Vigna Del Parroco, and the complex Opera Prima. Winemaker Luca is a key figure in the promotion of this delicious but rarely exported grape variety. Plantings of Ruché are restricted to a small area around the commune of Castagnole Monferrato (for the Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG appellation). Luca has even opened a museum dedicated to this fascinating grape - see info HERE. Ruché is a rare example of an aromatic red grape, so it comes as no surprise that the wines are highly fragrant. It's a perfect pairing with duck pancakes (complementing the hoi sin sauce). Explore all the Ruché wines HERE.

  

 

The big, bold reds:

 

 

 

BAROLO and other NEBBIOLO: possibly the most famous red wine of Italy (next to Brunello, Chianti or Amarone - see below) it is known as the Wine of Kings thanks to its popularity at the 19th century royal courts of Europe, and it is also considered a noble grape. The wines from Nebbiolo are high acid reds, with bold tannins and notes of rose petals, red berries, tar and liquorice. The tannins work beautifully to cut through a juicy steak!

What makes this an interesting category is the incredible range, from the famous wines of the Barolo DOCG (including 181 'cru' or single-vineyard wines, like Cannubi), to the nearby Roero DOCG (often ready to drink sooner), but also the Alto Piemonte area Gattinara DOCG (volcanic soil), or the lesser-known appellations like Albugnano (near Turin) or even the rare Oltrepo Pavese label over the border in Lombardy.

Psst - if you haven't yet tried an aged Nebbiolo, grab a bottle of Cavalotto's 2006 Vignolo (one of the 'cru' of Barolo) HERE before it sells out, or the 2009 Bricco Sarmassa by Brezza (only now available in magnum) HERE.

Shop for all Barolo HERE or browse all the Nebbiolo wines HERE.

 

AMARONE and friends: if you like your wines rich, concentrated and with a long finish, then get your hands on some Amarone or other passito wines (made by the appassimento process of drying grapes).

This special winemaking style has a long history in Italy, going back to before the Romans, when the best wines were sweet. Today many passito wines are sweet (like Recioto di Valpoicella and Recioto di Soave, but also Vine Santo etc) but thanks to a lucky 'accident' in a Valpolicella winery, back in the early 20th century, the dry and 'amaro' (bitter) version was created. In the 1990s this dry red wine gained a reputation as one of Italy's most important wines. The process is still time consuming (fully ripe grapes must spend several months being air dried, to allow water to evaporate, thus concentrating the acid, tannin, aromas and flavours) but the result is an opulent wine, capable of reaching high alcohol levels. Experienced wineries like Fasoli Gino (and the younger Tasi estate, run by 3 friends who grew up under the tutelage of the Fasoli Gino winemakers) know how to create a balance between power and elegance. They also enjoy experimenting with wine outside the Amarone DOCG like appassimento Merlot or Cabernet. There is even an appassimento Barbera now available from Castello Di Cigognola, so look out for that label if you want something super rare. Whichever wine you try, expect an Amarone of appassimento to be big, bold and beautiful to finish the evening!

Shop specifically for Amarone HERE or see all the appassimento wines we stock HERE.

  

 

So, what are you waiting for?

Start exploring all the wines of NORTH ITALY today!