During my time in California, I continued my recent obsession of exploring Italian wines. For this post, I’m highlighting 3 Italian reds worth seeking out because they are high quality, well-priced and unique.
The first comes from Etna, Sicily. Although many famous Italian appellations like Brunello and Barolo don’t release their wines until around 6 years after harvest, it’s less common with Etna Rosso. That’s why Calabretta is unique. They typically release their wines 6-8 years after other Etna Rossos of the same vintage are released. In fact, at the current moment, I only see their 2012 and 2014 Vigne Vecchie (Old Vines) vintages available. With long aging in botte and bottle, you get a more mature wine immediately. Yet, it only costs $25-$35.
The second cool Italian red bargain are wines from the appellation of Montecucco. It’s a small appellation in southern Tuscany mostly in Maremma, a region more famous for top Super Tuscans. Their reds must be at least 60% Sangiovese. Because it’s not as famous as other Sangiovese Tuscan regions like Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, there can be excellent bargains. The one I found is high quality Sangiovese for less than $20.
Lastly, I found another Tuscan red for under $25, but it’s unique in that it features Alicante Nero, AKA Grenache. Most Super Tuscans tend to feature Bordeaux varieties in addition to local varieties or some also feature Syrah. This is my first time having a Grenache based Tuscan wine though. The producer is called Ampeleia. Another interesting thing about Ampeleia is one of the owners is Elisabetta Foradori, who is more famous for making some of the best Alto-Adige wines (see a review of her Teroldego).
Tasting Notes
2012 Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie Etna
70-100 year ungrafted old vines. 6-7 years in big Slavonian oak barrels. Nerello Mascalese with a bit of Nerello Cappuccio. Tobacco, smoky nose, cherry fruit but verging on tertiary notes on the nose. Cherry fruit, good acidity, medium-bodied palate with some spices on the back end with present but relatively tamed tannins at 10+ years of age. Some licorice The palate is more primary though than the nose. Although it could develop into full-on tertiary notes, I just like the fact that it’s released as an already mature wine. Don’t detect the 16% alcohol at all. Could still improve. 92
2016 Castello ColleMassari Montecucco Riserva
80% Sangiovese with equal parts Ciliegiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, then the Riserva is aged for 16 months: the Sangiovese in 40hl oak casks while Cabernet Sauvignon and Ciliegiolo age in French oak tonneau of 500 liters. Although this region is often thought of as being more traditional, I find this bottle more international Bordeaux in style. Baking spices, vanilla with ripe dark and red berry fruit. It gets fruitier and brighter over time. Round feel. Medium+ bodied. Medium acid. Excellent value, but not as obviously Tuscan Sangiovese to me. More Bordeaux-like as I said. More oak influence than the Etna wine but the overall quality is about the same though. Could still improve. 91
2020 Ampeleia Kepos Last Dance IGT Toscana Maremma
Biodynamic, spontaneous co-fermentation. Unfined. Unfiltered. No wood. Kepos 2020 is actually the last vintage of this wine. They are going to use its grapes for varietal wines and a new project. That’s why they put “Last Dance” on the label. I found contrasting info on the percentages of grape Varieties. It’s either 70% Alicante Nero (Grenache), 15% Carignano, 15% Mourvèdre OR 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 20% Carignan. Nose takes me to the Rhone at first with some dried Mediterranean herbal notes. But some minerality comes too. Overall, a fruity, juicy low intervention style of Grenache blend. Soft tannins. Medium acid. Medium bodied. Really smooths out over a couple hours. Just 12.5% alcohol. 17,000 bottles made. 90
