Italy Uncorked: Three Wines, Three Regions

It has been said, "Wine buffs write and talk as though the food and wine will be in your mouth at the same time, that one is there to be poured over the other.  This is bullshit.  Gustatory enjoyment comes from food and wine and (perhaps) cigars of your liking.  So far no one has said that a Monte Cristo is the only cigar to smoke after Armagnac, Romeo, and Juliet after Calvados ... but the time may yet come." ~ Clement Freud

Clement here makes some good points, and he is right who am I tell you what to drink or eat for that matter? I mean c'mon we can all agree that each of us should drink/eat what we like. But like the patrons who visited the wine store where I once worked, and who often sought out recommendations I may have and or opinions on specific wines before making their purchase, I offer my impressions on the following Italian wines for your consideration; what you or any vino-sapiens do with that advice is ultimately in your hands. 

Our mission at Cuvée Corner is wine, wine destination travel, wine-pairing, and tasting discovery, making the complex knowable; to make wine more accessible to the masses. To shine a light in the dark cellars, uncovering wines which fit our favorite catchphrase "You can pay more, but you seldom get more." Life is short, money is fungible but also finite, so if you'd to drink like a prince on a paupers budget, and learn to drink wines of place and, why wines of effort are just that, please read on. In today's review, three different looks at Italian wines that fit the definition of wine of place and wines of effort; the power of three can add flair, rhythm and poetic beauty to your #wine glass.

Cantine Colosi 2015 Nero D' Avola, Terre Siciliane IGP:

In the glass, this wine appeared medium in body, and the core was a ruby red. Clarity wise this wine was, slightly cloudy toward opaque.  On the aroma front, this wine reminded of an early disco sensation, "take a ride to funky town." This wine had some interesting aromatics, but not in a way that would invite revisiting its matchstick characteristics, wet, damp barnyard aromas, gamey notes of venison and freshly picked tobacco leaves masking the background fruit aromas of cherry and blackberry.

After a few good swishes about in the mouth, the taste profile showed this wine to be dry, the acidity was balanced, the body was light, and the tannin level was a moderate plus. Flavor-wise, this wine reminded me of dark stewed plums, kicked open wet-earth, licorice, spice wrapped around a blackberry. The finish was a medium plus, tasted much better with beef stew and crusty bread. Likely not everyone's cup of tea on its own, but for those who adore more rustic styles of wine, than this a bottle of wine I'd recommend for purchase. My score for this wine 86 points. 

G.D. Vajra Dolcetto D'Alba DOC 2016:

In the glass, this wine appeared deep in both depth and intensity, overall the color at the core was a deep purple to violet at the rim, gorgeous extraction. This wine had the typical aromatics associated with Dolcetto, bold, summer-ripe blackberries, roasted plum, balsamic, damp earth, and a pleasing background chalky characteristic, recalling bygone years of clapping the erasers after school. Flavor-wise, this wine reminded me of a densely packed winter vacation suitcase, brimming with winter accouterments.

This wine was delightfully dry, the acidity was spot on in balance, threading the needle between fruit and acid. For the uninitiated, this wine could come off as mouth puckering dry or grippy, but I enjoyed the tapestry it painted. The tannin level was strong and chewy.  Flavor-wise, this wine reminded me of baked blueberry pie, earthy minerality, crushed limestone, darkly roasted plums, and blackberries. The finish was a medium plus; time spent in a decanter would make this wine much more enjoyable. My Score 94 points and highly recommended.

Elena Walch, Pinot Grigio, Alto-Adige 2016:

In the glass, this wine appeared light in both color and intensity, the core was a dark straw to yellow, and the clarity was clear. This wine was aromatic, matchsticks, a reductive note via the screw cap, lemon oil dominated, citrus peels, honey, and undefined floral notes. Flavor-wise, this wine reminded me of a day of dusting wooden furniture with the waft of citrus-zest in the air. This wine was dry, the acidity was crisp, the body light, and the tannins were a moderate minus.

The overall flavor profile is a lemon-oil infused butteriness, it's leesy, vacant-eyed minerality, floral, citrus, with a drop of honey in the background.  The finish is long and lasting, exhibiting excellent body in the mouthfeel. The perfect example of the contrast between domestic Pinot Gris and the Italian style Pinot Grigio, same grape, completely different experiences. My score 87 points. Until next time folks, please remember life is so short, don't settle for the ordinary when you can have the extraordinary, slurp long and prosper cheers!

Full Disclosure: Reviewed wines are from medias sample provided (not for sale) for the review process.

All original content: Including text and photographs remain the copyright of the author, (W.R. Eyer, 

Cuvée Corner Media Productions and Fotogui Photography) except where otherwise noted.