Veneto, although one of the most famous wine regions of Italy, produces huge quantities of wine, but Tuscany, and Piedmont market their wiens at higher prices and enjoy a more respectful acceptance of their wines.
Veneto is home to Soave, Bianco di Custoza, Bardolino, Valpolicella and many others.
Soave is quaffing wine, fruity, light to medium-bodied white wine, almost exclusively made using the garganega.
Bardolino on the other hand is a pale red medium-bodied wine suitable for lighter meals and Italian antipasti (green olives, marinated squid, marinated octopus, artichoke hearts, prosciutto, capicollo, cheeses, sausages).
The most famous of all Veneto wines is Valpolicella, which can be Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico, from the heart of the region, Valpolicella Superiore (one more degree of alcohol than the regular wine of that vintage), amarone, from dried grapes, and recitto della Valpolicella, dried from the upper parts of the bunch and thus sweet.

The following grape varieties may be used – corvine, rondinella, and molinara, corvinone, and croatina. Most wineries use only three these being corvina Veronese, molinara and rondinella.
For amarone each grape bunch is inspected, rotten grapes discarded. All bunches are placed on specially designed wooden trays to be dried in a well-ventilated attic. During this period, which may by up to 120 days, grapes lose at least 30 per cent of their weight, concentrating sugars, aromatics, and tannins. They are subjected to a controlled noble rot, of which corvina is most susceptible.
Corvina provides richness, rondinella colour and tannin, and molinara rounds off the blend.
Amarone and recioto della Valpolicella are always high in alcohol, 15 per cent often more, and should be enjoyed in moderation. This wine is always full-bodied, concentrated, intense, rich and luscious, fruity but offers a lot of nuance.
Amarone can be simply that, or classico from the heart of the appellation, or from a single vineyard.
In all cases, amarone age well and require food to appreciate their depth and full flavour.
Respectable wineries sell poor quality wines of unsuccessful vintages in bulk to lesser establishments in an attempt to protect their reputation.
It is important to buy from reputable producers, and select the vintage with due care.
Once amarone is made, the lees are collected and added to regular Valpolicella and re-fermented. This process, called ripasso, which yields more flavourful, dark, and fuller, bodied regular wines.

Amarone wines benefit from decanting at least two hours before enjoyment.
The better known and reliable wineries are – Qunitarelli, Agricola Masi, Fratelli Tedeschi, Tommasi Viticoltore, Azienda Agricola Gamba, Cacotto del Merlo Campagnola, Tezz Ma Roat and Zenato.

Amarone Le Quare, 2004, Azienda Agricola Gamba
Composed of corvina (50 Per cent), corvinona (30), rondinella (10), molinara (5), and croatina (5), this is a massive wine to be enjoyed with appropriately flavourful dishes, i.e. roast rib of beef, game stews, beef stews, beef shanks, braised short ribs.
085340 $ 50.95

Recitto della Valpolicella Classico, Cacotto del Merlo Campagnola
Superbly balanced, concentrated and powerful.
084079 375 ml $ 33.95

Amarone Classico, 2004, Tommasi Viticoltore
This rich amarone gushes with ripe cherry and plum aromas, buttressed with vanilla and toasty flavours from barrel aging.
Dry and round with ripe tannins, this full-bodied wine is best with roasted wild boar, or beef stews, or aged hard cheeses.
356220 $ 52.95

Amarone Classico, 2004, Zenato
Crushed current and dried fruit aromas dominate. Full bodied with fien tannins, this powerful wine requires at least two years of cellaring.
413179 $ 52.95

Amarone Classico, 2004, Fratelli Tedeschi
Excellent deep flavour, layered in the mouth, evolving and constantly changing from nice to great. It intense, well balanced and possesses a long aftertaste.
433417 $ 44.95

Valpolixcella Ripasso, 2005, Tezz Ma Roat
This roand and fruity wine is well balanced and specifically suited with mushroom ravioli, or gnocchi.
084053 $ 17.95

Capitel dei Nicalo Valpolicella Classico Superiore, 2006, Fratelli Tedeschi
Tedeschi is a family winery with a reputation for consistently high quality. This wine was made with grapes subjected to a short drying process. It is full bodied, fruity, rich and luscious.
984997 $ 18.95

Guest Writer – Hrayr Berberoglu E-mail or interested in his books?.

Rivetto Barolo Giulin 2004.

Rivetto family started wine activity in 1902 in a small village located in Asti region called Montaldo Scarampi. In the 1921 they deicided to move to Alba’s downtown in Rattazzi street n.2 where they began a successfull wine-trade.
Nearly forty years later, in 1939, Ercole, the family’s patriarch, sealed the winery’s fate when he purchased the estate of Loirano of Vassallo counts. The estate sits 400 mt above sae level, occupying 89 acres facing the spectacular Serralunga d’Alba Castle and the charmingly picturesque village of Sinio. The vineyards extended from the southwestward along the highest hilltop.
The land has been prized for many generations. As a token of esteem and hospitality, the Falletti family, owners of the Langhe property, best owed upon their cousins, the Vassallo Counts, this rich land located in Loirano, a region synonymous with age-old quality.

This barolo is pleasant with soft tanin and gently spiced with intense cranberry fruit still round and good. It is very drinkable and we do recommend this vintage.

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Barolo and Barbaresco, are the two most important red wines and the crowning jewel wine region of Piedmont, in the northwest, celebrated vintage 2004 claiming it to the best yet. Both regions enjoy a worldwide reputation for their monovarietal (nebbiolo exclusively) vinted from this capricious grape.

This indigenous grape tastes only at its best if and when grown in the volcanic soils of this region coupled with the unique (cool) climate. Growers planted nebbiolo elsewhere in Italy (Lombardy), California, Australia, New Zealand, and even in Ontario, but to date no one has been able to duplicate the aromatic delicacy and textural strength of this unique grape variety.

Of the two, Barolo ages better, longer and offers more flavour and depth. Barbaresco’s quality has been improving gradually over the last 20 years. The biggest proponent and price leader of Barbaresco is Angelo Gaja whose wines have captured the imagination of serious and well-heeled wine consumers.

Barolo long considered to be the “King of wines, and wine of kings” is a relatively small region (1400 hectares) producing an average of eight million bottles pending on vintage. Barbaresco’s soil is more calcareous than those of Barolo, hence the wines are softer, fruitier, and almost perfumey.

In the last quarter century, traditional winemakers retired and/or sold their wineries, or turned them over to their university-educated offspring’s. They are convinced that quality and intensity of their wines must improve constantly, while prices that reflect demand must be reasonable.

Traditional winemakers, like Bartolo Mascarello, seldom emphasised single-vineyard (here called cru). Barolo’s young vintners know differences between sub-regions and even single-vineyards exist and are readily observed by connoisseurs who taste nebbiolo wines frequently. They try to make Barolo that emphasises the unique flavours of the grape.

They even know that the top of the hill site here called Bricco produces better quality fruit and wines of higher alcohol levels that are fuller bodied.
Vintages in Barolo and Barbaresco play an important role in quality and prices vary accordingly. 1996, 1997, 2000, and 2004 yielded very fine wines, and 2004 is claimed by most to be the best yet.

This vintage was released in 2008, and the wine must be aged (in upright Slovenian oak barrels of 6300 – 9000 litre capacity) for a minimum of 36 months, and one year in the bottle. 2004 by all accounts was perfect with the right amount of precipitation and a hot growing season. The fruit came in excellent condition and winemakers made the best wine they could possibly make.
Here are the wineries and their brands that are recommended:

BAROLO

Vietti, Barolo Villero Riserva
Paolo Scavino, Barolo
Manzone, Barolo Bricat Le Gramolere
Ceretto, Bricco Roche
Giacomo Borgono, Barolo Riserva
Gianfranco Alelsandira Barolo
Roberto Vierzo, Barolo Brunate
Roberto Vierzo, Barolo Vignetto Cerequio
Roberto Vierzo, Barolo La Serra
Ascheri, Barolo
Renato Ratti, Barolo Marcenasco
Aldo Contern,o Barolo Granbussia Riserva
Giacomo Contratto, Barolo Cerequio Secolo
Emilio Altare, Barolo Vigneto Arborina
Domenico Cerico, Barolo Pajana
Marchesi di Barolo, Barolo Riserva

BARBARESCO

B Giacosa, Barbaresco Asili Riserva
Ceretto, Barbaresco Bricco Asili
Ceretto, Barbaresco Bricco Faset
A Gaja, Barbaresco Sori Tildin
Moccagatta, Barbaresco Basarin
La Spinetta, Barbaresco Vigneto Gallina
Vietti, Barbaresco Masseria
Marchesi di Gresy, Barbaresco Martinenga Camp Gros
Paitin, Barbaresco Sori Paitin
Paroccho de Neive Barbaresco

Guest Writer – Hrayr Berberoglu E-mail or interested in his books?.

Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco 2004

This is again a good vintage, I do think we had been lucky with our choice of the 01 and the 04 vintage. This wine tastes of licorice and tobacco, full bodied and smooth and elegant all the way.

This is indeed! a good buying.

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Tenuta il Sogno Nebbio06 Tenuta il Sogno 2006.

This is again a very good wine from Tenuta Il Sogno. This is their first attempt with the nebbiolo grape and the result is as I put it very successful. The wine is full bodied with taste of fresh red berries. The finish has hints of spices and is a little dry.
We do recommend some food to this wine, but it can work alone with some for instance chips.

See all wine from Tenuta il Sogno.

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Tenuta Il Sogno Barbera d`asti Terre Degli Amici 2006

This is absolutely the best vintage so far. It is a beautiful Barbera wine that has a great structure. It is pure, simple and fruity, while it has strength all the way. It beats us that it has the same power from start to finish. And it is a vintage with good length something we have missed in previous years.

More wine from Tenuta il Sogno.

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Barbera d`Asti ( Ca`bianca ) 2005

This wine has medium body is fresh with good taste of red berries. The finish is combined with oak and spices and is firm and has a fine length. Absolutely on the best Barbera wines we have tasted. We do recommend it strongly. We have tasted the last 4 years vintage of this wine and we are happy with all of them!

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Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco 2001.

This wine is full-bodied, full flavored and elegant with tastes of licorice and tobacco. It is perfect for a pepper steak with that power it has in the ending. Dice 5- (85 points).

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Tenuta il Sogno Frode & Eli are two Norwegians who owns this wonderful place. Here you can have our holiday in a beautiful landscape, in the middle of Piedmont. They also make their own wine !
Read more about Tenuta il Sogno here on the blog! link.

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Trond and Roald took over Cascina Desderi; 11. Juli 2003. Here they make they own wine: Barbera d`Asti Superiore black/red. They also have apartments for rent.

The vineyard apartment hotel “Cascina Desderi” has a hilltop location on a “collina” in the state of Piedmont in the north-western corner of Italy. The Po Plain is sloping ever so slightly from the spring green rice fields around Alessandria, through the rolling hills of Monferrato – ending in the French Alps.

The name Piedmont – in Italian Piemonte – derives from the words foot and mountain. Thus this area is located at the foot of the mountain ridge separating Italy from France.

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We spend the Easter 2005 in Piedmont, Italy. More precisely nearby a village called San Marzano Oliveto in the Asti-province in the north-west corner of Italy. We packed our suitcases and leaved for the Norwegian main airport Gardermoen. It was I Morten and Tone and 4 kids from 4-20 year.

We woke up in the morning with an amazing view. It was wine stocks and small farms all over. The terrain was consisting of small hilltops with small roads which circled back and forth. The day we arrived the temperature was about 25 degrees C. the rest of the holiday we had overcast and 9-15 degrees C. We stayed at Tenuta il Sogno and used our days to travel around in the area to watch the life and visit the local markets.

We find very fast out that we weren’t in a typical tourist place; on the contrary we did feel as the only one, with the benefits and disadvantage that bring along. The benefits were many, we were in a quiet area and we could relax and enjoy our vacation as planned. What did surprise us a little was that practically nobody spiked English. So we had to use our little dictionary and together with arms and head it went quite well. As opposed to what we have heard about the French, the people in this area is tremendously co-operative and willingly trying to understand us.

The food and the restaurants.
It was very much to choose from, in the area it is 2 restaurants with a star each. We ended up with two nights on a typical pizza place, one evening in a little local restaurant in Canelli where they also served pizza (good for the kids). Two nights we did make the food our selves at home and the last but one night we walked up to San Marzano Oliveto. It was about 2 km in beautiful scenery. There we went to a restaurant where we was served the most delicious dishes you can think of by a gentleman with the name Paulo. The food for 3 ended up with 75 €. So with a lot of tips it come to 100 €, not at all expensive. The Italians eat their dinner between 19:30 and 22:00, so most of the restaurants are open likewise. We did experience some difficulty holding our little girl awake, but otherwise it was totally ok.

The menus are a little different that we are used to. They start with first course (antipasti), preferably 3-4 sorts (warm & cold). Second they have at least 2 main courses and ending up with dessert. Pane cotta was our big favorite.

Most of the local wine is Barbera d’asti. It is as the name made from the Barbera grapes. This wine is reasonable and is much used in everyday wine. Close by you can find the Barolo and Barbaresco with use the grape Nebbiolo. This is quality wine equal to the best in Bordeaux. These wines are very powerful in taste and maybe not the first wine to try out if you are just starting to taste red wine. A third grape in this district is the Dolcetto, which are common in Alba. Alba lies about 30-40 km south-west of Asti.

After a week with wine, chicken and gooses it was time to go home. The suitcases were full and the little Norwegian tax quota was purchased long ago. We hoard olive oil from Liguria (no tax quota here) and bought an extra suitcase to get it all in place. We drove to Malpensa and delivered the rent car, went on the plane and gone was Italy.

Are you fond of good food & wine in peaceful surroundings, this is the place to go.

The view.

Never miss a post! subscribe via RSS or subscribe via e-mail.   Post writer – Morten – E-mail