Grand Cru Tasting Group (Perth) – Italian Whites
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:24 am
G'day
Our first tasting for 2021 was quite specific – Italian Whites. This meant white wines from Italy, not Italian white grape varieties grown elsewhere. We see far more Italian reds in Western Australia than whites, and, from our various travels and experiences, we know they can be quite variable in style, depending on where they are grown, and the grape varieties employed.
We ended up with a range of varieties and regions and therefore travelled quite widely. Most of the wines were up to 3 years old. As usual, we tasted them from youngest to oldest, but this time did not taste them blind.
Monte Tondo Soave 2019: Pale yellow, almost straw in colour. The nose showed lots of fruit and florals – lemon blossom, orange rind or pith, green apple, honeydew melon and white peach skin. The palate had a lemon sherbet tang, with pineapple and lime juice – the wine was a little like a dry Australian Riesling, but not quite. There’s a bit of slate or minerality as well. Medium acid and a reasonable length.
Benito Farrara Greco Di Tufo 2018 (Naples): Pale yellow in colour. The nose has fresh cut parsley, with lanolin, buttermilk and honeysuckle – not a lot of obvious fruit. There’s also a cheese or leesy note. On the palate, there’s hints of tropical fruits, while the texture and acid play more dominant roles. Medium length. Reminded me a little of a Tahbilk Marsanne with a few years on it.
Antonella Cords Vermentino Di Sardegna 2018: Pale yellow. The overwhelming aromas were melon and grilled or charred grapefruit. The palate was also (like the Greco Di Tufo) leesy and textural, possibly more so, and quite savoury. Medium length and would be a good food wine.
Pieropan ‘La Rocca’ Soave 2017: Yellow in colour. The nose showed pickled lemons, peach and hazelnuts. In keeping with most of the other wines, there’s a slight lees character, and lots of savoury notes. Medium acid and a short to medium finish – nevertheless, well regarded for its complexity. Some ageing in old oak barrels for this wine.
Torre Dei Beati Pecorino 2017 (Abruzzo): Again, yellow in colour, no straw. There’s bright and fresh yellow peaches on the nose, with bouquet garni and thyme especially. The taste is almost juicy, high acid, but again we see some lees character and savouriness, along with mandarin peel. Short to medium finish.
Perticaia Grechetto 2016 (Montefalco, Umbria): Deep yellow in colour. Baked tropical fruits, guava, honeysuckle and mint adorn the nose and lead to a full, ripe and rich palate. Again, we see lees character, savoury notes and textural complexity. Good length and palate weight and an excellent food wine. Well regarded by the group.
Montauto Maremma 2013 (Toscana): Pale yellow, and a contrast to the three preceding (younger) wines. The nose showed cut grass, sour milk and a slight burnt rubber note. The palate is fresh with mineral / slate and some herbs. Reminded me a little of an aged unwooded Margaret River Semillon, although this bottle was not showing its best.
A visit to Italy in 2019 found my partner and I enjoying Italian reds far more than the whites. To an extent, this tasting reinforced that for me, but also reminded me that the wines are probably made to go with food, not for consuming on their own. Certainly, there was a high percentage of wines in this tasting showing food-friendly characters.
Wine of the night was the Pieropan ‘La Rocca’ Soave 2017. Thanks to those who contributed wines, interesting stories and light-hearted banter.
Cheers
Allan
Our first tasting for 2021 was quite specific – Italian Whites. This meant white wines from Italy, not Italian white grape varieties grown elsewhere. We see far more Italian reds in Western Australia than whites, and, from our various travels and experiences, we know they can be quite variable in style, depending on where they are grown, and the grape varieties employed.
We ended up with a range of varieties and regions and therefore travelled quite widely. Most of the wines were up to 3 years old. As usual, we tasted them from youngest to oldest, but this time did not taste them blind.
Monte Tondo Soave 2019: Pale yellow, almost straw in colour. The nose showed lots of fruit and florals – lemon blossom, orange rind or pith, green apple, honeydew melon and white peach skin. The palate had a lemon sherbet tang, with pineapple and lime juice – the wine was a little like a dry Australian Riesling, but not quite. There’s a bit of slate or minerality as well. Medium acid and a reasonable length.
Benito Farrara Greco Di Tufo 2018 (Naples): Pale yellow in colour. The nose has fresh cut parsley, with lanolin, buttermilk and honeysuckle – not a lot of obvious fruit. There’s also a cheese or leesy note. On the palate, there’s hints of tropical fruits, while the texture and acid play more dominant roles. Medium length. Reminded me a little of a Tahbilk Marsanne with a few years on it.
Antonella Cords Vermentino Di Sardegna 2018: Pale yellow. The overwhelming aromas were melon and grilled or charred grapefruit. The palate was also (like the Greco Di Tufo) leesy and textural, possibly more so, and quite savoury. Medium length and would be a good food wine.
Pieropan ‘La Rocca’ Soave 2017: Yellow in colour. The nose showed pickled lemons, peach and hazelnuts. In keeping with most of the other wines, there’s a slight lees character, and lots of savoury notes. Medium acid and a short to medium finish – nevertheless, well regarded for its complexity. Some ageing in old oak barrels for this wine.
Torre Dei Beati Pecorino 2017 (Abruzzo): Again, yellow in colour, no straw. There’s bright and fresh yellow peaches on the nose, with bouquet garni and thyme especially. The taste is almost juicy, high acid, but again we see some lees character and savouriness, along with mandarin peel. Short to medium finish.
Perticaia Grechetto 2016 (Montefalco, Umbria): Deep yellow in colour. Baked tropical fruits, guava, honeysuckle and mint adorn the nose and lead to a full, ripe and rich palate. Again, we see lees character, savoury notes and textural complexity. Good length and palate weight and an excellent food wine. Well regarded by the group.
Montauto Maremma 2013 (Toscana): Pale yellow, and a contrast to the three preceding (younger) wines. The nose showed cut grass, sour milk and a slight burnt rubber note. The palate is fresh with mineral / slate and some herbs. Reminded me a little of an aged unwooded Margaret River Semillon, although this bottle was not showing its best.
A visit to Italy in 2019 found my partner and I enjoying Italian reds far more than the whites. To an extent, this tasting reinforced that for me, but also reminded me that the wines are probably made to go with food, not for consuming on their own. Certainly, there was a high percentage of wines in this tasting showing food-friendly characters.
Wine of the night was the Pieropan ‘La Rocca’ Soave 2017. Thanks to those who contributed wines, interesting stories and light-hearted banter.
Cheers
Allan
