Italian wines….from Barolo to Vermentino.

After a wonderful vacation on the Floral Riviera, you may want to take home some delicious Italian wines. Special wines are produced in Liguria and Piedmont that are not so easy to find in Holland. So extra fun to take them home. You can buy them at local wine stores but of course you can also visit the Barolo region en route (also read: A stop on the way to Italy for truffles and Barolo). There is a fantastic winery in Montforte d’Alba that ages its barolos to classical music by Ezio Bosso. The taste is truly sublime!

Salute…

VERMENTINO

This fresh-fruited white wine smells a rich bouquet of ripe fruit and a hint of Mediterranean scrub. The taste is dry, intense, characteristic and fruity. The Vermentino from Riviera Ligure di Ponente and from Colli di Luni are my favorites. Vermentino is best drunk as an aperitif or with salads, light fish dishes, risotto and poultry.

PIGATO

Have you ever heard of the Pigoto grape variety? These grapes have golden-yellow amber spots (pigato, that is). It grows only in the small Italian wine region of Liguria, on the Italian Riviera, near Genoa. The wine is similar in taste to Vermentino but a bit more delicate. Pigato is delicious as an aperitif, antipasti, pasta and poultry.

FRANCIACORTA

Franciacorta is sparkling wine and is also called the Italian champagne. Franciacorta is special because, like champagne, it is made according to the méthode traditionelle, that is, with a second fermentation in the bottle, which is a costly method of making sparkling wine. I like the Franciacorta Brut best. But the Rosé variety is also really delicious: Franciacorta Rosato. This wine contains at least 25% Pinot Nero.

ROSSESE DI DOLCEAQUA

Dolceaqua is a medieval village in Liguria near Balzi Rossi. Claude Monet painted the bridge “Ponte Vecchio” to the old town in 1884 (see my blog). In Dolceaqua, the red wine Rossese di Dolceaqua is produced. The wine comes from the Rossese grape, which is rare outside the Mediterranean alpine region. The wine is bright red in color and has a fresh taste reminiscent of blackcurrants and herbs. The best winery is Mauro Antonio Zino in Dolceaqua. They also make Vementino and Pigato.

BAROLO

Barolo, the king of wines, is made in Piedmont from the Nebbiolo grape. The best vineyards in the world are located near the ancient town of Barolo. Full-bodied with high acidity and strong tannins, the Nebbiolo grape is reminiscent of red fruits, mushrooms, leather and truffles. The Barolo is a very special wine. When the wine is aged in wooden barrels, aromas of leather, licorice, roses and truffle emerge. Barolo goes well with dishes with stew, truffle or porcini. TIP: At the Valdisogno restaurant in Bordighera, they have Barolo Risotto on the menu. So delicious!

BARBARESCO

Barbaresco & Barolo are the most famous Italian wines in the world. Piedmont’s warm climate and mountainous terrain make planting vineyards very attractive. Barbaresco is also made from the Nebbiolo grape, a blue grape variety also native to Italy. The composition of the soil in this special place in Italy creates the unique flavor of Nebbiolo grapes and thus the distinctive taste of Barolo and Barbaresco. Barbaresco is younger and more elegant in flavor than a Barolo.

All of these delicious Italian wines are of course also in the wine cellar at Holiday Resort Balzi Rossi….