Taurasi Feudi di San Gregorio - a terrific black grape juice!

Hi Wine Lovers,

How are you doing?

Today I'd like to share my opinion on one of the first great red wines I've tasted in my "wine passion career".

This one is "Taurasi by Feudi di San Gregorio".

Taurasi is type of powerful red wine from a southern Italian region named Campania and it's made from the Aglianico grape.

In the last 10 years the knowledge of Taurasi in the world has grown exponentially.

The "Feudi di San Gregorio" wine production method is a really modern way to produce wines.

They don't spare the use of the French Oak and I'd like to say that I love that.

I'm not necessarily saying that the wood has to cover the peculiarity of the grape but in this case, the Oak (some of first passage oaks) releases into the wine all the needed power.

I remember the first time I tasted a glass of Taurasi By Feudi Di Sangregorio.. it was maybe 10 years ago with my friend Guido, he was just coming back to Italy after 18 years in London and what he didn't know was that he would be greeted by an amazing red wine like Taurasi. We spent a lot of amazing dinners enjoying this fantastic "black" fruit nectar and we'll never forget it.

When I taste a glass of Taurasi I close my eyes and for a moment I feel I'm riding on horseback, in the middle of a mountain orchard. I breathe and I can taste the smell of ripened cherry, tobacco, licorice and last but not least the smell of the leather of "my" horse's saddle :).

I think that in the last 3 or 4 years the Taurasi that we find on the supermarket shelves has lost a little of it's power but maybe that's due mostly to the vintage's differences.

I suggest you try a bottle of Taurasi By Feudi Di San Gregorio as soon as possible, and preferably not too young a vintage, a 1999, 2001 or 2004 would be perfect; they are fairly easy to find (suggested price € 18,90).

I fell in love with it from the first sip, it opened my mind and it made me a wine lover.

See you next week and stay right where you are,

Angelo D'Alessandro

thedeliciousworld@gmail.com

Barbera D'Asti Tre Roveri Pico Maccario - a young promising wine from Mombaruzzo (Piedmont) poised to take on the world!

Hi guys,

Today I'd like to tell you about one of the best quality/price ratio's wine that I've ever tasted in my life, Barbera D'Asti Tre Roveri By Pico Maccario.

Who wouldn't know the name? Baaarbera!

Here in Italy a lot of people think that "Barbera" means a "cheap sparkling red wine" that the old men drink during their card games in the periphery bars. Noooooo, I can't deal with that, it insults me dude! Barbera is one of the most historical native Italian's grapes, along with Sangiovese and Montepulciano and nobody should say: "Barbera is a cheap wine for the Briscola players" (Briscola is a game of cards which is really popular here in Italy - I don't think it's so great myself but I have to respect it as a part of Italian tradition).

Anyways, to get back to my pep rally :)

Barbera, yes! I'd like to give you an example if I may:

Have you ever heard of Barolo or Barbaresco?

I'm sure that, "Barolo" is the third or fourth word that children learn in Italy... it would be something in this order: "Mommy, Daddy, Pee-pee, Barolo".

So, Barolo or Barbaresco are two of the most famous wines in the world, always from Piedmont, made by Nebbiolo grapes. Barbera is really similar to the Nebbiolo grape, maybe not so tannic although if it's cultivated with love, passion and technical skill, Barbera can get very close to the stunning Nebbiolo.

With this wine in particular I'm talking about a innovative way to produce Barbera, which is why I started with "young promise" in the title of this review.

This Barbera D'Asti Tre Roveri was a huge surprise to me! It's deep purple red, it's cherry, vanilla and spicy aromas are as thrilling to me as a young kid on a ride in Disneyland! I can't believe that a wine that costs only 14 euros (suggested retail price) could give me all this satisfaction.

Made by Pico Maccario with fantastic technical talent combined with a well balanced mix between steel and French oak barrels, which give it it's refinement.

If someone quizzed me, I'd make a mistake saying: "Wow, this wine is great... I think it's costs round about 35 euros or something like that!".

You know what I mean?

The only bad news for you is this wine is not to simple to find, I suggest you search for more information on the producer's site Pico Maccario:

http://www.picomaccario.com/

I hope you enjoyed this little trip to Piedmont hills and I hope to have you aboard again soon.

Take care,

Angelo D'Alessandro

thedeliciousworld@gmail.com

Sagrantino Di Montefalco Arnaldo Caprai 25 anni - not simply a wine, an event!

Hi,

I hope that everything is going well for all you wine lovers out there... is it?

In that case it's time to taste an amazing native red wine: Sagrantino di Montefalco Arnaldo Caprai 25 anni.

Ladies & Gentleman... I'm not talking about the "simple but gorgeous" classic Sagrantino, I'm talking about an "experience", and not simply of a jubilee wine produced after special selection of the best Sagrantino grapes by Caprai's family.

The Sagrantino area is one of the most renowned wine zones of the world. The vineyards around the beautiful city of Montefalco have a rare earthy soil that gives the Sagrantino grapes their uniqueness and their exclusive Italian paternity.

Watching this nectar being poured out of the bottle into a glass is one of the best visual treats you will ever have.

A deep purple red, almost black colour shows all the muscle of this rare Sagrantino. At the nose you can scent the result of a long ageing in new barriques of first passage. The taste is really out of the ordinary and not for the faint! This wine has an aging potential of 20 years and this makes it one of the most authentic Italian wines.

You have a strategic decision to make? Do that the morning after after an evening in the company of Sagrantino Montefalco Arnaldo Caprai 25 Anni, and you can't go wrong!

Enjoy meditating on this one and see you next week for another wine review on Wine Lovers Corner.

Take care,

Angelo D'Alessandro

thedeliciousworld@gmail.com

Franciacorta Cavelleri Blanc De Blancs - a sparkling talent!

Dear Wine Lovers,

I first tried Cavalleri a couple of years ago during an amazing fish dinner at "La Vela Restaurant - Sesto Calende" (In my opinion one of the best specialty fish restaurants in our country - You absolutely have to try the mix of the "raw fish appetizer", an unbelievable experience. The Chef, Stefano, is a friend of mine and he really is a master).

I'm picking daisies, let me get back to the main topic!

Cavallery is a "small" company that prides itself in working efficiently and in doing so have produced a really interesting line of sparkling wines.

The wines produced in Franciacorta area are not an imitation of the famous Champagne because Franciacorta is a DOCG area and a wine production method that is becoming appreciated all around the world.

The soil is similar to Champagne. Hot in the summer and a cooling breeze off the lake and mountains give it its freshness and perfume and a perfect maturity that is fruity to the taste, which is the key to it uniqueness.
The "trinity" of Franciacorta's grapes is made by:

1) Chardonnay that gives freshness and complexity.
2) Pinot Nero that gives body and structure.
3) Pinot bianco that gives fresh fruit and a gentle citrus acidity.

The "basis product" of Cavalleri is the "Blanc De Blancs" (100% Chardonnay - suggested price 23 €) and I think that the Cavalleri's Family did a lot of work to produce this amazing "honey child".
This wine is so clear with a great golden-yellow colour; an intense perlage that tickles your palate to bring you to the paradise from the first sip!

At the nose it's really fruity and persistent, and in the mouth it will astonish you with it's gentle powerful and his velvety acidity.

This wine could be perfect for an aperitif and also for a fish dinner, maybe starting with some raw fish (this is the winning combination) or a good white meat dish not so elaborate. It's also very good with mushrooms dishes or, for example, with a "pasta speck, zucchine e zafferano"... delicious.

After that, I mean after the first "Cavalleri experience" with "Blanc De Blancs", you have to try the "Cavalleri Pas Dose';, also a Franciacorta 100% Chardonnay but without "make-up"... it's a crazy wine guys, you can't lose :).

That's all folks, see you next week.

Stay tuned,

Angelo D'Alessandro

thedeliciousworld@gmail.com

Montesodi 2004 - The wonder of Chianti!

Hi all,

welcome to the "Wine Lovers Corner", an Italian wines debunking blog.

I would like to start with a simple and smart review of one of my favourite red wine:

Montesodì Chianti Rùfina

This wine is produced by Marchesi Di Frescobaldi in the Chianti Rùfina area. The grape is 100% Sangiovese, the "king" of tuscany grape.

This is a really "muscle wine", impenetrable and with a powerful body. On the nose is great, a lot of mineral, leather and well-balanced with fruits and flowers spicy inkling.

Deep taste of plum in the mouth, red fruits and vanilla. Montesodi has an excellent price/quality ratio, "only" 35€ (price suggested) for a "dream bottle" that could transform a simply dinner in an hedonistic experience!

Don't miss it and stay tuned... I'm waiting for your feed-backs and for your appreciated opinions.

Take care and keep in touch!!!

Angelo D'Alessandro

thedeliciousworld@gmail.com