With the U.S. dollar still weak against the Euro, its tough to find many wine values in Europe.
Italy is an exception. Sure, Italy makes some of the most coveted wines in the world. It’s tough to find certain wines — such as Barolo, Amarone and Brunello — for under $30. But the majority of Italian wines are tasty, drinkable and often present great deals.
Another part of the Italian wine value picture is that Italy makes many wines from indigenous grapes that wine drinkers in the U.S. and other countries have never heard of. Grapes such as negroamaro and vermentino don’t have many analogs outside Italy so they end up getting overlooked and discounted. Other winemakers may depart from Italy’s winemaking rules and do something nontraditional, forcing the wines to bear a designation, IGT, which some associate with lower-quality wine. These misconceptions offer the adventurous a really good deal.
Carpineto Dogajolo Toscano is an IGT wine, which means the producer used grapes nontraditional to Tuscany or those outside a certain zone. This blend of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon smells of dried flowers and has flavors of cherry and berry with hints of pepper and earth. This is better and more complex that many Chianti. $13. 1/2
Est! Est!! Est!!, odd as it may sound, is a tiny region in Italy that translates to “It is! It is! It is!” supposedly to refer to a visiting bishop’s majordomo attesting to the quality of a local wine.
Bigi 2012 Est! Est!! Est!! blends the wonderful, largely unappreciated trebbiano and malvasia grapes. The wine hits some floral notes on the nose. Its apple flavors combined with a soft finish make this wine less harsh than many pinot grigio. Served very cold, it is a great palate refresher before dinner or alongside mild fish course. $12. 1/2
12 E Mezzo Negroamaro 2012 Pugliga shows flavors of smoky blueberry, jam and cedar. It’s reminiscent of a zinfandel, but at 12.5 percent alcohol, a zinfandel without the typical punch. It is somewhat sweet. $12. 1/2
If you can’t find it, you can also try Antinori Tormaresca.
Sicily is not only a hot wine region but also just a hot place. Nero d’Avola, its cornerstone red, has become a favorite value wine. Stemmari Nero d’Avola 2012 has character of dried berries and is loaded with currant and plum flavors with a hit of olive. In a recent tasting of neros, Stemmari’s 2011 was a my favorite. $8. 1/2
I can go on about enjoying Italy’s wines on the cheap. Proseccos are fantastic sparking wines that start out at $8 to $12. Regions like Soave are often associated with the forgettable wines, have made huge improvements in their wine.
GRADE: Exceptional ★★★★★, Above average ★★★★, Good ★★★, Below Average ★★, Poor ★
DAVID FALCHEK, a Times-Tribune business writer, reviews wines each week. Contact him at dfalchek@timesshamrock.com.
