I wonder if Dean or anyone else can help with the following wines. I was in search of some fantastic desert wines we were served at a restaurant in Ascoli Piceno, and bought the following.
I had the Antinori Muffato della Sala at several restaurants. It is similar to our Australian Botritis desert wines (stickies). No problems here drinking with most deserts.
But what about the following:
Tipicata Pergolese, Lacrima di Spino Nero. Was this only made in 1998, and exactly what is it and when to drink???
Tenuta Di Tavignano, Sante Lancerio, 1997 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Classico Passito. This Marche desert wine is not a red wine like the Umbrian Passito, but I assume a late picked Verdicchio???
Sella & Mosca, Is Arenas, Vernaccia di Oristano, Annata 1992. I know it is a deswert wine or aperitivo, but what to drink it with?????
Thanks in advance.
Posts: 893 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: 20 January 2002
Looking through my wine guides,I can find references to only one of these: Vernaccia di Oristano.
Burton Anderson calls it "The glory of Sardinia....a Sherry-like wine made from overripe Vernaccia grapes grown in the Tirso River basin near Oristano." He says it is "unfortified but strong (15% or more)....bone-dry with hints of almond blossom on the nose and a lightly bitter, acidic, woody flavor with a long finish."
Nicolas Belfrage (in "Barolo to Valpolicella--The Wines of Northern Italy") devotes two words to it: "dry aperitif."
The Italian Wine Guide (published by the Touring Club of Italy) describes it as "delicate, alcoholic, with notes of almond blossoms...flavor is subtle, fine, warm, with a light and pleasurable aftertaste of bitter almonds." They suggest serving it with fish.
Sounds good to me. It's hard to beat a grilled fish served with a good dry sherry, which this apparently resembles.
Posts: 215 | Location: Spokane | Registered: 10 June 2002
The Vernaccia is from a good maker - describing it as a heavy fino sherry style is about as close as you'll get - but at that age it's getting on a bit, and may well be more oxidised than it should. Any signs of brown, as opposed to gold, and you might want to be cautious.
The late picked Verdicchio I don't know - passito simply means that the wine was made from raisined grapes, traditionally dried on straw mats, or hanging from a lattice of beams, in the open-to-the-breeze top level of a barn. However, it is likely to be reasonably light, perhaps best matched to fruit salad or a light pudding - nothing chocolate based. Again, not one to cellar for years, i'd imagine.
The third I can't find much reference to. It's also known as Vin Prugnolo, would appear to be a 'Vino di Meditazione' a term covering all sorts of wines, from Vin Santo to heavy port-like Recioto's, and is recommended as one of few wines that will sit alongside chocolate and sweet biscuits.
Actually, it may be just entering its maturity, if my wine guides are accurate. There are various types of Vernaccia di Oristano, and according to The Italian Wine Guide, all of them have a useful drinking life of 10 years or more. The basic wine is aged in oak for a minimum of two years and has an alcohol content of 15%; "Liquoroso dolce" is aged a minimum of 2 1/2 years and has alcohol content of 16.5%; "Liquoroso Secco" also has minimum aging of 2 1/2 years and alcohol content of 18%; "Superiore" is aged a minimum of 3 1/2 years and has an alcohol content of 15.5%
Matt is absolutely right...Sella & Mosca is considered a very good producer. Enjoy!
Posts: 215 | Location: Spokane | Registered: 10 June 2002
P.S....I just peeked in another book: Burton Anderson's "Vino". He claims that the best Superiore "may be kept for decades."
As to food matchings, he says: "Some Sardinians still drink Vernaccia with their meals, though that practice is considered eccentric these days, even though the wine can go famously with certain antipasti and fish dishes....These days, however, Vernaccia's price prohibits its use as a table wine. It shines as a well-chilled aperitivo because of its subtle, persistent bouquet and very dry flavor, smoothly balanced between acidic and bitter.
Incidentally, if your wine is a "liquoroso dolce" or "liquoroso secco," it will be sweeter, and would be better as a dessert wine. In that case, I might just drink it straight...possibly with nuts?
[This message was edited by Del on August 21, 2002 at 02:37 PM.]
Posts: 215 | Location: Spokane | Registered: 10 June 2002
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