Are you looking forward to add some real gems to your wine cellar? Here are five Italian wines to include in your collection that I have selected for you!
Starting your own wine cellar is always a challenge. Which wines are worth buying? Which ones should you dedicate to short-term consumption and which ones are suitable for ageing? If you already have a cellar at home and know how to keep your wines properly, the next step is to select the best bottles to add to your cellar. Here are five Italian wines that will increase the value of your collection and make your guests very happy!
Vermentino di Gallura VT – Capichera Winery
We are in Sardinia, at Cantine Capichera. This island is famous for Vermentino, a DOCG white wine that expresses the territory in its purity. The particularity of Capichera’s Vermentino Vendemmia Tardiva is its vinification in barriques. Capichera VT arrives on the market at least two years after the harvest, fermentation and ageing. In this way, it expresses its strong and unmistakable character in all its fullness. Moreover, it is a wine with great ageing potential.
Characteristics and pairings
Produced from 100% Vermentino grapes from the Arzachena area. Harvested late and aged for 6-8 years in barriques and barrels.
The nose is very enveloping: scents of dried yellow fruit and floral hints of wisteria, orange blossom, honey and citrus.
On the palate, Capichera VT is warm and full-bodied, with a great balance between acidity and sweetness. The perfect pairing is with blue cheeses, dry pastries and chocolate and custard-based spoon desserts.
Primitivo di Manduria IGT Es, Riserva 2016- Gianfranco Fino Winery
With Gianfranco Fino’s famous Es we are dealing with a great excellence. A super award-winning wine that has established itself among the greatest Italian wines in just a few years and will make a fine showing in your cellar.
Primitivo di Manduria is the IGT red wine that best represents Puglia, a wonderful region of southern Italy. Es comes from only two hectares of vines that are between fifty and seventy years old. The very low yield and the few interventions in the cellar result in a pure and natural wine. Ideal for ageing in the cellar.
Characteristics and pairings
Salento Primitivo IGT, slightly late harvest and 9 months of ageing in French oak barriques.
The wine has an intense aroma, with hints of ripe berries, pepper and balsamic herbs, chocolate, wood and spices.
In the mouth it is vigorous and smooth, with an incredible aromatic complexity and elegant freshness. Ideal with blue cheeses, red meats, game and mature cheeses.
Terra di Rosso 2017 – Galardi Winery
We are in Campania, where the volcanic soil of the slopes of Roccamonfina meets the scents of the sea and the coolness of the surrounding chestnut forests. Terra di Rosso comes from the grapes of Piedirosso, an indigenous variety of the region. The 2017 vintage is a real gem that you can enjoy immediately with great satisfaction.
Characteristics and pairings
Produced from 100% Piedirosso grapes cultivated according to the dictates of organic farming, Terra di Rosso is a still red with all the characteristics of a great wine. It is matured in barriques for 8 months.
Tasting reveals a wine with a full and fruity taste, with cherry and geranium aromas.
I recommend pairing it with roast meat, barbecue, stewed red meat or game.
Kurni IGT – Oasi degli Angeli Winery
The stony, sandy soil of the Marche region has given birth to a wine that in just a few years has entered the Olympus of great Italian reds. Cantina Oasi degli Angeli is located in an idyllic spot in the valley of the Sant’Egidio stream, with exceptional agricultural characteristics. The winery grows the Montepulciano vines as small trees at an altitude of 300 metres, following the artisanal methods of yesteryear. Kurni IGT is a full-bodied, enveloping and persistent red wine, ideal for ageing in your cellar.
Characteristics and pairings
Wine made from 100% Montepulciano grapes, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts in steel and large barrels, with ageing for 20 months in barriques.
The nose is a full wine, with hints of red fruits, spices, cocoa and earthy aromas. On the palate the wine has incredible aromatic length, with a pleasant tannic density. Ideal pairings are with red meat stews, mushroom risotto, game and mature cheeses.
Moscato di Saracena – Cantina Viola
Moscato passito di Saracena is a Calabria IGT. It became famous in 1915 thanks to Norman Douglas, who spoke of it in his book Old Calabria as a rare gem of the village of Saracena. To this day, in fact, this sweet wine is only produced in this small village in Calabria, following the traditional procedure. Therefore, It is a rare wine that increases the value of your collection and is very suitable for ageing, even beyond 10 years.
Characteristics and pairings
Wine made from 50% Guarnaccia grapes and 50% Malvasia, Moscatello and Adduroca grapes. The must obtained by vinifying the Malvasia and Guarnaccia grapes is concentrated to increase the sugar content, while the special aroma and flavour come from the Moscatello and Adduroca grapes. The nose has an intense aroma of apricot and dried figs, honey, exotic fruit and candied orange peel. On the palate it is sweet, fresh and persistent. Try the exciting pairing with small pastries and blue cheeses. This is also a meditation wine for true connoisseurs.
If you are looking for more advice on which Italian wines to buy for your collection as an investment for the future, contact me. I will be happy to advise you on the best bottles for ageing, the must-haves, the wines that will increase in value over time and all the measures for storing them at their best.
