Tag: Campania

Single Bottle Review

Chalk Hill McLaren Vale Fiano 2017 [Frankie’s Single Bottle Review #17]

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Chalk Hill Fiano

Fiano is predominantly grown in southern Italy – Campania and Sicily – and so has risen in prominence with the quality revolution in Italian white wine.  Grapes don’t generally get tried in the New World until they have already been a success in the Old World – and even then it can be a struggle to get noticed alongside the big guns of Cabernet, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.  However, it’s now Fiano’s turn to start making a mark down under.

Chalk Hill is a family owned producer in South Australia’s McLaren Vale, now in the capable hands of the sixth generation of the Harvey family.  I tend to think of the Vale as being one of the homes of Italian varieties in Australia – whether that’s just my perception or backed up with more than a grain of truth, I don’t know.

Lithe, with a whole range of citrus fruits on show, with a slight touch of both the vegetal – think mangetout – and the tropical – mangos FTW!  With a very reasonable ABV of 12.0% this is a great summer wine, especially with lime and ginger prawns on the barbie…

I’m already a fan of Mandrarossa’s Sicilian Fiano, but Chalk Hill have moved the game on several leagues with this wine.  I’m going to have to seek out the very top Italian Fianos to see how they match up!

Available by the glass at Ely Wine Bar, Ely Place, Dublin

Tasting Events

The Fifth Element – Part 3

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A pair of funky “whites” from the Quintessential wines tasting earlier this year:

 

 

Pierluigi Zampaglione Don Chisciotte Fiano 2015 (12.5%, RRP €26.95 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda & quintessentialwines.ie)

Fiano

This actual colour of this wine is why these wines are described as “whites” and not whites – it’s orange, which is a whole new category and kettle of fish.  In simple terms, orange wines are made with white grapes but using red wine instead of white wine production methods – the major difference of course being the time that the juice has in contact with the skins (where the colour comes from).  It’s also a natural wine as the grapes are farmed organically, wild yeast is used and intervention during winemaking is minimal.

Pier Luigi Zampaglione makes this wine from a 2 hectare vineyard at 800 metres above sea-level in Campania – the altitude results in high acidity levels which help with ageing and make for a fresh wine.  The number of days of skin contact varies from year to year depending on the quality and style of the grapes harvested – in some years it can be apparently as long as 20 days (2011) but was 6 days for the 2016 vintage.

Ignoring its origins for a moment, this is just a thoroughly enjoyable wine.  It’s not the most extreme orange wine around so it would serve as a great introduction.  The key flavours for me were almond and ginger biscuits!

 

Loxarel A Pèl 2016 (12.5%, RRP €22.50 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda & quintessentialwines.ie)

Loxarel a Pel

If the Fiano above would serve as a moderate example of a natural, orange wine then this is a no-holds-barred full-on example.  Again it’s a 100% varietal, but this time with Catalonia’s Xarel-lo, better known as one of the three traditional Cava grapes.  As before the grapes are grown organically, but also biodynamically; wild yeast are used for fermentation and there is skin contact, but much more than in the A Pèl.  With no fining or filtration the wine ends up somewhat cloudy in the bottle.

Quintessential Wines are known for having some unusual wines in their portfolio and I would suggest that this is the most left-field of the lot!  Aromas and flavours are not so much about the grape or the soil, but more about the natural microbial environment.  It’s definitely not for everyone but it really brings the funk and so deserves to be tried.

 

The Fifth Element Series:

Make Mine A Double

North versus South – Italian Wines from Lidl [Make Mine a Double #27]

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One of the beauties about long standing wine producing countries such as Italy is the variety of indigenous grapes which are often rare outside the country or even outside their home region.

Here are a couple from retailer Lidl which hail from (almost) opposite ends of the country:

Falanghina del Sannio DOP 2014 (13.5%, €8.99)

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Falanghina is an ancient grape originating from Campania, the area around Naples 800px-campania_in_italy-svg(sometimes thought of as the “shin” of Italy’s boot.)  The most favoured terrain is that of Del Sannio which is close to the coast just north of Naples.

The grape had almost disappeared until it was championed by producer Mastroberardino, and as a clean unoaked white it is right in fashion.

This example was well balanced – smooth but with acidity, medium bodied with some texture, fruity up front but with a very dry finish.  It’s a very versatile wine that would be great with seafood or a fine aperitif.  Perhaps not as long a finish as you’d like, but a great bargain at the price.

Barbera d’Asti DOCG 2015 (13.5%, €7.99)

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Barbera is often thought of as the country cousin of Nebbiolo, the famously tricky grape that goes into Barolo and Barbaresco.  In Nizza it can be amazing, but around Piedmont it can also be a very pleasant, approachable wine which is perfect for a midweek tipple.

This Barbera (can I call her Babs?) is lovely and smooth, with enough acidity to keep it interesting and refreshing.

Cherries are the fruit of the day – fresh black and red cherries that it, not tinned or glacé (as much as I love the latter).

Perhaps this could be your stepping stone into the rewarding world of Barbera?

 

 

**Click here to see more posts in the Make Mine a Double Series**