Bubbles, of course, then Amarone della Valpolicella, Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti, Nebbiolo. At Christmas we usually choose to be traditional, even in the glass. What if, instead, we decided to stand out and focus on proposals that are also unconventional, highlighting niche products but of the highest quality?
The seven wines we propose below are true masterpieces, produced by winemakers with a compelling story, labels that can take your imagination on a journey, little alcoholic fairy tales full of talent.
Virginie T. – Brut grand cuvée v2 6 ans: authentic excellence
Virginie Taittinger's destiny was already written when, after twenty years at the head of the famous family business, she and her son Ferdinand decided to create a new house of great Champagnes and exceptional cuvées in Sillery, at the foot of the Montagne de Reims.
In particular, the Champagne Brut Grand Cuvée 6 Ans is the true excellence of this boutique house, the result of a careful selection of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes from 15 different crus, including 11 Grands and Premiers Crus. This champagne comes from the exceptional 2018 vintage, with the addition of 15% reserve wines from 2017. After a long cellar ageing of 6 years, the wine reaches the necessary maturity to fully express its complex aromatic potential.
Salizzoni – Trento DOC Brut Nature Riserva Rhodium: a rare and sought after wine
An evocative name chosen to associate the wine with a product of great value: rhodium, one of the rarest and most precious metals in nature. A lively sparkling wine from Calliano (TN), with a persistent and very fine perlage: the 60 months spent on the lees give Rhodium a rich and elegant bouquet, beginning with notes of custard mixed with honey and a hint of toffee, and continuing with deep notes of candied citrus, lime and dried apricot. The palate is harmonious and well-balanced, with a good acidity that gives a wonderful freshness and a very pleasant drinkability. A rare and sought-after Trentodoc, produced in only 5,000 bottles. This excellent sparkling wine goes well with cotechino (pork sausage), fried eel, cured meats and cheeses.
Vignaiolo Fanti – Isidor: "The gift of Isis"
Isidor is probably one of the best white wines in Italy, certainly the Incrocio Manzoni of reference, the fruit of the mastery of Alessandro Fanti, winemaker in Pressano, a bucolic handkerchief of land north of Trento.
Its name means "Gift of Isis", the goddess of fertility and the earth; the most appropriate name for a wine that owes everything to respect for the land on which it is grown: in fact, in the Vigo vineyard, 600 metres above sea level, the soil is not ploughed, fertilised or irrigated, preserving its natural vitality.
Bright yellow in colour, Isidor releases balsamic and mineral tones on the nose, accompanied by notes of saffron and spring flowers. On the palate, it is creamy, savoury and spicy, with great structure and persistence. A wine that will win you over from the first sip and never let you go. The Rhine bottle emphasises its Nordic nature, strong and vital, like Trentino, its homeland.
Harmonious and well-balanced, it goes well with capitone, white meat, baccalà mantecato or testaroli with pesto.
Sukula – Barolo Meriame: barolo with a finnish accent
Riika Sukula, a Finn who has always been in love with Piedmont and who chooses the labels for her wine-importing company, decided in 2005 to change her life and move to Serralunga d'Alba (CN) to dedicate herself to the production of Barolo. She is accompanied in this adventure by her husband, the TV chef Jyrki Sukula, the "Scandinavian Cannavacciuolo". This is how, in 2006, their family boutique winery was born, with just under 5 hectares of vineyards, where Nebbiolo and Barbera are the stars. Barolo Meriame comes from the famous Serralunga d'Alba cru, characterised by clay and limestone soils, with vineyards facing west and south-west at an altitude of between 230 and 360 metres. A wine of great complexity and structure that authentically embodies its terroir: balsamic, with notes of ripe red fruits, it is an important drink that preserves intact the elegance, agility and pleasantness of the sip. Perfect with braised meats, horse meat and Asian cuisine.
Picchioni Andrea – Buttafuoco Bricco Riva Bianca: a great red from Oltrepò Pavese
Buttafuoco is perhaps one of the least known and appreciated Italian wines, and Andrea Picchioni's Buttafuoco Bricco Riva Bianca is one of the best labels to discover this extraordinary oenological treasure. A wine produced only in the best vintages and aged for 24 months in barriques.
The nose is intense and rich, with hints of undergrowth and humus, aromas of wild blackberry, blackcurrant, red plum, hints of dark chocolate, tobacco, cocoa, toasted notes, nuances of balsamic herbs and sweet spices. The palate reveals a remarkable structure with dense, lively tannins and a dense, juicy fruit that leads to a balanced and very persistent finish.
This is a wine to be cellared and will reach its full expressive maturity in about ten years.
Best with? Stewed beef, braised game, mixed boiled meats and roast lamb.
Col di Lamo – Brunello di Montalcino Selezione a Diletta: the essence of mother-daughter love
Giovanna Neri is an extraordinary woman, with an authentic, unadorned character that is reflected in her choices and in her wines, rich in personality, elegant, rigorous, with the purest expressions of Sangiovese.
The Col di Lamo adventure began in 1997, with all the initial difficulties of a vin de garage that has grown over the years and shows no signs of stopping. The vineyards are cultivated according to a certified organic system, and in the cellar traditional vinification methods are chosen, using indigenous yeasts. Col di Lamo is an all-female reality that, thanks to its disruptive enthusiasm, commitment and dedication, has been able to carve out a prominent place for itself in Montalcino and beyond with its Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Selezione a Diletta: a precious dedication by Giovanna Neri to her daughter Diletta, who runs the winery with her.
An elegant wine made from Sangiovese grapes grown according to the principles of organic farming, characterised by balance, dedication and enthusiasm. The nose is broad with notes of red fruits, sour cherries, blackberries, some smoky notes and very well articulated yellow spices.
On the palate it is juicy and elegant, with fine tannins and a seductive spiciness: a full-bodied and well-balanced wine, very pleasant to drink, with a juicy, complex and very persistent finish. Ideal with red meats, game and game dishes, cocoa tagliatelle with wild boar sauce, dumplings and tripe.
Francesco Poli – Vino Santo Nobles: an "immortal" passito
Nosiola is the only white grape variety native to Trentino that produces wines of great substance. From these grapes comes the rare Vino Santo Trentino, a passito so special and so appreciated that it has been included in the Slow Food Presidia.
Francesco Poli's Vino Santo Nobles is made from Nosiola grapes grown organically in vineyards on the shores of Lake Massenza. According to tradition, the grapes are dried on the typical "arele" (trellis) for over 5 months, a period during which the noble rot "botrytis cinerea" develops inside the berries, increasing their dehydration and causing them to lose 80% or more of their weight through the combined action of the weather and the wind. This means that 100 kilos of fresh Nosiola grapes yield only 15-18 litres of Vino Santo must.
The grapes are pressed during Holy Week and the must is then poured into small oak barrels where natural fermentation begins, which is very slow due to the high concentration of sugar and lasts for a long time: at least six to eight years. After bottling, the life of this wine begins again and lasts for more than 50 years. Today, Vino Santo can rightly be called "the passito of passito wines": no other wine is left to dry naturally for so long. It is an exceptional product, which releases aromas of acacia, plum, dried apricot and sultana on the nose and palate, accompanied by notes of almond and honey, in a velvety, creamy, dense combination, but not cloying, because it is supported by an excellent acidity. A wine that goes perfectly with many types of dessert, from panettone to pandoro, from millefeuille to fruit tarts. But not only desserts: Poli's Vino Santo also goes well with cheese and foie gras.
