Dolomites Alps - Italy

The Italian Dolomites, a section of the Alps, is well-known for skiing in the winter and hand gliding in the summer. It is also recognized for great wine that is produced there. Although the Dolomites spans three Italian provinces  (Belluno, Bolzano-Bozen and Trento), it is the Trentino region that is home to Mezzacorona, makers of a fabulous Pinot Grigio. If you truly want a refreshing glass of wine on a hot day this is one to try. 

Trentino Region

The Trentino region is known for it’s Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio and Mezzacorona is the largest Italian producer of these varietals. Using only the grapes they grow, Mezzacorona produces a very high quality, straw-colored Pinot Grigio. Its light, crisp, fruity taste makes it great choice with white meats or fish. However for optimal flavor this wine needs to be served extremely chilled. When that is done you will have a refreshing experience.

Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio

My first experience with this wine was a few years ago at a restaurant in the Valley called Toast. The restaurant has since gone out of business but this delicious wine has remained a constant with me. As you may remember, I am more of a red wine lover than a white wine lover. However, this  wine meets my definition of a jackpot, not just for the elegant taste and aroma but because of it’s availability and price. Imported by the Prestige Wine Imports (PWI), you can actually find this delight in your local supermarkets (in California) and it retails for around $10.00 a bottle. A true steal. Pick up a bottle tonight and feel that touch of mountain freshness in every sip.

This evening my husband and I attended the Louis/Dressner Portfolio Wine Tasting held at the Woodland Hills Wine Company in Woodland Hills, California. This was a unique event for the WHWC. It was a casual walk-around tasting where you met some of the finest winemakers from Europe. Included below are the producers who attended:

Francois Pinon – Vouvray

Luneau-Papin – Muscadet

Franck Peillot – Bugey

Terres Dorees – Beaujolais

Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes – Beaujolais

Domaine Marechal – Burgundy

Azienda Agricola Montesecondo – Toscana

Campi di Fonterenza – Montalcino

Occhipinti – Sicilia

Eric Texier – Rhone

Vittorio Bera & Figli – Piedmonte

Chinati Vergano – Piedmonte

Each winemaker poured two or three of their wines for tasting. There were several good wines among these and a few not so great wines. Three wines that stood out for my husband and me this evening. The winner for me was the Campi di Fonterenza – Montalcino 2006 Sangiovese IGT. For those of you unfamiliar with the Sangiovese, it is a red grape grown primarily in Tuscany, Italy. It is Italy’s most planted variety and creates the framework for many Italian wines including Chianti and Carmignano. Of all the wines I tasted this had the most elegant flavor. It is age for six months in a stainless steel tank and then for six months in Slovenian oak barrels. The fruits of this wine come alive as you inhale its aromatic bouquet. This wine is medium-bodied but has a rich flavor unlike many European wines. It retails for about $30.00.

My husband’s pick of the evening was the Chianti Classico by Azienda Agricola Montesecondo – Toscana. This was somewhat shocking to me because this is a quite a robust wine and my husband tends to like a sweeter flavor. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine and we both agreed that it would serve well with a nice pasta dinner. It had a very rich flavor but was smooth at the end. This is definitely one for the wine cellar. Retailing for about $28.00, it is definitely a good buy.

Our final pick was quite surprising for me because I am not a lover of sweet tasting wines. However, we both found the Moscato d’Asti by Vittorio Bera & Figli – Piedmonte quite refreshing. Today was an unusually hot day in the area we live in so this chilled and moderately sweet wine really hit the spot. The hint of orange and melon provided you with a sense of relief from the 100-degree temperature. Its crispness almost made you feel as if you were not drinking wine but instead a sparkling ade.

Overall this was quite an interesting tasting. I have tried French wines on several occasions but never really find one that excites my palate. French wines tend to be a bit to smooth and mellow for me. When drinking wine I like a little excitement on my taste buds. However, I will continue to try them. The Italian wines really were the jackpots for my husband and me this evening. So much so that we definitely made a few purchases before leaving. If you get an opportunity please tastes the wines I’ve mentioned here and let me know what you think. Also, check out the Jackpots & Craps sections on this blog and see which wines made the list.

Until the next time…Ciao!