Italian Wine Values

There are so many different varieties planted throughout Italy, some famous, others not well-known. Combine that with all the different types of wines produced in 20 regions of the country and multiply that by the thousands of wine estates, and you have a dazzling array of products, many of which don’t receive the attention they deserve. The end result is that there are countless Italian wine values that are out there waiting to be discovered.

I’d like to highlight just a few current releases that are worth your attention.

Tenuta di Tavigano Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi “Villa Torre” 2019 – If there is one Italian white wine type you can consistently rely on to deliver notable quality with reasonable pricing, it’s Verdicchio from Marche. There are two major types, Verdicchio di Matelica and the better known of the two, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi.

What’s great about this wine are its characteristics of freshness and longevity; even an entry level Verdicchio drinks well for five to seven years, while most offerings are lovely at age 10 or even older. That these wines are so reasonably priced – $15-$22 in most cases – makes you wonder why they aren’t more recognized.

There are several excellent producers of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, including Bucci, Santa Barbara, Andrea Felici and Montecappone. For this article, I have selected the “Villa Torre” bottling of Verdicchio from Tenuta di Tavignano, a beautiful estate (almost a redundant term in this splendid area), that has been producing top-quality Verdicchio since the 1990s.

There are several examples of Verdicchio produced here; the “Villa Torre” is typical of what classic Verdicchio is all about, with its gorgeous aromas of melon, spearmint and yellow flowers. There is no oak aging here – why mess with the enticing perfumes? – along with very good acidity, a signature of the excellent 2019 vintage in Marche (and most of Italy, for that matter), and a lengthy, satisfying finish. This is delicious at present and should be in fine shape for another three to six years. Expect to pay between $15-$19 for this wine on retail shelves, making this a marvelous value.

Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta “Cuvée Prestige” Brut (NV) – Ca’ del Bosco has been one of the leaders of Franciacorta, the famed metodo classico sparkling wine produced in Lombardia. Proprietor Maurizio Zanella produces one of the zone’s most brilliant cuvées, Anna Maria Clementi, a wine that spends between nine and ten years on its lees. His Vintage Collection line is first-rate, while it is his Cuvée Prestige non-vintage Brut that is his best value.

The most current release, disgorged in the Winter of 2019/2020, is a blend of 84% Chardonnay, 14% Pinot Nero and 2% Pinot Bianco. Medium-full with a steady stream of fine bubbles, this offers flavors and aromas of tropical fruit, Anjou pear and notes of magnolia. There is lively acidity, a very dry, richly flavored finish and excellent overall harmony. This is an excellent introduction to Franciacorta and at about $30-$35 a bottle, this is an excellent value.

Pasqua “Passione Sentimento” Rosso 2017 – Pasqua is a noteworthy Veneto producer, best known for their various examples of Valpolicella and Amarone. Here is a red made in the Amarone style (hence the name of the wine derived from the appassimento technique of Amarone production) that is a blend of native varietals Corvina and Corvinone, along with a small percentage of Merlot.

Unlike some wines made in this style, this is clean, without the raisiny or earthy character one finds in other wines. This is all about black plum fruit along with black flower (black peony) aromas and elegance, as the medium-weight tannins are silky. If you enjoy Amarone, but can’t afford it, try this Pasqua Passione Sentimento red as a value alternative; retail price between $12-$15. You’ll love this paired with many pastas as well as just about any red meat. (You’ll also love the label, a take off on the famed “Romeo and Juliet” wall in Verona that is replete with all sorts of inspired graffiti.)

Palladino Barolo – Barolo is one of the two or three most famous red wines of Italy, celebrated for its richness, complexity and aging capability (40-50 years from the finest sites in the best vintages). As you might imagine, it is priced accordingly, so why have I included Barolo in this article on value wines? The answer is simple – value is a relative term, and even a bottle that sells between $40-$70 can be considered a value.

There are more Barolo values than you might imagine; two that immediately come to mind are the “Castiglione” from Vietti, a blend of fruit from their finest vineyards (such as Ravera and Rocche), priced between $45-$50, and the Poderi Oddero, again a blend of vineyards from various communes in the Barolo zone. Both of these wines are excellent introductions to classic Barolo (Barolo classico), wines that drink beautifully upon release four years after the vintage, yet have the stuffing and structure to age well for at least a decade, and usually another five to seven years more (even longer in the instance of Oddero, whose classic Barolo is often best at 20-25 years of age; at $40, this is an outstanding value!)

I also want to note the work of the Palladino family in Serralunga d’Alba, one of the essential locations for the production of Barolo. This is a traditional producer that craftes elegant Barolos that favors subtlety over power, all the while making wines that offer sublime varietal purity and superb harmony.

Three of their wines are values in my opinion, with two single vineyard offerings – Ornato and Parafada – from sites in the commune of Serralunga – and one a blend of fruit from several vineyards with the commune, known as Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba. The single vineyards retail for approximately $55-65, while the Serralunga wine carries a suggested retail price between $40-$45.

A note on the category of Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba. Several producers in this town, such as Paolo Manzone and Ettore Germano also make this wine, and every version I taste impresses me with its price/quality ratio. There are other communes where these wines are also crafted (as in Barolo del Comune di Barolo or Barolo del Comune di La Morra) and consumers would be wise to grab these wines as often as they can, as they are classic Barolos in the best sense of the word, with beautiful Barolo character, backed by elegant tannins and the structure to drink well for a decade; these are wines to enjoy over the short term, while you wait for the single vineyard examples of Barolo to shed their tannins.

A few notes on the Palladino Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba from 2016. This was clearly an outstanding vintage, one of the finest in the last 20 years. The wines are rich and will age for many years, but the real treasure of this vintage is how elegant the tannins are. Of course, Barolo is always better after several years in the bottle, but the 2016s, especially the comune wines, are remarkably approachable now. The Palladino 2016 offers sumptuous aromas of red cherry, red poppy and rosemary, is medium-full with excellent ripeness, refined tannins and excellent persistence. Displaying wonderful varietal harmony, this is the best comune Barolo I have tasted from the 2016 vintage; enjoy it tonight or lay it away for another 8-12 years.