Vermentino di Sardegna DOC, Part 2 Part 1 of this article covered Vermentino di Sardegna wineries and wines from the south of the Island. In this Part 2, it’s time for those further north. These are roughly centred on the town of Alghero, featuring ten wineries and 18 wines. Further north Soletta Tenute Soletta is in Codrongianos, near Alghero and …
Vermentino di Sardegna DOC, Part 1
Vermentino di Sardegna DOC, Part 1 Vermentino di Sardegna comes from the island of wind and wine. Sardegna is roughly the size of Wales and the second biggest of all the Mediterranean islands. Being there feels like it’s an entire continent, such are the varying landscapes. Once upon a time, Sardinian Vermentino was mostly quaffing wine, cheap and cheerful. However, …
Discovering Vermentino di Gallura DOCG
Discovering Vermentino di Gallura DOCG Vermentino is one of the many different grape varieties grown on the island of Sardegna. Most of them are indigenous, and many are unique. However, the most widely grown grapes here are red Cannonau (Grenache), and white Vermentino. Consequently, these two have become the signature grapes of Sardegna, the Isola del Vento. Doubtless, Vermentino is …
Wine Idols? Celebrity Wines Uncorked
Wine Idols? Celebrity Wines Uncorked Celebrities are everywhere, clamouring for our attention. Our lives are saturated with their images, activities and gossip. Celebrity status for some is by achievement. Others achieve it through notoriety or sleeping on Reality TV. Try keeping up. It’s because we’re worth it. The nature of celebrity goes far beyond fame and seems regardless of talent, …
Sella & Mosca, a unique winery in Sardegna
Sella & Mosca, a unique winery in Sardegna Erminio Sella and Edgardo Mosca founded Sella & Mosca in 1890. They came from Piemonte, transforming a poor sheep-farming area into an extraordinary vinous landscape. These rich men were also amateur Egyptologists. It’s commemorated in the winery logo, showing ancient Egyptians pressing grapes, from the tomb of Mereruka in Saqqara. The origins of …
Mas Llossanes, Côtes Catalanes, Southern France
Mas Llossanes Solenn and Dominique Génot own and run the small biodynamic estate of Mas Llossanes. It’s about 40km / one hour west of Perpignan, in the Roussillon region of deepest Southern France. For over ten years they managed the Caiarossa Estate in Tuscany, whose superb biodynamic wines I have followed closely and written about here. Having decided to create a domain …
Colonnara – you might say VerdichiAMO!
Colonnara – you might say VerdichiAMO! Colonnara is a 110-member co-operative winery located in the heart of the Verdicchio Castelli di Jesi DOC, in Cupramontana. It’s some 40km inland from the city of Ancona and 20km from the town of Jesi. Colonnara was established in 1959 by 19 growers; it now makes many different wines from around the March; there …
The Verdicchio of the Castles of Jesi
The Verdicchio of the Castles of Jesi In my first article on Verdicchio (Part 1: Matelica, fifty shades of green), I mentioned that the Marche region of central Italy is where the best Verdicchio grows. Here it proves to be one of Italy’s finest native white grapes, capable of outstanding longevity. Part two is about Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Matelica’s more famous …
A Haiku for Pointless Wine Scoring
A Haiku for Pointless Wine Scoring Some recent correspondents have asked why I don’t append a points score to the wines I recommend. Well, I’ve always preferred words to mere points when evaluating wine. So I prefer reading to seeing yet another naked 90+ point score. They’re just noise. Instead of being part of the equation, now they are the equation. Points …
Fifty Shades of Green: Verdicchio di Matelica
Fifty Shades of Green: Verdicchio di Matelica The Marche in central Italy is where the Verdicchio grape shows that it’s one of Italy’s finest native white grapes. As well as making highly distinctive and characterful wines, it’s also versatile. It makes a range of wine styles; from fizz through to sweet wines. However, the best examples are the dry still …