The labels are gorgeous.

Donnafugata’s foray into the Etna DOC is stylish. The bottles feature a painted woman who has become one with the volcano. It’s not just any volcano though, it’s Europe’s most active. At 3,350 meters (10,991 feet), Mount Etna towers over Eastern Sicily. It also happens to be one of the ‘it’ wine regions in Europe.

Volcanic wine is a hot topic these days, but few vineyards exist on an active volcano – except on Mount Etna. I first visited this part of Italy in 2015 and was blown away (metaphorically speaking) by the splendor of Mount Etna. Traveling from tasting room to tasting room, I never got tired of looking up and seeing Etna blowing smoke.

Donnafugata’s Latest Winery

I missed visiting Donnafugata’s Etna estate back then for good reason – it didn’t exist. The winery acquired vineyards on the mountain in 2016 and has just started releasing wines from the property. The Etna region is Donnafugata’s latest expansion through Sicily. The original winery is located in Marsala and they also own vineyards in Pantelleria, Vittoria, and Contessa Entellina.

I didn’t know what to expect from Donnafugata’s Etna wines. Two of their more famous reds ‘Tancredi’ and ‘Mille e Una Notte’ are full-bodied, high-alcohol wines. The exact opposite of what I want in wines from Etna.

Thankfully, the labels aren’t just smoke and mirrors. These are serious wines focused on acidity and subtlety, not alcohol and power. The entry-level offerings are great value for money (Etna wines can get pricey) while their Contrada wines restore my faith in the Etna Rosso category.

Bring these to the dinner table and let the labels start the conversation before letting the wines do the talking. And when the world opens up, take a trip to Etna and taste under a smoking volcano. Hopefully, I’ll see you there!

Donnafugata Etna Wines

• Donnafugata, ‘Sul Volcano’ Etna Rosato 2020

The Donnafugata, ‘Sul Volcano’ Etna Rosato is made from Nerrello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. Intense and complex with notes of mineral, crushed rock, smoke, lime, and basil. The palate is mineral driven. While it’s a lighter rosé, it’s extremely complex. There’s a spicy, citrusy finish with substantial length. This is a more serious rosé for those that demand more, it’s not a poolside sipper. Score: 90/100 

• Donnafugata, ‘Sul Volcano’ Etna Bianco 2018

The Donnafugata, ‘Sul Volcano’ Etna Bianco is 100% Carricante and some of the wine was aged in French oak. It’s zesty on the nose with notes of basil, lemon, smoke, and a touch of crushed rock. Riesling fans will love this as there’s plenty of acidity here. The wine plays on lemon and mineral flavors. The acid stretches out the long, peppery finish and there is just a kiss of vanilla from the oak. This is for acid freaks. Score: 90+/100

• Donnafugata, ‘Dea Volcano’ Etna Rosso 2018

The Donnafugata, ‘Dea Volcano’ Etna Rosso is a blend of mostly Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio partially aged in oak. Lighter-colored red with notes of sour cherry, smoke, rose petal, and a kiss of oak. It’s a medium-bodied red with a lot of juiciness and it’s incredibly easy to drink. The fruit takes center stage here. I’d like a slighlty longer finish but there’s a lot to like here. I would classify this as an easy-going bistro red. Score: 90+/100

• Donnafugata, ‘Sul Volcano’ Etna Rosso 2017

The Donnafugata, ‘Sul Volcano’ Etna Rosso is a blend of mostly Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio partially aged in oak. There are notes of cherry, mushroom, earth, and pepper. The wine does have wood but it’s put together in the wine well. This is a pretty, medium-bodied red that seems easy enough before the complexity and tannins hit on the back end. There’s plenty of stuffing here to suggest this wine still hasn’t seen its best days. Score: 90/100

• Donnafugata, ‘Contrada Marchesa’ Etna Rosso 2018

The Donnafugata, ‘Contrada Marchesa’ is a single-vineyard, 100% Nerello Mascalese aged in oak. It’s more savory than the Sul Volcano Etna Rosso and Dea Etna Rosso. Deep nose with leather, cedar, black pepper, sour cherry, and cranberry flavors. It’s a medium-bodied red but one with a lot of complexity and depth. The fruit, earth, and leather notes all come together as one with a lovely tension on the back end. This is still a baby but it will be hard to keep your hands off of it. Score: 94/100

• Donnafugata, ‘Fragore’ Etna Rosso 2018

The Donnafugata, ‘Fragore’ is a single-vineyard, 100% Nerello Mascalese aged in oak. Notes of black cherry, licorice, strawberry, leather, and black pepper. It really smells like a Grenache from the Southern Rhône. The palate really has the feel of a good red Burgundy. The fruit and leather notes come together as one. There’s a lot of complexity here that leaves you searching for more. While I may prefer the higher-toned red fruit from the Contrada Marchesa bottling, there’s no denying the excellence here. Score: 93/100 

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

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Donnafugata provided tasting samples. The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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Delicious Italian wine at affordable prices.

Over the years, we’ve been making frequent trips to Friuli-Venezia Giulia, where we’ve gotten to know Damiano Meroi. He comes from a winemaking family and is passionate about great wine. We were instantly drawn to his enthusiasm for great wine. In recent years, Damiano has started an import/distribution company called Gemma Wine.

Damiano offered to send us the Italian wines from his portfolio. Having confidence in his palate, we immediately accepted. We were not disappointed and all the wines showed well.

The Gemma Wine portfolio focuses on small producers throughout Italy and the rest of Europe. The Italian wines in the portfolio are small, under the radar gems, and offer some serious value for money.

Gemma has some brilliant, classic wines in the portfolio in addition to several hidden gems. All of these wines below are under the radar producers. They offer tremendous value in today’s wine world, which is something we could all use a lot more of.

Wine Recommendations:

Sparkling Wine

• Solci’s, Metodo Classico Dosage Zero NV – Lombardy

Solci’s, Metodo Classico Dosage Zero is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and a few random grape varieties. Made in the Champagne method. Notes of white pear, lemon, quince, and just a touch of baked bread. It’s not super complex but it is a delightful drink. The bubbles here are fine but not too aggressive. Lemony finish. Score: 89/100

White Wine

• Massican, Sauvignon Blanc 2018 – Friuli-Venezia Giulia

The Massican, Sauvignon Blanc is barrel fermented and aged in oak for 12 months. This is a riper take on the grape. Notes of white peach, kiwi, acacia flower, and just a touch of oak. This is a rich white wine with some weight and texture. Very Friulian in style. Not Loire, not New Zealand, it’s own style. Score: 89/100

• Hedele, Chardonnay Goće 2016 – Vipava, Slovenia

The Hedel, Chardonnay Goće is a single-vineyard wine fermented Chardonnay that has really resisted aging. It’s more mineral than fruity. Notes of white pear, white peach, lemon zest, and minerals. Barrel integration is fantastic here. The mouthfeel stands out here. It’s more mineral than fruity at first. With air, sweet yellow fruits start to explode on the finish. Score: 90/100

• Santa Maria la Nave, Millesulmare 2016 – Sicily

The Santa Maria la Nave, Millesulmare is made from the grape Grecanico Dorato (Garganega) grown at 1000 meters. It is labeled as a Sicilia IGT, not an Etna Bianco. This is smoky and complex with notes of ash, Asian pear, lemon, and a little honey. High acid and many layers of texture. For a wine that didn’t see oak, this has plenty of refinement. Long, strung out palate with a smoky finish. Score: 92+/100

Red Wine

• Tenuta la Novella, ‘Casa di Colombo’ Chianti Classico 2017 – Tuscany

The Tenuta la Novella, ‘Casa di Colombo’ Chianti Classico is Sangiovese aged in cask and cement. For a hot vintage like 2017, this shows finesse, is floral, and perfurmed, Notes of red cherry, raspberry, dried flowers, and a hint of pepper. This is fruity and easy to drink. The tannins are grippy but not aggressive. Fun to drink, it tastes more like a Beaujolais than a Chianti Classico. Score: 87/100

• Nero Magis 2014 – Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Nero Magis is a blend of Merlot and Pignolo aged in wood for 24 months. Very big and complex red with notes of cherry, red plum, fall leaves, black olive, tobacco, and pepper. This isn’t a big, bold red. This is savory with plenty of earth and leather notes. The tannins are small and biting, almost Nebbiolo-like thanks to the Pignolo. Long finish. For a tough vintage, this is a gorgeous wine.  Score: 92/100

• Davide Pellizzari, Langhe Nebbiolo 2017 – Piedmont

The Davide Pellizzari, Langhe Nebbiolo is made from vines planted in Roero and aged in French oak for 12 months. This shows a lot of refinement for a Langhe Nebbiolo, it’s almost Barbaresco-esque. Notes of sweet cherry liquor, cranberry, violets, tar, and earth. It dances on the palate nice with a silky smooth texture before the big time tannins hit. Refined Langhe Nebbiolo. Score: 91/100

• Santa Maria la Nave, ‘Calmarossa’ Etna Rosso 2016 – Siciliy

The Santa Maria la Nave, ‘Calmarossa’ Etna Rosso is a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio aged in French oak. Very much Red Burgundy in style. Red raspberry, crushed rock, white pepper, smoke, and a hint of sweet vanilla. Mouthfilling red fruit with minerals on the backend. The acidity is dancing on the palate and the tannins are firm, this is really built to age. Subtle and gentle now, this will reward those with patience. Score: 93/100

Sweet Wine

• Filippon, Ramandolo 2017 – Friuli-Venezia Giulia

The Filippon, Ramandolo is Verduzzo barrel fermented and aged in wood for 24 months. Notes of dried apricot, dried peaches, honey, dried lemon peel, and white pepper. Full-bodied and rich with yellow fruit flavors. There’s plenty of acidity here to keep the palate from feeling too heavy or sappy. The acidity isn’t as high as a TBA Riesling or sweet Tokaji, but it’s enough to stretch out the palate. Score: 91/100

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Thanks to Gemma Wine for the bottles. The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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Volcanic wines are a hot subject these days and GoVolcanic proved to be an explosive tasting.

Bad jokes aside, the first edition of GoVolcanic in Budapest, Hungary proved to be an interesting event. There were great volcanic wines from all over the world including Hungary, Austria, Israel, Spain, Slovakia, Portugal, Italy, France, and the USA. The event was headlined by Master Sommelier John Szabo, who’s credited with being one of the founders of this wine movement thanks to his book Volcanic Wines: Salt, Grit, and Power.

As a first time event, there were a few organizational hiccups but the quality of the wines is what matters to me most. With this in mind, GoVolcanic excelled and exceeded my expectations. On the tasting tables and in the masterclasses all the wines followed the ‘volcanic terroir’ theme.

Go Volcanic Masterclasses and Speed Tastings

The strongest part of the GoVolcanic tasting was the workshops. Both days were filled with masterclasses from both wine professionals and geologists. The main tasting room also featured ‘speed tastings’ modeled after the London Wine Fair, where one professional led stand-up tastings of six wines in thirty minutes.

As someone who loves to taste quickly, these speed tastings were perfect for me. I attended four and all were led by competent professionals who selected excellent volcanic wines. If GoVolcanic comes back for a second edition, I’d love to see more of this setup.

The workshops at GoVolcanic 2019 were lead by both wine professionals and geologists. Both went beyond the normal masterclass and dug deeper into what makes volcanic soil unique for viticulture. The classes also featured hard to find wines such as ‘Hidden Treasures/A Moric Project’ and old vintages from Somló, Hungary.

There was a lot to like about GoVolcanic 2019 and I hope it comes back for a second edition this year. Here are my ten favorite volcanic wines from the show.

Wine Recommendations:

Foreign Wines

• Feudo Cavaliere, Millemetri Etna Rosato 2016 – Etna, Italy

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

I tasted the Feudo Cavaliere ‘Millemetri’ Etna Rosato during a speed tasting conducted by Master of Wine Elizabeth Gabay. It’s made from Nerello Mascalese and is full of sour cherry, strawberry, and mineral flavors. It’s a serious rosé, not just fruity, there’s plenty going on here. Gritty texture and a long finish. Score: 91/100

• Pico Wines, Frei Gigante 2018 – Pico, Azores 

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The Frei Gigante is a masterpiece by the Pico Wines cooperative. It’s a blend of Arinto, Verdelho, and Terrantez. Tine wine is high in mineral flavors with notes of smoke, flint, and a faint hint of quince. The palate is smoky and savory in addition to being highly structured with a long finish. This isn’t for someone who wants fruit, it’s for those who like complex, savory white wines. Score: 92/100

• Hidden Treasures/A Moric Project, Breitenbrunn 2017 – Leithaburg, Austria

Roland Velich of Moric winery in Austria has a label called Hidden Treasures. He picks unique wines from Austria and Hungary for this label. This wine is made with Lichtenberge-González, a producer in the Leithaburg DAC in Austria. This Blaufränkisch is a savory red wine with mineral, white pepper, cherry, and a touch of cedar. Firm tannins and high acidity, it feels a lot like Sangiovese. The wine has a long finish and is cellar-worthy. Score: 91/100

• Fattorie Romeo del Castello, ‘Vigo’ Etna Rosso 2013 – Etna

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

The Fattorie Romeo del Castello Vigo is everything I want in an Etna Rosso. This is a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. It’s robust and smoky red with notes of black cherry, redcurrant, smoke, and tobacco. It’s full and round on that palate at first and then the small tannins hit hard on the back end. Score: 92+/100

Hungarian Wine

• Homonna Attila, ‘Határi’ Tokaji Furmint 2017 – Tokaj

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Homonna Attila is a tiny producer in Tokaj and his Határi Tokaji Furmint is one of his top dry wines. It has notes of sweet peach, white pear, flint, and yogurt flavors. Full-bodied and rich with a touch of residual sugar. This has real texture and structure. The fruit flavors may be a tad muted but you can’t deny the quality here, it’s for people who like German Riesling and Sylvaner. Score: 90/100

• Bajnóczy, ‘Sárkány-Lelke’ Pinot Gris 2017 – Balaton

Nerd alert! The Bajnóczy ‘Sárkány-Lelke’ Pinot Gris’ is for hardcore wine geeks. This is partially macerated and done in a minimal intervention style. The wine is full-bodied and gritty with a smoky flavor along with the dried yellow fruit and a slight almond finish. Score: 90/100

• 2HA, Shiraz 2016 – Balaton

The 2HA (2 hectares) winery is a tiny estate in North Balaton that puts an emphasis on red wines (this is primarily a white wine region) The 2HA Shiraz is more of a Syrah style than a Shiraz. Notes of dark fruit, violets, chocolate, and pepper. It’s juicy with a peppery finish. Complex and extremely well done. Score: 91+/100

• Fekete Pincé, Furmint 2007 – Somló

Fekete Pincé is one of the old guards of Somló and this Furmint 2007 is classic. There are notes of mushroom, campfire, smoke, and dried apricot. It’s full-bodied, oxidative, and highly mineral with a chewy texture and a long finish. Truly complex and unique, this is a thinking wine and a very good one at that. Score: 92/100

• Győrgykovács Imre, Hárslevelú 2010 – Somló

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Another old guard of the tiny volcanic region of Somló. The Győrgykovács Imre Hárslevelú has notes of white flower, honey, flint, smoke, and a faint bit of white pear. This is shiny and highly mineral. It’s full-bodied and fairly neutral. Highly structured with a long finish. This is not for people that want gobs of fruit, but it is a brilliant wine. It’s was my favorite wine of the entire GoVolcanic Summit. Score: 93+/100

• Somlói Apátsági Pince, Juhfark 2017 – Somló

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Somlói Apátsági Pince is another classic producer from Somló while Juhfark is one of the star varieties. This example is a late harvest, dry wine. The flavors include apricot, pear, sweet peach and honey with subtle notes of botrytis. It is full-bodied and minerally, unique and delicious. Gritty texture and a touch of residual sugar to build the body and balance the acidity. Score: 90/100

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GoVolcanic provided complimentary admission. Cover photo is from the GoVolcanic website. Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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In 2016, we spent three months in Croatia; and we’ll be returning to the country again in 2017 for a few more months to finish up the research and writing for our latest wine book entitled Cracking Croatia. During our stay, we wanted to organize a special tasting session for our Croatian friends, as excellent Italian wines aren’t exactly accessible in the country. With some heavy lifting research by Matt and help from our Italian friend Stefano, we ordered a case of Italian wines from Stefano’s wine shop called La Vite Turchese in Barolo. Since we were in the European Union, it was a fuss-free process to ship the wines from Italy to Croatia.

Unboxing the wines from Italy.

Within a week, the case of wines was delivered. Matt was so excited about the wines that, during the time between the arrival of the wines to when we had our tasting, he was taking the bottles out of the box, looking at them, patting them, then slipping them back into the box for a few times a day. And this entire process of adoration happened every day until the momentous evening when we finally got to drink the wines.

Then, Charine had an idea. Why not make a game out the session? Why not create a mini challenge? She thought it’d be great to present a few examples of the finest Croatian wine alongside the Italian wines. She reached out to two famous Croatian producers that we personally respect and they agreed to participate. It was decided that the Croatian wines would be tasted blind; we wouldn’t mention that they are Croatian wines but merely state that the wines are non-Italian.

The Big Night: Vino Rosso Versus Crno Vino

Flight 1: Light Italian Reds

1.  (Vini Franchetti) Passopisciaro, Passorosso 2013 – Sicily, Italy    [Vinous: 90 Points]

Made from Nerello Mascalese grapes, sustainably farmed from 70- to 100- year-old vines that are grown at an altitude of between 500 and 1000 meters on the slopes of Etna. Aged for 18 months in large oak barrels. 

Wild yet subtle. A perfumed nose of red berries, fresh Mediterranean herbs, smoke, and earth. A lean but expressive palate delivering the flavors suitably with medium-plus acidity and soft tannins. This is an honest wine that captures the charm of Etna well with its smoky and slate notes.

2.  Ottin, Pinot Nero 2013 – Valle d’Aosta, Italy

This is the wild card of the tasting as we have no prior experience with Pinot Noir from Valle d’Aosta. Ottin is one of the most well-known producers in Valle d’Aosta. Made from organic grapes planted on steep, south-facing terraces at 590 meters above sea level.

This wine is humble on the nose and theatrical on the palate. Flavors of barnyard, red berries, pine, and grass. It has medium-plus acidity, a light tug of tannins, and an expressive mid-palate spike. On the end palate, the wine takes a swift turn and displays some spicy notes. At a shop price of €18 (in Italy), this wine is a steal for the experience it delivers. We’re intrigued and look forward to tasting more Pinot Noirs from Valle d’Aosta.

3.  Montevetrano, Core 2014 – Campania, Italy    [Vinous: 90 Points]

We’ve had dense and highly structured Aglianico based wines, as well as lighter and fruity examples. This is the entry-level red from a famous producer in Campania. We have no idea what to expect from this wine.

This has a dark hue and a dense body, so it doesn’t fit the theme of this flight. An immediate sign of a warmer climate wine with flavors of raisin, plum, black cherry, mocha, cardamom, and licorice. The aroma is intriguing, with a whiff of blood and iron—like a blue rare steak. The tannins are firm and sandy but not harsh. Impressive structure and a good balance between fruit and spice that seem to hint at us: Please go order another plate of pršut (Croatian dry cured ham). The perfect bold wine to have on a cold day, but a waste to be consuming it right now at such a young age; this will be spectacular with a few more years of bottle aging.

Thoughts on Flight 1, Light Italian Reds:

The Pinot Noir is the favorite of the majority. But Matt has a differing opinion: he enjoys the Etna Rosso most. However, other people in the group find that wine light, simple, and even a tad rustic. The third wine, which is an Aglianico blend, has its supporters as well. One of our friends likes the wine so much that he wants to keep the bottle close to him the whole evening. When the server tries to clear the bottle, he snatches it back immediately and it remains by his side for the rest of the evening.

Flight 2: Barbera

4.  Roberto Voerzio, Barbera d’Alba, Vigneti Cerreto 2011 – Piedmont, Italy    [Vinous: 89 Points]

From a renowned producer in Piedmont. Fermentation in steel tanks; aged for 12 months in 30% new and 70% used oak barrels, then transferred to steel tanks for eight months of further aging before bottling.

Relatively full and fleshy, compared to the other Barbera wines we’ve had. Flavors of both red and black fruits, chocolate, clove, and sweet cedar. A clear trace of mineral characteristic lingers. Satin-like finish with soft tannins. A great food wine that makes Charine crave an Osso Buco (a Milanese specialty of braised veal shanks).

5.  Michele Chiarlo, Cipressi, Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2013 – Piedmont, Italy    [Decanter: 90 Points]

Aged for one year in cask, followed by aging in bottle for at least nine months.

Young and oaky. The ripe fruitiness shines through in this Barbera. Flavors of cranberry, cola, maraschino cherry, and vanilla. Medium bodied with bright acidity, a combination that’s asking for a solid food companion. 

Thoughts on Flight 2, Barbera:

This isn’t a fair comparison as the wines are from different vintages. Everyone prefers the former to the latter. That’s not to say that the Barbera d’Asti isn’t a good wine, it’s just that the Barbera d’Alba has a higher drinkability right now.

Flight 3: Surprise

6.  Boškinac, Cuvée 2012 – Kvarner, Croatia 

Available at wineandmore.com

Note: This wine is tasted blind. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in French barriques for 24 months. We’ve had this wine several times and it always shows up well. In fact, the Boškinac Cuvée 2007 is on our ‘Top 10 Wines of Croatia’ list.

This has an opulent bouquet that gets practically everyone to sit up. Aroma characteristics include red pepper flakes, tobacco, leather, bonfire, red berries, and cassis. Full in the mouth and delivers a touch of heat with more emphasis on dried fruit notes. It finishes off with an extremely long, sweet cedar characteristic. 

Thoughts on Flight 3, Surprise:

It’s fun to present this blind, as it validates the pride of our Croatian friends and our trust in the fineness of Croatian wine. The table is full of “ooouuuhhsss” and “aaahhhhssss” after the first sniff of this wine. The wine has a lot of aging potential. But as it is now, even without the future tertiary complexity, it’s already a crowd pleaser. It has a lot to live up to as this is a prequel to the Nebbiolo wines. So let’s see how the night goes.

Flight 4: Nebbiolo From Langhe

7.  Brovia, Nebbiolo d’Alba, Valmaggiore 2013 – Piedmont, Italy 

A Brovia Goblet Sue Barolo 2008 was what turned Matt into a Barolo lover.

Grown on south-facing vineyards with calcareous and sandy soil, at 350 meters above sea level. No pesticide or herbicide is used in the vineyards; spraying is done with only copper and sulfur, and using manure as a natural fertilizer. No fining or filtration. This comes from Valmaggiore in Roero, an area known for wines that are structured and tannic, so much so that they are sometimes compared to the wines from Barolo.

The predominantly sandy soil of the vineyards imparts an immediate fresh and lively impression, indicating an approachable and delicious Nebbiolo from an esteemed producer. This is the entry-level red from Brovia. Notes of violet, rubber, cherry, cranberry, blueberry, mint, black truffle, and tar. It has all the hints of what makes a great Nebbiolo and is highly drinkable for a young wine. The tannins are fine-grained but the end palate is still pleasant. The acidity is high which makes the finish seems a bit lean. This is a feisty fling of a wine, which makes us crave an equally raw and wild dish from Piedmont called Carne Cruda (raw beef).

______________________________

“I eagerly await this wine’s [Brovia Nebbiolo d’Alba Valmaggiore] release every year—it’s a sentimental favorite and truly one of the best values in Piedmont.”

David Lynch from SommSelect

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8.  La Ca’ Nova, Barbaresco, Vigna Bric Mentina Montefico, 2011 – Piedmont, Italy    [Vinous: 94 Points]

From the Montefico vineyard in the village of Barbaresco. Aged in Slavonian oak for 22 months.

The nose is dominated by rose characteristic, and a good amount of smoke, tar, red berries, blueberry, and chalky notes. Big and ripe on the palate with powerful tannins that support the incredibly precise, trigonal structure. Flavors lean toward dried berries and savory notes in the mouth. A wine that will go great with a Cherasco snail dish.

Thoughts on Flight 4, Nebbiolo From Langhe:

This is a divisive set of wines. The entire table splits equally between the two wines when asked which one they prefer. The Nebbiolo d’Alba is highly drinkable and shows more finesse than the Barbaresco, which is drinking well for its young age with alluring ripe and dense flavors. This flight reveals a lot about the individual preferences when it comes to red wine.

Flight 5: Nebbiolo From Lesser-Known Areas

9.  Le Piane, Boca 2008 – Piedmont, Italy    [Vinous: 96 points]

A blend of 85% Nebbiolo and 15 %Vespolina grapes from the old vines of Le Piane. Fermentation happens with natural yeast in open steel tanks and large wood casks. Three years of aging in 2,000- to 3,000- liters Slavonian wood casks.

Stand up and cheer, that’s literally what’s happening as we taste this wine. A beauty packed with layers of nuances, gently unveiling itself as you wait and pursue it over time. The nose appears to be from a warm year and already packed with tertiary notes: stone fruit, black fruit, hazelnut, mushroom, tar, rose, forest floor. Yet in the mouth, it defies the initial impression with its fresher-than-actual-age flavors of chocolate, violet, juicy cherry, cranberry, and white pepper. A wine of great focus, power, playfulness, and elegance. This is a wine that has the potential to move a camp of non-Nebbiolo believers.

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“This [Boca] was one of the most fascinating wines at the tasting. Long skin contact and three-year aging in Slavonian oak makes this Nebbiolo really stand out from the crowd. Cloves and sweet spices on the nose. Darker and riper fruits on the palate that feels so silky, but powerful and rich.”

Martina Milicevic from Pretawine

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10.  Nervi, Gattinara 2006 – Piedmont, Italy    [Wine Spectator: 93 points]

Made with 100% Nebbiolo grapes (or Spanna as it is called in this part of Piedmont) grown on a combination of clay and volcanic gravel at an elevation of 280 to 400 meters above sea level. Fermentation in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature. Aged for five years in oak barrels, with further aging in cement vats and in the bottles for at least a year.

Another beauty from the oldest estate in Gattinara. At 10 years old, it’s still a teenager of a Nebbiolo. A captivating bouquet of forest floor, spicy salami, tomato leaf, cranberry, cherry, rubber, and smoke. On the palate, it opens to more earthy notes with a nice balance of fresh and fruity primary flavors. Silky texture with fine-grained tannins and expressing a lot of vitality on the palate. An exquisite wine that deserves to be paired with an equally exquisite dish of Piedmont: Tajarin al ragù.

Thoughts on Flight 5, Nebbiolo From Lesser-Known Areas:

These are the headliners of the evening. This is the first time that everyone’s tasting a Boca and no one’s disappointed. The Gattinara is the oldest wine of the session and is aging beautifully, showing many more peak years ahead. The table is, again, split half-and-half when it comes to the “winner of the round”, but there’s no doubt that these two are the highlights of the evening—just as we’ve planned.

After having a sip of the Boca, Croatian wine critic Saša Špiranec enjoys the wine so much that he feels compelled to stand up and raise a toast to this charm in a glass. A completely justified response; the Boca is indeed special.

Flight 6: The Finale, Expect the Unexpected

• Pecchenino, Dogliani, San Luigi 2015 – Piedmont, Italy    [Wine Spectator: 90 points]

Note: There’s a mistake made here; this wine should have been served earlier in the tasting. 100% Dolcetto grapes harvested from Dogliani in Piedmont, one of the best sites for the Dolcetto variety.

Bouquet of sour cherry, rhubarb, licorice, pumpkin spice, and earth. Light body with tangy and refreshing delivery on the palate. A  pleasant food wine that many people would like.

• Bibich, Bas de Bas Crno 2013 – Dalmatia, Croatia 

Available at wineandmore.com

Note: This wine is served blind. Bas de Bas is one of the cult wines coming out of Croatia.  A blend of predominantly Syrah and a touch of Merlot. Aged for 24 months in French oak barrels.

Full-bodied, rich, and dense. This wine sashays into the evening with a thunderstorm: it is swanky and stern simultaneously. Notes of wild game, black plum, blackberry, black cherry, tobacco, and cedar. Luscious texture with a long finish.

• Boškinac, Cuvée 2013 – Kvarner, Croatia 

Available at wineandmore.com

This cuvée is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Bouquet of red cherry, red plum, cranberry, pencil lead, earth, and oak flavors. It is rich and slightly spicy on the palate. This wine has an exceptionally long finish. Great structure and flavor intensity that reveal its high aging potential; but as of right now it’s still a tad young to be consumed—the flavors need a bit more time to melt together, but all the elements are here for this to be great.

Thoughts on Flight 6, The Finale:

Matt’s idea is to serve the Dolcetto as a refreshment, before hitting the big-bodied Bas de Bas in a blind tasting. Charine thinks it’s better to offer a typically cheerful Dolcetto as the first wine of the evening. After tasting the Dolcetto, the group agrees with Charine. It’s challenging to reassess a light-bodied, fruity wine after the palates have gone through a myriad of ages and complex flavor profiles.

When the Bas de Bas is served, everyone’s intrigued by the luxurious bouquet; it is one of Croatia’s most expensive wines. Many people can tell from the flavors that it’s a wine from Mediterranean climate.

The Boškinac Cuvée 2013 is a bonus wine that rounds up the night with its deliciousness and a hint that the best is yet to come—for the wine itself and for all of us.

Conclusion

Our crew of 10 wine lovers and wine writers.

At the end of the night, Darko Vozab (the #2 Vivino user in Croatia) says it best, “Too much good wine.”

This entire flight is fantastic; every single wine displays its own set merits.  All the Nebbiolos are charmers. The Pinot Noir is the biggest surprise. The Etna Rosso and Aglianico are the most controversial.

All of the Italian wines are great, but what about the Croatian wines?

Both producers Boškinac and Bibich are highly regarded in Croatia, and their wines are right there with the best of the flight, even next to the big Bs of Italy. So živjeli to that, and saluti to more cross-cultural sharings through wine!

Here’s a video review of the wines:

Thanks to Sherry’s Wine & Bites in Zagreb, Croatia for providing a venue for us to taste all of these wines.

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The Boškinac Cuvée 2012, Boškinac Cuvée 2013, and Bibich Bas de Bas Crno 2013 were sponsored by the proprietors. (Thank you, Boris Šuljić and Alen Bibic!) However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own and we are under no obligation to give favorable reviews. 

The post How Do Top Croatian Wines Fare Against Italian Wines? appeared first on Wine Travel.

There are sixteen mountains around the world that are classified as “Decade Volcanoes”. A mountain qualifies for that title when it is located close to heavily populated areas and when it has a history of large eruptions. In the South Mediterranean, there is one example of these special forces of nature. It dominates an entire island’s landscape and its destructive eruptions had once stopped invading empires. Today, this Decade Volcano is the epicenter and lifeblood of a fresh and exciting wine region.

The Volcanic Wine of Etna

Wine on an active volcano? Sipping a glass of beautiful red while looking down into a valley with a smoking cone looming behind. That all sounds like a fantasy, but this is a reality in the northeast corner of Sicily. The volcano is Mount Etna and it is home to a fascinating wine region unsurprisingly dubbed “Etna”.

Charine and I were at a champagne-pairing dinner in Singapore in 2014. The concept of a champagne-pairing dinner is straightforward—there are usually anywhere from five to seven courses of food, each course is paired with a champagne. At that dinner, there were five courses, which consequentially made for five different champagnes. One of the five was different, it was not a champagne. While scanning the menu, the words “Etna Rosso” jumped out at me, a dry red wine by Tenuta di Fessina.

Everything about the Etna wine was enchanting, from the light ruby color to the slight bit of tanginess in both corners of my jaw. The color, smell, and taste made the word “fire” come to mind. But I could very well be biased after doing some due diligence on the wine and discovering that it is grown on the slopes of an active volcano in Europe.

On the Etna Wine Trail

A year and a half after that dinner, we were picking up a rental car from the Sicilian port city of Catania and heading to the towns of Etna. Mount Etna is hard to miss, she towers over the eastern end of Sicily, always in sight. We headed up the mountain as the rain started to set in and the visibility went down the pipe. It didn’t help that the only car available at the rental office was a Fiat 500 with an automatic transmission. Driving a tiny car, with a feeble engine, and no control of the gears, made me feel like I was driving an electric golf cart at the end of its battery cycle.

We stopped at the first guesthouse we could find, ate, and then went to sleep. Before turning in, the visibility outside was not more than a few meters. When we rose at dawn, the story was different. Mount Etna dominated the sky and the top of her perfect cone was puffing smoke continuously, the view was finally clear and it was time to set out.

Wine tasting at Gambino Winery.

The road circumvented the mountain range with Etna’s peak leading the way. At our first tasting stop at Gambino Winery, they laid out a platter of local cheeses to accompany the generous tasting pours. The setting could not be better. It was the epitome of what comes to mind when I think of drinking wine in a far-flung destination. We sat on cool metal chairs starring out into the beautiful Alcantara Valley with a towering volcano behind us.

Paul Lukacs the author of Inventing Wine: A New History of One of the World’s Most Ancient Pleasures said, “What interested me about wine is that it’s intellectually very, very rich. You don’t need to know, but you want to know.”

That is the beauty of wine and that is the kind of curiosity that took over as we drove from winery to winery for tastings. Since seriously getting into wine a few years ago, I find great excitement in learning more about this very drink that used to seem so mysterious. There is great pleasure in drinking them, but there is more pleasure in knowing about them.

The wines of Etna are fantastic, the reds and whites all dance on the palate while each has texture from the “minerality” that comes from the volcanic soil. One fellow taster described the mineral taste in the whites as if she “had just licked a rock”. While that may not sound enticing to some people, I can assure you that it makes for a very distinctive wine. The Etna wine is an absolute pleasure to drink without any pretense. Most of them are made in a way that allows them to be drunk young so the drinker may enjoy the purest form of the wine’s fruit flavors with a complexity that comes from Etna’s unique terroir.

I am not alone in my affinity for the Etna wine region, which some have nicknamed it the “Burgundy of the Mediterranean”. The great wine along with the magical setting fueled my inquisitiveness. I had to try as many of the wines from the area as humanly possible. The “want to know” is what makes wine and enotourism so exciting, and the mystery and depth of wine are exactly what Lukacs was referring to as intellectually rich.

There are few places where drinking wine is as majestic as in Etna. The fusion between man and nature is what has made wine special historically. Farmers always have a deep respect for the land where they work but in Etna, it becomes more than respect. It’s reverence and perhaps a bit of fear. This is understandable, how would you feel if you had a ticking time bomb in your own backyard? That allure has drawn many winemakers from Tuscany down to Sicily to try their hands in this up-and-coming wine region.

This includes the winery that drew us here in the first place, Tenuta di Fessina. The owner of Tenuta di Fessina is from central Italy and now trying her hand on the slopes of Etna, with great results. I found the winery’s location on Google maps but we drove around the area multiple times and somehow we kept missing it. After finally locating it, we stopped in day after day but nobody was to be seen and the doors were always locked. The whole experience in the region was great but the fact that we could not get into this specific winery didn’t sit right with me. That simply means a repeat trip will be necessary in the near future.

Nonetheless, we had to move on, even though we didn’t exactly get our way, we got more than we bargained for. Etna has magnificent wine and is largely devoid of fellow oenophiles because it is a rising region in the wine world. It has the views, the food, and of course the vino. As we drove away from our base of Castiglione di Sicilia, it occurred to me that while so people have dreamed of tasting wine under the Tuscan sun, they might be missing out on tasting equally impressive wine under a snow-covered cone.

The village of Castiglione di Sicilia.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Pick

Photo credit: tenutadifessina.com

Tenuta di Fessina il Musmeci Rosso, Etna DOC Riserva, 2008

We still haven’t visited Tenuta di Fessina, but we’ve had several vintages of this Etna wine on many different occasions. The most recent bottle of this vintage we had was taken from our own cellar. Last tasted in March 2018.

It’s in a great spot right now. Full of mineral, sour cherry, and sweet cedar notes. It’s elegant yet it also has the Italian rusticity. Well-developed tannins guided by juicy acidity and a long finish. A quintessential, medium-bodied Etna Rosso.

4.3/5 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

Buy Tenuta di Fessina Musmeci Riserva Etna Rosso (Sicily, Italy) on Wine Searcher.

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The ideas expressed in this article are personal opinions and are not associated with any sponsors or business promotions. 

The post Etna: Wine on Fire appeared first on Wine Travel.