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Ciao bella! Try these lovely wines for a taste of Italy.
Soave
Who remembers Soave? I barely do, as it’s been a while since I’ve sipped it. In college we drank it and it was a bitter, dry, slightly insipid lemon juice wine that was sold in jugs. Soave, made from the Garganega grape, has received a well-needed face-lift in the last few years and is starting to turn some heads.
Soave is still “lively” with medium-plus acidity and lovely floral, bosc pear and green apple flavors, and can be described perfectly with the word “refreshing.” The only sad thing is that Soave isn’t $2.99 a bottle anymore.
Soave is broken down into three quality levels. Soave DOC, the basic-level Soave that is clean, delicate and fresh; Soave Classico DOC, produced from grapes grown on the hills of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone with a little more intensity and minerality than basic DOC Soave; and Recioto di Soave Superiore DOCG, a naturally sweet Soave made from passito or dried grapes.
Whet your palate with the new Soave and leave the Chard and Sauv Blanc in the spare guest room for now.
Super Tuscans
They call these wines “Super Tuscans,” an unofficial category of Italian wines from Tuscany. These are on the prestigious side, a little pricey. They incorporate international varietals in their blend, such as Cabernet, Merlot or Syrah, and may or may not include Sangiovese, the native Tuscan Italian grape.
Did I mention how delicious they are?
The grapes for these wines will come from vineyards with low yields and will be picked when very ripe. The wines tend to have jammy, ripe black fruit flavors and remind one of a cross between a new-world (anywhere but Europe) and an old-world wine (Europe). Often, French oak is used to add another layer of complexity.
A few of the top Super Tuscans you should be aware of are: Sassicaia by Tenuta San Guido (Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc), Tignanello by Antinori (Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon) and Ornellaia (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc).
SIPS AT HOME
2008 Pieropan Soave, Veneto, Italy — $14.78
Pieropan and Anselmi are two of the top Soave producers. This Pieropan is a terrific example of the new Soave. It has beautiful aromas of white flowers, ripe pear and apple, and a hint of nuttiness. Pair this with a salad with vinaigrette or seafood-based appetizers.
Villa Antinori Toscana 2004 — $23.99
Here is a Super Tuscan easily affordable for under $25. It is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. It is soft and silky with flavors of ripe, juicy black cherries; plums; chocolate; and hints of black pepper. I’ve seen this wine at Biga (4329 S. Peoria Ave.), so you might swing by for a sample some night. Delicioso!
SIPS OUT ON THE TOWN
Ti Amo
Owner Mehdi Khezri and General Manager Ryan Gorman have a few fun picks for you as fall nestles its way into our lives.
Start with the white San Felice Vermentino 2007 for $51. It’s like a beefed-up Soave described at top, crisp and lively and a great match for any of Ti Amo’s salads.
For a red, splurge on the 2005 Barolo Rocche Costamagna (shown above) at $90 a bottle. It’s a huge monster of a Nebbiolo wine and will be great with Filet Ti Amo. This is a filet mignon with peppercorn and cognac sauce and topped with tomatoes and baked gorgonzola at $27 for 8 ounces.
6024 S. Sheridan Road, 499-1919
Mary’s Trattoria
Bruce and Sherry Sternad have owned Mary’s since 1991. For fall, they love to recommend the Antinori Orvieto dry white wine at $22 a bottle. It’s the perfect aperitif wine to start the evening.
Move into the San Felice Chianti Classico 2006 red Sangiovese at $35 a bottle. They even offer carafe red and white wine at $18 a liter and $10 for a half-liter. Carafe wine by the glass is $4.50 a glass. Bruce Sternad says any of the wines will highlight Mary’s (the original owner) chicken scaloppine at $14.50. Buon appetito!
1313 E. 15th St., 585-2495
*Wine columnist Randa Warren is a Certified Master Sommelier; Certified Wine Educator; has earned a Diploma of Wine and Spirits, granted through the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in England; and is a Certified Specialist of Spirits.
