Alexandria top wine was held in Novi Ligure, on 14 and 15 November, and was a unique opportunity to focus its wines' s Alexandria, held in a space next to the municipal museum of cycling champions, (unfortunately only open on weekends) included with admission five euro tasting glass and shoulder strap.
Once we receive two ovens and a nice baker who noviligurino turning out very good porridge all the time, to the delight of stand personnel and visitors.
I find it very nice when the tastings are the producers directly with their hands to pour their wines and tell it in its entirety, starting from the ground, the history of the vineyard, the processing methods in their every step. A hard work made with passion, bottles of the family, many businesses passed down from generation to generation, links, still inseparable from the earth and men.
The first round of tasting was aimed at Gavi DOCG . The wine made from 100% Cortese grapes, is pale yellow in color tones but quite intense and reflexes very lively and nice, even color due to the youthfulness of the wines tasted. The scents of dried pasta white and yellow, floral and mineral notes, give a great complexity to the nose. What is most surprising during the sniff test is the smoothness, looks sweet, the fruit feels almost cooked, "jam" feature Cortese grapes which gives a unique bouquet. Tastings lead the way for the hardships, the 'citrus, flavor and minerality on the ground. Wine by the double face, soft and almost sweet scents, and every time surprising freshness and minerality to the taste. The ideal is a dinner with dishes also quite complex, and a better representation of women to keep company, for you are tending to sweet scents, for us the high acidity and minerality. Also as with grapes Cortese DOCG classic method sparkling wines are produced, are truly unique, in a post soon on the bubbles from vines that are not the usual suspects.
The second round is for Barbera del Monferrato DOC . Wine made from 100% Barbera grapes.
All 'is visual inspection of a ruby \u200b\u200bred with violet hues, very intense color, in most cases impenetrable still nice living. The nose is easily recognizable red fruits, vinous and sometimes floral, flavors are more complex when the wine has spent time in barrels.
All 'is realized at once the characteristic taste of this wine and a spiccatissima acidity that cuts through the palate, some manufacturers are attempting to smooth out this feature of' grapes, with cellar work and the use of wood, to give greater flexibility. The Barbera that I appreciate most are those in which the acidity is alive, when I decide to open a bottle of this wine, must have that his strong personality, which makes it quite pleasant Barbera unique and special.
But we must not think that the use of wood is absolutely ruled out, partly because to many like a little 'more roundness, and because some producers they create Barbera spent in cask really amazing, intense, complex, fine and harmonious.
The third step, after having refreshed with flour fantastic, experimenting with cream cheese from Piedmont, combined with the Gavi, is exploring the Dolcetto. This wine has intense ruby \u200b\u200bred or intense. The aroma of this wine is very characteristic of great softness, feel red fruit jam, the fruitiness of course a decisive factor on 'aroma is the choice whether or not the use of barrels, the period of transition, where large cask or barrel and many other choices in the cellar. The palate is not very complex but pleasant to drink, there is fruit, tannin and sometimes a note of almond, bitter taste that makes this wine suitable for harmonious combinations with meats, ravioli, medium-aged cheeses, and is widely used preparations with meat and mushrooms.
Novi Ligure That was a very nice event, hear vigniaioli, their bottles as part of the family, seeing them talking to other producers with a desire to compete in an atmosphere of great serenity. Each vineyard history, there is one hundred years, that of a vine that you do not know what it is, discovered almost by chance, one in a position atop a hill overlooking more suitable for aging wine and the 'other mid-hill good for white, middle for red, always knows whom and who knows what with some astonishing ingenuity, not based on scientific evidence, was able to understand generations ago, of the drug. Earth is not easy, but lived by people who love the work with love and effort, it produces wines that are pearls, albeit a rather small area, not sufficiently known and appreciated, even wines that have great value for money. Not far from Milan, about 100 km, is the ideal destination for a trip outside to discover the flavors and the people of Monferrato. Unfortunately we had to reach Novi use the machine as by public transport there would be took over 2 hours. At the end of the tasting we were subjected to alcohol tests, the seat of this' event for me was the result of 0.6 g / l for my friend, and trust appears adventure, also my graphics, but more than anything my great friend Daniel of 0.5 g / l. With the desire to return soon in Monferrato, with a lesson on some wines and territory tired but happy (it's tiring to taste, not like drinking, it's a dirty job but someone, perhaps, has to do it) we go home.
Now I leave the links to some companies that their wines were of "coups de coeur":
Winery Montobbio, Castelletto d 'Orba (AL), www.altomonferrato.com
FARM Agricola Paolo Pizzorini to Ricaldone (AL) www.vinipizzorini.it
The Farm Ghibellines, Gavi Monterotondo village www.laghibellina.com
also produce sparkling Gavi.
