I have a friend who is currently on a Bike and Barge trip through The Veneto and Lombardy going up the Po River. Today he told me of a wine that they really enjoyed with dinner: Cantina Ricchi Cornalino (50/50 blend). It doesn’t look like this makes it to the US. Does anyone have similar wine recommendations that reflect the regions long history with these grapes? I can only think of Vignalta Gemola. Thanks
Miani is expensive, but quite good. Big and bold in style.
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Wow, you’re not kidding on expensive. Perhaps something more modest?
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San Leonardo from Trentino has a very strong reputation.
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+1, have only had it once or twice but that was going to be my recco too.
I thought it was some other varietals though?
Personally, I think it would be more interesting to explore the local varietals, as well as what doesn’t get exported…
I had the '97 of this a few nights ago and it was gorgeous.
Lots of Cabernet Franc grown in this area.
Yes, apparently Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, and Merlot have been planted in the region beginning in the late 1700s. Considering that many Italian verities originated in Greece, how many centuries are required to be considered native?
La Castellada makes a terrific Rosso, mainly Merlot with cab % depending on the vintage.
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Highly recommend the merlot’s by I Clivi. I’ve had the Galeo Rosso and the Da Uve Merlot. Both have been quite good, and I’ve had them at about 15-20 years of age.
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Seconded. No need to dig any further than this.
I thought I Clivi only made whites. Where did you find this one?
A bit further south but Maculan in Veneto (Breganze) has some very nice options from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I turned Eric Guido on to these wines and he wrote them up for Vinous in his last Veneto report.
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I’ve had J. Hofstätter Alto Adige - Südtirol Yngram a few times, which is some kind of cab-merlot blend. It was good, in a rustic very old-world style, but I don’t know how easy it is to find.
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Years ago I got some through garagiste. I’ve also got the Da Uve Merlot through Weygandt in DC. That was a couple years ago though. Maybe they stopped?
I just went the I clivi’s website. The only reds they have listed now are the Shioppettino and the Cab Franc. Interesting, so maybe they don’t make the merlot anymore.
Loredan Gasparini white label is excellent and should be $20 or so. The Capo di Stato is a step up, but likely 3x the price. From Veneto.
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At the moment the reds they are bottling are Cabernet Franc and Schioppetino.
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You must not bring them in? I had already looked at your website and didn’t see any reds listed for them.
The '19 Schioppettino is available in Portland, but the importer is Prufrock, not Oliver. It’s a lighter Schioppettino, but slurpable and delicious.
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