I’ll admit that of the • Recioto di Gambellara
• Recioto di Soave
• Montefalco Sagrantino Passito
• Elba Aleatico Passito
• Brachetto D'Acqui
• Moscato d'Asti
• Moscato di Scanzo
• Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit
• Ramandolo
• Barolo (Chinato)
• Albana di Romagna Passito
* Recioto della Valpolicella (New)
...three I have never delighted in having.
The Elba Aleatico Passito and Moscato di Scanzo are the newest of the DOCG dessert wines. I regret to say that those two along with the Recioto di Gambellara I haven't had the opportunity to pop the corks on.
Which ones have you had?
Actually there are wines that have never made it to DOCG status that I have had and loved. The Sicilian wines from Marsala, Pantelleria and Lipari are favorites in my house. I also love the Vini Maculani such as Torcolato and Dindarello, from Vespaiola and Orange Moscato grapes. And the oddities that pass my way, from the sherry like Passito from Chambave to the botrytised whites from Abruzzo. What else? Anyone lucky enough to get inside the ancient caves below Orvieto will find the original Orvieto, done up in a thick syrupy style. And of course the Vin Santo from Tuscany and beyond.
It seems that almost everywhere one goes in Italy there is a winemaker who has a hidden barrel of something dolce e delicioso. The Italians love sweet wines, which explains how almost 25% of all DOCG wines are.I have written elsewhere of wines that are now dry which started out thick and rich and high in residual sugar. Amarone and Sagrantino first come to mind. Amarone has kept the older tradition alive with their Recioto and Sagrantino has a Passito version also available. It is wonderful to drink this wine and to contemplate the Italians drinking those 200 years ago, a nice way to time travel from the lazy boy in the living room.
What dessert wines have you had from Italy that you love? Give us a holler, leave us a note.
