Italy – All about sweet wines

Cannellino di Frascati – sweet wine of Lazio

9. September 202220. July 2022 by Karl-Heinz Datum

Villa Aldobrandini Frascati © Narcisse Navarre Pixabay

Who has never heard of Frascati or maybe even drunk it. I knew Frascati from a long time ago, when it was offered almost exclusively in 1 1/2 or 2 liter bottles alongside the red, sweet Lambrusco.When I was looking for sweet wines that I had never tasted before, I came across the Cannellino di Frascati DOCG on the website of a well-known German mail-order wine company. I ordered it, without a moment’s hesitation, because of my acquaintance with the often slightly residual sweet Frascati wines in my late youth.

Kabir – Donnafugata’s Moscato di Pantelleria

12. July 20225. July 2022 by Karl-Heinz Datum

Pantelleria is best known for its capers, which are said to be the best in the world. Belonging geologically to the African continent, the Italian island, also known as the Island of the Winds, is only around 50 km east of Tunisia, but around 100 km south of Sicily.

Marsala – a cooking wine?

12. July 20226. June 2022 by Karl-Heinz Datum

Viticulture near Marsala © Luigi Crosti Pixabay

“Of course” will say whoever searches the Internet for Marsala recipes from Italian websites. Carote al marsala, Risotto agli scampi, marsala e zafferano, Arrosto di maiale al marsala, Tiramisu al marsala – entire Marsala menus can be put together.

Aromatic Moscato Giallo from Tramin

6. December 20216. December 2021 by Karl-Heinz Datum

Vine yards Cantina Tramin © Florian Andergassen

Tramin, located on the Adige south of Bozen, describes itself as the cradle of the Gewürztraminer. There the Cantina Tramin is to be found, a cooperative founded in 1898 by the local priest at the time.

Aleatico Dolce – southern Italy’s fragrant, red sweet wine

19. December 202011. December 2020 by Karl-Heinz Datum

About 20 km northwest of the Apulian Lecce is the small town of Salice Salentino, whose name is known to many, mostly because of its dry red wine, mainly produced from Negroamaro. It has to be be mentioned that the Salice Salentino also is produced pink or white and not only as a cuvée, but also from a single grape variety. The Salice Salentino Aleatico is also available in a sweet version, as well as liqueur wine.

Tal Lùc 2012 by Lis Neris

26. February 202014. February 2020 by Karl-Heinz Datum

On February 3 in Munich, Slow Wine presented , its wine guide of the year 2020, which includes wineries from Italy, California and Oregon. Slow Wine focuses on wines whose regional origin is recognizable and which also take ecological aspects and handcrafted production into account. That doesn’t mean that their taste is secondary.

Rosenmuskateller – South Tyrol’s sweet red wine

3. August 201918. July 2019 by Karl-Heinz Datum

Moscato Rosa del Trentino – called in South Tyrol Rosenmuskateller – a grape variety that is found almost exclusively in northern Italy and especially in South Tyrol, does not come from Sicily, as often claimed in Italy, but most likely from Dalmatia. In this respect, the synonym of the variety Moscato Rosa del Trentino is a bit misleading, as far more than 85% of the approximately 100 hectares of the Italian Rosenmuskateller vineyards are in South Tyrol. Outside Italy you will find some Moscato Rosa del Trentino on Lake Neusiedl, as well as in Rheinhessen and Istria. It should be noted that the variety is a descendant of Moscato Bianco… Read more ...

Malvasia – Aromas from Sicily

12. May 20198. May 2019 by Karl-Heinz Datum

There are more than 20 different varieties of Malvasia – white, red and reddish, the last called gris or pink. In Sicily and its islands, the two varieties Malvasia Bianca Siciliana and Malvasia delle Lipari are the most common. The Malvasia Terre Sicilia Vino Liquoroso IGP of Cantine Pellegrino, which we have tasted, is produced to 100% with Malvasia Bianca. The grapes for the wine originate from vines that grow in the province of Trapani, from sea level up to 300 meters above sea level, on sandy and partly clayey soils.

Recioto di Soave from volcanic soil

24. April 201922. April 2019 by Karl-Heinz Datum

Recioto is a typical term in the northern Italian Veneto, used for a wine produced from rosinated grapes – in the remaining areas of Italy, such a wine is called Passito. The name Recioto goes back to the local dialect which names the external grapes of the vine as Recie, which at least in earlier times, exclusively were used to produce this kind of sweet wine.

South Tyrol – feinherb to sweet

20. March 201918. March 2019 by Karl-Heinz Datum

Around 70% of South Tyrolean wines are produced by cooperatives, which belong to the pioneers of quality development. At this year’s wine trip to South Tyrol, the Winery Bolzano was on our visit program. The new construction of the winery has not only caused a stir architecturally. With around 40 million €, this is the most expensive investment in the wine sector in South Tyrol so far. 220 members of the cooperative are growing vines around Bolzano and manage about 350 hectares of vineyards, which are between 200 and 900 meters altitude. The winery is well known for its Lagrein and St. Magdalener wines, but it also offers many … Read more ...

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