Italy’s Finest Wine Values 

by Antonio Galloni

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How to Drink
Well Without Spending a Fortune

There has never been a better time to be a
wine drinker. Period. Generally more favorable climatic conditions across the
world, the emergence of high quality wines from once- dormant regions in Europe
and newly developed areas in the New World, and increasing technical expertise
in the areas of viticulture and oenology have come together to present
consumers with a staggering array of delicious wines that can be found for
under $25. All of this comes at a time when the current global economy has been
particularly hard hit and countries battle to emerge from a very painful period
of contraction. The business of selling expensive wines – from any region – has
completely ground to a halt, creating numerous opportunities for readers to
pick up higher-end wines at massively discounted prices. On a broader scale,
however, the only bottles that are moving are those that offer compelling
value.

Italy seems well-poised to capitalize on
current events, as the country offers an enormous selection of delicious,
value- priced wines. One of the curious results of the state of markets is that
as wineries have reduced the production of their top- end selections in
response to slackening demand, much of the juice that was once destined for
those expensive bottles is now being blended with lower-end wines, improving
their quality in a meaningful way. Simply put, producers are paying far more
attention to their-value-priced wines than they ever have in the past, and it
shows.

Among Italy’s key attributes are a wealth of
microclimates matched by few countries in the world and a stunning array of
indigenous varieties that can form the basis for a lifetime’s worth of
enjoyment. Readers will find everything from the steely, Alpine whites of Alto
Adige to the beguiling wines of Campania (both white and red) to the plump,
juicy wines of Puglia, and everything in between. In more prestigious regions
such as Piedmont and Tuscany, readers are best served by focusing on the
entry-level wines from the finest producers. Conscientious growers pay just as
much attention to their simpler wines as they do to their top bottles. A
Dolcetto or Chianti Classico from a first-class estate can be a great way to learn
more about a new region and a particular winery’s style. Of course Italy also
boasts a number of emerging regions, mostly in the center and south, such as
Campania, Umbria, Marche, Sardinia, Sicily and Puglia where readers will have
far more choice in exploring the breadth of diversity that at its best defines
the true essence of Italian wine culture.

Italy’s Finest Wine Values: The Highlights

Piedmont: The first 2008s are beginning to
appear on the market, and based on what I have tasted so far, this appears to
be a good, but not great, vintage. In general, the wines are soft and
approachable, but lack a touch of depth that might otherwise elevate them. 2008
saw a very wet spring which caused an irregular flowering and crop set. Uneven
weather continued into the early summer, and it wasn’t until the end of the
summer that the heat finally arrived. The conditions were most challenging for
Dolcetto and Barbera, two varieties that ripen earlier than Nebbiolo. The
gorgeous conditions in the late summer and early fall were much more favorable
for Nebbiolo, which today looks like the most successful variety of this
challenging season. The 2007s are far more consistent across Piedmont’s main
red grapes. In 2007 a cool summer helped restore a measure of balance after a
record-breaking winter that was unusually warm and dry. The 2007s are soft,
perfumed, silky-textured wines that are drinking beautifully today.

Tuscany: Readers will want to take a look
at my in-depth article&nbsp; for a
comprehensive evaluation of new vintages from Tuscany. The first 2008s I have
tasted are similar to those of Piedmont in that the wines come across as medium
in structure and accessible at an early age.

Northern Italy: In these
economically challenged times, Veneto’s Prosecco is a great choice for
bubbly. I tasted a number of versions that are sure to deliver plenty of
pleasure. The top Soaves and Valpolicellas also deliver plenty of enjoyment. In
Alto Adige, the region’s many cooperatives are great sources for
value-priced wines – especially whites – that offer tons of varietal definition
and character.

Central and Southern Italy: Once again,
I was quite impressed with the value-priced wines I came across from Campania,
a fascinating region steeped in history. The 2008 whites are gorgeous, and
the entry-level reds from indigenous varieties – Aglianico and Piedirosso in
particular – make for highly rewarding drinking. The Marche is one of
Italy’s best sources for delicious, value-priced wines. Readers will find no
shortage of great choices ranging from the white Trebbiano and Verdicchio, to
reds made from Sangiovese and Montepulciano. Sicily and Sardinia also
have plenty to offer in the under $25 space.

A Note on Drinking Windows

Readers will notice that I have kept drinking
windows relatively short. There is a trend to bottle value-priced wines with a
variety of synthetic (ie, non-cork) closures such as glass, plastic and
screwcap. While this is generally a positive move that should reduce the
percentage of tainted bottles and free up cork supply for higher-end wines,
these new closures have a brief track record when it comes to aging. I have no
doubt some of the wines in this article will drink well beyond my suggested
windows, but it seems prudent to err on the side of caution, as even the wines
that will drink well for a number of years won’t necessarily improve in bottle.

On Notes and Scores

Tasting through Italy’s best values is always
a challenging exercise as I encounter a vast number of wines that fall short
for inclusion in these pages. This year I tasted over 250 bottles that scored
under 85 points, the threshold for publishing a score

and tasting note. Many of these wines –
especially those scoring between 80 and 84 points – are clean and soundly made,
they just lack that something special that might elevate them to a higher
category. I hope readers will understand the practical impossibility of not
being able to print a note for every wine.

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