Italian wines are about as diverse as they come.
They range from local wines made from indigenous grapes to familiar classical varieties made with an Italian twist. No matter which it is, the wines are mostly of very good quality.
Two new releases come from Cantine Leonardo Da Vinci.
Da Vinci Chianti DOCG ($15)Let’s begin with the DOCG. It stands for "denominazione di origine controllata e garantita," or controlled designation of origin guaranteed, which is the Italian government's guarantee that the wine in the bottle is as descried on the label and is of the highest quality.
Chianti wines are always big, happy and, most often, the centerpiece of a meal, and the Da Vinci Chianti DOCG fits that bill.
The wine opens with the aromas of ripe plum and cherries, followed by the flavors of raspberries and oak along with an interesting under-flavor of pepper, which carries over to the finish.
All that is missing from this wine is the traditional straw basket, but since this is a modern wine, they have opted to dispense with the straw.
This wine can easily complement any meal, but, as you will probably guess, it is ideal for anything with a red sauce and can turn a plate of spaghetti and meatballs into a gourmet treat.
Da Vinci 2012 delle Venezie IGT Pinot Grigio ($15)Pinot grigio is a wine variety you probably know, but what about the IGT?
In the early 1990s, Italian wines were in disrepute around the world. Success had led to the replacement of the old wine-making equipment in a rush to get wines to market quicker.
Here is where we get two words that are dreaded in this country, governmental intervention. The Italian government, in an attempt to classify and improve its wines, set up a series of requirements that a wine must meet to get a government-approved rating.
DOCG is the highest, followed by DOG, denominazione di origine controllata or controlled designation of origin. Next in line was IGT, or indicazione geografica tipica, which guaranteed that the grapes came from a specific designated area and were higher quality. Needless to say, the rules are strictly enforced and the quality of Italian wines has skyrocketed.
The grapes for the Da Vinci 2012 delle Venezie IGT Pinot Grigio came from the high mountain region of northwestern Italy, which the Italian government recognizes as a prime region for pinot grigio. This wine is a prime example of what the region can produce.
Although the vintners added a bit of chardonnay to soften the wine slightly, the true beauties of the variety really come through.
The aroma of summer fruits is most obvious, followed by a hint of apricot. The flavor features apples, apricots and citrus with a crisp and raisin-like quality, coupled with the acid bite of limes, all of which carry over to the long, clean and fresh finish.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and helps manage ArticlesOnWine.com with his wife, Sheila. He can be reached at frojhe@suddenlink.net.
