Meeting 433

Meeting 433 "Wines of Northern Italy"

Friday 23^rd October 2020 Neville Hall, Waltham St Lawrence

Speaker: Tim Syrad

Zoom

        The Branch was able to hold its first meeting since the coronavirus lockdown - albeit a virtual meeting via Zoom. Tim was able to present his wines in the virtual world having first invited us to have available his 6 selected wines in our own homes.
       His first Cantina di Monteforte Soave Classico was very popular (100% Garganega), grown on basaltic soil, had an elderflower nose and a full citrus fruit with a refreshing acidity. By comparison, the Soave Classico from Pieropan (85% Garganega and 15% Trebbiano de Soave), although an excellent refreshing wine proved to be rather less popular. The Gavi di Gavi (100% Cortese) had a full complex nose, almost perfumed with hints of stone fruit and lime. Very refreshing, with a long finish.
       The Chianti Classico from Isole e Olena (82% Sangiovese, 15% Canalolo with a touch of Syrah) had plenty of fruit (prunes?) on the nose and bags of fruit on the palate. Being quite tannic as well this was likely to mature for some time. The Torre di Falenco Valpolicella (75% Corvina and 15 % and Rondinello plus Corvinone) was lighter in colour with a full plummy nose and an attractive palate tending towards soft fruit. Both reds were the most popular of the 'ordinary wines' of the evening.
       The classic Massolino 2016 Barolo sources its fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, although a tiny percentage of Castiglione Falletto is part of the blend. This wine is linear and tight, with an arsenal of important Nebbiolo aromas ranging from red cherry and cassis to spice, smoke, licorice, dried ginger, rusty nail and blood orange. (Wine Adocate)

The aperitif was a Clairette de Die. A refreshing , grapey fizz made of 80% Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains and 20% Claitette Blanche. Originally this was sold as a fizzy, cloudy wine direct from the barrel, but now the methode Doise is used. The first fermentation is halted just before all the grape sugar is used up, the wine is filtered and then bottled under pressure. Thus leaving a wine with the aroma of the Muscat combined with the residual grape juice flavour. <

The Wines :-

1. Soave Classico DOC 2019 Terre de Monteforte (12.5%)
2. Soave Classico DOC 2019 Pieropan (12%)
3. Lugarara Gavi di Gavi DOCG 2019 La Giustinana (13%)
4. Chianti Classico DOCG 2017 Isole e Olena (14%)
5. Valpolicella Torre del Falasco DOC 2018 Valpantena (12.5%
6. Barolo DOCG 2016 Massolino (14%)