Exploring native italian grapes

Recently, I had the priviledge of hosting a wine tasting event at a private club in Salt Lake City. I had the freedom to choose the theme so of course I navigated toward Italian wines. I wanted it to be a little more of an adventure from the standard Chiantis or Pinot Grigios so I took a different route. I decided to go with native Italian grapes and have each wine be 100% of that grape; that would allow the wine to be a pure representation of that grape.

I had to start with something frizzante! We toasted the evening with Adami Garbel Brut Prosecco di Treviso DOC. This is a great representation of 100% Glera. It was fresh, crisp and pleasantly tart. It prepared the palate for the evening. Next we enjoyed a Suavia Soave Classico DOC with 100% garganega. The aromas of fresh lemon and stone fruit were at the forefront and followed by flavors of honeydew, almonds and herbs. The acidity was slightly tamed with malolactic fermentation on a portion of the wine. As we left the Veneto region and headed toward Piedmont, we tasted our final white of the evening. It was Vietti Roero Arneis DOCG. This wine is made from 100% Arneis grape and with its crisp acidity it made it a food friendly wine. It eminated yellow fruit and floral notes. The finish revealed a slight salinity that was a pleasant surprise.

In the heart of Piedmont, we had our first of two reds. We enjoyed the Silvio Grasso Langhe Dolcetto DOC made with 100% Dolcetto. Fermented and aged in stainless steal, the fruit was left pure and immediately present on the nose followed by some almond notes. This wine is one of the easiest drinking reds and because it isn’t oaked is a little more versatile for food pairings. It can go from a pork dish to pasta or pizza and not get lost along the way. Our final wine of the evening was Michele Chiarlo Barbera d’Asti Le Orme DOCG. The Asti representation of Barbera and with this one not being oaked, the elegance shined through. Ripe cherry and currant aromas finished with roundness and structure.

These were all well received but the favorites were the Adami Garbel Prosecco and the Michele Chiarlo Barbera d’Asti. I love introducing new wines to people and watching how they are received. It was a pleasant surprise at the end of the evening when I reveleaed none of these wines were over $25.00. This makes the wines even more approachable and definitely affordable enough to have any day of the week.

I invite you to try something new—life is too short not to be adventurous with your wines! Cheers!