Alessandro de Conciliis likens making wine to playing jazz. The analogy is a good one. Both take specific elements, put them into new combinations, mix the old with the new, and improvise when necessary to make things sing.Based in Campania, de Conciliis makes a number of great wines, but I wanted to taste his sparkling wine because of the shared Roman heritage that this Italian region has with the French region of Champagne. When I think Italian sparkling wine I think Prosecco, but I'm learning that there's a whole world of choices out there in Italy if you like bubbles.
The 2005 Viticoltori De Conciliis Selim sparkling wine is just one example. ($19.99, K & L Wines; available elsewhere for between $15 and $20) Named after the jazz musician Miles Davis, it's made from 70% Fiano (variety #97 in my Wine Century Club) and 30% Aglianico grape varieties--the first native to the region, the second brought to Campania in ancient times by the Greeks. This was a good QPR sparkler, with a pronounced yeasty aroma. Citrus and nuts played a duet in the flavors, and the wine was active in your mouth with its abundant small bubbles/bead. This wine was better with food, given its yeasty aromas, and it went especially well with appetizers--especially those that involve bread like thin grissini, or nuts (I loved this with a handful of cashews).
It was a treat to try this interesting Italian sparkling wine, and confirmed my suspicion that Italian whites are going to play a significant role in my top wine discoveries this year.
3 comments:
Good suggestion! Spring is upon us, almost summer down here, and I am thinking of adding some bubbles to my weekend sippers! The only thing I have a question on, since I am not a champagne drinker, is there a way to keep a bottle if you do not drink it all in one sitting ???
I'm an American living in Italy. I love the wines here. The Barolos, Amarones, Valpolicellas, etc. But when you talk about Compania, you have to mention mozzarella di bufala before the wine. It is to die for, especially in a wonderful Caprese salad...
Deb, I never finish champagne in one go (ok, almost never) and we use one of those winged things with the rubber gasket that keeps the bubbles in. It works for several days, at least. Anonymous, would we could get mozzarella di bufala here that tasted like the local stuff. We can get it, but it costs a fortune and doesn't always taste as good (for all the obvious reasons of shipping).
Post a Comment