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| by
David Lynch, Wine Director
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| THIS
MONTH: LOMBARDIA
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In the same way that Lombardia doesn't leap to traveler's
minds until Milan or Lake Como are mentioned, the wines of the
region have yet to become well-known among American wine drinkers.
But give them time. Lombardia is one of Italy's richest regions,
both physically and financially, and as such it has one of the
more diverse wine cultures on the entire Italian peninsula.
From the precipitous vineyards along the Adda River in Valtellina,
on Italy's border with Switzerland, come wines from the nebbiolo
grape that challenge the greats of Barolo and Barbaresco. Down
south of Milan, in the pre-Apennine slopes where Lombardia meets
Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna, the vintners of the Oltrepò Pavese
zone are turning out plump and spicy reds from the local croatina
grape, known by its synonym, bonarda. On the shores of Lake
Garda to the east, the local version of trebbiano is used in
the fresh and fragrant whites of Lugana. And just west of Brescia,
on the shores of Lake Iseo, are the vineyards of Franciacorta,
where pinot noir and chardonnay are grown to produce Italy's
finest Champagne-style sparklers. There is truly something for
everyone in Lombardia, though it has yet to be discovered-meaning
that values abound for the adventurous Italophile.
Here are three gems from Lombardia to get you started:
CAVALLERI FRANCIACORTA BRUT NV
Franciacorta is a "place" name, and certainly a name to look
for when you want a serious sparkling wine without the hefty
price tag. The Franciacorta appellation is reserved for wines
that are made in the methóde Champenoise, or "Champagne
method," where the second fermentation of the wine is done in
the bottle. Moreover, the wines of Franciacorta are made from
a predominance of chardonnay and pinot noir, the classic Champagne
grapes. In this wine from Cavalleri, which is a "blanc de blancs"
(all chardonnay), you'll find depth and structure to rival the
French stuff. It's scents of green apple and pear are followed
by good richness on the palate, and a characteristically cleansing,
mineral finish. A great wine for parties (it's usually less
than $30 in the store), though it will certainly class up the
dinner table as well.
VERCESI DEL CASTELLAZZO OLTREPO PAVESE
BONARDA "FATILA" 1999 
Okay, now it says "bonarda," but in reality the grape is croatina.
There's actually a grape in Piedmont with the rights to the
name bonarda, but for whatever reason the vintners of the Oltrepo
Pavese (the little chunk of Lombardia wedged between southeastern
Piedmont and northwestern Emilia) use the name as a synonym
for croatina. Got all that? No matter, just check out this funky,
tangy, exotically aromatic red. It's a great choice for some
of Mario's spicier red-sauced pastas (although these aren't
necessarily Lombardian preparations), and has the crisp acidity
and tannic adge to take on rich cheeses such as Robiola and
Taleggio-two cow's-milk specialties of Lombardia's plains north
of the Pò.
NINO NEGRI VALTELLINA SUPERIORE "INFERNO"
1997 
Hugging the Swiss border is the northern Lombardian wine zone
of Valtellina, known for spectacular terraced vineyards that
run along the north bank of the Adda River. These seemingly
inhospitable slopes are home to the notoriously difficult-to-ripen
nebbiolo, which of course is more famous in Piedmont's Barolo
and Barbaresco. This Valtellina wine from Nino Negri, the zone's
best-known producer, is sourced from the Inferno, one of four
officially delimited "cru" vineyards in the Valtellina zone
(the name is inspired by the fact that the rocks in the vineyard
collect the suns heat and make it an "inferno" to work). Tasting
this wine is like tasting a baby Barolo: the leathery, earthy,
perfumy aromatics are there, but all of these complexities are
wrapped up in a smaller package. This is most definitely a meat
and cheese wine, as it needs some fat to dull some of its sharp
acidic/tannic edges. But what flavor. This is real wine, not
fruit juice, a wine that captures the true essence of the Alpine
place it comes from. |
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To
purchase any of these wines, visit
Italian Wine Merchants online or in
New York City, just off Union Square! |
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