Best Italian Wines of the Year (so far) - Part One

Cristina Ziliani, Guido Berlucchi

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

As the calendar has turned from June to July, one-half of 2010 is in the books. To celebrate that, here is my list of the best Italian wines I've tasted in 2010 during my four trips there this year. I'll sort the wines by type and by region and you'll note a dominance of wines from Piemonte, Campania, Toscana and Friuli, which are regions I've visited this year or am writing articles about. I don't have much from Sicily, Abruzzo or a few other regions, but it's not a slight on those areas - simply a reflection of the fact that there are so many great wines - and wine regions in Italy! (This is part one, which contains sparkling wines, white wines and rosato. Red wines and dessert wines will be covered in the next post.)


SPARKLING

VENETO
Mionetto Prosecco Treviso Brut (Green label - biologica agricoltura)
Sorelle Branca Prosecco "Particella 68"
Perlage Prosecco "Animae"

LOMBARDIA (Franciacorta)
Bellavista "Vittorio Moretti" 2002
Bellavista "Pas Operé Gran Cuvée" 2004
Enrico Gatti Brut (NV)
Camossi Extra Brut 2006
Guido Berlucchi "Extreme Palazzo Lana" 2004

PIEMONTE
Fontanafredda Alta Langa Contesa Brut "Pas Dose" 2006



WHITE

CAMPANIA
2008 Marisa Cuomo "Fiorduva"
2009 Mastroberardino Greco di Tufo "Nova Serra"
2008 Colli di Lapio Fiano di Avellino
2008 Villa Diamante Fiano di Avellino "Villa della Congregazione"
2009 DeConciliis Fiano "Donnaluna"
2009 Luigi Maffini Fiano "Kratos"
2008 La Sibilla Falanghina "Cruna del Lago"
2009 San Paolo Falanghina "Fuoco"
2008 Feudi di San Gregorio "Campanaro" (Fiano/Greco)

Marisa Cuomo and her husband, winemaker Andrea Ferraioli

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

FRIULI
2008 Bastianich Vespa Bianco
2009 Gradis'ciutta Sauvignon
2007 Livio Felluga "Terre Alte"
2008 Jacuss Friulano
2008 Livon "Terre Alte"
2009 I Clivi Malvasia
2005 Radikon Ribolla Gialla

Stanko Radikon

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

SICILY
2009 Planeta Cometa


ALTO ADIGE
2009 Cantina Tramin Gewurztraminer "Nussbaumer"
2009 J. Hofstatter Gewurztraminer "Kolbenhof"
2009 Elena Walch Sauvignon "Castel Ringberg"


PIEMONTE
2008 Orsolani Erbaluce di Caluso "Vignot S. Antonio"


VENETO
2008 Pieropan Soave Classico "La Rocca"
2007 Monte Tondo Soave Classico Superiore "Foscarin Slavinus"


PUGLIA
2009 Alberto Longo "Le Fossette" (Falanghina)
2009 Polvanera Fiano Minutolo



ROSATO

Campania
2009 Giuseppe Apicella Costa d'Amalfi Rosato (Sciascinoso/Piedirosso)
2009 Fontanavecchia Aglianico del Taburno Rosato


Liguria
2009 Cantine Lunae "Mearosa" (Vermentino Nero)

Cantine Lunae Vermentino Nero Rosato