Giving it the Boot

Italian varietals are still hot. But considering getting them by way of California.

There's no question that the biggest wine trend in San Francisco is the ascent of Italian wine. From such places as SPQR, Bar Bambino and Ottimista to the Italian-focused wine shop Biondivino, all those wines ending with vowels—from Aglianico to Zibibbo—are getting major play. People talk about eating locally, but not enough is said about the virtues of drinking locally. If you like Italian wines but want to support the local industry, plenty of California wines are made from Italian grapes in Italian styles. Another bonus: You save on transport costs and import duties, while the Earth saves on fossil fuels and carbon emissions. Here are some of the most famous Italian grapes (and a few that deserve to be) and their best Cal-Ital producers.
 
1. BARBERA
In Italy’s Piedmont region, Nebbiolo is the grand wine, and Barbera is what you open at home on a Tuesday night. It’s easy to drink and delicious, and goes with a wide range of food. That’s exactly what winemaker Jim Moore achieves with the Uvaggio line, which is dedicated to Italian grapes. His Barbera (2004, $16), made from grapes harvested in Lodi’s Schatz Vineyard, has notes of dark fruit—blackberry, boysenberry—plus a little spice and smoke. Its bright acidity makes it very food-friendly. uvaggio.com
 
2. PINOT GRIGIO
Wine made from this grape, typically grown in Italy’s northeastern regions, is much maligned for being bland and diluted—and much of it is. But it doesn’t have to be that way, as Napa’s Swanson Vineyards demonstrates. Clean and luminous, with flavors of ripe Anjou pear, apples and peaches, the winery’s Pinot Grigio (2006, $21) is scarily easy to drink. Which is what Pinot Grigio is all about. swansonvineyards.com
 
3. FIANO
A variety you rarely see outside of southern Italy makes an unusual cameo in California. Bartolo produces its Fiano (2006, $16) with grapes from low-yielding, nearly-century-old vines near Santa Cruz. The wine boasts melon and honey notes carried on a creamy palate structured with a hint of minerality. At K&L Wine Merchants, 638 Fourth St., 415-896-1734, klwines.com
 
4. SANGIOVESE
Once upon a time, Pietra Santa’s Sangiovese (2004, $15) helped change my life. So smooth, lush and vibrant, the wine just sang to me. I decided to step up my pursuit of wine, and look what happened—Sangiovese has become one of the hottest grapes around. Pietra Santa, located in the Cienega Valley, just inland from Monterey Bay, continues to make this wine in an authentic manner. The winemaker, Alessio Carli, is from Tuscany, Sangiovese’s native ground, which means the wine is perfectly pitched, with tart cherry and cranberry notes buoyed with fennel and dried herbs. The finish is juicy and long. pietrasantawinery.com
 
5. VERMENTINO
This grape, primarily associated with Sardinia and northeastern Italy, deserves more recognition. That’s because it can produce the perfect white wine—a wine that walks the line. It’s full of citrus and herbal notes, but its cutting crispness is balanced with a richness. Tablas Creek Vineyard, located in the cooler, western hills of Paso Robles, has nailed its Vermentino (2006, $27). While fresh citrus and ripe pear highlight the nose, in the mouth the wine bursts with flavors of lime zest and Granny Smiths, undercut by a mineral edge. tablascreek.com
 
6. NEBBIOLO
Two of the world’s ultimate wine grapes are Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo, the latter of which is grown in the northern Piedmont region of Italy. Both are fickle, but when they’re good, there’s nothing better, and Palmina’s Nebbiolo (2004, $40) is very good. Operated by Steve and Chrystal Clifton, Palmina, located in Santa Barbara County, produces wines from Italian grapes, and often, its wines are better than what you get from Italy. In the Nebbiolo, aromas of tart cherry, rose petals and crushed rocks lead to a palate with lively acidity and gentle tannins. palminawines.com

email page | print page