Wine52 Case Review: Classic Italy

This month, Wine52 are returning to an old favourite, Italy. We have seen a few Italian cases from Wine52 over the past year, exploring Sicily, Puglia, Campania and more. And there is good reason for this.

The beauty of Italy is that there is so much to explore, so many regions, so many indigenous grape varieties and so many regional specialties. You can keep returning to Italian wines for years and never get through them all. And no, I don’t mean your average Chianti or Barolo, but rather these very unique, regional specialties that have been part of the Italian scene for centuries.

Despite the case name, this is not the classic Italy in terms of global popularity, this is exploring Italy from its own perspective and historical production. The mixed welcome case specifically explores Northern Italy, looking at Friuli and Piemonte. You can add a 4th bottle if you like, and I imagine it was quite a challenge for them choosing which 3 they would choose to showcase Classic Italy so that is well worth doing. In any case, they did a very good job with the wnes they have selected for you to enjoy!

The Wine Tasting

Truciolo Ribolla Gialla

Produced by Cantina Vigna Verde, who have been making wines on the plains of Friuli-Venezia Giulia since 1976, this Ribolla Gialla is an absolute staple of the region’s craft.

On the nose, it is brimming with orchard fruits, lemon zest and a lovely, complex herbal undertone. To taste, the fruits seemed to develop into even riper versions of themselves, with a little sourness tempered well by a flinty backbone. The body is nice and full and the finish fresh, zingy and lengthy. This is probably one of the best I’ve had from Wine52!

Lizard in Love Refosco

Also made by Vigna Verde, Refosco is a lesser-known ancient Friulian grape variety that always impresses me. You don’t see it nearly enough so credit to Wine52 for bringing it to light here.

On the nose you get a gorgeously tempting whiff of Tangfastic sour cherries, black pepper, poached pear, bramble fruits and black plums. This is met with equal vigour on the palate, with an uplift of a slight gamey note.

If the inky red colour wasn’t enough of a clue, you’ll find that the tannin is high in this one. Firm but well-balanced for those who enjoy a dark, plush red with brisk acidity and a surprisingly refreshing finish.

Ad Pedem Montium Barbera/Nebbiolo blend

Moving onto Cantina Tre Secoli, who are based in Piemonte with vineyards on UNESCO’s World Heritage Monferrato hills, they have been making wine here since the late 19th century.

This wine is testament to the cooperative’s shared expertise between growers and winemakers. Nebbiolo is the grape behind wines like Barolo, making perfumed, aromatic, tannic reds. Barbera is more widely grown in Piemonte, making low tannin, lighter reds. The result is a delicious blend of light and dark, creating very good harmony between the styles.

On the nose, savoury characteristics and oak spice that you’d expect to associate with Barolo come through nicely, but are matched nicely by red fruits and juicy berries bringing the lighter element forwards. On the palate, violet, cherry, red plum and redcurrant come into play more. Tannins are wonderfully smooth and help the wine lean more towards the light and fresh Barbera-style. However, Nebbiolo is used very well to bring darker, more intense flavours making this a great blend.

The Verdict

As I said, this is not Classic Italy in the sense you might expect. This is an exploration of Italian wine from the local perspective. Ribolla Gialla, Refosco, Nebbiolo and Barbera are all on display with great varietal character which gives you a true introduction to the world of Italian wine beyond the big hitters.

And so, it is a very good intro case that will give you a proper idea of what to expect from Wine52 going forwards. Start your new journey today!