L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 30 L'Italo-Americano Italian wine: celebrating drinkability Y ou might think that with a bottle of fer- mented grape juice, drinkability comes as standard equipment. But, it just ain't so. And what exactly is drinkabi- lity, anyway? Many of Italy's wines are first and foremost food wines. That is to say, components of many Ita- lian wines - acidity, tannins, etc. - are such that the wines not only compliment food, but, in many ca- ses, food is required in order to best enjoy the wine. Consider how the mouth-puckering sensation of a tannic Brunello di Montalcino is transformed into a sexy-smooth palate experience when the wine is enjoyed with wood-fired bi- stecca alla fiorentina. When a wine's structural com- ponents are in harmony with each other, there is such an appreciable ease and forthrightness to the drinking experience that the wine drinks well all on its own: you have drinkability. Drinkability, in a bit more de- tail is, for me, often associated with younger wines that exhibit remarkable freshness and ripe fruit flavors. The wines often have an inherent juiciness and a vein of saltiness in their flavor profile, and are light to medium leaning in pa- late weight. Not too muscular, lest they fatigue the palate, and not too demanding, lest they fatigue the mind. It can be said that drinkability implies a certain degree of situa- tional correctness. In a brass-nai- led leather chair on a winter's eve- ning, I might rather relax with a vino di meditazione. Wines with a high degree of drinkability (as described here) seem situationally more at home where physical work, exercise, the outdoors, ca- sual food or aperitif are part of the agenda. Here just a few of my "go to" choices to celebrate that most fun- damental wine pleasure of all – drinkability: REDS Schiava, the name given to a group of unrelated grape varieties that includes Schiavas Grossa, Gentile and Grigia, makes plea- santly fresh, easy drinking wines with refreshing scents and flavors of tart red fruit, almond, and flowers. Seek out examples from Alto Adige/Sudtirol DOC or Lago di Caldaro/Kalterersee DOC, the former being the fuller of the two, the latter, softer. Great company when I am outdoors and in the fresh air stacking firewood! Verduno Pelaverga makes massively drinkable wines with li- vely acidity and an easy tannic grip. With notes of red berries, flowers, savory herb, and a typical note of peppery spice, the wines have a ripe and crispy palate sen- sation. Light to medium in body (although some can be more struc- tured) Verduno Pelaverga wines are exceptional company to food and are a regular addition to my picnic basket. Authentic Lambrusco achieves a balance of dryness, fruitiness, acidity, tannins, and effervescence that just screams drinkability. Re- member: Lambrusco refers not to a single grape variety, but rather to a family of grapes, mainly from Emilia-Romagna, so we need to be specific when talking about them. Lambrusco di Sorbara, light and vividly floral; Lambrusco Grasparossa, fuller-bodied, with dark cherry and plum notes; Lam- brusco Salamino owns the middle ground between Sorbara's ele- gance and Grasparossa's muscle. A prevailing choice when I am thirsty and hungry at the same time. WHITES Glera, for our purposes here, is the principle grape variety in Pro- secco. Prosecco's drinkability is second to none. The wines tend toward bright scents of pears and apples, superb freshness, lively acidity, and above all, an impec- cable balance that makes them so drinkable. Look for Prosecco from Conegliano-Valdobbiandene and Asolo Prosecco DOCGs. Situatio- nally, Prosecco is your silver bul- let, you cannot go wrong. Nosiola grows in Veneto and Lombardy and when made dry (there are sweet versions), makes wines of cheerful of drinkability. Fresh and crisp, with notes of flowers, citrus, the wines have a nutty aftertaste, and a lick of sea salt on the finish. Nosiola's easy- going personality meets our drinkability criterion head on. Look for wines from Trentino No- siola DOC. A perfect summertime sipper, Nosiola is one I like to have along for a leisurely day at the seaside. Garganega, a principal variety in the production of Soave wines, makes wines of irresistible fresh- ness and drinkability in that de- nomination. Its profile includes focused fruit flavors of peach and apricot, delicate scents of flowers and almond, and a note of saline that gives the wines lip-smacking tang and verve. When work is done, when time to rest has arri- ved and food is on the table, a fa- vorite bottle of Soave is often in my hand. While interpretation of drinka- bility may vary from person to person, and virtually all wines are drinkable, drinkability is a special quality that some wines deliver on in spades. Happy quaffing! Tasting Note Cantine Ascheri Verduno Pelaverga Scents of ripe strawberry and cherry, incense, and pepper tran- sfer nicely to palate. Harmonious, with lively acidity and ever-so- slight tannins, the wine achieves an even greater harmony hours af- ter opening. WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES JOEL MACK THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2018 Drinkability tells us a wine develops well with food but also on its own What is really drinkability? Hard to define, but simpler to describe

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