Today the Italian Food Wine and Travel Group is exploring Italian Wines made from Non-Native Grapes.
Martin of Enofylz is hosting our adventures this month and asked us to join him in exploring Italian Wines made with non-native grapes. Think Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, etc. You can read Martin's invitation post and join us as he hosts Twitter Chat later this morning.
When preparing for our wine tasting/pairing groups it is always a toss up whether I will choose the wine and then decide the dinner or choose the dinner and then decide the wine. In this case, I found the wine, a 2019 Barone Fini Merlot while shopping at the nearest International Marketplace to my home. I purchased it and placed it in the wine fridge.
We were having friends over for dinner. I put out some appetizers and Frank made cocktails and opened wine including the Merlot from Italy. I took a sip of the Merlot and found it to be smoother and less harsh than the Merlots that I get from California.
This wine is 100% Merlot harvested from Trentino-Alto Adige region of Northern Italy. The grapes are hand harvested from vines along Lake Garda, a large lake surrounded by mountains. It is fruity and rich. I enjoyed it as an apertif as well as with dinner.
We are going to discuss this and the wines that the others found during Twitter chat at 11 AM ET today. You are welcome to join in the discussion. We love having visitors. You can find us by following #ItalianFWT. Hope to see you there.
Here are some of the topics we will be discussing......
- Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla will be whipping up Deviled Eggs and a Chardonnay from Alto Adige
- Lynn of Savor the Harvest will be sharing The ‘Other’ Wine Grapes in Italy
- Linda of My Full Wine Glass will be offering us Trentino: Another option for Pinot Noir fans
- Jennifer of Vino Travels – An Italian Wine Blog will be presenting Blending the Non-Native Grapes of Puglia with the Trentatre Rosso
- Susannah of Avvinare will be contributing Oltrepo’ Pavese – Pinot Noir Reaches New Heights
- Deanna of Wineivore will be dishing up Butternut Squash Risotto Paired with Organic Merlot“
- Gwendolyn of the Wine Predator will be exploring Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc: Ivaldi’s Andrea Alta Langa DOCG #ItalianFWT
- Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm asks "An Italian Merlot? Si, Grazie"
- Martin of Enofylz is sharing Mussels With Garlic and Parsley Paired with Cantina Terlan Kreuth Chardonnay
Really interesting comment about the merlot being smoother. Honestly, I'm not sure if I've had one from Italy, but now I'm intrigued! Trentino-Alto Adige seems to be an August these in the wines we all found. Cheers Wendy!
ReplyDeleteCheers Lynn....I was very pleased with my find from there.
DeleteI wasn't aware of Italian Merlot until this month. I do like mine fruity, so this one sounds like a good one to me.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed it Linda.
DeleteReally interesting comment about the smoothness. I will have to do a side-by-side for Merlot month later!
ReplyDeleteI'm anxious to see if you agree.
DeleteI'm glad you posted about an Italian Merlot Wendy. It seems like you really enjoyed it, and it's the most planted international grape in Italy!
ReplyDeleteYes, I learned that during my reading of the other articles.
DeleteI tried a Merlot from Italy as well and agree it was much different from one from CA!
ReplyDeleteI"m glad to have some corroboration Deanna.
Delete