Back on track again? Italian Wine Day 2019, Operaterrassen, Stockholm (31-01-2020 by Nenad Jelisic)

 

Italian Wine Day was the last major wine tasting of the year. It was held at the Operaterrassen in Stockholm the 25th of November 2019. Of the 167 tasted wines, 42 wines got more than 2,5 NJP, i.e. 25%, which is a good result. The result is a clear improvement compared with the result of the corresponding tasting in 2018, when only 15% of the wines got 2,5 NJP or more. At the Italian wine day 2015, 2016 and 2017, between 25 and 28% of the wines got more than 2,5 NJP in ratings. It feels like the Italian wines are back to normal level again. Unfortunately, only 10 wines got over 3,0 NJP in ratings. It is remarkable that only 2 white wines got more than 2,5 NJP in ratings. Unfortunately, it was the same trend at this tasting as at the other trade tastings in recent years; the most well-known producers and their prestigious wines were missing. This is both a very dull trend and a big difference to how it was for just a few years ago. The result could be much better if we, for example, got to taste the wines from Capannelle, Dal Forno Romano, Gaia, La Spinetta, Le Macchiole, Monteverro and Tua Rita or the wines as Masseto, Ornellaia or Sassicaia, to name a few. The wines that stood out in terms of quality and taste were mainly wines from Tuscany and Piedmont. From the tasting, NJ Wines must highlight the wines of the producer Terreno. At the last year's tasting, NJ Wines selected Terreno as the best producer at the tasting and at this year's tasting, Terreno was only beaten by the legendary Piedmont’s producer Aldo Conterno.

 

The following wines got more than 3,0 NJP (in alphabetical order): 1. Alberto Burzi, Barolo, Capalot, 2015, red dry wine, Piemonte, 3,5 NJP, 2. Il Pino di Biserno, Tenuta di Biserno, 2014, red dry blend wine, Tuscany, 3,5 NJP, 3. Isole e Olena, Cepparello, 2016, red dry wine, Tuscany, 3,5 NJP, 4. Poderi Aldo Conterno, Barolo, Cicala, 2015, red dry wine, Piedmont, 4,0 NJP, 5. Poderi Aldo Conterno, Barolo, Colonnello, 2015, red dry wine, Piedmont, 4,0 NJP, 6. Poderi Aldo Conterno, Il Favot, Langhe, Nebbiolo 2016, red dry wine, Piedmont, 3,5 NJP, 7. San Leonardo, 2006, red dry blend wine, Trentino, 4,0 NJP, 8. Terreno, ASofia, Chianti Classico, 2015, red dry wine, Tuscany, 3,5 NJP, 9. Terreno, Lignanello, Chianti Classico, Riserva, 2010, red dry blend wine, Tuscany, 4,0 NJP and 10. Tignanello, 2016, red dry blend wine, Tuscany, 3,5 NJP.

 

The best wine producer at the tasting: Poderi Aldo Conterno. Poderi Aldo Conterno is a well-known wine producer from Monforte d’Alba i Piedmont. The history about Poderi Aldo Conterno begins in 1969 when Aldo Conterno bought the farm Favot and founded the estate Poderi Aldo Conterno. The estate, which has 25 hectares of vineyards today, is run by Aldo's three sons: Stefano, Giacomo and Franco. Around the turn of the millennium, a quality-enhancing work was started in the vineyards. Above all, this work meant that the harvest yields decreased sharply. From 2005 onwards, an extra thinning of the grapes has been done, which has resulted that the total production has been halved since the late 20th century. This has also meant that the quality of Poderi Aldo Conterno’s wines has probably never been as high as in recent years. The total production amounts to approximately 80,000 bottles annually. Today, Poderi Aldo Conterno produces nine different wines, five of which are Barolo from three high class vineyards located in Bussia (Monforte d’Alba). The vineyards Romirasco, Cicala and Colonnello are located on the southern/southwestern rolling hills in Bussia, which gives them a very good sun exposure. Together with calcareous clay soils, it provides the perfect conditions for growing world-class Nebbiolo grapes. Poderi Aldo Conterno produces Piedmont-wines that use to be a little fruitier and more approachable upon release. Unlike the "modern" Barolo-producers, Poderi Aldo Conterno does not age its wines in small oak barrels. Instead, it uses large oak casks, so called botti.