If you are deciding upon what to serve at a meal you'll want a wine that will work well with the food, and we'll come to that in a moment.
In terms of how much wine to have on hand, I generally figure that a bottle will be sufficient for four people, though I also make allowances for those who will drink more -- if a guest latches on to a bottle, and it can happen, I don't want other guests to have to do without because he drank more than his fair share (if a guest seems bent upon getting drunk, I do step in). The other thing I do is select wines that are good, very good even, but not, unless it's a very special occasion, great, and this is for a reason that may seem snobbish but saves me heartache.
A great wine deserves a minimum or respect and concentration -- you swirl it in the glass, enjoy the aromas, swirl some more and discover new ones, take a sip, think about the after taste, sip again, and do so slowly, because it will evolve in the glass, bringing new sensations and emotions as it develops. It does NOT deserve to be sloshed into the glass and chugged down, nor -- and this makes me cringe -- does it deserve to be watered down because it's "too strong." Great wines deserve to be appreciated, and I therefore only break them out when I know they will be appreciated.
To put this into practical terms, with 15 people, some of whom chug or water (or both), gathered round the table I'll serve a good Chianti -- they'll enjoy it, and so will I, and if they water it I can accept that. If wine loving friends stop by I might break out a Brunello.
What to serve?
With antipasto or as an aperitif, I enjoy sparkling wines, and usually want something that's not too demanding. Prosecco, for example. It's a light sparkling wine from the Veneto that has pleasant green apples on nose and bouquet, and is also pleasingly crisp. You do have to read the label in selecting it, however: if it simply says "Prosecco" it can be from the flatlands, and this explains why so much of the Prosecco served in Italian bars is uninteresting -- wines from the hillside vineyards will say Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, and here things pick up. There are a number of different styles, with the wines from the lower hills around Conegliano tending to be richer but less refined than those from the higher hills around Valdobbiadene, and the best being Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze, from a specific hill in the township of Valdobbiadene.
My favorite among the larger wineries (whose wines will be easier to find) is Carpenè Malvolti. Other good, but much smaller and more difficult to find producers include Col Vetoraz, Druisin, Sorelle Bronca, Bisol, La Tordela, and Zardetto.
With fish and vegetable-based dishes (and perhaps white meats) you will likely want a white wine, and here the choices are almost endless. Since I am in Tuscany I would likely serve a Vermentino from the coast See laso Bolgheri notes) or a Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which will be more powerful but less aromatic, but every region has something to offer. Among the whites I personally like are Gavi, a Piemontese white that tends to be acidic and also ages well, Ribolla Gialla, a white from Friuli Venezia Giulia (which also has excellent Sauvignon and Chardonnay), Greco di Tufo, which tends to be fairly structured, Fiano di Avellino, which is lighter and has a more powerful floral bouquet, Falanghina, which is somewhere in between Greco and Fiano (these three are all Campanian), Fiano Minutolo, a surprising aromatic Puglian white, and Grillo, a very acidic savory white wine from Sicily (the same grape is used to make Marsala).
The other white option that will work well with fish, vegetables, or white meats is bubbly, and while you might be tempted to think of Champagne, I would be just as happy if not more so with Franciacorta, or Trento DOC, Italy's finest sparkling wines. It has been a while since I tasted through the Franciacorta, but I have tasted this year's wines from Villa and Bersi Serlini, and was much impressed by both. I have also recently tasted through Trento DOC, and came away very much impressed.
With meats I would probably serve a red, and because of the above considerations I would go more with easy-to-drink than top wines.
Beginning in north Italy, among the wines from the Veneto I would pick Valpolicella (not Superiore) or Bardolino, and in terms of Piemontese wines I would think about Barbera (unoaked or at the most lightly oaked) or Dolcetto.
In Central Italy I would certainly consider Lambrusco, with its delightfully spritzy sparkle (I prefer Lambrusco secco, which is dry, but you have guests who like sweeter wines the sweeter Lambrusco Amabile will hit the spot), and among the still wines Sangiovese di Romagna, Chianti Classico D'Annata (the vintage wine), Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Carmignano, Chianti Colli Senesi, and Chianti Rufina.
Going south I would look at Aglianico del Taburno if I were in Campania, or Primitivo, Nero di Troia, or Negroamaro if I were in Puglia
To finish up? While some like Passito, the classic sweet, fairly powerful desert wines along the lines of Moscato di Pantelleria or Picolit, I prefer Moscato d'Asti, which is a sweet sparkling wine made mostly by the smaller wineries in the Asti area of Piemonte. It is similar to, but more concentrated than Asti, which is the sparkling wine made primarily by industrial winemakers. Asti may be easier to find that Moscato d'Asti, however, and one name to look for with Asti (they also make Moscato d'Asti) is Fontanafredda.
And this finishes up the meal. As I said at the beginning, however, the holiday season is also the time to give wines to wine loving friends, and in this case you will want wines that are more ageworthy.
Before we get to the reds, a two very different whites: Marsala, Sicily's classic fortified wine, which can age indefinitely -- in particular Marco De Bartoli, though Pellegrino and Florio's Marsala Vergine are also excellent -- and Trento DOC, the sparkling wine made on the slopes of the Val D'Adige around Trento. Very fine wines that can easily compete with Champagne or Franciacorta.
Anf now, reds, in particular Brunello, Amarone and Barolo. A few suggestions:
Brunello: Tuscany's best known red, and also a wine that ages extremely well. The current vintage is the 2006, which is still very young -- a wine that needs a number of years to develop. Older vintages that will be readier to drink include the 2005 (which still needs time), the 2004 (a babe, especially the 2004 Riserva), and the 2001, which will be nice now but will also reward those with patience.
The other really ageworthy Tuscan red is Chianti Rufina, which can do great things with time.
Barolo and Barbaresco
These are the greatest expressions of Nebbiolo, Piemonte's finest grape, and both rank among the finest wines in the world bar none. They do need time however, and while one could now open a bottle of the 2004 vintage it is still improving. In other words, if you give a friend a more recent bottle, suggest it be stored on its side in a cool dark place for a few years.
Some suggestions for Barolo:
- The 2007 Barolo From Novello & La Morra (to set aside)
- The 2007 Barolo from Barolo, Monforte and Castiglione Falletto (to set aside)
- 2007 Barolo from Verduno and Serralunga, and some Older Wines) (older but with great potential, to set aside and wait for)
- The 2006 Barolo (to set aside)
- The 2005 Barolo (somewhat more approachable but still young)
- The 2004 Barolo (beautiful, i.e. drinkable, but young)
- The 2003 Barolo (very concentrated)
- The 2001 Barolo (magnificent)
- The 2008 Barbaresco (to set aside)
- The 2007 Barbaresco (still young too)
- The 2006 Barbaresco (becoming approachable)
- The 2005 Barbaresco (a somewhat lesser vintage, but approachable)
- The 2004 Barbaresco (drinkable, but will also age further beautifully)
Other Nebbiolo based wines to look for include the wines of the Valtellina, and Northern Piemonte's Gattinara, Lessona, Boca, and Ghemme wines.
Amarone
Amarone is an ancient wine, dating to Roman times (though what they made was sweet, and is equivalent to today's Recioto). It ages spectacularly, and the 2001 is just coming into its own now. So it's a wine to set aside for a special event. Some sugestions: The 2006 vintage, the 2005 vintage, and the 2004 vintage.
Finally, if you want to give sparkling wines, don't forget Franciacorta. The area's bubbly can be extraordinary.
These gift ideas are just a few hints. You'll find many more ideas (and tasting notes) for Italian wines on The Italian Wine Review, my wine site.
