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Bibendum Wine Co.
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Nuovo Italiano

Delicious, Wallet-friendly Releases from Piemonte, Tuscany, Alto Adige and Molise
Nuovo Italiano

Two new releases from Piemonte seems like an excellent place to start. Massolino's cracking Dolcetto does not need any introduction. Made using only the estate’s finest grapes, the 2022 is redolent with juicy, fleshy fruit and vibrant floral perfume. The second new wine is Justin Bubb’s latest addition to his delicious range of great-value Italian vino. Bubb’s knack for delivering classic wines of freshness, approachability and enjoyment is as plain as day in Babo's Langhe Nebbiolo. Both wines sail in well below $30 LUC.  


Staying north, Girlan's wines from the stony, mountainous terroir of the Valle dell’Adige belie their humble price tag with a bell-clear expression of their origins. The 2023 Bianco is a delicious white of aromatic, textural, snappy appeal. A new vintage of Corzano e Paterno's Terre di Corzano warrants an offer in its own right. The style is a delicious counterpoint to the Chianti mainstream: transparent, pure-fruited and frankly expressive of Corzano’s alberese soils. And finally, Di Majo Norante’s juicy coastal red from organically grown Montepulciano and Aglianico is another don’t-miss from Molise’s top grower.

 

Carpe vinum!

The Wines

Girlan IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti 448 Bianco 2023

Girlan IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti 448 Bianco 2023

This juicy, drink-now aromatic white is a well-judged 45% Pinot Bianco blend with the remainder split between Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. All the fruit is grown at 448 metres (hence the name) on the mineral-rich hillside vineyards of Alto Adige's Cornaiano canton. The name not only refers to the altitude of the source vineyards but also to a local expression: ‘448’ or ‘quattro quattro otto’ is a local saying for ‘hurry up’ or ‘chop chop’. So, there's a bit of Tyrolean wordplay going on here.

This is a joy to drink—a super aromatic, juicy wine similarly weighted to a Cheverny or Pouilly Fumé. You can expect a mouthwatering, tangy wine with spring blossom, sliced apple, citrus peel and fresh-cut herbs on the nose and palate. In the mouth, it’s crunchy, racy and refreshing, but becomes more and more textural over time in the glass. Proper mountain wine and serious bang for buck on offer here.

Girlan IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti 448 Bianco 2023
Massolino Dolcetto d'Alba 2022

Massolino Dolcetto d'Alba 2022

Screwcap. Traditionally cropped from an ideally positioned 3.2 hectares within the Serralunga postcode, recent vintages also include fruit from Massolino’s Cascina I Maschi vineyard in Monforte d’Alba. The Dolcetto is raised entirely in stainless steel tanks. First produced all the way back in 1896, Massolino only uses its finest Dolcetto for this bottling; the remainder is sold in bulk. It’s another superb example of this variety: succulent, perfumed and packed with crunchy black cherry fruit and floral notes with a lovely, vibrant, mouthwatering close. Pass the salumi, please.

“The 2022 Dolcetto d'Alba is a beautifully fragrant wine. Crushed flowers, mint and red/purplish fruit all grace this understated, classy Dolcetto. The 2022 is bit light in body, as almost all wines are in this year, but balance and harmony are very much present."
90 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Bright, cherries, spice and perfume, with a stony top note. Medium-bodied, a light chew to tannin, pulls a bit savoury and ferrous, a juicy orange flavour to acidity, with a finish of good length. Plenty of structure here.”
91 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Massolino Dolcetto d'Alba 2022
Babo Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

Babo Langhe Nebbiolo 2021

The latest wine from Justin Bubb and the Babo team is a Langhe Nebbiolo, sourced from vineyards near the famed town of Castiglione Falletto. The sites mainly face southwest between 300 and 400 metres above sea level. The 2021 vintage came with challenges: spring frosts affected yields, and the summer months were warm, but the fruit quality at the end of the season was fantastic. The fruit was handpicked, destemmed and macerated for about a week with twice-daily pumpovers. To preserve freshness and bright red-fruit appeal, the wine matured in concrete tanks for just a short period.

Babo’s knack for wines of bright, easy-going charm is writ large over this Langhe Nebbiolo. It’s a fantastic addition to this brilliant range. Dusty floral notes and bright, pure red berry fruits join subtle earth and spice notes on the complex nose. The palate is just as good: juicy with firm but open tannins and an easy, drink-me-now appeal.

“Red fruits, and really quite dusty and peppery, along with some floral notes. It’s medium-bodied, tannin has a gentle chew to it, and a whole lot of dusty spice cupboard character, but it’s fresh ,with some cranberry crunch to acidity, and a dry and gently ferrous finish of solid length. It’s maybe picked on the cusp of ripeness, though it does have energy and plenty of character. Lively. Good to drink. Frisky!”
90 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Babo Langhe Nebbiolo 2021
Corzano e Paterno Chianti Terre di Corzano 2022

Corzano e Paterno Chianti Terre di Corzano 2022

Organic. The estate’s core wine is the Chianti Terre di Corzano, which translates as ‘soils of Corzano’. It’s a blend of 90% Sangiovese co-fermented with 10% Canaiolo, all hand-harvested from Corzano’s rocky, south-facing slopes. The soils here are what the Italians call alberese—compact clay/limestone littered with pebbles—which tends to yield particularly aromatic reds. 

Incorporating 15% bunches, the wine fermented naturally and matured in a combination of 25- and 40-hectolitre botti, a traditional maturation that has become rare in today’s barrique-obsessed Tuscany. Arianna Gelpke enjoys the softening impact of large-format wood on Sangiovese tannins, and we can only agree. 

Once again, Corzano’s transparent style, emphasising purity of fruit, is in full flight. It’s bursting with the essence of hillside Sangiovese, with layers of mulberry, black cherry and strawberry pip woven together by succulent acidity and ripe, supple tannins. These bring vibrancy and texture, building to a juicy finish. The Canaiolo adds a dab of sweet spice and anise to Sangiovese’s palette of cherry, blue fruits and grilled-herb complexity. A fantastic drink, even better when served alongside smoky red meats, roast pork or deep-flavoured lasagne. No Classico, no cry.

Corzano e Paterno Chianti Terre di Corzano 2022
Di Majo Norante Molí Rosso 2022

Di Majo Norante Molí Rosso 2022

Nestled between Abruzzo to the north and Campania to the south, Molise is one of Italy’s smallest and most obscure wine regions. Although the wines from this mountainous and sparsely populated area are not well known outside Italy, Alessio Di Majo—Molise’s top grower—is renowned in his homeland for producing some of Italy’s more colourful and exciting regional vino.

This delicious medium-bodied red blends organically grown Montepulciano (80%) and Aglianico (20%), cropped from the estate’s sloping Ramitello vineyard. Combining the delicious black plum fruitiness of Montepulciano with Aglianico’s more brooding, black olive tapenade and earthy notes, we love the way the wine’s sun-touched fruit is balanced by good acidity and just enough persistent, fine-grained tannins. It makes this perfect for slow-cooked meat dishes this winter. We think it’s a steal.

Di Majo Norante Molí Rosso 2022

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