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Two
Italian whites
• Mastroberardino NovaSerra Greco di Tufo 2005
R105
• Fratelli Nistri Regginino Vernaccia di San Gimignano
2003 R39.50
For
availability, contact the importers, Melgab International
Email;
Website
Recent days have been too warm in the Cape to look at red
wines – let alone drink them, even if doctored with a few blocks of ice. So
I popped two bottles of Italian white wines in the fridge. They are made
from varieties we’d call ‘unusual’ in South Africa, but which are quite
common within their DOCG (Denominazione di origine Controllata e Garantita)
zones in Italy.
 Greco
made its way to Italy many thousands of years ago from Greece. It was
rescued from near extinction by several producers, including the
Mastroberardino family, and is – for me – similar to chardonnay, or is it
viognier? It seems to combine characteristics of the two – pears, apricots
and almonds from the Rhône child, and the acidity, weight and viscosity of
the Burgundian.
Tufo is the name of the area within Campania where
Mastroberardino sources the grapes for the wine it calls NovaSerra.
Similarly, San Gimignano is where the vernaccia for Fratelli Nistri’s wine
is grown, Regginino its ‘brand’ name. The medieval town of San Gimignano in
Tuscany is well-known for the many towers on its skyline, of course.
Vernaccia is found all over Italy and, in their book
Grapes and Wines, Oz Clarke and Margaret Rand point out that the name
has the same root as ‘vernacular’ and simply indicates a local grape.
Therefore, it is quite likely that a vernaccia from the south will have no
resemblance to one from the north, or east, or west.
No-one ever expects very much from Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Its aromas are rather neutral with perhaps a hint of citrus, and its charm
is its refreshing acidity. The Regginino lived up to my expectations. On the
nose it was nutty and slightly earthy, uncomplex; on the palate, clean and
fresh, light-ish (12% alcohol), and slips down easily.
By contrast, the NovaSerra demanded cerebral attention. There
were hints of peaches, fresh apricots and pears in its bouquet. The acidity
was fresh and cleansing, but there was considerable fruit weight and a solid
mineral core to provide complexity. The alcohol, 12.5%, also added to the
mouth-feel, and a slight bitter almond tang just lifted the finish. The
previous vintage of this wine achieved the top accolade – ‘Three Glasses’ –
from Italy’s wine leading guide, Gambero Rosso.
 Verdict:
I’m buying a few bottles of the NovaSerra, which I’ll consume with food over
the next 12 months – I don’t think the wine will gain much from years of
cellaring. The Regginino is competently made and a true snapshot of what I
remember drinking in San Gimignano. It’s uncomplex, fresh, easy-drinking fun
but – other than being Italian – it won’t offer you more than a local
sauvignon blanc or an unwooded chenin blanc in the same price category. |
Foreign
fling