Italy, the worlds largest producer of wine is indeed a great mystery and marvel to many lovers of wine. Wine making in Italy is a national past time, barely a village exists without its own wines. The sheer scale and volume of wine produced across the country is phenomenal. To truly understand, take a trip through picturesque towns and you will see rollings hills painted with vines. Venture into the local butcher and you will find bottles of stuff you've never heard of let alone tasted. 60% of wine produced in Italy is consumed in country which tells us a lot about how much love and time for wine there is in for their own product! Truth be known, we wouldn't be surprised if most Italian wine is consumed within 5km of its vineyard.
Region Highlight
This little known region is a treasure-trove of art, food, wine and stunning landscapes. Nestled between the coast and its more famous wine regions of Abruzzo and Puglia, Molise has a rich history of wine in its own right.
Since 500B.C. this fertile land has been quietly producing its own unique and special wines. For red varieties we have Aglianico, Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon of importance/ For whites the lesser known Bombino Bianco, Greco, Fiano, Malvasia.
Italy's contribution to the world of wine is enormous, not the least of which is its extraordinary grapes - Sangiovese, Moltipuciano, Nebiolo, & Pinot Grigio. As a wine growing region, Italy has stunning cool climate mountain ranges, maritime and sun soaked coastal regions, and dry demanding outcrops.
Ad Maiora- The Super Tuscan
Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
A rule breaking behemoth of a wine. Grown, crafted and loved all the way to the bottle, the Ad Maiora does not conform to the Italian classification system, despite its Tuscan origins its just not Chianti... oh no, it is something so much more. A deep, ruby red colour and harmonic concentration comes from the hand-picked grapes aged in French oak barrels and is the result of the great passion that exists in this part of the world for fine wines.
One part Italian, three parts French, 100% awe inspiring and elegant.
The sheer scale and diversity of Italian wine is quite incredible. The Romans themselves can be credited for having an overwhelming positive influence on wine making and its proliferation across Europe.
To enable consumers to understand the quality of the wine they are buying and drinking a simple four tier system that recognises in increasingly quality the wine.
Wine without a geographical indication is called Vino da Tavola, or VdT, which means “table wine.” Table wines are made from grapes grown anywhere in Italy and are rarely of high enough quality to be bottled for the European market or export to the US.
Varietal Insight
A medium bodied varietal that offers up loads of floral and berry flavours and aromas. As the grape handles heat well it is often found in the south of France.
Rarely found in Australia, this grape is an excellent base for wines that offer up medium bodied experiences without the heavy tannins found in so many great Aussie wines.
