2022 Poderi Dal Nespoli “Da Maggio” Chardonnay, Forlì IGT, Emilia-Romagna, Italy (Alcohol 13.5%, Residual Sugar 3.5 g/l) LCBO Vintages $22.95 (750ml glass bottle)
While Emilia-Romagna isn’t a region of Italy that most are overly familiar with, a short trip there almost a decade ago taught me that there are were really some exciting things going on there. All these years later, it’s great to see more and more of the wines of the region appearing in the Ontario market. This varietally presented Chardonnay from the Forlì IGT, where such labelling is allowed, is a perfect example of some of the fresh, clean, and thoroughly contemporary winemaking taking place there today.
Sourced from the chalky clay soils of the Bidente Valley, this wine certainly overdelivers for a wine under $23; Emilia-Romagna is garnering quite a reputation for value. The bouquet is a basket of warm, ripe pears with touches of lemon rind, and some cinnamon spice from the French barrique ageing. The palate is mouthfilling and rich, with a sweet and ripe attack leading to solidly dry finish with an attractive hint of liquorice. There’s a pleasant thread of acid/mineral here to balance out all the ripe fruit.
I’d serve this with char-grilled fish and shrimp on a bed of bitter leaves with loads of garlic, herbs, and a bloody good squeeze of lemon.
(Four out of a possible five apples)
Poderi Dal Nespoli are represented in Ontario by Select Wines.
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