Boise Coop Wine Shop

Turning to Italy

• September 13, 2011

We are highlighting a quartet of wines from Dalla Terra (of the earth in Italian), a direct importer of a limited selection of Italy’s finest wines.

2009 Marco Felluga Collio Pinot Grigio, Mongris $16.59
Marco Felluga is situated in Gradisca d’Isonzo, province of Gorizia. Founded in 1905, the estate is both a pioneer in quality as well as innovation and today comprises 325 acres of vineyards of which production is roughly seventy percent white grapes. All of the wines come from vineyards within the most important DOC known as Collio Goriziano, or Collio. The white wines are filtered before being fermented at controlled temperatures in stainless steel vats. A certain proportion of the wine is refined in wooden casks. The equipment used in the winemaking is of the latest technology updated through continual experimentation and in order to obtain the ideal results in harmony with respect for tradition. The property today is managed by Alessandra and Roberto Felluga, children of the prominent Marco Felluga, the inheritor of the founding Marco. The in-house oenologist is Rafaella Bruno. The name Mongris comes from the contraction of “mono variety” and the Friulano word for pinot grigio, Gris. Pinot Grigio arrived in Friuli Venezia Giulia over 150 years ago, and is now considered an indigenous grape. Today, it is one of the region’s most widely planted white grapes. This wine has an intense and immediate bouquet with pronounced hints of acacia flowers, straw and apple. In the mouth this wine is elegantly fruity, medium bodied and well-structured with a remarkably long finish.

2009 Li Veli Passamante Salice Salentino, $10.50
Masseria Li Veli is an imposing building on the southern most slopes of the Murge hills in Italy’s Salento region that occupies the heel of that country’s boot. The project is the realization of the Falvo family (proprietors of Avignonesi in Tuscany) who have strong ties to the region. The pre-existing stone structure dating to the late 19th Century has been transformed and enlarged, according to a well-planned and functional design in keeping with the style and layout of the original building. Today the estate comprises 88 acres of vineyards planted with the traditional Apulian varieties: Negroamaro, Primitivo and Malvasia Nera. The Negroamaro grapes for this wine are hand picked with the primary fermentation occurring in temperature controlled tanks. The juice is then transferred into French oak barriques for malolactic fermentations. The result is a dense ruby red with a purplish rim, that is immediately intense on the nose with marked aromas of ripe and fleshy red fruits, notably cherries followed by spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg; in the mouth it is full, powerful, smooth and very long, with a well defined acid streak which makes it fresh and pleasing.

2008 La Valentina Montepulciano d’Abrruzzo, $13.99
Fattoria La Valentina was founded in 1990 in Spoltore, a village nestled amongst Pescara hills on the central coast of the Adriatic. Following initial research in the Santa Teresa vineyard, the winery’s objective and passion became the quest for quality and the desire to promote the Abruzzese DOCs. The unique features of the region’s microclimate, combined with vines well-suited to the land, give the wines their distinctive qualities. The nearby forests, mountains and the Adriatic sea are all determining factors in expressing the vine’s originality. “La Valentina’s 2008 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a gorgeous wine that stands head and shoulders above most of its peers in this price range. Dark cherries, juicy plums and spices are some of the notes that emerge from this juicy, highly pleasurable Montepulciano. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014.” — Wine Advocate.

2009 Selvapiana Chianti Rufina, $16.99
Selvapiana is a classic Tuscan fattoria located in the Chianti Rufina zone east of Florence, situated on 600 acres, 113 of which are devoted to vineyards and 77 to olives. It was originally a summer residence for the Florentine bishops and then later belonged to a series of Florentine merchant families. Purchased in 1827 by Michele Giuntini Selvapiana, since 1957 it has been run by the fifth generation Giuntini family member, Francesco Giuntini Antinori. With great energy and intelligence Francesco has worked to restore the prestige that Chianti Rufina enjoyed up until 1716, the year of the famous proclamation of Cosimo III de’Medici, when the Pomino denomination was recognized as one of the most important in Tuscany. In recent years the estate has been managed by Silvia and Federico Giuntini Masseti who are loyal to the path forged by Francesco, and continue to work closely with Franco Bernabei, the consulting oenologist at Selvapiana since 1978. “The 2009 Chianti Rufina opens with a burst of red fruit. It is an intensely perfumed, seductive wine loaded with personality. Sweet, silky tannins frame the exquisite finish. This is another drop-dead gorgeous wine from Selvapiana. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2029. Selvapiana is a reference point for fine, traditionally made Chiantis that can age beautifully. The Chianti Rufina is a consistent overachiever within its price range.” — Wine Advocate.