2020 has changed a lot of things for us, including our buying habits. A natter with my mate, who just happens to be a consumer behavioural specialist (oooh), agreed - we are buying less, but better where we can, and investing in our homes both in a practical way and enriching our experiences whilst there too. Makes sense, we’re stuck indoors more so why not! And it’s not just the big extension or garden landscaping - small purchases from those really posh candles, luxury beauty, to cooking kits from fine dining restaurants, quality foods and better drinks…anything to fill the void of restricted freedom, or maybe we’ve saved a fortune not going on that overseas holiday.
The Italian Wine is a new delivery service offering unique collection of limited production wines handpicked from small production vineyards in Italy. Often these come with a hefty price tag but because of TIW’s buying power direct from the vineyard, you get them at a much better cost. Based in Brighton, but with national coverage, the local/Italian link was a perfect fit for me to share with you.
Italian wine is brilliant (yes I would say that) but like everything you consume from this country it often comes with a story or passion behind it, be it the source of the ingredient or a multi-generational link. There are many niche grape varieties and small producers, Italian wine is really more than just Montepulciano or Prosecco. The wines come with a back story and technical information if you are interested, which you can use to impress/bore your mates with (limited to 5 as this goes live - thanks Boris) or just enjoy it, but the knowledge of provenance really adds to a product’s appeal to me. Yes I am that person that drives 126km for a particular truffle.
I tried a bottle of the Pinot Nero Brut Rosé from Conte Vistarino. Carlo Giorgi di Vistarino introduced the Pinot Nero grape from Burgundy to Oltreò Pavese, the north-west Italian region of Lombardy, between 19th/20th century. So successful, the region remains to this day Italy’s largest Pinot Noir cultivation area.
The Vistarino family have gone on to improve and hone their wines since the work of Carlo Giorgi di Vistarino in 1850, gaining well deserved awards and recognition. Leading the winery into the present day is refreshingly a woman from the family, impressively named Ottavia Giorgi Vimercati di Vistarino, a big plus for me and something I hope to read about more.
The Pinot Nero Brut Rosé is produced exclusively with Pinot Nero grapes using the Charmat Method (which Prosecco production uses). The colour is gorgeous, a soft peach pink and has notes of red fruit, cream and a touch floral with good, crisp acidity.
This wine is perfect for the last hurrah of summer, alfresco dining and lighter meals, particularly seafood, or just enjoying in the sun as an aperitif. At £13.95 it’s a very good price, for a very good wine.
I’ve been given a discount code so you can enjoy 15% off The Italian Wine range. Visit https://www.theitalianwine.co.uk and enter the code THEGRAPHICFOODIE.
AD I was sent a bottle of wine for review, words and thought my own. Post contains an affiliate code.
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