​Sicily, home of the mafia, Dolce & Gabbana, arancini, cannoli and, of course, delicious wine to name but a few of its associations. Largely overlooked for mainland Italy, this wonderfully eclectic island of mixed cultures and varying architectural styles from Baroque to Arab-Norman, is truly somewhere to behold, and witnessing it first-hand is to fully appreciate its unique and exotic charm. I recently visited the western half on a wine-tasting expedition, flying in to Palermo where you might be forgiven from thinking that you’ve just arrived in Havana; there’s a hustle and bustle that’s far removed from any of the quintessential Mediterranean islands you might frequent on a sunny holiday destination. Driving out of the sprawling metropolis and hoping that the rental car’s still intact, I head into the barren wilderness of agricultural pasture and rolling hills that wrap around jittering rock formations that seem both imposing and quietly serene at the same time. It’s a beautiful journey to a small 5-hectare vineyard just outside of Trapani. There are hardly any cars, fresh scents of Mediterranean herbs fill the air and the sound of silence is quite deafening at first, it’s so quiet. I arrive at my destination where I’m warmly greeted by a local man who’s been making wine for about 10 years, when he took over from his father who bought the small plot back in the 1960’s. “My father used to make a small batch of wine that he used to drink with family and friends, about 500 bottles at first, through experimentation.” This is how I picture the romance of a story like this: a complete trial and error endeavour that results in varying degrees of discussion from improvement through to success. “As the years went by, my father became more experienced as a vigneron and that’s when he started to increase production for local businesses who were buying in the wine for their trattorias and bars”. I ask whether he feels any pressure taking over from his father but he quite rightly explains that even though he uses many of the techniques his father taught him as a young and keen learner of the practice, having your own individual stamp on a wine as a winemaker is crucial to moving forward and innovating. We taste some samples of the newly released 2017 vintage over a plate of salumi and cheeses. There’s a controlled rusticity to the wines that instantly hits me with a feeling that perhaps the wines haven’t changed that much since the changing of hands a decade ago, but that there’s a more contemporary style and approach to them that comes from what we as wine drinkers today might look for in a wine and that’s a lasting impression. 
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Ah, summer time: roof-top terraces, pool parties, garden spreads, marquees and, of course, wine glasses flowing with ice cool rosé and crisp, refreshing whites. But wait a minute, what about those die-hard red wine lovers? Well there are options, and we’re here to guide you through:
When selecting reds to drink during the summer months, you’re really looking for 2 main attributes in the wine:

1. No (or low in) tannins. Tannin is a naturally occurring polyphenol found in seeds, bark, wood and fruit skins. They add a bitterness and an astringent quality to (mostly) red wine, as well as complexity and can signify the ageing potential of a wine. And that’s not what we’re looking for in a summer option! 
2. Acidity. Acidity in red wine is an essential component that’s necessary for the overall quality as without it, you’ll end up with over-concentrated fruit that’ll taste harsh and unbalanced. Acidity is going to give the wine a more food-friendly appeal as well as a refreshing component that can even allow you to drink it slightly chilled when the sun is really blazing down!

Here’s a few examples of suitable summer reds:
Barbera - Ripe black cherries and blackberries run alongside a backbone of acidity that should keep the palate feeling fresh as well as it being a great wine to pair with tomato-based foods such as pasta, bruschetta and grilled meats. As a low tannin wine, Barbera has the perfect attributes to keep you dining al fresco during the summer months.
Vernatsch (Schiava) - A popular choice amongst Italians in the mountainous region of Alto Adige, this light ruby wine has beautiful scents of wild berries, strawberries and violets, enveloped in a brisk and refreshing acidity and can also benefit from chilling slightly on the hottest of days. It has to be one of Italy’s best-kept secrets and we’re happy share it with you.
Rosso di Montalcino - The lighter styled Rosso di Montalcino, a sort of younger, "declassified" Brunello, was created so people could drink a more immediately accessible Montalcino wine. Harmonious, elegant but not overbearing in complexity, this makes for a more balanced all-rounder. Intense ruby in colour, this wine is full of luscious fresh fruits such as ripe cherries, blackcurrants and a touch of forest floor. Who says you can’t enjoy Sangiovese in the summer? 
Etna Rosso - Nerello Mascalese is the name given to the grape found in Etna Rosso wines and is highly regarded. Dark-skinned and most commonly grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, it has had, and is still having, a rapid upsurge in popularity since the turn of the century. This grape produces red wines that are fresh and fruity, yet elegantly structured with complex minerality and earthy notes that seem to counterbalance the highly perfumed and herbaceous flavours reminiscent of the noble wines of Barolo and Burgundy. 
Nero d’Avola - As a completely natural wine, this particular bottling, from the organic farm of the Gueli brothers in Agrigento, southern Sicily, has powerful perfumed notes of red and black cherry mingled with barnyard-esque and tertiary odours that comes from the purity of terroir that’s so prevalent with this minimal intervention wine. A bright and brisk acidity lingers long on the finish.
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One of the most intriguing aspects of importing Italian wine directly from the producers themselves, is the amount of indigenous grape varieties you come across; some that are so obscure and in such limited production that they are rarely seen outside their region of cultivation, let alone exported. Generally, you only come across such wines by finding yourself in the very midst of particular pockets of wine country, where they’re served in many of the local, authentic trattorias alongside deliciously prepared regional cuisine. As travel has become far more universal, accessible and advertised, as an Italian wine importer we are asked by more and more clients about those indigenous varieties that they have come across by venturing off the beaten track. They’ve discovered something new, which in today’s world is a rarity, but when it comes to wine, specifically Italian, there are still some fantastic discoveries to be enjoyed. In this blog, we’re going to run through a few that you may or may not have heard of, that we think merit a shout-out from the rooftops and are an absolute must-try for those who enjoy quality wine and are tired of drinking the same old, same old. And let’s face it, we are living in an age where the ‘undiscovered’ is king
Ribolla Gialla (dry white) - meaning ‘yellow ribbon’, perhaps due to its light, delicate character, has been generating a lot of attention in Italy as well as internationally and it’s easy to see why. A Friulian hidden gem, this white wine is alpine-clean crisp and has a harmonious balance of green citrus fruits such as apple and lime that’s wrapped up in a bright acidity, perfect for delicate hams and coastal cuisine such as lightly dusted calamari, whitebait or seafood risotto. A popular lunchtime wine.
Malvasia (dry white) - One of Italy’s go-to spring/summer wines due to its heady aromatics and perfumed notes. Malvasia is, by far, one of Italy’s most fragrant varieties and even though its origins are firmly rooted in Ancient Greece, its modern-day love affair with both Sicily and Friuli-Venezia Giulia is clearly evident. Its versatility is used to make wines that range from dry or off-dry to sweet and unctuous. This one is pale golden in colour and offers an abundance of white flowers, fresh jasmine, acacia, peach, dried apricot and Turkish delight. Enjoy it with oily fish dishes such as an octopus salad or a thick cut of tuna fillet or bake a chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto.
Schiava (red) - Schiava is a dominant component of Alto Adige’s vineyards with more than 50% of the vineyards planted to the light, fragrant red grape that can be reminiscent of Pinot Noirs or well-constructed Beaujolais. It’s widely enjoyed in the summer months due to its violet nose and wild berry and red cherry scents. A perfect summer red, Schiava can be enjoyed slightly chilled, allowing those fresh, juicy forest-fruit flavours and alpine acidity to burst into life. Food companions are easy and uncomplicated, such as tomato-based pasta dishes, or warm goats cheese and red onion tartlets.
Pignolo (dry red) - a rare and romantic style of wine, which has deep black cherry flavours, tarry tannins and notes of tobacco, cocoa and liquorice that lean towards similar characteristics of a powerful Brunello. With only a handful of Pignolo-based wines in Friuli, this really is a limited-production wine, cultivated with meticulous detail and producing some exhilarating wines without the price tag of its Tuscan counterpart. Intense ruby-red in colour with dark purple reflections, the aromas are typically tertiary due to long ageing, lending complex and heady notes of tobacco, vanilla, coffee and ground spice. On the palate, its rich, velvety texture gently envelops the mouth leaving long and persistent dark fruit flavours on the finish. Roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, a hearty beef and lentil stew and aged cheeses will bring out the best of its complexity.
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It has been a really positive year for AHW and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank every one of you who stopped by our table at various wine tasting events and engaged with us. It is safe to say, you all appeared to be enjoying yourselves! We take great comfort in seeing people enjoy wine in general and when it’s ours we are overwhelmed! We will be at more wine fairs and tasting events throughout 2018, as well as importing more Italian wines, currently being lined up for arrival. With that, we hope to see you again soon at the AHW table for some spills, thrills and a jolly good time! 
So far, we will be attending:

• Love Wine Festival at the Guildhall, Guildford on Saturday 24th March. Tickets start at an unbelievable £16.00 lovewinefest.co.uk/love-wine-festival-guildford/
• Cheltenham Wine Festival at the Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham on Saturday 7th April. Tickets have almost sold out so be quick! https://cheltenhamwinefestival.com/
• Three Wine Men on Tour 2018 at Cardiff City Hall on Saturday 1st December for their Cardiff Cracking Christmas Wines. Tickets not yet released but more info on their site https://threewinemen.co.uk/events-2018/

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Introducing a highly esteemed wine from a tiny pocket of land located in southern Tuscany called Brunello di Montalcino and its younger, less expensive brother Rosso di Montalcino.
Not everyone likes turkey at Christmas and if you are thinking of celebrating with a fine cut of beef, read on as we may just have the perfect wine.
 
Brunello di Montalcino
 

• Not far from the southern reaches of Chianti Classico lies the commune of Montalcino, the iconic Tuscan town that seems to perch high on a ledge. About a 25-mile drive south of Siena, the climate begins to shift from the damper, cooler continental climate of Chianti Classico to a much dryer, hotter and altogether more Mediterranean environment.
• Another factor that separates these two neighbourly regions is the soil, with Montalcino generally containing more limestone and sand. These differences, along with the superiority of the Brunello clone, make Brunello di Montalcino the most powerful and intense Sangiovese around.
• Along with Barolo and Barbaresco (coming soon we promise), Brunello di Montalcino has become an Italian heavyweight, sought after by wine collectors the world over, because of its depth of flavour and tongue-curling tannins that lend it the potential to age for decades.
• Arthouse Wine’s Brunello di Montalcino 2012, from the Tornesi vineyard, is aged for 30 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, impacting more subtle flavours and softer, more approachable tannins. This, along with the focus of natural yeasts and minimal intervention, gives Tornesi its unique and timeless quality.
• Expect ample aromas of wild berries, ripe plums, violets, tobacco, forest floor and leather. Full-bodied, well-structured, soft yet powerful with a strong decisive character, this wine will do justice to any red meat. Roast leg of lamb with rosemary and thyme, a beefy casserole and of course the infamous bistecca alla fiorentina (Tuscan-styled steak sourced from the indigenous Chianina beef).
• Serve between 16-18’ and open at least an hour before serving.

 
Rosso di Montalcino
 

• The lighter-styled Rosso di Montalcino, a sort of younger, “declassified” Brunello, was created so people could drink a more immediately accessible Montalcino wine while they waited for their Brunello to age, much like Nebbiolo and its higher-tier Barolo.
• Harmonious, elegant but not overbearing in complexity, this makes for one of the more balanced, versatile and food-friendly wines out there.
• Full of luscious, fresh fruits such as ripe cherries, red and blackcurrants, and a touch of that forest floor, all running alongside a backbone of fresh and palate cleansing acidity.
• What’s also useful to note is that most Rosso wines are terrific quality for price ratio, normally costing around half of the price of a Brunello.
• Arthouse Wine’s Rosso di Montalcino 2015, from the Tornesi vineyard,  is aged for 6 months in Slavonian oak barrels with a further 4 months fining in bottle before release.

It’ll go wonderfully with foraged ingredients such as pappardelle pasta with wild mushrooms, fennel sausages, roast chicken with tarragon, truffle risotto and marbled cheeses. Buon appetito! 

Sparkling rosé is one of the most versatile, food-friendly wines in the world. While the grapes used in these wines often vary by region, sparkling rosés have a great affinity with food. Pink sparkling wines have a real depth of flavour, but there's also a wonderful acidity to them which is important when looking to pair these with more complex food styles.

• Our Lucciole is the creation of the wonderfully enigmatic Stefano, whose organic farm can be found on the eastern hills of Lake Garda, about a 30km drive, west of Verona. This sparkling wine is our most popular sparkler (gold medal winner at the China Wine and Spirit Awards 2016) and is a real crowd-pleaser. Pale rose-petal in colour and made using organic grapes: Corvina (the main grape found in Valpolicella wine) and Syrah, both wonderfully generous in the fruit stakes;  wild berries, blueberry, raspberry, red and black cherries, cranberry, all combined with the freshness and delicacy of the spumante style. The wine undergoes a second fermentation at a controlled temperature in closed stainless steel tanks where the cardon dioxide that is produced, cannot escape and is trapped in the wine (i.e the bubbles). It is this process that preserves the grapes’ full flavour, brightness and aroma intensity.
• Drink it on its own or try cooking Panko breaded chicken fillets or tuna tartare or saffron risotto or save it for dessert alongside forest fruits and cream of Chantilly tart. 
• If you're looking for a Christmassy weekend break that's not too far away, why not look at exploring Verona and the surrounding villages? It's packed with Christmas markets, culinary delights and breathtaking Italian charm! For interesting places and sights on offer between now and Christmas go to: https://www.venetoinside.com/events-in-veneto/event/christmas-markets-in-verona-and-its-province/
• Be sure to visit these city-centre bars:
• Osteria Locandina Cappello on Via Capello 16. Owned by Stefano’s sister and you can drink Serene wines in this pretty, little cosy hideaway.
• L’Osteria del Bugiardo on Corsa Porta Borsari. Owned by the Buglioni family of the Buglioni vineyard and here you can drink Buglioni wines at the bar, have lunch or dinner in a buzzing, informal, spilling-out-onto-the street atmosphere.  

We've all come to know Chianti as the archetypal Tuscan wine; some is great, some not so great so how can we tell what to look for? Let's turn the clock back three centuries to when Chianti was first defined as a wine-making area in 1716. The original pocket of villages soon spread to encompass more and more villages and it wasn't until 1932 that Chianti was completely re-drawn into seven sub-zones that are situated in the original heartland of Chianti.

• The term 'Classico' comes from the biggest sub zone of Chianti and may boast the black rooster seal (gallo nero in Italian) on the neck of the bottle. This indicates that the producer is part of the Chianti Classico consortium (drawn up in 1996) and is thereby ordered to follow tighter, more regulated wine-making processes that make for a more superior wine. 
• Chianti Classico must have a minimum alcohol level of at least 12% with a minimum of 7 months’ ageing in oak, while Chianti Classico's labelled Riserva must be aged at least 24 months at the winery, with a minimum alcohol level of at least 12.5%.
  
• The harvest yields for Chianti Classico are restricted to no more than 7.5 t/ha (3 tonnes per acre). For basic Chianti the minimum alcohol level is 11.5% with yields restricted to 9 t/ha (4 tonnes per acre).
  
• Well-made examples of Chianti Classico often have the potential to age for up to 8-10 years with the Riserva going up to as many as 20 years. 

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a glass of Chianti on its own. However, in Italy, wine and food go together...

AHW Food Pairings:

• Chianti Classico with all its earthy qualities should be enjoyed with earthy ingredients such as wild mushrooms. A heartwarming bowl of risotto ai funghi porcini is a real crowd-pleaser as a Chianti pairing, not to mention easy and quick to prepare; or oven-roasted chicken breasts wrapped in Parma ham drizzled with a wild mushroom sauce and mash.
• Chianti Riserva allows you to go further and be more adventurous, with the extra oak-ageing giving a more tannic structure and an even more rugged earthiness. Succulent roast meat with this wine is a match made in heaven! Slow-cooked lamb with garlic and rosemary with baby roast potatoes or fillet steak with Bernaise sauce and potato gratin. The integrated tannins will work wonders combating the texture and flavour of the meat whilst the natural acidity will clean and refresh the palate.
• So what about the Christmas turkey? It’s a little neutral in flavour, and almost always overlooked outside of the festive period, but with the right pairings from condiments to wine, we can really bring this plain old bird to life! For most of us, that means cranberry sauce, which gives it a wonderfully fruity, refreshing and acidic tang, whilst stuffing and bread sauce give it an earthier, richer and more savoury component! And this is where Chianti comes in: the Sangiovese grape giving off what feels like a part of Tuscany’s wild forest floor in each bottle, its natural acidity combating the equally acidic cranberry, while its earthiness and fine tannins pair harmoniously with the herbs and textures of the stuffing and bread sauce. Looking forward to Christmas Day even more now!