The Road Less Travelled

Elio Ottin is the rising star of Valle d'Aosta, the smallest of Italy's regions located in the Alps bordering France and Switzerland. Until 2007 Elio, a passionate farmer, was selling his fruit to the local cooperative, which is common in these parts due to the small land holdings and the intense labour required to work the terraced hillsides.

Fumin is a native Valdostan variety, first recorded in 1711. It is widely grown in the upper and central parts of the valley and thrives in the cold climate. Elio dries his Fumin for one week before the wine is fermented and the grapes aren't pressed into cask for ageing until the end of January. Full bodied with intense fruit aromas of marasca cherry, blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of spice, chocolate and cigar box.

Selva Capuzza, located at the southern edge of Lago di Garda, is a place of both incredible beauty and history. Lake Garda was a glacial formation and the surrounding area has clay soils with lots of stones and mineral salts. It is one the northernmost regions to have a nearly Mediterranean climate, where lemon trees and olive groves abound.

Selva Capuzza takes its name from ‘Silvae’ (meaning wild place) and the Formetini family have been nurturing and protecting this wild place for over 100 years. They regard this land as a unique eco system and farm sustainably, and then some. They place enormous emphasis on the biodiversity of their land to encourage flora and fauna to flourish and no herbicides have been used since 2010. They were amongst the first wineries to track their Co2 emissions and, in the cantina, power is supplied from certified renewable sources and they only use recycled materials and lightweight bottles.

Turbiana is the regions name for the grape that is the same as Trebbiano di Soave and the Marche’s Verdicchio. This is a classic Lugana in its most traditional interpretation: delicate, floral and fruity with notes of hay, grass, citrus and apple with a crisp, fresh finish.

Friuli Venezia Giulia's Schioppettino is one of the world's most interesting and potentially great red grape varieties. Schioppettinos are especially characterized by an enticing green peppercorn note that is extremely typical and juicy, bright, mid-weight frames. Ronchi di Cialla's Schioppettino is an iconic and historic wine in the true sense of those words, and Italy's finest expression of the grape. IAN D'AGATA

The 2018 Schioppettino di Cialla is impossible to ignore. It's profoundly floral and herbal with rose petals, wilted violets, wet stone and ginger-tinged blackberry aromas. It opens with a pleasant inner sweetness and richer than expected, yet perfectly balanced, with depths of ripe wild berry fruits contrasted by spiced blood orange. For all of its depth and concentration, fresh acidity lifts the experience through the finish, leaving a candied citrus and white pepper tinge while tapering off classically dry. What a beauty. The 2018 is the child of a cool vintage, yet there's so much power and density here. Bury your bottles deep. ERIC GUIDO, Vinous

A well-regarded biodynamic winery focused on expressing the unique alpine terroir of Savoie from the cooler 2021 vintage in France. Savoie, known for its mountain-influenced wines with purity, minerality, and bright acidity. 100% Mondeuse a red grape native to Savoie, often compared to Syrah for its peppery, dark-fruited character.

Deep ruby with purple hues. Intense aromas of blackberries, violets, black pepper, and alpine herbs, with hints of earth and spice. Medium-bodied with firm but refined tannins. A core of dark fruit (black cherry, cassis) balanced by bright acidity. Notes of cracked black pepper, wet stone, and subtle smoky hints. Long, fresh, and mineral-driven with a touch of rustic elegance.

[PREVIOUS VINTAGE] Just the ticket for characterful everyday drinking. Saline and prodigiously thirst-slaking. Simplicity, a benefit rather than a bane. A mid-weighted lightning rod of energy that is juicy, succulent and vibrant. Almond meal, dried tatami straw and preserved lemon accents teem long, the acidity a gentle clatter across the finish rather than anything hard or brittle. There is little that comes close to this for the price. Drink now. NED GOODWIN MW, JamesSuckling.com

Petilia's story is woven into the very fabric of Greco di Tufo and this wine encapsulate brilliantly what these wines can be when this variety and place come together under the watchful eye of a producer of this calibre. Drink this with abandon, enjoy it with a wide range of fare, it's freshness and structure give it a wide zone to play in

Energetic and brimming with life. Crisp, fresh pear. Schweppes Bitter Lemon served with a salt rim and a big twist. A slice of frangipane tart and a lovely powdery goodbye.

The 2021 Terra D'Eclano is remarkably expressive, with a vivid blend of wild strawberries, violets, lavender and hints of wet stone. It sweeps across the palate, wildly fresh and lifted with crisp wild berry fruits and perfumed inner florals. Tactile mineral tones form toward the close. The 2021 finishes long and staining yet energetic, with a gentle tug of fine tannins and a nuance of sour citrus. Wow. ERIC GUIDO

The dark and seductive bouquet opens with blackberry jam, blueberries and peppery floral tones, which are found on the palate together with salty notes and a fine tannin. Its enormously silky texture and well-dosed concentration of black fruits are accompanied by a remarkable freshness that builds and builds until the endlessly long final. This lively and at the same time incredibly elegant red wine delights on the finish with minty herbs and flowers that could not be more seductive. With increasing years of ageing in the bottle, you can look forward to a few more positive surprises! LUCA GARDINI, superiore.de

Located in the Ligurian Riviera at Albenga between the hills and the Mediterranean sea, Cascina
Fèipu was founded in 1960’s when Agostino Parodi began converting his father’s (Filippo – Fèipu in dialect) orchards to grape growing.  Agostino’s efforts were instrumental in establishing Ligurian Pigato as a quality wine, and soon theyhad a long list of potential clients begging for an allocation of their tiny production.

The vineyards are planted on sandy alluvial soil and enjoys striking diurnal temperature shifts thanks to the alternation between winds from the sea during the day and from the land at night. These two factors combine to provide the perfect home for Pigato to develop their full aromatic potential, giving light wines that are easy to drink but more elegant and complex.

Pigato might be genetically the same as Vermentino but don’t say that around here! Although both vines look the same and share similar herbal and salty notes, Pigato has a wonderful purity and intensity with citrus fruit, peach, white flowers and Mediterranean herbs. The viticulture is organic and the winemaking is all in stainless steel with regular batonnage and no malo. It’s a great partner to the local classics of trofie with pesto and spaghetti vongole.

Managed by Cédric Joly, Domaine Joly encompasses approximately 6.5 hectares and offers a comprehensive range of Jura wines. The reds are vinified from fully destemmed grapes and fermented with indigenous yeasts, with about 15 days of skin contact. They age for a relatively short period of six to seven months, leading to an early release.  Joly explains, "When I took over from my father 30 years ago, he instilled in me the idea that it's easier to correct a wine with a little chaptalization rather than playing around with artificial acidities. That's why I'm usually the first to harvest grapes compared to neighboring vineyards.”

The 2022 Poulsard Côtes du Jura offers delicate pomegranate and red cherry alongside spicy nuances. Light-bodied and refreshing, the 2022 offers a short yet clean finish. NICHOLAS GREINACHER, Vinoous

Paolo Vodopivec, his winery and six hectares of densely planted Vitovska are located in Carso, a plateau of shear limestone tucked between the border of Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea. Vodopivec was inspired by Josko Gravner. Like him, Vodopivec ages most of his wines in subterranean Georgian Amphora, followed by refinement in large neutral oak and a long stay in bottle before release. The results must be tasted to be believed. These are some of the top white wines being made in the world today, like cool-mountain air and liquid stone encapsulated in a bottle, yet with rich textural complexities that boggle the mind.

Crushed rocks and dried flowers give way to peach skins and chamomile as the 2019 Vitovska blossoms in the glass. This is pure and lifted in style, graceful and finessed, quickly gaining a salty tension as young pit fruits and lemon nuances mingle. A salty flourish and flinty sensation come forward through the finale, adding a savory flair as the 2019 finishes with lasting concentration. So youthful today, the 2019 should age beautifully in collectors' cellars. ERIC GUIDO, Vinous