With the arrival of spring, not only nature awakens, but also weighty questions such as: where to celebrate the holiday, what to wear, and what to eat.
Mainly what to eat, because after all – it’s a holiday.
In my family it was not customary to drink wine on holidays, or at all. On Seder night we drank a must that worked according to the wine standard required under the four glasses. That’s what it was and that’s what we knew. My grandfather, the late, was the only one who drank alcohol that evening, and it was usually vishniak (sour cherry liqueur) that he made himself. We children would destroy the bottles of must and cause our parents to have a white night in dealing with children who are under the heavy influence of sugar.
The years passed, I grew up and got to know the world of wine, and so did the wine scene. The advantages of globalization and technology were also reflected in our greater awareness of wine consumption and the existing variety, and also in a significant expansion of the import of wines to Israel from countries with a culture and history longer than ours. (at least in wine). It’s fascinating and fun to see my parents, who as mentioned have never learned about wine or how to drink it, consult with me before the holiday about which bottle(s) to bring to the holiday table and what will complement the first or main dish well.
And if this year you didn’t have the pleasure of walking the streets of foreign cities during the holidays, there are many options to make at least a short trip to our taste buds. And this time, my soul longed to continue traveling in the southern regions of Italy.
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Italy is a diverse country both in its soil conditions (seas, mountains, plains and even volcanoes) and in the variety of local grape varieties that exist there. Over 350 official local varieties exist in Italy and over 20 unique wine regions. As a result – in every region of Italy you will drink a wine that will probably be very different from the one you will taste in the neighboring region. The different soil conditions have an effect, but so does the use of different varieties that are usually unique specifically to that region.
One of the areas that gained momentum in recent years is south Italyan area that many went to to devour Neapolitan pizzas or to walk in the green spaces but did not really know its wines. Imports from southern Italy only increase year by year. We are starting to see more special and less “standard” varieties taking over, and specialized import companies rising up on the purity of the local Italian wineries.
Among the first wines imported to Israel (by the Tselinsky Italian Premium company – high-tech expats who fell in love with the lesser-known southern Italian wines and even organize wine tours in the area) are these of Group Fantini. A relatively young wine producer (in terms of “winery years”) which I personally like very much.
The winery was established in 1994, initially in Abruzzo, by three dreamers who were also equipped with their own vision – To produce wine using traditional methods and varieties unique to the region only at affordable prices. Their unique business model was to locate and team up with local farmers, professionally accompany the growing of the grapes with them, and then produce the wine for them in the winery facilities. A vision that is also social in many ways.
It didn’t take long for the work of the three founders to gain status and recognition as a producer of quality wines and his wines won many awards including the “Best Producer in Italy” award. The group’s activity has also expanded to other regions in Italy (Sardinia, Sicily, Campania, Basilicata and more) and even overseas (for example – Spain) and works with the best vintners and winemakers in the world. And yet, in every region where the winery settled – he insisted on producing wines from the varieties unique to that region and taking advantage of the soil conditions unique to it. The result is a wine producer with a rich portfolio and a spectacular offer of unique wines.
Vinat Fantini (Photo: Yehats)About two weeks ago, I was invited to a tasting evening of the winery’s flagship wines with the winery’s export director who came to visit Israel. Besides the fascinating explanation about the winery and its history, we tasted a representative sample of some of the winery’s flagship wines from different regions. Here is a small taste of a large and amazing area
Hot Pecorino
A white wine from the Abruzzo region made from 100% pecorino grapes, named after the sheep (not the cheese) that used to nibble on the vineyard’s grapes. The meaning of the name Calalenta is “night harvest” and this is due to the process of harvesting the grapes in the hours of darkness and fermentation at a relatively low and controlled temperature. The result is an aromatic white wine full of “sun” fruits (peach, apricot), mineral and with a body that stays and goes great with fish.
Calalent Pecorino. Fantini Winery (Photo: Yehac Sand)Calalento rosé
Rosé wine from Abruzzo, made from 100% Merlot grapes. He too, in the night and day harvest. The local Merlot is unique in its flavors and aromas that characterize it due to the soil conditions, and the unique production method gives this wine an almost white color (and you can mistakenly think it is a white wine in the glass), but it is loaded with the aroma and flavors of lychee and tropical fruits and a great body. This rosé has been awarded the best rosé in Italy for several consecutive years, and it is not without reason that every year the stock of it runs out quickly. is very.
Callantha Rosa. Fantini Winery (Photo: Yehac Sand)White Edition
Another white wine from Abruzzo, but this time a blend of three varieties: Pecorino, Piano and Grillo, which yields a particularly tropical white wine with lots of papaya and mango and spices that are a bit reminiscent of the Far East. A great wine to accompany fish and even cheeses.
EDIZIONE BIANCO Fantini Winery (Photo: Yiach Sand)Saragat – Monica Di Sardegna DOC
Red wine made from 100% Monica grapes from Sardinia. Besides the wonderful and unique label bearing the traditional dress in Sardinia, it is a floral, light and wonderful wine loaded with red fruit. A wine that can accompany a variety of dishes, and even fish due to its floral and light character.
SARAGAT Fantini Winery (Photo: Yehac Sand)Aru – Monica Isola Dei Nuraghi IGT
A unique and non-standard blend of 50% Monica grapes and 50% Carignan grapes from a relatively late harvest and an extremely ripe crop. The result is a very rich wine in both aromas and flavors. The late harvest is noticeable in the flavors of dried fruits, including plums, and lots of hot spices and even tobacco. Excellent to accompany buttery and oily food.
ARU Fantini Winery (Photo: Yehac Sand)Edition Five Autoconi
A red wine made from a combination of five varieties (hence its name – chinque), all of which pay tribute to the local varieties: Monpulciano, Sangiovese, Primitivo, Negromero and Malvezia Nera. These are the selected vineyards of the winery from several regions in Abruzzo and Puglia. Each of the varieties is aged separately in barrels for 12 months and in the end it obeys its brother only in the bottling process. This is the flagship wine of the winery and it is a wine with a particularly impressive presence, with lots of black fruit flavors and clove spices, cocoa, cinnamon and more. The number on the bottle represents the relevant edition of the wine and is suitable for aged meat and cheese dishes.
Edizione Cinque Fantini (photo: Yehac Sand)Government in Tuscan use
A classic Tuscan wine made from a combination of Sangiovese (70%), Merlot (20%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) and Syrah (5%). A balanced red wine with wonderful acidity and noticeable tannins, lots of floral and cherry flavors. A full body that is also a great accompaniment to main and comforting dishes.
Straight from Tuscany. Fantini Winery (Photo: Yehac Sand)Three Dreamers
A red wine that bears the name and vision of the three dreamy founders. 100% Montepulciano di Abruzzo which is produced using the Apcimento method (drying the grapes, in the cold, until they lose a significant part of the water and leave a concentrated fruit). A very rich wine full of jammy black fruit flavor and deep and warm spices of cinnamon, vanilla and coffee. A wine full of presence that I think is possible to drink at any meal, and especially to accompany good company and a long conversation.
The Three Dreamers of Fantini Winery (Photo: Yechat Hul)El Maso – DO Almansa
Wine from Spain made from 100% Grenache grapes from vineyards over 90 years old. Aged for 12 months and full bodied, velvety and lots of red fruit flavors and licorice and anise spices. A wine that compliments this great aromatic variety and is even suitable for aging.
Al Masso. Fantini Winery (Photo: Yehac Sand)And if all of this didn’t make you want a glass of wine or an immediate trip to Naples – then look for a bottle at the selected alcohol stores, then you are welcome to continue reading about these wines on the website of the importer or the winery