Selezione Italia XXIX

When I read the list of producers at Selezione Italia XXIX, the event organized by Christian Bauer and Marina Rebora (already known from Selezione Italia XXVIII, Selezione Italia, Selezione XXX, Degustiamo Vino Autentico and Doctor Wine 2024), I was a little intimidated. Not because I found the exhibitors uninteresting, but for exactly the opposite reason: there was too much abundance, too many wines I would have loved to try! Also, thanks to some representatives offering more than one winery (often with a truly fascinating range of companies), the list of wines on display was really long, diverse, and attractive.

I had to surrender: I wouldn’t have been able to taste everything I wanted—it would have taken two days instead of one. And it would have been a pity to taste in haste just to expand my mental library of flavors and sensations associated with various wines. It was better to take a cue from the event’s name and make a selection.

So I focused on the producers whose had more than one wine that attracted me, trying to maintain a good variety because, after all, the beauty of Selezione Italia is its journey through all the enological corners of the Peninsula. The result was that I tasted with more pleasure and attention than I otherwise would have; sure, I missed out on some interesting wines, but the conversations with the exhibitors and the time dedicated to each glass more than made up for it.

The Wines of Selezione Italia XXIX

Cantina Aldeno (Trentino)

I had heard about Cantina Aldeno and, despite a friend’s harsh opinion that “in Trentino, the only good thing they make is sparkling wine” (like the Ferrari), I approached with interest.

Pinot Grigio 2024
Crisp, fresh. With a nose of citrus and white peach, it boasts good salinity and is overall very pleasant.

Lagrein 2023
Floral and fresh on the nose with good tannic persistence. It has excellent acidity and a direct sip that is not empty—in fact, one can perceive a certain complexity. Very good.

Palmento Costanzo

Etna is such a trendy region that a tasting was a must, and here too I was pleasantly impressed by two very good wines.

Mofete Etna Rosso
Presented as an “easy” wine, but that seems almost unfair: it offers excellent fruit intensity—with notes of plum and fleshy wild strawberries—and joyful tannins. A clear wine with peaks of flavor and structure. A delightful drink.

Contrada Santo Spirito Etna Rosso
More intense than the Mofete, yet not completely different: the common character is evident despite a smokier nose.

Villa Fura

Amarone della Valpolicella
An evolved Amarone in keeping with tradition, yet without excess. Dried plums and cherries, toasted coffee beans, and a light, refreshing hint of orange peel dominate a wine that is altogether brisk, lively, and aromatic.

Suavia

Soave Classico
A serious Soave that does not sacrifice freshness, drinkability, or the clear flow of acidity. It perfectly integrates an aromatic center of flowers, apple, and white peach, along with a slight herbal note that becomes noticeable if you pay attention. Its interwoven texture gives dignity to each sip.

Monte Carbonare

Greater complexity than the previous wine—here, the focus is more on the concentration of fruit (as suggested by its beautiful golden color) and the density of aromas of baked pear and warm apple. Certainly a broad wine that unfolds its acidity like a carpet on which rich aromas parade, yet, given the style, it is not superior to the Soave Classico.

Contrada Palui

Congratulations to the producer, who presents his wines with gentleness and elegance. These bottles have a very refined style; they do not aim to overdo it but rather to show the terroir. An approach I appreciate, leading to wines that range from very good to excellent—stylish and even a bit posh.

Graspo Alto Valpolicella 2022
What fascinated me was the contrast between the fleshy fruit (plum, strawberries, and raspberries) and the texture imparted by overripe grapes. A beautiful experiment that I’m not sure would fit into everyday drinking, yet it fluidly combines two strong stylistic elements.

Campo Selce Valpolicella Superiore 2021
More intense than the previous wine, with notes of chocolate, an always elegant body, and a long finish. I liked it, without becoming overly excited.

Amarone della Valpolicella 2020
An Amarone that doesn’t overwhelm. With 14% alcohol floating on a body with just the right assertiveness in tannins—but never overpowering—this wine interweaves notes of dates, dried figs, and black tea like golden pieces within a mosaic. It comes from a still youthful, fragrant fruit and a lanky body. The use of an amphora (perhaps unglazed?) proves to be a winning move.

Alois Lageder

A colossal and trendy producer owning 80 hectares of estate, in addition to grapes purchased and processed in the winery. At MondoVino 2024, their offering seemed very solid, though not unmissable; in this case, some wines struck me as excellent and one even exceptional.

Versalto Pinot Bianco 2022
Perhaps due to my previous unpleasant experience with Colterenzio’s pinot bianco, this one struck me as exceptionally elegant: floral and leaning toward white fruit in keeping with the house style, yet also soft, rich in nuances, and without any rough edges. It is gastronomic in that it is easy to drink but full of substance if you wish to delve deeper.

Casòn Hirschprunn Bianco 2021
A splendid experiment using non-indigenous vineyards: the dense, almost oily richness of the blend releases sweet notes of honey, ripe flowers, and pineapple. Well-integrated acidity supports the sip, while a wine with a creamy body and a French breadth remains well grounded thanks to Alto Adige freshness.

COR Römigberg 2019
Cabernet Sauvignon expressed in the freshness of the mountains: small red fruits punctuate the floral aromaticity that unfolds on the nose. The herbaceous palate has excellent tension, and high acidity propels the sip cleanly.

Löwengang Uvaggio Storico 2020
Very green with not very incisive aromas. The note of pomegranate seed on the nose appears unripe, though it finishes with a pleasant salinity.

Vigna Petrussa

I have known this company for years—it was among the first five wineries I visited, and I did so many times. My memories of their cabernet franc are indelible, and a bottle of their picolit was the first I deliberately left in the cellar for a few years. So expectations were high, especially since I had lost touch with them for a while, but unfortunately, although the wines were often good, they did not particularly impress me.

Richenza 2021
It was natural to expect much better: the attempt seems like that of a French wine, broad and deep. However, one mainly detects a woody note that is not at all attractive, along with quince aromas.

Schioppettino di Prepotto 2020
Beautiful aromas of cherry and blueberry on a light nose, with a distant hint of spice. Fresh and agile, with the spiciness emerging more in the finish. Tannins are timid yet elegant. Perhaps one floral note too many in a wine that has both body and balance in its lightness.

Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso 2019
A good Refosco, centered on very ripe and clear fruit (notes of raspberries) that enchants the nose with a slightly salty hint and provides a nice backbone to the rustic (but not rough) tannins on the palate. It finishes with a slightly spicy touch.

Barone Ritter de Záhony

Edda Cristina 2022
Unusual, with a rich and dense nose that recalls a sweet wine due to notes of dried apricot and walnuts, while the palate is much more linear. A wine I would gladly taste again.

Riofavara

As always, there is that exhibitor who grabs you and makes you taste everything—and thank goodness for that! In this case, it was a representative of Sicilian wines and products who is just starting out. I will skip over the many natural reds or rosés he proposed (anyone reading this site knows that a transparent bottle of sparkling wine hardly ever wins my favor), but I was there for a specific producer, and it was worth it.

Nsajar
Overall raw, yet with an attractive energy. It has a compact nose of jasmine and bergamot, while the palate is juicy and dense with hints of anise. Long-lasting.

Mizzica Moscato di Noto
It turns out ephemeral following the previous wine. Slightly floral and fruity, with a rapid, brisk, and fresh body (it recalls the aforementioned Soave) but with little lingering presence.

Sciavè

Albafiorita
Black berries, burnt herbs, and a peppery note combine in an important wine supported by excellent acidity and massive tannins.

M’ama 2023 (PIWI)
Practically a very rough ribolla: with green aromas and a compact body that is overall empty and only slightly floral.

Col Paré

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Frizzante (PIWI)
A Prosecco that leans heavily toward yellow apple. It has good perlage, but very little complexity.

Villa Matilde

Falerno del Massico
With aromas of roasted coffee beans, dense chocolate, and spices. On the palate, it is full-bodied, important, with broad shoulders, and not at all intimidated by wood. It presents a deep, vertical undertone (perhaps due to the acidity) that needs to be re-evaluated.

What Impressed Me About Selezione Italia XXIX

• Best wines: Casòn Hirschprunn Bianco 2021 by Alois Lageder and Falerno del Massico by Villa Matilde
• Best producer: Alois Lageder