Back in Venice

 

Who would have thought it? The big news on our trip to Venice this year was, or so we thought, just how good, no - great Groppello can be. We had previously written;  "altough always liking Groppello it hadn't exactly bowled us over." At the Autoctona fair in Bolzano years ago a version by Marsadri had given us cause to re-evaluate that opinion and at the Trattoria 'Alla Frasca' in Venice, Pradelli's Groppello really hit the spot. So much so that we bought a bottle back on London but sadly this turned out to be the 'Holiday wine syndrome' not leaving the same impression. Maybe it was a different vintage or maybe this wine 'doesn't travel' - a phrase you never hear these days.

If you want to avoid a nasty headache, best not to read D'Agata on Groppello. The subject is so complicated it brings my mother-in-law's expression 'Es geht ein Rauch im Kopf' to mind. Our original hesitation to acclaim Groppello in general is understandable in the light of the fact there are 22 accessions of this family of grapes so you would be lucky to find a good one every time.

The first night at the excellent Pizza place on the Zattere we had chosen a bottle of Mueller-Thurgau just so as not to dring Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. 

What was this? Another upsetting of our prejudices. Ai Galli, 'Societa Agricola Semplice' have made a deliciously refreshing wine from this grape which in the wrong hands...

Prominent Luganas in a Decanter tasting

We also re-discovered Lugana in a big way. 

In our post as early as 28th September 2010, we discussed the Lugana grape variety Turbiana - a historic name derived from 'Trebbiano.' Recent research has identified Turbiana as a biotype of Verdicchio. D'Agata begins his torrid analysis of Verdicchio with the claim that 'Verdicchio is arguably Italy's greatest native white grape variety.' 

Although Lugana is widespread it is not particularly prominent in wine circles. We tried to buy some back in London but shops tend to have Soave and Gavi in stock ahead of Lugana. which is a pity - not the natural oder of things.

Chioggia: a couple of canals plus motor traffic.

Venice is inexhaustible as we always say, This time we decided to go around a bit, visiting other islands, Mazzorbo, Burano and even going to Chioggia. On that last subject, don't! It is fly-blown with only a couple of canals plus motor traffic.

Mazzorbo however is even more of a delight than when we visited some years back. There is a really lovely restaurant called 'Trattoria alla Maddalena' so no need to go to the expensive 'Venissa,; A stroll through the Venissa vineyard is free of charge and it is lovely to see the Dorona vines reaching maturity as well as the vegetable gardens also planted within the walls. There is now a bridge over to Burano which makes the visit especially worthwhile.

Can you spot the vines?

The view from the Trattoria Maddalena is of another vineyard. What  grows there? Perhaps the Dorona found in Venetian supermarkets?

In 'downtown Venice' We discovered an excellent wine shop and restaurant called Amarone. 

An Englishman in Venice

With offers of Wine Shipping in English Amarone is clearly aimed at the tourist but that doesn't prevent it from being a serious wine shop. The affable Englishman whose name we forget really knew his stuff and reports from the restaurant are positive indeed.

No discussion of wine shops in Venice is complete without mention of the many Vino-Sfuso places.

Difficult to see from this photo but there is an item named 'Primula' on the board. We asked what this could be - a new grape variety? No, the new name for 'Prosecco spento' or 'flat' Prosecco. 

Conad's uber-discrete shopfront on the Zattere

Finally to Conad on the Zattere who have a very decent selection of Venetian and other wines. 

Remembering that Raboso used to be the favourite red wine of Venice we bought two different bottles by the excellent producer, Cescon. Their Rabosos do vary but that is down to the vintage, naturally.

We love Ribolla Gialla: when it's good, it's very, very good but when it's not, it's no good at all. Hopefully Cescon will have waved its magic wand over this bottling.

'Prephilloxera'

On the same shelf we spied an interesting bottle from Tenuta San Francesco (Campania) 'Prephilloxera.' This turns out to be from old Tintore grapes which have avoided the plague. We didn't buy this @ E. 65.

and for our last bottle, it had to be Lugana of course.