I love this time of the year - not because its summer and Campari o’clock comes around early, or that every meal gets grilled on the barbecue, I love it because its when we set up the next twelve months and plan the years events, travel schedules (this year will see us spend a combined four months in Italy) and order our new wines. This year, we celebrate our 18th year in business, and we have three exciting new additions to our portfolio: Poggio di Sotto from Montalcino, Erbhof Unterganzner from Alto Adige and our first winery from Val d’Aosta, Elio Ottin.

Poggio di Sotto is one of Montalcino’s cult wineries with a tiny production that is popular on both sides of the Atlantic. Following an exhaustive search for the perfect location, Piero Palmucci purchased a few hectares in Castelnuovo dell’Abate in 1989. As part of his uncompromising quest to make great Sangiovese, Piero collaborated with the University of Milan to select the best clones for the various soil types. Biodynamic viticulture, high vine density, extremely low yields and extended cask ageing combine to produce what many refer to as the Burgundy of Brunello.  Piero enthusiastically supported the creation of sub zones for Montalcino, saying “I would love for Castelnuovo dell’Abate to become an official sub-appellation so consumers can know that this Brunello is made in one of the sunniest parts of Montalcino where sangiovese matures perfectly”.

Late last year, with no descendants, Piero sold his beloved estate to Claudio Tipa of nearby Colle Massari and Grattamacco. Claudio has no plans to change any aspect of Poggio di Sotto.  Our first shipment of Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino (both from 2006) has just arrived.

How we came to know about the wines of Josephus Mayr is a good story. Visiting Franz Haas for the first time (and my first time to Alto Adige) we dined at restaurant in the mountains where Franz insisted we select wines from ‘another’ winery. I remember the meal so well. To start, the local ‘wine soup’, made with Traminer, was sensational with Hofstatters Kolbenhof Gewurztraminer. Lamb, some of the best I’ve ever eaten, was served with an incredible Lagrein and, to finish, we sipped Castel Juval’s sublime apricot Grappa in the bar. It was truly a great meal but afterwards, I lost my tasting book and couldn’t remember the name of the Lagrein grower. Fast forward to 2012 after years of describing the wine to numerous people, we found it: Erbhof Unterganzner Josephus Mayr Lagrein Riserva will be arriving late March.

Established in 1629, Josephus is the tenth generation Mayr to run this family winery, located at the mouth of the Eisack valley in Bolzano. The Südtirol, as the region is called in German (the main language spoken) has developed a reputation for great aromatic white wines, although the majority of plantings are red varieties. Lagrein, related to neighbouring Trentino’s Marzemino and Teroldego, is the main red grape, excelling in the warm climate of the Bolzano basin where the porphyritic mineral rich soil warms easily in the spring and permits ideal drainage. The vineyards are planted on a modified pergola system to benefit from the breezes (both Continental and Mediterranean) that run through the valley and, even at this Alpine latitude, it is warm enough to grow figs, olives and citrus fruit.

Josephus is a quietly spoken gentle man that thinks deeply about his role in carrying the family tradition and the wines he makes.  Together with his wife Barbara they craft outstanding Lagrein in several styles, from Kretzer (Rosato) through to an Amarone-inspired version, Lamarein, of which he makes a few barrels.  Lagrein is an appealing, approachable variety that combines the colour and depth of Syrah with Alpine freshness and minerality. However, the drawback to the wines of the region is that very little leaves the Südtirol and finding the wines in other parts of Italy, let alone receiving an allocation for Australia, is hard enough.

Lagrein Riserva is inky purple, concentrated without being heavy and showing plum, chocolate and  tobacco with a little spice and refreshing acidity. With age, the youthful fruitiness gives way to more earthy notes that make it an incredibly versatile with food.

Elio Ottin is the rising star of Val d’Aosta, the smallest of Italy’s regions located in The Alps bordering France and Switzerland.  Elio, a passionate farmer, was selling his fruit to the local cooperative (very common in these parts due to the small land holdings) when he decided to vinify his own wines, beginning in 2007.

The region, home to the highest vineyards in Europe, is truly ‘viticoltura de montagna’.  Winters here are long and freezing and the summers, although warm, are short. Working the land is incredibly labour intensive: individual land holdings are small, traditionally mixed use, and most vineyards are terraced on the steep hillsides. Elio’s four hectares are planted on the south facing hills of Aosta, Saint-Christophe and Quart at about 600 metres.

Our first wine, and Elio’s inaugural Tre Bicchieri winner, is his 2010 Petite Arvine. A complex nose with typical mountain freshness and notes of hay, honey, citrus and hawthorn blossom. For an oak-free wine, the palate shows considerable body and flavour. In Aosta, it would pair with cheese, sausage, ham, veal and other robust alpine foods.  Locally, we think it goes particularly well with shellfish and seafood.

These are a few of my favourite (new) things.