WTN: Pojer e Sandri 1999 Trentino DOC Nosiola

[grandcru]

Needing a "throwaway" Italian white to go with my light dinner of herbed flatbread and a duo of formaggi italiani, Taleggio from Lombardia and Piave Vecchio from Friuli, I perused the rack for bottles I didn't mind sacrificing to such modest circumstances. Since I purchased this bottle a couple of years ago, and knowing nothing of nosiola's aging curve, I thought I might be popping the cork on a simple, over-the-hill white.

Perhaps I should have kept on searching for another throwaway. A lilting but lively body reminiscent for me of a Muscadet with plenty of green apple and plum skin, cleansing acidity, and a subtly nutty finish. This latter point makes perfect sense as nosiola means "nut" in Trentino dialect. Far from a throwaway wine, this is one I'll be revisiting time and again.

[Craig Camp]

This is indeed a lovely wine, but Nosiola doesn't get much better than Pojer e Sandri who make one of the best versions. I was glad to see this note as once again it debunks the idea that Italian white wines don't age well. Bolla Soave and Santa Margherita may not age well, but wines from outstanding producers like Pojer e Sandri age well in the short term and develop a new range of complexity in the process.

[Alberto]

Thanks for the tasting note grandcru!

Vino Santo Trentino DOC is made of Nosiola sometimes left out to dry for 6-7 months. They've just crushed the grapes from 2003 vintage I think. BTW, nosiola means hazelnut.

Ah... ...yes, Piave cheese comes from eastern Veneto. Vecchio is quite good but nowhere at the same level of true Friuli hard cow cheeses, IMHO.

Alberto

[bobferdon]

Pojer e Sandri's wines are better enjoyed in the company of Elisa Sandri... perfection

[millivanilli]

Mario Pojer makes outstanding wines, his sparkling wine is very good also. I am fortunate to have a father, who is a close friend of the Pojer family, thus having easy access to all their wines. Definitely NOT throwaway stuff