Italians from the north and south

Ok, so it's been a while since my last entry - a week of vacation and a week of heavy work and travel have really set things back. The next several days will catch up with things, and I'll start with a pair of Italians that I drank over the past few weeks.

First up is one from the north - the 2004 Matteo Corregia Roero. I wasn't at all familiar with this wine when I picked it up at a local store, but I was very impressed. This wine is 100% Nebbiolo from a lesser-known area of Piemonte, and thus much less expensive that a Barbaresco or Barolo. It compares somewhat favorably to a younger Barbaresco, offering a lot of fruit but without being overpowering. Anyone looking to experience Nebbiolo without spending a lot should search out this wine.

From the south, I had the 2007 Colosi Nero d'Avola. I've had this wine before and it once again delivered. The wine has cherry flavors that come to the fore initially, but it remains light on its feet. As before, the wine also improved on the second night, with a little more complexity and body, really taking it up another notch. I really like this wine and anticipate more purchases of it in the near future, as the price is quite appealing.