Wines: six Italians among the 20 best in the world under 20 euros

Great affirmation of Italian wines in the ranking drawn up by Eric Asimov, authoritative critic of the New York Times. A Calabrian wine in fourth position. The other reported wines produced in Sicily, in the Marches, in Val d'Aosta and in Piedmont. The list of all the wines indicated

You can drink well under twenty euros, a very current principle in times of objective economic difficulty for many categories of workers and companies penalized by Covid. In fact, there is no need to pass out on wines costing hundreds of euros or dollars to console yourself with a good glass of quality wine. Tell us it is Eric Asimov, the New York Times food and wine critic, one of the world's leading authorities on wine.

Asimov, differentiating himself from many of his illustrious colleagues, has always shown interest in a healthy cost-quality ratio in food and wineor. Author of the prestigious NYT Restaurant Guide, back in 1992 he invented a column that gave him great fame, "$25 and less", dedicated to "restaurants where people could eat abundantly for $25 and less". He then moved on to covering wine full-time by writing two columns, "The Pour" and "Wines of the Times" before eventually becoming chief wine critic of the New York Times. He has also been a contributor to Food & Wine Magazine, Details, Martha Stewart Living and Sommelier Journal, and has hosted successful wine TV shows.

From the height of his science Asimov compiled a list of twenty world wines which in his authoritative judgment can be drunk with great satisfaction without having to ask for a bank loan. Twenty classy bottles that do not exceed 20 euros. And among these, great satisfaction for the world of Italian wine as many as six fly the tricolor flag.

“Good wine has the power to transport” begins Asimov and in times of pandemic “with many people largely confined within their national borders, the wine still offers the opportunity to taste the world” then adds: “These 20 bottles represent just a cross-section of the kaleidoscopic choices presented to consumers. Other parts of the country and the world may offer completely different selections.

My best advice, if you can't find these bottles (and few people will be able to find them all), is to frequent the best wine shop available to you, with a dedicated wine staff, rather than supermarkets without expert help. If they don't have these wines, or the ones in the last 20 Under $20 columns, ask for similar bottles. They could give you great suggestions.

Otherwise, enjoy these wines and what they represent about their places of origin. Close your eyes, look at the world and, if you remember, send me a postcard”.

And here follows the list of the twenty wines suggested by the great American critic in which Italy has managed to place no less than six wines, with a highly prestigious place, the fourth, for The beginning 2015 Calabria red wine 1480 of the Odoardi winery of Nocera Terinese (CZ). Asimov declares himself “fascinated by the wines of Calabria” and of L'Inizio says: “This red blend, centered on the Gaglioppo grape, is smoky, tannic and a little wild, but concentrated and delicious”.

The sixth place in the standings is conquered by Catarratto Masso 2018 from Feudo Montoni di Cammarata (AG) in Sicily. “Catarratto – according to Asimov – is perhaps the most cultivated white grape in Sicily, but it doesn't have a great reputation. It was used extensively in Marsala, a sweet fortified wine, along with many inexpensive whites. But what if it was cultivated conscientiously and produced with care? It would have unimaginable potential. I would not call this wine a revelation. But Feudo Montoni farms organically in central Sicily and produces a handful of fine wines, and I'd say this is a nice yield: dry, lively, and deeply herbaceous. Perfect to drink in combination with delicate fish and shellfish”.

Thirteenth position for Bianco di Gino 2019 from the San Lorenzo di Montecarotto estate in the Marche region. ” I don't know why – comments Asimov – this wine is not called Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, the denomination in the Marches where the San Lorenzo farm is located. It's made entirely of verdicchio, and is grown in the area. But in the end it doesn't matter, because the wine is lively, energetic, salty and dry. Natalino Crognaletti, the owner, cultivates in a biodynamic way and has named this wine in honor of his father, Gino, who planted the vineyard”.

Fifteenth place is therefore the Torrette 2019 from the Grosejan winery in the Aosta Valley. Asimov confesses “always intrigued by the wines of the Vallée d'Aoste, a hilly alpine region located on the border between Italy and France. I particularly like – he explains – those of Grosjean, an excellent organic producer year after year. The Torrette is a lively red, with good acidity befitting its high-altitude site, and classic flavors of Italian dried red fruit. It is 80% petit rouge, with the rest made up of other local grapes, such as fumin, mayonnaise and Doucet. If you like this, look for other varietal Grosjean wines made with carnelian and fumin grapes”.

Follows in the next position the Dolcetto d'Alba 2019 from Cascina Fontana family-owned business Pin of Monforte d'Alba (CN) in the Langhe. “I'm always on the lookout – says the American critic – for tempting treats. They are among the most underrated Italian wines, a bit like close friends that you discover, that you take for granted. This bottle from Cascina Fontana, a small family winery, is good, direct and honest, with nothing fancy, just delicious dark fruit flavors leavened with the distinctive, welcome tart bitterness.”

And here it is below the list of twenty wines chosen by Asimov to "close your eyes and look at the world" from a good glass despite the pandemic:

Artomaña Arabako Txakolina Xarmant 2019 – 19,68 euros

Alkoomi Frankland River Black Label Riesling 2018 – 18,02 euros

Maître de Chai Clements Hills Red Table Wine 2018 – 16,46 euros

Odoardi Calabria Red Wine 1480 The Beginning 2015 – 14 euros

Cacique Maravilla Pipeño País 2019 – 18 euros

Feudo Montoni Sicily Catarratto Masso 2018 – 11,80 euros

Patrick Jasmin Collines Rhodaniennes La Chevalière 2016 – 19 euros

Argatia Macedonia Haroula 2017 – 18 euros

Ver Sacrum Valle de Uco GSM 2018 – 19 euros

Weszeli Kamptal Langenlois Grüner Veltliner 2019 – 19 euros

Domaine Tatsis Macedonia Limnio 2018 – 19 euros