A lightly fizzy bargain of a delicate and fresh white from the hills outside of Parma, Lamoretti’s sparkling Malvasia is nowhere near as famous as the region’s two most popular exports, Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano. Nevertheless, it’s a mouthwateringly delicious sidekick for such fabulous foods and a worthy addition to any Italian inspired party, picnic or feast.
Embarked upon a tasty attempt to “discover the origin” of Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano a few weeks back, I managed to make a sideline visit to the nearby Lamoretti vineyards while there. Set amidst the lilting countryside with a wistful view across the Val di Parma to the famous castle of Torrechiara, the vineyard provided a lovely setting for a slurp of some local quenchers.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed all the offerings from this small family owned vineyard. I was especially impressed by Lamoretti’s Malvasia and how it paired up so amazingly well with Parma ham. This frizzante naturale, acidic and citrus-y wine cut through the (wonderful) fatty flavour of the ham to yield a dry aftertaste like that of a brut Champagne … but at a fraction of the cost!
I picked up a bottle of the 2011 from the vineyard shop to take home for a mere €5. Honestly, I’d have paid a good bit more for it, but that’s what my host, Giovanni Lamoretti, asked for it. At that price, I wished I’d been in a position to grab a few more bottles. Unfortunately, his wines are next to impossible to find here in the UK. And it’s a real shame! I was lucky to have my 2011 Malvasia with me during another recent excursion, this one to the Pembrokeshire coast; the wine was an exquisite accompaniment to a meal of freshly dressed Solva crab.
Hopefully, a few more raves like this one will start to show up online and on the radar of British distributors so that this easy drinking, low sulphite wine can achieve the recognition and custom is deserves.
Find out more:
lamorettivini.com
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