This wine tasting marked a few firsts for me. Firstly, the Nebbiolo grape, in the form of the vegan-friendly Trentham Estate Nebbiolo. Offering juicy dark fruits like blackberry and plum, with some spice and earthiness, this a medium-weight wine with some complexity and tannins, which you would expect from a Nebbiolo. Is it the best Nebbiolo out there? The jury is still out, but it’s worth a shot, especially when it’s less than £15.
And the second first? Being able to make use of the best Christmas present ever; this gorgeous decanter!
I must admit I’m a little afraid of handling it – especially after a glass or two….
Trentham Estate Nebbiolo 2017
Nebbiolo might be a grape of Italian origin, but this bottle is actually from South Australia. The hotter climates makes it juicier and a bit more floral than its European cousins. It’s part-matured in oak, which gives it riper tannins and a certain earthiness.
It’s made by Trentham Estate, founded by the Murphy family who migrated to Australia from Ireland in 1909. Their vineyards are situated on the banks of the Murray river.
It’s lighter than a Barolo, making it a bit more accessible, though you should still expect to enjoy this fully when experienced alongside food – the tannins and earthiness make it a solid match for (as Trentham recommends) wood-fired pizza or pasta dishes. I enjoyed mine with one of absolute favourite recipes: hearty vegan lasagne with walnuts and chestnut mushrooms. The hidden gem of the dish is the creamy tofu béchamel – as a former cheese lover, even I don’t miss cheese in this!
If you’re looking to make your own vegan pizza, here’s a recipe for easy pizza dough.
La Famiglia
Trentham Estate’s “The Family” range is a collection of Italian-born style and varietals, including Prosecco, Moscato and Vermentino. My knowledge of wine law isn’t extensive, but I do wonder how they are allowed to called their Prosecco by that name, considering it’s now a protected denomination of Italy. I would guess it’s something to do with the fact that the grape varietal, Glera, used to be called Prosecco, and potentially they might import their grapes. On the Trentham website, the varietal listed is Prosecco. This is mainly ambling speculation between sips, though!
This particular bottle is available from wine merchants (I bought mine from Slurp Wines in Leamington Spa for about £13) or Amazon: a case of 3 for £35.00.
More information on the 2017 is available here on the Trentham Estate’s tasting sheet.
Any Nebbiolo fans out there?
Jess x
The Uncorked Vegan 