Oenotria and Iberia

UK importer Enotria picked up the trophy from the International Wine Challenge this year for, as befits their name, Italian Specialist 2010. I had a chance to taste some of their award-netting Italians, along with a few of their wines from Spain and Portugal. And to see what the opposition was doing, I popped into the Justerini & Brooks Italian-Iberian tasting as well.

I was unexpectedly struck by Colterenzio's Lafoa Sauvignon Blanc – made by the South Tyrol co-operative, it showed none of the cynical neutrality that is so often the hallmark of co-op wines. Another very exciting high-altitude white...