A wine for the rest of us
Kim Pierce / Special Contributor - November 6, 2004
 Breeding shows in wine and in people, and this was apparent when Salviano scion Piero Incisa della Rocchetta stopped in Dallas recently.
For mere mortals, his family's Sassicaia (about $170) is nectar of the gods. The upstart cabernet sauvignon has been compared to the finest Bordeaux and was a daring departure from Italian wine tradition in the 1960s, when Mr. Incisa's grandfather released it.
At the other end of the spectrum, Salviano Orvieto Classico Superiore is an unqualified value at $12.99.
Because the family has held its land for nearly 700 years, there's no bank loan to pay back, so the winemaker can concentrate on making the best wine – in this case, a blend that starts with procanico and verdello grapes and features creamy citrus and melon notes, followed by an enduring finish. "Superiore" means that the grape yield is 35 percent less than "classico," concentrating the fruit's intensity and depth.
"It's a staple Umbrian wine," says Mr. Incisa. "In Italy, when you think of Umbria and winemaking, Orvieto is that wine that comes to mind." Available at the Liquor Shoppe on Mockingbird.
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©2004
The Dallas Morning News 
