Select Brands is the newest beverage importer in what is becoming a feisty wine and spirits marketplace. In this their first public event, the Select Brands team, consisting of Debra Taylor, David and Tania McConnell, brought the Bolla wines of Italy for their guests at Bin 26 Wine Bar during the Jamaica Observer's Salut! celebrations.

Bolla Winery

The story of Bolla wines begins with one man, Abele Bolla. Abele lived in northern Italy in the Veneto region where he ran a small family inn. Wishing to offer his guests a superior experience, Abele made a decision that would launch his family's business into the international spotlight. He decided to make and serve his own wine, a Soave. The year was 1883. The Soave Abele made was a fresh, crisp, golden-hued wine. It was immediately recognised as being true to the land, a wine that captured the essence of the Veneto region. Requests for Abele's wine grew as more and more friends, family and guests tasted his handiwork. It was not long before the Bolla family dedicated all its time to producing fine regional wines from Italy. And the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Northeast Italy - Veneto, Friuli and Trentino

These three areas produce the majority of the wine that comes from Italy. Veneto is the home of some of Italy's most famous wines, this area in the northeastern quadrant of Italy produces Soave, Valpolicella and Prosecco. This region is also the home of Bolla Winery. With a reasonably sized portfolio available to them, Select Brands decided to highlight the essence of Italy and pour those wines that shout Italy loud and clear -- Pinot Grigio, Bardolino, Valpolicella, Chianti and Amarone.

Bolla Pinot Grigio is made from grapes grown mainly in northeast Italy in Veneto, Friuli and Trentino. One sip will express why this varietal has become so popular within the last few years. From its beautiful pale straw colour to its amazing crisp and lively taste of lemons, limes, peaches and melons, this light, dry wine is infinitely satisfying. Pair the Bolla Pinot Grigio with seafood, white meat, creamed sauced pastas and grilled vegetables. It also makes an ideal aperitif.

Bolla Bardolino is a bright ruby-red wine with hints of black cherry on the nose. It is soft and fruit-forward, with black-fruit flavours followed by a bright and fresh finish. Serve it as the Italians do -- young and lightly chilled. Pairs perfectly with fleshy fish, beef, lamb, red-sauced pastas and pizza. The Bardolino area lies in the western part of the Veneto region of Italy. The grapes used for these wines are Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, and Negrara - the same blend that makes up the better-known Valpolicella wines, but Bardolino usually is not as full-bodied.

Bolla Valpolicella is a sumptuous wine with flavours of berries, cherries and almonds, enhanced with subtle oak, vanilla and spice complexity from aging in new oak casks. It is made from hand-picked Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes from the hillside zone of the Valpolicella DOC area. This wine pairs well with rich pastas, grilled red meats, salmon, and soft cheeses. The Valpolicella area is an important red wine region in Veneto ranks just after Chianti for Italy's total DOC red wine production. Valpolicella's standard DOC wines are rather light and very fragrant and fruity. Those labelled "superior" have a higher minimum alcohol content and are aged for a minimum of one year.

Bolla Chianti is made from Sangiovese grapes picked in the hillsides of the Chianti DOCG zone in Tuscany. This well-balanced, fruit-forward wine has an intense violet aroma and a fresh, slightly spicy taste of black cherry, plum and raspberry. It's a delicious red wine that's a joy to sip and a perfect match for rich pastas, steaks, roasted meats, and aged cheeses.

Aristocratic Amarone della Valpolicella, usually known as Amarone, is one of the jewels of Italian winemaking. Bolla Amarone della Valpolicella is deep garnet, velvety-red in colour with aromas of wild-cherry jam, spice and cedar notes. The finish is long, round and persistent with cacao and spices. Bolla Amarone is made only in exceptional years. Amarone is a rich, dry red wine made from the partially dried grapes of the Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara varieties (same used to make Valpolicella and Bardolino). Where Valpolicella is a light-to-medium-weight wine meant for consumption with lighter fare with in its first three to five years, Amarone is a much more robust wine that is perfect with game birds or other such sturdy fare over the course of seven to 15 years. The reason for the difference is in the winemaking; to produce Amarone the winemaker will take the harvested grapes and lay them on a straw mat, for the grapes to dry over the course of several months creating a raisiny flavour that is a distinctive character of Amarone. The word comes from the Italian word amaro ("bitter"), as most examples have a tartness or slightly astringent edge to them. Alternatively, there is a sweet edge to them that can be explained in the concentrated sugars the grapes pick up during the drying process. No wonder this was the most sought-after wine for the night.

Bolla's idea is to provide a line of affordable wines to meet your everyday lifestyle and provide you with an authentic taste of Italy in every glass.

Chris Reckord — Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. He and his wife Kerri-Anne are part owners of Jamaica's only wine bar — Bin 26 Wine Bar in Devon House, Kingston. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com. Follow us on http://twitter.com/DeVineWines

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