Tag Archives: Italy

G.D. Vajra Albe 2016, Barolo DOCG, Italy

21 Sunday Feb 2021

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I asked the group to decant this Nebbiolo for several hours before we met for tasting #15. I did not want to fight with a tannic beast and felt it best to go against my norm and give it a chance to soften. As expected from this varietal it was see-through with nice legs and showing a touch of bricking already. On the nose we got truffle, pepper, chocolate, dried cherry, tobacco, earth and it smelled ‘dry’. On the palate it was kinda blah. Tart cherry, tobacco and not much else going on. It was very disappointing from the hype generated by the reviews. I was hoping for a rich, beefy wine that would show off the grape but was let down. Overall I will go with 89 points and 2 stars for this $34 wine. Drink till 2028. Salut….

Azienda Agricola Gabutti Boasso Barolo ‘Gabutti’ 2016, Barolo DOCG, Italy

12 Friday Feb 2021

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This young Nebbiolo is 50% opaque and has a beautiful crimson hue in the glass. Thick legs bely the potent 15% alcohol. On the nose I get cranberries, cherry, anise and leather- textbook. On the palate it is delicious, if not young. The tannins are formidable but I manage to break through the barrier and taste Bing cherries, leather, espresso and black tea. The tannins are gripping on the mid-palate, so much so that the top of my gums feel abused by rough hewn rope. The finish is a terrifically dry affair but the red fruits come through as does a balancing acidity. This is a delicious infant of a monster wine. With proper aeration, decating or extended cellaring it will soften and develop into a beautiful bottle. For now, you will need to pair it with a fatty meat, like I am with Rack of Lamb- or decant over a full day. 93 points from me as I see the potential in this wine and look forward to our next meeting. At $55 it is typically priced for a Barolo, which are never cheap. I am going with 5 stars as I think this one will reward some patience and be delicious by 2025. Drink till 2033. Salut….

La Rasina Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2013, Tuscany, Italy

31 Sunday Jan 2021

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This Sangiovese was second up at the virtual wine tasting. At 7 years of age it is already showing signs of maturity with bricking on the meniscus it is semi opaque with a lovely shade of purple and long legs in the glass. The nose blew me away. I was astounded that such a young wine could already show nuances of leather, earth, cordial cherry, cinnamon and spice box. The palate was a slight disappointment after smelling this beauty- the flavors were not quite as powerful but we still got Luxardo cherries, Angostura bitters, leather, tobacco and spice. Grippy tannins reminded us that this wine is technically still young but they are offset by some juicy acidity. Yummy stuff overall that scored a monster 19 on my system. Had there been a touch more body and concentration of fruit it would have hit the magical 20. Overall it gets 92 points from me and at $45- 5 stars. I would buy again and drink till 2028. Salut….

Castelli Martinozzi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

20 Wednesday Jan 2021

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I am looking forward to this Sangiovese, which will pair with grilled Lamb chops, Prosciutto wrapped asparagus and boiled carrots. It shows a deep red yet see-through hue in the glass which can be expected of the varietal. On the nose I get loads of cherry, strawberry and red licorice. The palate is stupendous- rich red fruit compote, leather, great acidity and very fine grained tannins. The cherry component is very red, the strawberry giving way to pomegranate and cranberry. Oak use is very deft and the juiciness of the acidity is on pointe. The mid palate adds a spicy component and some tar. The tannins are starting to grip as well. On the long finish I still get red cherry and that tartness from currants and cranberries. This is quite a rich, layered wine with much complexity. I am really enjoying it and the thought of charred Lamb with the cut of this wine- it’s going to be amazing. Whilst a touch young, if you like them a little dry and fresh then drink now. Cellaring for a few years will reward and I will imagine this wine can last till 2030 at the least. 92 points from me and 5 stars for this $40 stunner. Salut….

Diversi dal Solito Vino Rosso 2019, Sicily, Italy

24 Thursday Dec 2020

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Here’s the scene- it’s Christmas Eve, Moxie is making her grandmother’s famous Holiday Crunch for dinner (a pasta casserole) and I am having to pick between four different bottles to try. Eenie meenie moe and voila- the Vino Rosso beats the Barolo, the Gigondas and the Cab Franc.

No idea what the blend is until I pour the wine, it’s gotta be a Sangiovese. Light purple, totally see through and obviously Italian. The nose gives me muted cherry, raspberry and cedar plank. On the palate it is very soft and easy drinking. Strawberry and cherry give it away. Very little tannin make this super light weight and easy without any astringency or acid. The mid palate is a red fruit melange plus some plum that takes me to the short lived finish. Right at the very end I sense some acidity taking hold, but it’s not jaw dropping. A tasty wine that will go well with our pasta dish which normally gets smothered in hot sauce. 86 points and 2 stars for this $19 charmer. Drink now. Salut….

Tasca d’Almerita Tenuta Regaleali Cabernet Sauvignon Sicilia IGT 2016, Sicily, Italy

22 Sunday Nov 2020

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The finale for the 12th virtual wine tasting was a stunner. Dark purple, opaque and very powerful on the nose. Spice box, vanilla, cocoa powder, black cherry and jam were all noted as was, dare I say- plastic and banana. The palate gave us black fruit jam, black tea bursting with beautiful tannins that really coated the mouth. This wine was delicious and I made note that the oak use was very judicious and well played. There was a shot of pepper on the short finish, which took a few points off the table. Still young, it will develop nicely and drink well till 2030. I’m going lower than the pros with 92 points and 5 stars. $50 is not cheap, but this wine has loads of stuffing to it and will get better with time. Salut….

Tintoretto Sangiovese 2019, Sicily, Italy

11 Wednesday Nov 2020

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Semi opaque with deep red color and thin legs in the glass.  On the nose I get cherry,  cinnamon, juniper and oak.  The palate has got cherry juice, blood orange and fruit cake notes with some lovely tannins to give it a touch of dryness.  There’s a hint of astringency on the mid palate that quickly fades into a juicy finish that gives me rhubarb and cherry flavors along with that touch of wood.  A delicious, lighter style of Sangiovese that will drink well into 2025.  I’m pairing it with Chicken Alfredo.  89 points and 4 stars for this $17 wine. Salut….

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Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2016, Veneto, Italy

09 Monday Nov 2020

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This wine was the third offering at the 11th Virtual Wine Tasting. I have drunk an absolute ton of this wine from earlier vintages and was really looking forward to introducing the Ripasso style of winemaking to my friends. Unfortunately, this wine has been a letdown of late. See my previous posts on the Zenato Ripasso.

Our tasters said the following: Semi opaque, dark purple.  On the nose- Blackberry jam, rich nose, floral, black licorice, peppery, leather, lilac.  On the palate, berry.  Sweeter that expected.  Sharp finish.  Spicy, green pepper, berry.  Velvety but slightly bitter on the back end.  Iodine and leather for the finish.

I was underwhelmed and am giving this wine 89 points yet again. For $25 it’s a solid 3 pointer but there are far better wines to spend that kind of loot on. Drink till 2025. Salut….

Tenuta Vitanza Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

09 Monday Nov 2020

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Semi opaque dark red in the glass. On the nose I get cherries, dried herbs, almond and rhubarb.  The initial palate shows off sour cherry, more nuts and red currants.  Juicy acidity hits me right off the bat.  There’s a nice core of tannins that are present but not obtrusive.  Red fruits dominate the mid palate and the finish – which is medium length.  I like the cut of this wine and think it will drink nicely till 2028.  91 points and 4 stars for this relatively young Sangiovese that goes for $50. Pasta would be a great pairing. Salut….

Conterno Fantino Vignota Barbera d’Alba 2016, Piedmont, Italy

18 Sunday Oct 2020

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I usually pick a lighter style wine to go early in the Virtual Wine Tasting Company’s lineup, it’s normally a Pinot but this time I selected a Barbera d’Alba. I thought the varietal closely mimicked the lightness and flavor profile of Pinot but I was off the mark with this particular bottle. It was very dark red in the glass with medium opacity and very fine legs that showed off it’s whopping 15% alcohol. On the nose the tasters got black licorice, blackberry, currants, cherry cola and ‘Shrinky Dink’. I could smell the alcohol a mile away and the flavors came forth out of the glass with no coaxing needed. I made a note of ‘intense black fruit flavors’ on my own.

The palate showed black cherry and licorice with light tannins but the flavors were jammy and deep. The finish was slightly dry with caressing tannins and juicy acidity. I really enjoyed this wine and gave it 16 points on my tasting sheet. Technically translated- that would be a 91 point effort for this $33 beauty that gets 5 stars from me. Drink till 2028 with lighter fare. Quote of the night – “Water running over moss covered rocks.” He obviously did not enjoy it as much as I! Salut….