Tag Archives: Italy

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….

Libellas Pinot Grigio 2019, DOC Garda, Italy

13 Tuesday Oct 2020

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This Pinot Grigio is a very light shade of yellow in the glass. The nose is zesty with grapefruit, lemon peel and green apple. On the palate it is not as cutting as I was expecting, the acidity is a little more demure allowing the rich lemon curd and grapefruit to shine. It has a really full mouthfeel as it transitions to the mid palate. The fruit is in full swing and the acidity is just starting to show up. Lanolin, honeysuckle and the citrus notes all carry the wine to a medium length finish. It’s really a pleasant drop, if not a bit atypical in style. I am enjoying it as I prepare Shrimp Creole, which begs for this style of white. 89 points from me. Listed at $16, it gets 4 stars from me. Drink till 2023. Salut….

Badissa Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, IGT, Italy

08 Thursday Oct 2020

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Pale yellow in the glass. The nose is fruity with grapefruit, tangerine and a honeysuckle component.  On the palate it is a touch sweet with warmth from the honey note.  The citrus components are ripe and fresh with just a hint of acidity.  The mid palate is really nice, the mouthfeel being very round and balanced.  The finish is curt, weighing on the tangerine side of things and adds a nutty note at the end.  It’s a tasty wine to pop as you prepare dinner or enjoy it with salad nicoise.  88 points, drink till 2023. 3 stars for this $14 effort. Salut….

Primi Soli Cabernet Sauvignon Colli Berici 2019,Veneto, Italy

01 Thursday Oct 2020

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This Italian Cab Sav is see-through and a lighter shade of purple in the glass. On the nose I get red currants and rhubarb with a hint of chocolate. The palate is quite tart but opens up to some nice red fruits, a bit of blueberry pie and an oaky undertone. The wine has just a touch of tannic hint which is a welcome change. The mid palate is delightful with a nice, light mouthfeel. Red berries and tart rhubarb really come through as does some pomegranate. It is quite gripping in the acid department which makes for a very precise and focused wine. There is no flab here. The finish is juicy and fruity, with barely a trace of any tannins. Structure wise- it’s slightly imbalanced between the acidity and the tannic backbone, which leads to a shorter cellar capacity. It is however a delicious and easy to drink wine that would go really well with Bolognese or Osso Bucco. Drink till 2025. 88 points. Price unknown. Salut….

Fattoria La Lecciaia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2013, Tuscany, Italy

28 Monday Sep 2020

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Pale red, absolutely see through.  Strawberries, cherry twizlers and earthy minerality on the nose.  The palate is very racy- the theme continues with red fruits, some sour cranberry to boot and nice fine grained tannins.  There’s a juicy acidity that gives the wine a nice cutting edge.  Right now the mid palate ramps up the concentration of fruit flavors, really red and smooth.  The acidity is on pointe giving me a nice mouthfeel.  The finish is medium in length with a delightful combo of  cranberry, rhubarb, cherry, oak and crunchy tannins.  Delicious, if not a touch young.  Drink till 2028.  92 points.  It’s a 5 star effort at $35, worthy of cellaring a few bottles.  Salut….

Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT 2015, Veneto, Italy

28 Monday Sep 2020

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This was the last wine in tasting #9 of the Virtual Wine Tasting Company.  It’s a blend of Corvina and Rondinella with 30% of the fruit undergoing a drying process prior to vinification.  This style of winemaking is very prevalent in Amarone wines so I was intrigued to try this vino.  It’s quite dark and thick in the glass, which is what I was expecting.  On the nose it is quite horrendous IMHO.  Asphalt, baby diaper, cat box, cat pee and tea were all notes from the group. On day 2, it’s pretty much the same for me.  The palate is plummy, surprisingly light, spicy and has notes of blackberry, pepper and is a touch spicy.  On the mid palate it gets a black tea note and some dusty tannins.  The wine finishes a touch dry and has some plums eking out the funky notes for a last minute stand.  The finish lasts a good 30 seconds but is not very pleasant.  85 points from me, perhaps this bottle is not right either?  At $17, it gets 1 star.  Salut….

La Rasina Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

01 Tuesday Sep 2020

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In the glass this Sangiovese is very dark, opaque and brooding.  On the nose it is perfumed with some bold cherry notes, black currants and spicy oak.  The palate is delicious folks- ripe black cherry, crispy tannins, juicy acidity and cedar.  The mid palate is stunning too with more of that juicy fruit and a shift to some red currants, rhubarb, game and cherry compote.  The finish displays a nice balance between the medium grip tannins and the acidity.  Judicious use of oak is evident as there is a touch of it on the back end but it is not obtrusive.  This is a well made wine that I am thoroughly enjoying whilst making spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and Caeser Salad.  93 points for this $50 stunner that will drink well till 2030.  I’m going with 5 stars.  Salut….

Tenuta di Nozzole Riserva 2016, Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy

28 Sunday Jun 2020

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For thew 4th Virtual Tasting event I wanted a Sangiovese to go alongside the Pinot Noir I was planning to showcase.  I find the two varietals very similar in many traits, so the the challenge was to find a decent, ready to drink Chianti that hopefully would show off the core characteristics of the grape.  This one turned out to be too young, subdued and not very forthcoming with fruit albeit with strong structure.  It scored well with the pros but came in a very disappointing last place overall amongst our group.  The wine showed well in the glass, more opaque than I had expected but the nose was very hard to coax any cherry flavors out of.  Moxie noted salt on her initial sniff.  It did not open up much on the palate but did have a tannic backbone masking the fruit.  Acidity was medium but not overpowering.  I remember thinking this wine had a good dose of oak, charcoal and tobacco.  I did not write up any further notes but remember  the finish was not very satisfying or long.  It’s a shame as the big boys averaged 92 points.  I feel it might need a re-tasting in the future once it has mellowed out.  I will reserve judgement for now.  I paid $23 which would have technically made it a 5 star wine.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 693 Barolo 2011, Piemonte, Italy

27 Wednesday May 2020

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Semi opaque with a dark red hue.  On the nose I get dark cherries, beautiful oak, raspberry and dried herbs.  On the palate there’s an immediate thrust of leather, tobacco and cherry.  It is a touch tart but mouthwatering.  The cherry theme continues onto the mid palate where I also get a good thwack of tannins.  Wow, this wine is a cherub.  Creosote, black plums and that tart cherry all mingle on the palate and I sense this wine is not yet close to maturity.  The finish is long, tannic, tart and fruity with those cherries galore, some sage and more leather.  I regret opening this wine so young, but I will get more for the cellar.  Tonight I will pair it with Sous Vide Ribeyes, probably the best combo I could think of for this tannic monster Nebbiolo.  Drink from 2025 to 2030 at the least.  92 points and 5 stars for this $39 beauty.  Salut….