Tag Archives: Italy

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….

Cameron Hughes Lot 717 Super Tuscan 2015, Toscana, Italy

19 Tuesday May 2020

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Very rich purple in the glass and semi opaque.  The nose gives off cherry, baking spices, bakers yeast and red currants.  On the palate it is very drinkable, smooth and fruity.  Raspberries, red currants and those spices hit the palate.  As the wine rolls over the mid palate I get a sour rhubarb note that gives the wine some zing.  Very fine grained tannins appear on the finish to leave a rather pleasant mouthfeel.  This light to medium bodied wine calls for white pasta dishes, roast chicken or Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus.  It gets 90 points from me and I would drink till 2024.  For $20, it’s a good deal on Super Tuscan juice.  4 stars.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes LOT 692 Barbaresco 2007, Italy

12 Tuesday May 2020

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Quite see-through and showing off a reddish/purple hue in the glass.  On the nose I get sour cherry and rhubarb.  On the palate it starts off with that sour cherry, some cola and rooibos tea.  There is a crisp acidity that begins on the front end and carries all the way through.  Lithe tannins greet me on the mid palate where the sour cherry theme continues alongside some raspberry and vanilla notes.  The finish is quite tart but I get a very defined cherry note and some earthiness- leather and creosote.  Overall this is a tasty wine but for $39, it’s a stretch.  I’m going 89 points and 3 stars.  Drink till 2025 with Pasta or hearty appetizers.  Salut….

Cusumano Nero d’Avola Terre Siciliane IGT 2018, Sicily, Italy

26 Sunday Apr 2020

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Number two in the virtual line-up was this Nero D’Avola from Sicily.  I wanted to add a relatively unknown varietal to try and introduce new wines to my friends.  This one was a steal at $12 and scored highly amongst the attendees.  I gave it 89 points and will go with 4 stars.  It had some very nice black fruits, good tannic structure and a decent finish of licorice and oak adding to plums.  Cellar for up to 6 years.  A good wine to have in case you need a quick go-to bottle.  Salut….  

Tenuta di Burchino ‘Il Burchino’ Toscana IGT 2010, Tuscany, Italy

21 Tuesday Apr 2020

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Pale purple in the glass.  The nose gives off violets, black currants, sweet oak and vanilla bean.  On the palate it’s just what I expected- dark fruits, woody, fresh and tart.  The acidity is delicious in this one, keeps me on my toes.  The black fruit core really pushes through the mid palate.  There are some barely discernible tannins that finally appear on the finish alongside some wintergreen.  Refreshing is the phrase that comes to mind.  The tannic bite coupled with the acidity on the finish is really a treat.  88 points, drink now till 2021 with pasta, pizza or charcuterie.  3 stars for this $14 Sangiovese/Cab/Merlot blend.  Salut….

San Felice Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 tasting #2, Tuscany, Italy

10 Friday Apr 2020

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I have sat on a few of these bottle of San Felice for a while now because they were not quite ready the last time I drank one in 2017.  This bottle is showing a semi opaque medium shade of purple in the glass.  Really nice legs are exhibited.  The nose has an earthy tone, pomegranate and cherry.  I also get cardamom.  Interesting.  The palate is far more evolved since the last time, really nice dark cherry, rhubarb and spice box. The wine exhibits a really nice acidity that is even and of the right amount.  The mouthfeel is really smooth, with a nice warmth that leads into a very delicate tannic frame.  The midpalate has more of the red fruits and some dusty earthiness.  The finish is very much a cherry affair, with the acidity and tannins really peaking into a dry, mouth puckering ending.  It’s a really delicious wine, but not quite there yet.  I am seeing evolution, with more to come.  The framework will hold this wine up for a long while, giving me time to re-evaluate over the next 10-15 years with the other bottles.  Overall I am sticking with my 93 point rating and 5 stars for this $45 Sangiovese.  Pairing with spaghetti and sausage meatballs.  Salut….