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Tag Archives: tuscany

Casalforno Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

22 Wednesday Dec 2021

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$40, 4 stars, 90 points, brunello, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany


It’s getting close to Christmas so Moxie ordered Mama Carlino’s Lasagna for our first family dinner with my folks.  I needed something with some acidity, grippy tannins and  a sour cherry note to go with the pasta.  This one is a scant 6 years young and is a light shade of ruby in the glass with watery legs even though it sports a 14% ABV.  The nose is typical for Sangiovese- red cherry, leather, cranberry, tobacco, oak, tar, red licorice and something red I cannot quite put a finger on.  The palate is truly what I wanted- tart red cherry, great acidity, medium (+) tannins that caress and loads of intermingled red fruit.  The oak nuances are present and the wine is starting to develop tertiary notes.  Light to medium bodied it is complex and has a refreshing mouthfeel that finishes long.  I like this wine, it offers good fruit flavors, structure to age gracefully and is reasonably priced for a Brunello at $40.  Getting 90 points from me it is a 4 star effort to drink till 2030 with pasta dishes.  Salut….

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Casalforno Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2017, Tuscany, Italy

30 Tuesday Nov 2021

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$13, 4 stars, 89 points, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany


I would say this wine is of medium opacity and has purple to ruby color.  I can smell it a few feet away but as I nose in I get red cherry, leather, dried herbs, smoke and pomegranate.  The palate is sour, as expected from this varietal.  Juicy acidity and medium tannins give way to flavors of cherry, leather, dusty herbs and oak influences from smoke.  This wine is still primal, the red fruit is very prominent whilst the tertiary and secondary flavors and aromas are muted.  The sourness is evident till the back end yet the tannins recede somewhat from the opening push.  The wine is medium bodied and has a short finish.  I think it needs to flesh out a little, it will improve with age.  I would eventually pair this wine with Schnitzel, stuffed green peppers or any pasta with red sauce.  89 points from me for this $13 wine make it a 4 star effort.  Drink from 2023-2028.  Salut….

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Tenuta di Arceno Arcanum Toscana IGT 2015, Tuscany, Italy

30 Saturday Oct 2021

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$70, 4 stars, 92 points, bordeaux blend, Italy, super tuscan, tuscany, VWTC


The finale for the 21st Virtual Wine Tasting was this Super Tuscan blend of Cab Sav, Cab Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.  With 6 years of age it is starting to show a touch of garnet in the glass that is 75% opaque.  The group were torn on this wine, some liked the tertiary notes, others did not.  The combined flavors and aromas of the group include red twizzlers, blackcurrant, blackberry, vanilla, cigar, manure, barnyard, old wood, musty old oak beams, charcoal and some dried herbs.   Leather featured on the back end and I found this wine to be more complex on the nose versus the palate.  Super smooth tannins get grippy on the finish and we felt the wine had low to medium  acidity, medium body with a long finish.  It was very layered and balanced, even if the tannins started to kick off on the very tail end.  This wine will develop more tertiary notes and has the backbone to cellar for another 10 years easily.  It calls for a rustic pasta dish with truffles.  It was the big baller of the evening at $70, which makes it a 4 star wine for me at 92 points.  Salut….

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Dievole Novecento Riserva 2015, Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy

11 Sunday Jul 2021

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$33, 4 stars, 91 points, chianti classico, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany, VWTC


The third wine at tasting #19 was this 100% Sangiovese. Medium purple, it was more opaque than I was expecting from this varietal. The tasters got aromas of raspberry, flowers, iodine, chocolate, black cherry and a medicinal note (Oak influence?). On the palate it was very smooth with grippy tannins and medium plus acidity. Flavors of black cherry, coffee, iodine, licorice and black tea were accompanied by that medicinal note which someone stated was akin to cherry cough syrup. It is a tasty, bold wine with lots of aging capacity. It will drink well now if you like them tannic, or mellow out in a cellar and be more approachable in 2025 till 2030. 91 points from me for this $33 effort makes it a 4 star wine. Salut….

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Caparsa Chianti Classico DOCG 2016, Tuscany, Italy

08 Thursday Jul 2021

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$20, 5 stars, 91 points, chianti classico, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany


This week’s tasting assignment for school is a wine from Italy or Spain. I’ll end up doing both but here is the Tuscan one that I paid $20 for. It gets 91 points from me and is a brooding baby. This one needs a good aeration or several years in the cellar. 5 stars. Salut….

  • Appearance- Medium garnet with thin legs.
  • Nose- Medium (+) intensity with aromas of red cherry, red plum, cranberry, coffee, earth.  Developing.
  • Palate- dry, medium (+) acidity, high tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium (+) flavor intensity of red cherry, cranberry, tobacco, earth and coffee with medium (+) finish.
  • Conclusion- very good quality wine that can be drunk now, but has potential for aging.

Delicious but young Sangiovese, paired with dry-aged T-bone steak and baked potatoes.

 

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La Rasina Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2013, Tuscany, Italy

31 Sunday Jan 2021

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$45, 5 stars, 92 points, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany, VWTC


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….

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Castelli Martinozzi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

20 Wednesday Jan 2021

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$40, 5 stars, 92 points, brunello, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany


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….

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Tenuta Vitanza Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

09 Monday Nov 2020

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$50, 4 stars, 91 points, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany


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….

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

28 Monday Sep 2020

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$35, 5 stars, 92 points, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany


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….

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Cameron Hughes Lot 717 Super Tuscan 2015, Toscana, Italy

19 Tuesday May 2020

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$20, 4 stars, 90 points, Italy, sangiovese, tuscany


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….

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