We tasted tonight (8/14/19) some More Mixed Reds:
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Piccoli Caparbio DOC: Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore/Veneto (14%; www.PiccoliWine.It; ToscoImprts)
Piccoli Daniela/Tommasini Veronica/Verona 2016: Med.color; fairly strong cherry/berry/almost Sangio-like
light pencilly/oak some earthy/dusty fairly attractive nose; rather tart/sour strong cherry/Sangio-like/
berry slight tangy/metallic fairly earthy/dusty/rustic light oak flavor w/ some brisk tannins; very long
bright/cherry/Sangio-like light pencilly/oak rather earthy/dusty finish w/ ample bitey tannins; needs 2-6
yrs of age; a bit like an earthy/rustic Sangio. $28.00 (EVN)
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Piovene Porto Godi Thovara DOC: ColliBerici Tai Rosso/Veneto (14%; ToscoImprts; www.Piovene.com)
Godi Alessandro/Toara di Villaga 2011: Dark color; slightly funky/hantavirus/mousey/bit oxidized rather
earthy/dusty little fruit rather tired nose; very sour some funky/mousey/hantavirus very earthy/loamy/
rustic rather tired bit oxidized quite metallic flavor w/ ample bitter/astringent tannins; very long quite
sour/rustic/earthy/loamy funky/hantavirus finish w/ ample astringent/tired tannins; no fruit to speak of
and no Grenache character; pretty much a shot wine. $36.00 (EVN)
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Forlorn-Hope O.D.B. Trousseau Noir RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (107 cs; 10.72%; “Old Dirty Bastardo”) 2017:
Light garnet/dark rose color; quite pretty fragrant strawberry/Trousseau some earthy/dusty/bit loamy slight
rustic nose; quite tart/tangy light strawberry/Trouss fairly earthy/dusty/rustic flavor w/ light tannins;
med.long rather tart/tangy/bit metallic perfumed/Trouss/strawberry/cherry some earthy/loamy finish w/
light bitey tannins; quite pretty aromatics but a bit lacking in flavor; a pretty Vin de Soif but just that.
$30.00
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Forlorn-Hope C/Ghost Mondeuse RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (125 cs; 12.63%; “Crimson Ghost”) 2017: Very dark
color; horribly corked/TCA/musty/wet newspapers; dreadfully sour heavily TCA/corked musty flavor;
unredeemably corked and undrinkable; too bad. $32.00
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Matthiasson Refosco MatthiassonVnyd/NapaVlly (12.6%) 2015: Dark color; lovely Refosk/blackberry/licorice/
spicy light earthy very light pencilly/oak nose; rather tart/tangy/bit metallic some Refosk/blackberry/
black cherry/licorice bit earthy fairly lean/spare flavor w/ light tangy tannins; long light Refosk/
blackberry/black cherry/licorice slight pencilly/oak pretty tart/tangy finish w/ light tannins; speaks
quietly of Refosco but rather lean/spare on the palate. $45.00
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Matthiasson Refosco MatthiassonVnyd/NapaVlly (12.1%) Napa 2016: Very dark color; less fragrant lightly
Refosk/blackberry/licorice bit green/herbal/dusty nose; very tart/acidic/sour/metallic some earthy rather
green/eviscerated very light Refosk/blackberry flavor w/ light tangy/metallic tannins; med.long very tart/
acidic/some metallic/tangy very light Refosk/blackberry/licorice quite lean/spare/rather eviscerated finish
w/ light tannins; speaks of Refosco in a whisper and has a screechy acidity that makes it painful to drink;
would be laughed off the table in Cormons; age may help but it’s a gamble. $45.00
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Matthiasson Schiopettino #2 MatthiassonVnyd/NapaVlly (12%) NV: Dark color; fairly strong Schio/black pepper/
bit blackberry light pencilly/oak rather spicy attractive nose; fairly tart/tangy classic Schio/black pepper/
spicy/bit blackberry slight earthy/dusty light pencilly/oak flavor w/ light bracing tannins; very long classic
Schio/black pepper/blackberry bit earthy finish w/ light brisk tannins; speaks strongly of Schio but in a
lighter/lithe style; quite an attractive expression of Schio. $45.00
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Gigante Schioppettino IGT: Venezia Giulia (13%; www.AdrianGigante.It; ToscoImprts) Corno di Rosazzo/Udine
2013: Very dark color; very strong classic/Schio/black pepper/spicy/blackberry/black cherry slight earthy/loamy
quite fragrant nose; lightly tart slight earthy/rustic strong black peppery/spicy/Schio/licorice flavor w/
modest tangy tannins; very long classic/Schio/black pepper/blackberry/licorice somewhat structured slight
earthy/rustic finish w/ modest tannins; can use a few more yrs yet; a very good/solid/4-square Friuli Schio
but not at the level of the Ronchi di Cialla; well priced at $28.00 (EVN)
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FieldbrookCllrs Nebbiolo TrinityRiverCuvee/HumboltCnty (13.9%) Robert&Judy Hodgson 2013: Med.dark color;
somewhat tarry/earthy/Nebb bit licorice/pungent light floral/lilacs rather fragrant quite attractive nose;
fairly tart some tarry/pungent/Nebb/licorice/spicy bit earthy/dusty/slight loamy bit rustic flavor w/ modest
tangy tannins; very long quite tangy/tart some pungent/licorice/tarry/earthy/rustic light floral/lilacs
finish w/ modest tannins; a quite attractive/interesting rendition of Nebb more along the lines of the
Valtellina; very good price at $21.00
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terragena Nebbiolo LostCoast’s DragonVnyd/HumboltCnty (12.7%; Plntd: 1993; #65 of 900) Chris Buchanan 2016:
Light garnet/near rose color; lovely very pretty floral/violets/Nebb/lilacs bit spicy/cinammon lovely perfumed
nose; fairly tart/tangy bright/fresh rather floral/violets/lilacs/strawberry/Nebb high-toned bit earthy flavor
w/ light brisk tannins; very long bright quite floral/lilacs/violets/Nebb/strawberry slight earthy fairly
tart finish w/ modest tannins; captures well the floral side of Nebb; reminds a lot of the Vajra Clare JC Nebb
but not quite as perfumed/fragrant; a lovely expression of Nebb that is a joy to drink. $35.10
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cantine Garrone Munaloss RW (12%; 50% Nebb/30% Croatina/20% Barbera; 12 mo. in SS;
www.WineMonger.com) Crevoladossola NV: Very dark color; very strong floral/lilacs/violets/Nebb some pungent/
road tar light oak quite fragrant bit complex nose; quite tart/tangy somewhat savory bit floral/lilacs/Nebb/
violets/rose petal light tarry/pungent/sorrel fairly earthy/dusty flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long
some floral/Nebb/violets/lilacs slight tarry/pungent bit earthy/dusty finish w/ light tannins; a lovely mostly
Nebb nose but doesn’t quite deliver what the nose promises on the palate; quite attractive Nebb at a very
good price. $18.50 (WM)
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SandroFay Ronco del Picchio DOCG: Sforzato di Valtellina (15%; Nebbiolo; ToscoImprts) Marco Fay/
SanGiacomo di Teglio 2011: Med.dark color; rather herbal/sea weed/tide pool fairly exotic/weird slight
floral/cranberry slight pungent tarry bit earthy/root cellar rather savory/interesting fairly perfumed nose;
lightly tart rather tarry/pungent/earthy light floral/Nebb/herbal quite exotic flavor w/ light bracing
tannins; very long/lingering some tarry/pungent slight floral/cranberry/Nebb somewhat savory finish w/
light brisk tannins; not as rich/lush as most Sforzatos; speaks mostly of tarry Nebb but on the rather
savory/exotic side; quite an interesting Nebb. $55.00 (EVN)
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TablasCreekVnyds Counoise Estate/AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles (14.2%; Frmtd: SS; Aged: neutral oak)
2017: Med.light color; very fragrant/perfumed bright/cherry/strawberry/Grenache-like quite fruity/spicy/
cinammon slight earthy lovely nose; lightly tart bright/cherry/strawberry/spicy/fruity slight earthy flavor
w/ light soft tannins; med.long bright/cherry/strawberry/fruity/spicy light earthy finish w/ light tannins;
not a profound wine but a quite pretty easy-drinking Vin de Soif. $24.50 (VIN)
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Ridge Calif CabernetSauvignon MonteBello SantaCruzMtns (13.1%; 93% CS/7% Merlot; 45% slctn out; bttld:
May 1987; Drk: 2012:PD) 1985: Very dark color w/ little bricking; very strong Cab/blackcurranty quite
cedary/pencilly/toasty/coffee/oak slight herbal/rather Bdx-like bit earthy/dusty/OV quite complex nose;
fairly tart strong blackcurranty/Cab/spicy some herbal/Bdx-like quite cedary/pencilly/oak quite complex
flavor w/ some ripe/firm tannins; very long/lingering strong blackcurranty/Cab/herbal/Bdx-like fairly
cedary/pencilly/toasty/oak quite complex finish w/ modest ripe tannins; loads of Bdx-like character and
still quite youthful; terrific MonteBello masterpiece; will go another 10 yrs at least.
More sikersputz from TheBloodyPulpit:
- Tai Rosso: This is the local name for a variety that was formerly known as Tocai Rosso. It turns out to be
DNA-wise the same as Garnacha, but it has evolved over the centuries into its own grape identity in the
ColliBerici…
- Ripasso: This is a Valpolicella that is made by re-passing the grape skins used to make Amarone. After the
skins are used to make the Amarone and pressed off the wine, they are added back to the recently-frmtd
Valpolicella, starting a 2’nd fermentation, and contributing more alcohol & flavor to the original
Valpolicella.
- Matthiasson: Steve is a darling of the IPoB crowd because he harvests earlier and aims for lower alcohols.
But when I taste his reds (I like his whites quite a lot, where his style works better), I oftentimes wish
they had just a little more omphh. Sometimes the acidity makes them a bit painful to drink. I always have
hopes the high acidity means they’ll age into something interesting…but I’m not yet convinced of that.
Of these three, the Schio was an easy favorite for it’s strong Schio varietal character. But it was still
a bit on the lean/spare side and the Gigante was far more pleasurable a Schio. The '16 Refosco was just too
painful on the palate to enjoy. Would love to see what BryanHarrington would do with these varieties.
- Garrone: Located in the remote part of Piemonte known as Val d’Ossola, the pointy part of Piemonte that
sticks up into the Val d’Aosta. There are some who think this is were the variety Nebbiolo originated. Garrone
makes a wine called Prunent, the local name for Nebbiolo, from their oldest vnyds. One of the best expressions
of Nebbiolo in all Italy.
- HumboltCnty: Is HumboltCnty the “natural” home for Nebbiolo in Calif?? Who knows? But these two HumboltCnty Nebbs were two of the better ones I’ve had from Calif. Quite different in style, but both quite good.
Tom