Roberto, i know collecting Emidio Pepe, Valentini and Paolo Bea is going off the rack rather than couture but do you have any opinions on current vintages?
I’d like to reload the cellar with some montepulciano,trebbiano and sagrantino
TYIA
RK
Pepe and Bea are at the top of their games. I haven’t tasted any Valentini made after he died so I can’t comment on that.
what vintages are long term and short term buys
i ask because the 2001 2003 and 2005 pepe is available in town
2003 sounds weird
while picking your brain,
how is the Bea Trebbiano?
Go with 2001 and 2005, I’ve never had Bea Treb, just the crazy blend.
I’m hoping you plan to age the Pepe Rossos for 25-30 yrs. It may be worth your while to just go find some from the 70s, especially '78 and enjoy.
I’ve had 99 and 01 Bea and have bought a lot of 01 and 04 based on those. I’d be happy to have some 98, 99 and 00 in the cellar as well. On the “bigger” end of my scale (ripe, concentrated, explosive, masculine, nothing oaky/modern here) but I f*cking love it. Pure bottled win.
This stuff is as rare as rockinghorse pooh over here… a winemaker mate of mine managed to score a couple of bottles of the Valentini Rosso 1978 at auction for something stupid like $40 each which were awesome and I found a 1997 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo in a winestore in Adelaide a week or two ago and scoffed that also.
Pepe…I wish…thinking about grabbing one of the 1978’s I’ve seen floating around in the U.S…any thoughts?