TN: 2006 Gallardi Terra di Lavoro

Oh my goodness.
This is fantastic.
I am not a huge fan of big extracted wines.
This wine has volume and plenty of fruit.
It also has vitality and freshness in the mouth.
Thanks to both the John’s for my small stash.

2006 Fattoria di Gallardi Terra di Lavoro

Dark purple. A huge nose of dark fruit and some element of earth. There is a notion of tar that adds complexity. The palate is fresh and dominated by dark fruit in the mouth at this point. Bordeaux like to me. A complex element that is hard to describe in the mix. An umami element. The finish goes on and on.

Thanks for the note, Don. Have you had any previous vintages of this wine? Can you compare them?

thanks for the note, i am negotiating with the importer on this right now [beg.gif]

Don, thanks so much! I have a case of the 04, but haven’t popped one yet. Any comparison to that vintage?

Chris

I haven’t had the 06 yet but the 04 was a structured wine that was approachable with air and food as of about 6 months ago. Here’s what I wrote on CT about the 04 (which is full of people who don’t get this wine, it would appear):

This wine is all about potential. I think the negative reviews of this wine are from people expecting what they get when they open a $100 bottle of Napa Cabernet or something similarly lush, ripe and forward. This is a brooding, structured, deep, haunting wine with just loads of ash, tar, blue and black fruit, dust, rainwater and almost hints of cinnamon and malt on the finish. Essentially no oak showing, very pure yet intensely concentrated, perfectly fresh ripe fruit, loads of tannin and perfectly balanced acidity with no over-ripeness or jamminess. Currently very wound up and backwards, this is going to be stunning in 10-20 years.

Ken,
I think this wine really compares favorably with 2001.
Right now. The 2001 is just killin’ great. Such a wonderfully balanced wine with incredible length.
Everything is there for a real barn burning wine in this 2006.
Fabulous freshness.
Plenty of fruit and structure.
Incredible length.
I have an 05 I am going to pop some time soon just for kicks.
I haven’t had the 04 unfortunately.
FWIW
Don

Don I found the 05 a touch harder / more oldschool than the 04, the 04 seems a hair riper and more forward. Perhaps comparable to 04 vs 05 Tempier. I’ve had a few CdP and other S Rhones where the 04 has similarly been a bit more lush / approachable than the 05.

For the Terra di Lavoro the 04 might be a bit better than the 05 in my eye but I need to have them both a couple of times before really saying. It sounds like the 06 is a real treat though!

Josh,

I will try to find an 04 at some point.
This 06 has the finesse that great bottles of this wine have had in great years like 2000, 2001. It seems there was a change in strategy by Cotarella after 2001.
More extraction and the wines lost their personality in a way. They became like many Aglianico based wines. Coarser and denser.
This 06 is very much like the 2001 in so many ways.
I think you will like it.

Cheers,

Don

Thanks for the TN and the discussion of the vintages. I have 2 bottles of the 04 and the CT window is 2012 or later. It sounds like I should push that up a bit. Can’t wait!

If anyone in Dallas is looking for this wine let me know, it’s on the way [drinks.gif]

Really looking forward to trying it!