A follow-up to my French evening, pt. 1 tasting: The idea here was to have a tasting where all the wines would be Italian - but that was the only thing they had in common. They could be from anywhere in the country; very conventional or very atypical or somewhere in-between; traditional or modern; basically anything.
I did, however, add that to keep things more interesting, not a single wine would be Barolo or Barbaresco. After all, most of the Italian wines in my cellar are either Barolo or Barbaresco, so people expected this to be a yet another tasting on the wines of Langhe, so I made sure people understood that it would not be the case this time.
All the wines were poured blind (well, not to me, since I was the one pouring). However, I got to taste also one wine blind as one attendee brought one Super Tuscan as an extra blind. We finally closed the night with a random Georgian red I pulled from my cellar.
- NV Ferrari Brut - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino, Trento (25.5.2024)
100% Chardonnay. Aged sur lattes for 15-20 months. Sboccatura (disgorged in) 2019. 12,5% alcohol.
Youthful, pale yellow-green color. The nose feels fresh and youthful with aromas of crunchy red apple, some fresh herbs, light leesy tones, a little bit of mineral spice and a faint bready hint of autolysis. The wine feels dry and medium-bodied on the palate with a very fine, gentle and silky mousse and flavors of mealy yellow apple, some sweet peachy tones, a little bit of leesy and bready autolysis, light honeyed tones, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of saline minerality. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is dry and crunchy with a moderately long aftertaste of mealy yellow apple and sweet honeydew melon, light saline mineral notes, a little bit of apple peel bitterness and a bready hint of autolysis.
A nice, pleasant and quite serious albeit maybe a bit straightforward fizz. The overall feel is maybe a tad on the sweet side, ie. the dosage shows a little bit due to the fruit ripeness that could be well off with a tiny bit lower amount of residual sugar. However, the wine is still very youthful and it is starting to show a tiny bit of that bready autolytic character I look for in more evolved sparkling wines, so I guess I could've kept this easily for much longer - I had this bottle in my cellar for five years. A solid performer and a good alternative for entry-level Champagne or Franciacorta. Reasonably priced at 17,50€.
(89 points) - 2020 Edi Kante Malvasia - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Carso (25.5.2024)
100% Malvasia Istrana. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale and rather neutral whitish-yellow color. The nose feels still very youthful and even quite primary with aromas of peach jellies and pear drops, some crunchy honeydew melon notes, a little bit of stony minerality, light herbal notes of basil and a hint of savory spice. The wine feels ripe, round and very youthful on the palate with a full body and juicy flavors of greengage and per drops, some spicy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light nutty notes of almond, a hint of extracted bitterness and a touch of basil. At first the overall feel is a bit soft with rather modest sense of acidity, but the sense of freshness and structure start to appear towards the aftertaste as the sweeter, fruitier flavors recede, letting the medium-to-moderately high acidity come to the fore a bit better. The finish is juicy and youthful with flavors of basil-driven sweet herbs and stony minerality, some mealy Golden Delicious apple tones, a little bit of waxy richness, light bitter notes of dry extract, a primary hint of pear drops and a touch of honeydew melon.
At first the wine seemed like nothing more than a simple everyday white. However, the wine starts to open up and unravel a little with air, turning out to be an enjoyably serious effort after all. Still super youthful - it's easy to see this wine will benefit from some additional aging. Probably peaking at around 10 years of age. priced according to its quality at 18€.
(89 points) - 2017 Suavia Trebbiano di Soave Massifitti - Italy, Veneto, Veronese IGT (25.5.2024)
100% Trebbiano di Soave aka. Verdicchio. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel. Aged on the lees in stainless steel for 15 months with a part of wine undergoing MLF. Finally the wine is lightly filtered and bottled in these distinctive potato masher bottles, in which the wine is aged for a further 12 months before release. Annual production only 3000 bottles. 12,5% alcohol.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color. The nose feels ripe and sweet-toned with aromas of beeswax and chopped aromatic herbs, some fresh apricot tones, a little bit of mineral spice, light nutty nuances of slivered almonds, a hint of crunchy quince and a touch of cantaloupe. The wine feels quite broad yet still fresh, firm and lively on the palate with a full body and intense, relatively youthful flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light honeyed nuances, a hint of savory spice and a crunchy touch of quince. The high acidity lends great sense of structure and freshness to the wine. The finish is long, robust and somewhat mineral with an intense aftertaste of fresh Golden Delicious apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light nutty notes of almonds, a hint of crunchy quince and a floral touch of apple blossom.
Year in year out, this continues to be one of the greatest Soaves I know - even if the wine is not labeled as such - with its beautifully intense fruit flavors, flavor intensity and mineral overtones. At almost 7 years of age, the wine is still surprisingly youthful, showing relatively little sense of age. I wouldn't say the wine really calls for any aging, as it is drinking so wonderfully right now, but I can still see the wine aging beautifully for another 7 years or even more. At just 12,28€, this has been an absolute steal.
(93 points) - 2020 Vietti Timorasso Colli Tortonesi Derthona - Italy, Piedmont, Colli Tortonesi (25.5.2024)
100% Timorasso from multiple parcels in and around the comune of Monleale. Fermented in a combination of ceramic vessels, stainless steel tanks and oak casks. 13,5% alcohol, 1 g/l residual sugar and 6,1 g/l acidity.
Quite pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels ridiculously dank and herby with a huge hit of pot along with less punchy yet somewhat green aromas of nori seaweed, a little bit of pine needles, light primary notes of ripe pear, a hint of zesty citrus fruits and a touch of sweet, grapey fruit. The wine feels quite ripe, concentrated and somewhat substantial on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of fresh Golden Delicious apple, some saline mineral notes, light grassy yet sweet notes of pot and pine needles, a little bit of stony minerality, sweeter hints of apricot and ripe citrus fruits and a touch of beeswax. The high acidity doesn't show through immediately, but it still lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is youthful, herby and quite intense with a long aftertaste of acacia honey and honeydew melon, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of crunchy Golden Delicious apple, light green notes of pine needles and pot, a hint of zesty citrus fruits and a touch of juicy apricot.
A big yet fresh and ridiculously dank Timorasso that smelled of nothing but pot at first, but opened up to reveal sweeter and fruitier notes of apricots, apples and citrus fruits quite soon afterwards. True to the variety, the wine is quite big and ripe, but at the same time retains great sense of balance, structure and freshness with its surprisingly high acidity and great sense of minerality. The overall feel is still surprisingly youthful - even slightly primary - with its notes of ripe pear and grapey fruit, so I can imagine the wine will continue to evolve and improve effortlessly for years more. A fun wine now, but most likely will tone down its more aromatic qualities and develop more tertiary complexity over the next 6-10 years. Maybe a tad pricey for the quality at 41,98€.
(92 points) - 2020 Le Anfore di Elena Casadei Ansonaco - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (25.5.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Ansonica. Fermented and macerated with the skins in amphorae for approximately 100 days. Pressed and aged in amphorae for 4-6 months. 12,5% alcohol. Bottle #1295 of total 2300 bottles.
Luminous, medium-deep burnished golden yellow color. The nose feels sweet, concentrated and somewhat waxy with layered aromas of honeysuckle and fragrant summer flowers, some resinous phenolic notes, a little bit of hay, light beeswax tones, a hint of ripe nectarine, a touch of freshly pressed apple juice and a whiff of juicy tangerine. The wine feels ripe, firm and lively on the palate with a moderately full body and clean, characterful flavors of honeysuckle and stony minerality, some ripe nectarine, a little bit of freshly pressed apple juice, light sweeter honeyed nuances, a resinous hint of phenolic spice and a touch of balancing bitterness. The mouthfeel is subtly viscous, but above all, the wine shows great sense of structure with its high acidity and tiniest bit of tannic tug on the gums. However, the wine is markedly non-extracted, showing very little to none tannic grip or bitter extraction, considering how the wine is macerated with the skins for more than 3 months. The finish is long, firm and characterful with a rather intense aftertaste of peach and beeswax, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of freshly pressed apple juice, light resinous phenolic tones, a hint of cantaloupe and a touch of floral spice.
A youthful, nuanced and very promising orange wine with lots of depth, good sense of structure and more-or-less squeaky-clean fruit profile. This is not a murky, funky and volatile skin-contact white but instead a pure and vibrant orange combining sweeter aromas and flavors with a firm, quite bone-dry overall feel and bright acidity. The wine is thoroughly enjoyable already now, but I can see the wine evolving and improving for at least another 5 years or even more. Definitely a wine I want to re-visit in the future. Good value at 26€.
(92 points) - 2003 Skerk Carso Vitovska - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Carso (25.5.2024)
An orange Vitovska - although I've understood this vintage has seen much less skin contact compared to the more recent vintages. 12,5% alcohol.
Deep and slightly hazy golden-yellow color with a moderately dark bronze core. The nose feels old and oxidative with aromas of roasted nuts, some malty tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light resinous phenolic tones and a tangy, salty hint of rancio character. The wine feels old, oxidative and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and tired flavors of roasted nuts and salty rancio, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of crunchy quince, light resinous phenolic notes, a hint of acacia honey and a touch of beeswax. The high acidity lends good sense of balance to the overall feel. The finish is old and oxidative with aged, savory flavors of nutty oxidation and salty rancio, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light caramel nuances and a hint of smoke.
Old, tired and quite oxidative orange wine. It's pretty obvious the wine is long past its peak - it feels much older than the 2003 Malvasia we tasted a few years ago. While still drinkable and somewhat enjoyable, it is obvious the wine isn't anymore what it was supposed to be.
(NR/flawed) - 2020 Tenuta Migliavacca Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese - Italy, Piedmont, Monferrato, Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese (25.5.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Grignolino. Macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for the duration of spontaneous alcoholic fermentation, typically for a week. Aged in old Slavonian botti casks for 6-8 months. 12,5% alcohol.
Pale, translucent and slightly evolved blood-red color with a colorless rim. The nose feels sweetly-fruited and vibrant with aromas of strawberries, some lifted balsamic notes, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light raspberry jam tones and a tiniest bit of wild funk. The wine feels lively, crunchy and slightly wild on the palate with a light-to-medium body and fruit-forward flavors of tart cranberries and sweet strawberries, some raspberry marmalade tones, a little bit of savory spice, light lifted notes of sweet nail polish VA, a hint of wild funk and a touch of rose hips. The combination of moderately high acidity and gently grippy tannins make the overall feel enjoyably firm and balanced. The finish is juicy with a rather long aftertaste of strawberries and raspberry marmalade, some funky nuances, a little bit of phenolic spice, light volatile notes of nail polish and a crunchy hint of tart cranberry.
A pleasant, lively and enjoyable little red with a slightly funky and volatile edge that doesn't distract but only adds to the complexity. Not a big or complex wine by any means, just a fun and tasty little everyday red with characterful, slightly sauvage overtones. Priced according to its quality at 17,55€.
(90 points) - 2001 Scarpa La Selva di Moirano - Italy, Piedmont, Vino da Tavola (25.5.2024)
A still Brachetto that is fermented dry. Aged for 12 months in stainless steel. The label bears no vintage designation, apart from a small "01" scribbled at the winery in the corner of the label. 14% alcohol.
Aged, somewhat translucent brownish-maroon color with a colorless rim. The nose feels a bit weird but also quite fascinating with aromas of fireworks smoke - reduction? - and wizened black strawberries, some floral notes of rosewater, light cherry marmalade tones, a little bit of earth, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of elderberry jam. The wine feels dry and evolved on the palate with a rather light body and savory flavors of licorice and fireworks smoke, some black raspberry tones, a little bit of old leather and pipe tobacco, light floral notes of elderflowers and rosewater, a sweeter hint of dried forest fruits and a touch of earth. The structure relies more or less entirely on the rather high acidity as there are no tannins to speak of. The finish is long and juicy with a dry, floral aftertaste of licorice and gunpowder smoke, some brambly black raspberries, light notes of pipe tobacco, hints of rosewater and elderflowers and a touch of old leather.
An old and earthy but still quite enjoyable Brachetto. Somehow the wine hasn't lost all its varietal floral notes to the age, but overall aroma profile isn't particularly floral anymore; the emphasis is on the earthy tones, savory notes of tobacco and leather; and sweeter nuances of dried fruits. While still thoroughly drinkable, it's obvious the wine is in decline now and isn't getting any better with further aging. Priced according to its quality at 18€.
(87 points) - 2013 Grosjean Fumin Valle d'Aosta Vigne Rovettaz - Italy, Valle d'Aosta (25.5.2024)
100% Fumin from the old Vigne Rovettaz cru. Aged for a year in old oak casks. 13% alcohol.
Still remarkably youthful and quite opaque blackish-red color with a faint blueish hue. The nose feels rich, sweet-toned and vaguely smoky with aromas of bilberries, some crushed peppercorns, a little bit of leathery funk, light elderberry tones, a hint floral hint of violets, a touch of dark forest fruits and a whiff of cherry. The wine feels dry, lively and savory on the palate with a medium body and vibrant flavors of sour cherries and tart cranberries, some blueberry tones, light notes of elderberry juice, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of peppery spice. Good emphasis on the vibrant fruit flavors with no obvious oaky tones in sight. The wine is pretty firm and structured yet not tough with its high acidity and still quite ample and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with a dry aftertaste of tart cranberries and meaty notes of umami, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of elderberry, light blueberry tones, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of smoke.
A lovely, classically styled and impressively structured Fumin that shows remarkably little age for a wine over 10 years old! The wine isn't primary any more, but both its appearance and lack of evolved qualities make the wine feel much younger than it actually is. Seeing how the wine has evolved relatively little in ten years, I can imagine this wine will continue to evolve and improve easily for another ten years, or even more. Consistently one of the greatest varietal Fumin bottlings I know; terrific value at 25,50€.
(93 points) - 2013 Fattoria Poggerino Chianti Classico Riserva Bugialla - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (25.5.2024)
100% organically farmed Sangiovese from the south-facing vineyard planted in 1974 on the highest slopes at the estate, at approx. 500 m above sea level. The vineyard is typically harvested in late September. The fully destemmed grapes are fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins in concrete fermentors for 55 days. In December the fermented wines are racked into Slavonian oak botti of 2000 to 2500 liters for the MLF. After a minimum aging of 18 months, the wines are bottled, typically in the spring. 14% alcohol.
Luminous, somewhat translucent and still surprisingly youthful black cherry color. Attractive, somewhat brooding and thoroughly classically styled Sangiovese nose with haunting aromas of black cherries and fresh dark plums, some dusty old cedary wood, light evolved notes of dried flowers, a little bit of earthy spice, a hint of pipe tobacco and a faint sweeter touch of marmaladey red fruit. The wine feels dense, ripe and somewhat extracted on the palate with a quite full body and savory flavors of sour cherries and tobacco, some dusty cedary tones, a little bit of old leather, light sweeter notes of wizened dark berries, a sweeter hint of ripe black cherries and a touch of tart lingonberry. The wine is very muscular and pretty tightly-knit with its high acidity and still quite ample and rather noticeably grippy tannins. The finish is long, dry and grippy with an intense aftertaste of sour cherries and old leather, some ripe dark berries, a little bit of tart red plum, light notes of tobacco, a sanguine hint of iron and a woody touch of dusty cedar.
An excellent, dead-serious and still remarkably youthful Chianti Classico that could pass off as a lighter-bodied traditionalist Brunello with its impressive sense of concentration, structure and flavor intensity. A very impressive effort that seems to be evolving at a glacial pace - if the wine shows barely any signs of flavor development or tannins resolution at the age of 10 years, I can imagine this powerhouse will easily (and slowly) evolve and improve for decades more. A perfect combination of concentrated old-vine fruit, cooler-climate profile and right-on-point ripeness from the excellent 2013 vintage. Superb stuff, excellent value at 31€.
(94 points) - 2013 Nervi Gattinara Vigna Valferana - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara (25.5.2024)
100% Nebbiolo from Vigna Valferana. Fermented and macerated in tronconical oak vats for 3-4 weeks. Aged for 40 months in predominantly old oak casks of various sizes. Although this is the final vintage of Valferana labeled as Nervi, not Nervi Conterno, this is not the final vintage of Valferana made by Nervi, since Conterno purchased the winery in 2018 (not in 2014 - this was only the first vintage released under the Nervi Conterno name). 13,5% alcohol.
Translucent, somewhat evolved rusty-brick red color with a thin, colorless rim. The nose feels fragrant and very attractive with nuanced aromas of wild strawberries and wizened cherries, some perfumed notes of dried flowers, light leathery tones, a little bit of tobacco, a hint of tar, a touch of licorice root and a sweet whiff of roses. The wine feels dry, somewhat concentrated and slightly evolved on the palate with a medium body and intense, dry flavors of sour cherries and licorice root, some tobacco, light tart notes of lingonberries and fresh red plums, a little bit of tar, perfumed hints of dried flowers and rose petals and a touch of old leather. The wine retains a firm, structured overall feel with its high acidity and silky, slightly resolved tannins that still pack quite a lot of astringent grip. The finish is dry, long and quite grippy with an intensely-flavored aftertaste of sour cherries and tart cranberries, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of tobacco, light smoky and tarry tones, a hint of dried flowers and a sweeter touch of slightly wizened dark berries.
A tasty, attractive and very serious single-vineyard Gattinara that is gradually starting to show its first signs of age, but still retains a great deal of vibrant fruit and sense of structure. A thoroughly classical Nebbiolo that can effortlessly challenge many a Barolo and Barbaresco with its combination of finesse, structure and flavor intensity. The wine is approaching its optimal drinking window, but I feel its peak is still far, far off - most likely this wine needs another decade or two before it arrives on its plateau of maturity. Drink or keep. Superb value at 35,50€.
(94 points) - 2012 Antonelli San Marco Montefalco Sagrantino Chiusa di Pannone - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (25.5.2024)
A single-vineyard Sagrantino from an organically farmed vineyard planted in 2003 at 400 meters a.s.l. Macerated with the skins for 3-4 weeks. Aged for at least 30 months in large oak casks, after which the wine is left to marry in lined cement vats for a few months. Bottled unfiltered. 15% alcohol.
Dense, quite opaque or slightly translucent black cherry color with a somewhat evolved maroon hue. The nose feels brooding, dark-toned and somewhat sweetly-fruited with layered aromas of wizened dark fruits, some herbal minty green notes, a little bit of sweet pruney fruit, light earthy tones, hints of tobacco and licorice root, a touch of ripe black cherry and a whiff of dried flowers. The wine feels dense, evolved and chewy on the palate with a very full body and somewhat concentrated flavors of wizened dark fruits, some pouch tobacco, light sweet notes of prunes and dried figs, a little bit of licorice root and woody oak spice, a volatile hint of balsamico and a touch of minty greenness. The acidity feels moderately high, but the structure relies more on the ample, somewhat resolved yet still rather grippy tannins. The finish is dry, rich and grippy with a dense, evolved aftertaste of earth and loose tobacco, some wizened dark fruits, a little bit of licorice root, light leathery tones, sweet hints of pruned and dried figs and a touch of minty greenness. The wine ends on a long, moderately grippy and somewhat hot note.
A very rich, dense and chewy blockbuster Sagrantino on its plateau of maturity. Seeing how the wine is quite similar to the bottle I tasted three years ago, it feels obvious that the wine has peaked some time ago and is not improving with additional aging. While an impressively big and muscular wine in its own right, I feel the wine is a tad too ripe in overall style - the alcohol punches a bit too much through, making the wine feel rather hot at times; the fruit profile is more sweet than savory; and although the acidity feels quite high, a wine this big would benefit from an even higher level of acidity. Good stuff, but there are so many better and more balanced Sagrantinos out there. Solid value at 26€, though.
(91 points) - 2000 Castello Vicchiomaggio Ripa delle More Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (25.5.2024)
A blend of Sangiovese (80%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%). Fermented and macerated with the skins for three weeks. Aged for 2 years in new French oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dense, evolved and fully opaque maroon color. There's some sediment in the glass, so careful decanting is heartily recommended. The nose feels evolved yet not too old with somewhat Bordelais aromas of tobacco and wizened blackcurrants and red plums, some old leathery tones, a little bit of dark pruney fruit, light cherry notes, a woody hint of savory oak spice, a touch of sun-baked earth and a whiff of farmhouse funk. The wine feels ripe, evolved and somewhat sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and layered flavors of dark plummy fruit and wizened blackcurrant, some funky notes of saddle leather and barnyard, light sweeter notes of dried figs, a little bit of tobacco and savory wood spice, a hint of minty greenness and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The medium acidity doesn't give much sense of structure, but at least the ample, moderately grippy tannins lend good sense of firmness to the palate. The finish is savory, somewhat warm and quite grippy with a ripe, long and somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of prunes and dried figs, some wizened blackcurrants, a little bit of tobacco, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of earth and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A sophisticated and still pretty firm and tannic Super-Tuscan on its plateau of maturity. I guess this must've been a more polished and oaky wine in its youth, but now, almost half a century later, this is admittedly in a rather nice spot. I, however, never cease to be astonished how little Cab an Italian wine needs to come across as somewhat Bordelais - this wine had only 20% of Cab and my first thought was that this is either a Bordeaux or a Cabernet Sauvignon driven blend. Anyways, the wine is starting to feel so evolved that I doubt it its going to benefit from any additional aging. Drink now or in the near future. Terrific value at approx. 15€.
(92 points) - 2017 Martvilis Marani Aladasturi Martville - Georgia, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Martvili (25.5.2024)
100% organically farmed Aladasturi from the village of Targameuli in Samegrelo, Georgia. The winery is known as Martvilis Marani today, but has been known also as Martvili Wines and it's a bit unclear if the name "Vino m'Artville" is the producer or the wine name. Fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins in kvevris. Bottled on May 22nd, 2018. 9,2% alcohol.
Youthful, hazy - even slightly murky - raspberry-red color. The nose feels funky and quite rustic with aromas of fresh dark berries, something animale, light acetic notes of VA, a little bit of olive, a herbaceous hint of crunchy bell pepper, a hint of burnt hair and a touch of balsamico. The wine is dry, crunchy and subtly fizzy on the palate with a light body and quite lifted - even subtly unclean - flavors of crowberries and other forest fruits, some acetic notes of VA, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light bretty notes of barnyard, a hint of tart appley fruit and a touch of dull earthiness that probably will evolve into mousiness if the wine is kept open for too long. The structure relies almost solely on the high acidity as there are no tannins to speak of. The finish is quite long and rather tart with a dry, crunchy aftertaste of lingonberries and crowberries, some acetic notes of VA, a little bit of appley fruit, light barnyardy notes of brett, a hint of burnt hair and an unclean touch of damp earth that is inches away from turning into nutty-grainy mousiness.
Feels like someone made some wine at home without much knowledge how to make proper commercial wine. I know probably every other household in Georgia has at least a few rows of vines and makes their own wine at home, but it's weird to actually see somebody bottle and commercialize that kind of wine. I've had tons of funky, rustic wines from Georgia, but at least they've tasted like properly made natural wines. This was not one of them. Not really worth the price at 22,50€.
(75 points)
Posted from CellarTracker