Last fall I was invited to this tasting where we went through several mini-verticals of very idiosyncratic Italian wines:
- Vie di Romans Pinot Grigio Dessimis (a very ageworthy and often quite burly ramato that drinks more like a big white)
- Joaquin Vino della Stella (a sort of concentrated super-Fiano)
- Gravner Rujno (a Merlot that has been discontinued since; aged for a ridiculous amount of years before release)
- Quintarelli Alzero (an Amarone made from Cabernet Franc)
On top of these very exquisite wines, we had a bunch of other completely random wines, most of which were brought and poured blind by the attendees.
Although most of the attendees seem to think that the Alzeros were hands down the best wines in the tasting, they were a bit too sweet and ponderous for my palate. People seemed to especially love the 1993 Alzero, which was just way too porty and sweet for my palate (it did feel quite noticeably off-dry), whereas other people only commented how impressively big, concentrated and fruity the wine was. Oh well, strokes & folks.
The Rujnos were pretty much excellent, though.
(The lineup photo seems to be missing the Hugel and Paolo Manzone wines we had towards the end of the night)
- 2020 Vie di Romans Pinot Grigio Dessimis - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Isonzo (14.10.2023)
A ramato-style Pinot Grigio from a vineyard in the Rive Alte sub-region, average vine age 23 yo, the fruit harvested between the late August and early September, vinified by first cold-soaking the pink grape skins overnight in the must prior to fermentation. Fermented with selected yeasts and aged on the lees in French oak barriques (20% new) for 9 months. MLF blocked. Bottled in July 2021. 14,9% alcohol, 5,93 g/l acidity and pH 3,41.
Pale-to-medium-deep pinkish color with a seared salmon or peachy reddish-orange hue. The nose feels youthful, fruity and expressive with aromas of crunchy red apple, some rhubarb tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light nuances of phenolic spice and a hint of white pepper. The wine feels ripe, broad and quite concentrated with a full body and intense, slightly sweet-toned flavors of honeydew melon, some apple jam, light juicy notes of ripe pear, a little bit of creamy oak, a spicy hint of white pepper and a touch of more exotic spices. The overall feel is so rich and sweet-toned that I wonder if the wine is actually off-dry, or close to it? Fortunately there's enough acidity to keep the wine fresh and balanced. The finish is rich, concentrated and slightly warm with a long aftertaste of honeydew melon and exotic spices, some leesy creaminess, light sweet notes of apple jam, a little bit of spicy phenolic bitterness, a hint of very ripe pear and a touch of beeswax.
A very big, rich and at times almost over-the-top Pinot Gris that manages to stay on this side of balance and finesse, thanks to its good level of acidity. However, the sense of ripeness and the sweetly-fruited flavors are so pronounced here that it is quite difficult to assess whether the wine is dry and just super-ripe, or if the wine is actually off-dry (which would explain the sense of richness and the sweet edge of those fruit flavors). The brief skin contact has granted the wine a nice pink hue and some phenolic undertones, but as a whole, this wine feels more like an off-dry Alsatian Pinot Gris than a traditional orange wine from Friuli (or, heavens forbid, a generic Italian Pinot Grigio). Fun and quite impressive stuff. Despite being a rather big blockbuster, this is a great, well-crafted wine in its own right. Priced according to its quality at 32€.
(91 points) - 2014 Vie di Romans Pinot Grigio Dessimis - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Isonzo (14.10.2023)
A ramato-style Pinot Grigio from a vineyard in the Rive Alte sub-region, average vine age 21 yo, the fruit harvested between early and mid-September, vinified by first cold-soaking the pink grape skins overnight in the must prior to fermentation. Fermented with selected yeasts and aged on the lees in French oak barriques (20% new) for 9 months. MLF blocked. Bottled in early August 2015. 13,2% alcohol, 5,0 g/l acidity and pH 3,53.
Pale, luminous golden yellow color. The nose feels somewhat dull and a bit mute with aromas of Granny Smith apple, some green notes of birch leaves, a little bit of nuttiness, light evolved caramel tones and a hint of something dusty. The wine feels dry, somewhat thin and a bit metallic on the palate with a medium body and understated flavors of green apples and evolved caramel tones, some green notes of birch leaves, a little bit of honeydew melon, light oxidative nutty nuances, a hint of earth and a touch of something dusty. The mouthfeel is a bit oily and slightly lackluster with its medium acidity. The finish is a bit short and dull with flavors of earth and saline minerality, some green birch leaf tones, a little bit of developed caramel and nutty nuances, a hint of cantaloupe and a metallic touch of rusted iron.
This didn't seem to be a sound bottle. There weren't any obvious TCA aromatics, but the muddled fruit flavors and somewhat dusty nuances made me (and many others in the tasting) think the wine might've been slightly corked. It might've also been prematurely evolved, which also could've explained the thin fruit and the presence of more oxidative notes. Whatever the case, this wasn't on par with the other Vie di Romans Dessimis wines we've tasted. Marking the wine as flawed.
(NR/flawed) - 2012 Vie di Romans Pinot Grigio Dessimis - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Isonzo (14.10.2023)
A ramato-style Pinot Grigio from a vineyard in the Rive Alte sub-region, average vine age 19 yo, the fruit harvested at the turn of August-September, vinified by first cold-soaking the pink grape skins overnight in the must prior to fermentation. Fermented with selected yeasts and aged on the lees in French oak barriques (20% new) for 9 months. MLF blocked. Bottled in mid-June 2013. 14,9% alcohol, 5,4 g/l acidity and pH 3,31.
Medium-deep bronze color. The nose feels somewhat evolved and quite wonderfully complex with layered aromas of caramel, some peanut butter, light orange marmalade tones, a little bit of beeswax, a hint of exotic spices, a touch of creaminess and a whiff of roasted chestnuts. The wine feels big, broad and open-knit on the palate with a full body and ripe flavors of bruised apple, some ripe pear and apricot tones, light creamy notes of oak, a little bit of exotic spices, a hint of pineapple and a touch of nutty complexity. The mouthfeel is quite rich and even a bit oily, but the moderately high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is broad, ripe and sweet-toned with a long, complex aftertaste of juicy apricot and sweet pineapple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of exotic spice, light bruised apple nuances, a hint of evolved nuttiness and a savory touch of umami.
This is a very big, ripe and complex Pinot Grigio Ramato more or less at its peak. The overall feel is powerful yet remarkably balanced with great sense of poise and freshness. I really don't feel the wine is capable of evolving and improving much further from here, but since the wine doesn't feel one bit tired yet, I doubt the wine will fall apart anytime soon. This vintage was maybe a tiny bit less impressive than the vintage 2008 we tasted earlier this year, yet still this remains one of the best and most impressive Vie di Romans wines I've had. Outstanding stuff and excellent value at 32€. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2020 Joaquin Fiano di Avellino Vino Della Stella - Italy, Campania, Fiano di Avellino DOCG (14.10.2023)
From very old Fiano vineyards, located at 700 meters above sea level. Even though this is the entry-level wine of the winery, there's rigorous bunch selection and only the best grapes are used for this wine. Cold-soaked with the skins for a few days to boost the aromatics from the Fiano grapes. Fermented slowly and aged for 12-18 months in stainless steel and concrete tanks. Partial MLF. Unlike most bottles of Vino della Stella, this vintage is bottled as "Riserva". 14% alcohol.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels somewhat odd, savory and a bit restrained with aromas of hay, some mealy yellow apple, light mineral notes of crushed rocks and stone dust, a little bit of earthy spices, a hint of leesy character and a touch of smoky and subtly funky phenolic spice. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and still relatively savory on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of saline minerality, some ripe lemony citrus fruit notes, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweet nuances of nashi pear and primary pear character, a hint of earthy spices and a touch of leesy character. The fruit and non-fruit flavors both feel rather pronounced here and they seem to be quite nicely balanced by each other. The high acidity lends great sense of structure to the wine. The finish is ripe, long and savory with a dry, nuanced aftertaste of saline minerality, some ripe Granny Smith apple, light tart notes of pomelo, a little bit of leesy yeast, a hint of hay and a mineral touch of stone dust.
Vino della Stella is almost invariably a very singular and impressive take on Fiano di Avellino. However, I feel this vintage seemed a bit less impressive than is typical of this label - especially the nose was somewhat underwhelming and maybe even a bit odd. However, on the palate the wine was much more in line how it usually performs - packing quite a bit of punch without coming across as heavy or overdone one little bit. Good stuff, but nothing that'd blow your socks off. Hopefully the wine opens up and picks up some complexity as it ages. Maybe a tad pricey for the quality at 42€.
(90 points) - 2019 Joaquin Fiano di Avellino Vino Della Stella - Italy, Campania, Fiano di Avellino DOCG (14.10.2023)
From very old Fiano vineyards, located at 700 meters above sea level. Even though this is the entry-level wine of the winery, there's rigorous bunch selection and only the best grapes are used for this wine. Cold-soaked with the skins for a few days to boost the aromatics from the Fiano grapes. Fermented slowly and aged for 12-18 months in stainless steel and concrete tanks. Partial MLF. Unlike most bottles of Vino della Stella, this vintage is bottled as "Riserva". 14% alcohol.
Pale lemon yellow color. The nose feels ripe, expressive and slightly sweet-toned with nuanced aromas of white peach, some leesy creamy tones, a little bit of wildhoney, light sweet herby nuances of basil or tarragon, a hint of exotic fruits and a touch of wild funky character. The wine feels rich and oily yet firm and balanced on the palate with a full body and bold flavors of peach and wildhoney, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of fresh pineapple, light leesy notes of creaminess, a hint of saline minerality and a slightly wild touch of funky phenolic spice. The overall feel is quite distinctive and characterful, and the high acidity lends good sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is rich, concentrated and quite powerful with layered flavors of saline minerality, some sweet Fuji apple tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light honeyed tones, a peachy hint of fresh stone fruits and a touch of wild waxy funk.
This wine was both very similar to the vintage 2020 yet very unlike it at the same time. It was obvious they were the same wine as the overall style and flavor profile was almost identical in them. However, the ripeness, richness and fruit intensity in this 2019 was on a completely different level - the 2020 vintage seemed aromatically somewhat understated and the non-fruit flavors had so much more presence on the palate, whereas this 2019 vintage was noticeably more expressive with a greater emphasis on fruitier flavors along with some rich honeyed tones. Despite this being a big, ripe and concentrated white, it doesn't really come across as heavy or too big at any times; the mineral overtones and great sense of acidity keep the wine effortlessly in balance. This is a terrific wine already now, but I can see this evolving and improving for many years more. A very distinctive super-Fiano by any standards, recommended.
(92 points) - 2018 Joaquin Fiano di Avellino Vino Della Stella - Italy, Campania, Fiano di Avellino DOCG (14.10.2023)
From very old Fiano vineyards, located at 700 meters above sea level. Even though this is the entry-level wine of the winery, there's rigorous bunch selection and only the best grapes are used for this wine. Cold-soaked with the skins for a few days to boost the aromatics from the Fiano grapes. Fermented slowly and aged for 12-18 months in stainless steel and concrete tanks. Partial MLF. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose is sweet-toned, quite concentrated and a bit funky with aromas of fresh peach and spicy red apple, some exotic mango tones, a little bit of apricot marmalade, light leathery notes of bretty funk, a hint of hay, a touch of honeyed richness and a sweet whiff of ethery VA. The wine feels ripe, focused and quite substantial on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of apple jam and mango, some funky notes of bretty leather, a little bit of nectarine, light leesy tones, a hint of hay and phenolic spice and a touch of honeyed richness. The acidity feel surprisingly high for such a big and ripe white, lending it impressive sense of structure and precision. The finish is ripe, rich and textural with a long, intensely flavored aftertaste of apricot and apple jam, some phenolic spice, a little bit of leathery funk, light leesy tones, a hint of hay and a touch of saline minerality.
A very rich, complex and structured super-Fiano with impressive sense of depth and intensity. Stylistically this was very similar to the 2019 vintage, only showing maybe a tiny bit more freshness and acidity - along with a subtly bretty undertone of rustic funk, which only added to the flavor complexity. A very impactful and singular effort for a Fiano di Avellino. Excellent now, but most likely will only get better with additional aging. Solid value at 42€.
(93 points) - 2017 La Castellada Collio Bianco della Castellada - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Collio (14.10.2023)
A blend of Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Typically Pinot Grigio is directly pressed, whereas Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are macerated with the skins for a few days for additional complexity. Aged for a year in barriques, then blended and aged for another year or two in stainless steel tanks. 14% alcohol. Lot number L233A/21.
Pale and slightly hazy straw-yellow color. The nose feels rich, somewhat waxy and a tiny bit funky with complex, layered aromas of honeydew melon, some hay, a little bit of honeysuckle, light funky notes of leather, a sweet hint of tangerine and a touch of ripe red apple. The wine feels rich, textural and harmonious on the palate with a full body and intense, complex flavors of cantaloupe, some spicy red apple, a little bit of honeysuckle, light funky notes of leather, a little bit of nectarine, a nutty hint of slivered almonds and a touch of stony minerality. The high acidity lends great sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is rich, juicy and textural with a long, complex aftertaste of nectarine and cantaloupe, some funky notes of leather, a little bit of spicy red apple, light toasty notes of roasted almonds and savory wood spice, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of beeswax.
A wonderfully textural, complex and delicious Friuli white with remarkable sense of depth, balance and intensity. I admit I had never heard of these wines before, but this one managed to blow my socks off at one go. The wine isn't really an orange wine despite the short skin contact - the overall style is that of a white wine, definitely. However, the skin contact must've granted the wine with a great boost in the texture and those savory aromatics that give such a remarkable depth to this wine. It's hard to say how long this kind of wine will age, but since it isn't showing any obvious signs of age yet, I can imagine it won't fall apart anytime soon. Loving this wine big time. Superb value at approx. 30€.
(94 points) - 1997 Gravner Rujno Venezia Giulia IGT - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT (14.10.2023)
A selection of the best Merlot grapes (with a tiny addition of Cabernet Sauvignon) from vineyards since replanted with white varieties. Fermented spontaneously and macerated on the skins for 5 weeks in oak casks. Aged for multiple years in oak. Bottled unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol.
Very deep, dark and only slightly evolved blackish-red color with a subtly evolved maroon hue. The nose is a dead ringer for an old-school Bordeaux with its classy, savory aromas of tobacco and leafy herbaceous tones, some wizened red cherries, a little bit of tobacco and licorice root, light smoky nuances, a hint of dried red plums, a touch of roasted bell pepper and a whiff of sous-bois. The wine feels dry, firm and quite tightly-knit on the palate with a moderately full body and intense, complex flavors of wizened dark blackcurrants and dried dark fruits, some herbaceous leafy tones, a little bit of tobacco, light rustic notes of barnyard, old leather and smoky phenolic character, a hint of balsamic VA and a savory touch of gamey meat. The wine retains impressive sense of structure with its high acidity and still rather grippy tannins. The finish is dry, complex and quite grippy with a long, intense aftertaste of sweet dried figs and wizened blackcurrants, some leafy green tones, a little bit of smoke and tobacco, light savory notes of meaty umami, a herbaceous hint of roasted bell pepper and a touch of earth.
A beautiful, wonderfully evolved and still remarkably firm and tightly-knit vintage of Rujno that could easily pass for an old-school Pomerol. This has "claret" written all over it. Pretty much Italian Merlot at its best. Although structurally the wine is still rather stern and tightly-wound, the flavor department is starting to feel rather evolved and I doubt there is going to much additional improvement with further aging. Most likely the wine can soften a bit more with further aging, but I wouldn't hold the wine for decades - in all likelihood the structure is going to outlive the fruit and this is never going to be a particularly silky or approachable wine. Drink now or within the next five to ten years. Not particularly affordable at approx. 125€, but arguably manages to deliver for the price. This is a fantastic wine.
(96 points) - 1999 Gravner Rujno Venezia Giulia IGT - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT (14.10.2023)
A selection of the best Merlot grapes (with a tiny addition of Cabernet Sauvignon) from vineyards since replanted with white varieties. Fermented spontaneously and macerated on the skins for 5 weeks in oak casks. Aged for 4 years in old oak botti. Bottled unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol.
Evolved, quite concentrated and fully opaque blackish-red color with a somewhat evolved rusty-maroon hue. The nose feels surprisingly sweet, rich and dense with concentrated aromas of dried figs and prunes, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of leathery funk, light raisiny tones, a hint of tobacco, a touch of ripe red plum and a whiff of beef jerky. The wine feels ripe, solar and quite open-knit on the palate with a full body and layered flavors of wizened dark fruits and meaty umami, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of balsamic VA, light tobacco nuances, hints of old leather and game and a touch of dried black cherry. The wine still retains quite impressive sense of structure with its high acidity and moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is long, rich and moderately grippy with an intense aftertaste of tart lingonberries and savory notes of meaty umami, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of tobacco, light pruney tones, a hint of dark raisiny fruit and a touch of leathery funk.
An impressive, nuanced and harmonious Friuli red at its peak. I think this vintage seemed a bit sweeter, more solar and somewhat more open-knit than the other two vintages we tasted (1997 and 2001). Although an excellent wine in its own right, I preferred the somewhat more savory and slightly more austere style of the other two vintages. I'd say this wine is at its peak and most likely won't evolve from here - the structure is starting to feel quite resolved and the fruit department is getting rather pruney. Although the wine won't fall apart over the next couple of years, I'd say it's high time to drink now. Maybe a bit pricey for the quality at approx. 125€.
(93 points) - 2001 Gravner Rujno Venezia Giulia IGT - Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT (14.10.2023)
A selection of the best Merlot grapes (with a tiny addition of Cabernet Sauvignon) from vineyards since replanted with white varieties. Fermented spontaneously and macerated on the skins for 5 weeks in oak casks. Aged for 7 years in old oak botti. Bottled unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Rather deep and somewhat translucent blackish-maroon color. The nose feels savory, a bit restrained and moderately evolved with aromas of tobacco and autumnal notes of leafy forest floor, some sweet notes of wizened red fruits, a little bit of balsamic VA, light juicy notes of ripe blackcurrants and other dark forest fruits, a hint of old leather and a touch of bell pepper. The wine feels ripe, silky and evolved on the palate with a full body and juicy flavors of dark fruits and wizened black cherries, some funky leathery tones, a little bit of ripe red plum, light raisiny tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a tertiary touch of sweet marmaladey character. The wine retains quite in impressive structure with its high acidity and ample, still moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is rich, intense and lengthy with an evolved, complex aftertaste of pruney and raisiny fruit, some tart red plum tones, a little bit of earth, light funky notes of old leather, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A wonderfully evolved, harmonious and quite tertiary vintage of Rujno. I felt this vintage seemed more "Italian" in style, compared to the more "Bordelais" style of the 1997 vintage - a wine that felt more like an old-school claret than anything from Friuli! However, despite the somewhat pruney and raisiny fruit flavors, this vintage still seemed to show a bit more finesse, savory qualities and less of that sweet, sunny fruit than the slightly more sweeter-toned, solar 1999 vintage. Stylistically these 2001 and 1999 vintages were very similar to each other, but ultimately I preferred the slightly more leafy and savory characteristics of this 2001 vintage. All in all, this is a very fine wine, but I have to admit that it is still a rather costly one at approx. 125€.
(94 points) - 1993 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cabernet Franc Alzero - Italy, Veneto, Vino da Tavola (14.10.2023)
100% Cabernet Franc harvested very early in the season, then dried on straw mats for 2-3 months. After the dried grapes have been pressed, the wine is fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for three weeks. Aged first for 2-3 years in French oak barrels, then racked into large Slavonian oak botti, in which the wine is aged until considered to be ready for bottling. 14,5% alcohol.
Deep, dark and almost completely opaque cherry-red color with an evolved rusty-maroon hue. The nose feels complex, rather sweet and slightly alcoholic with evolved, complex aromas of leafy sous-bois and tobacco, some ripe blackcurrants and other dark fruits, a little bit of old leather, light herbaceous green nuances, a hint of dried black cherry, a touch of dark raisiny fruit and a whiff of coniferous forest. The wine feels evolved, somewhat sweet-toned and very intense on the palate with a rather full body and bold flavors of prunes, dried figs and dates, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of peppery spice, light notes of tobacco, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a herbaceous touch of leafy character. The overall flavor profile is sweet enough to make me think this wine is not dry but medium-dry, but it's hard to assess whether that sweetness comes from any residual sugar or from the abundant dried-fruit flavors. However, the wine retains quite an impressive sense of structure with its rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is rich, bold and somewhat sweetish with a very long and intense aftertaste of raisiny dark fruit and dried dates, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of sweet Oriental spices, light figgy nuances, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a touch of leafy Cab character.
A very singular take on Cabernet Franc by all respects. Many people in the tasting seemed to be wowed by this wine, but to me, it felt conspicuously sweet and more or less medium-dry. I'm not a big fan of Amarone, and those Amarones I like, tend to be dry, stern and tough in character. While this Alzero retained surprising freshness and sense of balance for both the style and the age, the rather pronounced sweetness made the wine feel too round and marmaladey for my preference. This was an impressive and wonderfully complex wine, but seemed like a jammy crowdpleaser compared to the drier, chewier Alzero 1994 that we tasted at the same time. Although it was undeniably a unique opportunity to taste this wine, I think the price (approx. 280€) didn't really make any sense. There are tons of wines that give me much more pleasure at tenth the price.
(91 points) - 1994 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cabernet Franc Alzero - Italy, Veneto, Vino da Tavola (14.10.2023)
100% Cabernet Franc harvested very early in the season, then dried on straw mats for 2-3 months. After the dried grapes have been pressed, the wine is fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for three weeks. Aged first for 2-3 years in French oak barrels, then racked into large Slavonian oak botti, in which the wine is aged until considered to be ready for bottling. 14,5% alcohol.
Quite deep and rather opaque, dark reddish-maroon color. The nose feels evolved, complex and savory with dark-toned aromas of dried dark fruits, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light autumnal notes of leafy sous-bois, a hint of wizened black cherry, a touch of cassis and a whiff of gamey meat. The wine feels concentrated, powerful and chewy on the palate with a full body and dry-ish flavors of dried dates and prunes, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of balsamic VA, light raisiny tones, a hint of ripe black cherry and a herbaceous touch of leafy character. The overall feel is richly-textured and quite balanced with the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is long, evolved and complex with a moderate tannic grip and bold aftertaste of raisins and dried figs, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of dried dates, light tobacco nuances, a hint of cherry marmalade and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A big, bold and very singular Cabernet Franc - as one would expect, this tasted more like an Amarone than Cab Franc, but there were definitely some obvious Cab Franc elements here, especially in the nose. I think most people in our tasting preferred the 1993 vintage over this 1994, but to me, this wine seemed stylistically much more harmonious and balanced, whereas the 1993 vintage seemed almost medium-dry, making it feel much more porty in character. Yet still, this wine was a bit too Amarone-like for me - I prefer wines with more finesse and elegance and not this much raisiny dried-fruit flavors. Definitely an impressive and rather hedonistic wine in its own right, but still not really my cup of tea. I prefer my Cab Francs as Cab Francs and Amarones as Amarones. I can understand why this kind of rare curiosity is so expensive, but for me this bottle (approx. 280€) felt very overpriced for the quality.
(92 points) - 2017 La Roncaia Il Fusco - Italy, Delle Venezie (14.10.2023)
100% Merlot. The harvested grapes are left to dry for about a week, after which they are destemmed but not crushed and fermented in stainless steel. Fermented and macerated with the skins for 25 days, then pressed into French oak barriques, in which the wine ages for at least 24 months. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, slightly translucent black cherry color. The color is blackish-red, slightly translucent and not that evolved nor particularly youthful. The nose, however, feels quite youthful with aromas of blueberries and ripe forest fruits, some inky tones, a little bit brambly black raspberry, light plummy nuances and a hint of wood. The wine feels dense, youthful and juicy on the palate with a full body and dark-toned flavors of blueberries and dark plums, some savory meaty tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light autumnal leafy tones, a hint of savory wood and a touch of strawberry marmalade. The acidity feels moderately high and the firm medium tannins keep the wine in balance. The finish is fruity, somewhat grippy and slightly warm with a youthful, moderately long aftertaste of dark plummy fruit and meaty umami, some blueberry tones, a little bit of sweet black cherry, light black raspberry nuances and a hint of earthy spice.
A nice and balanced but ultimately rather anonymous Friuli red. Then again, to me, Merlot is often a variety without much character - although it can produce wines of incredible finesse, a huge majority of world's Merlot tends to be like this: plummy and somewhat medium-everything. There's nothing wrong with this wine, but I don't really find anything of interest from it, either. Feels rather expensive for the quality at approx. 35€.
(87 points) - 2016 Gut Hermannsberg Schlossböckelheimer Vom Vulkan Riesling Trocken - Germany, Nahe (14.10.2023)
12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale, very slightly evolved yellow-ish color. The nose feels ripe, perfumed and quite expressive with vibrant aromas of white peach, some appley tones, a little bit of zesty citrus fruits, light aromatic nuances of green herbs, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of honeyed richness. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite balanced on the palate, but also surprisingly a bit mild for a 2016 Riesling. Medium in body, there are flavors of sweet citrus fruits, some ripe Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of juicy white peach, light stony mineral notes, a hint of chalky bitterness and a touch of floral character. The moderately high acidity lends pretty good freshness to the wine. The medium-long finish is fresh, lively and quite crunchy with a clean, palate-cleansing aftertaste of zesty citrus fruits, some ripe green apple tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light floral nuances, a hint of peachy stone fruit and a touch of herby character.
A youthful, fresh and pretty balanced Riesling that is pretty much true to the variety, but at the same time feels a bit underwhelming and mild in character. There are lots of nuances, but somehow the wine feels like it is lacking in intensity - both in fruit and in the acid department. This is good but nothing particularly memorable.
(88 points) - 2010 Hugel Riesling Grossi LaĂĽe - France, Alsace (14.10.2023)
Made with grapes sourced from Grand Cru Schoenenbourg. Average vine age 30 yo. Harvested between late September and late October. 13,5% alcohol, 6,5 g/l residual sugar, 7,9 g/l acidity and pH 3,09. Tasted blind.
Pale lemon yellow color. The nose feels expressive, complex and very slightly developed with layered aromas of macerated lemon rind, some ripe appley notes, a little bit of steely minerality, light sweet white fruit notes, a hint of peachy stone fruit, a touch of beeswax and a faint whiff of wet rocks. The wine feels ripe, broad and juicy on the palate, yet remarkably structured, balanced and precise at the same time. The overall feel is quite full-bodied with intense and rather concentrated flavors of grapefruit-driven citrus fruits, some ripe red apple, light steely mineral tones, a little bit of peachy fruit, hints of honeyed richness and a balancing touch of apple peel bitterness. The brisk, electric acidity lends great sense of freshness, structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is ripe, fresh and juicy with a very long, balanced aftertaste of ripe citrus fruits, some incisive steely mineral tones, a little bit of crunchy red apple, light sweeter notes of white peach, a hint of beeswax and a touch of lemon marmalade.
An excellent and very impressive Riesling "Grand Cru" (technically, not officially). I had tasted this wine 6½ years ago and it was quite amusing to see how fairly identical my tasting note was back then - the wine has evolved a tiny bit since, but way less than I would've anticipated! It seems this wine is aging at a geologic pace - seeing how youthful it still is, after more than a dozen years, I can see this wine aging beautifully for a few decades more. An absolute unit of Alsatian Riesling. Superb.
(95 points) - 2020 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Dolcetto d'Alba Santo Stefano di Perno - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (14.10.2023)
A single-vineyard Dolcetto with the fruit sourced from Santo Stefano di Perno in Monforte d'Alba. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, moderately translucent dark ruby-red color. The nose feels weirdly dull and somewhat unpleasant with aromas of game and yeast, some ripe dark berry tones, a little bit of earth and light stemmy nuances. The wine feels similarly dull and yeasty on the palate with a medium body and flavors of gamey meat, some yeasty tones, a little bit of tart red berry, light ferrous notes of blood and a hint of earth. Moderately high in acidity with quite supple and easy tannins. The finish is dry, earthy and gently grippy with a short aftertaste of game, some yeasty tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light earthy nuances and a hint of something stemmy.
This was an odd and unpleasant experience. I have no idea what was going on here, but before I taste any other bottles of this vintage, I'm pretty sure this was not how the wine was supposed to taste. It didn't taste like it was corked, just very yeasty. I mean the wine smelled and tasted like how a partly leavened bread dough smells like. Leaving the wine unrated. - 2018 Movia Exto Gredič - Slovenia, Primorska, Goriška Brda (14.10.2023)
100% Friulano from the Gredič vineyard in Goriška Brda. Cold-soaked with the skins for 18 hours, fermented spontaneously and aged for 7 months in stainless steel tanks. 12,5% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar and 5,0 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.
Hazy golden yellow color. The nose feels sweet, fragrant and quite floral with aromas of peachy stone fruit and apple jam, some honeysuckle tones, a little bit of herby spice, light crunchy notes of golden currants, a hint of beeswax, a touch of sweet exotic spices and a whiff of stony minerality. The wine feels dry, textural and slightly phenolic on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of savory spices, some nectarine, a little bit of spicy red apple, light floral notes of honeysuckle, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of chopped herbs. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine in balance. The finish is lively, savory and rather long with flavors of fresh peachy fruit and crunchy red apple, some floral notes of honeysuckle, a little bit of herby spice, light saline mineral nuances, a sweet hint of ripe nectarine and a savory touch of meaty umami.
A nice, balanced and characterful Friulano with good sense of depth and harmony. Although the wine wasn't "crystal-clear" as the producer promotes the wine, this was still noticeably less murky than the previous bottle I tasted a month ago - and so much better in every other way, too. The previous bottle I tasted must've been just faulty and oxidized, because this bottle was showing perfectly fine with good sense of intensity and purity of fruit. It's hard to see if this wine is going to age anywhere from here, but since the wine is drinking pretty nicely right now, I really don't see any reason to cellar this wine any further. Drink now or within the next handful of years. Priced according to its quality at 24,76€.
(90 points) - 2019 Paolo Manzone Barolo Meriame - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (14.10.2023)
A wine from Meriame Cru, located in Serralunga. The grapes' hang time has been prolonged for some time, letting the grapes go borderline overripe. Macerated with the skins for 14 days. Aged for 24 months, partly in 350-liter French oak tonneaux, of which 20% were new, partly in large Slavonian oak botti. Bottled unfiltered. Tasted blind.
Translucent cherry-red color with a subtly maroon hue. The nose feels fragrant and somewhat sweet-toned with quite ripe aromas of cherry marmalade, some floral notes of roses, a little bit of woody oak spice, light strawberry tones, a hint of brooding, dark-toned spice and a touch of sweet black cherry. The wine feels ripe, juicy and dry on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of sweet spices and ripe cranberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of savory umami, light fresh cherry tones, a hint of strawberry jam and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall structure is quite firm and sinewy, thanks to the high acidity and rather grippy tannins. The finish is long, dry and grippy with a ripe aftertaste of juicy cranberries and fresh sour cherries, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light woody notes of savory oak spice and a hint of roses.
To me, this particular wine has always been a bit too ripe and sweet-toned for a Barolo. However, compared to my previous experiences, this was a surprisingly clean, vibrant and balanced for a modernist Barolo - the oaky tones felt quite understated and judicious compared to the fruit, whereas the overall fruit profile was pretty dry and savory despite the obvious ripeness. While still not my favorite Barolo - not by a long shot - this was nevertheless a relatively enjoyable wine in its own right and perhaps the best vintage of Manzone Meriame I've tasted. I can see this wine integrating those oaky tones even better with the fruit if left to age further. Let the wine wait for another 8-12 years.
(90 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
