TN: Two Viscioli..(short/boring/esoteric)

We tried this weekend two Viscioli:

  1. Fratterosa Visciola Terracruda Visciolata Bevanda Aromatizzata a Base di Vino Visciola (12%) Fratterosa 2010: Med.dark color; strong grapey/plummy/LaCrima-like strong bing cherry/canned bing cherry syrup slight earthy/dusty bit alcoholic quite exotic nose; big/ripe/lush intense bing cherry syrup/canned bing cherries rather grapey/plummy some earthy/dusty quite sweet exotic flavor; very long rather sweet intense canned bing cherries/cherry syrup some grapey/plummy fairly sweet light earthy/dusty finish w/ some tannins but covered by the sugar; speaks strongly both of cherries and grapey/plummy wine; a terrific exotic wine that I liked quite a lot; not sure how it will age or where at table you’d use it, maybe w/ salamis. Great wine for the price. $18.00/500 ml (K&L)

  1. Visciola Luigi Giusti (12.5%; red wine/wild cherries/sugar) Az.Agr.Giusti Piergiovanni Montignano/Ancona/Marche NV: Very dark color; some earthy/dusty exotic black cherry/chherry ripe almost Port-like very intense very exotic nose; rich/lush/Port-like slightly sweet (4%-5%?)/off-dry intense black cherry/bing cherry pie/boysenberry almost LateHrvst Pinot beautiful very intense complex flavor; very long/lingering slightly sweet very rich/lush/LateHrvst Pinot-like some Port-like bing cherry pie/black cherry very exotic complex finish w/ some tannins; much like a Jr Port w/o the fierce alcohols; terrific wine at a very fair price.
    $30.00/500 ml (K&L)

A wee BloodyPulpit:

  1. Visciola: This is a sour cherry that is indigenous to the Marche in Italy. Pronounced vis-cho-la. It has long been used in TheMarches in winemaking under a variety of recipes. The cherries are harvested in late-June/early-July, then macerated in a sugar watter solution for a few days, the stuff filtered and preserved until Fall. Then they make a red wine from local grapes (often LaCrima de Morra d’Alba). When the red wine has completed fermentation, the preserved macerated cherry juice is then added to the wine and the fermentation takes off again, until completion. Sometimes, after the cherries are harvested and crushed, a standard cherry wine is made, w/ the addition of sugar to get a requisite level of alcohol. Sometimes the cherry wine is simply blended with the red wine. Sometimes, the cherry pomace is preserved, sometimes w/ sugar added, and then added to the fermenting, or just fermented, red wine and fermentation resumes, a la ripasso. I gather every family has their own secret recipe.
    I’d never heard of this wine before. I was tracking down some CanaryIsland wines and LaCrima di Morra d’Alba at K&L a month ago and stumbled across this stuff and knew I had to try it.
    I was mightly impressed with these two wines. They definitely spoke of bing cherries, but also of very good rich red wine. In fact, because of their intensity, some RS, and alcohol level, they are dead ringers for many a StaRitaHills Pinot!!! :slight_smile: They both spoke a lot of canned bing cherry syrup but the acidity & tannins made them seem much more balanced than drinking canned syrup.
    The stated 12% alcohol levels seem very suspect. Two very exotic wines that I’m eager to try other versions. Surprised I never found this wine at Roberto’s.
    Tom

Wow, nice to see notes from WAY outside the box.

Giusti is SERIOUS, glad you tried some.