L’Angolo di Vino, 2/24/2009
Filed Under The Wine World
If you’ve read any of the wine reviews I’ve posted over the last couple of years you are well aware of my fondness for the unusual, the eccentric, and the downright outside-the-box ( literally and figuratively) wines that pop up.
The latest discovery was Hilberg-Pasquero’s 2007 “Vareij”, a one of a kind blend of 80% Brachetto and 20% Barbera. As far as I know, no one else is attempting to merge these Piedmontese varietals, and if they are it’s doubtful the results could be more interesting.
It opens to intense aromas of spice and sharp red fruits, followed by waves of blueberries and exotic hints of cumin that may remind some of Lacrima di Morro d’Alba from Marche. The fruit stays ripe and juicy, strawberries and red raspberries from the Brachetto, riding on a refreshing layerof acidity supplied by the Barbera. Refreshing and accessible.
The fact this is labeled a VdT may unintentionally be damning it with faint praise, especially among consumers looking for those DOC and DOCG “guarantees”. Hmmmm, weren’t there some Super Tuscans that began life as VdT’s?
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L’Angolo di Vino, 2/16/2009
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Monastero Suore Cistercensi 2007 “Coenobium”, Lazio
You have to be a certain age to remember when cloyingly sweet Riesling with a “Blue Nun” label was all the rage, or, more to the point, what was available to wine drinkers of modest means.
The nuns who produce ”Coenobium” near the town of Vitorchiano,north of Rome, have blended a wine of depth and complexity that won’t leave anyone who tries it feeling the least bit blue. With consultation from Giampiero Bea, son of Montefalco’s Paolo, the good sisters have elevated Trebbiano Toscana above its often pedestrian persona – first, by blending it with Grechetto, Malvasia, and Verdicchio; second, by allowing the juice to remain in contact with the skins for about two weeks.
The result is a medium bodied wine that fills the mouth with just-ripe peach and apricot flavors that take on a savory, earthy quality. Aromas of herbs, dried flowers and chalky minerals keep rising to the surface. There’s a solid core of flavor aided by persistant acidity that delivers sensations of warmth all the way to a mildly dry finish. In a word, delicious.
Paradoxically, this is a wine that remains relatively obscure even though approximately 80% of the total production per year is shipped to the States, a little over 3000 cases.
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L’Angolo di Vino, 2/2/10
Filed Under The Wine World
As promised, some more of the interesting wines Icame across the last two months.
Tenuta Roveglio 2008 Lugana…Trebbiano is one of the more maligned Italian varietals, sometimes deservedly so. But when done right, such as this Trebbiano di Soave branch of the family tree, it can be crisp, fruity and provide texture and depth. Peach and focused pear flavors stand out but give way to a juicy citrus finish that keeps it refreshing. Has a semi-amabile feel.
Zamo 2007 Ribolla Giallo…A masterful blend that includes Friulano, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling. Mildly herbal with a hint of the pungent aromatics of the Sauvignon allied with the subdued fruitiness and creamy texture of Tocai. Picks up Riesling’s lemon/lime acidity, along with the crisp minerals you’d expect from a Colli Orientali bianco. Great with seafood.
Colli deo Bardellini 2007 Vermentino” U Munte”…There’s some decent heft in this smooth, mouthcoating Ligurian wine. Less of the usual coastal salinity, but lively acidity lifts the peach and tropical melon flavors and maintains the bright, zesty feeling throughout. Some hints of chalky minerals add interest and complexity.
Girolamo Dorigo 2006 Schioppettino….Ribolla’s Friulian cousin carries peppery and floral aromatics up front before delivering full bodied and smooth dark plums and blackberries bolstered by scorched earth and minerals.The tannins stay mild and support cassis and black raspberry undertones on the finish.
Eraldo Viberti 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo…While this doesn’t have the breadth or depth of other versions from the area it stays true to its varietal and sense of place. Typical subdued nose, only with more herbal notes, which continue on the palate and give the fruit flavors a rustic, forest feel. Smooth, light tannins play off the tart and juicy acidity. Actually becomes more dry as it proceeds, adding a bitter earth aftertaste.
Emidio Pepe 2003 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo…. When you reach the point where you feel that all Italian wines are starting to taste the same and you can’t tell a Chianti from a Cali Cab (which hopefully never happens!), this is the wine to lift you from the depths of standardized despair. Though the fruit is slightly more concentrated, given its hot vintage, the uncompromising authenticity that marks this producer remains true. Deep, bold, evocative….try a bottle and supply your own adjectives.
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L’Angolo di Vino, 1/25/10
Filed Under The Wine World
It’s been a month since the holidays and I’m just now going over my notes for some of the wines consumed during those festive evenings, and some of the bottles subsequently emptied to ward off Seasonal Affective Disorder. As if anyone needs an excuse to drink…
So… brief reviews of four reds from the Mezzogiorno and a classic white from Marche…
Messapicus 2004 Copertino Riserva …Smooth, easy drinking Puglian blend of Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Montepulciano and Sangiovese defined by focused flavors of plums and dark berries with touches of leather, herbs, figs and spice. There’s even a burst of liqoury cherries bathed in licorice in this food friendly wine.
Odoardi 2004 Savuto…A Calabrian meritage? Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Cappuccino, Magliocco Canino, and Sangiovese present the typical southern profile of tar, herbs, new leather and funky forest floor. Tasty, smooth, and rustic all at once with balanced dark fruit flavors and balsamic undertones. Unique and interesting.
Santa Lucia 2006 Vigna del Melograno Castel del Monte…rings true for this DOC in Puglia - spicy and fruity with mildly gripping tannins and intense aromas and flavors of plum, black cherries, raspberries. Juicy acidity keeps the tannins at bay, allowing the herbal and floral notes to hang around through a balanced finish.
La Sibella 2008 Piedirosso…Still showing its youthful ruby red color and Pinot-like reserve. Undercurrents of sour cherry are overtaken by wild, forest fruits and the earthiness of Campania. Terroir induced dried herbs and a “piney” quality are evident and persistant in this light bodied, slightly tart offering that could use a little time to evolve.
Sartarelli 2007 Verdicchio Castelli di Jesi…Stylish and classy, a well made expression of this DOC, it’s all about flavor and texture, with mouth coating varietally correct fruits that effortlesly roll around the palate. Not as saline as other versions from this area, it nontheless evokes the qualities you’d expect from a maritime wine. Mint, an invigorating wave of minerals, and the aftertaste of roasted almonds. This is a lot of wine for less than $20!
Next week we’ll add some northern whites and reds from Friuli and Piemonte, as well as revisiting an old friend from Abruzzo.
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Smacking Each Other Down
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To celebrate the notoriety we’ve garnered thanks to being singled out by World Wrestling megabucks impressario Vince McMahon, we recently held a mano a mano a mano red wine competition featuring three of Philly’s well known wine educators – Brian “Il Cavallino” Freedman, Collin “The Rookie” Flatt, and a man we all respect (well, most of the time) Keith “El Jefe” Wallace.
The judges for the blind tasting were not professional tasters or writers. They reperesented the vox populi, just a random group of wine lovers. Results were tabulated by the accounting firm of Dewey Cheetum & Howe.
In Round #1, Collin’s pick of a Widberry Estate Cabernet from Australia’s Margaret River region brutalized Brian’s Catena Malbec..ususlly a crowd pleaser.
Round #2 saw El Jefe’s Touriga Nacional (which drew a “Huh?!?” from the crowd) put to rest by the Chateau Coufran Haut Medoc Brian selected, a rarity for a Left Bank wine in that Merlot was the featured grape.
On to Round #3 where both wines proved to be crowd pleasers as Collin’s spritely Rhone red from Mas de Libian narrowly outpaced Keith’s Ryan Patrick Bordeaux style blend from Washington’s Columbia Valley.
At that juncture both Collin and Keith had amassed 141 points, leaving Brian to contemplate whether or not to renew his membership in the Jimmy Johnson Tonsorial Club for Men. The Championship Round was a lesson in humility for The Rookie as Keith’s Espelt “Sauro” from Emporida in Spain blew away his Sella & Mosca Cannonau from Sardinia.
So, to the winner go the spoils and bragging rites (and, yes, the spelling is intentional). He will get to smack his competitors in a manner he chooses, as yet to be determined. Hmmmm…how about a version of the Python’s Fish Slapping Dance?
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L’angolo di Vino, 11/13/09
Filed Under Wine Reviews
Rocca Normanna 2007 Primitivo “Le Sciare”, Salento IGT
Sometimes you’ll hear a wine described as having “good juice“ and not be quite sure what that means. Cantine Due Palme’s “Le Sciare” provides an answer. Primitivo is so named not due to any feral, rough qualities but because the Benedictines who cultivated it noticed it as the first, or primo, grape to be harvested, usually by the third week of September.
This version is direct and uncomplicated, but not in any way a listless all-flavor-no-character wine. Scents of currants, dark cherries and blackberries with spicy highlights follow through on a concentrated texture of mouthfilling, jammy fruitiness that has loads of good juice – a balancing acidity and soft tannins.
“Le Sciare” is the bottle you open for those who still are uncertain of Italian wines, a modern expression that never loses sight of its territorio.
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Far From the Madding Cru
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Wine educators constantly find themselves in a neutral zone defined by advocating too strongly for certain wines while damning others with less than faint praise. Or, in my case, of practicing what I preach – to remain open to all wines regardless of region or varietal.
That being said, and at the risk of being branded a philistine, it’s time to admit that after years of trying I don’t “get” Burgundy. The sometimes exorbitant price tags for Grand Cru wine that is less than grand, which can be outdone by those bearing a simple communal designation. The laissez-faire attitude to production coupled with a zen-like obsession with terroir that seems at odds with what writer Hugh Johnson refers to as the “..Alice in Wonderland” hodgepodge of regulations. Maybe it’s just wending through a forest of gumpy wines where one can never be sure of what to expect when the cork is popped.
Perhaps these ambiguities are the attraction for those who have found vinicultural nirvana. There is an innate charm in the unpredictability of wine, and I’m not suggesting assembly line “correctness” that would drain the meaning and pleasure from drinking. But neither do we need the equivalent of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride through the vineyards of the Cote d’Or.
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L’angolo di Vino, 11/2/09
Filed Under Wine Reviews
Pieve del Vescovo 2003 “Lucciaio” IGT, Umbria
Those of you who have consistantly read reviews of Italian wines on this site are aware of a bias toward traditional wines that do not cater to notions of standardization. That doesn’t mean that a “modern” styled offering can’t be warmly received.
Lucciaio is the actual name of this Umbrian estate, and here we have a well crafted blend of Merlot (45%), Cab (40%), and native son Sangiovese (15%). The result is a wine of almost opaque density with aromas of sour cherry and tar over layers of darker, woodsy fruits. On the palate you experience a lively, savory intrerplay of sweet and sour, underripe cherries laced with peppery spices and a vaguely fennel-like element.
The finish is full bore and dry, displaying undertones of earth and mild vegetal qualities, possibly the green herbaciousness that sometimes comes from a dose of Cab All in all, surprising – it’s non-traditional yet still unmistakeably Italian. Who said modern has to mean vapid?
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L’angolo di Vino, 10/27/2009
Filed Under The Wine World
“Buon vino fa buon sangue”
An old Italian phrase that translates loosely as “..good wine makes for good cheer.” Which aptly describes the other night’s Cru Club dinner at neighborhood fave L’Oca, where chef Luca Garruti’s four course menu was enhanced with a palate challenging array of wines…and the bonhommie generated by lively conversation that ensued.
Arneis, Erbaluce di Caluso… a duet of Langhe Nebbiolos, one from Mombeltrano..Borgo Convento’s Friulano… a wildly flavorful Salento Primitivo…2000 Tignanello and a Montevetrano…a smooth as pecorino Brunello…a pair of ‘97 Barbarescos…Kerner – unique, flavorful, aromatic… classic examples of Soave…and other examples of the diversity of Italy’s vineyards that, quite frankly, most of us were too overwhelmed by the shank of the evening to remember.
The only thing that would have made the festivities more noteworthy would have been having us all teletransported to the terace of a hilltop villa among the vines at dusk. Can’t blame an old aficianado for dreaming, can you?
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Phillie Wines
Filed Under The Wine World
As our Phillies march on to another World Series (words many of us thought would never be uttered), I got to thinking about matching wines with the onfield personas of our diamond demigods. So…an unscientific pairing of player and grape:
Jimmy Rollins – bubbly, exciting, zesty, shows best on special occcasions…a fine Champagne.
Chase Utley – consistantly productive, understated finesse, smooth and reliable…..a 1997 Brunello.
Ryan Howard – massive strength, power and muscle that improves with age…a Paulliac or Margaux.
Shane Victorino – what you see is what you get, nothing subtle about the bursts of energy and in your face demeanor….a Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cole Hamels – all Cali cool and breezy, with just a hint of sinistral eccentricity….Russian River Pinot Noir personified.
Carlos Ruiz – under the radar, essential yet overlooked, workmanlike, capable of elevating his game….Columbia Valley Merlot.
Charlie Manuel – country to the core, old school and proud of it, with layers of depth beneath the surface….Taurasi Aglianico.
Bring on the Yankees!
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