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
Filed Under The Wine World
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.Â
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.Â
Bring on the Yankees!
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L’Angolo di vino, 8/28/09
Filed Under The Wine World
Agricola Punica 2005 “Montessu” Isola dei Nuraghi IGT
The southwest corner of Sardinia has provided a welcome home for the Carignano varietal, the most notable versions being in the Carignano de Sulcis DOC. The use of up to 40% Bordeaux grapes in Punica’s proprietary blend give their Santadi based wine an IGT stamp.
Ther’s no denying the characteristic Sardinian elements of macchia and earthy intensity, but this wine exhibits more finesse and depth than other Carignanos. A persistant nose of plum, blackberries, and local dried herbs leads to fully ripened fruit flavors that begin to take on a raisiny dryness as they develop on the palate. Smooth, rich without being dense, and with evolving meaty characteristics, this is a modern offering that never loses its sense of place -another example of why Sardinia’s wines are unique and worth exploring.
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L’Angolo di Vino, 8/10/09
Filed Under The Wine World
If you’ve perused our list of upcoming classes or have done so anytime this year, you probably noticed that most of our Regional classes are devoted to Italy. And they usually sell out – quickly.
And the blurbs that accompany each listing note that more premium Italian wine is consumed in America than Italy…even in the face of price increases as the dollar hangs on for dear life against the Euro. Brunellos, Barolos and Super Tuscans find welcoming shelf space in countless cellars stateside.
Why? I have my theories (shocking, huh?), but those who know my passion for Italy’s wines would chalk it up to cultural bias. So I throw it open for discussion to you, the winedrinkers of America (or anyplace else for that matter)…weigh in with your opinions, and feedback. But please bring something to the tavola beside “..’cause they taste good.”
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L’Anfolo di Vino, 7/28/09
Filed Under Wine Reviews
Tenute Dettori 2005 Bianco, Romangia IGT
A little over a year ago I ws raving about this winery’s Tudori, an atypical old school Sardinian Cannonau that exemplifies their uncompromising commitment to making wines that express a unique sense of culture and place.
The Bianco is a 100% Vermentino that challenges fixed notions of what that grape can offer. Macerated in cement tanks after a natural fermentation, it is neither clarified, stabilized, nor oaked before being hand bottled by the extended family. The only concession to “technology” is maintaining consistent cellar temperature.
The result? A concentrated amber color that resembles an oxidized Chardonnay. A mouthfilling texture and full, rich body. A 15% ABV leavened by a beam of acid
This is a wine to be savored. Nuances of aroma and flavor don’t need to be deconstructed or over analyzed. To do so would miss the point, and be a disservice to the winemaker’s philosophical description of his creations – “…they are what they are. ” And what they are is as authentic as it gets, an oasis of take-it-or-leave-it winemaking in a Sahara of standardization.
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L’Angolo di Vino, 7/27/09
Filed Under The Wine World
We’ve dropped Italian Pick of The Week in favor of a more suitable header, one which translates as “The Wine Corner”. A place not just for reviews but any and all things related to the wines of Italy. Sooo…….
The South Rises Again
           Campania is one of my favorite regions. Sorrento…the Amalfi coast…Ravello…terraces of vines and olive groves. Cuisine that showcases the bounty of forests and highlands along with abundence from the Mediterranean.
             Which is why I’m looking forward to this Thursday’s Premium Wine Class. Tasting Campania’s wines is a journey through two millenia of viticultural history, a stroll in a living museum of ancient varietals… and each with a story to tell.
             We’ll be pouring a De Angelis Lacrima Christi beside Andrea Reale’s “Cardamone”, a blend of Piedirosso and Tintore. For comparison (or even better, contrast) two Aglianicos – the “Fidelis” from Cantine del Taburno and a 1997 “Naturalis Historia” by Mastroberardino. To top it off, among some offbeat surprises, one of Italy’s true cult wines, a 2003 Montevetrano from the hills near Salerno.
              If you can’t make Italy this summer, this la dolce vita staycation is an enological consolation.
   Â
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Wine Tasting Corner: Italian Wines
Filed Under Wine Reviews
Casata Monfort 2006 “Blanc de Sers” Vigneti Dolomiti IGT
Only in a region as culturally bisected as Trentino would you find a funky blend of the obscure – Wanderbara, Vernaza, Nosiola, Veltliner rosato – and the familiar – Chardonnay, Moscato. Like the region itself, the wine represents a meeting ground of Teutonic and Italian varietals.
The Monfort cantina supports and buys from local growers in order to maintain the profile of indigenous grapes that would otherwise become extinct.
This wine, sourced from a dozen vintners, has a fruity nose of red grapefruit, pineapple and orange blossoms backed by musky scents of forest greenery and a distinct arome of sage. Crisp on the palate, it delivers lively peach, pear and green apple flavors invigorated by tangy saline minerals. Solid, well defined finish that adds sensations of citrus.
Interesting, decidedly eccentric, not easy to categorize – in other words, definately Italian.
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