La Valentina (Abruzzo) & Poliziano (Montepulciano)

2 Amys - Washington DC
Tasted Friday, March 25, 2016 by isaacjamesbaker with 456 views

Flight 1 - La Valentina (5 Notes)

  • 2015 Fattoria La Valentina Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 87 Points

    Italy, Abruzzi, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo

    Very floral nose, lots of strawberries and peaches. Pure and vibrant but some impressive body and creamy texture. Bright but plenty fruity, fresh cut peaches and wild strawberries topped with some sea breeze and white flowers. Lovely stuff, especially for the price.

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  • 2013 Fattoria La Valentina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 86 Points

    Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

    Fresh, juicy, pure and berry-driven aromas. Fresh black cherries and raspberries on the nose with a slightly chewy but velvety mouthfeel. Nice spice accents, this is approachable and fresh but not too simple. All estate fruit aged in cement, stainless steel and 20% oak. This is a new release, as the wine is aged 18 months in bottle.

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  • 2011 Fattoria La Valentina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Spelt 90 Points

    Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

    Much deeper and more concentrated aromas. And the palate sews a similar thread, with concentrated black cherries and blackberries, but the tannins are smooth around the edges while offering plenty of structure. Complex tobacco, sweet spice and graphite elements. The mountain fruit above the Binovio vineyard, this is aged in stainless steel, Slovenian cask and French barriques. Really impressive stuff, especially for $20.

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  • 2010 Fattoria La Valentina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Bellovedere 91 Points

    Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

    Smells dark and saucy but so juicy as well, with elegant fruit topped with violets and hints of sea salt. Great structure and concentration on the palate with deep plums and black cherries. Round but muscular, with intense focus, minerality and freshness. From a single-vineyard site not far from the Adriatic sea, this is fermented in Slovenian oak cones.

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  • 2011 Binomio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 91 Points

    Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

    Deep, massive aromas but elegant, too, pure, floral. Huge palate (15.5% alcohol) with structured tannins. A bit extracted, with some lower acidity, this is an extremely modern Montepulciano. These descriptions sound over-the-top, and the wine is surely a brooding one, but I find some elegance and velvety aspects to the wine as well. Dark cherry, blackberry, topped in graphite, cocoa, anise, charcoal. Very full and modern, but the quality of the fruit is quite something. A joint venture between La Valentina and Stefano Inama. A single vineyard site at about 1,500 feet, rocky and clay soil, planted in 1971. Aged 15 months in French oak, half new.

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Flight 2 - Poliziano (6 Notes)

  • 2014 Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano 86 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano

    Fresh and vibrant aromas, bright roses and cherries. Soft and fleshy on the palate with bright cherries and strawberries. Simple, fresh, a perfect value-driven lunch red. Fermented in stainless steel and aged mostly in cement with 30% French oak. Includes 20% Merlot.

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  • 2012 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 88 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

    Smells rich and velvety with dark cherries, earth and tobacco. Firm but velvety, with rich flavors of black cherry, plum skin. I also get earthy, tobacco, lovely spice flavors. A blend of some 40 different parcels, which are picked and vinified separately. During the 60s and 70s, this was the only wine this house produced. I’m glad they’ve expanded, but, at the same time, I’m glad this classic wine is still so solid. Aged 16 months in French oak. Lovely stuff, but it'll improve a lot with age.

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  • 2011 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vigna Asinone 91 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

    Smells of deep currants and dark berries but it’s also suave and elegant; I also get some notes of smoke and violets. On the palate, this is smooth but so structured, grippy but elegant. Dark currants, black cherries, laced with earth, black tea, iron and tobacco. The oak is integrated quite well. Beautiful stuff, but I’d love to bury it for five or six years. From a single-vineyard site first planted in 1963, The wine spends about 18 months in French oak and a year in bottle before release.

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  • 2009 Poliziano Le Stanze Toscana IGT 92 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

    Smells of dark currants and plum sauce topped with loam, tobacco and eucalyptus. Great tannic structure but I’m impressed by its freshness. Bold and juicy dark currant and plum fruit but the wine stays velvety and I’m getting some vibrant acidity that keeps the mouth watering. Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% Merlot, aged 16 to 18 months in barrique.

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  • 2010 Lohsa Maremma Toscana Mandrone di Lohsa 90 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana

    Aromas of currant jam, cola, black tea and spicy eucalyptus. Fresh despite the intense structure, I get lots of jammy plums and spicy currants. Also some spiced coffee, mint, scorched earth, cedar shavings. Bold but stays lively. Wow. Cabernet with 10% Petit Verdot and 10% Alicante, aged 18 months in new French oak. I’d love to cellar a few bottles and start opening one per year four years from now.

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  • 2011 Poliziano Merlot Cortona in Violas 90 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Cortona

    Juicy but warm berries and plums with earthy, loam and sweet spice notes. Smooth but well-structured on the palate, this is rich, warm, almost chewy. Deep plums, jammy black cherries. Notes of cola, spiced coffee, dried roses, a green herbal note. Toasty but not overpowered, which is something considering this is all Merlot aged 16 months in 80% new French oak. Quite a bit going on here but it’s wrapped up well.

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