WSET Diploma Unit 3 - Italy

SF
Tasted Sunday, February 5, 2017 by RajivAyyangar with 297 views

Flight 1 - Northern Italy (6 Notes)

  • 2014 Bava Barbera d'Asti Libera 84 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti

    M- ruby - darker than the Barbaresco, lighter than the Ripasso

    Medium plus intensity aromatics, lifted/high-toned (VA?)
    - indistinct ripe red cherry, also slightly underripe and slightly overripe/dirty cherry (not very distinct fruit), pomegranate/sour cherry
    - slight vanilla, cinnamon (a little new oak)
    - earth - moist soil, baked earth

    Dry, medium plus bodied, with high alcohol (14%), high acid, and medium minus tannins (fine-grained).
    - more indistinct cherry
    - medium plus fruit intensity
    - medium length

    Notes on typical Barbera d'Asti production:
    Ripe grapes were likely mechanically harvested around 25-28 Brix, destemmed and crushed without sorting. Standard ferment and maceration - not especially clean. Elevage in large, neutral botte/foudres.

    A very good DOCG-level Barbera d'Asti in a traditional style. Fruit is present and well-complemented by earth. Vibrant acidity complements the fruit and alcohol. Compared to the best examples, the finish falls a bit short. This lacks the structure and fruit concentration to develop and integrate significantly with age, and should be drunk now.

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  • 2014 Secoli Ripasso della Valpolicella 84 Points

    Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Ripasso della Valpolicella

    M ruby - the darkest of the three (barbera, ripasso, barbaresco)
    Clean, medium intensity aromas (darker, heavier nose than the Barbera)
    - ripe black cherry
    - overripe plum
    - raisin paste (raisination)
    - slight cinnamon (a little new oak, or some used oak)
    - dry earth, faint animal notes
    - sage, herbal amaro-like notes
    - medium complexity
    - I might be imagining this because I know it has Molinara, but there's a saline red-cherry-salty note here.

    Dry, full-bodied, with high alcohol - 14.5% (actually 14%), medium plus acid, and medium plus tannins (ripe and soft).
    - echoes the black cherry and raisin paste on the mid-palate.
    - persistent finish, but doesn't evolve
    - medium minus complexity on the palate
    - no evidence of new oak

    Notes on typical Ripasso production:
    Moderately ripe grapes with loose selection were picked and vinified simply.
    Un-pressed grape skins left from Amarone production were added to a basic Valpolicella (Corvina/Rondinella/Molinara) blend and then re-fermented to add body, alcohol, and phenolics.
    The resulting wine was elevaged in large Bottes.

    This is a very good example of a Valpolicella Ripasso DOCG. The style within Ripasso is more on the saline/acidic side than the riper, fruitier side, potentially due to the higher percentage of Molinara. There's dark raisin fruit from the added ex-Amarone skins, as well as crisp medium-plus acid and some tannic grip. The midpalate flavors are well-integrated and complementary. It's persistent but not evolving. The best examples would rival Amarone, having more complexity, body, structure, and fruit intensity than this.

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  • 2013 Fratelli Barale Barbaresco Serraboella 88 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Medium minus garnet to an orange rim
    "Medium garnet" in Diploma terminology

    Pronounced intensity aromatics, with notable lifted high perfume tones (VA) and a hint of bruised apples (oxidation).
    - Ripe and slightly dried red cherry
    - suggestion of dried cinnamon nutmeg (used oak impact)
    - tomato, tomato leaf, tomato stems - suggest variable ripeness in the grapes
    - dried roses, dried violets, poupourri
    - dried and wet leaves, forest floor

    Dry, medium body, high alcohol (14.5% - actually 14%), medium plus acid, high tannins - chewy and grippy.
    Pronounced flavor intensity, long evolving finish.

    Notes on typical Barbaresco production:
    Ripe Nebbiolo grapes from the warmer south-facing sites were hand-picked, destemmed, sorted, pressed and fermented. The wine was aged for at least a year in traditional large neutral Botte, likely Slavonian oak.

    This is a good example of a Barbaresco DOCG. It has expressive fruit, complex aromas, excellent flavor integration, and a long, evolving finish. The best examples have brighter acidity, deeper fruit, and less vegetal and green aromatics.

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  • 2014 Terre da Vino Gavi Masseria dei Carmelitani 83 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Gavi

    Pale lemon color

    Medium minus intensity nose
    - mostly neutral
    - ripe green apple, Meyer lemon
    - fresh honey
    - estery pear notes (youthful fermentation aromas)
    - faint impression of creamy lees

    Dry, m-body, m alcohol - 12.5% (actually 12%), m+ acid, light phenolic bitterness.
    Impression of wet-stones on the palate.
    Medium minus fruit intensity
    Medium finish - persistent but not evolving.

    This is a very good quality Gavi DOCG. It shows modest fruit with stony/mineral character on the palate, and the acidity is lively and fresh. However the aromatic intensity and flavor integration are not at the level of the best examples.

    Blind, I'd have a hard time telling this from a standard Pinot Grigio

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  • 2015 Belisario Verdicchio di Matelica Vigneti del Cerro 80 Points

    Italy, Marche, Verdicchio di Matelica

    Pale lemon color
    Slightly reductive (burnt rubber) medium intensity nose
    - grapefruit
    - underripe honeydew melon rind
    - slight candle smoke
    - underripe green apple
    - very faint graham cracker - possible lees? It would help explain the reduction.

    Slight frizzante on the palate
    - Dry, light-bodied, medium alcohol - 12% (actually 13% - seems lighter), medium plus acid (higher than the Gavi and the Soave), medium minus phenolic bitterness
    - medium fruit intensity
    - short finish - it disappears

    This is a good quality Verdicchio di Matelica DOC. It shows modest fruit and a balanced palate with sufficiently crisp acidity. However compared to the best examples of the region, the depth of fruit is lacking, the acidity is less vibrant, and the finish is quite short.

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  • 2015 Pieropan Soave Classico 84 Points

    Italy, Veneto, Soave Classico

    85% Garganega with 15% Trebbiano di Soave
    $22

    Pieropan is largely responsible for pioneering quality Soave in the last few decades.

    Hillside vineyards in the Classico zone. Guyot training, Pergola - high-training. 80-90 hl/ha (high!). Hand-picked. Destemmed, free-run juice was vinified separately from the crushed juice. 14-17C ferment. Short elevage in cement tanks. 4-6 months in bottle.

    Pale lemon color
    Medium plus intensity aromatics
    - Ripe peach, nectarine - semi-terpenic?
    - some yeasty lees aromas (yeast extract, washed rind cheese)
    - no tertiary aromas

    Dry, medium minus body, medium minus alcohol - 12% (correct), medium plus acidity, medium phenolic bitterness.
    Medium fruit intensity.
    The finish is medium minus.

    This is a very good quality Soave Classico DOCG. The aromatics are expressive and pure, though not complex. The acidity, though just medium plus, balances the wine in a fresh way. Versus the best examples, this wine lacks mid-palate integration, persistence on the finish, and mineral complexity.

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Flight 2 - Central and Southern Italy (6 Notes)

  • 2015 Poggio Bonelli Chianti Villa Chigi 83 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Chianti

    Medium ruby
    Medium intensity aromas
    - Red cherry, slightly confected and slightly dirty.
    - bright cherry and pomegranate
    - Slight brett
    - dark earth
    - no notable floral or oak aromas

    Dry, medium bodied, medium plus alcohol - 13.5% (bottle reads 12%), medium plus acid, medium tannins.

    Slightly dirty fruit on the mid-palate, not great integration, medium minus finish.

    This is a good example of a basic Chianti DOCG. It has some red varietal fruit, but doesn't have the depth of flavor, bright acidity, and structural integration of the best examples.

    Notes on typical Chianti DOCG production:
    - Grapes (typically Sangiovese with up to 20% trebbiano, malvasia, canaiolo)
    - grown outside the Chianti Classico zone
    - yields typically
    - hand harvested
    - destemmed and crushed
    - fermented in a neutral vessel, perhaps at a lower temperature (25-30 C) to get fruitier aromas
    - short elevage in large neutral bottes

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  • 2013 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico 86 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

    12 months in neutral Slavonian oak barrels, with a small percentage in newer oak.

    Medium ruby, garnet rim
    "medium garnet" in Diploma terminology

    High/toned, possible VA/ethyl acetate in a nice way - perfumed
    - Red cherry, baked strawberry, cherry liqueur
    - Herbal amaro, anise notes
    - Bruised apples - oxidation
    - dried cherry
    - dried roses - poupourri
    - leather
    - Slight vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg - slight oak

    Dry, medium body, high alcohol 14% (actually 13.5%), high acid, medium plus tannins (fine-grained, persistent).
    - ripe and dried cherry
    - long finish, mostly fruit and acidity
    - some cedar and cinnamon/nutmeg - small amount of new oak.

    A very good example of a traditional Chianti Classico DOCG. There is clear red Sangiovese varietal character as well as high-toned herbaceous secondaries and some interesting tertiary development. Compared to the best examples, this wine lacks a long, developing finish, and some integration mid-palate.

    Notes on typical Chianti Classico production:
    - All red grapes, >80% Sangiovese - probably 100%, since no black fruit.
    - within the Chianti Classico region
    - Guyot-pruned
    - on slopes (warmer aspect, riper grapes)
    - 40-50 hl/ha
    - Hand-harvested?
    - De-stemmed and crushed
    - Warm ferment on skins at 24-30 C for 2 weeks in stainless, concrete, or neutral oak vessels
    - Possible extended maceration (there's good color and phenolic structure)
    - Maturation for 1-2 years in large neutral Slavonian oak bottes

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  • 2011 Bellaria Brunello di Montalcino 88 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    Medium garnet color.
    Medium plus intensity nose with savory red cherry, slight pomegranate
    - brett, oxidation (bruised apple)
    - leather, tamari, tobacco
    - slight cinnamon and vanilla (small amount of oak)

    Dry, medium plus body, high alcohol - 14% (actually 14.5%), medium plus acid, high tannins.
    Long finish

    This is a very good example of a non-Riserva Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. It shows expressive secondary aromas and tertiary development, with well-integrated Brett and oak spice aromas. However the fruit is only moderately concentrated, and better examples have longer length.

    Notes on typical Brunello production:
    - 100% Sangiovese Grosso and other clones
    - From hillsides on some of the better sites in Montalcino
    - Low yields - 20-40 hl/ha (legal max 55 hl/ha)
    - Guyot-pruned
    - destemmed and crushed
    - fermented in a neutral vessel on skins, macerated for 3 weeks or more at relatively warm (25-30 C) temperatures.
    - aged for a minimum of 2 years in oak and 1 year in bottle before release

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  • 2012 Ciro Picariello Greco di Tufo 84 Points

    Italy, Campania, Greco di Tufo DOCG

    8 months on lees (no oak).

    Medium lemon - has some color
    Medium plus intensity aromatics of ripe Meyer lemon and ripe grapefruit.
    - slight ripe peach - tastes like warm climate - Tufo in Campania is warm.
    Some tertiary wax, crushed stones, sour cream lees.

    dry, full body, medium plus alcohol - 13% (actually 12.5%), high acid (seems mostly tartaric), no bitterness - clean medium plus finish. Medium plus flavor intensity. Ripe Meyer lemon on the midpalate and finish.

    Richer and higher acid than a generic Italian white.

    A very good quality Greco di Tufo. The wine shows concentrated ripe citrus and apple fruit, with strong acidity to balance it. It shows good integration on the mid-palate and some persistence on the finish. It lacks some elegance and complexity of better examples.

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  • 2013 Tenute Rubino Punta Aquila Salento IGT 83 Points

    Italy, Puglia, Salento IGT

    "deep ruby" in Diploma terms.
    Medium plus ruby
    Medium plus intensity aromatics of black cherry, charred earth, slight burnt rubber and struck match (reduction), a hint of dried flowers, slight ripe plum as well. Some mushroom.
    There's smoke and oak, but also earth, mushroom, savory tomato notes. Fresh and stewed fruits.
    Shows very slight oak - just a hint of coffee and cinnamon.

    On the palate, it has a ripe attack (alcohol / glycerine), full-bodied, with high 14% alcohol (actually 14.5%), medium plus acid, and medium plus tannins (ripe and rounded).
    It has both raisinated black cherry, as well as tart cranberry.
    A long finish but rather simple - it doesn't evolve.

    This is a good example of a Primitivo di Salento DOC. It shows good typicity (variable ripeness of fruit), as well as concentrated mid-palate fruit. There's also a nice ripeness and roundness to the tannins. However it lacks complexity on the finish, and the better examples show more elegance and integration.

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  • 2013 Contrade di Taurasi (Cantine Lonardo) Aglianico Irpinia 84 Points

    Italy, Campania, Irpinia

    color
    - diploma: deep ruby
    - cms: medium plus ruby to a red rim

    Pronounced nose, with a hint of saline VA/perfumed high tones.
    - white pepper!
    - saline pine and sage / amaro
    - ripe red cherry, plum
    - slight dried flowers

    Dry, full-bodied, high alcohol - 14.5% (actually 14%), medium plus acid, high tannins (grippy and persistent), slight bitterness to the finish.

    On the palate, elevated fruit intensity, bitter chocolate with bitter herbs and black cherry. The finish is only medium plus in length, with an awkward bitter nose.

    This is a very good quality DOC level Aglianico. It shows typicity in powerful structure and ripe fruit. Compared the best examples, the finish is a bit disjointed and unintegrated, particularly in that it finishes bitter. The wine has sufficient depth of fruit and structure (tannins, acid) to mellow and integrate with 3-5 years of age.

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