Atlanta no-name Wine Tasting Group - Italy again.
Tasted Sunday, October 24, 2021 by CWilliam with 106 views
Introduction
We got together to taste some Italian wines blind - price point of $50 to $100. Wines bottles were mixed up by a third party and we tasted the wines blind and revealed after each bottle. By "mixed" I mean put in a different order / wine bags.
The subject was Italian wine, excluding Barolo/Barberesco and Brunello as we have had done several tastings of those wines with this group. In the end we voted for "wine of the night" with a weighting of 3 points for 1st choice, 2 for 2nd and 1 point for third - given the quality of the tasting we had more dispersion of votes - the top 4 wines were relatively close. With hindsight, we missed more wines from Umbria (in particular Paolo Bea) and wines from Campania (was hoping someone would bring a Galardia Terra di Lavoro).
The scores below are mine and not the groups.
Closing
Overall, a great tasting. The Group's top wines were the 2011 Quintarelli Valpolicella, followed closely by the Paleo Rosso (Super Tuscan, 100% cab Franc) 2010, with #3 the 2016 vintage of the same wine (Paleo Rosso). Wine #4, because you care, was the 2020 Quintarelli Bepi (Veneto).
I can't recall my favorite - probably tie between the 2010 Paleo and the 2010 Quintarelli Bepi. I was impressed by how well the 2006 Felsina Chianti "Rancia" (CCR) has aged and plan on adding the Paleo Rosso to my cellar in the future - we tasted the 2010 after the 2016 and it has aged beautifully.
2014 Benanti Etna Rosso
Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC
Wine #1 of 9 (Italy Ex. Barolo/Brunello tasting)
Medium brick red color with no sediment. On nose, tobacco, strawberry, menthol with some savory notes. Palate similar + sour cherry. Medium+ acidity, low tannins, long finish. 91+/-
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2012 Antonelli San Marco Montefalco Sagrantino Chiusa di Pannone 93 Points
Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino
Wine #2 - Italian Tasting (ex. Barolo/Brunello)
Dark red/black color. Great nose. Savory earth/tobacco, tar and dark cherry. Palate similar to nose. High acidity, high tannins and very long finish. Would have shown better if open longer. Pros guessed Older Veneto. Really enjoyed this and will buy some. In top 3 for me. 93-94 range.
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2013 Pasqua Amarone della Valpolicella
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella
Wine #3 in Blind Italian Tasting.
Black in glass - looked young. On nose, sweet cherry, strawberry, vanilla (not overdone) - palate similar. Full body, medium(-) acidity, medium tannins. Modern in style and quite tasty. 91+/-
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2016 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso 93 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Wine #4 in Blind Italian tasting (Italy ex. Barolo/Brunello)
Dark purple color. Great nose - sweet cherry, green pepper (+), leather on nose - still relatively fruit primary. On palate, bright cherry, sweet cherry and slight medicinal (+) note. Soft tannin, medium acidity and very long finish. Guessed Cab Franc (only correct guess for me of tasting). Very enjoyable - we wondered how this would age and next wine in tasting (tasted 1 at a time with unveil after each tasting) was the 2010 vintage (which was rocking) - 93+ (rated 2010 94+)
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2010 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso 94 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Wine #5 in Blind Italian tasting (Italy ex. Barolo/Brunello)
Purple color (looked younger than 11 years old). Cinnamon, sweet cherry, baking spice and morello cherry on nose. Palate consistent with nose and noticeably more secondary notes than the '16 vintage. High acidity, integrated tannins and very, very long finish. Great wine. 94+
Wine of tasting.
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2006 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia 92 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
wine #6 in Blind Tasting (Italy ex. Barolo and Brunello)
Didn't note color. Very complex, savory nose - forest floor, leather, dark cherry, red currants and strawberry. On palate, relatively similar - very smooth with medium+ acidity, integrated tannins, medium body and long, elegant finish - This threw everyone. I guessed it was mine. This wine has aged beautifully. 92+
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2015 Tenuta Santa Caterina Freisa d'Asti Sori di Giul 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Freisa d'Asti
Wine #7 in Blind Tasting (Italy ex. Barolo and Brunello)
Black in the glass. On nose, game, pine resin, dark cherry. On palate, consistent with nose. Full body, medium+acidity, medium tannins and long finish - nice mixture of sweet & savory on palate. 93+/-
Soridigiul Freisa D'Asti Superiore 2015
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2011 Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore 93 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico Superiore
Wine #8 in Blind Tasting (Italy ex. Barolo and Brunello)
Medium red color. Cherry pit, cherry preserves, medicinal, cinnamon on nose (+ a yeasty note another taster noted - once they said something I noticed as well) - very nice. On palate, consistent with palate. Rich full body - didn't note acidity or tannins - very long finish - guessed Quintarelli only because of bottle shape and color (cheating?). 93-94 range. Very enjoyable.
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2010 Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi Veneto IGT 94 Points
Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT
Wine #9 in Blind Tasting (Italy ex. Barolo and Brunello)
Loved this wine. Dark red color. On nose, sweet cherry, glycerin, baking spice, leather and cherry pit. On palate, similar flavors to nose - full body, low tannins, medium acidity and very long finish. Tied for my WOTN with a 2010 Le Macchiole "Paleo" Cab Franc. Awesome. 94+
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2016 Zenato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 94 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Wine #10 in Blind Tasting (Italy ex. Barolo and Brunello)
Last bottle in a tasting - stood out vs. other wines given fruit primary, but darn it was delicious. Dark red color. Cherry pit, sweet cherry, baking spice on nose. Full body with rich palate feel. Medium acidity/tannins and very long finish. 93-94 range. Will buy some of this. Interesting how I would have rated if earlier in the tasting. Wrote 94 so I'll go with that for now - huge on palate and agree with prior tasters comment, but think secondary notes should come with 3-5 years.
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