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RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 1:08:01 AM

Maestro

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Paul S

Ok - last question from me - shamelessly taking advantage of this thread. Has anyone tried Gaja's Pieve Santa Restitutio Rennina? I've got the 2000. Wondering when to open this one as well. Any views?

I did not taste the 2000. I tasted the 2001 and it was a blockbuster. Really good. The 2001 is good now but it will become much better later.

As for the 2000, if it is representative of the vintage it should be drunk right now, as most of those Brunellos are not for the long haul. But the Pieve Santa Restituta wines are high-end, fiercefully selected efforts, so maybe it could stay in the cellar for a few more years. Nevertheless -- if it was me -- I'd be drinking the 2000s now and saving the 2001s for another 3-4 years.

(in reply to Paul S)

Post #: 31

RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 2:50:20 AM

Paul S

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From: Singapore
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Pity my wine merchant listed the 2001 but only had 2000 for sale. I was a little upset by that. I had a taste of the 2000, it seems to be rather soft and drinking right now, but I was hoping that there would be a little more development in the bottle. Oh well. A good bottle to drink up then - never a bad thing.

(in reply to Maestro)

Post #: 32

RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 7:07:01 AM

Wrighty

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From: Hong Kong
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Hi pbm,

I can offer a little light. Had a 1988 Solaia earlier this year

http://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=4537

I bought the bottle in Farr's sale so didn't pay the full price and perhaps the top shoulder indicated it hadn't been kept well but it started OK but faded. We also had a 1986 Sassicaia from Farr which last all night which was also top shoulder.

Had expected the Solaia to do better (and the Sassicaia not so well) but as on the few previous occassions I've tried either of these wines, Sassicaia won.

Wrighty

< Message edited by Wrighty -- 7/9/2008 7:10:40 AM >

(in reply to pbm)

Post #: 33

RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 10:29:51 AM

Paul S

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From: Singapore
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Just came back from a tasting of Il Molina de Grace's wines - American family living in Tuscany. Strange, but wines were pretty good. http://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?Table=Events&szSearch=molino

(in reply to Wrighty)

Post #: 34

RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 10:30:36 AM

Paul S

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From: Singapore
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By the way, anyone noticed how this has become the resident Italian wine thread? Just like one or two morphed into Burgundy threads.

(in reply to Paul S)

Post #: 35

RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 11:40:21 AM

Colonel Lawrence

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From: Arabia
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Because Maestro's the man when it comes to Italy.

And on that note what about this - half price at Sainsburys -
Villa Arceno Arguzzio 1998, Super Tuscan

_____________________________

First they came for ....................

(in reply to Paul S)

Post #: 36

RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 12:13:42 PM

Maestro

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Colonel Lawrence
And on that note what about this - half price at Sainsburys -
Villa Arceno Arguzzio 1998, Super Tuscan

Colonel,

I have no idea how good or bad this wine is, but there is a lot of talk about the revamped wine production from this Chianti estate under the management of Kendall-Jackson Estates. Some say it is much better than one would expect.

Having said that, for anything more than €20 I would probably pass.

(in reply to Colonel Lawrence)

Post #: 37

RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 12:26:49 PM

Colonel Lawrence

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£14.24 per bottle

I think I'll leave it for now.
Grazie.
L.

(in reply to Maestro)

Post #: 38

RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 3:43:51 PM

Maestro

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And, since you brought up the Chianti region...

It is no secret that I am not a big fan of the wines produced in Chianti. I have repeatedly advised that, if you want Sangiovese, head for Montalcino. Of course I drink Chianti Classico wines now and again, as they are served everywhere and some producers are alright, but Brunello and Super-Tuscan wines from the Bolgheri, Maremma, and Montalcino regions have always been the reason why I go to Tuscany.

Well, I just got the Wine Advocate with a report on the 2005 and 2006 regions, and Antonio Galloni (whom I respect) writes:

"A few years ago I would have thought it unthinkable, but the simple fact is that many of the finest Tuscan wines are being made in Chianti Classico. The region once so maligned (and rightly so) for its mediocre, weedy, acidic wines is today home to some of Italy’s most exciting bottlings."

This is a surprising statement to me. I have done no tastings yet of 2005 and 2006 Tuscan wines, and usually when I go to Tuscany I don't bother with Chianti Classico at all. But his statement is intriguing, so I will see if I can get to the Chianti region this year and taste the recent vintages...

< Message edited by Maestro -- 7/9/2008 3:45:46 PM >

(in reply to Colonel Lawrence)

Post #: 39

RE: For Maestro - 7/9/2008 8:47:54 PM

J2K

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Maestro,
Don't know if you are familiar with but I just recently drank "2001 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva La Forra"
and it was fantastic. Still have another botlle left.

(in reply to Maestro)

Post #: 40

RE: For Maestro - 7/24/2008 12:01:32 AM

Paul S

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From: Singapore
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Hi Maestro (and anyone else with an opinion) - what do you think of the 1997 Castello Banfi BdM? Worth purchasing at about US$100? Please factor in 30% or so premium we pay in Singapore.

(in reply to J2K)

Post #: 41

RE: For Maestro - 7/24/2008 12:15:22 AM

Maestro

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Paul S

Hi Maestro (and anyone else with an opinion) - what do you think of the 1997 Castello Banfi BdM? Worth purchasing at about US$100? Please factor in 30% or so premium we pay in Singapore.

Is it the normal bottling or one of the high-end bottlings (Poggio All'Oro or Poggio Alle Mura)?

All Brunello wines from Banfi in the fantastic vintage of 1997 are very good. The high-end bottlings are better, but in 1997 the normal bottling was also very good. All 3 bottlings drink well now with aeration and all have quite a few years of future drinking in their window.

But $100 for the normal bottling is twice the price I need to pay. If it is one of the high-end bottlings, then it is in the ballpark. But for the normal bottling that is expensive (at least when compared to prices in Italy).

Nevetherless they are all very good wines. The All'Oro is a bit bigger, but I think my favorite for 1997 is the Alle Mura, which is a very seductive wine.

< Message edited by Maestro -- 7/24/2008 5:22:01 AM >

(in reply to Paul S)

Post #: 42

RE: For Maestro - 7/24/2008 12:24:47 AM

Paul S

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From: Singapore
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I had the Alle Mura a couple of months back - absolutely loved it. It was singing after 3 hours in the decanter. This offer is for the normal bottling though. Looks like I will be paying rather over the odds for. Will skip it then. Cheers!

(in reply to Maestro)

Post #: 43

RE: For Maestro - 7/25/2008 8:49:41 PM

timpenn

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Joined: 12/19/2007
From: Pittsburgh, PA
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Hi, Maestro!

I enjoy your postings. Between the Rennina and the Sugarile, which one is better? I tasted the 2001 Sugarile and it was excellent. If I have the choice to buy the 2001 Rennina ($83) or the 1998 Sugarile ($73), what would you recommend as the better deal/value?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Maestro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Paul S

Ok - last question from me - shamelessly taking advantage of this thread. Has anyone tried Gaja's Pieve Santa Restitutio Rennina? I've got the 2000. Wondering when to open this one as well. Any views?

I did not taste the 2000. I tasted the 2001 and it was a blockbuster. Really good. The 2001 is good now but it will become much better later.

As for the 2000, if it is representative of the vintage it should be drunk right now, as most of those Brunellos are not for the long haul. But the Pieve Santa Restituta wines are high-end, fiercefully selected efforts, so maybe it could stay in the cellar for a few more years. Nevertheless -- if it was me -- I'd be drinking the 2000s now and saving the 2001s for another 3-4 years.

(in reply to Maestro)

Post #: 44

RE: For Maestro - 7/26/2008 1:43:38 AM

Maestro

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Joined: 10/4/2007
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quote:

ORIGINAL: timpenn

Between the Rennina and the Sugarile, which one is better?

Mmmm. That's a tough call. Gaja himself tries to position the Sugarille as the most exclusive bottling and he usually releases it at a price point $20-30 above that of the Rennina.

But the winemaking process (fermentation and ageing) is exactly the same for both bottlings (ageing for these wines consists of one year in barriques and one year in large oak casks followed by 2 years of bottle aging). So the difference is all in the fruit.

The Sugarille is a single-vineyard wine, while the Rennina fruit comes from three individual parcels of vines in a part of the estate called "Rennina". What then happens is that which wine is the best varies from vintage to vintage depending on how the microclimate of each parcel affects the fruit.

For the vintages I tasted, the Sugarille was superior in 2001 (although the Rennina was good too), and they were pretty much at the same level in 1997 and 1999 (although the 1997 Rennina might have had the edge by a hairline).

So, in most vintages the quality level is pretty much compatible, and only variations of microclimate produce the sense of place of each bottling.

quote:

ORIGINAL: timpenn

If I have the choice to buy the 2001 Rennina ($83) or the 1998 Sugarile ($73), what would you recommend as the better deal/value?

To me that one is a bit of a no-brainer (although maybe some people may disagree on the "best deal" given the price points): I would certainly buy the 2001 Rennina.

Between the vintages there is no comparison. 2001 was much superior to 1998. But of course these particular wines are fiercefully selected and I assume the 1998 Sugarille is probably not bad (I never tasted that one). Still I would have no doubt -- I'd buy the 2001.

The only reasons for buying the 1998 would be: (i) to save ten bucks; and/or (ii) if one did not have a cellar, as the 2001 should sit quietly for another 2-3 years before consumption, whereas the 1998 should be in the middle of its drinking window right now.

(in reply to timpenn)

Post #: 45