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Natural Wines of Italy

Jug Shop, San Francisco, CA

Tasted August 13, 2008 by nwk with 776 views

Introduction

Great tasting of Natural, or what we call 'orange wine', wines from Italy. Great line-up.

Flight 1 (16 notes)

White
2006 Tenute Dettori Bianco Italy, Sardinia, Romangia IGT
Broad white herb, marmalade and root-like flavors. Very textured with some tart citrus fruit. Unique and complex Vermentino.
Orange
2005 Zidarich Carso Malvasia Istriana Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Carso
Was told this did not see oak, but this seems to have a load of vanilla and oak aspects on the nose? White fruit and very long in the mouth. The oak like flavors that marred the nose for me were less apparent in the mouth, which has great fruit weight and spice. Kind of a let down as my expectations were high. Not my favorite of the tasting and a perplexing wine.
White
2005 Zidarich Carso Vitovska Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Carso
Orange marmalade, and mineral/rocks on the nose. This was textured and long in the mouth. Lots of mineral, gravel, herbs/roots and white pepper flavors. This was good but somewhat of a letdown, especially compared to the Vodopivec.
White
2005 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
High-toned with some orange and musty elements. There was some discussion of TCA at a very low level? Rich but with thrusting acidity. Almost like crushed ceramic flavors. Pretty awesome Treb. Insane price.
Orange
2004 La Stoppa Ageno Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Emilia IGT
This was a real find in this tasting. Orange marmalade flavors with crystalline fruit and herb flavors. This was the most tannic white wine i've ever had, and i liked it for its almost young, old-school nebbiolo like tannins. It was extracted, textured, rich and dense but fresh and not tiring at all. Maybe some brett? Mint notes as well. Really wild and exotic wine, like nothing else and really set itself apart. Made some of these seem pedestrian, and that was not easy to do. Wild stuff.
White
2005 Movia Ribolla Slovenia, Primorska, Goriška Brda
Honeyed with lavender and marzipan notes. Rich and long with almond and nutmeg flavors. This was a touch soft? Seems like it needs some time and did not show that well in this lineup/format. Kind of disappointing, but I'd definitely give it another try. Finally a realistically priced wine; a relative bargain @$30.
White
2005 Movia Lunar 8. Slovenia, Primorska, Goriška Brda
A touch reduced? (odd for these 'hyper-oxidized' wines) Almost patchouli like nose with incense and mineral notes. Really wild aromatics. Very deep and young tasting, almost monolithic at times. Some vitamin pill flavors as well as orange and gravel. This was tight with a talc-y texture. Seems in desperate need of some time in bottle or decanter. Really unique stuff, but in a closed spot now?
Orange
2005 Schuchmann Wines Mtsvane Vinoterra Georgia, Kakheti
Some oxidative notes with peach and medicinal/tincture nose. Lots of clay/earth/mineral flavors. Sort of tasted like it was produced in amphorae (duh) with the clay like flavors. Citrus and orange flavors in the mouth. Quite different with a more rustic/tougher feel. Interesting stuff.
White
1997 Castello di Lispida Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT
Floral and honeyed with a slight streak of green/freshness. Lots of elder-flower/st. germaine like flavors. Rich and dense and surprisingly fresh for an 11 year old wine. Very long with lots of flower/spice flavors and good balance.
Orange
2004 Damijan Podversic Kaplja Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
Bright with citrus, herb and mineral nose. Very dense with more herby citrus fruit in the mouth. This was pretty tight and seemed in need of time.
Orange
2003 Vodopivec Vitovska Venezia Giulia IGT Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
Shockingly good stuff. This was really a standout. White grape, flowers and spice nose. Really concentrated, mineral-y stuff here. Rich and dense that has a super-long finish. Really profound stuff that is so unique and intriguing. You just keep coming back to the nose on this. The flavors are very intense and just rocks your palate. Almost tasted infused, in a good way, as the flavors have a texture and precision that hits your palate in waves. killer wine and worth the $90, i think.
Orange
2001 Gravner Breg Anfora Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT
Fresh mint, herbs and spice with a medicinal edge. Very long and dense/powerful stuff. This was a pretty structured and textured wine. Very intense with some berry fruit and that crazy tincture/medicnal edge to the spice and herbal accents. Really neat wine.
Red
2005 COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico Italy, Sicily, Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico
Sweet red fruit, black tea and tobacco nose. Herbal and mineral red with some forest floor and fresh red fruit. This was a nice wine and a bit rounder than the Pithos; slightly more polished but not quite as exciting.
Red
2005 COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria Pithos Rosso Italy, Sicily, Cerasuolo di Vittoria
Bitter herbs and minty red fruit nose. Lots of fresh berries, with slightly bitter, herbs and root flavors. Funky tincture and fernet-like flavors. Neat stuff that is more complex that the normale, and not as polished.
Red
2004 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Some wild cherry, and spice on the fragrant nose. Very nice depth without weight on this one. Spicy and herbal with fresh tomato and wood (not really oak) flavors. This was rustic with very soft tannins and really fairly drinkable for a young barolo. Very old-school and intriguing stuff.
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Red
2003 Corte Sant'Alda Amarone della Valpolicella Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella
Some VA and dried fruit on the nose. Very dry Amarone with loads of spice and herbs, some black fruit and truffle. Very rich and powerful stuff, maybe too much so for me. Not my favorite.
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