Claudio Tipa at The Bristol, an event by François Mauss

An event organized by François Mauss, this dinner at the Bristol intended to present Claudio Tipa's collection of wine from his various Italian vineyards. Joined with food from the Bristol's three michellin stars restaurant, newly renamed L'Epicure, this was a dinner of high standards, regrouping local Italian wine connoisseurs, restaurant owners, head sommeliers from famous Parisian restaurants, and critics such as Thierry Desseauve; in all surrounded by Tipa's cellar master and French importer.

• 2011 Castello Colle Massari Vermentino Montecucco Melacce 86 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montecucco

  A natural, untouched wine, this Melacce 2011 does not see any oak. Its extremely light gold dress, served at around 10°C, definitely underlines its Mediterranean-ity. The mouth is full of iodine and freshly cut herbs.

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• 2010 Castello Colle Massari Vermentino Irisse 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montecucco

  Fatter, denser, and richer, this wine comes from older vines that are harvested latter than the Melacce's. Interestingly, its first to third noses offer honey cooked apples while the last two noses are fresher and more acidic.

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• 2009 Castello Colle Massari Montecucco Rosso Riserva 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montecucco

  The first nose, perfectly mirrored by its dress, is full of coil and dried cherries. This light nose unveils a woody, unidimensional mouth fell.

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• 2008 Castello Colle Massari Sangiovese Montecucco Riserva Lombrone 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montecucco

  Entirely made from 50+ years old vines of Sangiovese that serve in the blend of the Colle Massari, the Lombrone is more powerful, stricter and fresher than the Colle Massari.

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• 2007 Fattoria Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 94 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  A beloved property of Claudio Tipa, he bought it from Piero Palmucci in 2011, and since then decided to mirror his predecessor's wish: to express the natural expression of this terroir. Extremely subtle and delicate, this Poggio di Sotto 2007 elegantly uncovers some fresh woods and spices. The dress is light and contrasts with this 100% Sangiovese's power. The final was longer and fruitier than the previous wines' finals. Discrete and mystic, this is to me the only multidimensional wine of the dinner, and by far the most expressive one.

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• 2010 Grattamacco Vermentino Bolgheri Bianco 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri

  Served too warm, this wine displayed a whitefish dress offering a complex and delicate mouth. Although the nose was closed, the mouth displayed some notes of pine trees, which, according to the cellar master, come from the essential oils carried out of the nearby trees by the Mediterranean winds.

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A Parusso Vino Rosso da Uve Stramature 2009 was served on this dessert. It probably was the wine-food pairing of the night as I tend to think that pairing wine with extremely cold desserts is a extreme challenge. Rated 90.

In all, this marketing event was a success for its impeccable organization, glorious gastronomy, and enthusiastic participants. Claudio Tipa's wines were nice, although not great, and his entry level wines -e.g. Melacce, Irisse, Colle Massari- represent good values for what they deliver, as long as they stay under the 25-30€ bar. The upper end of his offering should definitely improve to be competitive enough in today's sluggish market.
Thanks François for organizing such a impeccable dinner.