Italian Wine Night at La Barca

La Barca
Tasted Wednesday, January 8, 2014 by Derek Darth Taster with 277 views

Introduction

Wine theme: Italian. Food: Tuscan cuisine by Chef Michele. A good serious wine get-together with Jon & wife, Davyd, me & wifey.

Flight 1 (3 Notes)

  • 2011 Podere Castorani Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut Millesimato Paparazzi 85 Points

    Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene

    Straw yellow with fine bubbles. Light ice cream soda nose, with hints of melted butter. Very light easy drinking, just barely able to make out some white peach on the palate, and a wee bit of lime. Quite lacking in character, but it does make an easy quaffing apertif, with a very palatable price tag.

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  • 2008 Elvio Cogno Barolo Ravera 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Tasted blind. Tried a glass before the rest was put into decanter to air for an hour. Ruby/Garnet colour. Fragrant and flowery nose right from the get go. Violets in the air. Sweet red fruits, mild spices, tea leaves, and big tannins (but not harsh) towards the intense long finish. Opened up more beautifully after and hour. Intense violets on the floral nose. Very approachable, almost burgundian in character (like a Volnay), until the nice big tannins come in. Guessed that this could be nothing but Nebbiolo and a Barolo at that. The big surprise was how young this was! And already showing so well and so approachable at such a young age.

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  • 2001 Antinori Tignanello 96 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

    With so much history behind this, and so much being discussed about it e.g. overhyped, overpriced, etc etc, as an Italian wine lover, I just had to try a proper Tignanello myself. I had tried the 2010 vintage a few months ago while visiting Antinori's newly opened massive facility in Bargino, and was not impressed. What better way to try this than to have it over a Tuscan dinner with a few serious wine friends.

    Cork stained a little up to about a quarter. Wafts of sweet dark fruit filled the air upon uncorking. Poured into decanter and left to air for an hour. On the palate, vanilla oak, rich creamy blackcurrant, citrus notes, and also a bit of animal/game somewhere in the complex mix. Very well integrated, initially quite hard to pick out any Sangiovese characteristics, but became more apparent with more air. Tuscan earth on the nose also surfaced later on. Smooth slightly dusty tannins and a long finish. The pairing with traditional Fiorentina bistecca was DIVINE. The rest of my friends who tasted this blind loved it, and some were able to guess that it was a very good SuperTuscan.

    85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc

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Closing

Tignanello WOTN. Pricey: Yes. But the whole experience (friends + Bistecca + good Italian juice): priceless.

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