2014 Italian Wine Tasting Event

This is really a great little Italian Restaurant that could hold its own if you dropped it almost anywhere in the country. Jon is the friendliest of proprietors and is quite knowledgeable regarding Italian wines. He has a ridiculously good wine selection for such a small location.

For this event, he partnered with a wine distributor (Young's Market) to offer a really fabulous Italian wine tasting event. Young's brought two of their sales reps and the importer was represented too. I was able to ask questions and take notes, but it was more for the public, than the trade... so, I couldn't stay seated and evaluate the wines and record my impressions fully.

If you live in the area, enjoy Italian food and wine and haven't stopped in, you are definitely missing an experience.

• 2013 Tenuta di Nozzole Bianco Le Bruniche Toscana IGT 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Galloni gave this a 91... He must really enjoy big, rich Chardonnay. I enjoyed the nice acidic backbone and the opulent mouth-feel. The aging on the lees added serious texture and body. This wine had a strong red apple nose and palate. The style of winemaking muted the freshness of the fruit. I enjoyed this for what is was, a nice expression of a chardonnay meant to stand on its own. The richness would make food pairings a bit more challenging.

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• 2011 Santa Martina Toscana IGT 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Easy drinking red table wine. Nice balance and mouth-feel for an inexpensive wine. This red is made with a minimum of oak influence and the freshness of the fruit shines through as a result. The structure is just barely enough with medium tannins and medium-high acidity, but for $12 retail, this wine will accompany most all Italian fare without a hitch. The palate is dominated by a fruit-forward presentation of black and red cherry with a relatively short finish.

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• 2011 Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti Superiore Le Orme 86 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti Superiore

  This wine continued to reinforce Alba as the premier Barbera producer. Barberas from Asti are much simpler and less complex. In Alba, Barbera transcends table wine. In Asti, Barbera table wine is what you get. Even the several Asti DOCG producers I have tasted, just aren't in the same league. This is a very light and simple wine... to the point of uninteresting. Medium-low tannins and medium acidity for a weak backbone. Drink this now, it won't last in the bottle more than a year, or two. Black and red cherry flavors on the palate, with a touch of plum. No finish. Works for a medium quality table wine for pairing with lighter fare...

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• 2010 Agricola Titignano Lago di Corbara Salviano Turlo 85 Points

  Italy, Umbria, Lago di Corbara

  Slightly sweet, very simple wine, with poor structure. Not acidic enough for a table wine to accompany food. Not tannic enough to bottle-age and not interesting enough to drink on its own...

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• 2010 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva Flawed

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Actually, a very typical chianti profile with sour red cherry, high tannins and high acidity... but I believe the bottle was flawed. Poor storage, or a leak in the cork. Either way, it was definitely oxidized. I certainly hope the wine was not intended to have that character...

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• 2010 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Chianti Rùfina Nipozzano Riserva 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Rùfina

  Nice, but unremarkable traditional Chianti. Slightly sour bright red cherry with black cherry overtones on the palate. High acidity and tannins for good structure, but very rustic. A bit thin. This could handle some bottle-age. Would be a good food wine for pairing with rich red sauces and red meat. If I was a bigger Chianti fan, I would give it another point for being very true to the regional profile.

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• 2009 Tenuta La Fuga Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Every Italian wine tasting reinforces the impression... the best Italian Sangiovese is Brunello. I know purists will argue that Brunello is a sibling to Sangiovese, but genetic testing has shown otherwise. Brunello IS Sangiovese. This area must be the perfect terroir for the grape, for the wines are just spectacular, if rather expensive. Fresh red and black cherry palate with a fantastic full mouth-feel. High acidity and high tannins make for a great backbone. The bigger mouth-feel makes the wine more approachable. This is a good example of a quality Brunello.

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• 2009 Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Brooding black cherry palate, with strong bitter dark chocolate character. The big mouth-feel and more refined tannins of most Brunellos is missing here. The high acidity and rustic tannins do not make the wine very approachable now. Perhaps, this is just made in a more ageable style. I have tasted several similar Brunellos, but this is not my preferred profile.

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• 2009 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Tortoniano 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Maybe I am just a Barolo purist and should have scored this a little higher. The character is very typical, with a red cherry and leather palate, but the wine is simple, lacking the complexity of higher priced Barolos. The shop priced this wine at $50/btl retail. Decent QPR for a representative Barolo, but missing the good things I try to find that make it special, namely: a strong floral nose and palate and an herbal mint character. This wine had the typical unique Barolo tannins with high acidity, in keeping with this wine's fantastic ageability.

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• 2013 Campo di Sasso Insoglio del Cinghiale Toscana IGT 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Nose of black cherry and brown butter. The palate is fruit-forward and a touch sweet and the Petit Verdot in the blend adds some mouth-feel. The structure is a little weak, with only medium tannins and acidity. Definitely, a wine to drink within the next year, or two. It was a decent everyday drinker, but the touch of sweetness would not be my preference with food.

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• 2010 Campo Al Mare Bolgheri Rosso 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri

  One of those wines that for me, is difficult to score. The flavors were right up my alley, but the structure was missing a tannin backbone. Weak nose with some spice. A fruit forward palate with a mild dark chocolate that starts from the attack and is present through the finish. A lighter wine style with a beautiful cinnamon and clove character to the spice. Good high acidity, but only medium tannins and a nice long finish. With additional tannin, this wine would have been right on the price point. Without it, the QPR is off. I am probably scoring this higher than I should. For me, what it lacked in structure, was improved by the palate match.

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• 2012 Luce della Vite Lucente 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Young's Market is the distributor in our area and was selling this through a shop at $22/btl retail. For that price, an ageable wine like this is a pretty good deal. Typical Super Tuscan profile, but this time with good structure and mouth-feel. High tannins and high acidity with a really nice apple pie spice character. Give this 3-5 years in the bottle and it will improve substantially...

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• 2012 Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo Toscana IGT 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  I was told Suckling gave this a 95! Ooops! Where did that come from? Yes, definitely speaks Super Tuscan. Just because it is representative, doesn't make it a best in class wine. This is fruit-forward with good structure and decent balance. Will age well and improve in a 3-5 year time frame. Black cherry, dark chocolate, a bit thin, but a good finish... all the components of a solid Super Tuscan. This tasting showed the retail at $32/btl. Decent QPR, but would have been more appropriate in the high $20 range.

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• 2009 Tenuta Sette Ponti Maremma Toscana Poggio Al Lupo 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana

  A very nice Super Tuscan with some age on it already. Very similar profile to the Crognolo label from the same producer and vintage year (see my previous tasting note)... but this added a big, elegant mouth-feel. I am sure the five years of bottle age has contributed to the elegance of the wine. This is fruit-forward with good structure and decent balance. Will age well and improve. Black cherry, dark chocolate, a good finish... all the components of a solid Super Tuscan. This tasting showed the retail at $50/btl. Decent QPR for a bottle-aged Super Tuscan for people who aren't willing to hold and wait.

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• 2011 Tenute del Cabreo Il Borgo Toscana IGT 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Past vintages of this wine have been consistently good. This may be a slightly better year than average. Spicy, fruity nose. Fruit-forward palate of black cherry and plum. Medium-high acidity and the tannins were high, but accessible, with a character that fills your mouth. Perhaps a touch too fruity for a top notch food wine, but the great structure and balance will provide a nice experience on its own. The retail was noted at $50/btl. I would hold out and look for it at $40 - much better fit.

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• 2011 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 95 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia

  One of my absolute favorite wines of the world. Another rating option for "I like it - a lot" needs to be added to Cellar Tracker. This vintage does not disappoint again. A young wine, but this vintage is a touch more accessible than others in the past. I must extol its virtues now... again. Beautiful nose of fruit and spice. The palate is fruit-forward but the fruit is not over-whelming. The perfect balance of acidity, tannins, alcohol and texture. A food wine AND excellent on its own. Just a classically elegant wine that can be drunk now, or bottle-aged to add nuance and approachability. Is your mouth watering? Mine is. The retail is listed at $200/btl at the local shop... is the QPR right? What can you compare this to? I am not a fan of spending $200 on a bottle of wine. Although in this case, how do you even put that question in context?

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• 2011 Agricola Punica Montessu Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 90 Points

  Italy, Sardinia, Isola dei Nuraghi IGT

  Another wine that was difficult for me to score. I love Carignan when it is done well. This wine is to be experienced, not tasted. The silky mouth-feel is way past its price point of $30/btl retail. Though, the structure is missing balance. Decent acidity and only medium tannins leave a hole... that I was able to get past, others may not. I am a sucker for this kind of profile. Fruit forward spicy palate with black cherry, blackberry and plum. Medium long finish of mild dark chocolate. Definitely not a food wine. OK, maybe it should be more like 87, but I just can't bring myself to do it...

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• 2011 Feudo Maccari Nero d'Avola Saia 89 Points

  Italy, Sicily, Sicilia

  Not your typical Nero d'Avola. I am familiar with this varietal as a dependable, low-cost, straight-forward table wine that consistently delivers good QPR. This wine has complex fruit flavors, with red, blue and black fruits. The backbone was decent, but the wine doesn't fill your mouth like other examples of this varietal. A lightly spicy, chocolate character complements the entire palate. This wine has both more than I expected... and less. Sorry, I know this does not convey the tasting well. Good QPR at $25/btl retail, but this wouldn't be what I reach for when thinking of Nero d'Avola. I would like to try this wine again, when I have more time to evaluate it, rather than at a tasting event.

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• 2008 Planeta Noto Santa Cecilia 88 Points

  Italy, Sicily, Noto

  I was told Suckling gave this a 93. Apparently, his palate and mine are not close on Italian wines. There was significant complexity on the nose and palate, but the wine was too rich. The nose had a beautiful herbal mint undertone to the fruit I enjoyed. Either this wine had been oaked too long, or A poor attempt to age on the lees has imparted a strong brown butter flavor. The wine has high acidity and only medium tannins. With more structure, it may have stood-up to the richness better. This may be one of those personal preference wines. Either a love it, or hate it kind of experience.

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• 2009 Planeta Syrah Sicilia 85 Points

  Italy, Sicily, Sicilia

  This Syrah is all wrong. No mouth-feel, poor structure, very light and the fruit is all red. It doesn't work as a cool-climate Syrah either. This doesn't fit into any category of Syrah I have tasted. I am told Wine Enthusiast gave this a 90. Whoa there, this is so NOT varietally correct for a 100% Syrah.

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• 2007 Feudo Maccari Mahâris 90 Points

  Italy, Sicily, Sicilia

  Probably another year, or two left in the drinking window for this one. This has a touch too much oak for my taste, but nevertheless a very good wine. Big black cherry palate with lots of spicy character. Nice structure with medium-high acidity and tannins and well balanced. This flavor profile leans toward cherry too much for my palate and this kind of blend, but still an enjoyable wine.

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