VinItaly Day 2

Verona, Italy
Tasted Monday, March 23, 2015 by Rezy13 with 789 views

Introduction

I skipped Day 1 of VinItaly due to loving Summa so much and going back a 2nd day. The crowds on the first day are obscene, and I am glad I didn't go.

Flight 1 - Passopisciaro & Tenuta di Trinoro (10 Notes)

Tasting with Letizia Patane, sales manager.
Everyone was very friendly and helpful. Even though I didn't go through all of the Passopisciaro vineyards, they were very generous.
The quality of the wines were extraordinary. One of the best lineups the entire time, and I had to start with them.
Quantities are small and not much seems to make it to my market. Tenuta di Trinoro is pumping out some unreal stuff that I feel rivals many great Bordeaux.
Wish I drank more of these 2 estates.

Flight 2 - Grosjean (11 Notes)

Mainly lighter wines. Lots of diversity in grape varieties. I feel their wines are not going to blow you away but they are thoughtfully made and should pair well with the right food.

Flight 3 - Tenimenti Luigi d'Allessandro (6 Notes)

Tasting w/ export manager, Gaetano Saccoccio. Should have gotten a picture with him because his beard was awesome. Looked like a Roman or Greek god.
The wines were good and they were really nice people. Influenced by N. Rhone but very Italian. Seemed very modest and humble about improving and making better wine.
Thank you!

Flight 4 - Castello di Verduno (7 Notes)

Owning and having sold their wines I stopped in unannounced.
Marcella Bianco helped me out and after a few stories more wine came out.
She is extremely hospitable and encouraged us to stop by the winery. I almost wanted to take her up on that but our schedule didn't permit. Thank you.
Overall, the wines have a beautiful finesse to them that fits my palate. With age they put on some weight and are classic.
A few days later we enjoyed a couple Rabaja Riservas for lunch at an Osteria in downtown Alba which were delicious.

Flight 5 - Vietti (12 Notes)

Tasting with Luca Currado and his enologist.
Nice booth shared with Coppo.
The color, nose, and palate on all the wines were so precise and well executed.
Truly an amazing producer.

  • 2013 Vietti Roero Arneis

    Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero

    Clear; white flowers, slight grain, mint, pear; very fresh and good balance; very old vines, a great example of the variety.

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  • 2013 Vietti Barbera d'Asti Tre Vigne

    Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti

    Beautiful rose garnet with bright rim; pretty berry, tart, floral, fresh fruit, nice depth with sun dried tomato on the finish, strawberry, cherry and plum; very tasty.

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  • 2011 Vietti Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza La Crena

    Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza

    Deep garnet, clarity, paler rim; barrique for 16 mos; lots of rose, deeper red fruit, dark cherry, polished; fuller, old vine richness, big dark cherry and berry, polished tannin; very serious.

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  • 2012 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Vigna Scarrone

    Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

    Maroon core with pale rim; dark sour cherry; simpler, some grip, plum; tasty.

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  • 2012 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Vigna Vecchia Scarrone

    Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

    Planted in 1918; pretty maroon color; beautiful rose, loaded with tons of sweet juicy red and dark fruit; intense acid, sweet plum and dark cherry, firm structure; needs time to unfurl, delicious.

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  • 2012 Vietti Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

    Duller crimson, see through; declassified Cru Nebbiolo; sweet strawberry, light cherry, floral, mint, very pretty now; sweet cherry, some strawberry, tannin on finish; great QPR.

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  • 2011 Vietti Barbaresco Masseria

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Pretty, light crimson with orange rim; all floral with light cedar, some medicinal red fruit; medicinal continues onto the palate, razor sharp acid, fierce, strong tannin though fine grained, floral finish, focused; awesome, Grand Cru quality that needs much more time compared to most '11 Barbaresco; aged 2 years in cask similar to a Riserva.

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  • 2011 Vietti Barolo Castiglione

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Red core with rusty rim; medicinal red cherry, mint, cedar; nice fullness to mouthfeel, strong cherry, ripe and tasty, firm tannin; needs a few years in cellar to come together.

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  • 2011 Vietti Barolo Brunate

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Brilliant crimson with orange rim; elegant nose, polished power and depth, tons of rose and red fruit; intense but polished palate, tons of fat and nobility, fine grain tannin in back; could almost drink this now; awesome though more on the hedonistic side.

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  • 2011 Vietti Barolo Rocche di Castiglione

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Intense rose crimson with orange rim; sweet floral, rose, sweet cherry, ripe strawberry, cedar; strong pure red cherry on palate, medicinal, cedar, higher toned than the Brunate, sweet wood, rose, strawberry, cherry; beautiful but it is a little linear at this stage which suggests to wait and hold this a while.

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  • 2011 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Lighter red with onion skin rim; fainter nose, floral, medicinal strawberry; sweet sexy and taut on the palate, sandalwood on the finish, menthol, love the texture, focused; delicious, almost like this now but this wine will cruise in the cellar.

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  • 2011 Vietti Barolo Ravera

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Dark red rose with onion skin rim; almost rustic on the nose, sweet dried cherry, taut, almost underbrush, cedar; sweet cranberry, currant, strong medicinal cherry, high toned, viscous and noble; delicious, great, love the complexity.

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Flight 6 - Casanova di Neri (5 Notes)

Tasting with Dalla Terra rep, Michael Whitehead, Export Mgr, Pier Luigi Bonari, and Giacomo Neri.
The quality of the wines were very encouraging. The 2010s, especially the White label really show the greatness of the vintage. The RdM left me wanting a bit but the Cerretalto was a treat.

Flight 7 - Lisini (5 Notes)

Tasting with Filippo Paoletti of Lisini.
The wines were some of my favorites from the entire event.
The beauty, clarity, precision, drinkability and elegance remind me of Burgundy in Montalcino. Stylistically very different from Casanova di Neri just before.
Incredible stuff!

Flight 8 - Talenti (2 Notes)

Brief tasting with Riccardo Talenti.
Not the friendliest tasting companion, but letting the wines do the talking was not a bad way to do it when you make great wine.

  • 2013 Talenti Rosso di Montalcino

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino

    Pretty crimson, see through; great melted red fruit and licorice nose, sandalwood, sour cherry, intense, some mineral; sweet fruit on the palate, sweet tannin, mid palate is special, cherry and ripe strawberry; delicious; consistently one of my favorite RdMs and this is no different.

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  • 2010 Talenti Brunello di Montalcino

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    Dark crimson with lighter rim; high toned nose, strawberry Jolly Rancher, very tart; sandy, plum, good acid and depth, cherry meat; delicious, interesting too.

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Flight 9 - Sassetti Livio Pertimali (5 Notes)

Tasting with Lorenzo Sassetti.
Very nice to some other projects and multiple vintages.
Well made wines, but I am always hesitant how the Brett from their old barrels will develop in the bottle.

Flight 10 - Uccelliera (6 Notes)

Tasting with Agnes Koch.
Andrea Cortonesi was busy tasting with Michael Skurnik.
The wines are well made. A touch of modern winemaking I feel enhances a bit here. Well measured.

Flight 11 - Ciacci Piccolomini (6 Notes)

Brief tasting with Paolo Bianchini.
His booth was slammed as it seemed to be on a main drag.

Flight 12 - Cerbaiola (Salvioni) (1 Note)

Very limited experience with this producer. Almost 100 points this vintage from critics.
Probably on par with Cerbaiona on a second growth behind Soldera. Have not tasted enough to verify this. Poggio di Sotto and Sugarille have to be up there too.
They did not have a Rosso di Montalcino which is only made in less than stellar years.
Tiny quantities made. Very fortunate to taste.
Very old school. Seems like they're doing it the right way.
Powerful wine that needs time to blossom.

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