Mangia Con Magliano
The Table at Bricco
Tasted April 28, 2018 by JS1056 with 121 views
Introduction
Hosted by Nicola Lenci from the winery, this was a wonderful evening with friends. The food was particularly delicious this night and the wines from Maremma were a take on Tuscany that I never had really experienced before.
Coastal vineyards and in the southern end of Tuscany, the wines offered a different take on Sangiovese.
Flight 1 - Cured Meats, Golden Beets, Spring Peas and Carne alla Tartara Crostini (1 note)
Flight 2 - Calamari Fritto, Preserved Lemon Aioli and Crispy Basil (1 note)
The calamari was incredibly tender and deep fried to perfection. The wine pairing just killed it. The acidity cut right through the fried coating while the lemon in the wine and in the aioli just went together so well.
Flight 3 - Baby Spinich, Macerated Strawberry, Parmesan Croccante Red Onion (1 note)
The vinaigrette was a light balsamico and the strawberries were macerated in some white balsamic. Simple but yet delicious.
The wine worked with the salad as it had a fresh feel. But I don't think it really got a chance to show off like the other wines did during the evening. Maybe that was the real compliment though in that it was compatible with something so simple rather than overwhelming it.
A floral nose, this is light to midweight on the palate. There is no oak here, and it highlights the cherry flavors in the grape. There are still tannins here but they are way in the background giving some structure to the acidity. This wine was pleasant on its own. I think it would match nicely with any lighter everyday Mediterranean fare, be it fish, chicken or veal.
This is a wine to be consumed early say over 3 to 6 years from vintage.
Flight 4 - Duck Breast. Morel Mushroom Risotto, Fiddelhead, Cherry Compote (1 note)
First off, the cherry compote was incredible. Everyone agreed it was the highlight of the evening. And I thought that the compote with the duck was a great match to the wine.
The risotto offered a great contrast with the earthiness of the morels bringing out the earthiness of the sangiovese.
This is more structured than Heba with firm tannin. Tobacco, plum, some cherry are in this full bodied but not burly wine. Feminine comes to mind.
The finish is reasonably long with the red fruit continuing on. There was a lot going on here.
Flight 5 - Roasted Filet of Beef, Braised Oxtail, Braised Vegetables, English Peas and Sunflower Sprouts (1 note)
There is nothing more that I can add. Cooked just right the richness of the braising juices added to the complexity of the wine. Well done.
I think this is more French than Italian in style but is Italian in terrior. Red fruits on the nose, this is a big wine but not over the top big. Best description I heard was a blend of new and old world.
Sweet tannins combined with the right amount of acidity to create a nice mouthfeel. There was some mint there, and I want to say floral notes with delicate spices. The finish was medium to long. This was a nuanced wine that I think might take more time to understand than we were able to give on this night.
Flight 6 - Apricot Cheesecake, Black Pepper Sunflower Tuille, Grilled Peaches, Honeycomb (1 note)
Great desert.
I wouldn't say the wine struggled with the pairing but I don't think either was helped by it either.
But I would have each again right now if offered.
The dark fruit is what stands front and center here, with none of the peppery spice and earthiness often found in Syrah. Because it was served with desert, I place a little bit of a caveat in my thoughts since the flavors might have been somewhat skewed with the sweetness of the food.
Closing
Thanks to Nicola for sharing these wines and giving us all a new take on Tuscan wines. His family's story is fascinating and he was a gracious ambassador for the winery.
A couple of reflections on the wine. The proximity to the coast definitely influenced the character of these wines creating a different version of a classic region. Rather than just making another generic version of chianti, the winery has succeeded in expressing the difference in their terrior by using different techniques such as not aging in oak.
My impression is one of feminine wines in the best way possible.
And I would be remiss in not complimenting the Chef and his team in a great and thoughtful menu that really brought out the best in the wines.
Well done