5/7/2024 - thesternowl wrote:

The 2016 “Don Fiorino” Riserva is a very special bottling from Produttori. So special in fact, that I can only recall them making a similar Riserva on two other occasions in their history: 1990 and 2008. When the vintage is strong, Produttori will bottle single-cru Riservas from 9 specific MGA’s within the cooperative. However, in 2016 the vintage was deemed to be so remarkable that they made a Riserva blend. Included in this blend are the 9 typical MGA’s along with grapes from some other, important MGA’s that are never bottled on their own (I believe Cottà and Faset are two of them). To commemorate the occasion, the wine was named after the priest, Don Fiorino Marengo who founded the Produttori in 1958. This is a wine fitting to such a legacy. Imagine the 2016 Produttori classico cranked up to 11. That’s about what we’ve got.

Popped and poured, enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2016 “Don Fiorino” pours a deep garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the palate, the wine is developing with powerful notes of tart and ripe dark fruits: black cherry, pomegranate molasses, red flowers, talcum powder, sage and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with low-key high tannin and zippy, medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is remarkably long and juicy. So juicy in fact that it seems to mask the tannins but they are definitely there. The density is unreal. I expect this wine to live forever. Drink now with patience to appreciate its precocious youth (and because the 2016 vintage is so damned giving) but I expect this to be even better after 2031 and then remarkable through 2066.

1/27/2024 - Joshvoulters wrote:

Mature coffee, dark plum, iron and vanilla. Quite plodding on the palate and drying: to me this feels old and lifeless so the 2038 drinking window leaves me wondering if this was an unrepresentative bottle?

2/21/2024 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine:

Quite a lot of Chianti (Must & Lees, Warren Street): Nothing to contradict my previous note on this wine, and if anything the direct comparison against lots of equivalent bottles from good producers brought its quality into focus. There's a level of detail and delineation which sets it apart- a producer to follow closely

2/10/2024 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine:

Dinner at Peter's: The nose is resolved and plummy, bright raspberry with smoke and Heinz ketchup. Delicacy, power and sweetness. If the nose feels developed the palate is still very young - masses of fine tannins and searing acidity, concentrated and fresh red fruit. Really distinctive and compelling

12/22/2023 - Joshvoulters wrote:

Exceptional. Fresh and complex. Crunchy papaya, toasted oats, light floral honey and woody thyme. A clean buttery note. Rounded, concentrated and textural citrus and honey on the palate with beautiful zingy acidity and a finish that goes on and on. Wish I had more of this

9/14/2023 - Joshvoulters wrote:

I'm a big fan of Frappato and all for 'noble' interpretations of what's generally vinified as a fun and lightweight drink- but this ain't it. This bottle is really treading the line of undrinkably flawed: there's a lot that's good here - spiced, tart and saturated cranberry, soaring violet perfume, a cool ashy character - but it's unbelievably funky and bretty. Some depth on the palate but it's dominated by a bitter, drying character that lingers on the finish.

7/28/2023 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine:

The TWS mystery case is now 5 for 5- this was lovely: rich, hedonistic and full with a beautifully pronounced and perfumed nose. Showing a good balance of rounded fruit and tertiary development on the nose- tipped more towards the former at this stage- ripe blackcurrant and dark cherry supported by tobacco, leather and cedar. Judging by the palate, this is in a good place for drinking now - the tannins are smooth and it’s rich, textural - but the acidity is starting to get a little sharp and jumpy, a touch pinched on the finish. Went beautifully with French bistro classics.

11/28/2022 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine:

Maybe parsimonious with the scoring but this didn't blow me away. Confirms that the traditional producers at altitude did best in this vintage: retains some elegance and brightness, but a bit flat and characterless: the clarity and layers you'd expect from this producer aren't apparent but they may emerge with age

1/25/2023 - ricard Likes this wine:

The genius strikes again. The nose is just a dream. Violets and roses like Nebbiolo, sun-dried tomatoes like Xin, pomegranates and cranberries... But it's a bit angular and tannic. Savoury, quite meaty/beefy. Velvety in texture. Not quite as impressive as I was expecting, but good.

6/27/2023 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine:

New producer to me, from Radda. Saturated, rich cherry nose- totally lovely. Some wild herbs but it’s the pure fruit which dominates. Good concentration on the palate, ample acidity, and what you’d call either ‘charmingly rustic’ or ‘rough’ tannic profile. Either way it’s in the good honest Chianti category- perfect with some BBQ meat, but nothing more profound than that. Also had a sip of the ‘17 Riserva which was really quite impressive, if too young

6/14/2023 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine:

Howard Ripley '22 German EP tasting: So luxurious and fresh. Lusciously sweet but spicy and clean, killer acidity tightens everything up and it finishes with a zing.

5/23/2023 - Joshvoulters wrote:

Howard Ripley Old World New Wines tasting (Bridewell Hall): Not really to my taste: incredibly woody (not oaky) nose - almost overpowering. Vegetal, green pepper notes, green pickled chilli and blackcurrant. Quite fruity and spherical (yeah I said it) on the palate, retaining that woody/ capsicum edge. Tannins are a bit spiky, acidity is mouthwatering. It's interesting but I don't much want to drink it.

5/4/2023 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine:

TWS North London - Volcanic Wines (Must & Lees, N1): First opportunity to try a rosato Aglianico and it showed really well: deeply coloured in the glass with aromas of sweet strawberry and raspberry, maybe even some fresh new leather: certainly an animal note. It probably edges towards a candied character- you'd definitely want it very well chilled. Give me this over a Provencal rose any day.

4/13/2023 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine:

Howard Ripley German Portfolio Tasting (11 Cavendish Square): There's no other way to say it, it smells like weed. In a kind of delicious and compelling way. Very herbal, mineral, savoury. Textural and almost grippy on the palate. A really interesting wine.

2/23/2023 - Joshvoulters Does not like this wine:

Jeroboams Barolo 2019 tasting: Maybe I just don't get on with the house style, but this is definitely not what I'm looking for in a Barolo. Very red, ripe, open, simple. Not working for me at all