February 1, 2024 - Bottle #3 of the case was the best yet, showing a particular depth of nose with plums and blackberries, nice acidity, more plums on the palate with eucalyptus and pout pourri notes, grippy tannins, and a log finish tinged with black pepper and oak. Very enjoyable Primitivo, fruity but well-balanced. Will probably keep improving for a few years.
January 30, 2024 - Opened and had a taste. Used to make a wine sauce for poached figs.
Added spice (cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick) and sugar to boil down into a thick syrup. Served the poached figs with gorgonzola dolce and the wine sauce.
As to the wine:
Dark purple color.
Sweet fruit of prunes and dried cherries.
Saved some under vacuvin and tasted the following day.
The wine was overtly sweet and had taken on a funky barnyard note.
The wine syrup however tasted good.
Not sure where this bottle came form but is not generally a style I buy.
For making a sweet wine syrup, I rate this a 90.
For drinking, I would rate it 75.
December 15, 2022 - Super interesting vino. Dark ruby color, the nose gives off tons of plums, earthy notes, a bit of oak, cherry paste. The palate shows great balance with mouthwatering acidity and minerality, then more plums, tar, forest floor, licorice; tannins are somewhat chewy but elegant; the finish is medium long with hints of aromatic wood and vanilla. It is not a super complex wine - it’s bold and in your face but well balanced and with all elements in the right place. Definitely a great find - this is delicious by itself but even better with some meaty food.
August 23, 2022 - Concentrated, full bodied. Loads of dark and red fruits with balancing tannins. 16.5 ABV not noticeable. Will continue to evolve for several more years.
December 4, 2021 - This is drinking well. Earth, black fruit, some raisin and smooth. A bit of tobacco.
July 11, 2021 - Very dark ruby. Very fragrant with ripe cherries, plums, floral notes, pepper and some tobacco. Bold, quite full bodied on palate. Sweet chocolate, ripe, even jammy red and black fruits, spice. Lond aftertaste. Texture is very smooth, soft tannins. Alcohol is not so evident though it’s 16,5%.
April 17, 2021 - At dinner with D&L (Colorado), paired with a 2014 California Amapola Zinfandel. This is a big, full, concentrated wine, remarkably smooth for 16.5% alcohol. Floral notes and lots of red and black fruits. Not quite as balanced as the Amapola. An excellent choice for a hearty dinner.
March 19, 2021 - Dark rubin in the glass, with an explosion of overripe red fruit at the nose. At the palate, the first impression is sweet (16.5°), with a cascade of overripe plums but this is somehow compensated by floral perfume flavours and some tertiary scents. Peculiar wine, not for everyone, a little boring sip after sip.
April 12, 2020 - Lovely again. Showing hardly any evolution it is still amazingly floral and smooth. Yes, the first impression is sweet, but this is quickly overruled by exquisite floral perfume flavours. This is the perfect companion for slowly braised pork. I love this gioia del colle.
April 15, 2019 - Delicious but heavy. (first day). On second day, after Vacuvin, the wine opened up and became a better wine, now 93 points. Beautiful, rich black cherry notes fill the palate. Long finish. Very very young even @ 6 years. This one will benefit from a long decant and aeration