Mini-vertical of Calabretta, with an ’07 Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie and Etna Rossos from ’03 and ’01. All three were delicious, savory wines in the same rustic Calabretta style, with very complex aromatics and flavors, good structure, good acid, but also plenty of mid-palate sweetness, integrated tannin, and a long finish, great QPR, and still many years ahead of them. All showed a mix of red and black fruits, especially sweet dark fruits, as well as mushrooms, tar, leather, smoke, and the typical Nerello Mascalese raw steak. All three showed some similarity to mature Nebbiolo and mature Pinot Noir.
The 2007 NMVV was decanted two hours ahead of dinner, and was the biggest of the three wines, with a bit more barnyard and exotic spices than the others, plus a medicinal note and a finish featuring plum, bitter cherry and black cherry. Drink to 2035+. 93.
The 2003 ER was also decanted two hours ahead of dinner, and featured more rosemary and minerals than the others, plus sweet cranberry, and a gentle liqueur aftertaste. Drink to 2030+. 94.
The 2001 ER was decanted and served immediately and took about 30 minutes to open. It was the most balanced and silky of the three, and the least rustic, and featured bittersweet cherry, cherry liqueur, and dried herbs, and a very long, satisfying mineral and beetroot finish. Drink to 2027+. 95.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
94+ My first bottle in over four years, I found this (Lotto 1) to be in a wonderful, delicious place. Double decanted, light color, the wine had brett upon opening which blew off by the time the wine was served one hour later. It continued to open up for another hour. Wonderfully complex aromas of red and black berries, plum, earth, mushrooms, tar, rosemary, smoke, raw steak. Flavors as above plus minerals and a long, savory, sweet cranberry finish, with a gentle liqueur aftertaste. This has a medium body, lots of acid, dusty tannins, and is succulent. Outstanding QPR. This can accompany a broad range of dishes but its complexity will shine with mild or medium foods. We served it with Ribollita and roasted Delicata squash. Three left in the cellar. Drink to 2025 ?
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This one was a bit of a rollercoaster. Started out a bit tight, opened up to be a bit tannic and drying with limited fruit and earth, but after 4 hrs, solid earth, strong fruit and tannins smoothed out. Give this alot of air in a decanter 4+hrs. Really nice mature Etnan read. Superb QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consistent with previous notes. This is in a beautiful place right now. I would recommend 2 hours of decanting, and keep it on the cool side. Tar, mushrooms, violets, sweet cherry; medium-weight; excellent balance of acid and tannin; long, full mineral finish. Goes beautifully with poultry or grilled fish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Similar to last note, but decanter earlier. After 5 hrs, this really came together really amazingly. Really nice pure fruit came out, without the VA that detracted from the last bottle. Wish I had more than 1 more bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle was consistent with previous ones, perhaps even better than the last one seven months ago. Not decanted, served through a gravity aerator, was fully open at about 45 minutes. Big fragrance and flavor profile of sweet red fruits, herbs, raw red meat, minerals, smoke, with some earthiness and hints of liqueur, minerals and dried plums on the long aftertaste; medium weight, with firm acidity, slightly dusty tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured (through an aerator); big nose immediately upon opening, and it grew from there; it hit its stride at about 40 minutes after opening; aromas of sweet black fruits, earth, mushrooms, tar; dusty flavors, port-like; intense smoky fragrance and flavor; lots of acidity, big dusty tannins; at 60 minutes this was showing a lot of complexity.
Calabretta is the most rustic of the Etna wines that I have tasted, and some people are put off by that rusticity, but I love it. And in any case the wine has the typical Etna structure and a firm acid and tannin foundation. It shows plenty of secondary and tertiary flavors, but given the firm structure I genuinely don’t know where this will go. I still have six or so left, so I’ll find out. Unbeatable QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Seems ready to go. Decanted for about an hour. Very hot nose, with alot of red fruit and dirt. Alcohol was not overtly noticeable upon tasting. Great red/black fruits, strong earthy and mushroom, strong drying tannins. Great middle age between primary and tertiary components, strong acidity and strong tannic structure. This could go for several more years, but I wouldnt wait, as its great with a decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP. Could have used a little air, but still pretty close to ready to go right out of the gate. Paired well with seafood paella. Didn't finish the bottle on night 1 and didn't get back to it until night 3, at which point it was pretty tired. I expect it still would have been in a happy spot on night 2.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My last bottle, and possibly my best of this. After a series of awkward stinkers, this is back to its tarry, old Nebbiolo-inflected self. Fudgy, tart cranberry sauce, rustic, powerful, and textured like a much older (and more expensive) wine. Great match with meatballs on a cold night.
Liqueur-esque notes of dusty soil, bittersweet chocolate, cherry cordial, anise, old wood, enchanting tar and roses. Sweet bouquet yet a dry and light palate with loads of intensity from acids and drying wood tannins. Grows deeper lower into the bottle, with some nice fleshiness. This is a really good bottle, very yummy. Woody finish probably too rustic for some, but I'm on board. 91-92 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stewed prunes, soil, dried flowers, coarse tannin, a little stinky as these often are. Great with pizza, and strikes me as a honest country wine with real guts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured, this took 45-60 minutes to open up so it should be aerated/decanted about that far ahead of time. Consumed over 3.5 hours. Clear ruby color. First aromas were of fresh red meat and minerals, then red fruits, cherry, cranberry; after two hours lovely herbal hints (oregano, tarragon ?), smoke, spice. Full and lingering flavors of cherry gave way to dried red fruits and a lovely dusty, rustic, earthy flavor. Sustained mineral flavors, acidity and soft, dusty tannins. Subtle residual sweetness, excellent length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great quality-to-price ratio. Smoky volcano and dark red fruits in the nose. Rock in a very interesting, unique, and excellent balance with bright cherries on the tongue. Enjoy!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had over 2 nights. PnP and drank over 1.5 hours on 1st night (was best from the 1 hour mark forward). A little funk on this one, but much less so than 1st bottle I had previously. Similar TN as before in a more tolerable and pleasurable experience.
Onto 2nd night, WOW! This really came through together nicely. Definiely get a sense of place and terrior on this one with semi-sweet and finely polished tannins within tasty red berry fruit, ash and spice. Drink 2014-2018. (92+)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From Wine-Strategies' note, followed the development of this wine over 4 nights to see how it would develop. Night 1 saw no evidence of the ethyl acetate WS reported, nor the bretty experience of Paul S, but it was fairly reticent, not giving up a tremendous amount on the nose or palate. Pleasant without being distinguishing in any particular manner. Skipped Night 2.
Then came Night 3. Initially served in a Bordeaux glass, the nose was unfocused, and an overbearing acidity washed over the palate, obliterating any fruit that may have been there. Was afraid I had missed this wine's window of opportunity. "Just to see," poured a splash into a Burgundy glass, and ohhhhhhhhhhhh man, what a difference. The nose consolidated around the brown-sugary scent of curing tobacco and cherries and a bit of smokiness, while the palate gravitated towards dried cherry with earth tones. Lovely. Singing. Just marvelous.
Night 4: A notch off Night 3, but still very enjoyable.
Moral of the story: time and proper stemware make all the difference with this wine. Patience will be rewarded.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Day 1: Nose marred by a little VA. Rustic, bakers chocolate, very intense and spicy, yet showing a light bodied mid palate. The finish is long and layered with grippy tannins. Could be a little heat on the end. A bit of a chore to drink right now.
Day 2: Better integration today. This is very chianti now, but with a richer, sweeter depth. Lots of brown sugar, with a lifted nose showing incense. There's a mildly stewed, oxidative style to the fruit, maybe like some old school Rioja aged for years in foudres. Still a bit disjointed despite some good stuffing, a bit rough right now, but overall good in its way. This isn't as good as the 2001 (yet), but perhaps it just needs a few more years to pull together.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice, especially for the price. I appreciate that these are released after ten years of aging at the producer. The nose is fantastic; could be mistaken for 20 year old barolo, with some tar and tobacco. In the mouth, I think a previous note got it right; it has that thing about it that screams rustic italian wine. Not a hint of sweetnes, maybe a little bitter and a little dusty, but crisp and refreshing and great with food. The 2003 is a little less structured than the 2002, but still nice acidity, light tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Amazing, but not until night 4. On PnP, this was weighed down by ethyl acetate, so I just drank a glass or so. However, on night four, this was really singing, full of ripe tobacco, bruised red and black fruits, a medley of brown/dark spices and dessicated red floral. Kind of a cross between aged, classed BDX and aged GC Burgundy on the nose, with a cool, seamless, but highly polished attitude on the medium-bodied frame. One of those rare times I find myself wishing for the 'I Love It' button, because 'I Like It' doesn't seem enough. 14,5% abv, highly recommended, drink thru 2019.
https://italianwine.blog/
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consumed over 2 nights. PnP & PnV on 1st night, and drank over 1+ hour. Lot of brett on this one that didn't subside. Barnyard nose with funk overshadowing the red fruit & spice underneath. Palate showed markedly better with red cherry, dark red berry fruit, spice, mineral, smoke and earth. Seemed slghtly more fruit-forward, richer and heftier than the '02. Fine dusty tanins caressed by good amount of acidity and medium+ finish.
On 2nd night a bit of brett blew off, but still lingering underneath
Palate: 91-92 / Nose:83 = 87+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Transparent ruby color. Sunbaked, smokey, some bitterness, high acidity, short finish. Tastes very genuine and not manipulated in any way. The style is rustic and it will not be loved by those favoring the modern style.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Transparent ruby colored. Dry rose, tarry, dry berry, minerally nose. Quintessentially Italian, and quite Nebbiolo-esque in aroma and structure with the same lingering dry tannin. So hauntingly expressive on the palate; dusty tobacco, soil, cherry, fudge, cran-raspberry, powerful without weight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Interesting wine from Sicily, which was recommended to me for a try. I decanted for 1 hour. A pour into the glass....the color was cranberry red with some bricking, which reflects its age. The nose was pronounced with smoke and had hints of cedar, cherry, and lavender. In the mouth, the weight was medium and tannins on a scale of 1-5 (5 robust), was a 2-3. The taste was fun. At first, it came across with almost an Amorone like flavor, which expressed dried red fruit containing cherry and plum. The flavor was like placing a handful of dried cherry, plum, smoked gouda, and a hint of lavender into the mouth. This wine's taste is old school by design. I really liked the non "fruit bomb" character. I would score this wine 90 points and should drink well over the next 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
While the vintage 2002 is elegant and more perfumed, this latest vintage showed more body, more alcohol and more lenght. I love both vintages but for different reasons.
The wine showed its best after decanting of a couple of hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Typical dark red color...nothing special. Wonderful on the nose --- dark berries and smoke and volcanic ash?! High tannins and extra dry in the mouth...with the nose experience on top. THIS is a very nice juice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Southern Italy (Lou's): This was the groups WOTN. Interesting wine. Ruby/purple in color. The nose has dried meats, cherries and dried cherries. Nice texture. Medium tannins. Dark cherries and gravel on the palate. Nice finish. Did not taste old in any way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Layers of dark cherry with an earthy, funky undertone (brett, but this bottle had nothing approaching the levels mentioned by others). Very pleasant, very old-world.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Served blind after being hand-carried from Sicily and spending an hour in a decanter, I thought this would have been a good, interesting wine if not for the tons of Brett on it. Now, I have a pretty high tolerance for Brett, but this really pushed through that envelope, almost into flawed wine category. The nose was just ultra funky, full of meat, horse leather, undergrowth, all but masking more pleasant aromas of dark cherries, earth and chalky mineral that struggled to surface after some swirling of the glass. The palate was slightly better. It had an almost Burgundian flavour to it, with sappy cherries and red berry flavours patted down with some savoury mushrooms and slightly meaty notes, all laced with nice, fresh acidity. It was only the fine, but slightly raspy tannins towards the finish that made me guess Etna instead. Here, the wine showed pretty decent length too, with some pepper and clove spices emerging amongst the fruit. Unfortunately, spice was not the only thing you got, but also a mouthful of the funky, smelly bretty tones picked up on the nose. Quite a pong there. Real pity - this would have been quite enjoyable I think. As it was, it was drinkable, but not great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Subtle, early stages of bricking. This 2003 is the current release. Calabretta ages this Etna Rosso about a decade before release, adhering to time-tested traditions. The style is wonderfully rustic, molto tradizionale. I read somewhere that Calabretta fashions their style to mimic Bartolo Mascarello of Barolo. That's a serious proclamation.
The Nerello aromatics are there, but what sets this wine apart are added elements on the nose of tobacco leaf, mushroom dust, and crushed dried hillside herbs. In the mouth, complex and uncommon structure for this price point- again, tobacco and dried herbs, but now with some earth and a touch of barely perceptible clove. I'm not getting the amount of Brett that some other tasters noted from this particular bottle, but there is some, adding to the earthy rusticity and overall sauvage of this wine. Folks, this wine is $27, and this is amazing quality for the price. For those into the earthy and unadulterated - a wonderful revelation. After this sampling, it is no surprise to me that Calabretta Etna Rosso topped the list of all Sicilian wines in Eric Asimov's great NY Times article - it's a worthy read:
Addendum: Discussing this wine with a few others who have also sampled it, and in reference to other notes as seen here, I am convinced there is a significant variation in the bottles, with respect to Brettanomyces content. Barrel-to-barrel variation and old-school technique...
Clove, mushroom, black licorice, touch of blueberry. Still has tannins to resolve. Finish is a bit hollow and short. Not sure if it will get better with time. While it does need some exposure time to open up, I thought it was best after a few hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
9/10/2023 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mini-vertical of Calabretta, with an ’07 Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie and Etna Rossos from ’03 and ’01. All three were delicious, savory wines in the same rustic Calabretta style, with very complex aromatics and flavors, good structure, good acid, but also plenty of mid-palate sweetness, integrated tannin, and a long finish, great QPR, and still many years ahead of them. All showed a mix of red and black fruits, especially sweet dark fruits, as well as mushrooms, tar, leather, smoke, and the typical Nerello Mascalese raw steak. All three showed some similarity to mature Nebbiolo and mature Pinot Noir.
The 2007 NMVV was decanted two hours ahead of dinner, and was the biggest of the three wines, with a bit more barnyard and exotic spices than the others, plus a medicinal note and a finish featuring plum, bitter cherry and black cherry. Drink to 2035+. 93.
The 2003 ER was also decanted two hours ahead of dinner, and featured more rosemary and minerals than the others, plus sweet cranberry, and a gentle liqueur aftertaste. Drink to 2030+. 94.
The 2001 ER was decanted and served immediately and took about 30 minutes to open. It was the most balanced and silky of the three, and the least rustic, and featured bittersweet cherry, cherry liqueur, and dried herbs, and a very long, satisfying mineral and beetroot finish. Drink to 2027+. 95.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2021 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 94 Points
94+ My first bottle in over four years, I found this (Lotto 1) to be in a wonderful, delicious place. Double decanted, light color, the wine had brett upon opening which blew off by the time the wine was served one hour later. It continued to open up for another hour. Wonderfully complex aromas of red and black berries, plum, earth, mushrooms, tar, rosemary, smoke, raw steak. Flavors as above plus minerals and a long, savory, sweet cranberry finish, with a gentle liqueur aftertaste. This has a medium body, lots of acid, dusty tannins, and is succulent. Outstanding QPR. This can accompany a broad range of dishes but its complexity will shine with mild or medium foods. We served it with Ribollita and roasted Delicata squash. Three left in the cellar. Drink to 2025 ?
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2019 - ericindc Likes this wine: 92 Points
This one was a bit of a rollercoaster. Started out a bit tight, opened up to be a bit tannic and drying with limited fruit and earth, but after 4 hrs, solid earth, strong fruit and tannins smoothed out. Give this alot of air in a decanter 4+hrs. Really nice mature Etnan read. Superb QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2019 - brendanm26 wrote:
Well past the window, unfortunately. Had to pour it out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2018 - whudock Likes this wine: 90 Points
earthy and nuanced. A bit thin in extraction. Great food wine. The fruit is beginning to fade. The color is moving to brick.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2018 - cjsadler wrote: 90 Points
Initial brett layer blows off to reveal a funky, dark-berry soul. Still no rush— this is a wine that can be laid down for a long time.
Like ERICINDC, I also had a VA issue with a previous bottle, but not this one.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2017 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with previous notes. This is in a beautiful place right now. I would recommend 2 hours of decanting, and keep it on the cool side. Tar, mushrooms, violets, sweet cherry; medium-weight; excellent balance of acid and tannin; long, full mineral finish. Goes beautifully with poultry or grilled fish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/14/2017 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to previous notes, this one had a big smoke profile, dusty tannins, tremendous raw meat flavor, and a gentle, mild sweetness. Delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2017 - ericindc Likes this wine:
Similar to last note, but decanter earlier. After 5 hrs, this really came together really amazingly. Really nice pure fruit came out, without the VA that detracted from the last bottle. Wish I had more than 1 more bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2017 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle was consistent with previous ones, perhaps even better than the last one seven months ago. Not decanted, served through a gravity aerator, was fully open at about 45 minutes. Big fragrance and flavor profile of sweet red fruits, herbs, raw red meat, minerals, smoke, with some earthiness and hints of liqueur, minerals and dried plums on the long aftertaste; medium weight, with firm acidity, slightly dusty tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2016 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured (through an aerator); big nose immediately upon opening, and it grew from there; it hit its stride at about 40 minutes after opening; aromas of sweet black fruits, earth, mushrooms, tar; dusty flavors, port-like; intense smoky fragrance and flavor; lots of acidity, big dusty tannins; at 60 minutes this was showing a lot of complexity.
Calabretta is the most rustic of the Etna wines that I have tasted, and some people are put off by that rusticity, but I love it. And in any case the wine has the typical Etna structure and a firm acid and tannin foundation. It shows plenty of secondary and tertiary flavors, but given the firm structure I genuinely don’t know where this will go. I still have six or so left, so I’ll find out. Unbeatable QPR.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2016 - ericindc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Seems ready to go. Decanted for about an hour. Very hot nose, with alot of red fruit and dirt. Alcohol was not overtly noticeable upon tasting. Great red/black fruits, strong earthy and mushroom, strong drying tannins. Great middle age between primary and tertiary components, strong acidity and strong tannic structure. This could go for several more years, but I wouldnt wait, as its great with a decant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2016 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
PnP. Could have used a little air, but still pretty close to ready to go right out of the gate. Paired well with seafood paella. Didn't finish the bottle on night 1 and didn't get back to it until night 3, at which point it was pretty tired. I expect it still would have been in a happy spot on night 2.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2016 - cjsadler Likes this wine: 90 Points
Plenty of development left.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2015 - andtheodor wrote: 92 Points
My last bottle, and possibly my best of this. After a series of awkward stinkers, this is back to its tarry, old Nebbiolo-inflected self. Fudgy, tart cranberry sauce, rustic, powerful, and textured like a much older (and more expensive) wine. Great match with meatballs on a cold night.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
7/13/2015 - blanquito wrote: 91 Points
Liqueur-esque notes of dusty soil, bittersweet chocolate, cherry cordial, anise, old wood, enchanting tar and roses. Sweet bouquet yet a dry and light palate with loads of intensity from acids and drying wood tannins. Grows deeper lower into the bottle, with some nice fleshiness. This is a really good bottle, very yummy. Woody finish probably too rustic for some, but I'm on board. 91-92 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2015 - andtheodor wrote:
Stewed prunes, soil, dried flowers, coarse tannin, a little stinky as these often are. Great with pizza, and strikes me as a honest country wine with real guts.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2014 - PaulusLoZebra Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured, this took 45-60 minutes to open up so it should be aerated/decanted about that far ahead of time. Consumed over 3.5 hours. Clear ruby color. First aromas were of fresh red meat and minerals, then red fruits, cherry, cranberry; after two hours lovely herbal hints (oregano, tarragon ?), smoke, spice. Full and lingering flavors of cherry gave way to dried red fruits and a lovely dusty, rustic, earthy flavor. Sustained mineral flavors, acidity and soft, dusty tannins. Subtle residual sweetness, excellent length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2014 - TinMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great quality-to-price ratio. Smoky volcano and dark red fruits in the nose. Rock in a very interesting, unique, and excellent balance with bright cherries on the tongue. Enjoy!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/30/2014 - andtheodor wrote: 90 Points
Very rustic, leather, again Nebbiolo like, tart pie cherry, worked well with the food but somewhat charmless without it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2014 - geeky? not sure wrote:
Not as good as 2002, but better than 2001.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2014 - DRS-Inc wrote: 92 Points
Had over 2 nights. PnP and drank over 1.5 hours on 1st night (was best from the 1 hour mark forward). A little funk on this one, but much less so than 1st bottle I had previously. Similar TN as before in a more tolerable and pleasurable experience.
Onto 2nd night, WOW! This really came through together nicely. Definiely get a sense of place and terrior on this one with semi-sweet and finely polished tannins within tasty red berry fruit, ash and spice. Drink 2014-2018. (92+)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/3/2014 - JJKinch wrote: 91 Points
Red fruit (cherry), slight funk, tobacco, slight spice. Well
integrated. Lingering finish. Really enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2014 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
From Wine-Strategies' note, followed the development of this wine over 4 nights to see how it would develop. Night 1 saw no evidence of the ethyl acetate WS reported, nor the bretty experience of Paul S, but it was fairly reticent, not giving up a tremendous amount on the nose or palate. Pleasant without being distinguishing in any particular manner. Skipped Night 2.
Then came Night 3. Initially served in a Bordeaux glass, the nose was unfocused, and an overbearing acidity washed over the palate, obliterating any fruit that may have been there. Was afraid I had missed this wine's window of opportunity. "Just to see," poured a splash into a Burgundy glass, and ohhhhhhhhhhhh man, what a difference. The nose consolidated around the brown-sugary scent of curing tobacco and cherries and a bit of smokiness, while the palate gravitated towards dried cherry with earth tones. Lovely. Singing. Just marvelous.
Night 4: A notch off Night 3, but still very enjoyable.
Moral of the story: time and proper stemware make all the difference with this wine. Patience will be rewarded.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2014 - blanquito wrote:
Day 1: Nose marred by a little VA. Rustic, bakers chocolate, very intense and spicy, yet showing a light bodied mid palate. The finish is long and layered with grippy tannins. Could be a little heat on the end. A bit of a chore to drink right now.
Day 2: Better integration today. This is very chianti now, but with a richer, sweeter depth. Lots of brown sugar, with a lifted nose showing incense. There's a mildly stewed, oxidative style to the fruit, maybe like some old school Rioja aged for years in foudres. Still a bit disjointed despite some good stuffing, a bit rough right now, but overall good in its way. This isn't as good as the 2001 (yet), but perhaps it just needs a few more years to pull together.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/14/2014 - jtrickett Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice, especially for the price. I appreciate that these are released after ten years of aging at the producer. The nose is fantastic; could be mistaken for 20 year old barolo, with some tar and tobacco. In the mouth, I think a previous note got it right; it has that thing about it that screams rustic italian wine. Not a hint of sweetnes, maybe a little bitter and a little dusty, but crisp and refreshing and great with food. The 2003 is a little less structured than the 2002, but still nice acidity, light tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Amazing, but not until night 4. On PnP, this was weighed down by ethyl acetate, so I just drank a glass or so. However, on night four, this was really singing, full of ripe tobacco, bruised red and black fruits, a medley of brown/dark spices and dessicated red floral. Kind of a cross between aged, classed BDX and aged GC Burgundy on the nose, with a cool, seamless, but highly polished attitude on the medium-bodied frame. One of those rare times I find myself wishing for the 'I Love It' button, because 'I Like It' doesn't seem enough. 14,5% abv, highly recommended, drink thru 2019.
https://italianwine.blog/
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2014 - DRS-Inc wrote:
Consumed over 2 nights. PnP & PnV on 1st night, and drank over 1+ hour. Lot of brett on this one that didn't subside. Barnyard nose with funk overshadowing the red fruit & spice underneath. Palate showed markedly better with red cherry, dark red berry fruit, spice, mineral, smoke and earth. Seemed slghtly more fruit-forward, richer and heftier than the '02. Fine dusty tanins caressed by good amount of acidity and medium+ finish.
On 2nd night a bit of brett blew off, but still lingering underneath
Palate: 91-92 / Nose:83 = 87+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2014 - andrewctorrens Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bricks, blueberry, cranberry, tarragon. Acidity was gritty and round not linear and piercing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2014 - vindictive wrote:
Transparent ruby color. Sunbaked, smokey, some bitterness, high acidity, short finish. Tastes very genuine and not manipulated in any way. The style is rustic and it will not be loved by those favoring the modern style.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2013 - andtheodor wrote: 93 Points
Transparent ruby colored. Dry rose, tarry, dry berry, minerally nose. Quintessentially Italian, and quite Nebbiolo-esque in aroma and structure with the same lingering dry tannin. So hauntingly expressive on the palate; dusty tobacco, soil, cherry, fudge, cran-raspberry, powerful without weight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2013 - wineman73 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Interesting wine from Sicily, which was recommended to me for a try. I decanted for 1 hour. A pour into the glass....the color was cranberry red with some bricking, which reflects its age. The nose was pronounced with smoke and had hints of cedar, cherry, and lavender. In the mouth, the weight was medium and tannins on a scale of 1-5 (5 robust), was a 2-3. The taste was fun. At first, it came across with almost an Amorone like flavor, which expressed dried red fruit containing cherry and plum. The flavor was like placing a handful of dried cherry, plum, smoked gouda, and a hint of lavender into the mouth. This wine's taste is old school by design. I really liked the non "fruit bomb" character. I would score this wine 90 points and should drink well over the next 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2013 - km5 wrote:
Had it at incanto in SF and liked it a lot. Must buy more!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2013 - Gooka Likes this wine: 91 Points
While the vintage 2002 is elegant and more perfumed, this latest vintage showed more body, more alcohol and more lenght. I love both vintages but for different reasons.
The wine showed its best after decanting of a couple of hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/30/2013 - TinMan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical dark red color...nothing special. Wonderful on the nose --- dark berries and smoke and volcanic ash?! High tannins and extra dry in the mouth...with the nose experience on top. THIS is a very nice juice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/27/2013 - willthethrill Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Smells and tastes like the horse carriages of central park.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 89 Points
Southern Italy (Lou's): This was the groups WOTN. Interesting wine. Ruby/purple in color. The nose has dried meats, cherries and dried cherries. Nice texture. Medium tannins. Dark cherries and gravel on the palate. Nice finish. Did not taste old in any way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2013 - cjsadler wrote: 90 Points
Layers of dark cherry with an earthy, funky undertone (brett, but this bottle had nothing approaching the levels mentioned by others). Very pleasant, very old-world.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2013 - Paul S wrote: 88 Points
Served blind after being hand-carried from Sicily and spending an hour in a decanter, I thought this would have been a good, interesting wine if not for the tons of Brett on it. Now, I have a pretty high tolerance for Brett, but this really pushed through that envelope, almost into flawed wine category. The nose was just ultra funky, full of meat, horse leather, undergrowth, all but masking more pleasant aromas of dark cherries, earth and chalky mineral that struggled to surface after some swirling of the glass. The palate was slightly better. It had an almost Burgundian flavour to it, with sappy cherries and red berry flavours patted down with some savoury mushrooms and slightly meaty notes, all laced with nice, fresh acidity. It was only the fine, but slightly raspy tannins towards the finish that made me guess Etna instead. Here, the wine showed pretty decent length too, with some pepper and clove spices emerging amongst the fruit. Unfortunately, spice was not the only thing you got, but also a mouthful of the funky, smelly bretty tones picked up on the nose. Quite a pong there. Real pity - this would have been quite enjoyable I think. As it was, it was drinkable, but not great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2013 - Chaz Bham wrote: 92 Points
Subtle, early stages of bricking. This 2003 is the current release. Calabretta ages this Etna Rosso about a decade before release, adhering to time-tested traditions. The style is wonderfully rustic, molto tradizionale. I read somewhere that Calabretta fashions their style to mimic Bartolo Mascarello of Barolo. That's a serious proclamation.
The Nerello aromatics are there, but what sets this wine apart are added elements on the nose of tobacco leaf, mushroom dust, and crushed dried hillside herbs. In the mouth, complex and uncommon structure for this price point- again, tobacco and dried herbs, but now with some earth and a touch of barely perceptible clove. I'm not getting the amount of Brett that some other tasters noted from this particular bottle, but there is some, adding to the earthy rusticity and overall sauvage of this wine. Folks, this wine is $27, and this is amazing quality for the price. For those into the earthy and unadulterated - a wonderful revelation. After this sampling, it is no surprise to me that Calabretta Etna Rosso topped the list of all Sicilian wines in Eric Asimov's great NY Times article - it's a worthy read:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/dining/reviews/etna-reds-wine-review.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Addendum: Discussing this wine with a few others who have also sampled it, and in reference to other notes as seen here, I am convinced there is a significant variation in the bottles, with respect to Brettanomyces content. Barrel-to-barrel variation and old-school technique...
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
4/12/2013 - johndefi Likes this wine: 90 Points
Clove, mushroom, black licorice, touch of blueberry. Still has tannins to resolve. Finish is a bit hollow and short. Not sure if it will get better with time. While it does need some exposure time to open up, I thought it was best after a few hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2013 - sachsen wrote: 91 Points
Agree with previous notes except with respect to Brett. Much better after 2-3 hours of air.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2013 - vinosean wrote: 88 Points
Nose: Clove studded oranges & cinnamon
Palate: Porcini, chalk, and brettanomyces (too much)
Finish: Medium
At its best after 2 hours in decanter
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment