Strawberry and prune on the nose; on the palate, pomegranate, prune, and notes of cinnamon and other earthy spices on the medium finish, with strong tannins and strong acidity. This is a good match for rich food. It was an average to good value at about $30.
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Enjoyable and high quality, but not especially distinctive Italian red. On first taste, it could be mistaken for a mid-weight Brunello, albeit lighter in color - a mix of ripe red fruit, a bit of prune lurking, red dirt, and mouth-puckeringly firm tannins on the finish. Over a couple hours, some nuances develop, including dried flowers, woody herbs and bright cran-cherry candy top note - almost carbonic-maceration like. 13.5% and no noticeable oak signature. 90+ - would like to revisit in 5-7 years if I had more.
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Fairly recent one off purchase ($25.99) from the big box wine store. Gave it about half an hour of non-decanted air before drinking a glass. On the nose and palate, lively red fruit, funk, funk, funk, forest floor, dry earth, minerality, and dried spice. Medium colored, lighter bodied which filled out with air, light to medium legs. Potent, racy acidity, powerful but integrated tannins, no heat. Intense, moderately persistent and complex. Rmalloy's TN is pretty much dead on: this wine jumps out of the bottle with lively acidity, dancing across the palate with the fruit becoming progressively more vibrant, drinking like what I'd want a pinot to be. The acidity integrates on night 2 but stays present enough for the wine to excel with a spicy sauteed swordfish (after doing surprisingly well with a seafood stir fry on night one), but this wine has the versatility to work with anything but the plainest white fish or shellfish on the one hand or the fattiest red meat on the other. Great structure, freshness and balance indicate that this wine is just entering a prime window which should go on for many years, all the more impressive in a year that was a trainwreck for many Italian bottlings. A great rejoinder to anyone who believes that you can't find high-quality wines (not to mention at a great price!) south of Montalcino, or even Taurasi. I don't have much familiarity with Etnas (and more with the whites, which have a wonderful stony minerality), but this shows that's something very worth developing. As always, much love and respect to the winemakers in the land of the boot, always coming up with fascinating, delicious, food-friendly and great qpr choices! Wish I'd bought more. 92, with a + for great value.
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I love Gulfi wines. This is well build with a solid structure and plenty of years of drinking pleasure. Very dry and complex. It benefits from a few hours of denting. I suspect it will get better with age. Great wine!
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This wine hits the mouth with a bang of cheerful, delicious red berry fruit. It turns me off immediately. I like brooding, serious wines. I'm reminded of a line from the Mary Tyler Moore Show: "You know what? You've got spunk! ... I hate spunk!"
But by no means does this wine lack complexity. The wine's gamey aromas are as strong as you'd find in mourvèdre, and the wine is well seasoned with cinnamon, sage, and ash. I also notice sliced peach in the taste profile.
The wine's mouthfeel is unique. At first, it seems lightweight, but after you swallow, you realize the tannins are mouth-puckering and the acidity is intense. The finish is remarkably strong and leaves no room for doubt that this is a serious wine.
The more I drink this wine, the more profound it seems. Wow! I really like this Sicilian producer. Gulfi, a name to remember.
I have no reason to believe this won't age well, but I also have no reason to recommend waiting to drink it.
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8/26/2021 - RichardP wrote: 90 Points
Strawberry and prune on the nose; on the palate, pomegranate, prune, and notes of cinnamon and other earthy spices on the medium finish, with strong tannins and strong acidity. This is a good match for rich food. It was an average to good value at about $30.
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9/30/2020 - ohne_musik wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyable and high quality, but not especially distinctive Italian red. On first taste, it could be mistaken for a mid-weight Brunello, albeit lighter in color - a mix of ripe red fruit, a bit of prune lurking, red dirt, and mouth-puckeringly firm tannins on the finish. Over a couple hours, some nuances develop, including dried flowers, woody herbs and bright cran-cherry candy top note - almost carbonic-maceration like. 13.5% and no noticeable oak signature. 90+ - would like to revisit in 5-7 years if I had more.
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9/3/2020 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fairly recent one off purchase ($25.99) from the big box wine store. Gave it about half an hour of non-decanted air before drinking a glass. On the nose and palate, lively red fruit, funk, funk, funk, forest floor, dry earth, minerality, and dried spice. Medium colored, lighter bodied which filled out with air, light to medium legs. Potent, racy acidity, powerful but integrated tannins, no heat. Intense, moderately persistent and complex. Rmalloy's TN is pretty much dead on: this wine jumps out of the bottle with lively acidity, dancing across the palate with the fruit becoming progressively more vibrant, drinking like what I'd want a pinot to be. The acidity integrates on night 2 but stays present enough for the wine to excel with a spicy sauteed swordfish (after doing surprisingly well with a seafood stir fry on night one), but this wine has the versatility to work with anything but the plainest white fish or shellfish on the one hand or the fattiest red meat on the other. Great structure, freshness and balance indicate that this wine is just entering a prime window which should go on for many years, all the more impressive in a year that was a trainwreck for many Italian bottlings. A great rejoinder to anyone who believes that you can't find high-quality wines (not to mention at a great price!) south of Montalcino, or even Taurasi. I don't have much familiarity with Etnas (and more with the whites, which have a wonderful stony minerality), but this shows that's something very worth developing. As always, much love and respect to the winemakers in the land of the boot, always coming up with fascinating, delicious, food-friendly and great qpr choices! Wish I'd bought more. 92, with a + for great value.
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7/18/2020 - bordeauxman777 Likes this wine: 90 Points
I love Gulfi wines. This is well build with a solid structure and plenty of years of drinking pleasure. Very dry and complex. It benefits from a few hours of denting. I suspect it will get better with age. Great wine!
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1/30/2020 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine hits the mouth with a bang of cheerful, delicious red berry fruit. It turns me off immediately. I like brooding, serious wines. I'm reminded of a line from the Mary Tyler Moore Show: "You know what? You've got spunk! ... I hate spunk!"
But by no means does this wine lack complexity. The wine's gamey aromas are as strong as you'd find in mourvèdre, and the wine is well seasoned with cinnamon, sage, and ash. I also notice sliced peach in the taste profile.
The wine's mouthfeel is unique. At first, it seems lightweight, but after you swallow, you realize the tannins are mouth-puckering and the acidity is intense. The finish is remarkably strong and leaves no room for doubt that this is a serious wine.
The more I drink this wine, the more profound it seems. Wow! I really like this Sicilian producer. Gulfi, a name to remember.
I have no reason to believe this won't age well, but I also have no reason to recommend waiting to drink it.
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