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Are great Italian wines really expensive?
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Location: Blogs Antonio MaurielloVisiting Italy as a Tourist |
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| Posted by: Antonio Mauriello |
5/9/2004 1:51 AM |
 On May 9, 2004, more that 150 of the "Vini Intelligenti" were presented at the "Citta del Gusto" in Rome.
Guess: I HAD TO BE THERE!!!
"Vini Intelligenti" literally translates "Intelligent wines". "Smart Buy" as we could say. More than 500 labels, all Italians, with a high quality and a cost between E7 and E30 selected by the Gambero Rosso team to go against the current that wants Italian wines to be too expensive.
Few of these wines are known in the international market, while small producers make the most.
What a huge event! Four hours for 150 wines. My "feasible" goal was to taste at least 50% of the total wines presented, take notes and assign scores to each one of them. With a slight disappointment, I scored below my target. I tasted only 50 wines, therefore I was off by 25 wines! However, let me tell you...it was worthwhile!
All the tasting stations had a professional sommelier who is ready to talk to you about the wine he/she is serving and also "avvina" your glass before the tasting. That means to rinse your glass with a little bit of the wine you are about to taste to void the smell and taste of the previous one. The tasting glasses were superb (see pictures). The cost was E20.
Note: Prices indicated are in "E" (Euro) (1 Euro = 1 US$) and are the average selling prices at a wine store in Italy.
GamberoRosso is one of the major contributors to the world wine and food culture...pure Italian stamp. This great organization selects Italian wines every year and creates 3 major lists: 1) "I Tre Bicchieri" ("The Three Glasses") with la creme de la creme.
2) "I Vini Intelligenti" ("The Smart Wines") the great Italians costing between E7 and E30
3) "L'Almanacco del Berebene" ("The Almanac for Drinking Well") listing almost 4,000 Italian labels priced maximum E8.
Here is a list of the wines I tasted (in order) with a short description and my score. I "attacked" the whites first and then the reds, organizing my tasting by regions. About 30% of them are available to the international market with few of them available in Canada. Scores are in hundreds. After the name of the wine and the year, you can generally find the name of the estate and the owner or winemaker.
WHITES
PIEMONTE
------------------
1)
Gavi Bruno Broglia 2001
Tenuta La Meirana
E18 82/100
80% stainless steel. 20% small barrels. Fruity. Fresh. Well balanced. Short finish.
LOMBARDIA
--------------------
1)
Franciacorta Saten 1999 Spumante (Sparkling)
Contadi Castaldi
E21 79/100
Very intense at the nose with a generous load of yeast, peach and apricot.
VENETO
-------------
1)
Lugana Sergio Zenato 2001
Zenato
E15 86/100
Great value! Gentle and well balanced oak. Very long finish.
2)
Soave Classico Ca' Visco 2002
Coffele
E9 77/100
Fresh, floral. Fairly balanced for a young white, which is designed to be drunk "green".
3)
Soave Classico Superiore Acini Soavi 2001
Cantina del Castello
E13 76/100
Nice and powerful oak barrique. My sample was penalized by a hint of solforic due perhaps to the bottle just opened.
4)
Soave Classico Superiore Contrada Salvarenza Vecchie Vigne 2001
Gini
E17 80/100
Intense tropical fruits, pear. Long finish.
5)
Due Cuori passito 2000
Le Vigne di S.Pietro (Carlo Nerozzi)
E20 90/100
Great dessert Muscat! Deep and powerful. Very balanced. A meditation wine.
FRIULI
----------
1)
Colli Orientali del Friuli Bianco Rosazzo Ronco delle Acacie 2001
Le Vigne di Zamo'
Tocai, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco
E18 76/100
Straw Yellow intense and deep. Rich of mature fruit at the nose. Oak is in abundance, not in good armony with the acidity.
2)
Collio Bianco Russiz Disore 2001
Russiz Superiore, Marco Felluga
Tocai, Ribolla, Pinot and Sauvignon fermented in wood
E29 88/100
Fine aromas of mint and white peach at the nose. Delicate on the palat presents an incredible variety of final long emotions. Very balanced.
3)
Collio Sauvignon de la Tour 2002
Villa Russiz
E76 24/100
Rich fruit. Exuberant overwhelming acidity.
4)
Collio Tocai Friulano Ronco delle Cime 2002
Venica&Venica
E22 72/100
Typical Tocai. Pears and kiwi at the nose. Fairly balanced.
5)
Friuli Isonzo Sauvignon Piere 2001
Vie di Romans - Gianfranco Gallo
E19 84/100
All stainless steel. Rich aromas of white pulp fruit. Very long finish.
6)
Mario Schiopetto Bianco 2002
Chardonnay and Tocai
E21 83/100
60% Stainless steel
40% is fermented in barrels of different size.
Aromatic, very balanced and with an elegant long finish.
7)
Noans 2002
La Tunella - Zorzettig
Riesling, Sauvignon, Traminer
E17 79/100
Characteristic aromas of the Traminer: floral intense. Elegant on the palate.
8)
Pinot Grigio Olivier 2001
Pierpaolo Pecorari
E18 84/100
Very nice and gentle oak at the nose. The toasty character donates great balance on the palat. Long finish.
TOSCANA
----------------
1)
Moscadello VT 2001 (VT = Vendemmia Tardiva = Late Harvest)
La Poderina
E21 87/100
Typical Moscato variety aroma. Floral, delicate, sexy.
A very elegant sweet wine with a good balance/blend of sugar and acidity.
MARCHE
--------------
1)
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Stefano Antonucci 2001
Santa Barbara
E12 82/100
Great smarts buy. A rare verdicchio with such balanced acidity! Lots of fruit at the nose.
2)
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore Massaccio 2000
Fazi Battaglia
E12 70/100
A bit on the "hard" side, aggressive on the acidity, very warm in alcohol, however elegant and complex.
LAZIO
---------
1)
Grechetto Latour a Civitella 2001
Sergio Mottura
E13 72/100
Fairly long on the final, this wine presents a high acidity typical of the Grechetto, the indigen variety of Lazio (Province of Viterbo)
CAMPANIA
------------------
1)
Greco di Tufo Cutizzi 2003
Feudi di San Gregorio
E15 84/100
Very intense and persistent on the nose. Complex aromas of tropical fruits, pineapple, peach jam. A very balanced taste with a very, very long and elegant oaky finish.
SICILIA
-----------
1)
Chardonnay 2002
Planeta
E19 82/100
The barrique gave to this wine the elegance that the Chardonnay deserves when grown in Sicily. Very warm, soft, balanced, armonic. Long finish.
SARDEGNA
-------------------
1)
Latinia 2001
Cantina Sociale di Santadi
100% Nasco (Sardegna's own grape variety)
E19 90/100
Powerful! The high residual sugar is very well balanced by the acidity which is blend in an elegant structured complexity. A "vino da meditazione". No doubts.
RED
UMBRIA
-------------
1)
Campoleone 2001
Patrizia Lamborghini
50% Merlot - 50% Sangiovese
Aged in oak barrique for 12 months.
E26 86/100
Red fruit, black pepper. Great blended tannins, ample, long finish.
2)
Frabusco 2001
Tenuta Corini
Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Merlot
E26 82/100
Berries and complex spices. Tannins are evident however not aggressive.
3)
Giubilante 2001
Lungarotti
Montepulciano, Canaiolo, Sangiovese, Cabernet
E15 82/100
Very elegant and complex bouquet with mature berries. Gentle but powerful tannins.
4)
Sagrantino di Montefalco 2000
Colpetrone
E28 85/100
Berries and spices are evident and fulfilling, well blend in a complex and intense bouquet. Warm and very tannic. A great Sagrantino, still young.
5)
Nero della Greca 2001
Cardeto
Sangiovese 85% Merlot 15%
E16 82/100
Merlot and Sangiovese blend perfectly in this great Tuscan IGT. Elegance and balance are two main characteristics.
6)
Tizzonero 2001
La Carraia
Grapes: Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon
E9 84/100
A sensational value! The oak barriques in which this wine matures for 6 months donate the perfect softness to balance a great sustain acidity. Ready to drink with a beautiful touch of tannins and regal structure.
TOSCANA
----------------
1)
Brunello di Montalcino 1998
Villa Le Prata
E26 82/100
Cherry and mature berries at the nose. Fine tannins and well balanced.
2)
Cabreo Il Borgo 2000
Tenute Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari
Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon
E29 90/100
Rich bouquet with marvelous spices and mature red fruits. Intense and very persistent on the finish.
3)
Carmignano Villa di Trefiano 2000
Tenuta di Capezzana
Sangiovese 70% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Canaiolo 10%
E21 80/100
A traditional Tuscan blend. Intense floral bouquet and fairly long finish. Tannins are a bit aggressive. Will age well.
4)
Chianti Classico Cellole Riserva 2000
San Fabiano Calcinaia - Giulio Serio
E20 80/100
Well balanced. Traditional well done Chianti.
5)
Chianti Classico La Prima Riserva 2000
Castello di Vicchiomaggio - John Matta
E20 88/100
A great value Chianti. Ready to drink, presents a very good balance and tannins to support the structure. Black pepper and berries contribute to an intense and persistent bouquet.
6)
Chianti Classico Poggio Rosso Riserva 2000
San Felice
E28 88/100
An aroma of red mature fruits is well integrated in an ample bouquet with spices and toasty flavors. The toasty characteristic is evident, also, in the aftertaste. Strong tannins. Long finish.
7)
Chianti Classico Terra dei Cavalieri 2001
La Loggia
E8 84/100
Great value Chianti. Fairly well balanced with aggressive tannins and a good amount of acidity. Pleasant long finish.
8)
Granaio 2001
Savignola Paolina - Fabbri
E21 82/100
Small estate in Greve in Chianti, produces this good 100% Sangiovese which is intense at the nose and persists elegantly after tasting. Tannins are a bit too aggressive. Should age well.
9)
La Massa 2001
Gianpaolo Motta
E18 82/100
This IGT is 70% Sangiovese and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Strong tannins and a solid structure are enhanced at the eyes by the deep ruby colour. Very long finish.
10)
Morellino di Scansano CapaTosta 2001
Poggio Argentiera
95% Sangiovese, 5% Alicante
E21 86/100
The proximity of the vineyards with the sea of the Maremma Toscana gives a typical saltiness characteristic to this wine. At the nose, it presents elegant spices. Tannins are aggressive and noble.
11)
Nobile di Montepulciano 2000
Lodola Nuova
E13 84/100
2000 was a great year for the Nobile. This wine is one of the best selections in terms of quality/price ratio. Tannins are superb and well integrated in the complex structure, which gives to this wine a good aging potential.
12)
Nobile di Montepulciano Bossona Riserva 1999
Dei - Villa Martiena
E23 88/100
Traditional style wine, matured in large casks. Red fruit jam and spices at the nose. Balanced and structured with a long finish.
13)
Oracolo 2001
Poggio Amorelli - Marco Marazzini
E20 90/100
A full body IGT. Black and green pepper at the nose. Soft and well balanced with a very long and pleasant finish filled with tobacco and coffee flavors.
14)
Palafreno 2000
Querciabella - Sebastiano Castiglioni
E26 88/100
Organic wine. Sangiovese and Merlot. Young beautiful complex wine. It will certainly age well. The bouquet is filled with mature red fruit, plums and blackberry. In the mouth it gives a great feeling of a balance already existing, while the structure, acidity and potent tannins anticipate a good aging potential.
15)
Pietracupa 1999
Fattoria Montecchio
Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon
E18 85/100
Deep ruby and powerful bouquet, immediately brings you to think to a great Sangiovese blend. The palate shows a good full body structure with aggressive tannins.
16)
Poggiassai 2001
Chigi-Saracini
Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon
E16 82/100
Spices and intense bouquet. Acidity is high in this young Sangiovese. The structure is complex and with the acidity, it translates in good aging potential.
17)
Poggio Bestiale 2001
Fattoria di Magliano
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
E21 92/100
Spices, coffee and chocolate at the nose. An elegant wine with a soft side, well evident and blend with a noble powerful tannin. Great buy!
18)
Primamateria 2001
Poggerino - Piero Lanza Ginori
50% Sangiovese, 50% Merlot
E21 88/100
A different and interesting blend for the Chianti area. It spends 1 year in oak barrique. Intense and powerful bouquet anticipate a great structure in the palate. Spices, jam and plums are also present during the final in the back of the mouth. Long and smooth finish.
19)
Rosso di Montalcino 2001
Siro Pacenti
E21 84/100
Pepper, berries, complex at the nose. Soft, well balanced, ready to drink or age for 2-3 years.
20)
S.J. 2001
Eredi Fuligni
Sangiovese, Merlot
E11 82/100
Berries and toasty notes at the nose. Warm, tannic blend, elegant and fine.
21)
Sant'Antimo La Fortuna
Podere La Fortuna - Gioberto Zannoni
50% Sangiovese, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
E21 78/100
Elegant and intense bouquet full of red fruit. Armonic and balanced with a long finish.
22)
Selvascura 2001
Guicciardini Strozzi
100% Merlot
E19 87/100
After a traditional vinification, the wine spends about 9 months in oak barriques. Deep ruby red colour. Forest fruits, berries, plum and smooth long finish. |
| Copyright ©2006 Antonio Mauriello |
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