I've been slacking on posting lately as I finish up work on the new Web site and blog. And for those of you following my other ventures, you can get excited that I am also spending a lot of writing power trying to complete a few chapters of the book, which are nearly done!
All exciting but something had to give and it's been the blog (apologies!). Fortunately, I was so moved by an experience I had at a tasting from major importer Kobrand that I'm back to the keyboard, which is a good thing.
As background, Kobrand, which is an New York based importer of many major, high quality international brands and a broker for a few high end California brands like Cakebread, Benzinger, and Domaine Carneros, had an Italian wine event showcasing their winemakers and some of their top wines.
I love events where the winemakers are there. It gives me a chance to travel to their land without hopping a plane. And I find that with Italians, especially, their warmth and willingness to share information about their regions makes it an incredibly valuable experience. I was especially excited to spend time with two very different Tuscan producers, from whom I got a ton of information that I'll be using in the Tuscany podcast (we'll record it in the next few days and have live later in the week).
If you're interested in listening to the Italy overview or the podcast on Veneto, the links are here.
I spent time with four producers. Although I've reviewed more than just the best, I'm putting stars (***) next to the ones that are "must trys" if they are available and affordable to you
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Tenute Silvio Nardi: Brunello di Montalcino
I was so fortunate that I got to learn from the elegant and wonderful Emilia Nardi. Silvio's daughter and winemaker for the winery, she served me the best Brunello I've ever had. This family is one of the oldest producers of Brunello and they have made a life's work of getting each and every vintage perfect. How amazing to see such pride and intellect go into a wine!Emilia gave me so much information, which I'll share in the Tuscany podcast at greater length, but her main points about Brunello were:
- The soils vary dramatically from area to area and create vastly different wines
- If you use only grapes from your own vineyard you have more control over the quality of the final product
- Brunello is an exercise in blending -- every single vintage is a new story, even more so than in other places
The lineup of three wines was outstanding. If you can get your hands on *any* of these wines, you need to do it immediately.
***2010 Tenute Silvio Nardi Rosso di Montalcino DOC, 100% Sangiovese/Brunello, $21
I don't think I've ever had a Rosso with so much character, even when in Montalcino! This wine was young and from their most fruit forward stock of wines, but it had so much going on. Lots of cherry, which is typical of Sangiovese but then an anise, black licorice, herbal note that lingered. Terrific acid and tannin balanced the wine from a texture perspective. This wine was better than a lot of Brunello I've had. ***2008 Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, 100% Brunello, $55
Another great wine, you taste the terroir/dirt immediately. Cherry and herbal notes but the earth and herb characters were the stars of the show. The tannins, acid, and weight of the wine were expertly balanced. This wine was lacking two things to make it perfect though -- food and a little time in the bottle. I think you could age this for 2-3 years more and the flavors would evolve even more. A beautiful wine nonetheless.***2006 Tenute Silvio Nardi "Manachiara" Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, 100% Brunello, $80
This is Emilia's single vineyard Brunello and it's only made in the best years. My notes say "OMFG"(oh my f*ing g-d) because this wine was a knockout. A light brownish-orange-crimson color from 7 years in bottle, this wine was full of dark earth, anise/black licorice, and dark cherry. Tobacco and bitter chocolate notes with a perfect balance of tannin and acid. What a wine! This was a highlight of the tasting. This is what Brunello should be. Outstanding. I need to get my hands on more of this -- it's so good that it's a steal for the price. ________________________________________________
Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute: Tuscany
If you look up charming in the dictionary, there has to be a picture of Giovanni Folonari. But he's not just a cute guy who makes good wine. This guy gave me the total inside scoop on how stuff really goes down in Tuscany. I was so grateful to him for giving me the real deal about how wine gets made, what the differences in a good v bad Chianti are, and the corruption that plagues the European wine industry. I loved my conversation with him. What a cool guy! You'll have to wait for the Tuscany podcast to get the scoop on what he said, but I trusted him a lot. Why? His family has been making estate grown wine since the 1800s and they are all over Tuscany -- Chianti, Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Bolgheri (home of many super Tuscans). He knows the drill in every winemaking area. Oh, and the guy admitted, very freely that Emilia Nardi's Brunello was better than his. He's right and that's awesome.
I gotta say, the wines were globally very good but this was a serious hit parade for Chianti. I feel very safe recommending these Chianti, which is saying a lot since I generally steer clear of the region due to lack of predictability. Here are reviews of the many, many wines of their line:
2012 Tenuta Campo Al Mare, Vermentino DOC Bolgheri, 95% Vermentino, 5% Sauvignon Blanc (it's a white wine), $16A different, fuller style of Vermentino, this was fruity with apple pie and lemon curd flavors. Acidic yet creamy either from the ripe fruit used or from malo-lactic fermentation that made the wine feel soft.
2011 Villa Nozzole Chianti Classico DOCG, $20
Ripe cherry aromas with an earth quality and a touch of thyme or savory spice, this was a nice medium-bodied wine that would be ideal with pasta with tomato sauce. This is what a basic Chianti Classico should be. ***2009 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, $20
Better fruit from better vineyards than the basic Chianti, and an extra year aging in casks and, oh what a difference! This wine has BALLS. Wow. A punch of black cherry and black berry flavors with tons of anise and a smell like the underbrush of a shrub, this was outstanding. It was full, powerful, and all around excellent. The finish lingered on with strong tannins and acid but the spice and herbal character of the wine balanced them out and made everything seem smoother and more consistent. Fabulous.
***2007 Tenuta di Nozzole La Forra Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, 95% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, $40
Made only in top vintages, this is a single vineyard wine. I felt this was a little young -- the tannins need to chill out a bit and the fruit and spice need to relax and come together. It needs another few years in the bottle. With time, I'm pretty sure this will become a more vibrant version of the Riserva and that will be outstanding. 2008 Tenuta di Nozzole Il Pareto, Tocana IGT (super Tuscan), 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, $70
A great high tannin wine with black plum, leather, vanilla, and tobacco aromas. The wine had a nice earth flavor and a sense of place. An excellent wine and different from any Cabernet I've ever had so it's worth trying just for the taste of the terroir, which is unique.
***2009 Fattoria di Gracciano Svetoni TorCalvano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, 90% Sangiovese, 10% Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese clone), $25
I asked Giovanni a lot of questions about what's happening with Vino Nobile. I've read a lot of stuff recently about how the traditional Sangiovese clone, Prugnolo Gentile, that has been used in the noble wine of Montalcino for decades, is being switched out for the Sangiovese used in Chianti Classico. Giovanni said the study of clones of Sangiovese is relatively new -- beginning just in the last 50 or so years -- and they've recently found that the Prugnolo is not as elegant or layered as Sangiovese. Given that I've had some great Prugnolo, I'm not convinced, but this was lovely so there's something to his argument. A dark fruit flavor with nice dusty road, dark earth characters, which are typical of grapes grown on the dense soils of the area. Smooth, even tannins and acid. Very pleasant and food friendly.
Others
I tried a number of the Bolgheri wines but found these Super Tuscan, French-combo blends too clean and modern for me. There just wasn't a lot of character or difference between these wines and those from various regions of California.
The 2006 Brunello, although good, had nice chewy coffee flavors and good cherry fruit flavors but it was so much cleaner and more sterile than those of Silvio Nardi that it was hard to compare. But at least Giovanni admitted it.
All in all, a great lineup and, if you're a podcast listener, lots of fodder for us to discuss in the Tuscany episode.
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Masi Agricola: Veneto
We did a full podcast on Veneto and discussed Amarone at length, but if you didn't listen, just know this wine is a true labor of love to make. It requires drying the grapes until they are slightly raisined and then making a powerful, high alcohol wine that is pure decadence. One could easily argue that no one does this as well as Masi, one of the top producers of Amarone in the region. I've tasted their wines before -- their Valpolicella and their basic Amarone, but never their top tier stuff. This was quite a treat. 2008 Riserva di Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC, $60
This wine spends a minimum of three years aging in oak. It's big. Typical raisined fruit, a nice warm herbal character, and sweet oak dominates the aromas and flavors. It had some kickin' tannin. Probably one you want to have after a meal, alone (like a Port) or with something very strongly flavored (game maybe?).
***2006 Serego Alighieri Vaio Armaron Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC, $65
Named for descendants of Dante Alighieri (you know, he wrote that little book "Inferno"?) who have been growing grapes in Valpolicella since the 1300s, this single estate wine is as strong, striking, and memorable as the author's description of the levels of the underworld. Rich cherry and raisins dominate with an undertone of cinnamon and clove and a sweet oak flavor that makes it sing. The wine was smoother and more balanced than the Costasera. It was a "Wow." A stunner and unlike the others on this list, probably one that you could have with red meat and mushroom dishes, not just cheese or alone.
***2003 Campolongo di Torbe Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC, $120
Masi has several "cru" or single vineyard wines of exceptional quality and this is one. From a vineyard that's been producing grapes since the 1300s, this wine is made in select years and in perfect conditions only.
The more elegant of the two cru I sampled, the wine was robust but it had some nuance too, which I like. What does that mean? That it tasted like a ton of blackberry, black cherry, and dried prune but had some tobacco, sauteed thyme, and balsam to it and that was stunning. Although it was heavy, the wine had bright notes too, due to an excellent vineyard and a winemaker that knows how to get the right stuff out of his wine (hard to do when you're dealing with nearly raisined grapes but that's why Masi is one of the best).2001 Mazzano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOC, $160
Another cru, only made in the best conditions, this wine was all brawn. Raisins, prunes, and a brandy-like flavor (it is 16% alcohol so it had a brandied thing going on), made this wine HEAVY. It had coffee notes with a slight bitterness, typical of Amarone.
With saliva stripping tannin and mouth cleaning acid, the Mazzano was a bit of an ambush on my mouth but it was extremely balanced. This wine is 12 years old but it still needs time to soften. Give this 3 - 5 more years and I think it will show more complex flavors and nuance. Amazing how long these wines need to really show their beauty!
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Michele Chiarlo: Piedmont
I love Michele Chiarlo's amazing, inexpensive basic Barbera. For the money, the wine is so layered, delicious, and food friendly. I don't see their other products on the shelf that frequently so I was excited to try their wares.
The wines of Piedmont tend to be so powerful, yet elegant. They have a lot of flavors and textures -- very firm acid and tannin -- and they are some of the best food wines available.
Piedmont specializes in the floral, acidic whites Gavi (from the Cortese grape) and Roero Arneis. If you haven't had them, you should get your hands on some because these wines are tasty and different in the world of whites. Also from Piedmont is Moscato d'Asti, which is acidic, effervescent, and only lightly sweet when it's from it's homeland (not like the cloying nastiness that seems to be FINALLY waning in popularity after a great run here in the US). And then there's the big dogs -- the reds from Nebbiolo -- Barbaresco and Barolo, Ghemme and Gattinara. And the slightly less big dogs that are affordably priced -- Barbera and Dolcetto.
I had really high expectations for this 7th generation producer, Michele Chiarlo. But I realized after trying through the wines that the strongest plank in their portfolio is their Barbera and the rest is just kind of ok. I didn't try their standard Barbera because I've reviewed it here already. Here's a quick rundown of the wines I tried:
2012 Michele Chiarlo Gavi Le Marne DOCG, 100% Cortese, $16
A simple Gavi with some lovely lime and green apple flavors and a slight a floral note. It had excellent acidity but reminded me a little of a lime lollipop. I like Gavi with a little more minerality and a richer texture, so this fell flat for me.
2012 Michele Chiarlo Le Madri, Roero Arneis DOC, 100% Arneis, $18
Clear colored with light minerality and some lily and jasmine aromas and flavors. Slightly lemon-lime on the finish and great acid with a tiny bit of bitterness. A lovely wine that would be great with soft cheese.
2010 Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza La Court DOCG, 100% Barbera, $40
A crimson red with lots of cherry -- sour, red, and black -- aromas. It had a light medicinal smell and a eucalyptus flavor with dark berry and tons of acid. This is not a sipper because its structure -- tannins and acids -- are too bold, but it would be great with a rich mushroom risotto.
2010 Michele Chiarlo Reyna Barbaresco DOCG, 100% Nebbiolo, $35
Because of the vineyard locations and soils in Barbaresco, its namesake wine tends to be lighter in style and less brawny than Barolo. This was a great example of this style. A brownish garnet color with earthy, dark floral aromas and flavors. A very fresh tasting wine with cherry notes. It had excellent tannin and great acid. A good wine but I thought it was a little wimpy, even for a Barbaresco -- not enough going on for me to love it.
2007 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio DOCG, 100% Nebbiolo, $80
The winemaker (who was the least friendly of all the folks I spoke to) said this was their crowned jewel -- the "first growth" of Barolo and better than any other vineyard in the area, so the bar was set high. But it didn't measure up for me. Maybe it was too young or maybe it was just the style, but this Barolo had none of the tar, violet, truffle, or chocolate notes I'd expect in a layered Barolo. Again, I'm willing to say that maybe it was the bottle or the youth or the lack of decanting or the age of the wine, but this was just meh for me.
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I love Michele Chiarlo's amazing, inexpensive basic Barbera. For the money, the wine is so layered, delicious, and food friendly. I don't see their other products on the shelf that frequently so I was excited to try their wares.
The wines of Piedmont tend to be so powerful, yet elegant. They have a lot of flavors and textures -- very firm acid and tannin -- and they are some of the best food wines available.
Piedmont specializes in the floral, acidic whites Gavi (from the Cortese grape) and Roero Arneis. If you haven't had them, you should get your hands on some because these wines are tasty and different in the world of whites. Also from Piedmont is Moscato d'Asti, which is acidic, effervescent, and only lightly sweet when it's from it's homeland (not like the cloying nastiness that seems to be FINALLY waning in popularity after a great run here in the US). And then there's the big dogs -- the reds from Nebbiolo -- Barbaresco and Barolo, Ghemme and Gattinara. And the slightly less big dogs that are affordably priced -- Barbera and Dolcetto.
I had really high expectations for this 7th generation producer, Michele Chiarlo. But I realized after trying through the wines that the strongest plank in their portfolio is their Barbera and the rest is just kind of ok. I didn't try their standard Barbera because I've reviewed it here already. Here's a quick rundown of the wines I tried:
2012 Michele Chiarlo Gavi Le Marne DOCG, 100% Cortese, $16
A simple Gavi with some lovely lime and green apple flavors and a slight a floral note. It had excellent acidity but reminded me a little of a lime lollipop. I like Gavi with a little more minerality and a richer texture, so this fell flat for me.2012 Michele Chiarlo Le Madri, Roero Arneis DOC, 100% Arneis, $18
Clear colored with light minerality and some lily and jasmine aromas and flavors. Slightly lemon-lime on the finish and great acid with a tiny bit of bitterness. A lovely wine that would be great with soft cheese.
2010 Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza La Court DOCG, 100% Barbera, $40A crimson red with lots of cherry -- sour, red, and black -- aromas. It had a light medicinal smell and a eucalyptus flavor with dark berry and tons of acid. This is not a sipper because its structure -- tannins and acids -- are too bold, but it would be great with a rich mushroom risotto.
2010 Michele Chiarlo Reyna Barbaresco DOCG, 100% Nebbiolo, $35
Because of the vineyard locations and soils in Barbaresco, its namesake wine tends to be lighter in style and less brawny than Barolo. This was a great example of this style. A brownish garnet color with earthy, dark floral aromas and flavors. A very fresh tasting wine with cherry notes. It had excellent tannin and great acid. A good wine but I thought it was a little wimpy, even for a Barbaresco -- not enough going on for me to love it.2007 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio DOCG, 100% Nebbiolo, $80
The winemaker (who was the least friendly of all the folks I spoke to) said this was their crowned jewel -- the "first growth" of Barolo and better than any other vineyard in the area, so the bar was set high. But it didn't measure up for me. Maybe it was too young or maybe it was just the style, but this Barolo had none of the tar, violet, truffle, or chocolate notes I'd expect in a layered Barolo. Again, I'm willing to say that maybe it was the bottle or the youth or the lack of decanting or the age of the wine, but this was just meh for me. _____________________________________________
All in all a great tasting that gave me a deeper understanding of the complexities of Italian wines and the benefits in specializing in one area where you can learn the soil, the land, and what you, as a winemaker, can bring to the wine to make it sing.
Thanks to Kobrand for the invitation!
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