(Before launching into the tasting notes, I would like to make an aside on the issue of palate acclimatization. At the beginning of the tasting, I tried some of the wines on knock-down offer and found several from respected producers quite dry and acidic. At the end of the tasting about two hours later, I reverted to several; they all seemed better later on, in particular two of them, Inferno and Grumello from Valtellina, which I found to have filled out and to have become much better balanced (see notes below). This different perception may in be due in part to the initially very cool temperature in an unheated warehouse, which probably warmed up a couple or so degrees C. in two hours because of the crowd, and extra airing of the wines. However, I think it may be even more due to my palate having warmed up or acclimatized. This makes me question how far improvements often reported towards the end of a bottle or glass are real and how far they are the result of changing palate perceptions due to acclimatization.)
CONTI SERTOLI SALIS – Tirano (SO) Valtellina
I have an affection for this estate because of a superb Canua Sforzato Valtellina 1997, an Amarone style wine with Nebbiolo class of which I have one bottle left, and because of memories of two brief meetings at similar tastings with the late Cesare Sertoli Salis, who died prematurely at the age of 53 in 2005 and struck me as a real example of that outdated and now usually despised concept, the gentleman.
About a dozen wines from late 90s vintages of this estate (but no Canua Sforzato) were on offer at either 3 EUR or 5 EUR + VAT. I tried the following.
VALTELLINA SUPERIORE (“VS”) INFERNO 1997 was quite pale in colour (typical Nebbiolo) with a refined nose and dry palate at about 2 pm but by 4 pm was showing more fruit and body as well as refinement; 15.5/20. VS GRUMELLO 1997 showed some tar on the nose and more roundness than the previous at 2 pm and also had opened up and filled out later on; 15.5/20.
The following were only tasted at 4 pm. VS CORTE della MERIDIANA 1998 was round, spicy and fruity and so much more ingratiatingly “sweet” than the others that I questioned if it came from Nebbiolo; it does and I have subsequently read that some dried grapes go into it which account for the slight sweetness; 16/20. IL SALONCELLO 1999 was corked. VS SASSELLA 1997 showed a fine refined nose and expressive round soft fruit and generosity with good grip (16/20) and VS SASSELLA 1998 added some notes of tar and more backbone; 16/20; it is hard to know which vintage to prefer in their different styles and I bought some of both.
Here is a link to the estate’s website - http://www.sertolisalis.com/
TENUTA FONTODI – Panzano (FI)
I did not taste the Sangiovese based wines this time as I have most of those shown in my cellar. However SYRAH CASE VIA 1996 was on offer for 8 EUR (2000 = EUR 40,50) and I have excellent memories of a glass poured by Giovanni Manetti about 15 months ago (notes in the archive, I think). This time from a cold bottle on a cold palate at about 2 pm I noted deep dark colour, somewhat closed aromas with some leather in the dark fruit, good body and depth with marked acidity; 15/20 today; my previous impression was better with a warmed up palate and "chambrée" bottle so I bought some.
PIRA & FIGLI – Barolo
The DOLCETTO D’ALBA 2005 (EUR 11,80) is as good as ever showing some attractive fruit with leather and tobacco notes (15.5/20), as is the BARBERA D’ALBA 2004 (EUR 18,80) with fresh red fruit and body; 15.5/20.
TENUTA La VOLTA – Cabutto – Barolo
The DOLCETTO D’ALBA 2006 (EUR 11,70) was attractively fruity and leathery and a touch drier and lighter than that of Pira; 15/20. BARBERA D’ALBA SUPERIORE 2005 (EUR 16,10) was a little closed aromatically but showed good round fruit; 15/20. BAROLO Vigna La Volta 2003 (EUR 32,80) showed refined round fruit on the nose and impressive mouth-fill and structure on the palate with good fruit and tar hints; 16/20. BAROLO RISERVA 2001 (EUR 55,10) was more closed on the nose but showed a palate which was refined, structured and long; 16.5/20 with potential.
Livio FELLUGA – Brazzano di Cormons (GO)
Impressive wines here, but pricy.
SHARJS Igt 2006 (EUR 17,10), made from Chardonnay and Ribolla Gialla, was aromatic, fruity and fresh; 15.5/20. COLLI ORIENTALI DEL FRIULI (“COF”) SAUVIGNON 2005 (EUR 19,60) showed typically Sauvignon gooseberry aromas, good “gras” and tangy freshness; 16/20. COF PINOT GRIGIO 2006 (EUR 22) was good of its kind, which I don’t greatly care for, and showed a slight scratchiness and banality in its fruit; 14/20. I much preferred COF TOCAI FRIULANO 2006 (EUR 21,80) which showed complex aromas with a touch of meat and a fresh crisp, tangy palate; 16/20.
VERTIGO Igt 2004 (EUR 17,10), made from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, was almost black and showed aromas of leathery dark fruit, good density and structure; 15.5/20. COF SOSSO RISERVA 2003 (EUR 48,50), made from Refosco dal penduncolo rosso, Merlot and Pignolo, was even blacker and showed a complex nose of deep dark fruit with touches of wood and a deep, powerful, dense tangy and structures palate with again wood notes on the aftertaste; needs time but will be very fine if the wood integrates; 16/20 with potential.
Here is the estate’s website -http://www.liviofelluga.it/index.php?l=eng
Roberto ANSELMI – Monteforte d’Alpone (VR)
Anselmi has opted out of the Soave DOC. Fine wines here. SAN VINCENZO Igt 2006 (EUR 14,30), 85% Garganega and 15% Trebbiano Soave, is charmingly fragrant and generous showing white fruit with pineapple notes and minerality; 15.5/20. CAPITEL CROCE Igt 2005 (EUR 20,80), 100% Garganega, is more closed and backward but showing crisp, dense fruit and good length; needs a little time to open up; 16/20 with potential. CAPITEL FOSCARINO Igt 2006 (EUR 18), 80% Garganega and 20% Trebbiano, is more supple and generous than the previous with crisp, fresh fruit and good length; 16/20.
PODERE San LUIGI – Piombino – Campo all’ Olma (LI)
This estate from South of Livorno near the Tuscan coast is new for me. They showed two 2002s which were drinking very well in spite of the unfavourable growing condition in that year. The wines were presented by the charming but rather retiring owners; poor French and no English did not help.
SANGIOVETO TOSCANA Igt 2002 (EUR 15 half price offer), 100% Sangiovese, had a nose of dark fruit with liquorice hints and good depth and grip on the palate; 15.5/20. FIDENZIO TOSCANA Igt 2002 (EUR 23 half price offer), a Bordeaux blend, showed a nose of dark fruit with tobacco hints and an attractively fruity and structured palate; 15.5/20. FIDENZIO TOSCANA Igt 2003 (EUR 46,60) was a richer, fleshier and riper version of the previous without falling into the common 2003 trap of candied or cooked notes; 16/20.
The estate’s website seems to be in Italian only but here it is - http://www.poderesanluigi.li.it/produzione.html#
POGGIO VERRANO – Magliano in Toscana (GR)
Another new estate for me. The wines were presented by owner, Francesco Bolla of the famous Veronese wine family. Unlike the couple from San Luigi, he was articulate in very precise English. The estate was bought virgin in 1999 and comprehensively re-modelled before plantation; the vines are therefore young. There is only one wine, DROMOS, a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon & franc, Alicante and Merlot. I asked Bolla why he did not produce a Morellino di Scansano as he is in the middle of the zone. He replied that, as a man from Veneto, he felt no loyalty towards Sangiovese other than as a contributor to a blend.
DROMOS 2004 (EUR 43) is modern in style but a good example of that kind, showing a nose of complex fruit and a generous expansive palate already expressive and showing a lot of structure and length; good ageing potential, I think; 94 points from WA and for once I think they were right; 16.5/20 for me.
The estate’s website is bilingual - http://www.poggioverrano.it/
SAN GIUSTO A RENTENNATO – Monti in Chianti (SI)
CHIANTI CLASSICO 2005 (EUR 17,40) was pleasantly fruity but a bit bland; not a patch on the Fèlsina; 13.5/20. CHIANTI CLASSICO BARANCOLE 2000 (discounted at EUR
was an altogether superior proposition showing attractive red fruit aromas with some raspberry coming out and a mature palate with good density and structure and no detectable signs for me of imminent beak up; 16/20. CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 1996 (EUR 25) was also showing good maturity with slightly sweeter fruit; I am not clear why only the previous was discounted; 16/20.
LE CHIUSE DI SOTTO – Gianni Brunelli – Montalcino (SI)
ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2005 (EUR 24,85) was fruity with Sangiovese tang and structure; 15/20. BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO RISERVA 2001 (EUR 56) was quite closed on the nose but with fine complex fruit waiting to burst out and showed a well balanced palate with full fruit, strucute, Sangiovese tang and length; 16/20 with potential.
MASCIARELLI – San Martino sulla Marrucina (CH)
MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO (“MA”) MARINA CVETIC 2004 (EUR 22,70) is a worthy successor of 2001 with dark fruit and leather notes on the nose and a palate which is both deep, fresh and structured with some notes of English fruit cake but none of the caramel which slight disfigures the 2003; 17/20. MA VILLA GEMMA 2001 (EUR 62) has an open nose of red fruit with tobacco hints and an expressive and dense palate showing good structure and length and fragrant notes on the aftertaste; 17/20.
I remarked to the person who was pouring that, for me, these twp Masciarellis represent the best that comes out the Montepulciano grape and he poured the following.
VILLA MEDORO – Atri (TE) – MA ADRANO RISERVA 2004 (EUR 23,80) is in a more open and generous but less dense style than the two from Masciarelli; the nose shows red fruit with tobacco notes and the palate generous mouth-fill with fragrant fresh fruit and structure which is present but less marked than the two previous; 16.5/20.
And to complete this survey of ambitious MA, I tried BINOMIO 2000 (discounted at EUR 10) from LA VALENTINA – Spoltore (PE) which is black and brooding with powerful tannic structure and a curious note of oxidative evolution on the nose and aftertaste; 13.5/20.