WTN: Prestige Italians Part 2; Tuscany and Piedmont

This second part of my report on Licata Vini’s tasting covers the more familiar areas of Tuscany and Piedmont. As you may guess if you have read the first part of my report, I was tiring by now and therefore made a severe selection from the riches available. As it was Monday afternoon and the last day, many growers had already left for the airport but a side benefit of this was that I was incited to make the acquaintance of a couple of excellent estates, Braida and Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, which were not previously on my radar screen, because their owners were covering for estates which I had selected for tasting.

Tuscany

Castello di Ama, Gaiole in Chianti
Last year I was disappointed by the 2005 which I found bland; it seemed much better 12 months later. There are 8% Canaiolo and 12% Merlot and Malvasia nera in the wine.
Chianti Classico 2005 (€28) had a well developed aromas of cooked fruit, minerals with tang (unlike last year) and body was medium/full, smooth and long. Why the changed perception? Extra maturity, too warm last year, bottle freshness? Good 16/20, if hardly worth its 3 biccheri.
Chianti Classico 2006 (€29) was at present more subdued aromatically but had more body and tannic structure and should be finer in time, if not for current drinking; 16.5/20+++.

Le Pupille, Magliano in Toscana
Morellino di Scansano 2007 (€11), with 10% Alicante and 5% Malvasia nera, showed some very pretty and generous fruit and decent body with a warm tang; 15.5/20 QPR.
Morellino di Scansano Poggio Valente 2005 (€28), with 5% Alicante, had aromas of red and dark fruit with tobacco touches and more fruit, body and structure than the previous; 16/20 but not 2 ½ times better than the entry level wine as the price implies.
I don’t know why many geeks despise Morellino di Scansano; it has less tension and focus but more generosity than typically good Chianti Classico.
Saffredi 2005 (€60), from CavSauv 50%, Merlot 35% and Alicante 15%, showed aromas of complex fruit and tobacco with black currant notes and a full and smoothly elegant and structured palate but less firm and powerful than my memory of 2004; 16.5/20 but is it up to the hype?

Castello di Fonterutoli, Castellina in Chianti
These are very fine wines indeed, my only complaint being than they are not very Chianti-like.
Chianti Classico 2007 (€18), with 5% Merlot and 5% Malvasia nera and Colorino, was darkly fruited and structured, smooth and deep; 15.5/20.
Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli(€40), 10% CabSauv, showed more fragrance, finesse, depth, structure and length than the entry level wine; it is very fine but no more so than, say, Fèlsina’s more characteristically Chianti-like Rancia (c.€25) ; 17/20.
Siepi 2006 (€80), with 50% Merlot. I often feel that the Sangiovese in this wine is dumbed down by the flab of the Merlot but here there was more tannic structure and density than in previous vintages to encase and balance the complex rich, round fruit; 17/20.

Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, Montalcino
The wines were presented by another very competent lady, I guess owner Paolo Bianchini’s sister Lucia. This seems to be an estate after my own heart; quite traditional in its approach using large Slovenia barrels very few of which are new. I liked the tastes, too, and the prices are less exaggerated than with many Montalcino producers.
Rosso di Montalcino 2006 (€15) was savoury, round, structured and satisfying; 15.5/20++.
Brunello di Montalcino Annata 2004 (€30), made from young average 12 year old vines, was likewise savoury with leather touches , power and good mouth-fill; 16/20.
Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso 2004 (€40), made from a single vineyard and vines planted in the early 80s, showed more subdued but complex aromas with raspberry touches and the palate added fullness, complexity, density and length to the qualities of the previous; potentially 17/20.

Piedmont

Ceretto, Alba
I was disappointed here remembering more classically profiled Briccos in the past. On the two more up-market bottlings here, I found that the barrique ageing obtruded with those disagreeable (to me) dry caramel flavours.
Barolo Zonchera 2004 (€32) showed discreet aromas suffused with raspberry and touches of toffee and good matter and tannic structure; 15.5/20.
Barbaresco Bernadot 2006 (€52) also showed notes of raspberry but was so dominated by dry caramel as to engender active dislike; I wonder if there is enough matter here for wine ever to integrate; 12/20.
Barolo Brunate 2005 (€55) also showed some caramel notes but was better because good tarry dark fruit and firm structure was more evidence; a better chance here for eventual integration; 15/20 with ? potential.

Braida, Asti
The wines were ably presented by, I guess from his brand of English, owner Anna Bologna's Austrian son-in-law Norbert. They do wonders with Barbera here, which is leagues away from the quaffable, slightly acidic, food friendly Barbera which I used to meet in the 70s and 80s. However, I cannot help being conscious of the grape’s lack of class and distinction when compared to Nebbiolo, which IMO limits the ultimate potential of its wines. They are from DOC Barbera d’Asti.
Montebruna 2007 (€17) was round, rich and peppery and quite low in apparent acidity; 15.5/20.
Bricco dell’ Uccellone 2006 (€50) was rich, round and powerful with touches on rubber and leather; 16/20.
Bricco della Bigotta 2006 (€50) was more fragrant, mineral and spicy and similarly powerful; 16.5/20.

Elio Altare, La Morra
The ebullient and frankly spoken Elio Altare is undergoing a routine operation so Norbert covered for him. Altare is perhaps my favourite modernist, who also does wonders with Barbera.
Dolcetto d’Alba 2007 (€14) was leathery, rich and round but I would have liked more lively acidity; 15/20.
Barbera d’Alba 2007 (€17) seemed more fragrant, elegant and slimmer than Braida’s offerings; Norbert claimed that there were reductive aromas which I had trouble in detecting; 15.5/20.
Barolo La Morra 2004 (€60), the entry level bottling I think, was a fine Barolo with aromas of raspberry, violet, wet leather and tar on a smooth, rich and well shaped, long and integrated palate; 17/20.
Langhe Vigna Larigi 2005 (€70), 100% Barbera, was fragrant, rich and complex with an elegance which almost convinces me than I am wrong about Barbera’s limitations; 16.5/20+ but I prefer the Barolo.

La Spinetta, Castagnole Lanze, Piemonte
I like the wines of this modernist and have been enchanted by the strong and fragrant bouquet of fine violet and raspberry which often emerges and which cleverly avoids the "bonbon" effect. When I mentioned this to the importer of rival growers, he dismissed this bouquet as the product of manipulation by cultured yeasts; perhaps so, but it is skilfully done; additionally oak is nowhere obtrusive and I like the result. Mrs Rivetti presenting the wines was scarcely communicative (too busy chatting with colleagues with just enough time to pour) so I was unable to discuss this issue.
Nebbiolo Langhe 2006 (€20) showed red fruit, wet leather and attractive piquancy; 15.5/20++.
Barbera d’Alba Vigna Gallina 2006 (€35) had solid substance and structure with liquorice touches but was aromatically a touch closed; 15.5/20.
Barbera d’Asti Superiore Bionzo 2006 (€35) was much more attractive right now with greater generosity and notes of minerals, raspberry and chocolate; 16/20+.
Barbaresco Bordini 2006 (€45) showed fine red fruit with elegance, structure and length; 16/20++.
Barbaresco Gallina 2003 (€80) showed full, round and soft body and beautiful fragrance with again raspberry notes; 16/20+++.
Barbaresco Valeirano 2005 (€90) added herbs to the less marked raspberry and showed a somewhat lighter but elegant, linear and lively palate; 16/20+++.
Barolo Campe 2004 (€110) showed raspberry aromas yet again but also tar and more complexity, amplitude, structure and harmony; IMO the best of this line-up; 17/20.
I remember being more excited in previous years, particularly by Barbaresco Starderi 01 and 04. And it is a pity about the stratospheric prices, which makes it unlikely that I will order any.

Aldo Conterno, Monforte d'Alba
I have always admired the classicism of this estate so I have been disturbed by reports of oakiness creeping in. Happily I could detect none of it on this one, his entry level Barolo I think.
Barolo 2004 (€56) showed aromas of complex red fruit, minerals and tar without the explosive fragrance of La Spinetta and with classically and elegantly shaped body and structure, depth, dignity and length; my sort of Barolo; 16.5/20+++ in time.

Thanks for the excellent report, particularly timely given that Ceretto, Conterno, Braida and Spinetta are among the wineries I'll be visiting in ten days (I will also visit several more traditional producers).

I like Ceretto's Bricco Rocches, but have never tasted a good Zonchera. Braida's Ai Suma is terrific, though modern. I love Castello di Ama's Vigna L'Apparita, shame it wasn't part of the lineup. Have also enjoyed Le Pupille's basic morellinos, though over the last few years they have created new cuvees and I suspect that grapes that before went into the basic are being diverted to these more expensive bottlings.

As for the Spinetta yeasts, a knowledgeable acquaintance told me that practically nobody in Piedmont uses native yeasts, so it's really a matter of neutral cultured v. flavored cultured. That is something I intend to ask every producer I visit, something that, I am sure, will not make me very popular.

Thanks Tim for excellent report.

a knowledgeable acquaintance told me that practically nobody in Piedmont uses native yeasts, .

Not Bartolo Mascarello estate, Giacomo Conterno, Giacosa, Cappelano, Roagna, etc?

Thanks Tim for excellent report.

a knowledgeable acquaintance told me that practically nobody in Piedmont uses native yeasts, .

Not Bartolo Mascarello estate, Giacomo Conterno, Giacosa, Cappelano, Roagna, etc?

Apparently not. Hard to believe. So I'll check, since Mascarello, Conterno and Roagna are all part of the agenda, and I'm working on visiting Augusto Cappellano.

It's certainly true that the use of indigenous fermentation in Italy generally is much rarer than, say, in France, although this appears to be changing slowly.

Cappellano uses indigenous yeast, according to their website.

timely given that Ceretto, Conterno, Braida and Spinetta are among the wineries I'll be visiting in ten days (I will also visit several more traditional producers).

I envy you, Oswaldo, and am looking forward to your in-depth report.

Ceretto is an interesting case. A few years ago, at a tasting of the same Licata Vini, one of the presenters gave me a brief tutorial on Barolo styles illustrating it with a Bricco Rocche, an Aldo Conterno, an Altare and a Scavino. The differences were marked with the first two being much more classical in their reserved aromas, shape on the palate (crescendo towards the finish), tannic structure and length; the last two were much more up-front and exuberant in their aromas and fruit. I preferred the style of the first two whilst finding the last two more ready and admiring the fruit of the Altare, in particular. This Bricco fell definitely into the classical camp and it was not particularly a matter of oak treatment because there can be distinct notes of (well managed) vanilla on Bricco Rocche, particularly on a 1998, I think, which I drank probably too young at a Piemontese restaurant three or four years ago.

Thanks for the fascinating notes, Tim,
Very enlightening, very helpful. I recently had the La Spinetta '04 Barbaresco Starderi at a tasting here. It was the pick of the litter, noticeably surpassing (at least right now) the '04 Valeirano, as well as the Gallina, which seemed a little closed down. Nice heft in the midpalate and deeper, more complex favors. I still did not purchase it at (or think it worth) the price they were asking ($90 US, if I recall). Ironically enough, due to a confusion (we bought two bottles of the -05 Pin and they lost one, and seem unable to replace it for some reason), we ended up getting a free Valeirano, which, of course, I am not arguing with.

Josh