WTN: An equation that shouldn't work

15% abv + refreshing structure + high evaporation rate = impossibility.

But we always need that damned exception to the equation.

Cosimo Maria Masini "Cosimo" 2006 - Toscana, San Miniato



This is a Real Wine, bio-certified, 90% Sangiovese, 10% Buonamico and the label and Alko's laboratory agree that this is 15% abv.

Dark fruit, but obviously Sangiovese in its cherry and sandalwood aromas. It has wonderfully deep yet palate-cleansing and refreshing tannins - with tannins like this I can finally understand why some people say that the structure of Nebbiolo and Sangiovese are similar. The fruit is ripe but has nothing jammy or over-ripe about it. Clean, dry, refreshing finish. Very moreish.

So no mention of the supremely high alcohol? Nope. And this wasn't even served blind so I was fully aware of what it said on the bottle and was therefore very prejudiced against it despite positive experiences with other wines from Cosimo Maria Masini.

I am quite sure that my senses just aren't working today. I obviously must try another bottle ... and I quite look forward to it.

You are making me a bit worried, Otto. I'm surprised you even chose to get anywhere near that bottle. What's happening? Paradigm shift on its way in Helsinki? Too much snow perhaps...
Cheers,
Anders

PS. It did sound like an nice bottle, though. Any info about Buonamico? Never heard of the grape (which is not all together unusual when it comes to Italian grapes, though).

You are making me a bit worried, Otto. I'm surprised you even chose to get anywhere near that bottle. What's happening? Paradigm shift on its way in Helsinki? Too much snow perhaps...

PS. It did sound like an nice bottle, though. Any info about Buonamico? Never heard of the grape (which is not all together unusual when it comes to Italian grapes, though).

Too much snow must be the answer. But maybe also the very positive experiences I have had with other Cosimo Maria Masinis have some part to play. I have no information on Buonamico, sorry. I'll ask the importer when I next see him.

You are making me a bit worried, Otto. I'm surprised you even chose to get anywhere near that bottle. What's happening? Paradigm shift on its way in Helsinki? Too much snow perhaps...

PS. It did sound like an nice bottle, though. Any info about Buonamico? Never heard of the grape (which is not all together unusual when it comes to Italian grapes, though).

Too much snow must be the answer. But maybe also the very positive experiences I have had with other Cosimo Maria Masinis have some part to play. I have no information on Buonamico, sorry. I'll ask the importer when I next see him.

Sounds like a wine I would like, Otto. What's the price over there?

Sounds like a wine I would like, Otto. What's the price over there?

Only available in magnums here for just under 70€.

I did a quick search for Buonamico. Did not find too much info, but it seems like it is an indigenous grape from Campania. I'll come back if I find more.

God Jul!
/Anders

Had to do some looking on this one, as I'd never encountered the grape before. Sometimes spelled buonamico, sometimes bonamico, according to Anthony Hawkins this is a "variety found in central Italy and Sardinia that is used for red wine, raisin and rootstock production. Synonym names include Canaiolo Romano (ie. possibly related to the variety Canaiolo (Nero), Giacomino, Pascale di Cagliari (alias name in Sardinia), and several others.

Hi Otto,
One variable in your equation puzzles me a little bit. What actually do you mean by “high evaporation rate”? I think for the most part the majority of the people who visit these pages know that when it comes to wine there is no such thing as absolutes.
Two wines with the same amount of “stuffing” and different alcohol contents will not be “held together” the same way. (For a minute, just think of wine as a simple water/alcohol solution, solutes will have slightly different solubility rates in solutions with different water/alcohol ratios (other factors to look at include pH and temperature). Because of the amount of alcohol in the wine certain favorable and desirable chemical reactions (alcohol + acids = aromatic esters; either during fermentation or later on as the wine ages) might eventually take place in the wine).

Salute

Victor, I think he just means that it was drunk (vanished) very quickly...

I don’t know about that Oswaldo. In his TN he does say the finish was “clean, dry, refreshing”; he does not denote any “length” however. A “hot” wine does not necessarily have a short finish. Some do not actually detect the alcohol or “hotness” in the mouth, its when they swallow and concentrate on the “finish” that one gets that “burn” in the back of the throat or all the way down the esophagus.

Salute