At various points all the way to Ljubljana, we tried a number of Italian sweet/dessert wines:
1. Erste+Neue Rosen Muscateller DOC: Sudtirol/AltaAdige MoscatoRosa VendemmiaTardive (13.5%; www.Erste-Neue.It; RS: 11.96; Dried for 3 mo.) Kaltern/Caldaro 2011: Med.color; bit earthy/dusty very rose petal/muscatty/floral/hair oil/spicy/cinammon very perfumed/aromatic nose; fairly tart lightly sweet very perfumey/floral/rose petal/rosewater/ligyht muscatty slight earthy/dusty ripe/mouthfilling flavor w/ light/smooth tannins; very long lightly muscatty/very floral/rose petal/rose hip/spicy/cinammon lightly sweet finish w/ light/gentle tannins; doesn't taste as sweet as 11.96%; a really lovely of MoscatoRosa. Euros 23.00/hlf
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2. Pojere e Sandri Essenzia Bianco IGT: Vigneti delle Dolomiti Raccolta Tardive (9.5%; www.PojereSandri.It; Chardonnay/Sauvignon/Riesling Renano/GWT/Kerner; Vnyds: Coveli & Palai) MasoBesleri/Faedo/Trentino NV: Deep gold color; very intense grapey/figgy/honeyed/orangey/apricotty huge nose; very sweet intense honeyed/figgy/orangey/apricotty lightly tart balanced mouthfilling flavor; very long/lingering intense grapey/figgy/orangey/botrytis/peachy/apricotty quite sweet but balanced by acidity huge/mouthfilling finish; a beautiful dessert wine at a stupid/silly price. Euros 20.00/hlf
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3. Erste+Neue Anthos PassitoBianco IGP: Mitterberg (10.5%; 50% Goldmuscateller/25% GWT/25% SauvBlanc; Raisened for 5-6 mo.; RS: 22.0%) 2012: Deep gold color; very intense grapey/appley/peachy almost botrytis/apricotty quite honeyed pure nectar complex nose; rather tart quite sweet/mouthfilling peachy/apricotty/appley/apple pie lush/ripe/honeyed slight earthy flavor; very long/lingering grapey/peachy/apricotty/honeyed/apple pie quite sweet but balanced slight earthy finish; a beautifully aromatic intense grapey dessert white that almost seems to have botrytis in it; a steal at Euros 25.00/hlf
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4. Triacca IGT: Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio MoscatoRosa IlVino del Presidente (13%) Villa di Tirano 2012: Med.dark garnet color; very strong muscatty/floral/cheap hair oil some blackberry/black cherry light earthy/licorice lovely perfumed nose; quite sweet bit alcoholic lightly tart rather floral/rose petal/muscatty/cheap haiir oil slight earthy flavor w/ light/gentle tannins; very long/lingering lightly floral/rose petal/hair oil/muscatty some black cherry juice/earthy finish w/ light/smooth tannins; a really pretty scented MoscatoRosa. Euros 25.00/hlf
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5. Stiftskellerei Neustift Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus DUC: SudTirol/AltoAdige MoscatoRosa (EA; 13%; www.AbbaziaNovacella.It; L5114) Varna 2013: Dark garnet color; earthy/new vinyl/new car/new plastic trash can light floral/muscatty/grapey weird/interesting nose; off-dry tart bit earthy/loamy light grapey/muscatty/floral/rose petals biit placticy/new vinyl strange flavor w/ light tannins; med.long tart off-dry some earthy/root cellar light muscatty/floral/rose petal finish w/ light tannins; a somewhat pleasant if off-beat expression of MoscatoRosa. Euros 22.80
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6. MametePrevostini Vertemate VinoPassito IGT: Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio (60% TraminerAromatico/40% Riesling; 14%; www.MametePrevostini.com; Dried for 4 mo.) Crotase 2011: Deep gold color; intense grapey/peachy/apricotty/figgy/honeyed strong creme brulee/butterscotchy/caramel pencilly very aromatic nose; very sweet lightly tart intense peachy/apricotty/passito/creme brulee/butterscotchy light pencilly/mineral mouthfilling flavor; very long/lingering quite sweet/tart intense peachy/apricotty/figgy/honeyed/creme brulee light earthy/pencilly finish; intense peachy character suggests botrytis; a beautiful very sweet but balanced dessert wine.
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Stuff from the BloodyPulpit:
1. Erste+Neue: These wines are imported into the US by OliverMcCrum. Both of these dessert wines were terrific. The other wines we tasted there were also impressive. No notes.
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2. Italian dessert wines: When one thinks of Italian wines, one mostly thinks of unclean/mean/teeth-chattering acidic/ugly/goat-pen smelly/alcoholic/overblown/anorexic red wines. In fact, Italy produces some lovely world-class dessert wines. Alas, you seldom see them imported and not often out at retail. One of my goals on this trip was to seek out some of these gems I've not tried. Think I did OK.
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3. Pojer&Sandri: This wnry is in the hills to the east of MezzoCorono. Wish I'd have knoown that & would have made a visit when we were at Foradori. Not far away. These grapes are infected w/ botrytis and enjoy drying breezes coming off LakeGarda.
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4. MoscatoRosa: There are a number of varieties using this name and they are not identical. Also known as Rosenmuskateller in the AltoAdige. Mostly it appears in Trentino, as MoscatoRosa del Trentino, but also in Friuli where EmilioBulfon has one of them planted. Hadn't heard of it planted in the Valtelline. The Rosa refers to the smell of roses the wines often have, but also refers to the slightly pinkish color the grapes have at ripeness. According to some references, the MoscatoRosa vine is not hermaphroditic, but is female/sterile and has to be planted amongst other varieties to insure good pollination. They refer to this as "floral abortion" in the case of Picolit. Because of this sterility, the variety is prone to millerandage.
All the wines I've tried from MoscatoRosa have an incredibly perfumed nose. Clearly, this is a variety that should be being planted all up & down the coast of Calif.
Tom