We tasted last night (3/8/17) some Northern Italian Reds:
1. Maixei DOC: Rossese di Dolceacqua Superiore (13.5%) Riviera dei Fiori/Taggia 2013: Med.light color; very fragrant/
perfumed strawberry/cracked pepper classic Rossesse very spicy nose; rather tart/light slight earthy/dusty bright/
vibrant Rossesse/strawberry/cracked black pepper fairly smooth flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long bright/
strawberry/Rossesse rather cracked pepper light earthy/dusty almost saline/savory finish w/ light smooth tannins;
a classic & very pretty expression of Rossesse; maybe the best Rossesse I've yet tried. $26.00 (EVN)
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2. V Bastio Rossese di Albenga Dd'OC: Riviere Ligure di Ponente (Alessia Botturi Slctns; www.WineMonger.com;
13%) AimoneGiobatta Vio 2014: Light color; very strong SO2/pungent that clears to earthy/berry/strawberry/Rossesse
bit coarse light smokey bit Rhonish-like nose; very light bright strawberry/raspberry/cinammon rather spicy some
earthy/dusty flavor w/ light bitey tannins; very long rather earthy/dusty light strawberry/Rossesse/berry fairly
spicy/cinammon finish w/ light brisk tannins; not the high-toned/fragrant character of Rreat Rossesse and a bit
more on the earthy/rustic/coarse side; nice red at a good price. $21.00 (BB)
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3. Feudo di SanMaurizio Mayolet V.D.A. DOC: Valle d'Aosta (12.5%; L 02 04 11) Sarre 2010: Med.color; very attractive
strawberry/cranberry/raspberry bit floral/lilacs quite spicy light earthy/granitic almost herbal/lavendar/musky
very unusual complex beautiful nose; lightly tart strawberry/cranberry/very spicy light floral/lilacs slight
pungent/lavendar bright/vivid flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long/lingering cranberry/strawberry/floral
slight earthy/dusty slight musky/lavendar lovely/vibrant finish w/ light gentle tannins; a very pretty bright/
vibrant good-drinking red; best Mayolet I've tried. $33.00 (EVN)
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4. Vuillermin DOC: Valle al'Aosta (13.5%; ToscoWines; L 1 12 10; 100% Vuillermin) Vallet Michel/Feudo di
SanMaurizio/Sarre 2009: Med.dark color; very strong grapey/plummy/floral/lilacs bit Mourv-like slight dirty feet/
toe jamsome earthy maybe slight bretty/mushroomy complex/interesting nose not alltogether unpleasant; lightly tart
bright/plummy/grapey/Mourv-like rather earthy/granitic/dusty flavor w/ light smooth tannins; very long/lingering
grapey/plummy/Mourv-like somewhat earthy/dusty finish w/ light smooth tannins; lots of plummy character much
like a Mourvedre; bit pricey but quite interesting. $53.00 (EVN)
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5. Weingut Niklas Schiava Dd'OC: AltoAdige (12.5%; www.Niklaserhof.It; OliverMcCrumSlctn) Fam.Solva/Kaltern 2015:
Very light color, almost rose; bright strawberry/floral/spicy almost Pinotish light earthy/dusty/granatic very
pretty bright/vibrant nose; lightly tart bit earthy/dusty delicate/strawberry/floral/raspberry light pretty/bright
lovely flavor w/ very light gentle tannins; very long light/bright/strawberry/alpine strawberry/floral/rose petal
some earthy/dusty/bit loamy finish w/ light gentle tannins; a really lovely/pretty delicate/vibrant great drinking
red at a great price. $18.00 (WH)
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6. DOC: Torrette Superieur DOC: Valle d'Aosta (14%; ToscoWines; L 1 10 12; > 70% PetitRouge grape) 2011: Dark color;
very dusty/earthy/root cellar/aged cheese rind fairly TCA/corked/musty nose; tangy/tart rather musty/TCA/
wet cardboard flavor; pretty much shot by the TCA. $29.00 (EVN)
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7. Jubilee Lagrein DOC: AltoAdige (13%) JubilaumsKellerei/Caldaro 2015: Very dark color; very strong blackberry/
Syrah-like/licorice/plummy some earthy/loamy coffee/espresso very interesting nose; bit soft rich/lush strong
blackberry/Syrah-like/licorice some earthy/loamy/dusty ripe flavor w/ light ripe/soft tannins; long earthy/dusty/
loamy strong blackberry/Syrah-like/licorice finish w/ light soft tannins; a bit lacking in structure but pretty
rich/lush fairly classic Lagrein at a really great price. $17.00 (WH)
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8. Widman Vernatsch DOC: Sudtiroler (12.5%; www.Baron-Widmann.It; OliverMcCrumWines) Andreas Widman/
Kurtatsch/Bolzano 2013: Very light color; slight pungent/SO2 that clears to quite earthy/loamy/mushroomy some
strawberry/Pinotish rather floral/fragrant quite attractive nose; bit softer light strawberry/floral rather
earthy/dusty slight tangy/metallic complex flavor w/ light bitey/tangy tannins; med.short rather earthy/dusty
some light strawberry/floral/Pinotish finish w/ light tangy tannins; much more earthy and less bright fruit
than the Niklas version; quite an interesting terroir-driven expression of Schiava at a fair price. $22.00 (CB)
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9. MarcoDonati DOC: Teroldego Rotaliano (13%; L2411) Mezzacorona 2012: Very dark color; lovely blackberry/boysenberry/
Syrah-like light earthy quite spicy/bit peppery very fragrant nose; lightly tart classic Teroldego blackberry/
boysenberry/black cherry/Syrah-like very spicy bit earthy/dusty lovely flavor w/ modest hard tannins; very long/
lingering slight earthy/dusty strong blackberry/black cherry/Syrah-like very spicy/slight peppery finish w/ some
hard tannins; can use another 2-5 yrs of age; one of the best non-Foradori Teroldegos I've had until #10; very
fairly priced at $29.00 (WE)
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10. De Vescovi Ulzbach DOC: TeroldegoRotaliano (13%; www.DevescoviUlzbach.It) Mezzocorona 2013: Dark color; strong
blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah-like quite spicy light earthy very fragrant lovely nose; lightly tart strong
blackberry/black cherry/boysenberry/root beer classic Teroldego rich/ripe flavor w/ modest hard tannins;
very long/lingering strong blackberry/black cherry/DrPepper/boysenberry/Teroldego slight earthy quite spicy finish
w/ some hard tannins; needs 2-5 yrs of age; a beautiful expression of Teroldego and very near Foradori in quality
at a great price. $15.00 (EVN)
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11. Vigilius de Vescovi Ulzbach DOC: Teroldego Rotaliano (14%; L.T2012.V; www.DevescoviUlzbach.It)
Mezzocorona/Trentino 2012: Dark color; very strong toasty/smokey/oak light blackberry/black cherry/Teroldego/
Syrah-like light earthy bit alcoholic nose; softer strong toasty/pencilly/oak some blackberry/boysenberry/
Syrah-like smoother/rounder more polished flavor w/ light/smooth tannins; very long/lingering strong toasty/oak
some blackberry/black cherry/Teroldego slight earthy bit complex finish w/ light smooth tannins; clearly a
Teroldego made in an international style; not as interesting as the regular Teroldego. $33.00 (EVN)
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More made-up stuff from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Rossesse: This is a variety that originated in the area of Liguria. It is known right across the border in
Provence as Tibouren. With the current attraction in Calif to lighter/zippy wines like Trousseau, Rossesse
is a variety they should be planting all up&down the coast of Calif. I would love to see what SamBilbro could
do w/ Rossesse.
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2. Mayolet: Another variety indigenous to the Val d'Aosta; nearly extinct but still pursued by a few. Often found
in the Vd'A Torrette blends.
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3. Vuillermin: Another variety indigenous to the Vd'A. Thought to be extinct until recently discovered in a few
surviving vnyds. An offspring of the Fumin grape. Named after the Vd'A family that popularized the variety.
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4. Schiava/Vernatsch: These refer to a family of grapes that originated in the SudTirol/Trentino area. It
migrated northward into Germany, where the largest plantings are around Wurttemberg, where the variety is
known as Trollinger. A grape they should be planting all up&down the coast of Calif.
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5. Lagrein: A grape variety that originated in the SudTirol and a descendant of Teroldego and a relative of
Syrah. It's a grape they should be planting all up&down the Coast of Calif. I find it has a strong resembalance
to Syrah and also Mourvedre, with a distinct earthy/loamy/dusty character. There is a bit of Lagrein planted
in Calif, the first being made by ChrisWhitcraft. The current Harrington Lagrein, from Paso grapes, is the best
in Calif and WorldClass.
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6. Teroldego: Another variety born in the SudTirol/Trentino area. Mostly grown on the RotilianoPlain in Trentino.
It is a sibling to Dureza, which makes it related to Syrah. Not sure how Dureza got way over to Trentino
from the Savoie. The wines have a similarity (black berry/black cherry) to Syrah I find, often w/ a bit of
loamy earthiness. Often grown on a pergola to maximize sun exposure & aid ripening. Obviously a grape that should
be planted all up&down the coast of Calif.
ElisabettaForadori is the acknowledged master of Teroldego in Trentino. She farms biodynamic and ferments
in tinijas made in Spain by JosePadilla, the master. I was quite impressed by all three of these Teroldegos
and thought them pretty near in quality to the Foradoris...high praise indeed.
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7. EVN: A bunch of these wines came from Enoteca Vino Nostro, the retail outlet for the ToscoImports wines.
Located on vanNess in SanFrancisco. (www.enotecavinonostro.com). One of my favorite sources for interesting
Italian wines. Discovered them at RhoneRangers last year and have ordered numerous times from them.
I highly recommended shop.
Tom