WTN: Bloody Hell

Domaine du Cros 2004 Marcillac Lo Sang del Pais, $12
Terrific nose of red berry, barnyard, spice and some flowers. On the palate, there is tasty cherry and plum fruit with lots of pepper and paprika and some earthy nuances. It’s light- to medium-bodied with good structure from vibrant acidity and some tannins. Really enjoyable wine, a fine value, and an outstanding match with chicken fajitas. Marcillac has to be one of my two or three favorite obscure appellations -- never had a bad wine from there.

Nino Negri 2002 Valtellina Superiore Inferno, $16
Somewhat restrained nose with an unpleasant element of wet dishtowel (I air dry my glasses so I don’t think it’s literally from that) which gradually fades, as well as red berries and some earth. On the palate, there is good black cherry fruit accented by lots of tar and some earth and spice. Prominent tannins and nice acidity give it good structure. Decent nebbiolo and an excellent match with eggplant/onion/mushroom pizza. The next day, the nose has opened up some with tar quite prominent now. The palate is more intense but with the same black cherry, tar, earth and spice components. Feels more concentrated but also more complex. Excellent match with homemade fried rice. Importer: Prestige Wine Imports.

Clos du Tue-Boeuf 2003 Cheverny La Caillère, $16
Very high-toned nose with lots of perfume and face powder, followed by some earthy and funky aromas. On the palate, there is fairly light, tart cranberry fruit which quickly moves into a very earthy, bitter, funky finish. This gradually improves with air but it detracts from the wine. Light-bodied with bright acidity. Interesting but not great. Goes well with pierogies. The next day, the nose is more restrained but otherwise similar. The palate is much more balanced and enjoyable with the bitterness gone and some herbs and especially minerals taking its place. Quite nice and an excellent match with leftover vegetarian shepherd’s pie. Importer: Louis/Dressner.

Zenato 2002 Valpolicella Superiore, $13
Pleasant nose with black raspberry, flowers, herbs and dark earth. On the palate, there are dark, raisiny fruits with dark earth, black olives and some herbal elements. Dark but with enough bright acidity to keep it reasonably balanced. Overall, quite enjoyable and a very good match with lasagne. The next day, it’s a little lighter and brighter tasting with a wonderful, fascinating herbal element emerging on the finish. Much nicer than I expected. Importer: Winebow.

Bruce,
Can you tell me a little more about Marcillac, it is not one I'm familiar with. Is it all Mansois or a blend? Are there other wines from Marcillac you like? Who imports the du Cros? Do you age them or drink them young?

The last Inferno I tried was the 99 Nino Negri and it was both intense and fiercely tannic. A real food wine. It was 2 years ago, though. It is interesting comparing these Lombardy nebbiolos with the ones from Piedmont.

Thanks for the TN's.
Marc

Can you tell me a little more about Marcillac?

Anything I tell you will only reveal my lack of knowledge.

Is it all Mansois or a blend?

I'm pretty sure this bottling is 100 percent Mansois, a.k.a. the ubiquitous Fer Servadou, and if I'm not mistaken, appellation rules call for at least 90 percent Mansois.

Are there other wines from Marcillac you like?

From this producer, I've had the "Lo Sang del Païs" and "Cuvee Speciale" bottlings in various vintages starting in 1996 and loved them all. I've also had Jean-Luc Matha's "Cuvee Laïris" and enjoyed it just as much. I imagine there might be one or two other Marcillac producers that are imported to the U.S., but I don't know what they are. Anyway, I've yet to have a bottle I didn't really like

Who imports the du Cros?

Unfortunately, I recycled the bottle and forgot to note the importer. A quick web search finds that it is imported by Wine Traditions of Falls Church, VA, which sounds right for the bottle I had, and Vignobles Inc. of Chicago. Perhaps there are others. I've purchased them from various places but this particular bottle came from Chambers Street.

Do you age them or drink them young?

I think I've drank every bottle of Marcillac I've had at between two and four years of age so I can't tell you how well they cellar. They're so good young that I've never been tempted to lay any down. But they're balanced enough that I suspect short- or mid-term aging would be fine.

The last Inferno I tried was the 99 Nino Negri and it was both intense and fiercely tannic. A real food wine. It was 2 years ago, though. It is interesting comparing these Lombardy nebbiolos with the ones from Piedmont.

I had a bottle of the '99 Nino Negri 1999 Inferno "Mazer" just over a year ago. It was very tannic, though the tannins melted away with food, but I thought I'd age my other bottle for a few more years. This 2002 Inferno (not Mazer), I thought, was fine for drinking now; while it has plenty of tannins, they were not intrusive. Some of that may have to do with the vintage which, I understand, was not so great. But I agree with you; these provide an interesting contrast to Piedmont, a little leaner, I think, but enjoyable, much more affordable, and, as you say, great food wines.