2010 Marramiero Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Anima (Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo)

One of the best white wines I have had in a long time. And the price tag of about $18 is really awesome, too. Layered, floral, fresh, peach and lemon fruit. Finishes well and kept my attention the whole way. Just a terrific wine and value to boot. Should be bought by the case.

2006 Sportoletti Rosso Villa Fidelia Umbria IGT (Italy, Umbria, Umbria IGT)

As always, a reliably good bottle of wine. Fruity in a good way with plush Cabernet black currant and tobacco flavors, but also with earth, funk, and plenty of acidity. Velvety texture and long finish. Can be cellared for quite some time, but why wait when the wine is drinking so well right now?

2004 Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico San Marcellino (Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico)

Killer bottle of wine. Popped and poured to be consumed with some of my homemade Pizza. Stunning nose. Dark red color and a soaring nose of dark plum, cherry, earth, mediterranean brush, dried herbs and violets. Just as stunning on the palate as on the nose. Cherry, chocolate, earth, leather. Finish is sensational. A total home run Chianti Classico.

2001 Castello di Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Excellent Brunello in a more traditional style. Garnet red color and very nice nose of berry, spice, and earth. Good weight on the palate and silky texture. Finishes strong and has years of ageing potential. Really a great bottle of wine.

2006 Fontodi Chianti Classico (Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico)

A reliable bottle of wine. Dark garnet red color. Seems tight on night 1. More generous with some air. Dark chocolate, cherry, earth, and dried herbs. Solid finish. Just about a perfect "pizza wine" at the $18 I paid for it.

2001 Vietti Barolo Castiglione (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo)

After the epic fail of the 2003 Remizieres Crozes, I decided to open this up. It isn't exactly a mind blowing wine. Certainly good and pleasant. Has typicity. Shows nice red fruit, roses, earth and spice. Very mellow and nice silky texture. Medium finish rounds this one out. Good value at the sub-$30 price tag I acquired it at many years ago, but I don't think it's worth any more than that now. Drinking at peak right now and I don't think it'll get materially better. The earliest maturing wine in the Vietti Barolo portfolio by a long-shot. 

2004 Mauro Veglio Barolo Arborina (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo)

It's official. I like Veglio's 2004 Arborina much better than his 2004 Castelletto. Everything I didn't like about the Castelletto, this Arborina succeeds in. No hint of barrique treatment, no massive extraction, and no flabbiness. This wine is really very nice. It shows restraint, finesse and precision. Red berries, flowers, and menthol on the palate and a killer autumnal/leafy/earthy nose. Wonderful finish and quite tannic. Great intensity of flavor and a very subtle sweetness of the fruit on the finish. This is one that every lover of traditionally styled Barolo should load up on. 

Dinner Chez Shannon and David

Had dinner at Shannon and David's last night. Appetizers were Asian beef wrapped in Shizo and Radicchio, Baked Clams Portugaise, Tuna Tartare, and Parma Ham Antipasto. For the main course, Shannon and David prepared grille Tri-tip, roasted potatoes and carrots, and grilled yellow Squash. For dessert, there were Madelaines and strawberries in whipped cream. Fantastic food. Now the wines.
The Bubbles:

• 2000 Philipponnat Champagne Cuvée "1522" Grand Cru - France, Champagne
  
  This showed great last night with the various appetizers. I don't know that this is an intellectual Champagne, but it sure is a fun one. Imminently drinkable with a very fine, delicate mousse, toasty and citrus flavors with a medium length finish. It comes across as a serious Champagne though and nicely walks the line between opulence and finesse.
  
• N.V. Vilmart Champagne Rosé Rubis - France, Champagne
  
  After the more feminine Philipponnat, this Champagne roared over the palate with powerful strawberry and raspberry flavors. Long finish and lots of life ahead in this wine. Very nice, and certainly a good match for the heartier appetizers last night. Could be a good match for roast meat without problems.
  

The Reds:

• 2003 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
  
  Upon opening, this wine was surprisingly dark and opaque. Unfortunately, it was also completely shut down. Multiple decants and hours of aeration ended up yielding a really stunning wine. Purchased at release from a reputable merchant and cellared perfectly since, this is very very young. Tremendous nose of red fruit and black olive tapenade. On the palate, there's plenty of blackberry and red fruit with stern tannins and a nice dose of earth, leather, and spice. The tell-tale bacon fat that this bottling is famous for isn't really showing yet. Too young for that to be front an center. That said, this is a terrific bottle of wine that has 10 more years before it's really ready and another decade or even two of life left. Very impressive wine.
  
• 1998 Château Troplong Mondot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  
  Just like the Guigal Brune at Blonde, this came out of the bottle completely closed. I would actually describe the wine at first taste as "unyielding", "hard as nails", "massively tannic". and black as night. I purchased this bottle at Chateau Troplong in St. Emilion, I transported it home in the OWC and stored it at 55 degrees since. I was expecting it to need some decanting to be in the window, but even hours of aeration and multiple decants couldn't produce what I was looking for in the end. I will say that this still drank nicely. It had a great degree of typicity, showed of a really nice nose towards the end of the evening, and it was a great match for the grilled steak. It just never showed the sweetness of the fruit and voluptuousness that Troplong Mondot can show when it is singing. Based on my tasting of this bottle, I would say that my remaining bottle is at least 10 years away from being in the earliest part of its drinking window and that it should last another decade or two past that without any problem. This wine is made in an old-school, uncompromising fashion. I will enjoy this one on my 50th birthday.
  
• 1998 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore
  
  Very impressive wine. It's a hypothetical blend between a top-notch St. Emilion and a top-notch Napa Cabernet. The nose is entirely old-world and could be mistaken for Bordeaux (which I did). On the palate though, there is richer fruit and less acidity than Bordeaux usually shows, not unlike a very good Napa Cab. Bing cherry, chocolate, earth and spices on the palate and a long, long finish that has just a trace of the "funk" I love in Italian wine. Showed incredibly young. I had guessed early 2000s on the vintage, so I was off by quite a few years. Really quite a spectacular wine.
  

For Dessert:

• 2001 Château Rieussec - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
  
  Killer Sauternes. I might point out that I guessed this blind as Sauternes, upon confirmation, I correctly guessed 2001 as the vintage, and upon confirmation of that, I correctly guessed Rieussec...I was really lucky last night. As far as the wine is concerned, this is as good as Sauternes gets. Rich and creamy yet light and with plenty of acidity. Lemon custard flavors and a finish that goes an and on. I am embarrassed to say I don't think I quite finished my pour as I had to drive home, but it was as good as any YquemI have had the pleasure of tasting.
  

As always, thanks to Shannon and David for the hospitality and tremendous food. Next time, our house again.
Posted from CellarTracker

Trip Report: Wine and Food Impressions of Italy

I was lucky enough to take a trip to Italy with my wife during the second week of May. We made stops on the Amalfi Coast:

and Rome:

While the food was mostly what one would expect (good and hearty) I was truly impressed by a few particular experiences:

1) On the Amalfi Coast, we tended to drink mostly the local red wines from the Costa d'Amalfi Tramonti DOC. These wines were always almost 100% Aglianico, deep purple in color, and very drinkable. The better ones had cracked pepper flavors and had nice black berry fruit. When consumed with the local Pizza and Pasta fare, these wines were terrific.

2) The Pizza in the greater Naples area is second to none in the world. I am a Pizza freak who makes his own Pizza dough all the time, and I think my Pizza is pretty good, but the Pizza dough in Italy is a world apart from the Pizza dough I fashion here in Austin. Only one way to experience this wonder...go to Italy and taste the Pizza there.

3) Although Rome can be a tourist trap with thousands of bad to mediocre restaurants, we managed to find one that absolutely blew us away. The name of the restaurant is "Roscioli". It is really one establishment that consists of two parts. The "Il Forno Roscioli" which is the bakery and pizza shop they have at Via dei Chiavari 34. During the day and into the early evening hours, this place serves antipasti, Pizza, and sells bread and pastries to the locals. The Pizza is unique in that one can't order a particular Pizza. Instead, they make Pizza and one has to order whatever comes out of the oven at any given point in time. Here's what we had:

Pizza with Anchovies and Zucchini Flowers:

Pizza with Potato Slices and Salsiccie:

The other part of Roscioli is its restaurant across the way at Via dei Giubbonari 21:

There, I had one of the best meals ever and certainly our best meal in Italy. Wonderful food, great service, and an amazing wine list. On night 1, we had a Chardonnay from Alto Aldige and on night 2, we had a Cesanese from Lazio that tasted like a fine Premier Cru Burgundy. The producer, Damiano Ciollo is apparently a young guy who is trying to make respectable wine in an area that is traditionally known for producing commercial and uninspiring wine. This stuff was truly amazing an a recommendation from our server.

It is important to mention that the folks eating at Roscioli are almost entirely locals which means that from 9pm and after, the restaurant is usually booked solid. I recommend calling well ahead to make a reservation or to be willing to have dinner at 7pm and be out of there by 9pm.

You can get more info about Roscioli at:

http://www.salumeriaroscioli.com/Roscioli_Eng/homepage_eng.htm

4) Another restaurant that was very good, was Lo Stil Nuovo. Although the food didn't live up to the lofty heights of Roscioli, the ambiance was nice, the food was very good, and the sommelier, as well as the wine list and selections of wines by the glass were amazing. The highlights for me were the free Prosecco welcome drink (really nice stuff), the amuse bouche, the salad vinegrette cart (yes, you heard right), and the dessert wine that the sommelier picked for us.

If you go to Rome, you should try to eat here, as well. Here's the website:

http://www.ristorantelostilnovo.it/en/inside.asp

Ciao from Austin.

2006 Sportoletti Rosso Villa Fidelia Umbria IGT (Italy, Umbria, Umbria IGT)

This was delivered just a few days before it was consumed. As usual, a reliable wine that delivers more flavor than the cost of the wine would lead you to believe. Red berries, cherry, and subtle grilled herb notes and chocolate. Has slightly earthy undertones, but it's primarily a fun wine to drink right now with dinner. Can be cellared for a few years, but I think it's drinking terrific right now already.

2006 Azienda Agricola Montevertine Toscana IGT (Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT)

Another stunner. Reminiscent of a very good Rioja, this has the same silky texture and complex palate with interesting dark berry, raspberry and dried herbs. It's fresh, yet powerful. Really one of the great unique wines of the world in my opinion, and it's right there with Chateau Simone in style, and it's unlike any other wine from Italy I have tasted. A curiosity, but an excellent one.

2006 Fattoria Le Pupille (Elisabetta Geppetti) Morellino di Scansano Poggio Valente (Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Morellino di Scansano)

Well...my luck had to run out sometime. I opened this to go along with Spaghetti Carbonara, but this wasn't a treat. It's a decent wine that is very fruit forward, but slightly simple for my taste. Lacks interesting flavors. At $20, I guess I shouldn't complain.

2008 Tenuta San Guido Le Difese Toscana IGT (Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT)

I've already blown through 3 bottles of this in just a few weeks. It is an Italo-phile's dream. Second wine from Tenuta San Guido's Sassicaia. Same fruit sources, same wine-making method, but the fruit that didn't make it into Sassicaia. The result is a modestly priced Tuscan red that delivers in every category. Sweet fruit? Check. Drinkability? Check. Ageability? Check. Layered? Check. Classically funky? Check. If I tasted this blind, there's no way I would peg it as a $25 red. A wine to buy by the case and consume with Pizza, pasta, and Bistecca. Lovely.

2001 Fanti (Tenuta San Filippo) Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Not what I had hoped for. Very dark, very big, very fruity, very angular, and very alcoholic. It definitely has a rocket fuel feel to it that I dislike. Extended aeration helped, but never quite cured the issues with this wine. The good news is that if you love dark berry fruit and dark/bitter chocolate, you will love this wine. Loaded to the gills in every aspect, lovers of this style should have a field day with this. A very modern and ultra clean version of Brunello that lacks some character.

2000 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Brilliant wine. Mature Brunello that shows pretty cherry and plum fruit with leather, earth, and a hint of licorice on the finish. Long, warm, and comforting. We had this with my home made pizza, and it was a perfect food-wine pairing. I bought this for less than $30 and at that price, it was a steal. A more traditional version of Brunello, I believe. I would recommend this wine and its producer based on this experience. 

1999 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

As always, a very solid wine. Great vintage, great producer, and riserva equals phenomenal wine. Juicy and sweet, this shows class, elegance, and the effects of the warm Tuscan sun on the fruit. Plum and cherries with balsam wood and a hint of earthiness and autumnal flavors. Delicious

2004 Rocca di Montegrossi Geremia Toscana IGT (Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT)

Had this with dinner of Fettuccine and Ragu sauce. Great wine to go with the food. Mostly Merlot and Cab, this IGT is a real crowd-pleaser. Somewhat Bordeaux-like, but with more weight of fruit and more funk than I am used to from Bordeaux at this young age. Black and red fruits like blackberry, black currant, plum, and some cherry. Tobacco, earth, and dried herbs. You can tell that this is young, still, as it has ferocious structure and fruit, yet it manages to stay in balance with ample acidity and a sappy, lip-smacking finish. Really a nice wine, especially considering the moderate cost point. Recommended.

1999 Fattoria La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Served with Fettuccine Alfredo and what a fantastic pairing. The wine's fruit, freshness, structure and spice really complemented the Fettuccine Alfredo. Lovely wine which shows a significant amount of earth and spice. The fine acidity helps cut through the butter and cream of the noodle dish. With this food pairing, the fruit does not get emphasized as the other parts of the wine, but there's still plenty of lovely fruit in it. Should be able to hold a while longer.

2000 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Another day, another Brunello. And this one was very good, as well. Although it doesn't measure up to the Pertimali of a few nights before, it is still a very good wine. With 10 years of age on it, it shows nicely balanced, round, supple and soft, and it has a very attractive character of plum, cherry, dried herbs, earth, and barnyard. A touch of brett adds a little extra complexity to this wine. I purchased this at auction for about $29, which is a great deal for this wine.

2004 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

We had this at dinner at a local Italian restaurant favorite. And this wine didn't disappoint. It's hard to describe how this wine manages to deliver perfectly ripened fruit while at the same time delivering incredible finesse, elegance, and freshness. Apart from the wonderful fruit, the tobacco notes are very appealing and earthy notes help make this wine a benchmark young Brunello for me. As good as it is right now, it will only getting better for years to come. As highly recommended as any wine I have ever recommended.