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?

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.

Thanksgiving Wines

We celebrated Thanksgiving with friends last night, and of course, we opened a little wine. It was a very eclectic lineup. but with the exception of one wine, we had some really nice wines and equally nice surprises. For those of you who are into cooking, let me say that this year was my second year tasting brined Turkey, and in my opinion, there's no better way to prepare Turkey. Simply delicious. On to the wines.

• 2007 La Crema Chardonnay Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
  Surprisingly good wine. Not as oaked as I would have thought it would be, and plenty of acidity. Fresh, vibrant fruit, but not terribly complex. A great wine to start off Thanksgiving when you have 20 people for dinner.
  


• 1997 Regusci Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District Estate Bottled Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
  This wine was very good. It wasn't at all what I expected to taste. Still very tannic, structured, and dry. Restrained red and black fruit and nice leather and earth components. It had freshness and poise and a nice finish. Should hold for years in the cellar.
  


• 2004 Sportoletti Rosso Villa Fidelia Umbria IGT - Italy, Umbria, Umbria IGT
  Phenomenal wine. Stern structure, so decanting is advised. Brilliant cherry and plum fruit and nice earthiness, freshness, and focus. Lovely, velvety texture, and booming finish. Will last a long time, but it's drinking so deliciously right now.
  


• 2001 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero AAlto - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  This wine must have some amazing bottle variation. I remember my last bottle to be very oaky and flabby, but this one was neither. Very solid wine right out of the gate that has some really nice complexity and shows a certain underbrush/treebark and spice characteristic that I really liked. Nice, vibrant black fruits and a very nice finish.
  


• 2006 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir San Mateo County - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, San Mateo County
  Unfortunately, this was another average bottle of this wine. I've had average and I've had very good. Disappointing showing. Flabby, sweet, simple, and forgettable. The only wine that did not get finished last night, and even the non-geeks in the crowd (which was practically everyone) didn't care too much for this.
  


• 1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia - USA, California, Napa Valley
  From Magnum. This is still just a baby. Still has tremendous, focused cherry and blackberry fruit and shows great balance. I got a little leather and tobacco, but the fruit is still so big that it's difficult for me to see through the wall of fruit and detect the nuances beyond it. Needs more time. I actually liked the Regusci better last night.
  

Thanks to Mike and Tonja who invited us to their home and welcomed us among friends and family.

1999 Sportoletti Villa Fidelia Umbria IGT (Italy, Umbria, Umbria IGT)

Solid wine. Even at age 9, it's rich, ripe, big, fresh, and long. Reminds me a whole lot of a very classy and well made California Cab. That said, it lacks a little typicity for me. If I drank it blind, I'd probably like it a touch better because I don't have any expectation. Very good and can cellar for at least 5 more years before beginning to decline.

THREE VALUE ITALIANS - (3/10/2008)

A few weeks ago, I saw these three wines and chose to find myself an inexpensive go-to red. Tonight, I got to try the three wines head-to-head.

• 2004 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico
  90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo and Colorino. Aged 20 months in used oak barriques. Opened last night and re-corked and re-cellared. Cherry juice-like color that's completely translucent yet dark. Nose is dusty, earthy, with cherry, plum, bitter chocolate and some oak. Big footprint on the palate with loads of sour cherry and earth. Has good sweetness of fruit while being completely dry, and ample acidity. Dark chocolate on the finish with a hint of bitterness. Very structured wine that will probably need a few years to fully integrate the structure, acid, and oak. Right now, not particularly enjoyable to drink, but it shows great promise, I believe. Clearly a wine whose price-point belies its requirement for at least 3 more years of bottle age.


• 2005 La Massa Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
  60% Sangiovese, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.Opened last night and re-corked and re-cellared. Very dark color with ruby at the rim. Nose is blackberry and balsamico with a good dose of oak and a certain green herbaceousness (but not in a bad way). Fresh on the palate with zingy blackberries and blackcurrant and some dusty mushroom. Fruit is extremely pure, plush and ripe. Finishes well, but for me, the oak is sticking out just a tad. Ready to drink now with a vigorous decant or should hold for at least 5 years (although I'm not sure if it'll really improve vs merely mellow out). May buy again, but in small quantities. Just not distinctive enough for me to go crazy over it.


• 2004 Scacciadiavoli Sangiovese Montefalco Rosso - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Rosso
  60% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot and a few other red varietals. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for one year in large Salvonian oak foudres. Opened last night and re-corked and re-cellared. Dark garnet to ruby opaque color. Nose is blackberry and blackcurrant with leather and gamyness. Fresh berry fruit and garbed leather along with some mossy tree bark on the palate. Super pure fruit. Fresh, racy finish with some hints of fresh herbs. Finishes outstandingly with no hard edges. I think this can go for years while improving, but it drinks really nicely right now. Has a little bit of Northern Rhone beef blood and meat character. Love this wine and what a QPR. My favorite of the three wines. Would buy again.

The Scacciadiavoli was my favorite and I am looking forward to exporing more Montefalco wines.