February
24, 2007
25
Big Reds From Around the Boot!
In This Issue
A Note
from Sergio
To taste is to distinguish flavors, to experience, to
enjoy, to
perceive. In other words, taste is necessarily
personal, subjective.
It's also the most underdeveloped sense. Sure, there
are truly talented
tasters, but most people are products of their
environments. If you
grew up eating processed cheese slices, it's hard to
comprehend the
beauty of a chunk of parmigiano the first time you try it.
If you've
been weened on creamy tomato soup, it's a challenge
to appreciate the
subtle flavors of a tortellini broth. And if your only
experience with
seafood has been fried shrimp, you might get a little
freaked out by
the deep, oceanic pungency of a crocette sea snail.
The same goes for wine. If your wine education began
with young, beefy
Napa Valley Merlots, you're probably not going to pop
open a bottle of
piercing Montevertine Le Pergole Torte and
immediately grasp its
perplexing magnificence. But that doesn't mean you
shouldn't try to get
there. I've never been one to turn down a platter of fried
shrimp, but
a stew of just-caught crocetti is another universe
altogether.
Today, I've selected some bottles of wines I consider
stepping stones.
If you've been drinking New World styles--muscular,
modern,
fruity--these drinks can help you start to understand
classic Italian
old school wines without shocking your palate. They're
gateway wines,
wines that help bridge the gap between one sense of
taste and another,
bold crowd pleasers that manage to retain their Italian
essence. Bonus:
They're great in cold weather and do a good steak
justice.
My Best,
Sergio
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Native Lombardia to International Lombardia
1. Bruno Verdi 2001 Oltrepò Pavese 'Cavariola' Riserva $34.16
(Lombardia—Croatina, Uva Rara, Ughetta, & Barbera)
This may be one of the longest names in
Italian
wine, featuring a blend of obscure varietals
that
makes it just as difficult to remember by grape.
However, the Cavariola, derived from
Lombardia’s
Oltrepò Pavese (which once belonged to
Piemonte, its
western neighbor) is certainly worth the
effort, as it
represents an exceptional value from both an
unheralded region and a producer who is
difficult to
find in this country. Paolo Verdi,
Bruno’s son,
currently heads the estate and has
facilitated the
winery’s modernization. He is particularly
vigilant about employing his regime to elicit
the best
expression of Oltrepò Pavese’s local
grapes.
2. Corte Sant'Alda 2002 Valpolicella Ripasso $35.64
(Veneto—Corvina, Rondinella, &
Molinara)
The Corte Sant’Alda bottling derives
from the
ripasso method, an
“enhancement”
technique
wherein the Valpolicella wine is enriched
through
direct contact with (or passing
through) the Amarone’s lees. While Corte
Sant’Alda may lack the
cachet of Valpolicella’s three master
“tenors” (Dal Forno,
Quintarelli, and Bussola), it achieves the
paradigm of
value at all levels
of the Valpolicella hierarchy. This ripasso
bottling’s rich character
is further developed through aging in
barrique
for a
period of 18 months.
3. Bonomi Tenuta Castellino 2000 Capineto $37.13
(Lombardia—Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot,
& Cabernet Franc)
Bonomi Castellino is situated within
proximity to
Mount Orfano, in the Coccaglio
area of Franciacorta. This region’s
microclimate distinguishes it from
Franciacorta’s other zones, rendering it
conducive to viticulture, and
the wines generally evidence a more formidable
structure and higher alcohol
content than those from other subzones. The
majority
of Lombardia’s reds
are Bordeaux-style blends comprised of
Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet
Franc. Aged exclusively in French
barriques,
the
Castellino drinks far outside
the region’s typical profile (which
sometimes
exhibits the vegetal side
of Cabernet Franc), delivering voluptuous
layers of
black currant fruit.
4. Clerico 2003 Arte $39.00
(Piemonte—Nebbiolo, Barbera)
Every “Super” wine has its
originator,
and Clerico’s Arte
(a joint conception of Domenico Clerico and
Marc de
Grazia) occupies this position
with respect to the
“Super-Piemonte”
designation. A blend of 90%
Nebbiolo with 10% Barbera (the latter of which
derives from vines over 40 years
of age), the Arte is aged in 100% new
barrique
for a
minimum period of 16 months,
attaining an alcohol level of 14.5%. Since
establishing his estate in the 1980s,
Domenico Clerico has been one of
Piemonte’s most controversial figures,
given his penchant for crafting dense wines
that
privilege formidable fruit
expression.
5. Tenuta di Petrolo 2003 Torrione $42.50
(Toscana—Sangiovese)
Fattoria Petrolo is situated in the Colli
Aretini, one of
seven subzones comprising
the Chianti DOCG, and occupies grounds that
formed part of Galatrona, a medieval
fiefdom. Beginning in the late 1980s, the
Bazzocchi
family (owners of the estate
since the 1940s), instituted quality
control standards,
focusing exclusively
on two bottlings, Torrione and Galatrona, and
pursuing a decidedly forward
stylistic agenda. The estate’s
Sangiovese found its place in Petrolo’s
Torrione (typically 100% Sangiovese), which is
known for being an inveterate
performer, a condition that is achieved in
off-years
through the addition of
Merlot. Aged exclusively in French oak,
this rendition
of Sangiovese shows
the grape in a rare sleek, yet soft
interpretation.
Ripe 1997 Brunello to 1998 Piemonte Syrah
6. La Rasina 1997 Brunello di Montalcino $46.00
(Toscana—Sangiovese Grosso)
La Rasina’s Brunello eschews all
claims to
tradition in its high alcohol
(an average of 14.5%) and significant
degree of
extraction, privileging individual
style over the collaboration of a
microclimate and
particular winemaking approach.
However, we are more concerned here with
style as
it pertains to vintage: The
year 1997 was an historic one for most wine
regions,
enabling many producers
to realize the pinnacle of expression
throughout their
portfolios. This takes
on special significance now with
respect to
Brunello, as aged Brunellos are quite rare in
number.
Limited quantity available.
7. Basilisco 2001 Aglianico del Vulture Basilisco $46.61
(Basilicata—Aglianico)
While Basilicata’s potential remains
largely
unrealized, many believe that its expression of
Aglianico rivals that of its dominant
competition,
Campania, the region that claims Aglianico as
its
own.
Basilisco’s bottling certainly is an
invaluable
contribution to the cause. Aged exclusively
in new oak,
this limited production wine by Michele
Cutolo and
wine consultant Lorenzo Landi (Colpetrone,
Camigliano, Lungarotti) virtually pulses with
intensity, seeming always on the brink of
delivering
the full force of its muscular and potent
energy.
8. Sportoletti 2003 Villa Fidelia $49.98
(Umbria—Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Cabernet Franc)
Regarded as one of the region’s foremost
wines, Villa Fidelia is a Bordeaux-style
blend with a decidedly forward attitude at 15%
alcohol. Crafted by the renowned
and prodigious Riccardo Cotarella (whose other
productions include Falesco,
Lamborghini, Morgante, and San Patrignano),
this
earns the region’s “Super-
Umbro” moniker,
given Cotarella’s proclivity for
abandoning
restraint. In Villa Fidelia’s
early years of production, Merlot
represented the
largest varietal percentage,
affording a showcase for the estate’s
special
old-vine clone of Merlot.
While Cabernet had taken precedence for a few
vintages, Merlot is once again
at the forefront.
9. Tenuta La Tenaglia 1998 Paradiso $51.28
(Piemonte—Syrah)
A Syrah grows in Piemonte? The domain of
Nebbiolo? While admittedly somewhat
of an anomaly, this wine works against
incredible
odds and does so brilliantly,
achieving a concentrated presence that
justifies this
varietal in Piemonte. On the threshold of peak
drinking mode, this wine delivers a side of
Piemonte
that you may never have known before. La
Tenaglia’s portfolio does, however,
provide
access to the more familiar side of Piemonte
in its
extensive range of Barbera, which pays
tribute to a
17th-century owner of the estate who nursed a
particular passion for Barbera.
10. Elena Fucci 2003 Aglianico Titolo $54.45
(Basilicata—Aglianico)
Campania’s Taurasi is regarded as the
“Barolo of
the South,” but producers like Elena
Fucci are
acquiring deserved acclaim for Basilicata.
This wine
is softer and less aggressive than Taurasi
and the
traditionalist offerings of Basilicata’s
Paternoster,
which generally carry more tannic muscle.
Nevertheless, the dark Titolo has intense
grip: The
wine opens with effusive aromas of graphite
and ash,
signifying the pozzolana volcanic lava
soils of
the
vineyard. The dense palate delivers flavors
of cherries,
red currants, tobacco, and rosemary, and an
impressive balance is achieved between old
and new-
oak aging.
From Bob Dylan to Red Lamborghini
11. Aldo Conterno 2001 Il Favot $58.00
(Piemonte—Nebbiolo)
While it bears the name of the Conterno
cellar,
suggesting that it is somehow
evocative of the producer’s style, Il
Favot is
one of only two bottlings
in the Conterno portfolio that is aged in
barrique
(100% new oak). The
wine’s stylistic orientation is further
delineated in its relatively
dark color and moderate tannic profile,
both of which
are achieved through
a relatively brief maceration period. It
should also be
noted that Conterno’s
2003 Il Favot offers an exceptional
opportunity to
taste this Barolo master’s
Nebbiolo without paying a hefty price: As the
year’s intense heat precluded
production of his Barolo portfolio,
Conterno picked
early from his younger
vines and made Il Favot his sole
representation of
Nebbiolo from the 2003 vintage.
Also available:
Aldo Conterno 2003 Il Favot $49.95* (available for
pre-arrival
sales)
12. Le Terrazze 2002 Planet Waves $69.89
(Le Marche—Montepulciano, Merlot)
What is it about this wine that stirs
people’s
palates? Is it the fact
that Bob Dylan’s music is a source of
inspiration for Le Terrazze winemaker
Antonio Terni? Consistently breaking new
ground,
Terni looked to create a spiritual
wine that celebrated Dylan, his childhood
hero. In
1997, he released “Visions
of J,” a Rosso Cònero that pays
homage to the Bob Dylan song “Visions
of Johanna.” One taste moved Dylan to
request to be part of Terni’s
next effort—“Planet Waves”
(named for the 1974 album). Intense
on the nose and palate, it is aptly
captured in
Terni’s lyrical description—“a
mysteriously Dylanesque encounter between the
severity of Montepulciano and
the softness of Merlot.”
13. La Castellada 1998 Rosso $71.00
(Friuli—Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and
Cabernet
Franc)
The Bensa brothers’ La Castellada,
situated in
the
Collio DOC region, produces
some of Friuli’s best wines. Though
perhaps
best
known for its prolific white
portfolio, the bottlings of which belong to
Friuli’s
Super-White category,
La Castellada’s sole red benefits
from the
Bensas’
trademark generous oak treatment
and commitment to holding their wines back
from
release until each reaches
the viability stage for drinking. While
this label is a
frequent presence on
IWM shelves, the Rosso, a Bordeaux-style
blend of
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
and Cabernet Franc, makes the rare appearance,
and is nearly impossible to
find outside IWM’s specialized
terroir. A truly
singular
expression in so many
ways, and a striking testament to
Friuli’s
marked
advancement and propensity
with respect to the vinification of reds,
this ’98
is now
ready and able.
14. Enrico Fossi 2000 Vignavento $75.90
(Toscana—Sangiovese )
Enrico Fossi ’s estate lies on the
edge of
Florence in Chianti Colli Fiorentini, which
enjoys one
of Toscana’s best microclimates for vine
cultivars. Fossi, a dynamic Renaissance Man,
broke
tradition in this zone, employing
international varietals
to craft wines with a universal appeal,
marked by a
distinctly Italian accent. He doesn’t
neglect
Italy ’s own, however, as established
to great
effect in the massive and hypercharged
Sangiovese
Vignavento, a virtual Babel of a wine in its
amalgam of
flavors. Whatever your translation, your
palate will have
no trouble understanding this wine.
15. Lamborghini 2000 Campoleone $76.50
(Umbria—Sangiovese, Merlot)
It is only fitting that retired car mogul
Ferrucio
Lamborghini is behind one
of Umbria’s sleekest and revved up
expressions (refer to Sportoletti
note), though it is Ferrucio’s daughter,
Patrizia, who occupies the driver’s
seat, having turned her father’s casual
winemaking hobby into a serious,
quality-driven endeavor. Campoleone, a
blend of
equal parts Sangiovese and
Merlot, is the estate’s signature
model—another Riccardo Cotarella
(Falesco, Villa Fidelia, Morgante, and San
Patrignano) limited production—fueled
by barrique aging and extended
maceration of
the
skins. That said, the
alcohol is not excessive, enabling the
wine to
maintain a smooth, succulent
ride down the palate.
Romano Dal Forno to Angelo Gaja
16. Dettori 2003 Tenores $77.00
(Sardegna—Cannonau)
Cannonau, Sardegna’s most prestigious
and
widely planted red, is the
Italianate version of Spain’s famed
Garnacha
grape. Also known as Alicante,
it takes to the region’s propensity
toward
pronounced heat and dryness
and has enjoyed considerable proliferation
across
Sardegna’s expanse.
The Dettori Tenores realizes an archetypal
expression of the varietal, achieving
a concentrated expression that offers
substantive
weight on the palate and
rich flavors of tar, tobacco, and red
berries.
17. Parusso 1999 Barolo Mariondino Riserva $91.59
(Piemonte—Nebbiolo)
Brother and sister Marco and Tiziana
Parusso craft
the entire Parusso portfolio
from grapes they cultivate in the Barolo
communes of
Castiglione Falletto and
Monforte d’Alba. Marco assumed the
direction
of the estate with the crafting
of his first Barolo in 1986. Known for his
innovative
techniques and mentoring
of a young viticultural team, he established a
paradigm that is referenced
by many of the world’s developing
winemakers, pointing towards the
winery’s forward-thinking
orientation. Sourced from the Mariondino
Vineyard,
which is situated at the
southern end of the Castiglione Falletto
commune,
this wine represents Parusso’s
sole cru Barolo, showcasing one of the
region’s more opulent styles.
18. Romano Dal Forno 1999 Valpolicella $95.00
(Veneto—Corvina, Rondinella, &
Croatina)
Back so soon? While last week’s e-Letter
profiled the Veneto, necessarily
rendering the inclusion of this wine
requisite, it is
also a perfect fit for
this week’s broader revue. As noted
in last
week’s profile, Dal
Forno, who mentored under
Quintarelli—delivers power-driven, opulent
wines that are more sensually provocative than
intellectually stimulating.
Indeed, he regards Amarone as an
“extreme,
emotional” wine, and
his renditions certainly reflect these
demonstrative
states. His Valpolicellas
are no less expressive, as his use of
“governo alla Toscana” imparts
a richness to the wine that takes it beyond
the
performance of many Amarones,
producing what may be the ultimate expression of
Valpolicella.
19. Vestini Campagnano 2002 Connubio $111.38
(Campania—Pallagrello Nero &
Casavecchia)
Since 1990, Giuseppe Mancini and Alberto
Barletta of
Vestini Campagnano have
focused their vinous efforts exclusively on
the ancient
Pallagrello and Casavecchia
varieties, achieving an expression that
appeals to
today’s palates. In
fact, Vestini was the first winery to
institute a research
program dedicated
to the study of Pallagrello and
Casavecchia, both of
which went missing for
hundreds of years and were quite nearly lost
altogether. In the cellar, they
translate these ancient varietals through
modern
techniques. Aged for a little over
two years in barrique, Connubio
(which
signifies
“marriage” in
Latin) blends Vestini’s varietal
pair, achieving
a massive wine that
offers intense flavors of blackberry, tar,
chocolate,
and a mélange
of spices.
20. (Gaja) Ca Marcanda 2001 Camarcanda $112.00
(Toscana—Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
& Cabernet Franc)
It is only fitting that the legendary Angelo
Gaja—a winemaker who galvanized
winemaking in Piemonte with his radical and
controversial departure from conventional
viticultural
techniques—established a
Tuscan
outpost—Ca’Marcanda—in
Bolgheri (home to Sassicaia,
Ornellaia, and Le Macchiole). Camarcanda,
the
estate’s eponymous
offering, occupies the central
position in the estate’s triptych
portfolio.
Although at the beginning
of its career (with 2000 being the debut
vintage) and
sourced from young vines,
the Camarcanda already displays a remarkable
degree of concentration, achieved,
in part, through a barrique aging
regimen.
Though
coming in at 14% alcohol,
it deftly avoids the heat that often presents
an issue at
this level.
Rare Big Reds
21. Tenuta di Petrolo 2003 Galatrona $94.94
(Toscana—Merlot)
Petrolo’s Galatrona— a 100%
Merlot—moves in the popular
realm occupied by the likes of Masseto,
Messorio,
and Redigaffi, and it routinely
merits critical recognition, displaying
remarkable
consistency from vintage
to vintage. Its performance is anything but
routine in
terms of what it does
for Merlot, however—realizing a sleek,
untamed, and exotic number that
is a high fidelity rendering of the
potential this grape
realizes in its Super-Tuscan
role. What’s more, it doesn’t
come at
the cost of its fellow Super-Merlots,
affording truly accessible luxury.
Also available:
Tenuta di Petrolo 2004 Galatrona $115.97*
(Note:
This wine is available for prearrival
sales.)
22. Argiano 2001 Suolo $151.80
(Toscana—Sangiovese Gosso)
Innovation continues at the legendary
estate behind
Solengo and its flagship
Brunello. Suolo (the Italian word for
“soil”), which
debuted with the 2000 vintage,
is the brainchild of winemaker Hans Vinding-
Diers. This pure-varietal
Sangiovese Grosso weds the estate’s
oldest
and youngest vines (Vignoni
and Oliviera, respectively), the
former’s
concentrated fruit is further
enhanced through strict yield production,
the use of
indigenous wild yeasts,
and aging in 100% new oak. While intense and
sleek, this wine, at an average
of 14.5% alcohol, nevertheless demonstrates
significant integration. (Available
only in limited quantity).
Also available:
Argiano 2000 Suolo $145.20 (debut bottling)
23. Castello Dei Rampolla 2003 Vigna d'Alceo $179.00* (pre-arrival)
(Toscana—Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit
Verdot)
In 1996, Alceo di Napoli’s son, Luca di
Napoli, formally honored his
father with the debut of the
single-vineyard Vigna
d’Alceo (Cabernet
Sauvignon and Petit Verdot). (This was
particularly fitting, as Alceo had
endured fierce criticism for his work with
Cabernet
Sauvignon, which was validated
in the reception of his first Super-Tuscan,
Sammarco.) What accounts for this
wine’s eminent success? It could be the
contribution of famed consultant Giacomo
Tashchi (Sassicaia, Tignanello, and Solengo), or the
physical
input
of another famed source— Château
Lafite-Rothschild, vines from
which Alceo used to graft his initial
plantings of
Cabernet. In any event,
this powerfully dense wine, which is
remarkably
accessible in its youth, challenges
Napa’s claim to Cab supremacy,
suggesting
how much more provocative Italian
Cabernet may be.
24. Voerzio 2000 Barolo Cerequio $205.95
(Piemonte—Nebbiolo)
Roberto Voerzio is the undisputed leader of
modern
Barolo (in the same school as Scavino and
Clerico).
His highly concentrated wines are the result
of the very
low yields he enforces in the vineyard. It is
this strict
guideline that leaves just eight buds per
vine (the equivalent to one bottle), and a case
production that is
often less than 400 per Barolo. This artisanal
approach
and open-minded acceptance of innovation make
his Barolos impossible to obtain. The
single-vineyard
Cerequio is the most lavish of his seven cru
Barolos,
achieving optimal opulence and depth of
character
from the ripe 2000 vintage. Please inquire
for more
information about Voerzio's wine.
25. Arnaldo Caprai 2001 Sagrantino di Montefalco ‘Collepiano’ (3.0L) $247.95
(Umbria—Sagrantino)
In 1971, Arnaldo Caprai became the elusive
Sagrantino’s (occupying a
mere 250 acres of
vineyards—exclusively in
Umbria) premiere pioneer.
In the late eighties, his son, Marco, acquired
international recognition for
the estate, supported by the services of
oenology
professor Leonardo Valenti
and famed winemaker Attilio Paglia. While
neighboring artisanal producer Paolo
Bea is known for delivering earthy
expressions of
Sagrantino, Caprai’s
have been and continue to be dense and highly
concentrated efforts, capturing
the blackberry, bitter chocolate, and spices
comprising Sagrantino’s
signature profile. Experience this limited
3-liter
offering.
Six-Pack Samplers
If there is one six-pack that will have you
believing the
popular expression, “All wine wishes it
could
be red,”
this is it. While many of Italy’s reds
challenge
the palate’s development and
understanding,
these cater to its sensuous cravings,
privileging
intensity, drama, indulgence. What’s more,
they don’t simply contrast
with the wines offered a few weeks ago in
our “Classic Expressions of Italy’s
Wines” e-Letter;
rather, these forward-minded treatments will,
in fact,
give you a better understanding of what the
terms
traditional and classic mean with respect to
Italian
wine. After all, in the absence of wines that
have
challenged the status quo, developing and
enlarging
wine’s stylistic breadth, tradition
wouldn’t really
mean
very much, would it?
Big Reds for the Enthusiast Includes:
Bruno Verdi 2001 Oltrepó Pavese 'Cavariola'
Riserva
Petrolo 2003 Torrione
Basilisco 2001 Basilisco Aglianico
Sportoletti 2003 Villa Fidelia
La Tenaglia 1998 Paradiso
Aldo Conterno 2001 Il Favot
Big Reds Enthusiast Six Pack $282.53*
*Free delivery in Manhattan.
Big Reds for the Connoisseur Includes:
Petrolo 2003 Galatrona
Argiano 2001 Suolo
Parusso 1999 Barolo Mariondino Riserva
Romano Dal Forno 1999 Valpolicella
Vestini Campagnano 2002 Connubio
(Gaja) Ca Marcanda 2001 Camarcanda
Big Reds Connoisseur Six Pack $656.71*
*Free delivery in Manhattan.
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