Angelo Cellars

• June 2009

  While this is a follow up post to my 2005 Barolo tasting notes, which can be found here, these wines were actually tasted first. The intro to the Barolo post hold some valuable background information as to the style of the tasting and the limitations that imposes on the ultimate... Read more While this is a follow up post to my 2005 Barolo tasting notes, which can be found here, these wines were actually tasted first. The intro to the Barolo post hold some valuable background information as to the style of the tasting and the limitations that imposes on the ultimate value of these notes. 92-93 Cascina Saria (Neive) -  a really penetrating pine note balances some mulling spices on the nose, the perfumes of the fruit are really deeply embedded here but the quality, ripe and slightly wild, gamy, and spicy berries is very attractive, there’s a touch of dusty ash top note, , really attractive nose -  a bit thick for the first second then rich and focused with great, pure fresh red fruit, really wonderfully ripe tannins and fine acidity that supports the precise ripe earthy raspberry fruit, great persistence, a really great showing, very clean 92-93 91-92 Cascina delle Rose Rio Sordo (Barbaresco)  - clear fruit, a touch smoky but elegant, cherry in alcohol, soil, spice, limestone, white earth, nicely layered with a touch of raspberry and green sap wood, very cool and crisp on entry, nicely proportioned with deep fruit edged in spice and earth tones, there’s a nice tension here but the tannins do grow and gain the upper-hand on the mp though the fruit sort of red currant/ raspberry toned, does fight through, nice tarry, licorice spice tones on the backed lead to a long finish which has flashes of sweet berry fruit, earth, herb and spice, 91-92 Pertinace Marcarini (Treiso) - porcini, truffly, a bit woody, unusual but interesting, with an animale fur note to the spicy rosehip, a nice nuttiness too, hazelnut with a touch of nougat, smoke, this has a really attractive entry with ripe, clean, precise fruit, the mp gains a bit of layered depth, very nicely done with elegance and style, bitter cherry, wild raspberry, a hint of medicinal bitterness, tannins superbly managed, classy wine 91-92 La Ganghija (Treiso) - sauvage, spicy, earthy, pine cones, dried flowers, deep and intense with leather, dried berry, savory tones, full and nicely rich with good flesh backing the ripe tannins, the fruit is a touch dark and towards the earthy end of the spectrum with a lovely vein of bitter cherry fruit that carries through to the long finish which shows a nice tension between savory tones and fruit 91-92 Terrenostre (Treiso) - a touch funky but friendly with a bit of wet dog, soft subtle fruit, transparent, lovely oystershell tones and ranier cherry fruit, with a real nuance of blood orange, precise, classic feel, medium bodied, transparent on the palate as well with subtle strawberry and blood orange fruit, a bit simple but very attractively styled and easy to drink even today, fresh and clean on the bracing finish with a lovely floral note that carries 91-92 Albino Rocca (Alba) - this is great on the nose with deep oily herbs, drying grass, fine precise forest floor, mushroom, and small berry fruit ones -  polished, glossy yet so fresh with mushrooms right up front, fresh cut white, a touch of bitter roots, very refreshing, very pure with a fairly elegant if slightly rustic feel, very nice and pure if slightly bitter fruited finish, good length 91-92 Cascina Luisin Sori Paolin (Neive) - pretty and citrusy with kafir lime leaf, amarena cherry, very focused, very lean and very pure, a bit softer in the mouth than expected from the nose, nice tannins are really crisp and the acidity is very well integrated, this is a more subtle wine with layered and nuanced fruit, lots of detail on the mp with a lovely bitter cherry and wild strawberry fruit tone and a background of funghi, savory and forest floral notes, lovely cleansing finish, excellent length 91-92 Angelo Negro Basarin (Neive) - wooly, green, herbal, crisp lovely fruit then a touch too much diesel sulfur, the underlying fruit smells really crisp tense and fresh with tarry, oily herbal notes, big and powerful with sweet ripe tannins, lots of depth, very young but packed with potential, a touch monolithic and dark but with nice harmony in the mouth and a naturally ripe feel, nice finish with a hint of fruitiness popping out on the finale, a powerful wine 91-92 90-91 Produttori Torre (Barbaresco)  -  so clean, smells like sand and old bones with some freshly picked raspberries and a touch of roasted bouquet garni, cool, crisp and focused with essence of strawberry right up front then followed by earth tones and a crisp hint of violet, very bright with well managed tannins, there’s a hint of eggshell and a touch of licorice bitter on the backed adding tension to the fruit, aggressive finish, with a long menthol finale, 90-91 Pietro Rinaldi San Cristoforo (Neive) - bit sharp and aggressively balsamic, forest floor, Christmas spice, a touch of chocolate mint, obviously terpene woody, spicy, a bit of smoked, sweet ham - slightly sweet entry, then very focused with a nice lean yet well fleshed feel, no fat but nice inner mouth tension, tannins are fine if drying,  lots of crisp wild berry fruit, well balanced and well done, finishes with strong tannins but plenty of backing fruit, good length 90-91 Ugo Lequio Gallina (Neive) - nice nose, toasty spiced, more French oak than fruit with tons of cinnamon spice but lots of fruit as well, enchanting nose with subtle layers of fruit and spicy, a nice sweet entry before finding focus though this is a very well fruited wine, rich almost chewy fruit has a really nice profile with ripe herbs and strong strawberry tones, a bit muddled perhaps but  with even a nice orange peel note on the finish leading to a long spiced, wild berry fruit finish, some drying tannins, 90-91 Fratelli Giacosa Basarin (Neive) - a fair amount of oaky spices but backed up by some very nice fruit, really beautiful pool of raspberry coulis smoke and tobacco that subsumes the oaken spice, adds a balsamic tone and really just perfectly balances the oak if you don’t mind oak,  a touch lose at first then finding excellent focus with nicely forestall balsamic fruit, fresh and transparent with slightly monolithic fruit, but clean and fairly deep wild raspberry fruit tones, tannins are very well managed and the finish has a nice orange rind tone that really caries through on the long finish, has elegance and finesse 90-91 La Contea Ripa Sorita (Neive) - lovely floral notes greet the nose,  this has really nice incense notes on the nose, fresh and downright pretty with building notes of licorice and medicinal spice, fresh and precise in the mouth with fairly deep and very fresh red berry fruit, a touch of peach and lovely soil tones keep this engaging though it lacks the depth of the best wines it still has great purity and a lovely slightly minty/sage finish with crisp fine grained tannins and good length 90-91 Battaglio (Neive) - cherries in alcohol, slight green herb, reticent but showing some hints of very nice potential, really nice presence in the mouth, bright and vibrant with great acidity and fresh fruit that is taut and tight yet has lovely balance and freshness, turn slightly drying on the backend and lacks the complexity of the best but his will be a deliciously pure bottle of wine, lovely rosehips, and dried cranberry on the finish 90-91 89-90 Ca’ del Baio Valgrande (Treiso) - lovely nose this has it all, spicy, full of ripe fruit, savory tones, soil, limestone oyster shells, full, rich and round with a very ripe tannins this is soft and full yet has acidic verve, lovely bitter cherry fruit, a slight astringency plays with the sweetness of the fruit, tastes of mineral and earth, finish is clean and brisk, could use more length, actually is fairly short, still very nice 89-90 Fontanafredda Coste Rubin (Multi Commune) - spicy, sausage, sausage casing, black pepper, richly fruited, very cherried, a bit fuller but still medium with a slightly chewy feel to the darkish black raspberry fruit that shows nice almost salty minerality, tarry, brisk, not terribly complex but with very good purity, really strong finish with lovely purity to the fruit which is transparent and allows the mineral and spice tones to shine through. 89-90 Cantina del Pino (Multi Commune) - deep and penetrating with   herbal, weedy tones that show off the peachy berry fruit very well, there is a bit of cola sweetness here but there’s also a ton of that attractive, herbal complexity - very soft in the mouth with a lovely bitter cherry, apricot pit tone to the fruit, nice chalk and medicinal tones follow with herb and floral notes leading to the finish which is brisk and transparent, a touch rustic but very attractive 89-90 Poderi Elia Serracapelli (Neive) - very high toned floral and game notes with sweet spiced plum fruit, little raspberry dusty, delicious start nicely ripe tannins, a touch tarry but with very fresh acidity and nice solid earthy fruity tones, really good length, nice slightly chunky tannins on the finish with good length and a plumy/ raspberry return 89-90 Ressia Canova (Neive) - brisk, salty with background wood sweetness, turning woodier but then with some nice seashells for relief, just a bit too much wood at this point, a touch tarry, crisp entry, ripe raspberry and peach skin fruit, a touch of tree bark, with nice underlying minerality, a nicely austere wine, very well done, with a classic fruit profile on the backend, brisk bricky and cleansing through the moderately long finish 89-90 Tenuta San Mauro (Neive) - more masculine on the nose with lots of dried rose, earth, touch of minty spice, clean and menthol cool, sweet lingonberry cranberry fruit up front, a leaner style with vibrantly sweet fruit but of a less sweet king, a bit simple but with god purity and juicy, fine tannins are rather soft for the vintage, a pretty wine with a lovely aromatic wood finish and really good length to the golden raspberry finale, 89-90 Fattoria San Giuliano (Neive) - Very earthy, roast meat, candy, sassafras, fairly noticeable oak, underneath has some drying grass freshness, and camphor, nice mouthfeel, a bit matte but fresh with a bit of a compressed feel, not terrible fruit but rich with earthy, savory tones and a touch of wood, very nice in this sort of non fruity intense way, needs time but will be a very nice wine in a masculine, earthy style 89-90 88-89 Moccagatta Bric Balin (Barbaresco)  - cedary, sweet sassafras notes, lighter nose with a fleshy, muddy medicinal tone, lots of licorice and bitter root tones, big and fairly powerful with a nice deep core of fruit, tannins are a bit finer grained than many though still a touch aggressive, nice peachy tone to the fruit,  finishes with the tannins really grabbing hold but there is nice purity to the fruit here, not terribly expressive but intriguing, with a real nice bitter cherry tone on the finish 88-89 Molino Ausario (Treiso) - a touch gamy and musky with an intense dark fruit and spicy herb nose, a bit sweet perhaps but with nice backing freshness, wood comes out with air, nice and cool, then matte and opaque on the mp, pretty well balanced, nice wild cherry and raspberry fruit, a bit of coffee here and some bresoala savory tones as well, finished with a very strong menthol note, impressive wine, but a bit matte 88-89 Molino Teorema (Multi Commune) - woody, hard candy fruitiness, chocolate - very cool and crisp and tense with dark fruit, lacks some detail but has power and depth, really tannic on the finish, sacrifices same detail and elegance for power but in that style quite good, 88-89 Fratelli Barale Serraboella (Neive) - apricot, really strong apricot and cinnamon, baked stone fruit, roses, lovely if slightly atypical nose, bright and crisp with very fine but abundant tannins, the mp is a touch austere with sandlewood and red currant notes, a touch of austerity keeps this really fresh and a nice mineral note lead from the back end to the cleansing finish, a touch short but very typical 88-89 87-88 Carlo Giacosa Narin (Barbaresco)  - woody, then roses, bitter roots, bitter berried fruits, touch of exhaust - sweetness on entry, lean with a bright acid backbone, refreshing with nice raspberry toned fruit, a bit stern but very nicely put together with a drinkable, attractive character, minty on the finish with some dried tarragon notes and a nice wash of raspberry 87-88 Pertinace Nervo  (Treiso) - vanilla, dirty, oystershell, dried herbs, savory, dried alpine flowers, subtle but attractive, not fruity, very lithe, really high toned and lightly styled with tender tannins and bright acids, fruit is a bit shallow but pretty with rosehips, strawberry, and hay tones, a touch of menthol, sandy soil notes, very clean and fresh finish, moderate length 87-88 Armando Piazzo (Alba) - nice candied herb nose with sweet fruit lurking, a touch of apricot to the baked black raspberry fruit, lighter in the mouth, not much depth but very bright with nice tension to the dark berry fruit with cactus, herb, and parsley root backing 87-88 Pasquale Pelissero Bricco San Giuliano (Neive) -   a touch of caramel and spice but well integrated wood, cinnamon spiced, very fresh fruit, a little peachy, macerated flowers, a bit of roast meatiness, a little bit of sweetness,  fairly elegant, tannins are a bit prominent but nice and crisp, lovely bitter cherry fruit tone, with some sandalwood and rosehip notes,  finishes with very drying tannins, a bit tough but balanced 87-88 Oddero Gallina (Neive) - rather restrained, slightly meaty, slightly oaky, nice floral tones and some mineral spice lurking, very taut and focused in the mouth, cold use more detail to the flavors but this has harmony with lots of somewhat rounded tannins, good supporting acids, and a nice density on the mp, turns a bit woody and drying on the finish, 87-88 Marco e Vittorio Adriano Basarin (Neive) - rather sweeter aromatic profile though with some animal fur, peppery spice, a touch hot, gentle use of well integrated oak, slightly raspberry jammy, nice clean limestone entry, then a bit loose and matte, nice but a bit dead in the mouth though the black cherry fruit is deep and the acidity refreshing then the tannins clamp down on the finish, 87-88 Fontanabianca Sori Burdin (Neive) - sandy, wild cherry and flowers macerated in alcohol, a touch candied, medicinal and autumnal, lighter, high acid, very rounded tannins, a nice core of bitter sweet raspberry fruit, not the most complex but well proportioned and with nice earthy/savory depth, a bit short finish but a really attractive flavor profile 87-88 Montaribaldi Palazzina (Neive) - a bit jammy, and flat, closed with hints of very ripe fruit - clean, crisp, nicely fruited and with good balance but noticeably closed. Probably 87-88 Punset (Neive) -  really fine herbal note at first, a touch of bacon and black pepper,  lovely bouquet garni nose,  cool entry, lovely light medium bodied feel, a bit toward the drying grass end of the spectrum, fine granular tannins, good acids, moderately intense fruit,  87-88 86-87 La Ca Nova Bric Mentina (Barbaresco)  - lovely nose, soft and subtle, cherries in alcohol, mineral tones, rosewater, a touch of old wood,  clay, fresh, crisp, berried right up front with a simple freshness, not complex but not trying too hard either, smaller scaled and true to type, enjoyable to drink even now. 86-87 Albina Rocca Vigneto Brich Ronchi (Barbaresco)  - very high toned, raspberry, floral, touch of chamomile, baked clay, a little orange zest, low key, nice earthy bitterness up front, soft yet crisp tannins, good acids, subtle easy styled wine, with a powdered sugar toned raspberry core of fruit, a bit rough on the back end with a brief finish but pleasant 86-87 Ca’del Baio Asili (Barbaresco)  - root beer, light, dried floral tones, fleshy, simple - in the mouth this is light and fresh with an easy character and lovely purity to the fruit, nice ripe tannins, integrated acids solid if uninspiring though this gains a nice tarry edge, short finish shows some tomato leaf 86-87 Orlando Abrigo Montersino (Treiso) - deep and intense with limestone backed ripe berry fruit, penetrating and lovely, picks up a meaty tones and rosehips, nice depth but a bit simple in the mouth with nice deep, dark berry fruit and a very engaging mineral aspect, a solid showing if in a slightly softer, more approachable style with a touch of menthol and spice on the finish and growing fruit. 86-87 Rizzi Nervo Fondetta (Treiso) - deep, woody, strawberry tops, dirt, strawberry jam, salame, laundry detergent florality, low intensity if fresh in the mouth with shallow flavors but nice texture, lovely finish, burnished sandalwood, bitter cherry, short and simple but what’s there is attractive 86-87 Rivetto Ce Vanin (Treiso) - almonds, sweet candied tones, jammy strawberry, fat though with some dried herb tones and a hint of citrus peel easy in the mouth, dark fruit, decent freshness, a nice bitter tone adding freshness bitter almond, interesting, very well managed tannins 86-87 Mainerdo (Multi Commune) - dark and medicinal again, spicy strawberry almost jammy fruit, nice and deep if not very complex, wow this is packed with sweet fruit, really pure with subtle complexities but this is all about expressing the purity of sweet strawberry fruit, there’s a touch of cocoa on the back end, which leads to a shortish finish 86-87 85-86 Castello di Verduno Rabaja (Barbaresco)  - lovely nose, sweetly fruited, ripe, intense with a handful of fresh herbs sitting atop a bowl of freshly picked raspberry with a hint of sassafras and espresso adding complexity, a bit matte up front then turning fresher with nice but not exceptional fruit, a bit monolithic with a spicy strawberry tone but not much detail, quite spicy and long with that spiciness but simple. 85-86 Michele Chiarlo Asili (Barbaresco)  - a bit jammy on the nose with lots of cola character, sweet woodiness, root beer, biter herbs, jammy root beer, cool and seamless if monolithic with prominent tannins backing nice bitter cherry fruit, uncomplicated if impressively structured, nice fruit fights to get out on the backend, finishes fairly strong with really nice fruit but bit short, 85-86 Montaribladi Sori Montaribaldi (Barbaresco)  - clean and deep with a cedary note embedded in dark, forest floor scented fruit, polished, astringent frutti del bosco, tobacco, drying tannins but with a decent amount of fruit buffering, quire red curranty, menthol, a bit chunky and even a touch coarse, 85-86 Rizzi Pajore (Treiso) - slightly jammy, cinnamon hint, stemmy, herby, sharp, aggressive, a bit lifeless in the mouth at first then turns a bit more focused but this feels lazy and poorly composed, decent fruit and a really nice finish with sour cherry tones and spice soil notes that is long and drying, this might just need time to pull itself together 85-86 Pelissero Nubiola (Treiso) - jammyish, woody, wood spice, gamy, forest floor, floral, animal, passionfruit, woodsy, polished smooth and soft with nice fruit but not much depth and extracted tannins, really lovely fruit on the finish but the tannins are out of balance here, length driven by the rustic tannins, could improve 85-86 Marco e Vittorio Adriano Sanadaive (Alba) - smoky, dried strawberry fruit, VA, rustic nose, cool entry, herbal, poppy seeds on the attack with subtle strawberry fruit tones leading to a light, bright finish with ok detail, tastes a bit dull 85-86 84-85 Castello di Morassino Ovello (Barbaresco)  - a bit off with heavy soil tones and dried herb notes, gains sandalwood, rose hips and roses, really opens very nicely, still at it’s core there is some off putting oak and a weird, sweet candied funghi kind of notes - polished and dull in the mouth, again there is the discordant juxtaposition of really good fruit with some bitter wood and terribly drying, aggressive tannins, the fruit is very pretty though and particularly aromatic in the mouth, aggressively tannic finish 84-85 Orlando Abrigo Vigna Rongalio (Treiso) - shy nose, smoky, a touch of oak, really not showing much, a bit fat, a bit flat, fruity, softer style, easy and not very interesting but nothing wrong 84-85 Vigin Noemy (Treiso) -pork products, wood, aromatic, nice if high toned and a touch candied medicinal, moderately big in the mouth with deeply earthy fruit, and nice fruit that shows a nice spice/quinine edge but is a bit matte, finished chunky and a touch clumsy 84-85 Eredi Lodali Lorens (Treiso) - woody, raw wood, touch of caraway, spicy, very spicy, touch hot, violet pastille, big and full, a touch clumsy, dark, anonymous fruit on the mp, dark and anonymous over all, drying, extracted, 84-85 Terre da Vino La Casa in Collina (Multi Commune) - jammy, spicy, a bit woody, normal modern nose with more violet and medicinal but still sickly sweet, nice dark fruit in the mouth, lots of coffee character, nicely managed tannins, bitter sweet, bitter cherry long finish, lots of tannin on the finish, a bit clumsy on the finish 84-85 Prunotto (Multi Commune) - a bit volatile, sandy and jammy, a bit hot, innocuous, not very expressive but fairly well textured, some nice sour strawberry fruit, simple 84-85 Antiche Poderi dei Gallina Vigneto ‘l Ciaciaret (Neive) - a bit stinky, sour meats, soil tones, reductive, a bit lean, a bit sour and simple, might flesh out with time, decent harmony but will always be a small scaled wine, very nice Nebbiolo, lean drying finish 84-85 Castello di Neive Santo Stefano (Neive) - noticeable toasty wood, some nice macerated fruits and flowers underneath but mostly noticeable wood, cool and crisp with good focus in the mouth but overall a muted wine with fairly woody tannins and a nice bitter cherry core trying to fight through, bitter drying finish, 84-85 83-84 Cascina Brusciata Rio Sordo (Barbaresco)  - coarse, raw woody, penetrating, leathery, rustic, gains a bit of toastiness to the wood and a strong, green quinine tone,  drying tannins, a bit green and raw, dark fruit, clumsy, 83-84 82-83 Armando Piazzo Sori Fratin (Alba) - shallow nose, a bit fishy, not much going on, cool and easy, lightly fruited, 83-84 Michele Taliano Ad Altiora (Alba) - candied with deep herbal accents, drying, simple, fresh but not terribly interesting, 83-84 82-83 Romano Bonino Basarin (Neive) - vanilla and candied violets/blackberry, artificial fruit tones, fake coffee, road tar, much better in the mouth where the fruit veers toward the green and fresh with crisp green notes up front then more artificial coffee and fruit on the mp, some dichotomy on the finish, 82-83 Massimo Rivetti Froi (Neive) -  lots of sweet oak and vanilla pudding on the nose, a bit dried out in the mouth without much of anything but structure, some very subtle rose and raspberry notes, 82-83 under 82 Cascina delle Rose Tre Stelle (Barbaresco)  - a bit hot, a bit jammy, plenty of green notes and spicy angelica root to give it some freshness but overall it’s heavy and sweet smelling - a bit matte in the mouth, correct medium bodied feel but the tannins seem forced and drying and the fruit is a bit too bitter, and medicinal without freshness or detail, a bit heavy handed, with an extracted finish 80-81 Giuseppe Nada Casot (Treiso) - dirty barrel, gasoline, fart, dried out, extracted, not much interest, 70-72 Cigliuti Serraboella (Neive) - dirty, old wood, kind of cola character of dirty old barrel, a bit stripped, and bitter, primitive, rustic and drying, totally without charm 70-72 Fratelli Giacosa Basarin Sori Gian Mate (Neive) - a bit stinky at first, then turning sterner and a touch aggressively mineral, a lean angry wine, some nice fruit here but this is indeed a lean angry wine with angular tannins and sharp acidity obscuring much of the fruit, nicely aromatic in the mouth though, 76-77 Punset Campo Quadro (Neive) - sandy, a touch dirty, very chamomile herbal/weedy, a touch chemical, taut and lean and dirty 70 Gregory Dal Piaz Community Manager Snooth    (hide)

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• April 2009

  I´ll tell you something. Cheap wine, simple wine can and should be canned, packed, or anything. It is a great way of making wine more and more popular day by day. Once one learns a little bit more - and for this there must interest that only comes from drinking it - one will look... Read moreI´ll tell you something. Cheap wine, simple wine can and should be canned, packed, or anything. It is a great way of making wine more and more popular day by day. Once one learns a little bit more - and for this there must interest that only comes from drinking it - one will look for better wines, more expensive and classic wines, these of course, should always come in a beautiful bottle, but until then, let it be! It is positive for wine, Italy itself is suffering deeply from over producing wine and mostly cheap wines are taking producers to bankruptcy because in europe the market seems to be shrinking! So, can it, send it overseas! At purple pages, http://www.jancisrobinson.com, there is an entire interview with Angelo Gaja talking exactly about what Italy is going through. Seeya and let me hear from you.    (hide)

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• February 2009

  Once again ... from WinesTilSoldOut ... another Gaja wine ... Original: $289.99 Yesterday's Best Web: $137.11 (including cost of shipping*) Our Price: $115.99 By Stephen Tanzer 2001 Angelo Gaja Cabernet Sauvignon Darmagi Langhe Winery: Angelo Gaja Style: Red Wine Varietal:... Read moreOnce again ... from WinesTilSoldOut ... another Gaja wine ... Original: $289.99 Yesterday's Best Web: $137.11 (including cost of shipping*) Our Price: $115.99 By Stephen Tanzer 2001 Angelo Gaja Cabernet Sauvignon Darmagi Langhe Winery: Angelo Gaja Style: Red Wine Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Piedmont By Stephen Tanzer Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar , Nov/Dev 04 Bright ruby-red. Warm, rich and inviting aromas of cassis, licorice, minerals, earth, graphite and smoky oak. Sweet, rich, broad and enveloping, with layered, building flavors of black fruits, violet, licorice, dark chocolate, tobacco and minerals. An exceptionally suave, varietally true cabernet from the Piedmont , with a seamless texture and compelling inner-mouth sweetness. Very rich, ripe and long on the finish. This may be even more complete than the very strong 1999 version, which in late September was penetrating, youthful and tightly wound. 93 points    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic On Sale: Gaja Cabernet... by HondaJohn

  
  

• February 2009

  On sale at WinesTilSoldOut.com ... great wine at a great price if you can afford $100+ bottles of wine. Angelo Gaja Nebbiolo Conteisa Langhe 2001 Free Shipping! Original: $239.99 Yesterday's Best Web: $167.50 (including cost of shipping*) Our Price: $119.99

  Forum post in the topic On Sale: 2001 Gaja Conteisa by HondaJohn

  
  
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  November 2008

  Angelo Gaja Ca'Marcanda Magari 2003

  Snoothrank: Starting at $49^.99

  No written review

  Wine review by tulaw

  
  

• August 2008

  I am about one week away from dedicating three months of my life (ten to twelve hour days, seven days a week) to the 2008 Harvest.  My hope in my future Snooth posts is to impart some of what is going on, in words and pictures, during harvest to relay some insight to the 'crush.' ... Read moreI am about one week away from dedicating three months of my life (ten to twelve hour days, seven days a week) to the 2008 Harvest.  My hope in my future Snooth posts is to impart some of what is going on, in words and pictures, during harvest to relay some insight to the 'crush.'  My first thoughts on harvest are - we don't crush anything!  The word 'crush' in relation to winemaking is one of my wine word pet-peeves.  To 'crush' something connotes an act of violence which pulverizes and destroys the entity.  To paraphrase the great Angelo Gaja, anyone can make wine, but only a few can make an elegant wine. So, here and in the future, I promise not to use the word 'crush,' again.  (And I hope you don't either.) Although our neighbors have been, we haven't harvested any fruit yet.  Sauvignon Blanc is hanging in the wings with a decision to be made by the time you read these words.  So, to begin the begin, I will give you a short back story to the current vintage year.  But first, I must say that there has been a great deal of hype on the effects of climate change on wine grape growers.  A conference as part of the World Meeting on Climate Change and Wine took place in Sonoma last week.  Sadly, I was unable to attend, but after reading the news reports and the research posted online, the one thing we can deduce for certain is that we don't have the empirical data to prove anything at the moment.  Earlier this year, the Napa Valley Vintners Association released a statement regarding the issues surrounding the climate threat.  It reads, "The headlines are frightening and frequent and suggest Napa Valley is [being] singled out as the winegrowing region at risk due to global warming."  Napa vintners are not trying to pass the buck on the issue, but the reality is that Napa's brand name speaks volumes more than the actual amount of wine produced in the State of California - Napa produces just 4% of all wine from California.  The debate will continue on, for the good of all of us, but thankfully beneath the sheen of travel and tourism and commercial cult wines, the vast amount of Napa wine growers are fiercely loyal to preserving their agricultural wherewithal and those who aren't have the money to help plot out the 'road map' to deal with climatic changes to protect their investments. So, what's going on?  What follows is a short history of the roller-coaster ride that Mother Nature, dressed as Al Gore, has been driving the last couple of years in Napa. 2004.  After a cool start to the year, an oppressively hot summer produced a small crop of tight, ripe berries and high-octane wines that received critical acclaim for power and structure.  Most Napa wines from 2004 are still unapproachable in my opinion. 2005.  A long, cool, growing season with record rainfall allowed slow, balanced maturation of grape clusters that produced elegant, nuanced wines that have been drinking decidedly well since release last year. 2006.  Rainfall returned to normal levels, a heat spike in July and temperature drop off during the picking months of September and October left the grapes hanging on the vines a little longer than anticipated causing the creation of intense, concentrated wines with firm, gripping tannins.  Most 2006 wines have just been bottled and their outlook is age-worthy.  Age-worthy being the term for 'look out for youthful tannins attacking your palate.' 2007. Drought conditions, warmer than average Spring temperatures and a massive heat wave in August threatened the quality of the vintage.  The above factors restricted yields, not necessarily a bad thing, and when cooler temperatures returned during the harvest months, patient wine growers saw grape clusters re-hydrate and come into balance.  From the start of harvest, the quality of the '07 wines have been considered exceptional.  The wines are showing intensity offset with elegance; concentration with complexity, power with refinement.  A knock-out vintage. 2008.  Drought conditions continued into Winter '08; combined rainfall from the past two years does not even equal the average level of rainfall reached in 2006.  Spring weather has been the coldest in thirty-plus years with a month-long frost that reeked havoc with grape growers.  Consecutive months, starting in May, saw freakish heat spikes during a relatively cool summer.  Vineyards that weren't hit hard with frost are seeing variable cluster growth and maturation and yields lower than the previous year.  It is too early to forecast the quality of the vintage year because everyone who has been managing vineyards in the Valley for the prior decades have seen nothing like it.  So, stay tuned and I can hopefully share some insights as we move forward with this year's harvest. Dan Petroski is Assistant Winemaker at Larkmead Vineyards in Napa Valley. Dan has an MBA from New York University and worked as an Ad Exec in New York for several years, before switching it up and trading his suit for a move out west.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Harvest 2008 by Dan

  
  

• April 2008

  1) Brunello is to Sangiovese as Ottavianello is to what? Brunello is a local name for the Sangiovese grape and Ottavianello is the Puglian name for Cinsault. http://www.snooth.com/wine/accademia-dei-racemi-torre-guaceto-dedalo-2002 Hey - Snooth got it right (type Ottavianello into... Read more1) Brunello is to Sangiovese as Ottavianello is to what? Brunello is a local name for the Sangiovese grape and Ottavianello is the Puglian name for Cinsault. http://www.snooth.com/wine/accademia-dei-racemi-torre-guaceto-dedalo-2002 Hey - Snooth got it right (type Ottavianello into the search box). No points to anyone else... although Dan was on the right track. 2) List three substantive differences (viticulture, vinification, terroir, grape varieties, maturation, terroir, food pairing, etc.) between a Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso and a Recioto Classico della Valpolicella. Anything and everything relating to Valpolicella naming is dastardly complex. I put it in the quiz so that I wouldn't forget what I learned in Italy! Valpolicella is northern Italy's great red blend of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. If a wine comes from the oldest (and "finest") part of the Valpolicella area, designated the Classico zone, it can be called Valpolicella Classico. If it doesn't, it can't. Similarly, if it has sufficient alcohol level, a year's aging and a more specific blend of grapes, any Valpolicella can be labelled a Valpolicella Superiore. These 2 attributes are like on and off switches. They can both be on, both be off, or anything in between. Following so far? An old tradition in this part of the Veneto, is to select the best bunches of grapes before harvest and dry them for ~4 months on wicker mats (or in special drying rooms) to concentrate the flavors. These grapes (almost raisins by now) are then pressed and fermented. The resulting wine is sweet because not all of the sugar is turned into alcohol during fermentation. But, seriously, how much of a market is there today for red dessert wine? This is where Amarone comes in. A relatively recent creation, (notice that it isn't a DOCG), Amarone della Valpolicella is incredibly popular. It is a fully dry Recioto made either from less dried grapes or a fuller fermentation. You get the same wonderful flavor compounds from the drying process, but you also get at least 14% alcohol and dry wine. Still awake? What is a Ripasso then? If you thought the Veronese were cunning to develop Amarone, a Valpolicella that can sell for $50 to $100 a bottle, this might be their greatest coup yet! In this method, the Valpolicella wine passes over or is even fermented with the skins and lees left over from the Amarone and Recioto wines adding richness character and body. So, for slightly more than a regular Valpolicella, the consumer can get a wine substantially improved by its expsoure to Amarone byproduct - yum! So to return to the matter at hand, we had two different wines. The first is Superiore and the second is not. The second is from the Classico region, but the first is not. The first has undergone the Ripasso process. The second was made with dried grapes; the second is also sweet. Philip 2/3 point (straw mats and food pairing), Dan 2/3 point (2ndary and sweet wine) 3) The modern Italian language descends from the Renaissance Florentine of Dante, Petarch and Boccaccio and is an official language in Switzerland, the Vatican, and Croatia, as well as in Italy. However, there are still 2 regions of Italy where the majority of winemakers have another native tongue. What are they? Italy has 20 regions (think US states). 5 of them have a special degree of autonomy and (at least) 2 of them still have other languages spoken by a majority of their wine producers: Valle d'Aosta and Trentino-Alto Adige. Aosta is nestled into the western Alps north of Turin and still has a large Francophone community as well as some speakers of an ancient German mountain dialect. Similarly, Trentino-Alto Adige or the Sudtirol was a part of the Austrian empire until 1919. In the northern part, Alto Adige, German is still the most common language. 1/2 point for Mark, 1/4 point to Honda, 4) I was born the same year that Italy invaded British Somaliland, Egypt and Greece. I finished my enology degree the same year that Fellini released La Dolce Vita. While Ferrari and Niki Lauda were wrapping up the 1975 Formula 1 championship, I adopted a new technique that soon spread across Italy. I have degrees in economics and enology and am a firm believer in the single-vineyard wines. The French call me le roi _____, and, oddly enough, I've been called "the biggest name in Italian wine." I have won Tre Bicchieri, the highest award from Gambero Rosso countless times. In fact I've won it in 3 different appellations, not that they really matter much. Who am I? Yes, this is Angelo Gaja of Barbaresco. His technique was aging in small oak barrels, his name is small (4 letters), and he has won Tre Bicchieri for his wines made in Barolo, Barbaresco and Tuscany. Honda gets 1 point (for not-not guessing) and Dan gets 1 point. 5) One of the following facts about Chianti is false. Which one? -The principal grape is Sangiovese. -Regulations handed down by Italy's infamous Iron Baron, mandated the inclusion of white grapes in the wine. -It traditionally came in a bottle called a fiasco. -It used to be spelled Kiantis. -There is no difference in the aging of Chianti and Chianti Classico. -The Via Appia (Anicent Rome’s Appian way) runs through the heart of the region connecting Florence and Siena -Recently, most of the vineyards had to be replanted with new, better clones of Sangiovese. -The Gallo Nero (black rooster), the longtime symbol of Chianti Classico, led to a lawsuit with the California's own Gallo winery. -The Chianti wine region was originally created by a Medici prince. -Colli Senesi, Colli Fiorentini, and Colli Pisane are subdistricts that are rarely seen in the US. The Appian Way is in southern Italy. Amazingly enough, a crappy clone of Sangiovese was planted throughout Chianti and had to be replaced in the 1990s in most of the region, the wines most certainly did (and still do) come in a fiasco (http://www.snooth.com/wine/paolo-toscano-chianti-fiasco-1998), for Classico see Valpolicella above (it is basically the same concept), and it really was called Kiantis. 0 points to all Bonus Question Many of the classic French wine grapes (Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, etc) have enjoyed great success around the world. In fact, these varieties account for a majority of the wine available in the US. Italy's classic wine grapes have not travelled nearly as well. However, there are some notable exceptions. What is the most popular "Italian grape" in California? What about Argentina? Wow, everyone got off track here. The most popular "Italian grape" planted in California is Primitivo, or as the locals call it, Zinfandel! In Argentina, it is the unremarkable Bonarda. Congrats to Dan for winning and a big FAIL to Philip and Mark for being bested by their own website. Dan 1 2/3 points Honda 1 1/4 point Snooth 1 point Philip 2/3 point Mark 1/2 point The Dummies quiz is in the works. You guys have to venture guesses more often. Look what it did for HondaJohn!    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Riddle me this by RBoulanger

  
  

• April 2008

  Well thought out post and tough questions (Master Sommelier/Master of Wine tough). I'll give it a shot.... 1) Ottavianello is to Primitivo 2) Stealing your grammatical exercise from #1: Ripasso is to Beaujolais + secondary (soak) fermentation; Recioto is to Sweet (Straw) wine 3) I... Read moreWell thought out post and tough questions (Master Sommelier/Master of Wine tough). I'll give it a shot.... 1) Ottavianello is to Primitivo 2) Stealing your grammatical exercise from #1: Ripasso is to Beaujolais + secondary (soak) fermentation; Recioto is to Sweet (Straw) wine 3) I don't know. 4) Angelo Gaja 5) It used to be spelled Kiantis. Bonus: California = Pinot Grigio; Argentina = ??    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Riddle me this by danpetroski

  
  

• April 2008

  I admit to being totally clueless about Italian wine when it goes beyond common knowledge. Sooo ... I'll be guessing at most of these and _in some cases_ using whatever resources I have available to me. 1) I"m going to guess Sicily ... but it is probably a less known southern... Read moreI admit to being totally clueless about Italian wine when it goes beyond common knowledge. Sooo ... I'll be guessing at most of these and _in some cases_ using whatever resources I have available to me. 1) I"m going to guess Sicily ... but it is probably a less known southern eastern region. 2) I'm going with vinfinication, terror and time of harvest. 3) I'm going with French and the regions of Piemonte that border France. 4) No clue ... not even going guess. @Mark ... is the person you thinking of Angelo Gaja? 5) If memory serves me correctly there is a difference between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Doesn't Chianti Classico have to be 100% Sangiovese? Bonus: Italian grape in US: I'm going with Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio Argentina: I"m going to guess Sangiovese ... I see more and more of that in Cali (along with Tempranillo) Okay ... didn't use any aids ... just guessed. :-) 3)    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Riddle me this by HondaJohn

  
  

• March 2008

  The qualitative assessment of Brunello di Montalcino 2003, assigned by the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, was fixed at 4 stars, meaning an "excellent year". The maximum would have been 5 stars (given in 2004, 2006 and 2007). For reference, 2002 earned two stars. At the... Read moreThe qualitative assessment of Brunello di Montalcino 2003, assigned by the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, was fixed at 4 stars, meaning an "excellent year". The maximum would have been 5 stars (given in 2004, 2006 and 2007). For reference, 2002 earned two stars. At the special event "Welcome Brunello 2003" two weekends ago in Montalcino, I was able to enjoy a forty wines blind tasting, all those selected were among the "traditional" Brunello style: the one we usually refer to in Italy as aged in big casks, and consistent with local traditional style, but one that is not so well known abroad. Dear Snoothers: for me, your reporter at that event, the hot-&-toasted 2003 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino was a disappointment. Period. Jancis Robinson, the famous british wine writer, had anticipated it thusly: Brunello's lovers, hurry to buy vintage 2001 and earlier, because for at least two years (2002 and 2003) will be better to be very selective in your buyings. Well, Jancis, you got it right. You can think whatever you want, but we must each be very selective in the purchases of this Brunello's vintage. Here are the five wines that I rated the highest at the event: * Claudia Ferrero, Pascena - S.Angelo in Colle (SI) Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003 Small winery, based at the most southern area of Montalcino, it produces 6,172 bottles of Brunello. Color with limited in garnet tones, very clean, it smells good, aromatically tasty and very rich. One of the best ever tasted there. Congratulations. Price estimated at approx. €20 at the cellar. * Lambardi, Canalicchio di Sotto - Montalcino (SI) Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003 Another family owned winery, with Maurizio Lambardi driving operations. Vigneron shy and reserved, he says only what it's needed, the rest it's done by his wines, all in line with the results I found last year with the 2002 vintage. Aged in big casks (rigorously no barrique), slightly garnet colored, with good and clean perfumes, nice integrity of the taste, it appeared beautifully nervous. Price estimated at approx. €18 at the cellar. * Lisini, La Chiusa - S.Angelo in Colle (SI) Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003 Here we are speaking of a very well known winery. Elina Lisini was co-founder of the Consorzio of Brunello di Montalcino and represents an important part of the history of this territory. The business success has been assured by his nephew, Lorenzo Lisini Baldi. Twenty hectares of vineyards are the production base of Lisini, located 10 km. south of Montalcino. Lisini's status was at the top of personal approval for this unfortunate vintage: 2003 Brunello made by Lisini finally has a beautiful color, "healthy", with purple tones, crisp and balanced taste, with balanced tannins. A safe purchase, with the price estimated at approx. €45-50 at the wineshop. * Franco Pacenti - Canalicchio, Canalicchio, Montalcino (SI) Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003 Vigneron neighbour of Lambardi, in the basin immediately north of Montalcino's village, known as Canalicchio. Il Brunello di Franco Pacenti ha gusto lungo e aromaticamente assai piacevole, con profumi pulitissimi. Franco Pacenti's Brunello tastes aromatically and long and very pleasant, with nice and clean fragrance. It seemed to me a little too concentrated and dark in color, the tribute to be paid to hot-&-toasted 2003 here in Tuscany and all around Italy. Price estimated at approx. €50-60 at the wineshop. * Giuseppe Gorelli - Tenuta Le Potazzine, Le Prata, Montalcino (SI) Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003 I got a suggestion from a reader and friend about the quality of this Brunello. And it jumped out of the blind tasting, all by itself. Slightly garnet in color, perfumes correct and clean, finally we got some beautiful balance and elegance in taste. Compliments to Mr. Gorelli, nice work and results. Price estimated at approx. €40 at the cellar. Mentions of honor for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003 Il Marroneto, Il Palazzone, Talenti, Uccelliera. [Giampiero Nadali is a marketing and interactive communications expert and author of the Italian wine blog, Aristide, where he writes about wine with an outsider and consumer-devoted approach.]    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Welcome Brunello 2003 by Giampiero

  
  

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