From one of the best Co-Ops making wine anywhere in the world, this is their base level Barbaresco. And, as they seem to do a few times every decade, they nailed it in 2016. Ruby in color, clear and bright. The nose is great with cherries, spices, forest floor and slight mint. On the palate, this has a lovely lush texture.
This is a wine from Campania in south/central Italy. It is made 100% from Aglianico grapes. Deep purple in color, opaque and bright. There is a lot of Brettanomyces yeast on the nose giving it a heavy barnyard scent. This will often be different in different bottles, but given the level in the bottle I had, it will be problematic for some. I am relatively tolerant of the scent but it made it difficult to get anything else on the nose. Luckily, it was a bit cleaner on the palate. Black cherry fruit of an earthiness. Nice texture. Good acidity. Moderate finish. This will work bette
What a great vintage 2016 ha turned out to be for Chianti in general and this one in particular. Not the cheapest Chianti, but this is outstanding. Deep ruby/purple in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is great with cherries, black cherries, sandalwood and tea leaves. Medium bodied. Great balance. Lovely acidity. Spry. On the palate, lots of lush black cherry fruit with underlying forest floor. Clean. Deep. Long finish. This will continue to mature for another five to eight years and drink well for a decade after that. A nice match for pasts of all kinds.
This showed well despite its youthfulness but its best days are certainly ahead. A blend of 85 % Cabernet Sauvignon 15 % Cabernet Franc. Inky purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose has cassis, cedar, and spice. On the palate, plenty of cassis fruit. Very firm tannins. Lots of depth but its hard to see the bottom. Tight but does show a lot of fruit with a very nice texture. It is delicious today but would recommend 8 hours of air if opening. This should continue to mature and improve over the next decade or more and drink well for ten to fifteen more after that. Right now it
There are so many truly great values in 2015/2016 Chiant's that this one was a bit disappointing. That is a bit harsh, as this is an excellent wine. But for the price and pedigree, more was expected (which is perhaps a bit unfair). Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has cherries, slight coffee and a bit of forest floor. Medium bodied. On the palate, ripe fruit. Not the level of acidity that I come to expect in chianti, but some. Light tannins. Cherry fruit with underlying dust and earthiness. Good finish. Perhaps this is a bit shut down at this p
Another "lesser" wine from Bussola. And yes, while his Amarone's are amazing, they are also pricey. This Valpolicella is much more affordable and even in a poor vintage like 2014, he made great wine. This is a blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara and other grapes. Fifty percent of the grapes for this wine are harvested in September and are dried for 3 months.
Dal Forno makes some of the best Amarone. Unfortunately, the price is prohibitive. That said, his Valpolicella's are better than most Amarone and while expensive, they can be worth doing. This one certainly was. So much better than a bottle tasted five years ago that was tight, oaked and unforgiving. This bottle has really started to show a glimpse of its best. Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, slight vanilla, cloves and leather. Full bodied. On the palate, this has up front black cherry fruit with underlying spice and dried
This is drinking well right now. Deep ruby in color. The nose has black cherries, plums, roasted meats and slight tar. Medium bodied. On the palate, the black cherries come thru with an underlying charred meat quality. Good acidity. Nice structure. Light tannins. The finish is moderate. This probably should be consumed in the next five years or so. It works better with food. A nice mushroom pasta dish would be a good choice.
So, are you feeling lucky? That phrase goes thru my head every time I think about buying a natural wine. But, Radikon is one of the top producers and his Merlots have been amazing. This one is 75% Merlot and 25% Pignolo aged on its skins for 15 day and in oak for 3 years without much intervention. I just hope the kitchen sink enjoyed it as i poured it down the drain! Consumed over three days, just to punish myself. Purple in color, opaque and flat. The nose was a cross been a failed high school science experiment and the back room of a butcher shop. The palate was much more chemical
Always an outstanding wine and a great value and that is true in this challenging vintage. It is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright. The nose is great with black currants, black cherries, slight chocolate and char. Medium to full bodied. A nice streak of acidity keeps it lively. The fruit carries thru to the palate. Medium tannins. Deep if tight right now. Good finish. This needs a few more years to really open up (or a few hours decant) and should drink well for ten to twelve after t
