Finds

Wines & spirits 2006

Italy
Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico 2001 Chianti Classico DOCG, Barone Ricasoli
Quoting Baron Ricasoli, the wine should be understated. It is true about Castello di Brolio which makes you sit down and listen.

Batar 2004 Toscana IGT, Agricola Querciabella
Allusion to the great Burgundy vineyard is not incidental. The wine made in the centre of Tuscany from equal parts of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, exudes luxury which is rarely found outside the French Grands Crus.

Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2003 Bolgheri DOC, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia
Second vin of the famous supertuscan estate in Bolgheri, but deserves a category of its own. A Bordeaux blend with intense flavours of wild berries, good structure and velvety finish.

Veneroso 2003 Toscana IGT, Tenuta di Ghizzano
Sangiovese and Cabernet. Slightly developed on the nose, red fruit dominate. Fresh, easy drinking, good acidity, ripe fruit, chocolate, spices. Finish with lovely tannins, chocolate and black fruit.

Melograno Rosso 2004 Toscana IGT, Podere Concori
Complex blend of Bordeaux and other red varieties. Refined Cabernet aromas. Palate remids of a noble Bordeaux wine — refreshing with cedar flavours, good structure, finish with sweet fruit. Multidimensional, serious wine

La Regola 2003 Toscana IGT, Podere La Regola
Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Merlot. Clear ruby colour. Wide, perfumed fruity nose. Easy drinking, fresh. Excellent structure, nuances. Only fruit, also spices, without chocolate notes. Excellent, velvety, serious finish.

Radaia 2001 Maremma Toscana IGT, Tenuta La Parrina
Pure Merlot. Amazing plum nose. Clean flavours, fruit and chocolate, fine. A complex wine with great volume in finish.

Tenuta Belguardo 2003 Maremma Toscana IGT, Tenuta Belguardo Marchesi Mazzei
Sweet vanilla, but not obvious, wide aromas. Modern taste — ideal balance, approachable, nice fruit and structure, chocolate. Finish with grippy tannins, persisent, deep.

Poggio Bestiale 2004 Maremma Toscana IGT, Fattoria di Magliano
An interesting label. Wide, ripe fruit aromas. Easy drinking, fresh cedar, sweet fruit, good structure. Modern style. Deep, powerful finish.

Poggio al Lupo 2004 Maremma Toscana IGT, Tenuta Sette Ponti
Wide aromas, tickly spices. Fresh, deep, not overly concentrated. Bright fruit, velute tannins. Slightly chewy finish, chocolate.

Doren (2002) Vino da Tavola, Eugenio Rosi
Unconventional dessert Marzemino wine. Sweet blackberry aromas. Expectations of a heavy wine don’t come true. Not much sweetness, fresh, blackberries — fresh and jam, fresh lovely finish.

Guilio Ferrari 1995 Trento DOC metodo classico, Ferrari
Breeze of freshness, fine creme brulee notes. Lively flavours, sweet fruit, hazelnuts. Integrated acidity, complex, exxceptionally fresh.

Cavit Altemasi Graal Riserva 1997 Trento DOC metodo classico, Cavit
A sparkling wine based on champagne technology. Spent 8 years on lees. Soft foam, full, lengthy, melted flavours. A pleasure to drink, with minerality in the end.

Vallarom Syrah 2003 Vallagarina IGT, Vallarom
Unexpected find from Trentino. A serious Syrah. Supple, appealing, depth, spice, blackberries and approachable. A lovely aftertaste.

Castel Noarna Salvanel 2004 Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, Castel Noarna
Blend of several white varieties. A complex wine with many sides of flavours. Spicy, honeyed, meadows, persistent finish.

Endrizzi Riserva Maso Camorz 2003 Teroldego rotaliano DOC, Endrizzi
Teroldego, a flagship local grape of Trentino. Supple, well drinking, many red fruit and blackberry, spices, good structure. Soft, lingering finish.

Tenuta di Valgiano 2004 Colline Lucchesi DOC, Tenuta di Valgiano
Biodynamic producer in Lucca province. Velvety tannins. Balanced palate, fresh, ripe fruit, soft spice, gentle but strong. A gentle finish.

Capezzana Trebbiano 2002 Toscana IGT, Capezzana
One of the very few outstanding white Tuscan wines, especially of low-profile Trebbiano grape. Wide aromas, alpine meadows. Deep, complex palate. Sweet honey and spice. Full, powerful finish. An excellent wine.

Montepeloso Nardo 2004 Toscana IGT, Montepeloso
Brilliant producer. Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Core of black fruit with iodine character. Palate combines juicy cherries, black and red berries, a very complex mix. Full finish, chocolate and coffee in the end.

Badia a Passignano 2001 Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Marchesi Antinori
Masculine, fundamental wine with elegance. Impressive.

Argentiera 2003 Bogheri Superiore DOC, Argentiera
New project in Bolgheri with involvement of Piero Antinori and Stephane Derenoncourt. A Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Unusually fresh for a hot 2003, with vertical structure and spice. Velvety tannins. Beautiful elegance, finishes on chocolate.

San Leonardo 2001 Trentino, San Leonardo
Bordeaux blend from Trentino. Frensh, rounded nose. Elegant palate, everything in balance, soft spice. Deep finish with sweet fruit. A harmonious wine.

Parusso Barolo Bussia 2003 Barolo DOCG, Parusso
Beautiful wine, clean aromas, strawberry, fine, multilayered, at present spice too strong, but will soften with time. Wine with Burgundian sensuality.

Masciarelli Villa Gemma 2001 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Masciarelli
Fresh nose. Fresh palate of clean fruit, no hint of development, soft spice, deep, yet approachable. Good velvety tannins. An appealing wine. Bright persistent finish wih some smokiness.

Collezione de Marchi Syrah 2000 Toscana IGT, Isole e Olena
Paolo de Marchi from Chianti Classico has a collection of ’foreign’ varieties. Syrah with gamey nose, needs decanting. Fruit on the palate, full, ripe, spicy. Finishes on spice, fruit and some coffee and chocolate. A long wine.

Podere 414 Morellino di Scansano 2004 Toscana IGT, Podere 414
Small but promising producer at the Tuscan coast. Very wide, intense aromas. Lifted flavours, with depth. Fantastic tannins. Velvety wine. Deep, strong finish.

Silvio Jermann Vintage Tunina 2004 Friuli, Silvio Jermann
Very complex deep nose. Elegant palate, fresh, complex. Full finish, fruit, honey, with a slight appealing bitterness. A superb white wine.

Donnafugata Mille e una Notte 2003 Sicilia IGT, Donnafugata
Nero d’Avola grapes. Fine aromas, very well balanced, elegant, slightly burning spices. An attractive wine. Pronounced finish.

Feudo Montoni Vrucara Nero d’Avola 2003 Sicilia IGT, Feudo Montoni
Intense colour, but not black. Fine aromas, restrained, elegant, calm. Reminds of Pinot Noir in sensuality. Good balance. Long tannins, persistent finish.

Luce 1999 Toscana IGT, Tenuta di Luce
A supertuscan from Montalcino vineyards. Equal parts of Sangiovese and Merlot. A powerful wine reflecting hot summer, with light smokey and mushroomy aromas and very concentrated fruit.

Fanti San Filippo Brunello di Montalcino 2001 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Fanti
Evolved colour. A fine wine with subtle nose. A rounded palate, all in ideal harmony. Some dried fruit, ripe plum. Deep, exciting, complex, layered.

La Fuga Brunello di Montalcino 2001 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, La Fuga
A gastronomic brunello from Ambroggio Folonari. Makes you think about the character of wine.

Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino 2001 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Siro Pacenti
Modern school of Brunello winemaking. Light nose. Very fresh palate, lifted, tannins perhaps too powerful for such a gentle wine. Very balanced — fruit melted with wood.

Vigna d’Alfiera Nobile di Montepulciano 2003 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Tenuta Valdipiata
Single vineyard with 30-year-old vines. Violets in the nose. Elegant, terroir driven, new wood felt in the finish, but the wine is too young.

Avignonesi Nobile de Montepulciano 2003 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Avignonesi
Aromas of tobacco rather than fresh fruit. Fresh palate. Drinking well now, but will also keep. Soft, well balanced, some sweet marmalade tones. Deep, exciting finish.

Terrabianca Chianti Classico Riserva Croce 2003 Chianti Classico DOCG, Terrabianca
Common feature of Terrabianca wines is ideal fruit ripeness that attracts immediately.

San Leonino Chianti Classico San Leonino 2004 Chianti Classico DOCG, Tenimenti Angelini
Unmistakable Chianti, classic example.

Casina di Cornia Chianti Classico 2004 Chianti Classico DOCG, Casina di Cornia
Barrel sample. Nose closed. Palate of cherries and sweet red fuit. Bright, yet soft spices. An appealing wine.

Machiavelli Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna de Fontalle 2001 Chianti Classico DOCG, GIV
Supple, elegant, well balanced, very long, complex, exciting. Built on nuances.

Spain
Cesar Principe 2001 Cigales DO, Cesar Principe
Tempranillo from 50-year-old vines. Grainy tannins, embodiment of elegance. Finsh with volume and sensuality.

Abadia de Acon Tardum 2004 Ribera del Duero DO, Abadia de Acon
New winery in Ribera with winegrowing tradition. Aromas with charred tones. Intense palate, black fruit, complex. silky, good tannic grip. Finish in crescendo, lots of volume, excellent. Superb wine.

Vina Sastre Pago de Santa Cruz 2001 Ribera del Duero DO, Hermanos Sastre
Fresh, balanced, weighty. Velvety finish. A wine that reflects Ribera’s spirit.

Piedra Paredinas 2000 Toro DO, Estancia Piedra
From hundred-year-old Tempranillo vines. 22 months in French barriques. Savoury, fresh, beautifully structured, nice spice, amazing deep finish.

France
Clarendelle White 2004 Bordeaux AOC, Clarence Dillon Wines
New Clarendelle brand (red, white, rose plus dessert Amberwine) from owners of Chateau Haut Brion. A good choice for those who what quality Bordeaux at reasonable price.

Alphonse Mellot Pinot Noir Generation XIX 2004 Sancerre AOC, Alphonse Mellot
Alphonse Mellot works in Sancerre not only with Sauvignon Blanc, but Pinot Noir as well. Fine aromas, excellent acidity. Inner depth, wonderful mineral finish.

Huet Cuvee Constance 2005 Vouvray AOC, Domaine Huet
Domaine Huet makes all versions of Chenin Blanc — from dry to sweet. Rare sweet Cuvee Constance comes only in outstanding years like 1995 and 1989. The nose is not fully formed. The palate is incredibly concentrated, yet very fresh, like a gulp of fresh Alpine air. Never ends

Le "L" d’Or de Pierre Luneau 2004 Muscadet Sevre et Maine AOC, Domaines Pierre Luneau-Papin
A brilliant Muscadet producer whose wines can evolve for decades. The latest released vintage, still very expressive, but will develop in a harmonious wine.

Austria
Polz Sauvignon Blanc Hochgrassnitzberg 2004 Styria, E & W Polz
The wine performed well at a recent international comparative Sauvignon Blanc tasting. Complex, fine aromas with notes of honey. Elegant palate with depth and complexity, good acidity. Mineral finish, long and noble.

Velich Tiglat 2004 Burgenland, Roland Velich
Last year Ronald Velich impressed with his Blaufrankisch, this year — with Chardonnay. Single vineyard. Barrel sample, closed nose. A grand cru level from Burgenland — with great weight and cream and hazelnuts.

Prager Gruner Veltliner Achleiten Smaragd 2005 Wachau, Prager
Achleiten vineyards produces equally smashing Gruner Veltliner and Riesling. A young wine with undeveloped aromas. Flavours of minerals, not heavy. Finish with a hint of honey, bright spices.

Franz Pichler Chardonnay BA 2000 Wachau, Franz Pichler
A superb example of sweet Chardonnay beerenauslese. The wine spent 12 months in French barriques. Intense, with incredibly full finish.