white
12/02 1988 Quintarelli Amarone Della Valpolicella, Recioto
Medium ruby color with a tinge of orange on the rim. This Quintarelli shows a soft and bittersweet, multi-layered flavor profile of chocolate and dried prunes with some roasted nuttiness on the expansive finish. There is just enough sweetness to enhance the fantastic Amarone flavors and it is a toss up whether I prefer smelling or drinking this wine…well almost. This was my last bottle of Recioto style of Amarone from the 1980s. Anybody want to trade? (Roy Hersh, USA)
12/02 Russiz Superiore 2000 - Collio DOC - c£15 (US$23)
100% Pinot Grigio, this is not a cheap and cheerful restaurant version but a well made wine. Light lemon, the nose reminds me of sherbet sweets and freshly cut lemon and lime. It tastes medium bodied, surprisingly low acidity, ripe and fat with a good length on the finish. Enjoyed by me and all the others who tried it, hence 86/100. (Nicos Neocleous, UK)
12/02 Planeta 2000 Cometa (Sicily) - c£15 (US$23)
100% chardonnay (14.5% alcohol) from this modern, prize winning winery. A bright golden yellow, it smells of lemon, new oak and pineapple. A rich, slightly sweet mouthfeel, a citrus feel to it and a moderately good finish with a dash of alcohol coming through. I feel that this wine has some similarities to a village Mersault and I would drink this within the next 2 years. 88/100. (Nicos Neocleous, UK)
11/02 Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta Brut
Good soft fruity nose with notes of pear and prune, good definition of flavours. Juicy apple in mouth. Slightly buttery Pinot Bianco touches, palate a bit less precise but still above average. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta Brut 1998
This was shown on preview. Base wine matures in oak pièces here. Good liqueury nose with hints of honey and wax, shows proper ageing on the lees. Pleasant in mouth, more complex than the above, with the elegant butteriness less obtrusive. A very good wine. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta Brut 1997
As good as the above with a slight shift in aromatics: still honeyed but with some pain grillé now, reductive on the nose and a bit foody on the palate but manages to finish fresh. Perhaps a bit less finesse than the truly very convincing 1998. Round but the acidity is good. Both vintage wines very easily and immediately appealing. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta Satèn 1997
Golden colour, fine perlage. Mild vegetal start to the nose, vague but elegant; then denser and broader on the palate probably due to the higher Pinot Bianco content. Textured, slightly cooked perhaps from mid-palate on. Blurred finish and hence a bit less convincing. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta Dosage Zéro 1997
Muted nose, some biscuit and prunes, gingerbread? A certain aromatic similarity to 1995 Champagnes. Bitter-vegetabley in mouth, as usually with low-dosage fizz, but surely not obtrusive in this case. Somehow all of these seem to lack the simple charm of the basic Brut. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Ca' del Bosco Franciacorta Rosé 1997
Very light brass colour. Good buttery nose with freshness of pear fruit, some vegetality as of unripe lemon and vegetables in mouth. Tasty but the least exciting of the spumanti here. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Ca' del Bosco Terre di Franciacorta Cortefranca 2001
From tank. Medium golden in the glass. The nose is quite vegetal and liqueury, predictable within the DOC, with some density though manages to avoide fatness. Round, with a short moment of intensity. Pleasant and well-made but that's it. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Ca' del Bosco Terre di Franciacorta Millenovecentonovantanove 1999
100% Chardonnay. Liqueury and elegant nose, not oaky, if slightly pungent-herbal. Pleasant but seems to lack some filling. But round and quite charming. Good length, the finish showing more bitter notes to the oak. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Ca' del Bosco Elfo 11 VdT 2001
Mainly Sauvignon with some Erbamata and other local grapes; from a higher-located vineyard outside the main estate nucleus. This is a Sauvignon version of the above liqueury vegetality; but has an added dimension especially in the texture. Pleasant in mouth, the acidity is a bit better here. Mr Tondo says this is made with Loire in mind. To me it seemed more like a Mâcon in style but surely a good wine. Elegant and worldly. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Uberti Franciacorta Brut
75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Bianco, 10% Pinot Nero. Around 10 g/l r.s. Disgorged 2002 after 36 months sur lie. Very soft buttery nose, almost milky in fact, pleasant, quite champagney if not for a slightly aggressive animal touch. Good length. Soft-textured. Very successful. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Uberti Franciacorta Extra Brut
Around 5 g/l r.s., same blend as above, disgorged Jan 2002. Nice perlage, green shades to the colour. Good aromatic definition, showing a bit vegetal when tasted very cold; really quite pleasant, this is more intensely cooked-fruity and vegetal than the above and perhaps less charming for that. Denser texture and more vinosity showing however. Would show better with food; on its own seems a bit neutral despite the structure, and drinks less well than the Brut. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Uberti Terre di Franciacorta Bianco 2001
80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Bianco, aged in steel only. Soft but crisp, eminently Italian nose showing some butter in mouth, dense and rather vague but trying to be aggressive at times. Nothing very interesting but authoritative in its way. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Uberti Terre di Franciacorta Maria Medici 2000
A selection of the best Chardonnay grapes aged in steel only. Vegetal and vague, served too cold straight from the ice bucket; familiar boiled greens character but showing better and denser than the above. Reminds me of Verdicchio in a way. Pleasant. Has an edge. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Uberti Terre di Franciacorta Bianco dei Frati Priori 2000
Chardonnay aged for 4 months in barrique of which 1/3 new. This is more aggressively green on the nose with some oak apparent, juicy, almost spicy but always very green (is it unripeness of the oak?). Liqueury character. Puzzling and rather uninteresting today. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvée Brut
80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir. Slightly vegetal nose wiht some yeast to it, quite fresh and solid in texture, juicy in mouth, a bit below the very convincing basic NV wines from Uberti and Ca' del Bosco but quite good. Rather short and uncomplicated. Needs a bit more focus. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Bellavista Franciacorta Gran Cuvée Brut Rosé 1997
72% Chardonnay, 28% Pinot Noir. Not too dark in the glass, verging on orangey. Some beeswax on the nose but none of the expected honey, showing rather reductive. Pleasant in mouth but again rather short and not entirely fused IMO. Not much character and not a rosé at all. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Bellavista Franciacorta Gran Cuvée Satèn 1998
No vintage indication on the label; this is 100% Chardonnay. A bit fresher and greener in style than the two above, also sweeter-fruity as of pear, with a dry smokey residue. Soft but more structured, better length than the two above. Nothing great but this is more individual. Tasty for sure. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Bellavista Franciacorta Gran Cuvée Pas Opéré 1996
70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, this sees some wood but no dosage. Fresher on the nose, more freshly sliced pear character. Seems rather tight despite. On the palate shows a bit more oxidative, with a quince-reminiscent acidity, more old wood and honey. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Bellavista Franciacorta Gran Cuvée Rosé 1997
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay. A bit fresher on the nose again, especially after some airing; buttery notes mixed with tight and solid fruit. Very dense yet essentially soft in style, lacks a bit of definition and grip and the acidity seems a bit subdued. Tasty but still nothing earth-shaking. But this is more solid and better on the fruity-liqueur finish. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Bellavista Terre di Franciacorta Bianco 2001
From Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco. Bottled three weeks prior. Good juicy fruity-vegetal nose, good definition, mostly apple and celery aromas in a soft fruit context. Slightly foody perhaps. A cooked character on the palate but on the whole this seems a bit more convincing than the sparkling wines here. More substance to it for sure. Not too long but juicy and tasty for a basic wine. Very decent. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Bellavista Terre di Franciacorta Uccellanda 1999
From Chardonnay with 12 months in large oak barrels. Nose is quite liqueury with buttery overtones, the oak not too aggresive. Tasty fruit character, quite voluminous in mouth, quite long also, overall greenish-oaky in character with mild herbal tones. Well-made for sure and gives rare pleasure for an oaked Chardonnay. But perhaps lacks a bit of distinction. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Bellavista Terre di Franciacorta Convento della Santissima Annunciata 1998
A Chardonnay only aged in large botti grown at the eponymous convent and vinified by Bellavista. Showing mildly more reductive with liqueury hints, but airy and lighter / less barriquey than the above, with notes of honey and almonds which seem almost Chenin in style. Good on the palate, still rather aged-reductive but surely interesting and with personality. Not too long, a bit watery, nothing great but convincing on its own terms. As noble as Chardonnay gets in these circumstances. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Cooperativa Agricoltura di Riomaggiore Cinqueterre 2001
12% alc. From Bosco, Albarola and Vermentino. Fresh and interesting on the nose with some sandy-granitey minerality, rather soft but with a grip. A bit lean and neutral in mouth, with some organic scents similar to cat pee but difficult to pin down. Very soft, vegetal in register, lacks much character. Compared to the crus this is perhaps broader and fatter on the palate, not as linear, but holds up well. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Agricoltura di Riomaggiore Cinqueterre Costa de Campu de Manarola 2001
4,660 bottles produced of this cru. A bit denser on the nose with the same kind of sandy-dry impression to the nose; better texture in mouth though, quite vegetal but with sweeter (as if cooked) fruit. Has some mineral noblesse. Very fresh although not particularly acidic. Has more finesse and delicacy and is better than the above, if still rather evasive. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Agricoltura di Riomaggiore Cinqueterre Costa da Posa di Volastra 2001
8,530 bottles made. Again not much definition or grip to the nose, based on the same familiar elements; a bit more voluminous in mouth but still quite crisp; the main interest here is in the mineral texture. Verging on brothy in concentration but still rather cool in character. Acidity much in the background. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Agricoltura di Riomaggiore Cinqueterre Costa de Sera di Riomaggiore 2001
5,600 bottles made. This seems the ripest and densest of the crus here, almost soupy in extract and full-bodied on the palate, but aromatically again shows very evasive and un-expressive: bits of stone fruit liqueur, cooler in style than the Volastra above, herbier. By a small margin the most interesting of the crus here. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Forlini-Capellini Cinqueterre 2000
From roughly 8,000 vines of Bosco, Albarola and Vermentino, giving 6,950 bottles in this vintage. More expressive nose than any of the above, with dried herbs, sandy minerality and broth cube notes appearing; denser substance, warm, with hints of petrol after some time in the glass. A bit vague again in mouth, but a Riesling analogy does not seem out of place. Later notes of cabbage and caraway. This seemed to be cut above the co-op production above. Pleasant but nothing more. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Polenza Cinqueterre 2000
This is an oaked example. Fat and waxy nose wiht hints of baked bread crust, very foody-soupy but drinks pleasantly. Yet as neutral as the above. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Agricoltura di Riomaggiore Cinqueterre Sciacchetrà 1999
15% alc. From grapes dried for two months, aged in old oak. This is a vino da conversazione instead of the usual "da meditazione", says the Cinqueterre official at the stand. Dark gold verging on brown. Great nose of aged vinsanto with notes of controlled oxidation, leather, old wood, varnish; in mouth shows flavours of nuts and moderate sweetness much balanced by tangy, evolved character. A well-defined wine which could use a bit more definition. With time almond paste, some vanilla and dried fruit appear; the mouthfeel is perhaps excessively dry because of the varnish component. But very good for sure. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 N. Sassarini Cinqueterre Sciacchetrà 1998
More soupy-cooked edge to the fruit, less elegant and defined than the above; also a bit less complex. Sweet but lean and neutral in mouth, not really interesting. Varnish and cooked fruit throughout. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Colombiera Colli di Luni Vermentino 2001
Only aged in steel. Fresh, a bit lettucey in character, soft and juicy, with decent definition. A bit of aggressive animal character in mouth. A pleasant wine with some length. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Colombiera Colli di Luni Vermentino Celsus 2001
Tank sample. Aged for several months sur lie in steel tanks. This takes the lettucey Vermentino scents a notch higher in intensity, with dry sandy minerality appearing again. Juicy, with a moment of sur lie density at mid-palate. This is pleasant, reasonably precise and well-made, and recommendable. 3,500 bottles made as opposed to 30,000 of the normale. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Colombiera Colli di Luni Vermentino Celsus 2000
Less structured and shorter than the 2001, also seems to lack the latter's definition. Tasty, with good filling, although the vegetal notes are dangerously close to obtrusive in this case. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Colombiera Colli di Luni Poggialino 2000
50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in steel only. 5,000 bottles made. Colour is rather dense medium purple. This is showing quite mineral for a red, with ash and cigarette smoke. Not much character, light bitterness and tannins. Varietal but lacks charm. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Argiolas Nuragus di Cagliari S'Elegas 2001
Yellowish in the glass. Quite herbal and lettucey on the nose, then perhaps a bit dusty-lemony, pleasant, tasty and simple. Soft and quite long, very Mediterrenean in character. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna Costamolino 2001
Same saturated golden-yellow colour. This is a bit more cooked and vegetabley on the nose, still some pungent sulphury notes perhaps. But good intensity of fruit in mouth, mixing ripe aple and perhaps peach with cirsper gooseberry. Good. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Argiolas Argiolas IGT 2001
A blend of Vermentino with 10% Malvasia Rosa. Colour consistent with the two above. Dense on the nose, mild gravelly dustiness pointing to some sulphur extract; ripe melon, buttery pear, softer in mouth than the two above but a cut more intense; full-flavoured. Ripe and deep, this is truly very good. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Argiolas Sardegna IGT 2000
A new wine based on Vermentino aged in oak. Dark in the glass. Very buttery on the nose with a huge density of ripe fruit complementing the oak; balanced, not overoaked, with bits of whisky-like liqueuriness. Sweet and voluminous fruit in mouth. Very good. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Argiolas Angialis IGT 1999
A late harvest (only partially passito) wine from Nasco and Malvasia grapes. Dark lemony colour. Soft passito nose properly enlivened by lemon peel and sorbet notes; good acidity but essentially soft and vanilla-like on the palate from the minor amounts of barrique used. Does show some oak which blurs the expression at mid-palate, but with time in the glass integrates rather convincingly and some more concentrated syrupy scents of botrytis appear. Very fine. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Trexenta Vermentino di Sardegna Donna Leonora 2001
Medium golden colour. Nose is yeasty and herbal but not unclean, though a bit pungent perhaps; a note of cat pee. Good structure in mouth, a bit warm in profile but long. Tasty if a bit too charged. Convincing. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Trexenta Vermentino di Sardegna Tanca Sà Contissa 2001
This is a bit harder-mineral on the nose, less clean and fruity, perhaps a bit deeper and surely much riper than the above; pleasant, smooth on the palate, as long as the previous Vermentino. Two good Vermentinos in different styles: one rustic, one well-mannered. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Trexenta Nuragus di Cagliari Tenute San Mauro 2001
Soft, rather buttery (though no oak here), with familiar lettucey notes. This is sharper and edgier in mouth than the Vermentinos due to spiky acidity; pleasant, less long than the above but quite good. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Attilio Contini Vermentino di Serdegna 2001
Very mineral and gravelly nose with chemical (chlorine?) overtones; blows off after a while in the glass. Dense and fat, this has over 13% alc. Some sulphur showing. Rather traditional in a full-blown style but not dirty or unenjoyable in any way. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Attilio Contini Karmis IGT 2001
100% Vernaccia picked early, with a one-month passage in small casks to add roundness. This is another uncompromising traditional white with a green lettucey character, though softer on the palate than the Vermentino and seems to find some harmony in the glass. Better with food. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Attilio Contini Vernaccia di Oristano 1992
This is the Contini speciality and a unique wine to the zone of Oristano, made from the local strain of Vernaccia and aged for a long period in wood to resemble a sherry style. This saw 8 years in 600-liter oak and chestnut casks which are not entirely filled (like sherry soleras). Light amber colour. Starts with caramelly notes, rather sedate and soft unlike sherry to which I was ready to compare it; but interesting, harmoniously oxidised, with whiffs of almonds. Dry and nutty on the palate, though rather lean and not very concentrated (again by sherry standards). Good acidity, more walnuts on the finish. Pleasant though not particularly expressive. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Attilio Contini Vernaccia di Oristano Riserva 1983
8,600 bottles released. Light beige in the glass. This is more caramelly and vinsanto-like; has some complexity and notes of dried apricot and eggy custard intervene. Dry. But again too lean and watery on the palate, lacks character to really catch one's attention. All that despite an obvious elegance and length. There seems to be potential for greatness for this style of wine if more concentration can be achieved. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Cantina Sociale Santadi Vermentino di Sardegna Villa Solais 2001
Lots of stinky yeast, when this blows off a cool and juicy nose appears. Slightly sandy minerality on the palate, tasty but hardish. A bit too creamy-soft perhaps. But quite long. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Sociale Santadi Vermentino di Sardegna Cala Silente 2001
90% steel, 10% barrique. Not necessarily more character than the above, still quite soft but somehow lost the latter's attractive creamy texture. Rather vague. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Sociale Santadi Nuragus di Cagliari Pedraia 2001
Only steel. This is greener and more lettucey, mouth-drying probably from the sulphur, warmer in profile but with the recurrent thick texture of the two above. Too neutral in mouth, watery, and not showing much character. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Sociale Santadi Villa di Chiesa IGT 2001
Barrel sample of a blend of 60% Vermentino and 40% new French barrique-aged Chardonnay. Fat and oaky on the nose, pungent vegetality, rather muted and neutral when it comes to the fruit character. Anonymous and uninteresting. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Sociale Santadi Latinia IGT 2000
A late-harvest Nasco aged briefly in barrique; very famous since GR gave it 3 Bicchieri and awarded it "Best Sweet Wine of Italy" status. Medium amber to light beige in colour. Intense and focused nose of dried apricots mainly, almost reminiscent of apricot peel with some subsidiary orange notes. Medium sweetness in mouth, good elegance, minor wateriness on the finish. Juicy enough, highly drinkable but not very complex. A good wine but why Gambero Rosso think this is the best sweet wine in Italy? (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Salvatore Murana Gadí DOC Bianco di Pantelleria 2001
A dry wine of 100% Zibibbo (=Moscato). Dark golden in the glass. Nose of dried lemon peel with some Turkish delight, elegant, light and juicy; savoury in mouth, perhaps a bit too heftily Turkish delight-scented and too blunt in texture to be refreshing, but nice. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 S Murana E'Serre DOC Sicilia 2001
A dry wine of 100% Cattaratto. More organic and meaty-dirty than the above, less defined, soft and vague compared to the Gadí. Less interesting, organic, also less leafy and fresh than remembered from previous vintages. Quite foody and bitter in mouth, not so exciting. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 S Murana Moscato di Pantelleria Mueggen 2000
Lots of orangey marmalade and orange peel, quite concentrated and instantly captivating, also showing more definition and character than in previous vintages. Honeyed and syrupy, herbal-medicinal, yet with good fruit freshness; creamy texture in mouth, slightly bitter on finish, good length. Could use more definition and freshness, shows rather sedate in fact, but attractive. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 S Murana Moscato Passito di Pantelleria Khamma 1999
Amber-brown. This is much more towards a jammy concentration reminiscent of Kracher's lower TBA efforts; very candied and with a degree of bitterness as of roasted or smoked oranges. Buttery finish which seems a bit abrupt and easy. The smoked character is the wine's most distinctive part but the whole lacks a bit of definition on the finish. Only by a very small margin preferable to the Mueggen and hence not a particularly recommended QPR. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 S Murana Moscato Passito di Pantelleria Martingana 1998
This shows even darker, if at all possible in a Moscato, than the Khamma. Quite a lot of wood of a toasted, almost rotten character, evolving much into an aged Moscatel style of Jerez. Not the greatest Italian sweet wine, I thought, if still quite attractive and relatively harmonious, with a mellowness stemming from the wood ageing, but the finish again seems not too long. Not syrupy, with an elegance acquired during ageing. Very good, but not great. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Hauner Salina Bianco IGT 2001
Cattarratto and Inzolia. Vegetal-lettucey and slightly pungent nose, with some sulphur evident but not too unpleasant; juicy if watery on the palate, lacking character and not too interesting. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Hauner Malvasia delle Lipari 2000
95% Malvasia, 5% Corinto Nero vinified white, aged in oak, bottled recently. Light, not too dense colour. Good flowery if quite warm nose with hints of honey, wax and medicinal herbs, but with a restrained, mysterious elegance. Has individuality and character; the sweetness is broad and generous but there is a touch of finesse which is quite inimitable. Very good quality. Easy to see how distinctive the island style is and how worthy of preservation. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Hauner Malvasia delle Lipari Passito 2000
From grapes dried in boxes, 13.5% alc. Not much darker in colour than the above. Nose shows much vanilla pâtisserie character with stange medicinal notes again; fresh, candied and mulled orange, more concentrated than the normale but rather stable and integrated now, good elegance, again truly distinctive, if not very long in mouth. Does not seem so sweet at all. Warm character but juicy and almost watery in texture (which might be a stylistic intersection with Madeira Malvasia). (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Hauner Malvasia delle Lipari Passito 'Carlo Hauner' 1995
This is a riserva style aged in steel, with no less than 18% natural alcohol. Colour as above; nose is also quite similar and dominated by vanilla and biscuits; perhaps showing more orange notes and something reminiscent of mulled wine and roasted oranges. Pleasant but not necessarily better in mouth than the above wines; in fact tasting the three alongside it is the normale that shows more charm and freshness. Good acidity on finish but not very long. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Cottanera Garbazzale Bianco IGT 2001
100% Inzolia, aged sur lie in steel for 6 months. Stinky sulphury nose which for once seems quite correct; strange minerality backed by yeasty or bready character. Opens up in the glass. Pleasant if not too long, has structure and density, technically perfect, but lacks some character. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Planeta La Segreta Bianco IGT 2001
Quite dark. Very industrial-yeasty, lots of Sauvignon-like gooseberry. Juicy, sweet fruit in mouth, a pleasant food wine with no complication. Nice in its simplicity. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Planeta Alastro IGT 2001
50% Grecanico, 50% Chardonnay, aged in steel only. Sweeter perfumed, not as aggressively grapefruity and gooseberrish, pleasant, has more filling than the La Segreta, with good intensity on the finish despite the overall rather lean texture. Good acids. Very correct and pleasant wine. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Planeta Cometa IGT 2001
Barrel sample of a new 100% Fiano wine. Saturated clean gold. A bit of stink at first, more Italian in character than the above whites with the sweet pâtisserie scents, backed by some bitter herbs and a bit of of Fiano spiciness. Very pleasant to drink, long, juicy, sweet fruit, clearly an invented wine but by far the best white here and all in all quite impressive. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Planeta Chardonnay IGT 2000
I had to ask several times before being served a glass of this from under the counter. Stinky, toiletty and milky-oaky, with butter, beaten cream or ice-cream notes, yet quite cool in character and juicy in texture. Good acidity for an oaked Chardonnay, some vegetabley bottom notes but has some kind of balance. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Florio Grecale IGT 2001
A late-harvest Moscato wine. Very muscatey nose with overtones of Asti Spumante, orange flesh and white sugar, not much character here, slightly watery on the nose, diffused. Sweet but very soft, with flavours of vanilla and strawberry, as in children's milk drinks. No acidity, length rather poor. Some fruit gelée perhaps. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Florio Morsi di Luce IGT 1999
An already famous passito Moscato wine. Hidden under the counter, I had to ask several times to try it. Rather stinky nose dominated by bitter herbs, yet still liqueury and egg-soft, seems rather dusty (dirty glass?). Difficult to pin down. Orange jam thickness in mouth, very dense, honeyed, even less acidic than the above although light on its feet in a way, with that recurrent vanilla finish. Decent but nothing great, and surprising that it should get a sensational 3 Bicchieri from GR. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Marco De Bartoli Grappoli del Grillo IGT 2001
100% dry Grillo aged in barrique. Lots of medicinal yeast on the nose at first, has some length and filling, though it could use more of both, and character. Vegetal, not very well-defined. Rather vague. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Florio Moscato Passito di Pantelleria Bukkuram
A dark style of Moscato with roasted or smoked orange on the nose and some sherry Moscatel overtones of cooked fruit. Yet quite juicy in mouth, surprisingly cool and balanced though aromatically quite vague. Rather fruity than eggy as the Marsalas here, but exploring the same potentialities. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Cusumano Jalé IGT 2000
100% Chardonnay. Quite some sweet and fat oak on the nose here, with tropical fruit and flowers emerging. Opaque from the wood in mouth, but showing some distinction. Quite good. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Soave Classico 98 Foscarina (Stephan Inama)
The wine is very perfumed of peaches and ripe "white" fruits. The nose is inticing and invites you into the glass like a good mistress. seductively inviites to into the boudoir....(apologies to the girls and monogomous pair bonds - please substitute your desire accordingly..! ) The depth of flavour on the palatte is rich and the mouthwatering. acidity levels are still reasonable for a 4 year old white. It even matched well a panchetta parsnip/rosemary pasta dish I made. It coulod do with another year or so for my taste but we'll see if i can resist opening the rest of the case...(doubt it. though!) (David Bennett, UK)
11/02 Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina Sannio 2000
Freesia/honeysuckle nose. Quite fat and nutty, but nice acidity with it, dry finish. As Russ commented, and I agreed, quite southern Rhone like. G/VG (Paul Armstrong, UK)
11/02 Maculan Torcolata 99
Orange peel, smoke and grapes on the nose. Intense raisiny slightly mouldy-edged fruit, well balanced by clean fresh acidity giving an interesting contrast. VG/E (Paul Armstrong, UK)
11/02 Dott. G. B. Odoardi Valeo VdT [2000]
Made from Moscato di Valeo grapes. Quite muscatey notes with Gewürztraminer-like overtones of bitter herbs and lemon peel, sweet in mouth but not too heavy, savoury, lacking a bit of acidity and sharpness. Rather short and bitter on the finish. Nothing great but a decent and enjoyable sweet wine. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Gaja Langhe Chardonnay Rossj Bass 2000
Winemaking details unknown. The name comes from Angela's younger daughter Rossana. Dark greenish colour. Starts with sweet fruit and some fumé on the nose, rather muted and heavy-handed; then goes through many phases, some oakier than others, but always showing highly attractive ripeness and juiciness of fruit, with notes of melon, cashew nuts, whipped cream and ripe tangerine, all this mixed with sweet, peanut-buttery oak. The most impressive feature is the length. Careful not too serve this too warm as the oak dominates the whole easily. Quite impressive for what it is (I even prefer this to Gaia & Rey in this vintage). 87/100 (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Librandi Le Passule IGT 1999
100% Mantonico Bianco, harvested late and dried for 15 days, then aged in new oak. Colour is light to medium amber. Has a softness of crunchy peach and apricot and vanilla biscuits despite considerable weight and concentration; on the palate shows jammy and candied, with a distinctive note of Havana cigar smoke, plus some freshness to the high ripeness thanks to a lemony streak of acids. Confirms my impression from tasting the 1997: this is one of the finest sweet wines to emerge in Italy recently. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Dott. G. B. Odoardi Scavigna Pian della Corte 2001
Barrel sample, blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Riesling, 50% malolactic fermentation in oak. Soft and buttery on the nose, interesting, with vegetal touches but also showing good ripe fruit, not terribly intense or defined but pleasant and balanced. Good buttery fruit in mouth, again typical Southern softness, slightly aggressive on the finish perhaps, vegetal or vegetabley, with a minor cooked note. Good well-made white. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Librandi Cirò Bianco 2001
100% Greco Bianco aged in steel. Pleasant lemony style, seems drier in texture than the Basilicata whites tried just before; could use more vivid acidity perhaps. Soft and tasty, well-made, unproblematic white. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Librandi Critone IGT 2001
90% Chardonnay, 10% Sauvignon, 2% oak. This is quite powerfully yeasty and vegetal on the nose, seemingly more neutral and more anonymous, especially on the palate. Less convincing than the above but clearly tasted prematurely. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Cooperativa Agricola Pied de Ville Chardonnay La Chiuva 2001
Boiled rice, melted butter, dried herbs on the nose; very fat and luscious in mouth, verging on whisky or calvados character. This is really powerful but retains a spicy-mineral core of interest on the finish. Will age well. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 René Anselmet & Fils Chardonnay Fût de Chêne 2000
Liqueury oak showing, sulphur also bit evident, later nobler notes of high-grade butter appear with time. Acids are on the low side, while the structure is imposing. Very convincing in the Aosta context. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Les Caves Coopératives de Donnas Pinot Gris 2001
Dark golden colour. Familiar buttery-and-liqueury mix on the nose, with notes of ripe citrus fruit. More body than others, good length. Pleasant and interesting if lacking a bit of character as most whites here. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Crotta di Vegneron Nus Malvoisie Flêtri 2000
From grapes dried on nets, aged in oak. Around 90 g/l r.s. Rather dark peachy colour. This shows a bit of botrytis tension and fresh varnish on the nose, then in mouth pleasantly round and sweet, dominated by peach and apricot flavours. Rather fat, seems to show more botrytis with time in the glass. Competent but nothing great. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Crotta di Vegneron Chambave Moscato Passito 2000
Aged in steel only. From grapes dried for two months. 105 g/l r.s. This seems a bit lighter in hue than the above. More pâtisserie on the nose which is softer and sweeter-seeming than the Malvoisie, although there is a dryness to the texture, especially on the finish. Some lanolin, almondy retro-olfaction, grows more medicinal and herbal with time in the glass.A bit longer and more balanced acidity-wise than the above, poweful, almost chewy. Drinks well although I generally expected more from the sweet wines here. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Lo Triolet (Marco Martin) Pinot Gris 2001
A bit muted on the nose, fat and buttery with some varietal character but otherwise a bit neutral. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Frères Grosjean Petite Arvine 2000
This is almost Gewürztraminer-like in perfume, showing signs of overripeness to the lemon, tropical fruit and quince liqueur character. Also quite powerful in mouth, long, although it could use a touch more acid. But confirms my impression that this grape has huge potential. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Crotta di Vegneron Nus Malvoisie 2001
This is grown on 1200 meters from a local, very small-berried strain of Malvasia which ripens well (Mr. Costa mentions in passing that it is identical to Pinot Gris but I am not sure I understood correctly). Very buttery nose (though wine is unoaked) as of fresh high-grade butter; balanced mouthfeel and a degree of fruit sweetness, longer than other whites here. Finishes with good acidity. Stylish and individual. The best white I tasted here I think. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Crotta di Vegneron Chambave Muscat 2001
This is similar to a few of the above with an overripe character to the pear and peach fruit, and a certain breadth or fatness of aroma; also sharper notes of lemon peel and varietal grapiness. Slightly unclean seemingly, also on the palate which finishes bitter. A bit lower in interest than the rest. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 La Crotta di Vegneron Muller-Thurgau 2001
Planted on the northernmost slopes as it ripens more reliably than anything else in the valley. This showed a bit neutral and sulphury-unclean on the nose; shares a buttery intensity with other whites here but less interest really. But well-made. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Conte della Vipera 1998 Sauvignon Blanc - Umbria, Italy - 12% - £14 (US$21)
Colour: Very light yellow. Nose: Subtle cut grass, green plums. Palate: Fresh, soft, decent acidity. Well like by everybody including me. Very drinkable, unlike a great deal of New World Sauvignons these days, IMHO. 85/100. (Nicos Neocleous, UK)
11/02 Falesco Est Est Est di Montefiascone 2001
Very light colour. Lots of sulphur and glassiness on the nose, only modest lemony aromas. Vague. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Falesco Est Est Est di Montefiascone Poggio dei Gelsi 2001
Slightly different grapes here (Trebbiano, Roscetto and Malvasia), aged in steel with no malolactic. This is more liqueury / late harvest-like, still a bit sulphury, a fresh, crisp wine to have with food. Nothing great but a decent bottle. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Falesco Ferentano IGT 1999
100% Roscetto white grapes, aged in barrique. More towards golden but still not very dark. Stinks of camphora and decomposing meat at first, as if mildly oxidated or maderized? Lots of camphora on the palate as well, at the same time candy-sweet, not very pleasant to drink. Puzzling. We objected the bottle was flawed but the guy on the stand said it was supposed to be like that. In that case avoid. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Cave du Vin Blanc de Morgex Blanc de Morgex Rayon 2001
This is a grape selection cuvée. Rather soft and yeasty on the nose, showing slightly overripe pear and apple fruit while staying crunchy and crisp; a bit more aggressive in mouth, with quite some body and pungent cat pee retro-olfaction. Some sulphur still showing? Pleasant if not too long; powerfully flavoured finish. Confident winemaking. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Cave du Vin Blanc de Morgex Blanc Fripon Extra Dry Método Charmat
100% Blanc de Morgex grape, vinified in Valdobbiádene (the Aosta winery has no technology for producing Charmat sparklers). Not very clean nose with rather fat and sweaty stone fruit scents. Sweetish in mouth, as coarse as Charmat wines usually are. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Cave du Vin Blanc de Morgex Brut Método Classico 1997
From magnum, disgorged Dec 2001. Medium golden colour. Fresher on the nose than the above, quite herby; pleasant but some fishy (or fried-calamari) notes appear with time. Perhaps a bit foody on the palate. These two didn't make a huge impression on me. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Cave du Vin Blanc de Morgex Chaud de Lune VdT 2000
14.5% alc. An ice wine grown at 1000-1200 meters a.s.l., from Blanc de Morgex grapes, picked during the first frosts in November, aged in barriques and tonneaux. Slightly reductive nose with wet towel and soaked raisins, cheese rind, various aged semi-sweet scents which, needless to say, are hardly very attractive. Oily and sweeter than expected in mouth, long and persistent, powerful but with a certain amount of refinement. Mostly almondy biscuits showing in the aromatics. A curiosity. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Les Crêtes Chardonnay Cuvée Frissonière 2001
Rather dark in colour. Powerfully scented with smoke and ash; pungent, broad, again showing a bit too much sulphur at this stage. Fat in mouth, not much aromatic focus, but quite drinkable. (Nerval, Poland)
11/02 Les Crêtes Petite Arvine Vigne Champorette 2001
Petite Arvine is a local grape. Same buttery breadth s the above but this is more spicy and complex on the nose, with some sulphur and cigarette ash showing. Tends to become a bit vague in the glass. Fat in mouth, lower acidity than the Chardonnay, quite some mineral character while the fruit shows very ripe and almost liquery-oily in texture. Not great depth. A pleasant wine which would show better with food (smoked fish?). Surely more characterful than the Chardonnays and Pinots Gris from Aosta. (Nerval, Poland)
10/02 1995 Lungarotti Vin Santo
Although I am a big fan of fine Vin Santos, this was a shrill version and I usually fond of the Lungarotti lineup. Not this dessert wine that was thin and lacked compunction. (Roy Hersh, USA)
10/02 Greco di Tufo Loggia della Serra 2001 (Terredora) (DOC)
Straw yellow verging on golden. Again tropical fruits on the nose with a hint of wet stone, which some would call minerals. In the mouth it feels quite soft in spite of 6 g/l of acidity (not on the level of German Riesling, I know, but one would expect to notice it more). Pleasant, but perhaps a bit lacking in concentration. Seem to remember that 2000 had better structure and concentration. (Jan-Tore Egge, Sweden)
10/02 Fiano di Avellino Terre di Dora 2000 (Terredora) (DOC)
Straw colour. Tropical fruits again. A rather soft wine with a citrussy aftertaste. Went well with Gorgonzola Dolce, according to some. (We served good bread, cheeses, ham and charcuterie.) (Jan-Tore Egge, Sweden)
10/02 2000 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, Gaiospino, Fattoria Coroncino £14.95
Deepish gold. Attractive, v fresh, herbaceous nose with some nettles. Notable legs - long, thin and very distinct. Remarkably full attack. Fills v well on the palate. Quite rich and buttery. I really would not guess at this being an Italian white: would probably think in terms of a new world chardonnay/chenin blend. Definitely has a touch of chenin about it. Falls away a bit on the finish and fades a little, but very fair length. Perhaps a bit in your face and upfront, but I'm definitely impressed. Good, verging on very good. (Andrew Stevenson, UK)
09/02 Tedeschi "La Fabriseria" 1999
Full of fruit and spice and all things nice. Possibly still a little young and maybe becoming a little more international than earlier vintages, but still a very nice bottle of wine indeed. (Mark Pearce, UK)
09/02 Soave Classico 2001 Pieropan
The first of a couple of bottles bought on a flying visit to Valvona & Crolla on saturday morning. Lovely fresh white fruit and rather more intensity than any of the few Soaves I've tried before. Are Pieropan's single vineyard bottlings simply more intense than this? Nice wine and one to lead me to investigate Soave further. (Mark Pearce, UK)
09/02 Salice Salentino "Aleatico" Candido 1998
A bottle purchased from V&C by a friend who noted that V&C thought it went well with cheese (we'd also been to Ian Mellis) and dsecribed it as "semi-sweet". Knowing nothing about this wine surprise on pouring was its colour. For some reason I'd assumed it was white, but it came out of the bottle a pale red (but red, not rose). This did just what it said on the shelf-talker. A fine accompaniament to a selection of cheese it was fruity and sweet, with very soft tannins. It also hid its 14% alcohol well. (Mark Pearce, UK)
08/02 Latimis 2000A blend of Pinot Bianco, Riesling and late-harvested Tocai, aged in steel. Showing a quite saturated golden-green, this starts rather bretty and toiletty on the nose, though not aggressive nor yeasty in any way, then opens up substantially while remaining throughout the tasting quite wild and heavy. In mouth this is thick and dense, broad in flavour, with medium length and smokey-sulphury aftertaste or Rückaroma. The Pinot Bianco component is showing much, I thought, in a citrusy-flavoured fatness at mid-palate. Juicy and interesting, with slightly spiky acidity. Retasted later this showed terribly thick on the palate, sharing a toffeeish core with the two following wines. A truly distinctive (and distinguished) wine. (Nerval, Poland)
08/02 Chardonnay 2000This sees 40% barrel fermentation. A bit lighter than the Latimis in colour. More herbal on the nose, softer and rounder, without the same core of citrusy acids as above; again somewhat bretty on the nose but altogether more neutral, with cat pee-like acidity which would not be out of place in Sauvignon. There is some minerality and a custard apple or nougat flavour which is attractive but this is shorter than the Latimis, and by far less expressive. Not so interesting, I thought at first, although surely a wine of dimensions and style, and showing quite dense on the palate, likely to improve with age. Retasted later this was starting to show dusty-minerally, with indeed huge substance but a sense of restrain. Quite good. (Nerval, Poland)
08/02 Pinot Grigio Sot Lis Rivis 2000100% barrel fermentation. Same colour as the Chardonnay. This has a soft and elegant toffee and ice-cream scent on the nose, with also a bit of that animal character which is the dominant feature of the Latimis, and with airing time evolving towards more vegetal notes and some smoke? On the palate it is however quite oaky and not very expressive, with a core of minerality and some herbal overtones to an extent blurred by the oak today. Medium length. Lacks a bit of freshness and seems too fat today, although this is surely not an easy overoaked style. Later some attractive and sweeter coconut milk notes, appear. Intense, quite interesting style again but definitely needs time. (Nerval, Poland)
08/02 Fratelli Sportoletti Assisi Bianco DOC 200080% Trebbiano and 20% Grechetto (Sportoletti's website indicates some Malvasia as well), aged in steel only with no malolactic fermentation, 13% alc. Good nose of celery, parsley and chicory, with some yeastiness left but relatively pure chrunchiness of fruit, if not for a minor animal note. In mouth this is quite powerfully alcoholic, as many Grechetto-based wines tend to be today, and would need food for balance. But overall in a pleasant Central-Italian register of soft, juicy fruit with herbal or lettucey overtones. (Nerval, Poland)
08/02 Fratelli Sportoletti Assisi Grechetto 2001This sees some large barrels. Not particularly dark, especially in a dimly lit cellar room. This is showing more expressive than the above, petrolly-animal with vague surmaturité banana character. Great substance on the palate, juicy-green, with fine acidity enlivening the whole. Dense and quite fat yet dry-foody, if that makes sense; the Italian word asciutto describes it well. Perhaps reminiscent of high-grade sake at some point. Very typical Umbrian white and I continue to be impressed by the average quality of Grechettos coming up from all corners of this wonderful region. Later this shows some celery and lettuce flavours akin to the blended Assisi. No oak showing. Very good, needs some time in the bottle or, better yet, a powerfully flavoured dish to balance the alcohol. (Nerval, Poland)
N.B. there are even older Italian notes archived at here.
