Sunday, January 5, 2014

Report from ... Annual Taste of Italy in Toronto, 2013 Edition - November 4, 2013

There are so many wines at the Annual Italian Tasting that it is impossible to taste them all ... the tasting book is a size that is of biblical proportion which is quite apropos because to many of the winery owners, winemakers and wine lovers in attendance Italian wine is a true religion.

Today I tasted a lot of wine and below are some selections from the day that turned my head and tickle my tastebuds ... (listed below by region)

Abruzzo ...
Caldora 2009 Yume, Montepulciano D'Abruzzo100% Montepulciano
smoky black cherry with hints of chocolate (****+)
Farnese Edizione Cinque Autoctoni
33% Montepulciano / 30% Primitivo / 25% Sangiovese / 7% Negroamaro / 5% Malvasia Nera
red fruit mix with black cherry being prominent with hints of cocoa (****)

Basilicata ...
Vigneti del Vulture 2008 Piano del Cerro
100% Aglianico
succulent plum, tobacco and chocolate (****+)

Vigneti del Vulture 2010 Pipoli
100% Aglianico
purity of cherry with red raspberry backing (****)


Emilia-Romagna ...
Poderi dal Nespoli 2011 Borgo dei Guidi
70% Sangiovese / 15% Cabernet Sauvignon / 15% Merlot
Cab and Merlot done in the appassimento style
lovely plum, cherry, blackberry - silky smooth and seemingly sweet (****+)

Marche ...
De Angelis 2009 Piceno Superiore
40% Nero D'Avola / 30% Cabernet Sauvignon / 30% Merlot
blackberry, coffee and mocha (*** 1/2+)

Piedmont ...
Casa Vinicola Zonin NV Castello del Poggio
100% Moscato Bianco
pineapple and peach with a nice spritzy-crackle, only 7% alc (*** 1/2+)

Pietro Rinaldi 2010 Argante
100% Nebbiolo
juicy red berries with nice acidity (****)

Pietro Rinaldi 2011 Barbera D'Alba, Bricco Cichetta
100% Barbera  
smoky blackberry, cassis, with cinnamon and spice (****)

Puglia ...
Amastuola 2010 Vignatorta100% Syrah
quite fruit driven with a touch of white pepper (****)


Sicily ...
Feudo Disisa 2012 Chara
50% Catarratto Bianco Lucido / 50% Ansonica
lovely tropicality with hints of citrus (*** 1/2+)

Feudo Disisa 2009 Monreale
100% Nero D'Avola
single vineyard wine with 14 months in oak; nice spiced cherry and smoke (****)

Duca di Salaparuta 2008 Duca Enrico
100% Nero D'Avola
tannnin filled wine with nice raspberry and blackberry (****)

Valle Dell'Acate 2010 Tane
85% Syrah / 15% Nero D'Avola
good, dark juicy fruit (*** 1/2+)

Valle Dell'Acate 2012 Il Frappato
100% Frappato
red fruit dominated almost Gamay like, nice cherry and good acidity (*** 1/2+)

Cusumano 2010 Noa
40% Nero D'Avola / 30% Cabernet Sauvignon / 30% Merlot
anise, blackberry and black cherry (****)

Cusumano 2010 Sagana
100% Nero D'Avola
minty blackberry and black cherry (****+)


Tuscany ...
San Polo 2011 Rubio
100% Sangiovese
raspberry and cherry; quite appoachable (*** 1/2+)

Michele Satta 2006 I Castagni, Bolgheri Superiore
70% Cabernet Sauvignon / 20% Syrah / 10% Teroldego
coffee and tobacco with cassis and dried blackberry,
elegant and sophisticated with a long finish (****+)

Badia A Coltibuono 2009 Sangioveto di Toscana100% Sangiovese
nice and juicy with red fruit and berries (*** 1/2+)
Marchesi De' Frescobaldi 2011 Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni
70% Cabernet Sauvignon / 10% Cabernet Franc / 10% Merlot / 10% Sangiovese
chalky, smoky with nice black licorice notes and dark fruit (****)
Tenuta Luce della Vite 2010 Luce
45% Sangiovese / 55% Merlot
lovely blackberry, black cherry with hints of smoke and anise (****+)
Banfi 2009 Aurora Rose100% Pinot Nero
stunningly delicious bubbly (****+)
Banfi 2011 Centine 60% Sangiovese / 20% Cabernet Sauvignon / 20% Merlot
fresh, lively and fruity ... best of all it's a great value (****)
Banfi 2010 Aska, Bolgheri
80% Cabernet Sauvignon / 20% Cabernet Franc
firm dark fruit with dark cocoa backing (****)

Veneto ...
Salvalai 2011 Monile, Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso
75% Corvina / 20% Rondinella / 5% Molinara
coffee, black cherry and cassis (*** 1/2)

Cesari Gerardo 2010 Bosan, Ripasso
80% Corvina / 20% Rondinella
touch of chocolate with lovley cherry notes (****)
Cesari Gerardo 2007 Il Bosco, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
80% Corvina / 20% Rondinella
big, round, full and succulent with so much cherry its delightful (****+)
Casa Vinicola Zonin 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella
60% Corvina / 35% Rondinella / 5% Molinara
chocolate, black cherry, cassis and vanilla (****+)
Le Arche 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella
80% Corvina / 20% Rondinella
sour and red cherry well-balanced by spice (****)

Zeni 2011 Bardolino Superiore
50% Corvina / 30% Rondinella / 10% Corvinone / 10% Molinara
coffee, toffee and smoke (*** 1/2+)

Zeni 2009 vigne Alte, Amarone della Valpolicella
70% Corvina / 20% Rondinella / 10% Molinara
grapes grown at high altitude (200m) - mineral, cherry and spice (****)

Pasqua 2010 Passimento Famiglia Pasqua
40% Merlot / 30% Corvina / 30% Croatina
coffee, cherry and mocha - very smooth and pretty, great value (****)

Pasqua 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella
65% Corvina / 25% Rondinella / 5% Corvinone / 5% Croatina
18-24 months in barrel - sweet dark fruit with hints of toffee and smoke (****)


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