Four Great Italian Wines We Tasted Today.
There are strong Unique Selling Points (USPs) for Paolo Conterno Riva del Bric Barolo 2011.
First, it tastes good and classic, hallmarking aromas of fresh cut flowers, layers of nuance and complexity. Second, high score JS97 as well asother scores give image and prestige, and, its a Conterno. Third, authentic Barolo style as the vineyard is just next to the best of the bests in Barolo, including Clerico, Conterno-Fantino, and Elio Grasso. Fourth, rarity-as only 1500 cases of 6 are made. Last but not least, it’s early maturing gives lots of flexibility, meaning that the wine is fresh and can drink now, though you are to be rewarded if with ageing it. French oak 35 hl! New and old. JS97.
Perhaps no ink needs to be spilt on PETROLO GALATRONA 2013. The beauty of this wine could have well been summarized by the fixation of Monica Larner, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, ‘I fall in love with this wine year after year.’ Team believes that the quality of this wine matches that of Massetto selling much much more. If you thought of buying Petrus, think Petrolo Galatrona 2013, which expresses fruit purity, Merlot ripeness and silkiness , combining a smooth mouthfeel with great complexity, power and elegance. The bottle gives intense nose of plum, black cherry, tar, cigar box, smoke and liquorice. When this bottle ages we believe that it takes on notes of chocolate, leather, jam, mocha and espresso. Only 1000 cases are produced. JS96.
The Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino 2010 is worth keeping. This is great BDM from a great vintage. Rightly put by Antonio Galloni, this is a deep, powerful wine, the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino possesses notable depth and intensity. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, tobacco, new leather and incense meld together in a muscular, resonant wine built on structure. This is a 2010 that is going to need time to fully come together, but it is impressive just the same. It will be more than interesting to know the development of the wine. Team thought that the style of this wine represents one of the best bridges between the traditional and modern styles. We also feel we are related to this wine because of its lineage with Le Factorie di Donatella Cinelli Colombini, which produces great wine too. JS96.
Inky and dark, the color of the Terra di Lavoro 2012 gives you some inkling to the power and longevity of this cult collector staple. With its palate of brambly dark fruits, smoke, leather and cigar wrapper, all twined around a strong core of volcanic minerals, this Terra di Lavoro 2012 is a classic bottling that will age gorgeously. As delicious as it is collectable, the 2012 Terra di Lavoro stands as a crowning achievement for this estate. A blend of mostly Aglianico that's kissed with Piedirosso, Galardi Terra di Lavoro is a black, brooding, long-aging red--and one of the South's very best wines. Deriving from a 25-acre vineyard in the Roccamonfina area of Campania, the volcanic soils add an unmistakable minerality to Terra di Lavoro, a wine that requires some serious time in the cellar (a decade is nice) before true approachability.
