Vinitaly 2011, Part 5

Saturday morning we did our best to get up and out the door early, as we knew that not only did we have a lot of ground to cover, but that the crowds would be bigger. The latter was confirmed when we arrived at the shuttle bus stop to find not just a dozen or so people, but a small crowd and multiple buses lining up. When we arrived at the Veronafiere, lines were already formed trying to get in, though due to this I did manage to run into a friend from Atlanta who was also attending. Once we finally got in, I was glad we had a plan, and that it included trying to hit some of the more out-of-the-way spots.

Our first destination was the Veneto winery Marion. We'd had their 2006 Valpolicella at lunch Wednesday, but our first introduction to the wines came after reading about them in the Wine Advocate two years ago. Due to that writeup, we sought them out on our prior trip to Vinitaly and were rewarded with a great visit. This time, things were even better. Husband and wife Stefano and Nicoletta Campinelli welcomed us, remembering our prior introduction. However, before we tasted through their wines, they asked if we'd like to try one of the wines from the Soave producer Nardello, who was sharing their booth. Nardello's 2010 Soave was a nice way to ease into our Saturday before we got into the wonderful Marion lineup. We began the Marion tasting with the 2009 Valpolicella, followed by the 2007 Valpolicella Superiore, which is among the best Valpolicellas around (outside the Dal Forno/Quintarelli pair of course). Next we had a trio of IGT wines, the 2005 Calto (a blend of Corvina and Teroldego), the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2007 Teroldego, which was quite impressive. We then finished the tasting of new releases with a wonderful 2007 Amarone. The tasting wasn't done though, as we were treated to the 1998 Valpolicella Superiore, which was still fresh, and finally the 2002 Passito Bianco, a white dessert wine. Overall, this was one of the most impressive visits we had for the week, illustrating that Marion is certainly a producer to watch. I really think they are on the verge of becoming one of the true stars of the Veneto with their amazingly diverse lineup.

From Marion, we then went to visit one of our other favorite Veneto producers, Tommaso Bussola. As in prior years, Tommaso's wife Daniela hosted us, and as in the past she was initially a bit withdrawn, but quickly warmed. We began a deep lineup with the 2009 Valpolicella, the 2007 Ripasso, and the 2006 Valpolicella TB. After the 2004 L'Errante IGT, it was time for the Amarones. We had the 2006 Amarone, the 2006 Amarone TB, and the 2006 Amarone Vigneto Alto, each more opulent than the next, before finishing with the 2008 Recioto and the 2004 Recioto TB. These are all more modern-styled wines, but all impressively done from one of the best producers in the region.

With our last venture into the Veneto complete it was time to begin out random trek through the remainder of our list. With lunch looming soon at our usual spot in the Tuscany pavilion, we had the opportunity to make two more stops in the region. First up was Tua Rita, one of the top producers of Supertuscans. We had a phenomenal tasting, as we were offered the entire lineup from this great producer. After starting with the 2010 Rosso di Notri, we then had the 2009 Perlato del Bosco, a great IGT blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. We then went into the 2008 vintage, with the 2008 Giusti di Notri, the 2008 Syrah, and finally the 2008 Redigaffi, the 100% Merlot that is the star of this winery. All were impressive, and it was definitely a highlight that a winery such as this would offer these great wines for tasting.

Our final stop before lunch took us back to the Brunello Consorzio one last time. This time our destination was Uccelliera, a winery we had not visited on previous trips. We were to quickly discover that this had been a major oversight, as the visit was as good as any. Hosted by the Swiss wife of proprietor Andrea Cortonesi, we had a wonderful time. We began with both the 2008 Rosso and the 2009 Rosso, before trying the 2008 Rapace IGT. We then got to taste an excellent 2006 Brunello before being offered a barrel sample of the 2007 Brunello, and finally the 2005 Brunello.

Once again, lunchtime had arrived and we were right next to our usual spot. Saturday morning had been a great success, not just because of all the great wines we had tasted, but also the time we had spend visiting some wonderful people. Marion, Bussola, and Uccelliera not only make great wines, but the people at each are warm and welcoming. They are what make Vinitaly so special. We still had the Saturday afternoon marathon to go, but the morning session had been as rewarding as any.