The California Trip, Part 3

Slowly but surely, I'm making my way through the trip recap. Wednesday was our departure from Sonoma and across to Napa Valley. Coming across into Calistoga, we began the day in the north end of the valley at Chateau Montelena. This was a different stop than most of those on the trip, but we all had seen the movie "Bottle Shock" and wanted to at least see the famous winery.

We began with a pair of whites, the 2009 Riesling and the 2008 Estate Chardonnay. We then followed with the 2008 Estate Zinfandel before a pair of Cabs, the 2006 Cabernet and the 2007 Estate Cabernet. Not surprisingly, the 2007 Estate Cab was the best among the reds. We then finished with a bit of a treat, thanks to the popularity of "Bottle Shock" - one day a week they open an older vintage Chardonnay in the tasting room, and we were there on the appointed day to taste the 1986 Alexander Valley Chardonnay, which was still quite nice.

From Montelena we then went just back up the road toward the Sonoma County line to visit Storybook Mountain Vineyards. Loudoun and Ashley had visited before and promised an interesting visit, and they were right. A smaller family-run operation, Storybook is known for its Zinfandels, but they are now producing a limited amount of other wines. The vineyards are quite picturesque along steep hillsides, and their caves are over a century old, dug straight into the mountainside. We had a great tour, and the tasted four wines in the caves. First up was the 2008 Mayacamas Range Zinfandel, followed by the 2007 Antaeus blend. We then had two Seps Estate label wines, which are the non-Zinfandel wines. First was the 2007 Seps Estate Cabernet, and it was followed by the 2009 Viognier. The wines were solid, but the overall visit was definitely one of my favorites of the week.

After a great lunch stop at the famed Gott's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Refresher), our afternoon appointment was at Failla, the home winery of Turley winemaker Ehren Jordan. My friend Larry had set up this visit for us, and promised that their wines would impress. I was not disappointed, as these were definitely some great wines, very different from the Turleys, but great in their own way. Though located in Napa, Failla's wines are all from Sonoma, so it was back cooler climate wines like many from the previous days. After starting with the 2010 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, we moved on to the Pinots, Failla's specialty. We had the 2009 Whistler Pinot Noir, the 2009 Hirsch Pinot Noir, the 2008 Occidental Ridge Pinot Noir, and the 2009 Occidental Ridge Pinot Noir. All were excellent in their own way, but to me the 2008 Occidental Ridge stood out. Finally, we finished with the 2009 Syrah before taking a quick tour of the facilities, including their cave. It was another enjoyable visit, and great exposure to a winery I was not familiar with prior to this trip.

As we headed south toward the city of Napa and our hotel, we decided to make one final stop for the day at the sparkling wine house of Mumm. Here we each got to choose a 3 wine flight, and I had the 2006 Blanc des blancs, the 2006 Brut Reserve, and the NV Santana Brut. We sat in the tasting lounge overlooking the vineyards, and enjoyed some cheeses as we concluded our third day of tasting.

From there it was off to the hotel to regroup and prepare for dinner at Mustard's Grill in Yountville. Mustard's lived up to all the recommendations I had received, as my dinner of roast duck was amazing (and huge). Also great was the wine, a 2009 Outpost Grenache. Of course, Outpost was to be our first destination Thursday, so it was a great preview of what was to come next.

The California Trip, Part 2

Our second day in Wine Country brought us trips to three wineries south of Healdsburg, and one final trip up into the Dry Creek Valley.

We began the day at Hartford, which had been highly recommended by a friend here in Atlanta. We were not disappointed at all, as we had a fantastic tasting. We did not have an appointment, but by going early in the morning were able to get plenty of attention in the tasting room, which made the visit even better. Our tasting began with a pair of whites, the 2009 Four Hearts Chardonnay and the 2009 Fog Dance Chardonnay. Both were good, with the Fog Dance being one of the more impressive California Chardonnays I have tasted. We then moved on to the reds, with a trio of Pinot. First up was the 2009 Lands Edge Pinot Noir, followed by the 2009 Velvet Sisters Pinot Noir Mendocino, and finally the 2008 Arendell Pinot Noir. Moving up in intensity, we tasted the 2009 Russian River Zinfandel and the 2009 Highwire Zinfandel, followed by the 2007 Outer Limits Syrah, before completing the tasting with the 2009 Port. Overall, it was tough to find a disappointing wine in the entire lineup. Every wine was impressive in some way, and I don't think any other visit surpassed this one in quality throughout the entire lineup. It's definitely a visit I will recommend to others, and I will also be a buyer of their wines.

Our next visit was at Copain, where we were supposed to have a picnic lunch tasting. However, there had been a mixup and we were not able to have the picnic lunch, though still a very good tasting. Once again, we started with a white, the 2009 James Berry Roussanne. We followed with three Pinots again, the 2009 Les Voisins Anderson Valley, the 2009 Wentzel Pinot Noir, and the 2009 Monument Pinot Noir. We followed with a pair of Syrahs, the 2009 Les Voisins Yorkville Syrah and the 2007 Eaglepoint Ranch Syrah, before then having a Rhone blend, the 2007 Les Copains James Berry. We then finished off the tasting with another white, the 2009 Tous Ensemble Viogner. Overall, it was a pretty good tasting, but not quite as impressive as I had hoped from Copain. Certainly the mixup played a part, but the wines, while solid, didn't wow me quite like many others we had on the trip.

After a nice casual lunch at Willow Wood Cafe in Graton (recommended by the folks at Copain) we continued on to Martinelli. We were lucky enough again to have a fairly empty tasting room (we hadn't made an appointment here either) and a diverse lineup of wines. Once again, we led off with some whites, the 2007 Charles Ranch Chardonnay and the 2008 Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay. Once again, a trio of Pinots followed, with the 2009 Bella Vigna Pinot Noir, the 2008 Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir, and the 2008 Lolita Ranch Pinot Noir. We then moved on to the 2007 Red Barn Red, a Rhone-style blend, and the 2006 Zio Tony Ranch Syrah before going on to the Zins. We tasted a pair, the 2008 Vigneto di Evo Zinfandel and the 2009 Vellutini Ranch Zinfandel, before finishing with a dessert wine, the 2009 Jackass Hill Muscat. Overall, the Martinelli wines were much as expected, bigger in style than most others we'd have, but still showing that they are well made with good fruit. I think my palate is moving in a different direction, but I still enjoyed the visit and the wines.

We had finished our planned stops for the day at this point, but it was just mid-afternoon so we decided to find another stop. Heading back north, we decided to venture out Dry Creek Rd again, all the way to the end of the valley by the Lake Sonoma Dam, where Sbragia Winery is located. Sbragia offers some of the best views in Sonoma, and also some really good wine. We were able to pick and choose our selections for tasting, so I was able to have two Zinfandels and two Cabs. First I tried the 2008 Gino's Vineyard Zinfandel and the 2008 La Promessa Zinfandel. Both were good, but we preferred the Gino's and actually bought a bottle to enjoy out on the terrace after finishing the tasting. For the Cabs, I decided to try Sbragia's two 2007 efforts from Howell Mountain, the 2007 Rancho del Oso Cabernet and the 2007 Cimarossa Cabernet. Both were excellent examples of the good work being done on Howell Mountain (which we would visit Thursday), but I had a slight preference for the Rancho del Oso when tasting side by side. Overall, this was another impressive tasting from a producer I had read about but not tried before. I will definitely be on the lookout for the Sbragia wines in the future.

Tuesday night in Healdsburg we went for a much more casual dinner at Willy's Seafood and Raw Bar, with a great lineup of tapas. After dinner, we ventured to Spoonbar at the H2 Hotel for cocktails. The bartender there Scott Beattie is well-known for his mixes, and though he wasn't behind the bar the evening, I still enjoyed a very interesting take on a Negroni, using a Gran Classico bitter and Orange Zest instead of Campari. It was a nice conclusion to our two days in Healdsburg before heading to Napa on Wednesday.

The last summer Friday at Bin 75

The weekend before I went to California was my last Friday night tasting at Bin 75 for the summer (when I have a chance to get home for a while before heading out to taste). It was another solid night, with a highlight for me coming late in the tasting. Our first wine of the night was a solid start, the 2004 Gouges Nuits St Georges Clos des Porrets. The table was actually divided as to whether it was a Burgundy or a Chateauneuf du Pape, and I sided with the CdP group. Overall, it was a very good wine form a producer I've come to admire, though not quite the level of the best I've had from him.

Our next wine was very much the opposite of the spectrum, the 2004 Altamura Cabernet. Most of us were actually stumped, thinking this California Can was actually and Australian Shiraz. It was still oaky with jammy fruit that was almost too much, especially coming after an elegant Burgundy.

The next spot was actually not a bad time for my wine to come up, as it was the 2001 Brigaldara Amarone. The wine was quite nice, very much what I expected, and typical of a good aged Amarone. Not surprisingly, most everyone was able to figure out what it was. That was followed by the 2006 Il Poggione Brunello, which is very young but already showing typical Brunello character and some real elegance for its youthful age. Most everyone was able to identify it as Brunello, as did I, though I thought it was a 2004.

Next up was the 2004 Sabon Prestige Chateauneuf du Pape, which seemed to just be emerging from the dormancy most CdP's go through after a few years. I actually guessed it to be a 2006. Our next wine was a CdP as well, but fooled everyone into thinking it was a Burgundy (especially after the Gouges earlier). Instead, it was the 1996 Beaucastel, which was drinking incredibly well. I've had several bottles of the 1996 Pignan, which has also been very Burgundian in character, and this wine reminded me a lot of that one.

Our CdP run continued with the 2005 Raymond Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape. I eventually identified it as a CdP, and in fact this was the bottling I thought the Sabon was. It is still a young wine, with a lot of acidity that makes me believe in another few years it will really be better.

After several French wines, it was only natural that we went back to Italy, starting with the 1998 Antinori Guado al Tasso. I actually thought this might be a Barolo as I got some sandalwood, though most everyone else thought it was a Supertuscan (though no one was close on the age). The next wine was a Barolo, the 2003 Schiavenza Perno. I actually thought it was a 98 Barolo, so for a 2003, it wasn't bad.

Our next wine was quite controversial, the 2006 Ricasoli Casalferro, a Supertuscan Sangiovese-Merlot blend. I thought there was something wrong with the wine, but others disagreed. I stood by my opinion and feel it's unfair to give a real report on it. Thankfully, we followed that with another Nebbiolo, this time the 2006 Batasiolo Barolo. Most everyone was able to figure out it was a young Barolo, though in truth it was really too young to be drinking.

With the regular lineup complete, a couple of the group went next door to grab a few more wines to finish. We stayed in Italy, and the next one was a wine I knew soon after tasting. It was the 2000 Quintarelli Valpolicella, and I made that exact call. Having had the wine several times during this year's Vinitaly trip, I easily identified the style and elegance of the wine. We followed that with the 2004 San Felice Poggio Rosso Chianti Classico. I actually thought this was another 06 Brunello, as this wine was pretty big and young, though obviously Sangiovese.

Overall it was a good night, and would hold me over for several weeks before I could make my return to the Friday night group.

The California Trip, Part 1

A couple of weeks ago, I made my first-ever trip to California, spending a week in San Francisco, Sonoma, and Napa with my friends Loudoun and Ashley. Over the course of two days in Sonoma and three in Napa, we tasted over 100 wines, met some great people, and had several fabulous meals.

Our wine country experience began Monday morning with the drive up to Healdsburg from San Francisco. We had a 10:30 appointment at Seghesio for a tasting at their Chef's Table. We actually began with a couple of wines in the tasting room and more on a tour of the winery before the main event, which paired several small plates with some of Seghesio's best wines. Our tasting room wines began with the 2010 Pinot Grigio, followed by the 2009 Pinot Noir. We then had the 2009 Grenache before getting to the winery's specialty, Zinfandel. The two new releases we had were the 2008 Cortina and the 2008 Rockpile, before our final wine on the tour portion, the 2008 Omaggio, which is a blend of Cabernet and Sangiovese.

We then moved on to the food and wine pairings, which were excellent. The first dish was a Shrimp and Corn Ravioli, which was paired with a 2004 Home Ranch Zinfandel. That was followed by Chicken Pietro with the 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel, and Meatballs with the 2004 San Lorenzo Zin. We then had Flank Steak paired with the 2006 Home Ranch Petite Sirah before finishing with Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese paired with the 2005 Dionigia dessert wine. We then moved out to the terrace where the sun was shining after a foggy morning and finished with the 2008 Chianti Station Sangiovese. Overall, it was a great tasting and a wonderful way to kick off the week.

From Seghesio, we headed out Dry Creek Rd and made our way to the Family Wineries of Dry Creek tasting room, with the goal of tasting the latest wines from Dashe Cellars. The setup of the tasting afforded us a chance to sample some other wineries products as well, so we ended up tasting wines from four producers. The others we had were the 2009 Philip Staley Russian River Grenache, the 2007 Mietz Pinot Noir, and the 2006 Collier Falls Petite Sirah. None of the wines were particularly outstanding, but the Dashe wines were impressive. From Dashe we were able to taste the 2009 Dry Creek Zinfandel, the 2008 Todd Bros Ranch Zin, and the 2008 Late Harvest Zin, a sweet dessert wine.

Our third and final stop of the day was Ridge, where we were given a tour of the Lytton Springs vineyard and production facility before a private tasting. It was great to be able to step into the vineyards, and the wines were all pretty outstanding, especially the finish. We began with the 2009 Mikaluko Chardonnay before diving into the reds with the 2007 Mazzoni Home Ranch Zinfandel. That was followed by the 2009 Lytton Springs, the 2009 Pagani Zin, and the 2005 Lytton Estate Grenache. Finally, we were able to taste the 2007 Monte Bello, which was my first experience with the famous California Cabernet blend. I must say I was quite impressed, as it was very elegant with a lot of the earthiness I expect from wines of Bordeaux. It was a great way to finish off our first day of tasting before heading to Healdsburg for one last memorable experience that evening.

For dinner Monday night, we were able to get a reservation at Cyrus, the Michelin two-star restaurant in Healdsburg. We all opted for the eight-course tasting menu with wine pairings, and the 3+ hour dinner was quite a dining experience. Along with the eight courses listed on the menu, there were many other treats thrown in, impeccable service from start to finish, and some amazing food that stretched our boundaries and let us experience flavors and combinations I'm don't think any of us had tried before. All in all, it was an incredible first day, and an amazing way to kick off the trip.

Re-starting the Friday night series

I'm finally getting back to what I intend to be one of the regular features of this blog - my reports on Friday night blind tastings at Bin 75. Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to try a lot of great wine, and have learned so much by being able to taste blind. My last post on 1993 Bordeaux was all garnered from several Friday tastings, but now I plan to try to recap most of the tastings overall. Having been each of the past two Fridays, I'm hoping to write about both of those this week, and thus begin with the notes from Friday, August 5.

Our first wine of the night had me fooled a bit. It definitely had an Italian profile, and a softness that led me to guess it was a Supertuscan. Instead, it was the 2006 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Scarrone. I've had the 2007 in the past several months, and while it was still too young, this 2006 is really coming into its own. This is a serious, top-quality Barbera.

Up next was my wine, the 2001 Angelini Val di Suga Brunello. I was actually thrown off that this was mine initially because of the color - a lighter profile that suggested something older. However, on the palate the wine still had plenty of fruit and even a a bit of tannin that showed it wasn't as old as the color suggested. Overall, it was a very good wine, and a re-taste later in the evening confirmed that.

The next wine was also from Montalcino, but slightly older, the 1999 Pietranera Brunello. I thought this wine was definitely from a riper vintage, and it was definitely older and fully mature (I figured 1997). It also had a little funk on the nose, but was still a nice wine.

After three Italians, we made a definite switch with the 2004 St. Andrews Clare Valley Cabernet. This was not an over the top Aussie Cab, but actually quite restrained. It had good fruit, but was balanced, and only missing some earthiness that could have made me think it was Bordeaux. I actually thought it might be South African.

We moved on the France with our next wine, the 2003 Clos St. Jean Combes des Fous Chateauneuf du Pape. I thought this wine was really coming together nicely, and much better than I would have expected for this wine in such a hot vintage. As I will note in the notes from the most recent Friday, several 2003 CdP's are actually nicely balanced now and drinking well.

We then moved back to Italy for our next two wines, starting with the 2004 Camerano Barolo. This was definitely a younger, understated Barolo. I initially thought it may be from Burgundy before moving to Barolo. I also was thinking it was a 2005 as it seemed young, but not quite as young as a 2006 and not quite as filled out as I thought a 2004 should be.

Following that, we were back in Tuscany for the 2003 Petrolo Galatrona. This wine is still very, very young, and definitely made in a more modern style. I actually thought it might be a 2007 California Cab. I'd definitely wait longer on drinking these wines.

Suddenly, we had a quick interlude of white wine, a 2004 Weinbach Schlossberg Riesling. I've actually had a couple of Schlossbergs, and they are very nice wines that I am definitely impressed with.

Getting back to the reds, we were in France again. This time, it was the 2007 Domaine Tempier Bandol. Keith actually nailed the wine, while I venured a guess a little further west in Languedoc. The wine was still very young, definitely from a hot climate, but also quite interesting. I'd love to taste it in 5-6 years.

Staying in Southern France, we had the 2007 Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf du Pape. I actually thought this might be a little older, guessing it was a 2005 CdP. It definitely had some characteristics of a hotter vintage, but seemed to be coming into balance. I'm definitely happy to see some of these 2007's begin to settle.

After all of these very good wines, we were bound for disappointment, and it came from the 2007 Orin Swift Papillon. This wine was way over the top, a fruit bomb that none of us really cared for. I was actually surprised that the blend was mainly Cab, figuring it for something like Aussie Shiraz or a modern Spanish Garnacha.

We weren't going to end like that though, so the final wine gave us something to go home happy about. The 1994 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was quite nice, showing many traits of well-aged Bordeaux. I actually thought it was a slightly younger, guessing a 96 St. Julien. It was definitely a good way to finish off a very nice night.

Overall, it was a very good night, one of several we've had lately. As for my wine of the night, it was a tough call. The Pichon was a great way to finish, but the two Chateauneufs were enjoyable, as was my wine, the 01 Val di Suga. As I said tough, outside of the Orin Swift, there really wasn't a poor showing in the lineup.

How an "off" vintage of Bordeaux won me over

I will soon start recapping my regular Friday night tastings at Bin 75 again, but first I wanted to write about several wines we've had over the past two months which may have finally convinced me of the greatness of Bordeaux. The thing is, this isn't about some first-growths, or great modern vintages like 1982 or 1990 or even 2000. Instead, I have been wowed by multiple wines from 1993, a vintage generally overlooked and considered below average and early-maturing. However, over the past few months, our group has now had four different wines from 1993, and most of them have been fabulous examples of classic aged Bordeaux.

The least impressive of the group was actually the most recent, this past Friday's Gruaud-Larose. While not a bad wine, this wine was one that did seem to be fading a bit. After a fantastic classic Bordeaux nose, when tasting the wine it left a little to be desired. There was still some good earthiness, and not any soy characteristics creeping in, but the fruit was fading and the finish was short. Still, for a wine that was rated 86 points by Parker, it has held up remarkably well for an 18 year old wine.

Now onto the wines that really inspired this post. First was the 1993 Angelus, which was considered one of the better wines of the vintage. When we had this wine, it was showing off all the great characteristics of classic Bordeaux. There was a great nose, great balance on the palate, hints of earthiness, and a fairly long finish. Tasting blind (as we always do on Fridays) we all thought it could be a top wine (such as Angelus) but from a top vintage like 1990. When we saw it was 1993, we were all quite impressed at how well the wine had aged.

Perhaps inspired by this wine, others began showing up with wines from the vintage. Out next experience was the Pichon-Longueville-Baron, a wine that wasn't considered among the best of the vintage, nor anywhere near the best wines from this producer. However, this wine was just as impressive as the 1995 and 2000 Pichon Barons we've had recently. I'd probably even rate it above the 1995 (my notes on the 2000 are skewed, as the night we had it, the wine came several sports after the 1990 Montrose, which blew it and all others that night away). Once agin though, I was really wowed how a wine from such a sub-par vintage had turned into a classic after 18 years.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago we had the 1993 Tertre Roteboeuf. Perhaps showing (along with the Angelus) that the Left Bank was more successful in '93, this wine was again firing on all cylinders. It didn't quite have the depth and complexity of the Angelus, but it was still a really good wine. I don't know that it has that much life left in it, but right now this wine is still showing its stuff.

Overall, these 1993s may have finally convinced me of why so many feel that Bordeaux is the king of wine regions. While I still feel that other places can make great wines, it is rare for an off vintage anywhere else to produce such classic wines that can age for up to 20 years. I've sampled some great Hermitage from lesser vintages, but with only a handful of prodcuers to begin with, even they can't compete. As someone who has very little Bordeaux in my cellar, I feel a bit dismayed by prices for the new "classic" vintages, knowing I really can't afford much. But judging by these wines, I now have faith that if I search out some great producers in lesser vintages, there could be some great deals in age-worthy wines, and to me that is something I thought was gone for Bordeaux.

The state of Greek wine

While Greece struggles with many issues in their government and economy, one industry that continues to improve is wine. My recent trip allowed me a chance to check in on some of the latest releases, focusing on the indigenous varietals that many Greek winemakers are putting more focus on. Most of these wines are still more of the everyday drinking type, but there is certainly one winery that I think is capable of making some world-class reds.

To begin with, there was one very different wine we tried, the Domaine Tselepos Amalia Brut, a sparkling wine made from the Moschofilero grape. This wine won't make anyone forget the great Champagne houses, but it was a very enjoyable effort, and something I didn't know was being produced in Greece. Kudos to Tselepos for this work, which is impressive.

Among the entry-level red wines, I was very impressed this year with the Boutari Naoussa 2008. This has always been a standard table wine in Greece, but it is clear that Boutari has raised the quality of this Xinomavro-based wine. Available in the US in many places, it is a nice $10-$15 wine here. Boutari's 2004 Grand Reserve was also quite tasty, though not necessarily worth the extra cost.

Another winery from the north is Domaine Porto Carras. Among their highlights was the 2008 Limnio, an ancient varietal grown on the Chalkidiki peninsula. We also tried their Limnio-Cabernet blend, but I preferred the straight Limnio.

Katogi is a winery getting some good press here in the US for their Xinomavro, but in Greece we drank the 2008 Averoff, a blend of Agioritiko and Cabernet Sauvignon from northern Greece. It is another wine I've had many times over the years, but this was one of the stronger efforts I can recall.

Skouras is another winery that has made some inroads in the US market with their Agioritiko and Megas Oenos blend. We didn't try any of their higher-end cuvees this year, but the entry level Erythmos (90% Agioritiko and 10% Cab) was a solid wine for the price (6 euros at the local market).

Another of the bigger Greek wineries is Hatzimichalis, which has been known for their international varieties. This year, it appears they have a new effort with a line of wines that blend these varietals with the indigenous grapes. I actually don't have the notes on the wines we had, but they were solid efforts that I think were an improvement over the straight varietals like Cab or Merlot.

Finally, we come to my favorite winery in Greece, Papaioannou. This winery from the Peloponnese specializes in the Agioritiko grape with their red wines. This year, I was lucky enough to have their entry-level Agioritiko, the Ktima Papaioannou that is their single-vineyard selection, and finally the Old Vines Selection. We actually had a 2003 vintage of the entry-level bottling, and was still fresh and full of life. The single-vineyard wine steps up the quality to a level few other Greek wines reach, but the 2004 Old Vines selection was truly a special bottle. To me, this is the red wines all other Greek reds should be measured against. It has several qualities that reminded me of an aged Sangiovese, with notes of red cherry and almost a hint of sandalwood. I truly believe that if more Greek wines begin to reach this level, the industry will achieve a breakthrough in the international market.

Overall, while there were very few thrilling world-class wines I tasted, I came away impressed this year with the overall quality level of many of the entry-level Greek wines. These wines are quite inexpensive in Greece, and many that reach the US are still affordable as well. If Greek wines can reach the homes of consumers at this level, I think it will give them a chance to make future investments that lead to even higher quality wines that a few producers are already proving can be made.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 6

Finally, we reach the last of the posts about our three days at the Veronafiere for Vinitaly 2011. After one last lunch at the Pad 8 cafeteria, we were off for another epic Saturday afternoon. The journey began with a walk over to Pad 11, someplace I had not ventured in prior trips, but according to my file was housing a great booth somewhere. We found that booth, shared by a handful of great wineries and started down the line.

Up first was Passopisciaro, one of the leading producers of wines on Mt. Etna. We began with their 2008 Passopisciaro, a blend of lots from all of their vineyards. It was a great introduction to the Nerello Mascalese grape, but only a hint of what was to come. We then sampled four different single-vineyard Nerello Mascaleses, from four vineyards of varying altitudes ranging from 450 to 900 meters, and all had elements that distinguished them from the others. The 2009 Rampante exhibited a minerality that reminded me of an Hermitage, while the 2009 Sciarranuova was lighter with a floral nose that reminded me of a Burgundy. The 2009 Porciara was the least distinctive in my opinion but still very good, and was followed by the 2009 Chiappemagine, which was the most like a Nebbiolo. After all of these great Nerellos, we were then treated to something completely different, the 2008 Franchetti, a Cabernet Franc from the same Etna slopes. I don't really know how to describe this wine, other than to say it was amazing that this grape could produce such a wine in a climate that produced the Nerello Mascaleses as well. Overall, I was blown away by the quality of all of the wines at Passopisciaro, and definitely have put the winery on my watch list so that I can start to buy what I can.

Our next stop really wasn't a stop at all, as we just changed the region of wines we were trying without even moving or having a new host. Passopisciaro's owner Andrea Franchetti also has an outstanding Tuscan estate Tenuta di Trinoro, so we moved on to those wines. We began with the entry-level wine, the 2008 Le Cupole, before then getting to taste the 2008 Tenuta di Trinoro. This wine is a blend of mainly Merlot and Cab Franc, but also has a bit of Cab Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Even as a truly international wine from Tuscany, it is a stunner, not overly "international" in style, but maintaining some Tuscan character. It was a truly eye-opening wine, and one of my candidates for wine of the week.

Amazingly after these two great wineries, we still had one more top producer to visit just steps away, Isole e Olena. We were able to taste their full lineup, beginning with the 2008 Chianti Classico. Up next was the 2007 Cepparello, and it was truly outstanding. Among all of the 100% Sangioveses we tasted during the week from this great vintage, I think the '07 Cepparello may have been my favorite, as it exhibited an elegance I didn't get from the others. We then tried the 2008 Cepparello before moving to the 2006 Syrah and the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Finally through our stop at Pad 11, we crossed back to the grab-bag of Pad 6, stopping first at Lungarotti, an Umbria producer we have started to follow. It was a bit crowded and warm at their booth, so we only tasted three wines, the 2010 Torre di Giano (white), followed by the 2007 Rubesco and the 2005 Rubesco Riserva.

We then ended up back with some other Tuscan gems, beginning with Tenuta San Guido. Here we had the 2009 Le Difese, which looks to be another solid vintage for a wine we've come to admire as a QPR winner, followed by the 2009 Guidalberto. While at San Guido, we also tasted a pair of wines from another estate the owners have, Salviano. From there we were offered the 2008 Solideo (Cab/Syrah) and the 2009 Tureo (Sangiovese/Syrah).

Our next stop was at Petrolo, where we got to taste both the 2008 Torrione (Sangiovese) and the 2008 Galatrona (Merlot). While the Galatrona gets much of the critical acclaim, they offered to show us how well the Torrione also ages by pouring the 1998 Torrione as well. I was amazed at how well this relatively inexpensive wine has held up, as it was still drinking quite well.

Continuing the Tuscan theme, we went to Le Macchiole, one of Bolgheri's top estates. Once again, we were treated great, warmly welcomed and offered some of the finest wines in the region. We first had the 2009 Bolgheri Rosso, then followed it with the 2007 Paleo (Cab Franc) and the 2007 Messorio, which was probably my top Merlot of the week.

Our final stop before moving on to points south was at D'Alessandro, one of Tuscany's foremost producers of Syrah. Here we had the 2008 Cortona Syrah, the 2007 Il Migliaro, and the 2007 Il Bosco, a past favorite. Again, we weren't quite done though, as we were then offered the 2001 Il Bosco as well to see how the wine has aged (quite well).

At this point I made the call that we needed to move along to something new, so we headed over to Pad B where the Campania producers were set up. Our first stop was Galardi, where we tasted the 2009 Terra di Lavoro. This is once again a great Aglianico, continuing an amazing run for this winery. We were fortunate to meet proprietors Arturo and Dora Celentano, who were, like so many others we met, passionate and welcoming in discussing their wine. Even tasting just one wine, this was a great visit.

Next was another stop with just one wine, but once again what a wine, and what a great estate owner. This was Montevetrano, where Silvia Imparato spoke with us while we tried the 2009 Montevetrano. It is another great wine, and it was even better to discuss it with the woman who has done so much to put this region on the map. I hope that someday soon we can go visit her and the Celentanos, who were both excellent hosts and make extraordinary wine.

Our next destination was De Conciliis, recommended to me by a friend here in Atlanta. We began with the 2009 Donnaluna before a small vertical of their flagship Aglianico Naima. In order, we had the 2006 Naima, 2005 Naima, and 2004 Naima, which were all very good, before finishing with the 2006 Zero.

We then circled back to Molettieri, as they were busy when we passed before going to De Conciliis. We soon discovered why, as we were treated to a great tasting, even though the family member who was there spoke almost no English (yet we managed to communicate well enough with him). We began with three vintages of their "entry" wine, the 2008 Irpinia, 2007 Irpinia, and 2006 Irpinia. We then had the 2006 Irpinia Campi Taurasini before moving up to the Taurasis. Here we had the 2006 Taurasi, the 2005 Taurasi, the 2005 Taurasi Riserva, and finally the 2004 Taurasi Riserva. Amazingly, I think there might have been more we could have tried but after this many wines and this much time we decided to move on as time was running short.

The end was quickly approaching, but I had one last destination in mind - Sicily. As we entered Pad 1, home of the Sicilian wines, we immediately noted the air conditioning was on full force. It had gotten quite hot that day, and somehow no one was staying cooler than the Sicilians, which Dad quickly noted. As I looked for our first stop Benanti, Mom and Dad both needed a bathroom break so left me to begin tasting. They were gone for quite a while, which left me to dive into a lineup far more diverse than I expected. Tasting completely out of order, I began with the 2004 Majora, a blend of Nero d'Avola, Syrah, Tannat, and Petit Verdot. That was followed by the 2005 Rovitello (Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Capuccio), the 2006 Serra della Contesa (also Mascalese and Capuccio) and then the 2006 Nerello Mascalese, my favorite of the bunch. Finally, I tried the 2005 Il Drappo (Nero d'Avola) and the 2004 Lamoremio (Nero, Nerello Mascalese, and Cab). It was quite an interesting tasting with some very good wines, but I almost wonder if Benanti could simplify things a bit.

Mom and Dad rejoined and tried some of the Benanti wines, and we had just a bit of time left. I had one last stop I really wanted to make and finally located the booth of Terre Nere, the winery that turned me on to Etna a year or so ago. Similar to Passopisciaro, we tasted the entry-level blend, the 2010 Etna Rosso, before moving to the single vineyard bottlings. Here we had the 2009 Caldera Sottana, the 2009 Fendo di Mezzo, the 2009 Santo Spirito, the 2009 Guardiola, and finally the 2009 Don Peppino Pre-phylloxera. All of these Nerello Mascaleses were excellent as well, though I even have to admit the Passopisciaros were a shade better. I'm not complaining at all, as I thought the Terre Nere wines were excellent, and left a final overall impression of the great strides being made in Sicily. In fact, I have read since returning that many other experts also felt that a big story of Vinitaly 2011 was the arrival of Sicily (and specifically Nerello Mascalese) as a star on the scene.

As we walked out of Pad 1 and right through the exits, it was amazing to think what we had done over the prior three days. Vinitaly 2011 had been an unquestioned success, as we had gotten the opportunity to taste so many of Italy's (and the world's) great wines. We had met so many great people, and that is part of what amazed me most - many of these producers have no reason to spend time and be so welcoming to people like us who are not in the business, but they are. And even though I will always try to judge a wine by what is in the bottle, it is easier to like a wine when the producer is so great. And that is what makes Vinitaly so amazing - it's not just tasting wines, but getting a chance to meet those who put everything into making these wines, and hearing their stories, their beliefs. I can't wait until 2012.

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.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 4

After lunch Friday, I wanted to spend our afternoon tasting the latest wines from Piedmont, but first we needed to make one last stop for a Brunello at Salvioni. We've met Giuliano Salvioni before, and I had a great visit with him last summer in Montalcino, so we couldn't miss out on stopping by at Vinitaly. It also helps that his wines are some of the best in Montalcino, and the latest releases were no different. We had the 2009 Rosso, followed by the 2006 Brunello, which was just as great in bottle as it was in barrel last June.

Now we headed to the adjoining building for Piedmont, but were rudely greeted by the heat. The weather was unseasonably warm this year in Verona, and Pad 9 where the Piedmont producers were headquartered had no air conditioning. It wasn't the most ideal way to taste great Nebbiolo, but we did the best we could. Our first stop was at Vietti, who was sharing their very large space with Coppo. I was surprised that Vietti had such a large, somewhat impersonal booth, as many of the top Piedmont producers are much more low-key. The first wine we tasted was the 2008 Barbera d'Asti from Coppo. We then were offered just two wines from Vietti, the 2007 Barbera d'Alba Scarrone and the 2007 Barolo Castigione (their base offering). The wines were nice, but it was disappointing not to be able to taste more.

Next we headed to the main tasting area of many of the top small producers in the area, the Langa In group. Our first stop was at Cigliuti, a producer we first learned about on our first visit to Vinitaly. We began with a pair of Barberas, the 2008 Barbera d'Alba Serraboella and the 2008 Barbera d'Alba Campass. Next we moved up to the Langhe wines, one Nebbiolo and one blended with Barbera, with the 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo and the 2008 Briccoserra Langhe. Finally, we had two excellent Barbarescos, the 2006 Barberesco Vigna Erte and the 2007 Barbaresco Serraboella. I thought these two wines were great examples of traditionally made Barbaresco from a top producer. As we finished up our tasting, we were discussing other similar small family producers, especially any that may be looking for import representation in Florida, as Dominic was with us and interested in finding potential clients. Within minutes, we were being whisked away to our next tasting.

Piero Busso was the producer we visited next, and one I must confess I was not familiar with. However, we were treated to a very nice lineup, with a few very good wines. We actually started with a white, the 2010 Langhe Arneis, followed by a pair of Barberas, the 2009 Barbera d'Alba Majano and the 2008 Barbera d'Alba Santo Stefanetto. Following the 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, we then went through four Barbarescos from two vintages. First up was the 2007 Barbaresco Borgese, their entry offering. It was ok, but not among my favorites. Next was the 2008 Barbaresco Mondino, which was probably my favorite of the lineup, especially for the cost. We then went back for the 2007 Barbaresco Santo Stefanetto and 2007 Barbaresco Gallina, which was the most modern-styled of the bunch. Overall, I thought the wines were of good quality, though not quite at the top level of some of the other Barbarescos we tasted. However, they are very affordably priced for the most part and would be good choices for an intro to Barbaresco without breaking the bank.

Our next stop was to visit one of the best value producers of Barbaresco, the co-op Produttori di Barbaresco. We began with the 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, then followed up with three different vintages of Barbaresco. First up was the 2007 Barbaresco, then the 2006 Barbaresco, and finally the 2005 Barbaresco Riserva Pora. The Produttori normally make several riservas, but don't offer them all for tasting. Also, there were no riservas produced in 2006, so the regular bottling can contain some of that riserva juice (depending on the Lot). All in all, it was another solid lineup from the co-op.

We then made a quick stop at one of the iconic producers of Barolo, Giuseppe Mascarello, where we were offered the 2004 Barolo Villero. I was a bit disappointed that this was the only wine we were offered, but it was nice to taste a wine I hadn't previously had.

Our next visit was yet another of the legendary Barolo houses, Aldo Conterno. Unfortunately, Aldo himself was not present, but we still got to taste some great wines. Before getting to the Barolos, we tasted the 2008 Barbera d'Alba Conca Tre Pile and the 2008 Langhe Il Favot. We then had the 2007 Barolo and the 2007 Barolo Cicala, which was an absolutely top-class Barolo, and one of my wines of the week.

At this point, the day was starting to run short, and though we knew we had time for at least two more visits, we wanted to make them count. On our way back to the Langa In area, we stopped in the area for producers that are part of the Mark de Grazia portfolio. There, we found Moccagatta, another top Barbaresco producer, and were treated to another great lineup that included whites and reds, and all of their Barbaresco bottlings. The two whites we tried were the 2010 Chardonnay and the 2009 Chardonnay Buschet. Moving to the reds, we had the 2010 Dolcetto d'Alba, the 2010 Barbera d'Alba, and the 2010 Langhe Nebbiolo before moving up to the Barbarescos. We were then treated to all of their 2008s, starting the the 2008 Barbaresco. It was then on to the single-vineyard wines, with the 2008 Barbaresco Bric Balin, the 2008 Barbaresco Basarin, and the 2008 Barbaresco Cole. Each was outstanding, though I had a slight preference for the Bric Balin.

Finally, we went back into the Langa In area, and were able to get a seat with Chiara Boschis of E. Pira-Chiara Boschis, who we had also met on our first Vinitaly trip. Chiara was friendly as ever, and led us through one more great lineup. Here we began with the 2010 Dolcetto d'Alba, followed by the 2009 Barbera d'Alba and the 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo. Moving on to the Barolos, we tasted the 2007 Barolo Cannubi, the 2007 Barolo Via Nuova, and finally the 2006 Barolo Cannubi. The Barolos were all excellent, classically-styled wines that I thoroughly enjoyed and were a great way to finish the day.

Overall, our second day was another success, with 74 more wines tasted. In our afternoon tastings, I came away impressed with the general quality of the 2008 vintage in Barbaresco, and really the quality of Barbaresco as a whole, which I think tends to get overlooked by its Barolo sibling. We again managed to visit with old friends, make a few new ones, and generally enjoy all there was to offer. Of course, now we only had one day left, and a lot of wine still to taste, which meant that Saturday we'd have to have a good plan and be on our game to get through as much as we could.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 3

Friday morning we were back to the Veronafiere bright and early. Now knowing exactly where to grab a quick breakfast and where to get the shuttle bus, we were there soon after the doors opened. I had decided the we would begin the day again in the Tuscany pavilion, where we would then eat lunch in our usual spot before an afternoon in Piedmont. Our first stop of the morning as we came into pad 8 was Fontodi. Two years ago our visit to Fontodi was my first experience with their 100% Sangiovese Flaccianello, and I've since become a huge fan of their wines. I was also able to visit the winery last summer while in Tuscany. This visit was another excellent one, as we were able to taste their entire range of wines. We began with the 2007 Chianti Classico, followed by the 2008 Chianti Classico, the first vintage where the wine is certified organic. Next we had the 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo, before moving on to both the 2007 Flaccianello and the 2008 Flaccianello. We then had their two international varietals, the 2008 Pinot Nero and the 2007 Syrah. Overall, the 2007 vintage is definitely superior, and while I enjoyed the 07 Flaccianello (which I had last summer too), it may be a hair behind the 06 vintage, and also slightly behind some of the other great 07 Sangioveses we ended up tasting.

Our second stop of the morning took us to Montepulciano for the wines of Boscarelli, once of the great producers from this area just to the northeast of Montalcino. We began with a pair of young new releases, the 2009 de Ferrari IGT and the 2009 Prugnolo IGT. Moving up, we then had the 2008 Vino Noile di Montepulciano and the 2006 Vino Nobile Riserva. Finally, we wrapped up with the 2007 Nocio Vino Nobile and the 2006 Boscarelli IGT. The entire lineup from this winery is really quite impressive, and a great representative of an area that tends to get a bit overlooked in the US.

We returned to Chianti with our next visit, San Giusto a Rentennano. While the Chiantis here are excellent, the stars again are Supertuscans. We began with the 2009 Chianti Classico, followed by the 2008 Chianti Classico Riserva. We then followed those with the 2007 Percarlo (100% Sangiovese) and the 2008 Ricolma (100% Merlot). I thought the Percarlo was excellent, possibly a shade better than the '07 Flaccianello.

At this point, we were close to our appointed time to visit with Mario once again, but now to finally taste all of his wines from Terralsole. We began with the 2006 Brunello, which Mario thinks is one of the best he's made. That was followed by the 2005 Brunello Riserva, the 2006 Solista (a 100% Syrah IGT which we'd had at dinner the night before), and finally the 2005 Brunello. All of the wines were excellent, as was our time with Mario, who is always a great host.

Now firmly back into Montalcino again, we tried to make the most of our time until lunch, visiting some of the heavy hitters of the area. Up first was Poggio di Sotto, where we had the 2008 Rosso and the 2006 Brunello. Not surprisingly, this was one of the stars of the week, and took my vote for the best 2006 Brunello we tasted. It was incredibly elegant and balanced, as I've come to expect from this producer.

Next we went for a more modern style, but a critical darling, Casanova di Neri. We began with the 2009 Rosso before getting into the Brunello. We had the 2006 Brunello, which I thought was the best bottling of this cuvee I've had, before trying the 2005 Brunello Tenuta Nuova. We than had the 2006 Brunello Tenuta Nuova before closing out with the 2007 Pietradonice IGT and the 2004 Cerretalto Brunello. Overall, these are very well-made wines, though I hold a preference for the more traditional style of Brunello.

Our last stop before lunch was at one of the more traditional-styled producers, Talenti. Here we had the 2009 Rosso followed by the 2006 Brunello, which was superb. One of my top 2006 Brunellos for the week, it is also extremely affordable and thus earns high marks from me.

At this point, it was time for lunch once again. We had one more key Brunello producer to visit after lunch, but after that the plan was to make out way to Piedmont and taste the latest Barolos and Barbarescos.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 2

After a refueling stop at our favorite Vinitaly eatery (the Pad 8 cafeteria), we were ready for a busy afternoon. With about 4 hours of time remaining, we decided to spend a little more time in Tuscany before heading to the Veneto. Our first stop was another of Chianti’s top estates (though one better known for their Supertuscans than Chiantis), Castello di Rampolla. We began with the 2008 Chianti Classico, then followed with the 2009 Chianti Classico before moving to the big guns. The 2006 Sammarco was solid as usual, but the real star was the 2006 D’Alceo, which had lots of dark fruit and a long finish. It was definitely one of my top wines of the week.

Our final stop of the day in Tuscany was Il Poggione. I had met assistant winemaker Alessandro Bindocci at a tasting in Atlanta a few months ago, and he was nice enough to take a few minutes of time out from a group he was already with to speak with us. We discussed my initial thoughts on the 2006 in Atlanta (which had been delayed from his visit, but tasted on a Friday night later with the 2003 and 2004 Riservas) and Alessandro made sure we were taken care of before returning to his meeting. He continued to check up on us as we went through the lineup of the 2009 Rosso, the 2006 Brunello and the 2005 Brunello Riserva, which were all very good.

At this point we were close to our appointed time to meet friends in the Veneto pavilion so we began to head in that direction. Along the way, finding out they were a few minutes away still, we stopped in at the Campania producer Terredora di Paolo. I’ve become a big fan of their red wines, but we actually decided to start with their whites. We went through a trio of very nice wines, the 2010 Falanghina, the 2010 Greco di Tufo, and the 2010 Fiano di Avellino. These are all whites I’d buy to accompany a light seafood dish, though I preferred the Falanghina and Fiano. After the three whites we realized we needed to head on, so we did not get into their excellent lineup of reds, instead promising to return. Alas, we never did, as we just ran short on time on the week.

Finally, we made it over to the Veneto pavilion, and specifically a group of smaller producers. We met our friends Dominic and Roberta, and went to visit Dominic’s client Tiziano Accordini. Tiziano was busy, so we took the opportunity to first taste the wines of Lorenzo Begali. Lorenzo’s son Giordano began with us, pouring the 2010 Valpolicella and the 2009 Ripasso. Giordano’s sister Tiliana then took over, offering us the 2007 Tigiolo IGT, the 2007 Amarone, and the 2006 Amarone Ca Bianca. Lorenzo himself actually stopped by before we finished with the 2008 Recioto. Overall, it was an impressive lineup once again from this family operation, and I look forward to searching out several of these wines.

Tiziano was now free, so we moved across the aisle to taste the latest wines of Stefano Accordini, which Dominic imports. Here we again started with the brand new 2010 Valpolicella, followed by the 2008 Ripasso. We then had the 2008 Passo IGT before moving to the big guns. We had the 2007 Amarone, the 2004 Il Fornetto Amarone, and finally the 2007 Recioto. The whole lineup was good, with the Passo a great QPR option, while the Il Fornetto is definitely one of the top Amarones anywhere below the Dal Forno/Quintarelli level. As always Tiziano was great to visit with, and his son was also there with him. Like the Begalis, they are a family-run operation, and extremely gracious. It is wonderful to be able to taste great wines made by such great people.

Our last two stops were with larger producers, though the first of these can still seem like a smaller family operation. Anyone who is familiar with my prior visit to Vinitaly knows about our meeting with Giuseppe Campagnola, who was so nice to us at dinner one evening and then spent a great deal of time tasting with us at Vinitaly two years ago. When we stopped by the booth this time, he was initially busy, but eventually found his way over to us and was as friendly as ever. We began our tasting with the 2009 Valpolicella, followed by the 2009 Ripasso. We the moved to the 2008 Valpolicella Caterina Zardini before trying the 2007 Amarone. We concluded with a very good 2006 Amarone Caterina Zardini and the 2009 Recioto. This was another good lineup from Campagnola, once again reminding me of how disappointed I have been in trying to find their wines here in the US. The Caterina Zardini wines are definitely top-quality wines that are among the upper tier of Veneto wines in my opinion.

Our final stop of a wonderful first day was at one of the biggest names in the Veneto, Zenato. Our group of five (Dominic and Roberta were still with us) was welcomed graciously and brought into the booth to sit at a table for tasting. We decided to begin with their whites, a 2010 Lugana and 2008 Lugana Sergio Zenato. I’ve had very little Lugana, but these were enjoyable, and wouldn’t be the only Luganas we tasted on the trip. Following these whites, we moved to the reds with two of my favorite QPRs, the 2008 Valpolicella and 2008 Ripasso. I buy these wines in most vintages, and the 2008s are once again solid performers. We then jumped up to the 2006 Amarone, the 2005 Sergio Zenato Amarone, and finally the 2006 Recioto, the first Zenato has ever made. The 2006 Amarone is great (and available at some US retailers for a steal) and the Recioto is outstanding – I hope it ends up as widely available as most of the Zenato line.

At this point it was past 6 pm and we had dinner reservations at 7 pm at the Bottega del Vino with a great group of folks, so it was time to go. There was some scrambling to be done though, as we needed to find Mario (who was joining us for dinner) before heading out. I’ll just say it was a blur of Mom, Dad, and I running about for 20-30 minutes, finding Mario but not all of us getting back, and finally getting on a shuttle bus, where we somehow managed to get to the restaurant right at 7. I’ll detail that dinner in a later post recapping the meals of the trip. Next up will be the recap of Friday morning, where we returned to the Tuscany pavilion.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 1

The opening morning at Vinitaly is always a bit of madness, as we've learned before. Getting through the ticket line and then the main gate can take a little time, so our planned schedule for the morning wasn't too busy. I anticipated starting in the Veneto as we usually do, then taking the afternoon to begin our assault on the Tuscany pavilion. However, those plans immediately got tossed when we ran into our good friend Mario Bollag of Terralsole in the ticket line. After getting our tickets we met Mario inside the gates and decided to go ahead and go with him to meet a good friend of his who has just started a new winery in Montecucco (just across the Orcia river from Montalcino). Mario's friend Paolo Vaggagini is actually the consulting winemaker at Terralsole, and has a similar role with many of Montalcino's top estates. Now he and his wife have started their own winery, Amantis, in a nearby area.

We tasted five wines with Paolo, beginning with his 2007 Birbanera, an IGT wine with Sangiovese, Colorino, Canaiolo, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. It's a very nice, easy-drinking wine that is a great choice for the price. We then had the 2006 Sangiovese, the 2005 Iperione (Cab Franc), the 2008 Birbanera, and the 2007 Sangiovese. These wines are all fairly priced as Montecucco is a relatively unknown area, but it's obvious that the terroir is good, and Paolo certainly knows how to make great wines. He was also a fantastic host, and I look forward to drinking more of his wine and hopefully seeing him again next year.

After that start, we had to make our first move to the Brunello Consorzio, and we were thrilled to come upon the stand of the Baricci family. I visited the Baricci winery last June after Mom and Dad recommended it from a visit they made several years ago. Nello Baricci was one of the founders of the Brunello Consorzio and remains a staunch traditionalist. His winery is also still a small, family-run operation, and in our past visits to Vinitaly they were not present. Now however, the youngest generation is taking a larger role and decided to make the trip north to Verona. Nello's grandsons were happy to receive us, and even more enthused when we told them about our prior visits to the winery visiting with their father and grandfather. When they poured their wines for us though, we were the excited ones, as their 2009 Rosso is very good and the 2006 Brunello is outstanding. This is traditionally-styled Brunello from the Montosoli hill in the northern part of the appellation that hits all the right notes. Even better is the price, as these wines are incredibly reasonable if you can find them in the US. I certainly can't wait to get some of the 2006 Brunello, and look forward to a bright future from this estate.

Our next stop was with another of the Montalcino traditionalists, Livio Sassetti. Livio's Pertimali estate has always made some of my favorite wines from Montalcino, and our visit with Livio two years ago at Vinitaly was one of the highlights of the trip. Livio was great once again this year, taking time to read us some of his poetry while we tasted. We went through his full lineup of wines, beginning with his 2009 Rosso and the 2006 Fili di Seta IGT. Next we tried his wines from vineyards outside of Montalcino, the 2008 Istriciaia from Maremma, and the 2007 Montecucco. Finally, we wrapped up with a trio of Brunelli: the 2004 Riserva, followed by both the 2005 Brunello and 2006 Brunello. Truthfully, the 2006 didn't stand out among all those we tasted, which is a little disappointing. It wasn't a bad wine at all, but it just didn't make a big impression on me.

After these two traditionally-styled producers, we switched gears with a visit to our friend Giancarlo Pacenti of Siro Pacenti. We have all visited the Pacenti estate, and enjoy the wines Giancarlo makes, though they are quite different than the prior wines. The Siro Pacenti wines are much more modern in style, aged new French barriques as opposed to the larger Slavonian botti (giant barrels) the traditionalists use. The resulting wines are thus bigger, darker, and a bit tougher to judge when so young. We tasted the 2009 Rosso and 2006 Brunello with Giancarlo, though I have now read that he will release two other Brunelli from the 2006 vintage, the PS Riserva as well as the Pelagrilli, made from his younger vines.

Our next stop took us briefly out of Montalcino, as we came across the Chianti estate of Felsina, which has become a favorite of mine over the past couple of years. I was disappointed not to get to visit the estate last summer, but we ran out of time the day I had hoped to visit. Our tasting began with the 2009 Chianti Classico, another strong effort for a bottling that became a house favorite of mine with the 2007 vintage. We followed that with the 2008 Chianti Riserva Rancia and the 2007 Chianti Riserva Rancia. The Rancia is a very backward wine when young, so these were both not showing a lot yet, but have great potential, especially the 2007. We then had the 2007 Fontalloro, an IGT due to the vineyards location the border of tho Chianti sub-regions, and finished with the 2007 Maestro Raro, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon IGT. While I enjoyed all of these wines, most of them still seemed very tight and closed.

Our final stop as we waited to meet up with several friends for lunch was another Brunello producer, Sesta di Sopra. Here we were actually offered the 2005 Brunello along with the 2009 Rosso. The 2005 Brunello was a very nice wine for the vintage, but I was disappointed not to get to try the 2006.

Overall, our first morning at Vinitaly was a good start to the event. We didn't taste a lot of wine, but got to spend some time with some old friends as well as make some new ones. We also tried some great wines we knew about and found some new things to seek out, which is always a plus. After lunch, we would spend a little more time in Tuscany before finally making our way to the Veneto to wrap up the opening day.