DA ITALY REPORT DI ANTONIO GALLONI
Great Values from ItalyDecember 2007
A MANO 2005 PRIMITIVO APULIA ($12.00) RED 88A Mano, based in Puglia, has been a reliable source for value-priced wines for years. The 2006 Primitivo is a beautiful, expansive wine loaded with super-ripe jammy fruit and sweet toasted oak flavors. This generous, racy red offers superb length and is a ridiculous value for the money. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684‑0900
AMINEA 2006 FIANO DI AVELLINO CAMPANIA ($18.00) WHITE 89AMINEA 2006 GRECO DI TUFO CAMPANIA ($18.00) WHITE 90Readers who want to explore the unique whites of Campania owe it to themsleves to check out these two wines from Aminea. The 2006 Fiano di Avellino is a gorgeous, expressive white made in a fairly rich style for Fiano, with lovely mineral, wet stone and smoky notes that complement its bright, citrus fruit. It offers excellent length and as well as plenty of personality. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The estate’s 2006 Greco di Tufo reveals a full-bodied texture and soft, generous fruit showing outstanding length on the palate and terrific balance. It is a highly pleasurable Greco to enjoy now and over the next year or two. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445‑0620
ARGIOLAS 2006 S’ELEGAS NURAGUS DI CAGLIARI SARDINIA ($14.00) WHITE 88ARGIOLAS 2006 VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA COSTAMOLINO SARDINIA ($14.00) WHITE 90ARGIOLAS 2006 VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA IS ARGIOLAS SARDINIA ($18.00) WHITE 89ARGIOLAS 2006 IGT PERDERA ISOLA DEI NURAGHI SARDINIA ($13.00) RED 89ARGIOLAS 2006 IGT COSTERA ISOLA DEI NURAGHI SARDINIA ($15.00) RED 90Argiolas is a reference-point producer of Sardinian whites, reds and dessert wines. The estate works with famed oenologist Giacomo Tachis, who happens to be a native of Sardinia, so perhaps the high level of the wines should not be that much of a surprise. Simply put, I was blown away by the quality of the value-priced wines I tasted from Argiolas and I can’t recommend them highly enough, particularly for readers who haven’t yet discovered the compelling uniqueness of the island’s wines. Better still, all of these wines are priced well below $20 retail and offer stunning value. The 2006 S’Elegas Nuragus di Cagliari is made from the indigenous Nuragus variety. The wine reveals expressive aromatics and honeyed white peaches with excellent length and a lingering note of sweetness on the finish that allows it to pair beautifully with a range of foods, including those with a little spice. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2008. The irresistible 2006 Vermentino di Sardegna Costamolino is made in a very pure, nuanced style, with plenty of detail to balance its generous fruit. This gorgeous white offers outstanding length and notable harmony. It is far from your typical Vermentino. I actually preferred it slightly to the estate’s more important Is Argiolas bottling. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2008. Argiolas’ 2006 Vermentino di Sardegna Is Argiolas is a fatter, riper expression of Vermentino with a honeyed quality to its fruit and subtle earthy notes in the background. A higher amount of residual sugar contributes to the wine’s richness. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The estate’s 2006 Perdera Isola dei Nuraghi is an awesome effort at this level. It offers spicy black pepper and jammy dark fruit on a big, powerful frame, with intense tannins that will require at least a few months of bottle age to settle down. This blend of 90% Monica and 10% Carignano and Bovale Sardo is a great introduction to the reds of Sardinia. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2012. The 2006 Costera Isola dei Nuraghi (100% Cannonau) is another knock-out effort from Argiolas. It reveals masses of super-ripe fruit bacon fat and licorice flavors. Today the fruit remains enshrouded in a wall of tannins so a year or two of further bottle age is called for, but this is a magnificent wine especially at this level. Cannonau is believed to be a descendant of Grenache and this wine will especially appeal to readers who enjoy the flavor profile of wines from the Southern Rhone. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2014. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445‑0620
CAGGIANO 2004 AGLIANICO TARI CAMPANIA ($18.00) RED 89Readers who want to discover the unique qualities of Aglianico without spending a fortune should check out Antonio Caggiano’s 2004 Aglianico Tari. This sumptuous, richly-textured red is packed with over-ripe jammy fruit, licorice, tar and minerals. It is a tasty wine to drink now and over the next few years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2014. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, …….
DE ANGELIS 2006 LACRIMA CHRISTI BIANCO CAMPANIA ($16.00) WHITE 88De’ Angelis’ 2006 Lacrima Christi (60% Capratona and 40% Falanghina) is a delicious white from Campania that beautifully balances the opulence of its honeyed, ripe fruit with persistent underlying notes of smokiness and minerality. Drink this pure, tasty white over the next year or two. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, …..
DI GIOVANNA 2006 IGT GRILLO SICILY ($17.00) WHITE 88Di Giovanna’s 2006 Grillo reveals attractive notes of perfumed, green apples with excellent length and harmony in a crisp, refreshing style. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2008. Importer: Montecastelli Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 414‑4898
DI MAJO NORANTE 2006 IGT SANGIOVESE TERRE DEGLI OSCI MOLISE ($12.00) RED 89DI MAJO NORANTE 2004 IGT RAMITELLO TERRE DEGLI OSCI MOLISE ($15.00) RED 88DI MAJO NORANTE 2004 AGLIANICO DEL MOLISE CONTADO MOLISE ($15.00) RED 90DI MAJO NORANTE 2004 APINAE MOLISE ($20.00;500 ml) SWEET WHITE 92I was blown away by the wines of Di Majo Norante. The 2006 Sangiovese Terre Degli Osci is simply gorgeous. This superbly balanced red offers generous, super-ripe blueberry, spice and sweet toasted oak along with a soft, accessible personality. Despite its very ripe style, the wine remains surprisingly fresh. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The 2004 Ramitello Terre degli Osci (80% Prugnolo, 20% Aglianico) reveals excellent length and a soft, perfumed personality with tertiary leather and spice overtones. Though not especially vibrant, it is a joy to drink now and over the next year or two. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. I doubt readers will find a more budget-friendly Aglianico than Di Majo Norante’s 2004 Aglianico del Molise Contado. This wonferfully nuanced wine reveals terrific intensity and energy on the palate, with plenty of fruit, cocoa and roasted coffee bean flavors that flow from the glass. At once fully-flavored, yet delicate, it is an exceptional effort at this level. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2011. The 2004 Apinae smells like Sicilian oranges, flowers and ocean sea-breeze. It offers superb richness and length without coming across as heavy. This compelling dessert wine is loaded with flavor and personality. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445‑0620
FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO 2006 FALANGHINA CAMPANIA ($18.00) WHITE 86FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO 2006 GRECO DI TUFO CAMPANIA ($22.00) WHITE 89 FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO 2006 PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA OGNISSOLE CAMPANIA ($18.00) RED 88 Feudi di San Gregorio is a good source for readers who want to discover the considerable breadth of the beautiful wines of Campania. The 2006 Falanghina is a refreshing, mid-weight wine with perfumed, sweet fruit, smoke and mineral overtones. It will make an excellent aperitif wine, but is best enjoyed over the next year. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2008. The mid-weight 2006 Greco di Tufo is made in a steelier style than the Falanghina but reveals greater vibrancy and energy in its pure focused fruit and saline, mineral notes. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. Feudi’s 2005 Primitivo di Manduria Ognissole is a delicious, deeply flavored wine loaded with generous, super-ripe blueberries, blackberries, cassis and raisins. This opulent, weighty Primitivo offers excellent length as well as richness. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2012. Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362‑9642
MAZZEI 2005 IGT ZISOLA SICILY ($20.00) RED 88 The Mazzei family is best know for their Tuscan wines, most notably those of Fonterutoli, but in recent years they have begun making wines in Sicily as well. The 2005 Zisola (100% Nero D’Avola) boasts a dark color and a generous personality endowed with plump, ripe blueberries, earthiness, smoke, spices and tar. This rich, soft-textured wine possesses excellent length and fine overall balance. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010. Importer: Palm Bay Imports, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362‑9642
MORGANTE 2006 NERO D’AVOLA SICILY ($16.00) RED 89Morgante’s deeply-colored 2006 Nero d’Avola is an opulent wine packed with blackberry liqueur, cassis, minerals and toasted oak. It offers notable persistence on the palate but shows a few rough edges that keep the score from going higher. Still, this is a supremely enjoyable wine to drink now and over the next few years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445‑0620
SANTA ANASTASIA 2004 IGT CONTEMPO NERO D’AVOLA SICILY ($14.00) RED 87The 2004 Nero d’Avola Contempo from Santa’Anastasia is a ripe, opulent wine loaded with jammy dark fruit and attractive notes of licorice and mint that add complexity. An underlying vein of minerality gives the wine a measure of balance. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684‑0900
SANTADI 2006 VERMENTINO VILLA SOLAIS SARDINIA ($13.00) WHITE 88SANTADI 2006 VERMENTINO CALA SILENTE SARDINIA ($19.00) WHITE 87SANTADI 2006 MONICA DI SARDEGNA ANTIGUA SARDINIA ($14.50) RED 89SANTADI 2005 CARIGNANO DEL SULCIS GROTTA ROSSA SARDINIA ($14.50) RED 88Santadi is another excellent source for readers who want to explore the unique wines of Sardinia. The 2006 Villa Solais is a wonderfully delicious, refreshing Vermentino with plenty of perfumed, crisp fruit supported by a lively vein of minerality. Drink this pretty Vermentino over the next year or two. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2008. The 2006 Vermentino Cala Silente is made from fruit that is given a little extra time on the vine to ripen, resulting in a fatter, more opulent wine. It too is an excellent Vermentino, but I confess to preferring the fresher, minerally Villa Solais. Anticipated matrity: 2007-2010. The estate’s 2006 Antigua (85% Monica, 15% Carignano) reveals an engaging, exotic personality in it its aromatics and ripe, dark fruit. This unique red, which is made from pre-phylloxera vines, offers stunning value at this level and is not to be missed. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The 2005 Grotta Rossa (100% Carginano) is another wine loaded with personality. Sweet dark fruit, leather and mint emerge from this soft, supple offering. It possesses notable length and a sweet note of licorice that rounds out the long finish. Anticipated matrity: 2007-2009. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684‑0900
SELLA E MOSCA 2005 ALGHERO TERRE BIANCHE TORBATO SARDINIA($18.00) WHITE 87SELLA E MOSCA 2006 VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA LA CALA SARDINIA ($12.00) WHITE 86SELLA E MOSCA 2004 CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA RISERVA SARDINIA ($12.00) RED 88SELLA E MOSCA 2002 ALGHERO TANCA FARRA’ SARDINIA ($20.00) RED 89Sella e Mosca is another of the Sardinian estates worth keeping an eye on. The following wines all offer terrific value. The 2005 Alghero Terre Bianco Torbato (100% Torbato) reveals an unsual, exotic profile of honeyed, ripe fruit, licorice and medicinal herbs. This medium-bodied, soft-textured white will be at its best over the next year or two. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The 2006 Vermentino di Sardegna is a clean, minerally white with suggestions of flowers and white peaches. It offers good length and a crisp, refreshing finish. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2008. The estate’s 2004 Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva possesses a delicate core of ripe fruit and an ethereal, understated personality. This understated, feminine Cannonau is best enjoyed over the next one to two years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The 2002 Alghero Tanca Farra’ is a wine of notable personality. It offers exotic notes of herbs, black pepper and dark ripe fruit with superb length and lovely overall balance. A blend of 50% Cannonau and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, it spent two years in French oak followed by a year in cask. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010. Importer: Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 362‑9642
TASCA D’ALMERITA 2006 IGT REGALEALI BIANCO SICILY ($14.00 WHITE 88 TASCA D’ALMERITA 2006 IGT LEONE D’ALMERITA SICILY ($18.00) WHITE 88TASCA D’ALMERITA 2005 IGT REGALEALI NERO D’AVOLA SICILY ($14.00) RED 88TASCA D’ALMERITA 2005 IGT NERO D’AVOLA LAMÙRI SICILY ($19.00) RED 90Tasca d’Almerita is an excellent source for Sicilian whites and reds. The 2006 Regaleali Bianco (40% Inzolia, 30% Grecanico, 20% Cataratto) is a fresh, perfumed effort redolent of sweet, honeyed fruit with excellent length and fine balance. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The 2006 Leone d’Almerita reveals perfumed aromatics of Cataratto married to a riper expression of Chardonnay fruit. Richly textured and generous on the palate, it offers excellent length and an engaging personality. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The estate’s 2005 Regaleali Nero d’Avola, one of my long-time favorite value-priced wines from Sicily, is 100% Nero d’Avola beginning with the 2004 vintage. It exhibits the wilder side of Nero d’Avola in its suggestions of sweet cherries, earthiness, mint and gaminess with excellent length as well as depth on the palate. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010. The 2005 Nero d’Avola Lamùri offers gorgeous purity in its perfumed almost-Pinot Noir-like fruit, mint and spices with an attractive plumpness on the palate and superb overall balance. It is a terrific effort that demonstrates the level of excellence Nero d’Avola can reach with attentive work in the vineyard. The wine also benefits from a relatively high-altitude site. The cool evenings provide balance to the hot daytime temperatures resulting in a wine of uncommon elegance. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2015. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445‑0620
CANTINA DEL TABURNO 2006 FALANGHINA CAMPANIA ($15.00) WHITE 86CANTINA DEL TABURNO 2006 IGT GRECO CAMPANIA ($16.00) WHITE 88CANTINA DEL TABURNO 2004 AGLIANICO FIDELIS CAMPANIA ($15.00) RED 89 Cantina del Taburno, a cooperative based in Campania, is turning out beautiful wines that offer notable value. The 2006 Falanghina is a great introduction to this variety, which has become so popular in the last few years. This, floral, perfumed wine offers plenty of fruit with good length and a touch of sweetness on the finish. It is a perfect wine for casual drinking. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2008. The 2006 Greco is a more serious wine, with notable depth in its chalky, mineral-driven fruit and poised, balanced personality. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The 2004 Aglianico Fidelis is absolutely beautiful. This generous, plummy wine is packed with dark fruit and spicy crushed pepper notes, with terrific balance, and a long, fresh finish. It would make a great house wine. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2014. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers,……
SANTA LUCIA 2005 CASTEL DEL MONTE MELOGRANO APULIA ($15.00) RED 88 Santa Lucia’s 2005 Castel del Monte Melograno (100% Uva di Troia) is a jam-packed red loaded with ripe red fruit, grilled herbs and smoke. This medium-bodied, accessible wine is a great choice to drink now and over the next two years or so. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers….
TERRE DEI RE 2004 AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE VULTUR BASILICATA ($22.00) RED 88 Terre dei Re’s 2004 Aglianico Vultur is a tasty wine from Basilicata. It offers notable depth in its attractive suggestions on blueberries and blackberries, with excellent depth and a long, clean finish. Anticipated matrity: 2007-2012. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684‑0900
VALLE REALE 2006 TREBBIANO D’ABRUZZO VIGNE NUOVE ABRUZZO ($10.00) WHITE 89VALLE REALE 2006 MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO VIGNE NUOVE ABRUZZO ($12.00) RED 88VALLE REALE 2004 MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO ABRUZZO ($18.00) RED 88Valle Reale, in Abruzzo, is an excellent source for valued-priced wines. The 2006 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Vigne Nuove exhibits terrific intensity in its deeply layered fruit, with expressive aromatics and notable energy. This beautiful expression of Trebbiano offers incredible value for the money. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. The 2004 Montepulcano d’Abruzzo is a generous red packed with super-ripe, jammy fruit that offers excellent length and an accessible personality. It too is a superb effort for the money. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445‑0620
CANTINA DI VENOSA 2006 IGT DRY MUSCAT TERRE DI ORAZIO BASILICATA (unknown) WHITE 88 Readers looking for an off-the-beaten-path wine will want to check out Cantina di Venosa’s 2006 Dry Muscat Terre di Orazio which is produced in Basilicata’s Vulture district, perhaps best known for its Aglianico. The dry (not sweet) Muscat reveals an exotic almost Gewürtztraminer-like expression of perfumed, spiced fruit with excellent length and a long, clean finish. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2008. finish. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445‑0620
VILLA MATILDE 2006 IGT FALANGHINA CAMPANIA ($18.00) WHITE 87VILLA MATILDE 2006 FALERNO DEL MASSICO BIANCO CAMPANIA ($20.00) WHITE 90VILLA MATILDE 2003 FALERNO DEL MASSICO ROSSO CAMPANIA ($22.00) RED 87 VILLA MATILDE 2006 IGT AGLIANICO CAMPANIA ($20.00) WHITE 89Villa Matilde, located in Campania, makes beautiful wines that faithfully capture the unique qualities of these mineral-rich terroirs. The 2006 Falanghina is a fresh, perfumed wine with an engaging personality and pretty notes of apricots an flowers that flow from the glas. It is best enjoyed young. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2008. The 2006 Falerno del Massico Bianco is 100% Falanghina made entirely from estate-owned vineyards. The cooler micro-climate and volcanic soils have yielded a notably steely, minerally expression of Falanghina that offers superb length and plenty of style. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. Readers looking for a racy, bold Aglianico should consider the 2006 Aglianico from Villa Matilde. Made in a sweet, opulent style, it possesses plenty of fruit, chocolate and sweet toasted oak with an irresistible, up-front personality. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010. The estate’s 2003 Falerno del Massico Rosso (80% Aglianico, 20% Piedirosso) is a big, full-bodied wine loaded with dark, jammy fruit, underbrush, toasted oak, leather and tobacco. The wine’s hard tannins and its advanced flavors suggest the flavors will evolve fast than he structural components will come into balance. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684‑0900
Antonio Galloni
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