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August/September
2008
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Wine Review Archive - Italy, Veneto -
Red
($13).
Tasted a little tired, frankly. It's
not the current vintage, anyway - look
for the 2003! (Italian Connection 08/06)
($18)
This has been one of our go-to Italian
red for years. With its sleek black plum
and currant fruit, mineral, violet and
spice notes, silky mouthfeel and crisp
finish, it pairs so well with so many
things, all year round. From summer tomato
and Gorgonzola salads, to spring lamb
to winter stews and game - it's hard to
go wrong with this well-made, well-priced,
single vineyard wine. Ready to drink now
and over the next couple of years. (Italian
Connection 08/06)
($22). Grapey and
appealing, with meaty red currant supporting
delicate floral and spice notes that linger
on the smooth finish. Easy to like. Ready
to drink now and over the next couple
of years. (Italian Connection 08/06)
($75). A fresh, modern style - and though
lacking in some of the dried fruit and
game character of more traditional Amarone,
this one is appealing for its smoky black
fruit, fresh mineral, floral and bittersweet
chocolate character. Stays focused through
the finish. Ready to drink now and over
the next five or six years. (Italian Connection
08/06)
($90). Intense and
deep, with rich black plum layered with
smoke, mineral, raisin and dark chocolate.
Lovely balance and a long, complex finish.
Ready to drink now and over the next ten
years. (Italian Connection 08/06)
($18). Lovely, ripe red cherry and raspberry
fruit with a wonderful mint note and velvety
smooth tannins. Easy to drink now. Should
age nicely for a couple of years. Paired
very well with a Potato and Sage Frittata
and green salad. (Weekend Wine, 09/00)
($16). Well, no sooner did we laud Bertani's
dedication to traditional wines... Now
there's this new Villa Novare label
which promises modern, international
styles. Sure enough, we weren't as crazy
about this one. Simple red berry and
sweet vanillin oak. Ready to drink now.
(Italian Connection 06/06)
($17). Much preferred to the Villa Novare,
with its earthy character and red plum,
smoke and dried red cherry notes. Ready
to drink now and over the next two or
three years. (Italian Connection 06/06)
($12).
Aromas and flavors of crushed red berry
are fresh and appealing, if not overly
complex. Dashes of spice on the short
finish. Ready to drink now. (Wine Tasting
04/06)
($14). Appealing earthy and floral bouquet
introduces medium-bodied, ripe red berry
fruit, earth and tobacco notes. Nice
acidity makes it particularly food friendly.
Ready to drink now. (Party Planning
12/03)
($54). Smoky cedar
laces black plum and dried cherry fruit,
with an earthy note that emerges on
the moderate, spicy finish. Drink now
and over the next five or six years.
(Italian Connection 06/06)
($14). Medium-bodied, with fresh red fruit
flavors and aromas, with hints of dried
fruit and roasted herbs. Ready to drink
now. (Party Planning 12/03)
($79).
Full of dried red cherry and deep plum
fruit, with a spicy tannic structure.
It is elegant, well-balanced and has a
long life ahead. It should continue to
age beautifully for well over 15 years.
(Splurge Wine, 02/03)
($19). Spicy, rich, and powerful, with
a lingering finish, this is a good example
of an affordable Amarone della Valpolicella.
And widely available, too! Rich vanilla,
espresso bean, and plum make for an exceptional
wine. (Robyn’s Picks, 10/99)
($7). Really lacking in varietal character
and fruitiness of any sort. It's not that
it tasted bad, it just didn't taste of
much. (Weekend Wine, 03/02)
($20). Excellent wine
from this consistently good winemaker.
Smooooooooth and tasty, this elegant white
is rich with hazelnut and orchard fruits.
Great value. (Robyn’s Picks, 10/99)
($18). Focused red plum and berry flavors
are smooth and laced with toasted herbs,
but finishes with a little too much
sweet vanilla and oak. Ready to drink
now. (Italian Connection 10/06)
($85). Really (really)
good, with concentrated black currant
and plum aromas and flavors, layered with
sweet tobacco, licorice and dark chocolate,
with a long, ripe finish. A blend of Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot. Ready to drink now
and over the next five or six years. (Italian
Connection 10/06)
($14). Okay, not just a Cab. And maybe
it's the blending that helps. In any case,
this is a really good wine. Deep and concentrated
berry fruit with espresso and vanilla
accents. Well built. Nice finish. Ready
to drink now and over the next year or
two. (Weekend Wine, 03/02)
($7).
A juicy, juicy, juicy Italian red that
was perfect with my Eggplant Parmgiana.
This bambino was such a deal. (Weekend
Wine, 07/00)
($20). If you are
lucky enough to find it, this is a truly
great wine at a great price. It is full
and ripe, 100% Garganega, with buttery
almond, oak and apples. Ready to drink
now, so don’t wait! (Robyn’s
Picks, 10/99)
($15). Some decent fruit here and a light
mineral note that was appealing, but not
a wine worth $15. Ready to drink now.
(Weekend Wine, 03/02)
($25). Smooth,
vibrant red fruit laced with lavender,
touches of pepper and vanilla. A very
pretty wine. Stays focused through lingering
finish. Ready to drink now and over
the next three years. (Italian Connection,
06/03)
($10). Great value for this single vineyard
Merlot, with bright red berry fruit
and mocha and spice accents. Easy to
enjoy. Ready to drink now and over the
next three years. (Italian Connection,
06/03)
($10). Slight reedy character
mars otherwise juicy red plum and cherry
fruit. Slightly thin. Needs food. Ready
to drink now. (Italian Connection, 06/03)
($20). Slightly simple for the price,
but offering tasty rich red fruit and
toasty oak. Ready to drink now. (Italian
Connection, 06/03)
($45). Fantastically full flavored and
complex, showing warm red fruit and
leather on the nose, and intense dried
cherry, tobacco, leather, earth and
mineral on the palate. Very good now
(after a couple of hours of decanting!),
but best from 2005-2010. (Italian Connection,
06/03)
($10). Mild red and blackberry fruit is
light and simple. Not much going on here.
Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine, 03/02)
($45). INCREDIBLE!
If you can find it – buy all you
can afford. This one’s huge, with
prune, chocolate, and coffee richness
balanced by lush red grape and blackberry.
So good. (Robyn’s Picks, 10/99)
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