Tasting Notes - Updated August 25, 2005

Vinitaly 2004 US Tour - San Francisco Tasting

October 28, 2004

Wines are listed alphabetically, not in the order we tasted them. A number of the wineries did not have US importers at the time of our tasting. In general, this was a very mixed quality tasting, and in general, disappointing.

1999 Allegrini Amarone
Great acids. Good Fruit. Good Concentration. Very Balanced.

2003 Bava Thou Bianc Piemonte Chardonnay DOC
Much better than the Alteserre. Great Acids.

2000 Bava Alteserre Monferrato DOC Bianco
Buttery, oaky. Long finish but not that complex.

2002 Bolla Le Maddalene Soave Classico DOCG Superiore
Enh. Ok for a Soave.

2002 Caputo Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso
Interesting wine. Hard to judge - really young.

2003 Caputo Greco Di Tufo
Drink in 5 years. Better than Lacryma Christi. A likeable wine but not notable and acidic.

2001 Caputo Zicorra Roma
Crisp apples, clean red fruit. Cleansing. Great acids. Liked this one the best.

2002 Caputo Sannio Clanius Aglianico DOC
We missed having this wine but we were told it was great – the best of the four.

2003 Cascina Castlet GOJ Barbera del Monferrato
Slightly effervescing.

2001 Cascina Castlet Litina Barbera D’Asti
Really good. Lots of fruit and acid. $15

2001 Cascina Castlet Passum Barbera D’Asti DOC Superiore
Best acids and softest. Good fruit. $30

2000 Cascina Castlet Policalpo Monferrato Red DOC
Tannic. Great Acids. Chewy Dark fruit. A tiny element of medicinal or V/A. Best of the wines we tasted from Cascina Castlet. $35

2003 Cascina Castlet Barbera D’Asti DOC
Wood notes. Sawdust. Lumber. Wood Chips. $12

2001 Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico
Jack: Ok but enh.

2000 Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico Riserva Berardo
Very Very tannic. Concentrated. Sticky, chewy finish.

1998 Castellare di Castellina I Sodi di Niccolo Toscano
High acids. Medium tannins. Burnt Vegetables and roasted carrots.

1999 Coppo Pomorosso Barbera d’Asti
Charcoal nose. Deep black wood. Charcoally. Charred Steak.

2002 Tenute Dettori Chimbanta Badde
Very Berry with high alcohol. Didn’t like the style of these wines.

2002 Tenute Dettori Tuderi Badde Romangia I.G.T. - Rosso
Didn’t like the style of these wines. Perfumey, weird. Sweet. Anise.

2002 Di Majo Norante Sangiovese
High acids. Creamy. Slightly perfumey. Weak red.

2001 Di Majo Norante Ramitello
Medium Red. High acids. Mid-note concentration.

2003 Falesco Vitiano
Very very tannic finish. Makes Joanne sneeze. Jack liked.

1999 Feudi di San Gregorio Piano di Montevergine Dei Feudi di San Gregorio
Maybe not food-friendly. Tannic finish. Very woody with some herbal/green notes.

2001 Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico Campania
Tannic, bitter monster. Very soft coffee finish. Nice mouth coat.

2002 Feudi di San Gregorio Campanaro
Buttery round. Acidic finish. Like a light chardonnay.

2001 Gancia La Ladra Barbera D’Asti
Good. Light style fruity red. High acids. Not approachable. $25

2001 Masi Campofiorin Ripasso
Very tannic finish. Burnt fruit.

1998 Masi Brolo di Campofiorin
Caramel. Very nice fruit.

2000 Masi Costasera Amarone Classico
Very acidic. Enh. It’s okay.

NV Milazzo Terre Della Baronia Gran Cuvee Sparkling VSQ Sicily
Creamy, Granny Smith Apples. Green Fruits. Try a bottle!

2003 Milazzo Terre Della Baronia White IGT Sicily
Cheap nose. Malolactic flavors. Slight sweetness on finish.

2003 Milazzo Maria Costanza White IGT Sicily
Malo. No oak. Jack: “that’s different.”

2003 Milazzo Vignavella White Wine V12-Miliazzo Sicily
Interesting White. (new varietal V12-milazzo which is not classified yet) No oak. Peachy.

NV Milazzo Milazzo Metodo Classico Riserva Sparkling VSQ
Over-bubbly. Soda-pop like. Not much flavor.

2002 Milazzo Selezione Di Famiglia White IGT Sicily
Heavy Chardonnay prescence but clean. Creamy but not oaky.

2001 Fattoria Montecchio Chianti Classico
Jack liked it but there is something weird about it. Try smoked meats with it.

2000 Fattoria Montecchio Chianti Classico
Jack liked this wine better. Fresh meat nose. Lean wine. Try with salted meats.

1999 Fattoria Montecchio Chianti Classico
Stinky bloody nose. Meaty, tannic, slightly medicinal. Salty.

1999 Fattoria Montecchio Pietracupa
More acidic then other wines. More refined. Clean. Very different.

2001 Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico
Very tannic finish. Meaty center. Well crafted.

2000 Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva
A little bitter on the finish.

2000 Il Molino di Grace Il Margone Chianti Classico Riserva
Made from best 20% of Reserva grapes. Hard to judge. Very tannic. Chewy. Needs a lot of time.

2001 Il Molino di Grace Gartius IGT
Very very tannic. Closed. Meaty center.

2002 Pallavicini Soleggio IGT Lazio Cabernet Sauvignon
We like this producer a lot - ***! High acids. Raspberries. Very tasty. Drink Now.

2002 Pallavicini La Carvata Montepulciano Sangiovese
White pepper. Sausage meat. Wow!

2002 Pallavicini Amararesco Cesanese
Screams RASPBERRY!

2001 Redi Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG Vecchi Cantina
A bit bitter. Jack: more complex but enh…

2003 Redi Rosso di Montepulciano DOC Vecchia Cantina
A simple wine. A lot of acid. Good with pate. Yum.

2001 Redi Orbaio Rosso IGT
Very tannic. A bit bitter. Hard to judge.

2001 Redi Vin Santo di Montepulciano
28% alcohol. Brown Sugar.

2001 Sant'Orsola (F.lli Martini) Sucule Barbera D’Alba
100% Barbera. Strawberry and raspberry. Very tasty. Spices on finish. $12

NV Sant'Orsola (F.lli Martini) Asti Spumante DOCG
Medium- Light stle. Peaches and Apricots. Ok acids, not great flavor.

? Sant'Orsola (F.lli Martini) Baccanera Langhe DOC
Very bitter/tannic finish. Red Currants.

2003 Sant'Orsola (F.lli Martini) Gavi di Gavi Toledana
Bitter. Not pleasant.

2000 Sant'Orsola (F.lli Martini) La Zoccolato Barolo
Lots of fruit. Very tannic but concentrated. Marzipan. Best red so far!

2000 Casa Vinicola Sartori Valipolicella Classico Superiore Vigneti di Montegradella
Balanced Fruit. Good acids.

2001 Tormaresca Rosso
This winery is an Antinori project. This wine sees no oak. Red baked apricots? Lots of red fruit. Slightly bitter finish.

2001 Tormaresca Torcicoda
(torcicoda means twisted tail). Very bitter on finish. High alcohol. Not so approachable.

2001 Valle Reale Montepulciano D’Abruzzo DOC
Bright red fruit. High acids. Drink now. Jack liked.

2003 Valle Reale Vigne Nuove
Very mouth coating. High acids. Tannic. Dark red fruit.

2000 Zenato Amarone
Higher acids than Allegrini. Almost burning. Lighter on fruit and not as friendly. Mid $50s.

1998 Zenato Amarone Classico Sergio Zenato Riserva
Very bitter but creamy. Jack: lots of red currants. $75.

NV Zonin Baccorosa (Sparkling Wine)
100% Brachetto. Very sweet like moscato. Almost dessert-style.

NV Zonin Primo Amore
Very clean. Tight. Cleansing and refreshing.