Taste of Tuscany

After the Napa tasting it was decided that we should venture into the Old World, and this proved to be a good choice. I prefer wines that have a sense of place and character, and wines from regions with a long history of viticulture tend to satisfy this preference. A lot of people gripe about the homogenization of wine thanks to the spread of modern more New World techniques, and to some degree I think this is true. On the positive side though, modern techniques have led to an improvement in the overall quality of wines produced globally. But I digress.

Tuscany is a region on the North-West coast of Italy which is produces some of the most coveted and expensive wines in the country. Our tasting focused on two Tuscan Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) appellations: starting with Chianti (the Chianti Classico sub-appellation) and ending with Brunello di Montalcino; and wines categorized as Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) which are those from a region that are of high quality but do not abide by the strict DOCG rules.

Super-Tuscans were previously labeled as inferior Vino da Tavola (table wine) since they use foreign grape varieties like Cabernet and Merlot. Eventually the IGT denomination was created to distinguish wines like Super-Tuscans that were clearly not mere table wine, but did not follow DOGC rules.

The star of Tuscany is unquestionably Sangiovese. This native grape can produce wines of amazing character, concentration and depth with lots of finesse. Brunello is a variation/clone of Sangiovese also know as Sangiovese Grosso in its home of Montalcino. To me Brunello is the ultimate expression of Sangiovese.

Where possible the professional (i.e. WA, WS) tasting notes were consulted after my notes were taken and my ratings assigned to avoid bias. I’ve listed some of the elements James Suckling or other tasters have noted so you can see how well our impressions line up.

2003 Campaccio - Terrabianca
Only about 40% of the fruit comes from Chianti Classico with the rest coming from Maremma in southern Tuscany which makes this an IGT. First whiff gives a pretty strong green grape skin note, a little barrel toast, very sweet cherry, pomegranate, and raspberry notes. Lighter body with good acid and smoky earth on the palate. This wine needs food. 90 from Wine Advocate: herbal, mentholated, toasty oak and cherry. 88 from Wine Spectator: also noted cherry. $39.95 89

2001 Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva – Antinori
This is the second time I’ve tasted this wine (the first time was at the Wine & Cheese Show), and I wasn’t fond of it then. This time around I’m still not impressed, the 92 rating from Wine Advocate is definitely too high. I wasn’t alone on this either, at least 6 other tasters found it unimpressive. However, it is smooth and has some interesting fruity olive, vanilla and earthy character (WA: vanilla, plums, cherries, tobacco, licorice). $39.95 89

2001 Il Picchio Chianti Classico Riserva – Castello di Querceto
Iodine, straw, barnyard/earthy (not like Pinot though), sweet cherry, pepper. This wine is better than the first two, but I don’t like the weird earthiness – everyone else seems to like it. 90 from Wine Spectator: black fruit, mineral. $35.65 90

Now moving on to the Super-Tuscans!

2004 Oreno - Tenuta Sette Ponti
Wow, this is a change of gears! Lower acid and silkier than any of the Chiantis of course. Very accessible now, but we all agree it has plenty of room for aging. This wine definitely went over well. Smooth black pepper, kirsch, black currant, and sweet black fruit. Very ripe plum almost to the point of prune. The oak and fruit are nicely balanced. Maybe some light citrus rind? 95 from Wine Spectator: blackberry, toasty oak, cappuccino, supervelvety tannins. Other reviews I’ve read note cassis and black fruit/plum as well. This wine is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet, and Merlot. $69 92+

2004 Tignanello – Antinori
This Super-Tuscan has a larger percentage of Sangiovese than the Oreno (85%) and is my preference of the two (it also has some Cabernet Franc in there too). It was one of the first Super-Tuscans (after Sassicaia) to shake up the Tuscan wine scene using grape varieties that were not permitted. Cedar, cranberry, cherry, black fruit, with more depth and acid than the Oreno. It is really well balanced in my opinion. 93 from Wine Advocate: cherries, tar, licorice. 95 from Wine Spectator: raisin, blackberry, lots of spices. 93 from Stephen Tanzer: red and black fruits, black pepper, graphite, prune, tobacco, impeccable balance. $52.95 for 375mL 93+

Everybody (around 10 people) agreed that the Tignanello was drinking better than the Oreno now, but there was some debate about which wine would be better at their peak after some time in the cellar. Is still think the Tignanello will win, but this depends on your palate I guess.

2000 Syrah Toscana – Villa Pillo
This wine was a curve ball that no one was expecting! Syrah from Italy? It was surprisingly good, especially for the price point. Unmistakeable bacon wallop, blackberry, slightly medicinal and savoury (sage, bay leaf), a little earthy. I’m thinking of Rhône more than Tuscany. Good varietal character and value. This Syrah had more bacon than any wine I’ve ever had, which was quite tasty. The 2003 vintage rated 88 points by Wine Spectator: meaty, blackberry. Wine Advocate also notes bacon fat in the 2001 vintage. $17 (USD) 92

2003 Siepi – Castello di Fonterutoli (Mazzei)
A Super-Tuscan styled blend of Merlot and Sangiovese, this wine provided some interesting ripe tomato notes along with almond, grappa, and dark ripe fruit. Quite tannic, this wine isn’t giving much now. A little pine and bay leaf with a caramel edge. The herbs and tomato make me think of fruity pasta sauce. $75 90+

2003 CastelGiocondo Lamaione – Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi
This is Merlot from the same vineyard as the Brunello we are about to taste. A little more delicate than the previous wines, but still quite robust for a Merlot. Spicy sweet plum on the palate with lots of body. Nice musty perfume of cherry and plum. I think Wine Spectator gave this a 91. $37 90

And what I was waiting for, the Brunellos!

2001 Brunello di Montalcino – Castello Banfi
This Brunello comes from a very good vintage and I was looking forward to trying it, I wasn’t disappointed. This wine is dark and sensuous with a feeling that there is something potent lurking under its polished depths. This wine reduced the chatter in the room almost immediately. There is a nutty aspect (blanched almonds), underbrush a little, unburned cigarette tobacco (sweet), and preserved fruit (like a Christmas fruit cake). Very classy with some floral and tea leaf notes that add to the enjoyment. 93 from Wine Spectator: blackberry, currant and toasted oak, big and rich. 91 Stephen Tanzer: plum cherry, cola, sassafras, menthol, insidious concentration. I think the critics over simplified and missed some of the nuances. Around $60-70 93

2000 CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino – Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi
Sweet cherry and plum, not too much wood at all. At first I get smooth almond, cranberry and rich fruity chocolate round things up nicely. It has a bit of a sweet edge to it with some piney herbs adding some balance. After some time in the glass I get a little earth and a citrus iced tea note. Garnet colour. There are definitely some similarities to the Banfi, but it doesn’t have quite as much class and depth. 92 Wine Spectator: blackberry, light vanilla, ultramodern, velvety fruit. $ 29.95 for 375 mL 92

2001 CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino – Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi
I noticed more wood and tannin in this vintage than the 2000 (above). It really wasn’t giving much like Suckling notes, quite closed. It reminds me of a dark deep woody forest with a berry bush in it. Compared to the previous two Brunellos, this one made less of an impression mostly because I didn’t like the amount of wood that was covering the Sangiovese character. Given time this will probably improve so I’m still giving it a 92 with room to improve. 94 from Wine Spectator: currant, berry, light vanilla, big and powerful. $29.95 92+

2001 Brunello di Montalcino – Conti Costanti
A slightly different feel than the other Brunellos, but different in a good way. Almond biscotti, underbrush and straw, earth and roses, dried red fruit (cherry and cranberry). Rich and balanced. It will benefit from 5 years in the cellar. The next day (stored under partial vacuum) it is even better with roses and chocolate and a touch of mineral, almond and cherry all showing through more. 93 Wine Spectator: berry, toasted oak, big juicy tannins, needs time to mellow. 92 Wine Enthusiast: spice bread, almond paste, cinnamon, fudge, orange peel with dry, dusty earth notes are amplified by a lavish, velvety structure with menthol freshness on a long, firm finish. Well, Suckling’s notes are not very detailed, but I agree with his score; I think Wine Enthusiast gives a better description (it also matches mine nicely!). $75 93+ (I think 94 with time).

Out of the Brunellos I think the Banfi and Costanti are tied for top place, but I think the Costanti will edge out the Banfi in a few years because it has a little more structure. I also tasted the two wines side by side the day after (both partially vacuum sealed) and the Costanti was clearly better; the Costanti improved where as the Banfi had lost its polish and faded.

On a side note, I found James Suckling’s tasting notes generic and by themselves they would not be very useful for finding a Brunello that suites my tastes, however his scores were a fairly good indicator I found (just don’t rely on his tasting notes to give you any idea of what the wine will taste like).

1995 Podere Casale 1o Vin Santo del Chianti – Falchini
I’ve never had a Vin Santo before, but what an appropriate way to end a tasting of Tuscany. A blend of 50% Trebbiano, and 50% Malvasia (the traditional grapes). It reminds a few tasters of freshly pressed apple juice/cider, it also has a rasiny grappa like nose with a nutty finish. Noticed it was a cloudy yellow and had some sour grape must odours (possibly a little past its prime?). Wine Access supposedly gave it a 92, although I can’t verify this. $16-20 88

A little background on Vin Santo (which literally means holy wine): it is dried on mats or hung from rafters for a few months before pressing and aged in small oak casks called caratelli. I read that Falchini still uses barrels that were used in the first vintages of Sassicaia.

And finally, the wines of the night stack up something like this:
1. 2004 Tignanello and 2001 Costanti BdM
2. 2004 Oreno and 2001 Banfi BdM

Now, I’m sure that there will be at least one taster from this evening who will disagree with the ranking of the Super-Tuscans, but this ranking was then general consensus of the room. The Banfi and Costanti will trade 1st and 2nd depending on who you talk to and when they drank it.

The biggest surprise of the night and best quality to price ratio by far goes to the 2000 Villa Pillo Syrah.

Great tasting, I can’t wait for the next one!