New found love for Vino Nobile

For many years, I shunned Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and it was a mistake. When thinking back, it was just one bottle that did it; one of those nights when you pull that $50 bottle that you think will impress, but instead it falls flat on its face. Since then, I have forgiven myself. It happened during my formative years of exploration into Italian wine, and it was just one bottle. I also consider myself lucky to have found a new love for Vino Nobile; because frankly, it’s a beautiful and unique expression of Tuscan Sangiovese that every wine lover should experience.

This brings me to Poderi Boscarelli. Every appellation has its standouts, and for me, Boscarelli has taken the stage in Vino Nobile. Vino Nobile isn’t just another Sangiovese from Tuscany. The blending rules are less strict, (requiring only 70% Sangiovese), yet producers like Boscarelli, who choose to stick to blends that are heavy on or even 100% Sangiovese, manage to turn out wines with a spiced berry character that sets them apart. In the past, I’ve found many Vino Nobile difficult to understand in their youth; yet with Boscarelli, you can smell and taste the potential in the glass.

The Boscarelli family attributes this to terroir and keeping the operation small, which sings loud and clear in their single vineyard Vigna del Nocio, a 100% Sangiovese made only in the finest vintages. The Vino Nobile Riserva is another enjoyable wine. Having spent some time in French oak, which integrates perfectly, and with a dallop of Merlot, it is truly set apart from the rest. Yet you need not spend up to the top-shelf to taste what this producer is capable of, as all of the wines I’ve recently tasted deserve your attention.

On to the wines:

2008 Boscarelli Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano – The nose showed bright red fruits and floral stems. On the palate, I found wild berries and a clean, mouthwatering expression of Sangiovese. The finish was medium in length yet rich in fruit and left me with a very satisfied experience. (89 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2007 Boscarelli Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano Nocio Dei Boscarelli – The nose was intense with red fruits and spice. Earthy floral notes rounded it out and added plenty of depth. On the palate, it was expansive and showed a finessed and elegant inner floral perfume with tight red berry fruits. The finish was long and showed a fine tannic structure. This is a wine that I plan to bury in my own cellar. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2007 Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva – The nose was ripe, yet finessed, showing red berries, sweet spice, and cigar box. On the palate, it was intense and smooth with dark red fruits and wood tones. The finish showed a fine structure and begged for time in the cellar. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searhcer!

Finding Félsina

Each year I look forward to the new releases from Felsina, which is a winery located in the southeastern tip of Tuscany’s Chianti Classico appellation. My love for their wines started very early in my wine-drinking life. It started with a pristine bottle of the 1990 Felsina Vin Santo, which was pulled out at the last moment following an aged Sangiovese tasting. The Vin Santo wiped my memory clean of every wine I had tasted that night, and it was all I could think of.

That tasting was the catalyst for my exploration into the wines of Felsina. I soon came to realize that this producer of Chianti Classico, Vin Santo, cabernet sauvignon and olive oil was a step above the rest in almost every aspect, and the wines continue to provide an excellent quality-to-price ratio, with their entry level Chianti Classico Riserva at $25.

I would also find it very difficult to name you another $35 Chianti Classic Risvera which would stand the test of time and age as gracefully as the Rancia Riserva. And it would be just has hard to name you a $45 Super Tuscan with the level of depth, elegance and Sangiovese character, as the Fontalloro. In fact, all of the Felsina Chianti are 100% Sangiovese and make an interesting case for its ability to age and please as a single varietal wine.

When you consider that these are two of the top shelf wines, it paints a pretty good picture of what Felsina is capable of. In the 2008 vintage, where much of Tuscany turned out easy-drinking, yet enjoyable, Chianti Classico, Felsina continued to deliver the goods and produced an excellent set of wines that will stand the test of time.

On to the notes:

2009 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico – The nose showed dusty red fruits, herbs and dry cocoa. On the palate, it was silky smooth yet mouthwatering with ripe red berries, cedar and herbs. The finish showed drying tannins and begged for a year or two in the cellar. (89 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Each of the Riserva bottlings deserve special attention. These are both 100% Sangiovese from some of the best fruit that Felsina has to offer. Both will provide many years of enjoyment, but Rancia, in particular, shows best after 8 – 10 years in the cellar.

2008 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva – The nose showed dusty cherries and undergrowth. On the palate, it was lean yet focused and structured with pure red fruits. The finish showed sour berries and drying structure. This wine simply needed more time and should show beautifully with two or three years in the cellar. (89 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2008 Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Classico Rancia Riserva – The ’08 Rancia was unexpectedly open at this young age. The nose showed red berries, cocoa powder and deep floral notes. On the palate, it was open and juicy with red berry fruits. The finish showed more of the structure I was expecting. This is a fine example of Rancia that, in this year’s case, is more open in its youth than the Fontalloro. (93 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Felsina’s Fontalloro, also 100% Sangiovese, hails from a vineyard adjacent to the Chianti Classico appellation. Because of this, it is labeled as a Super Tuscan (or IGT wine). The Fontalloro tends to be the ying to the Ranica’s yang. It’s an elegant and rich wine that usually drinks better younger.

2008 Fattoria di Felsina Fontalloro – The ’08 Fontalloro showed ripe cherry, dark chocolate and herbs on the nose. On the palate it, was wrapped up tight, showing focused sour berry, herbs and youthful tannins that coated the mouth through the finish. (91 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Felsina’s Maestro Raro is a mono-varietal Cabernat Sauvignon from a vineyard adjacent to Rancia. It’s a beautiful Cabernet with true Tuscan character. It’s not the easiest wine to find, but it's certainly worth the search.

2008 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Maestro Raro Toscana IGT - On the nose, I found bright strawberry, floral perfume, cedar box and dark chocolate. On the palate, it was juicy with dark fruits, herbs and bell pepper. The finish was clean with drying tannins. It’s a pure expression of Cabernet that deserves more attention. (90 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

The Slow Wine Perspective

The news that Slow Food was separating from Gambero Rosso had been a question mark in the minds of many Gambero Rosso readers--until now. With the release of Slow Wine and the Slow Wine tasting event and press conference in NYC, we now have all the answers.

Essentially, Slow Food and Gambero Rosso went their separate ways over their differing set of principals. As editors Giancarlo Gariglio and Fabio Giavedoni put it, “Gambero Rosso focuses on the good, where Slow Wine looks to the good, clean and fair”. The good being the quality of the wine, the clean being the practices in the vineyard and the fair being the quality of the wine versus the cost of the bottle. It’s certainly an interesting approach and caters to the current concerns over sustainable practices and current economic situations around the world.

The question is, does Slow Wine really do the job that’s intended? The easy answer would be yes, especially since there are a large number of wines that are virtual newcomers in the American market, and their prices reflect it. However, what would have been a welcome addition would be a cost meter for different wines. Imagine the average green-loving and price conscience consumer trying to search out a bottle of 2004 Giacomo Conterno Monfortino; I doubt they would think its $450 price tag would be very fair. Of course, this is an extreme case but an excellent example. What Slow Wine does give you is the coin symbol, which represents a value-oriented bottle. This is joined by the “Snail” symbol for wineries that exhibit Slow Food values and the “bottle” symbol for “excellent average quality.”

So what separates Slow Wine from every other wine publication? Firstly, the format is very enjoyable, with a balanced mix of information about the growers, the land and the wine. However, what truly balled the audience over was the announcement that this book would contain no scores. The announcement was met with a nearly audible gasp from the crowd. Of course, it’s human nature to want to quantify everything. In the end, it’s better to look at Slow Wine as a guide to wine, not a guide to buying wine. With Slow Wine, I found myself actually reading for hours straight, something that I don’t do with the other publications.

In the end, it’s an excellent book that really brings to light some of the best grower/winemakers in Italy. It reads smoothly and is full of information about the regions, the land, the history and the people. It’s a welcome addition to any wine lover’s library.

The Slow Food, Slow Wine Website!

What about the wines?

The people at Slow Food also put together an excellent tasting with a large number of producers from the Slow Wine guide. Below are five of my top picks from the tasting… and out of respect for the folks that created Slow Wine, I decided not to include any scores.

2007 G. D. Vajra Barolo Bricco Delle Viole – It was a joy to taste the G.D. Vajra Bricco delle Viole. The nose showed an elegant, yet intense floral perfume with spiced cherries and floral stems. On the palate, it was feminine and balanced with cherries, strawberry and menthol, which provided an airy lift with a juicy mid-palate. It finished showing a fine tannic structure. This was one of the best ’07 Baroli I have tasted to date. (Slow Wine awarded this bottle their orange highlight, representing a ”Great Wine.” I wholeheartedly agree.) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2008 Corzano e Paterno Chianti I TreBorri Riserva – The nose was hallmark Tuscan with wild berries, tree bark and earth. On the palate, I found soft strawberry tones, with herbal tea and cedar. The finish was long and structured. The TreRorri Riserva was extremely enjoyable and one of my favorites of the vintage. (Corzano e Paterno was awarded the “Snail” symbol by Slow Wine, representing a winery that they “particularly like for the way it interprets Slow Food values.”)

2008 Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Classico Rancia Riserva – The ’08 Rancia was unexpectedly open at this young age. The nose showed red berries, cocoa powder and deep floral notes. On the palate, it was open and juicy with red berry fruits. The finish showed more of structure I was expecting. This is a fine example of Rancia that (in this year’s case) is more open in its youth than the Fontalloro. (Fattoria di Felsina was awarded the “Snail” symbol by Slow Wine, representing a winery that they “particularly like for the way it interprets Slow Food values.”) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2007 Prá Amarone Della Valpolicella – The nose was gorgeous with plum, raisin, minerals and undergrowth. On the palate, it was remarkably balanced and fresh yet still showed a tamed level of richness as notes of ripe black cherry and soil lingered into the long finish. (Pra was awarded the “Snail” symbol by Slow Wine, representing a winery that they “particularly like for the way it interprets Slow Food values.”)

2010 Velenosi Lacrima Di Morro D’Alba – The nose showed like a basket of fresh picked flowers with pepper, minerals and a healthy dose of earthiness. On the palate, it tasted like it smelled and had a gorgeous note of rose hips in its floral profile. It was a truly enjoyable bottle of wine for those who know and enjoy Lacrima. (Velenosi was awarded the “Bottle” symbol by Slow Wine, representing a winery “whose bottles represent excellent average quality.”) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

The Italian Bordeaux: San Leonardo

In northeastern Italy you will find the region of Trentino. It’s a beautiful, mountainous region that is well known for its vibrant, mineral-laden white wines. However, what many people don’t know is that one of the great examples of an Italian take on the Bordeaux blend is made in Trentino. When we think of Bordeaux varieties grown in Italy, the first place that comes to mind is Bolgheri, in Tuscany. Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia has been the Italian standard bearer of the Bordeaux blend for decades, and its cost reflects its popularity, with new releases costing upwards of $160 a bottle. But what if you could buy a wine of equal pedigree with a truly unique, Italian stamp on the Bordeaux blend for a third of that price? That’s where Trentino and Tenuta San Loenardo comes in.

Owned since 1784 by the noble Guerrieri Gonzaga family, Tenuta San Leonardo has a storied past that goes back over 1500 years. However, it wasn’t until the early ‘80s that the Marquis Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga decided to create a wine styled after the wines of the Haut Médoc, in Bordeaux.

It was at this time that local varietals were replaced by Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The 740-acre estate, surrounded by mountains, dedicates 50 acres to vines in its well-drained soil of chalk, clay and sandy sediments. The climate can be unpredictable, and its frequent rain around harvest time is challenging; yet through vigorous vineyard management and grape selection, Tenuta San Leonardo continues to produce wines of prestige that can live for decades in your cellar.

The wines see six months in 60-hectolitre Slavonian oak and then into small French oak (some new and some once or twice used) for 24 months. This is followed by a year of resting in bottle before release. When the wines first hit the market, they can be difficult to understand, with their notes of tart berries and bell pepper seeming lean against the wine’s angular tannins. However, through aging, San Leonardo begins to truly shine. A recent vertical going back almost twenty years showed that these wines are truly gems. They are intense and focused with palate-coating fruit, earth and herbs, brisk acidity and remarkable length.

This is not the Bordeaux blend that you’ll find in today’s Bordeaux, California, or Tuscany. This is what it could be if fruit extract wasn’t the primary focus of so much winemaking today. And although it’s not for everyone, this wine is certainly worth trying, because it’s a pure expression of terroir, and it may be the exact thing that you’re craving. In this taster’s opinion, San Leonardo is one of the best Bordeaux blends being made today.

On to the notes:

1993 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed vibrant red currants, chalky minerals, green leaves, mint and a hint of spice. On the palate, it started bright and exciting with zippy acidity yet balanced against velvety textures with red berries, earth and a hint of green pepper. The finish lingered with greenery and crushed wild berries. (94 points)

1995 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed red berries, expressive dried flowers, red licorice, brown butter and earthy minerals. On the palate, it was lean yet focused with sour, tart red berries, mineral salinity and herbs. The finish lingered and slowly melted from the palate. (92 points)

1996 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed black currant, herbs, earth, chalk and minerals with intense exotic spices. On the palate, it was intense and focused with a rush of velvety texture that mellowed into sweet dark fruits and a contrast of mineral salinity. The finish lingered with notes of tea leaves, green pepper and herbs. (95 points)

1997 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose was dark and brooding, showing fig, black pepper and green leaves, with dark and sensuous spicy undertones. On the palate it was soft and inviting with medicinal herbs and red berries, green pepper and inner aromatic spices. The finish slowly faded with drier red fruits and herbs. (90 points)

1999 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed dark ripe berries, cherries, browned butter, dark chocolate, and a hint of pepper. On the palate, it was intense with mouth-coating black fruits that turned savory and earthy yet maintained its full body and rich fruit. Pepper and red berries lasted through the medium-long finish. (92 points)

2001 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed black cherries with chestnut, undergrowth, animal musk and a bit of greenness which did not detract but instead added an earthy element to the aromatics. One the palate, it presented a medium-bodied wine with perfect balance as more cherries, cranberries and cocoa showed through. The finish was finessed with red fruit and left the palate refreshed. I would recommend this wine to anyone looking to explore northern Italy and the red wines it is capable of producing. (92 points)

2003 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed red and black, slightly roasted fruits, a note like childhood vitamins, dark chocolate and buttery crust. On the palate, it was lean yet fresh with sour red berries and hints of herbs. The finish was staying with red berries yet tart. (89 points)

2004 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed a slight sheen of oak with ripe wild berries, dark chocolate, hints of manure and pepper. On the palate, it was intense with tart red berries, very dark chocolate, herbs and saline minerals. Mixed berries and pepper lasted through the long finish. The ’04 is still a baby and may one day rival the ’96. (94 points)

2005 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed ripe dark fruits and sweet floral notes. On the palate, it showed brisk acidity lending a juicy component to its flavors of tart mixed berries and wild herbs. The finish showed hints of green with peppery notes. (91 points)

2006 Tenuta San Leonardo Vallagarina IGT – The nose showed lean raspberry, mountain herbs and hints of manure. On the palate, I found lean red fruits, savory notes and rough tannin that stayed through the palate-coating finish. It’s an excellent example of cool-weather Cabernet and worth trying. (92 points)

Find San Leonardo on: Wine-Searcher!

Visit San Leonardo's highly informative website: San Leonardo