Italiano
Paths for the Guide
Having finished the presentations of The Essential Guide to Italianj Wines 2023 with many producers present and an excellent participation of the public, I feel it is my duty to thank the oenological events that helped us to compose the guide especially in its final stages.
As you can imagine, the tastings in which we participate are occasions to "complete the guide," confirm judgments in the tastings, make new discoveries of both wineries and wines, and taste some limited "run" productions.
As far as we are concerned, there were five events that helped us the most, and in which DoctorWine also participated with editor-in-chief Stefania Vinciguerra. In temporal order: Chianina and Syrah in Cortona, which allowed us to taste all the Syrahs of the area's DOC with an intense and interesting comparison with Syrahs from the Rhone and other parts of Italy in a combination that was as varied as it was unexpected. The conference on Syrah's prince odor molecule, rotundone, responsible for the variously declined pepper scent that bewitches lovers of the varietal, was excellent. Too bad that in the more than 60 Syrahs on hand only one had peppery notes, it was the one from the 2018 vintage of Fabbrica di Pienza (SI), while others varied between the olive paste so dear to the Cornas and a nice underbrush. Among them all, Fabrizio Dionisio's 2019 Cortona Syrah Il Castagno and Baldetti's 2018 Cortona Syrah Crano stood out. On the history of Syrah and its arrival in Italy we had Professor Scienza always bubbly in exposition.
The Terre di Toscana event organized by Acquabona in Lido di Camaiore was another important event. A beautiful tasting with wide spaces, many wineries even little known and great classics. On this occasion we "discovered" the winery Il Rio del Mugello with the Toscana Pinot Nero Ventisei 2019 compelling and convincing, and we were able to taste some new wines such as Contucci's Nobile di Montepulciano Palazzo Contucci 2016, captivating; or Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara's pure Cabernet franc, Bacicolo 2018. Impressive then is the growth of Tenuta di Biserno with the truly outstanding Biserno 2019.
Always useful and interesting trips to Sicily, both with the focus of Contrade dell'Etna (see my article here) and the broader overview offered by Sicilia en Primeur (here), which allowed us to identify with certainty the winery of the year in the 2023 Guide: Tasca d'Almerita.
Last in chronological order is a classic event: Vinovip in Cortina, created years ago by Civiltà del Bere and perfectly organized by its current director Alessandro Torcoli. Here we scouted the new Grand Selection of Chianti Classico Lo Chiamavano Trinità 2016 by Rocca delle Macie dedicated to the famous film produced by Zingarelli (Stefania Vinciguerra wrote about it here). From Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari Tenute we found a sumptuous Pareto 2019, then an excellent Prosecco from Villa Sandi, Cartizze La Rivetta 2021, and the very good Fiorano Bianco 2017 from Prince Boncompagni Ludovisi. Finally, a great classic, always excellent but often underrated: Lungarotti's Vigna Monticchio, an iconic Umbrian Sangiovese.
Next, some of the wines we mentioned that deserve a closer look.
Lungarotti
Torgiano Rosso Riserva Vigna Monticchio 2018
98/100 € 42,00
100% Sangiovese. Botti grandi e barrique per 18 mesi. Rubino granato luminoso. Profumi avvolgenti, eleganti e complessi, con sentori di ciliegia scura, arancia rossa, erbe aromatiche, tabacco, viola e accenni di spezie dolci. Sapore molto fine e composto, agile, equilibrato, con tannini particolarmente fini e buona componente di acidità e renderne deliziosa la bevibilità. Ottima versione per un grande classico.
Tenuta di Biserno
Toscana Biserno 2019
97/100 - € 150
Blend quasi paritario di Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot con piccolo saldo di Petit Verdot. Matura 15 mesi in barrique. Rubino intenso. Olfatto complesso su note di piccoli frutti scuri come mirtillo e ribes nero, profilo leggermente balsamico e soffi di sottobosco estivo, spezie e grafite. Trama fitta elegante con tannini raffinati che permettono una progressione intensa mai stucchevole ed un finale succoso, intenso e molto persistente.
Il Rio
Toscana Pinot Nero Ventisei 2019
95/100 - € 31
100% Pinot Nero. 12 mesi in barrique. Rubino scarico. Tipico con sottobosco fresco, fragoline di bosco, piccoli frutti intensi, balsamico. Trama larga con tannini raffinati, sapidità incredibile, beva facile, armonica con una progressione leggiadra ma di grande personalità. Il finale è elegante e lunghissimo.
Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute
Toscana Il Pareto 2019
95/100 - € 58
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 24 mesi in barrique e tonneau. Rosso rubino concentrato. Intenso ed elegante, con un bellissimo impatto balsamico e le classiche note di frutti di bosco, grafite, cassis e lieve polvere di caffè. In bocca è elegante, molto piacevole, con tannini vellutati e un finale persistente e di classe.
Fabbrica Pienza
Toscana Syrah 2018
92/100 - € 40
100% Syrah. 24 mesi in tonneau. Rubino intenso. Frutti neri, una leggera nota balsamica e un accenno speziato scuro al naso. Trama elegante ed equilibrata, bella progressione non muscolare ma succosa. Finale intenso che ricorda le spezie.
