Upcoming Wine Tastings
Join i.m.Wine this Friday and Saturday after 1pm at the tasting bar as we travel Italy without a passport or worrying about what we can carry-on in our luggage! We will start on the island of Sardinia with one of the oldest wineries in Italy. We will then head down to Sicily for the native Nero d'Avola grape before hopping over to the heel of the boot to visit our friend Librandi in Calabria. And finally we will head north through the Marches and on to Piedmont for a taste of the "King of Wines".
Friday and Saturday, April 20-21, 2007
2004 Verdicchio Classico, Sartarelli (Italy, Marche) $14.99
The Sartarelli’s have been devoted to the Verdicchio grape since 1972; where they are devoted to obtaining the maximum expression through low yields, immaculately timed harvests and gentle vinification practices. In the glass, the color is pale straw with a tinge of green. A bit of almond aroma gives sophistication to this dry citrusy white. The palate is generous, juicy and round. It offers pleasant minerality that complements seafood. The finish is lively and clean.
2004 Vermentino, Tyrsos, Contini (Italy, Sardinia) $11.99
Founded in 1898, this family owned/managed winery ranks as one of the oldest and most prestigious in Sardinia; adhering with the most ancient local wine-making traditions. The nose offers notes of pear, apple, almond, pineapple and dried white flowers. The palate has good correspondence with the nose, it is fresh & balanced. The finish is persistent with memories of apple, almond and plum.
2004 Ciro Rosso, Librandi (Italy, Calabria) $11.99
The Cirò D.O.C. region is in the province of Calabria, located in the toe on Italy’s boot off the coast of the Ionian Sea. Cirò is noted for the Gaglioppo grape (a.k.a. “The Black Prince”), a descendent of the ancients, grown for millennia. The Rosso Classico is a rustic wine—emblematic of the clay soil, intense sun, and sea breeze. It is a dry, fruity wine with notes of currants, cherries, and pepper. It has a velvety texture with a soft tannin finish. It is a good partner with red meat dishes, game, mushrooms, and hearty Italian fare.
1999 Gravello, Librandi (Italy, Calabria) $31.99
A second selection from Librandi reveals a blend of 60%Gaglioppo and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon; the nose reveals an elegant personality with intense and clean aromas of black cherry, chocolate, blueberry jam, strawberry, licorice, plum and vanilla followed by pleasing hints of black pepper and menthol. The mouth finds an agreeable body and pleasing flavors, very correspondent to the nose, excellent balance with firm tannins. The finish is persistent with pleasing and clean flavors of black cherry, plum and strawberry.
2003 Moroder Rosso Conero (Italy, Marche) $15.99
While the farm has been in the Moroder family since the 18th century, it wasn’t until the early 1980s that they realized the potential of the Montepulciano grape. Made from100% Montepulciano, this wine is ruby red in color with a nose that recalls mature fruits, like maraschino cherries and green rind of walnut. An aftertaste of licorice is left behind with evident notes of cinnamon and plum. The wine is full-bodied and marries ideally with its strength and roundness. There is a pleasant trace of bitter almonds on the finish
2004 Cerasuolo di Vittoria, “25”, COS (Italy, Sicily) $23.99
COS was started by a group of school friends that began making wine for pleasure and ended up creating a company that would become one of the most well-known in Sicily. 60% Nero d’Avola/40% Frappato; the wine shows a brilliant ruby red color with a nose that is intense with refined aromas of black cherry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, carob, violet, tobacco and vanilla. The palate mimics the nose with a slightly tannic attack and pleasing crispness; it is however balanced with nice body and intense flavors.
2004 Nebbiolo, Fratelli Revello (Italy, Piedmont) $24.99
2001 Barolo, “La Villa”, Seghesio (Italy, Piedmont) $48.99
Barolo is often referred to as the Wine of Kings and the King of Wines. This example offers a compelling, deep nose of spices, tar, and roasted coffee beans; it is a delicious offering of dark fruit, tar, licorice and toasted oak flavors with excellent persistence and a lingering note of sweetness. It is full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, rich finish. A terrific effort that will require patience!
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