Tag: Tuscany

Preview Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021 — by Filippo Magnani

Wine, history and tradition all mixed in this extraordinary wine region!

The “Anteprima” preview of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, usually held in February , was postponed to the 17th and 18th of May. Another great effort by another Tuscany’s consortium, opening their doors to international and Italian journalists. We were summoned to the beautiful town of Montepulciano, in the heart of the village, inside the suggestive Medici fortress where the Consorzio del Vino Nobile and the Enoliteca are located. You can feel the history above your head, surrounded by art, soft hills, vineyards and monuments! Extraordinary. 

The event, this year, is unique in its kind since the Consortium reserved for us a surprise! Indeed the preview was an opportunity to not only to evaluate actual vintages on the market such as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2018 and the 2017 Reserves, Rosso di Montepulciano DOC 2019 but also to present the exciting new type of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano; the denomination “Pieve” which will hit the market as early as 2024.

12 subzones and additional geographical units, represented by different Pievi (churches). The idea behind the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano “Pieve”, came from a scientific study which required the consent and collective participation of all the wine producers.

The Pieve originally was a church-owned building in charge of many duties, functioning not only as a church but also as a small hospital and as the village municipality. It is a name that will be a path between the past and future, intertwining the old culture and local winemaking with the international future and innovative production techniques. The grape blend will be tied to Sangiovese (also locally known as “Prugnolo Gentile”) and complementary native only Tuscan varieties allowed by the Consortium, with grapes exclusively produced by the producers and coming from vines that are at least fifteen years old. Another important factor is the implementation of an internal commission within the Consortium composed of oenologists and wine technicians. These experts will be delegated the task of assessing the characteristics that correspond to the specification before the required legislative steps.

Such interesting wines will represent the quality of this magnificent territory holding a precious history.

 

 

 

 

on my radar

                                      Winery:  Bindella – Tenuta Vallocaia
Wine:   Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2018 
Ruby core with rims. Intense bouquet of cherry with balsamic overtones and slight scent of black pepper. Lovely entrance, round with ripe fruit, medium body. Firm, velvety tannins with a long finish. I like it ! 

 

Winery: Dei
Wine:  Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2018
Ruby core with narrow light garnet rim. Intense nose of ripe plum and notes of rhubarb and new leather. Powerful structure with ripe red fruit, fragrant with well integrated silky tannins. Elegant with a long finish. Lovely wine. 

 

Winery:  Poderi Boscarelli  
Wine:  Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2018
Brillant, ruby red with compacted rim. Pronounced flavour of cassis and violet. Spicy with overtones of leather. Full bodied with quite bright acidity. Well balanced with rich red fruit and elegant tannins. Harmonious finish. Charming wine with ageing potential.  

Winery:  Poliziano
Wine:    Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2018
Ruby colour turning slightly purple. The nose expresses flavours of red fruit and rhubarb with a hint of mint. The palate is balanced with notes of ripe cherry and prune. Dry and fragrant, with soft tannins and long persistence.                                               Full body with a nice end.  Great wine. 

Winery:  La Ciarliana
Wine:   Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2018
Clean with a deep ruby core. Lovely aromas of ripe plum with a touch of vanilla. Blackcherry in the palate with a light toasty scent. Full body with round, sweet tannins. Fresh and harmonious finish. I like it ! 

 

Winery:  Salcheto
Wine:      Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2018
Bright with paler reflections. Pronounced flavour of red cherry, wild blueberry and balsamic notes and anice. Rich and well structured, good balance of body, fruit, acidity and velvety tannins. Lovely wine. 

 

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2017 Riserva
[wines 15 reviewed]

The Riservas 2017 turned out to be rich and ripe with intense fruit. The wines showed good structure, sweet tannins, and a discrete alcohol presence. 

on my radar

Winery:  Tenuta Valdipiatta
Wine:  Vino Nobile di  Montepulciano Docg 2017 Riserva
Deep ruby core, paler on the hedge. Complex nose with flavours of dark cherry, prune and chocolate. Juicy palate with good acidity, discrete alcohol level and soft tannins. Fragrant and long. I like this wine! 

Winery:  Tenuta della Talosa
Wine:     Vino Nobile di  Montepulciano Docg 2017 Riserva
Brilliant deep red. Attractive bouquet of strawberry and violet mixed with spicy notes of black pepper. Full body with lots of red fruit in the center palate with smoky scents on the back. It expresses harmony with velvety tannins and long, fresh finish. Lovely wine. 

Winery:  Le Berne
Wine:  Vino Nobile di  Montepulciano Docg 2017 Riserva
Brilliant, deep ruby core with violet hues. Intense flavour of black cherry and liquorice with overtones of lavender and new leather. Fragrant entrance with discrete alcohol and ripe fruit. Sweet, velvety tannins and quite long aftertaste. Harmonious, charming wine.

Winery:  La Braccesca
Wine:   Vino Nobile di  Montepulciano Docg 2017 Riserva, Vigneto Santa Pia
Colour ranging from deep ruby core to lighter rim. It shows a lovely bouquet of ripe plum, violet and chocolate with a hint of tobacco. Full body with lively acidity well integrated with rich red fruit. Silky tannins with elegant finish. Great wine. 

 

THE 2020 HARVEST 

The year 2020 was defined by four key periods; germination from the 28th of March to the 19th of April; flowering from the 22nd to the 31 May; fruit ripening between the 21st of July and 21st August and the harvest which began on the 15th of September. Heavy rains interfered with harvesting operations, and in some areas of the appellation they continued without interruption. For this reason, the harvest was extended until the first week of October to avoid botrytis infections and a drop in yield quality. The wines of 2020, when tasted, demonstrated intense colors, a fine varietal aromatic expression and structure that is supported by medium acidity and tannins. On an analytical level, one can detect normal values of intensity and color tone, acidity, pH, extracts, and total polyphenols. The alcoholic grades are medium to high. Balance and elegance are keywords to describe the eccentricities of 2020 wines.

Montepulciano 

Near the city of Siena, Nobile di Montepulciano D.O.C.G., Rosso di Montepulciano D.O.C and Vin Santo di Montepulciano D.O.C, are exclusively made within the city limits of the town of Montepulciano, near the city of Siena. We are talking of a territory that has been a wine production zone for centuries, witness to not only the progress in cultivation techniques but also of the geopolitical impact on those “noble” hills. We have known these hills as a wine territory since the 17th century. It is a place that captured the attention of elite and noble families of Tuscany and was recognized as one of the finest red wine areas of the region. Vino Nobile has been one of Italy’s most esteemed wines for centuries, though it has been eclipsed in recent times by other Tuscan wines. The turning point was 1980 with the birth of the Consortium. In the last 15 years, the consortium has made enormous efforts to elevate the production in Montepulciano. Only in the recent decades Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has witnessed amazing growth in terms of winemaking techniques and quality. Today, the roughly 70 producers of Montepulciano believe that the Sangiovese produced in this district can top the levels of excellence of the other Tuscan icon wines.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
International Markets

Always a big “Thank You” to my colleague, and friend, Liz Palmer !

 

Filippo Magnani

JeT 2020 Wine Launch [Castello Di Montepo]

What a lovely surprise – I received a personal letter from Jacopo Biondi Santi and Tancredi Biondi Santi announcing the launch of their JeT 2020 vintage – what a nice touch!

Here is a unique backstory on this wine.

  • This wine was created out of passion and innovation
  • The initials “JeT” represents Jacopo and Tancredi
  • This wine was developed with oenologist Donato Lanati after 3 years of research
  • The Sangiovese Grosso “BBS11” clone is the innovation of the Family – an off-the-skin vinification at low temperatures
  • This variety is typical of the Tuscan Maremma’s territory

Soil: coarse-grained Galestro

Altitude: 300 – 500 metres a.s.l.

Variety: Sangiovese grosso BBS11 100%

Tasting notes

This elegant rose from Castello Di Montepo is pale blush and soft rose in colour; it exhibits freshness with the intensely of fruit and floral notes which all transforms on the palate; impressive structure, well-balanced through to a long lingering finish.  Delightful!

91/100

#CastellodiMontepò #natura #Maremma #castello #Toscana #italianwine #italianwinelover #terroir #winemaking #winelovers #wineglass #CastellodiMontepò @castellodimontepo #winery #awardwinning #Tuscany #winemaker #Jetrosé #Sangiovese #rosèallday #JacopoBiondiSanti #TancrediBiondiSanti

WOMEN IN WINE TALKS Announces an exclusive “Live Talk” with Albiera Antinori – Tenuta Guado al Tasso and Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta – Tenuta San Guido

WOMEN IN WINE TALKS

hosted by

Liz Palmer, President – Les Dames d’Escoffier (Ontario Chapter)

 

It is our great pleasure to invite you to be part of an exclusive “live talk” with

Albiera Antinori – Tenuta Guado al Tasso

and

Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta – Tenuta San Guido
Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

 

This event is scheduled for

Monday, September 21st at 7 pm (Rome time) on Zoom Platform  

Shari Mogk-Edwards (Canada) and Filippo Magnani (Bolgheri) will modulate the discussions between Albiera Antinori and Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta. You will learn about the amazing story of their families, the Bolgheri territory, and its wines.  This is not to be missed!

 Albiera and Priscilla, two women representing two historical and renowned Italian wine estates in Bolgheri, producing the iconic wines Guado al Tasso and Sassicaia. Nowadays, these two women together with Cinzia Merli from Le Macchiole winery, are also guiding the direction of the Board of Consorzio DOC Bolgheri and will discuss the vision of this wine appellation and territory.

Filippo Magnani, one of the top global Italian wine travel experts in Italy, will provide an overview of Bolgheri as “the hidden gem of Tuscany”, and why Bolgheri should be the next wine destination for both wine enthusiasts and wine professionals.

Host and Organizer:

Liz Palmer – President of Les Dames d’Escoffier (Ontario Chapter), Award-winning author, Dame Chevalier de Coteaux de Champagne, Educator, Wine Judge and voted one of the “Top 20 Global Wine Influencers for 2020 “ and founder of UPSocial Wine and Spirits Agency www.liz-palmer.com

Speakers from Bolgheri:

Albiera Antinori – Owner of Tenuta Guado al Tasso in Bolgheri / President of Consorzio DOC Bolgheri Tuscany / Member of the Association Le Donne del vino in Italy  (The Women of Wine of Italy) www.guadoaltasso.it  

Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta – Co-owner of Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri / Vice-President of Consorzio DOC Bolgheri Tuscany / Member of the Association Le Donne del vino in Italy  (The Women of Wine of Italy). www.tenutasanguido.com

Moderators:                                    

Shari Mogk-Edwards is the founder of Shari’s Picks Consulting. Her career spans 36 years with the world’s largest single buyer of beverage alcohol – the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. As a former VP and head buyer at LCBO, Shari Mogk-Edwards tasted and selected wines and spirits from around the world. She developed Shari’s Picks and now makes wine recommendations. www.sharispicks.ca

Filippo Magnani – Wine Travel Expert in Italy and Writer  (The Italian Wine Insider). In 1999 he founded Fufluns Wine Tours, a boutique travel operator specialized in Wine Tours in Tuscany & Italy. www.filippomagnani.it – www.fufluns.com


Zoom link to join the Women in Wine Talk 7 PM (Rome)
on
Monday, September 21st 

[complimentary ticket] Click here for your complimentary ticket!

Eventbrite Page:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/women-in-wine-talks-with-albiera-antinori-priscilla-incisa-della-rocchetta-tickets-120133780371

We look forward to seeing you.

With warm regards,

Liz Palmer
Founder of Women in Wine Talks
President of Ontario Chapter Les Dames d’Escoffier

 

THE CHAMPAGNE REGION IS #2 ON THE LIST OF TOP 10 WINE DESTINATIONS FOR MEN

Where does one go for the full oenophile experience? Men’s website AskMen.com offers its top 10 list of wine destinations for those keen to travel for the grape.

No.1 Burgundy

The ancient ocean beds that have receded to give life and fertile soil to the Beaune give Burgundy its depth and complexity. Like an ever-evolving maze, each sip of luscious Pinot Noir or clean, crisp Chardonnay lends itself to a bevy of adjectives and thoughts. The gem among the subclassifications of Burgundy is the Côte d’Or, or the “Golden Slope.” The hillsides in Burgundy gather up the sun’s rays, and paired with the nutrient-rich dried seafloor, give character to famous vineyards like Domaine Romanée-Conti, Vosne-Romanée and Chassagne-Montrachet. Not only do these wines age perfectly if kept in a climate-controlled storage system, but the subtle nuances of the Pinot Noir evolve and mature into silky, smooth perfection.

No.2 Champagne

Champagne is a region known not only for its quality but also its consistency. Big-name producers make both consistent house styles as well as single vintage products, and the quality is unrivaled. With a combination of steady prices and a surge of smaller producers who are meticulous about their quality — like Pierre Gimonnet et Fils — the region offers new products as the big names of Perrier Jouët, Dom Perignon and Moet & Chandon continue to provide classic styles that define elegance, sophistication and celebration. Life would be a little less special without Champagne.

No.3 Tuscany

The home of some of the most recognizable and consistent wines in the world, Tuscany produces such wines as Chianti Classico, Brunello, Carmignano, and the red blends known as Super Tuscans. (Due to the government regulation on the blending of wines, Super Tuscans do not have to adhere to a formula.) Tuscany embodies hard work, dedication and passion. The terroir and texture imbue Tuscan wines with a richness that stands out.

No.4 Bordeaux

No one region has had as much influence over the past century as Bordeaux. Creating everything from a wine culture to mythical vintages that garner more attention than some celebrities, these wines have set standards and tasting profiles worldwide. The two rivers that separate Bordeaux into “left bank” and “right bank” are the Garonne and the Dordogne. Merlot is the granddaddy here and lends its texture to historic wines like Pétrus and Château Ausone. Due to over production, many of the Châteaus are failing to make the same landmark wines they were able to in the early 2000s.

No 5. Mosel

Two rivers, the Saar and Ruwer, cut through the dramatic German landscape and converge into the Mosel River, creating a gorgeous backdrop for some of the most complex wines in the world. The steep south-facing slopes gather as much sun as possible as the delicate Riesling grapes gain a deep minerality from the rich slate soils. Riesling, the soft wine grape, is king here. Before Bordeaux took the world by storm, it was the Rieslings produced here that basked in the world’s attention

No. 6. Napa Valley

The first of the wine regions in the United States to garner international praise and attention, Napa, California, is home to some of the world’s greatest wineries. With a tradition that spans from early settlers to finding a “legal” way around prohibition, the American “cowboy” mentality comes through in the determination to make a world-class wine when they were told they never would. The outstanding Mediterranean microclimate and a mixture of decomposed oceanic fossils and lava ash give the rich grapes of Robert Mondavi, Chateau Montelena and Harlan Estate their bold and elegant flavors.

No. 7. Piedmont

Wine in Piedmont is as much a part of life as breathing. The leading grape here is Nebbiolo, which produces the superb Barolo and Barbaresco wines. To complement the depth of the Nebbiolo wines, sweeter wines Moscato d’Asti and Asti Spumante are made from Moscato Bianco. The mineral-rich wines from Azienda Cerreto feature the citrus and pear flavors of the Arneis grape.

No. 8. Ribera del Duero, Spain

Sitting on the northern plateaux of Spain along the Duero River, the rocky terrain of Ribera del Duero is home to the vines that give birth to the most expensive wine in the world, Vega Sicilia. The Tempranillo grape and the ability to grow world-class Cabernet Sauvignon give this region the leg up on its Rioja brother.

No. 9. Barossa Valley, Australia

Wines from Australia continue to push the envelope in terms of the amount of flavor you can pack into a bottle. An anonymous Australian winemaker once said, “We make wines that punch you in the face and then kick your teeth down the road.” Even though they’re jam-packed with intense fruitiness, the wines are well balanced. For wine drinkers who are looking for a fruit-forward wine that cuts through a meaty steak or a rosemary lamb roast, try a Grenache or a Shiraz.

No. 10. California’s Central Coast and the South of France.

Dubbed by aficionados as “the next frontier,” California’s Central Coast is filled with bar-setting vineyards like Longoria, Foxen and Sanford. Heavy producers of fresh, strawberry-scented Pinot Noirs and clean, woody Chardonnays abound, and producers often experiment with biodynamic farming.

The South of France sets the tone for most of the “green” farming in wine. Coupled with huge flavors and floral bouquets, these wines span palate ranges and have set the groundwork for a new breed of wine making. Regions like Côtes du Rhône and Gigondas produce some of the most complex and dynamic wines in the world. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape style of red-blended wines inspired some of California’s Central Coast’s best Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre wines.

LA Times