Carmignano: The 2010, 2009 and 2008 Vintages - and More!

The Carmignano Appellation has just presented the new releases of Carmignano, a red wine that is similar to Chianti in that it is primarily Sangiovese, the classic Tuscan red varietal, and different because the Appellation requires 10-20% Cabernet, a nod to Cosimo III de'Medici, who planted and experimented uva Franciosa, as it was called, in his Carmignano vineyards in the early 1700s.

Though the Cabernet has had time to become acclimatized and adapt to its Tuscan surroundings, 10-20% is quite enough to have a powerful influence upon the wine, and with respect to other Central Tuscan wines that lack it Carmignano tends to be more vegetal, with notes of hay or green vegetables, in particular bell pepper, on the nose, and earthy Cabernet-derived accents to the fruit, while the tannic structure also reveals Cabernet facets.

In short, Carmignano stands out from the other Central Tuscan appellations, especially now that those in Chianti are turning away from the international varietals that were all the rage 10-15 years ago, and as such it offers a pleasant change of pace. For a considerably more detailed discussion of the appellation, see my introduction to the 2009 presentation.

This year's presentation was once again held at Capezzana, which is by far the most important estate in the Carmignano appellation.

The vintages presented ranged from 2011 for some of the whites and the Vin Ruspo, Carmignano's Rosato, to 2010 for the Barco Reale, Carmignano's ligher red, 2010 for most the Carmignano vintage wine, and on to 2009-2008 for the Riserva wines, while some of the IGT wines and Vinsanti were from older vintages.

Taken as a group the 2010 vintage Carmignano displays considerable cabernet, which overshadows Sangiovese, presenting as vegetal accents and with a certain warmth. The 2009 and 2008 wines tend to be brighter, with the fruit shifted more towards red berry fruit and less towards plum, and are also markedly less vegetal.


The wines, Tasted February 18 2012

Podere Allocco

Podere Allocco Trebbiano IGT Toscana 2010

Brassy gold with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is bright, with fairly rich floral accents mingled with straw, some brambly acidity vegetal underpinning. Zesty. On the palate it's fairly rich, in an ample key with strong slightly overripe white berry fruit supported by greenish bitter accents that carry into a fairly long finish with greenish accents and some butterscotch as well It's a little more charged than I might have liked on the palate, and heavy rather than agile, with a fair amount of alcohol as well. A wine that will work well with more substantial offerings that will profit from its power. Not much minerality; the fullness is more glycerin and alcohol.
1 star

Podere Allocco Bacano IGT Toscana 2010

Brassy gold with brassy reflections and pale yellow rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with pungent minerality and some butterscotch supported by dusky shadowy notes and some overripe pear, and brambly acidity as well. On the palate it's deft, with pleasant slightly bitter minerality supported by mineral acidity that flows into a fairly long mineral finish. Deft, in a decidedly mineral key, with more minerality than fruit acidity, and if you like the style you will enjoy it.
2 stars

Podere Allocco Barco Reale DOCG 2010

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with cocoa, slight sandalwood, and berry fruit mingled with some greenish vegetal accents, the combination somehow brings a hostess cupcake to mind. On the palate it's medium bodied, with rather smoky greenish vegetal notes supported by spice and menthol more than fruit, and it flows into a rather blocky peppery finish with spicy underpinning. It's a touch more vegetal than I might have liked.
1 star

Podere Allocco Carmignano DOCG 2010

Deep black cherry with black reflections cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with smoky red berry fruit supported by greenish vegetal accents and some spice. On the palate it's medium bodied, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by smooth tannins that have a cedary underpinning and flow into a clean bright berry fruit finish with greenish tannic underpinning and fairly intense vegetal accents. Quite approachable in a young key, and will drink well with red meats.
2 stars

Podere Allocco Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2009 (bottled prerelease sample)

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections. the bouquet is muted, though some greenish accents emerge, mingled with acidity and hints of balsam. Promising but not really developed yet. On the palate it's full, with rich cherry fruit supported by some greenish vegetal accents, sour minerality and tannins that are smooth and quite powerful, flowing into a clean sour berry fruit finish with tannic underpinning, Quite promising, and if the nose follows the palate's lead will be something to look out for.

Tenuta Capezzana

Tenuta Capezzana Trebbiano di Capezzana IGT Toscana 2008

Brilliant brassy gold with brassy reflections. the bouquet is deft, and elegant, with mineral laced butterscotch supported by deft spice and some pleasing greenish vegetal accents. Nice depth. On the palate it's ample, and rich, with butterscotch laced minerality supported by mineral acidity and slight tannins that have a slightly brambly feel to them and flow into a clean dry butterscotch laced finish with some caramel overtones. Quite pleasant in a rich international key, and is one of the finer expressions of this wine that I have tasted; by comparison with other vintages more fruit and more minerality from grapes emerges, making it more interesting.
88-90

Tenuta Capezzana Rosato Vin Ruspo DOCG 2011

Slightly duskier pink with brilliant electric pink reflections. The bouquet is moderately intense, with dusky red berry fruit supported by some bramble and savory notes, and moderate red berry fruit acidity. On the palate it's ample, with moderately intense raspberry cherry fruit supported by dusky acidity and tannins that have a slight burr, and flow into a warm rather sour mineral laced finish with bitter underpinning. A fairly direct wine in a simple up front key.
1 star

Tenuta Capezzana Barco Reale DOCG 2009

Fairly deep cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, with a great gout of greenish violets mingled with spice and leather; with a rush of sea breeze as well. Unusual. On the palate it's bright, with richer than expected cherry black currant fruit supported by graphite shaving bitterness and some vegetal accents, while the tannins are fairly smooth, and lead into a clean bitter finish. Fresh, and still a bit in the air; it will work well with simple grilled meats, for example thick burgers, and in the proper context will be perfect. But it does need until summer for the nose to come together.
2 stars

Tenuta Capezzana Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2010

Impenetrable black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, with violet laced plume cherry fruit supported by dusky greenish accents that bring gum Arabic to mind, and some spice as well. Quite young, but promises nicely. On the palate it's ample in a ripe key, with fairly rich prune plum fruit supported by moderate savory acidity and quite a bit of sea salt, and by tannins that have a warm cedary overlay with some sweetness from wood as well, and flow into a clean savory vanilla laced finish. Pleasant in a decidedly international key, and if you like the style is quite approachable and a wine you will enjoy considerably.
2 stars

Tenuta Capezzana Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2008

Impenetrable pyrope with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with vegetal laced berry fruit supported by greenish accents, chalk dust, and some peppery spice, also some berry fruit. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by greenish vegetal accents, peppery spice and tannins that have a warm peppery and belle pepper burr, flow into a sandalwood laced finish that's quite dry. It needs another year to come together, and will be quite different when it has.
2 stars

Tenuta Capezzana Trefiano Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2008

Impenetrable black cherry with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with savory notes mingled with sandalwood and some balsam, and with some vegetal accents as it opens. On the palate it's ample and rich, with fairly intense cherry plum fruit supported by deft mineral acidity and by tannins that have warm slightly balsamic savory accents, and flow into a clean savory berry fruit finish. It needs another year to fold in, but is pleasant in a ripe key; while the fruit has shifted into prunes and plums there is still red fruit acidity, and this confers a degree of verve.
2 stars

Tenuta Capezzana Trefiano Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2007

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is savory; with some greenish accents that -- at first swish -- brought a bean pot to mind, and then opened to reveal vegetal notes more than fruit. It gives an impression of being in mod stride. On the palate it's fairly rich, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by tannins that have a warm balsamic burr and flow into a decidedly tannic finish. Needs another couple of years to come together and smooth, at which point it should be fairly traditional (and quite improved), though that's for the future, and not today.
2 stars

Tenuta Capezzana Ghiaie della Furba IGT Toscana 2006

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. Impenetrable black cherry with cherry ruby rim. The bouquet is delicate, with floral accents and some minerality mingled with cherry fruit and some forest berry fruit, and also slight vegetal accents. Graceful in a lacy sort of way. On the palate it's ripe, with cherry plum fruit supported by lively sour berry fruit acidity and by tannins that are smooth and though well polished not retiring, and flow into a clean fairly bright tannic finish with hints of balsam and more evident savory berry fruit accents. Quite pleasant, though young, and will also age nicely for many years.
2 stars

Tenuta Capezzana Sessanta IGT Toscana 2007

From a Magnum
This is a Merlot. Impenetrable black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is dusky, with underbrush and red berry fruit supporting some sour berry fruit and pleasant greenish accents; there's something voluptuous to it. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by smoky accents and tannins that are warm and rather balsamic, and flow into a clean bright sour berry fruit finish with balsamic underpinning. Quite young but also quite pleasant with deft grace, and will drink very well with foods, and also age nicely for a decade or more.
88-90

Tenuta di Capezzana Capezzana 804 IGT Toscana 2004

From a Magnum
This is a Syrah. Deep pyrope ruby with some purple in the rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some underbrush and savory accents with underlying cherry plum fruit. On the palate it's ample and fairly rich in a decidedly savory balsamic key with plum cherry fruit supported by warm savory tannins and sour balsamic acidity that flow into a fairly long savory tannic finish. It's quite young, and needs time to come together -- I had the impression of looking in on a nursery school with it. A bit too young to score, because it could go in any of several directions. All good, but I want to see where it goes first.

Tenuta Capezzana Vinsanto 2006

Tawny amber with brilliant orange reflections and slightly greenish rim. The bouquet is powerful and sweet, with dried fruit, dates and figs, supported by some caramel and brown sugar, and warm nose tingling acidity with some almonds and walnuts skins as well. On the palate it's ample and languid, with rich date and fig fruit supported by bright date acidity and sweetness that is brown sugar with hints of maple, and the sugar is intense enough to leave a granular trail across the tongue, flowing into a fairly long finish that has some walnuts, and then fades into sweetness. Quite pleasant in a very sweet key, and if you like this sweeter style of vinsanto, which brings the wines of Montepulciano to mind, you will enjoy it.
2 stars

Castelvecchio

Castelvecchio Rosato Vin Ruspo DOCG 2011

Pale pink with brilliant electric pink reflections. The bouquet is fresh and bright, with lively raspberry fruit and raspberry acidity supported by some red blossoms and slight jammy accents with hints of vegetal underpinning. Voluptuous, and the jam increases the curves. On the palate it's bright, with lively raspberry fruit that is supported by acidity and slight brambly tannins, and gains fullness from slight sweetness, which again accentuates the curves. Pleasant, and will be quite refreshing in the summer months, an ideal picnic wine.
2 stars

Castelvecchio Barco Reale DOCG 2010

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with red berry fruit supported by greenish accents and some mentholated notes, also some dusky black pepper and slight sandalwood. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by tannins that have some cedary graphite shaving bitterness, and by warm sandalwood laced acidity, which flow into a clean rather vegetal finish with underlying grilled pepper and pencil shaving bitterness. Pleasant, in a fairly bright key.
2 stars

Castelvecchio Carmignano DOCG 2010

Deep pigeon blood ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with powerful vegetal and bell pepper accents mingled with berry fruit and chalk dust, and some mentholated notes as well. On the palate it's medium bodied and fairly bright, with sour berry fruit supported by greenish almost balsamic tannins and warm greenish acidity that flows into a warm balsam laced finish that's rather blocky. I'd have liked more depth and verve.
1 star

Castelvecchio Carmignano DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with polished leather and some spice mingled with cumin seeds and savory accents. Not much fruit, though as it opens some savory barnyard tang with greenish balsamic accents emerges On the palate it's medium bodied, with fairly rich sour berry fruit supported by berry fruit acidity and by tannins that have a warm savory burr and flow into a clean savory finish. It's a bit behind, the nose especially, and needs a year to come together and develop. It will with time become ethereal, in a traditional key, but has a little less fruit than I might have liked.
2 stars

Castelvecchio Vinsanto 2007

Pale amber with brilliant apricot reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, and fairly sweet, with greenish vegetal accents and green apricot mingled with some almonds and hints of dates and figs that as they gain in intensity replace the vegetal accents. On the palate it's fairly direct, with sweet dried fruit, dates in particular, and date sweetness, which gives way to walnut skins as it flows into the finish, which is walnutty. It's a bit more direct than I like, and the finish is rather abrupt, with the fruit dropping off to give way to the walnuts.
1 star

Artimino

Artimino Rosato Vin Ruspo DOCG 2011

Lively raspberry pink with brilliant electric pink reflections and pale rim. The bouquet is bright, with greenish vegetal accents mingled with slight bell pepper and sour berry fruit with hints of bell pepper jam as well. On the palate it's bright, with lively greenish sour berry fruit supported by bell pepper bitterness and by some savory notes, while there are also light slightly splintery tannins. Quite fresh, though a touch coarser than the Castelvecchio -- and this will make it better suited to accompanying fried white meats or fish, a summer favorite -- while it will be a nice picnic or cookout wine too.
2 stars

Artimino Barco Reale DOCG 2010

Deep pigeon blood ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately rich, with jammy cherry fruit supported by dusky spice more than acidity, and some greenish vegetal accents mingled with slight graphite shavings. On the palate it's brighter than expected from the nose, though in a brooding key, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by tannins that have an abundance of bitter graphite shavings and flow into a slightly smoky sour bitter finish. The palate is more interesting than the nose, in a decidedly vegetal key, and it will work well with simple grilled meats or light stews.
2 stars

Artimino Villa Artimino Carmignano DOCG 2010

Impenetrable purple ruby ink with purple ruby rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with red berry fruit laced with belle pepper and vegetal accents, and supported by some savory notes as well, and by some metallic smoke. On the palate it's ample and fairly smooth, with plum cherry fruit supported by dusky minerality and graphite shaving bitterness more than acidity, and flows into a rather dusky finish. Despite the ripeness of the fruit it's a brooding wine, and while I would have liked a little more verve out of personal preference it is quite harmonious, with everything precisely where it should be.
2 stars

Artimino Villa Artimino Carmignano DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense and somewhat greenish, with savory accents more than berry fruit. On the palate it's bright, with greenish sour cherry fruit supported by bright acidity and by tannins that have a splintery greenish burr and flow into a fairly long savory finish. I found the palate more interesting than the nose, though it is a touch thinner than I might have liked.
1 star

Artimino Villa Medicea Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2009 (bottled prerelease sample)

Impenetrable black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with India ink bitterness mingled with spice and iodine,a nd some plum cherry fruit as well. Coming together. On the palate it's fairly rich, with savory cherry plum fruit supported by considerable vegetal laced graphite shavings bitterness and tannins that have a warm burr and flow into a clean bitter finish. Promising, in a rather austere key, with more minerality and more vegetal accents than some, and will also age nicely.

Artimino Villa Medicea Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2007

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, and quite mineral with some nose tingling acidity and spice, also some greenish wet leather. Dusky, bringing dappled shade to mind. On the palate it's pleasant, in a fairly mineral key, with savory red berry fruit supported by warm rather balsamic acidity and by smooth balsam-laced tannins that flow into a fairly long warm sour cherry finish. Pleasant in a fairly traditional key, and though one could drink it now it will have more to say in a few years, and will be reward those blessed with patience.
2 stars

Artimino Vinsanto Occhio di Pernice 2006

Tawny amber with brilliant orange reflections and greenish rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, and sweet, with orange and slight quinine notes mingled with minerality and some almonds, bit none of the brown sugar or walnuts one often finds in a vinsanto. It's going in a slightly different direction, and interesting. The palate reflects the nose; it's fairly sweet, with hints of orange and quinine bitterness that provides definition, and also some acidity, though its' more the quinine that carries the show, and it flows into a fairly bright bitter finish. Unusual; this is the first time I've encountered quinine in a vinsanto, and I'm not sure what to think of it.
1 star

Tenuta Le Farnete

Tenuta Le Farnete Barco Reale DOCG 2010

Deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is intense, with mineral laced greenish bell pepper fruit supported by chalk and artichoke stem as well, and also some cedar. Shadowy. On the palate it's medium bodied with moderately bright decidedly vegetal fruit supported by tannins that have considerable graphite shaving bitterness and flow into a rather bitter savory finish. Smoky, and will work well with succulent meats.
2 stars


Tenuta Le Farnete Barco Reale DOCG 2009

Moderately deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with brambly berry fruit supported by sweetish accents and slight dusky graphite, with hints of underbrush as well. On the palate it's ample and rather languid, with rich, ripe, fairly sweet forest berry fruit supported by savory notes more than acidity and by tannins that are ample and have a slightly splintery burr that gives texture to their underlying smoothness. It's fairly voluptuous, in a rich ripe key, and if you like the style you will enjoy it.
2 stars

Tenuta Le Farnete Carmignano DOCG 2010

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with considerable savory greenish vegetal accents and some peppery spice, but less red fruit that I might have expected. The French varietals seem to be covering a lot. On the palate it's ample, with cherry plum fruit supported by minerality and tannins that have a clean bright mineral burr to them, and flow into a vegetal laced finish with black currant fruit underpinning that fades to savory notes. Pleasant in a fairly ripe key, and needs another year to come together.
2 stars

Tenuta Le Farnete Carmignano DOCG 2009

Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with berry fruit supported by savory accents, some black pepper, slight greenish notes, and hints of petroleum. On the palate it's ample and smooth, with fairly rich sour cherry fruit laced with black currant fruit and supported by sour mineral acidity and tannins that are smooth and slightly glancing, flowing into a savory mineral finish with underlying tannic burr. Pleasant in a young key, the tannins are still coming together. Will age well.
2 stars

Tenuta Le Farnete Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2009 (bottled prerelease sample)

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with vegetal accents, some cedar, savory notes and spice. Not much fruit. On the palate it's rather languid, with rich cherry plum fruit supported by savory spice and tannins that have a warm slightly splintery burr, flow into a clean savory finish with cherry plum underpinning

Podere il Sassolo

Podere il Sassolo Barco Reale DOCG 2010

Pale cherry ruby with white rim. The bouquet is fairly bright, with zesty greenish vegetal accents supported by acidity and moderate red berry fruit. It's still coming together. On the palate it's fairly light, with fresh sour cherry fruit supported by fairly bright mineral acidity with some fruit overtones and by tannins that are light and flow into a clean sour berry fruit finish. A pleasant lark of a wine that will work quite well with meat based pasta dishes, simple grilled meats, including fattier cuts such as lamb chops, and also has the acidity necessary to work well with fried meats and vegetables. It doesn't try to be more than a Barco should be.
2 stars

Podere il Sassolo Carmignano DOCG 2010

Deep black cherry ruby with black rim. The bouquet is a bit up in the air, with airiness that brings paper to mind supported by chalk and some greenish accents. On the palate it's medium bodied, with dusky rather bitter fruit supported by tannins that have a splintery burr; it revolves more around bitterness than fruit, and will most likely continue on this path with time.
1 star

Podere il Sassolo Carmignano DOCG 2009

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with cherry plum fruit supported by some yellow peach, and by greenish accents as well, with some spice too. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by warm berry fruit acidity that has a slight greenish cast, and by tannins that are warm and rather balsamic, flowing into a warm slightly balsamic sour berry fruit finish pleasant in a more traditional key, and though it needs time will already work well with steaks or other hearty grilled meats.
2 stars

Fattoria Ambra

Fattoria Ambra Santa Cristina in Pilli Carmignano DOCG 2010

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up bramble and minerality with dried artichoke stem greenness and some spice too. Not much fruit On the palate it's bright, and quite vegetal, with artichoke more than bell pepper greenness, and smooth dusky greenish tannins with some balsamic accents, and it flow into a warm fairly greenish finish. It's still very young, and needs at least a couple of years to come together.
2 stars

Fattoria Ambra Montalbiolo Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2009 (bottled prerelease sample)

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections anc cherry rim. The bouquet is muted, swishing brings up savory notes, slight balsam, and spice more than fruit. On the palate it's ample with moderately intense berry fruit supported by tannins that are warm and quite forward, laying a spicy veneer over the tongue. Very young, and needs time. I would have however liked more fruit.


Fattoria Ambra Elzana Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2009 (bottled prerelease sample)

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with smoky savory notes and balsamic accents mingled with cocoa and some greenish vegetal accents. On the palate it's ample and fairly irpe with plum fruit supported more by minerality than acidty, and by tannins that are cedar laced and flow into a cedar laced finish with underlying bitterness. I's have liked more depth and verve; it's a little flatter than I might have wanted.

Pratesi

Pratesi Carmignano DOCG 2010

Deep pigeon blood ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is bright, and fairly fresh, with dusky violets supported by sea salt and bell peppers with some artichoke greenness as well, and by underlying forest berry fruit. Nice depth. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry black currant fruit supported by tannins that have a cedary underpinning and are still quite dry, need time to fold in. Promising however, and will do interesting things with time, I think. It grew on me.
2 stars

Pratesi Locorosso Carmignano DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense and quite green, with artichoke stems more than peppers and some tobacco, with slight savory notes as well. On the palate it's brighter than expected, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by sour berry fruit acidity that has some bell pepper accents, and by tannins that are warm and slightly cedar laced with hints vanilla and sandalwood, and flow into a clean sour berry fruit finish with some vegetal accents. Pleasant though young, and will do interesting things with time.
2 stars

Pratesi Circo Rosso Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2009 (bottled prerelease sample)

Impenetrable pyrope with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with balsam laced prune cherry fruit supported by savory notes and hardwood ash with some greenish vegetal acidity. On the palate it's pleasant at the outset, with fairly rich cherry plum fruit supported by moderate mineral acidity that surrenders to cedar laced tannins that flow into a fairly long, quite powerful cedar laced finish. At present the tannins are overly dry and bring the fruit to its knees; we will have to wait to see how they fold in with time.

Pratesi Carmione IGT Toscana 2006

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Impenetrable pyrope with cherry rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some plum cherry fruit supported by delicate vegetal accents mingled with some cut squash and hints of shellac. On the palate it's fairly rich, with cherry plum fruit supported by balsamic accents, and by tannins that are warm and balsamic, and at present gradually emerge, predominating. A little too much oak for me now, and I doubt the fruit will ever really throw it off.
1 star

Piaggia

Piaggia Il Sasso Carmignano DOCG 2010

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly sharp, with penetrating greenish accents and acidity supporting prune plum fruit, and some vegetal notes as well with a savory underpinning. On the palate it's riper than I expected, with fairly intense prune fruit supported by tannins that have a greenish cedary overlay and by moderate minerality more than fruit driven acidity, which flows into a fairly long greenish finish that has hints of sweetness, which are likely alcohol. Approachable in a ripe key, and if you like the style you will enjoy it. But do give it a couple of years to get its bearings.
2 stars

Piaggia Il Sasso Carmignano DOCG 2009

Impenetrable pyrope with cherry rim that has hints almandine. The bouquet is intense, with greenish accents and sea salt supported by some vegetal notes, more grass and Sichuan preserved vegetable than bell peppers. On the palate it's rich and languid in a quite ripe key, with rich plum fruit supported by deft acidity and by tannins that have a slight vegetal burr, and flow into a fairly long, fairly sweet prune finish. Pleasant in a decidedly international key, and if you like rich ripe fruit driven wines you will enjoy it; the palate is ahead of the nose and I would give the nose another year to come together.
2 stars

Piaggia Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2009 (bottled prerelease sample)

Impenetrable black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is powerful and fresh for a Riserva, with violets mingled with spice and sandalwood with some nose tingling vegetal acidity as well. On the palate it's ample and quite ripe, with rich plum cherry fruit that's fairly sweet supported by tannins that have fairly intense barrel sample bitterness to them, and some mineral acidity that flows into a dusky plum fruit laced mineral finish. Opulent, and as the tannins smooth and fold in it will be even more opulent.

Piaggia Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2008

Deep black almandine with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is intense, with savory smoky sea salt and spice, and is also rather penetrating. Not much fruit. On the palate it's ample, ans sweeter than I expected, with vegetal notes that carry more than the plum prune fruit present, and mineral acidity, while the tannins are warm and splintery, flowing into a clean rather mineral finish with some underlying plum fruit. It needs time, a year or two, and is a little riper than I might have liked, Personal preference.
2 stars

Piaggia Poggio De'Colli IGT Toscana 2009

This is a Cabernet Franc. Impenetrable pyrope with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with savory notes and underbrush mingled with deft red berry fruit and some acidity; nice depth and harmony, and as it opens there are hints of yellow peach as well. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour berry fruit supported by peppery spice and tannins that have a warm savory burr, and flow into a clean savory finish with hints of cocoa and underlying berry fruit. A different varietal? Perhaps; it revolves more around finesse than power, though there is that too, and it has nice aging potential as well.
2 stars

Villa il Poggiolo

Villa il Poggiolo Carmignano DOCG 2010

Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense and quite vegetal, with greenish berry fruit accents mingled with sandalwood and spice that almost brings incense to mind, On the palate it's ample and quite ripe with cherry and back currant-cassis fruit supported by tannins that have an inky graphite shaving overlay, and by minerality more than acidity, which flows into a clean rather mineral tannic finish. It's not quite lush enough to be a sexpot wine, but is pleasingly fruit driven and headed in that direction. If you prefer tighter wines with more acidity and more aggressive tannins it won't work as well for you.
2 stars

Villa il Poggiolo Carmignano DOCG 2009

Impenetrable pyrope with cherry ruby rim. The bouquet is intense and rather vegetal, with red berry fruit supported by cut squash greenness mingled with chalk and a certain acidic sweetness. On the palate it's full, quite riep,a nd fairly sweet, with plum cherry fruit supported by sweetness as much as acidity and by greenish accents that flow into a clean fairly soft plum finish The ripest, sweetest wine tasted so far, something of a starlet in a glass, and if you like the style, which revolves more around alcohol and sweet ripeness of fruit than tannins or acidity, you will enjoy it. But you have to like the style, which is frankly atypical for Carmignano.
1 star


Villa il Poggiolo Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2008

Impenetrable black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is powerful, and quite green, with cut squash greenness supported by some sour berry fruit and spice; there's something heady to it. On the palate it's full and quite riep, with greenish cherry plum fruit that whose vegetal accents echo the cut squash on the nose, and flow into a greenish berry fruit finish with savory underpinning that becomes quite splintery. It's rich and a bot overripe, and needs another couple of years to get its bearings; I'd have liked a little more aicifty because as the tannins smooth it will I think become rather brooding.
2 stars

Tenuta la Borriana

Tenuta la Borriana Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2009 (bottled prerelease sample)

Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with cassis fruit and some sweetish jammy accents mingled with slight vegetal accents and spice. On the palate it's ample and ripe, with cherry plum fruit supported by savory notes more than acidity, and by tannins that are ample, with a slight burr, and flow into a slightly splintery fairly sweet fruit laced finish. It's up in the air, but if it comes down right will be pleasant in a ripe soft key.

Tenuta di Capezzana - Some Older Vintages, Tasted at Vinitaly

One of the nicest things about Vinitaly is that some wineries, especially older ones with historic traditions, bring some of their older vintages for visitors to explore. This time Capezzana, whose archives stretch back to the 30s, brought a fascinating set of wines from the more recent past.

Tenuta di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1974

70% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Canaiolo and 10% other traditional varietals, aged 24 months in large (25 hl) casks. Brick with orange rim. The bouquet is delicate, with leather and some Moroccan leather acidity supported by underbrush and some medicinal notes, with underlying eucalyptus and leaf tobacco. Graceful in a fully mature key, and has quite a bit to say. On the palate it's it's bright, with fairly rich sour prune fruit supported by deft mineral acidity and some leathery accents, while the tannins are quite smooth and have some leafy accents to them. It's graceful, with considerable bright acidity that has provided backbone and both allowed it to reach this age, and given it good potential for the future. A very enjoyable older vintage.
2 stars

Tenuta di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1983

70% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Canaiolo and 10% other traditional varietals, aged 24 months in large (25 hl) casks. Almandine with orangish rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with red berry fruit and dried flowers supported by clean berry fruit acidity and savory accents with Moroccan leather from old book bindings. Elegant though not as rich as the 74. On the palate it's quite pleasant in a full mature key, with bright tart berry fruit acidity more than fruit, supported by smooth tannins that are silky and savory, and flow into a long tart finish with some tannic underpinning. Though mature it is still quite fresh, and bright, and is a testament to the importance of acidity in red wines because without said acidity it would have settled.
90-91

Tenuta di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1996

80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Canaiolo, aged 12 months in large (23 hl) casks and 12 months in bottle. Deep black almandine with black highlights and almandine rim. The bouquet is elegant, with savory berry fruit supported by balsamic notes and Moroccan leather with some spice. It has quite a bit to say and is quite harmonious. On the palate it's full and rich, with elegant sour cherry fruit supported by bright acidity and tannins that are velvety though they do have steely accents, and flow into a clean bright finish with considerable peppery acidity. Quite pleasant, and unlike the older wines, which I would only drink far from the table, will go well with a steak.
88-90

Tenuta di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2000
80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 12 months in 350 liter tonneaux and 12 months in bottle. Beginning with Stefano Chioccioli's arrival in 1998, Capezzana carried out green harvests in all their vineyards, thus increasing the quality of their grapes to the point that there was little point in making both Carmignano and Carmignano Riserva. Deep brick ruby with some almandine in the rim. The bouquet is muted; swishing brings up some berry fruit and spice supported by sea salt, some sour berry fruit acidity, and slight leather, with underlying dried flowers. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich sour cherry fruit supported by berry fruit acidity and tannins that have a warm burr and flow into a long warm finish. By comparison with the older vintages is suffers some and this is because the end of the summer was excruciatingly hot in Tuscany, hot enough that it interfered with ripening.
2 stars

Tenuta di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2006

80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 12 months in 350 liter tonneaux and 12 months in bottle. Deep cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with savory notes and red berry fruit supported by a fair amount of alcohol and considerable austerity -- it really isn't at all happy about being on display in the glass. On the palate it's ample and smooth with fairly rich red berry fruit supported by deft acidity and smooth tannins that flow into a fairly long spicy tannic finish. It's quite elegant but simply NOT ready, and needs time. If you have the patience to give it, it will reward you, and the score reflects the present.
2 stars

Tenuta di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2007

80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 12 months in 350 liter tonneaux and 12 months in bottle. Bright cherry ruby with cherry ruby rim. The bouquet is brighter and readier than that of the 06, and also fresher, which makes sense since it's a year younger; there are red berry fruit and underbrush mingled with vegetal accents and fairly bright acidity, with some underlying goudron. On the palate it's full and rich with powerful red berry fruit supported by smooth tannins that do display a slight burr and flow into a long warm fairly bitter finish. It's quite approachable, and at present superior to the 2006 (though its older sibling may pull ahead with time). Quite pleasant, a wine you will set out and drink, and though one usually doesn't say this about wines of this caliber, it applies here.
90-91

Carmignano: The New Releases

The Carmignano appellation has just presented the new releases of Carmignano, a red wine that is similar to Chianti in that it is primarily Sangiovese, the classic Tuscan red varietal, and different because the Appellation requires 10-20% Cabernet, a nod to Cosimo III de'Medici, who planted and experimented uva Franciosa, as it was called, in his Carmignano vineyards in the early 1700s.

Though the Cabernet has had time to become acclimatized and adapt to its Tuscan surroundings, 10-20% is quite enough to have a powerful influence upon the wine, and with respect to other Central Tuscan wines that lack it Carmignano tends to be more vegetal, with notes of hay or green vegetables, in particular bell pepper, on the nose, and earthy Cabernet-derived accents to the fruit, while the tannic structure also reveals Cabernet facets.

In short, Carmignano is unique with respect to the other Central Tuscan appellations, especially now that those in Chianti are turning away from the international varietals that were all the rage 10-15 years ago, and as such it offers a pleasant change of pace. For a considerably more detailed discussion of the appellation, see my introduction to the 2009 presentation.

This year's presentation was held at Capezzana, which is by far the most important estate in the Carmignano appellation. Before the tasting began Vittorio Contini Bonacossi spoke briefly about the 2011 vintage, saying that it began quite wet, with the abundant moisture quite sufficient to see the vines through the two dry months that followed. Things were looking very good, with just the right amount of beautiful grapes, until August 19-20, when a hot air mass settled in, raising temperatures in the vineyards to 43 degrees C (about 110 F); the grapes most exposed to the afternoon sun were burned. Those shaded from the afternoon sun (40-50% of the total) escaped damage, though they are extremely concentrated with high sugar contents. Harvesting will be difficult, but should yield a much smaller than usual volume of rather powerful, concentrated wines. In short, what survived, he thinks, will be good to very good, though, I would venture, rather extreme.

Vittorio said that the heat will result in severe problems with both Barco Reale, Carmignano's lighter easy to drink red wine, and Vin Ruspo, the appellation's rosé, and there will be estates that produce neither.

I began with Carmignano DOCG, and then tasted the Riserva and IGT wines, backtracking thereafter to taste the Vin Ruspo and Barco Reale. The wines are in the order in which I tasted the Carmignano.

The wines, presented September 9 2011

Villa il Poggiolo Villa il Poggiolo Vin Ruspo DOC 2010 Deep salmon with brilliant apricot and electric pink reflections. The bouquet is moderately intense, with raspberry fruit supported by berry fruit acidity and some greenish accents with pleasing underlying minerality. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour berry fruit supported by brambly accents and acidity, and by slight tannins that do have a greenish burr to them. Brash, and will work well as a cookout wine, and also with fried foods. Nice acidity and a wine that is quick on its toes.
2 stars

Villa il Poggiolo Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2008 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with jammy almost cooked cherry plum fruit that gives an impression of considerable ripeness, and a fair amount of alcohol as well, combined with some vegetal accents. On the palate it's fairly rich, with cherry fruit supported by brambly vegetal notes and some savory spice. Direct, and I'd have liked a little more acidity to accompany the fruit.
1 star

Villa il Poggiolo Carmignano DOCG 2010
Barrel sample
Brick ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly bright, with lively berry fruit supported by heather and herbal notes, and some menthol, with slight graphite as well. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by fairly brisk acidity and tannins that have a slight youthful burr and flow into a fairly long berry fruit finish with some hints of hazelnut. Pleasant, though it is unfinished, with the tannic brashness one often finds in barrel samples, and will work well with simple stews or roasts.

Villa il Poggiolo Villa il Poggiolo Carmignano DOCG 2009 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is unusual, with sour cherry strawberry fruit that is almost candied and has some sandalwood accents, bringing to mind a Moscato di Scanzo. Quite unusual. On the palate it's ample and quite smooth, with some sweetness as well, and ripe berry fruit that again has some sandalwood spice and brings the Moscato to mind, and flows into a graphite-laced bitter finish. Absolutely atypical of Carmignano, but if you like this sort of spicy cast and the richness sweetness brings it will work well with very flavorful stews.
1 star

Villa Il Poggiolo Villa il Poggiolo Carmignano DOCG 2008 Deep black almandine with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly rich, with cherry fruit supported by jammy notes, greenish accents bell pepper, menthol, sea salt, and graphite shavings. On the palate it's ample and savory with vegetal-laced berry fruit supported by moderate savory mineral acidity and tannins that burr with a cedary underpinning and flows into a savory cherry finish with some underlying bitterness.
2 stars

Villa il Poggiolo Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2008 Deep black cherry ruby. The bouquet is intense, and unusual; it smells of chinotto, which is not quinine as one might expect (though the bitterness is there) but rather a small bitter citrus fruit that grown in Liguria and other parts of Italy, and used to make one of the classic Italian soft drinks -- called Chinotto. Atypical. On the palate it's again odd, tasting of quinine and cedary bitterness; it's not what one expects of a Carmignano.
1 star

Villa il Poggiolo Vinsanto di Carmignano DOC 2008
Tawny amber with bright apricot reflections and white in the rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with rancio (a term that describes the nuttiness that comes with exposure to heat and oxidation), oatmeal, sweetness, dried fruit and some walnut skins supported by a fair amount of alcohol. On the palate it's full, sweet, and warm with dried apricots supported by lively acidity and glycerin that imparts a certain butteriness, and by walnut skins and green walnut bitterness that grow in intensity as the sweetness fades, and carry into a long warm alcoholic finish with walnut skin bitterness to provide definition. Quite pleasant in a rich sweet key, and though one could enjoy it now it will also age very well for many years. Nice balance and depth
2 stars

A note: This winery's wines are quite uneven, and this is because they are making a determined effort to improve, and the wines reflect this. I rather like the course they are embarking upon, and will be very curious to see how things progress over future vintages in which the new winemaker oversees production from start to finish.

Tenuta Di Capezzana Tenuta di Capezzana Vin Ruspo DOC 2010

Pale salmon with onionskin rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with brambly raspberry fruit and hints of licorice root, and also some spice. Nice balance and depth, and quite fresh. On the palate it's bright, with lively brambly berry fruit supported by brambly acidity and tannins that have a slight burr, and flow into a clean fresh brambly finish. Quite pleasant, a wine that will work very well with foods at a cookout or during the summer months when things are best served cool, and will also be a nice aperitif. With respect to the other two Vin Ruspos presented this year it shows greater finesse and is a bit less aggressive, making it more something one could drink by the glass.
2 stars

Tenuta di Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2009 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, and ripe, with jammy plum cherry fruit laced with greenish vegetal accents and spice, and also with some savory notes and alcohol. Nice balance in a young lively key. On the palate it's bright, with sour cherry fruit supported by graphite shaving bitterness and sour berry fruit acidity, and by tannins that are rather splintery and flow into a bright sour berry fruit finish. It's lively, and rather aggressive, and will work well with fattier grilled meats or hearty pasta sauces, and also with fried meats and vegetables. Expect it to go quickly if you like the style, which is fairly aggressive.
2 stars

Tenuta Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2010
Barrel sample
Deep cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is young and fresh, with brambly berry fruit supported by heather and vegetal accents, and by slight hints of sweetness that add a cheeky brightness to it. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by tannins that are fresh and smooth, with slight hints of cedar, and flow into a clean bright berry fruit finish that's fairly long. Graceful in a willowy sort of way, and will be elegant as it ages. Very nice for a barrel sample, and will I expect be worth seeking out.

Tenuta Capezzana Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2008
Deep black cherry ruby, close to poured ink in its darkness. The bouquet is moderately intense, with cherry fruit supported by graphite shavings and some vegetal accents, with cool alcohol that brings to mind dappled shade, and some spice as well. On the palate it's fairly rich, with bitter minerality more than fruit carrying it, supported by tannins that have a graphite overlay and flow into a rather bitter tannic finish. It's pleasant though not in a really fruit driven key -- more underbrush and vegetal notes -- and if you like this style will work quite well with succulent meats, off the grill or form the oven. If you prefer smoother, fruitier wines it won't work for you.
2 stars

Tenuta Capezzana Villa di Trefiano Carmignano DOCG 2007
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some gum Arabic and slight graphite. Not much fruit, though with more swishing savory notes reminiscent of bouillon emerge; it feels very behind. On the palate it's ample and rather bitter, with more savor than fruit, and with dry savory tannins that flow into a bitter savory tannic finish. It's very behind, and in what is sometimes called a "stupid phase," in which it pulls into itself. It needs time to work through it and a score at present will probably not reflect the future.

Tenuta Capezzana Ghiaie della Furba IGT Toscana 2007 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, and decidedly vegetal, with some cedar as well and hints of vanilla. It's coming together, but there isn't as much fruit as I'd have hoped. On the palate it's medium bodied, with moderately intense red berry fruit supported by some savory notes and sour berry fruit acidity, while the tannins are fairly smooth and flow into a clean savory finish. Pleasant, though it needs a year or two at least.
2 stars

Capezzana Sessanta IGT Toscana 2007

This is a very special wine, a Merlot in Purezza prepared to celebrate Count Ugo and Lisa Contini Bonacossi's 60th wedding anniversary. Impenetrable pyrope with a rich nose laced with forest berry fruit and some graphite, alcohol, and underlying pencil shavings. Rich and nice balance. On the palate it's also rich, with powerful berry fruit supported by graphite shaving bitterness and clean sweet tannins that flow into a fairly long graphite laced finish with an alcoholic underpinning due in part to the warmth of the day I tasted it. Pleasant, deft, and will work very well with grilled meats or light roasts, and also has good aging potential. In short, a wine for collectors -- only 5,000 bottles were made, and a wine that should you come across you should snap up.
90-91

Fattoria Ambra

Fattoria Ambra Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2010 Lively cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is brambly, with lively berry fruit supported by some greenish accents and some graphite shaving bitterness that balance nicely. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by dusky graphite shaving bitterness and by tannins that have a splintery burr and flow into a clean rather green sour berry fruit finish. Pleasant in a light aggressive key, and will drink well with simple grilled meats or light stews, and will also work nicely with fried meats and vegetables. Classic quaffing wine.
2 stars

Fattoria Ambra Santa Cristina in Pilli Carmignano DOCG 2009
Deep cherry with black reflections. The bouquet is brooding, with berry fruit supported by hints of wet paper and bramble; it's not as clean as I might have liked. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich sour cherry fruit supported by sour berry fruit acidity and tannins that are fairly dry and flow into a dry tannic finish. It's a wine that will work well with fattier meats that need something to clear the palate between bites. Grilled sausages, for example.
1 star

Fattoria Ambra Vigne Alte Montalbiolo Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2008 Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with graphite shavings and some spice mingled with savory notes and slight wet earth; there's not much fruit and it revolves more around minerality than fruit. The palate reflects the nose, with considerable minerality and tertiary flavors including wet earth and pepper, and also some cedar, though it plays a secondary role, and flows into a fairly long bitter finish. If you like the style it will work well with hearty roasts or stews, for example wild boar, but if you prefer fruitier wines it won't work as well for you.
2 stars

Fattoria Ambra Elzana Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2008
Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense in a rather rustic key, with balsamic accents mingled with sea salt and some animal notes, and holding it together some bell pepper vegetal accents. On the palate it's ample and smooth, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by bell pepper vegetal accents and savory notes, and also tannins that have a splintery burr to them, and flow into a clean savory finish. Pleasant in a bright savory key, and if you like the style, which is fairly traditional, you will enjoy it.
2 stars

Fattoria Ambra Vinsanto di Carmignano DOC 2004 Dusky amber with white rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, though not too complex, with dried apricot and some walnut skin mingled with alcohol; it gives an impression of being less sweet than some vinsanti. An impression belied on the palate; it's sweet, with fairly rich dried apricot fruit supported by brown sugar sweetness and some apricot acidity that carry together for a considerable distance, gradually fading into sweetish warmth. It's not as complex as some, and lacks the walnut skins one often finds, but does have a pleasing warmth and though I would have liked greater complexity, especially on the nose, does have something to say.
1 star


Fattoria di Bacchereto

Fattoria di Bacchereto Terre a Mano Carmignano DOCG 2009 Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is bright, with lively cherry and forest berry fruit, in particular black currant fruit, and some brambles with some hints of gum Arabic. Quite young. On the palate it's smooth, with moderately intense dusky berry fruit supported by acidity and hints of scalded milk, and by tannins that are smooth and have a slight cedary overlay that almost brings butterscotch to mind, and flows into a dusky finish. It's fairly aggressive, and will work well with succulent meats, red especially, off the grill or from the oven.
1 star

Fattoria di Bacchereto Terre a Mano Carmignano DOCG 2008
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with India ink and brambly berry fruit largely overshadowed by pencil shavings and graphite bitterness, and some gum Arabic as well. I'd have liked richer fruit. On the palate it's fairly light, with decidedly brambly fruit supported by tannins that have savory accents and hints of hazelnut, and flow into a rather brambly finish. It's a scrappy wine, and if you like the style you will enjoy it with grilled meats and similar. I'd have liked a little more richness and roundness to the fruit.
1 star

Podere Allocco

Podere Allocco Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2009 Lively black almandine with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly bright, with vegetal laced berry fruit supported by sour cherry acidity and spice, also by some sweetish greenish accents that bring yellow peaches to mind, and as it opens the peaches become stronger. On the palate it's medium bodied and soft, with fairly rich dusky cherry fruit supported by moderate berry fruit acidity and by tannins that have some peppery vegetal accents, though less than many, and flow into a fairly long berry fruit finish with vegetal overly and slight pepperiness. Pleasant in a softer, less aggressive key than many, and if you like this better than the qualities of the more aggressive wines, you will enjoy it.
2 stars

Podere Allocco Carmignano DOCG 2009
Deep ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is a bit more rustic than some, with animal hair and some horse lather mingled with sour berry fruit and some menthol as well. On the palate it's medium bodied, with bright sour berry fruit supported by sour cherry acidity and tannins that are smooth and fairly dry, flowing into a sour brambly finish. It's old style, and if you like this sort of traditional wine you will enjoy it and find it worth seeking out. If you prefer wines with richer riper fruit and rounder tannins it will work less well for you.
2 stars

Podere il Sassolo

Podere Il Sassolo Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2010 Lively cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is tart, with sour cherry fruit supported by some orange acidity and hints of dried orange peel; there are also greenish accents and some alcohol. On the palate it's light, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by sour berry fruit acidity and tannins that have a warm rather splintery burr and flow into a clean slightly splintery finish with some greenish sour cherry accents. Pleasant, and very much a food wine that will work well with pasta dishes, in particular meat sauces light meats, and fried foods. If you like the style, which is fairly aggressive, you will enjoy it.
2 stars

Podere il Sassolo Carmignano DOCG 2009 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with some berry fruit and quite a bit of cedar with some brambly greenish accents thrown in. It's coming together, but I'd have liked more fruit. On the palate it's ample and well polished, making for a wine that's quite smooth, and flows into a fairly savory finish What's missing is the fruit, which seems to be hiding under the tannins and lets savory notes and tannins carry the show.
1 star

Piaggia Piaggia Il Sasso Carmignano DOCG 2009 Deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim; it's darker than most. The bouquet is fairly intense, with berry fruit and some green leather mingled with vegetal accents and moderately intense brambly acidity. The overall effect is dark and rather brooding. On the palate it's medium bodied, with moderately intense tannins and moderate rather dusky fruit that is supported by some brambly, savory acidity, and flows into a rather bitter finish. I'd have liked greater richness of fruit, though the savory accents are pleasant and will work well with succulent meats.
2 stars

Piaggia Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2010 Barrel sample
Impenetrable pyrope with black reflections, The bouquet is rich, giving an impression of smooth polish, with berry fruit supported by greenish bell pepper accents and some menthol, with a fair amount of alcohol as well. Rather international in feel. On the palate it's medium bodied and deft, with fairly rich pepper-laced berry fruit supported by graphite bitterness and tannins that are smooth and rather savory, and flow into a clean bitter finish. It shows considerable polish and will become graceful with time; if you like the style, which is more international, you will enjoy it considerably. To be honest, it didn't seem a barrel sample, but we asked and were assured it was.

Piaggia Piaggia Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2008

Deep pyrope with cherry rim; it's poured ink. The bouquet is surprisingly fresh, with very ripe cherry plum fruit supported by jammy accents and pleasant spice. Quite international in feel. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful plum fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins and moderate acidity that flow into a clean bright fruit laced finish. It's elegant in an international key, and will drink well with roasts or stews, including meats that are fairly dry, pot roasts, for example. Much more fruit driven than many, and thus in a different key. If you are traditionally minded it won't work for you, but if you like smooth rich fruit driven wines you will like it.
2 stars

Tenuta le Farnete

Tenuta Le Farnete Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2010 Deep black almandine with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is intense and quite bitter, with a rush of graphite shavings accompanied by some bell pepper and a fair amount of alcohol. The cabernet emerges strongly. On the palate it's bright, with lively greenish vegetal and bell pepper accents supported by graphite shaving bitterness and by tannins that have greenish vegetal notes and flow into a clean vegetal finish with underlying graphite bitterness. If you like the style, which is towards vegetal cabernet, you will enjoy it considerably and it will work well with simple foods.
2 stars

Tenuta Le Farnete Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2009
Black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with smoky berry fruit supported by some savory greenish accents and moderate alcohol. On the palate it's light and fairly light, with lively peppery vegetal accents supported by spice and spur cherry fruit that flow into a clean rather bright vegetal finish. Direct, and fairly aggressive, and will drink well with simple grilled meats or light stews, also fried meats and vegetables.
1 star

Tenuta Le Farnete Carmignano DOCG 2009 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with brambly berry fruit laced with heather and some graphite and balsamic accents; there's also a dusky sourness to it. On the palate it's smooth, and again rather dusky, there's not much fruit, but rather savory cedary bitterness, supported by savory notes and tannins that are rather cedary, and flow into a savory finish. It brings to mind those prune jams that are cooked down considerably and have aged for a couple of years before they're opened.
1 star

Tenuta le Farnete Carmignano DOCG 2008 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is brambly, with dusky cedar and some greenish accents, and a fair amount of alcohol too, but not that much fruit. On the palate it's brighter than I expected, with moderately intense sour berry fruit supported by moderate brambly acidity and tannins that have considerable graphite bitterness to them, and flow into a rather bitter finish that's fairly long. It's quite young, but does display a pleasing grace, though you have to like the style, which is not fruit forward. If you do like the style you will need -- not want -- a second bottle, because it goes down quite easily.
2 stars

Tenuta le Farnete Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2010 Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, with berry fruit and bell pepper supported by some sea salt; with swishing the pepper increases and gains grilled overtones. On the palate it's medium bodied, with fairly rich bell pepper laced fruit supported by savory notes and tannins that are dry and spicy, and flow into a dry spicy finish with peppery accents. The cabernet is very apparent, and if you like the style you will enjoy it, and it will work well with simple grilled meats or light stews. I found it a bit extreme, though in a positive way.

Tenuta Le Farnete Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2008 Fairly deep black cherry with some hints of almandine. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some dusky aromas of wet earth and vegetal accents -- it's clearly at the outset of its development and has a ways to go. On the palate it's savory, with fairly bright sour berry fruit supported by cedar laced savory accents and warmth, and flows into a fairly long savory finish. It's traditional in feel, and needs time, but if you like the style it may well prove rewarding with time.
2 stars

Tenuta Le Farnete Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2007 Deep black cherry with black reflections and almandine in the rim. The bouquet is savory, with some cedar and quite a bit of sea salt mingled with warmth. On the palate it's pleasant, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by savory notes and spice, and flowing into a clean bright savory finish. Pleasant in a traditional key, and will drink well with grilled meats or light stews.
2 stars

Tenuta le Farnete Rosso Passito IGT Toscana 2010 This is an Aleatico passito, and is deep pyrope with cherry ruby rim. The bouquet is rich and sweet, with the candied fruit and vegetal accents typical of Aleatico mingled with some menthol and pleasant acidity that has a sour lemon cast to it. Nice balance and complexity. On the palate it's full and sweet, with bright chewy red berry fruit supported by warmth and roundness due to both fruit and sweetness, while there is pleasant ripe raspberry cherry acidity to keep it from being cloying, and it flows into a clean bright rather tart berry fruit finish supported by lasting sweetness. A nice Aleatico that will be quite pleasant with friends either around a fire in the winter moths (or with cheese), or on a patio in summer as the heat fades and the stars come out.
2 stars

Pratesi Pratesi Locorosso Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2010 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with berry fruit supported by alcohol and some berry fruit acidity, with some mentholated spice as well. On the palate it's fairly light, with bright lively sour berry fruit supported by lively sour cherry acidity and some vegetal accents, and also by tannins that have a warm vegetal overlay and flow into a clean rather splintery berry fruit finish. A good rather brash, direct food wine that will work well with simple grilled or fried meats.
1 star

Pratesi Locorosso Carmignano DOCG 2009
Deep pyrope ruby with violet rim. Looks young. The bouquet is fairly rich, with berry fruit supported by rustic stable straw notes supported by hints of gum Arabic and -- something I hadn't encountered in a very long time -- modeling glue. On the palate it's moderately intense and quite savory, with slight sour cherry fruit that allows the tannins and the savory notes to carry the show. I would have liked more fruit than I found.
1 star

Pratesi Vigna di Carmio Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2008
Deep cherry ruby; it's close to poured ink. The bouquet is fairly intense, with some berry fruit supported by vegetal accents, cedar laced spice, and some savory notes, with something added that is rather sunny. On the palate it's fairly rich, with bright cherry fruit supported by savory notes and some spice, and flowing into a clean savory finish. I would have expected a little more richness from a Riserva.
1 star

Pratesi Carmione IGT Toscana 2008 Deep pigeon blood ruby with black reflections; it's close to poured ink. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some savory berry fruit laced with vegetal accents and spice. Deft, but needs time. On the palate it's less bright than I had hoped, with moderately intense berry fruit supported by strong savory tannins that flow into a decidedly savory finish. Tannins and savory notes overshadow the fruit, and they are not something that will fade with time.
1 star


Castelvecchio Castelvecchio Vin Ruspo DOC 2010 Rosy salmon with brilliant reflections and onionskin rim. The bouquet is fresh, with moderately intense berry fruit supported by some brambles, though not as much as in sample 1, and some pleasant hay and herbal accents. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour berry fruit supported by sour cherry and raspberry acidity, and by some tannins that are slight and have a slight burr to them, and flow into a bright sour cherry finish with acidity and a very slight tannic underpinning. Pleasant, and will drink well as an aperitif or with cold cuts, and also be a nice bet at a picnic or cookout.
2 stars

Castelvecchio Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2009

Cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with berry fruit supported by greenish vegetal accents and spice, and also some brambly notes and spice. On the palate it's fairly light, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by brambly tannins and lively sour cherry acidity that flow into a clean greenish sour berry fruit finish. Pleasant in a rather brash aggressive key, and will drink well with simple grilled meats or other rich foods, and also has the acidity necessary to work well with fried meats and vegetables. If you like the style you will enjoy it.
2 stars

Castelvecchio Carmignano DOCG 2009 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with vinous brambly accents supported by sour berry fruit and some spice. Nice depth and quite young. On the palate it's medium bodied and quite smooth, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by moderate acidity and smooth tannins that have a slight savory cedar laced burr, and flow into a clean rather dry finish. It's pleasant in a smooth fairly well polished key, and though it needs another year or two to get its bearings will be pleasant in a fairly ethereal key.
2 stars

Castelvecchio Carmignano DOCG 2008
Deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The nose is moderately intense, opening to reveal menthol-laced berry fruit with some vegetal accents. Pleasant though not too intense. On the palate it's ample, with soft sour cherry fruit supported by brambly acidity and tannins that have a graphite laced bitter cedar overlay and are also fairly dry, and flow into a dry finish. I had expected more from the palate, which is weaker and less directional than I would have expected from the nose.
1 star


Colline San Biagio

Colline San Biagio Sancti Blasii Carmignano DOCG 2008 Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with berry fruit and spice mingled with hints of camphor and balsam; the effect is rather exotic. On the palate it's medium bodied, with bright cherry fruit supported by brambly berry fruit acidity and by tannins that are rather dry and cedar laced, and flow into a warm dry tannic finish. It's not a wine to drink by the glass far from the table, but will drink well with more succulent foods that beg something to clear the palate between bites, and if you like the style, which is fairly traditional, you will enjoy it.
2 stars


La Borriana

Tenuta La Borriana Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC 2008 Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with vegetal accents and some spice mingled with ripe berry fruit and some berry fruit acidity; with respect to some of the other Barco Reale wines it is less brambly. On the palate it's light, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by sour berry fruit acidity and tannins that have a slight burr to them and flow into a long warm sour berry fruit finish. It's less aggressive than many, with fruit that is more fruit and less vegetal; if you like the style it will drink nicely with simple meats and vegetables, and is pleasingly direct in a fairly aggressive key.
1 star

Tenuta La La Borriana Carmignano Riserva DOCG 2007
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, with berry fruit laced with leather and some horse lather, and also some vegetal accents. With spice and slight hints of gum Arabic. On the palate it's fairly rich, with sour cherry fruit supported by savory notes that flow into a rather savory berry fruit finish with dry tannic underpinning. I found it a touch dry, though this dryness will allow it to work well with succulent meats.
2 stars

Tenuta La Borriana Nero di Nicchio IGT Toscana 2007
Deep black almandine with black reflections and cherry rim; it's close to poured ink. The bouquet is fairly rich, with some underbrush and cherry fruit supported by some jammy accents and spice, and by slight cedar as well. On the palate it's ample, with elegant forest berry fruit supported by deft acidity and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean fairly rich plum finish with some prune acidity. Elegant in an international key, and will drink nicely with roasts or stews. It's also quite young, and will do interesting things with time.
2 stars

Tenuta di Bagnolo

Marchesi Pancrazi Pinot Nero Villa di Bagnolo IGT Toscana 2009 Almandine ruby with black reflections and almandine in the rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with berry fruit supported by slight acidity and lacquer, and also some savory notes. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by smooth savory tannins that flow into a fairly long bright savory finish. Elegant and graceful, displaying considerable finesse, and will drink quite well with grilled meats or stews, and also has the capacity to age well for 5-8 years at least.
2 stars

Cianci Baldazzi: Fine Carmignano

Villa il Poggiolo is one of Carmignano's historic estates: the Cianci Baldazzi family purchased the property in the mid-1800s and was already presenting its wines at the international expositions before the Great War, when few other Italian winemakers were thinking about much more than quantity.

They have about 20 hectares under vine, and are also replanting more, while the winemaking is (quite ably) handled by Francesca Noaro, who kindly brought me samples of Barco Reale, the Carmignano area's youn gready-to-drink wine (the equivalent of Chianti d'Annata or a Rosso di Montalcino) and Carmignano, which is a considerably more serious and refined wine.

Before we get to the wines, a couple more words on Carmignano. It's one of Italy's smallest appellations, about 135 hectares in all, and also one of the oldest: in 1716 Grand Duke Cosimo III De'Medici issued an edict establishing the boundaries and production methods for what he considered to be the four best wine producing areas in Tuscany, one of which was Carmignano; it stands out as the most distinctive of the four because it had Cabernet, locally known as uva franciosa, which is said to have been introduced by Caterina De'Medici, who was also Queen of France.

In the centuries following Cosimo's edict commentators often remarked on the quality of Carmignano's wine, but the region was simply too small to attract the attention of a broad audience, and therefore sank into obscurity, to the point that when the boundaries of the Chianti Montalbano area were set in the 1930s they included all of the old Carmignano zone. This didn't sit well with those whose vineyards were in what Cosimo had defined as Carmignano, and in the late 1960s they began to push for the recognition of Carmignano, establishing the Congregazione (a Consorzio, in 1971) and lobbying hard to overcome the resistance of the Chianti Montalbano producers.

The new Carmignano DOC arrived in 1975, with a provision that allowed producers to relabel their wines from the 1969 vintage on as Carmignano, while DOCG status, retroactive to 1988, came in 1990. With respect to Chianti, Carmignano differs in that it has always contained a percentage of Cabernet (Either Franc or Sauvignon or both) in addition to the standard Tuscan varietals.

Having said all this, Villa Il Poggiolo's Wines:

Cianchi Baldazzi Villa Il Poggiolo Barco Reale DOC 2008
Lot 07511
Lively cherry ruby with almandine reflections. The bouquet is fresh, with fairly rich slightly brambly cherry fruit with some graphite shavings and pleasant violets that confer a pleasing freshness. On the palate it's bright and brambly, with fairly rich sour cherry fruit that has some greenish vegetal accents and is supported by greenish vegetal laced tannins that flow into a bright rather sour berry fruit finish with distinct bitter underpinnings. It's fresh, and young, and will drink quite well with hearty meat-based pasta dishes -- penne with sugo alla Bolognese come to mind -- and also with grilled meats or light roasts, and will also age nicely for 3-5 years.
2 stars

Cianchi Baldazzi Villa Il Poggiolo Carmignano DOCG 2008
Lot 32310
Deep cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is elegant, with rich cherry fruit supported by some jammy accents, sea salt, and slight bell pepper notes, with some alcohol and slight graphite shavings. Elegant, fresh, and deft. On the palate it's bright, with rich vegetal laced berry fruit supported by moderate acidity and smooth sweet tannins that have a slight cedar underpinning -- new large wood -- and flow into a clean savory sour cherry finish with some graphite bitterness and vegetal accents. It's a distinct step up from the Barco Reale, displaying considerably greater finesse and a graceful willowy strength; it will work nicely with grilled meats or roasts, and also will age nicely for 5-8 years at least.
88-90

For more information, Visit Villa il Poggiolo's Site

Capezzana: An Extraordinary Vertical (And More)

Capezzana is an extraordinary estate; it was initially mentioned in documents dating to 804, and has belonged to the Contini Bonaccossi family since the 1920s. The elder generation that purchased it were experienced travelers, familiar with French chateaus, and began setting aside a portion of each vintage to serve as an archive or historic memory in the 1930s, long before the idea had occurred to most anyone else in Italy. And the old Count's quick thought, to wall in a section of the cellars, with an entire vintage in cask and as many bottles as they could put in the hall in the time they had, just before the Germans made the villa their command post during the Second World War, allowed the archive to survive.

They have of course continued to add to the archive since then, and I have been fortunate enough to be invited to three extraordinary verticals: One, in 2002, that began with the 1931 vintage, another dedicated to Vinsanto, which began with the 1959 vintage, and once again this year, of reds, beginning with the 1937 vintage.

The two tastings of reds partially overlap, and I have decided to combine them, since my impressions from then and now may prove interesting; they show something of how wines evolve, going into and emerging from quiet phases, and also of how the tastes of an individual taster can change.

We'll begin with the introduction I wrote in 2002, which, with the exception of the appellation's total vineyard area, which has increased, is still current now, and then look at the reds, and at the end you will find my notes from the Vinsanto vertical.

So here we go:

Italy has many so-called lesser DOCs, and though this comes as no surprise -- there are, after all, hundreds of Italian appellations -- one might be surprised to discover one of the finest is in the heart of Tuscany, just a half hour's drive from Florence, and even more surprised to discover that it is much older than nay of the French appellations. But Carmignano is all this and more; Grand Duke Cosimo III De'Medici was, among other things, a keen appreciator of fine wines, and in 1716 issued an edict establishing the boundaries and production methods for what he considered to be the four best wine producing areas in Tuscany: The heart of Chianti Classico, a section of the Upper Valdarno not far from Arezzo, Pomino, and Carmignano. Of the four appellations, Carmignano stands out as the most distinctive, because it had Cabernet, locally known as uva franciosa, which is said to have been introduced by Caterina De'Medici, who was also Queen of France.

In the centuries following Cosimo's edict commentators often remarked on the quality of Carmignano's wine, but the region was simply too small (about a hundred hectares of vineyards) to attract the attention of a broad audience, and it therefore sank into obscurity, to the point that when the boundaries of the Chianti Montalbano area were set in the 1930s they included all of the old Carmignano zone. This didn't sit well with those whose vineyards were in what Cosimo had defined as Carmignano, and in the late 1960s, under the leadership of Capezzana's Conte Ugo Contini Bonaccossi, they began to push for the recognition of Carmignano, establishing a Congregazione (a Consorzio, in 1971) and lobbying hard to overcome the resistance of the Chianti Montalbano producers.

The new Carmignano DOC arrived in 1975, with a provision that allowed producers to relabel their wines from the 1969 vintage on as Carmignano, while DOCG status, retroactive to 1988, came in 1990. With respect to Chianti, Carmignano differs in that it has always contained a percentage of Cabernet (Either Franc or Sauvignon or both) in addition to the standard Tuscan varietals. Getting down to specifics, the Disciplinare calls for Sangiovese 45-70%; Canaiolo Nero 10-20%; Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon 6-15%; Trebbiano Toscano, Canaiolo Bianco and Malvasia Bianca Lunga, max. 10%; other permitted grapes max. 15%.

I doubt anyone is still using white grapes, and many are shifting to just Cabernet and Sangiovese. The basic Carmignano must age two years prior to release, one of which in wood, and Carmignano Riserva must age three years, two of which in wood.

In recent years the DOCG has expanded some, from 100 hectares to about 135, and could reach 200, but it remains one of the smallest Italian appellations -- by comparison, the Brunello production zone is about 1400 hectares. The vineyards are draped over the steep, east-facing slopes of Monte Albano, and range from 250 and 400 meters in altitude. Though Carmignano is not far from the Chianti Classico region the growing cycle is more precocious, with the harvest generally occurring at least two weeks before the Chianti harvest (this can be very important if there are fall rains). The summer is also more temperate, with good day-night temperature shifts that help develop be wines' bouquets, and occasional thunderstorms during July and August that provide enough moisture to keep back the specter of drought, which instead often looms in Chianti. "In many ways," says Filippo Contini Bonaccossi, "our climate is reminiscent of Bolgheri's."

There are currently about a dozen producers; Tenuta di Capezzana is by far the largest, and also has an extraordinary (and beautiful) cellar, with bottles dating back to before the war. And therein lies a tale: the Villa di Capezzana is quite beautiful, and during the War the Germans commandeered it to use it as a command post. At the time the access to the bottaia, the part of the cellar where the casks were stored, was half-way down a dark narrow corridor, and the old Count and his estate manager were able to wall up the doorway before the Germans took possession. Though the Germans drank everything they could find, they never noticed the new patch of wall, and after the War the Count used the sale of the vintages that had been walled up to finance the reconstruction of the estate. He also set some aside for posterity, and the 1931 vintage that introduced this tasting came from that stock.

And now the wines, tasted in December 2002 and September 2010

Villa di Capezzana 1931
Tasted 2002
This is a table wine, and has been recorked (corks do have a lifespan). It's pale almandine garnet with Moroccan leather overtones. The bouquet is delicate and surprisingly alive, with dried roses and sour cherry aromas at the first sniff; there's nothing off or musty about it, and swishing brings up polished saddle leather as well, with some nose tingling acidity (a fellow taster says acetic acid), hints of sea salt, and dried orange peel that another fellow taster found moldy. Impressive, though it soon begins to shift, with the leather dampening, and gaining greenish notes and a certain sharpness. On the palate it is again surprisingly lively, with brisk acidity that supports sour cherry fruit and some bitter leathery notes; the tannins are smooth, and what one really notes as the primary structural element is the acidity, which leads into a fairly long finish with tart fruit overtones. This is my first experience with a wine that has passed the three-score-and-ten limit that is our allotted age, and I am impressed; it has held up extraordinarily well, and though it is clearly elderly it still has much to say.
A score would be an academic exercise that means little in this case.

As one might expect, we discussed this wine at the lunch after the tasting, and everyone wondered how it had managed to carry though so well, especially considering the many years it spent in large wood, which can dry out fruit. Clearly perfect storage played a part, as did its acidity, but Filippo Contini Bonaccossi attributes much of the miracle to the vineyards, which were in part on native rootstocks, and all planted to very high densities, up to 8,000 vines per hectare -- since there was no mechanization there was no need to leave space for tractors, and the farmers aimed for quality rather than quantity. The low-density vineyards planted with mechanization in mind came in the 1960s and 70s. And by now we have come full circle, with high planting densities and low yields per plant.

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano 1937
Tasted 2010
This was recorked in the 1960s. Pale dusky almandine with brownish rim, and dusty tannins in the bottom of the glass. The bouquet is fairly intense, and clearly mature, with Moroccan leather mingled with underbrush and dried tobacco, also brambly dusky acidity and hints of dried flowers, also alcohol and some old dry leather, a fellow taster also mentions candle tallow of the sort one finds in a sacristy and hot coals. On the palate it's still with us, though faded, with tart sour acidity -- leather that brings to mind old, dried prunes supported by leathery acidity and by tannins that are still with us and have a dusty rather bitter burr, flowing into a fairly long sour finish with Moroccan leather bitterness. Quite interesting, and though it has faded, traces of the beauty it once displayed remain. Most impressive. As was the case with the 1931, a score would be meaningless. One thing: A fellow taster who was also present at the last tasting said, and I think he's right, that the 37 is slightly superior to the 31.


Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1969
Tasted 2010
Deep brownish almandine with orange and Moroccan leather in the rim. The bouquet is intriguing, with smoky accents and abundant cold coffee mingled with sour prune and carob, with some hot coals as well, and as it opens wet leather and other tertiary aromas, including dried flowers, wet earth (almost marsh), and hints of Sichuan preserved vegetable, and as it opens further distinctly smoky notes. On the palate it's soft, and rather leathery, with moderate acidty, and tannins that have faded into duskiness, and the finish is decidedly smoky. There is also quite a bit of alcohol, which confers a degree of sweetness. By comparison with the 37 it is much weaker and more tired; I can't see it displaying what the 37 does in another 30 years.
1 star

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1969
Tasted 2002
They got new botti in 1969, a mixture of 24 and 33 hectoliter casks. Though the label says Riserva, it also says that the wine is a table wine (in English) -- this was a transitional vintage, with those subsequent to it being labeled Carmignano DOC. The wine is dark almandine with Moroccan leather overtones that shift to pale orange at the rim. The bouquet is distinctly more tired than that of the 31, which serves to reinforce the greatness of the 31 vintage; here we have some dried flowers and rather tired berry fruit that mingle with sea salt and warm saddle leather and hints of cold iron -- there's something grating about it. On the palate it's clearly elderly but full bodied, with moderately intense berry fruit that's supported by very smooth tannins; there are also sour overtones, and it all has a slightly musty edge that emerges in the finish as a mixture of wet paper and India ink. It is well past its prime, though one can still see hints of what it was -- perhaps not a great beauty, but certainly interesting.
1 star

Similar judgments in 2002 and 2010.

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1975
Tasted 2002
Almandine with Moroccan leather overtones and an orange rim. The bouquet is intriguing and unusual, with chestnut honey and walnut skins on the initial sniff, which opens to reveal warmth, some spice, and sea salt with swishing, though the chestnuts continue to predominate. On the palate it's more delicate than one might have expected from the nose, with moderately intense, fairly sour cherry fruit that's supported by velvety tannins that have a hint of steel to them, and lead into a clean fruit-laced finish with a dark, brambly India ink and cedar underpinning that's fairly persistent. Though it has clearly passed its peak it's very much alive, and will work nicely with a hearty roast or flavorful grilled meats, including lamb chops, or a rich stew.
2 stars

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1979
Tasted 2010
Almandine with black reflections and orange rim. Obviously a mature wine, but displays a certain vibrancy. The bouquet is dusky, with Moroccan leather and spice mingled with wet underbrush, carob and some prunes, also dried leather and some dried flowers with an appealing underlying tartness that keeps it on its toes. A fellow taster mentions marzipan, which I don't sense. Rather sour acidity that I find fairly graceful. On the palate it's full, and though mature well with us, with prune fruit supported by sweetish accents and clean sweet tannins, while the acidity is rather mineral, and flows into a clean leathery finish. It's graceful, and fully mature, a wine that has developed as far as it will and is in a holding pattern. At a high elevation; it has a lot to say and is quite pleasing to converse with, though you do have to like mature wines. If you prefer greater youth it won't work as well for you.
2 stars

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1979
Tasted 2002
Black almandine ruby with Moroccan leather rim. The bouquet is clearly elderly, but not unpleasant, with dried flowers and sea salt that mingle with saddle leather and brambly nose-tingling spice; there's also some sour cherry fruit underlying it all, and, with time, intriguing chestnut honey and walnut rinds emerge strongly. On the palate it's full, and rather dusty, with fairly rich plum cherry fruit supported by smooth tannins that have a bitter spike to them and quite a bit of dust, which flows over the tongue and carries into a clean plum-laced finish with some bitter underbrush that emerges with time. It's pleasing, and to be frank I wouldn't have guessed it was quite this old; it's also opulent in an odd way, bringing to mind a luxury car of the 50s: Big, flashy, and a touch soft. This said, it will drink nicely with succulent, not too fatty meats, for example rare roast beef.
2 stars

I was surprised here, as I remembered liking the 1979 in 2002 less than my notes would indicate. The vintage was not universally liked in 2010, and indeed one colleague said it was the wine he liked least.


Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1985
Tasted 2010
Deep almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly intense,with ith leathery accents and leaf tobacco mingled with sea salt and spice, also some prunes and carob. Quite fresh and very much alive; as it opens some smoky embers also emerge. On the palate it's rich, with powerful rather smoky prune fruit supported by savory leathery acidity and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean rather smoky finish that's short through with leather. Quick to write, but graceful and a great pleasure to drink.
90-92

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1985
Tasted 2002
Black almandine ruby with black overtones and orange towards the rim. The bouquet is disappointing; considering the reputation of the vintage I had expected more: There are some floral notes overlain by India ink, bitterness, and something that brings chrome to mind, but it's muted. The palate reflects the nose; it's medium bodied with moderate cherry and plum fruit supported by tannins that have a flat cedary feel to them, and lack the richness of those of the older wines. The finish is bitter and plum laced, with dark shadowy overtones. As I said, I had expected more.
1 star

A big disparity here. What happened? Wine, like people, evolves and develops, and in 2002 it was likely in a quiescent phase, which it has since emerged from.

From my 2002 notes:
The 1990s were a period of many changes for Capezzana. The most important was, probably, the arrival of Stefano Chioccioli as consulting enologist in the latter part of the decade; he brought many innovations, and also gave the wines a distinctly more modern richness of bouquet and fruit, while greatly increasing their approachability as well. If, before his arrival, the wines tended towards austerity, they have now become coquettish, bringing to mind a pretty young lady who attracts our attention by flipping open her fan, and fans herself as she catches our eyes with hers.

Among the changes:
1) They began green harvesting (removing some bunches of grapes before they begin to ripen so the vine can devote all of its energy to a smaller number of grapes, which will be of much better quality) in the mid-1990s. This is a major shift, and is especially important in weak vintages. Without green harvesting, for example, the 2002 vintage, born of a cold, wet summer, would have been a total loss for many Tuscan producers, including Capezzana.

2) Until 1998 they aged their Carmignano exclusively in large wood. In 1999 they began to use tonneaux (500 liter casks) as well.

3) Since 1988 they have based the harvest on polyphenolic ripeness rather than grape sugar content. As a result the skins have more to contribute, resulting in richer wines with more substance; the downside is that the grapes also have higher sugar contents, and the wines consequently tend to be more alcoholic.

4) They eliminated Canaiolo from their Carmignano. The major complementary grape is Cabernet Sauvignon, while there's no Cabernet Franc.

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1990
Tasted 2010
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and almandine rim -- it's beginning to look a little younger. The bouquet is intense and elegant, with sour berry fruit laced with carob and mentholated spice, also hot embers and abundant leaf tobacco with slight cedar. Nice balance and very much, vibrantly alive. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful cherry fruit laced with some plums, and supported by deft acidity that balances without overshadowing, and by tannins that have dusky slightly greenish embery tones, and flow into a clean dusky carob and berry fruit finish. A beautiful wine that has a lot to say now, but that will continue to develop for a time yet -- In other words, it you're healthy and have two bottles, keep one a little longer. One of those wines that makes suffering though quarts of plonk worthwhile. Very, very nice.
94-5

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1990
Tasted 2002
Black almandine ruby with black reflections tending towards Moroccan leather at the rim. The bouquet is delicate, with dried roses and berry fruit, in particular sour cherry, with some warm leather and spice, which mingle with slight sea salt and hints of bell pepper. It's rather graceful, though I would have expected more richness given the reputation of the vintage. On the palate it's medium bodied, and again not quite what I might have expected; the fruit's moderately intense but generic berry, and the tannins that support it separate from it, giving an impression of an open space that resolves into bitter oak-laced pencil shaving overtones that persist into the finish. To be frank, it gives the impression of having been overoaked, and now that the fruit has begun to fade the oak comes to the fore, especially in the finish. It is still quite drinkable, but gives the impression of having slipped.
1 star

Another big disparity, and to be frank I think I was overlay harsh on the vintage in 2002. This time, it was the wine I and the colleague who was discomfited by the 1979 liked best.

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1995
Tasted 2010
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with sour cherry fruit supported by some leather and leaf tobacco, and by some almost brambly acidity. It's quite fresh, and -- as I recall -- from a vintage that was good but not exceptional; this said, it has held up very well on the nose. On the palate it's dusky, with moderately intense sour cherry fruit supported by brambly acidity and tannins that have a dusky burr and flow into a tart tannic finish with dusky bitter underpinning. It's quite pleasant, though not a wine to drink far from the table because the tannins have a dry sour burr to them that will be a great help to a steak but distracts on its own. With time, alas, it settles, and of the wines in the vertical is the one that suffered exposure to the air the most, developing a decidedly waxy nose and settling some on the palate too. This can happen with older wines, which may hold steady in the glass, but may also evolve very quickly. Given its development, scores upon pouring and after time would be so different as to make little sense. However, a fellow taster liked this wine best of all.

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1995
Tasted 2002
Deep pigeon blood ruby with some hints of brick in the rim. The bouquet is very different from those of the previous vintages, with some stewed cherries that mingle with slight vanilla, hints of bell pepper, iron, and pronounced pencil shavings. Nicely balanced, and considerably more opulent. On the palate it's full bodied and fairly rich, with fairly intense cherry and plum fruit supported by chalky tannins that though smooth do have a slight splintery feel to them that carries through into the finish, where pencil shavings and lead also emerge. It's interesting, and clearly entering its prime, though it's also a wine that doesn't attempt to make a Statement; as a result it won't stand out as much as some at a tasting, but it will work well with foods, in particular succulent, not too fatty roasts or stews.
2 stars

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano 1999
Tasted 2010
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and almandine in the rim; it's distinctly darker that the earlier vintages, and the subsequent vintages are all this dark -- with this vintage they began using smaller wood. The bouquet is fairly intense, with prune and carob fruit supported by dusky embers and some smoky acidity, with pleasing savory notes as well. Quite interesting to sniff. On the palate it's ample and smooth, and more polished than the older vintages, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by moderate acidity, and savory accents, and by smooth sweet tannins that have a slight dusky burr and flow into a clean tannins laced berry fruit finish. Quite pleasant, displaying considerable finesse, and is still climbing; it will drink very well with grilled meats or stews now, and continue to evolve for another decade at least before it reaches its plateau.
90

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano 1999
Tasted 2002
Stefano Chioccioli played an important role in this vintage, and it shows in the wine's considerably more intense impenetrable violet ruby color, which carries through to black cherry ruby in the rim. The bouquet is frankly underage, with a huge spike of vanilla that has slight bitter cedar cocoa overtones and almost completely overshadows the fruit, which is cherry for the most part. Layered concentration with the rash exuberance of a child, and we'll have to wait to see if finesse enters the picture too. On the palate it's medium bodied tending towards full and quite rich, with powerful cherry plum fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that have slight pencil shaving overtones, a gift from the Cabernet, and lead into a clean berry fruit finish that gains definition from a bitter tannic underpinning that reveal its youth in the form of pronounced cedary notes. It's very young, and though drinkable now will show better in 1-2 years; expect it to drink well through 2008. This said, it also reveals a remarkable stylistic departure with respect to the older wines; it's much more approachable, to the point that the word seductive comes to mind, but is also much more direct -- it's up front, like a sex kitten starlet on a sitcom, and what you see is what you get. Pleasing, no doubt about it, but there isn't as much depth as there was in some of the earlier vintages. So it's a wine to enjoy with friends around a table (as opposed to a meditative experience), with drier roasts or light stews.
2 stars

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano 2000
Tasted 2002
This was a hot summer, and the grapes that were exposed directly to the sun while still on the vine were dried to raisins by the harvest. The wine is impenetrable pyrope ruby with cherry ruby rim. The bouquet is intense, and powerfully wood-laced, with a rush of vanilla mingled with berry fruit that brings a cupcake to mind. An exuberant starlet. On the palate it's full bodied and quite rich, with powerful plum and black currant fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that have some splintery overtones and hints of pencil shavings; it flows into a clean berry fruit finish with a marked cedary tannic underpinning. It's rich, and seductive, though a bit more unstrapped than the 1999; it will work very well with drier roasts or delicate stews, and will hold nicely for at least 5 years. Like the 1999, it's more direct than the earlier vintages, and more accessible. In other words, a wine to enjoy with friends, rather than something to meditate over.
2 stars

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2001
Tasted 2010
Deep black almandine ruby, close to being poured ink. The bouquet is elegant, with savory cherry plum fruit supported by deft acidity and by hints of wood smoke and slight vegetal notes. Beautifully balanced and still fairly young. On the palate it's rich, full, and languid; with respect to the earlier vintages there is a greater smoothness to the tannins, and a more rich pulpiness to the fruit; this said, the fruit is rich cherry plum, with some greenish vegetal accents that provide further depth and complexity, while the tannins are smooth and dusky with slight bitter notes, and the acidity is clean and slightly brambly. Very pleasant, and ahs a great deal to say; it is wonderful to drink now, though I almost wish I could give it more time, 10 years at least.
93-5

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2006
Tasted 2010
Impenetrable pyrope with black cherry rim. The bouquet is young, and this is to be expected, with considerable spice -- almost sandalwood -- mingled with cherry fruit and slight vegetal accents; it's graceful and much more fruit forward than the older vintages, and this is also an effect of Stefano Chioccioli's being the consulting enologist. On the palate it's ample and very smooth, with rich cherry fruit with slight greenish accents supported by dusky tannins that have slight quinine bitterness and flow into a clean fairly rich berry fruit finish. It's extremely elegant now, an approachable wine that crooks a finger and says, "come hither," and those who do will be happy they did. I wonder, however, at its longevity. The 1985 is most impressive at age 25; I wonder if this will match it.
88

Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOCG 2007
Tasted 2010
Impenetrable pyrope with black cherry rim. The bouquet is even younger, with violets and floral accents mingled with red berry fruit, sweetness, and mentholated spice. A babe, nice, and smiling, but still a babe. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich berry fruit supported by moderate acidity, and by tannins that have a cedar-laced burr that has yet to fold in. It's still very young, and needs time, though it is cut from the same cloth as the 2006 -- and will I think follow the same path, though at a superior level -- it has more depth and verve than its older sibling.
90-92?


My overall impressions? What I wrote in 2002:
Capezzana has tremendous potential, as is clearly shown by a number of the wines we tasted. The estate has also been inconsistent, not so much on a vintage-to-vintage basis as on a long term (decade) scale, with ups and downs that may be related to the economic fortunes of Carmignano's wines in general (they are the major Carmignano producer), and also likely reflect variations in vineyard and cellar technique, for example the low density high yield per vine "tractor vineyards" planted in the 60s and 70s, which certainly affected the quality of the wines. Now they are on an upswing, with new vineyards planted to high densities that allow low per-vine yields, and therefore result in greater richness and concentration, and also significant improvements in cellar technique that will allow the material from the vineyards to show its best. In short, the future looks bright, and Capezzana is definitely a winery to look out for.


Capezzana's Vinsanto: Another Extraordinary Vertical

This originally appeared in the print edition of the Italian Wine review, in about 2001:

One rarely gets to taste through 40 years of production, and this tasting was all the more valuable because Capezzana was quite willing to put the wines that haven't fared as well over the years on display too. The wines that had fared well were of course a delight, but the others were also interesting, in some cases giving an impression of graceful senility, and in others simply of having failed. There was also an impression, from tasting through the collected vintages, of a dip in the quality of the wines over the interval from the late 60s though the beginning of the 1980s, at which point things began to look up again.

As one might expect, there were changes in technique and goal over the interval covered by the wines. In the early years they harvested their grapes and then dried them for a couple of months, leaving the wine to then do as it would in the caratelli; the aim was not to produce a sensual after dinner delight, but rather a wine that one might also offer as an aperitif, in other words something that was a little drier and more acidic. These wines were, by comparison with those made from grapes that were dried more and pressed later, less long-lived, and only really kept well in exceptional vintages, for example the 1962. In the mid 1990s, on the other hand, they decided to aim for more concentrated, elegant wines, and decided to dry their grapes for longer and press them in January; the changes are apparent in the 1995 vintage..

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1959
Tawny amber with white rim. Rich bouquet with caramel, dried fruit, all shot through with the bitterness of bitter almonds and walnut skins. Also rancio; brings to mind a dry sherry in a way. On the palate it's full and rich, with an initial attack that's fairly sweet, with apricot and honey, which fades quickly through dried fruit into bitter almond skins with an overlying slightly salty tartness, while the nut skins lurk in the background to provide a counterpoint; the finish goes on and on. Interesting, and remarkably lively considering its age, though it's more of a wine for an intellectual than something that will enthuse lovers of young voluptuous Vinsanti.
2 stars

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1962
Tawny amber that's more brilliant than the 59; in swirling it in the glass it also appears thicker. The bouquet is frankly impressive, with honey and bitter almonds that mingle with dried fruit, in particular figs. One would never guess it's entering human middle age. On the palate it's rich, full, and sweet, with a concentrate of dried apricot that slowly dissolves over the tongue, accompanied by the tongue-tingling tartness that dried apricots can have, and leads into a long finish that's more of the same, slowly fading. Harmonious and very impressive, it's the sort of wine that one would want to break out with close friends far from the table. People say that Vinsanto can be immortal in good vintages, and this is the proof.
90

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1969
Tawny amber that's less charged than the 62 despite being almost a decade younger; the rim is pale, with very slight green overtones. The bouquet is, by comparison with the 62, a little more along, and there's a certain underlying dark bitterness that may be cork-related (this is a danger with older wines). In any case, sniffing though it there's bitter almond flower that mingles with sea salt, dried leather, and rancio, producing an effect slightly reminiscent of dry sherry. On the palate it's flagging, with some sweetness and slightly salty bitter walnuts that lead into a finish that's more of the same, with bitter vapors rising up into the back of the nose; the overall impression is that it's beyond the pale.
No star

We all wondered about this, and opened the second bottle:
It's slightly different; and not quite as brilliant, which makes it a little lighter in color, and doesn't have the bitterness in the bouquet; as a result the rancio is more pronounced, with oatmeal and hints of raisins, as are the salty notes that shine through the slight sugars present. On the palate it's a little sweeter, with tenuous dried apricot fruit coming up, and then fading to reveal bitter black walnut skins that mingle with sweetness and some sea salt. Again, a wine that has given what it will give and is coasting down hill at this point, but quite different from the other bottle.
No star

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1971
The wine is tawny amber and there is some sediment in the bottom of the glass. The bouquet is frankly evolved, with hints of oatmeal and yeasty bread dough, pronounced rancio, dryness, and walnut skins, with very slight hints of Sichuan preserved vegetable. Of the wines tasted so far it most closely resembles dry sherry (the vegetable aside), with no hints of sweetness at all. On the palate it's simply there, a fairly thick liquid that does coat the lips with something resembling a buttery texture, but with little flavor, leading into walnut skins and sea salt in the finish, which is fairly long. Considering the renown of the 1971 vintage, I would have expected considerably more from the wine. A disappointment.
No star

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1977
The wine is slightly cloudy brownish amber with green highlights; of the group it's the darkest and the cloudiest. The bouquet is evolved, with sea salt and rancio, and quite penetrating; it also brings to mind a wet chestnut barrel stave. On the palate it's frankly unpleasant, with bitter salty overtones and no sweetness at all; wines, like people, can sour as they age and this one has.
No star

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1979
Tawny gold with white rim. The bouquet is dry, with considerable rancio, bringing to mind a dry sherry though there are some sugars in the background, and hints of dried apricot and walnut skins, together with old cypress wood and some medicinal overtones. On the palate it's more disappointing, with all the sugars fermented out, leaving salty walnut meats and an underlying bitterness; the finish is fairly short, though some almond aromas do rise up into the nose. A frankly unexciting wine, and one wonders that happened during the interval between 1969 and 1979; by comparison with the 1959 and to a much greater degree the 1962 these wines are dead and gone.
No star

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1981
Slightly cloudy amber, with some sediment. The bouquet is more interesting than the 79, though no where near the level of the 62, with some dried fruit, in particular apricot, laced with sea salt and bitter almond, and underlying oatmeal, with a little honey peeking in from around the edges; the effect is interesting, and also suggest airiness. On the palate it's moderately full with some sweetness, though not too much, which is supports rather tired apricots and considerable tongue-tingling tartness that flows into a finish that brings a sweet dry sherry to mind, if such a thing were possible, and continues on at fair length, with sea salt and bitterness emerging as the other sensations fade. A wine that has paid its dues and is bowing out, but that has held better than those of the 70s; if one looks hard one can imagine what it must have been like a decade ago.
No star

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1983
Tawny amber with highlights that are approaching golden. The bouquet is somewhat more evolved than the color would lead one to think, with sea salt, oatmeal, and a little rubber cement mingling with apricots, some honey, and bitter almond; though it's interesting the overall impression is one of dryness. On the palate it is instead fairly sweet (we're not in the presence of crystalline honey here), with some but not too much dried fruit, primarily apricots, which become stronger as the sweetness fades into the finish, which is rather delicate, with the tartness of the apricots providing definition. Pleasing, though not exceptional, it's a wine that is obviously in the downward part of the curve, but is nice to drink, and one can imagine what it once was. An intellectual exercise of the sort a wine lover will enjoy, but it's not something to seek out and give as a gift.
1 star

With the 1985 vintage they switched to half-liter bottles.

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1985
Tawny amber with white rim, and a little sediment in the bottom of the glass. The bouquet is elegant, with a mixture of dried apricots and figs and underlying honey, with slight sage that one doesn't normally associate with a young vinsanto, but that can come out in an older wine and works nicely. Pleasing to sniff and invites more sniffing. On the palate it's more what one expects of a vinsanto, with full sweet sugars supported by pleasing dried apricots and bitter almonds that provide definition; the finish is clean, with some sweetness balanced by walnut skins, and rather long. There's a lot going on here, though again it's not the sensual wine that lovers of the voluptuous style will enjoy. But if you like somewhat more intellectual Vinsanti with some depth, you will like it.
2 stars

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1986
Light tawny amber. The bouquet is pleasing, and rather airy, with honey that mingles with dried figs and slight oatmeal with brown sugar overtones. Delicate; invites a second and then a third sniff. On the palate it's rich and reflects the nose, with dried apricot fruit supported by chestnut honey and bitter almonds with a few sweet almonds thrown in; there's also a little almond butter to coat the lips, and a clean dried apricot finish with some walnut overtones that goes on and on. A delightful wine of the kind that you will want to open with friends, far from the table.
90

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano 1990
Tawny amber with golden highlights, and a little sediment in the bottom of the glass. The bouquet is rich, with rancio mingling with oatmeal and brown sugar, and supported by honey and dried apricots. On the palate it's quite fresh, full and sweet; though there is dried apricot fruit supported by lively acidity that provides tartness and warmth, which leads into a long dried apricot finish with some butter to coat the lips, it comes across as rather lumbering: There isn't as much definition as I might have expected, and this may be because the vintage produced extraordinarily rich grapes whose richness overshadowed their nuances. In short, not what one would call sensual, but rather slightly muscle bound. Worth seeking out to enjoy with friends in any case.
2 stars

Capezzana Vinsanto di Carmignano DOC Riserva 1995
Tawny gold amber with golden highlights. The bouquet is rich, and quite different from the earlier vintages, with a mixture of honeysuckle and dried apricots that brings Aphrodite to mind, supported by pleasing sugars and citrus skins, primarily tangerine, that add a sensual touch, as if one were needed; with more swishing some sea salt and nut skins also emerge to add complexity. On the palate it's rich and sensual, with a very sweet initial attack in which honey is supported by peach and apricot fruit, and flows into a clean finish where almonds also emerge, while almond butter coats the tongue, and the sweetness slowly fades. It's very good and quite immediate, like a luscious starlet in a revealing dress, and therefore the initial impression is one of "Wow!" However, there isn't as much underlying complexity as one would expect from a vinsanto (and in this it brings a passito to mind in a way), and I wonder how it will evolve with time. If it goes well it will go very well, but we will have to wait and see. As it is, it's, not a wine to meditate over, but rather to enjoy with friends or give as a gift and be assured of success.
90