The History of Sangiovese di Romagna In 7 Chapters and 26 Bottles

There's no question that Sangiovese ages well -- Traditional Brunello begins to show well after a decade or more, there are legendary bottles in Chianti Rufina, and it has been my good fortune to taste some extraordinary, and extraordinarily fresh Carmignano wines from the 30s.

These are all Tuscan. People tend to think less of ageworthiness in conjunction with the Sangiovese from Romagna, perhaps because the general image of Sangiovese di Romagna is as a lighter quaffing wine. This doesn't mean, however, that Sangiovese di Romagna cannot age well, and indeed in 1970 Mario Pezzi, of the Fattoria Paradiso, decided to try something new: A Sangiovese di Romagna aged in small oak the first wine of its kind in Romagna, and a wine that the late Luigi Veronelli thought was a great idea. So did others -- he was invited to supply it to the Palazzo del Quirinale, Residence of the President of Italy, and it quickly attracted both attention and imitators.

His daughter Graziella brought the last bottle to a retrospective of Sangiovese di Romagna organized by Giorgio Melandri on the occasion of the establishment of a Sangiovese di Romagna archive in the cellars under the main square in Bertinoro, a town in the heartland of Sangiovese di Romagna.

The retrospective featured 26 bottles, which Giorgio organized into 7 chapters (for want of a better term), each illustrating an aspect of winemaking in Romagna over the past 40 years.


The invention of the Riserva, and other Ways of Making Wine: the 70s

Fattoria Paradiso: Vigna Lepri 1970

Pale almandine with orange rim. The bouquet is elegant, in a thoroughly tertiary key, with dusky accents, alcohol, Moroccan leather, brandied prunes with some brandied raisins too, sweetness from alcohol, and some bramble, cool accents, slight balsam, hints of sherry and also some nougat. A lot going on, and it continues to evolve with great interest. On the palate it's dusky, with warm rather leathery sour cherry fruit with savory accents and some leaf tobacco as well, flowing into a long savory tobacco laced finish. Very nice, and though it is clearly quite old, has a story to tell and is a wine a wine lover will enjoy conversing with. This was the last bottle.

Fattoria Paradiso Vigna Lepri 1975

Pale almandine with orange rim. The bouquet is deft, though not as bright as the 70, with warm savory notes and sour berry fruit supported by considerable leaf tobacco and some greenish notes with considerable balsamic accents too. Pleasant, in a quite material key. On the palate it's tertiary, with leather and sour cherry fruit supported by deft tannins and some brandied fruit, also savory notes and flows into a long dry greenish tannic finish. It has a lot to say, and is perhaps a little more powerful and interesting on palate than the nose. It's not quite as bright as the 70, and this is in part the vintage, and in part the bottle.

Both wines were quite interesting and very much Sangiovese, with the acidity typical of Sangiovese of the period and scrappy tannins holding them up.

Spalletti Rocca di Ribano 1975

Deep almandine with some black reflections and almandine rim. Quite deep color, surprisingly so for a Sangiovese of that time. The bouquet is interesting, and a bit odd, with cut flowers and chrysanthemums, with a degree of sweetness as well; it's quite green, with aromas that are more typical of older southern wines -- Negroamaro and Primitivo -- than Sangiovese with some savory notes too. It's interesting. On the palate it's earthy, with savory notes and spice, sour berry fruit and some balsamic notes, with considerable leather as well. Unusual mouthfeel, with some carob and a certain leatheriness, and one again has the impression that there is also something else in the wine in addition to Sangiovese.

It is quite possible; winemaking was approximate at the time, and many did flesh out their wines with more powerful southern wines.

Giuseppe Nicolucci Sangiovese 1975

Pale almandine with almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich with carob and leather mingled with some savory notes and balsamic brambly acidity. The palate is quite alive, with bright leathery savory notes supported by tannins that are brambly and leathery, and flow into a clean savory finish. Quite whole yet, and a lot going on with considerable depth and elegance. It's interesting, and though again quite old is graceful in a rather lacy key, and has quite a bit to say. Very impressive, and as is the case with the other 1970s wines shows that there was much more territoriality, taking the acidity the wine had and accepting it, without attempting to soften it or make it more appealing to an "international" taste, and this is part of the reason for its longevity.

Cesari Sangiovese Riserva 1979

Pale almandine with almandine rim. The bouquet is, well, the Italian term would be scarico, which means unloaded or empty, with some balsam and slight mentholated accents, some alcohol. Slight dried leaves. And hints leather. On the palate it's bright, with slightly candied fruit supported by fairly bright brambly acidity and some sweetness from alcohol, and tannins that have a brambly burr and flow into a fairly long savory brambly finish with slight sweetish accents. Pleasant, and though some of the other tasters found it more commercial, I found it to display some of the same distance of the others -- perhaps not quite as much, but the distance is there.


These are wines of the pre-consulting winemaker era, when the winemakers in the wineries made the wine following tradition using what they had, some wood, all large, and tradition.

Consulting winemakers began to arrive in the early 1980s. Vittorio Fiore was one of the first and most important, settling in at the Azienda Castelluccio.

One can dream: The early 1980s

Castelluccio Ronco delle Ginestre 1982

Ruby with almandine rim; color has held more than the older wines. The bouquet is deft, with savory balsamic accents with warm sea salt and green leather, also Moroccan leather, and some deft mentholated accents with slight underbrush as well. Quite interesting. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by slight bitter accents, and by moderately intense rather scrappy tannins, and flow into a clean slightly leathery finish. Quite a bit going on, and quite impressive, a testimonial to the potential of the land. Castelluccio, which used barriques, was the first wine from Romagna to break out of the region and sell well outside of Romagna, commanding prices higher than those of Chianti Classico in places like Rome. Though it is now quite mature, it is quite obvious why it commanded the prices it did.

Giuseppe Nicolucci Sangiovese Superiore Dlà Pré 1981

Pale almandine with almandine reflections and orangeish rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with unusual floral accents and savory notes, with some sea salt as well, and a slight balsamic underpinning with some herbal notes -- woodsy thyme with mentholated accents in particular -- the wine is not quite perfect, and this is the bottle. On the palate it's ample and mineral, with considerable savory accents and dusky balsam-laced berry fruit supported by moderate acidity and tannins that have a warm greenish burr, and flow into a warm savory finish. Impressive, and again clearly reveals the potential of the area. Which is considerable, though the vintage was weaker, and this wine is more tired.

The 80s and 90s: Ugly Ducklings

Innovation is a process of trial, experimentation, and reaction to the results of the trials and experiments, which are sometimes successful and sometimes less so. The 80s and 90s were a period of tremendous experimentation, with people trying new pruning techniques, new planting strategies, and new cellar techniques.

Poderi dal Nespoli Borgo Guidi 1983

Cherry ruby with black reflections and almandine rim paling to orange. The bouquet is fresh, with hints of balsam and berry fruit that bring to mind nougat somehow, and some menthol and leaf tobacco, with some leather too, and pleasant spice. Quite a bit going on. On the palate it's bright, with fairly lively warm sour cherry fruit supported by leathery accents and some spice, quite a bit of sea salt, and tannins that have a greenish burr, and flow into a warm savory finish. It's rich and smooth, and has a certain suppleness to the tannic structure that suggests it isn't completely Sangiovese.

La Berta Cà di La Berta 1999

This was by Stefano Chioccioli, a leading Tuscan consulting winemaker whose wines tend to be richly fruit forward in youth. It's deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and some almandine in the rim. The bouquet is ripe, with fairly bright cherry fruit supported by some prune liqueur and candied accents, with some mineral notes, and some greenish vegetal accents with something fairly aromatic. On the palate it's ample and soft, with cherry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins, while the acidity is firmly in check and the finish is rather bitter, a reflection of the oak. It's much less alive than the other wines, and while it may have been seductive and fruit forward in youth the production technique has penalized it with time.

The 90s: Here Comes The Gang

Experimentation continued, spreading to those who had been hesitant at first, and people began to get a feel for what they wanted to do.

Fattoria Paradiso Vigna Lepri 1990

Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bottle is less than perfect, a problem that can happen with older wines. It's spicy, with candied accents and some mint supporting berry fruit and slight balsam and some leather as well, also Moroccan leather and some alcohol. On the palate it's also a touch tired, and this is again the bottle; reading between the lines there is pleasant acidity and slightly balsamic tannic structure supporting sour berry fruit while the tannins are dusky with a silky underpinning, and the finish is savory with some prune plum fruit and some dried mushrooms as well. An imperfect bottle, but one that clearly reveals the potential of the vintage.

Drei Donà - La Palazza Pruno 1994

Fairly deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with berry fruit and some vegetal accents, balsamic acidity and spice and an underpinning of dried mushrooms. Pleasant but going in a different direction with respect to the earlier 70s wines. Much cedar too. All Sangiovese? On the palate it's ample, with cherry fruit supported by splintery accents, and moderate acidity; the acidity plays second fiddle to the tannins and flows into a bitter finish savory finish with some oaky accents. It revolves more around minerality and leafy notes than fruit, and this makes it more particular; my first impression was that it was less interesting, but fellow tasters rave about it and sipping it again makes me realize they have a point. It is in any case what one would call international in style.

Giovanna Madonia Ombroso 1997

Deep cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with considerable minerality and some iodine, and also hints of camphor and slight cedar. On the palate it's fairly rich, with lively cherry fruit supported by minerality more than acidity, and by tannins that have greenish vegetal accents and a warm pencil shaving graphite laced burr, and flows into a clean rather bitter finish. Interesting, and though it doesn't have the acidity that the earlier wines have, does display pleasing personality. I wonder if it is all Sangiovese.

Fattoria Zerbina Marzeno 1998

Deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with savory accents and warm berry fruit supported by sea salt, brings sweat socks to mind in a positive way. The palate is bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by considerable minerality and graphite shaving bitterness that flows into a clean bright mineral finish. Interesting, with considerable personality, and it does have Cabernet in it, which however hues to Romagna. Quite interesting.

Romagna By Luck and By Chance

Further experimentation during the 1990s, some quite successful, and some slightly less so.

Calonga Michelangiolo 2000

Deep black cherry with cherry rim. The bouquet is warm and savory, brings well salted stewed tomatoes to mind, with savory notes and spice, and some berry fruit. On the palate it's ample, with rich jammy cherry fruit supported by tannins that are quite mineral and decidedly dusky, flowing into a dusky mineral finish. It's charged, and quite distinctive, a wine that you will like or not. Powerful too, and though Giorgio says it has Merlot I don't note it in the tannins -- though there is some cassis on the nose.

Il Pratello Badia Raustignolo 1998

Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is interesting, with candied accents and berry fruit supported by some leather and prunes, also savory notes and some caraway seed. Smoky notes too. On the palate it's fairly rich, with mineral laced berry fruit supported by greenish tannins that have a warm burr and flow into a fairly long rather bitter greenish finish. Unusual, and though I might have though there was something else, they say it's Sangiovese in purezza. Distinct with respect to the other wines.

Castelluccio Ronco Ginestre 1999

Claudio Fiore, Vittorio's son, was in Castelluccio for this, and oversaw bottling it. Cherry ruby with almandine in the rim. The bouquet is smoly and balsamc, with some animal hair and stable straw. On the palate it's bright, with savory sour cherry fruit supported by minerality and spice, and flows into a rather tannic finish. It's much greener than the earlier Castelluccio wine, and it's more of a food wine -- it will work very well with stews or roasts, and is less of a wine to sip far from the table. Quite fresh.

Ferrucci Domus Caia 1999

Deep cherry ruby with cherry reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, with brandied plums and cherries with some quite a bit of mint as well, and some cedar too. On the palate it's ample, smooth with cherry fruit supported by cedar laced tannins and some minerality while there is also acidity, though the tannins are carrying the show more than they did in the earlier vintages, where acidity played a greater role. The wine is particular, in that it's a late harvested wine, and the lower acidity comes out in this respect.

An Awareness of Terroir:

Following the period of intense experimentation in the 80s and 90s there has been a return to terroir, and an interest in making the wines reflect their vineyards. At the same time, however, vineyard technique has changed considerably, as have harvesting criteria and winemaking techniques. In particular, many winemakers aim for physiological ripeness, ripeness of the tannins, which comes later than sugar ripeness (that which will give a certain minimum alcohol content). The wines therefore tend to be more alcoholic and less acidic, though this is not a hard-and-fast rule.

Fattoria Zerbina Pietramora 2001

Deep cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with animal accents and minerality supported by acidity and spice with a fair amount of balsamic accents too. On the palate it's rich, with jammy cherry fruit supported by minerality and slight acidity, and by tannins that are a fairly dusky mineral finish, with some greenish accents. It's fairly rich, but by now the acidity that was so distinctive in the early wines is gone. Much more tannins and structure, and much less acidity.
2 stars

Nicolucci - Casetto dei Mandorli Vigna del Generale 2001

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, with cherry fruit supported by some cedar and moderate acidity, with some minerality as well. On the palate it's bright, and fresher than I expected, with lively cherry fruit supported by dusky graphite shaving bitterness and some mineral acidity that flows into a clean rather bitter finish with dry tannic underpinning. Pleasant.
2 stars

Il Pratello Mantignano 2004

Deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim paling to white. The bouquet is a bit more balsamic than some, with animal notes and some lathered horse, and as it opens rather penetrating brambly accents and some sea salt. On the palate it's ample, with fairly bright savory berry fruit supported by minerality and spice, and by tannins that have a warm savory notes and flow into a greenish mineral accents. It's fairly deft, with minerality that works well and gives nice depth, and will work well as a food wine.
2 stars

San Patrignano Avi 2005

From a magnum
Deep cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with some berry fruit supported by greenish accents and slight burnt rubber, which sounds odd but is slight enough to just add depth, and some jammy cherry fruit accents too, with slight sweetness and moderate alcohol. On the palate it's ample and smooth, with moderate fruit supported by tannins that have a warm burr, and some acidity; the fruit is more evanescent than I might have liked.
1 star

Gallegati Corallo Nero 2006

From a magnum
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly rich, with ripe plum cherry fruit supported by floral notes and some sweetness, and by some savory accents. Quite concentrated and quite ripe. On the palate it's bright, and ripe, with fairly rich cherry plum fruit supported by tannins that are warm and greenish with a mineral underpinning and flow into a clean mineral finish. Pleasant, in a fairly mineral key, and it has quite a bit to say; the fruit is ripe but not overripe.
2 stars

Graziella Pezzi Vigna Lepri 2006

Deep black cherry with cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with some berry fruit and some acidity, and also some savory accents with slight greenish notes. On the palate it's fairly direct, with savory accents and some spice, and tannins that are warm and splintery. It's not what I had expected given the earlier vintages -- it's neither as bright nor as lively, and lacks the pleasing deftness of its older siblings.
1 star

Villa Trentola Il Moro 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, and rather animal, with lathered horse and some wet stable straw and greenish balsamic accents with underlying brambles. Not much fruit. On the palate it's pleasant in a rather savory key with moderate fruit supported by powerful greenish savory notes, and flow sinto a clean rather savory finish with greenish accents. It's powerful, and a wine that you will like if you like the style, but you have to like the style, which is a bit rustic. It will work quite well with grilled meats or roasts if you like the style.
2 stars

We closed with a couple of wines Giorgio says Look towards the Future:

Villa Venti Primo Segno 2008

Deep cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, with jammy cherry fruit supported by some greenish vegetal accents and spice. Fairly direct. On the palate it's ample, with cherry fruit supported by moderate plum cherry acidity and by tannins that are smooth and sweet, and flow into a fairly sweet cherry finish. Direct, and fairly p front in a light key, with a fair amount of sweetness that will make it more approachable to those who are not traditionally minded, though someone who expects more acidity and tannin may wonder about it.
2 stars

Balia di Zola Balitore 2009

Deep cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is rich, with pleasant violets and floral accents supported by some berry fruit and underlying spice. Quite young. On the palate it's bright and fresh, with lively cherry plum fruit supported by deft acidity and by smooth sweet tannins that balance the acidity, and flow into a clean fresh cherry finish. Beautifully fresh, one of those wines one can drink by the bucket.
2 stars

A fascinating tasting that on the one hand showed the evolution of the wines, from the tarter much more aggressive (in their youth) Sangiovese of the 70s though the lusher riper wines of today, and also the introduction of new kinds of wood for aging -- and the struggles to learn to use them rather than be used by them, and on the other confirmed the aging potential of the older styles of Sangiovese. I am not sure that the newer riper style will prove as long-lived, but it will be interesting to see.

Amarone in Anteprima: the 2008 Vintage

This year in the folks in Valpolicella presented the 2008 vintage of Amarone, which was a fairly difficult vintage, one that wasn't particularly hot, and therefore yielded wines that are not tremendously powerful (for Amarone), with in many cases relatively lower residual sugar contents and greater freshness that we have seen in some recent vintages. They are also wines that will probably not be as long-lived as one might expect of, say, the 2006 vintage, but that will also be readier sooner and more enjoyable in the short term. In other words, wines to enjoy while we give wines from the better vintages time.

And in this the Anteprima was both enjoyable and interesting.

Unfortunately, there are also clouds in the picture. Over the past ten years winemaking in the Valpolicella has changed tremendously, and this year Emilio Pedron, the President of the Consorzio, said, "From 2000 to 2011 we went from the sale of 5 million bottle to the sale of 12 million bottles of Amarone, to which one must also add more than 20 million bottles of Valpolicella Ripasso (the top-tier Valpolicella Superiore, which gains body and depth by being passed over the marks left in the fermentation vats when Amarone is racked off). Obviously, the number of bottles of Valpolicella Base (the Valpolicella's simple quaffing wine) dropped drastically, from 50 million to less than 25."

And herein lies the rub. Valpolicella is a fairly small area, a set of north-south trending valleys that descend like the fingers of a hand from the foothills of the Alps behind Verona towards the Pianura Padana, and the viticulturally suitable land is both finite and well differentiated: there are steeper slopes on the valley walls, gently sloping areas, and what are almost flatlands where the valley floors broaden.

In the past, as one might have expected, Amarone and Recioto were made from the grapes grown on the very best land, mostly the well exposed, well drained more elevated regions, while the grapes grown in the lower, flatter regions went to make straight Valpolicella, a light every day quaffing wine. With the increase in Amarone (and Valpolicella Superiore) production, given the finite vineyard area of the region, grapes from vineyards that were in the past used to make Valpolicella are instead being used to make Amarone, and while some of the vineyards previously dedicated to Valpolicella are capable of providing grapes suitable for Amarone, with many it is a bit of a stretch, and as a result a significant percentage of the new production Amarone is not of the same quality as what comes from the area's better vineyards.

Then why make it? Simple economics, alas: Amarone is a hot name, selling for considerably more than any of the Valpolicella's other wines, and the temptation to make it, albeit to a lower standard, and bring in those earnings is very strong, especially among the larger producers, which also include some very large cooperatives. Because of this situation, before buying more than one bottle of an Amarone that you are not familiar with, you should taste it, or check the tasting notes of a wine writer whose palate you agree with.

This policy of expansion has led to considerable resentment among those who believe Amarone should be the highest expression of the Valpolicella, made only from the best vineyards. Some of the unsatisfied have formed an organization called Famiglie dell'Amarone, which consists of 12 wineries (you'll find the membership here) dedicated to preserving the artisinal characteristics of Amarone, while there are other winemakers who are just as dissatisfied, but have chosen to take a less confrontational path. The Famiglie deserted the Anteprima this year, and there were also other important names missing that had been present in the past, for example Trabucchi and Tommaso Bussola; since I didn't have occasion to talk to them, I don't know if their absence was dictated by philosophical considerations, or by timing -- some of those who bottle later in the spring prefer not to present barrel samples because they are works in progress.

The bottom line is that it was an interesting, though incomplete presentation. The larger wineries were present, as were a fair number of well known smaller wineries, and there were also some interesting new names. But you will note that some of the names people tend to mention when talking about Amarone are absent. I rather hope they choose to present their wines again next year, mostly because the Anteprima is an occasion for those from far enough away that a road trip to Verona is out of the question to get a feeling for the wines, and the more wines they taste the better the picture they have.

The other thing I hope gets reinstated next year is winery visits; this year there was a tour organized for foreign journalists the day after the formal tasting, but those who live in Italy were not invited, and it seems a pity not to take advantage of people's being there to show them around.

The wines, tasted January 28 2012, In the Order Tasted

Rubinelli Vajol

Rubinelli Vajol Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Lively cherry ruby with black reflections. the bouquet is bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by graphite shaving and greenish menthol, also considerable spice and a fair amount of alcohol. On the palate it's fairly rich, with bright berry fruit supported by some sweetness, tannins that are fairly bitter with a slight greenish burr, and minerality more than acidity, flowing into a bitter mineral finis with graphite shavings and berry fruit underpinning. Fairly direct, should age nicely. Very young.
2 stars

Antolino

Antolino Cà Coato Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections cherry rim. The bouquet is closed, swishing brings up minerality and spice with some graphite shavings some greenish accents. On the palate it's ample and fairly rich, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by slight mentholated acidity and by tannins that are ample and smooth, flow into a mentholated berry fruit finish with hints of pepper jam. Fairly direct, and quite approachable, will age nicely and may do interesting things with time.
2 stars

Soraighe

Soraighe By Bennati Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is bright, with sour cherry fruit laced with India ink and some hints quinine, also some graphite shavings. Gives impression overripeness. On the palate it's ripe, with cherry plum fruit supported by dusky tannins and moderate acidity, while there are greenish sandalwood accents as well, and it flows into a rather bitter berry fruit finish. Fairly direct, and with time may become rather austere.
2 stars

Giuseppe Campagnola

Giuseppe Campagnola Vigneti Vallata di Marano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections cherry rim. The bouquet is medicinal, with herbal accents and some eucalyptus mingled with sour cherry fruit and some underlying spice; it somehow brings a Barolo chinato to mind On the palate it's ample and fairly sweet, with moderately intense cherry fruit that gives way to blocky greenish tannins and moderate mineral acidity, and as the fruit fades the medicinal elements of the nose reemerge and carry at fair length. It's a little unusual, and the medicinal notes may be wood-fruit interaction.
1 star

Cantina di Soave

Cantina di Soave Rocca Sveva Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby. The bouquet is closed, some spice, some berry fruit, savory notes and sandalwood with some bramble too. On the palate it's fairly direct, with moderately intense sour plum -- not prune, but more red plum -- cherry fruit supported by moderate sour cherry acidity and by tannins that are warm and cedar laced, and flow into a long warm tannic finish with savory accents. Quite approachable, but a touch more direct than I expect an Amarone to be; we will see what happens when it is in bottle.

Gamba

Gamba Vigneto Campedel Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some mint with hints of cocoa; the combination brings an After 8 mint to mind. Not much fruit. On the palate it's full, with minty sour cherry fruit supported by slight sweetness and by tannins that are strongly cedar laced and flow into an ample fairly dry tannic finish that echoes the mint on the nose, with some berry fruit as well. It's fairly direct, and I might have liked more complexity; also, at present the tannins are still quite invasive, and I'm not sure they will ever completely fold in.
1 star

Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine

Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine Cecilia Beretta - Terre di Cariano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense,with jammy cherry fruit with some sandalwood accents, sweetness, and some spice, mingled with slight graphite shavings bitterness and hints of scalded milk/cedar. On the palate it's ample and fairly sweet, with ripe cherry plum fruit supported by mineral acidity and by powerful tannins that have a spicy burr and flow into a clean rather peppery bitter finish. Promising in a fairly direct muscular key.

Cav. G. B. Bertani

Cav. G. B. Bertani Villa Arvedi Amarone della Valpolicella Valpantena DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with candied almonds and marzipan mingled with some red berry fruit and underlying spice; it gives an impression of being in the coming together phase. On the palate it's not as concentrated as I might have expected, with fairly thin (for an Amaone) sour berry fruit supported by mineral acidity and tannins that have a dusky graphite shaving burr, and flow into a fairly dry finish with a fair amount of alcohol. It may become ethereal with time, but I expect more concentration from an Amarone.
1 star

Accordini Stefano

Accordini Stefano Acinatico Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is moderately intense and smoky, with hardwood ash mingled with mentholated fruit, some sandalwood, and jammy berry fruit accents with some cumin spice as well. On the palate it's fairly sweet, with ample cherry plum fruit supported by moderate acidity and by tannins that are ample and blocky, and flow into a blocky tannic finish that gradually resolves into sweet cocoa dust. It's big, and brings to mind a person walking with clogs.
1 star

Albino Armani

Albino Armani Cuslanus Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with smoky hardwood ash at first swish, and jammy berry fruit following; with some sour accents as well. On the palate it's fairly rich, with bright sour cherry fruit laced with sandalwood and spicy greenish accents, and a deft savory underpinning, while the tannins are tight and fairly bitter, with some graphite shavings. Promising in a middle of the road key, and may become ethereal with time.

Salvaterra

Salvaterra Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with purple rim. The bouquet is up in the air, with heady menthol and spice and some red berry fruit. On the palate it's ample and fairly direct, with moderately intense berry fruit supported by sandalwood and savory accents that become rather balsamic in the finish. I'd have expected a little more concentration, and it seems soon for this degree of balsam.

Albino Armani

Albino Armani Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is smoky with a fair amount of cedar and some berry fruit. On the palate it's ample, and direct, with moderately intense cherry plum fruit supported by mineral acidity and tannins that are fairly smooth, with a bitter underpinning.

Aldegheri

Aldegheri Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Dusky with some animal accents and reduced aromas; this can happen in a barrel sample. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich cherry plum fruit supported by slightly balsamic greenish acidity, and tannins that have a spicy sandalwood burr, and flow into a fairly bright vegetal laced finish with dry tannic underpinning. It's like a person one has looked in upon while taking a shower, and a bit out of sorts, but what there is promises well.

Valentina Cubi

Valentina Cubi Morar Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is bright and fairly floral, with cherry fruit supported by plum accents and spice. On the palate it's ample and quite ripe, with moderately intense plum fruit that gradually settles below tannins that are broad and quite cedar laced, with some balsamic accents.

Dal Bosco

Dal Bosco Giulietta Le Guaite Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Impenetrable pigeon blood ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is spicy, with bitter smoky savory accents and as it opens considerable grilled green pepper mingled with prune and raisin, with hints of sweetness; with further swishing pencil shavings also enter the picture. On the palate it's fairly sweet, with plum fruit supported by balsam laced cedary tannins that flow into a warm savory alcoholic finish. It's quite ripe, and rather charged in a vegetal key, and is one of those wines you will like only if you like the style, which is in some ways winks at Recioto.

Dindo

Dindo Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with berry fruit supported y some mentholated accents and some sandalwood with slight underlying cumin seed; and as it opens spicy graphite shavings with slight vegetal accents. On the palate it's fairly rich, and quite ripe, with cherry plum fruit supported by moderate dusky acidity and by tannins that have a distinct greenish burr and are supported by a fair amount of alcohol, which flows into a fairly sweet peppery berry fruit finish. It's woefully young and needs a few years to come together, but may do so nicely. Scoring now is like betting on the wind.

Aldrighetti Luigi, Angelo e Nicola

Aldrighetti Luigi, Angelo e Nicola Le Bignele Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with berry fruit and some mentholated accents. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich quite ripe cherry fruit supported by some jammy accents, moderate acidity, minerality, and tannins that have a slightly greenish splintery burr and flow into a fairly sweet almost candied plum finish. Something of a work in progress.

Antolini

Antolini Moropio Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up wet tree bark, spice, and some greenish accents with underlying ripe red berry fruit and some savory accents. On the palate it's full, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by moderate acidity and by tannins that have a warm savory burr and flow into a fairly long cherry finish. It's fairly direct, in an up front sort of way, and promises nicely, though it has a ways to go. The nose is behind with respect to the palate at present, and it needs at least a couple of years to catch up.
2 stars

Arduini Luciano

Arduini Luciano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Lively black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with powerful dusky vegetal accents, grilled green peppers in particular, and some underlying spice with slight graphite shavings bitterness. As a fellow taster notes, these are not typical aromas for Veronese grapes. On the palate it's fairly rich, with graphite laced berry fruit supported by slight sweetness and by tannins that have greenish cedary accents, and flow into a fairly bitter tannic finish with powerful grilled pepper accents that echo the nose. It's quite young, and rather light for an Amarone, and I would have liked more concentration. And less bell pepper.
1 star

Benedetti Società Agricola

Benedetti Società Agricola Corte Antica Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is muted, though some candied cherry fruit -- almost gummy bear -- emerges with mentholated accents and some fairly bright spice. On the palate it's fairly bright, with lively berry fruit that's much more sour than I expected supported by bright slightly mentholated berry fruit acidity, and flowing into a fairly quick warm finish with lasting cedary dryness. It's going in several directions, as barrel samples often do, but shows promise.

Zecchini

Zecchini Vigneto Calandra Amarone della Valpolicella Valpantena DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is powerful, with menthol and candied accents supported by some marzipan and mentholated eucalyptus laced berry fruit. In mid stride, and there's ample alcohol as well. On the palate it's bright, with sour berry fruit that's a little thinner than I expected supported by mineral acidity and tannins that are dusky with considerable graphite shaving bitterness, and flow into a rather bitter savory finish. It needs time, but I found it lacking in flesh. Not quite emaciated, but the bones are showing. It may with time become lacily ethereal, but that is for the future.
1 star

San Felice

San Felice Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is dusky and rather mineral with unusual greenish accents that are fairly chemical. On the palate it's disconnected with respect to the nose, with unexpectedly sweet prune fruit supported by moderate acidity, just enough for steerage, and tannins that are ample and blocky. It lacks the verve and excitement I expect from an Amarone.
1 star

Zeni F.lli

Zeni F.lli Vigne Alte Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is muted, of the lights out nobody home variety; with swishing slight prune manages to emerge. On the palate it's ample with moderately intense prune fruit supported by tannins that have smoky sour accents and flow into a blocky tannic finish. It's fairly direct, and rather settled.

Sartori

Sartori Corte Brà Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, and greenish, with spicy notes and some bramble supported by menthol as well. On the palate it's ample and fairly direct, with moderate berry fruit supported by some mineral acidity, and by blocky cedar laced tannins that overshadow most everything else. With time the tannins will fold in, but the fruit isn't as bright as I might have hoped.

Secondo Marco di Marco Speri

Secondo Marco di Marco Speri Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

From a magnum; Barrel sample
Deep pigeon blood ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is dusky, with moderate fruit and some bramble. On the palate it's ample, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by bright berry fruit acidity and by tannins that are clean nd greenish with some vegetal accents, and flow into a bitter dusky berry fruit finish. Promising, though it needs time. Quite alcoholic.

Guerrieri Rizzardi

Guerrieri Rizzardi Villa Rizzardi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep pigeon blood ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with some berry fruit. On the palate it's sweet, with ripe cherry plum fruit supported by dusky cedary accents and some underbrush, and by tannins that have a peppery splintery burr and flow into a rather bitter finish. It will be a fairly sweet interpretation of Amarone, and may become ethereal with time. Something to look out for.

Giacomo Montresor

Giacomo Montresor Fondatore Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The nose is a bit rustic, with animal accents and spice mingled with some our berry fruit; there is also the smell one finds around old large wood that is past its prime. On the palate it's fairly direct, with moderate berry fruit supported by mineral acidity and tannins whose aftertaste hearken back to the nose, and also some savory accents. Not as clean as I might have liked.
1 star

Tinazzi

Tinazzi La Bastia Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Impenetrable pyrope with black reflections. the bouquet is fairly intense, with candied cherries that bring gummy bears to mind supported by mentholated accents and some spice, and as it opens some cedar as well; with slight cocoa too. On the palate it's ample and fairly tart, with bright sour berry fruit that has some balsamic accents supported by balsam laced acidity and tannins that have a warm spicy burr and flow into a lasting balsamic finish. Pleasant in a fairly traditional key, and if you like the style you will enjoy it, though it needs a couple of years at least to get its bearings.
2 stars

Bixio Poderi

Bixio Poderi Tenuta Badin Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Impenetrable pyrope. The bouquet is unusual, with cut cucumber at first swish supported by slight cedar and some shellac but little fruit; it really doesn't want to be disturbed. On the palate it's ample and fairly sweet, with prune fruit supported by moderate acidity that isn't enough to keep it from settling, and by tannins that are ample and smooth, flowing into a soft prune finish. Lacks verve.
1 star

Bolla

Bolla Le Origini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG Riserva 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry with black reflections. The bouquet is cedar laced with moderate fruit. On the palate it's promising, with fairly ripe cherry fruit supported by bright slightly peppery acidity and by tannins that have a greenish burr and flow into a fairly tannic finish. It's up in the air, but may come together nicely, albeit in a direct up front key.

Boscaini Carlo

Boscaini Carlo San Giorgio Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Fairly bright black cherry ruby with purple reflections. The bouquet is moderately intense with candied fruit laced with some mint and airy spice. On the palate it's full, with fairly rich fairly sweet berry fruit supported by peppery accents and tannins that have an angry graphite shaving burr. Quite disjointed.

Cà La Bionda

Cà La Bionda Vigneti di Ravazzol Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep purple ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is mentholated with some candied accents and underlying berry fruit; it's very young and still rather closed. On the palate it's approachable, with fairly rich, fairly sweet cherry prune fruit supported by tannins that have a distinct greenish burr and flow into a greenish berry fruit finish with considerable spicy splintery tannic underpinning. A lot of oak, which it has yet to digest. When it does it will be approachable in a direct middle of the road key.
1 star

Cà Rugate

Cà Rugate Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with warm berry fruit laced with balsamic accents and some spice, also bright mentholated accents and hints of gummy bear as it opens. On the palate it's direct, with fairly bright berry fruit supported by smooth sweet berry fruit laced acidity, and by tannins that are fairly splintery, and flow into a dusky, splintery finish. Needs another couple of years at least to come together, and will always be fairly oaky, I think, though the brightness of the fruit is pleasant, and will allow the wine to balance the oak -- there is enough. It's just in an unfortunate stage now.
2 stars

Cà Vegri

Cà Vegri Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep pigeon blood ruby with cherry ruby rim. The bouquet is moderately intense and slightly musky, with mentholated notes mingled with cocoa and some peppery spice, also slight berry fruit. Still coming together. On the palate it's ample with moderately intense plum fruit with moderate dusky plum acidity and tannins that have a fairly dry cedar cast to them, and flow into a dry cedar laced finish. I'd have liked more, and brighter fruit; by the time the tannins have smoothed the fruit will I fear have significantly faded.
1 star

Tinazzi

Tinazzi Aurum Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, and quite young, with jammy cherry fruit supported by some India ink bitterness and fairly rich sandalwood spice as well. Pleasant in a very young key. On the palate it's bright, with rich sour cherry fruit supported by bright berry fruit acidity and some dusky bitterness, while the tannins are fresh and rather splintery but bode well for the future. It needs another 3-5 years, but will I think prove interesting.
2 stars

Pietro Zanoni

Pietro Zanoni Zovo Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with greenish cedary accents that have something of wet paper to them, mingled with some scalded milk and greenish overtones, while there's not much fruit. Not as clean as some. On the palate it's ample and fairly direct, with moderately intense berry fruit supported by some acidity, and by tannins that echo the aromas from the nose, flowing into a splintery, blocky finish.
1 star

Santa Sofia

Santa Sofia Antichello Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, with mentholated cherry fruit supported by nutmeg spice and some plum accents with underlying sandalwood. On the palate it's up front, with fairly bright plum cherry fruit supported by minerality and graphite shaving bitterness, while the tannins are warm and display a youthful splintery burr. Pleasant in a young direct key, and while it doesn't have the depth that many Amaroni have, it does have a cheeky allure.
2 stars

Santi

Santi Proemio Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some scalded milk, which is from wood, and prune fruit. On the palate it's ample and fairly sweet, with bright splintery cherry plum fruit supported by moderately intense mineral acidity and by tannins that have a dusky graphite shavings burr, and flow into a warm decidedly tannic fiish. Iwi will be fairly rich in a quite ripe key when the tannins fold in.

F.lli Recchia

F.lli Recchia Masua di Jago Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is rustic, with spice and wet stable straw mingled with penetrating saline accents and some lathered horse. A bit extreme. On the palate it's ample and surprisingly languid, with balsam laced sour plum fruit supported by savory minerality and tannins that are warm and fairly bitter, flowing into a youthfully splintery finish. If you can get past the nose the palate is quite traditional in feel, but you have to like this sort of rusticity or it won't work for you.
1 star

Cantina Sociale della Valpantena

Cantina Sociale della Valpantena Torre del Falasco Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is smoky, with quite a bit of cedar and some spice, not much fruit. It's hidden. On the palate it's ample and soft with cherry plum fruit supported by smooth not too powerful tannins; I'd have preferred more verve and depth from an Amarone.

Monteci s.s.

Monteci s.s. Costa delle Corone Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with smoky balsamic accents and some wet horse supported by greenish mentholated spice. Not much fruit. On the palate it's ample and fairly bright, with sour berry fruit that's not quite as fleshy as I might have hoped supported by mentholated acidity and some graphite shavings bitterness; the tannins have an angry graphite burr that squeezes the wine down to nothingness making it seem extremely thin, and this was somewhat unexpected from the nose. It needs time.

Massimago 1.8.8.3.

Massimago 1.8.8.3. Massimago Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, and rather sweet, with some berry fruit supported by cedar and some scalded milk, with greenish vegetal notes as well. On the palate it's ample, with bright fresh cherry plum fruit supported by deft berry fruit acidity and smooth tannins that have a warm cedary overlay and flow into a clean fresh plum cherry finish with savory tannic underpinning. Pleasant, and promises well, though it is a bit too young to score.

Corte San Benedetto

Corte San Benedetto Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, with greenish spicy cherry plum fruit supported by some almost quinine bitterness, and fairly intense graphite shaving minerality. On the palate it's fairly bright, with lively plum cherry fruit supported by fairly bright vegetal acidity and by tannins that have a warm savory splintery burr and flow into a clean bright bitter berry fruit finish. Promising, and will likely be graceful in a couple of years' time.

Monte del Frà

Monte del Frà Lena di Mezzo Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep cherry ruby with pink rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with bright slightly candied cherry fruit that brings gummy bears to mind, supported by deft vegetal acidity and by some dusky bitter undercurrents. On the palate it's ample and fairly sweet, with bright cherry plum fruit supported by bright sour berry fruit acidity with greenish vegetal accents, and by tannins that are fairly smooth, though they do display a certain youthful blockiness. It's full in a rather voluptuous ripe fruit driven key, and if you like the style, which isn't quite sexpot -- the tannins aren't smooth enough now, though they may become so in time, you will enjoy it. Approachable and fairly direct.
2 stars

Corte Archi

Corte Archi Gli Archi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with ripe plum prune fruit supported by jammy accents and spice with some warmth and greenish vegetal accents as well. On the palate it's ripe, with bright sweet plum cherry fruit supported by lively berry fruit acidity and by tannins that have a zesty peppery burr and flow into a warm rather tannic prune plum finish. It's direct, and quite ripe, with quite a bit of alcohol, and tough it is simple for an Amarone it is approachable, and will drink well with hearty stews or roasts.
2 stars

F.lli Recchia

F.lli Recchia Cà Bertoldi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Impenetrable pyrope with purple rim. The bouquet is sweet, with fairly rich greenish plum fruit supported by warm sour plum acidity that has some balsamic accents, and by tannins that are warm and balsamic, flowing into a fairly long peppery balsamic finish.

Monte Zovo

Monte Zovo Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly sweet, with spicy fruit that has some sandalwood notes, and some greenish accents as well. On the palate it's full and sweet, with fairly powerful cherry plum fruit supported by bright berry fruit acidity and by tannins that are fairly smooth, and have bright greenish accents to them. Promising, in a sweeter key that winks at Recioto, and will be pleasant in that key when it's in bottle. If you prefer drier wines it won't work as well for you.

Piccoli Daniela

Piccoli Daniela Monte la Parte Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with aromas that bring soap to mind together with some mentholated notes; there are just hints of wet paper as well, which seem to cut into the fruit. On the palate it's ample and smooth, and also fairly direct, with fairly rich cherry plum fruit supported by slight sweetness and dusky spicy accents with a degree of sandalwood and warmth, and by tannins that are ample and fairly smooth, flowing into a clean greenish finish. Simple and very direct, and the nose may just be a phase, because there isn't any evidence of it on the palate.
1 star

Le Marognole

Le Marognole Campo Rocco I Corsi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with sweetish mentholated spice mingled with some berry fruit and some greenish cedary accents. On the palate it's ample and ripe, with cherry plum fruit supported by bright slightly vegetal acidity and by tannins that have a bright greenish burr and flow into a clean bright berry fruit finish. It's approachable, and displays pleasing verve, and will be pleasant in a fairly ripe key.

I Scriani

I Scriani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly intense, with powerful greenish spice that has some green leather and leaf tobacco accents, and a fair amount of spice as well. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich prune plum fruit supported by deft mineral acidity, and by tannins that have a pleasant greenish vegetal burr. Approachable, in a fairly vegetal key.

Monte del Frà

Monte del Frà Scarnocchio Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with floral accents and spice mingled with red berry fruit and powerful tart berry fruit acidity and greenish accents tha bring flower stocks to mind. On the palate it's fairly rich, and quite ripe, with plum cherry fruit supported by vegetal accents and tannins that have a considerable sandalwood burr and flow into a fairly intense sandalwood overlay. It's going in several directions in a ripe key, and is one of the least ready barrel samples tasted, but is also has an intriguing something to it.

Tamburino Sardo di Fasoli Adriano e Figli

Tamburino Sardo di Fasoli Adriano e Figli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black almandine with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is dusky, with fairly intense balsamic accents mingled with equally powerful greenish notes and hints of chalk dust; there's not much fruit. On the palate it's approachable, with fairly rich sour plum cherry fruit supported by moderate mineral acidity and by tannins that have a fairly strong greenish sandalwood overlay, and flow into a fairly long sandalwood laced finish. It's pleasant but still disjointed, and needs another couple of years to come together, at which point it will be spicy and rather exotic.
2 stars

Tezza

Tezza Corte Majoli Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with smoky greenish medicinal accents, and some jammy berry fruit with some balsam as well. On the palate it's ample and fairly rich, with plum cherry fruit supported by fairly bright acidity, and by tannins that have a warm greenish burr and flow into a greenish fairly tart prune finish with lasting sandalwood laced underpinning. Promises nicely.

Gnirega di Clementi Pietro

Gnirega di Clementi Pietro Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep purple ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is moderately intense, with scalded milky accents that are I think derived from oak. On the palate it's ample, and fairly sweet, with ripe plum fruit supported by dusky greenish acidity and by tannins that have a decidedly greenish spicy splintery burr. It's brooding now, and may brood further in bottle though time will tell.

Cantina Valpolicella Negrar

Cantina Valpolicella Negrar Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Impenetrable pigeon blood ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is intense, and rather spiky, with a tendril of acidity that worms its way up the nose, supported by brambly accents and a certain airiness. Not much fruit at the outset, though with time prunes and a certain graphite spice emerge. On the palate it's quite ripe, with cherry prune fruit supported by dusky greenish mineral acidity, and by vegetal accents, while the tannins are fairly smooth, with a greenish burr, and flow into a dry rather greenish finish. Pleasant in a quite ripe key, and though very young will be approachable in a year or two.
2 stars

Cavalchina

Cavalchina Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with cherry ruby rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, and smoky, with some cedar and greenish vegetal accents supported by leaf tobacco and some savory spice. Not much fruit though there is some anger. On the palate it's ample and softer than I expected, with fairly rich, fairly bright fairly sweet cherry plum fruit supported by bright berry fruit acidity and by tannins that are ample and smooth, with slight splintery accents that flow into a warm sweet berry fruit prune finish with dusky leaf tobacco underpinning. It's fairly direct, with a peasant fullness, and the palate is ahead of the nose. If it catches up, the wine will be pleasant in a fairly direct key.
2 stars

Cesari

Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Impenetrable pyrope with purple reflections and slightly violet cherry rim. The bouquet is riep, with quite a bit of alcohol and cherry plum fruit supported by greenish sandalwood accents and some spice, and by some white pepper as well. On the palate it's ample and sweet, with plum cherry fruit supported by moderate acidity and by tannins that have a decidedly cedary overlay to them and flow into a dry cedar laced finish. It's quite young, and chewing over considerable oak; how well it will digest it is an open question, but I would have liked more richness of fruit to balance the oak.
1 star

F.lli Fabiano

F.lli Fabiano Nicola Fabiano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with musty wet paper mingled with some greenish notes and moderate acidity; there's not much fruit. On the palate it's quite ripe and quite smooth, with powerful fairly sweet plum fruit supported by sour plum acidity and by tannins that are quite smooth and fairly soft, flowing into a fairly bright cherry plum finish with a dry tannic underpinning. It's young, and will be ample in a very ripe soft fruit driven key. If you like the style you will enjoy it, but if you prefer tighter wines it will work less well for you. The nose is now frankly behind the palate, and if it catches up the wine will be pleasant in its style, but we will have to wait to see what it does.
1 star

Guerrieri Rizzardi

Guerrieri Rizzardi Calcarole Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep pyrope with violet reflections and purple in the rim. The bouquet is smoky, with burnt cork mingled with spice and some savory accents as well as sweetness. Not much fruit. On the palate it's quite sweet for an Amarone, edging into what one expects of a Recioto, with prune fruit supported by bitter accents and some spicy acidity, and by smooth sweet tannins that again have a bitter underpinning, and flow into a prune laced sweet finish. If you like the style you will enjoy it, but be forewarned: it's a very sweet interpretation of a wine that is usually dry.

Latium

Latium Campo Leon Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Impenetrable purple ruby with violet reflections. the bouquet is intense, with floral accents and sweet prune fruit supported by mentholated notes and a fair amount of sandalwood, and also slight laundry soap. On the palate it's ample and fairly sweet, with moderately intense plum fruit that is overshadowed by angry greenish accents and tannins that have a bitter greenish splintery burr and flow into a decidedly bitter finish with graphite shaving splinters. Angry, and it remains to be seen what it does upon its release into the bottle.

Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine

Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine Villa Borghetti Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is rustic, with powerful balsamic notes overlying wet stable straw and spice; there's also a certain smokiness to it, with some petroleum overtones, though not much fruit. On the palate it's brighter than expected, with fairly rich, moderately sweet plum cherry fruit supported by greenish vegetal acidity and tannins that have a greenish peppery burr and flow into a decidedly tannic rather greenish peppery finish. It's very young, in a ripe key, and needs at least a couple of years to digest the tannins. If the nose catches up with the palate it will be pleasant enough.
2 stars (?)

F.lli Farina

F.lli Farina Farina Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is intense, and cedar laced with quite a bit of alcohol and considerable sandalwood mingled with some greenish accents and chemical notes. Not much fruit. On the palate it's full, with soft quite riep greenish plum fruit supported by greenish acidity that has some petroleum accents, and by tannins that are warm and smooth, with a slight peppery cedar laced burr that flows into a fairly long petroleum laced vegetal finish with peppery tannic underpinning. It's up in the air, and though I can say it will come down quite ripe, I'm not sure just what the tannins will do. It is in any case fairly extreme, and something to consider only if you like this style.
1 star

Novaia

Novaia Selezione Corte Vaona Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2008

Barrel sample
Deep black cherry with black cherry rim. The bouquet is powerful, with spice and slightly burnt cedar mingled with some greenish accents; as it opens the burnt accents fade, and the wine simply becomes closed. On the palate it's fairly direct, with powerful sour cherry fruit supported by spicy accents and tannins that are clumpy and greenish. It's quite behind, and needs at least a year, perhaps two, to get its bearings. Very much a babe in the woods.

Roccolo Grassi

Roccolo Grassi Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Impenetrable black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is intense, and fairly sweet, with peppery berry fruit supported by some mentholated accents and spice, and also by some sandalwood. Fresh, and fairly charged. On the palate it's bright, with rich cherry fruit supported by some sweetish accents, sour berry fruit acidity, and dusky tannins that flow into a warm slightly balsamic finish. Pleasant in a ripe but not overripe fairly charged key, and will also age nicely for a number of years, though at present it needs time.
2 stars

Corte Sant'Alda

Corte Sant'Alda Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is deft, with pleasant mentholated spice mingled with red berry fruit, some berry fruit acidity, and underbrush, while there is also some sea salt. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by dusky acidity that has some tobaccoey vegetal accents mingled with sandalwood, and supported by fresh bright slightly greenish tannins. It's very, very young, but promises well, and should develop nicely with time; it needs a couple of years to work things out and make itself presentable.
2 stars

Chianti Colli Senesi, Tasted at the Enoteca Italiana

A few weeks ago I talked with Filippo Bartolotta, who mentioned that he was organizing a visit to Chianti for a group of New York wine writers, and asked if I wanted to join in. I was unable to, but did accept his invitation to taste a selection of Chainti Colli Senesi in the Enoteca Italiana, which is located in the Fortezza Medicea overlooking Siena.

Chianti was once a geographic term for the region between Florence and Siena, and also to the wine made in the area. The geographic term still holds, but thanks to savvy marketers of the early 1900s, who realized the word "Chianti" helped sell wines and therefore slapped it on anything made in (roughly) central Tuscany, the wine term has, shall we say, expanded, gaining nuanced flavors with time.

What was once simply called Chianti is now called Chianti Classico to indicate it comes from (roughly) the original Chianti area. Everything else over a vast area that extends from the Colline Pisane to below Montalcino (far south of Siena), to Arezzo, and to north of Florence was simply called Chianti. However the area is too big to be manageable, and as a result a number of Chianti subzones have been established, to allow the winemakers of the respective areas to tie their best wines more closely to their land, while (if they want) labeling their base wines Chianti, which is now something of a catchall.

As one might guess, Chianti Colli Senesi is the Sienese subzone of the Chianti appellation, though calling it a subzone is not quite correct. The Province of Siena, like most of Tuscany, is geologically complex, and there are broad swaths of territory that do quite well as grain fields but are not particularly suitable for vineyards. Therefore the Chianti Colli Senesi zone is actually three fairly large islands (for want of a better term) of viticulturally suitable land separated by the swaths of grain.

One of these islands is north of Siena, bordering the Chianti Classico zone and extending via Monteriggioni and Poggibonsi to San Gimignano. The other two are south, one in the western part of the Provice, from Murlo to Montalcino, and the other in the eastern part, from Sinalunga and Trequanda past Montepulciano and all the way to the border with Umbria.

Given the extent of the appellation, one cannot really expect continuity of terroir, and indeed differences in terroir do result in differences in the wines. In addition, as is the case with the other Chianti appellations, winemakers have a fairly free hand when it comes to the grapes they use: The Disciplinare says the wine must be made from at least 75% Sangiovese (it can be up to 100% Sangiovese), and can contain up to 25% uva complimentari, which can also include the traditional white grapes now prohibited in Chianti Classico, and also international varietals, with a provision that Cabernet (Franc, Sauvignon or both together) not exceed 10%. Winemakers are free to age the Vino D'annata, which is released the year following the harvest, as they prefer. The Riserva, released 2 years after the harvest, must instead spend at least 8 months in wood (small barrels, large casks, or a combination of the two as the winemaker prefers) and 4 months in bottle.

Having said this, I did not a certain stylistic similarity in the 30-odd Chianti Colli Senesi wines Filippo assembled. Taken as a group, they are slightly lighter than the equivalent Chianti Classicos (Vini d'annata and Riserve) might be, and while not necessarily more agile, less demanding. This is especially true of the Riserve. In other words they're wines to set out and drink with the meal, and since that's what I think wine drinking should be about I found many of them eminently successful, and much enjoyed them. Would have enjoyed them more with a plate of pasta al sugo (with meat sauce), but one can't have everything in a tasting :-/

The Wines, in the Order Tasted

Casale Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva 1999

Deep brick ruby with some almandine accents. The bouquet is vinous with warm balsamic accents and some leaf tobacco mingled with wet leaves and sour berry fruit, also balsamic acidity with decidedly leafy undertones. On the palate it's bright, with lively slightly leathery cherry fruit supported by balsamic acidity and smooth silky tannins that have a slight burr, and flow into a silky finish. Impressive, and proof that Chianti doesn't really end at the borders of the Chianti Classico region. The sort of wine one doesn't pour out at a tasting.
92

La Vigna Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva 2006

Deep brick ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with slightly candied cherry fruit supported by some bramble and underlying minerality with some herbal accents too. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by brambly greenish accents and tannins that have a greenish burr and flow into a clean rather bitter greenish finish with some leafy underpinnings that rather long. It's interesting, and pleasant to drink in a rather scrappy key; I generally expect more fullness in Riserve, and the tannins here are such that it's not a wine to drink far from the table, but it will drink quite well with grilled meats or hearty roasts.
2 stars

Montalpruno Il Canto del Leccio Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva 2007

Deep cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with jammy brambly berry fruit supported by some menthol and slight metallic hints. Bright and fresh, revolving more around bramble than fruit. On the palate it's fairly intense, with brambly berry fruit supported by some cedary accents and slight hazelnut warmth. Pleasant, and will drink quite well with foods -- it's scrappy enough that it won't drink well by itself, but will work very well with red meats.
2 stars

Montenidoli Il Garrulo Chianti Colli Senesi 2008

Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim paling to white. The bouquet is brambly with cherry fruit supported by greenish vegetal accents and spice. Zesty and nice balance. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by smooth tannins that do have a slight burr, and by greenish acidity that flows into a warm sour cherry finish with brambly vegetal underpinning. Quite pleasant, and will drink very well with foods. A wine that will drink very well with foods, and you will want more of.
88-90

Casa alle Vacche Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva 2008

Deep cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is powerful and quite fresh, with bright floral accents that are a little more than I would have expected from a 2008, but pleasant, and supported by spice and deft oak as well. Pleasant in an international key, and opulent. On the palate it's rich, with powerful cherry plum fruit supported by moderate acidity, and by tannins that have a distinct cedary underpinning, and flows into a warm cedar laced finish. It's still a little young, but pleasant in a soft seductive key, and if you like this style you will enjoy it. If you prefer wines with less oak, it won't work as well for you.
2 stars

Carpineta Fontalpino Chianti Colli Senesi 2010

Deep cherry ruby with cherry rim -- it's almost poured ink. The bouquet is fresh, with cherry and slight candied cherry accents mingled with some menthol and slight gum Arabic as well. A bit blocky, and gives an impression of more power than definition. On the palate it's bright, with fresh warm cherry fruit supported by more acidity than I expected from the nose, and by tannins that are smooth and soft, with a slight burr that provides definition. The nose needs a little time to catch up with the palate, but it does display pleasing grace, and will work very well with food. It surprised me.
2 stars

Il Poggiolo Federico Bonfio Chianti Colli Senesi 2004

Pale almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with brambly notes, some greenish accents and Mediterranean scrub forest, mingled with peppery spice and deft cherry fruit. Austere, and takes its distance from us, but has quite a bit to say. On the palate it's deft, with bright sour cherry fruit supported by tannins that are brambly and slightly greenish, and supported by pleasant brambly acidity that flows into a long tart finish. It's pleasant in a rather scrappy key, and will drink very well with grilled meats or roasts; it's quiet approachable in a traditional key, and if you like the style you will enjoy overtones. A pleasant surprise for me.
88-90

Tenuta Bichi Borghesi Coppiòle Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva 2007

Deep black cherry with black reflections and almandine rim paling to orange. The bouquet is a bit musty, with berry fruit mingled with some wet leaves and some camphor with yellow peaches, which can occur in red wines too. It's not quite as clean as I might have hoped. On the palate it's medium bodied with bright cherry fruit supported by savory notes and tannins that are smooth and have a slight burr, and flow into a rather dry tannic finish with lasting bitterness. I'd have liked a little more definition and richness to the fruit.
1 star

Poggio Orlando Il Ciliegio Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva 2007

Deep cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is intense, and decidedly brambly with greenish accents and some grilled more friarelli than bell pepper and some wet paper. On the palate it's medium bodied, with fairly bright cherry fruit supported by brambly greenish tannins that have a pronounced rather dry burr, and flow into a long decidedly tannic finish. It's quite dry, and is a wine that will work well with foods, if you like this style. If you like smoother fruit driven wines it won't work as well for you.
1 star

Azienda Agricola Cercignano Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva 2007

Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with brambly notes and some vegetal accents and some spice as well. Not much fruit. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by alcohol and warmth, and by bright acidity and tannins that have a greenish brambly burr and flow into a clean bright finish with lasting sour cherry and raspberry acidity. Zesty and will work well with grilled meats or light stews, and will age well for a number of years; the nose needs another year to come together.
2 stars

La Castellaccia Il Fosco Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva 2008

Almandine with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with cherry fruit supported by spice and some sandalwood, and by some vegetal accents. Quite pleasant in a spicy modern key. On the palate it's light, with moderately intense berry fruit supported by greenish tannins that have a cedary underpinning that flows into lasting bitterness. I'd have liked a little more definition and richness to the fruit, which is more brambly than really ripe.
1 star

Borgo Santinovo Tardivo Chianti Colli Senesi 2007

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with brambly vegetal accents mingled with berry fruit and spice, in particular cumin and sea salt Nice depth. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by lemony acidity and tannins that are smooth and have a slight burr, and flow into a clean fairly tart sour berry fruit finish. It's pleasant in a slightly scrappy fairly traditional key, and will work quite well with foods, in particular, grilled meats or roasts. It would be perfect with a grigliata mista, mixed grilled meats.
2 stars

Terre di Nano Chianti Colli Senesi 2007

Lively cherry ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is light, with brambly accents and some vegetal notes, supported by spice and alcohol. Not much fruit, but there is sea salt and pepper. On the palate it's bright, with sour cherry fruit supported by brambly acidity and tannins that are slightly greenish and have a bright burr, and flow into a rather tannic finish with bitter underpinning.. A scrappy food wine that will support what it's served with, without demanding center stage.
1 star

Consorzio Agrario Siena Chianti Colli Senesi 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with berry fruit mingled with some minerality and some graphite shavings with hints of white mushrooms as well, and some spice. On the palate it's light and fairly direct, with tart berry fruit supported by tannins that are rather light, smooth, and bitter, and flow into a clean bitter finish. Direct and up front, it's a food wine that will support what it's served with, without hogging the limelight.
1 star

Azienda Agricola Allegretti Chianti Colli Senesi 2008

Deep black cherry ruby with brilliant reflections. The bouquet is bright, with lively berry fruit supported by some vegetal accents and clean greenish spice, in particular cumin and hints of mace, and also some menthol Pleasant. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by tannins that have a slight burr and bright sour berry fruit acidity that flows into a clean rather tannic finish with dry peppery accents. Quite drinkable, and will work well with foods.
2 stars

Monte Chiaro Chianti Colli Senesi 2008

Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh and fairly vegetal, with spice and some graphite shaving mingled with savory notes and underlying red berry fruit, also a fair amount of alcohol. On the palate it's light, with moderately intense berry fruit supported by moderate fairly mineral acidity, and by tannins that are smooth and rather glancing, and flow into a rather mineral finish. I'd have liked a little more richness to the fruit.
1 star

Castello di Farnetella Chianti Colli Senesi 2008

Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with cherry fruit supported by bramble and spice with some greenish vegetal accents and some underlying sea salt and warmth, also some alcohol. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by greenish brambly tannins and bright mineral acidity that flow into a fairly long bitter finish with a rough peppery burr. The Italian would be Ruvido, or Scrappy, and it will drink very well with grilled meats or fried foods, also with pasta dishes. In short, Versatile.
2 stars

Azienda Agricola Cercignano Chianti Colli Senesi 2008

Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and pink rim. The nose is frankly rustic, with wet stable straw and balsamic nose supported by penetrating rather balsamic acidity and some metallic accents. On the palate it's medium bodied tending towards light, with bright sour berry fruit supported by considerable acidity and some hazelnut accents, and by tannins that have a peppery burr that continues at length. If you like the style you will enjoy it, but you have to like fairly rustic wines that have some bite to them.
1 star

Montalpruno Le Fontanelle Chianti Colli Senesi 2009 Lively black cherry with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, with vegetal accents and alcohol mingled with some greenish notes and sea salt, and underlying red berry fruit. Bright, and gives an impression of lightness. On the palate it's bright, with fresh sour cherry fruit supported by graphite bitterness and alcoholic warmth that flow into a fairly bright sour berry fruit finish. It's a classic food wine, one that one can set out and will go quickly, and pleasant in a direct up front sort of way. Brash.
1 star

Bindi Sergardi Chianti Colli Senesi 2009

Lively cherry ruby with bright reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is bright, with greenish vegetal notes and brambles supported by red berry fruit and some spice, supported by a fair amount of alcohol as well. Fresh. On the palate it's bright, with fresh sour cherry fruit supported by sour cherry acidity and tannins that are smooth, though they do have a slight greenish burr that is both youthful and helps provide definition. Pleasant, in a bright fresh key, and will drink quite well with simple grilled meats or stews, and also has the acidity necessary to work well with fried foods. Will go quickly.
2 stars

Il Colombano San Cirino Chianti Colli Senesi 2009
Deep cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, with moderate berry fruit supported by vegetal accents and some cedar, and by spice and alcohol as well. There may be fruit, but it's covered by the other elements. On the palate it's medium bodied, with moderately intense berry fruit supported by some acidity, and by tannins that have a milky feel to them that is likely wood fruit interaction, and flow into a rather bitter finish with lasting acidic warmth.
1 star

San Giorgio a Lapi Chianti Colli Senesi 2009

Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is bright and fresh, with berry fruit supported by some greenish accents that bring to mind bean shells (from cannelloni beans) and some spice as well. Pleasant in a fresh lively key. On the palate it's fairly light, with moderately intense sour cherry fruit supported by acidity and considerable warmth, while the tannins are ample and smooth but not quite as well defined as I might have liked them to be. It's a bit soft.
1 star

Azienda Agricola Fornaci di Sotto Chianti Colli Senesi 2009

Deep slightly violet cherry with cherry rim. The bouquet is spicy, with nutmeg and ceda rmingled with some brambles and vegetal accents, also some incense and hints of beeswax. A bit unusual. On the palate it's medium bodied tending towards light, with moderately intense fruit supported by savory minerality that carries the wine, and flow sinto a savory rather peppery finish while the tannins contribute a lengthy burr to the mix. Quite direct, and will drink well with simple foods.
1 star

Terre alle Tolfe Il Castro di Tolfis Chianti Colli Senesi 2010

Deep black cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, with red berry fruit supported by pleasant greenish vegetal accents and spice, with some graphite shavings and pleasant brambly notes. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by sour berry fruit acidity and some dusky notes in the tannins, which flow into lasting warmth. Tart in a rather cheeky key, and will drink quite well with grilled meats or light stews, and also has the acidity necessary to work well with fried meats and vegetables.
2 stars

Rubicini Chianti Colli Senesi 2010

Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly aggressive, with red berry fruit supported by brambly vegetal accents and spice, and by the heather of a Tuscan field in summer. On the palate it's medium bodied, with fairly bright cherry fruit supported by greenish vegetal accents and peppery spice that flow into a clean bright sour berry fruit finish. Quite direct, and will work well with simple foods. Expect it to go quickly.
1 star

Poggio Orlando Il Ciliegio Chianti Colli Senesi 2010

Pale cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, with cherry fruit supported by some savory accents and slight berry fruit spice, with some alcoholic warmth as well. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by smooth bright berry fruit acidity and tannins that are smooth and slightly greenish, flowing into a clean bright berry fruit finish. Pleasant, in a light scrappy key, and will drink quite well with simple grilled meats -- lamb chops come to mid -- or light stews, and also has the acidity necessary to balance fried meats and vegetables.
2 stars

Geografico Chianti Colli Senesi 2010
Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with chewy cherry fruit that has slight candied cherry overtones, and is supported by greenish vegetal accents and moderate spice, with some menthol too. Fresh, in a slightly riper key. On the palate it's smooth and quite soft, with fairly rich cherry fruit that gains definition from moderate berry fruit acidity, and is supported by tannins that are quite round and quite smooth. It's more approachable than some, and the sort of wine one could drink by the glass at a wine bar, but doesn't have as much of a tannic bite to it as many of the Chianti Colli Senesi wines tasted. If you like this softer smoother key you will enjoy it considerably, but if you prefer a little more backbone you may find it wanting. The Italian that comes to mind is ruffiano, ingratiating.
2 stars

Villa Poggio Salvi Caspagnolo Chianti Colli Senesi 2010

Lively cherry ruby with violet accents and white rim. The bouquet is bright and fresh, with lively vegetal and mentholated accents mingled with berry fruit and heather. Quite approachable in a fresh young key. On the palate it's bright, with lively cherry fruit supported by deft berry fruit acidity that has some greenish accents, and by tannins that have a slight peppery burr and flow into a clean sour cherry finish with tannic underpinning. Pleasant and quite approachable; it will work very well with foods, supporting without demanding attention, and will go quickly. Expect to want a second bottle.
2 stars

Tufo del Gruccione (a kind of bird, and the label has a stylized bird) Chianti Colli Senesi 2010

Lively cherry ruby with black reflections and white rim. The bouquet is fresh, with berry fruit and mentholated spice with some brambly accents. On the palate it's up front, with bright cherry fruit that is supported by clean bright berry fruit acidity and slight tannins that flow into a finish that gains slightly cooked berry fruit overtones as the other elements fade. Quite simple, a wine that one puts out and drinks. The Italian descriptor would be Beverino, quaffing. A touch more tannic bitterness and a touch less fruit than the Geografico. Expect it to go quickly.
1 star