Tasted at Vinitaly: Roberto Ceraudo

I confess, before this Vinitaly I had never heard of Roberto Ceraudo, nor tasted his wines. But I did get a note suggesting I visit his stand, and it piqued my interest enough that I did. And am quite glad that I did, because the wines, all from organically grown grapes, most of which are indigenous to Calabria, are well worthy of note.

At Vinitaly, when the stand is busy there is little occasion to talk, so I simply swished the wines and took notes. But if I go to Calabria I will make plans to visit the winery.

Petelia IGT Val di Neto 2010
This is Greco Bianco and Mantonico. It's brilliant brassy gold with gold reflections and white rim. The bouquet is intense, with fairly rich loquat fruit supported by moderate acidity and some greenish accents that add depth. Nice depth and impressive for a just-bottled wine. On the palate it's full and rich, with fairly sweet (for a dry wine) loquat fruit supported by warm mineral acidity and slight sweetness that flows into a fairly long mineral finish. Pleasant and quite approachable, and will drink nicely with egg based dishes such as frittate in summer, and also simple fish or white meats. If you like really crisp wines it won't work as well for you, but if you like slightly softer more languid whites with a touch of sun to them you will enjoy it.
2 stars

Grisara IGT Val di Neto 2010
This is Pecorella in purezza; it's an indigenous vine that they have reestablished, recovering it from wild vines by grafting it onto rootstock. The etymology of the name is uncertain but it may due to the fact that sheep love the bunches and will seek them out, much the way they seek out Pecorino in the Abruzzo. It's bright brassy gold with brassy reflections and white rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with greenish herbal accents and some spice mingled with sweetness and some savory notes and slight almond blossoms. Herbal accents too. Nice. On the palate it's fairly rich, with moderately intense sour grapefruit fruit supported by savory minerality and some dusky overtones that flow into a clean rather bitter finish with some grapefruit overtones. Pleasant, and will drink quite well with grilled or roasted fish, and will also age nicely for 2-3 years at least.
2 stars

IMYR 2009 IGT Val di Neto
This is a Chardonnay that spends several months in small wood, a mix of new and year-old, after the primary fermentation -- it undergoes malolactic in wood. It's brilliant brassy gold with greenish highlights and brassy reflections. The bouquet is intense, with considerable butterscotch supported by sweetness and honeysuckle, and by slight savory accents. On the palate it's ample and rich, with bright lemony fruit that has some orange accents and an underpinning of butterscotch that flows into a long warm berry citric finish. Graceful, and a fine expression of Chardonnay that has taken well to the barrel but isn't at all overripe, and displays considerable depth as well. It will work very well with grilled or roasted fish, and would also be nice with delicate white meats, while I could see it working well with oriental dishes too, including curries.
88-90

Grayasusi Copper Label IGT Val di Neto 2010
The color of the label is important; this is aged only in steel. It's Gaglioppo; Graya means woman in the local argot, and this wine is dedicated to Susi, Roberto's daughter. Pale pink with brilliant pink reflections and white rim. The bouquet is fairly bright, with savory notes and some sour raspberry fruit supported by pleasant floral accents. On the palate it's bright, with rich fairly sweet raspberry fruit supported by minerality and some acidity, and by pleasant savory accents that emerge in the finish. Quite welcoming, and will be a lark of a summer wine, and go very fast. Worth seeking out.
2 stars

Grayasusi Silver Label IGT Val di Neto 2010
This is again Gaglioppo, which spends 4 months in barriques. It's pale ruby with brilliant ruby reflections and white rim. The bouquet is deft though a bit closed -- just bottled -- with raspberry fruit that has more depth than that of the copper label, supported by some greenish accents and slight hints of vanilla and savory notes. On the palate it's fuller than the copper label, with fairly rich raspberry fruit supported by moderate acidity and by tannins that are smooth and as one might expect full for a Rosato, with a pleasant rosato acidity underpinning, and it flows into a clean fresh finish with pleasant acidity. It's the copper label's older sister, and a bit more powerful; which you prefer will be a matter of taste.
2 stars

Dattilo Val di Neto IGT 2007
This is a Gaglioppo that spends 12 months in tonneaux. It's brick ruby with dusky brick ruby rim. The bouquet is intense, with balsamic red berry fruit supported by dusky greenish accents and plasant mineral spice. There's something haunting to it. On the palate it's ample and smooth, with fairly rich balsamic sour berry fruit supported by mineral acidity and by tannins that are ample and smooth with some burnt leather accents, and flow into a fairly long balsamic finish. It's pleasant in a rich key, and though it does require a change of pace if one is used to French varietals, it's quite pleasant, and will drink very well with roasts or stews. Worth seeking out.
2 stars

Petraro Val di Neto IGT 2006
This is a 50-50 blend of Gaglioppo and Cabernet Sauvignon, and spends 12 months in barriques. It's deep brick ruby with some almandine in the rim. The bouquet is intense, with berry fruit laced with green bell pepper and balsamic accents supported by a fair amount of alcohol, some spice, and a fair amount of sea salt, with some underlying graphite shavings as well. On the palate it's rich and quite smooth, with powerful cherry fruit supported by mineral acidity and smooth sweet tannins that have a fairly bright bark-laced burr to them, and flow into a clean mineral tannic finish. Quite elegant, and if you're not used to Gaglioppo is much more approachable than the Gaglioppo wine; it will work quite well with grilled meats or roasts, and also has considerable aging capacity.
2 stars

Petraro Val di Neto IGT 2007
Here the Gaglioppo is 60%; the wine is deep brick almandine with some almandine and hints of Moroccan leather in the rim. The bouquet is rich, with powerful balsam laced berry fruit supported by vegetal accents and pleasing slightly candied prune fruit. Nice depth and richness in a (for me, with my Tuscan reference points) rather exotic key. On the palate it's full and quite smooth, with rich prune cherry fruit that has some balsamic accents whose interaction with the fruit brings cocoa to mind, and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean fairly rich berry fruit finish with some sweetish balsamic accents. Very pleasant, and will drink well with grilled meats or hearty stews. I found it a bit richer and more interesting than the 2006.
88-90

Doro Bé Val Di Neto IGT 2006
This is a passito made from Magliocco, harvested in early September and allowed to dry on mats and then put into caratelli for a number of years. It's tawny walnut with slight greenish hints at the rim. The bouquet is interesting, with sweetness mingled with brown sugar and spice, and some dried orange peel and also warmth and caramel. And I could go on; there's quite a bit happening. On the palate it's full and sweet with elegant date fruit supported by lively acidity and some dried figs, with some walnut skin bitterness too, and it flows into a long sweet finish that gains definition from walnut skin bitterness and acidity. Very pleasant, and it is a wine that you should definitely think about and seek out if you like Vinsanto; it is clearly different but displays many affinities with Vinanto and has more in common with it than with many other passiti.
88-90