Lots of sliced green apple, lime and hints of crushed stone and some celery on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with intense flavor and solid center-palate. A classic style of sauvignon. Drink now.
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Lots of sliced green apple, lime and hints of crushed stone and some celery on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with intense flavor and solid center-palate. A classic style of sauvignon. Drink now.
This is one of my all-time favorite Brunellos, and although personal tastes are fluid and may change from time to time, there is something timeless and solid about this wine. It's like a touchstone. The Casanova di Neri 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is graced with a similar interlude of elegant rose or crushed flower that we saw in the annata wine. It appears more prominently here, and with more shape and focused intensity. Make no mistake, Giacomo Neri builds wines for pleasure and sensual impact, and this wine (helped by a hot growing season and 15% alcohol) ticks all those boxes. But it also shows floral elegance and sour cherry freshness that defies our expectations of the vintage.
The 2017 Bianco Molamatta is seductive, with a rich mix of baked apples and pears accentuated by white flowers and almond custard. This is elegant, verging on opulent, but not quite, with oily textures hosting a mix of ripe tropical fruits. It finishes with admirable length and is spicy, leaving dried apricot and hazelnut notes to linger. The Molamatta is a blend of 40% Friulano, 40% Pinot Bianco and 20% Ribolla Gialla with extended lees aging that lasts up to a year.
A multifaceted red, featuring cherry, strawberry, floral, iron, tobacco and oak spice aromas and flavors. Just when you think this is ready to enjoy, the firm, dense structure engages, leaving a stiff, if long, finish. Best from 2025 through 2042.
A tangy and bright grillo with lemon-rind, pear-skin and light apricot flavors. Some minerally undertones. Medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit and a flavorful finish. Sustainable. Drink now.
Readers will note the addition of two new wines that have been thrilling since the first day I tasted them. The first is from a choice parcel in Cerequio Vietti acquired from Michele Chiarlo. The new Monvigliero is made in conjunction with Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac and has some whole cluster influence. As much as I hope stems don't become a trend in Piedmont like French oak barrels did in the 1990s, there is little question whole clusters seem to work especially well in Monvigliero. These wines are simply brilliant. There.
The 2018 Barolo Monvigliero, another new wine in this range, is dazzling. That's not much of a surprise, as the 2018 has always been gorgeous from barrel. A touch of whole clusters adds aromatic nuance and lift to this super-classic, sculpted Barolo. The Monvigliero impresses with its purity, delineation and class. Superb.
Heady aromas of pressed chamomile flower, bread crust and white stone fruit waft out of the glass on the classy Ouedis Brut from Enrico Serafino. Elegantly structured, seductively smooth and savory, the palate features ripe yellow apple, pear, citrus and pastry shell alongside vibrant acidity. A persistent, refined perlage provides even more energy and finesse.
Made with air-dried grapes, the Tenuta Scerscé 2018 Sforzato di Valtellina Nebbiolo Infinito opens to a medium-dark color and moderate fruit weight that feels velvety, rich and open-knit. The sforzato, or appassimento, process brings on extra heft and intensity for sure, but the Nebbiolo grape never loses its inner grace and poise. Aromas of dried rose, wild cherry, plum and sweet earth rise from the bouquet. A pretty layer of cured tobacco gives the wine a more fleshed-out feel on the close.
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