Gradis'cutta, Rosso 2014

During spring 2019 I visited the producer Gradis´cutta. Gradis'cutta is a producer which have 20 hectares of vineyards in the communes of Gorizia, Capriva del Friuli and Dolegna del Collio. 

The locations of the vineyards are at different elevations and therefore they have many different growing conditions for indigenous grapes, such as Ribolla and Friulano, and international grapes such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Gradis'cutta produces a multitude of wines, from white to red to sprakling wines.

The Gradis'cutta wine Rosso 2014 is a red wine made from 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes are grown in the territory of Vecchia  Contea of Gorizia close to the border of Slovenia. The wine is aged 12 months in large wooden casks for about 12 months and then aged in the bottle.

In the taste I get black currants, cherry and tannins in the back that leaves a long aftertaste. Quite a slow drinker due to the long aftertaste but very good. This bottle just shows how good the Merlot grape is in Friuli.

Amarone x 2, Castelforte and Ca'Mantini

 Amarone is a popular wine in Sweden but I don't drink it that much. It is from the Veneto region and is made by partially dried grapes of the varieties Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella. This process will give a wine that has full flavours and has an high ABV around 15%. The first Amarone wine is the Castelforte Amarone Della Valpolicella from 2010. It has been stored for six years before being drunk. The ABV is 15%. In the taste I get cherry, black currant and rose hip in a good mix. Quite elegant after six years of ageing. Very good.

The next wine is the Ca'Montini Valpolicella Della Amarone. It is of the vintage 2014 and has an ABV of 15%.In the taste I get black cherry, red cherry and tobacco. Very good also. Although this has more power while the Castelforte is more elegant.

Monte Vibiano, wine producer in Umbria

Monte Vibiano is a wine producer in the green heart of Italy, Umbria, and I have tasted some of their wines before and this time I have tasted three of their wines. First up is the Villa Monte Vibiano Bianco of the vintage 2017. This is a white wine with the ABV of 12%. The grapes used are 40% Trebbiano spoletino, 35% grechetto di Todi, 15% sauvignon blanc och 10% viognier. The storage is done in steel tanks to preserve the freshness of the wine. In the taste I get pear, citrus and grapefruit. When I had this wine two year ago I found it a bit unbalanced but two more years in the bottle has brought out a more harmonious wine which I find now to be quite good. Lovely to have with some spicy food.

Villa Monte Vibiano Rosso is from 2017. The grapes used for this wine is the following. 55% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon och 5% Cabernet Franc. It has been stored in steel tanks for six month before being bottled. In the taste I get cherries, some coffee and some soft tannins at the end. More easy drinking than the 2016 vintage. Very good.

The last wine is the red wine Monvi from 2014. The grapes used here are 52% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot och 8% Cabernet Franc. The Sangiovese were stored for 15 months in steel tanks while the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Merlot grapes were stored for 15 months in oak barrels. So this should have more oak character compared to the Rosso. Here I get cinnamon, red fruit and dark fruits in the mix with tannins in the back. I like it and it is quite structured and it gets better with food. Takes some time to open up so open the bottle one or two hours before dinner.

Amarone vs Taurausi

Amarone and Taurasui are two heavy hitters of red wine from Italy. Although Amarone is the most famous of them, while the Taurausi is not that well known.

Amarone is a red wine from Valpolicella in Italy that is made from partially dried grapes from grape varieties such as Corvina and Rondinella. It is very famous and popular in Sweden and is known to be very strong. The Amarone that i have tasted is from producer Cadis and has the vintage 2014. The ABV is 14,5%. It is a nice balanced Amarone. In the taste I get black currant, leather and some earthy notes with a nice aftertaste. Not as super strong as I thought it would be but it is a more balanced Amarone.

Taurasi is a red wine made from Aglianico grapes in the Campania region of Italy. It is not so famous. Taurasi wines must be aged for three years before being sold and of this time at least 12 months must be in oak. For the Taurasi from producer Feudi di San Gregori the it has been aged for 18 months in French barriques. I bought this bottle five years ago and the vintage is 2009. I remember that I thought it was a very strong wine suitable for ageing so it will be interesting to see how the wine has developed over the years. Still powerful but age has given it more complex flavours. Red fruits on the nose.  In the taste black currants, tobacco and some sour cherry. Feels like a mix beween a Brunello and a Sagrantino di Montefalco. Excellent. And it has been nice to follow this vintage over several years now.

Fontanafredda and their Alta Langa sparkling wines

Fontnafredda is  big producer of wine in Piemonte and they make very good Barolo wines for example. But this time I have tried of their two sparkling Alta Langa wines. Alta Langa is a DOGC for Piemontese sparkling wine. It is made with Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir grapes. It can be white or rose and has to be aged on the leese for at least 30 months. Also an Alta Langa sparkling is always a vintage wine.
The first sparkling wine from Fontanafredda is Hundred Sixty which is of 2007 vintage and the ABV is 12%. This wine was released to celebrate 160 years of Fontanafredda. It is made of 100% Pinot noir and it was on the leese for seven years. In the taste I get citrus, pear and grapefruit. Very nice older smoother Alta Langa.

The Fontanafredda Alta Langa limited edition is of the vintage 2014 and the ABV 12%. It is made of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is a high acidity sparkling with apple and citrus and with a nice long aftertaste.

Alta Langa is one sparkling wine region to explore in the future.

The white wines from Germany and Italy

Sometimes I try some rieslings from Germany since the rieslings in Germany can give very good wines. The last one I tried was Georg Breuer and the Sauvage riesling from 2018.  Georg Breuer is a producer in the region of Rheingau. The ABV of this vintage is 12%. In the taste I get green apple, petroleum and some minerals. In the aftertaste I get some slight bitter almonds. A nice riesling.

The next wine comes from Italy and the region of Sicily. It is the wine Colomba Platino from the producer Duca Di Salaparuta. It is the vintage 2016 and the ABV is 12,5%. The grape used is 100% Inzolia or Ansonica as it is also known as. It is a native grape to Sicily and is quite rare. In the taste I get peach, apple and some citrus with some tropical fruits in the back, This is a very good white wine from Sicily.

For the last wine is we go from the south to the north and the region Friuli Venezia Guilia. I have tasted wine from Villa Chiopris before and this time it is their wine Sauvignon Blanc from 2014 that I have tasted. This wine is five years old and that is quite old for being a white wine. In the taste I get tropical fruit with goosberry and apple. Very nice and fresh despite being five years old. Together with spicy food this wine becomes even better. So try it with spicy food and you will not be disappointed.

Sparkling Elena from Azienda Agricola Stefanio Morra

Elena is a sparkling wine from Azienda Agricola Morra Stefanino in Roero, Piemonte, Italy. It is made 100% Arneis grapes.It is made in the classic sparkling method and the wine is made to rest two years on the leese of the yeast. The ABV is 13% and the vintage is 2014. There is a lot of bubbles and taste of lemon and brioche. It is a very nice complex sparkling wine from Stefanino Morra.

Montefalco rosso from Colsanto and Dolcetto d'Ovada from Tachino

One of my favourite wineregions in Italy is Montefalco in Umbria, especially their Montefalco Rosso and the Sagrantino di Montefalco. These wine can be quite strong but balanced by a lot of flavour. This time I am tasting a Montefalco Rosso from a producer that I have never tasted anything from before, the producer is Colsanto. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2014. The grapes used are Sagrantino and Sangiovese. This wine has a lot of red and dark berries on the nose. There is deep structured tannins which linger for a long time and combines well with the dark cherries and black currants in the taste. This is a very good wine which I think that will age well for a couple of more years gaining more complexity. But beware, It is a very strong wine.

Next wine is made from one of the lesser known red grape varieties from Piemonte, namely Dolcetto. The wine is Dolcetto D'Ovada from producer Tachino. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 14%. In the taste I get black berries, viol, plum and some black currant. A very nice Dolcetto that shows that Dolcetto is under appreciated grape.

Three Sangiovese based red wines from Italy

Sangiovese is a fabulous grape and I had the chance to try three red wines that uses the Dangiovese grapes from Tuscany, Umbria and Emila-Romagna.

First out is the Spezieri wine from producer Col d'Orcia in Tuscany. It is a blend of mostly Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2016. From 2013 this wine is organically made. I get red fruits on the nose which is typically for a Sangiovese wine. I get a taste of cherries, black currants and some spiciness. Some tannins in the finish. A good wine.

Next we go to Tuscanys neighbour, namely Umbria. The green heart of Italy. Here we find a Montefalco Rosso from producer Lungarotti. For this wine the grapes Sangiovese, Merlot and Sagrantino is used. Here at least 60-70% Sangiovese must be used and between 10-15% Sagrantino and the rest other grapes. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2014. This is a big and powerful wine. Dry and strong tannins with dark sour cherries and earthy notes. Definitely some tobacco in the back. This wine needs food. After tasting it I would give it 2-3 more years of ageing before drinking it. Good now but with a couple of more years of storage I think it will be even better.

Finally we go to Tuscany and Umbrias northern neighbour Emilia-Romagna. Here we find the wine Ora from producer San Patrignano. It is a Romagna Sangiovese superiore from 2015 with and ABV of 14%. This wine contains only 100% Sangiovese. The taste is of dark cherries and black currants with some harsher tannins. This needs more time in storage before it gains it full potential. Like the Montefalco Rosso wine above, good now but will be even better in two years time.

Two red wines from Alba and Aosta

Let us go and start with A. With wines from Alba and Aosta. First up is a Barbera D'Alba from producer Camerano who I visited in 2017. It is made of 100% Barbera grapes and the ABV is 14%. the vintage is 2013. This wine has soft tannins with red and black currants and hints of cherries. A good Barbera which is quite easy drinking.

Next wine is from Valle D'Aosta next to the border of France. It is from producer Grosjean and when I was in Aosta earlier on this year I tasted several of their wines but not this red wine made of the grape Cornalin. It is called Cornalin Vigne Rovettaz 2014 with an ABV of 13%. Not a complex one but in the taste I get raspberry, some acidity followed by cherries. Some tannins later on followed by black currants. I like the Grosjeans wine Fumin better but this is a good red wine also. Good quality by Grosjean.

Three is the number of red and white

Time for a catch up of the tasted wine. First up is three red wines from Italy followed by three white wine of two is from Italy and one is from France.

One region that I don't try so much wine from is from Molise. I have tried one biferno Rosso Riserva earlier but this one is from producer Cantina Manzini. The grapes are Aglianico and Montepulciano. The vintage is 2011 and ABV is 14%. In the taste I get red fruits and a berry like feeling. Black currants and soft tannins in the aftertaste. A nice one yet again from Molise.

The next one is a Sangiovese from Tuscany. It is the producer Poggio Nero and earlier on I have tried their Montalicino wines. The vintage is 2014 and the is ABV 13%. In the taste I get red cherries and some black peppar. A nice wine with some smooth tannins.

The third red wine is a Dolcetta D'Alba from Piemonte. I am glad that I found this wine as Dolcettos are hard to find in Sweden as most people go with the Barbera or Barolos. The producer is Bruno Giacosa from Neiva in Piemonte. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 14%. I get a lot red fruits on the noose. Black currants and smooth dry tannins in the first taste. In the after taste I get red cherries. Some viols comes out a bit later. A very good wine.

Now over to the white wines. First up is the Zecci Colleione Classico from producer Piersanti. It is a Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi. No it is time for the vintage 2016. The ABV is 14%. Apples and pears in the taste with some citrus in the end. Quite a strong white wine and very good with food.

The producer Lunae I have tried some wines earlier from and this time it is their Vermentino wine called Etichetta Nera. It is called so since the thing that differs from the other bottle I tried is the label colour. The other I tried is called Etichetta grigia and that label is is gray. The black label is the more prestige label as it is older than the grey label. The vintage is 2016 and ABV is 13%. The Etichetta Nera is very fresh and hits of citrus and grapefruits. Lovely wine.

Last wine is a white wine from France and the region Loire. It is a Vouvray wine from producer Lacheteau and the grape is Chenin Blanc. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 11,5%. A veru good nose and tropical fruits in the taste. Mango, melon and some apples with a lingering citrus. A good white wine.

Older red wines from Italy and Spain

It is quite interesting to try older red wines and this time I have tasted two older red wines and also a younger red wine.

The first older red wine is the Marques De Arienzo Reserva from 2004. This I found at a lower shelf and I had forgotten about it. I think I bought it in 2010 and had been forgotten. It is a rioja wine and it is made of the Temopranillo (85%) and Graciano and Mazuelo (15%). The colour is dark red with a brownish tint indication an older wine.In the nose I get a smell of red and black currants. In the taste if get dark cherries, black currants and some tannins. I think that it has reached maximum maturity and it should be drank right now. As I don't feel that it will increase in complexity. A very good wine but I don't think that it increases so much in complexity by this long aging. 2-4 years of aging is recommended.

The net older wine is a wine that I have tasted before. It is the Les Cretes wine Fumin from Valle D'Aosta. The vintage is 2009 and the ABV is 13%. In the taste I get a dark fruity taste with red sour cherries and some black currants. In the aftertaste I get some viols and oak. I like this wine and it ages very nicely. I think that this wine can be stored maybe for 5 more years.

To finish it off I go with a younger wine from Veneto and it is a Castelforte Appassimento from 2014. The ABV is 14%. In the taste I get red fruits with some spices. A quite easy drinking wine.

Cannonau and Sangiovese

Cannonau is a grape that is grown in Sardinia. It is also known as Grenache. It can give very strong wines. The producer Sella & Mosca is situated ner the town of Alghero in Sardinia. This company was founded maybe 130 years ago. They have a Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva from 2014 with and ABV of 14%. I don't get so much on the nose. The taste is quite strong with some hard tannins. I get some sour cherries, tobacco and spices. This will gain complexity with a few more years of ageing but is good today. Maybe not for people who don't like tannins.

From Tuscany and the town of Montalcino we have the producer Campogiovanni. I have tasted their Rosso di Montalcino from 2015. It consists of 100% Sangioveseand the ABV is 13%. I get red fuits on the nose. The taste is of black currant, red cherries and some smooth tannins. A very good wine.

Montepulciano vs Barbera

Montepulciano is a grape that is grown a lot in Marche in Italy. Producer Garofoli I have tasted several wines from and the latest one is the red wine Pian Carda. It is a wine from 2014 and is made of 100% Monetpulciano grapes. It is matured in oak casks for at least one year before being bottled. It is from the the hills behind Monte Cònero in Marche. I get a lot of red fruits on the nose. In the taste I get red cherries with some tannins and a dry finish. It is decent but nothing special. A good tablewine.

Next up is a Barbera d'Alba from Piemonte and the producer Giovanni Rosso who are situated in Serralunga d'Alba. When I was in Piemonte I visited Serralunga d'Alba and it was a beautiful small village with a magnificent castle.

The view from the castle is amazing and gives a good impression of how the surrounding lands look like.

Just a few kilometers outsude of Serralunga D'Alba Giovanni Rosso has their base in the hamlet of Baudana. Their barbera D'Alba wine is called Donna Margherita and is of the vintage 2014. The ABV is 13%. The taste is of black currants, cherries and some plums with some soft tannins. It is a very good wine and reminds me of my trip to Barolo. Barbera is an under appreciated grape.

Lagrein and Negroamoro, north to south

Lagrein that is grown in Alto Adige (South Tyrol) is my favourite red grape that is grown there. Lagrein gives usually a bit tannic wines with high acidity and low pH.

The producer K. Martini & Sohn makes wine called Gurnzan Rueslhofer and the vintage is 2014. ABV is 13,5% and it consists of 100% Lagrein grapes from near the town of Bolzano. The colour is very dark purple. The taste is of dark cherries with some cloves. A strong taste and some tannins. A very good Lagrein.

From the northern part of Italy to the southern part of Italy, namely Puglia which is the heel of Italy. Here they have several interesting grapes that is grown there and one if called Negroamaro. The wine is called Orfeo from producer Paololeo. The vintage is 2014 and the ABV is 14,5%. The taste is of red bitter cherries, some herbs and then some tannins in the back. A good food wine. This is the second wine I have tasted from this producer and they hold a good quality.

From Montalcino to two new places, Montepulciano and Molise

Tody it is all M, red wine from Montalcino, Montepulciano and Molise.

First up is a red wine from Montalcino in Tuscany, it is the Villa al Cortile Rosso Di Montalcino from 2015 with an ABV of 13,5%. The bottle says the the grapes comes from the south and north slopes of the Montalcino territory. As usual the grapes are 100% Sangiovese Grosso. The taste is of red fruits, red cherries, soft tannins, some liquorice, and a good aftertaste. A good wine.

Next we move to the town of Montepulciano also in Tuscany. It is the wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from producer Poliziano, with the subname Viti nuove. The vintage is 2014 and the ABV is 13,5%. It is made of 85% Prugnolo Gentile and 15% of other grapes such as Colorino and Canaiolo. The Prugnolo Gentile is the name for Sangiovese in Montepulciano. The taste is very spice, some black peppars, black currants and some liquorice. There are some tannins lingering in the aftertaste. Also a good wine.

The last bottle is a red wine from the little known region Molise in Italy. It is called Biferno Rosso Riserva by producer Zengarello. This wine is of the vintage 2011 and the ABV is 14%. The wine is made of the grapes Agliancio and Montepulciano, not to be confused with the town Montepulciano. The taste is of black currants, tobacco and liquorice. The tannins are quite strong. This is a wine that will age very well and I would probably like it even more when it becomes older. A good wine today with some ageing potential.

Three red wines from northern Italy

Back to normal after some very busy weeks.

First red wine is from Alba in Piemonte. It is the Dolcetto D'Alba from producer Orlando Abrigo. The vintage is 13% and the vintage is 2014. The taste is of red berried with black currants with some soft tannins. Nice and good.

Next wine is from Asti, which is in Piemonte just north of Alba. It is a Barbera D'Asti from producer Castello del Poggio. The vintage is 2014 and the ABV is 13%. The taste is of red cherries and some viols. Nice.

The last wine is a Greccio Rosso from Bepin de Eto in Veneto. It is a Bordeaux blend from 2012 consisting of the grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and some Marzemino. the ABV is 15%. The taste is rich and complex. Tobacco and dark fruits. A long aftertaste. Let is open up for an hour before drinking.

Planeta Eruzione 1614

In 1614 the volcano Etna on Sicily in Italy erupted and it lasted for ten years. The winemaker Planeta say that the lavaflows reached the edge of Planetas estates before they stopped. In remebrance of this Planeta has two wine named Eruzione 1614.

The first wine is the red wine Eruzione 1614 made by 100% Nerello Mascalese grapes. The vintage is 2014 and the ABV is 14%. After fermentation the wine is stored in oak barrels for 12 months. The colour is ruby red. The nose is very soft with some red fruits. The taste is of some spices and cherries with some well structured tannins from the oak and a long aftertaste. A very good wine.

The second wine is the white wine Eruzione 1614 made by 90% Carricante and 10% Riesling. The grapes are grown high up and up to 850 above sealevel. The wine is made without the use of any oak barrels. The colour is pale yellow, with almost some green. The nose has some flowers in it. The taste is excellent. It is fresh, apples and minerals. A lovely wine, highly recommended. The only negative thing about this wine is that it tastes so good that it disappears very quickly.

Passito wine from Marche and then to Etna

I don't drink so much sweet wine nowadays unfortunately as some sweet wine is the best wine that can be drunk. The Dorato is a passito wine from Marche and it is produced by Garfoli. It is made 100% Moscato grapes and has the vintage 2013. To make a passito wine the grapes are dried before making the wine. This wine is then matured in wood for six months before bottling. The colour is golden yellow, not as amber as many passito wines has. The smell is very aromatic with fruits and dried fruits. The taste is intense, full of dried apricots and tropical fruits. A very good wine. Not as good as the Pantelleria passitos but it is much cheaper.

Nerello Mascalese is a red grape that is grown in Sicily. For the wine Ciure it has been used to produce a white wine. Terrazze Dell'Etna is the producer and the vintage is 2014. The taste is very good. Minerals, citrus and some apples. I thought I was drinking a Carricante. Highly recommended.

Castello Banfi vs Lungarotti

Castello Banfi is the biggest producer of Brunello di Montalcino wines in Tuscany while Lungarotti is a big producer in Umbria. So here I will try a Brunello versus a cheap normal Umbrian wine from Lungarotti.

I read that Castello Banfi produces 10% of all Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany. The Brunello that I have is from 2008. So nine years of age at this date in 2017. The colour is a bit darker than previous Brunellos that I have had before. The taste is powerful but I am lacking an elegance. Dark cherries and red currants but a lot of tannins and oak. Not yet structured and feels like it would need six to seven more years of ageing. But will it bring elegance? Don't know. Feels like a wine that has been made to please Parker.

The Cadetto from Lungarotti is from 2014 and it only says that it contains traditional Umbrian grapes. Which probably means anything that grows in Umbria and a big possibility that a big part is Sangiovese. This is a much lighter red wine than the Brunello. Easy drinking and a taste of red berries and liquorice. Enjoyable and nice.

In this contest Lungarotti wins a clear victory. The Castello Banfis Brunello is to much tannins and oak for me. I have had much better Brunellos than Castellos Banfis.