Lunadoro Pagliareto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016

Montepulciano in Tuscany is a place that I just drove by and never had the time to stop and visit unfortunately when I visited Tuscany last time. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a red wine with a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita status produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano, Italy. The wine is made primarily from the Sangiovese grape varietal (known locally as Prugnolo gentile) (minimum 70%), blended with Canaiolo Nero (10%–20%) and small amounts of other local varieties such as Mammolo. The wine is aged for 2 years (at least 1 year in oak barrels). Three years if it is a riserva category.

 Lunadoro is a wine producer in Montepulciano and the vineyards is situated in Valiano. Their wine Lunadoro Pagliareto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016 is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes and has an ABV of 14,5%. The wine is stored in oak barrels for 24 months before being bottled. The barrels used are French oak barriques.

In the nose I get a lot of red fruits.The taste of cherry, black currants, oak and some leather with pepper at the end. In the beginning quite closed as it need some air to open up. But after some time in the glass the taste is integrated and quite complex. Quite a strong wine which will benefit from a couple of more years of ageing before drinking. A very good wine now for me but with a couple of years more in the bottle it would be an excellent wine.

LVNAE, Auxo and etichetta grigia

Cantina Lunae is a wine producer from Liguria in Italy. Earlier on I have tried only their Vermentino but this time I have tried also their red wine Auxo. Their wineyards are in the Colli di Luni. This is in the eastern corner of Liguria bordering Tucany.

The Auxo red wine is from the Colli di Luni DOC. It is a mix of the grapes Sangiovese, Cillegio and caniolo. The wine rests ten days on the skin before fermentation. After the fermentation the wine is stored six months in large oak barrels. The ABV is 13% and the vintage is 2017. This is a lighter fruiter wine with a lots of red cherry and a hint of strawberry and red currant. Very nice.

And then it is tie again to try their Vermentino wine Etichetta Grigia of the vintage 2018. This wine is still excellent. Such a good combination of fruit and acidity and is still my favourite Vermentino wine.

Rosenberg, Cantina di Ruscio, red wines from Marche

Rosenberg wines is a wine importer that imports wines from Italy to Sweden. It started when the Rosenbergs bought a villa in Marche and they discovered the wines of the winery Cantino di Ruscio. Marche is not a region which I have written so much about. Marche is situated along the coast with Emilia-Romagna above and Abruzzo below and on the west side it has a long border with Umbria.

In this blogpost I will focus on the red wines that Rosenberg imports to Sweden. For the second part I will focus on the white wines. The red wine grapes used in Marche are normally Sangiovese and Montepulciano. Rosenberg imports wines that either falls into the denominations Marche Rosso and Rosso Piceno. The Rosso Piceno has the following rules. It has to contain 35-85% Montepulciano and 15-50% Sangiovese and up to 15% other authorized red wine grapes.

The winery Cantino Di Ruscio is family owned and has been producing wine since the fifties. It is situated in Campofilone in Marche.

I have tried three red wines from Rosenberg. The first wine is Rosenberg Marche Rosso 2017 with an ABV of 14%. The grapes are 50% Montepulciano and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has been aged for 12 months in oak barrels and the at least six months in the bottle. This is quite  heavy wine with a dry finish. In the taste I get sour cherry, liquorice, violet and some oak. This is an excellent food wine and I wonder how it will do with a couple of more years of ageing.

The next wine is the Rosso piceno 2019 with an ABV of 13,5%. This is a nice red fruity red wine. Taste of red cherry, black currants and plum with some tannins at the end. Lighter than the previous wine but very good.

The last red wine is the wine Rosso Piceno del Poeta 2017 with an ABV of 14%. I have no information about the grape blend for this wine except that it should be a majority Sangiovese and Montepulciano grapes. This is a quite dry and stringent wine. Taste of black currant, plum and oak. Quite a lot of tannins at the end leaving a dry finish. Goes very well with food.

Three good red wines from Rosenberg wines with different characters. For the next blog post will be three white wines from Rosenberg Wines.

Casal Thaulero, Sangiovese Terre Di Chieti

 A month ago I tasted a Montepulciano D'Abruzzo from the producer Casal Thaulero in the region of Abruzzo in Italy. This time it is a Sangiovese Terre Di Chieti from the same producer. Cantina Casal Thaulero takes its name from the small town of Casal Thaulero (TE) where the hills of Abruzzo meet the Adriatic Sea. In 1961 some winemakers joined together and developed a cooperative winery to produce and export Abruzzo wines to the world. 

 The wine Borgo Thaulero is a Sangiovese wine. The vintage is 2019 and ABV is 13%. This is a light fresh easy drinking wine. A lot of red cherry with some black currant and some plum with some tannins at the end. A decent wine.

Three red wines from Italy

 The first red wine is the the wine Nur from the Sardinian producer Sardus Pater of the vintage 2017. This wine is made Carignano grapes, also known as Carignan in French. It is from the DOC Carignano Del Sulcis in Sardinia. This is a very fruity red wine with cherry, jam and some tannins at the back which leaves you with a dry finish. Very good.

The next wine is from the region of Marche in Italy, it is called Il Segreto and is made by Sangiovese grapes. The vintage is 2017. This is a wine which is specially bottled for Sweden by Poggio Fiore. It is a nice heavy Sangiovese with a taste of red cherry, coffee and vanilla. Probably some newer oak casks have been used for this wine. 

The last wine is a Montepulciano D'Abruzzo called Miravigna from producer Casal Thaulero. The vintage is 2019. This is a youthful Montepulciano with a taste of red cherry, plum and some tannins. It is slightly spicy. Very good and nice.

Four Sangiovese wines from Umbria and Tuscany

Time to catch up on some new vintages from some producers that I like.

First up is Lungarotti from Umbria in Italy. Their wine Rubesco is made from mostly Sangiovese grapes and some colorino grapes from the Torgiano area in Umbria. Compared to the 2015 and 2016 vintages  the 2018 vintage has more red berries and less black currant. A very good Sangiovese.

Antonellis Rosso di Montefalco is of the vintage 2012 and I have stored it for five years. The grapes used are 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Montepulciano. In the taste I get a lot of red cherry and some sour cherry with black currants and some tannins. This red wine can handle several years of ageing very well. Still well structured and quite powerful.


For the next two wines we move from Umbria and travel to Tuscany. Forst up is the Cold D'Orcia 2018 Rosso di Montalcino. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes. This is a quite a multifaceted wine.  Red cherry and red currants first on the taste followed by blask currants and tannins in the back. Quite a long aftertaste. A very good expression of a Rosso Di Montalcino.

Last up is the Chianti Classico wine from Terreno of the vintage 2017. It is made from Sangiovese grapes and a little Merlot grapes. In the taste I get red cherry, red currant and some violet. Some smooth tannins in the back. Better than the 2013 vintage.

 

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.

Bocale Montefalco Rosso and Villa Poggio Salvi Caspagnolo

Bocale is a producer in Montefalco, Umbria. The Valentini family created the Bocale winery in 2002. This winery produces several different wines such a Sagrantino di Montefalco and Montefalco Rosso. For their Montefalco Rosso the following grapes are used, 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot and 5% Colorino. The ABV is 15% and the vintage is 2017. The wine is aged in Bottis and Barriques for 12 months before being bottled. In the taste I get black pepper, dark sour cherry, some blackberry and tannins. Very well integrated and the taste is very good. Yet again a wine from Montefalco delivers. And as always I would recommend to visit Umbria, one of the hidden gems of Italy.

The next wine is the wine Caspagnolo from producer Villa Poggio Salvi. This wine is from the Chianti Colli Sienesi. I have tasted one wine from Villa Poggio Salvi earlier and that was their Brunello di Montalcino. So it will be interesting to see how a non Brunello tastes. This is a Chianti wine and the grape composition is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. This is a nice light red wine. I get cherry, some strawberry and some tannins in the end. Very good and it looks like Villa Poggio Salvi delivers all across the board.

Brunato il Cocco, 2005

Brunato il Cocco is a red wine from Tuscany in Italy. It was made by the producer Bindi Giacamo at Azienda Agraria Il Cocco. It is made of 100% Sangiovese grapes and the vintage that I have tried is 2005. So it is 15 years old and that is quite an age for a wine. It was stored for six months in Acacia woodbefore being bottled. The colour is a lovely reddish brown. This is the colour that Sangiovese gets when ageing for many years. I get a taste of red currant and black currants with some spicy notes in the back. Holds very well together after 15 years in the bottle. A nice example of a well aged Sangiovese.

Col D'Orcia, Brunello di Montalcino 2012

This is the second time I try a Brunello di Montalcino from the producer Col D'Orcia. The last time vintage was 2010 and now it is the vintage 2012. Col D'Orcia is an organic winery in Montalcino and for the ageing of their brunellos they use large slavonian oak barrels. They keep the wine in barrels for three years before bottling it and they keep the bottles for one year before being sold to the public. It is made of 100% Sangiovese.

The taste is of red currants and black currants with some tobacco and light tannins. Very elegant and very good. Reminds me of the 2010 vintage but a bit stronger. Highly recommended.

Three red wines from Italy

The producer Mandrarossa in Sicily produces many different wines. One of them is Costadune, this is made of 100% Nero D'Avola. This grape is a grape that is completely red throughut, many red grapes only has a red skin. This grape is mostly grown in Sicily and has during the last years shown to produce good red wines and not just simple table wine. The Costadune wine is from 2017 and has the ABV 13,5%. The taste is of red currants, som red cherry with some spice and tannins and acidity. Goes down quite well and is a nice easy drinking wine.

Next red wine is the wine Rosso Di Montalcino from producer Col D'Orcia in Tuscany. It is made of 100% Sangiovese grapes. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 14%.  In the taste I get a big hit of sour cherry, some leather, black currant with tannins on the finish. A great food wine.

The last wine is a red wine from Valpolicella from producer Tenute Falezze. It is a Valpolicella Superiore wine from 2016. It contains the grapes Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta. This is a beautiful delicate red. Very elegant taste with cherry, licorice, with some viol and cassis. A wonderful Valpolicella.

Vindia, a rosso Toscano from Corte Di Valle

Corte Di Valle is a wine producer in Tuscany but they also is an agroturisimo and produce such products as Saffron and olive oil. They are situated right in the middle of the Greve in Chianti area in Tuscany. The wine I have tasted is their Vindia wine of the vintage 2011 so this wine has been stored for quite a long time before being released. It is a Rosso Toscano IGT since it contians 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It is aged for 12-14months in French barrels before being aged in the bottle.
This wine has a lovely smell with with some spice and red berries. In the taste I get black currants, dark cherry with some spice and tannins in the back. Quite a long aftertaste. Quite a complex wine that has aged well. An excellent wine.

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.

Red wine from Cantina Lavis, Casisano and Rosset

This time I try three red wines from Alto Adige, Tuscany and Vallé d'Aoste. First up is the wine Lagrein from Cantina Lavis. It is made of 100% Lagrein grapes, the vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 13%. Very dark ruby colour. Almost an earthy red fruits smell. On the taste I get blueberries and some plum with some leather notes and viols. A very nice wine.

Next is a Rosso di Montalcino called Casisano from the producer Tommasi. The grape is Sangiovese, the vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 13%. Red fruit on the nose. In the taste black currant, cherries and some tannins. I get some mushrooms in the aftertaste. A nice complex rosso di Montalcino.

Last is a red wine from the small province of Valle d'Aosta from the producer Rosset. It is a wine made with 100% Cornalin grapes. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 12%. In the taste I get viols, red currants and some acidity. A nice Cornalin.

Two red wines from Adanti in Montefalco

Cantina Adanti is a family owned winery near Montefalco in Umbria, Italy. This winery started in the sixties and nowadays they own 40 hectars of land of which 30 is used for vineyards. They make several wines, both red and white wines. When I visited Umbria in 2016 I bought several of their wines typical of the region. One each of their Montefalco Rosso, and Montefalco Rosso Riserva. Both of these winetypes must contain 60-70% Sangiovese, 10-15% Sagrantino and the rest of the grapes can be any red grape variety. For the Montefalco Rosso it must be aged for 18 months before being sold, while for the riserva it has to be stored for 30 months being sold with at least 12 months in wood.

First up is the Montefalco Rosso from 2011. It has an ABV of 14,5%. It has the following grape composition: 70% sangiovese, 15% sagrantino, 5% barbera, 5% merlot, 5% cabernet. This is a rich red wine with some strong tannins. In the taste I have cherries, some earthy notes and rich black currants. Very good but you need some strong food with it.

Next up is the Montefalco Rosso Riserva from 2011 with an ABV of 14,5%. It has the following grapes: 70% sangiovese, 15% sagrantino, 15% merlot. On the nose a lot of cherry. The taste is of dark cherry and some black currant with some plum and some lingering tannins. Very good and feels very elegant. I could have mistaken this for a very good Brunello in a blind tasting. This is a wine which would have been fun to have 12 bottles of and drink one each year just to follow the progress of the wine.

Two very good wines from Cantina Adanti. Both highly recommended.

Ciu Ciu, four wines from Ciu Ciu

Ciu Ciu is a big producer fro Marche in Italy and I have tried four of their wines. Two white wines and two red ones. Let us start with the red wines of which the first is a Sangiovese based wine called Ciu Ciu Limitato Sangiovese. In the taste I get red fruit with some coffee and some black currant. A nice red but nothing special.
Next one is called Piceno Bachus. This is from 2016 and has an ABV of 13,5%. This wine consists of the grapes Sangiovese and Montepulciano. It is a very good mix of these grapes. I get dark cherries with some plums and some earthy notes and with some oak in the back. Much better than the Limitato.

Next up is two different white wines from Ciu Ciu. First one is the wine Merlettaie Offida from 2016 with an ABV of 13,5%. This consists of 100% Pecorino grapes. This is quite an austere white wine and the taste if of apple and some minerals. It is very dry and I would say that this is a food wine.

The last wine is the the white wine Falerio Oris from 2016 and the ABV 13%. The grapes are Pecorino and Passerina with some Trebbiano. In the taste I get some pear, acidity (citrus) and some minerals. A very good white wine. The best wine of this tasting.

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.

Three Sangiovese from Italy

Three different Sangiovese blends from three different regions in the central Italy wine growing regions. Let's start with the northern most region which is Emilia-Romagna. Here the producer Nespoli makes a Romagna Sangiovse Superiore Riserva wine made of 100% Sangiovese grapes. The vintage is 2013 and the ABV is 13,5%. I find this wine to be very full bodied oaky wine with a taste of tobacco and dark cherries. A very good wine which will become better with a couple of years storage.

Next we move south to Tuscany and the wine la Bestia Governo which are made from the grapes Sangiovese and Colorino. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 14%. I get red fruits on the nose and the taste is of red cherries, vanilla and some coffee. A nice rich fruity wine. Almost ripasso like in the style.

The last wine we find in Tuscany's south eastern neighbour Umbria. The Montefalco Rosso from producer Arnaldo Caprai I have tried before but this time it is their new vintage from 2016. It consists of 70% Sangiovese grapes, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon. It is strong with cherries with spice and tannins. Almost tastes like the 2015 vintage but I think that this vintage won't get much better with storage, very good to drink right now.

Umbria, the region of good red wines

Umbria in Italy may not be that known but it is a very good wine producing wine region. Beautiful landscapes and the rolling green hills and not so many tourists.

Several of the wines I review here I have tried earlier but there are some new vintages for sale.

First up is a lighter red wine from the producer Lungarotti in Torgiano. It is a Rosso di Torgiano DOC wine consisting of Sangiovese and Colorino grapes. The vintage is 2012 and the ABV is 13,5%.  I get red fruits on the nose. Cherries and black currants in the taste with soft smooth tannins that linger in the mouth. This one is better than the 2015 vintage that I have tried. This is a wine that gains by storing it for a couple of years. A wine that is very good year from year.

Next up is Arnaldo Caprais Rosso di Montefalco of the vintage 2015. Now it has been stored for another year so let's see how it is. The ABV is 2015 it is a combination of Sagrantino, Sangiovese and some Merlot grapes. This wine is strong with cherries, tannins and spices. It could be stored for several more years before drinking. A good wine now and will last for several more years in the cellar. The vintage 2016 is now available to buy.

The third wine is from producer Sportoletti and this wine focuses on the international grape varieties merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. the grape blend is as the following: Merlot 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, Cabernet Franc 10%. The name is Villa Fidelia Rosso and the grapes are grown on the Spello and Assisi hills. The ABV is 15%. This is quite a heavy wine. Strong taste with tobacco, dark cherries and black currants. Should be stored a couple of more years before drinking.  After aerating the wine it got smoother and more black currants. This confirms that this wine should be stored for a longer time. A good wine today and will be even better in a few years time.

Brunello Di Montalcino and onwards to Umbria

It is always good to taste a Brunello di Montalcino and I do it too seldom. This bottle from producer Bartoli Giusti I bought myself when I was in Montalcino in 2016.

It is a Brunello di Montalcino from 2011 and the ABV is 14%. The grape is 100% Sangiovese which is grown on a height of 300 meters. In the taste I get cherries, some black currants and liquorice with well structured tannins. The taste lingers in the mouth afterwards. A well structured wine and a bit lighter than I expected.

From Tuscany I go to the green neighbour Umbria. Here the producer Cantina Monte Vibiano is a new acquaintance. They are situated near Perugia and they are also have eliminated greenhouse gas emission in their production of wine. Their red wine Villa Monte Vibiano is a younger Sangiovese majority blend which are produced from the younger Sangiovese grapes in their vineyard. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. This wine has a good red fruity nose. In the taste I get red cherries, red currants and some soft tannins. A younger wine but a good Sangiovese based blend.