Italian Wines - The Last Three

The Italian tasting ended with three wines not available for immediate purchase.  If one wanted these wines it was necessary to order them.  Two were remarkable and one wasn't entirely Italian.


First was Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso from the 2006 vintage.  This wine from Tuscany is a varietal Cabernet Franc.  It was unlike any Cab Franc I've tasted before.  The color was unique  in that it was a medium red with orange highlights to it.  There were sharp tart cherries in the nose and an unmistakable dose of Tuscan soil.  The taste was tart cherries with great acid and great, dry earth.  The depth of the flavor was amazing as the wine just  filled the mouth with wonderful tastes.  There was a healthy dose of tannin, both grape and oak.  The finish was the longest of any wine of the day.   This was truly a class wine and one I could drink again.  At $125 a bottle that won't be happening any time soon.

The next wine was also from the 2006 vintage, Vinosia Vigna Marzicanale from Campania.  The wine was a single vineyard Aglianico,  The wine was almost black in color.  The nose was a good clue as to what was coming as it smelled of the darkest, most ripe plums imaginable mixed in with blackberries.   The flavors were intense and highly extracted.  The wine had a sweet mouth feel without being over  done.  Full and rich and yet with a good dose of acid.  The amazing thing was that the wine finished very dry with good tannin and acid.  Quite an impressive wine.  At $45 it was a little pricey for an Aglianico, but that didn't stop me from ordering two. 

These were easily the best two wines of the day and a great way to finish.

The third wine was only partly Italian.  The wine was a 2002 Movia Veliko Rosso.  The vineyard straddles the Italian /  Slovenian border, with the majority of the vineyard being in Slovenia.  The wine was a blend of Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, a strange blend that worked for this wine.  Dark fruit, black cherries, good acid, moderate tannins and a long finish made for a more than pleasant drink.  This wine was decanted from a double magnum.  A regular bottle is $29.  It was a unique experience but it suffered by coming after the two previous wines.

It was a very interesting tasting and now there are a few new and different wines in the cellar.