2006 Piero Costantini Villa dei Preti Frascati Superiore D. O. C. Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Frascati is a wine made in the vicinity of Rome, in the province of Lazio (or Latium), where a town named Frascati dates to perhaps the seventh century. It’s home to Europe’s first free public school, founded in 1616, and home to numerous villas that were built by Roman nobility. The wine that bears its name is often thought of as insipid and uninteresting, but many years ago at VinItaly, I attended a dinner that featured Frascati, and confronted a yards-long table covered with sundry examples from a wide variety of producers. The flavor profile of Frascati is narrow, but these wines showed amazing variety within that narrow profile, and the dinner proved their wide-ranging food companionability. This example is a medium-bodied dry white wine with a medium gold color. The aromas reveal intense evolved yellow stone fruit, with a touch of almond. On the palate, intense well-developed yellow fruit flavors are mouth filling and provocative, with minerals and a delectable almond note that adds interest and character. Grape types: Malvasia di Candia 40%, Malvasia del Lazio 40%, Bombino Cacchione Trebbiano Grechetto 20%. The Villa de Preti is a small (two hectares) estate. Serve moderately chilled, about 55ºF/13ºC, in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: potato gnocchi with cream sauce and fresh herbs; pasta with garlic and smoked mozzarella; shrimp sautéed with garlic, butter and white wine; breast of chicken gremolata (lemon zest and garlic) with mashed potatoes; bacalao fritters; aroncini (deep-fried rice balls); deep-fried calamari with lemon aioli; baked fish with garlic, olive oil and bread crumbs, sushi or sashimi, fresh cheeses. Georgia Distributor: Vinifera $21.00 2006 Principi di Porcia Villa di Azzano Tocai Italico DOC Friuli Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 88 Tasting Note: A full-bodied dry white wine, this wine will soon have to be produced without the use of the word “Tocai” as the Hungarian wine producers have successfully gotten the European Union to reserve that term for its superb legendary sweet wine. The grape will be called simply “Friulano” in the future, as it’s grown in the northeastern provinces of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. As this wine matures in the bottle, its color deepens to a medium gold, and its fruit becomes a medley of yellow stone fruits that have been allowed to dry and deepen in flavor. On the nose, aromas of dried yellow stone fruits—apricots especially—pick up a hint of wet straw and spice. A complex, deeply flavored palate of yellow fruits adds a certain stony minerality. Serve just moderately cool, about 60ºF/15ºC, in tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: potato gnocchi with garlic, herbs and cream sauce; pasta with smoked mozzarella, garlic and olive oil; chicken salad with yellow fruits; sautéed full-bodied fish (fresh cod, halibut) with olive oil and garlic; baked scallops with piped mashed potatoes; rich but mild semi-firm cheeses, such as Caccio di Roma. Georgia Distributor: Bacco Fine Wine $15.00 2007 Donnafugata Sicilia Anthilia Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 88 Tasting Note: Exploring the wines of Sicily takes one down a different path in terms of the grapes one encounters in wines and in terms of the foods one might pair with them. This example shows an intense, floral, aromatic character with a slight scent of honey on the nose, and on the palate displays evolved fruit focused on peach/pear/plum characters. A chalky minerality infuses the wine, adding to its complexity. A Sicilian classic, Anthìlia blends taste and an appealing mouthfeel. The bottle’s image references the flight of a woman, the meaning of the title “donna fugata.” Grapes: Ansonica 50% and Catarratto 50%. Sometimes other grapes play a role, according to the vintage. Very nice value. Serve moderately cool, about 55-60ºF/13-15ºC, in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses. Foods; crab and red pepper pâté; smoked trout pâté (and probably other smoked fish as well); halibut with mustard bread crumbs; baccalà salad; dishes with saffron (such as risotto ai frutti di mare, or seafood risotto) Georgia Distributor: United Distributors $14.00 2007 Mario Giribaldi Gavi di Gavi Piemonte Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Aromatic and medium-full-bodied, this dry white wine shows a medium straw color. On the nose, the scent of wet stone (suggesting the minerals to come) and a hint of anise make a fine introduction. The palate takes over with evolved fruit, minerals, fresh herbs, and a hint of bitter almond. Complex and beautifully structured, with luscious acidity that pushes the fruit through the finish, this is a classic. Grape type: Cortese. Enjoy now. Don’t let this get too cold, about 60ºF/15ºC in medium-sized tulip-shaped white-wine glasses. Foods: Oh my, where do I start? Rich dishes. Crab-and-red pepper pâté with plain crackers; pasta with shrimp and creamy basil sauce; baked shellfish with butter and herbs; crumbed simple fish (flounder, cod) baked with butter and garlic; poached chicken in cream sauce; sautéed soft-shell crab; gnocchi with butter, herbs and freshly grated Parmesan; baccalà fritters; braised veal cheeks with cream; chicken breasts or thighs baked with caramelized onions; creamy, mild cheeses Georgia Distributor: Bacco Fine Wine $22.00 2005 Catarina Zardini Catarina Zardini Valpolicella Classico Superiore Verona Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Valpolicella ranks second after Chianti in total DOC wine production. But typically it’s a light, quaffable pleasant wine. So if you’re accustomed to Valpolicella or the ordinary sort, we have an alternative for you! This full-bodied deep purple red dry wine is a handsome piece of work. Still young and tightly wound, it shows luscious fruits and a hint of graham cracker and spice in the nose. Supple tannins and rich, red fruits occupy the palate’s attention as good acidity keeps the fruit pushing through a long, mouth-watering close with a bang of cherry at the end. Here’s a keeper, likely for the next five years if well cellared, depending on how much age you like on your wines. Valpolicella is an agricultural zone surrounding Verona. Grapes: Corvina and Corrinone Veronese, 60%; Rondinella 40%. Serve at cool room temperature, about 65ºF/17ºC, in large tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: Textured terrines; pastas with garlic and rich cheeses or with game meat sauces or with oxtail meat; cured meats; braised red meat; grilled pork chop with sweet potatoes; grilled ham steak; roast or grilled duck with dark red fruits; roasted vegetables; semi-firm rich cheeses, such as Caccio di Roma; dark chocolate. Georgia Distributor: Unique World Wines $25.00 2005 Cantina Pappucci Alter Ego IGT Umbria Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: It’s such a delight to watch the aromas emerge and develop in the glass with this wine, which comes from Umbria, a region in central Italy with its capital at Perugia. This full-bodied dry red wine shows an intense, deep, dark color, and presents aromas of spice and fresh dark fruits, especially plum with a hint of cinnamon. On the palate, the dark fruits are framed by serious tannins, assuring the wine’s usefulness with rich foods. Fruit, acidity and tannins are beautifully balanced, and the long finish is clean and tannic. Grape type: Sagranto, which is a very tannic grape native to Umbria, and a dab of Merlot. For that reason, the wine is I.G.T. (D.O.C.G. designation would require 100% Sagranto, which used to be made as a dessert wine.) A handsome wine. Serve around 65ºF/17ºC in tulip-shaped glasses. Begin in stainless steel, the wine then is aged in French oak. A good candidate for cellaring 5-8 years from vintage. Foods: smooth foie gras mousse or pâté rather than coarser terrines; gamier meats such as lamb or duck breast seasoned with five spice powder and sauced with dried cherries or other dried dark fruits and caramelized onions; Cornish hen grilled and brushed with dark fruit glaze; aged firm cheeses; dark chocolate (hubba!) Georgia Distributor: Bacco Fine Wine $45.00 2004 Icardi Brachetto Suri Vigin Piemonte Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 94 Tasting Note: One of the most delightful Italian wines is a low-alcohol, light-bodied sparkling wine with expressive, vibrant fruit and a moderate sweetness, Brachetto. Grown in the Piedmont, it displays a bright, translucent, ruby red color and a light effervescence. In this example, alcohol hits only 6.5%. Rose petals and raspberries define the aromas, while on the palate sweet red raspberry fruit completes the experience. Straightforward and uncomplicated, it’s meant to be enjoyed rather easily without much discussion, and may serve as an aperitif wine or as a dessert wine. The finish is clean, long and sweet. These are meant to be drunk fresh and young, so do not cellar. Serve chilled, about 50ºF/10ºC, in tall flutes. Foods: Creamy, mild cheeses (gorgonzola dolce); burrata with ham; strawberries, red raspberries and red cherries, fresh or dipped in dark chocolate; dark chocolate. Georgia Distributor: Vinifera $20.00 2003 Veglio Barolo Piemont Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 94 Tasting Note: Made from the Nebbiolo grape, Barolo is the king of Italian noble red wines. Yet it’s not a blockbuster” in the California Cabernet sense. Instead, it’s gentle tannins, medium body and intriguing dusty dried-cherry aromas, spices and flavors compel one to enjoy a meal. This medium-bodied wine shows a limpid, translucent garnet red color, while the palate follows through with well-evolved dark and red fruits hinting at dried cranberries. Well-composed, well-knit, beautifully structured, and altogether gorgeous in the glass, the wine is classically Italian. Fruit is restrained, not forward. One would never mistake it for a California red wine. Veglio Michelino & Figlio is a small, family-owned and –operated vineyard in Piemonte. Serve moderately cool, about 65ºF/17ºC, in large tulip-shaped glasses. A keeper if well cellared, this one could go on for another decade. This is an astounding value in an expensive genre. One of the most food-companionable wines, it deserves pairing with uncomplicated dishes so that dining focuses on the wine: black olives; terrines; rosemary brochette of chicken livers; roast chicken; pasta dishes with meat sauces; game; duck; grilled pork chop; veal roast, roast turkey; roasted vegetable medley; eggplant dishes; firm, aged cheeses (Piave Nudo Stravecchio, for instance). Georgia Distributor: Bacco Fine Wine $32.00 2006 Enzo di Sette Rue Nero d’Avola I.G.T. Silcilia Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 87 Tasting Note: Nero d’Avola means “black of Avola,” which is a small town in southeastern Sicily. It may well be Sicily’s most popular red wine grape. Some are made as big, full-bodied wines that have some aging potential, while others are made in a more youthful style designed for near-term consumption. This example follows that latter pattern, as it’s a medium-bodied, deeply colored red wine that offers aromas of sweet dark fruits and spice. The finish picks up a bit of vanilla, from the Slovenian oak in which its aged. Sweet fruit tannins and an easy-on-the-palate texture make for a wine that’s a good introduction for anyone approaching red wines for the first time. That fruit sweetness allows the wine to pair well with spice. Grape type: Nero d’Avola. Serve moderately cool, about 60ºF/15ºC, to enhance the fruit, and enjoy in large tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: Peppered dry salami; meat terrines; red meats, whether roasted or grilled; pastas with vegetable or meat sauces; vegetable dishes, dark (64% cacao) chocolate (very nice). Georgia Distributor: Ultimate Distributors 2005 Tenuta I Quaranta Asia Barbera d’Asti Peimonte Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: This is a full-bodied Barbera, with a deep ruby-red color, a spicy dark fruit aroma, and a lively, tangy acid core, typical of the grape, that runs right through the fruit, ensuring a long finish and a delicious fruit-filled close. As the wine opens, the aromas develop a cinnamon candy-candied apple nose. Silky, smooth tannins frame the fruit. Grape type: Barbera. Excellent, really, and a supremely fine value. Serve somewhat cool, about 60ºF/15ºC, in tall tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: Likes earthy, full-flavored, somewhat rustic dishes, such as pasta salad with smoked mozzarella, garlic and cream; rough-textured terrines (rather than smooth pâtés); smoked meats and chicken; white beans (cannelini) with tomato and garlic; meatballs with mushrooms and tomato; chicken cacciatore; creamy blue cheese (gorgonzola dolce); dark chocolate. Georgia Distributor: Ultimate Distributing $17.00 2004 Fattoria Fibbiano Ceppatella IGT Tuscany Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: A full-bodied dry red wine with an opaque, garnet-toned, dark ruby red color, this is unmistakably a classic Italian wine. Aromas start with plenty of spice—cinnamon and clove—and dark fruits, all of which carry through on the palate. The tannins are firm, fruit-sourced and likely to integrate well with the wine as it’s aired in a decanter or given more time in the bottle. Grape type: Sangiovese 90%; Colorino 10%. . An excellent food wine, it should be served cool, about 60-65ºF/15-17ºC, in generous tulip-shaped red-wine glasses. Definitely cellar material, for at least another half dozen years if well cellared. Foods galore: terrine of duck/pork; cured meats; game meats; salamis; smoked liverwurst; roast pork loin or tenderloin with mushrooms; braised pork belly, lamb; grilled or roast duck; stews, mature rich cheeses. Georgia Distributor: Choice Brands $40.00 2006 Castel Sole Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico D.O.C. Le Marche Review Date - 4/1/2009 Score - 89 Tasting Note: The Marshes, or Marche, are one of Italy’s 20 regions. East of Umbria, the Marche lie on the Adriatic and north of Abruzzo. Verdicchio, meaning a little green, denotes the greenish gold color that’s typical of the grape, including this example. Verdicchio grapes also may be used for sparkling and straw wine (passito), and when well structured can age a decade. This example shows the characteristic good acidity and nuttiness associatead with the grape. On the nose, the nuttiness and fruit characters meld seamlessly, while the palate shows fresh yellow fruits with a slight bitter almond note in the end. Medium- full-bodied, the wine has a clean, mouthwatering acid vein that runs from start to long finish. The palate holds on to the flavors for several minutes. If you plan to cellar some of this, do so at very cool temperatures, about 50-55ºF/10-13ºC, which also is its best serving temperature. Use a medium-sized tulip-shaped glass. Lots of foods will pair well with this wine: light antipasti; creamy pastas with pesto and seafood; risotto with seafood and saffron; chicken braised with onions and stock; butternut squash ravioli with butter and fresh herbs; grilled chicken apple sausage; veal or chicken stew; chicken salad with yellow fruits. Georgia Distributor: Wines to Treasure $14.00