Tenuta di Vaira
Caccia al Palazzo Bolgheri Vermentino 2024
The best Vermentino so far.
This one has the floral essences I've come to expect of Tuscan Vermentino but it also has an earthy depth mixed with a lemon custardness that I haven't seen until now. I've heard it described of other wines as 'sweet mushrooms'. That plus the smell of the sea.
On the pallette it's distinctly salty (unless that's the ocean air on my lips?) and has the most rounded, soft acids, but not flabby at all, taught and racy but with an elegant and refined edges. — 17 days ago
Castello di Ama
Riserva Montebuoni Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2019
This didn't upload properly with my notes but I'm liking these Sangiovese's with a 4-5% blend of Merlot - it rounds them out and makes them more approachable because you can't pair with a wild boar ragout pasta every night of the week.
€65 Tourist resto price — 24 days ago
Chalmers
Mother Block Red Blend 2022
I have a feeling that this varies year to year but tbhs Aussie '22 oddball blend at $16 a bottle is a great table wine.
A simple approachable blend of red and black fruits on the nose. The Nero D'Avola is the only thing I can pick out as familiar.
Mouth feel is good - rounded and balanced with medium acids and medium tannins. A wine that offends no one but wows no one. Like I said - a perfect table red. — 10 days ago
Marchesi Antinori
Tenuta Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Vermentino 2024
Has Vermentino fallen out of favour with Italians and is being replaced by a taste for Chardonnay?
Maybe but I don't want to believe it yet.
On hot summer days there is not much more refreshing than a well chilled glass of Vermentino. Chilled is a must - it still has enough oomph in the nose to release its floral essence. Once it comes up to room temp it can be overwhelmingly perfumey IMHO. Good acid balance.
I'm pretty convinced that you can trust anything from Fontori to be a solid choice. — 19 days ago
Dubost
The Glenrose Vineyard Roussanne 2021
Best served at red wine temp
Nose is kind of musty. Is that mousy?
Under that there is some interesting spice concoction - cinnamon, cardamom, white pepper. Fresh tobacco leaves and coconut tanning lotion. Was this in American oak?
On the tongue there's a little acridness. Like biting into fresh cut oak. Also some nice things there like white peach.
Interesting to try once but not something that you would want to repeat.
8.8 — 11 days ago
Spiriti del Bosco
Vermut S. Spirito
Taste this and you will understand what Vermouth/Vermut/Vermutti used to be and why there were bars dedicated to the drink before it became the sad mixer of vodka and gin it is today.
I'm a sucker for back stories and the recipe for this one was found recently written down by another ancient vermouth producer Florence centuries ago. When the son of this distillery took over he decided to try to make it and what an amazing job he did. There are so many components and layers between the florals and bitters and perfect sweet/sour balance of this I need a lot more than one glass to sort it all out. Now I'm on the hunt for a bottle.
Some of the magical ingredients: calamus, holy thistle, juniper, iris and rhubarb — 20 days ago
Frescobaldi
Pomino Castello Pomino 2023
Sadly This is no longer Trebbiano and Malvasia. Now it's 90% Chard and 10 % Pinot Grigio.. The Frescobaldi house pulled out all of their Malvasia and Trebbiano due to climate change (and Pomino is among the highest altitude growing regions of Tuscany) - and replaced those vines with these more hardy and more boring varieties.
Interesting that they kept the same exact name and label, but I guess it's all still accurate?
This also very sadly means no more Vin Santo.
Times they are a changing. — 22 days ago
Seth Masterson
Light bouquet of dried red and black fruits, potpourri. Not very complex.
The mouth feel is wonderful, there's a softness and cohesiveness that isn't expected.
Nice finish with touches of leather — 7 days ago