Valentino

Paolo Bea

San Valentino Sangiovese Blend 2016

Opened and decanted about an hour prior to service. The 2016 San Valentino is a blend of mostly Sangiovese mixed with some local varieties. It pours a deep ruby purple with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the palate, the wine is developing with fascinating notes of ripe cherry, blackberry, exotic spices, wild underbrush, old leather and rich woody notes, some VA and dried rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ viscosity. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and lovely and despite the concentration of flavors, surprisingly nimble and super versatile with the variety of fare on the table including sturgeon in a miso with noodles (it kinda blew my mind actually). Sublime. Drink now with patience and through 2036. — 4 months ago

Douglas, Tom and 6 others liked this

Cirulli

San Valentino Umbria 2011

Powerful but not overpowering — 4 years ago

Kimberly and Sharon liked this

Azienda Agricola San Valentino

Bacaia Superiore Sangiovese 2018

Lyle Fass
9.2

Bright cherry, cherry flower, spice, licorice, fresh, deep, terrific fruit, long, complex. — 5 years ago

Aravind, Keith and 3 others liked this

Marchesi Antinori

Solaia Annata Diversa Toscana Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc

At Da Valentino with Jingang. Absolutely amazing !!! — a year ago

Cascina Valentino

Roero Arneis 2021

Easy to drink on a Friday night — 2 years ago

Cavit SC Trento (Cantina Viticoltori Soc. Coop. [C.V. S.C.])

Maso S. Valentino Trentino Pinot Nero

Smoked sausage, old lady perfume, leather, cocoa, wet clay, decaying underbrush, blood, red meat, dried red berries, jammy dark fruit.

Grippy m tannins on tongue, rest are soft.
— 4 years ago

Valentino Butussi

Kret Pinot Grigio

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET
9.0

Excellent #pinotgrigio #pinotgris I’m not a Pinot Grigio fan but this has texture and layers. #italywine — 5 years ago

David, Raul and 3 others liked this

A. Rafanelli

Unfiltered Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2009

Something quite magical often happens to Rafanelli Zinfandel after 10+ years of bottle age. I can’t explain it…but these wines begin to take on a more rustic, Old World feel. It’s as if they shift into an overdrive. The fruit is still big, beautiful and pure (no-doubt a testament to their rigorous selection) and yet they can often display a new energy about them which give them remarkable longevity. This bottle is perfectly representative.

Opened to celebrate my daughter’s 14th birthday, the 2009 Rafanelli Zinfandel pours a deep, practically opaque garnet that becomes more turbid the further we delved into the bottle (in typical fashion, this Rafanelli full of sediment). Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, bright cherry and bramble-like fruits, Asian spices, espresso and some black pepper. I do sense a touch of VA. On the palate, the wine is dry and with medium tannin and medium+ acid. The notes from the nose are confirmed…with a bit of added emphasis, it should be noted. There’s almost a Pop Rocks experience too…with the slightest effervescence pricking the tongue. And again, this is something that I would more expect from a non-interventionalist wine from Italy…certainly not from Sonoma. Hot take here…but this bottle reminded me of something from Paolo Bea (San Valentino) more than anything from Sonoma, let alone California. It’s just so wonderful. The finish is long and delivers minutes of pleasure.

As far as I’m concerned, nobody is making Zinfandel with the soul that Rafanelli does and the proof is in the bottle each and every time. Of course, they are delicious when young but with age, these wines become something else. Drink now with a decant (for sediment only) and through 2034.
— 2 years ago

Daniel, Peter and 8 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

Peter van den Besselaar Influencer Badge

Lovely story and congrats

Azienda Agricola San Valentino

Scabi Sangiovese di Romagna Sangiovese 2010

Stoffiger Sangiovese, toller Speisenbegleiter — 6 years ago

Don and FCK liked this