This Saturday afternoon I attended a wine tasting at Italian Wine Merchants wine shop which not surprisingly, specializes in Italian wines. The store is located on 108 East 16th street in Manhattan. They host a wine tasting every Saturday afternoon and since I know they pour good juice I decided to treat myself and attend. It was their “mini grand tasting” and the event was open to the public. A walk-around tasting featuring seventeen wines from Italy, France and Spain. As usual, they served excellent bread, cheeses and salumi to nibble on.
Sparkling & Whites
2011 Raventós I Blanc Brut Rosé De Nit (Penedes). I always start with a glass of something sparkly and I like cava, this was pale copper in color with a floral and light earth on the nose with strawberry fruit on the crisp finish.
NV De Concilis “Selim” Spumante (Campania). Don’t see too many sparklers from Campania, a blend of Fiano and Aglianico it was pale yellow with rubber band notes on the nose with cotton candy on the finish. Not my favorite.
2011 Raffaele Palma “Puntacroce” Bianco (Campania). From grapes grown on the Amalfi Coast DOC, gold in color with floral notes on the nose with balanced floral fruit and nice balance. Moderate to low acids.
2011 Antinori Castello Della Sala (Umbria). A Chardonnay based wine with some Grechetto thrown in, light gold with notes of mango and pineapple on the nose with tropical fruit flavors on the moderate to long finish.
2012 William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru “Valmur” (Burgundy). Light gold in color, dry with a flinty finish.
2012 Domaine Chavy-Chouet Puligney Montrachet “Les Enseignères” (Burgundy). Gold in color with toast and mango on the nose, tight with a good mouthfeel and nice acidity on the finish.
Reds
2011 Joseph Drouhin Côte de Beaune (Burgundy). Purple brick in color with a very nice perfume of earth and dark fruits, tight and silky with moderate to light fruit and a long finish. One of my favorites of the afternoon.
2012 Francois Gay Aloxe-Corton (Burgundy). Purple to brick in color with herbs and red cherry on the nose, silky red fruit with firm tannin at the end with moderate to low acids.
2012 Domaine Gallois Gevrey Chambertin “Le Combe Aux Moines” (Burgundy). Purple with dried herbs and some smokiness on the nose with dusty fruit and moderate tannin and acids at the end.
2010 Nicolas Rossignol Pommard 1er Cru “Fremiers” (Burgundy). Light red with toasty, cooked fruit on the nose with bright red fruit.
2010 Quinto Chionetti Dolcetto d’Dogliani “San Luigi” (Piedmont). Dark brick with slate and red berries on the nose, dusty and juicy with some earth and black licorice notes with good balance and finish.
2012 Le Macchiole Bolgheri Rosso (Tuscany). A Bordeaux blend, dark purple with a closed nose of ripe toast with big silky fruit and mint on the firm finish.
2007 Cupano Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany). Brick in color with a perfume of red roses and sweet tar, in my notes I have “yummy fruit” with great balance and a long finish. Delicious.
2007 Renzo Seghesio Barolo Riserva “Pajana” (Piedmont). Brick with an amber robe, uncharacteristic nose of mowed grass and charcoal with graphite notes on the fruit.
2011 Raffaele Palma “Montecorvo” (Campania). From the cliffs of Campania’s Amalfi coast, medium red with juicy red fruit on the nose, fresh herbs, licorice on the juicy fruit and firm tannin at the end.
2007 CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva (Rioja). Dark red in color with fresh rosemary on the nose, dark and concentrated with dark chocolate notes on the firm finish and nicely balanced. Another favorite of the day.
2001 La Rioja Alta Grand Reserva “890” (Rioja). A cooperative of growers, medium brick with sour mint on the nose and red cherry fruit.
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