Red Wine Tasca d’Almerita Tenuta Regaleali Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. Decanting time: 1 hour. A sophisticated, well-proportioned Cabernet Sauvignon wine that is full-bodied and gently rich. Renowned for their extraordinarily sophisticated, almost aristocratic, offerings, the Sicilian Tasca D’Almerita wines are a classic requirement for any serious collector. The Regaleali Estate has drawn international acclaim and shone the spotlight on Sicily’s under-recognized ability to create meaningful and critically important wines. Deep, intense red in color with garnet reflections. Full, herbal nose with aromatic waves of fruity and balsamic undertones carrying hints of black pepper and vanilla. Well balanced, smooth and seamless palate. Freshness and solidity meet together uniformly in a tightly concentrated core of rich, ripe fruit flavors with a backdrop of sage and fresh mint. This cosmopolitan wine carries bold but not overpowering tannins. Elegant and bold mouthfeel, with harmonious layers of richness this vintage is particularly classic in its delivery. Long progression toward an elegant, persistent finish that delivered hints of resin and juniper. Aged for 18 months in new French oak barriques. Serve with Italian foods, red meat and grilled vegetables. This wine has aptly received numerous awards, consistently since 1990 onwards, including the Concors Mondial de Bruxelles Gold for the 2003 vintage and Silver for the 2007 vintage.
2017
Red Wine Tasca d’Almerita Tenuta Regaleali Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Red Wine Tedeschi Maternigo Valpolicella Superiore 2017. The Tedeschis are one of Valpolicella’s most famous families with winemaking roots that go back all the way to 1630 when they purchased their first vines. Nicolò Tedeschi founded the family company which still exists to this day in 1824, although the estate’s modern era began in the 1960s with legendary winemaker Lorenzo Tedeschi. Lorenzo realised the excellent potential of the family’s vineyards and created the very first single vineyard wines of the Valpolicella region. This handsome Valpolicella Superiore is crafted with fruit from the family’s Maternigo property which is farmed organically to produce the best quality grapes possible. The vineyards sit at an altitude of 400 metres on fine limestone marl soils which help ensure plenty of freshness and elegance in the finished wine. The family have carried out detailed studies of the terroir at Maternigo and monitor the ripeness of the grapes daily during harvest time to ensure they are picked when slightly overripe. Once in the winery the fruit is then vinified in temperature-controlled tanks and the young wine is then aged in large Slavonian oak casks for 14 months. At this point the final blend is made and the wine then ages for 6 additional months in the bottle. Spicy and fruit-forward in character, this vibrant wine is bursting with ripe plum, cherry and sweet spice notes. On the palate there are smooth, refined tannins and a well-built structure with a bright streak of acidity which will help this wine age well in the cellar.
2017
Red Wine Tenuta di Castellaro Nero Ossidiana 2017. Tenuta di Castellaro is set on the enchanting Aeolian island of Lipari off the north coast of Sicily. The estate was founded in 2013 by entrepreneur Massimo Lentsch who already had a successful winery in Dubrovnik, but fell in love with the island while on holiday here. In total the estate has 20 acres scattered across the island in inaccessible locations overlooking the shimmering Medtierranean Sea. Tenuta di Castellaro is the largest winery on the island and prides itself on having a very low environmental impact with minimal use of herbicides in the vineyards. In the winery gravity is used instead of pumps to move the wine around, and fermentation takes place using wild yeasts. The volcanic soils are rich in stones like pumice and obsidian and are perfectly suited to the traditional local grape varieties planted here including Malvasia delle Lipari and Nero d’Avola. This striking red is crafted from Carricante and Nero d’Avola grapes which are vinified without temperature control with a lengthy maceration on the skins. The young wine is then matured in used casks for 2-3 months followed by a further 7-8 months of bottle ageing. The result is an elegant and complex red which is bursting with ripe red cherry, redcurrant and hints of minerality. A gentle balance between fine tannins and refreshing acidity make this a great match for classic Italian dishes like lasagne, aubergine parmigiana, or even a spicy pepperoni pizza.
2017