WTN: Four Italians

Librandi “Duca San Felice” Ciro Riserva 1999

Clear, light to medium ruby with a brick-brown watery rim. Dried raspberries and cranberries on the nose, with whiffs of softly baked earth, bread crust, and light brown spice. Light-bodied, with red berries carried along by snappy acidity. Barely perceptible tannins and some smoke on the short finish. Loses complexity over time. Perhaps a bit long in the tooth for a Ciro. No bargain at $16. 13.5% alcohol.


Quattro Mani Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2005

The “four hands” in question, per the label, are meant to reflect “four celebrity Italian winemakers each who express the character and strength of Italy’s indigenous grape varieties, interpreted through their unique personalities.” Winemaker for this bottling is listed as Attilio Pagli. I don’t know what other winemakers or varieties are involved in the project.

Medium dark, semi-clear ruby. Bright red initial scents that quickly pick up some heft: plum and leather, with notes of flowers, meat, and caraway. Light- to medium-bodied, a juicy palate of plums and red and black berries. More modern than rustic, a clean and classy quaff. $10. 13% alcohol.


Allegrini “Palazzo della Torre” 2001 (Veronese IGT)

Maybe I just don’t get rispasso. I really enjoy standard-issue Valpolicella for its charcoal-edged brightness and acidity, and I’ve enjoyed my limited number of huskier Amarones. But ripasso (Zenato and Masi are the other versions I’ve tried) seems like an unhappy medium.

Semi-opaque, medium-dark purple with some red velvet tones. Charred toast and sour cherry on the nose, with hints of varnished wood (oak and VA?). A little licorise with air. Light- to medium-bodied, with tart but clunky cherries and cranberries, finishing with light tannins. Somehow, I’m just not a fan. $18. 13.5%.


Falesco “Pesano” Merlot 2004 (Umbria IGT)

A straight Merlot sibling of "Vitiano," I’m guessing. (It was a gift, but I think the price and packaging put it at the Falesco entry level.)

Semi-clear, dusky ruby. Off-putting aromas of green leaf and compost, with touches of leather, maraschino cherry, and marjoram. Thin, green, and acidic. I hope the drain will forgive me someday. Around $10 (I think). 13% alcohol.

Clinton,
A bottle of this in 12/04 was quite tasty and interesting.
Just being able to say "100% galioppo" was interesting.
Sounds like the additional time, as suggested by the color, has not been kind to it. I see from CellarTracker that I gave my second and last bottle to a neighbor as a small thank you gift in 10/05. No wonder he doesn't talk to me anymore : )
Charles

Allegrini “Palazzo della Torre” 2001 (Veronese IGT)

Maybe I just don’t get rispasso. I really enjoy standard-issue Valpolicella for its charcoal-edged brightness and acidity, and I’ve enjoyed my limited number of huskier Amarones. But ripasso (Zenato and Masi are the other versions I’ve tried) seems like an unhappy medium.

Semi-opaque, medium-dark purple with some red velvet tones. Charred toast and sour cherry on the nose, with hints of varnished wood (oak and VA?). A little licorise with air. Light- to medium-bodied, with tart but clunky cherries and cranberries, finishing with light tannins. Somehow, I’m just not a fan. $18. 13.5%.

My somewhat shorter note on the same wine a month ago

Very disappointing, resembling a cheap bottle of slightly sweet and fruity (but soulless) supermarket wine. No tell-tale Italian style, just an international-styled wine made to a price, but then sold above it's worth.

Which is pretty scathing coming from me.

Clinton,
A bottle of this in 12/04 was quite tasty and interesting.
Just being able to say "100% galioppo" was interesting.
Sounds like the additional time, as suggested by the color, has not been kind to it.

As you probably know, Charles, Ciro has a reputation for being prone to oxidation. That doesn't necessarily bother me--light coloration and a bit of orange-ing can be taken as part of the wine's quirky charm. But this bottle seemed about ready to fall off the cliff. I expected more from this riserva.

[Jenise]

Very disappointing, resembling a cheap bottle of slightly sweet and fruity (but soulless) supermarket wine. No tell-tale Italian style, just an international-styled wine made to a price, but then sold above it's worth. Which is pretty scathing coming from me.

But Ian, [she said trying to keep a straight face], the Spectator put it on their Top 100 list! Hideous wine--the three bottles I own are in the "party pile".

Clinton, "I hope the drain will forgive me someday". You owe me a cup of coffee because mine's all over my monitor. Very funny.

Too bad what has happened to the Palazzo Della Torre. Here are Robin's notes from this year's MoCOOL.

"My tasting started with an off-topic tasting trio set up for the volunteers who helped set up the tents and tables at the picnic venue, a pretty lakefront grove west of Ann Arbor:

Allegrini 1997 Palazzo della Torre Veronese - Dried cherries and cinnamon, nice. Juicy fruit and fresh acidity in balance, easy pick as best of the three.

Allegrini 1999 Palazzo della Torre Veronese - Darker than 1997. Black fruit, chocolate and licorice. Intense, tart acid, drying tannins, good potential but still young and immature.

Allegrini 2001 Palazzo della Torre Veronese - Ruby. Mouth-filling, sweet-tart. Doesn't seem well-balanced, and frankly doesn't seem likely to improve with aging; most tasters read it as an unfortunate shift by Allegrini toward a more "international" style. "

And that, in my experience, has been the progression. I liked it thru 1999. Starting with the 2000, it lost all sense of place. And all interest for me.