A few days ago we attended the annual event that Luca Maroni hosts for enthusiasts in the capital, an event that this year too was held in the magnificent setting of the Complesso monumentale di Santo Spirito in Sassia.
We tasted subsequent vintages of some wines already encountered at the previous edition, thus discovering novelties of considerable interest.
Let us begin with the bubbles of Franciacorta, with an absolute new entry: the Franciacorta 2009 di 1701, a brand new winery at its first creation. The wine spends over 30 months on the lees and presents hints of yeast, pineapple and banana. We then continued with the Franciacorta di Contadi Castaldi, in particular the Satèn 2009 from pure Chardonnay grapes, brilliant in its creamiest foam with clear aromas of hawthorn, bread crust and balsamic notes, and then the Zero 2009, a sparkling wine from Pinot Nero grapes without liqueur d'expédition, complex with citrus aromas of grapefruit.
From Lazio we taste the products of Poggio le Volpi. The golden Donnaluce 2012, made with Malvasia and Greco grapes with a balance of Chardonnay, a wine presenting notes of exotic fruit and honey. Decidedly fresher the Frascati Superiore Epos 2012, while the Baccarossa 2011, produced with the native Nerobuono grapes, is characterized by toasted and balsamic notes.
We cannot miss tasting the Furore bianco Fiuorduva 2012 di Marisa Cuomo, from native Fenile, Ginestra and Ripoli grapes in almost equal parts, a wine that smells of flowers and yellow-fleshed fruit. Also of excellent level the Furore Rosso Riserva 2011, made with Aglianico and Piedirosso grapes.
We then savored the new vintages of the wines of Antonio Bellicoso, wines just bottled. The Freisa D'Asti 2012, already ready with vinous and floral aromas, with clear cherry notes. More complex the Barbera d'Asti Amormio 2012 aged exclusively in steel, with fruity notes of sour cherry and morello cherry and spiced tones of pepper. Vibrant tannin as vibrant and silky is the tannin of the Barbera d'Asti Merum 2011, which after 14 months of wood releases spiced aromas of pepper and cloves, with clear varietal notes of coffee. We have already met Bellicoso with this interview and his wines and, in my opinion, for these thoroughbred wines to perform at their best they would still need a few more months of bottle aging.
Equally thoroughbred are the Ruché di Montalbera. We recall that the native grape variety obtained the DOCG a few years ago. The Laccento 2012 from steel only, presents clear floral hints of violet and rose, as well as wild berries; the Limpronta 2010, which rests for 14 months in tonneau, instead smells of wild berries in jam, spiced and with balsamic tones in the finish.
At this point we tasted the wines of Feudi San Marzano. The fruity Primitivo di Manduria Sud 2012, which, after a light passage in wood, appears a deep ruby color. Very interesting the Primitivo di Manduria sessantanni 2010, obtained from old vines and resting for 12 months in barrique. Very similar in color to the first, it presents a much more intense and complex olfactory profile, with evident spiced and toasted hints. It is clearly a wine of long-term prospects. The Negroamaro F 2010 also rests in barrique for 12 months, a wine that releases spiced aromas and wild berries.
Remaining in Puglia, we tasted the beautiful wines of Gianfranco Fino. The multi-awarded Primitivo Es 2012, which spends 9 months in wood and which, after fresh fruity notes, releases hints of fern, thyme and spices. A wine that clearly still needs to evolve for a long time in the bottle. The Negramaro Jo 2012, same passage in wood, presents evident fruity notes. To close with the Primitivo Es più sud 2012, a truly well-made sweet wine.
From Casale del Giglio we tasted the Mater Matuta 2011, a name from the ancient Italic deity (goddess of dawn), universally considered one of the best Syrah wines of Lazio (with a balance of Petit Verdot), with enormous fruit on the palate together with notes of pepper, toasted and balsamic in the finish. The fresh-tannic component is biting, a sign that the sample is still very young.
After having visited them at the winery in Partinico, we find Cusumano again and its splendid Noà. This time we taste the 2011 vintage, with fruity and spiced hints, bell pepper and toasted notes in the long finish.
We taste the fresh and fun Lumare 2013 from Tenuta Iuzzolino (Calabria), of a beautiful bright coral color, then return to the Sicilian Mille e una Notte 2008 by Donnafugata. Made predominantly with Nero d'Avola grapes, it spends 16 months in barrique and two and a half years in the bottle. It shows great structure and enveloping fruity and balsamic notes.
Still from Sicily we taste two wines from cantina Firriato. The fresh spumante metodo Charmat Saint Germain, from Grillo and Cataratto grapes; and the magnificent Nero d'Avola Harmonium 2011, a powerful wine, rich in substance, with deep fruity, spiced and balsamic aromas. Still very young it has a long evolutionary prospect ahead.
Passing through Abruzzo we stop at Farnese, where we try the latest vintage of the Edizione 5 autoctoni, a wine made with grapes from vineyards located in multiple regions, with evident spiced tones and liquorice; and the magnificent Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane Opi 2008, fruity and spiced, but also presenting evolved toasted notes and a balsamic finish.
From Mastroberardino we drink the splendid Taurasi Radici Riserva 2007, broad and complex with notes of tobacco and eucalyptol. Perhaps still a little too young. Then to try another singular interpretation of Aglianico, the Lucanian Aglianico del Vulture Il Rogito 2012 by Cantine del Notaio, a rosé that ages for 12 months in barrique of different passages and smells of small wild berries. From the same winery we tried L'Autentica 2009, from dried Moscato and Malvasia grapes, with honeyed, jam-fruited and candied aromas, and sweet on the palate.
To close the tasting with a toast with a delicate and very fragrant Moscato d'Asti 2013 di Bera, a wine that smells of rose petals and musk. Cheers!
What do you think?
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