April 25, 2016

This grand tasting was one of the biggest events that took place at Vinitaly in 2016.  Organised by Vinitaly and Associazione Italiana Donne del Vino (Italy’s Wine Women Association), it marked the opportunity (given to selected guests) to taste 10 landmark wines from the 1967 vintage, produced by companies with women at the helm.  These wines have been coupled with their most recent vintage available, hence showing the evolution of top Italian winemaking in the last 50 years.  All this, at the 50^th edition of Vinitaly, of course. Let us go through the wines and the sensations they transmitted.

La Scolca, Gavi 1967 (Piedmont white): Piedmont, land of great reds, but also of some interesting whites, such as Gavi, in this case.  Very pale yellow turning to light orange.  Date, bananas, ginger.  Bright acidity, some evident oxidation and steely notes.

La Scolca, Gavi 2015: bright yellow, crisp, intensely persistent, a bit light but very elegant. Nice.

Fratelli Berlucchi, Rosso di Franciacorta 1967 (Lombardy red): produced from a grape mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Barbera and Nebbiolo.  Orange-reddish colour, some marked oxidation and Marsala aromas.  Hints of cellar moist and dust.  Some acidity and persistence.

Fratelli Berlucchi, Mandola 2013: a red from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  Nice spicy Cabernet, good acidity backbone.  Some peppery notes between forest berries.  Good acidity and persistence. Nice.

Castello di Gabiano, Barbera Riserva 1967 (Piedmont red): Orangey colour.  Strong goudron and evolved notes (among them: earth, dirt, yeast and old cellar).  Still acid and vibrant, very persistent

Castello di Gabiano, Barbera Riserva 2011: Very intense black and red berries and cherries.  Vinous grapey flavour.  In mouth it is highly loquacious and lively, very acid, tannic and strong.  To lay down for the long run.  Good.

Capezzana, Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 1967 (Tuscany red): This wine was re-corked.  Strong coffee tones.  Dark red with bright orange rim.  Strong, voluptuous and super-balanced.  Tannic and well structured.  Still very lively and drinkable.  Astounding: not showing its 50 years at all!  Even an experienced taster would hardly guess its age!  Superb!

Capezzana, Villa di Capezzana Carmignano Riserva 2012: Nice flavours of small berry fruits, long and tasty.  Well balanced and elegant.  Velvety.  Strawberry is particularly evident, as are tannins.  Strong alcohol and astringent.  Very good.

Castello di Querceto, Chianti Classico Castello di Querceto Riserva 1967 (Tuscany red): Some volatile acidity.  Still very acid in mouth and still astringent. Big and powerful.  Notes of yeast and animal leather.  Vivid and lively, yet not so refined and too tannic and acid.

Castello di Querceto, Chianti Classico Castello di Querceto Riserva Il Picchio 2012: Still young, very acid and tannic.  For the long run.  The nose, however, has very pleasing cherry flavours and the palate is very persistent.  Good.

Lungarotti, Rosso di Torgiano Rubesco 1967 (Umbria red): Lively and fruity.  Tamed alcohol and tannins, very intense and persistent.  Strong tertiary notes of exotic tastes and yeast.  Quite in good shape for its age!

Lungarotti, Vigna Monticchio Rubesco 2012: Very fruity and complex nose.  Dark ink red colour.  Spicy.  Palate is full, alcoholic, tannic and astringent.  Not so balanced; a bit too harsh and hedgy.  Fairly nice.

Banfi, Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura 1967 (Tuscany red): Lovely nose of ripe fruit and spices with some leather notes.  Long and persistent in mouth.  Fully ripe.  Very pleasant and elegant, superb, long, balanced, rewarding. Wow!

Banfi, Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura 2010: Ripe plums, berries, coffe and sage.  Round and elegant.  Some evident tannins and acidity and a bit drying on a long finish.  Very good.

Fattoria dei Barbi, Brunello di Montalcino 1967 (Tuscany red): Yeasty hints in nose and mouth, otherwise pleasant.  Balanced and velvety, long and refined.  A very good wine with some wrinkles.

Fattoria dei Barbi, Brunello di Montalcino 2012: Lovely aromas of ripe berries, plums, pepper and other spices, cinnamon and dark chocolate.  Elegant and balanced on the palate.  Good structure and precise acidity, both well proportioned.  Long, persistent and very drinkable.  Excellent.

Rivera, Il Falcone Riserva Rosso Stravecchio Castel del Monte DOC 1967 (Apulia red): this wine offers many sensations; the most striking of them is an intense aroma and flavour of fennel!  Yes there is strong fennel with a mix of red fruits and spices.  Long, smooth and balanced, excellent.  Very interesting and truly a new experience in tasting fine wine!

Rivera, Il Falcone Riserva Rosso Castel del Monte 2012: the nose is not so strong or evident; it’s merely cherries and subdued spices.  In mouth, however, is broad and elegant, with a good balance between acidity and sweetness.  Very good equilibrium.  Long and persistent.

Masi, Camporiofin Rosso del Veronese 1967 (Veneto red): very dark red with slightly orange ring.  Lively and intense.  Again, a wine any educated taster would never initially believe from 50 years ago!  Very inviting, complex and long, some ginger, and an overall great class. Excellent!

Masi, Riserva Costasera 2009: dark red with violet hues.  Dark violets and ripe cherries with pastry and cinnamon.  Lovely, but strong.  Velvety and very intense, albeit evident alcohol.  Highly persistent.  Extremely good.

This tasting gave a unique opportunity to ascertain the evolution of Italian wine-making in the last 50 years (hence, since Vinitaly’s birth).  In the glasses tasters found noble wines.  Some of them showing the folds and lines of old age.  Some others, instead, are extraordinarily well-preserved, rightly mature, lively and pleasant… are they eternal life potions?  I think so!  They are all representing a long period of extraordinary improvements in quality and market success for Italian wine (and wine by Italian women in particular).