Under the Tuscan Salad: Part Two
- Aug 22, 2018
Our second dip into the Tuscan pool, a liquid soundtrack for these last lazy hazy days of summer. To the juice:
Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Pianrosso 2012, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. An unusually terroir-driven offering from the brother-and-sister team of Paolo and Lucia Bianchini. Although the regular Ciacci can often seem like the rotund winner of a “Stuff That Brunello” contest, the single-vineyard Pianrosso is decidedly more elegant, age-worthy and less fruit-driven. The dried red berry notes are balanced by savoury herbs and leather, giving one the impression of a thirsty cherry lost in the desert wearing only a belt. Stones and spikes frame the impressively long finish, focused and powerful. True to the house this drinks now but will likely reach peak awesomeness around 2025. James “are-you-drinking-that” Suckling rated it #3 for the vintage. 97 points James Suckling, 95 points Wine Enthusiast, 94 points Robert Parker, 11 bottles available, $121.99 +tax
Le Macchiole Paleo 2009/2011 Toscana IGT. Earlier this year we hosted Cinzia Merli Campolmi, Macchiole’s matriarch, for a Collector’s Tasting and we had an amazing time – the only way it could have been better is if Cinzia showed up (she missed a connecting flight). We drank well, though, because her wines are the stuff of legends, and this Cabernet Franc from her estate in Bolgheri coaxes the minerals out of the soils to weave a hammock that cassis, tobacco and dried flowers can float effortlessly down into. Cab Franc adopts the personalities of its regions – in Napa it watches Netflix all day while it pretends to look for work, in austere Chinon it barks orders at you until you get a second job, but in Bolgheri it finds a beautiful balance between bones and flesh, a classically structured red wine with fruit and body. Outrageously civilized.
Paleo 2009: 98 points Wine Enthusiast, 5 bottles available, $145.99 +tax
Paleo 2011: 95 points Robert Parker, 10 bottles available, $170.99 +tax
Altesino 2013, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. No stranger to these pages, Altesino’s gulpable, modern Brunello is getting as many raves for this 2013 victory lap as it did for the stellar 2012 vintage that warranted it. Bursting with cola, eucalypt and sage, swirling around pomegranate and happiness. One could well put this down for a decade’s nap, but I won’t do that and neither will you (if you still have some 2012, you are stronger than me). Altesino is racy, big and delicious in youth, which you can judge for yourself when we pour it this Saturday at 3pm in the River District Vintage Room. If I still have any. 95 points Wine Spectator, 4 cases available, $58.99 +tax
Until next time, Happy Drinking!
Postscript:
In January I wrote about OSAR, the 100% Oseleta from Masi, and admittedly the reaction was greater than I expected – I sold out instantly. Oseleta is the rare, deeply pigmented Veneto grape that Amarone houses employ in small percentages to deepen their blends. It’s rarely made into a straight varietal wine, and it’s totes awesome. If I had a rain check with you, you should have already heard from me, but I got a couple more cases in, let me know if you’d like some (or like some more). $65.49 +tax
Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Pianrosso 2012, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. An unusually terroir-driven offering from the brother-and-sister team of Paolo and Lucia Bianchini. Although the regular Ciacci can often seem like the rotund winner of a “Stuff That Brunello” contest, the single-vineyard Pianrosso is decidedly more elegant, age-worthy and less fruit-driven. The dried red berry notes are balanced by savoury herbs and leather, giving one the impression of a thirsty cherry lost in the desert wearing only a belt. Stones and spikes frame the impressively long finish, focused and powerful. True to the house this drinks now but will likely reach peak awesomeness around 2025. James “are-you-drinking-that” Suckling rated it #3 for the vintage. 97 points James Suckling, 95 points Wine Enthusiast, 94 points Robert Parker, 11 bottles available, $121.99 +tax
Le Macchiole Paleo 2009/2011 Toscana IGT. Earlier this year we hosted Cinzia Merli Campolmi, Macchiole’s matriarch, for a Collector’s Tasting and we had an amazing time – the only way it could have been better is if Cinzia showed up (she missed a connecting flight). We drank well, though, because her wines are the stuff of legends, and this Cabernet Franc from her estate in Bolgheri coaxes the minerals out of the soils to weave a hammock that cassis, tobacco and dried flowers can float effortlessly down into. Cab Franc adopts the personalities of its regions – in Napa it watches Netflix all day while it pretends to look for work, in austere Chinon it barks orders at you until you get a second job, but in Bolgheri it finds a beautiful balance between bones and flesh, a classically structured red wine with fruit and body. Outrageously civilized.
Paleo 2009: 98 points Wine Enthusiast, 5 bottles available, $145.99 +tax
Paleo 2011: 95 points Robert Parker, 10 bottles available, $170.99 +tax
Altesino 2013, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. No stranger to these pages, Altesino’s gulpable, modern Brunello is getting as many raves for this 2013 victory lap as it did for the stellar 2012 vintage that warranted it. Bursting with cola, eucalypt and sage, swirling around pomegranate and happiness. One could well put this down for a decade’s nap, but I won’t do that and neither will you (if you still have some 2012, you are stronger than me). Altesino is racy, big and delicious in youth, which you can judge for yourself when we pour it this Saturday at 3pm in the River District Vintage Room. If I still have any. 95 points Wine Spectator, 4 cases available, $58.99 +tax
Until next time, Happy Drinking!
Postscript:
In January I wrote about OSAR, the 100% Oseleta from Masi, and admittedly the reaction was greater than I expected – I sold out instantly. Oseleta is the rare, deeply pigmented Veneto grape that Amarone houses employ in small percentages to deepen their blends. It’s rarely made into a straight varietal wine, and it’s totes awesome. If I had a rain check with you, you should have already heard from me, but I got a couple more cases in, let me know if you’d like some (or like some more). $65.49 +tax