On the afternoon of the day before yesterday (2024/3/25), I was at The National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci in the centre of Milan, attending two masterclasses on Italian heavyweight wines organised by Civiltà del Bere magazine. I had a great time!
In total, 10 amazing wines:
1. Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2019, Valentini
Since I started learning wine, drawn by its heavenly beauty, where the Apennine Mountains run through and the Adriatic Sea borders, I have always had a longing for the wines of eastern Italy.
Valentini thrives in this beauty, but unlike most wineries in the area that open their doors to wine lovers, Valentini focuses on winemaking and sells its wines only through retail, refusing any visits. Not only that, they also do not reply to emails sent to them, not even from one of the founders of the UK’s Noble Rot magazine. You can see how much they are concentrating on making wine (as well as olive oil).
Deep gold. Honeysuckle, apricot-peach, flinty on the nose. On the palate, the apricot flavour was more prominent, and you can feel the grittiness from its very fine bubbles. Medium-high acidity, full-bodied. As I was savouring it, a warm, sincere voice seemed to be whispering to me: I know you’re fed up with happy-go-lucky whites and international whites packed with apple and banana flavours. I’m different, ain’t I?
The finish was long, but it was not apricot that lingered, but honeysuckle.
The host said there was a lemon cream note, but I didn’t get it, which gave me a perfect reason to try again.
2. Sassicaia 2020, Tenuta San Guido
Deep ruby, the colour of the Cabernets. On the nose, dried shiitake mushroom, pine needle, chocolate, vanilla, grass, liquorice, cigar box, blackberry, slightly oxidised like rust and blood. On the palate more of chocolate, cigar box and blackberry. Medium to high acidity, medium to high but very smooth tannins. 45% had been barrique matured, for this reason vanilla was sensed but very restrained and did not overpower the other wonderful aromas. A very elegant Bordeaux blend. The finish? Long.
For a Bordeaux blend, the 2020 vintage is still quite young. But I was pleasantly surprised by how drinkable this Sassicaia already was.
3. “Poggio al Vento” Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016, Col d’Orcia
Pale ruby. Oregano, On the nose, cherry (between sour and black), resin, dried shiitake mushroom and tobacco. On the palate, oregano and resin. Medium to high acidity and tannins, the latter with a powerful rebound. Overall flavour was wilder than No. 2 as if telling me: Welcome to the classic Sangiov-essence. The finish was long.
The Sassicaia before had elegance; this Brunello had character.
4. Amarone 2013, Bertani
Pale ruby. On the nose, intense raspberry fruitiness with a peppery touch. On the palate, cherry and pepper. Both acidity and tannins were medium to high. The body was way fuller than that of Sassicaia or Brunello, as flamboyant as could be, a compliment for an Amarone. After all, it was exactly this flamboyance that the painstaking appassimento (grape drying) process had been after, wasn’t it?
A venous hint was through the long finish. Drama continued.
5. “976 Riserva del Fondatore” Riserva Brut 2012, Letrari
According to the host, it was a deliberate arrangement to taste this sparkling white after the reds. “It’d been aged long enough to compete with the reds in terms of structure. It’ll still hold well after the reds.”
Nevertheless, I still found it would’ve been better to taste it before the reds. The aftertaste of the 3 reds were so persistent that it did affect this sparkler tasted afterwards.
Deep gold. Overwhelming banana cake on the nose. Bread and biscuit on the palate. High acidity, medium to full body. Fine bubbles persevered all the way through. Long finish.
The winemaker who was also present said this Brut should be in fact an Extra Brut as it contained only 4-4.5 grams of sugar per litre. “Back in the 80’s it had 8-9 grams of sugar per litre. Now the sugar has been cut back, but we’re so attached to the original name and decided to keep it as a Brut”.
6. Verdicchio Riserva 2020, Bucci
Medium gold. Jasmine, white peach, pear and melon on the nose. On the palate, almond stood out, with white peach and melon cheering on the side. High acidity (but only felt at the root of the tongue), medium body. Long finish.
This one would be as outstanding as the first Trebbiano d’Abruzzo in 5-10 years’ time.
7. Rosso Piceno Superiore 2020, Velenosi
Deep ruby (with a purple hue). On the nose, tobacco, sour cherry, vanilla and herb all wrapped up in a sweet, soft fruitiness. On the palate, black cherry, tobacco and vanilla. Medium plus acidity, Medium and smooth tannins, full-bodied. The palate was more in harmony than the nose. Long finish.
8. Dolomiti 2018, San Leonardo
Medium ruby. Cranberry, eucalyptus, pepper, vanilla, resin, dried meat on the nose. Cranberry, eucalyptus and resin dominated the palate. Medium plus acidity, high tannins but perfectly integrated into the texture of the wine. Full-bodied. The finish was long.
Before leaving the class, I sniffed once again this glass. It responded to me with an eucalyptus forest.
9. “Le Rocche” Barolo 2017, Bruno Giacosa
Pale ruby. Violets, earth, smoke and liquorice first on the nose, before kirsch and resin emerged. On the palate, kirsch, resin and liquorice dominated. High acidity, high tannins and still astringent, medium to full body.
This Barolo was still some years away from its peak. Got to be patient.
10. “Riserva del Fondatore” Extra Brut 2012, Ferrari
Deep gold, the colour of Chardonnay in its middle age. Dried fig, dried date, banana cake and orange peel on the nose. On the palate, dried fruit and biscuit. High acidity, medium to full body, fine bubbles. Long finish.
This Ferrari was tasted after three red wines, just like the Letrari, but interestingly, it managed to shine its flavour and structure, not being masked by the reds like Letreri had been. Chardonnay-based sparklers has better ageing potential than Pinot Noir-based ones, as suggested my textbook. Now I got the proof.
To me, the star of the evening was the 2019 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from Valentini.
