It is rare to have a chance to drink some high quality Italian wine. But I was afford the opportunity this weekend. And what wines they were.
I have always felt that Italian wine is perfect for any meal. Sunday, at our friend’s house, we had some roasted tri-tip, a salad and brie and basil ravioli. So we had tow bottles to enjoy with the meal.
The first was the 2003 Altessimo Brunello. Brunello, a clone of Sangiovese, comes from a small town in Tuscany. Made in limited quantities, Brunello is often considered the queen of Italian wine. (People thing Barolo is the King of Italian Wines) This bottle was no exception. Bright cherry, black cherry, nutmeg and toasty oak greeted the nose. The wine was ultra smooth./ The tannins were muted. It went down so well. We decanted the wine in breathable glass decanter. We could not wait a few hours for the wine to soften. I kept thinking about my brief visit to Tuscany and the smell of the wine and the soil was taking me back there.
This bottle was a highly rated wine and top wine from the very hot vintage of 2003.
But then we opened bottle number two. A 2000 Tiganello. This is one of the top super Tuscans made. A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. These wines are now becoming the most valuable wines of Italy. This was a deep red, thick rich wine that when I think about french Bordeaux, this wine is truly got more going for it. I like Bordeaux, but when drinking something like this, the intensity is almost overwhelming. This wine had just about everything right going for it.
Made by Antinori, Tiganello is one of the classic examples of the art of blending non-Italian varietals that are grown in Italy. There are a number of Super Tuscans to look for. And they seem to age very well with proper cellaring.
We were only sad that we had the one bottle. But the experience was worth it. And the Cannolis and pot du creme was a nice way to end the night.
The whole night was themed around watching Angels and Demons. It was fun to see parts of Rome and remember the plazas, statues and fountains. So plan a theme a night with some food and wine. fun will be had by all. That is how we uncork happiness.
