The Edinburgh Wine Club |
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Tasting, Thursday 18 September 2008. Wines from the Veneto area. |
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| For further background information click here. | ||||||
Wine |
Grape |
Strength |
Supplier |
Price |
Comments |
Points |
| Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene | Prosecco | 11% | Majestic | £7.49 | Produced in the hills north of Treviso using the metodo
charmat (whereby the wine ferments in tanks). Best served at 8 -10C. Very dry for a Prosecco. Very drinkable. |
2 |
| Cavalchina Custoza 2007 | Garganega, Cortese plus others | 12.5% | Majestic | £7.99 | From a family owned estate near Verona. Ideal with fish or
white meat. Came into its own when combined with the vitello tonnato. |
2 (BV=) |
| S.Cristina (Zenato) Lugana DOC Vigneto Massoni - 2007 | Trebbiano | 13% | www.everywine.co.uk | £13.75 | An intense wine with elegant floral and citrus fruity notes,
good body and an attractive softness. Not much liked on its own but flavours developed very well in when the accompanying fish served. Too expensive. Waitrose Lugana might be better bet. |
3 |
| Corte Giara Bardolino 2006 |
Corvina (mainly) | 12.5% | Henderson Wines | £5.99 | Bardolino is a light style, fruit-filled wine made in the
Veneto region of Italy. Named after the town of Bardolino on Lake
Garda, Bardolino is crafted, like Amarone, primarily from Corvina
grapes. Sometimes made into a dry, rose, sparkling wine called
"chiaretto," Bardolino is best served chilled. Served slightly chilled and much appreciated as an aperitif at this price. Almost a rosé. |
1 (BV=) |
| Ca' del Pipa Corvina Rosso 2004 | Corvina | 13.5% | Majestic | £6.99 | The Ca' del Pipa wines are produced by the Michelle
Castellani estate, which is now run by Michelle's son, Sergio
Castellani. Sergio is a star winemaker in the Valpolicella Classico
region. Despite the accolades bestowed upon this estate, which include
a tre bicchieri award from Gamberro Rosso for his Recioto, the wines
were not exported until 2001. Widely enjoyed (came fourth) but perhaps overshadowed by the following three very popular wines. |
5 |
| Cecilia Beretta Picàie Veronese 2004 | Corvina, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot | 14.5% | Majestic | £11.99 | 'Picàie' is used to describe bunches of grapes left to
dry
until Christmas to represent goodwill and are then used to make good
wine. A good (and very affordable) step towards a full Amarone with the additional grapes giving a smooth round taste. Served with aubergine stew. |
12 (2nd) |
| Carlo Boscaini Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso Zane 2005 | Corvina 50%, Corvinone 40%, Rondinella 10% | 14% | From the vineyard | £10.00 | This wine is born of the time-honoured blend of corvina, corvinone and rondinella grapes using the traditional method of refermenting or "ripasso" with Amarone. Zane has a delicate flavour of red berry fruits with a hint of spices on the nose. It has a soft and well-rounded finish on the palate which makes it the ideal accompaniment to casseroles and red meat dishes. | 11 (3rd) (BV=) |
| Carlo Boscaini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico San Giorgio 2004 | Corvina 50%, Corvinone 35%, Rondinella 10% Croatina & Dindarella 5% air-dried in cases until January. | 15.5% | From the vineyard | £19.00 | This is a distinguished wine, which once in the glass has a
generous bouquet, bursting with fresh fruit on the palate changing to a
suggestion of cherry jam and spices with a hint of tobacco and ripe red
fruits on the finish. Rich and well balanced, this outstanding wine will age handsomely. |
24 (1st) |