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I think I bought this bottle at the Consorzio in Siena. Pretty good prices there - I had remembered the shop from a month spent in Siena in August 1998 when Ellen had a summer semester for Architecture school. I know this producer and have enjoyed their wines before. The wine was a beautiful color in the glass - clear ruby to sapphire. I could't get much of the nose. A little light and thin in the... read more.
Also on Friday during my visit to Montespertoli I made a quick stop in the new cantina of Castello Sonnino to buy a couple of bottles of wine. The Montespertoli DOCG is one of the newest in Chianti, and Sonnino is one of the areas largest producers. You can walk to the castello from the old square of Montespertoli in a couple of minutes. Their Castello Sonnino Chianti Montespertoli is €4.20 a... read more.
Here are some quick notes about a few things we have had lately:
Castello di Ama Vin Santo 1999 and Chianti Classico 2003
Castello di Ama is very highly regarded and it is obvious after tasting these bottles. The Vin Santo is very complex and rich, with vanilla, oak, spice, and nut flavors (to name a few!). One of the best I have tasted. The 2003 Chianti Classico is a recent Tre Bicchieri winne... read more.
If you are in Florence this weekend there is a wine tasting event centered around the Piazza Pitti and other locations of the oltrarno (the other side of the Arno). €10 for the glass will get you 16 tastes from many popular wineries. We suggest trying the following: Casale dello Sparviero (a small producer from Castellina), Castello del Teriiccio, Il Borro and Villa Mangiacane. There is mor... read more.
An article about house wines and food - it made me hungry!
"In my favorite no-frills eatery in Florence, Trattoria Mario, you sit at communal tables with workers and tourists and they bring you Tuscan bean soup, rigatoni with meat ragu and a massive bistecca all fiorentina. They pour a sturdy red wine that goes well with the beef. I have no idea what it was, probably Chianti, but nothing could ha... read more.
Good article from the NY Times about Amarone:
"CONTRARY to a widely held belief, big, powerful, almost monstrously concentrated wines are not a California invention. No, before the first California wines sent the alcohol meter reeling toward 17 percent, Amarone from Italy was setting the standard for dense, lush red wines that were routinely 15 to 16 percent alcohol.
But unlike some of those new... read more.
This Querciavalle is another bottle I picked up at the Consorzio in Siena - I am not sure why - either I recognized the label or the name or had it confused with Querciabella (a better known producer). Either way it looked good and the price must have been right. There isn't much to be found about the winery or the wine on the web, which makes me think the production is probably not that big. What... read more.
I had a great time Friday at VinItaly - what a show. I can't wait for next year already and hopefully I will get to spend some more time there. I got to meet several wine makers - the first one I am reporting on here is Casa Emma:
I sat down with Fabrizio Benedetti of Casa Emma for a tasting on their wines. Their 2003 Chianti Classico Riserva got a score of 91 points from the Wine Spectator and G... read more.
Fine wine auction in Florence on October 19th, from WineNews.it:
There will be, for example, the three lots that will be put up for charity by the Marchesi Antinori, who have created a case in larch wood with six bottles of multi-prized Solaia 1990, 1994, and 1999, created exclusively for this auction; another larch case containing twelve bottles of Tignanello 1990-93-94-97-99 and 2001; as well a... read more.
Wine
Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva 2000
I think I bought this bottle at the Consorzio in Siena. Pretty good prices there - I had remembered the shop from a month spent in Siena in August 1998 when Ellen had a summer semester for Architecture school. I know this producer and have enjoyed their wines before. The wine was a beautiful color in the glass - clear ruby to sapphire. I could't get much of the nose. A little light and thin in the... read more. Castello Sonnino
Also on Friday during my visit to Montespertoli I made a quick stop in the new cantina of Castello Sonnino to buy a couple of bottles of wine. The Montespertoli DOCG is one of the newest in Chianti, and Sonnino is one of the areas largest producers. You can walk to the castello from the old square of Montespertoli in a couple of minutes. Their Castello Sonnino Chianti Montespertoli is €4.20 a... read more. Castello di Ama, Ambra, Poggio Castagno
Here are some quick notes about a few things we have had lately:
Castello di Ama Vin Santo 1999 and Chianti Classico 2003
Castello di Ama is very highly regarded and it is obvious after tasting these bottles. The Vin Santo is very complex and rich, with vanilla, oak, spice, and nut flavors (to name a few!). One of the best I have tasted. The 2003 Chianti Classico is a recent Tre Bicchieri winne... read more. Florence Wine Event
If you are in Florence this weekend there is a wine tasting event centered around the Piazza Pitti and other locations of the oltrarno (the other side of the Arno). €10 for the glass will get you 16 tastes from many popular wineries. We suggest trying the following: Casale dello Sparviero (a small producer from Castellina), Castello del Teriiccio, Il Borro and Villa Mangiacane. There is mor... read more. House Wine
An article about house wines and food - it made me hungry!
"In my favorite no-frills eatery in Florence, Trattoria Mario, you sit at communal tables with workers and tourists and they bring you Tuscan bean soup, rigatoni with meat ragu and a massive bistecca all fiorentina. They pour a sturdy red wine that goes well with the beef. I have no idea what it was, probably Chianti, but nothing could ha... read more. Out of Italy, and Packing a Jolt
Good article from the NY Times about Amarone:
"CONTRARY to a widely held belief, big, powerful, almost monstrously concentrated wines are not a California invention. No, before the first California wines sent the alcohol meter reeling toward 17 percent, Amarone from Italy was setting the standard for dense, lush red wines that were routinely 15 to 16 percent alcohol.
But unlike some of those new... read more. Querciavalle Chianti Classico Riserva 1999
This Querciavalle is another bottle I picked up at the Consorzio in Siena - I am not sure why - either I recognized the label or the name or had it confused with Querciabella (a better known producer). Either way it looked good and the price must have been right. There isn't much to be found about the winery or the wine on the web, which makes me think the production is probably not that big. What... read more. VinItaly report - Casa Emma
I had a great time Friday at VinItaly - what a show. I can't wait for next year already and hopefully I will get to spend some more time there. I got to meet several wine makers - the first one I am reporting on here is Casa Emma:
I sat down with Fabrizio Benedetti of Casa Emma for a tasting on their wines. Their 2003 Chianti Classico Riserva got a score of 91 points from the Wine Spectator and G... read more. Wine Notes
Fine wine auction in Florence on October 19th, from WineNews.it:
There will be, for example, the three lots that will be put up for charity by the Marchesi Antinori, who have created a case in larch wood with six bottles of multi-prized Solaia 1990, 1994, and 1999, created exclusively for this auction; another larch case containing twelve bottles of Tignanello 1990-93-94-97-99 and 2001; as well a... read more. Top experiences in and around Florence:
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