Tasting Report: Great Wines of Italy NYC 2013
The JamesSuckling.com and Zachys presents Great Wines of Italy (GWOI) event in New York City was a month ago, but the hundreds of outstanding wines served remains in my mind and in the minds of those who attended. Click here if you haven't seen the coverage.
A number of the wines served during the two-day event were not published on my website -- close to 80. So below are the tasting notes.
It's a range of wines from top names in Italy. I rated all the wines selected for the GWOI event in New York 90 points or more. It's hard to draw any conclusions from the wines listed here, other than they show a diverse selection of excellent wines in various vintages. Many are recent releases.
The top scoring wine in the list is Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Campolongo di Torbe 2006, which is a balanced and stylish wine from a superb vintage for Amarone. As you know, I love subtle and focused Amarones such as those from Masi. The Campolongo di Torbe has a flavor profile unique to this vineyard.
The Caberlot from Carnasciale in Tuscany, which is about 30 minutes drive from my house, is very hard to find, but this unique red that claims to be made from a cross of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is so wonderfully aromatic and beautifully balanced on the palate. The 2007 is one of the best ever from here.
Caiarossa is another favorite of mine and from a costal region of Tuscany, north of Bolgheri. This unique blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Mourvèdre gives the wine such complexity as well as harmony in just about every vintage. It's also made from biodynamically grown grapes. The 2006 is gorgeous to drink now.
I am extremely happy that Carlo Hauner is back on top of its game making glorious sweet wines from the island of Lipari. I remember drinking many bottles in the 1980s and marveling over the dried fruits, straw and minerally character of these wines. The 2009 Malvasia delle Lipari Passito Selezione Carlo Hauner should be in every Italian wine lover’s cellar for a special occasion. I like to drink it late into the night we friends -- and maybe with a cigar. GWOI participants loved it.
The 2009 Pieropan Amarone della Valpolicella Vigna Garzon was an eye-opener for many at the GWOI event because most Italian wine lovers still think the Pieropan family only makes Soave. This rich and drinkable red shows the same subtle character and deft winemaking as the whites.
There was lots of Bellavista Franciacorta Vittorio Moretti Brut 2004 flowing as well. This is one of the top super cuvee sparkling wines in Italy, and it shows all the complexity and flavor as well as freshness of a top prestige vintage Champagne. The 2004 is one of the best ever.
I haven't tasted many 2009 Barolos yet but the Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto is sure to be one of the top wines of the vintage. The few I have tasted have been incredibly forward and fruity with ripe tannins. This seems to be a vintage to consume early, but wait for a bigger report on the vintage later in the year.
Another important Barolo to check out here is the Roberto Voerzio Barolo Fossati Case Nere 10 Anni Riserva 2003, a first release from the Barolo master. And it is a wine that is only released 10 years after the harvest. It's a small production with only a few hundred cases.
There are so many more fascinating wines in this list. Hope you enjoy the tasting report. The PDFs below list of all the wines tasted at the GWOI event in New York, and all the notes are available through our search engine.
