“𝑰𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒕” 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐, 2005

📍Monforte d’Alba, Barolo, Piemonte, Italy🇮🇹

Beautiful color with a fine orange rim that doesn’t seem too oxidized.

The bouquet started offering notes of port, brown apple and prunes, but after a bit of air it blew off and revealed quite a youthful and fresh Nebbiolo for its age. Strawberry (fresh and candied), dried sweet cherry, pressed flowers, orange peel, tar, thyme, mint, charcuterie and rusty metal followed on the nose. The oak is clear too.

The palate was medium(+)-bodied with well integrated tannins and a vibrant acidity. Cherry, cranberry, raw liquorice, dark chocolate, cloves, spicy vanilla and mint. A taste of chalk and iron in the finish.

• “Il Favot” means “the favorite”

• Grapes from different small (and younger) parcels at Bussia

• Fermented in steel tanks (8 days skin contact - brings a deep color but lower tannic level) with indigenous yeast

• Aged a few months in steel tanks followed by some months in barrique

• No clarifying and filtration before bottling

An estate of the elite in the Barolo area. The history dates back to 1969, when Aldo left him and his brothers (Giacomo Conterno) wine business to start his own adventure with more modern philosophies, following Angelo Gaja, meaning shorter maceration and some barrique next to the large Slavonian barrels.

Aldo Conterno passed away in 2012, leaving the winery to his three sons, France, Giacomo and Stefano, who were all working with their father during his last yeast.

They work organically without certification, farms 25 ha with very low yields - a total of 80.000 bottles pr. year.

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ “𝑰𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒕” 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐, 2005 📍Monforte d’Alba

📍Sant’Angelo in Colle, Montalcino, Toscana, Italy🇮🇹

Very old school Brunello with a bouquet slowly opening up revealing well matured notes of baked red fruits (a bit aged tawny-like), dark cherry, old leather, cinnamon, anise, dried herbs, sweet tobacco and old coffee grounds. It’s quite dusty as well and has some iron and blood-like scents coming through.

On the palate, it’s medium(+)-bodied with powdery tannins and medium acidity. Notes of dark cherry, prunes, baked tomato, cloves, oak, dark chocolate and rosemary/thyme-like herbs. The finish is long and balsamic, and the alcohol is (maybe a bit too) present. Not as floral as expected.

• Grapes are hand-harvested from the winery’s oldest vineyards (150-450 meters altitude)

• Fermented in steel tanks with indigenous yeasts

• Aged in big French oak barrels (30-50 hectoliters) for 3 years

An iconic winery in Toscana, still owned by the Francheschi-family since the establishment in 1890.

They own 600 ha of land, of which 125 are vines and 70 are olive trees, in the area next to the village of San’tAngelo in Colle, which is known as being one of the best terroirs in the Brunello di Montalcino-area.

Il Poggione is a winery with great quality, that delivers pretty much in all vintages. And the prices are not bad…

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ Tenuta Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino, 2012

𝑫𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊 𝑻𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊, 2018

📍Castiglione Falletto, Barolo, Piemonte, Italy🇮🇹

First time tasting a Derthona. Lovely wine offering aromas of kiwi, quince, melon rind, raw white mushrooms, marzipan, chamomile  and mild petrol, resin and beeswax. There’s a mild scent of white flowers and a nice mineral touch of wet sea stones.

The wine is dry, medium-bodied and has a refreshing acidity on the palate. It brings notes of fresh pear, green gooseberry, kiwi, tangerine, ginger, stones from peach and cherry and green bitter salad.

* Grapes are harvested from vineyards located around the town of Monleale in Colli Tortonesi DOC.

* Fermentation takes place in steel tanks, ceramic containers and wooden casks.

* Aged 10 months in steel tanks, ceramic containers and wooden barrels on the lees - frequent batonnage.

The area of Colli Tortonesi DOC (eastern Piemonte) is most famous for wines based on Barbera, but the ancient, and almost extinct, variety of Timorasso is gaining a lot of attention these years. A real cult variety for those who know it.

Wines labeled as "Derthona", which is the traditional name (in the local dialect) for the town of Tortona, after which the Colli Tortonesi DOC is named, are always made by 95-100% Timorasso.

Walter Massa might be the main figure when it comes to the rise of Timorasso, but for sure giants from Barolo (like Vietti, La Spinetta and Borgogno) are helping to spread the “news” with their recently achieved vines.

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ 𝑫𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊 𝑻𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊, 2018 📍Castiglione

Things are starting to get a little serious... ⁣

Drink or cellar, that's the question?!⁣

 Things are starting to get a little serious... ⁣ Drink or

My Italian odyssey continues with Biondi-Santi 'Greppo' Brunello Di Montalcino 2012. Another icon of Italian wine renowned for longevity, elegance and power added to the collection. 100% Sangiovese and considered by many to be the purest and most profound iteration of the Tuscan grape. Might pencil this on in for my 50th! ⁣

 My Italian odyssey continues with Biondi-Santi 'Greppo'

The longer this lockdown goes on the better these look… 😬🍷

How can you go wrong when you have these two to choose from! ⁣

Bruno Rocca Langhe Nebbiolo 2016, possibly my best find of the year. It's a very classy Neb made from the youngest vines Bruno Rocca have. Crisp, floral, full of red cherries and that lovely Nebbiolo tannin. A great find! try it, it's bloody good stuff. ⁣

Vietti Perbacco 2016, the competition! 2016 was a cracking year in ​Piemonte and these wines highlight that. Perfumed and vibrant, the Perbacco shows the classic rose petals and fresh red cherry. Almost all of this fruit is destined to be Barolo so grab yourself a bargain! ⁣

 How can you go wrong when you have these two to choose

What was the last wine you had that got you thinking? Or, got you doing a little digging into what it’s all about? 🍷🍇

For me it’s a fantastic wine from vintage of the decade in Piedmont. Bruno Rocca Langhe Nebbiolo 2016. Such an awesome expression of Nebbiolo that’s beautiful now and clearly going to evolve for years to come. It’s entry level for Bruno Rocca wines made from Barbaresco vineyards with younger vines, up to 15 years old. It packs an awesome flavour punch to complete with the bigger names and price tags for sure. I can’t wait to explore more of what they have to offer! This could easily become an addiction.... Glad I’m stocking up!! 🍷🍇

 What was the last wine you had that got you thinking? Or

Very excited to see this little gem hit the cellar. Bruno Rocca Barbaresco Rabajà 2015. 100% Nebbiolo that spends 12 month in French oak barriques followed by 12 month in French oak barrels. This wine excites me... too bad it’ll be in the cellar for a while! Possibly the most beautiful label I’ve seen for a long time as well. Screems class

 Very excited to see this little gem hit the cellar. Bruno

I shouldn’t have, but I did, it’s Xmas after all and it’s a gold Super Tuscan! Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore L’Infinito is the limited release of the 2011 vintage. One bottle in every six gets the limited, artist designed, label so this was a little too hard to resist!

 I shouldn’t have, but I did, it’s Xmas after all and it’s a

The big guns came out today for today’s Xmas day lunch. Hosted by the Italian in-laws there was only one option really. Super day, super Tuscan. -

 The big guns came out today for today’s Xmas day lunch

A Gold Ornellaia 2011?.... if there’s ever a bottle to have, this has to be it! First Super Tuscan added to the cellar and by all accounts it’s an absolute stunner. Happy Easter all, drink well, eat lots and have an awesome time 🍷🙌🍷 🍷

 A Gold Ornellaia 2011?.... if there’s ever a bottle to

Perhaps the best value wine find of the year! The Calabria Family make some awesome wines, Old Vine Shiraz and the Saint Petri selection (check them out) two name a few, but this Nero D’Avola for sheer drinkability is a quality find at a fraction of the cost. Red berry fruit, earthy and herbal aromatics, fine grain emery-board like tannins on the finish. Sub $15, unbelievable really. A fun, super enjoyable drop that’s well worth trying, end of.

 Perhaps the best value wine find of the year! The Calabria

So, how long is long enough to age a Super Tuscan? These two Ornellaia 2011s, including the "L'Infinito" limited label, are two of the gems in my collection and I can’t wait to try them. They’re sleeping away in the cellar but they’re getting harder and harder to resist!

 So, how long is long enough to age a Super Tuscan? These

​Rumour has it the ​Giuseppe Mascarello ​Monprivato 2013 is a special wine. Since I’m on a Barolo roll this’ll join the rest of my sleeping beauties in the cellar. Might add a “do not touch” label to this one! ⁣

 ​Rumour has it the ​Giuseppe Mascarello ​Monprivato 2013 is

I’ve been fortunate to taste some fantastically tasty, moreish, and great value wines lately. This is no exception. -

Purple Hands Aglianico 2017, medium bodied, vibrant and balanced on the nose. The palate shows plenty of upfront redcurrant and black cherries notes, liquorice and tar. Rustic, earthy tannins and fresh berry acidity round it off very nicely. It’s a quality drop, no doubt about it! -

 I’ve been fortunate to taste some fantastically tasty

Some pretty serious wines found their way into the cellar today. Three Aussie “best of breeds” and this bucket list Super Tuscan! I’d of thought it’ll be a few years before these come out again... fingers crossed!

 Some pretty serious wines found their way into the cellar

I’m a sucker for single vineyard, small batch, productions regardless of the variety and this

 Montepulciano, affectionately named “The Mob” is limited to 200 dozen and comes from a 1 hectare single vineyard in the Barossa. So with both boxes ticked, what’s it like? Black cherry in colour, impenetrable beginning to end. Sets the scene nicely for the dark cherry and red plum blast, twiggy herbals, and almost tarry edge all balanced nicely with chewy tannins and medium acidity. It’s a taste of Italy that’s had the Barossa treatment, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

 I’m a sucker for single vineyard, small batch, productions

When you combine stunning vintages and exceptional viticultural philosophies then great things happen; summed up perfectly by this 2015 Bruno Rocca Barbaresco. Having tried it late last year I couldn’t resist adding some to the cellar! -

 When you combine stunning vintages and exceptional

​⁠That nervous feeling when your boss says "order the wine" and this rocks up. It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission right? Especially when this beaut puts a smile the size of a house on your face. Highly recommended! ⁠

 ​⁠That nervous feeling when your boss says "order the wine"

We may be heading into Autumn but this Vietti Perbacco 2016 is taking me straight back to summer and highlighting just how good the 2016 vintage was. On point in every aspect, and an all round crowd pleaser, love it 🙌🙏🍷🔥

 We may be heading into Autumn but this Vietti Perbacco 2016

If it was good enough for Thomas Jefferson it’s good enough for me. Such an interesting wine! Made to match tasting notes from Thomas Jefferson’s European travels in the 1700s this Nebbiolo ticks a lot of boxes. Light, translucent ruby, in the glass with fantastic fresh red fruit characteristics of rose, cherry, hints of raspberry. Fruity, but not over sweet and it has the faintest hint of fizz due to fermentation finishing in bottle. This is a decent drop for people keen to explore different expressions of Nebbiolo, I’d happy buy this again! 🍷🍷

 If it was good enough for Thomas Jefferson it’s good enough

I've been on an Italian wine quest lately adding some gems to the collection. This was the last of the northern Italian's added and by all accounts it's a stunner! Next stop, Tuscany! ⁣

 I've been on an Italian wine quest lately adding some gems

𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒎, 2018

Umbria might not be the biggest and most famous appellation in Italy, but with many upcoming names focusing on biodynamics and low intervention wines, the future seems bright.

Fongoli, run by Letizia and Angelo, has worked organically since the beginning of the winery’s history in 1927. Their portfolio of wines range from the more classic to the more juicy and “fun” wines - all made with care and nature in mind.

• The local Trebbiano Spoletino, used here, is distinct from Trebbiano Toscano by, most often, producing wine with a richer texture and more overt and deep fruit and having a less bright acidity.

• Spontaneous fermentation in open vats

• Aged in steel tanks for a few months on the lees

The aromas are very expressive. Heavy and fresh at the same time, offering notes of warm apple juice, tangerine peel, canned peaches, dried apricot, mango puré, honey and chamomile with hints of spray painting, sweet liquorice and asphalt.

The palate in rich with fine grained tannins and a medium acidity and a prickling minerality. Nice crunchy mouth feeling.

Semidried apricot, bitter orange jam, grilled pineapple, pepper and herbs on the tongue. Walnut and salt on the finish.

Nice, but gets a bit mousy pretty quick, though.

 ⭐️88+/100⭐️ 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒎, 2018 📍Montefalco, Umbria, Italy🇮🇹 🍇

𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐, 2006

Mario Minuto established Moccagatta in 1952 in the small village of same name located just south of the town of Barbaresco.

Today, the winery is run by Mario’s sons, Sergio and Francesco, and their children too.

Moccagatta is a modernist styled winery, using barrique for aging of which 20% are new (the rest 2nd and 3rd use) and short maceration (around 7 days).

The winery has worked 100% organically since 2014.

• Grapes from younger vines (also from their top crus) located in Barbaresco and Neive

Needed a bit of time to let go of some oxidized “damp basement” scent. Afterwords, a “classic” aged Nebbiolo appeard (maybe a bit too oxi still) with a bouquet offering as scent of aged port with lower alcohol, prunes, cherry, sweet liquorice, (very) old books, pencil shavings, truffle, wet wood, used leather sole, matured meat and black hibiscus tea.

On the tongue, the wine is medium-bodied and well balanced with silky tannins and vibrant acidity. Ripe cherry, warm prunes, dehydrated mushrooms, black tea with red berries, bresaola, juniper berry and iodine in the finish.

 ⭐️88/100⭐️ 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐, 2006 📍Barbaresco, Piemonte

⚜️ Giovanni Corino started as a vinegrower selling grapes to wine Producers. In the mid-1980s, they started bottling their wines. In 1987 the company took an innovative road in the wine-making process. They then experimented with shorter, temperature-controlled fermentation and aging in small French oak barrels·

🍇 While in the vineyards, they started green harvesting to achieve superior quality. In 2006, Giovanni's estate was amicably split between his two sons. His eldest son Giuliano kept his father's brand

 while his younger son Renato started his label Renato Corino·

🍷 Giachini is a small 3.5-hectare cru located to the east of Rocche dell’Annunziata·

 ⚜️ Giovanni Corino started as a vinegrower selling grapes to

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Nebbiolo from the northwestern corner of the Piedmont region in Italy. The wine must be at least 90% Nebbiolo, which is locally referred to as Spanna. Gattinara was awarded DOCG status in 1990.  The soils of Gattinara are volcanic with a noticeable red color due to the high iron and mineral content. The wine was aged for three years before release with two years in large Slavonian oak barrels.

👁 Medium garnet core with a pale tawny rim, cloudy

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of dried currant, dried cherry, dried leaves, oregano, wilted flowers, wood charcoal, tar, orange bitters, and sun-dried tomato.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium- resolved tannins, medium alcohol (13%), and medium body.  A lot of suspended fine sediment in the wine. A medium length finish of dried cherry, oregano, and orange bitters.

🔔 This Gattinara was past prime, but still enjoyable to drink if you wine with age. Any time I get that sun-dried tomato note on the nose, I know the wine is starting to fall down from gradual oxidation. The palate showed more life, with an intriguing orange bitters note. Overall, it was a fun tasting experience still, though it would have been better ten years ago.

 1970 Travaglini -  Gattinara Selezione @travaglinigattinara

2012 Biondi-Santi - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (98 pts)

ℹ️ The wine is 💯 Sangiovese Grosso from estate owned vineyards around the town of Montalcino in Tuscany, Italy. Biondi-Santi is the oldest and most famous Producer of Brunello di Montalcino. Biondi-Santi was the driving force in defining the wines of Brunello di Montalcino. This Riserva is the last vintage of Franco Biondi-Santi, who oversaw the Winemaking for 24 of the 39 Riservas produced at the estate. The grapes were vinified in Slavonian oak barrels with indigenous yeasts. Then the wine was aged in Slavonian oak barrels for three years. Typically Riservas receive three years of bottle age, but this vintage was aged for four years in bottle before being released.

👁 Medium ruby color with a pale garnet rim

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of sour cherry, red currant, dried strawberry, leather, fennel, sage, orange peel, rhubarb, prosciutto, and oolong tea.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium fine-grained, powdery tannins, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), and medium body. The texture of the wine is like plush velvet on your tongue. A long length finish that lingers of dried sour cherry, earthy rhubarb, leather, and dried herbs.

🔔 Hands down, this is one of the top wines of Italy. An absolutely gorgeous wine that is airy and complex on the nose but packed with velvety texture and concentration on the palate. This a knockout with 3-4 hours in the decanter, but this can effortlessly age for decades. I would argue that with additional cellaring that this could be a perfect wine. Please notice the special dedication to Franco Biondi-Santi on the front of the label in honor of his last vintage. 🙏

 2012 Biondi-Santi - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (98 pts)

🍇 Nebbiolo is such an age-worthy grape. Opening an aged Barolo never fails to amaze me at how young these wines can taste after so many years in the bottle. This bottle shows that you don't need to put away crazy expensive wines to have them blossom into something beautiful with age. Detailed tasting notes coming soon. 🍷📝·

🍷 1989 Giovanni Corino - Vigna Giachini Barolo·

 🍇 Nebbiolo is such an age-worthy grape. Opening an aged

2016 Fratelli Alessandria - Barolo (92 pts)

ℹ️ This wine 💯 Nebbiolo from the appellation of Barolo in the Piedmont region of Italy. The Alessandria family has been making Barolo in the town of Verduno since 1870. The grapes come from a selection of vineyards in Verduno and Monforte d'Alba. The unique soils of Verduno are a mix of sand and clay with a high proportion of limestone. The average vine age is 25 years old. Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged for three years in older Slavonian and French oak barrels. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

👃 Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe and stewed black cherry, black plum, dried potpourri, clove, cinnamon stick, leather (new shoes), and grapefruit bitters.

👄 The wine is dry, high acidity, high drying tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), and medium+ body. The tannins are grippy and drying with noticeable spice on the palate. A medium+ length finish of ripe black fruit, grapefruit bitters, and cinnamon spice.

🔔 The 2016 Barolo from Fratelli Alessandria is filled with that classic Verduno spiciness. Overall, there was a warmth to this wine, and it craves to be paired with heartier fare. This needs a fair amount of air if consumed now, but patience will reward those who can cellar this for a few more years. The wines from Fratelli Alessandria always offer fantastic value for the price, especially as you go up to some of the single cru bottlings. Don't sleep on this producer.

 2016 Fratelli Alessandria - Barolo (92 pts)

🇮🇹 2019 Poggio La Noce - Pinko Pallino

🧠 Let me know your thoughts or feedback on this

🗳 Add suggestions for future wine battles in the comments below👇

 🇮🇹 2017 Inserrata - Inebriante 🇮🇹 2019 Poggio La Noce - Pinko

Alois Lageder Interview with Helena and Clemens Lageder·

🎙 Join my Instagram Live interview with Helena and Clemens Lageder of Alois Lagader

.lageder , ‪on Monday, May 25th, at 9:00 am PST‬. We will be discussing Biodynamic Viticulture. Weingut Alois Lageder has been inviting winegrowers from all over the world to join the Summa, which is a collaborative conference.  Also, talk about the rewards and challenges of being a family-run winery·

🍷 We will be tasting the 2018 Porer Pinot Grigio and will discuss how Pinot Grigio style is being preserved at Alois Lageder in the face of climate change. Please join our Instagram Live and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories··