2012 Tommasi VALPOLICELLA CLASSIC SUPERIORE "Rafael" (Veneto, Italy)

Always a solid example of the type, the 2012 is one of the best I've had in a while.  Flavorful, light-textured, super-soft, and with classic Valpo flavors.

Medium dark ruby with the beginnings of garnet highlights.  Loads of ripe, juicy black cherry fruit, with nice mineral and almond paste overtones.  Just instantly fills the mouth with ripe, soft-textured fruit, which then slowly fades to reveal a bit of tannin and some clean, clingy dark fruit and mineral flavors.  Relatively full-bodied, yet seems light and refreshing.  Nice job.  Great with all kinds of food.  B+/A-.  Was $16.99 at Total Wine in Fairfax, VA.  Imported by Vintus LLC, Pleasantville, NY.

2010 Luigi Righetti VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE RIPASSO "Campolieti" (Veneto, Italy)

This was really good.  Mouthwatering acids balanced nicely by beautifully ripe fruit.  I really liked the 2009 of this wine, and this is just as good if not a bit better.

Vivid dark ruby color.  Nose took a while to open up, but eventually yielded inviting scents of ripe mixed berries, ripe plums, fruitcake, and a wee bit of earthiness.  Very crisp, but ripe and smooth in the mouth.  Just a pure pleasure to drink.  Medium full body, the antithesis of heavy, but with nice concentration of ripe, winey plums and blackberry.  Long, pure-tasting finish.  This is a great choice with any tomatoey Italian pasta or braise.  Will last at least 2-3 years and maybe longer. Was $15.99 at Trader Joe's at Bailey's Crossroads.  A-.  Imported by Prestige Wine Imports, NYC.

2011 Allegrini VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

Solid, basic Valpo.  Nothing special, but it won't disappoint either.  A little on the burly side for this appellation.

Basic dark ruby color.  Vinous nose of dark cherry, with a slightly macerated note, along with some smoky, gravelly notes.  Mouthfilling, with loads of crunchy dark cherry fruit and a decent wallop of alcohol for a straight Valpo.   Pretty good acids, and just a wee bit of soft tannin.  Medium long, clean finish.  A good pasta/pizza/burgers choice.  I had it with braised pork chops, and it went very well.  B.  The $14.99 pricetag makes it only a "meh" value.  Got it at Total Wine in Mclean, VA.  Imported by Leonard LoCascio.

2010 Tommasi "Vigneto Rafael" VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

This wine has been consistently very good, year-after-year, since I can remember first trying it (in the early 80s).  It usually walks a line somewhere between the lighter, fresher regular Valpos many wineries offer as their entry level wine and their somewhat denser, riper, earthier Ripassos.  The 2010 is really nice.

Vibrant ruby with a purply tinge.   Gobs of ripe, dark, crunchy berry fruit on the nose.  The first night, the fruit obscured all else.  Then I left it under a Vacu-Vin for 48 hours, and it had developed some of the almondy characteristics frequently associated with Valpos.  Wonderful concentration and vibrancy in the mouth; a wine that just begets sip after sip, and would pair with all sorts of meals. Nice length and wonderful purity.  A-.  Was $16.99 at Total Wine in Fairfax, VA.  Imported by Vintus LLC, Pleasantville, NY.

2007 Tedeschi "Capitel dei Nicalo" VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE (Veneto, Italy)

A good value, fully mature, fairly complex Valpo. Tedeschi has been a very good producer in this region for several decades.  I used to carry a Tedeschi Capitel San Rocco Valpo in the wine shop I managed back in the mid-80s, and it was very good as I recall.  This wine is neither fish nor fowl; it's a unique style. Weight and body-wise, it's mid-way between a normal Valpo and Ripasso style.

Dark blackish garnet color.  Big, animated, earthy, yeasty nose with loads of ripe but tartish berry fruit.  Mouthfilling and flavorful, this wine counterbalances intensity and a light mouthfeel.  Very earthy, mature, satisfying flavors, with dark, dry berry skin fruit.  Bone dry, with some drying but soft tannin that is slow to leave.  Bit of pleasant bitterness appears in the finish.  Good, lively acids.  I give it a B+, but others who aren't fond of earthy wines may not like it as much.  Was $14.99 from Winex.com.  Imported by Dreyfus/Ashby, NYC.

(Sorry, 2006 shown.)

2009 Luigi Righetti VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE RIPASSO "Campolieti" (Veneto, Italy)

This was a classically-dilineated Ripasso Valpolicella.  Exactly mid-point between a crisp, light, cherryish straight-up Valpo and a rich, deeply-fruited and large-boned Amarone.

Dark brickish ruby.  Medium intensity nose, which repays patient sniffing with scents of deep, dried cherries, tobacco, fruitcake, and earthy minerals.  Medium-full bodied, with flavors of intense, winey cherries and minerally gravel.  It's bone dry, with lots of extract, a fair amount of tannin, and good acidity.  I think this will age nicely for another 2-3 years.  This would pair nicely with a wide range of Italian meat stews, pot roasts, and meat-sauced pastas.  B+.  Was $15.99 at Trader Joe's in Clarendon/Arlington, so it's a pretty good value.  Imported by Prestige Wine Imports.

2009 Conte di Breganzo AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

Not the most complex or balanced Amarone, but a very flavorful introduction to the genre of wine made from partially-dried grapes at a bargain price.

Earthy, deeply-fruity, with some pleasant pruney and tarry notes.

Very dark brickish ruby color.  Very fragrant, with low-toned, deep scents of ripe dark berries, prune brandy, and rich earth.  Mouthfilling, with huge body and deep fruit consisting mostly of oozing black and red berries and prunes.  Long if not complex finish clings to the inside of the mouth.  Not as hot on the finish as I expected.  This was only $16.99 at Trader Joe's in Clarendon.  It's made by a co-op in the region and represents an excellent value.  B.  Imported by Santini Fine Wines in San Lorenzo, Cal.

(Sorry, 2006 depicted.)

2009 Remo Farina RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE (Veneto, Italy)

I previously reviewed the 2006 iteration of this wine -- which I liked a lot -- and I like this one equally.  Very favorable smell-and-flavor-to-price ratio.  Lots of bang for the buck.

Dark ruby garnet color.  Exuberant nose of almost pungent cherry and plum extract, baking spices, and crushed stone.  Intensely flavorful -- but not heavy or jammy at all -- with penetrating fruit attacking the palate.  Some fine-grained tannins give texture, with dark cherry extract fruit then turning just a tad bitter (in a good way) and earthy as the finish wore on.  Full-bodied, but with respectable acidity.  No heat at all in the long finish.  A textbook ripasso-style Valpo with loads of character.  A.  Was $18.99 at Central Market, making it a very good value.  Imported by Banville & Jones Wines.

Short notes on wines from my brother's visit

My brother Angy (Angelo) was visiting over the weekend.  Drank some good stuff and cooked some good Italian food.  Here are the quick notes from memory (I didn't have time in all the activity to take contemporaneous, detailed notes).

2006 Nino Negri VALTELLINA SUPERIORE "Quadrio" (Lombardy, Italy) -- Nebbiolos from the Valtellina are an inconsistent lot.  At their best, they are fragrant, lean, lighter versions of the more familiar Nebs from Piemonte.  At their worst, they are just plain thin.  Not sure if it's a tendency to overcrop in this region or just the difficulty of growing Nebbiolo in the Alpine foothills.  This was a good one.  Classic Nebbiolo nose of piercing dried cherry, laced with the stoney minerals this region can display.  ($20 from Houston Wine Merchant.)

2005 Nicolas Joly SAVENNIERES "Les Clos Sacres" (Loire Valley) -- Try as I might I just haven't been able to get into dry Chenin Blancs.  I don't get the allure.  Even this biodynamically grown version from one of the region's most respected winemakers wasn't all that pleasurable.  Pungent nose showing some intensely-petrolly (verging on nail polish) scents overpowering some ripe guava fruit.  Some oxidation showed though in the back half of the palate, which is disappointing given this wine's reputation to age for a few years.

2000 Giuseppi Quintarelli VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy) -- From one of Italy's most revered and iconoclastic old-school winemakers, this cult Valpo absolutely ROCKED.  Every sniff and sip was different as this wine went through an amazing metamorphosis.  Plums, berries, smoke, earth, humus, baking spices, peat, this list of flavors and smells went on until we killed it.  Was $70 from Houston Wine Merchant.  Outrageously pricey for a Valpo, I know, but I hadn't had a Quintarelli wine since I was living in NYC in the 80s, and when I saw it just before Angy's trip, I had to get it.  (Sorry, 1999 shown.)


2007 Storybook Mountain Vineyards ZINFANDEL "Mayacamas Range" (Napa Valley, Cal.) -- I vacillate between Storybook and Ridge as my favorite Zin producer, but I guess I have to give a slight edge to Storybook.  The purity, elegance, and understatedly firm structure is unique among California Zins.  This one was a real treat, showing ridiculously pure cherry/black raspberry fruit, excellent stony minerality, and no noticeable oak intruding on any of its inherent virtues.  Fantastic balance, texture, and length.  Was around $30 at Spec's on Smith a couple of months ago . . . not sure if they have any left.

2008 Vigna Nuove di Musella VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE (Veneto, Italy)

A crisp, lively red for summertime meals.

Dark ruby with the barest touch of garnet.  Intense, high-toned nose of crisp, winey cherries, rock dust minerals, and fragrant underbrush.  Crisp, intense, dry cherry fruit, with lots of chalky minerals.  Medium body, with fairly crisp acids and a bit of very fine-grained tannin adds a nice tactile feel.  A little short on the finish.  B.  Imported by Vintners Estates Direct, I got this for $17 at Spec's on Smith.

2008 Speri "Vigneto La Roverina" VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

Another textbook, flavorful, light-ish, food-friendly Valpo.

Medium dark ruby garnet. Nice nose of almond paste and ripe, winey cherries, along with crushed stones. High-toned, bright flavors of crisp cherries and minerals. Medium light bodied, with refreshing acids. Bone dry, minerally finish. B+/A-. I think this was around $16 at Central market, but I can't find the receipt. Imported by Empson USA.

2006 Masi "Brolo di Campofiorin" RIPASSO (Veneto, Italy)

An example of what would have been -- if not for the use of small oak instead of the typical large casks -- an excellent wine. The influence of the small barrels made it too oaky for its own good.

Sultry, black ruby/crimson color. Rich but intensely oaky nose, with ripe, sappy black cherry and smoky earth underneath. Dark, chocolatey, and intense, with good balancing acidity. Unfortunately, the taste of oak overshadows the fruit, detracting from what otherwise were obviously good raw materials. 84. Was $16 at Nundini's Deli -- a great Italian import store on North Shepherd.

2008 La Salette VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO (Veneto, Italy)

A classic Valpo. Crisp, focused, flavorful, refreshing, with a touch of pleasant bitterness in the finish. A terrific summertime red that is best served cool.

Dark ruby garnet color. Lively nose of crunchy, crisp cherries and berries, with pungent crushed stone scents. Bone dry, yet brightly-fruited in the mouth, with crisp flavors of cherry, and a cleansing minerality. Good flavor persistence and excellent acidity. Light bodied. Lots of character in a totally refreshing style. 88. Was $16.99 at Houston Wine Merchant on South Shephard.

2006 Tenuta San Antonio VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE RIPASSO "Monte Garbi" (Veneto, Italy)

A very well-done, full mature Ripasso.

Mature color. Dark garnet with rust highlights. Closed nose at first, but run through a Vinturi it displayed a complex bouquet of roasted meat, macerated dried cherries, licorice, and smoky pecan wood. Rich, low-toned, peppery flavors initially, with brandy-soaked plums; then lightening into earthy cherry/licorice flavors. Long, dry finish. At its apogee right now despite substantial tannin. Very distinctive and nice. Drink before 2010 is up. 89. Was $18 at Spec's on Smith.

2004 Corte Campagnola AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

A really good, really rich Amarone. Pretty close to textbook.

Deep, mature black ruby/garnet. Rich, almost port-like nose of blackberry and cherry compote with warm, earthy baking spices, together with a hint of prune. Extraordinarily full-bodied, with warm flavors of tarry, dense, roasted black berries and dried cherry jam. Long, powerful finish. Very soft, and fully mature. Drink over the next year or two. 90.

Got this for $29.99 (pretty unheard-of for a high quality Amarone) on-line at Wines Til Sold Out -- a unique online wine close-out service that I subscribe to. They send daily (and sometimes 2 or 3 times daily) emails containing their offerings, which frequently are well below market prices. I recommend this service, with the caveat that if you live in Texas, ordering wines to be shipped in the summer months is a no-no.

Imported by Monarchia Matt International.

2006 Remo Farina "RIPASSO" Valpolicella Classico Superiore (Veneto, Italy)

The best old-school Ripasso-method* Valpo I've had in years.

Very dark blackish ruby-garnet. Utterly classic Ripasso nose of earthy, brandy-macerated fresh and dried cherries, with a hint of tar and eucalyptus. Dense, full-bodied, yet with lively, almost prickly acidity. Intensely "winey" and dry flavors of dried chokecherries with a hint of prune (in a good way!). Lengthy, minerally finish. Very very nice. 90. Imported by Banville & Jones Wine Merchants (NJ). Was $18.95 at Central Market, making it a very good value for a Ripasso.

* Ripasso refers to the dual fermentation this wine gets. In Valpolicella, they make both straight Valpo and Amarone di Valpolicella. Straight Valpo is usually fairly light and refreshing. Amarone is made from grapes left to dry for a few weeks before crushing. It makes a rich, high-alcohol wine with deep, dark, dried fruit and tar flavors. Ripasso Valpos are regular Valpos to which the crushed, used skins of the grapes used for Amarone are added just after the Valpo has fully fermented. This triggers additional fermentation and extraction of some of the flavors of the Amarone style wine.

2007 Brigaldara VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

A good, solid Valpo from this reliable producer.

Dark ruby/garnet color. The nose needed lots of time to open up, but then gave up pretty, medium intensity scents of sweet cherries and red berries, along with a touch of cinnamon and crushed stone. Medium-to-full bodied, with macerated, sweet/tart cherry flavors that pounce on the palate along with some slightly bitter, stony minerals. Some tannin perceptible, which is kind of unusual for basic entry-level Valpolicella. Decent finish. More of a palate-cleansing style that would counter highly-flavored rustic dishes. Drink over the next year. 86. Imported by Vinifera Imports. Was $19 at Spec's.

2004 Zenato VALPOLICELLA (Veneto, Italy)

This was a good value, food-friendly Valpo.

Eye: Dark black ruby. Good color saturation for a regular Valpolicella, which usually don't have deep color saturation.

Nose: Distinctive nose of scorched earth, milk, and tangy boysenberries.

Mouth: Medium full, with a good, tight core of concentrated fruit accented with brambly undertones. Good balance, and a dry, clean, long finish.

Cellar or drink? Drink over the next year for its vibrant fruit.

Score: 87.

Price/store: Widely available at around $14 at all the Spec's stores, as well as some Richard's stores.

2003 vs. 2004 in Tuscany (and Valpolicella)

I've drunk my last 2003 Tuscan wine. I've concluded that this vintage is a loser.

If you recall the news reports, this was the year that Europe sweltered under unprecedented, record-breaking heat. I've read some reports about how this affected the grapes' ripening, but the main thing I've noticed about every single bottle I've had from anywhere in Central Italy -- regardless of producer or appellation -- is the short, lean, drying and astringent finish. Some of the wines actually had nice noses; the noses of others were astringent and lacking fruit. Regardless of how they smelled and how they tasted on entry, however, they all finished lean and mean.

I had the same observations about several Valpolicellas (and other wines from the Veneto region ) I've had from that vintage too.

Now 2004, at least in Tuscany (I haven't had enough '04 Valpos to draw any tentative conclusions), seems to be a whole 'nuther story. Every '04 I've tasted has been bursting with fruit, concentrated and ripe from entry through the finish. But they've also had superb balance. They've not been New World fruit bombs, but quintessential, European-styled dinner wines. I've got a bunch more in the closet and I am looking forward to trying them.

2004 Luigi Righetti "Campolieti" VALPOLICELLA Classico Superiore (Veneto, Italy)

This wine isn't bad, but it doesn't taste like Valpolicella -- whether Ripasso style or regular style.

Crystalline dark ruby color. Boisterous nose of very tightly-wound fruit (berries, cherries, and plums) and pungent minerally scents (almost verging into acetate). Tight, simple, and crisp in the mouth, , with focused fruit on entry, fading quickly into a metallic/minerally finish. 81. Was $10.65 at Spec's on Smith.