Wine & Spirits - April 2020 - 141

IMPORTED NEW RELEASES
allowed to dry slightly, concentrating the flavors. It's a generous red, with bright acidity
and notes of orange zest to balance the dense
raspberry and blackberry tones, and to elevate the finish. -S.J. § Massanois Imports, NY
276274

90 | Avignonesi

$18

TOSCANA

2016 Toscana Rosso Biologico Da-Di (Best
Buy) ^ A new project from Avignonesi, Da-Di
(Chinese for "earth, soil") consists of pure
sangiovese fermented and aged in Tuscanmade terracotta vessels. Its red cherry flavors feel lean and unadorned, the accents of
cherry tomato, crunchy herbs and peppery
spice coming entirely from the fruit and
stems (one-third of the fruit is fermented
whole bunch). It is a refreshingly energetic
and innovative expression of sangiovese to
come out of the tradition-bound Montepulciano region. -S.J. § Tabaccaia, Manhasset, NY
276176

276681

2015 Toscana La Ghiandaia Sangiovese
e Canaiolo ^ A small property in southeastern Chianti Classico, Podere Erica produces
this blend from organically and biodynamically farmed sangiovese and canaiolo (30 percent). The wine is fermented spontaneously
and aged in cement vats, giving a bright and
edgy wine with sappy red cherry and raspberry flavors framed by raspy tannins. -S.J. §
Vinocity Selections, Venice, CA

88 | Salcheto

$25

2017 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Best
Buy) ^ This wine offers flavors of warm cherry
tart accented by notes of iron and dried
herbs. It shows an edge of volatility and
should be decanted before serving. -S.J. §
Massanois Imports, NY

94 | Rocca di Montegrossi

90 | Podere Erica

$64

2015 Toscana Geremia ^ After suffering
some heat stress in the summer of 2015,
Marco Ricasoli's merlot and cabernet sauvignon vines enjoyed milder temperatures
in August. The result is a wine with plush
warmth balanced by freshness and verve. Its
impenetrable color aligns with its deeply concentrated flavors, the plum and black-currant
notes scented with licorice and warm spices.
-S.J. § North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA
275810

91 | Cecchi

$125

2015 Toscana Coevo ^ This blends sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon from Cecchi's
Castellina-in-Chianti estate with merlot and
petit verdot from its lower-elevation vineyards in Maremma. It's dark and rich, with
bold flavors of blackberry and plum enriched
by notes of vanilla and spice gained during
18 months in barriques and tonneaux.-S.J. §
Terlato Wines Int'l, Lake Bluff, IL
273621

91 | Monteverro

$110

2014 Toscana Monteverro ^ Grown on the
southern Maremma coast, this is a blend of
mostly cabernets franc and sauvignon with
30 percent merlot and petit verdot. It's brambly and layered, the tobacco-scented berry
flavors polished from two years in French oak
barriques, 70 percent new. With its notes of
dried mushrooms, dark chocolate and black
spice, it's a match for a seared ribeye. -S.J. §
The Unfiltered Collection, Rutherford, CA
275908

$30

S I C I LY
276030

93 | Tasca d'Almerita

$120

2016 Etna Rosso Tenuta Tascante Contrada Sciaranuova V.V. ^ This is one of
four new single-contrada wines from Tasca
d'Almerita's Mount Etna winery, all from
Etna's northern slope. It comes from a
section of vines in Contrada Sciaranuova
planted in 1960, and it's impressively deep
and concentrated, unfolding with flavors of
fresh plum and pomegranate laced together
by dark, schisty tannins. Scents of roses and
violets provide a refined, delicate contrast to
the wine's power. -S.J. § Dalla Terra, Napa, CA
276059

93 | Tasca d'Almerita

$45

92 | Tasca d'Almerita

$22

2015 Sicilia Contea di Sclafani Tenuta
Regaleali Rosso del Conte ^ A blend of near
equal parts of nero d'Avola and perricone,
this buzzes with notes of licorice, menthol
and wild thyme that impart a cool edge to
the dense, dark fruit. A note of black olive
lends a savory balance, and the finish lingers
with hints of herbs. -S.J. § Leonardo LoCascio
Selections/Winebow Imports, NY
276010
2017 Etna Rosso Tenuta Tascante Ghaia
Nera (Best Buy) ^ Floral and juicy, with typical nerello mascalese flavors of dark plum,
cherry, dried thyme and lavender, Ghaia
Nera offers a great entry point to Etna Rosso.
-S.J. § Dalla Terra, Napa, CA
276060

92 | Tasca d'Almerita

$22

92 | Tasca d'Almerita

$60

90 | Tasca d'Almerita

$60

88 | Tasca d'Almerita

$15

2017 Sicilia Tenuta Regaleali Guarnaccio
Perricone (Best Buy) ^ This is a lively rendering of perricone, a native Sicilian variety
that is gaining in popularity as a single-variety wine. It shows juicy plum and blackberry
flavors gripped by firm, meaty tannins and
notes of brined black olive. -S.J. § Leonardo
LoCascio Selections/Winebow Imports, NY
276028
2016 Etna Rosso Tenuta Tascante Contrada Rampante ^ Produced from vines
planted in 2000, this wraps its dark cherry
and plum flavors in a lithe texture. Aged for
a year in large Slavonian oak casks, the wine
shows beautiful freshness and precision.
-S.J. § Dalla Terra, Napa, CA
276006
2016 Etna Rosso Tenuta Tascante Contrada Pianodario ^ This nerello mascalese
came from bush-trained vines planted in
2011 on steep slopes that reach up to 2,400
feet above sea level. It's the most high-toned
and floral of the new single-cru wines we
tasted this year from Tascante, radiating
scents of lavender and orange peel. The fresh
cherry and red currant flavors are focused
and lifted, the tannins refined and somewhat delicate for an Etna Rosso. -S.J. § Dalla
Terra, Napa, CA
276065
2017 Sicilia Tenuta Regaleali Nero d'Avola
(Best Buy) ^ This is bright and energetic, its
plummy flavors edged with notes of licorice
and cocoa. -S.J. § Leonardo LoCascio Selections/Winebow Imports, NY

ITALY DESSERT
276684

94 | Rocca di
Montegrossi

$83/375ml

2009 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico ^ Marco
Ricasoli produces one of the most opulent
and complex Vin Santos in Tuscany. In his
2009, rich flavors of molasses, white fig and
dried apricot are couched in an unctuous
texture and lifted by a cool layer of slatey
minerality. The wine aged for up to seven
years in an array of small casks (50 and 100
liter, made from cherry, oak and mulberry
wood), gaining notes of anise, clove and
ginger. Despite a whopping 325 grams per
liter of residual sugar, the wine finishes on
a fresh, lifted note, brightened by hints of
menthol and orange peel. -S.J. § North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA
275937

WINE & SPIRITS

APRIL 2020

141

https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/rocca+monte+grossi+geremia+tuscany+igp+italy

Wine & Spirits - April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - April 2020