Italian
wines from
Les Caves de
Pyrene
Some notes from Les Caves de Pyrene new Italian
Portfolio tasting. Les Caves are best known for their pioneering work
with wines from the Southwest of France (indeed, they have an enviable
list of French regional wines), but they have been expanding their
portfolio, buying with equal skill from Italy. Some really
interesting wines here, offering good value.
www.lescaves.co.uk
Livio
& Giorgio Marega, San Floriano del Collio, Friuli
Livio & Giorgio Marega Tocai Friulano 2004 San
Floriano del Collio, Friuli
Delicious stuff. Fresh bright nose shows lovely fruit and a slight
nuttiness. On the palate there’s a lovely freshness to the supple,
nicely textured herby fruit. Fresh and expressive. Very good/excellent
90/100 (£6.60)
Livio & Giorgio Marega Malvasia Istriana 2003
San Floriano del Collio, Friuli
Fantastic nose: really pretty. It’s quite weighty but perfumed,
with ripe peachy fruit and some freshness. Fantastic palate has lovely
texture, great acid and some freshness. Rich. Very good/excellent
93/100 (£10.45)
Poggio
Argenteria, Giampaolo Paglia, Banditella di Albarese, Tuscany
Poggio Argenteria Morellino di Scansano
‘Capatosta’ 2002
Dark, sweetly fruited and quite tarry, this is very forward and
enticing. The palate is soft and richly textured with a savoury, spicy
edge. Very satisfying and deep. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£12)
Poggio Argenteria Finisterre IGT 2002
A blend of Alicante Bouschet (there’s quite a bit of this in
this part of Tuscany) and Syrah. Very sweet open ripe black fruits
dominate the nose: deep pure fruit. The palate shows lovely soft,
pure, bold ripe fruit. Very concentrated and rich with a luscious
texture. Lots of fun here. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£17.40)
Ceuso,
Melia, Alcamo, Sicily
Cueso Custera 2001
Nice, fresh, slightly cherryish spicy red fruits are the key
feature here. Good freshness. A nice wine that is drinking well now.
Very good+ 88/100 (£11.95)
Palari,
Salvatore Geraci, Santa Stefano Briga, Messina, Sicily
Rosso del Soprano 2002
A blend of Nerellos. Nice bright, spicy, meaty red fruits
dominate, with some vanilla notes. The palate is modern and spicy with
savoury dark fruits. Quite oaky. Very good+ 88/100
Gianni
Masciarelli, San Martino Sulla Marrucina, Abruzzo
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ‘Villa Gemma’ 2000
Very dark colour. Tight nose of sweet ripe fruits. The palate is
rich, concentrated and quite extracted, displaying rich dark brambly
fruits. It’s a tannic wine in a souped-up bold new world style.
Impressive up front but perhaps lacking real character. Very good+
91/100 (£25)
Constantino
Charrere, Aymavilles Valle d’Aosta
Les Cretes Petite Arvine Vigne Champorette 2004
From vineyards 600–700 m high, this white has a fresh, youthful
bright fruity nose. It’s very crisp on the palate with a good weight
of brilliantly fresh fruit. Very good+ 89/100 (£11)
Les Cretes Torrette 2003
A wonderfully aromatic red. Fresh, primary, vibrant red fruits
nose. Quite thrilling. The palate is supple and clean with nicely
textured red fruits. Fantastically fresh. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£11.85)
Vittorio
Innocenti, Montefollonico, Tuscany
Innocenti Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 1999
Dark, savoury and spicy with a lovely open nose. Savoury, tannic
and expressive with an almost liqueur-like edge to the fruit.
Interesting and deep. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£9.65)
Innocenti Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2000
Lovely richness to the savoury, spicy red fruits nose: nice
freshness and savoury depth. The palate is quite tight with lovely
fine-grained spicy tannins. A serious effort: just slightly rustic,
but in a nice way. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£9.65)
Alberto
Loi, Cardedu, sardinia
‘Leyla’ Cannonau White 2004
Interesting nutty slightly oxidised nose. Soft, sweet textured
palate with more nutty, honeyed and oxidative characters. Very good+
87/100 (£8.95)
Cannonau de Sardegna Riserva 2000
Lovely stuff, showing nicely textured berry fruit with a lovely
smooth, savoury structure. Smooth but with some presence. Very
good/excellent 90/100 (£10.95)
Tua
Rita, Suvereto, Tuscany
Tua Rita Rosso dei Notri 2003
Sweet open nose of cherryish fruit. Bright with a liquoricey edge.
Fresh, clean, slightly meaty fruit on the palate. Expressive. Very
good+ 88/100 (£7.65)
Tua Rita Redigaffi 2002
Very dark coloured. Sweet open nose red and black fruits with a
more serious spicy edge. The palate is concentrated, full and dense
with ripe fruit and a spicy character. Made in a modern style this is
tannic but with quite fresh fruit. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£60.05)
Others
Maria Cvetić Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2001
Lovely vibrant spicy, savoury red fruits with a savoury, tarry,
slightly earthy edge. Dark and brooding. There’s a nice fullness to
the palate which is tight, savoury and spicy with good acidity. Nice
savoury tannic structure and some minerality. Very good/excellent
92/100
Macchiona La Stoppa 2000 Emiglia-Romana
Dark, dense, slightly rustic nose that is meaty, spicy and smoky.
The palate is open with a lovely vivid spicy character. Perhaps a bit
rustic and funky, but a lovely red wine. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£13.95)
Wines tasted 04/05
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