Castello Rampolla Supertuscan and Pecchenino Barolo wine tasting

"At least once a day you should do something purely for enjoyment, and wine is my way of relaxing." - Young Uck Kim, Wine Collector

We try to do things that are relaxing more than once a day here at the Wine Watch… but that's just us...

Italy has some of the world’s greatest wines in both the white and red category and if you want to find the best wines from Italy just look at the back of the bottle and see who the importer is.  One of the best importers of Italian wines in the USA is Vias Imports.  Over the years we have sold many bottles of wine from this great importer and when our good friend Alberto Prealoni suggested we put together a tasting with two of their top wineries Castello Dei Romitorio and Pecchenino I immediately put a date on the calendar to taste the new releases from these two outstanding properties.  I have included a few older vintages from Castello Dei Rampolla that we have in the store to show how well these wines can age in your cellar.

This tasting is $125 per person and includes dinner and gratuity, only tax is additional.  For reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com

Castello dei Rampolla and Pecchenino Vias Italian Wine Tasting
Tuscany Versus the Piedmont
Thursday, September 19th
7:30pm

Castello Dei Rampolla Chianti Classico 2016
Price: $34.50    Sale $30.36

(93 Points) The 2016 Chianti Classico impresses for the heightened level of vibrant freshness and aromatic precision that distinguishes it in a large playing field. Proprietor Maurizia di Napoli tells me that the 2016 growing season was not without its ups and downs. Farming was difficult, and not all sites came to ripeness with the same consistency because it was cooler toward the end of the growing season. Castello dei Rampolla avoids the use of sulfites in winemaking. However, these results are stunning, especially as this is positioned as a more affordable wine. The blend is 85% Sangiovese, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Castello dei Rampolla Sammarco 2014
Price: $105.00    Sale $92.40
(94 Points) The 2014 Sammarco was bottled in August and will be released in January 2019. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Sangiovese. At this young stage, the wine already offers an impressive array of complex aromas with dark berry, spice and grilled herb neatly overlapping. Those tones are delivered with perfume-like grace and intensity. This vintage is streamlined and compact in terms of mouthfeel, and those youthful tannins remind us that this wine will award the best results to those who have the patience to wait. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Castello Di Rampolla Sammarco Tuscany 2000
Price: $130.00    Sale Price: $105.00           Quantity in Stock: 14
(90 points)" Fascinating berry, incense and floral aromas. Full-bodied, with silky tannins. Really kicks in on the fresh, bright finish. Sangiovese and Cabernet. Best after 2005. " (10/2003) Wine Spectator

Castello dei Rampolla Vigna D'Alceo 2014
Price: $219.75    Sale $193.38
(94 Points) Fruit for this wine always comes from the same vineyard site, and production was heavily reduced in this difficult vintage. If an average year sees 13,000 bottles made, only 6,200 bottles were made of the 2014 d'Alceo. This wine shows beautiful brightness and linearity with a polished, almost glossy texture that feels like silk on the palate. The wine is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a smaller part Petit Verdot. It offers a mid-weight texture with balanced tannins and acidity to seal the deal. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Castello Dei Rampolla Vigna D'Alceo 2012
Price: $219.75    Sale $193.38
(97 Points) A focused, balanced style, evoking pure cherry, raspberry, mineral and floral aromas and flavors, this is elegant and fluid yet dense and well-structured, ending with lively acidity and dusty tannins. The finish goes on and on. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2025. Wine Spectator

2001 Castello Dei Rampolla Vigna D'Alceo Tuscany
Price: $225.00    Your Price: $198.00          Quantity in Stock: 5
(95 Points) There can be few doubts that the 2001 D’Alceo is one of the greatest wines in the distinguished history of the estate, something which becomes immediately evident from the deep ruby color as well as the sweet, focused, and weighty nose with its important notes of ripe berry fruit, sage, rosemary, and classy oak. Rich, dense, deep, and layered, the sensual and potent palate is sheer joy, the maximum in fused power and elegance. Wine Advocate #152, Apr 2004

Pecchenino

Pecchenino Maestro Bianco 2017
Price: $24.75    Sale $21.78
A blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Sauvignon Blanc fermented in stainless and aged 9 months in French oak barriques plus 4 months in the bottle before the release. The bouquet on the nose is rich, round and buttery. Fresh, aromatic, and zingy. Sauvignon Blanc brings a crisp acidity and lively aromatics.
(88 Points) “Fresh and juicy, this offers peach, apple and lemon aromas and flavors. Mouthwatering acidity keeps this focused and long. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now. 583 cases made.” Wine Spectator

Pecchenino Dolcetto Siri D'jermu 2016
Price: $25.50    Sale $22.44
Fermented in Stainless steel and aged for 12 months in big French oak barrels plus 6 months in the bottle before he release.  Intense bouquet of ripe fruits with notes of currants, blackberries and black cherries.

Pecchenino Barolo San Giuseppe 2015
Price: $57.00    Sale $50.16
Fermented in Stainless steel and aged for 24 months in big French oak barrels plus 6 months in the bottle before he release.  The bouquet on the nose is intense and complex with notes of ripe currants and raspberries accented by hints of truffle and violet.  The flavor is elegant and balanced with a good body. Soft tannins and a long fruity finish

Pecchenino Barolo Bussia 2013
Price: $72.75    Sale $64.02
Fermented in Stainless steel and aged for 36 months in Slavonian oak casks of 25 Hl, plus 6 months in the bottle before the release.  The bouquet on the nose is intense and complex with notes of violet, red berries, like raspberry and currant, and more deep aromas of licorice, mint and spices.  On the palate it is rich, full bodied, with a great structure, firm and velvety tannins, and a persistent finish.
(93 Points) “Leads off with scents of graphite, mineral and menthol, giving way to flavors of cherry and black currant. Dense and powerful, with big, dusty tannins guarding the finish for now. Needs time. Best from 2022 through 2045.” Wine Spectator

Pecchenino Barolo Le Coste 2013
Price: $66.00    Sale $58.08
Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 36 months in big French oak barrels plus 6 months in the bottle before he release.  Intense bouquet of ripe fruits, such as currants and raspberries with hints of violet.  The flavor is balanced with silky, sweet tannins, an excellent structure and a long finish.

Menu
Charcuterie Selection: Bresaola Sweet Aromatic Dried Cured Italian Beef & Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Salmon tartar with avocado and red pepper coulis
Bistecca alla Fiorentina with Red Wine Demi, Roasted Baby Potato’s and Rapini
Hazelnut Almond Biscotti with Grappa Whipped Creme

This tasting is $125 per person and includes dinner and gratuity, only tax is additional.  For reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com

A bit about Pecchenino:
The Pecchenino family has worked in viticultural for over four generations and made the leap from small wine production to a winery of international recognition under the brothers Orlando and Attilio Pecchenino. Today, Pecchenino consists of 54 acres in Dogliani and an additional seven acres in Monforte. Focused on the production of high-quality Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and a few other select varietals, Pecchenino’s vines are painstakingly cared for by hand. In addition to its consistent high quality, Pecchenino distinguishes itself by being the only winery to produce Dolcetto aged in oak, resulting in Dolcetto wines with an aging potential of over 10 years.

A bit about Castello dei Rampolla:
Since 1739, the di Napoli family has owned and managed the 13th-century estate of Castello dei Rampolla, which is situated near Panzano in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone. The legend at this historic property, however, is predominantly a contemporary affair, and, you could say, inspired by the pioneer Super-Tuscan, Sassicaia. After cultivating a vineyard in 1965, Alceo di Napoli was pretty content to sell most of the grapes he grew to the Antinori family. He would likely have continued to perform in this support role, but he was soon to emerge as his own mind behind, having fallen in love with a wine that Antinori’s then-enologist, Giacomo Tachis, was closely involved with—Sassicaia. This radical, Bordeaux-style wine introduced Alceo to Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape that was just getting its roots wet in Bolgheri’s complementary ground. Of course, things above the soil weren’t quite as accommodating, as Alceo was soon to learn.

He endured fierce criticism for advocating the synergy between the Panzano area of Chianti and Cabernet Sauvignon, but it took only the 1980 vintage debut of Sammarco—a predominantly Cabernet-based blend (featuring a small percentage of Sangiovese, and, in more recent vintages, Merlot) that he conceived with Giacomo Tachis—for Alceo’s conviction to be validated. While this Cab powerhouse is frequently positioned after its inspiration, Sassicaia, as well as Antinori’s Cabernet-based Solaia and Ornellaia, it nevertheless is a significant entity in the pioneering Super-Tuscan movement. Moreover, it is the original biodynamic Super-Tuscan: the estate’s conversion to a wholly biodynamic regimen transpired over the course of several years and has been in effect for over a decade now. The estate is also noted for its rigorous, uncompromising viticultural practices, which emphasize high-density planting and low yields. An artisanal mindset informs all phases of production.

Truth be told, however, Sammarco somewhat lost its position as the alpha of the house with the 1996 debut of fellow portfolio member Vigna d’Alceo. Conceived by Alceo’s son, Luca, in homage to his father, Vigna d’Alceo blends Alceo’s signature Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot. The latter’s contribution—unusual in the Super-Tuscan genre—renders d’Alceo more potent than the most power hungry of cult Cabernets, imparting a sleek and spicy dimension. Its intense marriage of opulence and power has effectually given it cult status, placing it in the realm of Masseto and Messorio. Today, Luca and his sister, Maurizia, continue to produce their father’s handcrafted wines in cooperation with Tachis. In addition to Vigna d’Alceo and Sammarco, the estate produces both a normale and riserva Chianti Classico, as well as a white dessert wine, Trebianco Vendemmia Tardina.

Older vintages of Castello Dei Rampolla Available”

2004 Castello dei Rampolla Vigna d'Alceo Toscana IGT
Price: $206.00    Your Price: $181.28          Quantity in Stock: 5

(96 points)  Displays gorgeous, focused aromas of blackberry, currant and sandalwood. Full-bodied and tightly wound, with velvety tannins and a long finish of mineral, light fresh rosemary and currant. Solid as a rock. *Collectibles* (JS) (10/2007) Wine Spectator

2007 Castello Dei Rampolla d'Alceo Tuscana
Price: $195.00    Your Price: $171.60          Quantity in Stock: 2
(98 points)  The 2007 d’Alceo shows none of the Sammarco’s early appeal. It is a dark, inward wine imbued with black fruit, roasted coffee beans, grilled herbs and licorice, all of which build effortlessly towards the huge, explosive finish. This exquisite d’Alceo will require significant patience. d’Alceo remains a model of the level French varieties can reach in Tuscany. In 2007 the blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032. (AG) (8/2011) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2008 Castello dei Rampolla Vigna d'Alceo Toscana IGT
Price: $198.00    Your Price: $174.24          Quantity in Stock: 5

(96 points) The 2008 d’Alceo is a huge, inward, brooding wine. Plums, black cherries, camphor, incense and smoke emerge over time, but only with great reluctance. The 2008 is going to require considerable patience, but it is shaping up to be an absolute jewel. The d’Alceo is a wine of notable depth and purity, but it is very closed down at the moment. Dark red fruit, flowers, mint, spices, tar, cassis, graphite and camphor linger on the huge, structured finish. This is a towering effort from the Di Napoli family. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033. (AG) 96+ (6/2012) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate