Dude, you rock!

I am not a big fan of Italian wines, so i’ll watch the episode and see if something changes my mind!!!!

I basically find that there are few values to be had, and many expensive wines, especially Brunellos that disappoint.

OK, now i’ll watch the video

Hugh

I am not a big fan of Italian wines, so i’ll watch the episode and see if something changes my mind!!!!

I basically find that there are few values to be had, and many expensive wines, especially Brunellos that disappoint.

OK, now i’ll watch the video

Hugh

Almost. Still working on getting this thing real time. Then maybe I’ll make it to #1.

sorry KJB looks like Noreb8ts beat u :):(

Maybe the Ciacci is in a “dumb phase”, you know, just closed down??

Best Italian??? Haven’t had many (No Gaja)
I would say Tignanello 1996…

Regarding the Cinq Cepages commentary- there are few Cal Cabs or blends that will drink better, or peak, after 10 years (Montelena, Dunn, Togni are a few that come to mind)-so i say drink up!!

Hugh

Best Italian… would have to be a 1997 Tomassi Amarone della Valpolicella. Absolutely fabulous! It made an Amarone lover out of me.

Hugh,

Your probably right on the CA cabs, but I thought that the Cepage was so good then, and so much fun, it’s why it’s one of my top. I do believe their quality has slipped and become more “Mainstream” in recent years while Montelena seems to carry on year after year.

B

Looks like you’re getting better with age (like a fine wine?). This was the best episode to date. Your descriptions of the wines were very clear. I especially liked your solution to the question of what black currants taste like. I do have a question that goes to the specific wines in this episode. Since Barolos and Brunellos are wines that typically require time to “come around” and even WS suggests that the ones you tasted are best after 2007, 2008 or 2009, perhaps opening them the day before and/or decanting them might have made a difference in your evaluation. What do you think?

Regarding the best Italian wine I’ve had, it was one that I previously listed as one of my top three all-time wines – 1993 Castello di Ama L’Apparita. As WS says, “Gives Chateau Petrus a run for its money.”

Hey Gary, Thank for the Barolo/Brunello segment. I just returned last month from a 2 week trip to Tuscany. Driving around Montalcino visiting wineries was amazing. Best Italian wine I have ever had was during this trip. My wife and I had a stay in Siena with a roof terrace that overlooked the entire town. The room/view was so breathtaking that we decided to buy a nice bottle of wine and have dinner on the terrace. We had a bottle of Marchesi de Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo Ripe al Convento Riserva 1997. The wine was more amazing than the view. It was the best wine I have ever tasted.

Mmmm….best Italian I’ve had, I’ll have to say the 1990 Brunello Riserva from Banfi. Totally soft and silky with a lot of fruit. That’s a crappy tasting note, but that’s what I remember and that was about 5 years ago. I have a 1996 Sassicaia, but I’m still hanging on to that.

GARY: My Bears are coming to your neck of the woods to take care of your Jets the week after they take care of the Giants. How about that? Two Bears games in a row in the Meadowlands…they’ll be like a 2 week home team for you folks. I would say that sometime that week you should do Illinois wine vs NY wine, but I think that would be a pretty boring episode. So, never mind.

Go Bears.
Tony

Last February at Babbo (one of Molto Mario Batali’s places in NYC-Amazing wine list, amazingly fair prices for you out of towners!) my wife and I had a 97 Barolo that was ubelievable. Sadly, this was not our first bottle of the evening and I….just don’t remember the details blowing my wine snob credentials, such as they are, for all eternity. But, man was it tasty! Smooth, velvety, powerful, the full Barolo experience.

Russ you wine slob….lolololol. Thanks for the Babbo tip. I am heading to NYC for Christmas and am looking for some good eats with wine lists that would require me to second mortage the house.

Best Italian I had was a 1997 Salicutti Brunello. I prudently bought a case of it at Wine Library soon after release but before WS rated it a 98. Now the stuff is impossible to find and the price has tripled!

I admit I do not drink a lot of Italian. Most of my collection is Cal Cabs. The Italian that I have enjoyed the most is the 2001 Falesco Montiano. I bought a few cases from you last year.

Gary: BTW … I have always been taught to NOT rinse the glass with water between tastings. I have been told the residual water will have more of an altering effect than the other residual wine. Thoughts?

I think it’s too bad so many people’s knowledge of Italian wines is limited to “Super Tuscans” when there is such a selection of great, traditional and food friendly Italian wines out there. But those big bold Cab dominated blends are what gets the most press(outside of Barolos and Brunellos).
I find the Spectator’s coverage of Italian wines to be patheticly obvious, especially considering the fact their reviewer of Italian wines lives in Italy.
Gary, correct this wrong and do an episode on Italian wines of a more obscure nature!

Gary:

My favorite Italian wine is TerraBianca Campaccio Reserve 1997. I love the wine so much I planned a trip to Italy and dragged my wife to the Vineyard. She does not drink, but loved the olive oil. My second favorite is Sette Ponte Crognolo 2000, which I bought a case from WL two years ago. I’ve just finished a book that you would LOVE, called The Accidental Connoisseur. Thanks for the Show

Hey Scott,

Are you the Scott Stevens of Devil’s fame, or some other Scott? 🙂

Best Italian was a Poggione Brunello that I bought at La Giostra in Florence…. best experience with a Nebbiolo (Spanna) was a Traviglini Gattinara (don’t know why .. just seemed to work extremely well with the meal and the company 🙂

I have a lot of Brunellos and Barolos that need to cellar for another 5-10 years before they are ready to drink — so I might have some really terrific wines in my cellar; but the best red Italian wine I have tasted so far has to be La Valentina Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. I also haven’t had a single bad Pinot Grigio yet (as far as Italian whites go).

Gary, the best Italian wine I ever had was a 1997 Tomassi Amarone della Valpolicella. We were anxious to try this wine, uncorked the bottle, poured a little and took a sip …BAH! it tasted so horrible, I had to keep from spitting it out! We then let it sit and breathe for about an hour and a half and it was absolutely fabulous! I have never seen such a difference letting it breathe makes in a wine …It made a huge amarone lover out of me!

BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS… hey Tony, we should put a little somthing down against Gary and his pansy Jets. Do you think he’ll dare to put antyhing on the line against the monsters of the midway? BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS…

Gary, I did want to mention that you shoul place some of these wines that you recommend as true values under Gary V’s picks on the web site. Your picks have been stagnant for quite some time- not to say that you don’t stand by them, but how about some new blood. And BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS…

Although my experience is limited by my self-imposed $40-50 price cap, my favorite so far was a ’96 Massolino Barolo Margheria from WL. Recent favorite was a ’00 Odoardi Vigna Garonne, Scavigna (Calabria), also from WL. I agree with Bill Ipp on the 2001 Falesco Montiano, and for that matter, have been impressed with several well-made Italian Merlots. Most of these drank better (for me) on the second day.