Simple palates, Seriously

Italian and German wines

Accademia dei Racemi Giravolte Primitivo 2003, Italy Black cherry colour, interesting nose, worth a future re-taste, 89/100. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
 Alasia Moscato D'asti 2005, Italy Italian sweet with 5%, faint straw coloured ala freshly pressed green grapes, notes of honey mingled with grape juice, refreshing fizz with moderate acidity on the finish. 87/100. Tasted 02/12/06.
Antonio Argiolas Cannonau di Sardegna DOC Costera 2004, Italy Made from the Sardinian clone of Grenache called Cannonau, carignan and bovale sardo, Full bodied, and a bit of tannin on the end, worth a future re-taste. 89/100, RP 91. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
Bruno Giacosa Arneis 2005, Piedmont, Italy I had no idea Bruno Giacosa did whites, and I wish I had tried this earlier because I got a sense that this has flat-lined. Still, the richness and freshness persists. Notes of white peach, pear and honeysuckle. If you still have this, you should have drunk this last year. 91/100. Tasted Jan 2010.
Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2001, Italy Voted 2006 Wine Spectator Wine of the Year. Whoever contributed to that list must have been a bunch of tight-arses in the midst of expensive divorces but unwilling to give up their alcoholic binges. For AUD$120, I don't see how this weak wine managed to garner 97 WS points. Obviously almost completely pissed by the time they got to this wine. It's tannic, dry and I wasn't in the mind to try guessing what flavours it contained. 90/100, WS 97. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
Feudi di San Gregorio Aglianico ell'Irpinia IGT Rubrato 2004, Italy Too tannic. 87/100, WS 88. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
Gaja Sito Moresco 2006, Piedmont, Italy $50. This is the second bottle I've had recently and both times, this wine has proven to be easy relaxation. Soft embracing perfume of Moss cherry, ripening yellow-fleshed plum and I even sensed a hint of toasted Japanese rice tea. A medium-bodied wine but with bold robust flavours of cherry and blood plum skins. Smooth, slightly sappy tannins slowly ease back in as the fruit fades off. Thoroughly enjoyable over the next 5-7 years. 90-91/100. Tasted Oct & Dec 2009.
Icario Roso Di Montepulciano 2005, Italy Blend of sangiovese, mammolo & canaiolo. 89/100. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
Mazzei Nero d'Avola Zisola 2004, Italy Black fruit with light firm-structured tannins that don't fall to pieces. 90/100, WS 90. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
Pasquale Pelissero Dolcetto d'Alba Crosa 2007, Italy $20. Fruity aromas, primarily dark cherry with a touch of spice, rich red fruit flavours on the pallet backed by ripe tannins. There is a moderate level of acidity in this one, offering it a 'crisp' edge and the fruit flavours manage to keep it together going into the finish. Best served slightly chilled. 88/100. Tasted Feb 2009.

Pasquale Pelissero is a boutique operation located in Neive, Barbaresco and produces ~1200 cases off 4 hectares of vineyard. From it's first release in 1974, this family owned winery has passed from father to daughter and persists in its organic philosophy while maintaining an ever increasing quality slope in their wines.
Pasquale Pelissero Barbaresco Bricco San Giuliano 2005, Italy

$50. This is a simple, straight-forward drink with sweet, red cherry perfume tagging onto a similarly vibrant red fruit core. There is good balance of the rich fruit with dry and smoky tannins. This is certainly one to cellar, but I'm not sure when it will reveal it's true self; more importantly, how much fruit will be left by then? Let's give it 5 years. 91/100. Tasted Feb 2009.
Pieropan Soave Classico Superiore DOC 2007, Italy  $30. From the DOC of Soave, south east of Verona. 85% Garganega and 15% Trebbiano di Soava (an ancient native variety). Nice straw colour with a greenish hue, delicate nose with floral notes and a hint of almond. Very nice rich flavours with firm acidity allowed it to hold its own with the seafood risotto, then fade off cleanly. 88/100. Tasted Feb 09.
Pico Maccario 'Lavignone' Barbera d'Asti 2006, Italy $30. From 5-year old vines, this light and simple drink has a nose of Japanese cherry blossom tea, with clean, pure fruit flavours packed into a medium-bodied texture. A decent level of acidity holds it together, there are no layers to wrap yourself into. What you taste is what you get. 88/100. Tasted Feb 2009.

Pico Maccario is located in Mombaruzzo, Piedmont and the Rose Shield is held aloft by by brothers Pico and Vitaliana Maccario who inherited a healthy 70 hectares of vineyard from their grandfather. Pico oversees the winemaking duties while also dedicated to the modernisation of the operation, continual expansion and the study of new and old clones. This is the largest sole ownership in the region and boasts 55 hectares of Barbera.
Pico Maccario 'Tre Roveri' Barbera d'Asti 2004, Italy $40. From 60-year old vines and aged for 12months in French oak barrels of varying size. This is on a completely different level to the Lavignone. There is an added dimension, aromas of dark red fruit, rose talc powder, cherry oak-like liquor. Quite high in acidity which holds the pure fruit flavours together without the tannins taking off any shine on the finish. Very good quality for this price, nice with grilled herb chicken. 91-92/100. Tasted Feb 2009.
Planeta Bianco IGT La Segreta, Italy Blend of grenanico, chardonnay, viognier and fiano, after-taste is concentrated on the front pallet and tip of the tongue revealing the sweetness in this wine with an absence from the side and back pallet. 85-87/100, WS 88. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2004, Italy Blend of nero d'avola (native Sicilian red) and frappato, fruity with strawberrish notes, but doesn't last long. 88/100, WS 86. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
Poggerino Chianti Classico 2004, Italy Too tannic, if this is less new oak than last year, I don't wanna imagine what the 03 tasted like! 86/100. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
Rallo Grillo 2005, Italy Fragrant, clear and bright tasting, worth a future re-taste, 89/100. Tuscan tastings at Randalls (25/11/06)
Speri Valpolicella Classico Superiore 'La Roverina' DOC 2006, Italy $25. A blend of 70% Corvina Veronese, 20% Rondinella, 5% Molinara and 5% other native grapes from a single vineyard. This wine was aged for more than a year post-fermentation. Ruby red, a rich aroma profile with dense berry flavours that carry over to the medium-bodied palate. It doesn't overwhelm which is why it's perfect for calf liver with a rich base sauce. 87/100.

The Valpolicella DOC is trying to shake off its infamy for producing overly commercialised lifeless wines. The region has since turned a corner and is on the slow ascension to regaining it's previous lustre. This region is also known for semi-drying racks of grapes before fermentation. The resulting wines are classified as the Recioto di Soave (sweet white made from Garganega), Recioto della Valpolicella (sweet red made from the three local varietals) or most famously, Amarone (with the sugars fermented out of the wine).

Donnhoff Schloβböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Spätlese 2005, Germany
A mere 8.5% alcohol, this is what all riesling should taste like. Good accompaniment for the heavier truffle and butter flavours because of it's crisp, light taste. 93/100.
Max Ferdinand Richter Brauneberg Juffer Kabinett 2007, Mosel
 This was somewhat of a let-down for a stellar 2007 vintage. The wine exuded scents of pineapple and nuttiness, let it seemed very fragile. Nothing overtly wrong, this is a balanced wine but linear. More value can be sought elsewhere. 87/100.
Max Ferdinand Richter Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett 2008 SGD$43. Lime blossom, mandarin citrus and warm talc dryness on the upper mid-palate. Sweet honey candied orange with hints of ripe pineapple. Nice easy drink. 90-91/100. Tasted Feb 2010.
Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett 2007, Mosel, Germany This medium-bodied riesling served as a prelude to christmas day dinner and has a higher level of residual sugar than you’d expect for a kabinett level. Notes of nectarine and pear shaken up in a musky bag. The acids are crisp which complement the softer texture of this wine. A wine that is not mentally-challanging. 89/100. Tasted Dec 2009.
Willi Schaefer Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2007, Mosel, Germany A lovely light golden shade, this exudes notes of apple, pear skin and a hint of orange rind. Smooth flowing juice rich in fruit sugars, mainly pear with malolactic acid to finish. Fresh young wine with a fleshy body. 91-92/100. Tasted November 2009.

The views expressed on this page are exclusively my own, unless otherwise stated. An offence caused is regretted, and will be retracted if, after discussion, is deemed reasonable.