What a flamboyant Italian wine.

Layer after layer of blackberry, raspberry, light vanilla and tobacco, and offering spice and toast on a very long finish.

A New World style from Italy, and well done.

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
What a flamboyant Italian wine.

Layer after layer of blackberry, raspberry, light vanilla and tobacco, and offering spice and toast on a very long finish.

A New World style from Italy, and well done.

Ahhhhh!!! I've had this wine several times. Couldn't agree more with your assessment!

Well I like it....

Finally opened this wine last night and boy did it deliver on all cylinders. I purchased this in Italy in 2001.

I know the owner of a good Italian restaurant here in Lou. and I asked him if I could bring this to celebrate my future mother in law's 70th bday. I decanted it upon arriving at the restaurant and the 1st sip was a blob of blackberry with sharp acidity. At this point I was glad I decanted it. Within 30 minutes this wine transformed into plum, blackberry and spice with a truly velvety finish that lasted for 30+ seconds. It was a great match with my veal scallopini. By the end of the evening everyone that tried it, really enjoyed the mix of fruit, oak and velvety tannins. This wine is at peak and will not get any better. Drink over the next 3 years. 94pts. Wish I had more.

Does anyone know the percentages of merlot and cab in this wine? I am guessing 70 merlot 30 cab.

IW

IW, what a great wine indeed.

The blend, 65% Cab, 35% Merlot.

Thanks for the note!

Is it really more cab than merlot? On the bottle it lists merlot first, then cab. I would think that the higher percentage would be listed 1st. But then again Italians do things the way they want.

Thanks.

IW

IW, I might not be right, they were pouring us a little wine at Tua Rita.

If I recall, some years they add Cab Franc also, but not in '99.

I'm pretty sure it varies from year to year. I just tasted the 2006 at the winery and the blend for the 2006 according to Rita herself is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petite Verdot.

Joe is right, I know it varies.

I just checked, and WA and Rare Wine both show 65% Cab, 35% Merlot.

Thanks for the update.

IW