Flaccianello, Cepparello, Le Pergole Torte, Percarlo.....
All wonderful mono-varietal Super Tuscans. All with wonderful price tags. They used to be wines you could stock up on. I remember buying all of the above for under $40 at one point. Thankfully, you can find quality Sangiovese Super Tuscans like these, at a fraction of the price.
Fattoria Petrolo is well known for their stunning, pure Merlot, Galatrona. That wine routine scores 95-99 points from critics and comes with the three digit price to match. The hype is well justified. However, Petrolo also produces a gorgeous Sangiovese called Torrione. I've been a fan of this wine for a long time and remarkably, it has stayed under the radar despite delivering consistent results vintage after vintage. And, as the vines used to make the wine get older, the wine has become even more intensely flavored.
The 2009 Petrolo Torrione may be the best Torrione I've ever tasted. It definitely rivals the 2007 and the 1997. It's intensely aromatic, with flowers, crushed berries, freshly turned warm clay, tobacco and spices. One look at the color of the wine and you're captivating by the violet hues eminating from the dark crimson core. On the palate, the wine is vibrant and lively with a medium to full bodied core of dark berry fruit, accented by tobacco, sage, dried herbs, and new leather. It's a brilliant effort and a delicious wine, and while not inexpensive, it's certainly underpriced for what it is. Put some in your cellar while you can, because in 10 years time, it may very well end up on the list of wines above. 93 points. About $31.
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| Fattoria Petrolo Torrione in Center: I did not snap a picture of the wine in glass |
Allora!
John, the 2009 Petrolo Torrione should be on sale in January for $33 (Tax included), and I hope to purchase one, maybe two:-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads-up!
As for the #1 wine of the year, that was an informal, whimsical suppose of a thought, because I don't think I taste enough wines, and I don't calculate adequately the, cost, availability equation.
I understand and respect WS's ability to do just that (did I just say something good?).
This local "wine advocate", I believe, is not qualified either, since a >$60.00 bottle of 2006 Robert Young Merlot wouldn't seem to be a logical choice (I haven't even seen this wine available in NH); wine is business, and the better a magazine, writer/reviewer, or blogger can hide his/her monetary choices, the better: personal favorites are different and understandable.
I know, TMI, but John, how can the number one wine advocate in the State of NH, advocate, a wine as the #1 wine, if only a few (2 or 3) will find it in some small esoteric wine shop, and for $60?
John, I don't know if you saw my comment the other day, but two wine store clerks told a customer that a Prosecco was a Champagne, not a Champagne-like wine, a Champagne!
I guess I'm taking things too seriously these day, may it's because gas went up 18 cent a gallon this week;-(
18 cents in a week? What's the story with that? Seems very odd....
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the local $60 wine - that seems to do little service to anyone. When I was making my original comment - it was more along the lines of the best wine I've had this year, not the best wine people can still find. And find easily. That's a different issue. And I've no idea what that would be off the top of my head.
Regarding prosecco, I've given up expecting "geek" knowledge out of non geeks. The person that made that comment likely thinks anything with bubbles is Champagne and will equally as likely not drink bubbles again until next January. I write for a different group. :) If people want to learn, I tell them, but I typically have given up.
Salute! and Buon Anno!