Italy

Wine Review – 2013 Sassicaia

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Bottle Presentation A distinct, elegant cream-coloured label featuring the winery’s iconic emblem. The gold font elevates the bottle’s (and winery’s) presentation. Appearance Clear, medium garnet Nose Clean, medium-plus nose, with blackberry, dark plums, dark cherries, savoury spice, eucalyptus, anise, vanilla, tobacco, and a tinge of spaghetti sauce. We’d consider this a developing wine given the emerging tertiary notes. Palate Dry, medium-plus bodied, high acidity, medium-plus tannins, and medium, well-integrated alcohol. Medium-plus intensity, with sour dark cherries, blackberry, semi-sweet chocolate, cedar, charred wood, eucalyptus, vanilla, and green tea. Finish An enduring, enjoyable finish, with lingering eucalyptus and green tea notes. Overall Impressions A beautiful offering from an exceptional producer. We had been looking forward to pouring this wine since we purchased it in 2016, and now that we’ve done so, we’re left with mixed feelings. On the one hand, this is an incredible red blend that shone in so many ways. On the other hand, we’re disappointed we don’t have another bottle in the cellar (at least from the same vintage) to enjoy in a few years. This is an outstanding wine that ticks all the boxes for balance, length, intensity, and complexity. It is drinking beautifully now, though it could be cellared for many years to come. As with most of our best reds, we poured it with grilled steak, and the pairing was engaging and highly satisfying. Saying that, we could easily enjoy this red on its own, as it continued to open throughout the night. In fact, we found it was better later, on its own, after it had more time to open up. We’ve had some excellent reds in the past year, including a Château Latour and an Artemis from Stag’s Leap. In our opinion, the Sassicaia was the pick of the lot, which speaks for itself. Ratings Overall Rating: 98/10 E-Wine rating: 5/5. Purchasing a case extends a little beyond our means, but if we had the funds on hand, we’d be more than happy to do so. Value: 5/5. Although expensive, it is hard to imagine another wine that would top this offering regardless of price, which, in our book, makes it an excellent value for the experience (or the money).

An amazing Bordeaux blend from one of Italy’s smallest, yet best regions, at least in our opinion. Name: Sassicaia Vintage: 2013 Producer: Tenuta San Guido Region/Country:  Bolgheri, Italy Grape Varietal(s): 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc Alcohol Level: 13.5% abv Consumed: At home Recommended By: Purchased from the SAQ. Cost: $287.23 CAD, purchased in … Read more

Wine Review – 2015 Il Barbiglione Terre di Pisa Rosso – July 2024 tasting

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The 2015 Il Barbiglione Terre di Pisa Rosso is a diverse, Italian red blend approaching its peak drinking window… Name: Il Barbiglione Vintage: 2015 Producer: Usiglian del Vescovo Region/Country: Tuscany, Italy; DOC Terre di Pisa Grape Varietal(s): Predominantly Syrah, with small proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (percentages unknown) Alcohol Level: 14% abv. Consumed: At … Read more

Wine Review – 2019 Rocche Dei Manzoni La Matinera

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This 2019 La Matinera Dolcetto d’Alba shined as a sipping wine, and it offered plentiful notes, including basil (you read that right)… Name: La Matinera Vintage: 2019 Producer: Rocche Dei Manzoni Region/Country: Monforte d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy Grape Varietal(s): Dolcetto d’Alba Alcohol Level: 12.5% Consumed: At home Recommended By: The Charlie’s Burger Wine Program team Cost: … Read more

Wine Review – 2015 Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo

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A very good IGT from a spectacular region in Italy… Name: Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo Vintage: 2015        Producer: Poggio al Tufo Region/Country: Maremma Toscana, Tuscany, Italy Grape Varietal(s): Sangiovese (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) Alcohol Level: 13% Consumed: At home on a brisk fall evening Recommended By: Picked it off the shelf at the LCBO … Read more

Wine Review – 2009 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico Riserva

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A good-to-very good Chianti Classico Riserva from the heart of the Chianti region… We very much looked forward to opening this Chianti Classico Riserva after having cellared it for a number of years. As expected, it offered a gorgeous and vibrant ruby-garnet hue, which caught more than one eye during dinner. Produced in the heart … Read more

Wine Review – 2015 Marchesi di Barolo Peiragal Barbera d’Alba

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This outstanding Barbera d’Alba had us at the cork… Everything about this Barbera d’Alba from Piedmont, Italy, exuded class, starting with the patterned cork, which gave off an alluring aroma of pipe tobacco. Balanced, complex, and vivacious, this red wine offered everything you could want in a Barbera. Vibrant red fruit, most notably cherries and … Read more

Wine Review – 2014 Batasiolo Barolo

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A decent Barolo… We were excited to try this 2014 Batasiolo Barolo, a wine we previously reviewed on our site, albeit from 2012. To be honest, compared to the 2012 offering, the 2014 vintage came up a little short, especially due to the prominence of alcohol in both the nose and mouth, as well as … Read more

Wine Review – 2010 Remo Farina Le Pezze Amarone Della Valpolicella

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Big, bold, and Italian all the way… This Amarone from Remo Farina, a bold, brazen, and charismatic red blend, lived up to its billing and did justice to Amarone’s Appassimento wine-making style. The alcohol content, a whopping 15.5%, which is probably an under-estimate, paralleled the robust flavours in terms of presence. Made from a combination … Read more

Wine Review – 2012 Ascheri Barolo

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An outstanding Barolo from Ascheri… Although we don’t typically jump at the appearance of a wine bottle, the classy, elegant, and, at the same time, modern label caught our eye, distinguishing it from the other vini piemontesi on the shelf. In many ways, the presentation reflected the excellent quality of the wine. Made from 100% … Read more

Wine Review – 2011 Zenato Cormi

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A tantalizing, award-winning red blend from Veneto… This enticing, red blend, an IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) from Zenato, a highly reputable producer in Italy’s Veneto region, situated near the shore of Lake Garda, offers plenty of fruit while maintaining a beautifully-balanced structure. The nose, an aromatic bouquet, served up raspberries and dark cherries, as well … Read more