Jan 06, 2026 Appassimento Tasting Notes
WINE TASTING
Flight 1
Wine 1. 2012 Cornerstone Cabernet Franc
Garnet with significant bricking at the rim. Possibly “10 to 15 years old,” noting the cooler climate results in a body that is a little thinner. The nose is pretty and appealing with cherry, vanilla, baking spice, cherry cola, chocolate/cocoa, and floral notes like cherry blossom. This is the most evolved of the first three wines, showing dried herb, barnyard, white pepper, and a touch of salinity. It possesses good freshness, a medium body, supple dried tannins, and a sour cherry finish with good balance and length.
Wine 2. 2018 Foreign Affair Cabernet Franc (L’Eredita)
Deep ruby with a somewhat shy, lifted iodine nose that carries a maritime vibe and sea breath. A whiff of EA on first pour blows off after a few minutes, opening up to coffee, dried orange peel, chocolate, fruitcake, and "Cherry Halls". It has great concentration on the palate with a meaty and earthy character.
Though it has a little bit of residual sugar, it is very well-balanced with ripe tannins, a dusty cocoa powder mouthfeel, fresh herbs, and strong salinity. Outstanding.
Wine 3. 2017 Foreign Affair Tempress
Dark ruby hue with an aged color. It has a subtle, shy nose with an herbal impression and a touch of grapey and "planky" notes. Flavours include espresso, cocoa, sour cherry, and vanilla. It is rich and highly structured with firm but polished tannins or a dry finish featuring more inky mouthfeel. This wine is fresh but currently feels closed, though it maintains a pronounced acidity that keeps things lively with good balance and length.
Flight 2
Wine 4. 2021 Tommasi Valpolicella Ripasso
Full ruby with a reductive, smoky, creosote, and tarry nose. It is complex and savory with notes of white pepper and game. There is more fruit on the palate than the nose suggests, specifically bright sour cherry. It features a brisk acid backbone and a hit of carbonic character. The acidity is medium(+), which is not quite high enough for a typical Italy profile, but it remains a solid Italian wine length.
Wine 5. 2021 Mayu Appassimento (Chilean Elqui Carmenere)
Ruby hue with a reductive nose dominated by burnt rubber, chlorine, and mercaptan notes; It may resemble a pleasant fart or a "sulfury cigar". Despite the chalky smell, it is a total fruit bomb with primary aromas of red apple and exuberant red and black berry fruit flavours. It is interesting, unconventional, with classic fresh acid, high alcohol, and feels like matured in new American oak.
Wine 6. 2019 Cesari Amarone
Garnet hue with a complex nose that offers up baking spice, vanilla, iodine, and dried fruit. It is smooth on the palate, though the alcohol and dried tannins stick out the most. There is a slight hint of "good" Brett that adds complexity and dimension to the oxidative, developed character. It has good concentration with dusty, grippy tannins and a high ABV that feels like 15.5%–16%.
Flight 3
Wine 7. 2022 Masi Campofiorin
Young and fruit-forward with a gorgeous, expressive, and generous cherry nose accompanied by dried prune and spice. It features a plush mouthfeel with rich fruit flavours, coffee, and firm but supple tannins. While there is some "good" Brett and a carbonic quality, it also shows French oak influence. It has assertive acidity and good length, though it possesses a bitter aftertaste and does not taste typically Italian Ripasso.
Wine 8. 2021 Zenato Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore
Deep ruby in colour with an aromatic but somewhat shy nose of meaty notes, licorice root, and savory dark fruit. It is inky and "liquorious" with dominant alcohol and a little RS on the palate. It shows influence from new oak, yet the RS and bracing acidity are well-balanced. The tannins provide sufficient structure to be structured and approachable, making it very much like an Amarone. Drinking really well at the moment.
Wine 9. 2020 Zenato Amarone
Inky black/ruby colour with an aromatic nose of licorice root, stewed black fruit, and hint of pyrazine. It is a bit shy on the nose—showing subtle old oak, mushroom, and sea breath—and would benefit from decanting. It has excellent intensity with lots of flavor on the palate, including chocolate and dried prune. This is a massive wine with loads of acid, tannins, alcohol, and extract. Outstanding and a great contender for cellaring; even Gus the dog liked this one.
Flight 4
Wine 10. 2018 Tedeschi Capitel San Rocco Valpolicella Ripasso
Medium ruby, fresh zippy acidity with a muted nose of dried fruit, chocolate, coffee, and caramel. It has a lovely green pyrazine note of mint, green pepper, eucalyptus, and tomato leaf. While the nose is quiet, it is "Flavor Town" on the palate with baking spice and chocolate. It feels like a “Corvina party in my pants.” It has mid-alcohol, and a nicely managed tannin structure with fresh sour cherry fruit and good length. Surprisingly youthful.
Wine 11. 2018 Tedeschi Capitel Fontana Recioto della Valpolicella
Spring-like and woodsy woof with a complex, layered nose suggesting old school cocktails, fruitcake, prune, fig, vanilla, mint, pipe tobacco, and cedar. It has an unctuous, very rich, and plush texture. The very high acidity and RS are perfectly well-balanced, providing notes of Assam tea. It is delicious with great concentration and length—sweet but exquisitely balanced and not at all cloying. Where are my cigar, the mahogany chair and the fireplace?
Flight 5
Wine 12. 2022 Montezovo Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore
Quite closed and reductive, with tarry, creosote, and mercaptan notes. The flavour is slightly nutty and H2S tends to blow off after a few minutes, revealing tobacco, sour cherry, and bramble. It is fresh and tart with dry, quaffable acid and some good body on the palate. It finishes with a hint of graphite minerality.
Wine 13. 2017 Casalforte Amarone
Garnet in colour with an open and expressive nose. It is smoky and ashy, featuring aromas of fruitcake, cigar ash, and dried orange peel. Flavours follow the nose with a core of cherry fruit and fruit cake. It possesses good concentration and firm tannins developed from four years in oak, resulting in an impressive length.
Flight 6
Wine 14. 2020 Pieropan Recioto di Soave
Exuberantly fruity nose of burnt pineapple, apricot, honey, sweet citrus, and toffee. There is a "mooshroom" character, and there are hints of wax, smoke, and seafood. The palate is super fresh and balanced with 120 g/L RS and high acidity. It shows great concentration and purity of fruit along with an incredibly long, beautiful finish.
Wine 15. 2014 Frescobaldi Pomino Vin Santo
Sherry-like nose of toffee, nuts, caramel apple, and baking spice, described as “SO SEXY”. It has a hoppy, aldehydic character reminiscent of cognac and brandy. Flavours match the nose with a delicious salted caramel and nutty finish. It shows impressive concentration, balance, and length.
Wine 16. 2022 WANO Winery Steuben Passito (Japan)
Vaguely cloudy and "weird" in colour—quite brown but with a pink rim. May be a "failed concoction" or "dill-like skin contact gew". The nose is reserved with a pronounced brown sugar, walnut skin, and burned sugar character. The palate is well-balanced with decent acidity and intriguing flavours of toffee, nutty notes, and cooked orchard fruit. Quite complex and very interesting.
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