March 31, 2026, Southwestern Italy Wine Tasting
WINE TASTING
Reception Wines
Wine A: 2023 Luna Nascente Terre Siciliane, Sicily, Italy, 14 g/L RS
Pale pink with moderately fine bubbles. Quite aromatic nose with strawberry, citrus and floral notes. Off-dry with balanced acidity, frothy mousse and flavours of strawberry cream, honeysuckle, herbs and melon. A little phenolic grip on the finish. Straightforward but very appealing and easy to like.
Wine B: 2020 Vieni Aglianico, Vinemount Ridge VQA, Canada
Medium garnet hue. Aromatic nose offering up dried cherry, licorice root and kirsch. High acid, medium tannin but with some nice mid-palate weight fleshing things out. Fresh and lean with cherry pit, cranberry, dried cherry and prune. Medium length finish.
Flight 1
Wine 1: 2022 Mastroberardino Falanghina del Sannio, Campania, Italy
Lightly aromatic with hints of yellow flowers, light tropical fruit and white peach. Moderate acidity, with maybe just a touch of residual sugar. Medium body. Quite soft and gentle texture on the palate with a dusty, baby powder character. Flavours are similar to the nose with the addition of anise on the back end. Moderate length.
Wine 2: 2023 Gorghi Tondi Coste a Preola Grillo, Sicily, Italy
Medium lemon hue. Nose hints at barrel fermentation, however the wine is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel. Aromas suggest lees, wet stone and lemon zest with a resinous/pine pollen note. Dry with medium acidity and high alcohol. Flavours are very mineral driven but with a core of sweet buttered pastry along with a pleasant bitterness. Persistent finish.
Flight 2
Wine 3: 2023 Nero D'Avola Illustrata, Sicily, Italy
Deep garnet in colour. Medium aromatic intensity. The nose has a sappy, rootsy character with aromas of vanilla, cassis and burnt toast adding dimension. Rich and weighty on the palate with ripe black fruit, smoke, cigar ash, leather and herbs. Good concentration and length. Delicious and well-made. Quite modern in style.
Wine 4: 2019 Feudo Montoni Lagnusa Nero D'avola, Sicily, Italy
Medium garnet. Pronounced complex aromatics. Savoury, meaty, smoky and spicy. High acid and tannins with a full body and good length. Rich and intense flavours of woodsmoke, baking spice, red fruit, earth dried flowers, iron and salted licorice.
Wine 5: 2019 Feudo Solaria Moro Nero d'Avola, Sicily, Italy
Deep garnet hue. Shy on the nose with subtle notes of savoury herbs, smoked meat and dried red fruit. Quite rich on the palate with a solid tannic structure and good length. Flavours of fig, prune, tobacco, fruitcake and savoury/meaty notes.
Flight 3
Wine 6: 2019 Graci Enta Rosso, Sicily, Italy
Pale ruby with an orange rim. Aromatic nose with a tarry, reductive character. Dried fruit, baking spice and red fruit are layered under the initial smoky reduction. Dry with high acid, medium tannins and moderate alcohol. Medium body with good length. Flavours of fresh sour cherry, cranberry, bramble, tangerine, iron-like minerality and dried orange zest. Very vibrant and drinkable.
Wine 7: 2021 Donnafugata Sedàra, Sicily, Italy
Medium garnet in the glass. Somewhat aromatic with slight reduction, ripe black cherry, blackberry, plum and cedar. Nice balance and intensity with fresh acidity and moderate tannins. Flavours correspond closely to the nose. Quite a long finish.
Wine 8: 2021 Orestiadi Mazal Frappato, Sicily, Italy
Deep garnet. The nose is expressive and open with medicinal notes, savoury herbs, coffee and tar. High acid, high tannin, high alcohol and full body. Dry and dusty texture with flavours of dried red fruit, tobacco, game meat, baking spice, anise and tar. Persistent length.
Flight 4
Wine 9: 2014 Janare Cantari Aglianico, Sannio, Campania, Italy
Medium ruby with significant haziness. Aromatic nose offering up red cherry, kirsch, medicinal notes, tomato leaf, barnyard, dried herbs, black forest cake and dried fruit. Medium plus acidity with grippy tannins. A bit on the funky side but interesting and complex.
Wine 10: 2019 Villa Raiano Taurasi, Campania, Italy
Medium ruby in colour with garnet rim. Powerful nose of smoke, creosote, salami and dried herbs. Dry with fresh acidity, high tannin and medium body. Very intense flavours of smoked meat, fennel, wild game/blood and iron. Long finish. Complex and savoury. Lots of aging potential here.
Flight 5
Wine 11: 2023 Lunaria Orsogna Winery Luna Gaia Logistilla Nerello Mascalese, Sicily, Italy
Expressive aromas of stewed strawberry, sugar cube, tea, dried red fruit, clove and fruitcake. Soft on the palate with moderate acidity, relatively high alcohol and maybe a hint of residual sugar. Well-balanced and quite interesting with good length.
Wine 12: 2019 Bollina Josuè, Igp Terre Sicily, Italy
Dry with soft acidity, well-managed tannins and ample alcohol. Balanced and appealing with lots of rich, ripe black fruit character, chocolate, tobacco, coffee and dried fruit notes. Very much a crowd pleasing style. Medium length finish.
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