For my Father's Day dinner, I grilled a couple of pork tenderloins rubbed with Italian herbs over charcoal. As the pork was grilling, I made a basic risotto. Right before the risotto was done, I stirred in some ribbons of beet greens just until they were wilted. Overall, an excellent meal. The pork was grilled to perfection and I love the earthiness the beet greens added to the risotto. I need to explore more options for beet greens.
The wine I selected for the meal was the 1998 Argiano Solengo, IGT Toscana. The first four vintages of this proprietary blend were 25% each Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah. (Since 2000, it has been a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend.) I bought a few bottles each of the '96, '97 and '98 on release and this is the last of my small stash. Any notes I have from previous bottles are lost on files on older computers, but I don't recall being particularly impressed with any of them. This bottle, from the weakest vintage I bought, shows an advanced, brick-red color. Very woody, cedar-like nose with hints of licorice and mineral. Nearly devoid of fruit, the palate is all about Tuscan terroir of dusty licorice and road tar. Still very tannic with nice acidity to balance. Picks up some leathery notes on the finish. But at the end of the evening, this is a rather simple, tannic, cedary wine that smells and tastes like a cigar humidor. About $60 on release.
Bill said: "But at the end of the evening, this is a rather simple, tannic, cedary wine that smells and tastes like a cigar humidor. About $60 on release."
ReplyDeleteSounds like you were disappointed, while John's 1999 was a pleaser!
Yeah, I've never been thrilled with this wine. I bought it back in the day because the glowing reviews promised copious quantities of fruit, but I never got that. Maybe I missed the prime drinking window on every bottle? I suppose that's a possibility. But I never got a lot of fruit from these in their youth and whatever fruit the '98 had is long gone by now.
DeleteAnother option is that I simply don't have JFO's palate when it comes to Tuscany. I'm sure he's able to coax nuances out of these wines that I'll never be able to find.
Regardless, wines like these are the reason that I rarely venture into high dollar Italian wines any more. I've been burned by too many underwhelming bottles of Solengo, Summus and the like.
Bill, I think there is quite a bit of wisdom in what you say.
ReplyDeleteI wonder though, if there is someone like John, who could safely steer you into one of those wines you are interested in, provided that the assurance and the desire was there?
I've been experimenting (as you know) with Italian wines (recently became a bit frustrated with CCRSV as I have with a number of Australian Shriaz wines), and if your desire is a balance of fruit and ?????, let me know, and I'll expressly keep you mind, and hopefully keep the price under????
Thanks for your in-depth response above,
Dennis
I might be kind of a simpleton compared to collectors of Grand Cru Burgundy or aged Barolo or whatever, but I'm of the opinion that wine, a beverage derived from a grape, should be first and foremost about the fruit. I'm all for some good French oak, road tar, roses, tobacco, mineral, etc., but those characteristics should play second fiddle to the fruit.
DeleteI'm all about wines with a nice balance between the fruit, oak, tannin and acidity. And I try to evaluate each of those elements when I review a wine
Bill, you can't out-humble me, but that said, I never viewed you other than a respected reviewer (Chef), and your comments prove that to be true. I think I've made that clear on a number of occasions.
DeleteIt seems that when I drink a wine, often I have to search high and low to identify the fruit, and as you say other things "should play second fiddle to the fruit." I read somewhere, that few wines taste of grape, which you would think wines would taste like; I think it odd when I mention that I taste grape or grape-skin in a wine when so few do.
Again, I think you are on to something!
Sincerely,
Dennis
Bummer....But I'm not too surprised. 1998 was not a great year. I think the only 98's I bought were from the Maremma coastal region in Tuscany where the vintage was much better. Solengo is an odd bird. I was shocked how good the 1999 was and I've stopped buying it now too. I'm beginning to wonder more about Argiano frankly. I haven't been wowed by their Brunello for some time.
ReplyDelete