The Tasting Panel magazine

February 2014

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/253609

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 65 of 111

february 2014 / the tasting panel / 61 IMPORTS 88 Tenuta Caparzo 2012 Sangiovese, Toscana, Italy ($14) Smooth, lush and rich with ripe plum, raspberry and sweet cherry; mellow and balanced with depth and nice style. 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Alicante. VINEYARD BRANDS 88 Viña Mayor 2011 Ribera del Duero Crianza, Spain ($18) Silky and ripe with smooth plum and ripe berry fruit; fresh, graceful and balanced; lacking intensity but quite charming nonetheless. VINUM INTERNATIONAL 88 Laurent-Miquel 2012 L'Artisan Viognier, Pays d'Oc, France ($17) Lush and smooth with clean, ripe style; creamy and mellow with a long, fresh finish. ADVENTURES IN WINE 90 Tomero 2012 Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina ($17) Bright, ripe and juicy with ripe plum and raspberry; smooth and tangy with good structure and balance; long and fresh. BLENDS INC. 90 Vietti 2011 Tre Vigne Babera d'Asti, Italy ($18) Fresh and rich with juicy plum and black raspberry; clean, balanced and vivid; lively and bright with balance and gobs of charm. DALLA TERRA 89 Nino Negri 2009 Inferno, Valtellina Superiore, Italy ($26) Bright and juicy with good minerality and elegance; racy and balanced, long and racy. FREDERICK WILDMAN & SONS 91 Château Haut-Carles 2010 Fronsac, France ($44) Forward, juicy, ripe and tangy; long and balanced. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec. Slovenia Comes of Age ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS AGO I SPENT A WEEK IN SLOVENIA, a lovely small country carved out of the northern part of what used to be Yugoslavia. I was impressed by the natural beauty of this energetic young republic and charmed by its enthusiastic modernism. Although it emerged as recently as 1991, Slovenia was the irst former communist country to join the European Union. Despite a colorful and constantly changing political history, the area that is now Slovenia has a long tradition of winemaking. Wine, mostly white, is made in every corner of the country. The wines I tasted on my visit back then were promising, interesting and a bit rustic. Things have deinitely changed. Today the wines have achieved their promise, are modern and of interna- tional quality, and are even more interesting than they were then. p&f Wineries is a family-owned producer in eastern Slovenia that farms 3,000 acres of vineyard. All the grapes are hand-harvested and they are processed in a state-of-the-art facility that rivals the world's most modern. Clearly, Slovenian wines are ready for prime time. 90 puklavec & friends 2012 Blooming, Slovenia ($10) Smooth, fresh and modern with generous fruit and bright, spicy flavors; a charming blend (40% Furmint, 30% Welschriesling, 30% Chardonnay), distinctive and quite lovely. 91 puklavec & friends 2012 Sauvignon Blanc, Slovenia ($15) Bright and crisp with racy citrus and minerals; clean and pure with notes of spice; tangy acid structure and good length. 90 Gomila Puklavec Family Heritage 2012 Exceptional Furmint, Slovenia ($16) Ripe and juicy with aromatic style and lovely depth; lush. floral and beautifully balanced; a lovely and idiosyncratic wine. USA WINE WEST Additional Slovenian wines tasted recently: 88 Giocato 2011 Pinot Grigio, Primorska, Slovenia ($11) Juicy and bright with minerals, tangy acidity and ripe flavors; bright acidity and good length; balanced and fresh. LARGO WINES 88 Erzeti 2009 Amfora Cabernet Sauvignon, Goriška Brda, Slovenia ($40) Smooth and edgy with ripe plum and spice; clean with good acid structure and a long complex finish. OLD WORLD VINES

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Tasting Panel magazine - February 2014