Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/674905
80 / the tasting panel / may 2016 SPEED TASTING REPORT BOLLA'S CRESO AND LE ORIGINI Established in 1883, the family-owned Bolla winery maintains its deeply held ties in the Veneto region of Italy, especially since 2009, when Christian Scrinzi was dubbed Head Winemaker. "When I started as the wine- maker I thought to myself, 'Can I resurrect this wine? Can I make a wine within context of 'international style' but keep it unmistakably Verona?' The Creso is made with a percentage of Cabernet that has undergone appassimento for about 60 days." Scrinzi moves on to the Le Origini Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva. "This is the drier style of amarone and less like those that might be made well but contain a much higher residual sugar. This is the new classic." Bolla Creso, Rosso Verona IGT, Veneto From the Negrar Valley in Valpolicella, Italy. Loose, stony, glacial deposit. 65% Corvina, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. Corvina and Cabernet are both fresh and partially dried for 40 days, then fermented about two weeks during winter months. Aged in new and one-year-old French oak for 12 months. Bottle-aged for six months. Blind Tasting Note Deep flavors of red, blue and black fruits, pepper, herbal notes and a ton of spice. —Juan Cortés Bolla Le Origini Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva From the Moreno Valley, the original production zone of Valpolicella in Italy. Marl, limestone and some tuffaceous (volcanic ash) soil. 75% Corvina/Corvinone, 25% Rondinella. Hand-harvest, dried for four months, pressed and macerated for one week prior to fermentation. Slow fermentation over 25 days, then another five day mac- eration. Aged one year in French oak and three years in Slovenian oak cask, and nine months in bottle. Blind Tasting Note On the nose, raisins, cocoa, choco- late, dark fruits, cedar, burnt sugar. On the palate, intense fruit, acid and tannin. Huge, almost chocolatey texture. Very clean, polished, slight bitterness. —Daniel Coplen FLORIO MALVASIA DELLE LIPARI AND TARGA RISERVA 1840 Benedetta Poretti, family proprietor of Cantine Florio, presented the Malvasia delle Lipari and Targa Riserva Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco. Both are the more complex versions of the Marsala and Malvasia dessert wines that have been Florio's specialty since 1883. Poretti reminds us: "Since we are in Sicily, we have a lot of sun." In fact, Sicily and the string of Aeolian Islands—the Malvasia delle Lipari DOC—are situated almost dead center of the Mediterranean "Sun Belt." Florio Malvasia delle Lipari DOC From the island of Salina, in the Aeolian Islands off the northeastern coast of Sicily. Volcanic, sandy soil, less than 50 meters above sea level. Malvasia di Lipari and Corinto Nero. Hand-harvested, dried for 20 days and pressed. Brief skin contact precedes a temperature-controlled fermentation that stops at will. Aged five months in 25-liter oak barrel. Blind Tasting Note Kola nut, bitter almond skin and salted caramel. Perfect sub for a tawny port to suggest to a guest. —Linda Torres Florio Targa Riserva 1840 Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco, Sicily From the Marsala coast and inland areas of Trapani. Terre rossa soils and silica. 100% Grillo. Hand-harvested über-ripe grapes, temperature- controlled fermentation and blended with fortified must, cooked must and wine-brandy. Aged at least seven years in oak barrels. Blind Tasting Note Ripe fig and dried dates. Very nutty with caramelized almond and pecan. Long, lengthy finish. —Juan Cortés Bolla Creso. Florio Malvasia delle Lipari. Bolla Le Origini Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva. Florio Targa Riserva 1840 Marsala Superiore Riserva Semisecco.