Weekly tasting report (July 12-18, 2020): Australia, France, Italy
James tastes the 2010 Dom Pérignon with Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon.
This week’s top collection from our tastings are dominated by a series of great reds from Tuscany with a trio of Australian wines from three very different producers. But first a great Champagne and one of Italy’s greatest whites to lead us into these highlights.
The release of Dom Pérignon Champagne 2010 (98 points) saw James taste live via Zoom with Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon for insights into the harvest, one that had its challenges. The resources and commitment of LVMH triumphed though, delivering “a firm and vivid Champagne with a precise, focused palate.” James found it “full-bodied and dry … very layered and bright … very subtle and focused at the end” and reminded him of Dom Pérignon 1995. Read the full tasting report here.
We also had a reminder of Tuscany’s ability to produce profound whites, in the Petrolo Trebbiano Toscana Bòggina B 2018 (97 points), a wine that has a strong track record in our tastings as a complex, intense and concentrated white. This 2018 offers serious layers of fruit and acidity in a full-bodied, yet fresh and vivid mode. “Acidity and fruit is all there,” said James. “Soulful is the word.”
Petrolo’s Luca Sanjust maintains his strong pedigree of quality here, with his 2018 red releases. The Petrolo Valdarno di Sopra Galatrona 2018 (98 points) delivers an aromatic array of blackberries, black olives, green olive, and violets in a full-bodied, yet precise and polished mode on the palate. “It’s extremely persistent and goes on for minutes,” noted James. “ Really balanced … all about purity and complexity.”
Sanjust’s Petrolo Toscana Campo Lusso 2018 (97 points) has that wow factor that comes with great modern Tuscan reds with the black currants, oyster shell, lavender, wet earth and mushrooms all adding up to a complex, dynamic expression. “It changes all the time,” James said. “Full-bodied with chewy, polished tannins that are extremely creamy in texture. Beautiful fruit at the finish.”
Nick Stock enjoys tasting al fresco in Australia.
Back-to-back vintages of Argentiera Toscana Ventaglio both rated 97 points this week. The 2015 is full-bodied and creamy in style and “an absolutely beautiful red with crushed-blackberry, mushroom, fresh-herb and chocolate character” and is a blend of 85 percent cabernet franc and 15 percent cabernet sauvignon. The 2016 is 100 percent cabernet franc and is a beautifully, complex red with blackcurrants, sage, rosemary and sweet tobacco as well as classic “red tile” too. Showing such purity and length, this is made from only one hectare, producing 3,000 bottles and needs another three to four years to open.
The Mazzei Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello Fonterutoli 2017 (96 points) really impressed with majestic structure “that will rival many top Brunellos” while the Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Il Poggio 2015 (96 points) offers “lots of ripe fruit with plum, berry, chocolate and walnut character” and is “full-bodied and intense with gorgeous fruit and a flavorful finish. Very serious and finely crafted. Che bello!”
Australia’s Henschke family has released one of their finest Adelaide Hills Abbotts Prayer blends to date. The powerful and focused 2018 (96 points) is a blend of 57 percent merlot and 43 percent cabernet sauvignon and serves up a “very plush, saturated feel” in a vintage that delivered excellent ripeness. The depth of dark-cherry and plum flavor is so impressive in this 2018, as is the carry into the finish. Clare Valley’s Adelina Grenache 2019 (96 points) shows attractive and pure, fresh-raspberry, red-cherry and red-plum aromas with a succulent, juicy and energetic feel on the palate with mouthwateringly fresh red-berry flavors. So tautly focused yet approachable style, this is another feather in the cap of Aussie grenache.
And an excellent debut from Marco Lubiana in Tasmania, the son of respected vigneron Stefano Lubiana. The Marco Lubiana Pinot Noir Tasmania Lucille Vineyard 2018 (96 points) is “star-quality pinot” from a single parcel in the Huon Valley and should be on the radar of all Australian pinot collectors. Super fresh, it offers “Vosne-like aromatic purity” and an “incredibly silky palate with texture like velvet.” Follow this producer and also watch out for his chardonnay.
Enjoy this week’s highlights and follow us as we celebrate our Summer of Italian Wine.
– Nick Stock, executive editor