WTN: Five Italian Reds...(short/boring)

We tried last night (10/22/08) Some Italian wines:
1. AloisLageder Romigberg DOC: KalterseeClassico AltoAdige (20-45 yr old vines; 100% Schiava/
Schiava piccola & Schiava grigia; http://www.AloisLageder.EU; 12.5%) 2007: Light color; rather
perfumed earthy/mushroomy/minerally light cherry/cranberry slight steely/metallic nose;
tart/tangy/metallic earthy/bright cherry Beaujolais-like some earthy/mushroomy flavor;
med.long metallic/tangy bright/cherry/Beaujolais/fruity slight earthy/mushroomy finish
w/ little tannin; lots of pretty cherry/Beauj-like fruit and a distinct metallic
tanginess. $23.00
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2. AndreasBaranWidman Vernatsch DOC: Sudtiroler (12.5%; Schiava) Kurtatsch/Bolzano 2006:
Light color; deeper more earthy/dusty some black cherry almost Pinot-like slight
minerally nose; deeper earthy/dusty black cherry/Pinotish perfumed talc bit tannic
flavor; very long earthy/dusty/minerally black cherry/bing cherry/spicy bit tangy
finish; deeper fruit & more earthiness but lots of Pinot-like character; very interesting
red wine. $26.00
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3. Movia VelikoRosso VdAQ'ad OC: GoriskaBrda (Merlot blend, 13%) Mirka&Ales
Kristancic/Ceglo/Dobrovo/Slovenia 2000: Dark color; very earthy/dusty/wet pavement
almost hybridy some black cherry quite pungent/smokey/smoked tea summer sausage/smoked
sausage/salami ash tray/smoking pipe very perfumed/exotic complex nose; soft/smooth
very strong smoky/pungent/charred/smoked tea/bacon spicy/summer sausage earthy/black
cherry complex flavor; very long strong smoked tea/spicy/summer sausage black cherry
finish w/ light tannins; loaded w/ smokey/charred character; very exotic & complex; can
use another 4-8 yrs. $50.00
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4. jacuss DOC: Colli Orientale del Friuli Tazzelenghe (13%) 2003: Very dark/black color;
strong tarry/pungent bit alcoholic plummy/earthy/black cherry/bing cherry quite exotic
nose; teeth-chattering acid very hard/tannic rather earthy/dusty strong plummy/tarry/black
cherry tarry/pungent flavor; very long tarry/pungent very acid very tannic/hard/rough
black cherry/earthy/dusty rather rough/rustic finish; badly needs age; much like
a Refosco but w/ fierce acids & tannins; very interesting/exotic/impressive wine.
$30.00
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5. Dorigo Tazzelenghe di Buttria DOC: ColliOrientalli del Friuli (http://www.Montsclapade.com;
http://www.VinoTerra.net; 13.5%) 2001: Very dark color; rather perfumed/toasty/charred/oak light
tarry bit earthy/black cherry complex nose; slightly softer/smoother big/toasty/charred/
Fr.oak rather perfumed/black cherry/earthy/plummy slight tarry/pungent flavor; very long
very toasty/smokey/Fr.oak some plummy/black cherry/tarry quite tannic finish; badly needs
more age; much in an international/modern style but the Tazzelenghe comes thru load &
clear; impressive/exotic wine. $44.00
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And yet another BloodyPulpit:
1. Schiava: These were the first (to my knowledge) pure Schiavas I've had. Jancis dismisses
it as a low-class grape w/ no pedigree. I thought they were pretty nice wines, myself.
Maybe better than the Lagreins from there. Also known as Vernatsch in the SudTirol.
Known as Trollinger in Germany. The 8-10 German Trollingers I've had have been dull
as dishwater. Another variety I'd like to see what does in Calif.
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2. Tazzelenghe: This was my first experience w/ Tazzelenghe. I was impressed, to say the
least. Would love to see what they could do w/ this in Calif. But, man, did the wines
fit the grape's name..."tongue ripper". So acidic and tannic that it makes a fresh-off-
the boat Barolo seem like drinking Beaujolais. It's another indigenous Friulian
variety that you hardly ever see. I'm going to be looking for more.
The Dorigo was very much in a more modern/international style and the jacuss is
probably a more authentic expression of the grape. But both were very/very good, a bit
like a Refosco in character. But, man, those acids & tannins....it hurt!! Probably would
be great w/ BarBQue...and being from KansasCity..I know what REAL Que is all about.
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3. Movia: This producer is making dynamite wines. Although this was an unspecified Merlot
blend that I would never deign to buy, the name Movia made it a no-brainer. The Slovenes
are making some mighty impressive wines & I wish we saw more of them in the USofA.
Tom

So, how'd that salami end up in that ashtray? Schiava is also St. Maddalener in a certain part of Bolzano (where I recently spent a few gorgeous days!)

AndreasBaranWidman Vernatsch DOC: Sudtiroler (12.5%; Schiava) Kurtatsch/Bolzano 2006:
$26.00

Tom - notes on your notes.

26-buck-a-roos for a schiava?? That's pushing the price envelope to me, while these wines are nice, picnic wines that -to me - ought to retail in the mid-teens.

Dorigo? I have not been impressed with them from what I've tasted so far, finding them 'modernly neutral'. Their best was a desert wine in a small bottle. From picolit grapes. One of the most memorable stickies I've ever had.

Movia
Do they have operations of Both sides of the border? Because I could have sworn I saw an Italian wine from them.

Thanks for the post!

Tom - notes on your notes.

26-buck-a-roos for a schiava?? That's pushing the price envelope to me, while these wines are nice, picnic wines that -to me - ought to retail in the mid-teens.

Well..yeah...probably on the pricey side for something that's just a picnic wine.

Dorigo? I have not been impressed with them from what I've tasted so far, finding them 'modernly neutral'. Their best was a desert wine in a small bottle. From picolit grapes. One of the most memorable stickies I've ever had.

Definitely one of the more mordern producers...but I've generally liked their wines. Not seen their Picolit, though.

Movia
Do they have operations of Both sides of the border? Because I could have sworn I saw an Italian wine from them.

I think they must, Mark. I've seen some Collio wines of theirs I seem to recall. I understand that it's a very porous border. I've been told that some of the best Friulian wines are actually grown in Slovenia.
Tom

Yeah, the prices on the vernatsch are pretty brutal. I haven't had that much, but give me a vernatsch over a trollinger any day and a lagrein clearly beats a vernatsch for my tastes--lagrein is such an addictive variety, every time I try one, I immediately want to try five more.

I import the Widmann Vernatsch in CA, and here it would sell for $20 if it went retail. I think it mostly goes to restaurants. I also import a Santa Maddalena that sells for about $17. Widmann also makes some extraordinary white wines (including one that contains some Petit Manseng (!).

Tom, I love your comparison of Schiava to Beaujolais, it's very apt. I tell people this all the time, Dolcetto is not the 'Beaujolais of Italy' but Schiava might well be.

lagrein is such an addictive variety, every time I try one, I immediately want to try five more.

I agree. I just wish there were five (or more) producers easily available for purchase in the States!

Rahsaan,

I have three, someone else must have two...

I have three, someone else must have two...

That is a start!

The other part of my sentence was 'easily available', i.e. I'd like to be able to go into one shop and choose amongst all my Lagrein options. Maybe I'm just being selfish and markets don't work that way, but a guy can dream..

Wait, I have four, someone else must have one.

Where are you living these days, Rahsaan?

Where are you living these days, Rahsaan?

DC.

Macarthurs has a pretty good selection of Italian wines, but I haven't seen any Lagrein.

Wait, I have four..

Nice, although even at Paul Marcus I don't think they had all four on the floor did they?

No. I can't name a shop with four at once, you've got me there.

No. I can't name a shop with four at once, you've got me there.

Aha!

Maybe I'm just being lazy, but I prefer to patronize a relatively focused set of retailers and develop relationships so I tend to gravitate towards places with comprehensive selections of the regions I like.