WTN: Lonardi vs. Bertani

[Jenise]

2001 Guiseppi Lonardi Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso
Decanted for about an hour before dinner. Very complex nose of fresh and dried fruit, herbs and spice, more than I expect to find on Valpolicella. Old school palate mirrors nose with pipe tobacco on the finish. Good body with appropriate acidity, and without the sweet/chocolate notes it had a few years ago. It's really in peak form right now, and a most excellent wine. In fact, it could be a poster child for the kind of great Garagiste values (this was purchased from that Seattle retailer) that keeps most of us on Jon Rimmerman's list, in spite of the occasional dog (Anjou Villages, anyone?).

2005 Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso
This had been decanted for about four hours, but that wasn't nearly enough. Very tightly wound at this point and rather monochromatically cherried, and the acidity is jarring. Would have expected more from a young 05 at this point.

2001 Guiseppi Lonardi Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso
Decanted for about an hour before dinner. Very complex nose of fresh and dried fruit, herbs and spice, more than I expect to find on Valpolicella. Palate mirrors nose with pipe tobacco on the finish. Good body with appropriate acidity, and without the sweet/chocolate notes it had a few years ago. It's really in peak form right now, and a most excellent wine. In fact, it could be a poster child for the kind of great Garagiste values (this was purchased from that Seattle retailer) that keeps most of us on Jon Rimmerman's list, in spite of the occasional dog (Anjou Villages, anyone?).

I drank mine too soon, they all had a little chocolate covered raisin flavor that I sort of expected in a ripasso wine.
The Lonardi had some earth and good acidity to balance it though, even when it was younger. Good stuff.

What type of food did you pair with the Valpolicella ripasso?

[Jenise]

I saw your note from 2006 on Cellar Tracker. You don't have any more? That's a shame because I was thinking of panning the wine (she jokes) so I could trick you into trading me the rest of your stash for some delicious Anjou Villages. I have one more bottle which I'll put in the queue for the next six months. Food? We were invited to the home of friends and they served two different meat lasagnas, and since I knew Gary was planning to open the Bertani, I offered this one for comparison.

The problem I have with the garage purchases, if I haven't had the wine before, I am afraid to buy more than 2 bottles.
If I find something I like and want to order more, they are usually sold out.
So now I am pretty much sticking to buying things I know from them, except I will make exceptions for certain regions.
Lately it has been mostly Beaujolais and one of the Savoie offers.

What was the Anjou Villages? I must have skipped that one.

[Jenise]

The problem I have with the garage purchases, if I haven't had the wine before, I am afraid to buy more than 2 bottles.

I hear you, hence the fact that I have only one more bottle of the Londardi. The Anjou is just a super grapey, tart, extracted wine that I bought six bottles of and just hated when I opened the first bottle a few weeks ago.