2003 Bagio di Pienaetto Ficiglino IGT Sicilia
Half Viognier, Half "Insolia" 13.5% abv
http://www.bagliodipianetto.com/vini/it ... 3&id_cat=3
Kevin pulled this out of the Wine Styles stock-they don't even work with Southern any more, so...last bottle. Probably a year or so past the "best by" date, as there was definitely a brassy note to the color and the nose. Plus, the cork smelled extremely strongly of caramel/brown sugar (in a GOOD way). But, we enjoyed this wine, EVEN with the oxidative nose and color. Deliciously crisp and bright fruit, with none of the fatness that I dislike in many Viogniers. The taste had a bit of the oxidative note as well, but somehow it worked together with the crisp citrus notes to make a very nice quaffer. I'd give this a solid B score of 86. We'll see how the 1/3 we didn't finish held up overnight.
2005 Kolheita de Ideiat "Esboco" Douro. A blend of the usual suspects.
This was a very nervy wine-the second Portuguese wine I've tried lately with that nervy almost effervescent quality to it. Not too alcoholic, nominal label value was 13% abv and there was no feeling of heat. BIG BIG blackberry fruit, but with a strong "floor" of earthyness. I also tasted a hint of tobacco. Monster tannins...really big tannins, that still do not wall off the fruit in any way. This was a $15 wine, but I wonder if the big fruit, big tannins, and nervy acidity mean that this would be an ager? 88 points.
Interesting review at the K&L Wines site. http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1039375
Didn't buy it at K&L (at Vintage Berkeley on Vine Street). Not sure I would call it Zinfandel-ish, but that's not a bad comment regarding overall character.