A few odds&ends tasted over the Christmas weekend:
1. Toccata MalvasiaBianca LosAlamosVnyd/SBC (12.5%; off-dry) 2011: Pale yellow color; very perfumed Malvasia/muscatty slight pencilly/earthy very attractive/fragrant nose; soft slightly sweet strong soda pop/Sprite/Malvasia/muscatty slight earthy flavor; med.short soft bit sweet strong Malvasia/muscatty/soda pop light earthy finish; somewhat on the soft side for the amount of RS and a bit tiring on the palate; a pleasant simple bit cloying Malvasia. $22.00
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2. Vara y Pulgar Vino de la Tierra de Cadiz (100% Tintilla; 13.5%) Compania de Vinos del Alantico/Cadiz 2012: Med.dark color; some earthy/loamy/dusty/OV light toasty/oak some blackberry/plummy/Mourv-like quite attractive nose; soft bit tangy/metallic rather earthy/dusty/OV bit rough/rustic/coarse somewhat plummy/blackberry/spicy flavor w/ light rough tannins; med.long rough/coarse earthy/dusty/OV some blackberry/plummy finish w/ modest rough tannins; resembles Mourv more than any other wine; not much resemblance to Graciano that I can tell; a pleasant rough/sturdy Spanish red. $24.00 (CB)
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3. Mustilli Piedirosso Sannio DOC: Sant'Agata des Goti (12%; NorthBerkeley Imports) Sant'Agata des Goti/Campania 2014: Med.color; rather earthy/loamy/SouthernItaly/bit coarse/hot-climate light grapey/blackberry/licorice nose; soft bit lean/metallic somewhat coarse/earthy/loamy some grapey/plummy flavor w/ light oarse tannins; med. some coarse/earthy/loamy slight plummy/grapey w/ light rough tannins; a rather SouthernItaly coarse/earthy/hot-climate red but at least clean and brett-free. $23.00 (AV)
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4. Ca'de Noci Sottobosco IGT: Emilia (LambruscoMontericco/LambruscoGrasparossa/Sgavetta/MalboGentile; lotto 2/2009; 11.5%) ReggioEmilia 2008: Med.color w/ some frizzante/very fine/tiny bubbles; fairly strong grapey/earthy/licorice/Lambrusco-like/pungent quite interesting nose; rather frizzante fairly bitter strong earthy/grapey/licorice flavor w/ light bitter/astringent tannins; long quite austere/bitter somewhat earthy/grapey/cherry cola finish w/ some bitter tannins; quite hard/austere/bitter on the palate & badly needs food w/ it; an interesting rendition of Lambrusco but overpriced at $35.00 (CB)
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. toccata: The is the label LouisLucas/Lucas&Lewellyn uses for their Italian varietal program. Pleasant wines, just that. The Nebbs are the best.
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2. Tintilla: Or also known as Tintilla de Rota. This is a grape that has long been grown in the area surrounding the Jerez region in Spain. The grape was pushed to near-extinction there by the building of the US Naval Station/Rota in the '50's. The in-flight refueling tanker that collided w/ the B52 and released four B28 thermonuclear bombs on Palomares in 1966 flew out of Rota.
There has long been claims the the Graciano grape is identical to Tintilla de Rota. RobTebeau/FringeWine (RIP) was able to track down the article that had the DNA evidence that showed they are one in the same.
Tom