Thursday, May 22, 2008

Agricole Vallone Salice Salentino Vereto Rosso Riserva, 2000

This is my second bottle of a wine I found on the closeout shelves for $4.79 at Hardings Market. I've already stocked up and this tasting confirmed that it was a good decision.

Deep ruby; good color. The nose is sweet and pretty, almost candied but with some bracing dark tones. The wine also borders on volatility, but it's intentional, part of the wine-making style; the wine is clearly not falling apart. Red cherries, roses, tarry minerals melting together in complex combinations. On the palate, it's smooth and ripe with no tannins but a pleasantly bitter taste of dark grape skins and ripe fruit. Long and pleasant finish.

The 2000 vintage, I've learned, was a good one in the Salice Salentino area. And early reviews ranked this wine ahead of the better known Salice Salentino of Taurino. At eight years of age, it is drinking quite well, and I think it will continue to blossom for several more years.

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