J.M. Gerin la Champine Syrah, 2013

J.M. Gerin has excellent vineyards in Cote Rotie. A less expensive option than Gerin's single vineyard Cote Roties, la Champine is made from younger vines on the property plus purchased produce from Collines Rhodabienne, an unclassified region in the Northern Rhone. This 2013 is just rounding into shape for my taste.

Deep ruby with minimal amber at the rim. Beautiful Northern Rhone bouquet in mid development. Black raspberries, anise and brambly herbs. Young fruit is giving way to savory, tangy tones. Black olives and freshly ground black pepper. Just the way I like it.
 

Curto Marco di Nadia Curto Langhe Rosso L'Informale, 2023

I listed above the vintage as 2023 because that is how it was sold at Saratoga Wine Exchange. Actually, though, there is no vintage date on the label, confirming that it is a wine for current, every day enjoyment rather than for aging. And it is indeed a very good wine for that purpose; we love it.

The wine is a blend of Dolcetto, picked in September, and Nebbiolo, picked in mid to late October, fermented separately and then blended in the Spring. Aging is in stainless steel for both grapes.

Medium color with some Nebbiolo orange tints. Beautiful ripe fruit smells. Donna thinks apple pie; I think cherry pie. We both get cinnamon and other baking spices. Lovely fruit flavors but with the tannic structure of Nebbiolo. If I tasted this blind, I might have tagged it as a Pinot Noir from northern California or Oregon. Wonderful texture. But as an every day wine, it is also like a very good Cotes du Rhone. Delicious to drink young but with the structure of a more serious wine.
 

Evolution Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2024

Sokol Blosser is a long-time producer of top line Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the Willamette Valley of Oregon. I have tasted a few of their single vineyard wines and can attest that they are well worth the premium price tags. At $22 a bottle, Evolution is their introductory level wine, probably made from grapes from younger vines on the estate or from purchased grapes from elsewhere in the Valley.

Medium light ruby, bright and clear. Looks like a Pinot. Powerful scents of violets, cranberries, red raspberries. Smells like a Pinot. Flavors that mirror the smells. Silky texture. Tastes like a Pinot. Delightful spicy finish. Based on this wine, I have high expectations for Willamette Valley wines from the 2024 vintage.

 

Bocale Montefalco Sagrantino Passito (Umbria), 2019

 

I have never had a Sagrantno wine, and I was looking forward to this NTP tasting for a good introduction. Apparently, the dry Sagrantino is to come next month at Tasting #2, but this Passito offers a very enjoyable glimpse of what this noble grape has to offer.  Passito is, of course, a sweet wine made from dried grapes, similar to Amarone.

Very dark, velvety. Very ripe fruit, doesn't smell or taste too alcoholic...even at 15.0% ABV. Rich, ripe fruits--plums, blackberries, dark cherries, pomegranates--wow! Also some floral notes. No hard edges, delicious fruit but not overly sweet for a dessert wine. Spicy finish, long and complex. I gave this 17.0 points. At $45 a half bottle, though, I think I would put my money on a good Sauternes or Vintage Port.

I Luoghi Bolgheri Superiore, 2020

As a Super Tuscan, this wine does not use the traditional Sangiovese blend of Tuscany but rather is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot and Syrah. It is indeed super and I scored it 19.5, although I still preferred the Rosso di Montalcino that preceded it at the NTP tasting. At $45, it is nearly twice as expensive and not within my wine budget.

Deep and dark, a bit moreso than the Rosso. Ripe plums, red and black berries, more red fruit than I would expect from a Cabernet blend. I didn't get the herbal Cab Franc tones but other tasters  did. Abundant tannins but has the acidity to keep it lively and approachable today. Medium long finish. Good wine but I'll still take two bottles of the Rosso and go away happy.
 

Scopone Rosso di Montalcino, 2021

Produced from Sangiovese Grosso grapes grown in Tuscany, this "baby Brunello" was my favorite wine of the NTP tasting, although I scored it slightly lower  (19.0) than the Super Tuscan that followed (19.5). At $28, it is not cheap, but still less expensive (and more approachable) than most Brunellos.

Deep but not as dark and purplish as the Montepulciano. The oak is not as lavish and that is a plus for me. Mostly red fruits--berries, Montmorency cherries plus a touch of black licorice. Flavors match the smells, ripe and lovely. Great acid, medium alcohol, medium body. Flavors dance. Long, complex finish. I love this wine.
 

Bove Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Marso, 2021

For many tasters, this wine--rated high by nearly everyone--was the biggest surprise of the NTP tasting. Since there are many inexpensive Montepulcianos on the market, we did not expect this level of quality. At $25, though, it is hardly inexpensive.

Very deep, dark, purplish. Plums, dark cherries, black berries and currants. Great smells and ripe flavors that open beautifully. Very young, lavish oak but has the balance to show its best...now or later. Hard to resist. I gave it 18.0 but one taster at our table gave it 20.0. Not over-priced at $25.