At Enoteca Pontevecchio we believe that everyone can write about wine - expressing her/his personal impressions about the vintages they have tasted.

Writing about wine should not be limited to experts and professional wine critics. And that is why we dedicate this section to the wine tasting notes that we have received from the guests of our enoteca.

Our wine writers:
Jackie Piccolo
Joe Fernandez

JACKIE PICCOLO

Barbera - Giovanni Daglio-2005
I think this wine is very sweet, but has a savoury aftertaste as well. It goes down quite easy, but has a little bit of a kick at the end. It smells somewhat fruity, and almost like a candy of some sort. I enjoy this Barbera a lot. I think for me, it would go well with some kind of pasta or cheese.

Aglianico - Quintodecimo
For some reason, this wine reminds me of Christmas. The scent is very distinct, warm, and rich. It has a more rustic and smooth taste, with a little bit of cherry and pine. This one also goes down easy, but in a different kind of way. After taking a sip, the taste lingers in your mouth for more time than usual. It definitely has more of a zing then the last, but its warm flavours are somewhat soothing. You could say this wine is very rounded and unique.

Castel del Monte - Santa Lucia - 2007
This wine, made with Uve di Troia, has an delightfully sweet aftertaste that slightly reminds me of cotton candy. It seems to be a little dryer, but the flavour as it goes down your throat is clearly sweet and simple. It is easy to tell that this wine has a variety of different fruit flavours in it. It has just the right amount of sweetness in order to satisfy the pallet.

Barbaresco - 2006
This wine is less sweet than the others, and has a little bit of a tang to it. I do taste something a bit grassy, but I also taste something savoury. This wine seems to be more deep and complex, rather than a few simple ingredients. It feels like it might be a wine that I would enjoy with a red meat.

Martina, Brunello di Montalcino - 2003
This wine is one of my favourites, and it seems to be quite different from the rest. It goes down very easily, and has some kind of nutty smell and aftertaste to it. I also think it almost has a pumpkin-like perfume to it. There are some sweet undertones, but I do not feel that is the main focus of this wine. This wine also seems to be more complex than the others, but at the same time I feel I can taste all its components.


JOE FERNANDEZ

Nerochiaro, Aglianico, IGT Campania
Nerochiaro lives up to the reputation of the Aglianico varietal, which is rapidly earning a positive reputation outside of Italy that is no surprise to the people of Campania. True to its heritage, it is as robust as you would expect from its inky black color. One can’t miss the tannins that soon blow off. A burst of black fruit explodes in the front of the mouth tempered by traces of coffee and a bit of smoke. To a lesser extent there is some dark chocolate flavor there but after all it is not a Merlot. The smooth texture can be attributed to a structure that works well with the fullness of the wine. After the first few sips, this heavyweight morphs into a middleweight that pairs well with red meat..steak and burgers come to mind. It may benefit from more aging but this wine strikes me as not being a long distance runner.

Martina, Brunello di Montalcino -2003
We served Martina with dinner last night and thought it was fabulous! These are our impressions : Martina Brunello di Montalcino is all about Harmony with a capital “H”. When poured one can observe the intense ruby red color that is characteristic of the sangiovese grosso grape. The bouquet has a distinct floral aroma with whiff of earth tones that combine to start the saliva flowing. In the mouth dark cherry flavors greet the front of the mouth accompanied by a hint of tobacco and some evolving tannins. On the back palate, a long finish with some spiciness and touches of pepper to complete the elegant experience. All in all, it is a complex wine that brings together all of these elements to create an extraordinarily harmonious fusion of flavors that offer a balanced wine that will enhance many dishes. It is a wine that adds to the envied annals of Brunello di Montalcino.

Amarone della Valpolicella
This Amarone della Valpolicella offers the characteristics of a well structured, balanced wine from this region. It is a robust, concentrated and dark in color. Overall, it is lush and complex with an almost port-like texture. One is greeted by flavors of berry, licorice ,and hints of raisins( rasinate anyone?) in the front of the mouth ,with a spicy middle exposing traces of tobacco. The finish is predictably strong and long, thanks to the high alcohol content, that includes a tinge of the typical bitterness from which it derives its name. Unlike many of its Italian cousins, this wine is less acidic and the tannins are mellow. This vintage would benefit from more aging but in any case I would open or decant it well in advance of imbibing.