| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Campania |
| Winery: | Fortezza Societa Agricola |
| Grape Type: | Fiano |
| Organic: | Yes |
| Vintage: | 2020 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Fortezza Fiano DOC Sannio is made from 100% Fiano - 20 years old
No oak.
Straw yellow color with light green reflections. A rich bouquet of white flowers with mineral notes, freshnesss and elegance, good acidity and good body.
Southeastern exposure with an altitude of 250-350 meters above sea level.
Planting density: 3,500 vines per hectare on average.
Training system: espalier with Guyot pruning.
Manual harvest in small crates end of September.
Winemaking in white in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature.
Pairs well with seafood, grilled tuna, white meats.
Review:
-James Suckling 90 Points
Fortezza Greco DOC Sannio is made from 100% Greco.
No oak. A gold color; complex aromas of ripe fruits, candied fruit and honey. Soft and well-structured.
Southeastern exposure with an altitude of 250-350 meters above sea level.
Planting density: 3,500 vines per hectare on average.
Training system: espalier with Guyot pruning.
Manual harvest in small crates at the end of September.
Winemaking in white in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature.
Pairs well with fresh cheese, pasta with vegetables and vegetable soups.
Falletto di Bruno Giacosa Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.
The 2020 growing season began with an early budbreak following a mild winter with regular rain and above-average temperatures. A steady, well-distributed water supply and temperatures at seasonal averages allowed the vines to move through every phenological phase evenly, and dry conditions kept fungal pressure (oidium and peronospora) firmly under control. The result is a vintage of beautifully balanced, mid-weight Barolo prized for grace, translucence and early appeal.
The fruit comes from the Falletto vineyard in the village of Serralunga d'Alba. In most vintages this is the most approachable of the Giacosa Barolos, showing the estate's sweetly fruited Nebbiolo in classic style.
Reviews:
The depth and beauty of this are so enticing and attractive that you want to drink the whole bottle. It's medium- to full-bodied with cherries, strawberries and white truffles. Juicy and precise, with a real presence and complexity as it opens. Best after 2027, but already gorgeous.
-James Suckling 97 Points
Familia Zuccardi 'Finca Piedra Infinita' Gravascal is made from 100 Malbec.
WINE DATA:
Grape Composition: 100% Malbec
Appellation: Finca Piedra Infinita, IG Paraje Altamira,Valle de Uco, Mendoze
Vinification: Manually selected grapes, filling of tanks by gravity. Fermentation with native yeasts in concrete vessels without epoxy. Aging in concrete vessels. The 2020 was a very particular vintage, characterized by limited yields and a high speed of maturity, which made it one of the fastest and most challenging on record.
In the search for the purest expression of the identity of Finca Piedra Infinita vineyard, we reached this small plot of 0.73 hectares. Located on its north-east side, it shows the typical facet of Paraje Altamira soil, with large gravels and granite stones covered with calcareous material at a depth of 50 cm.
Altitude: 3,609 feet above sea level
Soil Type: Short alluvial soil covered with calcareous materials
Alcohol: 14% Total Acidity: 5.6g/l
TASTING NOTES:
Color: Bright ruby color
Aroma: Dark berries, black olive tapenade, and iron
Flavor: Rich on the palate, with firm tanins
Ottella Lugana DOC Riserva Molceo is made from 100% Trebbiano di Lugana - 25-30 years old.
The wine is produced in the area of San Benedetto di Lugana in estate vineyards that are most suitable due to the high content of white clay.
COLOR • Golden, clear, intense.
NOSE • It immediately opens with fruity notes that are enchanting, penetrating and complex. Characterized by hints of citrus fruits, flowers and fine mineral and elegant notes.
PALATE • Complex and intense blend of mineral flavors; captivating, long, lively, both in the persistence and in the strength of the flavors, mingling with unmissable citrus sensation. A delicate evolution, fine flesh, perfect longevity.
Since 2009 it has won every year the TRE BICCHIERI GAMBERO ROSSO award.
The harvest and selection of the grapes are done strictly by hand, in small 17 kg crates.
PLANTING LAYOUT AND YIELD • Double bow Guyot, yield around 8,000 kg. of grapes per hectare, equivalent to 5,040 liters of wine or 63%.
HARVEST PERIOD • Harvest late in October.
FINING AND FERMENTATION • Delicate, soft pressing of the whole bunch for most of the production, the rest with gentle destemming by oscillation. Thereafter, a strict protocol of vinification: partial malolactic fermentation, fining for 16 months on the yeast and fine lees, which mostly takes place in stainless steel tanks (80%) and the rest in wooden tonneaux and barriques.
Stimulating with marine or freshwater fish, it also goes well with savory or fatty meat (goose or pork). Enjoyable with seasoned, herbal cheeses of various types and elaborate dishes.
Review:
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
-WinesCritic.com 94 Points
Potensac Medoc is made from 44% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
The estate's Grand Vin's vineyards are located west of the village of Ordonnac where the vines grow on gravelly-clay soiils. They produce a very fine wine with tight texture, richness and wonderful freshness. On the palate, the wine is pure and powerful, with great concentration, dense and spicy tannins, and mineral tension. Fresh and full-flavored with ripe black fruits, and a finish of great depth. Thanks to these qualities, Château Potensac is often considered to represent the "pure Medoc style". It should be noted that Potensac was the only "Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel" of its appellation, and certainly one of the most persistent ever produced at this stage.
Review:
-James Suckling 94 Points
Fortezza Fiano DOC Sannio is made from 100% Fiano - 20 years old
No oak.
Straw yellow color with light green reflections. A rich bouquet of white flowers with mineral notes, freshnesss and elegance, good acidity and good body.
Southeastern exposure with an altitude of 250-350 meters above sea level.
Planting density: 3,500 vines per hectare on average.
Training system: espalier with Guyot pruning.
Manual harvest in small crates end of September.
Winemaking in white in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature.
Pairs well with seafood, grilled tuna, white meats.
Review:
-James Suckling 90 Points
La Fortezza is located in the heart of Sannio Benevento and spreads over a total of 20 hectares of vines. The winery is born from the great passion of the founder Enzo Rillo for his land. “La Fortezza” was built on the belief that making great wines starts in the vineyards and that the strength of the estate lies on the quality soil, sun exposure, altitude and care of the vineyards.
The project is based on the strong belief that producing a very good vintage is to express great love and strong passion for what they do, and to ensure the customers receive high quality wines with a stylish appeal.
Torrecuso, where La Fortezza is located, extends on the eastern side of the Regional Park of Taburno-Camposauro: the slopes are a continuous alternation of vineyards, woods and small fields, to which only in the last hours of the day the profile of Mount Taburno subtracts light and heat. Here the work of man - the diligent action of the peasant - has not ravaged, invaded nor defaced. A territory that is harsh yet generous, and that has decided to understand, deepen and know within the attachment we have for our land what the deepest meaning of the Samnite pride is: awareness and dimension of a freedom that once was only a desire to defend their land from the Roman armies, but that today is an attachment for what it represents and expresses in terms of culture, folklore and productions.
The province of Benevento has for centuries produced excellent grapes for excellent wines and represents about 40% of the vineyard area of the Campania Region. While they believe that "wine is made in the vineyard", their real strength actually consists of a mix of soil quality, sun exposure, altitude and care of the vineyard. Their vines Aglianico del Taburno are in such quantity that they permit them a careful selection in the vineyard for the different range of wines and guarantee the production of wines of the highest quality such as the Reserve, whose grapes come from a vineyard about seventy years of age.
Falanghina del Taburno benefits from a good sun exposure that brings an optimal result in terms of sugar content, aromas and acidity of the wine.
The cellar is located at the very heart of the vineyards. It is completely covered with stone and well-integrated into the surrounding landscape. It consists of two separate bodies. In the upper part is an enchanting place with a wonderful view towards the Apennines that separates Campania from Puglia. The underlying body opens over two medieval-style doors that are rigorously carved in solid wood, and it is home to the production activity - a perfect blend of tradition and modern technology. The barrel vaults are part of the aging room that is entirely covered with terracotta bricks and partly excavated in the tuff. This brings us back to the idea of the old "cellars" of the rural farmhouses - the places that were destined to conserve both wine and food. The processing room, the winemaking equipment, the bottling and labeling room, the steel tanks and the warehouse complete the cellar, with a potential production of about two million bottles.
Argot Bastard Tongue Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Sonoma Pinot Noir.
Inheriting an unbroken string of success, the “Bastard Tongue” arrives fully-formed and ready to impress. Always a blend from multiple Pinot Noir vineyards, this iteration of “BT” was selected from three distinct sites, each making their own unique contribution of Sonoma County terroir to the wine’s character.
Exploding forth on a tidal wave of high-toned, intense red and black fruits, this is a Pinot Noir that no stemware can contain. The palate’s profound depth is balanced by an inherent freshness, allowing the wine to crackle with brambly energy, while sustained by bass notes of underbrush, black tea, pie spice and baker’s chocolate. A formidable rendition of “Bastard Tongue”, and a deserving successor to its line.
Night harvested by hand throughout September, cluster and berry sorted by hand, de-stemmed, no crushing. 7-day cold soaks, followed by native fermentation in open-top bins. Average time on the skins, 14 days. Aging 20 months in French oak, 100% new. Never racked prior to bottling. Bottled unfined, unfiltered.
Very versatile for pairing. Goes well with grilled meat, vegetable, fish, poultry and cheese.
Review:
“The 2022 ‘Bastard Tongue’ Pinot Noir from Argot is utterly mind-blowing. It immediately draws you in with its seductive aromatic of fresh black raspberries, wild strawberries and even a touch of blueberry all woven together with sweet spices, cinnamon, crushed violets and earthy undertones. On the palate, the wine is both rich and graceful, with a lively acidity that elevates the sweet red fruit notes of red currant and black raspberries. Fine, polished tannins provide a round, silky texture that leads into a supple finish that lingers with sweet berries and sweet spices.”
Siegel Hand-picked Selection Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
The Hand-picked Reserva wines are born of a strong desire to offer the very best expressions of terroir from Siegel's El Crucero vineyard, at 360 meters above sea level. Carefully handpicked grapes deliver superb varietal character and exceptionally well-balanced fruit concentration, with a manual harvest and a second triage highlighting the family's commitment to uniquely handcrafted wines from the Curico Valley.
Unoaked and pale yellow in color, it offers enticing tropical fruit and citrus aromas, a beautifully balanced palate with pleasing acidity, and a soft, persistent finish.