Marchesi de Frescobaldi Tenuta di Castelgiocondo Lamaione 2008

Date of Tasting: 26 July 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Merlot

Alcohol: 15%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Toscana IGT

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR60

Web: http://www.frescobaldi.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 92/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 92/100, JS - 93/100, CT - 90/100

Appearance: Dark purplish red.

Aroma: Sweet dark fruits and licorice with touches of herbs and smokiness. Breeze of cool mint.

Palate: Big and dense but velvety. Sweet and smooth tannins. Persistent flavour of fruit notes. Lingering but not complex.

Exciting? Might be not. Enjoyable? Oh, yes. To me, it is not a wow wine. It seems to lack characters but nice aroma and not overwhelmed with oak. Nevertheless, its silkiness and feminine side of this Merlot based red wine from Tuscany should make it a wonderful pair with rich dishes. Lamaione 2008 is now accessible. I did pop it up an hour before consumption and it was at satisfaction. Not much of acidity to support, hence, not over a decade to go perhaps for this one.

Marchesi Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT 2006

Date of Tasting: 7 November 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol: 13.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Toscana IGT

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR70

Web: http://www.antinori.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 93/100
Professional Rating: WA - 92/100, AG - 92/100, WS - 93/100, WE - 94/100, FS - 92/100, CT - 92/100

Appearance: ruby red

Aroma: red fruits, rosemary and spices with mild floral aromas

Palate: Somewhat rich and dense on the texture. Sweet ripe red fruits and mild citrus notes of sangiovese. Crisp with racy acidity. Earthy and oaky incorporated. Fine tannins.

A nice bottle of well-known producer that is currently drinking nicely and should live a decade more. Pairing this with lamb or even tomato based pasta would compliment each other well. Not so much of elegant but vibrant and powerful. A blend with cabernet sauvignon and a touch of cabernet franc seem to play its role remarkably. Kind of like the volume and complexity of aroma there. However, the price tag is a questionable one. Anyway, it is still a good experience. Salute!!!!

Duca di Salaparuta Corvo Bianco IGT 2013

Date of Tasting: 5 October 2014

Wine Type: White

Grape Varieties: Insolia and Grecanico

Alcohol: 11.5%

Origin: Sicily, Italy

Appellation: Terre Siciliane IGT

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR5

Web: http://www.duca.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 88/100
Professional Rating: n.a.

Appearance: bright yellow straw

Aroma: delicate fruity bouquet with minerality

Palate: Fruity notes of green apple and lime. Fresh, lively, refreshing, and lingering from acidity. Dry in style with medium bodied.

I had this simple Corvo Bianco 2013 along with fish dishes and they went pretty well with each other. Fruity and refreshing are the main characters. Though it pairs well with light dishes, I would presume that it should also work well as an aperitif due to its low in alcohol level and lively style. This is sure a nice table wine with good value for money. A wine to be consumed within a few years of its vintage, it is.

Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve IGT 2005

Date of Tasting: 26 April 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sangiovese

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB3,000

Web: http://www.fontodi.com/
Chubby Score: 92/100
Value for money: 5/10
Professional Rating: WA - 93/100, AG - 94/100, WS - 94/100, JR - 17.5/20, CT - 93/100

Appearance: dark ruby

Aroma: complex forest floor of cedar, spices, and black fruits

Palate: medium-full bodied with beautiful and lingering finish. integrate tannins. it exhibits class and depth. on the palate, it shows integrated cherries, oak, and dried spices. notable acid.

This is a nice bottle that drinks well right now and a decade to go. It possesses some generous perfume of fruits and profound elegance. Not so much of the power. The 2005 is not quite my style but it shows superb with pizza and non-cream based pasta.