Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2010

Date of Tasting: 3 June 2016

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sangiovese

Alcohol: 14%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR70

Web: http://www.valdicava.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 96/100
Critics' Opinion: JS - 99/100, WA - 93/100, AG - 94/100, WS - 96/100, CT - 94/100

Appearance: Bright and deep ruby.

Aroma: Orange peel, olive, dark cherry, earth and mushroom.

Palate: Medium-full bodied. Structured with silkily fine tannins. Vibrant acidity that balance out with time. Fruits and herbs. Long finish.

Definitely a gorgeous bottle of Brunello. This is something unique. Starting to be accessible but will live its life for long. Love the earthy tone while fruits and acidity still support its structure. Elegant one. It is hard indeed to keep my hands off. Grazie!!!

Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino 2010

Date of Tasting: 15 August 2015

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sangiovese

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Expect to Pay: ~ EUR40

Web: http://www.casanovadineri.it/
Chubby Appreciation: 94/100
Critics' Opinion: WA - 96/100, JS - 96/100, CT - 92/100

Appearance: Bright deep red.

Aroma: Excellent nose of cherry and dried fruits. Saline. Rosemary. A bit of earth.

Palate: Bright acid with indicated red cherry and raspberry. Layers of spices. Rather full texture but fine tannins. Some of mineral. Velvety and long lasting.

Not as big and the Tenuta Nuova range but consist of elegance and finesse instead. Beautiful, vibrant, and lingering. Not so modern but still somewhat in between. Oak, yes a bit. Chocolate, umm....traceable. A few years more and it may be at its drinking window range. Not a bad idea at all to stock up this beauty. Sante!!!

Enoteca Italiana Bangkok @ Sukhumvit, Bangkok - ร้านอาหารอิตาเลี่ยน อีโนติก้า @ สุขุมวิท กรุงเทพฯ

Cuisine: Italian

Map: Enoteca Italiana Bangkok @ Sukhumvit, Bangkok - ร้านอาหารอิตาเลี่ยน อีโนติก้า @ สุขุมวิท กรุงเทพฯ

Price: THB4,400 per person (what we paid for)

Visited: 28 November 2014

Food: 6/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Value for money: 3/10

Services: 6/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Enoteca Italiana is a charming Italian restaurant hidden in a small alley of Soi Sukhumvit 27. The place is a house converted into restaurant: beautiful and spacious. It is another nice alternative when seeking a place to hang out with friends. The dining room is also decorated resembling Italian atmosphere. Along the wall, you can see range of Italian wine. One of the thing that worth mentioning here is the range of wine. Not many restaurant in Thailand represents good range of wine but here is one with Italian range. Nico, the owner, is a lovely and helpful guy. In the kitchen, Chef Stefano Merlo, who used to head the kitchen of Rossini's until mid 2013, leads the team for the second time after working for 2 years here between 2008 and 2010.

Enoteca Italiana Bangkok @ Sukhumvit, Bangkok

cosy dining room

another corner of cosy and friendly place

bread basket

I have to admit that it was a while back when I visited Enoteca during a wine dinner of Valdicava. All I could mention is the food was nice but not great. Here is the brief description:

White Truffle Cyber Egg (6/10): Tasted nice with aromatic white truffle scent with creamy structure. Creative but too difficult to eat honestly: need to pop the wrap with stick and then such the content inside. Personally, I am not really a fan of those molecular or fancy cuisine.

Pigeon Pate, Vin Santo Gelatine and Flowers (5/10): Pate was nice with senses of flower. But smoother touch would be better. In addition, vin santo gelatine needed to be more flavourful to balance the pate.

Spaghetti with Saffron and Bone Marrow (6/10): Nice creamy touch with al dente spaghetti in unique scent of saffron. But that was it. Not really sure what the missing piece of charm was.

Risotto with Berries and Foie Gras (6/10): Delicious little plate of risotto. Just need more of the berries to balance foie gras.

Grilled Fiorentina Steak (6/10): Flavour was there. But tenderness was not up to the level. Still some toughness there. Not sure whether it was intended to serve this way.

White Truffle Cyber Egg

Pigeon Pate, Vin Santo Gelatine and Flowers

Spaghetti with Saffron and Bone Marrow

Risotto with Berries and Foie Gras

Grilled Fiorentina Steak

Pecorino di Pienza DOP Cheese

As mentioned, the dinner was Valdicava wine dinner with Vincenzo Abbruzzese and daughter Sofia presented the wine themselves. The range of wine was impeccable: each one speaks of itself. Nice and traditional brunello with aromatic structure. The night began with Valdicava Rosso di Montalcino 2012 as the aperitif. Then Brunello di Montalcino and Madonna del Piano ranges were served pairing with the food in the following order:

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2006
Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2004
Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 1999
Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano 2007
Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano 2004
Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano 1999

To me, Brunello di Montalcino 2004 and Madonna del Piano 1999 rocked the night. I was fortunate to get a chance to try such wonderful range. Honestly, if you see these wines, do not hesitate but stock up. All were wonderful and each speaks of its character that resemble vintage and terrior.

Overall, the night was wonderful. I have to admit that the wine outshone the food by far. The food range comparing to the price tag, I would say this is not so valuable. Thanks to the wine that makes it memorable. 

Valdicava Rosso di Montalcino 2012 (91pts)

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2006 (95pts)

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 2004 (97pts)

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 1999 (94pts)

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano 2007 (96pts)

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano 2004 (97pts)

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano 1999 (97pts)

Enoteca Italiana Bangkok @ Sukhumvit, Bangkok - ร้านอาหารอิตาเลี่ยน อีโนติก้า @ สุขุมวิท กรุงเทพฯ
39 Soi Sukhumvit 27
Sukhumvit Road
Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana
Bangkok 10110

Thailand

Open Hours: daily from 06:00pm - midnight

Tel: +66 (0) 2258 4386
Web: http://www.enotecabangkok.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/EnotecaBangkok

Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2006

Date of Tasting: 12 June 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sangiovese

Alcohol: 14.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)

Expect to Pay: THB3,000 - 4,500 (retail price in Thailand)

Web: http://www.casanovadineri.it/
Chubby Score: 95/100
Value for money: 9/10
Professional Rating: WA - 95/100, WS - 95/100, JS - 100/100, WE - 97/100

Appearance: dark ruby/garnet

Aroma: explosive notes of spiciness, cherry, and cinnamon

Palate: depth and length are so long, smooth and silky touches, dry tannins with so much strength, mild acidity, medium-full bodied style, loads of massive ripen cherry and plum flavours, complex and elegant after-taste, tobacco and herbs and licorice.

Such a powerful bottle of Brunello di Montalcino. They are all there in one bottle: elegant, complexity, sensational and yet stunningly powerful. A wonderful bottle that ones should not miss. Lucky that I have more in stock. The very best of Sangiovese grapes can be found in this bottle of Casanova di Neri. If you see it, don't miss the opportunity to grab some. It is now soon to shaking off its shyness and revealing its true potential. So can be enjoy now and the next decade or so. Many many glasses should be raised!!!!!