Results of April 25th Wine Tasting

Hello everyone. On Saturday, April 25, a wine-tasting and dinner to salute 5 of the many distinct wine-producing regions of Italy was hosted by Dawson Bloom. Five randomly selected wines (one from each region) were compared by Dawson Bloom, Vin Trupia, Joseph Fernicola, Anthony LaVista, and Jon-Paul Lenczuk.

Regions represented in the tasting were Calabria/Basilicata, Veneto, Piedmonte, Umbria and Abruzzo, and Sicily. Accompanying these reds for dinner were a spread of sliced meats, sausage and pasta, various hard and semi-soft cheeses, grapes, and Torellini Alfredo (I'm drawing a blank on if we had dessert or not).

In order of least favorite to most (on the traditional 1-5 rating scale), the results are as follows:

1. Lamuri Nero D'Avola (2005 Sicilia)--a peppermint and chocolate flavor came across with this, creating some initial interest. However, with mild tanins and a rapid fire finish, it was leaving us generally not overly impressed, particularly at a $23 price point--average score 2.85

(Tie for 2nd to last)--

2. Barbera D'Asti (2005 Piedmonte)--Slight black cherry aromas came from this tight-nosed red, with a high degree of heat on the palate. Though smooth, it was only an average find, but servicable for $12.00--Average score 3.1

3. Carpineto Chianti (2002) Vanilla was immediately detected on the nose, along with some minerality. A smooth, caramel, non-fruity flavor profile vanished rather quickly. It, however, was also serviceable at approximately $22.00--Average score 3.1

4. Re Manfredi (2002 Basilicata) Black licorice burst forth on the nose, with hints of smoke to complement the distinct aroma. Cranberries could be identified on the mid-palate, along with some smokiness. This was a smooth effort with moderate tanins. A quality find around $23.00 !--Average score--3.3

5. Ripassa Superiore Valpolicella (2006 Veneto) Getting the nod as the 'best of class' this evening was this gem from Northern Italy. Bearing a delightful scent of dark fruits, this tasteful vino was full bodied with intense fruity tones to it. The length was exceptional and smooth. Very good! Average score--3.5

For a 2nd tasting in a row, there was a rather narrow range of scoring. With warmer weather quickly approaching, white wines and PotLuck tastings will likely steer wine tastings into the summer of 2009. Stay tuned!