2021 CASARETTI Olte Longhe Bardolino Classico So young, feels like a barrel-sample. Vivid pink, light ruby, meaty nose of chubby fruit and dark floral. In the mouth, light light light fruit dusky in its transparency. Completely balanced and 95% Corvina. Quite nice despite the age. Needs 5 years.
2018 CASARETTI Essinitie? Eminitie? 95% Corvina? Garnet rimmed though light. Figgy plummy pudding and fruitcake with ridiculous melon on the nose. Partially WC. Tasting it produced immediate overpowering tannin but fruit in there somewhere–more here than anywhere else–going almost merlot or cabby in earthy, leathery nuance. Best wine so far. Tons of potential. Gorgeous stuff, slightly resolved 13.5
2020 MONTE ZOVO Oltremonte Sauvignon Blanc Beautiful peach and apricot with Martinelli’s and minimal but seductive earthiness and vegetal on top of leesy creaminess. In the mouth: tart apricot and pear thin and light, nice acidity playing well with grapefruit minerality and buttery fruit. Def would hit. Twice.
2017 MONTRE ZOVO Calinverno Rosso Veronese IGT Corvina & Corvinone/Rondinella/Croatina/Cab 70/20/5/5 Deep ruby clear thin rim. Big smoky rich, deep leather and earth very rich–desserty almost–with pretty oak placement. Sweet on palate, with acidity juxtaposing garishly. Fruit a gritty grippy rasp, chalky and beautiful, succumbing to nice black walnut tannin. 15.0
2018 MONTE DEL FRA Custoza Superiore DOC Garganega/Trebbiano Toscano/Cortese/Incrocio Manzoni In lab-labelled shiner. Pale yellow but decent color, oak and malo and buttery lees in nose–fruit not immediately apparent. Love the dank bitter on entry, a massive white, piling sharp tropical onto floral and stonefruit for the trifecta. Tannic and angry but in a loving way. Favorite. 13.0
2020 MONTE DEL FRA Bardolino DOC Corv/Rond/Molinara field-blend in lab-labelled shiner. Solid red, closed in fruit actually feeling pruney though that is impossible. Sharp herb tea and that’s it on the nose. Whoa though: in mouth, ridiculous fruit, rich and stony and concentrated. Beautiful black cherry on steely sharp wings and a 10/10 finish. 13.0
2019 MONTE DEL FRA Valpolicella Superiore Classico Corv/Rond 80/20 100% pergola 12mos 800gal oak Thick ruby running garnet as it thins near edge. Nose sharp but slightly oxidized going towards raisin precisely as cherry fades into maraschino in a spicy deep pit of fruit. In the mouth, young and sharp against gritty dark alley notes where beautiful blackberry rubs against prickly rasp. Mouthfilling and confident, proud and defiant: a 30-year wine. 13.5
Stephen McConnell 