A friend of mine had been telling me about a wine made by the Leonardo da Vinci estate and I was, to put it mildly, skeptical.   After a pox upon this earth was unleashed in book form bearing the Da Vinci name diminishing literacy in this country and abroad, I was loathe to see further exploitation of the name bleeding into the world of Italian wine which does not need any additional help in that dark art.  But no, he insisted, this is not a huge new ripe Super Tuscan with broad shoulders, gobs of fruit, mountains of oak and oceans of flesh, this is 100% Sangiovese.  Curiosity and a bottle in front of me put my cynicism in retreat.

The wine, Broncone Bordolese Deco IGT 2001 is made by Dr. Gianfrancesco Paoletti with the aide of Dr. Giacomo Taschis. On the nose the wine shows dusty cherry,  dried raspberry, clove, dried oregano and rosemary with a bit of earth, leather and chestnuts.   On the palate the balance is incredible, tart cherries, dried cherries and an elegant structure and long finish.  This is drinking beautifully now but could age for at least 10-15 years.  Textbook example of the true character and potential of Sangiovese.

The wine is not cheap nor easy to find, 2000 numbered bottles of the 750ml  and 1515 bottles of 1500ml were produced although the artwork on each is different.

And that of course is what takes this wine (besides my Sangiovese-centric praise) to a collectible level.  On each bottle there is artwork created and certified by the Museo Ideale Leonardo da Vinci,

and of course, I have bin scuffs on the one now on display at Rothmann’s due to the largish size of the bottle and the eager aggressive way this sommelier pulled it from the rack (let that be an expensive lesson to me).

http://www.lafucinadileonardo.com/inglese/semplici/cultura.html

Worth searching for this wine, despite the price -for the traditional and superb expression of fruit inside of it, the artwork and uniqueness of the bottles themselves and to reclaim Leonard Da Vinci for the rest of us from a airport paperback.

The family Frutos Villar were already trading wines in the region around the town of Toro (province of Castilla y Leon in the north-west of Spain) at the begining of the last century, their own winery was then founded in 1920. Today, José Luis Villar Rodríguez is the head of the 4th generation´s team. It it them, together with other 3 wineries in the area, who are actually responsible for the foundation of this relatively new D.O. TORO. Beeing such a traditional cellar, this family has definitely managed to develop itself and meets up with the most modern standards of winemaking today. The wines that convinced me from the begining on are their „Muruve“ wines. The „Joven“, “Roble“, „Crianza“ and „Reserva“ are clearly defined, there is a consequent step-up to the next higher quality which you maybe think is strange that I mention it. But this is actually something that you don´t find necessarily very naturally all the time. The grapes for the „Joven“ and the „Roble“ are meanwhile harvested by mashines, the grapes for the „Crianza“ and the „Reserva“ are harvested manually. All four wines are 100% Tempranillo and profit from the high average age oft he vineyards, th oldest vines are more than a 100 years old. For the aging the bodega uses mostly American oak: fort he „Roble“ entirely, for the „Crianza“ and the „Reserva“ with a small percentage of French oak. The „dosis“ of oak is very much in balance with the fruit, the wines are wonderfully harmonic , without trying to cover the typical, natural vigor oft he wines of D.O. Toro.

Brand: Muruve

Winery: Bodegas Frutos del Villar

Vintage: 2006

Varietal: 100% Tempranillo (here called „Tinta de Toro“)

Winemaking: Traditional maceration in stainless steel vats with 100% de-stemmed grapes. 3 – 4 pump-overs per day. Temperature controlled fermentation for 15 – 20 days. After a setting period, the wine is filled into the barrels (90% American, 10% French) where it is aged for 20 months. Racking every 3 months.

Alcohol: 14,5 % Vol.

Average Price: 18 Eur

Tasting notes: very attractive and complex nose, almost right after opening up the bottle. Elegant structure, no voluminous body! Fresh red berry fruit perfectly combined with the coconut and vanilla flavors of the barrels. Nice spice! Hints of herbs and some smoky notes. Incredibly stable (I opened the bottle and only had one glass, finished the bottle 4 days later, and it was still absolutely amazing, hadn´t changed a bit! I was impressed!)

Food Pairing suggestions: well marinated red meats

General Rating: 4 tastevins

Catergories: sit-down, food wine

Donnafugata’s Ben Rye

Donnafugata is based in Sicily, where the company produces a range of exceptionally appealing reds and whites.  However, the jewels in its crown are the wines it makes on the tiny volcanic island of Pantelleria, which lies between Sicily and Africa.  There Donnafugata grows Zibibbo (a.k.a. Moscato di Alessandria).  Each vine is left to form its own small bush.  (In other areas, vines are usually trained onto wires to form tidy rows.) These bushes grow close to the ground and as a consequence are somewhat protected from the winds that sweep across the island.  Some of the vines are over 100 years old and, as you can imagine all work in the vineyards must be carried out by hand. 

“The vines grow horizontal to the earth,” says Jose Rallo, whose family owns Donnafugata. “It takes a lot of hard work to tend them.  You have to really believe in the wines.” 

She confesses that Ben Rye, the company’s exquisite sweet wine whose name in Arabic means “child of the wind”, is her favorite wine.    “Loving it is almost a duty for me,” she says. “I have to love  it and make others love it.”

I was fortunate enough to taste 4 vintages of Ben Rye at the recent Vinitaly wine trade fair held in Verona.  Here are my notes. 

2002 Ben Rye. A vibrant yellow sheen over a clear, fine tangerine/pale toffee color; clear rim. The nose presents a bright amalgam of citrus (citron, tangerine), with shadows of apricots and figs and a soft, broad grapiness. It is sprinkled with fine, warm spices. The palate echoes the nose. The sensations are firm, the ideas of figs and blossoms broaden and are joined by flavors of fresh pine nuts.  The flavor evolves in the long, fine finish.  The shades of  figs and ripe but firm apricots remain on the palate long after the wine itself has gone.  

After 10 minutes: It remains firm and satisfying with a youthful vivacity. A lovely experience.

After 15 minutes: Its freshness holds.

After 20 minutes: Still appealing, still firmly presenting its luscious fragrances and flavors.

“Zibibbo is an aromatic variety,” says Jose “For us the 2002 is a benchmark vintage. It has  great acidity that balances the fullness of the flavors.”

2005 Ben Rye Vibrant. Lightly colored rim. A pea green sheen over a tawny color, with vivid tangerine highlights.  Fresh, uplifting nose. The freshness is dominant on the nose followed half a beat later by a clean orange-lemon marmalade tinged sensation. A very tight weave on the palate. Again shades of apricots, orange marmalade and  tangerines, with a nuance of fresh hazelnuts. A fine line of rich fruit defines the very long faftertaste.

After 10 minutes: The ripe apricot element unfolds on the nose and palate like silk and a sprinkling of tangerine zest emerges.

After 15 minutes: The apricot settles down and melds with the zest. The finish is even more intriguing.

After 20 minutes: It is still fine and fresh.

2008 Ben Rye More yellow in the yellow/tawny blend of colors. The tangerine highlights are softer.  There is the suggestion of an expensive scented powder on the nose. (Dior comes to mind, I do not know why.) This lies over a broad apricot note. On the palate the very ripe apricot notes are fully and richly expressed, yet all the while the lively zesty acidity shapes and enlivens the flavors. Very lively on the palate. The finish is a-tingle with pleasing sensations: ripe fruit, tangerine zest and a touch of very fresh pine nuts.

“The 2008,” says Jose. “is like a festa. It has a new label, one that recalls the land and the hard work we have done on Pantelleria.”

After 10 minutes:  The wine opens up and the apricot becomes even more generous and inviting. I detect notes of ripe figs.

After 15 minutes:  A generous mouthful.  The sensation of a comforting cloud of very ripe apricots on the nose.  The palate, too, reveals a broad, complex range of flavors.

After 20 minutes. It maintains its luscious generosity.

Last year I served some Italian friends a bottle of 2005 Ben Rye.  Let me recount that event here. We served the wine with a Grand Marnier infused cake, decorated with orange slices and gold- flaked pieces of chocolate.

Donnafugata’s Ben Rye 2005 (this note was written a year ago).  Golden tinged with orange. A fresh, full perfume of orange blossoms, mandarin oranges and acacia honey. These ideas carry through onto the palate.  High-toned. An idea of dried apricots.  The richness is lifted and shaped by sprightly acidity.

We scored big points with our friends, particularly Ugo.  (Ugo, like most Italians, just does not “get” the pleasures of older vintages.) The Ben Rye, however, brought comments like: “It has such elegance!”  Ugo turned to his wife, Stefi, and said: “Remember when I saw this wine at the restaurant in Trieste and I said: these people have good taste!”   

“Is this a Pantelleria?”  asked Stefi.

“This is Pantelleria!” replied Ugo, raising his glass.

To learn more about the daily life of a wine taster visit my website: www.patriciaguy.com

Donnafugata’s Ben Rye

Donnafugata is based in Sicily, where the company produces a range of exceptionally appealing reds and whites.  However, the jewels in its crown are the wines it makes on the tiny volcanic island of Pantelleria, which lies between Sicily and Africa.  There Donnafugata grows Zibibbo (a.k.a. Moscato di Alessandria).  Each vine is left to form its own small bush.  (In other areas, vines are usually trained onto wires to form tidy rows.) These bushes grow close to the ground and as a consequence are somewhat protected from the winds that sweep across the island.  Some of the vines are over 100 years old and, as you can imagine all work in the vineyards must be carried out by hand. 

“The vines grow horizontal to the earth,” says Jose Rallo, whose family owns Donnafugata. “It takes a lot of hard work to tend them.  You have to really believe in the wines.” 

She confesses that Ben Rye, the company’s exquisite sweet wine whose name in Arabic means “child of the wind”, is her favorite wine.    “Loving it is almost a duty for me,” she says. “I have to love  it and make others love it.”

I was fortunate enough to taste 4 vintages of Ben Rye at the recent Vinitaly wine trade fair held in Verona.  Here are my notes. 

2002 Ben Rye. A vibrant yellow sheen over a clear, fine tangerine/pale toffee color; clear rim. The nose presents a bright amalgam of citrus (citron, tangerine), with shadows of apricots and figs and a soft, broad grapiness. It is sprinkled with fine, warm spices. The palate echoes the nose. The sensations are firm, the ideas of figs and blossoms broaden and are joined by flavors of fresh pine nuts.  The flavor evolves in the long, fine finish.  The shades of  figs and ripe but firm apricots remain on the palate long after the wine itself has gone.  

After 10 minutes: It remains firm and satisfying with a youthful vivacity. A lovely experience.

After 15 minutes: Its freshness holds.

After 20 minutes: Still appealing, still firmly presenting its luscious fragrances and flavors.

“Zibibbo is an aromatic variety,” says Jose “For us the 2002 is a benchmark vintage. It has  great acidity that balances the fullness of the flavors.”

2005 Ben Rye Vibrant. Lightly colored rim. A pea green sheen over a tawny color, with vivid tangerine highlights.  Fresh, uplifting nose. The freshness is dominant on the nose followed half a beat later by a clean orange-lemon marmalade tinged sensation. A very tight weave on the palate. Again shades of apricots, orange marmalade and  tangerines, with a nuance of fresh hazelnuts. A fine line of rich fruit defines the very long faftertaste.

After 10 minutes: The ripe apricot element unfolds on the nose and palate like silk and a sprinkling of tangerine zest emerges.

After 15 minutes: The apricot settles down and melds with the zest. The finish is even more intriguing.

After 20 minutes: It is still fine and fresh.

2008 Ben Rye More yellow in the yellow/tawny blend of colors. The tangerine highlights are softer.  There is the suggestion of an expensive scented powder on the nose. (Dior comes to mind, I do not know why.) This lies over a broad apricot note. On the palate the very ripe apricot notes are fully and richly expressed, yet all the while the lively zesty acidity shapes and enlivens the flavors. Very lively on the palate. The finish is a-tingle with pleasing sensations: ripe fruit, tangerine zest and a touch of very fresh pine nuts.

“The 2008,” says Jose. “is like a festa. It has a new label, one that recalls the land and the hard work we have done on Pantelleria.”

After 10 minutes:  The wine opens up and the apricot becomes even more generous and inviting. I detect notes of ripe figs.

After 15 minutes:  A generous mouthful.  The sensation of a comforting cloud of very ripe apricots on the nose.  The palate, too, reveals a broad, complex range of flavors.

After 20 minutes. It maintains its luscious generosity.

Last year I served some Italian friends a bottle of 2005 Ben Rye.  Let me recount that event here. We served the wine with a Grand Marnier infused cake, decorated with orange slices and gold- flaked pieces of chocolate.

Donnafugata’s Ben Rye 2005 (this note was written a year ago).  Golden tinged with orange. A fresh, full perfume of orange blossoms, mandarin oranges and acacia honey. These ideas carry through onto the palate.  High-toned. An idea of dried apricots.  The richness is lifted and shaped by sprightly acidity.

We scored big points with our friends, particularly Ugo.  (Ugo, like most Italians, just does not “get” the pleasures of older vintages.) The Ben Rye, however, brought comments like: “It has such elegance!”  Ugo turned to his wife, Stefi, and said: “Remember when I saw this wine at the restaurant in Trieste and I said: these people have good taste!”   

“Is this a Pantelleria?”  asked Stefi.

“This is Pantelleria!” replied Ugo, raising his glass.

To learn more about the daily life of a wine taster visit my website: www.patriciaguy.com

Donnafugata’s Ben Rye

Donnafugata is based in Sicily, where the company produces a range of exceptionally appealing reds and whites.  However, the jewels in its crown are the wines it makes on the tiny volcanic island of Pantelleria, which lies between Sicily and Africa.  There Donnafugata grows Zibibbo (a.k.a. Moscato di Alessandria).  Each vine is left to form its own small bush.  (In other areas, vines are usually trained onto wires to form tidy rows.) These bushes grow close to the ground and as a consequence are somewhat protected from the winds that sweep across the island.  Some of the vines are over 100 years old and, as you can imagine all work in the vineyards must be carried out by hand. 

“The vines grow horizontal to the earth,” says Jose Rallo, whose family owns Donnafugata. “It takes a lot of hard work to tend them.  You have to really believe in the wines.” 

She confesses that Ben Rye, the company’s exquisite sweet wine whose name in Arabic means “child of the wind”, is her favorite wine.    “Loving it is almost a duty for me,” she says. “I have to love  it and make others love it.”

I was fortunate enough to taste 4 vintages of Ben Rye at the recent Vinitaly wine trade fair held in Verona.  Here are my notes. 

2002 Ben Rye. A vibrant yellow sheen over a clear, fine tangerine/pale toffee color; clear rim. The nose presents a bright amalgam of citrus (citron, tangerine), with shadows of apricots and figs and a soft, broad grapiness. It is sprinkled with fine, warm spices. The palate echoes the nose. The sensations are firm, the ideas of figs and blossoms broaden and are joined by flavors of fresh pine nuts.  The flavor evolves in the long, fine finish.  The shades of  figs and ripe but firm apricots remain on the palate long after the wine itself has gone.  

After 10 minutes: It remains firm and satisfying with a youthful vivacity. A lovely experience.

After 15 minutes: Its freshness holds.

After 20 minutes: Still appealing, still firmly presenting its luscious fragrances and flavors.

“Zibibbo is an aromatic variety,” says Jose “For us the 2002 is a benchmark vintage. It has  great acidity that balances the fullness of the flavors.”

2005 Ben Rye Vibrant. Lightly colored rim. A pea green sheen over a tawny color, with vivid tangerine highlights.  Fresh, uplifting nose. The freshness is dominant on the nose followed half a beat later by a clean orange-lemon marmalade tinged sensation. A very tight weave on the palate. Again shades of apricots, orange marmalade and  tangerines, with a nuance of fresh hazelnuts. A fine line of rich fruit defines the very long faftertaste.

After 10 minutes: The ripe apricot element unfolds on the nose and palate like silk and a sprinkling of tangerine zest emerges.

After 15 minutes: The apricot settles down and melds with the zest. The finish is even more intriguing.

After 20 minutes: It is still fine and fresh.

2008 Ben Rye More yellow in the yellow/tawny blend of colors. The tangerine highlights are softer.  There is the suggestion of an expensive scented powder on the nose. (Dior comes to mind, I do not know why.) This lies over a broad apricot note. On the palate the very ripe apricot notes are fully and richly expressed, yet all the while the lively zesty acidity shapes and enlivens the flavors. Very lively on the palate. The finish is a-tingle with pleasing sensations: ripe fruit, tangerine zest and a touch of very fresh pine nuts.

“The 2008,” says Jose. “is like a festa. It has a new label, one that recalls the land and the hard work we have done on Pantelleria.”

After 10 minutes:  The wine opens up and the apricot becomes even more generous and inviting. I detect notes of ripe figs.

After 15 minutes:  A generous mouthful.  The sensation of a comforting cloud of very ripe apricots on the nose.  The palate, too, reveals a broad, complex range of flavors.

After 20 minutes. It maintains its luscious generosity.

Last year I served some Italian friends a bottle of 2005 Ben Rye.  Let me recount that event here. We served the wine with a Grand Marnier infused cake, decorated with orange slices and gold- flaked pieces of chocolate.

Donnafugata’s Ben Rye 2005 (this note was written a year ago).  Golden tinged with orange. A fresh, full perfume of orange blossoms, mandarin oranges and acacia honey. These ideas carry through onto the palate.  High-toned. An idea of dried apricots.  The richness is lifted and shaped by sprightly acidity.

We scored big points with our friends, particularly Ugo.  (Ugo, like most Italians, just does not “get” the pleasures of older vintages.) The Ben Rye, however, brought comments like: “It has such elegance!”  Ugo turned to his wife, Stefi, and said: “Remember when I saw this wine at the restaurant in Trieste and I said: these people have good taste!”   

“Is this a Pantelleria?”  asked Stefi.

“This is Pantelleria!” replied Ugo, raising his glass.

To learn more about the daily life of a wine taster visit my website: www.patriciaguy.com