June 2003
"Cosa Bolle in pentola" by Kyle Phillips - Salcheto
Yet more discoveries from Vinitaly! I've still got many discoveries made at Vinitaly to cover; this time it's three Tuscan red wines from various parts of the region.
For some reason I missed Salcheto at the presentation of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano this winter, so I stopped in to see them at Vinitaly instead. Their 2000 vintage of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is quite nice, with pleasing lively aggressiveness that will make it perfect with grilled lamb chops, but what caught my attention was Il Salco, a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano that's the fruit of a particular vineyard selection whose grapes hold well on the vines after they have ripened, and are therefore allowed to over ripen for a couple of weeks, conditions permitting.
The 2000 Salco Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is deep black garnet ruby with some hints of orange in the rim, and has a more delicate bouquet than Il Salcheto's basic Vino Nobile, with cherry fruit that has slight black cherry jam (the over ripening) and pleasing brambles that mingle with spice and warmth -- not heat -- and slight greenish notes. On the palate it's full and quite smooth, with powerful slightly sour cherry fruit supported by warm ample tannins that have a slight youthful burr and flow into a clean slightly bitter cherry fruit finish with tannic underpinning. Quite nice, and worth seeking out to enjoy with succulent grilled meats along the lines of a Porterhouse steak, and will age well too, for at least 5 years, gaining in delicacy with time. 3 stars (90). Its' imported by Bedford Wines
