Gae Saccoccio - NdC

9.6

Really complicated on these so suspect days, expose themselves with concepts such as: tradition, terroir, identity without falling into the most sinister rhetoric if not sounds just trite and hypocritical as the counterfeit currency with which even large-scale industries - supported by marketing - pays back its inattentive mass audience riding the wave of the country of origin or protected typicality. A diabolical mechanism this one for which even the most noble ideas probably the right practices and good experiences completed in the scale of centuries to human measure and not on massive industrial scale, are trivialized by sleazy slogan, emptied of meaning to be more or less surreptitious thanks to barbaric persuasion techniques and brain-washing propaganda.
Yet with the Valentini's Trebbiano you may not groped to summarize in words if not by drawing on terms so appropriate to express it. Now concerning this iconic label we've got behind it a local grape variety, a real family and a great wine that collect in a bottle the past and present story of a side of Abruzzo who claims to defeats victories and sacrifices to dominate the abuses (on and of) nature, miseries and splendours of agricultural seasons. Places, people, vision, wines such as Valentini are here to remind us how each bottle stay so proudly standing as non-reproducible beauty and fermented goodness expressing all its artisanal uniqueness and authenticity which are just that suspect to industrial wine production in manufacturing chains on standardized quantities; wines that are all equal to themselves even though wine itself is not much left at the end of the day/cycle. Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Valentini 1998 is what we have to rate right now: rusticity with class; style, purity and glory of a local grape recognized by many admirers from all over the world: act local think global this is another slogan-cliché which in this specific Valentini's wine exemple could sounds a little less false and more effective. — 10 years ago

with Alberto and Giovanni

Daniel P. Drake

8.9

Wanting to try a Pinot Noir tonight I picked up this North Coast Pinot for $19.99. Looking at the beautiful ruby red color draws me in right away. The aromas a wafting over me with beautiful red fruit of strawberry and raspberry. There is also hints of mushroom and a bit of caramel. Wonderful aromas keep me wanting to just continue breathing its nuances. On the palate you get good strawberry, tart cherry, mushroom, dusty soul with a creamy texture. There is good medium acidity and smooth tannins. This pinot is a bit on the lighter side and could use a bit more complexity. That being said, this is a very drinkable pinot that I would buy again. — 11 years ago

Rob Lateiner

9.0

Great purity, just a bit taut right now. Should resolve nicely. There are some deep, leafy, earthy aromatics. Oak is judged well. This has nice freshness to it. Definitely on the rustic side. Jenna thinks it's "dirty and dusty like licking the floor of a primitive structure." It is very hot to her as well, both nasally and to drink. The wine Polaner calls blood orange on this bottling and Camus' other VV Savigny bottling. He is completely right we both agree. 85 year old vines. A solid value for the cellar. Jenna says the quality of this is like unfiltered Honest Tea to clean and bright Steaz. This is a touch more muddled at the moment with a bit of bitterness but I am confident this will clarify and integrate nicely with time. Old school for purists. Jenna says it's "minty and herbal, fennel or anise." Definitely anise/fennel. Some balsamicky older barrel aromas and also nuttier newer oak aromas, too. Good balance. This really does have some soil aromas to it. A touch hot (alcohol) right but I imagine it will cool down with some time in bottle. — 12 years ago

Dock Hooks

9.1

French merlot, but proudly far from pedigree, she comes on crimson begging to be twirled, her right bank gone a bit left, a nasty, spicy, blueberry patch nose translating to a balanced but expressive acid/tannin mix showing a very round red mouth tinged by both black and blue fruit that unctuously lingers, lava-like lounging, layering, but lustfully lilting until spent smiling through her finish, leaving her essence languishing in one's mouth and on one's mind... oh to dine so fine🕶 With that in mind, Lauren's SoundSide'(Chef Chris') ribeye chili with a side of Chris' bias-sliced raw asparagus - right-on! — 10 years ago

Matté

Manager The Wine Cellars

9.1

First bottle wasn't right, HP Sauce mate! Next one was stunning, wonderfully fresh fruit laced with a sweet spice, scorched earth & graphite. In the mouth you get more of the same though on the rich side, one glass wine with food. — 11 years ago

Courtney Cochran

Sommelier/Host hiptastes.com

9.4

Let's begin with one word: FRAGRANCE. Just back from Italia, I will posit that this deep-garnet siren is just about the essence of that famed land on ones nostrils. My olfactory is pleased, greets this cuvee: *ciao*. We get right to business, where smelling is concerned: how very red tea of you, Amore. How very cinar-esque you smell today. Is that chanterelle on your breath, cracked black pepper in your hair, gravel crunching warmly under your feet? Thought so, certo. Moving right along, we address that thing essential to all dancers, composers and clothiers: STRUCTURE. Yours is on the delicious knife-edge of acidic to too-acidic, tannic to too-tannic, in both cases falling on the right side of the blade. Your alcohol level is just warm enough, not hot, and your finish is somehow cool and lingering. You are a cool cat, balanced and self assured. But wait: there's more, because we didn't talk abt your other PERFUMES leaping from the glass and traveling lovingly to my olfactory: brown spice, astronaut strawberry, cranberry, purple flower. DOLCE & GABBANA/ we have, at last, your newest fragrance: La Dolce Susumaniello. Carry on! 🇮🇹 — 11 years ago

Peter 0'Neill

8.9

A "nice" bottle but not much more than that. The pruney notes were just the right side of the line and it had decent acidity to balance the fruit but it was not a particularly memorable bottle of wine and not something I'd seek out again. — 10 years ago

Sophie Williams

9.5

Lovely refreshing white, on the right side of dry and fruity, with a really soft, sweet hint of apple — 10 years ago

Adam Jesberger

9.1

Bottle 1 was maderized, exchanged and I'm very pleased. The first one was flat, oaky water. This bottle is layered and holds boisterous fruit. Really fun wine to try right after that excellent 03. I prefer the 03 only because it has the bell pepper notes i love. This is on the riper side(which isnt typical for the vintage), its almost fully developed and had me very intrigued. A harmonious amount of black/red fruit, earth and oak. — 11 years ago

Christian Gourdin

10

Mind blown - lots of cab and syrah - luscious fruit and heavy on the alcohol side. Delicious #wine ! Having a #winegasm right now and that's not normal. — 11 years ago