Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

On the nose; lemon, grapefruit, light petro, wet wool, smokey notes, saline and white & yellow lilies. The body is creamy. Notes of; smoke, saline, lemon & lime juice inferior melon, mix of ripe & underripe pineapple, light honey notes, soft, silty volcanic minerals, dry top soil dust, big round acidity with a round fruity mineral driven finish. Pair with simple meats, veggies, curry and dry cheeses, green salad. Producer notes...the winery is located in the village of Olaszliska just north of the village of Tokaj near the banks of the famous Bodrog River. Samuel farms roughly 5 hectares in this area (Határi vineyard) and an additional couple of hectares on the slopes of Mt. Tokaj. The soils on Határi are volcanic based (tuffa, obsidian), broken up limestone and clay. Most of their plantings are 90% Furmint and 10 % Hárslevelű...some as old as 90 years. They are mostly organic as no herbicides or pesticides are used. Grapes are pressed in a pneumatic press and fermentation is in Hungarian oak barrels. No new oak is used. Photos of; Samuel Tinon, the descent into their ancient cellars and resting Tokaj cellar bottles. — 8 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

10

A wine that combines nature, art, terroir and an amazing story. From the volcanic island of Sicily on the slopes of Mount Etna, Fattorie Romeo Castello had lava flows in a vineyard that they thought was lost after an eruption. Years later the vines pushed through the lava and the resulting fruit from this lava vineyard make this special wine. Thank you #MonicaLarner for bringing this wine to my attention through your pioneering critical writings.
Now for the wine notes:
The color is a slightly hazy garnet red color.
The nose is spectacular, revealing the complexity inherent in this wine. Notes of ash and volcanic rock give way to ripe bing cherry, a meaty roast beef streak, with subtle hints of roses, herbs and tar.
The palate is just as complex, showing power and elegance in the intensity of flavor, while plenty of acidity and firm, youthful tannin add length and freshness.
#sicily #etna #vigo #nerellomascalese #nerellocappuccio #lavawine — 9 years ago

Giampiero Nadali

Wine Blogger Aristide

9.4

2012 - From the steep slopes of Brognoligo, in Monteforte d'Alpone, near Soave, Battistelle (former Sacripante) is a Cru based on volcanic soils. Dry softness, good acidity, sapid, and a very, very long finish. Awesome wine. — 10 years ago

LM Segal

9.0

Concentrated sharp lemon and rocks in a nice Greek white. — 8 years ago

Joseph Carmona

9.3

Effusive red, medium bodied, spicy, flavorful fresh market mixed vegetables. This is a great wine nourished by the soil of dead Sicilians on the volcanic slopes of Mt. Etna whose decayed bodies are still furious about an eruption 500 years ago! Recommend with a seafood dish with capers and tomatoes — 9 years ago

Dade Thieriot

10

One of the greatest #Riesling vineyards anywhere on earth. The #WÜRZGARTEN or "spice garden" also boasts extremely old root stocks as well as the PRÄLAT and SONNENUHR, but the tremendous concentration of #redslate in combination with volcanic soil give these wines an amazing complexity. With very steep slopes, acidity and structure are never an issue. The excellent balance found in the #Loosen 2011s is the key to their projected longevity. #GG #ÜrzigerWürzgarten #altereben — 10 years ago

with Petra and Wietske

Giampiero Nadali

Wine Blogger Aristide

9.4

2012 - From the steep slopes of Brognoligo, in Monteforte d'Alpone, near Soave, Roccolo del Durlo is a Cru based on volcanic soils and basaltic stones. Two days of maceration on grape skins, smooth, good acidity, sapid, and a very, very long finish. Awesome wine. — 10 years ago

Jeff Vejr

9.1

This is a very dry, medium weight Aglianico from the slopes of Mt. Vulture. Black fruits, cave aged black tea, and that "African" spice you get from black volcanic soils. Paired this with something fatty: I paired with black olive glazed lamb neck. I would not advise drinking this w/o food. — 8 years ago

Seba Stian

9.0

Blend of Nerello Mascalese (80%) & Nerello Cappucio, it's raw and rustic. Volcanic Etna slopes soil, associates with its saline and raw nature. It's medium+/full bodied, herbaceous and spicy, with salty finish like it would have been blended with Mediterranean Sea water. Serous wine, full of sour cherries, licorice with tannin/acidity overload. — 9 years ago

Maddalena de Zambiasi

8.9

An exemple of product from extremes terroir, up to 1000 metres along volcanic slopes ! — 10 years ago

Giampiero Nadali

Wine Blogger Aristide

9.1

2006 - From the steep slopes of Brognoligo, in Monteforte d'Alpone, near Soave, Sacripante comes from the Battistelle Cru based on volcanic soils. Dry softness, good sapidity, and a very, very long finish. Very well aged. Gorgeous wine. — 10 years ago