Trentino-Alto Adige Uncorked: 2009 Foradori Granato
It has been said, "Wine buffs write and talk as though the food and wine will be in your mouth at the same time, that one is there to be poured over the other. This is bullshit. Gustatory enjoyment comes from food and wine and cigars of your liking. So far no one has said that a Monte Cristo is the only cigar to smoke after Armagnac, Romeo, and Juliet after Calvados ... but the time may yet come." ~ Clement Freud
It's always a fascinating adventure to uncork wines from previously unknown-to-me wine regions of the world, there are so many that fly under the radar of the better known, tried and true varietals, this bottle delivered on nearly every expectation. Mr. Freud here makes some good points, and he is right who am I tell you what to drink or eat for that matter? I mean c'mon we can all agree, that each of us should drink/eat what we like. But like the patrons who visit the wine store where I once worked, who often would query me for recommendations and or opinions on specific wines before making their purchases, I only offer my impressions for your and their consideration; what you or they do with that advice is ultimately in your hands.
I can tell you this though; many customers over the years come back to the shop and tell me how happy they are with my recommendations. I've even recommended wines while working the wine demo scene in a local San Diego Costco, only to have a customer who was visiting from Atlanta and who had purchased quite a few cases based on my recommendation to enthusiastically thank me via an out of the blue phone call. Enough tooting my own horn, while standing on the proverbial soapbox shouting my opinions to the world of wine enthusiasts who busy themselves with the mundane domestic choices all around them, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc..
But again, please drink what you like, and if I may be so bold to state without any hesitation; if you'd want to drink better than the average vino-sapiens, then please stick around for this review and the many to follow. How many wine writers do you know that have put their opinions about wine to the test, putting said wine on the shelf to gauge wine consumers' interest?
After being uncorked on a Thursday evening, and sealed up via a vacu-vin at the end of [COB] evening, opening the bottle again on Friday evening brought much joy. This wine improved significantly, the fruit was far more accessible, the tannins had mellowed, and the fine ground minerality was much more evident. It's the type of wine that will significantly benefit from a few hours of decanting, or you could just 'uncork' the day before, and then thoroughly enjoyed the next day. I'm so glad I had another opportunity to get to know this fantastic Northern Italian gem better.
The 2009 Granato is 100% Teroldego [a new grape to me] comes from three different vineyards of the Campo Rotaliano in the Trentino-Alto Adige region in Northern Italy, very near the border of Slovenia in the appellation of Vigneti Delle Dolomiti [IGT]. Reportedly an ancient grape variety with hundreds of years of growing, evolving and making extraordinary wines.
Many other reviewers have given this outstanding wine scores and praise, I echo a few of those sentiments but slow my roll just a bit, when it comes to the use of the word phenomenal or other jumping up and down adjectives. This wine is a beauty no doubt, offering gorgeous aromas of blackberries, dark cherries, herbs, and firm but drying tannins. You also may notice subtle hints of coffee and lovely fine ground minerality and a bright underlying acidity bringing the balance.
While this wine demonstrates impressive depth, underlying power, and a medium-sized finish, it does require patience. It’s not a bottle of wine that comes dressed to impress right away; it’s a bit of a wallflower. To thoroughly enjoy this wine, bust out the decanter many hours before you plan to get out onto the dance floor via your empty wine stem.
This wine is a real beauty, consider honestly seeking it out. It's a unique experience that will bring you much joy. I can't go 94 points on it as so many have, but I'd give it at least it a solid 91 points. It sells for $54 most places, and it's bottled under a cork closure. Until next time folks, please remember life is so short, don't settle for the ordinary when you can have the extraordinary, slurp long and prosper cheers!
I can tell you this though; many customers over the years come back to the shop and tell me how happy they are with my recommendations. I've even recommended wines while working the wine demo scene in a local San Diego Costco, only to have a customer who was visiting from Atlanta and who had purchased quite a few cases based on my recommendation to enthusiastically thank me via an out of the blue phone call. Enough tooting my own horn, while standing on the proverbial soapbox shouting my opinions to the world of wine enthusiasts who busy themselves with the mundane domestic choices all around them, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc..
But again, please drink what you like, and if I may be so bold to state without any hesitation; if you'd want to drink better than the average vino-sapiens, then please stick around for this review and the many to follow. How many wine writers do you know that have put their opinions about wine to the test, putting said wine on the shelf to gauge wine consumers' interest?
After being uncorked on a Thursday evening, and sealed up via a vacu-vin at the end of [COB] evening, opening the bottle again on Friday evening brought much joy. This wine improved significantly, the fruit was far more accessible, the tannins had mellowed, and the fine ground minerality was much more evident. It's the type of wine that will significantly benefit from a few hours of decanting, or you could just 'uncork' the day before, and then thoroughly enjoyed the next day. I'm so glad I had another opportunity to get to know this fantastic Northern Italian gem better.
The 2009 Granato is 100% Teroldego [a new grape to me] comes from three different vineyards of the Campo Rotaliano in the Trentino-Alto Adige region in Northern Italy, very near the border of Slovenia in the appellation of Vigneti Delle Dolomiti [IGT]. Reportedly an ancient grape variety with hundreds of years of growing, evolving and making extraordinary wines.
Many other reviewers have given this outstanding wine scores and praise, I echo a few of those sentiments but slow my roll just a bit, when it comes to the use of the word phenomenal or other jumping up and down adjectives. This wine is a beauty no doubt, offering gorgeous aromas of blackberries, dark cherries, herbs, and firm but drying tannins. You also may notice subtle hints of coffee and lovely fine ground minerality and a bright underlying acidity bringing the balance.
While this wine demonstrates impressive depth, underlying power, and a medium-sized finish, it does require patience. It’s not a bottle of wine that comes dressed to impress right away; it’s a bit of a wallflower. To thoroughly enjoy this wine, bust out the decanter many hours before you plan to get out onto the dance floor via your empty wine stem.
This wine is a real beauty, consider honestly seeking it out. It's a unique experience that will bring you much joy. I can't go 94 points on it as so many have, but I'd give it at least it a solid 91 points. It sells for $54 most places, and it's bottled under a cork closure. Until next time folks, please remember life is so short, don't settle for the ordinary when you can have the extraordinary, slurp long and prosper cheers!
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