Gold Medal Wine Club: International Series
Written By: Matthew Apsokardu on Thu, Nov 13th 2008
Welcome to the International Series of the Gold Medal Wine Club. We conducted a tasting of the featured wines inside this months' shipment and are very excited to share our results with you.
How can this article benefit you? During our tasting, we utilized a wide range of wine drinkers and asked them each to sample the bottles honestly and create their own notes. By gathering both a beginner and expert perspective, you can learn and compare with us no matter what your personal level of experience. Enjoy!
Italian Package Intro
"It's true that the Italians were not the first to invent wine, but more than any other people throughout history, they have demonstrated a serious passion for it." - GMWC packet
Italy has become synonymous with wine, rivaled only by its French neighbor. We were very excited to start our international club experience on such a great note. Italy has 20 designated wine regions, many of which boast outstanding reputations inside the global wine community. Names such as Piedmont, Tuscany, and Campania make wine lover's eyes glisten with anticipation (are your eyes glistening right now?) Without further delay... the wines -
2005 Tenuta di Valgiano Palistorti
"A sangiovese based wine, Palistorti means 'crooked poles,' and is named in reference to the difficulty in erecting vine poles in rocky soils. By contrast, this wine is refreshingly upright and live on the nose with tantalizing, enticing aromas." - GMWC packet
Beginner Perspective:
I noticed this wine had a really deep red color. Sangiovese seems to be more color-rich than wines like pinot noir, which I find to be a bit more translucent.
The nose was very interesting. There are some wines that just smell like grapes... but there was something else here. Something almost leathery or earthy. I imagined new boot leather when taking deep sniffs.
The taste was very enjoyable. The tannins and alcohol seemed really well balanced. An overall pleasant wine.
Expert Perspective:
Earth-driven, the meat of the syrah and its almost Hermitage-like bacon notes, combined with the leather character of the sangiovese, lead to a wine that is in interesting amalgam of Italy and France, but this is unmistakably Italian, with the mushroom notes eventually dominating, as well as an olive note too. What fruit there is is subdued and understated, perhaps there could be a bit more of it.
Flutter of dried fig on the nose as it begins to open a bit, silky mouthfeel with fine-grained tannins that only become more apparent on the finish, raspberry fruit comes out, but this is about the earth and meat and a hint of white pepper on the palate, violets develop on the nose eventually, and in that regard there is something almost Piedmontese about this. Interesting, well-crafted wine. Some sort of beef or veal with truffles would be nice. Perhaps a bit of brett.
88 / 100.
2006 Le Vigne di Sammarco Solemnis Primitivo
"Agricle Rizzello calls the Solemnis, 100% Primitivo, "A Timeless Classic" with its ancient, strong structure, its modern and refined elegance, and its unmistakable typicality and smoothness." - GMWC packet
Beginner Perspective:
This baby packed a punch. The nose has attractive red berries and grape, and there is also something meaty and full-bodied about it. I'm having a little trouble detecting some of the finer qualities because of the high alcohol output.
The taste has notable alcohol. For my palate, two hours or more of decanting would have been perfect. The finish really lasted in a pleasant way.
Expert Perspective:
Inky black well of a wine in color, opaque, Ripe and bright summer berries heading in the direction of blueberries and blueberry pie, interesting interaction between the fruit and the toastiness of the oak, which is less manifested on its own than it is in the context of its interaction with the grape. Licorice on the nose, too, and perhaps a bit of aniseed.
This is a big juicy mouthful of wine, though the sweetness of the fruit on the nose is lost a bit with the alcohol heat on the palate, but in this case the wine itself has the sheer size to carry that weight. Finish is of ripe strawberries in a quiet way, this is about the fruit and the black peppercorn on the end of the mid-palate and the finish, a bit of minerality but just enough there if you're looking for it. Alcohol is a bit too high but it's still fun and juicy and just begging for barbecue and other sweetly glazed and smoky meats. Big, fun wine.
87 / 100.
2005 Firriato Santagostino Baglio Soria (white)
"50% Catarratto and 50% Chardonnay, this 'Santagostino' named wine stands for innovation in the Trapani region of Sicily. Today, this revolutionary blend carries on the traditions of the monks, as symbolized on the rose window of their monastery featured on this label." - GMWC packet
Beginner Perspective:
This wine was very attractive, right off the bat. It had a golden color, but lighter than other whites I've tried. There is a lot going on on the nose, and since I can tell that, I'm sure our expert must be enjoying himself thoroughly with this wine. I'm detecting a definite hint of lemon, which leads to bright, vibrant fruits like honeydew.
The taste is a real treat. I feel like I'm browsing through a rolodex of melons. Honeydew, cantaloupe, and an overall melon quality. This wine seems like a great deal at its price point ($22 a bottle).
Expert Perspective:
Lemon-sherbet color, lemon rind and lemon-cream or custard pie, loads of lovely vanilla on the nose too, pears and just the slightest hint of summertime white-flesh stone fruits, lemon verbena and a finish that turns a hint smoky and rolls forever in a creamy, lush way. This wine is like springtime in a glass and there are notes on the finish of white-petaled flowers. Lemongrass on nose and palate as well as Thai basil.
Very exotic and luscious but not overwrought, this wine is as much a pleasure for the senses as it is for the intellect. Honey, too, perhaps orange-blossom honey. Steamed shrimp with a lemon-zest aioli and a touch of garlic. Also would be delicious with a bouillabaisse with the crouton on top. So much fun, and so interesting. Honeydew comes out on the finish, too, as well as melon puree on the palate. Enough softer acid keeping it all together. Balanced and beautiful.
91 / 100.
Other notables about the international club:
If you'd like to join in on the fun, consider becoming a member of the international club.
Members of the club receive a very comprehensive package that includes detailed histories of each bottle, inside peaks at wine deals, and recipes that go with the wines provided.
