Lured into Toronto to taste the wine of Grandi Marchi ("the result of the determination and enthusiam of 19 of the most important Italian wineries to promote the culture and commercialisation of Italian high quality wine on world markets") to taste less than 18 wines from some of Italy's best and most well known wineries such as Masi, Pio Cesare and Antinori. I say "lured" because it seems like it was a bit of a ruse, the occasion was not to try the wines in the Barbarian Steakhouse wine cellar, but instead to promote the launch of Italian Month at the LCBO and their new series of Discover DVDs on the wine regions of Italy. I probably would have been ticked making the trip in if the wines hadn't been worth trying. As for the videos they are available as part of a three part series through podcast, itunes and other options ... check out the lcbo website for details. Below, a list of nine wines that were truly the best of this class ... and that is saying something.
Michele Chiarlo 2009 Barbera D'Asti "Le Orme" - lovely cherry finish (****)
Pio Cesare 2010 Gavi - peach and delicious apple, refreshing and clean (*** 1/2)
Carpene Malvolti Presecco DOC Treviso - refreshing citrus and peach with a touch of sweetness and fresh acidity (*** 1/2+)
Masi 2006 Riserva Costasera - chocolate, plum, and lots of dark and red fruits; nice chalky tannins (**** 1/2)
Antinori 2007 Badia a Passignano - smooth and sexy with a heft of dark fruit and silky tannins (****+)
Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari 2007 Tenute di Nozzole "La Forra" Riserva Chianti Classico - lots of ripe red fruit, namely cherry, with spice and pepper; deliciously drinkable (****+)
Lungarotti 2007 Sagrantino di Montefalco - chalky dark fruit and rough tannins (*** 1/2)
Lungarotti 2008 Vigna il Pino Torre di Giano - nice with an almost creamy smooth mouthfeel, shows some weight (*** 1/2)
Donnafugata 2007 Tancredit - leathery black fruit with nice tannins (****)
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