In September I had the pleasure of being invited to dinner by my friend Luca Silvestri, owner of a smiling hotel in Forte dei Marmi. Why smiling? Because blue and white stand out in the color of the walls and furnishings. I have known Luca for several years as a great wine enthusiast. We have several friendships in common, linked to the pleasure of food and wine.
Luca is a unique person and one never ceases to be indebted to him for his hospitality and generosity.
The staff who work for him are always smiling and kind. I recently stayed overnight in his hotel and since it was a Saturday he asked me if I would like to have dinner with him and his friend Ermes Cattaneo, a dealer in rare wines, who I had already met previously at his place.
What a memorable dinner, food, drinks and company. We were all accompanied by our ladies. Everyone brought wines for dinner.
The menu was established by Luca and the wines were opened and served by his meter Antonio Bertuccelli, a competent and polite person who made the evening even more pleasant for us.
The dinner began with fried prawns, very lean Gillardeau oysters and fried prawns, followed by Catalan shellfish dish washed down with Bruno Paillard magnum champagne blanc de Blancs, 2016 vintage and Champagne J de Telmont Blanc de Blancs Grand Couronnement 2006 vintage. The culinary journey continued with spaghetti with tomatoes and razor clams accompanied by Chablis from Domaine Francois Ravenau Monts Mains, 2002 vintage and the Austrian riesling Franz Hir Tzberger Hochrain, 2004 vintage, fearfully mineral on the nose (kerosene).
Afterwards we were served a huge oven-cooked croaker paired with a fantastic Sassicaia, 1982 vintage which left everyone stunned by its youth.
Since there was also Giuseppe Quintarelli’s Alzero 1990 to drink, Luca thought it best to pair it with flakes of 60 and 72 month old Parmigiano Reggiano. Perfect match! The 1985 vintage Santo Giusto wine from the San Giusto company in Rentennano was opened and tasted in the small pastry shop.
What a magnificent evening, spent with people who love high quality wine and authentic, tasty cuisine from times gone by.
Let’s now move on to describing the wines of the evening, but I must clarify the following.
Regarding the width of the tannin, it is important to make the following clarifications so that it can be understood. I feel the tannin of the wine on the upper gum. The total width of the tannin is 6/6, i.e. the entire width of the upper gum. Obviously, if the tannin is less broad, it could be for example 5/6 and so on. The width of the tannin is important when the quality of the tannin is of good or high level. The larger the tannin, the more worthy of attention the wine is, but the tannin, as I have specified, must, in any case, be of good quality.
Let’s now move on to describing the wines tasted.
BRUNO PAILLARD HOUSE
Blanc de Blancs, annata 2012
(large format)
Golden yellow shines from the glass with quite fine and numerous bubbles.
Upon olfactory examination, the generous mineral and cocoa butter aromas stand out, followed by the sweetness of the outside of the candy, light citrus fruits, Piedmontese hazelnut, almond shell and starch of the cotton fabric.
Mouth rich in flavor and minerality. The bubbles are fine and pleasant. Flavor of almond shell and lemon. The body is medium and the wine is well balanced between alcohol and freshness.
Its flavor persistence is long with a chestnut honey finish. (94/100)
HOUSE J DE TELMONT
GRAND CORONATION, annata 2006
White of Whites.
Shiny light golden yellow appearance.
The bubbles are fine and numerous.
Olfactory mix composed of aromas of mineral, white pepper, green banana peel and peanut butter.
The taste has richness of flavor and minerality.
The bubbles are fine and pleasant and the wine has a medium body. The freshness completely envelops the alcoholic mass making the wine well balanced. Mild honey flavour.
Its taste persistence is long with a lemon finish.
Its rich freshness makes it clear its long aging potential. (95/100)
DOMAIN FRANCOIS RAVENAU
Monts Mains, annata 2002
Chablis 1er Cru
Light golden yellow robe.
Upon olfactory examination, the aroma of apple distillate stands out (it reminded me of Calvados), concentrated mint from the “After eight” chocolate, woody wood, wood smoke, wild and mountain pasture flowers, daisy and pear thigh.
The flavor is rich. The body is medium and the freshness completely dominates the alcoholic mass. Its taste persistence is long. (94/100)
FRANZ HIR TZBERGER HOCHRAIN
Riesling Smaragd, annata 2004
WachauAustria
Golden yellow colour.
On the nose there are aromas of chamomile, apricot, kerosene, mint and a pleasant and intense note of juniper berry.
On the palate it is richly savory and mineral with a chamomile flavour.
The body is medium plus and is perfectly balanced with the freshness that dominates the alcoholic mass.
Its intense aromatic persistence is very long with residual sugar and lemon flavour. (94/100)
TENUTA SAN GUIDO
Sassicaia, 1982 vintage
(grape variety: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc)
Light garnet red colour.
Olfactory kaleidoscope characterized by the intense scent of smoke, followed by plum, blackberry, mint, light eucalyptus, sea water (it is the same as the white internal part of the watermelon peel), blackberry jam, string of licorice, nutmeg, light rust, bergamot and boiled chestnut with dried wild fennel.
Fruity mouthfeel of slightly dry plum.
The body is medium and the generous freshness completely dominates the alcoholic mass.
The tannins are sweet and broad (6/6), initially velvety and then drying the upper gum a little. Its taste persistence is long. (96/100)
GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI
ALZERO, 1990 vintage
(grape variety: 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot)
Intense ruby red.
Nose composed of intense aromas of dried plum, dried black fig, mint, blackberry jam, licorice, coffee powder and red rose.
On the palate it has the flavor of dried black fig, licorice and dried plum. The body is medium and the tannins are sweet, broad (6/6), initially velvety and then drying the upper gum a little.
Its taste persistence is long. (96/100)
SAN GIUSTO IN RENTENNARNO
VIN SANTO GIUSTO, vintage 1985
(grape variety: 90% Malvasia and 10% Trebbiano)
Amber yellow dress.
Nose rich in multiple aromas among which stand out rue leaf, tomato leaf, peach leaf, hints of coffee powder, dried fig, slightly green apricot jam, lemon, walnut husk, slightly green wild blackberry, to finish with light woody whiffs.
Pleasant sweetness on the palate with a dry white fig flavour.
The body is medium and the wine is well balanced, thanks to the generous freshness that completely envelops the alcoholic mass.
Its taste persistence is long with a dry white fig finish. (96/100)