Upon returning from the summer holidays, his friend Piero Benvenuti organized a pleasant dinner at the “Salotto Portinari” restaurant in Florence by chef Vito Mollica.
Vito prepared a special menu for us based on the pairing of the wines that would be consumed.
Present at the evening were: Aldo Fiordelli, Simone Fracassi, Piero Benvenuti, Gianni Mercatali, Paolo Baracchino and the kind ladies, Anna Paclet, Francesca Testi and Pinta Kaucher.
The aperitif was served to us in the pleasant bar of the restaurant and consisted of the Magnum of champagne from the Maison Gaston Chiquet, blanc de blancs, 1996, combined with pleasant mis en bouche.
At the table we were served the “Mediterranean tuna carpaccio with citrus fruits” which was paired with the Terlan wine 1st vintage 2020, a wine served blindfolded which seemed to be a Burgundy wine due to its mineral nose due to the presence of new wood and to the taste due to the imperfect taste balance. In Burgundy there are many white wines that are not well balanced between alcohol and freshness.
I remembered this wine, once unmasked, which in the past had more presence of wood.
With the “seared imperial scampi, Casentino lard and Lucani beans” we were served a pleasant Bordeaux wine, La Clarté de Haut Brion, 2018 vintage, from Chateau Haut Brion. Excellent combination.
Followed by “porcini risotto with red partridge ragù” paired with Vosne Romanee Clos due Chateau vintage 2066 from Domaine Compte Ligier Belair.
With the “grilled leg of suckling pig” we were served two wines, the Chianti Classico Gran Selection Ipsus 2018 from the Mazzei company and the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Le Lucere 2012 from the San Filippo company, both of which highlighted the pleasantness of the dish.
Lastly, we were brought the dessert “Pineapple tatin scented with tenka beans and coconut ice cream”, which was accompanied by the 2004 vintage Occhio di pernice from the Vitereta company, a bottle brought by Simone Fracarsi, who was resting in the his cellar for many years.
It was a very pleasant dinner for both female and male company, for the dishes and the wines.
Vito pampered us all evening with his courtesy, his kindness and his culinary skill.
Before moving on to the description of the wines I must make a clarification on the tannins of red wines.
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.
Let’s now look at the wines of the evening one by one.
MAISON GASTON CHIQUET
Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, vintage 1996
(magnum format, disgorged 2004)
It shines from the glass as an intense golden yellow with amber reflections.
The bubbles are very fine and quite numerous.
From the glass rise aromas of ripe banana, brioche bread, ripe jujube, graphite, cooked rennet apple, juniper berry, helichrysum (has aromas of liquorice, mint and chamomile), green banana peel and sea water (it is the same as the perfume of the internal part of the watermelon peel).
On the palate the bubbles are fine, the body is medium and is richly savory and mineral.
Flavor of lemon, honey, ginger and yellow grapefruit.
The freshness, flavor and minerality make the alcoholic mass imperceptible. Its taste persistence is long with a cedar peel finish.
(95/100)
TERLANO
TERLAN I°, annata 2020
(grape variety: 72% Pinot Bianco and 28% Chardonnay)
Transparent straw yellow.
Rich sense of smell, made up of aromas of freshly made popcorn, woody, sweet from the outside of the dragee, starch from the cotton fabric, pear thigh, flint, intense aromas of episperm (it is the sweetness of the skin of the boiled chestnut), petrol, chamomile and licorice.
On the palate it is intensely savory and mineral.
The body is medium and at the moment the wine is not well balanced, in fact despite the pleasant freshness, flavor and minerality the central part of the tongue can be felt a bit burning. Its taste persistence is long with a woody and liquorice finish. If I hadn’t been influenced by the label I would have given a lower score. Honestly, for me, smell is superior to taste.
(93/100)
CHATEAU HAUT BRION
THE CLARITY OF HAUT BRION, year 2018
(grape: 79.2% Sémillon and 20.8% Sauvignon Blanc)
Light straw yellow.
Olfactory mix made of scents of starch from the cotton fabric, episperm (it is the woody note that has the scent of boiled chestnut skin), petrol, popcorn, flint to end with intense notes of peanut. On the palate it has a medium plus body and is savory and mineral. Balanced wine with an imperceptible alcoholic mass.
Its taste persistence is long.
(93/100)
DOMAIN ACCOUNT LIGIER – BELAIR
VOSNE ROMANEE
CLOS DU CHATEAU, annata 2006
Garnet red coat with fine orange edge.
Aromas of black pepper, nutmeg, raspberry, hints of wild sex, mint, cherry to finish with kisses of red rose.
On the palate it has spicy sensations of black pepper that remain throughout the tasting. The body is medium and the freshness is enveloping enough to make the wine well balanced.
The tannins are sweet, silky and completely broad (6/6). Its persistence is long with a very richly spiced finish with a flavor of black pepper and cloves.
(94/100)
MAZZEI
IPSUS, dated 2018
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione D.O.C.G.
Ruby red dress with very fine garnet edge.
Upon olfactory examination, the wine is a little closed and slowly opens up to balsamic notes of mint and star anise followed by red cherry, peeled tomatoes, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves.
The body is medium and the wine is well balanced between alcohol and freshness.
The tannins are sweet, broad (6/6) initially silky and then dry and burn the upper gum a little.
Its taste persistence is long.
(93/100)
SAINT PHILIP
LE LUCERE, born 2012
Brunello di Montalcino reserve
Ruby red coat with garnet highlights.
The olfactory encounter is composed of scents of pea peel, chamomile, light camphor, light sea water (it is the same as the scent of the white internal part of the watermelon peel), plum, almond shell, mint, eucalyptus, for end with whispers of carob.
The body is medium plus and the tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6), initially silky and then dry a little as if they were slightly green.
Freshness completely dominates the alcoholic mass.
Its taste persistence is long.
(93/100)
VITERETA ESTATE COMPANY
Vinsanto OCCIO DI PERNICE, 2004 vintage
Intense amber – brown color
Olfactory mix made of perfumes of paint polish, nail polish, medicinal herbs, new wood, mint, eucalyptus, dried white fig and dried date.
On the palate, the body is very intense and has a flavor of rhubarb root and dried dates and is savory.
The body is medium plus and the wine is well balanced, in fact the alcohol mass is imperceptible.
Its flavor persistence is long with a peanut finish.
(96/100)
