2001 Rosso, $7 at Wine Club-SF. Great buy - works with many foods. Fruity and spicy, plenty of pizazz and modest structure, great price/value. Deep ruby, cherry and earth nose, Negroamaro 70%, CabSauv 30%. Renzo Cotarella is the winemaker and Antinori is the family. The Cotarella brothers (Riccardo is the elder and more celebrated) are a name synonymous with quality in Italy (and the world). (2005-06-17)
2001 Masseria Maime, by Tormaresca
8
Salento in Puglia. Grape: Negroamaro. This opaque monster is one of the many successes by two of the greatest names in Italian wine, Piero Antinori (viticuteur) and Renzo Cottarella (winemaker). It was the most structured of our wines today, filled with bitter cocoa and earthy notes, grippy but not-too-aggresive tannins, and plenty of black fruits with a long leathery dry finish. $20 at WineClub (2005-08-05)
2003 Aglianico "Alcione" Manduria
6
grape: aglianico. Tons of bright cherry and some violet, a dose of terroir, and decent complexity. Slightly cal-ital styled, but more complex. Finished very balanced with decent acid and tannin and a hint of balsamic. (2005-08-06)
Bocca Di Lupo, by Tormaresca
9
2002 - incredible example of Aglianico grape. This wine has enormous fruit, very black color, smoky coffee aromatics, fantastic mouthfeel, perfect balance, earthy but juicy finish, in short it has everything in abundant quantities, and all at $20! I going straight back to buy more. Works with meats, pasta, anything strongly flavored. A special wine at a modest price. (2005-10-07)