2005 Castello di Gabbiano Alleanza

Castello di Gabbiano is probably best known to wine drinkers as the makers of inexpensive Chiantis that are sold in your local grocery.  For the more experienced wino, the Gabbiano Chiantis may be where you first got introduced to Italian reds. Such wines may now fall on your list of “pizza wines” or “Wednesday night wines” – decent with food, under $15, but often completely forgettable.

Not the Alleanza.  This Super Tuscan blend will make you forget everything you’ve ever known about Gabbiano’s cheap Chiantis. Born of an alliance (hence the name) between Gabbiano’s winemaker Giancarlo Roman and Ed Sbragia (of Beringer and Sbragia Family Vineyards fame), Alleanza brings traditional Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cab Sauv) and Tuscany’s signature Sangiovese together into a supple, expressive example of why the Italian Super Tuscan “movement” is very good for wine lovers.  I’ve always felt that slavish adherence to rules stifles creativity; the success of the legendary Sassicaia demonstrated what can happen when an adventurous Italian winemaker spits DOC/G convention into the nearest bucket.

I poured a small taste for myself and knew on the first quick whiff that this was going to need some time in the decanter, so I dumped it back in. An hour or so later, the nose had loosed up quite a bit. The alcohol had not totally blown off, but the vanilla, dark cherry, anise, and cigar-box aromas were really coming through. This smelled like a nice Right-Bank Bordeaux – the Merlot’s certainly right up front with the dark cherry, almost plummy scents, a nice hint of vanilla from the oak, and trailing behind are more red berries and cassis from the Sangiovese and Cabernet.

In the glass, the Alleanza was a gorgeous deep ruby-red. Even when swirled and tilted, the body was quite full and left good legs on the wall of the glass. The first good sip coats your palate. It is not viscous or oily, just a warm velvety coating on your tongue. I tasted a lot of fruit up front, but it was well-balanced by the vanilla and some subtle white pepper notes. This is a nice layered wine, where the transition from front to back, fruit to tannic finish, is long and smooth. I enjoyed the variety of the fruits – the dark cherry gave way to some tart cranberry and raspberry – and the underlying sweet herbaceous notes that made me think of fresh sweet basil.

The Alleanza paired well with my homemade beef barley soup, and would go nicely with any rich beef dish – stews, Osso Bucco, or even something like a cassoulet.

Price Range: $30-35

Composition: 75% Merlot 15% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol: 14.5%

Production: 80-85k cases overall; I could not find a breakdown showing how much of that is the Alleanza.

Website: Castello di Gabbiano

Bonus Link: Sbragia Family Vineyard

2005 De Tarczal Marzemino Trentino Husar

Mozart’s Don Giovanni, on his way to Hell,  sung the praises of this relatively obscure varietal. Marzemino grows natively throughout much of northern Italy.  From the Trentino region, by way of Garagiste, comes the highly enjoyable 2005 De Tarczal Marzemino Trentino Husar.

The bottles come with a tag attached the neck which tells a quick history of the wine’s production. Ruggero de Tarczal dedicates the wine to his direct ancestor, a Hussar Officer in the Austro-Hungarian Cavalry. Lineage of the De Tarczal vineyards can be traced back to the turn of the last century, as a parcel owned by Gèza dell’Adami de Tarczal, admiral of the Royal Austro-Hungarian Fleet. He received the land as part of the dowry of Countess Alberti.

The Husar, much like the duplicitous Don, is a handsome wine. It first tempts you with an earthy but robust nose of juicy plums, some red berries, and a hint of wet leaves.  The winemaker mentions violets in their published tasting notes, but I didn’t get anything remotely floral. In the glass, the wine is a light ruby-red on top with plummy purple undertones, which seems to be the classic profile for marzemino.

Were I tasting this blind, I would swear this was a well-rounded but young Loire Cab Franc (more Chinon than Bourgueil) or a light Barbaresco. Upon the first taste, you cannot miss the bright acidity, consistent with the Loire comparison. I noted some dark cherry (almost like a splash of Pinot) and red berries, as well as an underlying minerality. The Husar lacked any of the vegetal, green bell pepper notes that many Cab Francs have. Instead, it finished with more of a black peppery bite that dissipated quickly. The finish is dry and smooth, but doesn’t linger. It left me wanting more.

The Husar didn’t pair well with my homemade tomato sauce. Despite the good initial acidity, it just couldn’t hold up to the acid of the tomato and garlic. I should have known as much, pairing southern Italian cuisine with a northern Italian wine. This would be better paired with some game or smoked meats, maybe a nice brisket. The post-dinner glasses were much more enjoyable, as the wine opened up some more in the glass and didn’t have anything to compete with on our palates.

Price Range: $15-20

Composition: 100% Marzemino

Alcohol: 13%

Production: 75 cases (according to Jon Rimmerman/Garagiste)

Website: de Tarczal – Husar

Bonus Link: “Don Giovanni On His Way to Hell (II)” by Jack Gilbert