Due

[Florida Jim]

With homemade, grilled pizza with mozzarella and olives as a first course:

2002 S. Quirico, Vernaccia di San Gimignano:

Restrained on the nose with light aromas of resin, pear and lime zest/

More assertive on the palate with brisk acidity backing some chalky chardonnay-like flavors with lime zest and bitter almond accents, weightless in the mouth yet nicely textured, intense, complex, crisply balanced and genuinely interesting/

Medium length, clean and a mouth-watering finish.

This is a DOCG wine, hence, at least 90% is made of vernaccia (the remainder is likely chardonnay and vermentino). It is fresh and lively. And fortunately, there is no evidence of oak, which is these days, being used more and more often in this area.

‘My first taste of this wine and I was impressed enough to buy a case tomorrow. My plan is to serve it as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to lighter fare (which we have a lot of). This has the structure to be better with a year or so in the cellar but it is delightful even now. Excellent with the pizza.

A Leonardo Locascio selection imported by Winebow.

About $8, retail.

With roast pork tenderloin with garlic, lentil salad, arugala with balsamic, fresh picked grape tomatoes and some slices of ricotta salada:

2002 Morgante, Nero d’Avola:

Light red fruit smells with just a touch of milk chocolate; a bit high toned/

Medium body but less extraction than I am used to from this bottling; more an unoaked Dolcetto style, clean red fruit, some milk chocolate and meaty flavors, smoothly textured but lighter weight than expected, with airing the flavors become fuller but there is no sense of the overdone; concentrated, moderate complexity, fine balance/

Medium length finish with no drying tannins (again, unexpected).

Certainly, a lighter vintage for this wine and quite dissimilar to the 2001 version. This has an elegant demeanor with a freshness not found in the more extracted ’01. For drinking now and delicious with the meal.

About $9, retail.

Best, Jim

[tanabutler]

When I read your posts, Jim, I always feel so wistful. But it's a good kind of suffering, because I am learning.

It's like reading good poetry.

You're the William Carlos Williams of eGullet.

[Florida Jim]

You're the William Carlos Williams of eGullet.

I'm more the Louis Jenkins type, but thank you.

Best, Jim

[Craig Camp]

Jim - I see you use the term "high toned" in your notes. It is a term I also use, but perhaps it is hard to define. I see it has a minty, herbal lively note - like in good cabernet franc. How do you use the term?

[Florida Jim]

Jim - I see you use the term "high toned" in your notes. It is a term I also use, but perhaps it is hard to define. I see it has a minty, herbal lively note - like in good cabernet franc. How do you use the term?

Very slightly volitile (lively?) but not in a bad way. I'm not sure I'd want to call it herbal, but when you say cab. franc, well, I'm on that page.

And of course, explaining it is hard - its a "know it when I smell it" thing.

Best, Jim

Edited March 25, 2004 by Florida Jim (log)

[Craig Camp]

Jim - I see you use the term "high toned" in your notes. It is a term I also use, but perhaps it is hard to define. I see it has a minty, herbal lively note - like in good cabernet franc. How do you use the term?

Very slightly volatile (lively?) but not in a bad way. I'm not sure I'd want to call it herbal, but when you say cab. franc, well, I'm on that page.

And of course, explaining it is hard - its a "know it when I smell it" thing.

Best, Jim

Yes, I think I would put a little VA into the "high tone" category.

However, Morgante is pretty squeaky clean winemaking. Riccardo Cotarella is not a VA type of guy. Nero d'avola can have a wild herb type of thing - mint, thyme and oregano so maybe that is the high tone here.

By the way see if you can find some of the Valle dell'Acate Nero d'Avola - I'd say it's more interesting and has that high tone laced over some great earthy/sweet dark fruit.

[Florida Jim]

However, Morgante is pretty squeaky clean winemaking. Riccardo Cotarella is not a VA type of guy.

As mentioned, I found this vintage atypical.

That said, I enjoyed it more than the 2001 (for example) and will buy more at the very reasonable price of $9. It seemed fresher and more lively rather than thick and dark. Not your usual Nero but delightful, nonetheless.

Best, Jim