NB:This has already been posted. Unfortunately (I'll blame jet lag), I
posted everything under "Wines in France." Even I know Liguria isn't
in France. I'm reposting to up the odds that Luk, Mike, or Fillipo
will see (Nils was also there, but I figure he is more likely to read
"wines in France" post) . I'm hoping they will correct any
nomenclature mistakes, and tell me how wrong I am about the wines (I
find disagreement much more stimulating than agreement!).

After a gorgeous drive through the Rhone-Alps region, Val'Aoste, and
Piedmont (ok, the Piedmont part wasn't gorgeous, we were east of
Alba), we had dinner Friday at Agrodolce in Imperia. Tasting menu with
very good
seafood- eggplant/pepper flan with mussels, a crudo of white fish
(hake?) , baccala, calamari stuffed with buffalo mozzarella, clams in
a squid ink with pasta, plus another white fish with couscous and
fried leeks. Very good food, though the staff was a bit overwhelmed
this night. Filippo and Luca chose the wines:

2006 Terre Rosse Pigato- bright, minerally, with a real core of fruit.
I kind of expected a good Ligurian white to be very light and high
acid, but this is more structured. Good acids, but not sharp. Lots of
depth and minerality, I'm quite impressed. Probably my favorite bottle
of the trip. A-/B+

(?) Neris Pinot Grigio
Ordered because they were out of this producer's Tocai Friulano.
Perfectly acceptable inoffensive white, but lacking the interest of
its table companions. A little too round for me. C+/B-

2005 Arcagna Rossese di Dolceacqua
Bright red fruit, a little pine undertone, medium length. Develops
nicely over an hour or two. Someone says it's like a good Nuits St
George- not quite to my tastes, but it would do very well in a contest
of Mercurey 1ers.
B+

Very fine night with nice people! I'll also note that the Relais San
Damian that Mike suggested is maybe the most beautiful inn/B&B/hotel
I've ever stayed in. Highly recommended (as is Agrodolce)

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency

"DaleW" ha scritto nel messaggio
ups.com...

2006 Terre Rosse Pigato- bright, minerally, with a real core of fruit.
I kind of expected a good Ligurian white to be very light and high
acid, but this is more structured. Good acids, but not sharp. Lots of
depth and minerality, I'm quite impressed. Probably my favorite bottle
of the trip. A-/B+

We were very lucky to find a bottle from Terre Rosse. It is a very small
organic producer and its production goes usually sold out very quickly.
Nonetheless Vladimiro Galluzzo (the owner) is a clear example of what can be
done working properly with a "minor" grape like vermentino. One other
example that you already know is Ottaviano Lambruschi, if I remember your
notes.



2005 Arcagna Rossese di Dolceacqua
Bright red fruit, a little pine undertone, medium length. Develops
nicely over an hour or two. Someone says it's like a good Nuits St
George- not quite to my tastes, but it would do very well in a contest
of Mercurey 1ers.
B+

Bricco Arcagna is a hill and surely one of the best vine for Rossese di
Dolceacqua. Actually it is a small cru. Terre Bianche is the producer (ok,
different than Terre Rosse) of the bottle we drunk. Rossese di Dolceacqua is
a very small AOC, around the Dolceacqua village (very, very nice). Even if
so small you can find there all the contradictions and the characteristics
of the much more important ones: disputes between barrique fans and big
barrel supporters, different styles of wines, modern and traditional
products etc. Funny, but if their energy was focused on common targets it
should be better for the valorization of a really interesting grape.



Luk

On Jul 21, 4:14?am, "Luk"
wrote:
"DaleW" ha scritto nel messaggionews:1184967258.294647.50980@k79g2000hse. googlegroups.com...

2006 Terre Rosse Pigato- bright, minerally, with a real core of fruit.
I kind of expected a good Ligurian white to be very light and high
acid, but this is more structured. Good acids, but not sharp. Lots of
depth and minerality, I'm quite impressed. Probably my favorite bottle
of the trip. A-/B+

We were very lucky to find a bottle from Terre Rosse. It is a very small
organic producer and its production goes usually sold out very quickly.
Nonetheless Vladimiro Galluzzo (the owner) is a clear example of what can be
done working properly with a "minor" grape like vermentino. One other
example that you already know is Ottaviano Lambruschi, if I remember your
notes.

2005 Arcagna Rossese di Dolceacqua
Bright red fruit, a little pine undertone, medium length. Develops
nicely over an hour or two. Someone says it's like a good Nuits St
George- not quite to my tastes, but it would do very well in a contest
of Mercurey 1ers.
B+

Bricco Arcagna is a hill and surely one of the best vine for Rossese di
Dolceacqua. Actually it is a small cru. Terre Bianche is the producer (ok,
different than Terre Rosse) of the bottle we drunk. Rossese di Dolceacqua is
a very small AOC, around the Dolceacqua village (very, very nice). Even if
so small you can find there all the contradictions and the characteristics
of the much more important ones: disputes between barrique fans and big
barrel supporters, different styles of wines, modern and traditional
products etc. Funny, but if their energy was focused on common targets it
should be better for the valorization of a really interesting grape.

Luk

thanks Luca, I've corrected my notes on the fora where editing is
possible to reflect the RdD is Terre Bianche. Great info, thanks!

On Jul 21, 4:14?am, "Luk"
wrote:
"DaleW" ha scritto nel messaggionews:1184967258.294647.50980@k79g2000hse. googlegroups.com...

We were very lucky to find a bottle from Terre Rosse. It is a very small
organic producer and its production goes usually sold out very quickly.
Nonetheless Vladimiro Galluzzo (the owner) is a clear example of what can be
done working properly with a "minor" grape like vermentino. One other
example that you already know is Ottaviano Lambruschi, if I remember your
notes.

The Terre Rosse doesn't seem to be available in US. Lambrushchi is
(the Costa Marina and Sarticola), though very expensive. Do you have
any opinions on Colle dei Bardellini (cheap) or Ricardo Bruna
(moderate)? They are the Pigatos listed at retailers I use (hard to
search for Vermentino, as you end up with hundreds of hits for
Sardinian or Sicilian wines).

DaleW ha scritto:

The Terre Rosse doesn't seem to be available in US. Lambrushchi is
(the Costa Marina and Sarticola), though very expensive. Do you have
any opinions on Colle dei Bardellini (cheap)

Colle dei Bardellini is not bad, at least the "Vigna U Munte" Vermentino
and the "La Torretta" Pigato. If it is cheap, it could be worth it.

or Ricardo Bruna
(moderate)? They are the Pigatos listed at retailers I use (hard to
search for Vermentino, as you end up with hundreds of hits for
Sardinian or Sicilian wines).

Riccardo Bruna is very, very recommendable. Its Pigato "U baccan" had
the three glasses of "Gambero Rosso" this year for the secon time in a
row. It should be expensive. More affordable but nonetheless good the
second line pigatos "Villa Torrachetta" but *mainly* "Le Russeghine",
best q/p ratio.

Just a warning. IMHO Bruna wines are a bit more difficult, I' say more
"stingy" than Terre Rosse, probably a better expression of the terroir,
even if less bold, round etc.

keep me informed

Luk

On Jul 24, 5:18?am, Luk wrote:
DaleW ha scritto:

The Terre Rosse doesn't seem to be available in US. Lambrushchi is
(the Costa Marina and Sarticola), though very expensive. Do you have
any opinions on Colle dei Bardellini (cheap)

Colle dei Bardellini is not bad, at least the "Vigna U Munte" Vermentino
and the "La Torretta" Pigato. If it is cheap, it could be worth it.

or Ricardo Bruna

(moderate)? They are the Pigatos listed at retailers I use (hard to
search for Vermentino, as you end up with hundreds of hits for
Sardinian or Sicilian wines).

Riccardo Bruna is very, very recommendable. Its Pigato "U baccan" had
the three glasses of "Gambero Rosso" this year for the secon time in a
row. It should be expensive. More affordable but nonetheless good the
second line pigatos "Villa Torrachetta" but *mainly* "Le Russeghine",
best q/p ratio.

Just a warning. IMHO Bruna wines are a bit more difficult, I' say more
"stingy" than Terre Rosse, probably a better expression of the terroir,
even if less bold, round etc.

keep me informed

Luk

Thanks for report. A store I buy a lot from on West Coast has the Le
Russeghine and the U Baccan. I'll order 2-3 of the former and 1 of the
latter, will report (probably will wait till fall to ship my
accumulated bottles). The Colle dei Bardellini is at a city store
where I occasionally drop in, will get next time.