I am fond of the Recioto method of winemaking which concentrates flavours by
drying the grapes before fermentation. Amarones are excellent stand-ins for
Ports at the end of a dinner, with cheese.

This review is of a similar wine that may have slid by under the notice of
many, as it came into the board in small numbers and unless you happened across
it, you'd be unlikely to bother searching it out.

I've previously mentioned the Grandarella, a 'Super-Venetian', due to the
addition of non-traditional grapes (carmenere in that case), vinified like an
Amarone.

The Brolo (equivalent of the Burgundian 'clos') is a selection of Campofiorin,
which is made from the traditional corvina and rondinella, but done in a
different way. They do a primary fermentation, then add some lightly dried
whole grapes for refermentation (rigoverno).

The result shares some of the characteristics of an Amarone but is in general
lighter and always has lower alcohol.

This one was medium dark with a typical ripe sweet nose, and on palate it is
like a junior Amarone, full and with a slightly bitter long finish. I found it
quite a bit more complex than the regular Campofiorin, as it should be at a 50%
higher price.

I usually share a bottle with SWMBO on the body weight theory of allocation
(hey - seems fair to me) but on this occasion she had been into another wine I
had open which I shall mention but not review - 2001 Fabiano 'Argillaia', from
Lugana, a crisp little trebbiano/chardonnay blend - and so her appetites for
the red were uncharacteristically blunted.

I was therefor duty bound to finish the bottle - a waste to allow decent wine
to wait and fight another day, for with the single exception of Barolos, I
can't think of anything that benefits from that sort of extensive airing. I
found that by the time I got to the bottom of the bottle, it was almost too
much of a good thing. I think a single glass taken with cheese would be ideal.
Anyone that routinely emulates Dr. Johnson by imbibing a bottle of Port at a
sitting can feel free to disregard that last comment.

Oops - forgot to mention it is a Masi.

Salut/Hi Bill Spohn,

le/on 31 Jan 2004 14:36:35 GMT, tu disais/you said:-


Anyone that routinely emulates Dr. Johnson by imbibing a bottle of Port at a
sitting can feel free to disregard that last comment.

Ah but he cheated, as he usually had some help.

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a bottle of madeira.
--
All the Best
Ian Hoare
http://www.souvigne.com
mailbox full to avoid spam. try me at website

Anyone that routinely emulates Dr. Johnson by imbibing a bottle of Port at a
sitting can feel free to disregard that last comment.

Ah but he cheated, as he usually had some help.
a bottle of madeira.

And a handy Boswell to take up any slack!

On 31 Jan 2004 18:33:27 GMT, (Bill Spohn) wrote:

Anyone that routinely emulates Dr. Johnson by imbibing a bottle of Port at a
sitting can feel free to disregard that last comment.

Ah but he cheated, as he usually had some help.
a bottle of madeira.

And a handy Boswell to take up any slack!

Obviously a man of prodigious appetites.

Until I scrolled down on Ian's posting, I thought the help to be more
appropriately a shoulder to lean on.

But, on a cold winter's evening after a monumental meal and a bottle
or two of reasonable grape juice, I'm quite familiar with the good
Dr.'s problem. Tain't usually the Port that is so problematic and
Madeira, m'dear, is not my choice. 'Tis the cognac that's my downfall.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8

Salut/Hi Bill Spohn,

le/on 31 Jan 2004 18:33:27 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

Anyone that routinely emulates Dr. Johnson by imbibing a bottle of Port at a
sitting can feel free to disregard that last comment.

Ah but he cheated, as he usually had some help.
a bottle of madeira.

And a handy Boswell to take up any slack!

On the occasion to which I was referring he was alone apparently.

Brits at that time were prodigious drinkers. There's the famous story of the
London club whose cellar master was hauled over the coals by the directors -
or whatever they called themselves at the time. Instead of making a tidy
profit, the cellar was in deep loss. "Ah yes, gentlemen" he replied, "but
Colonel Cholmondely died in February". "And what has that to do with it?" he
was asked. "Well Colonel Cholmondely, as you know, always dined at the club
during weekdays. So our sales have fallen by over 500 bottles this year."


He used to drink two bottles of port every night. He obviously reckoned it
was cheaper than going out gambling.
--
All the Best
Ian Hoare
http://www.souvigne.com
mailbox full to avoid spam. try me at website

"Well Colonel Cholmondely, as you know, always dined at the club
during weekdays. So our sales have fallen by over 500 bottles this year."

Probably at the age of 30. With a liver the consistency of an India rubber
ball. ;-)