Last night I took David to JFK for his flight back to UK, and picked
up pizza Betsy has ordered on way home. Cellar is a bit cool for
immediately serving reds, so went with a white, the 2005 Pieropan
"Calvarino" Soave Classico. I've long been a fan of the basic
Pieropan. I've tried the La Rocca, found it well-done but not worth
the considerable extra money for my tastes, I think subconsciously I
put the Calvarino in same category though I had never tried. But some
notes by the esteemed Florida Jim made me reconsider. I'm really glad
I did. This is a really lovely bottle of wine. Just the faintest hint
of spritz, beautiful clean pear and apple fruit, wet rocks in the
forest. Like standing next to a mountain stream. With time a little
lemon and tropical fruits. Excellent length, nice concentration,
medium-bodied with an acidic backbone, really excellent wine for $22.
Jim says this can age, but I find it so lovely now, why wait. A-

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.
*