"She Who Must Be Obeyed" has been demanding more restaurant
experiences and fewer at home repasts lately. This can get expensive
for those of extravagant tastes, so the more regular restaurant visits
have been leaning toward the more mundane. We've become regulars at a
new Italian chain that's opened recently in Colorado Springs,
Biaggi's. It's more than a Carrabbas and not yet a full-blown Michelin
contender. The food is good, the wait staff although young is well
trained and the real attraction has become the "reserve" wine list.
Over the last several weeks have had the opportunity to sample some
Italian offerings that I might not have picked up off the wine
merchant's shelf and broadened my palate a bit. Among the recent
tastings were a Prunotto Barbersco, a Pio Cesare Barbera d'Alba and
last night a Super Tuscan from Terrabianca called Campaccio.

The Campaccio '99 is 70% sangiovese and 30% cab sauvignon. It shows
dark purple in the glass and looks a bit heavy, almost syrupy. The
nose is warm with smoke, black fruit and vanilla. In the mouth it
remains wonderfully warm, smooth and unctuous (always wanted to try
that word in a sentence...). The finish is long and smooth with the
tannins quite well resolved. Black cherry, black raspberry, smoke,
leather and vanilla all seemed to show up.

The down side of these excursions into the reserve wine list have been
the need to follow up with acquisition of a case of the goodies to
squirrel away for the future. The Terrabianca Campaccion '99 was found
at both Wine.com and Sam's (www.samswines.com) in Chicago. Wine.com
offered it for $34.99 and Sam's won the sale at $26.99 a bottle.

I think next week we may spring for some Barolos. Gotta check the
credit card balance.

In article >, Ed Rasimus
> writes:

>The Terrabianca Campaccion '99 was found
>at both Wine.com and Sam's (www.samswines.com) in Chicago. Wine.com
>offered it for $34.99 and Sam's won the sale at $26.99 a bottle.

Hi Ed:

$26.99 isn't a bad price, wine tends to run $30. I got lucky my local
(Rochambeau) has a SuperT sale on, I got some more at $23.99. The Campaccio is
what I look for in a super T: modern, yes- but identifiably Tuscan. Which you
can't say for a lot of the $50-100 ones.
I actually like the '99 Campaccio better than the '97 Capaccio Riserva (wax
label)- the latter is a good wine, but a bit too oaky for me.

Let us know whatyou go for with the Barolos!
Dale

Dale Williams
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