Analog Wines For the Digital Age

Monday, February 23, 2015

Santa Caterina Fontananera 2011 Liguria di Levante IGT Rosso - now that is a mouthful!


This wine was so reduced last year that I wasn't able to show it all . . . it was just too much sulfur in the nose and lots of funky notes of horses butt and it just was going to be so difficult to sell that I shelved the ten cases I had in stock for the year.

What a difference a year makes!  The wine has settled down and the sulfur has blown off and while it will always be a little horsey, at least now I can show it and not have to have the whole "do you like your wine funky-butt style or do you like it clean-as-a-whistle style conversation?

This way I can tell the story of the winery and this vineyard farmed following the philosophy of biodynamic viticulture.  The soil in this vineyard is sandy alluvial soil from and old riverbed and the blend of Merlot and Ciliegiolo goes through spontaneous native yeast fermentation.  It is bottled unfiltered.

Deep red in color, this wine just starts to open up in the nose and in the mouth after an hour or two of air.  Fruits of the forest in the nose (blackberry and boysenberries in particular) and a touch of cranberry as well with some warm and spicy woodsy notes as well.  Maybe camphor?  Maybe a touch of white pepper.  Salty from the sea so close by and also a little iodine or copper flavor, too.  In the mouth the wine is bright and fresh with medium brick dust tannins and a very long finish.  Does it finish funky?  Yes.  Is it good?  Yes.

It is the real deal.  If you are looking for a great wine to go with food, this is the wine for you.  If you are looking for a great red wine for meditation, this wine is also for you.  If you are looking for a wine to quaff before sitting down for dinner, this wine is not for you.

Email or call me if you want to find out pricing.

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