From the Archives: 2001 Rocca delle Macie "Primo Volo"

I tasted the 2001 Rocca dell Macie "Primo Volo" on 1/11/2008 alongside several other wines.

This wine brings together three different powerhouse regions: Tuscany, Piedmont, and the Veneto. Made of equal parts Sangiovese, Barbera, and Merlot, with an additional 10% from the best region for that particular vintage.

In the case of the 2001, an additional 10% Sangiovese was included in the batch, making the final composition 40/30/30 respectively. It's a unique wine because it's the debut vintage and it's not classified; it's table wine. Story has it that the winemakers met on a plane and began talking, and probably drinking, together...by the end of the flight, they'd decided to make a wine together. This is the product of that collaboration. The barbera adds acidity and the merlot provides backbone to the delicate brawn of the sangiovese. 2001 was a great year in Tuscany.

Brilliant ruby colors with aromas of flowers and fruit; on the tongue flavors of cherries, plums, blueberries, and spice with nice acidity and a gracefully lingering finish.

More on the collaboration and process:

Sergio Zingarelli of Rocca delle Macie contributed the Sangiovese, Andrea Faccio of Villa Giada contributed the Barbera and Giordano Emo Capodilista of La Montecchia contributed the Merlot. Each batch was vinified separately at their respect place of origin and aged in French oak for 12 months before blending and bottling.

2001 Capanna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Brunello--the Sangiovese clone know as Sangiovese Gross--is responsible for many awesome wines coming from Montalcino, gets its name from the brownish hue of the grape when it's ripe. There are three distinct areas in Montalcino, each of which produces a particular style. Generally speaking, from one of my reading sources, brunellos are big, rich, powerful and firm, exhibiting a peppery, almost spicy characteristic, along with tea, cinnamon, and fig.

Montalcino is divided into three major regions: the sunbaked southwest that produces big and rich wines, the northeast-facing scarp slope yields the elegant wines, and the firmest come from the sheltered southeast slope which is home to the pioneering Biondi-Santi.

Compared to my last review of this wine, I've come a long way and so has this 95-pointer from the classic 2001 vintage, which according to Wine Spectator, I opened too early. I rationalize it as research on how it's developed 18 months later.

Beautifully aromatic with aromas of dried citrus, culminating with red fruits, particularly with dark cherries dominating, followed by earth, leather and a touch of creamy vanilla and wood. On the palate, it exhibits a nice profile of red fruits intermixed with just the slightest touch of acidity and firm, yet subtle tannins that lead to a persistently dry finish.

Enjoyed alongside a nice medium rare New York Strip. As for cheese, I'm thinking Piave Vechio, Parmesan Reggiano, tallegio, perla gresia, cacio di bosco.

Second day: garnet-brick colors with more pronounced leather aromas, soft red fruit flavors on the palette, low acidity, dry finish.

Where to find it? One possibility D&L Liquors in Waltham and also in Woburn (~$70). I know Deluca's on Newbury St and Fairfield St carries Capanna wines, but not the 2001 Riserva.