TN: One Loire, one Tuscan

My notes showed that I had a 2003 Terrabianca Campaccio (bought at Costco in

2007) price $27.89.

I bought a 2008 Toscano (Costco $26.99) this weekend which I thought might be considered close to it. Bottled by Tenuta Sette Ponti Imported by Kobrand Corp. NY. I hope it's not a disappointment. (Sangiovese and Merlot)

I usually stay away from Kobrand, but I don't know why; or if I did know, I've forgotten.

Dee

Last night was first night Betsy and I could eat alone together in a week. She chose some of my faves that she doesn't often do- a Tuscan rabbit recipe, grilled polenta, as well as some chard. Wine was the

2005 Terrabianca Campaccio. I'm not a big Tuscan IGT drinker, but the Campaccio I always felt showed more Tuscan/Sangio character than most, and is cheaper than a lot of SuperTs I like less. But this bottle kind of represented why I don't drink Tuscan IGT- it seemed more "Cab from anywhere." Blackcurrant, a little black cherry, lots of vanillin oak. Slightly astringent tannins, low to moderate acidity. Not exciting. C+/ B- Food rocked, though.

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.

Sette Ponti is run by a big fashion industry magnate, they basically give the enologist a huge budget and tell him to make them a wine that is sure to get onto Parker's periscope, and he obeys and gets the job done admirably. Their top wine Oreno is a mix of cab, merlot and sangio, a kind of super-super-tuscan that had not much subtlety about it, it hits your mouth running with a Phil Spector-like wall of taste, an oak-fruit cluster bomb that barely passes the Geneva conventions, the alcohol fires the cluster into your mouth, the oak grabs the top of your tongue, the fruit grabs your palate and BAM! they both slam and stick together releasing their heady payload, the vanilla is straight from Madagascar, the fruit straight out of those italian white-and-blue ceramic pots of "amarene" cherries in syrup made by Toschi and others, and they don't even drain them, they leave the syrup in, all that's missing is the ice cream.