These were my thoughts at the time of consumption, edited only for grammar & spelling. You're welcome in advance, enjoy, and if this is the most amazing, comprehensive, and informative wine review you've ever seen, please give it a thumbs up, like and subscribe for more content.
We start with Italian wine.
Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico
Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico is like that person who you've just met, yet they immediately want to bombard you with all of the naughty details of their life... Initially, I'm interested, but it quickly fades. I need some nuance and complexity of character in my friendships, the overbearing nature of this interaction is just overwhelming and leaves nothing to the imagination, no fun.
Then, a thought hit me, Ruffino, is this just a front that you put up to mask your inner complexity? I picked up my glass, and I tried to assess the situation.
When I first tasted Ruffino Ducale Chianti Classico, I thought that it was great. Sweet, sour, spicy and it hit a lot of other notes that I was looking for. I said, wow! This is a good wine. So I took another sip, and the sweetness turned to nausea, everything else felt a bit lost. This wine is too aggressive and it has no complexity.
I don't generally enjoy Italian wines, at least from limited experience. I find them to be overbearing in a serious assault on my pallet, and often that leads to minor disagreements in flavor becoming major problems. Though, I had an overbearing Italian wine in the past which had some fantastic notes... It made the greatest red wine reduction. What good is that when I can't take the bottle home? I am determined to investigate this wine and gain a better understanding of what drives it, is it truly as one-dimensional as believed?
I swirled my glass and stuck my nose to the opening... Yikes. I'm getting currant and alcohol. This doesn't bode well.
I sip it... I figure, if the wine is overbearing, maybe a more... Gentle, and refined approach could work. Something miraculous happened, I got the sour, not the sweet. And to my delight, an extended oaky, dry finish. Wow! Now, the sour is still aggressive, but we're starting to peel back some of the layers.
I sipped again... And again. No good, the sour is too potent, and the oaky finish doesn't quite make up for it. It's time to have another go at the sniff test.
This time, I decided, maybe I need to refine my technique, if I am accusing this wine of being overbearing, maybe I shouldn't immediately inject my nose into the glass, instead, I swirled and swirled, then gave it a sniff from range. I'm getting some fine notes of strawberry? Hmmm, let's get a bit closer to see how this develops.
As I approach the glass, I am getting some notes of black cherry and finally, currant. Where did this complexity come from? What a beautiful evolution, now I don't like currants, but if you can take me on this voyage, I am down for it.
So I took a gulp, and now I see the progression, I see a character that extends way beyond this dramatic front that was set on our first sip. Would I recommend this wine for drinking? No, I'm not a huge fan of this style and I think you either have to be really into wine or enjoy Italian wines to truly enjoy this... Did I go for a second glass? Yes.
I imagined strawberries with cream, and I took a gulp of my recently revigorated acquaintance. I said, Ruffino, how are you so mellow now before you were so aggressive, and unpleasant. You gotta chill.
At this point, I am thoroughly enjoying Mr. Ruffino's company. I think a wine like this has its place, if you're willing to give it some time to breathe, and if you appreciate all of the senses that it will try to tickle. My recommendation goes unchanged, despite the beautiful oaky finish. I think this wine simply asks too much of you. It wants to be taken to dinner, it requires several dates, and fancy outings only then will it put on its best behavior.
Ideally, I don't want to wine and dine my drink, I simply want something that carries me along for the adventure. Ruffino Riserva Ducale Riserva 2016 has a place in my kitchen, but I am thinking réduction, not drink. I think a sauce thrives with big, bold flavors... It doesn't need to excuse itself because it is responsible for bringing the whole plate to life... I might even snag a sip for myself, imagining black cherries and strawberries on a tropical island... So sweet, so peaceful...
For our second wine, we explore the French tradition:
George Duboeuf Brouilly
George Duboeuf Brouilly, I'm not ashamed to say that I slept with this wine on the first date. It has a subtle, anything goes type of attitude that draws you in... And gets you wanting. A slight sharpness in the sip keeps things just interesting enough to keep me going.
Now it's the morning after and I'm left to wonder, is this wine a beautiful and complex french wine, or does it have a wart the size of my big toe? I said to myself, there's only one way to find out.
When I inject my nose directly into the glass, I'm not getting... Much of anything. As I get out of the wind to have a better idea, I pick up maybe a faint smell of... Cherry. I'm not really sure. Certainly, if I back up from the glass, there is nothing at all. The alcohol is well masked, this wine, if nothing else, is a smooth criminal.
A quick taste, yes... I think there are some cherry notes in there. I like to alternate between large sips and tiny sips to pick up both the underlying tones, as well as the subtle nuances of a wine... I'm picking up something a little sour, almost woodsy, but I'm not getting that dry oak feeling on the upper palette at all. I think this is what people call "green" which basically refers to the grapes perhaps a little less ripe. I can't be sure.
The mouthfeel of this wine is subtle and playful. It has an earthy component that I can't quite identify. Everything works together in cohesion with this wine.
I don't need to grab another glass in order to give you a recommendation. Yes, drink this wine, just don't expect an overly sophisticated experience. It'll be fun, you'll have a good time, but likely no lasting memories.
Now, I said I don't need to grab another glass I didn't say I won't... And I think right now is as good of a time as any. My only concern is that I can't quite tell if I'm going to prison for having slept with this (potentially) underaged wine.
And now, for our final wine, a triumphant return to Italia:
2017 Amarone Della Valpolicella Luigi Righetti...
What can I say about this wine?
This wine is fantastic. Seriously, add it to your cellar today. Uhm... What can I say about this wine? It is very subtle, yet rich and complex. It is definitely in my top 5 as it stands right now.
Scent notes are of a sweetness that I couldn't quite identify and lightly smoked oak. Tasting notes of ash and oak are apparent but subtle... The sweetness still eludes me.
Four glasses in, I still haven't identified any additional qualities to this wine... Though I ponder, what is that sweetness, whomst brings that spice... If I cannot identify such things after four glasses, I must conclude that some mysteries will never be resolved.
It is pretty easy going for food pairing. I had it with pork and au Jus... Fantastic. I highly recommend this wine.
