TY recently became Dr. TY. So, we celebrated in rather unoriginal fashion with wine and cheese. We did, at least, push the boat out a bit on both regards, getting some very nice Italian cheeses to go with the Le Due Porte, a wine I had been meaning to try for some time. Well, by ‘meaning,’ I actually mean was interested to try, but couldn’t justify the cost just to try it.
In the glass
It’s very pretty, medium. Crystal clear. It’s a classic ruby-coloured wine. For some reason, my first reaction wasn’t ‘ruby’ but ‘blood red.’ Bright, arterial blood red, to be more precise. But clearer. It’s very pretty and nice to look at. I would have spent more time just admiring it, but wanted to actually taste it. TY didn’t bother commenting on the appearance. Rather, she just started drinking. But we let that pass. This time.
The nose
There’s something there. I get something I’d place in the mid-red range. Cherries? Raspberries? I’m having trouble pinning down the smell. Yeah, I know. Shocking, that. When TY does get around to giving it a sniff after it had been decanted for a bit, she comes up with petrol and liquorice. Turns out she likes the smell of petrol.
The palate
My first reaction is ‘bright’. TY will later claim that’s not a taste, but I’m sticking with it. It’s medium- bodied, sour, and definitely cherries this time. Yeah, I know, a classic Sangiovese sort of description. But I wasn’t thinking along those lines.
We try it both more or less straight from the bottle, and after decanting and breathing and swirling. That definitely helps. It probably could have used even more time, but I was impatient, and hadn’t thought to decant earlier. My mistake.
My notes aren’t all that helpful or lengthy, but mainly because I was too busy enjoying the wine. It’s very nice, very well integrated, and smooth. Nice acidity. It’s elegant, would be my description in a word, at least after some reflection. I still stick with bright, as well.
TY, in her objection to my describing the wine as bright, said it was like ‘a teenager who wants to be difficult, but is actually easy to like’. She then admitted she had no idea where that description came from.
I’m sure I’m not doing this wine justice in the review. But it was more about enjoying the wine and the company than doing a critical tasting. If I had been more organised, I would have reviewed another wine over the weekend, and just enjoyed this one. Decant this one early, or wait another 5 or 10 years to do it full justice, I think.
Rating
It’s Very Pretty, with Yummy-plus overall.
It pairs well with the cheeses we had, namely aged Parmesan and Pecorino. And some others, but those were the main ones. Add in some honey, pears and rye bread, and it was a sumptuous repast.
Sustainability
Il Palazzone practice ‘responsible agriculture’ and note on their website that they tend to follow organic practices, although it is too expensive to be certified as such. They also mention their other policies, such as recycling, carbon footprint, and so forth.
The technical info and such
13.5% ABV. Sangiovese. £74.99 from Cambridge Wine Merchants