Tuscany notes

[Duane Meissner]

Well, we're back from our Tuscany vacation. For pictures, visit our website, parts of which are still under construction:

http://web.me.com/duaneandlizmeissner/Site/Home.html

I had three wine goals for the week, and reached all of them:

Goal 1: Try another Nero d'Avola (because I was told in this forum that my first experience was atypical). I had a 2005 Chiaramonte. Boy were you guys right - this was an excellent bottle. Purchased at an upscale pizzaria near our bed and breakfast. Enjoyed it with an awesome pizza of mozzarella and half a dozen forms of italian pork. 11.50 Euro at the restaurant. 90/92

Goal 2: Try an italian red completely new to me. For this I purchased a 2005 Camp du Rouss Barbera D’Asti. Obtained this at a local wine shop, I believe for 14 Euro. I enjoyed this one too, but it didn't blow my socks off. The store owner told me it was a full bodied wine, but it seemed a little light to me. It had some characteristic of a Chianti that I don't care for as much (acidity?), but not to the same extent. 88/88

Goal 3: Splurge on something I know I'll enjoy. For this, a 1997 Santa Sofia Amarone fit the bill. 35 Euro at a different local wine shop. Loved the raisins on the palate! My only complaint is it seemed just a bit one-dimensional. Perhaps a bit hot too from the 14.5% alcohol. Otherwise a very nice wine. 91/90

[Duane Meissner]

Food on this trip was also amazing - some of the best copa, prischutto, and salami I've ever had. Things like these (with bread and cheese) made up most of my lunches. One cheese was especially good - a Testun Occelli that I bought one day - it was packed and aged in spent Barolo grape skins, which gave it a great grape flavor and crunch (from the seeds). Also had a great fish soup one night filled with the best mussels I've ever tasted, huge shrimp, caviar, several types of fish, clams, etc... Of course everything was thrown in whole, so I had a heck of a time eating it while maintaining any kind of elegance at the fine restaurant.

[Innkeeper]

Didn't you try any Tuscan wines?!

[winoweenie]

Velchomme Back there Liz and Duane. Sounds like you not only hsd a ball but managed to kick that hummer thru the goal. WW

[Duane Meissner]

Sorry, no Tuscan wines this time. Funds limited me to 3 bottles. I'm not sure I care too much for Tuscan wines anyway, except for the so called "non-Italian" super-Tuscans [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

I did have a few limonchinos that were actually quite nice (the locally produced lemon liqueur, known everyone else in Italy as "limoncello")