NobleRot Class: Marche/Abruzzo 3/27

KT and I were fortunate to attend this small, intimate class (10 folks, not counting Lee & Kim). We had nine offerings from these regions, with quite a bit of variety and more than one surprise. The following are my tasting notes and only reflect my opinion... madam KT will have to provide her own take, should she choose.

1. 2006 Garofoli Vino Frizzante (Verdicchio/Trebbiano blend). Very pleasant and cava like. Nice acidity and minerality and an easy to drink sparkler. Everyone liked it.

2. 2006 Luzano, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. Nice goldren robe. Floral nose with hints of hay. Excellent with assorted cheeses; had faint carnation-like spiciness.

3. 2004 Centorame Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. Not much nose. Very thin bodied. Slight hints of anise, mint, menthol, but over all not much there. As one taster said, "I really want to like this wine, but I can't quite get to it". I agree; it was either very aloof or simply inconsequential.

4. 2005 La Valentina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Very pleasant. Tart cherries; slight alcoholic bit; and manageable tannins. Xlnt food wine and reasonably priced.

5. 2006 Marotti Campi Rubico (La Crima varietal). Truly an amazing wine (if for no other reason than its uniqueness). Rich flowery/fruitful nose....a white nose and a red wine! Two tasters felt that it smelled like Fruit Loops. It tasted wonderfully, with noticable but not intrusive tannins. The floral/fruit characteristics were less forceful on the palate. Swells white, tastes red...we bought one to share with a SWIRL.

6. 2005 Silvano Strologo Rosso Conero (montepulciano/sangiovese blend). Very regal velvety purple robe. Darker than previous wines; elegant, yet funky/skunky nose. Delicious and very good with salumi/cheeses.

7. 2005 Centorame Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. A higher end offering from the #3 producer. Very new world style: dominant fruit forward, tannic; a bigger wine than I care for. Less rustic and more designed for the masses. As Lee said, "These next wines show the prevalence of winemaker manipulation". He said it as a good thing; I think that it's a bad thing.

8. 2003 La Valentina Montepulicano d'Abruzzo. Again, a higher end offering from #4 producer. Tasty and more true to its varietal than #7, but at four times the cost of #4 and more "new world style" in approach, we passed.

9. 2000 Umani Ronchi, Marche Rosso IGT (montepulciano/cabernet blend). Very herbal nose (cab). Tasty but too fruity for my palate...almost a fruit bomb. Several tasters thought that it resembled a bordeaux in taste and structure. Too new world style for me.

Overall an excellent class. Nice to try some wines from "elsewhere".