First thoughts on VinItaly 2009

So I was guilty this year of maybe sticking to favorites a bit and known producers, which is probably not a good idea when you have a chance to taste so many interesting things. The event did seem a little downbeat to me - there were so many booths with rather despondent looking staff and no people tasting, and it was definitely not as crowded in the Tuscany - Piedmont pavilion as it was in 2007. You can't help but think that there will be tough times ahead for some producers. I know people in the industry don't want to hear this kind of talk but you can't kid yourself, in the long run it will only be worse without confronting these issues head on. Of course that is not to say that there is not a wine market and that business is not being conducted, but unfortunately there just seems to be too much wine, and too much quality (who could have even imagined that would be a problem?). Technology, communications and business practices have massively changed (improved) the wine world in the last 10 to 15 years, and the state of the wine itself in Italy has no doubt ever been better. It is the state of selling all this great wine that is going to be an issue.

Anyway, I do have some notes and things to share, and just a few pictures, but I wanted to mention two outstanding efforts right off the bat. If you can find either of these wines anywhere I recommend them without hesitation:

DUEMANI IGT 2007 - this wine is 100% Cabernet Franc, hand crushed(!), and biodynamic. I don't think I have ever tasted anything like it before. My notes said: flavors of prune, plum, raisin, candy cane near the end, and a finish of wet rocks. A superb effort by noted wine maker Luca D'Attoma.

Tramin 2007 Nussbaumer Gewurztraminer - an immediate and intense pure flavor of honeysuckle on first taste, with pears and honey after, and a lovely floral nose. Definitely not a Gewurztraminer you have tasted before. A fantastic bottle that I plan to buy some of as soon as I get a chance.

More soon about VinItaly 2009.

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Last update: January 27, 2025 1:59 PM