$30-$40 Italian wines?

[Scott_Brunson]

Quite the opposite.
Since I am charged with choosing the wines, Psychology and Logistics are the furthest thing from my mind.
The hostess can deal with that.

[Howard_Cooper]

@Scott Brunson

The hostess wants to do the bottles one at a time.
Taste, discuss, and identify (then move on).
So some of us will rinse; others will create a proprietary blend.

I took a reasonably frustrating trip to the LWS this afternoon. I buy very little locally.
Here are some in the low 30s (Barbera at 27)
2011 Travaglini Gattinara
2008 Nervi Gattinara
2011 Aldo Conterno Langhe Nebbiolo
2013 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva
2012 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva
2014 Barbera d’Alba Tres Vigne
2012 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
2013 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

I’ll revisit and check out Recioto next time, but no Nerello Mascalese and only a few Nero.

Come to DC and we will do a I talian tasting with you where we can find more wines.

[Scott_Brunson]

@Howard Cooper

@Scott Brunson

The hostess wants to do the bottles one at a time.
Taste, discuss, and identify (then move on).
So some of us will rinse; others will create a proprietary blend.

I took a reasonably frustrating trip to the LWS this afternoon. I buy very little locally.
Here are some in the low 30s (Barbera at 27)
2011 Travaglini Gattinara
2008 Nervi Gattinara
2011 Aldo Conterno Langhe Nebbiolo
2013 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva
2012 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva
2014 Barbera d’Alba Tres Vigne
2012 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
2013 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

I’ll revisit and check out Recioto next time, but no Nerello Mascalese and only a few Nero.

Come to DC and we will do a I talian tasting with you where we can find more wines.

You and I will be drinking Burgundy.

[Howard_Cooper]

@Scott Brunson

@Howard Cooper

@Scott Brunson

The hostess wants to do the bottles one at a time.
Taste, discuss, and identify (then move on).
So some of us will rinse; others will create a proprietary blend.

I took a reasonably frustrating trip to the LWS this afternoon. I buy very little locally.
Here are some in the low 30s (Barbera at 27)
2011 Travaglini Gattinara
2008 Nervi Gattinara
2011 Aldo Conterno Langhe Nebbiolo
2013 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva
2012 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva
2014 Barbera d’Alba Tres Vigne
2012 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
2013 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

I’ll revisit and check out Recioto next time, but no Nerello Mascalese and only a few Nero.

Come to DC and we will do a I talian tasting with you where we can find more wines.

You and I will be drinking Burgundy.

With boiled peanuts.

[Robert_B]

@Howard Cooper

Start with Prosecco
Go to a coupe of Italian whites Go next to lighter reds like Lambrusco and Dolcetto.
Then, go to Sangiovese, Aglianico and/or wines from Mt. Etna.
Hit a high point with Barolo and Barbaresco.
Finish with Vin Santo or Amarone - probably one or the other, not both.

[Scott_Brunson]

The gang wanted all reds, available at LWS,and wanted me to buy all the wines and then pay me. The wines averaged a little over $37 per bottle. I made tasting notes for all of the wines and served them all blind. Most of the guests were inexperienced who, while unable to correctly identify each wine, did come up with some great descriptors.
My wife identified all of the wines correctly.
At the end, I opened a '69 Spanna from Nervi to show aged Nebbiolo.
2014 Barbera d’Alba DOC “Tre Vigne”, Vietti
2014 Etna Rosso DOC, Graci
2011 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Scopone
2010 Taurasi DOCG “Fatica Contadina”, Terredora Di Paolo
2012 Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, Sartori di Verona
2008 Gattinara DOCG, Nervi

They all enjoyed and most plan to go shopping today.
Next time they want me to do French reds (I can certainly handle that!)

[Bob_Hughes]

You ended up with a nice cross-section of Italian grapes there, Scott. I know nothing about wine distribution in your neck of the woods, but are brands like Felsina or Produttori not available? Both of them would have fit in nicely with an introductory tasting like this.

[Michael_S_Monie]

@Scott Brunson

The gang wanted all reds, available at LWS,and wanted me to buy all the wines and then pay me. The wines averaged a little over $37 per bottle. I made tasting notes for all of the wines and served them all blind. Most of the guests were inexperienced who, while unable to correctly identify each wine, did come up with some great descriptors.
My wife identified all of the wines correctly.
At the end, I opened a '69 Spanna from Nervi to show aged Nebbiolo.
2014 Barbera d’Alba DOC “Tre Vigne”, Vietti
2014 Etna Rosso DOC, Graci
2011 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Scopone
2010 Taurasi DOCG “Fatica Contadina”, Terredora Di Paolo
2012 Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, Sartori di Verona
2008 Gattinara DOCG, Nervi

They all enjoyed and most plan to go shopping today.
Next time they want me to do French reds (I can certainly handle that!)

It sounds as though it went really well. I’ve long thought that women generally have better palates then men. Is it okay to say that or will I be offending someone?

[Scott_Brunson]

@Bob Hughes

You ended up with a nice cross-section of Italian grapes there, Scott. I know nothing about wine distribution in your neck of the woods, but are brands like Felsina or Produttori not available? Both of them would have fit in nicely with an introductory tasting like this.

Not available locally. They were two for which I really searched.


@michael–my wife is certainly not offended

[Howard_Cooper]

@Scott Brunson

The gang wanted all reds, available at LWS,and wanted me to buy all the wines and then pay me. The wines averaged a little over $37 per bottle. I made tasting notes for all of the wines and served them all blind. Most of the guests were inexperienced who, while unable to correctly identify each wine, did come up with some great descriptors.
My wife identified all of the wines correctly.
At the end, I opened a '69 Spanna from Nervi to show aged Nebbiolo.
2014 Barbera d’Alba DOC “Tre Vigne”, Vietti
2014 Etna Rosso DOC, Graci
2011 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Scopone
2010 Taurasi DOCG “Fatica Contadina”, Terredora Di Paolo
2012 Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, Sartori di Verona
2008 Gattinara DOCG, Nervi

They all enjoyed and most plan to go shopping today.
Next time they want me to do French reds (I can certainly handle that!)

Congratulations. Great job.

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

I bet the newbies appreciated the pan-Italy approach.

The idea of focusing on one area works for folks with some experience. To newbies, Italy is one area.

[Neal.Mollen]

@Scott Brunson

Sorry, I should have included some background.
Our next door neighbor wants to start a tasting group, and wants me to guide/teach…
She chose $30-$40 Italians for the first meeting (late April).

The attendees know practically nothing about wine. While I would enjoy geeking out on theme, this crowd will have a difficult time with anything more challenging than ‘Italy 101.’
Paul M can attest that I am a bit of a control freak so I may visit a few local stores and then hand out assignments for people to purchase.

Lots of good red suggestions already. Since the only Italian white non-wine people tend to know is pinot grigio, I like the idea of introducing them to something like soave, gavi di gavi, arneis, verdicchio, or orvietto