My first formal online wine tasting was officially conducted while lounging in my PJs on a lazy Saturday morning, gazing out at the trees beyond my desk as I connected with the world-renowned Tuscan winery Marchesi Antinori and a hundred or so other sommeliers scattered around Mexico. My, how things have changed.
Organized in partnership with wine importer Viparmex and Mexico’s ONSOM group, everyone paid for the wines via online bank transfer a few days in advance and then bottles were opened and wine samples were speedily delivered to participants the evening before the tasting by courier in order to preserve aromas and freshness of the wines. I didn’t have to change out of my PJs for any part of the experience from start to finish. This is one small part of our new normal that I could definitely agree with.
There was a certain glamour I felt, there in my PJs on that Saturday morning, listening to a charming Italian discuss in Spanish his winery’s history and philosophy as people from everywhere from Los Cabos to Cancun saluted him, everyone tasting the same wines at the same moment across time zones and continents. Of course it will never compare to actually visiting the winery in person, but we must still keep our palates in good working order, so we make do.
Four wines were tasted, ranging in order from lightest to fullest. Detailed tasting notes on each wine follows.
2017 Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione: This 100% Sangiovese is named after the image of the historic church on the label, which is also where this wine spends its time ageing before release. An excellent wine to warm up the tasting with, it had aromas and flavours of roses, violets, earl grey tea, cedar box, iodine, cocoa powder and macerated cherries. Classically high-acid with round rich high tannins and a long finish, the wine was drinking well now but could certainly age a few more years. Approximately $1339 MXN retail including taxes (Viparmex).
2015 Pian delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino DOCG: Another 100% Sangiovese wine with a few more years of age. This wine was a bit closed on the nose but still has a ways to go before it hits a prime drinking window, I’d suggest at minimum five more years in the cellar. Brunello is a smaller-berried clone of Sangiovese and this translated into a thicker, more chewy mouthfeel with denser, yet still polished tannins. More powerful and full-bodied than the first wine also thanks to longer oak ageing, it had a similar flavour profile to the first but also featured more herbal notes, black cherry, and dark chocolate. Very long finish. Approximately $1899 MXN retail including taxes (Viparmex).
2016 Tignanello Toscana IGT: Widely considered to be an excellent vintage in Tuscany, this is a blend of approximately 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Even though this wine comes from the heart of the Chianti Classico region, the inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon means it must be classified as an IGT instead of a DOCG. As with the others, this wine is high acid, high alcohol, and high tannin. Pronounced intensity on the nose, if you get just as much joy in smelling your wine as you do in drinking it, this is a perfect wine for you. Deep dark red fruits, mineral notes, tea, iodine, eucalyptus, basil, green pepper and spices are all there. Approximately $3349 MXN retail including taxes (Viparmex).
2014 Guado al Tasso Bolgheri DOC Superiore: For Bordeaux grape lovers in Italy, we have the region of Bolgheri to delight you. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Merlot, this was the most full-bodied wine of the tasting. More black-fruited than the others, this wine was already showing some maturation. At already seven years old and coming from one of the most inconsistent vintages in the last decade, I would not suggest to store the wine any longer and suggest you to drink now. Approximately $3999 MXN retail including taxes (Viparmex).
For my money, I’d say the first two wines are the ones to focus on. Drink the Chianti now and put the Brunello away to enjoy in a few years. The Tignanello was excellent but it’s also very expensive. If you have the means to drop that kind of cash, you can’t do much better than this iconic wine. The last wine is the only one I don’t think can justify its price tag; while it was interesting to taste, the troubled vintage of 2014 is now showing up in the glass. I would seek out a better vintage from this particular wine if possible.
By all accounts, global research indicates that online tastings like this one are here to stay long after the pandemic fades from our daily lives. I’m pretty OK with this, as it provides much more reach for who can access these events, and I am a firm believer in more wine education for all.
I’ll just make sure to wear my fanciest PJs next time.