Similarly dark ruby colour Brunello La Rasina had well extracted fruit, and was a very elegant wine that needs a few years more to blossom into a drinking beauty. Barolo Prago and Broglio from the producer, Schiavenza and wine maker Luciano Piva in Sierra Lungha in Barolo Appellation were excellent complex wines that sang with the duck preparation.

A few of the lucky ones were able to taste Recioto, also from Tamellini. Made from the Soave grapes but after drying them on the racks to increase sugar content, the Recioto is equivalent of Vin Santo in Tuscany and makes excellent dessert wine. Though not as concentrated and perfumed as the Canadian Icewine, nevertheless, at about one-third the price and with tropical flavours and aromas of peaches (some even smelled litchis, strawberries and mangos) this was definitely nectar and will have a significant share of the pie when Indians start appreciating dessert wines with or as desserts.

A word about the common link between some of the wines tasted would not be out of place. Young, modest and brilliant enologist, Paolo Caciorgna, living in San Gimignano has helped the making of Tamellini Soave and Recioto, Brunello from La Rasina and wines from Le Fonti. I feel, one will hear a lot about him in the future for Italian wines because of the quality and style of wines he has been able to create with over 20 wine prodcures.

Tony's passion showed in his selection of these wines that will be a treat for any connoisseur and those who like to drink wine king style. One hopes he will be able to make these wines available in our market soon.

You may get details of all these wines from Tony Sasa by sending him a mail at tonysasa@virgilio.it

Cheers!
Subhash Arora