Bussola "Ca' del Laito" 2003

After an 8 month hiatus, we picked up this recommended bottle at IWM for $45. We later came to find out that this is actually a declassified Valpolicella Superiore (listed as DOC on Bussola's website, though the wine is actually IGT... sounds like someone disagrees with classification laws).

EXPERIENCE
Not much from the cork... just, well, cork. The nose is earthy, very much like grape stems. The first taste is quite soft; the wine has a good medium body and lingers in your mouth pleasantly. The finish is sharp, almost bitter, and does not do the wine's other elements justice. As the wine opens, it still has an earthy nose with some alcohol undertones, though the body becomes thinner and slightly watery.

VERDICT
NOT A VALUE. It's not that we don't like this wine, it just left something to be desired. The aroma and flavor are complex, but the overall experience is inconsistent. At $45 we want to be grinning ear to ear when the bottle is empty, not wishing things had been different.

FACTS
Tommaso Bussola is located in Negrar, near the city of Verona in the Veneto region of Italy. The winery has a great website with information about this wine, so rather than cherry pick the specifics, we'll just send you there!

Mastroberardino Aglianico Irpinia 2003

We picked this wine up at IWM for just over $20. Mastroberardino is known for their Aglianico, so we were looking forward to this one...

EXPERIENCE

The cork has a fruity aroma and you can tell right away the wine is light. When swirled in the glass, you get the fruit along with a slightly unpleasant whiff of alcohol. The first taste is sweet and obviously fruity, but then it disappears and you are left with a dry, tart, bitterness. Even with time to breathe, the wine doesn't leave a lasting impression other than it is slightly watery and you wish it had more substance.

VERDICT

TASTES CHEAP. Our actual cost for this wine was $20.35, so we weren't sure which price category we should rate it in; however, given the fact that the wine tastes "cheaper" than you'd expect, we put it in the under $20 range. The simple truth is that we would not buy this wine again. It was not offensive, it just did not deliver.

FACTS

IWM has a great page on Mastroberardino, so be sure to check that out as well as the company's own website. The winery is located in central Campania and this bottle comes from the Irpinia IGT in the province of Avellino. It is made from 100% aglianico grapes.