Friday, May 2, 2008

Librandi Gaglioppo

Yesterday, I reviewed the 2004 Librandi Efeso Val di Neto Bianco and today I am reviewing another wine from that same winery, the 2005 Librandi Ciro Rosso Classico ($13). This wine though I bought at the Farfalle Italian Market.

The Ciro Rosso Classico is made of 100% Gaglioppo, an Italian grape that is known as “The Black Prince.” It is genetically related to Sicilian Frappato and was used in ancient times to make the famed Crimissa. Now it is grown mainly in Calabria though can be found in a few other areas of Italy too. It generally makes softly tannic, lightly colored reds.

This wine was fermented in stainless steel with a few months of bottle aging. It sees no oak. It has an alcohol content of 13% and about 66,000 cases are made. This wine was very light red in color and ended up very light on the palate as well, reminding me a bit of a Nouveau Beaujolais. It had a very different taste that a Beaujolais though, with more dusty herb and mineral notes. The fruit flavor was very subdued, more dried fruit. The tannins were noticeable but not offputting. Definitely an Old World style wine with a unique character. It grew on me the more I drank and it paired well with hamburgers. At this price, it is a good value, especially if you are seeking something a bit different.

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