Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Folanari 2001 Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon (Italy)

Another wine I pulled out of the cellar on a whim ... a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Veneto region of Italy.  This was an interesting wine for what it still had, lots of acid, and that may have helped in its ageing process.  The nose was an interesting mix of dried and fresh dark fruit, but otherwise uneventful.  The palate proved to be full of dark dried fruits too, but the surprise was mid-palate where there was still a lovely hint of cassis and a touch of woodiness.  There were nuances of tannins and big acid on the finish and for the first 45 minutes this wine was intriguing and a pleasure to drink; but then the finish turned very harsh and bitter as the fruit lost the battle to the tannins and all that acid.  I was surprised the wine was still quite drinkable, but not surprised that it 'fell off the table so quickly'.

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