2004 Calvari
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2004 Calvari is a bit of a mystifying wine. Smoke, cedar, tobacco, plums and red cherries emerge from this richly-textured, concentrated offering. There is incredible clarity and detail in the glass. Over time, some of the wilder elements of Refosco take center stage, with notes of bacon fat, grilled herbs and earthiness that become increasingly more prominent. Fresh red berries add a final burst of fruit on the eternal finish. The textural finesse and superb persistence I first loved about the 2004 are still there, but in the last few years the wine has become more rustic. In retrospect Pontoni says he would have performed one of the rackings a touch earlier. Today I am less optimistic about the 2004 than I was a few years ago.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2004 Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Calvari is a stunner. The wine flows from the glass with an array of exotic black cherries, spices, sweet herbs, minerals, coffee beans, ginger and toasted oak. This sumptuous, full-bodied red offers superb density and volume on the palate with tons of style. As tempting as it is to taste this wine now, it remains a powerful, structured Refosco in need of serious bottle age. Still its class and sheer pedigree are amply evident even at this early stage. Miani's Refosco is one of the finest wines being made in Italy today.
The 2004 Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso Calvari is a stunner. The wine flows from the glass with an array of exotic black cherries, spices, sweet herbs, minerals, coffee beans, ginger and toasted oak. This sumptuous, full-bodied red offers superb density and volume on the palate with tons of style. As tempting as it is to taste this wine now, it remains a powerful, structured Refosco in need of serious bottle age. Still its class and sheer pedigree are amply evident even at this early stage. Miani’s Refosco is one of the finest wines being made in Italy today. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. This is another set of gorgeous wines from proprietor Enzo Pontoni. Sadly the wines remain nearly impossible to find, even in Italy. I remember visiting the estate a few years back and trying (without any luck) to purchase a few bottles. Pontoni showed me his allocations. I assumed we were looking at case allocations, but the numbers turned out to be bottles! For those lucky enough to find them, these remain some of Italy’s finest wines. 2007 was a challenging vintage for whites, yet Pontoni rose to the challenge and made some wonderful wines that capture the essence of his vineyards. Unfortunately Pontoni wasn’t happy with his 2005 Merlots (from another difficult vintage) and he decided not to bottle the wines. Importer: Small Vineyards, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 933-6767