2006 Calvari

The 2006 Calvari is a towering wine of epic proportions. Dark, hulking and muscular, it emerges from the glass with masses of blackberry and blueberry jam, spices, new leather espresso and grilled herbs. Graphite and licorice follow, adding further layers of complexity that lead to the marvelously explosive, palate staining finish. The Calvari possesses dazzling power, class and intensity, all in a style that elevates Refosco to a level this rustic, indigenous grape has never aspired to. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026. Enzo Pontoni is simply on another planet. In the best years his wines frankly have no peers in Italy. The textural richness and depth Pontoni coaxes from his old-vine parcels is a marvel. The 2009 whites show an extra dimension of ripeness from a heat wave in August of that year that gave the wines more body than is often the case but without the excess of truly torrid vintages. Quite simply, I was blown away by what I tasted. For what it’s worth, I bought as much of these wines as I could afford. As usual, the wines are aged in French oak (roughly 40% new) and the malolactic fermentations are typically blocked. Importer: Small Vineyards, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 933-6767

The 2006 Calvari explodes on the palate with an array of plums, morello cherries, graphite, flowers and minerals. This towering, massive Calvari remains extraordinarily primary; in fact it tastes just like biting into a perfectly ripe grape from this old-vine site! A deep, baritone register develops in the glass as this profound wine gradually reveals its pedigree. The 2006 is the first vintage to be made with a gentler approach to extraction in vinification and slightly less time in oak (24 versus 30 months). Pontoni felt he had already proved he could show the muscle Refosco was capable of, so he set his sights on the next challenge, which was showing the elegance that could be achieved with diligence in the vineyards and cellar. He has succeeded, and then some – the 2006 Calvari is quite simply a tour de force that readers will not want to miss!