Going to the Osteria di Passignano is always a certainty of feeling good. The restaurant is owned by Marchesi Antinori spa who bought it about ten years ago from Marcello Crini, a great lover of cooking and good wines of the world who now holds the position of general manager of the restaurant. The Osteria di Passignano is located in Tuscany, near Florence, in Badia a Passignano and has had a Michelin star for several years.
The environment is pleasant, classy and the welcome is jovial. It is a place that I love to frequent both for the quality of the food and the variety of the wine list. Some time ago, Dr. Renzo Cotarella, managing director of Marchesi Antinori spa, called me to invite me to dinner with my friends Sergio Antonini, Marco Raveggi and Vincenzo de Giorgi. A round of phone calls and everyone accepted, without second thoughts, Renzo’s kind invitation. On the appointed day Marco picks me up at home in the new Porsche Taycan that asks me to drive to the restaurant. Before the entrance to the Florence – Siena freeway, we take Segio Antonini on board, who knowing me for how I drive fast, with fast cars, is reluctant to get on board with us. I assure Sergio that I would have driven slowly, I would like to point out that the Tycan is a fully electric car with about 600 horsepower that reaches 100km / h in 2.8 seconds. Having said that, I start and reach 100 km / h in 2.8 seconds. During the short journey, the cars that I found myself in front of in the fast lane literally splashed into the normal lane to let us pass. We were all astonished, the most satisfied of all was Marco Raveggi, who has always been the Commercial Director of Porsche Firenze, who told us that the Tycan was the fastest Porsche of all those he had driven. We arrive at our destination and meet Renzo Cotarella and Vincenzo De Giorgi, a dermatologist, to whom I describe the emotions I felt in driving this incredible car. We enter the restaurant, Marcello Crini gives us an affectionate welcome greeting and makes us sit at our table. Reading the menu, I couldn’t help but ask Renzo for advice on which dishes to choose and he suggested we order: “Pecorino flan, pods and honey caviar” which we paired with Champagne Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque, Edtion Premiere , vintage 2007. Followed by “pigeon breast, legs stuffed with borage and new potatoes”, paired with several wines: Castello della Sala, Pinot nero, vintages 2015, 2016 and 2017 and Le Mortelle, Poggio alle Nane, vintage 2018. Finally “chocolate pie, vin santo not only to drink”, paired with red wines already open.
Renzo wanted me to drink the Belle Epoque Edition Premiere 2007 champagne and more than anything else the Poggio alle Nane 2018, which had not yet been released on the market.
It was I who asked to drink the Pinot Noir from Castello della Sala, vintage 2016, since I had drunk it some time before and I loved it, judging it, for what was my knowledge, the best Pinot Noir from Castello della Sala ever . Before drinking 2016 Renzo opened 2015 and I, cheeky as always, eager to know, I asked to open 2017 too.
After this horizontal I confirmed the grandeur of 2016. However, the wine that really surprised me was the Poggio alle Nane 2018, a wine that will be released in 2021. A fragrant, structured and well-balanced wine. I congratulated Renzo noting that, if that was a second wine produced, I didn’t dare think about what the first wine, called “Ampio”, would be like. Renzo smiled at this statement, making me understand what he did not want to tell me and that is: “it will be a next surprise”.
It is always a great pleasure to taste wines not yet on the market.
After this very pleasant dinner we said goodbye to Marcello Crini and all his staff, including the kitchen one, with the promise to meet again after the summer.
We greeted and thanked Renzo for his hospitality and company. Obviously, on my return to Florence I did not drive the Taycan, which was driven by my friend Marco, which took half the time compared to the first leg.
As for the width of the tannin, it is important that you make the following clarifications, so that it can be understood. I feel the tannin of the wine on the upper gum. The total width of the tannin is 6/6, the entire width of the upper gum. Obviously, if the tannin is less broad, it could be for example 5/6 and so on. The width of the tannin is important when the quality of the same is of good or high level. The broader the tannin, the more the wine is worthy of attention, but the tannin, as I have specified, must, in any case, be of good quality.
Here are my wine tasting notes:
PERRIER JOUET
BELLE EPOQUE EDITION PREMIÉRE, vintage 2007
(Grapes: 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir, the latter macerated on its own skins).
Champagne, in this version, created by Hervè Deschamps, outgoing chef de Cave of the Maison Perrier Jouet. This champagne is dedicated to spring, so much so that it was released on the market in the spring, in very limited quantities.
Peach yellow color, very fine and quite numerous bubbles.
The nose reveals aromas of ripe peach, elderflower, Marseille soap, iodine, rust, light eggnog, ending with whispers of helichrysum (licorice).
Quite fine bubbles and a pleasant ripe peach are enjoyed on the palate. The body is medium and the mouth is pervaded by a generous freshness that makes the wine well balanced, not allowing the alcoholic mass to be perceived in the least. Sapid and mineral. Its intense aromatic persistence is long, with flavor even in the finish of ripe peach, with a slightly bitter hint.
In a not easy vintage like 2007, Hervé has managed to create this champagne in which finesse and elegance are in perfect evident union.
(95/100)
CASTELLO DELLA SALA
Pinot Noir, 2015 vintage
Garnet red with onion edge.
Nose characterized by an intense scent of black pepper followed by varnish enamel, talcum powder, face powder, cherry, chocolate and hints of amber.
On the palate you can feel the pungency of alcohol that dominates the freshness in a fluctuating way. The tannins are quite large (5 / 6-) and dry the upper gum a little. Savory wine with medium body.
Its persistence is long with a cherry finish.
(87/100)
CASTELLO DELLA SALA
Pinot Nero, vintage 2016
Ruby red dress with light purple reflections.
From the glass rise aromas of tomato puree, amber, intense iris, light black pepper, nutmeg, freshly ironed hot starched cloth, mint, eucalyptus, broken cyclamen stem and plum.
The palate is initially captivated by a pleasant and delicate flavor reminiscent of the red rose baccara, followed by the griotina cherry.
Medium-bodied wine, perfectly balanced, thanks to the freshness and tannins that dominate, without second thoughts, the alcoholic mass. The tannins are silky and fairly broad (5/6).
Long is the intense aromatic persistence with cherry finish.
At the first sip I had the impression, due to the structure of the wine, of drinking a Burgundy pinot noir, the Pommard.
In my opinion, for those many vintages of the Castello della Sala that I tasted this 2016 is the best vintage produced.
(93/100)
CASTELLO DELLA SALA
Pinot Nero, vintage 2017
Quite intense ruby red with purple reflections.
Nose made of aromas of wine “svinatura” (vinous), boisé, moldy orange peel (typical of oak, quality, first pass), mint, eucalyptus, varnish enamel and hard mint (it is the candy cane, impregnated with mint).
When tasted, the body is medium and at this moment the balance between alcohol and freshness is a little fluctuating.
The tannins are quite broad (5 / 6-), initially velvety and then dry the upper gum a little.
Its persistence is long with a mint and intense boisé finish.
It should be remembered that the 2017 vintage was, in general, a difficult year in Italy, characterized by tannins that were quite drying the upper gum. The producers had to work well both in the vineyard and in the cellar, making a tough selection of wines to use. To help the structure of the wine, some used more new wood, fortifying the wine but making the boisé note feel more.
This 2017 has just been released on the market and will need to stop in the bottle to balance itself more, leaving more room for freshness and integrating the wood more.
My current rating is between 89 and 90. 2017 has just been released on the market.
(89-90 / 100)
THE MORTELLE
POGGIO ALLE NANE, vintage 2018
(Grapes: 80% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Carménère)
Wine that will be released on the market in 2021.
Intense ruby-black mantle.
The olfactory casket opens to boisé scents, mint, eucalyptus, plum, Sole soap, cassis, sweet from the exterior of the sugared almond, green pepper, blueberry, hydrolithin (it is the powder that makes the still water sparkling), to finish with pleasant whispers of paint enamel.
The body is medium and the wine is well balanced with the imperceptible alcoholic mass thanks to the freshness and tannins. The latter are soft, wide (6 / 6–), initially richly silky and then in the end dry the upper gum slightly. Its intense aromatic persistence is long with a chocolate flavor that lasts throughout the tasting.
Nice wine that impressed me in a very positive way. Definitely the stop in the bottle will make the boisé note less felt. My current rating is between 94 and 96.
(94-96 / 100)
This is the second red of the company, the first is called “Ampio”, a wine that I haven’t tasted yet, that I can’t imagine what it will be like.
