1986 Adega Cooperativa de Colares + 06 Felsina CC

[Oswaldo Costa]

1986 Adega Cooperativa de Colares Vinho Tinto
Picked up in December at the Colares coop, where they stock vintages stretching back to the 1930s. Wanting something older, and not having internalized a Colares vintage chart (the sheer incompetence...), I went for 1986 because it was a good year in Bordeaux, as if that meant anything. Aromas are quite exotic, with prunes, dishrag, tobacco and a forestful of pine resin. The fruit has mostly gone the way of its ancestors, leaving the faintest smidgen of sweetness to counter the unforgiving, suck the chrome off the trailer hitch acidity. Despite the desert dryness, fascinated by the nose, and with cheese blunting some of the pungency, I was actually happy with it, in a geekily reverent sort of way. But Marcia, less a masochist, just couldn't take the Lusitanian heat, so I opened a half bottle of:

2006 Felsina Chianti Classico Berardenga 13.0%
Blackberries submerged in vanillin and caramel, as if doused with new wood essence. Good acidity, decent fruit and balance, pleasantly astringent tannins, everything correct but somehow utterly unexceptional. Palates I respect dig Felsina but, unlike Fontodi or Ricasoli, I have yet to taste one that makes me say wow, or even flutter.

 

[Steven Spielmann]

Hi Oswaldo,

I basically agree with you on the 2006 Felsina CCB. For me the nose was nicer and didn't strike so much of new wood, but the palate was, as you say, boringly correct. I wouldn't turn down a glass of this with dinner but it's no match for Monte Bernardi or Montesecondo from the same year and actually to my palate it's not even clearly better than something like Carpineto.

However, the Rancia Riserva (with some age on it) is a different beast. I had a '95 last year that was just delightful, like a light and vivacious Brunello with all the Sangio flavor smoothly presented. I cellared a little of the '06 and I'll try to report back 2021ish on how that goes.

 

[scottreiner]

for me roagna is about the rancia, the white solea and the opera prima. i have only tried the crichet paje once or twice, and never with the proper age.

oswaldo, the opera prima is a multi vintage 'barbaresco', i have one bottle left, i'll open it on your next trip.

 

[Ignacio Villalgordo]

Old Colares can be wonderful

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

Steven, also had two bottles of 2000 Fontalloro in the last two years and was underwhelmed. Not a special vintage, I know, so won't give up on Felsina.

Scott, allright! The 05 Solea we tasted at Roagna in November was super interesting - a chardonnay/nebbiolo combination just has to be - but could have used a bit more acidity.

Ignacio, also have a 1992 of the same and will open that soon. Hope it has more fruit to counter the great acidity.

 

[MarkS]

I've had exactly 1 Colares back in 1995 or so that accompanied a memorable meal, perhaps because it was with a fine girl I was dating. The meal was a slow-cooked beef slab with onion and beer and the wine was a 1966 or 69 (have to look at the label). An over 20-year old wine that still tasted fresh and something that could have aged further. Nice. Sometimes i wish we could revisit times like these. I never recalled seeing a producer's name on the bottle, so maybe it was from a coopertiva.

A Felsina question: Have they started to rachet up the oak on the Rancia? Reports I've seen seem to suggest the oak is more noticeable with the 2006 than the 2004, but maybe that is a function of age?