Silvio Carta
Riserva Vernaccia di Oristano
Oristano, Sardinia, Italy
A deep amber with orange hues, the 1968 Vernaccia di Oristano Riserva comes to life slowly in the glass. At first, it’s dusty and dark with smoky wood tones, tobacco and brown spice. It blossoms with time, taking on notes of dried flowers, quince and spiced citrus. It’s deeply textural, almost creamy, yet balance is maintained through brisk acids that enliven its notes of baked apple and honeyed almonds. This is almost salty, as it finishes incredibly long with a nutty richness, resonating on hints of cacao and cinnamon. For all of its power, there’s a beautiful harmony to be found here. You could lose yourself in this wine. Wow. The 1968 Riserva spent 50 years maturing in chestnut barrels prior to bottling. (Eric Guido, Vinous, March 2021)
A deep amber with orange hues, the 1968 Vernaccia di Oristano Riserva comes to life slowly in the glass. At first, it’s dusty and dark with smoky wood tones, tobacco and brown spice. It blossoms with time, taking on notes of dried flowers, quince and spiced citrus. It’s deeply textural, almost creamy, yet balance is maintained through brisk acids that enliven its notes of baked apple and honeyed almonds. This is almost salty, as it finishes incredibly long with a nutty richness, resonating on hints of cacao and cinnamon. For all of its power, there’s a beautiful harmony to be found here. You could lose yourself in this wine. Wow. The 1968 Riserva spent 50 years maturing in chestnut barrels prior to bottling. (Eric Guido, Vinous, March 2021)
Dry. Nutty, plummy, briny, savory, and more... 16.5%, medium+ acidity, complex finish. Read about this in Ian d’Agata’s book and scoured the entire Manhattan to find the only 2 bottles left...
Dry. Nutty, plummy, briny, savory, and more... 16.5%, medium+ acidity, complex finish. Read about this in Ian d’Agata’s book and scoured the entire Manhattan to find the only 2 bottles left...
Feb 14th, 2021
Crazy wine. Crazy nutty -pithy- perfectly oxidative deliciousness.
Crazy wine. Crazy nutty -pithy- perfectly oxidative deliciousness.
Oct 21st, 2017
Crazy nutty oxidation. Bold, big flavor. Hot alcohol, at 16.5%. A Sardinian treat! Unique, it takes an acquired palette.
Crazy nutty oxidation. Bold, big flavor. Hot alcohol, at 16.5%. A Sardinian treat! Unique, it takes an acquired palette.
2 people found it helpfulMar 17th, 2016
Fortified Italian in Sherry house, makes sense to me.
Fortified Italian in Sherry house, makes sense to me.
1 person found it helpfulMar 12th, 2016
What @nickdavis said, unrated as I have no idea how to rate this extreme wine.
What @nickdavis said, unrated as I have no idea how to rate this extreme wine.
Oct 28th, 2016
Well, you’ve never had Vernaccia until you’ve had this stuff! From Sardinia, this was very Sherry-like, somewhere between Amontillado & Oloroso - very dry w/mind blowing complexity, concentration & vigor. Drinks fat & viscous w/distinct oxidized notes of balsamic, tobacco, toasted nuts & yeast, spices - absolutely ethereal spices like Asian 5 spice & sweet baking spices. Man, this was really way out there...
Well, you’ve never had Vernaccia until you’ve had this stuff! From Sardinia, this was very Sherry-like, somewhere between Amontillado & Oloroso - very dry w/mind blowing complexity, concentration & vigor. Drinks fat & viscous w/distinct oxidized notes of balsamic, tobacco, toasted nuts & yeast, spices - absolutely ethereal spices like Asian 5 spice & sweet baking spices. Man, this was really way out there...
Apr 20th, 2021