Del Dotto Piazza Napa Valley Petit Verdot 2014
Trying to support our favorite neighborhood trattoria, Angelis Italian, we took BYOB from our home cellar this Piazza Del Dotto Petit Verdot. We dined outside which is the only option in Illinois as the Covid lock-down is relaxed.
This label is from one of our favorite producers, which is one of our largest holdings in our collection. It is our signature wine for taking BYOB to this establishment. It was a perfect complement pairing to the anti-pasta Fig Boretta Cheese plate and our Italian cuisine dishes, Margharita Pizza and my Breaded Veal Joey with capers, tomatoes and artichoke hearts.
Below is from my posting of this label from a previous dinner tasting on Linda's birthday earlier this year.
Del Dotto Piazza Napa Valley Petit Verdot 2014
We tasted and acquired this wine as part of our Del Dotto Piazza DELICACIES Food and Wine Experience Tasting at the winery during our Napa Wine Experience in 2018. Of course, Petit Verdot is one of the Bordeaux varietals, appellation authorized for inclusion in the blend. Most often, Petit Verdot is the fourth varietal in the mix, subordinate to the primary Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and the secondary Cabernet Franc.
Petit Verdot is added to a red blend for structure, backbone and colour, to round out, augment and enhance the profile of the blend. Standing alone, without the core Cabernet, and the softening roundness of Merlot, and the hint of tangy spice added by Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot comes across as huge, bold, muscular and forward, perhaps awkward or obtuse and overpowering to some.
Indeed, those are the characteristics we love in a wine and while lacking polish and balance of the harmony of the overall blend, its a wonderful wine with bold and full flavored food such as tonight. I wish I had ordered more and will savor what we have, and miss it when it is gone. I'll be looking to top up our holdings of this label.
Dark blackish garnet colored, full bodied, reasonably balanced, firm forward concentrated black berry and black currant fruits, with notes of licorice, spice and hints of mocha and subtle pepper spice with bold but approachable lingering tannins.
RM 92-93 points.
We also acquired some of the 2015 vintage of this label which I took to a gala tasting of which I blogged about last winter in this posting below.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/12/gala-holiday-dinner-features-napa-cab.html
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/02/del-dotto-piazza-petit-verdot-2014.html
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2757017
https://www.deldottovineyards.com/visit/piazza