Typical and varietal notes of cherry, mulberry, and raspberry, blended with nuances of elegant spices such as vanilla, coffee, and cocoa. The palate is wide, warm, and envelopes the mouth with grip, elegant and velvety tannins. Fruity and rich aftertaste. Enjoy on its own or comfortably pair with any tomato dish, pasta, puttanesca, or grilled meat.
The innovative blend combines equal parts of the indigenous grapes Nero d’Avola and Nerello Mascalese with two Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Layers of flavors with blueberry, chocolate, mocha, and baked cherry are topped off with a deft touch of oak, vanilla, and Mediterranean herbs in the finish. The result is a spectacular wine that screams “Delizioso!”
About the Winemaker
Andrea Bernardini, La Bollina’s consultant, is a passionate winemaker who has hit numerous home runs. In 2007, he graduated from Pisa, one of the best schools of enology in Italy. He earned his chops at Poggio Bonelli and Ruffino in Tuscany and trained in South Africa, Romania, and Greece. After several years of experience, he is now a flying winemaker blending tradition and modern techniques to obtain high-quality wines with respect to the expression of the different grapes and terroir in which he works. He works hand in hand with Alex to produce these magical wines.
In the definitive guide for Italian wines, Luca Maroni rated this wine 98pts, calling it “one of the year’s best” from Sicily, and all of Italy in 2019.
Situated in the historical territory specializing in Gavi DOCG production, La Bollina vineyard for centuries was been the residence Marchioness Figari of Genova. Within the 120 hectares and surrounded by hills, Chestnut Woods develops prestigious wines.
Here you will not only find the Agriculture Company, which expands for 28 hectares of vineyard and has a well-equipped production wine cellar, but also three types of high-quality tourist accommodation:
The Cellar
Totally renovated, now has the most modern techniques for winemaking. The new instrument panel is implemented by a modern system of micro-oxygenation that allows us to vinify and maintain our wines at the best temperature and control the supply of dissolved oxygen to avoid oxidation and reduction. In our cellar is also a modern filter by-pass that with its special filtration technique allows to keep intact the organoleptic characteristics of wines even in the latest stages of production.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
“International Chip” reporting for Lab Rat duty! I received a Sicilian red blend of 25% Nero D’avola, 25% Nerello Mascalese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. There is a sticker on the neck that shows a score of 98 points from wine critic Luca Maroni. 98 points!
I had heard of Luca Maroni but didn’t know anything about him. A quick google search turned up a Reddit forum which indicated that Luca Maroni uses his own proprietary scoring system in which 99 is the highest score possible, so 98 is just one point away from perfection, right? Well, it went on to say that of the last 1,000 wines rated by Luca Maroni, 33% were rated 95 or above and only 28 out of 1,000 had a score below 90. He also sells pdf “diplomas” to wineries so that they can display the scores he has given to their wines in their advertising (or on their bottle necks?). But enough about Luca Maroni, let’s talk about the wine…
TLDR:
This is a New World, easy drinking crowd pleaser type of wine but is over-extracted and a bit cloying for my personal tastes.
LOOK:
Composite cork, PnP into a stemless glass. Surprised at the deep purple color, almost looks like a Petite Sirah but not as opaque. I know that Nero D’avola is purplish in color but that only makes up 25% of the blend. The other three grapes are all red when vinted as single varietals. Possibly some mega-purple used?
SMELL:
Pleasant nose of black & blue fruits, with boysenberry and a hint of fresh tobacco leaf.
ENTRY:
Tart, with big fruit and acid on the entry. The fruit comes across as mostly blueberry upfront.
MID-PALATE:
Blackberry and plum join the party. Slightly herbaceous. This is where the over-extraction hits. This is no Pinot Noir but the level of over-extraction (as I perceive it) reminds me of Meomi. If that’s your jam, then you will love this at probably less than half the price! Speaking of jam, it gets a bit jammy here. At least the acidity holds up through the middle to help balance some of the other elements. Definitely suspect some mega-purple manipulation at this point.
FINISH:
Medium + finish but sadly, a bit cloying. The acidity does carry all the way through and there are some nice medium tannins, so mixed feelings on the finish.
SUMMARY:
Definitely a New World style wine. I liked it less as I drank it more (due to the aforementioned over-extraction), which is the opposite of most wines that I drink. I would not seek it out but would not turn it down if offered, either. Some people will like this a lot, it’s just not in my personal wheelhouse although I had high hopes based upon the varietals involved. Based on similar wines offered here previously, I would guess the case price will be around $12 - $13/bottle and if this is your style there is some good QPR at that price level. Thanks to WD and Alice for the opportunity.
@chipgreen The 2018 was offered here awhile back. Guess what? It was a Luca Maroni 98 Point One Of The Best Italian Wines. Mayyybe they had leftover stickers from the 2018 and slapped it on the 2019?
Edit, wrong on that theory… 2017 received 97 points, '18, '19, '21 all received 98.
@Boatman72@chipgreen It’s the only way to do it. Describe it. Comment on what sorts of taste preferences might like this. I wish every rat report was structured that way.
While I love the rat system, I am always a bit frustrated when people take the “I like it” escape hatch.
Interesting winery tasting notes, they mention Mulberry, I grew up in Midwest (Iowa) and had wild mulberry trees, which as kids, we would come home with purple faces, tongues, and hands,. My question, wondering how many know what a mulberry tastes like?
@winecaseaholic
We have Mulberry trees in our area of Ohio. I have never tasted but know the smell. Personally, I did not detect any mulberry notes but I also wasn’t looking for that.
@chipgreen@winecaseaholic Yeah it’s interesting the variety of odd flavor/scent terms that are used for wine. Some terms are definitely regional; I don’t think I’ve ever seen or tasted a mulberry. But I could say Marionberry which is common in Oregon but not the same as the former mayor of Washington DC. And honestly I’m still not sure what “stone fruits” are.
@chipgreen@pmarin, Well as a former grower of peaches, (small time, only had 50 or so trees) Stone Fruits are a fruit that has a single large seed, like the peach, vs a Apple or a Pear that has several small seeds.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2019 La Bollina Papios Rosso - $22 = 12.42%
This one is a surprise from Italy. And definitely not one that I would consider drinking myself.
I always take a good sniff of the cork once its pulled from the bottle. A little bit of a spicy scent. Then after letting the bottle breath a bit, the first taste was not what I was expecting. Initial dryness of the Cabernet came through, but it finished with a sweet plum taste. Some may enjoy this sweeter finish, but when I purchase an Italian red wine, I prefer a much different finish. I prefer the well balanced elegance of the bold and beautiful in Italian red wines.
Been broadly disappointed with most wines well reviewed by Luca Maroni and James Suckling. Definitely grain of salt… to the point that unless another reviewer/publication scores it (WE, WS, etc…) I typically avoid the purchase entirely. Been burned too many times with what feel like mid-high 80s wines scored by those two in the high 90s.
In this case, CellarTracker community rated the 2018 ~90pts (4 reviews) which seems seems fair for this price and slightly mollifies my initial concerns… Seeing Chip’s review above and notes on New World style this could be a good value if you prefer that style (not for me). Just don’t expect a 98pt marvel!
2019 La Bollina Papios Rosso Terre Siciliane
98 points, One of the Year’s Best
Tasting Notes
About the Winemaker
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $324/case MSRP
About The Winery
The Cellar
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, May 6 - Tuesday, May 7
2019 La Bollina Papios Rosso
4 bottles for $58.99 $14.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $154.99 $12.92/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2019 Bollina Papios Rosso Terre Siciliane
“International Chip” reporting for Lab Rat duty! I received a Sicilian red blend of 25% Nero D’avola, 25% Nerello Mascalese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. There is a sticker on the neck that shows a score of 98 points from wine critic Luca Maroni. 98 points!
I had heard of Luca Maroni but didn’t know anything about him. A quick google search turned up a Reddit forum which indicated that Luca Maroni uses his own proprietary scoring system in which 99 is the highest score possible, so 98 is just one point away from perfection, right? Well, it went on to say that of the last 1,000 wines rated by Luca Maroni, 33% were rated 95 or above and only 28 out of 1,000 had a score below 90. He also sells pdf “diplomas” to wineries so that they can display the scores he has given to their wines in their advertising (or on their bottle necks?). But enough about Luca Maroni, let’s talk about the wine…
TLDR:
This is a New World, easy drinking crowd pleaser type of wine but is over-extracted and a bit cloying for my personal tastes.
LOOK:
Composite cork, PnP into a stemless glass. Surprised at the deep purple color, almost looks like a Petite Sirah but not as opaque. I know that Nero D’avola is purplish in color but that only makes up 25% of the blend. The other three grapes are all red when vinted as single varietals. Possibly some mega-purple used?
SMELL:
Pleasant nose of black & blue fruits, with boysenberry and a hint of fresh tobacco leaf.
ENTRY:
Tart, with big fruit and acid on the entry. The fruit comes across as mostly blueberry upfront.
MID-PALATE:
Blackberry and plum join the party. Slightly herbaceous. This is where the over-extraction hits. This is no Pinot Noir but the level of over-extraction (as I perceive it) reminds me of Meomi. If that’s your jam, then you will love this at probably less than half the price! Speaking of jam, it gets a bit jammy here. At least the acidity holds up through the middle to help balance some of the other elements. Definitely suspect some mega-purple manipulation at this point.
FINISH:
Medium + finish but sadly, a bit cloying. The acidity does carry all the way through and there are some nice medium tannins, so mixed feelings on the finish.
SUMMARY:
Definitely a New World style wine. I liked it less as I drank it more (due to the aforementioned over-extraction), which is the opposite of most wines that I drink. I would not seek it out but would not turn it down if offered, either. Some people will like this a lot, it’s just not in my personal wheelhouse although I had high hopes based upon the varietals involved. Based on similar wines offered here previously, I would guess the case price will be around $12 - $13/bottle and if this is your style there is some good QPR at that price level. Thanks to WD and Alice for the opportunity.
@chipgreen I could have saved you some keystrokes on Luca:
Grain of
and oh, nice writeup
@chipgreen The 2018 was offered here awhile back. Guess what? It was a Luca Maroni 98 Point One Of The Best Italian Wines. Mayyybe they had leftover stickers from the 2018 and slapped it on the 2019?
Edit, wrong on that theory… 2017 received 97 points, '18, '19, '21 all received 98.
@chipgreen great write-up. Thank you
@chipgreen Thanks - useful rattage.
@chipgreen Nice honest write-up!
@Boatman72 @chipgreen It’s the only way to do it. Describe it. Comment on what sorts of taste preferences might like this. I wish every rat report was structured that way.
While I love the rat system, I am always a bit frustrated when people take the “I like it” escape hatch.
Interesting winery tasting notes, they mention Mulberry, I grew up in Midwest (Iowa) and had wild mulberry trees, which as kids, we would come home with purple faces, tongues, and hands,. My question, wondering how many know what a mulberry tastes like?
@winecaseaholic
We have Mulberry trees in our area of Ohio. I have never tasted but know the smell. Personally, I did not detect any mulberry notes but I also wasn’t looking for that.
@winecaseaholic I had a mulberry tree at my old house here in the West Palm area. Loved them!
@GatorFL @winecaseaholic grew up with one in my backyard.
Difficult to hide that lack of appetite for supper
@chipgreen @winecaseaholic Yeah it’s interesting the variety of odd flavor/scent terms that are used for wine. Some terms are definitely regional; I don’t think I’ve ever seen or tasted a mulberry. But I could say Marionberry which is common in Oregon but not the same as the former mayor of Washington DC. And honestly I’m still not sure what “stone fruits” are.
@chipgreen @pmarin, Well as a former grower of peaches, (small time, only had 50 or so trees) Stone Fruits are a fruit that has a single large seed, like the peach, vs a Apple or a Pear that has several small seeds.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2019 La Bollina Papios Rosso - $22 = 12.42%
This one is a surprise from Italy. And definitely not one that I would consider drinking myself.
I always take a good sniff of the cork once its pulled from the bottle. A little bit of a spicy scent. Then after letting the bottle breath a bit, the first taste was not what I was expecting. Initial dryness of the Cabernet came through, but it finished with a sweet plum taste. Some may enjoy this sweeter finish, but when I purchase an Italian red wine, I prefer a much different finish. I prefer the well balanced elegance of the bold and beautiful in Italian red wines.
Been broadly disappointed with most wines well reviewed by Luca Maroni and James Suckling. Definitely grain of salt… to the point that unless another reviewer/publication scores it (WE, WS, etc…) I typically avoid the purchase entirely. Been burned too many times with what feel like mid-high 80s wines scored by those two in the high 90s.
In this case, CellarTracker community rated the 2018 ~90pts (4 reviews) which seems seems fair for this price and slightly mollifies my initial concerns… Seeing Chip’s review above and notes on New World style this could be a good value if you prefer that style (not for me). Just don’t expect a 98pt marvel!
@MerlynXLII Wilfred Wong anyone?
@MerlynXLII @pmarin Yes!
I was trying to remember that name.
Three peas in a pod it seems they may be.