Tasting - Teroldego Rotaliano Competizione Limited Edition

Name: Teroldego Rotaliano Competizione Limited Edition

Variety: Teroldego Rotaliano

Region: Trentino

Country: Italy

Vintage: 2015

Price: $19.95

Winery Review

"Smooth with hints of leather and black pepper. A lingering finish with a slight tendon. Exotic Spice!" 

-Mike S from Vivino

Wine Folly

Unfortunately, there were no mentions of Teroldego in Wine Folly. I could find, however, a description of the Northeast region of Trentino: "The regions of Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia have cooler climates and the warmer areas are influenced by the Adriatic Sea. Reds offer more fruit (although still elegant) and the best white wines are found in the hills, such as the Soave grape, Garganega" (Page 248). Unfortunately, I feel like this description is not descriptive enough to give a sufficient analysis of this wine. This wine did not feel like it was packed with fruits, nor was it elegant. It felt hard, punchy, and smokey.

My Review

When I bought this bottle from the Vintage Cellar, the employee pointed this specific bottle out for me. Not because it was the best tasting Teroldego in the world, but because it was the only bottle of that variety in the store. Although he also gave me a discount for being a fellow waitress, I did not particularly enjoy this bottle. It didn't help that this was a magnum, so the bottle felt like it was never going to end. 

The flavor of this wine felt burnt and smokey. Not in a good, complex red wine type of way, but in a way where it bogged down on the palate. It felt harsh, and young, even though the Vintage was from 2015. It was almost 8 years old, yet it felt still way too young and bold to be enjoyable. It felt harsh, as if I was drinking sandpaper. It made me tongue salivate, yearning for something to alleviate it. Likewise, it was acidic and dry. I was unable to really pick out any noticeable fruit flavors- despite what Wine Folly had mentioned- other than a smokey blackberry. 

Because it was a magnum, my partner and I were unable to finish it in a single day. As the bottle got older, it felt like it was getting slightly better as air was introduced into the beverage. The flavors felt more muddled and weak, making it was easier to chew and swallow. Overall, I would not recommend this wine.