Zachys' Festa D'Italia 2018

I had the opportunity to attend Zachy's Festa D'Italia 2018 on March 3, 2018.  It featured 18 of Italy's top producers. Most were in the area for the Gambero Rosso TRE BICCHIERI tasting in NYC on March 2 and the Great Wines of Italy tasting later in the week. many were pouring their latest releases, some for the first time in the USA. 

Virginia Mazzei Napoleone pouring one of my favorites that night

The Siepi is 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot. Powerful but refined.

My first visit to Zachys' was just after Bordeaux released their 1982 vintage. My wine buddies and I  would "Take the ride " to the Sacarsdale store. Their selection was superior to most of the stores in my area. My last visit was for a Burgundy tasting some years ago. A storm the previous day had taken down many trees and utility poles making the GPS necessary. Several roads were still blocked. We had to detour several times and became unsure of which way to go.  We got there just in time for the second session.  

The line ups were impressive

Not surprisingly there was a good sized crowd present. This was a complimentary tasting of some of the world's best wines. If you got your RSVP in early enough you were in. 

The only Pinot Noir at the tasting. Just 800 cases produced.

It became obvious that the 2015 vintage in Italy was exceptional as it has shown to be for other parts of Europe. These are wines of depth and concentration that have a track record of longevity. 

We were lucky to get the last 2 pours of the Sassicaia. It stood out for its finesse and had a silky quality that was quite extraordinary. 

Hats off to Zachys' for putting this together. It may be tough to top this event but I'll be glad to take the ride for the next one.