Review: Frescobaldi 2018 Benefizio and 2015 Rialzi
Behold: Two new wines from our friends in Tuscany, the Frescobaldi empire.
2018 Frescobaldi Pomino Bianco Riserva Benefizio – This is a fun, Tuscan spin on chardonnay, chewy with texture but brightly fruit-forward, offering notes of orange blossom, green mango, and star fruit. Notes of coconut and almond butter give the finish more gravitas, with florals lingering endlessly. Beautifully food friendly. A- / $48
2015 Frescobaldi Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico Rialzi – This Chianti Classico hits the palate with a surprising thinness, sharp with sour cherry notes and a fairly green, herbal character. The palate never quite picks up, again quite pungent with notes of lime leaf and a lingering acidity that somehow doesn’t manage to really prop up much of the fruit. Time in glass doesn’t help things evolve; the wine ultimately comes across like it’s on the downswing, already fading into austerity as the berry notes evaporate within seconds. Drink immediately; next year this may be too far gone. B / $60
2018 Frescobaldi Pomino Bianco Riserva Benefizio
$48
