Christy Canterbury MW

View Original

A Trio of 90s: Releases from Inama

Long a fan of Inama, I was pleased to taste this trio of wines, if a bit disappointed in the Vigneti di Foscarino, which seems out-of-character with its 2017 bottling. Nonetheless, all are delightfully drinkable and have potential ahead.

90
Inama 2018 Soave Classico 12% $16
Light-bodied and creamy on the palate with a glossy and streamlined texture, this wine has a delightful spiceiness to enhance its youthful juiciness that is enticingly more savory than fruit-driven. Lithe yet rambunctious with a scattershot of floral and herbal perfumes, the palate is more straightforward with sweet almond flavors. The focused and lingering finish cracks with white peppercorn spice.
Drink: 2019-22

90
Inama 2017 Soave Classico Vigneti di Foscarino 12.5% $26
This is a bold and vigorous Soave with a mouthfilling, glycerol-driven texture and heady tree fruits. Sweet peach and succulent pear fruits drive the aromas and palate, where almond pith and tangerine peel add a vivid touch of becoming bitterness. Though only 12.5% abv, the wine's rather moderate acidity makes it feel a bit heavy - unusual for this wine. The lingering, concentrated finish shows-off this wine's old vine, vecchie vigne, heritage. Perhaps it won't be the longest lived old vine Soave, but it still has a ways to go.
Drink: 2019-25

90
Inama 2015 Carménère Più $21
Bold in mulberry and plum fruits laced with evergreen scents, this is a bold and lightly bulky wine. It carries its hefty, beefy mid-palate well, however, thanks to its scintillating freshness on Day 1. The grainy tannins give a satisfying textural grit. The wine evolves nicely overnight, but I wouldn't keep it past Day 2 as its fruit freshness quickly takes an automnal turn upon opening. It's still attractive, but I think it would be a stretch to keep it a third day. (This was VacuVin sealed and stored in a wine fridge between Days 1 and 2.)
Drink: 2019-23