Village Wine and Food Journal

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2011-06-21T10:12:00.003-04:00

CHANGE OF WEB ADDRESS :

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2008 "Christmas" Dinner

2009-01-02T16:22:00.038-05:00

(Dbl-click on slide show for full page view)

Some Thoughts:

Quite an evening.
No corked wine!
Unheard of.
Dinner was great.
Original group.

List of Wines: (a few not shown in pics)

Champagne L'Allier *(splendid bottle)
Dom Perignon 1985
Hermitage Blanc 1989 (JL Chave)
Corton Charlemagne 1989 (L.Latour)
Rielsing VT 1990 Brand (Z. Humbrecht)
Wehlener Sonnenuhr 1990 Auslese * (JJ Prum)
Gewurtztraminer 1990 Goldert VT (Z. Humbrecht)
Jasnieres 1990 Sel.Grains Nobles (Dom de la Charriere)
Volnay 1993 (Laurent)
Volnay Caillerets VV 2002 (Laurent)
Grange Hermitage 1981
Grange Hermitage 1979
Petrus 2002
Ridge 1968* (Montebello Grapes)
Grahams Port 1985

Dinner Menu:

Apple-Rutabaga Soup with Spiced Pumpkin Seeds and Smoked Salmon
Poached Egg on Soubise, Hackelback Caviar, Bacon Powder and Serrano Ham
Quinoa-Crusted Halibut, Sauteed Frisée seasoned w Dill Pollen
Lobster Medallions, Beet Essence, Endives with Saffron, Gaufrette Potato
Foie Gras Terrine and Foie Gras Mousse, Brioche
Fusilli with Chanterelles and a Walnut Sauce
Pan Fried Squab Breast with Salad Greens, Cockburn Port 1983 Fluid Jelly, Vegetable Cutlet.
Cheeses
- Parmesan Stravecchio
- Selles-s-Cher
- Clarines
Dessert
- Hommage Marc Vrinat (Taillevant) "Chocolate Marquise w Pistachio Sauce"

2008 Archive

2008-12-12T15:16:00.009-05:00

This is a summary of titles posted through 2008 :

Updated 2001 Barolo Scoreboard
1. 2008 Fall Inaugural Dinner (the 27th year of the Club).
2. COLORADO WINE TASTING !
3. Pictures of Special Events
4. Bob_Cassandra Engagement Dinner
5. More 2005 Red Burgundies
6. 2003 Brunellos
7. 2005 Red Burgundies--Part 5 (Vosne & Chambolle)
8. What is a GRAND VIN? 2005 GRAND CRU RED BURGUNDY TASTING
9. Wines of Atillio Ghisolfi
10. A Tale of 2 Barolos
11. 2005 Red Burgundies--Part 3

Updated 2001 Barolo Score card 12/2008

Update: Recently, I re-tasted a few 2001 Barolos to see how they were coming along and how I might score them today. There was NO VARIANCE from my original impressions, which is statistically a peculiarity. Maybe with a larger sampling pool I may find wines that I scored poorly to be better than I thought and vice versa. But, for now, it pleases me to find consistency in my ratings.

The re-tasted wines are in bold font in the scoreboard ( see below) with score alongside. My overall impression is that these wines will not follow the norm and will be ready to drink sooner rather than later. After all most of the wines were made in a far less reductive manner than in the past. Except for some concentrated examples, especially from Serralunga, I am inclined to think that most will be ready to be enjoyed (some may even approach their peak) starting soon (2010?). However, I do not think their "drinkability" window will be measured in decades, as in the past. The lower tannin levels will require them to be drunk before they (tannins) fade. A barolo without any trace of tannin is a boring wine. It may survive longer but that is not the point, is it? Unless of course you want your barolos to taste like port.

The wines rated are described in detail (tasting notes) in the March 2007 blog and in a November 2006 blog. Ratings from a subsequent May 2007 tasting have been back added to the scoreboard. There is some semblance of order of preference within categories but that is not of importance.

Most controversial are the wines of G.Mascarello and the Cannubi of Scavino , which were unanimously disliked by the tasting group. The Scavino wine for instance may have been a bad bottle (no corkiness or such though) but my own feeling is that the 1999 Cannubi is so much better. After 2 poor specimens of Mascarello Monprivato a third, and more typical (based on other's raves) bottle changed my opinion around. But there is a cautionary story for all of us who critique wines;which of the 3 Monprivato bottles was representative ?

Some wines have been also been added to the scoreboard subsequent to the tastings . If a previously scored wine is tasted/drunk again within a year of a previous sample a new score is added.

Outstanding:(>95 points)
None tasted so far.

Excellent : (92-95 points)
Conterno,G. “Cascina Francia"
Cavalloto Bricco Boschis
Vietti "Brunate"
Pira (Chiara Boschis) "Cannubi"
Manzone “Meriame” ( terrible corks may impact about aging potential)
Porro “Lazzaraisco” 92
Mascarello, G “Mon Privato” (original rating)

Principiano "Boscareto" (10/07; near term wine)
Cogno "Ravera"
Cucco "Ceratti" (10/7; start to drink-basically a Barolo suited for lunch)
Seghesio “La Villa”

Camerano "Cannubi" 87

Brovia "Villero" 87
Boasso “Gabutti” 86
Boroli "Villero"
Mascarello, G “S.Stefano di Perno”
Fenocchio "Villero"
Molino “Gancia”
Revello “Giacchini”85
Sebaste "Monvigliero"

Not To My Liking (less than 85 pts)

F.Borgogno "Cannubi"

2008-09-18T18:58:00.005-04:00

2008 Fall Inaugural Dinner (the 27th year of the Club).

Wines: Hugel 1976 Riesling SGN
Hugel 1976 Tokay VT
Baumard Quarts des Chaumes 1976 (not in picture)
Z-Humbrecht 1999 Riesling Brand
F. Jobard Meursault Perrieres 1989 (very good)
Comtes Lafon Meursault Charmes 1991
Chave Hermitage Blanc 1990 (excellent)
de Montille Volnay Taillepieds 1978 (finally ready--but more like 1972)
Rinaldi Barolo 1974
Ridge Zinfandel Geyserville 1987 (excellent)
Ridge Zinfandel Lytton Springs 1987 (so-so)
Henschke Hill of Grace 1994 ( least favored of all wines)
Ridge Essence 1991

COLORADO WINE TASTING !!!

2008-08-30T13:11:00.006-04:00

This must be a first anywhere outside of Colorado. The wines were for the most part quite good in the service of grilled food on a warm summer day. The three wines by Steve Rhodes (a claret and 2 pinot noirs) did not photograph well in the accompanying picture. The wines, however, made a better impression on the a palate : quite special and gentle rather than powerful and overwrought. The Sutcliffe chardonnay was quite pleasant and, surprisingly, the Reeder Mesa White Riesling had hints of minerals and petrol and varietaly correct, which is hard to achieve in new world rieslings. The riesling was perfect for the BBQ on a hot muggy day. I could not say the same for a german riesling trocken (why do they make those awful wines?) costing about the same the next day. The whole event was orchestrated by Donald Fujihira with Bert and Susan doing the food and hosting the event.

The wines: From L to R are Friday's Folly "Red" ( the name says it all), Rhodes Claret 2006, Rhodes Pinot Noir 2006, Rhodes Pinot Noir Emilie's Vineyard 2006, Reeder Mesa Shiraz ( sweet and truly dreadful), Reeder Mesa White Riesling, Sutcliffe Bodies Gallen Red ( decent), Sutcliffe Pinot Gris (pink hued) 2006 and Sutcliffe Chardonnay (barely visible on far right)

2008-08-17T15:33:00.018-04:00

Pictures of Special Events

Night before Jean-Louis Chave and Erin Cannon's Wedding (August 2003)

Wines served on December 31, 1999: Dawn of a New Century

A Lunch with only Sweet Wines in 2002.
Memorable 1928 Climens, 1947 Vouvray Foreau, Baumard Quarts des Chaumes 1967 , Hugel SGN Tokay 1976 , Y'Quem 1975 and 1950, Joseph Phelps 1978 Late Harvest Riesleing.

Members of WFCC along with Etienne Hugel, Laurent Baumard, Mme Lurton (of Climens) and Eunice Fried (wine journalist).

Bob_Cassandra Engagement Dinner

2008-06-07T12:30:00.014-04:00

The Wine Club celebrated the upcoming nuptials of Robert Lyster (one of our very first members) with Cassandra Seidenfeld on May 18th, 2008. This was one of those rare occasions where both food and wine were equal to another. The star of the evening, IMHO, was the 1971 Climens which was still as delicious and grand as ever . It is, however, best consumed over the next 3-5 years before it takes on an oloroso character.

MENU 5/18/08

Scallops, Bacon Broth/Tomato-enriched Shellfish Stock

1995 Perrier-Jouet 4*

Monkfish Wrapped in Proscuitto, Asparagus/Morel Saute, Sorrel Sauce

1986 Meursault Charmes (Lafon)--showing botrytis as always 2*
1986 Meursault Perrieres (Roulot)---lovely now /drink up 3*
1990 Chevalier Montrachet (Niellon)---aristocratic, long and delicious 4*

Foie Gras Terrine, Salad Greens, Brioche Bread, Fruit Compote

1971 Ch.Climens 5*

Sorbet Marc d’Hermitage Chave

Grilled Squab Breast , Faux Fried Rice, Carrot Sauce

1988 Richebourg (DRC)
1988 Ch.Rayas

Rack of Lamb, Celeriac Veloute, Celeriac Crisps, Demi Glace, Sauteed Spinach

1982 Gruaud Larose
1989 Charmes Chambertin (Dujac)

Selection of Cheeses: Coeur de Berry , Comte and Grayson (Virginia)

1993 Amarone (Quintarelli)
1996 Valpolicella (Dal Forno)

Dessert: Creme Caramel

Cognac (Tesseron Lot 53 XO Perfection)
A touch too woody for my taste.

More 2005 Red Burgundies

2008-04-05T11:29:00.006-04:00

We had the opportunity to taste some 20 wines that were being poured at Zachy's Wine Store in Scarsdale as a sales promotional. As it was a stand-up affair it was difficult to juggle a glass of wine and note pad at the same time while trying to take notes. In the end I realized it was simply not possible to make exhaustive notes so my notes are brief. Wines ranged from 1er cru Beaune to Bouchard's Le Chambertin.

David Croix Beaune Cent Vignes: Organic (earth, mushrooms, game etc) notes rather than fruit driven ones on the nose. Earthy, quite ripe with mid palate intensity. Gentle grip; not tightly wound . Fruit barely nestled inside a kernel of acidity so it is a bit more open and enjoyable now compared to some others where the fruit has been subsumed by acidity and veneered over i.e. shut down. Lovely wine. 89 points

David Croix Beaune Pertuisets: The scent of minerals and violets dominate the nose and once again aromas of fruit are not dominant. Compared to the above wine this wine is driven by acidity which carries the delicate, yet intense, fruit to a long and vibrant finish. Focussed and perfumed. This is an exceptional value. 90 points

Pavelot Beaune Bressandes: All about fruit (raspberry) and though quite nice and pretty it does not have the class of the Croix wines. 87 points

Potel Pommard Vignots: Dominated by new oak. Not deep but thoroughly enjoyable as there is not much acidity masking the fruit. 88 points

Gouges Nuits St.Georges Clos des Porrets: Typically hard and minerally. Closed in already but ripe of fruit and ample tannins are discernible with coaxing . Promises to age well. 89+points

Jadot Gevrey Combes Aux Moines: Unexpectedly (for a Jadot wine) this is not very dark and is very bright and fresh. While there is rich extract it is light on its feet and the fruit is pure and not overlaid with obfuscating oak tannins . Promises to be an exciting wine. 91+ points

Bouchard Beaune Vignes Les Enfant Jesus : Utterly captivating and focussed. Rich acidity . Long and aromatic. 91+ points

Bouchard Le Chambertin: Grand Vin. Broad, restrained and powerful. 95+ points

David Duband Clos Vougeot : Tasted alongside Duband's Nuits Aux Thorey (85 pts) and his Morey Sorbes (86 pts) this wine towers over them and shows flashes of Grand Vin . Made in a forward style it is earthy and truffley and the restrained use of new oak keeps this wine on an even keel .Overall the wine is impressively made. 91-92 points

2003 Brunellos

2008-04-05T11:18:00.007-04:00

2003 Brunello Tasting Notes

Nearly 45 winemakers belonging to the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino previewed their four-star rated vintage for members of the trade and press at Gotham Hall in New York on Jan 29th ,2008. The 2003 vintage , as is well known, was scorching all over Europe but the hillside vineyards of Montalcino were able to compensate with cooler evening temperatures, particularly if the vineyards were over 2500 feet above sea level.

I managed to taste nearly 30 of the 45 or so wines at the tasting . A handful of wines showed surprising freshness and , while showing intense fruit, never came close to being jammy as I was expecting at the outset. But several lacked cohesiveness and will never be “complete” wines no matter how long you age them. Who rated this vintage 4*? Some wines were just fruit bombs and totally unrecognizable as anything out of Tuscany, let alone Brunello. Yet, five wines impressed me very much while some others ranged from well made to above average but many more were dull and even raisiny. These five wines (4*) I can recommend wholeheartedly as exceptional for the vintage. In looking back it is not surprising that 4 of the 5 wines that I liked best were located north of the town of Montalcino and at high altitudes, where somewhat cooler temperatures prevailed. Either that or they just had been tempered quite nicely and legally under appellation rules with either juice from the 2004 vintage or the diluted 2002 vintage . More likely the latter. In any case these are five wines I would gladly add to my cellar . Others that I also liked (but not reviewed here) were Sesti, Pinino and Il Maronetto (3*)

La Serena: One of the better 03 brunello, showing character in spite of the huge alcohol. Surprisingly restrained and deliciously dry aftertaste. Coming from a cool northern zone , albeit at lower altitude, it appeared to benefit from slower ripening. Fresh and nicely structured.

Gianni Brunelli: The 03 is atypically light on its feet which is a plus in this vintage. Nicely shaped wine with good definition and, unusually for an 03 wine , aromatically pitched. I liked this quite a bit.

Cupano: The 03 Cupano was my second favorite. Unfortunately my notes are illegible other than the phrase “ slightly modern but restrained” but I have 4* next to it.

Capanna: Also 4* (out of 5*) this was my favorite of the 03's at the tasting. Unlike all the others this was less about intensity of fruit and more about balance and style. Acids and dry tannins nicely frame the fruit. Clean rather than hot finish. The 2001 tasted several months prior was similarly impressive.

Nardi: A touch more advanced than the other specimens at the tasting. Yet there was a lot to like about the cool and brambly fruit. Also liked its restraint very much and this wine is very likely to gain in complexity and transcend the intense dry raisin character.

2005 Red Burgundies--Part 5 (Vosne & Chambolle)

2008-03-16T16:38:00.012-04:00

March 16th, 2008: For some reason the wines of Vosne and Chambolle appeared on retailers shelves much later than those of other appellations. That they would be in various stages of shut-down was not lost on us, particularly after the Grand cru tasting showed that the wines were for the most part shutting down (Part 4). Luckily I get to taste leftovers the next day so it is not an impossible task to assess the wines with the benefit of prolonged aeration. Besides, our club has several Barolo afficionados, who are able enjoy wines even at their fiercest. There were 11 wines and they were poured BLIND in flights of 3 after an initial flight of 2.
Vosne
Beaumonts (Daniel Rion)
Beaumonts (Bertagna)
Beaumonts VV (Laurent)
Chaumes (Gros Freres)
Suchots (Lamarche)
Suchots (Girardin)
Suchots (Cacheux)

Chambolle
Village VV (Lignier-Michelot)
1er Cru Cuvee Jules (Virgile Lignier)
Baudes (Drouhin)
Gruenchers (D.Duband)

Menu:
Terrine of Guinea Hen with Indian Spices, Mesclun Salad

Duck Leg Confit, Carrot Sauce, Sauteed Scallion and Carrot

Rabbit Loin w Black Truffle Salsa, Sauteed Napa Cabbage and Brown Beech Mushrooms

Roast Beef Filet, Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Mixed Greens

Selection of Cheeses: Petit Basque, Comté and Selles-s-Cher

1. Girardin Vosne Suchots: On first pass there was little to be gleaned from the nose--it was mostly taut and reserved. The palate was no different--it was unyieldingly tannic and muscular. With time (particularly the next day) the nose revealed a fragrant faded roses bouquet and some spice. The tannins were much calmer, allowing the buried fruit to poke through and reveal itself as being rich and elegant with a powerful undercurrent of acidity. Possibly higher score later but for now 90 points

2. Cacheaux Vosne Suchots: The contrast between this and The Girardin was immense. This had a big, sweet nose of cherry liqueur and ripe fruit. It was big and brawny on the palate with a distinct lack of supporting glycerine. Exotic spices in finish some of which is from new oak. Nothing amiss here but it is a bit one dimensional and linear for my taste. 87 points

3. Virgile Lignier Chambolle 1er Cru Cuvee Jules: Gently spicy with hints of Jasmine flowers and tea. Silky on the palate it showcases bright fruit with the oak currently in the background. Medium-full with layers of delicious and accessible fruit. Long finish finally unwinds the packed fruit in a mild crescendo. Delicious already. Big and bold I have no problems in recommending this wine because it has finesse in reserve unlike the previous wine. 90-91 points

4. Laurent Vosne Beaumonts VV: Bigger than the Lignier Chambolle this sports a nose that flaunts bacon and raspberry like fruit . Perhaps too loud and confected. Ditto on palate with lots of creamy "pinot " fruit , vanillin from oak, exotic "pumpkin spice" blend , and a lowish acidity that is unable to enliven the sweet tasting fruit. Delicious as a pinot noir but does not rise to the level of a fine 1er cru Vosne. 88 points

5. Drouhin Chambolle Baudes: Quite reduced at first but does not reek of sulfur; color intensifies with time and the original impression of this wine as wimpy was totally proven otherwise. Even later it was still not showing its best but there was pure silky fruit with decent acidity. Even more charming the next day. Just does not have the density to be excellent but a nicely balanced wine that clearly needs time. Maybe underestimating it. 90+ points

6. Domaine Rion Vosne Beaumonts: Very fine nose with scents of crushed stones and talc. Not shy at all. On the palate the fruit is tinglingly bright and the tannins are velvety. Though it seems on the rich side it maintains its poise and balance. Excitingly good without really having high notes. This is a wine which is not trying to be more than what it is and as a result becomes more than what it is. 91+ points

7. Bertagna Vosne Beaumonts: Plush and full on the nose with "pumpkin-bread spices" on the nose. Has tremendous immediate appeal since the palate is packed with fruit enrobed by gentle tannins. Complexity is not apparent now but I am sure in about 4-5 years the obvious fruitiness will be replaced by other elements. I like it even now except for its hot finish. Unlike the Laurent wine (#4) this does not pall on the palate even if the styles are seemingly similar. 89-90 points

8. Lignier Michelot Chambolle Village: In the company of the above wines this stood out as simple and verging on the dull side. Other Lignier Michelot wines (see previous tasting notes) have been good so there is clearly something amiss here. ???

9. Lamarche Vosne Suchots: Sensational nose sporting bacon and spice that is clearly from new oak, and a sense of crushed red fruits. The palate echoes the nose and there is soft fruit which is velvety and exotic and the wood tannins have been nicely integrated so that the wine has balance and structure to keep it interesting. Elegant and stylish it managed to stay fresh even the next day. 90-91 points

10. Gros Freres Vosne Chaumes: Odd mentholated nose--loads of bacon with hints of cotton candy--enough said--to me it was like drinking pinot noir "port".

11. Duband Chambolle Gruenchers: Unexcitingly fruity with very little hints of much else. Round and resolved (already?) it is warm and gentle on entry but overall too simple for the greatness of this vintage. While I liked it at first, subsequent tastings , w dinner and next day, did not elevate the wine. Enjoyable but not exciting. 87 points

What is a GRAND VIN? 2005 GRAND CRU RED BURGUNDY TASTING

2008-03-03T11:04:00.030-05:00

March 2nd, 2008

In preparing for this tasting of 2005 Grand Cru burgundies I was thinking of the many, many bottles of Grand Cru Red Burgundy that I had tasted in the last 2 decades that simply failed to excite and that were, in some cases, pathetic excuses for "Grand Vin/ Grand Cru". That got me thinking: "what is a Grand Vin?" Translated:"what wines qualify for greatness and deserving of Grand Cru status?"

The phrase “Grand Vin” is not restricted to Grand Cru Burgundy or other pedigreed wines from elsewhere. But Grand Cru burgundy (since that is what I am discussing) should be synonymous with “Grand Vin”. It is often not immediately apparent when a wine should deserve this exaltation because it is not possible to quantify inherent quality. The more its renown the more nuanced and subtle it usually is (at least in the French hierarchy). An intensity of fruit, while desirable, is not one of the prime assets of a Grand Cru.Traits of precision, persistence and purity are what eventually exalts these wines. Floridity and immediacy are more attributable to wines of less class. Wines of Grand Vin quality, usually in their youth, only give sneak peeks of what is to come. They might not set the taste receptors on fire but they oftentimes send brain cells tingling with excitement. At least, this is my personal view.

The designation “Grand Cru” for certain vineyards in burgundy is not because they yield fruit that have high alcohol potential. In fact it is almost the reverse. The vineyards are often on poor soil and poorly exposed and the fruit barely ripens. For instance, upper sections of Chambertin and Latricieres are cool and sheltered by woods just above them. Even in good years (at least in the past, when global warming was not around) they often give a measly 11.5% alcohol . So chaptalization is/was often necessary just to balance the wine out with body (alcohol). BUT, in great years,such as the 2005 vintage, they need no such assist. In 2005 fruit came in at around 13.0 to 13.5 % potential alcohol in nearly all the Grand Cru vineyards. As it did in 2003 as well. Yet in the 03's the qualities of nuance, precision and finesse are completely swamped by the aggressive intensity of the fruit hogging the limelight , which is not what Grand Vin is about. The 2003's are big wines but without balletic athleticism. They taste of fruit with little sense of "belonging somewhere" . Pinot Noir yes, but the 03's are not convincing as Grand cru, let alone decent red burgundy .

The 2005's are different. Balance should be key to a Grand Vin and though burgundy Grand Cru 2005 red wines may ( nearly always) show less well at this point in time than 1er Crus or even Village wines, their greatness, in most cases, can be sensed even now. Even with ,or especially because of, their rough & tough youthfulness at this young age, they will mature in a slow arc,- unlikely to please those without patience. They will exemplify the definition of what,I think, it takes to be a Grand Vin. Delayed gratification.

TASTING PROTOCOL: This event was a BYOB dinner and there were 9 wines at this tasting. The crus were identified ahead of time but not their producers (except for Clos de Lambrays of course). Most wines were opened at least 45 minutes, but not decanted, prior to start of tasting. Wines were tasted blind in flights of 3 and then retasted with dinner. Final assessment was made the next day after tasting blind with dinner. The final score is after retasting them (except for one) the second day.

DINNER MENU:
Breast of Guinea Hen w Truffle Sauce, Cabbage Pancake and Prunes with Foie Gras Mousse
Grilled Magret (Duck breast), Sweet-Potato Gnocchi and Chard
Filet of Beef, Potato Gratin Dauphinois and Green Beans
Selection of Cheeses: Comté, Petit Basque and Selles-s-Cher

FLIGHT ONE: (in order of wines poured blind)

GIRARDIN ECHEZEAUX VV : Muted and reserved on the nose with the faintest hint of violets; firm, puissant and nervy (due to CO2?) with a core of coiled fruit. Finish is taut and spicy. Nothing about this is on the level of a blockbuster but it's feminine elegance and potential aromatic complexity can be sensed even now . (I thought it was too delicate to be a Gevrey grand cru, which it was not ). My second favorite of the evening-- particularly noteworthy since it was positioned badly as the first wine of the evening. Next day it opened up to reveal a wine that was both delicious and seductive with gentle tannins adding an edge to the finish. Still fresh with red fruits and a touch of juniper spice; crisply luscious. It became my top choice of the 9 wines in this tasting. In prior tastings (see posts from last year and in Feb'08) the 2005 Girardins have always been impressive and taken top honors. For those looking for purity and freshness the 2005 wines of this domaine so far, from the few that we have already tasted, seem like a must have. 94 points

JP Magnien CLOS ST.DENIS: Even more closed in than the previous wine but after coaxing it also reveals violets and, this time, some gamey elements on the nose but the palate is unyielding. Tough. Reminded me of a young Cote-Rotie. Next day it did open up but did not reveal particularly interesting elements nor was it hinting at potential greatness. 89-90 points

Domaine Marchand Clos de la Roche: Warmer presence on the nose with sweet, forward, licorice tinged fruit which was entirely in the red fruits spectrum. Like the others not much going on palate-wise except that the tannins seemed to be minimally intrusive. A little loose knit and alcoholic finish. But food (cheese) did enable the wine to impress. Next day , however, the wine perked up and was better knit and delicious without excess of fruit. Fine but not aristocratic enough. My prior experiences with the vintages of the 1980's from this domaine did not lead me to expect much but this was a surprise. This will make a very good wine. 91+ points.

FLIGHT TWO:

Clos de Lambrays: Compared to the previous wines, this jumps from the glass with aromatic intensity and, yet judged on its own, it is reserved and shy- not just backward. The palate is cool and exquisitely etched with a delightful interplay of medium weight fruit, acid and soft tannins. The finish is intense but not marked by tannins and the overall impression is that of a wine honestly mirroring its terroir. My favorite of the whole evening, on day one . Next day the wine held up as expected and its nobility was reflected in its understated masculinity (like that of a male ballet dancer) and fineness of its tannins. Only wished it had a touch more depth and layering on the palate . Still excellent. 93+ points

Camille Giroud Chapelle Chambertin: Quite a bit of blue to the core; unrevealing nose but on the palate there is a sensation of fullness and amplitude, missing in the previous wines (because they were more closed I would presume). Fresh and round with a slightly brothy aftertaste it captures the ripeness of the vintage but was left wishing for extra nuances. Easily the wine that was most accessible since there was none left over to retaste . 91-92 points

Domaine Huguenot Charmes Chambertin: Also deep in color as the previous wine. A similar warmth and amplitude as well. Very tight on palate with a stern middle which, after some time, gives hints of red cherries, meat and truffles-- slightly old-fashioned perhaps in the way that the tannins encapsulate the fruit leaving a void in the center. Hard to judge at this stage and I scored it about 89 points with a footnote that the potential may be greater. The next day , however, the wine opened up like a lotus in full bloom with classic Gevrey animale character backed by fragrance of faded flowers. Potential beginning to be revealed! It has excellent concentration and fruit is nicely framed by skin tannins rather than that of oak. Fine wine. 92-93 points

FLIGHT THREE

Castagnier Latricieres Chambertin: Nose was delightfully rich with ripe dark fruits, all composed rather than overripe but, for now, mainly fruit driven; intense attack with creamy fruit leads to a broad mid-palate where the fruit plays off nicely against the acidity. Tannins are soft and well balanced. Lovely exotic wine with a touch of asian spices. The most concentrated wine so far it, however, manages its weight without losing precision. Next day, the wine maintained its aristocratic personality and strong presence both in mid palate and in the finish. Excellent. 92 points

Dupont Tisserandot Mazis Chambertin: Nose had a slight mustiness , whose presence was still felt the next day. This probably affected impressions of the wine, none of which were worthy of a grand cru. The wine as it seemed was 4-square and rustic with loads of acidity (which was good) and even if the mustiness did diminish the wine (this bottle) , it was a bit of a dull wine. If this is representative of the wine then this must take a back seat to the fine 2002 Mazis from this domaine. Not Rated

Jacques Prieur Clos Vougeot: Nose is not particularly intense but has new oak domination; the palate surprises with concentrated black fruits, spicy vanillin oak and a solid dollop of acidity. Very intense and impressive but with exaggerated musculature. A bit of a showboat, nothing is subtle about this wine. The second day the wine was less fresh than the other specimens but still ripe and round. Because of its obviousness it did not make my top 3 but nearly half the group had it as their favorite of the evening. 92 points

Wines of Atillio Ghisolfi

2008-02-27T09:59:00.004-05:00

The 1999 Barolo Visette of Atillio Ghisolfi was so impressive that I sought out other vintages of this producer who until now was unknown to me. Here is a brief snapshot of my thoughts on his 2002 and 2000 vintage.
The 2002 was a good example of a producer doing as best as he could with that vintage. It was thoroughly enjoyable even while being dry and meager as I expected. In the right situation, like during summer or with plain charcuterie, this is exactly the kind of wine that would work well. A great effort.

The 2000(89 points) was massive, with tannins and alcohol overwhelming at first but eventually, after 2 hours, evidence of rich underlying fruit emerges with hints of roses and tar. In spite of the richness of the wine it was not as balanced as the 1999 Visette. Moreover the finish was ungainly, port -like and alcoholic. If the only measure of a wines's quality is heft then this would be considered superior in comparison to the 1999. But to my palate the 1999 is a more complete package.

2008-02-09T12:22:00.002-05:00

A Tale of 2 Barolos

This past week I decided to see how some 1999 Barolos were faring and chose to open (on different nights) G.Mascarello’s Villero (Castiglione) and A. Ghisolfi’s Bricco Visette (Monforte). I was surprised to see how drinkable both were and yet, though I scored them the same, they could not be more different.
Mascarello Villero 1999: Nose leaps out from glass with soft plummy fruit and hi-toned aromas. Rich and broad on the palate there is little evidence of interfering tannins. Very ripe fruit. Already delicious, if a little low in acidity, this should make a convert of any one who does not understand how great the wines of Barolo can be. If you have any of this wine try it for it is ready to strut. 93 points.
Ghisolfi Bricco Visette 1999: Color was surprisingly darkish while the nose clearly said traditional. Not knowing the producer I would wager that some modern technique of color extraction was employed but the wine was otherwise mostly traditional . Initially I thought the nose was of the level of Grand cru Burgundy , involved and complex, but it then evolved and I envisioned it as an amalgam of Haut Brion with a fine Vosne Cru. In short simply lovely. Here the tannins are bold and yet never aggressive. Fruit is clearly etched with a hint of espresso-like bitterness (which I love in Italian wines) and the finish is firm and long with conviction. While this and the Villero have nearly similar levels of concentration I like the structure on this one a tad more. A modern classic. Try now or wait 2 years. 93+ points

2005 Red Burgundies--Part 3

2008-02-02T11:06:00.004-05:00

Tasting Protocol: As usual the wines were tasted blind and then retasted , after unveiling, again with dinner . Some wine from each bottle was held back for retasting next day. the 4 course dinner menu was: Chicken Paillard with Linguini and Wild Mushrooms, Duck Leg Confit, Lamb Stew with Glazed Turnips, and a Cheese course.

Flight of Pommards

1. Bouchard, Pommard Pezerolles : Deep color with a rich, vanillin nose. Hints of strawberries and red cherries. Sneaky attack leads to an explosive center where the intensity of the fruit is matched by an abundance of tannins, nearly all of which is tender and fully ripe. Well made wine, which showcases pristine fruit. For being the first wine in the tasting this is more than just excellent. Should be readier than most 05's . 91 points

2. Girardin, Pommard Rugiens : Though showing a touch of reduction this is earthier with some gamey notes. In contrast to the above, the nose is not just about about fruit (mostly red)for it is complex with nuances of minerals and violets. This has less new oak than the Bouchard Pezerolles. On the palate the exceptionally pure and ripe fruit is nicely framed by acidity rather than by oak tannins. Quite layered , stylish and utterly charming, - words that seem so un-Pommard like. 91 points

3. Billard-Gonnet, Pommard Pezerolles : Rather peculiar nose with aromatics more associated with white wine than with red. Medium bodied with good acid and slight tannins but not much in the way of fruit concentration. The wine is overall quite simple and light, though there is balance on a smaller scale. 85 points

Flight Of Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots

4. Jerome Chezeaux :Firm, reticent nose tinged with hard edged minerality. On the palate the wine is taut and spicy, both from oak and fruit. Not effusive but moderately concentrated and, typically for the vintage, restrained by acid and tannins from full expression. Finish is slightly hard as well. Clearly needs time since only the next day did the wine reveal the ripe fruit that lay hidden. Very Good Value ($40) 88+ points

5. Jadot : Fragrant and classy nose with fruits more in the red spectrum. Rich and muscular on the palate, it softens quickly with time . Has more Vosne character than Nuits. The next day it was positively evolved . A wine of excellent balance and style. Can be drink now with a few hours of decantation. 90 points

6. Dominique Mugneret : Compared to the above two this is much fuller and deeper, both in color and on the nose. Brothy, dense black fruits on the nose, with a hint of slate-like minerality. Very ripe on the palate (some thought overripe) it is quite steely with an abundance of ripe tannins but not perhaps the level of acidity of the Jadot’s Boudots. Spicy and long it is a generous wine from a winemaker whose wines I have not encountered previously. In the end I marginally preferred this to the Jadot wine. An Excellent Value ( $55 ) 91 points

Flight of Gevrey Villages “Vieilles Vignes”

7. Marc Roy: Not particularly dark but a lovely bright cherry red. Nose is subdued but warmly inviting even though it is nearly closed in. Sleek and delicious on entry with a composite of red and black fruits and considerable tannins. With time, and particularly the next day, the wine showed lovely purity of pinot noir , framed and nicely delineated by acidity. This is not a wine of power but one that tantalizes with its unassuming personality. Best drunk before 2015. Another new producer to me. 89-90 points

8. Humbert Freres: Rather forward and feminine but even though it starts of silky and supple, lurking tannins are clearly present. As the finish unfolds to a long and persistent finish, the power of the wine is apparent. It is without a doubt one of the finest village wines I have ever tasted and it helps that the vines are over 65 years old. A wine to enjoy over the next 10 years. (Incidentally the 2006 VV , from a barrel sample, is likely to be every bit as good this wine). 90 points

9. F.Magnien: Quite dark; dark fruits with exotic scent of baking spices. Rich, perhaps superficially, and tough . After the above two wines this is like a hammer ... obvious and chunky. Alcoholic finish. 85 points

Flight Of Gevrey 1er Crus

In a previous tasting (part2) a less well known cru, Bel Air of Taupenot-Merme, which sits above Clos de Beze surprised us with its class and power. So this flight was chosen to highlight other less known 1er crus of Gevrey-- Combottes, Petite Chapelle and Au Closeau, all of which abut Grand Cru vineyards. Les Combottes adjoins Mazoyeres, Latricieres Chambertins and Clos de la Roche (in Morey), the Petit Chapelle adjoins Chapelle Chambertin, while Au Closeau is just below Mazis Chambertin.

10. Dupont Tisserandot, Petit Chapelle : Very dark and seemingly extracted. Rich and deep with subtle hints of game and truffles. Even though it is quite dense this is not at all heavy because the enormous core of acidity and scaffolding of tannin keeps the wine nicely balanced. This wine showed even better the next day and the overall impression of the wine was one of soft masculinity. Like the 2002 wine this too is a winner. 90+ points

11.Pierre Amiot, Combottes: Quite closed on the nose but clearly a wine of substance. Surprisingly more expressive on the palate with cool minerality underpinning the ripe and thoroughly ebullient fruit— so much so, the fruit appears to dance on the palate with the masculine power and finesse of a male ballet dancer. Though quite tannic it resolved completely the next night and was a prime example of the 2005 vintage being able to lift wines from cool sites (which this is) to soaring heights. The best example of Combottes I have ever tasted since a superb 1985 Dujac Gevrey Combottes. (The rest of the group did not rank this as high as I did, but ranked it well anyway) 92 points

12. Drouhin-Laroze, Au Closeau : Typical D-Laroze nose which emphasizes subtlety and purity. Fragrant and chalky minerals on palate with a slight body and a somewhat dilute middle. Hard edged and rather un-giving finish right now. Did not gain amplitude even after 2 days, yet was never dull or clunky. In an anomaly the first wine of the evening , the Bouchard Pommard Pezerolles, showed supremely well while this the last wine, which had been open 90 minutes longer, showed less than well. May be a slow bloomer. 87-88 points

2007-12-25T15:07:00.002-05:00

Archived list of titles (in sequence) for the year 2007:
WFCC Christmas Dinner 2007
2001 Barolo Scoreboard (updated 12/ 2007)
2001 Brunello Tasting Scoreboard (Updated 12/2007)
Thanksgiving Dinner 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
2005 Red Burgundies-- Part 2
2005 Red Burgundies: A Heuristic First Look
Susan Glass' Birthday Dinner:
"Grand Crus" of Barolo-- Cannubi, Brunate and Villero
2001 Brunello Tasting Scoreboard (March,2007)
2001 Barolo (Part 2) March 11th , 2007
2001 Brunello (Part 3)
2001 Brunello Tasting (Part 2)

WFCC Christmas Dinner

Sunday 12/23/07: Christmas Dinner/ Bert's Birthday rolled into one. And, Bob announced that he and Cassandra are engaged. So it was quite a festive meal with fresh winter truffles just flown in from Perigord (Quelobjet.com). As creater/designer of the evening I will refrain from passing judgement on the food.

Amuse Bouches:
Yogurt -Tea-Olive Oil Cocktail (Grant Achatz)
1982 Pol Roger (Winston Churchill) Outstanding. A rich but restrained mouthful. 5*
Bacon Broth (Ideas in Food) with Egg, Black Truffle
1986 Pol Roger (Winston Churchill) Better the second day--touch rustic 4*
Spot Shrimp stuffed with Foie gras-Truffle Mousse
1990 Egly-Ouriet Fading and tired. Bottle perhaps? 1*
Linguini w Clam Sauce on a “fork” (Keller-French Laundry)
1990 Pol Roger Vibrant, rich and zesty 4*

King Crab with Black Truffle, Fennel Puree and Olive Oil.
1990 Chevalier Montrachet (Niellon)---terrific/balanced majesty 5*
1986 Corton Charlemagne (Tollot-Beaut)Hints of botrytis. Now tiring/lost its zip 2.5*

John Dory perfumed w Lemon Verbena and Ham and Cucumber (Gagnaire)
1995 Chavignol La Grande Cote (Cotat) Sleek, crisp and delicious 4*

Rabbit-Prosciutto-Lentil Tempura, Carrot Essence, and
Bamboo Rice w sauteed Black Trumpet Mushrooms
1996 Barbaresco (Produttori) Past its prime.
2001 Barbaresco Martinenga (Marchesi di Gresy) Stylish , gently persistent. Medium full 3.5*

Squab Breast w Fig and Chocolate sauce, Pomegranate Air, Green Apple Fluid Gel
1987 Volnay Caillerets Soixante Ouvrees (Pousse d’Or) Hollow, disjointed--reaching end.2*
1991 Clos de la Roche (Dujac) Character plus--true Grand cru..superb 4*

Lamb Loin, Baguette, Garlic Emulsion, Eggplant and Tomato Syrup (Michel Bras)
1994 Henschke Hill of Grace Majestically boring. 2*(?)
1998 Clos Fourtet Vapid but better 2nd day 2.5-3*

Cheeses: Parmesan Vache Rosso and Selles-s-Cher
2001 Gevrey Chambertin Coeur de Roy (Dugat-Py) Rich w layers of flavors . 3.5*

1999 Clos Vougeots (Jadot and Ch.de la Tour) Plain boring and wasted juice respy. 2* and 0*

Dessert: Birthday Cake
1996 Coteaux du Layon Sainte-Catherine (Baumard). Fine, not too sweet. Typical .3.5*

2007-12-19T12:05:00.006-05:00

2001 Barolo Score card

2001 Barolo Scoreboard (updated 12/ 2007)

The wines rated are described (tasting notes) in the March 2007 blog and in a November 2006 blog. Ratings from a May 2007 tasting have been back added to the scoreboard. There is some semblance of order of preference within categories but that is not of importance. Most controversial are the wines of G.Mascarello and the Cannubi of Scavino , which were unanimously disliked by the tasting group. The Scavino wine for instance may have been a bad bottle (no corkiness or such though) but my own feeling is that the 1999 Cannubi is so much better. After 2 poor specimens of Mascarello Mon Privato a more typical (?) bottlechanged my opinion around. But there is a cautionary story for all of us who critique wiens==which of the 4 bottles was the true representaive?

Some wines have been also been added to the scoreboard subsequent to the tastings . If a previously scored wine is tasted/drunk again within a year of a previous sample a new score is added.

Outstanding:(>95 points)
None tasted so far.

Excellent : (92-95 points)
Conterno,G. “Cascina Francia"
Cavalloto Bricco Boschis
Vietti "Brunate"
Pira (Chiara Boschis) "Cannubi"
Manzone “Meriame” ( poor cork--worried about aging potential)
Porro “Lazzaraisco”
Mascarello, G “Mon Privato” (original rating)

Very Good (89-92 points)
Grasso,E “Gavarini Vigna Chiniera”
Massolino “Parafada”
Einaudi "Cannubi"
Schiavenza “Broglio”
Marcarini "Brunate"
Grasso, E “Ginestra Casa Mate”
Marcarini “La Serra”
Rosso, G “Cerretta” ( poor cork--yet good for now)
Damilano "Cannubi"
Aurelio Settimo "Rocche" (9/07)

Merely Good (85-89 points)
Manzone “Gramolere-Le Bricat” (down graded after 2 other bottles tasted weaker)
Scavino "Cannubi"
Marengo “Brunate”
Principiano "Boscareto" (10/07; near term wine)
Cogno "Ravera"
Cucco "Ceratti" (10/7; start to drink)
Seghesio “La Villa”
Brovia "Villero"
Boasso “Gabutti”
Boroli "Villero"
Mascarello, G “S.Stefano di Perno”
Fenocchio "Villero"
Molino “Gancia”
Revello “Giacchini”
Sebaste "Monvigliero"
Not To My Liking (less than 85 pts)

F.Borgogno "Cannubi"

2007-12-19T11:58:00.008-05:00

2001 Brunello Tasting Scoreboard (Updated 12/2007)

The scores are from 3 tastings which were previously blogged (December 2006, February 2007 & March 2007). When multiple bottles were tasted I averaged the scores. Wines have been also been added to the scoreboard retroactively subsequent to the tastings . If a previously scored wine is tasted/drunk again within a year of a previous sample a new score is added.

Outstanding (>96 Points)
None Tasted

Excellent (92-95)

La Serena "Gemini" (94 pts)
Villa Le Prata ( 93+)
Il Poggione (93)
Scopetone (93)
Sassetti "Pertimali" (92)
Fuligni (92--tasted 12/07)
Innocenti (92)
Baricci (92)
Lazzaretti (92)
Nardi "Manachiarra" (92)
La Fuga (92)
Capanna (92--tasted 11/07)
Mocali "Vigna Raunate" (92; though scored it 93 at first, other bottles were 90 to 92)

Very Good (89-92)

Lisini (91+ --tasted 12/07)
Macioche (91)
Caparzo La Casa (91)
Nardi (91)
Collelceto (91)
Brunelli Riserva (91 pts/added feb 2008)
Pacenti (90)
Uccelliera (90)
Poggio Nardone (90)
Castiglione del Bosco (90--tasted 12/07)
La Rasina (90)
Gorelli (90)

Le Gode (89)
Piancornello (89)
Camigliano (89)
Argiano (89)
Poggiarellino (89)
Poderina (89)
La Gerla (89)

Good (85-89)
Il Castellare (88)
Colombini (87+)
Collosorbo (87--the better bottle)
Morazzano (87--tasted 11/07; for near term--a bit light)
Le Chiuse (86)
Tricherchi (86)
Frescobaldi (85)
Donna Olga (85)
Fanti (85)
Caparzo (85)

Less than 85 points (Not to my Liking)

Rendola (84--tasted 12/2007--only a RdM quality level wine)

Thanksgiving Dinner 2007

2007-11-19T19:46:00.000-05:00

Foie Gras Mousse, Quince Salsa, Bread
Diver Scallop, Barbecued Royal Trumpet Mushrooms
Crab , Artichoke and Brie Fritter

2005 Poet’s Leap Riesling (Columbia Valley, WA)
1992 Montelena Chardonnay (Napa)

Spotted Shrimp Sashimi in an Asian style Broth a la Nantua

1995 Marcassin Lorenzo Vineyard (Sonoma)

Sauteed Filet of Wild Striped Bass, Salsify, Celeriac Veloute, Picholine Olive “Dust”

2003 Aubert "Lauren" (Sonoma)
1994 Kistler Dutton Ranch (Russian River)

Salad, Squab Breast, Curried Walnuts, Porcini Amber

1996 Martin Ray Diamond Mtn Cabernet Sauvignon
1994 Grgich Hills (Napa)

Veal Loin and Rack, Sauteed Yukon Potatoes, Compressed Coriander Stems,
Red Chard Stems, Tea infused Mushroom Sauce

1987 Montelena
1987 Mondavi Reserve

Roast Wild Turkey, Sweet Potato Jelly, Shredded Brussel Sprouts w Coconut and Curry Leaf, and Plum Currant Ginger Chutney

1987 Dominus
2004 J.Albin Laurel Vineyard Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, OR)

Selection of Cheeses: Lamb Chopper (Wisconsin), Selles-s-Cher and Comté

1980 Caymus (Napa)
1981 Caymus (Napa)

Ice Cream (Pistachio), Sorbet (Green Apple) and Cookies

2005 Red Burgundies-- Part 2

2007-11-14T19:43:00.002-05:00

November 11th, 2007: The club convened for the second part with hope that the wines this time would show better than they did in part 1 , and give us a truer glimpse into the potential greatness of the vintage. HOPE WON. Read on and you will understand why. But first this one thought--in the 2 tastings so far I found myself invoking Barolo's for comparison, without really identifying tar or licorice in the aromas. On occasion,though, there were the haunting scents of dried roses (which I just lump into the fragrant category) that is found in Barolo wines. Similarities were more of a structure thing for me. Perhaps you will understand why, if you too are a Barolo lover.

As for the dinner menu: It was Duck x 3— first course was Duck liver Mousse , Second Course was Duck Breast with cauliflower puree and “curried” cabbage and finally Duck Leg Confit with salad greens.

The first wine (Marsannay) was not tasted blind. The others were tasted blind and then retasted , after unveiling, again with dinner . Some wine from each bottle was held back for retasting next day.

Geantet-Pansiot: Marsannay Champs Perdrix
Fresh crushed fruit on the nose; plump, luscious and delicious on the palate. Astounding quality for a Marsannay that shows that the excellence of the 2005 vintage spans the entire length of the Cote d’Or. Not since 1985 has a rising tide lifted all boats in Burgundy. Soft, brimming with fruit and elan this is exactly the kind of wine that can go head to head with New World pinots. 5* for exceeding expectations.

MOREY SAINT DENIS FLIGHT

Raphet 1er Cru Les Millandes : Corked. End of story. I will wait for the release of Embaq (Dream taste) before opening anymore bottles--at least if Embaq works as it says it does, and I can make the corkiness disappear in less than an hour.

Lignier-Michelot en la rue de Vergy: Rich color; dense nose that is both fragrant (particularly the next day) and meaty; sleek and spicy with hint of herbs afire; ripe tannins buried underneath the sumptuous (but not dense) fruit. More Chambolle than Morey , this is at turns delicate and assertive, mainly because the acids in the wine are slow to show themselves. A GREAT BARGAIN and VALUE. 2008-2015. 90 points

Lignier-Michelot 1er Cru Chenevery(s) : Limpid color , it is actually less opaque than the above wine; immediate sensation on the nose is of minerals, but it is mostly closed in even after 24 hours; palate impression is of bright acidity, chalky and bing cherry like fruit. The second day it remained stubbornly firm with hints of new leather. Right now the finish is clipped , but there is no doubt this is a wine of promise and in a few years will outshine its lieu-dit sibling above. Wonderfully paired with fattiness of the duck. Excellent. Needs 2-3 years. 90-91 points

PS: The next night I tried the 2002 vintage of the Chenevery and, while it was extremely enjoyable, it was not exhilarating. A low key nature was present in both vintages but the 2005 definitely is the better of the two.

GEVREY CHAMBERTIN FLIGHT

Geantet-Pansiot en Champs : Sweet new oak blends beautifully with the broad and slightly brothy nose; like the Marsannay above this too brims with fruit but here it is underpinned with soft tannins and acidity and additional layers of intensity; sexy, creamy and irresistibly long. It is already quite a mouthful so this can be enjoyed starting now . A village wine that is on the expensive side but worth seeking out just to try. Vincent Geantet has hit a home run here and , in general, with all his other wines as well in this vintage (more on that later). Fascinating to see how this would age. 90-91 points

Taupenot-Merme 1er cru Bel Air: Much more restrained than the en Champs it is also more delicate and aloof but in a regal manner; on the palate the wine is somewhat closed; fruit is bright and tinged with minerality and is beautifully structured and balanced with thoroughly ripe tannins. Sleek and stylish, nothing is in excess here ,- just poised and restrained. The finish is gripping and very long. One of the group favorites of the evening. Excellent but not for long keeping. Best 2009-2020. 92 points

F.Magnien 1er cru Cazetiers: Swarthy nose, flat and dense by comparison to the above 2 Gevreys. Intense and rich but in an obvious manner; meaty, full bodied with good tannic backbone but the wine is superficially intense. The finish is sweet and glosses over the lack of real depth. Nonetheless, this is a very good wine. Just not “heady” great. 89 points

PAIR OF CORTON BRESSANDES

Girardin : Medium dark; high toned nose which is fragrant and tight but more on the elegant side rather than muscular; even after 24 hours the wine was mostly encapsulated with occasional hints of fruit wanting to burst out; minerally, medium bodied with expressive red fruit this wine shows great potential and is not for early drinking. Poised and restrained this should be a excellent wine in 3-4 years time. 91 points

Pousse d’Or: Deep, rich nose but most of the aromatics appear to be oak derived; spicy and more full on entry than the Girardin Bressandes but attenuated and pinched in the middle so it is less appealing; next day it did not improve. Missing its top notes. Would give this some time in bottle (3-4 years) before opening. I can see others rating this higher . 88-89 points

PAIR OF CHARMES CHAMBERTIN

F.Magnien: Bluish color; deep and brooding nose sports its new oak in a very restrained manner; very ripe fruit , almost dense, spreads out broadly on the palate; quite full with tannins on the smooth side which results in the wine tasting surprisingly forward. Rich, generous finish . There is a touch of elegance to the wine counterbalancing its masculine personality. Excellent even the next day 91 points

G.Raphet: Lighter in color than the above it is very slightly reduced at first but at this point is more closed than open; yet there is something exciting going on underneath its stern exterior. In a sense this is like a great Barolo– racy, sleek and tannic . It is a distillation of every exciting component that the terroir has to offer– minerally, beefy, truffley and just the faintest fragrant hint of rose-talcum powder which made for an exciting composite. Compared to the obvious flaunting of the Magnien wine, this is shy and backward. The greatness of this wine will be revealed with time. Terrific. Group favorite as well. 2010-2025. 92-93 points

2005 Red Burgundies: A Heuristic First Look

2007-09-20T18:30:00.002-04:00

Sept 16th, 2007
Inaugural Tasting Event for the 2007-08 Season of The WFCC
Prior to this tasting, a few of us had tasted several 2005 red burgundies out of barrel just prior to bottling(including a fabulous "Le Musigny" of Freddie Mugnier) and all signs pointed to a great vintage. For others in the WFCC group this tasting was to be their first encounter and naturally there was much interest in the outcome. Unfortunately, only a hodge-podge of wines were available at retail as of late August . They were therefore chosen out of necessity for this tasting. So when we settled on the final line-up, to make it interesting and as a learning experience, we tasted wines blind in pre-arranged pairs, which with the exception of one flight (pair) were wines from the same producer.
It has been said that in 2005 it was hard to go wrong and make bad wine. Alas in this tasting we encountered the lesser side of the vintage for the most part even after factoring in the obvious closing down of the wines in the bottle.
I recall tasting the 1985's at the same stage and those wines were luscious and deliciously forward. But the sheen of those wines did not last much past a decade because acidity was on the low side and loss of fruit was not counterbalanced by any complexity that had been gained with bottle age. Granted there are still a few expensive exceptions from the 1985 vintage, notably the wines of Henri Jayer. That fate is unlikely to befall these 2005 wines. In comparison to the 1985's the 2005 red burgundies in this tasting had both strong acidity and tannic structure to back the ripe fruit. The combination of the fruit ripeness, reminiscent of 1985, allied with the tannic structure like those of the 1993's is likely to make this vintage the greatest in the modern (post 1964) era for the Cotes de Nuits wines. The wines of the Cotes de Beaune, on the other hand, appear to be a stronger version of the already excellent 1999 vintage and the best since the 1978 vintage.

Wines leftover from the tasting (left uncorked!) were unoxidized and still revealing the next evening. Surprisingly, some even tasted fine and even better 48 hours later. This is an excellent harbinger of the potential for even the lesser wines to age and get better. The not so great showing of some of the wines in this tasting maybe because the wines have shut down since bottling. Even if that were to be true I still feel confident that the notes below fairly reflect the wines. And, if you love barolos you just might think after tasting the 05's that maybe nebbiolo and pinot noir are related after all.

Tortochot: Gevrey Champeaux : As the first wine wine of the evening, it is excusable if a wine does not show its best. This wine had no such excuse--at different time points in the tasting it showed the same, even with food there was little change--sullen and meager with reductive aromas-only the 48 hour sample showed decent--in summary, this is a throwback to a rustic style which does injustice even to that genre, particularly in a vintage like this. < 84 points

Tortochot: Gevrey Lavaux St.Jacques
Strong reduction persisted even the next day-- quite acidic, lean and straight-jacketed fruit-- tasted better 48 hours later so this may just need to air out for a few years. Not much to write about now. A Lavaux should certainly have more breed than this.
85-86 points

Voillot: Volnay Champans
Gorgeous delicate aromas that should be bottled and put in an atomizer. Sensual and silky with vivid red fruit, excellent acidity and impeccable balance--though just medium bodied it makes its presence felt on mid-palate and then migrates to a fairly gripping ( with fine tannins) yet sumptuous finish. 91-92 points

Voillot: Pommard Pezerolles
Fairly dark with fresh crushed fruit aromas highlighting strawberry fruit upfront. I was struck by the purity of the nose, unadorned as it were with new oak . Some new oak eventually makes itself felt on the palate but it is mostly subtle and an integrated part of the structure. Very harmonious wine that does not strive for power. Voillot's Pezerolles has never sought that, in my experience of tasting the wines of this vineyard over the past 2 decades (first with Joseph Voillot and then with J.P. Charlot), both in the cellar and stateside. Clearly a Pommard made by a Volnay producer. 91 points

Prince de Merode: Pommard Les Platieres
Quite dark; deep and sweet nose but without extra dimension. Chunky, full bodied with dry tannins marching lockstep with the fruit . Almost Barolo/La Morra like. Still fresh and plummy the next day with no trace of oxidation . Though this is not very broad and is quite upfront it does not detract from the fact that this one heck of a village wine. Needs a couple of years for tannins to fold back into the wine and then is best drunk sooner rather than later. I like this a lot. 89 points

Prince de Merode: Corton Renardes
Ripe and very focussed nose with a touch of new oak, roasted earth/meat aromas. On the palate it is sleek with bright acidity and a layered center. A very elegant Corton, it offers sensual drinking pleasure right now but there is an undercurrent of acidity that will make this wine a pleasure to savor after a decade in the cellar. One of the finest wines from this estate that I can remember.
92+ points

Jean Tardy: Nuits Au Bas de Combe
Both this and the next Tardy wine were a shade or two darker than the wines preceding. Nose is meager with simple, pleasant aromas of cherries and minerals. Not surprising since this was later revealed to be a village wine . On the first day the wine was less than inspiring but the next day it was substantially better with more substance and depth with a touch of bacon fat. A good village wine that just might have the legs to age and develop complexity in 6-7 years time. 86 points

Jean Tardy: Nuits Boudots
Ripe and intense, yet with a fragrant presence on the nose. Palate echoes the nose and the rich acidity counteracts the chocolate and ripe red cherries that dance on the palate. Flavors are not yet long but that should come with time. Fine wine, just not upper echelon.
89 points

D'Ardhuy: Corton Pougets
Though the color is not very dark it sports a rich nose with exotic spice box scents (from new oak). The palate is sensual and well balanced; the acidity is excellent and controls the flow of fruit right down to a seamless finish. A wine of reserved elegance. This even has the structure to age well past 2020 , I think, but it will be a wine hard to resist drinking young . One of the more forward wines of the tasting. 92 points

Aleth Girardin: Pommard Epenots
The color, the nose and palate pander to the modern demands of instant likeability. And, what is there not to like about this wine? Bacon, black jam dominates the nose with soft ripe fruit that spreads out like creamy melting butter (old viney) on the palate. Quite low in acidity, and not particularly deep. There is no mystery waiting in the wings--it is all there on show. An excellent introduction to red burgundy for those who love their pinots on the jammier, sweet side , which in this case just pulls back from the brink of over-ripeness. The traditionalists might have some qualms about this wine but there can be no quibble about rating it high on the deliciosity scale . It is , in my opinion, best enjoyed young over the next 10 years. 90 points

Jean-Marc Bouley: Volnay Clos des Chenes

Just the opposite of the Aleth Girardin wine--this is austere to a fault. Has the aromatics, the acidity and minerality of a Volnay but the flavors are on the meager side. Not much to recommend. Gave it 2 days to improve and perhaps emerge from a "shut-down" mode but never did improve. 85 points

Jean-Marc Bouley: Pommard Rugiens

Also very austere (even after 24 hours) but this a touch richer and deeper . It is also a lot more tannic (in an imbalanced way) than the Volnay. The oak dominates and this has a new world pinot-noir feel, in spite of its highish acidity . Chunky, simple finish with a touch of bitterness . The 2002 Rugiens of Bouley might be the better of the two 86 points

2007-09-10T18:57:00.000-04:00

Susan Glass' Birthday Dinner: Sunday , September 9th . For this special dinner I came up with so many menu ideas , that I was still undecided that morning what 80% of the dinner was going to be. Besides, Susan had invited Jerome Abustan ( he is an assistant to Tom Colicchio )to join 6 core members of the wine club for the dinner and I was naturally a bit unnerved. Luckily, Jerome checked in with me around 2 PM and after talking with him on the phone my fears vanished because his tone was friendly and he also told me that he would come over early and help if I needed. But enough of this meandering. To summarize, Jerome not only made an exquisite shiso aioli but also helped out in the kitchen a lot, including clearing the table and loading the DW! Reminded me of an old friend of mine from school days who was called Edmund and by evening's end I took to calling him that without realizing it.
And then there was Sujit Sheth. His incredible focus in keeping my kitchen free of clutter and helping in the actual cooking made my job that much easier. Now onto the dinner menu--in spite of a quiescent summer where I did little in the way of cooking/entertaining this turned out to be one of the best I/we have ever conceived for an occasion such as this for Susan's "Eventful/Significant" birthday. The rustiness just was not there thankfully even though I was making "liquid" raviolis for the first time (most actually looked like gnocchi). The picture shown was of the very first one and not a good representation of some better looking specimens that I pulled out later . Impatient photographer! Ways to go before I master this creative idea of Ferran Adria who made his ravioli from peas. I must also credit the recipe for making bacon broth to a fine food blog "Ideas in Food" and the inspiration for the Baby Squid "equilibrium" to Alona Beri in San Sebastian.
A Note on the pictures: I was not paying attention to what was being photographed and the last few plates in fact were photographed before garnishes were added at the last minute (garlic chive flowers and fried Basil leaf for the Tempura Plate, caramelized onions and black olive oil for the veal and onion rings for the sandwich course) so they look drab. Also missing is the dish containing Chicken Tikka on rice cake (called Palappam in Kerala, India) and topped with coconut rice vermicelli which was served as part of the quartet of Amuse G's. Just a case of an impatient photographer.
PS: Due to space restrictions (10 only) we could not invite over half of the wine group so there will be a reprise of some of the more interesting courses as part of an upcoming dinner (when I dont know)

Amuse Gueulles

Cauliflower Gelee with Caviar, Monkfish Medallion,
Corn Ravioli, Chicken Tikka on a Coconut-Rice Cake (Palappam)

1988 Charbaut Blanc de Blancs Reserve

1998 Dom Perignon

Breakfast for Dinner (Ham, Eggs, Potatoes and Hold the Toast)

Culatello Ham, Potato Puree, Seven Day Cooked Egg Yolk, and Bacon Broth

1947 Chateau Bouscaut (Graves)

Shellfish That is Not Farmed

Langoustine a la Plancha, Coon-Stripe Shrimp as Tempura and en Chemise (Tortilla)

1990 Zind Humbrecht Brand Vendage Tardive

1990 Foreau Vouvray Demi Sec

Susan’s Bete Noir Course

Baby Squid, Langoustine Broth, Bamboo Rice Risotto Cake
and a Pipet of Fagioli e Pasta Liquid

2000 Girardin Mersault Charmes

Sandwich: Meat, Bread, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Pickle and Tomato

Buffalo Cutlet, Maple Mustard, Wasabi Aioli, Cornichon and Pickled Yellow Pear Tomato

1999 Dujac Gevrey Chambertin Combottes

1999 Courcel Pommard Epenots

Susan’s Italian Favorites

Veal Tenderloin wrapped in Proscuitto, Baby Arugula, and Pasta (Setaro) w/ Truffle Sauce

2003 Aldo Conterno "IL Favot"

2001 Argiano Solengo

A Selection of Cheeses

Selles-s-Cher (Goat), Bitto (Goat and Sheep) and Petit Basque (Sheep)

1986 Gruard Larose

1999 Valdicava "Madonna del Piano" Brunnello de Montalcino

Dessert

Chocolate Cake by Don Fujihira and Lemon Verbena Ice Cream

1993 d'Yquem

2007-09-06T15:59:00.001-04:00

Addendum (August 2007). Summer is a time when I put the notebook away and just enjoy drinking wine without really getting cerebral. But the 2001 Brunello of Lazzeretti , a producer I was not familiar with, deserves special mention. It was a strikingly focussed wine with reserved aromatics on the nose, delicious and complex on the palate and intriguing. Did not take extensive notes but I think this may be one of the top wines of the vintage I have tasted so far.This deserves an upper echelon score of 92+ points. (see Brunello Scoreboard).

First Tasting Of the New Season: 2005 Red Burgundies-- a First Look-- September 16th, 2007

"Grand Crus" of Barolo-- Cannubi, Brunate and Villero

2007-05-12T11:40:00.000-04:00

Renato Ratti , winemaker, writer and an indefatigable promoter of Barolo DOCG wines , before he died in the late 1980's, bestowed 10 sites in the region as being exceptional. At that time most of these were blended into making a generic (in the best sense of the word) Barolo and site-specific wines were few. The notable ones one could find in stores in New York in the early 80's were Bussia (not on Ratti’s list of the top 10), Cannubi, Monprivato and Lazzarito . Now the great majority of wine-makers in the region release at least one site specific Barolo. In this tasting we took a look at three of the top (Grand Cru?) ten Renato Ratti designated sites-- BRUNATE, CANNUBI & VILLERO-- to see if we could draw conclusions about a uniting characteristic for each site.
All wines were decanted 4 hours before tasting. We began with a comparison of all 3 sites in the first flight and unveiled them to clue us into the character of each site. We then bunched all the wines of a single site into a flight and tasted them blind. What we discovered was that wine making style mostly trumped character of the site. The set of Villero wines perhaps were the most different, with a leaner more mineral profile while the set of both Brunate and Cannubi wines were softer, forward and intensely fragrant but difficult to distinguish from each other. Not surprising since the latter two are on Tortonian soil which is known to give wines of perfume and less tannic fruit, while the Villero site is on Helvetican soil which gives wines with greater structure .
Wines were retasted with dinner and, if there was any left over, re-assessed the next day also with dinner. Scores have been added to the Barolo Scoreboard (March 2007)

Marcarini, Brunate: Dark but not intensely extracted; sensuously fragrant with a hint of oak in the background; medium bodied ---sleek, silky with flavor of attar. Mildly tannic it is a gentle wine that does not overreach which makes for a balanced experience. Retasting it the next day , I was wishing for a touch more of acidity and forcefulness. 90/89

Damilano, Cannubi: Very dark; exotic spice, broad and plush on the nose; round, spicy with oak-tannins; richly alcoholic (glycerine), excellent depth and quite long. Next day the plush veneer peeled back to reveal a far less impressive wine than originally thought and the potential for complexity with aging is less certain. Overall, I prefer the 1999 vintage of this wine 91/88

Brovia, Villero: Even colored garnet; very muted nose; powerfully austere and firm on the nose; less fragrant than the previous two this is certainly a tough go at this stage (even after 4 hours decanting); finish marked by licorice and alcohol. Next day the tannins resolved completely revealing a medium bodied wine with good acidity, minerality and balance. Now markedly more accessible and , while not exactly delicious, it does have character and site driven complexity. Give this wine 3-4 years. 88/89

Marengo, Brunate: Dark and extracted; an explosion of fruit and fragrance both on nose and palate; clearly some barrique with caramel notes and almost over-ripe black cherries . Supple and forward it is tinged with flavors of roses and fennel. Sumptuous and long. After retasting with food and the next day, the wine still holds great interest but showed less grip. A far better showing for this wine than the one tasted in “Barolo 2001 Part 1" (Nov 2006) last year when I scored it much less. 92/91

Vietti, Brunate; rich color but not inky; warm ripe roasted fruit with fragrance intact; rich, full bodied wine showing a better interplay of tannins with the fruit than seen in the previous wine (Marengo) . Exquisite feel on the palate, it reveals some earthiness as it cascades to a long , chewy and delicious finish. Subsequent tasting confirmed its exquisite balance and style . A profound example of what Brunate can achieve. 92/93

F.Borgogno, Brunate: Note the producer’s first name—Francesco ( not Giacomo). Little to say that is positive about this wine: simple, slightly volatile, sour, rustic. Later retasting descriptors were not as bad–but “simple” was the recurring thought. 82/83.

Scavino, Cannubi: Orange edges to the rich ruby; slightly rustic aromas of cereal that are sideswiped by emerging scent of roses; firm attack but the flavors are anything but interesting and verge on the peculiar–did not get better with food later on. Tasted blind the next day it was once again peculiar with excessive licorice flavor. Probably just needs time to resolve but based on this bottle it is 88/87 points.

Pira (Chiara Boschis), Cannubi: Very dark; exotic nose that is a bit too vanillin, masking vineyard character; on the palate, however, the presence of new oak is surprisingly muted and contained . The wine is firm yet giving, aromatic and properly tannic with a great kernel of acidity. When the oak dissipates this should be a classic. Retasting merely confirms the excellent depth. 91/93

Einaudi, Cannubi : Very dark; sexy nose with licorice, caramel and vanilla as well as a hint of kirsch liquer. Rich, full and pliably firm. Gutsy tannins make the fruit lag behind and there is no doubt that there is a mass of fruit waiting to emerge. Austere finish belies the power lurking. This too promises to be a winner. 90/91

Fenocchio, Villero: Bleached color but there is not much reduction to account for the lack of depth in color; initially the nose was pretty but here was a bit too much of balsamic notes later on. Light on the palate with a touch of minerality , this does not capture the quality of the vintage–a lean wine. 87/86

G.Mascarello, Villero: Here we go again. Another G. Mascarello wine that is less than good in this vintage (as it was in in 2000 as well, in my experience). This time there is a touch of TCA which made an already uninteresting wine less interesting. ???

Boroli, Villero: Exotic nose with new oak character; softer than the other 2 Villeros it is round and pleasantly full but appears to be bereft of a core; it is unexcitingly good and not very nuanced. Nothing wrong here but lacks zip. 87/87.

2001 Brunello Tasting Scoreboard

2007-03-22T20:55:00.001-04:00

The scores are from 3 tastings which were previously blogged (December 2006, February 2007 & March 2007). When multiple bottles were tasted I averaged the scores.

Outstanding (>96 Points)
None Tasted

Excellent (92-95)
Villa Le Prata ( 93+)
Il Poggione (93)
Scopetone (93)
Mocali "Vigna Raunate" (93)
Sassetti "Pertimali" (92)
Lisini (92--tasted 12/07)
Innocenti (92)
Baricci (92)
Lazzaretti (92)
La Fuga (92)

Very Good (89-92)

Macioche (91)
Le Gode (91)
Nardi (91)
Collelceto (91)
Pacenti (90)
Uccelliera (90)
Poggio Nardone (90)
La Rasina (90)
Gorelli (90)
Piancornello (90)
Camigliano (89)
Argiano (89)
Poggiarellino (89)
Poderina (89)
La Gerla (89)

Good (85-89)
Il Castellare (88)
Colombini (87+): retasted 12/08 confirm 87 pts
Collosorbo (87--the better bottle)
Frescobaldi (87)
Morazzano (87--tasted 11/07; for near term--a bit light)
Le Chiuse (86)
Tricherchi (86)
Donna Olga (85)
Fanti (85)
Caparzo (85)

2007-03-16T18:45:00.000-04:00

Barolo 2001 (Part 2) March 11th , 2007
This tasting focussed on the wines of only 2 communes---Monforte d'Alba and Serralunga which allowed us to understand the zonal variation in character of the wines . Though the wines were tasted blind in groups of 3 it was quite easy to discern which group was which . On this intellectual exercise the entire group scored 100 . With the exception of 2 wines, and a corked wine, the tasting once again showed that 2001 vintage was not only exceptional but that more producers have, with recent experience competing on the world stage for recognition and accolades , discovered flair and style without compromising the inherent character of the region. Whereas in the past there would have be many examples of overly tannic wines without compensating depth, or musty bottles with unclean aromas, it appears that Barolo has finally arrived to take center stage with a run of fine vintages culminating with this --- the 2001 vintage. Even then the best may be yet to come .
Wines were double- decanted (bottle to decanter and back) 3 hours prior to tasting and tasted from Riedel Vinum Red Glasses. My tasting notes are mostly from the blind tasting part and with dinner but also include tasting impressions from tasting of the leftover wine the next day or in some cases 2 days later. The first score is that of my first impression and the second score (either up or down) is from later retastings of the wine.

MONFORTE D’ALBA

Elio Grasso Gavarini (Vigna Chiniera)
Elio Grasso Ginestra (Casa Mate)
Poderi Colla Dardi (La Rose Bussia)
Oddero Bussia (Mondoca)
Manzone Gramolere (Bricat)
G.Mascarello Santo Stefano di Perno

SERRALUNGA

Boasso Gabutti
Massolino Parafada
Guido Porro Lazzairasco
Schiavenza Broglio
Conterno Francia
Ascheri Sorano (Bricco/Coste)

Dinner Menu:
1. Chanterelle and Morel (Fall into Spring) Risotto
2. Apple and Root Vegetable Ragout with Crepes stuffed w Confit Duck
3 Roast “Piedmont” Short Loin of Beef with Broccoli Rape
4 Selection of Cheeses from Piedmont:
Bocconcini di Capra (Alta Langa), Robbiola Tre Latte (Fior di Langa)
Bra Duoro and from Tuscany “Cacio al Tartufo” (S.Gimignano)

Elio Grasso Gavarini--Vigna Chiniera: Gorgeous nose redolent of flowers (particularly roses the next day) and brimming with bright red fruits; on the palate the wine begins with a firm attack and then slowly leaks delicious vibrant fruit from under a cloak of tannin. The tannins are soft and perfectly ripe. Mouthfilling wine which, though it can be drunk now with 3-4 hrs decanting, would benefit from another 3-4 years of aging. A restrained Beauty. 91+ points

Manzone Gramolere Le Bricat: More organic than the previous wine it is earthier and less exuberant on the nose holding it close to the vest as it were; meaty and fairly rich on the palate it is restrained as it moves along to a long, somewhat powerful finish marked by velvety tannins . Though excellent with food it is a bit too compact and boxed in. 89-90 points

Mascarello, G Santa Stefano di Perno: Palish garnet; nose is uninterestingly brambly and faintly kirsch-like; palate is diffuse with a decided lack of concentration (same with the Mon Privato in part 1) and there is not much to write about one way or the other. A touch of sulfur could be holding the wine down but other than being a pleasant wine it is rather desultory (Susan Glass' descriptor which is most apt). 86-87 points

Porro, Guido Lazzairasco: Several shades darker than any of the previous wines, the nose leaps from the glass with scents of blue and black fruits with some tarry notes, as well as hints of chicory; on the palate there is remarkable density, velvety tannins and a sumptuous center. The wine seems to be a bit low in acidity but that is only because it is being smothered under the glycerine. Classically wrought wine with no modern excess. Over the next 2 days the wine still held sway revealing more of itself --- now roses and leather and a touch of game. Silky tannins were almost resolved. Excellent wine and a terrific value (under $40). 93-94 points

Massolino Parafada: Very Dark in color; rich, ripe and slightly oaky the nose announces itself with a not so subtle fanfare; with time there is even a hint of fading roses and talc (not unlike that of a Chateauneuf du Pape) ; profound on palate it is quite marked by tannin. Rich and broad it has dark chocolate flavors in the long finish. Later on with food, I found it edgy and tartaric (hard) and left searching for an extra dimension of complexity in this otherwise massive wine. This wine was the favorite of a majority of the group. 92-90 points

Schiavenza Broglio: Also very dark; compared to the others this is slightly rustic, without being pejorative, with cereal notes to the nose which has good intensity of fruit; chocolatey but also gamey, it is a chewy, old style wine which is quite backward with a finish that totally eschews fruit for the time being. Later it unfurls nicely to reveal a classically structured Barolo with potential to age a long time. Just not a wine for this decade. 89-91 points

Boasso Gabutti: Very dark; perfumed with the scent of lilacs and roses it shows hi-toned mineral elements. Medium bodied wine that is shallow in flavor but bright. With time it becomes tough and chewy and even less interesting. This may just need time but not sure it will be that much better when mature. 88-87 points.

Oddero Mondoca di Bussia: Classic Barolo scents of truffles, roses and earth; on the palate the wine displays excellent concentration but is not at all top heavy; tannins are layered over with deliciously ripe fruit that it is almost effortless to drink this wine; shade less impressive ( touch short in the finish) on subsequent tasting but a very good wine, nonetheless. 93-92 points

Podere Colla Dardi La Rose Bussia: CORKED

Ascheri Sorano (Bricco/Coste): Classic Barolo color with garnet core and orange edge; though closed on the nose it has a lovely intensity on the palate with delicious truffley character and a firm structure; well balanced this is sleek and powerful. It stayed pretty true to form even on subsequent days. Excellent wine. 93 points

Conterno, G Cascina Francia : Tight with earth and mushroom character it has a spicy character in the nose; powerful and dense fruit with oak tannins adding a strong counterpoint. This is a powerhouse of a wine. Intensity carries all the way to the finish. Even 48 hours later, the wine is still wound up and smokier and spicier than before and remarkably fresh. 93-94+ points

Grasso, E Ginestra Casa Mate : The most open knit nose of all the wines; exotic, minty and refined; loads of fruit , kirsch liquer, delicious and forward; without much tannic structure this wine is a bit too primary for my taste , particularly for laying down. Did not retaste because it was so delicious it was all consumed with dinner the same night (despite my admonition to the group to leave behind some for me to taste again). 90 points

Subsequent to the tasting the following wine was tasted and drunk with dinner

Giovanni Rosso Cerretta: Quite dark; primary fruit scents bubbling with vivacity; supple and perfumed on the palate it, like the Grasso Ginestra wine above, is short on tannin and long on immediacy. Not necessarily bad for a lesser cru. Compared to the above (masculine) wines from Serralunga this tastes like a Saint-Emilion from Bordeaux. A great wine for restaurants to showcase the 2001 Barolo vintage. 90 points.

Paolo Manzone Meriame: Ruby with orange rim; the nose is full of captivating scents of flowers with just the faintest hint of truffles and spice ( very Grand Cru Vosne-like); firm on entry it grips the tongue with terrific balance and poise; red fruits and leather and some anise; the wine is forward and flat-out delicious, which it manages to achieve without a hint of portliness. This does not need decanting to enjoy and it is my guess that it would be best enjoyed over the next 7-8 years. 94 points

Summary of wines ranked in order -- First Impression versus Later Impression

First / Later

1. Porro "Lazzairasco" (93) 1. Conterno "Cascina Francia" (94+)
2. Conterno "Cascina Francia" (93) 2. Porro "Lazzaraisco" (94)
This was not in the tasting but Paolo Manzone "Meriame" is also 94 points
3. Ascheri " Sorano" (93) 3.Ascheri " Sorano " (93)
4. Oddero " Monduca di Bussia" (93) 4. Oddero " Monduca d.Bussia" (92)
5. Massolino "Parafada" (92) 5. Grasso "Gavarini V.Chiniera" (91+)
6. Grasso "Gavarini V.Chiniera" (91+) 6. Schiavenza " Broglio" (91)
7. Grasso "Ginestra Casa Mate" (90) 7. Massolino "Parafada" (90)
8. Manzone "Gramolere Bricat" 8. Grasso "Ginestra Casa Mate" (90)

Brunello (Part 3)

2007-03-10T15:12:00.002-05:00

This tasting of the WFCC featured some fine wines, which with 2 exceptions scored above 89 points. Wines were not decanted prior to the tasting since in previous tastings I did not think the tannin in most of the 2001 Brunelli interfered with my ability to assess the wines. In fact I was wishing there was more firmness to the wines. After tasting blind they were re-tasted with food and over the next two days.
The Menu:
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Coconut Curry and Tomato Sauce
Roast Chicken with Dried Fruit Sauce in the Catalan Style
Soy-Ginger Marinated Butterflied Leg of Lamb, Broccoli Rape and Baby Carrots
Selection of Cheeses: Pecorino Trufato (Beltrami), Pecorino Manciano (Maremma) and Orella (cow's milk cheese from Cuneo)

Poggiarellino: Medium dark garnet with an orange edge; faintly spicy, leathery and herbal notes are discernible; on the palate the brisk attack with red fruits leads to a focused middle where the fruit spreads out and leads to a warm, fairly rich finish. Not particularly tannic nor very complex, this wine surprised and charmed all of us at the tasting with its understated profile. 89 points

Tenuta Friggiali Donna Olga: Very dark; not much of interest on the nose with awkward aromas of vegetable bouillion ; on the palate the wine begins with fullish dark fruit but immediately gives way to a herbaceous, young viney flavor; even after tasting it 3 more times I find it is a wine with no grip or breadth. Disappointing in context of the vintage. 85 points

La Poderina: Dark; polished nose with barrique characteristics; in later retastings it took on jasmine and rose aromas with a touch of talc, which I usually associate with grenache ; palate is quite full, and though it starts of quite tannic it softens after an hour revealing notes of black balsam & ripe plummy fruit; somewhat international in style it, however, does not morph into a formless, low acid wine. Quite good. 89 points

Collelceto: Medium dark garnet with an orange edge; very Italianate nose emphasizing herbs, olives ; fine young fruit all in the red spectrum; sleek, rich at first but there is an expansive middle and a delicious long silky finish. This maybe delicious now but there is enough reserve for this wine to age well. 91 points

Il Poggione: Dark fruits-quite polished yet high toned nose with minerality; crisp bing cherry flavor on the palate, with hints of other dry fruits but not of tropical kind. Very much a snapshot of what great sangiovese can be; lovely, complex wine which was controversial with the group. Some hated it . My favorite -- I characterized it as “near sangiovese perfection”. 93 points

Innocenti: Broad and muscular nose which does not reach for excess; olives and floral notes of jasmine and roses create an interesting intermix; not as broad on the palate as expected. Tight and muted on the first pass it opened up and showed its best only on the third day when it revealed rich plummy fruits against a balanced structure; warm and crisp at the same time with just a touch of dilution in the finish. Otherwise a very fine wine. 92 points

La Fuga: Dark garnet; voluptuous nose with some port-like quality–luckily it is subtle enough to not mar the otherwise lovely nose which also has some mint and black olive scents; also expansive and broad on the palate it has dense ripe fruit with an exotic quality. Intense and rich finish. Initially I marked it lower for its lack of character but over the next 2 days there was no mistaking its very Italianate core. Almost ready to drink now. 90- 92 points

Fanti : Inky; aroma hints of everything ( cola, confiture of fruit, muscat-like grape scents etc) that I would not expect in a sangiovese wine; full and broad but essentially dull without much acidity and backbone. More like an Argentenian Malbec– admittedly I was in the minority since others found it balanced and rich ( even scoring it among the top 3) whereas I thought it flat and too garish. Easy quaff. 85 points

Le Macioche : Garnet rather than ruby; deep, hi-toned nose which is mostly unevolved and restrained with some woodsy notes; sleek and stylish rather than broad and muscular; cool, chewy it features ripe and finely etched fruit. Long finish . Classic Sangiovese. 91 points

Argiano: Garnet with orange glints; lovely brick and gravel mineral tones to the plummy fruit; explodes on palate and like melted butter spreads out to touch all taste buds; sleek, stylish and though slightly international, it never feels out of balance. Still some tannins to resolve. Delicious and long on finish. This is a wine of restrained power. 91 points
Note: In Part 2 I scored it lower at 86 points and though my verbiage was somewhat similar, this time around I was more favorably inclined to its "international" thrust. Maybe after tasting the Fanti this seemed less flaunting.

Scopetone: Very dark; intense nose with lots of black fruit and chocolate character; a broad and strapping wine with very intense rich flavors (cassis and blueberries); chewy and very long finish. This too trends international but unlike the Fanti this is not at all clumsy and the entire package works, at least for me. Impressive wine. 93 points

Le Gode: Less analysis went into this wine but my notes show that it is deceptively rich wine with excellent fruit , which is not necessarily broad or voluptuous but focused with thrilling balance. Feels like young vines, or just wine made from high altitude vines because of its marked acidity. This has still some excess tannin which when resolved should add to greater overall complexity of the wine. 90-92 points

2001 Brunello Tasting (Part II)

2007-01-28T16:03:00.001-05:00

In January 2007, I tasted 12 additional brunello wines with the Kylix Society of New York . I was less than impressed with the line-up of wines this time around. First, some of the wines were ridiculously dark , which for some critics would be a badge of honor. Second, the wines for the most part were more international than the first time around . Granted they were delicious as wines but I was expecting a more Italianate rendering of the grape(s) .
In this tasting I reintroduced 3 wines from Part I---one was my previous top choice (Mocali-Vigna Raunate) , another was my then least favorite (Collosorbo) and the other (Poggiorellino) was middle of the pack. Unfortunately, the Poggiorellino was badly corked . Notes are in order of wines tasted blind in flights of 3 , followed by a retasting with food . Wines were decanted 3 hours prior to start of tasting.

Camigliano: Medium dark in color; has a tight, cool nose, suggestive of a higher altitude wine , with hints of earth, red cherries & plummy fruit . Barrique aging has been put to excellent use without being prominent. It is medium bodied with crisp cranberry-like crunch to the fruit, it is immediately appealing on the palate with good balance, amplitude (quite broad) and delightful acidity. Even though the nose is backward, I would wager this is not a wine for aging and would be best drunk before 2015. 89 points

Argiano: Moderately dark in color; panders to the modern style with vanilla, overt barrique and baking spice aromas; rather full and chewy with low acidity and immediate flavors. Plummy and somewhat "grenache-like". Quite alcoholic and to my palate slightly top heavy, but I can see others liking it for the very reasons I am not marking this high . 86 points

Le Chiuse: Quite dark in color; rich, plummy nose with little else of interest; Full bodied, deeply extracted fruit with slightly better acidity than the above wine but overall simplistic in context of the vintage. Even with food this wine never gained complexity. 86 points

Tricherchi: Darkish; compote of fruit on the nose, quite rich; unexpectedly not as fruity on the palate as expected and it presents itself with restraint and style. It has good structure but falls off in the finish. With food this seemed insipid. Seems like young vines here since there is not much depth. 86 points

Poggio Nardone: Very dark; minty, spicy nose with blackberry scents; broad and voluptuous on entry it expands on mid-palate with rich, chewy and chocolatey fruit,
underpinned by sound acidity; quite long and balanced . Modern in style but this manages to keep its voice low and lets the interplay of ripe fruit and tannin unfold elegantly. All in all a very good wine. 90 points

Frecobaldi Castelgiocondo: Saturated dark; nose thaPublish Postt is basically about fruit and more fruit; weighty on palate with overripe fruit flavors with barely enough acidity to keep it interesting. Rich , long, plummy finish . Would do well in a right bank Bordeaux tasting. 85 points

Colombini: Inky black; intense black cherry with a roasted component; seemingly rich with good acidity, some new oak flavor but sorely lacking depth and breadth. Quite linear with the possibility that it might gain in complexity with time. Right now it so extracted and muddled that there is no clear signal . 87+ points

Mocali Vigna della Raunate: Not crimsom dark like some others ; almost sweet and volatile at the same time--initial impression of this wine was the exact opposite of my impressions in Part I. This wine was marked by sulfur but once this resolved ( 24 hours later) it was impressively rich with crunchy fruit; sleek and broad at the same time it was clearly in the "newer" mold but stopped short of being an international bore. Warm and long finish. This is very good. 90 points

Il Castellare: Dark; roasted scents with coffee, leather and fragrant floral aromas; rich and impressive attack followed by a deep mid-palate. Very good acidity keeps the wine buoyant; mushrooms and earth complement the fruit from start to finish. Not complex but very nice. The group favorite . 88 points

Collosorbo: This was my least favorite wine in Part I (November 2006) but this time I liked it a whole lot better or did I? Fragrant with hints of strawberry (??) and raspberry fruit--spicy, crisp with rosemary like accents. Rich in a burgundian sense. With time, however, it reverts to a gulpable Zin-like concoction with unbalanced alcohol and confirmed what I had noted previously in part I. Except this time I was not as put off by the wine. Will a third time be magic? 87 points

Caparzo: Garnet colored as opposed to the rich ruby of most wines previous; backward with truffley aromas; bright cherry-fruit on palate with decent backbone and acid; reserved on palate with little in the way of depth; finishes with a diminuendo and falls well short of the finish line. Nice wine but not better than a good Rosso di Montalcino. 86 points

End Of Year- Best of Year 2006

2007-01-03T20:31:00.001-05:00

It was pretty much non-stop --the partying and the plethora of fine wines sampled Christmas through New Year. I cooked the New Year's Dinner with the assistance of Gail Dobish and this what we came up with along with wines served:

Appetizer Course: "Beggar's Purses" with Osetra Caviar
1996 Tattinger Comtes De Champagne Blanc de Blancs---outstanding with verve and class. Simply enchanting. (95)
1990 Dom Perignon: Excellent but a little flat compared to the Tats---amazingly about 8 oz of wine which had been stuck in the fridge without cork for 2 days showed plenty of pettillance and was even more delicious without any hint of oxidation. Bodes well for the aging of this champagne. (92-96 )

First Course: Salmon with Provencal Vegetables (Ratatouille)
2002 Meursault Perrieres (Michel Gaunoux) ---Lemony and loaded with minerality but young viney character (my guess) leaves it without much depth. Merely good. (88-89 )
2002 Meursault Geneverieres (Latour-Giraud) Much deeper in color and flavor; solid wine, perhaps lacking a touch of finesse, with a robust and round finish. Very good and may surprise on the upside (89-92 )

Second Course: Gnocchi w Lobster & Royal Trumpet Mushrooms in a Coconut-Curry Sauce
1992 Puligny Montrachet (? ): Rich nose ; full and broad but ultimately alcoholic and short on depth. Not bad , but much more was expected. Drink up. (88)
1992 Chevalier Montrachet (Michel Colin): Subdued but discreetly botrytized nose; finely etched fruit, persistent middle and finish. If not thoroughly exciting it still shows a lot of class and restraint. Almost classic Grand Cru Burgundy except for the Barsac-like nose . Better drink now rather than in 3-4 years.

A Trou "Whatever": Sorbet of Chartreuse and Grappa (Levy's Christmas Blend)
Comment: A teaspoon of intensity like you have never experienced

Third Course: Fettuccini with White Truffle Butter (An excuse to drink more wine)
2000 Barbaresco Asili (Produttori) Aromatically sound and interesting but , even though decanted 2 hours prior, it had little going on the palate and was simply dull. Properly tannic at this stage it is still unexciting. Have tasted the 2000 Produttori wines several times with little to recommend. The 1999's, on the other hand, were excellent. And this wine was my contribution to the dinner!! (86)

Fourth Course: Chestnut Soup with Duck Leg Confit
2002 Charmes Chambertin (Laurent): Rich color; dense and full nose with exciting hints of truffles and earth; solid palate, a solidity which is mainstream and not that of a Grand Cru. Has immense extract and sweet fruit extract but somehow missing the magic of a fine terror driven wine. Chunky, but still burgundy and not some indifferent clunky pinot noir (89)

Fifth Course: Rack of Lamb. Turmeric Scented Potatoes and Haricot Verts

WFCC Christmas Dinner & Bert Slonim's Birthday

2006-12-25T12:48:00.000-05:00

Monday, December 18, 2006

Amuse Bouche (Nibbles):
Smoked Salmon on Toast, Serrano Ham with Foie Gras Mousse, Duck Proscuitto with Pheasant Terrine, Zamora Chick Peas with Piquillo & Garlic

1997 Tattinger Comtes de Champagne Rose

Nantucket Bay Scallops with Rabbit Sausage and Saffron Vinaigrette
1989 Trimbach Clos St.Hune VT
1990 Karlsmuhle Lorenhofer Mauerchen Riesling (Auslese)

Gulf Shrimp with Yukon Potato Puree
1991 Lafon Meursault Charmes
1989 Bienvenue Batard Montrachet

Olive Oil Poached Swordfish with Marinated White Anchovy & Lettuce Sauce
1989 Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne
1995 Leroy Chassagne Montrachet Morgeot

Foie Gras with Chestnut Soup (Charlie Trotter)
1989 Huet Vouvray "Le Haut Lieu" (Demi-Sec)
1990 Zind-Humbrecht Clos Jebsal Pinot Gris (VT)

Endive Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

Sorbet Marc D'Hermitage (JL Chave)

Ravioli with Quail and Porcini Filling
1990 Produttori Barbaresco Montestefano
1992 Quintarelli Valpolicella

Veal Tenderloin, Haricot Verts and White Truffle Jus
1999 Denis Mugneret Clos Vougeot
1991 G.Lignier Clos St.Denis

Selection of Cheeses: : Tartufello Senese, Corsica (Brebis), Fromager des Clarines (Faux Vacherin de Cleron)
2001 Rodda I (Rioja)

Flourless Chocolate Cake
1955 Sandemans Vintage Port

2001 Brunello Tasting (Part I)

2006-12-25T12:46:00.002-05:00

Posted Friday, December 8, 2006
In 2001 the vines of Brunello were blessed with ideal growing conditions except for spring frosts which reduced yields by 12-15% particularly in the more northerly subzones. The grapes subsequently matured slowly rather than with a quick sprint to ripeness as occurred in 1997. In 1997 , this spurt, had caused acidity to drop precipitously resulting in wines that were in most cases big-scaled and raw due to the astringent tannins from thick skinned (formed due to the heat burst) grapes but low in acid, in my opinion. Recent tastings have only served to confirm my initial impressions. In contrast, the 1999 vintage, an excellent one, produced wines with more structure and less flash and was everything one expects sangiovese to be. The 2001's were touted to have the best characteristics of 1999 combined with the rich ripeness of the 1997 vintage. Here at WFCC, this was our first collective look at these wines . Additional wines and personal notes will form Part II of the 2001 Brunello Tasting Notes in January 2007.
Tasting and Scoring :Wines were decanted about 90 minutes prior to being assessed blind. Later, they were re-tasted with food . In addition, some wine from each bottle was left behind to re-taste (3rd assessment) blind the next day. This was possible because there were only 10 of us at this tasting. The first score is of the initial tasting, and the second score is the average of the two subsequent assessments.
The Wines: In general, the wines lived up to their advance billing but in some cases there was more of the 1997 character than that of 1999, which was somewhat disappointing. And, even the best wines in this tasting were by no means all that they could be given the superb weather through the growing season.
The Menu:
Elbow Pasta with Braised Umbrian Lentils
Risotto with Wild Turkey Ragu
Boneless Veal Shanks with Pasta”Fregula”
Selection of cheeses: Parmesan (Vache Rosso), Pecorino di Pienza (Val d’Orcia) and Pecorino with Truffle (by Beltrami)

FLIGHT ONE

Uccelliera: Medium dark with orange gradations to the edges; exciting nose of heather and acacias; overall the nose is cool and composed with muted hints of red cherries, anise and leather. Medium full wine which announces itself forcefully and continues in the same vein to a long bright and exuberant finish. The fruit is evidently very ripe but there is superb acid and tannin backbone to provide balance. Delightful with food. Personally I prefer the 1999 version of this wine. 90/90

Piancornello ($40) : Quite dark– the nose is plummy, forward and quite open revealing a warm personality. Rich extract, soft and velvet-like with spiciness reminiscent of red Hermitage. Fine finish shows little in the way of astringent tannin which makes this an ideal wine to just decant a short while and drink now. Even the next day the wine was soft and plummy and quite broad in the mid-palate. This time it reminded me more of a tempranillo based Spanish wine.. Not perhaps a classic example but this really is a very good and sexy wine. 89/90

La Rasina: This is stylistically a cross between the other two wines of this flight. It is rather reserved with jasmine-tea like scents and bright red cherries; even though the wine starts of with a gentle sweetness, it is quickly shrouded by a veil of tannin. Yet the finish is more than just tannic and it does exhibit complexity, even at this stage --- potentially an exciting wine. It is with the food (the lentil course) that this wine really came alive and revealed an abundance of very rich fruit (almost overripe and port-like now) to go with the ripe tannins. There is no denying the excellent quality of this wine. 89/90

FLIGHT TWO

Collosorbo($35): Medium dark; berryish nose like a Zinfandel; jammy , cloying port-like fruit with a short finish. Even with food this was just plain dull. Retasting this wine blind the next day , the adjectives were “Figgy, Structure less and Strawberry Jam”. Definitely would not know it was a Brunello. 85/83

Pacenti ($70): Quite dark; rich, smokey, plummy fruit with hints of strawberries and new oak –flashy but in an elegant way. Deliciously forward with soft, creamy fruit(old vines?),silky tannins and good amplitude in the mid palate. The fruit leads the way even in the finish and the tannins in this wine only play a background role. A polished, delicious wine but wished it were more profound. 90/90

Gorelli “Le Potazzine”($45): Quite dark with almost even color; dark and plummy fruit with hints of acacia and olives– begins with a rich attack but then it restrains itself when it gets to mid-palate ,where there is earthy, truffle accented fruit , and complex flavors in the finish. The real story here is the balance of the wine which is excellent. What it lacks , however, is real depth possibly due to the youngish vines. Still this merits serious consideration. 91/90

FLIGHT THREE

Mocali “Vigna Raunate”($42): Very dark; the nose soars to meet you with intense aromas of black cherries, leather and a touch of barrique; powerful on entry it dominates the palate with rich fruit that has real depth. Extremely broad and persistent this wine, with its warm, plummy fruit, is coiled with hidden tannins just waiting to explode. Delicious already. This was even better the next day when it remained distinctly regal with power allied with restraint and boasting a long, long finish. Excellent modern rendition without excess. This and the Villa Prata in this flight are truly sensational and are a must for any serious collector. 92/94

Sassetti -Pertimali ($50): Medium dark color; gamey, barnyardy nose with saddle leather , leading to a comment by Susan Glass that it was a wine that calls for you “to saddle it and ride”. There is still some reduction but strong aeration reveals it be a full bodied wine with juicy fruit that though plummy and slightly cooked still oozes warmth and is inviting. It is a quirky individual wine which reminds me of a Raymond Trollat “Saint Joseph” from the eighties. With dinner this was less interesting and seemed a bit over ripe and flat. 92/ 91

Villa le Prata ($55): Quite dark with jasmine tea , wild mushrooms and underbrush on the nose. On the palate this wine is almost feathery light but it packs quite a flavor punch. A “lean monk” (appropriate perhaps because the vines are barely over 10 years old) was one of the tongue-in-cheek quips. Has tremendous zip and a lovely, lovely bright finish. With food it took on some weight but retained its Mozartian elegance. Excellent. Unanimous choice (my score for the Mocali was higher later on) for wine of the evening. A must buy for anyone serious about Brunello. 93/93

FOURTH FLIGHT

Nardi ($50): Medium dark; cocoa, black cherry aromas but essentially the nose is backward and unforthcoming. Medium bodied it flashes little other than structure and the fruit is buried underneath. This is coiled exactly in the reverse manner as the Mocali wine in the 3rd flight. Yet the bright acids and warm feeling on the palate suggests this has excellent potential. A true-blue sangiovese wine. With food, the wine was still lean but now there was evidence of amplitude in the middle. But the next day was most revealing– suddenly the fruit was creamy (old vines?) and the tannins had receeded sufficiently to see that the wine was all in balance. It was sneakily delicious. Not a big wine but exquisitely well proportioned. 89/92

Baricci ($40): Medium dark; aromas suggest cool mountain air and is totally unrevealing; somewhat reduced; palate was vapid and uninteresting and food did not rescue this somewhat rustic wine. I did not bother to score the wine initially. Unexpectedly, the next day, I was astonished when I re-tasted it blind. There was a lot of herbal, olive scented fruit on the nose and on the palate the wine was sleek, composed and beautifully balanced. This of all the wines (the Nardi included) in the tasting had the best acidity . It was all charm and elegance,- a totally stunning change of character overnight when I had initially pegged it as rustic. This wine simply needs time ?/92

La Gerla ($43): Quite dark with orange rim; vanilla nose with sweet jammy fruit . Touch cardboardy. Taut and reserved it is like the Nardi , only hinting of its potential for there is rich fruit which can only be accessed with effort. Remains unresolved even with food. Next day this wine, like the Nardi , improved considerably and showed great aromatics of a cool mountain climate and was tasting far better than earlier. An introverted wine with a tannic cloak and a bright bing cherry finish. 87/89

The Winners: As a group these were very good to excellent wines. It was clear the the wines from the northern communes of Montosoli , Montalcino, for instance were, in this tasting, overshadowed by the flashier wines from the south, be it southwest or southeast. But the wines of Nardi, Baricci and La Gerla from northern zones showed far better the next day and it is perhaps a warning not to mark down austerity as a fault in these wines when tasting them.
My favorites included two of the group's top three choices--- Villa Le Prata (#1) and Mocali "Vigna Raunate" (#2) both sited south of Montalcino. However, these wines come from sites which are well over 900 feet and this definitely appears to have had a moderating effect on any possible over ripeness of fruit. My third choice was the Silvio Nardi which did not garner the same praise from the rest of the group, most of whom chose La Rasina or Pertimali as their #3 wine. (I first encountered Nardi's wines while poking around wine shops in Montalcino in 1992 and over the years have tried them without being impressed. But this tasting taught me the value of understanding the siting of the vines -altitude and exposure- in the Montalcino DOCG and to dig deeper for clues as to a wine's potential. And, I would add Silvio Nardi has also come a long way and is producing better wines than his early efforts as in 1988-1997). The best value of the tasting, without a doubt, was the Mocali "Raunate".

2001 Barolo Tasting (Part 1)

2006-12-25T12:43:00.000-05:00

November 5th, 2006 (Posted November 10th)
Wines were decanted and poured back into bottles 6 hours prior to the tasting. Tasting was done blind in flights of 3 in the order below. After unveiling of the wines they were assembled in new flights of 3 and served with the following menu and reassessed. The first score is that of the blind tasting portion, the second score is that with food or even the next day.

MENU
1. Sauteed Penne with Foie Gras, Mushrooms and Duck Bacon
2. Roast Poussin with Oven Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
or Duck Leg Confit with Salad Greens and Radicchio Trevisano
3. Boneless Lamb Shank with Orzo and Sugar Snap Peas
4. Selection of Piemonte Cheeses: Testun, Castelmagno (aged)
and Mattonella

G.Mascarello, Monprivato: Garnet; still totally closed on the nose with aromatics that show finesse rather than power; quite broad in flavor and with great structure it is still puzzlingly shy of the depth and richness expected of this vaunted vintage. Even with food it is very much austere and unexciting. Is it the bottle? Judgement reserved. 89+

L.Sandrone, Le Vigne: Nearly 5 shades darker than the Monprivato it is also quite different in style, being modern and aromatically forward with classic notes of tar and of roses. Woodsy and soft on the palate it is impressively extracted and rounded out with fine and thoroughly ripe tannins. Magically even more alive with food. 92/93

E.Pira , Marenca: Also very dark; even though the nose has toasty oak and vanillin it is still somehow less modern than the Sandrone, showing restraint and minerality . Explosive fruit on entry suddenly subsides in the mid-palate under the weight of tannin; quite rich and full it develops dramatically with time to become a subsuming force on the palate with a sensationally long finish. Totally in harmony with the penne course and its rich foie gras sauce. 92/94

Veglio, Gattera: Medium dark; sports a lovely nose with essence of attar and new leather as well as a herbal element; intense and explosive on the attack it too, like the Pira wine, calms down in mid stride showing tremendous dry extract and a long finish. Later it shows more gentle and restrained but then also reveals some low acidity. No matter, this is excellent. 93/92

Manzone, Gramolere: Garnet colored; teasing scents of sweet, ripe black fruits with a faint perfume of flowers and candle-wax; medium-full with supple tannins, stylishly contoured fruit but with less than perfect balance due to its low acidity. Still this wine is excellent with the poussin to which it adds a nice anise counterpoint. This will be ready soon. 89/90

Revello, Giacchini: Quite dark; nose has rich fruit and mocha scents; palate is uncomplicated and rather linear with only an emphasis on fruit. Even with food the one-dimensional character of the wine continues. 86/85

Seghesio, La Villa: Very dark; mentholated fruit, "tartuffo" and spicy new oak--thoroughly modern style. So ripe is the fruit that this tastes like Barolo with some Taylor 10 year old Tawny Port. Coconutty and flamboyant this is not what I consider typical Barolo. And as it sits, and with food, it is overpowering and boorish. Not my style. 88/??

A.Conterno, Bussia: Excellent depth of color; high toned nose which veils the perfume and fruit scents rising from the glass--excitingly mysterious; lovely fruit with excellent balance and grip; outstanding acidity to the medium bodied flavors of red fruits and earthy mushrooms. Later on, with food the wine blossoms even more and is quite generous (albeit slightly chunky) and flavorsome to the end. 92/93

Clerico, Ciabot Mentin-Ginestra: Medium dark; the nose is tightly shut and totally unevocative; solid and stolid on the palate this has a roasted warm compote of blackberries and anise --nearly classic with its abundance of tannins which,even with food, was mostly unyielding. Possibly an excellent wine. 92/93

Azelia, Bric Fiasco: Medium dark; sweet tartuffo nose with fresh crushed rose petals; surprisingly tannic on entry but there is so much fruit that after the first sip the fruit appears to get the upper hand; excellent balance and because of its sound acidity the finish is long and interesting. Strangely it did not partner well with the lamb where it went "MUTE". Excellent wine. 94/92

Marcarini, La Serra: Quite dark; licorice, blackberries and lemon verbena on the nose; rather tight and not much going on now; it has rich acidity and ample fruit but even with food it was not very revealing. My guess is that this is a butterfly waiting to take wing. 90

Marengo, Brunate : Dark, almost bluish; nose is totally modern and is more reminiscent of a Priorat wine than a classic Barolo; rich and intensely fruity (the blue color was a tip-off) it is also very supple and forward. An excellent restaurant wine. To my palate this is on the simple side. 87/??

2003 Bordeaux Tasting

2006-12-25T12:42:00.000-05:00

October 2006 Tasting:( Posted November 10th,2006)

Wines were tasted blind in flights of 3. After the wines were revealed they were reassessed (once again in flights) with a four course meal . Scores shown after my tasting notes show both scores, blind and that with dinner. If the score is unchanged only a single score is given. Notes are in order of wines tasted.

Beausejour Becot (St. Emilion): Very dark ruby; deep and inviting nose with exotic spices, black fruits; spicy and forward but never ponderous. Delightful wine with sumptuous finish. Stylish and well balanced. 92/92

La Mission Haut Brion (Graves): Also very dark; dusty and green peppery nose with slightly roasted notes; unexpectedly weak and washed out with a lean and sinewy character. Very underwhelming wine even with food. This is usually one of my favorite Bordeaux. Possibly a bad bottle. 85/?

Rausan Segla (Margaux): Quite dark; intense aromas of oak, ripe fruit that is almost Spanish in style; quite exciting. Promise of the nose does not carry over to the palate, however, where it is relatively straightforward and low acid (a demerit)-- somewhat dull and hollow. Yet it is fine with food where it sparkles and ably partners. 87/89

Smith Haut Lafite (Graves): Not as dark as the previous three; fragrant and perfumed , (seems more Margauxish than Graves-like), it seemingly defies the vintage character. Medium full with fine tannins supporting the rich and ripe fruit. Alcohol is in check and overridden by a long, flavorful finish. Delicious now but has potential to age and be the better for it. 92+

Grand Puy Lacoste (Pauillac): Medium dark with garnet overtones; slightly mentholated fruit but in general reticent on the nose; lean fruit with little in the way of depth or glycerin; does take on weight with food (an hour later) but remains hot and herbaceous. 85/86

Langoa Barton (St.Julien): Darkish ruby; New oak/ vanillin/ripe and forward fruity nose; rich and quite a mouthful of fruit with soft and ripe flavors. Fine tannins give this wine a balance and focus. Lowish acidity and dilution mars the finish of an otherwise interesting and fine wine. 88

La Lagune (Haut Medoc): Deep garnet; firm and dusty nose with an uncharacteristic unyielding character (even time did not do much to advance the nose); medium bodied, low acid and soft-- delicious already . Like the Langoa it has a similar dilution in finish; best drunk over the next decade. 89/88

Duhart Milon (Pauillac): Rich color; full throttle nose with intense fruit backed by new oak; deep and brooding on the palate with ripe and exotic fruit. Surprisingly restrained as it develops, it is intense but never cloying. Has remarkable focus and well adjusted acidity. The best Duhart I have ever tasted this is a wine that will repay keeping . 92+

La Grange (St.Julien): Very dark; though the nose is still embryonic there are exciting hints of chocolate and blackberry truffles with new oak spice backing; explosive entry with generous, delicious and forward fruit ( totally not presaged by the nose); sweet yet structured on palate it is almost reminiscent of a great Ridge Montebello cab. A winsome, lovely wine. Lots of aging potential . 90/91

Malescot St. Exupery (Margaux): Has a lot of characteristics of the previous wine and initially the wine, though explosive, was taut and hard in the finish; with aeration it barely changed and remained stubbornly ungiving. Yet there is much to like about this powerful wine. Much, much later the wine began to reveal an awesome depth of fruit; broad and dense with potential to be a giant amongst its peers in this vintage 90/93

Gazin (Pomerol): Garnet with a solid core; rather burgundian aromas of earth and leather adds elements of complexity to the nose; medium bodied; initially showed a chewy, sinewy and ungenerous side with markedly low acidity , but with time and with food it was seductive and giving. Quite good . Not for keeping long 88/89

Domaine de Chevalier (Graves): Dull and insipid nose--herbaceous cabernet flavors..with food the wine remained one dimensionally sweet and devoid of flavor. Dull and vapid finish. Was unanimously everyone's least favorite wine of the tasting. 86/84