October 2009 Wine Salon

The usual crowd gathered chez Brian's on October 18 to explore Italian wines with an emphasis on Piedmont. Many wines posted and the opinions seemed to be a lot more varied than usual. Of course, the food was sensational as always. The liver duck mousse in particular was so good, I can practically still taste it. Here are the wines. I kept the notes very short.

Palate Whetter

• 2006 J. Hofstätter Pinot Nero Alto Adige - Südtirol Meczan - Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol
  Simple, earthy, funky, sour cherry, light bodied, decent cheap quaffer

Palate Bruiser

• 2000 Mastroberardino Irpinia Naturalis Historia - Italy, Campania, Irpinia
  Big, muscular, tannic, dark chocolate, coffee, blackberry, leather, very multifaceted, very good

Interesting Barbera

• 2003 Elio Altare Langhe Barbera Vigna Larigi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
  100% Barbera, very sweet, very modern, candied, cherries, too much oak, not a fan

Barbarescos

• 1996 Poderi Colla Barbaresco Roncaglie - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  Fresh, earthy, light-medium body, mushrooms, autumnal, tannic, focused


• 1999 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia Barbaresco Sori Paitin - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  Tannic, more modern style, slightly raisiny, slightly stewy, muddled


• 2003 Albino Rocca Barbaresco Vigneto Brich Ronchi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  Most tannic of trio, mushrooms, rose petals, plum, baking soda, dark, almost Barolo-like in style

Barolos

• 2001 Mauro Veglio Barolo Castelletto - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Modern style, wood, tar, roasted coffee, plum, dark berry, still very primary


• 2001 Marchesi di Barolo Barolo Cannubi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Primary, Black and blue berries, licorice, roses, traditional style. Very good.


• 2001 Vigna Rionda - Massolino Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Fresh, seems high alc, thin fruit, better on its own than with food

Old Barolo

• 1978 Pio Cesare Barolo Riserva - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Lovely palate. Wet autumn leaves, forest floor, mushrooms, still amazingly vibrant fruit, perfect balance, nose was off, told that smell dissipated.

Thanks to Brian and all those who generously brought food. I unfortunately missed the flight with old Gattinara's (1965 and 1968), but there's always a next time.

2003 Vietti Barbaresco Masseria (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco)

Popped and poured. Very dark ruby red color at the moment, but still translucent. Nose shows leafy tobacco, blackberry, plum, and a little earth and barrique. On the palate, this is intense with a lot of berry fruit and some mighty tannins. Finish solid. It's a really nice wine, but still incredibly primary. I'll let my remaining bottle sleep for another 5-10 years.

Wines in Las Vegas (10/12/08)

Was in Las Vegas for a convention and had the good fortune of being able to try some wines during a business dinner at Craftsteak in the MGM Grand.

• 2000 Domaine de la Vougeraie Pommard Les Petits Noizons - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard
  Great bottle of wine and my favorite wine of the evening by only a little over the 2000 Produttori Ovello. Just amazing silky texture and a captivating nose of earth, leaves, mushrooms, and plum. Good fruit on the midpalate, but the most remarkable characteristic of this wine was that it came across as very refined and elegant despite its obvious structure and aging potential. Finish went on for quite some time. Should have ordered another bottle of this.


• 2000 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Ovello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  Second bottle of the evening, and another winner. Much different from other 2000 Barbarescos I've had thus far. Very tight right out of the bottle, and although it opened somewhat, this never fully unraveled and revealed the plush nature of the fruit I was expecting. I'm hoping it isn't shut down, because if it isn't, this reminds me more of a typical 2001 and it would be right in my wheelhouse. Funky nose and dark color with no bricking. All tar, roses, and red and black fruit with a soaring finish and some lovely acidity that made my New York Strip steak even more enjoyable than it was by itself. Difficult to imagine how one could have too many of these. Only deduction...wasn't quite as silky in texture as the Vougeraie, but I think the tannins will soften with time to take care of that.


• 2004 Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
  Last wine of the night, and although I am generally not a fan of California Cab, Paradigm continues to impress me. Just like prior vintages, this showed clearly ripe fruit, but it never crossed the line to fruity and cough syrup. On the contrary, it was balanced, with good acidity and some of that hallmark Rutherford dustiness. Velvety texture with some chocolate on the finish was great. I can see myself buying this.

Braised Venison Dinner - 2/17/2008 (Chez Rick)

A few folks convened at Rick's house to have some braised venison and man was it good. The wines we drank with it were as follows:

With french cheeses

• N.V. H. Billiot Champagne Cuvée Julie - France, Champagne, Ambonnay, Champagne
  My stomach is still getting over being a little upset a few days ago, so the idea of Champagne itself was testing for me. With that said, I really couldn't get into this. Very apple dominated and seemingly large-scaled, this was too much for my stomach's sensibilities last night. I tried and abandoned the glass when it became clear that I wouldn't be able to really enjoy it. Sorry Greg.

With local slow-braised Venison

• 2005 Château Duhart-Milon - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  My first 2005 and what a nice wine this was. Open for 2 days already and still primary and with a tannic bite on the finish. Great black currant fruit and balance though, and probably a wine that is still reasonable in terms of price for 2005 Bordeaux. I will try to secure some for myself. Very impressive.


• 2002 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Méal - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
  Really nice wine and surprisingly big and rich for it being from the 2002 vintage (generally considered a "wash-out" as far as I know). Really super olive tapenade nose and palate with some nice dried herbs and meaty, smoky iodine flavors. Finishes great, and if someone told me that this was from a weak vintage, I would be hard pressed to believe it. Still very, very primary fruit though and no notes that indicate any significant development. With that said, I think RP has the drinking window wrong. I would guess this needs 2-5 more years of rest and it'll hold for at least a decade past that. Only caution...I like my wines old and tertiary.


• 1996 Pio Cesare Barbaresco Il Bricco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  Most backward bottle of wine I have ever had, especially from Piedmont. When first popped and poured, it showed none of the tertiary notes I expected on the nose. The color of the wine was deep, dark, and rich. On the palate, this wine seemed brawny and serious. It took hours before this lost some of the primary fruit notes and showed some secondary notes. I don't know if it was the storage of this bottle that made it this backward, or if the wine in general is, but I would say that this needed at least 5 and as many as 10 more years before being opened at a reasonable stage of development. Everyone liked it a lot.


• 2002 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled - USA, California, Napa Valley
  I was skeptical of the Todd's wine, but it was actually pretty good. I'm not a big fan of California Cabernet, but this was very drinkable. I probably wouldn't run out and buy it because of my personal preferences, but I can see how many folks would love this.


• 1989 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
  Great bottle from my favorite producer of Crozes-Hermitage. Somehow, Graillot manages to make a wonderfully floral, minerally Crozes in virtually every vintage. This one was no exception. Sensational bacon fat, black olive, lilac, violet, and smoky meat flavors wrapped into a superb texture. I can't speak highly enough of this wine, a true achievement in terroir wine making in my opinion. My personal WOTN.

Thanks to Rick and his lovely fiancee for the fantastic evening, food, and hospitality.

2001 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pora (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco)

Bottle was opened, re-corked and kept in the cellar for a whole day. Dark garnet red, translucent color. Plum, cherry, raspberry, and mandarin orange zest aromas with tar, licorice, and earth. Incredibly sweet fruit on the palate wrapped in a sturdy structure of tannins and acidity. Hints of truffle and earthiness on the long finish, which just keeps going and going. Very burly style of Barbaresco, but tons of fun. Can be drunk now, but will need 3-5 hours of decanting. Realistically, this shouldn't be touched for another 5 years in my opinion for the tannins to soften. I really enjoyed this and I believe it has great potential. Considering the going price of roughly $45, this is a good value.

1998 Sottimano Barbaresco Fausoni (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco)

Translucent garnet red color. Smells like marzipane, flowers, tar, licorice, and blackberry. Great on the palate with plum, rose petal, and earthiness. Lovely finish and silky texture with superb, food-complimenting acidity. Was consumed with roasted/braised beef short ribs with onions in demi-glace.

DINNER AND WINE - Casa Pelz (8/4/2007)

In a burst of spontaneity, we decided to do a dinner and wine evening last night, and as usual, it was lots of fun. The theme of the night was Italian wines (Brunello, Barolo...), so I decided to cook some nicely, but subtly flavored food.

With Appetizers

• 1999 Launois Pere et Fils Champagne "Cuvée Reserve" Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
  As usual, this is a super reliable champagne that is lovely by virtue of its freshness, apple peel notes, and yeastiness. I seem not to be able to go wrong with this producer.

With First Course

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

• 1999 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  What can I say? Bruno Giacosa is a genius. This wine was very interesting in so many ways...Opened a few hours before consumption and audouzed in the cellar. Color was looking like that of a much older wine with definite rustiness and orange bricking. The nose was phenomenal and showed some very nice red to black fruit with loads of tobacco and leather. Texture was good and silky. Surprisingly, the finish was pretty tannic, and gave the impression that the wine was much younger than it looked.


• 1997 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Wow. The Clerico was unbelievably backward considering it is 10 years old. Dark, dark color and soaring nose of black fruit, tar, tobacco, and a hint of wood and a floral component. Quite tannic on the palate, but very balanced. Finishes well, and for me, it edged out the Giacosa. Different style than the Giacosa though...very bold Barolo, where the Giacosa was a very finesse driven Barbaresco. I certainly think this will need many more years to show its best (unlike the Giacosa) and should be given at least 5 years. Maybe our bottle was particularly backward?

With Second Course

Roasted beef short-ribs with spinach and gratin dauphinois

• 1999 Fattoria La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
  This, too was opened a few hours in advance and audouzed. Completely ready to drink and no hard edges. Has a great nose and solid palate that screams of plum, black berries, leather, and tobacco. Very velvety texture and great juicy, sappy finish. This is drinking so well now, I am having a hard time thinking this will improve much in the next few years...I'll begin to drink down my small stash over the next 3-5 years.


• 2001 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
  Popped and poured. Nose was barely perceptible and it showed similarly closed on the palate. Fruit seemed light-weight, and oak was sticking through just a bit. Very enjoyable wine, but I'm not sure if this is in an awkward phase or if it is just short of very good. To be re-tasted at some point.


• 2001 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
  Opened a few hours prior to consumption. I liked this quite a bit. Although more in the modern camp of Brunello with some pretty big tannins, black fruit, and high glycerin, this still manages to come off as Brunello and with great balance so as to drink great with food. I think this wine has the longest ageing potential of the ones we tasted. Clearly a very good wine with lots of upside. If I were to compare this with Bordeaux, I think this is not unlike Monbousquet (instead of a traditional producer like Magdelaine).

With Dessert

Roasted peaches with nuts

• 2000 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos - Hungary, Hegyalja, Tokaji
  Very nice dessert wine to finish off the evening. I think this has a little more acidity and zip than I am used to from Sauternes. Very nice and I may get a few of this.

It always stuns me how well Italian wines do with food. Last night, we ate over the course of a few hours and had wine, but the alcohol in the wines is low enough to allow you to not have to spit, and enjoy the food and wine instead for the pairing that they are. Always amazes me...