1999 Cappellano Langhe Rosso
The last of my many bottles of this wine. Begins with a lot of iron on the palate, and the wine needs a few hours to open up and show its charms. For the first few hours, it's somewhat hard and comes across as an older wine that was woken up too early and is grumpy. Eventually with about four hours of air, the cherry fruit comes to the fore and shows nicely, with good body and mouthfeel, mature but not old, still lively. I can't complain much for the $20 this cost, but neither can I say that I feel remiss that this was my last bottle.
2004 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo
Off the wine list at Commerce. Direct red fruit, very primary, the sweet tannin surrounding the palate yet not too constricting. Mulled spices and cinnamon emerge. Gains body and weight as it decants. Very pure palate, traditional red Nebbiolo, no oak apparent. This is a baby. Really good today, probably amazing in five or more years.
2006 Giuseppe Cortese Langhe Nebbiolo
A great value at $45 off Lupa's wine list. Good purity and balance, nice cherry fruit flavors and tar. Primary, fruity, good tannic structure of a young Nebbiolo. Nothing complicated or too cerebral, but a lot of fun.
1993 Roagna Barbaresco Riserva
Really pleasing tonight. Opens up to a huge blast of liquorice on the nose. Not anise, not fennel, but black liquorice. I hate black liquorice. But this was good, sort of. Anyway, that blew off and gave way to pure, smooth red fruit and sois bois notes of wet moss, roses, along with some spearmint. This wine is nicely together and cohesive, and after about three hours got to that point of smooth, aged Nebbiolo that just pleases the soul. Not too complex, just tasty.
1990 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino
At Fishtail, birthday celebration. Typical Sangio flavors of red cherry fruit and leather, but something is lacking here and the tannins are way too resolved and the palate way too soft and uninteresting. Expected more from a great producer in a good Tuscan vintage. Of the three wines tonight, this and the 69 Conterno Barolo, the best was the Didier Dagueneau white that Randy brought.
1969 Giacomo Conterno Barolo
At Fishtail, birthday celebration with this birthyear wine. Slow oxygenated since the morning. Very brittle cork. Smells of burnt embers and wet leaves, which carries through to the palate, yet still there is a bit of cinnamon-laced red fruit lurking within. Just slightly interesting intellectually, and not very pleasing to drink. Bought this single bottle at auction some years ago, clearly had not been stored well in its past.
2004 Castello di Nieve Barbaresco Santo Stefano
Gorgeous, and will be a pleasure to watch this one evolve. Alluring nose of deep fruit, bordering on fruit liquer, and flowers. The palate is excellent, with a great purity of fruit, an impressive core of deep, sappy red fruit and a slight menthol note; smooth tannins that give the perfect amount of grip; and an impressive finish for such a young wine. Not surprisingly, no degradation over two nights; in fact, the wine was even clearer and deeper.
1998 Roagna Barbaresco Paje
I was surprised at how soft and drinkable this wine is, as most every other Roagna I've had has been firm and tannic. Perhaps because it followed an overly woody and spicy '97 Gaja Lorenzo, this one came across as especially smooth.
1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sor San Lorenzo
Few Gajas have impressed me and this one did little to set aside my general feeling that Gaja wines are too oaky and too expensive. Spice box on the nose, cedar and wood spice. The palate is more brown than Nebbiolo red, the profile dark and spicy, more fruitcake than actual fruit. Sure, this makes a statement, but it doesn't speak to me.
1997 Marcarini Barolo La Serra
I brought this to Michel's Champagne tasting, and it was an undisputed crowd pleaser after some 15 blind Champagnes. It only took about 30 minutes in the decanter to show its charms - lovely, bright red cherry fruit and liquorice, backed up by grippy tannins, fresh acidity and a plump midpalate. Waves of fruit kept pumping out of the glass. Delicious.
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco
I opened this for Michel and Brad, thinking that the regular bottling from the forward 2000 vintage would show well. It did show well, but I opened it much too early. Lovely cherry fruit on the palate emerges with an hour of air, this shows that excellent Giacosa attribute of alluring, feminine fruit upfront, yet backed up by formidable structure. Chewy tannins frame the fruit. Quite impressive for the regular bottling. Try again in five years.
1996 Paolo Scavino Barolo Carobric
I brought this to a dinner party in Brooklyn Heights, and it did not show well - woody and dry on the palate. Perhaps the 02 Mouton, 94 Haut Brion, 99 Bernard Guy and 88 Ogier Cote Rotie that afternoon watching football, and the array of Burgundies at dinner, had some negative effect on my palate, but I do think that if this Scavino had been a better wine, I would have noticed. A bottle at Poke a year ago was much better.
2000 Giovanni Rosso Barolo Serralunga
On the first night, this wine shows cedar on the nose, and cherry and light menthol on the palate, but the wine seem to be searching for itself. At one point, I get cherry menthol, then the cedar peeks out, then it receeds, then the cherry takes on a surprising cough-syrup taste (but without the thickness and medicinal quality of actual cough syrup). On the second night, the wine finds itself and gains the precision in lacked on the first night. The cherry fruit is more defined, along with forest floor. At no point do I ever really think about tannin, but while the wine is not as structured as, say, some of the '99 or '01 Baroli that I've been drinking, neither is this wine all that deep. The flavors are at the surface only. By comparison, the '01 Serralunga Barolo from Giovanni Rosso has richer, deeper fruit, and the '01 Ceretta Barolo from Rosso that I had six weeks prior is much firmer and darker.
2000 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino
In a very enjoyable, satisfying place right now. The '99 Livio that I opened two weeks ago (see below) was much more reserved. This was pretty forward, lavish even at first, with great Sangio fruit and plenty of velvety tannins (reminded me of the ripe, thick tannins of a young Cal Cab), along with strong tobacco, cigar box, strong anise and spices like clove. The wine then smooths out, the tannins receed, the cherry fruit comes to the fore amidst the tobacco and anise. The finish is impressive in that in seems somewhat cone-like, becoming really focused at the tail end. At one point, at about five hours of air, I note a depression in the midpalate, which I think is vintage specific - plenty of stuffing around the edges and drinking very forward now, yet with a bit of an underlying void. But really, who cares? This is a 2000 Brunello that is drinking very well and offering plenty of upfront appeal. If you want a more cerebral wine, age your '99s for five more years and in the meanwhile, drink this '00.
1999 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino
Really quite good, with tremendous potential, but still too young. This one is getting towards its arc, just not there yet. When it gets there, it will soften and give way to a really smooth palate, but right now it's still rather taut and lean. The acidity is vibrant and fresh. The tannins are so fine, so sleek, perfectly balanced with the fruit but still a few years away from being gentle and soft. Cherries and cedar on the nose. The fruit is classic Brunello cherries, with a bit of liquorice and truffle lurking. Two nights ago, I had the '01 Lisini Brunello (see below), which was sweet and simple, yet fun and satisfying. This '99 Livio Sassetti is a more rugged, more careful, more cerebral and more genuine Brunello. Glad I have a bunch of these to open on many cold winter nights to come. Easily 4 out of 5 Wonka bars today, more in the future.
2001 Fattoria di Sant'Angelo (Lisini) Brunello di Montalcino
Hard not to open another, as Deb wanted a Sangio and this showed so well only two months earlier. The nose is quite clean and sweet, like breaking open a jelly doughnut and inhaling. The palate is smooth, really contoured, featuring sweet red/black berry fruit (more so than Sangio red cherry) and a soft structure lurking in the background. I'm not getting much Sangio herb or leather, more sweet berry fruit with touches of chocolate (without being overtly oaky), feminine, pretty, sweet, direct, pleasing yet not complex or layered. Deb calls this particularly well balanced. Good depth to the fruit, good purity, yet not very broad and somewhat simple. Drinking well today if you can get into the sweetness and get over the lack of any ruggedness. The sweetness of the palate and the confectionery element to the nose even calls to mind Aussie Shiraz - putting aside thickness and oakiness, just the sweetness. I don't see this as being a long-term wine, but it is tasty today in a simple way.
2000 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso
The 95 was so good on NYE that we decided to compare this one. I was expecting a soft, forward wine, given the average vintage and some time in bottle already - Wrong. While somewhat plumper than the 95 and quite accessible today, this wine still has plenty of underlying stuffing, acidity and tannin to go long. Terrific red and black fruits wrapped in complexities of tobacco, earth and spice. Far too easy to drink today. 92 points
1995 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso
NYE, with pizza from DiFara, Grimaldi, Arturo, Ray's and Koronet. Holy smokes, is this Brunello showing downright amazing tonight. This has really come alive since my first bottle at Maremma in the Village a year or so ago. Fabulous complex aromatics of sweet red fruit, raspberry ganache, herbs, perfume and sweet new leather. Palate follows the nose, the sweet fruit and raspberry ganache hinting that this wine is somewhat more modern in style than traditional Sangio red cherry, but I dont mind at all. There is a clarity and precision to this wine that is to be commended. Deb mentioned that as good as it is now, it has room for further development. 94 points
1999 Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino
The tannins that I recall from last year have released their hold on this wine, and it is starting to come around. Very traditional, with blood orange fruit and acidity, the palate showing an austere, quiet side, yet beginning to reveal its charms and nuances of herbs and leather. After about five hours of air, the palate shows a very sweet blackberry liquer core, very appealing and surprising even, given the shy beginning. I look forward to watching this wine blossom with a few more years.
2001 Fattoria di Rodno Chianti Classico Riserva
Opened when I couldn't sip the 2001 Santa Duc Gigondas any more (because it sucked). Another terrific showing for this wine. This is pure, honest Chianti in a traditional style that is so satisfying, that I must question why this is still on the shelves, years after the vintage, at $25. More blue/black than red fruits, and with enough airtime the palate takes on a very pleasing sweetness alongside the dried herbs and bay leaf notes. Good acidity. No degredation or oxidation after 24 hours of air; if anything, it's even more focused.
1999 Melini Chianti Classico Riserva Vigneti La Selvanella
Very enjoyable. Not as effusive of traditional Chianti red cherries, herbs and leather, more black fruited than red (more blackberry and cassis than red cherries), and somewhat reticent on the attack. Some air brings out savory notes and light yet fragrant leather. While not oaky, this seems to have somewhat of a polished, smooth exterior, whereas I was expecting a more traditional CCR (especially as recommended by GdP a few years ago). Nevertheless, it's balanced and smooth and drinking well now. In fact, I found it hard to put down.
2005 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba Vigna San Lorenzo
Small black and blue berries, a bit of earthiness, good acidity, touches of sweet funk underlying. An enjoyable wine, but the '05 Cascina Francia Barbera seems brighter and has more length.
The last of my many bottles of this wine. Begins with a lot of iron on the palate, and the wine needs a few hours to open up and show its charms. For the first few hours, it's somewhat hard and comes across as an older wine that was woken up too early and is grumpy. Eventually with about four hours of air, the cherry fruit comes to the fore and shows nicely, with good body and mouthfeel, mature but not old, still lively. I can't complain much for the $20 this cost, but neither can I say that I feel remiss that this was my last bottle.
2004 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo
Off the wine list at Commerce. Direct red fruit, very primary, the sweet tannin surrounding the palate yet not too constricting. Mulled spices and cinnamon emerge. Gains body and weight as it decants. Very pure palate, traditional red Nebbiolo, no oak apparent. This is a baby. Really good today, probably amazing in five or more years.
2006 Giuseppe Cortese Langhe Nebbiolo
A great value at $45 off Lupa's wine list. Good purity and balance, nice cherry fruit flavors and tar. Primary, fruity, good tannic structure of a young Nebbiolo. Nothing complicated or too cerebral, but a lot of fun.
1993 Roagna Barbaresco Riserva
Really pleasing tonight. Opens up to a huge blast of liquorice on the nose. Not anise, not fennel, but black liquorice. I hate black liquorice. But this was good, sort of. Anyway, that blew off and gave way to pure, smooth red fruit and sois bois notes of wet moss, roses, along with some spearmint. This wine is nicely together and cohesive, and after about three hours got to that point of smooth, aged Nebbiolo that just pleases the soul. Not too complex, just tasty.
1990 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino
At Fishtail, birthday celebration. Typical Sangio flavors of red cherry fruit and leather, but something is lacking here and the tannins are way too resolved and the palate way too soft and uninteresting. Expected more from a great producer in a good Tuscan vintage. Of the three wines tonight, this and the 69 Conterno Barolo, the best was the Didier Dagueneau white that Randy brought.
1969 Giacomo Conterno Barolo
At Fishtail, birthday celebration with this birthyear wine. Slow oxygenated since the morning. Very brittle cork. Smells of burnt embers and wet leaves, which carries through to the palate, yet still there is a bit of cinnamon-laced red fruit lurking within. Just slightly interesting intellectually, and not very pleasing to drink. Bought this single bottle at auction some years ago, clearly had not been stored well in its past.
2004 Castello di Nieve Barbaresco Santo Stefano
Gorgeous, and will be a pleasure to watch this one evolve. Alluring nose of deep fruit, bordering on fruit liquer, and flowers. The palate is excellent, with a great purity of fruit, an impressive core of deep, sappy red fruit and a slight menthol note; smooth tannins that give the perfect amount of grip; and an impressive finish for such a young wine. Not surprisingly, no degradation over two nights; in fact, the wine was even clearer and deeper.
1998 Roagna Barbaresco Paje
I was surprised at how soft and drinkable this wine is, as most every other Roagna I've had has been firm and tannic. Perhaps because it followed an overly woody and spicy '97 Gaja Lorenzo, this one came across as especially smooth.
1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sor San Lorenzo
Few Gajas have impressed me and this one did little to set aside my general feeling that Gaja wines are too oaky and too expensive. Spice box on the nose, cedar and wood spice. The palate is more brown than Nebbiolo red, the profile dark and spicy, more fruitcake than actual fruit. Sure, this makes a statement, but it doesn't speak to me.
1997 Marcarini Barolo La Serra
I brought this to Michel's Champagne tasting, and it was an undisputed crowd pleaser after some 15 blind Champagnes. It only took about 30 minutes in the decanter to show its charms - lovely, bright red cherry fruit and liquorice, backed up by grippy tannins, fresh acidity and a plump midpalate. Waves of fruit kept pumping out of the glass. Delicious.
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco
I opened this for Michel and Brad, thinking that the regular bottling from the forward 2000 vintage would show well. It did show well, but I opened it much too early. Lovely cherry fruit on the palate emerges with an hour of air, this shows that excellent Giacosa attribute of alluring, feminine fruit upfront, yet backed up by formidable structure. Chewy tannins frame the fruit. Quite impressive for the regular bottling. Try again in five years.
1996 Paolo Scavino Barolo Carobric
I brought this to a dinner party in Brooklyn Heights, and it did not show well - woody and dry on the palate. Perhaps the 02 Mouton, 94 Haut Brion, 99 Bernard Guy and 88 Ogier Cote Rotie that afternoon watching football, and the array of Burgundies at dinner, had some negative effect on my palate, but I do think that if this Scavino had been a better wine, I would have noticed. A bottle at Poke a year ago was much better.
2000 Giovanni Rosso Barolo Serralunga
On the first night, this wine shows cedar on the nose, and cherry and light menthol on the palate, but the wine seem to be searching for itself. At one point, I get cherry menthol, then the cedar peeks out, then it receeds, then the cherry takes on a surprising cough-syrup taste (but without the thickness and medicinal quality of actual cough syrup). On the second night, the wine finds itself and gains the precision in lacked on the first night. The cherry fruit is more defined, along with forest floor. At no point do I ever really think about tannin, but while the wine is not as structured as, say, some of the '99 or '01 Baroli that I've been drinking, neither is this wine all that deep. The flavors are at the surface only. By comparison, the '01 Serralunga Barolo from Giovanni Rosso has richer, deeper fruit, and the '01 Ceretta Barolo from Rosso that I had six weeks prior is much firmer and darker.
2000 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino
In a very enjoyable, satisfying place right now. The '99 Livio that I opened two weeks ago (see below) was much more reserved. This was pretty forward, lavish even at first, with great Sangio fruit and plenty of velvety tannins (reminded me of the ripe, thick tannins of a young Cal Cab), along with strong tobacco, cigar box, strong anise and spices like clove. The wine then smooths out, the tannins receed, the cherry fruit comes to the fore amidst the tobacco and anise. The finish is impressive in that in seems somewhat cone-like, becoming really focused at the tail end. At one point, at about five hours of air, I note a depression in the midpalate, which I think is vintage specific - plenty of stuffing around the edges and drinking very forward now, yet with a bit of an underlying void. But really, who cares? This is a 2000 Brunello that is drinking very well and offering plenty of upfront appeal. If you want a more cerebral wine, age your '99s for five more years and in the meanwhile, drink this '00.
1999 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino
Really quite good, with tremendous potential, but still too young. This one is getting towards its arc, just not there yet. When it gets there, it will soften and give way to a really smooth palate, but right now it's still rather taut and lean. The acidity is vibrant and fresh. The tannins are so fine, so sleek, perfectly balanced with the fruit but still a few years away from being gentle and soft. Cherries and cedar on the nose. The fruit is classic Brunello cherries, with a bit of liquorice and truffle lurking. Two nights ago, I had the '01 Lisini Brunello (see below), which was sweet and simple, yet fun and satisfying. This '99 Livio Sassetti is a more rugged, more careful, more cerebral and more genuine Brunello. Glad I have a bunch of these to open on many cold winter nights to come. Easily 4 out of 5 Wonka bars today, more in the future.
2001 Fattoria di Sant'Angelo (Lisini) Brunello di Montalcino
Hard not to open another, as Deb wanted a Sangio and this showed so well only two months earlier. The nose is quite clean and sweet, like breaking open a jelly doughnut and inhaling. The palate is smooth, really contoured, featuring sweet red/black berry fruit (more so than Sangio red cherry) and a soft structure lurking in the background. I'm not getting much Sangio herb or leather, more sweet berry fruit with touches of chocolate (without being overtly oaky), feminine, pretty, sweet, direct, pleasing yet not complex or layered. Deb calls this particularly well balanced. Good depth to the fruit, good purity, yet not very broad and somewhat simple. Drinking well today if you can get into the sweetness and get over the lack of any ruggedness. The sweetness of the palate and the confectionery element to the nose even calls to mind Aussie Shiraz - putting aside thickness and oakiness, just the sweetness. I don't see this as being a long-term wine, but it is tasty today in a simple way.
2000 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso
The 95 was so good on NYE that we decided to compare this one. I was expecting a soft, forward wine, given the average vintage and some time in bottle already - Wrong. While somewhat plumper than the 95 and quite accessible today, this wine still has plenty of underlying stuffing, acidity and tannin to go long. Terrific red and black fruits wrapped in complexities of tobacco, earth and spice. Far too easy to drink today. 92 points
1995 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso
NYE, with pizza from DiFara, Grimaldi, Arturo, Ray's and Koronet. Holy smokes, is this Brunello showing downright amazing tonight. This has really come alive since my first bottle at Maremma in the Village a year or so ago. Fabulous complex aromatics of sweet red fruit, raspberry ganache, herbs, perfume and sweet new leather. Palate follows the nose, the sweet fruit and raspberry ganache hinting that this wine is somewhat more modern in style than traditional Sangio red cherry, but I dont mind at all. There is a clarity and precision to this wine that is to be commended. Deb mentioned that as good as it is now, it has room for further development. 94 points
1999 Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino
The tannins that I recall from last year have released their hold on this wine, and it is starting to come around. Very traditional, with blood orange fruit and acidity, the palate showing an austere, quiet side, yet beginning to reveal its charms and nuances of herbs and leather. After about five hours of air, the palate shows a very sweet blackberry liquer core, very appealing and surprising even, given the shy beginning. I look forward to watching this wine blossom with a few more years.
2001 Fattoria di Rodno Chianti Classico Riserva
Opened when I couldn't sip the 2001 Santa Duc Gigondas any more (because it sucked). Another terrific showing for this wine. This is pure, honest Chianti in a traditional style that is so satisfying, that I must question why this is still on the shelves, years after the vintage, at $25. More blue/black than red fruits, and with enough airtime the palate takes on a very pleasing sweetness alongside the dried herbs and bay leaf notes. Good acidity. No degredation or oxidation after 24 hours of air; if anything, it's even more focused.
1999 Melini Chianti Classico Riserva Vigneti La Selvanella
Very enjoyable. Not as effusive of traditional Chianti red cherries, herbs and leather, more black fruited than red (more blackberry and cassis than red cherries), and somewhat reticent on the attack. Some air brings out savory notes and light yet fragrant leather. While not oaky, this seems to have somewhat of a polished, smooth exterior, whereas I was expecting a more traditional CCR (especially as recommended by GdP a few years ago). Nevertheless, it's balanced and smooth and drinking well now. In fact, I found it hard to put down.
2005 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba Vigna San Lorenzo
Small black and blue berries, a bit of earthiness, good acidity, touches of sweet funk underlying. An enjoyable wine, but the '05 Cascina Francia Barbera seems brighter and has more length.