We had some people over and pulled some 2001 Brunello and other Tuscans from my cellar to have a look on their 10th birthday.
I opened a magnum of 2005 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Cuvée Eden, which showed very well. Soft and broad on the palate, with white fruit and floral notes, and less in the way of sea notes, very elegant. I've now had it open for some four nights, with no degradation and indeed, a gain in focus and clarity. Great stuff.
2001 Caprili Brunello - Good ruggedness, sweetness of fruit, blood orange. Performed at an impressive level, especially for the low comparative price. Rugged and Old World in style. There was some left over for the second night, and it showed no degradation; the tannins emerged more prominently, blood orange, leather, spices; good finish. Surprisingly good and vigorous.
2001 Camigliano Brunello - The crowd favorite, perhaps because of its soft, smooth, user-friendly palate; dark brown palate, chocolate notes; soft.
2001 Lisini - A wine I've followed for a few years now, culminating in a very impressive showing in April 2010 with structure and fortitude that were absent from this wine in the past but by then had emerged and accompanied the sweet fruit. Well, this weekend's bottle was not as impressive; not as much fortitude and strength as in that 2010 bottle. Somewhat raisin-y, although people liked it.
2001 L'Chiuse - When I decanted this bottle, I thought it was woody, both on the palate and in its wood tannin. With air, it opened up, but still showed wood and cedar spice. Not great. Bottle # 02800. Apart from a bottle I opened years ago, around 2007, no subsequent bottle has impressed me. That bottle was enjoyed outdoors on a summer night in the Santa Monica Mountains, so perhaps that setting created a one-off enjoyment factor for this wine that I've never experienced since.
2001 Altesino - Sharp, angular, not impressive. Even the bottle I brought to Momofuko in October 2010 for the fried chicken dinner and enjoyed out of thick tumbler glasses, spoofy as it was, was better than this showing.
2001 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona "Pianrosso" - A favorite producer of mine (sue me), but not a good showing. Raisins and prunes. Some remained on the second night, and it was soft, unstructured, with murky brown sugar notes.
2001 Livio Sassettti "Pertimali" - Another of my favorite producers, and this was more like it. Lovely, strawberry fruit, soft tannin, good underlying richness and class. Nice.
2001 Montevertine - A crowd favorite. Lovely, smooth, rich fruit, very integrated oak, smooth tannins. At a good point in its evolution.
2001 Felsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva - Great. Much darker than the other wines. Vibrant, dark fruit, smooth tannins, spice. Fresh, floral nose. Tannins finer than the Fontalloro. Rich, long finish. Still has years.
2001 Felsina "Fontalloro" - This has done a good job absorbing its new oak. Dark cherries, polished palate (but not spoofy), spices on the long finish. One guest whose palate I respect called this very sweet. Long, rich finish showing tannin and juicy acidity. Still has years to go.
There was also a 1993 Chateau Pajzos Esszancia, brought by a very generous guest, which was pretty spectacular. Lots of flavor and fruit (yellow, orange and golden fruit, sugar, warm apricot nectar), but very light on its feet. The finish goes on and on.
I opened a magnum of 2005 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Cuvée Eden, which showed very well. Soft and broad on the palate, with white fruit and floral notes, and less in the way of sea notes, very elegant. I've now had it open for some four nights, with no degradation and indeed, a gain in focus and clarity. Great stuff.
2001 Caprili Brunello - Good ruggedness, sweetness of fruit, blood orange. Performed at an impressive level, especially for the low comparative price. Rugged and Old World in style. There was some left over for the second night, and it showed no degradation; the tannins emerged more prominently, blood orange, leather, spices; good finish. Surprisingly good and vigorous.
2001 Camigliano Brunello - The crowd favorite, perhaps because of its soft, smooth, user-friendly palate; dark brown palate, chocolate notes; soft.
2001 Lisini - A wine I've followed for a few years now, culminating in a very impressive showing in April 2010 with structure and fortitude that were absent from this wine in the past but by then had emerged and accompanied the sweet fruit. Well, this weekend's bottle was not as impressive; not as much fortitude and strength as in that 2010 bottle. Somewhat raisin-y, although people liked it.
2001 L'Chiuse - When I decanted this bottle, I thought it was woody, both on the palate and in its wood tannin. With air, it opened up, but still showed wood and cedar spice. Not great. Bottle # 02800. Apart from a bottle I opened years ago, around 2007, no subsequent bottle has impressed me. That bottle was enjoyed outdoors on a summer night in the Santa Monica Mountains, so perhaps that setting created a one-off enjoyment factor for this wine that I've never experienced since.
2001 Altesino - Sharp, angular, not impressive. Even the bottle I brought to Momofuko in October 2010 for the fried chicken dinner and enjoyed out of thick tumbler glasses, spoofy as it was, was better than this showing.
2001 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona "Pianrosso" - A favorite producer of mine (sue me), but not a good showing. Raisins and prunes. Some remained on the second night, and it was soft, unstructured, with murky brown sugar notes.
2001 Livio Sassettti "Pertimali" - Another of my favorite producers, and this was more like it. Lovely, strawberry fruit, soft tannin, good underlying richness and class. Nice.
2001 Montevertine - A crowd favorite. Lovely, smooth, rich fruit, very integrated oak, smooth tannins. At a good point in its evolution.
2001 Felsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva - Great. Much darker than the other wines. Vibrant, dark fruit, smooth tannins, spice. Fresh, floral nose. Tannins finer than the Fontalloro. Rich, long finish. Still has years.
2001 Felsina "Fontalloro" - This has done a good job absorbing its new oak. Dark cherries, polished palate (but not spoofy), spices on the long finish. One guest whose palate I respect called this very sweet. Long, rich finish showing tannin and juicy acidity. Still has years to go.
There was also a 1993 Chateau Pajzos Esszancia, brought by a very generous guest, which was pretty spectacular. Lots of flavor and fruit (yellow, orange and golden fruit, sugar, warm apricot nectar), but very light on its feet. The finish goes on and on.
