Not too many this month as we do full dry January (like all the basics) for the first 10 days and then wet weekends after that.
1994 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (1/11/2020)
Totally maderized. (NR/flawed)
2011 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (1/11/2020)
This didn't show nearly as well as the last bottle. It was a bit hot and a bit astringent but there is nice depth to the underlying fruit. It's either going through a difficult period or it was just not a great wine night (nothing showed all that well). (91 points)
2013 Pian dell'Orino Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino (1/11/2020)
This was pretty tight the night we opened it, it really didn't want to show much. You could sense the reserve and that there was a lot to unfurl. Structurally, it was very elegant and precise. The next day it was better showing much more of its dark red fruit with a bit of spiced pipe tobacco and leather. I think this will end up being a hell of a wine. I'm thinking 4-5 years before I open another bottle. (92 points)
2008 Flavio Roddolo Langhe Cabernet Sauvignon Bricco Appiani - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (1/11/2020)
I really wanted to like this as I love everything else I've had from Roddolo but even I have a limit to how little fruit a wine can show. Lots of savory and herby notes, not green herbs that would normally be associated with cabernet but more like rosemary. Dusty herbs, leather and earth with plenty of structure. It is interesting and unique, just not for me. (88 points)
2013 Ceritas Pinot Noir Porter-Bass Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (1/13/2020)
Really fragrant on the tart red fruit side of the spectrum and laced with flowers. On the palate the fruit turns a bit more cherry and finished with mineral acidity and firm but fine tannin. With air it seems to show a bit more stem character. I'm not sure what the percentage of whole cluster was for this wine, but it shows signs of being whole cluster. I figured this would be ready, but a few more years would have actually been beneficial. (92 points)
2012 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (1/17/2020)
Vivid hue with a nose dominated by chalk and dark earth. There is some deep fruit here that is the darker edge of pitted fruit and berries but it is kept in check by the structure. I don't remember the bottle last March being so closed. This needs a few years to unwind. (90 points)
1999 Louis Jadot Corton-Pougets Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru (1/17/2020)
This was a disappointment given my prior experience with this wine. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with the bottle, although the cork broke when I opened it, there was only wine stain on the bottom so no leaking or undue ingress. The wine seemed tired and maybe a bit dilute. The aromas and flavors were in between earlier fruit and later dried fruit and sous-bois. There was a kind of soy note over the top of everything that I didn't love. A strange showing and really unlike other bottles. I'm torn whether to open up another bottle sometime soon to see what's up. (88 points)
2011 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champonnets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (1/18/2020)
On the red fruit end of the spectrum and on the lighter side at that. Pale red hue with a nose full of flowers, chalk, that red fruit. Seemingly delicate but with fine bones of tannin underneath. This si starting to drink well now although it did seem to get more strict with air. No shame to open but a couple more years ought to round off those edges. (92 points)
2016 Monteraponi Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (1/19/2020)
A great bottle, maybe the best yet. I have what looks to be 2 lots of this wine LN.02.18 (which this is) and LN.04.18 and have tried to make note of it. The palate was so silky and the wine was so generous in it's dark fruit and earthy, woodsy, leathery soul. This was one of those bottles where a 750 was not enough. (93 points)
2011 Flavio Roddolo Nebbiolo d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Nebbiolo d'Alba (1/25/2020)
Started out tight and structured but very perfumed. After about 30 minutes and especially in a Burgundy glass, it just erupted. Cherry compote and spices melted the tannin. Complexity is added by some earthier notes. The tannin melt into the background. If there was a nit, and I'm not sure there is, it would be that it lacks a bit of mid-palate depth; however, it is just so immediately delicious and charming who could hold onto any nits. (93 points)
2016 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (1/25/2020)
Wow, I'm glad I decided to pop a young Burgundy (or maybe it's just that it's Mugneret). This had really deep, silky fruit with a bit of almost Vosne like spice that I often pick up in this wine. There is structure underneath and a kiss of wood spice on top but there is just so much fruit that you barely notice. There is a tone of mineraly earth on the finish if you really pay attention. Fantastic. (94 points)
2010 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette Griffe du Marquis - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (1/25/2020)
This was a bit of a disappointment. The last time I had it there was a lot of sily fruit but it seemed like it needed to deal with some structure. I either lost that bet or it is going through a tough teenage phase where it is a bit sullen on the palate. The nose has progressed to where you would want and expect but the palate is a bit tannic and shrill. I must admit, I'm a bit confused about what to do with my remaining bottles. (88 points)
2017 Ferme de la Sansonnière (Mark Angeli) La Lune Amphores - France, Vin de France (1/25/2020)
Really interesting and very different than the bottle of 2016 we had last year in Toronto. Really savory with lots of body but a really nice line of acid structure on the palate. The wine is constantly changing and showing different facets. This is the kind of wine that really speaks for what natural wine can achieve. I can't imagine a conventionally made wine showing such complexity while still having such tenderness on the palate. I've never had a conventional wine show like this in any event. I'm not sure what the life expectancy would be here or even what aging will bring. We switched into Burgundy stems after a couple fo minutes and the wine really expanded so I'd recommend starting that way. Beautiful. (94 points)
2015 Flavio Roddolo Dolcetto d'Alba Superiore - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (1/31/2020)
Somewhat blocky to start and showing its savory side. With a bit of air the fruit comes out singing with a nice rocky finish. Its like dark fruits smashed on cold rocks but the wine isn't all that fruity as there are still lots of savory elements. Absolutely superb with food. I really love these Roddolo wines (well, with one exception). This is the current release and good to go now. (92 points)
1994 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (1/11/2020)
Totally maderized. (NR/flawed)
2011 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (1/11/2020)
This didn't show nearly as well as the last bottle. It was a bit hot and a bit astringent but there is nice depth to the underlying fruit. It's either going through a difficult period or it was just not a great wine night (nothing showed all that well). (91 points)
2013 Pian dell'Orino Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino (1/11/2020)
This was pretty tight the night we opened it, it really didn't want to show much. You could sense the reserve and that there was a lot to unfurl. Structurally, it was very elegant and precise. The next day it was better showing much more of its dark red fruit with a bit of spiced pipe tobacco and leather. I think this will end up being a hell of a wine. I'm thinking 4-5 years before I open another bottle. (92 points)
2008 Flavio Roddolo Langhe Cabernet Sauvignon Bricco Appiani - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (1/11/2020)
I really wanted to like this as I love everything else I've had from Roddolo but even I have a limit to how little fruit a wine can show. Lots of savory and herby notes, not green herbs that would normally be associated with cabernet but more like rosemary. Dusty herbs, leather and earth with plenty of structure. It is interesting and unique, just not for me. (88 points)
2013 Ceritas Pinot Noir Porter-Bass Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (1/13/2020)
Really fragrant on the tart red fruit side of the spectrum and laced with flowers. On the palate the fruit turns a bit more cherry and finished with mineral acidity and firm but fine tannin. With air it seems to show a bit more stem character. I'm not sure what the percentage of whole cluster was for this wine, but it shows signs of being whole cluster. I figured this would be ready, but a few more years would have actually been beneficial. (92 points)
2012 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (1/17/2020)
Vivid hue with a nose dominated by chalk and dark earth. There is some deep fruit here that is the darker edge of pitted fruit and berries but it is kept in check by the structure. I don't remember the bottle last March being so closed. This needs a few years to unwind. (90 points)
1999 Louis Jadot Corton-Pougets Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru (1/17/2020)
This was a disappointment given my prior experience with this wine. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with the bottle, although the cork broke when I opened it, there was only wine stain on the bottom so no leaking or undue ingress. The wine seemed tired and maybe a bit dilute. The aromas and flavors were in between earlier fruit and later dried fruit and sous-bois. There was a kind of soy note over the top of everything that I didn't love. A strange showing and really unlike other bottles. I'm torn whether to open up another bottle sometime soon to see what's up. (88 points)
2011 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champonnets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (1/18/2020)
On the red fruit end of the spectrum and on the lighter side at that. Pale red hue with a nose full of flowers, chalk, that red fruit. Seemingly delicate but with fine bones of tannin underneath. This si starting to drink well now although it did seem to get more strict with air. No shame to open but a couple more years ought to round off those edges. (92 points)
2016 Monteraponi Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (1/19/2020)
A great bottle, maybe the best yet. I have what looks to be 2 lots of this wine LN.02.18 (which this is) and LN.04.18 and have tried to make note of it. The palate was so silky and the wine was so generous in it's dark fruit and earthy, woodsy, leathery soul. This was one of those bottles where a 750 was not enough. (93 points)
2011 Flavio Roddolo Nebbiolo d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Nebbiolo d'Alba (1/25/2020)
Started out tight and structured but very perfumed. After about 30 minutes and especially in a Burgundy glass, it just erupted. Cherry compote and spices melted the tannin. Complexity is added by some earthier notes. The tannin melt into the background. If there was a nit, and I'm not sure there is, it would be that it lacks a bit of mid-palate depth; however, it is just so immediately delicious and charming who could hold onto any nits. (93 points)
2016 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (1/25/2020)
Wow, I'm glad I decided to pop a young Burgundy (or maybe it's just that it's Mugneret). This had really deep, silky fruit with a bit of almost Vosne like spice that I often pick up in this wine. There is structure underneath and a kiss of wood spice on top but there is just so much fruit that you barely notice. There is a tone of mineraly earth on the finish if you really pay attention. Fantastic. (94 points)
2010 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette Griffe du Marquis - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (1/25/2020)
This was a bit of a disappointment. The last time I had it there was a lot of sily fruit but it seemed like it needed to deal with some structure. I either lost that bet or it is going through a tough teenage phase where it is a bit sullen on the palate. The nose has progressed to where you would want and expect but the palate is a bit tannic and shrill. I must admit, I'm a bit confused about what to do with my remaining bottles. (88 points)
2017 Ferme de la Sansonnière (Mark Angeli) La Lune Amphores - France, Vin de France (1/25/2020)
Really interesting and very different than the bottle of 2016 we had last year in Toronto. Really savory with lots of body but a really nice line of acid structure on the palate. The wine is constantly changing and showing different facets. This is the kind of wine that really speaks for what natural wine can achieve. I can't imagine a conventionally made wine showing such complexity while still having such tenderness on the palate. I've never had a conventional wine show like this in any event. I'm not sure what the life expectancy would be here or even what aging will bring. We switched into Burgundy stems after a couple fo minutes and the wine really expanded so I'd recommend starting that way. Beautiful. (94 points)
2015 Flavio Roddolo Dolcetto d'Alba Superiore - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba (1/31/2020)
Somewhat blocky to start and showing its savory side. With a bit of air the fruit comes out singing with a nice rocky finish. Its like dark fruits smashed on cold rocks but the wine isn't all that fruity as there are still lots of savory elements. Absolutely superb with food. I really love these Roddolo wines (well, with one exception). This is the current release and good to go now. (92 points)
