Barolo and Barbaresco at I Nonni

This was a great night of food at I Nonni with many worthy wines to accompany the cuisine.

• 2011 Pannier Champagne Blanc de Noirs Brut - France, Champagne
  Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 40 minutes. BdN, tart green apple nose, white melon, light yeast. The palate is tart, green apple, apple skin, slightly bitter, stone fruits, lean, spice. Pleasant enough. 89+pts. (89 pts.)
• 2002 Pol Roger Champagne Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne
  Medium rich gold color. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. Very nice toasty, yeasty nose, lemon, brioche, very airy nose. The palate shows elegance and nice balance, medium full bodied, deep, vibrant and tasty, lemon, clementine, wet stone, autolytic, medium plus finish. Very good. 93+ to 94pts. (94 pts.)

• 2007 Jean et Sébastien Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
  Light gold color. Drank 1+ glass over an hour. This was really quite consistent with my note form 11/15/16. Excellent briney nose, orange, lemon-lime, earthy, tangy, sea shore minerals, long. 92+pts. (92 pts.)
• 2014 Domaine Roulot Bourgogne-Aligoté - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté
  Pale gold color. Followed 1 glass over an hour. Lean and acidic, tart lemon and lime, angular finish. (88 pts.)

• 2008 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Medium dark red color. This did have some air; drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. Another great showing for this wine. Love the nose, extremely aromatic, a great mix of dried forest floor notes, leather, dried flowers, ripe cherry, and baked strawberry. The palate is vibrant and energetic, there's a great freshness that feels so lively, dried berries, cherry, anise, round and plush tannins that are so nice already. This shows so well at this stage, it would be tough to keep your hands off them. 95+pts. (95 pts.)
• 2010 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Dark red color. PNP(?), followed one glass over 90 minutes. Pretty intense nose, very youthful as expected, wood, wood spices, some heat, black cherry. The palate is pretty big right now, wrapped up the wood, licorice, tart cherry, black cherry liqueur, glycerin, heat, very firm at this point. Needs several more years at least. 91(+)pts. (91 pts.)

• 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Gallina di Neive - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. Something about this didn't feel quite right tonight. Not as engaging as the last time having it. Ripe fruits, herbs, spice, tart berry, but there's some heat and more wood than I recall that seems less friendly. Medium plus body and firm dusty tannins. Certainly good, but not rocking me tonight especially next to the '05 Stefano. 91+pts. (91 pts.)
• 2005 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  Medium dark red color. Slow-O for about 8 hours and then decanted for 2 hours. Drank 1+ glass over 2 hours. I loved this tonight, fantastic nose, very big and aromatic with an incredible damp earthiness, huge potpourri, gorgeous plump red berries and bright blue fruits that come through after 20 to 30 minutes. There is a lovely purity on the palate, medium body with terrific energy and lift, red and blue fruits on the palate, earth and minerals, dusty tannins that are fine and appealing, nice length. Loved this wine tonight. For me, this and the '08 Rinaldi were the show stoppers. 94+ to 95pts. (94 pts.)

• 2001 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Barolo Vürsù Vigneto Campè - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  This was extremely vegetal, old bandaid, reduced. (FLAWED)
• 2001 Cavalier Bartolomeo Barolo Solanotto - Altenasso - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Medium dark red color. Drank 1 glass over an hour. OK, ripe and firm, maple, quite a bit of earth and some funk, sour cherry. (90 pts.)

• 2004 E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Barolo Cannubi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Dark red color. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. This was the most modern of the wines tonight, more oak, vanilla, fairly big red and dark red fruit, firm tannins, this got considerably better with air. 91(+?)pts. (91 pts.)
• 2004 Tenuta Serradenari Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Tasted, no notes. Had a 1 hour decant. Fine, not memorable.

I'll be remembering the '08 Rinaldi and the '05 Giacosa for awhile.