Henry's House (Seattle)
Tasted Friday, September 5, 2014 by f22nickell with 798 views
The SEA Wine Tasting Group hosted CT SEATTLE OFFLINE IV at Henry's house in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle
MAJOR THEME: Italian Wines
--Minor Themes--
1) Blind Flights:
a) Barolo/Barbaresco/Nebbiolo
b) Brunello di Montalcino
c) Veneto
d) Super Tuscan
2) Non-blind flights:
a) General - White/bubbly
b) General - Red
c) Dessert
3) General Wines - Non-Italian
Food was once again catered by Diane (Excellent as always!). Here was the menu:
Assorted Cheeses with Baguette, marinated Vegetables, asst. olives, Roasted peppers, roasted zucchini, asst. meats.
Caponata Spread with Focaccia
Parmesan Frico with Arugula
Tomato Tapenade Bruschetta
Proscuitto, Melon and Balsamic Vinegar Bruschetta
Pasta with sauces- Pesto, Bolgonese, Vodka and Tomato Cream and Creamy Walnut
Osso Bucco- shredded on Grilled Polenta
Bisteca Florentine Bites
Chicken Spiedini
Seafood Risotto
Mushroom Risotto
Pumpkin Ravioli
Cannoli
Pine Nut Cookies
Roasted Figs with honey and Goat cheese
I didn't get an opportunity to try all the whites for a couple of reasons. 1) I spent most of the time at the beginning setting up the blind flights that I didn't get over to the wine bucket much and, 2) just not that big a white wine guy :-)
I did not get an opportunity to taste the following wines:
2011 Marcarini Moscato d'Asti
2012 Luigi Baudana Dragon
All Barolos save for the Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo.
FANTASTIC flight of wines! Only a single bottle (mine) that wasn't that memorable!
Came across a little heavy after the Piedmont flight. Would probably have been better swapped with the Super Tuscans.
All so very different! It was so hard to rank these amongst each other! Very surprised about the Ornellaia! Perhaps just an off bottle.
Four Amarone and one Ripasso. Have to admit, my palate was fatigued by the time I hit these wines. Just couldn't bring myself to finish this line up.
I passed on tasting these wines:
(Bottle "C") 2005 Romano Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore
(Bottle "D") 2008 Azienda Agricola Musella Amarone della Valpolicella
A hodge podge of wines that didn't go into a blind tasting. Sadly, I missed one of my own wines.
I did not get an opportunity to taste the following wine:
1999 Dante Rivetti Barbera d'Alba Alabarda
Very interesting bunch of stickies here. I enjoyed all of them. Still, they all were missing one or two elements that kept them from a "wow" level.
Interspersed amongst the other wines ... The Vouvray in the whites, the Cabs in the General Reds, and the Coutet amongst the dessert. Good contrast.
Once again, another success. Once again, more wine than we could shake a stick at!
LOVED the Barolos ... As Henry so eloquently put it, "the best flight of wines I've ever tasted."
2012 Giuseppe Quintarelli Bianco Secco Cà del Merlo 90 Points
Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT
Elegant nose of dusty stone, mineral, white flower, and lemon custard (like a Loire Chenin Blanc.) Palate had lemon custard and minerals, rich but balanced. Complex, young, but refined. Good finish with minerality. Interesting wine.
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2012 Cantina Altarocca Orvieto Classico Superiore Arcosesto 89 Points
Italy, Umbria/Lazio, Orvieto, Orvieto Classico Superiore
Light nose of ripe lemon, tart pear and thyme. Palate had lemon, fresh pears, and minerals. Some oiliness on the tongue. Different, enjoyable, good QPR.
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