Big Time Barolo and Barbaresco Fest et al

The theme was Barolo and Barbarescos and the setting was new Italian restaurant open just 10 days in a historic and gorgeous Art Deco space downtown. The wines proved to be splendid with the '71 Borgogno's stealing the show. Thanks Steve!! Everyone was thoroughly impressed by the food tonight. We will be back!

• NV R. & L. Legras Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Pale gold color. Drank 1 glass over an hour. Green apple, sour, apple skin, good minerality. Typical of other bottles. Very good QPR.

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• NV Veuve Fourny & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Grande Réserve Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Pale gold color. Drank 1 glass over an hour. This was quite good, showing some diverse fruit on the nose with pear, citrus, and apple along with a nice yeastiness. The palate had a fresh and well delineated core of red apple, bright, yeasty, with good minerality and a clean finish. Very good.

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• NV Tarlant Champagne Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut La Vigne Royale 89 Points

  France, Champagne

  Pale gold with hints of a reddish hue. Followed 1 glass over an hour. This was interesting and generally good, others seemed a bit more enamored that I was. Strong mineral nose, melon, citrus, oxidative nose. The palate is consistent, oxidative, sour, citrus, and some dried sour cherry notes. Lacks some finesse IMO. 88+ to 89pts.

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• 2010 Moreau-Naudet & Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Light gold color. Showing signs of oxidation, flat on the palate, plenty of minerality, but not much fruit. Very disappointing.

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• 2011 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Light gold color. Drank 1+ glass over an hour plus. This really was lovely, exhibiting great purity, lovely lemon, a little butter, orange peel, textured and lingering and elegant on the palate. This seemed to keep taking on more weight and depth through the evening. A wonderful bottle. 92+pts.

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• 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano Flawed

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Cloudy, medium maroon color. PNP, followed 1 glass over 3 hours. Same bottle as Chablis28. I'm not sure what was wrong with this bottle, but there was something wrong with it. Heat stress seems the most logical given this had proper storage and a solid cork, but who knows. Very woody, gripping dusty sandy tannins, dirt, tart, dried cherry. There was little if any change over 3 hours either. Not the compelling bottle expected. If I had to score it, it would be sub 90pts.

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• 2005 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Medium dark red color. Slow-O for 5 hours. Drank 1+ glass over 3.5 hours. Drank this side by side with the '08. While both are youthful, I thought this was a bit more open and ready than the '08, with the '08 showing more youthful wood and tannins with more grip. Both displayed their pedigree of class and complexity. The '05 nose has dried flowers, nice red fruit, ripe fruit, raspberry, it becomes quite floral over 30 minutes. The palate shows dusty, medium grained tannins, red berry fruit is quite pretty with a medium plus body and a long finish. Will wait a few years to revisit.

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• 2008 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Medium dark red color. Double decanted per Chablis28. Drank 1 glass over 3.5hrs. Drank side by side with the '05 and while both are youthful the '08 had a bit more new wood and firmer tannic grip; but that being said both were drinking very well already. The '08 had this crystalline anise note on the nose with cherry, dried fruit, plum, and young wood, spice. The palate had wood, lots of anise, spicy, cherry, firm tannins that grip the palate and a long finish. Both great, i favor the '05 a bit currently.

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• 1971 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Medium cloudy orange crimson, heavily bricked color. Decanted for 90 minutes at dinner. Drank 1+ glass over 2.5 hours side by side with the '71 Barbaresco Riserva. Much lighter in color and significantly bricked compared to the Barbaresco this was still splendidly good! The nose is filled with a cornucopia of mixed mushrooms, French onion soup, savory, smoky, orange zest, cherries. The palate is equally impressive with savory onion soup, mushroom and caramelized onion tart, cherry, dried cherries, fine grain tannins, wood spice and hints of tangerine with an long and intriguing finish. Another stunner.

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• 1971 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barbaresco Riserva 97 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Medium dark crimson red color. Decanted at the table for 90 minutes before serving. Drank 1+ glass over 2.5hrs side by side with the '71 Barolo Riserva. The Barbaresco is darker and clearer than the Barolo and comes through bright and fresh for 44 years old. The Barbaresco is amazing, the first two "descriptors" that come to mind are Wow followed by Wow. This just has a gorgeous perfume of rose hips, potpourri, cinnamon, spices, perfumed, floral, a delicate blend of spices. The palate is ethereal, amazing, lovely crushed berries, cherry, rose hips, spiced, supple fine grained tannins that are folding in nicely and a long inspiring finish. Man, this was singing. As Dave D commented, after these wines, the rest our the wines just seem broken. 97+pts.

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• 1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Dark red color. This was a PNP at the restaurant and got thrown into a decanter for a bit, maybe 30-60 minutes I think. This comes off quite youthful and powerful, firm tannins and and lots of depth and complexity, spiced, tart berry, anise, mint, floral. Hold.

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• 2001 Giovanni Manzone Barolo Le Gramolere

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Dark red color. PNP, I think . Followed 1 glass over an hour plus. Lots of brett, overdose of brett, reduced. Blackberry liqueur, wood smoke. Firm tannins.

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• 2003 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Medium dark red color. Drank 1 glass over an hour. This was very earthy, loamy soil, minerals, balsamic, cherry, prominent tannins. 91+pts.

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• 2004 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo Le Brunate 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Dark red color. Slow-O at the table for about 3 hours; drank 1 glass over an hour. Another very nice wine in a stellar line up of wines. Very nice with dried dark berries, youthful tannins on a firm backbone. This should be excellent in 10 years.

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• NV G. Bertagnolli Grappa di Amarone

  Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT

  Clear. Nose of wet paint, palate of grain alcohol. A little goes a long way. Not really my cup alcohol. NR.

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• 2001 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 93 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Medium gold color. Drank 1 glass over 40 minutes. This had really nice fruit, crisp mouthwatering acidity, honey, tangerine, pineapple, sappy in a good way on the palate. Long finish. Excellent.

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The 71's were outrageous.