Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+

• 2008 Albino Rocca Barbaresco Duemilaotto

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Garnet core with crimson rim showing good clarity; intense rose on the nose, cherry, menthol, cedar, orange oil in back, dried sour cherry; fresh palate, sweet fruit, focused, soft tannin at this phase, nice grip on the finish, Burgundian; delicious; one of the favorites, still quite primary.

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• 2003 Alain Voge Cornas Cuvée Vieilles Fontaines

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Darker core, cloudy rim, dull crimson rim; tarry, dark cherry, cranberry, nutty; firm tannin, medicinal, a hint of CdP in character, tarry finish, head, warm vintage; called Amarone just like before.

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• 2009 François Villard St. Joseph Reflet

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

  Dark core with cloudy rim, reddish violet; sulfur, Band-aid, granite, fresher fruit, dark, sauvage; fuller body though rounder tannin, vanilla, sweet plum, dark fruit, whole cluster; not sure why I called Gigondas when everything was saying N. Rhone.

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• 2008 Donnafugata Mille e una notte

  Italy, Sicily, Contessa Entellina

  Dark opaque core with thin crimson rim; nutty, tar, spice, dark fruit, plush, higher alcohol, sulfur; dark fruit, tarry, sweet fruit, ripe, tar, nutty, autumnal, a bit non descript though I thought it was a modern Italian- '01 Castelgiocondo BdM; was not getting volcanic character.

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• 2001 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Dark core, obvious rusty rim; tar, cedar, sandalwood, dark cherry; higher alcohol, iron, tannic; called '04 Conterno-Fantino Sori Ginestra.

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• 2011 Rockpile Winery (Mauritson) Zinfandel Jack's Cabin Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Rockpile

  Dark core though some clarity, larger garnet rim; raspberry, brandy warmth, could use a bit of a chill temperature wise, chocolate, oak; glycerin evident on the palate, warm, heat from the alcohol, suffered from serving too warm, round softer tannin, some acid, good mid palate which led me to old vine Zin.

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• 2010 Nino Negri Sfursat 5 Stelle

  Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Sforzato di Valtellina

  See through with rusty rim; minty, sweet vanilla, very minty, strawberry, cherry, tea, cinnamon; sweet fruit, minty note continues onto the palate, higher alcohol; a bit bizarre, looks like Nebbiolo but has a strong sweet strawberry and oak component similar to Rioja; needs time.

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• 2014 Domaine Chante Cigale Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Pale steely straw gray; tart green fruit, steely, grapefruit pith, lemon oil, bitter, quartz, herbs; sappier on the palate, stony, green fruit, tactile, a bit coiled at this stage.

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• 2007 Luigi Pira Barolo Vigna Rionda

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Darker core with rusty rim, apparently this is Nebbiolo night; dusty, wormwood, dried roses and cherry, a bit of green tobacco; some bitterness on the palate, sour medicinal cherry, kind of mean with the tannin structure, larger scaled but some focus, no iron; I believe this is new French oak; good.

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A tougher night to call the wines.
Lots of Nebbiolo.
To me my Albino Rocca was my favorite then the Francois Villard St. Joseph. After that the others were pretty far behind these.