Wineberserker's offline: Tartufo Bianco

San Carlos, CA
Tasted Saturday, November 21, 2015 by aagrawal with 524 views

Introduction

A great wine dinner with superb Italian wines and Italian food, including plenty of white truffles.

Flight 1 - Pre-wine (1 Note)

Prior to arriving for dinner. A nice pre-wine.

  • 1985 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu 88 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

    From a half. Golden-orange color; nose has some oxidation, orange marmalade; palate actually shows no oxidation, dry, slight minerality, faded just a tad through midpalate; medium finish. Very nice, and a nice treat, but in the end it lacks something distinctive to help it stand out. 88

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Flight 2 - Champagne (2 Notes)

The Ulysse Collin was a surprise given that I had never heard of the producer before, but it had real character and did seem inspired by Selosse.

Flight 3 - Whites (4 Notes)

The Corton-Charlemagne was superb. Just everything a white burgundy should be.

  • 2006 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 95 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

    Lemon-yellow; wonderfully deep nose with slight butter, complex flavors, slight vanilla; palate is full bodied, fresh, youthful but very deep, slight smokiness, slight savoriness, slight white fruit; finish is medium-plus. Lots of potential ahead. 93-95+

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  • 2011 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Lemon-yellow; nose is very clean, slate, minerality; palate is full bodied but very clean, fresh, medium-plus acid; medium finish. Very nice, among the best balanced california Chardonnays that I've had, but it could use a bit more depth and character. 91

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  • 1996 Schloss Schönborn Hochheimer Domdechaney Riesling Spätlese 90 Points

    Germany, Rheingau

    Medium golden; significant petrol but not overly so, burnt orange, slight caramel; off-dry, significant minerality, medium acidity, low alcohol, salinity; medium finish. Very nice, interesting, has character, could use a bit more midpalate persistence. 89-90

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  • 2009 Donatsch Completer 84 Points

    Switzerland, Eastern Switzerland, Graubünden, Malans

    Oily, rich nose, some butter; palate is off-dry, medium acid; medium finish. A bit of an odd balance but may grow on me over time. 84

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Flight 4 - Italian (7 Notes)

There was no clear winner, as things kept shifting. The Sandrone was superb, among the best of the night. Both Bruno Giacosa were excellent, though I think the Barolo was overall well balanced and better than the barbaresco by a hair. A lot of people loved the Gattinara, but I thought it was a step down from the three I mentioned (though fantastic relative to its price).

  • 1997 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino 91 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    Medium-deep ruby with little bricking; aromatic nose with red berry fruit, cherry, pomegranate, slight underlying spiciness and smokiness, sandalwood, complex; palate is medium bodied, integrated tannins, good depth, red cherry, tobacco, slight leather, good acid, slightly high alcohol; finish is medium-plus. Overall an excellent brunello, but is it that much better than Brunello half its price? 90-92
    Double decanted for 4 hours: after all these other wines, the oak and vanilla is more prominent, more black cherry fruit, a little spicy, same score.
    When paired with the barbera, this is just miles better. More complex, more balanced, very elegant.

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  • 1993 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Pale ruby with slight bricking appropriate for age; aromatic with floral, tar; palate is medium bodied, high tannin but integrated, medium-high acid; medium finish. Very nice and ready to drink. 92
    Update: this really blossomed over 15-40 minutes. Aromatic, complex, violet, tar, clean, balanced on the palate, wonderful overall. 93-95

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  • 1997 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Medium ruby, cloudy; full complex nose with red fruit, cherry, tar, aromatic; medium to full bodied, rich, tannins expertly integrated, fruit is present but also savoriness; medium-long finish. 94-95+

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  • 1997 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Pale ruby, clear; aromatic, clean, more clearly delineated nose, minerals; palate is medium bodied, still some tannins, more youthful than the Barolo, fruit is still present, medium-high acid, more precise and more delicate than the Barolo; medium finish. 93

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  • 1998 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Gattinara 91 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara

    Pale to medium ruby, clear; aromatic, violet, floral, tar; palate is medium bodied, medium-high acid, fruit is fading; medium finish. Very nice but the palate is fading a bit, the nose is excellent. 90-91. Drink now.
    Update: nose and palate both fade quickly, markedly less aromatic after 20 minutes. 90

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  • 2001 Cavalier Bartolomeo Barolo Solanotto - Altenasso 86 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Medium ruby, darker than the other Nebbiolo tonight; deeper black fruits on the nose, deeper, less of the tar and roses that I expected; palate is full bodied, high tannins that still need years, rough texture, drying, not much fruit; short-medium finish. This is either too young, too modern, or lacking fruit but it pales in comparison to the other nebbiolo tonight. 86

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  • 2010 Massolino Barbera d'Alba 88 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

    Medium ruby; wonderfully aromatic nose with red cherry, spice, great balance and complexity; palate is light bodied, young red fruit, medium-plus to high acid, wonderful food wine; short-medium finish. This is a wonderful barbera with a stellar nose. 88

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Flight 5 - Bordeaux (2 Notes)

I thought the LLC was elegant, refined, balanced, more traditional bordeaux. The Pape Clement was full of pyrazines which was interesting, but it became too much and was harder to drink.

  • 1999 Château Léoville Las Cases 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Deep ruby, limited bricking; blackberry, notable minerality; palate is full bodied, tannins fully integrated, black fruit; finish is medium-long. This is classic St. Julien including the minerality on the nose, balanced, drinking really well. 93

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  • 1996 Château Pape Clément 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Deep ruby without bricking; nose is aromatic, huge pyrazines with bell pepper, spices, underlying black fruits; palate is full bodied, ripe black fruit, alcohol seems just slightly high, pyrazines are interesting but a bit too prominent; finish is medium-long. 90-92

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Flight 6 - Selosse (1 Note)

Obviously, awesome in every respect. This particular bottle is young but superb.

  • NV Jacques Selosse Initial 95 Points

    France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

    August 2013 disgorgement. Yellow-gold; nose is incredibly aromatic with slight oxidation, yeast, biscuit, apple; palate is high acid, low alcohol, wonderful character; finish is long. Just superb, superb, superb as usual. This particular bottle could use a few years of bottle age to let the acidity settle a tad bit that doesn't take away from how this is drinking now. 95+++

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Flight 7 - Sweeties (1 Note)

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