Ai Fiori's Ornellaia/Masseto dinner

Part of what is turning into our spring wine dinner series, this was one of the ones I was most looking forward to partially because I've always been a fan of Ai Fiori and because I was interested to try the Masseto and Ornellaia next to each other.

This was a very well done dinner. I particularly liked some of the extra special touches - the sommelier from Ai Fiori making sure we got to try the Masseto, Zack from the distributor ensuring we tried the Ornus and Grappa, Alessandro from the winery bringing the bonus '05 Ornellaia. If life is reality minus expectations they did a good job of setting expectations high enough that you'd want to attend and then adding a few fun pieces on top of that for the reality.

We arrived a bit early and so grabbed a few wines off of the Ai Fiori by the glass list to try. The Rose I think stood out. The prototypical version of the dry, mineral ones that have become very popular of late.

• 2014 Graci Etna Rosato

  Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC

  Not officially part of the dinner but instead an apertif as I arrived a bit early before they were seating people. This is super dry, great minerals, almost hints of salinity. Very crisp and refreshing.

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• 2014 Peter Lauer Ayler Riesling Senior Faß 6

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Also from the by the glass menu at Ai Fiori, this was drunk next to the Etna Rosato and the Etna Rosato stole the show. While it was dry and crisp and clean, this had the sweet characteristics with just a touch less acidity than I'd have liked to have seen.

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Unfortunately don't have a list of all that was passed, but particularly liked a lobster with crostini with the wine. It had a seasoning that paired especially well. The sauvignon blanc from the estate showed well as always.

• 2013 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Sauvignon Blanc Poggio alle Gazze Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  I continue to really enjoy this white wine. It's got just a hint of grassiness that let's you know it's a Sauvignon Blanc, but not overpowering as some can be. Crisp, hints of maybe a white peach or something in there, beautiful. It's a touch more on the sour side, but not in an offputting way. Very good.

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Served with:

UOVO
egg, morels, taleggio

So actually as non-mushroom eater (I only like the flavor in my wine), we ended up with spring vegetables instead of the morels but still quite a tasty dish. And interesting to see something a bit less meat heavy working well with the first red wines of the evening.

• 2013 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Volte Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  My least favorite of the tasting. This is the drink now wine which definitely needs food to help it find it's way. Made from more approachable varietals - 50% Merlot, 30% Sangiovese (from outside the estate) and then some CS. It's just young and rough and not in that baby thoroughbred way that shows promise but more like a donkey. Red fruits, touch of tannin, overshadowed by everything else on the table including the Serre Nuove it was served next to.

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• 2012 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri

  Most of the time I don't really understand this wine when it's more expensive than the Sassicaia second label and I don't think much different in quality. Tonight though it was showing better than I remember (might also have been comparison point was Le Volte). A bit more heat on the nose and on the palette. This comes from a warmer vintage and it lets you know that. Very soft - I noted the softness multiple times in my notes. Hints of black pepper. Get the feeling it could age a few years and that would help (although I suppose it already has a few as there are later releases available). Very bright and approachable. Only knock is a bit more one dimensional.

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Served with:

AGNOLOTTI
veal parcels, sweet potato, dried plum

I thought I remembered this dish from a few years ago although not sure it was quite as stunning this night as it was then. Still, Michael White restaurants are known for getting the pasta right and this was no different.

• 2011 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

  Drank alongside the '12 and while the '12 is 'I'm here, I'm here, I'm here' this wine is more poking it's head around the corner to see if you're still waiting for it to come out. I happen to prefer the shy one with a bit more nuance, violets, hints of red and black fruit. Very very very young and the kindof wine you expect will become something really special, but it needs a lot more time (20 years). Interesting as the '11 comes from one of the longest harvests at the winery. While I preferred to the '12 (and preferred the '10 to it), the table was more mixed in opinions.

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• 2012 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

  Tasted alongside the '11 and it was like meeting two brothers with completely different personalities and yet you could just tell that they both have the dad's eyes. This wine was open for business and while generally I think Ornellaia needs years to really reach it's potential, I'm not sure this one won't peak a bit on the early side. Black fruits, good backbone, nice leather, spice, a bit more fruit forward than the other wines we were drinking. Once it was also being compared to the '10 and the Masseto it came across as more over the top.

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Served with:

BISTECCA
prime dry-aged strip loin, endive, potato terrine

This is when the bonus wine came out (2005 Ornellaia). Was my favorite course in terms of the wine flights, but I'd guess that would have been the general agreement around the table.

• 2010 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

  My favorite of the young Ornellaia brothers this evening if the '11 was peaking around a corner checking to see if you were still there then the '10 was watching through a hidden peakhole. There's great potential here. It's got these wonderful unripe blackberries and a bit more intensity than I saw in the '11 which was more nuanced and softer. Also some vines and twigs and all of that, but expect it to come together.

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• 2005 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

  Surprise wine and a great example of what happens with these wines with some age. It's a bit more integrated, almost sweet, saddle leather, cherry, hints of alcohol, but tamping down some. This still didn't feel really ready to me, but at least it was further on it's way than the '10 through '12s. My favorite of the Ornellaias although that comes more from the extra aging than believing the '05 vintage was better than the others.

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• 2010 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  So far I've just had the '09 and the '10 of these and each time it feels like a baby killing. Given the experience with the Ornellaia's I'd guess these are wines that need at least 15 years to find their feet. This was opened with the others at 6:30 pm, but hard to tell it had had a few hours of slow ox when we got it. Hints of alcohol still present. This wine is much softer than the Ornellaia, super young, almost a touch disjointed. While the tannins are softer, they still seem to overshadow some of the other flavors. The last sip was the best sip of the night and I waited till the bitter end for it (when most other folks had already left dinner). Still on an upward trajectory so who knows how good it could have been. There's potential here. Would be interested to try an older one to see what it they turn into.

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Served with:

PANE CARMELLO AL RUM
Carmelized brioche, banana, passionfruit crema, licorice

One of my favorites of the food dishes, this was just excellent and the Ornus was a fun treat.

• 2010 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Petit Manseng Ornus Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  What a treat as one rarely finds these in the US at all. Very sweet and soft, orange peel, great acidity, less viscous than some other dessert wines this one is a bit more light on its feel. Young and bright. A very nice ending to the meal.

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Overall, a good dinner with some good wines. The '05 Ornellaia would have been my WOTN in terms of something to try now, but as mentioned in the notes I'd love to do the Masseto again in 15-20 years. And always fun to revisit the Ornus which we've been lucky enough to try before, but isn't readily available.