Four pairs of wines at Mark's place

All wines decanted two to four hours before serving, which seemed about right.

• 2018 Sigalas Assyrtiko Santorini 91 Points

  Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini

  Served double blind by Nick in a pair with the Kavalieros. When I drink Assyrtiko blind – because I don’t drink a lot of it - I typically pick it as Chablis. Not with this pair though. They had a richness of orchard fruit that could not be Chablis. I thought they might perhaps be Rhône blancs. … An interesting wine. Darker gold. A nose of pear, peach, blanched nuts, mandarin, spices and traces of salty minerality. Rich, full and opulent on palate. Blanched almonds, grapefruit, nectarine and yellow apple. Some apricot pit bitterness and salt lick on the finish. Ideally hold until 2024+.

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• 2018 Sigalas Assyrtiko Kavalieros 93 Points

  Greece, Aegean, Cyclades, Santorini

  Served double blind by Nick in a pair with the ‘regular’ Sigalas. A clear step up in quality from the Sigalas. Lighter gold colour. More aromatic, spicy complexity. Citrus, orchard and touches of tropical fruit with saline and mineral nuances. In the mouth, richer and fuller than the regular Assyrtiko, yet tauter and more precise. Also more detailed and complex. Satisfying salinity on the long, dry finish. Drink from 2025+.

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• 1999 Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers Vieilles Vignes 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  I served this pair of Sigaut Les Sentiers double blind to see if tasters could pick the vintage difference. Like me, most of the tasters preferred the 1999 over the 2000. However, no one picked a vintage earlier than 2005 for either wine. Both wines were drinking younger than more than 20 years. Also, no one saw Chambolle terroir in either, although, to be fair, the wines seemed clearly Côte d'Or but not specifically Chambolle. I am a fan of Sigaut’s honest, traditionally made artisan wines, as here … A more primary, darker colour, moving garnet. Fragrant with red cherries, warm soil, mixed spices and funk. On palate, plenty of structure with good fruit. Very 1999. Drinking the last glass the next day, the 1999 was drinking even better, showing the value of plenty of air for the 1999. 92+.

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• 2000 Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers Vieilles Vignes 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  Served double blind by me with the 1999 Sigaut Les Sentiers. More bright ruby colour, with garnet highlights. A lighter, more floral bouquet with red berries and cherries, straw and some citrus bite. Also lighter on palate, seeming older and more developed. Red cherries, forest floor, earth and funk. Seeming higher acidity than the 1999, although I expect that’s the better fruit in the 1999. Mark noted the 2000 was “a bit sharp on the finish”. Drinking the last glass the next day, the 2000 was leaner than the night before and beginning to fall over. A vintage to drink earlier than the 1999.

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• 2005 Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga Gaiun 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Served double blind by Nick in a pair with the 2005 Camp Gros. Deeper, darker colour than the Camp Gros. Also a tad more spicy, vanillin oak on the bouquet than for the other Marchesi di Grésy with dark cherries, blackberries, liquorice and a little tar. On palate, earthier and more structured than the Camp Gros. More tactile tannins but still quite silky, with the oak well integrated. I guessed this wine as a Barolo – perhaps Castiglione Falletto – but once we were in Barbaresco Marchesi di Grésy was not a great surprise. With the reveal, I was surprised by the extent that time and the rich, ripe Gaiun fruit had consumed the barrique oak. I would have expected to have seen more oak artefact in the 2005 Gaiun and less similarity with the Camp Gros. At age 17 years, in its primary drinking window. Excellent!

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• 2005 Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga Camp Gros 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Served double blind by Nick in a pair with the 2005 Marchesi di Grésy Gaiun. Ethereal, lifted aromatics, red berry and cherry fruit, dried herbs, spices and red rose florals. Perfumed. In the mouth, attractive red cherries and other dark red fruit, spices, cherry cola and menthol. Elegant and refined, seeming like a traditionally-made Barolo. Seamless, svelte tannins. Bright, vibrant acidity. A little below mid weight but long. On its optimal drinking plateau over the 2020s, I would think. 94+.

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• 1998 Elio Altare Barolo Brunate 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Served double blind by Nick as a pair with the 1998 Giacosa. After a 4+ hour decant, sweet scented, perfumed bouquet of red cherries, raspberries, gentle spices and red rose florals. No tar. On palate, elegant and pure with crystalline, bright red cherry and berry fruit, dried herbs, spice, red liquorice and chalky minerals. Only touches of savoury, earthy, secondary development. Fine grained, very cultured tannins. I actually thought this might be a Giacosa or another traditionalist and did not think of a modernist like Altare. A little spicy oak evident, but very subdued and in the background. More acidity evident than with the Giacosa, providing precision and focus, but not over-assertive. Overall, seamless and very attractive. Seemingly now in its optimal drinking window, out to 2028 – 2030+. Brilliant! 94+.

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• 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Served double blind by Nick as a pair with the 1998 Altare. Darker colour. A deep, powerful bouquet suggesting a heavily structured Barolo. Darker red fruit than the Altare with soil, tar, balsamico, wet iron and dark florals. In the mouth, serious architecture and large scaled tannins yet harmonious, proportioned and fine. Earth, polished largely red berries and cherries, creosote, hoisin and ferric minerals. Lovely acidity. Long, finishing with some saline minerality. Drinking younger than its 24 years, I picked it as a 2004. I thought it was of Red Label quality and was impressed that a White Label was drinking this well. I, and most tasters, preferred it over the very good Altare. After a four hour decant, relatively approachable on the night, although it might open up more with another 3-5 years in the cellar. I expect it will drink very well over, easily, the next 20 years.

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