Italian Night in Jax

La Cena
Tasted Thursday, May 11, 2023 by MC2 Wines with 116 views

Introduction

Interesting comparison point as the night before we were at a big Italian themed dinner in NYC. This was actually on the calendar before that one (I think we organized it back in January - takes awhile to get folks together). Was absolutely fabulous. For the most part the wines showed great and the food was excellent and the company was the best part.

Mea culpa - I was having such fun I didn’t pull out the notebook so the notes are all from memory and probably a bit imprecise.

Flight 1 - Starting Sparkler (1 Note)

  • 2011 Parusso Metodo Classico Extra Brut

    Italy, Piedmont, Piemonte DOC

    Out of magnum. When we bought this wine I had a feeling that we’d want it for an event just like this and so happy to get to pull it out. It pours a slightly pinkish color. Very different flavor profile than champagne and perhaps not quite the same elegance of the bubbles but it’s also reasonably priced for a sparkling. Very tasty. I had to stop myself from having too much here as there were many wines to try!

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Flight 2 - Sicily + some appetizers (3 Notes)

First time with the mussels which were just delicious. Also some caprese, shrimp, polenta.

Flight 3 - Pasta & Pork with Tuscany wines (4 Notes)

  • 1997 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia

    Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

    Ok then, quite the jump up from our previous flight to this one but why not jump in with a bang. Poured next to a 95 Sassicaia and it was of course a debate on which is better. Both though were quite wonderful. This is well aged, still quite bright and happy with plenty of life left to it. Darker style. Something that’s almost a touch unctuous and makes you want to keep drinking it. It was lovely.

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  • 1995 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia

    Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia

    My slight favorite between this and a 97 Ornellaia but both are to me just excellent wines. This still always reminds me of our stop right before the visit where we drove the two mins it took to get to the sea. You can taste that in the wine. Just a touch of brine and seashell along with everything else. Lovely wine. Wish we had more of it.

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  • 1998 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    It’s been almost 10 years (!) since our Tuscany trip but I still remember this wine from a tasting we did then (it was the 2004) and how much it appealed to me and so when thinking about Brunello this is a go-to. It’s prob still a bit on the young side to be drinking if I’m honest but at this point the oak is pretty well integrated. A slightly stronger style of wine even than the Super Tuscans which I put down to the extra time in the oak. It’s got a certain finesse though to its style. Would be fun to revisit in another ten years but alas this was our only bottle.

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  • 2001 Argiano Suolo Toscana IGT

    Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

    Hello old friend. It’s been some time since we had a Suolo because we’re trying to get them to age a bit more but fun to check in on it. Still quite a good Sangiovese. Still young. There’s a structure and style to this wine that I always enjoy.

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Flight 4 - Pasta and Steak/Fish with Piedmont (5 Notes)

  • 1997 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Wine pulled from storage and I’m not entirely sure that this wasn’t the wrong bottle because it was meant to be an Asili but that was not on the label. The great thing is Giacosa wines from this time period are always awesome and so even if not the single vineyard this was still for some one of the WOTN contenders and certainly drinking very well. I think in the perfect window in age and just that lift that he manages to accomplish with the grape is special. Quite tasty.

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  • 2010 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    A favorite producer for me for some years now. I’m a fan of the wine which was served side by side with a 97 Giacosa. It’s obviously still too young (thankfully we do have another bottle) but you can see some similarities in the styling and the freshness of the wine and the just general brightness. I’d continue to hold on it but it was enjoyable.

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  • 2008 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    These wines have become almost impossible to find these days which is a bit crazy but so it goes. You can see why. There’s an elegance in the way Fabio approaches them. Still get the bright Cannubi fruit here. Very classic style and just lovely. I liked our idea of south to north but part of me wishes I could have hung out with this one for a bit longer. Got poured towards the end of the evening.

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  • 2016 Giulia Negri Barolo Marassio

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    One of the up and coming producers in Piedmont and this wine just always speaks to me. It’s I think the highest vineyard in Barolo. Of course much too young and should really have been held but as the earliest vintage was 2015 and we wanted to introduce her wine to some good friends we cheated a bit. Lots of potential. It’s lovely as always.

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  • 1958 Fontanafredda Barolo

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Coming on the heels of some younger barolo/barbaresco and so it took a bit of palate resetting. The fruit is gone from this unfortunately but it’s still an enjoyable wine. Old school barolo. Not the best bottle we’ve had of it. I consider 58 to be one of the great vintages and if I’m honest this disappointed me a bit although still good.

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Flight 5 - End of evening taste off plus checking in on some bottles (4 Notes)

Closing

As with any good Italian meal there was also a lovely moscato at the end but alas I failed to note which one it was. Drank quite well though after such wonderful food and wines beforehand.

The Piedmont flight was my favorite but I expected that to be the case. Honestly so many good ones there that it was like splitting hairs. The Sassicaia was great. The sparkling surprised me in how much I liked it. Overall a very successful evening of Italian wine from North to South and back again!

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