Joe G's House - January Offline

Started out with 5 blinds and then moved to 13 wines in a tasting.

• 1998 Silvio Grasso Barolo Ciabot Manzoni 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose: Very perfume-esque with floral notes, a light smokiness, dusty road, tart cherry and black tea.
  
  Palate: Med+ acid, med+ tannin. Flavor profile of sour sour cherry, tart red fruits, cinnamon, baking spices and perfume. A very feminine, left bank Barolo. Tremendous wine and a GREAT way to start the tasting.
  
  This was tasted blind.

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• 2001 La Lecciaia Di Pacini Mauro Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Nose: Very pretty nose of dark fruits, creamy peach, flowers and black cherry cola.
  
  Palate: Med+ acid, low+ tannins. Sour and tart red fruits, floral component and spices. Tannins were angular and sharp and the finish was quite short. Wine did not measure up to the nose.
  
  This wine was tasted blind and guessed as California Pinot or Rhone Ranger. Not typical of Brunello.

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• 2004 Tenuta Sette Ponti Maremma Toscana Poggio Al Lupo 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana

  Nose: Inky, sweet dark fruits and herbs (oregano, thyme)
  
  Palate: Med+ acid, Med+ tannin. big chewy round tannins, bitter chocolate, sweet dark fruits, savory herbs and leather. Really a tremendous wine.
  
  Tasted blind.

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• 2003 Abadal Pla de Bages Seleccio 89 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Pla de Bages

  Nose: Celery seed, inky, dark fruits
  
  Palate: Med+ acid, Med+ sharp tannins. Creamy dark fruits, oak well integrated. Well made wine but singular and simple.
  
  Tasted blind.

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• 2005 Rustenberg John X Merriman 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  Nose: Herbs, bell pepper, caramel and red fruit.
  
  Palate: High acid and med tannin. This tasted like a caramel, toasted toffee, espresso latte. Red fruit became obvious on the long finish. This is really goood and really made well. The high alcohol and high oak are well integrated and in check.
  
  Tasted blind.

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• 1999 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 90 Points

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

  Nose: Classic nose of baked red fruits, cold earth and bramble.
  
  Palate: The palate was one dimensional with medium acid, medium tannin and flavors of baked red fruits. It had a relatively long finish but the alcohol was a bit out of balance. Good but not great. Disappointing as much as a 90 point wine can be disappointing, simply because of the pedigree.

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• 2001 Damilano Barolo Cannubi 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose: Very floral, atomic fireball candy cinnamon, bright red fruit and black tea (intoxicating nose).
  
  Palate: Round chewy tannins that were fantastic, flavor profile of tart cherries, red fruits, cigarette ash, black tea and cinnamon. The finish turn more ashy than fruity but was long and quite nice. Tremendous mouthfeel.

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• 1999 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Nose: Very obvious nutmeg, baking spice and red fruits. The nose was more savory cinnamon and baking spice than sweet/candy cinnamon.
  
  Palate: High Tannins but they were sharp and angular, not chewy and round. Flavor profile was tart red fruits, cinnamon, cranberry and floral perfume.

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• 2001 Bodegas Ercavio La Plazuela Mesa de Ocaña 93 Points

  Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla

  Nose: This nose is crazy good. Dark chocolate mocha espresso with hints of dark fruits and toasted vanilla. Like chocolate, coffee creme brulee.
  
  Palate: Acid, alcohol and tannin are all high but extremely well integrated. Flavor profile was espresso, leather, extracted black fruits, roasted nuts, indian spices (curry) and mocha.

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• 2003 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Nose: Bell peppers are obvious, ink, graphite, burnt toast and black currants.
  
  Palate: black fruits, earth, dark chocolate, minerals, tobacco, currants and ink. Very lean and austere. Typical left bank. The wine is still very tight.

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• 2003 Château Monbousquet 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Nose: cinnamon, bacon, smoked meats, blue fruits and chocolate. I could smell this all day.
  
  Palate: Bitter chocolate, blue fruits, spice toffee. It tastes like chocolate covered blueberries. Tremendous. Plump and typical of right bank.

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• 2005 Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero Crianza 87 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  Nose: One dimensional extracted strawberries. (In bordeaux glass it had notes of toffee and espresso)
  
  Palate: Alcohol and oak are way out of balance. Some extracted red fruits but hard to pull away from the alcohol

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• 2005 Anwilka 91 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  Nose: Dark fruits, dark olives, briney, capers, subtle notes of carmel and toffee.
  
  Palate: Olive tampenade, dark fruit, toasty cocoa and coffee on the finish. Well made, just not my flavor preference.

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• 2003 Tardieu-Laurent Cornas Vieilles Vignes 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Nose: Classic northern rhone nose. White pepper, fatty meats, blue berries, floral, elegant blue fruits and cured salami. The nose is 94+.
  
  Palate: Blue fruits and pepper. Short finish and shallow flavor profile. Extremely disappointing considering the nose.

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• 2005 Domaine Des Hauts Chassis Crozes-Hermitage Les Chassis 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage

  Note: Blue fruits, citrus, bacon fat, white pepper and flowers.
  
  Palate: Classic northern rhone: bacon fat, minerality, bright and juicy red fruits. I cant believe this wine is $17.

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• 1999 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 96 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

  Are you serious with this wine.
  
  Nose: Aged basalmic vinegar, brown sugar, soy, figs, raisins and dried currants.
  
  Palate: Bitter chocolate, citrus rind, basalmic vinegard, raisins, sweet dried fruits and asian spices.
  
  This wine is unbelievable.

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• 2003 Collazzi Toscana IGT 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Nose: Dark fruits, leather and graphite.
  
  Palate: Med+ tannins, good mouthfeel, savory smokey meats, tart cranberries.

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• 2000 Domenico Clerico Langhe Arte 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Nose: Great nebbiolo nose of black tea, red fruits and chocolate.
  
  Palate: great mouthfeel, obvious red fruits, baking spice, cocoa powder, black tea and tobacco.

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Great night.