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Homemade braised oxtail ravioli with fresh black truffles
Pan-seared magret duck breast stuffed with fresh black truffles, grilled radicchio, celery root mash, red wine sauce - 1999 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Not decanted. Poured into shoulder and allowed to breathe for 2 hours. Aromas of sottobosco, cherry, plum, earth, spice, orange rind. Full-bodied, good balance and structure. Replays from nose with sottobosco and truffle notes also. Moderate-long finish, ~40s, with dark fruit - plums, black cherry - sottobosco. Excellent, just starting with a couple tertiary notes, and will get even better with age. I consistently prefer the white label "basse" Brunello over the barriqued Brunello Altero. Delicious! (92 pts.)
- 1998 Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT
Medium-dark ruby colour. Aromas of blackberry, herbs, cocoa, black plums. Medium-full bodied, with vanilla, spice, herbs, and black plum notes on the palate. Moderate finish, ~30s, with more herbs and plums. Drink over the next few years as I don't see this improving further. (89 pts.)
- 1996 Alessandro Brero Barolo Poderi Roset - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Medium-ruby colour with bricking/orange to the rim. Aromas of bing cherry, earth, truffle, and tea. Full-bodied, spicy, with great acidity. Notes of truffle, black cherry, earth, and tea on the palate as well. Nice length, ~35-40s, following through from the palate. This has plenty of life left in it, and should easily go another 5 years. Will it improve? Not sure. But there's no doubt that it's a tasty drink. (91 pts.)
- 1997 Alessandro Brero Barolo Poderi Roset - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Clear, medium-garnet colour. Aromas of currant, plum, cherry, meat, earth. Full-bodied, more jammy than the 1996, but still shows good acidity and balance. Black plums, vanilla, black cherry, black tea, and truffle notes on the palate. Moderate finish, ~30-35s, with black fruit and tea. I slightly preferred the 1996 version served alongside this wine with its red fruit and greater elegance. Drink over the next 3-5 years. (90 pts.)
- 2000 Cigliuti Barbaresco Serraboella - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Dark ruby colour. Gorgeous nose of strawberry, mint, spice, tar, licorice, black plums, earth. Full-bodied, great grip and structure. Black plums, spice, earth, tea, and tar on the palate. Long finish, ~45s, with dark fruit and spice notes. Excellent again from Cigliutti! Decanted for a couple hours, I am really looking forward to following this wine over the next 5-8 years. Really delicious stuff. (93 pts.)
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