connoisseur wines spring european portfolio

I always enjoy going to Connoisseur's portfolio tastings as they have a great and diverse portfolio to taste through

• 2006 Comte Armand Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Rouge 86 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru

  nose: bright and tart nose that is rather surprising with red fruits, spices, and some bright tones of red cherries. Almost cali in style and doesn't really come across as a burg
  
  taste: nice medium/light feel with good tannins and nice medium+ acidity with good tones of red fruits, spices and some mixed berries
  
  overall: more new world driven on both the nose and palate. Not the most exciting wine as its lacking a bit of depth and I really wouldn't hold out hope that this will develop into a real good wine

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• 2006 Comte Armand Pommard 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard

  nose: tight nose with some tones of earth, red fruits and dark berries. Nice depth with a good robust quality to it
  
  taste: very good feel with medium+ acidity and tones of red fruits, dark red cherries and dark berries
  
  overall: a real nice wine that obviously needs a bit of time to shed some baby fat. A real nice pommard with nice depth. Should take a couple of years to fully come around

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• 2006 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru

  nose: excellent depth with good rustic tones of dark red cherries, dark raspberries, asian spice tones and some mineral rich earth tones. Real robust and pungent nose that took some swirls to open up
  
  taste: big medium/high acidity that one would expect from a young wine like this. Well balanced and robust tones of dark red cherries, dark raspberry tones, bits of spices and slight hints of earth
  
  overall: brutally young and in need of 8-10 years before a full approach. Didn't get a chance to spend real time with it due to the enviorment. Has a very good life ahead of it and has the pedigree to really turn out well

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• 2006 Domaine Alain Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin Tradition 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin

  nose: classic gevrey tones with robust and tart tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, and some brown spices. Nice depth for a village wine with well balanced aromatics
  
  taste: well balanced tones of dark cherries, raspberries, and damp earth tones. Good medium+ acidity with a real nice feel
  
  overall: a real good gevrey villages. Good classic flavors with good acidity to back it up. Very enjoyable and can be drunk on its own and with food

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• 2006 Domaine Alain Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin

  nose: very good depth with tones of berries, dark red cherries, blue fruits with a touch of red fruits. More depth then the GC tradition and seems to be holding back a bit
  
  taste: good feel with nice depth and tones of berries, dark red cherries, red fruits and some nice earth tones. Good medium/high acidity showing off the youth of the wine
  
  overall: a really nice villages. Obviously young, this should turn into a real beauty with some time sideways as there is real good stuffing behind it and should hit above its village weight class

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• 2006 Gérard Mugneret Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  nose: very rustic nose that isn't for fans of fruit forward pinots with excellent tones of black cherries, brown spices and nicely defined dark berry tones with a good earthen base
  
  taste: searingly high acidity with a real nice light feel and tones of raspberries, brown spices, black cherries, and a good amount of earthen tones
  
  overall: needs a good amount of time to calm down the acidity. Really good depth and excellent tones that scream NSG

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• 2006 Gérard Mugneret Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  nose: fairly tight and reticent, but shows off the lovely side of vosne with hi-toned tones of spices, red fruits and various floral tones. All blend well together in a real nice feminine style
  
  taste: nice medium/high acidity that works well for support as opposed to getting in the way. Well balanced and lovely tones of red cherries, spices, red fruits and some bits of hi-toned florals
  
  overall: a very pretty and elegant wine. Really shows off what I enjoy about Vosne with lovely and precocious aromas and a silky feel on the palate

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• 2006 Clos de Haute Combe Juliénas 86 Points

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Juliénas

  nose: nice light nose of red cherries, red berries, and bits of wild strawberries. Easy with good red fruits tones, though lacking a bit of depth
  
  taste: good light feel with medium acidity and tones of red berries and some tones of wild strawberries
  
  overall: a nice beaujolais. Easy drinking with nice and easy fruit tones, this is good for summer sipping and would be good with some turkey

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• 2006 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges Clos des Fourches 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges

  nose: rich dark fruits provide the base on the nose with good amounts of asian spices, dark cherries, and some tart raspberry tones. Good balance and decent depth
  
  taste: nice medium feel with medium/high acidity and tones of dark red fruits, asian spices, raspberries, and earthen tones
  
  overall: very young, but certainly an excellent village wine. SHould take a couple of years to emerge fully, and become really enjoyable

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• 2006 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  nose: good depth with tones of brown and asian spices, dark red fruits, bits of earth, and very tart tones of black cherries. Classy and fairly robust though not extremely rustic
  
  taste: very young with high acidity and good tones of brown and asian spices, earthen tones and tart black cherry notes. Comes off as a bit more rustic then it did on the nose, but still isn't an overtly rustic NSG on the palate
  
  overall: extremely young and you certainly can't go wrong with mugnier. This will need about another 7 years to really get going, but should be a real good expression of NSG when it comes around

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• 2006 Domaine Michel Lafarge Bourgogne Passetoutgrains 84 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Passetoutgrains

  nose: light and airy nose with decent tones of dark red cherries, strawberries, red berries, and some bits of spice. Good complexity for a passetoutgrains, but does lack a bit of depth as would be expected
  
  taste: light and decent tones of strawberries, red berries and bits of spice. A bit thin and lacking on the palate
  
  overall: a nice wine. Good for food or for a summer sipper with its easy and inoffensive tones and flavors

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• 2006 Domaine Michel Lafarge Bourgogne 86 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

  nose: correct nose with nice tones of tart red fruits, some cherries and bits of spice. Seems to be holding back a bit and has decent depth for a bourgogne
  
  taste: nice tones of spice and red cherries dominate with decent depth and medium+ acidity. Fairly correct, but adds an extra dimension with having good relative depth for its classification
  
  overall: a nice bourgogne. May need a slight bit of time to fully emerge. This is a real nice bourgogne as there is a correctness to it, but seems to have a slight bit more

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• 2006 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay

  nose: cool and laid back nose with lovely tones of dark red fruits, bits of earth, blue fruits, and some hints of violets. Very good depth for a village wine and relatively open for such a young wine too
  
  taste: elegant feel with medium/high acidity that is getting in the way at this young time. Good tones of dark red fruits, violets, and some bits of berries. Seems to be holding back right now on the palate
  
  overall: a real quality village wine. Will certainly need a few years to fully come around and bloom, and should certainly get better as the depth and class is there, but the acidity is a bit much at this time

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• 2006 Domaine Michel Lafarge Beaune 1er Cru Les Aigrots 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

  nose: pungent dark nose filled with dark spices, dark red cherries, and dark berry tones. good depth and a definite class apart from the other lafarge's that were being tasted
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with medium/high acidity and nice dark tones of dark spices, dark red cherries, berries and some bits of earth and black raspberries
  
  overall: a real nice wine. Good depth and a real attractive dark profile, this will need a few years to really get going, but has a real nice frame right now

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• 2006 La Soufrandière Mâcon-Vinzelles Clos de Grand Père 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Vinzelles

  nose: good depth for a macon with nice tones of creams, citrus', lemon peels, and some bits of navel oranges
  
  taste: very nice medium feel with medium acidity providing nice tones of meyer lemons, citrus', and some bits of cream
  
  overall: a really good macon with nice depth and tones. Shows a slightly more ripe style with nice weight and feel

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• 2006 Bret Brothers Pouilly-Fuissé En Carementrant 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé

  nose: real good tones of tree fruits, pears, and bits of lemons and minerals. Decent depth for a pouilly-fuisse and good definition on the tones
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with straight forward and relatively ripe tones of pears, lemons, bits of apples and some mineral undertones. Good medium+ acidity accompanies this to provide a nice spine for the wine
  
  overall: a really good pouilly fuisse that borders on outstanding. Good body and acidity, this is perfect for drinking on its own and with food

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• 2006 Domaine Michel Lafarge Meursault 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  nose: fairly ripe nose with tones of tropical citrus', pineapples, green apples and some hints of smoked nuts. Good balance and good depth for a village white burg
  
  taste: real nice medium feel with good medium acidity and nice riper tones of tropical citrus', green apples, some white peach tones and bits of roasted nuts
  
  overall: a nice village meursault. Not sure how long it will go and the fruit is more on the riper side, but not at 03 levels. A somewhat exotic meursault that drinks right now and should hold for some time

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• NV Jose Dhondt Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  nose: crisp and precise nose filled with apples, almonds, and bits of tree fruits and citrus tones. Great depth and purity that makes this very attractive on the nose
  
  taste: great light feel with excellent medium+ acidity and crisp tones of citrus', green and red apples, almonds and bits of tree fruits
  
  overall: a real quality NV BdB. Excellent aromatics with real tasty flavors that make you go back for more

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• NV Bruno Gobillard Champagne Vieilles Vignes Brut 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  nose: very nice and lifting nose with hints of white florals, citrus tones, bits of dough and a good amount of wet stones. Good depth and balance on the nose that also has a nice roundness to it
  
  taste: loads of delicious citrus tones with tropical fruits, mangoes, peaches, minerals, cherry blossoms, and lots of wet stones. Great depth and excellent medium+ acidity that really aids in the flavors
  
  overall: a really wonderful champagne. The tropical fruits on the palate come across as a bit exotic and add an interesting dimension to the wine

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• NV Serveaux Fils Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  nose: extremely mineral driven nose with bits of apple cores, hazelnuts and some citrus tones. Has a steelyness and a touch of austerity to it that isn't necessarily for everyone
  
  taste: delicious light and crisp feel with refreshing medium+ acidity. Well defined tones of minerals, apples, lemon peels and mixed nuts
  
  overall: This was very enjoyable for me. Not sure that this style of BdB is for everyone as there is an austere edge to it. Very focused and mineral driven, this is the perfect bubbly for all sorts of foods

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• NV Camille Savès Champagne Premier Cru Brut Carte Blanche 90 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  nose: nice hi-toned nose with good tones of bread, white peaches, white florals and some bits of apples. Really good nose with nice depth and clarity
  
  taste: excellent light feel with good medium acidity. Clear and succulent tones of citrus', white peaches, florals, and bits of yeast and bread all meld well together in great balance and come across as rather refreshing
  
  overall: a really nice and crisp champagne. Excellent hi-toned aromatics and lighter tones on the palate but carry good depth

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• NV Hugues Godmé Champagne Grand Cru Carte Noire l'Extra Brut 89 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  nose: nice nose of yeast, tart lemon tones, bits of red apples and some underlying mineral tones. Doesn't have the depth that one would expect from a grand cru
  
  taste: there is a nice richness to this though it does lack in depth a bit. Good tones of yeast, baking spices, red apples and some citrus tones. Good medium+ acidity gives this a good refreshing feeling to the wine
  
  overall: a really good NV, but just lacks a bit of the depth that would really put this in that much better region of NVs. Would be nice if it had some more polish on the feel too

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• NV Hugues Godmé Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  nose: nice and racy nose of pears, white peaches, tree fruits and undertones of minerals. Good depth and class on the nose that accentuates the flavors well
  
  taste: good polished feel with medium+ acidity. Well defined tones of citrus', pears, white peaches, minerals and some bits of white florals
  
  overall: a real classy and fun champagne. Excellent feel with refreshing acidity that makes this work well with all sorts of food and on its own

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• 2005 Isole e Olena Chardonnay Collezione de Marchi Toscana IGT 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  nose: real good tones of citrus', lemons, peaches and some oily tones that seem to lurk underneath. Good depth and balance on the nose, but doesn't seem to bring that next gear
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with good medium acidity. Well rounded tones of citrus', baking oils, peaches and some bits of minerals all work well together
  
  overall: an on the cusp chardonnay. Doesn't have that extra level of depth or layering that would really add an extra dimension to the wine that would really propel it

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• 2004 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  nose: deep and rich with savory tones of dark red cherries, dark plums, tobacco, purple florals and a touch of roasted herbs. Extremely fragrant and polished
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with big tannins and medium+ acidity. Well balanced tones of dark red cherries, roast herbs, dark plums and some hints of purple florals. The tannins are a bit much right now and clip the finish a slight bit
  
  overall: this is a lovely wine right now, and when the tannins subisde, it should really shine

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• 2004 Isole e Olena Syrah Collezione de Marchi Toscana IGT 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  nose: nice dark and meaty nose with good tones of black fruits, black cherries, smoke, and some charcoal briquettes
  
  taste: good full body with rich tannins with big meaty tones, black fruits, black cherries, and charcol birquettes
  
  overall: brutally young. Big body with great tones on both the nose and palate. Needs a bit of time to fully work itself out, but should be a real top notch tuscan syrah when it comes around

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• 2003 Isole e Olena Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione de Marchi Toscana IGT 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  nose: dark and brooding nose with rich tones of cedar, black cherries, anise, roasted herbs, and dark tones of cranberries. Good depth and seems to handle the vintage in a decent way
  
  taste: really rich and dark tones of cedar, black cherries, dark berries, and roasted herbs provided a big and brooding feel and hard tannins
  
  overall: a bit too brooding at this time. Hopefully a couple of years can soften this up and let it be more expressive

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• 2000 Isole e Olena Vin Santo del Chianti Classico 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico

  nose: rich nose of caramel, burnt sugar, maple syrup, roast nuts and some tones of raisins. Decent depth, but the burnt sugar tones are a bit off putting
  
  taste: good medium feel of caramel, maple syrup, nuts and some bits of raisins. nice medium acidity accompanies this
  
  overall: a solid vin santo. decent depth and a good feel, a pretty standard vin santo

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• 2006 Fattoria dei Barbi Brusco dei Barbi Toscana IGT 85 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  nose: nice nose of red cherries, plums and berry tones. Fairly simple with not much depth, but very easy going and accessible at the same time
  
  taste: good medium/light feel with nice tones of red cherries and berries. Nice medium acidity gives this a decent spine for easy drinking and for food
  
  overall: a solid wine. Nothing really to write home about, but is decent for $13. Pretty much what one would expect for a lower level sangiovese

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• 2007 Fattoria dei Barbi Rosso di Montalcino 86 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino

  nose: good light and airy nose with bright red fruits, red cherries, and some tasty tones of plums. Decent depth, pretty in line with what one would expect from a rosso
  
  taste: nice and easy drinking with a good medium feel and medium acidity. Good tones of red fruits and red cherries dominate and work well together
  
  overall: a real nice rosso that is perfect for food. Standard with nothing really out of place and works well together that makes it a nice and easy drinking rosso

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• 2004 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: lovely and perfumed nose with plush tones of violets, red cherries, roasted herbs and red florals. A very pretty nose that leans more to the feminine, though it is rather tight right now as would be expected
  
  taste: A very pretty nuanced and feminine medium feel with medium/high acidity flows with perfumed tones of roasted herbs, violets, dark red cherries, and bits of mixed berries
  
  overall: I'm a fan of fattoria barbi to begin with, and this was exactly what I wanted from them. A nice classic young brunello that should be able to age effortlessly for up to two decades. Has good stuffing and has a real attractive quality to it that will make it very fun to drink in about 8 years or so

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• 2003 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: a direct contrast to the 04 as this has a lot more muscle on the nose with bolder tones of blackberries, dark red fruits, and some stewed tones of herbs. Nowhere near as caressing on the nose as teh 04, and lacking a bit of depth that added to the 04
  
  taste: medium+ acidity backs this up with some fairly hard tannins that aren't obtrusive. Bolder tones of dark red cherries, dark red fruits, dark florals and some bits of stewed herbs work together, but have a rough edge about them
  
  overall: an excellent 03, may get slightly better with a bit more time, but it seems like it is what it is for the most part. Certainly has some rough edges and doesn't have that polish that one comes to expect from Barbi. Certainly shows off the vintage, but is much smoother on the palate then the nose would indicate

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• 2001 Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: very deep and pure with sumptuous and beautiful tones of dark florals, red cherries, herbs, berries and some tasty bits of herbal spices. This is a very enveloping nose that asks you to come to it as it really draws you in
  
  taste: extremely floral, almost like walking through a field of wild flowers that is filled with violets, roses, and all sorts of other floral tones along with lush red cherries, fresh picked berries, herbs, and hints of spices. Very deep and pure with lots of class along with medium/high acidity and strong tannins at this time
  
  overall: a budding beauty. Will need a good 5-7 more years to really start to hit its stride, but is very elegant right now and very beautiful. There is lots to like about it, though it isn't a wine that will necessarily blow you away as it doesn't act in that way, but it should certainly be very rewarding in a more subtle way

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• 2003 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  nose: bold and hard edged tones of dark red fruits, black cherries, and bits of roasted herbs. Lacking a bit of depth and expression that would entice more
  
  taste: good medium/full feel with some hard edged tannins and tones of dark red fruits, black cherries, and some bits of liqueur tones. doesn't have the bold richness that some 03s bring, and doesn't have much expression to it either
  
  overall: a very good brunello, but a bit of a pass for me as it just doesn't bring what I love from brunello. Rather hard edged and lacking expression that would make this moree attractive

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• 2005 La Fiorita Laurus Toscana IGT 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  nose: real nice and savory with excellent tones of berries, roasted herbs, and red cherries. Very well balanced and brings some nice depth to it that most other IGTs in this price range don't bring
  
  taste: excellent medium feel with plush tannins and real sexy tones of berries, bits of florals, roasted herbs and plush tones of red cherries
  
  overall: this is an excellent IGT that shows off what an IGT can really do at a great price. This is very smooth and polished that has the great sangiovese characteristics along with a touch of merlot and cabernet in there to add some more weight

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• 2006 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  nose: good and rich nose of red cherries, plums, some perfumes, and bits of black licorice. Nice depth and expression that is pure sangiovese
  
  taste: real nice medium+ acidity and a good medium feel with lovely tones of red cherries, bits of earth, plums, dark red fruits, and some purple floral tones. Excellent balance and feel that has some real nice class to it
  
  overall: an excellent young chianti classico. Classic flavors with a real good expression to it. Doesn't have the depth to really send it to that next level and really draw you in the way that pure sangiovese can do, but this is still a really lovely wine

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• 2006 Terroir del Nord Erbaluce di Caluso 86 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Erbaluce di Caluso

  nose: nice clean nose with lighter tones of white fruits, lemons, and mineral tones. There is a real nice crispness to the nose, but lacks in depth
  
  taste: good easy feel with medium/low acidity and nice tones of white fruits, lemon peels, and minerals
  
  overall: a good summer sipper. Nice and easy with decent tones, this isn't a wine that will blow one away with its depth or expression, its just a nice honest wine

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• 2007 Elio Grasso Langhe Nebbiolo Gavarini 84 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  nose: nice and light nose with bits of red cherries, roses, and some herbs. Good tones, but very simplistic on the depth
  
  taste: very good light feel with tones of red cherries and herbs. Nice medium acidity, but again comes across as rather simple
  
  overall: a nice nebbiolo for everyday drinking. A bit simplistic, but this can work in a pinch when one just wants some nebbiolo

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• 2008 Elio Grasso Langhe Nebbiolo Gavarini 82 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  nose: very light and airy nose with some bits of red fruits and red cherries. Lacking depth and relatively simple
  
  taste: good medium acidity does bring a refreshing quality to the wine, but also brings about simple tones of red fruits and red cherries
  
  overall: there almost seems to be a beaujolais quality to the wine that is bothering me a bit. Rather simple and fairly light

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• 2005 Elio Grasso Barbera d'Alba Vigna Martina 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

  nose: excellent nose filled with red cherries, roasted herbs, bits of leather and some real tasty tones of spices. Good depth and has a lot of what you'd want from a barbera.
  
  taste: plush medium feel with well balanced tones of dark red fruits, red cherries, spice tones, and roasted herbs. Good depth with high acidity to accompany it
  
  overall: an outstanding barbera. Has everything that you want from barbera and is just very enjoyable and I'd love to spend more time with this wine

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• 2003 Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  nose: nice and understated nose of dark red fruits, herbs, and dark spices. Good purity on the nose without being stewed like some 03s can be. Decent depth, but lacking in that area that would really make this a better nose
  
  taste: good medium/light feel with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins. Nice balance with lovely round tones of juniper berries, dark red cherries, and bits of herbs and spices
  
  overall: a quality barolo. Drinking just fine, maybe it will add some more weight or depth with some age, but a massive miracle won't happen with this wine. An excellent barolo that is nice to drink, but seems to be lacking a slight bit of depth that would really help this

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• 2005 Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  nose: lovely and perfumed nose filled with roses, all sorts of red florals, red cherries, herbs, and bits of mint sneak there way in there too. Good depth, and doesn't show too much of the modern influence on it
  
  taste: very pretty feel with understated tones of roses, red cherries, mint and herbs. High acidity certainly makes its hallmark on the wine along with medium+ tannins showing that this will need some time sideways to fully come into being
  
  overall: A lovely and elegant barolo. Will certainly need time to fully come around, but should be a real thing of beauty when it does

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• 2003 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  nose: pretty packed nose of herbs with dark red cherries, spices, and delicious tones of juniper berries. Fairly bold showing off the vintage, but not stewed or overdone
  
  taste: good medium+ acidity with lots of herbs, dark red cherries, bits of tar, and slight hints of spices. Excellent medium+ tannins, this comes across on the palate as a bit amped up of a barolo, but certainly not roided up or stewed
  
  overall: A real nice barolo that is fairly ready to drink. More for short/mid-term aging that has a slightly 03 feel to it, but isn't real hard edged or stewed

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• 2005 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  nose: lovely, perfumed, and rich nose of red cherries, herbs, wild flowers, and some bits of spices with some wild strawberries. Very pretty, but with some power behind it at the same time
  
  taste: very high acidity that does thrash the palate a bit with high tannins. What tones poke through are very nice with red cherries, herbs and some wild flowers
  
  overall: certainly needs time. The acidity and tannins are a bit overbearing, but the nose is very pretty right now. Time should calm this all down and should reveal a real pretty barolo that should be a real pleasure to drink

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• 2001 Elio Grasso Barolo Riserva Rüncot 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  nose: very rich and deep nose that is very modern with bolder tones of red cherries, bits of vanilla, herbs and dark spice tones. Well layered, but the oak influences are a bit too heavy for me at this stage. more modern fans will certainly like the nose a good amount
  
  taste: Extremely rich, though not overtly extracted, but still extracted, with bigger tones of red cherries, vanilla beans, bits of oak, and dark spices. Relatively accessible right now with medium+ tannins and medium+ acidity
  
  overall: may still need some time for the oak to integrate, if it will integrate. Not neccessarily my style of barolo, but its still an excellent barolo that is well made and has a certain appeal for those that want something more upfront

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• 2005 Proprietà Sperino Uvaggio 88 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Coste della Sesia

  nose: really nice and fresh nose with subtle tones of roses, red cherries, bits of tar and some nice tones of red currants. Nice and balanced nose but lacking a slight bit of depth
  
  taste: good medium/light feel with nice tones of tar, red currants, red cherries and some floral bits. Slightly hollow on the mid palate with good medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins
  
  overall: a real nice nebbiolo blend. Well balanced with good aromatics, this is slightly lacking on the mid palate, but otherwise is an excellent wine

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• 2004 Proprietà Sperino Lessona 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Lessona

  nose: nice light and airy nose with good complexity and tones of spices, herbs, red florals, and a good helping of red cherries. Pure nebbiolo that is more on the feminine side, just lacking a slight bit of depth at this time
  
  taste: excellent silky feel with medium/high acidity and medium+ tannins. Good pure tones of red cherries, spices, garden herbs and a touch of florals
  
  overall: a pure nebbiolo that has a good feminine touch. Excellent acidity and tannins, this needs a bit of time to work itself out and hopefully gain some more depth

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• 2006 Didier Dagueneau Silex 93 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  nose: extremely pure nose with beautiful tones of creams, lemons, minerals and some bits of hazelnuts. Very layered and deep with a real class to the wine
  
  taste: lovely light feel with excellent medium/high acidity. Deep and pure tones of tropical citrus', lemons, minerals, and bits of nuts
  
  overall: this is what Sauvignon Blanc should be. Wonderful class and purity that is extremely expressive and perfectly balanced

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• 2004 Didier Dagueneau Les Jardins de Babylone Moelleux 92 Points

  France, Southwest France, Jurançon

  nose: real lovely nose filled with apricots, pears, green apples and some hints of caramel. Excellent depth and very succulent with good layering and just flat out delicious nose
  
  taste: Light, but not delicate nor cloying, with succulent tones of tart apples, apricots, pears and some bits of citrus tones. Really good medium+ acidity with a lovely medium/light feel
  
  overall: A very sexy wine. Just absolutely delicious and so well balanced with a bright future as this does need some time right now, but is so delicious that one would not neccessarily be faulted in opening a bottle

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• 2005 Didier Dagueneau Les Jardins de Babylone Moelleux 94 Points

  France, Southwest France, Jurançon

  nose: as great as the nose was on the 04, the depth and class on this one is on a different level with rich and deep tones of wet stones, bits of smokey tones, citrus', tart apples and bits of pears. Very well layered and very succulent at the same time
  
  taste: very rich and velvety medium feel with great texture that provides succulent tones of wet stones, apples, citrus', and loads of pears with real good medium+ acidity
  
  overall: this has the ability to turn into a complete stunner with time. So, this is what Jura is about, and I'm fully impressed

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• 2004 Vignalta Colli Euganei Rosso Riserva 88 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Colli Euganei

  nose: excellent nose of red cherries, mixed berries, red currants and a hint of cranberries. good depth and good expression that works really well
  
  taste: really good medium/full feel with good tannins and medium acidity with excellent tones of cedar, red cherries, red currants and some bits of mixed berries
  
  overall: a really good bordeaux blend from veneto. Good balance with nice aromatics and feel. More along the lines of what one would expect from a bordeaux blend as it doesn't fully scream italy, but it is a quality wine at a good price

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• 2006 Vignalta Agno Tinto 87 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Colli Euganei

  nose: real dark nose with good tones of dark red fruits, bits of blackberries, dark mixed berries and currants. Decent depth and not as bold as I'd normally want a petite sirah to be, but has the skeleton of it
  
  taste: full bodied with good tannins and tones of blackberries, black currants and a good bit of dark red fruits
  
  overall: an interesting wine. Was told by Giulia Gomiero that this was a experimental plot that her father had planted from his and her time in the United states. It doesn't have the big bold tones that I'm used to from Petite Sirah, but with more vine age, more depth should happen

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So much wine to taste, so little time. I would've lied to have gotten to some other wines, but with so much there one can't get to everything