Dim Sum Club takes on Bistecca and Brunellos

Nonna Linna, Craig Road, Singapore
Tasted Friday, November 30, 2012 by Paul S with 456 views

Flight 1 - WHITES (1 Note)

  • 2009 Ossian Vinas Viejas Blanco 91 Points

    Spain, Castilla y León, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León

    The second "new-wave" Verdelho I have had in recent weeks - made from old vines by serious-minded makers, with use of oak and aging on lees - and I must say that I have been very impressed. This was very accomplished. It had a gently aromatic nose, with a touch of smoke hovering around light stone-fruited notes, white peach I thought, a touch flowers and a bit of mineral. Very pleasant, and nowhere quite as tropical as some of the new world version get. The palate echoed those flavours of white peach and flower in its creamily textured attack, but it quickly leaned out into lovely stony minerality with super-bright acidity on the midpalate and at the finish - almost like a Chablis at points. It was so bright in fact that it needed some food to go alongside - it was great with mussels in a tomato-based gravy for example. All in all, a very impressive wine. Decent now, but it will do better after a couple of years or so in the bottle.

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Flight 2 - BRUNELLOS (3 Notes)

  • 1999 Agostina Pieri Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    There may just have been a touch of TCA on this, but it did not stop the wine from being very enjoyable, especially with a cut of Bistecca. There was definitely a whiff of something cardboardy on the nose at first, but this was swept under nice notes of black cherries and blackberries dried earth and smoky spices in time. Some meaty accents also started drifting out with a little air. The palate showed modern shades of rich, ripe blackberries and dark cherries on a smoky, spicy underlayer, with bits of dried earth and mineral notes alongside. Fine powdery tannins and well-integrated acidity carried it into a long finish, long finish with a lick of smoke and peppery spice floating around black olives and brine. There was just that slightest hint of TCA at the very finish again, but the palate was strong enough for it to be almost unnoticeable. Overall, a nice wine. TCA notwithstanding, it had no problem keeping up with good bottles of 1998 La Poderina and 1999 Castelgiacondo that we drank alongside. Decent with food now, it will probably benefit from a few more years in the bottle as well.

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  • 1998 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    Not the most complete of Brunellos, but this was actually very good. The nose came across as very modern at first, with lots of sweet fruit aroma -, blackberries and plums, a touch of stewed raisins, then as the fruit toned down slightly, nice notes of meat and earth, smoke and dried herbs. The palate was rather less modern, showing savoury flavours of broiled meat and black olives alongside fruitier notes of raisins and blackberries. It was just a bit hollow right at the very finish, ending rather tamely with a drift of black fruit and earth after the delicious attack and midpalate. Otherwise, I enjoyed this very much. It was drinking very nicely too, with gently fresh acidity and fine, slightly dry tannins forming a very nice, food friendly base for the wine. Really no harm in drinking it now, but this bottle should be given either a short decanting or a couple more years in the cellar for the best effects.

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  • 1999 Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de' Frescobaldi) Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    This was a joy - the most traditional of the three Brunellos that we had, it was also unanimously voted the best of the trio. It had a such a lovely nose, with sweet notes of ripe raisins and dark cherries on a bed of dried earth, savoury cured meat and a nice twist of dried Italian herb. Nice stuff. I really liked the palate too. It had really yummy savoury flavours of stewed meaty - Bovril almost - black olives and dark cherries, seasoned on the finish with earth, spice and some dried herbs. While drinking beautifully, it still has some way to go yet, with fine tannins and fresh acidity making for a fine but still grippy structrue under the fruit and meat flavours. A joy to drink though, and really good with a Bistecca Fiorentina.

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Flight 3 - LAMBRUSCO (1 Note)

  • NV Ariola "Primo Colle" Emilia IGT 82 Points

    Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Emilia IGT

    Sweet, simple stuff. Good with a chocolate pudding in rum. Some meat and spice aromas on the nose were met with sweet cherries and berries which were echoed on the palate. It was balanced enough so that it did not come over as being overwhelmingly sweet. Not bad, but quite immediately forgettable.

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