Dim Sum Club does BBB (Barolo and Brunello at Binomio)

Our long planned Brunello and Barolo lunch finally came about - two flights, wines were poured into decanters blind and mixed up. Thankfully, none of us had any problems placing which where the Barolos and which were the Brunellos! Great stuff all round though - a mixture of matured and maturing wines, all top-notch.

• NV Thierry et Muriel Fournier (TMF) Crémant de Bourgogne F Blanc 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne

  Last bottle, this was true to form – pleasant, rather more interesting than the regular cremant, altogether solid without being spectacular. The nose was nicely reserved, with bits of mineral, lime and citrus notes, with just a touch more development showing in notes of biscuit, yeast and a little floral touch. The palate had a rather spare, very dry feel to it, especially without food, where it showed very citrus and rather minerally. However, with the seafoody dishes we had, it showed a pleasant weight and substance, fleshing out a bit. I liked the mouth-feel too, with its gentle mousse and nice balance. It was rounded off with a long, limey, rather flinty finish, with a twist of bittersweet zest at the end. Very pleasant – a great aperitif or accompaniment to a simple meal.

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• 2001 Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) Brunello di Montalcino Rennina 94 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Sublime stuff - I was very taken by this wine and its ringing sense of purity. It had an arrestingly beautiful nose, with a wreathe of smoky, toasted herbs floating amidst black fruited aromas of plums and black cherries, then a rim of some ash, toss of dried earth, and a sweetlt fragrant waft of sweet dried flowers - really something. The palate was lovely too. A great testament to the quality of the 2001 vintage, it certainly had some richness and depth, but how superbly balanced this was, showing a lovely clarity in its black fruited flavours that shaded into red plums and cherries on the midpalate, even a bit of raisin after that, all seasoned with a touch of smoke, spice and dried herbs. I just loved the lithe purity on and effortless freshness on this, which it made it so nice to drink even in its relative youth. It was great with food too, what with nicely formed tannins rounding-up the package, pulling the wine into a long, spicy, rather bittersweet mineral tail. An enchanting wine. Starting to drink well now, but it will need a decade to hit peak. With the balance, cut and precision on this, it will age well for far, far beyond that. Gorgeous.

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• 1998 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Very old school Barolo, something I normally like, but while this was enjoyable for what it is, especially with a nice hunk of beef, it is really way too young to drink. It showed a very masculine nose - meaty, earthy, a bit mushroomy, with some stalky herbal notes. A bit grumpy at first, and then classic Barolo touches of tar and a hint of dried roses started drifting out amidst gummy red fruited notes with time. The palate was very clean, very fresh, with a lovely, pure expression of black fruit - dark cherries and gummy blackberries. Past the attack, the fruit then ceded way to a bed of stony mineral and a light layer of fine, firm tannins curling away into a long, lingering finish with light shades of smoke and spice. Quite yummy. While it showed a bit on the leaner, meaner side at the moment, there was certainly no lack of substance underneath all that sinew either. This actually went very well with a steak dish, drinking surprisingly well with some protein to open up its firm structure, but it really does need 10-12 years more to truly bloom I think. Nice stuff though.

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• 1990 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano 95 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  A tremendous wine - I loved this. Still a bit tight, still very youthful for its 23 years, but this was definitely starting to bloom. It had a beautiful nose, full of sweet dark cherries and blackberries with a little smoky hint at the edges. The palate was cosseted with wonderfully fine tannins and gobs of juicy acidity; there was such great purity of fruit too - black cherries, berries – delicious. Everything was in the right place with this wine, it was full, pleasing, yet so youthfully balanced and structured, all the way into a superb finish with its long pull of meat, earth and a tiny touch of herbs, all showing a nascent complexity. While not quite as nuanced as some of the more advanced wines on the day, this was wonderful. My wine of the day for sure. While it should start to drink well over the next five years, this is a wine that will last just about forever.

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• 1974 Pio Cesare Barolo 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  A charming wine, but quite advanced for a Pio Cesare from a decent vintage – this would have been better 5-6 years ago, but still though, very enjoyable on the day. I feared the worse when it was first poured – the nose was really funky, smelling fermented bean curd and earthy, umami notes. Bit by bit though, it opened up beautifully to reveal sweet smells of preserved red fruits, stewed plums, sour cherries cooked in malt sugar, still with a real whiff of undergrowth and some boiled Chinese herbs, but there was now a distinctly sweet, almost floral perfume. The palate was still very fresh and lively. Again a bit funky initially, but this too opened up nicely into sweet red plums and dried cherries on the midpalate, with lovely reams of smoky spice, a layer of earthiness, and a long, substantial finish, where a linger of spice and a wreath of smoke drifted by. This did not quite have the strength and conviction of a great Barolo, but it was rather delightful in its own way. Quite a charmer of a wine.

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