Monthly Tasting Group: Brunello's

I think we were at 17 for our monthly tasting group. The theme was Brunello or Chianti, but Chianti was not well represented. We met at Rinata, a small Italian restaurant in Minneapolis and had 2 tables of 8 or 9.

• 2013 Casa Vinicola Botter Beneventano Gran Passione 88 Points

  Italy, Campania, Beneventano

  Had a small pour over a half an hour. This was pretty darn good, and at 14 bucks it drinks even better. There's some nice grape fruit and a little floral on the nose and the palate is nicely balanced with the grapefruit out front. I'd rather drink this than the majority of of Sauv Blancs I see.

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• 2013 von Winning Sauvignon Blanc II 89 Points

  Germany, Pfalz

  Light gold color. Small pour over 20 plus minutes. I'm pretty sure this would be the first german SB I've ever had. That said, it was rather good. i thought the palate was a bit superior to the somewhat muted nose, but overall it was quite nice. There was plenty of grapefruity citrus and lychee fruit and a good bit of grass on the palate, but not enough grassiness to become distracting. 88+ to 89pts.

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• NV Philipponnat Champagne Brut Non-Dosé 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 40 minutes or so. I didn't get a good look at the label when this came around, but in retrospect it makes perfect sense with my notes being a non-dosage. Very crisp, pear, very dry, lots of minerality, light-medium to medium in body, chalky on the finish. Quite good, and perhaps a smidge of dosage would be beneficial to fully round it out.

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• NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grande Réserve 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30 plus minutes. I think this was even better than the bottle I had 2 months ago. There was an undeniable pruity and elegance that resonated nicely. Crisp with pear, fresh, light and elegant, just great fruit, clean minerality and nice balance. Loved it.

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• 2001 Weingut Johannishof (H.H. Eser) Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling Spätlese 90 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Very small pour, light gold color. This was good, didn't fit with our food when it came around, but served as a nice contrast and palate refresher to some of the more astringent reds of the evening. Green tree fruits, leafy, floral, apple, peach, light and balanced.

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• 2010 Tabarrini Umbria Adarmando 90 Points

  Italy, Umbria

  light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes plus. This was pretty fascinating, and fascinating in a good way, not a weird but interesting way. There was complexity on the nose that evolved over time. Bellissimo described it as a lemon Pledge nose, which could certainly work, I can see that, there's also a truffle like character that is deep and aromatic, Diane said olive tapenade (another good descriptor here) and minerals. The palate evolves well and shows a nice oily texture to the lemon, lemon oil and truffle oil. A wine I would buy.

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• 2010 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Séchets 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Light gold color. this was given an hour of air prior. Drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. AS always, a fine example of Chablis, I can't really say whether the air made a positive difference, but it didn't hurt it either. See previous notes for details, very consistent wine. 91+ to 92pts.

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• 1995 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino Flawed

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  way corked. Sad, there was nuance lurking!

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• 2004 Tenuta Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino 94 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Dark red color. Double decanted for 45 minutes and open for an additional hour in bottle before serving. I have to say that I was pretty happy with how this showed, really quite ready to drink with a good mix of complexity and fruit. The nose was wonderful, cherry, exotic spices, leather, crushed rose petals, espresso, soy, and hints of anise. The palate follows suit remarkably well showing dried cherry, medium firm round tannins, brandied cherries, wow, lacquer, spice and a long finish. This was in a very good place to drink, fully open and ready, but with plenty of life to give and no rush at all. I'm not sure it will be better but it should ultimately give an even more refined experience in another 5 years.

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• 2004 Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) Brunello di Montalcino Rennina 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Dark red color. this had 30 minutes of decant and an additional hour of slow ox prior to serving. Back to back '04's that are rocking. Nose is more fruity, some nice purity here, very bright berry fruits, lacquer, floral; the palate is berry fruit, a mix of red and black berries, savory, structured, round tannins that loosening nicely, long finish. This was a bit more structured and bolder than the Corte Pavone and man was it good. ready to go with some air and has great aging potential. 93(+)pts.

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• 2006 Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Very dark red color. This had a bit of slow-O time before serving. Drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. This was very good, younger, silky palate, oak, liqueur, cherry, kirsch. Benefits from some air.

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• 2006 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  The godfather rocks it with his back up bottle! Obviously no prep, so PNP, drank 1 lglass over 90 minutes. Good from the start, but became a stand up and take notice wine over an hour. Really good. Wonderfully pure nose and palate with berry fruit, aromatic fruits, raspberry, framboise, lush, firm, but round tannins. This had a presence and elegance that was excellent. This is a wine to revisit in 5 years and it will be even better (blow you away better I think). 93+(+)pts

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• 2006 Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Dark red color. 2 hour decant, drank 1 glass over 75 minutes. This was also good, with soy, cherry, cedarbox, tighter and more youthful, more earth here on the nose. the palate shows black cherry and black berry with more oak, tar, grippy tannins. This got better in glass, but still needs some significant cellar time. Revisit in 3+ years.

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• 2006 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Very dark red color. Decanted for an hour or so at the restaurant. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. This didn't show as well as a bottle several years ago, it seemed very young, oaky, and quite tightly wound. This just wasn't balanced for me tonight showing too much alcohol and oak with black fruits on a full bodied tannic frame. There's still all the right ingredients and given how this drank a few years ago, I have to believe it is in an awkward phase that will resolve with cellar time. Needs heavy decanting. 89pts tonight.

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• 2011 Antinori Chianti Classico Marchese Antinori Riserva Tenuta Tignanello 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Small pour. Blackberry liqueur, aromatic, fresh. tar, smoke, full bodied and concentrated, rather sharp on the finish as it is. Needs a couple years.

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• 2007 Andretta Brunello di Montalcino 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Tasted, no notes. Youthful.

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• 2008 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Very dark red color. Small pour over 15 minutes. This was very good, surprisingly ready, unknown if any treatment, smoky, deep fruited, earth, medium round firm tannins, tar, deep, love it. 91+ to 92 pts.

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• 1995 Fattoria La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Dark red color. Small pour. This seemed tired to me, there was fruit there, dried cherries, earthy, leather, a bit introverted on the nose surprisingly and the palate was light, spicy, and disjointed with the fruit not holding up to the alcohol that dominated.

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• 2010 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Had a small pour of this. About 5hr of slow-ox. I was anxious to try it since it was one of the '10's I've picked up. Showing good potential for sure, nice, ruby red, primary, tight, hi toned fruit, berries, prominent phenolics, grippy now, long and astringent . Needs 5 years. Scored reserved for now. 92-94(+?)pts on potential

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• 2007 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Very small pour. No details.

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• 2008 Le Ragnaie Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Small pour. Very approachable, floral, gorgeous berry fruit, notable blueberry fruit on the palate, very attractive tannins. Loved this tonight.

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• 2006 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Small pour. This struck me with a bit too much alcohol on the palate, a bit thinner/lighter palate, more oak, a bit too aggressive.

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• 2006 Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de' Frescobaldi) Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Small pour. 2 hr decant per TAStark. I thought this was showing very nicely and the air served it well. Dusty, cherry, round and fresh fruit, dry earthiness and long.

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I thought the wines tonight on the whole were excellent with the '04's being particularly good and the '06's as well.