2017 Sella Ronda Ski Trip

For the second year running the Annual Beat the January Blues ski trip happened in the Valley of the Michelin Stars!

Accommodation at the excellent Lagacio in San Cassiano. A must visit : http://www.lagacio.com/en/hotel-san-cassiano/1-0.html

• 2015 Cantina Terlan Sauvignon Terlano Winkl 89 Points

  Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Terlano

  (1/12/2017)

  By the glass at the Lounge of Lagacio, San Cassiano. Fresh bottle relatively.
  Quite a textbook Sauvignon Blanc nose, grassy, lemony twist too. Good wi.ne, well made with and very nice to try it young and fresh. Bright and true to the quality of this great producer . 89-90

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• 2010 Cantina Terlan Gewürztraminer Lunare 89 Points

  Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol

  (1/12/2017)

  By the glass at the Lounge of Lagacio, San Cassiano. Fresh bottle relatively.
  Quite a restrained Gewurtztraminer, floral and all but aiming for a dry more linear version. Still with all the Gewurtztraminer hall marks just all toned down . Very nice expression of the grape. 88-89

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A 1* Michelin but a worthy one and a great dinner. Comes with an amazing wine cellar, well priced and prob the best of Alta Badia.
Worth to try dinner in the cellar too and the chocolate room is a not to be missed zone!

• 2001 Gravner Ribolla Gialla Anfora 92 Points

  Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT

  (1/12/2017)

  A very interesting, unique and fascinating wine.
  Gold/Orange with a coppery hue in colour. Good firm wine with an underlying fruit core, light oxidative touches and a long finish. Very unique in a way but a good wine, not some curiosity or experiment , this is the real deal. Worthy experience. 92+

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• 1988 Gaja Langhe Rossj Bass

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  (1/12/2017)

  From half bottle and we could not resist but ordering this. Well past its prime, with quite a bit of noble oxidation, and old wine but not a dead wine but definitely its best years seemed far gone. Tertiary , earthy, light oxidative. An experience and no need to provide a rating here.

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• 2006 Benanti Etna Bianco Superiore Pietramarina 87 Points

  Italy, Sicily, Etna Bianco Superiore

  (1/12/2017)

  This is one of our favourite whites from Sicily and we jumped at the opportunity to try an old one from a pristine cellar ( Siriola in the Dolomites ). Unfortunately time has not been to kind and the wine had lost its vitality that came with its youth. Still a nice wine but not a memorable one. 87

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• 1990 Gravner Rosso Venezia Giulia IGT Flawed

  Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Venezia Giulia IGT

  (1/15/2017)

  Corked and unfortunately their last bottle. What a shame

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• 1997 Le Macchiole Scrio Toscana IGT 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  (1/12/2017)

  Decanted and served.
  A different style of scrio or just age gives this a different dimension. Well balanced , not the rich oaky wine of youth that we would have thought dry by now ( this was the late husband making the wines in 1997) . Has aged very well and was very elegant. A very solid 93 and drink now

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• 1988 Antinori Solaia 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  (1/12/2017)

  We chose not to decant.
  Well matures, well secondary wine. The fine beauty and elegance of a graceful age resulting from the perfect cellar of La Siriola in the Dolomites. Leather, light pepper, forest floor. Still very much alive on the palate but the fruit has given way to tertiary flavours. A very solid wine still but we would suggest one drinks it sooner than later. 93

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The gourmet bit of this is superb with great food and very good location. Really worth the visit

• 2007 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  (1/13/2017)

  Having tried this a few years ago and rated 93 and full of promise we were to be honest a bit underwhelmed with this wine. We expected a lot more, more depth more complexity. Maybe we are being a bit too aggressive with the wine but really for the pedigree and price we wanted more.

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A very good yet on the casual side place. Very good food and benefits from sharing the wine list from St Hubertus ( Its 2* Michelin Brother)

• 2001 Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

  (1/15/2017)

  From magnum, not decanted and a beautiful surprise.
  The nose is of a Bordeaux wine with a touch of the barnyard feel added by the Sangiovese we believe. Good fruit , balanced on the fruit and the oak is well assimilated. Light on its feel yet with good palate presence, nice secondary feel just emerging and really drinks very nicely now. 91-92

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1* Michelin Level albeit it has none. Very good food, solid service. Shame the Winelist is very young. HAs an Excellent private room in the wine cellar.

• NV J.M. Gobillard et Fils Champagne Blanc de Noirs 87 Points

  France, Champagne

  (1/14/2017)

  By the glass as a welcome drink at La Gana, Corvara.
  A very round a pleasant NV, inviting and approachable but not really memorable to be honest. A touch confectionery too. 87-88

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• 2014 Cantina Terlan Pinot Bianco Terlano Riserva Vorberg 90 Points

  Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Terlano

  (1/14/2017)

  Another solid offering from this great estate.
  Quite a clean wine with very little oak here if any. Clean green fruit, light floral, mineral wine. Fresh but in no way sharp and quite inviting. Lacks a bit of depth at times but an overall solid wine. 89-90

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• 2012 Cantina Terlan Lagrein Porphyr 90 Points

  Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Alto Adige, Alto Adige - Südtirol

  (1/14/2017)

  A year since we tried it last ( Papies 88) and definitely has improved and gained a bit more complexity. Very inviting, ripe fruit, a touch of an amarone twist on the ripeness at times but all withing reason and not sacrificing the balance of the wine. I think our call last year to drink sooner than later was definitely wrong but still we wouldn't age this for too long.

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• 2010 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  (1/14/2017)

  Young but very polished and elegant even at age 6. Modern in a the good modern way, layered fruit, rich, ripe but it all comes effortless and in no way feels manipulated or heavy. Very classy and elegant and one feels the attention to detail in a way from the winemakers.
  Black cherry, light twist of red fruits too, light violet hint. The oak is well balanced by the core of the wine and is in check. Unfortunately it is too young at this stage. Not young austere like Bordeaux used to be but young and one dimensional and at this stage one but see a tiny fraction of the underlying potential of this wine. It is still delicious to drink now but really too young to do so. Needs a good 10 yrs really . 92-94 at this stage

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Good friends, Good Ski, Good Food and lots of wine! Alla Prossima!