Wines of Spring - Graduations, Confirmations, Birthdays

Yorktown Neighborhood, Arlington, VA
Tasted Friday, June 3, 2022 by pgb67 with 98 views

Flight 1 - Oldies (3 Notes)

  • 2004 MastroJanni Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    Aged Brunello, an experience that can't be easily replicated without time and patience (and who's got that). A polished wine with black currant and iron flavors and aromas. Good acidity and integrated tannins give it an unexpected lift. Luckily was able to savor this over the course of an evening with close friends at a family celebration.

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  • 2005 Domaine Pierre Naigeon Bonnes Mares 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

    A magical wine with an evolving palate and everchanging aromatics. Flavors of black cherry, sandalwood, violet and a nose of dark fruit, cut oak, minerals. Over time in the glass, it developed a creamy nature that I adore in aged Burgundy.

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  • 2007 Château Haut-Bailly 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Warm plum and blackberry jam flavors and aromas signal a classic Bordeaux experience while sophisticated notes of tobacco and bay leaf elevate the finish. Had a nice freshness to it notwithstanding its 15 years. In a nice drinking window.

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Flight 2 - 10-Year Olds (5 Notes)

  • 2010 Tenuta Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino 90 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    Really improved over time so dare I say it is too young. On the palate, slight underripe cherry fruit evolved into more of a cherry compote and pastry flavor that was quite alluring. Showed rustic tannins that smoothed out over time.

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  • 2010 Vietti Barolo Castiglione 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Pretty cherry and currant on the nose while the texture is dense and well defined showing tobacco, mineral and macerated plum. Well balanced and classic. A slight notch above the 2011. I'm a Vietti customer year in, year out.

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  • 2011 Vietti Barolo Castiglione 90 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Polished, with sweet floral notes, bright red berries, and subtle spices on the nose and palate. Fine-grained tannins announce that you are in Barolo. Didn’t get to spend too much time with it because it was served at a large gathering and it was swooped up quickly by my guests.

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  • 2011 Passopisciaro Passopisciaro 93 Points

    Italy, Sicily, Terre Siciliane

    A fragrant and jubilant wine that is sleek and fresh but also packs a punch with pronounced flavors of red cherry along with sophisticated elements of mineral and smoke. Lovely savory finish. Wowed my guests who didn’t drink a lot of Sicilian wines. This is another go-to that I try to pick up in every vintage.

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  • 2012 Carlisle Zinfandel Bedrock Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    A fine wine, but I’m liking the Carlisles on the younger side these days – this one was trending a bit stale perhaps (I realize in this same lineup I thought the WS was too young). Offers dense flavors of blackberry and black cherry that overlay notes of bittersweet dark chocolate and black pepper.

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Flight 3 - Newbies (3 Notes)

  • 2016 Berry Bros. & Rudd Berrys' Own Selection Pomerol Château Feytit-Clinet 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    A pleasant surprise for a store-label wine, but maybe I’m just nostalgic about visits to the London BBR shop. This has plenty of fruit on the nose with blackberry, cranberry and chopped mint. The palate is fresh with fine tannin and layers of blackberry and a hint of graphite. Drinking very well now.

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  • 2017 Merum Priorati Priorat Destí 92 Points

    Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

    So dense and lush you could cut a knife through it, but balanced and easy to drink. Dark cherry and currant flavors mixed with more brooding elements of graphite and black tea. Long, complex finish. I need to drink more of this.

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  • 2019 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 89 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Fresh but young and not particularly interesting - probably shouldn't have pulled this one oh well. Shows a lot of cedary accents on top of dried fruit and juniper elements. Long, and has good bones for the long haul, however.

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