Italian OL (w/a Cali Pinot interlude)

This turned out to be a very tasty OL wine wise; the food was not as strong, however, as on other occasions at Twist. Jonathan Dinh organized this midweek tribute to La Dolce Vita, and it was definitely a treat to taste and compare a lot of excellent Italian wines. David N's mystery flight--which turned out to feature a few cult Cali Pinots--was also a lot of fun, especially with the added twist described below. The highlights of a very full evening for me were the 1998 Giacosa Barbaresco Gallina, the 1999 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi and the 1996 Conterno Frantino Barolo ”Sori Ginestra." Thanks to everyone for the excellent wines and company.

• NV Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvée Brut 91 Points

  Italy, Lombardia, Franciacorta DOCG

  From magnum – lemon chiffon nose; tasty, creamy, lemon chiffon and pudding palate with good acidity; medium finish

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• 2005 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero

  Light golden yellow color; nice, ethereal lemon and vanilla nose; tasty, creamy with good acidity, body and minerality; medium finish

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Served with Parma ham with Arugula salad and Sweet Italian melon with 60 year old Balsamic syrup (thanks to David N. for the Balsamic).

• 1996 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Rich, intriguing, earthy, pepper and roasted meat nose; gorgeous roasted meat and sage palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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• 2000 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Barolo Vürsù Vigneto Campè 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Reticent black fruit, cherry preserves and herbal nose; chewy black fruit entry with good acidity and deep Balsamic and meat jus mid-palate; medium finish 91+ pts.

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• 1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Tart red fruit with subtle meat flavors on nose; gorgeous, plush, spicy, earthy, tart red fruit and plum palate with good acidity, and young yet; medium-plus finish

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Served with Lasagna minute El Fungi.

• 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Gallina di Neive 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Gorgeous nose of lavender and cherries; spicy, tangy, tart red fruit, minerals, with some roasted meat, roses and mushroom; medium-plus finish (came in 2nd as WOTF)

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• 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Focused dried cherry nose; tart, iron, with a notion of raspberry, but essentially fruitless, lighter bodied than the other reds thus far, and yet hot on the palate; medium finish

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• 1996 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Focused roasted meat and sage nose (also reminiscent of what Renee termed "wet dog," e.g., my old terrier right after a bath); rich, concentrated, tart red fruit and juniper berry with high acidity; medium-plus finish

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• 1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Tight, cherry and tangy red fruit nose; rich, full, rounded palate with tart red fruit, oak, tangy and with good acidity; medium finish 92+ pts. (most votes for WOTF)

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Served with braised osso bucco served with Romano cheese and truffled soft polenta.

• 2002 Argiano Solengo Toscana IGT 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Lovely, focused plum, charcoal, cassis, and blackberry nose; tasty, smoky, tart black fruit and charcoal; medium-plus finish (Cabernet/Merlot/Syrah)

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• 1997 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Lovely cherry dried cherry nose; yummy, rounded cherry, tart cherry, iron and mineral palate; medium finish

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• 1997 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

  Earthy iron, clove and olive nose; black fruit and espresso palate, reminiscent of an '01 Cos d'Estournel; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc)

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David Niederauer didn't tell us the varietal or region. They tasted a lot like California Pinots. After we ranked and voted on our favorites, he "unveiled" them. After some of us were surprised by what we'd liked, he then revealed that in pouring the wines back from their decanters into the bottles, after double decanting, he had "mixed up" the bottles. He then revealed the code by which he had purposely mixed them. This made for a fun and very clever slow reveal. I was relieved, though, that on the 2nd reveal the wine I'd originally guessed to be a Kosta Brown was the '03 K-B. I liked the Rivers-Marie the best, but only a notch ahead of the '04 K-B. My memory is that the majority of us voted the Rivers-Marie the best of the flight, and didn't change our votes even when the first reveal indicated it was the '03 K-B.

• 2003 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir 4 Barrel 90 Points

  USA, California

  Concentrated cherry and cola nose; tasty, ripe Kosta Browne-type concentrated cherry and vanilla oak palate; medium-plus hot finish

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• 2004 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir 4 Barrel 91 Points

  USA, California

  Cherry, allspice and vanilla nose; concentrated red fruit, cherry, with good acidity; medium finish

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• 2005 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Focused, ripe, sassafras and red fruit nose; most intriguing palate of the four, with tart red fruit, iron and good acidity; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.

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• 2005 Nicholson Ranch Pinot Noir Estate Sonoma Valley 84 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

  More herbal red fruit nose; odd, flat and dull on palate with iron notes; medium finish

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• 1999 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi Piano di Montevergine 94 Points

  Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG

  Sweet cherry, lavender, thyme and sage nose; gorgeous, complex sage, lavender, ripe plum, charcoal and mulberry palate; medium-plus finish 94+ pts.

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• 2004 Elena Fucci Aglianico del Vulture Titolo 93 Points

  Italy, Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture

  Focused roasted meat and charcoal nose; rich, tasty, plush, smoky blackberry and mulberry palate; medium finish

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• 2002 Fattoria Le Terrazze Planet Waves Marche IGT 91 Points

  Italy, Marche, Marche IGT

  Nice tart plum and oak nose and palate; medium finish

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• 2003 Badia di Morrona - Gaslini Alberti Vin Santo del Chianti 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Vin Santo del Chianti

  Rich, sexy, orange and spice nose; yummy, tasty, orange, orange blossom, crème brulee, vanilla and caramel; long finish 93+ pts. (Trebbiano/Malvasia Bianca/Colombana)

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• 2005 De Tierra Sauvignon Blanc "Ekem" Late Harvest 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Monterey County

  Baked apple nose; tasty apple and caramel palate; medium-plus finish

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J.R. and Renee