5th Annual Italian Offline

Six Steps Restaurant, Toronto, Canada
Tasted Saturday, June 6, 2009 by futronic with 991 views

Flight 1 - Champagne Starter (1 Note)

  • 1988 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 95 Points

    France, Champagne

    Gold colour. Pretty, typical Salon nose of sherry, jasmine, honey, Meyer lemon rind, cream, and hazelnuts. So expressive and powerful. Full-bodied, gorgeous texture. Sherry, dried apples, hazelnuts, pear, jasmine. Long, long finish, ~50+ seconds with more dried apples and pears, Meyer lemon, and nuts. In typical Salon fashion, this wine was great on opening, but dynamite after sitting in a glass all night. The four hours of air allowed additional layers of complexity to develop. Truly stunning stuff, and always a privilege to drink (especially considering the ridiculous prices new vintages - and old at this point - command)! Drink now and over the next 10+ years easily.

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Flight 2 - White Flight (1 Note)

Flight 3 - Brunello Flight (2 Notes)

  • 1995 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 91 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    Dark ruby colour. Restrained nose of minerals, sottobosco, frutti di bosco. Medium-bodied, tannins are starting to integrate, still mostly structure at this point. Plums and sottobosco on the palate. Moderate finish, ~30s, with dried dark fruit. This was much more closed and angular in comparison to the 1995 Cerretalto tasted from another table. If this bottle was representative, I would hold for another couple years. Drink 2011-2018.

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  • 1997 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    Not decanted. Poured into shoulder and slow-ox'd for three hours. Followed in the glass for 2+ more hours. Dark ruby/burgundy colour, almost opaque. Aromas of sottobosco, plum, black cherry, plum liqueur, vanilla. There's a real freshness/coolness to the nose. Medium-full bodied, plenty of grip, with sottobosco, black cherry, and minerals. Moderate-long finish, ~40s, with dark fruit. Tannins are still firm but this is a classy, classic, elegant Brunello. Beautiful wine, but it's still about potential right now. Cellar for another 3-4 years. Drink 2012-2020.

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Flight 4 - Nebbiolo Flight (3 Notes)

  • 1964 Giacomo Conterno Barbaresco Riserva 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Ruddy orange/iced tea colour. Pretty nose of forest floor/wet leaves, leather, orange rind, mushroom, orange pekoe tea, and tobacco. Light-medium bodied, with replays from nose. Lovely texture and fully resolved tannins. Moderate-long finish, ~40s, with orange pekoe tea and mushroom notes. With several hours of air, it opened to show a distinct smokiness on the nose and hickory on the palate! Truly a special experience - thanks to WIML for bringing this wine.

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  • 1990 Beni di Batasiolo Barolo Vigneto Corda della Briccolina 91 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Light-medium ruby colour. Fresh finocchio (fennel) on the nose and some dried red fruit and leather. Medium-bodied, still showing some good fruit/secondary and evolved/tertiary notes on the palate. Nice finish, ~30s, with an intriguing hint of mint. Drink now-2012.

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  • 1996 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Dark ruby/black colour; opaque. Aromas of wood smoke/campfire, violets, licorice, vanilla, mint, kirsch, black plums. Medium-full bodied, with black fruit - plums, cherries, blackcurrant, as well as minerals and chalk. Moderate-long finish, ~40-45s, with chalk and black plums. No evolution into the tertiary realm yet, so I'd hold at least 3-5 more years before opening another. Drink 2012-2020+.

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Flight 5 - IGT Flight (2 Notes)

  • 1997 Antinori Tignanello 92 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

    Opaque ruby-black colour. Aromas of tobacco, black plums, and black licorice. Full-bodied, tannic, with blackberries, tobacco, and plums. Moderate finish, ~30s, with bramble, blackberry, and slightly puckering tea-tannin. Needs another few years. Drink 2012+.

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  • 2001 Poggio Antico Madre Toscana IGT 89 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

    Decanted about 2 hours. Medium-dark ruby colour. Peach and black fruit aromas on the nose. Medium-bodied, lots of tannin still there, with blackcurrant and blackberry notes. Moderate finish, ~35s, with smoke and black fruit. This wine has been all over the map with approachability, but I'm starting to think that the tannins will far outlive the fruit in this wine. I'll cross my fingers with the remaining bottle, but I'd say drink 2011-2015.

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Flight 6 - Sweet Finish (1 Note)

  • 1995 Romano Dal Forno Nettare 94 Points

    Italy, Veneto, Veneto IGT

    Golden amber-orange colour. Huge and intriguing nose of apricot, honey, peach, sherry, white flowers, caramel. Full-bodied, unctuous, lovely wine with replays from nose and a creamy texture. Long finish, ~50+ second. Delicious stuff, I'm sad to say this was my last bottle!

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Closing

Additional wines tasted included (no notes taken):

1997 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra
1998 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra
2000 Paolo Conterno Barolo Ginestra

1997 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Ornellaia
2001 Le Macchiole Bolgheri Superiore Paleo Rosso
1997 Marchesi di Frescobaldi Lamaione Castelgiocondo
2003 Podere Poggio Scalette Il Carbonaione

1995 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto
1999 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino
1999 Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino

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