Dinner at Fiddler's Green

A group of about 8 of us from the industry gathered today to have a tasting around some older bottles. I had picked up a bottle of 1990 Biondi Santi Reserva that we were all very interested in experiencing. Unfortunately it was corked. However, there were still plenty of wines for us all to enjoy.

Daniel Brought the Raveneau and this really did an excellent job of setting the pace for the tasting.

• 1997 Domaine Amiot Guy et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Showing a golden yellow in the glass with a smoky nose that gives way to flint, minerals, and lemon dominated citrus notes. In the mouth this is med-full bodied with prominent flavors of lemons and minerals along a medium length finish. While not from a touted vintage, this was a very interesting bottle and quite a surprise.

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• 1999 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Forêt 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  This was hitting in all the right places tonight. A pale yellow in the glass with a delicate nose of clean linen, light hints of citrus, light white floral notes, and a hint of the fog that comes from a smoke machine. In the mouth lemons, minerals, and limes lingered nicely along a med-long delicate finish.

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Shane brought the Dagueneau and it was such a true pleasure to taste this wine again.

• 2005 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes-Dessus 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  Showing golden yellow in the glass this wine leaves me thinking that it needs more like another year or two to show it's hand. Scents of minerals, banana peel, citrus, and a hint of butter are all very subtle and require attention in their subtle nuances. In the mouth there are flavors of freshly cut lemons and minerals that linger nicely along a medium length finish.

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• 2005 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang 96 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  This wine has changed quite a bit since the last time I had it. If it's possible it has become more delicate and subtle with hints of cat's pee, minerals, lemons, slate, and sea air. In the mouth there were more tropical fruit notes like guava, lemons, mango, and a persisting mineral component that lingers as light as a feather floating across the beach on the salty ocean's air for close to a minute.

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• 1980 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Brolio

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Past it's prime with stewed fruit and beet notes...

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• 1982 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Granduca 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  What an exciting surprise, showing a brick red color in the glass with a vibrant ruby core. The nose was abound with scents of truffles, earth, dried cranberries, grilled meats, and mushrooms. With every lift of the glass the scents seemed to be growing, progressing, and changing. In the mouth dried red fruits, figs, raisins, dark fruits, and rare red meat. Where this wine was really special was in the finish...it seemed to transition from dried fruits, potpourri, and picks up weight to give into lush red fruits followed by mouth-watering acidity and a finish that lingers for 45+ seconds.

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• 1999 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Ovello 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Showing a bright ruby color in the glass it's hard to tell that this wine is already 10 years old. Scents of tar, lilacs, manure, overshadow hints of cherries and strawberries on the nose. In the mouth the tannins and acidity are still a bit dominant as flavors of sour cherry, strawberry, and earth are supported by a lingering minerality in the medium length finish. If I had more of this I'd probably forget it for 3-4 years and check back in as I think this has room to improve.

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• 1999 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Showing a bright ruby color in the glass with hallmark scents of earth, cherries, and tar on the nose. In the mouth flavors of sour cherry are followed by gripping tannins, firm acidity, and lingering earthy flavors of mushrooms and gravel along a medium length finish and a faint hint of the 14% alcohol peaking in at the tail end.

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• 1997 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  This wine was a deep plum color at the core with little bricking or sign of age. The nose was dominated by funk, dark fruits, and minerals in a very slight and subtle manner. In the mouth flavors of cherries, earth, and minerals were followed by a thrust of strawberries and a lingering of light cedar on the medium long finish. I've only had wines from this producer a few times...but I continue to be impressed.

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• 1990 Tenuta Greppo (Biondi-Santi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Flawed

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Brought to a gathering planned specifically around this bottle... everyone was crushed when we got to this and found it to be corked.

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• 1990 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Showing a bricked red color in the glass with a ruby core and a clear rim at the edge of the glass. The scents from this wine were very earth driven as notes of mushrooms, granite, and manure overshadowed the lighter notes of red fruits on the nose. In the mouth flavors of sour cherries, earth, and dried strawberries lingered nicely on the palate as light hints of minerals and cedar unfolded along a medium length finish. Such a true pleasure to taste...

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• 2000 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Almost amber in color, as someone else said this could pass for a Sauternes by sight alone. In the glass scents of white raisins, honey, butterscotch, and tropical fruits. In the mouth this full bodied wine gives way to flavors of honey, lemons, almonds, and butterscotch along a 30+ second finish that coats the palate. This is just a baby...

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• 1995 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Showing a hazy plum color in the glass with a hint of ruby at the edge with scents of plums, earth, and other dark fruits on the nose. In the mouth flavors of cherries, strawberries, and other red fruits are followed by a light hint of cedar on the medium length finish.

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• 1990 Cafaggio Chianti Classico Villa Cafaggio Riserva 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  This wine shows an evenly bricked ruby red in the glass, with an intoxicating nose of earth, spice, and dried red fruits that is in constant flux. In the mouth flavors of dried cherries, strawberries, and earth are followed by a light hint of cedar on the medium long finish.

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• 1997 Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore 94 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Classico Superiore

  In the glass this was a deep plum color at the core with a ruby rim at the edge of the glass. Scents of granite, bell pepper, manure, flint, and earth transitioned seamlessly as I lifted my nose to the glass. In the mouth this was intense than I expected as flavors of red fruits were followed by earth tones, mushrooms, and lead into darker fruits that lingered on the palate for well over 30 seconds. What a true pleasure to taste this wine.

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• 1995 Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Superiore 93 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Superiore

  Showing a deep plum color at the core of the glass with hardly any hint that this wine is coming close to its 15th year in life. The nose was full of funk, anise, dark fruits and minerals. In the mouth there was a lovely transition from dark fruits, plums, blueberries, and a lingering of anise on the medium length finish. After this bottle I think I can finally understand what it is that people see in Amarone.

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• 2001 Cellers Baronia del Montsant (Clos d'Englora) Montsant AV14 92 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Tarragona, Montsant

  Showing a ruby/plum color in the glass with scents of spice cake, anise, plums, and blackberries on the nose. In the mouth flavors of dark fruits are followed by notes of plum, blueberry, spice, earth, and minerals that lingers nicely along a 30+ second finish. This was surprisingly "new world" in style...yet still an outstanding wine.

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• 1998 Chappellet Chenin Blanc Liquoreux 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  What a lovely wine. This was a brilliant amber/orange color in the glass with enticing scents of botrytis, fig, honey, tropical fruits like mango, and pineapple. In the mouth there was great acidity, with lingering flavors of apricot, peach, mango, and lemons...just a brilliant wine.

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• 2001 Damilano Barolo Cannubi 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Showing a ruby/plum color in the glass with no indication of age. Scents of earth, anise, blackberry, and tar roll around in the glass and transition seamlessly. In the mouth dark fruits lead to blueberry, mouthwatering acidity, and lingering notes of spice, earth, and mushrooms along a 30+ second finish.

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• 2001 Elvio Cogno Barolo Ravera 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Showing a ruby/plum color at the core of the glass with scents of earth, anise, a slight hint of cedar and a melange of dark fruits on the nose. In the mouth dark fruits lead into notes of blueberry and spice in this medium+ bodied wine as the tannins and acidity take hold leading to lingering notes of lighter red fruits and a faint hint of cedar along a medium length finish.

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• 2001 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Le Volte Toscana IGT 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Showing a deep plum color at the core with a light ruby rim at the edge of the glass. Scents of this wine are earth driven as funk, ash, and granite overlay hints of darker fruits on the nose. In the mouth flavors of blackberries are followed by dark earth tones, granite, and char that linger nicely along a medium length finish.

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• 1995 Chateau Musar 95 Points

  Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

  So I've had this wine a few times in the last year...each time I wax and wane about how glorious it is...and each time I feel a bit like a broken record. Yet there is nothing about this wine that I do not like. There is usually a bit of oxidation, some subtle VA, and there is always a great presence of acidity, fruit, and tannin balance. This time the nose was of earth, silk, red fruits, cement, and a hint of a fine perfume. In the mouth flavors of dried cherries, strawberries, earth, and a gravel heavy cement that lingers nicely before more red fruits and acidity come together to bring this wines 45+ second finish to a close.

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All in all I can't think of an afternoon where the food, friends, and wines have been better. We liked this so much that we are planning to attempt another one near the end of the season.