Cured meat. Dark dried cherry. Light-bodied with high alcohol, high acid, and awesomely chewy high tannins. Dry and wet leaves. Dried flowers. Phenomenal. 9-9.5.

Savory red fruit. Killer chewy tannins. Less aromatic than the ’08. 9-9.5

A bit fleshier than the previous two. Red-fruited. Still amazing but I actually prefer the more austere Riserva and Liste. Around 9.

Pretty and ripe but structured. Shows development. Red dried cherry. 14.5%

Really good. high alc and chewy tannic structure. Riper than the Borgognos but still traditionalist. More brett savory notes than the Barbaresco.

(single vineyard) Overt sawdusty clove on the finish. Structured and ripe but bitter. 88.

Grippy. Well integrated oak. A bit acid deficient. Precision ripeness.

Dark dried fruit, liquorice, slight sweetness from barely-noticeable oak. Slightly more body than the Borgogno’s, with high chewy tannins and high acid. The oak is very light - partial new / 2nd-3rd use barrels - it frames the fruit well. I really love this. Within the style of modern Barolo, I'm a big fan.

A bit apple-y. Seems surprisingly developed. Chewy structure and savory red fruit.

Fleshy and sweet, with a bitter finish and only medium/medium plus tannins.

Fleshy, sweet, with red fruit. Not holding it’s oak well.

Blanc de noirs - Nebbiolo sparkling wine! Weirdly acid-deficient, though fairly dry-ish.

Warm savory brett. Bordeaux-like nose with medium acid and medium tannins (strong impression of cocoa powder in the tannins). Polished, plush, and savory.

Hints of chocolate-covered cassis (merlot-type or really ripe cabernet fruit). Savory bell pepper pyrazines. Spicy brett melded with some sweet new oak. In the mouth this has a bit more grip than the Le Volte - plush with medium tannins and a similar cocoa powder finish. Fruit isn’t really the point of this, but it’s definitely a supporting character. Really nice.

Even more savory stewed bell pepper pyrazines than the previous two. There’s a small but bright pinprick core of pure cabernet cassis, framed by a savory combination of brett and new oak. Powerful and still unintegrated. The fruit is strong in this one - cabernet blackcurrant. The cocoa-powder tannins are medium plus and sort of stick out to me - they’re sweetish, and oak-influenced. The aromatics are super complex and evolving - spices, mushroom, cassis, cocoa, orange peel, dog fur. Elevated alcohol, acid, and tannins.

Can't score. Too young. Oxidative style. Red fruited and austere. Tannic and high acid. Slightly herbal.
Overall the Bibi Graetz wines were light, super structured to the point of austerity, had little ot no Brett, and were quite oxidative (bruised apple skins).

The best 10 barrels of the Testamatta. Complex red fruit. Light and tannic. Less dominated by bruised apple than the others. Can’t score - too young and austere.

Overall the Bibi Graetz wines were light, super structured to the point of austerity, had little to no Brett, and were quite oxidative (bruised apple skins).

Light. High tannins. High acid. Thin and a bit oxidative for me. I think the fruit may be there. Can’t score - too young and austere.

Overall the Bibi Graetz wines were light, super structured to the point of austerity, had little to no Brett, and were quite oxidative (bruised apple skins).

Green, dark-fruited. Quite structured but a bit lacking in fruit.
Note on the three Lamole’s: All of these were a bit thin on the fruit and simple on the mid-palate.

Closed and tannic. To manage the tannins they ferment to 6% away from the skins (keeping them in a refrigerator) then add back the skins to complete fermentation.

Note on the three Lamole’s: All of these were a bit thin on the fruit and simple on the mid-palate.

Slight dark fruit (10% cab, 10% merlot). Structured. I don’t really understand this style of Chianti. Why add Bdx varieties to your beautiful red-fruited Sangio?

Note on the three Lamole’s: All of these were a bit thin on the fruit and simple on the mid-palate.

Ripe red fruit, juicy and structured.

Darker fruit (some merlot here). A bit closed down but well-structured.

Richer midpalate, but still structured.

Slightly burnt toast. Dark and soft and open for brunello.

Significant development and more structure. High altitude. High acid.

Rich and very Bordeaux. Ripe green peppers. Bright acid. Sweet savory tobacco.

Savory brett. Hint of burnt toast. Dark fruited - black cherry, dried. Slightly weightier and fleshier than the Barolos. Structured with faint sweetness from a small percentage of new oak.

This was an epic year. Rich shades of dark cherry. Structured and aromatically well integrated. Brett is present but not sticking out.

A bit tighter - more tannic and slightly more overt oak than the regular 2010 BdM. Good but a bit closed. Dark dried cherry fruit.

Complex earthy slight red cranberries. Also dark dried cherries. VA. Development. Tastes drier- all neutral slavonian big casks.

More complex development. I like it. Forest leaves, clove. M body. Neutral slavonian casks. M+ tannins. M+. Alcohol. M+ acid.

Sangiovese. Dark fruit. Herbal. Savory. Fleshy and a bit sweet with high acid and soft tannins Med plus.

Fleshy and sweet for BdM but has good acid.

Sweet mushroom tamari. Holy development. Liquor ice. Light and intense and still structured with Med plus tannins rounded.

100% pinot. briochey, yellow apples, some dark plum, expansive mousse, big bubbles. I don’t get much complexity but the acid is refreshing.

Light but distinct terpenic florals, high acid and light-plus butterness. Really nice.

Blend of chardonnay, gewurz, and others - quite floral (terpenic) with more stone/orchard fruit. Elevated acid and a clean finish - very little phenolic bitterness.

Lovely fresh rose petals on the nose, and a hint of muscat-like white pepper and orange oil (cool climate gewurz?). None of the showy, syrupy-sweet lychee that you get in Alsace. Dry with light bitterness and decent acid (medium). Alcohol seems well under control.

Stony with strong acid. Less aromatic than the Pinot Grigio, but there are some nice stone-fruit suggestions.

Classic aromas, quite aromatic with stone fruit. Med + acid. Very nice!

Sangiovese. Tart juicy and bretty, with some red cherry.

Dark fruit with some mushroom and significant brett.

Herbal, astringent, with elevated acid and tannins.

Sweet and savory, juicy and sort of a prototypical Italian red wine. Has some fruit on this! Moderate tannins, elevated acid.

Darker, with savory brett and some anise character. Moderate tannins, elevated acid.

Low aromatics on the nose. Slight cherry syrup, cherry juice, currant juice. In the mouth, high alcohol, elevated acid, elevated tannins. Clean, juicy with a good dose of new oak. I don’t get overt raisination but the fruit is super duper ripe. I was surprised by how non-aromatic this is (maybe needs time), and how clean it is (not a lot of earth or complexity here).