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March 2008 Chicago WL Offline Brunello di Montalcino Event
Tasted March 15, 2008 by Claudio161 with 500 views
Introduction
A number of us from the Wine Library forum gathered for an offline at "Kdawg's" home and shared Brunello's and took tasting notes. "Leatherpalate" provided some awesome cheese and I brought salad and baked ziti.
I drank my wine from a Bordeaux glass made by Schott Zwiesel.
I did not know much about Brunello's before tonight and I was looking forward to learning more!
Flight 1 - Brunello di Montalcino Tasting focusing on some more modern versions (1997 was oldest) (6 notes)
Held at one of the Wine Library's Chicago Crew Member's Home
Tasted fully blind - bags wrapped in paper bags with capsules removed, then then taped at the neck. Mixed up, then another person numbered with a sharpie.
Was a really wonderful tasting event.
Red
2003 Cantine DEI Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Bossona Riserva
91 points
- Tasted as part of the Chicago WL Brunello Offline (Note: This wine was the Ringer to throw us off of the Brunello trail and it seemed to work!)
Sight: Dark color
Nose: Smoke; Wood - humidor cedar notes; Black Cherry; Floral Component
Taste: Vanillins; Fruits; Black petter; Somewhat hollow mid-palate; Good finish - Lasts on the palate
Overall: Young wine, Opening Up, Changing. 1st pass score was 90-92 points.
Sight: Dark color
Nose: Smoke; Wood - humidor cedar notes; Black Cherry; Floral Component
Taste: Vanillins; Fruits; Black petter; Somewhat hollow mid-palate; Good finish - Lasts on the palate
Overall: Young wine, Opening Up, Changing. 1st pass score was 90-92 points.
Red
2001 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
91 points
- Tasted as part of a Chicago WL Brunello Offline
Sight: Med Red, appears to be a clarified wine
Nose: Dark red tree fruits, minute smells of Razzles (oldtimecandy.com/razzles.htm) - I originally thought it was Nerds candy - but I was wrong as I searched the net the day after! Also good amounts of prine, figs, dried plums, later the wood notes started to come out and increasing amounts of Cherry.
Taste: Tannins were smoother than others of the evening, vanillins, medium body, good overall length on the finish, decent balance on the wine, with increased aeration tobacco notes started to come out on tasting, the attack was somewhat weak but it had a great mid-palate and finish.
Overall: This was decanted 4 hours prior to tasting. Explosive mid palate and I would give it an overall of 91+ points
Sight: Med Red, appears to be a clarified wine
Nose: Dark red tree fruits, minute smells of Razzles (oldtimecandy.com/razzles.htm) - I originally thought it was Nerds candy - but I was wrong as I searched the net the day after! Also good amounts of prine, figs, dried plums, later the wood notes started to come out and increasing amounts of Cherry.
Taste: Tannins were smoother than others of the evening, vanillins, medium body, good overall length on the finish, decent balance on the wine, with increased aeration tobacco notes started to come out on tasting, the attack was somewhat weak but it had a great mid-palate and finish.
Overall: This was decanted 4 hours prior to tasting. Explosive mid palate and I would give it an overall of 91+ points
Red
1999 Casisano-Colombaio Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
95 points
- Tasted as part of the Chicago WL Brunello Offline
Sight: Dark and brooding color
Nose: Cherry, Pepper, Cheery Syrup/Jam; Cigar smell (faint); Maraschino Cherries; Linalool (earl grey); cherry blossoms
Taste: Fruity; Tannins in check; Medium body; Balanced; Quite balanced!; Vanillins, Tobacco on the palate; Smell of 'New Colorado Hiking Boots when you lift the cover'; Silky
Overall: Cherry bomb; Awesome; Each sip keeps getting better. 95+ points and the overall unanimous WOTN
Sight: Dark and brooding color
Nose: Cherry, Pepper, Cheery Syrup/Jam; Cigar smell (faint); Maraschino Cherries; Linalool (earl grey); cherry blossoms
Taste: Fruity; Tannins in check; Medium body; Balanced; Quite balanced!; Vanillins, Tobacco on the palate; Smell of 'New Colorado Hiking Boots when you lift the cover'; Silky
Overall: Cherry bomb; Awesome; Each sip keeps getting better. 95+ points and the overall unanimous WOTN
Red
1997 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova
90 points
- Tasted as part of the Chicago WL Brunello Offline
Sight: Dark wine, somewhat cloudy (discovered later to be the oldest wine of the evening)
Nose: Bretty; Smoke; Natural Gas (Mercaptan); Wet Dog; Fungus of sorts; Slight Cherry notes; Fruit was muted; Then as it blew off .... fruit started to be more predominant; Slight gaminess; Flowers or floral notes at towards the end of the taste; Sneak appearance of Blueberry as well
Taste: Blackberry; Black Currants; Silky; Smooth
Overall: Most interesting wine of the evening; Odd wine of sorts; Sybil-esque personality in the wine - it really kept changing on everyone! Still a good wine, just weird/surprising. Overall 90 points
Sight: Dark wine, somewhat cloudy (discovered later to be the oldest wine of the evening)
Nose: Bretty; Smoke; Natural Gas (Mercaptan); Wet Dog; Fungus of sorts; Slight Cherry notes; Fruit was muted; Then as it blew off .... fruit started to be more predominant; Slight gaminess; Flowers or floral notes at towards the end of the taste; Sneak appearance of Blueberry as well
Taste: Blackberry; Black Currants; Silky; Smooth
Overall: Most interesting wine of the evening; Odd wine of sorts; Sybil-esque personality in the wine - it really kept changing on everyone! Still a good wine, just weird/surprising. Overall 90 points
Red
1999 Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de' Frescobaldi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ripe al Convento
92 points
- Tasted as part of the Chicago WL Brunello Offline
Sight: Lots of red in this wine; also fairly dark
Nose: Black or Dark Fruits; Oak, Vanillins, Some Leather
Taste: Tannic, but balanced, smooth, great wine but opened too young. This is a bog boy that needs more years on its side. That was the agreement of everyone at the tasting. Not overly complex, but it is a very nicely made wine that will be outstanding in years to come.
Overall: Needs age, tannins are overpowering - when the tannins soften, this will be a 'holy cow' wine. Also this has more of a modern nose. 92 points
Sight: Lots of red in this wine; also fairly dark
Nose: Black or Dark Fruits; Oak, Vanillins, Some Leather
Taste: Tannic, but balanced, smooth, great wine but opened too young. This is a bog boy that needs more years on its side. That was the agreement of everyone at the tasting. Not overly complex, but it is a very nicely made wine that will be outstanding in years to come.
Overall: Needs age, tannins are overpowering - when the tannins soften, this will be a 'holy cow' wine. Also this has more of a modern nose. 92 points
Red
2001 Poggio San Polo Brunello di Montalcino
93 points
- Tasted as part of the Chicago WL Brunello Offline
Sight: Dark Red
Nose: Dark Fruits; Appealing; Good Fruit; Some Cedar; Vanillins
Taste: Soft Tannins; Balanced; Elegant; Some sort of muted and very slight sweetness
Overall: Excellent wine. 93 points.
Sight: Dark Red
Nose: Dark Fruits; Appealing; Good Fruit; Some Cedar; Vanillins
Taste: Soft Tannins; Balanced; Elegant; Some sort of muted and very slight sweetness
Overall: Excellent wine. 93 points.
Closing
Learned that even though Brunello di Montalcino is such a small viticultural region, there is a lot of variation in styles of wine making. I also learned that the wines are excellent that that I enjoyed them very much!
Looking forward to adding some more Brunello's to my cellar.