Sixteenth Annual White Truffle Dinner (Inovasi - Lake Bluff IL): Bonus bottle to go with risotto course with white truffles. Sadly this came across as lightly dirty. At first i thought there was brett, but others managed to convince me instead there was volatile acidity.
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Smells of "autumn", a tinge of forest-floor & leather, this also had that slight sweetness & tea-leaves notes that great old Barolos exhibit. However, this never quite reach the height of those great Barolos like the Rinaldis & Giacomo Conternos did that I could recall. Overall, a nice, aged wine...
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2012 - Gary's wine bash! (Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant, The Forum Shopping Mall, Orchard Road): Alcohol :: 14% Opened for 2.5hrs. Yet again, a perfectly stored bottle. This is a barolo that will get you hooked! It was quite shy on the nose, not expressive and a bit lean on the palate, but it is in good condition definitely and not unusual showing for a 27yrs old wine. As expected, with more air, this gorgeous Granbussia has started to getting brighter, sweeter fruits and shape up nicely. Medium garnet core, brown hue. Wonderfully seductive bouquet of autumn leaves, dark cherry, sweet spices, leather and dried rose petal, a touch austere still, but with vibrant sweet fruits. This full bodied Barolo Riserva possesses tons of finesse and sense of elegance (majority thought this was a great Burg!) on top of the underlying power, is truly great example of power and grace. The entry started off with juicy savory taste then slowly reveals more intense sweet and sour cherry fruits, savory meatiness as well as saline mineral and autumn leaves complexity, all wrapped in a vibrant, polished package. Firm tannin, but silky and well integrated, but the grip was there. Super long finish with great persistence. This wine will easily last for another 2decades. I'm in love with it. 94-95+
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Still quite young-took some coaxing. Tar, cherries, rose petals, black tea, dried herbs. Probably should have decanted this for a day or two.. Great mouth feel- give it plenty of air.
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Old Barolo (and a gattinara) Throwdown (Coppia, Portland OR): nose: was also very tight for a good while. It was slightly more forgiving than the bussia soprana but then opened up after about 2 1/2 hours with perfumed and elegant tones of white and black truffles, violets, lots of roses, dark red cherries, loads of tar, some roasted herbs and leather. Very deep, very complex and almost etheral
taste: deep with a wonderful medium/full feel. Medium/high acidity is still quite there along with firm and taught tannins. This was just loaded with tones of violets, truffles, dark red cherries, tar, and leather tones with a touch of roasted herbs.
overall: once this opened up, it was an utterly gorgeous and desirable wine. This had a lot more to give and really just suffered from not being opened long enough, or having too many people on it. While it took patience to come alive, once it did you could see the beauty behind it
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Nebbiolo (Barolo) Blow Out 6/22 (Coppia Restaurant, Portland OR): Not quite as tight as the '82 Bussia Soprana, but man was this tight too. Again we had to have it sit in the glass going on two hours to find it approachable, and it began showing "pretty" aromas going on 4 hours. The palate was a bit riper, with nice elegant, soft fruit. Very well balanced, but soft and grippy in its presence. Tart acids and tight as hell on the finish. There's some sweet oakiness here, but it's a rock. Revealing more than the '82, but not much in the way of complexity; still mostly structure, though still in balanced (i.e it's not that it's already fallen off and there's no fruit left... it's truly just too young).
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An amazing wine. The depth and intensity of the fruit -- after 25 years -- is amazing. Beautiful structure. Complex blend of tertiary flavors--tar, leather, soy, rust--and very lush fruit. Well balanced. Long finish. Fantastic.
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At first it smelled of old sneakers, then a distinct fertilizer plant smell. Then it turned into a red fruit bowl, with an unusual watermelon hint... very pretty nose. There was also some cigar box and a little asphalt. I tasted ripe fruit with some heavy dark cherries, and a slight hint of raspberry, honest. At least very dark raspberry. Wet earth and minerals were also detected. Deep rich and mature, with some time left. These notes were from memory, as I did not write notes while I was eating my dinner.
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12/4/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Sixteenth Annual White Truffle Dinner (Inovasi - Lake Bluff IL): Bonus bottle to go with risotto course with white truffles. Sadly this came across as lightly dirty. At first i thought there was brett, but others managed to convince me instead there was volatile acidity.
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4/20/2021 - Tony Ling Likes this wine: 94 Points
1 hour upon opening serving into Zalto Burgundy glass (“Leaf” day): Pale ruby to the eyes.
Mushroom and undergrowth in a very nice way. Florals and spices. Very complete wine here.
Superbly mineral driven. Superbly silky in texture and wonderfully flavourful on palate.
94-95 points.
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11/2/2017 - fcxj wrote: 92 Points
Light brown with interesting sour plum palate, some depth. Tarry, licorice aromatics.
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5/25/2017 - etyc wrote:
Dinner @ Bar-A-Thym
Smells of "autumn", a tinge of forest-floor & leather, this also had that slight sweetness & tea-leaves notes that great old Barolos exhibit. However, this never quite reach the height of those great Barolos like the Rinaldis & Giacomo Conternos did that I could recall. Overall, a nice, aged wine...
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2/19/2016 - boston Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vino rilassato, da bere in poltrona davanti al camino. Tannini risolti, bocca dolce, morbida e appagante, persistenza notevole.
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7/6/2012 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 94 Points
2012 - Gary's wine bash! (Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant, The Forum Shopping Mall, Orchard Road): Alcohol :: 14%
Opened for 2.5hrs. Yet again, a perfectly stored bottle. This is a barolo that will get you hooked! It was quite shy on the nose, not expressive and a bit lean on the palate, but it is in good condition definitely and not unusual showing for a 27yrs old wine. As expected, with more air, this gorgeous Granbussia has started to getting brighter, sweeter fruits and shape up nicely. Medium garnet core, brown hue. Wonderfully seductive bouquet of autumn leaves, dark cherry, sweet spices, leather and dried rose petal, a touch austere still, but with vibrant sweet fruits. This full bodied Barolo Riserva possesses tons of finesse and sense of elegance (majority thought this was a great Burg!) on top of the underlying power, is truly great example of power and grace. The entry started off with juicy savory taste then slowly reveals more intense sweet and sour cherry fruits, savory meatiness as well as saline mineral and autumn leaves complexity, all wrapped in a vibrant, polished package. Firm tannin, but silky and well integrated, but the grip was there. Super long finish with great persistence. This wine will easily last for another 2decades. I'm in love with it. 94-95+
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6/23/2012 - LeatherPalate wrote: 93 Points
Still quite young-took some coaxing. Tar, cherries, rose petals, black tea, dried herbs. Probably should have decanted this for a day or two.. Great mouth feel- give it plenty of air.
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6/22/2012 - KeithAkers wrote: 94 Points
Old Barolo (and a gattinara) Throwdown (Coppia, Portland OR): nose: was also very tight for a good while. It was slightly more forgiving than the bussia soprana but then opened up after about 2 1/2 hours with perfumed and elegant tones of white and black truffles, violets, lots of roses, dark red cherries, loads of tar, some roasted herbs and leather. Very deep, very complex and almost etheral
taste: deep with a wonderful medium/full feel. Medium/high acidity is still quite there along with firm and taught tannins. This was just loaded with tones of violets, truffles, dark red cherries, tar, and leather tones with a touch of roasted herbs.
overall: once this opened up, it was an utterly gorgeous and desirable wine. This had a lot more to give and really just suffered from not being opened long enough, or having too many people on it. While it took patience to come alive, once it did you could see the beauty behind it
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6/22/2012 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 92 Points
Nebbiolo (Barolo) Blow Out 6/22 (Coppia Restaurant, Portland OR): Not quite as tight as the '82 Bussia Soprana, but man was this tight too. Again we had to have it sit in the glass going on two hours to find it approachable, and it began showing "pretty" aromas going on 4 hours. The palate was a bit riper, with nice elegant, soft fruit. Very well balanced, but soft and grippy in its presence. Tart acids and tight as hell on the finish. There's some sweet oakiness here, but it's a rock. Revealing more than the '82, but not much in the way of complexity; still mostly structure, though still in balanced (i.e it's not that it's already fallen off and there's no fruit left... it's truly just too young).
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11/24/2011 - SteveHyde wrote:
An amazing wine. The depth and intensity of the fruit -- after 25 years -- is amazing. Beautiful structure. Complex blend of tertiary flavors--tar, leather, soy, rust--and very lush fruit. Well balanced. Long finish. Fantastic.
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11/18/2010 - dbkitc wrote: 97 Points
Dull brick. Celery salt, licorice and Worcestershire on the nose. Long and sweet fruit palate. This has everything together. A point. (97)
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11/20/2007 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 96 Points
At first it smelled of old sneakers, then a distinct fertilizer plant smell. Then it turned into a red fruit bowl, with an unusual watermelon hint... very pretty nose. There was also some cigar box and a little asphalt. I tasted ripe fruit with some heavy dark cherries, and a slight hint of raspberry, honest. At least very dark raspberry. Wet earth and minerals were also detected. Deep rich and mature, with some time left. These notes were from memory, as I did not write notes while I was eating my dinner.
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