Notes from a pre-Mother's day dinner with the whole family at the Wine Spectator awarded Tosca, Dusit Thani Hotel. The hotel currently has a 32% discount on all food and drinks at all their outlets, but this doesn't apply on Mother's Day so we celebrated a day early. The food is a real bargain at the discounted prices. The wine probably comes out to just a bit over retail, I think. While I almost never order wine from a list, prefering to bring my own, I made an exception in this case due to the hefty discount.
Tasca d'Almerita Cygnus 2001 - From Sicily, Nero d'Avola and Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark brick. Some stink initially which blew off after a bit. Slight heat. Berries. Light in the mouth. Good, sweet, ripe, fruit. Some raisiny, overripe character that became more pronounced as the wine aired. Chocolate covered raisins. Good balance. Friendly, perfect now. International flavors married to Italian acidity in the finish. Very good.
Michele Chiarlo Barolo Tortoniano 2001 - Pale, spicy. Initial sweet fruit gives way to an austerity and dryness which I associate with Barolo. Forward, ready to drink. Very good. The dryness really scrubs your mouth clean. Not especially long or complex but it has a very good balance to it. Real easy to drink as it is light and the tannins have softened sufficiently. A very good entry-level Barolo.