Luigi Pira, Serralunga, Barolo 2008
Medium-dark garnet, with some browning showing. Excellent, vinous, aromatic and deep nose, with classic forest floor, mushroom, rich deep dark cherry, a hint of chocolate, stoney earth, roses, and a hint of leather. Wonderful fruit on the palate! Lush but dense and penetrating, with black cherry, blackberry and even blueberry, with generous citrusy acidity. The undertones are less well defined, but contribute to the wonderful, succulent texture: a bit of forest floor, mushroom, chocolate, and earth/leather/a hint of tobacco. Big, with awesome texture, wonderfully giving but still youthfully holding back. Approachable now, but will only get better, and last for another 15 to maybe 20 years. Lovely!!! 4.5 Stars [3/23/14]
Tenuta di Sesta, Brunello di Montalcino 2007
Medium ruby/garnet. Excellent, deep, aromatic and lovely nose of dark, sweet, dense fruit, with orange, roses, herbs, and earth (very Montalcino), a touch of chocolate and tobacco leaf, nice incense notes; has savory depth and wonderful succulent character; but still relatively reserved at this stage. On the palate, wonderful, sweet red raspberry, lovely black cherry, sweet orange notes, sweet herbs and tobacco leaf, and incense, with chocolate, black soil, a touch of cigar box, and leather. Intense, pungent aromatics. This is lovely, lovely stuff that brings joy to my spirit. Still showing young, with 15 - 20 years ahead. 4 Stars [3/23/14]
La Massa, Giorgio Primo, Toscana 2003
Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Impressive color: nearly opaque ruby, albeit with some browning. Very nice nose: deep and aromatic, with a prominent note of earthy mineral, and a touch of exotic apricot; a bit stinky in a pleasant way. On the nose and palate, a personality of bitter black cherry, tarry plum and blackberry, orange rind, a bright plum tomato note, a hint of apricot, floral notes, herbs, lots of spice, earthy notes, lots of mineral, and abundant, slightly chocolately tannin. Full bodied and rather dense, but kept fresh and balanced by juicy acidity, and just a bit of pleasant aggressiveness to the tannin. Nice succulent texture, with 2003's fleshiness. Very Tuscan despite there being no Sangiovese in it. Excellent quality; good stuff. Drink now. 3.5 Stars [1/25/14]
Mastroberardino, Mastro, Greco, Campania 2012
Straw yellow. Good nose of orchard fruit, some citrus oil/floral aromatics, nuts, mineral, perhaps petrol notes. On the palate: full bodied, intense, and penetrating, with loads of fresh, slightly tart apricot upfront, tart citrus, something like white raspberry and white peach, cashew, rich honey, and mineral. Perhaps a hint of unripe banana on a noticeably tannic and slightly bitter finish. Everything about this is so bold, it almost drinks like a red. There’s a late harvest Riesling kind of richness too it as well (but it is completely dry). Very interesting. The most unique white I’ve had in some time. Can certainly last, and probably benefit, for 3 – 5 years, maybe substantially longer. A bit too bitter (in an unbalanced way), otherwise would be exceptional. 2.5 Stars. [8/4/14]
Bisceglia, Terra di Vulcano, Aglianico del Vulture 2011
Dark ruby/garnet. Excellent nose, dense, heady, and aromatic, with perfumed black fruit and plum, lots of wood smoke, citrus rind, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate and tarry/chocolaty earth; lovely in a dark and perfumey way. Similar notes on the palate: macerated black cherry upfront, black raspberry/black currant, damson, orange rind, a sweet green herbal note, bakers chocolate and tarry/smokey earth. Very full bodied, dense, and darkly rich, with lots of great earthy character, all kept in elegant balance by generous orangey acidity; rather juicy too. Clearly volcanic in character. Really nice! 3 – 5 years more. 2.5 Stars [8/8/14]