So went the theme for last month's Dork tasting. Was quite a night. Everyone brought multiple bottles, which isn't typical. So 21 bottles for 7 drinkers about which I managed to take notes on only 18 of which only 14 were decipherable three weeks later. Jenise forgot to pace herself.
2015 Domaine des Ouled Thaleb Chardonnay Morrocco Green apple with white pepper and sage. Reminds one more of Sauv Blanc than chardonnay. Fermented six months on lees in concrete, unoaked. Very very good.
2013 Domaine Santamaria Patrimonio Nielluccio, Sangiovese, Corsica Mine, and best red of the night. Spicy, citrussy on great fruit, it's a fresher version of Sangiovese than I've ever had from Italy. Purchased at K&L, Hollywood.
2016 Domaine Santamaria Patrimonio Vermentino, Corsica Also mine. Nose of white flowers and dryer sheets, dry and minerally on the palate with seaspray and kelp. Good.
2015 Gabbas Cannonau di Sardegna Lillovè Easy drinker, flavors of strawberry, pepper, pizza and balsamic vinegar. Good but not special.
2009 Azienda Agricola Cos Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG, Sicily Mine. Teaberry, strawberry, blueberry, leather, mushrooms. Initially some sulfur which didn't entirely blow off but a longer decant would probably have taken care of that. Still, superb.
2014 Rojac Refosco Istra Slovenska Istra / Koper, Slovenia Black currant, wild berry, intense in a cool way., One of my favorites of the night.
2011 Domaine Giudicelli Patrimonio Nielluccio, Sangiovese, CorsicaBad nose, serious VA and a bit of putridity. Judging by more positive comments from others, I'll put this down as a flawed bottle.
2015 Girolamo Russo Etna a Rina Etna DOC Nerello Blend, Nerello Mascalese, Sicily Very Burgundian, advanced maturity in a good way. Musty with animal fur, big acids and tannins.
2014 Riofavara Moscato di Noto Mizzica My notes say: "super super super dry. C-". That's all I got.
2015 Domaine des Ouled Thaleb Zenata White Blend, MorroccoSuper interesting. Corn on the cob, tomato leaf, white pepper, and salt on pretty decent fruit. More serious than the garish label promises. 60% Faranah and 40% Clairette. Who knew they could make wine this good in Morrocco!
2016 Lyrarakis Dafni Psarades Vineyard, Crete Nose of Noxema cold cream--medicinal menthol--and rosemary on the palate, with light fruit. And I do mean rosemary, not just a hint, more like someone had soaked a long twig of it in the bottle. I liked it quite a bit. One of the retailers present said he loved it but couldn't buy it for his store because he had no idea how to sell it.
2014 Movia Sauvignon Blanc Goriška Brda, Slovenia Pale yellow, cloudy, flowers, fresh oregano, sour cream on the finish, very dry and savory. A renegade unlike anything called Sauv Blanc I've ever had; but I liked it.
2015 Sigalas Assyrtiko Santorini, Greece Minerally, very rich and waxy on the palate. Not like any other Assyrtiko I've had.
2014 Sella & Mosca Torbato Alghero Terre Bianche, Sardinia Mine. My 3rd bottle of this, but didn't deliver like the other two. It seems to have lost it's nerve, there's yellow plum and chamomile but not much else.