Our local wine group met at Roger’s house for one final time (Roger is staying in group, but moving nearby). Theme was mainland Italian reds. We started with a nonblind white.
2024 Giuliano Vermentino (Costa Toscano)
Crisp, apple and lemon with a little grass, a bit thin but refreshing. B-
Blind Red # 1- the person who brought said it should be first because it is light, but this wasn’t light. Very ripe cherry/kirsch, moderate tannins, not a lot of acid, I thought Southern Italian
2020 Santi Valpolicella Superiore B-/C+
Blind Red #2- red and black cherry, a little leather, more acid than tannin, after someone guessed Piedmont I guessed Chianti. 2020 Col d'Orcia Spezieri (Toscana IGT) B-
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Blind Red #3- clearly with some age, some mushrooms and tar over black cherry and plum, some autumnal notes. I was originally in Piedmont, but ended up Brunello. Nope.
1990 DEI Vino Nobile di Montepulciano B/B+
Blind Red #4 - floral, light, with strawberry notes and some green brightness. I went out on a limb with a Grignolino guess, wrong limb! Once it was revealed far north we got Alto Adige and Schiava. 2023 Kurtatsch Sonntaler Alte Reben Schiava (Alto Adige). B/B+
Blind Red #5 mine so no guesses. I think Fred got BdM fairly fast, but they took a while for vintage. Red fruits including dried cherries, leather, a bit of oregano. Tannins are resolved, moderate acidity, this is a bit short for Brunello.
2004 Nardi Brunello di Montalcino B
Blind Red #6- ripe cherry, oaky vanilla, there’s a lactic note that I find a bit offputting, we get Barbera. 2022 Cigliuti Barbera d'Alba Campass C+/B-
Blind Red #7- bright cherry, herbs, cedar, good length. No one realizes it’s is also Barbera much less same producer. I’m not a big Barbera guy but liked this. 2023 Cigliuti Barbera d'Alba Vigna Serraboella. B+/B
Fun night with great crew
Chicken/miso meatballs, udon with crunchy veggies, sesame broccoli, asparagus
2020 Emrich-Schonleber Halenberg GG
Big but precise Riesling, grapefruit, dry peach, ginger and smoke. Tangy and long, with classic wet rock finish. Young but giving. A-
Oysters, skate in black butter, sunchokes, Swiss Chsrd
2023 Do Ferreiro Albarino (Rias Baixas)
The regular, not the Cepas Vellas. Nice showing- Meyer lemon,pear, mint, bracing acids, B+
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was the only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.