1975 & 1985 Chianti Classico, Castello dei Rampolla

1975 Chianti Classico, Castello dei Rampolla

A fine mature nose with notes of dry leather, tobacco, violets and dried rosemary. Delicate. A fine elderly gentleman.

The taste is cool, soft and highly drinkable with notes of autumn leaves, dried cherries, earth and herbs. A fine dried up warmth.

87p   (tasted 2021/06)

1985 Chianti Classico, Castello dei Rampolla

The 10 year younger Rampolla displays a fine, concentrated, somewhat mature nose with fine notes of dried up cherry jam, expensive tobacco, violets and fresh rosemary. Lively and very fine.

The taste is tight, dry and classic with notes of sweet/sour cherries, rosemary, tobacco and iron. Just lovely. Some maturity. Bottles like this will go for another 7+ years.

92p   (tasted 2021/06)

2012 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, M. Cousinat

2012 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, M. Cousinat

A very fresh, stony nose with notes of dried up lemoncello, sage, almond paste and some smoky scents. Very, very good.

The taste is tight and racy with notes of chrushed rocks, yellow apples, smoke and gravel. A fine acidity. 5+ years.

89p   (tasted 2021/06)

Four Expressions Of Syrah

2001 Midnight Oil, Sine Qua Non

Not as good as 6 years ago but still a great drink. The nose is broad shouldered and very deep with hefty aromas of meat, iron and blood, blackberries, dark perfume and a hint of mint. Some maturity. Very fine.

The taste is concentrated and mouth filling with notes of ripe plums and blueberries, iron, datk chocolate and charcoal. Very, very long. Intense. Great wine but if I had more, which I don’t.., I would be drinking them the next 5+ years.

95p   (tasted 2021/06)

2004 The Relic, The Standish Wine Company

Again, not as good as earlier bottles, last time 9 years ago, but also again, a great drink! This Aussie Shiraz/Viognier sports a deep, compact, focused nose with notes of sweet red beets, plums, meat and violets. Very tight. A minty touch. Lovely.

The taste is rich and concentrated but retain balance and focus, with great notes of ripe plums, raspberry licorice, asphalt and meat. Very, very long. Impressive. 5+ years.

95p   (tasted 2021/06)

2006 Finca Garbet, Castillo Perelada

This 90% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon Emporda wine displays a more low keyed nose compared to the two previous bottles, with notes of ripe blueberries, sage, white pepper and earth. Very, very good.

The taste is finely tuned with notes of blueberries, toothpaste, violets and earth. A high acidity and fresh tannins. Long and fine. 5+ years. 

Notes from a visit to Castello Perelada

92p   (tasted 2021/06)

2006 Kobler Family Vineyards, Pax

A very deep, structured nose with notes of plums, scorched earth, asphalt, tobacco and furniture polish. High and fine.

The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of blackberries, violets, chrushed rocks and dark chocolate. Very long and intense. 7+ years.

93p   (tasted 2021/06)

Then & Now - 1989 & 2015 Chateau La Tour de By

1989 Chateau La Tour de By

A finely matured nose with notes of clean stables, dried black currants, pipe tobacco and sugared coffee. Very, very good although a bit loose around the edges.

The taste is medium bodied and soft with notes of autumn leaves, dried black currants and old leather. Medium long. Very good. Fully mature and maybe a tad so.

86p   (tasted 2021/06)

2015 Chateau La Tour de By

A young, perky nose with notes of plums, black currant leaves, earth and diesel oil. Very, very good in a fresh, modern Bordeaux kind of way.

The taste is young and tight with notes of damsons, undergrowth and pencil shavings. A good structure for medium term aging. A fine dryness in the finish. 6+ years.

89p   (tasted 2021/06)

A Big Bottle Of 1964 Barolo

1964 Barolo, Schiavenza

This needed a couple of hours in two (!) decanters to really open up, and then revealing a deep, velvety nose with notes of dried figs, an autumn forest, fine tobacco and sun warm asphalt. A very fine dried up sweetness. Lovely.

The taste is equally velvety with notes of dried strawberries, gravel, rosehips, dry licorice and tobacco. Very much alive. Long and really fine.

I mailed with Walter - https://barolista.blogspot.com/2019/09/a-couple-of-days-in-piedmont-visits-to.html - regarding Giulio Garbi, who were a large negociant located in Alba, but obviously transparent enough to write on the label who the producer and bottler were.

1,75 liter of Barolo - a treat!

93p   (tasted 2021/06)

Three Bottles Of Bubbly From The 2012 Vintage

First get together in ages with some friends/wine aficionados. We started with three bottles of bubbly.

2012 Chouilly Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, A. R. Lenoble

A cool, elegant nose with lots of chrushed rocks, lemon peel, lavender and chalk. Very, very good. Still very young and a tad restrained.

The taste is tight and racy with notes of almonds, tangerines, chalk and a high, intense acidity. Long. Will need 7+ years in the cellar.

91p   (tasted 2021/07)

2012 Grand Cru Blancs de Blancs, Robert Moncuit

A deep, intense, fresh nose with notes of lemonfudge, oysters, minerals and smoke. Very fine. High and vivid. Lovely.

The taste is refined and multi layered with notes of lemon cream, chrushed rocks, yellow flowers and smoke. Perfect acidity. Long and lingering. Great wine. 5+ years.

95p   (tasted 2021/07)

2012 Sablé Blanc de Blancs Le Nombre d´Or, Aubry

A blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Arbanne and 30% Petit Meslier. 5 gr dosage. The nose is open and spicy with notes of oranges, dry ginger, ripe flowers and a hint of mint. Luscious and fine.

The taste is cool and crisp with notes of ginger, grilled lemons, minerals and a hint of dried up honey. Very, very good. 5+ years.

93p   (tasted 2021/07)

2018 Dolcetto d’Alba San Martino, Bruna Grimaldi

2018 Dolcetto d’Alba San Martino, Bruna Grimaldi

A very fine, old fashioned nose with notes of sweet/sour cherries, violets, iron and incense. Dry earth en masse. Very, very good.

The taste is dry, tight and seedy with a fine dark cherry/blueberry fruit and additional notes of almonds, iron, and dried flowers. This is gooood! 4+ years.

91p   (tasted 2021/06)

NV Rosé Brut, Émile Leclère

NV Rosé Brut, Émile Leclère

A fine, dry, multi layered nose with notes of red currants, rhubarb, smoke, red licorice and some ripe dark flowers in the background. A fine complexity.

The taste is tight and fine with notes of dried raspberries, red currants, earth and a fine salty touch. Crisp. Very fine. Should develop fine over the next 6+ years. Best on day two (as usual).

63% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir & 7% Vin Rouge Champenois. 8 gr dosage. At 33 Euro a bottle I’m loading up!

91p   (tasted 2021/06)

2019 Dolcetto d’Alba, Bel Colle

2019 Dolcetto d’Alba, Bel Colle

A young, fresh, herbal nose with notes of blueberry bushes, bakelite, black pepper, violets and earth. Very good in a upfront kind of way.

The taste is tight and earthy with notes of rhubarb licorice, violets, minerals and bakelite. Good tannins. Very enjoyable and highly drinkable but in a Dolcetto context a bit of a run of the mill wine. (and yes, that are ramsom flowering).

86p   (tasted 2021/06)

Two 2006 Baroli

2006 Barolo, Terre Dei Roveri

A let down compared to a bottle tasted three years ago. Not bad but this bottle is much more mature, soft and ripe with cooked fruit, a dry finish and notes of dried flowers, leather and iron. I hope the rest of the bottles more mirror the first one.

84p   (tasted 2021/06)

2006 Barolo Poderi Scarrone, Terredavino

This, on the other hand, is a winner. From one of the biggest producers in Langhe, they have fashioned a slightly mature, ripe, deep and floral wine with notes of tar & roses, licorice, ripe cherries and rosehips. Very long, juicy and fine. Highly drinkable now but I would wait 5+ years before the next bottle is uncorked.

91p   (tasted 2021/06)

Then & Now - 1993 & 2016 Chàteau Montus

1993 Château Montus Cuvée Prestige

My first bottle of 93 Montus Cuvée Prestige (have been fortunate to taste vintages back to 1985). From the get go this shows a fine, mature, round nose with notes of dried red and black currants, dry leather, cold coffee and fine barnyardy aromas. A very fine velvet maturity.

The taste is dry and fine with notes of dried herbs, red currants, old leather, iron and earth. Very, very good. If I was poured this blind I would have guessed a right bank Bordeaux from the mid 80´s ten times out of ten...

88p   (tasted 2021/05)

2016 Château Montus

A very deep, structured, laid back nose with notes of black currants, plums, herbs, violets and fir wood. Cool yet potent. Lovely.

The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of ripe black currants, dark chocolate, iron, earth and herbs. Very, very long. Very polished and fine. Long. Should have bought more.

92p   (tasted 2021/05)

Lots of other Montus wines tasted here, here, here. here & here

2016 Brunello di Montalcino, Ciacci Piccolimini d´Aragona

2016 Brunello di Montalcino, Ciacci Piccolimini d´Aragona

The first bottle I taste from this heralded vintage and to be honest a disappointment. The nose is deep, ripe and concentrated with notes of ripe black cherries, violet licorice, fir wood and smoke. Broad shouldered without the finesse that is needed.

The taste is firm, focused and ripe with notes of ripe cherries, sugared coffee, hot gravel and smoke. The 15% are noticeable in the finish. I have no doubt that great fruit that have gone into this wine and it will surely develop nicely but today its, for my palate, a bit ungainly and hot.

87p   (tasted 2021/05)

Earlier bottles from this estate:

1995 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

1997 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso

1988 & 2003 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso

2001 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso Riserva Santa Caterina d`Oro

2008 Brunello di Montalcino