Sancerre & Barolo

Last night I opened these two bottles for dinner. With some fresh fried fish and vegetables I was craving a fresh, vibrant white wine. The 09 Sancerre from was Henri Bourgeois was emptied on many occasions last summer. Lets check out the 2010.

2010 Sancerre, Henri Bourgeois
The nose is young, fresh and outgoing with notes of nettles, freshly cut grass, wet rocks and gooseberries. Good but the 09 had some more stuffing.
The taste is fresh and salivating with nice notes of nettles, cap gun powder, wet asphalt and grass. The finish is a tad short but it delivered the goods with the fish.
84p   (tasted 2012/08)

I had opened this bottle of Barolo two hours before dinner and decanted it. And it needed it, it got better and better in the glass all evening. Drank it with a pastadish with salsiccia and ceps.

2001 Barolo Ornato, Pio Cesare
A deep, powerful, warm and intense nose greats you when you put the nose in the glass. There are gorgeous notes of black cherries, rosehips, balsamic vinegar, hard cherry candy and a touch of bonfire smoke. With more air it becomes sweeter with a touch of vanilla pod. Very, very fine.
The taste is still big, tight and a bit brawny. The fruit is sweet and hedonistic. Lots and lots of black cherries, leather, balsa wood, bay leaves and smoke. The finish is long and structured. This still needs another 5+ years to get it all together but with a couple of hours decanting, this is drinking great now.
93p   (tasted 2012/08)