Red Room Hedonism - Riesling, Bordeaux & Brunello

It was time yet again for a get together at MFW and the Red Room. Five bottles, two dishes and three tasters made up a fantastic evening.

2004 Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese, Dönnhoff
A wonderful, laid back, refined nose with notes of spices, passionfruit, lime and dried up vanilla ice cream. Irresistible!
The taste is gulpable yet distinct with notes of spiced up lemons, birch sap, yellow plums and a hint of honey. A long finish that ends with a of dry twist. Drinking perfect now but could go on 7+ years.
93p   (tasted 2017/05)

1982 Château Mauvinon
This Saint-Emilion was bought for the pricey sum of 20 Euro a couple of months ago... It shows of a soft, mature nose with fine notes of dried plums, autumn leaves, dry cigar and some interesting scents of moist dog fur. Kept well in the glass over the evening. Not a great wine but a very rewarding one.
The taste is mature and dry with notes of dried red currants, tobacco, old leather and dusty earth. A medium long finish with a dried up sweetness. Very good.
87p   (tasted 2017/05)

1982 Château Gruaud Larose
I bought a bunch of bottles from the state monopoly in 1993, paying 18 Euro/bottle. This is one of the last ones, they have served me great over the years. But Gruad-Larose can from time to time be rather funky with a bretty touch. And this was such a bottle. Every other time I sniffed it it was bretty and the next time it was a pure, deep, great wine that still is youngish. So this note is of the every other time it was great!
The nose is very deep and concentrated with notes of ripe black currants, expensive leather, warm tiles, cigar smoke and some stables in a distance. Layers upon layers of the finest black currants. Impressive. And still young.
The taste is intense and tight with notes of red and black currants, cigar ashes, scorched earth, sugared coffee and graphite. A firm backbone and still juicy tannins in the long, long finish. I´ll guess it needs another 10+ years before becoming fully mature. Can I wait that long with my remaining bottles...?
94p   (tasted 2017/05)

1995 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara, Silvio Nardi
Aaaaah, what a nose! Perfectly mature with a velvety cherry fruit and gorgeous notes of fresh rosemary, warm tiles, Christmas spices, leather and sweet violets. A perfect mature sweetness to the fruit. Very, very deep. Just lovely.
The taste is lush, rich and structured with notes of sour/sweet black cherries, dried rosemary, liquorice, Tuscan gravel and warm herbs. The finish goes of for minutes and is firm and velvety at the same time. On top of its game. Really, really fine.
This is the first vintage of the single vineyard Manachiara from Silvio Nardi.
96p   (tasted 2017/05)

2010 Brunello di Montalcino, Le Ragnaie
This youngster sports a high, seedy, promising nose with notes of ripe red cherries, violets, hard cherry candy and gravel. A very high and airy intensity. Lots of concentration waiting to burst into maturity. Very, very good.
The taste is young, tight and seedy with notes of sweet Maraschino cherries, ripe flowers, violets, spices and new leather. A long, earthy finish with finely polished tannins. This has potential for greatness, just wait 8+ years.
94p   (tasted 2017/05)

More notes here (in Swedish and with great pics)