Four Great Bottles

M invited to a casual tasting with some stunning bottles of wine. Four of us, some burgers and four great bottles.

Tasted double blind.

2001 Barolo Monprivato, Giuseppe Mascarello

A deep, almost mature nose with gorgeous notes of mushrooms, dark cherries, rosehips, licorice and a touch of mint. Like a perfect autumn forest walk. High and fine.

The taste is refined and younger than the nose leads you to believe. Lovely notes of iron, dried ceps, violets and ripe cherries. Very balanced with silky tannins and a long, long finish. My favourite to drink today. Pegged as a Barolo but I thought it was a tad older than a 2001.

95p   (tasted 2023/01)

2016 La Ricolma, San Giusto A Rentennano

This 100% Merlot shows of a very deep, young and focused nose with notes of plums, ripe cherries, pomegranate, fresh stables and hints of dark chocolate. Very, very fine.

The taste is tight and very concentrated with everything in place. Stunning fruit, seamless focus and built for the ages. It just needs 8+ years. I had this a Super Tuscan dominated by Sangiovese.

97p   (tasted 2023/01)

2000 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

"A classic Bordeaux" - the guesses were unanimous. And a great one at that. The nose oozes up from the glass with refined notes of cigarette ashes, herbs, cold coffee, fresh stables and lots of ripe black currants. Lovely.

The taste is at 23 years of age still tight and focused with polished tannins, great black currant fruit and a structure for 20 more years. Great wine.

95p   (tasted 2023/01)

1998 Shiraz Reserve, Fox Creek

Tasted many times over the years, since I bought a bunch about 20 years ago. I got the grape right but I placed this in California and several years younger. This will go on and on and on.

The nose is big and dark with notes of ripe plums, iron, rubber, meat and Christmas spices. Very fine.

The taste is ripe and concentrated with massive black fruit and a stern intensity. Manages to be elegant despice the huge framework. 

95p   (tasted 2023/01)