1997 Canalicchio di Sopra "Le Gode Montosoli" Brunello di Montalcino


Tight initially but quickly opened up with an aromatic nose of violets and earthy soil.  Dark ruby color with minimal bricking seen.  A rising palate of sweet cherries transitioning into mature cherries and mixed berries.  A strong undertone of wet slate and pencil lead.  Notes of cedar.  Tobacco leaf finish coupled with tannins surprisingly ample for a 97 and throwing balance off just a tad.  This leads me to score it only a 94 with expectations it will improve over next 3-5 years.

2002 Joseph Phelps "Insignia" Red Wine

An inticing, complex nose of fruit and spices.  A tremendously well-balanced wine with a deep core of currants and chocolate extending out over much of the palate.  Front-loaded sweetness and fruit with  more spices and cedar on the end.  Silky, integrated tannins.  A very long finish.  78% cabernet, 14% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 1% malbec.  97 points.

2004 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova Brunello di Montalcino

A subtle nose of violets.  This brunello is well within it's prime drinking window.  Layers of dark fruit and spices but a medium weight palate that is balanced nicely with similar acidity and tannins.  Mocha and black licorice on the finish.  Not fully integrated but not far from it.  A long smooth enjoyable wine with substantial length. 

94 points.

1996 Sociando Mallet

 

A really barnyard, horse manure nose that lingers for a long time without dissipating.  Funky but not disgusting.  A lush palate of gamy fruit like elderberry and brambleberry.  Somewhat exotic in nature.  Mushroom and decaying wood.  A long finish tailing into soft tannins.  I didn't pick up on green herbs and stems notes found in other notes.  Very interesting and unique.  I am generally not a big Bordeaux fan but have to score this 94 points.  

1996 Calon Segur

1996 Calon Segur Grand Cru Classe, Saint Estephe

Typical funky barnyard nose that blew off in just minutes and left a nice perfumed nose.  Palate opens nicely with rose petals and red currants.  A lighter weight wine but with significant staying power on the length.  Some leathery notes.

Tannins completely resolved.  Subtle but very captivating.

95 points. 

2010 Quilceda Creek Cabernet

A very earthy, damp garden nose. A lengthy linear taste of pencil lead that blends into a very refined vanilla finish. Over the next hour the palate flip flops and changes face like a chameleon. It picks up leather and tobacco notes, then loses them to become more plum and black cherries. All the while maintaining a very lithe, subtle feel with amazing balance for a wine that I am told really should be aged another 10 years or longer. This is a Bordeaux lovers West Coast cabernet. I say West Coast because the winery is located near Seattle, Washington. High marks for complexity. Purchased directly from the winery at $115 I believe. And the wine just released in January is now sold out. I read a chapter on the Golitzin family below as their pursuit of wine excellence has been one somewhat similar to the Chapoutier story in France with the son taking the reins from the father and elevating the winery quality. Their rise to upper tier category has been passion driven. I include their story below. Brian can probably tell us how available this wine is on the retail market. 93 points with expected elevation over time as wine integrates and develops.

1990 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Gallina di Nieve

I really didn't expect much from this wine---had it standing up like a bowling pin with another 6 or 8 bottles that were felt to be history and just needed to be "pronounced". I just didn't believe barbaresco was a wine style destined to last 20+ years.

First thing that amazed me was the vibrant ruby color with no bricking. Cork was in great shape as well. These things didn't stop me from taking a big swallow while in close proximity to the sinek with the expectations of finding little residual fruit or tannins-----which is why I nearly choked on that first taste----it was really kicking!! The fruit in this wine is amazing! Clear, linear, focused sweet and semi-ripe cherries with a long palate. A hint of minerals and a barely detectable transition to perfectly balanced tannins with a soft breeze of menthol and pine on the finish.   Wines like this make you feel vindicated for the effort it takes to cellar a wine this long and to keep from opening it sooner.   98 points.

Ardeis in Seminole

PS-- for perspective I was in my junior year of medical school when these grapes were harvested.

Guess what magnum won WOTN honors?

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