The last summer Friday at Bin 75

The weekend before I went to California was my last Friday night tasting at Bin 75 for the summer (when I have a chance to get home for a while before heading out to taste). It was another solid night, with a highlight for me coming late in the tasting. Our first wine of the night was a solid start, the 2004 Gouges Nuits St Georges Clos des Porrets. The table was actually divided as to whether it was a Burgundy or a Chateauneuf du Pape, and I sided with the CdP group. Overall, it was a very good wine form a producer I've come to admire, though not quite the level of the best I've had from him.

Our next wine was very much the opposite of the spectrum, the 2004 Altamura Cabernet. Most of us were actually stumped, thinking this California Can was actually and Australian Shiraz. It was still oaky with jammy fruit that was almost too much, especially coming after an elegant Burgundy.

The next spot was actually not a bad time for my wine to come up, as it was the 2001 Brigaldara Amarone. The wine was quite nice, very much what I expected, and typical of a good aged Amarone. Not surprisingly, most everyone was able to figure out what it was. That was followed by the 2006 Il Poggione Brunello, which is very young but already showing typical Brunello character and some real elegance for its youthful age. Most everyone was able to identify it as Brunello, as did I, though I thought it was a 2004.

Next up was the 2004 Sabon Prestige Chateauneuf du Pape, which seemed to just be emerging from the dormancy most CdP's go through after a few years. I actually guessed it to be a 2006. Our next wine was a CdP as well, but fooled everyone into thinking it was a Burgundy (especially after the Gouges earlier). Instead, it was the 1996 Beaucastel, which was drinking incredibly well. I've had several bottles of the 1996 Pignan, which has also been very Burgundian in character, and this wine reminded me a lot of that one.

Our CdP run continued with the 2005 Raymond Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape. I eventually identified it as a CdP, and in fact this was the bottling I thought the Sabon was. It is still a young wine, with a lot of acidity that makes me believe in another few years it will really be better.

After several French wines, it was only natural that we went back to Italy, starting with the 1998 Antinori Guado al Tasso. I actually thought this might be a Barolo as I got some sandalwood, though most everyone else thought it was a Supertuscan (though no one was close on the age). The next wine was a Barolo, the 2003 Schiavenza Perno. I actually thought it was a 98 Barolo, so for a 2003, it wasn't bad.

Our next wine was quite controversial, the 2006 Ricasoli Casalferro, a Supertuscan Sangiovese-Merlot blend. I thought there was something wrong with the wine, but others disagreed. I stood by my opinion and feel it's unfair to give a real report on it. Thankfully, we followed that with another Nebbiolo, this time the 2006 Batasiolo Barolo. Most everyone was able to figure out it was a young Barolo, though in truth it was really too young to be drinking.

With the regular lineup complete, a couple of the group went next door to grab a few more wines to finish. We stayed in Italy, and the next one was a wine I knew soon after tasting. It was the 2000 Quintarelli Valpolicella, and I made that exact call. Having had the wine several times during this year's Vinitaly trip, I easily identified the style and elegance of the wine. We followed that with the 2004 San Felice Poggio Rosso Chianti Classico. I actually thought this was another 06 Brunello, as this wine was pretty big and young, though obviously Sangiovese.

Overall it was a good night, and would hold me over for several weeks before I could make my return to the Friday night group.

Re-starting the Friday night series

I'm finally getting back to what I intend to be one of the regular features of this blog - my reports on Friday night blind tastings at Bin 75. Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to try a lot of great wine, and have learned so much by being able to taste blind. My last post on 1993 Bordeaux was all garnered from several Friday tastings, but now I plan to try to recap most of the tastings overall. Having been each of the past two Fridays, I'm hoping to write about both of those this week, and thus begin with the notes from Friday, August 5.

Our first wine of the night had me fooled a bit. It definitely had an Italian profile, and a softness that led me to guess it was a Supertuscan. Instead, it was the 2006 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Scarrone. I've had the 2007 in the past several months, and while it was still too young, this 2006 is really coming into its own. This is a serious, top-quality Barbera.

Up next was my wine, the 2001 Angelini Val di Suga Brunello. I was actually thrown off that this was mine initially because of the color - a lighter profile that suggested something older. However, on the palate the wine still had plenty of fruit and even a a bit of tannin that showed it wasn't as old as the color suggested. Overall, it was a very good wine, and a re-taste later in the evening confirmed that.

The next wine was also from Montalcino, but slightly older, the 1999 Pietranera Brunello. I thought this wine was definitely from a riper vintage, and it was definitely older and fully mature (I figured 1997). It also had a little funk on the nose, but was still a nice wine.

After three Italians, we made a definite switch with the 2004 St. Andrews Clare Valley Cabernet. This was not an over the top Aussie Cab, but actually quite restrained. It had good fruit, but was balanced, and only missing some earthiness that could have made me think it was Bordeaux. I actually thought it might be South African.

We moved on the France with our next wine, the 2003 Clos St. Jean Combes des Fous Chateauneuf du Pape. I thought this wine was really coming together nicely, and much better than I would have expected for this wine in such a hot vintage. As I will note in the notes from the most recent Friday, several 2003 CdP's are actually nicely balanced now and drinking well.

We then moved back to Italy for our next two wines, starting with the 2004 Camerano Barolo. This was definitely a younger, understated Barolo. I initially thought it may be from Burgundy before moving to Barolo. I also was thinking it was a 2005 as it seemed young, but not quite as young as a 2006 and not quite as filled out as I thought a 2004 should be.

Following that, we were back in Tuscany for the 2003 Petrolo Galatrona. This wine is still very, very young, and definitely made in a more modern style. I actually thought it might be a 2007 California Cab. I'd definitely wait longer on drinking these wines.

Suddenly, we had a quick interlude of white wine, a 2004 Weinbach Schlossberg Riesling. I've actually had a couple of Schlossbergs, and they are very nice wines that I am definitely impressed with.

Getting back to the reds, we were in France again. This time, it was the 2007 Domaine Tempier Bandol. Keith actually nailed the wine, while I venured a guess a little further west in Languedoc. The wine was still very young, definitely from a hot climate, but also quite interesting. I'd love to taste it in 5-6 years.

Staying in Southern France, we had the 2007 Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf du Pape. I actually thought this might be a little older, guessing it was a 2005 CdP. It definitely had some characteristics of a hotter vintage, but seemed to be coming into balance. I'm definitely happy to see some of these 2007's begin to settle.

After all of these very good wines, we were bound for disappointment, and it came from the 2007 Orin Swift Papillon. This wine was way over the top, a fruit bomb that none of us really cared for. I was actually surprised that the blend was mainly Cab, figuring it for something like Aussie Shiraz or a modern Spanish Garnacha.

We weren't going to end like that though, so the final wine gave us something to go home happy about. The 1994 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was quite nice, showing many traits of well-aged Bordeaux. I actually thought it was a slightly younger, guessing a 96 St. Julien. It was definitely a good way to finish off a very nice night.

Overall, it was a very good night, one of several we've had lately. As for my wine of the night, it was a tough call. The Pichon was a great way to finish, but the two Chateauneufs were enjoyable, as was my wine, the 01 Val di Suga. As I said tough, outside of the Orin Swift, there really wasn't a poor showing in the lineup.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 5

Saturday morning we did our best to get up and out the door early, as we knew that not only did we have a lot of ground to cover, but that the crowds would be bigger. The latter was confirmed when we arrived at the shuttle bus stop to find not just a dozen or so people, but a small crowd and multiple buses lining up. When we arrived at the Veronafiere, lines were already formed trying to get in, though due to this I did manage to run into a friend from Atlanta who was also attending. Once we finally got in, I was glad we had a plan, and that it included trying to hit some of the more out-of-the-way spots.

Our first destination was the Veneto winery Marion. We'd had their 2006 Valpolicella at lunch Wednesday, but our first introduction to the wines came after reading about them in the Wine Advocate two years ago. Due to that writeup, we sought them out on our prior trip to Vinitaly and were rewarded with a great visit. This time, things were even better. Husband and wife Stefano and Nicoletta Campinelli welcomed us, remembering our prior introduction. However, before we tasted through their wines, they asked if we'd like to try one of the wines from the Soave producer Nardello, who was sharing their booth. Nardello's 2010 Soave was a nice way to ease into our Saturday before we got into the wonderful Marion lineup. We began the Marion tasting with the 2009 Valpolicella, followed by the 2007 Valpolicella Superiore, which is among the best Valpolicellas around (outside the Dal Forno/Quintarelli pair of course). Next we had a trio of IGT wines, the 2005 Calto (a blend of Corvina and Teroldego), the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2007 Teroldego, which was quite impressive. We then finished the tasting of new releases with a wonderful 2007 Amarone. The tasting wasn't done though, as we were treated to the 1998 Valpolicella Superiore, which was still fresh, and finally the 2002 Passito Bianco, a white dessert wine. Overall, this was one of the most impressive visits we had for the week, illustrating that Marion is certainly a producer to watch. I really think they are on the verge of becoming one of the true stars of the Veneto with their amazingly diverse lineup.

From Marion, we then went to visit one of our other favorite Veneto producers, Tommaso Bussola. As in prior years, Tommaso's wife Daniela hosted us, and as in the past she was initially a bit withdrawn, but quickly warmed. We began a deep lineup with the 2009 Valpolicella, the 2007 Ripasso, and the 2006 Valpolicella TB. After the 2004 L'Errante IGT, it was time for the Amarones. We had the 2006 Amarone, the 2006 Amarone TB, and the 2006 Amarone Vigneto Alto, each more opulent than the next, before finishing with the 2008 Recioto and the 2004 Recioto TB. These are all more modern-styled wines, but all impressively done from one of the best producers in the region.

With our last venture into the Veneto complete it was time to begin out random trek through the remainder of our list. With lunch looming soon at our usual spot in the Tuscany pavilion, we had the opportunity to make two more stops in the region. First up was Tua Rita, one of the top producers of Supertuscans. We had a phenomenal tasting, as we were offered the entire lineup from this great producer. After starting with the 2010 Rosso di Notri, we then had the 2009 Perlato del Bosco, a great IGT blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. We then went into the 2008 vintage, with the 2008 Giusti di Notri, the 2008 Syrah, and finally the 2008 Redigaffi, the 100% Merlot that is the star of this winery. All were impressive, and it was definitely a highlight that a winery such as this would offer these great wines for tasting.

Our final stop before lunch took us back to the Brunello Consorzio one last time. This time our destination was Uccelliera, a winery we had not visited on previous trips. We were to quickly discover that this had been a major oversight, as the visit was as good as any. Hosted by the Swiss wife of proprietor Andrea Cortonesi, we had a wonderful time. We began with both the 2008 Rosso and the 2009 Rosso, before trying the 2008 Rapace IGT. We then got to taste an excellent 2006 Brunello before being offered a barrel sample of the 2007 Brunello, and finally the 2005 Brunello.

Once again, lunchtime had arrived and we were right next to our usual spot. Saturday morning had been a great success, not just because of all the great wines we had tasted, but also the time we had spend visiting some wonderful people. Marion, Bussola, and Uccelliera not only make great wines, but the people at each are warm and welcoming. They are what make Vinitaly so special. We still had the Saturday afternoon marathon to go, but the morning session had been as rewarding as any.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 4

After lunch Friday, I wanted to spend our afternoon tasting the latest wines from Piedmont, but first we needed to make one last stop for a Brunello at Salvioni. We've met Giuliano Salvioni before, and I had a great visit with him last summer in Montalcino, so we couldn't miss out on stopping by at Vinitaly. It also helps that his wines are some of the best in Montalcino, and the latest releases were no different. We had the 2009 Rosso, followed by the 2006 Brunello, which was just as great in bottle as it was in barrel last June.

Now we headed to the adjoining building for Piedmont, but were rudely greeted by the heat. The weather was unseasonably warm this year in Verona, and Pad 9 where the Piedmont producers were headquartered had no air conditioning. It wasn't the most ideal way to taste great Nebbiolo, but we did the best we could. Our first stop was at Vietti, who was sharing their very large space with Coppo. I was surprised that Vietti had such a large, somewhat impersonal booth, as many of the top Piedmont producers are much more low-key. The first wine we tasted was the 2008 Barbera d'Asti from Coppo. We then were offered just two wines from Vietti, the 2007 Barbera d'Alba Scarrone and the 2007 Barolo Castigione (their base offering). The wines were nice, but it was disappointing not to be able to taste more.

Next we headed to the main tasting area of many of the top small producers in the area, the Langa In group. Our first stop was at Cigliuti, a producer we first learned about on our first visit to Vinitaly. We began with a pair of Barberas, the 2008 Barbera d'Alba Serraboella and the 2008 Barbera d'Alba Campass. Next we moved up to the Langhe wines, one Nebbiolo and one blended with Barbera, with the 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo and the 2008 Briccoserra Langhe. Finally, we had two excellent Barbarescos, the 2006 Barberesco Vigna Erte and the 2007 Barbaresco Serraboella. I thought these two wines were great examples of traditionally made Barbaresco from a top producer. As we finished up our tasting, we were discussing other similar small family producers, especially any that may be looking for import representation in Florida, as Dominic was with us and interested in finding potential clients. Within minutes, we were being whisked away to our next tasting.

Piero Busso was the producer we visited next, and one I must confess I was not familiar with. However, we were treated to a very nice lineup, with a few very good wines. We actually started with a white, the 2010 Langhe Arneis, followed by a pair of Barberas, the 2009 Barbera d'Alba Majano and the 2008 Barbera d'Alba Santo Stefanetto. Following the 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, we then went through four Barbarescos from two vintages. First up was the 2007 Barbaresco Borgese, their entry offering. It was ok, but not among my favorites. Next was the 2008 Barbaresco Mondino, which was probably my favorite of the lineup, especially for the cost. We then went back for the 2007 Barbaresco Santo Stefanetto and 2007 Barbaresco Gallina, which was the most modern-styled of the bunch. Overall, I thought the wines were of good quality, though not quite at the top level of some of the other Barbarescos we tasted. However, they are very affordably priced for the most part and would be good choices for an intro to Barbaresco without breaking the bank.

Our next stop was to visit one of the best value producers of Barbaresco, the co-op Produttori di Barbaresco. We began with the 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo, then followed up with three different vintages of Barbaresco. First up was the 2007 Barbaresco, then the 2006 Barbaresco, and finally the 2005 Barbaresco Riserva Pora. The Produttori normally make several riservas, but don't offer them all for tasting. Also, there were no riservas produced in 2006, so the regular bottling can contain some of that riserva juice (depending on the Lot). All in all, it was another solid lineup from the co-op.

We then made a quick stop at one of the iconic producers of Barolo, Giuseppe Mascarello, where we were offered the 2004 Barolo Villero. I was a bit disappointed that this was the only wine we were offered, but it was nice to taste a wine I hadn't previously had.

Our next visit was yet another of the legendary Barolo houses, Aldo Conterno. Unfortunately, Aldo himself was not present, but we still got to taste some great wines. Before getting to the Barolos, we tasted the 2008 Barbera d'Alba Conca Tre Pile and the 2008 Langhe Il Favot. We then had the 2007 Barolo and the 2007 Barolo Cicala, which was an absolutely top-class Barolo, and one of my wines of the week.

At this point, the day was starting to run short, and though we knew we had time for at least two more visits, we wanted to make them count. On our way back to the Langa In area, we stopped in the area for producers that are part of the Mark de Grazia portfolio. There, we found Moccagatta, another top Barbaresco producer, and were treated to another great lineup that included whites and reds, and all of their Barbaresco bottlings. The two whites we tried were the 2010 Chardonnay and the 2009 Chardonnay Buschet. Moving to the reds, we had the 2010 Dolcetto d'Alba, the 2010 Barbera d'Alba, and the 2010 Langhe Nebbiolo before moving up to the Barbarescos. We were then treated to all of their 2008s, starting the the 2008 Barbaresco. It was then on to the single-vineyard wines, with the 2008 Barbaresco Bric Balin, the 2008 Barbaresco Basarin, and the 2008 Barbaresco Cole. Each was outstanding, though I had a slight preference for the Bric Balin.

Finally, we went back into the Langa In area, and were able to get a seat with Chiara Boschis of E. Pira-Chiara Boschis, who we had also met on our first Vinitaly trip. Chiara was friendly as ever, and led us through one more great lineup. Here we began with the 2010 Dolcetto d'Alba, followed by the 2009 Barbera d'Alba and the 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo. Moving on to the Barolos, we tasted the 2007 Barolo Cannubi, the 2007 Barolo Via Nuova, and finally the 2006 Barolo Cannubi. The Barolos were all excellent, classically-styled wines that I thoroughly enjoyed and were a great way to finish the day.

Overall, our second day was another success, with 74 more wines tasted. In our afternoon tastings, I came away impressed with the general quality of the 2008 vintage in Barbaresco, and really the quality of Barbaresco as a whole, which I think tends to get overlooked by its Barolo sibling. We again managed to visit with old friends, make a few new ones, and generally enjoy all there was to offer. Of course, now we only had one day left, and a lot of wine still to taste, which meant that Saturday we'd have to have a good plan and be on our game to get through as much as we could.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 3

Friday morning we were back to the Veronafiere bright and early. Now knowing exactly where to grab a quick breakfast and where to get the shuttle bus, we were there soon after the doors opened. I had decided the we would begin the day again in the Tuscany pavilion, where we would then eat lunch in our usual spot before an afternoon in Piedmont. Our first stop of the morning as we came into pad 8 was Fontodi. Two years ago our visit to Fontodi was my first experience with their 100% Sangiovese Flaccianello, and I've since become a huge fan of their wines. I was also able to visit the winery last summer while in Tuscany. This visit was another excellent one, as we were able to taste their entire range of wines. We began with the 2007 Chianti Classico, followed by the 2008 Chianti Classico, the first vintage where the wine is certified organic. Next we had the 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo, before moving on to both the 2007 Flaccianello and the 2008 Flaccianello. We then had their two international varietals, the 2008 Pinot Nero and the 2007 Syrah. Overall, the 2007 vintage is definitely superior, and while I enjoyed the 07 Flaccianello (which I had last summer too), it may be a hair behind the 06 vintage, and also slightly behind some of the other great 07 Sangioveses we ended up tasting.

Our second stop of the morning took us to Montepulciano for the wines of Boscarelli, once of the great producers from this area just to the northeast of Montalcino. We began with a pair of young new releases, the 2009 de Ferrari IGT and the 2009 Prugnolo IGT. Moving up, we then had the 2008 Vino Noile di Montepulciano and the 2006 Vino Nobile Riserva. Finally, we wrapped up with the 2007 Nocio Vino Nobile and the 2006 Boscarelli IGT. The entire lineup from this winery is really quite impressive, and a great representative of an area that tends to get a bit overlooked in the US.

We returned to Chianti with our next visit, San Giusto a Rentennano. While the Chiantis here are excellent, the stars again are Supertuscans. We began with the 2009 Chianti Classico, followed by the 2008 Chianti Classico Riserva. We then followed those with the 2007 Percarlo (100% Sangiovese) and the 2008 Ricolma (100% Merlot). I thought the Percarlo was excellent, possibly a shade better than the '07 Flaccianello.

At this point, we were close to our appointed time to visit with Mario once again, but now to finally taste all of his wines from Terralsole. We began with the 2006 Brunello, which Mario thinks is one of the best he's made. That was followed by the 2005 Brunello Riserva, the 2006 Solista (a 100% Syrah IGT which we'd had at dinner the night before), and finally the 2005 Brunello. All of the wines were excellent, as was our time with Mario, who is always a great host.

Now firmly back into Montalcino again, we tried to make the most of our time until lunch, visiting some of the heavy hitters of the area. Up first was Poggio di Sotto, where we had the 2008 Rosso and the 2006 Brunello. Not surprisingly, this was one of the stars of the week, and took my vote for the best 2006 Brunello we tasted. It was incredibly elegant and balanced, as I've come to expect from this producer.

Next we went for a more modern style, but a critical darling, Casanova di Neri. We began with the 2009 Rosso before getting into the Brunello. We had the 2006 Brunello, which I thought was the best bottling of this cuvee I've had, before trying the 2005 Brunello Tenuta Nuova. We than had the 2006 Brunello Tenuta Nuova before closing out with the 2007 Pietradonice IGT and the 2004 Cerretalto Brunello. Overall, these are very well-made wines, though I hold a preference for the more traditional style of Brunello.

Our last stop before lunch was at one of the more traditional-styled producers, Talenti. Here we had the 2009 Rosso followed by the 2006 Brunello, which was superb. One of my top 2006 Brunellos for the week, it is also extremely affordable and thus earns high marks from me.

At this point, it was time for lunch once again. We had one more key Brunello producer to visit after lunch, but after that the plan was to make out way to Piedmont and taste the latest Barolos and Barbarescos.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 2

After a refueling stop at our favorite Vinitaly eatery (the Pad 8 cafeteria), we were ready for a busy afternoon. With about 4 hours of time remaining, we decided to spend a little more time in Tuscany before heading to the Veneto. Our first stop was another of Chianti’s top estates (though one better known for their Supertuscans than Chiantis), Castello di Rampolla. We began with the 2008 Chianti Classico, then followed with the 2009 Chianti Classico before moving to the big guns. The 2006 Sammarco was solid as usual, but the real star was the 2006 D’Alceo, which had lots of dark fruit and a long finish. It was definitely one of my top wines of the week.

Our final stop of the day in Tuscany was Il Poggione. I had met assistant winemaker Alessandro Bindocci at a tasting in Atlanta a few months ago, and he was nice enough to take a few minutes of time out from a group he was already with to speak with us. We discussed my initial thoughts on the 2006 in Atlanta (which had been delayed from his visit, but tasted on a Friday night later with the 2003 and 2004 Riservas) and Alessandro made sure we were taken care of before returning to his meeting. He continued to check up on us as we went through the lineup of the 2009 Rosso, the 2006 Brunello and the 2005 Brunello Riserva, which were all very good.

At this point we were close to our appointed time to meet friends in the Veneto pavilion so we began to head in that direction. Along the way, finding out they were a few minutes away still, we stopped in at the Campania producer Terredora di Paolo. I’ve become a big fan of their red wines, but we actually decided to start with their whites. We went through a trio of very nice wines, the 2010 Falanghina, the 2010 Greco di Tufo, and the 2010 Fiano di Avellino. These are all whites I’d buy to accompany a light seafood dish, though I preferred the Falanghina and Fiano. After the three whites we realized we needed to head on, so we did not get into their excellent lineup of reds, instead promising to return. Alas, we never did, as we just ran short on time on the week.

Finally, we made it over to the Veneto pavilion, and specifically a group of smaller producers. We met our friends Dominic and Roberta, and went to visit Dominic’s client Tiziano Accordini. Tiziano was busy, so we took the opportunity to first taste the wines of Lorenzo Begali. Lorenzo’s son Giordano began with us, pouring the 2010 Valpolicella and the 2009 Ripasso. Giordano’s sister Tiliana then took over, offering us the 2007 Tigiolo IGT, the 2007 Amarone, and the 2006 Amarone Ca Bianca. Lorenzo himself actually stopped by before we finished with the 2008 Recioto. Overall, it was an impressive lineup once again from this family operation, and I look forward to searching out several of these wines.

Tiziano was now free, so we moved across the aisle to taste the latest wines of Stefano Accordini, which Dominic imports. Here we again started with the brand new 2010 Valpolicella, followed by the 2008 Ripasso. We then had the 2008 Passo IGT before moving to the big guns. We had the 2007 Amarone, the 2004 Il Fornetto Amarone, and finally the 2007 Recioto. The whole lineup was good, with the Passo a great QPR option, while the Il Fornetto is definitely one of the top Amarones anywhere below the Dal Forno/Quintarelli level. As always Tiziano was great to visit with, and his son was also there with him. Like the Begalis, they are a family-run operation, and extremely gracious. It is wonderful to be able to taste great wines made by such great people.

Our last two stops were with larger producers, though the first of these can still seem like a smaller family operation. Anyone who is familiar with my prior visit to Vinitaly knows about our meeting with Giuseppe Campagnola, who was so nice to us at dinner one evening and then spent a great deal of time tasting with us at Vinitaly two years ago. When we stopped by the booth this time, he was initially busy, but eventually found his way over to us and was as friendly as ever. We began our tasting with the 2009 Valpolicella, followed by the 2009 Ripasso. We the moved to the 2008 Valpolicella Caterina Zardini before trying the 2007 Amarone. We concluded with a very good 2006 Amarone Caterina Zardini and the 2009 Recioto. This was another good lineup from Campagnola, once again reminding me of how disappointed I have been in trying to find their wines here in the US. The Caterina Zardini wines are definitely top-quality wines that are among the upper tier of Veneto wines in my opinion.

Our final stop of a wonderful first day was at one of the biggest names in the Veneto, Zenato. Our group of five (Dominic and Roberta were still with us) was welcomed graciously and brought into the booth to sit at a table for tasting. We decided to begin with their whites, a 2010 Lugana and 2008 Lugana Sergio Zenato. I’ve had very little Lugana, but these were enjoyable, and wouldn’t be the only Luganas we tasted on the trip. Following these whites, we moved to the reds with two of my favorite QPRs, the 2008 Valpolicella and 2008 Ripasso. I buy these wines in most vintages, and the 2008s are once again solid performers. We then jumped up to the 2006 Amarone, the 2005 Sergio Zenato Amarone, and finally the 2006 Recioto, the first Zenato has ever made. The 2006 Amarone is great (and available at some US retailers for a steal) and the Recioto is outstanding – I hope it ends up as widely available as most of the Zenato line.

At this point it was past 6 pm and we had dinner reservations at 7 pm at the Bottega del Vino with a great group of folks, so it was time to go. There was some scrambling to be done though, as we needed to find Mario (who was joining us for dinner) before heading out. I’ll just say it was a blur of Mom, Dad, and I running about for 20-30 minutes, finding Mario but not all of us getting back, and finally getting on a shuttle bus, where we somehow managed to get to the restaurant right at 7. I’ll detail that dinner in a later post recapping the meals of the trip. Next up will be the recap of Friday morning, where we returned to the Tuscany pavilion.

Vinitaly 2011, Part 1

The opening morning at Vinitaly is always a bit of madness, as we've learned before. Getting through the ticket line and then the main gate can take a little time, so our planned schedule for the morning wasn't too busy. I anticipated starting in the Veneto as we usually do, then taking the afternoon to begin our assault on the Tuscany pavilion. However, those plans immediately got tossed when we ran into our good friend Mario Bollag of Terralsole in the ticket line. After getting our tickets we met Mario inside the gates and decided to go ahead and go with him to meet a good friend of his who has just started a new winery in Montecucco (just across the Orcia river from Montalcino). Mario's friend Paolo Vaggagini is actually the consulting winemaker at Terralsole, and has a similar role with many of Montalcino's top estates. Now he and his wife have started their own winery, Amantis, in a nearby area.

We tasted five wines with Paolo, beginning with his 2007 Birbanera, an IGT wine with Sangiovese, Colorino, Canaiolo, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. It's a very nice, easy-drinking wine that is a great choice for the price. We then had the 2006 Sangiovese, the 2005 Iperione (Cab Franc), the 2008 Birbanera, and the 2007 Sangiovese. These wines are all fairly priced as Montecucco is a relatively unknown area, but it's obvious that the terroir is good, and Paolo certainly knows how to make great wines. He was also a fantastic host, and I look forward to drinking more of his wine and hopefully seeing him again next year.

After that start, we had to make our first move to the Brunello Consorzio, and we were thrilled to come upon the stand of the Baricci family. I visited the Baricci winery last June after Mom and Dad recommended it from a visit they made several years ago. Nello Baricci was one of the founders of the Brunello Consorzio and remains a staunch traditionalist. His winery is also still a small, family-run operation, and in our past visits to Vinitaly they were not present. Now however, the youngest generation is taking a larger role and decided to make the trip north to Verona. Nello's grandsons were happy to receive us, and even more enthused when we told them about our prior visits to the winery visiting with their father and grandfather. When they poured their wines for us though, we were the excited ones, as their 2009 Rosso is very good and the 2006 Brunello is outstanding. This is traditionally-styled Brunello from the Montosoli hill in the northern part of the appellation that hits all the right notes. Even better is the price, as these wines are incredibly reasonable if you can find them in the US. I certainly can't wait to get some of the 2006 Brunello, and look forward to a bright future from this estate.

Our next stop was with another of the Montalcino traditionalists, Livio Sassetti. Livio's Pertimali estate has always made some of my favorite wines from Montalcino, and our visit with Livio two years ago at Vinitaly was one of the highlights of the trip. Livio was great once again this year, taking time to read us some of his poetry while we tasted. We went through his full lineup of wines, beginning with his 2009 Rosso and the 2006 Fili di Seta IGT. Next we tried his wines from vineyards outside of Montalcino, the 2008 Istriciaia from Maremma, and the 2007 Montecucco. Finally, we wrapped up with a trio of Brunelli: the 2004 Riserva, followed by both the 2005 Brunello and 2006 Brunello. Truthfully, the 2006 didn't stand out among all those we tasted, which is a little disappointing. It wasn't a bad wine at all, but it just didn't make a big impression on me.

After these two traditionally-styled producers, we switched gears with a visit to our friend Giancarlo Pacenti of Siro Pacenti. We have all visited the Pacenti estate, and enjoy the wines Giancarlo makes, though they are quite different than the prior wines. The Siro Pacenti wines are much more modern in style, aged new French barriques as opposed to the larger Slavonian botti (giant barrels) the traditionalists use. The resulting wines are thus bigger, darker, and a bit tougher to judge when so young. We tasted the 2009 Rosso and 2006 Brunello with Giancarlo, though I have now read that he will release two other Brunelli from the 2006 vintage, the PS Riserva as well as the Pelagrilli, made from his younger vines.

Our next stop took us briefly out of Montalcino, as we came across the Chianti estate of Felsina, which has become a favorite of mine over the past couple of years. I was disappointed not to get to visit the estate last summer, but we ran out of time the day I had hoped to visit. Our tasting began with the 2009 Chianti Classico, another strong effort for a bottling that became a house favorite of mine with the 2007 vintage. We followed that with the 2008 Chianti Riserva Rancia and the 2007 Chianti Riserva Rancia. The Rancia is a very backward wine when young, so these were both not showing a lot yet, but have great potential, especially the 2007. We then had the 2007 Fontalloro, an IGT due to the vineyards location the border of tho Chianti sub-regions, and finished with the 2007 Maestro Raro, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon IGT. While I enjoyed all of these wines, most of them still seemed very tight and closed.

Our final stop as we waited to meet up with several friends for lunch was another Brunello producer, Sesta di Sopra. Here we were actually offered the 2005 Brunello along with the 2009 Rosso. The 2005 Brunello was a very nice wine for the vintage, but I was disappointed not to get to try the 2006.

Overall, our first morning at Vinitaly was a good start to the event. We didn't taste a lot of wine, but got to spend some time with some old friends as well as make some new ones. We also tried some great wines we knew about and found some new things to seek out, which is always a plus. After lunch, we would spend a little more time in Tuscany before finally making our way to the Veneto to wrap up the opening day.

Tour of Italy, part 2

Continuing all of the Italian wines I've had lately, I begin again in the Veneto. Up first are a pair of vintages of the same wine, the Allegrini Palazzo della Torre. This has been a favorite wine of mine for nearly a decade, as I believe my first vintage was the 1998. I still have some back vintages of the wine, as it actually ages quite well. As good as it has been, I think Allegrini has really upped the quality over the past few years. The 2004 was been my favorite young version of this when it first came out, and this latest bottle was just as good as usual. then I loved the 2005 as well, but, the 2006 vintage is really something - so fresh and full-bodied, yet refined. The wine can still be found for $20, and at that price continues to be a great bargain and a wine I will drink over and over.

Moving to Tuscany, I had the 2007 Argiano Rosso di Montalcino. Amazingly I found this wine locally for $16, another great bargain for a very good Rosso di Montalcino. This wine is pretty close to the 2007 Il Poggione, and at the price is a wine anyone who likes Sangiovese should seek out. It isn't a huge wine, but restrained and almost elegant. I have quickly gone and bought more.

Finally, I had the 2006 Villa Medoro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. I haven't had too many wines from this region, and some of those I have had were "bargain" wines that really didn't offer much. This wine had a little more character, though I still wasn't blown away by it the first night. The second night it was better, and certainly an enjoyable wine that did more to show off the diversity of Italy. However, at the price similar to the other wines in this post, I'm just not so anxious to buy more.

Tour of Italy, Round 1

My consumption of Italian wines continues to increase, thanks in great part to the wide variety of grapes and styles present. Thus, I have two full entries just covering Italy from head to toe.

Up first was the 2004 Brandini Langhe Rosso. I was not familiar with this producer but picked up a bottle at one of the local shops on a recommendation. For the price (around $20) this was a fine bottle of wine, offering nice cherry notes. I drank it over multiple days and it held up well. It's a nice bargain from Piemonte.

Next was the 2007 Zenato Valpolicella, the entry level wine from one of my favorite producers. The 2007 Valpolicella isn't amazing, but it's a solid bottle. I think I prefer the Brig'aldara in '07, but there's no complaints about the Zenato either.

Moving south to Tuscany, I had the 2006 Volpaia Chianti Classico, another perennial favorite. Volpaia makes high-quality affordable wines from Chianti, and this one from the excellent 2006 vintage is no different. It's a great food wine too. Volpaia is one of several wineries I plan to visit on my trip to Tuscany in June.

My final wine was from further south in Campania, the 2004 Vinosia Taurasi. I picked this up originally just because it was an affordably priced Taurasi - only later did I learn it had been receiving some rave reviews. I can certainly say it warranted those, because this is an excellent representation of Aglianico, and even better when factoring the price (around $24 here). It is still a bit young for a Taurasi, with some tannin, but not overwhelming. However, the bottles I have since bought will wait for just a bit to see how they develop. I highly recommend searching this wine out if anyone is interested in learning more about the wines from Southern Italy.

2007 Piemonte

2007 is shaping up to be another solid vintage in Piemonte, and three wines I've recently had from three great producers have shown the potential of this vintage when the big guns are released over the next two years.

Up first was the 2007 Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba. This wine has been a favorite of mine, both in this vintage and earlier ones. This latest bottle was consistent with my prior notes, a delicious example of this varietal.

Next was a new release from one of my favorite producers, the 2007 Vietti Barbera d'Asti Tre Vigne. This Barbera doesn't have quite the elegance of the Sandrone Dolcetto, but is still a fantastic wine. It delivers plenty of fruit and a bit of complexity that may be unexpected in a wine of this price. Vietti seems to really be moving into the upper echelon of Piemonte producers, and as one of my favorites for a while, I am really enjoying their wines.

Finally, I had a wine that's not officially a 2007 vintage, the Albino Rocca Rosso di Rocca Vino di Tavola. As a Vino di Tavola, it can't include a vintage, but this is lot L 20.07. The designation is applied because the wine includes 10% Cabernet Franc in the blend with Nebbiolo and Barbera. However, it is a delicious wine, and also very reasonably priced. It is again a little different than the previous wines, with a little extra body from the Cab Franc, but it doesn't lose the typicity of the region, readily identifiable as a predominately Nebbiolo wine.

Overall, these are three great reasonably priced wines from three great producers in a region I continue to enjoy more and more. The wines are all great with food, and drink well in their youth, a great benefit while waiting for the top wines from the region to age into their prime.

Italian values

I've had several nice, inexpensive Italian wines over the last few weeks, from three very distinct areas (one popular, one emerging, and one still pretty off the map).

Up first was the wine from an "emerging" region, the island of Sicily. From one of the biggest wineries there, the 2007 Planeta La Segreta is a blend of 50% Nero d'Avola, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The wine is very fruit-forward, certainly a bit more modern in style, but also quite enjoyable. For about $12, it certainly delivers plenty of drinking pleasure.

Up next was a wine from the region of Le Marche, I believe the first I've had. The 2006 Saladini Pilastri Rosso Piceno Piediprato is a blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Montepulciano. It is really nice, soft, wine with a lot of finesse. Again, this wine was about $12, and is really a pleasure to drink, though much more restrained than the Planeta. I bought this bottle in Charlotte, but would love to find it here, as it is really a great value.

Finally, I had a wine from an area and a producer I am very familiar with, but this wine was new to me. The 2005 Ciacci Piccolomini Poggio della Fonte IGT Toscana is a great value from one of my favorite producers in Montalcino. A blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet, it is another fruit-forward wine, but very balanced. It won't confuse for a higher-end wine, but again the $12 price point makes this a fantastic value. I immediately went out for more of this one.

Overall, these three wines continue to show why I have fallen in love with Italian wines. These are all great values, and also three very different wines from different regions, and incorporate both indigenous and international varietals. There is just so much good wine being made in Italy today, and I love discovering it all.

Two iconic Italian producers

It doesn't always cost a small fortune to taste the talents of great producers, and these wines are two great examples. Up first was the 2003 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo d'Alba. This wine isn't from a great vintage, and it certainly won't ever match up with the great Barolos and Barbarescos from Giacosa, but this wine was surprisingly full of life. Perhaps the age has allowed the tannins to soften somewhat, and the fruit is still there, which I was afraid would not be the case. I'd imagine that less talented winemakers wouldn't have crafted a wine that would stand up like this, but Giacosa has. I still have one more bottle of this, and will report on it in the coming months.

The second wine was a step up, as it is a young wine from a great vintage, just a lower-end production (though no slouch at $30 a bottle). The 2006 Fontodi Chianti Classico is really a treat. It is still quite young, and will benefit from a few years of age, but it is one of the best mid-level Chiantis I have had. This wine has everything I could ask for, with fruit, tannins, and acidity, which balanced out after a couple of nights. With a few years of bottle age, this will be a phenomenal wine. I have a bottle of 2004 still in the cellar, and another bottle of this 2006 as well. Of course, I had tasted this wine at Vinitaly and knew its potential, but just had to try it again to confirm. For those who might not be able to afford Fontodi's flagships (Flaccianello and the Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Riserva), this is a wonderful choice.

Two from the Veneto

I've had a pair of wines from a couple of my favorite producers in the Veneto over the past few weeks, one that's been a regular, and one the is a rarity around here these days. First up was the regular, the 2007 Brig'aldara Valpolicella. It hadn't been too long since my last bottle, but with this wine being available for a song locally, I've been a big buyer. The wine was just as good this time as last - simple, with lots of bright red fruit. It's a great everyday drinking wine that will go well with a variety of foods.

The next was was a bit more serious, but still a well-priced example of the potential in the Veneto. The 2005 Speri Ripasso adds the extra dimension from the Ripasso method, but is still more of an everyday wine. It's unfortunate that the Speri wines have become more difficult to find around here, as they are a great producer of traditional-styled wines from the Veneto. I definitely recommend searching their wines out if available in other areas.

Finally back for 2010 - starting with Montalcino

Ok, so it's not Brunello, but I'll begin 2010 with the latest on Rossos from two of my favorite producers. First up was my latest bottle of 2004 Val di Suga Rosso di Montalcino from Tenimenti Angelini. I've had this wine several times before, and continue to enjoy it. The 2004 is really drinking well right now - in my opinion hitting its stride. I really think this is a great example of how Rossos still need a little time in bottle to develop, as this wine is so expressive with plenty of red cherry fruit and great balance of acidity to go with it.

Up next, I had my first bottle of 2007 Il Poggione Rosso di Montalcino. I've mentioned the 2006 before, which is a true gem, but quickly disappeared from store shelves. The 2007 might not be quite as good, but it is still a very nice bottle of wine. The wine is also quite young, but I wanted to go ahead and try a bottle (I've already purchased a couple more bottles to put in the cellar). For current drinking, I'd take the 04 Val di Suga, but in time this will probably be the better wine. Whatever the case, these are both wines and producers that I would recommend.

Closing out 2009 with an old Bin 75 recap

I've really fallen behind on recapping all of the Friday night tastings I've attended at Bin 75, so I'll finish off the year with one of the best nights we had this fall. This night featured quite an array of great wines, and even included some special treats from Chris at the end of the evening.

The night began with a 2005 Chante Cigale Chateaunef du Pape. Most everyone there knew it was a CdP, but figured a little older (I went 2001). It was good, but not spectacular. We followed with another wine from the same area and vintage, the 2005 La Roquete Chateauneuf du Pape. Again, most of us were on CdP, but this time the wine was quite closed, and I guessed it to be a 2006.

Next we moved up the Rhone Valley for the 2000 Guigal Chateau d'Ampuis Cote Rotie. It had a great nose but then on the palate threw everyone for a loop. I really had no idea, and no one else did either. We then followed this with another Syrah, but this time it was the 2005 Vina Montes Folly, a Syrah from Chile. I was leaning toward Aussie Shiraz, but in one of the great pickups, Keith nailed it as Chilean Syrah.

Our next two wines were both from Piemonte, starting with the 2003 Albino Rocca Vigneto Brich Ronchi Barbaresco. I was on Nebbiolo, but guessed 2001 Barolo. Our next wine was mine, the 1996 Bovio Arborina Barolo. A few folks were on it as an aged Barolo, but not everyone. Regardless, it was a fantastic wine, truly hitting its stride.

We next had the 2001 Castelgiocondo Brunello, which I nailed as a Brunello from that vintage. It was a very good wine, though I think it possibly included something other than just Sangiovese.

We followed that with the 1988 Cos d'Estournel, which had a lot of bell pepper on the nose, but was really ageing well most of us guessed it to be a mid-90's Bordeaux. We then had a 2003 Lagier Meredith Mt Veeder Syrah that had the unfortunate luck to follow the Bordeaux and thus stick out as a little too modern. After that, we returned to Bordeaux for the 2003 Lynch Bages. This wine showed the characteristics of the hot vintage, as it was a little sweet and acidic for me.

We finally concluded the regular portion of the tasting with the 2001 Feudi di San Gregorio Taurasi Riserva Piano di Monte Vergine. I initially leaned toward Southern Italy before changing my mind, but the huge tannins should have been a dead giveaway. Even with a lengthy decanting, this wine was still not quite ready to drink. It will be a great wine with several more years of age.

Finally, Chris had been in the bar with some friends and donated his remaining wine to the group, which was quite a treat. First up was the 1994 Vega Sicilia Unico, a fantastic wine though no one could ID it. I guessed it could be a top vintage northern Rhone, perhaps 1999 Cornas. Regardless, it was really quite nice if still a bit young. We followed that with the 1990 Leoville Las Cases, which was truly what a nice aged Bordeaux should be like. It was really hitting its stride with everything in great balance.

Overall, this was quite a night, and one of the best I've had at Bin 75. I look forward to many more of these in 2010, and will also recap a couple of other late 2009 tastings in the coming weeks.

The variety of Italy

I've had several Italian wines over the last few weeks, as always showcasing the tremendous variety from the country. I'll highlight five wines here from five distinctly different regions.

First was a 2004 Luigi Einaudi Dolcetto di Dogliani. I've found Einaudi's wines to be quite enjoyable and affordable representations of Piemonte, but this wine didn't impress me too much. Dolcettos are meant to be drunk young, and maybe this wine had lost some of its freshness. It wasn't past its prime, just didn't seem to have all that I expected.

Up next was one of my favorite consistent wine values, the 2007 Falesco Vitiano. A blend of Cab, Merlot, and Sangiovese from Umbria, this wine almost always delivers a nice bouquet of red fruit that makes it an ideal match for food. There have been several very good vintages, and 2007 continues that trend, while keeping the price tag at about $12.

One wine of the group that came from my cellar was the 2000 Morgante Don Antonio. Made from Nero d'Avola, this is one of the wines that really got Sicilian wines noticed in the US. This wine may have been aged a little longer than recommended, but it still wasn't bad. In fact, on the second night it still held together fairly well, though it didn't blow me away.

Moving back up the boot, I had another bottle of the 2007 Terredora Aglianico. I've really enjoyed this wine on the prior occasions, but this time was actually a little disappointed. It was the first time my tasting matched Antonio Gallioni's review that called the wine out for being a little heavy on the oak. I really hadn't noticed before, but I did this time. Perhaps the wine was in an odd phase, as the second night the oak had mellowed somewhat, though wasn't completely gone. I still have a few bottles left, so we'll see what happens.

Finally, I had a bottle of the 2007 Brig'aldara Valpolicella. One of my favorite producers from the area, and one whose wines we've enjoyed at Vinitaly, this was the first time in a while I'd found their Valpolicella on local shelves again. For about $12, this wine overdelivers again, a wonderful example of a simple Valpolicella. I've got a note coming soon on one of their Amarones as well, but I would encourage anyone who wants to taste a great example of this region's entry-level wines to search this wine out, I already have another bottle at home, and will likely be buying more.

2007 Tenuta San Guido Le Difese

I recently was finally able to acquire a parcel of a wine I tasted first at Vinitaly this past year, and is a great value in Italian wine. The 2007 Le Difese is the third wine from Tenuta San Guido, the producer of Sassicaia and Guidalberto. A blend of 70% Cab and 30% Sangiovese, this is a very elegant wine for the price.

This bottle, opened just a few days after arrival from IWM in New York, was a bit disjointed upon opening, showing off a lot of Cab flavors but little typicity of its Italian upbringing. On the second night though, things were more in balance and it was starting to show off a little more. I'm happy to have 5 more bottles of this wine, and highly recommend it if you can find it - this is a special wine for a pretty reasonable price.

Catching up, two more Italians

Again, I've fallen behind on blog entries with a lot going on, so I'll do my best to catch up in the coming days. I'll be doubling up by country again, starting with a pair from Italy. Up first was one of my standbys, the 2005 Zenato Ripasso. It's only been a couple of months since my last bottle of this wine, and it remained consistent. The wine isn't blowing me away, but it a solid effort, and a great food wine. I had it with Chicken Cacciatore, and it was a very good match. If you can find it around $20, it's definitely worth it, but at a higher tariff, I'm not sure it outdoes other Ripassos available for less in this vintage.

The next wine was the 2007 Altesino Rosso di Altesino, and IGT Toscana. This is a pretty good, though somewhat simple Sangiovese-based blend. It's from a pretty decent vintage and a great easy-drinking wine for food. It's pretty inexpensive, so a wine I'd recommend as a good everyday purchase to have with a meal.

Two familiar bottles from Italy

The two most recent Italian wines I had were both ones I had tried before. It had actually been a while since my last bottle of the 2004 Feudi di San Gregorio Rubrato, but it remains a favorite. The wine remains very elegant for an Aglianico, especially one at the price of about $16. I highly recommend it.

Up next was the 2006 Cesari Mara Ripasso. I've had this wine in prior vintages, and it really impressed me, so I was pleased that the latest vintage measured up. This is a top-quality Ripasso with plenty of dark fruit flavors and a hint of sweetness. What's even better is the price - at under $20, this is a steal. I seem to only find this wine on occasion, but need to be certain to search out more of it from a very good 2006 vintage.

Dad joins the Bin 75 group

My parents were in town last weekend, which meant that my Dad got to go to the Friday night tasting at Bin 75 with me and experience the fun I've been having. We were back to a more manageable group compared with the prior week, and ended up with a really great group of wines.

My contribution was our first wine of the night, the 1999 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape. The wine was great to start, but later we noticed something off on the nose, suggesting it may be corked. It wasn't, but there remained some funk on the nose that never went away.

Our second wine was definitely a Cab, but it seemed so young and a bit too forward to be Bordeaux to me. I was wrong though, and shocked when it was revealed as a 2000 Chateau Malmaison. Dad had nailed it was Bordeaux, but the fact that it was a 2000 and still so young was really amazing.

Dad's wine was up next, and it was a blockbuster - the 1997 Dal Forno Valpolicella. Keith had mentioned the prior week that he would love if Dad could bring a Dal Forno, and he was happy to oblige. Everyone agreed this was a truly special wine.

The next wine seemed to be a basic California Cab, and nothing really special, but turned out to be a Cab Franc, not Sauvingnon - the 2003 Keenan Cab Franc.

The next wine began a run of Italians and was obviously a Nebbiolo. There was a split between Barolo and Barbaresco, with my guess going for a 96 Barolo. The wine ended up being the 1998 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco.

Up next was a wine that most of us identified as being Sangiovese, but varied on whether it was a Chianti, Supertuscan, or Brunello. Regardless, it was very good and ended up being the 1999 Felsina Fontalloro, a Supertuscan.

We remained in Tuscany for the next wine as well, this time for the 2003 Mazzei Siepi Supertuscan. Again, we zeroed in on Tuscany, but no one was quite right on it, and we were impressed by how well a wine from the 2003 vintage was showing.

Our next wine took us back to France, and after a bit of time I was actually able to nail the exact wine for the first time. I was lucky in that we had tasted it several weeks ago, but the combination of Syrah characteristic plus a strong sense of minerality led me to the 2005 St. Cosme Cote Rotie. I was again very impressed by this wine.

Finally, we wrapped up the night with a 2001 Chateau Lascombes Margaux. Everyone was on Bordeaux, and so we tried to get closer on the identification. Many were guessing the wine was from St. Estephe, and an older vintage of mid-late 90s. I didn't get the appellation, but did end up getting the vintage correct. Overall, it was a nice wine, especially for the vintage.

Overall, this was a great lineup of wines, maybe the best top to bottom of any night I've been at Bin 75. Dad had a great time, and most everyone enjoyed having him there. He definitely sees why I've been enjoying these tastings so much, and looks forward to joining me again.