Better check out these tasting notes!!!

Yup, got your interest eh. It sure worked the last time I seem to remember!!!! The bottle is open and breathing before I decant in a few hours, have to go out for a haircut and ammo.

So stay tuned, mystery wine tasting notes later this afternoon.

So we need...

Year.
Country.
Region.
Varietal.
(Producer optional).

This wine comes from a warm vintage. 13% alc, crumbly cork. I opened the wine and let it breath for an hour. Not decanted yet.

Colour.
Dull ruby looking, not much for intensity in the centre. Just starting to show slight orange tint on a watery rim.

Nose.
Burst of acidity and faded violets as I pull the cork. Cherry apparent, leathery, curranty and a hint of tar as it airs.

Palate.
Initial entry is soft ripe tannin, dry, leathery, black cherry, prunes. Some herbyness mingle with dark fruits and vibrant acidity. Old oak barrel I`d guess. Here is some plum and prune flavours later in the afternoon but no ripe sweet fruit here. Needs food for sure and do not think I need to decant this one. Good wine for what I paid, around $27 Cdn.

Good luck everyone, I will not make too many comments till the Europeans wake up but you can start to inter-discuss!

hard to tell the varietal descriptors with these older wines, but sounds like something from the 1990s somewhere in Europe. If a more robust region like the Rhone I would say 1990, but from a more shortlived region like Provence you could get those notes in something from the mid-90s.

There, I really stuck my neck out, huh..

Not the `90s.
Nor is it France.

Way to go Rahsaan.

Crazy and impulsive as I am, I am going to guess, a Rioja from the late 1980s.

Not that old Bruce.
Spain, nope.

Well, if it isn't from the 1980s and it isn't from the 1990s, then your comment about a crumbly cork was a deliberate attempt to throw us a red herring!!!

I don't think that is fair. I am sending this one up to the booth to be reviewed.

Not the `90s.
Nor is it France.

Way to go Rahsaan.

Great. I'm 2 for 2!

2003 Barbera D'alba?



-Bill

Well, if it isn't from the 1980s and it isn't from the 1990s, then your comment about a crumbly cork was a deliberate attempt to throw us a red herring!!!

I don't think that is fair. I am sending this one up to the booth to be reviewed.

Yeah OK understand. Might be result of poor storage at the Liquor Board, not here. Unintentional comment on my behalf (weasel out).

2003 Barbera D'alba?



-Bill

Nope but closer than the others.

Well, bottle has been opened six hours or so now. Still very cherryish and a wonderful match with hummus (no not a Greek wine) which off-balances the acidity in the wine.

I'm pretty sure it's a 2005 Cesanese di Olivano Romano by Franco Caporilli. I don't see how I can possibly be wrong.

OK, crumbly cork was misdirection.
I see tar, violets, orange color. All sound like textbook mature Nebbiolo. But sure as hell not getting that for $27CDN. I'll guess 2003 Nebbiolo from outside B & B, something like a Langhe, Nebbiolo d'Alba, Ghemme, etc.

Old world, yup.
Italy yup but not there yet.
Wrong year too.

I wanna wait for Otto and Ian in the morning so time out!!!!!!!

Good nite.

Cherryish, acidity. Italy. Hmmm, I'm gonna go for Chianti Riserva, late 90's, maybe a 97.

I think you are right on Chianti, but he said not 90s, but a warm vintage. I can't imagine an 03 with a disintegrated cork, and orange rim. So I am guessing '00. That was an early maturing vintage according to the charts, and a warm one most places - though I am not sure about Tuscany. At $27 canadian, it almost has to be a classico, but probably not a reserva. So I am gussing Rufina chianti classico, tan label, 2000.

Getting really close but it`s a `01. Not Chianti, nice try.

I will be back 4.30pm Mountain Time

Gotta agree with Dale. Violets, tar, orange rim sounds like nebbiollo to me. Leathery sounds like some age. Soft, ripe tannins sound like a warm year. Not the 90's? Younger than the late 80's? I'm going to guess something like a Gattinara or Ghemme from 2000.

Some Nebbiolo hints, but with Prunes... might go for an 01 Valtellina (Sforzato?) from Lombardy - maybe Negri.

Only other thought might be a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

definitely one of your sneakier ones Bob (but hey, who said it had to be easy!)

Some Nebbiolo hints, but with Prunes... might go for an 01 Valtellina (Sforzato?) from Lombardy - maybe Negri.

Only other thought might be a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

definitely one of your sneakier ones Bob (but hey, who said it had to be easy!)

Or maybe a Morellino de Scansano???

O.k., I'm new at this but will take my best stab based on the info provided. I just recently tasted (and posted my notes) a nice Tuscan Lange (Aia Vecchia, '03). This description seems to fit the tast of the wine I had. The age/color seems to indicate older but we have weeded out the 80's and 90's. I'm going to guess that this is some Tuscan wine (not a Chianti) from 2000. Could it be a Super Tuscan?

We have a winner!!!!!!

As is usually the case, many are close but this time, and again, Ian Sutton from the UK is the winner!!
Well done everyone, knew this one might be tricky and to be honest do not know how representative it really is. I am not too familar with this region but the owner of my fav winestore tasted this and pronounced it "good". I certainly enjoyed this wine and know the winery pretty good now as I have tasted other offerings from F. Battaglia. The wine is, of course, ...........

`01 Pasiteo Vino Nobile di Montepulciano "Fassati", Fazi Battaglia.

Thanks to all for taking part, you were all pretty close!! Hum, we missed Otto.