Tre Monti Albana di Romagna Secco Vigna della Rocca 2006 18,97€ 14% Emilia-Romagna, Albana di Romagna DOCG
A nutty nose, very ripely fruity, reminds me a bit of Ribolla Gialla. Plump, yet structured, even a little tannic. Nice enough, but expensive for what it delivers - though this was from the "special" selection of Alko, so it probably costs 8€ elsewhere...
Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book '07 says of Albana: "Italy's first DOCG for white wine, though it was hard to see why. Albana is the (undistinguished) grape." I haven't tasted any other Albana, but this was good (but too expensive) and makes me want to explore a few more. So is Tre Monti the exception to the rule? Who else makes interesting Albana?
With a few chunks of old Parmigiano Reggiano: the nuttiness of the wine matched that with the cheese very well.
Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 2004 53,90€ 12,5%
I've heard worrying news from several people whom I trust that Jamet's Côte-Rôtie '04 is oakier than previous vintages and even confected. I tasted it in a huge walk about event and it didn't seem so to me then. I decided to splurge and opened one up to drink over a couple days to give myself a better view of the wine, as I find that brief sips at big tastings aren't the best way to delve into the soul of a wine.
The nose seems very true to Jamet's style with much apricotty scents to the baconny fruit - it is a relatively perfumed, perhaps even flamboyant style, but I do not sense the oak that I was worried about. Though it is very primary, it has delightful vegetal and mineral nuances showing.
Full bodied, primary, sweet but savoury fruit. The tannins are noticable but ripe. There is fine acidity also which makes this very moreish. I had a glass yesterday which seemed rather reductive. We finished the bottle today and it has opened up beautifully. This is at the upper level of what I find comfortable in terms of ripeness, so I guess that those more sensitive than I might have issues with it. I liked it very much and hope that I will have enough hours at the bookshop to be able to buy a couple bottles to cellar before these are all sold out!
A filet of beef with a sauce of red wine, shallots and black trumpet mushrooms was good with the wine, but a gamier meat would have been perfection.
-Otto