WTNs: Recent dinners: Billecart-Salmon, Amarone, Volnay

My girlfriend and I went to visit a good friend + S.O. in their new home. We had a nice meal of asparagus, then reindeer, then some nice cheeses. Since we mostly spent the time chatting, no proper notes:

Billecart-Salmon Rosé NV

Nice, savoury stuff. I like it alot. I just hate the price of almost 50 euros! IIRC it was only 30 a few years back - importer or the producer the greedy one?

Masi Costasera Amarone Classico 2001

Sweet. Nice enough, but soooo sweet. I've never really gotten the hang of Veneto.

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With Boeuf Bourguignon:

Domaine Latour-Giraud Volnay Clos des Chênes 1er Cru 2000

Darkish for the grape. The nose is open and expressive with plentiful fruit, strawberry, a touch of oak and even alcohol showing through, but also some earthiness and savouriness and a hint of citrus. The palate is sweet, not very acidic on the mid-palate but the fruit is carried to good lengths by the acidity on the aftertaste. A very fine wine, though the slight whiff of alcohol on the nose distracts a little. As with many 2000s, this is drinking very well now.

Sweet. Nice enough, but soooo sweet. I've never really gotten the hang of Veneto.

I just posted something about this in reaction to one of Rasaahn's note on a Ripasso from the Veneto. I am right with you, Otto. The Faustini family is from the Veneto/Verona area, so I hope I don't offend any of my ancestors, but, I find the wines from the region not to be my favorite, unless it is a lean Valpolicella. I recently had something of Allegrini that was so jammy and fruit forward - I could not drink it at all.

Otto and Paulo--
I just had the 2001 Costasera two weeks ago, and I have to say I loved it. But I'm sure context had much to do with that--it was a glass after dinner, with some lovely Parmesan. I'd agree that it was perhaps too raisiny / port-y to thoroughly enjoy with the main part of a meal, which in my limited experience with Amarone seems often to be case.

My biggest argument with Amarone is when to drink them. They seems too fruity, sweet and raisiny when young, something like over-the-top zins. I prefer to drink them with 10 years age when they settle down. Seem to find about 1/2 the people on each side of the Amarone aging debate.
Walt