Our host Oliver was sooo apologetic about torturing Albino and me with Peter Sissek wines, he almost made me feel sorry for him – almost! ;^)
Terrific dinner, by the way, Coniglio Brasato that Oliver prepared, and Marc’s tapas – thanks so much!
Quinta Sardonia Sardon del Duero 2004
Thanks to Oliver. The 3-years-old plantings include 48% Tinto Fino, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec und 2% Cabernet Franc – biodynamically farmed. Opaque garnet-purple, pink-red rim. Plummy-chocolatey, medium-complex fruit, nicely dense, a bit Aussie-like. Christmas spice box oak. Mild, but lightly artificial-tasting acidity. Not a bad wine from a superficial point of view – but one of terroir overruled by winemaking. Is there any minerality underneath here? Rating: 89-
Aalto Ribera del Duero 2004
Thanks to Oliver. 100% Tinto Fino. Less luminosity and density to the colour compared to the 2005 Quinta Sardonia, more of a ruby-black with a faint purple hue. Lighter and much drier, but prettier tannin and acidity. Soft charcoal top note, some cedary oak. Ink. Some sweetness and density. Good minerality. Entirely more closed on nose and mid-palate. Rating: ~90
Domino de Pingus Ribera del Duero Flor de Pingus 2005
Thanks to Oliver. 100% Tinto Fino. Similar colour to that of the 2004 AALTO, wider watery purple-red rim. A bit Nebbiolo-like soft oxidation and acids. Some Bordeaux-like lead pencil on the nose. Faint earthiness, crystallized violet, some cherry and plum peel. Good medium-plus body. Little, lightly graphite-tinged minerality. A bit short on the finish. Increasingly oakier with airing, more and more garagiste St. Emilion-like, made to impress. Albino most decidedly did not like this wine’s acidity. That aspect barely bothered me (I thought the acids potentially bland), even so, my gut instinct seemed to suggest the wine may develop a harmony problem in the long run. Rating: 88+/89(+/-?)
Gigi Bianco Barbaresco Pora 2004
Thanks to Oliver. A reasonably tasty Barbaresco for 18 Euros! Medium ruby-black with a raspberry hue. Marzipan oak top note (although apparently fuder-aged), rose-hip-tinged raspberry, soft oxidation but also some florality to the “fruit”. Faint meatiness, just faintly sweet. Tannin is fairly “juicy”, not too dry. Not bad! Albino barely shrugged, of course. Rating: 87+?
Fiorenzo Nada Barbaresco Rombone 1997
Nada’s unsurpassed first Rombone turned out to be my only contribution as the 1994 Pichon-Lalande was badly corked (luckily for the first time ever). Fresh ruby-black, watery ruby-red rim. Intense rose petal. Meat juice, little oak, barely a whiff of marzipan. Thyme, oregano and rosemary. Good body. Finesseful 1997 with just faintly dry tannin. Fairly long on the finish. As Marc said, this is so youthful it could easily be mistook for a 2001 or younger. But then, 1997 is really only great at the very top (although the handful best wines are as good as they get). Like this better (and it is holding up better) than Albino Rocca’s similarly priced, but not nearly as elegant and finesseful Brich Ronchi. Rating: 93-
Rizzi Barbaresco Nervo Fondetta 2004
Thanks to Oliver. Hard to impress the likes of Albino with wines like this or Gigi Bianco’s Pora, but to find Barolo or Barbaresco almost dirt-cheap that is pleasurable and needs no excuse is really quite an achievement nowadays. Medium ruby-amber-orange-black, fairly large watery rim. Rose hip, sweet and sour cherry with touches of grenadine syrup and tomato. Nicely glyceric and thick mouthfeel, even if not too concentrated, but intense enough and light on its feet. Red berry aftertaste. Ironically, neither 2004 came across as much more youthful than Nada’s impressive 1997 Rombone. Rating: 89
Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
