Bruno Giacosa, Barbera d'Alba, Falleto di Serralunga d'Alba, 2005
Here is where 'ripe + sweet = fun'. Beautiful aromatics of floralized black cherry and licorice, echoed on the palate along with a bit of tart raspberry. Lovely balance and weight. Drinking very well right now. 14% A-
Saint Cosme, Cote Rotie, 1998
Torrefied sherry oak nose. Wood just obliberates the fruit on the tongue, like being whacked the side of the head by a 2x4. Not my idea of fun here.
Brun, Fleurie, 2005
Much better behaved than a bottle from last summer, there is more fruit and less iodine/medicinal gamay nonsense. Points in my book. A- now.
Costanti, Brunello di Montalcino, 1997
Mutha!$^)!%&)f-ing CORKED!@
Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf du Pape, 1990
Clear light cranberry red with a lightened rim. Musky, slightly bretty, spiced rhum cake and faded plum on the nose. Faded cherry, spice cake, and undercurrent of sweetness to the cranberry-apple cocktail flavors. Very smooth with a spicy, almost gingery finish. This seemed a bit subdued compared to all the press reports on it earlier. 13.5% A-/B+
Moschioni, Colli Orientali del Friuli, 'Real', rosso, 2004
Damn, what the hell is this? A blend of tazzelenghe, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Has a deeply opaque, purplish-black rose color. Deep nose of mulberry, camphor, reductive. A reductive modern wine full of thick burly flavors with precious little acidity, and obvious wood in an easy-going voluptuous style. Like a super rich lagrein or terroldego. 15% whopping alcohol. Not much fun here, either. B+
Chateau Moulin Saint Georges, Saint Emilion, 2000
Smoky herbs and black raspberry juice with leather, plum, slight asphalt, metallic tannins, medium-bodied....what's not to like? Feeling more substantial than a bottle last year. B+/A- Nice stuff.
Lucie et Auguste Lignier, Morey St. Denis, 'la Riotte',2004
Tart red fruits (especially redcurrants) and green peppercorn on the nose. Tartish, bright red fruits along with a drying herbal-streaked finish, which is a little light. Not bad, especially when buying at closeout price ($30-ish?). B+
Dr. Konstantin Frank, New York, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005
Purplish blackcurrant red colored. Weedy, herbally blackcurrants with wood tannins on the finish. Reminiscent of a Loire cab/cot blend. Refreshing. 12%
B+ [sidenote: I thought this came from his own vinyards in the Finger Lakes, but the 'New York' appellation implies Long Island wine as well. Anybody know the constituent makeup?]
Domaine de Suremain, Mercurey, 'les Crets', 2005
A new find for me, and a lovely surprise. Beautifully rendered, pure pinot noir of bright cherry-pomegranite with an intensely chalky finish. Simple, supple, and utterly delicious. Of it's place on the fringes of the more famous Cote. A-