2006 Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany
I had hoped to open my lone bottle with tomato-based pasta with sweet Italian sausages but last-minute laziness took over and we went with strip steak fryers for dinner, instead. The nose on this wine was savory, with some fresh meat and wood. Acidity was prominent and oak appears to be still quite intrusive at certain points. The fruit was evident, but enveloped within the savory component. Digging up on old notes, although I found the Riserva to be more than a decent wine, I also found the regular non-Riserva bottling to be the better one. My rating is based on current drinking status, but somehow I think that the Riserva would be the better one after a few more bottle-aging years. One good thing going for the Riserva is its price, which I think is a good price for the $21 that it currently goes for at nearby stores here in NY. B+
1995 Ch. La Lagune, Haut-Medoc
The cork was stained three-quarters up from the bottom. Some secondary nose of leather, cigar and some sulfur. The wine however, was still quite austere with tannin evident throughout. I'm not sure as to whether this bottle can get any better. B-