WTN: Beaune, Roero, Mormoreto, Taurasi, Seghessio

January lunch notes

Ca del Bosco Franciacorta (nv) – light yellow colour, lemony nose, citrus also on palate, clean, light and with a creamy feel. Very good.

2002 Soucherie Clos des Perrieres Savennieres – at the beginning, a distinctly Riesling nose, but that changed reasonably quickly to lusher fruit. On palate, tropical fruit, maybe a little mango, dry wine with good clean acidity. Liked this one a lot.

1982 Jadot Hospices de Beaune Cuvee Nicolas-Rolin – browning with a little poopy mocha happening in the nose, and some spice, soft, decent length. Wouldn’t have given this a hope of being this good if you’d asked me before it was opened.

1999 Malvira Roero Mombeltramo – this Nebbiolo wine showed an interesting nose of slightly dusty sweet fruit with slight hints of mint and cocoa, finished very dry and a tad short, but enjoyable.

2001 Frescobaldi Mormoreto – a slightly perplexing dark cabernet based wine that showed a big sweet nose with cedar hints, sweet entry, smooth and balanced with good but not assertive acidity.

2004 Dom. Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir – slightly musty sweet nose, sweet in the mouth, over oaked, simple but pleasant enough. Not like other Serenes I’ve tasted.

2000 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici – good cabernet sort of nose with some spiciness (odd, given that this is all Aglianico…), perhaps a tad lean in the middle with medium body, structure on the spare side with some good flavours and good acidity. I recall this being a little more generous in previous tastings, so maybe just this bottle?

1993 Seghessio Barolo La Villa – I must agree with others that said that they would never have figured this for Barolo. Browning edges, a fruit based nose with some licorice that took awhile to clean itself up, medium body, good acid balance, tannins resolved, very decent finish.

1987 Quady Starboard Frank’s Vineyard – this California Port ringer had a really ripe nose of dates and dried oranges (and orange peel), brown edges, and was so sweet I was starting to wonder if it could be a PX.

[Jenise]

Ca del Bosco Franciacorta Interesting that Coop was sure this was Champagne, I didn't read any champagne here at all. First guess was a Loire chenin and second guess was Somewhere Else in Europe because of a slightly offdry lychee flavor in the finish. It was familiar but I didn't peg it, even though I own a box of this. Good stuff.

2002 Soucherie Clos des Perrieres Savennieres – Attractive nose but unusual in that it's Reisling-ish tropicality was juxtaposed with a totally dry palate. Was hard to peg, but very good.

1982 Jadot Hospices de Beaune Cuvee Nicolas-Rolin – Oh boy, a brown one! Lovely decaying old pinot nose. Quite compelling on the palate. The sweet dusty fruit drops out rather rapidly, which wasn't unexpected, but it was fun while it lasted.

1999 Malvira Roero Mombeltramo – Fabulous sweet and spicy nose with a very minor touch of iodine, not immediately peggable and wasn't surprised when a first guess of pinot was a 'no'. Was surprised when it was confirmed to be nebbiolo but NOT Barbaresco. Enjoyed this a lot.

2001 Frescobaldi Mormoreto – Bit punchy nose of cedary dark sweet red fruit nose with violets. Would have bet the kids on a California syrah. When it wasn't syrah at all, I didn't know where to turn. Evolved well in the glass picking up hints of fresh fennel and other fauna, a very pleasurable wine. Has a nice future.

2004 Dom. Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir – My wine. What a dud! Sweet vanilla tones on the nose and palate and not much else. Or to put it another way, someone stole the fruit and left the oak, and I don't blame them. Didn't want the oak either! Fruit's candied and simple and offers little hope for the future. Not at all on par with expectations for an Evanstad, which usually ages exceptionally well.

2000 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici – Fabulous fruit cake spice on the nose here, with warm fruit and a bit of orange juice. My first thought was Southern Rhone--took a moment to recognize the acidity and re-orient. Superb example of aglianico.

1993 Seghessio Barolo La Villa – What you said.

1987 Quady Starboard Frank’s Vineyard – PX? No, this didn't have the viscosity. Dates, prunes and oranges--we had no trouble picking this out as a Port style wannabe from South Africa or California. Pleasant, but fleshier and simpler than a real port would ever be.

Interesting notes on the Soucherie. That wine can be quite racy to say the least, but obviously 2002 was a ripe year. Nice to hear that it's showing well and not in any sort of Savennieres funk!