The ground is like sponge and the cellar is damp. Sloshing with galoshes is fun and educational.
Bressan, Venezia Giulia IGT, Verduzzo Friulano, 2003
Not as 'orange' a wine as I was led to believe, but this could be an orange wine for those just getting their feet wet. Color is a light pear gold that has a sulfury nose that soon blows off. Muted aromas of toasted almonds, butter cookies, allspice. Windmill cookie flavors, with spring twigs and grapeskins. Some bitter green almond on the finish. Good acidity for an 03. Me like. A-/B+
Digioia-Royer, Chambolle Musigny, 2006
Sappy red-fruited nose with some floral component (roses?). Way too young to assess, but suspect it will have a good future. The next day a little more comes out, especially black raspberry, iron, with strong tannins at the finish. Hold. B+
Dom. Edmund Jacquin, Roussette de Savoie, 'Marestel', 2009
Plastic cork. Fresh nose of spring tree blossoms, slightly herbal. Refreshing, but finishes flat without much acidic bite. Drink now! B+
Peter Jakob Kuhn, Mittelheim, 'St. Nikolaus', riesling, trocken, 2006
Sulfur-y skunk cabbage nose. Zesty jalapeno-skin, lemon zest and ginger, with a petroleum jelly finish. Not the most attractive, especially at $40/bottle. Alright, but doesn't hold much interest. 13% I'm still trying to find a German trocken which actually tastes like what it's worth. The Austrians can do it, why can't they? I find they come up short on flavor-profile-interest and just not worth much of the money charged for them. B+
Terre Nere, Etna Rosso, 'Calderara Sottana', 2004
Let's follow disappointment with disappointment. A stewy, prune-cherry filled mess, sherry and oak cask predominate. Time has not been kind here. Hopefully DeGrazia learns from his early mistakes.
Librandi, Rosso Val di Neto IGT, 'Magno Megonio', 2001
Compared with the Etna, this is drinking at peak, and a beautiful wine. Fenugreek nose, curry leaf. Bone dry and medium-bodied, the fruit is almost nonexistent, this being loved for it's austere qualities and stone-like presence. This has aged well. A-