ba ba ba, ba barbara ann ...

1)rizzi barbaresco boito 2004

just had to do it again ...

2)suoi barbaresco 2006

not really happening this ... young, strident ...

later

long time between

1) azienda vitivinicola rizzi barbaresco boito 2004 (cru rizzi)
garnet, very slight rust rim; floral, sour cherry, strawb, spice ... cinnamon, tobacco, someone said leather?, hit of soy, some tar, good start ...; fruit and spice follow through on the palate, balsamic?, some mineral/chalk; wonderful juicy acid; finely textured tannins very obvious but somehow does not intrude in the proceedings; balanced; svelte, ever so slightly creamy; light/medium bodied; loong; hope i can see it in another few years; BANG!(+) really enjoyed this one. + some beautifully grilled lambchops ... heaven.

2) chateau fonsalette CDR reserve 2006
still excellent ... perhaps more intergrated even ... splitting hairs ... just drink up.
see earlier sample

nice brace

produttori del barbaresco riserva orvello 2001
ruby; floral, plum/cherry, tar/menthol (whiff), bit sappy, mushroom?, hint of cinnamon and cedar; ripe cherry, plum, hint of cinnamon; lots of tannins, not particularly fine; juicy acidic; light/medium bodied; longish; nice now but will obviously evolve further; BANG!
villa maria sauv blanc 2007
pale yellow; lemon, apple, gooseberry/passionfruit; aforesaid fruit, not particularly intense but then again mercifully not overipe/blown, mineral; acid was quite refreshing; short; decent for the price, i suppose POP!(+)

the strike rate worsens

more free food at my friends' on saturday
mushroom and pesto bruschetta, alio olio spaghetti with black truffle shavings and apricot, feta and chives wrapped in procuitto.

1)serge dagueneau pouilly fume 2006
straw/gold; nectarine, gooseberry, straw, lemon?; follows onto palate, red delicious, stony, chalky; initially overchilled but opened up as it warmed up a bit; very nice almost rich mouthfeel; a little tart but guess that's par for the course; longish finish with them apples at the very end;12.5%;BANG! nice.

2)fontanafredda barbaresco costa rubin 2001
dark ruby with slight bricking; whiff of dried strawberries upon uncorking (cork in good condition), decanted ... then my old friend brett gatecrashed and stayed ... woe. band aid and musk, otherwise tasteless. was so looking forward to this. FIZZLE!

not really happening

ceretto barbaresco asij 2004

garnet light; dried flowers, plum, bit of tar, mushroom/natural gas (kid you not), bit of cedar; dried plum, blackberry/blueberry (hint), tar, musk? (hint), chalky, initally nothing much going on as far as flavours are concerned, raisins; fine tannins, alcohol little hot; balanced acidity; light/medium bodied; short/medium length, early swigs had no length at all ... became water after midpalate!, lenghtened and broadened somewhat after 45 mins. (slight update: needs 90 mins.); 13.5%; BANG! (-); needs air and food; and prices are rising ...

some roast pork helped.

went home happy

drouhin domaine de vaudon chablis 2006 (their next to base model)

bandaid...oops, blew away completely in a short while...phew; greenish straw; lemon, apple, peach on the nose; lemon/citrus fruit, pear, mineral/chalk (very little); interplay of juicy fruit and acid; not bone dry on entry; slightly broader and less minerally than you might expect a chablis to be but not plump like a burg; linear and very balanced; long; medium bodied; can develop but why wait?; 12.5%. BANG! very very nice.
bruno giacosa barbaresco 2001 ("casa vinicola" label/basic/bought-in grapes)

decanted 45 mins; light ruby (you'd think this drink was thin and tasteless); nice broad nose of plum, dried flowers/violets, mushroom, dusty cedar, all beginning to meld, a bit of tar; plum/dark fruits, cinnamon (very little), hint of coco?; flavours broadened midpalate; fine tannins and balanced acidity; long; medium bodied; probably even nicer in a coupla years; 14%. BANG! a joy.

bruschetta, mussels (tomato/garlic/chilli), pork sausages, roast pork, barbequed ribs...and friends.

dinner sat

barbequed pork ribs and ceretto barbaresco asij 2001.

consistent and again, much better about 45min after uncorking ... nose just opens up and palate broadens appreciably. BANG!

ribs and a neb on saturday

at a rib joint. barbequed, braised ... etc., brutal meal it was.

washed down with a ceretto barbaresco asij 2001 (their basic one, consistent and cost effective)
garnet; raisins, dark berries, coffee (?), cedar, tar; ripe plum, berries, raisins tar/menthol on the palate; still a little tannic (but fine) with lots of refreshing acid; balanced enough i guess, slight bitterness at the finish; medium bodied; longish. BANG!

lunch saturday

at the usual place with one suspect only .... filial duties had the other occupied.

bricco asili barbaresco bernardot 2003 (ceretto)
garnet; dried flowers, cherry, plum, cedar, cinnamon?, mint/menthol, tar on the nose; a little cherry which quickly gives way to nice ripe plum and wood; nice acid and fine tannins but not yet intergrated; longish finish; slight bitterness at the very end; better with food, in this case braised pork ribs, where the fruit, acid and tannins seem to meld together; see it in 2-3 years?; 14%. BANG!then trapiche iscay 2003
some sort of merlot and malbec blend from mendoza.dark ruby; vanilla,vanilla, vanilla, wood, plum, blackcurrent on the nose; fruit, fruit, fruit, plum and blackcurrent; very fine tannins; nice gentle acid; longish; big wine; a very smooth drop but at this stage, too much wood for me; "food" wine ie. have it for lunch ... on its own. FIZZLE!

neb and stu

being cheap, had dinner at a friend's (actually "friends'") on the weekend.

lambshank (hey, what else?) stew ... very2 good. this was not the heavy version. it was almost soupy ... actually, it was. visual impressions can be deceiving ... looked bland ... but boy, was i wrong. the gravy/soup(?) was really rich, with meat, root vegies (potatoes and carrots) and herb flavours melded perfectly. forget the solid bits, felt like all i needed was a straw. didn't actually happen, had heaps of meat ... greed is good. i normally like my meat gamey but didn't miss it this time. crusty baguette, heaps of butter (salted!!!) and some alchohol was all that's needed to complete the meal.
prunotto babaresco 2001 chased the food down during the meal. basic stuff that's fortunately, easily found in these parts and as economical as it gets for a decent nebbiolo (which means it's still too bloody expensive). seemed correct for the meal ...

garnet; berries (not the dark stuff {cran?}), hint o dried flowers/violets and menthol/tar (every bottle tried had this characteristic); light/medium bodied; fruit (berries ... plums) , menthol (again, hint), some sweetness (front and mid palate) but finishes dry of course; nice and fine tanins; could do with a bit more acid; quite long; went down well i'd say. BANG!