Our dinner group had its first outing in 2020 as we dined at Convivo Restaurant on the beach. Our wine theme was champagne, white Burgundy and Super Tuscans/ Brunellos.
As usual, we ordered a plethora of appetizers and at this place they were quite appetizing with tasty dishes and sauces galore. We each ordered our own main courses while pairing them with some very fine wines:
2007 TAITTINGER COMTES de CHAMPAGNE BRUT ROSE- I drink a lot of rose champagne and sometimes forget what it’s like to drink a ROSE and this one served to remind me of how special they can be; I bought 3 of this one with the understanding they were 06, but the wine shop apologized and reduced the price for the 07 if I was interested and thankfully, I was; this was truly outstanding starting with huge inviting aromas of clove, red raspberry and red cherry with a bit of toastiness followed by more of the same and joined by intense ripe wild cranberry and maraschino cherry; it was so rich and very full bodied; its complexity almost overwhelmed; when our evening was all over and done with, it was voted WOTN.
2015 PAUL PERNOT CLOS des FOLATIERES PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1er cru- marvelous white Burg here with a texture that hallmarks it’s pure essence; it was so smooth and creamy and enhanced by a bright citrus fruit profile and acidity; even at this early age, it has nice balance with the oak fully integrated; it was medium to full bodied and had an element of charm and finesse that stood out as well as its incredible mouthfeel.
2015 CAROLINE MOREY LES CHAUMES CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET 1er cru- another stellar white Burg with an entirely different taste profile than the Pernot with flint, smoke and minerals notes prevalent in the nose and thereafter along with nice citrus, apple and pear fruit; it held a steady course throughout and continued to please an hour or so later with the same degree of excellence. Husband, Pierre-Yves helped make the wine.
We moved into the reds with 3 fabulous Brunellos:
2011 LA FLORITA BRUNELLO di MONTALCINO- this puppy was so young and energetic and possessive of everything needed to be a top dog; it was loaded with massive fresh and super ripe fruit which on the palate translated into licorice, leather and mint infused blackberry and black cherry; it’s really good now, but patience is essential to allow this to evolve into a balanced and revered gem.
1999 FANTI {TENUTA SAN FILIPPO } BRUNELLO di MONTALCINO- this was an amazing wine generously giving mature dried blackberry aromas which continued on and was joined by wondrous black raspberry and black currant on the palate; accents of milk chocolate and licorice enhance the taste and the long welcomed finish completed the deal.
1997 SIRO PACENTI BRUNELLO di MONTALCINO- the winner of the Brunellos is this one and they were all good; this was extraordinary; it had power and finesse exuding a degree of elegance that stood out throughout; there was wild red cherry and cranberry fruit with chocolate and allspice supporting this tasty wine; this is the complete package and was my favorite red on the night.
Now for the big boys= Tougher Tuscans:
2012 FONTODI FLACCIANELLO della PIEVE COLLI della TOSCANA CENTRALE- 100% Sangiovese; this fabulous producer consistently puts out top scale wines and this followed suit to perfection albeit in a not yet fully evolved state, but with all of the stuffings to ensure a superlative adulthood; I got lavender, anise, plum and black currant in the nose and thereafter along with a touch of leather; it was full bodied with layers of complexity and held on for a glorious finish.
1997 ORNELLAIA BOLGHERI SUPERIOR- 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc; I was expecting big things from this wine; all I needed was to be patient; it got off to a slow start with somewhat muted aromas and closed down expressions, but in time and with a lot of swirling, it opened the doors and let out some of its treasures which included talc, spice and chocolate laden black cherry and black currant; it was full bodied, had a nice soft texture and good length; still, it did not reach the expected wow factor IMHO, nonetheless, it was very good and I appreciated the bring.
2017 TENUTA di TRINORO LE CUPOLE ROSSO TOSCANA- a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot; the nose was very grapey and the taste had somewhat sweet and toasty super ripe dark fruit; it had a soft tannic structure providing a nice feel and finished with copious amounts of dark fruit hanging in for the long ride to the end.
And then the sweeties:
2000 FATTORIA di FELSINA BERARDENGA VIN SANTO del CHIANTI CLASSICO- 375ml; the indicative blend is Sangiovese, Trebbiano and Malvasia, but one stated this bottle is 100% Sangiovese; dark amber color like maple syrup which is exactly what it tasted like with a touch of nuttiness.
1994 CHURCHILL`S PORT- deep, ruby red in color; this comes from the first independent port wine house to be established in more than 50 years; I had to look twice to be sure this wasn’t the traditional wild cherry Smith Brothers Cough Drops in liquid form; it was super sweet and raisiny and yes, it did arrest my cough.
Our dinner group is off to a great start in 2020 and every 2 weeks we get an opportunity to raise the bar which for this group is quite doable. Lots to look forward to.
Cheers,
Blake