Monday night brought the celebration of my good friend Mike's new cellar and the appropriate consumption of more than one bottle from his newly christened cellar. That is what friends are for, right?
Wines:
Epicuro Vermentino Lazio IGT 2007**
Simple, refreshing, and nice. Was bright but showed a little bit of smoky and toasty character as it warmed in the glass. Nice way to start.
Fontanafredda Piemonte Barbera Briccotondo 2008**-
Nice acidity, as expected. But the aromas and flavor were a little muted. Off bottle? I have another bottle, so we'll see. From other notes on this wine, I am expecting a better showing, next time.
This wine developed and changed almost every time I brought it to my eager nose and mouth, conjuring the feeling that drinking this wine was like experiencing the four seasons. Spring: Upon opening, it was fresh and bursting with energy. Full of life, the wine literally jumped out of the glass with fragrances of new saddle leather, bright red cherries, sweet violets, and wild fennel. Summer: The wine began to transition and unwind, growing in intensity and showing macerated ripe cherries, star anise, milk chocolate, and something reminiscent to aroma of hosing off pavement on a hot summer afternoon. Fall: Deeper and darker this wine continued to develop into black cherries, hints of licorice, roasted herbs, and smoked meat. Winter: Luckily for us, the winter for this wine was not something bleak or dismal, rather it brought black tones of tar, black currants, melted licorice, dark chocolate, and mint. The evolution of this wine was a truly special experience and an unbelievably enjoyable ride.
Cheers!
0 Stars - No rating
1 Star (*) - Not of significant quality or interest
2 Stars (**) - A notable wine of legitimate interest
3 Stars (***) - Great wine that should be searched out
4 Stars (****) - Fantastic wine that should not be missed
5 Stars (*****) - An absolutely mind-bending wine - beg, borrow, or steal to get your hands on some of this amazing juice!
Disclaimer: This rating is based on my palate and at the given time when tasted and may differ from yours. Also, I may catch a bottle in a dumb phase or it just may not speak to me at that particular time.
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