Thursday, September 27, 2012

2001 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino

Had this wine at Florhof Hotel, Zurich, with fellow SNSF panelists, in the hotel's wine cellar. It is quite good and is mature, which is a treat since a mature Brunello tends to be hard to find in restaurants. The nose is an amalgam of cherry, black plum and blueberry, with vanilla, cedar and perhaps a touch of lavender and spice. On the palate it's medium body with a moderate finish. A nice color red ruby with much of the purple resolved (along with the tannins) and substantial translucency. There isn't the depth and reverberation of lasting waves of flavor that one might like in a great wine, but still this is a very pleasurable Brunello and for a Zurich restaurant, quite reasonable (98 SF). It went nicely with the succulent veal chop that was the main course. I'll give it 91 points and surmise it'll drink well for 2-3 more years. Banfi is one of the biggest producers in Montalcino, a place I visited, quite near to the great and beautiful Sesti vineyard.

Here's what Parker (actually, Galoni) said in 2006: A dark ruby, the estate’s 2001 Brunello di Montalcino offers notes of super-ripe dark fruit, flowers, spices, chocolate, sweet oak and underbrush with a round, supple personality, excellent concentration as well as length, and fine tannins. It will benefit from a few years of cellaring and drink well to at least age 15. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2016. 89 points.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Malleolus Emilio Moro ribera del duero 2008

Wonderfully smokey and lots of fruit sweetness with half hour of air. I think there is again as with Pruno, lovely vanilla blackberry on nose and palate. Then some tutti fruiti and banana. There's a delicacy here that's missing from most Rioja IMHO. Also some hazelnut perhaps, and a woodsy pine.

Again with Tom, deb and gabriel wine and cheese at 21 Elssholzstrasse.

This is more refined than the Pruno, but it's also 2 years older so that's one explanation. But also no doubt the vines are older too. This is such pure delight.
2010 Villacreses Pruno Ribera del duero

With Tom, Deborah and Gabriel visiting in Berlin. Wonderful aroma on this even though it just arrived a few days ago from Bodega Privada in Madrid. 94 points from Parker newsletter and it cost 8.5 euros! Blackberry vanilla pronounced on nose. NIce ripe fruit. Needs a bit of time and air.