update on 2003 Chapoutier Crozes Hermitage Les Varonniers

Checking in on the '03 Les Varonniers almost a year later with a fresh bottle.  Popped and poured with grilled ribeye steaks. Rockin' right out of the gate.  Delightful and perfect with the steaks & mushrooms.  
Blackberry with very tasty mocha and creosote. .. gotta love Northern Rhone wines, especially Chapoutier  :) 
Will see how it opens up.... day 2 notes to follow. 
Poured this alongside the end of the magnum of '01 Vina Tondonia ... folks really gravitated to the Les Varonniers .... the '01 Tondonia has a little ways to go , but really showed well this evening with the classicism typical of Lopez de Heredia 

2001 and 2002 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva

01 is from magnum; '02 is from 750 ml.
Have been enjoying the '02 for a while now. We've probably been through a case and a half. '02 has nice red and blue fruit. ... an almost Bordeaux-ish palate at times. Lovely wine.

Opened the magnum of '01 five days ago.  Initial taste is not what I expected.  Seemed a bit thin with light aromatics.  Vacuvin'd and let it sit for a day.  Re-opened and decanted half the bottle to aerate,  intending to take it to a wine dinner.  Still not showing that well.  Vacuvin'd and let it sit for 3 days. 

Re-opened and started pouring for dinner. Things are happening now. Drank alongside an '02 for comparison.  '02 is richer and plummier.  The '01 really started to hit its stride about 4 hours later. More precise, incisive fruit, nice acidity with some brambly sous bois.  Became much fuller bodied. The nose is delicate and fascinating with some hints of tobacco, perhaps even trending towards ethereal. Much later, I could swear the nose reminded me of some older Giacosa wines that have that graceful elegance. 
The '01 is a fascinating wine... built to last even thought it is quite nimble in structure. 

2001 Boroli Barolo Bussia

Have had the Villero cuvee from Boroli, but this is my first foray with the Bussia.  Upon opening the bottle, very attractive florals burst forth.  Initial taste yields delicious classic tar and roses profile. Slow-o for a couple of hours and then into a decanter.
While this was an enjoyable quaff, it just doesn't have a lot of complexity.  Perhaps with additional age? It does lean toward the modern side.  On the palate, the fruit was tasty and then it stopped short with a bit of heat and a sense of clunkiness. ... struggling to show more but not getting there. Paired fairly well with grilled bone-in ribeye steaks. 

2000 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Blanco & 2009 Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut Lieu

These two beauties inspire dialogue about the transformational character of great white wines.  I just don't drink whites that often, so it's a treat to indulge - especially with ones that I don't have much experience with.   Most enjoyable are the incredibly alluring noses on these wines.  Both are superbly balanced at 12.5% alc.  :) 

'00 LdH Tondonia Blanco is 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia Riojana.  Amazing petrol nose.  Minerally & nutty palate with honey nuances and alluring salinity on the finish .... exhibits a texture/mouthfeel that reminds me of Ribolla Gialla.  Fascinating contemplative wine that gains complexity over the course of several hours.  Paired well with grilled tuna, arancini and grilled veggies at dinner.

'09 Huet Moelleux Le Haut Lieu provides an informative experience with Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley.  Gorgeous sweetly floral, slightly petrol nose.  Melon and tropical fruits, but with a stony crispness on the finish that I associate with Chenin Blanc from the Loire.  Evolves very nicely in the glass over several hours.  This was served before dinner on its own and later with almond tort for dessert.

Very much enjoyed both of these in their own framework, yet the Tondonia Blanco is the one I am drawn to over the course of the evening as it opens up and shows its stuff....

2004 Domaine de Marcoux CdP Vieilles Vignes & 2006 Vieux Donjon CdP

Two classic CdP's.  Great comparison of terroir and vine age. Both wines were decanted and let open up for about 90 mins before serving.  We had a few other wines being served as well, so it was a good opportunity to let these CdP's really open up and see how they developed over the course of about 7 hours.

First experience with the Marcoux Vieilles Vignes  (have had the regular cuvee).  Mostly Grenache (from 100 year old vines) with a small dollop of Cinsault. Sourced from La Crau, Gallimardes and Esquirons lieux-dits. As with all great wines, the first thing that comes to mind is balance.  This is a beautiful expression of CdP ... gossamer tannins, pure blackberry fruit, white pepper, hints of creosote and a certain expression of  garrigue that I find unique (and instantly identifiable) to La Crau.  The gravitas in character of the old vines is readily apparent compared to the Vieux Donjon ...the Marcoux VV being elegant and powerful without being ponderous.  Underlying minerality complemented ribeye steaks amazingly well. 

The most immediate impression of the Vieux Donjon was delicious upfront fruit with a more fragrant nose,  but much thinner underneath than the Marcoux VV's rich palate.  A more traditional blend of Grenache,  Syrah and Mourvedre.  A good wine on its own... 

The Marcoux VV was WOTN.  An enchanting cuvee that keep unveiling more and more complexity as the night went on... 

2004 Dehlinger Claret

Fascinating evolution of this wine over a 3 week time span after opening. 14.9% abv.  
This is a Sonoma sourced Cabernet Sauvignon.  

Uncorked about 3 weeks ago at a Cabernet-themed wine dinner.  Decanted and let it breathe over the course of about 5 hours.  Good, but a bit of of tannic burst on the back end with the fruit closing down on the finish.  Put about half the bottle back into cellar under vacuvin.  

Tasted twice more over the course of the past 3 weeks, usually at dinner. Mellowing over time yet still not quite together and showing its true potential.  

Finished off the last 2 glasses this evening with griiled bone-in pork chops.  Wow! Finally showing its stuff.  Tannins had transitioned sweetly and the fruit was gorgeous with nice tertiary complexity.  Really underscores the longevity of this bottling. Classic black currant/cassis.  Nose had even developed a bit more with floral aromatics. 

Always amazing to follow the evolution of red wines over the course of several weeks. The good ones just get better.... 

2010 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva

A beauty of a CCR, just a couple of years too young to reveal its true potential.  It's all there just beneath the surface with the hallmark quality of the 2010 vintage.  
Full decant and enjoyed just a glass on day one.  Quite reticent.  Let it breathe in the decanter for around 5 hours and then rebottled with vacuvin.
Day two - more of the balance and satiny fabric of fruit and tannins are showing.  Paired outstandingly well with fresh made ravioli.  Totally addictive.  Mostly Sangiovese with small amounts of Canaiolo and Colorino. A steal at around $20. 

01 Bodegas Valsardo Reserva Superior & '02 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva

These two wines were actually a Spanish flight served at the same dinner with the Massolino Margheria and Cogno Vigna Elena.  

'01 Valsardo from Ribera del Duero is 90% Tempranillo and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  As with many blends from Ribera del Duero,  it is quite Bordeaux-ish in nature.  Lush black cherry, cassis and hints of graphite.  Voluptuous aromatics.  Drinking at its peak. Actually paired the best of any of the wines with the grilled lamb.  A hedonistic effort. 

'02 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva is one of our "go-to" house wines.  This is classic Rioja at its best, and always continues to amaze me in being such a delightful wine from a difficult vintage.  Lends credence to the adage that great winemakers make good wine regardless of the vintage conditions.  Beautifully mature red fruit with just the right amount of mouth-watering astringency on the palate... deft tannins and acidity in balance ... a bit of smoke and cedar.... 
Very interesting counterpoint to the Ribera del Duero which is more modern in style and much influenced by the Cabernet Sauvignon component. 

01 Cogno Barolo Vigna Elena Riserva & '00 Massolino Barolo Margheria

Tasty comparison of '01 and '00 vintages. Paired with grilled lamb chops. Slow-o for 4 hours and then full decant.  Both wines really hit their stride after about 3 hours in the decanter  (7 hours after initial uncork). 

First experience with the Cogno Vigna Elena cuvee from the Ravera vineyard. Produced from Nebbiolo Rose sub-varietal in a very traditional style. Really enjoyed the classicism of this wine. Quite balanced even at 14.5% abv. Mouthwatering dusty tannins and acidity that could benefit from a bit more time, but oh-so-delicious now with the Ravera fruit pedigree. This kept my attention all evening till it was gone. 

Have had the Massolino Margheria before and the key to this wine is letting it settle for at least 5 or 6 hours after opening.  Much softer and more approachable with plum aspects accompanied by killer florals and tar notes on the nose. Quite alluring but not as much of a classic as the Vigna Elena.