2021 Manuel Moldes Albarino Afelio Rías Baixis

 This stuff was teeth-clinchingly tight last year. It's approachable now and is delightful. It will give chablis a nice run for the money with its salinity and fruit.

Seems harder to track down this producer in the US these days. Love the pergola trained vines.

2007 Cantine Lonardo Taurasi Riserva Vigne D'Alto

Drank over the course of several days. Very enjoyable right now but has the flavor and structure to age easily another decade. A finely made wine. Seems a bit too polished when it first hits your palate, then the elegant structure shows at mid-palate and provides a platform for really tasty expression of Aglianico fruit. 

14.5% abv and it shows richness balanced with tannins. Perhaps the most enjoyable 2007 Aglianico I've had from Campania. 

Paired well with spicy scallion chicken and steamed pork dumplings..

2012 Pavelot and 2014 Produttori del Barbaresco

 

2012 Domaine Pavelot Savigny-Les-Beaune La Dominode

Young. Needs another 5 years (?) to get into the zone.
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First impression is of deep Morello cherry fruit that is showing a lot purity and refinement. Superb mid-palate leading into a satisfying finish even at this younger stage. Tannins are exceedingly fine, providing an elegant yet powerful framework. 

2014 Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo

Young. Needs another few years to get into the zone.

One of the most elegant wines Ive tasted from this Cru. Lovely pure dark cherry fruit and fine tannins that start to clinch in a polite way about an hour after opening. Showing pretty early florals on the nose. Beautiful wine, bravo.



Dedicated to Dr. Joe Chandler who passed on recently after 86 years of a life very well lived. He helped to found our wine group back in 1989. A renaissance man and tireless world traveler.